Chapter 47: The Devil's Puppet Show - Part IV
15th March
Old Settlement, Artemis, State of Luna
I'm not sure that I completely comprehend what Nozomi was trying to say, but I think I get the general sense of it. We do have hope, even here on the moon, so far from our home. This world isn't as dead as I think, because we're here. Because we can change this world to adapt it to be a better home for us and our children. That, I believe, is what she was trying to say.
I hadn't originally planned to tell Nozomi any of this because the plan was that there would be no communication between the two of us, but now that she's here I might as well tell her what I saw at the provisional government meeting.
"You should consider reaching out to Ms Larsson from Ingprad. I think she might be interested in supporting us to remove Frank."
"I thought we weren't going to talk business," Nozomi said smiling, "what makes you think that?"
"She supported an amendment we put forward to reduce the power the elected representatives would have over the judicial branch."
Nozomi thought about my response, "to me that sounds more like token support. She's just covering her bases, I don't think Ms Larsson would actively support us. She isn't likely to in any case. It isn't like her vote would've let you pass the amendment, did it?"
"It did. Kyle Matthews and one other abstained from the vote. It passed four to three."
I can almost see Nozomi's brain whirring as she works out the significance of Kyle abstaining from the vote.
"Your saying Kyle voted against Frank's plan?"
I nod, reflecting the incredulous look that Nozomi has on her own face.
"Are you sure it isn't a trap? That Frank planned this out to try and satisfy us?" she asks.
"No, I don't think so," I begin, "from the reactions that the others in the room made, it wasn't planned, or at least not as far as they knew. I guess it's possible Frank only revealed his plan to Kyle, but if Kyle was the only one who didn't vote, and everyone else voted as expected, we would've lost five to three. It doesn't make sense."
"Do you think we should contact him?" Nozomi asked me.
I thought about it, "I don't know. If he really is opposing Frank, he would be an invaluable ally, but we probably need to look into him more. Think about it a bit more, at least. I'll leave it up to you."
Okay," Nozomi nods, "that makes sense."
Mutually, we both breathe out deeply and look out in front of us. Out and down at the graves below. The six graves sit solemnly, set into the bedrock, all marked only by a simple gravestone. Name, dates of birth and death, and some have a short epitaph. That's all. They weren't willing to send us up anything sentimental that we didn't need in the old days, so it was hard enough to convince everyone back in Singapore to send the gravestones. Without Frank's support then, I doubt it would've happened at all. After the mass immigration began, we probably could've asked for better and had the gravestones replaced, but for whatever reason we decided to keep them. And then those that have died since also asked to have only the simplest of graves. Yohn now among them.
"I'm sorry that he died."
"Aren't we all?"
"You know what I mean."
The two of us sit there for a time, probably trying to think of something nice to say about Yohn. I don't know what I think of him anymore. He was always a strange man. Not in a bad way, just in a way that makes it hard to know what he was really like. He kept so much to himself, and some of the things he did were impossible to understand. Things that I still don't understand.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
It takes me a moment to realise what Nozomi means. I'm so wrapped up in all of this, that I didn't immediately get what she was talking about.
"No. I don't need to talk about it."
Nozomi looks at me exasperated.
"You can't just keep running away from this, Mei," she said, in a strained voice, "you're never going to move on if you don't deal with what happened six years ago. You need to come to terms with it."
"Don't tell me that," I answer without control or composure, "I don't need you to tell me that."
"Mei, come on. You've run away for long enough. You need to face up to what happened then."
"Shut up."
"Mei-"
"I said, shut up!"
I leap to my feet and walk away from Nozomi. When I looked at her, as I stood up, I saw her child. Kibo I think his name was. The look in that child's eyes… I must've looked terrifying to him. Angry. Terrified. Scared. That's how I feel. I don't want to talk about it. I can't talk about it.
When I come to my senses again, I realise that I have no clue where I am. I must still be near the Old Settlement, but all the blocks around me are apartment blocks. Many of them look empty. I'm probably in Staghead. As it happens, there isn't anyone else around at the moment. It must be the middle of a shift. Everyone's sleeping, working, or at their chosen waterhole for the day. No one is walking around. Just me. See, the moon is really lonely. Because, once again, I'm all alone.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone