The Armory - Western Conduit, Section G
The two groups stood, tensely contemplating their options, until finally, the Prefect spoke. "Lower your weapons, all of you." He said. Sullen then turned to the two men and stated "I don't claim to comprehend all of what that man said but I do recognize what … equally as lethal to simians, means. Can you stop whatever is going to happen from happening?"
"And just what exactly is going to happen?" Gaius trumped in. For the first time in his life the ape was grimly serious. Part of him was still in a state of disbelief but his instincts were signaling that something terrible was on the horizon. Like the Prefect, he only comprehended bits and pieces but he was able to pick up on enough of the dialogue to know that whatever was coming was lethal. He controlled the urge to point his bizarre musket at the man and shoot the answers out of him.
The facts were compiling faster than the ape's temperament could process the information. The news of the ape civil war had almost pushed him over the edge until he realized that eastern part of the nation was relatively stable. At least his wife and unborn child were safe …for the moment. The Prefect had assured him that they would be in and out of the metal cavern quickly and things were progressing in the opposite direction. And now the Prefect was debating with a talking animal and looking to it for salvation. Gaius brooded with contempt as he began to see Sullen in a new light.
Hayes spoke up and answered Gaius as best as he possibly could. "Missiles… from very high up are falling. Think of it as if someone was firing an arrow down from a mountaintop. But the arrow is as large as you or me and filled with powder a hundred times more powerful than anything you've ever detonated before. This arrow is going to explode and poison an area larger than several cities combined." The man tensed a bit as he wondered how the apes were going to take the news.
"…A giant arrow from the heavens; as large as me? Is that even realistic?" Tyus asked, almost laughing. The gorilla shook his head and went on "So like the Prefect said human, how can we stop this ape-sized arrow from exploding?"
Hayes hesitated and mulled over the idea of lying. Why not let the missiles detonate, he considered. All he had to do was stall for ten minutes or so. It would certainly solve their problems. But if what the hologram stated was true, General Grazot would die as well. Was that necessarily bad he wondered. Just what was the General going to now? For that matter what was he going to do regardless? Once they reached Washington and there was no organized human civilization, he'd realize he'd been duped. Not deliberately, but it wouldn't matter, anyhow. None of it mattered now. If what their President said earlier was true, his nation was about to get the upgrade Grazot lusted for.
Hayes did the math in his head. A three hundred kilometer area was about 186 miles. That would certainly cover any route back to the ape nation. It also meant that any simian attempting to return was as good as dead. Once that bio-agent hit the water it would seep into the plant life and poison their food. Ape society for about two to three hundred miles was finished. Hayes actually felt somewhat relieved about that: almost glad.
Serves these bastards right, he thought.
"If you stop this, I assure you we will all go our separate ways" Sullen lied.
"Jonny? Can we do anything?" March asked, drawing the Captain out of his daydream.
Hayes paused, looked out at the group and coldly spoke the truth; "No, the protocols were already executed. Even if we destroyed the computer device it wouldn't matter. The coordinates were relayed the second that virus was initiated. It's not even safe underground. That crack we crawled down will eventually suck that stuff right down here. Oh, it may buy a little time but …"
"What are the options, human?" Group Captain Frehber shot back in anger and frustration. "Are you trying to say we'll die if we go back to the surface? How do I know you didn't intentionally cause this? "
"I didn't cause anything and yes you will die if you go to the surface. And since you all keep asking, I don't know what the options are. When did I get voted Emperor?" Hayes said with a shrug. "Look, maybe if we could move deeper into the subsystem we could push past the effected area or try and find a bunker of some kind. This is a military facility and there are probably several escape routes. It's simply a matter of finding one. But it won't be easy. Those security stations are automated and their weapon systems are still hot. We might …"
"Put it down, NOW!" March interrupted as he saw the frustrated Gaius begin to raise his weapon towards Hayes. "Trust me buddy, if I fire this thing it won't leave you flopping on the ground. It will leave pieces of you flopping on the ground. We aren't responsible for this and we all need to keep cool heads"
"Easy for you to say, you furless talking abnormality. We're the ones who are stranded" Gaius shouted.
