Chapter Seven

##

Kara awoke suddenly to someone shaking her. Whoever was doing it was saying her name. It took her sleep-addled mind a moment to recognize who the voice belonged to. It was Adrian's voice.

Kara propped herself up with her elbows and looked at the Lucario. She could just barely recognize his face the way he was illuminated. Adrian had activated the luminous orb on the nightstand, but most of the light came in through the doorway behind him that led out to the main living area of their quarters.

"You have to get up," Adrian said. "General Markov is waiting in your office."

Kara sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. There was very little light coming in through the windows from the full moon. She rubbed her eyes and then glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Much to her dismay, the time appeared to be about 2:15.

"For Arceus' sake," Kara said, rubbing her eyes again. "At this hour? Did he say what this was about?" Annoyed as she was, there must be a good reason for this. Markov wouldn't be waking her up in the middle of the night otherwise.

"He didn't say," Adrian replied. "He just said that it was absolutely urgent that he speak with you, that it couldn't wait."

"All right," Kara said. She sighed as she stood up. What she wouldn't give for a few more hours of sleep right now. Kara performed a quick stretch and then headed for the door.

Stepping into the main living area, Kara squinted her eyes as they adjusted to the significantly higher level of light. There were luminous orbs everywhere in the palace, and the orbs outside of the sleeping areas were lit at all times. This had the benefit of providing an ample amount of light around the clock. While making it convenient to work, Kara sometimes wondered if all the light could disturb a Pokémon's sleep cycle. She'd had problems sleeping since taking up residence in the presidential palace. Or perhaps it was just all of the stress that she was under. Being president of the Federation was no walk in the park.

Kara stopped short of the door leading out to the corridor. Turning to face Adrian, Kara asked, "Do I look presentable?"

"I didn't notice any feathers sticking out anywhere," Adrian replied with a smile. "Besides, you always look beautiful."

Kara smiled in return as she reached out and rubbed Adrian's head, messing up his fur. "Thanks, Adrian." They were always great friends, but since the collapse of her relationship with Cale, she and Adrian had become very close over the years. They were mates now.

Stepping out into the corridor, Kara was once again reminded just how much she hated the palace. She always found it gaudy with its marble walls, floors, and ceilings. Gold trim lined the walls and the frames of the doors and windows. Extravagant chandeliers covered in diamonds and other precious stones were in every corridor and every room. The corridors even had water features along the walls! How was she supposed to show that she was the president of the people when she lived in such obscene luxury? The amount of gold in the palace alone could easily pay to install hand-operated water pumps and sewer systems in every major Federation city.

Ironically, the emperors who once occupied the palace must have thought it wasn't luxurious enough, given the lavish modifications over the years. Wealth and power was all they knew. That wasn't the case for Kara, for she came from humble beginnings. Her father was a carpenter, and her mother was a merchant. They earned enough to make a living, but they were nowhere near what could be considered rich. Adrian had a similar upbringing with his parents operating their own typesetting and printing business. Kara and Adrian felt totally out of place in the palace.

That wasn't even the biggest problem though. There was another reason Kara hated the palace as much as she did. Down in the basement existed a dungeon of horrors, where prisoners were locked up during the Empire's reign. Being imprisoned in the palace's dungeon was a death sentence. No one came out of there alive. Prisoners were beaten, tortured, raped, and judging from all of the blood stains down there, they all eventually met a grisly end. No one on the outside ever knew what took place in the dungeon. The stories only came out after the Empire fell.

It didn't take much to wind up in the palace's dungeon. One wrong look or one wrong word to a member of the royal family or their friends and allies would earn you a one-way trip to oblivion. The Andaran Empire thrived on fear, and its citizens lived in a constant state of it.

The use of the dungeon was discontinued when the Federation was formed. All of the remaining prisoners were set free and granted reparations. The dungeon sat undisturbed during the reign of the first Federation president. When Taven came into power, he had intended to put it back into operation, but he wasn't able to get approval for it from the Federation Council. Then when Kara came into power, she ordered it permanently sealed off. A brick wall now stands where the dungeon entrance used to be. Kara hoped that would grant the victims some peace--those still alive and those in the Pokémon afterlife.

"So, why were you up so late?" Kara asked, wanting to strike up a bit of conversation. "Down in the archives again?"

"Unfortunately," Adrian replied. "The team and I are still trying to make sense of the mess down there. There's a lot of missing files and altered records ranging from the last 30 years of the Empire all the way into Taven's administration. Someone's been doing a lot of ass covering."

