The Machines

 

The Resistance: Part One

Humanity teeters on the brink of Cracking in Paradise . A population that once numbered 8 billion has dwindled to a mere 10 million. Decades ago, an alien race known as the Machines invaded Earth and conquered it after a brutal twenty year war. Humanity, outmatched, lost the war and the survivors were enslaved by their conquerors.

The Machines resemble humans in form but surpass them in every physical aspect. A single Machine possesses the strength of 50 humans, with tough, metallic-infused skin that resists regular blades and can withstand anything less than a .50 caliber bullet—though even that is rarely fatal. Their superior speed, strength, and resilience made them nearly invincible, a key factor in humanity's defeat.

In the aftermath, some humans turned traitor, serving the Machines as spies and informants. These collaborators, driven by greed and ambition, betray their own kind, exposing resistance fighters and saboteurs in exchange for favor and higher status in the Machines' society. Their treachery has infiltrated nearly every human enclave, sowing distrust and fear.

The surviving humans, reduced to slaves, are confined to concentration camps, each housing exactly hundred individuals—fifty men and fifty women. These slaves toil to plant and harvest food for the Machines and obey their every command. To ensure a steady supply of labor, the Machines force the slaves to breed, intending to repopulate desolate cities under their control.

Outside the camps, small pockets of resistance struggle to fight back. Lacking manpower and resources, these rebels focus on developing weapons capable of piercing the Machines' near-impenetrable skin and freeing enslaved humans. However, the constant threat of betrayal by informants has forced them to scale back their operations, wary of exposure. Despite the odds, their resolve to overthrow the Machines and liberate humanity burns fiercely, even as hope dwindles.

PRESENT DAY:

Su, a sixty year-old survivor of the Machines' invasion, sat in the common room of the rebel hideout, a bunker buried deep beneath one of the abandoned cities. It was her gift that had guided them to this sanctuary, revealing to her that the Machines could not survive underground. Su possessed a rare ability to see beyond the fabric of time, though these visions came unpredictably, beyond her control. On this day, exhausted after her shift monitoring the Machines' movements, she was ready to collapse. Her eyes drooped intermittently, and she shook herself to stay awake. She planned to speak with their leader, Victor, before retiring for the night.

A sudden commotion at the door caught her attention. She looked up to see Victor approaching. Smiling, she attempted to stand, but her vision blurred, and she staggered. A strong hand steadied her, and her voice shifted to a prophetic tone: "Look for a child with the sign of heaven on his palm. He will be the one to save humanity, possessing the strength of a thousand men. Beware of betrayal, for the child's life will be in danger. Seek this child by following the first star that appears in the sky."

Su collapsed after her prophecy, succumbing to exhaustion. Victor stood frozen, reeling from her words about the project. He turned to face the rebels not on duty, their eyes fixed on him, expectant and uneasy. He knew he had to act before the situation spiraled out of control. Gently, he lifted Su and laid her on a nearby sofa, her face pale but peaceful in sleep. Then, he faced the group, his mind racing with thoughts of traitors among them, there is always One Day Of Sanity in this hell hole.

Clearing his throat, he began, “You all heard that, didn’t you?”

The rebels nodded, some with tears in their eyes, knowing the end of their struggle was near and their burden would soon pass to another.

“What does it mean?” one rebel asked, voice trembling.

Victor glanced at Su, a flicker of care softening his gaze. “Su has the gift of sight,” he said. “She just prophesied about our savior.”

“He’s still a child,” another rebel interjected. “That means he hasn’t been born yet—or he has, and we need to find him.”

“Yes,” Victor said with a heavy sigh, “but finding him won’t be easy. Both the child and those searching for him could be in grave danger.”

“So, how do we do it?” another rebel pressed.

“We’ll need eyes in every camp, starting today,” Victor declared. “That’s our top priority.”

“Security’s too tight in the camps,” a rebel countered, shaking his head.

“Then we’ll contact them in the fields while they work,” Victor replied, his tone resolute.

“But how?” someone else asked, skepticism lacing their voice.

“That’s on me,” Victor said, his face grim. “I’ll handle it myself.”

“No!” The rebels protested in unison, their voices rising into a chaotic clamor. Seeing disorder about to take hold, Victor raised his hands and shouted, “Silence!”

The Camp

George sat beside his wife, Susan, on the thin mattress in their cramped, dormitory-like room. The space was stark, containing only a creaky bunk, a small table tucked in the corner, and their few clothes hanging on a rusted nail in the wall. He sighed, his gaze heavy as he watched Susan, pregnant and pale, shift uncomfortably on the lumpy mattress. The springs beneath poked through, a constant reminder of their harsh reality. Why now? he thought. Why must this happen when humanity is crumbling?

Susan’s eyes met his, sharp despite her pain. “I know that look,” she said, her voice strained.

“What look?” George asked, trying to mask his worry.

“You’re scared for the baby. And… there’s regret in your eyes.”

“Of course I’m worried,” he admitted, his voice low. “But regret? Never. I just don’t want our child born into slavery.”

“Son?” Susan raised an eyebrow, wincing as another contraction hit. “What makes you so sure it’s a boy?”

George managed a weak smile. “In my family, they say if the mother’s in this much pain, it’s a boy.”

She swatted his hand weakly. “That’s no excuse for superstition.”

He squeezed her hand gently, his face darkening. “What are we going to do, Susan? I don’t know how to fix this.”

