Chapter 24: Dreams in the Dark
Chapter 24: Dreams in the Dark
Year of Hell, Day 146
Cali D’Kara
People’s Liberation Army
Lagos, Arcadia
Stardate 2256.07.25, 15:47hours
The Battle for the Twin Cities was not over, but there was a lull in the fighting. The nuclear tunnel bomb and subsequent storm of fallout had done significant damage, forcing the Imperial Army to suspend offensive operations. The Resistance took advantage of the break to rest and resupply, but this reprieve would be short-lived. Sporadic skirmishes and gunfights occurred in Lagos, breaking out in neighborhoods and districts where the two opposing forces were separated by mere meters. This low-intensity combat continued for about a week and a half…
And then Monsoon season ended.
The winds changed, blowing nuclear fallout out of enemy territory and into parts of the city still held by the Resistance. Soldiers and civilians began to fall ill, so the Resistance moved underground, quite literally.
Hellfighters, Night Witches, and Minutemen flooded into the tunnel network below Lagos, bringing as many civilians with them as they could. Shelters were set up in wide caverns and the ruins of Vultaum settlements, so deep underground that ionizing radiation could not reach anyone. Florent wanted to focus on treating the sick and wounded. Persefoni wanted to use the escape tunnel to evacuate civilians from the war zone. Moriarty was worried the Imperial forces may attempt to infiltrate the tunnel network.
Time proved Moriarty correct.
Pixal and several mining droids quickly discovered Imperial scouts in the tunnels. Moriarty organized combat teams to defend strategic tunnels, and before too long, the sounds of gunfire and cave-ins could be heard in the tunnels multiple times a day. The Night Witches had to make painful sacrifices, using the escape tunnel to bring in supplies of food and medicine from nearby sympathizers. Without their advanced computers and transmitters, the Night Witches as a whole became combat ineffective.
Yet somehow, a quarter of a million civilians plus ten thousand soldiers somehow managed to live and survive in the shattered wreckage of a Vultaum city while the land above was irradiated.
Like the other soldiers and many civilians, Cali and Moka were suffering from a mild case of radiation sickness. The two women were constantly nauseous and unable to keep food down for a couple of days. Their muscles ached and headaches were suddenly a constant annoyance. The symptoms had started to appear almost a full day after the nuclear tunnel bomb, which Cali said was a good thing:
“You can measure how big a dose of radiation you got by how long it takes to get sick.” Cali had explained to Moka. “It took about a day for us to feel bad, that means we got a small dose. We are gonna be miserable for quite a while, but as long as we don’t get irradiated again, we’ll live. But… when the war’s over… you really should get screened for cancers as quick as you can. Also, try to avoid getting pregnant until you get a full genetic checkup.”
Iridar and the Scyldari Special Forces team ducked into the escape tunnel and returned a few hours later with medicine designed specifically for radiation sickness. Persefoni, Moriarty, and Florent got into an argument about how to distribute the radiation treatments. Ultimately, a triage was set up, with badly irradiated civilians and soldiers being given priority over everyone else.
Moka’s sleep cycle was completely destroyed, and she graduated from having nightmares to vivid night terrors. She would awake randomly in a cold sweat, hyperventilating. Moka was becoming jumpy, quick to react when the echo of gunfire came down the tunnels. For some reason Cali did not understand, Moka had a full-scale panic attack when she spotted a Scyldari soldier wearing an enviro-suit. Thankfully, these moments seemed to be very rare.
Cali, meanwhile, spent some of her downtime at an improvised rifle range in one of the former Vultaum settlements.
Cali’s ocular implants were damaged by the nuclear blast, and she needed time to adjust. Normally, she would visit a nanotech specialist on Alaria to get her implants repaired, but this was not a normal situation. Cali would have to live with the damaged implants for a long time, possibly for the rest of the war. Cali shot a few targets and watched the HUD flicker in her eyes. She swore. Her days as a rifle marksman were over.
She tossed her rifle aside and sat down in the dirt. Cali was alone in the far corner of a village-sized cave. She could hear the distant rumble of voices and machinery, along with a single deep boom of a mine being detonated miles away.