"I can't say I'm surprised," Kara said. "After the Empire fell, anyone who benefitted from it would want to cover their tracks, as would anyone trying to sabotage the Federation. I'd bet every feather on my body that Taven played a big part in the cover-up."

"Yeah, no kidding," Adrian said. "I can't think of anyone with more skeletons in the closet than Taven, especially if all the rumors about him are true."

"Markov believes they're true," Kara said. "He's known Taven for a long time."

"I wonder why Taven didn't just torch the archives instead of bothering with half-assed alterations," Adrian said as the two of them approached Kara's office. "That would've..."

Adrian's voice trailed off as he stopped walking. He turned to face the corridor leading away from the presidential office, the appendages on his head rising. His eyes darted from one side of the corridor to the other. Something definitely had him spooked.

"What is it?" Kara asked, becoming rather concerned herself. She trusted Adrian's feelings and his command of aura implicitly. It was Adrian's ability to sense trouble that saved her life a few months ago when she narrowly avoided being assassinated.

Adrian didn't answer Kara's question right away. He took a few steps toward the corridor, the appendages on his head still elevated. After a tense moment, the appendages lowered and Adrian shook his head. Turning toward Kara, he said, "I don't know. I thought I sensed something. Maybe I'm just going crazy."

"Perhaps not," Kara said, still uneasy about what just occurred. "This place gets rather creepy at night." Kara eyed the empty corridor once more, then she turned toward her office. They'd kept the general waiting long enough. Kara opened the doors and stepped inside.

General Markov the Kommo-o stood in front of Kara's desk, his hands clasped behind his back as he waited. He was a magnificent representation of his species. Every colorful scale on his body looked as though they'd been individually polished. His toned body struck a balance between strength and agility, allowing Markov to hit hard in combat while swiftly dodging attacks. The armor that he wore on his torso, an ornate piece bearing the insignia of Federation Security as well as his rank, complemented his form quite well. Kara had found Markov to be pleasant to work with, though she was always uneasy about his past.

Markov had a reputation as an Andaran traditionalist, and he was once an ardent supporter of the Empire. He was known for looking down upon females and minorities, regarding them as the lowest members of society. However, those close to him say they noticed a dramatic shift in his personality a few years before the Empire fell, and that he had renounced his prejudice. Despite that, his reputation followed him for many years afterward, which brought him into the graces of Taven, who appointed Markov as the head of Federation Security during his administration. Many thought that Markov was going to help Taven dismantle the Federation. Much to everyone's surprise, Markov resisted.

There was one incident in particular that changed Kara's perception of Markov for the better. Three years into Taven's presidency, there was a worker rebellion in one of the central regions of the Federation. Markov was ordered to surround the workers' encampment while a negotiator hand-picked by Taven attempted to end the rebellion under terms that the workers found to be totally unacceptable. When the talks broke down, Taven personally ordered Markov to end the rebellion by any means he saw fit.

Everyone had been expecting a bloodbath. Kara had certainly expected it to end in bloodshed. She figured that's exactly what Taven wanted: a show of force. Taven wanted to make an example of those desperate workers to cement his own power. Kara had felt so helpless as a councillor to be unable to prevent it. If the Federation Council had been able to get its act together, it could've prevented the whole situation from spiralling out of control, but the Council was deadlocked, allowing Taven to call all the shots. Fortunately, help came from a source that no one had expected.

Markov personally walked into the encampment without so much as an escort. There, he managed to talk the workers into ending their rebellion, bringing the conflict to a peaceful resolution. Markov came out of the incident with a great deal of popularity, and Taven had egg on his face. Kara had heard from a source close to the two Pokémon that they later got into a shouting match, and that at one point during the argument, Taven called Markov a traitor.

Markov technically hadn't violated his orders, and punishing a general who was seen as a hero by many would've looked bad for Taven. As a result, Markov wasn't terminated from his position, though he and Taven were never seen together in public ever again.

When Kara was elected to replace Taven as the president of the Federation, she knew that she wanted to keep Markov right where he was. Funnily enough, Markov had expected to be removed from his post, and he'd cleared off his desk right before she'd summoned him to her office to tell him otherwise. The two of them went on to develop an excellent working relationship.

"Good morning, General," Kara said as she approached Markov.

Markov turned to face Kara. "Madam President," he said, bowing his head in respect. "I apologize for waking you at this hour, but I bring dire news from the eastern border."

Kara tensed. "Let's hear it."

"Seneca Village has been totally destroyed," Markov stated. "There were heavy civilian and military casualties. The survivors scattered westward."

Kara slowly walked around her desk, a sick feeling developing in her stomach as she thought of the heavy loss of life. And what of Cale and Jake? Were they among the casualties? Leaning over her desk, she asked in a low, stern voice, "Who did this?"

