Realms of Eden: B4 - First Battle

Kelsey called out before she cut the connection. "You two girls get some sleep while he does, promise!"

"Yes Mum," the two chorused then the line was dropped.

The atmosphere around the room had changed dramatically and now people were asking if they could help cook. Soon food was being consumed and spirits were lifting as the company chatted sipping their morning beverages.

As the plates were cleared away and stacked in the washers Thelma and Kelsey, with the assistance of several others, rearranged the tables in the room. They finished by putting labels on them as the rest gathered around wondering what was going on.

Finally Kel was ready and with Ian and Jennifer behind her with their computers set up she called the crew to sit at their designated team tables. Eyebrows were lifted in surprise but all made their way to their designated spots. Kelsey's heart ached a little as she noted that Martha and Lucy left the middle chair at their table empty to signify their missing leader.

She looked at Ian and Jennifer and when they nodded she began. "We are going to discuss what happened two days ago at the island battle with the wolverines."

She heard the intakes of breath around the room and quickly went on. "We need to understand what happened and why, after all the battles we fought, we found ourselves in trouble right at the end. Please everyone this is not about pointing fingers of blame or blaming yourselves. This is about learning and sharing and hopefully making us better prepared!"

She eyed the room's occupants making sure that each of them met her gaze and understood her reasons.

Serenity was her only problem child as the woman refused to look up from her table top. Giving a small sigh she walked to the green team table slamming her fist down on it in front of the woman causing the whole room to jump.

Serenity jumped the most and her head whipped up to face the angry, steely eyed look of Kelsey as she loomed over her. "Fuck you are one scary woman Kelsey!" she said. Immediately she realised that she was out of line. "Sorry Kelsey I will do my best."

Kelsey gently grasped the woman's chin saying, "You always do darling." Stepping back to the front of the room she continued.

"Ian and Jenny have got video image that they downloaded from your crafts and from the details that Majestic also recorded. I think Alfred has also got a recording from the nano-bots from Sydney?" The green man confirmed that he did.

"So let's see what happened and see if there is anything we need to learn for next time. Because people, there is going to be a next time as sure as the sun rises in the east." She moved to the white team table and sat down beside Thelma and Greg who both gave her a little pat on the shoulder as Ian stood to speak.

"For the next few hours," the man began, "we are going to watch the events and listen to the sounds and trace what happened from every point of view. What I want you all to do is signal when you want the vids stopped, replayed or changed to capture information or to make comment.

"Please be critically honest with yourselves and keep in mind that none of you knew what you were dealing with when we first encountered these beasts. So try to reflect from that point of view not what you have learnt since." He looked around to see if there were any questions, seeing none, he nodded to Jennifer to begin.

"Red team there appears to be one of the seals in trouble on the beach down there, bearing west of your current location," came Greg Collins' voice.

"White team, Roger that will go across and check. Red team, Lucy, Martha hold position and be ready to back me up if anything turns up. Blue team we may need a lift here back to Majestic, stand by," Sydney's voice echoed around the room and Kelsey asked for the vid to be paused.

People shifted in their seats as she spoke, "There is a mistake in that protocol." She saw Lucy and Martha nod. Kelsey waited.

The room was quiet, too quiet and Jennifer stood up angrily and shouted at all of them. "He made a fucking mistake there people and none of you are going to point it out! He never should have gone in there to check, he never should have made you two," and she pointed her fingers at Martha and Lucy, "remain behind!"

The woman glared at all of them. "If you cannot be honest enough to speak up then I don't want you here! Because next time something like this happens it may not be Sydney with his super reflexes and strength it may be you Paul or you Lissa and you may just end up dead! Esmeralda, Marmess and Orial have limited coverage of all of us. When our army grows they will not be able to clean up as they do now. We!," her voice was almost a scream, "Are the leaders and need to be fucking ready!"

She paused sucking in her breath and was about to continue her rant when Kelsey said, "Enough little one, I think they have got the message."

Jennifer sat down and Ian spoke softly, "What should have happened?"

A babble of voices broke out and Ian held up a hand. "One at a time please, raise your hand if you want to speak." Lex's hand shot up and Ian indicated for him to proceed.

