“At last!” Techno-Queen clapped. “Famous Ravager. I have studied you for some time, and I believe you and I are much alike. Truth be told, I expected you to be here much sooner. Well, I suppose I can forgive certain irregularities in the schedule. We both had suffered…”
“I have no time to listen to your sob stories, tyrant,” Ravager spat, standing on four limbs.
Ravager wiped the drool from her chin and took a deep breath, coughing as emotions flooded her mind. Steam, partially crimson from the blood of the fallen, rose from her mouth, briefly obscuring her eyes. Janine’s own eyes widened at the realization that nothing bothered her anymore, and beside her, Ravager convulsed, holding back the suffering.
Janine hurled her axe with all her might. It flew across the hall, ricocheted off the shield around the throne, and arced down at Ravager’s paws. A single tap of a claw made Janine stand at attention, oblivious to her injuries, no longer daring to interfere with the hunt.
“Pot calls kettle.” Techno-Queen smiled thinly. “If I am the tyrant, then the same can be said about your own master, doggie.”
“Dynast is a benevolent dictator who brings prosperity where there is none. The world has proven itself incapable of surviving without a firm guiding hand. He has merely assumed a noble and necessary duty. You are a tyrant who sucks the life out of everything to satisfy her vanity, leaving ruins in her wake. You are not the same.” Ravager responded calmly, shaking off the pain as if it were water from the fur. She glanced at the walls. The amber eyes returned to the figure on the throne. “What a fool. You have been given a gift like no other, and you have squandered it, feeding your petty need for revenge…”
Techno-Queen scowled as the Blessed Mother walked unhindered through a wall of vibrations.
“Even now, redemption is possible, had you’ve met the Iternian angel. She would’ve broken you down and accompanied you at every step of your rehabilitation. And there might have been a day when you would have found happiness through atonement, helping to rebuild the wounded world and thus healing the emptiness in your heart. People change, and whatever you may think, you are still human at heart, unlike me.” Ravager loudly cracked her neck. “Unfortunately for you, a monster found you first. A monster whom you challenged.”
“Are you trying to bore me to tears?” asked Tecno-Queen.
A snap of her fingers dented the floor underneath the Blessed Mother as the gravity generator brought immense weight down upon her body. Her black fur parted in places; ripples covered the skin, as if thousands of fists hammered into her body. Janine observed it in worry, imagining how the breath refused to leave the commander’s lips, how the reverse gravity turned her black backwards, and how the pressure of hundreds of tons violated every muscle and organ.
Ravager took two more steps. She licked her lips and spoke: “This is the problem with people like you. You have had a hard life—too bad, so sad. However, you never ask yourself simple questions. What if I didn’t? What if I didn’t mindlessly take revenge on innocent people like a bitch? What if my overly complicated plan is thwarted by a simple act of raw strength because I, in my arrogance, failed to calculate something? Who will be there to catch me when I fall?”
“Lecturing me, aren’t you, beast?” Techno-Queen laughed. “Well, maybe so, but unlike your precious Dynast and you, I will be remembered, doggie.” The screen behind her came to life, showing the city and the Third Army besieging it. “Have you ever wondered why, even though I knew of your arrival and your army, I stayed here instead of fleeing? It’s because I wanted you here! I have planted a plasma bomb, powerful enough to eradicate this miserable excuse of a city, along with everything, for dozens of miles! It doesn’t matter how tough you are, freak; the sheer heat will ionize you. Only I will survive, protected by the shield, and when the dust settles, I’ll pack my things.” She stroked the databases lovingly. “Power is only a means to an end, you stinking dog. And my current end is to kill you. After that? Who knows? Maybe I’ll enlist in the Dynast’s service and take over from within. Being hailed as a saint for restoring the world does sound tempting.”
Janine wanted to rush ahead and break her paws on the invincible shield around the woman. She howled, a wordless stream of shame for her failure to preserve the lives of her packs and the civilians they had failed to save. She leapt to embrace Impatient One and Anissa, preparing to say what she had always felt in her heart, to address her scouts, to apologize…
Ravager stalked ahead. Techno-Queen’s face changed as she looked at her throne. Her finger kept pressing the button, growing more nervous with each tap. She grabbed the terminal, her trembling fingers furiously scrolling for something.
