Bradley's Equation : Chapter Two of Four (585 hits)
Category: GeneralRating: 0.83 on 15 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by d_prime <dprime.at.hotmail.com> (View user info) at 2005-08-11 00:07:29 EDT
Chapter One: http://www.ubersite.com/m/69880
II
Shortly after the end of the 20th century, the amount of government economic influence in The United States began to grow much faster than it had been in the previous two centuries. In the year 2043, there happened to be a huge economic collapse and a depression. Full socialism seemed to some to be the only answer; people wanted a radical solution to a radical problem.
The Libertarian Party in the USA claimed to have the actual, needed, radical solution. When they won the election in 2052, along with full control of the government, it began to seem as if they had that solution.
Unemployment eventually dropped to 0.5%. The progress was phenomenal. And so, on the basis of individual liberty, the government was changed so that it could not take individual freedom, no matter who was elected into power. 92% of the population supported this move. It was what historians later called 'the freedom frenzy.'
Radical aggressive movements in others countries began posing a threat to the US soon after this. A series of voluntarily funded wars and treaties eventually led to the formation of one, global state. This state was divided into three divisions with each their own military, to ensure that no dictatorship ever formed. The three divisions were The Americas/Australia/Oceania; Europe, Africa, and Russia; Asia.
Technology developed rapidly as time passed. In the year 70, as a new system of time had been created upon the formation of the global state, a boy named Gregory was born. One day, Greg asked his middle-class parents why there was freedom; they couldn't answer. He asked his teacher on what basis freedom was so certainly good; she could give no answer either. His grandparents, who were children when the new state had formed, had just recently died. He wondered how any one could ever be certain of any thing.
One day he decided that he wanted to be a famous musician. This did not go well. It bothered him thoroughly that he wasn't able to send a revolutionary message to the world, especially because he didn't even care what the message was - change was inherently good. Luckily, his farther got him a job at the business he was rising up the ranks of. When Greg was 43, his father died, and he got a very prestigious administrative position with the company. The board of directors gave it to him because he was nice and because of his social skills, but also because his father had wanted it. A year later, he was sent to work in a space station that was going around a different planet. During that period, he finally found the chance to be an activist for something, just as he had always wanted.
Greg Duvian was standing inside of and staring out the window of a large meeting room. He had been raised somewhere that let him see the stars every day, but this did not stop them from impressing him a great deal still - far away, untouchable by man. They needed no use, reason, or justification. Appreciating them for some thing real ruined the whole concept. How arrogant man was to try to reach them - how selfish businessmen were, making workers develop planets for them, only for their own gain.
There were 20 or so others standing, scattered around the large, circular room. It might have been called a party, but was more likely to have been called a rally. There were several couches and tables, but they didn't seem to influence where any one was standing, and held a more idle ornamental position. The room was shaped like a sort of hemisphere, with a circular floor, six-foot high walls, and a ceiling that curved up from the wall all around it, rising into a high center-point about 12 feet from the ground. Every thing except the floor was made of glass which revealed the limitless space. Every one in the room was dressed professionally and wore nothing that wasn't colored Green and/or Red - the colors of the recently formed Association for Universal Equality.
Gregory turned around from the glass to face the crowd. He stood up on a 30cm-high platform. He cleared his throat loudly; promptly, every one turned around to face him. His large, almost comedic grin, slightly dark or 'tanned' skin, not quite shaven face, shiny hair, and every thing else about him gave the impression of a man who ran an underground casino or a speak-easy.
"My brothers and sisters," he said clearly, loudly, and calmly.
