Extracted - Part 12

[Sthurmovik]

Here's the big action climax, but not quite the ending.

Part 12

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"Do you know what I like about getting up early in the morning?" Lupa mused as she sipped a cup of tea. "You can go out and be productive then realize that you still have most of the whole day ahead of you."

"It is indeed a wonderful day," said Fiona as she drifted off the path and into the manicured grass of the courtyard. "Still, we probably shouldn't get too far away from the dorm since I don't know when Serena and Lars will get back from wherever they went off to."

"It's too nice a day to have to deal with the sounds of a cleanup crew removing mecha debris," said Lupa sitting down and allowing the sunlight to fall upon here. "This place reminds me a lot of a University campus in summer. Place is partly empty, maybe some people have to be there, but there's a distinct lack of pressure as one sees during the academic year. We can just sit back and move at our own pace, no one trying to give us the bum's rush."

"There is an evacuation order," noted Fiona.

"Yeah, but look, it’s like move out day. Everyone's getting all their bags together and waiting for a ride. Typically this level of chill isn't possible without more long hair and more drugs," Lupa chuckled as she finished the last of her beverage.

"Well I think I have them covered in the long hair department," replied Fiona picking at a rather nasty mat on her forearm, "and the doctors here are pretty liberal with the drugs."

Lupa stood up raising her arms high above her head to stretch out her somewhat confining human form. "Alright, I've got my morning constitutional squared away. Like you said we should probably get back to the dorm and wait for our big Sister to take us home."

As Fiona turned to leave with Lupa her eyes caught sight of a particular person sitting alone by herself under the shade of a small tree. "Why don't you go on without me," said Fiona, her eyes swirling to an odd shade of purple. "There's someone I need to talk to and I am not sure if I'll get this chance again."

Lupa opened her mouth to object then just nodded silently before turning and walking back down the pathway leaving Fiona to lumber over to the Unity officer who was staring quietly off into space and dressed in the typical robe of a newcomer undergoing treatment in the medical center.

"Do you mind if I join you? I was wondering if you were feeling better."

"Go right ahead," the woman answered, not bothering to look up. "They've worked me over pretty well so I'm not some ticking time bomb if that's what you're hinting at."

"My name, well, people call me Fiona."

The woman finally glanced at the large feliniod, her eyes scanning up and down to take in Fiona's full size. "I'm Val. They told me you were from the Interlink. I guess that means you're like us, only more content to let the physicals trample all over you."

"I don't let anyone "trample" all over us. We prefer to think that a non-physical existence should reduce conflict, not fuel it," Fiona replied.

"Oh, I see. Thought you'd try to come over and convert me? Help me see the error of my ways? Your people might be content to hang out in their crystal towers, but I've seen the sort of deprivation that takes place in the physical sphere and as long as the resources needed to support one physical being could give 10 sentient minds a godlike existence in the non-physical realm then I will gladly make some short term sacrifices to see that sort of injustice rectified," Val sneered, clearly intent on picking a fight.

"I'm not here to convert you," Fiona tried to explain. "I just don't know when I'll get the chance to talk to one of your people again. I think it's important to try to understand those with different points of view."

"Ah, so you're just a bourgeoisie dilettante unwilling to fight for your convictions, if you even have any that is," Val shot back. "The Unity will not rest until we have freed the oppressed. Every delay means more needless suffering."

Out of sight from Val Fiona clenched her fist. In all her centuries of existence Fiona could not recall having met anyone who had been so outwardly hostile and abrasive. Upon reflection however it didn't surprise her. From what she knew about the Unity only those who embraced the party line were ever "promoted" back into the physical world and to become an officer on top of that implied that Val was a true believer.

"Well I'm sorry that you don't seem to be willing to have a civil conversation, but I'd like to leave you with a thought. As you live out your life here you might want to take note of the ambient level of "oppression" and consider if there might be better ways to end it than ripping people out of their bodies and uploading them to VR for "reeducation"."

