Unipsi, lovely entity

chapter 41c: fire

Upon finishing their donuts Scilla and Wiola left the farmhouse toward the city. Idra moved from the restaurant zone to the living room to read in peace her comic. She was surprisingly slow and she stayed focused on the comic form a little more than an hour. After than she went into the kitchen to “assist” Nuria.

“hi, what are you going?”

“I’m preparing the meat. You can’t just toss the whole creature into the fire”

“you can’t?”

“nope you can’t. We won’t even cook on direct fire so it would be completely raw if we don’t cut it into smaller pieces. You wanted to help right?”

“yes”

“then grab a knife and come here. Do you have experience as a butcher?”

“not really, but I know my way with knives”

“good enough. So you have to divide the creature into major components. So start by cutting away the limbs…”

Idra didn’t really listened to whatever Nuria was saying. She looked at the creature she was already working on and with frightful speed and precision mimicked her. She had to wait from time to time to look at what Nuria was cutting next and how as she usually finished before her.

Less than 30 minutes later Nuria finished and turned around to see that Idra had “just” finished as well.

“whoa, that’s impressive. Your fucking good. I would have hired you if I had money, and a stable supply, and a stable clientele but I guess…”

“you know you can improve your income right?”

“how come?”

“start to produce food that you can actually sell as local food. Build up a small shop section at the entrance and let people buy what your farm produce. You can also provide a limited amount of bedding so you should take advantage of that and attract tourists that are looking for a more natural vacation.”

“it’s not that simple… I’m alone with grandma, we don’t have that many money…”

--lie detected--

“lies. I provided you with money. You are just afraid of a possible failure. You are scared to lose all, but going on as you are now is slowly killing your business. You couldn’t even fix your tractor. Is this the Ibarra’s fighting spirit? Stay still hoping to not drown?”

“I’m not letting you lecture me. I know that you are trying to help me only to score points with Scilla and become her new best friend”

Idra was partially confused. Nuria was her competition, not for Scilla’s heart but for her time and spot as best friend. She of course wanted to stole it but at the same time most of her help was just because things were annoying her.

“nah, you think I have to buy my friendship. Really?”

“than do care to give me money? Why a new leg?”

“the leg is quite self explanatory. Yours was annoying me. So I changed it. No more irregular steps around. For the overpriced flower. I decided to give more in order to improve my relationship with you. I had to make sure that you would cook for me and that you had enough money to close for this evening. That’s it. It was not even that much money”

“not THAT much. 50K is not much. How much disposable money do you have?”

“don’t know. I don’t really use money. But I own a solar system of 11 planets.”

“what the fuck. How… I… is it even possible to own a planet?”

“inside the tech union? Yes. It’s technically possible. Is it physically achievable? no. mine is a special case. But don’t worry you will know soon. Soon soon, like this evening”

Many hours later, the Lises sisters were back and Paz returned from her farming work. Idra gave her the donut that she bought for her. They prepared the fire together. They placed it on the back of the farmhouse where they already had all the equipment for a good barbecue done in indirect heat from the combusted wood. Nearby there was the door connected to the living room that was also the dining room. They lit the fire and chat while the wood was burning. For the main part it was Scilla, Wiola and Nuria remembering their past and the barbecue that they did together in the past.

“looking at the fire remembers me the days we spent here” said Scilla.

“yeah, at that time I still had both legs”

“we can always cook the one that you have to make it even”

“shut it”

“I like fire. It remind me of the village and cities I pillaged and left to burn. It's just missing the screams” intrude Idra. She didn’t gasp the mood, but they were all “friends” so they laughed.

“what? You didn’t pillage villages?” continued Idra.

“nah, we don’t. But I bet it would sound fun to burn alive a Droxi” said Nuria. Her voice was filled with scorn.

“I can confirm. They scream really loud and smell good when burning. It was their only good quality” said Scilla. She had experience with that. More laughs.

“oh, you set a city on fire. Didn't know that.” said Wiola.

“really? I was sure that I already told you the story of Bakala strike. O well, time for some military stories.”

