"Oh, what in Neptune's rings is this?" Anthrax exclaimed entering the ward with Zidin.
Sarin woke with a start, looking around for the source of the yell. Kita and Snowy had been sleeping hard and woke up slower.
"What, what's the matter?" Kita asked looking up at Sarin.
Anthrax yelled at them, "What's the matter? What the hell are you three doing? Why didn't you alert someone that you're awake? I should have known putting you three in a room together was a bad idea. I wouldn't have guessed sex would the first things on your minds. I would have guessed you'd go looking for some poor soul and slaughtering them."
"Now wait a second," Sarin snapped. "Neither one of those is fair. They woke up, and everyone was down in the tube, including you. I can't believe you actually think anyone of us has the energy or feels well enough for sex. It's been weeks since we saw each other and all they did was wake up, talk for a bit, and go back to sleep. What's matter if we sleep in separates bed or stars forbid with each other for once."
"Ok, that's enough," Zidin barked.
Kita had been slowly waking up trying to follow the yelling match, but was brought fully awake by Zidin's voice.
"Zidin?" She called quietly looking for him, the large robot not registering in her mind.
"Right her, Kita." Zidin waved at her.
"What? What happened to you? Wow...You look amazing." Kita said trying to retain her breath.
"Thank you. Megan is what happened. She was able to extract my mind from my decaying body and put into this body."
"It's incredible. Kind of like those cartoons Tina and Katie watch," said Snowy.
"I've missed you," Kita said choking up. She climbed out of bed and wobbled over to give him a hug.
"I've missed you. I was very distraught to hear you were gravely ill," he said gently hugging her back. Kita's legs gave out, and he gracefully caught her.
"Think we should put you back with your, ah, girls," he told her as he laid her back on the bed next to Sarin.
"Yeah, I'm not quite back to myself yet. But I understand I owe you my life, Nell," Kita said sincerely.
"Just doing my duty," she said harshly.
"What's wrong, Nell?" said Snowy softly.
"You'd get a shorter list of you asked what's right. But since you're all awake I have something to tell you." She went to the door and locked it.
"Nell, what are you doing?" said Sarin.
"I was originally just going to tell this to Kita and let her deal with it, but since you're all here and it involves each of you, you might as well hear it." Anthrax looked each of them in the eye. "After we return to Roost and you're safely passed off to Harper and his team, I'm leaving for good," her voice sounding very hard and determined.
"Why?" Kita said trying to keep her voice calm, but wavering into panic.
Snowy's mouth opened and closed, looking shocked.
"Nell, why?" said Sarin.
"What do you mean why?" Anthrax said in a harsh tone. "You of all people should know why. Are you really that wrapped up in yourself and War not to see what you've done?"
"What has she done that's so bad? What have we done?" said Kita.
"Seriously, Kita? You slaughtered thousands for your own amusement and justified it by saying they were just your enemies. It wasn't even real combat. You slaughtered them, mutilated them, and dishonored them. You've tortured men for information we could have gotten easier ways. You just did it for your own sick pleasures. I'm tired of watching you treat this world, these soldiers, and these people like your personal playthings. You don't care about the innocent. You only use them to justify your own actions. You've seduced hundreds of thousands into some sick delusion that you're actually a good and great person. Your bloodlust sickens me and I won't be a part of it anymore."
Before Kita could react Anthrax looked at Snowy. "Snowy you're a disgusting, vile, and nasty creature. Only savages and psychotics eat people. You're a complete bitch to be around and impossible to work with. You're just a slightly less atrocious version of Kita, which makes you pathetic and truly a weak-minded person."
She turned her gaze on Sarin. "And you! You are the worse of the lot. I can't believe you and what you've done. There is no justifying any of it. I don't care what or who's at stake. People have a right to live as much as you do. Just because you can kill them at will, doesn't mean you can or should be allowed. Nothing then or now gives you the right to do it. I don't care if you're a goddamn fallen angel or not. You know better and were taught better. I hope there is a god so you'll receive some kind of punishment for your vile and putrid actions. If I had my way Jane, they'd send you to the judicial psych board and have you locked up forever. You're beyond despicable, Jane. I'm ashamed to have every called you my friend."
Sarin and Snowy tried to respond, but Anthrax whirled around and stormed out.
"That was insightful," Snowy commented.
