AZU-1: Lifehack

by Joseph Picard

  Regan emerged from her room, intent on going to Alisia’s. As she took the few steps across the hall, she peered around the corner towards the mess area. She saw Parker and Kris sitting quietly in the dim light, staring at their coffee mugs. So, even the mighty Kris was affected. Unimportant. On to Alisia.

  She slid Alisia’s door open and closed it behind her. She shuffled over to Alisia on her bed. Alisia quietly composed herself, and spoke in a steady, deliberate tone.

  “I’m not in the mood for your non-“

  Regan grabbed Alisia’s teddy bear angrily, flopped down onto Alisia and held her tight. Alisia felt Regan’s body tremble softly, on the edge of crying. Alisia held her as platonically as possible.

  “Regan, what’s wrong?” As it left her lips, Alisia realized what a stupid question it was. What’s right?

  “He’s not dead, is he?” Regan’s voice was in that ‘defenseless little girl’ tone that Alisia had heard once or twice before.

  Alisia strained for a way to answer that sounded positive. “His body is.. we just.. we just have to deal with what’s left.”

  “Those people.. in Meston....”

  “I know. We’ll do what we can.”

  “No, you don’t know. If you’d been in Autar back then....and it’s going on right now..” Regan squeezed her love tightly.

  Alisia had no reply, and just squeezed the terrified little girl. Those eggheads had better come up with something good. Something better than nuking Meston.

  While officials in Meston tried desperately to hunt down the nanite servers, they inhaled the microscopic invaders, and slowly became the enemy.

  Two thirds of the population became zombies. Fresh and unwounded zombies. Erebus willed them to rot unnaturally quick so that they would look the part. Many calmly attacked each other, ripping redundant flesh and spilling unneeded blood. Proper zombies can’t go walking around looking like yuppies, can they?

  These zombies were notably organized and under Erebus’ direct control. Wordlessly they herded the ‘untouched’ third of the population. Hostages.

  When Erebus was convinced he had everyone in the city where he wanted them, his voice came from every zombie at once.

  “Greetings, people of Meston. I am the one who took Autar. I have now taken you. You may call me God.”

  ~~~~~

  Chapter 50: Erika

  ~~~~~

  Erika awoke. What had happened to her city? It was so fast. She had been taken to a school gymnasium with a few hundred others, guided by a few thousand corpses.

  She didn’t have a gun. No one did. Even if she did, would shooting at the zombies do any good? They weren’t hurting anyone but each other at this point anyway. This situation wasn’t quite like Autar. Anyone who’d tuned into the news in the last two years would be able to tell that much.

  She knew she had to get out of there. She had a purpose. Someone would come. Someone would. They had to. It was inevitable. She had to find them. She had a purpose. She had a purpose.

  ~~~~~

  Chapter 51: As a Sledgehammer

  ~~~~~

  Alisia awoke, blissfully forgetful for a split second about what had happened to Meston.

  The hum of the airlimb engines eased her to back to reality. Peeking at the clock, she assessed they must be close to Yute base. There would be a lot of important people, very upset and worried. People barking orders around, half of them probably trying to figure out if they might be blamed for the whole mess.

  The moments of waking blessed her with momentary forgetfulness about such things. She yawned and noticed Regan’s hand dangling around her side. Just sort of flopped there. She was getting ready to yell at Regan when memory returned.

  She had after all, given Regan permission to crash with her. (Above the covers, thank you very much.) She just wanted to stop Regan’s crying. It didn’t work so well. But she was quiet right now. Alisia sat up and looked down at Regan. She looked so peaceful, but they’d be at Yute soon.

  “Regan, get up.” Her voice was heavy with sleep. “Regan.”

  Regan stirred, and her hand moved innocently into Alisia’s lap. That tore it. She tossed Regan’s hand back at her. “Hey! Wake up!”

  Regan’s head rose and she wiped her face of the drool on one corner of her mouth, trying to not look like a total dork in front of her beloved.

  Soon, they emerged into the hall, to run into Kris.