Scilla then proceed to narrate one of the many battles that she faced. The Bakala strike was one of the last missions she did before the usage of biological weapons. At the time she had already moved up several ranks. For the most part it was nothing special. A standard siege with orbital artillery, missile strikes and then an infantry occupation. The only particular moment was when they discovered an underground leftover of the subway.

“so we were all in formation. I was guiding my powered infantry unit. We finally get to the hospital and we started our extermination. But mid killing I notice that something was missing. There were way less people than what I predicted. So I ordered my squad to scatter around and look for some secret shit. Then guess what?”

“they were hiding in the hospital emergency generator room?” said Wiola.

“nah, but close enough. One of the soldiers went into the room a notice some medical equipment freshly used and left behind. But there was only his way to get back. So she looked around and found a secret passage that brought us into a piece of the subway that apparently didn’t collapse with the strikes. We took the high resolution scanner and bingo. Around 100 vermin hiding in the collapsed tunnel. We couldn’t let them live, but for sure they had the choke point under guard. So we just filled everything with flammable gas. We run away and boom from our safety point. The flames eat all and we could hear their screams as they burned to ash. If we were not risking our live I would have just stood there hearing them over and over again”

they all seemed pleased by such tale of atrocity.

“if you burned people alive, why did you make a strange face when I told you that I did the same?” asked Idra.

“because you burned some innocent undeveloped species. Droxis are all but innocent creatures. All the shit you could do to them, except that one that you know, are more than fair.”

Idra was not convinced but she agreed. They were enemy and enemy should not be left alive. Enemy should never be treated as equal, as persons.

Story time was interrupted by the fire collapsing and dying. It was time for some old style cooking. Unable to tell when something was ready to be eaten Idra buzzed around looking what Nuria and Scilla were doing. Of course they tried to keep her engaged with the cooking process, but she was hardly understanding anything. All the part about starting at lower temperature and “when ready” move to a hotter zone of the grill to develop a sealing crust was dark magic to her. Which was particularly ironic as she could be seen as a dark magician herself.

Soon their feast started, mostly based on Karakani’s meat with some fresh vegetables. You know for degreasing. While eating Scilla asked.

“so this is your holiday, what do we do next?”

“mmh. If you want I made some hats. They become popular recently and people started wearing them for celebration. And… I had a video. As far as I know my kind watches some documentary about Idras. Each years we made a new one…

Like the self proclaimed comedian of the family Wiola jumped in.

“I want the hat!”

“I made one for everybody”

“I would love to watch the documentary” said Scilla. She was not really fond of documentaries but that was a special occasion. She was going to spend some time chilling with Idra doing something that she apparently likes, and she was also going to gain some information.

“really?”

“sure. We all would like to watch it right?”

“why not” said Paz while both Wiola and Nuria nodded enthusiastically.

“even if it’s the one from the past year? I can’t really communicate so far in real time”

“yep”

About 50 minutes later with their bellies that were about to explode, the group sat down on the living room couches. Idra as she was particularly small sat in between Scilla and Wiola, while Paz and Nuria sat on a different couch. They looked at the TV that almost as if it was alive turned on.

Idra’s symbol flashed on screen a couple of times then dramatic music.

A large strange room slowly become clear as the darkness faded. It was a semicircular room with positions all over. It was clearly the Esterian Tech-Union parliament or something alike. The half circle was filled with people. Each chair was occupied. The video however censored their entire head with a black cube and also their names were not translated from Estir. They were not wearing armours so they could see their strange clothing. They had a lot of writing on them and a lot of accessory pieces of cloth hanging around with more writings on them. Strangely there were not that many people for a technocracy. Probably around 400. In front of the semi circumference there was an enclosed structure with few chairs and a double door with scanners to enter. On the side a second smaller zone designed as “remnants” there only 3 positions and 3 people in armour. They were Nixie 112, Likho 52 and Baubas 98. The other remnants that Idra mentioned. Then a female mechanical and aseptic voice, like those of a train station, announced.

