by J M Guillen
I decided that, perhaps, I did want to pass out after all.
5
Alpha, Rachel linked. Respond, if you can.
Yup. Blearily, I opened my eyes. Less than two meters away from me, lay the remnants of a giant frog corpse.
It smelled… unique.
Another moment’s investigation proved that more than the corpse emitted a unique olfactory experience. The back of my suit and slacks were soaked in a dark slime that seemed to be mostly mutant tadpole remains.
Ugh. The Designate-creature must have smashed me into the corpse of the other aberration at some point. I didn’t recall. I knew one thing for certain, however.
I would never live down this smell.
Alright, so we’re all on this link. We’re safe for the moment, I think, Rachel reported.
We’ve been ‘safe’ three times now, Wyatt complained. Little shits keep getting to us.
In the near distance, I heard several Groooaks echo through the passage. I pushed myself up and tried to see if any lurked close by. When I triggered my optics, I peered into the shadows. If any remained near me, I didn’t see them.
I’m clear here.
Not near status green, Hoss.
Bishop, you’re pretty messed up. Delacruz frowned and I felt it. I’d love to come save your happy ass, but it seems as if the Gatekeeper has been uncoupled.
Yeah. I pushed myself up a bit and tried to get a glimpse of my ruined leg. I couldn’t roll far without placing weight on it, and the pool of blood it lay in spread far wider than I liked.
However, I didn’t seem to be bleeding heavily now.
Rachel got me fixed up. I mean, I’m not bleeding, and I don’t hurt.
You also can’t walk so don’t try. In fact, if you want the best results, I need a bit of help. I felt her anger, but it didn’t feel directed at me, which was a good thing.
Whatever it takes, Doc. I sent my most charming smile.
I need you to try and hold the muscle together until mecha can begin protein sequencing. Sending a patch to explain.
I twitched just a bit as it hit my Crown. In my mind, just as if I’d always known it, were detailed instructions on the best way to shove my leg back together.
I grimaced as I began.
Bishop, what the fuck? How did that asshole uncouple the Gatekeeper?
He got the Adept too, Rachel informed Wyatt. Just shut them both down.
I don’t know. I grunted with pain as I attempted to drag myself upright while I held my leg together. Of course, wherever I went, the tadpole-guts stench followed, a problem I’d rather not admit to my cadre.
According to your patch, the Designate retained the capability to link, along with his proficiency with our packets, Anya linked. This is impossible. A Designate requires the Lattice for those things, and this Designate was most assuredly adrift.
I don’t know, Anya. I gave a tiny shrug. But this answers some questions. Whatever the Darkened Road does to our neuralware, the rogue Designate certainly taught it to them.
That Designate’s capabilities are truly troubling, Anya continued.
Well, they were. I smirked as best as I could through the pain. He’s dead now.
I bet that’s a story, Wyatt prompted.
For later, perhaps, Anya stalled.
Nope. I’ve learned my lesson. I gazed down at my leg and tried to sit up without too much pain. If there is a rule about splitting the party, then there needs to be one about sharing information. Delete that patch I sent you; I’ll send another.
It took next to no time to assemble the new patch; I simply added onto the one I’d already sent. This time I included everything I thought they could possibly need to know, including the phaneric record of my fight with the Designate’s toady suit.
Except for the pain. I edited out my sensations as best I could.
It’s those masks, Delacruz realized. That’s why Amir and Isabella looked differently than the first times you saw them.
Right. I glanced over at the mask lying a meter away from me. I have this one here. I imagine that our Designates would appreciate me bringing it back.
Especially if the rogue personality is somehow in that thing. Wyatt shuddered.
We’ve got some new challenges to deal with, Rachel linked. First off, I don’t know if you’ve considered it, but without the Gatekeeper, we’re walking out of here.
You guys, maybe. I bit my tongue as I prodded my quadriceps into place.
Dammit, Hoss, ow! Wyatt grumbled the link. We feel that shit.
Shit. Sorry. I sighed. Doctor’s orders.
