Jeurridam Ch. 13: The Acid Swamps

"You know," I began, hating the silence, "This place is amazing..."
"It is..." The Leer nodded, "Zanir connected this place to the Revivalists. This entire quarantine zone is their doing just like Sloan Wall...."

"And he never mentioned this to me? God, it's like things were going good until he learned I designed the manticore mechs, then his trust slowly began to fade. And it kept getting worse, and worse from that point on! He tightened his control over me, started wasting valuable time and even leaving me behind, locked up in that garage like I wasn't some living being underneath it all! I tried to ignore it for so long but we just stopped communicating effectively! I couldn't even speak properly with my voice cog broken... Then things blew up big time in Area 51 and now this happened..." I sighed, "I don't know what to fucking do!"

"Well, explosive fights tend to seem to be the result of a lack of communication." The Leer noted, "And for humans to be so relatively weak, they have the craziest battles." He was quite an observant machine and very spot on!

"Tell me about it..." I said, scratching my head, before taking a look at the acid pools, "I wonder how saturated the ground itself is with that acid..."

"Based on the growing conditions of the plants," The Leer began, making minor calculations, "Very... Cytotrolic acid may be a byproduct of the very corrosive acid in the pools."

"You may be right! If that's the case then what the hell are these plants and where are they from? Shit," I sighed, thinking back to it, "I should have never told Zanir this wasn't important. It's quite damn important!"

"There's no use in reflecting on things that happened that are impossible to change. It produces stress." The Leer said. It made me realize just how much more machine it actually was rather than a sympathizing and compassionate creature.

"You're right." I said back, getting to my feet, "I need to try and mend things over with Beth to see if she can send the new firmware to the manticore. Stay here. I'll be back as soon as possible."

"..I'll be here." The Leer said, placing its delicate little head on the ground.

I took off, flying straight towards A99. Everything was filled with somber energy, not a single soul unmoved by Zanir's sacrifice. It was pretty dark out at this point. No one could see me this high up and quite frankly, I didn't want to land! These people saw me at my utmost worst but they had to understand some thing! There was a lot that built up to that moment and I was deeply sorry!

My mind warred deciding whether to land or not. They probably would push me away the same way Basil and the A51ers did. It was something I didn't know if I could take, not after losing my son the way I did. However, it was evident that I wasn't the only one who felt they had a great loss. Zeek sat on the Veranda, clearly so much going through his mind. He definitely needed some alone time after his traumatizing ordeal. I bet he hated being back at this prison of a home. Sometimes, it seemed he was the only one I could relate to. He knew what it feels like to be torn between warring factions for the ones he loved. He knew what it felt like to lose time and time again! Hell, he knew what it felt like to have everyone turn against you!

For that, I grew the courage to land but not to confront these people. I cowered behind the garage, steadily trying to build the courage to do what I needed to do. My head drooped between my knees as I tried to gather myself. Suddenly, my radar picked up on a large metal object moving in fast. Before I could react, something hard and round clanked against me. It was Orb!

"What are you doing here?" She asked before seeing just how wrecked I was, "Oh no..."

"I came for some help." I sighed.

"I'm sorry about you losing your son! I mean, I have a synthos cog so I legitimately am." She said in a warm and teasing way.

"Thanks..." I said.

"Why'd you run off like," Beth said rushing behind the garage, "OH MY!!!!!!!!"

"SHHHHH!!!!" I said, holding up my hands in surrender, begging her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, beyond shocked.

"Go get your laptop!" I said, gesturing with my hands as well. She wouldn't be able to understand me without it. The sharp girl took her a swift minute to get it.

"On it!" She said, rushing back into the house.

She darted past Zeek who looked on lost. Moments later, she came back out the house with her laptop, booting it as she ran.

"Beth?" Zeek asked.

"Come on!" She said. He quickly got to his feet, following her. He had the slightest clue I was here. Upon seeing me, he burst out laughing. His reactions often were unexpected and I really didn't get what made him laugh. It was why I liked him!

"So you made it to the reunion too?" He asked.

"How are you guys?" I whirred. Beth looked down at the laptop screen, seeing what I said.

"We're okay. You?" Beth asked.

"Basil kicked me out." I chuckled, but that couldn't translate over.

