The Mars Rebellion

7/30/2019 The Mars Rebellion

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I ran through the dust and wind as fast as I could. I knew that I wasnt

supposed to be outside this time of the day, but that had never stopped me before. My

warming suit kept me fairly comfortable but my mask was sticking to my face. Not only

was I breaking a curfew for minors, I was also breaking a curfew for the whole city. Dust

storms popped up frequently around this time of day, if there wasnt one happening

already, and it was just easier to ban people from venturing outside at all then sending out

search parties.

I reached my destination with few set backs. A small hole in the ground

welcomed me, and I jumped in without fear. The hole was about 4 foot deep, but the

shocks in my boots kept me from hurting my self as well as supplementing my weight so

I didnt jump too high in the lesser gravity.

I fell into a group of kids ranging from 11 to 17, all in identical grey-blue

and white suits that matched my own. They huddled around a heating coil powered by a

battery in the middle of the room. I saw my friends Penopel and Bennett on the other side

of the cave and walked over to sit with them.

Hey Penopel. Hey Bennett.

Hi Venicci. How are you doing, girlfriend? Penopel said.

Im fine, chica. Wind was a beast though, wasnt it?

You got that right. I almost got blown away!

I was about to ask how their day had been when a willowy girl of 16

named Graciella Ferdinan stood up at the end closest to the entrance so she could see

everyone. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a tight bun to keep it out of her face.

Quiet down, every one, its time to begin! She exclaimed.


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The room hushed expectantly. She continued,

This is the beginning of the weekly MTAC meeting. Please stand and

recite the MTAC mission statement.

We stood and in unison said,

As teenagers of a foreign world, it is our responsibility to keep its native

inhabitants from being overrun by us. Our goal is to keep to ourselves and someday

return to our original planet and leave this one alone. Mars Teens Against colonization

unite!

We all plopped down on our butts and Graciella continued,

Good. Is there any old business to wrap up?

She looked at another girl with glasses sitting at a small table with a tablet

in front of her.

We finished it all last week, Gracie. Move on to new business, Junly

Gretz said.

Thanks, Jun. Any new busines-

I have some pressing business that needs to be addressed immediately! It

is in all of our best interests that we aq- A tall boy by the name of Harold interrupted

was cut off by Gracie.

Harold, for the last time, we are not bringing a television down here!

Aw come on! Ive been begging you for like, ever!

Then maybe thats your cue to stop asking! Sit down!

He sat down obediently. I laughed a little with my friends. Harold had

been harping Graciella about the T.V. for as long as anyone could remember, with no


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results.

Is there any realnew business? Gracie asked.

A girl I had never seen before stood up. She was about 12 with long

blonde hair. She was really short, only about waist high on me.

I have some new business, she said quietly.

And what is it, sweetie?

I have information that I think you wont like very much. My daddy

works with the Fhrer, and he was talking with my mother last night when they thought I

was asleep. He told her that we could never go back to Earth. It wasnt there any more!

A murmur of voices broke out. Gracie and a couple of the older boys tried

to quiet them down, to no avail. Finally, I stood up and made an ear piercing whistle by

blowing through my teeth.

Shut up! I yelled. The room complied.

Thank you, Venicci. Listen, people. This is some shocking news that may

or may not be true. The older kids, including myself, will look into this. No meeting next

week. Anyone 16 or up, come with me. Adjourned, Graciella said, motioning for us to

head into the next cave, where she kept her office.

Both of my friends, myself, along with about six other people, stood up

and followed her into the office. It was about 4 yards across and plenty high. We all fit in

comfortably, even though there was a desk in the middle. Gracie sat behind it and put her

head in her hands.

If this is true, everything weve been planning and working towards

would have been for naught! Destiny Porter said. She was always the dramatic one, so


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this didnt surprise me at all. Last year, she saw a one foot long common Mars Spider and

fainted. They werent harmful or anything! I couldnt understand her. You had to have a

certain amount of tough in you to live on Mars, which Destiny was apparently lacking.

She was also very racist against the indigenous population, the Ferschtians. They were

about four foot tall as adults, and were some of the nicest people. They looked like

humans in most regards, but they have four arms and one eye. They lived underground

with us, and while most of us treated them as equals, there were some families that

refused to acknowledge them at all. The Porters were one such family.

