Butterfly Apocalypse: 4192213 912185268 14227 14228262

Mesay opened the door to her room and quickly shut it behind her. It was a heavy, thick metal door that was for both protection and to keep her cats in. At least it did one of those things right. Resting her back against it she took a deep breath and sighed loudly. The three cats were already at her feet. Rubbing against her legs and meowing for dinner. She reached down and pet them all in succession.

"Hello Opie. Hello Sovy. Hello Duclet. Time for dinner?",she greeted.

All three meowed louder at the word. She carefully dodged the three underfoot and went to a nearby cabinet  inside was one can of cat food. There was always one there. It changed sometimes to random things. Sometimes it was tuna. Other times it was packed crab meat. Mesay just figured it was placating to the cat's tastes that day. It was nice that she never had to worry about going to get any though. Every night it was there, waiting. Just like how she felt.
Every day.
Waiting.

It had been a long day and after the fantastic hot shower she got ready for bed. Slipping into her comfy pajamas and under the nice warm blankets. The cats all jumped up on the bed and snuggled against her. It didn't take long for her to quiet her thoughts and gently slip into a restful nights sleep.

***

....................flashing.....................

....white.....

............................................dark..........

                                                                                               .............darkness............

                                   

                                                           ..........cold...........                        

                                                                                                                     .....where am I?.....

I....

                                                 

                                                         ......I just want to go back

FLASH!

CRACK!

Mesay woke up at the sink in her bathroom. Looking down there was some kind of brown liquid in the sink. She coughed and spat. God, what had happened? Why was she up? She touched her hands to her lips. Bringing it to where she could see it. The liquid was coming from her mouth. She quickly got the cup she used for rinsing her mouth out and did just that. Washing the liquid down the drain with the rest of it. Finally she looked up at the mirror.

FLASH!

CRACK!

Instantly the wind was knocked out of her. She desperately tried to catch her breath. Bracing the sink for safety and doing all she could to not collapse. A hum began in her ears and she used her fingers to try to relieve the odd sound. She looked up and caught a glance in the mirror.

FLASH!

The hum was suddenly deafening and with that she found herself on the bathroom floor. Gasping for air. She couldn't breathe and her body felt so weak. The cats quickly came to her meowing and licking her face. The panic and adrenalie started to kick in. She couldn't breathe, she was going to die. She had to breathe. Mesay pulled what she had together and got on her hands and knees. Her cats walking beside her panicking themselves, meowing wildly. She got to the door and moved the handle. Putting what she could behind it. The door was too heavy. She felt herself starting to lose consciousness. The air wasn't coming, her strength leaving, her eyes closing. Finally with her last full breath she thought for help. 

A moment later Banana and Hoop pulled open the door. Mesay collapsed half outside of her room. The cats staying close. Beat and Dox crowded around to get a close look at her. Chewie looking on and holding an arm out so little Zero knew to stay back. Blue and Xuch came running up.

"What the hell happened?", Xuch asked.

"We don't know. We just heard her.", Beat responded.

"Yeah us too.", said Blue.

Dox put his ear to Mesay's lips. "She's still breathing a bit. Come on Mesay! Breathe. Breathe!"

Mesay gasped for air her eyes opening wide. The cats stopped clamoring to their adoptive mother. Dulcet hissed and they all ran back into the bedroom. She quickly looked around and sat up. Backing up into a corner away from the others. Dox and Banana tried to catch her but she was not herself. Darting her eyes around, she hugged herself. Her eyes wild, everyone backed off. 

Her eyes....

they were..... 

.......a bright glowing blue. They were all scared by what they saw.

"Mesay?", Dox started. He knelled beside her, "Mesay, please." He touched her shoulder and her eyes shot to him. Instantly he was pushed back. Chewie caught and held him. Dox gathered himself as Chewie brought him to his feet. When Dox opened his eyes they glowed that same brilliant blue briefly before fading to his normal shade. Everyone looked back at Mesay. The glow in her eyes faded to her natural dark brown. Her breathing returning to normal and her muscles relaxing. Beat and Banana fell to her side. 

