Benjamin – Dimensional Siphon #2,015
The days within the Siphon continued to pass with much less levity mainly due to the stories running out and conversation all but drying up.
Yet despite the lull in dimensional morale, all of me diligently upheld our end of the bargain and provided a steady stream of food for the group whenever requested and habitually joined them in mastication. Lest they think me’s any less human than they already did.
However despite our earlier declarations of the Citadels nigh invulnerability, the nagging pit of worry began to grow and fester in my's collective gut as to what we would find upon our return to earth proper.
Thankfully we had grown somewhat accustomed to waiting in such situations and seemed to manage it better than the other Siphon inhabitants. As despite them having eventually mended proverbial bridges with one another, their mal adjustment was evidenced by several daily shouting matches that broke out between some of the more vocal members.
It was during one such match, as Kimi was in the middle of berating Jin for the umpteenth time about his habitual snoring, when the notification of impending sweet sweet release came.
“-HY CAN’T YOU STICK SOME NOSE PLUGS IN! EVERY NIGHT! IT’S LIKE MY GRANDFATHER BREAKING WIND OVER AND OVE-“
Dimensional Siphon stability limit reached, you will be deposited onto the adjacent Phase 1 World Earth in 4 minutes 59 seconds.
Congratulations on completing the quest ‘Perseverance’, you have been awarded 300,000 Manamotes for successful completion.
The abrupt change in the group’s demeanor to that of wide eyed disbelief kindles an odd sense of fondness in me's and one of us wonders if this is some kind of reverse Stockholm syndrome starting to take root. Filing it away for later introspection the one of me on danger watch, reminds the rest what happened when we last let our cohabitants of a siphon live and we collectively stiffen.
Warily eyeing the approaching Kai, we all relax slightly as he bows his head deferentially before stating.
“Benjamin, I would like to thank you again for sparing us. If there is anything I can ever do for you, you can leave word for me at Alpha Zone #2079’s Settlement #973 and I’ll respond as soon as I am able.”
Waving him off a me counters conspiratorially.
“S’all good mate, but if I might make a suggestion, you might wanna join a less blood thirsty group if you wanna avoid more situations like this one.”
He eyes me for a moment then bursts out into laughter before adding.
“I don’t think it would be possible to replicate what we just went through even if we tried!”
And aside from a similar apologetic offer from Wang, the remainder of the group came and made mumbled, far less heartfelt expressions of regret.
Thankfully the awkward air is subsumed by the white blue light of system based transportation as it deposits us back on earth:
You have entered Gamma Zone #31 Level 51 – 79.
After the light fades and one of me confirms that we do not have to engage anyone or anything in combat, at least not yet. Another me takes in the decidedly swampy terrain of the zone and wrinkles our nose involuntarily against the green tinted fog that hovers like a cloying blanket, just above the ground.
Having no desire to stick around in the bog all day and all but ignoring the lone me that wants to kill them lest they pose an actual threat in the future. Another less murderous me gives a final wave to the still acclimatizing Party and activates [Lesser Dimensional Portal] with the foyer of the delinquents headquarters in mind:
You have entered Citadel #1 ‘Keep Out!’
After shrugging off the slight disorientation of the skill, a me inspects the two people standing bolt upright, behind the reception desk as they hastily salute.
Trying to bring some much needed informality to the table a me waves whilst asking.
“Sup guys, is Yerg or Toni in?”
Apparently unperturbed by the me's nonchalant greeting and inquiry the taller young woman of the pair who sports black yet shiny chain mail half barks.
“Sir! The commander and sub commander are both in attendance, please wait a moment while I go to inform them of your arrival!”
Following which she darts through the back door and leaves all of me with the stone faced young man in leather armor who has yet to relax his stance or meet our gaze. Continuing to stare fixedly at a point on the wall somewhere to the left of me.
Moments of tense silence continue to pass despite a me wiggling our white eyebrows at the statuesque young man, in an effort to break his composure.
Apparently having failed our most recent quest to flap the unflappable minion, the familiar voice of Toni emanates laden with formality, from somewhere behind the desk.
“Come on up Benjamin.”
Following the uncharacteristically formal voice of the teen, a me hastily ascends the stairs to come out into a room chocked full of saluting black armored teenagers, standing in regimented rows, where tables and comfy chairs used to be.
