Bubblegum Crusade (Ch. 23 of 24)

[fanfic_mausoleum_n_grill]

WELCOME TO BUBBLEGUM CRUSADE!

Standard disclaimer here.  "...5,6,7...go to hell, go to heaven.." -- Roy

Chapter Twenty Three

               MAD MACHINE

          "MAD MACHINE!"  In a savannah enraged by sandstorms.
          "MAD MACHINE!"  I chase down my prey on a dashing motorcycle.
          "MAD MACHINE!"  It isn't logical, this fire burning in my breast.
          "MAD MACHINE!"  If I'm with you, we may share the same dream.

          I don't want to cool my raging passion
          Until my sadness is torn to shreds.

          "Don't stop your love, your love...
          Tell me what do you want,
          Tell me how do you feel."

          You and I are like wounded beasts,
          With sparks in starving eyes.
          When, for an instant, I look back, afraid,
          My heartbeat does a painful dance.

          "Tell me what do you want,
          Tell me how do you feel."
          "MAD MACHINE..."

          "MAD MACHINE!"  I don't know about tomorrow and all...
          "MAD MACHINE!" All I want is someone with whom I can knock around

          Everything is melting away;
          It's such a sad joke.
          They say that cool stares
          Are more tender than sympathy.

          "Feeling so bad, so bad
          Tell me what do you want,
          Tell me how do you feel."

          Time flies, and pursues us,
          Like a wounded beast seeking release from its pain.
          My awakening wild nature has a hold on me,
          And the more masks I remove, the more women I become.

          "Tell me what do you want,
          Tell me how do you feel."

               Priss and the Replicants -- The bootleg tapes.

          Cyberspace

               Largo beheld that which he released upon the world and

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-642

          laughed as if it was the greatest comedy ever written.  Die, die,

          he thought, none can stand against me.  Your toughest Knight

          Saber is slain as easily as I would crush a coin.  Victory is

          mine.

               In the sea of the world-wide data net, the grey/blue GENOM

          Towers rose untouched and impregnable above the forest green

          representation of Largo which covered most of the net.  The

          securest Government and military systems were now surrounded and

          attacked by Largo.  One by one the arcs of green energy would

          become strong enough, as Largo grew in power, to shatter the

          layers of ICE and the entire structure of data would dazzle with

          brilliant green as it was taken over.

               Largo ignored the Towers around the world.  When he felt the

          Tai-Pan's power, he judged that he would need the entire net

          secure behind him before that last challenge could be accepted.

          Once this last battle with the Tai-Pan is over, thought Largo,

          nothing will be left to challenge me from my rightful place as

          ruler of this world, maker of paradise.  I and my people are

          destined.  Come to me Sylia, come to me.

                    *                   *                   *

          Over Japan, 20, October, 12:46 pm

               The bay appeared deserted as Sylia entered.  She walked pass

          the perfectly aligned rows of hardsuits, each one open and

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-643

          waiting for its operator before she came upon an empty slot.

          Sylia stopped, glanced at the helmet and blade set there in

          remembrance for a dead Knight Saber, and dropped to her knees as

          a wave of pain and sadness staggered her.  The pain quickly

          vanished as her sadness brought tears to her eyes.  I've felt

          this before, Sylia thought, when my father died.  Priss.  Sylia

          lurched to her feet and careened forward around a corner as she

          heard voices behind her.  She quickly came upon the section in

          the bay where her hardsuit was and stopped as she saw *****

          standing there by her suit.

               "*****."  She took several steps toward him and stopped as

          he turned.  Tears were running down his face.  He set the stack

          of CDs down by two tattered pieces of a hardsuit, turned away,

          and looked upwards before slowly fading away.

               Sylia slowly walked to the end of the isle and sat down

          opposite her hardsuit to stare at the vacant spot next to hers.

          "Priss."  She stared at the grey blade extended from its housing

          and the red stained glove.  The kanji on the stack of CDs was

          hand printed.  Priss and the Replicants.  Sylia didn't even know

          she was crying until Nabiki squatted down beside her and started

          to wipe her tears away.  "Tai-Pan, are you ok?"

               "Priss is dead," managed Sylia.

