The Winston Chronicles
Introductory Lore to the Second Pillar of the FlavorVerse: 2184
My name is Winston O’brien, it’s January 21st, 2183.
I was promoted to a 4-star Blue Stripe a few months back. Coming from the Slums, most would say that’s quite an achievement.
I work in Herbalism, a botanist. In charge of a large collection of genetically modified plants STARS use to create new medicine or fuel some power weapon they want to build next.
Been working in this branch just over 30 years. Waking up every morning, eating the same breakfast, smoking the same cigarette, doing work for a government who uses fear to make sure I fall in line. And I’m one of the lucky ones.
I’ve been lucky enough to be around some amazing minds, amazing people who weren’t satisfied with the way STARS runs this city.
Alexa Jackson was one of those people.
The best Remunerator of all time, if you ask me. She taught me how to read, taught me some basic math, but above all else, she taught me to stay optimistic. A kid living in the slums? Nobody else fought against STARS the way she did.
We should have seen her disappearance coming.
They say she left on her own accord, leaving the Precinct, saying she could live in the wilderness outside the walls, but I know she cared far too much about helping the people inside the walls break free from these heavy chains that weigh us all down to the ground.
I worked under her for years, she helped me become a Blue Stripe. I know better than to think she disappeared.
STARS killed Alexa Jackson.
And in her wake, I became part of a group to continue her message from behind the scenes, executing each step of her master blueprint to take down STARS once and for all. We called ourselves The Rebellion.
The Slums are the last zone the Food Trucks visit on their deliveries, and only have bits and scraps that we were supposed to just make due with. Lead me to create the Omni-fruit, here in this backyard. A cup of dark blue berries, all the nutrients you needed every 2 days. An actual solve to end the issue of hunger in the Precinct.
When STARS found out about the Omni-fruit, they decided to take my plants, and start producing more of them, and put a high price tag on them that only the wealthy could afford.
That’s the moment I thought about when I got asked to lead the execution of a plan laid out by Alexa Jackson.
The plan involved a high amount of death and destruction, and I’d be the one who presses that big red button. If a success, the Precinct would be completely free of big brother STARS.
Is the death of thousands of innocent citizens worth saving the people of the Precinct from a totalitarian government?
Alexa Jackson seemed to think so, but it goes against everything I thought she stood for. But if there was no other way, no other possible outcome?
People deserve to live, not just exist.
It’s a heavy toll to pay, and I’m the one who’s going to be signing the check.
