The President and the exobiologist sat down on the padded couch used for visitors and Bettie set up her laptop computer on the long coffee table in front of the couch.
“Ma’am, the first short video is from an old movie that explains the theory I and my team were working on. It may look a bit hokey, but I think it gets the point across.”
The DVD began to play the opening credits for a movie titled Gojira, Japanese with English subtitles. It then skipped forward to a scene taking place in a laboratory. A white coated scientists was demonstrating a weapon to a pretty young woman he had developed to defeat Gojira, the huge monster ravaging Japan. He dropped a large pill or tablet like object tablet into an oversized aquarium full of fish. Massive amounts of bubbles appeared, obscuring the fish. As they cleared, the young woman recoiled in horror as she saw that all the fish had been reduced to skeletons.
The scientist in the movie developed an oxygen destroying mechanism to destroy Gojira. Unfortunately, any fish in the area suffered also.
“Now watch actual footage of our attempts at a weapon based on a similar idea—attack a species in its watery habitat.”
A large Pacific octopus was seen moving in a large aquarium. A human hand appeared on the edge of the screen and injected a syringe of some reddish colored chemical into the water. At first, nothing changed. Thirty seconds into the introduction, the octopus began to twitch, then shake and spasm. Thirty seconds later some blood began to seep from its orifices, with the dying cephalopod curling up like a spider killed with bug spray. It was dead.
“Madam President, we started with the same type of algae and phytoplankton that causes poisonous red tides. Using good old American know-how and some bootleg alien Squid bioscience and nanotechnology, we came up with an organism that releases the neurotoxin injected into the aquarium. Dump the modified algae into the ocean near the Tschaaa breeding crèche and within twenty-four hours you have dying Squids, as the algae begins to bloom at an extreme rate. Within forty-eight hours, the algae begins to die off, thanks to some genetic modifications we built in. We want to control the weapon, get rid of it when we no longer need it.”
The President studied the images on the computer screen.
“Does it kill mammals, humans?”
“Like the red tide it was developed from, it can make people sick and cause some amnesia-like temporary memory loss. In its original form it could kill children, and occasionally adults. We tweaked it as much as possible to reduce these effects. But no biological control is ever perfect, if for no reason because of possible mutations. However, since the delivery method involves an ocean based organism, its ability to affect land species is very limited. Effects on other ocean species may be very bad, however.”
Madam President paused for a moment, still studying the images in an intense manner.
“Delivery method?” she asked.
“Missile cone warheads similar to chemical warfare agents’ delivery methods used in the twentieth century. A modified She-Bear missile would work.”
The female leader of free Americans looked at Colonel Bardun.
“Make it so, Bettie. Payback’s a bitch, and I can be the biggest bitch around. They like to eat our children. I’d like to see how they like it when we kill just as many of theirs.”
CHAPTER 28
MALMSTROM ARMED FORCES BASE
GREAT FALLS, MONTANA
Abigail was hunkered down with Aleks and Fanny, original members of the Russian Three Sisters, (referred to by some as the Three Bitches) at their on-base quarters. Aleks as Matron of Honor, had taken charge of everything to do with the wedding. What had started out as what Abigail hoped would be a somewhat normal wedding had become a huge affair of state. Abigail had always known that anything she and Ichiro did would be noticed. However, she had hoped that she may have enough personal capital to persuade the Powers That Be to limit the pomp and circumstances. Fat chance.
Now a representative of the Japanese Royal Family, the President of Free Russia, representatives from Free Canadians, New Vikings, Romanians, Deseret, you name it, were coming to pay their respects to the Hero Couple, or Warrior Couple as some called them. Abigail and Ichiro were a symbol of hope and heroism to all peoples in the Unoccupied Lands. There was just no way of getting around that fact. The original plan was to also keep the exact date, time and location secret up until a day or two before. Hell, Operation Overlord aka D-Day, had kept the Nazis guessing until the last moment, why not a wedding. Again, fat chance.
