by SK Benton
###
Liliana Gunnarsson was seated in front of a row of infoscreens, watching the battle for Azul take place. The child was not allowed to participate, but Draagh did allow her to sit in his quarters and watch. The child noticed something on the screen that was odd - two green dots kept popping up in different places around Azul deep orbit. The dots would remain for a moment, and then disappear. She saw that this coincided with the appearance of the Brood Carrier, so she contacted her family via the comm.
"Papi, I'm in grandfather's office and see red dots popping up on the screen to the furthest left. What does this mean?"
Max thought for a moment, and then realized that Liliana was seeing the leaky tracker particles he had developed. It was his best estimate that the markers belonged to the Grigori. And better yet, they were possibly with the Vrol.
"Lili, are these dots inside an icon that looks like a bug's head?"
"Yes, Papi. I designed the icon. Do you not like it?"
"Yes, sweetie. It's really cool. You've helped out a great deal. I'll talk to you soon."
Max was with Bagatelle in the Admiral's quarters. He had slipped over, being as the Revolution was still a couple of hours out of Azul space. Of course, Bagatelle heard what Liliana had said, and smirked.
"Max, your kid is smart as a whip. We didn't bother bringing the particle tracker with us, and I think she just gave us a way to find those bastards."
"Pops, Dad, Gabe, are you guys tanned, rested and ready?"
"Yes, my boy. We heard young Liliana's findings. In fact, I am replicating the particle tracker in the bridge of your craft as we speak," responded Draagh.
"Um, no magic, okay? We're keeping this under wraps for the time being."
"Worry not, Max. We have carried what appeared to be a vid display into the bridge and are manually setting it up, making it appear to be Azul technology," said Michael.
"Hey guys, we got a big problem. Bugs are sporadically appearing on the planet's surface. It seems every time the carrier is on the scope the bugs are instantly showing up," said Jennie.
"They are being transported by those petulant brats. They are operating too quickly for us to locate and then go to them," said Draagh.
"I want a report on ground troops. Where is Krynos?" demanded Bagatelle.
"He is now in Buenos Aires," said Gabriel.
"Did you take him there?"
"Oh no. He used the portal in Vera base. He's also taken his recon team with him. I'm sure he is enjoying himself," said Michael.
###
Massive throngs of people screamed as they ran through the streets of Buenos Aires, Nueva Argentina. Energy weapons erupted in all directions, as humans were being slaughtered en masse. Children, the elderly, and adults - it didn't matter. To the Vrol they were the enemy and were to be extinguished from existence. Nearly every adult carrying the inactive lycan genes was fighting back with anything they could get their hands on. Personal weapons were common in Azul System, so they at least had a fighting chance. There was even a group that reenacted ancient battles, all armed with AR15 rifles which shot archaic .223 caliber rounds. Unfortunately, projectile ordinances had little effect on the Vrol and their on and off psionic armor. The fact alone that the invaders had their defensive capabilities caused alarm to Azul high command.
"Max, the bugs have their armor again. But that damned Brood Carrier is nowhere to be found. They must have done something new," Bagatelle told his Captain, where the two were analyzing data in the admiral's office.
"I'll send Dad on recon to track the signal and see where it's coming from."
"Michael - Dad, the bugs have their shields again, but their main ship isn’t anywhere to be found. Can you track the source?" It has to be near concentrations of attacking troops."
"Actually, I'm on it, Max," said Gabriel. "Your father is at Vera base."
"Okay G, I'm getting back to the Reagan. Jen loves being in command, but the ship needs her captain."
Max disappeared from sight, while Bagatelle exited his quarters for the bridge.
###
Liliana sat in her great-grandfather's chambers, watching the infoscreens flash. She felt proud that she had detected something and assisted in the battle, but for her that wasn't enough. Knowing her grandfather Michael was at Vera she decided to do something she probably shouldn't have done. The little girl had an idea regarding the Vrol. It was something the adults had overlooked completely, and it had to do with a small device on top of a nightclub.
Running down the hallway, she arrived at the chambers of King Krynos. Cautiously opening the door, she saw no one inside, and went to the far wall, pushing on a wooden panel. The wall gave way and she entered into a small alcove, where there was a thoroughly modern looking door. She put her hand on a small rectangular panel and the alcove turned 180 degrees, with her inside. She found herself in King Krynos' personal office, outside the realm of space/time. She had traveled through it before on many occasions, but never alone. Moving to the other side of the small room in which she found herself, she pushed on another door, this one opening into yet another alcove. Again the alcove spun around and Liliana found herself in a small room on Vera Base.
She concentrated, and luckily located her grandfather. She ran to him, not wanting to alert anyone via the comm that she wasn't in Krynos' castle.
"Grandfather! Grandfather! Please wait!" she cried out.
"Liliana! What are you doing here? You should be in the castle. In your parents knew you had--"
"I have an idea how to help against the Vrol. Please. I need you to take me to Mr. Dons' club in Hollywood. Now!"
