The Price Of Fairness

Mars North Pole Military Base

Surrounded by chaos, Dr. Simmons' voice rang out, uttering the name "Tatsuki" and casting disbelief throughout the air. As Captain Thorn swung the door open, the shocking reality came into focus.

Tatsuki, amidst the flames, held the first in command Okomo Shio by her neck, greeting the team with an emotionless demeanor.

Tatsuki: "Kell Thorn...Yuri Kuznetsov...Akio Tanaka. Welcome."

Captain Thorn, grappling with the situation, inquired with confusion:

Thorn: "Tatsuki, what's going on?"

Tatsuki: "I'm looking for something," Tatsuki responded, void of emotion.

Thorn: "Now we know that. My real question is: Why are you doing this?"

Tatsuki: "My Father told me to."

Thorn, bewildered by the response, struggled to make sense of it. The motive seemed beyond revenge.

As they conversed, Tatsuki, seemingly unaware of the team's presence, remained focused on his quest.

Tatsuki: "Are you gonna tell me where the core is?"

Shio, in pain, defiantly responded:

Shio: "Fuck you, you fucking insect. I won't tell you even if I die."

Tatsuki: "Either way, you're gonna die. I was just giving you the opportunity to die humble, doing something good for the rest of your kind."

Shio: "Fuck you." She spat on Hot's helmet and began kicking.

In response, Kuznetsov, without hesitation, shot Tatsuki. The captain stepped in, swiftly lowering Kuznetsov's weapon.

Thorn, alarmed, questioned: "What the hell are you doing?!"

The bullet damaged Tatsuki's shirt, revealing the brilliance beneath the vestments. Unfazed, Tatsuki continued holding the first in command by her neck.

Kuznetsov: "I was making sure he is one of those sun particles." said the Sergeant.

Tanaka: "What are we gonna do Captain?"

Thorn: "I have no idea."

Ignoring the team, Tatsuki pressed on with his conversation with Okomo Shio, who was teetering on the brink of unconsciousness, suspended by Tatsuki holding her neck in the air.

Tatsuki: (Emotionless) "One last time, Commander. Where is the core?"

Shio: "I SAID FUC----UGH-!"

Her words were abruptly cut off as Hot decided to break her neck due to her lack of cooperation. Hanging in the air, still held by Tatsuki, the Commander endured her agonizing fate.

Captain Thorn swiftly pulled Tanaka's device and activated the command to kill Tatsuki. However, when the spheres reached him, they began melting. Tatsuki remained fixated on the Commander's suffering.

Tanaka: "Tatsuki, please stop!" I implored.

Tatsuki: (keeping his gaze at Shio) "You don't understand," said while raising his freed arm. "Pride doesn't take you anywhere." And with that, he pierced the Commander through her chest.

Thorn: "Noooooooo!"

The captain rushed towards Tatsuki, attempting to strike him. Tatsuki slapped him, sending him flying back to the door, where he landed on the floor, his left side part of the face burnt to a second degree.

Thorn: (screams) "AHHHHHHHH!"

I ran to the captain, but I felt helpless, not knowing what to do. Kuznetsov stood there, indifferent to the captain's suffering. I pulled the radio and tried to contact Simmons.

Tanaka: "Simmons, please, you have to get here!"

Tatsuki: "She has passed away by now."

Tanaka: (crying) "Tatsuki, Why?"

Kuznetsov: (carelessly) "This is probably revenge," the Sergeant remarked, looking down at the captain. "It can't be anything else."

As Kuznetsov turned around, Tatsuki was already in front of him. With a swift movement, Tatsuki obliterated the Sergeant's head with a finger, leaving him no time to defend himself.

Tanaka: "TATSUKI PLEASE! STOP! STOP THIS! STOOOOOP!"

The Sergeant's body collapsed to its knees, then the torso met the floor as blood spilled out.

I was in shock; my heart felt like it wanted to escape my chest, my mind couldn't stop analyzing the situation, and my head felt like it was about to explode.

Tanaka: (with urgency and fear) "Captain! Stand up! Let's go!"

Tatsuki: "Tanaka."

Tanaka: "CAPTAIN PLEASE!"

Tatsuki: "Of all these creatures, you deserve an explanation."

Tanaka: "I don't want to hear it!"

Tatsuki: "You'll understand soon enough."

Tatsuki started approaching the Captain and me by the door. I stood up and ran to a corner of the room, realizing the futility of my actions. It was evident that Tatsuki could obliterate this place in a blink, rendering any escape attempt useless.

Tatsuki continued walking towards the captain, his gaze fixed on him, while the captain stared, scared and confused.

Thorn: "Please, Tatsuki, explain what's going on. Why are you doing this to us?"

The broken voice of the captain was shocking to hear. It was clear he genuinely cared about his team.

Tatsuki: "You and the team should've stopped the second investigation. This could've been avoided."

Thorn: "You would've destroyed Mars anyway. What could've been avoided? Dying knowing the truth?"

