Llewyn’s glare lay on me as the room billowed in surprised conversation. “Just what are you suggesting then, Crucinal?”
I shut off the display and strode about the room. I caught a few glances of people, focused, maybe a little intrigued even. Kaitlinn, one of the Encampment commanders, sneered at me.
“Charista knows this exists, and I think it’s obvious that’s at least one reason she’s raided us. She knows her guy developed it and thinks he still has it.”
I circled the room and arrived back at my seat. “They’ve been chasing us halfway across the Outlands, they won’t stop. The Omegans, are out too. We ran into them at a Verge and it cost one of our brightest people.”
Nelson nodded.
“If we go it as we’ve been, it’s not going to take her too much longer to separate us, and finish us off. Remember Encampment 7?”
Llewyn folded his arms. He glanced off in thought for a few moments. “You’re not going to suggest we try and make peace with the people we’ve been escaping, are you?”
“No way.” I planted my hands on the table. “I suggest we bargain. They want this thing, we know where it is.”
The room gasped. I stood back up. “This war you’re talking about is here. We’re in it, and yes, I think the people from Encampment 7 knew that too. But if we don’t get to this thing first, and Charista does, we’re all doomed. She’ll turn it on to destroy the Omegans and who the hell knows who else in the process. Or if we deal with her, we can control how we face her. She toked our moves all long. It’s time we take control.”
“You’re setting yourself and anyone with you up for a slaughter.”
“More than we already are? How can we keep Exodus up when we can just barely make supply runs to keep us from all out starving?”
Llewyn chuckled a bit. “So then, you want to turn the biggest weapon we’ve ever known to the biggest enemy we’ve ever had?”
“It can be disabled. We’ve got instructions for doing that and I’ll take care of that. The Valkyrie was supposed to, but she ran out of time. I will finish the job.”
“Yeah? You and what army?”
“Don’t need an army. I’ve got a Xander.”
“So you make your way to the capital and offer a deal. What’s stopping them from blasting you into vapor?”
“She’s craved power and control, this will give her that more than she could ever dream. She’ll listen.”
“But then, we bring them to this spot, and if you turn it off, you’ll no longer be any use to her. What do you think, she’ll just let you go then?”
“Change doesn’t happen without sacrifice.”
“You impressed a lot of people during Exodus, especially for a Worker Product. And you’ve inspired people, but this...” Llewyn’s voice trailed.
I glanced about to everyone at the table, and I saw it in their eyes.
A fire.
They weren’t done, even now that their leader was gone.
But fires without someone who kindled them died.
“You're in this room because the Action - because Baudricort saw something in you. You wouldn't even be here if you didn't see anything in him.”
“But you’re talking about a suicide mission.”
“It’s the only way I know of to get rid of Cataclysm, and make this world safe again.”
“And what about the Omegans?”
“If we’ve got Lebabolis with us, even if it’s just a truce, we’ve got a shot. Who knows, maybe they’ll just kill each other off before we get too dinged up.”
Llewyn looked at the group. “Before we go any further, do we agree on this plan? Making a deal?”
The cadre members nodded in agreement. Llewyn steepled his hands and scanned the cadre in the room. “We’re not sending two people in alone. We’ll need at least a detail. I don’t want anything to go wrong here.”
“I’ll get Treg and Zengus. Norg too.”
“Do it!” Llewyn commanded. To the others at the table, he said, “We need to prep for a coordinated move, each Encampment. I want statuses and updates from each commander within the hour.”
As the discussion finished, Nelson leaned over to me. “That was great.”
I shrugged. “About time we finished what Baudricort started.”
After the meeting, Treg and I strolled around outside the Encampment.
“Nice work,” he said with a chuckle.
“They needed to know the truth; looks like more than a few had no idea.”
“This is gonna work, Ana.”
“I hope so. I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t have the circle with me.”
“We got your back.”
