04 Moon Mites

Targeted by Chin‑Yau’s simmering disappointment, Ying‑Tai suddenly finds herself caught in the crosshairs of a quiet but calculated plot to remove her. Yet whatever nightmares she has imagined, none come close to the hellish horror awaiting her at one of the League’s most fiercely guarded secret locations. 

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SPEAKER_04 0:00

The author of the Exodus series is intentional about avoiding profanity and explicit sexual content. However, this episode does contain scenes of violence that some listeners may find disturbing. Listener discretion is advised. September 9th, 2096. Birth time. A tendril of steam twisted and curled like a snake above the cup of tea in Qin Yao's hand as he gazed across his manicured garden at the towering skyscrapers beyond. He inhaled the sweet tang of the hot black fluid and brought the cup to his lips. The hot tea had warmed the edge of the cup and he sipped, enjoying the hot fluid, swishing briefly in his mouth before tracing a fiery trail down his throat. He placed the cup on a small table next to where he sat cross-legged, staring across the city beyond his garden. The morning sun reflected off the numerous buildings like mirrored pillars scraping the pink tinged sky. He placed one hand face up upon each knee and closed his eyes to the sparkling city. He inhaled a long pool of the cool air and held it for a moment before releasing it, and imagining all his tension and troubles flowing out with it, cleansing mind and body.

SPEAKER_02 1:52

Let it all go.

SPEAKER_04 1:57

He rehearsed the mantra in his mind. The procedure was repeated, and his body relaxed. Chin Yao allowed his mind to focus on the day ahead.

SPEAKER_02 2:07

Soon I will have it all, he thought. After today, should no more.

SPEAKER_04 2:14

His mind paused on each event that would take place later in the day. Meeting with city leaders at eight, discussion of reduced output of Fuxi mine at 9.30. Output shall be increased to normal levels. Possible termination of mine steward and replacement. He knew that might call for the killing of a few of the mine workers to motivate the rest. His spies at the Fuji mine had already suggested several culprits that did not meet expectations. Must have enough ore to complete project on time, he thought, inhaling, silently reciting the mantra, and then exhaling. The low whine of a hover car distracted his thoughts for a moment, and he opened his eyes to see it approaching from the city. He closed his eyes and tried to complete his meditation, but soon the noise became a high-pitched whine, and he watched the hover car fly low over his compound and land somewhere behind the palace. When the hover car fell silent, he closed his eyes once again and returned to his meditative trance, picking up where he left off. Within minutes, he heard the approach of someone from behind.

SPEAKER_02 3:28

Excellency.

SPEAKER_04 3:29

The voice of Pu Sheng, his intelligence commander, whispered next to his ear.

SPEAKER_02 3:33

It is done.

SPEAKER_04 3:34

Ross is dead, he asked, eyes popping open and gazing across the garden. Yes, Your Excellency. The team was successful. Chin Yao allowed a smile of satisfaction to spread his lips.

SPEAKER_02 3:48

Excellent. With Ross out of the way, I can proceed.

SPEAKER_04 3:52

He rose from his position on the mat. Walk with me. He walked to the edge of the steps. Pu Sheng followed him down into the painstakingly manicured garden. When? Chin Yao asked.

SPEAKER_02 4:03

About an hour ago. As soon as we received the report, I came directly here.

SPEAKER_04 4:09

He stopped at the edge of the gravel path before a Khoi pond. The morning sun glistened on the water surface. And the team? He asked. A moment of silence came from behind him, and he turned. And faced his intelligence commander.

SPEAKER_02 4:24

Well? Excellency, there were some Fu Sheng's brow furrowed. Complications.

SPEAKER_04 4:32

He finished. Chinya continued to stare at him, and reluctantly he continued.

SPEAKER_02 4:37

All of the team did not make it. Yes. One should have Ying Tai.

SPEAKER_04 4:43

He thought about his most trusted assassin on the team.

SPEAKER_02 4:46

All of them? Excellency. Reports are sketchy.

SPEAKER_04 4:52

But it appears three team members are dead. Chen Yao narrowed his eyes and turned back to stare into the Koi Pond. She must have been successful, eliminating our weak links and the remaining team member. Fu Cheng sighed. Captured. Chen Yao felt his stomach coil. His throat go dry. He swore silently to himself. He knew before he asked who.

SPEAKER_02 5:19

We believed it was Ying Tai.

