The Wild Ba’Neesh Chapter Twenty-Three ©2019 Fay Thompson All Rights Reserved

Mick could hear them coming from somewhere down the corridor, their voices argumentative and higher pitched, younger. Jeffrey had him stowed in a recovery room that was basically just big enough for an adjustable bed held down to the floor with massive magnets. The door was open, Mick insisted over Rojer’s complaints about security. Mick ordered Elias to get some sleep and watched Jeffrey stash him next door as Elias was unwilling to go far. Mick couldn’t tell if it was compulsion or something else.

What he knew for sure was Elias was upset. He felt like he got everything from Elias, clearly the person sharing the most with him. Elias was confused, grieving the loss of his personal friendship with Jordy and unclear on what was happening.

Mick pushed himself to the side of the bed and noticed his red skin was less red than earlier. Five-hour nap? He heard Elias making noises too. The approaching boys had wakened both of them. He wondered about that too. He trusted Elias. Maybe it was the memory share but it didn’t seem to matter. Elias was a solid person, pragmatic, intelligent, analytically gifted. They were in this together, whatever this was.

“Mick. Tell this red shirt to let us in.” Raiko called out from the outer corridor doorway.

Mick slipped off the bed and frowned at his clothing. He didn’t want cloth touching his skin. He opted for a robe hanging nearby. It was too thin, like it was made of pulp fibers instead of fabric base. Mick walked barefoot to the doorway to look past Rojer into the ante-room that acted like a miniature hallway to a set of five recovery rooms. Elias arrived in the doorway next to Mick’s. He was properly dressed if still looking harried and tired. They exchanged a glance, a recognition of a shared memory base unlike anything either of them had ever felt before with another person. Weird intimacy, a little awkward and uncomfortable.

“Gossip on the hidden channels speculates they intend to gas us, you, while you are still vulnerable.” Neo said, as if discussing chips for lunch.

Elias stiffened. “Fuck.” He said.

Mick nodded. “Strategically sound. What have you done about it, Neo?”

The rest turned to stare at Neo.

Neo grinned. “Well, I might have reprogrammed the outer seals.” He said. “And, adjusted the surveillance in here.”

Elias’ wrist com went off.

“Elias?” The voice was recognizably Jordy. “What’s happening down there?” Jordy asked.

“Protection of Mick is commencing. Where’s Brad?” Elias asked.

Neo pointed upward. Elias nodded. “I see you waited until Brad was off ship.”

Mick walked over to Neo and whispered in his ear, “Use the emergency pillars upstairs to tell the Exec Officer to drop us to the ocean floor, or make it happen yourself if not.”

Neo disappeared down the hallway. Mick stretched, aware the two other boys were staring at him, wondering what he had whispered and why Neo was special.

“What do you want from me, Jordy?” Mick spoke at Elias while gesturing to Rojer they were going to be leaving. Rojer nodded. The thought of shooting someone was exciting. Mick went back into Elias’ room and rescued his backpack and then back to his room for his boots, he had to have boots on this ship.

Thorne’s voice came over Elias’ com. “There is no desire to hurt you Mick, but we need to protect Citadel. You can’t keep holding us hostage.”

Mick pulled on his boots and sealed them, slinging his pack over his shoulder. “So, did I sleep through your request for me to leave the submarine or go to the brig or whatever, Thorne?” All of them felt the submarine’s engines kick to life.

The sub explosively blew its connectors to the decking and dropped like a rock. The sudden movement threw them all off balance, grasping at each other and the walls to remain standing.

Brad’s voice interrupted. “Fuckers. I shouldn’t have left. Knew it was dodgy as hell.” He sounded genuinely disappointed.

“We have chasers.” Neo’s voice emerged from the wall squawk box. Looks like four mini’s. We don’t get to kill them, do we?” He sounded regretful.

“How many crew are compromised, Elias?” Mick asked. It was clear to everyone that everyone was listening both onboard and in Citadel.

Elias answered, “likely around twenty percent at a guess, more will follow if it’s clear you are no longer important.”

