From: bkoike@sdcc13.UCSD.EDU (Bryce Koike)
Subject: STORY: The Otherworld (Chapter 10)
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 16:31:11 GMT

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                     The Otherworld <> Chapter 10

                          :: FINAL ORDERS ::

                    Copyright 1992 by Bryce Koike
                         All Rights Reserved
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-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
     Any comments, criticisms, opinions, etc, are welcome.  I can
be reached on Internet as:
     bkoike@sdcc13.ucsd.edu
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
"Through these fields of destruction
Baptisms of fire
I've watched all your suffering
As the battles raged higher
And though they did hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers in arms"
                            ("Brothers in Arms" -- Dire Straits)
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Date:      September 14, 1992
Location:  Nothern California
           Otherworld
Time:      9:45 am

    Cheap incense from a dirty shop burnt at the feet of the naked
man.  He inhaled the cinnamon smoke and held it deep within his lungs.
Then he stood and carefully shed his suit.  Its armored padding
thumped against the ground.  Then carefully he opened his skin pockets
and removed the items from within.  He wrapped them in a bundle.
There was no shame inside of him.
    With a single finger he crushed the burning stick and did not feel
pain even as a blister carefully formed.  Jiro stared at it and wished
it away.
    He turned sharply like a soldier and marched down the street, his
body invulnerable to all of nature's ills.

    There was a soldier at the door.  Matt yawned and waved.
    "Glad to see you're up," the soldier said.  "Name's McCullin.
C'mon, the Captain's waiting downstairs."
    "Thanks."
    As they walked, McCullin turned to him.  "You're really from the
20th Century?  Earth, I mean."
    "Yup.  You?"
    "22nd.  Pretty awful place if you ask me.  Nothing but conflicts
across the empires."
    "I don't think it's avoidable.  There's been wars and skirmishes
across the globe ever since I was born.  There'll always be people who
want to pick a fight."
    "Yes, you're probably right.  What's the 20th Century like?"
    "It's there.  I don't think I can really explain it unless you
experience it.  Are the others up already?"
    "Yes.  They're talking with the Captain."
    "Thanks."
    "Ah, here we are.  Just go right in."
    Matt nodded and turned the doorknob.  Captain Bryant looked up and
tensed.
    "No need to be afraid of me, Bryant," he said.  "I only read your
mind because you needed convincing and I wasn't about to banter.
You're safe from me now."
    "Sit down, Matt.  We've been talking."
    "So I've noticed."
    The tension in the room was nearly unbearable.  Matt seemed on the
offensive, a triumphant look in his face.  Bryant, though, was tight
and almost fearful.  And somewhere in there one could sense passionate
anger and hate.  Matt sat down and smiled.
    "Why don't we continue?" he said.
    Bryant cleared his throat.  "Ah, yes.  Your friends were just
telling me about things which have happened ever since they have come
to this world."
    "Captain Bryant, do you find it strange talking to an ancestor of
your hated enemies?"  Matt was staring down at his fingers, picking
the dirt from underneath his nails.  "I am not them and they are not
I.  We have nothing in common."  He raised his eyes to meet Bryant's
own.
    "Nothing, Bryant, save for Otherworld.  It is Us against Them.
That's all.  There is no room for personal prejudices.  It will only
bring an end to us all."
    Bryant sighed.  "Yes, Matt, I do find it . . . uncomfortable.  I
have been fighting much of my life against the Combine and its allies.
I have been taught to hate and despise the Asian race as well as the
Americas.  Do you find it strange?"
    Matt gave a soft chuckle.  "In my day blacks are called niggers
and a handful of years ago they were killed because of the color of
their skin.  In my day, us Japanese are still called Nips and Japs
sometime.  I'm no stranger to hate, Bryant, for I've felt it myself.
But you must learn to overcome your hate so that we can learn to fight
together."
    "You are a warrior?"
    "Ha!"  He sprung from his chair and spun around.  "Is this the
body of a warrior?  You, being a marine, should know better.  These
hands have never known the feel of blood on them.  These eyes have
never watched men die until now, until Otherworld.  Here, Bryant, I am
a member of the struggle by fact of my abilities alone.  This alone
makes me a fighter, nothing else."
    "I'd like to ask you all if you have seen one of these," Bryant
said suddenly, changing the subject.
    The screen behind him flickered, then focused into a picture of an
Eternal.
    "No," said Tracy and Vince.
    "That is an Eternal.  A member of their warrior class," said Matt.
"I believe you have previously found two members of their psionicist
race, now dead."
    Bryant nodded.  "How do you know?"
    "I've come into possession of a variety of methods of gaining such
information.  It's taxing, but necessary.  Do you wish to know more,
Bryant?"
    "Yes, please tell me."
    "I will, then.  The Eternals are a race of elites.  Not
necessarily because they are somehow better than all others, but
because they believe they are.  They have no respect for lower life
forms and that is all that we are to them.  They possess powerful
magical abilities as well as mental powers like my own.  Their race is
very, very old.  Older than ours, Bryant.  They are currently trapped
here, but eventually they will acquire the power they need to leave.
Before then we must eradicate them utterly."
    A sad smile passed across Matt's face.  "You see, Bryant, if we do
not, then we will all die."

