THE VROL TRILOGY

by SK Benton

  Buenos Aires was secure, as was New Sydney. Córdoba, a city with an unusually high percentage of inactive lycans (2%), was the most orderly of all. If there were any inactive vampires around (and there were) they were hidden and staying out of trouble.

  As Draagh had telecasted the joint session of Congress to the entirety of Azul System (terminating it right before the vampires were taken away), people were finally made aware that there were different subspecies of humanity. Most ignored the news and merely went about their business, but some were curious and flocked to the local police stations for more information. Fortunately, Bagatelle had created a handout pamphlet, readily available for download on any personal console. It was vague, and didn't say that Homo Sapiens Canis and Homo Sapiens Mortuus were any more or any less than normal human beings - just that they had ancient recessive, inactive genes. That was all. He wanted the people of Azul System to work together, not look at each other with suspicion.

  However, Mankind had a storied history of racism, which could easily translate into specieism.

  "I'm sending a platoon to Portlandia, just to make sure the hippies don't cause problems. They're easily led by anarchists and the environment is ripe for trouble," said Max.

  "Can you just send them, and not go yourself? Gabriel's over there keeping things under control," said Jennie.

  "That's what I'm afraid of, Jen. He has a tendency to melt brains and ask questions later, but sure - I'll send out some Haida troops. They have a calming effect on those they meet," he responded.

  That evening Krynos was to throw a special party - his first hosting a head of state. Everyone from Max's extended family was to be in attendance, as were certain Azul senior officers and a certain Sarah Corning - House Speaker of the new Azul Unified Government, who had a seat reserved at the high table, along with President Bierle, Krynos, Donus and Draagh. Before the festivities, Draagh had retrieved her and provided a tour of 43rd century Earth - mostly in the former United States of America, from where her ancestors originated.

  Central Kansas, 4268

  After seeing most of the ruins of ancient buildings (almost all having surrendered everything save their concrete and rebar to the fertile ground), Draagh took Sarah Corning to the town where her ancestors lived before they embarked on the journey to a new world.

  "Wow. It's so… flat," she exclaimed.

  "Yes, yes it is, my dear. Quite so," responded to ancient mage.

  "There was actually a town here?"

  "Hmmm, yes, approximately 2,000 years ago. Yes, there was," he said as he lit his pipe, taking care to stay downwind of the House Speaker.

  "And you are sure this is where my ancestors lived?"

  "Yes, I am quite certain. Max… Captain Gunnarsson did an extensive data search and provided me with this information."

  "Wow. It just seems so lifeless. Well, except for those animals out on the field. What was the name of this town again?"

  "Oh, erm… Salina, my dear. Salina Kansas."

  "I wish I could have seen what it was like here when my great-great-great-great whatevers lived here," she mused. It wasn't more than a few seconds later that she found herself inside what appeared to be some sort of 360-degree wrap-around vid screen.

  "Do not fret my dear. No one shall see you nor hear you. I am going to merely open a window to an active timeline so you may have your wish," said Draagh.

  Sarah's jaw dropped in amazement as the vid display leaped to life. Suddenly there were people walking all over the place - mostly youths - humans in their late teens / early twenties. Looking around she saw a fancy building with an attractive fountain to its front. A large sign identified the location as Kansas Wesleyan University.

  "A college! How are you doing this? Is it archived footage?"

  "No, no my dear. This is quite live. Merely at a different point in time," he responded.

  "Oh dear lord! You mean we've traveled through time - to the past?"

  Draagh shook his head and smiled. "No, not quite. But perhaps this evening, at the party, we shall have a discussion on the realities of time and space."

  "Oh," she smiled, "I would like that very much."

  ###

  Krynos' parties were so numerous that Max had convinced the lycan king to allow him to construct a more casual area up in the mezzanine, complete with cozy crash couches and coffee tables. He was never very comfortable with being in the spotlight, just like his father and uncle. Plus, Jennie liked curling up in his lap, which she most certainly could not do while seated at the high or mid tables. Add Liliana, who tended to pass out halfway through the occasions and the modest Janice and Ohiro and it was the perfect place for the G Clan, as Liliana liked to call the group.

