Bionica: Origins

Chapter Eleven

Sudo

The President tells me he has sent me the very best Motors in his and Mr. Steele's corps. All of them appear inferior compared to my extensive circuitry and programming. We cannot expect to win the day with such outdated machinery. In addition, the rebels have entered an unpredictable factor into the statistics: something the President calls "luck." They cannot be allowed to repeat this. As such, I have advised that we move out immediately. But the President has elected to wait for the insufferable life form known as Rove. I do not trust the clones. If not raised properly, they are likely to exhibit traitorous behaviors. Nevertheless, I cannot disobey the President. I will not stoop to the clones' level.

Ratchet

The troops are all ready and waiting at the airlocks. If Gayge were back already, we may actually be able to get a plan to Eclipse and leave. But she's gotten held up, I guess. Honestly, I'm worried about her. What if something really bad happened to her?

Suddenly I spot a dark figure running towards the base. It's gotta be her. "She's back!" I shout to Siren, who's standing at the airlock controls. She presses the button and the doors close behind me and a handful of troops. I press the red button as soon as it starts flashing, indicating that it's safe to press. Gayge runs into my arms as I hug her tightly. "I was worried sick!" I say, stroking her hair.

"I'm fine," she says, then addresses the troops. "Tronyx is sending out an advanced Motor named Sudo to lead his forces. There are at least six thousand of them, maybe more. Compared to our numbers, we're all going to have to take a massive step up to beat them."

I stop her. "What about Rove? Isn't she leading this thing?"

"I took care of her," says Gayge. "Are all the troops ready to go?"

"As many as we could get," I say, looking back at the people in the airlock with me.

She presses the button to close the doors and looks at me. "Let's start sending squadrons through one by one. We can also get people out through the E hall airlocks and the escape jettisons."

We set to work doing as she says. As soon as all the troops are out, Siren gets up on the roof so we can all hear her.

"Fellow rebels!" she shouts in true heroic fashion. "I understand that some of you are completely out of your comfort zone in this situation. Some of you would rather be in the back strategizing or in the tech room repairing weapons. But not everyone can do what they're comfortable with, and I commend you all on your bravery as we head out to face this threat. Tronyx and Steele have been oppressing the world for as long as we can remember, but no more! Today we end it, once and for all! Some of you will not make it back. Know that if you fall today, the free world will be indebted to you. Now let's take them down! Justice will be swift! It will be painful! And it will be final!"

The crowd cheers, and honestly, I'm inspired, too. Siren's got a real way with words. "Now," she yells, "to your positions!"

Our team, which had been standing together, breaks apart. Eclipse will be the lead strategist, and Crescent will be repairing weapons. Glitch is lying on a cliff somewhere, reporting the Motors' locations to the strategists. Siren, Sprocket, Gayge, and I are fighting.

Gayge walks up and stands beside me. "You ready?"

"No," I say, smiling a little. I can feel a tear running down my face. "Oh, god, I'm actually really scared... wow, I feel weak."

Gayge wipes my tear away. "Crying isn't a sign of weakness," she says. "It's a sign of having been strong for too long."

I smile at her and pull her in to kiss her. Her lips are smooth against mine as I look her in the eye. "Remember what you promised, all right?" She nods at me and stares straight ahead, with a coldness in her eyes. I met her under that coldness, and it seems like she only thaws out for me. I'm consoled by that thought as a bright light shines in the corner of my eyes. I look over and see the setting sun glinting off the opposing army's metal shells. Their numbers are massive; I never realized how many six thousand really was until now. They're advancing determinedly and quickly. Suddenly they stop, drawing the battle lines. All is quiet for a bit, and I can feel the tension in the air around me.