“Right.” Mick nodded to Rojer, whispering. “Can you yell loud?” Rojer nodded. “Speech?” Another nod coupled to a grin. Mick shrugged, Rojer correctly interpreted that as permission to use his own words. Rojer peered out into the central corridor, now mysteriously empty when usually it bustled with people. “Disloyal to Mick kiss the floor.” He yelled, his voice ripe with activated Vrill. All of them could feel the snake of Rojer’s intent sending the words around corners, into rooms, up and down stairs, anywhere air was openly traveling. The bite echoed in the brain.

Volker laughed outright. They ran as a group, heading not fore toward the Command Center which Mick could guess would be the best guarded space. Instead they headed toward one of the many small ladders heading upward, off the main corridor. The submarine wasn’t that big but it had lots of ladders. Elias spun the first hatch on the top level closed behind them as his wrist com went off again.

“There’s no where to go, Mick Huxley.” Thorne said forcefully. We have Central Control.

“Of course there is, Thorne. And, of course you have Central Control.” Mick answered a bit breathlessly as he forced his weakened body to run. “You have to remember I just slept with the Exec Officer in my brain. He will only turn over if your operatives catch me. Seems he likes being captain. This is a deep ocean sub. Those mini’s are not rated for deep ocean. Do you want me to demonstrate?”

Elias reached over to one of the wall boxes and said. “Those loyal to Mick will find those not loyal face down on the floor. Arrest them. Check every person logged onto this sub.”

The open com allowed them to hear lots of yelling and shouting and the pounding of footsteps. Sounded fun. Mick couldn’t figure out why anyone was being loyal to him, was it just the faint opportunity to steal a sub for a joy ride? Reflectively, he could imagine thinking such might be worth it, if he were in their places. Fun.

Neo was standing next to the second pillar on the upper level, his fingers flying across the holo control panel. “Much better system than my gaming rig. I’ve got eyes off on this level. We are secure, at least for the moment. Exec is fighting with the Lieutenant, I think. The com keeps switching on and off.”

“Did we ever see a head along here, Elias?” Mick said, raking his fingers through his already messy hair.

“Yeah.” Elias walked him to a room with a H on the door. H for head. Right.

Rojer was facing the way they had come, his weapon brandished, his posture classic warrior defensive.

“We have disconnected the MagC.” Thorne said.

“Okay.” Mick cracked the door open so Elias’ com could pick up his words. “You think that is adequate, Thorne?”

The open com allowed them to hear lots of swearing, thumps and screams.

“Analysis of all engagements with the Neeshatari suggest Her range is limited, augmented by the MagC. Besides, water and electricity don’t mix well, Mick.” Thorne almost gloated.

Rojer nodded in agreement.

Range. Interesting suggestion. “Is Moira around?” Mick asked. He had returned to the corridor, the boys and men forming a loose circle around him. He sat down on the decking, trying not to scratch himself. He should have remembered to bring the salve. Regrets.

After a few long moments the holo capability of the wall com displayed a frowning Ba’Neesh with a massive rack of antlers.

“Stupid Soek Mick.” She said, glaring at the pickup with obvious displeasure.

“Yes, I remain a stupid Soek, Moira. My Ba share with Neo and the others tells me you are running the Battle School, Weapons Development.” Mick continued. “Moira, do you think shutting down the submarine MagC is sufficient for Thorne to succeed in containing the Neeshatari?”

Moira stomped and snorted. Mick realized she was real, not a manifestation like Kiena. She spoke words he couldn’t comprehend to someone out of visual range of the pickup inside the Citadel. He waited. By the expressions on the other boys faces he could tell she scared them.

“Thorne is a more stupid Soek.” She finally answered.

“Moira, can you tell me about distance and range of Vrill casting. How weak are we?” Mick was rummaging through his backpack for one of his nut bars. He was back to being hungry and already regretting Lal’s itch dessert, somewhere below.

“Depends on the construct.” Moira answered, her tone not nearly so abrasive as earlier. Her stomping had stilled as well.

“Other side of the planet distance?” Mick took a bite.

Elias stiffened. “What are you wanting to aim at Mick?”

“We have your weapons locked down.” Thorne stated firmly.