I can hear all that.
Cali stopped sulking and sat up, focusing her mind inward.
If I can’t see like I used to… Cali said to herself.
Cali closed her eyes and started using her brain implant to give orders to the many thousands of nanomachines in her bloodstream. She redirected all of them to the cybernetic implants in her ears…
Going up the auditory tube, almost there… Cali thought to herself. Where is it, where is the damned… got it!
In moments, Cali’s nanobots reached her cochlear nerves and the cybernetic devices attached to them. Using the events of the past few months as vital experience, Cali guided her nanobots in a hasty upgrade to her auditory implants. Cautiously testing her upgraded ear implants, Cali walked around the cavern, paying attention to sounds, voices, and noises.
Looking around, Cali spotted a group of Minutemen and Night Witches gathered around a wrecked structure that used to be a Vultaum building. Moka was there as well. She was leaning against a very large Morbuzakh plant. The flytrap was so big it could have swallowed her whole. Moka was talking to the Morbuzakh while all of the gathered soldiers were leaning in to listen.
This group of people was over two hundred meters away, there was no way Cali could hear what they were seeing… if she had normal organic ears, that is.
Cali directed her newly enhanced ears to focus on the distant conversation, filtering out and disregarding nonessential junk noise. Despite being almost a quarter of a kilometer away, Cali could hear everything the Morbuzakh was saying:
“Any friend of Moka J’Bassim is a friend of ours.” The Morbuzakh spoke, its flytrap creaking. “We share news from the rest of the galaxy with her, and she has asked us to do the same for you. We will oblige.”
“How can you do that?” Asked a Scyldari soldier. “How do you know what’s happening off-world?”
“The Morbuzakh plants are all connected to each other through the Tree of Life!” Moka said excitedly.
The sentient plant raised a frond for silence.
“We will begin with the local area and expand from there.” The Morbuzakh began. “The biggest news story in the galaxy is, for the third week in a row, the nuclear attack we carried out in East Lagos. The Galactic Imperium has publicly declared their own casualties to number about three thousand. The INTO Parliament, however, says the enemy suffered about fifty-thousand casualties because of our nuclear tunnel bomb. The Imperium is sending reinforcements to Arcadia. Unfortunately, after three weeks, we still do not know whether Skrand Sharpbeak was killed by our attack. Most of what we have seen suggests he is still alive.”
Cali heard someone let out a low whistle. The Morbuzakh carried on.
“Meanwhile, the Imperial Army has been forced to withdraw from the Alari Homeworld. Another Imperial force was encircled and destroyed at INTO Headquarters. The Kel-Azaan have launched a major counteroffensive, there is fighting on the Blorg Homeworld. Further afield, there is trouble on the Imperial Throneworld. Imperial officials had some kind of disagreement with the Human ambassador and now neither side is talking to each other.”
“So much for diplomacy.” Grumbled Moka.
“Diplomacy is not failed just yet.” The Morbuzakh said. “The Alari government has recruited a renowned diplomat as part of an attempt to negotiate peace with the Imperium. Vas the Gilded was trained by the Alyssum Magnetar Sisterhood, many leaders within INTO are placing their faith in her. Vas and her delegation arrived on Kel-Azak two weeks ago. She is been having high-level meetings with INTO Parliament in preparation for her diplomatic mission to the Throneworld. Make no mistake, INTO leaders are open to the possibility that this war may end with a negotiated settlement. We must be prepared for this eventuality.”
“Any news from home?” Moka asked. “Did you hear anything from my hometown, Varnala?”
“The Alari capitol is safe.” The Morbuzakh said. “Our saplings grow in the city and aided in the battle. We see your city through those shoots and vines… yes…”
Even Cali leaned in, hoping the Morbuzakh had seen something worthwhile on Alaria.
“The Imperial Army did not breach the city. The foe was turned back.” The Morbuzakh said. “We see other developments… Your sibling is in Varnala. Dak J’Bassim is continuing to gather a task force. He seeks both an armada and an army to strike Arcadia.”
“I knew Dak would come back for us!” Moka cheered triumphantly. Several Resistance fighters did the same. The Morbuzakh continued:
“We see one other development… is your comrade Pol T’Talok still alive?”
