novelraw Chapter 360 360: History museum
Chapter 360 360: History museum
More time, more changes. In just one year, many things had changed.
Nefertiti had assumed control of the entire astrophysics division of the pack, effectively behaving as acting pack leader for them. After the first shared mission, she had begun to promote more policies of integration and union between humans and animals. She had facilitated interspecies interspace operations, sending animals and humans to work together in the new worlds to be colonized. Furthermore, there was still much to colonize, as human attention was slowly shifting beyond the outer Solar System to the dwarf planets and comets of the Oort Cloud.
The work was not cheap and with it the possibilities of working together. With the Dyson Sphere nearing completion, energy was no longer an issue. After determining which moons to colonize, the Eden Union had begun an intensive mining program in the asteroids of the main belt in order to be able to build huge lenses to capture the sunlight and also heat the periphery of the solar system. Obviously Nefertiti had made sure that animals had their place in this work.
There was also the colonization itself: before they could settle on any moon they needed to build a comfortable environment, and certainly a large lens was not enough. So humans and animals had begun to terraform the largest moons, carrying water, nitrogen and oxygen on them.
And there was also a lot to study. Many of the satellites of the giant planets, that were quite similar to Europa, Enceladus and Titan, had been declared protected areas and only a few small expeditions of scientists could access them. Nefertiti had worked very hard to ensure that these exotic places were left as they were: according to her, as long as there was the slightest possibility that life was present there, they could not afford to ruin those celestial bodies, or they would repeat the same mistake of their predecessors with Eden, when they paid no attention to other forms of life.
Thanks to this 'activism' of hers, both for integration policies and for the preservation of potentially habitable celestial bodies, Nefertiti had begun to attract the attention of many people. People, who before her only knew her as 'Sobek's daughter', had started to think more of her.
Of course, not everything was that simple. As Monica had predicted some time ago, Nefertiti had very often made mistakes, some of them quite serious. But every mistake had been like a lesson to her and she had slowly learned. She was still learning, in fact.
Sobek was proud of his daughter. Although he continued to keep an eye on her and very often seeing her make a mistake he would have wanted to tear her hair out (if she had had it instead of scales), he had followed Monica's advice and had left her space. And seeing how well she was progressing, he could only be satisfied. After that first shared mission, he had begun to pass increasingly complicated tasks under Nefertiti's jurisdiction so that she could gain all the experience she needed. And it seemed that Nefertiti appreciated all that trust from him.
Sobek was proud, but also a little sad. He felt as if he was being pushed aside at the same time, as if he was becoming superfluous. But basically, that was the natural course of things. At some point, the older generation had to give way to the new one. And Sobek, looking back, realized that by now he no longer had the energy to do everything by himself.
However, all of this seemed to have helped their relationship. Although Nefertiti continued to insist that her father did not meddle in her work and every time Sobek tried to introduce the subject she avoided it in any way, the two of them had begun to spend a lot of time together again. Sometimes Nefertiti had even asked her father for his advice, though she had done so in a way that made it seem like the advice wasn't for her but for someone else.
However, despite trying to separate family and work, there were sometimes events where both could not help but be present. For example what they were witnessing today.
"Welcome everyone!" Pierce exclaimed wagging his tail. "I am happy to see you all here. Well, I'm not a guy of many words, so I officially declare the great museum of Maakanar open!"
After the war was over, there was (obviously) no more need for a defense commander. Even if tensions still existed, without belligerent nations it was pointless to think about defense. So Pierce had retired, deciding to enjoy 'retirement' now that there were no more wars. For some time he had confined himself to living with other stegosaurs, but soon his hot blood required better stimulation. And so, he had decided to embark on an extraordinary task: to build a museum dedicated to the war between animals and humans, so that everyone could know what had been done and why. And as a location he had chosen the very first defensive fortress that he had designed and built with Blue and Eema: the old dinosaur sanctuary. He had done it because he wanted to scream to the world that there was no longer any need for defenses and that those old walls of sharpened stakes they had erected years before were now useless.
He had spent many years traveling from one part of the world to another, collecting finds of weapons (both human and animal) from all the old battlefields: the quarry outside of Cartago, the desert now become a forest where lay the corpses of Odaria's soldiers, the ship graveyard just off the coast of Maakanar, the remains of the joint battle of Beleriard humans and dinosaurs against the Commission's invasion team, the old dinosaur outposts on Maakanar and all other continents, the military bases of the Eden Union and the old NMWA, the rebel outposts in all the small nations, even the hidden atomic bases of the Empire. He had collected weapons, missiles, bombs, even weapon blueprints. After that he had spent just as many years cataloging everything and placing it in what was the old dinosaur sanctuary, as well as making the sanctuary waterproof to prevent rain from ruining the exhibits.