"A strike force of unknown origin," Markov replied. "Only one of our scouts made it back. He said he couldn't spot any insignia, but the equipment appeared to be high-end. Four catapults, six supply wagons, and a battalion of at least a hundred troops. A small strike force, but very well organized and equipped."

"Everyone's going to be screaming for revenge upon the territories," Kara said, "which could be exactly what someone out there wants to happen."

"That would be my guess," Markov said, crossing his arms. "I still don't believe we're dealing with the territories here, not with equipment and troops of this calibre."

"At the moment, we need to deal with the immediate problem," Kara said. "This strike force needs to be crushed before it can do any more damage."

"Agreed," Markov said. "Just give the word, and I can have an entire legion in that area in a matter of days. Then maybe we can find out who..." Markov stopped speaking as his eyes drifted over to Adrian. "Sir?"

Kara turned her head toward Adrian, whose cranial appendages were raised again. "Adrian?"

As before, Adrian didn't respond right away. He looked past Kara and Markov, his eyes firmly fixed on the doors and his expression becoming increasingly dire. "They're coming."

"Who?" Kara asked.

As if on cue, the doors opened, and around ten security personnel walked into the room, blocking the doorway. A shiny Flygon stood at the head of the pack, his eyes fixated on Markov. Kara didn't like the Flygon's body language. Something was very wrong.

"What is this?" Markov asked, taking a step toward the officers.

"We're here to place Kara under arrest," the Flygon said.

What in Giratina's realm is this? Kara was already on edge with the unexpected arrival of the security personnel, but to hear that they were here to arrest her sent a chill through her body.

"Stand down, Colonel!" Markov said firmly. He received no response from the Flygon. "I said stand down!"

The Flygon suddenly lunged his head forward, unleashing a dragon pulse from his mouth. The beam struck Markov in the right side of his chest, sending Markov flying backward over Kara's desk, coming to rest on his left side on the floor.

Kara rushed over to Markov, kneeling beside the fallen Kommo-o so that she could inspect his wound.

Markov was still alive, but badly wounded. The armor that he wore took the brunt of the dragon pulse, but the remaining energy had penetrated his chest, almost certainly causing some lung damage. If Markov had been struck in the center of the chest, he would've been killed.

"Adrian, see what you can do for him," Kara said, standing up.

"Stay where you are!" the Flygon shouted.

"What's the meaning of this!?" Kara shouted. She was gambling that they wanted her alive. "Explain yourself!"

The Flygon stepped to the side, revealing a Typhlosion standing behind him who then stepped forward.

Kara recognized the Typhlosion immediately. "Taven."

"That's my desk," Taven said. "I want it back."

"That's not going to happen," Kara said. "When Security and the people find out about this coup attempt of yours, they'll--"

"I'm in complete control of Federation Security now," Taven interrupted. "As for the people, they have no choice but to accept it. The Federation ends tonight, and a new Empire begins. Do not make the mistake of assuming that you have any leverage here, Kara. You don't."

"Haven't you disgraced this office enough?" Kara asked.

"That's rich coming from you, a lowly female," Taven shot back. "You don't deserve the privilege to even be in this office, let alone sit behind that desk. Well, that's going to change. Adrian will be exiled from the continent, never to return under penalty of death. You will be imprisoned in this palace for the remainder of your life." A smirk formed on his face. "You're going to become very well-acquainted with the colonel and I."

Sick bastard, Kara thought, realizing what Taven meant with that comment.

Taven was a noble during the days of the Empire. He was cozy with the royal family, and he spent much of his time at the palace back then. Taven was known among Imperial Security personnel for inspecting female prisoners at the security complex after their arrest. If he saw one that he liked, the prisoner was transferred to the palace, never to be seen again. It was never known what happened to the females, but Taven could often be found at a local nobles' club bragging about his sexual conquests.

"And as if you defiling this office wasn't bad enough," Taven continued, "you kept that bastard Markov in charge of Security." His eyes shifted to the desk. "Are you still there, Markov, or have you finally done the decent thing and bled out?"

Markov struggled to get to his feet. Kara lifted him up, slinging his right arm over her shoulder to support him.

"Taven, let them go," Markov said. "Your quarrel is with me. Deal with me."

Taven stared venomously at the wounded general. "My quarrel, Markov, is with anyone who would turn against their empire... as you have. And believe me, the colonel and I will be dealing with you personally. I want you to die slowly for your treason. You're going to wish that the colonel had killed you right here. You shouldn't have crossed me, Markov. I would've set you up for life." He took a couple of steps forward, locking eyes with Kara's. "You've lost. I suggest you come peacefully, or I might not be so generous in freeing Adrian."

