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Richard Wentworth was a handsome man for his age. He had a defined square jaw and long sideburns that flared dramatically. If there was one thing this man would not tolerate, it was mess.
Mr. Wentworth’s office was never a mess. Even if he was having the worst day of the week, he would have a perfectly organized desk and room. There was perhaps only one thing that anyone could accuse him of making a mess of; his life.
Wentworth was one of those men who would clean his desk during the apocalypse. He cleaned when his life was looking down, and right now, his desk was sparkling, and his life was hell.
The Kaenen Project had been perpetually low on funding. Nobody believed in the introduction of robots into the military, even though it was a popular topic for debates amongst particularly politically active high school kids.
“Haydie,” Wentworth yelled out the door down the hall, “I want to see those files on the current bombing.”
“Yes Mr. Wentworth,” a woman called back, “Just a second.”
‘A second?’ Wentworth though, ‘What could she be doing? Fucking D’Ubrav?’
In due time, the twenty-something receptionist walked in with her familiar swagger and placed the manila folder on Wentworth’s desk, “There you go.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome Mr. Wentworth.”
There were forty-seven casualties in the new catastrophe. Oh, if only Mitchlander could be here, he would laugh. He was probably laughing already. The Empire was on its last legs, and the Kaenen Project was dying along with it.
Wentworth knew that the Kaenen Project could be something useful, all they needed was the key. If they could find the missing piece that was lost at the beginning, they could win the war and destroy any threats…
Unfortunately, money was a large factor in the success of the war. And so far, being broke, they were not successful. Haydie had many ideas for fundraisers, but the only one that Wentworth could see her being successful at was prostitute.
Of course, that would be something D’Ubrav would suggest. According to him, there were three ways to make money: hard, easy, and sleazy. D’Ubrav always did work the hard way; or so he liked to think.
“Haydie!” Wentworth called, “I want to see the reports on how broke we are concerning the Kaenen Project.”
“Yes Mr. Wentworth.” Haydie re-appeared with another folder and put it on his desk with a smile.
“Thank you, Haydie.”
“You’re welcome, Mr. Wentworth.” She disappeared again.
Five hundred dollars again. At least it wasn’t a thousand. Wentworth could stand to be five hundred dollars in debt, but last month was rough. He shook his head; it was going to be a tough month.
Captain Thomas D’Ubrav had only joined the military to beat Richard Wentworth. He never spoke of any other reason, and was not afraid to speak his intentions of being far better than Wentworth.
However, after the three years of the war, Wentworth had forty aerial victories, and D’Ubrav only had thirty-eight. Many people saw Wentworth’s experience as being the main factor that D’Ubrav couldn’t beat the General.
D’Ubrav was a fairly attractive man, with bright, emerald green eyes that were permanently fixed in a stare of cold hatred, and hair that was as fiery as his disposition. He had entered the military and quickly climbed ranks, not caring who he had to kill to move up. It was rumored he had shot Colonel Marks for a thousand dollars…
But he wasn’t entirely bad. If he was, Haydie wouldn’t have attached herself to him. It was another rumor that they were sleeping together, but it wasn’t true.
Haydie was gorgeous. She had long dark hair that she pushed back with a blue headband. Many people thought that the headband was a part of her actual hair, as it never came off. She wore provocative clothing that didn’t leave much to wonder about. She had tight legs and wore mini-skirts to prove it. Her breasts were hardly covered by her small tank top and military jacket.
D’Ubrav and Haydie worked side by side almost constantly. They ate together, talked to mainly each other, and liked the same things. The only difference, apart from their genders, was their ideas on the Kaenen Project.
Haydie thought that when the Kaenen Project was over, it was going to better humanity. D’Ubrav hated the idea of robots in the military. He despised it with the very core of his bitter heart.
And he never missed a chance to tell Wentworth his opinion. While Haydie stayed in the background, mumbling her thoughts on how robots were good, D’Ubrav loved to take the center stage and verbally bash everything about Wentworth’s ideas.
So when D’Ubrav dramatically appeared in Wentworth’s office with a loud sigh, Wentworth was prepared for another round of attack and defend.
“Listen, Richard,” D’Ubrav yawned, “I don’t see why this stupid project is still running. I say we cut it.”
“Well, Thomas, you’ve been coming to me for three months with this same complaint,” Wentworth put down his file, “Do you have anything new? If not, I suggest you leave.”
“Alright, what about that new boy? He’s not entirely…”
“24601? He’s wasn’t built entirely for the Kaenen Project, no. But that aside, perhaps you would like a show of his abilities later?”
“No, I would not.”
“Very well. Haydie? Would you like to see him?”
Haydie peeked into the room timidly, “Yes please.” Before vanishing to her desk.
D’Ubrav slammed his fist down on Wentworth’s desk screaming at an un-natural pitch, “I will shut down the Kaenen Project, and I will beat you out!” He took a deep breath, re-gathering his wits before saying, “And I will see you at the conference tomorrow.”
“Indeed.”
The house of Mitchlander would have set any commoner into a sparkle overload. It gleamed from every corner and shone from every rare crack in the tile of the bathroom. It was much cleaner and warmer than the headquarters.
And Kiara did not come to headquarters. Kiara was the girl that lived with Mitchlander and the servants. Her whereabouts were unknown to everyone but Mitchlander himself.
“Dan?” Kiara walked softly into his room.
“Yes, dear?” Mitchlander replied. He had always called Kiara dear, even though she was young enough to be his daughter.
“Are you feeling okay? You look a little pale.”
Mitchlander shook his head, “I feel fine. Maybe I’m getting a cold. No need to worry, though.” He smiled at her and patted her head.
She smiled, “I brought you some tea.”
“Thank you, Kiara. How have you been?” Mitchlander turned to face her, “I’m sorry I’ve had to be at headquarters this past week.”
Kiara shook her head, “It’s no problem. I haven’t been too lonely. But I’m sad that John had to leave. I’ve been wanting a new servant.”
“Don’t worry, dear. I’ll attend to it shortly. But things have been good? Good. Now run along, I’ll catch up.”
“Yes, sir.”
Mitchlander smiled as he watched her go, and then turned back to the papers. The Empire’s Kaenen Project was in debt again… Served them right for taking his perfectly good idea. As for the Mark II, it had already gone over and was initialized. Certainly, the androids weren’t as sophisticated as they could have been, but they were saving lives.
As far as Mitchlander was concerned, the Empire’s Kaenen Project could burn in hell. And as far as he knew, it was. The poor Empire had been loosing the war from the beginning.
Mortimer looked up from the files and sighed. He quietly set the folders down and began to walk noiselessly to Wentworth’s Office. The halls seemed oddly empty even though they were bustling with uniformed officers. Some human, some Kaenen Project Androids.
But the halls were always like this for Mortimer. In the midst of so many people, it was impossible to feel as if he wasn’t alone. The most heart wrenching loneliness was felt amongst a thousand people.