"Mesay are you okay?", Banana asked.

"Wha.....happenineng Izze...", she stammered.

"We don't know hun but we gotta get you some water." Banana turned to Chewie and Hoop. "Help me get her up. We need to go to the Mess Hall."

The three helped her to her feet and for the most part dragged Mesay into a neighboring door that just so happened to be the Mess Hall. 

***

After about twenty minutes, seven glasses of water and the assembling of all the other butterflies they we're finally able to get more than a few words out of Mesay. 

"Guys, I don't know what happened. I was going to sleep then I just....woke up at the bathroom sink."

"You don't remember walking there?", Beat asked.

"No. I just woke up and couldn't stop coughing and spitting up this weird stuff."

"What kind of weird stuff?", Chewie asked.

"I don't know. It was kinda brown and all over the sink when I first came to. So I washed my mouth out and then...." Mesay paused as if she forgot something. She started to grimace as she grabbed her head.

"Why...why can't...It just happened. Why can't I remember what just happened?" She looked up at Banana. "What just happened?"

"You we're on the floor. Then you shot up and opened your eyes. They were....a bright blue. And you looked at Dox and he got pushed back. Then his eyes went that blue too." Banana tried to make sense of what she was saying while trying not to panic her. This whole thing was screwed up. What on earth was going on?

Mesay looked concerned at Dox. "I attacked you?"

"Not really. I mean, I don't think you meant to.", Dox tried to explain.

Mesay looked down. She was clearly very upset. She couldn't remember anything and on top of that some how she went after Dox. Who else would she have gone after? Why did she do that anyway? 

......the dream.

"The dream!", Mesay yelled.

Everyone was taken aback by this.

"What dream?", Chewie looked on suspiciously.

"It wasn't me Dox I swear! I'm so sorry! I was...dreaming and.....it's gotten worse. I think its getting worse.", Mesay rambled. Concern crossed over everyone's face.

"The dream where I'm in the dark. And there are flashes of light and the voice."

"What does the voice say?", Chewie pressed.

"I never know when I wake up. It's never much. Guys I'm so sorry this has been happening for so long that I just thought it was me or this place. I've never done this before now. Please I'm sorry!", Mesay buried her face in her hands. She was acting so odd. This whole thing was so odd. They were going to have to get to the bottom of this. For Mesay's sake. For all of their sakes. 

Butterfly Apocalypse: Float like a butterfly...

She was out back beyond the gate. On the edge of the desert and the mountains that they called Home. It wasn't a very popular idea for one to go outside the safety of their fortress but she had to practice somewhere. God knows that Dox might not always be at the ready on the roof. Or Chewie might be on another mission when Hoop freaked out at the sight of them being in danger. Once again, weather it was true or not, Mesay felt that if push came to shove she might not be able to defend Home and her family from a threat. The shameful display she put on during that one attack had been eating away at her. She was hardly able to lift the two drones let alone throw them properly. If she was going to have this power she needed to make it useful damn it. No more "magic tricks" for Zero. No more spirit hand puppet shows for Chewie. This was serious now.
Luckily the landscape was littered with giant boulders. And being in the middle of nowhere made it easy to mess up without consequence. She had painted a red 'x' on a nearby rock about the size of a car. Mesay took a long minute to focus herself. She closed her eyes and felt the wind go by. Heard it whistle and whirl around her praying for that kind of lightness. She knelt down and touched the ground imagining the sturdiness of the earth as part of her own. She used her memories to conjure up the last time she went swimming and hoped for her ability to flow like the water does. Then she kindled the fire inside. The essence of her spirit to go forward and use what she had to help others.
In her head she saw them. In the blackness, two spirit hands reaching out to her. She opened up her eyes and picked a target. There was a boulder about the size of her a few feet away. She used her hands and felt that spirit running through her. Motioning to grab the rock, it started to shake and stir. More she put her focus into it the more the rock moved. Finally with a grunt she moved her hands up and slowly the rock ascended. She still couldn't believe what she was doing. Something had changed inside her. Something had moved her. Altered her. Before she arrived at Home.
She held up her hands as high as possible and held the rock there for as long as she could. When her arms started to shake she knew it was time to throw. She focused on the target she had picked. Her arms were shaking very hard now. She didn't leave herself enough time to aim properly.
'Damn it.', she thought.
Then with what little strength was left she pulled back her arms and motioned to throw the rock.