It’s okay, Bishop. That’s much better, Rachel linked to me alone.
If the Gatekeeper remained coupled, there’s no problem here, Delacruz linked. When we stepped off the elevator, I fired a quarrel into that hallway. If you could fish-flop your way over to it, I could bring you to us.
How…? I let the link trail off as I realized what part of the problem might be. How far away are you guys?
These tunnels are vast, Michael. The aberrations continued to pursue us through the city passages.
I’ve got your latent signal almost a quarter kilometer away from us, Alpha, Rachel apologized. We didn’t mean to get so far afield.
You’re all alive. I nodded through the link. If that’s what it took, then I’d say you did great.
Thing is, Rachel continued, I have some small experience soft syncing the Gatekeeper.
Ha! I laughed out loud as well as over the link. You do, do you?
There was this guy. It happened once. I felt her smile. He meant nothing. Honest.
So that’s it then. Soft sync the Gatekeeper, and let’s get back together.
You may remember this takes a little time, Rachel stated. I have a Lattice connection, so it’ll be easier than last time.
But not instant. I sighed. Could nothing be easy?
Furthermore, one of our cadre is crippled and alone. Anya picked up the thread. There are dozens of those aberrations in the hallways.
You guys sound suspiciously as if you’ve thought all this through. I intended to add a wry smile to the end of my link.
“Groak, Groooooak.”
The sound stopped me in midthought. It didn’t seem to be that far away. I ground my teeth.
We have, Hoss. I felt Wyatt’s weariness. Here’s the scoop. Delacruz should stay put. Rachel should stay put. The soft sync will go more quickly if the two remain in close contact.
Okay. I narrowed my eyes. I had the distinct impression they were steering me.
I should stay put, he continued. We’re in a passageway, bordered on both ends by stasis fields. I’m the only one who can remove them.
Well, Delacruz interrupted. Plus if you leave others behind and get killed, then the others probably die by default.
We could perhaps get Stone to allocate a sweeper team. I felt him point. But it’s dangerous.
Meanwhile, we have an Asset down, Anya continued. He is wounded and can scarcely move. He is in hostile territory and surrounded by aberrations.
It’s fine. I waved a hand, airily. I’m sure I’ll be just great.
Yet, in the depths of my stomach, I felt no such thing.
This situation leaves one Asset who could possibly come to retrieve you, she clarified.
No, I vehemently linked. Absolutely fucking not.
“Groak, GrOOOOOOak,” some frog gurgled in the darkness.
I ignored its opinion.
It’s really the best option, Rachel linked.
No. It’s not. I leaned against the cool stone. The best option is that the Preceptor remains safe. She’s the best choice to deal with the Variance in Rationality. If Froggy gets her while she’s trying to save my ass, then the objective is all but lost.
Shit. Wyatt ran his fingers across his shaved pate. I forgot about the Variance.
Right, so… I paused and peered into the darkness. Had I seen movement?
Maybe.
Here’s the best
plan, I continued. I know when Rachel doped me up, after I ripped off some bitch’s head or something, she gave me an injector or three of my wolf meds.
Wolfsbane, Rachel interjected. It’s the perfect name.
If she shuts down those mecha while I’m lying here in a pool of blood and pain, the aberration will come.
This isn’t sounding like the best plan, Wyatt frowned.
When we were stranded in Ar’Ghosa, the creature slaughtered Irrats as if they were nothing. It drew strength from their blood and healed me. Like, a lot. I shrugged.
You think the best plan is to drink the blood of amphibian aberrations? I felt Delacruz wrinkle her nose in disgust.
Um, that’s a ‘no,’ Alpha. You don’t even know what you’re asking, Rachel linked.
Enlighten me. I frowned.
Rachel hated the thing, I knew. However, we really seemed to be backed into corner here.
Before you went into torpor, you had twelve liters of blood pumped out of your stomach. Did you know that?
No, I grimaced. Eww.
Aside from you consuming the blood of another species with unknown effects, I’ve already begun the soft sync. I feel like it’s pretty vital to us leaving here alive.