Fiona added just enough of a feline hiss to her words to make sure that Val fully understood just how much conviction a "pampered" Link mind could have. Not really caring what Val might say in reply, Fiona turned her back on the Unit in such a manner such that her tail tip lightly swished the side of Val's face. Striding away Fiona's eyes beamed a lemon yellow, proud of how she had represented her people.


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The six stood in a circle around the cast bronze sculpture of a flying Pegasus under the tall broad trees of the meditation garden. Lupa said she had picked it because it looked like the creature was ascending towards the afterlife, its strength and poise reminding her of the courage Sarah had shown in the defense of the portal terminal. Silently Lupa moved from person to person pouring a thumb's worth of a clear amber liquid, salvaged from the charred remains of New Beginnings, into their outstretched glasses. After filling her own glass, Lupa placed the half full soot stained bottle in a small notch at the base of the statue then rejoined the circle.

"To all those who have died in the quest for knowledge," Lupa said solemnly, holding her glass out high in front of her.

"For knowledge," the rest of the group repeated before drinking and setting their glasses upside down around the smooth black granite pedestal.

For a few moments the group stood in silent contemplation before Serena gently reached over to embrace Lupa and lead her away. The remaining four paired up as well, the Captain with his wife and Lars with Fiona as they made their way to the edge of the glade. All except Fiona and Bea were wearing the clothing and gear they had arrived in as opposed to the more relaxed Sanctuary attire that had been provided.

"I will write the family," Lupa offered, speaking softly.

Serena exhaled. "I think we both should. I was technically her commanding officer at the time. It is my duty to write her next of kin and explain how she died and what she died for."

Lupa shook her head. "No, I think it should just come from me. This was my mission and I was her advisor. I know that technically you were commanding her, but I know her family and I knew Sarah far better from you. In this case it would be awkward for two letters to show up."

Serena just nodded, relieved she would not have to try to compose something, but also feeling guilty about passing up one of an Officer's most important duties.

"So when are we getting picked up?" Lupa asked softly of Serena.

"I just sent Search and Rescue an e-mail and asked that they delay any operation until I can send them a final plan so we have a 24 hour window, but I don't think I'll need that."

Lupa nodded. "Well, did you decide on a course of action?"

"Yeah, it's simple. We get picked up in a shuttle and they I get a ship in orbit to do the Hand of God on the extraction monster. After that I'll have a chat with old Lomey and try to make sure this sort of thing never happens again."

"Sounds straightforward enough, although the Sanctuary administrators aren't going to like it," said Lupa.

"Ah whatever. I'm sort of getting fed up with this place. I need to figure out what to do with Marrin. What they've done to her mind is criminal, but if she honestly wants to stay after getting some appropriate mental health care I don't want to get in the way of that," Serena sighed.

Stepping out from the tree line Lupa turned towards Serena and initiated another long embrace. The emotions their forced captivity had held at bay finally having a chance to come to the surface.

"Hey, do you guys hear something," said Lars, trying to find the source of the noise. "It's sort of like a loud buzzing."

"I hear it too," said Fiona as she walked out of the grove. "Fire alarm perhaps?"

Suddenly with the speed and crack of a bolt of lightning combined with a high pitch whine, two beams of bright blue energy shot forward and impacted the energy shield surrounding the admin building. While the shield was undaunted, leakthrough was sufficient to scorch the upper stories and blow out many of the windows.

"Look! Over there on the hill!" yelled Captain Dunn, pointing towards the long alpine meadow.

Striding down the hill was a creature the type of which none of the six had ever encountered before and would not likely soon forget. Standing 50 feet tall horn to foot, the gangly monster was covered in a thick black scaled hide that glistened with some sort of foul secretion. On each of its elongated feet were 6 powerful claws, on each of its hands, 6 razor sharp curved talons. Shuffling with the hunch of a semi-bipedal dragon walking erect the former Unity soldier let loose with a multi-tonal roar, its gigantic maw opening to reveal a single row of transparent blue fangs. Closing its mouth the monster surveyed all around it with its three pairs of eyes arranged in two rows of three on either side of its horned head.

