I would like to acknowledge Wm. Robert Johnston for his article “The Effects of a Global Thermonuclear War”, the Youtube user back2soul for creating the youtube clip “Love, Love Shadow”, Paul J. McAuley for writing the book “The Quiet War” and Sega Team for creating Sonic the Hedgehog, of course.
Out of Many, One
Sonic ran in the cold sunlight that streamed down from the clear blue sky. He couldn’t go too fast here on the rooftops of Station Square, high above the human pedestrians and the traffic that slipped through the streets far too slowly for his liking, but it was fast enough. Here, he on the rooftops, a city above the city, there were no artificial speed limits here, set by humans with self-inflated egos. Here, he knew true freedom.
He leapt off a rooftop, flying above a small alleyway and onto the roof of another building. This was nothing for him. He often ran on the roofs to avoid the police below.
To the edge of the roof, he leapt down effortlessly down the fire escape, never running down the steps but always leaping down from one level to the other. Finally, to the ground, but the landing stopped him only shortly.
Off he ran, vaulting over trashcans, running through the streets. He didn’t let anything stop him as he sped through the alley and burst out into the street.
Faster than pedestrians, faster than the traffic, Sonic ran. He ran on sidewalk, even though he was fast enough to overtake cars. Here, his pace was slower, but not once did he stop. Sonic wove in and out between pedestrians, overtook cyclists.
A tree proved useful. He leapt at it, vaulted off the side of the trunk and over a high metallic fence.
His movements were limited by the backpack he wore. He couldn’t risk damaging its contents. The customer had paid good money for him to deliver and he would deliver it, quickly and in one piece.
He cried out, as he tripped and fell flat on his face, skidding across the grass.
“So, speeding again, hedgehog?”
“Droga! Era só o que faltava!” exclaimed Sonic angrily, as he slowly got back to his feet. “Julian,” he said, as he turned to face the police officer.
The red-haired officer regarded Sonic with a disdain. “You have got to be the only living thing I can give a speeding ticket to that doesn’t use a car or motorbike,” said the officer sternly, as he scribbled away on a notepad. “What is this? The fifth, sixth time, I’ve caught you speeding?”
Sonic made a dismissive clucking noise, as he crossed his arms. “Larga do meu pé!” he cried. “You’re a traffic cop. What are you doing in a park, anyway? The cars are out on the road.”
Julian sighed, as he tore off the speeding ticket. “Somebody’s got to protect this city from you,” he said.
“Yeah, yeah,” said Sonic dismissively. “Anda logo!”
“You think I’m stupid?” retorted the traffic cop. “I’m sending this one straight to your owner.” He tilted his cap at the hedgehog. “Have a nice day,” he said sarcastically, before walking off.
“Merda!” cursed Sonic. “Ele me deixa louca!”
He sighed heavily. There was nothing more he could do. He checked his wristwatch, noticed the time and set off through the park at a slightly slower pace than before.
Doc Hemming was going to kill him when he got back. She had always warned him about speeding through the city. Now he’d earned himself yet another speeding ticket. It was the sixth and he was sure Doc Hemming was getting fed up of paying for them.
Somehow, Sonic had this feeling that she would lumber him with more courier work to pay off the debts.
It had started as nothing more than a bit of supplemental money. Now it was more of an exercise in raising money to pay off his fines, which he was accumulating with every day he spent couriering objects around Station Square.
Perhaps he could find a way to pay off the fine without her knowing. He wondered if it was possible. Certainly, he’d have to be very quick, but that was no problem for him.
Up ahead was Station Square Library. It stood at the other side of Central Park. The building was a white marble affair with Doric-capped columns in a neo-Classical style that had been very popular during the Reconstruction period.
“Olá!” greeted Sonic, as he approached the librarian at the front desk. “I have a package here for Miss June Senoue.”
“Oh, you mean Mr Jun Senoue?” responded the librarian at the desk.
“Opa! Yeah, I’m sorry about that,” apologised Sonic.
