Terra Nova’s voice flows through the Telepathy Web as your convoy descends the winding stretch of Highway 101, redwoods rising like silent sentinels on either side. “FOB status: personnel movement decreasing. Fifty to sixty individuals visible, disorganized, milling without coordination. No vehicles mobilizing. No pursuit forming.”

  Sinon adds, calm and precise: “South perimeter is abandoned. West side has scattered guards trying to drag their wounded. No one is taking command.”

  Rika checks in next, her tone sharp and professional: “Radio traffic spike. Internal channels only. Multiple calls for Vaughn--no answer. Southern patrol is trying diagnostics. They think the radios are down, not attacked.”

  A beat, then Nova again: “External chatter detected. Long wave civilian frequencies reporting widespread power loss across the northern coast. Reports of bckouts in multiple towns. Not local--multiple regions. They are trying to determine the cause. Traffic is confused--no one realizes it's grid-wide yet.”

  As you snake down the st curve before Orick, Kenshin gnces toward you. “They should have arrived ten minutes before us.”

  “They should have,” you admit.

  But then a familiar Jeep pulls out from behind a screen of trees--Asia at the wheel, Nami leaning out the passenger window.

  Your lead vehicle slows. They pull alongside your convoy and stop at almost the same moment you do.

  Asia hops out immediately, eyes wide: “Brad! Trinidad’s power is out. We noticed when we were bringing the command center back. No lights anywhere--stores, streetmps, even the gas station sign.”

  Nami climbs out after her, arms crossed tightly. “And it wasn’t just a store or two. Every building was dark. All the coastal towns between there and here. I don’t know how it works, but that doesn’t happen from a small problem. Something bigger failed.”

  She shoots a worried look toward you. “It’s exactly what you warned us about.”

  You nod once. The fuel colpse has begun.

  Five minutes ter -- approaching Orick

  A new burst of radio noise crackles over your convoy’s receivers--unsecured channels, panicked voices, overpping.

  “—anyone at Crescent FOB respond, please respond—”“—what do you mean the tanker is gone? Did it roll? Was there an explosion—”“—command center offline, repeat, command center offline—”“—Bravo patrol, checking systems—our radios are good—repeat, ours are good—”

  Nova interprets calmly: “They’re beginning to realize the silence isn’t equipment failure. They have not yet concluded they were attacked.”

  Hinata adds softly: “Some of them sound scared… They don’t know where Vaughn is.”

  You crest the final hill before Orick. The little cluster of houses appears, half-hidden among towering redwoods.

  And there--exactly where you left them--the twenty-three Prometheus prisoners stand loose and unrestrained. No longer tied to the fence. Already divided into small, tense knots of discussion.

  Some look angry. Some look exhausted. Some look afraid.

  Master Sergeant Kovacs stands slightly away from the others, posture stiff. His eyes lock on your convoy instantly--not fearful, but resigned. He had expected this outcome the moment you left him in Orick.

  Conversations die instantly.Twenty-three sets of eyes swing toward you and the dimensional travelers emerging behind you.

  Albedo steps down from Riveria’s APC with quiet menace.Erza and Yoruichi fnk you like twin bdes.Kenshin stands tall, peaceful but impossible to ignore.

  A young Prometheus soldier--barely mid-twenties--speaks first, voice shaking: “What happened to our people?”

  You answer pinly, without theatrics: “More died than should have. Most didn’t. The ones who weren’t shooting at us surrendered or were incapacitated. No one’s pursuing us. No one’s organizing anything.” You hold his gaze.

  “Your FOB isn’t a sughterhouse. It’s just crippled.”

  A murmur ripples through the group--some relieved, some suspicious, none sure what to make of you.

  Kovacs steps forward. The Curse of Compelled Truth pushing gently--not forcing words, but tightening around his thoughts the moment he tries to choose his phrasing too carefully.

  He speaks honestly, but carefully, choosing his order: “I don’t know the numbers. I wasn’t there. But the speed they came back… and the fact they didn’t return under fire… means the fight wasn’t an extermination.”

  Another soldier speaks softly: “Corporate told us you were dangerous. Not that you were this...”

  Kovacs doesn’t try to speak--but the compulsion triggers anyway when his mind strays toward minimizing guilt. He almost winces before the words force themselves out: “He left us alive intentionally. Food, water, vehicles. He wanted us to escape, not die.”

  Silence.Not fearful this time--thoughtful.Fractured loyalties shifting.

