The Book of Josiah - Chapter 23c

Part a is here.
Part b is here.

“The shields - the whole shielding system - it was your idea, you designed it.”

    “You designed it, is it going to work?”
    “What do you want me to tell you?”
    “I want you to tell me that we’ll do it, that we’ll save Luna-city, and ourselves. Ammi will have our child and we will all live happily ever after.”
    Jonah looked down sadly.
    “I wish I could tell you that, but deep down in my heart I know that is not how this story ends.”
    “Yeah, I know. The whole ‘IN THREE HOURS’ business. What was that about?”
    “It’s called prophecy, Josiah.”
    “You’ll excuse me if I don’t immediately accept that as an answer.”
    “I will,” said Jonah, smiling devilishly, “but for the purpose of this conversation let’s just take it as read.”
    “Okay, fine. So how do you get into this whole prophecy gig?”
    “You are chosen, and believe me, it is as much a curse as a blessing. I have been walking the earth for many lifetimes now, but soon it will be time to rest.”
    “If you can’t be more cheerful I might become more sceptical.”
    Jonah laughed again. Somehow, despite the growing patch of red and orange, that signalled the approach of Security, despite the growing image of Luna-city projected at the front of the bridge, somehow they had found calmness. But Josiah knew it was just the eye of the storm.
    “I shall endeavour to be optimistic, at least in conversation.”
    “That’s all I ask.”
    “So Josiah, what do you dream about?”
    “Haven’t we had this discussion before? I have the strangest feeling of déjà vu.”
    “Yes we have but times change and so do dreams.”
    “And is there nothing else to talk about?”
    “Nothing else worth saying - the world is run by dreams, the world is changed by dreamers. One should never cheapen the power of dreams.”
    The power of dreams. Yes, the phrase itself struck a chord within his soul but he could not say why. Power…
    He flicked the third switch. It was a delicate balance - too much plasma all at once and the whole engine could blow, ruining any chance they had of saving the city. Too little and they would not change course in time.
    The first rumblings pulsed through the ship as the starboard thrusters filled with plasma. Everything shook, first gently and then with increasing ferocity until Josiah had to cling to his chair, and was half afraid his teeth would fall out.
    Then the shaking subsided.
    “Well that was exciting,” Jonah said, sitting up and brushing dust from his clothes.
    “Yes but it wasn’t enough, we’ll need more to push us off course.”
    He looked up at the display - Luna-city seemed so close now, he could make out all the different buildings, the roofs, the domes, the towers. Was that Ammi’s hospital? It was hard to say. But this was what he was fighting for, and he would not let it go.

The Book of Josiah - Chapter 22

   The elevators reached the inner sanctum with a satisfied ping.
    The doors slid open gently, revealing rows of silent black guns. Like a machine, the Security forces marched into the room and took up commanding positions, crouching behind steel pews, pointing their guns at their designated targets. Elijah’s guards had scattered too - they were outnumbered two to one but had had time to prepare their barricades. Elijah, however, had not moved an inch. He simply stood behind the altar, silver robes unmoving, an icon of steel - even his eyes were still. He watched and waited.
    Then she made her entrance, her robes the colour of bronze and blood, sweeping behind her like the trail of a comet.
    “Where is he?” Elisha demanded imperiously.
    Josiah hardly dared to breathe. The smallest sound could give him away. Amber too was perfectly still, looking pale and anxious. A thin wooden wall was all that stood between them and a violent death.
    “Where is who, Arch-Lector?” Elijah replied, a quiet smile on his lips.
    Their lives were in Elijah’s hands. Elijah, who had been about to cut off Amber’s ear, who thought he was the messiah! But there had been no other option. At least Elijah wanted him to live. Even so he would probably never leave here alive, he knew that now. But Amber… If it came down to it, he would choose her. ‘And if you have no choice?’ he asked himself, unbidden.
    Josiah put his eye back to the narrow slit in the wall and watched.
    “I am in no mood for games, Lector. Where is Josiah?”
    “I have not seen him.”
    Elisha laughed coldly.
    “You would not wish me to spill blood in the inner sanctum, would you?”
    “Everything with you is about blood,” Elijah retorted harshly, “did you learn nothing from me? All those years I was your master, did you never listen?”
    “I did listen, and I learnt that you are at best misguided, at worst a heretic - ‘For this shall be my blood of the new testament, shed for the remission of sins’.”
    “You quote the book but have not yet discerned its meaning - ‘neither shalt thou stand by the blood of thy neighbour’.”
    “You think you are wise, and yet it is not you that is Arch-Lector. ‘On this day, atonement shall be made for us, to cleanse us of our sins. And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself’.”
    “‘Choose life, so that you and your people may live.’”
    “‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’!”
    “‘Thou shalt not kill’!”
    “Not kill?” asked Elisha, and Josiah could picture her lips twitching, “I think it’s a little late for that.”