The Syndicate's Journey

by Nicholas Bogucki

  “Oh... I hate that.” She seemed defeated. “You got to learn to live a little, Armitage. We have Brigadier Generals for a reason, to help us out when we are up here.”

  “Yeah... you’re right.” He smiled and winked at her.

  “Anyways, have you heard from anyone yet?”

  Lieutenant General Armitage’s eyes turned from his INH to look at her. Does she know something I don’t know?

  “No, I haven’t yet, have you?” he asked.

  “Oh... no. I just was curious since you are on your INH if you received anything.”

  She walked over to a couch across from Lieutenant General Armitage and laid down. She moved her head on the arm and crossed her legs, and swiped her hand, her INH projected on her glasses.

  She browsed her INH, looking through anything she might have to do while she was on the USV Valkanaut. She tapped on “TAT” then “Projects” and then touched “In Progress,” and then she looked at the newest project that was under construction that her division was working on. The project was a materialization. TAT was trying to figure out a way that transhumans could materialize and de-materialize at any given time, to any given place, in any given condition. There were many negative consequences to this project, though, one being that during testing a transhuman materialized, but they would not be the same person as they once were. Something changed, a little thing, but small enough that it mattered. Their DNA was changed, and that made TAT very concerned about how to fix that. TAT was figuring out a way that materialization would not change when a transhuman traveled.

  What could I have made that I could send to the Major Generals that would not alarm from General Deschner...

  “Hey, dee Veyra?”

  “Hmm... yeah?” she mumbled.

  “Have you talked to General Deschner at all about the Major Generals traveling to Snakardekus and Varenok?”

  “Hm... nope. I haven’t.” She shook her head. “Why? What makes you ask?”

  “Well, I was just wondering if you had, after all, he did have me alone in his office after the meeting if you remember.”

  Lieutenant General Armitage wanted to get inside of her head and try to get any information about this mission. If she were hiding something, he would get it from her sooner or later.

  “Should I meet with him?” Lieutenant General dee Veyra asked.

  Lieutenant General Armitage wasn’t sure if she was playing him or sincerely asking him for advice.

  “Yeah, definitely. Could you maybe find out about Major Generals Brentari and Lokhorst? Maybe you can help them somehow?”

  “You know, you might be right. It would show initiative to General Deschner about this mission.” She swiped her hand, and her INH went away, and she sat up and stood up from the couch.

  “Sure, definitely would!” Lieutenant General Armitage suggested.

  “Between you and me,” She started to speak, “No hard feelings or anything, but I’d like to be General next. I think I am going to talk to General Deschner that I am more qualified for the position.”

  “What position, is that dee Veyra?”

  “Don’t play coy with me. I know you know all about it. I’m not going to say anymore to you. I am only going to speak to General Deschner about it. I know you’re scheming something.”

  Lieutenant General dee Veyra turned around and walked towards the door, pressed the button, and walked out of the Nexus. He could tell that Lieutenant General dee Veyra was annoyed with him. She was always prideful, and he despised that about her.

  What position is she talking about? If there was some opening of a position, wouldn’t I know about it? Sure, enough General Deschner wasn’t giving up his position as General, was he? What if this position had to do with this mission? I’m starting to think that dee Veyra might be in trouble.

  Lieutenant General Armitage swiped left on his INH and pressed “Call.” He scrolled down and tapped on “Brigadier General Maruo, Rosha.” When Lieutenant General Armitage was away from MOD, Brigadier General Maruo was in command.

  CALLING BRIGADIER GENERAL MARUO

  Brigadier General Maruo appeared on the screen, he was a young man. He had short blond hair, the sides of his hair were shaved, and the top of it, he styled in a small mohawk. He wore a monocle over his left eye with a yellow tint.

  His eyes were bright green. He had two earrings, one in each ear that was small, and he had little stubble all over his face. Brigadier General Maruo had a tattoo on the right side of his neck that appeared to be some kind of symbol that looked like two circles on top of one another with some letters overlapping them.

  “Hey, Lieutenant General Armitage!” Brigadier General Maruo smiled as he saw him. His smile was beautiful and contagious that you couldn’t help but smile back.

  “How are you doing, Maruo?” Lieutenant General Armitage smiled back.

  “Oh, you know...just working at MOD, picking up the slack while someone is gone... the usual.”

  “Really? That’s new! I’m putting you to work!” Lieutenant General Armitage chuckled.

  Brigadier General Maruo smiled. “Anyways, good to see you, Armitage! How is everything up there?”

  “Good to see you too, Maruo...and well, it could be better.” His eyes darted away from the screen. “I think I’m onto something, but I need to keep it a secret...can you help?”

