Chapter 12: Mission : Base Protection

The sky was a bright blue, filled with clouds and birds. RED smiled as she looked over the remains of a picnic and the blanket she was sat on, leaning back on a large ancient tree, the leaves shading her from the bright sunlight.

She smiled, shifting to lie on her back, her head resting on her partner's knee. "This is nice."

"Umm." He agreed combing her hair off her face with his fingers.

"Are you hungry? There is still some pie left."

"No, I am fine."

She sighed once and nodded, rubbing her head into his hand. "It's been so long since I came home. But since my escape, Tarke has always felt like home… but I never remember it."

A bird flew over to them and landed in the tree, beginning to sing a sweet lullaby. RED's eyes drifted close as Sesshomaru continued to smooth her hair down until she finally shifted up to his side and leant on him.

His arm wrapped around her waist, holding her closer to his chest. "I'm glad you brought me here RED."

The woman smiled as she pressed her ear to his chest, listening for a while as her eyes closed.

But then, slowly, her smile fell and she opened her eyes, pushing herself up away from him.

The Inu frowned as well as she stood away from him. "What's the matter?"

RED sighed loudly, brushing her own hair back into place. "Some things a holograph can't replicate. End program."

At the command, the green and fresh world vanished into a nothing, including the man sitting behind her. RED let out another breath, looking up at the ceiling before turning to the door and leaving. For the last week, she'd been running the program and each time she had stopped it at faults and messed with the program to correct it.

It was still far from perfect.

Fixing her new red jacket, RED strode out the exit and walked down the hallway. She had nowhere in mind to be, just to walk and get her mind away from the holograph. Her Rookie partner had been plaguing her mind ever since that night on Verbenan when she'd fallen asleep on his arm.

Now she spent most of her free time trying to replicate that sensation.

Sighing, she turned and leaned on the wall.

"This is ridiculous." She moaned covering her face to try and get her mind in control.

She didn't even know what she was trying to control! Just then, several people began running past her, shouting as they did. RED caught several words and soon began running down the hall before her communicator could even bleep.

"I'm on my way." She said and cut the message off.

The IPF members were panicking, running down the hallways but still managing to jump and weave out of RED's way as she charged through. Her feet almost slipped as she turned one corner but she recovered and turned away.

She ran as fast as she could, often in the opposite direction to the others until she arrived at a large open space control room, the hub of the entire Alpha base.

The commander was there, standing at the front of a large screen that showed the image of a tall woman with light grey skin and pitch black eyes and wolf ears. As soon as RED saw her, she swallowed in worry.

"… critical situation."

She turned her attention to the commander as he spoke to a group of people before him.

"This image was taken two hours ago and all our attempts to control the situation have been unsuccessful. We are already getting reports of people going missing but they are across the base. We have no idea where it is." He leaned closer to the table and sighed. "I'm activating protocol one."

"You can't!" RED yelled, running over to him. "You can't!"

The commander looked right at her and shook his head as well. "I don't want to RED but it's the only thing we can do. We can't allow her control of the base."

RED lowered her head and sighed. "I know but…"

His hand closed on her shoulder. "I am sorry but we have to evacuate." He turned and reached out to a headset. "This is commander Samual Tilatia. I am activating a base wide evacuation. Everyone report to your designated evacuation points, this is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill!"

As the command was given, RED noticed her partner rush into the room. An idea filled her mind. "Sir, give us a chance."

He frowned at her. "What? You want to… RED this is not a game. We are facing with a queen Stitra! Even you would be up to your limit to beat one of them."

"I won't be alone. I have Sesshomaru to back me up." She pointed and smiled at her partner. "And he has extensive sword based training. We all know the only way to kill a Stitra is to cut off the head."

The commander thought for a moment but then shook his head. "RED, I can't put you endanger like that. I know you want to save your home but… this is just too dangerous."

"Give me one hour."

"What?"

"One hour." She held up a finger, proving her point. "It will take you an hour to fully evacuate the base. Give me until then to take her out."

"RED, it's too dangerous."

"Do you really have the time to stop her from trying?" Sesshomaru commented with a shrug. "I'm with RED, the two of us can take that Stitra easy."

"This is a queen, Sesshomaru. And you will show respect to your superiors."

