Chapter 37: Enter the Biomass

"Sakura, Stop!" Jenny shouted at her. "Let him go!"

She shook her head: I had enough of the One taking my family, boss! My best friend... He died saving me... That idiot sacrificed his life for mine... Just to restore the fucking power back to this godforsaken station...

She sobs at the memory of her comrade.

"Sakura, what do you mean, he died? Where is Joe?" she asked with Sakura tearing up at the thought. "Oh god..." she realized that Joe has sacrificed himself to complete the mission.

Sakura lets Skip go and moved toward the Javelin against their protests, by now she is a woman hell-bent on avenging her comrades. Eric tried to stop her from taking the unfinished weapon by grabbing her wrist.

"Sakura, please listen to me. The weapon is almost ready, we need just- "he tried to say, but Sakura snatch the weapon despite his pleas. "Sakura! Don't do this... think this through, the weapon is not -"

She said to me: I do not care if it's not completed, they must die right now.

"Sakura, stop! This is not you!" Skip blocked her way. "Joe wouldn't want you to do this."

Without a word, Sakura punches him and attempts to take off, but Jenny is holding her in place.

"Sakura, talk with me,! What the hell is wrong with you?!" she grabbed by the shoulders to talk some sense into her.

"If you take the Javelin to the Biomass on B3." Boyek suddenly speaks up. "You will fail, you-you'll fall under the sway of The One again!"

She snapped: I DON'T CARE! THEY WILL DIE FOR THIS... They can't ... I won't let them get away with this!

"Sakura, you go down there! You'll fall under their control again, this time permanently. The scientists have already studied the Biomass, they have now adapted to our presence, they technically are counting on you to come down there." she said. "Especially after the slaughter that you have made on your way here. "

She shoved Jenny back, and she didn't want to have to fight her friend. Sakura used the portal to escape. However, have more experience in shutting down her escape routes. Sakura stomps on the ground in her frustration and attempts to attack Jenny in a blind, furious rage. However, Jenny holds back, she wants to remind her what she is fighting for.

She realized slowly bit by bit that Jenny has a point. During our research and development of the weapon, The One has adapted to their presence. They use unknown means to make PSI, Spell-casting, and Reality Warping difficult and the infected are not down, in fact, they are growing by 28% and rising. The minute Sakura goes down, there will be a 99% chance that they will take control of her again, this time it will be permanent with no way to reverse its effects. Only Jennifer as they note has a 98% chance she will be immune to their mind control effects since she is the only one that can match them blow to blow.

"Please... You need to stop and think." she pleaded for Sakura to stop. "I lost someone dear to me... He was like a mentor to me, he was the one who would bend and warp reality to his will. I was like you, cared about myself, and give no fuck about this world or the galaxy until he came to my life. He was the one that helped develop my skills, brought out the best of me... In every person he worked with." tears welled in her eyes. "He died at the hands of a terrorist known as 'Zero'... if I was in your shoes, I would have wanted the same thing..."

She said: Revenge...

"Yes, I would have wanted revenge. But it won't bring the dead, it will not undo everything... but it's a start, the question is: would you let it consume you or you focus on doing what is right. That choice is up to you, Sakura." she said.

Sakura realized that her need for vengeance has almost sent her to a fate worse than death.

"Miss Song..." someone said. "It looks like you've changed." a misshapen floating creature appeared in front of us.

"Wait... Mark? I thought you were-"

"Dead? Yes. I was under their control, but the eggheads are right for once. You're the only one who can go into the biomass without them getting inside of your mind." he turned to speak with Jenny.

She bowed his head: Mark-Senpai... I thought you were truly gone.

"I know, but I can still hear their voices. If I even go near the biomass, there is no guarantee I would come back from this. I would not be myself," he stated.

She mentioned: Guys... I am sorry. I didn't think about the consequences or how rash my actions would be.

"But I still need you with me, Sakura. We are still going to stop The One, this is no time to starting beating yourself now!" she said.

The scientists' account

During that time they discussed to Sakura about their plan to deal with the One and why the weapon is crucial to defeating it.

Javelin is a multi-weapon that not only allows penetration of the Biomass, but it can do more damage against the infected. Only Jenny can enter the biomass without fear of being infected or controlled, anyone else can get controlled or infected... Even the hazmat suits won't do any good at this point.

They agreed to have Sakura help get the remaining survivors into the ship. While Jenny fights the Biomass, she'll have 10 mins once she arrives.

Skip will provide PSI & Tech support from a distance. Once she reaches the core, it will be harder to maintain contact from there.

They also had to make sure that Sakura feels that Jenny is keeping that promise of defeating them, as they cannot afford her to lose her at this point.

"Questions? Once we leave, this is it!" Eric asked the room, which they nodded in the argument.

"Let me get started," she said while picking up the Javelin and headed toward the Biomass.

They also set the research station to self-destruct in about...

Sakura said to Boyek: Let go!

"Okay! Okay, I'm coming," he said as he stepped through the portal that Sakura made.