Feeling our forestalled anxiety begin to multiply and not sure how to deal with the cleanly presented youths, One of me goes into silent meltdown control while another me gives them a nod as we proceed past them to where their co leaders are sitting behind the only remaining furniture in the room.
Eyeing the duo a me prompts.
“Please don’t tell me it took you only a couple of months to go all Colonel Klink on me?”
They pair exchange a brief glance before Jürgen nods to his counterpart and she replies.
“I’m not sure who ya are referring too, but if it’s one of ya weird old show references, now aint the time for bloody messin about Benji!”
Shrugging like she didn’t just disregard one of the greatest comedic shows of all time, and hoping against hope they are just playing silly buggers, a me asks.
“Ok…What’s so important that you have everyone standing like toy soldiers in your headquarters?”
One of her eyes twitches and Jürgen clearly notices. As he puts a hand on her forearm to add.
“She's correct Benjamin...this is serious...People started going missing almost a month ago, and I know we agreed to stay in the Citadel unless we were with you… But well…One of ours went missing too.”
He holds up a hand to stop whatever rebuke a me’s about to spout, before continuing.
“We didn’t know Cameron had been sneaking out on his own to hunt until one of the others told us about it, and believe me when we say that we were just as pissed as you would've been... So we sent out his friend to look for him and when she didn’t return after twelve hours like we had agreed, we knew something was up.
Next we sent a Party, with express orders to turn back the moment they saw the slightest thing amiss…for a better idea of what happened next, I think it’s better you hear from someone who was actually there...”
He paused and beckoned over a clearly distraught and puffy eyed girl who had been standing at the side, and instructed.
“I know its rough, but could you please tell Benjamin what you told us Lenka?”
The black leather clad Caucasian girl, with short brown hair in a ponytail refuses to meet our worried gaze's as her eyes fixate on a point somewhere that isn’t me or her leaders as they go a bit misty whilst she offers.
“S-so we did like Toni ordered and took it slow and cautious all the way past the clearing and into the jungle, i-it didn’t take us long at all to find a clearing and a large wooden wall, and w-we were going to turn back but James, our leader, thought we might b-be able to find a break in it if we kept following it."
Pausing to gulp nervously and lick her lips she continues.
S-so we stuck to the jungle and stayed parallel with it, but i-it just went the whole way round the C-Citadel. We were about to give up...Then we saw a lone person relieving themself on a t-tree near us and so James went to talk to him and as soon as he said hello, the guy started screaming for help...
N-next thing we knew we were surrounded and they were shouting at us to drop our weapons and hand over our manamotes. They said if we c-complied, they would give us safe passage away from the Citadel.”
A ringing sounded in my ears as she began to choke back sobs and one of me wanted to be anywhere else so we wouldn’t have to hear what followed next. Another me managed a wave of nausea while the third me struggled to stay in any way present in the now.
After having regained a semblance of composure, Lenka continued.
“J-James told us to make a break for it and he would keep them busy…I…I didn’t want to leave him b-but Deshaun grabbed me and wouldn’t let go as he fled…One by one they c-cut us down, we didn’t even manage to injure them…they were just too fast…I thought I was done for till I broke the tree line into the clearing… they tried follow me… but then there was this pulse of bright light after they started trying to shoot me…
W-when I had made it to the g-gate, I looked back and I was the…I was the only one of us left… B-But I could still see so many of them at the tree line, so I-I ran inside and reported s-straight to Toni…I know we messed up… I…We didn’t mean to…I just…James said…Now hes…”
Lenka’s words finally failed her and a renewed bout of sobbing took over as one of the other teens broke ranks to comfort her and lead her grief to shelter away from our prying eyes.
Barely able to contain my's universal rage, one of me noted the rictus of our muscles as my plate mail groaned in protest at the forced expansion.
One of me managed to force out a word through our clenched jaw, at the two teens behind the desk.
“When?!”
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
Toni’s somber reply only just managed to constrain our need for immediate violence.
“Two days ago. We thought it best to wait fer ya before we did anythin.”
Closing our eyes, the three of me started to debate just how much wrath to reign down on whomever had killed those that we'd so absently failed to protect.
More words from Toni served to brake us from our internal debate.