"The human is right." Grazot added. "Our wonderful trustworthy, Lord Prefect has brought this upon us, not these animals. The all-knowing minister of the truth and preacher of legitimacy; legitimacy defined and then redefined by him, the late Magistrate, our esteemed Council. And whatever lies of the day they decide to spin. He's just exiled all of you to Banned Territories."
Grazot went on, "Look at these amazing weapons and his magic talking box. Oh it's perfectly fine for the elite Sullen to stockpile this ancient knowledge and flaunt it about whenever he deems necessary. Knowledge is power, gentleapes. And he uses that knowledge and power to control us."
The gorilla clenched a fist and then pointed at the Prefect who was trying to speak. "NO MORE LIES!" He said shouting him down. "Our land is about to be poisoned, our once great nation has fallen into anarchy … why? Not because of these men, but because of one ape. …The wise Lord Prefect Sullen." His last line rang loudly with sarcasm. "We should have welcomed these men and learned from them; not treated their arrival as some kind of plague. Our fool of leader is obsessed with them; Even if it means the deaths of our families. None of us will ever be able to return home…EVER!" That last sentence repeated itself in Gaius's head. The ape was in total agreement with the General.
The Prefect had been slowly coming to a boil. He wasn't used to being so openly confronted. But part of him was also in agreement with Grazot. The General was right. His actions had cascaded into where he was now. The guilt and remorse deep inside had been pricked. His anger trumped his reason; "You sir are the traitor here. Those pets you've come to love are more of a poison than any missile from the clouds. Every one of these ancient devices are a tool of war. Their sole purpose is to kill and mutilate. That is all we will ever learn from them. If unchecked they will do more damage than a hundred civil wars. "Kill them, NOW!" he shouted.
Everyone in the room raised their weapons as the sound of thunder followed by a massive quake simultaneously struck out. The room shook and went pitch black. Pieces of the roof and walls fell as did some of the old rusted racks and shelves. Cries and moans of pain went out as wreckage indiscriminately collided with the group. When the quake finally stopped, red lights, attached to what was left of the walls and ceiling, illuminated dimly.
The ruins of Buffalo, New York
The night sky slowly got brighter and brighter as the missile veered off from the others and headed for its target. The guidance system automatically adjusted the course and speed. The MEF software (*Maximum Effective Range) exchanged GPS Intel as its internal computer processor calculated the exact height and distance for maximum chemical disbursement. The booster pack exhausted its fuel and broke free as the secondary thrusters fired. Small wings slid out on the sides and tail as the missile cruised above, like an aircraft.
Below, the three soldiers sat around a fire eating stale field rations. "Just how long are we supposed to sit here and wait?" Captain Haslet asked as he bit into a piece of dried meat.
"Until they get back, I guess" One of the other gorillas answered.
"What in the name of Orion is that?" The third gorilla said pointing to the sky.
"Uh …" was all Captain Haslet could get out. Several moving balls of fire spread across the skyline. One, however, seemed to be coming very close to their location. It veered off slightly towards the center of the ruins. "…Where are those field goggles? What is that thing?" he finally managed to ask
The answer came in a burst louder than any thunder they'd ever heard. It ripped through the air followed by several loud pops. The sky and surrounding area light up for a split second like daylight. Several of the large wobbling city structures crumbled off in the distance, throwing dust high into the air. Afterwards, the gorillas felt a sticky thick mist. It was almost like a tropical rain.
Off in the distance one of the winged armaments misfired. The internal guidance system attempted to adjust but the mechanical malfunction sent the object into a tailspin. The nose dropped and the projectile slammed into the ground at incredible speed. The object exploded into a small fiery mushroom cloud as the fuel ignited. The shockwave caused the surrounding structures to crumble, as the ground shook violently.
"Grab your weapons, now-w- …ow..." The gorilla started to say as his throat, eyes and skin began to burn. The ape dropped to his knees and gagged. His lungs filled with fluid. His vision blurred and went black. He tried to inhale but couldn't. Finally his liver, lungs and heart completely shut down. His muscles and joints burned as he lost physical control. Haslet fell limp to the ground and died seconds later.
Screams and shrieks wailed out for about thirty second and then died off as quickly as they came. The bio agent saturated the city and the surrounding area as the last of the missile barrage exhausted their deadly toxin. The central software routines and sensors sent messages to the internal CPU that the primary objective was complete. The cruise missiles executed their RTO, (*Return To Origin), protocols and headed high into the sky until they disappeared from sight.
