Harry Ransome had enlisted in the Utopia programme for one purpose and one purpose alone. Exploration. Although he was being billed as the founder of the mission, it was simply a press requirement. In truth, there had been four people involved in setting up the plans and putting the starships into production. With a hero figurehead needed to be the face of Utopia, Harry was chosen for his dedication to duty and his war record. That in itself was a joke. He had often thought to himself, if the people of Earth truly knew what he had done in battle, then they would have him shot. And for what? A woman. Weakness. To remain in a singular moment of happiness. Something which had long left him at home.
Harry’s wife, Annette, had instructed him to leave the family home long before he met the President of Earth, but they had always labelled themselves as ‘separated’ rather than apart, and neither of them had actually filed for divorce. Harry had often glanced down at his gold wedding band, twirling it on his finger, wishing everything could go back to the way it was before. Before all the fighting, before all of the climate emergencies, before he met… her.
Utopia was his way out. Running away from all of his problems, and saving humanity at the same time. He knew the planet of Earth didn’t have long left. Every one of the ship Captains knew it. Regardless of what they said to the media or the top brass, they knew that once they left, they would never come back. In truth, they were abandoning the rest of humanity to their doom. But not Harry. He was determined to find a new home, and he would find a way back. He would right all of the wrongs he had done and be lauded for a new truth. One in which he hadn’t massacred millions of indigenous peoples on both Mars and Jupiter. A new truth where he wasn’t controlled by… her.
And what a control it was. Drusilla had utilised a previously unknown ability to manipulate her way into the hierarchy of Earth’s government and taken the top spot all to herself. She was a fierce warrior in battle, but more often than not, she simply manipulated people’s minds into doing her bidding. As far as Harry knew, he was the only one she had outwardly revealed this ability to. The rest of the planet assumed she was fully human. It was Drusilla who had convinced Earth’s forces to quash the rebellion on Mars to keep mankind safe. The rebellion that was of course simply an implanted memory slipped into the right heads. Harry was encapsulated by both her beauty and her mere presence. If a person’s aura was truly visible, she would have glowed like an angel to him. His entire body seemed to be transported to another plain of existence when she was in reach of him, and a euphoria comforted him like a blanket. More often than not, the effect would also remove the memory of what he had done whilst in his trance like state, and he would have to learn the horrors afterwards.
Jupiter had been next. But this one was personal for Drusilla. She ordered more forces than anyone had thought necessary to launch an attack on the native species of the planet, the Darla. They too were a telepathic race, but were clearly not of human origin, distinguishable by the markers on their faces. Many of them had fled, but three-quarters of their population were destroyed at the hands of Harry and Drusilla.
Of course during the wars, Drusilla was not yet in her high and mighty role. No, that came later, when she could combine her telepathic manipulation with her own battle records to create an undefeatable motion. She won the vote with over ninety-six percent. Harry was then slipped into his position, Utopia was created, and the next thing Harry knew, she was giving him a tour of the now ready for launch USS Odyssey.
“We can’t keep doing this Dru,” Harry spoke softly as he pulled his clothes from the nearby desk where he had left them the night before.
“You do not wish to be with me?” she asked with a tone that sounded more threatening than hurt by his words.
“No. This isn’t real. This whole sensation, it’s incredible, yes I admit. But it’s all a facsimile of the real thing. You don’t love me. And I don’t love you. It’s all manipulation. And it needs to stop.”
Even Harry was surprised at his own words. Never before had he resisted Drusilla as much as he now was. He was almost too fearful to turn his back and face her, should she ensnare his attention once more.
“And yet, you cannot seem to break away.”
Drusilla had now risen from the bed, and was also reaching towards her discarded clothing. Harry could not stop himself from admiring the sheer beauty of the woman as she slid the straps of her dress back over her shoulders. But he was right. The mission ahead was too important for distractions. She had to know that.
“Then it is a good thing I am leaving. What will you do?” he asked, genuinely curious.
“I will return to our people. They need their leader now more than ever. I can give them peace. In time, it may be the only thing I can offer them. Should you fail.”
Harry put down the sonic shaver he was reaching for and turned to face her with fury in his eyes.
“You don’t think I can do this without you, do you?”
Drusilla said nothing.
“You really do think all of this is down to you, and not the hard work of every man and woman in this programme!”
Drusilla made for the door.
“Goodbye Harry. Watch yourself out there. It’s not safe. I should know.”
And just like that, she was gone, the whoosh of the door the only sound as it closed, leaving Admiral Harry Ransome standing alone in his new quarters, the stars twinkling behind him beyond the tall and curving windows.