Condition Evolution 4 by Kevin Sinclair (parable of the sower read online .txt) 📗

he said, before adding enthusiastically, “you know we have your back, we can do this.”

William nodded in agreement.

“Your support means a lot. I’m actually hoping you can help me with an issue we have. These men from the Seshat that we have locked up. I feel like we can’t leave them locked away for however long it takes us to get free. You probably know them; so would you mind helping me convince them to simmer down and rejoin us? You can help too, William, if you think you can.”

“If ye wanting them te disappear, a can dee it fer ya. Just gimme the word, Cap’n. They’re a bunch a wee cocks anyway. So far up Rufus’s arse, a dinnae nar where one ends, and the other begins.” He chuckled, despite just offering to kill five men.

I shook my head. “I’d rather not kill anyone, William. Do you think there’s any way to bring them around?” I asked both of them.

“I'm happy to have a word,” agreed Roger. “I might be able to help at least one of them see sense. But not Graeme. I wouldn’t even waste my breath and can’t stand the nasty bastard.”

“That’s fine by me. Out of the five, he’s the only one I’m happy to leave in there to rot. I’ll make you a promise to schedule in your transcendence too. Then maybe you can work on beating this daft shite in an arm-wrestle and shut him up for a minute.”

William laughed. “Winnit happen. As for Rufus’s arse lickers, I'll just keep ootta sight. There's nee love lost there, an’ a dinnae think a’d be able te keep me hands te meself.”

“Seems like Rufus kept a very unhappy ship,” I said.

“It’s not his fault really,” Roger said, “he's just a bit useless. He wants everyone to like him, but then plays favorites.”

“Nah, worse than useless, he's a bloody menace if ye ask me. The only reason we dinnae get on was cos he was threatened by me. I ‘ad too many friends ya see, and wi’ me obvious intellect ‘n leadership skills. Rufus is nowt but a damn worm, always try’n te wriggle te the top.”

“You just stay here then, William, I don’t need you starting shit with them.”

On our way to where the prisoners were being kept, we passed a Torax, who stood up and greeted us.

“Hello, Captain. Do you need access to the prisoners?”

“Ah, have you been placed on key duty, Amnarr?” I asked with a laugh.

“Yes,” he replied. “I’m stationed along here at a safe distance in case they attempt anything untoward with my mind,” he said nonchalantly. “Just close enough to hear if anyone tries to escape.”

“That’s for the best. I need you to open up a few doors for me, please.”

“Absolutely, which ones in particular?”

“I wish to speak to Rufus first,” I replied, “and Roger will visit whoever is next. The only room we don’t plan on opening is Graeme’s.”

“Of course, Captain,” he said, gesturing for us to follow him further down the corridor until we reached the first room.

“Rufus is in this one,” he gestured, bringing his hand up with a glowing flame. He condensed it just as Koparr and Calegg had done, then deftly cut through the foot-long blob of previously melted metal.

“Good luck, Captain!” Roger offered with a strained smile. “I hope he’s amenable.”

I shrugged. “We will see,” I said before pressing the panel for the door to open before the molten metal cooled enough to reseal it. It slid open smoothly.

Amnarr caught my attention just before I entered. “Would you like me to come in with you?”

“Oh no, I’ll be fine. If you could just make sure Roger can get in the other rooms. I'll shout when I’m done,” I answered, stepping through.

Rufus sat on the bed glaring daggers at me. “So, you finally come to see me again. You realized you can't just lock me up for the years we will be here. I must admit I think it's disgraceful how you have treated me.”

“Rufus, don’t start your shit as soon as I walk in, or I’ll just walk myself the fuck back out and leave you to marinate in your own stupidity. I came to talk civilly, it’s up to you how this goes.”

He sighed, head down in his hands. “I’m not a traitor, you know. I can tell that's what you and Shaun were thinking.”

“It was something we needed to look into, for sure. It was straight-up dodgy as hell, how the Fystr knew where to drop out of their jump, so close to our location. Then offered the survivors amnesty, right over the top of Shaun’s head. Let’s just say, he was fucking fuming about that.”

“I was just trying to provide guidance, though. I didn’t think he’d want to just execute them in cold blood, it seemed a good option.”

“Not without discussion.”

“But Shaun shouldn’t be making those decisions himself, either. We are captains in the Uprising. We should have a voice, yet we do not.”

“You seem to have a complex about being important, but none of this is about you, Rufus. How about, rather than trying to prove points, undermine others and feel superior, you just do your fucking job properly. We need everyone pulling in the same direction and recently you’ve been more trouble than you’re worth.”

Rufus’s face screwed up in anger. “I don’t think that I have! I have tried my utmost to support everything you do in the Uprising. You have just thrown it back in my face. Shaun belittled me at the battle, and again when he wouldn’t let me see Ogun. Not to mention that last meeting!”

“Fuck me, Rufus. I don’t know what to say to you anymore. You’re just blind to it, aren’t you?”

“Blind to what?”

“The purpose of Uprising is about keeping everyone alive, and about defending ourselves against our enemies. It's not about whether Rufus has had his ego stroked enough. Why couldn’t you just do your damn job?” I said, getting up and heading