Episode 4 Agony

The next day they finally arrived at Seoul, South Korea. The harbor was littered with a few sunken, dilapidated ships. After docking the ship everyone disembarked. On the dock, the others waited for Joey to drop the trailer from the ship. Yuji supported Robert who was still recovering from his wounds. Marlene, Chris and Cissnei did guard duty. Chris gazed down the dock and noticed a large cloud of dust. Suddenly a Blue came at them. This Blue looked like a worm. It had six red eyes. Also the monster had four large fangs inside its mouth. It had some kind of flaps on the sides of its head. It's brain core was above its mouth.

"Time to move!" yelled Chris as the monster drew closer.

Marlene, Chris, and Cissnei cocked their guns as the thing drew closer. Joey saw the monster approaching quickly and sped up the process of lowering the trailer. Smashing its tail that looked like a mace into ground, it charged towards the crane Joey was in.

Joey released the control stick and the trailer crashed to the ground with a thud. He jumped from the operating room just in time. The monster crashed into the operating room. Yuji helped Robert in while Cissnei got in as well. Joey moved into the driver's seat. As the hellish creature moved to free itself, Chris opened fire blowing out one of its eyes.

Inside the truck, Yuji gently put Robert down while Joey got ready to drive. Marlene and Chris entered while Chris continued to shoot at the monster. Joey put his foot on the gas pedal and sped off. A moment later, the monster jumped on the spot they had been just seconds before. The Blue hissed as it's prey escaped.

"Woohoo! Those Blue sure don't waste time saying hello, do they? But did you see the way I jumped out of that crane? Talk about timing!" bragged Joey as they raced down the highway, avoiding the pot holes.

"Yeah I saw it," replied Yuji.

"Don't get cocky Joey," warned Chris as he cleaned his gun.

"By the way, Chris that was some excellent shooting," complemented Cissnei. "Too bad you didn't kill it."

"Thanks Cissnei. If I had, that would have been one less Blue and the Earth would be a better place," sighed Chris.

"But it will probably die from the lead in its system," said Chris absent mildly.

"Joey, keep your eyes on the road," ordered Marlene as she examined her communicator.

"Alrighty then," agreed Joey as he turned back to driving the truck.

"Marlene?" questioned Robert.

Marlene turned to face Robert as he asked, "Have you identified that Blue?"

"It's here. It's in our data on the Korean zone." said Marlene as she showed the group a picture of the ugly monster that had attacked them. "It's a Spring Worm type. It's a ground-based variety. Its core is on the front of its head." She finished. The monster was an ugly looking specimen. The creature also had two large tusks, one on each side of its mouth. In addition it had ten legs on each side.

Robert shut his eyes as he relayed orders. "Let's keep away from them. Our goal is to make contact with the Seoul Recovery Squad and not to be drawn into a fight."

Marlene nodded her head. Yuji gazed outside the window and saw the city in ruins like in Japan. Soon they arrived at the Seoul Sleeper facility. Inside they found to their horror two destroyed Amor Shrikes and several green balls. Joey, Marlene and Yuji searched for survivors while Cissnei and Chris stood guard outside with Robert.

"Hey Marlene, it looks like there are no survivors from the recovery squad or the sleepers," Joey informed miserably.

"Then let's move out. There's nothing we can do," said Marlene.

"Damn it!" growled Yuji.

Just as they were about to leave they heard a groan. Immediately, Yuji raced over to where one of the destroyed shrikes to find an injured A.S pilot.

"Hang on, you'll be okay," said Joey as he helped him up.

"Capsule Number 23 is still waiting to be opened," said the injured man before he passed out.

"While Joey tended to the man's wounds, Yuji went over to open the storage locker where the capsule read Number 23. To his relief, he found a Sleeper still inside. The sleeper was a beautiful young teenage girl with long brown hair. Yuji saw that the girl had a locket with a picture imprinted on it with her as a child and presumably her father and mother behind her. Yuji felt a wave of sympathy for the girl, knowing that her parents were probably dead.

"Let's get the data from the computers to identify the girl, get the injured soldier and leave," ordered Marlene.

The soldier's name was Lee Jin and he was a Shrike Pilot. The girl's name was Soon-Yi Cho. As they drove on, Robert asked Lee about the rendezvous point for the Korean Squads. Lee sadly informed Robert with his squad wiped out, the other Koreans squads had already been extracted and the pick-up site would be deserted.

"Alright, we'll have to find another way of contacting them. Unless we can inform them that we've survived we will soon be stranded down here," he said grimly.

