The resistance on the ground floor wasn’t too bad and they worked their way to the stairwell quickly. Along the way, they had found only a small number of troops. They made their way through the corridors and down to the large area serving as the computer core of the building. It was filled with servers and computers from wall to wall.
The group of soldiers immediately found specific terminals and started setting up physical interfaces to the packs they carried. The satellite feeds to the base had dropped and their first job would be determining if that was due to the unnatural disaster or tampering. Once that was done, they would need to pull the logs to see if it had been accessed. The process was going smoothly so far.
The troops not working on the computers were sweeping the room. “Sir,” yelled one of the troops to the Corporal, “We have a situation. There are explosives over here with what looks like a remote trigger.”
“More over here,” said another soldier.
“Everyone out! It’s a trap!” yelled the Corporal.
They left their equipment behind and headed for the door. They found the heavy steel security door locked. They tried to get it open via the console and even weapons fire but no effect.
“Fuck,” said the corporal. “We're trapped in here. This room is heavily reinforced. Keep the data probes going. If we make it out, we'll want the data. If we don't then maybe one of them will be salvageable.”
#
The Vanguard worked their way down the main corridor of the first floor winding their way to the command center.
“This floor is too quiet. Outside this building is a firestorm but other than one attempted ambush, there has been nothing. I don’t like it,” William said.
“Agreed, sir. This doesn’t feel right,” said Corporal Jameson.
“Corporal in case you hadn’t noticed we don’t really pay attention to ranks and titles. What’s your first name?” William asked him.
“Michael, sir,” replied Corporal Jameson.
“Okay, Michael it is,” William told him.
Sebastian stopped and stood along one side of a door and William flanked the other. They looked at each other and nodded. Sebastian turned to face the door, kicked it open then turned back along the wall. It was just another empty room.
“Where is everyone? This building was too heavily guarded for it to be this empty,” Chelsea remarked.
They passed a large conference room and repeated the process. This time William kicked the door down, but the room wasn’t empty. Inside the large conference room were numerous beds separated by partitions. Each of them had a young woman chained to it. The women were mostly nude though a few had a few scraps of torn clothing they clung to. They all seemed very much afraid and some were crying. Most showed injuries, some of them bordering on severe and looked to have been beaten.
“I’m going to kill every god damned member of the ALF I find and when we find Elam I’m personally going to neuter him with a hammer,” Chelsea said, the anger in her voice obvious though she was doing her best to control her rage.
Boudicca was quiet. She just stood staring at the room, her fists clenched. “Where is this control room you are seeking,” she said with quiet rage in her voice.
“Boudicca, calm down. I know this is a personal issue to you after what happened to your daughters but…” started William but she turned a stared at him and he stopped.
“What do you know? What do you know about the pain of seeing your own daughters raped and murdered by soldiers? Looks at these girls. They are barely more than children and have been savaged and beaten. Tell me. What do you know of how I feel? WHAT DO YOU KNOW OF HOW THEY FEEL?” she screamed at him.
“Boudicca, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to…I was just trying…I’m sorry,” William said.
Nefertiti put her hand on Boudicca’s shoulder. “He’s not the enemy here. Remember who the real enemy is. He was just trying to be empathetic. His heart was in the right place even if his words were not. Come on, old friend. Let’s see if we can help these girls.”
“GloCom this is Lord Marshall Sebastian. We need multiple medical teams to the C&C building immediately, ground floor, conference room 11B. We have approximately 20 female victims of what looks to be rape and violent assault. Please send medical support immediately,” Sebastian said over the comm.
“Acknowledged, Lord Marshall. Medical teams are stretched thin. Are any of them critically injured?” the comm officer asked.
“No, but they’re barely in their teens for the most part. Please ask them to prioritize this. These are civilians and need our help,” Sebastian told him.
“Acknowledged. We’ll get med teams there as quickly as we can,” the comm officer replied.
“Lord Marshall Sebastian out,” he replied.
Sebastian walked into the room and approached one of the older girls.
“I’m here to help. You’re safe now,” he said.
The girl replied in Japanese and seemed to be frightened and wanting to run but the chain was too short.
Sebastian said something back to her in Japanese and the two spoke for a moment. Many of the other girls were also talking and crying and he was doing his best to calm them.
Boudicca cast a language spell on herself and walked in the room beside Sebastian. She started talking to them in their language and they seemed calmer. “Sebastian, go on. I’ll stay with them. I’m sure you can understand why but you’re making them scared. They’ve been through a lot and right now they need a mother’s help. Go. I’ll help the ones with the most injuries, at least physical injuries. Their pain is going to run much deeper and take longer to heal. Nefertiti, would you stay with me as well please?”
“I will. Sebastian, when you find Elam, make it hurt. Make his suffering legendary,” she told him.
“Thank you both. I’ll keep an open channel. Should either of you need anything call me immediately,” Sebastian told him.
“These people have no limits. Those girls are practically children. There are no words for the rage I feel right now,” said Chelsea.
