Chapter 3: Returning Home

Arron used his time on the MagLev to absorb what he could. From what little he was able to glean from the news Commander Rub was right, there was a lot that he had missed while he was serving in the Nippon branch army.

When he had joined the branch army the country of Nippon was just a small ravaged island that had just become an official member state of the [W.H.O].

From such a beginning Neo-Tokeyo had been built up using the latest technologies including the new Mechanized worker bots. The Mechanized worker bots could be controlled remotely as well as by someone sitting inside and using the manual controls.

With this new technology, the dangerous areas of the old capital were cleared. The areas full of rubble and other hazards now posed little danger allowing for such a fast turnaround from the disaster.

The Megacity Neo-Tokeyo was now the leader in modernized factories, using drones and specialized worker bots to take care of all sorts of problems. It was to the degree that the WHO praised them every time it was mentioned and relied heavily on the production power of the new factories to continue their efforts of uniting the world.

“We have reached Novhere station. Please disembark quickly. The MagLev will depart for Boondis station in 5 minutes.” A robotic female voice rang throughout the inside of the MagLev after reaching the small station of Novhere town.

Arron stepped off the MagLev onto another para-concrete platform that looked the same as the one near the military base.

Arron checked the time on his wrist data-pad before looking through the few faces that had gathered at the platform.

When he found a familiar face, he walked over to them.

“You look almost the same as when you left, just more muscular now,” said a female with short brown hair. She wore blue jeans and a plaid t-shirt with the ends tied near her navel.

She was smiling at Arron as she held her hand out.

“I wasn't expecting to see you here Mel. It's been several years since we last saw each other. How are your parents?” asked Arron as he grabbed her hand and shook it.

“They're doing as well as anyone in our small town can do. Both of our parents still meet up every week to tease me and the town's other unmarried children,” said an exasperated Mel.

“You still haven't tied the knot with anyone?”

“Too much work to do on the family farm. My last relationship was with you before you entered the WHO military. I'm sure your parents will be happy to have you back, to help with running the farm. The work quotas are never-ending.”

“Are you the one here to pick me up?” asked Arron, not bothering to correct her about The WHO military.

“Yep, everyone else was busy so I offered to come and pick you up. My hovercar is in the parking garage over there,” said Mel pointing to a large vertical para-concrete building.

The building she pointed to had car after car stacked on top of each other leaving only a small space between each one to minimize the space used.

The two walked to the large parking building. There were no doors or stairs to access the hovercars inside.

Mel walked up to a scanner embedded in the wall and held her right hand over it. With a swipe of her hand, the NerViz cloud chip in her hand instantly communicated with the scanner and paid the parking fee.

Over a hundred levels above their head's a platform extended out from the building. The platform held Mel's hovercar and smoothly descended to where the two stood.

The car looked to be the same old model she had when they were in high school. A Fire-chicken.

“She's old but she still works great. There is none of that new junk tech inside. Hop in!” said Mel, as she patted the hood of the hovercar and opened the driver’s door which swung up.

***

Jena sat at her desk inside her apartment room. She was looking at the large floating list of friends in front of her trying to decide on which ones to call.

Her hand was raised and she hesitated for a moment before her finger pressed onto the holographic name of someone she had met when she had first arrived on the 4th level. They had known each other for several years now.

The holovid call was answered after only a few seconds of waiting. A holographic red-headed female appeared in front of Jena.

“Hello? Oh it's you, Jena,” said the woman.

“Hey Triss, you've heard about what is going on in the news right?”

“Yeah, I am sorry you are going through something like this,” said Triss.

Triss stared at Jena with a look of pity covering her face.

“I was wondering if you could help me by talking to the [Office of Reason] and vouch for me. I only need you to let them know that the rumors are false.”

“That... I'm sorry but I can't do that... If I did...” said Triss reluctantly.

“Triss what are you doing? You're on in 5 minutes!” shouted someone out of range of the holovid.

“I'm really sorry about this. Maybe if you just apologized to them they would forgive you for what you did.”

“But I didn't...”

“I've got to go. Just know that I fully support you,” said Triss before ending the holovid call.

“...thanks I guess...” said Jena as she looked at the floating list of names in front of her.

She slapped her cheeks with both her hands snapping her out of her slump and said, “I have to be positive about this. Let's try him.”

Her finger pressed on another holographic name on the list starting a holovid call.

“Hello, Brian I...”

“I'm sorry, but I heard you're a Nonbeliever. I can't be seen with you. Stop calling me and don't come over to my place. I am blocking you now!”

click...

“The third time's the charm,” said Jena as she pressed another name.

“Why are you calling me! I don't want a Separatist associating with me! Mother and Father might think I believe whatever it is you do!”

“I'm not any of...”

“You're done! Just accept it. You weren't even a good actress! Just a small nobody that got too much fame!”

Click!...

Jena continued trying to contact those on the list but it seemed word had gotten out that she was calling people and now everyone she tried calling either ignored or blocked her calls.

She felt utterly lost and hopeless. In a few days the [Office of Reason] would come out with their verdict and if this continued she knew what would happen.

***

“Like I was saying, the people in the Megacity don't know how much work we do. All they do is demand more and more. We are already working as hard as we can but they want us to work harder so that they can eat more,” said Mel as she drove through the rural unkempt dirt streets of Novere passing the long stretches of the many large farms that made up the majority of the town.

Seeing all the familiar sights brought back many memories of when he was young and had been allowed to play in the fields which was a rare treat.

“The money is good though right?” asked Arron.

“I wish. We're still only making enough to get by. At least those giving the orders from the megacity know that if we die from starvation then they would have to live on the new synthetic sludge that they call food.”

“So things haven't changed much since I was last here.”

“Nope. It’s still the same system of once a year Mother and Father decided what we farmers will grow for the megacity and how much. The politicians from the party of Mother and Father only come out here once or twice a year to try and drum up support for whatever cause they are pushing in the megacity, but it has nothing to do with us. Then they just ignore us unless someone disregards or fails to meet the quotas they set.”

“And if they fail?”

“Depending on how serious the situation is, they get a call or a personal meeting with an agent from the [Office of Reason]. We are unable to go against the orders as it will lead in most cases to the person being charged with attempting to harm the country.”

Mel stopped the hovercar near a short branching dirt road that ran towards a well-kept blue house and several large garage buildings.

“Thanks,” said Arron as he exited her car.

“No, problem. We can catch up some other time when we aren't so busy,” said Mel, waving before driving off in a cloud of dust.

Arron turned to look at the distant blue house. It wasn't much, but it was all he had known before the military.

“I'm back home,” said Arron.