It had been a very long job, but Pierce had finally managed to complete it. Now that it was finished, he had invited all his old friends to the opening, which of course would also be attended by many other animals and humans eager to see what was inside. In the crowd Sobek could see Al, Buck, Carnopo and even Jocelyne. Once Pierce announced the opening, everyone poured into the shrine.
What they found was an extraordinary place.
Much of the sanctuary had been left in the open, without a roof, but the trees had been uprooted and placed in an orderly manner, as if it were a garden. The road was clean and built so that during the rains the water would flow towards small pipes, and it was lined with some kind of primitive clay that would prevent it from ruining it. The road branched off in several directions, each dedicated to a different category of finds indicated by signs. On the sides of the road there was a beautiful green grass dotted with flowers of a thousand colors.
Depending on which route you chose to take, you could see artifacts from different times in the war. They were placed in sorts of display cases built with meticulously dug trunks, with the skill of a carpenter, and with only one glass that allowed vision. Under the trunks there were plaques that detailed when and where that weapon had been used. As for larger armaments, such as missiles, they were placed in gigantic structures made up of several tree trunks placed to form a hut that did not leave room for even the smallest hole for rain or wind to pass through.
And there really was everything in terms of exhibits. Walking through this mix of botanical garden and museum, Sobek felt like stepping into the past as he admired all the various weapons Pierce had been able to find.
A C4 charge used to blow up the walls of Cartago.
A military vehicle from Cartago's weak defense.
General Davis' cannon, complete with gas shells.
Several rifles recovered from the corpses of Odaria's army.
The uniform of an Odaria officer.
Some of the weapons the dinosaurs had used to win their first battle.
Projects of various types of missiles.
Metal taken from the side of a warship.
The armor of the special forces that were supposed to subdue the Beleriard.
The Colonel's pistol.
The flak provided by Sobek.
The robotic exoskeletons of some of Quaritch's soldiers.
Different models of helicopters and planes.
An atomic bomb (obviously without uranium).
Several photos of soldiers and combat scenes.
And much, much more…
"Uncle Pierce has really done a masterful job" Nefertiti commented as she watched it all. "I wonder where you found so much stuff…"
"Your uncle is full of resources" Sobek commented. "I bet he had Rambo and Snock help him while they were still on duty. And maybe also from your aunts Eema and Blue"
"Not at all, pack leader. It's all flour from my sack"
Nefertiti and Sobek turned. They had heard Pierce arrive, but they had avoided disturbing him waiting for him to address them. "Really? Not even a little help?" Sobek asked him.
"Not at all" Pierce answered proudly. "All my doing. I was wrong several times… and even cried from time to time, but it was worth it"
Sobek laughed. "You can be proud of yourself, my friend. It's wonderful"
"I know. But it's not over" Pierce said. "Come, you two. I have to show you something. Later I will also show it to Buck, Carnopo and Al, but I want you to see it first"
The stegosaurus hurried up the main street. Although surprised, the two spinosaurs followed him. Very soon they were clear of the crowds, which were still exploring the first areas of the museum.
Pierce led them to the end of the shrine, where there had once been a clearing. Now there was a sort of circular plaza at least thirty meters wide, built of solid, impermeable clay. In the center of the square there was a sort of platform, which however was empty and had no plaque. And at the edges of the square there were thirteen statues finely carved in wood.
Old Li, Eema, Blue, Monica, Mazu, Apache, Rambo, Snock, Al, Buck, Carnopo and Pierce himself were arranged in a circle around the square, complete with plaques describing their role within the herd and telling some of their best feats. And on the thirteenth pedestal, directly facing the street, was Sobek himself. The statue of him was slightly larger than the others and he was looking up, as if he was gazing at the stars and observing the bright future that awaited them.
"I had to build something dedicated to… well, us. After all we were the main protagonists of the war" Pierce said admiring his work.
Sobek smiled. He had to admit that there was a certain beauty in it all. "Really good" he admitted. "How did you do them so well?"
"With years of work and lots and lots of patience" Pierce explained.
Sobek stared at the large pedestal in the center. "And that? What purpose does it serve?"
"Oh…that. Yes" Pierce looked a little embarrassed. "Well, pardon my bragging… but that's for me. Not now, of course… when I'm dead"
Both Sobek and Nefertiti were taken aback. "Wait, what?" the young spinosaurus exclaimed.
