“Are you sure about this? This is a Legion Bio Mother ship?” Santa asked.
EB answered, “Gamer knew details that no one I have ever met knows.”
Nova said, “I know of this kind of technology from ancient times, before I came to this world. The civilization that created it did not know the power they unleashed. It called itself the Malevolence. Drocha intends on recreating it. He has already incorporated bio-tech into his work. Renn Tech defied our ability to scan it, to even understand it because it is made from a tech that is far older and far superior to anything our technology has encountered.”
“I’m lost,” Chase said. “What does this mean? Why is it so horrible?”
Santa said, “Biological technology is alive; it thinks like an organism. You understand that the brain is the most complex computer in the universe. No matter how much we try, even with the most advanced technology, the way a brain works is far superior. Biotech combines technology with that kind of thinking. An unfeeling computer with the capacity to consider, make choices, and calculate decisions. Legends say that in the first era of Legion, back when Drocha controlled Legion, they obtained this technology from a race they defeated and then used it to craft ships that would control their growing power. In time, those ships became sentient. They were bloodthirsty and evil. The only emotion they could feel was greed for power. Biotech doesn’t have a soul; it doesn’t feel or emote like a true organic.”
EB said, “Think about it. You have a ship with power beyond measure, an army of drones that obey without thought, and absolute greed. Then, make that ship have zero feelings of compassion, mercy, or justice. It is... horrible.”
Nova said, “What Gamer G told me is that the last ship of this biotech was unstoppable, even for Legion. So after they deposed Drocha, they erased its brain. They rendered it unable to think, and thus it became useless. But Legion did not foresee Drocha’s machinations. He reconnected with this ship. All he needs is to put the algorithm he crafted from human minds into the ship’s systems, and it becomes a threat once more.”
Santa said, “If what I remember of the ancient history is true, then the risk is deep. Biotech desires to create. It wants more drones to obey it; it wants more power to control. That ship will try to absorb every human and turn them all into drones like those poor souls in the spheres. It will absorb the station and turn it into another biotech ship. It will feed on every soul and technology it can find here and then start a march toward the next inhabited world. This is why Legion deposed Drocha. He was feeding this, using it; he wanted to become supreme ruler using this kind of evil.”
EB said, “I should have seen it before.”
Nova asked, “What do you mean?”
“Remember when that really old Legion ship appeared, and we had to destroy it, and it dropped that robot thing in Australia? Well, that was really, like, older than Legion attacking Vexillia by a loooong time. It was super old, really...”
“We got it; it was old!” Justin bellowed, a hint of growing frustration with all the time he has spent with EB alone.
EB said, “Yeah, so that ship was from the age when Legion was using bio ships. It wasn’t a mother ship like the one that’s coming. It was more like a drone ship. It heard the call of the tech Drocha was using, and it came like a dog hearing its master’s call. Why do you think Drocha helped us destroy it back when we thought he was just a CEO of Ren Tech?”
Santa said, “It makes sense. He didn’t want us to get inside and learn about the tech he was using."
Nova said, “That was a surprisingly accurate assessment, EB.”
EB beamed a smile. “I have my moments. I was a warrior against Legion once upon a time.”
Chase rocked the baby. “If that thing is so powerful, we are hopelessly outmatched. What can stop such a ship?”
Nova said, “Do not let your thoughts defeat you before the battle has begun. What we must do is find Drocha and get that algorithm so we can destroy it. If we stop him before the ship gets here, then that ship is just a relic of the past and we can throw it into the sun.”
“I like your thinking,” Santa said.
“Justin, EB, your mission continues. Sniff out Drocha. Gamer G is working on helping us with whatever he can decipher from the information he has left. Santa, I need your military expertise on the field. We have an army of Legion clones already causing havoc. We need an experienced general out there helping.”
Santa said, “I’m at your service.”
“Good. Chase, I want you...”
All their comms beeped. Justin looked down at his. “It’s from Arx.”
Nova clicked his comm. Before he could say anything, Arx’s pained voice said, “It’s her... she’s here. Please send help. Please help!”
“What’s going on?” Nova asked, but the comm shut off with coordinates displayed.
Santa said, “Looks like we’ve got trouble. Heroes are reporting another sphere has opened in Africa.”
Nova commanded, “Go. Chase, find Gar and get people on this now.”
“On it.” She put the baby in the crib and left.
“You have your orders, people, move.” Nova said, and the comms shut off.
Nova felt a hard knot in his chest. “Africa...” he whispered, “God please, don’t let it be her.”
***
Moments before the alert:
Arx stepped out of a tent, walking under the vast starry sky. The world was so calm right now, at least in this place. The Legion monstrosities hadn’t come here to terrorize the ATLAS work being done. Only a few of his teams across the world had any encounters, and most were only nearby, not the direct target.
“Why have I stayed here? Why can’t I just leave and go help the other teams?” Arx asked himself this, knowing the answer was deep inside him. This was the place where he lost her. This was a knife in his heart he hadn’t been able to remove.
The further he walked out, the darker it got. The minimal lights of the encampment were growing distant. He took solace in the stars; they were so quiet and gentle. He sought peace in realizing how grand the universe was compared to him. Yet, he still ached.
“I should get back to bed. We have to pack up tomorrow and get down to...” A wind blew across the arid region. There was a sliver of extreme cold in that wind, an odd feeling that this wasn’t supposed to be there. “It shouldn’t get this cold here yet.”
Looking out across the vast region, he noticed something out of place. A blue light that wasn’t there moments ago. “What is that?”
Approaching it slowly, he held up his wrist comm to scan it. The moment the only reading came back, his hand trembled. It told him it couldn’t scan the object, for it was a Renn Sphere.
“This isn’t good.” He knew two other spheres had already opened. Whatever comes out of them is dangerous. However, if this was a false alarm, it would strain resources that are already stretched thin. He would need to be sure.
The closer he moved to the blue light, the more certain he was that it was one of those spheres. It had a bright blue line around the midsection of the sphere, and a thick fog rolled down from the surface and across the ground. A brisk, chilling air stung Arx’s skin.
“Oh, this isn’t good.” He reached for his comm when the sphere turned to frost and shattered.
A person knelt on the ground, surrounded by cold fog and clad in a blue outfit.
“Who are you?” Arx asked.
She looked up, and that face sent a cold into his soul far greater than the mere chill in the air. He knew those eyes.
“Adrianne...” He rasped out and stumbled back, falling down.
She slowly rose to her feet and looked down at him. For a moment, her face was soft and gentle. It seemed she might even smile.
She spoke, “Arx... where am I? What is going on?” She looked at her hands and arms, her outfit entirely new.
He got to his feet, his breath caught in his throat. He finally said, “Is it really you?”
She grasped at her face. “I.... I can’t... it hurts... my head... I can’t think...” with a shattering scream, she let out a wave of power that sent Arx tumbling away and a thick frost to cover the surrounding nature. Bright blue light beamed from her eyes, and she rose in the air. With another yell, her power blasted straight up into the sky, summoning rolling clouds and a frigid wind.
Arx slapped his wrist comm, sending an emergency signal directly to BADGE. “It’s her... she’s here. Please send help. Please help!”
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