Kelly Lamb/Land of Sunshine part 3

From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

Citadel flexed his new arms. They weren't anywhere as good as the android body he had before, but it was far superior to being nothing but an AI in a can trapped under rubble. Kelly had fortunately found a protector bot that was barely damaged, with his patient instruction she had been able to transfer his AI with the bot's deactivated core, from there it was simple for his nanotechnology to integrate himself into the machine's operating system. Most of it anyway, the bot from the name on its chest was called Shemp, and there was an annoying subroutine that was still present that produced random Three Stooges quotes. That he could live with (after all, he had worked with Synapse for a number of years).

“I still believe that the plan is too risky for you.”

Kelly was sitting on a pile of rubble, wearing a pink t shirt and jeans she had scrounged somewhere, a red and yellow scarf around her neck. She shrugged “Risky for all. But if you want to broadcast the anti-subliminal program, you will only get one shot, and something else will have to be holding their attention.”

He nodded, unhappily “I cannot argue with your logic. When do you think is the best time?”

She stood up, looking over the ruined war wall. In the distance could be seen the glow on the clouds of the populated areas of the city, with searchlights festively stabbing at the clouds. “Tomorrow night. Harvest Festival.”

There was one good thing about a population designed and conditioned to obey unquestionably. It made sneaking into some place easier than she might have thought. She had picked up a wig, her short white hair was rather recognizable, the long red tresses matching nicely the satin jacket she was wearing. Citadel was harder to get around, but fortunately he didn't need to be at the festival site, the nearest communications node was good enough for what he had to do. She glanced up at the ever present billboards along the road, she never really noticed them before, but now...they were a personal insult, large signs saying 'OBEY' while on another a bikini clad female urged the sheeple (people she reminded herself..they just have to be woken up) to 'MARRY AND REPRODUCE'. Walking like she was supposed to be where she was, she smiled at the people waiting to get into the concert, all lined up patiently in neat perfect rows. Harvest night was special, there the best and brightest were chosen for service in the Eden project..or so people were told. Long years in the Rogue Isles hiding her true feelings enabled her to not raise any suspicions as she entered the dressing room for the musicians.

There was a TV on, like there was all the time everywhere, a perky newsreader was smiling at the camera as she read her lines “The feeling is definitely there. It's a new morning in America... fresh, vital. The old cynicism is gone. We have faith in our leaders. We're optimistic as to what becomes of it all. It really boils down to our ability to accept. We don't need pessimism. There are no limit-”

everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up as the TV was turned off. Kelly knew most of them, after all she had worked with them before. Some, like the drummer, she remembered as having powers, but wasn't sure what side he was on before. “Hi guys!”

“Kelly! But, they said you died in a car crash!” replied her bass player. Everyone clustered around her excitedly, happy to see her again

“No, it was a mistake. So what's on the program tonight?”

“Well, Tammy was going to sing in your place, but its better that you're here now. As for what, the same thing as always”

Kelly just smirked. The President didn't care for rock and roll, or any 'unpleasant' music as it was called, so most music was generally a mix of Celine Dion, and old Carpenters ballads. Not that there was anything wrong with that...but now she knew better. “change of plans” she said, passing out sheet music “this is what we're doing tonight”

“But..this isn't very mellow. I don't know if we should-”

“just do it.”

“ok!”

Citadel also found infiltration easier than he had thought. Perhaps it was the complacency of the Council, knowing the world was theirs, or maybe it was the reduced manpower(sheepower?) since the population either was mutated or died, but many things were automated. Even better was the fact that the bot chassis that Kelly had recovered for him ,and installed his AI in under his instruction was designed for defense, with an on board shield generation system. Which would probably be needed once he began his upload of the counter subliminal program, fortunately Kelly's plan should keep their attention off of him until it was too late. He worried for her safety, but there wasn't much else that could be done, it was this or nothing. Jacking himself into the network, he activated the com unit. He had picked up no phalanx transmission frequencies during the intervening years..so a short burst transmission using the communicators he had recovered was safe enough. “In position” was all he sent.