SPEAKER_04 5:21

He closed his eyes tight and swore and then thought, better her than one of the others. She'll resist interrogation. Remain silent.

SPEAKER_02 5:30

She knows nothing about the God project.

SPEAKER_04 5:32

His thoughts reminded him.

SPEAKER_02 5:34

But what if she reveals I was behind the assassination? Could it get messy? Something will have to be done.

SPEAKER_04 5:42

Pu Sheng interrupted his thoughts. Excellency. Yutai was injured severely.

SPEAKER_02 5:53

It's possible she may not recover.

SPEAKER_04 5:56

He cleared his throat.

SPEAKER_02 5:57

She suffered a severed arm, fractures to her legs, and from what we can gather, we think she was shot. So she may die. We don't think so. Ross's people are summoning heaven and earth in an effort to preserve her life. They'll want answers from her if they can get her to talk. The recent incident in Ostrope will surely implicate us.

SPEAKER_04 6:30

Pu Shang spoke of a recent operation, where Ostrop's foremost opponent of Chinyao had suddenly died of inexplicable causes, paving the way for a sympathizer to take his place. Chin Yao stealed his fingers below his lip and gazed across the garden.

SPEAKER_02 6:47

She'll talk eventually. They'll discover who is behind Rosa's assassination and then years of work and planning will suddenly become extra complicated.

SPEAKER_04 6:59

Can we get her out? He asked.

SPEAKER_02 7:01

We're trying to trace her now, Excellency.

SPEAKER_04 7:04

Fu Chang moved to his side and stared at him. We don't know where they've taken her.

SPEAKER_03 7:16

Chen Yao said.

SPEAKER_04 7:18

Make arrangements for me to personally attend the funeral where I can express our confidences. Our plan remains the same. Excellency. Chenya placed a hand on his shoulder. It will be the last thing they'd expect Protest Killer to do. We must keep up appearances and act innocently. Perhaps still think Ying Tai is one of those remaining radical libertes who miss the chance to escape on the arc. With her training and enhancements. Pu Shang faced that questioningly. Chen Yao thought on the matter, and began to walk along the edge of the pond, as Pu Sheng followed. Most of the remaining leaders in their marrow aren't really loyal to Rost. It seems that. With gifts of money and promises of power over the past few years. He stopped before an ancient statue of a man on a horse, brandishing a sword and riding hard. Little flecks of silvery mica caught the sun's morning light and glittered in the gray granite. He gazed up at the ancient warrior. Genghis Khan. I can succeed where you failed, he thought, staring up the stone-likeness. And then whirled on Hu Chang. Prior to the funeral, we'll make arrangements for me to meet with each of the various remaining leaders in America. I will bring more gifts, women, and an offer. They cannot refuse. In the meantime, you will facilitate Ying Tai's escape before they can interrogate her. And then have her silently disappear. Of course, Excellency. Fu Xiang bowed his head slightly. We own most of their flimsy economy anyway. The Liberty access did us a favor, Fushang. Ross's war against them drained their wealth. He gazed back at the statue. They are a ripe fruit. Ready to be plucked and devoured. They are the last holdout before I can announce myself the ruler of the world. The God Project? Fu Shang whispered. Chin Yao cast a glare at the man for mentioning the ultra-secret plan out in the open. Only himself and a few other trusted individuals knew about the God Project. He glanced around to make sure no other person was within hearing distance. And then turned on Fush. I need your help in my plans for domination, Fu Chang. But, if you ever mention it again, I will personally slice off your head where you stand. Fu Shang bowed his head and cast his gaze to the ground.

SPEAKER_01 10:09

Yes, Excellency. It was a slip of the tongue. He gulped and went on. But how will this affect our efforts toward our ultimate goal?

SPEAKER_04 10:19

Uh they're bumping the road. Chinyao waved his hand dismissively. The Ameropian leaders are so drunk with their own carnal desires that when I show up with more money and women, they will readily acquiesce to my wishes. What if they refuse your gifts? Chinyao ignored Pu Chang's slipping protocol by not referring to him as Excellency. Every man has a price, he said, and turned around, and walked toward the palace where ten beautiful girls draped in sheer silks of varying colors stood silently at the top of the stairs.

SPEAKER_02 10:55

It's time for my bath and massage.

SPEAKER_04 10:59

Pusheng, I'll leave you to make all the necessary arrangements.

