The Last Man Part 4 By C.A. Helmling The transport slid into the dock and waited for the atmosphere to exchange. With a whirr of the outer door it was in its way again, leaving Enlightenment behind rapidly. The previous citadel was gone beyond the horizon in moments but the trip to the next one still took hours, and no one in the transport was willing to talk. His previous experience in one was in the dead of night, but he could make out more of the details of the vehicle now. The roof and the walls above the seat backs may have seemed opaque from the outside but inside they were as see through as tinted windows on a car. Charlie could observe the clouds passing by overhead and the landscape blurring past out of the sides. The lady trooper in one of the front seats kept her hand above a light in the center console. She held it flat and rigid over the light and if she changed the position of her hand the vehicle pitched and turned. After several hours another citadel tower appeared. It was steel gray in stark contrast to Enlightenment's bright white marble. But there was no wall, the ground dropped away hundreds of feet in a crater several miles in diameter. Just before the edge a sloped trench ended in a steel gate. As the transport glided into the trench another plasma field snapped on above them. The trench was lined with dozens of golden armored troops that stood at attention when the transport arrived. The gate soon opened and the vehicle continued on its way. The floor of the crater was dominated by parade grounds divided by hedgerows. While Enlightenment had artistic pathways with endless variation of tree and shrub, Justice was a testament to planning and order. The end result looked like it would have been easier just to pave over the grounds. The transport rose in altitude as it approached the tower, coming to rest on a similar landing pad to the tower he left. But while they had one, this tower had dozens of pads on all sides. Enough to launch an armada. The hatch opened on the back of the transport and Charlie was marched out, a guardswoman on each bound arm. The pad they landed at had to have been picked for privacy, as only a few more guards were present on arrival. He was led right to an elevator and sped away in secret. "How could she!" Rose shouted as she pounded her fist into the bag. "She had no right to take him!" As her shin collided with the bag and forced Discorda who was holding it, for the first time ever in their training sessions to take a step back. "We were perfectly capable of holding him here. Especially since Charlie isn't a threat to anybody!" Her big sister caught her fist before it made contact with the bag again. When Rose looked up at her as she moved her hands in the complicated pattern that communicated, 'anger not training, must center'. Rose took a deep breath, "sorry, Dis. You're right, I shouldn't be this emotional. But he's in this mess because of me. I found him. I woke him up. And our mothers are determined to torture him for some thing he's not responsible for." Rose leaned her head against the bag. "I have to do something Dis. I have to undo this damage I've caused." She looked up into her sister's eyes, eyes full of concern and sympathy. "You see it don't you. He's nothing like the myths. He's different, isn't he?" Her sister closed her eyes and slowly nodded, when she looked back at Rose she signed one word, 'help'. Rose took Discorda's hand in both of her's, touching their foreheads together, "thank you my sister." Charlie was in an actual cell. A bunk, a sink/toilet, and a sliding set a translucent blue hard polymer mesh as the wall facing his captors. They had removed his binders as he was shoved inside and the plastic web slid into place. Celeste stared at him as it clicked, and Charlie tried to smile. "You will soon tell me everything I want to know male man. And I will wipe that smile off your face. Count on it." "What is it I've done to you?" Charlie shouted after her. But she ignored his words. He wandered around the cell and settled finally on the bench and looked about before fishing the object Rose had put down his pants before he was dragged away. It was a flat, egg shaped object of smooth white plastic. "Just what are you?" He whispered. The tip of the egg lit up blue with a soft tone, prompting the wider bottom of the unit to open and drop out a tiny button-like object. Charlie quickly caught it as it slid down his tunic. He held the tiny object next to his ear and heard a quiet voice, "greetings I am A.R.I.A. Your archive retrieval intelligence assistant." Charlie let out a soft chuckle as he placed the button into his ear, "Aria, like a musical solo? Clever." "Thank you Charlie." She said in a pleasant, almost musical female voice. "You know my name already?" He whispered. "Rose has given me all your information including your current situation. I am here on her behalf to aid you Charlie." A.R.I.A. replied. "What does Rose have planned?" "I am unaware of the specific details yet but the plan is to extradite you." After a long pause while he pondered his situation she spoke up again, "in the meantime, what can I help you with Charlie?" Charlie thought for a