"If we can locate a communication facility and its satellite uplink is still intact, we may be able to get through, unless of course we can secure the location."

Yuji looked at his feet. Again the Blue had butchered another recovery squad leaving behind only a pilot and a sleeper. Now they were stuck trying to find another way to safety.

Suddenly Yuji heard a dog barking. "Joey, Joey you've got to stop! I heard something!" he yelled.

As they drove across the bridge, Yuji heard the barking once more, only this time Cissnei heard it too.

"Joey, stop I heard it too!" she yelled.

Looking out the window, Yuji and Cissnei saw small girl with brown dog. "Joey, come on man, stop this thing! There's someone down there!" yelled Cissnei

As they continued to drive, Yuji and Cissnei saw to their horror a Spring Worm menacing the girl. It wasn't as big as the one they encountered at the dock, but still deadly.

"Blue!" cried Yuji.

Yuji turned around to see Joey trying to ignore the scene. "Yuji, Cissnei pay no attention." ordered Marlene as she got to the front.

"What the…? What are you talking about?" yelled Cissinei.

Down below, the thing hissed as it prepared to strike. The girl backed up in horror as the thing drew closer. Up in the truck Yuji saw Marlene looking down the road without paying the slightest bit of attention. Robert shut his eyes. Lee just looked at his wounds. Only Chris had a trace of pity in his eyes. Yuji and Cissinei looked at each other and nodded. They both got up and head for the door. Joey looked up just in time to see Yuji jump out the door. "What the HELL?" he yelled as he slammed his foot on the brakes. Cissinei was about to follow Yuji when Robert roared. "Chris, stop her!" Chris grabbed Cissinei just before she could jump.

Meanwhile, down below the girl's dog barked once more at the Blue before snarling and jumped on the Spring Worm. The dog then sank its teeth into the monster's lower lip. Unfortunately the monster was too strong. It flung the offending dog away and focused on the girl. The girl gasped as her dog was hurt. She looked at the monster and braced herself for death. The monster opened its mouth with a hiss and was about to strike when… BANG!

Yuji had landed and opened fire. The Blue hissed in pain as blood poured from the wound Yuji had inflicted. The creature hissed and turned its attention on Yuji. The girl opened her eyes and gasped as the thing headed for Yuji.

BANG! BANG! Went the gun. Yuji hit the creature twice more. One shot thudded into its mouth while the other blew out an eye. But the creature kept coming. Yuji fired twice more. One missed and another hit again. Yuji backed up against the wall. He jumped out of the way just in time. The Spring Worm slammed into the wall, missing him. The girl gasped as the thing drew closer to Yuji. Blood was streaming from its wounds. Panicking, Yuji grabbed his gun, closed his eyes and fired away recklessly. The shots struck it's core. Blood exploded as the core was destroyed. The thing hissed one last time as a milky white substance came out of its pores. Its eyes dimmed as it died.

Yuji sighed with relief and looked over at the girl who sat on the ground paralyzed with shock. "Bark, Bark!" said the dog as it headed to the girl. The girl hugged it and then closed her eyes.

"Hey are you okay? That was a close one." said Yuji as he neared. The girl cringed as the dog growled at Yuji. "My name's Yuji. Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Yun," replied the girl as she looked down.

"Yun, huh? Well that's a real nice name." said Yuji just as the truck reached them. As the truck came to a stop, Yun shivered with fear. Out came an angry Joey and Marlene. Cissnei was relieved that Yuji and Yun were alive.

"Hey did you guy see what I did? I took that bug down!" bragged Yuji.

Marlene came over and slapped him. "You shouldn't have done that!" snapped Marlene

"The girl needed my help!" snapped Yuji

"Well now you put all of our lives in danger! Those gunshots you carelessly fired are going to draw more of the Blue to this location."

"I'm sorry but that girl, she need my…" began Yuji. Suddenly he turned around and saw that Yun had disappeared. "Yun!" he cried. The lot was empty. Only the dead Blue remained.

"Boom!" The air came alive with sound of Blue coming to the source of the noise. "Damn! Quick lets move their going to be here soon!" yelled Joey. Marlene glared at Yuji. "Getting out of this city just became harder thanks to you!" she growled. "Marlene, I think we're stuck here for a while. Let's find somewhere to hide." advised Joey. Marlene nodded, glared at Yuji, and headed for the trailer.

Inside the trailer everyone ignored him except Cissinei who asked him about the girl. "You said her name was Yun. What does she look like?" Cissinei asked.