Kelly tapped her own com twice in acknowledgment, adjusting her dress. The red velvet really wasn't her color, but it had been picked out for her replacement. She had to fight to keep from messing with the wig as well, while the musicians knew it was her, many of the security in their blue Crey uniforms weren't hybrids, but looked human. Meaning they probably weren't, but she'd deal with that when the time came. At least getting the sheeple to do what she wasted was easy enough, programed as they were to follow commands. Taking a deep breath, she stood up, here goes everything.

The crowd was sitting patiently in the arena as the act before the last one was finishing up, a group of dancers from one of the local schools. There was polite applause as always as the MC took the stage again “Thank you ladies and Gentlemen, legs have another round of applause for the children of PS 236's dance team! (applause) Such wonderful children, who hopefully one day will be worthy to join the others, our best and brightest of us on the Harvest Project!” He smiled at the crowd, a bit of a smirking grin, the humans teeth seeming a bit sharper in the lights. “and now, Miss Tammy Kitchen will sing for us “my heart will go on”

The lights dimmed..but the sound coming off of the stage was anything but Celene Dion's weepy ballad. The drums thundered like an approaching storm, even the piano player sounded angry as he swept his hands over the keys. The MC was blinking in surprise, wondering just the heck was going on.

Kelly could have picked any song really, but this one seemed to fit her mood, was long enough to cover Citadel's broadcast...besides she really liked it. She sighed an annoyance when she got on stage.. Tammy was 5'11...the microphone was a good foot and a half over her head. As the spotlight came on she shrugged, hovering up within reach. reaching up with one hand ripping the itching wig off, as she grabbed the chrome retro microphone with her other.

“Lying in your bed and on a Saturday night
You're sweatin' buckets and it's not even hot
But your brain has got the message
And it's sending it out
To every nerve and every muscle you've got “

The MC was shouting something but she couldn't hear it, and it didn't matter if she did anyway. She was through following orders. She saw the light blink on the com unit on her wrist, Citadel had begun, the improved version he had developed wouldn't knock people out for several hours..but it did take longer to work.

“You've got so many dreams
That you don't know where to put 'em
So you'd better turn a few of 'em loose
Your body's got a feeling that it's starting to rust
You'd better rev it up and put it to use “

Two of the 'Crey' guards were shouting at her from the wings of the stage, she could figure out what they were saying, stop now. A raised middle finger was her only response to them as she continued, angrily belting out the lyrics.

“And I don't know how I ever thought that I could make it all alone
When you only make it better
And it better be tonight
And we'll fly away on those angel wings of chrome in your daddy's car
Waiting there for you tonight
I'll be there for you tonight”

That just made them angry as they ran out on stage, forgetting the rest of the band One of them had pulled out a nightstick, bringing it down in an overhand arc in a frantic attempt to shut her up in response to the shouted orders being sent to their earpieces. He gaped in surprise as the hardened wood broke as it hit her, the short hybrid glowing brightly now. She didn't even stop singing as she half turned, bringing one hoof down in a deafening crash that sent the two guards reeling.

“even if you don't have anywhere to go
you go down on the pedal and you're ready to roll
And even if you don't have anywhere to go
You go down on the pedal and you're ready to roll
And your speed
Is all you'll ever need
All you'll ever need to know
Darlin', Darlin'

You and me we're goin' nowhere slowly
And we've gotta get away from the past
There's nothin' wrong with goin' nowhere, baby
But we should be goin' nowhere fast “

Citadel watched the alert lights with alarm. She definetly had their attention, all available units were being dispatch to the arena on personal orders of the President. Someone had tried to pull the feed, but he had that locked tight for the moment, watching the progress bar on the upload. He triggered his com again “They are en route to your position, all available units.” On the screen he saw her nod as she heard the message on her earphone, bending down over a small box on stage. The bot wasn't the only thing she had managed to recover. Pulling the handle on the small device, she activated the scavenged Sky Raider force field generator, the greenish dome covering the band, the musicians still playing. the guards rushed towards the stage through the entrances the crowd was still in shock, blinking at what was going on, some of them though were beginning to look like they were half awake.