second, "what can you tell me about the war?" The golden guard arrived and yanked Charlie out of his bunk at sunrise. The Grand Magistrate was already standing by a rack looking piece of equipment that he was forced bodily against and strapped down. Charlie's fears were mildly relieved when he saw no sign of the extraction machine. The guards were waved out and Celeste stood before him in severe dark makeup along with a black gown and accompanying cape and hood. She seemed to be trying to personify justice itself. She grabbed his face roughly once the guards were gone and pulled it close to hers, "now tell me how you have corrupted my daughters." "Lady," he strained through pinched cheeks, "I haven't done anything with your daughters, except save Rose's life in the waste. So what exactly is your deal?" She let go as she shoved his head back against the rack. She paced away then quickly returned, "don't play me for a fool. Rose couldn't stop protesting that you not be harmed and she was weeping as we left. I've never seen her like that before. And that Neanderthal daughter of mine was practically ready to fight my guard. She has never been anything but loyal. You did something to them! In the wastes! You put them in your thrall, just like the legends!" "Oh you are looking for the wrong man bitch. I have never gotten a woman to look twice at me! I have no power over anyone! Look at me! Tell me you feel some overpowering, irresistible attraction to me! You don't!" Charlie was out of breath and panting when he continued in a quieter tone, "because no woman wants a damn thing to do with me. They never have. You are looking at a guy who lost his virginity to your girlfriend's extraction machine. The only thing I did to your daughters was that I was nice to them. I treated Discorda like a human being. I told Rose how wonderful she was, and she didn't need to carry everyone's expectations of her. She just needed to be who she wanted to be. That's all I did. Maybe you should try it sometime." Charlie's cheek stung as her hand collided with it producing a sharp crack that left his ears ringing. "Don't lie to me. You were placed in suspended animation for a reason." She looked him up and down, "you don't look like a warrior. Not even close." "Gee, thanks," Charlie responded with sarcasm. "So why were you important enough to try and save?" She was looking him over critically. She had something on a tablet she frequently referenced as she looked him over. "No, I don't find you irresistible. You look nothing like the pictures of men in the legends. No warrior's physique, no sign of what the myths referred to as Machismo. So who are you?" "I'm just Charlie," he sighed, "I'm only here because I was stupid enough to volunteer to be frozen. Because the angel that invented it was nice to me. Because I hoped to impress her enough to stand a chance." Charlie was trying to choke back tears at this point. He wasn't sure if it was because she was so intimidating, or because he felt so pathetic in what he was confessing. Here he was pouring out his heart even though he wasn't sure why. Or maybe because he was afraid of what he really was holding back. As the sobs broke through and the words spilled out he couldn't stop the tears anymore, "it could be that I had hoped that maybe I wouldn't wake up. That my pointless, unwanted life would end. Perhaps I wanted to die but I was too scared to kill myself. Maybe that is why I'm here." Celeste stood there aghast. "No, you're lying. You will tell me what I want to know. Tessa will unlock your seed and I will pry from you how men managed to subjugate us for centuries. Then I will torture every last ounce of fear you cause in women out of you in public display before finally eradicating your kind in full public execution." Charlie bolstered his resolve once again to begin to softly laugh, "oh for God's sake lady, I'm sorry but it's true. I get that you wanted a real man to crucify, to maybe make your mark on the world by wiping out the very last man. But you needed a conqueror, you wanted a worthy adversary. You damn well may have wanted Khan Nonian Singh, but ma'am I'm sorry, I'm not even worthy of Lieutenant Barkley. I'm not your He-man, I'm not even Orko." He released a long sigh and looked up at her again, "now if you want to get women to fall at your feet, in my experience all the women that rejected me were too busy falling at the feet of guys who were assholes. I've seen the way you treat your significant, Celeste. I'd say you're doing just fine." Celeste scowled at him for his insolent remarks, reached out to one of the rod the guards carried hanging nearby. She held it out as it telescoped out to near twice its length and jabbed it into Charlie's chest. He gritted his teeth as the current surged through his body and caused his muscles to lock up. She left him shaking under the shock for several minutes before she relented, letting him collapse against the restraints. "Not so funny now are you male?" She whispered in his ear as he coughed against his lungs gasping for air. She taped the rod against his temple for a brief moment causing his vision to go white while his body jerked. "Now," she said as she