The Armory - Western Conduit, Section G
"Uuuhhh" March said as he blinked his eyes and coughed out dust and dirt. He pushed an old rusted weapons rack aside with his foot. His wounded thigh throbbed as the man extended his leg. He looked around the room and saw General Grazot lying in a pool of blood soaked dirt. He was most likely dead from the looks of his fractured skull. As his eyes adjusted to the muted light, March realized it wasn't Grazot but one of the other apes.
March scanned and groped for his weapon as his vision adjusted further. He wasn't about to be taken prisoner again. If he was to die here, he was going to kill as many of those simian freaks as he could.
The Prefect coughed and yelled out to Colonel Tyus but the dead ape didn't reply. He moaned in pain like a wounded animal as he pushed rubble off his body and stood erect. The ape leader held his broken arm with his opposite paw. His fingers were numb but his forearm and elbow were throbbing in pain. He too realized he was weaponless as he saw March shuffling about for his rifle.
Around the room the others coughed and moaned, in similar fashion, as they dusted off and attempted to regain their composure. Other than the Prefect and Tyus no one else had been seriously injured or killed. The room was littered with debris and rubble. The far wall had collapsed and the corridor beyond was mostly dark, but accessible. There was a large fracture in the floor. It housed various oddities that once filled the room as well as the late Colonel Tyus.
"Is everyone alright?" The Lord Prefect asked.
"Shut up." March ordered as if he were talking to a child. The man was on his feet with his rifle pointed at the group. Hayes was slowly getting up but General Grazot had a weapon drawn as well.
Grazot looked down at the dead ape who, at one time, had been a friend. Tyus was always a competent leader and Grazot had personally recommended him for the Intel position he'd held before the General had deserted. He shook his head as he grieved the senseless loss. First Zig and now you my friend, the Gorilla thought.
"You and you…" March said as he pointed his rifle at Frehber and Gaius. "…Get your flea-bitten hides over there next to him." The man was dizzy and fatigued but was hiding it as best as he could.
"MOVE IT." He continued with a shout looking at Gaius. "So help me, I'll blow your ugly head off if you force me to. …And you; Slide that over here nice and easy" the man continued as he ordered the Prefect to surrender the computer. The Prefect protested but quickly complied when March put a bullet into an old crate. The sound was deafening, causing them all to jump, but the result was effective.
March instructed Hayes and Grazot to gather their supplies and weapons. They took several of the futuristic rifles and destroyed the rest. As soon as they were ready to move out March turned and addressed the group.
"Prefect, is it?" March asked Sullen. "My name is Major Thomas March and that man there is Captain Jonathan Hayes. We're Airmen from a place called; The United States of America. We landed in your territory purely by chance. We just want to get home. So we're leaving and you're on your own. If I see any of you again, I'll kill you where you stand. And that's a promise from a species, as you so colorfully noted, has a gift for annihilation"
"You can't leave us down here defenseless and without food or water." Gaius blurted out. However, just as he finished, Grazot fired the disruptor at him. Gaius dropped as Grazot fired again at the other apes.
"Come on. Let's get out of here." Grazot said
"You enjoy this too much" Hayes alleged as he grabbed the equipment and they moved towards the newly formed opening.
"Consider it an act of mercy. I'm a soldier not a butcher. I no more want to see my countryapes shot, in cold blood, than you would. …No matter how much I disagree with them" Grazot snapped back tossing out a goat skin of water.
"I won't be as generous a second time!" The gorilla said as the apes on the ground started to twitch and move.
As they all regained bodily control the apes cursed and threatened Grazot and the two humans. The two men and the gorilla ignored the idol intimidations as they worked their way into the dark corridor. Grazot pushed a couple of large concrete-like slabs over the exit. It wouldn't stop them from being followed but it would slow them down enough.
It was slow going as the party nursed their various aches, wounds, and injuries. None of them had slept much in the past few days and they were all very hungry. Their walk was leading them deeper into the underbelly of Buffalo. March couldn't help being fascinated with the facility. It went on for what seemed like miles and whatever was powering it was still going strong. This must have taken years to construct and cost tens of millions March concluded as he viewed the structure through 1985 lenses. The construction had actually cost trillions.