“Everybody's goin' nowhere slowly
They're only fighting for the chance to be last
There's nothin' wrong with goin' nowhere, baby
But we should be goin' nowhere fast
It's so much better goin' nowhere fast “

Kelly saw them coming as she swapped to a headset microphone. She was gonna need her hands free for this. Good thing that she never really liked this dress, it probably wasn't going to hold up very good as a half dozen Darkwolves bounded onto the stage. She brought her hands together in a thunderous clap, sending the wolves flying as she continued.

“Stalkin' in the shadows by the light of the moon
It's like a prison and the night is a cell
Goin' anywhere has gotta be heaven tonight
'Cause stayin' here has gotta be hell
Dyin' in the city like a fire on the water
Let's go runnin' on the back of the wind
There's gotta' be some action on the face of the earth
And I've gotta see your face once again”

They came at her as they got up, many dizzy, a few having been knocked all the way into the audience. There were the sounds of screams in the crowd..as sheeple (no, People she reminded herself) began to remember...and react. One wolf raked his claws across her back, drawing blood and shredding the red velvet. She spun, her small fist coming up in a punch that sent the warwolf flying up almost into the lights, landing hard enough on the stage to go through the wood planking. Still they were all on her, and not on the musicians, most of whom were still playing, while a couple of them where staring wide eyed at the fight.

Citadel heard the angry fists pounding on the door that he had welded closed from the inside as a precaution “Open up in there, open up in the name of Requiem!”

He wasn't going to reply, but the subroutine that Ars Machina, the original maker of the bot had other ideas. In a good imitation of Moe Howard's voice his voder said “We are members of the Morons' Union, local 6 and 7/8! “

There was silence on the other side, and citadel grinned despite himself as he activated the bot's forcefield. If you can't bluff, confuse em

Back on stage, the council was getting frustrated. Long years of inactivity had dulled their fighting skills, not having any need to fight anymore. Kelly however had no such problem, nor was she holding back as she usually did. All she could see in her minds eye as she fought was the last image she had of her family, and how she was not going to let that happen to anyone else. She could see stirrings in the audience here and there, it was getting close. She winced as razor sharp claws gripped around her shoulder, the talons digging in. She went vertical, rising ten meters above the stage, dragging the Warwolf with her, the lights and cameras following. Several quick kicks to his head left him stunned, as she brought her hands down, gripping his arm. Hands that could bend steel clenched...and ripped the council soldier's arm off. He howled as he fell back to the stage, bloodspray shimmering in the lights.

“And I don't know where I ever got the bright idea that I was cool
So alone and independent
But I'm depending on you now
And you'll always be the only thing that I just can't be without
And I'm out for you tonight
I'm comin' out for you tonight”

She had turned to music as a villain as a crutch to keep her spirits up, then as a hero to take her mind off having to commit violence, for good or ill. Violence was not the answer she'd always said. She'd learned these last few days though, it wasn't an answer, it was a question. And sometimes the answer had to be yes.

“Even if you don't have anywhere to go
You go down on the pedal and you're ready to roll (ready to roll)
Even if you don't have anywhere to go
You go down on the pedal and you're ready to roll
And your speed
Is all you'll ever need
All you'll ever need to know
Darlin', Darlin'- “

She flung the severed limb at the MC, who had pulled out a weapon from somewhere under his tux, the assault rifle's rounds zinging past her as she dove, almost screaming out the lyrics at this point. Not that anyone really would notice, as they made a fatal mistake, in their haste to get reserve troops to the arena, they didn't bother having them be in security guard uniforms. As black uniformed council troops poured into the arena it was the tipping point. The mutated and brainwashed population, both hero and villains, now remembered what had happened to them, and who was responsible.

“You and me we're goin' nowhere slowly
And we've gotta get away from the past
There's nothin' wrong with goin' nowhere, baby
But we should be goin' nowhere fast

Everybody's goin' nowhere slowly
They're only fighting for the chance to be last
There's nothin' wrong with goin' nowhere, baby
But we should be goin' nowhere fast
It's so much better goin' nowhere fast”

Citadel was done, it was completely uploaded and broadcast. Not only would it remove the artificial memories of who they were...it would prevent them from ever being controlled again. A worthy sacrifice he thought as he felt the door behind him getting hotter, they had also called out the Warcry robots. His weapons however were defensive, and his shields were rapidly being depleted. It was only a matter of time (132.24 seconds) until his shield collapsed and he and the broadcast node were destroyed. Too late to stop the inevitable, still, he wondered as he scanned the net, fights were breaking out in other cities as well, it was spreading. perhaps there was a way out...no, they wouldn't have been that overconfident, would they?