“Idra 510 Weeping Sky has joined the Supreme Council. Idra 506 Weeping Sky has joined the Supreme Council.”

the camera moved toward the entrance where the 2 dark figure walked in. They were unnaturally silent and moved toward the enclosed space. The door scanned each one and holographic Idra’s banners popped along the walls while inside the enclosed zone 2 chairs lit up with their numbers. The present were all standing until the Idras sat on their chair.

Then 510 and 506 spoke as one.

“We have a message. We are the last one. We completed our role. We are no longer needed. Our time has come. Your time has arrived. There will be no more Idras. We have done our job. You have to keep working. For our Founder will you must keep going. For our Founder will you must walk with your legs. It was an honour. It was a pleasure. Don’t cry. Don’t despair. We will always be with you. Don’t forget. Don’t forget what we fought for. Far beyond our limits we reached. Even further you have to get. If all fails. We will be back. The way to the never ending cry will be open. But not today. Not now. Farewell brothers. Farewell sisters. Be proud. Be prouf of being Esterians.”

All the present were crying. It was the end of the Idras. Then a sudden cut.

Now there was a room, clearly a television studio with a man walking between images of Idra’s doing heroic deeds of war and policing.

“and it was precisely with that words that the Idras left our lives. Of course at the time the news cause a lot of fear, a lot of confusion and sadness. They were our parachute if things went wrong. They had been our guides for decades, and they were just gone.”

The images moved to several statues. They were all Idras statues. Massive floor of flowers were around them. People gathered around those statues to remember them. To show their respect and feelings.

“the following years were peaceful, we kept going as they asked us. But something was always missing. As the time passed our hopes fades. We didn’t want a new ‘Idra’. We were easily standing on our feet. But how could we enjoy what we built knowing that those who helped the most were not with us? Could not receive our gratitude and see what they work so hard to get. Then, almost 3 years later…”

The scene moved to some amateur video recorded with a phone. A cloudy sky and then a loud bang. The man recording was with a woman and they were speaking. Looking at the sky trying to gasp what was that sound.

“LOOK HONEY LOOK AT THAT! ISN’T THAT”

“AN NDU!”

Then the engine scream reached them. Breaking through the clouds Idra’s ship was approaching the ground. 4 rail guns out and 8 Hypera system ready to fire along the open missiles bay on top. The NDU retracted the 2 rail guns on the bottom and approached what looked like a plaza.

It’s movement were not precise, quite the opposite. The Ship was going too fast so Idra pulled the front up and went full throttle giving the ship too much thrust. She had to fly around circulating the plaza just 10 meters above the buildings. Once aligned with the longest side she lowered the landing gear. She was lowering herself correctly and she was about to touch the ground but this time the forward thrust was too much. Seeing the end of the plaza approaching fast she pulled full up putting the NDU vertically and using the thrusters to fight off the gravity pull. She was so close to the ground that the stone slabs composing the plaza pavement melted under her back main engines. She tried again and as they say third time the charm, finally the NDU landed.

Wiola was laughing like crazy and Scilla couldn’t really keep it to herself letting out a small laugh as well. Seeing how clumsy she was before was really funny, at least to them. Idra lightly hit them both in the belly.

“I was inexperienced. You would have done worst”

then their focus moved back to the documentary as the conductor spoke again while the video kept going.

“we couldn’t believe our eyes. Our prayers were heard. We could prove ourself worth, but we were wrong, oh… how much wrong.”

The phone carrier moved closer. He and his companion were not the only one. Soon a crowd of people flock the plaza, waiting to see who was going to get off the ship. Policeman were arriving as well, along side all kind of security. Then the dark cubical structure, noise, a lot of noise while the presents were in awe. In a flash 12 droids, 8 heavy walkers and 16 flying armed drones emerged from the darkness, with them Idra. Rifle in hand and goo tentacle all around she was visibility confused. Looking around as the crowd clapped and exulted at her appearance.

Back to the studio with the man walking among other videos, mostly from cellphones, capturing the same event but from different perspective.

“what you saw was the first record of Idra 511 Weeping Sky. Something that nobody would have ever predicted, something that nobody could have ever predicted if not the Founder himself.”

Then the video moved to a high definition recording of 511 first contact. She was in full view of the camera, and her unicity was evident.

