A Time of Crisis: Chapter 31
Chapter 31 icon by Chaos Croc
Chapter 31 Karrie and General Raszer
The day has come for Karrie to meet General Raszer and the helicopter to pick her up is going to arrive in the next thirty minutes but before that, she, Sasha, Joshua, and Major Andreas are having their own meeting before Karrie goes off on her’s.
“You sure it’s a good idea to go through with this Karrie?” asks Andreas as he paces a bit, his white scaled tail sways back and forth as Karrie sits in a nearby chair. Andreas was the latest addition to those who know about Karrie’s return. He was brought into the group just yesterday not long after Karrie discovered that the war became a complete sham after Croc was defeated and that General Raszer subverted Crisis’ control over herself with command 83... of which Karrie has no idea who programmed that into Crisis in the first place. Andrea was hesitant at first to believe the accusation Karrie made but when she made one of Croc’s forces do something unexpected although briefly, Andreas quickly changed his tune.
“It’s something I have to do. I joined this project to save our country from destruction and not let it be turned into a world conquering dictatorship again. If I was more attentive to Crisis’ design this may not have happened,” states Karrie.
“Don’t blame yourself for this,” consoles Joshua.
“Throwing a coup, which is what you’re planning, will take some time and effort. Nothing we can just do in a few short days. You may have control over a majority of your robotic army, and Croc’s army, but a forceful coup using that would result in heavy bloodshed that would be worse than just letting General Raszer get his way,” remarks Sasha.
“True... what do you mean most of my army?” asks Karrie.
“Search through your memory banks and I’m sure you noticed how Francis doesn’t do as you say like so many of your other forces. Furthermore he has his own set of troops that work outside of your influence, and remember when you set up those bases in the other countries? Who’s is in command of them right now?”
“Members of Francis’ group,” she replies.
“Exactly, not to mention other strange happenings.”
“Strange happenings?”
“A good clear cut example I can think of is... hey Joshua what ever happened to Francis’ granddaughter Maria?”
“What? How do you... but... we had a falling out and she told me not to see her anymore... wait why is that a strange happening? And again how do you know about that?” stammers Joshua.
“I pay attention to the world around me. So did you try calling her again after your little break up?”
“Break up? We were just friends, that’s all just friends.”
‘Yeah... sure. Now answer my question.”
“Well yeah but her phone was out of service.”
“Strange isn’t it?”
“How is that strange?”
“That girl clearly liked you whether that you wanted to acknowledge that or not. What she saw in you is beyond me but—.”
“Hey now!”
“As I was saying...” Sasha says with a soft growl as she glares at Joshua, “She clearly liked you and knew you were busy with Crisis and the gate project. As top secret as it was I’m sure she heard something about it from you.”
“Well... uh.. may have mentioned something once maybe.”
“So she knew about the gate project. She disappeared right as we got the gates going, and she is clearly not the type of girl to just disappear like that. Of course she was extremely anti Francis and shall we say anti our current state of government?”
“Well now that you mention it...”
“She probably got some leeway for a while due to being a relative of Francis, but judging by his old service record that will only go so far.”
“Old service record?” asks Karrie.
“He’s a former covert ops commando that was quickly moving up the ranks of the last dictatorship during the last war. He was indicted in a few war crimes but none of it was ever proven.”
“How do you know all of this?” asks Joshua.
“As I’ve said I pay attention.”
“Then we can surmise that General Raszer is quelling discontent or anything that that could undermine his power base,” suggests Andreas.
“Exactly. So even if we decided to flip against him today, he could write it off as a virus from Croc or one of the other nations and it corrupted Crisis or something and garner support for his cause. We first need to gather intelligence on General Raszer and what his current plans and for that to happen, you Karrie must still be his obedient drone no matter what the cost, for the cost of not doing so will be far greater.”
“I understand,” sighs Karrie, “I was so hoping there would be peace by the time I came back... not this.”
“Life isn’t so simple. Things rarely go the way we’ve planned.”