Insignificance. Mortimer knew he wasn’t insignificant, but there was a nagging doubt in the back of his mind… What would happen when he died? They would probably replace him with Operative 25975.
“Ah! Mortimer!” Wentworth’s voice shook him from his daydream, “I was starting to think you got lost.”
“No, sir.” Mortimer bowed. “I am fine.”
“Wow…” Haydie reached over and touched Mortimer’s face, “This is the final product?”
Mortimer turned to her, his eyes flashing between red and black and he spoke in an automated voice, “Identifying. Name, Haydie Montero. Position, Secretary. Identification, over.” His voice returned to almost human as he bowed, “It’s very nice to meet you.”
“Likewise…” Haydie took a step backwards.
“Good afternoon,” D’Ubrav sulked, his arms crossed as he glared at Mortimer.
Mortimer smiled his dead smile, “Good afternoon, Captain.”
“Ah, Mortimer,” Wentworth took the boy by his hand, “I was hoping to show Miss Haydie and Mr. D’Ubrav the new powers of the Kaenen Project. Fight simulation, you know.”
“Yes sir.” Mortimer bowed, and began to walk down the hallway.
“He’s creepy, isn’t he?” D’Ubrav whispered in Haydie’s ear.
Haydie shook her head, “He’s very advanced…”
“I think he’s weird. Isn’t it strange? They took a perfectly good...”
“I hope you realize, Captain, that I am aware of everything you’re saying.” Mortimer didn’t look over his shoulder as he spoke, but his voice was dangerous.
D’Ubrav smiled and shrugged, turning to Haydie, “What did I tell you? Creepy.”
The training room was a large place with lightly padded walls and an array of weapons along the corners. Wentworth picked up a sword and bowed to Mortimer, then to D’Ubrav and Haydie. “I’ll show you the simple speed of a low power output. Mortimer, ten percent.”
Mortimer’s eyes flashed again, “Initializing. Kaenen Project Power Output ten percent.” He started running and became a blur, whipping like liquid power through the training room, a flash until Wentworth was down.
Wentworth brushed himself off and smiled, “And I didn’t even try. Mortimer, thank you.”
Mortimer bowed, “You are welcome.”
“So what?” D’Ubrav raised his voice, “I’ve taken you down before, Wentworth. Nothing special about that.”
Wentworth spun around, “Would you, Captain, like to challenge Mortimer?”
D’Ubrav scowled, “Why not? Come on robot, you won’t forget fighting me.”
Mortimer smiled his empty, automated smile, “I hope so.”
With passion, D’Ubrav snatched the sword from Wentworth’s hands and began running at Mortimer. He slashed down, the blade gleaming. Mortimer jumped back and blinked.
“Stupid machine!” D’Ubrav screamed, thrusting his sword forward and catching Mortimer’s shoulder.
“Foolish human…” Mortimer chided, “Initializing. Kaenen Project Power Output thirty percent.” There was a rush of air and D’Ubrav narrowly avoided being stabbed in the back by a sharp long knife that had materialized from Mortimer’s wrist.
With a guttural holler, D’Ubrav twisted around, slicing at Mortimer’s hands. There was a clanging sound as Mortimer grabbed the sword and tried to fend it off with his wrists, but it didn’t work.
The sword was placed almost squarely between Mortimer’s eyes when he activated Kaenen Project fifty percent. His eyes flashed a darker red and D’Ubrav was on the ground, howling in pain and rage.
“Mortimer,” Wentworth yelled, “Kaenen Project Command 002, it was you who broke my silver platter!”
Mortimer’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and he slumped to the ground, the raspy mechanical sound of a dying engine emitting from his mouth. He hit the ground with a crunching sound.
“Wh… What just happened?” Haydie muttered, staring at Wentworth in awe.
Wentworth shook his head, “D’Ubrav’s attack forced Mortimer to put out a higher energy level. They should both be fine, though. Can you page the infirmary and Talbot?”
Haydie sighed and spoke into her watch, “Attention to the infirmary staff, we’ve had a training accident. Repeat, a training accident. Also, Private Talbot of the Kaenen Project, we need a touch up on 24601. Repeat, 24601.”
“Thank you Haydie,” Wentworth had picked up Mortimer like a sack of potatoes and headed out of the training room, saying over his shoulder, “Take care of Thomas for me, hm?”
“Yes Mr. Wentworth!”
D’Ubrav winced and scratched at the IV needle in his hand, “Yeah… Maybe I should be less reckless.”
Emily nodded, “Unless you like seeing me, young thing. Do you think you can deal for a bit while I help with those gun shot victims? You’ll probably be asleep before I get back.”
“Yeah… Haydie will stay with me.”
Haydie blushed, “Yes.”
With another smile, Emily disappeared behind the grey privacy curtains and was heard walking down the hall. The pair sat in silence until Haydie spoke again, “Sir? Why do you hate the Kaenen project?”
D’Ubrav looked away, “It’s nothing. God, that freak must have crushed one of my lungs.”
“Please sir… I have to know. They say that you only joined the military to be better than Mr. Wentworth.”
“No. To begin with, that wasn’t it at all,” D’Ubrav reached out and touched Haydie’s hair, “God, you’re beautiful…”
Haydie pushed his hand away, “I want to know.” Her childish attitude was dissolving slowly but surely.
D’Ubrav was paying to attention, however. He was moving in on her, his eyes concentrated on her lips, touching her face with his free hand. “Have you always been this pretty?”
Haydie could hear his words becoming slower and his eyelids drooping. She looked at the needle in his resting hand and smiled softly, “No… Go to bed, Mr. D’Ubrav, I am not your prize.”
“No…” the sedatives were working quickly and D’Ubrav dropped his hand away from Haydie, “You are nobodies… Nobodies lover…” his vision began to blur and he slipped into a drugged sleep.
Haydie smiled sadly, “But I was… I was at one time, I believe.” She stood up and walked away from the bed, taking her blue headband from her dark hair and shaking her head.
“Come on!” Julius screams, waving his hands wildly, “Come catch me!”
“Would you wait,” a younger D’Ubrav hollers back, “I’m coming! I’m”
Julius has been captured. He’s struggling, against his captor, but the man is far too big. To two small children with, the man is a giant. A giant in a military uniform… Wentworth? Is that Wentworth with the gun against Julius’s head?
Yes, it’s definitely Wentworth. He’s taller, and younger, but still… And Julius is dead now. His eyes have turned red, his hair white, his face gaunt. But this isn’t Julius. It’s 24601. Mortimer?
And the Wentworth isn’t himself at all. Wentworth’s hair isn’t blonde. And Wentworth doesn’t have such commanding eyes… Who ever this man is has lost interest in the dead body of Mortimer.
He’s turning the gun on D’Ubrav…
“Captain? Captain?”
D’Ubrav was roused out of his sleep by a soft hand shaking him. “Haydie?”
“Are you feeling better?”
“A little… Is something wrong?”
“No…” Haydie smiled, “I just wanted to check on you. You seemed kind of restless.”