“Benji take a second ta try an think of doin something else besides what ya thinkin about doin…I know how ya feelin right now…we feel the same, worse even… but there’s thousands of them out there. These aren’t just brainless monsters, their people and their smart. Take a moment an th-“
Letting out a long breath from our superfluous lungs as the rest of her words fail to reach us. The triumvirate, while not agreeing with her misunderestimation of our capabilities, agrees with the necessity for restraint and reason to win like a human being, lest we truly embody the monster we're afraid we've al become.
Collectively try to understand the far too level headed young woman as a me demands.
“They killed your people Toni, my people! WHY THE BLOODY HELL AM I NOT SUPPOSED TO REDUCE THEM TO FUCKING PULP FOR IT!?!”
It's only toward the end of our outburst and much much too late that we realize we've been yelling.
Worse still, everyone in the room is clutching their heads whilst blood trickles from their fragile ears.
A fresh wave of horror laden guilt washes through us as one of me hastily retrieves healing potions from mr pocket to try and undo the further damage we've just done to those supposedly under our protection.
It’s too late however, as when a me offers some to the collapsed members of the teens, they shy away in fear, despite their obvious near crippling agony.
Looking for some kind of understanding one of me focuses on the leaders of the teens still clutching their bleeding ears and another me goes into a spiral of self-loathing whilst the third tries to counter the impending depressive spiral.
Apologizing as our anguished throat constricts my's words to barely above a whisper.
“I-I’m sorry…Please…P-Please believe me… I didn’t mean to do that…It’s j-just this…This body is all wrong…”
Despite her pain she removes a hand from her perforated drum and uses it to halt the me's words and her shakes her head as if to mirror our growing disgust with ourselves. Knowing she’s right to try and not defend our actions a me does the only thing any of me can see not making it worse and flee’s into our portal skill.
Thus taking us to one of the only places the me’s knows that’s free of people. It deposits me in the Citadel command center, where I cancel the skill and collapse into the fetal position.
Unsure which mind brought the rest back to reality, or how long one of me’s been punching holes in the floor in banal rage, the three of us call a temporary armistice on the words of self-loathing that are still ricocheting around inside.
Getting to our feet like the ex-hu-man we're supposed to be, a me rends then shoves the warped suit of armor of us and back into Mr Pocket to retrieve a non-mucus covered [Full Plate of Doz’Enti’s Dusk] and a fresh set of [Elevant’s Essential Gear] to go with it.
Once our armor is properly fastened and we've have recovered an iota of collective self-respect, the three of us get to work on trying to figure out what exactly we should try and do that doesn’t involve immediate eradication of our foes.
Eventually one me has the not so bright idea of visiting the only person with negotiation skill we know. Gérard.
Bereft of other non-massacre based idea’s, a me pulls up the holographic map.
Before we find out if he did take up my offer of free accommodation, it deposits ten million of our manamotes to the Citadels now flagging mana reserves, lest it runs out of operational energy. Blinking in surprise we find that both the man we're after and his daughter seem to have indeed taken us up on our guilt ridden offering of free accommodation.
One of me is about to open a portal to them, when another me points out how intrusively fucking dumb that would be to do, into what is effectively someone else’s home. Trying to not descend back into a self-hate free for all, we universally acknowledge the wisdom of the insight while one of me summons the ovoid lift instead.
Absently marveling at the way the floor has repaired itself from the throws of our infantile frustrations, the lift iris’ through the floor with barely a whisper before a me promptly wills it to descend to the level of Gérard’s residence.
The lift opens to reveal a circular white antechamber with a lone black door and black circle next to it as the only point of notable reference.
Stepping free of our conveyance we collectively try schooling our features as close to impassivity as our recently renewed gumption will allow and put a gauntlet-ed hand palm first, onto the black circle that rests slightly below chest height to the right of the presumed door.
We don’t have to wait more than a few nervous heartbeats as a stern faced Giselle is telescoped into view, before all of me groan internally as she demands.
“I sought you said you would leave uz be!?”
Feeling her palpable loathing of us is somehow more apt on this shit of a spaghetti-less day, and while two of me have an internalized refresher course on positive thinking and exactly how the fuck to achieve it, another me asks as evenly as it can manage.
“Sorry, but s-somethings come up and I was wondering if I c-could get your dads opinion on it?”
Her intensified glower is all the body language we need to discern her thoughts on the subject of all things Benjamin related. However she seems to think none of me have received the said non verbal communication package as she intones.
“Watever it iz you sink you need from papa scum, find it elzewhere! He az only juzt recovered from ze la-“
Blessedly her command is cut short as her farther calls from further within the residence at a no doubt far lest hostile location.
