Duties and Desires: Part 1

Chapter 1
'''1100 Hours, January 24, 2482 (Insurrection Earth-standard Calendar), outskirts of Asphodel City, planet Eridanus II, Eridanus System

The Pelican dropship lowered its rear landing gear, and its hatch opened. The Insurrection medics pulled the injured out on medical stretchers. They moved with calm efficiency towards the medical facility.

Commander Gerald Barrie stood on one side, watching them calmly. His guards were behind him, their Assault Rifles ready. His subordinates had always been unconcerned with the injured dropping into the area, but Barrie always took time to ensure they would be treated properly.

The man wasn’t actually military, but was known for his combat and leadership skills. Everyone called him “the Commander”.

The group of facilities in the area were unofficially nicknamed “the Sanctuary”. Although Asphodel City and surrounding area was Insurrectionist territory, the civilians were not concerned with them, and came to trust the rebels to give them reliable medical care. Barrie always welcomed them to the Sanctuary whenever they needed help. It was in some ways safer than living in Asphodel City. In fact, the civilians preferred that the UNSC (United Nations Space Command) did not bother them at all.

Despite the diplomatic feel of the area, Barrie was also consistent with any security measures in case of anything. The Insurrectionist soldiers were armed with the latest weaponry and other UNSC contraband. None of it was stolen, as the Commander felt that petty thievery was beyond them. He had contacts that owned replicated blueprints for the official weapons, vehicles, and equipment for the UNSC. The guards carried new MA3 Assault Rifles, M4C Magnums, and snipers lined the facilities at the most unpredictable vantage points. They carried access cards to garages containing Warthog Light Reconnaissance Vehicles, complete with fingerprint and retina scanners to discourage thievery (not that anyone needed to). Self-destruct explosives were planted on every ship, and the 400 Insurrectionist soldiers made up over half the population.

“What happened this time?” Barrie asked as they passed by.

“Gunfight, sir,” one of the medics explained, not even slowing down. “Some kind of dispute over gang turfs. Shot a couple of civilians to prove a point.”

“It’s those teenagers that give Asphodel a bad name,” the Commander sighed. “As if we don’t already have the UNSC on our asses all the time.” He walked after the medics, followed by his guards.

The medics laid the injured civilians on the beds, and a few doctors were looking over them. A boy with long, dark hair stood beside them, listening to them talk.

“This one took a bullet in the head,” Dr Walker, the chief surgeon, said. “The only reason he’s not dead is because he has a metal plate where part of his skull should be. Got it from another gang fight, probably. Unfortunately, if I try to find the bullet with an MRI, it’ll tear the plate right out of his head.”

“But what if you use ultrasound, doctor?” the boy asked. “If we do a high-setting scan, we can make a good estimate as to where the bullet is based on the location of the entry wound.”

Barrie walked up to them. “Who is this?” he asked, looking to the boy.

“This is my assistant,” Dr Walker said, still thinking about it. “Okay, we’ll try it. Good thinking, kid.”

“What’s your name?” Barrie asked him.

“Felix Martel, sir,” the boy replied respectfully.

“You’re pretty sharp, boy,” the Commander said. “I could use someone like you to help me with things.”

Felix looked pleased. “Thank you, sir.”

“Felix, can you get the medical supplies?” Dr Walker inquired. The boy walked into a supply room and returned pushing a trolley laden with surgical instruments.

Barrie watched them work with the patient. Felix was serious, quiet, and very helpful. He couldn’t be older than 10, but the Commander could see that the doctor was glad to have him around. He also noted how strong the boy’s build was, and made a mental note to recruit him as a soldier when he was old enough.

When Felix got home, his mother, Abigail, was in the living room with dinner ready. He sat down at the table, and she handed him a plate. “How was it at the medical facility?”

“Great,” he said. “One of the patients had a bullet in his head, but you know Dr Walker never failed to save a life yet.”

“Is your homework done? School’s tomorrow you know.”

Felix rolled his eyes as he ladled food onto his plate. “I know, mom. I’ve finished it already. Tom probably hasn’t yet, though.”

“Well he has trouble with something, he says,” Abigail said. “Why don’t you help him out?”

He groaned. “Mom, you could have helped him. I was out all day.”

“I know dear, but you need to spend more time with him. Working at a medical facility isn’t what people do when they’re 9 years old.”

“I’ll be 10 in a month, mom,” Felix said. “Where’s dad? He should be home by now.”

“The technicians wanted some upgrades on the Pelicans, and he’s staying for another shift to get it done. Oh, and Felix, Commander Barrie dropped by today. He gave me this.” Abigail passed a sheet of paper across the table. “He wants you to see him next Saturday at the administration facility.” Felix read it for a few moments. His mother looked at him. Her son was such a serious young boy, taking on quite a few responsibilities. He never disappointed her when it came to his studies at school, and brought home a fair salary from the medical facility every month. He had probably seen so many people brutally injured and helped bring them out from the rift between life and death.

Felix finished reading the paper, and picked his fork up again. “The Commander was here?”

“Yes, he talked quite a bit about you,” Abigail said.

The former was silent, eating without giving it much thought. So Barrie had taken an interest to him. He realized he would like to hear what the Commander had to say.

The only thing that Felix felt ever bothered him was that he didn’t know what he wanted to be when he grew up. There was a lot he could do, but it just never felt right for him. Maybe Barrie held the answers to his future.

Felix picked up his plate and utensils and placed them in the sink. He washed them thoroughly, and walked upstairs to Tom’s room.

His younger brother was playing a computer game when he walked in. He turned around and quickly turned it off. “You scared me,” Tom said.

Felix looked over to the homework laid on the table. “Looks challenging,” he said sarcastically. “Long division is one of life’s greatest mysteries, isn’t it?”

“Shut up,” Tom said, turning his computer back on. “You made me close the game. Now I have to start over.”

“You know, mom said you could go on after you’re done,” Felix said. “It really isn’t that hard.”

“I know, but I just don’t wanna do it.” His little brother opened an internet browser, and Felix grabbed his wrist.

“Hey! What are you—” Tom turned to face Felix, and trailed off as he saw the expression on his face.

The latter was reading the article on the homepage news.

UNSC CLOSING IN ON ERIDANUS SYSTEM

Reports of increased Insurrectionist activity has been detected. Civilians on Eridanus II had been targeted, and the casualty rate numbers at greater than a thousand. The UNSC (United Nations Space Command) is sending ships to the Eridanus System to deal with the Insurrectionist force. The counterattack is expected to conclude at a maximum of 1 week.

Commander Barrie always made it clear how he found the other Insurrectionists in the Eridanus System to be problematic. They attracted attention to any other rebel group, hostile or not. But the UNSC never cared. To them, an Innie was an Innie.

The Sanctuary was very well defended, but even it could not prevent the ships in orbit from launching a MAC strike down on them, if they felt like it. In the last major scrap with the UNSC, the Insurrectionists managed to hold their own… barely. But this time, it sounded severe. They were obviously in danger here.

Felix had never known why the Insurrectionists hated them so much. From what he heard, the civilians lived their lives the same way as they did. There had been no enemy to fight other than pirates and smugglers. But he occasionally wondered what it would be like, to walk among them, as one of them…

“Felix?” Tom asked, who was starting to feel a bit disconcerted. “Are you alright?”

Felix snapped out of his reverie. He felt his thoughts drifting away, and slowly let go of his brother’s wrist.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’m fine.”