Chapter Five:  Realizations

"NO!" Carmen screamed, searching the unstable rim of the caldera, hoping against hope that some of Alpha Team survived.  Her thoughts quickly went to Jeff Gossard.  Nothing had happened between them.  But there was something there that the both of them had felt for each other.  Silently she swore that if Goss survived, she was going to ask him out – no matter what.  The war brought all kinds of people together, but it also tore apart people that were meant to be together.  Carmen then thought of Johnny and Dizzy.  "No…," she whispered, then squashed her thoughts.  She needed to be sharp.  There would be time enough for her to cry later.  Right now, if there were any survivors, they needed her to be together.  Parts of the rim began falling into the gathering pool of lava.  The caldera was getting bigger.  It's going to be the biggest one on Earth, Carmen thought to herself.  Crosswinds created by heat coming off the lava rapidly filling the massive caldera buffeted her ship.  She hung on the control stick for dear life.  The wing then dipped, turning the ship into the bubbling caldera…

The ship suddenly stabilized and a blue-green light filled the ship to the point of blinding Carmen.  She threw her hands up in a vain attempt to protect herself.  A few seconds (or a few years) passed – and nothing happened.  When she opened her eyes, she looked to her right and started as General Redwing, looking equally surprised, was staring back at her from the co-pilot's seat.  Carmen quickly turned on the hold monitor and saw that all of Alpha Team was strapped into the seats.  Turning around, she yelped as Carl and Nala were standing directly behind her, looking out the cockpit windows.  Their eyes were still glowing; seeing yet not seeing.  Nala looked down at Carmen.  Carmen swore later that Nala had scanned her mind in that one second.  She felt her entire memory being searched.

"Pull up, Lieutenant Ibanez," Nala said aloud, startling her.  Immediately, training took over and the ship hovering over the caldera took off for the second SICON/MI stronghold, Oahu.

Carl put his hand on Nala's shoulder.  "There are…people down there," he said softly with a note of surprise in his voice.  Nala nodded her head in acknowledgment, but still looked out the cockpit window.  Carl felt she was in communion with 'The Others', as she called them.  The beings who were like her – and soon he would be one of them as well.  But for now, he wasn't ready.  The speed of the communication had been dizzying, to say the least.  But he caught enough of the conversation to understand that there was apprehension – but it was all on Nala's part.

"Who is Solen?" he asked aloud.  Nala smiled softly.

"So.  You were eavesdropping.  Solen was the one who explained the universe to me – over one hundred and twenty years ago," she answered.  "I have allowed this menace to exist long enough."  She turned to Carl, her clothing changing to a Trooper powersuit, except that it was all black.  She tucked the helmet under her arm.  "The Others have decided.  I have clearance to terminate.  Are you prepared, Carl?"  Rico and Zim had unstrapped themselves from their seats and had made it to the cockpit archway.  "Once you begin down this path, there is no turning back."  At first he did not answer.  Instead he looked to Nala and his own clothing morphed into a powersuit.  It was the same color as Nala's, except that his had the Mobile Infantry patch on it.  Nala smiled – and one appeared on her own suit.

"Wherever you lead, I follow," Carl began.

"Wherever you lodge, so shall I," Nala continued.

"Your people shall be my people," Carl said.

"And your God, my God," Nala said.

"Where you die, I shall die," Carl said.

"And there I will be buried," Nala whispered.

"May the Lord do so to me and more also," Carl said, putting his hand to Nala's face.

"If anything but Death parts you and me," Nala answered, putting her hand over Carl's.

General Redwing, now over her shock, unbuckled herself from the co-pilot's seat and turned to face Carl and Nala.

"Where is Sky Marshall Ramirez?  Is she safe?" she asked.  Carl turned to Redwing; she backed away in surprise.  His eyes were still faintly glowing.

"She is safe," he whispered.  "She is in Geneva.  There is still no Arachnid Activity there.  They see it as an area of no importance – for now.  We," he said, glancing towards Nala.  "Suggest that Geneva be evacuated as soon as possible."