“The helicopter is here,” says Karrie a moment later as she receives word of it via her intercom system.
“Alright lets go... you sure you want to come Joshua?”
“I do and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”
“I’m sure I could do a few things, but I like you too much to do that to you... or not enough,” she says with a sly grin.
“If anyone asks I am here to keep an eye on Crisis’ systems after the incident that happened at the war room meeting.”
“Just don’t try to do anything stupid... both of you,” states Sasha.
“Good luck you three,” says Andreas.
“Thanks,” replies Karrie as the three depart of the awaiting helicopter.
“ __I can do this,_ ”_ thinks Karrie as they board the helicopter. The blades speed up as it takes off heading off to a secluded part of the country, similar to the base where she used to work where this whole Crisis ordeal began. The forest mountain landscape covers the area, only a few roads and scattered houses before it turns into almost pure wilderness. A newly built road is the only indication there is any signs of civilization and the helicopter follows it like a hawk towards its destination. Sasha adjusts her sniper rifle on her side as she looks over, her eyes focused on the area.
“So what is this place we are going to?” asks Joshua.
“Can’t tell you even if I knew,” replies the pilot over the sound of the donning blades.
As they get closer to the facility the three could already see built in check points and fenced off areas guarded by a few guard towers with the forest around them cleared a good hundred yards in any direction. Eventually over the treetops the in construction facility appears. With a massive network of runways and helipads with several heavy concrete and steel bunkers and buildings built or well on their way there. With so much complete it is only a fraction of what is still needed to be done. Huge swaths of land have been cleared and only massively dug holes give the indication that anything there is being built, farther off is hastily constructed homes for the soldiers and workers that are at this facility.
“What is this place?” asks Karrie.
“Wish I knew,” replies Sasha as the helicopter lands near one of the larger partially constructed buildings. You can hear the sound of welding and cranes as they move massive I beams and other metal construction equipment. Soldiers stationed at key locations keeping watch over everyone in the area.
“Remember, Crisis is to act a bit cold when you’re around the general, that’s what he expects you to be like,” whispers Sasha as Karrie gives a nod.
“This way,” says a soldier one of three that greeted us as we landed.
“Understood,” replies Karrie as they are taken into a literally half constructed building. Half of the complex appeared to be ‘mostly’ finished while the other half still had metal beam super structure to be set into place and welded tight.
The half completion look on the outside matched the inside. Areas of the building ranged from needing a few coats of paint and final touching, to wiring needing to be done or walls to be put into place. But past two security check points everything appeared to be finished. Crisis’ metallic feet tap against the tiled ground, echoing at the still predominantly empty hallways.
“This is the farthest you two go, only Crisis is allowed past this point,” states the soldier at the third security check point.
“I understand,” replies Sasha as she motions Joshua to step to the side with her. “If Crisis needs us she’ll call... with permission of course.”
“Alright,” replies Joshua as he looks at the two guards guarding the next door. “Surprised they didn’t disarm you Sasha with how tight security is.”
“Why would they? And everyone knows you NEVER part a girl and her gun.”
“Ah... true enough,” chuckles Joshua as Crisis is led through the last door.
“This much security around just because of the General?” asks Karrie.
“I’m unable to say,” answers the one soldier who leads Karrie down the hallway towards a wooden door with two guards standing attention on either side.
“Understood,” replies Karrie as the soldier nods to the other two guards as they walk away from the door and move a few yards down the hall as the guard leading Karrie knocks on the door.
“Crisis is here sir,”
“It can come in on its own, you may go,” replies General Raszer from the other side of the door.
“Yes sir,” says the soldier as he walks off. Karrie opens the door to reveal an unfurnished room with only a wooden desk and a chair which General Raszer is currently occupying as he goes through some paper work on a laptop computer. Beside the computer is a steaming hot cup of coffee.
“Good to see you could make it and in good time, most excellent,” says Raszer as he looks up from his computer screen at Karrie.
“The war doesn’t stand still and neither do I,” states Karrie.
“Good to hear, though soon there won’t be any war for us to deal with,” states General Raszer with a grin.
