Imogen

Imogene

Imogene grew up in the machine. She had no memory of her parents. The only thing that she knew was that the witch Jinx and the commander Draco had taken her in as an infant and raised her. They didn’t really raise her, more like trained her. As a child she had little time for play. Experts worked with her. They schooled her reading, writing, and mathematics, but they focused more on engineering and war more than anything. Imogene spent hours exercising, fencing, practicing archery and learning hand to hand combat. By the time she had reached sixteen she was in the Hive’s army. By age eighteen she was the Captain.

For nearly twenty years she believed that the drone army and the machine were good. They provided for the peasant villages�"allowing them to grow and thrive. The industrialization made life easier and happier for the people of Celestria. As Captain she was ensuring that things ran smoothly. Imogene was the oil, a vital part of the operation. Without her the machine would breakdown. She firmly believed that placing the troops in nearby villages that she was keeping the peace, not disturbing it. She didn’t understand why a small group of people had chosen to rebel. It just made her job that much more difficult.

The growing numbers of rebels were the most troubling part of her job. They were disruptive and, worst of all, elusive. She grew to loathe he assignments because they almost always dealt with these troublemakers. Why couldn’t they just let the army do its job? Why couldn’t they see that Draco and Jinx were Celestria’s rightful rulers?

Today was no different. Imogene was assigned to the village of Théoden on the edge of the Shimmering Sylvia. Her instructions were to gather the villagers aboard the ship and bring them into service. It was their duty to serve time in the machine and in the mines. Everyone had to contribute to keep the machine running and the world working.

Imogene gathered the troops, including her commanders, and headed to the docking bay. They boarded the transporter and headed out to the village. It seemed like a rather typical day. Imogene had no idea that her life was about to change forever. They landed in the square and began rounding up available men and even some women. Bast, Sucker and Tazer did most of the actual work. The drone troops stood by in case of a riot. Imogene did not see the tearful good-byes from her spot in the command center.

Dials and buttons surrounded her. She was enclosed in her tiny room, focused on her tiny screen. She counted the number of times that the transporter took on another villager. It was easier this way. Imogene preferred the solitude. She never knew how to act around the peasants anyway. She supposed that she pitied them, but mostly she didn’t understand. They idea of living out in the elements with no help from the machine frightened her. Their simple way of life seemed almost alien to her. Imogene was uncomfortable, so she avoided confrontation. Besides, she had to focus on her job. Getting to know the villagers would distract her from that job.

Suddenly the alarm went off. What Imogene dreaded most. Trouble. She sighed and picked up her blast gun. Reluctantly she went down to investigate. When the door opened she saw a drone come flying around the ship. It appeared as if a fight had broken out in the tavern across the way.