Earth: The Second

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At first, darkness shrouded Adma’s vision. But he is not panicked, it’s not like he is got attacked, or something bad struck his body. If anything, he felt in peace instead. Just like days before he awakened from that tube inside the ruin. Slowly, darkness dispersed, and everything around him turned bright from soft light.

His vision then changed, into a tiny hand that seemed like a baby’s. Besides, he also sees the rail from a baby cot and tiny toys that are spinning around him. That hand seems like trying to reach the toys, as he also learns to move and receive the sensations around itself. But still, the baby thinks like how babies are supposed to. When he realized that his small body can not reach those toys, he started to stress out.

A Small bawl, started to leak out from that tiny mouth. It keeps increasing until he finally crying.

“Oh, my, why did the little one cried, I wonder?” voice comes from elsewhere, and it distracts the baby’s attention. Those sound are soft, nostalgic, and feels very familiar. Could it be coming from the baby’s mother?

Out of nowhere, a hand reaches out to that baby. For the newborn, those adult hands are very big, and he feels a sense of belonging and protection coming from those hands.

***

Adma opened his eyes suddenly and found himself in the middle of the dining room. In front of him, is Father Risto, who is laying his head on the table and snoring. Beside him is a stack of papers, books, a bottle of ink, and a pen with a feather at the end of its handle. 

Adma remembered that they are in the middle of strategizing to union the whole village, and for that, they got to spread the words. For the first step, they are going to spread these flyers, and hang them around the villages’ crowded spots, such as the plaza. After that, then it’s only come the resistance’s effort to persuade everyone around them to support this movement.

Apparently, even Adma himself can not survive from the sweet embrace of sleepness. He just realized that even as a cyborg, he still has to fulfill his biological needs, such as eating and resting. He wonders why?

“As you just thought Adma, every part of your body is indeed a machine, but your brain is still a human,” Navigator suddenly answering Adma’s question as if it has been eavesdropping on him. 

“Navigator? You know what I’m thinking of?” asked Adma, surprised.

“Of course, I’m always monitoring your mind after all,” answer that robotic voice with a plain emotionless tone.

“So, my body is a robot, but my brain is human? How come?” asked Adma. 

“The answer of ‘how come’ can’t be deducted. I just merely explain from your body spec point of view,” answers Navigator.

“Then, how about how can my human brain is able to operate this machine body?”

“Brain of a human function just the same as a processor to other electronic devices. They are able to send and receive information throughout the electric pulse.”

“When it comes to the half-man, half-machine like yourself, your brain did just that, but with the exception that all of those electrical pulses are converted into movement command for a machine,” told the Navigator. For Adma, this is one of the new things that he just learned. 

“But why is my brain is still human, when my body is completely machine?”

“As far as my operational time understand, the human brain is still the only species that able to conduct critical and deep meaningful thinking.”

“These attributes are so unique, that they cannot be completely replicated by AI, even in the most advanced period of humanity,” replied Navigator.

Adma nodded.

“The only problem is that the brain’s organic tissue can not be pushed to worked 24/7, as it will lead them to overloaded and end up dead. That is why I put a countermeasure for the brain to refresh itself, with the desire to ‘eat’ and ‘sleep’.” told the navigator.

“I see, so that’s all for keeping my sanity intact huh?” said Adma to himself.

He decides to leave the room quietly, and head outside of the building. outside. As the wind blow outside, Adma is able to see stars, galaxies, and nebulas that are scattered in the sky.

Eventually, his mind is filled with existential questions. What is he doing here? In the middle of nowhere era, strayed far away from his times and without memories?

There is no answer, even from the Navigator that is supposed to know everything that he thinks of.

Maybe, there are indeed no answers to those questions. 

“That type of thinking is what makes humans unique,” again, Navigator’s sudden explanation surprised Adma. “For a creature with physical and mental limitations, they are brave enough to think at the complex level and are not afraid of paradox. They still keep moving forward, even if they encounter it at some point. They dare to pick the unpredictable.” said the Navigator.

“Anyway, may I state my opinion for your plan together with the villagers?” asked the Navigator again.