"That's one word for it. I wish I'd gotten a chance to tell her what I thought of her. Did you know this was coming Zidin?" Sarin asked curiously.
"Yes. She came to me when we first got here and told me about her plan. I tried to discourage it and explain to her that what she wants doesn't exist here. I told her it would be better if she stayed and worked within the group to make it better, less evil. But, it's not just you she blames. She blames everyone else for enabling you and allowing you to do it. I think she thinks they're just as guilty. I wouldn't try and stop her. Let her go and see what the real world is like outside of Roost, the Army of the Rose, and us. It's brutal, cold, and survival rules all. Even in the big cities. What she wants is a luxury of the wealthy."
Sarin and Snowy nodded.
"Are you ok, kitten?" Snowy said looking over at Kita.
Kita had sat up to listen and now was silent. Her eyes had developed a far off stare.
"Babe?" Sarin gently touched Kita's shoulder.
Kita responded by breaking out into long, loud sobs. She buried her head in her hands, curled up into a ball, and wrapped her wings around her in a protective cocoon. Sarin and Snowy tried to console her, but she wouldn't budge.
***
Kita's sobs continued to the point Snowy thought she'd hyperventilate. She looked at Zidin pleading, he knelt next to the bed and spoke softly to her. The cocoon exploded open as Kita flung herself around Zidin's neck and continued to sob on his shoulder.
These crying fits usually didn't last long. When it became apparent Kita would continue for a while, Zidin pushed the bed out of the way and locked his legs to create a lap. He unwrapped Kita from around his neck and moved her down. He held her as she wrapped her arms around his middle.
"Do you think she's mad at us? Blames us for Nell leaving?" Sarin asked over the comm.
"I hope not." Snowy said, suddenly scared.
"I doubt it. This is one of her she-screwed-up cries," said Zidin. "I don't think she'll blame you at all. She'll most likely reserve it all for herself."
"Well, from the sounds of it we all deserve a share, some of us a bit more than others," Sarin grumbled.
The door opened and Katie and Tina rushed in.
"What happened? What's going on? And who's crying? You can hear it all the way down the hall," Tina exclaimed.
"It's your sister. Well, uhm, actually we might as well tell everyone at once. Can you please go get Paladin and bring him in?" said Snowy.
Katie and Tina nodded.
"Thanks."
They returned with Paladin.
"I wish we could get Megan. She's pretty good at getting Kita to understand and calm down," said Snowy.
"Give me a couple of minutes," said Zidin.
"You have comms with Roost?" Sarin said with a look of surprise.
"Yes. Megan wanted us to be able to contact her if we ran into trouble. Ok, I've got her."
From his arm, he deployed a series of small disks. They linked together and floated up toward the ceiling. A flash of light and Megan stood with them.
"Hello, girls. I understand there's a problem not related to you present situation?" Megan said snarkily.
"Something like that, grandma," Snowy said just as snarky. "Now that everyone's here we can get started. If you haven't noticed you're going to have to use your comm."
"What about Frostbane and Anthrax?" said Katie.
"Why is she so upset and why are we letting her go on like this?" said Tina.
"We're hoping she'll cry herself out. At this point, there's no consoling her," said Zidin.
"Then why is she on your lap?" said Megan looking amused.
"Safety most likely. She retreats to places she knows are safe. I guess I'm safe."
"To answer your question, Katie, they're why everyone is here," said Snowy. "Nell is the problem, but I've purposely left Frostbane out because I'm not sure which way the big bear's going to jump." Snowy wished she knew what he would do. Losing both of them would be a travesty. As much as she disliked the bear, he was good.
"What did she do? Is it why Kita's bawling her eyes out?" said Megan.
Snowy took a deep breath. "Nell is leaving. She just told the three of us and Kita's taking especially hard."
"Understatement if I ever heard one," Megan muttered.
"Why?"
"How come?"
"I was afraid of this."
Tina, Katie, and Paladin spoke at the same time.
"Well...I...It's easy and it's hard," said Snowy.
"No it's not," Sarin injected. "Basically she hates the three of us for doing what we do, and she dislikes everyone else because you let us do what we do."
"Did she go into details?" Megan said sounding concerned.
"What would you like? Kita's a bloodthirsty psychotic who treats the world as her personal sandbox. Snowy's a nasty disgusting cannibal. I'm totally running wild, killing whomever I want whenever I feel like it. She thinks you let us do it and you're just as guilty as we are. You might as well have pulled the trigger along with us."