“Maybe.” Moira said. “The lasers are certainly that far in a straight line although there is immediate efficacy loss, spread. The constraint is duration time and Vrill burn as well as ultra-violet damage.” It was a far more scientific analysis than Mick would have guessed her capable of. His estimation of her flowered to life on a strong upward track. Serla was right.

“Right. That’s the reason a super laser would need to be outside Earth atmosphere.” Mick nodded. “How about a UV shield?”

“A sigil?” Mael’s familiar voice intruded. “Hi Mick, back to causing trouble today? Glad to hear you are feeling better.”

“Can you wrap light in a containment sigil?” Mick asked.

“Stop pandering to him. He needs to bring the sub back up now.” Thorne said, his tone not nearly so calm as earlier.

Neo keyed an open channel from the Command Control Room. They got a holo visual of men fighting before the feed cut back off. Neo laughed. “They don’t want us to see the fighting.”

“We just learned we can throw Speech on Light.” Mael answered. “Courtesy of Mick Huxley. Particles and waves. Theoretically, we should be able to do other sigil attachment as well, if we can figure out the math.”

Moira snorted. “Math. What does it sound like, Mael?”

Mick noticed she didn’t call Mael a stupid Soek. He felt some jealousy of that courtesy. Maybe someday he would also elevate beyond stupid status. A goal.

“I’ve got reports of fourteen crew in restraints, one of them is the Lieutenant of Munitions.” Neo announced.

“Oh, we will need him.” Mick frowned. “Is he just fighting to fight or what? Can you ask someone to put him on the com?”

Elias took one of Mick’s snack bars and started chewing it. “Likely there is food up here. Should we rummage?” He asked, for some reason the situation felt ridiculous rather than dangerous. Maybe it was sitting on the floor with a bunch of kids. Gamers. He drank from Mick’s jug.

The disheveled face of the Munitions Lieutenant appeared above the wall box. He had clearly been worked over.

“I am Lieutenant Mortimer Banks. I demand you free me at once. This vessel belongs to the Directorate.”

“Mortimer? Really. Do they like call you Uncle Morty or what?” Mick snickered. There was a famous goofball show called Uncle Morty.

“I am Lieutenant Mortimer Banks. I demand you free me at…”

“Yeah.” Mick said, “I heard you Morty. Answer me this, what is the best long range weapon on board this sub?”

“What?” Mortimer asked. “You aren’t authorized to touch any of my munitions.

“If you had to hit something say twelve thousand miles away, what do you have?” Mick continued, eyeing Elias with jealousy. Maybe someone should look for more food.

“We have four torpedo-type missiles, some kind of disruptor payload.” Neo answered, his tone happy. “Not sure if it knocks people out or what. Likely its rated non-lethal since the Accords. It’s got encrypted coding, will take me a few to decipher.” Neo said, clearly loud enough for the intercom wall unit to pick up.

“That’s classified.” Morty yelled. “Get the hell out of my systems you miserable student bastard, this is my ship, my munitions, not some gods be damned gamer toy to blow to shit like you did to that floater.”

“Yeah.” Mick answered. “Neo just said that, encryption. This would be faster if you just told us. Just check the range, okay, Neo? Oh, I didn’t blow it to bits, Morty. I was brain wiped when Thorne did that.”

“Near surface launch is over six thousand miles.” Neo announced, “Depth creates drag, water more than air.”

“What are we shooting at, Mick?” Mael asked.

“Don’t know for sure.” Mick answered and then he bent over as his brain tried to find the answer, burning an acid path backward in his mind. It took a long moment before he was able to ask. “Any idea when Serla arrives?” Serla. Lifeline. Serla and the Akaitapi. Soon. He had to be soon.

Elias crawled over to peer at Mick where he was rocking and moaning, clearly experiencing something new. Where the hell was Jeffrey?

“Sound, Mick.” Moira’s voice interrupted. “Rojer the one who Gores, he attached Speech to Light. Math is music.” Moira interrupted. “We forgot. We go to remember now.” She moved away from the pickup leaving the holo blank.

“You need to pay attention to me!” Thorne yelled.

“Don’t play with my munitions!” Lieutenant Mortimer Banks yelled.

