Zoalords

Chapter 20

Return to Relic's Point

Guyot's Base

"I knew Fukamachi would crack." Agito observed, "He never did have the stomach for it." In truth, Sho's surrender disturbed him. It was a major victory for CHRONOS, having Guyver I under their control. He wondered how they had managed it. Sho might believe Czyvek, but he hated CHRONOS almost as much as Agito did. He knew that Czyvek was the least of The Divine Twelve, that The Council could lie to them both and he'd be helpless to stop them. Yet Sho put his life in CHRONOS' hands.

Why?

"But you do. You have all that is required of a king." Guyot was pleased with Sho's decision. Now they had a Guyver Unit and a number of Unit Remover Zoanoids under one roof. He still retained some of his power, even without a Zoacrystal, (and Agito was not so foolish as to consider giving him Shizu's), including telepathy. He could take control of a Zoanoid or small group of Zoanoids as long as another Zoalord was not present. Czyvek could easily be lured away from Cloud Gate, and he was still mastering his powers. Mirabilis, however, posed a greater problem. Now that he knew that the man who had taken and processed his son still lived, he would not rest until one of them was dead.

"I do not want to be a king. I want to be a god. I will be a god."

Guyot had to admit, he admired the boy. He had ambition, intelligence and the will to act. It was a pity he would have to kill him once the Guyver Unit and Archanfel's Zoacrystal were his.

Oh well, he would still have Kenji.

Moscow, Russia

Lord Johnatan Vorsted watched the Zeus' Thunderbolts' base burn. The terrorists had chosen to destroy themselves rather than surrender. He had to admire that, but he had hoped to interrogate them. Learn of other cells. Names. Places. He desperately wanted to get back to Japan and find Guyver III, especially now that Guyver I was in custody. He needed to set his own house in order first, however. He had to destroy the Resistance in Russia before he could safely return to deal with Agito. Russia was under total Martial Law, and he had reinstated the KGB as part of the CCI. He was certain he would soon have things under control.

And then Agito would pay for his crimes against CHRONOS.

Relic's Point

The place brought back memories. Ugly memories. He had lost much at Relic's Point. His freedom. His innocence. His father. Still, he bore up. This was not exactly the same facility, a new one had been built under Czyvek's supervision. This time he was a welcome guest. Free to do as he wished. The Zoanoids around him were not aggressive enemies, but simply people doing a job. The world had changed, in a very literal way. CHRONOS was the world's sole government. Millions of people had become Zoanoids of their own free will. But that didn't erase the pain, the suffering. The loss. Before Lord Czyvek had publicly cleared their names, Sho and his friends had been labelled 'terrorists' because they had the misfortune of falling into a seemingly never-ending nightmare. Nothing would ever be the same again.

If not for his wife and unborn child, Sho would rather CHRONOS kill him once they had the Guyver.

Unlike most CHRONOS bases, the rebuilt Relic's Point was built in an organic rather than modernist style. It resembled, in a way, the interior of the destroyed Relic for which it had been named. It seemed a warmer, more welcoming place.

But it still had containment cells.

Sho stood before one of those cells, separated from the thing inside by a powerful force field. The hulking creature was crouched at the far side of the cell, watching them with gleaming eyes. This was the Guyver. This was what was in Agito's head. In his own head. It's bubble-gum colored flesh warped and twisted and suddenly it was Agito, naked, wild-eyed and perfect. Sho looked away. Doctor Shirai hobbled over, leaning on a gleaming metal cane. The cyborg seemed unreal to Sho, something out of a science fiction movie. Shirai reached up and put his palm on Sho's forehead, as if trying to feel the Unit beneath. "Remarkable." He muttered to himself, then, "Do you feel it inside you?"

"No. Not really."

"Strange." The old man then turned and went to watch the Guyver-Thing.

"You will have to excuse Doctor Shirai," The small, Southeast Asian Zoalord Tran Nguyen said, "He's a bit odd, but harmless." Sho had heard of Nguyen, of course, but this was the first time he had ever seen him in person, much less spoken to him. He was a friendly man who reminded him a bit of Tetsuro. Like Doctor Nighthawk and Ishi, he seemed an odd fit in his conception of CHRONOS. The organization had changed since X-Day, more people like Purgstall and Czyvek, honest, honorable people, had given them a new direction, at least in earthly affairs.

As for unearthly affairs . . .

"Lord Nguyen," Sho decided to observe the formality of titles, "May I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course.

