Deliver Us Huis
Chapter Twenty One

I dashed up the stairs after the general, not caring that he had a gun. I had to stop him before he learned anything he shouldn’t. I stumbled into the lab, where the general was already rifling through papers.

“Not so fast,” he said, lifting his gun without even lifting his eyes from the papers, “I’m not leaving here without information.

He picked up a paper with a sketch of a Class A on it, “And what, may I ask, is this?”

“It’s a drawing, I sketch in my spare time.” I said.

He looked up from the paper, “Then why do you have such a stunning replica?”

He motioned to the corner of the room where an almost completed Class A stood. He started walking toward the Anthrolem.

“May I ask,” he said, “What you plan to do with this once it is completed?”

“Droids can be useful for many things.” I said.

“Of course,” Caliban faced me, “But this one happens to have a very deadly looking weapon.” He motioned to the Paracent, “And I’m afraid that’s not the only sketch you have up here.”

He picked up a picture of a Class B, “This is more than just a cleaning droid, what, is that cannon supposed to be a broom?”

“I’ve told you, I sketch in my spare time,” I said, my voice rising.

“Lies!” Caliban hissed, “These weapons are being used to blow up the buildings around the city, endangering many lives.”

He stalked toward me, “I can assure you that you will have no use of them once you are behind bars. You have my word that I will personally make sure the entire world knows of your treacherous deeds. Your name will be placed among the filth of society, you Telyina Venderbare will…”

A shot rang out across the room.The general gasped and then fell forward.

Dead.

I turned to see Petrus, eyes flaming red, holding the gun.

I looked from Petrus to the body of Caliban as the sinking realization came.

General Caliban was dead.

And Petrus was the one who had killed him.

I sank to my knees, gasping for breath. Petrus hurried to my side, “Are you alright Tel?”

I looked up to him in horror, “You… you shot him.”

Petrus helped me to my feet, “He knew too much, as soon as he left the building we were as good as gone.”

“But, surely there was another way,” I said, my eyes still wide in shock, “You didn’t have to… kill him.”

Petrus shook his head, “There was no other way, I’m sorry Tel.”

I looked at the crumpled figure of Caliban on the floor, “What are we going to do now?”

Petrus had already turned around and started accessing the computer, “All security cameras were turned off several days ago and the manager still hasn’t had time to turn them back on. It will be easy to say Caliban was never here.”

“What will we do with the body?” I asked.

“Don’t touch it,” Petrus said, “We’ll have a Class A come in and take it out soon. It should be a simple thing to take his speeder and drive it to an isolated spot. We’ll take the gun, the car, and Caliban himself. It will look like a suicide.”

I shook my head, “What if someone knew it was his plan to come here?”

Petrus shrugged, “There’s absolutely no proof. Even if someone saw him enter the building we could say he never came up.”

“It still would be better if he had never been shot.” I said turning away, “You shouldn’t have done it Petrus. He was innocent. We could have found another way.”

“Sometimes there isn’t another way, Tel.” Petrus said softly.

I couldn’t believe how calmly he was taking this. Caliban was dead. He had, just moments ago, had an entire life ahead of him. Now he was gone. I was angry, angry at Petrus for taking that life from him.

But I was also angry at myself for the relief I felt. It would be so much easier this way, but still it was not right. It was all wrong this situation. I had never wanted my pursuits to end a life, and now it had happened, right in front of my eyes.

I could only wonder how many more lives would be lost before this was all over.

I turned to see Petrus looking at me concerned.

“This is your problem, you fix it.” I whispered, and with that I walked out of the lab, hoping to hide the mix of emotions playing all over my face.

After I was sure Petrus had left I came out of my room, and sat down at the table in the command center. I looked around the room. Everything was neat and orderly, and unwelcoming.

Every soft chair, and bright painting that had once been up here had been taken down. All that was left was cold efficient tools. The bare minimums.

It’s furnishings were mostly cold hard metal. It made the room feel full of purpose, and empty of warmth. As I sat in the metal room, with nothing else to do I recognised what had been done to this room. And, as I reflected, what had happened to me.

It seemed this mission had ripped all warmth from me in the name of purpose. I needed no feelings, just to fulfil my mission.

It seemed eerily like the Anthrolems, who operated to fulfil their mission. Now, all alone, I wondered what separated me from them. What was there to me that a machine could not replicate? How was I any better than a cold hard machine, living out its mission.

The thought made me shudder. Cold hard clawing bitterness filled me on the inside. Why did I have to be like this? Why couldn’t I be like the other Huisic, living out their lives only for small pleasures. Why was I not satisfied? Why did I need more?

I stood up quickly, my chair clattering onto the floor. I walked over to the window and watched all the figures below.

I was not like them.

Though I wished I could be.

When had everything become so complicated? When had I turned so cold to the deaths of people like Caliban? And if I was so hard hearted, why did I feel so vulnerable inside? Why was I so concerned about taking over the world?

I sank to the floor, my back facing the window, the outside world.

The elevator dinged, and O’Malley came rushing into the room.

“Tel,” he gasped, seeing me on the floor, “Are you alright? I saw blood on the floor downstairs.”

I stood up quickly, and swiped the hair out of my face, “I’m fine.”

O’Malley stopped. “Then who’s blood…?”

I gulped pushing down the fear in my stomach.

“It’s Caliban’s…” I said, “He found out about our plans and…” I looked out the window, “Petrus… killed him.”

Somehow speaking it aloud made me feel better. I slowly looked to see how O’Malley had reacted. He was simply looking at me sadly, “Tel….”

He pulled up a chair at the table, and gestured to the one next to him.

I shakily sat down.

“I know it wasn’t right of him,” I said, “But I can’t help but feel relived. It makes everything so much easier,” I set my head in my hands, “What’s wrong with me?”

“Tel,” O’Malley said, sounding stern. I looked up into his earnest face, “This was not your fault. In no way should you blame yourself.”

“I know,” I said reluctantly, “But why am I even doing this if it’s going to hurt people.”

“You’re doing it to help people, Tel.” O’Malley said.

“Then why has it turned out like this?” I said, looking out the window.

O’Malley shook his head, “Tel, none of this has been your fault. This is all Petrus. I would be wary Tel. Power can do strange things to people.”

I smiled, “Maybe some people, but Petrus has been as normal as ever. Somehow…” I paused, “I feel like he’s beyond being affected by power or anything else. He doesn’t let things affect him like that.”

“Still,” O’Malley warned, “Be careful of the people you let affect you.”

“I will,” I promised, as O’Malley stood up, “Where are you going?”

“There’s a certain mess downstairs that I think needs cleaning up.”

“Thank you,” I said as I watched him leave.

But something told me Caliban’s death would not be as easy to remove as the blood stains on the floor below.