Destiny, calm down. That girl was like 12. How do we know what she

said was true? We dont. Thats why we have to investigate this ourselves, Graciella

said. She had a determined look in her eyes. We all knew what that meant. She wouldnt

give up. We had seen in many times before, most memorably the day she decided to get

us back to Earth.

Gracie, this is a tall order. The espionage and spying wed have to do to

find this out it on an exponentially higher scale than what we have done previously.

Were talking about theFhrerhere! That man is high up; most of us will never even see

the guy outside of the television screen! Fredrick exclaimed. He was head of the spying

team in our little organization. He, along with about ten other kids, worked to get

information on Earth. We werent told anything about it really, except what it looked like

and its climate. We now knew much more, no thanks to the adults.

Fred, you and your team are good; really good. I wouldnt trust anyone

but you for this. I need you to hack into the main database and find out the status of

Earth. Find out anything else you can while youre at it. We may only be able to pull this


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off once. What do you need from us?

He thought for a moment and looked back at his two senior officers,

George and Cullen. They both shrugged at him, a motion that said Do what you need to

do.

He sighed, Ok, Im going to need a few of you to get into the capitol

building and plug my connector into the main grid. Any port will do, even the basic

information hub. Just find somewhere out of the way were it wont be noticed. Venicci,

you want to take this one? You can just say you and your friends are going to see your

dad.

Hey, anything for you, Fred. Just say the word. Well do it tomorrow.

Most of the politicians will be out doing stuff, so it will be easier to get around, I said.

My friends and I are kind of the grunts of this operation. All three of us

have been trained in basic combat, advanced martial arts, and weve also had some

weapons training. Bennett and Penopels parents are in the military, and they wanted us

to be prepared. There were some crazies around. Little did they know that we had been

using their training to get information and to keep people from finding out about MTAC.

We havent had to kill anyone yet, and I hope we never did, but if it came to that we were

all more than prepared to handle it.

Fred nodded to me and handed me a device that plugged into a USB port.

Im glad thats all settled. Ill look into my dads database and see if there

is anything in there. All of you better get going before you get in trouble. Take the

underground tube. Its too windy to take the above ground route. All of you, meet me in

the Park at 1600 hours. Dismissed, Graciella said, her voice a little ragged.


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The lot of us worked our way through the tunnels together at first, but one

by one we split off in different directions. I was all alone by the time I popped out on

Jupiter Avenue and walked to my house quickly. A light was on in the living room. Uh-

oh. Looks like my parents saw I wasnt home; Again. I tip toed through the door, only to

be stopped by my mother,

Venicci Anna Karenina! Where have you been? Its past midnight!

Sorry, Mom. I was at Bennetts house with Penopel and I lost track of

time. I think we might have even fallen asleep at one point. It wont happen again.

It better not!

Karenina. I hated my last name. I never put it on applications or on my

homework. The only thing I hated more than my last name was my middle name, and

together they just made me angry. Our last name wasnt always Karenina. My parents

explained to me that a long time ago, before our family left for Mars, there was a war,

called the Great War. One of our relatives was in the war. The rest of his family had died

and he was the only one left. He got hit in the head really hard and got his leg shot at, so

he was taken to the medics. They had to amputate it. When he came around, they asked

him what his name was and such, because he didnt have an identification tag. The only

thing he had with him was a copy of Anna Karenina, a book about a girl who throws

herself under a train.

On the inside cover, it said To Vincentand that was it. He had amnesia, and

couldnt remember anything. They sent him to his home country of the United States of

America. He never recovered his memories, so they let him pick a new last name. He

picked Karenina after the book that was found in his pocket. I was named after my


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relative, and I hated it. Maybe if my middle name werent Anna Id like it better, but it

was and I didnt.

We still had that book. It was inside a glass case, proudly displayed on a

table in the family room. I read a copy of it on my tablet computer, since I was named

after it and all. I hated it.

The next morning, I woke up, dressed, and went down to breakfast. My

parents were already in their suits, getting ready to leave for the capitol building. It was

on the other side of the city, so they left kind of early.

Good morning, I said.

Good morning, Venicci. I hope your midnight oil is well and truly

burned, my father said.

Dont you usePhantom of the Opera references on me! That movie is

older than all of us combined! I exclaimed.

