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Previously on Farima: Part 1 - Project Maximus, Part 2 - Project Farima, Part 3 - Change of Plans, Part 4 - The Man With No Nation, Part 5 - Secrets Among Friends, Part 6 - The Treaty Writ in Blood

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PART 7 - MASTERSTROKE OF DECEPTION

Khalil walked down the street with the sweet smell of smoke pleasing his nostrils. He cocked his gun - stopped and peered through his sights gauging his surroundings. All of the street lights and business lights were out. The power grid had been offline for months - only floodlights provided visibility...for the fool smart enough to walk beneath it. The cars that weren't already burned out would soon be as militia soldiers of the New American Army followed him at his rear. He looked down at the bodies of the K.W.R. soldiers - their dead bodies brought a peculiar sense of relief to him.

Then Khalil could see the visage of a woman walking toward him through the smoke. A tall woman - unarmed. "Stop right there or I'll shoot!"

It was Acacia. "Khalil, Dr. Oba is downstairs."

Frustrated, Khalil put his hands on his hips as the world of suspended augmented reality melted away around him. "I was just about to engage with more K.W.R. soldiers Acacia." Khalil had become even more obsessed with suspended augmented reality over the past few weeks since their arrival on the island. Part of it was a way to pass the time - but then he enjoyed the pleasure of reliving the Battle of Charlotte too. The week-long urban sprawl that ended the Second Civil War and elevated Khalil to the status of war hero.

"I figured you'd welcome new information about what Natia has been up to." Acacia said. Khalil waved off her defense. "Just let him in."

Khalil stepped down from the S.A.R. Platform. It had been transported from the underground facility and into a massive study lined with books located next to his bedroom. On the fly-in from Manden City, Acacia had thought it wise to create an informant. Turns out she was right, they just needed to find the right member of her team to lean on. Oba was the path of least resistance to the information Khalil needed. One empty threat and Oba sang like all good informants sing. The endgame is all that counts, the way I reach my end has never really mattered to me. People like Dr. Oba can be replaced if it comes to that. I will do anything to protect Endonis and New Manden, this country will be the idyllic, destined utopia of utopias when I am through molding it. Most people don't want to do what it truly takes to protect an envied civilization. If I have to destroy a few lives to further the greater good - so be it. Khalil's mind relaxed and he cracked his neck in anticipation of Dr. Oba's entrance.

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Then there was the problem of the second explosion, the one Khalil didn't authorize or know of. No one was supposed to die, that was not part of the plan. Acacia said she believes someone used the opportunity we gave them as everyone was distracted from the first explosion to plant a much larger device. She has been...odd over the past few days.While he explored the many worlds and realities of the S.A.R. network, he pondered on this peculiarity. Like any good poker player, Khalil knew how to wear a mask. The Director's Council was a masterstroke of deception though. Poor Natia, she will learn the hard way. I used to envision her sitting with me on top of the world - now she must be stopped. What are a few lost lives along the way? She doesn't see it that way, but she will.

Khalil looked up - in walked Acacia. Just behind her, Dr. Oba strode with his short, stubby hands on his belly. The neural engineer looked up in awe of the crystalline capstone roofing that glistened atop the step pyramid and showered the room in a shimmering high noon sun dance. He was sheepish - not able to make direct eye contact with Khalil. "Dr. Mundari, Natia and the rest of the team are headed to the ectogenesis room to augment Ameer's genome as I told you they would."

"Now is the time to move." Acacia said standing next to Khalil.

"Oba, have you engineered the synthetic memory sequences I requested?"

"I have."

"Good. As soon as they're done and they think they've outsmarted me - we move in." It wasn't that Khalil was all that surprised by Natia's secrecy, Khalil taught Natia for years to conceal her intentions and to always say less than required. So when Dr. Oba revealed her plan to him, he was not surprised and actually expected it.

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A celebratory buzz erupted in the ectogenesis room. Natia and her team stood around the long, ovoid pill-shaped capsule that contained the body of Ameer - the first Homo Maximus. Three-dimensional printers lined the interior walls of the capsule. The metallic needles could be seen running on horizontal and vertical tracks as they put the final layer on Ameer's dark brown photosynthetic epidermis.

An A.R. display to the side read: 91% complete.

"You did it Natia. The gene splicing technique is successful. Ameer now has genes that code for optimism, empathy, love. He has the traits of people who study and honor the past, have strong beliefs in reason and are hyper-inquisitive. Every gene has been given enhancers to maximize their expression. I don't think I even want to know where Endonis got these genes from. This genomic library is massive!" Araba said as she scrolled through screens on the A.R. display.

"No we did this Araba." Natia looked around at the group of scientists. At Alicia, Michael and Araba - all beaming with reserved joy. "We all did it."

"Has anyone seen Dr. Oba?" Alicia asked.

