Double-Edged Sword

[Toominator Z]

My name is Erek. That’s my first name, obviously. I can’t tell you my last name. Not yet. You have to know what’s happening first.

The year is 2026 and the war has long been over. Already has it almost faded to just a memory. In two short decades the harmony of so many races led to the greatest renaissance in any of their histories. In this boom, the morphing technology was perfected. Transformations and acquiring were now nearly instantaneous. Time limits were a thing of the past. Even reverting to your original form was no longer necessary. As if that wasn’t enough, massive DNA databases were compiled with billions of species from across the entire galaxy enabling one to acquire any specific species at the touch of a button.

The benefits of this incredible technology were astounding. We had unveiled the fountain of youth. If you can only age when in your original form and your morphs revert their age whenever you transform, why would you ever stay in your original form? On top of that, injuries, sickness, disease, even hunger would not apply. Hunger is but a physical manifestation. Anything physical was no longer an obstacle.

It was known early on this was still a very dangerous weapon. The militaries and governments of the collective species knew this had to be controlled, and it was…….for a time. Unfortunately, this was too great a power to resist. Corruption from within leaked the technology and almost over night the new morphing technology went from being available to select elite officers, to being shared like free movies over the internet. The destruction of our civilizations was immediate.

The militaries across the galaxy united in attempt to control the uprising, but it was impossible. By the time researchers were able to develop an anti-morphing field projector, it was too late. Our planets had dissolved to anarchy.

I work for the military, at least I used to. I was born into it. My parents survived one war, only to die in this tragedy. I worked with them, and the others from the old war to try and contain this plague, but now it’s just me and Ax. My name is Erek Berenson, and this is my story.

[Duff]

hmm sounds like a cool idea, well written, good tease lol you've got me interested, look forward to more

[Phoenix004]

Very interesting and original concept Toomin. Looking forward to seeing how it goes. 

[Azguard]

 Erek Berenson.

 I just got chills. 

[musicman88]

Sounds interesting.  I actually had a similar idea to this...

[AniDragon]

This actually sounds really interesting. I'll be keeping an eye out!

[Toominator Z]

The eight Leerans seated at the conference table were all nervous. Myself included. Our last meeting was raided and it was a miracle each of us even escaped. The efforts of the rebels have gotten more and more aggressive. Something I could not bring myself to comprehend. Killing for supposed freedom? What bothered me more is that humans accounted for the largest percentage of the organization. True irony is realizing most of your allies are the very race your previous generation fought to bloody death. But races were irrelevant now. If there was one benefit of the morphing technology outbreak, it’s that it united the galaxy. Now we were only divided by our beliefs. It seems however, beliefs can fuel a war far more potently than race.

“I’m sorry to say two more operatives have gone missing. This has ….” General Xander started.

“You mean died,” I added contemptuously. “Why do you insist on continuing that ridiculous label? No officer has been reported dead in over a year, but we all know very well what happened to them. Dying in morph does not mean you’re possibly still alive.”

The General was annoyed at having to deal with my outbursts so early in the meeting, “You know very well the code we have in place is for a reason. The Tobias Clause ensur……

“Oh spare me the textbook response General. I know for a fact even you don’t….” I began, but Aximili calmy interrupted.

“Now is not the opportune time to discuss that matter.”

“As I was saying,” the General continued, “This has finally convinced the council to allow more drastic measures be taken in eliminating the Anarchists.”

I shifted my position slightly, barely able to contain my discomfort. You don’t fight fire with fire, you fight it with water. I wanted to comment, but I had caused enough trouble as is. Besides, they all knew what I was thinking. Using Leerans for meetings often caused arguments as everyone’s true thoughts were always let out, but it was the only way to ensure we were not being infiltrated.

“To answer your question,” the General continued, “ the Council has authorized the excommunication of their UG headquarters.”