He smiled at me, Im surprised you picked up on that. Most kids your age

wouldnt have a clue. Most adults my age wouldnt even know. Im glad to see we raised

you with good taste.

Thanks, Dad. You guys better get going, or youll be late, I said.

Oh shoot, youre right. Marla, we need to go!

My mom turned from what she was doing, grabbed her brief case, and

headed out the door.

Goodbye, Venicci, see you after work! Be good! My mother exclaimed.

There were some perks to being an only child. For one, your parents never stayed mad at


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you for long.

I stood on the step and waved at them as their car pulled out of the drive

way. It moved silently down the street. Once it turned the corner, I went back inside and

ate some breakfast.

Looking at the situation I was putting myself in, being the muscles of a resistance,

made me think how mundane my life would be if we failed at our goal. I would just

become one of two billion people on this planet living in a vast network of tunnels

created over hundreds of years. Actually, Id probably be in a jail cell with the rest of the

resistance, our parents fighting to get us out, but that was beside the point. I liked having

a goal, a reason for living, for fighting. Whether we won or lost, it was going to come to a

close sooner or later, preferably later.

I met Penopel and Bennett in our usually meeting spot outside my house. I

was the exact midpoint between their houses, so it just made sense.

Hey Penopel. Hey Bennett. Are you ready to do this?

I was born ready! Bennett exclaimed, Lets whoop some butt!

Only if we have to, mush for brains, Penopel said.

We walked to the bus station in silence after that. It wasnt safe to talk

about our plans in public. We had discussed it the night before on a secure chat line.

The bus took us to the capitol building in no time. It was a modest three

story building, with nothing but a few words in Latin adorning the front of the building.

Humans and Ferschtians walked in and out briskly, paying no attention to us. We walked

up the stairs to the entrance and went through the door. The inside of the building was as

nondescript as the rest of it, with dark green tiles and beige walls. We walked up to a


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secretary named Tracy.

Good morning, Tracy. Im here to see my dad, these are my friends, I

said, motioning to Penopel and Bennett behind me.

Ok, Venicci. Dont worry about signing in, its fine.

Thanks! I said with a smile. This was going all according to plan.

We proceeded to the elevator and went to the third floor. It was used the

least, seeing as it was mostly storage, but it still had information hubs. I approached it

while my friends took a basic defense pattern: one directly behind me and another one at

the nearest corner.

It was a large rectangle sticking up from the ground. A touch screen was

on the top. I punched in a few pass codes and I was in. A USB hub popped out of the

console and I inserted Freds device. I quickly closed it up and logged out of the hub. We

went to the second floor and visited with my dad for a while to seal our alibi tight. When

we were done talking with him we went to the Park so we could meet Gracie and the

others.

The Park was kind of a misleading name. It wasnt really a park. A park

would imply trees, grass, and flowers. This park was merely a round area with some

tables and a wireless hook up that people used to hang out and connect to the internet.

Gracie, Fred, and the rest of them were already sitting at a bench when we arrived.

Gracie stood up and said,

Is it done?

Its done. No one suspects a thing. We are good to go, I said.

Gracie sat down with a sigh of relief. Fred already had his tablet out, and


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he was punching in numbers rapidly.

I should..be able to..get into itnow! He exclaimed.

Are you in? I asked.

Im in! Now all I have to do is- No! No NO NOOO!

What? What happened? I asked. I stood up and leaned over the table to

him.

I got kicked out! Im going to have to go in and do it from my main

computer, He said.

You arent going to be doing anything, young man. All of you need to

come with me, A severe looking man in a suit said. He had a laser gun in a holster in his

hip.

My two friends and I rose and took a defensive stance. The rest of the

gang did as well. I heard a rustle from behind me and saw that six more men were

coming up behind us. They all had laser guns.

Alpha Beta Blue, guys. We can take them, I said. They all nodded to me

and spread out. Half of them turned around to face their opponents.

I was focused on the man in front of me. He smirked at me. I charged at him with

gusto and did a roundhouse kick to his chest. He blocked me, but not easily. I aimed

another kick at his stomach that made its mark. He staggered back. I ran at him with fists

a-blazing, hitting any part of him I could. I heard screams and yells. Laser gun zaps were

ringing in my ears, but I kept fighting.