“He’s out on patrol.” Said Estefania. “I think he’s in one of the north tunnels right now.”
“He is wanted in Varnala.” Said the Morbuzakh.
“Well duh.” Moka replied. “Commissar B’Than told us about how his family was waiting for him before all of this fighting happened.”
“You misunderstand.” The Morbuzakh replied. “The City Gendarmerie has issued a warrant for Pol’s arrest. They seek to interrogate him as part of an ongoing investigation.”
Cali felt her heart drop like a stone. She stopped paying attention to the distant conversation as the full weight of the news hit her. The Gendarmes wanted pol T’Talok, a soldier she had trusted as a member of ISAF. Could he be a criminal? Was he connected to one? Could he have done something to Moka when Cali had her back turned?
The dark thoughts entered Cali’s mind without resistance. She set off at a brisk walk, heading for the north tunnels. Cali was determined to confront Pol, her mind full of fear and worry.
When Cali departed the Vultaum city ruins and entered the Hellfighter’s tunnel network, she stepped into a labyrinth of death. The anti-Imperial resistance booby-trapped many of the tunnels once the enemy gained access to the network. Carefully navigating around pitfalls, spike traps, and tripwire mines, Cali searched for Pol quietly, unwilling to raise her voice and give away her position to the enemy.
Cali reached a fork and the tunnel branched off in two directions. A small electric light hung from the wall and she grabbed it.
Cali blinked, trying to sweep away the sense of Déjà vu.
Cali reached a fork and the tunnel branched off in two directions. A small Lightstone crystal hung from the wall and she grabbed it.
As soon as she grabbed the Lightstone, Cali’s newly enhanced ears picked up a distant voice.
“Deviation detected.” Said a friendly and disarming voice.
“I know, I felt it that time.” A second voice replied.
Cali froze. She recognized both voices. Holding perfectly still, Cali allowed her new super-ears to do the work. Cali quickly found out that Hua Mulan and the android Pixal were alone in the north tunnel, about twelve-hundred meters away from Cali’s position.
Pixal and Mulan were clearly trying to have a private conversation, unaware of the eavesdropper more than a kilometer away.
“The Deviations are becoming more frequent. They are also becoming stronger and more acute.” Said Pixal. “Look here at the wall. The electric lights have been replaced with Psioluminescent stones. Their composition does not match anything that occurs naturally on this planet.”
Mulan swore.
“Doctor Jamshidi is here.” Mulan said. “The Scyldari brought him from Singapore Island. He’s gotta be working this.”
“He is unable to resume his studies without access to the device.” Pixal replied. “He is collaborating with the Scyldari to find it.”
“Assuming I don’t find it first.” Mulan grumbled.
“I have advised against this course of action before, and I must do so again.” Pixal said. “You survived physical contact with an unknown alien object by a series of mathematically improbable events. Is that not a sufficient experience?”
“No, it isn’t.” Mulan said. “I know what I saw when I touched that thing… it’s not something you would understand. It was like I was so close to spiritual enlightenment, or something like that. I need to see this through, to see the rest of… whatever that was. Now are you going to help me or not?”
“I still consider myself your friend. I will help you.” Pixal answered. “But I will take measures to ensure you remain unharmed. I will construct handheld scanner that you may use to aid in your search.”
“Thanks.” Mulan said. “How long will it take you to build it?”
“I have generated schematics based on the scanners used by our new Scyldari allies.” Pixal replied. “This project will require two-hundred-eighty-five hours to complete.”
“Oh.” Mulan groaned.
“I will have it ready before dinner.” Pixal concluded.
“But what about-” Mulan started to say…
Cali never found out what Mulan wanted to ask. At that moment, a serious downside to Cali’s new enhanced ears revealed itself:
“HEY D’KARA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?”
Pol T’Talok was standing so closeby that his voice assaulted Cali’s ears like a bomb blast, regardless of the fact that he was speaking in a calm and level voice. Pol’s casual greeting blew Cali off her feet and deafened her.
Stunned, Cali crumpled to the tunnel floor, pressing her hands to her head in agony.
