LYCCYX Episode 1: The Declaration Read online

LYCCYX

  Episode 1: The Declaration

  By

  Brian Barber

  Copyright © 2012 Brian J Barber

  All Rights Reserved

  This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used whatsoever without the express permission of the author except for brief quotation necessary for review.

  All characters in this publication are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  To learn more about the world of LYCCYX visit lyccyx.us

  To my sweetbabe.

  Table of Contents

  LYCCYX

  Beginnings

  A Letter Home

  Race for the Cure

  The Golden Coin

  Parent’s Reply

  Something in the Food

  When it all fell apart

  Heaven

  The Birth of Pure Evil

  The Life You Save

  No Place to Raise Your Kids

  Reaching out

  A Declaration of Independence

  Freedom Reigns

  Embracing Death

  Liberty and Justice For All

  The Inscription

  The Challenge

  Beginnings

  January 7, 2041 – We have known for some

  time that petroleum would not last forever. We have now realized that all of our “clean” energy initiatives were about fifty years too late. The world’s population has now grown to nearly thirty billion and our food production cannot keep up. Wars and skirmishes have broken out in various regions over natural resources. Since NASA was disbanded in 2022, we knew our hopes for a colony on Mars would not come from a government project and that the private space sector had so many various agendas and no real direction that even a one-way journey there was out of the question.

  However, there is a possible, albeit temporary

  solution for both our lack of resources and the population problem: colonize the moon. Scientists believe our moon contains more than enough resources to make the trip to Mars possible someday and can also serve as a temporary base while other colonization options are explored. Back in the late 20’s, when NASA’s remaining personnel found themselves out of work, a group of them - along with a few military contractors, established the Asteroid Mining Corporation with the intent to capture and mine near-earth asteroids for precious metals and other valuable elements. With the backing of several technology firms, AMC began operations and grew at an alarming rate. Their exponential growth enabled them to quickly acquire nearly every remaining aerospace and defense contractor and their assets grew to approach those of a small nation.

  By 2036, when the President ordered the

  opening of the Strategic Petroleum Reserves, the world was engaged in a full-scale Energy War. AMC had been building security forces to protect its holdings and now supplemented the United Continents Military at a ratio of 1:1. Several years earlier, due to budget cuts, the Department of Defense consolidated the five branches into one military force: the UCM (United Continents Military). By uniting the sea, air, land and space forces the UCM now operates much more efficiently – especially in times of war. The influx of cash from AMC hasn’t hurt either. Our troops now have full armor and the best weaponry and training on the planet. With the development of AMC’s ShockSuit – which absorbs impact from enemy fire and the soldier’s movement and converts it into electrical energy, warfare is becoming more of a tech competition than ever. The black market has produced some passable copies of AMC’s gear including some of its energy-based weapons like pulse rifles and mini-EMP grenades (MIPS). Recently, a large shipment of supplies was captured by rebels and there has been talk of some former engineering talent now working for opposing forces.

  Unmanned warfare continues to grow as

  technology advances. Since the Weaponized Robotics Act of 2018 lifted the ban on robotic weapons both sides are pushing the envelope to deploy new types of products. Congress has been pushing for more oversight into AMC’s operations and involvement with the UCM but few can argue with AMC’s contributions to the United Continents and the ongoing effort toward global stability.

  A Letter Home

  “Dear Mom and Dad,

  I know you both have had high hopes for me returning to the University in the fall but I feel like academics may not be the best thing for me. Since my injury during the playoffs, I have done a lot of thinking. Did you know that UCM will pay for corrective surgery as an incentive to join and serve a few years?

  I have been talking to MSgt Masterson the last few weeks and I really want the full use of my leg again. That is why I have decided to join and pursue a career as an officer with the United Continents Military. With my GPA and athletic talent (at least up until I got hurt) they say I would be an ideal candidate for the Academy.

  Well, I have to go for now. Sorry this is so sudden. My airbus leaves in the morning for in-processing. I’ll write you as soon as I can.

  Love,

  Luke”

  Four months later:

  “Dear Mom and Dad,

  We just finished our first week here at the Academy and man was it tough! We met our instructors and were organized into units. Mine is the Alpha Unit, which is made up of the most athletic trainees, isn’t that exciting? My leg is awesome; I have been running consistent 5.5 minute miles.

  Next week we start combat training. The Alpha Unit will spend more time training for combat since we are the best of the best. I can’t wait for the advanced weapons course. Hopefully, I will qualify on the Mk5 pulse rifle and earn a few extra credits. I am sending you part of my earnings to help cover the tuition cost you all paid. When I finish here, I will get a bonus that will more than pay off the rest.

  Well, gotta go for now. It’s almost time for lights out and we have a busy day ahead. Love you so much and can’t wait to graduate and see you again.

  Lucas”

  Race for the Cure

  “Wow, so you made Captain – Impressive.” John said with a bit of jealous sarcasm.

  “Yep, but you didn’t do so bad yourself, First Lieutenant.” I replied. The UCM awards advanced rank for exceptional performers – like us.

  John and I had been friends since middle school. He was one of the first kids who even talked to me when we moved to town – probably because his family moved here from London. Everyone else just stared at me like I was some kind of alien. For that reason, we were close even though we often seemed like polar opposites. I was a cautious young man who always wanted to know what the rules were so I could be sure to follow them. John Stephan had to know the rules so he could bend them until they broke.

  We were very competitive, as most guys are and used to race home to call each other to tell the other, “Beat ‘cha!” In high school, we tried to impress the same girls and to outdo each other in sports. That’s how I got hurt…

  I tried a move I had seen John execute countless times called the “Twistenator”. He tried to teach it to me and I only got it right about sixty percent of the time. But it was John who came to see me in the hospital and handed me a brochure about the UCM and how they paid for surgery to fix guys like me who otherwise would be great for the Service.

  Mom and Dad never really liked the idea of

  me in uniform. They would rather me become a scientist or engineer and make some kind of groundbreaking discovery. I figured I might be able to do both.

  Tomorrow morning at 08:00 John and I, along with the rest of our class are graduating the Academy. I can’t wait to get my diploma and my title of Captain. Captain Lucas Xander… I like the sound of
that.

  The Golden Coin

  We were on patrol a few clicks from LB127 (Lunar Base 127) when something shiny caught my eye. As curious as I was to discover what this item might be, I also knew we were running low on oxygen and couldn’t stray too far.

  “What are you looking at Captain?” Stephan asked impatiently.

  “Some sort of metallic object – could be valuable.” I replied.

  “If you want to check it out, you better hurry. We are running out of air and I’m starving.” He grumbled.

  Lately, it seemed like a lot of the guys complained about being hungry. John’s theory is that the UCM were putting something in our food. I think we are all just burning a ton of calories out here on this rock.

  “I’m going to check it out and then we can head back.” I assured him.

  “Fine.” He reluctantly agreed.

  As I got closer to the object it became clear to me that it was made of a golden material. I knelt over to dig it out of the lunar dust and grit and realized it was a coin, about the size of a challenge coin we learned about in Military History back at the Academy. Caked with dust but still giving off quite a shimmer, the coin had some strange writing on it. So I decided to keep it. How on earth… wait – the moon, did this thing make its way up here?

  By now, the hunger gnawing at my innards was almost unbearable. It was the kind of hunger pains that make you want to punch something, or someone. We had better get back and get some chow or Stephan is going to get a beating… I get so tired of his whining sometimes.

  Parent’s Reply

  “Dear Lucas,

  Your