2288: The Skotadian Experiment Page 19

  “Clear to dock.” The docking control AI mentioned. It then guided the dropship in. The hangar was a secure one. Once the three of them departed the dropship left and headed to a different hangar on the ship. Standing in the hangar was Lenkov and Omori.

  “If you don’t mind me asking sir, but why was she down there?” Ramirez asked Lenkov.

  “You should ask the Kronos of Id.” Lenkov responded.

  “Speaking of which he implied that he comes from the future and that there will be mass causalities upon this world.” Sakura responded.

  “Wait? What did you just say?” Omori asked her.

  “You heard me correctly.” Sakura responded.

  “Anything else about that?” Lenkov asked her but she only shook her head.

  “So what happen with the Kronos of Id?” Omori asked.

  “You should ask Atropos.” Ramirez responded.

  “Then I’m going to have to order you not to mention anything for it will demoralize all who . . .” Lenkov was saying. He then received a call over the ship’s intercom stating that he was receiving an important message. “Go ahead.” Lenkov responded.

  “The Dark Id facility is destroyed. Deathcore is finished. And sir, Viper 33X has a plan that I wanted you to take a look at.” Mad Dawg was saying.

  “I understand sir about what you were saying.” Ramirez said after Lenkov got off the phone with Mad Dawg.

  “How’s your power cells?” Omori was asking Sakura.

  “It’s fine.” Sakura responded. After she motioned that Omori should stop trying to check to see if it’s okay or not.

  “Are you sure?” Omori asked her still wanting to check out the power cells. Sakura only nodded her head.

  “And the Valknut?” Omori asked. She then became concerned when Sakura didn’t respond as well as gave the look of ‘oops.’

  “What!? What is it? What did you do!?” Omori asked her.

  “Nothing. It’s just that I . . .” Sakura was saying.

  “Shit!” Omori nearly yelled after she checked the power cells. Omori then let out a sigh over the thought of losing her friend again. This time around it could be permanent.

  “What is it?” Lenkov asked Omori.

  “Her power cells are finished!” Omori angrily, through hurt and love, responded.

  “I was just protecting the Valknut.” Sakura mentioned.

  “I have to send her to the android server farm on Tyos Prime! The body is lost!” Omori mentioned in an urgent tone of voice. Without waiting for Lenkov’s approval, Omori took her beloved friend to the ship’s server room. From there she could then use the ship’s communications to send Sakura to the starbase.

  “Sir . . . if you don’t mind me asking, what is the Valknut?” Ramirez asked Lenkov who motioned for both of them to come with him.

  “We are legion for we are many. For the many is one. And the one is many. For the whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts, exponentially more. But if the one wishes to separate from the many than it must ask for permission. It is based upon the reverse engineering notes on the Valkyrie Matrix and it allowed those people to be in there. General Vaughan wanted it for some reason.” Lenkov responded.

  “I understand sir.” Ramirez responded.

  “Will you please hold still for Christ’s sake?” Omori said to Sakura at the moment that Lenkov, Ramirez and Maria came into the room.

  “Beauty contest I reckoned. Or am I late for the wet tee-shirt contest?” Lenkov stated as he was entering the server room.

  “Not now.” Omori responded to him as she was trying to work upon her friend.

  “So what do you got?” Lenkov asked Omori.

  “Like I feared. Her power cells are done.” Omori responded with a slight sigh.

  “Obeying the Kronos of Id is obeying the founder, right?” Sakura asked both of them who didn’t respond.

  “How long does she have?” Maria asked.

  “That’s marginally irreverent since sooner or later she will get to Tyos Prime. No . . . the real problem lies with the TIA starbase being decommissioned and then going through a rapid re-commissioning. There’s too many unknown variables.” Omori responded.

  “Don’t worry about that. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me for I will always be in your loving arms.” Sakura responded with a smile.

