War in the City Chapter 3

IN THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE NEW ERA
"You're mad!"

"Maybe."

"You're crazy! Absolutely mad!"

"But I'm right."

Roc paused. "Right?"

"Roc, how can I possibly fail when I've got the support of the gods?"

Roc shook his head. "It's not about winning now. It's about ethics. What scares me most, Paper, is not the prospect of failure but that of success."

"You've never cared about what was right or wrong before Roc, and I don't think you do now. It's just a lousy excuse because your afraid; afraid that we'll fail, and you'll wind up like Gaius."

"That's not what I'm afraid of."

"Then tell me Roc, you've always been a son of a bitch before. You've never stopped to think about what was right or wrong before. In the past you've always been looking out for number one, caring little for anyone else. You've never stopped to help anyone who needed it. You always promoted yourself at the expense of others. So tell me, why the sudden concern for ethics now?"

"You're talking about murder, and you're talking about betraying The Watchers into hands more vicious than those of Jistap. That's quite a big step from what I've been doing."

Paper leaned close in, and lowered his voice to a near whisper. "It's quite a small step really. Quite a small step indeed. Let's face it Roc, there are two roads a man can take in this journey we call life. A man is free to pick which road he wants. A man is even free to change the road he's on. But Roc, these roads go in opposite directions, you can't have them both. You're on your road. That's who you are. You might as well come with me to the end of that road."

"You're talking about betraying the city," Roc answered.

Paper took a step back, and took an accusing tone. "What has the city ever done for you, Roc? Who do you hold dear here? I'm the only friend you've got in the world. Who do you care about? Whose death would grieve you? For whose sake would you give up your chances of power? Roc, the city has tossed you to the side as it goes on with its business. If you think you owe it any loyalty, you're mistaken. I'm the only friend you've got Roc, and if you let me go alone on this, you won't have any friends at all. On the other hand, if you join me, anyone you want will be your best friend. No one would dare refuse your friendship."

Roc thought for a moment. "Do I have your guarantee that anyone I want to spare will stay alive?" Paper nodded. "The gods understand that?"

Paper nodded again. "The gods understand that."

Roc extended his hand. "Then I guess I'm with you."

Paper smiled broadly as he shook it. "I knew you'd see the light. Let me tell you the plan the gods have set in motion..."
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Katina and Helmus had only recently assumed their new positions of leadership in the Kalka project, and this was only their third meeting. The first meeting had only been an introductory one. The sole purpose of the second had been to change the place of meeting. Ever since Remus' death, Julius and Andrew had both wanted to move out of location seven, as they found it depressing and full of unhappy memories. Demoor and Elderan, almost as a matter of habit, rejected the proposal, their only reason seeming to be that it was Julius and Andrew who proposed it. When Julius asked them for a reason, they did manage to think of some excuses, such as location seven's business like atmosphere discouraged getting off task, and that it was important to keep the traditions of the Kalka Project.

For now, the four had agreed to meet where ever they could agree on; a more permanent location to be decided later. Right now, they were in Daved park, as it was a beautiful, sunny day, and nobody much felt like being inside. The four picked a spot in the shade underneath a tree, so the sun wouldn't glare off their papers, and sat down in the grass.

"Alright," Julius said happily. "I've waited a year, a very long year, to do this, but we are finally going to expand the Kalka Project, or at the very least make some changes in it."

Andrew leaned back against the tree, and closed his eyes in relaxation. "This is so nice," he said with a smile. "The grass is soft, the sun is out, and the shade is cool. Of course, what's really nice is we're finally rid of Demoor and Elderan. Those two made the meetings we had so unpleasant. They could never be civil to us." Andrew opened his eyes, and looked at Katina and Helmus. "This is going to be a good year. I'm so glad you two got elected. Now we can have fun at the meetings instead of just work."

"We're glad to be here," Helmus replied.

"We'll, before we get too relaxed, lets get the work done first," Julius directed. "Katina, what have you got for us today?"

Katina took one sheet of paper out of the folder she had, and passed it to Helmus, who, after briefly looking at it, passed it to Andrew. "This is a list of the people who have joined and left the Kalka Project since our last meeting," she said. The Kalka Project's growth had slowed down a lot since the initial rush when it first began, but they were still growing very slowly. Often, no one would join or leave the Project between meetings, but it was not uncommon to start the meeting off with changes in membership.

Andrew gave the sheet only passing notice, just looking at it long enough to see that two people had left the Project, and five had joined. He handed the sheet over to Julius, but then pulled it back just as Julius was reaching for it. Something caught his eye. "Wait a second. Wait a second." Andrew's face looked confused as he examined the paper. "It says here Paper is joining the Kalka Project."