"I don't want to get buried in some hole" Pierce explained. "I want to stay close to a won's work, even after I'm gone. This museum represents everything I did both before and after the war… so I want to stay here. I've already contacted a good taxidermist and made sure I'm making the right arrangements. When I'm dead, they'll stuff me and put me on that pedestal, so that all future generations can see who built this place… and of course helped win the war"
Sobek couldn't blame Pierce for his decision. Indeed, things like burial were human problems. Most of the animals didn't care, but they clearly preferred to bury the dead as leaving them in the open would cause disease. But some, like Pierce, wanted more. A gravestone was certainly not something pleasant, but being displayed in the same museum that he himself had built… well, it wasn't so bad. "If that's what you want, then I won't object"
Sobek knew that Pierce, like all of his companions, was nearing the end of his journey. Old age was slowly consuming them all. It was normal that he was starting to consider what to leave as his legacy to the world.
"Thank you, pack leader" Pierce said, then looked at Nefertiti. "Anyway, I haven't forgotten about you. I guess you're wondering why I wanted you here..."
"Indeed…" Nefertiti admitted with a certain bitterness in her voice as she surveyed the statues.
"Well, I wanted to ask you a favor" Pierce continued. "I was hoping that later, when everyone has finished visiting the museum, you can say a few words. A kind of blessing, in short"
The young spinosaurus' eyes widened. "What? Why?" she exclaimed.
The stegosaurus looked confused. "Well… because I think it would be nice. It is not?" he asked her in an uncertain voice.
"No, I mean: why me?" Nefertiti said. "Dad should. I didn't fight in the war, I have no right to speak here"
"That is true, but…"
"However?"
"But you represent why we fought in the war. You… are our future. To give our children a bright future, that was our motivation. I think it's only right that you say a few words, not me or your father"
Nefertiti froze at those words. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but she didn't say anything as if she was unable to think. Sobek tried to encourage her: "Nefertiti, I think it's a good idea. You should do it"
But his words had the opposite effect. As if a current were flowing through her, Nefertiti shivered slightly, then she turned away. "Sorry, Uncle Pierce, I can't do that" she said, then she quickly walked away before they could say anything to her.
The two dinosaurs remained stationary in the middle of the square. "Oh sorry. Did I say something wrong?" Pierce asked confused.
"No, my friend, it was my fault" Sobek replied. "Let me talk to her"
"Of course, pack leader"
"And wish me luck"
"Managing a daughter is really more terrible than war, mh?"
"You have no idea"
Sobek separated from Pierce and followed the scent of Nefertiti. He found her not far away, intent on observing some remains of an imperial bomber plane. The young spinosaurus looked rather heartbroken and she seemed annoyed by his presence, but she didn't try to run away yet. Sobek walked over to her and sat next to her. He then he spoke: "It's not stage fright, is it?"
That joke had no effect on Nefertiti's mood. "It's just not right" she replied. "I have no right to speak here. You should do it. You're the one who went through all this, you're the one who… saved the world. You're the one who should do the talking. You and Uncle Pierce don't have to give this task to me just to… to make me happy"
"To make you happy? Is that what you think?"
"Come on, do you think I didn't notice? I've noticed that you've been giving me more and more important assignments, and I'm glad you're doing it. But don't pretend that what I do is comparable to what you did. All I do is talk, discuss with some heads of state, make agreements, plan space missions. You have changed the face of the world. There is no comparison"
Sobek sighed. "Yes, you are right. There is no comparison"
"See? You admit it..."
"What you do is much better than what I did"
Nefertiti trembled slightly, then looked at him sideways: "Are you kidding me?"
"Who do you think I am, daughter?"
"What does that have to do with…"
"Just answer"
Nefertiti was clearly confused and perhaps angry, but she obeyed her father anyway: "You are the one who saved the world. The one who united animals and stopped human madness, giving everyone a bright future. That's what everyone knows."
"Bright future everyone, huh?" Sobek said. "And from the point of view of these weapons, however, who am I?"
If Nefertiti was confused before, now she was clearly unable to understand what her father was saying. "What?"
Sobek pointed to the bomber ahead of them. "Look at this weapon. Who am I from its point of view?"
"Um… I don't think guns have one" Nefertiti replied, who by her expression seemed to be wondering if her father hadn't suddenly gone senile.
"They didn't, but the people who used them did" Sobek said. "This is a two-seat bomber. There were at least two people aboard, possibly even more. Judging by the marks on its side, it was hit in the air. And from the bump it was probably my tail while I was using [Ultimate Mutation]. The people on board probably had survived the collision, condemned to a slow death". The spinosaurus turned his head slightly and pointed to a nearby rifle on display: "The person wielding that weapon was most likely a land unit. Its owner could be anywhere now. One of my subordinates could have killed them, just as I could have killed them". He turned his head again and stared at the blade of an old helicopter: "Even that probably had three or four people on board. If only the shovel survived, and was broken in several places to boot, it probably fell from the sky. Again, it may have been me who shot them down. Now tell me, to these people, who am I?"
