Chapter 11: Fight or Flee?

Larry's thoughts whirled as he descended down the ramp into the bowels of the base. Behind him, Spacer and Biffy were looking anxiously ahead, as though anticipating the battle that would come.

Though he had agreed to remove the remains of the old ACH command, Larry could not feel right doing this. It felt wrong for some reason. He would have to speak with Ben and see what his side of the events concerning the Index was.

The path came to an intersection, and he saw a large number of men standing with weapons around them. One of them was trying to speak loudly into a comm. Unit at his belt.

"Look, I understand you don't like it, but it's the way things are now. If you all come out, you just take a pay cut and a slight promotion. If we have to come in there after you things could get messy…" the speaker cut off as Larry approached with his armed escort.

"I assume you're trying to negotiate with the rebels, Hero?" Biffy said, his voice cracking on the word rebels.

"Yes actually. They are unwilling to come out."

Larry stepped forward then, "Let me try."

The man handed the microphone over to Larry who said into it, "This is Harrod the Jedi. Can I speak with whoever is in charge?"

A burst of static and then: "Hello Harrod, this is Ben. I see you've decided to stab us all in the back to."

"With your pardon sir, I just found out. Let me come in and I'll see if I can't arrange some sort of settlement so that way this doesn't end in bloodshed." Static crackled over the communicator and then there was a prompt double click which indicated a go ahead.

"Come in unarmed, Jedi. You'll have enough of an advantage without the saber."

As the door swung open, Larry saw with some surprise that there were a lot of people behind it. The room was large and spacious and filled with boxes and crates, clearly a storage room that had been taken over. All over sat CH members either nursing wounds or else helping someone else nurse wounds. Ten of the soldiers pointed an assortment of firearms at the door as it swung open. Oddly enough, Larry could feel no ill intention in them through what he had begun to perceive as the "Force."

Behind the barricade in front of the door stood a grim looking Ben, a mournful looking Nikita, an extremely angry looking James, and sitting with his back to the wall, a Bobby that looked to be nursing a broken arm. The all stared out of different eyes but all of them held the same questioning gaze.

Walking over to them, Larry said, "I've heard Ownage's story of the events surrounding this Coup, but I have not heard your side of the story. I think it would prudent for me to choose a side based on a biased decision, wouldn't you agree?"

All four blinked and several of the CH soldiers in the room stopped their nervous shifting and groaning to stare at the Jedi.

"You mean you are not in Ownage's faction?" asked Nikita surprised.

"Not yet, no. I have decided to use this to my advantage, though it won't last long. They have the odds in firepower over this holed up bunch, so I'd suggest you'd start talking fast."

"Just wait one second," said James stepping forward, "How are we supposed to know that you're speaking the truth. For all we know this could be a ruse or distraction."

Aggravated, Larry said hotly, "Look here sir if we don't hurry up and leave this ring then we will be overwhelmed by either other clans or the Vuuzan Vong or Covenant or the Force knows what else. We cannot be fighting each other at a time like this. It has become a King of the Hill match and these people are in no condition to fight that kind of onslaught."

The four exchanged looks and then as each nodded, Ben began to say, "Ownage recovered the index just after you had your duel with the SeeD commander. You got injured so badly that your account was kicked from the machine for your own safety. After Ownage got the Index, he received a message from John Call the founder of DreamLand warning that a message had gone out informing everything and everyone in DreamLand the location of this base.

"I imagine that he figured that if anyone actually got the Index that he would want to use it. Now I've done some research and they say that the index was supposed to be carried by a monitor, but that monitor is no where to be found. As a result, any human or organic creature that carries the index will become drawn by it to where he will fell overly possessive and desire to activate the sequence no matter what. This was another Fail-safe protocol introduced by the Forerunners to activate the Halo systems incase the Index fell into the wrong hands."

Bobby picked up now, his voice quiet, "So the thing is, even if he does not realize it, Ownage will want to start the rings if he continues to hold that Index with him. He sees nothing else and thought that our measures to hold off the incoming invasion were not enough. So he mutinied with the help of Recon and Whitestar."

Larry frowned at that, "Ownage is a great guy, what makes you think he's been corrupted by an ancient alien device?"

James scoffed, "That was a dumb question. Look around you Jedi boy! Do you realize what has happened? He has killed his friends and attacked his superior officers, and do you think he would have done that before?"