“We all feel that way,” said William. “I just hope the bastard in charge is here. He will be held accountable.”
“The command center isn’t far. It’s just up the hallway,” said Michael.
“You’ve been quiet, Michael,” William said.
“I am just trying to keep myself under control. I have two sisters. One is about the age of those girls. I’m just trying to keep my mind from straying into a what if it had been my sisters kind of direction. I have to maintain control,” he replied.
“Those girls are in good hands. Boudicca and Nefertiti will help them and keep them safe until med teams can get here. With the fight outside winding down hopefully medical help will be here soon,” Sebastian said.
“We don’t really have medical teams trained for that. Our people are combat medics and battlefield surgeons. They need someone trained for their situation,” Michael told them.
“I know. That’s why Boudicca and Nefertiti are important. They’ll provide the emotional support needed, or at least as much as possible,” Sebastian said.
“When did you learn to speak Japanese? It’s not in any of your files,” said William.
“I don’t speak Japanese,” said Sebastian.
“You were speaking Japanese. I know a few phrases and recognize it. You spoke to those girls in Japanese for quite a while,” Michael said.
“Are you drunk? He spoke English to them,” Chelsea said.
“We don’t have time to argue. You have a channel open to Boudicca and Nefertiti, ask them. How the Hell can you speak a language and not know you were speaking it?” Michael said.
“Michael, you’re gonna learn something. Don’t ask these two questions like that. Just accept it and move on,” William told him.
“You’re right, William. We have a more important goal right now than linguistic debate,” Michael said in German.
“At least you’re talking sense
now,” replied Chelsea in German.
“You don’t even know you’re doing it, do you?” asked William.
“Doing what?” asked Sebastian.
“Just now. I said something in German and you replied in German,” Michael said.
“That doesn’t make any sense. If I could speak Japanese and Chelsea could speak German I would know,” said Sebastian.
“Sebastian, Chelsea, you did indeed speak a different language. Remember your wedding,” said Boudicca’s voice over the comm.
“How did you know what we were talking about?” asked Chelsea.
“You left this communication device active, remember,” said Boudicca.
“Oh, yea,” Chelsea replied.
“Our wedding? What does that have to do with anything…oh…the gifts…that makes sense now,” said Sebastian as the memory gelled into place.
“Can you fill us in?” said William.
“As Arthur and Guinevere, when we were married, three of the Masters placed a spell on us that would allow us to speak any language. We learned the spell and it became almost innate. As more of our memories return, I guess those kinds of things are returning as well,” Chelsea said.
William seemed surprised. “Boudicca actually has to cast a spell to do that. How do you do it on the fly like that?”
Chelsea just shrugged and continued down the hallway.
Sebastian looked back at William. “What she said.”
The Vanguard approached the command center. The door was closed and opened of its own accord. General Elam was on the other side of the room with his back to the door.
“Ah, the Vanguard arrives,” said Elam.
The group looked at each other.
“Yes, I knew you were coming. You took longer than I expected. I do NOT like to be kept waiting,” Elam told them.
Sebastian drew his blade and walked towards the man who still had his back towards him.
“We can't have that. Skipping the parley will take all the enjoyment out of this. I do love to hear myself talk and I have gone to great lengths to arrange this meeting,” Elam told them though he was still not looking at them.
“I have a bargain for you. Several of your friends in GloCom are currently locked in the server room. The room is well secured. It's designed to withstand an assault force. The room is heavily loaded with high explosives, enough to take down this building. The attractive Masters in the toy room are likewise sitting on a store of explosives hidden beneath the floor. Don't bother trying to warn them. A jamming field just went up that will interfere with your communicators and if any of you try to leave, then the explosives in both locations detonate.” the man told them.
“How exactly is that a bargain?” asked Chelsea.
“Guinevere, I'm pleased you came. I was afraid I would only get to kill one of you but to kill you both will make Mordred very happy,” he said.
The four of them entered the room and started spreading out.
“Oh, how utterly boring. You're trying to flank me. I told you I WANT TO TALK!” he yelled, and a wave of force poured over the four of them and knocked them into the wall behind them. Sebastian and Chelsea maintained their balance while William and Michael were knocked to the ground.
“Oh, look. You're stronger than you were the first time we met. This is good. It will make this less boring. Now, onto my bargain, if you would STOP interrupting me. A wise man once said true knowledge exists in knowing you know nothing. That makes the four of you wise indeed.”
“Let me tell you a story. I would listen if I were you. Antagonize me again and I'll blow the explosives. The Masters might survive. Arthur and Guinevere, you might survive. You may be strong enough by now. Everyone else though, they'll die. The soldiers. The toys. Your friends. Dead. Do you want to hear my story?”
“How do you know us?” asked Sebastian.
“That’s the fun part. Just under three thousand years ago a wise man met a witch. This witch played the doe-eyed student well, but he was wiser than she. He played his part and answered her questions, but he saw through the ruse. He was curious though. Why would someone as powerful as she was pretend to be something else?” Elam asked rhetorically then continued his monologue.