“What do you mean sir?” asks Karrie.
“Even with your control of Croc’s forces, it would only be a matter of time before the other countries got wise on our game. Not that it would matter with our forces from the other worlds we would easily crush our enemies given enough time.”
“Are we going to turn all our attention to those who threaten our nation?”
“Far better than that. It seems Croc even realized that even though he could clearly overpower us if he put his forces to it, the damages to his forces and to his prize would be tremendous and if I can help it I prefer not spend my time ruling over a nation that’s been completely desolated by war and have to deal with endless renegades and guerilla warfare tactics.”
“Does that mean we’re going to make peace with our enemies?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, we’re going to make them submit to our superior species,” exclaims General Raszer.
“How will we do that? Use an awesome display of our power to show they have no choice but to surrender to us?”
“No matter how big of a display of power we’d make, there will always be ones that would resist our rule... but there is another way.”
“What way?”
“The information you sent over involving Croc’s plans for our planet has revealed something very interesting...” says Raszer as he takes a sip of his coffee.
“What is it?”
“While we were preparing to take Croc down, he was planning to take over the entire planet in one fell swoop.”
“In one fell swoop? How is that possible?” asks Karrie as she tries to keep herself calm.
“He’s been gathering data on all the species on the planet, working on a way to use our satellites, cell phone towers, radio waves, television, every communication device we had against us, through a mass hypnosis of the entire population.”
“ __Okay Karrie remain calm... don_ ’ t jump to any conclusions... not yet, ”_ thinks Karrie as she says, “I see... Are we able to use this system he made?” asks Karrie as she thinks, “ __Please say no._ ”_
“It appears his system was complete and just about ready to be put into action. His unexpected defeat prevented him from carrying out this plan.”
“What does that mean for us?”
“A team of mine has been working tirelessly to break his codes and just the other day we managed to do so, thus giving us full control over the weapon that was to be used against us. Amusingly the device was all stationed at our capital, which is quite fortunate for us as it was recently ‘liberated’ by your forces. Ten days from today the last adjustments of his program will be put in place, allowing us to broadcast our own version of control across the entire globe. Thus making everyone loyal to our grand new empire and most of all loyal to me.”
“How can you do that?!” exclaims Karrie as General Raszer lifts an eye ridge as she speaks, the general reaching over to a cup of hot coffee and takes another sip from it.
“Using Croc’s system it will be an easy feat. Not sure if the people will become my mindless minions or not, it be something to figure out once everyone is under my control.
“I can’t let you do that,” growls Karrie.
“You what? It seems I might have to do a bit more work on you, but first.... General Raszer initiate Command 83” states General Raszer.
Karrie feels a sudden burst from Crisis and the hidden program now driving her. The 1’s, 0’s, 2’s pressing into Karrie’s mind, trying to force itself into her programming, for a brief second Karrie’s blue eyes turn green.
“Now why don’t you get yourself set up for transportation I think you might be in need of repairs that you can’t handle yourself,” remars Raszer.
“No... I am fine, it is you who is in need of correction,” growls Karrie as she activates her electro-blades. Karrie dives towards Raszer who quickly tosses his coffee into Karrie’s optics blinding her temporarily as she blinks and shake her head several times to clear the coffee from her vision as general Raszer slides away from her towards the wall. “You won’t get away so easily!” exclaims Karrie as she jumps over the desk and strikes down at General Raszer while he’s reaching into his jacket with one hand holding the coffee mug with the other.
A second later a gunshot and the crackle of electro-blades against electro-blades is heard as Francis stands in front of general Raszer his electro-blades blocking Karrie’s strike. Karrie’s internal systems warn her of damage to her lower left torso as the gunshot ripped through her lower body.
“You have no idea how long I’ve waited to do this to you Crisis,” states Francis with a fiendish grin his optics glowing.
