THE VROL TRILOGY (148 page)

Max pointed up at the infoscreens, disguised
as vid displays, and caused Miguel Hernandez' images from his
surveillance contact lenses to show up. Senators and Congressional
representatives gasped as they saw proof of Johnson's treachery.
Even though the evidence was overwhelming, more than a few genetic
vampires cried foul, claiming the imagery was faked.

"Ma'am, we would like to meet with you in
private, along with some of your committee leaders. These must be
people of the utmost integrity, and most certainly not any of those
who are being guarded by soldiers."

"Well, this is highly irregular, Captain, but
I believe your wish can be granted."

"I demand to be in this meeting!" silently
commanded Vann, his upper lip quivering, Max and the other Prīmulī
being able to understand his mouthed demand.

"No, you shall not be in this meeting. Anyone
on Johnson's exodus list in fact is to be removed from this chamber
immediately," said Bagatelle, who then waved his hand in the air,
prompting the soldiers guarding the congressional genetic vampires
to lift them out of their seats, and to march them to the center
area of the floor. Draagh created a bit of a show by creating a
four-meter wide slip portal to the Buenos Aires prison. The
passageway shimmered beautifully, and most everyone who saw it
stared in awe, except for the screaming inactive vampires who were
to travel through to the other side. Lycan soldiers started to move
through the portal with their charges, immediately eliciting cheers
and applause from everyone else in the chamber. It was apparent
that the departing politicians were not well liked, even by the
weakest of normals.

Bagatelle turned his attentions back to the
Congressional leaders, watching as Vann was yanked from his chair
while silently screaming in protest. As the defiant gen-vamp
reached the portal, he found himself face-to-face with Kyle
Reynolds.

"Still a tough guy?" asked the teenager,
having to quickly close his eyes as the mute senator spat in the
lad's face. Wiping saliva from his cheek, Kyle grinned, and without
showing anyone else, shifted to his Phase 2 form and punched Vann
directly in the mouth, knocking out everyone one of the older man's
front teeth, top and bottom. Vann choked on blood as he spit out a
remaining incisor, the pain being overwhelming. Still, he gave Kyle
a grin and acted like it was no big deal. However, when Kyle
forcefully put his booted foot directly into Vann's reproductive
organs his reaction was completely different, terminating in the
senator's vomiting all over the floor.

"Okay, I'm done. Thanks, Tío!" said Kyle,
causing Bagatelle to grow a slightly guilty expression, but knowing
the boy really needed a release from the pain of his family's
death. Vann had been identified as one of Johnson's closest
confidants, and was most probably involved in the murders of
countless citizens.

"Madam Speaker, please select the ten people
you trust most of those who are standing. Oh, and please bring the
congresswoman who claimed the Artusians are angels," said the
admiral, pointing out to the audience where the inactive lycan
congressmen and women were still on their feet.

The woman looked out and easily selected ten
individuals, saying, "You know, it's odd, but I would have picked
from that group anyway. I wonder why that is?"

"Their genetics make them particularly
trustworthy, ma'am," answered Jennie.

"I see. Well, please follow me everyone,"
said Corning as she moved to a door on the side of the Great hall.
Then before exiting the room, she turned and commanded, "Everyone
is to stay in this chamber. We shall return shortly."

Inside a large meeting room were Bagatelle's
group, minus Alicia Vasquez, who had remained in the Great Hall
with Tech Olson and Kyle. Corning took a seat at the head of a
long, beautiful table made of mahogany and put her elbows on the
table top, intertwining her fingers. Looking on as everyone except
for the occupation forces took seats, she had a look of expectation
on her face.

"Well, here we are in private. The floor is
yours, Admiral."

"Actually, I give the floor to Michael, the
father of Captain Gunnarsson, ma'am. He is more of an expert in
these things than I."

"Things? What sort of things?" she asked.

Michael walked to the side of the normal
woman who had spoken out in defense of the Artusians.