Tears started flowing down the captain's face, creating a heartbreaking scene. I couldn't help but cry myself.

Tanaka: "Why?" I said, now filled with sad emotions.

My crying eyes couldn't see the scene clearly anymore. The crackling fire in the room, accompanied by a heavy silence, gave me the unsettling feeling that Tatsuki was about to do something to the captain.

Tatsuki: "It's your nature, Thorn. Your human nature."

The captain's eyes widened in fear, mirroring my own.

Tatsuki: "You are not at fault. But your instincts will carry the weight of mistakes to come, and to stop that, I have to do this."

Thorn: "Please Tatsuki, I beg you, don't do this," said the captain with a shaken voice.

Tanaka: "Please stop."

I cried, attempting to see through my watery eyes.

Tatsuki: "It has to be done. Sorry, Tanaka. I'll explain to you in a second. He might not understand my reasons, but I bet you will."

With those words hanging in the air, Tatsuki knelt, locking sight with the captain whose face bore the weight of worry and fear. In the ensuing moment, the room plunged into silence, interrupted only by the ominous sound of bones cracking. The flickering flames took center stage, casting eerie shadows that danced in the dimly lit space.

Through my watery eyes, I glimpsed the reflections of both Tatsuki and the form of the captain. No movement stirred the air, and the crackling fire served as a mournful soundtrack, amplifying the gravity of the scene.

As I wiped my teary eyes to perceive the aftermath, Tatsuki sat nonchalantly on the floor beside me. My gaze shifted to the captain's motionless body, sprawled face down. The room held a heavy stillness, punctuated only by the lingering scent of burning.

Tatsuki's voice broke the silence: "Please, Tanaka. Listen."

Shock and denial paralyzed me. Fear gripped my mind, yet an unusual calmness settled in as I processed the surreal situation. Emotions entwined within me, forming an intricate tapestry that stifled any words attempting to escape my lips.

Tatsuki's narrative unfolded: "I've been alive for billions of years. My Father, known to you as Sun, bestowed life upon your kind. Initially, everything was harmonious; he granted you advancements, making your lives easier. However, as he bestowed more, satisfaction waned. Your kind craved more, losing humility along the way. You ascended to the skies, traversed the atmosphere, ventured into space, reached the moon, and beyond. Your collective identity eroded, replaced by arrogance and selfishness. Kindness faded, and your nature transformed. For generations, your leaders exploited my father's kindness, kidnapping siblings, conducting brutal experiments, and causing countless deaths. Despite this, my Father insisted: 'Let them be.' I struggled to comprehend, but he held faith that your kind would change. Unfortunately, change eluded you. More was taken, my Father weakened, and eventually, my siblings and I were abducted, leaving my father isolated. Still, he urged: 'Let them be.' Your kind has taken so much from us. Understand, Tanaka, this is not revenge. We seek to prevent your kind from further descent. To achieve that, we must erase you from the universe, clearing the slate for a new beginning."

Tatsuki meant no harm; I understood his story and reasons. But facing death? Who's ready for that? Even if it's for the world's sake, embracing demise isn't easy. The situation is bigger than personal feelings.

Despite evolving, humanity clings to old ways and desires, always wanting more. Satisfaction seems distant, and negative emotions overshadow positivity. Examining our leaders highlights what Tatsuki talks about—people having much, yet craving more without reason.

Creating planet-destroying weapons, establishing ideals, and extreme actions—must we go this far for satisfaction? Is there no limit to our pursuits? Why can't we be content with what we have? Must we take extreme paths for happiness? We've taken too much, and consequences unfold. Satisfaction remains elusive, continuing with each new human birth. I'm caught in this web, paying for past generations' greed.

Tatsuki remained silent as I processed everything he had said. Despite his usual quiet demeanor, he was always enjoyable to be around. It was surprising to think about the depths of his experiences. Perhaps, considering everything, humanity doesn't deserve as much as we have.

Tanaka: "OK. Do it."

Tatsuki stood up, and tears welled in my eyes. Fear gripped me, yet there was an unsettling sense that this was the right thing to do. My mind had adapted to this humanity we had turned into a kind of parasite. That's what Tatsuki wanted me to understand. Our relentless growth and destructive ways were steering us towards our own downfall. Mars is the perfect example; we arrived from Earth, altered its nature, and now we were crafting weapons capable of immense destruction, to damage what the universe had provided. If even one of us survives, the cycle won't end, and we will repeat the process, sealing our fate in the universe.

It's sad to be a part of this society. While it had its moments of joy, it became increasingly evident that this wasn't the right way to live.

Tatsuki stood before me, a moment frozen in time. As he removed his helmet, a celestial entity – my friend now resembled a living constellation. Tears flowed down my face, yet a smile graced my saddened expression.

An odd sense of happiness embraced me. I was happy…

Closing my eyes, I softly whispered, "Thank you…My friend."

I felt his hand piercing my che---