Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 8
Chapter 2: A Forced Mission of Inconvenience
(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Supernatural because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)
I was up after getting a bit more sleep in which I was ready to go on my mission. After what happened early in the morning, I was most likely to be going on this unwanted mission in which I slowly set off with my weapons, suitcase, and journal in my hands. By the time I stepped outside of the fortress, I saw Seto and Maro standing at the harbor as they were ready to hop onto the ferry boat that lead to the Westerian coastal town of Wildwave. It had been the first time in while since I left Matarote Island as I was also roped into returning to do my field work after a two-year absence. When I got into my cabin, I sat down on the bed as I was busy sulking from being forced to agree with Seto and Maro by going towards Wildwave where an Order of Letters ship was parked at. I never wanted this. I never wanted to cut short my convalescence as I was not too happy with Seto and Maro for forcing me to comply.
When I got into my bed, I did nothing more than just weep in which I felt the long exhaustion pinning me to the ground. I missed Reiko and the children. I missed my comfort as I just wanted to go back to Matarote Island after all this was over. I never asked for this to begin with as I had no other choice but to bend the knee to Seto and Maro who were calling the shots, for I had to know what was going on during my long absence. Just as I was about to fall asleep a little further, I heard a knock on the cabin as I got up and was on my feet, for I was dreading the unwanted company of Seto and Maro on the sly.
"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty! We're here in Wildwave!" yelled Seto as she was standing at the door to my cabin. "The Order of Letters ship hasn't left yet after delivering supplies to the needy who live in this coastal town, so I suggest that you get your ass in gear and pull your weight!"
I left my cabin as I had my suitcase and sword with me along with my journal. When I saw Seto standing in front of me, I followed her out of the ferry boat as we were in the town of Wildwave in which it was a place that had many boathouses near the ocean. I even noticed a lighthouse perched on a cliff in the distance as it was shining its light to welcome other seaships that docked near the coastal town. The sight of a fish and seafood market piqued my interest as I saw various fishermen displaying their catch of the day in which some of the townsfolk were busy picking it up for their dinners. It was lively as I saw some of the locals putting up a banner that said "Seafest!" in bold blue letters while adorned with some anchors on both sides. Still, I would stick around, but I had to stick to my mission as I saw Seto walking towards the Order of Letters ship in which we both got inside and entered into the hangar the moment we went straight to the bridge.
With the ship taking off, we left Westerian airspace as we were ready to go towards Valinor. The bridge itself consisted of several members of the Garrison Corps as they were busy flying the ship to the warp point. With the ship in warp, it left to its destination as it was going to be a long trip there to where we needed to get to. Still, I felt cheated out of the long furlough that was given to me as I also had no choice but to obey Seto while going towards our destination. It wasn't long until we left the bridge as we were on our way to the hall where our sets of quarters would be, for I wasn't too thrilled with being plucked from Matarote Island in the first place.
"It's been two years since you had this fun, Sam," I heard Seto say.
"I'm not here to have fun, but to be on this mission that you forced upon me," I said.
"Matarote Island may be a fortress to keep you there in your convalescence, but I'm not about to let your ass off the hook this time. The attack on the Zasselian base is more than enough to put all of us on edge in which there's no way in hell that we're about to let that happen, not on my watch!"
"You're really pushing this, aren't you? And for the record, where's Maro?"
"He had some prior engagements, but that doesn't mean that I can let you wander off, Sam. The Executive Division had caused that terrorist attack in which this isn't the first time that it happened. On Alecrast, the town of Akatsuki was rocked by a suicide bombing as well as the city of Trainfell. On Drakonus, there was a suicide bombing in the city of Zetian in which it was followed by the onslaught of our sworn enemy. This time, it's the Valinorian town of Balin that had a suicide bombing in which the Zasselian base took the full brunt of it. Now, if you don't mind, I suggest that you go to your own quarters and get some sleep."