"I see," Kara said, turning her gaze down to her desk. She picked up her fountain pen and opened the drawer in front of her. Moving her arm as fluidly as she could, Kara placed the pen into the drawer, picked up the blast seed sitting next to it, cracked the seed's shell, and with a quick sidearm throw, she sent the seed flying.

The blast seed landed right in the middle of Taven's group, sending Pokémon flying in every direction. A few managed to dive right before the seed landed, but the others were seriously injured or killed in the blast.

"Get that wall open!" Kara shouted to Adrian, referring to the wall to her right that led into a secret passage. While Adrian ran over to the wall, Kara fired off a couple of flamethrowers to buy him a bit of time.

"Let's go!" Adrian shouted.

Kara quickly moved herself and Markov over to the passageway, narrowly avoiding a stone edge attack from the Flygon. Once she and Markov were through the entrance, Kara slammed her fist into a metal plate on the wall, causing a steel door to slam down behind them. For added measure, Kara launched a focus blast attack against the ceiling, causing it to collapse.

"That should slow them down for a few minutes," Kara said, following Adrian as quickly as she could while supporting Markov.

"Likely less," Markov said. He suddenly began to cough violently, coughing up a considerable amount of blood.

"Hang in there, General," Kara said. She'd really like to give Adrian a chance to heal Markov's wound, but they didn't dare stop. They had to get out of danger first.

"Leave me," Markov said. "I'll buy you time to escape."

"That's not going to happen," Kara said.

"This is foolish," Markov said. "I'm slowing you down."

"Then stop talking and conserve your energy," Kara ordered. "I'm not leaving you to die."

"I suppose I'll just have to survive then," Markov said.

The three Pokémon headed down a flight of stairs, turning at the landing between floors, and descended another flight of stairs to the first floor. They didn't have far to go now. Kara wondered how far behind their pursuers were. Taven's thugs had to be past the barricade by now, and unlike Kara and Adrian, they weren't lugging along an injured comrade.

Kara's group passed a corridor to the right, continuing to head straight. The exit was just ahead. Once they were outside, they'd planned on running north along the coast to a cave where they hid travel bags and entercards. The entercards would create a magnagate to Dakota City, where they could plan their next move in relative safety. Kara and Adrian had made these plans within the first month of her presidency when it became apparent that a coup was a very real possibility.

There was just one potentially fatal flaw to their plan: Taven knew everything about these secret passageways too. Kara just hoped that Taven hadn't had the foresight to cut off their escape route. But as they reached the exit, Kara had a sinking feeling that they were walking into a trap.

"Adrian," Kara said before Adrian had a chance to open the door. "Check it with your aura abilities. Quickly."

Adrian place a hand on the door and closed his eyes, the appendages on his head rising like before. It took only a few seconds for him to arrive at a conclusion. He turned to Kara and Markov with a horrified expression on his face.

"They're waiting for us outside," Adrian said.

"Shit!" Kara said. Their entire escape plan just went up in smoke. They had to come up with a new plan fast. They could try fighting, but neither she nor Adrian were seasoned warriors, and Markov was in no condition to fight. A battle with Taven's thugs wasn't likely to end well. There was only one other option available to them.

"The other corridor," Kara said, turning herself and Markov around.

"That leads down into the sewers, Kara," Adrian said, following suit nonetheless.

"No choice," Kara said, hustling along. She'd much rather deal with the city's sewer system than whatever Taven had in store for them. Kara just hoped that they could backtrack to the sewer entrance before Taven's thugs caught up to them. Luck wasn't on their side, however. A chill coursed throughout her body as she heard footsteps rushing down the stairs ahead.

Markov must've heard the same thing. His torso began to glow as a bright orange sphere formed in his mouth. Kara immediately recognized the move being used, much to her alarm.

Is he insane? Kara thought. Using draco meteor in such cramped quarters was verging on suicide. What was he planning to do? If he was trying to make sure that none of them lived to be captured, that'd certainly do the trick.

Markov finished powering up his draco meteor attack just as their pursuers came into view. He let loose the sphere of energy straight down the corridor. The sphere burst into many smaller spheres that scattered outward toward the ceiling, the walls, and the floor. The resulting multiple explosions totally caved in the passageway and blasted holes into the walls and ceiling, revealing the corridors outside of the secret passageway.

The resulting dust put Kara and company into a coughing fit. In addition, water began to pour into the passageway from one of those water features on the upper floor that Kara hated so much, chilling her fire-type feet. Though as bad as she had it, Markov was much worse off.

