Despatche #013

Day 4,395, 11:33 • Published in USA Ireland • by Kaitlinn


3.6 Dr Allison Lisa “Dove” Macallistar-Payne, Research & Development, Rasa Blank

The morning sunrises here are always beautiful. I wandered outside onto the plateau with a cup of coffee in hand and stood by the cliff enjoying the sea breeze on my face. I’d had a troubling dream that night. I was stuck to my bed and something was nearby, staring at me. Stevie had barely noticed me getting up just shifted slightly in his sleep but didn’t wake, and little Tadgh was still peacefully asleep, he wakes later these days. I sipped my coffee as I watched the sun rise above the horizon a bright red ball, it was going to be a nice warm day again. It was good to get out here everyday. I couldn't help thinking about the thing we had in a secure room, not that security was needed for what was once Commander Tadgh Mac Allistar. "You can fix him yeah?" Claire's voice had startled me as I sat looking at the diagnostics from the nanobots I had placed in his brain and the device on his neck the day before we left for here. I had turned to see her eyes flicking between me and him her hands instinctively cradling her belly protecting the child inside. "I don't think I can Claire, there's nothing left of him inside that.." she had nodded as though she had already known. I stopped myself calling him a thing to her. "The damage is too great, but we can learn from him. Has Mick thought more on my offer to help him with his voice?" I asked. "He's agreed to have you insert bots to look but he's being stubborn about…" she sighed as she turned and left her fox Sheeny at her heels. Sighing I finished my drink and headed back towards the entrance to our base, glancing over at where the construction of the radio tower was nearing completion. Foreman Connor O’Flaherty was shouting gruffly at his workmen, sounding so much like his father. Turning my head back to the entrance I frowned as I noticed a shadow disappearing into it.

Stevie was awake and waiting for me with a niggly Tadgh in his arms wanting for his breakfast. I settled into the rocking chair we had brought from our old base to feed him, before placing him in his playpen, so I could get on with our work. Ladybird entered just as I finished placing him in his pen with one of her helpers Dana Burke, from Dublin Brigade guiding her with a hand on her arm. I smiled she got my message then. “Take a seat Ann.” I motioned a hand towards a swivel seat near the counter. Dana helped her get seated. “You got some new pills for us to try?” Ladybird asked. “Not quite yet they should be available later, but I have something I want to try on your eyes, since your sight has shown no signs of returning. I’ve been working on a new set of nanobots in between the trials.” She smiled, “Really? I could see again without the robot eyes?” “Yes it won’t be perfect but at least you should have some sight back.” I said smiling to myself at how her face lit up. “Try to keep your head still you will feel some pressure on your eyes.” I moved to our fridge and collected the bottle of nanobots and picked up a syringe from one of the trays on our counter. Then I carefully injected them directly into each eye. She kept her head rocksteady. “All done let me know if there's any change.” I said leaning back and tossing the bottle and syringe into our biohazard trash bin. I smiled to myself as she left arm and arm with Dana.

I stood up and went to check on our subject, he was still sitting in the chair I'd left him in, staring blankly ahead. I went to the computer and checked on the info being downloaded by the bots. They had repaired a lot of damage but it was not going to make much difference I thought to myself. I deactivated the device on his neck and waited 30 minutes no movement. I stood up and walked in front of him and told him to lift his arm. There was no response turning the device back on got a response. I looked him over sighing I could heal his body but he was no longer with us, as I had thought when I first examined him. I left the room locking the door behind me.

The rest of the morning I spent with Stevie working out combinations of chemicals for another Type 4 cure attempt. I stood up and stretched near lunchtime as the newest batch were being prepared. I smiled at him. “Shall we see what our chef’s have created this time?“ I laughed as he groaned but stood up. Our cooks are trying but none of them have done mass cooking before and the results vary from burnt offerings to almost raw.

