Man Of Earth
12
## If ever there was a City that looked battle-ready, it was New Dawn City, hence why it wasn’t chosen as the primary target by the Sigma Dissonance. That dubious honour went to Sunray City, the metropolis, with its diversity of people, trades, ages and class dwelling in every corner of the conobation. What New Dawn City remained useful for was resources, exactly what Sigma Dissonance were currently attempting to exploit. And it all came from a piece of intelligence Ambassador Able received a day or two ago. It didn’t go nearly far enough to explain why Dan Ward, Man of Earth, and Professor Wilson Bronnstromer, the other Man of Earth, stood in a deep crater, man-made, where a number of co-opted citizens of New Dawn and beyond were helping build a giant structure. Of course they weren’t there of their own free will. Well, all except the Professor and Dan, that is ##
“It’s a Blast Cannon Factory, as I suspected Dan.” whispered the Professor, shovelling dirt from one spot to another, repetitively.
Dan dug his shovel into the mound, “So, this thing will be able to hit any spot on White Haven? And there’s nothing to stop them?”
The Professor nodded, “Yes, Dan. Nothing at all.”
#
Earlier that day, Dan and the Professor had sneaked into the camp, and disguised themselves as workers. The Professor had insisted on coming along, to at least get a closer look at what the Sigma Dissonance were building, and the man was a tough old boot, who wasn’t afraid of a little hard work. So, as Ambassador Able journeyed to his City to see what could be done, both the Professor and Dan Ward took it upon themselves to go in and see what they could do.
“Get back to work you snivelly creatures!” yelled the Sigma Dissonance Foreman, with whip in hand. The first one struck the Professor, who visibly buckled under the pressure.
Dan leaned in, acting up in order to take the brunt of the swipes, “Yes Sir! We will Sir! Back to work right away Sir!” squeaked Dan. Eventually the Foreman lost interest and moved on.
“Thank you for that, Dan.” expressed the Professor, “I don’t know if I could have taken too many of those!”
Dan simply shrugged it off, “Stick close to me, and I’ll take them all, Professor.” stated Dan, digging in his shovel once again to the seemingly never-ending pile of dirt before him.
A commotion began a few yards away. A worker of middle years, had slipped and was being beaten severely by a Guard. Dan dropped his shovel and ran to them, “Wait! Wait!” said Dan, moving between the worker and the Guard. Dan well knew what was coming, so took it. Being blocked from his target, the incensed Guard now turned on Dan, as Dan had hoped, beating him about the back and shoulders with a strong pole. Dan almost dropped to his knees once or twice, but stood the knocks, no matter how brutal. Once Dan was coughing and wheezing from the beating, the Guard moved away, his anger sated. The worker who had been on the ground now came to Dan as he was crouched, regaining the wind that had been knocked out of him.
“How can I ever thank you! Wait! You’re -”
Dan put a bloodied finger to his lips, “Not here.” he whispered through bruised ribs.
“Of course! Er - Duley! Well, Duley, my names Equaran! You have no idea how long we’ve - no, never mind that! I have been collecting together the other workers who possess a backbone and aren't afraid to use it. All we’ve been waiting for is someone to lead us!” expressed Equaran.
Dan noticed that in the fuss, the Professor had taken the opportunity to get a closer look at the object they were working on, to find stress points or equally weak points in its construction. He turned to Equaran, “So, you think you can take me to these others?” he asked, still a little breathless. Equaran nodded and put an arm under Dan’s for support, as he led him to the lacklustre amenities area of the camp.
Once Equaran had gathered them all together, behind the toilet block, and Dan had regained some of his composure, he set about informing them of what the situation was.
Dan began, “You’re all here? Good! For those who don’t know me, I’m Captain Dan Ward. For those who do know me, please, as Equaran here refers to me, call me Duley while I’m here. We don’t want the Sigma Dissonance to suspect anything! With me is Professor Bronnstromer. He’s looking for ways of destroying that thing - yes, destroying it! We need to send a message back to Baron Frost up there, that we are not to be trifled with! We are not going to lie down and take it! Are you with me!?” All called out in the affirmative.
“I’m sure I speak for all, when I say that once it kicks off, these people will rally to the call!” said one of the workers, to the agreement of the others.
Dan smiled, “I knew I could count on you! Alright! Wait for my signal, and when you hear it, spread discord!”
Luckily at that moment, the Professor rounded the corner and came to Dan with his findings. Equaran took his fellows away, and they continued to discuss tactics as Dan listened to the Professor, “It can be done.” he expressed.
“Good!” smiled Dan, “Now, as to how? I have a few ideas!” said Dan, leading the Professor away from the amenities area.
#
Meanwhile, in the City a short distance from the pit of workers, Ambassador Able stood in his Office, looking from his vantage point on the balcony that was to the rear of his desk. Debry, his secretary and friend interrupted Able’s reflection.