"White team should have circled down and checked as a close order fly over or ground run to determine exactly what was there first then made the call," he said.

Serenity disagreed and said so adding, "Red team should have gone in together to engage. With the team leader on the ground and out of his craft they should have been covering his back. Then when the shit hit the fan green team should have been called in as well! Esmeralda followed him in, you can't stop that, but even she was caught out!"

Debate continued for a while and Ian and Jennifer let them go for a while before calling a halt. Ian addressed them all with a little smile and said, "Let's go a little further into what actually happened. While we do that our friend Alfred is going to do some manipulations and present simulations based on the suggestions and predict the probable outcomes. Ok?" Seeing nods all round he indicated for Jennifer to continue.

"Blue team we have an injured seal from the clan. She looks pretty bad might be easier to get the medic team here as well," from Sydney.

"Medics this is Blue team leader we have a seal injured on the beach about two kilometres from Majestic bearing west south west. Am going in to see if we can assist."

"Blue team, roger that, we are on our way," came Xavier's calm voice.

The scene showed Sydney examining the seal from above. Esmeralda was seen stalking the ground away to his left. Something large and black was suddenly heading at full speed towards the man bent over the injured seal. The perception changed to Sydney's point of view and the people in the room watched in horror as the man only turned just as the beast sank its clawed hand into his shoulder. Sydney twisted in its grip as the claws tore down and across his back as he rolled to his right bringing his beam weapon to bear in his right hand.

He slashed the beast with it as he activated his shield and used it to punch the beast in the snout that was almost in his face. Blackness engulfed the screen as the beast's blood spurted over the man's face temporarily blinding him.

The people in the room heard Sydney's scream as he was attacked. Saw him wipe the blood from his eyes and grunt in pain as he stood ready for further trouble. The view changed to Sydney standing on the beach with the black beast lying on the ground beside him. Esmeralda was beside him, her tail and claws slashing in front of the man's body.

The scene rapidly zoomed in, it was obviously from the cameras mounted on either Martha's or Lucy's craft as they flew in to protect their leader. The women dismounted and rushed to Sydney just in time to see the beast rise from the ground and tear the head from the injured seal and fling it at the slowly turning man and his companions.

Lissa asked for the vid to be paused. Shyly she spoke, "Bad move ladies. You should never have dismounted from your craft. You can fight and protect more easily from your seats than on the ground. If you had been covering him and the beast it never would have been able to kill Ginden."

Her sister nodded and suggested that Alfred add that to the scenario simulation.

"Anything else?" asked Ian.

Serenity spoke. "Yes as soon as Sydney was attacked there should have been a call to all teams for bogies present. What was white team doing?"

Thelma coughed and said, "We were continuing our scouting patrol as instructed but I see your point."

Paul spoke up. "Serenity it should have been my team that was watching, we are support for attack teams. We were waiting, watching for the medic team so that they didn't overshoot the mark."

"Oh dear," sighed Wendy. "Don't any of you know that we have an automatic tracking system on the Go-go mobile? We just dial in and it gets us there by the quickest route. Xa doesn't even have to steer it. That leaves the crew on board free to start preparing things while we are moving."

"Go-go mobile?" asked Jennifer amused.

Wendy giggled, "Well that's what we call her, when we need to we jump in and Go-go!"

The teams around her grinned and Martha said, "I call mine Trigger!"

Thelma said, "Banshee."

Others called out other names for their machines as well until Jennifer was rolling on the floor with laughter.

Ian asked if anyone knew what Sydney called his and Serenity in a flat voice answered, "Hope." Then cracked the room up with a deep voiced impersonation of Sydney. "Hope I don't fall off this fucking thing!" Kelsey laughed as loudly as the rest and suggested that a tea break might be in order and was unanimously supported.

While the teams sat and discussed among themselves as they drank tea, coffee or juices Jennifer gave her mother a high five saying, "This is going terrific. I am sorry that I spat it but they didn't seem to realise that everyone can make mistakes and learning from it just might save their lives."

