Unison (The Spheral) (6 page)

“Does Unity Forces have any leads?”

“They have the Striker in custody. By sheer luck, the pulse bomb failed to detonate, and he returned to the location where he planted the device. A janitor, who’d just gotten off from work, contacted Unity Forces when she noticed him rummaging through the waste bin. That’s where he hid the bomb.” Master Kai opened his drawer and removed a remote controller. “They also found this on him.” He handed it to me. “Do you know what it is?”

I inspected it. “It’s a signal emitter used to test the transmission strength sent to the implants.”

“However, this one can trigger auditory and visual hallucinations. It can also send hypnotic suggestions directly to the implants.”

“How far away can this transmit?”

“All the way to the beacons. It can piggy back a signal off the towers.”

I handed the signal emitter back to Master Kai, disappointed that it didn’t explain my vision about Wade.

“During his interrogation, the Striker revealed they’ve been creating symptoms of the scourge for a group of purple sleeves who aren’t happy with our current Overseer.”

“To what end?” I asked.

“If Unitians
believe
they’re infected, the treacherous purple sleeves would emerge with their own miracle cure. Everyone would naturally look to them as saviors.”

“The curative signal would still be transmitting, along with the stuns. How could they possibly explain that away?”

“By then, the succeeding Overseer would already be in power, and he’d tell everyone they were mistaken. The symptoms came from a new disease, far deadlier than the scourge. Had it not been for Unity’s heroic team of scientists, the killer disease would’ve infected everyone within the dome.”

“Not everyone would believe such sensationalism.”

“Most would, and reintegration would take care of the dissenters.” Master Kai leaned back against his chair and clasped his hands together. “You have to appreciate the brilliance behind the plan. It would’ve worked had the Striker not been caught.”

“Why wasn’t any of this on the city screens?”

“We didn’t want to start a panic, which is why we must stop this now. Unity must be restored.”

“Permission to offer my opinion?” I asked.

“All my male proteges speak freely with me, Damon. I never cared for all the formalities of the Corporate Hierarchy. They stifle the natural flow of conversation.” Master Kai picked up a glass of water on his desk and took a sip.

I nervously shifted my weight on the chair. “Why not send all those who support separation into reintegration?”

“Including Tyrus?”

I knew not to say anything. Master Tyrus still had his purple sleeve and to judge him would’ve led to a reprimand.

“Tyrus is very clever with his pronouncements,” Master Kai said. “He knows when to stop. That’s what makes him a threat to Unity.”

“Is he with the Strikers?”

“I think he’s the mastermind behind all of this, but I have no proof. The Striker in custody is only a middle man. He received his orders through letters and comnet messages that were successfully erased from the main database. Unity Forces tried to retrieve them and failed.” Master Kai patted the desk with his hands. “And that’s why I asked you here today. The Overseer must disprove Tyrus’s erroneous views towards the outside. That’s why I asked you here today. I want you to write His next speech.”

My heart beat in double-time. I wasn’t ready for such a big undertaking. Failure at this juncture of my assignment could lead to demotion. “Master Kai, I appreciate your confidence in me, but I don’t have Master Tyrus’s years of service or his large base of supporters. Perhaps you should appoint someone with more experience.”

Master Kai glanced into his holologue. “You were at the top of your class in faith design. The techniques you learned worked.”

“I haven’t tested them outside the classroom.”

“I’m certain your friend Wade would disagree.” Master Kai leaned forward and pressed both hands on his desk. “I was impressed by your quick thinking and ability to persuade him to seek help. I saw that same spark in you during your last speech to the Chosen.” Master Kai sat erect and widened his eyes. “I’m the evidence!” He laughed and slammed his hand on the desk. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget the look on Master Avery’s face when you said that.” Master Kai sat back and gazed at me reflectively. “Your talent will take you far…should you choose to use it.”

I bowed. “I’ll do my best to earn your respect.”

“You’ll earn more than that. If your speech helps the Overseer turn the purple sleeves against Tyrus, I’ll personally hand you your first commendation.”

“I’m humbled by your offer, but I must tell you, words alone won’t stop the Strikers.”

“I know. But we can at least stop Tyrus. This may bring the rebellious purple sleeves back to our side. No one likes to be on the losing team.”

I left Master Kai’s office doubting my ability to handle such an assignment. The only reason I got it was because of a lie. To trust in my own competence, I had to write a speech that would destroy Master Tyrus’s support base. If I could do that, my success would be deserved.

With my first commendation in view, I spent hours orchestrating the right phrases and words into an inspiring message that would champion the Sacred Oath. The Overseer approved my speech and when he delivered it, I studied the crowd's reaction and was unexpectedly disconcerted when they hailed, cried, and laughed at all the moments I predicted. My reservations vanished after Master Kai congratulated me. We couldn’t be certain of the Overseer’s success until Master Tyrus’s next rally. When hardly anyone showed up, I knew a promotion was evident. The accomplishment reignited my passion, and I wanted to feel more because I hadn’t felt for so long.

Master Kai offered me my commendation after the Overseer’s weekly assembly at Unity Hall. I got up and gave the usual acceptance speech. Towards the closing, the woman from my vision entered the hall. Her presence took over the whole room, and I momentarily forgot where I was and what I was doing. When I returned my attention to the audience, I slammed the side of my fist on the podium and shouted. “You’re all primitives! No amount of promotions or privileges will elevate you. You’re so intoxicated on self-praise, you believe your own lies. While the Outsiders move forward, you continue to devolve.”