I obeyed Seto as I went into the quarters I had on the ship. The place itself was similar to the cabin in the ferry as I was worried about Reiko and the rest of our family, for I was missing them so much. When I laid down on the bed, I noticed a basket of muffins near it as I saw a note in it. Opening it up, I saw it to be from Reiko as I was aching to be with her once this mission was over, for I wanted to see her again soon enough.
Sammy (It read),
I know that you were forced by Seto to go on this mission against the wishes of the Order's higher-ups, but you had no say or choice. I just hope that you return safely and back into the island's embrace just to continue your convalescence. It's not fair that Seto forced you to step away from your recovery and it's not right, either. Anyway, I hope that you don't overexert yourself on this mission, for I worry about you every day.
Sincerely from your loving wife,
Reiko.
I felt tears streaming down my cheeks as I held the note closely. When I laid down in my bed, I thought of Reiko as I wanted to return home so badly. The thought of being apart from her during my long convalescence was more than enough to cry myself to sleep. I wanted to return to the fortress as I had so much recovery to get through, for I had a gut feeling that wouldn't end well with me in the long run. Just as I was about to do so, I heard the door to my quarters open up as I sat up and saw a middle-aged man dressed in a Garrison Corps uniform enter the moment he saluted me. I never saw him before as I never expected to see someone like Seto be determined to put a dent in the Executive Division and those who were allied with them.
"Welcome to the Thunderstruck, Sam Winchester," I heard him say to me.
"I've been yanked from my furlough just to endure more crap from Seto," I said.
"Don't take it the wrong way. When the Order's higher-ups forced you to go to your convalescence for four years, Seto took it as both a betrayal and an abandonment of your duties. She even equated your recovery to your past self abandoning his brother in Purgatory in the Elder Days. You should be thankful that you're going back to work, but it's also a way to piss Reuben off."
"You're disobeying a direct command from the higher-ups in which is a violation, Captain. Didn't Shion tell you this directly after I destroyed Project Amaterasu and did away with Sawney Masbath two years ago?"
"You sound like your father, Sam. He was always a stickler for the rules just like James Farragut. And for the record, my name's Merrick Wickham and I once served with your father and best friend in the First Galvanic Uprising. When I heard news of your birth ending the war all those years ago, I thought that it would be the end of it until General Wetzel and his cronies went into hiding and were biding their time to use you as a weapon for the Sol Project."
"I already destroyed Project Apollo, Project Ra, and Project Amaterasu. The last one is Project Helios and it's on the Sol-4 floating above Valinor. Still, I'm not up to a full recovery right now in which I was forced by Seto to join into this mockery of a mission that's been tossed in front of me."
"For the record, you should show a little more respect for Seto. She's no stranger into seeing events that were put in front of us in which the lore from the Elder Days had been crawling everywhere and the worst monsters that ever came from the tunnel leading to your island sanctuary on Westeros happens to be storsoi, also known pragmatically as Jefferson Starships. If you want to know a good reason why I have faith in Seto is that she saved my life once from those things. With such savagery, she impaled those sons-of-bitches one by one in which she helped me and my twin brother escape while we were living off the streets in the Kingdom by the River on Alecrast. It was our chance to be in the Order in which we can do our part into saving people, hunting things, and upholding the family business."
"That's good enough to hear…"
"Captain Wickham to the bridge!"
I watched Merrick leave my quarters as I followed him out towards the bridge. When I walked to the bridge, I saw him sit at the captain's chair as he was more than likely to be bringing the ship out of warp and towards Valinorian airspace. I saw the crew of the Thunderstruck hard at work as they were at their stations. To my curiosity, I saw a familiar face at the navigator seat as she was wearing the flower-shaped beadwork in her white hair while she had it cut short, for she recognized me due to the jeweled sigil on my forehead.
"Sam?" she said to me as she looked at me. "What are you doing here?"
"It's been two years since I dropped off the map Irylla," I said.