“we never saw anything even slightly similar to Idra 511. Her armour was alive, breathing with her. Her machines fused in a hive mind and her actions guided by obscure intentions”

the narrator went silent letting the video speak for itself.

Idra was standing looking around along her machines. She would point her gun at whatever moved but never shot. By comparison she was taller, probably around 190cm or more with goo everywhere. Tentacles kept forming and launching in the air as if they were probing what was around.

Then a policeman moved closer and read what the insignias were telling him.

“good morning miss Idra 511 Weeping Sky, I’m the officer in charge of this district. You seem unfamiliar with the place. Would you mind a guided tour?…”

Idra nodded. And started walking before the officer toward a direction. She was going straight to a shop that was facing the plaza. It sold several things but among them there were several snow globes. She was clearly going for them but as the crowd opened a passage for her, Idra jumped into it. The cameramen had to run in and see what was happening. Idra had floored a woman and she was menacing observing her. Her goo spiked and spiked, formed threads that merged back into it, then she stood back up carrying the woman with her. The present were shocked but not in fear.

Idra lifted the woman and put her under her arm. The officer tried to speak to her.

“Miss Weeping Sky. I don’t know what is happening but could you please put the lady back down?”

Idra stared at the officer and then walked toward the police patrol car nearby. While walking the man tried to persuade her but it was to no use. Reached the car Idra had just to touch it to unlock and turn it on. She then pushed in the woman on the driver seat and then push her again to hop into the side seat. Some goo extended and locked the woman left arm in place. The officer had just the time to hop in on the back seats that Idra sprinted away full speed.

“what the fuck! What the fuck is happening!” yelled the officer among the screams of the poor kidnapped woman. The view swapped to the police car camera as it recorded the insane rush along the city streets.

“As she was speeding with the siren on it soon become clear where she was going. The woman she kidnapped was a nurse at the local central hospital. When they got there miss Weeping Sky went straight for the terminal ward. Nobody knew that a miracle was about to happen, and a new legend born”

Then the video moved to security cameras inside the hospital showing an isolated camera. A bed with a couple of big machine beside it. What looked like a man was bed ridden. To their immense surprise, crying beside the man there was a female Lean along a smaller Lean girl.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!” exclaimed Wiola.

“that’s… that’s a Lean right? Are you fucking with us? Is this fake?” said Nuria in disbelief. But before Idra could say anything Scilla spoke.

“Idra, could you pause the video?”

“sure”

“that is Clarisa Espinoza, am I right?”

“yes”

“how do you know her?” asked Wiola

“She… she disappeared 9 years ago. Just 3 years after the end of the war. She was part of a patrol unit in the west boarder, close to the sector were I met you Idra”

“and so?” she replied

“did your kind kidnap her?”

Idra burst in laughs.

“kidnap? Her? Oh man that was hilarious. Nah for what I know she met Bolek Kawa when he was doing some scouting and scavenging. I don’t know the full story but they hit of and got married. I guess love won over her homeland and she left. Our laws don’t stop interspecies marriage as long as the couple is theoretically capable to reproduce. So for instance we would not recognise a Lean to Xoraxta marriage but neither a female Esterian to female Esterian one. Theirs is a regular and allowed union so they did it.”

“how? You didn’t oppose? How is she even there?” asked Nuria. She couldn’t believe it.

“what do you mean how? They loved, he made the request for marriage and that’s it. As we stand now she is not allowed to leave the Tech-Union territory but she is a fully integrated citizen along their daughter.”

“are there more mixed couples? Like one with a Lean called Julia?” asked Scilla.

“yes”

“Minerva?”

“yep”

“do you know of others? Because so far all the soldiers disappeared in thin air seems to be all escaped into your territory”

“I don’t know. I only met this 3. maybe. Maybe not. I didn’t really care as long as they are regular citizen they are more than welcome among the Esterian Tech-Union”

That was a surprise. What was believed to be the most xenophobic race turned out to be way more open on it. They didn’t seem to care much as long as you could produce offspring.

“can we go on with the video and keep the questions for later?”

“ok, but I will have questions” said Scilla. She was not the only one with things to ask.