The Wild Ba’Neesh Chapter Forty-Six ©2019 Fay Thompson All Rights Reserved

Aenor trotted over to where Mick had stopped. “As you told us, bone sense maximum range.” She reported. “Vrill trace present. Six Soek mules.”

Karl listened intently. The compulsion was lessened than it had been, but his experience being shot at continued to upset him. Mick had said there would be a mule trap. Now there were six mules. It bothered him that he had so readily adopted the ugly term, but, he couldn’t escape the consideration that this kid wasn’t lying. Tule Soc had fired on him, after clear identification. Mick was right, no sane person would mistake Karl’s physique with the scrawny body of the kid. “What is Vrill trace?” He asked, his continuing dissonance echoing in his voice.

“Tule Soc operatives carry a special pack, it contains a bone of a Ba’Neesh. They use the Vrill in this bone to detect Vrill nearby as a sensor device. This machine see’s all of us with higher and lower displays depending on how much Vrill we are pushing.” Elias answered, he was enjoying the rest, knowing it was likely temporary.

“That’s a special body heat detector.” Karl argued.

“Do you agree it detects the target, but only some targets?” Elias questioned back.

“Yes.” Karl admitted reluctantly. “It doesn’t see everyone.”

“Yet, everyone has heat.” Elias pushed.

Karl’s nostrils flared in annoyance, his mind flailing about with yet another illogical correction. Why hadn’t he noticed this detail earlier?

“Removal of your molcom ends the limiters used to prevent normal questions.” Elias guessed at Karl’s confusion. “Now that you killed it, logic rises.”

Mael was leaning in to the holo providing the audio and visuals from the drone, desperate to catch every word. “They are using the device bone as a range tool?” He wasn’t alone in his utter captivation of the situation.

“They continue to move toward this direction.” Aenor said, restless with waiting when danger approached.

“Right.” Mick said, nodding. “They are in formation, staying together? Can you tell?” He asked.

“Can we find these Soek?” Mael demanded of Brad and Serla.

“Tiny trace, Mael.” We are trying to isolate one out of many.

“The Ba’Neesh are in a half circle.” Serla said. “Teams. So stronger and in a pattern. Let’s overlay a map. The single bone should be isolate and weak near the middle.”

“Got it.” Brad answered as the trace was pinpointed on a map. “The range from their positions is guesstimate at a bit over a mile, shifting as the Tule Soc Team continues forward.”

“Let’s get visuals on them.” Thorne arrived sounding tired and irritable. He was followed by Jordy who made a swishing motion at his neck to visually suggest that they should not question Thorne about his interview with the nationals.

Jordy moved over to take a position over Brad’s shoulder. “Authorizing six more drones.” He said, “Notify national we are investigating a possible sighting of our operative, they are welcome to join us.” The execution of this order elicited a nasty demand for them to stand down from national. They launched anyway and were immediately chased by double the drones from Tule Soc who had no intention of allowing footage of the impending mission to be revealed to national.

“Break’s over Elias, sorry.” Mick helped Elias up. “We can’t let them push us back toward the underground facility.”

“Left.” Elias said, “Tell the Ba’Neesh to maintain range and dispersal. Vital. The mules will turn with us and keep pressing forward.”

“Right.” Aenor was already honking and chittering her calls into the woods, eager to move on.

The group hustled left at the best speed Elias could manage.

“You trained in this scenario, Karl?” Mick asked as they trotted along.

“Yes.” Karl answered, debating when to lie to this kid and try to take out as many as possible. He registered his possible ability to use his weapon on the kid, compulsion fading. In the heat of this incident were these kidnappers forgetting to maintain control over him. He grinned slightly.

“What is the protocol?” Elias asked, breathing hard.

“Obtain visual confirmation of target and deploy countermeasure. Return to pre-determined location and re-group.” He answered. It violated nothing. General info, pretty standard stuff.

“And, if the target is dispersed?” Elias asked.