"No surprise there." Beth laughed, seeming to pick up on it.

"I came to you because I have a bit of a favor to ask. If you don't want to do it, that's fine. It just would mean a lot to me if you did." I asked.

"Beth?" A stern, raspy voice called out. It was none other than Dale followed by a plethora of other footsteps. They all came around the rear of the garage, wondering why the girl had darted out of the house so wildly. Upon seeing me sitting there, everyone was shocked.

To my surprise, Alistair, June and Julio were here! I would have thought they would have left but no, they were still here!

"Hi..." I said with a wave. Everyone flinched, remembering those big beam cannons my arms would turned into whenever I got upset.

"He's not going to hurt anyone." Beth said.

"You sure?" Dale asked.

"I won't..." I whirred.

"He won't." Beth chuckled.

"We need to finish our conversation!" Alistair said. Dale turned to the man, not wanting to hear it.

"What conversation?" Beth asked, having missed it, being up the road at the clinic for the past few hours.

"About how fucked we are!" Alistair said back.

"You mean how fucked you are..." Dale said back, quick to refute such a broad claim.

"No, I mean everyone! We may have won this battle but we started a war we can't win!" Alistair persisted.

"Won?" Zeek asked, "I mean we lost terribly, don't you think?" Alistair looked at him, full of sympathy.

"As much as I wish it was about Zanir, it isn't. It's about Jeurridam and we crippled the Occupancy which was a humongous undertaking..."
"...That you couldn't have done without Zanir!" Zeek said.

"I get that but Zanir himself said that this was about driving the Revivalists out! You know he loves to kill two birds with one stone!" Alistair clarified.

"Okay, so what are you getting at?" Dale asked.

"What do you mean what am I getting at? You think the Revivalists are gonna lay down easy after we wrecked their plans like this? When they get their shit together they're gonna come back strong and who do you think they're gonna target? US! They're coming after us, Dale! All of us! How do you suppose we deal with that?" Alistair asked.

"I don't know." Dale shrugged, thinking on it.

"What about your guys? They have serious fire power!" Miguel asked.

"I'm afraid that won't work a second time." June began, "We only were able to push them back so far because we had Zanir's tech to disable their ships which really had the heavy weapons. Without the ships, the Revivalists don't stand much of a fight and without Zanir on our side, we wouldn't have stood a chance."

"How can you be so certain that a retaliation is coming?" Dale asked, just not bought.

"Because I saw just how big they've gotten!" Heaven began, "When we went to San Diego, all we saw was Revivalist this, Ravager that... propaganda everywhere..."

"Any anything powerful enough to produce propaganda to brainwash masses of people is powerful enough to have the firepower to back it up." Alistair added. Dale didn't listen to Alistair's statement, still stuck on what Heaven had said.

"Wait, when did you go to San Diego?" He asked.

"A few days ago. That's not important, dad." Heaven sighed.

"Sandles said that they have dominated the entire pacific coast except for Berengia and the Forests of Columbia... That says something!" June said.

"We gotta do something before these people come and destroy us all! They will!" Alistair said.

"Do you think we should break it off?" Miguel asked Dale, "Like what Alistair did with his crew?"

"It may be best... make yourself scarce. More targets means more time, I guess." Alistair shrugged.

"No..." Dale quickly refuted, angering Alistair.

"Why?"

"Because I don't handle shit like you..." Dale said.

"It's not about handling shit the way I do! It's about handling shit for the betterment of your community's future?" Alistair quickly argued.

"Um future? Where's yours, though? All fragmented and spread across the desert? That's right, I thought so..." Dale said, feeling his argument was valid.

"And you think your little charades of keeping everyone close and following your exact will is doing anything to keep them safe?" Alistair asked.

"But did mine crumble though?" Dale asked, seemingly just to get Alistair upset.

"Technically yes when Zanir upped and left your ass! Guess where he came; the Merchant Clan! At least my clan fell apart trying to save Jeurridam, the city that made you who you are today! You didn't give a flying fuck about saving the place!" Alistair retorted.

"You can't blame me for caring about my family first! How can you be upset with me over not wanting to have my family separated again? Family is just something you never, EVER had!" Dale said. It was a low blow!

"Dad..." Zeek said, not liking where this was heading. Alistair could have came back with more sound logic to Dale's madness but didn't.