The Inu wrinkled his nose. "Look, sir, RED and I can do this. Have a little faith in us."

The commander looked between the two before giving a quick nod. "One hour. And you keep your communicators on an open broadcast to me the whole time. Understood?"

"Understood sir. Come on Sesshomaru, let's move it!"

Sesshomaru nodded before running out of the control room with her. He gave a huff as they ran. "Do you really think we can do this?"

"I know so. We need to make a stop at the armoury to pick up a weapon then we'll go track this beast down. I'll explain my plan on the way."

With the base preparing for evacuation, everyone was busy with their posts. The pair was nearly unnoticed in the mad rush. By the time they reached the special weapons armoury, they picked up two long thin swords and carried one each up to the shopping mall.

RED let out a breath as she looked around. "Never thought I would see this place so empty."

Sesshomaru nodded, a place that always, anytime, was filled with people now stood deserted, shops and belongings just abandoned making it feel cold and lifeless. "So what now?"

RED was tapping at her wrist. "Samuel, where was the last missing person seen?"

"Over in area five. Please, take care RED."

"We will. Just keep calm. Sesshomaru, keep to the plan."

"I really don't like this RED."

She hummed as she drew the sword at her side. "Nor do I. But let's do this."

"You really don't want to leave, do you?"

"You've seen my wall!" She moaned, pouting pathetically to him. "I'm not leaving that for anything!" She twisted the blade in her hand. "Particularly for some low life pest like a Stitra. Now, let's get moving."

He tried to smile but he knew she was going to be putting herself deliberately in danger. Stitra are dangerous on their own but a queen was known to invade a location, paralyse victims and lay eggs inside the bodies to start a new hive.

RED was going to deliberately draw the queen out by use herself as bait. They had discussed this before opening the communication wave length as if the commander knew what she was going to do, he would no doubt stop them.

They ran to the coordinates of the last known location of the victim and found an open air vent and a small pool of blood. Kneeling, Sesshomaru investigated it. "She was here. Not long ago. I guess she's using the ventilation to get around."

"That explains her wide hunting range."

"RED, Sesshomaru, we're going to lock the veneration, that will keep her on whatever level she's on."

RED stared at the veneration shaft before her then nodded. "Sir, do you remember that experimental echo locator program from a few years back?"

"Yes, I remember it."

"Activate it."

"RED, that device was useless! It couldn't tell the difference between what was what!"

"We are not looking for what something is, only where it is! You lock down the shafts then use that program to see if there is anything out of place. That will give us a clue to where the Stitra is!"

There was a pause on the line. "Lock down the veneration system and activate the ultra sound program! NOW!"

"It'll take about three minutes." RED informed her partner as she knelt at the shaft entrance. "OI! Stitra!"

Sesshomaru immediately snapped out and covered her mouth. "What are you doing?"

Shaking herself free, RED frowned at him. "A queen is more intelligent than a normal Stitra. It's been known to communicate before now with them."

"You plan on asking it to leave?"

"No…" She smirked coldly. "I plan on making it mad."

She turned back to the vent. "We know you are out there, you low life slug! We won't let you make our home you're hive! Your whole species is nothing but vermin, waiting to be exterminated!"

Her voice echoed down the confined space for a moment but then a slow loud snarl echoed back followed by several loud clangs as the vents were sealed off.

"What the hell were you thinking RED?!"

RED rolled her eyes as she lifted her communicator. "Have you located her?"

"She's on the level below you."

"Figured as much, that sound came back too quickly. Come on Sesshomaru. Commander, I probably don't need to tell you this but get everyone off that level and lock it down."

"Already ahead of you RED. It's been cleared."

Standing up, RED ran back towards the stairs and down the next level with Sesshomaru following close behind. They finally arrived at the lower level, watching as the last of the people evacuated the level. This level wasn't as extensive as the one above that filled with clothes shops. This one was more of a social location, filled with restaurants and other places for people to relax.

"Samuel, can you give us a guild to her location?"

"In theory yes. But people here are a little too busy to keep helping you RED."

"Just do it Samuel." RED snapped, moving her eyes over the surroundings, making sure nothing came up to attack them while also seeing that Sesshomaru had drawn his weapon as well, scanning the surroundings with a determined eye. She was sure she could see something new and different in his eyes.

