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Chapter 13

"I'll be damned to the deepest pits of Hell before I go after that monster," Micah said.

"I'd indeed prefer the option that means not losing any more soldiers," Farah agreed.

They had returned to their bunker and had been packing to leave, ignoring the creature's northern trajectory. Micah had retrieved the sample he had taken and would continue with his plan.

But they would not leave before he tended to some unfinished personal business.

"Hey," Farah said as Micah started walking away. "The alpha-creature said you were infected. You show no symptoms, but I can have the medic test you right now."

"Later," Micah said, turning back around. Though he did not see it, Farah grimaced at his cavalier response.

"Micah?"

He stopped without turning around. "Yes, Farah."

"... Don't be too hard on him."

Micah said nothing and resumed his walk.

He stepped into his hut, expecting to find Ulises precisely where he stood.

"Soldier. A word."

Ulises turned around. He folded his hands in front of him.

"Yes, sir," Ulises said in hard reply.

"When?" Micah asked him.

"Sir?"

"When did you stop time to disable Oberon's device?"

"When we found the transport."

Micah looked at him for a moment. Then he spoke.

"Unit Lead Farah left the Doctor under my discretion. I never once gave you clearance to disable his device. You were in error, soldier. Oberon, my friend, was helped to be neutralized by that error. I cannot name you my comrade today."

Micah allowed his reprimand to sink in.

They stood before eachother in silence.

"Permission to speak freely, sir," Ulises finally replied.

"Always," Micah told him.

"Farah shared my disdain for the odd man. She told you herself to take the device off him. I heard it with my own ears behind one of her tacky drapes. We didn't know if he was a trustworthy ally, as you named him."

"And now we never will," Micah responded coldly. "You are to relinquish your device to me."

"To you? While you keep yours fastened?"

"Mind your tone, soldier. You've lost the luxury of thinking for yourself. I'm giving the device to Farah. She has acknowledged the consequences of its use. It will remained locked up, deactivated, in her rucksack."

"You trust her more than I, now?"

"For the moment. You may begin to earn back my trust by accompanying us."

"And where are we going, sir?"

"To the late Doctor's lab."

Ulises sighed. He began unhooking his device from his wrist.

"I did not kill him in the end... sir," he said as he handed the device to Micah. "It was the creature's doing."

Micah did not give him a response.

* * *

They had reached the oasis. It had grown even more lush than when they had left it. There was still no water. Farah allowed her unit a respite.

Micah opened the small case containing the sample from the mutated alpha-soldier.

He looked at it. Remnants of his old comrade.

It moved.

The sample was... alive still. The sliver of purple-green matter wriggled weakly in place.

He quickly closed the case and re-sealed it.

"So, when are you going to tell everyone why we've been walking for hours?" Farah asked Micah, watching him.

"First thing's first," Micah replied. "Tell me how you got this technology." He pointed up, at the shield covering most of the oasis.

"We found it in an underground enemy bunker," she responded, "after the final incursion. It was just... there. Surprised the crap right out of our colons when we first had the guts to flip it on."

"You found it after the enemy had vanished?"

"Yes."

"Huh. I wonder if they even manufactured it," Micah said after a moment, Oberon's talk of other dimensions echoing in his mind. "Anyway. Okay. The Doctor's lab is a little over an hour north of here."

"And?" Farah asked.

"I have a sample from the alpha-creature himself," he said, holding up the medical container. "We're gonna try to..." Micah stopped mid-sentence. He suddenly felt dizzy.

He dropped the sample box and fainted.