(7)
She could barely close her eyes after hours spent contemplating the cracked ceiling and thinking incessantly. Even counting sheep was of no use to her; she must have surpassed eighteen thousand, nine hundred and thirty-five sheep. And when it was the next sheep's turn to jump over the fence accompanied by tranquility, a girl with long, dangling white hair suddenly appeared from above, blocking the window light, making her features in the darkness look like a terrifying ghost. The other flinched in terror, so the visitor quickly covered her mouth before she could let out a piercing scream. Then she sat beside her on the floor, with an enigmatic smile and scattered glances. It was Star Two. She whispered:
"You can't sleep, can you? I don't know how that leader thinks we'll sleep after discovering such a wondrous world. I don't think I'll close my eyes until I roam all its lands and see all its shores. Don't you feel the same, Star Seven?"
"Actually, I was one second away from sleep! We have hard work tomorrow; it's better for you to rest too. Get those crazy ideas out of your head; no one will join you in them!"
Star Seven thought her talk was just a joke or part of some game, so she pulled the cover back over herself, this time covering her head completely. Moments later, she lifted the cover again looking for her, only to find the space empty, as if Star Two had vanished into the darkness.
(8)
It is said that hatred and revenge might break a few barriers, but not as powerfully as the desire for knowledge and curiosity. As for knowledge, one might reach a stage where they realize the futility of their pursuit and return empty-handed, yet still wiser. But when the motive is curiosity, accompanied by a firm, unwavering will, there is no way to return empty-minded. That's why she was walking through the pitch darkness with determination, alone, holding a lamp in her right hand, and a notebook and quill in her left. And to grasp the extent of her madness, it suffices to know that she preferred carrying more paper and extra inkwells over taking a flask of oil or even a weapon to protect herself. Thus, we reach a simple conclusion: The pursuit of knowledge can be dangerous for some people, just as the pursuit of blood is dangerous for others.
"Wait a moment. Where do you think you're going like this? Alone, and before dawn!"
"Changed your mind?"
"Just a minute… let me catch my breath… then I'll answer you."
She bent over sharply, hands on her knees, panting with pride that she had managed to shout despite her condition. Clearly, library-goers aren't the best at running or raising their voices, and it showed plainly here!
When her rest break ended and she finally straightened up, she grabbed Star Two's hand and pulled her as if she were a small child, heading back towards the ship. But the other stopped her with a serious look before saying:
"There's no place for me on the wrecked ship anymore. Everyone will play the part they excel at, while I will be out there, documenting everything. I think I got the best job on this trip."
"But you know we need to get permission before going out! If Star One finds our sleeping places empty, we'll be in big trouble."
"Don't worry, it's a short tour in a nearby area, and we'll be back before dawn arrives. I'm sure you realize it's not right to waste such precious time sleeping."
"And I'm sure tomorrow will definitely not go well."
"Stop being pessimistic; nothing will happen. On the contrary, I'm sure everyone will stay asleep until we return, and no one will notice our departure. What could possibly happen in just two hours? I spotted something from the hill, and if what I'm thinking is correct, it will be the greatest building your eyes have ever seen."
She stood no chance against this insistence in the end; she was the defeated one, dragging the tail of disappointment behind her. She took hesitant steps behind her, while a star with fiery eyes lit her path, eager to explore every inch of this land. But one question began to echo in her mind, the answer to which she would only know when the time came: Will we really return before dawn?
(9)
A great cement dome, surrounded by decorated classical columns, topped by striped blood-red banners fluttering on its four sides. On its facade, a statue of a man carrying a rock on his back, and scales in his hand. Fake stars adorn the blue square on the flags—that which symbolized a sea that was once the last line of resistance against their settlement. It was a point of pride that half of it remained without holes, except for the huge hole in the middle. And although the trees had declared their occupation of the place, spreading their pure green banner, this specific spot remained cursed; neither rain nor tree could erase that curse, or even pass through it.
