Chapter 41: Benn

Orlando Stadium was a venue usually used for sporting events. However today it was the venue for Safaree Nelsons state funeral.

In the centre of the field, a monumental stage was erected. The federation had pulled out all the stops when it came to decorations, bright colours and flowers fashioned the stage. A podium lay at the front of the stage, beside it beamed a life-size virtual portrait of Safaree in her formal police uniform and signature blue union burette.

Behind the podium, 4 rows of luxurious cushioned chairs lined most of the stage. Seated on the stage were close family, the highest government officials along with important ambassadors from neighbouring free cities. Toward the end of the stage in an arc formation a choir stood in purple robes with gold trim.

The rest of the field surrounding the stage was filled with chairs and made up the rest of the VIP area. On the stands looking down on field, thousands of supporters in mostly green United Federation shirts filled up the 40 000 capacity stadium.

Within the sea of green shirted supporters, a small smidgen of bold blue stained the crowd. A small faction in dark blue shirts with the City Union emblem. They didn’t amount to more than 3000 but they had an aura to them. Even with inferior numbers they stood tall, proud and unwavering.

‘Die hard union supporters,’ Benn regarded the bunch with a pitiful gaze.

Then swept his gaze over the rest of the crowd which was surprisingly hushed despite their numbers. They all had their eyes on the stage or the humongous virtual screen above the stage enlarging everyone on stage.

All in all, a proper send off for one of the city’s leaders like Safaree Nelsons. Speaker after speaker took the podium to sing her praises.

Benn watched on with disgust from his extravagant high back chair, with intricately carved armrest, which looked more like a throne than a chair, stationed in the very centre of the front row. His position even more eye-catching than Safaree’s family members on the far left.

‘I’ve so much to deal with yet I have to honour this nuisance with my presence,’ Benn thought disdainfully but his face remained even.

The AoF’s provocations were fresh on his mind. He needed to make an example of them. Now was the time to take a strong stance, prevent the rise of any No-chip sympathizes hiding among the populace that might be encouraged by the AoF’s recent acts of terror. This was how revolutions started and he had to snuff it out before it gained too much steam.

‘It can’t be helped. Safaree’s death is untimely but it also presents an opportunity to replace her with someone more agreeable.’

The previous Governor General Taibo Thomas, over 40 years ago had grown complacent and let an idealistic Safaree Nelsons slip through the cracks and rise to power. Moreover Safaree had been extremely uncooperative in her tenure as chairperson. Well, uncooperative in the sense that she refused to conform to the status quo. She wanted actual change.

‘To make things better she said, ridiculous.’

Things were fine as they were.

It was one thing to try and make peace with the barbarians but the federation would never make chipping optional. That meant loosening their grip over the masses which would ultimately mess with the league’s profits.

Every smart person realized as much. Safaree had never seemed to care.

‘She was a dreamer through and through.’

She’d tried to push through countless unrealistic bills to loosen the federations grip over the people. None of which had been successful but she still made a lot of noise.

‘And noise makes the No-chip sympathizers restless.’

Benn couldn’t have that again especially now with the Agents of Fate being so volatile, openly opposing federation law, preaching online about freedom of choice and privacy.

He needed a union chairperson who’d remind the people how great their lives were.

‘Someone who will obey me without question.’

Benn glanced behind him toward a plump brown skinned fellow. He was dressed in his formal police uniform and blue union burette. The man had a majestic, thick, twirled moustache.

Benn made a face. ‘I have to go with Guptar for now.’

Guptar Zuum, his spy in the union leadership. He held the highest position among his spies in the union. Secretary ranked third in hierarchy after chairperson and deputy chairperson. The current deputy chairperson was old, too old to be taken seriously, so she could be easily pushed aside.

Although Gupta was a great spy and was in an ideal position to make a play. The fellow lacked the undisputed support of the masses which Benn required to completely suppress the current unrest.

‘A new face would be ideal.’

To give the people a convincing illusion that real change was on the horizon.

Over the years he’d sent countless promising young spies to be groomed as the next generation chairperson but Safaree had ruined all their futures. She didn’t allow any youths she didn’t trust to gain notoriety in the union. She made matters worse by never grooming any apprentices as was custom.

‘Well, there was that one kid if I’m not mistaken but the boy shied away from the spotlight.’

A good thing as well, it would be annoying to have another Safaree for the coming years.

‘Come to think of it…He should be here.’

“Donna, where’s Safaree’s boy?” He whispered to his right.