“Lock in on largest target and deploy.” Karl answered, scanning around them for Ba’Neesh. He could only see Aenor although he guessed her partner was near and likely others too. He plotted a strategy to take out Mick first, then Aenor, then Elias. They were dispersed. Fools.

“That would be our group.” Mick said, “Right?”

Karl thought about that. Five men and at least two Ba’Neesh. It didn’t matter if three were kidnap victims. The Team would go on the group. If the Ba’Neesh were dispersed in pairs that made Mick correct. What worried him was the medical agent. Was it a weapon as Mick said? Would it kill all of them as a unified target, as well as the mules deploying it?

“Yes.” Karl answered, returning to some hesitance on engaging in his planned attack. A few moments more, learn more. His brain argued with his outrage over being captive to this kid and these monsters. “If the machine see’s all of us then they should head toward us.”

“Agreed.” Elias was slowing. Mick paced him and said. “Grab Edda through the pack. Juice up, Elias.”

Elias blinked, as did everyone in the three main DireSec aircraft and on the distant submarine. Every holo screen was running with them, listening in, while also watching the drone battle happening outside the air base as Tule Soc tried to down the drones of DireSec and national. Only this time both DireSec and national were running armed drones and giving as good as they got.

“Juice up?” Mael said, feeling an overwhelming sense of speed as his brain tried to catch up with what this kid was doing so casually. None of this was normal. The kid didn’t know the rules, so the rules didn’t inhibit him. The words flowed through him.

Elias shrugged and pressed his left hand to Mick’s backpack thinking, here goes nothing. The jolt of Vrill slammed into the six nexus points in Elias’ hand, all five fingertips and his palm. He screamed and jerked his hand away, seeing Vrill burn lumping up his skin like a direct contact with a hot pot. “Fucking A.”

Mick looked over. “Likely we need to practice that too.” He said, “Sorry Elias. You know Edda is like days dead and raw as all hell.”

“You fucking burn your hand next time, Mick.” Elias stuck one finger at a time into his mouth to suck on the skin, like he could lick the blisters down. “Asshole.” He mumbled, then he noticed he wasn’t tired anymore. Juice. Fucking painful juice. How was Mick carrying Edda around?

Karl watched all of this with warring curiosity and anxiety. He noticed Elias picking up his pace. Aenor was leading them at an angle, clearly the attacking Soek mules were pushing the circling Ba’Neesh into an oval shape to maintain range.

“You are trying to get on the backside of this Tule Soc Team?” Karl asked as the strategy sank in.

“Yep.” Mick said, nodding. “We want them to push us in the direction we want to go while we try to encourage them to abandon their impending death. Think you can lock in on that team’s com sign, Karl?”

Karl couldn’t see where that would hurt his plan, he wanted to see how Mick intended to deflect the deployment of the counter measure. That intel would be valuable to Tule Soc when he returned. A few minutes more. He locked in on the nearest team sig and sent an emergency code to break in on the closed circuit. As a Team Leader his external had extra features that allowed such interventions in the field.

Brad managed to get one drone away from the conflict to fly at the target location. The Soek Team wasn’t there but a moving com sig trailed to a new location.

“Open channel, Karl?” Mick asked.

Karl thumbed the device to broadcast allowing all of them to listen in fully.

“This is your target.” Mick yelled, his voice rising as his excitement accelerated. “Do you copy Tule Soc Medical Deployment Countermeasure Team now chasing our trace roughly North and West of your position. Copy?”

A thickly accented voice answered. “Identify yourself.”

“Target.” Mick said again.

There was a gap.

Mick gestured to Aenor who trotted close. “Silent, listen closely.” He said. She snorted and ran ahead. Gisela appeared out of the woods to pace her and she went to three hooves so she could grab Gisela’s horn mount.

Karl tensed. He could kill both of the Ba’Neesh at this instant. But, he felt pulled by the open com. Why silent listen? He could think of a hundred better compelling words were he in their shoes. Stupid strategy.

