Blood Impulse

Part 12.2 - NEW CREWMEMBER

Homebound Sector, Haven System, Battleship Singularity

"You're insane. Absolutely insane!" Alise Cortana shouted as she sat across from Alba in the cargo hold of a supply runner bound for the Singularity.

"You ordered me to explain." Alba's best explanation of the situation was that Reeter had tried to systematically murder the entire crew. "I never said you would like it."

"Because it's bullshit." Alise Cortana refused to believe that, even for an instant. "Admiral Reeter is an upstanding citizen of the central worlds. He's saved multiple planets from famine and plague. His New Era Movement supports ethical advances in technology." Reeter was trying to guide the worlds out of the technological depression the Dead Years had put them in.

"The New Era is a perfectionist, genocidal regime." Alba pushed his back up against the crates of supplies filling most of the hold. "They're terrorists, but since they've got the press trained like dogs, you wouldn't know that." A half dozen missions in on the Frontier, and she would change her mind. The Frontier had a special way of bringing honesty out: violence, thievery and more violence. "The Erans are bent on systematically killing anyone who's not 'worthy.' They're trying to create some perfect future with a perfect humanity, meaning they'll kill anyone with an imperfection, be it in their genetics, poor family history, or slight physical or mental impairments..."

This was the most outlandish thing she had heard all year. "Admiral Reeter is a bastard child. Why the hell would he support something like that?" When it came to poor family history, he had the whole sob story to a point. It made him the ideal publicity man for the fleet. He had come from nothing and risen to the top on his own potential.

"Not that kind of family history." The New Era was set to throw out royal and rich lineages. "Family history of disease and psychological conditions." They'd kill the descendant, even if they showed no signs of disease. If they got far enough, the New Era would kill people off for thinking the wrong thought, even if just for a moment. The movement wanted extreme equality and control for the chosen few.

"Why, though?" What purpose did something like that serve?

"Think about it." It was just like she'd said. "Reeter suffered his whole life as a bastard son in the huge class divide of the central worlds. Around him, people dumber and weaker than he had everything, while he had nothing, just because he was born lower on the food chain. If the smartest members of the human race had access to the infinite resources hogged by the rich, think about what they'll accomplish: virtual reality, teleportation, hell, maybe even immortality."

Alise frowned. "That doesn't seem bad." That made sense.

"But what about people who aren't smart, and aren't strong, but are kind?" Usually, the smartest and strongest people weren't the kindest. "The New Era will kill them, but what is humanity without them? Those average people aren't logical when they pause to help others. Often, they can't do it alone. They're not perfect, but without them humanity becomes cruel." That was the current state of the richest worlds: always craving more, never satisfied. There was no one to hold them back, to be content. "It's not the New Era's goal that's the issue, Sarge. It's the process. Families will get torn apart, friends and children murdered. That's just not something we want to see."

"We?" She echoed.

"We. The Singularity's crew." It wasn't often discussion turned political aboard ship, but the crew tended to be in consensus when it did. It was a strange byproduct of the crew being formed from 'leftovers.' "A lot of us are from odd places and backgrounds. We've lost friends, families and homes. The New Era shouldn't force people to go through that. Everyone deserves a chance. There's got to be a better way to earn that grand future. Systematically killing people isn't going to better humanity. It's going to end it."