The source of the energy beams soon became apparent as four thick, snake-like appendages slithered from the creatures shoulders, the tip of each able to act as a physical weapon or to project energy either as a shield or as an offensive beam. It's long sinuous tail, while thankfully not possessing an energy weapon, did sport a ovoid double edged blade that fit symmetrically around the tip. The response from the security forces was immediate, a stream of energy blasts and a forest of missiles rising to meet it. However the shielding easily absorbed the energy and the exercise of some latent ability sent the missiles rocketing towards the sky where they exploded harmlessly.

"That's no creature, that's a fucking Kaiju!" screamed the Captain as the concussion from the rocket and missile explosions reached them.

"Captain," Serena said, her voice getting serious, "take Bea and get to safety in the dorm basement."

"What about the plan?!" Lupa screamed, "What about the Hand of God?"

"There's no time! This thing needs to be killed now before it takes out the whole complex!" Serena yelled back, pulling out the makeshift Tupperware encased Interdimensional com unit.

"Who are you going to call?" Lupa asked as the loud explosions gave way to the softer sizzle of energy blasts.

"Group Captain Angelos at New Byzantium Air Base. The Pan-Hellenic Confederation currently has the SLIRT stand-by air support contact and they haven’t let me down once," Serena managed to answer as she focused on keying in the 20-digit point to point link number.

"Let me guess," said Lars, "that number is another one of those important bits of information you've committed to memory."

"Damn straight. Never go gallivanting around the multiverse without standby air support," Serena said hitting send. "Lars, get out your scope. I'll need range and bearing on the Kaiju."

The screen on Serena's tablet flashed that the direct had been made and a voice speaking heavily accented English came in over the speaker.

"336th Tactical, operations room."

"This is Colonel Serena Hanford requesting immediate close air support. I need two pigs on a low level atmospheric run."

"Alright Colonel I am going to need to request additional authentication," came the reply after a brief pause and a few keyboard clicks.

"Request alternate authentication method."

"Ooooo kay your challenge is Oak Tree."

Serena closed her eyes for a moment, clearly trying to visualize something in her mind's eyes. "Response is Rain Coat."

"Target bearing 830 meters, at 65 degrees from our current position," barked out Lars.

Serena tapped the information into her tablet to compute both the monsters exact position as well as a safe portal point for the fighters. "Sending target and entry coordinates now. Entry +60,000 km from surface, possible hazard, scan not possible. Warning, FTL assumed not functional. I repeat FTL not functional."

"Thank you Colonel Hanford, your air strike is inbound. Possible entry hazard, no FTL. ETA 5 minutes. Flight leader will contact you on subspace channel 23/23."

"Well I just learned something," remarked Fiona as the operations controlled clicked off. "The procedure for raining down death is remarkably similar to the one for ordering a pizza."

"Yeah, a pizza that costs 450,000 credits,” Serena grumbled. “Come on, we need to get to the forward command post and tell whoever is there that they need to keep their people back. This is going to be a show to remember."

"Just follow me, I know the fastest way to get there," Lars yelled over the increasing din of the firefight as he tossed the four remaining team members weapons from the duffle bag he had filled in the vault.

The four ran through the vehicle parking area crossing paths with security forces and armed volunteers as they ran towards the fight as well as newcomers who were running away from it. Ducking and weaving they made it to a small loading dock set into an earth slope and an open door admitted them into one of the subterranean maintenance and heating tunnels that crisscrossed the campus.

"Boy, someone sure kept himself busy," Serena observed as she realized that her human form could probably stand a little extra physical training.

"When on an unfamiliar campus always locate underground assets," Lars quoted from his own list of rules. "Comes right after locating free food, free drink and free net."

"How much further," Lupa puffed. "I'm not so good running on two legs."

"It's right up ahead," Lars yelled, his voice echoing down the tunnel as the lights flickered from an explosion somewhere above.

"Colonel Hanford this is Olympus Leader, do you read?" The voice that came out of her tablet via the local subspace link had significantly more interference than the earlier Inter-D call, but Serena was nevertheless relieved to hear it.