Michael thought for a moment, and then decided it would actually be safer for her to be in PAH than on Vera, so he nodded his head and slipped them to the stairs leading up to the entrance of Dons' club. It was nighttime in Los Angeles, and the club blared with the sounds of Lennie's band playing some Viking death metal. Liliana bounded up the stairs, going directly to Donn's private area.
"Liliana? What are you doing here? Where are your parents?" asked the diminutive clan leader.
"Mr. Dons. Our worlds have been attacked and the foul insects are making headway. We need to see your device that keeps them away from here."
"We?" he asked, then seeing Michael enter the club. "Ah, brought gramps with ya. Okay, doll. This way."
Dons popped up from his couch and nodded curtly to Michael, who merely followed the two to a back stairwell leading up to the roof. Once on top the three stood and looked at a small box, connected to a live electrical wire.
"120 volts. Sends white noise out a frequency we can't hear, but it drives the buggers crazy," said the diminutive human.
"I sincerely cannot believe we overlooked this piece of base technology," said Michael, as he stooped over to analyze the device. Conjuring an infoscreen over the box, he noted the electromagnetic frequency band it transmitted, shaking his head as he did so.
"LTE," he stated with a smirk.
"Huh? El tee ee? What's that, mate?"
"Long Term Evolution. This frequency band was used on Earth to transmit wireless device information. It was abandoned centuries ago. Someone probably booted up an old cell tower to provide communications during this world'sVrol invasion, and accidentally discovered its adverse effects on the insects."
"Well, what’s the frequency then?"
"1,927 megahertz. This is all we need to know."
"Um, so then you don't need to take this thingy? I'd hate to lose it," said Dons.
"I just needed the numbers. Thank you, proprietor."
"Thank you, Mr. Dons!"
Michael looked as if he were to slip away with Liliana, when Dons stopped them momentarily.
"Um, sir, can I ask Lili a question?"
"Yes, of course."
Dons bent over a bit, not needing to kneel down, as he was only slightly taller than the girl.
"Lili, how's Pandy? Is she happy?"
"Why yes, of course, Mr. Dons. Wh
y would she not be?"
Dons smiled and nodded his head. "Okay, that's all I wanted to know. Y'all come back soon, got it?"
Michael nodded to the club owner and the two disappeared with a characteristic popping sound.
Man, don't think I'll ever get used to that.
###
"Grandfather! Why am I not back at Vera base? Have I not assisted in the battle, albeit in a non-dangerous fashion?"
Liliana was visibly upset that she had been slipped directly to Draagh's office instead of back to the base on Vera. In fact, she was near bursting out into tears.
"Liliana, it is not my place to determine where you may be. I may incur the wrath of your mother when she finds you left in order to most fortuitously discover something that could potentially aid in the battle against these vile creatures. Please, remain here and I will keep you updated on its implementation."
Liliana sat down on a large chair, crossing her arms and pouting. Most children would be content staying in a safe location during a war, but she wasn't like most kids. She wanted action.
Before she could even formulate a response to her grandfather, the archangel disappeared from view, leaving her alone in the dark chambers.
###
"Max, Jennie, I believe you daughter, in her youthful wisdom, has provided us with yet another weapon in which to battle these creatures," said Michael, as he walked onto the bridge of the Reagan.
"Oh my god, what has she done now?" gasped Jennie.
"Do you remember that the club in Hollywood has a device that repels the Vrol?"
"Holy crap! Yes! I was gonna look into that, but we got attacked and it slipped off my lidar!" exclaimed Max.
"I have determined that white noise, sent at the frequency of 1,927 megahertz is painful to the bugs. Prepare some devices that transmit on this frequency band and we shall set them in populated areas, keeping the insects away from innocents, and to also corral them into more convenient locations for their slaughter."
"1,927? That's never been used on Azul - I'll get Josh's team on it now," said Max.
I wonder what effects it has on them, other than giving them a major headache.
###
Josh Mannheim had set up an assembly line in the Military Scientific Research HQ, with dozens of techs hastily building football-sized boxes that would transmit white noise on a signal on the 1,927 MHz frequency band. No one aside from the LTJG knew what the devices were for, nor did they need to know. They were simply under orders to make them.
After roughly 18 hours they had enough boxes to distribute around New Sydney, protecting the most densely populated areas. Citizens were instructed to stay in their homes, unless Vrol attacked them, of course. Then they were instructed to run like hell.
###
"Chairman Johnson will rescue us. Of that I am certain," said Joshua Vann, for President of the Senate. He was in a spacious Buenos Aires jail cell, surrounded by dozens of fellow gen-vamps whom had been removed from the House of Representatives just days prior.
"I have no idea where my family is. We were to emigrate to Earth with the Chairman, and now, thanks to that dick, Bagatelle, we can't even protect our own," claimed a junior senator, seated toward the back.
"Don't worry, Robert. We'll escape, and when we do we'll go to the Chairman's side and fight these scum."
"That's what we need! Order!" claimed another prisoner.
"Yes, order indeed, my friends," said a cavernous voice, attached to an unseen individual.