Star Two stood at the entrance, beside the statue, imitating its unique stance, which made Star Seven laugh at her as she continued her tour around the place. She was stepping over rubble and scattered puddles of water until she heard Two call from afar:
"Look closely at this building. They call it the Legislative Center. Right here, laws were signed, imposed, and constitutions amended. Huge, solid, fortified, and possessing great awe."
"But, what's the point of constructing a building with such grandeur and fortification, if its purpose was only to issue laws to organize and facilitate people's lives?"
"I was waiting for that question from you!"
"I take it back…"
"No! Wait! I'll tell you. Because the laws transformed from a tool to organize life into a means to feed and fund the government, a means to steal production and extort others. If you were on the government's side, you were above the law, above the constitution itself. For centuries, this wasn't clear, but as time passed, the pockets accustomed to stealing began wanting more, and with each success, their appetite grew. They assumed the old methods would always work, and indeed they did, but one day the people would discover the truth and refuse to comply. At that point, this place was no longer a center for laws but transformed into the main arena of confrontation against the government."
"The law transformed from a pillar for organizing the state into a means to support factions, parties, and ideas, justify injustice, and reinforce the ruler's dominance. What a quick way to destroy an entire nation."
While they were talking, Star Seven found a pile of worn-out papers, books, and disks. Most were unusable, but she decided to give them a chance anyway. Amidst that chaos, among the rubble, her gaze fell upon one book that caught her attention more than the others. Its cover was torn, but the title was still prominent in bold script: Uprising. And below it, in finer, sharper script: How to Apply One of the Middle East's Most Famous Concepts for Resisting the Occupier within the United States of America. She lifted it off the ground, finding some papers attached to its cover, stamped with a high-level government seal, centered around a picture of a person who looked like he had been imprisoned on charges of incitement against the government. Here, in this book, and in these papers, his story was written. Seven said, extending the book:
"I found some interesting things here. Do you want to take a look? I think they'll give us a deeper understanding of what humans were like before their extinction, and coincidentally, they connect perfectly to our main topic of discussion."
"Uprising… What a dazzling title. But we don't have time to read it now; we need to document the details of the place so we can return to the ship early. Or would you prefer to read it aloud while I take notes?"
"Alright, I'll leave the documenting to you, while I dive into the depths of this book. Ahem! Ahem!"
She took a deep breath, then opened the first page and began to read:
"Someday…"
(10)
Someday, a weak and solitary people will decide not to remain silent forever under the occupier's injustice. They will await their chance to rise up ignited, shaking the dust from their exhausted body, burdened by the wounds of the past. Its spark will likely begin, as narratives will probably later recount, with the killing of a few men, and it will continue despite the waterfall of blood that will mercilessly sweep through it, until that weak one, possessing an iron will, finally sits at the negotiation table, opposite a superpower seemingly formidable, but fragile in reality—a fragility exposed only at the first thorn that blocked its path. There, he will realize that what bolsters it is nothing but myths, and that his enemy who actually triumphed over it possessed nothing but his will and his patience. And yet, he stood against the most modern weapons arsenal in the Middle East.
Uprising. This is the name given to the method that forced the occupier, despite its impudence, to submit to the demands of the resistance. It is the path of opposition in this example. But what if we represent the opposition? What if we are the ones who possess the weapon, whatever its type? It doesn't have to be material to be powerful, for how many non-material weapons were far more lethal and impactful? We are the ones who move the country. What is the army without its soldiers? What is the factory without its workers? So why haven't we mobilized yet? How long will we remain silent? Rather, in my opinion, what we lack is one single thing: an answer to the famous question, and how to mobilize. The time has come for us to learn from the East how they rise up against us.
"Here, this is your salary for this month."
"Excuse me, are you sure you didn't miscalculate? There's a shortfall in the transferred amount."
"No, there's no mistake. The government increased the income tax this month."
[If we want today's operation to succeed, we must follow the plan exactly, without discussion.]