Larry nodded, "You do bring up a good point, and I think it would be safest if the Index were either recovered or destroyed. But even with my Lightsaber, Ownage has upped the security so strong in the base that I don't think we will be able to move around the base all that easily."

"So just what are you going to do?" asked a voice that had materialized over Larry's shoulder. At that moment, Larry sensed the presence of another person behind him. Spinning he glared into the eyes of John Call, the creator of the DreamLand system.

"I'm sorry, I just love doing that. It's always a shock to see your reaction," He said, toying with the collar on his jacket.

The High Command members behind Larry all gave a collective gasp at the sight of the Administrator of DreamLand.

Looking over at Ben, John said, "Very clever coming up with that explanation about the index. You were right on the nose."

All of the CH members were looking stunned now and a few even pointed guns at the Administrator with a questioning sort of stance. John Call didn't even look at the weapons pointed at him.

"So you had the Index but the Reclaimer has it now? I guess you did not account for the lust that is caused by the Index will eventually overwhelm the logic that dominates the mind of the now Fleet Admiral Ownage."

"He's not Fleet Admiral!" Ben snarled, "I am!"

John Call raised a skeptical eyebrow, "I don't think that appears to be the case. You are out numbered, out gunned, and what's worse? The lunatic has the keys to the super weapon. So then, Mr. Fleet Admiral, how are you going to get out of this?"

Ben's mouth opened and shut several times before he snapped it shut and shrugged. Then Nikita stepped forward and said, "The Pride of Clan Hunters. If we can get that then we can take the flag and…."

"And what?" John Call said cutting her off, "Even if you do get onto your ship then what? Ownage will still find the control room and eventually activate the ring. You need to get that before you leave. I am willing to help you do that. Although I cannot directly intervene, I will provide you one advantage. An associate of mine is willing to get you out of this room, provided you leave with the Index."

At this point James came forward, "And just how are we supposed to do that? In case you didn't notice, we're locked in the room with no way out."

John waved his hand, and Larry felt something wavier in the reality around him. He couldn't quite place his finger on it, but something about the room was different.

"The answer is simple," John said, "When I last checked, most of the shuttles were onboard the Pride. However, there are about two Goa'uld cargo ships left in the shuttle bay, along with three UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. You have a handful of soldiers here and a handful on the Pride…"

He trailed off as though expecting another person to pick it up, "We just have to get to the shuttles…" Larry said slowly.

John Call rolled his eyes.

"Who is this associate?" Bobby asked.

John tapped the floor next to where he was standing. It crumpled away and a man in a long black trench coat came up from the bottom. He wore a black goatee and had slicked back hair.

"YOU!" Larry shouted, reaching for his Lightsaber, only to remember it wasn't there.

"Yes yes! It is I! OUTLAW!" He spun his Desert Eagle pistols in his hands.

"Enough," John Call said.

The man in the black trench coat went quiet, but stroked his beard furiously as though he had just been robbed of something that he had been looking forward to.

"You should go back to them," John Call said turning to Larry, "And get your Lightsaber back, and attempt to get back the Index from Ownage. Then you need to leave the Ring as soon as possible."

Larry thought, "If I kill Ownage and take the Index from him, what will happen?"

The administrator looked thoughtful, "I am not really sure. Most likely you will become the next Reclaimer," he stopped and frowned. Quickly stepping to where he could reach, he put his hands onto Larry's forehead, a tingle ran through Larry. He could hear John's thoughts in his head:

When you feel a passion you do not understand, or an urge to destroy something bottle that away into your mind and create a way for you to tap into that energy again. If you feel anger, save it. If you feel an urge to destroy the universe, save that too. If you become the next reclaimer you must remain strong against those urges. Since you are a Jedi and have some rough control of the Force I think you should have no problem using these emotions to fuel your control of the Force. Do not use it often though, because that leads to the Dark side…and for a Ta'veren that is unacceptable.

Larry suddenly became more aware of the things around him, more capable to control his feelings and emotions.

John Call turned to go, but was stopped by Nikita, "Why are you doing this?" she asked him.

John Call turned and smiled at her, and began to fade. First his legs and chest, and then his head, until all that was left was his smile, and then that too disappeared.

Larry shook his head, "He must like his entrances and exits more then he actually enjoys the conversation I think," he said.

"You don't work for him," Outlaw said scratching his goatee, "Anyway, this leads down to the hanger. I think we should leave."

Larry turned and walked out of the barricade back toward where all of Ownage's people were waiting.