It missed the marked boulder by inches.

Mesay fell to one knee gasping for air. Trying to breathe right and stand up at the same time. Those two functions were always so hard after she practiced. She allowed herself a full collapse on the ground out of frustration. Looking up at the nearly cloudless sky she closed her eyes. Then she started punishing herself again.


Damn it, you weakling! How the hell are  you going to protect them now huh? You must just not be the protector. Your role is not to help them. What are you going to do now? Just stay down. Or get the fuck out!
 
"Water?", Beat offered.

Mesay opened an eye and looked up. There was Beat with a water bottle. She went back to looking up at the sky and said, "Sure."
Beat walked next to her and knelled down. "You wanna get up first?"

"Yeah that might be a good idea."

Mesay slowly sat up and took the water bottle from Beat. She opened the top and squeezed a large mouthful of water into her cheeks. Beat started to laugh at the almost chipmunk look Mesay had to her. Even when she was upset she was funny. She offered a quiet smile and a hand up. Mesay gulped the water down and with shaky legs, took Beat's hand and brought herself back up again. They looked at the boulders.

"Practicing?", Beat asked.

"Sorta yeah.", Mesay responded.

"Frustrated?", Beat continued.

"Yup", Mesay answered.

"Wanna talk about it?"

Mesay didn't say a word.

"Your not useless, you know.", Beat started again.

Mesay angrily pulled her face away. A clear sign she was ashamed. She didn't like looking at people when she felt that way. Let alone when they knew she felt that way.

"You've done really well Katie. I'm not sure where some of us would be without you here. You keep us happy in this place. And if you ever ran off, we would come and find you. So don't think about it."

Mesay's eyes became glassy. She felt like such crap and so useless sometimes. But here was her friend. Her family, telling her that she wasn't shit. That she was useful and needed. And that running away wasn't an option. Beat was one of the few people who knew her so well. But she was right. No sense in pitying herself. Time to suck it up and try again. She wasn't going to get anywhere thinking she was crap. Because even if she was, the only thing to do was to move forward. Time to get this under control!
Mesay put out her hands again and started to summon her strength when Beat's hand landed on her shoulder.

"Don't you think that's enough for today? Besides we got to get dinner going and you're up for for sous chef tonight."

Mesay lowered her hands and smiled. "Yeah I suppose so."

They both turned and walked back toward Home. Mesay started cracking jokes again and Beat laughed. Someday, maybe, she would tell her friend about what happened before she ended up in Home.

Maybe, if she had the guts, she would tell them all about Roivas.

Butterfly Apocalypse: An explanation of the accepted.

"At the time, it was just the four of them. Chewie, Hoop, Beat and Banana."

Mesay told them everything she knew. At least as much as any of them knew. It was more an explanation of the accepted than what was really going on. When everything started falling apart Banana, "borrowed" her Mom's car. It was the only way she could think to be safe after showtime made an attempt on her life.

"Wait! Showtime tried to kill Banana?!", Sage interrupted.

"Yeah, pretty fucked up huh?", Mesay  quipped. "Anyway with the other butterflies out of communication she went to the closest friend she could think of. Beat, who wasn't near to her at all mind you, but had been quite worried after receiving the call from Banana. She printed out all the logs and put them in a giant file folder. When Banana finally did arrive she already had a saddle bag packed. This was real, and if they wanted to get through this, they would have to stick together and figure something out. They decided that going to Caught was the quickest way to get answers.
They got pretty far until the car broke down in southern Wyoming. In the middle of flippin nowhere. Beat and Banana tried calling out for a tow truck or anyone but the cell phone reception sucked so they started walking."