"It's gotten late, aren't you sleeping?"
"I'm trying to figure out how to organize the bills."
"Things will get better tomorrow."
"How? Will money suddenly grow in my account?"
[After entry, a secret unit belonging to the Chinese army will support us from behind. We just need to keep advancing.]
"I won't be able to sleep at home tonight. We can barely afford this month's rent."
"You work day and night! And now you won't sleep either? You need to recognize your limits!"
[This operation will determine not only our fate but the fate of the entire uprising American populace. We must succeed no matter what, even if we have to sacrifice ourselves to do it. Is that clear?]
"This recording is yours. Do you object?"
"No, Lieutenant!"
"And with this, the charge of incitement against the government through your book is proven against you, along with recruiting terrorist elements to support an armed coup. What do you think you are, insect?!"
"The people, thanks to me, will change your policies and restore freedom and democracy to the arena."
"What a funny clown you are! Do you still not know who was supporting your plan from the beginning?"
When the book spread in the region, I found widespread support among the youth, especially older teenagers. Calls to take to the streets to overthrow the government soon began, and I saw my only chance gleaming amidst the chaos. I decided to lead my group amidst this rebellious tide, to become the hidden hand strangling the government from the shadows. I actually succeeded in establishing it, and it wasn't long before we received generous financial support from Communist China. It was surprising, but not suspicious; given they were one of our government's most prominent enemies, their support for us was natural within the context of the political game.
"Your attack on the weapons depot, surely you still remember the events. What happened there?"
"The supporter instructed us to target that area first, even specifying the ideal attack strategy for us. We infiltrated inside as planned for us and stole a huge quantity of weapons and ammunition, necessary to arm the group. Then we seized the box of secret files; we were told it was invaluable to the government and that they would pay any price to get it back."
"And coincidentally, after you left the depot, Iranian drones—source initially unknown—launched a suicide raid on it and completely wiped it out. It turned out they were launched from a Russian aircraft carrier, and the operator was a Chinese army agent. Let's move on to the second operation."
The second operation was almost simultaneous with the first. We had to demonstrate our strength to the government before informing them we had the box. Therefore, we chose the Legislative Center as the main target for the attack. The goal wasn't sabotage, but rather to control the building, establish a position within it, and then invite the government to negotiate with us in exchange for returning the box.
"The operation failed due to the betrayal of the Chinese forces who claimed to support us. As soon as we entered the building with the box, we found ourselves surrounded by American forces, and we had no choice."
"And now you will be executed as a traitor and enemy agent."
"No doubt about it."
"But, unfortunately, it's not that simple. You will be imprisoned for ten years for incitement, and for life for attempting a military coup. And this is only because you saved the army from a great disaster. Didn't you know what was in that box?"
Time stopped then for seconds. The box?
"All along, you were carrying the core of a huge nuclear bomb. And now, you will watch with me how it falls on Taiwan. Thanks to you, we will start our war against China. And lest I forget, we were the ones supporting you all along."
After everything I did, I was just a game in the government's hands without realizing it. I didn't move the masses; rather, I myself was being led, a tool in their schemes instead of being a dam in their way. I never realized I was a shepherd tending their sheep for them wherever they wanted. What a fool I am. But, at least, I achieved my final goal: The American street will rise up against them forever.
(11)
As Star Seven finished speaking, Star Two watched her silently, having noted down the last sentence. She said quietly, gently reaching out her hand to brush strands of hair from her eyes:
"He appeared to me as an important figure. Is that really all that was mentioned about him in his judicial record?"
"Almost. Not much was written about him, just a few concise words. But he seems truly pitiful; abandoned by his comrades, secretly led to help his opponents without knowing, and then the Uprising stopped immediately upon his imprisonment and the declaration of war on the China alliance. Even though all he wanted was a better life."
