The Rise Of Paisello

Parisi was again a beautiful and peaceful planet to live on. Life was good, productive and at last harmonious after the Great War. One hundred years previous the land had been wracked by war, divisions created between rich and poor, society had fallen into disrepair. A treaty had been drawn up between the warring factions, mutually agreeable to all who had survived. A new world would be created, where if you worked hard and contributed to society you would be rewarded. Your merits defined what type of lifestyle you would have and for most this was what they wanted and deserved.

Most of Parisi was covered in large mountain ranges, stretching upwards and outwards like an expanding forest. Large open plains in the valleys below was where they grew food and raised animals to supply everyone with their fair share. In the distance, large forests grew tall and proud, hiding the factories and military bases. In the forests the waste was recycled and used for fuel, creating bio fuel was important for the military and the future of the planet.

The mountains was where they had cut and carved their homes from, producing wonderful large caverns, the separate homes cut into the walls. Ornate carvings adorned the walls of each large cavern, depicting life, wealth and a happy new world they had built. A constant supply of food from the plains was transferred to storage areas to await distribution, materials and goods were also brought from the outside to be sold or traded. This system of caves and caverns was the city; the place they now called home was Bactra the northern city. The southern city was left inhospitable and dangerous after the war, so they used the mountains to rebuild a city that wouldn’t be destroyed.

Out on the plains large crop fields stretched as far as the eye could see, growing anything they could as quickly as possible. Some people tried living outside the mountains but life was easier there. Here you could life a good life but not without sacrifices. Winter was always hard to get through out here but you felt free without too many constraints of city living, so a few made this place their home and worked the fields.
It was to these fields a young, twenty five year old army recruit was returning. He was around five foot ten inches tall with a muscular body formed by the military training, and army standard shaved hair. Paisello was the son of a retired military man, who had finally found his peace in farming the land. Paisello and his father, Herzog, had worked these fields since he was a child, waiting until he was old enough to join the army. Herzog was now in his late fifties, grey hair wisped backwards from a life worn brow, his body still able to work, but aching from the long days. His wife also worked the farm but Madura was not as young or as strong as she had once been. Madura was five years older than Herzog but made an effort every day to make sure her husband had a hearty lunch and to check he was not pushing himself too far. Their love for each other was what made them happy with life; they had each other and a loving son eager to make them proud.

Paisello realized this a long time ago and was glad to make them proud, even if the military was not what he now wanted. He longed to travel and explore this planet and others, discover whatever was out there. His imagination always ran wild when he thought about this and kept him going through training, the insults and abuse from recruits and officers alike, but he still dreamed of a life outside the army. But for now he was on leave before his first mission, it was time to relieve his father of all the hard work and hug his mother. As he ran towards them he thought of the next few days and what the future held in store for him and his family.


Those few days spent with his mother and father, the farm and the long days all seemed to be over quicker each time he returned home. However quick it may have been could not outlast the memories he would take with him on his first mission. As he made his way down the long road from the plains to the forests his thoughts turned to what he would see or discover and what the future held in store for him.
Paisello was following in his father’s footsteps in more way than one, by joining the military was the first and now the same road his father travelled along was his companion for the next few hours.

The road was long and well worn through years of use; it was a symbol of the past and the road to the future, his future. In the distance he could see the forest rising up, standing tall and proud like an army awaiting inspection. It was amongst these forests that the factories and bases had been built, not so much as to hide them but more of a convenience for the recycling of waste. It would be another two hours before Paisello reached the base and reported for orders. So for now he enjoyed the smell of the fields and flowers as they drifted past in the breeze. His thoughts soon turned to those of Triada, his long time friend, fellow recruit and secret love. She was unaware of his feelings toward her, but as long as their friendship stayed strong he would settle for that. Triada was the same age as him, slightly thinner and two inches shorter which he used to tease her about. Triada’s long chestnut brown hair had been cut back to the recommended length, but she looked as good as ever to him. Her parents worked in a shop supplying tools to the farmers and everyday Paisello would find an excuse to go to the shop to see her. Their friendship grew stronger over the years and now they were destined for the same mission. Soon he would reach the base, receive his orders and be on his way to the future, the unknown and perhaps some answers.

Upon reaching the gate house he paused, checked his uniform, reached for his pass and walked over to the bored looking guard. After six hours on duty at the gate the guard had become a little weary of seeing everyone coming back for their mission and the same question, was he going? Paisello started to ask this but the look he received from the guard was enough to tell him he was not. He mumbled his apologies and walked through the gate and onto the base, headed for the briefing hall and his friend.

Inside the hall was several hundred advance army scouts all looking as smart and as similar as each other. Everyone looked excited, this was their first off world mission and the future of civilization depended on them. They all sat and listened intently as three generals in all their medals and glory explained what was expected of them. The advance scouts mission was simple enough; secure the landing zones on Uxmal, the nearest planet to them. Set up a perimeter, base and then explore what the planet had to offer. The resources here were now expected to run out by the end of the century, the long war had bled Parisi dry the alternative was to utilize whatever they could or colonize the new planet. Reports would be sent back each week on the progress, any hope they had to survive now lay in the hands of these scouts.

A previous mission to their moon Dos had revealed nothing but a windy, desolate planet, totally unfertile and inhospitable. Now it was a jumping point to Uxmal for the military. This was where they would be transported to first, collect the equipment they needed and cram into the ships waiting to ferry them to their destination. Hopefully this would be a future for them, a new start, a chance to become a utopian society at last.