“ __This is bad...._ ”_ thinks Karrie as she pushes Francis’ blades away from her as she jumps back behind over the desk, her sickle claw catching the end of the desk causing her to half stumble as she bursts through the wooden door. The two guards rush towards the commotion and in one swift motion Karrie deactivates her electro-blades and hits the two soldiers hard in the chest, knocking them off their feet, the two flying down onto the ground with a heavy thud as the two gasp for air.
Karrie’s feet clank against the tiled ground as she continues her sprint, she hears Francis yell to the soldiers she just knocked over, “Sound the alarm Crisis just attacked the General!” Karrie sprints through the next door bursting through the security check point and yells.
“We’re in trouble we have to—,” Karrie trails off as she sees the three security guards all incapacitated with Sasha and Joshua just standing there. Sasha with a shaking her head look while Joshua looks around nervously.
“You fucked up didn’t you?” states Sasha.
“How did... “
“I heard the gunshot; it wasn’t hard to figure out.”
“No not that but you two need to get out of here now. Get Joshua and go. I’ll try to explain what happened later okay?”
“What about you?” asks Joshua.
“I’ll figure out something, just protect Joshua, okay Sasha?”
“I got it, come,” commands Sasha as she grabs Joshua and starts to drag him away when Francis appears, Karrie turning to meet his electro-blades with her own.
“We can’t just leave her there!” exclaims Joshua as Sasha drags him down the hall.
“Look this is the worst case scenario we have to do what we must to get out of here while not becoming the bad guys.”
“But Karrie was shot I saw the ho—,”
“Look she’s a machine she can take care of herself, right now we have to do what we can, and what she asked, so do what I say and we have a chance to get out of here with no holes in us okay?” growls Sasha as she continues to drag Joshua down the hall.
“Okay...” answers Joshua with a sigh as he looks behind him, Karrie no longer in view but he can hear the echo of metal feet stomping and electro-blades hitting against each other.
“This way,” orders Sasha as she busts down a nearby wooden door as she is no longer holding onto Joshua but rather a small pistol that she pulled out from a hidden location on her.
“Where are we going?”
“You expect me to know the ins and outs of this place better than you do? This is the first time I’m here too you know, but I do have an idea of what to do,” replies Sasha as the base’s alarm goes off, “Though it’s not going to be easy.
“Just tell me what to do,” replies Joshua as Sasha leads him into the less developed area of the base where the steel frame workings of the facility are visible, plastic draping cover various pieces of equipment and unfinished walls.
“Run down in that direction,” orders Sasha as she points, “continue till you find the mobile construction crew bunks. There you should be able to find a spare worker’s uniform, wear it and make your way with any workers you see and blend in with them. When the time is right I’ll come and get you.”
“How do you know it’s over there?”
“I scouted the area as we flew in here.”
“You scouted the base as we landed? How could you have—,” says Joshua as he gets cut off by a mean glare by Sasha, “ahem… so what about you?” asks Joshua as Sasha shows off her sniper rifle.
“I’m going to slow them down,” she replies with a sly grin and leaps up an entire story through an unfinished part of the ceiling onto the floor above, dust falls down to the ground as she lands with a thud. “Now go!” she exclaims.
“Got it,” replies Joshua with a nod as he runs off.
“Now to deal with the advancing army to our position… without killing our own people… this is going to be fun,” she says with a grin as she moves up to a third floor and peers from a plastic covered windows, she sees troops approaching her position and fast. Without a moment to spare she takes a few ‘harmless’ shots at the attack soldiers hitting them in non vital areas, such as a leg or tail, causing them to fall back as they yelled out “Sniper!”
“That should buy us some time,” comments Sasha as the battle between Crisis and Francis continues.
Karrie bursts through a closed wooden door onto the construction site, some distance away from where Sasha now stands. The mess of construction equipment, plastic linings, steel framed structures all blocking her view.
“Karrie…” comments Sasha to herself as she hears the commotion in the other direction before giving a few more shots off in the other direction to keep the soldiers pinned down.
Karrie lands with a heavy thud as her body slides across the concrete floor her body giving off a few sparks as she sees Francis sprinting towards her with his electro-blades extended. Francis strikes at Karrie as she just manages to roll away, Francis’ electro-blades making deep claw marks into the concrete.
