Impossible Dream

(game date: 6/3/2021)

Now that time is not such a pressing concern, perhaps I can collect my thoughts and record events properly.  That last entry was sloppy, to say the least.  

Preparations were frantic, to put it mildly.  

My father's emergency statement had been hijacked.  The transmission ended before he could finish, and was replaced by an image of him in his office, claiming that the prior transmission was entirely falsified.  Under other circumstances, I feel certain that I could have done battle in this arena of high-tek propaganda and emerged the victor, but in the here-and-now, I had neither the time nor the energy to spare.  I satisfied myself with checking with Parker that they were still safe (the vids left their fate in question), and continued our prep work.

Deny the SunBabies power

I asked Ryatt to throw together some propaganda of our own, using the video from the fashion festival.  Plenty of cameras caught the transformations of people to wraiths.  He nabbed the popular "Imaginet is coming!" image off the Matrix, along with the perky ad-voice, and patched on a gravelly multi-voice "FOR YOU" right afterward, over each transformation vid.  These got scattered all over the Matrix.  If that didn't counter the idea that SunTek's product was just fine, I don't know what would.

For good measure, I leaked the ImagiNet technical specs.  Not many people would actually understand them, but those who did could confirm that something was very, very wrong with them.  There was, of course, a danger that some other bright but misguided soul could exploit that design as I had, but in the moment, I felt that the benefit outweighed the risk.

Discourage Border Patrol from opposing us

While he worked on that, I pieced together an infodump intended for the Border Patrol.  Some of them were bound to be loyal to Katrya, but we had no idea how many, and I hoped to give the rest a show over their comm channels that would turn their stomachs.  Every snippet of video detailing Stone and Bennet's exploits at Chystari, along with the audio detailing their plans for cyborg soldiers, went into that compilation.  Fortunately, most of it had already been indexed (thank you, Parker), otherwise the task would be impossible at this hour.  By the time that was done, both of us were ready to break into the BP comms & security systems, reserving a path for the package.  While in the system, I learned the truth about Katrya's discharge, and the events leading up to the bounty on her head.

Regain some strength

I tried to nap then, but couldn't manage it.  It's always difficult to quiet my mind, even under the best of conditions, and now, with the knowledge that every passing second was crucial, it was impossible to rest.  So I fiddled with a C-Cell, remembering that last-ditch idea  just before Gipson blasted me across the room.  Frowning, I concentrated...

The battery's display lit up, and instantly flipped from "10" to "0" -- then it started to smoke.  My sinuses cleared, my heartbeat double-timed, and I nearly had a panic attack.  I may have yelped.  Aru's mother entered the room, concern on her face, asking whether I needed anything.  "A dose of common sense, maybe," I told her, which probably didn't calm the woman.  She raced off, and came back with Vamir.  

Try to hold it together

After I reassured everyone that I would live, Vamir asked for my input regarding his potion launcher.  He'd never had the best of luck using the thing - the design was solid, but he simply wasn't well-trained with that sort of weapon.  Still, he had three flasks of paralytic gas ready to go, and I had to agree that this could be a critical asset in the upcoming battle.  So who, he asked, should use it?

I slipped into my "management" persona.  The kids, driving their drones, were absolutely the best shots, but unpredictable during battle - they'd proven this when we had the Silver Bullets.  After that, it came down to me, my drone Ŝtelita, or Varfana.  I suggested that Varfana take it, mainly because I wanted her more involved in a key role, and to get her mind off her shop and employees, and why don't we see if she's awake and agreeable to that?

We re-entered the altar room together.  Most of the group was there, and yes, Varfana was willing to take charge of spreading dangerous paralytic gas.  Like me, Katrya had not rested.  She had spent the time pumping Ama for more information.  

"Zeke, you need to hear this."  She impatiently gestured to the avatar, still floating over the center altar.  "Ama.  Tell him what you tell me."

The figure turned to face me.  "Council Leader Ron Gipson is the same Gipson who caused the Fall; the cataclysm which forced everyone underground."

"All right."  To all appearances, Gipson is human, and they don't usually have two-thousand year lifespans, but this was hardly the strangest thing I had ever heard.

"Wait, there is more," Katrya said.  "Go on."

Ama continued.  ""Together with the SunChildren, Gipson destabilized the enchantments holding the floating continents of Ilvantar aloft, causing them to crash to the ground and destroy a Pattern, causing major destruction and releasing massive amounts of magical radiation."

"What--" I began.

"A Pattern has many functions, but is primarily used for transportation across large distances, and contains an extremely powerful magical item as its power source."

Katrya was grinning.  "Tell him the tactics."

"I recommend that anyone who does not already have such, acquire night-vision eyewear.  Children of the Sun are severely weakened in sufficient darkness.  That is their only known weakness, however.  They have a number of immunities and resistances."

Minor breakdown

I was silent for a while.  The reality of the task before us had suddenly hit me, and my recent adrenaline rush crashed.

We, all of us, were woefully unprepared for something like this.  We've been told these stories about the Samaritans, these mighty heroes who saved the world.  And in the end they fell to Gipson - the same one, Ama confirmed, that we were about to face.  He has had, what?  2000 years to build strength?  We've only been at this a few months.  The Samaritans destroyed one Sunbaby.  We had to neutralize three, that we knew of.  We just weren't ready.

And I couldn't say this, to anyone.  Because that would be demoralizing.  They needed a pep talk, not a pity party.  I sat down.

"Zeke?" Katrya questioned.

Right.  Work to do.  "Umm.  Darkness.  Night vision.  Somebody...find out who doesn't already have that, and send out a drone to shop."  I rubbed my eyes, trying to think.  "And, I guess, if we have any favors with anyone, now's the time to call them in."

Rally

I felt a tiny hand on my shoulder.  

EllieRocks, the ten-year-old pop star, said, "You need cheering up.  C'mon."

I managed a feeble smile.  "Where are we going?"

"Someplace with better acoustics."

She trotted out of the altar room, leading the way to the mansion's grand ballroom.   I suppose she must have hooked into the house A/V system, or else the acoustics in that room were astounding.  Music began to play, something with a bouncy, upbeat tempo typical of her genre.  And then she sang.

I have a confession:  Prior to the blood drive benefit concert, I had never heard this girl, nor anyone her age, perform.  After our long association, one may naturally expect a tolerance.  After witnessing the miracle of limb regeneration, I developed a true appreciation.  But I cannot begin to describe this experience.  It felt as if her song was, not a description of a better world, but by virtue of her singing, she was defining the world the way it ought to be.  She was redefining everyone in that room, which included the entire team and a good portion of the household staff, as better, more capable people.  When the closing notes echoed into silence, several of us were dancing, and I felt my mind washed clean of all doubts.  

Of course we would emerge victorious.  No other outcome was possible.

When everyone made their calls, to allies, or family, it was not to say possible last goodbyes, or to beg for help.  It was to say, "You will want to be a part of this.  And, if you can't, then tune in and watch.  It's going to be glorious."

(to be continued)