Kelly dove through the hail of fire towards the MC, she recognized the bald man, his too sharp teeth giving him a way as one of the few surviving Vampyir. . Bullets ricocheted off as she plummeted, they hurt, but not enough to stop her. The man stumbled back as he fumbled for another clip as she hit him fists first traveling close to mach. The band had pretty much stopped by now as they reawoke, though two of the backup singers were still carrying their chorus

“Godspeed
Godspeed
Godspeed
Speed us away!”

That seemed to be a cue for the troops to turn, fire, energy, and fists flying out of the crowd towards them, the angry mob turning on the ones who destroyed their friends, family, and world. She hovered over the battle admiring her handiwork when something hit her..hard. And it hurt.

They were through, they had first fired on the communications array, but the damage was done. Citadel ignored the warcry's as they raised their weapons, beam emitters glowing as they prepared to fire. He laughed out loud, though it came out as a 'nyuk nyuk nyuk” thanks to the subroutine. They were that overconfident. He was still laughing as the fire from the robots disintegrated his body.

Kelly hit the ground, hard, a good quarter mile away from the arena. Flanked by two hoverbots , his black uniform gleaming in the lights from below, Requiem hovered overhead “pathetic fool! Do you have any idea what you have done? No of course you don't” he said as he dropped down into the crater caused by her landing. His red boots crunched through the rubble as she tried to get to her feet, from the bone sticking through the fabric of her dress that didn't really seem like a good idea, but staying on the ground wasn't either. She had gotten on her hands and knees when his boot lashed out , catching her in the midsection. She screamed as she was kicked out of the crater, flying across the street, landing in the middle of a parking lot, sending ubiquitous minivans crashing into each other. There was definetly more broken this time, blood pouring out of her mouth , attempting to get up again. If she could get in the air, she could outrun him, one of him anyway, the one in the middle, the other two were kind of fuzzy. He sneered in contempt as his red gloved hand shot out, grasping her by the neck, lifting her up off of the ground, fingers tightening with his words.

“we built you a paradise, perhaps out of regret for how things turned out, and the fact that you were docile and easy to lead. All we asked was for enough meat to keep my troops full, was that so much for peace? So be it, It is really better to rule by open force, than hiding behind a facade. You have achieved nothing but bringing pain and misery back into the world, I hope you'll remember that in hell” he said as his grip began to tighten, the sound of her spine creaking under the force. From where he held her she could see the council's robots marching in, thousands of them, beginning to cut down the people where they fought. As she started to black out, there was a shimmer of light, then a thundering blast that sent both of them flying. Requiem landed semi gracefully some distance away from the growing portal, Kelly on the other hand, not so well, from the stabbing pain inside yet something else was broke, bone fragments tearing organs and tissue.

Requiem stared at the woman who emerged from the portal, the overlord in shock “Impossible! I killed you myself!”

Warp Factor just looked at Requiem, Kelly, and the approaching robots “Fuck this noise, Belle, no time to patch her up, grab her and go!”

There was a flash where Kelly was laying as she was teleported to the portal, then another flash of light as they all vanished. Requiem angrily brushed the dirt from his gloves. No matter. Once this little rebellion had been crushed, he'd rebuild, and in time track down those interlopers, and take over their dimension as well. He was patient. That was curious though, there were people mixed in with his robot Legions as they approached, and one of the WarCry MK3's began to laugh click, and the hoverbots on either side of the warlord began to laugh...a curious sound from a robot, almost, stooge like.

“Nuyk nuyk nuyk! Alas, I seem be stuck with that subroutine” Came citadel's voice from the machines. Requiem's eyes widened as the robots and heroes raised their weapons towards him.