"We gather here to discuss the revolution that is at hand. Though beyond the 20 or so here today our numbers are not but in the hundreds or low thousands, we hold a great arsenal at one of the key parts of the universe. The different stations orbiting this beautiful red planet, along with the buildings on the surface, are the cradle of humanity, or at least its future, and our expansion into space, along with the exploitation of this planet's resources. Being constructed here is one of the most notable things in human history. And here is where the worker, the machine operator, is being taken advantage of by faceless corporate demons. Some say that we had an intellectual revolution. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness they advocated again, they say gained its true meaning. 'Free greed, free the ego, free the individual's actions no matter what they are.' Where does equality come into that? Who is to say that a freedom from the weapons of others is actual freedom? What about freedom from unfair competition and wage-slave drivers? What is this freedom they speak of worth to the people, if the true creators don't get the result of their work? When resources aren't distributed fairly? Is our society not based on altruism, which too much of this so-called freedom is certainly not justified by? To not realize the injustice taking place is to declare war on humanity! Well, we can act, and bring the rights of the society back to society! Not to careless individuals! And this, of course, is why we are here. The one Unified State of Humanity, Freedom, and Democracy, as they call it, must not be allowed to push its political beliefs onto all of humanity! We have gathered powerful arms here in the most important part of civilization - and the one where the most injustice is happening. Here we will break off, revolt, and form a new government! The Republic of Universal Equality!" He stopped suddenly and there was a moment of silence followed by a loud uproar of cheering, followed by excited conversation. He had begun calm and then gradually become more emotional in his short speech. He was a great speaker and prone to making people adopt any thing and simply swallow.
He gazed down triumphantly at the room full of people, all speaking, acting, and feeling enthusiastic, and doing it all because of him - they're mine.
Bradley Garrin forgot for a moment what he was doing, as a thousand thoughts swam through his head, simultaneously and without order. He was trying to order them - for what?
He rang the doorbell in front of him on the hallway-wall, and having reached his destination, was knocked out of his daydream - find out what's happening - get back to the site - yes.
A large man with flat, black hair opened the door.
"Hi Brad."
"Hello Syme"
"Come in."
The room that they entered impressed Brad. It was covered with different forms of technology, most of which seemed to be for the same specific purpose. They sat down in two black chairs, which faced each other over a circular table. The table held two glasses of water on it. There was a window on the wall, opposite the door.
"So?" Brad asked earnestly as he picked up the glass of water closer to him.
"Well, their plan is, quite simply to take over the sight on the surface using a large arsenal they have built up, doing whatever damage necessary. It's all quite blunt. Come to think of it, so far it seems less like an attempt to take over, and more like an attempt to stop any one else from controlling it."
"Who is 'they'?"
"An organization of about one thousand people. It's mostly middle-management from several companies involved with this site, who are stuck in the corporate system with nothing to offer. That is, along with a few bored workers and a couple CEOs or whatever; the last group includes the leader of it. All of them seemed to be the sort of people who got into the company, and into their position, for social reasons. Their ability to co-ordinate with each other is amazing, but they're unable to plan any thing else. That's a good thing for us."
"Why are you telling me all this important information that you attained some-how, and not the government?"
"Consider my profession; does it surprise you that I was able to find all this out? And it's certainly good that I did. Well, I have told the government. You should know that there are not enough military personnel here, on this remote site, for what might happen. However, a certain project that my firm is currently working on may help us out. I've been speaking to the leader of the small military division that is here. He's a nice guy. Well, the thing is, we need you for some thing."
"For what?"
"How much do you know about the site down there?"
"I've been studying it endlessly."
"Good."
Brad grinned, and there was a pause.
"If you have any thing important tonight, go do it, and come back tomorrow or some time tonight. We have at least 24 hours until we have to act. My questions and what I need from you should only take one or two."
Garrin thought about the girl he was supposed to see. Suddenly the fear of realizing he may have put too much confidence and meaning into their relationship and the ensuing rejection bit him in the back of the neck. He remembered being told a bunch of things about the greater good, and suddenly he wanted to do some thing 'heroic' and uncalled for; this seemed to be it.
"I'll stay tonight."
"Good. There's another thing I'd like to do as well. Now we'll have time. I'll need your help for it too. Remember, I'm not as young as you. I'm really only a scientist who happens to work on weapons."
Samm Carroll sat in the hallway, sitting under the map she had been sitting under before, thinking deeply about her work and the world. She had been there for hours, slightly dazed and perfectly content. Any one who approached her would have thought she had just sat down.