Is he… scared?

"With only the three of you on that level I've been able to search for heat sources."

"And?"

"It would appear she's taken stand in the rear of a Chow Tavern."

RED huffed. "The back of a restaurant, how appropriate."

"I actually like the Tavern." Sesshomaru muttered as they walked. "They have good beer."

"We save the base, I'll buy you one." RED joked back.

They fell into silence as they walked slowly towards their target. The Chow Tavern was a large restaurant that prided itself on the wide range of food and drink from across the universe. It was set up to have several different areas depending on the diner's eating style or want of atmosphere.

Normally it was full of song, of people and the smells of food. Today only the smell of burnt, abandoned food filled the air. RED held up her hand, telling Sesshomaru to wait as she walked around the tables to the rear. "Stitra! Stitra! I know you're in there!"

A hiss came from behind the door as RED came closer.

"You challenge me?" A slithering voice called out.

"I'm warning you." She stopped, sword ready, aimed at the door. "This is our home. And if you don't leave it in peace, we will blow it up, with you aboard."

The alien laughed. "You would kill yourself?"

"I won't be on board. Now, do you come quietly?"

"I am a queen. I am here to live. I am here to give more to my subjects." She laughed. "You will soon be one of them, little girl."

RED's hand closed around the hilt of her blade before stepping forward. "Soon you are going to be dead."

Again the voice laughed as RED stepped even closer to the kitchen doors, pushing them opened with the tip of her sword. Just as she did, a hand snapped out and grabbed it, pulling her inside with a startled yelp.

Sesshomaru ran over to the doors, just at the moment that the fire locks dropped from the ceiling and shut him off. "RED!" he yelled, pounding his hand on the door. "RED! RED can you hear me?!" He checked his communicator. "Commander, the Stitra activated the fire alarm! I'm locked on the other side! RED's in there alone!"

~#~

Emergency protocol for a fire in the Alpha base meant complete shutdown of all power, entrances and energy sources before beginning the fire extinguishing program the owner wished. These varied depending on the price the owner paid; extinguishing foam was the most effective, followed by vacuum suction and then cheapest of all, was a water sprinkler system.

Fortunately for RED, the Chow Tavern owner, had spent most of his budget on the front of the restaurant and chose the cheapest option for safety. After all power to the kitchen had been cut and she was left with only a dim emergency light, water had begun to sprinkle down on her, aiming to drown any fire in progress.

As the water covered her body, soaking her to the skin, RED looked over the kitchen. It was very large and impressive, relative to the size of the establishment but that just meant there were places for the Stitra to hide. Cut off from her partner and her communicator scratched from her wrist, she was on her own.

She decided to do what she did best. "So, has the mighty queen of the Stitra become nothing more than a sneaky coward?"

She said as proudly as she could, wiping the water from her face and stepping around the counters. Her eyes were hindered by the water in them and the falling of it made it near impossible to make out singular movement. "You do nothing but hide and talk. Your subjects must wonder if you're really their queen you are so weak!"

A hiss filled the air over the fire extinguishers and RED turned on the spot to face the source but there was no sign of it. She grinned. "What's the matter? Too scared to come out and fight?"

"You think you can fight me?"

This time the voice came out from the other side of the kitchen, making her spin on the spot again, water flying from her face as she did.

"Of course I can. If I could find something to fight. You're the one hiding."

"I am not hiding."

"Then what are you doing?" She gasped suddenly as something stabbed painfully into her back. Her lungs felt cold and she found it near impossible to breathe, her knees fell weak as her strength suddenly vanished.

She fell to the soaked floor as a small trickle of blood leaked from the wound in her side. RED didn't even have the ability to hold it, to stem the bleeding. Her blood pooled around her, running in the excess water. But, as her body fell stiff and shot with pain, she was still able to see and hear, her eyes locked in a wide shocked expression.

The Stitra stepped over, her bare grey feet all RED could see, lifting a foot and pressing RED's face into the floor. "I was waiting. You said my kind are to be exterminated? To be… wiped out. Well… now… you are going to become a feast my subjects."

RED tried to speak, to shout or scream but her voice was frozen, paralysed like the rest of her. She knew if she didn't get the anti-venom, her organs would fail in fifteen minutes.