“Who iz it at ze door pumpkin?”
Causing her to growl in warning as her eyes become slits of annoyance that should they contain laser beams, they would have instantaneously vaporized me's on the spot.
A tense moment passes between us as before a me hears her father approach to sideline his daughter’s door blocking attempts.
The moderately rotund man’s face animates as he recognizes me's, before adding brightly.
“My sweet, why did you not say zat mister Benjamin himself waz ere!?”
Giselle releases a sound that’s a cross between a chorus of cows giving birth and car breaks squealing, before storming loudly down the hall and out of sight.
Unperturbed by his daughter’s pained frustrations he sweeps his hand sideways and offers.
“Do come in my friend…alzo pleaze forgive ‘er, she iz juzt not fond of being reliant on ze kindness of ozers.”
The three of me are at a loss for how to respond to most of the statement so we simple play it safe with a stammered.
“T-thanks.”
As we follow him down a curved white hallway that opens into a wide lounge area and several other doorways. A me thankfully notes we are the only occupants of the current room and another me breathes a superfluous sigh of relief as it tentatively takes up his silent offer of seating before forging ahead.
“Look mate, I’m…I’m sorry for the ordeal I put you through before…A-and I normally wouldn’t bother you with this…But...You’re the only person who I think might have a workable solution for this specific problem…”
I’m collectively confused as he emits a chuckle before replying.
“Nonsenze! If anysing it iz I who owe you ze apology. Ze hopelezz way I behaved waz truly shameful!...But enough of ze past and itz regretz…what iz it zat iz so important zat you wish to sit and talk with me while we are besieged?”
Universally relieved he’s apparently already aware of the Shakti’s encirclement, a me rejoins.
“Well, that’s kinda exactly what we wanted your thoughts on to be honest?”
Confusion works across his face as he blinks a few times while silence descends between us. Then he fixes me with a quizzical look as he asks.
“It iz not zat I do not wish to help you mizter Benjamin. But wat pozzible elp could a simple merchant be with ze army encircling uz?”
Pushing ahead a me counters.
“Well to be completely candid mate, besides smashing them to bits or asking them to politely ‘go away’ I don’t see how else we can handle it…Now seeing as you are used to dealing with things of a more personable nature, I thought you might have a better idea of what to do?”
He blinks a few more times at us before breaking into a full body laugh that continues for a while as the triumvirate wonders if we might have accidentlied his mind again.
Wiping the tears from his eyes the portly man looks to our still stoic expression and Gérard’s eyes turn to saucers as he asks incredulously.
“W-wait, you seriouzly want my opinion on zis?”
Nodding at him slowly while continuing to meet his eyes with our best serious face, he collects himself by way of coughing into his hand and continues.
“W-well I mean…if you are azking me for my honezt opinion…”
Gérard checks again to make sure none of us are joking before carrying on.
“I’m not an expert by any meanz, but I ave dabbled in a little history in univerzity…so…and zis iz an oversimplification mind you but…It all depends on ze amount of force you ave, compared to ze amount of force zey have.”
Looking at me like he’s expecting an answer. we shrug and the three of me agree to bring him into the realities of being a monster, and dub him an honorary member of the Citadel's war council before a me supplies.
“We have more force than them.”
His eyes narrow slightly before he manages to re-school his features and retries, like he’s talking to a particularly dense child.
“O-ok, but when I say force i do not mean political…I mean how many troops do you ave, and how many troops do they ave?”
It’s my turn to be universally confuse as a me counters.
“Sorry when you said force I thought you meant destructive power…Guess the system translator needs some work...Sorry we're getting sidetracked…To your question, near as I can figure, they have a few tens of thousands… And we have me…But I was thinking more along the lines of what to say to them when I go out to have a chat as opposed to you know…fighting and stuff?...”
He massages his temples for a moment with his eyes closed before rejoining with all the conviction he can muster.
“I do not know how elze to put zis, so forgive me if zis iz rude…But zey ave tenz of sousandz of troops out there surrounding uz…I know we are safe wizin ze wallz, but if you go out to try and talk, zen zey clearly ave more FORCE!”
Holding up my hands in attempt to calm the Frenchman’s voluminous irritation a me offers.
“Look mate, I’m not asking for battle tactics here and I can easily escape if I need to…So please just tell me what I can say to make them go away?”