The secretary seated beside him frowned. “Sir, my name isn’t Donna—”

“Whatever,” Benn hissed. “Show me the boy.”

‘She’s truly stubborn.’

No matter how many times he intentionally screwed up her name, she still insisted on correcting him, correcting the Governor General. His previous secretary had stopped caring after the first few times.

‘No matter, she’ll realize sooner or later that her name will be whatever I want it to be.’

She pointed to last seat on the far left.

Benn examined the youth. He had a freckled face and shaggy hair flowing up to his shoulders.

Benn raised an eyebrow. They boy seemed unnaturally bulky within his suit. He traced his form and frowned at the metallic gloves and boots sticking out from the formal suit.

He was wearing his mechanical suit underneath.

‘Why?’

Benn shook his bald double peaked head and returned his attention to the speaker on the podium.

“…you’ll always be remembered for being a pillar of the city,” Douglas Merver said as he wiped a few tears off his face. “May the leadership you’ve left behind maintain the marvellous current status of the union. Just like you, may they continue to work hand in hand with our great Governor General Benn Bachman to push Gau City to even greater heights.” He paused as if choking up with emotion then said. “Rest in peace Safaree.”

Douglas concluded his speech with a sombre expression rooted on his face.

Paa! Paa! Paa! Paa!...

Benn lead the applause with a sombre expression of his own but he smirked inside.

Douglas stepped down from podium under the thunderous applause of the crowd and headed back to his seat on the stage. Benn gave him the faintest of nods.

‘Please Dougie, you didn’t have to kiss my ass so much. Huh, It can’t be helped I guess, I’ll reward you for your troubles next budget meeting.’

Douglas noticed him and just as covertly returned an imperceptible nod.

Nigen who was serving as the program director stepped onto the podium. He was draped in a black flowing ceremonial gown. His unibrow straight and indifferent atop his tanned face.

Nigen cleared his throat and said. “Thank you Mr. Merver and now for our final speaker. The former apprentice to the chairperson of the Gau City Union, Officer Shenko Coleson.”

There was muted applause. Everyone vaguely knew about the rift between the two or at least they thought they knew.

Shenko stepped onto the podium. Most of the crowd didn’t even recognize him but most of the diehard union supporters and the VIP section knew him well. Shenko and his boss were an infamous duo within law enforcement circles. Hence only a few knew him as the failed apprentice and most knew him as the corrupt cybermage.

Shenko placed a tablet over the podium. Glanced at the speech he’d prepared then back to the crowd.

“Power!” He shouted, fist pumping.

“IS OURS!” There was a resounding reply from the small crowd of blue shirts. They still didn’t like him but they respected tradition.

“Power!” He repeated.

“IS OURS!!!” The chant was even more boisterous, reverberating across the whole stadium.

He waited a few moments for the excited crowd to settle down again before beginning.

“Mentor I no longer mourn but rejoice at your ascension into your rightful place among our ancestors. As such, I will continue to look to you for guidance, so please give me sign whenever I stray from the path I’ve been set on.”

Shenko paused and tilted his head to the heavens as if expecting a reply.

“Mentor with your blessing I hope to continue on your legacy. For me the best way to honour you is to continue the fight against the corruption and tyranny. In the hopes of achieving true freedom for all people in my lifetime.”

Benn frowned. ‘Is he trying to make a play?’

“Granted our approaches greatly differed but we’ve always wanted the same end results because of that I can only hope you’ll give me a sign to express your approval and strengthen my resolve on this lonely journey.”

He tipped his head to the heavens again.

“Mentor you always took a firm stance within the federation brazenly fighting for the rights of people. Most notably you fought against the unfair mandatory chipping laws that plague us to this day. Combating such injustices even when it wasn’t fashionable to do so…”

“Because of this not many were willing to intimately associate with you or speak out for your cause. Instead they stood against you. Challenging every noble cause you tried to implement all in order to fill their own pockets instead of supporting human rights.”

Shenko placed a hand on his chest, gesturing heartache.

“Mentor it saddens me to say, but your noble resolve earned you more enemies than friends. However I’m glad to tell you some of those who were never ashamed to stand by you are here to see you off.”

He swiped at his tablet, flipping to the next page of his speech.

“Mentor your trusted union supporters are in attendance. Their numbers have diminished over the years but those that remained, stand firmly on your side. They supported your promotions and advancements even when it wasn’t fashionable to do so. They never cared about meaningless stereotypes and recognized the depth of your character. They recognized your talent not only as a politician but as a real leader of men and women.”