"Earlier, this kind lady said she had
seen imagery of the Artusians, claiming they were angels. Madam
Speaker, the Vrol are not angels. As we had earlier stated, they
are a vile, insectoid race created to eliminate entire worlds.
However,
we
are angels," said
the Taxiarch as he, Max and Gabriel extended their impressive spans
of obsidian-black wings. Gasps filled the room as the three flapped
and floated up, circling each other and then spreading out over the
audience. Max landed next to the congresswoman who had claimed the
Artusians to be angels and smiled, holding out his hand.

"Ma'am. We're real, but what Johnson showed
you is not. Death approaches and we all need to work together."

The woman slowly reached out and touched
Max's hand. Then moving a bit closer to the Captain, she touched
one of his wings, a look of wonderment encompassing her face.
Michael landed back down in front of Sarah Corning, and crossed his
arms, giving her a smile.

"Who are you, sir? Admiral Bagatelle
introduced you only as Michael."

"That is correct, ma'am. I am also known as
Mija-El… and the Taxiarch."

"Oh. My. God. You-you-you… you're Saint
Michael?" she gasped.

"I am he to whom you refer, yes. Your
knowledge of my name comes to me as a surprise."

"I was raised Catholic in secret, so of
course I know who you are. Should I… pray to you?"

Michael started laughing while shaking his
head. "No! Why would you do that?"

"Well, my religion… it…"

"Religion is a creation of Mankind, not of
the Prīmulī," responded Michael.

"What is a Prīmulī?" asked Corning.

"We are the Prīmulī," said Gabriel as he
landed next to his brother with a solid thud. "It is our species.
Humanity is a distant, lesser-evolved cousin created in our image,
but will eventually reach our stage in evolution. However, in order
for this to happen you must follow Admiral Bagatelle's
instructions, lest you be annihilated. You must embrace this
change. We are here to help, which is extremely rare. We have
watched Mankind since his precarious beginnings on Earth, and
although we stayed hidden from sight we were always with you,
adhering to a policy of non-interference. Now, in this time of
great need, we reveal ourselves to this small group. So, work with
us now."

"Oh, and may I add, up until the point of
removing the vampires from the Great Hall, the entire joint session
of Congress had been televised system-wide. Aside from what happens
in this room, there are to be no more secrets," said Jennie.

"Who said you could do that?" asked
Corning.

"It was I who requested this to be
televised," said Draagh, his voice booming throughout the room.

"And who are you?" asked Corning.

"He is our father," stated Michael, grinning
slightly.

"Oh… my god. You're… God?" asked a stunned
Corning, nearly falling backwards off her chair.

Draagh snickered under his breath and
shook his head. "No, no, no my dear. No, not at all. He who you
refer to as God we call Jah, and he is
my
father. I must say there has been quite a bit
of confusion in the whole order of things. Perhaps, once we have
put all these silly matters to rest, we can sit down to a nice
drink of single malt Scotch whisky and discuss the order of the
universe. However, we have more to show you. Max, would you care to
explain the mysteries of the universe to these fine
people?"

Max waved his hand, creating an infoscreen on
a large wall and then addressed the group.

"Before the sixth century deactivation of
lycans and vampires, there was also a subspecies of mages - men and
women who could command the forces of nature. Among their many
abilities, they could heal, build and repair. Most were of noble
spirit, but some were tempted by darkness. Nevertheless, these
forces of nature were what could be described as subatomic,
techno-organic particles - micro machines created by Jah, that in
unimaginable quantities could affect things. The portal that was
used to transport the undesirable members of Congress to Vera - it
was made of these bots, as I like to call them."

Max pointed to the wall and brought
everyone's attention to what appeared to be a rolling ball of death
- a sphere with numerous sensors and appendages protruding from its
surface. It was the same animation he used to teach anyone about
nature, as he found it was the easiest way to get the message
across to whomever he was instructing.

"The reality is that, on ancient Earth, we
used to call this magic. Well, that's what we call it these days
too."

"What can you do with this magic?" asked
Corning, "and why did you choose to show us this in private?"