"I read you."

"ETA in 90 seconds, waiting for final target fix."

Lars hit the button for an emergency access hatch which began to slowly open upwards into one of the many green open areas between the Welcome Center outbuildings. At that moment there was suddenly a sharp sizzling crack followed by a muffled explosion. Several chunks of smoking formed granite bounced down the steps that lead to the hatch.

"Oh shit!" yelled Serena as she choked a bit on the cloud of dust.

"What the fuck was that?" exclaimed Lupa.

Serena clambered up the debris strewn stairs to get a better look at what was going on in the above world. Instead of seeing a monster that was being safely engaged at 800 meters, instead she saw a monster that was barely two football fields away and making mincemeat of all that stood before it.

“Damn," she cursed softly getting back on the transmitter. "Olympus Leader, this is Colonel Hanford. Danger close! Target has moved, target has moved! Cannon run only!"

"Roger that danger close. Going around for a cannon run. Will inform. Olympus Leader out."

Lars emerged from the tunnel and took up a position behind a nearby decorative rock with Fiona poking her head up over the lip of the hatch, the angled cover sheltering her from above. Together they watched as the monster's shields absorb twin particle beam blasts at point blank range before spinning around the slicing the offending walker mech in twain with its tail then reaching in to pluck forth the hapless operator and toss her, still screaming, into its great maw. From over on the left a more humanoid mecha, standing about half as tall as the Kaiju, managed to somehow get past the projected energy barriers to make a bold overhead attack on one of the monster's arms using a glowing energy blade. The energy blade bit into the creature causing a stream of purple blood to squirt out and prompting the monster to roar in pain. However in a flash the sound emanating from the monster's mouth was replaced by a jet of yellow liquid that hit the battle mech dissolving it seconds down to a pair of leg stumps.

"Lady protect us!" exclaimed Fiona, as she was confronted with some of the more extreme scenes of horror the physical world had to offer.

"A cannon run isn't going to do shit against this thing," Lars called over from behind his rock.

"But anything bigger will kill everyone within 500 meters," Serena shouted back finding her own cover behind a sculpture. "I don't know how many people are left in these buildings."

"Well we can't stay here!" Lars shouted back. "It's headed right for the transport pad and we're in the way! These weapons I got from the tech vault might as well be Nerf guns. We have to pull back and direct the strike from a safe location!"

"Wait!" cried Fiona. "Who's that?!"

Halfway between them and the monster a single person had walked out into the middle of a grass field completely devoid of cover save for the occasional crater or energy beam scar. Standing her ground she raised her voice well above the sound of battle causing everyone around to stop and take note.

"Comrade Torvin! Comrade Torvin!! As you commanding officer I order you to stand down!" The woman screamed at the top of her lungs.

"That's Val!" cried Fiona.

"Who?" Serena asked.

"Val! Um, the Unity officer. She's trying to reason with the monster!"

"Look, its stopping," observed Lars, not quite believing his eyes.

"I know you can hear me Torvin. I know you're still in there! Please…listen to me. The Unity ends suffering!! The Unity only kills as a last resort!! Just stop. Remember your oath. Remember the Principles!"

For a brief moment it actually appeared as if Val was somehow finding a way to get through to the small part of the monster that was still Ship's Engineer Torvin. The tentacles lowered and its expression softened. Then, an evil sneer spread across its lips as it let out a bone chilling hollow laugh. The two tentacles used for blasting moved back into position and focused in on the helpless human before it.

"Well she tried," Serena muttered softly under her breath as both she and Lars averted their eyes to not watch the solitary human get turned into hot vapor.

"Comrade Torvin! I am your commanding officer and you WILL obey me!"

As the monster fired its weapons even Val assumed that she had been killed until the ongoing stream of sensory information feeding into her brain convinced her otherwise. Opening her eyes she saw a large mass of blue and black fur, one hand outstretched diverting the blast of energy and around the two and up safely into the sky. Serena couldn't believe what she was seeing either.