  Max looked over the railing to watch the festivities, which consisted of Lycan Jenga (with both Earth politicians instinctively ducking their heads every couple of minutes in order to avoid flying debris/people), numerous toasts (featuring Max's own malbec wine, which he had magically helped on its path to maturity) and the Rhönen line dance, which impressed the hell out of the new Azulian President.

  "This meat has a spectacular flavor, King Krynos. I would like to farm it on Azul. You say it is a healthier red meat?" asked Bierle.

  "Elk - yes, and it is much better for the constitution than the meat of the cow. Those lazy, farting creatures, not even worth the hunt," the king grumbled.

  "Yes, Mr. President. Elk is extremely lean - low in fat and is easily processed by the human digestive system," added Draagh.

  Bierle gave him an odd stare, and then asked, "You say that as if you were not human."

  Krynos laughed out loud - boisterously, slapping the alien president on the back. "Of course he's not, good sir! He's a god! Did you not know that?"

  "A huh… a what? A god?"

  "Now, now, old friend. I would not go calling myself that. But I can say most certainly that I am not human."

  Luigi Bagatelle relaxed on the couch with his fiancé, Alicia, and she was seated next to Jennie, who had Max on her other side. The two engaged in light conversation about child rearing, with Alicia wondering how Jennie managed to keep Liliana from maiming people on a daily basis.

  "Oh, she's improved - really. Clarisa and Draagh work with extensively," Jennie happily responded. She looked down at the end of the massive couch where Liliana was sitting upside-down, with her legs up in the air while she had a conversation with Pandy.

  "And once we've won - and don't say if. We're gonna win. But what are you going to do then? Retire your commission and stay here? Or are you returning to Azul?" asked Alicia.

  "Here? Hey, don't get me wrong. I love this place, but we're going home. And Lili's going directly to a proper school."

  "Where will you live? Are you going to settle in New Sydney or get based out of B.A.?"

  "Not even," she laughed. "It'll be Córdoba, without a doubt. Max wants Lili to go to his old school, St. Mary's."

  "But… the closest major base is three hundred… oh. You have Max," responded Alicia, blushing upon her realization that modern transportation wouldn't be necessary for the Gunnarssons.

  Jennie giggled and leaned into her future sister-in-law, letting out a deep breath and saying, "Yeah, well he won't always be around, but I have Pops and Dad and Tío, so it should all be good. Still, there's something to be said about traveling the normal way. Pulling G-forces can be fun - you know that better than anyone."

  Alicia nodded her head in agreement. Her flying skills were so great that she was slated to be a Draeder pilot, but instead chose to serve on a battleship in the command center, mostly because she was in love with the ship's captain. Still, she enjoyed taking the formidable fighters out for test flights on occasion.

  "Hey Max," said Jennie to her husband, "Check Lili out. I think she's done for the night."

  He looked over and saw her upside-down, head lying back over the edge of the cushion, with her mouth wide open and a bit of drool traveling up/down her face. Pandy just shook her
head and giggled, noticing the Captain's expression, which was one of amusement, mixed with aw man I have to take her to her room now.

  "How can Liliana fall asleep with such a racket going on?" asked Alicia, listening to the sounds of wooden furniture being smashed below.

  "She grew up around this noise, Alicia. She's been acclimated since birth," said Max. "I'm taking her to her room now - back in a flash."

  Max stood up and went to pick up his daughter, She started to wake up and looked around, slightly disoriented, drool smeared over her face, and saying, "Umm, yeah. Hunt cannibals… with flowers. Blender… database." She then lapsed back into unconsciousness and started snoring.

  "Be right back. Putting Miss Super-Drool 4268 to bed."

  Max disappeared from sight, but was back on the couch pulling Jennie onto his lap in less than ten seconds.