Yuji explained, "She has pale skin, dark eyes, and two short black ponytails," he explained.

Up in the front, Joey and Marlene talked about their next step and about Yun. "If that little girl was playing around here then there must be a safe spot somewhere." he said.

Looking out the window, Joey spotted Yun. "Hey there she is!" he said. Yun and her dog were walking across a plank bridge to an island. Marlene noticed the thin planks and knew the trailer couldn't get across.

"We can't make it across with the Armor Shrikes" she said. Looking back, she saw an empty garage. "Joey, we'll have park the trailer in there," she said.

"Yeah I got it." With that, they backed-up the truck and sealed the garage door.

As they headed out the back door, Cissnei raised a question. "What about the Sleepers?" she asked.

"They will be safe," Marlene informed her. "Now let's move." As they crossed the bridge, Cissnei carried Lee while Yuji carried Robert. Marlene brought up the front, with a gun at the ready while Joey and Chris brought up the rear, keeping their eyes peeled. As they got to the other side they found the island filled with destroyed buildings. Marlene narrowed her eyes and ran forward. Looking left to right she found no sign of danger. From a dark corner Yun saw them and ran. She may have slipped past them if some rocks hadn't fallen, giving away her position. Turning to the noise they aimed there guns at the direction. Yuji saw Yun and her dog disappear.

"Joey, take him." said Yuji as he handed Robert to him. Cissnei did likewise, handing Lee to Chris. Both of them tore after Yun.

Marlene watched them go. "Yuji, Cissnei STOP!" she demanded. The two teenagers refused to listen. As they raced down the alleyway, what they saw both surprised and thrilled them. Standing before them were human survivors. "This is great Cissnei were not alone, there still some people left just like us," he smiled.

Together the two of them walked over to the survivors.

"Hello there," greeted Cissnei as she rested her hand on his shoulder.

Instead of returning the greeting, the man just glared at her. Yuji got between them and tried to calm the man down. "Hey, your worries are over. We're here now and everything is going to be okay," said Yuji, trying to reassure the man.

Instead of calming down, the other survivors just glared hatefully at him. Yuji frowned and stepped back. Cissnei also noticed the other survivors glaring at them. "What's the matter with all of you?" demanded Yuji.

"Yuji, Cissnei what are you two doing? Get back here!" Marlene demanded.

Yuji and Cissnei nodded and headed over to them. Yuji took one last glace at the crowd and headed to Marlene. Suddenly he stopped and noticed Yun. She was watching them both from behind a corner.

"Hey Yun," he called.

Immediately she ran down the alley. Yuji and Cissnei took off after her. "Stop Yuji, Cissnei!" Marlene ordered. They didn't listen.

"Not again," groaned Joey. He then looked at Marlene. "What do you think we should do?" he asked.

"Let's find a place to set up camp for the night," she said. Marlene frowned as she heard the two runaway sleepers get farther and farther away.

Yuji and Cissnei raced down the alleyway looking high and low for the girl.

"Yun where are you?" yelled Yuji

"Yun come on out sweetie?" called Cissnei.

They round a corner and enter what might have been the shooping districut. This had more damaged buildings. They gased in horrer at the demolished buildings. "Oh my god," breath Yuji.

Yuji and Cissnei walked from building to building trying to find Yun. One Build that they looked in at two old people resting with left over food. Drooping the curtains they proceeded to move on. Another building that Cissnei looked into had more senior survivors. Cissnei sighed as she looked at their blank faces. Yuji looked at the food that was left from the previous night's meal. He closed his eyes and sadly turned away. Before they could move on a pink bounce ball rolled out from another room and stoped at Yuji feet. Yuji looked down at the object and picked it up. Realizing it was a dog's ball he rushed inside with Cissnei right behind him. 'Hey Yun," he called happly as he rushed in. Olny to find a frighten boy hunging is guont mother. The mother looked at Yuji and Cissnei. Yuji dropped the ball. As the backed up Cissnei tripped. As she looked behind her to see what had caused her to trip she throw up. What had caused her to throw up was the fact that there was a dead human behind her. The unfortunate man had died from starvation. He lay sprawled on the ground with one eyes still open looking at the sky. His bones almost showing through sun dryad skin. Yuji helped Cissenia to her feet. Both of them were shaking.

"Whats going on here," Cissnia said in a shaky voice.