  “Ha!” Kris scoffed, “Did you girls have a nice ‘nap’? Is this really the time for that?”

  “We’re not-“ Alisia sighed. “What do you have to report, Kris?”

  Regan excused herself. “Gonna go for a shower. I’m just all... ooh, sweaty.”

  Alisia rolled her eyes. “So, Kris?”

  “Nothing much. We’ll be at Yute any minute. You must have gotten her into a good mood, if she didn’t spit at me on sight.”

  “Nothing happened, Captain,” Major Alisia Terone told her subordinate scornfully. But despite her authority, Alisia felt the need so add further explanation, almost under her breath. “I’m not a lesbian, remember?” Alisia hoped it would end the discussion.

  “Me neither,” Kris agreed, “I’m bi. Flat out lesbianism.. so... Limiting!” She tossed her hands in the air to emphasize her point.

  “Look, I’m not bi either. I’m just straight.”

  “Got a problem with being gay?”

  Alisia regretted ever bringing it up at all. “Kris, I’m fine with people who are gay, I just want it known that I am not.”

  “No no, Major, What I asked was, do you have a problem with being gay?”

  Alisia snapped back- “What? Yes! Because I’m not.”

  Kris smirked. “Ah, I know where you’re at. You grew up assuming you’re straight. Now if you begin to question that, ya feel like you’re questioning who you are. It’s not who you are, just who you do!” Kris giggled her practiced giggle, and walked off.

  Alisia shook her head at headed towards the showers. She stopped as she got close. Damn. Regan was in the women’s shower.

  She stood for a little while and the crossroads between the two shower rooms, staring at the lettering on the wall. Two words, each with an arrow pointing opposite directions. “Men” “Women”

  Maybe she could grab a quick shower in the men’s. She stepped a bit closer, and heard water running in both directions. Parker must be in the men’s. Ok, fine. She’d have a shower later, no biggie. She turned around and started walking away. She paused and looked back.

  The two words still stared at her. “Men” “Women”

  She looked up as if speaking to the fates. “Laying it on pretty thick today, huh?”

  ~~~~~

  Chapter 52: Brewing Storms

  ~~~~~

  The AZU-1 airlimb set down into the Yute base dock. The eleven other docks were filled as well, and swarming with soldiers sporting a distinct emblem.

  “Storms.” Alisia informed Regan. Storms were fairly elite units. Almost all ‘stromfronts’ operated out of airlimbs, having first dibs on new military hardware.

  When she first learned AZU-1 would be getting an airlimb, Alisia was a little in awe. Now among the stormfronts, she felt humbled. Her little unit must seem like unworthy ants.

  Alisia headed inside with her crew in tow, and struggled past busy, hurrying people, some with folders in hand, some with weapons, until they made it to General Westmore’s conference room. It looked a bit more like a war room now.

  Alisia stood quiet for a while, trying to get an idea of what was going on. There was too much happening at once. The room had a dozen or more people in it at any one time, many of them coming and going with reports or orders.

  Alisia’s three subordinates lingered behind her with varying degrees of patience. After a bit, the General spotted Alisia.

  “Terone” He called, waving her over. He didn’t seem pleased, but right now there were very few reasons to be.

  “Sir.” Alisia said. “What’s the plan?” />
  “We’re sending in the storms. Standard hostage extraction operation with adjustments made for zombie resistance.”

  “Yes Sir. Keep in mind they may be using small arms now. When do we leave?”

  “Terone, AZU-1 is ordered to get some sleep and rest up. The storms can handle this. One more unit in an operation this size won’t make a lot of difference. Get some rest and be ready when we do need you.”

  Alisia slumped her shoulders a bit. “Oh, uhm, yes Sir. Is this because-“

  The General interrupted, and looked up from his papers. “Major, I’ve seen the report you sent in, and the recordings. I’m fairly certain there was nothing else you could have done. Just get some rest.”

  Alisia nodded. Her little nap earlier didn’t last all that long, and how long had she been awake before that? It couldn’t have been long, but it felt like it. “Permission to be excused?”

