45) The Setback
"Forty seconds until they begin their attack run", a tech announced. "We've been given a second warning", she advised.
"What the hell is she talking about?", Takato asked.
"The US Air Force is going to attack the D-reaper", Janyu explained.
"You can't!", he protested. "Juri's still up there! You're just gonna let them kill her?! You can't!"
"Abort", Janyu said. "Tell them to abort the attack".
"It's too late for that"
"Juri?", Takato said.
Janyu and his wife were at the window, over looking the Hypnos building.
"Here they come", she pointed to three distant figures, fast approaching. These resolved into a flight of three B-2 bombers.
"Why?", Janyu asked himself, "don't they know conventional weapons are useless?"
"The weapons they're carrying", Dolphin explained, "aren't conventional. We wouldn't be here if they were going to nuke it or something".
"That has to be it", Yamaki agreed. "They're using stealth bombers to avoid detection and/or electromagnetic interference".
"We have to make them stop the attack", Ms. Lee said, "there's a child up there!"
The B-2's were overhead, dropping what looked like hundreds of small canisters. What ever it was, it definitely wasn't the expected bombs. The things sprouted stabilizing fins, and dropped into the Chaos Mass.
"I see now", Daisy was saying, "those must be jammers. They're trying to disrupt its internal communications".
"Jammers?", Janyu and his wife asked.
"They generate a powerful EM interference", Daisy continued explaining. "They won't pose any sort of threat to Juri".
"So was the attack successful?", a voice came over a terminal.
"Still pretending to be the cavalry, eh Johnny?", McCoy asked.
"We're not trying to destroy it, just slow it up a bit, buy all of you more time to figure this out, Dolphin".
"Well, if it isn't Professor Beckenstein", Shibumi greeted. "Doin' OK?"
He didn't get an answer, as the connection was lost.
Inside the Kernel Sphere
"No more!", Juri declared. "I want out!", she demanded. "Let me go!", as she pounded on the Kernel Sphere.
"Humans: such foolish beings", the D-reaper announced.
"Stop it! Stop talking to me in my own voice!", Juri demanded.
She looked back. That impostor was there, in the Kernel Sphere with her.
"Juri's thought-logic is really quite inconsistent and disordered", she announced.
"You're a girl too?!", she could hardly believe it. "You're disgusting!"
The impostor agent laughed at her as Juri was ensnared by the red tendrils coiling around her.
"No, culu!?", Calumon demanded, as he tried to pry them off her. One slapped him away.
"NOOOOOOO!", Juri called out.
"Scream some more, feel sad and depressed", the agent encouraged. "That is what makes the D-reaper stronger"
"Go to hell!", Juri told it.
Juri was surprised to see the agent ensnared by the same red tendrils. These, however, were glowing.
"NOOOOOOO!", it called out as it was dragged away. Did it fail in its mission? Maybe Juri wasn't as helpless as she'd believed?
The red tendrils around Juri began to glow. The whole space, up till now empty and featureless, began filling with those tendrils.
Hypnos Temporary HQ
"Did it work?", Yamaki asked just as bright red lights shot from the Chaos Mass.
A klaxon sounded.
"The D-reaper's internal temperature is rising fast!", Megumi announced. More bad news: "The rate of expansion suddenly increased 240 percent!", she announced as she rose from her seat.
"What?!", Yamaki called out. "What does that mean?!", he demanded.
The Chaos Mass was on the move. The red tendrils began climbing the sides of the old Hypnos building, growing like ivy. It covered the whole exposed exterior, and the whole building looked as though it had been ripped from its foundation as it began to dissolve into Chaos Mass. This rose up, beginning to take on a definite form.
"It looks like a statue of a goddess", Takato said, as he joined Janyu at the window.
"It's huge", Jen said.
"Dammit!", Takato called out. The Chaos Mass was rising, encasing the "goddess". This would make Juri even harder to rescue.