paced in front of him swinging the rod back and forth, "let's begin again. And let us hope that I get answers closer to what I want." Later Charlie was shoved back in his cage, sore, bruised and exhausted. He lay on the bed, and after he was sure he was alone slid A.R.I.A out from under his pillow. "Tell me about plasma dynamics." Contessa strode purposefully and swiftly into the lab, the A.I. would have finished sorting this morning and she could now begin going through all the X sperm for viable cells to use in fertilization. As she passed through the last door to her private laboratory she spotted Rose already inside, holding one of the sorting vials. "Hello mother." She said, her tone anything but friendly. "Rose," the Magistrate nodded to her courteously. "What can I do for you now?" "They have had him for three days now." She twirled the vial in her hand, "when can we go and make sure he's ok?" "Rose, my dear, we are forbidden from entering until your other mother is done with whatever she has planned for him." She replied in an exasperatingly calm tone that angered Rose. "We have no idea what she's done to him in all this time. What if she kills him?" She held the vial over the hatch to the incinerator. "Please Rose, don't do anything hasty." Her mother pleaded. "She won't kill him because we still need him, I still need him." "She doesn't need to kill him," Rose brought up an image of one of Charlie's daily torture sessions, "she's hurting him. She is hurting him and he's done nothing wrong." Rose held the vial once more over the incinerator hatch, "do something mother. Do something or I swear I will do something to make him indispensable." "Please darling, don't do that. You can not be willing to doom the future of humanity for one man." Rose's eyes narrowed, "that one man IS the future of humanity, mother." "Alright," Contessa said at last, "Celeste is hosting a party in a few days. You can come with me to see that male if you wish. Now please give me that vial." Rose paused, seemingly considering her demand, "no I don't think I will." She placed the vial in a portable receptacle that hissed as it closed. "You will get this back when I am satisfied." "Rose!" Contessa shouted, "young lady you cannot do this." "I am head of security, mother." She said with a smile as she left, "when it comes to the safety of this citadel, I can do what I please." As the door closed Contessa looked around frantically but soon realized the harsh truth, the other vial with the Ys was missing too. The transport landed on the diplomatic pad, settled onto its retractable feet and opened its rear door. The Magistrate of the citadel of Enlightenment and her two daughters walked down the ramp in elegant finery. Even Discorda was polished enough to turn a few heads. Butterfly scampered down the ramp after them, having gone back for her datapad she'd left on the seat. She shuffled up to her significant and hooked her arm into Rose's "Sorry," she said, wincing at having missed the entrance. "Of course," Rose smiled but rolled her eyes, "the ever important itinerary." Butterfly put on her indignant face, "the whole of the Council of Five will be in attendance. There are several key topics your mother must make her stance known on." As they continued across the hanger to the elevator the Magistrate spoke up, "ah yes, thank you Butterfly. You will certainly spare me from the dangers of actually having fun tonight." Butterfly's voice dropped to a whisper as she continued regardless of the scolding remarks of her boss, "I have some things for you to accomplish as well, Rose. You need to distance yourself from any scandal attached to your involvement with…" she paused as if it pained her just to mention it, "him." Rose was visibly angered as the doors of the elevator closed. "In fact I think we should avoid all contact with the male." Rose opened her mouth to speak but her mother replied first, "I have given Rose permission to see him." "But," Butterfly began to object. "My daughter, it seems has a great deal of compassion, and seems to have developed a great amount of sympathy for this male. So I have agreed to let her see him to eliviate her concerns for his well being. As he is our hope to avoid eventual extinction, I too think the health of the male shoud be a priority." She looked at her daughter and saw the look of relief at her words. "And I know just how cruel Celeste can be." She said softly, directed more at Rose. The gala was already underway, it was much like Butterfly's debate parties but besides both featuring food and drink, discussions were more private and music flowed in the hall. Some who were accompanied by their significants even engaged in dancing. They approached Celeste, who was in a small cluster with the other four members of the ruling council underneath a statue that stood four floors above them in the gathering hall. "Finally we are all here." Said Celeste smiling. Her other mother practically towered over her mother Contessa much like the statue that loomed over everybody. When she took her hand she had to bend over to kiss her cheek and wrap her arms around her. She stood back up and raised a glass above her head. Her voice