  Yerouichi leans toward you, whispering: “Soft hearts can win wars too.”

  You add, voice steady: “Don’t mistake me. A blind soldier in an apocalypse is no different from a sver. But murdering restrained idiots? That would be a waste of effort.”

  Several flinch.

  You gesture toward the crates you left them. “I left you food, water, vehicles, and time to make your choices. That’s all.”

  Kovacs cannot help reinforcing the truth: “He could have killed all of us in seconds. Instead… he gave us supplies. And time.”

  You take a step centering yourself in the developed semi-circle, boots crunching gravel.

  “Prometheus sent you to kidnap me. They gave you orders, didn't even need to lie to you. And they sent you to your deaths against something you couldn’t possibly understand.”

  Your gaze sweeps across the group.

  “I’m not your enemy. But I won’t let anyone take my people. If you want to walk away, you can. If you want to talk, we can. If you still think Prometheus has your back… then good luck to you.”

  You gesture to Asia behind you: “The world just changed again. The electrical grid colpsed roughly an hour ago. Fuel is the next resource on the chopping block. Anyone with sense will prepare.”

  Some of the soldiers look north--toward Crescent City. Others south--toward the unknown.

  Kovacs exhales slowly. No compulsion this time--he just tells the truth he’s already accepted:

  “We need to hear what Prometheus was really pnning… before we decide.”

  Silence lingers for a minute before the younger soldier from earlier swallows. “So… what happens now?”

  You gesture toward the captured mobile command center. “Now we go through its files. Communications. Internal memos. Everything corporate didn’t tell you.”

  You pause--then add, deliberately: “And before anyone asks--Vaughn is alive.”

  Twenty-three sets of eyes widen.

  “He’s unconscious. We took him during the extraction. He’ll wake up in about an hour.”

  You hold their attention--firm, not threatening. “He isn’t a bargaining chip. He isn’t leverage. He’s just another piece of the truth you deserve to know.”

  A ripple of tension breaks--some relieved, some stunned.

  “When he wakes, he’ll be treated the same as you: he hears the truth, then chooses.”

  Then you finish: “So--we go through the files. We find out what Prometheus was really pnning. After that… you decide where you stand.”

  Kovacs exhales hard, compelled truth tightening his jaw: “And this time… we choose for ourselves.”

  You nod once. “Turn up the radios lets hear what survivors are saying about the power outage.”

  You focus on Telepathy Web, limiting your voice to specific channels.

  "Shinobu, Yoruichi, Maria, Albedo--keep eyes on the soldiers. If anyone moves toward the equipment or gets aggressive, stop them. Quietly."

  Two distinct acknowledgments ripple back--Shinobu's calm confirmation, Yoruichi's amused acceptance.

  “-—repeat, Arcata grid offline too— does ANYONE have stable power?—”

  You gesture toward the mobile command center. "Rin, Maria, Albedo, Nami--please go through the MCC's data. Everything they know about the groups hunting me, their corporate backers, regional maps, all of it. I'll join you after enchanting."

  Rin nods immediately, already moving toward the vehicle. "Intelligence assessment. I can work with encrypted systems."

  Albedo's golden eyes gleam. “I ck practical experience in corporate systems… but I understand their logic. I can map hierarchies, resource flows, and decision patterns.”

  Nami hesitates, then follows. "I can help with maps and navigation."

  Maria walks beside you, silver hair catching sunlight. "I’ll handle structural integrity and system recovery."

  “—Eureka emergency bulletin says the grid is down as far as Ukiah—no confirmation—if you can hear this, conserve fuel—”

  You turn toward Shinobu, who's watching the prisoners with rexed alertness. "Shinobu, secure Marcus to the fence."

  A young Prometheus soldier--the one who spoke earlier--steps forward. “Why? He’s unconscious. He shouldn’t be a threat right now.”

  You meet his gaze steadily. “Unlike the rest of you, he hasn’t spent an hour facing what happened.When he wakes up, he’ll be the only one who still believes he can fix this by force. I’m not giving him the chance to make a bad situation worse.”

  Kovacs gives a small, grim nod -- the Curse of Compelled Truth tugging his thoughts. “Vaughn doesn’t surrender. Ever. If he wakes unrestrained, his first instinct will be to reassert command -- physically if needed.”

  She slips into the MCC, retrieves Vaughn’s unconscious form, and carries him easily over one shoulder. She secures him to the fence with clean, professional efficiency -- wrists and ankles restrained, posture stable, no unnecessary roughness.

