20 Digital Death

Reduced to an avatar, Boog fights desperately inside the ship’s labyrinth of computer corridors and rooms, fighting to destroy the digital pathogens unleashed by his Nemesis, Ju-Long. For a moment, Boog seems to be gaining the upper hand, but without warning, a hostile invader enters the deadly digital warzone. At the same time, in the physical world, Ying-Tai and her crew gasp for breath as the ship vents its air into space and the temperature nosedives.

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SPEAKER_01 0:39

Fingers danced across the key display. Sweat beat it on his body, and he felt it trickle down the sides of his ribcage from his armpits. The sweat increased in proportion to the speed of his fingers tapping on the keys.

SPEAKER_02 0:52

Where? Where next, White Monkey?

SPEAKER_01 0:56

Julong thought of where his nemesis would try to go next. His brow knit as he watched ten more zombites disappear.

SPEAKER_02 1:04

This isn't working.

SPEAKER_01 1:06

His army of pathobites was rapidly diminishing. He raised both hands from his bar and slammed them down on the controls, swearing. The monitoring techs in the room glanced warrily in his direction. More vile epithets flowed from his lips as he watched more pathobites be destroyed. Chulong, is there something that I One of the female techs placed a hand on his shoulder. He shoved the hand away and stood glaring at the woman.

SPEAKER_00 1:32

Get me a transducer, he hissed.

SPEAKER_01 1:35

She turned away and went to one of the walls lined with storage lockers. Chulong clenched his fists at his side as he watched his digital plague army diminish. She returned and handed the device to him. He snatched it from her hand and whirled on the monitors, standing near. Get back, he shouted. They stared at him for a moment and then one by one left their stations and filed down the stairs to the floor below. The face of Chin Yao materialized near his control console. Do you have control, Chu Long? He turned to the face and tried to hide his frustration with a smile. It won't be long, Emperor Chin Yao. I have most of the systems under my control now. The Emperor's doubt showed on his face. If you fail me, you'll wish you'd never been born. His face vanished, and Chu Long stared at the spot where it had been.

SPEAKER_00 2:27

Screw you, Chin.

SPEAKER_01 2:29

He whispered and clamped the transducer to his head. Pulled the chair tighter around him and scooted it closer to the display.

SPEAKER_00 2:37

White monkey, time to die.

SPEAKER_01 2:40

The virtual model of Chin Yao starship materialized in the air behind him. A tiny red light pulsed near the ship's stern. He gazed at it and then turned back to the screen in front of him. On the floor below, many of the tech stood white-eyed, watching him watch and learn. He paused suck air.

SPEAKER_04 4:11

Thirty-six miles. You got that figured out. I think.

SPEAKER_01 4:28

He looked down and saw a key with AMC written on it. How'd I miss you before? He pushed it. The key turned from blue to red and began flashing. A whole screen rose up in front of him showing the perimeter of the ship. Red flashing icons indicated each anti-missile cannon. He counted. There were twenty arranged around the ship. When they stopped flashing, the ship's IA spoke. He looked over at Ying Tai with a plaintive expression.

SPEAKER_04 5:08

It was a fire.

SPEAKER_01 5:10

He inhaled. He knew his physical bringing back aboard the starship was being punished and taxed by the digital onslaught. Two zombites wrapped themselves around his feet. One tried to pull at his arms. He continued to maneuver the staff, striking the heads of the grotesque shapes and watching them become neutralized, screaming in digital pain. A claw reached for his head. Frantic, he kept beating his head out of reach from the clawing hands until only one zombite remained. A sharp blow to his head, and the battle was over. Luke released the digital equivalent of a heavy sigh and considered his next destination. Gravity control next. The map materialized above his arm and he located the GCI, thought about the destination, and deployed. He felt himself simultaneously stretched and compressed. When the painful sucking sensation ceased, he faced a horde of red lizard-like replibites swarming around the GCI. He raised a stab as they hissed in digital codes and rushed at him. Zulong stared down at the body of his yellow avatar that a part of his mind now inhabited and controlled. It shimmered bright against the ghostly green image of the starship's virtual structure. He thought of a killing thrash code in his mind, and a grayish-black baton extended out from each hand. He looked at the gray sword-like batons in each hand. Pulsing, purple-black, tendril-like veins ran down the length of each to the pointed tip.