was amplified to fill the hall, "here we gather under the image of Saint Lillith, who destroyed the threat of the male race and built our thriving society." "Lead us out of the darkness and into the light." The crowd echoed in chorus. "Let the festivities begin!" Cried Celest to cheers from the crowd. Rose however, wasted no time on pleasantries, "I want to see Charlie, mother." Celeste gave her impatient daughter a big smile, "oh yes, I forgot it has a name. Did it come with that name or is that just what YOU call it?" "It is HIS name, as you very well know." "Oh please Celeste," Contessa said in exasperation, "there is no need to tease your daughter. She is concerned for his well being and truthfully I have my concerns as well. I know how you get carried away and I still need viable samples." Rose could swear her smile got a little more devious, "Oh don't worry, IT is fine. I have made great progress with the subject though. It hasn't been forthcoming with answers yet, but I believe I finally broke him today." Rose struggled to keep her anger hidden, she didn't like hurting people, but for the first time ever she wanted to hit her other mother. "I need a drink." She uttered, and walked away to the refreshment table. Discorda squared up with her mother and with one arm across her chest, gave a little dipping like motion with one knee that gave the whole action the look of a military curtsy. "Oh, there is my little warrior." Celeste said in a tone that one would use with a preschooler, "look at you. Trying to be pretty. Isn't that so cute." She waved her hand at her in a sweeping motion, "now go enjoy the party princess." Then she abruptly turned and waved Contessa over to her, leaving Discorda to close her eyes and sigh. "So why are you so eager to harvest again? Surely you extracted millions of them last time." Celeste asked Contessa quietly as they walked about the gala. "You know, it never hurts to have a larger base for the study." She said nervously. The Grand Magistrate stopped abruptly and gave her a look that efficiently communicated that she didn't believe a word of what she said. Contessa folded immediately, "Rose has absconded with my previous sample and will not give it up until she is assured he is alright." Celeste shook her head, "why did I ever think you could control her." "I think she has become attached to him, like a pet." Said Contessa, trying to downplay things as much as she could. "It is of no matter, as I said I've finally broken the male." She replied with the utmost confidence. "Her pet is effectively neutered." Celeste saw the look of horror from her significant's face and quickly added, "not literally, your samples will still be available, but I believe there will be no more resistance." Rose stood by the refreshment table trying not to scream when Butterfly found her. "There you are," she smiled her smile that tried to look happy but was ultimately just trying to cover her worry. "Your mothers are in… private council," Rose recognized her pause as she was blown off for a conversation she had nothing to do with. She began flipping through her datapad, "but this gives us a chance to focus on some elbow rubbing that could skyrocket your standings." Rose was staring at the women on the dancefloor, spinning and twirling to the music. Just happy to be here, just happy to be with each other. "Let's go dance." "I'm sorry, what?" Was Butterfly's shocked response to Rose. "Isn't that a little lowbrow for your standing? I mean, we don't really dance, I… we don't even know how…" "You just move to the music. Come on B, it'll be fun. Remember when we used to have fun?" Rose grabbed her hands as she pleaded with her petite significant. She was unsure herself why she wanted to suddenly. She was worried about Charlie but she felt she needed to prove that Butterfly cared about what she wanted as well. "Rose, we were children. We have responsibilities, goals to achieve. Just think of how fun it will be when you're finally a Magistrate yourself." Her broad smile at her closing argument told Rose all she needed. "No." She said, yanking her hands away now, "I don't want that. That's what YOU want. That's always been what YOU want. What my mothers wanted. I only became captain to make them happy. Have you ever considered what I wanted? Have you ever asked me what I wanted? Am I just a trophy to you? A bright shiny bauble to get you what you want?" "Rose, this is insane." Butterfly was unsure how to handle her right now, "Where is this coming from? Has exposure to that male changed you this much?" "This is how I have always felt! You just never listened to me! You only cared about what you wanted!" Rose was panting, out of breath from screaming. They now had the attention of the whole room. Once again she was making a spectacle of herself with her emotional outbursts, only this time she didn't care. Butterfly stood there speechless. She had never lost control of Rose like this. She always listened to her. Always of one mind, one goal, a team. Butterfly stood there with no idea what words to use to make it better as tears ran down Rose's face, until Rose had enough and stormed out of the gala. Rose ran down the