1 Chapter One: Executed cause I'm Better than You

I'm better than you; let's get that out now. It doesn't matter if I'm in this cell. The difference between me in this cell and you outside is only one mistake. Oh, why am I in this cell? Well, I did some things here and there that certain people didn't like. You know, murder, theft, fraud, blackmail, to name a few. But you probably ask why am I better if I'm the one waiting for his execution?

Easy, I created things that will drive Humanity forward. It wasn't easy, but I made the world generators you use today. I made the new shuttle to the Kindred Galaxy. I stopped the overpopulation plague from spreading, letting your families become space-faring citizens. Medicine got the kick into the future that it needed because of me. Yes, I'm Connor Thompson, THAT Connor Thompson. Let that sit briefly so you can wrap your head around it.

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Has it sunk in yet? Good, good, let's continue.

I won't lie and say my rise to power didn't involve some bloodshed. Maybe a few lies here and there to certain people. Palms were greased on my orders, most certainly. But really, what do you expect? That the progress that I finally brought to Humanity would come from the goodness of my fellow man? HA! Never, in a million years, will that happen.

Man needs to move forward, and unfortunately, not everyone agrees with how he goes about progress.

Take me, for example. I fixed our energy crisis by creating the most advanced batteries and generators known to man. No waste, emissions, or damage to the Earth is required. All it took was me, a diagram, and an ocean of blood from the lobbyists and the activists of the world.

Now look at the world and compare it to the world of yesterday. Everyone who uses a vehicle run on my energy; their houses run on my power; their offices on my fuel; their companies on my drive; their very ways of life on my accomplishments.

Everyone lives under my inventions. Flying cars are no longer a thing of science fiction as they zoom over cities. Robots, we have them now. Cybernetics, fueled by yours truly, makes the human form closer to mechanical purity. Humanity's disease-ridden past is a thing of history after my breakthrough in Humanities genetics with gene therapies and formulas.

Yet, all of that is crashing down due to something I could not cut from this mortal coil.

Of course, I could never guess my downfall would come from my children. Really how ironic could you get, my greatest creations becoming my downfall? Still, it shows that I could not lose to anyone else, only my children. Oh, how I loved them when they were young. Don't get me wrong; I still love them.

I won't give them a gift for Christmas this year, that is all. Or ever again.

My wife Cynthia was the vessel of their creation, and there has never been a more perfect woman. My sweet wife was beautiful, intelligent, and as witty as you can imagine. Not a day goes by when I don't miss her sweet words and perfect smile. But life had other plans for Cynthia when it took her from me. Cut in her prime after our third child was born, her body couldn't take it and passed on to the next great adventure. To this day, I always make time to give her updates on the kids—just a little talk at the end of the day. I sit and imagine she's sitting right next to me as I give her updates on them and what's going on in my life.

Her eyes would shine happily as I recount Adams's new gene therapy: finally ending stillborn births. Marie's firstborn came into the world with her twitchy smile, which she gets when she tries to hold in a chuckle without anyone knowing—or Anthony's invention of solid holograms letting us be able to interact with our loved ones no matter how far in the galaxy. Ultimately, I could sit with an echo of comfort just from her, like she was with me this whole time. Listening to me talk, she would always let me go on and on without care. Then, when I was done, she would kiss my cheek and say, "Now that you finished about our miracles. Please, make sure to keep them loved while I'm away. Please, Connor, do it for them. Remember, it's all for them."

Then…. She'd be gone. She is leaving me alone again.

All… Alone.

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Ahem. Right, my children.

Our children didn't take her passing well. In the coming years, we grew distant as the world demanded more and more of me, and my children didn't see it as important as I did. Never in their minds did they see that my work helped pave the way for them to create the miracles that they could for Humanity. My children, our gifts, were blind to the truth. But that was fine because, like Cynthia always said, everything we do, we do for them.

Always for them and nothing else.

So, I sit in my seat with a face of calm. The world looks upon me in a cage of metal and plasma—robotic guards with rifles and batons guarding me. The masses with toys and amenities created by me condemned me. The judge and his colleagues are silent and damning as the evidence is stacked against me. My children, our miracles, look at me with contempt yet a shot of resolve. They are all grown up now with their own lives and ideals. Their own sets of right and wrong.