The librarian laughed. “It’s alright, I made the same mistake myself when I started here,” she told him. “I can sign for it if you’d like, Famulus.”
Sonic nodded, as he shucked the rucksack off his back. “That would be fine,” he told her, as he unzipped it and pulled out the package and a small clipboard. “Just need your signature here.” He watched her sign and date the form, before handing the package over to her. “Thank you very much. Passe bem.”
“Passe bem, Famulus,” responded the librarian with a nod of her head.
The hedgehog turned to leave, only to be confronted with a kid with brown-hair. “Sinto muito,” he apologised to the kid. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.”
“Are you Sonic Hemming?” asked the kid curiously.
“Um, yeah,” responded Sonic awkwardly, as he took suspicious glances around him. No one seemed to have noticed the kid’s social faux pas.
“Oh, wow, I’ve heard so much about you,” exclaimed the kid, as he grabbed Sonic by the hands. “I’m your biggest fan!”
“Fan?” exclaimed Sonic, as his face creased into a frown. How was that even possible? He hadn’t done much in Station Square to earn a fanbase, unless his speeding ticketing fines were somehow paying for this child’s education.
The kid laughed. “Yeah, it’s not every day you get to see the fastest traceur in Station Square!” he exclaimed.
“Aren’t you a bit young to know about Chimera Parkour?” asked Sonic curiously.
It was certainly true that he was a traceur, but parkour events for chimeras like him were more of an illegal underground thing. The events he competed in were the kind that would make Julian the traffic cop go ballistic.
“We just had an internet connection installed two weeks ago,” said the kid.
That would explain it. Sonic guessed that this kid’s parents hadn’t gotten round to installing the proper parental controls on their internet connection.
“May I have your autograph?”
Sonic smiled awkwardly. “Sure, why not?” he responded. “So, who do I make it out to?”
The kid bit his lip, as if in deep thought. “Um, I guess,” he began awkwardly. “Just make it out to Chris.”
“Tails chop!” A hardback book suddenly collided spine first with the kid’s head.
“Ow, what did you do that for?” cried the brown-haired kid, as he held his head.
“Shh, we’re in a library!” whispered Tails urgently. “And I’ve told you lots of times not to talk to strangers,” snapped the two-tailed fox sternly, as he glowered at the brown-haired kid. “It’s dangerous.” He waved the hardback book menacingly at the brown-haired kid. “Besides, you’ve got a history test tomorrow. You promised me you’d study for it.”
The kid sighed. “Aw come on, Tails, I’ve been studying for hours now!” he protested.
A scared expression passed over the two-tailed fox’s face. He looked around him carefully and satisfied that no human was looking, he said, “Christopher Michael Thorndyke Prower! We’re in public, you can’t call me that when we’re out here.”
“Why do you have to be such a spoilsport?” protested Chris.
“Hey, do you want me to get in trouble?” snapped Tails. “If you don’t do well in your test, who do you think is going to get punished?”
“Look, I’ve got to get going, Famulus,” said Sonic, as he gestured out the door with his thumb. “How’s about I give the kid my autograph and just get out of here?”
Tails looked at Sonic with a cold glare that would have frozen water. “Auto...” he began, only to trail off. “You’re Famulus Sonic aren’t you?” He sighed and rolled his eyes. “I should have known.” He noticed the notebook in Chris’s hand. “Fine,” he said, as he handed it to Sonic.
“Cool, thanks T... Famulus Tails,” exclaimed Chris excitedly, as he handed pen and notebook over to the hedgehog. “Could you make it out to Christopher Michael Thorndyke Prower?” he asked. “There’s no point in hiding my name now.”
Sonic nodded agreably. “Claro, eu posso,” he told the kid, as he scribbled large across the page.
As he wrote the kid’s name, though, he frowned. There was something familiar about it, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. “Here you go,” he said, as he handed it back.
Tails snatched the notebook away from Sonic before Chris could get his hand on it and tore the page out. “You can have this after the test,” he told Chris sternly.