Nefertiti thought about it for a moment, and she found herself unable to come up with an answer. She didn't understand what her father meant.
Sobek waited for a moment, then he kept talking. "I am not a hero, Nefertiti. I am a murderer. I never had any qualms about killing and manipulating my enemies… and very few of them deserved it"
"Yes, but this was for the greater good…"
"And how many people have to die 'for the greater good'? Hundreds? Thousands? One million? What is the yardstick?" Sobek sighed deeply. "My actions have not led to a united and happy world. Your Aunt Jocelyne is responsible for this much more than me. What I did was be a weapon. I came to this world with a mission to undo the damage mankind has done and I have never had any qualms about killing anyone in my way. I have never spared any of the soldiers in enemy armies… though they would have probably surrendered. With these actions, very often I have only intensified the hatred towards me, and your uncles have taken care of remedying it. Al, Jocelyne, Old Li… they were the ones who forged a bright future. I just laid the groundwork and for the rest I did nothing but kill". The spinosaurus lowered his head slightly, staring at the ground. "I am no hero, Nefertiti. I am a monster. It doesn't matter whether I was forced to fight this war or whether my actions helped create a wonderful future, my hands will always be covered in blood. And there is no justification for this. Those who wielded these weapons hated me and were right to… and their families probably still hate me to this day and I can't blame them. It's not you who has no right to bless this place... it's me"
Nefertiti was staring at him with wide eyes. It was the first time she had heard her father talk like that. "I… I don't think you're a monster, dad"
"Which makes me happy, but that doesn't change who I am. And above all, it doesn't change the fact that I cannot give my blessing to this museum" Sobek said. "Your Uncle Pierce built this place as a tribute to those who died in this war, allies and enemies, so they'll never be forgotten. This place is not just a museum, it's a memorial. And I'm the reason why those people or animals died. Therefore I cannot, in good conscience, bless this museum. Tell me, how would you feel if your killer came to officiate at your funeral?"
Nefertiti understood her father's point of view. Actually, it didn't seem like a nice thing at all. "I understand... but that doesn't change that I too have no right to bless this place"
"Yes, instead, Nefertiti. You have it, and you are the only one in this world who thinks differently" Sobek said. "Precisely because you have never fought in this war. Your hands are not stained with blood. But not only that… you are doing your utmost so that the children of these people do not have to see the horrors that their parents and grandparents have seen. You are promoting integration policies and you are inviting everyone, humans and animals, to work together to realize the magnificent dream of exploring the universe. If I just paved the ground, you are the one who is building the whole building, or at least its foundations, and you are doing it with your own strength"
Sobek's paw lifted and rested on Nefertiti's shoulder. The young spinosaurus shivered slightly and looked up, meeting her father's eyes. "Daughter, I know how you feel. I know you feel inferior to me, or your uncles. But you don't have to, because even if you don't know it, you're already better than me" Sobek said. "You are working to bring our two peoples as close as possible, and you are doing it of your own free will. All I did was spill blood, and I didn't do it because I wanted to. Everything I did I did because I had to. This world, which you say I created, I created because circumstances forced me to. If I could have chosen, I would have stayed with the river where I was born and would have stayed with my first herd forever. Instead, you are doing what you are doing because you want to, because you want humans and animals to live forever in harmony, to focus on reaching ever higher heights. Tell me, if you agree to bless this place like Uncle Pierce asked, what will you say?"
Nefertiti bit her lip. "Well… I think I would say we need to use this place to remember what the war cost us and how much we lost, so we don't repeat the mistakes of the past"
Sobek smiled. "I would have talked about remembering the fallen in a glorious way, probably creating a mythicization of them. Instead, you want to invite people to not getting more guns added to this museum" he said with a lot of pride in his voice. "You see? You are really better than me"
The spinosaurus brought his snout to his daughter's forehead, brushing her with it as they did when she was just a small cub. Nefertiti looked annoyed, but she reciprocated the gesture of affection. The whole thing lasted less than ten seconds, then Sobek and his daughter separated and looked into each other's eyes again. "Nefertiti, stop comparing yourself to me" he said. "I lived in a certain historical period, a historical period that I don't wish anyone to repeat. You must not see me as a shadow or an oppressive figure. Ever since you were born, you've done nothing but make me proud of you. Just like your uncle said, you embody everything we've fought for: a future where animals and humans won't fight each other, but work together to achieve goals previously considered impossible. And you chose to go down this path of your own free will, which couldn't make me happier. You are so much more than you think you are, and so much more than I will ever be"
Nefertiti's body shook slightly and Sobek was sure he saw a small tear form in her eyes before she stood up and turned away. "Thanks, Dad" she said in a cracked voice. "I think… I think I'll give this place my blessing. It's Uncle Pierce's will, after all"
Sobek smiled at her. "Then go to him. I don't know when the ceremony will start, but you should be there when it happens"
"Yes… you're right" Nefertiti said, and then she quickly ran away.