    At the perimeter of the marine base, Jiro dropped his items and
took several steps away.  He then calmly sat and closed his eyes. He
would wait for them.  That would be the only way.  He did not have
long to wait.  Four soldiers approached him in full armor, weapons at
the ready, safeties off.
    "I am unarmed," he said in plain English and raised both of his
arms.
    Two of them crouched and leveled their guns.  The others
approached him from opposite sides and firmly, if not painfully,
attached restraints about his arms and legs.
    "Got us a little Jap," mouthed one of the marines through his
mouthpiece.  They chuckled and carefully gathered up his equipment.
One could never know what sort of toys they had hidden in them.
    "How's it on the other side of the street?" laughed another.
    Brits.  They were always pompous.  Jiro closed his eyes and his
mind as he was thrown over one of their shoulders.  The restraints
were far too small for him and felt as if they were crushing his hands
and feet.  They could not allow a Combine assassin to have free hands
while being "escorted" back to their base.

    "You think that they can kill us all?" scoffed Bryant.  "With
pipes and swords?"
    Matt raised an eye.  "A battlegroup of trained Eternals warriors
could put five regiments of your finest soldiers to shame.  They have
magic by their side, Bryant, which is more than I can say for you.
You sole advantage is me, a pitiful esper with a child's power at his
hands."
    A bitter look on his face, Matt turned away before he spoke again.
    "They can raise their hands toward the sky and throw lightning
down upon your men, call up tornadoes and earthquakes.  Their swords
will ignore your greatest armor as if it was flesh.  Their spells will
throw your men into confusion and bring them to slaughter each other.
I would not laugh at them, Bryant, for the planets which they have
conquered number in the hundreds.  Genocide is their greatest glory
and there are thousands of beings, both sentient and non-sentient who
will never grace the face of any planet again. Fear them?  Bryant, if
you do not, you are the fool."
    "They didn't seem that formidable to me.  It took several of them
to just subdue a family."
    "Correction, Bryant.  It took a single member of their group to
subdue the entire family.  That was a single untrained Eternal new to
his work.  They are known as skulks and are fledlings in the ways of
the power of the mind.  The others, Bryant, the others were mere
workers save one warrior.  The workers are not fighters, but the
warrior could best three of your men armed in powered armor, if not
more."
    "Surely you joke.  We're marines, boy, the best of the best."
    "Your men are laughingstocks.  I could best one of your marines
without a rifle and without a powersuit.  Pride will be your
downfall."

    "What's your name?"
    "Jiro Mitsuo of the Combined Alliance."
    "What are you doing here?"
    "Giving myself up."
    He raised his face to the marine and smiled.
    "You missed the skin pocket above my left shoulder blade, but you
will find that one empty as well."
    The sergeant glared at him.
    "Shut up, you.  We'll have our Captain talk to you."
    "Yes, yes, that would be for the best."