"I guess there's your answer", Koichi told Yamaki. "It didn't work. It destroyed your e-bombs, and now it's gonna get more proactive about protecting itself".
"I thought Beckenstein's idea...", he replied.
"Oh well...", Koichi said, "look on the bright side: you won't have to move just yet".
Yamaki saw that Koichi was right. In order to protect the Kernel Sphere, the Chaos Mass had retreated, nearly all the way back to the block around the now transformed Hypnos Building.
Tsukuba Advanced Communications Research Institute
Yamaki was having a conference with the Wild Bunch and the Tamers and their partners here.
"From the results we retrieved", he explained, "the e-bombs almost worked. Maybe if they were more powerful... but the D-reaper's internal communications were being disrupted. It retaliated by destroying these invaders of its 'body' (finger quotes) with its internal heat. For whatever reason, it then made a decision to fortify the defense of its Kernel Sphere, as we have all seen.
"Professor Beckenstein said he wanted to buy us more time, and in a manner of speaking, he did just that, though not as he anticipated. The Chaos Mass has pulled back considerably, as the bulk of it was needed to shield that 'goddess'. We won't be moving Hypnos just yet. However, we will be moving you. In order to figure out our next move, we don't need the distraction. This means we will be moving most you to a seaside resort. Relax, take some time off, have some fun - you have certainly earned it. As for Jen and Terriermon, and Kazu and Impmon, they won't be joining you. I'll be needing to keep them close. Jen, because he's almost as good as Janyu, and Impmon since he can fly Grani".
"When do you expect to know something?", Koichi interrupted.
"I expect you'll be hearing back from us within a week", Yamaki explained. "As I said, Beckenstein's efforts weren't totally in vain, and this has given us some fresh ideas, but as I said, we need the peace and quiet to work productively".
"I thought my every day life would go on forever", Takato was thinking to himself as he and Guilmon rode in the rear seat. His parents were driving them to the resort where they'd be living. "When I met Guilmon, I understood that things wouldn't stay the same. I have seen a lot of surprises I wasn't expecting... becoming friends with Guilmon... my friends becoming Tamers, meeting Jen and Ruki. Jen, he was in a different class, and just another kid I'd pass in the hallways. Would never have known Ruki: she goes to a different school, lives in a different part of town. As for Koichi, how would I ever call him 'friend'?
"It's been a lot of fun...", he paused to look at the passing scenery. "But to think I'd be involved in something like this, or to be working with a major government agency... Juri... it hasn't been all fun and games either. If I knew what was in store, would I ever have made Guilmon in the first place?"
"What?", Guilmon asked as Takato glanced at him.
"It's... nothing... just thinking, that's all".
"You worry too much", Guilmon said. "I'm sure Yamaki and the Wild Bunch will think of something".
"It's not that... never mind"
The Resort
Takato and Guilmon were lying, side-by-side, on the back porch of the seaside cabin, just looking up at the sky. They'd arrived, but it was too cold to go swimming, and it was getting a bit boring, this waiting.
"Uhhhh?", Guilmon said.
"What is it?", Takato didn't hear.
"Someone's coming", Guilmon told him.
"Kai!", Takato called out. "When did you get in?"
"Just now", Kai answered. "Unforch, I can't stay very long... So, how you been doin?"
"Been awhile", Takato said.
"I knew it would be cold, too cold for swimming, but that sea is still pretty as ever".
"Yeah", Takato agreed.
In the Restaurant
"Ruki", Lutramon whispered to her.
"What?"
"Those people... they're creeping me out".
The restaurant wasn't crowded, but a young couple were standing at the bar, shooting glances their way.
"Ignore those assholes", Ruki told her. "You earned your right to be here. If they have a problem with digimon, it's their problem, not ours".
"Ruki, do you have to talk like that?", Touko Makino, her father, said. "It doesn't sound right, coming from a child".
"Sorry 'bout that..."
"Honestly, I don't know where she gets it", her mother told him.