Her grip tightened, her voice fierce despite her pain. “We need to find the rebels.”

“Hush!” George hissed, glancing nervously at the door. “That’s dangerous talk. You know what the Machines do to traitors.”

“We’re already in danger,” Susan countered, her eyes blazing. “Every day here is a cage.”

“Don’t say that so loudly,” he pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper. “If someone hears, we’re finished.”

Susan’s jaw set, her hand resting on her swollen belly. “My child will not be born into slavery, George. Find the rebels. Get us out of here.”

The Vow

After everyone had quieted, Victor lowered his raised hand and said, "My people, this is not about me or you. It's not about what we want, but about humanity's survival. We must look beyond our comfort and safety for the general emancipation of the human race." He paused, meeting their eyes, and seeing some with firm resolve, he continued, "If I must do this, so be it. We are all expendable. We must remember that we could die any day, so we must make our deaths worthwhile. Every life lost is a sacrifice to free humanity from this bondage. If I die, do not worry; another will take my place. We are all leaders here. Please allow me to do this, so we can free the savior of our people."

A general murmur arose among the people, some agreeing, others dissenting. Victor waited until the murmuring ceased, then continued, "To those of you who are traitors, think carefully before passing information to the Machines. Consider if you prefer a collar around your neck or to be free."

"That is absurd! There are no traitors here," a man at the back said. "We are all risking our lives."

"Say what you will," Victor replied, "but I know we have a traitor among us."

The Rebel Tension

"There is no traitor here," a rebel said with a snarl. "I will personally kill anyone who rats us out."

"And what if you're the traitor pretending?" another asked. That caused an argument which later developed into a fistfight between the two rebels.

Victor was angry. He stormed into the fight and, with a snarl, he hit both of them, knocking them to the floor. "What is wrong with the both of you? If you have energy to fight, direct it to those who we are fighting against, not among us. And as for those who are traitors, time will tell—and don't forget, Su can see things."

A Leader’s Burden

His words hit them hard and they all bowed their heads. He wasn't done yet; he looked at them, meeting everyone in the eyes. "We are humans, the last beacon of hope. We are not fighting for food, water, or shelter, but we are fighting for our freedom and the freedom of our children. Look at the Machines; they invaded the Earth and killed our friends and family. They made our people slaves, and you have the guts to still betray your people by giving them information about those trying to restore the Earth? Think of what is at stake. Think of your family that have been killed, and think of kids who can't play in the park again or go to school. Think of what humanity has lost before you feed those invaders information again."

With that, he went out, leaving them stunned and open-mouthed. Victor went to the outpost of his base, doing his rounds and hoping he’d get that hint that would nudge him in the right direction about the baby and the hope of humanity.

George’s Secret

George took his vow to his wife, Susan, to heart. He knew she was right and they could never let their kid be born into slavery. They had heard what the Machines do to newborn kids; he had heard they took them away, never to be seen again.

That morning as he worked, he kept his eyes and ears open—not for the Machines, but for the rebels. He wondered how he would sneak his wife out without the Machines knowing or one of the humans ratting him out; he had seen how humans can be the greatest of betrayals.

The Hidden Signal

He was working on a Leaves Of Fire when he saw one of the slaves make a complicated hand signal. He had never seen something like that before. He held his breath and waited; he knew the man hadn't seen him and it was by chance he had seen the man do the signal. After a few minutes, he heard a whistle and he saw the man clap his hands twice. The whistle was blown three times. He saw the man nod his head with a grin and he knew this must be a rebel signal.

He hurried to the man, pretending he needed something from him. "Good morning, brother," he said.

"Morning to you, brother," the man replied.

"My name is George. I have a complicated problem and I need your help."

A Dangerous Gamble

Victor had told every rebel in different camps to be humble. He had told them not to be hostile to their fellow humans and not to reveal who they are, but to listen and judge.

"What sort of help, brother?" the man asked him.

George knew he was gambling, and if he was wrong, he would be dead and Susan with the baby would be taken away. He had been hiding her and time was not on their side. "I saw you give a signal, and I was wondering if you're with the rebels?"

The man became hostile and he snarled, "Why would I be with the rebels? Are you planning to have me killed? And what stupid signal are you talking about?"

"Please don't be angry. My wife is about due," George said, throwing his last card on the table.

The Prophecy of Babylon

He could see the man stiffen; he saw his demeanor change and he could see the calculating glint in his eyes. "Your wife is pregnant?" the man asked, this time with interest in his eyes.

George could only nod his head.

"I have not seen a pregnant woman in this camp," the man said, eyeing him with narrow eyes.

"I have kept her hidden, but it is getting to that time she can't be hidden anymore."

"You're lucky," the man said as he straightened his shoulders, looking around to make sure the Machines hadn't been monitoring them. "You know how risky that is, and us standing here having a chat is risky too. But I will help. I will let Victor know the baby is in this camp."

"Victor!" George exclaimed. "You know the leader of the rebels?"

"Yes. He has been looking for a pregnant woman for ages. Said it has to do with a prophecy and that the baby would save humanity or something."

"What!"

"Yeah. Said we should keep our eyes and ears open. By the way, my name is Babylon," the man said, extending his hand.

"George!" he said, shaking the man’s hand. "So, how can you help us?"

"I will inform Victor, and I hope he will come here personally to get your wife out."

"He would do that?"

"Sure."

Have you read how Tyla suffering made Henry wealth to grow: The Wealth Of Her Tears