“It was nothing…” D’Ubrav lied, “I was just dreaming. It’s been a long time since I dreamed. Before initialization.”
Haydie nodded, “I haven’t dreamed in three years. Such is life. I just wanted to check on you.”
“Thanks…” D’Ubrav looked up at her, “Can you get me information on Kaenen Project number 159? It would be in the back of the records somewhere…”
“Yes, Mr. D’Ubrav.”
“And don’t call me that. I’m not old yet.”
“Yes, Tom.”
“Thanks.”
Mortimer opened his eyes slowly. “Where am I?”
Talbot smiled at him, “Nice to see you again! Wentworth had to activate your emergency shut down mode. You got a bit carried away with D’Ubrav in the training room.”
“That asshole…” Mortimer muttered, rubbing his head and glancing up at the blinding white lights of the room, “God… what did you do this time for me?”
Talbot responded cheerfully, “We re-booted your system, and we updated the information on the microchips.”
Mortimer sighed, “But if I wasn’t so advanced, you would have scrapped me.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time…” Talbot muttered.
“Am I dismissed?”
“Yes. Go ahead, but take your shirt with you.”
Mortimer sat up and pushed himself off the table, landing with a soft thud on the ground. He took his soft blue linen shirt from the chair by the door and headed out, looking for some sleep.
Talbot was an odd fellow, Mortimer had decided. He worked with machines, yet spoke to them of life and death, a concept they could never really understand. Certainly, Mortimer could grasp the mechanics of it, the central nervous shut down, the heart failure, the cadaver, but there was a part of it that he could never understand.
The pain, the fear, the hurt that came with the death of a loved one were alien emotions to Mortimer. Part of his mind screamed out that he understood, but the microchips pushed in back into a dusty corner and all too often, drowned it out with confusion.
There were few people in the halls at the late hour. They looked at Mortimer with empty tired eyes as they headed for their barracks. Sleep would be good for their human systems.
“Operative 24601 report to Wentworth. Operative 2401…”
Mortimer sighed and turned around, heading to Wentworth’s office. “Sir?” He saluted as he entered, “You paged for me?”
Wentworth turned around, “Oh, yes, yes. Feeling better?”
“Yes sir.”
“Good, I have a mission for you. And it’s not going to be easy.”
“Do I have to sweep the cafeteria again?”
Wentworth’s eyes hardened, “No. Operative 24601, this is a real mission. We are sending you to the Alliance as a spy to regain the Kaenen Project Key.”
“How will I accomplish my task, sir?”
Haydie was sitting in the chair next to the desk, she stood and handed Mortimer a file, “Mitchlander is looking for a servant to clean and do whatever else around the house. We’re going to sign you up, and ship you out. The Key to the Kaenen Project will probably be somewhere in the house.”
Wentworth nodded, “We suspect it to be his personal servant.”
“Are you ready?” Haydie asked her large eyes serious and frightened.
Mortimer smiled, “I am.”
“Thank you, sir,” Mortimer scratched at his working outfit, “I’m looking forward to meeting her.”
Mitchlander smiled, “Good boy. I’ll be in my office if you cut your hand off or something else that results in blood loss on a sever level.” He turned around and walked off.
“Weird,” Mortimer muttered, glancing at the dirty dishes.
“Hey, new kid,” a large woman with small eyes, “Start on those dishes. I’m making lunch, so I’ll need some of them.”
Mortimer saluted out of habit and started the hot water running, putting the dishes into the basin. The soap was up to his elbows by the time he was finished. The fat woman had come back and taken things as she needed, and by the time lunch was over, Mortimer had done two loads of dishes.
“Break time, sweetie,” the fat woman patted his back, “You did well.”
“Thank you.” Mortimer sighed and walked away from the kitchen, into the dark red hallway. Down, down, down, it traveled, endless it seemed. At the end, there was a large bay window where Mortimer sat and leaned his head back, tired of the day already.
“Hey…” a girl’s voice shook him out of his semi-sleep.
“Wha- What?”
“Come on, cutie!” the girl was beautiful. More beautiful than Haydie, although a bit fatter… She wore an almost transparent robe that hung loosely over her corset covered breasts.
There was something almost human about the way that Mortimer responded. His face flushed and his internal temperature heightened. “Are you talking to me...?”
“Who else would I be talking to? Come on,” she was teasing him now, lust in her voice.
Mortimer stood and stretched, “Coming, miss.”
The girl took his hand and led him to a red door and opened in. Inside was a large bedroom. The girl threw herself onto the bed and lied on her back, motioning to Mortimer. “You’re not looking at my body,” the girl pouted, taking off her robe and showing off her garters.
‘Sex.’ Mortimer finally got his head around it, ‘she wants to have sex. Okay…’
“Come on, I'm bored!” the girl took his hand again and pulled him to the bed, un-buttoning his shirt and forcing her tongue in his mouth. She was hot and flustered as she stroked his face and chest.
Slowly, Mortimer touched her stomach and smiled as she quivered with pleasure. She grabbed him tighter and rolled over, pressing her body on him, grinding her hips against his legs.
There was a small voice in the back of Mortimer’s mind that said in an automated voice, “Microchips de-activating. Please hold on for stand by.”
The girl finished un-buttoning Mortimer’s shirt and was kissing his chest, praising him inaudibly. She could have been calling him strong or toned, but it wasn’t heard.
Mortimer reached up and put his hand on her back, undoing her shoulder straps. The girl was touching the buckle of Mortimer’s belt, leaning in to un-do it. As Mortimer slid his hands down the girl’s side, he felt an odd lump at the start of her hip.
It was a lump that Mortimer had felt many times on his own body. It was used for nutrition and information. This girl was part, if not all, machine.
“Kaenen Project Key 001. Operation, shut down. It was you who broke my silver platter.” Mortimer’s voice was empty.
The girl’s eyes flashed, and then she fainted, her body landing with a soft thump on the floor.
“General, please calm down…”
“Fuck you! If you’re not going to be any help, I’ll find her on my own, god damn it.”
“General…”
It had been seven hours since Mortimer had gone back to headquarters, carrying Kiara with him. It only took two hours for Mitchlander to grasp the situation. One and a half of that two was spent looking for Kiara, and the other thirty minutes was figuring it out.
There was only one though in Mitchlander’s mind now. He wanted Kiara back. Without her, his world was collapsing into something like a panicked darkness. Without Kiara, he couldn’t concentrate on work. She was the driving force behind everything he did, and he was coming apart.
On the other end of the phone was Mrs. Oleander, the head receptionist for the Empire Headquarters. She was desperately trying to calm Mitchlander, but failing desperately as well.
“General…” Oleander sighed, “We’re carrying out a full investigation. You know, you really should be thinking about the new guns for the war… This whole matter is so juvenile.”
“Fuck you.” Mitchlander spat into the phone before slamming it down. “Horace! I want a cup of coffee!”