“What is happening? Where is…”
“In the mesosphere,” Ravager replied. “I had sensed that something was amiss. Why would anyone need so much toxic waste and exposed fuel in the capital city? I trusted my intuition and snooped around, found your bomb, and kicked it above the clouds before answering your call. This little funeral pyre of yours is not going to happen.” She lifted her head, listening for something. “Boom.” A new sun shone over the cloudy sky, banishing the darkness in the city for a few seconds.
“W… wait.” Techno-Queen’s eyes widened.
The tyrant pressed a series of buttons, sending everything she had left against Ravager. Vibration emitters inside the floor blurred the air; the agony of the trapped souls caused Ravager to bare her fangs, and gravity formed a series of columns that rammed into the commander’s spine. Techno-Queen sought to dislocate the commander’s vertebrae, damaging her spine and rendering her immobile. Both gravity and vibration struck the internal organs, but the Blessed Mother continued to advance, nearing the throne.
“You said you wanted to be remembered? You will be,” she promised. “A footnote in the history books. A fool whose wounded pride caused countless deaths, a sad joke to serve as a lesson. The Dynast will be known forevermore. Life will return to these lands; children’s laughter will fill newly rebuilt cities…”
“We can make a deal!” Techno-Queen said. “I can swear my eternal allegiance to you! With my genius at your side, clad in impregnable armor, your army will be unbeatable. Imagine the millions venerating you and the countless gifts you will bestow upon them through my genius.” She panicked as Ravager’s snout closed on the field surrounding her throne. The commander pushed her muzzle through the reverse flow of gravity, staining the tyrant’s clothing with her slobber. A crimson ray connected the stone adorning the crown to an amber eye and the ray harmlessly washed over the retina. “Wait! Wait a damn second! I can make you into a ruler! Why serve the Dynast? We can…”
“Couldn’t care less.” Ravager’s jaws closed on Techno-Queen’s head. The tyrant tried in vain to pry the jaws open with her feeble hands. A single snap sent her body convulsing. Ravager pulled herself up on two legs, devoured the head and shoulders, and left the remains to tumble down the stairs.
The Blessed Mother whirled around. Her pupils dilated so much that her sclera could no longer be seen. She growled, advancing toward the guards, drooling non-stop. Janine remembered what Alpha and Lacerated One had once told her about the Blessed Mother—about the reason she avoided participating in the capture of population centers. The bloodlust could get the better of her, and if left unchecked, the entire settlement could be desolated like a lizard coop after a visit from a ravenous insectoid party.
Janine threw herself at Ravager, letting go of her axe and trying to halt her advance. She sealed her lips shut, not daring to show her fangs. The warlord buried her head in the commander’s chest, exposing her own nape. Ravager was unstoppable—a natural disaster in the making, a hungry demon salivating at the prospect of fresh victims.
A silent command whipped from her scent. Get out of my way. Janine ignored it, pushed against the unyielding muscles, and the punishment came, lifting her body into the air.
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“It is over!” Janine gasped, feeling Ravager’s forefinger claw against her ribs. When did she… “It is over! We won! They surrendered!”
“It…” The progenitor came to a halt, studying the warlord through dilated pupils. “Over?”
“Yes. Yes, Blessed Mother! We have won.”
“I am no one’s mother.” Ravager pulled out her claw, releasing a stream of blood. A paw caught Janine, lowering her gently, and the commander’s tongue ran over the wound, licking it thrice. The warlord wanted to let out her own claws and scratch at the incessant sensation of her wounds’ torn edges flowing together. “Shaman! Secure the prisoners! Wolf hag! Tell First to send in medic teams ASAP. And tell Dragena to get Till Ingo and the Dynast on a three-way call. I don’t care if they’re with a woman or in a toilet; I need a connection in ten minutes.”
Not paying any attention to the corpse, Ravager walked over to the throne and found the Techno Queen’s terminal. The Blessed Mother gently punched something on the terminal using her oversized paws and stuck out her tongue from efforts. The victims’ wailing on the walls ceased. For a second, Janine thought that the commander had administered euthanasia before she realized that the ruined bodies still breathed. Sharp tools left their bodies, and in their place, new syringes emerged from hidden compartments, bringing in smelly medication.