Hoop was actually on his way to visit family. He was wandering around the train station when he found Chewie unconscious on the terminal floor. When Chewie finally came to, his eyes were as wide as saucers and he had no idea how he got there. Hoop explained where he was but the whole thing just confused him more. He had nothing on him except a letter in his pocket. In an odd writing it said Wyoming on the envelope. When he opened it up, all it said was 'Your family is waiting for you'. Chewie decided to follow the note and Hoop couldn't help but tag along. Even though he didn't know the area at all, Chewie led the way. He felt pulled in the direction to go.

Mesay continued. "They found Banana and Beat walking away from a car and joined up with them. Strange coincidences are strange."

Home itself is a huge building. It stuck out of the landscape like a sore thumb. A giant tan polygon with no noticeable doors or windows. Save for the gate and actual entrance into the building. The actual count of how many rooms or levels was up for debate. The Main Hall, where they were now, was about the size of a small church. There were tables and chairs every few feet and two separate rows on each side. The group crowded around, listening to her tell the story. Clearly Tarvok, Sunni, Sage and Blueeyes were just as confused as when they had started. But they allowed Mesay to finish before tackling her with a slew of questions.

"When they got here they looked around the entire area and couldn't find any doors or windows. It wasn't until Banana started talking about a door that one suddenly appeared. After coming in and walking around a while they started talking about being hungry. Then they found the Mess Hall. It was like every time Banana thought of something it just showed up. The really bizarre thing is that the fridges and cabinets were fully stocked. And it was all real, fresh, food. Just about anything you could ask for. Then Banana started wondering what happened to me."

They all paused. Mesay seemed put off by what she was about to say.

"I apparently landed on one of the tables. As if I was dropped from fucking nowhere. They said I started moaning. Probably from the pain of the fall. I was mumbling and gasping for air. And....my eyes....they were this bright neon blue for a few seconds.
All I remember is being dizzy and confused. I have no idea how I got there. Remembering my last thought outside this place is almost impossible without me getting a massive headache.
Honestly, I don't like talking about it."

Despite all the questions in their head they couldn't voice any. None of them wanted to grill Mesay about whatever she had experienced. But between her display this morning and now this story, they were a little at unease. But this had been the safest place they had seen in days. Since even before Chewie found them.

"Well....", she started. "Let's go get some food huh? I get super hungry after saving people and being all badass like that." She snickered as she walked past them seemingly fine again. It broke the tension just enough for the others to just go with it. Lord knew they were hungry as hell too. All those canned beans Chewie had weren't very satisfying. Especially split between five of them.

***

Mesay led them through the narrow hallways. Tarvok looked up at his new surroundings. The hallways were ridiculously tall and oddly narrow. The light bounced and diffused off the walls so evenly, that the ceiling was practically invisible. But he figured it had to be up there, somewhere. At least wherever the light was coming from. Where was the light coming from?

He touched the walls and felt the slightly textured surface. Everything had a light peach hue to it. This building must have been brand new. No scuff marks, no dings, no repairs. In fact there were no signs or indicators of where they were in the building. As they turned a corner Tarvok stopped and looked down the one they had just been in. Then at the one they were walking down now. They looked exactly the same.

"Hey Mesay!", Tarvok started. "How do you even know where your going? Every hallway looks the same."

"That is an excellent question Tarvok. It seems that you don't need to know how your getting around. You just need to know where your going."

The confusion silenced everyone until Sunni finally blurted out, "What!?"

Mesay stopped in her tracks, sighed in frustration and then turned to everyone. "This would be a lot easier to show you than to tell you. So let's just go back to the main hall."

She turned and walked off again in the same direction. Tarvok hurried to catch up with the group.

"But isn't it back that way?", he offered.

Mesay stopped at a doorway and opened it. She motioned them to look in. It was the Main Hall. 

"We went in a big circle?", Sage suggested.

"Nope.", Mesay responded. "Now lets go to the back to the entrance." She started walking again this time quicker. Mesay had to explain this at least 10 times before to the other butterflies. Normally she was patient but her stomach was starting to hurt from being so hungry. 

They turned the next corner and arrived at another door. When she opened it the evening light was coming through. When did it get so late? Envoy was in the courtyard, finishing putting doll parts into a giant trash can on wheels. 