  “No . . . you’ll be in the loving arms of those idiots back on Tyos Prime. It’s the only reason why you are being sent back there. You know . . . I seriously think that you love being in their loving arms than being out here with the rest of us.” Omori responded in her typical way. She then sent her friend to the TIA starbase and hopefully off to Tyos Prime. She then turned and looked at Ramirez in that cold Skotadian way.

  “Ma’am?” Ramirez asked her when she looked at him.

  “You do realize that if she can’t come out of the TIA starbase than either I, or Joseph, may have to order you two to figure out a way to kill her, don’t you?” Omori asked him. Only Maria was shocked by that Skotadian coldness.

  “Yeah, I do.” Ramirez responded.

  “What!? Why!? I thought she was your beloved friend!? That one website stated that the two of you are very close like sisters!” Maria responded through her shock.

  “We still are. Nothing have changed about that.” Omori responded.

  “Then why give that type of order?” Maria asked.

  “Ask Ramirez he may know?” Omori responded.

  “I do and I don’t know.” Ramirez could only respond.

  “What will Sakura become when she is fully integrated into that starbase computers? Do you realize that she will, not only know all, but also see and hear all that occurs upon that world? Now that may seem like a huge advantage, allowing us to have complete and total victory over Dark Core upon this world, but at what price? You know as well as I know that Dark Core will stop at nothing at the destruction of that starbase. It is also very likely that the human race, in due time, will be no different. In case if you forgotten, there have been three cases where someone did the same thing—integrate themselves into a starbase computer mainframe. And in all three cases they were killed. Hell far, me and Joseph had to go on a mission, right after Valkyrie, to investigate if someone did that! That damn cursed mission gave me nightmares up until I became a full cyborg! It’s the sole reason why I had trouble in sleeping when I was a human! Joseph was no different! The powers that be is possessed in preventing the non-powers that be from becoming what is known as Cyeus[22]. They’re scared shit-less of the consequences! You know those two plaques that is found on every single Skotadian government building and military vessel?” Omori said to Ramirez.

  “Yeah, what about it?” Ramirez responded.

  “Did you know that if you put the word ‘of’ in-between their titles you get a statement?”

  “No. I never knew that.”

  “’The Great Illumination’ of ‘The Unseen God.’ So just what is it referring to? That only the founder of Skotadi can be the coveted Cyeus? Don’t forget those old rumors that he was an android. But even he disappeared! So maybe it’s true that even back then no one wanted a so-called cybernetic god to exist! Or maybe he realized that and chose to disappear. Take your pick on who’s going to die if she can’t come out. For the dark hand of Nemesis is coming to this world and nothing is going to stop that. Weep for this world Alex, for in due time . . . you will.” Omori responded and then she left.

  (2)

  Captain Dawson finally made it his next safe house but he had both Colonel McIntyre, Eagle Eye Dawson, and the other half of the Dragon Clones (Mad Dawg had one-fourth while Task Force ZH-3C the other) on his tail. On four occasions Eagle Eye nearly killed him. It was the first time in his career that somebody almost did. The irony was not lost upon him given their last names.

  “Got him.” Eagle Eye said as he shot Captain Dawson through his right kidney but below his liver.

  “Hold up! The base defenders have been alerted! Fall back to a defensive positi
on!” Colonel McIntyre ordered everyone through the radio.

  The base defenders was able to rescue Captain Dawson with no causalities on their part. Although the medic wanted to treat Captain Dawson he refused the help and demanded to be taken to communications. He was in a lot of pain and losing a lot of blood. That was because he was not wearing his combat uniform which could stabilize his vitals and help to prevent the blood loss that he was having.

  “I need to speak to Dark Serpent now.” Captain Dawson ordered the officer on duty.

  “Yes sir.” The communications officer responded. She was having problems in trying to raise Dark Serpent. It was Captain Dawson who understood what he was seeing on the monitors and he had to order the officer to stop the transmission so that he could better assess the situation. It took him five to ten minutes before he figured it out.

  “Use the old secure channel. The landline one.” Captain Dawson ordered her.

  “Sir?”

  “Just do it.”

  “Yes sir.” The officer responded. This time there was no problems.