"FIONA WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"

Fiona was concentrating too hard on not dying respond to Serena's comment as the creature switched its remaining tentacles from defense to offence. As two additional beams descended to vaporize both of the "insects" standing in the way of the Kaiju's mealtime. Fiona met the extra beams by thrusting both hands before her and summoning all the power she had. The force of the blast sent her reeling backwards leaving two skid marks in the grass, but she managed to hold on.

"No!" cried Val. "I will not allow you to place your death upon my conscience! You should have let me die on my own."

"Oh do shut up!" Fiona snarled back over her shoulder, beads of sweat already forming on her nose. "I told you the Link will not let itself by trampled by tentacle energy beams or Kaiju or self-righteous Unity blowhards."

At a point two thirds of the way between Fiona and the monster, inside the four projected energy beams a spherical disturbance began to form in the air, steadily growing larger and larger. Fiona's energy reserves were running on fumes, but she was now pouring large quantities of anger straight into the tank. As the creature's attacks began to weaken, the energy sphere floating before it continued to gain strength and what had started as a slight shimmer in the air had intensified into a visibly pulsing glow.

"Three…two…one…blast off!" Fiona declared as the ball of rage and determination shot forward into the Kaiju's mid-section unleashing a repulsive force that lifted the massive monster up off its claws and hurled it backwards through the air, tentacles flailing helplessly. Its ballistic trajectory was only halted by the hard rock slope of the mountain ridge over a kilometer away.

"Clever girl!" Serena excitedly declared as her hand went to the transmit button. "Olympus Leader, this is Colonel Hanford. Target +1200 meters. I repeat target +1200 meters on your current vector. Drop a train on 'em."

"Rodger that Colonel. Tell your people to cover their eyebrows."

An instant later the air was filled with the sound of sonic pops as hundreds of electro-magnetically driven 20mm cannon shells smoked through the air and impacted the creature ripping off chunks of flesh and scale with each subatomic detonation. The disoriented monster roared in pain, its tentacles rising to project its protective shielding once again, but they were too little and too late as a barrage of 2.75" hyper-velocity rockets followed the shells. The Kaiju let out a mournful howl as first its shielding then its body was ripped to shreds by the shaped charge warheads which momentarily hid the massive beast behind a curtain of bright flashes. As the two ground attack fighters roared over the Welcome Center at well above the speed of sound, the targeting system on the lead jet released a pair of 500 pound low level attack bombs. Once the bombs were free a set of anti-gravity coils popped open on each bomb rapidly halting their forward momentum to allow the attacking craft to escape what was to follow. Back on the ground behind the bombs Lars and Serena both ducked down behind their respective cover and shielded their eyes while Fiona turned and tackled Val to the ground. For an instant the entire scene was bathed in a warm glow as small quantities of matter and antimatter were introduced to each other before a powerful shockwave bent back the vegetation and shattered any of the transparent aluminum window panels that may have been previously damaged. After the wave passed there was a brief period of silence before the surviving defenders let out a cheer, certain defeat having changed to total victory in the short span of a few minutes.

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"Uuughhh," Val grunted as she tried to free her body that had been pinned to the ground under the dead weight of a sleeping mega-tiger.

"Here, take my hand."

The Unity commander looked up to see Serena standing over her, hand outstretched.

"Fiona's not going anywhere for a while," Serena noted, "so come on, I'll pull you out."

Begrudgingly Val worked her arms loose and extended them up for Serena to grab hold off, who then proceeded to pull Val free from her furry entrapment and get her to her feet.

"Thank you… Colonel I believe I heard?"

"Yes, and you are?" Serena asked.

"We use different titles that probably don't match up to what you are used to. In this case you can call me a "Mission Leader"," Val replied.

"Well, I just wanted to tell you that that was a courageous thing you did standing up to the mon…to your comrade there. You provided the opening that helped save everybody here," Serena said with genuine sincerity. "I know that our two civilizations haven't even officially established contact, but perhaps one day we can figure out a way to work together instead of fighting."