"Yo Envoy! Hurry up huh? Dinner is almost ready!", Mesay chided. 

Envoy held up a middle finger. "Oh yeah I'll hurry and clean up your mess Mesay!"

"Hi Envoy!", Blue called.

"Fuck all of you!", he offered back in the cheeriest of voices he could give.

Mesay snickered as she shut the door.

"You see? All you gotta do is think or say, I'm going to my room. And you'll get there. You just keep walking. Nothing here is very far from anything else. Now can we please get something to eat? To the mess hall!", she cried and quickly walked off. They all tried to keep up.

"How did you figure this out?", Blue asked.

"Trial and error. And Dox and Chewie theorizing. One time those two tried measuring this place."

Mesay started laughing hysterically.

"I'll have to tell you about that later. Eventually the others started showing up. Some of us remember how we got here, some of us don't. What you experienced out there were Help3r's drones. So far all we've seen are the dolls and brick things. He's a literal little fucker when it comes to weaponry huh? Help3r has been trying to get in here almost as long as we've been here. But I think our lack of communication outside is what helps keep him out. That and this huge fucking fortress!"

Mesay motioned largely with her hands and arms and started laughing again. The four of them were all taken aback by the the outlay of Home. It's funny that she had been explaining things for the better part of the day and they all still had no idea what was going on.
Just like old times.

***

When they finally reached the Mess Hall, everyone was there. The hall was very long and wide but with a short ceiling that made the place look longer than it was. The whole place was busy. Beat, and Euph were in the kitchen at the far end. The smell emitting from there was out of this world. Beat apparently was a fine cook. And it was Euph's turn to be sous chef. Xuch and Banana were just outside joking about something. 

Zero, Avi, and Roses were doing the finishing touches on what could be best described as decorations, while Tiro gave them direction. Zero had been working on them all day and was very proud of them. Avi rolled her eyes every time something wasn't just quite right to Tiro. He loved to pester her with that kind of thing. Mesay interrupted the action by opening her arms and announcing their arrival. 

"Ladies and gentlemen! Four more have come home!", she proclaimed.

Everyone walked up and greeted with smiles and remarks. Hugs and handshakes. Sage, Tarvok, Sunni and Blue were overcome with happiness and comfort. Things may have gone to shit but here they were. Roivas wasn't messing around when they said this was a family. It really felt like that. Envoy, Chewie, Dox and Hoop were the last to arrive.

After some time Kirsten rang the bell nearby. Dinner was ready. They all gathered at the kitchen window and one by one helped themselves to the sweet spread of food. Everyone picked a spot and started. This was Home. Their new home. And the odd thing is that it didn't feel odd at all.

***

As the night came so did the jokes, conversation, laughter, artistic sentiments and general catching up. Soon though a number of them started getting tired. Sage approached Mesay to find out where he should bed down for the night.

"So, where does a butterfly get some shut eye around here?", Sage asked.

"Just go to your room.", Mesay responded with a smile.

"Uh.....I don't know where it is.", he sarcastically replied.

"Uh....you just go remember?", she retorted. "Look I'm not going to baby you guys all through this stuff. It's easy Sage. Just leave the mess hall with the intention of going to your room. You've gotta figure this out sometime."

Mesay shooed him away and out. Sage looked on down the hall. He was a little spooked. She may have been sure that he would of found his way but he seemed less convinced. Regardless Sage started walking. He went down the hallway. Observing everything including how quiet it was. No hum, no clacks, no bumps, no echos, nothing. This just made his nerves worse. Regardless Sage kept it in is head to just keep walking. 

Keep walking.....

Keep walking....

.....keep walking.....

...........

He had seemed to have been walking for quite some time but without a watch he couldn't tell. He couldn't tell anything at this point. He could be anywhere. Who knows how long he has been walking. 

He was lost.

Oh god he was lost.

Lost in a place he didn't know. And couldn't find.

He probably couldn't find the Mess Hall again. 

He couldn't even find Mesay or Hoop.

He might even be lost forever.

..............

Lost forever in this place! God what did he walk into? Why didn't Mesay just walk with him?

God why couldn't he just find his room?!