Kel nodded her agreement and soon re-organised everyone back to their team tables and ready to resume.

Alfred's face appeared on the monitor appearing a little perplexed and Ian asked him what was up. "Well I think I have got everyone's rides named except for Lucy and Bonnie?"

The big twin turned red and shyly refused to give up a name for her craft until Martha leaned over and whispered in her ear and the woman nodded. "Well?" asked Alfred and Martha asked what he was going to do with the names. "I was going to assign them to the craft in the simulation instead of things like Red Team 1, Red Team 2 etc."

Martha looked at Lucy and then back to Alfred. "We are not going to suddenly find them painted on our machines are we?"

"Only if you want them to be."

Again she turned back to Lucy and Jennifer could see that she was really trying to spare her team mate some ribbing and embarrassment. Suddenly she realised what Lucy had called her ride and with a big wink at the women suggested to Alfred that he just call it "Sydney" for now after Lucy's other favourite ride.

Martha cacked herself and Lucy said, "Shut up bitch!" in a high pitch giggle. Then she she threatened to tickle Martha with her long fingers.

The others around the room cat called and cheered at Lucy's choice. Paul said, "Well at least you didn't call it Dildo like Bonnie did!"

"You bastard Paul!" came his teammate's cry and she punched him in the shoulder a few times as the room roared with laughter.

"Thank you all," said Alfred and he disappeared as Jennifer continued the vid.

The scene showed Sydney ducking under the beast's charge and ramming his beam sword through the beast again sending it staggering back to the ground beside the now dead seal. "Sydney take off its head!" screamed Serenity as suddenly green team arrived on their machines. Another twenty or more of the creatures rose up from around the bushes screaming out of the heavy tree screen behind the party on the ground. Esmeralda's claws ripped the creature's head off before Sydney could move again.

"Red team get back on your machines now!" came Serenity again. The scene showed her ploughing into the attacking mass and her twin swords flickered in deadly circles decapitating beasts as she could reach them. Magenta and indigo wove among the black creatures slashing in deathly quiet. In short order all of the beasts were despatched and Serenity was seen off her machine as with fierce determination ensured that the heads of each of the beasts were removed.

She remounted her machine. "Blue team get the fuck down here and protect red team. Medics cancel the seal but Sydney's down and pretty bad. Green team with me, we will check around the entire island but don't get separated from me, got it?"

"Green team, roger that, medics on way."

"Green team this is blue team we are on the ground behind you."

"Blue team stay on your craft and keep sharp there may be more of these fuckers around!"

The vid stopped then a new scene was revealed. The seal lay on the beach and Greg's voice was heard as before.

Then, "White team, Roger that will go across and check. Red team let's go have a look and be ready if anything turns up. Blue team we may need a lift here back to Majestic, stand by," Sydney's voice.

The scene showed Martha and Lucy following their team lead into the beach. Martha on Trigger taking up an alert watch about five metres towards the trees and Lucy just on the edge of the beach as Sydney stopped his machine next to the injured seal and dismounted. Esmeralda stalked the beach to his left as before.

A black shape detached itself from the tree close to Martha and avoiding her launched itself at the man on his knees beside the seal. Rapid machine gun fire was heard and the beast was blown backwards by the guns of Lucy on Sydney.

"All teams, bogies on the island, repeat bogies on the island," came the simulation of Martha's voice.

Suddenly Green Team's machines appeared. Serenity screamed, "Take off its head, Sydney!" as twenty or more of the creatures poured out of the trees and surrounding bushes. Beam weapon and projectile fire erupted from the five machines and the beasts were down before they had gotten more than a few metres.

Serenity's voice called over the helmets. "Take of their heads or put a bullet or arrow through their eyes, it's the only way to kill them!" The scene then showed the teams manoeuvring through the carnage firing bullets or arrows into the eyes of the prone wolverines. Magenta, indigo and aqua wove among them. Serenity was cutting their heads off with her twin swords.

The scene then faded to the point where Serenity was readying her team to continue a search of the island. There was silence around the room and Alfred appeared back on the monitor his face neutral. "I didn't think I needed to simulate the rescue of Ginden. I couldn't see much point." He caught the sombre nod of Kelsey and the screen went blank.