    A tired look passed over Bryant's face.  "Look, boy, it's obvious
that you've had a long day.  Maybe-"
    Matt's chair fell back as he leaped from it.  "Fuck you," he
hissed.  "You take me for a liar?  A fool?  Then watch, Mr. Military
Man!  WATCH!"
    His hands twisted and shot out.  The air itself rumbled and shook.
Bryant felt a force slap out and knock him from his seat. Lying on the
ground with a stupefied look on his face, Bryant watched his desk
literally warp before exploding in front of his eyes.
    "You're lucky I contained the blast," said Matt.  "The shrapnel
probably would have killed us all otherwise."
    Much of the desk had turned to powder.  What was left of it was
contained within a tight ball rotating slowly in the air.  Matt
released his fist and it fell to the ground, raising biting dust into
the air.
    "Beware, Bryant, this is the one and only warning I will be able
to give to you.  Temper your stupid pride if you wish to count
yourself among the living."
    Matt slammed the door behind himself.
    Bryant was quiet for a long time before he spoke.  "Do you think
that he is telling the truth?"
    "I see no reason to doubt him," answered Tracy.  "He's never lied
to us before.  I don't think that he sees any reason to lie now.  And
I his . . . demonstration . . . seemed quite adequate."
    "It was enlightening, yes.  Still, I think he underestimates our
power."
    "I don't think so, sir," Vince said.  "He probably read your mind
last night and picked up any information he would have needed."
    Bryant frowned.  "He could have read my mind, yes.  Is he normally
like this?"
    "He's been getting worse, if that's what you mean," Tracy said. "I
don't think that he would have dared to hit me a month ago."
    "Do you think he's stable?"
    "Stable enough to believe in him.  Nothing more."
    Bryant sighed.  "You must understand how difficult it is for me to
practically place myself in the hands of this erratic . . . child, no
matter what his abilities are.  And for him to be Japanese on top of
that."
    A shrill beep rang from Bryant's watch.
    "Yes?" he said into it.
    "Sir, we've captured a Combine assassin!  We've got him in the
holding deck."
    "You're sure?  I'll be right down!"
    Tracy looked up at him.  "Is it Jiro?"
    "I'm not sure.  Don't worry, we won't hurt him anyway.  As Matt
has said, we have no room for rivalries here."

    Lord Geentung lay feverish in his bed.  His sickness was mental,
though, not physical.  And the source was a young man by the name of
Matt Ryuko.
    An Elder peered at the lord and carefully cleaned his face.  The
lord clutched at his arm.
    "Get it out of my mind," he gasped.  "Have pity and take him out!"
    The Elder shook his head sadly.  "My lord, we have tried all we
can.  His powers are far different from what we know."
    "You . . . must . . . get him OUT."
    "Yes, lord."
    The Elder quickly turned and left.
    Somewhere in the lord's mind, a manling tore through his memories
and laughed a cruel laugh.

    A drop of sweat worked its way down Matt's face.  Inside he
smiled.  "Does it hurt?" he asked.  "Oh, you're so far away, but I'm
getting better every day.  Yes, send your soldiers to stop me.  I will
be waiting."
    He peered out the window across the city toward the south.  They
would come eventually, but by then he would be ready.  Captain Bryant
and his men would prove to be an excellent cover.  And who knows,
perhaps they were better soldiers than he thought.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

    "I had a dream, mother," the young girl said.  She toyed with her
toast.  "It was quite an awful one this time."
    "Tell me about it."
    "A man chased me.  Black, not like a man but like ebony.  He
wanted to kill me.  I was very frightened at the time, but when I woke
up, I wasn't.  Strange, don't you think?"
    "Yes, but I think it's perfectly normal for people to have bad
dreams.  I had an awful one two weeks ago about being chased.  One of
those where your legs are jelly."
    "This was different, mother.  This felt real."
    "They all do at the time, dear."
    "Hmm."  She returned to her cereal.  She decided that she did not
like Matt one bit.  But he was so very important to everything there.
This wasn't like the movies at all!

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

    Carefully bound to the chair, Jiro could not bow.  Instead he
lowered his head in an attempt at respect.
    "I am Jiro Mitsuo of the Combined Alliances and an assassin," he
said.
    Bryant nodded for the guards to leave.
    "Why have you given yourself up to us?"
    Smiling, Jiro answered, "Not to much giving up, sir, but a sign of
my . . . trust.  I wish to join your forces in the upcoming war."
    "How do you know that we will engage in war?"
    "The boy tells me things when it's convenient for him.  He is
impatient with you."
    "Forgive me, but we have been here only a short time."
    "Long enough to meet with the enemy.  You have done much work in
that short time."
    "How can I guarantee your loyalty to us?  How do I know you won't
backstab us at the most convenient chance?"
    "Sir, you must decide for yourself.  That power does not lie in my
hands.  Dare I lie to you?  Dare I sacrifice all people to these
aliens?  To me, I cannot.  To you, who knows?"
    "I will free you and offer you clothes."
    "Yes, that is best."
    Jiro sat patiently as he waited for clothing to arrive.  They had
finally unshackled his hands and feet and the blood began to painfully
return to them.  He gently squeezed his palms.
    "The three children made their way to you safely?" he asked.
    "Yes, they did.  They have proven very enlightening."
    Jiro smirked.  "I am glad.  I fear for us all."
    "I take it that you have come in contact with the aliens?"
    "A part of them.  The one I fought was a bestial creation; he was
a cross between a rabid dog or wolf and a man.  Very strong.  I think
he could have killed me had he been formally trained in combat."
    "The Asian boy said nothing of that."
    "I think he is not very worried of them.  When I spoke of my
battle, he dismissed the Hunter.  Matt considered them to be
inconsequential when compared to his power, which seems to be growing
daily."
    "Do you think that it will make him dangerous to us?"
    "It will only be a danger if we become his enemy."
    "Then perhaps it would be best to listen to him."

