Freedom, page 16
part #3 of Mystical Slayers Series
He tried to kiss her, but she pulled away a bit. “I just need time. I was abused. I was pushed to the limit. I was out of control, but I never gave up, and now, I’m back where I belong, Resin. I still love you.”
Resin smirked and shook his head okay. “What shall we do now?” he added.
He figured better to steer this conversation in another direction. “Do we continue to look for a way back to Earth through the wormholes in space, or do we try to take the ship’s past programmed route to another unknown territory? I mean, there are choices!”
Sin looked at the man before her. “I have to tell you something. I sent a little girl to the place that ship has in its log, that being from where it had come from. I don’t know what happened to her, but I won’t leave my daughter again either way. If we do decide to go there, she comes with us, or to be honest, we can stay right here.”
Resin licked his lips, suddenly dry. “But should we try to get home? To Earth still, or is this it? We stay or explore this new place?” He still had no decision in his mind.
Sinaye shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe this new planet or moon has someone there that knows how to get to Earth instead of us trying to fly randomly like before. I dunno!”
Sin found it hard to focus too. She just wanted to cuddle with her daughter and hold her tight. Her attention was definitely elsewhere, and Resin sensed that.
They would have this conversation on another day real soon.
***
The mourning of all those lost took time and the Seidons were seen celebrating more than crying as families threw objects of lost members into the sea. The elders spoke of how life was more of a series of memories and for those still here, lost loved ones would live on inside of them. Sinaye felt like this was a philosophy of Raegan and Jansa and the others of her sisterhood and suddenly, her heart ached more for those she missed on Earth. She had Celeste, and the child was her priority in whatever they chose.
Later, again Resin talked with Sin on the shoreline. “I know you’re having a hard time concentrating, and you went through this ordeal, but we need to make a decision. Tell me what you’re thinking even if you’re only thinking semi-straight.”
He gave her a small smile as they now waded into the water with baby Celestial in his arms. Sin had missed the water and dove under, avoiding his questions. Soon, she emerged and walked back to the shoreline as he followed.
They sat outside their cave grotto, looking out into the ocean and seeing the green and blue phosphorus patterns above them. She was okay here. They would be okay here now, but if this new place gave them a chance to go home to Earth, she could be with her sisters again and introduce them to her little girl.
She wanted to let them know Resin was now on their side. Inside, she knew that would be the best of choices, if possible, but it wasn’t so easy. She finally looked to Resin and simply stated, “I want to go home.” The two spoke a little bit more, as feelings opened up.
Resin, happy to discuss things, smiled. “Okay, it’s decided. We take you, baby Celestial, and the new women as crew on the Talana. We head to this Ereesta in hopes of finding a way back to Earth and seeing if we can locate this young, little, blonde girl you’ve been speaking of. Pack your bags, the sooner we get going the better.”
Sin took Celeste in her arms and poked her on the nose. “You hear that? We’re going home.”
The next day, the Talana was up in space and on route to wherever it had come from originally, perhaps maybe centuries ago. After only two hours in the air, the vessel came upon an unpredicted wormhole in space.
The couple hadn’t seen one in many years, and as Resin slowed down the spacecraft, he looked to Sin. “This could be it, hun. It looks similar to what we have used before to get to and from Earth, yet it still might lead us out to wherever.” He raised his hands in wonder.
“What do you think?”
The dark-haired Mystical Slayer didn’t have an answer, but she did have a plan. “Give me a second.”
She prayed to God for such a gateway to lead her back to Earth and to her beloved sisters.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Mayor Warns was frustrated beyond belief. The blasted Corporation hadn’t sent hardly any reinforcements still to protect Washington. He was lost for words, but only for a moment. He went about, yelling and screaming and throwing a tantrum as he tried to find a solution to the rebels now all about the Capitol.
His super robot Blue Eyes, which he named, stood before him and got the brunt of his frustration. “You know what the worst part about this is, Blue Eyes? Most of these people are women. Yeah, stupid, puny women; those you could snap in two. I’m not just going to sit here and let them keep coming after us. We need a plan, Blue Eyes. Use that friggin artificial intelligence of yours and tell me what to do. It’s obvious the rest of the clones here and the dumb humans don’t know shit.”
Blue Eyes was a unique robot, not really a super one like the Y-Wood specimens, but tough and made very well. His looks were a tad offbeat, as he had two reddish, demonic-like horns coming out the side of his metal head. That set off the mayor now too. “What’s up with those retarded horns anyway, Blue Eyes?”
The bot took in everything his master had said, for he was programmed now to obey him and be his guardian, and not to argue, or lash out.
“If my calculations are correct, sir, they have the Capitol somewhat surrounded. If they all come at once, we would need to utilize the drones outside to our advantage for a full defense maneuver. You had mentioned before that you have something special and big missiles at your disposal. I suggest you get them ready too.”
The mayor frowned. “Yeah, yeah. You know what? I also have a lot of various equipment in the warehouses. Come to think of it, there appears to be a military-like old school tank in there.” The mayor looked as though he might be thinking of using it.