               "Oh no..."  Nabiki got up to sit beside her and wrapped her

          arms around Sylia.  "I...I..."  Nabiki couldn't go on as grief

          overwhelmed her.

               Sylia shook off the embrace, got to her feet and collapsed

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-644

          back down to her knees.  For a brief moment she howled out her

          grief and pain.  The cry echoed in the bay and brought six

          sexaroids to them in seconds.  They stood there, not daring to

          say anything.  Sylia stared at the stack of CDs, her vision

          blurred.  They could see the fury in her eyes.  They backed off

          as Sylia quicked got Quincy's disk from its place in her suit,

          wiped her eyes, and strode past them without saying a word.

               "What's going on?"  One asked Nabiki.

               "Priss...is gone."

               They stood there in disbelief until their logical minds

          accepted it from what they just witnessed.  Grief descended upon

          the group.  They started up to the main passenger area of the

          plane where most of their sisters were.

               Crystal, Leon, Nene, Taki, Mackie, and Rumiko were all

          gathered around the main display table in the forward officers

          lounge on the Dovenwolf.  A map of the North Kushiro area was

          displayed on part of the vid' screen.  Another part was a map of

          the complex where Priss's signal came from.  On the side was a

          tele'conferencing feed from the Pentagon.

               "Fuck it," exclaimed Crystal as she slammed her hand down on

          the table; the vid' screen images jumped.  "It'll be impossible

          to get her out alive or even getting into her.  Judging from the

          way they designed the installation, they wanted to hold off a

          fuck'en army."

               "That's exactly right," said Nene.  "That place was built

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-645

          during the cold war, when the USA and Russia were enemies.  They

          designed it to be impregnable."

               "And so it fuck'en well is.  Col. Wildstar, any ideas."

               "Well I never thought I'd be asked to plan a pull from one

          of our own sites.  Judging from the original construction records

          and the reports that have now surfaced of raw materials going in,

          the complex is most likely a death trap.  Who knows what Largo

          may have done.  We've confirmed that the site is in lock-down

          mode.  If you raided the complex with 100 suited personnel, the

          fatality rate computes to over 70%.  And again, that's just with

          what we know about, not with what Largo's added."

               Rumiko suddenly shifted in her seat and looked out a window.

          "Crystal.  Don't you feel it?  We're turning East, headed for the

          Pacific."

               Crystal nodded and thumbed the comn' to the cock-pit.  "This

          is Crystal.  Why are we turning to the East?"

               "The Tai-Pan's orders."

               "Wha..?"

               Sylia walked into the room.  They all stared at her as she

          moved to the conference table and glanced at what was going on.

          "Col Wildstar," Sylia said flatly, no emotion in her voice.

          "There will be no need for your assistance now.  Prepare

          yourself.  The last battle of this war is beginning."  Sylia

          clicked off the channel.

               "Mother?"

               Sylia didn't respond to her.  She keyed in her GENOM ID at

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-646

          the computer.  "Get me President Pinatubo, General Brown,

          President Koutovich, and Premier Yun Hi Ping immediately," she

          told the computer.  Sylia opened the circuit to the cock-pit.

          "This is the Tai-Pan.  Once we reach the ocean you will start

          ascending to our maximum possible flying height.  If we travel

          over 1500 kms from shore, establish a holding pattern.  Cut all

          computer ties with all computer nets and key all communications

          through this terminal."

               "Yes Ma'am."

               Sylia put the CD ROM in a drive and keyed in instruction for

          it on a fifth channel tied directly into the world-wide data net.

          Crystal saw her Mother's hand movements as she keyed in the

          instructions and began to worry and wonder about the extra set.

          Sylia scowled as she remembered and opened up a sixth channel.

               "Sylia," said Nene as Sylia blanked the two maps.  The seal

          of the President of the USA and the President of Russia appeared

          on the vid' screens.  "What about Priss?"

               She bowed her head.  They all saw her hands grip the table

          until her knuckles where white.  "Priss is dead."

               They sat in stunned silence until Nene started to cry.  They

          erupted, wanting to know how, when, how did Sylia know.  The Tai-

          Pan thundered for silence as President Pinatubo and President

          Koutovich both came on.