There was mild applause and cheering from the crowd of blue. Shenko paused a moment to let them settle down and they respectfully did.

“Mentor your most trusted confidant Captain Ray Dawn Zappa is here. Despite all the lies spread about him you entrusted me to him to his care.”

“Ray Dawn,” Benn muttered in disbelief.

‘Surely he doesn’t mean the corrupt one.’

Benn glanced to his left. Beside the seat Shenko had vacated sat the dirty cop. He had a skull look to him. Dark rings underneath his dark misaligned eyes and contrasting light skin.

Benn’s frown deepened. He was also wearing his mech suit underneath his formal suit.

‘Are they expecting some kind of trouble?’

“Mentor the twins are in attendance. They cared for you even on your darkest days when you’d succumb to the bottle and you weren’t pleasant to be around.”

Benn creased his forehead. ‘The twins? He can’t mean the psychotic interrogators. Are they union spies?’

“And thus concludes the short list of your friends.”

Shenko paused, suppressed his turbulent emotions and when he resumed the sharpness his voice sent a chill down Benn’s spine.

“Equally so, your enemies are also in attendance!”

Benn shifted uncomfortably, an ominous feeling sprouting in his gut. If it wasn’t the apprentice of the deceased speaking he might have had Nigen cut off his microphone. The boy was more trouble than he initially thought. The aggression in his voice reminded him of a young Safaree. No, it was worse because there was a seductive cunningness to his tone.

Shenko’s fist hammered into the podium. The action jolted the crowd as many subconsciously straightened and gazed up at him more attentively as his voice steadily climbed a few octaves.

“Mentor the colleagues who quit the union committee because they didn’t want to work under a dreamer have come to see you off. These are the same people who said they wouldn’t be led by an incompetent girl. They are in attendance singing your praises the loudest. They have suddenly found their spine to support you in death.”

Benn scowled no longer able to keep his composure. Sweat spotted the two mounds humping his pale bald head.

‘This isn’t good.’

“The very same people who smeared your name are in attendance! All those who were always ready to humiliate you when given a chance have come. Honestly mentor I’m not sure how to deal with these pretentious bastards...”

“Please mentor. I need your guidance…”

“Please mentor. Give me a sign.”

Shenko exhaled hard.

“Mentor those who conspired against you are also in attendance. From within the union they worked to undermine and obstruct all your efforts. They are in attendance shamelessly sobbing the loudest. The very same saboteurs now covet your seat to further sabotage any chance at real systemic change to improve the rights of humanity within the United Federation’s world order. Mentor I’m compelled to deal with these spies but I’m not sure how…”

“Please mentor. Tell how you want me to proceed…”

“Please mentor. Give me a sign.”

Benn shivered uncontrollably. The crowd was eerily silent. He’d never seen a crowd this size completely silent, they didn’t even dare breathe lest they miss something.

Although the union was technically built to oppose the council, to keep them in check and protect the interests of the masses. In truth they never did anything of the sort. The union was at best a soft chest for people to cry on because the council couldn’t allow them to be more. The council maintained too firm a grip on what they could achieve but with the recent unrest letting such an aggressive, proactive child take the reins would only further muddy the waters.

Benn could no longer stand by as this boy attacked the council’s reputation and occupied the moral high ground. The boy’s pretentious nobility might rally him the support he needed to make a play for the union chairpersonship. After all there wasn’t a shortage of people who were displeased with the federation laws especially the mandatory chipping. Such virtuous talk would ignite their hearts and his fearlessness would fan their passions.

Benn swivelled in his throne to regard the program director.

Nigen felt his gaze and made eye contact.

Benn winked twice, their signal to cut the microphones if someone started spewing nonsense.

Nigen covertly sank into the virtual network. He fluttered his eyes moments later, turned back with an ugly expression and gave Benn a weak shake of the head.

Benn’s expression darkened.

‘The little turd.’

He’d obviously anticipated this and taken some precautions to ensure he was uninterrupted.

‘Probably hacked the stadium broadcast system to lock out the program directors access.’

Benn grit his teeth.

‘I should’ve brought the shadows.’

The Shadow Coven would’ve had his microphone inoperable within seconds. But hindsight was 20/20. Besides he couldn’t have predicted the boy was cold and calculating enough to make a career play at a funeral.

His alternative was to forcefully bring Shenko off stage which would be perceived as an act of tyranny, at a funeral no less.

‘And that won’t do.’

The elder council and the city councils by extension, had ruled this long because they kept up pretences, maintained the illusion of democracy to pacify the populace.

