I can’t seem to think of a single thing to say. Lucy, my angel, is coming back to me and this time I have the power to protect her from harm. I can reunite her with her brother. I can feel the sense of purpose return to my heart. 

“So she is fine?” I ask vigorously.

“As far as I know there have been no externalities,” Aihl says as he scratches his head as if to try and remember, “If that means anything to you.”

“Is she awake?” I ask.

“Ask Creator.” he says seeing my excitement but not having the answers I want.

“Who is his girlfriend?” Yolonda asks starry-eyed. “Is she pretty? What happened to her? Why is she having surgery? Is it cosmetic or maybe…”

“That’s enough questions for now,” Aihl says. “I will tell you later. For now you need to go to your room, get your belongings and go to Creator’s… I mean Dr. Genome’s lab. We are going to transform the building soon.”

He nudges her to start walking. She pouts for a second before she takes off running towards the facility.

“Love you,” she says while blowing a kiss to him.

He waves her off slightly red in the face. I had doubts in their relationship but this would mean there is truth to it.   

“That’s a nice girl you have there,” I say.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says as he punches me in the arm. “We… we need to go as well.”

 

We run to the base and he leads me inside to the lab. Dr. Genome has one of the female Ultima on a dissection table. He is cutting out organs, placing them in separate metal containers that disappear under the floor one after the other.

“Creator,” Aihl says slightly disturbed by the sight. “We are ready to start up the Myrmidon Transport.” 

“And what of the wounded soldiers we had in our care here,” Dr. Genome asks.

“The last of them are being relocated by order of Thurston,” Aihl replies. “The doctors and nurses as well.”

Dr. Genome lets out a sigh. “Sasha, place specimen in preservation and set up controls for M.T. transformation.”

“Of course, Doctor,” Sasha says. 

The lights in the room go out and the tiles shift underneath our feet. The only light is coming up from the floor as the tiles move. A holo-monitor appears in front of Dr. Genome and Aihl. They type and speak multiple verification codes. As they finish, the lights turn back on revealing all of the tiles in the room are now black.  

“Identity verification confirmed,” says Sasha. “Myrmidon Commander James Kaler Genome, Head of Black Technology Bioengineering. Artificial Intelligent Humanoid Life-form, Alpha Myrmidon pilot. What are your commands?”     

Another larger holo-screen appears in front us showing visuals of the Myrmidon being worked on by a mechanics. One of them approaches to the screen with a notepad in hand.

“Sir, all systems check out on the suit,” he says. “The Alpha is secured and ready for transport.”

“Good,” Aihl says as he turns off the monitor. “Creator, Yolonda is on her way.”

Dr. Genome scratches head, “Sasha, where is…” 

The door suddenly opens. Yolonda in a suit like mine. It is tight white leather with hand drawn flowers. The detail in each flower is amazing. She has a bag in each arm and one on her back; each looks too heavy for her little frame to carry however she does so with ease.

“Hiya everybody,” she says as she walks in. “Hi Sasha.”

“Welcome, Yolonda,” Sasha says.  

Yolonda drops the bags on the floor and runs over to Ailh grabbing his hand the moment she gets the chance. The bags disappear under the floor.

“Sasha, commence mobilization transformation,” Dr. Genome says seeing that she has gotten situated.

The building shakes us a second before the floor shifts and evens us out so we do not fall. Seven large screens materialize in front of each of us. They feed live footage from various places outside. One of the training field catches my attention. The entire clearing rises out of the ground. Grass and shrubbery burst into flames and burn to a crisp in seconds. The dirt is shaken off by the rumbling of the building. After most of the dirt is gone, I see the Gandole insignia as the metal building is lifted out of the ground. 

For a second all of the shaking stops but then starts again more violently than before. My attention turns to another monitor. This one is of the front of the facility which is crumbling to pieces as the building splits in half. I have to look across several of the monitors to see why the building is falling apart. The entire front half of the building is built on top of the Myrmidon transport.  Large tank tracks rip out of the ground underneath the newly-surfaced front end of the transport slightly jerking us forward. 

I look across the screens once more seeing the behemoth fully uncovered as armor plates shift into place and cannons appear aiming in every direction.

“All systems are functioning normally,” Sasha says. “Myrmidon Transport is ready for full use. Please input course.”

“Alpha homecoming,” Dr. Genome and Aihl say simultaneously.

“Code accepted,” Sasha responds. “ETA to Gandalia is five days, two hours.”

The base starts moving forward, crushing the remaining rubble of the former base built on top of the transport.

“Five days,” I say slightly upset. 

“Calm down. The Myrmidon Transport Unit is ungodly heavy,” Dr. Genome says. “It can’t just go traveling through any street. If we do, roads will collapse under us. The paths the Transport takes are mapped out by the computer.”

“I could run there in seconds,” I say.

“Yes. I have no doubt in my mind that you could,” Dr. Genome says. “However, you are not yet officially part of the Myrmidon team. Therefore, you have no jurisdiction in Gandalia so I cannot send you ahead of us.”

“Not to Gandalia,” I say. “But to the Republic of New Cezek. I can find Fantasia before she is gone forever. You know time is of the essence here.”

“So you are willing to kill the last Aidoshian Oracle?” Aihl asks.

“Yes,” I reply.

“Even though you knew her personally?” Aihl questions.

“Are you going to make me repeat myself,” I say. “I will bring you her head in a silk sack if I need to!”

“Fine,” Genome says with a smirk. “That’s the kind of enthusiasm I like, but I don’t want her head. Rip the Oracle’s Seed out of her chest and bring it to me. That is more than enough proof of her death.”

“So you will leave her to me,” I ask.

“For now but if you don’t bring the Seed to me in five days, I will charge you as a traitor and Lucy will pay your punishment,” Dr. Genome says.

“Maybe I should go too, Creator,” Aihl says.

“No. You wouldn’t fit in,” Dr. Genome says grabbing one of Aihl’s ears. “Besides you have a mission with the Sigma in Balmore tomorrow.”

“The Sigma alone is more than enough for that mission.” Aihl says. “Two Myrmidons will be overkill. Finding the oracle is more important.”

“Thurston does not think so,” Dr. Genome says. “We will follow his orders. Is that clear?” 

“Yes sir,” Aihl says.

“If you can’t go, then I should,” she says. “I want to be useful to you and to Gandalia.”

“What! No,” Aihl yells. “Absolutely not.”

 “I agree with Aihl. She’ll slow me down,” I say.

“But she will ensure the job is done,” Dr. Genome says. “I give her permission to accompany you.”

“What?” Aihl yells. “She is too young!”

“For hardened combat yes, but this could be valuable field experience.” Dr. Genome puts his hand on her shoulder. “Remember you’re training and come home safe for Ailh’s sake.”

Yolonda nods, smiling from ear to ear after hearing she can go with me. She then runs over to Aihl giving him a big hug. He puts on a fake smile seeing how happy she is about it though his concern is painfully obvious. 

“Are you serious about this?” I ask Dr. Genome. “She is a little girl not an assassin.”

“Appearances can be deceiving,” he says.

“What do you mean?” I ask

“Her Seed, Plasma, has two main functions—one is a super-hot matrix generator, the other an intellectual expansion. Her mind is as complex and vast as a super computer. Her intellect dwarfs my own. This lab may be my design but she is the mastermind behind its functionality and power source.”