SPEAKER_01 11:04

Yes, Excellency, I will have everything made ready.

SPEAKER_04 11:08

The intelligence commander couldn't help gazing at the ten lovely girls awaiting Qin Yao at the top of the stairs. For a few moments he stared, drinking in their beauty, and then averted his eyes and walked off. If Qin Yao had caught him staring, the punishment would have been severe. In 2088, after the Liberniks, Freeman, abandoned the mine on the Moon, which produced resources for their war machine during the rebellion, the ELN discovered the mines were rich in useful resources. Exploitation of the Moon's resources soon followed, and more mines were quickly developed across the lunar surface. As a natural course of things, the ELN provided labor for the dangerous work in the lunar mines by forcing their abundant supply of criminals and slaves to mine the resources. Rumors abound that lunar mines were misused as a place of punishment for political enemies and dissidents. But these unsubstantiated abuses have never been proven. Enlightened World Empire historical records. The moon. Each cloud of data revealed every known thing about that particular prisoner. The computer's artificial intelligence read off the data. Unconsciously, his hand reached for his crotch and scratched at an itch. As he scanned the three-dimensional display, he noticed a woman. Dev looked forward to the female prisoners. Although they were few and far between, they provided a little diversion from the mind-numbing routine before being sent to their final destination. He frowned as he scanned up and down the line of prisoners. Only a handful of females. Not very attractive. He groused silently. By the time most female prisoners arrived at his mind, they had already been battered, beaten, and abused. Dev touched a female that appeared less abused, and the data cloud popped up. He listened to the information and decided that she could be detained for a few days. He smiled at the opportunity for a little fun later. His eyes continued to scan, and a female with a limp caught his eye. Well, well, he thought. It was rare to get fresh, unspoiled meat. His tongue flicked out and licked dry lips as he considered this good fortune. He tapped her holographic head, and a data cloud appeared. Greedy eye scanned the data and paused on the name. The artificial intelligence read off the information. Extreme caution. He mouthed the name silently. His tongue flicked out again. He stared at her image, marching down the tube.

SPEAKER_02 15:40

A beautiful white face, he thought. She could be a sex slave.

SPEAKER_04 15:45

Why is such a lovely animal at Moon Mine 9? He wondered. Deb recalled the recent summary given to this little hellish paradise he called home. The report's conclusion? Moon Mine 9 is perhaps the harshest environment ever endured by any man or woman. Women designated to work in Double M9, let alone the hole, was a rare treat. Dev could count on two hands, a few women who currently worked in the hole. Normally prisoners were not treated as co-eds at any of the mines on the moon. Double M9 was the exception. When a person was sentenced to Double M9, it was usually because they had really pissed off one of the League's more prominent leaders. And they wanted that person to be punished to the very limits of human endurance. But DM9 was like heaven in comparison to the whole. You must have some serious enemies, Depp thought, ogling the tall beauty. Oh well, not my concern. His tongue flicked out to wet his lips. It'll be a fun one to detain. Maybe for a week. The tall, raven-haired vision paused in the tube. The other prisoners flowed past like a river around a fixed stone. She looked at the surroundings outside the tube and at the processing center ahead. Already assessing possibility for escape. Dev mused. She isn't like the other prisoners shuffling down the tube. To Dev, most of the new prisoners looked beaten already. Heads hung down, backs hunched over as if they carried an invisible burden. Not this delicious little animal. He licked his lips as he watched her survey the facility, as if she were a queen inspecting her new palace. Her shoulder-length black hair framed a cool, emotionless beauty.

SPEAKER_02 17:43

Ooh, she'll be a perfect treat for our little party.

SPEAKER_04 17:46

As if hearing his carnal thoughts, the female prisoner's three-dimensional holo image looked up and seemed to stare right at him, daring him to try something. A shiver ran down his spine as he felt her penetrating gaze. It was apparent she'd escaped abuse before being sent to the mine.

SPEAKER_02 18:05

Perhaps there's a reason.

SPEAKER_04 18:07

Suddenly, he wasn't so sure about his lustful intentions for later. His tongue flicked out again as he studied her dossier. Two words popped off the page. Extremely dangerous.

SPEAKER_00 18:20

We'll see, we'll see, he thought.