"Captain Wickham's been busting his ass ever since the destruction of Project Amaterasu two years ago. Time flies when you're having fun, but as soon as we get to Valinor and investigate what happened to the Zasselian base in the mining town of Balin, the better we finish it. The Executive Division may have sent the suicide bomber who detonated the base, but there's been some assistance from a unit that once served under the direction of the late Nicole Tetrax."
"I bet that he doesn't get a break, does he?"
"When I was reassigned here to the Thunderstruck, I found something that should pique your interest." Irylla fishes out a pocket-rom disc as she gets up and gives it to me. "The captain found it on one of the missions to Stohess at the time, but you should be careful of the ones who allied themselves with the Executive Division."
I dug out my vidphone as I accessed the pocket-rom disc in which I saw a masked figure that was in front of a motif that had a cobra painted on it. I feared the worst as the leave of absence that I took did more harm than good in which I had no other choice but to return to the field and put an end to the Executive Division and those who served them.
"Members of the Order of Letters," said the masked figure. "Two years ago, we lost our beloved Nicole in which she was trying to purge her homeworld and others from the scourge of medical workers, including the Medical Corps. We will be hunting those who seek medicine for their ills or injuries and make them wish that they never encroached the galaxy. We are a force to be reckoned with in which we have partnered with the Executive Division to find and slaughter all medical workers, for we are known as the Blight. To those who delve in medicine, we are watching you and we will find and kill you, for I suggest that you return to the ground you were uprooted with."
I was horrified to hear such talk from the masked figure as I was worried about everyone who worked in the Medical Corps and those who worked in civilian hospitals. Merrick was also concerned about the safety of those who worked in medicine as he didn't want them to fall prey to this new form of terrorism that now allied itself with our sworn enemies. I was worried about Reuben in his position he inherited in the Medical Corps as I had a gut feeling that the Blight would do damage to those who helped the needy.
"I really did screw up, didn't I?" I said.
"Don't try to blame yourself, Sam," said Merrick. "The Blight's been on the radar like their masters in which they've been targeting vulnerable spots while I up and stopped the group for the time being. I've seen people target you to be the ultimate prize, but I won't let anyone do harm to our medical workers, whether it's Order, military, or civilian. I have great respect to our doctors, nurses, psychologists, and first responders. There's no way in hell that we're putting them up as lambs to the slaughter and the Blight are dangerous. Now, if you don't mind, we're heading into Valinor as planned."
I saw the image of Valinor on screen as I was most likely to be reporting to the Order's main headquarters there. The investigation of the terrorist attack in the town of Balin was underway as I was also prepared to hear the worst of it, for I had no choice or say in the matter so far…
Shion was her office in the Order's main headquarters on Westeros as she got word that I left Matarote Island against the wishes from the higher-ups. She had a feeling that Seto would force me to leave my sanctuary and abandon my convalescence as she had to look for and reprimand her for her actions. Looking into the files, she saw a newspaper on her desk as it had the tragic incident of the destruction of the Zasselian military base on the front page. Picking it up, she feared the worst as the headline was calling for an inquiry into investigating this tragedy.
"It never ends, does it?" she said to herself as she put the newspaper down on her desk. "Damn it, Seto! You knew that Sam isn't ready to return to doing field work and yet you disobey our commands just to force him to use his raw power when he's still not doing too well."
Shion got up from her desk as she walked out of her office in which she was on her way to the assembly hall to see several members of the Hunter Corps arriving in which she spotted Damien Mahoney with them. The Lorien Elf was there to report his findings as he was also aware of what happened on his homeworld yesterday, for he was on his way back to it after all that has happened in the past two years.
"Is something wrong, Lady Shion?" he asked.
"There is and Seto has violated a command not to force Sam to return on the field after all that has happened when he destroyed Project Amaterasu two years ago," she said.
"It's been two years since Westeros was saved in which the Sol-3 became too volatile during that battle against Sawney Masbath."
"Seto Ashizoka has her reasons to pluck Sam out of Matarote Island, but she should also be considerate of his mental and physical health after all that has happened. She shouldn't be doing this to begin with in which she has crossed the line."
