Weary Loube Section 3 Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The arrival at the Synthetic Isles went quickly, they arrived in the morning and were transported to their underground bunkers with the other workers who they had heard so much of from Markaedium but had never gotten to know themselves.  Max Diego and Robert shared a bunker with three other men in a dorm style room with just enough space to lay down and watch a television set that fed them propaganda about the greatness of Triunfeo and M and the “privilege” of working under their leadership in the farms which were above ground throughout the whole island with a shipping dock on the western bank of the Isle.  Izzy, Lucee, and Ashay shared the bunker with three other women and the bunkers were nearly identical with one lavatory among the six people with a shower pumping water from below the island with a desalination feature.  

In the mens room, Max, Diego and Robert greet the other three men and introduce themselves to them.  They find out the other mens names are Wilfred, Moe, and Noctil.  When asked about their surnames, Moe responds, “none of us have a surname here at Synthetic Isles, we are born in the nursery on the eastern part of the island and do not see our parents since there is no sexual relations on the island and we are artificially inseminated in a mechanical womb.  After delivery, our life begins on the eastern isle where we are trained from a young age to be as efficient and effective as possible to serve Markaedium since it is our purpose.  Then after 150 moons we are sent to our respective areas and assigned a letter and number.  Here we are X222.  So for all intents and purposes, all of our surnames are X222.  We spend our lives in work and learn from a young age that we do not disobey for that will cause a Endpoint.”

“What’s an endpoint?” Diego asks.

Wilfred Moe and Noctil look at each other with a look of absolute dread.  Finally Noctil stutters, “We… don’t like the… endpoint.  They come in and inject the person with a syringe and then they are no longer.  We all witness it from an early age and don’t wish the endpoint.”

Robert shouts, “That’s called murder where we are from! How dare NanoI!” 

Wilfred quickly runs to Robert and covers his mouth with a panicked look in his eyes, “Raising voices like this can cause an endpoint.  Please.  We realize you all are from Markaedium but we can’t allow you to jeopardize our safety and you don’t have to witness it for yourself if you don’t have to.”  

Robert looks at the monitor screen where it shows Triunfeo and M addressing Markaedium to tell them about a banquet they will be having the next week.  Above the monitor there is a camera turned to them.  He calms himself down and looks at the other collaborators with a look of worry.  “I understand.” He says.  We’re here to work and gain back the trust of Triunfeo and M as well as the entire NanoI agency.  We don’t want any trouble.  Will we be able to see the other members who came here with us?  The women?”

Wilfred, Moe and Noctil start giggling and Noctil draws up from under the bed a vial and responds with a big smile, “Yes, sometimes we see them or work alongside them, that’s what the receptacles are for, you put it in here when you get back home and it will be sent to the nursery/“

“What the-!” Max begins but catches himself.  He looks at the other collaborators with incredulity and they look back at him with eyes wide open.  

“You’ll learn to love it here,” Noctil says reassuringly.  “We are promised a life reunited with Giestian if we complete our natural endpoint with good behavior.

“Yes” Moe says, “A natural endpoint.  Where one reunites with Giestian and has all the women and men together for eternal celebration of the fruits of our labor.  Don’t you all have something like that in Markaedium? We heard you all had to pay for Opiumlite drinks, not us.” He smiles thoroughly convinced himself and thinking he has the collaborators convinced.  

“Sort of…” Diego says suddenly aware how easy he had it in Markaedium but not having the heart to tell them about the privileges they enjoyed in the other world.  He reflects on his luxury and says thinking of Dredona and Sid’s plan back on Markaedium, “Things might be changing in Markaedium, we believe in Giestian as well and the eternal celebration but…”. He stutters as he thinks of a way to tell them that they don’t take it literally on Markaedium but can’t take away the only thing the man has and finally says, “Let’s do a prayer to Giestian together, to allow us the strength to be helpful and work alongside each other and make the best of today.”

“Yes!” Wilfred, Noctil and Moe exclaim.  “We do a lot of prayer together.  Come.  Let’s hold hands, we are about to be served breakfast, they gave us all day off to help show you guys around.  We can say a prayer, have breakfast and then we will show you to your work locations in X222 plot and maybe if you all are lucky we will run into your friends as well.  We usually don’t have days off like this.  Let’s do the prayer and make the most of the day.”

They all join hands and thank Giestian and the eternal all-encompassing entropy for the day, food they are about to eat, and each others company.  Afterwards trays come in the door with avian meat, and legumes with grain.  A NanoI agent who brings them their trays reminds them that they have the day to get accommodated but typically will be working right after breakfast.  He tells them if you see the other women you were with, refrain from talking to them, we will be watching and talking to them will result in an endpoint for all three of you as well as Moe, Wilfred, and Noctil.  They agree to the terms.  

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In the women’s quarters a similar conversation happens with Lucee, Ashay and Izzy along with their three roommates they learn are called Soundy, Miriela, and Carmen.  They learn about the endpoints as well and also collect themselves to not alert the NanoI agents and receive an endpoint.  Through all the collaborators a further determination and hope for Sid and Dredona’s plan to go according to plan resonates with all of them and while they pray with their new bunker mates, they pray in their minds for Dredona and Sid’s success to assassinate and expose Triunfeo and M.  

Section 4

Chapter 1