Shenko glanced at the heavens for a moment before continuing. His tone more animated.

“Mentor the shadows are also in attendance. The same shadows that targeted you for speaking out against chipping. The same dark forces that threatened you when you wouldn’t bend to their will. The very same shadows that kept 24 hour surveillance on you because you couldn’t be controlled or rather because you refused to be used. The same shadows that now smear my good name to prevent me picking up your mantle…”

“Mentor I fear not these forces lurking in the dark but I cannot deal with them alone. To deal with them would require the support of our disjointed community...”

“Please mentor. Tell me if the people can ever be united…”

“Please mentor. Give me a sign…”

‘Good name? Good Name??’ Benn almost coughed up blood. He barely knew the boy but someone who’d say that aloud definitely wasn’t a good person.

‘And how the hell does he know about the shadows and when did I approve anything of the sort.’

The Shadow Coven was a myth as far as most people knew. A rumoured black ops division that reported only to the governor and their commander.

Benn glanced toward Douglas who was a few rows behind with a look to say is this true. Douglas shook his head. He looked to be the one most in disbelief.

‘Then he’s lying but…'

Benn’s heart palpitated, a hint of fear taking root in his eyes.

The kid wasn’t just making a play for the union position. He wasn’t playing fair to ensure he got it.

Spreading lies at such a solemn stage was unthinkable which made his lies that much more credible and who’d dare call him a liar at his own mentor’s funeral.

“He’s more of a politician than I realized,” Rafinya’s voice travelled out from the back of the stage seats. He wasn’t loud but everyone heard him.

“Indeed,” someone else added. “This kind of fearless provocative talk of conspiracies and secrets will rile up the young ones who feel the most restricted by federation law.”

“He’s Safaree’s apprentice after all,” another voice chimed in.

‘No, he’s worse because he’s a liar.’

Shenko breathed, in search of composure. His expression mournful. His tone somewhat exasperated as he continued.

“Mentor we live in a cruel unjust world because the same people who treated you the worst are in attendance. Some even shamelessly accepting promotions for orchestrating your demise…”

“Mentor will justice recognize these heartless people or should divine justice intervene...”

“Please Mentor. Give me a sign...”

Benn clenched his teeth. Veins pulsing on his forehead. ‘Shenko just how low will you go?’

He couldn’t say everything the boy said was untrue but because he was intricately mixing fact and fiction making the entirety of his speech seem true. Furthermore, that made his speech much grandeur than it would’ve be if he attacked the council with just facts.

“However rest assured mentor, I wouldn’t dare do anything unseemly like personally call them out by name. In respect of your final wishes. After all they say forgiveness is next to godliness…

There were a few nods from the crowd.

‘They’re eating this shit up.’

Shenko suddenly swept squinted eyes across the whole crowd menacingly.

“I mention some of these incidents just as a reminder. To make them aware that I know what they did to you. I forgive but I will never forget. To remind them that justice doesn’t always take the clearest, quickest route but it will find them regardless. One way or another…”

His finger wagged indiscriminately as he swept it across the crowd intimidatingly. His voice ethereal and sharp.

“Whenever you go to rest at night. Know that I know you and I see you…you fucken traitors, fucken sellouts! Saboteurs! Backstabbers! BETRAYERS!!!”

Shenko yelled the last words giving Benn another round of shivers. The crowd erupted, incoherent roars and chanting booming out. Even the non-union members who weren’t aware of what he was on about cheered, riled up by his passion alone. The stadium rocked and Benn couldn’t even hear his own thoughts.

However not everyone was moved. Especially the VIP’s who’d come to dance on Safaree’s grave, they wore abnormally solemn expressions. Although no names had been mentioned, the guilty couldn’t help but leak out a myriad of emotions that ranged from looking wronged to looking ashamed.

After a short pause to calm himself Shenko continued and the crowd mostly quieted down. Countless eyes gazed up at him with an entranced look.

‘Just shut up already.’

Benn had the urge to disregard the consequences and drag the youth off the podium.

“Mentor the road ahead will be tougher without you. If you have any advice for me…”

“Please mentor. Give me a sign...”

“Please mentor, continue to guide me…”

“Please mentor. I still need you…”

“Please mentor. You left too soon.”

An indescribable expression appeared on his face. The sorrow in his low voice apparent for all to see. He paused intentionally, letting the crowd absorb his emotions.

“Rest in peace Mentor,” Shenko said. “The movement is in the young hands of the future.”