The BZ-Metru Story, Finale

This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.

Winston Churchill

This would have been the most opportune moment for Black Six to strike. Rama had stepped backward, his gun lowered. Dimensioneer was obviously in no state of mind to fight back—across his face was etched a flushed look of horror.

The man standing before them wore black. In his hands, aimed at Dimensioneer, was a new AK47. His clothes were not ripped, nor bloody, nor did they show signs of wear whatsoever. His faced was completely shaved, and gone were the familiar bags and bloodshot eyes that had dogged his face. He had never, thought Six, looked better in his life. It was as if he had been completely reborn.

“Dimensioneer, how good to see you again,” he said. Dimensioneer took a step back.

“No… you… I shot you!” he screamed, his voice filled with fear.

“You are mistaken, Dimensioneer,” said Ninjo, walking further into the room. He nodded at Black Six and Toaraga as he stopped next to them. “Hello, gentlemen. But yes, just as with so much else you are mistaken. You did not kill me. You killed your idea of me.”

“But… what?” whispered Dimensioneer.

Ninjo smiled. “You remember, of course, six long years ago when you infected and suspended me. You thought you had gained total control of me—again, you were wrong. The virus you gave me never truly took hold. My true self was always there, helplessly watching your creation carry out your madness. I began to fight back. I was losing that fight. And then you shot me.”

Toaraga glanced at Six, whose vacant expression gave evidence that he was just as clueless.

Ninjo continued. “Or rather, you shot your virus. You killed your own creation. With it gone I was free at last to take control of my facilities once more. And now I am here to end this madness.”

He fired toward Rama and Dimensioneer, both of whom dove behind Dimensioneer’s desk. Rama began to return fire, which prompted the remaining three to jump behind the server. There was brief silence. Ninjo handed his gun to Toaraga.

“Take out Rama. I’ll handle Dimensioneer. You,” he nodded to Six, handing him a knife from within his coat, “take him out while he’s distracted.”

Six and Toaraga nodded. Ninjo stood and walked out from behind the server. He deflected gunshots—his administrative power having not been removed—with a wave of his hand. “Come out, coward, and fight me face to face!”

The two still behind the server heard a furious yell and an explosion as they were temporarily blinded by a bright flash. They inched over to the other side—but they were met by a furry of gunshots. Rama was waiting for them.

“Fire at him. Cover me,” said Toaraga. He leaned out and fired. Six ducked out and crouched under a desk that was built into the wall. About fifty feet in-front of him he could see Rama, likewise crouched under a desk. The row of desk’s against the side wall extended until it reached the corner, where there was a gap.

Another explosion rocked the chamber. Six knew he had to hurry. He crawled along under the desks, feeling shrapnel and debris hitting his right side. He didn’t know if it was from Ninjo and Dimensioneer or if Rama had begun firing at him.

He reached the end of the wall. Rama was now merely ten feet away from him, oblivious due to the noise of his own gun. Six knew he only had one shot. He lunged forward at Rama. He landed on top of him, but the knife missed. Rama reacted by swiping his gun at Six. Both the gun and the knife went flying—it would now be a fist fight.

Toaraga had stopped firing, for fear that he might now hit Six. Rama swung a punch at Six, knocking him off of him. Six leapt to his feet and reached for the knife, mere feet from where he stood—but Rama was too fast. He too stood and punched Six square in the head. Six yelled as he felt his jaw snap, and Rama clutched his hand. Six took the brief opportunity to kick the knife to Toaraga before he lunged at and grabbed Rama’s arms.

They struggled, each grappling for the upper hand—then Six saw his opportunity. He thrust all his weight into Rama, forcing his opponent back… straight into the knife, held by Toaraga.

Rama’s eyes widened. He stumbled a few feet to the server, and, with a horrific smile, slumped across the server keyboard. On the screen a command prompt appeared. When Toaraga and Six walked over to see it, the final pieces of Dimensioneer’s plan became clear.

“Hapori Dume…” whispered Six. “The citizens will recognize Dimensioneer as their leader, remember what Bink said?”

Toaraga nodded grimly. “Take the knife and gun and help Ninjo. I’ll see if I can stop this.”

Black Six took the knife and grabbed Rama’s gun from the ground. He walked in front of the server and found Ninjo and Dimensioneer locked in combat. Blue flames emanated from their hands, each locking in the middle of the room. Chunks of debris lay on the ground around them. A ring of fire surrounded Ninjo, and a greenish tint surrounded Dimensioneer. Six tried firing at Dimensioneer, but the green haze deflected them.

Six looked over to Ninjo, who returned the gaze. That split second of lost concentration allowed Dimensioneer’s flames to overcome Ninjo. He was thrown backward. He began to writhe, just as had Binkmeister.

Shock paralyzed Six—but as he stood in pure disbelief he acted. He felt as though he were not acting of his own accord, but as though he were independent of himself. In a rush of anger, sorrow, and pure rage, he lunged forward.

Dimensioneer was caught completely off guard, being so driven to finish of Ninjo. Two blows from the knife—one to the heart, one to the stomach—felled the administrator. Dimensioneer fell dead. The flames, the tint, and the blue glow disappeard. There was silence.

Bloody, sweaty, and chest heaving, Six dropped the knife and stumbled to Ninjo. He was still breathing, but he had been assaulted long enough that he was beyond hope. With tear-filled eyes he looked up at Six, no longer as enemies but once again as old friends.

“Six…”

Six looked down at the man who had been his friend and mentor. His eyes teared as well. Ninjo spoke.

“I’m sorry for everything I did. I can only hope that this makes up for it all. Death… is the just payment for my crimes.” He struggled for breathe between words.

Six shook his head. “No… it was none of your fault… you were…”

But Ninjo had breathed his last. Six lowered his head.

“SIX!”

Six slowly rose and limped to Toaraga, who was still at the server keyboard.

“Well?”

Toaraga shook his head grimly. “This is beyond anything I know. There’s no way to stop it.”

Six slumped into a chair. “There’s no need to. It is what has to be done, Toaraga. The people of BZ-Metru have seen what no one should ever have to see. We have to stay here. We have to lead them to

a better future.” He dropped his head into his hands.

Toaraga opened his mouth to speak, but thought it better to stay silent and sit. The server started buzzing, softly at first before crescendoing into a deafening roar. It would only take minutes, Six reasoned, for Hapori Dume to do its work.

Necessary work. After almost two years of endless war, endless death, and endless despair… there was no other way to go on. Anyone who suffered as BZ-Metru had could not go on, could not shove its problems under the rug. The past must be forgotten This was the only way for all to be made right. The city would be reborn. The world would go on. Peace would once again reign, the Great Civil War nothing but a distant memory…

With only Black Six and Toaraga to shoulder its misery.

The server started to glow ominously. Six held his head up and waited. He was thrown backwards by a deafening explosion. A great blinding light filled his eyes, which quickly faded into overwhelming darkness, and Black Six knew no more.

THE END