When it reached 1:05am, she stood up, walked to her office, and put every thing she had with her save her key-card into her desk drawer. She then walked patiently and to the parking-lot and sat in her ship absent-mindedly for a few minutes.
She remembered being told to follow her heart, being told that love was above thought and rationality. She remembered the man she had seen earlier that day, who was the common denominator of every rational thought she had ever had. He had just disappeared and disappointed - follow nothing but your feelings she'd been told - who am I to try to change fate? Fate and feelings...
She stopped thinking and fell into a dazed, cloudy, yet safe state of mind and repeated 'fate and feeling...' to her self, eventually not even saying it in her head but simply letting the imprint remain there.
She then flew the ship out of the parking lot - she had a party she was late for.
User Reviews
Submitted by ajanssen (user info) at 2005-08-11 18:43:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
a '...' ??? Just what the fuck am I going to do with a '...'? If you can't bankroll your game then you shouldn't be playing.
Either ante up or fold.
(I dont accept food stamps)
Submitted by d_prime (user info) at 2005-08-11 14:51:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I see you and raise you a '...'
Submitted by ajanssen (user info) at 2005-08-11 14:37:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Ready for a new hand are you??
I'll see your used Kotex and raise you one vagina blood fart.
Submitted by d_prime (user info) at 2005-08-11 13:00:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I respect that. You were one of the few people who went 'I didn't like this. -2' opposed to 'You're an evil 15 year-old who will never listen to wise people who don't know you like my self! If only you took my noble guidance! -2die!'
I look forward to your entry. You're going to need to make a real gem if you want to beat Mike.
Submitted by Xcuses (user info) at 2005-08-11 12:41:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Look for my entry post tomorrow
Oh, and this one I liked better than yesterdays post
Submitted by d_prime (user info) at 2005-08-11 11:12:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Oh, you're punishing me by making by overall Ubersite rating go down by about 0.02, for a comment that no one read among many others of the same kind applied to different groups.
Submitted by d_prime (user info) at 2005-08-11 11:09:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Drew: Just you wait!
Rad: Huh?
Berty: Well, seeing as it's only half done, it would be hard to see what 'I'm trying to say.' However, I'm not didactic with fiction. That's what essays are for. What 'I'm trying to say' is really just the theme behind these events.
Submitted by ajanssen (user info) at 2005-08-11 08:47:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Here's a consolation +2 for when i beat you at poker with my pocket -2's.
Submitted by rad1101 (user info) at 2005-08-11 06:38:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by d_prime (user info) at 2005-07-28 18:02:11 (#)
Ranking: 2
That'll teach 'em to be Jewish in your country.
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2005-08-11 05:01:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Well it was clunky and didn't really flow very well. Could have used more detail in places and characthers could have used a little elaboration.
That said though I really rather liked this. It reminded me of my dad's sci-fi novels when I was a kid, the entire story merely being an analogy to explain an idea. So technically you don't even need a story, although your point wasn't too clear as a consequence. I'm a terrible writer so I can't offer any real advice though.
Submitted by d_prime (user info) at 2005-08-11 01:29:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Oh well.
Submitted by d_prime (user info) at 2005-08-11 00:52:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I'd like to get more real criticism/judgement/praise.
Submitted by alex.lifeson (user info) at 2005-08-11 00:21:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
One piece of criticism: When you're doing it in installments, you should maybe try to make the theme more obvious at the beginning. You sound like Michael Badnarik when reading only up to this point, even though I know you don't support him and don't like Libertarians and things are going to go bad even though 'your' politics are put in place; you're probably going to soon 'show' that politics don't solve things and that it's the human mind and its philosophy that mattesr.
Submitted by d_prime (user info) at 2005-08-11 00:15:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
About what? Please tell me you read the first part before flaming this, which I find hard to believe.
If you look into it and read the rest, you'll be suprised at what ends up being demonized (though it's not individualism) =P
Submitted by thorpe (user info) at 2005-08-11 00:14:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
You've got to be kidding me.