Markov was coughing so violently that he collapsed, bringing Kara down with him. With the amount of blood that he was coughing up, he was going to bleed to death before long. Even after his coughing ceased, blood continued to drip from his mouth into the stream of water beneath him.

"Oh gods..." Markov said.

Kara grabbed hold of Markov and lifted the dying Kommo-o back onto his feet.

"I think you overdid it, General," Kara said, slinging Markov's arm over her shoulder once more. That being said, she was quite impressed. Wounded as Markov was, he was still a force to be reckoned with. It was no wonder why he advanced to the rank of full general so quickly.

The three Pokémon headed into the passage leading into the sewers. Adrian rushed ahead to get the door open, which was operated by a crank mechanism. This door was much thicker than the door in Kara's office, a deterrant to intruders who might try to infiltrate the palace from the sewers. Adrian furiously turned the crank, the thick steel door moving up little by little as though it was mocking them. Kara looked back at the other corridor, wondering how long it would take for Taven's hench-mon to find their way around the debris.

The door finally locked into place with a loud click, and the three Pokémon rushed through. Adrian hit the lock release plate once Markov's tail cleared the opening, causing the door to slam down with such force that it made both Kara and Markov flinch. Kara looked back at Adrian just to make sure that he was still there, then the three of them hustled down the tunnel to the sewer system.

"Adrian, seal the tunnel," Kara said.

"Got it," Adrian replied. He powered up a focus blast between his hands and sent the sphere flying into the ceiling of the tunnel, triggering a partial cave in. Apparently unsatisfied with the result, Adrian launched two more focus blast attacks into the ceiling, triggering a much more complete cave in.

"Now we just need to find our way through this mess," Kara said. The smell was already starting to nauseate her, and her ears were just as unhappy. The sound of dripping and running water was uncomfortably loud in these tunnels.

"I can navigate the sewers," Markov said. "I've lived in Emerald City my entire life. I know it as well as the scales on my head."

"Should we still head for the coast like we planned?" Adrian asked.

Kara thought about it for a moment. "I don't think that'd be a good idea. For Taven to take control of Federation Security would've required months, if not years, of planning. We have to consider the possibility that Taven's been keeping an eye on us for some time now. Our escape route along the coast may be compromised."

"I agree," Markov said. "I can get us out of the city. There's a tunnel that leads beyond the city's southern perimeter. That's our best chance."

"Then let's get moving," Kara said.

"But shouldn't we heal that wound first?" Adrian asked.

Markov shook his head. "There's no time. They already know by now we've escaped into the sewers. We have to get out of here. Now."

"Just point me in the right direction," Kara said.

"That way," Markov said, pointing left.

"All right," Kara said as she started walking. While she wasn't thrilled to be traversing a sewer system, she had to admit that it was at least well-designed. There were walkways linked with bridges on either side of the stone tunnels so that one didn't need to walk through the muck. Luminous orbs mounted on sconces provided a reasonable amount of light. Kara could see the junction ahead and at least two more beyond.

"Turn right at this junction," Markov said.

Kara steered the ailing general around the corner. Up ahead, she could see more junctions. No doubt the sewer system was just as complex as the city's streets. Though Emerald City was mostly arranged in a grid-like pattern, it's sheer size meant that it was easy to get lost in. Kara still found it confusing at times even though she's lived in the city for about 11 years now.

The three Pokémon only moved about 10 meters from the junction when they heard a mon-hole cover being hastily removed from a tunnel behind them, followed by the grunt of a Pokémon who dropped down into the sewer. And then another. And another. Adrian jumped up and swiped his hand over the nearby luminous orb, causing it to go out. With their section of the tunnel shrouded in darkness, the three of them stood flat against the wall to minimize their profile. All they could do was wait and see what happened next.

A number of Pokémon, led by the shiny Flygon who was with Taven, ran through the junction, into the tunnel where Kara and her companions had just been. Kara sighed nervously at the timing. If they hadn't heeded Markov's warning, they'd be utterly screwed right now. They weren't out of the woods yet though. Taven's hench-mon were sure to scour the entire sewer system next.

"Let's go," Kara said, moving toward the next junction as quickly as she thought Markov could handle.

"Turn left," Markov said. "After that, we'll turn right. That'll get us onto the most direct route to our exit."

"Should we try to throw them off somehow?" Kara asked.

"It wouldn't work," Markov said. "They'll be calling for backup if they haven't already. We need to get through here as quickly as we can."