Aleks had found a Korean dressmaker whose family had fled to the Unoccupied States. Now she was working on Abigail, trying various designs on her.
“You have such a beautiful body,” Mi-Hi the dressmaker had said. “We must do our best to display it, and make every man envious of your husband, Ichiro Yamamoto.” Mi-Hi had sighed.
“Too bad he is not Korean.”
There was a knock at the door of Abigail’s half of the company grade duplex she shared with Aleks and Torbin. With everyone being promoted to Field Grade, they by rights should have been moved out to larger quarters by now. Everyone had dragged their feet. The thought of Aleks and Abigail not living this close was alien to both.
“I’ll get it,” Aleks called out. As gatekeeper, she had chased away many an irritant. Plus, Torbin’s reputation of breaking a certain reporter’s arm, now a family friend, had also helped keep people away. Aleks went to the door, peaked through the security hole. Young Fuzz was wagging his tail so it must be someone he knew by scent.
“Ah, it is Brynhildr and the Pit Survivors. They should not be a problem.”
Aleks opened the door and greeted the visitors. “Sisters, it is nice to see you.”
Brynhildr had hugged her, followed by the five young ladies who had been rescued from the Pits.
“What brings you all here?” Aleks asked.
“We bring food and drink, as well as something Aunt Freda Munsen would like Abigail to try on. Hannah has also made something for Abigail and the Bridesmaids to wear.”
Two of the young ladies came in carrying a very long garment bag.
“We have something we would like Abigail to try on.” Brynhildr said.
“Oh? And what is that?”
“Aunt Munsen put together a bridal dress for Abigail. She would like to see it fits.”
Aleks frowned. “Well, I’m sorry she wasted her time, as we have a seamstress working on her bridal gown as we speak.”
“Well, she could just try it on. Aunt Munsen does excellent work,” pressed Brynhildr.
“Why, when it will be a waste of time?”
“Waste of time? To just see if something fits? See if she likes it?”
Aleks bowed up. “I am the Matron of Honor and was given the job of organizing all this, Including obtaining the bridal gown.”
“Oh, so you’ll decide what she will wear. Tell me, are you going tell my cousin what to wear in the bridal bed also?” Brynhildr shot back.
“If you must know, yes I made some suggestions to my little sister about what men like.”
“You overstep yourself. She’s not your property.”
As the exchange escalated, Abigail detached herself from the seamstress and went to try and smooth things over. She soon found out she could not get a word in edgewise, “Ladies, Sisters…”
Fanny walked up to backup Aleks against the much larger Norsewoman.
“Oh, so now it is two against one,” snapped Brynhildr.
“I do not need help to handle you,” Aleks growled. She moved within an inch of Brynhildr, thrusting her substantial chest out as if to challenge the Shield Maiden directly.
Something snapped inside of Abigail. Weeks of frustration, of pressure from being pulled in different directions bubbled over. Combat seemed simple compared to this.
“Stop this!” Later verbal accounts of this claim Abigail’s voice shook the whole house. While maybe an exaggeration, the effect was the same. Everyone froze.
“I am the bride!”
Abigail yelled. “I did not ask for all this, but I am stuck with this, this, circus! And now you, my so-called friends and family are going to fight over who does what? Over what I do, wear? Don’t I have a say? Are you next going to tell me when to eat, sleep, and bathe?”
“Little sister...”
“My cousin…”
Little Susan, one of the Survivors, began to cry.
“Oh just great. We have made a little girl cry. Damn you. Damn you all!”
Abigail hiked up her unfinished bridal gown, turned and stomped toward her room.
“Please, Abigail…” Aleks began.
“Leave me the fuck alone.” Abigail made it to her room, slammed the door as hard as she could. Young Fuzz made it into the room just before the door shut. His human was upset, needed his support.
All the other women were frozen in space and time.
What in holy hell just happened?” It was Torbin Bender’s voice. He had arrived at the tail end of the incident.
“We were just having an argument, love,” replied Aleks.