Left alone, Sobek stood for a moment looking at the exhibits, feeling the smell of gunpowder in his nostrils again and the sound of explosions in her ears. He didn't know how long he stayed there, but it sure was a long time, as he remembered every single moment he had spent on every battlefield around the world. Then he too got up and went back towards the square.
When he arrived, many animals and humans were already there and were admiring the statues of the leaders who had fought in the great war. Al, Carnopo and Buck seemed particularly proud of that and preened in imitation of the poses in which they were represented. And in the center of the square, on the little pedestal, were Nefertiti and Pierce.
Sobek sat nearby, admiring everything from a distance. After a while, Pierce tapped his paw lightly on the ground. "Pay attention, please!" he exclaimed. "I wanted to thank you all for coming here today. Truly, it warms my heart to see so many of you here. But now, my granddaughter would like to say a few words, so I let her do the talking"
With that said Pierce stepped down from the pedestal and blended into the crowd, going close to Sobek. "Thanks for convincing her" he whispered. Sobek just let out a snort.
Nefertiti stared at the audience before her and was silent for a moment, as if she were weighing her words. Then she spoke: "First of all, I also thank you for coming. I am glad to see that so many people are still paying attention to our past, a past that we must not and cannot forget. Because that's exactly why my uncle built this museum, so we won't forget. But I ask you, what exactly should we not forget? What is the real message that this extraordinary museum wants to convey to us?"
The young spinosaurus stood up to her full height, and then she spoke in a loud voice: "Everything! This is the answer. We must not focus on a small part of our past, we must remember everything! Every single action, every single tear, every single bloodshed, every single mistake! We must not look at the imperial uniforms or the rifles of the old Odaria government with hatred and instead look at the dinosaur weapons with pride! Because this war was not fought by angels and demons! It was not fought by evil people and good people! It was fought by people who were exactly like us! People who put in a different context could have been a good neighbor, a good parent, a friend, a family member, and who instead turned into a war machine due to the intrigues of only a few dozen people! This is what we must remember: how easy it is for the relationships we have built to break and how important it is to keep them firm! Because only in this way will we be able to improve and avoid repeating the mistakes of our ancestors!"
The crowd listened to Nefertiti enraptured, without saying a word, and the young spinosaurus didn't seem willing to stop; her voice rose an octave with each phrase. "This museum exists for the noblest of purposes, to remind us how important it is that we stick together, that we continue to work together, because the alternative is to repeat the atrocities our ancestors suffered! For this we must not forget! We need to remember, and work to have stronger relationships, to trust each other more, to put our differences aside! Let's think of all that we have achieved by working together and think of all that we have lost when we were disunited, and we will have the answer as to why we must not forget! Because as long as we remember that unity is the best way forward, there will be no goal that we will not be able to pursue! And for that, I thank Pierce, for creating this magnificent museum, and I say, may this place stand forever, may it never fall, and may it be a dispenser of wisdom and ensure that we or our descendants will never forget this important lesson, and that what these relics tell will never be repeated!"
The crowd erupted in applause. Buck, Al and Carnopo let out a few roars of approval and even yelled 'that's our niece!'. Jocelyne smiled like a clam and clapped her hands enthusiastically. Nefertiti remained silent for a few seconds, then she looked at her father. When their eyes met, Sobek smiled proudly. Nefertiti waited a few seconds, then she returned that smile.
"Our baby's grown up" Pierce commented with a hint of pride in his voice. Sobek nodded in full agreement.
Pierce would pass away some time later, without any regrets: having now completed the project of a lifetime, he no longer had any reason to live much longer. When this happened, as he had requested, he was embalmed and placed on a pedestal in the center of his museum square. That museum would have been frequented for a long time and both humans and animals would have worked hard to prevent it from getting ruined, protecting it from bad weather and replacing the old trees with new ones. The museum would become such an extremely important place for future generations that it almost became a practice for schools to bring students to visit it at least once so that place could remain true to its purpose and continue to inspire future generations to be best. And believe me, it succeeded in such intent. And Pierce, who would forever dwell on a pedestal as the most important work in the entire museum, couldn't have been happier.