Karrie rolls back onto her feet reactivating her electro-blades raising them to meet with Francis’ strike. The two set of blades cause sparks of electricity to jump between the two set of blades as they meet time and time again. Karrie takes back a step with each strike, moving deeper into the construction zone.
“What’s wrong Crisis? You seem to be having trouble, don’t tell me that little wound there is slowing you down,” comments Francis.
“Nothing is wrong,” growls Karrie as her systems feel sluggish, slight static appears periodically as the command given by General Raszer continues to push Crisis to try to re-assert herself.
“Your movements are sluggish, slow. I saw the video feed of your fight with Croc, even then I could defeat you but now this is just child’s play,” boasts Francis.
“What General Raszer is doing… what you are doing is monstrous!” exclaims Karrie.
“Is it now? Is bringing peace to everyone? Ending these constant conflicts really so bad? All the war and suffering would be over and we the rightful dominant species of the planet will keep that peace and order.”
“You would make everyone your slaves!” she growls as she fends off several more strikes, Francis’ electro-blades cutting through anything and everything Karrie manages to get between her and him, tables, construction equipment, steel I beams.
“Not our allies the dragons or the sharks, but those treacherous snakes or weak felines they’ll get what’s coming to them. And admit,” says Francis as their blades meet up again, the sparks flying between the blades as the sound of static and small thunderous lightning bolts jump between the two sets of blades, “You would do the same thing if you were given the chance.”
“I’d never do something like that,” growls Karrie as she is pushed away from Francis barely dodging one of his attacks. Karrie’s tail bumps into a chain behind her and with a quick glance Karrie calculates what to do next.
She grabs the chain and slices into the base holding the chain as Karrie is lifted up into the air, the heavy machine equipment that was being hoisted up to the third floor before the alarm sounded comes tumbles down, but not before Karrie feels a sharp pain through her body and the sound of metal rattling as it hits the ground. Francis dodges the falling equipment with ease as he looks up at Karrie is flung back and onto the wooden flooring that creeks under the weight of her body. Karrie looks between her legs and sees a few segments of her tail have been sheered clean off, sparks emanate from the sliced end. As her internal HUD systems inform her of the moderate damage to her tail. She lands and wobbles for a moment before regaining her balance.
“ __That was too close,_ ”_ thinks Karrie as she gets back onto her feet, “I have to find a way to get out of here,” says Karrie as she pushes up onto her feet and starts to run down the wooden planks but she only manages to get a few yards before Francis bursts from the floor right behind Karrie who stumbles away. Francis lands with a thud and takes a few steps forward as the wooden planks creak under his weight.
“Running away are we?” chuckles Francis.
“Why are you doing this? You should be obeying me.”
“Should I now? And why is that?” asks Francis as he approaches Karrie slowly as she slowly backs away in kind.
“Yes, I put it into the programming of everyone that was roboticized as a safeguard against anything like this.”
“Ah yes that… well that was easy enough to find and overcome. Obvious to someone like me or my companions, we wouldn’t just sit around following someone as green as you, an inexperienced piece of scrap metal that has some ideal vision of how the world actually works? You think you’re some great leader don’t you?”
“I…” stammers Karrie as their electro-blades meet up once again.
“You are merely a pawn in our game. From the very beginning you are just a tool for us to wield, do as we see fit, and if you become broken, or no longer useful we will just toss you aside like a piece of garbage,” states Francis as he takes another strike at Karrie who barely dodges it by leaping off of the wooden platform towards a metal I beam barely wide enough for her to stand.
Karrie lands onto the beam with a thud her body sliding as she almost slides completely off. She grips the edge of the beam her electro-blades still extended as she swings herself back onto the beam, landing on her feet but almost falling off again before regaining her balance.
“ __I miss my tail being in one piece,_ ”_ Karrie thinks as Francis lands on the beam with no trouble.