Just then Sage noticed a door. He rushed up to it and opened expecting the Mess Hall. What he got was.....a bedroom. Tons of shelves lined the walls but they weren't filled. A drawing board was at one corner. The shelf above it had any number of drawing supplies including paper and pencils. A few empty notebooks lined a shelf above his bed. A nice bed, already made. 

This was....his room. He found his room. Sage looked back out into the hall. He suddenly realized what had happened. He shut his door and stayed inside for quite some time afterward. This was Home, his home. And it might take some getting used to.

End part 2

Butterfly Apocalypse

She woke up to the light melodic techno playing from her phone. That's its only use anymore. As an MP3 player and an alarm clock. Electricity came easy enough here. Communication with the outside world? Not so much. A colony full of artists trying to survive together. Each one had surprised themselves with their roles and the almost simplistic falling into their places that followed. "Everyone has a role.", they were told. "You all chose your own." Actually what they were told was, "2252292121322 19268 26 9121522. 2126261515 24191212822 21269 12413." The code was second nature by now. It might as well have been written in English.
The glow from her computer screen guides her sleepy eyes and hands to the switch for the ceiling lights. A soft purple and blue hue gently light up the room. It's a very small space for a tall woman with three cats, but it was better than nothing. And it was a home. The walls were filled with various drawings and trinkets made by the others. Sometimes Mesay wished she could recrproicate by doing the same. She was a much better writer or singer. She has other talents now though. Much more useful ones. They all did.
Two of the cats stretched and moved toward their cat mom. Sovy and Opie started nuzzling her face as she sat up. Dulcet was still at the foot of the bed. Ignoring all the movement, determined to sleep a little bit longer.

"Good morning Opie. Good morning Sovy. Good morning Duclet."

The alarm went off. Red lights flashing beneath her door a shadow crossed it. The loud knocking that followed finally spooked the cats into their respective hiding places. Mesay got up quickly and answered. A tall skinny man with brown hair and goggles on was smiling back at her.
"Morning! We got Dolls approaching the perimeter. You might want to check it out.", Hoop reported.
Mesay, still sleepy shut the door. A minuet later she left the room in jeans and a tank top, slamming the door shut behind her and rushing down the narrow hallway. Hoop followed.

"How many?", she asked.

"A lot.", he responded.

Mesay stopped at a small computer screen. She quickly brought up the outer perimeter cameras. Sure enough there were quite a few of them coming full speed. Even two flying drones. But why this random attack?

"Where is Dox?"

"He's on the roof already. Everyone is ready to go. But I thought the amount of crazy was a little odd."

Mesay pulled up the main camera. She turned it toward the fairly large mass coming toward them. Zooming on the incoming danger she spotted a few odd figures leading the charge. New proxies maybe? No these were different. They sorta looked like....

"Shit."

Mesay turned from the screen and ran down the hallway, ducking around the next corner. Hoop, surprised, quickly followed. She was way ahead of him and heading toward the main entrance. Hoop had caught up just in time to see her running into the blinding light of the day from the entrance. The operating button for the main gate had been pushed. Hoop stayed by the door, breathing hard from the run. Mesay rushed toward the gate as it slowly raised. She stopped and looked out at the figures in front of the horde. There were five. The tallest one waving frantically.

"Mesay!", Chewie yelled.

Chewie was making a run for it. Along with four others. Sunni, Sage, Tarvok and Blueeyes we're right behind him. Well, as close behind them as they could manage. It's funny how fast you can run when you have fifty some odd Help3r dolls chasing you down. The flying drones passed overhead. Chewie watched as the mechanical rectangles sped past and moved ahead of them. They descended right into their path.

