ONE NATION: A Post Apocalyptic, Dystopian Saga

by Michael W. Huard

  The petite Mystical Slayer had died in the fight in the most gruesome way. And it was only fitting that both women would go to her grave site, where they had put a special head stone. The pair stood now before it, reminiscing on the good times they had had together. Zaey was the one that had made everybody feel like one big family, and she had meant so much to all of them.

  Raegan was first to say some words.

  “Hi, little sister. We miss you so very much. We miss your constant smile and positive attitude. The things you would always do to bring us together, the games, the talks, the cooking parties, all the fun times with you as the initiator. Love you so much. You are still with us always. We know that we will forever cherish the memories that we have of you, little sister, always and forever.”

  Reagan sat now in the tall grass. She was choked up, lost for any more words. She looked at Jansa, just shaking her head.

  “I'm still feeling great pain,” Jansa herself announced as she now touched Zaey’s headstone.

  “I know if you were here right now, kid, you would slap me and say ‘You better never give up.’ You were always the one that had great hope. I won't let what you accomplished just be wasted in the wind. You took down the old president of Y-Wood. You will always be a hero in our eyes, sister. I love you so much. There’s no quitting here. In your memory, we will carry on.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  After a long mourning period, both the sisters were about to leave the national cemetery when they spotted sky ships coming in from a distance. As they got closer, a half dozen drones of medium size with one larger full ship in the flank flew in within an arrowhead formation towards them.

  “We’ve got to go!” Raegan yelled, urging her sister to run with her. They ran to the right, but one of the lead drones began firing warning shots, blasting the earth before them, and making the women turnabout and go left.

  Both of them bolted in the other direction, but again a new drone fired shots, stopping them in their tracks. Again, they choose another direction to run. Soon they were in the center of the cemetery field running down a path of white stones, trying to find coverage of any sort.

  There was no safe hiding spot. The drones who had descended down in front of them now blocked all pathways. Raegan and Jansa had no choice but to watch as all the ships got even closer, while the big one landed before them. The smaller drones now circled about, still above, as if trapping them in every direction.

  There was nowhere to run now for Raegan and Jansa.

  The big ship was silver metal, shaped almost like a giant whale, one with teeth and eyes formed into the front of the vessel. It landed with a thump before the women, then a ramp electronically opened and slid down to the ground coming out of the ship.

  Both women were wishing they had firearms, but stood stone-still awaiting what was to come out this forced encounter. It was obviously a Y-Wood Corporation ship.

  Several black robots, Ruthys, with green lit-up eyes and rifles, marched down from the ramp and began spreading out before them. But it was what followed after that made both women feel very uneasy.

  Two were powerful robots. They recognized one of the bots, a blue-and-silver one that strode down the walkway and came up to them. The other bot following was made of a black crystal substance with red spider veins was new to them. He was a creepy sight to behold.

  Both robots came forward as the women prepared to deal with such a dangerous situation. Each freedom fighter took up a fighting posture. However, it was then that a third member of the ship came down the ramp.

  It was a woman. A beautiful woman with long black hair. As she came closer the two sisters, each realized that she was more than just a normal woman. She was a construct of the Corporation, undoubtedly some sort of expensive cyborg. She also had the most digitally-enhanced, dazzling green eyes.

  “I'm sorry, Raegan,” Jansa said, turning to her sister. “It was a bad idea to come out here. I should have known better.”

  “Let's see what they have to say first,” Raegan replied.

  Galax was first to speak. “In accordance with President Purcell and the law of the corporation, you are hereby placed under arrest for treason to your country. If you choose to be defiant, you will be terminated.”

  Both women would be worthy opponents against any normal beings. But for these two super robots, not to mention the special cyborg beside them and the bevy of black robotic soldiers all about, each with their laser beam rifles pointed at them… Well, the women were in dire straits.

  Plus, above, the drones in the sky were tracking their every movement. All of this led to the conclusion that the women were facing odds even they were probably not going to overcome.

  Everything that had just happened, the realization that the Washington, D.C. area was never truly conquered, the watching eyes of drones everywhere, and the aging and sickness of Governor Bends now had Jansa and Raegan flush full of emotions. And now this!

  They had not truly really succeeded in winning anything. And after seeing their friend's grave, it all just came to a boiling point and before anymore conversation could take place, Raegan went straight at the blue-and-silver robot.

  Jansa was shocked at her aggressive action in light of the circumstances about them.

  “What in the world are you doing?” she called out. But it was too late.

  Raegan attacked with a combination. She tried to kick the leg of the robot but the bot raised his leg and checked her shin bone. She then spun around and slammed her foot into the robot’s stomach. A good spin kick and hit, but Galax barely budged.

  Raegan then executed a series of palm strikes to the lower neck of Galax, trying to snap his neck aside. These he met with ease, parrying and blocking her strikes before he shoved Raegan backwards with just a single hand.

  She wasn't done. She came back at him, putting her left hand on the ground and slightly moving left, cartwheeling her foot into the head of the elite combative super bot. It was executed flawlessly and smacked him good.

  The robot was pushed back some, but only a few feet.