Chapter 39 (Nelson)
T he discussions and plans by Llewyn and the Cadre came down to one Landcrawler with me and Ana along with Zengus, Treg and Norg. Our goal was to get noticed at the border without drawing as much attention to bring big numbers of either Omegans or Lebabolis out. Llewyn gave the order for us to go pretty quick, though. It felt like he was just anxious for us to be out of his way for awhile, or maybe for good.
Zengus drove with Norg at shotgun while Ana, Treg, and I rode in the back. The rough and overgrown roads cleared and the path to the border stretched over smoother ground, with just a few moderate hills in our way.
We stopped near the Lebabolis border at the top of a rise, where a single winding road led downward to the actual border. A bunker beside the road was the only visible sign of any control over this entry.
Ana stared at the bunker for awhile. “If this thing turns sour, we’ll be in for it. Anyone want to back out now, speak up.”
Norg leaned up from the back seat. “If yer lookin’ for my vote, I say what the hell are we waitin’ for?”
“I’m with him,” Treg said. “Let’s do this.”
We proceeded further down the road. A few figures appeared around the bunker ahead. No one fired, though. Either they were unprepared or - something.
An explosion behind us shoved the Landcrawler sidewards a few feet.
“What the hell was that?” Ana barked.
“Nothing from the Lebabolis side,” I offered.
Ana punched the console.
Treg craned his neck around. “Behind and to the left, small squadron of craft.”
“Lebabolis patrol?” Ana asked.
“Negative, unknown markings,” Treg replied.
Ana looked back. “Oh no.”
“What?” I turned and saw them. Black colored craft, with what looked like the same symbols from the ones that attacked us at the Verge. My pulse pounded in my throat.
Ana yelled, “Floor it, Zengus, right for the border!”
Chapter 40 (Ana)
F ive Omegan ships swirled about us in a cascading arc. I grabbed my pulse rifle and directed Zengus toward the front. I fired a few shots at the black ships as we weaved toward the Lebabolis border.
“Nelson!” I called out. “Get on the comm. Anything like channels W91 through Z13. Try and raise Lebabolis. We need help. Got it?”
“Alright!”
I felt a chuckle come over me when I realized I’d just put a call in for assistance. While Nelson grabbed the headset, I surveyed the area. The shrieking of the ships above echoed across the sky. I never saw Hell Hawks move like these ships were, almost too fast for my eyes to keep up with them.
“Ana!” Nelson yelled.
“What? You get somebody?”
“Huh? Oh, no. Llewyn's on the comm; he wants an update.”
A blast glanced off the hood of our Landcrawler. The super bright blue light blinded me for a second, and my head knocked the back of my seat. If that wasn’t already enough to piss me off, I had ‘Colonel Rear Guard’ calling for a sitrep from his safe room. “Tell him we're being shot to shit, that's what!”
The black ships swept back up into the air but left one that fired upon us. Through the smoke, I saw Treg and the others lay down heavy fire on the black ship fixed on us.
The
ground erupted in a fountain of rubble and people from another blast.
“We need to pull back,” Nelson said.
Even as the ships swarmed around us and kept us pinned down, a word appeared at the back of my head: No!
It repeated in my mind, louder and louder until it got to my voice. “No, no we can't!” I squinted over the smoke and fired at the craft, which had its way with us.
They’re just playing with us. We’re sitting ducks. We shouldn’t have come. This was my idea, and look where it’s got us.
The air above filled with the whine of engines as ships soared about and sent plumes of flame and heat about with their weapons fire. Every so often the punch of a shot that found its mark slammed my chest as if it were a fist.
I fired shot after shot at the engines of the black ship nearest us. Norg joined me and blistered the air with his weapon fire.
“Ana, we need to ditch!” Nelson yelled over the rising rumble.
“No, a little further!” I yelled. “Keep on that comm!”
Another shot hit the hood of our Landcrawler. It sent more dazzling light out, and for a moment I saw nothing else. I closed my eyes, my rifle still aimed forward.