Mick had his eyes squeezed tightly shut but he managed, loud enough for the com to pick it up, “Morty, if they are your munitions what the hell are you doing confined instead of manning your station?” Mick answered, ignoring Thorne. “Is he Soek or human?” He asked.

“Soek.” Neo answered, also focused on Mick who was clearly in trouble. “He voced out to the Directorate, was retrained after a brain wipe twelve years ago.”

“Fuckers.” Mick said, back to rocking, clutching at his head. “Sorry about the brain wipe Morty. Not my doing. You really want to sit this out?”

“Sit what out?” Brad interrupted. “Tule Soc?”

Mick just sat there, his head was nearly intolerable. “Don’t ask me.” He whispered to Elias, “Make them stop asking me.”

“Mick requests you cease asking him about the target. If you continue we will shut down your access to him. Understood?” Elias announced.

Elias looked toward the faint blue glow just past the third tower, watching. The rest of them followed his gaze.

“She really is real?” Raiko said in a voice of awe and terror. “Why is She blue?”

“Shit.” Thorne said.

“Get Jeffrey, and those four OrderSec guys and Morty.” Mick said to Elias.

“They will try a trick.” Neo was close enough to hear.

“Yeah.” Mick nodded and then stopped. “Volker, you know where the floater is aft? Find the analgesic in the med pack, inside the floater. Oh, and water too. See if they keep the food stocked.”

“There’s a floater?” Volker straightened up and then looked with concern in the direction, right past the blue light. “Will She let me, Mick?” He asked.

“She let you on board Volkano. Run.” Mick answered.

Neo reached up to toggle the wall box. “You listening down there. Mick wants the four OrderSec operatives, Jeffrey with salve and Morty. At the topside hatch.”

The box crackled. “Two of the operatives are compromised.”

Mick had his eyelids squeezed tightly shut to reduce the glare of the corridor lights even though that glare hadn’t changed. He was changing. “Get them out of confinement. Make them wear safety pins on their shirts or something so I can tell who was in confinement. Give them their stunners. Tell them to run.”

Everyone could hear Mick but Neo repeated the orders anyway.

“You know they will try to take you Mick.” Neo said. “They could have hand-held gas weapons.”

“Tell them to bring those too.” Mick said aloud. “Or not. We may need a demo of their weapons.”

Rojer grinned. “You are a nasty piece of work, aren’t you Mick Huxley?”

Thorne and Jordy were racing through strategy in a totally illogical and frankly stupid scenario. That frightened both of them. Why was Mick bringing armed guards to the hatch? Brad was re-running every word, seeking any detail missed, grinning slightly. Grand Master Ornius was with Mael, Anya and Moira.

“What’s he doing?” Ornius asked Mael, who shrugged.

“We shall find out, won’t we, Ornius. I bet Brad knows. Hey Brad, what’s Mick doing?”

Brad really did smile then. “Best guess? Build time. He is invulnerable and knows it. Our problem or more correctly, Thorne and Jordy’s problem is why he knows this and they don’t.”

“What’s build time?” Thorne asked. Jordy sort of shrank a bit.

“Jordy knows.” Brad answered, “Every game has a discrete section of time, after a monster is killed, where the players get snacks, use the head, nap and generally think about what the game taught them so far so they can re-build their characters to be more effective. Build time.”

“This isn’t a game.” Thorne yelled.

“Tell him that.” Brad laughed. “What are you missing here, Thorne? Same scenario as before. There is a Neeshatari on that submarine, just like with Mick on the floater. What did you learn about Neeshatari capabilities? Like Ornius said, Her restraint.”

“Shit.” Thorne swallowed hard. “You are telling me…”

“Only what you already know, Thorne, but refuse to accept.” Brad continued.

“Enemy at the hatch.” Neo said, sounding pleased. Clearly Mick had a plan.

“Right. Is Volkano back yet?”

“Here, Mick.” Volker handed over the analgesic and bottled water. “Lots of snacks in there, durable, not really tasty but I brought some out.” Mick was already swallowing the pain med.

“Let’s do Jeffrey and two of the operatives first.” Mick said to Elias. “Let them choose and let them in.”

All of them looked at the blue light. It was just a blue light. “They are all Soek, right Neo?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Humans will likely be harder to deal with.”