His eyes re-bulge and nostrils flare as redness supplants his natural skin color. Then Gérard looks like he’s about to explode before he catches himself and engages in some breathing exercises for which we collectively envy him, as they are clearly super effective.
After he’s sufficiently becalmed, he looks at me's intently as he renews.
“Zis iz a situation zat will not be resolved by simple wordz Benjamin…zey ave marched an army to our door an from what I ave eard from my trading contactz, zey would appily attack uz if zey sought it would do zem any good...However…As long az we stay behind zee’s wallz we should be safe and it iz in my humble opinion, zat we simply wait zem out until zey run low on suppliez and morale and are forced to move on.”
Frowning at the man a me rejoins whilst another of me reminds it to contain our anger so as not to pop his eardrums like soap bubbles.
“They’ve killed some of our guys already Gérard…They are starving out people under our protection! Sure, I can give the current residents more manamotes, but that doesn’t alleviate the fact that they’re blocking others from safe shelter!... We can’t just sit by and overlook all this and let them do what they want unchallenged!/ Their going to keep killing people...This is beyond me just trying not to look weakling!”
After moments pause and the me that was about to start crying havoc steps back from the fore while a more composed me continues.
“I-I get that we shouldn’t kill them all…I really do…But to do nothing will only invite further disaster…So please…There...There has to be a way?”
The man’s conflicted features go deadpan again while he looks upon me's in silence, and as it drags on we fear we might have made another terrible mistake. One of me votes for cutting our losses and using our own judgment as patently flawed as it may be, whilst another me insists that we should at least hear his opinion, no matter how detrimental to my's mood it may be.
After a few more tense seconds something changes within him and he decisively nods his head before offering.
“I cannot believe I am saying zis b-but…if you can defeat zem, and send a definitive message zat we are unyielding in ze face of zeir might…zen zat iz ze bezt possible outcome for ze people of ze citadel I can sink of…You mustunderstand zat zere iz no more law and order Mizter Benjamin, No global powerz to keep otherz in check…”
I eye the man whom we'd mistaken for a pacifist in mute universal shock at his proposal, not so much for its content but more that it lines up with our collective yearning for bloody retribution.
He baulks at our obvious astonishment and hastily adds.
“Do not look at me like zis my friend…If I sought talking would do you any good, believe me when I tell you zat I would go wiz you to see zat it iz done…Correctly…But you ave azked me for an honest opinion an I ave given it.”
A me blinks whilst another rejoins.
“Sorry…sorry I just…I thought you’d have a way to solve it without you know…violence or something?”
He releases a dark chuckle and shakes his head before replying.
“If only onez life could be lived srough wordz an not actionz mister Benjamin…But our new monstrouz reality haz taught me ze short comingz of my own meagre wordz…”
Nodding in emphatic agreement with the man, a me rises from our seat whilst another offers.
“Thank you for your advice Gérard…I know you must not think very highly of me after our…dealings…but if you or your daughter ever need anything, anything at all, just send word to Toni or Jürgen and I’ll see that it’s done. No questions.”
Gérard eyes me askance for a moment whilst he strokes his Fu-Manchu, and counters.
“If you truly mean wat you ave said, an can achieve wat you intend. Once ze duzt az settled, zen I would like to come back an work for you, to prove my worth to such a man...”
Unilaterally taken completely off guard and shocked for the second time in so many minutes, a me stammers.
“B-but what about your daughter? N-No way she’ll agree t-“
He cuts me off with a casual wave and chuckle before rejoining.
“Let me worry about ‘er an you juzt worry about ze army, no?”
Laughing ruefully, a me states.
“Mate, I think you might have a more difficult task in front of you then I do…”
Our laughter merges for a moment before he admits.
“I sink you might well be right my friend…I sink you might well be right…”
Shaking his hand as we part ways on far better terms than any of me thought in any way possible, based on our dealings with…well…everyone.
The warmth of our unexpected mirth fades as all of us enter the elevator in the anteroom and collectively turn our minds to how best and try to reason with the unreasonable.
Thus, one of me hedged that a little scouting of where they actually come from might be in order, before we're likely forced to unleash devastation upon them.
And as another of me began to sing Getting To Know You by Julie Andrews, the ear worm of a song set up residence as we collectively went about doing just that to our latest terrestrial rivals.