homeward bound

Continued from yesterday’s comic, this is the final decision:

The sudden blinding light disorients you. Voices come from all directions. Something’s caused a major commotion but the last… however long it was, it all seems like a blur. A large silhouette pushes other figures aside.

“Welcome home,” it says along with the sound of hissing steam. You can now see helmets removed one by one, revealing others that look a lot like yourself. Only upright. Capable of speech. It takes some work but they coax you out of the bone and get you to follow along.

The large dog, it turns out, is some kind of general. He’s very impressed with you. Look how big and strong you’ve gotten, etc. They’re all surprised you made it back so quickly. It’s unprecedented.

The praise is kind of meaningless to you. If this is home, why does it feel so alien? What about your friends?

“We have the others,” he replies, somehow knowing what’s on your mind. “They’re anomalies. They were never meant to be involved. We need to study them, make sure they weren’t placed there by a third party.”

You hesitate.

“Do you want to see them?” He asks.

The general takes you down a long corridor. You can see both of them before the lab doors even open. Ramis slumped over in a cage. Throckmorton strapped to a table. Dogs with labcoats jab him with some kind of charged prod, but he barely responds.

“They are remarkably dull,” The general says. “Savage sub-species of the worst variety. Don’t worry, though, they’re heavily sedated. Once we take care of them we can figure out what to do with you.” He gives you a once-over. “In a couple months I’d say you’ll make a hell of a soldier.”

A scientist rushes over to the general.

“They check out, sir. They’re just wild animals. We can take them to the zoo or–“

“There’s no room and they’re too unpredictable,” The general interrupts. “We’ll dispose of them here.”

He turns to you as the scientist runs back.

“Would you like to do the honors?” He says as he pushes a button.

The ceiling yawns open above Throckmorton and Ramis, and a menacing wheel drops down. The spinning device is loaded with all means of disposal, from lava pumps to torturous acid drips.

The general smiles. “Make a show of it and, when the time is right, we’ll see how quickly you rise through the ranks.”