semi-deserted halls of the citadel, wiping the tears away. As she gathered herself over the distance she touched the communicator in her ear and whispered, "we are go. All units proceed as planned." She leaned against a wall, and with one big snotty sniff shoved down the sadness and anger from her whole life imploding and readied herself for what needed to be done. Now to find Charlie. Butterfly scampered up to Contessa, "Rose ran off. I have no idea what has come over her or where she is headed." "Honestly Butterfly, it is your job to control her. It's why I put you two together in the first place." Childed Celeste. "I'm sorry, Grand Magistrate." Squeaked Butterfly with a curtsy. Contessa snorted a short laugh as she tipped back her drink, "oh we know exactly where she is headed. Right to HIM." "She will not find the male as it was when they parted." "What have you done, Celeste?" Asked a wide eyed Contessa. Celeste smiled and stood to face the crowd once more, "ladies, a taste of tonight's…entertainment." Her voice boomed in the hall as an image formed in front of the statue. It was Charlie, bound and crying. "it could be that I had hoped that maybe I wouldn't wake up. That my pointless, unwanted life would end. Perhaps I wanted to die but I was too scared to kill myself. Maybe that is why I'm here." The crowd gasped and murmured amongst themselves, titillated at the thing they had been fearing all their lives having been brought so low. Celeste just stood there, sipping her drink and smiling at Contessa. Squad three gathered at the edge of the gate. Rose hand picked her five best guards. They were smart, skilled and driven, and they were poised above the trench right over the gate control. "Ok, the plan is to seize the gate control when Rose's transport approaches and open it for her to pass." Stated the guard in charge. "Why are we doing this again?" Asked another behind an identical mask. "It's a training exercise, Petal. It is to prove our skills and we get to humiliate some of the uppity Golden Guard in the process." Replied the commander. "Now be ready, she has already sent the go signal. She could be here within ten minutes." "Right" the rest responded in unison. The gate was closed so the upper shield was deactivated. The squad unrolled their repelling cords and began the fifty foot decent into the trench. Rose walked toward the door to the holding cells with all the confidence of someone who is supposed to be there. She was somewhat sure she would have no trouble until the guards each touched an ear and one of them began to walk at her while pulling out her stun rod. Rose continued forward, not changing pace or demeanor until the last moment when she instantly broke into a run a few steps away from the guard. Rose stepped to the left of the woman, catching her right elbow in her left hand as she passed. Rose lifted the arm, putting the rod well above their heads as she grasped her by the throat with her right hand while kicking the back of the guard's knee. The woman folded backwards allowing Rose to bring the knee of her kicking leg up into the back of her opponent's head. As the guard crumpled unconscious to the floor, Rose spun, snatching her rod and continuing rapidly at the remaining guard. Rose dropped to the floor, sliding past and spinning away from the guard until she came back around and caught the back of her opponent's knees as she was still trying to free her rod from her belt. As the woman hit the ground Rose jabbed the rod up under her chin and hit the button sending the charge into her. Rose removed her weapon belts from the guards and quickly fastened them around the waist of her gown. One of the pass cards from the guards opened the door and she stepped through. Rose holstered the rod and pulled an infra-pistol as she walked into the room. The interrogation rack sat in the center of the room still showing patches of blood from recent use. What her mother had done recently to Charlie. The room had two cells each on the remaining walls. All were empty except the one. Crime was a rarity in their society, prisoners ever more so. Charlie lay on the bunk, his back to the poly bars. "Charlie." Rose called to him softly. Charlie turned over slowly. "Rose?" He sat up facing her. A recently sealed cut ran from above his left eye and down his cheek, one eye was bruised, and his lip had been bleeding. "Why are you here?" "To rescue you, silly." She smiled even as rough as he looked, she had never felt happier than seeing him right now. "You shouldn't have bothered." His reply shocked her. "What," she said confused, "Charlie she's torturing you. I have to rescue you. You…you're..you are my friend." She stammered, not sure herself what she should Call him. And he didn't miss her reply. He had heard it too many times. "And go, where?" He said softly, "if you get me out, where do I go? Back to your home? Where your other mother can torture me instead. Harvest my seed in as painful a way as she can devise." It came crashing down painfully on Rose how she had neglected any part of the plan past, get him out. No matter where she took him they would turn him over to one of her mothers, or harvest him themselves. He really