Seems reasonable.
This process takes most of my processing power. I’m not exactly a mobile cradle. If you remember, an improperly synced packet could have side effects, say, an aperture opening in the middle of Sofia’s skull.
Hi. I felt Delacruz give me a small wave. I do not want that.
So in order to ‘shut down those mecha,’ I’d have to make a base elimination of your core mecha dialogues. This would stop all your mecha.
Okay. I nodded as I began to understand. So you shut down the mecha that’s healing my leg as well. But big deal. The aberration will come, and as soon as it helps me slaughter some toad-monsters, I should be five by five.
I also cease the VM currently blocking 90% of your current pain levels. As well as the ones that have halted your bleeding and, oh yeah, the ones keeping you conscious right now. You’d experience a sudden burst of pain, pass out, and then possibly bleed out.
If he passes out, the loup garou might not even show, Wyatt reasoned. It didn’t hang out after you put pretty boy to sleep.
That’s the one positive thing we’ve learned, Rachel acknowledged. When I knocked Bishop out, the aberration left.
Okay, so what would it take to just knock out the mecha keeping me all docile? I mean, you’re the lady who remotely rewrote the mecha dialogues so you could track Amir Cadavas.
About sixteen hours we don’t have. She sighed. Honestly, Alpha, I’m not just being difficult. It won’t work.
Damnit. The worst thing about it was, she’d told the truth. I could feel that through the link.
Back to square one.
I can creep back to the elevator. I glanced over my shoulder. Maybe get upstairs and use the disruptors to get into a room. I’d be safe.
I have the elevator key, Delacruz provided. Also, if there are Zealators up there, you’re boned.
“Gro-Gro-Gro-GrOOOOOOak …” gurgled from the darkness, sounding ridiculously close. I peered in that direction and wriggled the remaining katana off my back.
As if it’d do me much good. Even if I killed Toady, its children would find me easy pickings. My disruptors lay halfway across the room.
So do we return to our original plan? Anya linked.
Hold. I sat up a little straighter. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of the aberrations, squat-hop out of the shadows.
It seemed a little larger than most of the frog-strocities and had white eyes and bright blue stripes that ran down the center of its dark back.
It glanced around, then hopped closer.
Alpha, your heart rate is increasing.
I have a hostile. Watch my stats and augment as required.
Bishop, you can’t possibly fight.
It might not matter, Rachel. I grit my teeth.
The creature took another short leap, which brought it much closer than I expected.
I prepared to gear the Wraith, figuring I could at least wait the beastie out—
Except that it stared right at me.
Fuck.
“Groooak,” it gurgled conversationally. “Gr-Gr-Groak.”
I held the katana out in front of me, my pulse racing. I barely had any reach from here. Even if I killed it—
It hopped closer and peered at me. Those empty eyes showed no particular malice, although the whiteness of them creeped me right the fuck out.
Status, Hoss?
I’m… I stared at the aberration as it crept closer. I’m just not certain.
“Gra-Gra-Gra—” It cocked its head at me, as if curious. On its back, I saw its spawn writhe, running in ripples across its flesh.
“Stay back.” I spoke as calmly as possible. “I don’t want to use this, but I will.” I shook the katana at it.
The aberration didn’t respond to the weapon. Instead, it opened its mouth, as if tasting the air.
I tensed, prepared to swing the blade at its tongue but—
But no.
It smacked its mouth, that long tongue doing little more than flicking out a bit.
Then it turned away.
What the fuck? I sat there, trembling, my eyes wide.
The aberration hopped a short bit away, stopped in place, and opened its mouth again.
What is it, Michael? Anya’s concern dripped through the link. Asset Gardener said you might be in danger.
I’m… I’m not. I shook my head. The weirdest shit just happened.
I explained as best as I could, while I continued to watch the vivid amphibian. It repeated its behavior a couple times and then hopped back into the darkness.
Interesting, Anya linked.
Creepy, Wyatt offered.
I’m just glad I’m not dead. I paused. Although I’d love to know why.