“Do not stop!”
More shots hit the front of our Landcrawler as we neared the front. A loud blast and huge cloud of smoke came from the front of our vehicle, and it skidded to an abrupt halt.
"Engine hit; we're stuck!" yelled Zengus.
If we don't stop ‘em now, we're as good as dead.
“Aim for the engines!” I yelled. I trained my rifle on the back of the ship and opened fire. A large pop sounded, followed by smoke and an explosion as the engines of the black ship burst, and it wobbled in the air.
I clambered onto the roof of the Hell Hawk. I pointed toward the ship. “Norg, Treg, pulse grenades, hit the cockpit!”
Soon, the ship was engulfed in smoke and turned for an escape. Treg launched a pulse grenade at it, and the ship burst into an orange ball of flames.
The cheers from our group were brief as the other crafts peppered us with pulse fire.
“Take cover!” I yelled.
We dispersed back to the bush and kept up our fire at the ships overhead.
“Can we get help from Llewyn? Some kind of back up?” Nelson asked.
Blasts hit the trees above, and branches were strewn down on us. I grabbed Nelson, and we rolled away from the incendiary foliage.
“Back up?” I yelled. “We're it, baby.”
A sudden roar of missiles proved me wrong, though.
The black ship that neared us was the first hit. It burst in a brilliant explosion, and showered debris over the trees. Other rockets came soon after. The remaining black crafts fell, one by one.
“Those shots came from inside Lebabolis!” Nelson said.
I looked through the smoke and flames, back to the road, but saw nothing. “You sure?” I grabbed my rifle and called to the others around me, “Keep low till we figure out what's going on!”
I tapped Nelson and waved Treg over. We crept up toward where the shots came from, inside the Lebabolis border. We made our way back toward the bunker.
Whoever it was hadn’t heard Nelson’s distress call. They were already there. I eyed the road ahead. “Stay sharp, everybody. Not liking this too much right now.”
More figures appeared by the bunker than before, and I made out a missile launch system. But what caught my eye the most was a flag one soldier waved. Even through the haze from the smoke and flame, it looked so familiar.
It wasn’t a Lebabolis flag.
As we walked, I directed the group, “Weapons ready, but don't engage unless threatened.”
We passed the last burning Landcrawler, and the haze cleared. The symbol on the flag sharpened up, and I still shook my head at it. I turned to Treg. “You seeing that too?”
He shook his head and looked at me. “Yeah.”
We walked slowly toward the group of Lebabolis soldiers, one of which waved the flag of the Valkyrie.
Chapter 41 (Ana)
W e stood a few feet from the soldiers. Their eyes mirrored our own tense readiness. They held their pulse rifles tight. The Radomet fixed their gaze on us, their visored helmets kept a mindless watch over us for even the slightest threatening move.
I was surprised they hadn’t made a move by that point. There we were, with the man they’d made a Verge to get, along with some of their least desirable Deviants. But they were all still.
I broke the silence first. “Take us to Charista.”
A few of ‘em traded looks, but none budged even then.
“Did I fucking stutter? Take us there now, or we might as well get this over with.” I pulled my rifle up.
Still, they did nothing. I closed in on the soldier with the flag. He held it on the ground and leaned on it.
“Where'd you get that?”
"One of your Encampments."
“Oh?” I moved closer. “Would that be one you destroyed?” I asked, my fist raised.
He slid the flag between us. "Something like that."
“Easy, Ana,” Nelson said.
The Radomets moved towards me as I approached the soldier, the mechanical whine of their limbs made a creepy underscore to our conversation.
I thrust my finger at ‘em. “Get this: we’ve got Xander with us. If you don’t want to be sent for Realignment, I suggest you bring us to Charista yesterday.” As I eyed ‘em all, I heard Treg’s rifle powered up.
I almost grabbed the flag soldier's neck when a female voice stopped me.