"Alright, this is far enough. We're like rats, down here, searching for the cheese. We've probably gone a good mile and a half and we've yet to see signs of anything helpful. I don't think we're being followed. Besides, I need to rest a bit" March said.
Hayes was fiddling with the computer device and flipping through the manual, they'd taken from the Prefect. Grazot sat on the ground and pulled out a skin of water. He grunted and gulped down the soothing, but warm, water.
"It's over. That fool of a leader has destroyed my nation with his obsessions. I originally wanted full access to your power. I thought I could usher in am era of progress and power. I desired it just as much as the Prefect preferred the opposite. But now …" The gorilla paused and took another drink. "…But now I'll probably die down here. Even if I don't, even if I amass this power of the gods, I won't even be able to return. And if I do return, just what will I be returning to?"
"I might have some encouraging news, General" Hayes said as Grazot turned his head and raised his brow.
"Tom, at first I thought this was some kind of field-pad, but it's more than that. It's called an EOC, Electronic Operations Center. This has a full authentication listing; detailed maps, a GPS interface, and can send and receive verbal or written correspondence. It's issued to top Brass in the field. It's been Gerry-rigged …"
"Listen" Grazot blurted out "Either speak a language I understand or shoot me with that invisible seizure wand until you're done babbling. I don't know which one is the worse torture."
March laughed, but more so because he was exhausted. Even he understood what words like Gerry-rigged meant and was quite often lost when Hayes went into his Einstein mode.
"Ok look," Hayes said ignoring the pun "…all I was saying was that I could use this thing to estimate the range of damage and possibly map a route back to your country."
"A route home? And just how long of a route are we talking?" Grazot asked.
"I don't know" Hayes Answered "but it shouldn't be difficult to figure out. This thing was modified. Its protocols and securities have been dumbed-down, all based on interaction with human DNA. Whoever modified this was brilliant. There is a completely separate set of files, authentication and options for any non-human who tries to access the software. Your ancestors were set up, General. It drew them in intentionally and set them up for the kill."
Hayes turned to March and said "We're set, Tom. I even have a schematic of this facility. It's called; The North Eastern American Division of Military Genetic Operations. There's an escape rail that has access to a hundred kilometer stretch of tunnel that will put us just across the Pennsylvania boarder."
The Armory - Western Conduit, Section G
Lieutenant Gaius added up the time in his head. I'll be a father in less than eighteen days, he concluded. The young gorilla causally walked over to the body of Colonel Tyus and rolled him on his side. He picked up the rifle as Frehber and the Prefect were speaking. His face had a cynical look as he heard the two fools babble on. Gaius leisurely examined the rifle for damage.
His mind processed scenario after scenario in search of an idea that would get him home. He was through with the Prefect's Holy Crusade. The human, maybe the human knew the way, he mused, concluding that he was on the wrong side of things. The gorilla flipped the switch on the side of the weapon just as he'd been instructed to when they first entered the room. Next he chambered a round. The distinct click-clack caught the attention of the two other apes.
"Well at least we have one working rifle." Sullen said.
Gaius said nothing in return. He wiped the tiny spot of the Colonel's blood on his uniform with his paw.
"Sir, I can track them; in fact, it will be easy, given the conditions" Frehber stated.
"All in good time, Captain." Sullen replied "I need you to look through those weapons the General crushed and see if any are still functional. Lieutenant Gaius, there are some sealed metallic crates; they should be there where the rubble fell. See if you can locate them, please."
Gaius stood grimly and raised his weapon. He breathed in some of the dusty air and coughed. He spit the dust out of his mouth and kicked at the dirt on the floor.
"What are you doing Lieutenant? Point that thing down before you kill someone." Frehber ordered.
Gaius pulled the trigger. The weapon pulsed and fired both barrels. The cobalt disruptors hit a fraction of a second before the WP-Rounds impacted. Frehber's chest burned as the white phosphorus projectiles literally ignited his internal organs. The poor ape couldn't even scream, cry out or move. His body, clothes, and fur burst into flame and smoked. The smell was awful and made Gaius feel nauseated. Frehber died an excruciatingly painful death without uttering a single sound.
Gaius turned the weapon to the ape leader and said "Good bye, Prefect".