Chapter 3: OpenEye

As soon as Yvonne reached the house, she made the call to her commanding officer. "Centurion, why do you require me this urgently?"

"Sir, as was reported, one of my men, Alexander de Witt, failed to muster. I took a Lochos to investigate, and we went up Mount Zisa. We were ambushed, and the whole patrol was wiped out. The enemy used heavy weapons. I survived, and retreated to report. During my retreat, I was witness to the departure of some sort of gigantic airplane, the size of an airship, but projecting flames below it. When I arrived at this house, I saw a second one depart, following the same path."

"Are you trying to tell me that some bushmen wiped out a full Lochos? And that you fled?", he asked, his voice hinting at anger. Of course it was, she had been beaten, and the Race was never beaten.

"Not bushmen, sir. Bushmen don't have heavy weapons, and they certainly don't have large aircraft.", she replied. Outside, she heard strange sounds, a little like "whop, whop, whop", over and over again. She had no idea what it was, but she had to finish her report. "The enemy appeared to be well-trained, and they used automatic weapons, as well as some sort of cannon."

The noise got louder and louder, and she heard shouts outside. It was almost impossible to make out what her superior was saying. But he seemingly didn't understand.

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This had been one of the strangest periods in Anele's life. First the mountain changed, and she saw the pillars carried by fire and smoke rise from it. And then the masters had come, and had gone to investigate. Of course, she simply worked, she didn't want to provoke the overseers. Mere hours later, only one of the masters had returned, bleeding and wounded. Something was happening there, and she was afraid of what would be done to her and her friends.

And now, now she saw flying craft, looking a little like insects and making strange noises approach. They were dark green, and were faster than anything she had ever seen. Except perhaps for the pillars that kept appearing regularly, even in the night. She could hardly sleep in the little hut she shared with six others, no one could. Everyone watched, and whispered about what it could mean. What sort of strangeness it was.

And now the strangeness was coming right towards them. Carried through the air, even though Anele feared that it might be the masters, or that these people might have terrible intentions towards her. The insects lowered, and she stood rooted to the ground. She couldn't just walk away, even if she wanted to run. Her heart started beating faster and faster.

Men jumped from the green beetles. They were armed, and dressed in green. She couldn't see faces, they were hidden behind helmets and bulky clothes. One pointed his weapon at her, and she fell to her knees, hoping to be spared. Others did the same, knowing that their place was to submit. One of the men however didn't. James, the overseer. His father had been the previous master, and that gave him a favoured position. And now he tried to defend it, rushing at one of the strangers. She heard a shot, and he fell, screaming and bleeding.

One of the strangers pulled down the black cloth covering his face, and Anele was shocked. His face, dark like her own. She had never seen someone not of the Race with a weapon, and here was one. She feared him, he might be a janissary, and she had heard tales about them. He houted, dispelling all her fears: "Allright, you lot are safe now. No need to be afraid of us. We're just here to fuck up some racist dimwits. And to get you lot out of here of course. Just get into the choppers, and everything will be fine."

She had no idea what he meant, but was shocked about how he spoke about the masters. Was he a bushman? Would he get all of them tortured? She didn't know, but had no choice, and like always in her life, she obeyed, climbing into what she assumed to be a chopper, one of the strange insects.

James remained on the ground, yammering. Old Sefu, who often bore the brunt of the lashings, as was clear enough from his face, passed by the prone overseer, and gave him a kick in the face. The sight brought a smile to Anele's face, despite her fear for the future. And then, then the chopper took to the air, and she screamed.

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Michael reflected on his career as he entered the building. It looked like some sort of huge villa, and he saw the small huts as well. For a change, he didn't feel bad about signing up to work for Dr. Moritz after his stint in the marines was over. He didn't always feel very good about working for that madwoman, but what he had found here, after the transplantation, well, he saw it as a way to make up for some of the bad shit he had done.

He had not had the luck of being one of those ambushing the slavers, but he had heard about what they had found. And of course, what Dr. Moritz told everyone. He had been elated when he got the mission, and felt good about himself. No matter what else he had done so far, he had saved those poor souls from slavery. One of them remained, he had a whip with him, and that showed him as what he was. A filthy, disgusting pig. He saw one of the former slaves kick him, and he struggled to not smile. Or to not simply blow his brains out.

He however had his orders, and at the head of his team, he went into the villa. Keeping his gun ready to fire. They encountered a group of people, huddled together, and Clarkson escorted them outside, to safety. He wouldn't leave anyone behind in that terrible place. And they might have info. The objective of this little mission. Up ahead he heard a voice. One. He gave the sign, and the three of them burst through the door. Immediately, someone stabbed at him. In his belly. Luckily, he had a steel plate there, and nothing happened. He struck back with bone-crunching force, but the attacked somehow evaded it, throwing him to the ground.

Michael was a strong man, and he knew how to fight dirty all too well. But he was unarmed, against someone with a knife. He struggled to keep it away from him. His enemy was a woman, but one who was exceptionally strong, and knew what she was doing. Slowly, she drove the blade closer to his exposed face.

Until she just slumped away, and blood sprayed over him. He looked up, to see Baracus with a smoking pistol in his hand: "Sorry, but I couldn't let your pretty face be cut up."

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Hannah yawned. The helicopters were returning from their first flight, bringing with them liberated slaves. And perhaps a few others as well. They would have to be separated, she couldn't use any spies, but needed someone to talk to. She stood waiting at the landing strip, she would welcome them herself, they might be useful.

Somehow, the transtemporation, as she has come to call it, offers a wonderful set of possibilities. This is a world ripe for the taking. On Earth, she couldn't have gone further than blackmail, but here. Here the possibilities are endless. If she plays her cards right, and she will play them right, she can carve out her own empire. And perhaps, she can finally take the place she deserves, as empress of the world. At least, if she can find out how this world works. But if they all lack nuclear weapons, she can make up for it by keeping a monopoly of it. In a few days, she can see the whole world, she can destroy even the best-defended target. And perhaps, she can actually build an army worthy of herself.

She watched the helicopters approaching, she has been told that there are almost forty people stuffed into them. She feared that some of them might be sick, but they should still listen to her. Of course, she wasn't alone. She wasn't insane. She had six men with her, all fully armed and ready to gun everyone down. Hannah didn't care for their lives, or anyone's for that matter. Except for her own. She just wanted obedience.

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Anele stumbled from the chopper as soon as the doors have been opened. On the ground, she saw a woman, backed by soldiers. It was hard to make out, but she guessed that she is important. Once everyone was on the ground, the helicopters flew away again, leaving them all on the stone surface, looking at the strange woman.

When the noise had died down, she spoke: "I am Doctor Hannah Moritz, and this is my home. You are here, because I desire it. Not because of any other reason. I offer you your freedom from your oppressors, but there is something that I want in return. I want your cooperation. I want knowledge. My people will question you, and those who show the most knowledge will be led to me to explain things in greater detail."

This Doctor Hannah Moritz looked strange, her skin was different from anything she had ever seen, and her eyes looked slanted in some way. She had seen some things in the master's books, but that was always in secret. There were people like that in faraway lands, but that was beyond the plantation, and she had never been anywhere else. She thought for a few moments, before she did one of the rashest things in her life. She drew attention to herself, betraying what perhaps was her greatest secret. "Madam, I can read. And I have read the master's books."