No amount of self-control was going to keep me from snapping at that, “WHAT?! Are they MAD?! The last remnant of civility we have left with them, we’re going to throw away? Even the Nazi’s had rights after WWII, eliminating their United Galaxies position is going to make them even more violent. Without negotiations the only thing left they’ll have to do is terrorize!”

“Unfortunately, even if I agreed with you, Erek, there’s nothing we can do at this point. The Council’s decision was unanimous so it won’t even be permitted as a vote for the public. The ambassadors of the Anarchists may have already eve……..”

BOOM!

The entire ceiling exploded into tiny fragments. Instinctively, I focused on the Garatron DNA inside me. It’d be the quickest escape from the facility. It wasn’t until I took my first step to run away that I realized I hadn’t morphed. I couldn’t morph.

I looked up to the small bug fighter above the now destroyed ceiling and saw the familiar red cube hanging just below it. I couldn’t read the full script from this distance, but the initials were still readable. A.M.C. Anti-morphing Cube.

“Sh*t………”

[demos666]

love it great idea
o and i love the darksteel colossus
(MTG fan)

[Toominator Z]

OOC: Formerly known as Toominator. It's been quite some time since I've been on RAF, let alone posted, but having reread this I remembered how much I enjoyed writing it and just had to resurrect it. Here's a fresh chapter for you guys. I highly recommend starting from the first chapter (there's only 3 anyway) or you'll get pretty lost. Hope you enjoy, everyone.
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The two soldiers on my right sizzled in a blinding flash and a squadron of identical Andalites dropped from the ship as the room erupted in Dracon beam fire. I dove behind the far counter to my left and unleashed a volley at the pack swarming from the south side. Ducking and peering around the side to assess the situation, I caught a glimpse of General Xander at the East doorway before feeling the actual heat of a barely missed shot and taking cover anew.

<Commander, your assistance would be appreciated.> Ax called out from somewhere ahead.

I glanced over the counter top, firing at the nearest intruders. Ax was pinned down behind a thin pillar with the enemy closing fast. In that Leeran body, he’d last all of a microsecond once the Andalites got close enough. Knowing they were about to flank, Ax bolted for the now open door. As he dodged and dived, pausing for a split second would get him killed, but I noticed a black spot of ash at the entry.

<Ax! To the roof!> I yell, shooting his closest chaser.

<But ho….> Ax is interrupted by my Dracon fire at the ceiling above the entryway. Without missing a beat, Ax jumped up the rubble and kicked off the wall through the newly made hole above. Just as his tentacles pulled him up and over, an enormous Dracon blast cleared the doorway to twice it’s size, incinerating the rubble and his two pursuers.

<Alright, yeaaaarrrrrrrrhg!> One of my legs sizzled and burned off. I fell back behind the counter, clutching the stump. I stared at it in shock until Captain Maye stumbled in beside me, streaking the floor with a bloody mess as both hands covered the gaping hole in her side.

<I am dying.> She said simply. Announcing like this was standard news to report.

Enraged, I grabbed the Dracon beam from Maye’s holster and jumped out spraying with both weapons. My first two targets hit, but my shoulder was caught from my blind side. The east doorway. A second squadron was pouring in.

<Ax, if you can hear me, your assistance would be equally appreciated right about now.> I called out. No answer. The first squadron was just around the corner. The crunching hooves were close enough to hear.

<You’re trapped like rats, you communist filth.> The lead Andalite boomed.

<I disagree with your assessment of the situation.> Ax retorted from some place out of sight.

BOOOOOM!!!

The bug fighter crashed down through the hole it had blasted in the ceiling and flattened several approaching warriors. A familiar red cube flew and bounced off the wall behind me, charred and sparking in pieces.

<Maye! Fly morph, now!> I ordered. And with that, we were gone.

Even as we flew to safety however, a thought wouldn’t stop nagging me. No intruder could have gotten past all eight of us as telepathic Leerans, so how did they know when and where to attack?