I fought until the end. I wasnt going down without a fight. Right when I thought I

could win, I felt someone hit my head with the butt of a laser gun. I kept hitting and


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kicking, but another blow to the head saw me into darkness. The last thing I heard was

Gracie, yelling,

We wont go down like this! Venicci! Viva la resistance!

I woke up slowly. At first, I couldnt even remember who I was. Once I

did, the entire fight flew back to me. I lurched and tried to pull my arms in, but they were

bound in either side. I opened my eyes and saw that I was strapped to a table. The others

were strapped to similar tables.

Is anyone else awake?

I am, Venicci, Bennett said.

Me too, Penopel said.

I think we all are, Gracie said, They must have sedated you extra hard,

Ive been up for at least an hour.

Doesnt surprise me, she was fighting like a tiger out there, Bennett

said.

Thanks, I tried. Looks like it didnt do us any good though. Where the

heck are we, anyway? I asked.

Well, from what I can tell, were somewhere deep within the planet,

probably under the capitol building. Its cold and it smells like metal, so I can only

assume, Fred said.

Ugh. Those guys were total jerks! What are they going to do to us? I

asked.

Your guess is as good as mine, Venicci, Gracie said.


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A loud voice boomed over us from a speaker in front of us,

Resistance leaders! You will comply with our demands!

What does he mean, resistance leaders'? Were only kids, we cant really

be called leaders, I said.

A door to the right of us opened and a tall man walked out. He was

wearing a fancy suit and had on an eye patch. His goatee was salt and pepper black, along

with his bushy head of hair. He stood in the middle of us and said,

Hello, children, I am the Fuhrer. Ive heard that youve been planning to

take us back to Earth once you are adults. Is this true?

He looked at us expectantly, but we kept our mouths shut. We talked

about what we would do if this happened, and we all agreed to keep quiet and to not tell

them about the other children in the resistance.

Come, come! No one is going to talk? What if I told you that If you

dont, I will kill your families and wipe your memories, then I will make you a part of the

government that you so despise? How would you like that?

What do you want to know? Gracie asked.

Finally! Some results! What I really want to know is this: what made you

decide to do this? What have we done to warrant this kind of behavior out of our youth?

Mars isnt our home planet. Earth is. The Ferschtians were just fine

before we came here. We disrupted their home and as a group, we intend to right this

wrong! I exclaimed. Never had I thought I would be meeting the Fuhrer under such

grave consequences.

That is a lukewarm cause at best. If this is your true motive, I find you all


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to be very foolish. Sneaking off by yourself to an underground cave half a mile from

civilization, what were you thinking? You could have been killed! No matter. This serum

will make you all better. Youll soon become upstanding citizens once again. Inject

them, He said.

No! You cant do this to us! I screamed.

On the contrary, I can. I am the Fuhrer, after all, He said.

He walked up to me and put his index finger on my chin and lifted it up.

Yes, I think youll make a great adopted daughter, dont you? Itll be

tragic. With your family dying in a car accident or a freak machine defect, youll have

nowhere to go, but Ill be there, dont you worry. Well tata for now, darling, he said, and

exited.

A few lab technicians walked in pushing a tray of needles.

What are you going to do to us? Destiny said, her voice quiet.

An elderly woman with stark white hair replied,

Dont worry, honey. It wont kill you or anything. Itll just wipe your

memories, is all. Then well implant new memories and set you to work as our new

Youth Council. Well have to kill your families, Im afraid, but youll be perfectly safe.

Now, this may pinch a bit, She said as she tapped the glass syringe and squirted a few

drops of liquid out.

She plunged the needle into Destinys skin, and she screamed. I began

yelling profanities, so a technician came over and sedated me.

Youre next, He said, and for the second time that day unconsciousness

took me.


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I woke up from a hazy dream in a cold sweat. It was the second time that

week that a doctor or someone had loomed over me in this dream saying, youre next.

Next for what, I didnt know, but it freaked me out.

I quickly got dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast. Our maid,

Nancy, was already preparing my favorite, toast and eggs. Eggs were scarce from where I

came from, outside the Capitol, but ever since the Fuhrer took me in, I had them almost

every day.

Nancy sat the plate down on the table and said,

Here you go, Venicci.