Horace, an old man who had served Mitchlander’s family for generations, appeared with a cup of black coffee, “Have you made any progress?”
“No,” Mitchlander sighed. Around Horace, rank and money fell away. Mitchlander had always idolized Horace, for as long as it was remembered. Although Horace was only a servant, Mitchlander treated him as a friend.
“Well, Master Daniel, I think that it would be wise to go to bed. It’s been a long enough day as it is.”
Mitchlander sighed, “Maybe, maybe. But, Horace, one thing bothers me. They couldn’t have taken her out without some knowledge of the verbal de-activation code. Whoever took Kiara is directly connected to the Kaenen Project.”
Inside the strip club, it was cold. The only heat came from the merging bodies of the drunken men and the desperate women. Oddly enough, these underground whore houses were the area where D’Ubrav worked best.
The men were too drunk to focus on anything but the strippers, and the strippers were to intent on getting money to pay attention to the manila folders D’Ubrav would review.
But the folder was really just for show that night. D’Ubrav wasn’t worried about work.
“Gimme another,” he slurred demandingly, his reddened eyes hardly focused on the bar tender.
“Boy, you gonna fuck yourself up with this.”
“Is alright…”
“Okay, but don’t you be passin’ out on my shift.”
“Whatev…”
But five re-fills later, and D’Ubrav was on the verge of fainting. His eyes were redder than his hair, and his sentences would end in rambles, his mind shutting down. It was then that Haydie showed up.
“Tom! Where were you? I had to search the whole city for you!” she cried, putting her arms around his shoulder and staring at the bar tender with concerned eyes, “Has he been troubling you?”
“Not so much. He’s a quiet one.”
Haydie smiled sadly, “Well, we’ll get him out of here. Come on, Tom.”
D’Ubrav’s tired eyes flashed with dull recognition, “Haydie?”
“Come on.”
Slowly, D’Ubrav staggered to his feet, grasping her arm for balance. Haydie reached over and picked up the folder, leading D’Ubrav outside.
After a few breaths of smokeless air, D’Ubrav fell to his knees and vomited on the sidewalk. His breaths came in ragged gasps.
“Oh shit…” Haydie sighed, “Come on. My car’s just a little farther.”
D’Ubrav shuddered as he stood, tears forming in his eyes, “I… I don’ thin’ I make it….”
“Of course you will, come on.”
Haydie’s car was parked fifty or so feet away. A woman was waiting patiently in the driver’s seat, looking a bit bored. When Haydie threw open the back door of the car, the woman smiled, then frowned.
“We drove all over the city to pick up this drunk?”
“Kit, be quiet,” Haydie sighed, “He’s a nice person when he’s not loaded. Let’s just take him to my house, and clean off his shirt.” She set the manila folder in the passenger’s seat and crawled into the back with D’Ubrav, letting his head rest on her lap.
D’Ubrav’s eyes watered again as he coughed up more vomit. It mixed with his drool and dripped onto his shirt collar. Haydie sighed, and used her sleeve to wipe his chin.
Kit rolled her eyes, “Haydie, you’re way too nice. That’s really gross. He’s not even that attractive.”
“That’s because he’s covered in his own vomit, and is too drunk to think. When he’s cleaned up, he’s a cute little boy.”
“How old is he?”
“I’d say twenty-four at most.”
“Twenty-four?” Kit’s eyes widened, “He’s so young! My god, it’s like… a five year age difference?”
“My parents were thirteen years apart…”
D’Ubrav began to mutter, “Julius… I don’… Julius.”
Haydie sighed, “I’ll probably let him throw his guts up, and then maybe I’ll let him sleep in my bed.”
Kit laughed, “Oh my god, girl. You must have a heart the size of the Axis if you’re honestly going to give this guy board. Where does he live?”
“At base.”
“Seriously? That’s awful,” Kit’s voice was sad, “I can’t imagine a life like that. I know that Talbot manages somehow, but he doesn’t have to kill anyone. And he comes home every weekend…”
They pulled up at Haydie’s apartment. “Thanks, Kit. Tell Sonny I said hello.”
“Do you need help?” Kit opened the door.
“Sure.” Haydie lifted D’Ubrav’s head and patted his shoulder, then grabbed his arms and pushed him out of the car. Kit grabbed his legs and the two women carried him up the stairs to apartment 23.
Haydie grinned at Kit, “Thanks babe. I owe you.”
Kit nodded, “Damn strait. You’re buying me popcorn next movie we go to.”
“You’ve got a deal.”
The two women hugged, and then Kit was gone; leaving Haydie to deal with D’Ubrav.
It was quiet for the next hour, with the exception of the sound of D’Ubrav throwing up, and then dry heaving. Finally, it was silent.
Haydie ventured into the bathroom to find D’Ubrav passed out by the toilet, an expression of pain on his face, and a line of thick drool dripping down to his chin. With some effort, Haydie too D’Ubrav’s shirt off and placed it in the washing machine, and cleaned his face off.
She dragged him to the bed and placed him down roughly after some trouble. Although Haydie was moderately strong, D’Ubrav was about a foot taller than her.
She then placed the manila folder on the counter of the kitchen sink, re-filing the contents.
With her task accomplished, Haydie undressed and crawled into bed beside D’Ubrav, her eyes sad and fixed on his face, wondering about what she had found in the folder. She drifted off with her arms wrapped around his chest.
After the initial pain, a sense of disorientation set in. The clean white bed wasn’t his, and he sure wasn’t in the base. Slowly, his mind grasped a few of the previous night’s events. He could remember drinking, then being tossed around, and Haydie’s hands around his chest.
The pain in his head was killing him. He rolled over and sighed, glancing at a note on the pillow beside him. He opened it slowly, straining his eyes to read.
‘Tom, I cleaned your shirt, and made a quick breakfast for you. Also, I read some of what was in the folder. You have every right to be mad at me. I’m sorry. Your shirt is in the dryer. I told base you had the stomach flu, and were staying at my place, sick. Much love- Haydie.’
D’Ubrav felt a flash of anger, followed by sadness. The folder was really military business, and Haydie was part of the military. It wasn’t anyone’s choice who read it, weather it was personal or not.
Kaenen Project Operative 159’s failure was military business. Not just D’Ubrav’s business. Just like the termination of the building of Operative 240.
But 159 was personal to D’Ubrav. It was his brother, after all. Julius D’Ubrav was the only thing that Thomas had ever loved. And it had been so cruelly taken.
A long time ago, when the Kaenen Project was just starting, and Wentworth was a young man, the military had no qualms about taking children. The D’Ubrav brothers had just been unlucky.
Julius D’Ubrav was the smart one. He was the capable one, the strong one, the fast one… and the first to be put into experimentation. There was the horrible memory burned into Thomas D’Ubrav’s mind of Julius being taken away, kicking and screaming.
And Julius had died. He was nearly complete when his human system over rode the micro chips and caused a chemical re-action of devastating proportions. Julius had literally exploded.