The bot added, “I would also suggest we get that working to our advantage as well, sir.”
Mayor Warns nodded. “Yeah, let’s do that!”
The mayor again asked, “What about those horns? You like them, do you?”
Blue Eyes replied, “I don’t really think about such, sir.”
The mayor changed the subject. “Okay, you haven’t told me a plan yet other than we get the last of the defense drones and now the tank. Then what, for Pete’s sake?”
The bot contemplated strategy, pausing for a bit.
The mayor yelled, “Well… What the fuck? Don’t you have a plan, dumbass?”
This time, the mayor knocked a big picture frame off the wall. He grabbed it and smashed it over his knee, ending out of breath with steam coming out of his ears. “Answer me, will you?”
The bot replied, “Well, then we seek and destroy their leaders.”
***
Back at the rebel’s base camp after a brief trip there, Jerry Bends was joined with Grammy Wal as they entered the area where Jansa and another injured ally recovered. Staycee and Tyne had already repaired Jansa’s shoulder and chest wound. It looked decent enough so far, all patched up.
Tyne directed and aided all involved with assistants Karma and another younger doctor-like woman. Each kept Jansa comfortable and as the elder ladies came in, Tyne asked the younger ones to leave for a bit.
Jerry looked to Tyne, who was on a rounded swivel chair, operating about with a missing leg still and arm. “So what’s the verdict,” she asked.
“Unfortunately, the other woman didn’t make it,” the cyborg explained more in detail. “As for this one, she’s going to live, lucky for her. Her internal organs weren’t affected, and she’s going to be fine. It’s just her attitude that needs an adjustment.” Tyne turned her head to her sister with a snarl-like grin.
Jansa frowned at that statement. Jerry walked closer to the curly blonde partially sitting up in a portable bed. “We all are glad to hear that you’re going to be okay.”
Jansa nodded. She asked all about what’s going on via the battlefront. Jerry looked to Staycee, the mainframe computer, and asked, “So, what you got?”
The computer replied, “The women are now moving in on the Capitol. There’s still lots of fighting taking place, but so far so good.”
Jerry wheeled over beside Jansa’s bedside.
“I heard about your tragedy, losing a man you cared for. I am sorry. Pain is a requisite of life, trust me. I’ve been around a lot longer than you, and I’ve had a lot of pain. You just have to get back up and keep going. Why am I telling you this? You just need to get your head clear some.”
The sisterhood’s doctor still looked very down and out. Grammy Wal now joined the talks, adding, “Yes, you just need time. Hang in there, kid.”
Jerry went on, “I’ve been fighting for what we’re doing now for years, and a lot of times, it felt like it was just me against the world. For God’s sake, what you have in this sisterhood is simply remarkable. Together, you guys are making a difference.”
She wheeled about to go, yet added, “Well, it’s back to work for me. We got plans, ya know, for the future. We’re gonna win and change things. Find a way to keep your spirit up, young lady.”
She left Grammy Wal to talk with Jansa.
Jansa looked up to her. “All right, now you as well are going to give me a speech. Listen, I’ll be okay. I just got to get through this injury.”
Grammy just smiled at her. “Nope, I’m just here to show my support. Why would I care? Who are you? Just one of the most important doctors and spiritualists in whole damn world. I got nothing to add.”
Jansa knew it was coming. “Go ahead…” She raised her good arm up, asking, “Spill it, you know you want to.”
Grammy Wal smirked. “It’s not what I want, it’s what you want for the rest of your life. What I want is for you to put on your big girl panties, heal up from this nasty injury, and get out there and kick some more asses!”
Grammy poked the bed-ridden woman with her stick in the side. “Get out there and inspire people. Be a hope bringer like you know you are!”
Jansa took a deep breath. “Yeah, that’s me. It’s just so hard losing someone. The pain hurts; it really hurts.”
Grammy Wal understood quite well. With time comes wisdom, and for most great loss. “I remember my own losses, we all have them.” She came closer to Jansa’s bed. “There was a man I once loved. His name was Earl. We had traveled to Asia to study together, taking lots of risks on such a journey. I wasn’t in love at first sight, but man, he was so kind. Eventually, we were madly in love. He was the positive type, always there for me and fun too. We laughed all the time.”
Grammy looked lost in thought for a moment.
“So what happened to him?”
Grammy Wal tried to smile. “Oh, he got sick. We thought it was a new form of cancer, something you would know a lot about, kid, but it wasn’t. It was something he ingested. This parasite ate him down to nothing. He was so sick, he couldn’t eat and eventually, he left me alone in the world.”
Jansa seemed sad. “I am sorry.”
“We can’t look back,” added Grammy. “The things that kick the living crap out of us make us stronger, and we need the strength in a world like this. Because one day all that we do will come to fruition. Life will get better, I know it will.” She reached out to take Jansa’s hand. “Don’t give in, okay? You matter. I believe in you, I do. Get some rest.” She squeezed Jansa’s hand and turned to wobble out of the tent.
Jansa called to her, “Any word of Victory or Sun and of Johan yet?”