Thanks, Nancy. How are you this morning? I asked.

Oh, Im good, Miss. You better eat quickly, or youll be late for school,

She said, smiling at me.

I glanced up at the clock. It was almost 7:50. I sat down at the table

quickly and shoveled food into my mouth.

Good bye, Nancy! See you after school! I exclaimed as I grabbed my

back pack and headed for the door.

Yes! Have a good day, Venicci! Work hard! She exclaimed, waving me

out the door.

Nancy was one of my favorite people. It was probably because she

reminded me of my mother, who died many years ago along with my father. At first, I

lived in foster homes in a city a long way away from here, where I grew up, called New

Earth. It was the original settlement city. Life was hard there. You had to learn to fight


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and defend yourself. I was always alone, with no one to care for me. Some of the foster

homes were ok, but mostly they were rough. I was hurt more than once.

Once the Fuhrer heard about me and what I had gone through these past

years as a ward of the government, he offered to take me in. My grades were good and he

said that I had a lot of promise in the political area. My experiences had given me a

certain empathy towards others that would take me far.

Now, you dont just turn down an offer from the Fuhrer, so I accepted.

Ive been living here for about three weeks, and I had no regrets. The school was ten

times better than any school I had attended previously; there had been several.

He was a distant man. I learned to leave him alone unless he asked for me,

which had only been thrice in the small amount of time I had been here. Yet, somehow, I

didnt mind all that much. I truly believed he was a good man.

The school I attended was only a short walk from my home. It, like almost

every government building in town, I had noticed, was bland in color and floor plan.

Every wall and floor tile was a different color of beige. Four hallways were connected to

a central hub that held the main office and the counselors office. On each hallway, one

side was rowed with beige lockers, the other with exactly four classrooms and two

bathrooms.

My locker was number 345 in the second hallway to the right. I placed my

bag in it and grabbed everything I needed for the first half of the day. I turned around to

head to Mr. Georges history class when my friend, Penopel, yelled at me,

Venicci! How ya doing?

Im doing just great, Penopel, how are you?


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Im fine. Hey, did you get the notes for Mr. Georges class? I totally

spaced them out yesterday.

Oh, Penopel. Poor, sweet, unsuspecting Penopel. What were you

thinking? If I didnt have them, being the great student that I am, what would you do?

Die in a hole, of course, what else? She asked, laughing.

Come on, lets get to class so you can copy my hard work, I said,

walking down the hallway to the last door on the left.

Penopel was a good friend of mine. We had been in a lot of the same

foster homes growing up, seeing as her parents abandoned her a few months after mine

died. She now lived with a long lost aunt that was only discovered a week ago. She came

forward after she found out that her sister had left a child in the foster system all these

years.

We were very close, and were also close with Bennett, a boy we had just met

recently. He has lived in the Capitol all of his life, but was adopted. I suppose the

traumatic experience of growing up with people who werent your own parents linked us.

Class started with Mr. George saying,

Whos ready to learn about current events?

We groaned. Current events were the worst possible assignment. He made us find

news articles and analyze them, like a true dictator of education. I tolerated it, but I didnt

enjoy it. I needed to know about things that happened because I was representing all of

the youth in the world, but that didnt mean I had to like it. The Fuhrer had told me about

the youth outreach program he wanted to start, and asked if I would like to be the head of

it. Of course I agreed.


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Find an article that relates to you personally. I want some feeling in this one,

people! Mr. George exclaimed. He really was a cool teacher, but some of his

assignments were excruciating.

I turned my tablet on and began flipping through the news section. All of our

devices were hooked up through a wireless network that ran through the entire school

using an idea formed a long time ago by this guy named Nicola Tesla. There were no

hubs to control it, it was just there. I never understood quite how it worked, but everyone

had one in their house and certain places around the city had them set up, like this place

called the Park.

After a few minutes of aimless searching, passing over several articles about out

impending doom due to an ever closer moon, I found one that sent a jolt of electricity

through my veins. It read,

Two Politicians, Marla and Gregory Karenina, were found dead on the

surface, suffocated. They had nothing but business suits on. They died almost instantly

because of the dust.

Their daughter, Venicci Anna Karenina, is missing, presumed dead. If

anyone has any information on the murders or Venicci and her family, please come to the

capitol building and ask for Captain Jack Harkness.

