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

“I actually respected Shaun as a leader no matter how unorthodox. You however I do not. You shouldn’t be in charge, in Shaun’s absence. While I have suffered your leadership until now, I find the murder of Rufus to be unforgivable. If Ogun doesn’t want to reclaim leadership, then I will offer myself forward as an alternative,” she shouted, looking around at everyone. I knew she had been continually active, speaking with people. Everyone but me really and my close circle. But I didn’t expect a revolt from her.

Elyek stepped forward. “Astrid. Being part of Uprising was a choice. One that has benefitted you greatly. If you feel you have better prospects by leaving us, that is your choice. But why you think you can call a vote on Ember’s leadership is confusing to me.”

Calegg stepped forward to stand alongside Elyek and I. “Now before this meeting continues, anyone who has had a change of heart about working with us, could you please leave the hall. This is a meeting for Uprising only.”

Astrid’s face darkened, but nobody moved.

“You are serious?” Astrid asked.

“About what? That you cannot just decide to become the de facto leader of Uprising? Yes, of course I am serious! What a ridiculous suggestion,” Elyek replied.

“But she killed Rufus,” Astrid shouted in anger. “How can we trust her?”

“Astrid, please leave. Your words are without meaning,” Ogun said from behind me.

“I never said I wanted to leave Uprising!” she squawked. “This is very unfair, I just…”

“Seriously Astrid, you voiced your opinion that you didn’t want to follow my lead, even though it has been made clear there are four people guiding Uprising. The other founding members of Uprising are satisfied with me remaining as I am.”

“They won't say anything, because you will just abandon them like you are abandoning me,” Astrid screeched.

“That doesn’t make any sense, Astrid. Before you go, please tell everyone how you would have dealt with Rufus if he attacked you with a knife.”

“That has nothing to do with this!”

“Of course it does. You think you could do a better job, well how would you deal with what we are now facing? Not only that, how about when you really need everyone to pull together and two of your most senior people in positions of power decide to try and remove you for their own purposes.”

“You shouldn’t have pushed both of us so far then. You don’t treat either of us with the respect we deserve.”

“For fuck’s sake, I’ve already been through this with Rufus.”

“Well, you didn’t ask us for our opinions on things.”

“About what?”

“You're trying to make me look petty. It won’t work,” she complained.

A voice from the crowd shouted out, “Shut the fuck up, Astrid, you’re talking shit!” There was a small ripple of laughter from the crowd. I scanned to see who shouted. I saw a group of humans patting one man on the back and chuckling. He just looked a little embarrassed. It did have a calming effect on me, which was probably for the best as I looked back to the offended Astrid.

“I am sorry Rufus died. But that shit’s on him, not me. If you want to leave that’s your choice. But Uprising is neither a democracy nor a dictatorship, it’s a family, and at this moment in time, I’m the fucking mommy.” I didn’t know where that last bit came from, but it brought more than a few chuckles. William started clapping, which was taken up by almost everyone else. I gave silent thanks to Astrid for actually taking the focus off Rufus’s death with her childish antics. She sprinted off, tears in her eyes. I was surprised to see over ten people follow her out of the hall. I shrugged—better they go now.

“Right, everyone, I’m glad that’s out of the way. Now can everyone please stop trying to take over. It’s a shit job, trust me, you really don’t want it. If you’re that bored, then work on getting us the fuck off this space station.”

“Or better yet figure out how to fly it!” Calegg shouted, and there was another round of laughs.

“Now, the communication wasn’t what we wanted to hear, but there was some good news in all of this. Shaun is still alive. So if we can’t get off this fucking place, I’m pretty sure he will be along soon enough.”

There was a cheer for that.

“And the last thing before I go and get cleaned up, if anyone is close to Astrid, can you please help to talk her round? I do actually like her normally, and I really don’t want to lose anyone else.”

Chapter 14

I’m Omni Gonna Say This Once

My mind became aware again. Though for some reason, I couldn’t open my bloody eyes. At least that was my first thought. After further inspection l came to realize I had no body, just a consciousness, floating in a sea of nothingness. Not really my favorite kind of realization. Lucky for me, I’d danced this dance before long ago when I’d transcended so I knew there was hope. Worryingly, I didn’t have Ogun here this time. Perhaps Ialos, or even Jezai, when he arrived, would be able to bail me. Or… Shit! My memories, they were back!

I rejoiced as much as a disembodied consciousness could. Before the anger hit like a tidal wave. Those sly bastards! They were playing me this whole time. Fucking Vakuna! The dirty ball sacks even had the cheek to fucking rename me!

Then guilt rolled into town. Oh, shit! My eyes were all over Ialos like a starving man at a buffet. Ember was going to kill me if she ever found out. But… it wasn’t my fault, right? I never acted on it. For that matter, where the hell was Ember? What the hell had they done with everyone? Goddamn it! Shit was really going to kick off when I got back to my body.

I started wracking my incorporeal brain for