"That sums it up in a nutshell," said Snowy, "If you want specifics, Kita's killing of the Red Legion and how she manages everyone. She doesn't like that I take a bite or two out of enemies now and then. She's upset with Sarin over her falling and whatever happened here at the outpost."
"I thought there was something different about you," Megan commented to Sarin.
"Do you like the highlights? They were Kita's idea." Sarin grinned.
"I do. I like the blackbird wings, much more interesting than the solid black."
"I've talked to Anthrax about it," Zidin interjected. "She believes there is no accountability for the trio's actions. That we ignore things we shouldn't. I can only think of several cases were that might be true."
Megan shook her head. "If those are the things she's complaining about, she needs to go see what the Red Legion and Sturmtruppen are up to in Germania and The Confederacy. You'll see some evil there. People are being wiped out by the thousands. Similar to what they did in Yorq. If she's going to complain about what you three do, she needs to get her head out of her ass. This rosy world she's suddenly just clobbered us with is utter crap.
"Anthrax came from the same time and place that, two...three...four of us did. Damn that's a lot. We all know the Empire was no candyland. On the surface it was peaceful and crap, but only because the Empire's Shadow Fleet kept it that way—"
"What do mean?" said Snowy. "I thought the Empire was all about peace and prosperity. In Gaia we didn't have any weapons and only a tiny security force. At least that's what my grandparents told me."
"Ha! Like most institutionalized researchers, they were shielded from it. For most day to day people it was like that, but if you crossed the Empire you were introduced into a whole new world. It didn't take much either. Cause a disturbance you disappeared to the psych facilities, that's where a lot of people ended up for behavioral corrections. Never mind, they never came out. I believe a lot of them were sent out on the colony ships, lives forfeited for not being able to pay for their treatment."
"Actually they said the treatment was free, but you had to pay the back taxes you owed. At least that's what they told me," Zidin injected.
Megan looked at him grinned. "That explains a lot. If you disappeared, you disappeared. The Empire erased every trace of you, your family was told to forget you. If they mentioned you, every member of your family disappeared. Did you all hear about Helixious Alpha? Not sure if you were alive then or not Paladin."
Sarin and Zidin nodded.
"No, sorry, doesn't sound familiar. When I was alive we had just started spreading out from the Sol system," said Paladin.
"I heard rumors about it being wiped out by plague or something like that," said Sarin.
"They wish," Megan scoffed. "What really happened was a small group decided to protest and pick a fight with the Legion and the local government. In her wisdom, the Empire pulled the Legion, the government, and the primary level citizens off world. A small team of elite Shadow Fleet marines was sent in to capture the leaders. Then we proceeded to destroy the planet and everyone on it."
"We?" Katie said astutely.
"I served in the Shadow Fleet. I was on the bridge of the ship that fired the planet buster. The planet not only ceased to exist in space, but every mention of it anywhere was immediately gone. They took the leaders back to Earth and displayed the bodies in Time Square. It was one of the few offences that was considered truly vile and worthy of violence by the general public."
"What is the Shadow Fleet?" said Sarin.
Megan chuckled and gave Sarin a crooked smile.
"You think the Empire didn't know anything about war, girl? We kept an enormous fleet operating outside normal space to provide security." Megan gave a cryptic smile.
"But why destroy an entire planet of innocent people?" said Tina with a frown.
"The Empire was a vast place," said Zidin. "It controlled all news and spun events to look however they wanted, but they also were masters at creating gossip. The news was always rosy, but if you wanted to control people, you sent it through the rumor mill. Unfortunately, for a rumor to reach every part of the Empire, you've got to do something grandiose. I believe the rumor was the dissidence blew up the planet."
"But how could you live in such a place? It sounds miserable."
"No it wasn't," said Megan. "It was a small price to pay for freedom, prosperity, and security. For the average person, you barely encountered the government enforcement. In fact, the Emperor was very much like Kita in many regards. The Empire would go out of its way to protect us and take care of us. Famine on a planet? A fleet of food ships would be sent. She protected us, with the Shadow fleet and the Legion."
"It still sounds horrible, constantly living in fear you might disappear," said Tina quietly.
"No fear at all," said Sarin. "You just knew you had to follow the rules. You're taught from birth how to act and behave and the consequences. Social pressure played a big part. Still, people had a lot of latitude on behavior."