"Lady Seto has every reason to call the shots in which the attack on that Zasselian base sends a red flag. As for the ship she dispatched to the town of Wildwave, it's helmed by Merrick Wickham, who is not only a member of the Garrison Corps, but is the captain of what he parked before leaving for my homeworld."
"Damn it, Seto!"
Shion heard Reuben in the distance as he was approaching with such disdain for my captor. He wasn't too happy with what she pulled as he was also concerned about my overall health so far. Still, Damien wasn't swayed by anything else as he was also grateful that I was back in the game, but for how long? Shion stopped to see Reuben standing in front of her as he was itching to have a bone to pick with Seto and her constant meddling, for this wasn't about to be swept under the rug yet.
"I see that you have a bug crawling up your ass again, Reuben," said Damien.
"Don't start," he said as he was fuming with anger. "We were given strict orders not to interfere with Sam's convalescence, but Seto kept pushing it for the past two years just to act like a bitch!"
"I wouldn't complain about Lady Seto if I were you because of what happened on my homeworld when the Zasselian base was destroyed."
"I want a Medical Corps unit dispatched to Valinor ASAP and while you finish your dickriding for Seto, I suggest that you contact your superior and get your group together."
"I know that you're concerned about your half-brother's health, but his assistance is needed for a lot of reasons. The deaths of those fifty people in that base is more than enough to prompt an inquiry with what's been going on in this ongoing war. As for the captain who came at her behest, he has a flawless record in which he is also one of the veterans of the First Galvanic Uprising. And another thing, Director Winchester, you should watch your back when it comes to your presence in other places."
"I'm already guarded round the clock and I already saw the report of a terrorist cell that allied themselves with the Executive Division. They're known as the Blight and were former members of the Westerian Army who were discharged after the death of their superior, General Nicole Tetrax two years ago. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to Valinor in order to retrieve my wayward half-brother and get him back to Matarote Island, you got that?"
Reuben was on the warpath as he was even hell-bent on writing a letter to Dean while he was with his unit on Shiganshina. He couldn't take the fact that Seto went out of her way to pluck me out of my convalescence as he was bearing a grudge against her for disobeying the Order's higher-ups and even hiring Merrick and his crew of the Thunderstruck to spirit me away towards Valinor. When he was about to go outside to an Order of Letters ship, he heard footsteps approaching as he turned around and saw Shion coming towards him in which she was concerned about my health and safety just as much as he was, for this wasn't over yet.
"It seems that you have a bone to pick with Seto," she said.
"She's been pushing this shit ever since we all forced Sam to go into a four-year convalescence on Matarote Island after the destruction of Project Amaterasu two years ago," said Reuben.
"Ever since you became Medic General of the Medical Corps, you've been hard at work in which you and Paninya are expecting another baby after the birth of your daughter."
"Nerinya is so much like me, but I tell her not to give he mother a hard time while she's got a bun in the oven."
"I'm grateful that you balance work and family, but you should also be careful when it comes to the Blight causing trouble. I even dispatched a bodyguard to protect you and your team in the Medical Corps."
"And I will be careful. As for Seto, she's got a lot of explaining to do after what she pulled."
Shion watched Reuben get into the Order of Letters ship as he was ready to go towards Valinor as planned. The time to retrieve me was already beginning as it was also about to get a little complicated in which things could get ugly fast, for there was no end to it whatsoever…
The Thunderstruck landed in a clearing as it was carefully secure in the town of Balin. Getting out of the ship, Merrick and Irylla took the lead as they were seeing the damage of the blast that hit the mining town hard. When I came out of the ship, I was guarded closely by Seto as she wasn't about to let me out of her sight in which I came into Balin for the first time. The place itself was a town that had plenty of Dwarves residing here as they were going about their daily business. I wanted to see a little more of the town as I was forbidden by Seto in which she led me to the base that was destroyed by the Executive Division. It was a mess as I saw several Dwarven townsfolk carefully wheeling out the dead bodies as they were on their way to be cremated. To my curiosity, I saw one Dwarf arriving as he had a pony carrying his cart filled with salt canisters in it, for he was concerned about the events that happened here yesterday.