  Brigadier General Maruo looked directly at Lieutenant General Armitage into his eyes as if he were there in person. “Look, Armitage, whatever it is, you can tell me... or don’t. I won’t ask questions. I’ve been under your command for a few years now, it’s me and you Armitage against everyone else like we have always said.”

  Brigadier General Maruo was honest and truthful, probably the most reliable transhuman there ever existed. He meant a lot to Armitage. Their bond was close, almost as if they were brothers.

  “I appreciate it, Maruo. I know you’re by my side, especially in a time like this.” Lieutenant General Armitage continued. “I need your help; lives are in danger.”

  “What.” Maruo swiped his hand and pressed a button, and the yellow-tinted glass became translucent. He looked at Armitage with both of his eyes. “What do you mean?”

  Lieutenant General Armitage lowered his voice and whispered. “Look, I don’t want to say too much, but I need four of the best weapons as soon as possible.”

  “What kind of weapons?” Brigadier General Maruo asked quietly.

  “The kind of weapons that are easily transported without being found out about.”

  “I’ll make something new, just for you and the occasion. I’ll put the word out.” Brigadier General Maruo suggested.

  “No! Don’t do that!” Lieutenant General Armitage’s almost began to shout; he caught himself and lowered his voice. “Don’t do that.”

  “Why not?”

  “This is a secret. I can’t have anyone knowing about it, only you and me, please?”

  “Sure, Armitage, I can do that.” He continued. “I don’t know what you’re onto, but it doesn’t sound good.”

  “Thanks, Maruo. I knew I could count on you.”

  “Absolutely!” he asked. “What exactly did you have in mind?”

  “Well... for this occasion, I was wondering if you could do something...different.” Armitage hesitated when he spoke.

  “Different? Like what exactly?”

  “Well... let’s just say I found out a way recently that is probably the best power source...ever,” Armitage continued. “It can be used to fuel Drakdels, to be used with OBA’s and seems to me like it can be used for much more than that.”

  “Really? Wait, did General Deschner finally cave in and use Lysadium?” questioned Brigadier General Maruo.

  “Lysadium?” Lieutenant General Armitage shook his head. “Psh, no man, I wish. He’s using Antimatter.”

  “Anti...matter?” Brigadier General Maruo asked. “Really? That’s what we’re using now?”

  “Apparently.” Lieutenant General Armitage repli
ed. “General Deschner is generous with it.”

  “Antimatter can be unstable. How is it being used?”

  “Well, all of the Antimatter is in vials…Which, as you know, powers everything we have.”

  “Wait... you said that it is powering the Drakdels and the OBA’s?!” Brigadier General Maruo stammered.

  “You heard correctly.”

  “Armitage...” Brigadier General Maruo stated. “You do know that... Antimatter is harmful, right? The slightest miscalculation, the wrong step, if one of those breaks, anything within many miles, is obliterated.”

  “I know what Antimatter is, Maruo.”

  “Then why is the Syndicate using it?” asked Brigadier General Maruo.

  “I don’t know. I’m not in charge.” He grunted. “I really don’t know.”

  “I’ll make something that can be powered out of Antimatter, but I have to warn you, this is serious business.”

  “I understand the risks, and I want to proceed.” Lieutenant General Armitage agreed.

  “Okay, but I have to warn you, these weapons, if they are in the wrong hands, can be used against us... and they will be very deadly.”

  Lieutenant General Armitage nodded. “I need them to be. It is worth the risk.”

  “Sounds like you’re trying to take something big down, huh?”

  “If only you knew, Maruo...”

  Brigadier General Maruo waved his hands in front of him. “Nope. Nope. Nope. Don’t tell me.”

  “Good. I wasn’t planning on it.” Lieutenant General Armitage smiled. “Call me when you have the weapons done and ready for transport, okay?”

  “Yes, Lieutenant! Will do!” He smirked. “You be careful out there.”

  “Will do, Maruo, oh... and thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me. It’s what friends do.” Brigadier General Maruo grinned.

  “Friends...those are hard to come by these days.”

  “Yes, yes, they are. Friends are almost extinct.”

  “Unfortunately, well, until next time. Goodbye, Maruo.”

  “Goodbye, Armitage.”

  Lieutenant General Armitage clicked, “End call.”

  He sat there for a moment, thinking about what just happened. Maruo, thanks for everything.

  Lieutenant General Armitage heard the doors slide open and the same sound as before, he looked up and saw Lieutenant General dee Veyra as she walked in the Nexus. When Lieutenant General Armitage saw her, he swiped his INH away and looked at her. Her face looked like she had just been defeated.

  “Seems like General Deschner is on top of everything, he didn’t really need my help after all…” She sounded disappointed.

  I almost feel sorry for her. General Deschner is obviously keeping her out of the mission for some unknown reason. This is his plan, but why? What is he trying to accomplish?

