Other Worlds

Dark Times Ahead

The remaining Zulu members try desperately to reform their ranks, the head of the Zulu's military branch, Troy Baker, took on the role as head of the organization as he was Imbhov's right-hand man. Meanwhile, Stephen calls Troy over to the portal room, "What's the problem?" Troy asks. "I know how it works, how the portal can connect to different areas of the world, the universe, and beyond. SkyLink's reach is near infinite." Stephen says to him. "The problem, Troy, is that I can't activate it, and the only ones who have managed to activate it are Misha and Cyrus, one's dead and the other would rather die than help me." Troy takes a minute to think, "Isn't there someone that Cyrus knows who can open it?" Troy asked "There is one person, his daughter, Marussia, but there's no point in using her. She's as stubborn and arrogant as he is, sometimes I wonder if she's still useful to us." Stephen says.

Troy inspects the portal console, looking for anything that could allow them to open the portal gate without outside help. "Well if she's as helpful as you say then why don't you call her over?" He asks. "Well I can't right now, I sent her off on a mission. We'll worry about the portal later, right now we need to figure out how to deal with the rest of your people." Stephen said.

They both call for a meeting in the building's auditorium where they will discuss the future of the Zulu as an organization. Once everyone is in and counted for, Stephen clears his throat to speak. "Members of the Zulu, I know that we are at our lowest point right now, with the loss of many including your head of operations, Misha Imbhov. Well be sad no more; I have taken the liberty to assign a new head to the organization," He points at Troy, "Mr. Troy Baker here from here on out will act as leader effective immediately." Stephen said. The members murmured to themselves, one man raised their hand to ask a question. "You're not even affiliated with us, how can you just pluck someone out of our ranks and appoint them as leader?" The man asked. Troy stepped in to answer their question. "Mr. Jonnson and his organization have close ties to us and Imbhov, if anyone gets to choose who is or isn't leader it's him. Understand?" Troy asks him. He nodded his head yes annoyed.

"Thank you, Troy, now with that being said, we have two options, The one I proposed involves the Zulu merging with the Catalysts, but Mr. Baker here has also thought of turning the Zulu into a mercenary outlet, where each and every one of you can be hired by someone else to work for them." Said Stephen, The members all look at each other in confusion, a few just up and left the auditorium. "This is bullshit! I joined Zulu because I thought that I could become important, I wanted to be somebody. Years of dreaming and toleration... all for nothing. Fuck this, I'm leaving." A woman said, others begin to follow her out tossing their helmets and weapons on the ground. Soon the room was empty except for Troy and Stephen. "Well...that could have gone better." Troy said in a defeated tone. "Son, you honestly don't need any of them, say you could join me! I could use another strongman like you in my ranks." Stephen said. Troy shook his head no. "Sorry, but I'm a lone wolf for now. Besides, like you, I can recruit more people into the Zulu. I was among the first so it's only right to keep the Zulu name alive." He said. Troy left the auditorium and went home.

"Damn it, who's going to help me with SkyLink now? Cyrus...and those two other kids too...they won't get away with this. I'll bury them so deep into the ground that it'll be a thousand years before anyone finds their bodies. I'll just have to be patient, my time will come..." Stephen thought to himself. He hears a noise coming from behind the stage curtains. A second later a figure materializes in front of him, it's the same green-haired woman that came followed me home. "Oh, Katie you just can't sneak up on me like that." Stephen said. "Sorry Boss, I met the kid you told me to keep an eye on." Katie said, "Real interesting character he is. He went to go save his little girlfriend from Dimension Zero." Stephen began scratching his chin. "Dimension Zero huh, not many people come out of that place alive...good, yeah good. Alright then, Katie thank you. Head back to HQ if you could." He said. "Okay, Hey when is Lucas coming back? He's been gone for a while now, he's never been gone this long before." Katie asked. But Stephen didn't answer, he just gave a melancholy look and walked away.

Katie stood there worried, eventually, she left herself. The once-grand auditorium is now nothing but a shell of its former self, it stands empty, filled with the angry ghosts of those who were slain there. A perfect allegory for the dark times ahead, and the imminent despair that is soon to come.