"You know what... You and I have always been different, ever since we met twenty odd years ago. We've had serious conflicts in those years but stop holding on TO THE FUCKING PAST, Dale!!!!! Let it go!!!" Alistair said. It seemed to strike an equal nerve of Dale's. The two's past was even more entwined than the surface led on! Something must had happened between them.

"Let it go?" Dale asked, folding his arms, "I did long ago... What I was going to say was that there is an outpost a few dozen miles up the Colorado with an emergency broadcast system. As I've said many times, I have powerful friends! What we need to do is broadcast on the UCAC emergency airwaves and tell them what's coming our way! If we can't help ourselves then we can at least get someone out here who can!"

"Okay, so you're calling for help... That's a damn terrific idea.. Um, but still think about your forces and having them be able to fight another day. Seriously, Dale, maybe it would be best to disperse them..." Alistair nodded. Dale eyed Alistair, feelings he held on to from long ago coming to the surface. It was clear these feelings had not been properly dealt with.

"How far is this station?" June asked.

"About one hundred miles northeast..." Dale said, still looking murderously at Alistair.

"Wait, is it in the Grand Canyons?" Julio asked.

"Yes..." Dale said through the grit of his teeth.

"Then we should get to leaving then... We don't have a lot of time." June said, heading towards the buggy.

"No," Dale said to the boy, "This is a mission for twomen! You all stay here! Miguel, you're in charge until I get back."

"Okay..." Miguel said back, not thinking much of it.

"It seems time is not an you all's side..." I whirred, Beth reading as I spoke, "I can fly you both to the outpost."
"What's he saying?" Dale asked.

"He's offering to fly you both to the outpost to expedite things..." Beth said.

"Fly?" Dale said, not approving.

"Sure, why not." Alistair shrugged, warranting a not to keen look from Dale.

"Dad, it's not bad." Beth laughed.

"You've flown on him before?" He asked.

"Not him per say but there used to be two Orbs and I flew on the back of one. It's not at all bad." Beth smiled.

"This isn't going to be a get in and get out trip! Repairs will have to be made! The outpost is dilapidated. We're going to have to stay over night. We're going to need to pack supplies..." Dale said.

"Wait! Considering that the radio stations of the Revivalists have been destroyed, who's to say they haven't already found this place and are using it to broadcast...?" June asked, quite a valid question.

"Do any of you know the Revivalists emergency broadcast frequency?" Beth asked, typing vigorously on the computer.

"No... it's probably heavily encrypted and none of us have the skill to hack into it." Alistair said.

"Need I remind you that a mad scientist is sitting before you?" I asked.

"What did he say?" Alistair asked, hearing my wirring.

"He wanted to remind you all that he is a scientist..." Beth smiled.

"You can help?" Alistair asked. I nodded slowly.

"Just pack up what you need and I'll fly you both over. However I have things to do and I might not be able to stay so arrange a pickup. I have a serious problem on my hands..." I responded. Beth translated.

"June, I'll broadcast you the location on Merchant Clan wavelengths as soon as we get things up and running." Alistair said.

"Wouldn't it just be easier for you to have a team of support there with you? Every single one of us standing here all have something resourceful that could contribute to this mission." June asked, the question more so directed at Dale.

"Absolutely not. I need everyone here and nothing disjointed! We need to be unified while we figure out what's going on!" Dale said back. It was a fairly valid point.

"Alistair, do you still have informants in the city?" Zeek asked.

"No, I told all my forces to withdraw from Jeurridam. My folks are camped out in Red Canyon until I give further order." Alistair said back.

"We could really use a resource team right now to try and figure out what the hell the Revivalsits are up to at this given moment. They're terribly crippled but not unfunctional. They still have enough of a force left to commandeer a sector of Jeurridam or another small place for that matter! This is important! Hell they could have a resource team stalking us right now." Zeek said.

"Orb?" Beth asked out, seeing the validity of Zeek's point.

"We're safe for now..." The spherical droid said in buzzes and hoots. Beth looked at the screen to see what was said.

"I didn't scan on my way here, but I didn't see any signs of the Revivalists left in the region. I'd recommend you send Orb surveying every square inch of the surrounding desert to find where these people are while I take Alistair and Dale to their coordinates. Have her spy on them from a safe altitude when she finds them..." I recommended.