  Raegan was wild and not stopping. “Let’s see how your billion-dollar frame likes this!” she cried out as she again came at him, this time with a stomp kick into his chest. The robot dodged to the side, making her miss. She then came back around after missing with a second kick, and tried to elbow the seven-foot bot in the mouth. But he ducked the blow. She kicked him in the hip bone next and then tried to do it again. This time, he caught the kick.

  He scooped up her foot and tossed her to the ground.

  The black robot made of a strange crystal with his eerie red veins started to come at Raegan now. He was tired of her silly antics. Jansa, however, jumped in front of her sister.

  “Gotta get through me first,” she said with a grin.

  She jabbed out at the black bot then threw a cross punch before sliding right and round house kicking this new monster in his right knee joint area.

  BSR1 hardly flinched from such a strike.

  “Leave her alone!” Jansa then called out to both bots, moving closer to Raegan.

  The black robot examined the spiritual doctor closer now. He looked directly into her eyes, rotating his head left and right while staring at her. He then sprung forward and hammer-fisted her in the head. The blow sent Jansa sprawling to the grass.

  But Jansa would not stay down. She shook off the more-than-solid hit and came right back up, going at BSR1. But before she had a chance to reach him, Aliah, the cyborg was on to her.

  She had dashed at Jansa and swung her around by the shoulder. The two then locked in combat, as Raegan was back to fighting Galax.

  Jansa push kicked at Aliah, then jabbed, followed by a left hook. Aliah leaned back against the jab and ducked under the hook punch. She seemed excited to be in a fight.

  Jansa then attempted to roundhouse kick her right in the head, but the strange bionic woman leaned back and the kick missed by mere inches.

  Aliah smiled broadly a
t Jansa.

  “You move well for a human.” Aliah then went low, trying to sweep Jansa’s legs out from under her. The doctor leaped up, making her miss. Yet Aliah was fast and countered with a spinning hook kick that belted Jansa right in the mouth. Blood spilled freely as she ran her hand across what was now a bloody nose.

  It was then that Raegan was beside her sister. She had broken off fighting Galax and stood back-to-back now with Jansa.

  “You’ve got us in one heck of a mess, now haven’t you?”

  Jansa was not laughing. She was ticked off!

  Suddenly, laser beam markings, those of a bright red, appeared all about the women's bodies. The robots surrounding them, the squad of black Ruthy assassins, had displayed them now. It was next that Galax warned both women of what was about to happen if they kept fighting.

  He loudly proclaimed, “You should stop now or you will be disintegrated.”

  BSR1 laughed in a hideous, deep tone. He was witnessing the capturing of the legendary Mystical Slayer leaders, and it was now his project had begun.

  He then announced to all, “My plan has begun perfectly!”

  Neither of the two sisters had any idea what he meant, but it was a moment later that they became prisoners of the Y-Wood Corporation. They were bound in metal chains and brought to the vessel to be flown back to New York thereafter.

  Both had decided that it was fruitless to battle the best Y-Wood had to offer all alone.

  Before the ship had left, Aliah had been instructed to wait here by BSR1. There would undoubtedly be rescuers for these two women showing up soon. The cyborg was left to deal with them.

  Galax had immediately questioned the command of the black robot.

  “I believe that my master, President Purcell, prefers that he choose her actions. Leaving his masterpiece back here will be upsetting to him.”

  BSR1chuckled.

  “We shall see about that,” he replied. “Let us bring him his Q-Jin. I am sure he will be very pleased.”

  Galax let it go. And the ship sailed off. He, in his head, was thinking of another robot that once was a big part of the Corporation as they zoomed to NY.

  Omagus, who at times was referred to as his brother creation, was a robot who was once no more than a holographic super bot. He had outgrown his own intelligence and broken from Y-Wood two years ago.

  As the ship flew on, Galax wondered what had become of him. Omagus was the smartest of all the Corporation’s super creations. Galax knew somehow, some way, they had not seen the last of him.

  He looked over at the new prisoners and realized things were about to get really interesting indeed.

  His thoughts than went to this black bot sitting beside him. Galax contemplated how much different he truly was compared to Omagus. He thinks he is the new boss. He was a darker specimen –dark as in his ways- much more so than Omagus. Who knew where it may all lead?

  Omagus had been living on Mars ever since his break-off from Y-Wood. He was, in truth, building a massive robot army. It would be soon that he would led them to Earth and in particular to the former United States of America. Galax knew very well that one day, his old comrade would return. His knowledge of this was kept to himself. It was a tribute to his so-called brother robot.

  It was soon Galax snapped out of his own thoughts. He now heard BSR1 announce, “The Empire State Building draws close!”

  Galax, however, had one more thought of Omagus: his talks about what these Q-Jin had discovered or, better yet, believed in.

  Both had found it fascinating that mankind once reveled in the idea of one God. There was no doubt the black bot here couldn’t care less.

  But the aspect of some superhuman or being that dwelled in the sky gave Omagus great interest in studying the ways of humans. The ways they worshiped were utterly fascinating. He had come to the conclusion that it was necessary to feel something, that human consciousness needed this uplift to stay sane. Omagus once explained to Galax that they needed no such thing. A super robot was a creation of man and man only.

