“...and it
went down in a single blow. Boom!” Jerry told the kids as Mackie fixed their
breakfast. She flipped a couple of sunny side-ups on the left pan and left the
bacons to sizzle on the other side. The morning was not as sunny but rather
cool and cloudy. She opened the windows about half an hour ago. The peculiar
odor of petrichor came as she about to oil the pans. The rain will come soon,
as she thought.
“Oh,
really?” Mackie jeered as she looked at the storytelling party. That old man
was getting rather animated as the story escalates. The kids went ‘oohs’ &
‘aahs’. Some ‘wows’ were heard too. She could only smile & slightly shook
her head. It was peaceful. She really wished that it would last.
About five
years ago was the final siege of H-13A Colony. The Global Alliance went
full-scale assault against the United Confederation of Colonies for about two
years after a certain political security breach. The colony which Mackie &
her father, Jerry live now was one of the ‘safest’ places available during the
war. The other cluster of colonies including their current stationed home,
which located around the Martian west orbital sector, was under the rule of
war-hating senates. Yet for a group of pacifist leaders, they armed the
colonies with groups of mobile, mechanical, humanoid-like robots called “Strike
Modules”.
After the
war, those machines were put out of service. Most of them were destroyed. Some
of the technologies were shared & exchanged due to a new treaty made
between Earth governments & the Colonists for cultural growth &
development. Things went back to normal, so as they thought.
***
“This is
Alpha Leader. Bravo Leader copy.”
“Bravo
Leader to Alpha Leader, copy.”
“Alpha
Leader to Bravo Leader. Alpha Team activating Camo-Shield.”
“Bravo
Leader to Alpha Leader. All systems go. Commencing Operation Skystorm”
“Copy that.”
The dark
cockpit was filled with neon-colored readings, instruments & gauges.
Several crosshairs appeared on the screen. Moments later the hood that covered
the cockpit glass showed the surroundings outside the craft he was in.
Within the
full-faced visor, the pilot sneered.
“Let the
games begin.”
***
It was
raining as expected. Mackie washed the dishes & cleaned the kitchen. The
rain seemed to be on schedule, she thought. The colony’s weather regulator must
be well-maintained, much better than those years. Then again she dreamed of
going back to Alabama, back to her birthplace on Earth. She missed her other
family members. She missed to visit her mother’s grave.
She missed
her life there.
It would be
next year Mackie & Jerry will be heading back to Earth after her stationary
contract on managing the colony’s systems ended. One year is indeed long for a
person longing to be back, especially when loved ones are there and very much
alive.
Mackie
snapped out of her fond memories. Somebody knocked the front door. Must’ve been
dad, she thought. She walked briskly towards the front door and opened it. “What
took you so long?” Jerry smirked slightly. Mackie could only put a smile on her
beloved dad. “Nothing, it’s just...”
An echo of
explosion interrupted their speech. Their senses alerted. Neighbors came out
from their houses as another sound of explosion was heard. The atmosphere of
dread shrouded the neighborhood.
“Look.”
Jerry pointed out east of their position. Thick trails of smoke rose to the air
with some tall buildings identified. “The city..” uttered Mackie as her eyes
fixed over the smoke.
“Dad, stay
here. I’m heading out.” Mackie pushed her way through the crowd heading to the
house. Surprisingly Jerry was just simply looked at her actions. A moment later
he looked away back to the smoking city.
In the house, Mackie rushed to the table
and took her ID pass and the car key. Without any second thoughts she went for
the car, and zoomed away. The crowds briefly looked at what happened and slowly
dispersed. Only Jerry left standing, eyes fixed over the wall of smoke, several
kilometers in front.
to be continued...
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