Jennifer stood slowly, appraising the group in front of her and saw a few tears and some crestfallen faces. She heard the 'if only's and 'the should have's and she stamped her foot and clapped her hands. "Stop it! All of you!" she called. When their eyes were all focussed on her she continued, "What have we learned today?"

Hands went up and she waved them back down. "Yes I am sure that you will all have something to say about tactics and how this and how that. But what have we really learnt today?"

No-one raised a hand and Jennifer waited. Finally Anne-Marie spoke, "People make mistakes."

Jennifer smiled broadly at her. "Exactly! People make mistakes! Even veterans like Sydney who should have known better. The warrior has killed thousands of Emal's minions but not even he expected them to be here. What can we do about it?"

She looked around expectantly and it was Serenity that gave her the answer she wanted. "Watch each other's backs, don't go in blind and question everything."

The murmurings around the teams were lighter and Jennifer was pleased that the point had been made.

Kelsey stood up walked to the front to stand beside her daughter. "I am not a fighter," she stated.

Paul guffawed and said, "What about those sharks you took out last week, you were pretty feisty then!"

The others around the group agreed and Kelsey held up her hand for silence. "They were incidental, we were outnumbered and sometimes the scouting team has to act. But that is not what I meant. I am not a fighter or a killer, nor are any of you!"

She raised her voice over some of their protests. "We are just people who know our world is in danger and we will fight for that but we will not cause the fight." She saw that they grasped her meaning and heads nodded in agreement.

"So anything I can learn, anything you can teach me to help you or help the fight I am happy to take on board. I will try not to make mistakes and if I do I hope that you will tell me then and there. I want you all to live and not die because of something I did or did not do." She looked long and hard at all of them and then said, "I hope that you feel the same about me."

Serenity stood and brought herself to full attention ensuring her feet stamped hard on the floor as she did so. The stoic warrior angel was pleased to hear the rest of the room follow her. She slapped her right hand to her breast and with one voice they cried, "We hear and obey!"

Kelsey, Ian and Jennifer returned their salute and cried, "To Victory!"

Chapter 2 - Unfinished Business

Penny Rogers lifted herself off the floor where she had ended up spending the night after she had fainted. Seeing what she believed was Sydney Douglas on the computer monitor that was giving her so much trouble had sent her senses into overload. Missing the man and having the mental conversation with herself then his face appearing was just too much. She glanced at the screen and saw that it was correctly displaying the background and programs she expected.

Looking closer she saw a program that was not on the installation image that she used to set up the machines. With quick fingers and use of her analytical tools she determined that it was a communications program that someone named Alfred had installed. She could not recall the name from any of her team and reflexively punched in the number of Greg Collins to inform him of a possible security breach.

She had just about despaired of him answering his phone and was about to hang up when his dishevelled hair and tired looking face appeared on the vid screen. He peered into the screen and saw that it was Penny Rogers, his computer expert, whom he had been given the name of by Sydney and Thelma, when he began setting up the underground city beneath the university. "Hello Penny, what's up?" he asked.

"Where are you Greg?" she asked when the background she was seeing did not look like any office or lab that she knew of and she certainly hadn't heard of him being away.

"Oh I am out on a cruise," he airily replied, "be back in a few days."

"Oh well sorry to disturb your holiday, it can wait," she said and with a cheerio she cut the connection.

"All right for some people," she sniffed and went back to examining the rogue program.

Sydney was tired, very tired and yet he couldn't sleep for the pains in his body. He was also uncomfortable as he could not sleep on his stomach but he was forced to lie that way because of the links to the machines around him and the wounds on his back.

A nurse entered the room and he whispered hopefully, "Jo?"

"Sorry no it's just me, Cassie. We sent Jo and Xavier home for some sleep, which you should be doing young man," she said as she fussed over some of the equipment.

"Can't sleep, too painful," he murmured as the nurse pressed the button above the bed to summon the emergency team. Black blood was dripping from the man's nose and the wounds on his back were oozing the same fluid down into a pool in the small of his back.