Aenor dropped back to all fours.

“Target here.” Mick called out again, “You are carrying a toxic viral agent. You are instructed to deploy that agent to kill me and those with me. Right? You are also carrying a pack to identify our movements. Right again?” He didn’t wait for confirmation. “If you deploy the agent it will kill you at the same time. Your only chance at continuing life is to get away from the agent before you deploy it. Understand, Tule Soc has activated your molcom and decided you are expendable in this action.”

“You are the target. You lie.” The same voice replied.

“Right.” Mick said, “Logical deduction, but wrong. Did you see lasers destroy Tule Soc drones over these woods earlier?”

Another long pause. “Yes.”

“Right.” Mick continued, “Lasers. Do you think our lasers can reach your body before you deploy your agent?”

This pause was longer and all of them noted that the forward motion of the Soek based entirely on the angle Aenor was running was slowing.

“Yes.” The answer finally came.

“Right.” Mick nodded even though they couldn’t see him. “So, Tule Soc expected us to kill you. Likely the toxic agent is activated upon your death. Is it tied to your biological response system?”

Karl nodded. “Sensors.” He said, his stomach was churning.

“Sensors?” Mick repeated.

“Yes.” The mule’s voice was now strained.

“Do you want to die in these woods?” Mick asked.

“No.” The answer was immediate.

“Right.” Mick said. “Stop and remove the tracer pack first. Deactivate and position each viral device carefully on top or touching it. Make sure not to deploy the agent. Can you do that?”

There was silence.

Mael and the others were staring at the mule team in a circle arguing and then the one with the tracer pack took it off and placed it on the ground. “Shit. They are doing it.” Mael said. “Why is a well-trained team listening to Mick?”

“Aenor used Vrill thought on them.” Moira commented. “Compelled them to listen carefully. She gets better at this telepathic messaging to get them to hear Mick clearly.”

“Yeah, but listening isn’t action.” Mael said. “Why are they accepting his suggestion? I get no Vrill in that communication. It’s straight speech. Mick isn’t exactly charismatic, not like Kirsan.”

“Wait, he’s going to speak again.” Brad said, they could see Mick’s group had stopped and was facing in the direction of the Soek mules although there was no way they could see them at that distance.

“This is target.” Mick said. “Is the agent off your bodies safely?” He asked.

“Yes.”

“You notice I do not ask you to disarm or surrender.” Mick said. “I have lasers. You are still armed. I and my Battle Group are heading North and West. Clearly you have the remaining option to shoot us if you can.” Mick said.

“Why tell him that?” Karl demanded. His own thoughts of shooting Mick, temporarily shelved.

“Why not?” Mick shrugged. “Without the tracer they can’t see us clearly. Tule Soc may take out their molcoms or try to get them to go back for the agent. We have to nullify that option.” He turned to Aenor. “We need two teams with us and one tracking the mules. They are to not be killed if possible, injured if necessary only. Keep them away from the pile at all costs. The idea is to divide them from the pile.”

Aenor trumpeted and the message flowed out into the woods.

Karl grabbed Mick by the upper arm. “You just fucking said that shit is toxic.”

“Yep.” Mick finger zapped Karl’s hand. “We gotta run, Tule Soc will react to this in unpleasant ways, likely they will slam those mule’s brains through their molcoms at some point. Time is critical.”

Elias was ready but skeptical. “You have some magical plan for this pile, Mick?” He asked, mirroring the feelings of Karl and the other less vocal Soek who were also feeling the reduction in compulsion.

“An idea, Elias.” Mick answered as they moved out. “All I ever have are ideas. None of this shit is tested, worse run game ever! I don’t much like being a Vrill test bunny, do you? Thorne, you listening, get your lazy butt moving on sorting these necessary defensive and offensive options up to speed. Elias doesn’t like his hand all burned to fuck and no Jeffrey here to ease it off and Helewidis is a mile from here and running in a different direction while he is hurting all over.”