"I don't see what Nell's complaining about," Megan said harshly. "Kita's behavior is nothing new. She's living in a fantasy if she believes what you do isn't necessary. To protect people you have to have people willing to do the unsavory things. Usually, it's done out of site of the general population. It isn't uncommon for the people who do these things to find enjoyment from them. Societies always needed these types, they want to admit it or not." Megan stood in front of Zidin and gently put a hand on Kita's shoulder. "Take it easy, kiddo, he's going to rust if you keep it up."
Kita didn't let up. Megan sighed.
"Anthrax had better hope she doesn't show her face around any time soon. I'll beat that girl senseless for making this such a hash," Megan huffed to Zidin.
"Please don't, I still like her," Kita said around sobs.
"How the blazes did you hear that?" Megan said surprised.
"Secret," said Kita as she rolled around on Zidin's lap to sit up.
"You're full of them, girl. No doubt about that." Megan smiled and gave her a hug.
Kita accepted hit happily. Afterward she dried her eyes and her face. Megan was even successful in getting her to laugh a few times when she told her of the frantic build of Zidin.
Kita looked around taking in the faces of everyone. They all genuinely cared for her and loved her. For everything Anthrax had said to her and about her, it no longer seemed to matter all that much.
Kita slide off Zidin and stumbled trying to walk. She waved off help and made her way to the center of everyone.
"Do you want a sheet or something, kiddo? You're not well yet and getting a cold won't help," said Megan.
"No, but thank you." Kita closed her wings around her like a black feathered cloak.
"I don't know what to say. I apologize for being a distraction. I've only ever had one other person walkout on me, and this was far worse and spirit crushing.
I know I'm not the easiest person to be around. I'm moody, bitchy, mean, I'm...downright evil. I only hope I take as good a care of you as you do me. That goes for everyone. I can't express to you how much it means to me. I wish I took as good of care as you all do of me. I don't understand why you do it, but I'm glad you do."
Kita felt tired and drained, and she sank to the floor. On her hands and knees, she vomited blood and rolled over staring glassy eyed at the ceiling.
***
Tina and Katie rushed over to help. Tina checked Kita's stomach.
"Is it the poison?" said Katie.
"No, it's never done that before," said Tina.
Megan hurried over with a scanner of her own. "Let's have a look, girls." She waved it around Kita's abdomen. "Damn, girl. You have cried and worried yourself into one hell of an ulcer. We've got to get it closed before it starts to go septic."
Tina got up and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" said Katie.
"To go get Nell. She's the doctor, right?" said Tina.
"Screw her. Go get Omega."
Tina nodded and hurried out past a bunch of wounded Black Watch soldiers recovering in the hallway.
"Come on. Let's get her into the medical scanner." Megan ordered Katie.
Together they lifted Kita into position.
"Bubbles, where are you?" called Katie. "Omega shouldn't be that hard to find."
"I can't find him. I've been to the security areas, but he's not answering." Tina said worriedly. She resorted to yelling for him down the corridors as she ran. She made three loops around the outpost before returning empty handed.
"Well, dammit! Where the hell does a computer disappear to?" Megan growled. "Come on Tina I'll need your help."
Megan and Tina went to the controls of the machine.
"At least it has a DNA map of her already. You have to love small miracles." Megan sighed. "Let's hope we got it right, girl. It's been a long time since I had to run one of these."
Megan hit the button and scanner began to glow. Kita lifted off the table as the rings began to pass around her.
The Scanner took shut down and lowered Kita to the table. Tina checked her vitals, while Megan looked at Kita's stomach.
"Looks good," Megan announced.
"Vitals, too," said Tina.
"Ok, let's get her over to her own bed," Megan ordered.
Zidin obliged and carried Kita over and set her down. Tina tucked her in.
"Get some sleep, big sister, and fully heal for once," Tina whispered into Kita's ear.
"What should we do now?" Paladin asked.
"Find Omega," Megan said in a fowl temper.
"I bet if we find Nell, we'll find Omega," Katie snarled.
"Alright, but go in pairs. Paladin, I guess you get to guard the girls," Megan ordered.
"My pleasure. Just face me to the door and put me between them and it," He asked Zidin.
Kita's weak voice came over the comm. "Get Omega back, but don't hurt Nell if she has him. Leave her alone."
"Why?" said Snowy.
"Because for once I'd like to be the good guy."