“She asked many questions but was especially interested in his knowledge of Atlantis. How did he get that knowledge? Ah, but he never told her. She never knew of the drebs. They have always been here. They are older and wiser than any human. They gave him knowledge and taught him to harness his power.”
“He wandered for many years being guided and taught by them. His power grew. They asked him for nothing but to wait. They said he would play an important part in a future event but never what that event was. Centuries passed. They told him to go to the Britons where he met the witch again. She had a child. Teach the child in secret that which they had taught him. That was their only order.”
“They had given him much and never asked for anything in return, so he did this favor for them. He taught the child and he became powerful. The child's power grew faster than expected and soon the student was the teacher. His well never ran dry. It was his mother's gift they told the man. They said to help him as needed. Not with magic, but with knowledge. So, the man did. He kept him safe. He kept him safe from those who would harm him.”
“You mentioned a bargain,” said William.
“My bargain is simple. In about 7 minutes, it would have been longer, but you waste so much time, the explosives will detonate and the only way to stop them is to kill me. They are tied to a magical trigger that is connected to my life. It cannot be stopped if my life continues. Kill me, they live. Fail to kill me, everyone dies. Every beat of my heart brings them one tick closer to death. It’s really a beautiful thing. My life equals their death. My death equals their life. How many lives is one Master worth? There is more to my story first though.”
The man drew a pistol and started firing at the pair. What shots they didn’t dodge were handled by their armor. The old Greek drew two swords with arcs of silver energy racing over the blades and readied himself. Sebastian and Chelsea drew their own blades bathed in blue flames.
“William, Michael, shut down this traitor’s bombs remotely if possible and open up that server room to get our people out,” Sebastian ordered.
William and Michael headed to consoles. Elam fired a bolt of electricity at them, but Sebastian intercepted it and deflected the bolt into a wall.
“Your power is more than they anticipated. No matter. I taught the child much, but he taught me more,” Elam said as he charged at the two of them.
The three of them fought in the command center. The room was lined with computer terminals and stations where normally dozens of people would be working to coordinate the vast machine of GloCom but now it was empty other than those five. Fire and electricity flashed between the three in combat.
Elam was much faster and more highly skilled than one would expect a man showing his pronounced age should be. He moved with the physical prowess of a man in his prime and had the fighting skills of a master of not only magic but of swordplay and fighting.
Sebastian and Chelsea were holding their own against him. They worked very well in tandem but had never faced someone of his skill and power. The man moved with magically augmented abilities and was using spells faster than they had seen. As the trio danced around the experience and power of the man was showing.
“You're Alexander!” said Chelsea. “This is all about some drebs' desire for power. They're still bitter their rebellion failed.”
The man laughed loudly at that. “Alexander? No, I am not that brutish buffoon, dear Guinevere, but you are close. Only a member of Merlin's council would have the knowledge to keep the child safe. Eight sat at the table. Back to my story now,” he said as he continued to swing his blades and fire spells at the pair. Sebastian and Chelsea were starting to tire. They had managed to block most of his attacks, but they couldn’t keep it up.
The group continued their m
elee and Elam spun around catching Chelsea across her right leg with one blade and her left arm with the other. She went down to one knee. Sebastian jumped between Elam and Chelsea and blocked the man’s next attack her but caught a lightning bolt to the chest for it.
“They didn't betray Atlantis. There was no rebellion. When Atlantis betrayed them, they fought back and were slaughtered for it. They only wanted to be treated as equals and instead were subjugated and treated as lesser beings.”
“That's a lie. The drebs were hungry for power. They launched a sneak attack during a peaceful celebration. They slaughtered families. The murdered children. They killed without regard in their thirst for power and their betrayal. THEY WERE MY FRIENDS AND THEY BETRAYED ME!” yelled Sebastian as his eyes turned yellow like on the dropship.
“And how would you know? What do you mean they betrayed you?” the man asked. “You were born ten thousand years after the fall of Atlantis, Arthur.”
Sebastian started walking towards him.
Chelsea stood up and started walking towards him, her eyes the same yellow. “We were there. I watched my people die. I watched the land collapsing as the magic of the dragons destroyed the island when it fell to the betrayers. I felt the rage and sadness of Asala, daughter of the great dragon Absillion, at the betrayal of his children. We were all their children. I felt Asala's pain and my husband felt her pain as she merged her soul with ours and blessed us with eternal rebirth to guard the fey. To guard their children.”
Sebastian raised his hand and made a motion and Elam’s face changed to that of Socrates. “How do you...who are you?” Socrates said as he was backing away from them.
“I am Baldric. I am the last king of Atlantis and she is Malka, my queen,” Sebastian told him.
The two continued to walk towards him, their hands becoming engulfed in blue flame. Chelsea fired a blast of blue fire that Socrates tried to block but only managed to slightly deflect it. It caught him in the side. He screamed in pain continued to back away.
The Vanguard Page 16