Neo stepped back up to the intercom. “We want Jeffrey and any two operatives. Open the hatch. We have the next hatch closed. Close the first hatch behind you so there are three people inside, three waiting.” Neo looked at Mick who did a short nod.

“Safety pinned or not?” Mick asked once they heard the thud of the outer hatch closing again.

“The operatives are pinned.” Neo said.

“Good. Okay.” Mick pushed himself upright to look at the holo of the three waiting men, waiting armed men. “Who do you serve?” He asked.

Jeffrey immediately dropped to his knees, setting a plate with Lal’s cake on it on the deck, he pressed his face to the decking. “I serve the Neeshatari, Kiena, not Her true name.” He said clearly.

One of the operatives stepped past Jeffrey. “I serve the Order of Guardians of the Grove.” He announced. “I am OrderSec.”

“The…? Crimey what a mouthful. Is that accurate Elias?” Mick asked.

“Yes.” Elias nodded. “We shorten it to Order and Guardians mostly.”

“How do you serve?” Mick asked. “Are you serving, now?”

“We maintain order to preserve the safety of the Ba’Neesh at Citadel.” The operative wasn’t particularly liking this question offensive technique. He wanted to take this kid out.

“Is a Neeshatari within your purview?” Mick continued. “Are you required by your duty to protect the Neeshatari now aboard this submarine?”

“I am to protect the Ba’Neesh at Citadel.” The operative said firmly, sensing the slippery slope of this conversation. He was really not liking this conversation.

“Right.” Mick answered, “Got that. You are aboard this submarine, correct. Of your own volition. Right? Logic it out. We are us. Those inside this submarine. For the time being, we are us. How do you serve to protect by seeking to attack the Neeshatari? Has the Neeshatari attacked Citadel?”

“No.”

“She will!” Thorne’s voice interrupted.

“Do you protect by attacking?” Mick continued, as if Thorne hadn’t spoken. “Who is attacking the Neeshatari?”

“Citadel.” The operative nodded.

“So, your question becomes, is the Order of Guardians of the Grove here to attack or protect the female of Homo Soekenesis?”

“Homo Soekenesis?” The second operative asked.

“We are all Soek, correct?” Mick said. “By extension, the duty to protect the Ba’Neesh includes their offspring, ancestors and descendants. Us. We are Us. Who are you attacking and why?”

“Shit.” Thorne said.

Brad laughed. The two non-pinned operatives outside the hatch, listening to all of this, shrugged at each other. Morty glowered and looked more than a little lost.

“Now.” Mick said, “We are going to let you in. You will see a blue light behind us. You can choose to attack the Neeshatari and us, or not. Understand, the Neeshatari, like other Ba’Neesh, loves intimate gore. I cannot speak for what She may, can or will do to you. She is Neeshatari and does what She wants, when She wants, how She wants. You are Soek, I suggest you kneel to Her instead.” Mick gestured Rojer to unseal the inner hatch.

Rojer noted that Mick didn’t tell him not to be ready to shoot. Elias noted that too and he assumed a firing stance as well. The hatch opened. Mick was back to sitting on the floor, his shoulders against the wall.

The two operatives followed Jeffrey inside, their eyes on the blue light. Both were carrying gas canisters primed and ready. Jeffrey stepped out of the possible line of fire, noting the kids were a bit tense but more curious than anything. What had Brad said, build time. Time to correct, adjust, modify, alter, refuel, patch.

The second operative dropped first after carefully holstering his weapon. “I serve Homo Soekenesis in protection of the female first. That would be you, Neeshatari, Kiena, not your true name.”

The other operative yelled out, “No!”

Rojer happily stunned him while Elias lunged for the operative”s weapon to keep it from deploying when it hit the deck.

Mick looked over at Jeffrey. “Trojan Horse today Jeffrey?” He said.

Neo grinned.

“Do you want to eat that and wear that salve or cop to the deceit?” Mick asked.

“Deceit.” Jeffrey grinned back. “You in trouble, Mick?”

“Just took an analgesic.” Mick answered. “You here to help me now Jeffrey?”

“Yeah! I too serve Homo Soekenesis, female first.” Jeffrey answered, “What’s going on?”