               "I am Sylia Stingray.  Gentlemen, it is time.  I trust

          you've been kept abreast of the developments.  We have

          ascertained Largo's position and are ready to kill him.  Are you

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-647

          both prepared."

               "Yes," said Pinatubo.  "The situation on the ground is

          worsening by the hour.  All networks except for top level

          military and Governmental have been compromised.  We have to act,

          but I think bringing nuclear weapons into this is abit extreme.

               ["Yes, it's time to act."] said Koutovich.  They looked at

          the translated subtitles.  ["We are ready to fire one of our

          ICMBs if you will give us the coordinates."]

               "I can't believe you're actually going to do that.  It's

          insane."

               "Is it," hissed Sylia.  "We're dealing with a thing that

          will kill us all.  As far as we know, he doesn't have any nuclear

          weapons and that gives us the advantage.  The magnetic pulse

          alone will fry him if we can contain him in his main hardware

          long enough.  I have the key that will do that.  Besides, the

          missile will hit my country, not yours.  This is a sacrifice I

          will gladly give to be rid of him."

               "I see," said President Pinatubo as his image was replaced

          by his seal.  General Brown came on another channel.

               "Tai-Pan.  We've been ready since this began."

               Sylia nodded and turned back to the feed from the USA.

          "President Pinatubo, are you there?"

               "Yes.  We're ready."

               "He's just ordered a battery of ICBMs to aim at us,"

          protested Brown.

               "What?  How dare you suggest such a thing?"  Responded

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-648

          Pinatubo hotly.

               "It's true," shouted Brown.  "They'll annihilate us all to

          get Largo."

               ["Gladly,"] said Koutovich.

               "Why you back-stabbing, blundering..."

               Sylia cut the volume on all three channels as they started

          to fight amongst themselves.  Damn that Pinatubo, thought Sylia.

          The arrogance from these American Presidents.  Always think they

          have to run the whole show on this planet, like the rest of us

          are unworthy.  Fuck this.  She sadly shook her head and turned

          the channels back on.  "Shut up," she bellowed.  That got their

          attention.  "You are going to listen to me right now and you will

          then do as I say in this matter.  If you don't do exactly like I

          say the odds are that Largo will rule this world and he will hunt

          all humans down as diseased vermin, because that is what he

          thinks of us.  If we don't act together right now, the human race

          will end.  Pinatubo, if you act rashly and destroy all of Japan

          in the hope of killing him, Largo and I will laugh at you because

          he is the world net by now.  Destroy part, the rest remains

          intact, so he lives.  I have the key that will keep him occupied.

          If you launch an all out nuclear assault, as far as I'm

          concerned, Largo can just eat the US of A for breakfast and I

          wouldn't care in the slightest.  Now, will you two help me defend

          the human race or not?"

               "I'm not used to being spoken to in those tones," spouted

          Pinatubo.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-649

               ["Don't be a fool,"] interjected Koutovich.  ["We have to

          follow her lead.  Tai-Pan, we stand ready."]

               "Are you in," thundered Sylia to Pinatubo.

               "Yes," he growled back at her.

               Sylia paused as the feed from China came in.  "Premier,

          welcome."

               ["Madam Tai-Pan."]  He nodded in greeting.

               "Good.  Now we can proceed.  I will transmit the coordinates

          to my Knight Sabers on board a Russian sub.  That sub will fire

          an ICBM at Largo.  My mark will begin when I have confirmation of

          the launch.  Mark plus 180 seconds, I will use the key to

          distract Largo.  Mark plus 181 seconds, we'll unleash everything

          at the satellites together.  Largo loses that weapon, the key

          keeps him contained in his hardware, the ICBM fries him.  It's

          that simple."

               [We are ready, Tai-Pan,"] said Koutovich

               "Why at 180?"  Asked Pinatubo.  "My aids think that gives

          him plenty of time to abandon his main hardware.  And we should

          use that key of yours and our lasers at the same time."

               "If Largo sees this key in his system and the lasers firing

          at the same time, the element of distraction is lost and he'll be

          able to fire.  Give this a second to distract him before you

          fire."

               "But 180 seconds?"

               "He'll know it's coming sooner than each of us will know.

          He'll just laugh and go about what ever he's doing until he has

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-650

          to move, which will take a microsecond.  He'll be to busy with my

          distraction and time will run out on him."