Thomas had gone into the experimentation room much more quietly. But his project had been terminated. And now, Thomas D’Ubrav was 2 machine.
He stumbled into the kitchen and ate the small bowl of cereal that Haydie had set out for him, and flipped through the folder again. Julius’s face smiled back at him from the paper. And in the quiet of the early morning, with no one watching, Thomas D’Ubrav cried.
“Miss, do not speak. You have had your system shut down and are re-initializing. Soon we will meet General Wentworth, and he will tell you everything you need to know.”
Kiara pouted, “Okay, but I still don’t like it.”
“It doesn’t matter. From now on, you report to General Wentworth. You will live in the section for creations like us.”
“Creations like us? What the hell are you talking about?”
“Kaenen Project Operatives. You are Key 001, I am Project 24601. Thomas D’Ubrav was Project 240, but he was terminated. I would watch out for him, if I was you. Trust only Wentworth, Talbot, and Secon Haydie.”
“Secon Haydie?”
“Haydie. Secon is just her official title.”
“I’ve heard that name somewhere…”
But Mortimer did not respond, he had opened the door to Wentworth’s office.
Wentworth took Kiara’s hand and led her to his desk. “It’s nice to meet, you. Miss Kiara. I have anticipated your arrival for some time now. Please, take a seat. Congratulations, 24601. You’ve done very well.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Kiara,” Wentworth turned to face her, “Mortimer will be your companion and training partner.”
“Wait,” Kiara raised her hands, “Who the hell are you people, and what am I doing here?”
“We are the Empire. I am General Richard Wentworth, and this is Operative 24601, aka Mortimer. You have been taken for reasons that will not be dispelled to you until later.”
Kiara’s face was a blank mask of confusion, “Empire? How did I get here?”
But no one could answer. Haydie burst through the doors in a rush of paper work, “Sorry, sir! I had to get information on her workings for Talbot, and…” she looked at Kiara, and fainted clean away.
“Secon Haydie!” Mortimer cried, dropping to her side, “Secon Haydie! Talk to me, talk to me!”
Haydie’s eyes fluttered briefly and she began to speak, “Allen. His name was Allen. I was in love… Kiara. They took Kiara…”
“Secon Haydie,” Mortimer’s voice was fearful.
Haydie stood, dropping her paperwork, “I need to speak to Wentworth alone. Please leave, children.”
Kiara and Mortimer looked at each other nervously, then left the room, their automated brains trying to grasp what had happened.
“I…” Mortimer faltered, “I don’t understand what happened.”
Kiara shrugged, “She fainted.”
“It was something to do with you.”
Kiara shrugged again, “I don’t know.”
“Do you know that you are a machine?”
“Yes,” Kiara nodded, “I’m a bio-android. That’s what Mitchlander told me, anyway. I don’t eat, and I get information from a wire.”
“Do you know how to access your powers?”
She shook her head miserably, “They told me that it would be pre-programmed into my brain, but I can’t access it yet.”
“We have to work on that first. I’d like to avoid a trip to see Talbot if I could, so we can start with the questions they asked me. Have you ever used the Kaenen Project before?”
“I think once… When I was very little.”
“Can you remember the emotions associated with the activation?”
Kiara blinked, “Excuse me? What the hell was that?”
“The emotions associated with…”
“Yes,” Kiara muttered, “God, you’re weird. I was scared. And there was this little voice in the back of my head that told me to activate at four percent.”
Mortimer’s eyes flashed and he spoke in an automated voice, “Committed to memory.” He shook his head, his voice normal again, “Sorry. Thanks.”
“Do we have to do this?” Kiara mumbled nervously, “I don’t want to…”
“Alright. What should we do?”
“Tic-tac-toe?” Kiara suggested meekly.
“What?”
Kiara’s eyes widened, “You’ve never played tic-tac-toe?”
“Once or twice… Key 001, is your personality separated from your body?”
“I don’t understand.”
“Part of your brain is mechanical, as is mine. My personality is not separated from my machine body. Sometimes they do that, though. As a preservation measure. Do you know?”
“I don’t remember!” Kiara’s voice was high and hysterical, “Why are you holding me hostage!?”
Mortimer shook his head, “That is classified information. I am not allowed to divulge.”
Kiara began to cry, “I just want to go home.”
“We could play checkers…” Mortimer suggested, pretending not to hear her.
“Checkers?” Kiara’s sad eyes brightened slightly, “Okay… Where?”
Mortimer stared at her quizzically. Her personality was different than the machine, that was sure. She acted like she was seven, with the body of a seventeen year old. Maybe, the longer she stayed wake without a shut down, she aged mentally.
“Come with me,” Mortimer took her warm hand in his, wrapping his fingers around it. “It’s a place where only things like us can go.” He led her down a hallway to a large white door with a finger print detector.
Mortimer placed his thumb on it, and the door slid open.
“Whoa!” Kiara’s eyes widened, “How did you do that?”
“This detector is sensitive to the chemicals of the microchips. If you’re an average human, than this room is inaccessible.”
Kiara smiled, “That’s really cool.”
Over the course of the day, Kiara’s mentality went from that of a small child’s to her sixteen year old form, and even a bit older.
“You know,” Kiara sighed, “I think you were right. My personality is the only part of my brain that’s natural…” the day had almost finished.
Mortimer smiled, “My personality is automated for the most part.”
Kiara shook her head, “But I really don’t remember how to activate the Kaenen Project portion of my brain. They should have kept that…”
“No…” Mortimer took Kiara’s hand, “I think I like this…”
Wentworth touched her shoulder, “It was only a temporary Memory Restriction System. I should have counted on this.”
“That is my child that your are asking me to treat like property! MY CHILD!”
“I realize the severity of what I am asking, but your child is no more human than 24601, or 34580.”
“24601 is 75 human! And 34580 is even more than that! My daughter is still partially human.”
“Only by 2. She is practically a machine. I do not care what you, or Mitchlander think about Kaenen Project Key 001. She is a machine, and a weapon at that, and we will utilize her.”
Tears began to form from Haydie’s eyes and she kneeled by the paperwork and sobbed. Wentworth ignored her cries, and re-organized his desk.
“What happened?”
The pair went inside and talked until the sun set. And they went to bed together, but they did not make love. D’Ubrav fell asleep quickly, his face seeming to change from that of a bitter man’s to that of a frightened boy’s. Haydie watched him with sadness, but moved herself closer to him, longing for the reassurance that she had once had.
Her memories were coming back to her fast. She remembered giving birth, the baby being taken, waking up in a strange base with a new name… Vaguely she could recall Allen telling her that he was going to war, that she would have to join the side that was going to win…
And then there was Wentworth. He had come into the room and escorted Haydie out, and Allen’s eyes had watched them go. But was Allen really his name?
Allen… Daniel… Daniel Allen… Daniel Allen what? Why couldn’t she remember his last name?!
But she didn’t so much mind not having a name to put with the misery of loss. She wanted to feel the security of knowing she was loved again. D’Ubrav was part of that security.