"I take it that ye're the Laird that obliterated Project Amaterasu two years ago," he said to me.
"I'm only here for this one time and then I have to get back to Matarote Island on Westeros," I said.
"Those poor lads from Zassel dinna deserve to die from that freak in the gold armor. After we clear the rest of the fallen fifty out of there, then it's time to salt and burn their bodies so there won't be any vengeful spirits lurking everywhere."
"Those bastards had the gall to target a Zasselian base in which the Valinorian Emperor declared a state of emergency here," said Seto. "The Executive Division will get it coming to them. Now that a certain someone is back in the game, our enemies won't see the light of day."
I went towards the interior of the Zasselian base as I saw the damage that was at the front gate. It was a terrible mess as I saw some of the townsfolk cleaning up the base in which they were also placing flowers and stuffed animals near the gate. Going further in my investigation, I found a piece of paper as it was mainly a grocery list, but to no avail due to the blast. Setting the grocery list down, I went to the side of the base as I saw an imprint of where a dead body was sprawled on the ground. The sight of gold dust mixed into the mud was an indicator that a soulless doll detonated the base as I also had a gut feeling that this wasn't the only one who caused havoc here when I noticed the wall being blown with a huge hole. When I went to the front of the base, I saw another muddy imprint as if another bomb was detonated while the other one was on the side, but the sight of blood and bone was a telltale sign that the suicide bomber blew up the front. The Executive Division really did take responsibility for the attack as I left the ruined base and was on my way towards an inn until I was stopped by Seto, who refused to leave my side.
"So, did you have a nice tour in the base?" she said to me.
"There was a second suicide bomber on the side, but the dead body blew up like the first on the side of the wall," I said. "The Valinorian Government will have a field day once the fallen are cremated and sent back to their families for burial."
"You could at least pay your respects for the dead."
"I never asked for this, okay? You couldn't leave well enough alone, but you persisted to piss me off! I'm only doing this once and that is all!"
"I know that this is a one-time thing, but what about the people who died in that base, Sam?! They were killed by two suicide bombers and yet you cut and run with your tail between your legs! You're not going back to that island until you investigate further, is that understood?!"
I reluctantly obeyed as I returned to the inside of the base in which I went into the interior of it. The place itself was filled with various trinkets that were collected in the time of the Elder Days as I also noticed a wooden box filled with ancient magazines in which I picked one out of there and began to look at it. The sight of a voluptuous woman dressed in a blue polka dot dress and sexy lingerie was too much as I saw the name, "Hot and Heavy" emblazoned on the cover. Putting it down, I had a gut feeling that the Zasselians who were operating this base were guarding something as I noticed the Aquarian Star plastered on the wall. I also noticed a room that was untouched as I entered into it in which I saw a switchboard that was in good condition. Turning it on, I saw various images on a set of screens that detailed the daily life of the ones who were running the base in which I saw the Dwarf from earlier fire a crossbow arrow into the second suicide bomber's head in which the doll's body blew up on the side. The wall on the side was later blown up by someone suspicious as it was like the masked figure on the pocket-rom disc until the intruder fled before the townsfolk arrived to assessed the damage. It wasn't long until Seto came into the room with the switchboard as she saw the evidence of the attack, for we had a gut feeling that a new player in this ongoing war would cause further havoc in the long run.
"A member of the Blight was there," I said.
"You mean the one in the crappy V For Vendetta mask?" said Seto.
"The Blight bear a grudge against all medical workers in which their service to the Executive Division cements them to be dangerous."
"And I thought that the debacle to overthrow Empress Zaralia was bad…"
"The Zasselians were archivists due to the fact that they even collected skin mags from the Elder Days."