Chewie and the others stopped cold in their tracks. Home was only thirty feet away from them but the damn drones blocked the way. If they got any closer they would be knocked out for sure. Chewie looked behind them. Help3r's creepy doll horde was getting closer. Soccer outfits and blond hair, it would of been more ridiculous if they hadn't seen how dangerous these things could be. They were there to eradicate the infection. In this case Chewie and company.
The drones floated in front of them. They're brick like doom seeming imminent. Chewie pulled the sword from the sheath on his back. He motioned for the others to get close. Tarvok took out his Nunchucks. Sunni clenched her fists. She may not have had a weapon but she'd be damned if these creepy bastards take her before punching a few. As for blue she did her best not to panic. The dream she had was coming back to her now. And suddenly it made a lot more sense.
Readying themselves a loud noise screeched through the air. The drones seemed to twitch and move erratically. The five brought all their attention to them expecting the worst. Suddenly they raised up and beyond was Mesay holding her hands up as if lifting something heavy. Chewie smiled devilishly.

"Everyone run!", he screamed. And they all followed, running past Mesay and to the gate.

"Get everyone inside! I'll slow them down!", Mesay yelled.

Her arms shaking from the weight of the struggling drones. The noises of metal on metal ringing in her ears. She summoned her strength and closed her eyes. Imagining her spirit hands taking the now raised metal and flinging them toward the Help3r dolls. The brick drones followed suit, moved by some unseen force as Mesay motioned her arms and hands, psychically chucking them at the threat.
Blueeyes, turned and looked as the noise of metal on earth hit her hear. Beyond Mesay was a giant mess of drones, dirt and doll parts. Blue's eyes we're wide and shocked at the scene. Hoop came and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her back into the entrance. He pushed the close button for the gate.

"Mesay! Let's go!", Hoop yelled.

Breathing hard and exhausted from the effort she looked up at the damage. Mesay was a lousy shot. About fifteen to twenty taken out and it only slowed them down. A few seconds later the rest were getting up. They were almost on the gate. She turned and tried her best to run back. Ducking under the slow moving gate and trying to get to the entrance. The gate make a clunking sound. It had frozen mid closure. Mesay turned and she could see the dolls starting to make their way past the gate. She couldn't run anymore. Turning toward the dolls, there was no way she was going to let them get into the entrance. She stopped and held her ground.
Hoop looked on from the door. He screamed two more times for her but she wasn't moving. Hoop slammed his hand against the door control again and again but it wouldn't budge. The remaining dolls were now in the gate and approaching Mesay. Chewie pushed Hoop's hand aside and hit the intercom button.

"Now Dox! Now!", he ordered.

"You got it Chewie.", Dox responded back into the mic headset.

From the top of the building Dox was standing at the edge with a slew of turrets. They were all targeting the dolls.

"Fire!", Dox yelled, and an array of bullets rained down on the dolls. Plastic and parts going everywhere. They made quick work of the things and soon the dolls stopped moving. Dox spoke into his mic and the turrets stopped their fury. He walked to he edge and looked down.

"Everything okay down there?", he called.

Mesay just looked up and smiled. She turned again to the entrance and slowly limped to Hoop and Chewie. When she got inside she stumbled a bit. Tarvok caught her and helped her up again.

"It is far to early in the morning for this shit.", Mesay quipped. "But now we have more of the family safe at Home."

"Mission impossible, possibled. Right Chewie?", Hoop joked.

"Not quite.", Chewie said. As he walked further into the bunker. He stopped and looked back at the group. "I'll be in my room cleaning up. I'll see you all in the mess hall....and thanks Mesay."

Mesay faintly saluted Chewie and smiled.
Chewie continued down the hallway.

"Well!", Hoop said clapping his hands together. "I guess this calls for a special dinner. I'll let Beat and the others know."

"I'll take them to the main hall.", Mesay offered.

"Uh...you sure? You look a little rough round the edges there."

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I'll just....take it easy.", she said as Mesay gathered herself again. "Oh and before you do anything Hoop, we need to get that gate closed. And clean up Help3r's mess."

"Yup, I'll call Envoy. He's on cleaning duty today anyway. Lucky him.", Hoop snickered as he walked off.

"Come on guys, follow me. I bet you have lots of questions."
Mesay slowly walked down the hallway. Tarvok, Sage, Sunni and Blueeyes followed. Questions indeed. They fought awfully hard to get this far. It was nice to see some friendly faces, especially in a safe environment. But what in the hell was going on? They would find out how bad it was soon enough.

End part 1