    Matt closed his eyes.  "You think I'm blind," he whispered. "You
think that I cannot hear you.  You are wrong.  I hear and see all that
you do.  Now you do not plot against me, but when it becomes
convenient, you will turn and rip my throat out with your fangs."
    He clenched his fists until they ached.
    "Can't you see that I have all of your best interests in mind?
Can't you see that I'm just trying to make everything alright?  Why
must you fools fear me?"
    They destroy that which they fear.
    "I am not the enemy."
    Remember the witches of Salem.
    "I am your only hope, don't you see that?"
    You are to be feared.  You want too much power.  They destroy that
which they cannot understand.
    "Fools.  Fools!"
    He flung his head out through the window and felt it whip in the
wind.  Tears stung his eyes and were blown off his face into the air.

    "He is powerful, but his skill is little.  He does not know of the
intricasies of mind-thought.  It is this way that we can attack him.
Feed his fears and hates and turn him against them like we turn our
other pawns."
    The Mindover bowed in concentration.  Then his eye slits opened
and his antennae stood out.
    "The seed of suspicion has been planted."
    Another rose.  "Should we tell the lord?"
    "No.  The lord's mind is open to the child.  We must keep our play
a secret from all but ourselves."
    "Some may think that blasphemy."
    "Then they are fools.  Times arise when we must keep our secrets
from even our own.  This is one of them.  A bond of silence now hangs
over all members of this room.  He who breaks it shall be shattered.
Remember that."
    They rose from the oriental rug and slowly shuffled out of the
room.

    "Where is Matt?" asked Jiro as Bryant allowed Tracy and Vince to
enter.
    "He wandered off somewhere," said Tracy.  "He was a little upset."
    "I see.  But he is alright?  He speaks little of his condition."
    "Yeah, he's alot better."
    Jiro nodded.  "That is very good.  He is a very important person."
    "Hey, man," quipped Vince.  "How come everyone here is so
suspicious of you?"
    Jiro smirked.  "I am an assassin in my home.  This makes others
fear me.  Some of their fear is warranted, but much of it is the
product of simple propoganda.  They did a full body cavity search
including all my skin pockets.  I do not think that they should have
anything to worry about from me."
    Byrant asked "What about your abilities to dissolve your
fingernails in liquid and release a powerful poison?  Or your
impressive martial arts abilities?"
    "My fingernails are all my own.  I have been subject to massive
biomechanical overhaul, yes, but I am hardly superhuman.  What
preparations do you make to confront the enemy?"
    "Light powered armor configurations, standard issue plasma rifles,
light sabers in case it comes to that.  I'd prefer to keep the enemy
at a distance," replied Bryant.  "Although the boy said that armor
would not stop the swords."
    "So he told me.  Even so, some protection could be worthwhile. We
will not know for certain until our first battle is complete."
    "Captain Bryant?" asked Tracy.
    "Yes?"
    "When do you plan to attack?"
    The marine stroked his chin for a moment.  "I hope to have all the
information I need within two days."
    "So soon?"
    "I don't think that waiting around any longer will be of any
advantage to us."
    "Oh."  Pause.  "Do you think that Matt will be involved?"
    The door opened behind them.
    "Why shouldn't I?" he asked.
    Bryant slowly turned.  "I don't think that's such a good idea," he
said.
    "Why not?  You don't think that I'm capable?"
    "I think that you're far too valuable for us to throw you away in
a single battle."
    "Careful, now!" Matt thought.  He had to play the cards just
right.
    "I think that I can hold my own, Bryant."
    "No.  You stay.  And if necessary I'll have you restrained.  We're
just going to go out and make an assessment of their abilities.  You
could consider yourself our ace-in-the-hole.  No sense in wasting that
surprise early on."
    Bryant did not know that the Eternals were already aware of Matt's
presence.  Matt beamed inside, for Bryant had played into his hand
perfectly.
    "Yes sir, Mister Captain, sir."
    He put on a glowering face and slumped into a chair.
    "How's tricks, Jiro?" asked Matt.
    "Just fine, my friend.  Why so eager to enter battle?"
    "I'm the most important piece on the chessboard, Jiro.  The most
powerful piece.  And if my sacrifice is what's necessary to assure
checkmate, then so be it."
    "You young people are all so eager to be martyrs."
    "I'm not looking for fame, Jiro, just victory.  One life
sacrificed so the thousands may live.  I don't think that's too great
of a sacrifice."
    "Then better to throw away your life when it matters than in the
midst of a minor battle."
    "So you say."
    Matt paused a moment and tilted his head.