SPEAKER_02 9:18

One blow to the head, white monkey becomes vacant.

SPEAKER_01 9:28

He smiled and cracked a swinging of the batons as he walked down the corridor. Where are you? He wondered as the map of the ship appeared above his left arm. His enemy's tiny red dot pulsed near the GCI. Visualizing the destination, he experienced the mental stretching as his avatar transported itself to confront his enemy. He stretched his neck, avoiding contact. The replibite's other claw reached for the side of his head. Eight more of the red pathobites wrapped themselves around his torso and grabbed for his hands, trying to prevent the staff from striking. The replibites were hampering his motion. Claws reached for his head and he weaved and buffed. His arms were restrained and he couldn't swing the staff. Desperately, he glanced to an unoccupied side of the chamber and immediately fought himself at that location. The Lazardian pathobites collapsed in a writhing heap in the space's avatar no longer inhabited. He swung the staff and struck one of the less attentive replibites nearby and glanced at the remaining eight, still struggling to rise. He felt weakened from the last deployment and shook its head. A change in the digital fabric of the space alerted Boo to a new threat. A yellow humanoid avatar appeared near the space's door as he charged at the eight-angled form. He struck out at the wrestling mass and quickly tapped each one on the head. I hope he will kill you. The familiar voice of Chu Long's digital announcement came from behind him.

SPEAKER_03 12:13

Well, I guess he watched Monkey. You wish he had.

SPEAKER_01 13:09

Shunting that much could result in permanent mental wounds. But for the skilled wielder, venom sticks were a deadly weapon. Julong smiled and swung the batons in front of his avatar like propellers. He stopped their motion, inverted his hands, and thrust them into the floor of the space. Where the batons penetrated the translucent green deck, purple black tendrils crept from the baton and blackened the floor.

SPEAKER_03 13:48

You are so bad. You before gathered his courage.

SPEAKER_01 14:00

He raised his staff in front of him. Chulong snarled and rushed at him.

SPEAKER_03 14:07

In the end, one of us will be taken.

SPEAKER_01 14:16

He blocked a blow from one of the batons. The brilliant blue tendrils from his staff crackled with energy as the venom stick's purple black tendrils turned molten red. He parried the blow, then thrust the staff into Ju Long's stomach. He fell back on the floor.

SPEAKER_03 14:40

Just go back. I don't want to hurt you.

SPEAKER_01 14:43

Fug cried in a desperate voice. A snarl and Ju Long transformed his avatar's face to a fanged serpent. He jumped to his feet and raced at him, shouting as he came. Zhu Long sidestepped the move and brought a stick swinging toward his side. Boob jumped away, but not before it bit into his avatar's rib cage. A shock of digital pain lanced from the blow, and the avatar's flesh blackened around the wound. Boob felt his avatar slow. Boob staggered back to avoid another thrust from the sticks.

SPEAKER_03 15:49

He's right.

SPEAKER_01 15:50

I don't know much about a sword play.

SPEAKER_05 15:52

Boob thought as he backed away from the Long laughed and playfully swung the sticks at him.

SPEAKER_01 16:06

He parried with the staff and crackling energy popped each time the batons hit it. The black wound seemed to pull and limit his strength on that side. As Boog repelled another playful swing from one of the sticks, Chulong vanished. He reappeared, popping up beneath Boog's staff, striking low. A stick struck Book's left leg. Black digital pain raced up his avatar and stumbled backwards. Black tendrils encircled his leg, crept out from the wound. Chulong backed away. His face returned to its normal appearance and sneered at him.

SPEAKER_03 16:54

I think I prefer to stay to long.

SPEAKER_02 16:58

This face frightens me.

SPEAKER_01 16:59

Boop felt the wall of the space against his back.

SPEAKER_02 17:02

Nowhere to go to the city.