"Hugh Hefner, Bob Guccione, and Larry Flynt would've been proud…"
It wasn't long until I turned around and saw Irylla scoping out the base as she was grateful that the rest of it was undamaged. When she saw the surveillance of the evidence all over it, she never expected both the Executive Division and the Blight to be active to destroy it as both groups were dangerous. The sight of the attack was despicable as we had to be on our guard against our enemies now more than ever. I also had to report to the Order anyway as I also had a gut feeling that I would end up going back to Matarote Island soon enough, for I also had to return to my convalescence as planned.
"Looks like our villain aided the Executive Division, but our Dwarven friend finished off the second suicide bomber," said Irylla.
"The Blighter blew up the wall with something," said Seto as she noticed something in the masked bomber's hand. "It's a hex bag that was once stolen by Sawney Masbath and is the only witch who made them died centuries ago during the time of the Orc Wars."
"I know that hex bag design," I said as I spotted it. "Rowena gave me one of them just to finish off Sawney Masbath two years ago."
"If you're wanting to know about the hex bag design, the one who crafted them went by the name of Augustine Stubbs, who was a hero in the Orc Wars and was part of the Vesper Guild until her demise." said Irylla. "I read about her in the archives when I was first taken in by Shion after my family were killed many years ago. Augustine Stubbs' hex bags were crafty, but they packed a wallop until they faded into memory."
"Oi! Don't move!"
We turned around and saw the Dwarf from earlier as he had a crossbow in his hand. It wasn't long until he put it down in which he noticed us earlier due to the fact that we were part of the Order of Letters while investigating the fallen Zasselian base.
"I never saw so such smut in a box before until now," he said. "I never expected to be a hidden switchboard here until now."
"This isn't the Men of Letters bunker, but we should leave before we arouse any more suspicion," said Seto. "Balin has a curfew and if anyone isn't at an inn or at their homes by seven in the evening, they get arrested on the spot."
"Then we'll go to an inn," I said.
"I'll be back on the Thunderstruck to report to the captain," said Irylla as she saw a clock on the wall that reads fifteen minutes till seven. "We best get to our lodgings then."
We all left the base as we had to bed down for the night. With Irylla returning to the Thunderstruck, Seto and I went towards an inn near the stream that had a waterwheel on it. Going inside, we saw a Dwarven innkeeper standing next to the desk as she was busy overseeing busy travellers who came and went to Balin in which we were ready to pay for our rooms. By the time we did so, we went to our rooms as I was glad to be in my own for the night. I was tired as I went towards my room and was ready to call it a night until I heard a knock on the door. Opening it up, I saw the Dwarven innkeeper bring me my suitcase, sword, and journal as she set them down near the door in which she was most likely to be busy for the rest of the night, for she had so many customers here.
"Some wee lad in a jacket brought them here for ye, My Laird," she said.
"Thank you," I answered.
"The wee lad even told me to give ye a message and wait for Reuben to collect ye."
I saw the innkeeper close the door behind her as I was alone in which I went towards the bathroom and stripped off my clothes. The bathroom I was in was a rustic one as I saw a jacuzzi with water jets on the bottom as it was similar to what I saw during my stay in Chekiang on Alecrast four years ago. I turned on the hot water in it with the plug set into it as I went towards the wash basin and began to clean myself thoroughly. I was very exhausted as I finished up and went towards the jacuzzi and got into it the moment I turned on the water jets in which something like that brought back memories for me. It was a very long time for me as the feel of them calmed me in which I was also starting to feel tired. Draining the water and turning off the jets in the jacuzzi, I dried myself off with a towel as I tossed it into the hamper. I later dressed up in my nightclothes as I scooped my other ones into the hamper for the night. It wasn't long until I brushed my teeth and later left the bathroom in which I laid down in the bed I was in.
