Universe Online - Enter the Game: Complete Edition (31 page)

Before I've even realized it, I've plugged into my comm unit and have hacked into the Hauler's exterior speakers.

“SHUT UP, NOW!”

My voice booms over them all, loud enough to hurt even my own ears. Even the guards, in their armors and helmets flinch and turn to look at me.

But I simply stare at them all, looking from those in the front one by one before looking beyond them.

“I am not abandoning you! I do not plan to leave and do nothing. None of you know what is going on, and yet you've all come to this judgment in a decision that has more to do with your emotions than your minds! Baseless accusations! Impediments to my honor and your own! Disgraceful!”

The ones making the decisions and trying to work out the problem, like Andrix and Silene and others aren't here. They're too busy working trying to save lives. And yet the masses have basically turned to riots.

Fuck that. Not under my watch.

“If this is the way you are going to act out in space, then you might as well stay here and die! There are no other options. None. Period. Live properly, do what you can, or die. Either here, under the surface of this dead world, or out in the cold bitch known as Space. If this is the way the masses act, then the Drune Rex do not deserve to go back into space.

“Because right now you are no better than the freaking Drex that caused all of this!”

My words shock them. Either my anger or my candid admittance that they aren't ready to live in space again gets them. Many go white in shame or red in anger. The younger ones though, the newest generation actually look thoughtful. Even the kids are staring at me wide-eyed, although not in fear or in hate. More like fascinated.

“This is another split from the will of the group. There are four hundred of you, give or take, standing here. Rushing to rash decisions, trying to take from your neighbors for your own gain. Or simply so afraid that you ignored every other person plight but your own. Like an animal. A beast.”

I start walking up and down the line, staring hard at each of them in turn. Several turn away; while a few stand and lift their chins, although not a single of them make a rebuke. None of them can.

“Those with children, I can understand. I can even forgive. But the rest of you? What is your excuse? The Drune Rex are a race with impeccable mentality and strength of will. Brains. Smarts. Genetically written in the structure of our species. In our very DNA. And yet you've rushed to follow the emotional path instead of the smart one. Instead of thinking out the problem and trying to help, you've acted just as the Drex themselves did when their Conclave left the Rex!

“I am ashamed! And I know damned well that our ancestors are too! We are Drune Rex! We will get past this problem, or by whatever gods exist in the heavens we hope to call home, I'd rather see us fall into oblivion here and now!

“Now disperse and go help your neighbors. Go help your fellows. Your family. There are only two thousand of us, and we even lost one today. Go mourn for him, who's become unwilling food to the Drex plague that now haunts us all. Then get your asses in gear. We will either survive this together, as one people under the name of Rex, or we will all
die
.”

My speech ends almost as it began, in sudden silence after a sharp word. I walk back toward the centerline, not bothering to look at them at all, staring straight ahead. Until one of the guards turns and salutes me.

The rest soon follow suite, a thunder of fists striking their armor over their hearts.

Then the crowd goes wild. And not as a riot. Some cry; but many start screaming. Screaming my name, Allec, or simply Rex; which I had assumed the name of days ago when I first introduced myself to Andrix.

It was like a freaking speech at a national rally.

“”””””””REX!”””””””

That single yell actually draws more attention than the rioting had, and I can feel it vibrating the floor under my feet. I frown, but finally turn to look at them.

Fists are in the air. Men and women are holding up their children above their heads. Several have started stamping their feet as if on a freakin' march.

It’s such a storm of sound and yelling that it takes several minutes to calm down and slowly the crowd disperses as ordered. While talking to each other.

I'd just gave them the worse tongue lashing I've ever given in my life, and now they treat me like some sort of hero or great general out of old earth history. The thought ticks me off, actually.

To be honest, I was a bit of a hypocrite. I'd let my own emotions drag me into giving such a speech. It wasn't a conscious decision. Hell, it wasn't even thought out. I just told them what I felt.

*DING*

I barely have time to read the message that pops up before Andrix comes running, red in the face and sweating.

“What the hell is going on? At first I get word there's a riot, and I was trying to get more security teams here to guard your ship so you could get out as quickly as possible; but then I got word that you were giving a speech and people started chanting your name.”

He's out of breath, but still hastily asks me for details. I give a slight rueful chuckle; although the sound catches in my throat which had gone suddenly sore again and I end up coughing before taking another couple of swallows of water.

“Well... It’s hard to explain. I just kinda exploded at them.”