  “Dismissed, Major. Let us take care of it.”

  Alisia saluted, and turned to herd her group out of the way and down the hall. “You heard the man, people. We’re on standby.”

  ~~~~~

  Chapter 53: Right

  ~~~~~

  Regan, Parker, and Kris sat in a booth at the base bar. It was quiet. Most of the base personnel were helping to prepare for the upcoming operation.

  “So, what was that all about?” Parker asked, “With the General...?”

  “I think our Major expected to be in trouble.” Kris said.

  “What? We did everything we could.. as soon as those nanites got spewed out and the servers dropped out of sight, all we could do is get out of the way! It’s not like there was any other thing we could have done.”

  Regan spoke up softly. “It doesn’t always feel that simple.” She got up and excused herself quietly, heading back to the airlimb.

  Parker mumbled to himself. “If anyone dropped the ball, it was the goons that let him escape.”

  Regan remembered the moment she had her gun aimed squarely at Erebus’ head, and decided to play honourably. Her honour just cost the people of Meston their lives. Her footsteps faded down the hallway.

  A silence was brought to the table in Regan’s wake. Kris was grimly running circles in her head, when Parker’s hand covered hers. She looked back at him with spite in her eye, and her voice. “Horny? Now?”

  Parker withdrew his hand and let out an exasperated sigh. “Ever think maybe I wanted more than sex?” he mumbled. Part of him wanted to yell it at her, but the modest part won.

  Kris stared at him and sneered a little. “Idiot.” She stood, and began to leave. She turned back to look at Parker. “Are you coming, or aren’t you?”

  They stared at each other for what seemed like a long time, perhaps trying to figure each other out, perhaps waiting for the other to clue in. Parker finally answered. “Not with that attitude.”

  “Idiot.” She mumbled to herself. She kept an eye out on her way back to the airlimb for someone else she could play with. She spotted a few likely candidates that caught her eye, but she passed them all by. No, she wasn’t in the mood anymore. Parker’s stubborn clingy wussiness had sapped all the playfulness out of her. She took the long way back to the airlimb, just sort of wandering. When she finally got back and approached her room, she saw Regan across the hall, sitting in a nightie by Alisia’s door, holding some scruffy looking teddy bear.

  “What the fuck are you doing, Regan?” It came out a bit more bitter than she intended, but it’s not like she cared at the moment.

  Regan looked up, a little shocked. “Just waiting for Alisia.”

  “In the hall? Dressed like that? And what’s with the bear?”

  Regan looked down at the bear, then back at Kris. “It’s hers. I borrow it sometimes. I think she knows. I’m waiting here so I catch her when she comes back. If I wait in my room, I might miss her. And the battery on the visor I’ve been using as a hallway camera died. Do you know where she is?”

  Kris stared a little at the pathetic orphan that sat there in the hall. “She’s talking with the nerds, I think.”

  “That Doc Brock guy? Still? Must be planning something. I can wait.”

  “Wait in her room, doofus, the hall is cold.”

  “She might not like that.”

  “Frig you’re whipped, Regan. You two haven’t...... have you?”

  Regan looked a little down. “I still have hope.”

  Kris opened the door to her own room, and stepped in. “Idiot.” The door slid closed behind her.

  Regan decided Kris was right about one thing. The hall was indeed cold. She grabbed a blanket from her own room and cuddled up back down by Alisia’s door. She didn’t remember falling asleep, but she awoke to the sound of Alisia’s voice. “Regan.”

  Regan looked up at Alisia with a sleepy smile. “Leesha... can I sleepover?”

  Alisia remembered the nap before. “You stay on top of the blanket and keep your hands to yourself.”

  Regan smiled and stood, taking her own blanket into one arm, the bear in the other. With the blanket down, sloppily folded, her nightie was revealed. Alisia looked at her with a grim expression. “Lose the nightie.”

  “I thought you’d never ask!” Regan slipped the shoulder strap down a bit, teasing Alisia, and stopped, seeing that Alisia wasn’t amused.

