AllFreeNovel
Share Us
On the streets of New Malindi, the Free Dunia loyalists clashed with Makori’s followers, who’d since branded themselves the One Dunia Coalition.
The Coalition’s militia was wreaking havoc on the capital. After storming parliament, they’d set their sights on the government buildings that housed the ministries of those loyal to the former Prime. Burning and looting were widespread. The Free Dunia movement had retaliated. They’d marshalled their soldiers to stop the looting and senseless violence.
While both sides accused and counter-accused, New Malindi’s civility eroded into brawls in the streets and alleyways. Alongside the images of widespread violence, the news holos were full of speculation about the control of the planet, with xentium at the centre of discussion.
Had Massimo Makori used his parliamentary privilege to facilitate the acquisition of vast untapped xentium reserves in the planet’s eastern continent, Wadi? Had he tried to make deals to hide corrupt payments in exchange for assuring to obtain rights over the mines and oust a competitor? Had he then awarded the contract to a mining conglomerate with which he had many shares? Had he tried to sell xentium to The Technocracy? Had the Prime attempted to stop the blatant corruption and paid for it with his life? Had he fomented the coup and the manufactured accusations against the True Prime and Selene to cover up his illegal acts?
The endless questions whirled in the media, on the streets and between whispered dinner conversations across the planet.
Fearing further reprisals and untoward revelations, Makori’s co-conspirators had urged him to take a strong stand against the violence. He’d given in to the pressure, giving a holo comm speech where he bitterly criticised the riots and unrest.
He blamed the now deceased Prime and Selene, accusing them of a decades-long scheme to bribe foreign officials from all over the Pegasi system for preferential access to xentium to the tune of hundreds of millions of schills. He also accused them of engaging in a scheme to manipulate the price of xentium and avoiding government audits. And that they’d done it with the approval and even the encouragement of the current members of the Free Dunia Council. All of these were actions that contravened the Xentium Transparency Act.
He claimed that he’d only assumed power to protect the planet from their acts of treason.
His words condemned the rebellion for the widespread conflict that could threaten the safety of all Dunia. He singled out the senators and armed forces loyal to Selene, citing them for wanting to profit from the ‘Grand Munene Scheme’. Or so he called it.
The edict had ended with the announcement that he had no option but to enforce martial law throughout the planet.
Since the speech, Makori’s militia had since infiltrated every suburb. They comprised military battalions that had their switched loyalty to the Coalition, persuaded with the promise of shared riches once Massimo had control of xentium production. Under his orders, they’d arrested thousands of Selene’s supporters and detained at least five hundred councillors and administrators whom they suspected to be sympathetic to her. But still, the people of Dunia rallied in support of her.
She didn’t deserve their loyalty,she thought.
She’d let them all down by taking her eye off the ball. But, worst still, her dearest father was dead, and she’d done nothing to stop it.
She hadn’t even been able to reach her younger sister with a message about what had happened.How would Sheba, a medic on a relief ship in the far sector of the galaxy, react to the news of their father’s death? Would she blame Selene?
What about their mother, who passed away years ago when the girls were ten and eight? Would she have blamed her firstborn daughter too?
Selene took a deep breath. She deserved any blame because she’d been her father’s right-hand advisor. And a hopeless one at that, for not seeing through Massimo Makori’s veil of wit and charm that had concealed his deep treachery. She felt a wave of sorrow hit her, and she slumped on the rocky seat under the waterline, defeated in grief, loss and the weight of responsibility.
‘Why me?’ she whispered through slow tears. They fell into the grotto’s waters, which stirred into tiny waves that flowed over and around her body, pulsing softly.
Then came a whisper that echoed throughout the grotto.‘She who asks questions cannot avoid the answers.’
Selene sat up, looking around, heart pounding. ‘Who’s there?’
Had that been a hallucination?she wondered. Was her brain playing tricks on her again?
The waters around her stirred.‘Be a mountain or lean on one.’
Selene ventured with a whisper. ‘Dunia?’
There was no reply. Then she felt a wave of energy and a sudden rush of wind. It slammed into her and whirled, agitating the deep pool of water in the cave. She saw the swirling liquid rise into a high fountain. It then fell away into the pool leaving behind waves of pure luminescence.
‘You are the answer.’
Silence fell in the enclosed grotto. Selene blinked, staring at the now still waters. It seemed that the planet had chosen to speak to her. Heart thumping, she tossed around the words she’d heard in her mind.
Until she accepted their inevitable truth.
She was the answer.
Not because she was full of her own hubris. But because her father’s passing had handed the baton to her and only her. There was no one else for the job.
She had to take on the responsibility of finding a way forward for the people and planet of Dunia. She gathered her strength and grit around her once more and rose from the cavern to wearily face the inevitable.
2