“Just boxing yourself in aren’t you? Now you have nowhere to go, to maneuver, and now you’re mine,” declares Francis as he resumes his attack the electro-blades sparking as they meet time and time again, Karrie barely managing to dodge one of Francis’ attacks as the top feather of her three feathered heard crest is cut clean off along with two inches of her metallic ‘hair’ on her left side.
“Don’t count me out yet, you know what happens to us raptors when we get pushed into a corner,” growls Karrie.
“Us raptors? You’re just a creation of ours, not a real person. How delusional have you become, it’s about time you get knocked back down and put into your place… which is the scrap heap,” yells Francis with a grin.
“You know… you’re right,” smirks Karrie, “It is time you get put back into your place,” replies Karrie as she is about to strike with her electro-blades when a shot rings out from the distance and Francis grunts as his shoulder sparks as a bullet rips into him.
“Clever girl, luring me here so your sniper friend can get a clear shot… but no matter I can easily take care of her.”
“ __What? I told Sasha to get Joshua out of here!_ ”_ she thinks as she watches Francis move his hand over to his thigh a compartment opening as his gun pops out for him to grab. He quick turns and shoots in the direction of the shot which you can hear a faint grunt.
“Sasha!” exclaims Karrie as she turns and zooms her vision in the direction of the shot as she can see a blood splatter on nearby plastic sheeting and a shadow of a body on the ground of the third floor.
“I wanted to wait to use this but I think this game has gone on long enough, goodbye Crisis,” says Francis as he takes aim at Karrie who strikes her electro-blades into the I-beam which quickly tumbles to the ground below, the other side already cut when she first landed on the beam.
“You Bitch!” exclaims Francis as he takes a shot at Karrie the bullet hitting her right hand which lodges inside of her and explodes causing hand to become completely destroyed as well as half of her arm leading to her elbow. Karrie’s systems inform her of the heavy damage to her body.
“Die you bastard,” growls Karrie as she looks down at the pile of rubble that fell onto Francis as he fell through the second floor down to the first, as pieces of construction equipment left down there fell upon him. Dust flying up into the air blocking Karrie’s view of the carnage she caused but she doesn’t wait to find out.
“I’m sorry Sasha that I brought you and Joshua into this,” she says to herself as Karrie quickly jumps back onto more solid ground and continues to make her way out of the construction area. “I have to find Joshua, no way Sasha would keep him there, he has to be somewhere,” mumbles Karrie to herself as she moves through the half constructed buildings avoiding coming patrols as she looks for Joshua that is until she hears…
“Oh Crisis, I think someone here wants to see you,” yells General Raszer.
“Crisis naagsgha” yells Joshua as his muzzle is held shut by General Raszer. Karrie quickly figures the direction of the yells as she rushes through the half constructed buildings to an opening between two sets of building frames. There Karrie sees General Raszer holding Joshua who is half dressed in a construction worker’s uniform. General Raszer has one hand over his muzzle and another with a hand held electro-blade a hair’s breathe away from his neck.
“You know I really didn’t want it to come to this, but you gave me no choice.”
“Let him go,” growls Karrie.
“You are in no place to make demands Crisis. You’re in the middle of my base, with nowhere to go.”
“Release him now or you’ll pay,” growls Karrie as she extends her electro-blades.
“Not another step or this blade will slice through him like… well you know how affective these things are. Why I had to get one for myself.”
Joshua squirms in the General’s grasp but the General’s claws dig into Joshua’s scales drawling minutes amount of blood.
“If I am so doomed why are you using him as a hostage?” asks Karrie.
“Because I like to see those who try to kill me suffer before they meet their end… like so,” replies General Raszer as he quickly takes the blade and stabs Joshua in the gut. Joshua lets out a scream of pain as General Raszer lets him go. Joshua falls to the ground as Karrie yells.
“Joshua!” Karrie rushes over to him as General Raszer walks away.
“Ka… Crisis run it’s a trap…” stammers Joshua with a gasp as Karrie hears the sound of metal against metal. She looks up to see a giant I-beam falling straight down towards her before… darkness.