“Sir, you know it’ll take time with them? They are slow to act at the best of times, and what with this business -”
“You must understand, out there, where it’s all happening, there’s no time to deliberate, to prevaricate or procrastinate! Out there, decisions and choices are all we have. Wait on a decision too long, and people will become victims of that sanctioned laziness! People will die, because no one has ratified the document stating for which party allegiance they debate under! I always thought this City was amongst the quickest, the most honest - the most active and forward thinking! That’s nonsense! To a man, that Council is disruptive to the democratic process, and should be rested for one that utilises the systems and resources it has! There’s a dangerous weapon being constructed out there, and not one of them wants to do anything about it!”
“I know. I understand, Sir. But without support -”
“Damn their support! I’m going there now, to speak a few truths to those tired old men!” said Able, leaving poor Debry in his wake.
“Good luck, Sir.” he said to the empty room, “You’re going to need it.”
Ambassador Able swept majestically down the long symmetrical halls, past overly efficient workers simply on their way to do their small part of the larger cog's work. In a way, Able had sympathy for them. The City was well defended, certainly, but when war finally walked up to their door and knocked on it, these insulated and institutionalised people would not know what hit them. Meanwhile, people like Dan Ward were out there, fighting for a freedom that was neither owed nor demanded of.
New Dawn City was a place of angles, precise and sharp, unfriendly almost, strict, metallic - it neither promised nor delivered comfort, and succour was something of anathema. There was a sense that there should be a free spirit about the place, but all that greeted one upon arrival, was an unbending tree in a storm of activity. When Able pushed his way into the Council Chamber, a debate about water rationing was underway, signed in triplicate and stamped for approval of orative discussion.
“This is tiresome!” called Able, and the room fell suddenly silent, “You have to help! People are in danger - your people are in danger!”
“We’ve already told you this, Able. We can do nothing. We are a small force, while they are a large one. Nothing comes of such an endeavour.” spoke Councillor Kepper, from his high backed seat on the top table.
“Nothing comes - do you hear yourself talk? And the absurdity that comes from your overstuffed mouth?” accused Able caustically. This produced an affronted murmur from the stuffed shirts of the Council.
“You are hereby stripped -” began Kepper.
“Of my Ambassadorship? Fine! But you have never seen what people can do, you know, the right people?! Take Dan Ward, for instance! I have seen that man take a small force, round up a larger one, and cause them all to surrender with barely a shot fired! It’s not the number of people, it’s the attitude of them! The skill! The intention! Don’t you see?! You are slowly killing New Dawn, and you don’t even know it!”
#
Back at the pit, Dan was continuing to toil away, with Equaran on one side and the Professor on the other. Sweat was mingling with the dirt, to cake them in a dark coating. It was almost time, certainly, but this plan had only one chance, so it would have to run with precision, if it was to succeed.
Dan was watching the pace of the Guards. He could see the point was near, so he nodded to Equaran, who continued the new complicated system of nods and whistles that ran out like an infection about the pit. Once the return whistle came, Dan chose his moment to strike. He waited until the Guard was almost upon him, when he suddenly threw the shovel from him, distracting the Guard long enough for Dan to yell and grab him.
This became the trigger for everyone else. The workers easily outnumbered the Guards by a factor of three, so grabbing them was easy. But not every Guard came quietly. There were shouts, commotion, weapons being fired - then one group of the workers, the more agile, began to climb the huge cannon, with ropes about their shoulders, which they affixed to various protuberances about the construction and threw the ropes down the sides for others to collect and pull. With Dan’s leadership the cannon fell, broke apart and scattered about the pit in short order, accompanied by the cheers and whistles of the workers. The furnaces that had burned so bright and emitted so much heat were smashed, causing anything in the molten material’s path to suddenly burst into flames, producing small fires all about the pit. Dan smiled. Teamwork. The best kind of work.
The Sigma Dissonance, they looked despondent. The workers then tied them up, as the tide had turned. Victory belonged to the workers, and people of New Dawn City. And that's where they were all now headed.
#
In the Council Chamber, Kepper was insisting, no matter how unconstitutional, that Citizen Able be removed by force from the room.
“Take him away! He will stand trial for -”
Suddenly, the Chamber door burst open, and through walked a dirty and oddly dressed Dan Ward, Professor Bronnstromer, Equaran and the rest of the workers of the pit, followed by the bound oppressors of Sigma Dissonance.
“Get your hands from that man!” called out Dan Ward, “Do you not see that the matter is taken care of?” he declared, followed by a hearty cheer from the workers of the pit.
Able smiled broadly, upon seeing his friend, He then brushed off the Guards sent to shackle him and advanced on the Council, “I call for a vote of No Confidence in the Council of New Dawn City!”
As one, the workers of the pit shouted their agreement.
Able then walked to the lectern, grabbed the gavel and banged it down hard on the wooden block, “Carried! Get them out of here!” called Able to the Guards, who began doing as instructed, as the workers continued cheering and taking seats around the room.
“You know, this time, I wasn’t sure you’d pull through? How happy I am to be proven wrong!” smiled the reinstated Ambassador Able, reaching out an arm for Dan to grasp it, warrior-style, at the forearm.
Dan grinned through a dirt sodden face, his teeth impeccably white, “You know, for a minute neither was I?” he laughed at last.
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