"Why did you join CHRONOS?"

Nguyen looked at him as if he had asked why the sky was blue. "CHRONOS promised me a better world. And they kept that promise. They brought peace to my country. To the world itself. Farmers can work their fields and children can play without fear of landmines and unexploded bombs. There are no more children starving . . ." His black eyes registered sadness, or pity, "I know that you have suffered. I, too, lost my father to violence as a child. I cannot blame you for hating CHRONOS, but the CHRONOS you know and the CHRONOS I know are totally different organizations. Doctor Hamilcar Barcus is a colleague and a friend. What Doctor Barcus did to you was evil, but the Hamilcar Barcus I know is not evil. Life is not so black and white." He paused thoughtfully for a moment, "I don't know what was in his heart when he killed your father, but I do not think it was cruelty. He did what he felt was necessary to retrieve the Guyver Unit for Lord Archanfel. Please, understand, I do not mean to be insensitive, that is no excuse for his actions, but that is all that can be said. Barcus has been immortal for over three hundred years, he has watched many generations grow old and die. He does not think as other men do. Mortal life does not hold the same importance to a being such as Hamilcar, or Lord Archanfel."

"Czyvek told me that he is completely amoral. But he also told me that he cares about Archanfel and the other Zoalords, that he mourned when Purgstall and Yenstui died. That tells me that he is capable of caring, he just doesn't bother to do so."

"I'm sure that Mikhail has also told you that most Zoalords see Zoanoids as nameless, expendable tools. That is also true. It is a cold, cruel way to live. Perhaps it is the wrong way. But if we form personal attachments with everyone under our command, we will go mad. Some of us, like Czyvek, Amniculus and myself, try to be as humane as possible. But sometimes we must send Zoanoids out to fight, to die. Czyvek and Amniculus can fight on their own, but I am weak and cannot. It is a terrible thing to send men to their deaths, but there is no alternative when an army of Libertus and Guyver III are breaking down the doors."

"I understand the need to fight, Lord Nguyen. Lord Purgstall, when he was alive, fought to protect innocent people. I fought him because we were both deceived by a fake Guyver that killed a lot of innocent people." He shook his head sadly, "No, it wasn't the Zoanoids who were responsible for the deaths. They were just slaves. It was the Zoalords controlling them, the ones who murdered Lord Purgstall, who bear the guilt for all the deaths, including the Zoanoids."

"The Branchai brothers."

"Excuse me?"

"The Zoanoids who formed the false Guyver. They were three brothers. The Branchai Brothers."

Sho thought back to that terrible day that left so many, including Lord Friedrich von Purgstall, dead. He had killed the Branchai brothers to stop their rampage. A rampage that they probably had absolutely no control over. If people knew the truth about life as a Zoanoid, he sincerely doubted that so many would be willing to be converted.

"Lord Purgstall was the most gentle of the Divine Twelve, and the most noble. He put his people's welfare above his own. Everything Lord Czyvek does is in some way in tribute to him. He does what he believes his lord would have done in his situation." Tran mused, "According to Mikhail, Lord Purgstall believed that you were an honorable man. He was right."

Sho had a great deal of respect for Friedrich von Purgstall, he had been a brave and honorable man and one of the few things about CHRONOS that he could not rightly fault or resent.

"I joined CHRONOS because I believed, and still believe, that it is the best hope for this world and its people." He smiled, "I'm sorry, Mr. Fukamachi. I have to attend to my work. I must go."

"Of course. It was nice meeting you."

"The pleasure was all mine."

As Lord Nguyen walked away, Sho found himself alone.

Archanfel found Sho's actions and observations fascinating. He was keeping a close eye on Guyver I, and those with whom he interacted. It seemed highly unlikely that Sho would join CHRONOS of his own free will, his resentment toward Hamilcar was too deep. But he was pliable, and could be manipulated. He was likeable, and Archanfel regretted that the Zoanoid recovery team had not tried to enlist him rather than simply attacking him. But, as he himself was forced to repeatedly remind others, the past could not be undone. Perhaps they could still recruit him, but it would not be necessary if the Unit Remover Zoanoids performed as expected. Still, it would have been pleasant to have Sho on their side and to take Makashima's Guyver for Archanfel's use.

"Sho?" Sho turned to see Kenji standing behind him. "Yes, Ken- Lord Ingriam?"

"Would you tell me about how you knew my dad?"

To be continued . . .