Future Days

Chapter 9: Our Idealistic Heroes Confront The Man In Shadows

1

"Nathan!" The Man in Shadows exclaimed. He was a good 20 feet away from the Gang of Three and Jacob. Serenity Planeteers were frozen and dropped the work they were doing.

"Oh my god. It's him. Why is he here?" Natalie said.

Nathan felt frozen. He felt useless and plain and vanilla. At this point, he was ready for whatever was to come hurling toward him. He was tired. Very tired. Peace can only last so long. Happiness can only last so long. It ebbs and flows. That is the reality of it all. Nothing lasts forever, but nothing is ever truly gone. It was a confusing human condition. All of this just felt long overdue.

"Why are you here?" Nathan yelled back.

The Man in Shadows paused. He started to walk closer to Nathan. His large figure was incredibly intimidating. Nathan was afraid that this was it.

He stopped only 5 feet away from Nathan. Natalie curled her finger around her handgun. She was ready to use it. She was ready to take him down. Nathan continued to feel frozen.

The Man in Shadows had his fingers curled to his sword sheath. Suddenly, he let go of the sheath. "...Nathan."

"Yes?"

"I don't know what I'm doing here." He looked like he was going to cry. "I'm tired. Nathan. Tired of what the galaxy was and what it has become. Tired of what I was and what I have become. Lamphis left me vague instructions. Lamphis told me who you are. Lamphis..." He started to actually cry. "He was my partner. He wasn't just a friend. He was my whole world, even through the terribleness...the awful, awful things he did. The awful things that I did. We weren't good people...I'm still not. But I'm so very tired, Nathan. I don't want to do anything anymore." He put his sword onto the ground and kicked it over to Nathan. "Take this. It's yours now." Nathan felt where he cut him only a few days ago. It still hurt. "I don't know what is in store anymore. The galaxy is gone. So few people are left." He looked around him. "I'm not sure what this place is, but it seems...nice. It seems peaceful. I just want peace." He was nearly blubbering at this point. "That's all." He just sat down on the ground and closed his eyes.

"What the hell is going on here?" Natalie whispered to Nathan.

"I don't know." Nathan walked toward him...and hugged him. He whispered to him: "It's okay. It'll be okay. What is your real name?"

"Antonio."

"Antonio, it'll be okay. You have a place here."

It wasn't the climax that Nathan had expected. He had expected The Man in Shadows-Antonio-to kill him. It was his time. That was what he had figured. When The Man in Shadows landed, he expected it to be all over. Instead, Nathan met a man named Antonio. A man who deserved some restorative justice and another chance. Maybe almost everyone deserved another chance. Nathan put a hand out and helped Antonio up.

"Welcome to Serenity, Antonio." Nathan said. Elizabeth was here now. Her flowing brown hair was shimmering in the wind:

"Hello, it is nice to meet you, Antonio. Wonders of the world and power to the people to you. Welcome. Let's get you some food and a bed." Elizabeth gave a wink to the Gang of Three. She was a pure soul. An example of light in the darkness. This whole place was. The whole galaxy needed this.

Nathan was more determined than ever to make that so.

2

It was later that night and they arrived back at their bunk. They felt confused and disheveled. The Gang of Three were unsure of their next steps.

"I don't think we can stay here." Nathan said while sitting next to Natalie on his bed.

Natalie looked shocked. "Why not?"

"We can't just stay here and ignore everything going on in the galaxy!" Nathan exclaimed.

"What are we supposed to do? Everyone is dead! It's all gone!" Natalie was heated.

Emily interrupted: "Nathan is right. We can't just stay here. I thought you two stood for something more. We have to do what is right." She didn't even make eye contact. She just kept staring into her paperback book.

"But what are we supposed to do?" Natalie said.

"Rebuild the galaxy, bring peace, order, and justice back. We can't just sit around and pretend nothing is happening. People are still out there. We have to clean up the pieces or it'll get worse. We have to form some semblance of democracy and balance and order or chaos will ensue with what is left. Serenity is just a piece of the puzzle, we need more of what Serenity is across the entire galaxy. We can't just have one piece of the pie. Everyone needs this."

Natalie sighed. "I know you're right but I just don't feel like I have the strength to do this anymore. I'm tired of fighting. It feels...hopeless."

Nathan put his hand on her shoulder. "We can't lose hope. That's all we have left."

Natalie sighed again. "We'll tell Elizabeth in the morning what we plan to do, okay?"

"Sounds good. Let's get some rest."

Emily chimed in again: "Yeah, stop fighting Mom and Dad."

Nathan and Natalie said in sync: "Shut up!"

They shut the lights off and laid their heads to sleep in their respective beds. It was quiet for awhile but Natalie got up and slipped into Nathan's bed and curled up next to him and whispered: "You're right. We're gonna help change the world."

They went into a deep sleep after that, only hoping that what they dreamt about could possibly come true in this galaxy.

3

The next morning they found themselves in the cafeteria once again. Elizabeth and Antonio were waiting at a table. The Gang of Three sat down with their trays of food across from the two of them.

"Good morning, you three." Elizabeth said. "Tell me what I already expect."

Nathan looks confused. "What might that be?"

"You want to leave."

Nathan was frozen. "How...?"

"I could tell. It is okay. Antonio told me who you are, Nathan. And that's okay. You feel an obligation. You feel an urge to fix the galaxy surrounding you. And I support you in this mission. It is the right thing to do. But just know, if you ever get tired, if you ever get weary, you have a place here at all times. That is of no question. All I have to say is that you have to stay safe. I do not want to see any of you harmed or damaged. I want you to succeed and whatever resources we can provide will be available, whether we are just a base for you three to relax or any other needs, we are here."

"Thank you." Nathan said.

"Hey Nathan," Antonio began, "do the right thing. If anyone can, it is you. It is all three of you. Go build something out there. Go build up the galaxy instead of tearing it down. I loved Lamphis...but he wanted to tear things down. I know you don't. Go out there, there are other worlds than these. They need help."

"Thank you, Antonio. You relax here. Take some deep breaths." Nathan said.

"Now eat your breakfast, you three." Elizabeth said. "You have long journeys ahead of you."

They scarfed down their food, knowing that this would be the last time they would be on Serenity for quite some time. Yet, it was peaceful. Yet, it was lovely. Yet, it was everything. Nathan wasn't sure what journeys were ahead of them. They would recruit. They would build some semblance of a government. Not on Codicia. Somewhere else. Somewhere new and fresh. They would find followers. Not a dictatorship, not fascism. Democracy. Equality. Justice. Working together. Serenity was a model. That is all. Simply a model. It would be spread. That was the key.

A brave new world.