I was finally tired after all that toil as I crawled into the blankets and began to fall asleep. I needed this comfort after what I went through as I also had to deal with Seto forcing me to comply against my wishes. I was very tired indeed as I began to dream about returning back to Matarote Island, for I had to return to my convalescence soon enough…
Seto was in her own room as she was in the bathroom taking a shower. Even though she was staying at the inn for the night, she wasn't about to let me out of my sight as she was busy cleaning herself before going to bed. By the time she rinsed off and turned off the water, she was ready to step out of the shower as she dried herself off and got into her own nightclothes which consisted of a silk nightgown and robe. Leaving the bathroom, she went towards her bed as she spotted Jack sitting in a chair next to the window. He wasn't too happy with her for disobeying the Order as he was also wanting me to return to my convalescence as well, for he wasn't about to take no for an answer right now.
"Sorry, but Stifler's mom not here to seduce you," said Seto.
"You knew that Sam was off limits, but you forced him to come here anyway," said Jack.
"He can't shirk his duties again, is that understood?"
"Sam hasn't shirked his duties because of the fact that the Order's higher-ups forbade him from doing so after dealing with Sawney Masbath and destroying Project Amaterasu two years ago."
"Oh, really? What about his past self from the Elder Days in which he abandoned his search for his brother and Castiel in Purgatory? And the cherry on top of it was when he even gave up hunting and not look for them after the fall of Dick Roman!"
"I heard his say how many times that he screwed up and he even contemplated suicide and said that his life had no meaning until he decided to live out his golden years with a family."
"I was there when the bunker shut down. I was there when some of the big bads were taking a backseat. I was even there when my sister's children and my own son established the Order of Letters all over the system that their ancestors stayed in."
It wasn't long until a suspicious person crashed through the window as it had a knife in its hand. Seto saw the intruder to be male as she got Jack out of the way in which she was ready to impale the one who broke into her room. Just as she was about to do so, she saw a surge of raw power engulf the intruder as it blew up into pieces in which the threat was over for now. Out of curiosity, Seto began to examine the corpse as she removed the intruder's mask and saw it to be a storsoi due to its vampire teeth and the retractable tendril on his wrist. Jack never saw anything like it before as it was new to him, for this was something that was never there until now.
"This monster has teeth like a vampire and a tendril like a wraith," he said.
"It's called a storsoi, otherwise known as a Jefferson Starship," said Seto. "I've tangled with those asshats before in which the bulk of them encroached in Grant's Pass, Oregon. Thankfully, Mother of the Year got ganked by phoenix ash mixed with a shot of whiskey in which it also made the rest of the Jefferson Starships drop like flies."
It wasn't long until Seto and Jack saw the door open as they noticed me staggering into the room. I was still feeling the pinch of exhaustion as I dropped to my knees in which I was also glowing due to the use of my raw power earlier. Jack feared the worst as he got me on my feet and carted me out of Seto's room and back into my own. Setting me on the bed, he waited as he heard footsteps approaching in which the room next to mine was being vacated for tonight. It was a long night indeed as Jack noticed an Order of Letters ship approaching in which it brandished the banner of the Medical Corps while landing in a clearing. He had a feeling that Reuben would be on the warpath as he was also vigilant into keeping me safe until his arrival, for there would be no end to my constant misery while trying to recover…
Merrick watched the Medical Corps ship land in a clearing as he had a feeling that Reuben would be here to retrieve me just to go back to Matarote Island to continue my convalescence. After reviewing the evidence from the Zasselian base earlier, he had to warn Reuben about the presence of the Blight as the bomber who aided the Executive Division was still at large. By the time he left the Thunderstruck, he was outside as he noticed Reuben and his Medical Corps unit arriving to assess what was going on in which they were ready to look for me, for they were most likely to be taking me back to the place of my convalescence soon enough.
"You and your team are up past curfew, Reuben," he said.
"Seto has disobeyed the Order's higher-ups by bringing him to the Thunderstruck in which he's still suffering from exhaustion," he said sternly.
"From what I heard, she's at the Stonewater Inn, which is near a stream."