Animals of the order Anura possess a Jacobson’s organ within the roof of their mouths. Anya paused. It’s used to gather scent and other chemical markers.
Order Anura? Wyatt queried.
Frogs and toads, she clarified.
Oh, it’s been a bit since we saw an episode of Wild Kingdom, he chortled.
That is interesting, Anya.
You think Kermit smelled him? Wyatt paused. Makes sense I guess; he does smell just like them.
I’ve smelled like them all day, I groused. Hasn’t stopped them so far.
According to the phaneric patch you sent, you came into contact with the dead parasites during your encounter with the Designate. She paused. Michael, do you smell differently than you did previously?
Um, yeah. I took a whiff, as if I needed to double-check. More salty. More of a rotten, musky scent.
Michael. I felt the hint of a smile on her face. The creature might believe you already carry young. You have parasite scent markers on you.
WHAT? Wyatt hooted through the Crown. No. Just no. That’s too much.
If the aberrations believe Michael infected, they will ignore him as a potential host, she clarified.
So… he’s pregnant?
I am not pregnant! I had to stop this one right here.
But he may be safe?
It’s possible. I felt her shrug. Perhaps safe enough to leave in place, if he agrees.
I think that’s the best plan. I nodded. Even if I’m not. Anya is the only free Asset we have. We can’t risk her, not with a Variance in play.
You’ve gotta tell us if your situation changes, Hoss. I felt Wyatt’s smirk. If you get morning sickness or need some ice cream, I mean.
Oh, you can go to hell. I grinned over the link.
Keep us apprised on your status, Alpha, Anya sent. I tracked our path through the passages; I could get back to you in seven minutes and forty-five seconds.
Okay, Anya. I smiled. Thanks.
We’re here, Hoss. I felt Wyatt grow serious. Just let us know.
; It’s fine. I sent the widest smile I could muster. Just get Delacruz handled and then come pick me up.
The Temple City of M’elphodor
Once our Gatekeeper had been geared, we burned another hour and a half just in preparation.
With the aperture ignited, my cadre all came through and secured the area. Wyatt covered our backs, Delacruz grabbed my gear and the mask, and Rachel ran diagnostics before she agreed I could be moved.
“I’m giving you injectables now. We’ll kill most of the pain, and knitting can begin.” Rachel dug into one of the receptacles that hung on the side of her belt and pulled out a clear galvanic stim. She applied it to the surface of my quadriceps, where it stuck. The tiny sensor flashed yellow three times, then green.
Beneath the stim, my skin tingled, as if asleep.
“Most of the pain?” I raised an eyebrow at her.
“Sadly, Facility medtech doesn’t have an answer for the pain of stupidity yet, Michael Bishop,” she said sharply but smiled, teasing.
“Well, I suppose it is a fairly significant injury.”
“Um, yeah.” She applied an injector. It hissed while she applied another. “As in, ‘months of rehab for a median human’ significant.”
“Really?” That seemed a bit extravagant.
“Really.” She applied another galvanic stim and arched an eyebrow at me. “Fortunately, your doctor is a beautiful genius,” she prompted.
“Fortunately my doctor is a beautiful genius,” I responded, somewhat flatly.
“That’s right.” She patted my head. “We’ll get you back to our safe zone, and you can knit for an hour or so while I soft sync the Adept back into place.”
“Do I at least get a lollipop?” I groused.
“No.” Rachel chuckled and headed toward the aperture.
You should not put pressure on that. Anya extended a hand and helped me up.
“Oh.” I grimaced. She hadn’t been kidding. I couldn’t walk on that leg at all, so I leaned against her and hobbled toward the scarlet aperture.
“Hey, Mike,” Delacruz jogged over to me. “I think I should jaunt the mask back to the Corvus. I’d hate for us to lose it.”
“Good call.” I gave her a thumbs up.
She opened a small aperture and dropped the mask in.
“So, this is different,” I said to Anya. I grimaced as I accidentally applied too much weight to the wrong leg.