Suddenly the heared the sound of somebody moving. They both saw Yun hiding behind some rubble. Yun got up and stared to run. Yun tried to run away but was to slow. Yuji and Cissnia got behind her. Yuji reacked out a hand and grabed her left arm. Yun gasped and tried to get free. "Wait why are you running away?" questioned Yuji

Yuji released his hold so Yun could look at him. "Don't you remember I'm not going to hurt you," he said trying to reashuer her. Yun looked still unsure. When she glanced down she gasped and yell "Maru!" Yuji glassed down and saw the little brown dog was rubbing its self agaist Yuji leg. "Oh Maur so that's your name isn't?" said Cissnei as she and Yuji nelt down to pet the dog. "Yeah boy I'm galed to be alive to," said Yuji. Yun just stared at the two of them. She did not here the foot steps approaching until someone garbed her shoulder and pulled her back. Yuji and Cissnei looked up to see a man berated Yun.

"Yun!" said the man "You stay away from these two you here me?" he demanded. "But that man helped me and saved me from those monster protested," Yun. "No," said the man. "You should no better you known you can't count on the people from Second Earth. They could't care less about me you or anyone else down here." He aid looking is disgust at Yuji and Cissnei. Stunk bythe world the two got up. Suddenly they were sourneded by survivors all of them staring at the teens with hatred and revouls/ Yuji and Cissnei backed up. "Why are you looking at us like that why?" demanded Yuji.

While this had been going on the other began to set up camp. Chris and Joey had set up the tents while Marlane couslted with Robert. Looking at her map she explained the area they were in. "Robert all of the bridges have been destroyed it looks like the only way to get across is over that narrow scflading," she informed him as she switched of her coummutor. "There must be no flying Blue here that the only way humans could possibly survive in this area it the only way," he conclude.

"Not for long these people are lucky their location hasn't been reviled to the Blue yet. But is only a matter of time before their found." she finished. "Your right," said Robert.

Marlane glanced left and saw Yuji and Cissnei returning.

"Yuji Cissnei were the hell have you two been she?" demaned "aunorthrized acrtivity is stricktly forbidden!" she reperamened them. "Have you seen how these people live here? Demaned Cissnei not caring what Marlane said. "What in the hell did you people from Second Earth so to them? She demaned.

Marlene looked at them uncaring as did Robert and Jin. While chris and Joey looked guilty. "I want to know why they look at me and Cissnei with harte in their eyes?" Yuji demand. Marle or the other didn't responed. "While say something for Christ Sake!" yelled Yuji.

While Joey checked his gun and Chirs muttered something Marlane began to reveal the horrible truth. "In space food and energy are very limited." She said. "As resulted only a chosen few were transported to Second Earth," Chris said unhappily. "Since that time," said Jin "Our orders have been very clear," Marlane took over. "Since that time our orders have been very clear. Our objectives our to becomplted at any coast and any humans that reman our to consider already dead." "Already dead whats that supposed to mean?" said Yuji. "It means for us whearher or not thesoe poele live or die has no bearing on our mission," clarified Marlane. Cissnia gasped as the awful truth downed on her. UImage of the man and his hateful wrs came back. "So you guys aboabond them!" she yelled. Both back away from Marlene. "Now you listen to me." said Yuji "Cissni and I our not like you people from sconed Earth and we don't need your permission to do any thing you got that!" he yelled as they ran off.

Yuji and Cissnei sat at a park bench looking out at the harbor as they tought thisngs over. "What the hell is happening here? I don'tknow how Marlane can be so cold?" he wondered. Cissnia was thinking similar thoughts when she felt something agaist her foot. Looking down she saw Maur. "Hey Maru said Yuji as he petted the dog. Looking over they saw Yun with a bag. "Yun said Cissneia. "here she said as he held out the bag. Yuji and Cissnia opened the bag to find cookies they both looked at yun. Who was staring down at her feet. "our you shure sweeties?" asked Cissneia. Yun nonedded. Each taking a cookie they enjoyed it. "These our good," said Yuji with a smile.

Yun still looked at her feet. Yuji held out the bag infrt of her. "You eat the rest okay.: He said as he put the bag in her hand. Yun smiled sweetly at them. Yun gave the bag to maur and listed to him enjoy himself. "You no what Yuji you and Cissnei your different from the other soldiers she said." "You mean like Marlene?" said Cissnia. Yun nodded.

"While sweetie that's because Yuji and I are from a different time then they our." Yun looked around at the pair to see if they were joking. "We were asleep for a long time, but that was long before you were born. Back then we had hope for the future, but the future don't look bright theses days dost't?" said Yuji. Yun looked sadly out to the harbor.