All the colors scoffed and hissed, but I didn’t hear them. I pointed my finger towards the purple sleeves. “The Strikers will win! You’ll eventually be outmaneuvered and defeated!”

In the midst of all the yelling and jeering, I returned my attention to the woman from my vision. I heard only her voice speak a phrase I hadn’t heard since I almost jumped off the roof of my dorm. “Six begin, Six alone, Six unite.”

I gasped when I heard applause. It took a few seconds to comprehend that I had just come out of a vision. A wave of vertigo overtook me, and Master Kai had to help me off stage. He took me to the hospital for a full medical examination. Everything checked out normal, but I was far from the standard definition of normal. It just couldn’t be confirmed by any medical diagnostic tool.

HARMONY

A
s the longest-standing member of the Chosen, Master Tyrus was favored to become the next Overseer. After his request for expedition was denied, Master Avery and Master Simon were the only two Chosen who stood by him. When the rest of the Chosen shifted their loyalty to Master Kai, he seemed relieved over his loss of popularity. I soon learned why Master Tyrus gave in so easily when Master Kai called me to his office. He wanted to go over the numbers of those whom I treated during the last phase of their reintegration. It was my responsibility to ensure they were psychologically fit to rejoin the general population. A recent increase of requests for death had me concerned over how it would affect my position as Master Kai’s First, but I also took it as a personal failure that I couldn’t help my patients.

“Everything I read in your report tells me you did nothing wrong,” Master Kai said. “All the simulations you’ve written are exceptional. So exceptional that curates are calling you the new
Master
of faith design.” Kai laughed. “I can see Avery cringe every time he hears that. You’ve been a thorn at his side since your meeting with the Chosen.” Kai glanced at the report, and tapped his fingers on his desk. “Why do you have question marks after some of the patients’ names?”

“There might be a new psychological disorder we’ve yet to encounter—one that would explain the increase in requests for death. The patients I singled out all had one thing in common: they claimed they felt as though the dome was closing in on them, and they all used a similar phrase. It sounds like a phobia of some kind—similar to claustrophobia but—”

“There’s no new anything.” Master Kai dismissively waved his hand. “The blame for the increase falls on Tyrus and the grandiose assumptions he made about life on the outside. During our last meeting he accepted the blame, and his admission was heartfelt. He had no idea his personal passion for exploration would be dangerous to impressionable young minds.”

My thoughts immediately shifted to Wade. Since Master Tyrus’s defeat, he spent most of his days drinking and sleeping. He only emerged from his loft to work and play paddleball with me every Seventhday. I had to start all the conversations otherwise the sole topic of discussion would’ve been what we were wagering on. When I tried to offer him my help, he threatened to quit our matches if I didn’t mind my business, so I complied. Alienating Wade would’ve made it difficult to keep watch over him, and I was afraid he’d be next in line to fill out a request for death.

“You look troubled,” Master Kai said.

“My friend is one of those impressionable young minds.”

“If you’re speaking of Wade 1300-099-33M, he’s lucky you were around to save him.” Master Kai paused and looked at me reflectively. “I’m very proud of you, Damon. You’ve far exceeded my expectations—which is why you’re going to ascend with me. As my First, you’re privileged to be the
first
to hear my good news. Because I remained steadfast in my loyalty to the Unitian Oath, Tyrus knew I’d be the better candidate to succeed the Overseer. He transferred leadership of the Chosen to me this morning.”

“Congratulations, Master Kai.” I bowed. “With you as Speaker of the Chosen, we should soon be seeing less requests for death.”

“Not until those whose minds have been infected by Tyrus are emptied of his poisonous rhetoric. His rebellion caused a mistrust between the lower colors and Corporate Hierarchy. The Strikers are gaining more recruits, and the Chosen agree the only way to bring about a true Unity is to find a cure for the scourge.”

Kai’s declaration revealed the ideal opportunity. Being the Unitian who discovered the cure for the scourge would guarantee my ascent to purple sleeve. I went to work right away, reading everything I could about the disease. Little was known other than our brains were vulnerable to the infection since the Great Cataclysm. Those who retreated to the mountains brought the brains sickness with them when they returned to the lowlands. The dome protected our ancestors, but we were susceptible to the disease if we spent too much time outdoors.

What made the search for a cure elusive was we still weren’t sure if the scourge was bacterial or viral, but I didn’t let that discourage me. I spent most of my apprenticeship searching for a remedy that would negate the need for the painful shock triggered by the implant. Using pain to keep the peace was barbaric and overlooked the thoughts and emotions that lead to aggressive behavior. Brain scans performed on Unitians about to begin reintegration revealed their stored childhood memories entered their consciousness whenever they were agitated. In essence, they were reliving the same emotional responses through present day altercations that had nothing to do with the events that created the memory. Stored within the hidden mind, these regressive emotions confused Unitians when re-experienced during adult conflicts, creating internal discord between rational and emotional responses. I became convinced that these stored emotions were linked to the scourge. They served no purpose to the advancement of the human mind. If I could find a way to erase these destructive emotions, we would be fully conscious and have more control over our violent thoughts and actions.