"You might want to look behind you Alicia." A familiar voice said.

Natia, Araba, Michael and Alicia turned around and saw Khalil, Acacia and Dr. Oba standing by the door. The trio had entered in completely undetected. Khalil's eyes were fixed on Natia's mahogany brown pupils. Khalil was taken aback by her seeming lack of shock at being caught in the act. He saw her eyes dart back and forth between he and Dr. Oba. Khalil could almost see the gears shifting in her head.

"Now why might you guys be so cheerful right now I wonder?" Khalil's dark smile hid an even darker mind.

No one spoke. Then Natia stepped forward, "seems you already know. Hello Dr. Oba, we were wondering where you were...now we know."

"I told you guys this was a bad idea." Dr. Oba said.

"I will have you all know that you will be banned from the Endonis Collective when this project is complete. You'll be lucky to get a job at the local aquarium testing fish water when Acacia here gets through destroying your reputations." Khalil spoke as if he were spitting filth out of his mouth.

Shock and disbelief rang out. Natia stepped to Khalil. "No, no - don't blame them. Blame me. If you want to ruin any careers, ruin my own. Leave them out of it."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, you're too important Natia. But them - they're a means to an end."

Dr. Beverly crossed in front of Natia. "I don't give a crap what you did in the Second Civil War, I will not be disrespected like that!"

"Don't forget where you are Michael. I brought you to this island and I can keep you here." Khalil's eyes bore into Michael's and began turning red with anger.

"What did you just say to me?"

Natia put her hands on Michael's shoulders and gently moved him to the side. "Khalil, tell me what I have to do to keep them in the Collective."

Khalil stepped back and looked over at Acacia who watched them silently. She nodded. Khalil stroked his beard and motioned Natia towards the sliding glass double-door. "I have an idea."

Khalil and Natia exited the room as Acacia kept watch of the group inside.

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It was a sunny afternoon. Khalil and Natia passed the occasional C.O.M.M. sentry tower as they made their way down a winding path lined with palm trees.

"Natia I'm going to say this the only way I know how. If you don't want your friends to lose their place in the Collective - because that will surely happen if I alert the Director's Council to your plot - then you must get onboard with what I want." Khalil and Natia walked side-by-side towards the beach. "Dr. Oba has created for me a series of memories based off of my own from the Second Civil War...specifically the Battle of Charlotte."

"Let me guess, you want to upload these memories into Ameer's mind."

"Precisely. You see, great minds really do think alike."

"My mind and your mind are on two completely separate wavelengths Khalil."

"Maybe, but our cause has always been just. Our goal for an idyllic society -"

Natia cut him off, " - That's not my goal Khalil and never was!" She stopped. "You're ready to cut off some of the best scientists in all of New Manden because your ego was hurt! You co-opt Project Maximus and turn it into Project Farima, you bring us to this island, you limit our communication with friends and family, you turn Oba against us, you threaten to extra-judicially imprison Michael! Oh, let's not forget you showed me the death of my parents without telling me after lying to me about a module. The only reason I'm having this conversation with you is because I value my team more than my career. Not all of us are willing to destroy lives to elevate ourselves. So I don't have to listen to any of this."

"Well you will, because I'm not done talking yet. And as long as I control your team, you will listen to my every word and take heed. I can call the Director's Council now if you want."

Natia, feeling powerless felt a mixture of anger and sudden grief well up inside her. "I thought you stood for something. Wasn't that what the Second Civil War was all about?!"

"I used to stand for a lot. I used to be like you Natia. Idealistic to a damn fault thinking I could change minds by using reason and logic. Then the world shattered that vision into a thousand pieces. New Manden wasn't born out of reason, it was born out of warfare! It will be maintained through warfare! We are one of the most powerful nations on this planet in part thanks to me, so I know what it will take to secure us. I know the mind of the enemy we face. Remember I was there Natia, I was there with your father at the Battle of Charlotte when we stormed the Charlotte internment camp - the largest camp in the south-east."

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Charlotte, North Carolina - 2030 - 22 Years Ago

Khalil lowered the K.W.R. flag from the tower of the Charlotte camp. After days of fighting, the terror center was finally liberated. Khalil could see his Turtle Walker with its menacing height outside the camp facility. Thousands of bodies laid sprayed out across the battlefield. More K.W.R. soldiers than Khalil's men.

He was not born a military man, hadn't even enlisted. Like everyone he fought with, he was called to serve not his country...but his people. The New American Army was a ragtag group of regular Americans who'd rather be building homes, fixing cars - hell a few would quietly go back to flipping burgers over fighting the K.W.R. Khalil had just received his doctorate in robotics when the internment camps were exposed and civil unrest followed. Unrest that was followed by a predictable over-reaction from the State as its puppet leader fought to stamp out the days of record protest. It didn't work, the repression of the State only made people more and more mad. It wasn't long before elements within the military and deep state began taking sides. Leaders rose on both sides like the brother and sister Malina and Akibo Hasalan who would found the New American Army and Cosmo Callistan who formed the Knights of the White Rose.