    The lord was screaming, his voice turned to a warbling shriek.  It
took the strength of four attendants to hold his writhing form down on
the bed.
    Two Mindovers stood in the corner babbling at each other.  Finally
they stopped and concentrated on the lord.

    "Stop it," Matt whispered.  "Stop it."
    How could they follow him back so easily?  He put his hands to his
head.  Around him people were talking, but he couldn't understand
them.  The noise was growing louder.
    "You can't stop me!" growled Matt and he released a huge shock of
energy down their contact, then nearly fell out of his chair in
exhaustion.

    Lord Geentung cried out and was still.  The two Mindovers
collapsed to the ground.  Only the four panicking attendants were
left conscious, unattached to the linked minds.  Three fled from the
room in their shock.  The fourth collapsed to the ground in a faint.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Date:      September 16, 1992
Location:  Nothern California
           Otherworld
Time:      7:00 am

    Wrapped in a thick blanket taken from a local store, Matt walked
out onto the balcony.  He took a mug of hot chocolate with thanks and
tenderly sipped at it.
    "Whatever happened, I'm glad that you are okay," Captain Bryant
said.  "Our forces are preparing to move out."
    Matt nodded as he swallowed.  The chocolate seared his tongue,
temporarily numbing it.  "That's good."
    "Do you think that we will win?"
    "Anything is possible, Bryant.  Perhaps you will.  But do not be
surprised if you meet with defeat."
    It had only been a scant few hours ago that Matt had recovered
from the psionic battle two days before.  He did not know the effects
to the Eternals involved in the link, and he did not dare another
"visit" to their lord.  He would need all of his powers soon enough.
    "You could have let me go with them, you know."
    Bryant shook his head.  "Never."
    "I thought that would be your answer."
    "Reading my mind again?"
    "No, just my judgement of character."
    "I have to leave now.  What guarantee do I have that you'll stay
here?"
    "My word.  I'll stay behind.  Someone's got to watch the fort,
eh?"
    Bryant chuckled.  "That's the spirit.  I'd better go and gear up."
    "Don't get yourself killed.  You're still very useful to me."
    "I still find it difficult to know that the lives of my men and I
are in your hands," Bryant said.  He turned to leave.
    "No, Bryant, you are not in my hands.  We're in the hands of God."
    "Some of us never believed in God, Matt."
    Bryant left the sliding glass door open.
    "I'm alone now," Matt said to the wind.  "Just me and a handful of
their pitiful warriors.  Come on.  Come on.  Take me on.  Take us all
on."

    At the beginning of the previous night they had roused the fliers
and strapped to them great saddles.  Long in hibernation, the great
flying creatures cried out and stretched.  Soon, though, they were
mounted by Eternal soldiers and lifted into the sky.
    With the aid of two specially-trained Mindovers and a single Elder
overseer, they made their way toward the boy.  Their orders:  subdue
and capture the One.  Slaughter all others who get in the way.
    The fliers called out and the great expanse swallowed their
voices.  Their camouflage was the night, their guide was the moon.  At
the break of dawn the fliers would be grounded and hidden to wait for
the signal.
    In the hands of the warriors were the new technological weapons.
But even so, each still carried their mighty sword.  These were the
imperial guard.  Their purpose was singular.