“Cool it, hot shot.”
Nycole appeared from out of the group of soldiers and approached us. “Always flying off the handle. Who do you think you are, the Valkyrie?”
I smirked at the sight of her. “Hiding behind your troops, Nycole? That's not much like a Warrior Product. What would Charista think?”
She sneered and stood next to the flag soldier. “How about a thank you for saving your collective asses.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Oh please, we were headed for cover.”
“Yeah uh huh.”
“So how many times do I have to ask you to bring us to Charista? I don’t have time for games.”
“Whoa, hold it.” Her dirty blonde hair flopped about when she swiveled back to me. “Why would I want to bring some Deviants who may well have a bomb to our leader?” She waved to Nelson. “We meet again.”
“Looks that way.” Nelson cradled his weapon and nodded slowly.
Her lips drew into a line. “You should've stuck with us.”
“Somehow, I doubt that.”
She shrugged. She and Treg exchanged nods. “Hi.”
“Hi, yourself,” Treg said.
“Still babysitting the would-be warriors?”
“Negative.” Treg smiled at me. “More like leading.”
Nycole glanced back to me, her lips curled. “I’m still waiting for you to tell me why I should be even talking with you anyway.”
I eyed her for a moment. “I’ve got Cataclysm.”
“Liar.”
“Nope, it’s real. I’ve got the specs and I even know where its located.”
I brought the datapod over to the Bunker and pulled up the information for Nycole. She watched the diagrams on screen, her eyes wide. “Why do we need you, then? I can copy this and build another one.”
“Not without the descrambled code. And in the meanwhile, there’s already one built, just waiting to be found. You want power, you want to be able to destroy the Omegans, get that peace Charista’s so hot for? You’ll need a bigger stick. This is the biggest stick there is.”
“But still, what do we need you for?”
“Xander here knows where it is. He can find it. And since he’s not been implanted, you won’t be able to retrieve it from him.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“Or,” I said, grasping my gun, “we can just bring you back to square one.” I pointed my gun at Nelson’s throa
t. “What’s it worth, Nycole? You want to fumble through plans for weeks while the Omegans get further and further up your face?”
Nycole grit her teeth. “Much as I’d like to yank that rifle out of your puny hands and snap your ungrateful Deviant neck, I’ve got to let Charista weigh in on this.”
“Now, was that so hard?” I grinned.
Nycole held her glare on me. “I’ll bring you to Charista. I suggest you don’t try anything, I’ve got no problem wasting everyone else in your crew if I have to.”
Chapter 42 (Nelson)
O ur convoy followed Charista's group into Lebabolis. We snaked through the main roads of the Sectors, which were empty. The occasional small patrol appeared, but nothing stopped our advance.
A light haze settled over us as we went. The further into Lebabolis we traveled, the thicker it got, almost like late morning fog. Through the dimmed visibility, I saw a collection of buildings. It was an odd set of pairs; for every one or two buildings that were in shambles, there was at least another one that looked like it was built more recently.
Ana glanced at the navigation console. She tapped a few controls, which changed the display a bit. Several icons appeared, scattered around near the bright green lines.
“Not sure where they're taking us, but I’ll adjust our beacon to Llewyn, in case.” She opened the comm. “All weapons on standby until I talk with Charista.”
The roads were pretty quiet. Too quiet, to be honest. We disrupted their warning system, but I figured at least a few people would be about, a few vehicles like that convoy they had raided. But yet, nothing.
“Curious where their Hell Hawks are,” I said. “Even regular vehicles. It's like they're hunkered down.”
Our convoy slowed as we neared a large building. Ana and I exchanged glances. A row of heavy duty looking vehicles formed a perimeter around the building, their dark reddish armor reflecting a mean glare from the sun overhead. Ten or more Hell Hawks hovered in formation above us, poised and ready. On the ground were over two thousand foot soldiers, all armed.
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