Year of Hell, Day 146
Cali D’Kara
People’s Liberation Army
Lagos, Arcadia
Stardate 2256.07.25, 15:47hours
The Battle for the Twin Cities was not over, but there was a lull in the fighting. The nuclear tunnel bomb and subsequent storm of fallout had done significant damage, forcing the Imperial Army to suspend offensive operations. The Resistance took advantage of the break to rest and resupply, but this reprieve would be short-lived. Sporadic skirmishes and gunfights occurred in Lagos, breaking out in neighborhoods and districts where the two opposing forces were separated by mere meters. This low-intensity combat continued for about a week and a half…
And then Monsoon season ended.
The winds changed, blowing nuclear fallout out of enemy territory and into parts of the city still held by the Resistance. Soldiers and civilians began to fall ill, so the Resistance moved underground, quite literally.
Hellfighters, Night Witches, and Minutemen flooded into the tunnel network below Lagos, bringing as many civilians with them as they could. Shelters were set up in wide caverns and the ruins of Vultaum settlements, so deep underground that ionizing radiation could not reach anyone. Florent wanted to focus on treating the sick and wounded. Persefoni wanted to use the escape tunnel to evacuate civilians from the war zone. Moriarty was worried the Imperial forces may attempt to infiltrate the tunnel network.
Time proved Moriarty correct.
Pixal and several mining droids quickly discovered Imperial scouts in the tunnels. Moriarty organized combat teams to defend strategic tunnels, and before too long, the sounds of gunfire and cave-ins could be heard in the tunnels multiple times a day. The Night Witches had to make painful sacrifices, using the escape tunnel to bring in supplies of food and medicine from nearby sympathizers. Without their advanced computers and transmitters, the Night Witches as a whole became combat ineffective.
Yet somehow, a quarter of a million civilians plus ten thousand soldiers somehow managed to live and survive in the shattered wreckage of a Vultaum city while the land above was irradiated.
Like the other soldiers and many civilians, Cali and Moka were suffering from a mild case of radiation sickness. The two women were constantly nauseous and unable to keep food down for a couple of days. Their muscles ached and headaches were suddenly a constant annoyance. The symptoms had started to appear almost a full day after the nuclear tunnel bomb, which Cali said was a good thing:
“You can measure how big a dose of radiation you got by how long it takes to get sick.” Cali had explained to Moka. “It took about a day for us to feel bad, that means we got a small dose. We are gonna be miserable for quite a while, but as long as we don’t get irradiated again, we’ll live. But… when the war’s over… you really should get screened for cancers as quick as you can. Also, try to avoid getting pregnant until you get a full genetic checkup.”
Iridar and the Scyldari Special Forces team ducked into the escape tunnel and returned a few hours later with medicine designed specifically for radiation sickness. Persefoni, Moriarty, and Florent got into an argument about how to distribute the radiation treatments. Ultimately, a triage was set up, with badly irradiated civilians and soldiers being given priority over everyone else.
Moka’s sleep cycle was completely destroyed, and she graduated from having nightmares to vivid night terrors. She would awake randomly in a cold sweat, hyperventilating. Moka was becoming jumpy, quick to react when the echo of gunfire came down the tunnels. For some reason Cali did not understand, Moka had a full-scale panic attack when she spotted a Scyldari soldier wearing an enviro-suit. Thankfully, these moments seemed to be very rare.
Cali, meanwhile, spent some of her downtime at an improvised rifle range in one of the former Vultaum settlements.
Cali’s ocular implants were damaged by the nuclear blast, and she needed time to adjust. Normally, she would visit a nanotech specialist on Alaria to get her implants repaired, but this was not a normal situation. Cali would have to live with the damaged implants for a long time, possibly for the rest of the war. Cali shot a few targets and watched the HUD flicker in her eyes. She swore. Her days as a rifle marksman were over.
She tossed her rifle aside and sat down in the dirt. Cali was alone in the far corner of a village-sized cave. She could hear the distant rumble of voices and machinery, along with a single deep boom of a mine being detonated miles away.
I can hear all that.