"So they're nowhere to be seen?" Beth asked, not liking the sound of this.

"I didn't see them." I shrugged.

"That's not good..." Beth said, scratching the back of her head.

"What did he say?" Alistair asked.

"Ever since the attack, he hasn't seen the Revivalists which for the matter could mean a lot of things!" Beth said.

"It could..." Alistair said, thinking.
"But we got to get moving... Eden, pack us up a wiring kit. Heaven, prepare us some meals... We don't know how long we'll be there. Beth, you pack up some camping gear and toiletries..." Dale said.

"Really dad?" Beth asked, refusing.

"I'll do it..." Zion offered with a shrug.

"Fine..." Dale shrugged rushing towards the house, Alistair right behind him. Beth typed up prompts on the computer and Orb was off, beginning the tedious work of tracking the Revivalists. Eden, Beth's oldest brother was joined by Elijah, his twin as the two went to the garages to gather a repair kit. They weren't like their younger three siblings, the two often working without question or second thought. They didn't have an identity...

While all of this went on, I folded down from sentinel mode to sentry mode. It was akin to the active torpor mode, where all function is shut down except radar scans. However, sentry mode wasn't inactive. My cannons were online as well as the gravity repulsion that granted me flight. It was so all thirteen feet and nine hundred fifty pounds of me could fit into a form smaller than a barrel. As a result, I could enter smaller spaces such as buildings, homes, vaults.

Zanir was a genius for implementing this! Despite our differences, he was always thinking of ways to make this Big Daddy armor more adaptive. I already missed him dearly... Many of his ideas were so fresh and innovative and were always about the well being of others! That was where I failed him as a father... Before the day I died, all my work was to produce an army, to weaponize people in a unity between man and machine in order to stop a group of extremist. I didn't think about the little things like, improving home conditions for bystanders to the wars in our wake, or actually making the world a better place! No, I wanted to push the limits on the most powerfulhumanweapon I could build and Zanir, the holder of my last creation, just so happened to be that weapon!

Everyone looked at me surprised, especially Beth.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing, you just look like an oversized soda can..." She teased.

"Hahahahahahahahaha...." I said back.

"So, Zanir modified your torpor mode to be fully active?" Beth asked.

"Yes, the boy has done so much for me and I'm a complete fool to not thank him for it, but he kept me bound by command programs and was wasting serious, serious time! When he released me from the programs and I had learned what he brought upon himself, I exploded... Everything I warned him about was unfolding and he... didn't care! It was then I learned I didn't consider a thing about him, just forcing this huge duty upon him from the time he was a born... I didn't think about letting him grow up and be happy and be normal..." I sighed.

"The thing about parenting is that with your first child, you never get it right... Considering Zanir is your ONLY child, don't beat yourself up about it... You were an engineer of advanced robotics and cybernetics... being a parent won't come second nature, I'm afraid!" She smiled. It threw me for a loop.

"You say that like Zanir will just walk back up here any given moment like this never even happened." I noted.

"I mean," Beth began, "Look at Zanir's track record... When the boy was eleven years old, he went to Sloan Canyon to find parts to build you! When he was nearly finished building you, you spent hours and hours and hours of training that boy how to be a stone cold combatant... Fast forward ten years and then you have this kid who has a talent of getting into any deadly scenario without a trace and leaving the same way he entered. Since he left A99, how many situations has this boy gotten into like that? Countless, right? The Revivalists didn't even know he was in the dam until it was too late! If Zeek made it out, why couldn't Zanir?"

" Wait. You're all talking about the fact that Zanir didn't escape the dam?" June asked, finally tuning in.

"Yeah." Beth said, warranting a head turn from Zeek.

"That's so damn strange, if you ask me! He could have so EASILY made it out! I think he's up to something and just didn't want us to know... He has a fucking plan... I mean he has to because it just doesn't make sense for him to have stayed behind like that..." June said, scratching his head.

"Zanir has this tendency... to like, hold and withhold information, a very trust worthy individual..." Zeek began, "I bet you don't even know that it was my idea when Zanir went after Da Lagon, that I was there with him the whole time..." June and Beth looked at the boy in shock.