“Hey, don’t you think you’re being a bit harsh on the kid?” asked Sonic.
“Yeah, but his dad would go ballistic if he fails the history test,” sighed Tails dejectedly. “It’s on the Founding of the Confederation.”
Suddenly, Sonic twigged. He had thought the boy’s name had sounded familiar and now he knew why. “Hang on a second, you’re the Governor’s son?” he exclaimed.
Tails reached out and took Chris by the hand. “Come on, let’s get back to studying,” said the fox softly. He glanced up at the mezzanine above him, at the men in black suits that Famulus Sonic had failed to notice. “I’ll give you his signature when you’re done studying.”
Sonic sighed. “Poor kid,” he said, before he walked away.
#
Artigo 1337 da Constituição da Confederação Pan-americana: Todas as quimeras são a usar coleiras de identificação em todos os momentos e seus nomes devem ser precedidos por “Famulus” (“Famula” para uma fêmea) em todos os momentos.
Article 1337 of the Constitution of the Pan-American Confederation: All chimeras are to wear ID collars at all times and their names must be prefixed by “Famulus” (“Famula” for a female) at all times.
#
“Estou de volta!” Sonic called out, as he opened the door.
The white-haired woman turned round in her chair and quickly placed a finger to her lips. She then turned back to face the television.
A bunch of people had gathered around the television set and were watching it intently.
Sonic frowned. The white-haired woman was standing in front of a television set with other scientists. They all watched in silence. “What’s going on?” he asked curiously.
“Famulus Sonic Hemming, please do be quiet,” snapped the white-haired woman.
“The Itamaraty summoned the Commonwealth Ambassador, where Chancellor Gustavo Taunay made clear the CPA’s condemnation of the atrocities being committed by the Commonwealth regime…” announced the newsreader on the TV set.
So the Commonwealth of Social Democratic Republics was on the news again. This came as no surprise. Sonic couldn’t help but wonder why, though.
“…made clear such violence must end now and urged the Commonwealth authorities,” continued the newsreader, “to allow immediate access to humanitarian organisations in order that they can respond to humanitarian needs and independently verify the situation.”
A sigh escaped the old woman’s lips, as she walked away from the television. “I do hope Gerald is alright,” she said.
“Hey, what happened, Doc?” asked Sonic concernedly.
“The Commonwealth is cracking down on chimeras again,” said the scientist.
Sonic made a disgusted tutting voice. “O que há de novo?” he responded. “They’ve always hated us chimeras, calling us freaks of nature. Que saco!”
“Now, now, don’t let that get you down,” said Doc Hemming, as she rested a hand reassuringly on his shoulder. “They can’t keep it up for long. Robotnik wouldn’t allow it.”
“Eggman,” grunted Sonic dismissively. “That fat greedy bastard. I bet he wouldn’t.”
Some said the Commonwealth was nothing more than a front for Eggman Science Incorporated. Certainly, the colour scheme of the dove and olive was similar to the Eggman Science logo: white, sky-blue and green. It was also rather suspicious that Robotnik himself had been permanently ensconced in the Commonwealth Government since its founding.
“He only cares about his profit margins,” said Sonic dismissively.
“Maybe so, but as much as I hate to admit it, he will put a stop to it,” pointed out Doc Hemming. “So, how’d the delivery go?”
Sonic went rigid. He couldn’t tell Doc Hemming that he’d been given yet another speeding ticket. She would kill him and dance on his grave.
“Correu tudo bem,” he responded quickly. “It went well.” He suddenly felt like kicking himself. That nervous burst of Portuguese was enough to make anyone suspicious. “I bumped into the Governor’s son at the Central Library today.”
Doc Hemming frowned. “Oh?” she exclaimed. “I didn’t think the Governor would let his son out alone.”
“A Famulus was with him,” explained Sonic.
Mind you, that two-tailed fox was on the young side. He couldn’t help but wonder whether there had been other security arrangements in the library at the time. After all, how could a chimera that young protect the Governor’s son? He seemed to be younger than the kid he was looking after.