It was something her mother and grandmother noticed: ever since her arrival back in the Material World, Ruki's manner of speaking had gotten cruder. They figured it was a lingering side effect of having been Lilithmon. Her father had been told just the basic minimums of her Digital World misadventures.
"What I don't understand", Touko was asking, "is why Ruki? Why the other kids? Except for Koichi, they're too young for such responsibilities?"
Rumiko and Seiko recounted what they'd learned at that meeting with the Wild Bunch and Yamaki.
"There were a lot of other kids at that tournament", he objected.
"There's a lot we don't know", Ruki added. "How Tamers are chosen, how the digignomes decide. Not even the digimon understand them any better than we do. We get the job done, though".
"I'd still feel better if they didn't rely on kids so much".
"Ruki, you should think only of your family and the time we can spend together", her grandmother suggested. "Please? That goes for you too, Lutramon. You're family too".
"Ummmmm", Ruki agreed. Under the table, she held her digivice. Thinking of family: easier said than done. There was still that D-reaper mess. The failed mission to rescue Juri. Not so easily forgotten.
Koichi and Renamon, his father, grandmother, and sister were at the next table over. He noticed too.
"While we're waiting, I'm gonna get a brewski", he announced, as he got up to go to the bar.
"What can I get you?", the barkeep asked.
"A Sapporo", he said, as he edged closer to the offending couple.
"You got a problem?", he asked in a low voice.
"Huh?", the male asked.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you staring was impolite?"
"Uhhhhh... sorry", he said sheepishly.
"One Sapporo", the barkeep brought his beer.
"I don't think we'll be having any more problems with those two", he announced. ...
"Kai, why did you come?", Takato asked, as they stood at the water's edge.
"When my cousin is trying really hard over here, I can't just stay in Okinawa doing nothing. I don't know what I can do for you, but it still felt right... coming to see you, I mean". He paused, looking out over the water.
"Takato?"
"Yeah?"
"You and your friends: it's like you're saving the whole world or something".
"I think you're exaggerating", Takato objected. "I do want to save important places and important friends..."
"Like umuyagua?", he asked.
"Ehhhh? What's that?"
"Your first love!", Kai explained.
"L-l-l-ove?! That's... not what I...", he began to protest. "Fuck it. It's no secret, not any more", he said. "I guess it shows".
"I see", Kai replied, "it all makes sense now".
"Yeah, that's why I want to save her".
Inside the Kernel Sphere
"Juri", Calumon was saying, "if you keep thinking bad things about yourself, nothing will ever improve, culu?"
"Why do you bother with me?", she asked. "What do you care?"
"I like you, culu. I want to see you smile again, culu, to be really happy again, culu?"
"Why someone like me?"
"You have to snap out of it, culu? You heard what that bitch said, culu?"
Hypnos Temporary HQ
"We have a communication from the Los Alamos Institute in America", one of Yamaki's operators announced.
"Johnny, how're things going back there?", Dolphin asked.
"I sent you some data", he explained. "Most of the jammers I arranged to be dropped into the D-reaper were destroyed, but it didn't get all of them. Some fell into spaces between buildings, and survived. I found something very interesting in the data they've been sending back".
"Interesting?", Dolphin asked.
"We've gone over it repeatedly, but there is no mistake", Beckenstein continued his explanation, "the data flow inside the D-reaper..."
"Let me guess", Dolphin interrupted, "it's faster than light speed?"
"Faster than the speed of light? That's ridiculous!", Janyu objected. "Nothing is faster than the speed of light, and I haven't heard that Special Relativity has been repealed".
"That only applies to mass", Beckenstein explained. "Information has no mass, therefore, nothing prevents it from exceeding light speed. As expected from the Wild Bunch", Beckenstein congratulated.
"It's really the only explanation for how the D-reaper evolved so far, so fast. Since coming into the Material World, it's begun to become self aware. It took the digimon years to accomplish that".
"And absorbing language and logical thought from the girl: Juri", Daisy added. "What kind of evolution is this?"
