In that moment, a big rumbling was felt outside the hatch, like an earthquake. Atesta could not tell whether the people inside the dome were scared, or simply surprised, but it was certainly something that she had not seen in them before because everybody turned to look at it.
Atesta asked Partica what that rumbling was. Partica ignored the question and asked Atesta again where the cube was. This time with a more menacing tone as Partica stood up and began to approach Atesta.
Atesta finally understood that the cube was the key to finding her father. There was something about the cube that was extremely important to Partica. Desperation crossed Atesta's mind. So, Atesta responded by saying that the cube was in a safe place and that she would be happy to give it to Partica but first Partica needed to help her find her father.
As she was telling this thought to Partica, one of the guards came running and yelling that Level 2 evacuation was now being carried out and immediately led Partica to a very small hatch in the back of the dome where all the people were now squeezing through. Partica instructed the guard to grab Atesta and forcefully lead her to the small hatch. She was coming with them.
Atesta was the last one in line waiting to get through the hatch. The guard strongly holding her by the arm. The noise and vibrations at the front gate were getting louder when all of a sudden the main hatch exploded and crashed open.
She turned around and saw people coming in. Strangely, water was also rushing in at their feet. Could it be that the water had gone over the city wall and the city was now flooded? Atesta was wondering who these people were and where they came from. She noticed that they looked different than anybody she had met in Calarrosa. They were all tall and strong, with long dark hair, the men with long dark beards, they were dirty, and they were all wearing dirty yellow jumpsuits. Atesta also noticed that they were all armed with something that looked like weapons made of a strange shinny metal with red glowing tips.
The leader of the armed group ran to the back of the dome and grabbed Atesta by the hand before she was she was pushed through the small hatch. He pulled her hard enough to break the guard's grip. The guard startled hurried through the hatch and closed it behind him leaving Atesta with the armed invaders.
Atesta did not know if she had been rescued or if she was being taken prisoner by a group of savages. Before she could say anything, the person holding her hand told her not to worry and that her father had sent him here.
He introduced himself as Marcato, the leader of the resistance, and explained that she was in grave danger and that her father was in a safe place, for now.
Atesta had a thousand questions but before she could ask any of them, Marcato quickly explained that Partica was a despot ruler that had enslaved most of Calarrossa's population shortly after they arrived to the planet with the help of the cube. He explained that Partica was 20,000 years old when the average life span for people here is only 500 years. The cube had allowed Partica to literally become immortal. And by holding on and administering the healing powers of the cube only to those that did his bidding he has been able to maintain control.
Marcato explained that not long ago, the salt caves began to fill up with water and Partica started forcing people to go down into the caves to drill additional holes and wells to prevent the planet from being covered in water again. With time, those people down there were forced to work around the clock, hungry, prisoners, and unable to visit their loved ones on the surface. It was then that the resistance was born.
Another explosion outside interrupted and startled Marcato. The water coming into the dome from the main hatch began to pour in faster. It was up to their knees now. Marcato motion to his people that it was time to leave and told Atesta that they can continue their conversation once they were in a safe place.
Before leaving, Atesta stopped Marcato and asked if her father was safe, Marcato said, no.
TO BE CONTINUED ...
Atesta asked Partica what that rumbling was. Partica ignored the question and asked Atesta again where the cube was. This time with a more menacing tone as Partica stood up and began to approach Atesta.
Atesta finally understood that the cube was the key to finding her father. There was something about the cube that was extremely important to Partica. Desperation crossed Atesta's mind. So, Atesta responded by saying that the cube was in a safe place and that she would be happy to give it to Partica but first Partica needed to help her find her father.
As she was telling this thought to Partica, one of the guards came running and yelling that Level 2 evacuation was now being carried out and immediately led Partica to a very small hatch in the back of the dome where all the people were now squeezing through. Partica instructed the guard to grab Atesta and forcefully lead her to the small hatch. She was coming with them.
Atesta was the last one in line waiting to get through the hatch. The guard strongly holding her by the arm. The noise and vibrations at the front gate were getting louder when all of a sudden the main hatch exploded and crashed open.
She turned around and saw people coming in. Strangely, water was also rushing in at their feet. Could it be that the water had gone over the city wall and the city was now flooded? Atesta was wondering who these people were and where they came from. She noticed that they looked different than anybody she had met in Calarrosa. They were all tall and strong, with long dark hair, the men with long dark beards, they were dirty, and they were all wearing dirty yellow jumpsuits. Atesta also noticed that they were all armed with something that looked like weapons made of a strange shinny metal with red glowing tips.
The leader of the armed group ran to the back of the dome and grabbed Atesta by the hand before she was she was pushed through the small hatch. He pulled her hard enough to break the guard's grip. The guard startled hurried through the hatch and closed it behind him leaving Atesta with the armed invaders.
Atesta did not know if she had been rescued or if she was being taken prisoner by a group of savages. Before she could say anything, the person holding her hand told her not to worry and that her father had sent him here.
He introduced himself as Marcato, the leader of the resistance, and explained that she was in grave danger and that her father was in a safe place, for now.
Atesta had a thousand questions but before she could ask any of them, Marcato quickly explained that Partica was a despot ruler that had enslaved most of Calarrossa's population shortly after they arrived to the planet with the help of the cube. He explained that Partica was 20,000 years old when the average life span for people here is only 500 years. The cube had allowed Partica to literally become immortal. And by holding on and administering the healing powers of the cube only to those that did his bidding he has been able to maintain control.
Marcato explained that not long ago, the salt caves began to fill up with water and Partica started forcing people to go down into the caves to drill additional holes and wells to prevent the planet from being covered in water again. With time, those people down there were forced to work around the clock, hungry, prisoners, and unable to visit their loved ones on the surface. It was then that the resistance was born.
Another explosion outside interrupted and startled Marcato. The water coming into the dome from the main hatch began to pour in faster. It was up to their knees now. Marcato motion to his people that it was time to leave and told Atesta that they can continue their conversation once they were in a safe place.
Before leaving, Atesta stopped Marcato and asked if her father was safe, Marcato said, no.
TO BE CONTINUED ...
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