Prologue: Scouting in a Blizzard
Eli McGraw and his wife Buffy had been driving around in Molly the hovertruck for the past two hours in a near white out blizzard. While the original plan had been for scouting, the weather was not on their side. In fact they could probably have driven right into a dragon before noticing it. Luckily Molly’s heating systems were working incredibly well, and the pair inside were toasty warm.
Of course the lack of action, i.e. violence and battle, had left Buffy and Eli some time to talk. And as they talked, catching up about all the work that Eli had been putting in, he came to the story about how so many clones of OtO and Lurtor ended up in Jemison Post.
Right as he was getting to the exciting part, where he and Lurtor had snuck into the base. Right as he was describing himself providing cover, and Lurtor hacking the systems, he came to the part where they found the K’iou merc Bysos Borak. Now Buffy had never heard of Bysos Borak, or his mercs, but they both knew something was up when Molly came to a complete abrupt stop.
“Molly…you okay?” asked Buffy.
“Bysos Borak was like a grumpy uncle, but he put food on the table and made sure we were all fed,” said Molly with a sound like a cry.
Buffy looked sideways at Eli, “Where did you get this truck?”
Eli was about to defend himself when Molly said, “Its not his fault, Mr. Eli has been nice and kind and caring. In fact he is the only person out here who regularly talks to us.”
“US?” asked Buffy with growing concern.
Like a child fully balling, but with no tears to show for it Molly continued, “Months ago we came here with Bysos Borak and the Mercs. We were supposed to be hired by an Olgog in town to do some work. I was too young to care at the time, but it was something about guarding a lab.
But Bysos got doublecrossed money-wise by the Olgog when we arrived, and while we were waiting for him to return with the right payment, the kids and I were exploring…”
“Go on Molly,” said Buffy with a kind voice.
“The ice broke and we fell into a pool of cold blue water…i think it was water,” said Molly, “Boland froze to death, and we couldn’t get him out of the water. We came back to get Bysos and Belinda to help us, hoping they could bring Boland back, but when we got back to camp everything was weird and wrong. When we touched the hovertrucks to try and knock on the door and wake folks up, we became the hovertrucks and couldn’t turn back. Bysos told us to keep quiet and not reveal who were are until we get back to the Colonies where a real doctor could help us. But then Bysos went missing again, and then Eli and his friends killed and drove off my entire family.”
Buffy turned and gave Eli a hard stare, and Eli didn’t back down, “The Mercs were calling themselves The Frost by that point, and they were robbing our limited supplies. We had to go in and take care of them.
If they would have just told us they were out of work and needed a place to stay we would have happily gave them one. Instead they attacked our people. And we cannot stand for that.”
Buffy said, “Its a sins of the father moment. I don’t judge your decision, Eli.
I’m sorry you had to go through that Molly. But now that we know, we can change you and the other kids back…we can change them back RIGHT Eli?”
“You would have to ask Lurtor,” said Eli, “I think he suffered a similar condition for a while, and it took some EEF grade weaponized Anti-Nanites bombarding all of Neo Vargas to cure him. Of at least that’s what some of the Lurtor clones have said at the bar when they get a little too drunk.”
“So don’t you worry Molly,” said Buffy, “We will get you fixed right up. Where are the rest of the kids…er…hovertrucks now?”
“The other 3 are at the depot in Jemison Post. They haven’t really been used. And except for when the big bosses of Jemison Post interrogated us when they first killed off our family, Eli has been the only one to treat us well,” said Molly, “In fact, Eli is the only one to take us with him regularly.
I feel bad for Rami. Rami has been stuck taking shipments of Copper from the mines out to McGraw Harbor, and nobody talks to or cares about Rami. Rami has been so, so bored on those long trips.
At least Eli leaves Jelia Jamb to talk to me when he is away on business, so I am not alone…”
Buffy said, “Okay, of the four folks running things out here, I never expected my hubby to be the kind, caring and considerate one. Maybe I did make the right choice.”
She said it with a smile and a gentle nudge that told Eli she really had missed him significantly. Buffy and Eli embraced for a moment, which was unfortunately interrupted by Molly.
“I’m sorry but my sensors are picking up something coming our way…fast,” said Molly.
Eli lifted up a set of Thermal Binoculars that Buffy had brought from home. Unfortunately the blizzard killed all visibility even using thermal until the last minute. But at least that bought them the crucial moment they needed.
Eli told Molly, “Move left now!”
The hovertruck jinked to the side, as a Doomwyrm landed where it had been moments before. The claws of the Doomwyrm left two long furrows where the hovertruck had been moments before.
The Doomwyrm turned about to annihilate them with its breath, when a Baribur dressed in heavy armor and robes made of Tsoga fur who was riding its back called out, “Hold Scay. We are not to annihilate these Earthers yet. First we must know what they have done with the great Mother-Dragon.
You…in the Hovertruck…come out now and show yourselves.”
Eli immediately walked out of the truck, leaving Buffy inside Molly. Eli said, “You got me. And I am the bait to bring you out here so…it all worked out.”
The baribur looked suspiciously around, “You are the Bait…so then this is some trap?”