Season 05 - Episode 03

‘all they see’

“So that's everything on the agenda for today,” Es is saying to those gathered round the table. “Does anyone have any other business?”

Ny is staring at his metal hand as it rests in a dent in the table. He sighs a little then, with effort, raises the collection of intricate metal parts into the air.

“Yes, Ny,” says Es with a brittle smile, eyes pleading.

“I'm sorry everyone,” he says, apologising to Es in particular with his eyes. “But feel I do have to raise this again.”

“Ny,” says Es wearily. “We've been through this, so many times.”

“I know,” Ny agrees, wincing at the eye rolls and irritated shifting. “But the plan...”

“Is a waste of time!” Clo interrupts. “We've more important things to do.”

“I maintain ” says Ny carefully. “That the plan is our only chance at survival.”

“Nonsense,” snaps Clo, frowning crinkly disapproval at Ny. “You want us to stop everything else we're doing for people and redirect all our time and resources into some wild, half baked scheme from an anonymous source? Did it occur to you that that's exactly what both GovCo and The Church want us to do? It's a trap, Ny and an obvious one. Come on!”

“Alright,” Es intervenes, trying to sound reasonable. “Listen, Ny. These 'crowd co-operation' techniques your anonymous friend describes that you and Ko have been teaching people, there's perhaps some benefit to that, for when we do occasionally have to ask people to hide together in large numbers for extended periods, but the rest of this plan of yours...”

“Can't work!” snaps Clo. “It's impossible!”

Somewhere beneath all the weariness and sadness, a violent frustration is thrashing inside Ny. He restrains it.

“I don't think we have established it can't work, actually,” he says, licking his lips as he considers each word carefully.

“Ny,” says Es, an edge creeping into her tone. “Our projectors are too big. And even if they weren't, we don't have enough of them. And even if we did, we wouldn't have enough power to run them. And even if we did, what happens after? The plan doesn't say.”

“But they said,” says Ny hoarsely, his metal hand clenching. “They said the power will come when we need it. They said if we go up then, then...”

“Urgh!” says Clo in disgust, shaking her head.

“No, Ny,” says Es firmly. “We can't gamble everything on your say so. We owe it to the people to focus on practical matters, feeding them, clothing them, moving them to safety.”

“But there is no safety, Es!” Ny snaps, finally losing his temper. “Nowhere is safe anymore! It's all out war! Everywhere! The plan is our only chance, otherwise we're just...”

“Just?” asks Es haughtily, her patience gone. “Just what, Ny? What?!”

“Waiting to die,” he says thickly, staring down at the table.

A terrible silence engulfs them all. Most people look at the table, a few glare openly at Ny. Only Ko looks to him with sympathy but even he is cringing. The meeting breaks up but the tension remains. Ny watches them go in ones and twos then closes his eyes, wearily furious at himself for failing yet again.

His friends don't see it because they don't want to. This war is different to the last, there will be no winners. This time the destruction will be so absolute that whichever side ultimately defeats the other will rule over a wasteland.

Then there'll be nowhere to hide for those that remain. So far The Resistance has remained hidden because GovCo and The Church are too focused on one another to look for them. After the war however, whichever power remains will find them easily and kill them all.

They see the plan as an impossible whole but to him their arguments are just a list of problems to be solved. They can do it, he knows they can, but only if they work together. He can't do it on his own.

He opens his eyes again to find only Ko remains at the table, smiling at him sadly. Ny knows Ko will follow him anywhere, do anything he asks out of sheer loyalty and love but he also knows Ko doesn't understand it either.

How can he make them see?

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