  “—is it an EMP?—no, moron, EMP wouldn’t hit the whole coast—”

  The prisoners watch in tense silence. Some swallow. Some fidget. Some look away. But none protest.

  You raise your voice so everyone can hear.

  “—Arcata reporting total grid failure—if anyone has backup generators, ration fuel—”

  “Riveria, Violet, Kenshin, Mikasa -- teach Musashi, Sango, Yusuke, and Erza to drive. Use the three APCs and the full-load supply vehicle. Take them down to Trinidad for practice runs.”

  Riveria gives a formal nod. “Understood. Do you want simple operation, or tactical maneuvering?”

  “Both,” you answer. “They’ll be driving under pressure sooner than ter.”

  Violet doesn’t speak, but steps toward the vehicles with quiet purpose.Kenshin inclines his head -- not a driver by nature, but disciplined enough to learn and teach.Mikasa simply says, “Acknowledged,” already evaluating each trainee’s suitability.

  Asia steps forward, keys in hand. "I’ll drive the Jeep down so I can bring everyone back once training’s done.”

  You nod and turn toward the vehicles before they can drive off. Pulling your phone from your pocket, drawing mana from USS Portnd's reserves. Faint golden light ripples as you touch the third APC, then the supply vehicle--enchantments settling into frames, electronics, fuel systems.

  Interface established. Connection formed. Energy Conversion active. Refuel calibrating...

  The work takes a minutes per vehicle, having to find a surface to use as an interface for each vehicle, as magic flows through metal and circuitry.

  “—no, it’s not a transformer, half the region is down—”

  Next, you climb the steps into the MCC. The fuel truck follows--you pull another cellphone from a dead Prometheus trooper's pocket, using it as the Interface node, then both Apache ftbeds. The Helicopters are st.

  “—Ukiah bcked out too—this isn’t local—repeat: this isn’t local—”

  C.C. approaches the two folded-up Apaches, boots crunching softly on gravel. Her golden eyes trace every access panel, every maintenance tch. “You want a systems check?” she asks.

  “Please- and get them ready to fly. Leave the engines idling. I need live readings on fuel burn and how much mana they give back.”

  She gives a small, knowing smirk. “You’re aware these aircraft consume fuel at rates that would bankrupt small nations?”

  “Vaguely. That’s why I’m checking if they can at least sustain themselves at idle.”

  She climbs into the cockpit, moves with the confidence of someone who has learned a dozen machines by intuition alone. After a minute of switch toggles and systems cycling, the first engine spools up--deep, heavy. During the process she unfolds and locks the rotors for both aircraft--slow, methodical, unmistakably professional. Ten minutes ter, the second follows.

  The camp subtly reacts: a few Prometheus soldiers flinch at the sound; others stare, realizing exactly what kind of firepower now sits under your control.

  You pull up the Interface readings on your phone--connected to the salvaged phone serving as the Helicopter's Interface, watching the readings scroll.

  Apache AH-64D -- Engine Idle

  Base capacity: 1500

  Fuel burn at idle: ~47 gal/hr per aircraft.

  Mana generation (alternators): +80–120 mana/day

  Net surplus at idle: +3 to +5 mana/hour

  “Okay… manageable. Fuel vampire, but mana-positive if we’re not airborne.” calcuting flight time against recharge time.

  C.C. walks over, hands shoved casually in her pockets. “Military hardware is built for dominance, not efficiency.”

  “Yeah. Flight is the real drain.” You exhale. “Good news is the enchantment can produce the fuel. Bad news is the alternators don’t give back nearly enough. So…” You tap the phone. “Standard flight time is four hours. If the onboard enchantments have at least a thousand mana to draw from, that doubles to eight. But they’ll need four to eight days of idle recharge afterward, or mana from a different source.”

  C.C. smiles faintly, amused. “Which means you’re going to need pilots.”

  “Exactly. Your choice of students- Unless you want to spend every day doing all the flying yourself.”

  She shrugs. “I’ll fly when it matters. But I recommend training at least three others. Preferably ones who won’t crash them into redwoods.”

  You nod thoughtfully. “Asia will be a great choice once we’re out of combat situations, but I advise starting with Riveria and Violet. They’ll get the basics fastest. After that, Robin, Hinata, and Nami can rotate in for more advanced practice. Rin, Maria, Sinon, and Nova will be on the list for support staff training with Asia”

  C.C. tilts her head, approving the pn. “Sounds reasonable. The more people who can handle these machines, the better.”