“Done.” Ravager put away the terminal. She looked at the corpse and murmured: “Control, discipline, Ravy. You must set an example. You can do it. Even if he clones her without a brain, she’ll be an entirely different person.”
“Commander,” Janine dared to speak. “What just happened?”
“Eh?” Ravager scratched behind her ear. “Just guessed the password and figured out how this thing works. Simple, really; anyone could do it.”
But... you can’t read. Questions for later. Janine decided, while holding one paw over her wound. Perhaps there was something about shamans’ tales. Just standing here, in Ravager’s presence, she felt divinity—an almost unnatural heavenly bliss that demanded worship and adoration.
“Blessed Mother. Why did you kill Techno-Queen? If her offers were true…” Janine asked.
She quaked in her boots as the pitch black figure loomed over her, illuminating her confused offspring. Janine cursed herself for her curiosity in every word she knew, but Ravager simply knelt and took her by the shoulders, speaking in a soothing voice.
“That’s how it starts. Janine, listen to me closely while I hold some clarity. I am neither angry nor disappointed. But that’s how it’s always begins.” She nodded at the wall. “You listen to an offer that you know is vile, thinking there is nothing wrong with hearing it. But it imprints on your psyche, always tempting you. An easy, profitable choice. Few can stop themselves from accepting the offer. Then they spiral down, taking one small step at a time, like a young cub learning how to walk. Before they know it, instead of one monster, there are two. Some offers must be refused, no matter what.
“I see your question. No, if I had taken Tecno-Queen alive, the court would have found her guilty and sentenced her to the Torment, forever locked in a solitary cell. The Dynast calls it retribution. I call it pointless and cruel revenge. Do you know what effect such torture has on a human being? Rage. There is nothing wrong with raging against the scum who seek to inflict pain on others. At least it’s honest. Rage against the injustices done by the madmen, but do not pretend you are any better than them if you follow the example they set. Everything you do molds you. Fail to heed this lesson, Janine, and you will end up as unhappy as Terrific. Why is she hiding, anyway? Did she steal my ration again?” Ravager cocked her head to one side.
“Blessed Mother.” Janine licked her lips, baring her neck for judgment. What is the meaning of this question? The Blessed Mother and Janine administered Terrific’s last rites together. “Terrific is dead.”
“Is she?” Ravager looked over Janine’s shoulder. “But I thought… Never mind.”
“Commander, I have some tokens. It’s not much, but perhaps we can pay for augmetics, at least for cubs…” Janine struggled not to stare at the mutilated people on the wall. “If this is not enough, I can ask my named sisters! I am sure we can afford augmentation for at least a few dozen…”
“No.” Ravager released her and sat down on the throne. The twisted metal beneath her tried to fit in, slowly turning into a flat surface. “Thought about it already. Too many parts to replace. Engineers won’t do. We need the help of the whitecoats… doctors,” she growled the words, clenching her paws so tightly that blood flowed between her fingers. Ravager exhaled and rubbed her temples. “I… have someone in Iterna who owes me much. An angel of sorts. But I doubt even she could finance enough clone parts, and Iterna is rather stingy with whom they help.” Ravager smiled and patted the databanks. “Therefore, we’ll make the Dynast foot the bill in exchange for the bitch’s knowledge.”
“But…” Janine picked up her axe. Memories of the madwoman’s unleashed devastation fueled the temptation to say screw everything and destroy the data. “Commander, is it wise? To gain this knowledge…” She pointed at the walls. “This woman has destroyed an entire region and tortured countless innocents. We are here to heal the world, not to usher in another horror.”
“At ease,” Ravager interrupted her, folding her paws. “Janine… right? Knowledge is…” She grimaced, gritting her fangs. “Knowledge. It is neither bad nor good. It is the way you gain knowledge that can be bad. She took the wrong path and paid the price. But the deed is done. I have a choice. Either destroy it and let the victims either die or live a hellish existence. Or I can give it away, purchasing them a second chance at life and assisting Mr. Ingo in bringing about some breakthroughs in the robotics field. Ultimately, it is my choice to make, but I understand your concerns.” The corners of her lips sank.