Khalil walked around the camp - the atrocities he witnessed would forever be etched into his memory. The dead bodies of black and white democratic-socialists filled several massive graves. Khalil stood at the edge of a deep pit, wondering if there was anyone he knew down there. Anyone he ate with, drank with...made love to. Suddenly Maurice Greenheart walked up behind him and placed his hand on Khalil's shoulder.

"It'll get better." Maurice tried to comfort his ally. "With that T-Walker I don't think the K.W.R. will continue to fight. Look around you Khalil, we just laid waste to an entire brigade. There were five hundred of us and four thousand of them - and early count has our losses at one hundred! I'd say this was a massive blow to Cosmo Callistan."

"You have a family Maurice. A loving wife and a smart daughter. My family was taken from me. I can't help but to think my wife and children are in a ditch like this somewhere." Khalil fought the tears back - he couldn't be seen as weak in front of his men. "This is evil Maurice, pure evil...and evil must be destroyed. One way or another."

"Let us first see if they come to the negotiating table...hm." Maurice, tired of war, dreamt of home. Dreams of his bed and his woman kept him going, but Khalil could see cracks in his resolve forming.

"Even if they do surrender, that will not weaken my resolve. I will forever be their mortal enemy."

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Present

"If you could just see it Natia - smell it. The stench from countless corpses of our people. Killed by the K.W.R. simply because they wanted a better life and dignity. My outlook on the world changed that day." He turned to face her and look Natia in the eyes. "Then I found you, after Maurice and your mother was killed...you gave me hope. You've always given me hope Natia. Even though I know I can be difficult to be around at times."

Natia put her head down. He knew exactly what to say, he always knew how to press her buttons and exploit her weaknesses. "I will be on the same page with you Khalil regarding the artificial memories Oba has designed. I just need your word that my team will not be exposed."

"You have my word Natia which is stronger than a carbon-carbon bond." A wide grin stretched across his face. "There's something else I have to tell you Natia...something I didn't mention to the whole team when we first got here."

Natia's eyes thinned and Khalil could only imagine what she might have been thinking.

"You know how I was supposed to destroy the two T-Walkers I built during the war after the signing of the treaty?" He waited for Natia to nod. "Well I didn't. Both of the original Turtle mechs are thirteen hundred feet beneath us right now in a pressurized oceanic chamber - along with the Farima."

Natia's eyes bulged and she threw her hands up in disbelief. "You have illegal weapons hidden here! Oh Khalil this is classic. I think you might be a little mad with power. Does Acacia know about this?"

"No she doesn't - and I want you to make sure it stays that way. You think I was going to destroy the one thing our enemies fear the most? Heck no!" Suddenly Khalil leaned to the side to look past Natia. In the bushes, he saw an android - skinless - standing with a weapon. He leapt back and screamed for a gun. Natia quickly turned - and saw nothing.

"You don't see that android standing in behind you with a weapon!?!" Khalil's eyes bulged and twitched. "You're not taking me now! Not today!"

Natia ran over to Khalil and slapped him in the face. As she did, three C.O.M.M. soldiers rushed over to them MX-87 plasma rifles drawn. "Khalil get ahold of yourself...what in the world are you babbling about? There's nothing in the bushes!"

Khalil turned away from Natia - still stunned she'd just slapped the mess out of him - and looked at the same area he'd just seen an android. Only now nothing was there and the C.O.M.M. soldiers stood staring at Khalil in confusion.

Crap! He's hallucinating now - becoming delusional. Likely due to overuse of S.A.R. Natia waved off the C.O.M.M. soldiers, "nothing to see here guys. Thanks for the quick reaction time though."

The soldiers left - looking back several times as they disappeared around a corner.

"Get it together Khalil! You're mind is telling you things are there that aren't. If you don't stop using S.A.R. as much as you do, you won't be able to tell the difference between reality and augmented reality."

"I'm fine...just...just leave me to myself. I just need a warm shower and some rest." Khalil took a step back, his eyes still watching the bushes in paranoia, he turned and walked away. He didn't want pity, and he didn't care whether or not people agreed with his methods. He cared only for the survival of Endonis and New Manden and to not be a victim at the bottom of a pile of dead bodies in a ditch. The rest of the world be damned.

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WORDS FROM THE AUTHOR:

"It has been a joy writing this series and it's only just beginning! I have a lot planned for this world and want to take everyone on Steemit along for the ride. There are many more chapters to come. This one was long because there was a lot I had to set up. With your support, I can continue to flesh out this cool new world set in a fictional nation in the Not-Too-Distant Future.

Farima is an afro-futurist story you don't want to miss!

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