We headed out towards the rec room as we turned a corner I froze and then broke into a run. Ladybird and her escort were both lying on the floor with a pool of blood around them. “Stevie call Muis now! Get some soldiers here!” I shouted he had been taking his time and was a bit of a ways behind me carrying Tadgh. I heard him speaking quickly on the comms as he came around the corner. I didn’t look around but bent over Ladybird there was blood on the back of her head where she had been struck with something. Putting fingers against her neck I could feel her pulse faint but steady. I checked her breathing before turning to her companion. Dana was lying on her stomach with a limpness which suggested death. A quick feel of her pulse confirmed it. I gently turned her over and heard Stevie gasp behind me. Her eyes had been gouged out, and her face savagely slashed. A wound to her throat all the way to her spine showed how she had died, and where all the blood had come from.

I turned my attention back to Ladybird, she was starting to regain consciousness. I gently helped her sit up and moved her to the wall for support, thankfully she couldn’t see what had happened to Dana. “What happened?” she mumbled. “You were attacked don’t move yet.” I said quickly. “What about…” she started to say. Stevie caught my eye and shook his head. “Don’t worry about her, we need to get you to med bay.” I said firmly. Looking up I saw Muis an assault rifle in his hands, coming at a dead run with about a dozen Dublin Brigade members behind him. I looked around trying to see where the attacker had gone. They must have left a blood trail with all the blood here. Glancing up I saw a gap in the ceiling where a tile was missing.

“We need to get Ann to the med bay now!” I said to Muis who looked like he had been punched in the gut. “How long have they been here? I thought she was…” he started to say. “Muis we need to get her to Med bay so I can check her over!” I said sharply to snap him out of his daze, we needed to move away from here my neck was prickling with unease. He stared at me then moved forward helping Ladybird to her feet. We moved quickly and carefully to the area we were using as a temporary med bay. We hadn’t really needed a permanent one up until now..

A while later I left her with half a dozen soldiers watching over her. Muis followed me to the lab with a dozen more. It looked no different than when we had left it earlier. “Is she going to be…” he started to ask. “She’ll be fine, just needs some rest now.” I said quickly and saw the relief in his eyes. My comms buzzed. “Stevie, Ali can you come up here, there's been an accident.” Connor’s voice came over. “We’ll be there shortly.” Stevie replied to him looking at me for confirmation. “Going to check the whole base, you're going to be okay going..” Muis asked. “We’ll be fine, find the bliksem who did this!” I snapped, turning to our supplies cupboard for a large medkit. Stevie and I left the lab heading to the plateau.

3.7 Ann Eleanor "Ladybird" Lonsdale, Chance Unit, Rasa Blank

I woke up to silence, I was lying in a bed in a strange room, looked like a med bay. Wait a minute.. I blinked sharply looking around. Some young soldiers were playing cards on one of the beds while another stood by the door, all of them quiet so as not to disturb me. The one by the door noticed I was awake, his face was a blur as he looked at me. He said something to his companions who turned to look at me. "What happened?" I asked. "You were attacked Captain, Dr Ali attended to you, but had to go attend to one of the construction workers." a tall lanky red haired one said. I couldn't make out his face. Wait what I can see! My mind was reeling. "Where’s Muis?" "He's looking for your…" he broke off as the door opened and Muis entered.

"No sign of the bliksem!" he growled his face a mask of anger. "You okay Eleanor?" He added worriedly. "I'm fine come here." He walked over to me slowly, his eyes searching my face with a worried frown. I reached up and pulled his head down to get a better look at his face, it was clearer close up as I kissed him. "I'm fine where's Dana? Is she okay?" The room went silent and Muis gestured the guards to leave the room. "She didn't make it." he said softly. I choked back a sob we had become good friends in the time since she volunteered to be one of my assistants.