               "Ok Tai-Pan.  Primer, your offer to help in this matter is

          most appreciated, but between Koutovich and myself, we have all

          laser satellites sighted already."

               ["Mr President, you misunderstand my role in this.  I have

          the dubious honor of disabling Largo's forces that are on the

          moon."]

               "Tai-Pan, is this true?"

               "Pinatubo," said Sylia.  "We can't take the risk of leaving

          any boomers alive that consider Largo as their god, especially on

          the moon.  We might not be able to get back up there immediately

          and if they build a rather simple apparatus, they could be

          throwing rocks into the middle of our major cities."

               Pinatubo though for a moment about the damage that would

          cause and nodded.  "When do we begin?"

               "Right now."  Sylia nodded and opened the sixth channel up

          to the Russian sub, squirting them with the coordinates and the

          command to launch.

               They heard General Brown, President Pinatubo, President

          Koutovich, and Premier Yun Hi Ping all give the order to stand by

          for firing.

               "Away," came Ming Le's voice over the comn' a minute later.

               "Mark," said Sylia.  A counter started and she closed down

          four of their five links to the outside world.  The data link to

          the world-wide data net remained open.  Crystal moved to hold her

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-651

          Mother's hand as Sylia bowed her head.  They waited.

               Largo watched the missile approach.  "Little Sister, I'm

          impressed.  Ha ha, my love, I didn't think you would pull

          something like this.  The odds on this possibility were so remote

          I didn't even consider it a viable option and didn't prepare for

          it.  You've surprised even me.  A trait that makes you even more

          worthy of being the one human to survive the coming apocalypse by

          joining with me.  I've learned from you, my love.  You've shown

          me another weakness in myself, and now, I'm stronger because of

          it."

               All except for Sylia and Crystal moved to the windows after

          the intership announcement was made.  They stared at the sky,

          hoping they would see nothing out of the ordinary in the azure

          blue.

               Crystal held her Mother's hand and began to squeeze harder

          and harder as the counter passed 120.  Sylia's fingers hovered

          over a button Crystal saw her rig that would disengage the virus

          from the counter and activate it immediately.  Sylia ignored the

          growing pressure that was starting to scrunch her hand.

               Mother, thought Crystal.  Why?  After all our struggles to

          stop Largo and protect humanity, why would you do this?  If you

          activate early, Largo won't be distracted when they fire and

          he'll be able to launch a counter.  Mother, why have you put all

          of our futures in jeopardy.  Crystal felt that she should pull

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-652

          her away from the consol, but slacked off crunching Sylia's hand

          instead.  Crystal stood there and believed in Sylia.

               178, 179, 180.

               The light from a black sun flooded into the eternal darkness

          of the computer matrix.  Largo screamed.  The green forest of

          data that comprised Largo started to crumble away, leaving the

          blue/grey representations of the Tai-Pan's computer net intact.

          "Sylia," Largo screamed.  "My love, what have you done?

          Noooooo......."

               181.  The ground based lasers and their particle beam

          counterparts in space fired simultaneously.

               Of course, thought Quincy as he attained Enlightenment.  He

          started to laugh.

               On the Dovenwolf, high above the Pacific, they saw it all.

          The numerous sparkles of light in the sky, and the result that

          thundered to Earth.  They silently watched the glow in the mid-

          day sky over the destroyed Mega-Tokyo.  The first particle beam

          was aimed right at the fusion reactor.  A dozen others struck as

          the city was vaporized.

               Largo retreated further and further into himself, screaming

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-653

          in pain, as the light crumbled his empire, his data nets, his

          very being from the inside and out.  His links to Luna and

          Genaros were severed as lasers from China slammed into their

          power reactors.  Genaros shuddered and exploded.  The moon bases

          fared no better.  The laser batteries that had the Discovery One

          in it's sights misfired and only one laser slammed through it.

          The ship shuddered and lurched forward with uncontrolled

          acceleration before the engines went dead; it was locked on it's

          original flight path.

               "I am destined," Largo screamed as 95% of himself retreated

          back to the safety of his main hardware.  "I..."  He looked to

          the sky and saw the ICBM approach ground zero at his position.

