Chapter 567: Interlude (2/2)
The figure wheezed twice, twisted, sighed, and went limp.
Daxin bowed his head, clenching his fists.
For a moment, Herod saw it.
A lean man, tall, with a gentle face and a smile, made of silvery light and swirling code, took the Digital Omnimessiah's hand and was helped from the coffin. The two stood there a moment and vanished.
FIDO barked three times, then howled.
Menhit sat down next to the coffin, on the log, and withdrew a pipe from her satchel. She lit it with a match and puffed on it.
Legion stood up slowly, like he was feeling every hour of his age, and moved stiffly over to the fire, staring down at it as he warmed his hands.
Kalki moved over and sat down next to the coffin, clicking his tongue, as Herod sat back onto the smooth log.
The goat next to Herod scampered over to Kalki and he scratched its back.
Daxin stood up slowly, clenching and unclenching his fists.
”Be damned the Combine and the Imperium,” he snarled. He looked down. ”We have to bury him.”
Dee snapped her fingers. ”Boys. Momma has a chore for you.”
The men in ancient clothing reached down as one to the heavy packs they always had with them, pulling a plastic carrier open. They reached in and pulled out something that looked weirdly complex to Herod. As one they unfolded it, revealing a small shovel.
Silently they moved into the brush.
Daxin stood up slowly. ”I'll go with them,” he said.
”I will sit with our brother,” Kalki said, still petting the goat, which looked like there was nothing better in the world than what was happening.
Herod watched as Daxin, still clenching his jaw, followed.
”Without Matty and Kibuka, it's going to more difficult,” Legion said to no-one in particular, still warming his hands.
Menhit nodded.
”What about Guanya?” Kalki asked.
Legion shook his head. ”Last time I saw him, a Lank tank busted open his vault on Io. I'm pretty sure he was able to escape the bag via Deadspace,” Legion said. ”He's not answering.”
Menhit nodded.
Herod noticed that both Menhit and Kalki had silent tears running down their face.
”It was good to see our Father again,” Menhit said.
Kalki nodded. ”It was.”
”Yeah,” Pete said, staring at the ground.
Legion nodded. ”Yes.”
”What about Bputun?” Kalki asked.
”The Pubvians returned. He no longer stands alone,” Menhit said. ”He has returned to the loving arms of his wife and the warming presence of his puffies.”
Pete shook his head. ”It's going to be a lot more difficult.”
Herod looked around. ”Why? The Phasic Shades, the Screaming Ones, and the Enraged Ones are gone.”
”Bellona has still spoken,” Menhit said softly. ”It will not be easier.”
”We need Bellona,” Kalki said.
”I know how to get her here,” Legion said. ”Don't worry, that's covered.”
Menhit just nodded.
It was silent, just the fire crackling, for a long while. Herod kept expecting Dee to say something, interject an insult or taunt into the silence, instead she just stared at the fire, chainsmoking and taking long drinks off the bottle of whiskey that never seemed to get lower, her eyes reflecting the flame and completely unreadable.
After a long while Daxin and what Herod had only heard referred to as ”Momma's Special Boys” came back.
No words were exchanged. Legion, Kalki, and Daxin lifted the coffin. Menhit draped a cloth over the figure's face. Two of Legion picked up the lid. The procession moved into the bushes. Before Herod could do anything, Dee put her hand on Herod's thigh, squeezing painfully. When he looked at her she shook her head.
Almost ten minutes went by before a faint shout and then a fussilade of gunshots broke the silent, sending the local equivalent of birds squawking into the sky. Herod looked at Dee, who just shook her head while staring into the fire.
Twice more the shots fired.
It was twenty minutes after that that the group returned. Herod watched as the strange, mostly silent men sat down and began taking apart the black rifles they carried, wiping down the internal components.
Daxin moved up and looked down at Dee.
”Thank you, for that,” Daxin rumbled.
”Shut up,” Dee snapped. ”Don't ruin it blabbing at me like a hooker who doesn't know she's supposed to leave when she gets paid.”
Daxin nodded and Herod was surprised to see that Daxin didn't seem to take offense, just stared.
”Let me know when we're ready,” Dee said, still staring at the fire.
”Now's a good time,” Daxin said. ”Good as any.”
Dee stood up, grabbed Daxin's hand as FIDO ran up to the two of them. Mist formed around their feet for a moment and they vanished.
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Herod watched, kneading the muscles in his legs, as Daxin and Dee reappeared.
A quantum byproduct, he faintly remembered Dee telling him about the mist.
Daxin's exposed skin was covered in dried blood.
”Sit down, you ninny,” Dee snapped.
Menhit walked over to them and looked down as Daxin sat down. ”There were problems?”
”The big thug got jumped by a patch of vegipygmies,” Dee said. ”We had to run.”
”Did you get it?” Menhit asked.
”I got it,” Daxin said. He drew the knife from his boot and started digging at a thick scab that was part of a line down his forearm. ”As soon as I get the thorns out, we'll start.”
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The campsite was still. The fire had burned low. The never-emptying bottle of whiskey sat, almost full, next to Kalki, who was sprawled out snoring, the goat on his lap. Menhit was leaned against the log, her eyes closed, breathing slow and steady. Legion was back to back with himself, both him asleep. Dee was sprawled out next to the fire, her hair tousled, resting her head on Pete's stomach. Herod himself was half sprawled on the log.
Daxin was by the fire, leaning against a sleeping FIDO.
Next to him was an open bag with a half dozen golden discs wrapped in clear plastic spilled out around it.
A pair of purple flames appeared in the darkness near the edge of the campfire. They vanished, only to reappear a little ways away. The two small purple flames repeated it several times. A pebble arced out, hitting Daxin in the forehead.
The big man just snored, the cup in his hand half-full of whiskey.
The two flames kept appearing and disappearing. Pebbles arced out to bounce off of people's hands or legs.
Finally a shape moved from the shadows. A woman, crouched down, licking her lips hungrily as she stared at Daxin. Her eye sockets were full of purple flames, her throat oozed black blood from a long ragged gash across it. She was dressed all in black, rags on top of rags.
The woman moved carefully, darting from spot to spot, her eyes constantly on Daxin.
Finally she got close, licking her lips, the flames in her eyes dancing eagerly.
She reached down, her pale skin gleaming in the ruddy firelight.
She grabbed the bag with one hand and the spilled golden discs with the other.
”GOTCHA!” Daxin yelled, grabbing her arm.
The young woman tried to pull away but Daxin just stood there as everyone else stirred to life, sitting up, smiling.
”Rats,” Bellona said softly.