  "Where did you put her, Max? In our bed?"

  "Hell no! She's in her room, baby," he responded, giving his beautiful wife a wink. The two looked over on the other side of Bagatelle, watching as Michael and Clarisa were uncharacteristically displaying some public affection, intertwining fingers and giving each other light kisses.

  "Hmm, it looks like Mom and Dad are an item now, doesn't it?" Max asked rhetorically.

  "I think they're absolutely adorable," said Jennie.

  "Not my choice of words, but yeah. They fit."

  Max turned his attention to his commanding officer and brother-in-law, asking, "Hey G, do you want to go with us to Hollywood tomorrow? We're going to give President Bierle a crash course in Vrol elimination and lycan skills recognition and utilization."

  "That sounds pretty official, Max," laughed Bagatelle. "I think I'm going to pass. Ali and I are going to inspect the Revolution and take that Mannheim kid with us. We're still looking to bypass the crap that Johnson stuck in the ships. You've been working with him on that, right?"

  "Oh yes, definitely. Lieutenant Mannheim - Josh - is super-sharp and has been working at reverse-engineering the hook drive gen-lock. This is stuff that was created by someone with a completely different mindset, so I've given command of the project over to him. I would probably address the issue from the basis of the hook drive itself, which would be wrong."

  "Max, that's just delegation of responsibility. It's the job of senior command. Good job, Captain," said a smiling Bagatelle. "Just promise me you'll keep our new President from getting killed."

  Chapter 23 - Vrol Hunt

  Hollywood, California, Post-Apocalyptic Earth

  "Noooooooo, Gunnarsson! Why did you get us stuck in a nest?" screamed President Bierle, as the two, accompanied by four Rhönen lycans, were fleeing for their lives, being pursued by more than a dozen ground bugs and a handful of centipedes. To get trapped in that situation was bad, but what was most disconcerting to Bierle was that Max and the lycans were actually laughing as they pulled the new leader along with them. He had only been activated for a day, and was already experiencing amped senses and a wildly fluctuating HUD meter.

  "Just keep moving in this direction! We need to get out into the open," commanded Max.

  The group moved to the north, bounding over broken chunks of concrete and rebar, when Bierle nearly stopped, asking, "Just a minute! Captain, do you not have the ability to teleport us from this location?"

  "Mmm, yup," Max responded with a grin.

  "Then… then why do you not do so?"

  "What would be the fun in that, Sire?" asked one of the soldiers, a massive lycan named Lange, as Max grabbed the President and put the man behind him.

  Two ground bugs approached Max dead-on, not even bothering to attempt flanking the lycans. When they were a few meters away he used a gravicantus to drop a massive chunk of former freeway onto one of the Vrol, causing the other to turn and look at its fallen comrade. It was at that moment Max spun Bierle around and shouted, "Now, into its neck!"

  The President complied, jumped forward and violently pushed his katana into the upper spinal column of the creature, separating its brain from the rest of its body.

  "Aye! Well done, Sire! Truly you are of lycan stock!" cheered another of the accompanying Rhönen troops. He had barely finished his sentence when he spun around and bifurcated an attacking Vrol centipede, slicing the creature in half, starting at what passed for its head (which was actually an ugly maw of teeth, much like a demonic worm with massive, sharp mandibles).

  The remaining Vrol decided to peel off and stop their pursuit, most probably having been informed to quit by their hive consciousness. The lycans, still alert, looked around cautiously before taking a well-deserved rest on what used to be a park bench.

  "Mr. President, sorry for that. Vrol usually hunt at night, so we were caught off-guard," said Max.

  "Captain, I can understand your dismay, but why did you not teleport us out when we encountered danger?"

  Max looked at Bierle and smiled. "You were never in any danger."

  "How say you that? We were nearly touched by the vile aliens!"

  "You are lycan, Sire, just as are we. The Vrol shall not defeat Mankind," answered Lange.