  “Oh...I’m sorry to hear that, dee Veyra.”

  “Eh...don’t worry about it.” She waved her hand. “I’m sure you have better things to worry about.”

  If only you knew.

  “No, not much at all, really.” He stated. “I’m just hanging out here until General Deschner gives me orders... I hate waiting around.”

  “Hmm... if that is the case, would you mind helping me with something?” she asked him. “That is if you don’t want to be bored.”

  Was this a trap? dee Veyra had never asked for my help before. I should be on my guard.

  “I mean… I guess I could help you. I have nothing else here to do.”

  She nodded and gave him a half-smile. “Thanks. So, this is something that TAT is working on that I’m unsure if MOD can use it or not...well what I mean is how useful it will be out in public...” she spoke as she moved her hair to the other side of her shoulder.

  “What exactly are you working on?” Lieutenant General Armitage asked.

  “Well...I can tell you, but you can’t tell anyone.”

  “Okay, sure.” He answered. “How can I help?”

  “Well, okay, so...” she walked to the desk and sat down. Lieutenant General Armitage followed her and stood behind her chair.

  “Do you mind?” she asked.

  “You asked me to help, so no, I do not mind.”

  “Of course, not.” Lieutenant General dee Veyra swiped her hand, and her INH appeared on the screen, then she tapped “Files” she scrolled down and found “TAT” and then she turned around and looked at Lieutenant General Armitage before she touched it.

  She shook her head and looked at Lieutenant General Armitage in his eyes. “Look, I mean it, this is top secret stuff. Don’t tell anyone, okay? Not even the Major Generals.”

  “Okay, but I just have one question.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Look, I’m just going to be honest, why are you showing me this?” he asked. “I know it wasn’t because I was sitting there bored.”

  “Well...” she exhaled. “I tried showing General Deschner this plan, and he denied it... I figured if I could get your support, we could show him together and see what he thinks. Maybe even change his mind.”

  This seems odd. If General Deschner gave her orders to do this project, why would he deny it? Or maybe this is something new, and he has no clue what it is. I’m not sure yet, but I need to continue playing along, who knows what will happen.

  “Well...” He continued. “Quit stalling and show me what it is.” He slightly chuckled and gave her a half-smile.

  Lieutenant General dee Veyra turned back around and pressed “TAT” then many folders appeared, too many of them for Armitage to even read. He had never seen these folders before. Lieutenant General Armitage himself had folders that were only accessible by him alone, but there were a lot of them here.

  How did she keep up with them all?

  “Okay, so...” she tapped on “Project” then scrolled down and tapped on “In Progress.” Then she turned around again. “This right here, this is what we are working on.”

  “What is that?” Lieutenant General Armitage asked.

  “That is the future.” She proudly stated.

  “And what will this ‘future’ do?” he asked curiously.

  “Well...” she scrolled down and tapped on a folder labeled “Blueprints” it opened, and then a few pictures, around ten or so, appeared on the screen. “This right here will change how we move from one place to another.” She tapped on a picture showing the blueprints for it.

  “What is this?” Lieutenant General Armitage asked. “Like, what does it do?”

  “So, this right here.” She tapped the picture and enlarged it with her fingers. “This is what you may call a materialization device or what we like to call it, the Emergence Transit Device or the ETD.”

  Appeared on the screen was the blueprint of the ETD; above it was the name, and it displayed roughly how the ETD was used. Someone or something was to be placed on this device that looked like an upside-down metallic lid. The top was smooth, and the circumference of this lid was roughly four feet, and it was approximately eight inches tall in the center and slowly became shorter the further from the middle according to the blueprint. Lieutenant General dee Veyra elaborated as she pointed to the blueprint and swiped on her INH to the next picture, which depicted a hologram of a transhuman stepping on the ETD and transporting elsewhere.

  “Theoretically, we are trying to make the ETD work so anywhere you want to go, whether it be somewhere on Nuwurth, such as the Yuskalla Islands or Quelfium, you can be there in an instant. If you wanted to, you could travel outside of Nuwurth and travel here, to the USV Valkanaut, or even Snakardekus or Varenok. Anywhere you wish to travel to, you can be there in an instant.” She explained.

  “Whoa. Really? That can work?” he asked.

  “Well, theoretically... I understand we have been able to discover and harness warp-drive and negative matter, correct?” Lieutenant General dee Veyra turned around to look at Armitage.

  He nodded in agreement. “That’s correct, we have a good unders
tanding of how it works, and as you can tell, it does work.”

  “Yes, it does, which is good, but only the Drakdels can perform that, right?”

  Lieutenant General Armitage thought for a moment before answering. You know she is right about that, the Drakdels are the only thing that can fly at those speeds.

  “Yeah, that is true, we haven’t been able to get heavier ships to travel at such incredible speeds.”