“Well, I hope nothing happens to him,” said Doc Hemming. “The Governor’s been receiving all sorts of death threats since he gave us the go ahead to restore the Rio Grande Valley.”
“How is that going?” asked Sonic curiously.
“Well, Elise has perfected her Seedarian plant,” said Doc Hemming. “It’ll be able to remove the radioactive metals from the soil and lock them up safely.”
It was strange how the Rio Grande Valley was still dangerously radioactive, twenty-four years after the War. Other areas had managed to recover somewhat, but the Rio Grande Valley had suffered a huge amount, almost as if the Soviets had struck nothing but nuclear power plants instead of the farms that had once existed there.
Doc Hemming sighed. “Texas took such a terrible hit during the War,” she said. She shook her head sadly. “One can’t help but wonder what those old army bases had inside them.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll be able to return it to its former glory,” said Sonic reassuringly. “It’s what the place deserves.”
“Oh, Famulus Sonic, you’re back!”
Sonic’s face locked into a rictus of fear. He recognised that voice, that terrifying voice that made him want to run out of Station Square, through the wilds of the Texan Habitable Zone, possibly to the Louisianan Habitable Zone or even back to Rio in the Brazilian Confederate Republic.
“A-Amy, I mean, F-Famula Amy, w-what are you doing here?” stuttered Sonic.
A pink hedgehog in a red dress and red boots walked up to the two. She wore an innocent enough smile, but there was something incredibly possessive about the way she walked up to the blue hedgehog. “I’m helping Dr Rose out, of course!” she said.
“B-b-but I thought you weren’t allowed in the lab,” protested Sonic.
“Just got my clearance today,” replied Amy. “Isn’t that great?”
“Ótimo,” said Sonic emotionlessly. “I’m so happy for you.”
He didn’t sound as if he meant it, but Amy didn’t seem to notice. She just smiled at him. “I know!” she exclaimed. “Now we can work together in the lab.”
Sonic’s spines stood on end. “I’m more of an outdoors guy,” he told her. “In fact, Doc, do you have anything I need to deliver?”
Doc Hemming rolled her eyes. She couldn’t quite understand why Sonic disliked Amy so much. There was nothing wrong with her. Certainly, she was a very weird shade of pink, but what had Sonic got to complain about? He was a very strange and unnatural shade of blue!
“Well,” began Doc Hemming, unsure as to whether she should give in to him or force him to spend more time with Amy. “Now that I think about it, I do need to deliver something to the Governor’s Mansion.”
“Ótimo!” exclaimed Sonic enthusiastically, as he extended a gloved hand out towards her. “Give it here and I’ll deliver it straight away.”
Doc Hemming nodded. She walked over to a desk and pulled open a drawer. “Okay, Sonic, now I want you to deliver this letter to the Governor,” she said calmly. “Make sure you put it in his hand yourself. Do not let anyone else take it. Do you understand?”
“Eu entendo!” responded Sonic. “I’ll be there and back before you now it.” He then remembered Amy. “Though you never know. The security detail might give me a bit of difficulty getting in.”
“Be careful, Sonic!”
“I will,” he responded. “Vamos manter contato!” He waved at Amy with a relieved grin on his lips, before he darted out of the laboratory.
#
“Though World War III officially began with the assassination of Soviet Leader, Mikhail Gorbachev on 1st July 1988, nuclear weapons were not used until 5th August 1988. The nuclear exchange lasted eighteen hours. In that time, 400 million people died.
“Through many of the targets were military in nature, due to their close proximity to civilian populations, civilian casualties were inevitable.
“The resulting smoke clouds would absorb sunlight and alter the climate. In the ensuing years, crops in the northern hemisphere would fail. In 1989 alone, 30 million Japanese citizens died of starvation.
“The Third World War would claim approximately 850,000,000 lives.
“Though the nuclear exchange only lasted one day, World War Three would not officially end until April 1989.”
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