Chapter 9: Council of War – Part 1

Present Day
Year 190 D.R. (Descendant Reign) – Day 8
Location: The Deep – Delta Sector

The warehouse had once been used for storage of furniture.  The pieces that had survived the two centuries of decay were made of metal or thick wood that had some how survived the rotten fate most wooden objects in the Deep were cursed with.  The makeshift table in the center of the grimy floor was a mishmash of metal tables pushed together to form something like a circular saw blade, all pointed corners and sharp edges.  That seemed to set the mood for the milling crowd that gathered around the table.

Tension was palpable from every Transie in the room.  The fact that so many opposing groups had come together was a testament to their self-restraint.  Any other time and they would have been at one another’s throats with knives and powers.  Ada sat on the edge of her seat, body relaxed in a way that spoke of her readiness for a fight.

The heads of each sector sat around the table, along with what was left of Ada’s group that had infiltrated the Genetics Council building.  There were three empty chairs, one for Oe, which was next to Pyr.  Another was for Pepper,which was next to Bombastic–who was, oddly enough, one of the few outside Pepper’s sector to openly respect her and to sympathize with her eccentric behavior.

Chapter 8: A Meeting with Bombastic – Part 3

Present Day
Year 190 D.R. (Descendant Reign) – Day 7
Location: The Deep – Epsilon Sector

The room was just as she’d left it, not a thing out of place. The bright cloth swathed the room in warmth that had gone cold.  Something was missing and it put a painful lump in Lexi’s throat.

Pyr gently squeezed Lexi’s shoulders from behind.  She tipped her head back to look up at him.  If it weren’t for her father, she might never have met, Oe.  And now, because of a man Lexi had never met, she’d never see or talk with Oe again.  Grief crumpled her features, darkened her pink cheeks. “She’s gone, Daddy.”

Pyr swallowed audibly as he jerked his head into a nod. “She is, but we won’t forget her.  Now more than ever we must press on.”

Chapter 8: A Meeting with Bombastic – Part 2

Present Day
Year 190 D.R. (Descendant Reign) – Day 7
Location: The Deep – Zeta Sector

Ada watched as Pyr took up a place in Bombastic’s opera hall that afforded him a view of everyone–Jet on the floor to his left and Bombastic and the rest of the Transies before him. As usual, Pyr waited for everyone to settle in before he began. There was something about him that radiated peace that was at odds with his fire abilities. Or perhaps was a direct result of his perfect control over those abilities.

“First we must discuss what we know of the virus Waldgrave claims to have sent down upon us. From what I have gathered and from what Oe has told me, the virus works slowly, but by the end of the two weeks it will have spread almost completely. After consulting several doctors and one of the geneticists in Oe’s section, I’ve come to the conclusion that the easiest way for Waldgrave to infect us is through the air supply.”

A murmur rose through the group then died off as Pyr raised a hand. “One or two of Oe’s Transies have already fallen ill, so I’ve asked the doctors and the geneticist to begin working to find an antidote. They don’t know if it’s possible to create one, but they’re working on it with all speed.”

Chapter 8: A Meeting with Bombastic – Part 1

Present Day
Year 190 D.R. (Descendant Reign) – Day 7
Location: The Deep – Zeta Sector

Ada heard the faint tone that Ky used to get her attention. With a flick of her right fingers, Ada activated their com system. “Ada. Go ahead, Ky.”

“Ada, get your ass to Zeta Sector. We need everyone there.” Ky’s urgent words were like a bucket of ice water.

“Bombastic?”

“Just do it!” Ky snapped, then his side went dead.

Blue eyes narrowed in anger, Ada gunned her bike. The machine tore down the street with a squeal of tires. Ada shoved aside a Prole who paid no attention as he walked into her path. Muttered obscenities of painful retribution made a quick trip of the distance to the Zeta Sector. Though Ada was still annoyed with Ky’s attitude, a thread of worry crept into her mind. He was never quite such an ass unless something was terribly wrong.

Chapter 7: The Deep Awakens – Part 3

Present Day
Year 190 D.R. (Descendant Reign)
Location: The Deep – Gamma Sector

The Deep was, at one time, years ago, a thriving city like any other. It had its upscale apartments, its slums; there were movie theaters and ice cream parlors and restaurants of all types. When it came to the park, however, everyone seemed surprised the Deep had one. The rest of the old city had decayed, so to most it stood to reason that the Park would have as well. And perhaps it might have, if not for one thing: Transies with the power to manipulate plants.

Jet stood at the entrance of the acre wide park. It had been overrun by trees and other plants decades ago. There was an order to the chaos of the Deep Forest and not many dared enter. It was the one Sector where the reins of power were actually handed down by choice from crime boss to crime boss. After all, it wouldn’t do to allow someone who couldn’t care for the park to take over. There had been attempts, even by fire and  other means, to take over but the bosses of Sector Gamma had learned one thing quickly and followed that rule always. Never leave the Park.

The rule echoed around inside Jet’s head. He’d left. Pepper, the current boss, had let him. Now he wished he’d stayed put. He shook his head. No, he was glad he left, he had Soi because of it. He just regretted that now their son was taken. It was like someone had shot a basketball sized whole through his chest, yet he still managed to survive it. It killed him with an agonized slowness.