She put her hand on D’Ubrav’s back and began to drift away to sleep. Thomas D’Ubrav… a cute little boy. Yes, he would do. He would do nicely.
Mortimer shook himself awake, glanced at the clock, and nudged Kiara, “Come on. Get dressed. We have to go.”
Kiara shook her head, “I want five more minutes.”
“This is urgent. Besides, it’s six. Many people are awake or here already.”
With a small groan, Kiara slid out of the cot and dressed herself in the scratchy military uniform, tugging uncomfortably at the collar. “I don’t understand,” she muttered, “Why do you people run around like cattle at the call of some hotshot behind a desk.”
“Wentworth is the General,” Mortimer stated blankly opening the door and heading out into the hall.
“Yeah,” Kiara followed him, “But that doesn’t mean you have to act like his lap dog.”
“I am under command of General Wentworth. I must obey orders.” They were rounding the corner and approaching the office.
Another announcement blared, “Would Captain Thomas D’Ubrav please report to General Wentworth’s office? This is an urgent message…”
“Crap…” Mortimer muttered, opening the door to Wentworth’s office and practically dragging Kiara in.
Behind Wentworth stood Haydie, her face down, her eyes wide with something that resembled insanity. Wentworth’s face was pale and drawn. The door swung open once again, and D’Ubrav darted in, saluting. His eyes that were usually filled with distain looked frightened and obedient.
Wentworth stood and addressed them, “Ladies and Gentlemen… I have called you here to speak to you separately. You are the four I trust most at this time. We are about to go to battle.”
There was a dead silence. “Excuse me?” D’Ubrav asked, “This shouldn’t be a problem, right? We fight them, they fight us… we’ve done this. Why is this so urgent?”
“Because we are going to utilize the Kaenen Project,” Wentworth’s voice was empty.
“Oh my god…” D’Ubrav’s face paled, “Sir… Are you being serious?”
“Yes, Captain D’Ubrav. I am being serious.”
Haydie’s mouth was moving but no sound came out. Her eyes were filled with her tears. Kiara and Mortimer stood motionless.
“When was this decided?” D’Ubrav muttered.
“As of very recently. The Alliance has made the first move. They have destroyed the city of Nai.”
“Nai?” D’Ubrav stammered, “They invaded Nai? But how?! I thought we had strategic defenses there!”
“Our defenses were the outside of the city. They penetrated the inside first, and then killed Captain Drano. It was a fairly easy victory from there.”
“Fuck!” D’Ubrav screamed, his voice cracking in fear, “Sir, is it really necessary that we utilize the Kaenen Project?”
“Captain D’Ubrav,” Wentworth’s voice was cold and authoritative, “I make the decisions. I want you to inform your subordinates, and give them ten days to prepare. Operative 24601, I want you to train Key 001 for battle. I realize that this is a short amount of time to surpass the personality block, but you must do it.”
Mortimer saluted and took Kiara’s hand, “Come on,” he muttered, “We need to go.”
The two let and closed the door carefully behind them. There was a silence in the room before Haydie started crying. But her cries were un-headed by either men. The air of crushing fear and hatred drowned out the sounds of sorrow.
Kiara shook her head miserably, “I can’t do it! I don’t understand…”
Mortimer sighed, “I don’t want to have to activate you manually. It should come automatically. There is a small block in your mind that halts you from accessing the Kaenen Project easily, but you can still do it.”
“No, I can’t!”
“Shut up,” Mortimer was loosing patience, “We only have ten days. If we’re not prepared both body and mind, we will die.”
Kiara scowled, “Don’t tell me what to do.”
“I can easily shut you down,” Mortimer growled, “Do you want that?”
“Oh fine,” Kiara sighed, “Do I just say, like, operate Kaenen Project?”
“No. It’s a part of you. You have to connect with the microchips to activate it. Although with the right amount of force, I’m sure I could activate it for you.”
“Don’t touch me!” Kiara snapped, “Jeeze… Alright…” she closed her eyes, a dead expression on her face as she muttered, “Kaenen Project Activation 001… Complete!”
Her eyes had turned from brown to a bright green. Her breathing was fast, and he cried out, holding her head with an expression of pain.
“Congratulations,” Mortimer’s voice was soft, “You’ve broken through the block.”
Kiara began to cry softly, “It hurt… It hurt…”
Mortimer took Kiara’s hand and kissed it, “I wouldn’t know…” he muttered, “but you’ve done something I don’t think I could ever do. The more you practice breaking the barrier, the less painful it will be.”
“I don’t want to…”
Mortimer’s eyes flashed red, “You have to. Weather you like it or not is irrelevant.”
Kiara’s tears were drying and she sighed, “I don’t know why I have to learn to do this.”
“Because if you don’t, the Empire will fall,” a voice from behind them muttered.
Both of the androids spun around to face the new comer. “D’Ubrav…” Mortimer grinned coldly, “How nice to see you.”
D’Ubrav nodded, “Wentworth told me to help you. I’m not enjoying this anymore than you are. Especially after what happened last time.”
Mortimer smiled, “You fought a fair fight… for a human.”
“Thanks,” D’Ubrav muttered, then spun around to face Kiara, a gun in hand, “Activate or I’ll shoot.”
Kiara’s face was drawn with fear as she practically screamed, “Kaenen Project Activation! Power Output at 40!”
Almost as soon as she had said the words, D’Ubrav was on the ground, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, the gun on the floor. Mortimer placed his foot on the unconscious man and nodded at Kiara, “Impressive. At only forty percent you could control the powers that they said only I possessed. Kaenen Key 001, deactivate Kaenen Project Mode.”
Kiara fell to her knees in fear, “Did I kill him?”
“Maybe,” Mortimer shrugged, “But it’s not so much of a loss. I’m still impressed.”
“Oh my god… We need to contact the infirmary.”
“Momentarily. Tell me something first.”
Kiara stared at Mortimer nervously, “What?”
“How did you do it?”
“I…” Kiara shook her head, “I don’t know. There was something in me though… I don’t know what to call it… I just wanted him to stop pointing the gun at me. I was so scared!”
Mortimer nodded, “What you just did has no technical term. As of yet, there are three recorded Kaenen Project Operatives who can do it. You, me, and one who died named Julius. It’s called by Wentworth; the mind crush.”
Kiara’s face was twisted with fear, “Oh my god… did I blow his brain up!? I didn’t mean to kill him!”
Shaking his head, Mortimer sighed, “I’ll contact the infirmary. But relax, he’s only a human. If he dies, no big loss. ”
His only movement was the constant twitching of his hand, and his mouth moved as if trying to talk, but only blood came out.
“What happened!?” cried Emily as she administered a mild sedative and hooked D’Ubrav to the IV, checking his pulse.
Kiara began to cry, “I think I killed him!”
Emily’s kind brown eyes suddenly turned cold, “Are you the newest Kaenen Project Operative?”