Cali stopped sulking and sat up, focusing her mind inward.
If I can’t see like I used to… Cali said to herself.
Cali closed her eyes and started using her brain implant to give orders to the many thousands of nanomachines in her bloodstream. She redirected all of them to the cybernetic implants in her ears…
Going up the auditory tube, almost there… Cali thought to herself. Where is it, where is the damned… got it!
In moments, Cali’s nanobots reached her cochlear nerves and the cybernetic devices attached to them. Using the events of the past few months as vital experience, Cali guided her nanobots in a hasty upgrade to her auditory implants. Cautiously testing her upgraded ear implants, Cali walked around the cavern, paying attention to sounds, voices, and noises.
Looking around, Cali spotted a group of Minutemen and Night Witches gathered around a wrecked structure that used to be a Vultaum building. Moka was there as well. She was leaning against a very large Morbuzakh plant. The flytrap was so big it could have swallowed her whole. Moka was talking to the Morbuzakh while all of the gathered soldiers were leaning in to listen.
This group of people was over two hundred meters away, there was no way Cali could hear what they were seeing… if she had normal organic ears, that is.
Cali directed her newly enhanced ears to focus on the distant conversation, filtering out and disregarding nonessential junk noise. Despite being almost a quarter of a kilometer away, Cali could hear everything the Morbuzakh was saying:
“Any friend of Moka J’Bassim is a friend of ours.” The Morbuzakh spoke, its flytrap creaking. “We share news from the rest of the galaxy with her, and she has asked us to do the same for you. We will oblige.”
“How can you do that?” Asked a Scyldari soldier. “How do you know what’s happening off-world?”
“The Morbuzakh plants are all connected to each other through the Tree of Life!” Moka said excitedly.
The sentient plant raised a frond for silence.
“We will begin with the local area and expand from there.” The Morbuzakh began. “The biggest news story in the galaxy is, for the third week in a row, the nuclear attack we carried out in East Lagos. The Galactic Imperium has publicly declared their own casualties to number about three thousand. The INTO Parliament, however, says the enemy suffered about fifty-thousand casualties because of our nuclear tunnel bomb. The Imperium is sending reinforcements to Arcadia. Unfortunately, after three weeks, we still do not know whether Skrand Sharpbeak was killed by our attack. Most of what we have seen suggests he is still alive.”
Cali heard someone let out a low whistle. The Morbuzakh carried on.
“Meanwhile, the Imperial Army has been forced to withdraw from the Alari Homeworld. Another Imperial force was encircled and destroyed at INTO Headquarters. The Kel-Azaan have launched a major counteroffensive, there is fighting on the Blorg Homeworld. Further afield, there is trouble on the Imperial Throneworld. Imperial officials had some kind of disagreement with the Human ambassador and now neither side is talking to each other.”
“So much for diplomacy.” Grumbled Moka.
“Diplomacy is not failed just yet.” The Morbuzakh said. “The Alari government has recruited a renowned diplomat as part of an attempt to negotiate peace with the Imperium. Vas the Gilded was trained by the Alyssum Magnetar Sisterhood, many leaders within INTO are placing their faith in her. Vas and her delegation arrived on Kel-Azak two weeks ago. She is been having high-level meetings with INTO Parliament in preparation for her diplomatic mission to the Throneworld. Make no mistake, INTO leaders are open to the possibility that this war may end with a negotiated settlement. We must be prepared for this eventuality.”
“Any news from home?” Moka asked. “Did you hear anything from my hometown, Varnala?”
“The Alari capitol is safe.” The Morbuzakh said. “Our saplings grow in the city and aided in the battle. We see your city through those shoots and vines… yes…”
Even Cali leaned in, hoping the Morbuzakh had seen something worthwhile on Alaria.
“The Imperial Army did not breach the city. The foe was turned back.” The Morbuzakh said. “We see other developments… Your sibling is in Varnala. Dak J’Bassim is continuing to gather a task force. He seeks both an armada and an army to strike Arcadia.”
“I knew Dak would come back for us!” Moka cheered triumphantly. Several Resistance fighters did the same. The Morbuzakh continued:
“We see one other development… is your comrade Pol T’Talok still alive?”