SPEAKER_04 18:45

The lunar sky glittered with icy stars, and a deep blackness sapped any warmth which may have existed in the tube from her body. With a halting step, favoring the still sore right leg despite the lower gravity, she hobbled down the tube. The transparent corridor disappeared into an enormous low-dome structure up ahead, at the base of what was probably considered a high mountain. However, without any distinguishing features for scale, there was no way to tell how high the mountain rose. A brief flash of brilliant light from above caught her eye. She gazed at the space elevator's track narrowing as it ascended miles above the moon's surface and ending at the League's ring station. Several small shuttles and a large transport nuzzled up to the station's docking ring. A shuttle from Earth she and the other prisoners had been transported on, pulled away from the ring. Its glowing engines had been what caught her attention. Ying Tai shivered from the cold and sent neural signals to her brain to increase body temperature. An icy ache radiated from her left shoulder and she raised her new arm. The silvery, metallic limb gleamed in the insufficient LEDs spaced at intervals along the tube. She opened and closed the metal digits, and her brain sensed a distant sensation of movement.

SPEAKER_02 20:12

This will take some getting used to.

SPEAKER_04 20:15

It resembled a human arm, at least in shape. Where it burst from her shoulder, the skin had been puckered and inflamed. Her soft flesh was probably trying to come to some symbiotic agreement with the foreign material. Its movements were somewhat clumsy, and she knew it would take some time to learn to operate her new arm with some measure of grace. While part of her revolted at the clumsy appendage, a part of her wondered if it might somehow turn out to be a good fortune. Maybe stronger, more durable. Her captors had explained she'd be worthless to them in the mines without her left arm. She knew League medical researchers often experimented on prisoners with new technology before offering such advancements to the elite members of the League. They had fit her with a new cyberarm, probably hoping her labor would more than pay for its cost in the coming decades. There had been no torture or interrogation. In fact, the Americans seemed like they couldn't wait to get rid of her. She watched as a stream of prisoners passed by on each side, heaved a sigh, and turned toward the end of the tube. She ached to grasp the hilt of a katana again and wondered what it would feel like in the cybernetic limb. Ying Tai followed the stream of prisoners into the domed building. Inside, her eyes adjusted to the change in light, and she felt a semblance of normal gravity return as she winced from the sudden pressure to her injured leg. In the brighter light of the room, she saw hundreds of other prisoners, mostly men, or boys, she thought. As she looked at the young features of the prisoners standing nearby, they all stood near the center of the spacious chamber, cautiously looking at their new surroundings. The circular room had a high ceiling festooned with blinding bright lights. To her right, high up on the wall, the lights from a glass booth glowed, and she saw a man watching them. Arrayed around the periphery of the room and built into the structure were individual niches about eight feet tall and two deep. Inside each, an array of small holes lined the back and sides.

SPEAKER_02 22:35

Look like coffins, she thought.

SPEAKER_04 22:38

The man in the booth began speaking, and the speakers in the ceiling echoed in the chamber with his voice. Welcome to Moon Mind Nine, otherwise known as Hell's Paradise. He chuckled and continued. Move against the wall into one of the slots and remove all clothing. The prisoners stood around looking at each other, and then reluctantly moved toward the coffins along the wall and began undressing. Throw all of your clothing and shoes outside the slot. Ying Tai squeezed into one of the niches and undressed, throwing her clothes outside. She gazed up at the booth and memorized the man's face. When all of the prisoners stood naked inside the slots, the man continued. In a few moments the slot will seal you inside. If you try to get out, you will be shocked. To emphasize the speaker's point, panels in the chamber's ceiling slid open. And four large, nasty-looking guns descended into position, tracking back and forth in each quarter of the space. As she watched, a transparent wall arose from a slot in the floor in front of her feet and began sealing her in the coffin. Identical partitions rose up in front of each of the prisoners throughout the chamber. As it reached knee level, she saw movements across the space. A prisoner, looking more like a businessman than a criminal, vaulted the rising partition and spilled out onto the floor, moaning. A ceiling gun immediately tracked to his position and fired on the sprawled figure. Ying Tai tried not to portray any emotion as blood and gore spattered the wall behind the man. The voice, amused by the man's demise, said, Must have been claustrophobic. All of the prisoners were now encased within their niche behind a translucent panel. The man's voice, muffled by the clear panel, spoke again. Now for something really unpleasant. Laughter boomed into the chamber. The lights went out, and Meantai heard muffled whining or crying from a few of the prisoners. Red lights flashed on. The room, indeed, looked like a hellish torture chamber. She watched the prisoners across the space, frantically turning their heads from side to side in a desperate effort to see what was in store. A strange tickling sensation at her feet drew her eyes down. It looked as if her niche was filling with a black liquid. As she watched and felt the tickling, she realized that it was definitely not liquid. The moving blackness filled the floor like ink slowly rising. Rapidly, the inky blackness ascended above her ankles and then calves. Screams of panic and banging on the clear walls from prisoners nearby sent an icy chill up her spine. The tickling feeling rose as the blackness clamped up her legs. She summoned courage and forced herself to remain calm.

