dash

Everybody here knows me I guess as “Dash the eco-warrior.  I suppose that is reasonable, as I do spend most of my time these days as an armed fighter in battles that have a positive effect on the struggle to create a society with a sustainable ecological future.

People think I’m an environmental hard-ass, just because I push people a lot to “do the right thing” as far as living in sustainable harmony with the planet.  But, it’s not nearly as easy for me to always “do the right thing” as people might suspect.

This hard-ass persona is not who I always was.  Many things I do differently now, as an eco-warrior.  For example, I don’t usually buy new clothes any more. I now buy everything I need used, even underwear.  As long as it’s been washed well, what do I care if someone else has worn it?  I did splurge on some brand new socks a while back, but those had been hand made by an artisan, not a factory.

I also prefer to eat locally produced food now, and I eat way less dairy.  I loved cheese, and cream in my coffee, but now, knowing what I know, I don’t think it’s right for me, as I am trying to be responsible as much as I can.

Another big change in my diet has been the lack of red meat. I used to love eating steak, and I don’t have any qualms about killing animals and eating them.  I helped kill and butcher steers and chickens the times I visited the Wilson farm in Saskatchewan, and I even once helped with butchering a pig.  But now I know that the cost in atmospheric carbon production in raising a steer is really quite high.  Irresponsibly high. So, now I don’t eat much red meat.  But truth be told, I wouldn’t mind sinking my teeth into a juicy T-bone steak again some day.

But my biggest lifestyle change has been showering much less now, or in fact, not at all.  I grew up showering a number of times every day.  First off, I cannot deny the pain I experience by not continuing the shower routine I followed all through high school.  Back in those days I was completely ignorant about how harmful this practice is to the environment, and I showered at least twice a day every day.  I’d often add another shower if I was going out someplace special, or if it was an uncomfortably hot or cold day.   I had my own shower in my bathroom at home. And I had the rack on one side full of a dizzying variety of different shampoos, balsam treatments, and other creams, soaps, and essential oil products.

And I wasn’t taking quick showers.  No, I could easily spend fifteen minutes or more luxuriating in my little private spa.  I had always at least four bathrobes, and I’d wash each bathrobe and each towel after every use.  That also added a huge amount to the size of my eco-ignorant carbon footprint.

These days I have a one-liter body cleansing routine that I try to do after every mission.  So, I may use up to three liters of water per day for personal hygiene, and then I take all of that to the garden where I use it to water a few vegetables.  But I’ve still never forgotten the luxury of a half-hour shower with nice hot water.

Last I suppose is my personal transportation.  ****I’ve given up my prized car, which was an old 1966 Thunderbird, over 75 years old, that I inherited from my grandfather.  He was a car nut mechanic and he completely rebuilt the Thunderbird and he gave it to me on my 16th birthday when I got my driver’s license.  I drove that car to school every-day for the last two years of  high school and remember quite well how I felt like a goddess zipping around stylishly on the streets of our town.  I think there is something sensual and emotional about a big old piece of machinery that still runs well.  But I ended up selling the Thunderbird during my second year in college and donating the proceeds to Tree Genes, an organization that works to maintain the genetic diversity of our forests.  I loved driving that car, with the top down in the summer it was heaven.  Then I got a 2034 Bigsby Electric, and I still have that here at the UltraHorse compound and the lab scientists say they’ll get around to converting it to a hybrid battery/ Erythrium system.

So I’ve changed what I do in my daily life today, but I haven’t forgotten those old pleasures, and I will admit that I sometimes get lost in daydreams about how pleasant life was for me in those old irresponsible times.

The scorching sun beat down on Dash's shoulders as she crouched behind a crumbling concrete barrier, her fingers wrapped tightly around her rifle. The acrid smell of gunpowder hung in the air, mingling with the dust kicked up by stray bullets. She'd been pinned down for what felt like hours, trapped in this godforsaken alley in the heart of Rio de Janeiro.

"Come on, come on," she muttered, her eyes scanning the rooftops for any sign of movement. Her team was supposed to have secured the perimeter by now, but the radio silence was deafening. Something had gone terribly wrong.

The mission was supposed to be straightforward: infiltrate the compound of Antonio Vargas, a corrupt politician with ties to several multinational corporations, and retrieve evidence of his illegal activities. UltraHorse had received intel that Vargas was planning to sell off large swaths of the Amazon rainforest to the highest bidder, environmental concerns be damned.

But from the moment they'd touched down in Brazil, everything had gone sideways. Their local contact had vanished, leaving them blind in unfamiliar territory. Then, as they approached Vargas' compound, they'd walked right into an ambush. Now, Dash was separated from her team, alone in enemy territory.