"I wish I could go to sleep for a long time when your asleep the blue can't get you," she said petting Maru. Cissnei got behind Yun. Yun turned to face her and Cissnei embraced her like a sister. "Yun don't worry we will protect you no mater what she said. Promise she asked Yuji and Cissneia nodded. Yun smiled and hugged her back.

As the two walked back to the others, Yuji and Cissina began to think of ways to help the Yun and the others. As they walled back, Cissnei began to think. "There as to be some way we can help Yun, there as to be" she thought.

Then Yuju had a brainwave. "If we could make contact with the space station, we could send for a rescue party." said Yuju hope filling his face. Then Cissnei warned him. "Marlene won't agree with this," she said. "I known once the resuce party sees what's happening down here then maybe," said Yuji. Before he could finish Cissnei nodded. With that they speed back to camp. As they reach the camp they found Robbert asleep along with Lee. Chris was grouad duty. As the gazzed around the tent, they saw something that filled them with disgust. Marlane had her back against the wall while Joey was necking, her and foundling her right breast. "At a time like this, how could they?" though a disgusted Yuji. He then turned and walked away. Cissnei gazed at them for a moment before walking away as well. "Perfect time to have sex, when people all around you are suffering!" she added with revolution. As the two sleepers left, Joey unzipped Marlene's overall. As he reached to go further, she stopped him." Marlane as a look on her face as she knew they had been watched and juded.

Meanwhile, the two sleepers, sat far away from the people of Second Earth, wondered why this hell had befallen their home.

The next day Marlene showed Robert and the others, something interesting. "Robbert, take a look at this," as she showed her injured commander a map of the city. "There is a tower with a stat alight uplink, I think we will be able to make contact with the space station from there." she informed him. The older soldier hummed at he thought about it. She then turned to her companions. "Joey's lets get ready, were going to move," she ordered. "Yeah okay," he replied. She then turned to Yuji. "You too Yuji." the sleeper nodded and replied in an unconcerned manner, still disgusted with last nights events. "Alright." Lastly she turned to Cissnei, Chris and Lee. "The rest of you will stay here is that understood?" all of them nodded.

As Yuji loaded his pistol, he renewed his vow. "I'm going to do what ever it takes to get these people some help," Yuji promised himself.

As the prepared to leave they heard the sound of an engine. They looked up and to their surprise they saw a shuttle. The shuttle was a lot like the one that had brought them to the air port in Japan. Except this one was white and on it's side was the symbol of the United Nations on it. It landed at the center bridges point. Yuji and Cissnei gazed in surprise at it, along with the personal of Second Earth.

Suddenly the shuttle, doors opened and out came seven armor shrikes. Two dubbled piloted and five sniper shrikes. They were followed by 12 infantry men who kept chanting. "HUP, HUP, HUP!" they said before falling to attention. The their commander appeared. He began to issue orders. "Spaner I want you to examine in the refuges. I want their number and their condition. Is that understood!" he barked out. "Sir, yes sir," saluted the medic before running off to examine the refugees.

The comander turned to the rest of his coamnd. "The rest of you, I want to take up positions until rest arrive is that understood?"

"Yes sir!" said the rest of unit before they dispersed setting up positions where the bridges once stood.

Yuji and Cissnei looked at Marlene and the others expecting an answer. "Marlene who are these people," asked Yuji. To their shock the normally steely women had a look of astonishment on her face. "I don't know," she answered.

While this transpired, the medic returned with his report. "About 500 civilians. Most of them are suffering for malnutaion and miner injuries sir," informed Spaner. At this commander, smiled. "Excellent I did't expect to find this many in one spot. Hopefully the evacation ships will arrive soon," he said. While this happned one of the Shrike pilots noticed Yuji. "No it can't be," he thought before cliaming out and went over. "Hey! Hey Yuju Kito! Is that you?" he called.

Yuji looked at the soldier who called his name. The soldier had a red helmet similar to a bike helmet. It completely covered his face yet the voice sounded oddly familiar…

"How do you known my name?" he demanded.

"Hey is that any way to talk to your best friend?" the soldier asked in a mocking, indigent voice. Taking off his helmet, to reveal a ghost of the past was Yuji's best friend, Takashi Omizu.

"It's been awhile, huh Yuji," Takashi said with a grin.

All Yuji could do was to stare in shock and gasp out his friend's name. "Takashi?"