Andrix definitely looks stupefied at my words, but I nod my head to the guards who are all grinning beneath their helmets. One of them even steps up and activates his comm, where he'd recorded everything.

Andrix ends up getting to listen from it all, start to finish. I end up looking away, my cheeks and ears burning a bit red hearing myself say all of that.

“Oh. Oh... damn. I can see why they were chanting your name now, Allec. It was harsh yet... inspiring.”

Damn, now even Andrix had gone all sappy on me! And he'd tried to kill me not too long earlier!

“Well, it seems you will become known as Rex. Probably the Rex, if I've any right to judge. You really do make all sorts of interesting things happen, don't you?”

I frown, but he laughs it off. Damnit. Sometimes I really hate how things like this can crop up!

But I end up shrugging it off. I have other shit I have to do, and for some reason I'm really tired now.

At least I can sleep on the way to Archon Station. Hopefully the dreams won't be too bad.

-|- -|- -|-

“Hauler 1, Archon Station.”

”Archon Station, Rex. We heard everything. If it wasn't Andrix calling us to tell us what happened, it was Silene yelling at us saying that you'd somehow broke up a riot. And then we got the recording of your speech... We all stopped everything we were doing to listen.”

Oh freak. It had already reached the station? Shit. But then, I'd been asleep for hours after turning on the autopilot. I was literally out like a light. It had been a long day, and it still wasn't over with.

And it was Celes on the horn, to boot. So she was dead serious.

“That really doesn't make me feel any better, Celes. Just call me Allec or Boss. Taking the name of Rex as a title just feels... weird. Anyway, get a tug ready and a couple of the crew, including Luke. We'll be heading out to the Trident as soon as I can stock up.”

“Roger that, Re... Boss. Ah, I'd heard you got a suit upgrade, congrats. Those are treated even better than birthdays for us, ya know. I'll make sure you'll have what you need when you get in. ETA has you twenty minutes out.”

“Yep. I'll be there in twenty minutes. And make sure you warn the crew about the Rex thing. I really will shoot one of you bastards for it.”

I get off the radio, but not before I hear Celes laughing on the other end at my words. Damn. Just what the hell is going on with these freaking people!? It’s like the whole world had gone nuts after a single speech. A speech I basically pulled out of my ass, damnit!

Then again, maybe I'm just not use to all the public attention. I'd had fame and the like in other games, sure; but nothing like this. It was as if my image was tied to the entire culture of the species itself.

I am not some sort of prophet or messiah! Leave that to the gods. If there are any gods here.

Finally though I break into the landing hold, and set the Hauler down, running the last check before grabbing my helmet and getting out as quickly as possible. This time there wasn't much sent back from Site Prime, but the bots are already swarming all over the place to get to what little there was.

Celes is waiting for me, along with Luke and two others. One is a technician, and the other is one of our prime mechanics. That's good.

“Okay guys. Here's the deal. We're going to go wake up the Trident and open her up for the space in the cryostasis pods. That means every man, woman, and child will be put in there to sleep until we can make enough space livable for the rest of them.

“There isn't any time to lose, so we're going to go in with a tug and get as close as possible. I don't give a damn if we have to cut our way into the inner ring to get access. So gather your shit and get your asses into the tug.”

To my surprise I even get salutes from these guys! Celes grins and rolls her eyes by way of apology, while Luke actually smirks and gives a wink. Shit. These guys. I'm really am going to pop a cap in your asses, you know!

I sigh and let it drop, and instead turn to Celes, arching my brow inside my helmet.

She gets the drift, and scans my new suit up and down before nodding.

“I think it fits, Boss. Pure survival and self-sustainability. Even has a solar cell, huh? The stuff's over here. We wanted to keep it close.”

She leads me to a nearby workbench that has just about everything I had wanted to grab. Batteries compatible with my suit, boosting my total energy time by almost 4 whole days. Air bottles, enough for 72 hours. Water, rations, and even energy clips for my new laser pistol. I do grab a few more things, wiring and some scrap plates just in case.

I even bring my older, bulkier multi-tool. I may not -need- it with all the new tools hanging around my waist, but this one is a trusted companion that I'm not willing to give up.

Next, I gather the latest updated inventory and map data of the station. Compared to what I got from Andrix, it is much lower quality; but the information in it is also five hundred years newer. Which is a really long time, regardless of scale.

I'll take everything I can get.

Finally though I figure everything is ready as it’s going to get, and I'm a bit surprised when Celes gives me a hug as I walk past her. Well, damn. I give a slight chuckle and give her a swat in response.