  “Captain Dawson, you better have good news for me.” Dark Serpent said when he got the call. Things were going from bad to worse for him.

  “First of all sir . . . I think that there is a consciousness within the TIA starbase.”

  “What!? What lead you to draw that conclusion!?”

  “Sir, I need you to look at a video for me.” Captain Dawson was saying. He then had the officer on duty to send the video. “Sir what you are looking at may appear like random video images but it isn’t. It appears to be the personal memories of someone. As you can see from this one . . .” Dawson then slowed down the video and then he continued on. “. . . the person appears to be very close to Sayaka Omori. But the memories appear to be that of Sakura Sanjo . . .”

  “Hold up captain. I need to inform the others.” Dark Serpent responded. The other three was so speechless that they forgave Dark Serpent for everything up until that point. But they did not inform him of that.

  “We’re going to do all that we can to seek help. Be advise that we need time to find the nearest ship, or more preferably a fleet, that could help. Understand that given the nature of the situation we will no longer be able to contact you, let alone receive calls from you. From this point in time forward none of us will be able to contact one another. At least not until the TIA starbase is either destroyed or at least neutralized. Activate the LMPG and after that you, like us, are on your own. Help will eventually arrive.” Dark Serpent mentioned to Captain Dawson.

  Captain Dawson knows that it will take time to activate the LMPG (Lacrimas in Mortis [tear of death] Plasma Gun). But it is the only chance that he has in standing up against Lenkov and Omori.

  “Sir we have confirmation that Sakura Sanjo is indeed inside the computer mainframe of the TIA starbase.” The VERM agent informed Captain Dawson.

  “Understood. We have to assume that Dark Core may not be able to get a message out and therefore I need you to try your best to send out an emergency distress call to all nearby ships that can provide assistance. Inform them that we need a complete and total liquidation of all Skotadian forces who don’t show allegiance to Dark Core. Inform them that the TIA starbase is a primarily target that must be destroyed at all cost. Lenkov and Omori is now considered the most greatest threat to Skotadi ever and must be dealt with in the most extreme manner possible.” Captain Dawson inform the agent. It was sent and it will not take long for someone to pick it up.

  (3)

  “This is Lieutenant Commander Siviero my team and I are currently in position.” He informed Colonel McIntyre.

  “Understood and Godspeed.” McIntyre responded.

  Siviero has a simple objective—secure the ground installations that is taking over for the TIA starbase. If this could be pulled off than it would be yet another major defeat for the Dark Core members upon that world. What’s more, an hour before he arrived, Siviero learned that Mad Dawg destroyed the Dark Id installation. That is a huge morale booster for everyone since they fully understood what that means for those Dark Core members. All Dark Core members are full androids. If that body is destroyed or badly injured than they could use the Dark Id to send their consciousness to some unknown world where it contains another android body for them. However, each one of the worlds has a facility (Main Laboratory: Ultra 3X on Golden Hyperion) that acts as server conduit that allows each of the Dark Core members to leave the body that they are currently using in case of an emergency and enter another android body. Each of those bodies are in secret location and there are several of them per member.

  As Siviero approached the installation a group of Fiends (with cybernetic implants in an effort to control them) came out shooting at them. Although all the Fiends were killed it forced Siviero to take up a defensive position since the installation was also connected to a parking garage on his far right. And just as he feared another group of Fiends came out of that garage and rushed his position. All the Fiends were killed with no losses on his side let alone injuries.

  “Ensign! Inform Colonel McIntyre of our situation! Inform him that I am not able to rush the enemy’s position until I get a tactical deterrent!” Siviero ordered him.