A burst of gunfire erupted from her left, forcing her to duck lower behind her meager cover. Dash gritted her teeth, frustration bubbling up inside her. She hadn't come all this way just to die in some back alley.

"Think, Dash, think," she urged herself. There had to be a way out of this mess.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over her. Dash's combat instincts kicked in instantly. She spun around, bringing her rifle to bear on the newcomer.

She found herself staring down the barrel of another gun, held by a woman with fierce eyes and a scar running down her left cheek. Dash recognized her immediately: Marina Soares, Vargas' head of security and a formidable opponent in her own right.

For a tense moment, neither woman moved. Then, to Dash's surprise, Marina lowered her weapon.

"We need to talk," Marina said, her voice low and urgent. "But not here. Follow me if you want to live."

Dash hesitated. Every instinct screamed that this was a trap. But something in Marina's eyes – a mixture of fear and determination – made her pause.

"Why should I trust you?" Dash demanded, keeping her rifle trained on Marina.

"Because right now, I'm your only chance of getting out of here alive," Marina replied. "And because we have a common enemy."

Before Dash could respond, another volley of gunfire peppered their position. Without thinking, Dash found herself following Marina as they darted from cover to cover, weaving through the maze-like alleys of the favela.

They finally came to a stop in a small, dimly lit room that smelled of mildew and old cigarettes. Marina barred the door behind them and turned to face Dash.

"Alright," Dash said, her breath coming in short gasps. "Start talking."

Marina's expression was grim. "Vargas isn't just selling off the rainforest. He's sitting on something much bigger – something that could change the balance of power in the entire world."

Dash's interest was piqued despite her suspicion. "What are you talking about?"

"Erythrium," Marina said, the word hanging heavy in the air between them. "Vargas has discovered a massive deposit in the heart of the Amazon. He's planning to sell it to the highest bidder – corporations, governments, doesn't matter. Whoever gets their hands on it will have enough power to dominate the global stage for decades to come."

Dash felt her blood run cold. Erythrium – the mysterious substance that UltraHorse had been tracking for months. Its energy potential was unparalleled, but in the wrong hands, it could be catastrophic.

"Why are you telling me this?" Dash asked, her mind racing. "Aren't you on Vargas' payroll?"

Marina's face twisted in disgust. "I was. Until I found out what he was really up to. I joined his security team because I believed in protecting my country. But this? This is betrayal on a global scale. I can't stand by and let it happen."

Dash studied Marina's face, looking for any sign of deception. Finding none, she slowly lowered her weapon. "Okay. Let's say I believe you. What's your plan?"

"Vargas is holding a auction tonight," Marina explained. "All the major players will be there – corporate CEOs, government officials, even terrorist groups. We need to stop it."

"We?" Dash raised an eyebrow. "Last I checked, we were on opposite sides."

Marina met her gaze steadily. "Not anymore. Look, I know we have our differences. But right now, we're the only ones who can prevent a global catastrophe. Are you in, or not?"

Dash weighed her options. Working with Marina was a risk, but the stakes were too high to ignore. If what she was saying was true, they couldn't afford to fail.

"Alright," Dash said finally. "I'm in. But if this is a trap-"

"It's not," Marina cut her off. "I give you my word."

As they began to plan their infiltration of the auction, Dash couldn't help but marvel at the strange turns life could take. Here she was, forming an alliance with a woman who, just hours ago, had been trying to kill her.

The next few hours were a blur of preparation. Marina's insider knowledge proved invaluable as they plotted their approach. They would pose as buyers, using Marina's credentials to gain entry. Once inside, they would need to locate the Erythrium and destroy it, along with any data Vargas had collected on its properties.

As night fell, Dash found herself standing beside Marina in a sleek evening gown, a small pistol concealed beneath the folds of fabric. The auction was being held in a luxurious mansion on the outskirts of the city, its opulence a stark contrast to the poverty of the favelas they'd left behind.

"Remember," Marina murmured as they approached the entrance, "we're here as partners from Vale do Rio Doce. Let me do the talking."

Dash nodded, slipping into character as they were ushered inside. The mansion's grand ballroom was filled with the world's elite - military attache's, billionaire tech entrepreneurs, the new age puppet masters, their quiet conversations punctuated by the gentle strains of a string quartet. Dash felt a surge of anger as she looked around. How many of these people had gotten rich by exploiting others, by destroying the planet?

She pushed the feeling aside, focusing on the mission. They mingled with the crowd, Marina smoothly navigating the social waters while Dash kept her eyes peeled for anything suspicious.

It wasn't long before Vargas himself made an appearance, flanked by burly security guards. Dash tensed, but Marina placed a warning hand on her arm.