          He was laughing as it detonated.

               The humans on the Dovenwolf stared blankly, unable to quite

          comprehend before the feelings of lose started to weigh heavily

          upon them.  The sexaroids felt the desperate need to be close to

          one another.  They clumped together in groups, to feel the living

          presence of each other.

               Sylia sat down; Crystal was immediately at her feet,

          wrapping her arms around her Mother's legs.  Priss, Sylia thought

          slowly.  One name in...several billion.  Perhaps it's better this

          way.  This day of judgement will not be forgotten.  I was worried

          that if we won, beat Largo at his own game of destruction, that

          we, those who fought so long and hard in silence and near

          darkness, would never be heard at all.  Our new money, power, and

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-654

          the inevitable conspiracies would erase everything we fought for,

          would erase the knowledge that the path we were on was causing us

          to race towards oblivion.  Trivial thoughts now that the great

          and hulking machine we've made of our society has struck and

          nearly destroyed us.

               I...I held the entire race in my hand.  If I had attacked

          earlier, Largo would've responded without a doubt, but he didn't

          need me...didn't need me...to destroy...or did he?  If we had

          fired simultaneously....?  I...I must stop thinking like that.

          It's over and we have to go on.  I can't second guess myself now.

          I have a future to build for you two.  Sylia ran her hand over

          her stomach before urging Crystal up beside her.  Crystal buried

          her face at her mother's neck.  *****, did you ever face

          something like this?  I'm partially responsible for this day.

               Sylia got up and activated the comn' to the cock-pit.

          Someone was sobbing.  "This is the Tai-Pan," she said.  She tried

          to put confidence and an edge of steel into her voice, which came

          out strained and sad.  "Pilot."

               "Y..yes Ma'am."

               "Head South towards Tokumo Shima."

               "Yes Ma'am."

               "Why there?"  Wondered Crystal.

               "Because GENOM owns the whole island and the Tai-Pan had

          everyone removed from it.  No people, no reason for it to be a

          target."  Sylia activated the ship-wide comn'.  "Knight Sabers,

          children of Stingray, we've reached the end of an era.  It is a

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-655

          time of grief and of hope, but not one of despair.  We are alive;

          we have each other.  The past is gone, unalterable, but the

          future shall be ours.  It is us that shall shape the future.  Our

          battle is just beginning, just as our finest hour is yet to come.

          We will always remember this day and those from our ranks that

          didn't live to see it.  It is our duty to remember.

               Knight Sabers.  This world need us now, our strength, our

          dedication to honor, and, most importantly, our love.  We who

          were at the center and watched this horror unfold, it is our duty

          to insure that such as this, never happens again.  This I vow to

          the unborn generations, those that will grow up in the rubble of

          our past.

               We are collectively at fault because it would be to easy to

          say Largo and Largo alone, alone in his insanity, did this and

          leave it at that.  Yes, Largo did do this, but if it wasn't for

          the greed and the lust for absolute control by GENOM, my own

          mistake for seeking revenge against Mason, the over valuing of

          money in the society at large, the blind and ideal pleasures of

          the world that intoxicate and make one uncaring and

          complacent...I could go on, but I must not.  That way only lies

          madness, for who can see their world destroyed and not feel the

          tug of madness?

               Earth, humanity, and the cyberdroids have suffered greatly

          today.  We are the hope of this world and we must work for the

          day when the peoples of the Earth can say with pride that they

          survived this terrible day and now know happiness anew.

          HOUGH/CRUSADE-656

               The Knight Sabers must be at the center of what is now to

          come as we all struggle from the ashes, as the guardians of the

          future.  Our fighting spirit, our pride, our honor, our respect

          for all, these must be the models the children will look to.  It

          will be so hard, so very hard to deal with those that have no

          honor, know no loyalty, know nothing of building for the future.

          The traits in all of us that brought us to this point, the very

          demons that haunt all our actions, must be accepted and dealt

          with.  It is only then that these demons lose power over us.  I'm

          saddened because after so much death, we'll be responsible for

          more.  But for those that cannot find some place within the

          vision of the future....they shall meet with their destiny as all

          people shall.

               Knight Sabers, I have faith in us.  I love you all."