    Matt descended the staircase methodically.  Something in the back
of his mind bothered him.  How discouraging that he could not turn his
own mental powers against his own brain.
    "Morning."
    Vince looked up from the chess board.  "Well, howdy stranger.  I'm
surprised you got up so early."
    "Had to see them off.  Solo chess?"
    "Can't lose."
    Matt smiled.  "Our lives are measured in heartbeats," he said
softly.
    "What?"
    "Nothing.  Funny, I played a lot of games, but chess was never
the type I could enjoy."
    "Too restrictive?"
    "Yes.  Did Jiro go with them?"
    "Yup.  He demanded the right.  The other soldiers were kinda
pissed, but the Bryant guy didn't give 'em much of a choice.  Is it me
or is that guy a dick sometimes?"
    Matt took the seat opposite Vince.  "Is it my move?"
    "Go ahead."
    He pushed a pawn forward.
    "Would you mind if I extended this chess game into a metaphor?"
    "I'm not bothered so long as you've got something important to
say."
    "Imagine us, Vince, as the pawns.  Slightly more powerful are the
British marines.  Let's make them the knights.  Then who's the queen
and king?"
    "Dunno."
    "Hmm.  And who's the people controlling the pieces?"
    "Sounds to me like you're making up a conspiracy."
    Vince jumped a bishop forwrd.
    "Maybe it's just that we're a part of something far larger than
ourselves.  Something . . . that transcends us.  I don't think that I
can explain what I mean."
    "S'okay.  I think I get the gist.  Your move."
    "Oh, yeah."
    A woman walked in.  Matt had been quite surprised to find that
two-fifths of the marines were women.  He had to berate himself for
falling into 20th Century misconceptions.
    "You boys interested in some breakfast?"
    "Yeah, sure.  What're we serving?" asked Vince.  He licked his
lips for effect.
    "You care for waffles?  Picked up some syrup at the local store."
    "Sounds good."
    "Great.  You better come to the kitchen because I'm not going to
play waitress."
    "No problem.  You coming, Matt?"
    "Just a sec.  I think that's checkmate."
    "Aw, forget it, Matt, it's just a game."
    "No, I mean it's your checkmate."
    "Well whadaya know!  Let's celebrate.  C'mon, the waffles are on
me."
    "Yeah, yeah.  It's just that there's something . . . weird about
the layout, that's all."
    "Matt, I'm hungry!  Let's go!"
    "Coming.  Geez . . ."

    The Mindover concentrated and then pointed.  No talking was
necessary; they could convey nearly anything through their own special
sign language.
    They slid forward, weapons at ready.

    "Matt, Vince," said Tracy.  She'd pulled up a chair to one of the
tables and was busy gulping down waffles.  She was still in a bathrobe
with her hair in all directions.
    "Like the bed-head," Vince said and smirked.
    "You didn't look so hot yourself two days ago."
    "Ah, but-"
    Matt raised his head.  "Guys, shut up."
    The marines around him stopped what they were doing.
    "Get your weapons," Matt ordered.  "They're coming."  Finally!
    "Who's coming, Matt?" Tracy asked.
    "Eternals.  A small battlegroup.  Damn.  They've got guns.  C'mon,
what're you waiting for?  MOVE IT!"

    [You said that he wouldn't find us,] said one warrior.
    [He can be very subtle at times.  I apologize.  This changes
nothing.]
    [Even so, it will make our duty much more difficult.  We may have
to kill the boy.]
    [It would not be I who would have to appear before the Lord.]
    [I will remember that.]
    [Quickly, we must destroy their abilities to communicate.]
    [Understood.]

    The Eternals were faster than Matt expected.  He had thought it
possible someone might have been able to get a message off to Captain
Bryant, but the aliens were extremely fast and shockingly thorough.
Corporal Tesla nearly made it to a communications console before she
was stabbed through the heart.
    There had been no time to get into powered armor and that left the
soldiers vulnerable to gunfire.  Several hid in windows and held down
a withering fire.  Their weapons were far more powerful than those the
Eternals held.  Plasma rifles, the Slool had said.
    Matt cranked up his power.  It was like holding up a neon sign in
the night sky.  They would come.
    A marine turned a corridor and saw at the end an alien.  The alien
swept out his sword and suddenly everything turned dark.
    "I'm blind!" the soldier called out.
    A second later the Eternal's sword was buried up to its hilt in
his throat and the alien continued down the corridor.
    A minute had not passed and already the gunfire was winding down.
Matt shivered.  For his singular goal he had sacrificed the lives of
all the soldiers in the complex and possibly that of his friends.  It
was too late to turn back!
    "They're coming," Matt said.  "Make peace with your god."
    A soldier threw the door open.  Matt took a step forward and
raised his arms.
    "Take me to your leader," he said, a cynical grin on his face.

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