Miserably, Kiara nodded. “I… I didn’t mean to… I just… He had a gun pointed at me! I didn’t want to die…”
With a frown, Emily attached the heart monitor to D’Ubrav and muttered, “Well, you’re certainly not dead, but no guarantees about this one.”
Kiara began to cry harder, “If he dies, I’ll kill myself!”
“Don’t make promises,” Emily sighed, ushering them out of the infirmary, “Besides. It can’t be helped. You’re only an android. A sub-human. Go on, get out. You need to train.”
“Don’t be put off by it,” Mortimer advised, loading his gun, “She’s only a mortal. Confidence issues.”
“Yes…” Kiara sighed, “But… I’ve never considered myself subhuman.”
Mortimer shrugged, “They will do whatever they want to make themselves feel better. Now come, target practice. Maybe you’ll even figure out how to control your power output.” He handed her the gun, and pointed to the dummy, “Make it a headshot. You have a laser on this, so it should be easy.”
Slowly, Kiara focused the laser on the head of the dummy and fired. A hole appeared in what would have been the jaw. “Did I do okay?” Kiara asked nervously, “I’ve never shot a gun before…”
“It’s not bad,” Mortimer praised, “for a beginner. Let me show you…” He took the gun from her, focused, and fired. A hole appeared in the temple. The dummy fell with a crash.
“Wow…” Kiara muttered as Mortimer walked over and stood the dummy up. “That was awesome. How long have you been training?”
“About two years. But this was a stand still target, so it was a fairly easy kill.”
“Only two years?”
“It was intensive,” he brushed her questions off, “but we need to work on controlling your power. I want you to make this dummy explode.”
Kiara’s eyes widened, “Um… what?”
Mortimer’s eyes were commanding, “Make him explode. Or implode. Whichever you’re capable of.”
“How do I do that?”
“How did you do it before?”
“Wha…” her eyes widened, “When I… with that man…”
Mortimer nodded, “Yes. Do to the dummy what you did to D’Ubrav.”
Kiara shook as she spoke, “Kaenen Project Activation. Power Output at 40.” Her flashing green eyes focused on the target, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then the head of the dummy crumbled in, followed by the body. “Kaenen Project Mode, deactivate.”
“Oh my god…” Mortimer’s jaw hung open, “That was incredible. And at only forty percent…”
“Why…” Kiara rubbed her head, “isn’t that normal?”
“No…” Mortimer grinned, “That’s great. I have to go to at least fifty percent before I can even start to do that. But I make things explode, not implode…”
“I hate this,” Kiara stated, her eyes focused on something far away.
Mortimer sighed, “Does anyone like war?”
Kiara shook her head, “I keep thinking about the man… I hope he’s not dead.”
“If you’ve killed Captain D’Ubrav, you’ve done us all a favor,” Mortimer’s voice was venomous; “I hate him.”
“Why?”
“He…” Mortimer shook his head, “Nothing. It’s stupid. He’s just a hypocrite.”
“A hypocrite?”
Again, Mortimer shook his head, “It’s really nothing… It’s just…” Mortimer’s voice slipped between automation and human, cracking, “He calls us all subhuman but he’s two percent machine himself. I read the files. His project was terminated, but he was going to be Operative 240. That bastard has the audacity to call us fake…”
Kiara touched Mortimer’s shoulder, “It’s alright. My engineer used to look down on me, and then, I found out that his legs were metal… It must be a human thing.”
Mortimer grinned, “I guess so.”
“Now,” Kiara’s eyes flashed, “Show me that you can make a dummy explode!”
A second test dummy was brought out from the storage closet. Mortimer closed his eyes and focused on the mental image of the dummy, muttering “Kaenen Project Activation. Power Output: 60, then, with an angry scowl, opened his eyes to watch the dummy’s head blast into tiny bits.
Kiara’s mouth opened wide, “Whoa.”
“It’s not as impressive as you, of course,” Mortimer sighed, “but I’m rather proud.”
Kiara moved closer to Mortimer and touched his face. And there was something almost human about the way they kissed.
He turned to look at the new subject. Beautiful. Already, Talbot could tell that it would be a stable experiment, unlike the last six. But that had been during the Fourth Martian Civil War, and they had been traumatized victims.
“What’s his name?”
“Mortimer Constantine.”
“Operative 24601…” he muttered, staring at the body on the table, “he’s going to be perfect. Simply perfect.”
With a jerk, Talbot twitched awake. He had fallen asleep at his desk, his drool smudging several documents. A dream? Yes. It had been a dream and nothing more. Maybe a faint memory….
But why now? They were three days away from the next battle in the Axis War, and now was no time to be dreaming. Perhaps he hadn’t been taking the drugs.
A week had passed since the accident in training, and 24601 had been in the lab quite a bit for upgrades….
Talbot shook his head, now wasn’t the time to be wondering about the workings of the sub-conscious. There was work to be done.
A human boy. Sixteen years old, and nearly dead from malnutrition. Within a week, experimentation had begun. Mortimer Constantine, Operative 24601, did not complain when they cut off his arms and legs.
He did not complain when they replaced his missing limbs with metal ones.
He did not complain when they cut open his head and replaced part of his brain with the Kaenen Program.
And he did not complain when he was injected with the microchips.
A perfect subject… 75 machine…
“I don’t want to kill them,” Mitchlander sighed, looking at Horace with a slight fear in his eyes, “I just want Kiara back. I’m willing to work out a treaty.”
Horace smiled his wise smile, “What are you fighting for anyway, Dan?”
“I believe we are fighting to Control the Axis, but it’s very complicated now… All I want is Kiara, and then I can think.”
With a shake of his head, Horace sighed, “Who does the Axis mean so much to you?”
Mitchlander’s eyes became cold, “The Empire has a form of government called Marshal Law. The military is all powerful. I do not want them to conquer us. Control of the Axis increases the spread of The Republic. People deserve a fair government.”
“Your cause is very honorable. Why do you need the girl?”
“She is the most important weapon we have ever created.”
Horace’s wise smile faded, “I thought she was your daughter.”
“She is. She is also the daughter of the Secon in The Empire.”
“My Lord…” Horace sighed again, “I do not find it wise that you muse over Miss Montero.”
Mitchlander nodded, “But our head sometimes is second to our heart.”
Horace stood, “My Lord, this is a time of war.”
Exhaling loudly, Mitchlander nodded, “And all’s fair in love and war.”
A man with a wrinkled face meets her at the door and shows her in. This certainly wasn’t what she expected. As a young courtesan, she had worked with many rich men, but this was something new entirely.
The old man leaves her in the drawing room with the large windows and she waits for a while.
The door reopens. It is a younger man, but older than herself. He smiles and introduces himself, “Good evening, Miss Montero…”
And she had no chance. She was in love.
One day left.
“Tell me if I’m hurting you,” Talbot instructed, as he took Kiara’s arm.
Kiara nodded. “Okay, what are you going to do?”
“Cut you open.”
Kiara’s mouth opened, and she fainted, slamming onto the metal table.