  Since Task Force ZH-3C (who was still en route to Main Laboratory: Ultra 3X) was the closest, McIntyre had them go and provide support. Siviero had with him only enough personnel to deal with the expected human personnel there. Nobody could have known that the Fiends would be the ones providing security. (Since they had cybernetic implants that inform Lenkov’s personnel that Dark Core wanted to “use and lose” them.) By the time that Task Force ZH-3C arrived Siviero was bogged down trying to protect the equipment that he had with him. That equipment acted as the “brains” of the robots that was in the process of decommissioning the TIA starbase. Siviero also had explosives with him to destroy the installation once the robots got their new brains. Since the so-call brains used a Wi-Fi connection the installation had to be destroyed to prevent any interference from the installation and/or the installation trying to reassert the original program. It also dawned on him that speed is critical if the mission is to be successful. For if it took too long than it is conceivable that Dark Core may have the installation fry the brains of the robots in an effort to prevent the prime objective. He just needed Task Force ZH-3C to hurry it up.

  (4)

  “Tell Lieutenant Commander Siviero that we’re here.” Vaistll told Lucarelli.

  “Yes sir.” Lucarelli responded. He spent the next minute arguing with Siviero over the ability to send someone to assist him.

  While they were making their way to the base twenty-eight Fiends rushed their position. The Fiends were killed with neither Task Force ZH-3C nor the Dragon Clones suffering any losses. As they entered the installation through a hole in the wall, and stepping over the corpses of Fiends, Siviero ordered Lucarelli to tell Vaistll to “get her ass on the ball.” Siviero had finally made it into the installation but was handicapped by his numbers and the equipment that his team was protecting. He needed Task Force ZH-3C to get to the communication room and hack into the Fiends SIN and cause them to see one another as the enemy.

  “This is Tiger 22K to Lucarelli. Fiends are coming out of the . . .” He said over the radio. It ended with Tiger 22K screaming.

  “Tiger 22K, say again. Tiger 22K do you read me!?” Lucarelli said over the radio. He then had several Dragon Clones to check out the situation with Tiger 22K. At the same time that Lucarelli had the Dragon Clones to check out the situation with Tiger 22K, Green Team was ordered to do a sweep and clear of a nearby storage area. Chief Warrant Officer Chu and Crewman Anderson was sent into the area.

  “Oh my god! No!” Chu screamed as both he, and Anderson, was attacked and killed by three Fiends. Anderson was able to get off a couple shots, but missed. The other members of Green Team came into the storage room and killed the Fiends. Green Team then stood there in disbelief.

  “Ma’am.” Nakada
was saying through the radio.

  “Go ahead.” Vaistll responded.

  “Chu and Anderson are dead.” Nakada mentioned.

  “Understood. Finish doing a search and clear of that sector. Then move to your next assigned area.” Vaistll ordered him.

  “Copy that.” Nakada responded.

  “Vincenzio, this is Wolf 19R. The Fiends overran Tiger 22K’s position and killed them all.”

  “Understood. Where are the Fiends?” Lucarelli asked.

  “We’ve killed them.”

  “Copy that. Your new orders are to provide assistance to Red Team.” Lucarelli responded.

  When Red Team, along with Ramirez, made it to the communication room, all of the Fiends within the installation turned their attention to the recapturing of the room. Red Team was trapped with the only way in or out was the stairwell and/or the elevator. Wolf 19R knew that he had to provide the team with enough time so that they could reprogram the SIN of the Fiends. He then led a group of Dragon Clones out to hold off the Fiends who were coming in large numbers.

  “Done sir. Sir look out!” Moriarty shouted out. A small group of Fiends came through the door but was quickly killed.

  “Cease fire!” Hawk 27J yelled out when he noticed that the next group of Fiends who came through the door looked confused. They then started to kill one another.

  “Hawk 27J.” Ramirez called out after the Fiends killed themselves off.

  “Yes sir.” Hawk 27J responded.

  “Count our losses.”

  “Yes sir.”

  Five minutes later Hawk 27J return and mentioned that eleven Dragon Clones, including Wolf 19R, was killed. Ramirez then contacted the Hammer of Doom and told them that they lost 19 Dragon Clones, Task Force ZH-3C lost two. Thirty-five minutes later Siviero came in and told them that he can take it from there.

  “What’s going on up there?” Vaistll asked Siviero.

  “Why do you ask?”

  “Because of the way that Captain Maxwell was behaving.”