"Understood," Kara said. She trusted Markov's judgment on this matter. Not that she had much of a choice. If Markov had not been here, Kara was certain that she and Adrian wouldn't have gotten far. Markov simply knew the city and security tactics better than they did.

Thanks to Markov's experience and insight, the three Pokémon managed to stay far enough ahead of the Flygon's group that they'd been able to avoid detection. There were a couple of close calls where additional security personnel dropped in from the surface, but Markov was able to navigate around them with great efficiency.

Kara wasn't sure how much time had passed by the time they reached the end of their excursion through the sewer system. According to Markov, they would have to get through a gate at the end of the tunnel, and they obviously didn't have the key for it. Kara hoped that they could find another way to open it without having to blast it open. The noise would certainly attract the attention of their pursuers. However, it turned out that none of that would be necessary.

"How kind of the smugglers to... to have opened the gate for us," Markov said. "It saves us the... trouble of..."

"Are you okay, General?" Kara asked, becoming increasingly concerned with Markov's condition. She hadn't noticed it earlier with all the noise in the tunnels, but Markov's breathing was quick and shallow. Their rush through the sewer system had to have been extremely taxing on him with his injury.

"I'm having trouble breathing," Markov replied.

"Just hold on a bit longer," Kara said. "We'll get you healed up as soon as we get some distance from the city." She peeked her head out the end of the tunnel, gazing up at the clear night sky. She was looking for aerial patrols. For the moment at least, she couldn't see any flying Pokémon in the sky. That was sure to change in short order. They had to move quickly.

"There's no patrols in the air," Kara said, leading Markov out of the tunnel. The walkway turned to the left, becoming a flight of narrow stairs as it led away from the tunnel down to the ground. The stairs were so narrow that Kara had to walk down sideways while supporting Markov.

"I know you're not doing too well, General," Kara said as they reached the ground, "but do you think you can walk at least a kilometer?"

"I'll try," Markov said with some difficulty.

"Then let's get moving," Kara said, leading the general eastward. "We'll get you healed up, and then I guess we'll run like Giratina himself is after us."

"Better Giratina than Taven," Markov said.

Kara couldn't decide whether to be amused or disturbed by Markov's comment. Markov often described Taven as a narcissist and a sadist, and Taven's words back in her office only confirmed it. Taven had made it crystal clear that Markov's death wasn't going to be quick and easy, and after all the trouble that they'd caused Taven, Kara figured that she and Adrian were in for a world of misery too.

We can't be taken alive, Kara thought. Taven was going to prolong the suffering of her companions as much as possible, and Kara already knew what Taven planned to do to her. Taven was likely going to kill her too after she no longer amused him. She wasn't going out like that.

"Do we have a plan?" Adrian asked, shaking Kara from her thoughts. "Outside of running for dear life, I mean."

"I still intend to travel to Dakota City," Kara replied. "Once we're there... I don't know. Ideally, I'd like to assemble an army to take back the Federation, but I don't know if they'd be up for that. Life hasn't exactly been ideal as of late. They may decide we're not worth the trouble and tell us to get lost."

"Hopefully not," Adrian said. "Andara desperately needs hope. But..."

Kara glanced at Adrian. "But what?"

"I fear that the people of Andara have no hope left," Adrian replied with some hesitation. "They've been beat down by the Empire for so long. The Federation finally gave them a glimmer of hope, a bright light at the end of the tunnel, but then that dream fell apart. And now, with Taven bringing back the Empire, I fear that the dream of a bright future for Andara has collapsed entirely."

Kara didn't know how to respond to Adrian's monologue, nor did Markov as it would seem, for the general remained quiet with his head hung low. There was no point in denying it. They had lost hope too. It would take a couple of months to reach Dakota City on foot. By then, Taven was going to be well on his way to achieving his goal of re-establishing the Andaran Empire. Even if Kara could convince the Dakota City Council to help her raise an army, they were going to be facing an uphill battle to push Taven out of power. Their odds were not promising.

"Get down!" Adrian hissed, crouching by a shrub.

Kara crouched by the same shrub with Markov. Kara peaked around the shrub to see what Adrian had spotted. They were fairly close to a road. Looking further down the road, Kara spotted two Pokémon walking their direction. From the way that they were casually walking, Kara figured that she and her companions hadn't been spotted.

There was something about those two silhouettes that seemed familiar to Kara. She couldn't quite figure what it was until the two Pokémon drew closer. One was a bulky figure with big, spiky ears, and the other a shorter figure with conical ears and a ball on its tail. Then it clicked in Kara's head. Those two Pokémon were a Nidoking and an Ampharos! But it couldn't possibly be Cale and Jake, could it? Did they have access to entercards? Finally, Kara could hear one of them talking. The voice she heard was unmistakably Cale's.