"Please, son, allow me to address the kind
lady," interjected Michael. "Madam Speaker, it had been expressly
forbidden by Jah to make our presence known on a wide scale. For
this reason we met with only a select group of individuals. You
must promise to guard our existence as a national security issue.
As for magic, we can do anything. Max is a hybrid - his mother is
of the lycan genome, while he is my son, so he is half-archangel,
in a manner of speaking, although he possesses all of the abilities
of the Prīmulī."

One of the male congressmen raised his hand
before speaking, and asked, "Captain Gunnarsson, how have you
managed to keep these amazing abilities a secret all these
years?"

Max almost started laughing and went over and
sat next to the man, a brunette who appeared to be in his early
40's and fit for one of his age, asking, "What is your name,
Sir?"

"I'm Jorgen Bierle, representative of the
Valais canton in Schweiz."

"Well Jorgen, it's a pleasure to meet you.
Being as you asked, I'll tell you the absolute truth. I had no
abilities until I went to Earth."

"So going to Earth enabled your powers?"

"Well, Earth of the
43
^rd
century."

"43
^rd
century? How is that possible?" inquired Bierle.

"Time is not linear, as we perceive it. It is
more like… the spokes in a classic bicycle wheel. The hub is at the
center - that would be the center of space/time, and each spoke is
a different timeline."

"And you have the ability to traverse through
time and space?"

"Well, yes. In fact we do."

"Then why not simply go and eradicate the
Vrol before they get here? Go to the past or the future or
whenever?"

"It is not that simple, kind sir," added
Michael, "as any unnatural interference in the prime timeline
causes a splinter."

"What do you mean, a splinter?" asked
Corning.

"It creates an alternate timeline where that
interference is carried through to completion. It creates an
alternate reality, complete with doppelgangers of people from the
prime timeline."

"My father is correct. In fact, I was stuck
in an alternate timeline for a few weeks a while back. That place
even had live Vrol. We currently travel there to train in fighting
the insects," said Max.

Jennie, who had been standing quietly off to
the side suddenly interrupted, saying, "It was hell trying to get
Max back, and I don't like it whenever he goes there, but we all
realize it's a necessity for training."

Sarah Corning gave Jennie a thoughtful gaze
for a moment and then asked, "Commander, as I am basically the
highest ranking member of our government on Azul at the moment, I
would very much like to make all of your brevet promotions official
and permanent, but first, may I ask a question? Actually two?"

"Um, sure, ma'am. Go ahead."

"First, how did you end up in the military?
You are so goddamned gorgeous you could have been a
supermodel."

Jennie actually blushed at Corning's
compliment. She was used to compliments, but one coming from such a
high-ranking servant of the people was truly appreciated. She
couldn't even manage to stutter out a response, merely shrugging
her shoulders and then smiling at Max.

"Okay, I'm truly sorry. I realize you must
get a lot of compliments. So for the next question - Admiral
Bagatelle stated your full title to be Commander Jennifer Escalante
de Gunnarsson. Are you now somehow related to Captain Gunnarsson?
Perhaps married to one of his relatives?"

"He's my husband, ma'am."

"Oh… I see. But, is that not illegal? Two
officers marrying in the military?"

"That's another thing that's going to
change," said a smiling Bagatelle. "In fact, here's something that
will blow your mind. The good Commander here was born Jennifer
Marie Bagatelle. She's my little sister."

"The attending congressmen and women were
taken aback momentarily. The nepotism statutes were one of the
things that Johnson had not touched, even though he had violated
them of more than one occasion.

"And she was under your command for a number
of years. Have you nothing to say for that?" asked Corning.

"Ma'am, let's use this as the closer to our
conversation. Jennie was born when I was in the university. Our
parents suffered a tragic accident, costing them their lives, when
I was in the naval academy and out on a six-month recon training
mission. By the time I got back to Azul she had already been placed
in foster care, and then lost to me. I searched for her for years,
finally locating her when she had joined the naval academy. I
placed her under my command, never revealing our relationship to
her, and in fact denying her promotions in order to keep her close
by."