The Nest

[Lusitano]

“There is a time for departure, even when there no certain place to go”

Red is walking on the streets of Port Canaria … better … Red is walking in the empty and cold streets of Port Canaria. Day by day the planet climate is changing … it is snowing in places that not even two years ago people took sunbaths!! Slowly the entire planet loses it colours to turn all white. He arrives to his destination, the former Government Hall, cold and not in a good mood, Red goes straight to the Assembly room, where the representatives of what left of the people of Gran Canaria are assembled, and security noticing is bad mood, not even dare to say a word, and even open the door for him. As the door open red already could hear some shouting’s, in reality everyone is shouting and no one is listening. Red searches for his sister Matilda, she is on the other side of the room, while he walks to her someone said her name in a not every pleasant tone showing his disapproval of the wildlife preservation plan, and Red stops right on his side, as he continues to speak loud and in a not good manners. At that time all others stop speaking … they are looking and waiting for Red reaction, suddenly that individual stops, noticing that something was wrong and when he notices that Red is just at his side … it was just like seeing his own death just in front of him. But Red continues walking to his sister, while a huge silence fills the room. He kisses Matilda’s forehead and slowly start undressing his large and heavy coat. He turns to all in the room:

- Red - Well ... if no one has nothing to say, Mister Chairman I would like to says something. * Red receives permission and all are remain silent* Mister Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen of this Assembly … well let me say I’m quite surprise of seeing that so many of you are still here. *Red continues* we all know what is happening here. Gran Canaria soon will become a freezing snow ball. Life soon will become impractical on most of the planet surface. We are all suffering now and the future looks even worst, and there is nothing that we can do!! We fought the Corsairs, we resist Bretonia but we can’t win the cold, not matter how good is the heating or even our clothes. So I understand very well that most of you are preparing to leave, and the few that are staying want to secure all resources they can. When bretonians left they looted everything they could and destroyed what they couldn’t take, but we managed to rebuild … at least most of it! I even say he managed to rebuild enough!! The deuterium production, our main source of income, is going … let’s say in a rough way, the production cost got higher also due the climate change, but luckily the demand of deuterium is high, so there is still something left here.

- Someone on the room - And what about security? We are not safe here.

- Red - Is there a place in Sirius that is safe? Come on tell me just one place where you can really say that you are safe. Omega 49 is a lawless system, and will continue that way in our favour. Let the Corsairs and the Core and Coallition and even the Mollies and Bretonians that are still here fight each other, while we just sit don’t giving a single F about it. They even can’t do nothing. The Corsairs are no more a bunch of impotent that only know to brag they selves how good they are, and losing over and over several battles and doing nothing more except time attacking helpless traders. The Coallition is not much better, with the end of wars in Bretonia and Rheinland, like the Corsairs, they are trapped with nowhere to go. The Core doesn’t care about this place, they only care of the Omicrons, and the Mollies only care about Dublin, gold and drinking. *Red continues* Even now we have that pathetic base from OSC, full of artefacts and prostitution, I would not be surprise if members of the bretonian government were their finest customers. *Red stops for a bit and look around* I know many of you are leaving! I understand your decision, and we even carried some of your luggage to the Taus. We know that commerce in Port Canaria is dead, no more fun moments on the streets, or on the beaches, or long walks in the endless prairies and many more places that made us fall in love by this planet … so those who want to leave … will not be ostracized by the Zoner community, or at least what is left of it. Those who want to continue, at least for now, get ready there is still a lot of hard work to be done. The power grid still needs to be rebuilt, and all living souls should be protected, humans or not. The protection of what remains of the wild life is one priority … I know some disagree that many shelters from Livadia are used for this project, but we are helping innocent lives, that have nowhere to go and can’t make choices. Too many innocent already died, let at least save some!

The assembly is silent listening what Red is saying. Many are ashamed of their selfishness, but many agree on continue. The planet may be becoming white, but darker times are coming, and it is not a question that how many Zoners are continuing to resist, it is a question of for how long Zoners are continuing to resist. The future is uncertain, but that can also be a good thing.