The article showed a picture of the two adults and their daughter. I looked at the

girl for a very long time. She looked familiar, but I couldnt put my finger on it.

Hey, Penopel, can you look at this picture for me? Where do I know that girl

from?

She studied the picture for a minute, furrowing her brow in the way I had seen so


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many times before. Finally, she said,

I have no idea, Venicci. Its like its on the tip of my tongue, you know?

Right? Thats what I was thinking! Well, it doesnt matter. It will come to us

eventually. I think Ill use this article. It reminds me of my own life a little bit, I said,

with a sad smile on my face as I remembered my parents. All I had left from them was a

couple of photos of them from their wedding and honeymoon. I had memorized every

crevice of their faces. I could draw it if I had any drawing talents at all.

Really? Im doing mine on the foster program, seeing as we spent a lot of time

there, she said.

Yeah, I can understand that, I said, and set about filling out the worksheet Mr.

George had given us.

The rest of the period passed in silence. Once I was done with my worksheet, I

surfed the Internet, looking at comics and checking the weather on the surface, even

though I really didnt have any intention of going up there, but I had nothing better to do.

The bell rang, and I gathered my things to go to my next period. Before I knew it,

it was the end of the day and I was heading home. The walk was uneventful, and when I

got home, Nancy had a plate of cookies on the table for me.

Nancy, you didnt have to do this. You never have to make snacks for me, or

even meals. Im more than capable of cooking for myself, I said, staring at the back of

her head from where I stood. She was chopping up vegetables for dinner.

I know I dont, youve made that abundantly clear, but the Fuhrer is paying me

to take care of you, and take care of you I shall. Besides, I like doing it. You are a very

nice girl, she said.


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I knew a lost cause when I saw one, and decided to let up for the time being. If

she wanted to cook me tasty meals and wash my clothes, more power to her, but it still

felt wrong some how.

I ate a cookie and drank some milk. Once I was done, I took my telecom out of

my pocket and called Penopel.

Hey Penopel! I was wondering, do you wanted to hang out today? We could

meet in the Park about 15 minutes from now?

Sure! You know Im always game! Bring your tablet and we can play some

games together.

Sounds good. Be there in a few. Bye, I said.

Bye, Venicci.

Nancy, Im goin-

Child, I have ears, She cut off, Have fun with your friend. Be home for dinner,

ok?

Ok, Nancy! Bye, bye! I exclaimed, and walked out the door.

The Park was about a ten minutes walk from the house, but I didnt mind.

Although I did feel claustrophobic occasionally, we were underground after all, but

medication kept me sane. I had gone without it for a long time, but the Fuhrer has taken

care of me. I havent felt claustrophobic since.

The Park was empty when I arrived. I plopped my self down on a bench and

started surfing the web while I waited for Penopel. After about ten minutes, I began

looking around. Right across the street was the capitol, as boring and plain as ever. The

last time I had been there, the Fuhrer was filling out papers to adopt me.


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I stood up and walked to the road so I could watch the people going in and out.

Every thing looked relatively normal, until a man in a long coat walked out. It was olive

green, with striped buttons on it. I didnt realize I was staring at him until he looked up at

me and froze. His eyes might as well of popped out of his head. He walked swiftly across

the street.

Fearing my life, I started to back away. He came at me swiftly and grabbed my

wrist before I could run.

Venicci Karenina? he asked. His voice has a certain tone of authority about it.

You have the wrong girl, sir. My name is indeed Venicci, but it I am not Venicci

Karenina. The Fuhrer adopted me. My parents died a long time ago, not recently, I said.

I tried to tug my arm away, but he wouldnt let go. He held it tighter.

What have they done to you, Venicci? Come with me if you want to know what

is really going on, he said. Although my first inclination was to trust him, I was still

skeptic.

Im sorry, I cant. Im waiting for my friend, Penopel.

We already have her in custody. Please, come with me. I have no intention of

hurting you, Venicci.

I stared at him for a moment. I attempted, to no avail, to find out his true

intentions just by looking at his face. In the end, I surmised that I would just have to go

with him if I ever wanted to know what was going on.

Fine, Ill go with you, but you must promise not to harm me or my friend.

Deal. Come with me, he said.