SPEAKER_01 17:36

Ying Tai shouted and looked around the command deck. It was getting easier to breathe, and the dizziness had decreased. That's affirmative, Tactical said. Engine number three was just hit the sound. It's returning to normal damage? Ying Tai asked. The man shrugged his shoulders. I can't tell. He sounded frustrated. Just keep trying. She glanced at Boog's slumped form. Come on, Boog. Where are you? I I think I got this figured out. I can increase the firing rate of the AMCs. That should help protect against any more missiles. Do it. Ying Tai pointed at him and then turned back to her screen. Tima, how are things looking? Air levels are back up to 58%. Uh gravity is coming back up. But temperature is still dropping. It's now 42 degrees on board. Ying Tai had noticed it was colder, but it didn't really register as she was so caught up in the battle to escape. Keep monitoring. Let me know if anything else happens. Tactical. Anything on the damage report? The man shrugged and looked back at her. No, ma'am. Can't figure out how to bring it up. But I'm still monitoring the fighters. Carry on. She turned back to Boog. His body hadn't moved. She whispered. Poop watched Yulong approach with the venom sticks. He raised a staff before him in a weak defense. Thoughts of the past raced through his head. This man who'd insisted on becoming my enemy. His anger grew. The one that ratted me out to Qin Yao. Probably caused me to be tortured or killed. This last thought struck to the center of Boog's heart.

SPEAKER_02 19:39

Mean. What happened to her?

SPEAKER_01 19:42

He looked up at the sneering face of Julong, and a sudden rage took hold of him.

SPEAKER_02 19:47

May sap all my remaining mental strength.

SPEAKER_01 19:51

He visualized the space immediately behind Zulong, and the agonizing vacuum sucked at his digital mental strength. Julong still hadn't turned around when Bug's avatar materialized behind him. Boog staggered. His leg wound flared and he drew back the staff. His head swam and he felt his strength dropping. Julong whirled around, bringing the stick swinging. One of the batons struck his chest, but the strength behind his thrust wasn't affected. Boog thrust his staff at Julong. The staff struck Zulong on the left side of his head, and blue energy crackled. One of the black venom sticks withered and then disappeared. Chulong howled in digital rage. He staggered back and dropped to his knees. Boog's injured leg gave out and he fell to the floor, watching Zhu Long writhe on the deck.

SPEAKER_03 20:54

I'm sorry, Chulong.

SPEAKER_01 20:56

He let out a heavy digital breath. You left me no choice, he said, as his foe's avatar stiffened and vibrated, then vanished. He mentally breathed out relief and struggled to raise the avatar to its feet.

SPEAKER_02 21:14

Still, still have a task to do.

SPEAKER_01 21:18

One last place to check, he thought, visualizing the heating and cooling system. Last time. When he appeared in the room, he slumped to the floor and struggled to raise the staff with one hand. The zombite's pale bodies had fallen to the floor. A few still staggered about, but with their master's digital defeat and certain severe brain damage, they were weak and ineffective. Boob, with the aid of his staff, forced his avatar to stand. When the lad's zombite turned blue, he stood and looked around.

SPEAKER_00 22:16

Now to get back.