“Just an argument? You know when the last time I heard Abigail say ‘fuck?’ How about never?” Torbin shook his head.
“I love it when women complain about us men getting into pissing contests. Well, what the hell was that? An intellectual discussion?”
He looked at the five young ladies, saw four huddling around and trying to console the crying Susan.
“And you did it in front of these young ladies. You should be ashamed of yourselves.”
“Torbin, I am sorry…” Fanny began.
“Oh no you don’t. Do not try and apologize to me. That has to be done to Abigail. Now, you will all wait here and be quiet while I go and talk to Abigail. I’ve known her a lot longer than anyone in this room. Hell, she brought me back here. So I guess I get to try and help her calm herself. Thanks, ladies.”
Torbin marched down the hallway to Abigail’s room, leaving the stunned women behind. He softly knocked on her door. “Abigail, it’s Torbin. Can I come in and talk?”
“Just you?”
“Yes. Just me.”
A pause. Then Abigail answered. “Okay. Come in, please.”
“Can you unlock your door?”
“Oh. Sorry.”
Torbin heard the click of the lock being released. He waited a moment, then slowly opened and went in.
Abigail was sitting on her bed, hugging a large stuffed toy bear with one arm, scratching Young Fuzz’s ears with the her free hand. Torbin sat down next to her.
“Rough day?”
“Yes.” Abigail’s voice caught as she answered. She sat the teddy bear down, stopped scratching Fuzz, and wrapped her arms around Torbin in a big hug. She began to cry. The last time Torbin had seen her like this was at the Bell’s in Wyoming, when she thought members of her new adopted family had been hurt. Only then, the tears were more from anger. These seemed to be from hurt.
Torbin wrapped his arms around the little sister he had never had in his previous life. “There is something here beyond just an argument. Isn’t there, Abigail?”
“I am so very… scared!” Abigail said through the tears. “I’m scared I’m about to screw up one of the most important things in my life. I’m scared that this love and marriage thing… I’m afraid I will be a failure. I know how to be a soldier, a warrior, an Avenging Angel. A normal, loving wife, maybe a mother later on? No.”
She looked up from her hug at Torbin.
“I am a virgin. How do I know that Ichiro will find me pleasurable, desirable once we are alone? How do I know that he will not be disappointed? He knows me as a fighter, not a loving wife and mother.”
Torbin damned again all of the Tschaaa to a special place in hell for what they had done to a whole generation of youth. Children, especially young girls, should not grow up worrying about being eaten, or being turned into a child soldier. Abigail should have had loving parents buying her feminine bows and frills, taking pictures as she went to her first prom. He took a deep breath, let it out.
“Remember when we first met, Abigail?”
“Of course. I will always remember that day,”
“Well, when I first met you, talked and worked with you, I saw this very put together young lady who had taken on responsibilities well beyond those normally associated with her age. I also saw you as what you call a ‘good soul’. I consider it an honor that you consider me a big brother.”
For the first time since Torbin had entered the room, Abigail smiled. She then hugged him tight again, causing Torbin to grunt.
“You and your strength again. Ichiro must have fun with you.”
“And that is another reason I am afraid. What if in a rage, I hurt him? If we have children, what then? I saw the pictures from Dark Wolf’s camera. I vaguely remembering some faces of those I killed, butchered. Nothing else.”
Torbin kissed her forehead. “Out of all the people I know, Ichiro is the one person who can help you with this. He also harbors in his body a unique ability to destroy anything that threatens him and his loved ones. Yet he learned how to control it. You are perfect for each other. He will help you control any demons you may harbor. Besides, like I said, you are a good soul.”
Torbin gently raised her chin to look into her eyes.
“Ichiro, my blood brother, loves you with all his heart and soul. No way will he ever be disappointed in you. Nor you in him. You are literally made for each other.”
Abigail paused, then smiled again. “I believe you Torbin. You’ve never steered me wrong.”
“There is one more thing. We have faced the Grim Reaper together, Abigail. You have saved me twice.”