  Galax liked Omagus better than this new black robot. He already had come to such a conclusion. Omagus was far easier to talk to.

  One thing Galax had not yet learned about was that his old sidekick Omagus had already renamed himself God Bot.

  What Galax did know was that the humans on earth had all but killed themselves and the planet with war, greed, and lust. The entire earth was partially destroyed in some ways. Humans were responsible.

  As the ship started to lower, he again snapped out of this over-thinking. One day both bots would surely meet again. He was certain of it.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  The cyborg Aliah waited for a bit with her small ship in the cemetery, and as surmised, a vessel flew into the grounds and landed nearby. A woman with reddish-brown hair stepped out, scanning the cemetery all about. A rust-colored dog followed beside her as they searched some.

  Aliah watched closely as the woman looked for clues. She was young, this so-called freedom fighter. It was then that the very expensive, highly powerful cyborg woman stepped out from the shadows of a clump of trees and stood not too far from Brin.

  Brin had made sure she had a least told someone back in the emissary region, though it was a younger trainee. But whoever it was, it did not matter now. She was alone. Rambunctiously, she had left out on her own, thinking time was of the essence. It was a mistake.

  The cyborg wearing dark brown leather stepped out even closer now, fully revealing herself. “Are you looking for someone?” she asked.

  Brin stepped back and looked her over. Bud barked at the new arrival and Brin tried to calm him. This woman was maybe twenty-five years old, solidly built, attractive, and poised, yet something seemed off.

  Brin could not take any chances with her here. She pulled a laser pistol from her side holster and pointed it towards the woman right away.

  “Who are you, and what are you doing here? Where are the two women that were in this very spot just moments ago?”

  The cyborg raised her hands as if she did not know. She then replied, “The real question is, what are you going to do now that you're all alone with me?”

  Brin raised an eyebrow, thinking, what is that supposed to mean?

  She still aimed her pistol at Aliah.

  “Tell me what are you insinuating. Answer my question. Or do you want to die?”

  The cyborg did not care about her question. She ran right at Brin, who fired her gun, blasting a volley of shots and striking Aliah right in the chest area. The laser bullets simply bounced off the cyborg’s frame and Aliah was now right in her face.

  Bud, Brin’s dog, started barking up a storm again in defense of his master.

  Aliah right away grabbed Brin by the throat with both her hands.

  Brin ducked forward and swirled around, releasing the grip with a martial arts trick. She then ran forward slightly, creating space, and then turned back around, looking seriously at this freak of nature. “What are you?” she asked, dying to know now.

  “That is a good question,” spoke Aliah. “I am a tool for the Corporation. I was once just a young girl, beaten and abused. Someone discovered by Y-Wood. I have been built into a fighting machine. You should surrender right now to avoid a massive amount of pain. This is what I do!”

  Brin shook her head no. Bud, still barking, joined her close by her right side. The young Mystical Slayer was as brave as they come. She let this constructed woman know who she was.

  “I have trained with some of the best women in the world. I was told my skills are good. Even Grammy Wall said I'm a heck of a fighter. Tell me where my friends are. And so you know, I will never surrender to you until they’re safe.”

  Aliah laughed some at these odd words. It was like the young woman was trying to give herself a pep talk. “Well,” the cyborg then stated. “If Grammy says you’re a good fighter, you must be super tough.”

  She was mocking Brin, and soon added, “Have it your way then.” Aliah
then ran at an angle almost pass Brin and suddenly jumped in the air with a flying side kick that nailed Brin directly in the shoulder, sending her flying to the grass and banging her body hard into some of the headstones.

  Brin had never felt such force in a single kick. Bud went immediately after the cyborg. Aliah stomped her foot into his face, sending him to the ground. He whimpered in pain, trying to stay conscious.

  Brin was furious and right away backed up as Aliah tuned to face her.

  Brin took a fighting stance, ready for the greatest challenge she had ever faced, combat-wise.

  She led with a push kick with her left foot. It was more of a fake to get the borg to think low as Brin then leaped up in the air and attempted to superman punch Aliah in the face. But the elite cyborg was too quick. She actually caught the punch in her right hand and twisted Brin’s wrist, making the young lady scream out in pain at the hard-turning motion.

  The cyborg then reached down underneath between Brin’s legs and lifted her up, picking her body up over her head. She then tossed it twenty feet once again, hard, into nearby tombstones. It hurt the Mystical Slayer very badly.

  “You cannot defeat me,” Aliah announced. “I am a borg built for combat in the arena, indestructible, and with the knowledge of thousands of years or fighting intuition and combat prowess. I ask you to surrender once more, or I will have to take further measures.”

  Brin was not giving up. This freak knew where Raegan and Jansa were. She just knew it! Again, she fought to get back up.

  “Where are they?” she screamed out, still with great determination.

  The fit and tough freedom fighter came back at the cyborg, faking punches high and then shooting low, tackling Aliah by the legs. It surprised her opponent and with the move the two combatants tumbled to the tall grass.