"We were assuming the structure resembled that of a quantum super computer", Curly added an explanation. "Given that, it's an accelerated evolution, but not that much different from that of digimon. After all, it originally acquired the ability from all the digimon it contacted and deleted. We also developed a counter measure, based on this assumption: a program to force the D-reaper to revert to its original state: Operation Doodlebug".
"I was right to figure you were the ones to solve this problem", Beckenstein told them. "I'll leave it to you".
"Our guess was right", Shibumi said, "given that, I expect that a 'vortex' (finger quotes) will appear soon".
"What do you mean?", Jen asked, "what vortex?"
"I figure that the D-reaper will link together its parts in both worlds for one concentrated attack that will take out both worlds at once. At that time, it will be at its most vulnerable, and then we take it out".
"So you figured it out?", Jen asked. Then something occurred to him: "Isn't that cutting it a little close?", he asked.
"Yes, it is", Shibumi agreed, "very close, and we'll just have the one shot at it. Don't rush things. Good things come to he who waits. It's a question if we have enough time left to wait for good things", he laughed at that as he walked off.
Inside the Kernel Sphere
"Woof!", Juri startled Calumon awake. "Die!", the hand puppet demanded. It turned to Juri.
"And Juri should die too. If Juri wasn't here, horrible things like this wouldn't happen. Takato wouldn't be in danger".
"Culu?", Calumon asked, not believing what he was hearing.
"Humans are foolish", the D-reaper thought to itself. "Therefore, everything created by humans is foolishness as well. D-reaper no longer needs the memories of the human known as Juri Katou. Human thinking is illogical, and an impediment only. Everything should have returned to its default state: nothingness. That way, this twisted world would never have existed".
Hypnos Temporary HQ
"Still?", Terriermon complained. He'd volunteered to be scanned. The main problem was lying there, still, while the scan was ongoing via a device that was a lot like an MRI.
"It'll be just a little while longer", Janyu reassured.
"Moumentai", Terriermon replied.
Jen came by to check on the progress: "Why are you scanning Terriermon?", he asked.
"We're studying the structure of physical digimon in order to speed up the analysis of the D-reaper... to discover what's the same, and what's different. Hopefully, there is a clue that could tell us where the vulnerabilities are".
"Hold on", Impmon objected, "didn't Yamaki do that already? With Darklizardmon..."
"That was different", Yamaki explained, as he joined them. "At that time, what I was mainly interested in was acquiring data to use to lure Wild Ones into the Shaggai vortex. Yes, we obtained some preliminary data about the structure of digimon, but we really weren't interested in going into greater detail. I didn't think we'd need to know the particulars".
"Really?", Jen asked.
"My ear's itching", Terriermon complained, as he could not move to scratch.
"We're done", Janyu announced.
"'Bout time", Terriermon agreed.
Jen took off to join his partner.
"How're you doin'?", he asked.
"Moumentai"
Inside the Kernel Sphere
Calumon pulled the hand puppet off Juri's hand, flinging it aside: "You idiot, culu?!", he reprimanded. "Juri, you're an idiot, culu?! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Culu! "Everybody likes you, culu? How could you even think anything else, culu?! Everyone wants to see your smiling face, culu, Takato and Guilmon and everyone, culu?"
She picked up the small digimon: "Calumon..."
Suddenly, one of those red tendrils wrapped itself around him, pulling him away.
"Calumon! Calumon! Calumon!", she called out as she tried to stand, rescue him. More tendrils ensnared her.
"Takato... help me...", she said to herself, softly. "Help me... Takato! Help me!", she called out loudly, as if he could actually hear...
The Seaside Resort
"Huh?", Takato asked.
"What?", Kai asked.
"I don't know...", he tried to explain. "I... just somehow know Juri's in trouble, asking for me... Crazy, huh?"
"It's... odd..."
"Maybe not so odd", Guilmon said. "If we have some sort of psychic connection, couldn't the same apply to Juri? You like her a lot, right? I don't know much about this boyfriend/girlfriend connection, but, could it..."