Grammy Wal shook her head no, as she left the tent.
***
Mahira got the word from her location at the Lincoln Memorial. She turned to her friend Jazz. “The time has come.”
The woman whose short hair was now most freshly shaven off on one side, nodded with a smile.
“Live free or die, right?”
Mahira now grinned. “You got that right.” She announced to her team, “Listen up, this is it. We have been asked to join the fight at the Capitol. The final piece is before us.”
She walked to a spot on the white granite wall and recited a quote. It was a passage written long ago; it at least appeared that way. Yet, it was altered, she had no doubt. It was still something all needed to hear.
“Our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. This nation shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
She raised Free in the air. “Let’s go to the Capitol and take back our own freedom.”
All about her cheered and followed their fearless leader.
***
Chaya had just received the word all were moving on to the Capitol now as well. She turned to her squad within the Jefferson Memorial and announced loudly, “The time has come. I want you all to know, when hate is loud, love cannot be silent. We love this country. We all crave freedom. This is our time, and we won’t fail.”
She walked over to a saying on the wall, “Remember this as well, as we all join the others today. ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’”
She turned back to all the men and women before her, now raising their weapons high in salute. “Today is our day. Let us go!”
***
It was too late now. Mayor Warns had gotten no additional Y-Wood help, so he and his slew of bodyguards made way to escape the Capitol, and they saw the scene before them.
Rebel fighters came from all sides and straight on. Drones shot, but they kept coming, using coverage as they inched closer and closer. Sky rebel ships also darted up in the air, covering their troops and aiding them in the fight. He paused and went off to the side of an open, mid-level balcony, watching this horrific sight.
“We should have taken the subway exit,” he scolded, turning and snarling at Blue Eyes and the rest next to them.
The robot replied, “You had us blow that up, sir; it’s no longer an option.”
The mayor blurted out, “Yeah, yeah, idiot! It was a figure of speech, for fucking sake!” He wasn’t all too happy. He moaned out, raising his hands before all.
“Where should we go?” he asked the horned robot.
Blue Eyes calculated and ran data about, then replied, “I can get us to your tank or attempt to get a flyer and get you out of here.”
Mayor Warns gave his mega bot a maddening look. “Listen, you see this star on my head? I am the man, the ‘rock star’ here. I can’t run. I want these people dead. Let’s get that tank anyway and blast the living shit out of all of them.”
The bot simply nodded.
He still had a backup plan though. His intellect told him to consider such. He presented it to the mayor, his master. “Come with me, sir.” He led the chubby man to a hallway door and into a storage-like area. “These are jet packs that strap to your body, and you can fly, sir. I suggest we use these when needed.” There were two packs only.
The mayor liked what he now saw and heard. “Well, shit, you aren’t so dumb after all, Blue Eyes. Give me one of those.”
They, just the two of them, prepared to fly, and he grinned from ear to ear, excited to get to the old war tank and lay an end to the freedom fighters. Blue Eyes directed him around as they flew out, seeing the fighting, to stay unseen or shot. The two of them dashed downward to a warehouse further away.
***
Raegan turned to Karl Nic, his dirty-blondish hair was strewn about wildly as he scratched his scruffy beard. Yet he nodded up and down as to say things were going to work. “We can do this. I see no Corporation help arriving, and with the others coming to aid us, we can win!” He nodded again.
“We’re definitely going to take some casualties being out in the open like this. Let’s not be too overjoyed. There’s still a long way to go to get up the long walkway and breach those stairs to get inside.” The Mystical Slayers leader was the one nodding now.
“I’m ready,” she added.
From a distance on one side of them, Chaya came and pointed over at Raegan and the freedom fighting general as to say here we are! She raised a long laser rifle in her hands, holding it at each end before her team ran up further.
Next, they saw Mahira’s squadron moving forward as well. She appeared from the other side now and had Free strapped to her back while she held a laser rifle of her own.
She acknowledged where Raegan and the general were as well by raising a fist saluting the upcoming fight. She too went onward.
Mayor Warns, defending humans, robots, and a few Corporation drones, joined together to stop the onrushing rebel army. Shots rained all over like an old-time Fourth of July-like fireworks display. Lasers shook the Capitol, this was it.
Eventually, the drones lost their ammunition to strike, and no help came their way… so most of the fighting turned to ground combat only. Ally ships were low on fuel and only a few at a time helped, yet any help mattered now.
The freedom fighters made way to the stairs of the Capitol, and the giant massive white stone building loomed above them.
The robot soldiers were programmed to hold their ground and fight in front of the Capitol, and they did just that, shooting down many of the freedom fighters as they rushed up the stairs. They, however, were soon slowly being overwhelmed, and some of the humans defending with them bolted back and ran into the Capitol to find refuge somewhere.
As the rebels reached the top level of the stairs, Mahira, Chaya, and Raegan joined together. It was an awesome moment!
There was still much fighting to be done along the stairway, yet these three entered the first level of the Capitol. Outside, allies battled with great hope and courage even as many fell to the shots of robotic defenders.