The Ba’Neesh and Soek in the aircraft with Thorne all glanced at him, seeing him fuming and glowering at each in turn. Mael snickered. “Fucking Mick.”

The distance was roughly a mile before Aenor waved them to a halt and pointed at a pile sitting in an open area.

None of them much wanted to breathe.

“Well, Mick?” Elias demanded.

Mick pulled off his backpack and pulled out his shock blanket. He spread it out on the ground. “Come on Elias, you know what the thing fucking looks like.” He said.

“What thing?” Everyone listening echoed his words.

“Mael’s fucking turtle sigil.” Mick answered. “The Beloved will activate it or keep it active or whatever, if that story you told me is right.”

“Fucking A.” Mael, Xasper and Thorne all frowned at the holo. “He isn’t going to cast a sigil, in the woods, over Early Death? He isn’t.”

“I think he is, or someone is.” Brad answered, fighting a near constant sneaky grin. He knew he was enjoying this far too much.

“The only one who has ever cast there is Elias, and he’s fucked up and hardly in condition to do a cast, if he even remembers how.” Mael said.

Elias was shaking his head vehemently. “I can’t cast a major sigil, Mick. I haven’t cast anything like that for literally years.”

“What does he mean, a sigil?” Karl asked, trying to fathom what Mick was doing.

Aenor sidled up to the shiny blanket. “Blood. I gore you Mick?” She asked, as if inviting him to something pleasurable.

“How about a knife cut, Aenor. Will heal easier I think as your horns are still blunts.”

She snorted. “I cut then, some fun.”

The Ba’Neesh nearby and aboard the ships all licked their lips.

Karl couldn’t help himself from gathering close to watch. The monster was really going to cut the kid. He was fascinated and horrified a bit too. They were all fucking crazy.

Aenor made the cut into Mick’s upper arm. Elias dipped his right index finger in Mick’s blood and drew the sigil as best he could remember it. The three other Ba’Neesh leaned forward to stare at it. “What does it do?” Gisela asked.

“Turtle defense.” Elias said, hoping it was approximately right.

Mael and the two casters stared at the bloody mess of an amateur sigil. “That will never work.” They said in unison.

“Chain up.” Mick looked over at the Soek all staring at the bloody blanket in mystification. “You hold hands. Elias, sorry but you need to grab Edda, I’ll chain to Aenor and the Ba’Neesh.”

“And, then what?” Elias said. “Who the fuck is casting this mess?”

“Shit Elias, isn’t that obvious?” Mick said. He pointed upward at the familiar drone that had followed them for hours. “Those fucking caster dudes are going to do this. I’ll link to Iiyiko and she will link to their MagC and those other Ba’Neesh and some fucking one will know how to activate this sucker. Oh wait, let’s throw the blanket over the pile. We want the defense to prevent anyone from attacking the pile and this is the only defense thing you have shared with me. Damn lame ass weapons.”

“Fuck me.” Mael and the two other casters shook their heads in denial. “This will never work.” They heard the MagC ramping up. “Oh fucking shit. We are going to blow everything to fuck.”

Xasper stood up. “Moira?” He said.

Everyone aboard pressed back to leave an open space in the center of the aircraft as Moira and Xasper faced each other. A space far too small for casting a sigil. “I suggest we close our eyes and enter the Grove.” Xasper said, pulling off his robe to reveal he was naked. We know the sigil; we can dance the Grove as it is truly in our minds anyway. Mick is in the Channels chain and we know the delivery point. He might be right. There is a Beloved present under the sigil. Dark Gods, I think his reasoning is sound, although nonconsensual forced casting is improper and I will reprimand him firmly, next time I see him in person.”

Moira laughed and shook her massive rack. “Let’s dance.” She said, as the hum rose to a shuddering heartbeat.

(Welcome back my dear friends. I can’t really explain what it is like to write inclusively with old and new characters. Such fun! Do you think this casting will go right? Tune in tomorrow and find out! Enjoy!)