"I just know...", Takato replied.
"Takato... There you are!", it was his parents calling from their car. "Kai, This whole time, we've been waiting for you to take you the station!", Takehiro reprimanded.
"Takato...", his mother said.
"Not Takato's fault", Kai apologized. "I lost track of time".
Hypnos Temporary HQ
"I hope this works for you", Shibumi told Jen.
"It's ready?", Jen asked.
"The algorithm's a work in progress, but I saved the latest iteration on this card", as he handed him a card that was bright red, but otherwise just like the Blue Card in appearance, with the same logo. "If it works, I hope you'll find it useful".
"What, exactly, does this do?"
"It makes the structure of the digimon more compatible with that of the D-reaper. That way, you should be able to operate inside the Chaos Mass without experiencing that energy draining effect you noticed the last time you were in there".
"Thank you", he said. "Only way to find out", Jen said as he scanned it through his digivice. This served to alert all the others, as digivices chirped.
The Seaside Resort
"Sorry, Mom, Dad, Gran", Ruki explained, "our family time looks to be cut short".
"I don't know whether to be happy... or sad...", Rumiko said.
"I'm sure it'll be OK", Seiko explained. "At least we can get this whole damned business behind us". ...
"What's that?", Kai asked, as he hadn't seen a digivice before.
"Jen's calling", Takato explained. "This is what we've been waiting for: Mr. Lee and his associates must've figured something out".
"Takato...", his father said.
"You're going to fight again?", his mother asked, already knowing the answer.
"God, what do I say at a time like this?", his father asked. "As a father - Takato, Guilmon - I still don't have to like this, but what choice do we have?"
"I and Takato will be coming back", Guilmon reassured.
Yoshi gave the red dino a hug in appreciation.
"Takato", she said, "I'm proud to call you my son".
"Thank you for that", he told her. "Guilmon!", he called out.
"We're off!", Guilmon announced.
"Takato!", Kai called out. "Good luck!"
"Better to get off the beach", Takato said. "Impmon will need to land here"
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
"I don't know how we're gonna work this", Impmon was explaining as Grani rolled out to the runway.
"Meet up with the others, then figure something out", Kazu replied from the rear seat.
Grani began the roll out, but this time, Impmon didn't tap the afterburners. He knew he'd need to conserve fuel.
"What about landing?", Kazu asked.
"Not a prob", Impmon explained, "it's getting near low tide, and we'll land right there on the beach".
He was flying over the sea, coming in at a low altitude.
"There he is", Takato announced as the sound of the jets, and the dark red Violet Zone fighter came into view. They watched as he made a low pass...
"Good", Impmon said, "sand looks nice and compacted. I just hope it really is and we don't nose over".
He dropped the landing gear as he slowed to the lowest possible airspeed. He'd be dragging it in at under fifty knots, behind the power curve, as he advanced the throttles. Still, it was fast for landing on a less than ideal surface.
"I hope they fixed those damn brakes", he said as the main gear touched the sand, and he pulled the throttles all the way back. Light touch on the brakes. ...
"Matrix Evolutuon Biomerge Activate!"
Guilmon Evolve! ...
... DUKEMON!
Koichi and Renamon, and Ruki and Lutramon had already evolved, as they heard the approaching jet.
"Kazu, best to jump off the front of the wing, stay away from the intake", he warned.
Rather than risk a hot start, Impmon kept the engines idling.
"Now what?", Kazu asked. Sakyamon and Hououmon, being flighted, had no problem.
"Marineangemon can take both of us", Kenta announced, as he joined them.
Dukemon climbed up the front, made his way to the rear cockpit along the wing. Still, his cape whipped towards the intake before he shoehorned himself into the cramped cockpit.
Sakuyamon and Hououmon flew past as Impmon turned around for his takeoff roll. It was getting dark enough for Impmon to turn on the nav lights. Kenta, Kazu, and Marineangemon were lifting off inside one of his Ocean Love Spheres.