"Not yet," she whispered. "We need to wait for the right moment."

The auction began, with various artifacts and artworks being sold for obscene amounts of money. Dash's patience was wearing thin when Vargas finally took the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he announced, his voice oily with false charm, "I have saved the best for last. What I'm about to show you will change the world as we know it."

A murmur ran through the crowd as a small, lead-lined box was brought out. Vargas opened it with a flourish, revealing a glowing blue crystal: Erythrium.

"This, my friends, is the future," Vargas proclaimed. "Unlimited energy, unparalleled power. And it can be yours – for the right price."

As the bidding began, Dash and Marina exchanged a glance. It was now or never.

In one fluid motion, Marina drew her concealed weapon and fired a shot into the air. Panic erupted as the wealthy patrons scrambled for the exits.

"Security!" Vargas bellowed, but Dash was already moving with her Supersonic ability. She vaulted onto the stage, her fist connecting with Vargas' jaw before he could react when the time caught up to him. He went down hard, the box containing the Erythrium skittering across the floor, cracking the protective glass. The crystal for a moment shimmered with red color but quickly turned back blue. Dash knew what it meant, she had to make a move fast.

Dash dove for the case, but one of Vargas' guards got there first. She found herself grappling with a man twice her size, struggling to gain the upper hand.

Suddenly, the guard's grip loosened. He slumped to the ground, revealing Marina standing behind him, her gun still raised.

"Thanks," Dash gasped, snatching up the box.

"Don't thank me yet," Marina replied grimly. "We still need to get out of here."

They fought their way through the chaos, Dash's combat training and Marina's knowledge of the building's layout proving a formidable combination. They burst out into the cool night air, alarms blaring behind them.

"This way," Marina called, leading them towards a sleek motorcycle parked in the shadows. They roared off into the night, the wind whipping at their faces as they put distance between themselves and the mansion.

Finally, they came to a stop at a secluded beach. The moon hung low over the water, casting a silver path across the waves. Dash opened the lead box, the ethereal blue glow of the Erythrium illuminating their faces.

"So what now?" she asked, looking at Marina.

Marina's expression was thoughtful. "We can't let this fall into the wrong hands. But we can't destroy it either – its potential for good is too great."

Dash nodded slowly. "I think I know a place where it'll be safe. Somewhere it can be studied, used for the benefit of everyone, not just the wealthy elite."

"UltraHorse?" Marina guessed.

"UltraHorse," Dash confirmed. She hesitated, then added, "You could come with me, you know. We could use someone with your skills."

Marina smiled, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Thank you, but no. My fight is here, in Brazil. There's still so much work to be done."

Dash understood. She held out her hand. "I found that I can do more with Ultrahorse than I can do alone, but it’s up to you to cross that threshold. If you ever change your mind, you know how to find me."

"Take care of yourself, mana," Marina said softly, pulling Dash into a fierce hug before disappearing into the night.

The journey back to UltraHorse headquarters was a blur of adrenaline and anticipation. Dash clutched the lead box containing the Erythrium close to her chest on board the Magpie carrier ship, her mind racing with the possibilities it held. This crystal was the biggest exemplar they found yet and it could change everything – for better or worse.

As she strode into the high-tech facility, her teammates gathered around, eyes wide with curiosity and excitement. Dash placed the box on a nearby table, her hands trembling slightly as she prepared to reveal their hard-won prize.

"Well, don't keep us in suspense," Arx quipped, his usual smirk firmly in place. "Let's see what all the fuss is about."

With a deep breath, Dash opened the box. The anticipation in the room was palpable, everyone leaning in to catch a glimpse of the mysterious Erythrium.

But as the lid lifted, Dash's heart sank. The box was empty.

"What the-" she began, her voice trailing off as she spotted a small piece of paper nestled where the crystal should have been. With shaking hands, she unfolded the note and read its contents aloud:

"I'll borrow this for a few days. xoxo - M"

The room erupted into chaos. Questions flew thick and fast, accusations and theories bouncing off the walls. But Dash stood silent, staring at the note, a mix of emotions swirling within her.

She should have been angry, should have felt betrayed. But instead, a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Marina had pulled off an incredible feat – she'd managed to pickpocket one of UltraHorse's best operatives.

"Dash?" Nigel's concerned voice cut through her thoughts. "What do we do now?"

Dash looked up, meeting the worried gazes of her teammates. Her smile grew wider, more determined. "Now? Now we find her. And when we do, we'll have one hell of a conversation about trust and teamwork."

As the team scrambled to track Marina's possible whereabouts, Dash couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of a much larger adventure. The sisterhood of the gun, it seemed, had a few more surprises in store.

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