It's really them! Kara thought. She glanced at Adrian, who was staring at her with a big grin on his face. Letting go of Markov, Kara stood up just as Cale and Jake were about to pass. "Hey, guys!"

Cale and Jake spun around to face her.

"Kara?" Cale asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Never mind that," Kara said. "Get over here before someone sees you."

"Why are you out here in the middle of the night?" Cale asked as he and Jake walked around the shrub. He froze as his eyes landed on Markov. "Oh gods... General!"

"What happened?" Jake asked.

"There was a coup," Kara replied. "Taven's taken over."

"Taven?" Cale asked. "As in former president Taven?"

"The same," Kara said. "Listen, we could use your help getting the general to a safe place so Adrian can heal him."

"Of course," Cale said.

Markov was at the end of his rope, however. He was breathing rapidly now, and he looked as though he might lose consciousness at any moment. Healing him couldn't wait any longer. They had to do it now despite the risk of being discovered.

"Adrian, we're just going to have to do it here," Kara said.

"Get that armor off of him," Adrian ordered.

Cale and Jake quickly set to work. They each took a side and unfastened the straps holding the armor in place on Markov's body. Upon undoing the final strap, Cale lifted the chest plate off of Markov, providing an unobstructed view of the terrible injury on Markov's right chest.

"I can't breathe," Markov said, his voice barely audible.

"Give me room, guys," Adrian said, positioning himself in front of Markov. Placing his hand over the wound, he said, "You all might want to look away."

The warning was warranted. Adrian's heal pulse cast a bright pink glow upon their surroundings. If they hadn't looked away, their night vision would've been ruined, which would make it more difficult to spot incoming security personnel. They were at enough of a disadvantage already with the full moon casting its glow upon the land, and Adrian's heal pulse was akin to lighting up a luminous orb, making them even more visible than they already were. Kara just hoped that they hadn't already been noticed.

"So, how'd you two get here so fast?" Kara asked of Cale and Jake. "Did you arrive by magnagate?"

"We sure did," Jake replied.

"We picked up some entercards and a tablet from an old hermit who lives near Seneca Village," Cale said. "We had to trade our telescopes, compasses, and berries for them."

"I need to see those cards," Kara said. "The tablet. Everything."

Cale reached into his bag and retrieved the purple entercard tablet, which he then handed to Kara. Removing his bag, Cale dropped to his knees and turned the bag upside down, emptying its contents onto the ground as he shook it.

Kara's jaw dropped. There must have been at least 30 entercards laying on the ground before her, plus the four on the tablet.

"This hermit seriously gave you all these cards for the items you traded?" Kara asked.

"Well, he makes these cards as a hobby," Cale said. "There were hundreds of them in his home. He gave us the four cards we needed to get here, and then all the others as a bonus."

Kara couldn't believe their luck. They were sure to get somewhere far away with these cards. Kara gathered them together and began to organize them. She'd studied magnagate mechanics back when she still lived in Sapphire City. Though she was no expert in the field, Kara was confident that she could work with the cards at hand.

Kara began by looking at the intricate design on each individual card. Each card manipulated ley lines, which determined the end point of the magnagate. She began to run different combinations of the cards through her head as she studied Cale's map. She grinned widely as she discovered a magnagate end point that was pretty close to what she and Adrian had originally intended.

"I can get us to within a hundred kilometers of Dakota City," Kara said jubilantly. It might not have been perfect, but it was definitely good enough.

"That's the best news I've had all day," Adrian said, still working on Markov's wound. "Or night, for that matter."

"With a bit of time," Kara said, "I might be able to modify these cards to close that distance."

"Oh shit," Jake said. He was looking up at the sky, prompting the others to do the same.

A bird Pokémon was speeding away from them toward the city. Kara's heart sank as she realized that they'd just been discovered.

"I don't think you're going to get that time, Kara," Cale said. "You'd better fire up that magnagate now."

"Adrian, how's the general?" Kara asked as she placed the first card on the tablet. She noticed that Markov was breathing considerably better now.

"Almost there," Adrian replied. "He'll be good to go in a few minutes."

"I'm good to go now," Markov said, pushing Adrian's hand away. "You can fix the scar later."

Without the light from the heal pulse, Kara had to use her wrist flames to illuminate the entercards and tablet. She placed the second and third cards on the tablet. There was just one to go.

"The Flygon's on his way!" Markov said. "We gotta go!"

"Damn," Kara said. "Everybody stand back!"