was the most valuable thing in their world right now. "No." She said trying not to cry, "no, mother said she broke you. This has to be her talking. Charlie, I have to get you out of here." Rose slid the card into the panel on the wall. Charlie reached through the bars and took her hand in his at the panel. "She didn't break me." He said almost in a laugh, "I didn't have the answers she wanted. So I used A.R.I.A to learn about the war and fed her what she wanted to hear. And she has been less brutal since. Your mother isn't really much of an interrogator, just someone with a lot of anger aimed at me. " "But Charlie," she said, through light sobbing, "she's eventually going to kill you." "Rose. I have no place in your world. What other choice do I have?" He asked, reaching up to touch her cheek. The panel buzzed and Charlie had to quickly remove his arm before the barrier slid over and cut it off. "You can choose to let me save you." She stated, suddenly stronger than she was a moment ago. "And no, I may not know where to go, but I will find somewhere, there has to be a place better than this." Charlie walked back to the bunk and retrieved A.R.I.A from under the pillow. "Alright, but I'm not too sure how willing Butterfly would be to hide me in your closet." When he turned back around Rose's face was actually angry. "Truthfully, I don't give a damn what she wants at the moment." And she stomped toward the door. Charlie couldn't help notice the unconscious guards outside the door. Even more noticeable were the guards rushing toward them, stun rods drawn. Rose rushed at all four of them without hesitation, brandishing both her own rod and an infra-blaster. She brought the rod up to parry the guard's attack only to hit her in the chest with the blaster. As the guard fell back, Rose used her as cover as she dropped her rod and grabbed the next guard's arm to drag her to the ground, stunning the soldier with her own rod. Before she stood she swept the leg of the next girl and brought the rod down on her chest. In one smooth following motion she sidestepped the last guard, grabbing her around her neck from behind and hip tossed the woman to the ground. Charlie watched as she finished her off with a zap and was already moving again before he realized he was being left behind. He was so in awe of her prowess he couldn't even feel emasculated. He grabbed a discarded pistol on the way by a guard and hurried after Rose. But sore and tired, he was in no capacity to keep up with her than he was in the wastes. He only caught up with her as she was polishing off the last of another group of guards. "Has anyone ever told you how amazing you are." "Thank you Charlie," she said with a smile, "but yes, people have." she replied, taking his hand and leading him into the lift. "Well still, you are." He added as the doors closed. Rose dashed out of the elevator as the doors opened. Four guards stood ready as she charged. Charlie fired several pulses from the infrasound gun at them. As the guards were forced to turn and look for cover, Rose caught up with one. A quick swipe to the back of the head with a charged rod sent her down, but sonic pulses impacted on the ground around her as the remaining guards opened fire. As shots from Charlie's gun bounced against their cover he ran to catch up to Rose. "Get to my mother's ship." She cried as she returned fire with her own weapon. "This is a lot harder to do in a dress than in armor." She panted, giving Charlie a smile. "You'd never know by looking at you." Charlie replied, panting in return. A pulse smacked into Charlie's leg as the ramp began to close. "Crap!" He screamed as he fell, "I've been hit! I'm…" he looked at his leg. There was no burn or hole or blood or anything other than the pain of the impact. "I'm not wounded." "Of course not." Rose laughed, heading up to the controls, "No one has made deadly weapons for over a hundred years." Charlie hobbled up front and sat in the seat beside her. "You only have stunning weapons?" He pondered as the transport rose and glided away. "No wonder the berserker beast gave you such trouble." The transport slid out of the bay and quickly accelerated. Unlike the ones Charlie had ridden in before, this one was sleeker. Like a wedge shape that sliced through the air. Several bulkier ones belonging to the golden guard launched shortly after. Charlie turned back and forth in his seat keeping an eye on the pursuing craft. "Is there a reason they're not firing on us?" He asked Rose. "It is difficult to fire a pistol from inside a transport." She replied as she weaved the craft about in front of the pursuers. "The ships don't have mounted weapons?" He asked, feeling stupid for assuming. "Why would anyone attach weapons to a vehicle? Vehicles don't fight." She veered the craft in the direction of the gate. "Unless we lose them they will just follow us until we land. But I have people in place at the gate." The transport sped along, skimming the tops of the tallest hedgerows. The metal gate that led to the exit trench was approaching rapidly. Rose touched her com, "squad three, we are approaching the gate. Squad three, do you copy?" "What do we do if they don't?" Asked