Adma glanced at nowhere. Navigator has no form, but he speaks to it as like they are standing side-by-side.

“It’s rare to see you as chatty as tonight. Of course, ask away,” said Adma.

“From my deduction. your plan has an extremely small percentage of success,” answers Navigator.

“...Why would it?”

“According to all the information, you gathered. the ‘nobles obligation’ system had always put them in a more powerful state among the commoners. Father Risto himself also states that the nobles are always the ones that decide the point of view. Based on Udeka’s way of thinking and personality, he definitely not going to respect the agreement.” asked Navigator.

Adma clenched his fist. Of course, he knew about this since his siege to the mansion, he can only speak with Udeka in form of a threat, and even make him wet his pants. If there is anything that is left from Udeka, is probably revenge for him.

“...How much percentage that you calculated?” asked Adma.

“Five percent.”

“There you go, as long as there is no zero percentage, the villagers always have a chance!” replied Adma, trying to show his optimism.

For this moment, Navigator goes quiet once again. 

Is this also what Navigator said that humans will always move forward, despise every certainty that would happen? He can only guess so.

“That is the only thing that I could do,” said Adma to himself, as he let out his clenched fist and return to gaze into the night sky.

***

The resistance’s strategy is divided into two times: at the day, and the afternoon after every villager finished their works and started to going home. Some of the kids are helping them to hand out flyers. Informing Duke’s arrival at the end of the week, and calling for support for everyone to voice their aspirations. 

Even more, flyers are being posted on the notice board and the bars where many people come to drink. Some are also spread the words to their peers and asked them to relay them to their guardians.

As expected, the results vary. Many are still skeptical after what Udeka did last time he is visiting. Some are even angry that Thomas, Jerry, and their friends are urging that man to arrive in their village.

“What the hell are you kids thinking!? Don’t you know how much of us have died last time Udeka came?” screamed one of them to Thomas when he voices this information to the public.

He is not alone, together with him are Adma, Jerry, and Father Risto, who is the only adult in the resistance. Seeing that the situation is growing worse for the kids, he decides to step forward.

“Everyone! Please calm down, and listen to what we’re wanted to say. I know you guys are afraid of what Udeka would do, but if we don’t act now, sooner or later we all would lose our fields and become homeless,” convinced Father, but more of them grew anxious.

“You step out of this, priest! You don’t know what we have been going through!” said one of the villagers, followed by another one.

It was showed how much they don’t agree with this idea. To mediate with Udeka is the same as suicide, said one of them.

Neither Thomas, Jerry, and Father seems to be able to contain them all. Some of them are even showing signs of persecution toward the three of them.

In the end, Adma doesn’t have a choice but to step forward. He uses his left hand and slammed the ground until it creates a crater. With a loud voice, he speaks to those people.

“May I have your attention, fellow villagers?” suddenly, everyone went silent. Either it’s because of Adma’s voice, or his strength that awe everyone in the plaza.

“I know what you have been through, what Udeka has done to you is terrible.” 

Adma gives those people a meaningful look. “Some of you have lost friends, family, even parents. All of it is because the Duke has the power to pay for your lives! He paid the people who are accepted to kill you!” 

He paused a second, the crowds seem to calm down now, even better, more of the villagers that previously hiding in their homes are coming out one by one.

“Yesterday you might don’t have a fighting chance, but you have people with passion who are willing to give up their life for the people! Don’t let their hopes gone! Because you finally have the fighting chances!” screamed Adma, as if in a drama or movie, he take his mantle off and let the wind drop it to the ground. 

He still wears the same leather armor that he used to fight against Udeka and Boss, but it was enough to show those people the powerful aura that he had. 

“I am the Man in Iron, the one who killed one of the Black Claws!” shouted Adma, and suddenly everyone goes murmuring to one another. 

“Is he really that man that has been rumored?”

“I knew it! He is the only one in the plaza when the Black Claws are lost!”

Some of them were struck in awe, but many have finally shown signs of acceptance.

Adma looked back to Thomas, Jerry, and Father Risto. They nodded at each other, and resume their campaign.