Cale quickly scooped the remaining entercards and the map into his bag as Kara placed the final entercard on the tablet. The two of them hastily moved back as the cards began to glow. After a few seconds, the entire tablet became engulfed in a bright, yellowish light. One red ring formed around the light, followed by a second, and then finally a third. There was a blinding flash, which faded to reveal the fully formed magnagate. An impressive sight, but there was no time to admire it.

"Get in!" Kara shouted.

The entire group rushed into the magnagate. The Flygon had to be close by now. Kara looked up at the quickly approaching Flygon just in time to see him unleash a draco meteor attack toward them. There was a brief flash, and then Kara found herself and the others on a grass-covered surface near a pool of water. Sunlight shone in from above, which was a pleasant change from luminous orbs and moonlight. The tightly packed plant life formed a perimeter around them, making the area they were in seem very room-like.

"A mystery dungeon," Kara said, stepping out of the magnagate. "I've never been in one." The sound of the magnagate beginning to close drew her attention behind her.

Markov, Cale, and Jake were standing around the magnagate, each one of them battle-ready. They didn't relax until the gate had closed entirely. Kara realized that they were waiting for the Flygon should he try to follow them. She also realized that she had let her guard down too soon.

"Are you hurt, Madam President?" Markov asked.

Kara shook her head. "I'm fine. But please... call me Kara."

Markov appeared to be uncomfortable with that request. "It would be inappropriate for me to refer to you by anything other than your title."

"General..." She had a slight smile on her face, but her eyes told the general that she was serious about her request.

"Yes... Kara," Markov said.

Adrian snickered. Walking toward Markov, he said, "I'll take care of that scar now."

Markov nodded, and then he sat down so that Adrian could easily reach the scar on his chest.

"Commander," Markov said, "I need to know exactly what happened at Seneca Village."

"I was hoping we could discuss that," Cale said, picking up the entercard tablet from where the magnagate had been. "But first, permission to speak freely?"

"Granted," Markov replied.

"Well, sir," Cale said, "I'd like to know why my request for reinforcements was denied."

"Denied?" Markov said, the shock apparent in his voice. "Commander, I personally approved your request for reinforcements. You didn't receive any at all?"

"All I received was a courier bearing a message that was allegedly signed by you telling me that my request had been denied," Cale said. "I sent out everyone I could spare to patrol the area surrounding the village. The personnel shortage was so bad that I was pilfering the Rescuers Guild for their personnel. And it still wasn't enough. The catapults hit us without warning and without mercy. A lot of innocent Pokémon lost their lives last night."

Adrian ceased his heal pulse. "The scar's gone," he said quietly.

Markov stared at the ground as he rubbed the area on his chest where the wound had been. "Thanks, Adrian." He stood up and faced Cale with a troubled expression on his face. "I'm sorry, Commander. I don't know what happened, but I take full responsibility for this failure."

"I think it's safe to say that the corruption ran a lot deeper than any of us suspected," Kara said.

"I have to agree," Markov said. "All those retirements and resignations over the past couple of years at the security complex... I always wondered what was going on. Taven must've been pressuring people to get out so that he could maneuver his own people into place. He pulled the rug out from under me, and I didn't see it coming."

"He did it to all of us, General," Kara said. "I can't help but think that there's more I could've done to prevent this."

"If I may," Jake said, "I recommend that we get moving before the dungeon decides that we've been on this floor too long."

"You're quite correct, Lieutenant," Markov said. "I'll take point. Commander, Lieutenant, you two take the rear."

"We're not as helpless as we look, General," Kara said, speaking of herself and Adrian. "We've had some basic combat training."

"I mean no offense, Madam... er... Kara," Markov said. "I consider your safety to be my top priority. Besides, if this is really your first time in a mystery dungeon, you'll want to stick close to us. Mystery dungeons can be extremely dangerous and just as unpredictable."

It's probably for the best, Kara thought as they headed for one of the two corridors leading out of the room. She and Adrian had read about mystery dungeons in books and heard about them in school, but that was quite different from actually traversing one. Kara hoped that having three experienced warriors on hand would result in a smooth passage through the dungeon. At the end of this dungeon lay the other end of the magnagate, and then they'd be within a few days walk of their final destination.

"General," Cale said, "I assume you had deep-range scouts fly over Seneca Village."

"That's correct," Markov said. "Only one made it back, but he gave us a detailed report on the strike force. The only thing he couldn't figure out was its origin. Did you happen to spot any insignia or something that could give us a clue as to who was behind the attack?"

"Negative," Cale said. "However, Jake and I witnessed something that I think you'll all find rather interesting."