Star Two turned with a serious gaze towards Star Seven and said calmly:
"Humans are ignorant, even if many of them possess a unique vision. I don't know why they always insist on falling into the trap of politics, entering games that require a cunning they'll never possess."
"Perhaps they measure things by simple scales. In his case, he thought the Uprising was easy, as he explained in his book, but he discovered that resisting an entire government and army is not like confronting an occupation. It's a nearly impossible task for civilians without strong backing."
"That's plausible. Anyway, I've finished documenting. We need to return quickly before we're late."
[I knew my day of death was not far off, even if I distanced myself a little from this burning world, death would await me as punishment for the sin I committed. I regret everything I did. Farewell, world.]
"Let's leave then. There's nothing more for us to do here."
They left the place with cautious steps, leaving behind a new story whose pages had closed on regret and a final confession, in a world that quickly becomes preoccupied with the next wave of dreamers and rebels.
(12)
The ship was lit up with a decoration of lights, standing out in the darkness in a way that made you wonder how they managed to power them in such a place, and where they got the energy to start their day with exaggerated activity even before sunrise. But as they approached, they noticed something strange. The movement inside was agitated in an unnatural way; not a situation causing extreme worry, but not familiar either. Maybe they're looking for us, was the first thing that crossed their minds. They clung to this idea until they arrived, only for their conviction to shatter upon seeing the burnt wood, and when their eyes collided with Star Five, covered in blood. They rushed towards her quickly, and Star Seven asked her in a worried voice:
"Five! What is this blood?! What happened?!"
But another voice answered this time, the voice of Star Three, who rushed towards them, sharp with anger:
"Where were you two?! Who allowed you to leave the damned ship at night!!"
Seven tried to maintain her composure despite the rapidly escalating tension and said seriously:
"We apologize, but we need an explanation now! What happened in our absence?!"
Five wiped the blood clinging to her forehead, then answered in an exhausted voice:
"Packs of wolves attacked the ship. But they weren't ordinary wolves, not at all, rather closer to savage beasts, likely attracted by the smell of stored food. We didn't see any of them during the morning rounds, and we don't know how they approached so quickly."
Three spoke again, this time her tone saturated with accusation:
"And we expected our adult sister, Two, to stand by our side, to help us protect the Stars. But we didn't find her, because she was strolling outside without informing us, while we were trying to save each other here!"
Seven's eyes widened, and she quickly confessed:
"I was the one who asked her to come out. Enthusiasm blinded my heart. This was my fault."
Three didn't waste a moment. She advanced with angry steps towards Seven and grabbed her shirt, as if the argument would change what had already happened. Seven didn't try to struggle, just remained silent, frozen under the weight of conflicting emotions. As for Star Two, she stood at a distance, watching them from afar. She secretly wanted to confess the truth but couldn't get the words out; her tongue froze from fear of their gazes. And she wasn't wrong in her feeling of fear, especially after glimpsing Star One, standing among them, silent, commenting on nothing, her gaze empty as if she were no longer present with them in this place.
But luckily for them, their argument was interrupted by the arrival of Star Four, who emerged from the ship to announce her report in a rigid tone:
"The ship inspection is complete. Seventeen stars inside now. Most of the rear section was destroyed after the fuel explosion during the fight… Nineteen, counting the two runaways."
Three inhaled deeply, trying to control herself, then said calmly:
"Thank you, Star Four, for the report. Let's rest a little now, and we will discuss the remaining matters at dawn today, including your issue, Star Two and Seven."
And with that, the matter was closed for now. No one could object; none of them had the audacity to protest. They just left the meeting amidst suffocating tension, burdened by worry and pain, while the two runaways remained standing in their place, clinging to their fear, unable even to approach the ship. Their eyes were fixed on the entrance, on the broken ramp whose eroded structure the wolves had crossed, on those dark stains that dyed the ground where their sisters had fallen. A voice still echoed in their memory, how they were told yesterday that tomorrow would be better. But how could it be, when only a quarter of them survived to see the morning sun?