Everyone looked around, unable to see where the voice had come from.
"I bring you a gift. A gift of freedom, and of renewal."
"Who are you? What do you bring?" demanded Vann.
"Your birthright," said the voice, as the lock to the jail cell released on its own.
Moments later, dozens of activated, UV light-resistant vampires streaked from the cell, hell bent on retribution. And they were hungry.
###
"One of the Grigori went land-side. He popped in and out within seconds," Jennie cried out, while looking at the infoscreen Draagh had installed on the bridge of the Reagan.
"Where did he show up?" asked Max.
"It could have been a she, Captain," Jennie corrected her husband.
"Yeah, true, but where was it?"
Jennie zoomed into the location on the infoscreen and gasped out loud.
"Main holding cell - Buenos Aires jail. We have to inform Chief Jake."
"There's no enemy aerial activity at the moment. Jennie, you're with me. We're going hunting."
The gorgeous dega jumped up from her seat, only to be replaced by a young lieutenant. She followed Max off the bridge and out of sight, where he slipped them to a broom closet in the BA police station.
"Max, you aren't thinking of…"
He gave his wife a curious glance, and then thought for a moment. "Oh!" he laughed. "No, love. I just wanted to arrive out of the sight of mortal eyes."
Jennie wiggled her brow and burst out of the broom closet, nearly giving a janitor a heart attack as she did so. Max followed, smiling at the worker and giving him a wink.
"Women! I mean, really. They like it in odd places," he snickered, leaving the sanitation engineer in the hallway.
The Gunnarssons went directly to Chief Williams' office, finding the Haida chief seated at his chair, watching a vid display, which showed carnage on a level he had never witnessed his entire life.
"Max! Where have you been? The streets are flowing with blood!" he cried out.
"Chief, I know. We've been up in my ship. Vera is contained, for now. But we have a problem."
"What is it?"
"There's been a jailbreak. All of the gen-vamp senators and reps from Congress have escaped."
"But… how could they? Unless they had help from the inside."
"No - they had help from the outside. There are some bad eggs on the level of my dad and grandfather. They're behind this whole invasion."
"Shit."
"You can say that again," said Jennie.
"Ermm… shit?"
"I didn't mean literally, Chief."
"Oh, sorry. Well, most of my officers are out assisting with the wounded and trying to protect any strays. What can I do to help?"
"Just keep me informed. And… whoah. Look at this."
The three looked at a view screen and saw a small group of escaped congressmen attacking people in the streets. This alone would have been disconcerting, except for the fact that they were biting their victims' jugulars. Sprays of crimson blood shot out from people's necks, as the activated vampire politicians delighted in murdering their former subjects.
"Sharga. They're activated. Jen, it's katana time."
Max and Jennie streaked out of the police headquarters, and as soon as they were out of sight Max slipped them into the middle of bloody chaos. Ghouls were feeding, never having fed before, a genetic reflex causing them to gorge themselves on human blood. Max pulled his and Jennie's katanas out of his sub-dimensional pocket, handing his wife her enhanced blade while he gripped his own - a new sword, which was a gift from the Rhönen's ally, Isamu.
The two started to hack and slash their way through the congressmen on the massively-wide Avenida 9 de Julio, not taking care in incapacitating them - rather, they were wantonly slaughtering the vampires, not willing to leave a single one alive, until Max thought for a moment.
"Jen, wait here," he said, as slipped out with four of the putrid creatures. In a matter of seconds he was back, where Jennie had already eliminated three more.
"Where did you go?" she asked.
"I stuck them in the cages next to the moat. Lili needs more subjects for her experiments," he laughed.
"Max. Don't encourage her, please," she groaned.
He looked at his levels meter, which he really didn't need to monitor anymore, as he had a ghanlo that did most of his heavy lifting. But he did need some nutrition, and figured his wife did too, being she had already gone phase 2. Quic
kly conjuring two high-calorie, nutritional shakes, he slipped them to a safe location, where they downed the delicious liquid and then went back to hunting congressmen.
"Hey everyone, the Grigs came down and activated a bunch of pols. We're trying to nail them all, but could use a hand," Max said over the comm.
"Wow, this really does give new life to the term Blood Sucking Lawyers, doesn't it?" Jennie morbidly joked, knowing that most politicians had legal backgrounds.
It wasn't but a moment later that Michael and Gabriel were flying around, lopping the heads off escaped prisoners.
"Pops, did you hear us on the comm? Your buddies made some new light-resistant vamps down here," said Max.
"Yes, Max. I indeed heard the unsettling news. How fare you with their capture?" asked Draagh.
"Um… well, I slipped four over to the cages for Liliana, and as for the rest. Um, no captures yet."
"You have not been able to capture any? Have they been improved somehow?"
"No, Father. We are killing them," said Gabriel, interjecting himself into the conversation.
"I have a question," said Max. "The one you nabbed was light-resistant, but what about his lifespan? Was that somehow also modified?"
"Yes, it was, in fact."
"Bummer. Do you want any kept alive?"
"I do not believe that will be necessary, my boy."