  Max created an infoscreen that functioned as a sort of personal radar for detecting bugs. Noting there weren't any nests close by, the group moved in a southwesterly direction, arriving at the Pacific Ocean. Looking directly to the south they saw the ruins of the Santa Monica Pier, which had, centuries before, hosted restaurants, a fun zone with games and an amusement park of sorts.

  "So, according to the briefing you gave us, this Earth is a splintered timeline?" asked Bierle.

  "Correct, Mr. President. There aren't any Vrol left on Earth of the standard timeline - all on the ground and in the air perished when their ships dropped the amoebic plague. But here something else happened, and they survived. This timeline has light magic and some technology, so it's surmised that if the Vrol dropped their killer amoeba the health particles saved everyone, including the invaders themselves."

  Bierle nodded his head in understanding and took in a deep breath, the salty ocean water permeating the air, making it refreshing.

  "So, are we ready to go meet some locals?" asked Max.

  "That would be fine. But tell me, are we to walk to this… oh."

  Bierle was astounded yet again when his surroundings immediately and seamlessly changed. This time they were standing in front of Seven Sins, Dons' nightclub. The four lycan soldiers that had accompanied Max and Bierle made straight for the door, knowing there were cold beers waiting for them.

  "This doesn't look as bad as the other areas. I am assuming it is much more civilized," said Bierle, looking at the repaired streets, buildings and attractive Hotel California.

  "Well, it wasn't this way when I first came here," said Max. "It was as trashed as the rest of the city. It was just free of Vrol."

  "And how did you find this place?"

  "On accident. However, I made some good friends. The two girls you met last night, Jessica and Pandy - this is their home."

  "Really? I would have never imagined. They seemed so much like the… no, wait. They are different, and they do not speak with the accent of the people of Krynos' kingdom."

  "Nope."

  "But at the same time, you have a slight N.A. accent, and they do not."

  "That's true," said Max.

  The President was correct, as Max, Jennie and Bagatelle all had slight accents when compared to those of the federal capitol, New Sydney, Oz. However, these were the most common accents in the entire System, so they didn't see themselves as having accents at all.

  "Hey-o, Maxie! Good to see ya, mate!" exclaimed Dons as he bounded down the stairs from his three-level building. Max walked forward and shook the diminutive human's hand vigorously.

  "Dons buddy, so good to see you. I'd like you to meet someone important from my world. Dons, meet President Jorgen Bierle. He's the leader of Azul System."

  "Sir, it is a pleasure. Umm, would you like a beer?"

  "Yes, I believe I would. I have buil
t up quite a thirst hunting Vrol."

  "Oi! You went hunting demons? Sounds like fun! Max, why didn't you invite me, mate?"

  "Oh, yeah. Sorry. Things have been moving pretty quickly in my world, and we needed to bring the President here up to speed."

  "Yes, thanks to Captain Gunnarsson and his companions we have recaptured our government and are preparing to fight the approaching threat," said Bierle.

  "Captain? I thought you were a Commander, mate! Wait… is captain higher or lower than commander?" he finished, almost whispering.

  Max laughed and put his arms over both men's shoulders, leading them to the stairway.

  "I got a promotion, Dons. Let's go have a beer and I'll bring you up to speed."

  "So, you're a lycan too?" asked Lennie, who had just joined the small group at Dons' private seating area.

  "Yes. It is quite new to me. On my world we had no knowledge of ancient subspecies," Bierle explained.

  "Max has told me as much, yeah. Also that my type isn't much liked in other places."

  "But what type would that be, good Lennie?" asked the newly minted President.

  "I'm what you call a vampire."

  Bierle's eyes widened. He had yet to see a full-fledged vampire, but knew they were sociopathic even in their inactive forms.

  "Hey, the vamps here are totally different, Mr. President. Lennie is a great friend," said Max.

  Lennie just smiled, but Bierle looked at him strangely. There was something familiar about the man that he couldn't quite peg. Still, Bierle was a politician and knew how to mask his expressions. He lifted his beer mug and nodded politely to Max's pale friend.