To make amends

A Chapter by artimec

"Good morning Nathan! How are you today?" Maria asked. I had only been here for two weeks but the people here had welcomed me as one of their own. Mehrla was only a small city but a very rich one nonetheless. The city was built around a Thelmium vain. Thelmium is a very rare metal and Mehr 3B was one of very few worlds that had it. The Mehr system is a free system, not attached to the Sol Consortium nor the Empire. That means that Mehrla has pretty much unlimited trade possibilities. The city is controlled by president Summers who was democratically elected.

"I'm fine Maria, is there anything I can assist you with today?" I asked.

"Well I suppose I could use a hand with the harvest." Maria was an old woman, she wasn't that strong anymore. Even though the harvest is done by machines, it still requires some strength to operate them.

Maria was the sweetest woman I had ever met. The grandma I never had. She really seemed to like me too. Of course, she didn't know who I really was. I was afraid to tell her. All Primes seemed so convinced that everyone hates our kind, but how could a sweet old woman like Maria hate anyone?

I went to the fields and booted up the programmes. The machines did their work and every few minutes I emptied the collection bins. It was simple work but I really enjoyed. It was a nice change from stealing and murdering.

Suddenly one of the bins tipped over. In a reflex I quickly created an energy field around the bin and put it back into place. Then I heard glass shattering. Maria stood behind me, she was bringing me lunch. I saw the tray on the ground, she dropped it. I looked into her eyes and all I could see was disgust. "You're one of them, a mutant." She said. "Get out! Leave this planet and never come back!" She turned around and got away as quick as she could.

I went after her and tried to explain that I meant no harm but she called the guards on me. Three guards came running towards me, their guns pointing at me. "On the ground, mutant!" They shouted. I had two choices, I could fight them or I could cooperate and hope for the best. I chose the latter. They cuffed me and took me away.

Late in the evening I got a visitor. It was president Summers. He wanted to make sure that I never returned.

"You're on the first transport out of here, you here me? I never want to see your mutant face here again! I'm introducing a new law. From now on the people of Mehrla are to execute a mutant on sight. Make sure the rest of your kind knows this." It was a short visit but he had made himself very clear. I didn't want to return here anyway, after seeing what these people were really like.

I spend the rest of the night in jail. In the morning I was rudely awoken by a large bang, followed by a lot of screaming. I looked out the window and saw several imperial cruisers hoovering above the city. They were firing at the security checkpoints. Dozens of shuttles touched down and imperial marines started to move in to the city. What was happening? Were they here for me? I wasn't aware of any bounties I had. Maybe the Empire wanted revenge for everything the Primes had done. I used my powers to break out of my cell, all the guards were to busy with the invasion. I needed to get of this world. I kept a low profile and moved towards the docking area. On my way I saw the defence forces getting slaughtered. They were outnumbered seven to one. I saw them falling back to the citadel, the heart of Mehrla. I was almost at the docking area but I couldn't leave these people behind. I turned around and fought my way to the citadel.

"We can't reach the ships, mister president. There's know way of this world. Our only option is to surrender."

"Look outside mister Kadar! They are executing civilians! If we surrender we will die, it's all that damned mutant's fault."

"I can take the remaining forces and lead a frontal assault. It might throw them off guard, allowing you and the rest of the civilians to retreat."

"That is suicide Goto! I cannot ask this of you. We don't even have enough firepower to make such a sacrifice a succes."

"We do mister president. I can offer the commander additional firepower." I volunteered to help these people, I saw it as a way to make amends for the wrongs my kind had been doing.

"Why would you do this, mutant? After all we have done to you." Commander Goto asked.

"Walking away from you, not doing anything knowing that I could save you, that's murder. I am not a murderer." I explained.

"Very well, it's our best shot. Who's gonna miss a mutant anyways." The president said.

We stormed outside. I warped a few imperials down. Goto and his team of a dozen men were throwing themselves at the imperials. These men had never seen combat before, they were guards not soldiers. One by one Goto's men fell. I charged right into the enemy, created a shield to deflect the gunfire and managed to kill two squads in a matter of seconds. Only four of Goto's men were still standing. I turned my attention towards the docking area and saw that almost all civilians had reached the ship. I saw Maria get in and felt reassured, that sweet woman made it out. I focused on the fight again. I saw a man with a large scar running across is left cheek, he was old but still capable. He sounded the retreat, the imperial soldiers slowly went back to a checkpoint they had captured. I guess they had enough of me. I looked around and all i could see was death. Guards and imperials in a sea of blood, only one survivor: me. Goto was barely breathing at the time, sitting against a wall. I sat down next to him.

"They made it out." I said.

"Good... you fought well.... maybe...just maybe.... maybe your kind isn't all that bad..." Goto said with his dying breath. I looked up and saw a the frigate taking off. I had saved at least a hundred people here today and it felt good.

I saw a cruiser turning around, aiming it's guns at me. I quickly made my way to the docks and made away in a small fighter. The cruiser managed to fire a few rounds at me but my fighter was agile enough to dodge them. I left Mehr 3B behind and plotted a course for Earth.

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