Future Days

Chapter 7: The Man In Shadows

1

I was next to Lamphis when he told me his secrets. He told me he was going to end it all. He kept telling me he had to do it. I didn't understand.

"This is the right thing to do." Lamphis said.

"But why?" I questioned.

"You know why."

But I didn't. The next morning, when I discovered that nearly everyone was gone and that I was the remnants of this Regime, was startling. I drank my morning coffee and simply just stared at the sun as it rose. That was all I could do. I wasn't sure what the next steps were. Lamphis had left me a note on the coffee table, that was where I found the next steps:

Antonio,

I know you are probably unsure of what to do next. But I am here from beyond to help. I know you don't understand why I did this. I'm not sure you ever will and I'm not sure you'll ever find out. But I have some things I need you to do. Some things that I left behind because I had to. I didn't have a choice. I hope you can understand. I want you to find my grandson, Nathan. You know who he is. He has unfinished business with this world. You need to convince him-by any means necessary-to take control of this new galaxy you all embody. It is his legacy, whether he knows it or not. He needs to be a servant to the public and bring structure to the galaxy. It has been blown up and maybe that is for the best. I will miss you greatly. I will miss our mornings together. You were a wonderful partner, friend, and more...thank you, Antonio. You were a loyal companion. I will miss our days together, that is for certain.

Sending my love from beyond,

Lamphis

I crumpled up the letter out of frustration and threw it into my morning fire. What a fucking fool. But that didn't change anything, I knew what I had to do. I grabbed my sword and put my overcoat on. I drank my coffee fast and smoked a quick cigarette. I needed it. Desperately. I needed relief. I'm not sure what exactly he wants me to do with Nathan but I have to do something.

Time to go.

2

I was chain smoking as I piloted my ship. Cigarettes were the only relief I had. I knew I needed to quit this shit but I wasn't willing. Fuck that. Who cares? We're all gonna die someday, most people just did anyhow. I'm one of the few. I'm one of the survivors. What a goddamned joy. Do I have much of anything? No, I sure don't. No one to love, I did at one point. Now, I am merely alone with a sword by my side and several packs of cigarettes.

I'm not even sure where to begin. Nathan clearly left Rioto and I doubt he would go to Codicia. That much was obvious. But I had no idea where to go from here. And what was I even going to do when I found him? Kill him? Force him to do my bidding? Why would he listen to the large man who tortured him? That is absurd. Lamphis, you fucking quack. He's just a quack. He's nuts. I can't believe all of this.

The galaxy was quiet. Space was dark and no ships were in sight. Just me. Just me floating along in a tin can. Nothing else. It was haunting and daunting and horrifying. It was a blank canvas of a universe. That was all that was left. What life was this? How was this a reality?

Shit.

Most days I already struggled. Now, look at what I'm left with. The blackness of the night, the darkness of the day, the impending doom of a glorious galaxy, and hunting down a young adult. That is all I have left to do. The last wishes of the ruler of the galaxy. That's it.

A ping alert came up on my holoscreen on the ship. It marked a planet named Moma. The terrain was mostly a hot desert. Why would Nathan come here? My ship had been programmed with an algorithm left by Lamphis of potential locations. It was my only real option without any real indication of where he might be.