As she began to pass out and the Stitra released her foot, she thought of the only thing that might get her though.

Sesshomaru.

~#~

"RED! RED can you hear me!" Sesshomaru yelled, pounding his fist on the fire door. She'd been gone just a few minutes but a Stitra could strike fast and deadly.

He turned to his wrist. "Commander, you have to get this door open! She's in there alone!"

"I'm trying Sesshomaru. A few more seconds!"

"She doesn't have a few more seconds!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. "I need this door open now!"

At his command, the fire door slowly lifted up back into place and he charged into the kitchen. "RED! RED where are you?"

"Another willing meal? How wonderful!"

"What have you done to my partner?" He snarled, looking around the kitchen for any sign of either target. "Where is she?"

There was movement, scampering between hiding spots. "Why, she is meat. She will bring my children to life."

The Inu snarled. "Do you know who I am Stitra! Do you know who you are messing with!"

"You are meat. All are meat!"

"No." He whispered, lowering his head. "I'm Sesshomaru and I'm RED's partner." And with that, he turned on the spot, sword out and sliced the head clean off the Stitra who had been standing behind him, arm poised for another paralysing attack.

The beast didn't even have time to scream before its body fell to the floor, dark blood spilling from the wound. Sesshomaru grinned to himself before kicking the head away for his own personal enjoyment.

But it was short lived.

He began walking around the kitchen, searching for RED. But there was no sign of her. He checked every single place but all he found was a small pool of watered down blood.

On closer inspection, he saw it was leading away, dragged across the floor. Perhaps he had taken too long to get to her and the Stitra had found time to stash her body.

No… no she's not dead! He insisted, over and over in his mind and followed the blood trail. It took him all the way to the store room of the restaurant which he threw open and stared inside. There, lying on her side in a pool of her own blood, was RED.

Fearful that she was gone, Sesshomaru ran at her, kneeling at her side and picking her up. "RED? RED can you hear me?"

She was breathing; it was shallow. Her eyes were locked in a wide, painful state and her face was pale from the blood.

The Inu almost panicked but then remembered his training. "Commander, the Stitra is dead, you can call off the evacuation. I need medical down here with the Stitra anti venom right now. RED's been paralysed and wounded."

"On our way Sesshomaru."

With the com link broken, Sesshomaru turned his attention to RED in his arms, covering her wounded side to stop the blood leaving her. He noted the strange smell of it but put that down to the Notriz.

He had no idea how long she had been infected but he did know he had to hope that the thing she hated so much, was the thing that could help her survive this. Holding her close, he was forced just to sit and wait as the medics came to his position with the antidote.

"Sesshomaru?"

"Over here!" He yelled on hearing the voice and soon two medics were at his side, quickly injecting RED in the neck before going to see to her side.

Still holding her, her partner could only watch and hope, holding her tight to his chest. He'd never seen her so injured before; the odd cut or bruise and sometimes a gunshot but never this much, never enough that she might die.

Suddenly facing a Stitra queen didn't scare him.

Losing her did.

His hand closed tighter on her arm, praying she was going to be alright. "Come on RED." He whispered, leaning over her. "You promised me that beer, remember?"

RED's head rolled to the side as he held her closer, her cheek pressed against his chest. A sound, a rhythmic sound passed over to her and her own started to copy the beat, waking her up. She took a small breath and cracked her eyes open. "Rookie?" she wheezed. "Is that… you?"

"Yeah, it's me."

She smiled up at him then pressed her face further to his heart. "Definitely better."

Her words confused him but she was awake and alive so he was happy.

"Your hearts really fast." She mumbled as he picked her up off the floor and carried in his arms. "Where you worried?"

"Of course I was." He said, staring ahead. "I'd hate to be assigned another partner."

"Is that all?"

"Well… as I said… you owe me a beer."

"I'll buy you two if you stop reminding me."

"Deal. Now, let's get you to medical."

RED groaned but was in no state to argue so just enjoyed being carried and the sound of the heart under her ear. Yeah, definitely can't replicate this.

A/N: Me again!

This as far as you're getting for a while now.

Hope you are enjoying the story!

Don't forget to review and don't forget to leave your song suggestions! I still want to hear them!