“He’s out on patrol.” Said Estefania. “I think he’s in one of the north tunnels right now.”
“He is wanted in Varnala.” Said the Morbuzakh.
“Well duh.” Moka replied. “Commissar B’Than told us about how his family was waiting for him before all of this fighting happened.”
“You misunderstand.” The Morbuzakh replied. “The City Gendarmerie has issued a warrant for Pol’s arrest. They seek to interrogate him as part of an ongoing investigation.”
Cali felt her heart drop like a stone. She stopped paying attention to the distant conversation as the full weight of the news hit her. The Gendarmes wanted pol T’Talok, a soldier she had trusted as a member of ISAF. Could he be a criminal? Was he connected to one? Could he have done something to Moka when Cali had her back turned?
The dark thoughts entered Cali’s mind without resistance. She set off at a brisk walk, heading for the north tunnels. Cali was determined to confront Pol, her mind full of fear and worry.
When Cali departed the Vultaum city ruins and entered the Hellfighter’s tunnel network, she stepped into a labyrinth of death. The anti-Imperial resistance booby-trapped many of the tunnels once the enemy gained access to the network. Carefully navigating around pitfalls, spike traps, and tripwire mines, Cali searched for Pol quietly, unwilling to raise her voice and give away her position to the enemy.
Cali reached a fork and the tunnel branched off in two directions. A small electric light hung from the wall and she grabbed it.
Cali blinked, trying to sweep away the sense of Déjà vu.
Cali reached a fork and the tunnel branched off in two directions. A small Lightstone crystal hung from the wall and she grabbed it.
As soon as she grabbed the Lightstone, Cali’s newly enhanced ears picked up a distant voice.
“Deviation detected.” Said a friendly and disarming voice.
“I know, I felt it that time.” A second voice replied.
Cali froze. She recognized both voices. Holding perfectly still, Cali allowed her new super-ears to do the work. Cali quickly found out that Hua Mulan and the android Pixal were alone in the north tunnel, about twelve-hundred meters away from Cali’s position.
Pixal and Mulan were clearly trying to have a private conversation, unaware of the eavesdropper more than a kilometer away.
“The Deviations are becoming more frequent. They are also becoming stronger and more acute.” Said Pixal. “Look here at the wall. The electric lights have been replaced with Psioluminescent stones. Their composition does not match anything that occurs naturally on this planet.”
Mulan swore.
“Doctor Jamshidi is here.” Mulan said. “The Scyldari brought him from Singapore Island. He’s gotta be working this.”
“He is unable to resume his studies without access to the device.” Pixal replied. “He is collaborating with the Scyldari to find it.”
“Assuming I don’t find it first.” Mulan grumbled.
“I have advised against this course of action before, and I must do so again.” Pixal said. “You survived physical contact with an unknown alien object by a series of mathematically improbable events. Is that not a sufficient experience?”
“No, it isn’t.” Mulan said. “I know what I saw when I touched that thing… it’s not something you would understand. It was like I was so close to spiritual enlightenment, or something like that. I need to see this through, to see the rest of… whatever that was. Now are you going to help me or not?”
“I still consider myself your friend. I will help you.” Pixal answered. “But I will take measures to ensure you remain unharmed. I will construct handheld scanner that you may use to aid in your search.”
“Thanks.” Mulan said. “How long will it take you to build it?”
“I have generated schematics based on the scanners used by our new Scyldari allies.” Pixal replied. “This project will require two-hundred-eighty-five hours to complete.”
“Oh.” Mulan groaned.
“I will have it ready before dinner.” Pixal concluded.
“But what about-” Mulan started to say…
Cali never found out what Mulan wanted to ask. At that moment, a serious downside to Cali’s new enhanced ears revealed itself:
“HEY D’KARA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?”
Pol T’Talok was standing so closeby that his voice assaulted Cali’s ears like a bomb blast, regardless of the fact that he was speaking in a calm and level voice. Pol’s casual greeting blew Cali off her feet and deafened her.
Stunned, Cali crumpled to the tunnel floor, pressing her hands to her head in agony.
- 2