It wasn't long until Reuben and Merrick heard some of the townsfolk rushing towards the inn as they followed them to what happened earlier. The sight of the broken window was evident enough to have Reuben and Merrick enter into the inn as they noticed a unit of the Hunter Corps here carting out the corpse in a stretcher. It was one hell of an uproar as Reuben noticed Damien standing there as he was assessing the situation that happened earlier, for the sight of a monster was just the start of everyone's worries.
"There was a storsoi there earlier and it tried to kill Seto," he said.
"Damn it, another Jefferson Starship?" said Merrick as he knew of the monster very well.
"This one was dressed in an outfit that members of the Blight wear, but the one wearing it is different than the one who was killed and maimed in the forest earlier."
"So that's a Jefferson Starship," said Reuben as he uncovered the monster's corpse. "I've heard tales about them from the Elder Days, but seeing one out and about like that?"
"Jefferson Starships have the shapeshifting powers of a lowerling, the teeth of a vampire, and the tendril of a wraith," said Merrick. "In the Elder Days, the Cultivator, or Eve, decided to craft the ultimate monster, only for her to be killed by phoenix ash that was blended in with a glass of whiskey. Centuries later, they showed up in the bowels of the underground of the Kingdom by the River on Alecrast in which Seto destroyed them one by one in which they were never seen again until now. They move fast and aggressive, but they were no match for the one who saved my life while I was a kid on the streets."
It wasn't long until Seto came out of the inn as she was dressed in her nightclothes in which the Hunter Corps also had to usher out the innkeeper and the other guests in order to collect me. The long night had gotten much worse as Seto wasn't too happy with what happened earlier as she noticed Reuben standing in front of her, for he was ready to put her in her place for now.
"This isn't a college football orgy, Reuben," she said.
"You knew damn good and well not to force Sam back into the field and look what happens," he said to her. "His raw power isn't up to full and from what I gathered, a storsoi nearly killed you, only to be turned into bloody chunks."
"I'm glad that you noticed it, Dr. Obvious, but Sam's back in the game in which if he hadn't used his raw power to save me, I would've been killed by the bastard son of Norman Bates earlier!"
It wasn't long until Jack carted me out of the inn as he refused to leave my side after all that has happened earlier. Still, I was out of it as I was also starting to feel unwell again in which Reuben noticed me to be running a fever. With the threat averted, life was slowly returning to normal as this fiasco wasn't the end of our worries, for I had to be watched closely due to what happened with the infamous Jefferson Starship that met his demise earlier…
I woke up in the Thunderstruck's sickbay as I was being monitored closely by the medical officer who was in charge. The officer herself was a Draaza as she sported a purple comb and blue eyes while she was there monitoring my condition. Still, I was a wreck as I had no choice but to rest up a little longer while the medical officer in charge was still keeping an eye on me, for I was in the ringer big time. Sitting up, I suffered from a splitting headache as I just wanted to return to Matarote Island on Westeros soon enough, for all I did was weep while waiting for this mess to be over. I couldn't take it anymore as I just wanted it all to end, but I had a feeling that it wouldn't go that far right now.
"You're awake," said the medical officer.
"Do you have any headache medicine?" I asked.
"There's some acetaminophen, or generic Tylenol, in the medicine cabinet."
"Thank you…"
"From the medical records, you nearly died while destroying the Sol-3 two years ago."
"I know…"
"For the record, my name's Agnizhka Tzingrinar. You can call me Agni for short. Anyway, Reuben's ready to collect you, but he has to get clearance from the local physician who lives here in Balin. As for Seto's predicament, I've always heard of her impaling Jefferson Starships, but nearly killed by one? Thankfully, that burst of raw power blew it up or else it would've preyed on the townsfolk directly."
It wasn't long until I saw Reuben entering into the sickbay as he was most likely to be collecting me and returning me back to Matarote Island on Westeros. As for the rest of my predicament, I wasn't about to be off the hook as I was also about to be dealing with Seto's wrath, for this debacle wasn't over just yet…
To be continued...