Posted Oct 14 2011 - 10:21 PM
Chapter 1
Lighting Fires
Now, of course no one suspected of my betrayal. I was the most loyal to the Master. What I needed, though was freedom, and I couldn't get that from the constricting rule of the Baterra. I, Solaris would light the fire of civil war to call attention to anyone but me so that I could take over the government.
It was a quite simple plan, really. Nothing could go wrong.
That's what everyone says. They all end up dead.
"Solaris, you've been slacking a lot more than usual, lately," Omial warned me.
"I'm sorry," I said. "My mind's been wandering."
"Is it the new girl?" Omial asked.
"No," I laughed. Maybe that was a partial lie.
Mirenia was new to the Master's compound. She was a young Agori from the water tribe, with a beautifully crafted helmet. As the weapon ban affected even self defense and decoration weapons, she carried a simple bone sheath at her hip.
Me? I was a rather scrawny Ta-Matoran with battered and soot-covered red armor. My mask was a glaring yellow under all that dust, with a soft look carved onto its surface. If I became a Toa, I would look anything but harmless. I knew what I was going to do would change me. She would hate me for it. Everyone would.
"Well, you should get to work, then," Omial stated, patting my shoulder.
I noticed he was wearing some fancy over-plates on his dull black armor. I seemed to have failed to mention he was a former Bone Hunter.
"I'll get to work," I said. "I have a report to send to Tahu."
"A report to send to one of the Master's chief executives?" Omial laughed. "You're just gonna go off and slack more, aren't you?"
I showed him the tablet that was marked for Tahu's attention. Omial sobered up and gestured for me to be on my way. I walked briskly out the door of the office, nodding at Mirenia in her cubicle on my way out the door. Who said I couldn't have office friends?
Tahu's office was on the second to top floor, right below the Master's private floor. I knocked on the great Toa's door. He called for me to enter.
"What do you want?" he growled, obviously impatient.
"I have a report from Ackar," I said.
"Gimme that," Tahu sighed grabbing the tablet. He read it over, mumbling some words to himself. After he was done, he looked up. "Ackar refused to pass the Toa Integration Act?!"
"Yessir," I confirmed.
"I didn't even tell him a word of it and he's blatantly refusing my proposal to unify our people," Tahu said, frustrated. "I'm gonna have a word with him."
I hid my smile. This was going as planned. I had sent a messenger up to Ackar describing all the cons the Act offered. He was convinced he would sell his own freedom by signing that bill.
Tahu and I marched up to Ackar's office. He sat behind his desk, reading the news.
"What in the Great Beings' names are you doing?!" Tahu yelled at him.
"That bill was evil to the Glatorian and Agori," Ackar explained, taking off his glasses. "I would rather live under Ghar-Knel's reign as we are than selling our freedom to you outsiders."
"Oh, you and your excuses, Ackar," Tahu grumbled.
"And who's the little outsider you brought with you?" Ackar asked.
"I'm Matoran Solaris, Data Analysis and Processing," I stated.
"You know what, Ackar?" Tahu said. "I think it's time the Toa and Glatorian to divide loyalties. You back those hostile invaders, the Baterra--"
"The Baterra were placed on Spherus Magna by the Great Beings for our own good," Ackar snapped.
"So that's why they're killing anyone with any kind of weapon?" I put in.
"The Matoran's right," Tahu said. "Those Baterra are a threat to everyone on this planet. We want them gone."
The argument seemed to be leaning more to the Baterra than I thought it would.
"But it's the Glatorian who back the Master," I stated. "So wouldn't they be the ones to blame."
"Uh, right," Tahu said. He may be in charge, but he's still kind of dull.
"Now that's some dirty politics, there, young Matoran," Ackar scolded me. "It's the Toa who won't back the Baterra, and therefore are traitors to our government."
"You call this government?" Tahu shot back. "A communism is not government. It's unfair is what it is. You got the privileged rulers, the law enforcers, and the peasants. That's it. So if you Glatorian want that kind of social structure, then count me out."
"You don't know anything about our government!" Ackar yelled.
"How about we settle it in your old barbarian fashion, huh?" I asked. "A war."
"Sounds good to me at this point," Tahu hissed.
"Fine then," Ackar said. "Let's settle this like the primitive Toa you are."
"Well Solaris will fight for me, right?" Tahu said.
"I'm not a Toa," I stated.
Tahu grabbed a rock from Ackar's desk and empowered it. "Here you go kid. There are some Suvas in New Atero, but they won't be easy to get to."
Everything was according to plan. Nothing could go wrong.
Yet.