And I, in their eyes, am in the wrong today.

I am not too much to look at currently. My hair, a once proud silver, was shaven to my skull. My frame withered and reduced as these animals tore the cybernetics from my body down to the minimum to keep me alive. My breath wheezed with each intake of air. Yet my eyes, I can say with pride, never shook with fear. No, my red eyes coursed with molten determination. I cast a sneer of contempt on these sheep to remind them of their place in this world. I could see so many of them tremble in fear of me even being brought to such a pathetic state as I am.

The court was spacious, of course. Nothing less for the Reaper, no doubt. Its walls stretched high over the heads of all those attending, whether physical or digital. Its walls restricted the room with portraits of my crimes. The same crimes are playing in motion in others serving the room in a soft glow of red as the screams of my victims echo throughout the hall. The air tinged with perspiration as grown men shuddered to watch my hands serve the victims their fates. The women broke as their wails of misery were only quieted by the comfort of their loved ones, yet even they could not escape the oppressive nature of the court. Each shudder of the halls constricted their lungs in a vice of fear. The

They didn't understand the sacrifices for their rise. The amount of blood needed to sit on their thrones of gold and steel. Well, now they would truly see what it cost them.

"Mr. Thompson, before we give our verdict, do you have anything to say to the people of Earth." The Judge said, his words echoing throughout the silent courtroom.

So we come to this: my words, my last words.

Let's make this count.

"I am better than all of you." I started leaning forward to sweep my gaze throughout the room. Not one of the sheep held my molten gaze. Cowering like the sniveling scum that they were.

Yet my children stayed sitting upright. Brave and true, they never wavered from my eyes—an example of perfection in human form.

"I have worked over two hundred years of my life for the betterment and prosperity of our great species. My work to this day has made more impacts on our species than any person in history, and yet, I find myself wanting." I said, remembering the years of sacrifice I have made for these sheep. These ungrateful, worthless, ignorant sheep. So many plans left to ruin, so many opportunities wasted! For what?! Justice!!!

Order??!!

LIES!!!

A hush befell them. My words struck them true as my form creaked more upright. My hands shook in restrained agony as my body responded to my rage.

SLAM

My fists struck the stand venting my frustration, "Wanting to do more!! For I see now, I did not even begin to go far enough. If I went farther, we would all be further along the line of progress. Yet I sit in this hall of disappointment."

"What pray to tell do you find disappointment in, Mr. Thompson?" Growled the Judge, hands gnarled into the stand. His posture was guarded as the sentinels around me held their weapons steadily. I was waiting, watching for me to move. A mistake, anything to cut me down before I could finish my dressing down of these fools.

"Disappointment in you, every one of you. You were the species that could learn and create. The species that created miracles, yet I am the one being judged. Me, the one who gave you the things that hold me now. Where would we be if I was never offered my brilliance? Oh, I know, still fighting over stupid ideals and finite resources on a single planet. Divided and hateful to our fellow man as if it was something to be proud of!"

SLAM

My fists met the stand again. My blood boiled in agony as my bones ached with each strike. Yet my fury guided me as I pushed to make my point to the masses.

"I am better because I pushed for everyone to be better! I am better because I stood by you no matter what you all said or did. I nurtured you from the crying child you were to the apex of the stars you are today. I pulled you up from the division you created on the pretense of differences so abysmally small that, in the universe's grand scheme, mean nothing!" Words whipped through the air as potent wounds were delivered to each listener with each rebuke from my lips. The crowd grew more subdued and terrified as my body began to shake. My heart quaked with liquid flames as my life frustrations were laid bare to the world.

SLAM

"I am better because I know without me, you would all be nothing less than footnotes in history compared to me and my family!" Flames of ferocity suffused my tongue. It's heat fuel for my final words to the ungrateful ants. Their minds were seemingly ablaze, burning to cinders of cowardice in the wake of my deep-seated hatred for their incompetence. Pushing my body with all my strength left, I sent the chair back behind me as I stood with my head held high.