SPEAKER_01 22:18

He thought the proper codes and his avatar slowly dissolved. He continued to howl from the digital mental pain. A shred of his sane mind screamed. The tiny part of his mind still functioning visualized a part of the virtual ship, and he felt the vacuum suck his mind, stretching and compressing, further sapping his waning mental and digital strength. When he appeared in the ship's virtual stardrive control system, his last thread of sane conscious thought conjured up another devilish code. His vision flickered as he watched a parasite form in his failing hand. He willed it to take the shape of a scorpion, released it into the drive system just as his avatar began to dissolve. The last sane thought that crossed his mind was truly. He stared back at his key display and then up at the holo screen. His hand reached clumsily to his head and removed the transducer. It fell to the deck. He tapped at a key and the model of the ship vanished from above. He shook his head. odd at times, let me know. He turned and smiled up at her. Are systems returning to normal? Ying Tai rubbed her arms. Still cold, but the gravity is back and air supply is returning to normal. She tilted her head to the side. What happened? In there. Boog shook his head. Tell you later. I'm I'm just glad to be back. Good! Maybe you can do something about our friend. Boo turned to him. What's up? We've still got seven fighters shooting us with missiles. The AMCs, which I barely managed to figure out, are trying to keep them at bay. So far the fighters have managed to evade the cannons. Do we have anything else? Anti-missile cannons aren't very effective against fighters. I'll activate the ASGs. They'll handle the fighters. Dex raised an eyebrow. ASGs? Anti-spacecraft guns. Oh, right. Why didn't I think of it? Boog struggled upright and staggered over to the weapons display. He tapped on the pad and then came and plopped back in his seat, releasing a heavy breath. Dex stared at Boog and folded his arms. I was gonna try that key next. The ship shuddered and vibrated as the ASGs blasted at the fighters. Dex peered at his display. Our previous weak posture? Ha! Must have attracted the pilots into coming in close.

unknown 26:59

Ha ha ha!

SPEAKER_01 27:00

VASGs are ripping them apart. Good. Why don't you go check on our friends in the infirmary? I'm worried about Otis. Dex smiled at her. Yeah. The big lug kinda grows on you. Doesn't he? Three fighters have been destroyed by the ESGs. Tactical reported. Three others have been severely damaged. And it looks like the other is leaving. Wonderful! Tima said. Can I go to the infirmary now? She asked as she rubbed her poorly bandaged forehead. My head is killing me. Ying Tai nodded and Tima exited the command deck. Where's Gecko? She asked Dex. Oh I suppose he's somewhere between paradise and Hell's his leg. He should get it checked out. Dex glanced down at Ying Tai's hastily bandaged thigh. As should you He raised a hand and walked toward the exit. I'll let him know. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a massage to finish. Ying Tai glanced down at the dried blood on her leg and the tourniquet above it. She loosened the binding a bit and felt heat and pain spread down her thigh. But the wound remained dry. In the heat of the battle, she'd ignored the pain. I can wait a little longer. She turned back to Boog. You okay? He nodded absently and tapped at the key display. I have some cleanup to do in the systems. I'll play some anti-pathobite programs so Chin Yao won't be able to thrash into our system again. Where are we going? Ying Tai felt the deck vibrate. What was that? I'm just re-engaging the engines to get as far from here as possible. I think we'll just cruise and In the meantime. Think about our next move. He looked up at her. We need Moriston to reveal the destination. Ying Tai glanced down at the display she'd been scanning earlier. I know. The ship's speed rose rapidly. I better get down to the infirmary to make sure someone doesn't kill him. She headed for the exit. Right. I'll keep watch here. The door closed and Boog leaned back in his seat and sighed. He blinked several times and shook his head. His thoughts seemed so muddled and he had to mentally stretch to obtain each one before expressing himself.

SPEAKER_02 29:32

This goes away.

SPEAKER_01 30:18

Except one. She glanced up to see how her news was received and wished she hadn't. Chen Yao's face turned instantly red, and his hands clenched into fists at his side. Slap split the silence of the command center, and her cheek blazed with intense pain. The blow was so sudden she had no time to react. She fought back tears.

SPEAKER_02 30:44

Get Chu Long, he hissed.

SPEAKER_01 30:50

Seconds later, an unfamiliar person's hologram appeared in the command center.

SPEAKER_00 30:54

Emperor. I'm afraid Julong cannot communicate with you.

SPEAKER_01 30:59

Chin Yao kept his voice controlled. Where is he? Basically, he is here. Uh mentally, he's gone. The person shrugged. He's vacant. Chin Yao cursed and his whole frame trembled. The ring station techs, including their commander, stepped back away from him. A howl of unfathomable rage and hate burst from Chin Yao. And each person in the room knew they were going to die today. If you crave rebellion, high stakes heists, and lunar warfare, this science fiction audio drama will leave you breathless. Read the entire Exodus 5 book series. Available wherever digital and physical books are sold.