“Was that really necessary?” Mortimer asked, glancing down at his unconscious lover, then looking up at Talbot.
Talbot shrugged, “Probably not. But it was fun.”
“You’re mean spirited.”
With another shrug, Talbot laughed, “Maybe, maybe not. Come on, let’s open her up.”
They worked for an hour or so to open her main system and re-wire her brain. When it was done, Talbot washed the oil off his hands and grinned, “Great. Now she won’t make stupid mistakes and kill random people in the battle.”
“Do I have to go through this process?”
“No, we embedded your brain with the information before. She was wired to The Empire’s information.”
“Oh… Talbot, why do you never blink? Isn’t it a human tendency to blink?”
Talbot grinned, “Oh 24601. I’m so messed up. I wouldn’t sleep if I didn’t take drugs, and I wouldn’t wake up without them… I can’t blink. I’m too jacked up.”
Mortimer frowned, “Than whom,” his words were soft, “is really sub-human?”
Slowly, D’Ubrav opened his eyes. He couldn’t focus on the face in front of him, but he nodded weakly, “Wha… What happened?”
Emily touched his head, “You got mind-crushed.”
“Crap. How long have I been out,” slowly, Emily was coming into focus, along with the rest of the small infirmary room.
“Nine days. You’re not going to war tomorrow, obviously.”
“God, I bet Wentworth’s mad as hell at me.”
Emily chuckled, “A bit. But he’s got Captain Malone covering for your duties. He says that if you keep hurting yourself, he’s going to have to kick your ass himself.”
D’Ubrav laughed, but a pain shot through his head and he clenched his teeth in pain, “God…”
“Don’t overwork yourself,” Emily’s voice was broken as she turned her face away from him.
“What’s wrong?” D’Ubrav asked.
“I…” Emily was crying, “I don’t want you to die. I’m just glad that you can’t fight.”
“Em…” D’Ubrav faltered, “Thanks.”
“March!” a voice called out, and both sides began to walk mechanically.
Kiara had her hand wrapped around Mortimer’s sleeve as she tagged along; staying with the rest of the Kaenen Operatives in the back.
There was a tension in the air as they approached, then a voice cried, “Fire!”
Hell broke loose. The armies charged each other, their bullets piercing the air, blood spilling all around them.
Mortimer muttered something then turned to Kiara, his eyes red. “Activate your Kaenen Project Mode.”
Kiara shook her head, fear in her eyes, “I… I… I don’t know if I can do it!”
A man fell behind them, his gun going off loudly. Kiara screamed, her eyes filled with tears. More shots were fired and Kiara curled up, falling to the ground.
“Come on!” Mortimer screamed, facing an enemy, and causing the man to explode in a spray of blood, “Just activate already!”
“I can’t!” Kiara was sobbing, “I don’t want to kill anyone!”
More men fell around them, their heads deformed and crushed by Mortimer’s power.
As Kiara cried, Mortimer fell.
He felt the bullet inter the back of his skull like someone poking his head. He cried out and smashed to the ground in front of Kiara, his blood staining her shoes.
Kiara’s mind was blank as she watched the man reload his gun, his eyes fixed on her. She spoke in a cold tone, “Kaenen Key 001, Activate. Power Output, 100."
He sat up nervously, a cold sweat rolling down his neck. He stood up, and un-hooked the IV and heart monitor, opening the door to a scene of destruction.
The infirmary had been devastated. It had burned, leaving bones and deformed bodies. It was like something out of a horror movie.
“Oh my god…” he muttered, his face twisted with fear. This was it. It was the end of The Empire. They had lost the war.
Haydie Montero had come into the picture later. She had been chosen by Wentworth. She was going to be used for one porpoise only: to carry the child that would become Kaenen Key 001.
But plans had backfired. The Kaenen Project was being constructed on the territory of The Empire, but the Key would be on the territory of The Alliance. Therefore, Haydie Montero couldn’t stay with her child.
Secon Webber had been dying anyway. It was fairly easy to kill him and replace him with Haydie. With her memory block, she wouldn’t know that she had been a pawn… Or so they thought.
Mitchlander lay dying beside his men, but he had a smile on his face. And his child had won him the war.
((Epilogue))
Thomas D’Ubrav fixed his tie with an agitated glance at the clock. It was hard, having to do everything with one hand. After the blast, the radiation had taken his left arm below the elbow.
Of course, he probably shouldn’t have been touching anything… especially the bodies of people who had died from the blast.
“Hey! Tom!” a voice called out from across the office.
D’Ubrav glanced up to see Talbot quickly approaching, his face half frozen with no expression. The other half was grinning happily. “Come to get a new arm?”
“Yeah…” D’Ubrav nodded, avoiding Talbot’s one eyed glance. When Kiara had turned herself into a bomb and blown everything in a two hundred mile radius to bits, the right side of Talbot’s face had been part of the first to go.
“Come on,” Talbot took D’Ubrav’s remaining hand and led him back into the operation room. “I’m good at this, I assure you. Did I ever tell you I worked on 24601? Anyway, you’re lucky it’s just your arm you lost. We can make it look like it never went missing.” A sadness filled Talbot’s voice as he continued, “But they can’t do much for my face…”
“Hey! Looking good!” Haydie greeted D’Ubrav three hours later at the park, “No one will ever be able to tell. Did you get anything cool that goes with it?”
D’Ubrav laughed, “Yeah… I guess. They gave me a prototype from the Kaenen Project. So I guess I can hide knives in there now… But that’s too much work. What did you want to talk about.”
Haydie sighed, “I know that you’re quitting the military… I just wanted to say goodbye.”
“Goodbye?” D’Ubrav looked shocked, “Are you sure about that? I mean, you could come with me! I’ve taken a great job. I’m a businessman now.”
“A businessman?”
“At school, both my minors were in business,” D’Ubrav smiled, “I knew that something obscure like that would come in handy. I’m going to make a lot of money. You could come with me… Inter-planetary trading!”
Haydie shook her head, “I… I’m sorry. Tom…” she faltered, “I’ve always needed one thing. To feel safe. I know it’s stupid… But… I guess, I only feel safe when I’m at base. I’m going to sell my apartment.”
D’Ubrav took Haydie’s hand, “Then I guess this is it… Haydie… Back in the hospital, and all those times I said I loved you… I wasn’t joking.”
“I know.” She stood on her toes and kissed him lightly, “Good luck, Tom.”
And with that, Secon Haydie Montero, Class S, walked out of Thomas D’Ubrav’s life.
But D’Ubrav leads a life separate from anything involving them. He’s not ruled by General Wentworth anymore, simply by a man named Mr. Vasquez, from a planet called Icarus.
And in those lonely nights, sometimes D’Ubrav’s left arm will hurt. It’s a dull pain, but it reminds him that everything he’s lost is still inside him somewhere.
But he tries to forget it all, and focuses instead, on the stars that have been and have yet to be discovered, like the things that happen in the name of love.