  “These, and the ridiculous request I included with the LPD. Remember, we’re going to be getting a Sikorsky King Stallion, heaviest helicopter currently known and a Bell Venom, standard mid-weight. On one side I’m gd we’re getting these now so I can test that enchanting works on them--but on the other, I’m seriously worried about the ter costs.”

  C.C. raises an eyebrow, golden eyes glinting. “Ah. So you’re already calcuting mana budgets before they even arrive.”

  “Exactly,” you reply. “I want to know what we’re getting into before we start enchanting heavier birds. Otherwise, we could be bleeding resources before training anyone.”

  C.C. nods thoughtfully, hands in her pockets. “Then the pn stands: train pilots, rotate in support staff, and make sure every enchantment is accounted for. Nothing worse than a magically-enhanced helicopter with no one capable of flying it.”

  You gnce back at the Apache's extended rotors sit motionless behind you--massive, waiting, and demanding in both fuel and mana. Power, potential, and a heavy price tag.

  “—is this an attack? Does anyone have ANY official statement—”

  You focus through the Telepathy Web, targeting Robin specifically.

  "Robin, please confirm how far north and south your observation range extends."

  Her reply is immediate, calm, and precise. "I can monitor approximately eight miles in each direction from Trinidad using Cien Fleur. Beyond that, visual crity degrades significantly."

  "Makes sense," you say. "Most groups passing through McKinleyville would have done so before we started moving. What’s the zombie situation in Trinidad?"

  "Minimal activity," Robin reports. "Twelve visible undead in the downtown area, scattered and uncoordinated. No hordes."

  You continue, threading the rest of the tactical picture. "We have the four watching Crescent City, covering our north for now. Focus on the south. McKinleyville’s highway is the secondary travel route, with Crescent City as the destination. It took a bit of staring at the map to realize Trinidad sits straight between the ocean and the mountains. Most military-minded people will prefer the slightly longer innd route along the rger highways to reach Crescent City."

  Robin nods, invisible to the others. "Acknowledged. I’ll track movement along that corridor and alert you if any significant forces approach."

  You make a mental note to ask Thomas or Captain Webb to check Eureka’s zombie density ter, filing it for tactical pnning.

  Kovacs watches you work, compelled truth still forcing words when his thoughts stray toward evasion. "You're building something sustainable. Not just looting and running."

  You freeze- meet his gaze, staring sharply in disbelief. Your anger echoes through the area. “Did you not watch the video at all?"

  Your voice comes out louder than you intended, echoing off the trucks and metal siding.

  Several of the Prometheus prisoners flinch. A few dimensional travelers--Yoruichi, Maria, Albedo--pause mid-task, eyes flicking your way. Even the soldiers sorting gear near the fence go still, instinctively waiting to see what set you off.

  "I literally expined the whole point. refueling tankers for everyone, so nobody has to fight over fuel when the grids inevitably colpse. That was the entire message.”

  You gesture in frustration, as if he somehow missed the most obvious part. “I told everyone that was the point. Keep the supply lines alive so people wouldn’t starve or start shooting each other over fuel!”

  Your tone gets quieter but harder. “And instead? Predictable greed. So you svers get sent after me.

  A long, exhausted exhale slips out of you, long and frayed at the edges.

  “I swear… half the groups hunting me didn’t even watch the damn video Reeves and Webb sent out. They hear ‘infinite fuel’ and assume I’m here to conquer the West Coast and immediately go straight to panic or kidnapping pns.”

  Brad’s expression hardens with tired irritation. “I’m trying to keep the region from tearing itself apart. If people want to panic anyway, that’s on them.”

  Kovacs swallows, shoulders tense. The Curse forces him to answer honestly. “…Most of them didn’t watch it,” he admits quietly. “Orders came down fast. Nobody was told the full message--just that an ‘energy asset’ existed and Prometheus needed it contained.”His eyes shift away. “Seeing your people… hearing you now… This isn’t what we were told to expect.”

  His voice drops even lower, sincerity forced but real. “You’re not the threat they prepped us for.”

  You take a moment to breath, "Sorry, that shouldn't have come out like that. I predicted a lot of the groups who came after me wouldn't have seen the video themselves, but for the commanders of their groups to have not seen the video... defeats the purpose of having made it in the first point." You start moving to the MCC and call out "Everyone, over here. I'll put the original video on the external screen."

  SnafuSam