  “Cammo pants and a normal T-shirt, minimum. And gimmie my damned bear!” Alisia grabbed her bear and stormed into her room. Regan went and got changed. When they finally settled in, Alisia was curled up facing the wall, clutching her bear tight. Regan rolled towards Alisia and flopped her arm over her. Alisia took her bear and shoved it in Regan’s face. “Hug that.”

  Regan obeyed, and watched Alisia settle back down. She held the bear and gazed into the hues of orange and gold in Alisia’s hair.

  Alisia muttered, her voice becoming sleepy. “You know there’s never gonna be anything romantic between us, right?”

  “Right.” Ragan answered.

  “I’m just letting you sleep here cuz you’re my friend, and I realize this is a very stressful time for you, right?”

  “right.”

  “You’re just answering the way you think I want you to, aren’t you?”

  “Right.”

  “Go to sleep Regan.”

  “Right.”

  “Shut up Regan.”

  “Right.”

  ~~~~~

  Chapter 54: Plan A

  ~~~~~

  Morning light found eleven airlimbs cruising towards Meston, each with a compliment of two airlimb operators and a six member stormfront. Aboard the lead airlimb, Captain Greg Jackson briefed his five subordinates.

  “OK, boys and girls, we can expect massive amounts of these ‘zombies’ running around. Luckily, most of what we know about them and their combat methods indicate that we will be able to manage them fairly easily. We’ve all seen the footage from Autar’s first fall. It was a bloody mess, but keep in mind that no one really knew what they were dealing with then, and they were taken by surprise. The one thing we may have to watch for is the occasional zombie using a firearm. This means we’ll want to walk a narrow line between keeping under enough cover to evade bullets if need be, and staying far enough away from places where zombies might break out from. I know your ability, this shouldn’t be too tough.”

  The others murmured with cautious confidence.

  “The operators will locate a probable location of hostages and bring us as close as we can get. Our job will be to pile as many as we can onto the airlimb, and get em back to Yute. If we can’t take on all the ones we find, we’ll call another stormfront that can take the rest. We’re expecting reinforcements from all over to help in this operation, but in a best case scenario we’re still talking about evacuating about a third of Meston’s original population. I hope you all had a good night’s sleep, it’s gonna be a long day.”

  A Corporal spoke up. “Sir, what if the zombies threaten to kill hostages?”

  “We’ll just have to kill
the zombies first.” His reply didn’t ease them much. “I know it stinks, and there’s a good chance that as soon as this Erebus guy figures out what we’re doing, he’ll kill every hostage he can get his hands on, but it’s still more of a chance than we had in Autar.”

  A few minutes passed, when the operators began talking a bit louder, in urgent tones. Captain Jackson walked forward to the ops room to ask what was wrong.

  “Just go sit down, Sir! We need to work!”

  Jackson looked around at the monitors. One showed a trail of smoke across the sky.. no, two... now three... Another monitor showed a strange structure in Meston, on a rooftop. “What the hell is going on here?”

  The one operator fumbled with the controls. “I told you to sit down.” The airlimb heaved up, preparing to turn around. Jackson fell on his back, just in time to evade an iron construction girder ripping up through the floor at an angle, and puncturing the ceiling behind him.

  The impact shook the whole craft, and caused ripples of panic through the highly trained passengers. Jackson scrambled to his feet to check on his team. “Everyone OK back there?”

  “Sir?? What the fuck?” Another hard jolt rolled the airlimb onto its side. Jackson was the only one not strapped in, and fell into the laps of some of his crew.

  From the front, the operators’ panicked voices told him what he could already guess “Engines are... fuck! We’re down to one!”

  Jackson realized that their airlimb was now one of those streams of smoke across the sky. He climbed over to a locker and started tossing parachutes at people. That was when they hit the ground.

  General Westmore watched the situation on multiple monitors at Yute. Only three arilimbs made it out, and one of those had a girder sticking though it. Satellite video showed that several of the downed airlimbs had as many as five beams of iron stuck in them, in the middle of a mangled mess.