“I obey,” Janine said, resting her axe on a shoulder. “If you forgive me my words, com… Ravager.” She quickly corrected herself after a glance. “I believe you are making a mistake. Show mercy. End their sufferings and destroy this cache of evil.”
“You’re a sweet girl, Janine. But life is hard and unfair, and to make it easier for the weak, we must compromise. It is our duty.” She sniffed the air. “Your wound. I… Janine, you are forbidden from performing the warlord’s duty and any dominations until you are fully healed. Go and rest; your girls are already itching for a job.”
Ravager left the throne and walked over to the wounded. She snatched a communicator from Impatient One, started listing the extent of the damage to the medical team, and put First in charge of accepting the city’s surrender and loyalty. Alpha was to set up the perimeter and aid Captain Cristobo to organize the evacuation.
“May…” a guard asked, holding a shaking head over her mouth. “May we stay? There… This is…”
Another one. Janine followed the woman’s gaze to the suspended, skinless figure. She put a paw on Anissa’s shoulder, giving her authority.
“Surrender your weapons and report Techno-Queen’s treachery to the officers of the city,” Anissa ordered. She flinched at the attention of the amber eyes admiring her nape, but continued speaking in a steady voice. “I will leave two scouts to watch over you. Do not provoke the commander, do not meet her eyes, do not show your teeth, and there should be no danger.”
I am proud of you. Janine wanted to say. It was best not to embarrass her little one in front of the crowd.
The path down was an uneasy one. The Blessed Mother had torn so much of the tower that the elevator shaft became unusable unless they tried to climb over the unstable rock. They failed to find any hidden staircases, although Janine was sure there had to be some. In the end, the pack used the tried-and-tested method of jumping a few floors down. It resulted in the reopening of their wounds, but they cleared the obstacle and descended lower using stairs, stepping out to the cheering packs under the supervision of the unhappy Ashbringer.
“Found your girl along the way,” Ashbringer nodded at Melina.
“Warlord! Alpha sent her word, and Lacerated One approved…” The Wolf Hag bowed. When no bite followed, she lifted her snout to the sky and roared. “Janine the Bull-Slayer!
“Bull-Slayer!” the pack shouted, joining her howling. Even Impatient One and Soulless One joined in. “Bull-Slayer! Janine the Bull-Slayer!”
Janine grinned, spreading her arms and accepting the praise. In her mind, she wanted to be with Ignacy, check on the other wounded in her pack, and write letters to the families of the deceased, commending their skills and offering her condolences. Duty demanded her steadfastness, so she grabbed her wolf hags, lifted the girls in the air, and ignored the open wound Ravager had left.
She had worse.
“Warlord,” Melina whispered. “My hide is yours, but it is urgent. The wolf hag we had rescued. She is Warlord Martyshkina’s daughter. They need your urgent presence.”
“I see,” Janine replied. There could only be one reason. “Listen up, sisters and brothers! Tonight, we fought and triumphed! For the state and for a better world!” Ashbringer raised a cheer, echoing her words, and the roaring intensified. “Yet it is too early for celebration, my kin! Obey the wolf hags’ orders and secure this city! Then we’ll cheer, sing, and weep to our hearts’ content!” After a round of cheers, Janine let go of the wolf hags. “Impatient One, Soulless One, tend to our fallen. Melina, check on the wounded...” The wolf hag released a claw, instilling a worry in Janine about how exactly Melina will ensure the wounded’s survival.
Many of the tribes despised prosthetic limbs, adopting the custom after the Blessed Mother’s distrust of any doctor. The shamans interpreted Ravager’s views to mean that by replacing flesh with iron, a person severed her connection to the divine. Losing a limb often resulted in another Crippled, even though the nation willingly offered a metallic replacement. Janine respected the wishes of her soldiers, but she also wanted them to live full lives, not to toil in shame and receive scraps from the tribe. Melina was of the old guard, the ones who missed Terrific’s methods. It was better to send someone kinder to reason with her wounded pack members.
“Ignore that! Anissa, check on our wounded; talk some sense into them. Melina, you are in charge of resupplying and...”