The door to the room opened and Dr Ali came through followed by some DB workers carrying another whose leg was in a splint. "Put him down there." she said pointing to a bed close to the door. They left while she bent over him and worked on him. Finally straightening after finishing and attaching a drip she turned to me. "How you doing Ann?" "I'm fine just a bit of a headache." I replied. "That should clear up soon with what I've put in your I.V…" she was looking at me curiously. She moved forward and moved a finger across my vision, I followed it instinctively. "How is your vision?" she asked smiling. "Bit blurry but I can see enough to.." Muis had jumped to his feet. "It's back?" He cried. "I've been working on that since we got here Muis, in between the type 4 cure tests. Only time will tell if it's permanent or.." she got to her feet "I need to check on the lab, if you will come collect some pills later Muis." she left without another word.

Muis was looking at me with a big grin. "Why didn't you tell me?" "I didn't get a chance before they came in." I smiled at him enjoying the flash of emotions crossing his face. "Any sign of who did this?" I queried. "No its like they vanished into thin air, everyone has been accounted for so it's none of our people." there was a deep worry in his voice.

3.8 Stephen Joyce Macallistar-Payne, Research & Development, Rasa Blank


I finished talking to Connor and turned to head back down into the base. One of the DB workers had taken Tadgh down below while Ali was taking care of Daniel. The foreman Connor O'Flaherty and I checked the crane which had failed and dropped a load of metal on Daniel's leg. Fortunately he had seen it fail and tried to get out of the way. Someone had damaged the pulley which had snapped. I left Connor and his men checking all their equipment.

I stopped at the Medical bay to check on our patients. Daniel was in a drugged sleep, Muis was sitting by Ladybird's bed talking quietly to her. There were six DB soldiers watching them I quietly left.

I entered the lab to see Ali sitting in a chair with her back to me. Her back was stiff as a rod and I realized her hands were behind her and fastened to the chair. Glancing to the left I saw the body of the worker who had brought Tadgh inside. He was inside his playpen his eyes wide but not making a sound a figure loomed over him and with a shock I realized it was Mac Allistar how did he? I carefully backed out again and moved a bit down the corridor and activated my Comms talking quietly into them. "Muis can you hear me?" "Ja what is it?" He said sounding distracted. "The attacker is in our lab! And our subject… " I checked my pistol, I’d two clips. "On my way is everyone safe?" He was suddenly alert. "No they have Ali and…" I couldn't finish. "Will be there shortly don't worry." Muis said fiercely. I could hear Ladybird in the background asking what was going on as I turned off the Comms and headed back to the lab.

Carefully opening the door I heard Ali scream in pain. I couldn't see past her to the attacker. I carefully drew my gun from my holster and crept forward as she cried out again. I could see Tadgh at the edge of his pen his eyes wide. I crept closer to Ali and looked over her shoulder carefully. An emaciated, ghastly looking woman in a rotten uniform was kneeling on Ali’s lap. She stared down with her sunken dead eyes, slashing at her stomach and chest. "Where's the cure? Where's the formula? Tell me now." she said in a thin, cold croaking voice. She looked up sensing me there and I shot her between the eyes. I was shaking hard as I grabbed a scalpel out of a drawer and slashed Ali's bonds. "Stevie, it hurts so much," she whimpered tears in her eyes, shivering violently. "Where's Tadgh? Is he…" she suddenly cried frantically grabbing my arm. I turned to look at the thing which was still standing over him, but frozen in place waiting for a command "He's in his pen he's fine my love." I said softly, tears threatening to flow down my face, she was trembling in shock, her eyes darting around. I lowered her gently to the floor, and started to get up to get a medkit. "Don't leave me!" she cried out grabbing my arm in an iron grip terror in her eyes.