"We have to go back," Nala said quietly.  "There are POW's that are being held below ground; quite literally thousands of them.  By the Great One!"  She swore aloud, holding her head.  "She is good!  She hid everything from me!"  Carl put his own hand to his head, then doubled over, moaning in pain.  Nala put her hand on his back; concern etched on her face.  As soon as his attack began, it was over.

"Nala," he said suddenly, straightening up.  Sweat came down his face in rivulets.   "Another attack approaches…from space."  Nala turned around, her gaze going to the sky above.  "It's…it's all of them," Carl said sadly.  "That is why-."

"-The war on Klendathu ended so quickly," Nala finished.  "Because all the Bugs had abandoned their homeworld…to destroy the home of their enemies."  She looked at Carl; he nodded his head in agreement.  He then turned to General Redwing.

"General, we'll need at least 150 Marauder operators.  We'll need those Marauder Suits that are in reserve that were created to withstand high temperatures.  I'll be going down to rescue the POW's at the caldera in Hawaii.  Nala will locate and destroy the Queen.  You will have to deal with the invasion force coming from space – but a lot of their drive will be gone once the Queen is dead."  Carl turned to Rico and Zim.  "You'll be with me, Johnny.  We started this journey together.  We're going to end it that way."  He held his hand out to Rico.  Rico took it.

"Compadre," Rico said aloud.  "Until the end, bro."

"Death to the Bugs!" Zim said aloud, putting his hands on both of their shoulders.  The rest of Alpha Squad took up the oath.  "Death to the Bugs!"

Carl could feel Nala's uneasiness with this recent turn of events.  He knew she didn't like the order to terminate that had been given to her so easily by her superiors.  He pushed ever so slightly.  She knew everything about him – now it was time for him to learn how to use his newfound gifts to do a little snooping.  Nala was still a mystery to him.  He knew she was older than him – but he had no idea how much older.  He was only the second human to be offered entry in the Other society.  She had been the first.  Again, he wondered what was it about himself that made him so special.

Nala turned to him quickly.  She had felt him try to enter her mind; trying to get into a secret place.  Trying to find out….   "No Carl.  Not here.  Not now," she said curtly.  Carl cursed himself for being too ham fisted at his attempt to enter Nala's mind covertly.  He was not going to give up, however.  "Then when?" he asked.  "You have to show me.  You have to tell me what it is that you are…afraid of," he whispered, putting his hand on her shoulder.  She put her own hand over his.

"Not now," she repeated.  "Soon.  I promise.  For now…we need to get to the Trooper Hospital 'Seattle' on Oahu," she said aloud, addressing everyone else on the ship.  Carl nodded in understanding.  Whatever was bothering Nala was a deep and personal subject.  It would have to be dealt with – but later.

Redwing turned to the both Nala and Carl.  Their eyes had not stopped glowing, but it wasn't as surprising as it was before.

"Why are we going to the Trooper Hospital?" she asked.  Nala again sighed deeply.

"Because, the only human alive to see the Arachnid Queen on Earth is there.  He knows the way to her."

"Sanchez?  You mean Former Sky Marshall Sanchez?  He doesn't know the difference between a toothbrush and a hairbrush.  How is he going to help?" Redwing asked.

Nala nodded her head in agreement.  "That may be true, but Officer Jenkins told me that the Queen…interrogated the Former Sky Marshall.  He may not be coherent, but he has the way to her stored somewhere in his mind.  I'll get that information from him.  It is the map we need to get to the Queen."  She turned to the rest of Alpha Team.  "There are things that you will see…that will not be pleasant.  Your rage against the Arachnids will know no bounds – but keep focused.  I need for you all to get in, collect the POW's and then get out.  Understand?"  She turned back to Redwing.  "You will have to inform Sky Marshall Ramirez, General.  And quickly.  The next twenty-four hours will decide whether Homo sapiens have earned the right to continue their existence."