SPEAKER_02 25:49

They wouldn't just kill us. There has to be something more to this.

SPEAKER_04 25:53

Giggling over the speakers, don't try to resist the moonlights, the voice spoke calmly. Moonlights. The creeping sensation had risen to her knees and became an intense itch. She forced more calmness and slowed her rapidly beating heart, arresting the flow of her fear within. The itch rose to her thighs. Hysterical screams from the other prisoners filled the chamber. A scream rose to her lips, and she forced it down. She looked down. In the red light, she saw the seething mass of tiny organisms, like ants, only much smaller. They continued to flood into the tight space. Her lower half was completely black with the churning mass. Across the chamber, prisoners thrashed in their confined space and screamed desperately.

SPEAKER_01 26:55

Don't look down, she thought.

SPEAKER_04 26:57

She felt the mites creeping higher, and then extreme unpleasantness began in earnest.

SPEAKER_01 27:03

Inside invading my body!

SPEAKER_04 27:05

Ying Tai couldn't help but look down to see the blackness completely covering her skin to the level of her navel. Her teeth ground together in rage, fear, and frustration as she felt the tiny parasites invade and violate her body. She screwed her eyes shut, reached deep inside to untapped resources of control, and drew upon a tiny shred of sanity, allowed it to calm her panic and fear. She let peace battle with the urge to panic and realizing that she couldn't prevent the inevitable, forced her body to relax and offer the mites no further resistance.

SPEAKER_01 27:44

She kept repeating in her mind, the leak wouldn't kill its workforce. The leak won't kill its workforce.

SPEAKER_04 27:51

She was completely covered up to the neck. No unexposed areas of flesh could be seen. Her entire body below the neck was a glistening mass of blackness. Every nerve fiber communicated extreme itching and the internal invasion. As the mites climbed to her chin, she stealed for more horror and forced herself to retain the thin shred of inner calm remaining. Deafening screaming and banging filled the chamber as the two prisoners to each side of her pounded on the doors. The screaming soon became further muffled. The tiny invaders reached higher, and she felt them invade through her tightly compressed lips, into her nostrils and ears. She felt the unending flow upon her scalp finding their way into pores and squeezing into her closed eyes. Inner peace was quickly dissolving, and she reinforced her will to remain calm. The black flood penetrated into her body through every opening it could find. She felt the itch spread down the back of her throat and into her nose. A scream rose relentlessly to her lips as she began to gag.

SPEAKER_03 29:04

A blast of icy water struck her body, and opened, and opened up, and you like the dev washed through the window above the chamber as a shower washed away the skin of the moonlight from the prisoners.

SPEAKER_04 29:54

He aimed a camera at the prisoner, who, throughout the ordeal, remained totally calm. The jets washed away the blackness, and Dev enjoyed leering at her nudity.

SPEAKER_02 30:07

Incredible control. Never seen anything like it.

SPEAKER_04 30:13

He leaned back in the chair, comparing her behavior to the other prisoners. They had tried ineffectually to smash the mites with their hands. It had been quite entertaining to watch the performance. The beautiful woman had stood there through the entire ordeal, offering no emotion whatsoever. And now, as he visually devoured her fine body, she acted as though she were enjoying a warm shower. His pale tone flicked out to lick dry lips. He thought of separating her from the group and treating her to some of his personal attention. But as he looked at her seemingly to enjoy the shower, he caught the look in her eyes. His blood ran cold. Her eyes, glittering black and cold, somehow sensed where the camera was and pierced him with total and complete rage. The idea of extracurricular debauchery with this prisoner fled as he drew back from the monitor, stunned. He glanced back over her dossier. Extremely dangerous. Better leave her alone. For now.