"Paper!" Julius leaned against Andrew so he could see the sheet, then looked up at Katina. "Are you sure that's right?"

Katina and Helmus exchanged glances, each could see confusion in the other's expression. Katina then turned back to Julius. "Whoever this Paper person is, he signed up alright."

"In person?" Andrew asked.

Katina shook her head. "No, through the computer. Why?"

"I take it you two know him," Helmus said.

"Well not personally," Julius admitted, "but we have heard quiet a bit about him. He joined the Kalka project when it first started. In fact, he was on the first ship to Kalka, Romulus' ship. He refused to work, and when Romulus tried to order him to, he refused. He even got a little violent when Romulus insisted. He quit the Kalka Project the next day, and we've never heard from him since."

"So why in the world would he want to join again?" Katina asked.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, I don't like it," Julius answered. "I say we refuse him re-admittance to the Kalka Project."

"You know," Helmus said, the slight sarcastic undertone in his voice almost redundant against a statement that was already so, "I might be completely off base here, but would it be too much to suggest that he had changed in the interim?"

Andrew smiled at the statement. Julius did not. "People seldom change," Julius answered. "His kind never do."

Helmus exchanged glances with the other two. "Are you serious?" he asked.

Julius thought for a minute. "Maybe. Maybe not." His voice was soft and unsure. "I don't know."
"I think he deserves another chance," Helmus replied.

Julius was silent, so Andrew answered for him. "If you think so Helmus, feel free to talk to him. If you think he's sincere, I doubt there will be any objections here from giving you power to grant him a second membership."

"No problem here," Katina answered.

Julius looked down at the ground. "I guess I've got no problem either," he replied after a while, but somewhat reluctantly.

"Then it's settled," Andrew concluded. "Now let's get down to the real business at hand, expanding the Kalka Project."
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Helmus rang the door bell, and waited a couple minutes for it to open. Helmus then extended his hand to the man who opened it. "Paper?"

Paper shook the hand, but with a confused look. "Yes, why."

"My name's Helmus. I'm one of the leaders of the Kalka Project. We understand you'd like to join our organization."

"Yes, I didn't know there was an interview for it." Paper's voice showed great annoyance.

"Well sir, ordinarily not, but some complications have arisen in your case. You were a member of this project when it first began?"
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Watching from the heavens, Navis was less than pleased at Paper's performance. "He's a complete idiot! The first question he gets asked, and he's already acting like a jerk about it. He couldn't be a gentleman to save his life."

Navis comments were often disregarded, but in this case Regile deemed them not without there merit. "His actions are disappointing. If he continues like this much longer, he will destroy our plan. Nuntius, it will not go well with you if he fails."

Nuntius already had his head in his hands, discouraged by the scene below. "He was given very specific instructions on what to do if this situation should arise. I don't know what he's thinking." Nuntius shook his head, then looked despairingly down on the city. "Maybe it's just taking a few minutes for the good manners to kick in."
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"Yes, I was."

"And you parted on less than amicable terms?"

Paper all of a sudden realized the purpose of this conversation. Nuntius had instructed him on what to do if this should happen, and Paper's mind drifted back to the directions. "Well, I wouldn't say that. No doubt you are referring to my encounter with Romulus on Kalka." Helmus nodded. Paper sighed and looked at the ground. "Most unfortunate. Oh, if I could only live that brief moment over again. I had a lot on my mind. I was going through some difficult personal problems at the time, and I was less than friendly. Still, that's no excuse for taking my anger out on Romulus. What I wouldn't give for a chance to apologize to him now, and tell him how sorry I was.

"Still, that wasn't the reason I left the Kalka Project. My overall experience with the Project was positive. Even though that encounter, which took but a few minutes, threatens to mar the whole day in my memory, it can not, so great was the rest of it. I quit the Kalka Project because of all the things that were going on. I was over committed at the time. I was involved in all sorts of clubs and activities, and I just felt like I needed to drop something. The Kalka Project was the newest to my list, so I decided to let that go."

"So why are you back?" Helmus asked.

"Well, I've been thinking lately about that decision. I think I was mistaken. The Kalka Project was the last thing I should have dropped. All those other activities, they really didn't matter that much, but as a part of the Kalka Project, I had an opportunity to do something that matters; to change the world." Paper looked away briefly, then looked back at Helmus. "I can understand how the Kalka Project wouldn't want me back after what I've done, and if you think my returning is in anyway going to hamper the Project, then I guess it's best I don't return. I just want to help, that's all."

Helmus extended his hand a second time. "Don't worry. Consider yourself back in the Kalka Project."

Paper eagerly shook the hand.