The Machines

The Machines

 Humanity teeters on the brink of extinction. 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 20-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 100 individuals—50 men and 50 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 60-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.

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!”

To be continued...