Muis's voice came behind me. "Check the whole lab now! Where's the medkit Stevie? I'll get it for you." "It's in the cupboard in the corner." I said a sob in my voice as I looked down at my hurting, bleeding love. He was quickly back with it and lifted Tadgh out of his pen while keeping an eye on Mac Allistar. "Do you still need it alive?" He asked backing away aiming his rifle. "Yes there's a control on the counter press the blue button ." Ali said her voice shaky as she trembled in my arms. I worked on Ali cleaning the wounds which fortunately weren't very deep, and giving her injections for pain and an antibiotic. "Help me get her to the Med bay." I said turning to Muis as I finished. Looking up I saw a hole in the ceiling where a tile was missing. How long had this person been on our base?

Shortly we had her settled in a bed next to Ladybird with a drip giving her antibiotics and painkillers. I gave her a sedative so she could sleep a few hours and settled into a chair next to her brought to me by Muis. One of the DB girls, a young nurse in training Donna came in with Tadgh and settled on the bed next to her, so she would see him when she awakened.

Muis and the DB soldiers searched the whole base checking every square inch of it including crawl spaces, but no other attackers were found. We found out later, she'd been hiding in plain site since we’d reopened the base by pouring through the Surveillance cameras. It was chilling to see her standing rigid for hours at a time, in the corridors, the commons even our rooms. She must have become desperate to reveal herself. Her dog tags had nothing but No. 21 Utvara, Zilch Unit.

3.9 Captain Muzikayise "Muis" Eric Peter's, Chance Unit, Rasa Blank

It's been a few weeks since the attack on our base here in the Hebrides. Dr Ali has recovered nicely physically but she still jumps at sudden noises and is still having nightmares according to Stevie. Our radio station is now fully operational and reaching as far as Iceland. Ratel and Claire make sure we get the correct news of events. With the fall of Goshawk the world is in an uneasy peace. Our Foreman, Connor O’Flaherty’s father, the bullish Ger O’Flaherty had been voted in as President of the third Irish Republic. But despite the relative calm there are rumors of attacks on bases by mindless drones, all connected to this odd “Zilch Unit”. Claire also informed us the Silent Fox is talking again and appears furious about it. Not much more than a croak with missing words, but he can express himself. When I told Dr Ali she gave a secret smile before turning back to her work.

I stood and stretched from the new radio console and walked out towards the lab. Dr Ali had called us to let us know a new batch of her cure attempts was ready. Ladybird joined me on the way her once flat stomach nicely rounding out with our child inside. She was three months along according to Ali, who smiled when she told us. Her sight hadn't improved much since that day but she can at least see and recognize people by their faces.

There were two, bags of pills on the counter when we entered. Ali was seated in the rocking chair rocking Tadgh to sleep. He had started walking not so long ago, growing so fast. "Start with three every six hours, and if the withdrawals get really bad take type 4s and keep track of your use. It’ll get easier over time." she said looking up at us with haunted eyes. "Are you okay Ali?" Ladybird asked "As well as I can be." she replied sighing before going back to singing a lullaby to her son. We left with the pills, swallowing three on the way out.

Eight hours later we closed up our radio show for the night. We both stood and stretched before starting to head to the common room for some supper. I suddenly stopped walking. "Have you taken any pills since we took them leaving the lab?" I asked Eleanor. "No and I feel fine." she said ponderously. I changed direction and headed for the lab.

Both Ali and Stevie were in there working on another formula. He put a hand on her arm to warn her we were there. She turned to look at us. "You okay Muis and Ann?" she asked. "We're fine we haven't taken any pills since we had as we left here this morning." I replied. She got up and motioned for us to take a seat before doing a total checkup and taking blood for testing. She was smiling for the first time since the attack. "I think we've got it!" she exclaimed.

We left and headed for supper. I smiled to myself, perhaps it was a bit too soon but I was too excited. This was going to help millions who’d been cursed with type 4 addiction. We'd have to set up a late night broadcast with this news. Eleanor was just as excited as me. Finally some good news. The whole world needed to know!

Thank you for reading! This is the last season,
Thanks to everyone who has followed our tale this far.
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The Whole Series: Seasons 1 - 4