I dug my heels into the floor and said,


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Wait, I didnt catch your name,

Harkness. Captain Jack Harkness.

He led me through between houses and down smaller streets. We were running

very quickly. I had no problem with it, I was in top physical condition, but it didnt make

any sense.

Why are we running, Captain?

Because once they realize that youre gone, there will be hell, thats why. There

have been people monitoring you constantly for the past three weeks. I was hoping a

picture of you in the news would help you remember, but obviously you didnt see it or I

was wrong, He said this all between breaths of air.

Do you mean that girl that went missing? Her parents were found dead up top, I

said. I started to get a bad feeling in my gut.

He stopped abruptly, turned around, and took both of my shoulders.

Venicci, I dont know how to tell you this, but those were your parents. Theyre

dead. Every one of your friends parents are dead as well. Penopel, Bennett, and the other

5 that were with you three weeks ago, all of their parents have been murdered if they

werent dead already. Come on, we need to keep going.

I knew he was lying, he had to be, but I didnt have time to argue with him. He

grabbed my arm and we were off again, running through the back streets of the capitol.

We arrived at a one-storey building deep within the poorer part of town. Some of

the houses were painted with gang symbols. Things never used to be this bad, but as the

government began fighting about the moon coming closer and closer, among other things,


22/24

the people became rebellious.

A deep green door opened up to a foyer. Captain Jack Harkness led me down a

hallway to a flight of stairs heading down. We hit a landing that had a door with a bright

blue -1 painted on it. We kept going and going until we hit a -4. The Captain swiped his

finger on a scanner and the door opened. The only thing inside was a hallway lined with

doors. He led me to the fourth on the right. I stepped inside after he scanned his finger.

He followed me in. Penopel, Bennett, and five other people I didnt know were inside.

They sat at tables, each with a stack of papers in front of them.

Penopel! Bennett! Whats going on?

I think you should take a seat, Venicci, Penopel said, motioning for a chair next

to her.

I sat down, and Jack came to me with a similar stack of papers.

These are records of you before you had your memory wiped. It should help

your old memories return. They were never actually gone, only repressed and replaced by

false ones. The Fuhrer wanted to make you and your friends part of a council to rally the

rest of the youth to support the government. He wanted to manipulate you, Venicci,

Jack said.

I stood up abruptly and said,

Youre lying! The Fuhrer has been nothing but nice to me! He took me out of

foster care and gave me a home and a good education! Ive only been with him for a few

weeks, but I can tell that hes a good man, even though hes not a good parent! My

parents have been dead since I was young!

Penopel reached for my hand and tried to get me to sit down.


23/24

Venicci, I really think you need to calm down and look at these papers before

you go on a tangent. The Captain isnt lying to you, and youll know that if you just sit

down, she said.

I looked down at her. I had never seen my friend this way before. Her face was

gaunt and you could see that she had been crying. I knew something had to be wrong,

because she never cried.

I sat down slowly, for Penopels sake, and began looking at the papers. I was

shocked. Homework, papers, forms, doctors notes, prescriptions, all with my name on

them. I recognized my own signature. Towards the bottom there were pictures of me in

the park with people I didnt know. Before I could stop myself, I leaned over the table

and looked down at a boy,

Fred, did you ever figure out if the Earth is still there or not, I said. My spine

went rigid.

Oh. My. God. Thatjerk! He killed my parents! Myparents! Im going to- I was

cut off by a voice I recognized. The Fuhrer.

What are you going to do to me, Venicci? Kill me? Is that anyway to behave?

The group, my friends, went rigid and looked up at him. Graciella stood up and

stared him down. I glanced around for something, anything, to help me.

Its not like there is anything to go back to! Why do you think we came here in

the first place? Earth is gone!

Angry tears welled up in my eyes. I knew it was true. I looked around quickly.On

Captain Jacks side was a holster for a laser gun. I ran over grabbed it, aimed it, and shot.

Venicci! No! Jack exclaimed, but it was too late. The Fuhrer dropped to the


24/24

floor like a bag of bricks.

Everyone in the room looked at me. After a moment of tense silence, Penopel and

Bennett came over to me and hugged me. I hugged them back. We will never have our

families again, but at least we have each other. At least the Fuhrer was dead.

Documents

The Mars Rebellion