Chapter 7: The Deep Awakens – Part 2

Present Day
Year 190 D.R. (Descendant Reign)
Location: The Deep – Epsilon Sector

Soi Soren was normally a soft-spoken woman.  Slow to anger, easy going and generally a caring woman, it was rare for her to do more than raise her voice.  However, just like the wind she controlled, she could be wildly unpredictable when angered.

“WHERE IS MY SON?” Soi’s ethereal voice had a ragged edge to it that snapped at the air like cloth in a strong wind.  The question was directed at Seiza, who she had pinned to a wall in an alley with tendrils of thickened air.

Seiza clutched at his throat, his fingers slid through the molecules of air as they reformed to continue their strangle hold on his windpipe.  He shook his head in wild denial.  His reaction only fueled Soi’s anger. She pushed a palm toward him. His eyes bulged in their sockets, his face mottled as blood pooled under the skin.  After three seconds that felt like three years, Soi released the stranglehold. Seize collapsed to his hands and knees.  He sucked in the precious air, coughs shook his frame as he gulped it like water.

Chapter 7: The Deep Awakens – Part 1

Present Day
Year 190 D.R. (Descendant Reign)
Location: The Deep Underground – Delta Sector

Ada drove her motorcycle up onto the sidewalk outside of Tomo’s Bar.  She let the engine idle for a moment as she removed her helm.  Her leather clad hands absently adjusted the long pigtails she preferred.  It was by accident Ada had discovered just how good a distraction the girlish hairstyle could be and so she used it without thought. She’d even grown fond of it.

As the motor cut off, Ada swung her long leg back and over the seat of her bike.  She set her helm on the seat then patted down her long, leather trench coat.  Satisfied she had everything, she stalked toward the door.  As usual there were no bodyguards.  If you could survive a night in Tomo’s Bar, then you could survive just about anything.

The thump of the techno music muffled Ada’s footsteps as she stalked toward Tomo’s dais.  The strobe lights, flashing disco ball and the body jewelry that gave off eerie, neon glows caught Ada’s gaze only briefly.  Ada didn’t frequent the bars in the Deep–she had better things to do then get drunk, high or sleep with fellow freaks of the Deep–so on the occasions she did go in, she found herself staring like a fool before she came to her senses.

Chapter 6: Rattle the Cages – Part 3

Present Day
Year 190 D.R. (Descendant Reign)
Location: The Deep – Delta Sector

It had been five days since Ada had first begun her plan to enter the City to rescue Ky.  So much had changed in such a short span of time it was hard for her to wrap her head around it.  Even though the Deep was a dangerous and constantly hostile environment, Ada had gotten use to the ebb and flow–it had a pattern she comfortably relied on.  That pattern was now in disarray, as if someone had come along and kicked the pieces of routine out of place.

“Ada.” Ky’s voice cut through her brooding. “Zare finished the last of the transmitters–one for each of the six sectors.  I’ll be taking Alpha.  Zare, Beta.  Jet, Gamma. You’ll stay here in Delta. Soi has Epsilon. And Pyr will take Zeta.”

Inhaling through her nose, Ada glanced at the small box sitting next to her on the table.  It seemed innocuous enough–the design was simple, sleek and unassuming.  She couldn’t shake the feeling, however, that Zare’s willingness to craft the transmitters was a ploy.  The fact that Zare’s power allowed him to manipulate technology in such a way should have been a relief to her.  Instead, because of his obvious run in with Waldgrave’s augmentation, Ada could think only of what else the transmitters would do besides helping them.  If they even did that much.

Chapter 6: Rattle the Cages – Part 2

Present Day

Year 190 D.R. (Descendant Reign)
Location: The City – Building 121-B

Ada woke alone a few hours after she’d fallen asleep. The room was lit only by the amber glow of the 4D holo-table in the center. Ky and Pyr stood shoulder to shoulder as they murmured to one another and from time to time pointed at the display. On the floor nearby Zare was sprawled under a blanket, his bulk hardly diminished by his lack of fur. Soi lay across Jet’s lap on the padded bench on the other side of the table. Jet had his head flung back in apparently sleep. Their pink skin looked strange to Ada.

A sigh escaped Ada’s lips as she gathered her blanket and rose to her feet. Pyr glanced up first. His expression was neutral, as always, but Ada knew that look, the slight softening around the eyes. He was glad she’d made it out alive. A small smile curved her lips before she looked away.

Using the time it took to fold her blanket and put it away, Ada mulled over their situation. The others were changed, but she wondered if perhaps Waldgrave had done more than just remove their obvious Transie traits. Which then lead to the thought of why Ky was unchanged after two years in Waldgrave’s clutches.

Chapter 6: Rattle the Cages – Part 1

Present Day
Year 190 D.R. (Descendant Reign)
Location: The City – Building 121-B

The room was quiet.  Ada could feel the weight of it as it closed in around her.  The other five occupants had found different places to sit or sprawl.  Jet and Soi were curled up together on a padded bench.  Zare and Pyr were sitting on stools near the 4D holo display, which had been turned off after Waldgrave’s dire announcement.  Ky had slumped down in a far corner, head bowed in thought.  Ada was the only one to resist the temptation to slump in defeat.  And so she paced.

“What’s plan, Blue Girl?”  Zare’s voice brought Ada up short.

With a frown, she said, “What do you mean?  The plan is we mobilize the Deep. It may seem impossible, but I’m betting they’ll listen to reason if we explain that it’s either that or get turned into a bunch of Norms.”