"Unlikely," Val smirked, "our philosophical positions are probably too far apart to ever be harmonized, but…perhaps we can find a way to not be enemies."

"Hey, that seems to work for most religions."

"Indeed it does Colonel, indeed it does," Val said before looking over Serena's shoulder. "Looks like you got some company. If you don't mind I am going to excuse myself to reflect on recent events and get a nice stiff drink. Good luck."

Serena turned to see Lomez and a pair of security officers making their way toward her across the debris strewn courtyard. Casually retrieving her makeshift com unit from her bag, Serena began to enter yet another 20 digit number making no effort to disguise her actions.

"SLIRT Ops," squeaked the high pitched voice of a certain NeoGryphon.

"Hello Skie. How has everyone been doing?"

"Colonel?! Oh, well…let's see now," said Skie, fumbling his words a bit as he tried to suppress any gryphonic displays of excitement that might damage sensitive audio equipment like human eardrums. "Well, you had us a little bit worried there, but then I saw you were back charging against the air strike budget so I figured you had everything well in hand. Everybody can't wait to review your sensory stream and see the master at work."

"Might end up disappointing a bit on that one, but listen I'm going to have to wrap this up," said Serena as she glanced up and saw that Lomez was within earshot. "I would like to request an extraction, six people plus cargo. Bring two Hinds from the pool, sending coordinates on the data channel. Limit personnel to humans only, yourself excepted."

"Rodger on the extraction Colonel, two Hinds, human crew. I'll see to it personally."

"Thank you Skie, Hanford out."

Lomez and his security detail were almost standing face to face with Serena by now, but no one raised a hand to stop her or what she was doing.

"Did I somehow offend you or mistreat you," Lomez started off, his calm words barely masking his seething anger, "because as far as I remember I went out of my way, hell everybody went out of their way to show you nothing but kindness and respect. Yet you and your little band of followers have chosen to repay our kindness with betrayal."

"You think I betrayed you? Are you kidding?" Serena scoffed. "You brought us here against our will, held us against our will and I don't recall having made any sort of promise or oath to you. My duty is to the Federation and my duty is to my people. I guess I have some duty to you as a human being, but that doesn't extend to accepting imprisonment with good nature and aplomb. I told you I couldn't take your offer to help fight the monster and I meant it because I wasn't going to actually betray you so just get off your high horse."

"You betrayed the principle that all Newcomers to Sanctuary are equal citizens of Sanctuary! We treated you as part of our family yet you took advantage of our openness, you took advantage of our trust and now you have likely doomed this entire planet to the horrors that we have tried to long and hard to evade."

"I'm sorry, but I don't see how any of that is my problem."

That comment proved to be the one that broke the dam holding back the rage in Lomez's mind prompting him to haul back and throw a punch at Serena's face. It was only by dint of her hand-to-hand training and augmented abilities that the part-time human managed to catch his fist in mid air and avoided having part of her face caved in. Lomez kept up the force pushing against Serena's cupped hand for a few more seconds before letting both his arm and his head drop.

"In my mind I feel anger," Lomez continued, "but in my heart I feel pity for you. You are so jaded that you cannot see when someone is honestly trying to help. You see Sanctuary as a plot, a prison…a reeducation camp and then tried to escape back to the world you came from when in fact it is the world you are from that requires escape. You seek to willingly throw yourself back into the meat grinder."

"Lomez, you rail against trans-biologic technologies because of the effect you see them having on many of the societies and civilizations out there, but all you have done is manage to replicate the same effects just through other means. You're living in a sandbox simulation even if the graphics are really well done and pain is set to true. I choose to live in reality no matter how crazy it makes me because when I accomplish something," Serena gestured back towards the carcass of the dead Kaiju, "I want it to count."

Lomez didn't bother to respond, the look of anger and disappointment on his face making the only argument he had left. Of course there was a few items of unfinished business that would have to be hashed out, but there on the battlefield each commander had their own people to attend to. Putting her cobbled com unit back her bag Serena turned back to check on Fiona before briefly pausing again.

"By the way, you're welcome."

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