“Torbin, Lieutenant Baker saved you from the Eaters. And you saved yourself when the Krakens tried to take you.”
“Abigail, if you had not been traveling with me, I’d be a prisoner or a side of meat. And as good as Baker was, I saw all those Eaters you shot, I felt you help drag me. Trust me. Without you, I would not be here. I attract trouble and you help save my ass.”
He gently untangled himself from her hug, taking her hands in his.
“Abigail, you are a comrade in arms, a battle buddy in addition to being an adopted sister. If ever you need help, all you have to do is yell. I will be there. Which means if you and Ichiro need to elope, I will find a way. I know of some hiding places that would make good honeymoon locations. Just say the word.”
“You mean that, don’t you?”
“Of course. You have my word.”
Abigail paused, holding Torbin’s hands. She sighed.
“As much as I want to take off, tell everyone to forget it, I know that people need this wedding. Ichi and I are symbols, looked on as heroes by some. So if watching us get married makes them feel good, gives them some kind of hope, why should I deny it. That would be selfish.”
“Yes, Abigail. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. I learned the hard way what happens when you are deemed a hero. General Reed just chewed my butt for not wearing my Medal of Honor. I told him it felt funny being saluted by everyone, including him. He said tough shit. Pardon my French.”
The Marine stood up. “Now, I’ll go back down and explain to those young ladies that fighting over your special day is unacceptable. Wanna come?”
“In a minute. I need to wash my face, see how puffy my eyes are.”
“Okay. I’ll go down and set the tone for the rest of this endeavor.”
Abigail hugged him, kissed his cheek. “I am so lucky to have met you, Torbin Bender. Without you, I never would’ve come here, met Ichiro, fallen in love, and gotten married.”
“I’ll accept kudos for the first three. The marriage thing, well, it can be a real pain in the ass sometimes. Just ask Aleks.”
“I have, Torbin. Many times. Every time she says marriage, you, and the boys are the best things that have ever happened to her. That she feels blessed. As I do. God looks over us—you, me, Aleks, your sons, Ichiro. We are part of a special plan.”
“You know, Andrew my cyborg friend said that also. Gets you to thinking.”
Abigail frowned. “You think he is a real friend, Torbin?”
“I think he is trying to be one to everyone. Which is a problem when you have two sides, including the one he supposedly works for, trying to kill each other.”
Abigail paused for a moment. “Then I think God has a very complicated mission for us. I’ll worry about it after I’m married.”
“Good idea. Now, let me go deal with my wife and company. I think they need a bit of a ‘come to Jesus moment’.”
Abigail giggled. “Not too rough, Torbin. They mean well.”
“Good intentions pave the road to hell. See you in a couple of minutes.”
Torbin marched down the hallway, stood at Parade Rest in front of all the females, young and old. Aleks looked at him, started to speak. He cut her off.
“Listen up. There will not be another display of catty childishness like what I just saw and heard. This is Abigail’s special day, not to mention how important it is to Ichiro. If anyone screws this up, upsets my battle buddy again, I will personally kick their ass.” He looked at large Brynhildr. “Or at least have fun trying. Any questions?”
The three adult women looked at Torbin, then each other. There was a quick meeting of the minds as it sank in just how upset Abigail must have been for Torbin to say what he did.
“I’m sorry, Brynhildr. I guess I’m way too protective of my little sister.”
“As I am of my cousin, Aleks and Fanny. I’m used to pushing for what I want. I guess I need to back off.” She reached out, hugged Aleks and Fanny.
Susan had stopped crying and approached Torbin. She threw her arms around him and hugged him. “Thank you, Colonel Bender.”
Torbin reached over and kissed her cheek. “No worries, little one. Adults are just big kids sometimes.”
Abigail walked cautiously down the hallway, still in her partially completed gown. All the women crowded around her, everyone trying to offer an apology at once.
“Please,” Abigail said. “Water under the bridge, as my late father used to say. Now, can we get on with figuring out what I’m wearing to walk down the aisle?”
Typhoon of Steel Page 24