"Without me... YOU!!!

SLAM

"WOULD!!"

SLAM

"BE!!!"

SLAM

"NOTHING!!!!!!!!"

My hands shook now with the rest of my body. Gasps of air strangled my lungs as sweat dripped off my brow. Red was creeping into the edges of my sight as the world shook from my frail body. Yet I felt the weight of my fury lifting gradually. Finally, finally, it seemed like I could let go without any regret now. Just a little more, please, just a little more. Damn body, frail and worthless body!! Don't give in just yet!!

My gaze, now softer, looked toward my children. My beautiful, beautiful children.

"For you, my children... Never forget... I... I did all of this..... This, for... You... I... Love... You..." There my throat croaked out the last of my will. My previous words were finally spent as I could no longer hold my body up. Collapsing into the seat again, my muscles constricted with agony as the tissues tore and collapsed as my time drew near. Blood dribbled from my eyes as the sound of the hall burned my ears and scorched my eyes. Even in the silence of this hall of torment, I could still feel the raging storms of emotion from my blood, my progeny, as they looked upon my shattered self.

Anthony seemed to clench his teeth, casting his crimson eyes downward. Silver's short hair shook with each shuddering breath. His body shivered, quaked, and nodded in seas of emotion. Rage engulfed him, confusion followed, as well as pride. Love came last as a flicker of what it once was. The proud young man I raised now was lost, and the small little boy I used to read stories to before bed shined through. A single tear reflected off his eye as he stood still as if death came to this mortal coil. That tear was nothing more than a dagger that struck my heart as I could not give any words to soothe my son. For my body could no longer give anymore, breaking my heart even more. My son, live, live, and never regret your path in life. I love you, goodbye.

Marie looked at me with tears falling in a river flowing from her ruby eyes. Her silver hair shook with sadness as if it lost any of its shine. Pale cheeks formed into a canvas of misery. Her screams of agony tore through her like a scythe of self-destruction. Self-loathing, hate, pity, and loss made up her being at this time like never before. She was the most affected of my children after Cynthia passed, and now she will lose another parent to this cruel world. I would give anything to leave my cell and wrap my daughter in my arms. To soothe her worries, to share her pain, to take it away in comfort and love. I will never see my grandchild, her son, again, and that tears an even bigger hole in my heart. Live well, my baby, be better than me, and cherish your son more than this world. I love you, goodbye.

Adam clenched his fist but kept his composure. Yet his eyes, his scarlet eyes, told a different story. Silver locks matted to his forehead in a sweaty mess. His skin is ever clear now, clammy and cool to the touch. He's... So lost... Never in all my years have I seen him so lost. So hurt, so broken. Rage, guilt, pity, love, sadness, all of this and more fought within his soul as he buried it deep within. Now, it comes peaking to the surface that is his expression. Of the three, he reminded me most of myself, and it frightened me: the choices I've made, the mistakes I've made. I sorely wish he does not come to be like me. Alone and miserable at the end of his life. Please, please, my son. Don't be like your father. Carve your path and live happily. I love you, goodbye.

Taking my last look at them, I memorized their faces for the last time as I made peace with my choices. My life, my legacy, all that is me.

I let it all wash over me in a wave, and when it finally passed me by, I let my heart beat once more quickly—thundering in my chest in anticipation of the final verdict. Each best was like a crack of thunder through my soul as the clock clicked closer to my end.

"Those being your final words, I will let the verdict be known. For your crimes against Humanity with over five million counts of murder, four hundred thousand cases of blackmail, two hundred thousand cases of human experimentation, and many other crimes, I sentence you to death. May you pray to whatever god you believe in to show mercy on your immortal soul." With that, the courts decided, and I stared down the barrel of the guards' rifles.

Click goes the clock as it strikes passed one. My time, my fate draws ever here. The Reaper comes to pass his soul to his pupil.

My body functions finally quiver and fade.

The shakes become still.

The blood stops.

Click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click , click, click go the triggers of my judgment.

I smile for all the world to see.

And my life ends in a whisper.

On that last day, my life came to an end.

And my new one began.