Charlie. The gate was getting uncomfortably close, "Squad three, open the gate. Squad three, do you read me?" Rose drifted the craft higher. Over the gate they could make out the members of Squad three bound and knelt down in front of the golden guard. "That doesn't look good." He remarked. "No, no, no," she muttered, turning the transport sharply away from the looming gate. Her pursuit craft pulled a similar banking maneuver and Rose found herself pinched between the other transport and the shield wall. Another craft veered at them from the front, forcing Rose to pitch at the wall to avoid collision. The craft smashed into the wall passing through the magnetic field easier than Charlie expected. The field wasn't solid, instead the whole vehicle vibrated through the magnetism and then shook violently in the plasma. Circuits popped and sparks flew plunging the whole cabin into darkness. The vehicle pitched toward Rose's side and smashed out of the other side of the shield. The craft impacted the ground on the front corner and tumbled like a wheel end over end. The crash seemed to take forever. Being in a seat this time, rather than a bench in the back, Charlie felt portions of the seat seem to inflate around him, holding in place. When the world came to a crashing halt and the chair deflated Charlie saw Rose sitting in her seat motionless, the controls of the ship shoved closer to her than they had been before. He tried to stand before the world stopped spinning and fell right back into the seat. "Rose? Rose, are you okay?" He shouted. "I'm not injured Charlie." Came the muffled reply. "But I think I'm pinned in." He carefully stood and made his way over to her. Her chair refused to deflate, and the control console had been bent by the craft's frame and shoved over her legs. Charlie pushed impotently on the dashboard with all his might but the structure wouldn't budge. "Charlie," Rose called to him, "Charlie you have to run." "What? No, I have to get you out. There has to be something I can use as a lever." He said as he looked about the cabin. "Charlie, there is no time. They will be coming. You have to run." "I can't leave you. Rose, I have to get you out…" "They will get me out. I will be fine but if they catch you, it will back to the cage, and torture and death. Charlie, you're probably the best friend I've ever had. I can't let them get a hold of you again." Charlie felt the familiar sting in his chest at the word friend. An old familiar pain that told him where he stood, "Run, Charlie. Take a pack and go north. There are no more citadels north of here." Charlie grabbed a survival pack and an extra breathing mask. He put his on top of his head and returned to Rose to slip one on her. "Go, find a place to hide, and when I get out of trouble I'll find you." She said with a smile, "and then we'll find somewhere you'll be safe." He activated her mask, sealing it to her with a hiss. He kissed her hair on top of her head before pulling his mask down and activating it. He walked to the back of the craft and lowered the ramp. He ran as quickly as he could. He was barely over a nearby rise when he heard the fans of the pursuit craft. He watched them land and disembark troops into her craft then he ran north. Ahead of him another storm was making its presence known. Charlie figured at least they might not follow him into the storm as he continued to run toward it. Rose and squad three were marched, wrists bound into the Grand Magistrate's audience chamber. Each was made to kneel down before her as she sat in judgment. "You are all accused of insurrection, endangering the lives of the public, setting free a convicted war criminal…" "Convicted of what?" Interrupted Rose. She stared daggers at her mothers. "What crime did Charlie commit? Being born? What trial did he get to be convicted? You just showed up and took him!" "Silence!" Celeste stood up shouting. "You have gone too far! Your obsession with this male has caused you to betray all womankind! You have committed treason and led your soldiers to treason themselves! You have failed them, just as you have failed our society!" "They are not to blame mother. I told them it was a training exercise." Rose pleaded. "That is the burden of leadership, Rose. It is time you learned it." Celeste said, and waved over the golden guard. "Take them away." The guard led away Squad three leaving Rose knelt in front of her mother. "I am so disappointed, Rose. Treason? You know the punishment is still execution?" Butterfly was aghast, "but Grand Magistrate, please. She is your daughter." "I am aware. My hands may be tied but I will try to find an excuse to the public to be merciful. But speaking of daughters." She added, looking around, "where is that other ogrish one of mine?" "She still hasn't been found, Grand Magistrate." Said Butterfly, staring at the floor. Celeste looked severely displeased, "take her away, and keep the transports searching the wastes. I want them found." Rose was escorted out, broken, defeated but happy to hear Charlie and Discorda were still uncaught. She smiled at a warm feeling in her belly brought on by the thought of his kiss on top of her head she could still feel.