Fiction:Search of the Vault

In a fortress outcrop on planet Mahanaya, about 1000 miles from the capital - A Mahanayan administrator, two others are at the fort's main hall, waiting for faces to show up.

Marching up to the entrance is a Draconis wearing fine armour and flanked by two other Draconis.

An Indoctrinate Collective battleship lands, and several soldiers out, led by Koluap. Hachi follows closely behind Koluap, and looks about, trying to get a peek if there are any girls.

A large Kicathian ship lands some distance from the fort, revealing Kithworto.

Koluap - Well, seems like the Kicath also heard about the news. Kelsos - *salutes* Gentlemen. I am Senior Inquisitor Kelsos of the Grand Inquisition. Administrator - Welcome. Your help is appreciated here.

Kithworto walked into the hall, noticing everyone else.

Koluap - Hello, I am Royal Admiral Koluap of the Indoctrinate Collective. Hachi - Hai all, I'm Hachiman, but you can all call me Hachi if you like. I'm here with Koluap. Koluap - How did you even get here again? Hachi - I came with you on the battleship, remember? Kithworto - I am Kithworto, Warlord of the Kicathian Remnant. Koluap - You did? I ddn't notice you...Hey Kithworto, long time no see...I'm here because of rumours of ancient and dangerous technology being found on this planet.

Kithworto went and stood by Koluap to acknowledge his greeting.

Kelsos - Let's cut to the chase shall we? I am not exactly known for friveling away time. Administrator - Of course. Well, I do believe you all know why you are here, correct? Hachi - Yeah...To find this Vault thing, get into Vault thing, get rich, buy mansion, get girls. Kelsos - *glared at Hachiman* You have got to be joking. Administrator - Well yes, I do believe we all have our goals...no matter how obscene. The Xhodocto Vault that is on our planet has been hidden for some 20,000 years or so. With rising Cult activity, the homeworld of Mahanaya is under threat. So not only are you finding this vault, you are saving Mahanaya from assured destruction. Koluap - The Cult, eh? Never fought them before, but I heard they're nasty. Administrator - Indeed. The Cult of the Deathmarch is the strongest force that we have faced. Hachi - Mahanaya...under threat? Am I hearing this right? I thought you guys could kick a person into a pool of blood? Kithworto - I don't think Mahanayans themselves could fight the Cult, human. Administrator - The problem is...

Koluap went on.

Koluap - Imagine, a vault full of Xhodocto weaponry. We could use this against the Cult...make them run away crying for their mothers.

Administrator - We have no actual idea where this vault is. Koluap - Well that doesn't help at all. Hachi - So, you expect US to help YOU find this Vault that YOU don't even know WHERE it is? Kelsos - Then surely all we need to do is extinguish the rumour?

The Administrator brought up a holographic surface map of Mahanaya.

Administrator - We have scanned the entire planet for any signs of a Vault entrance...and yet we have little clue as to where it is. Kithworto - And we come in where...? Administrator - Once we find the Vault. We do believe we are actually beginning to narrow down on its location. Koluap - That's something, I guess. Administrator - Well...when I say narrowing down, we have found 4 possible locations to the Vault.

Kelsos - Am I the only one here who believes that such a place should be wiped from existance? And before you ask I am well-aware of how resilient the technology is. Administrator - We have employed the help of a particular individual who has extensive knowledge of Xhodocto architecture, he has found these four locations. Koluap - And who's that? Hachi - Is this person by any chance a hot chick?

The Administrator glared at Hachiman.

Kithworto - Must every 2nd question of yours be about girls? Administrator - I suppose we could call him in. However, I warn you now that you should not be startled by his appearance. Kelsos - In my case administrator, that depends. Koluap - Hah! Bring him it, I'm fearless! Kithworto - Well this can't be good. Administrator - I'm sure you are, Spinker.

The Administrator hit a button on the panel. The door opened, and a 4 metre tall Kan'Kun walked into the room. Koluap's smile disappeard as he tried to hide the fact he was startled. Kithworto narrowed his eyes in disbelief.

Hachi - HOLY SHIT. *cowered behind Koluap*

Administrator - For those who don't know, this is Kan'Kun, a Proto-Xhodocto.

Kelsos looked at Ka'kun with intrigue

Kelsos - That.... Is quite impressive... Hachi - I was promised hot chicks, not Xhodocto! Koluap - Eh...okay, maybe this does leave me uncomfortable.

Koluap smacked Hachi.

Koluap - You shut your trap! Kan'Kun - Do NOT confuse me with my brethren, mortal. Hachi - *ears flop and nods* O-okay sir. Administrator - I shall let Kan'Kun take over...this is where my knowledge runs out. Koluap - Huh...guess you're not gonna kill us all... Kan'Kun - Very well. Before I begin, any questions on the Vault? Hachi - Are we likely to find any...monsters there? Kan'Kun - Most Vaults are empty, but considering the value of importance this planet has to the Legion, I suppose there are guardians there. Koluap - Guardians as in, demons? Kan'Kun - No. The Xhodocto did not put demons in their Vaults...much rather husks of souls in bodies. Kelsos - Look sir... I have my orders and that is to lock down the location of this vault. Koluap - Lock down? Heck no! We should use these weapons against the Xhodocto! Kan'Kun - And I suppose you believe that is all you must do? Once you find this Vault there is little we can do aside from going in. And destroy the Vault? Do you know of Xhodocto technology at all? Hachi - Also, destroy the Vault you're most probably gonna damage Mahanaya as well. Koluap - The kid has a point, even though he's most of the time silly. Kelsos - There is always removing any detectable trace of it. I happen to, but that says nothing of the rock around it. Kan'Kun - Indeed he does. The destruction of the Xhodocto Vault is likely to destroy Mahanaya. If you do that, the Cult have a greater reason to attack. Kithworto - Question. What kind of loot can we find in there? Kan'Kun - Loot? If you mean...technology, then what the Xhodocto have stored in there could propel a spacefaring race into a god-race. Hachi - I want that treasure! Girls dig technology! Kelsos - The Cult wants this damned vault and that is good-enough reason to keep it from anyone. Koluap - Using the vault against the Cult kills 2 birds with one stone. Kan'Kun - Now, on to more pressing matters.

Kelsos curled his lips slightly and leaned back in a chair.

Koluap - What's the difference between you and a Xhodocto anyway? Other than the fact you're greenish blue. Kan'Kun - I have an inclination to keep you alive when it suits me, mortal. Koluap - Fair enough I suppose. Kan'Kun - I have searched for the location of this vault for approximately two years. It did not strike me until some weeks ago that pulses of essence might be able to detect the Vault's location. Xhodocto technology is safe-guarded with their essences, and considering my essence is like theirs, I should be able to find it. As such, I have sent pulses of essence through the planet. It has narrowed down to four probable locations. Because of these four locations which have blocked the essence pulse, it has led me to believe that the Vault needs to be opened with a three part key. The largest block is what I believe to be the Vault itself. Koluap - And where do we find this key?

Kan'Kun went to the hologram map and pointed out the locations of the key.

Kan'Kun - Here, here, and here. Koluap - This should be rather straight forward. Kan'Kun - The Vault itself, is here. *Goes down a few layers of the planet to reveal a block in the hologram* Kelsos - Then I say we place a few metric shield generators at those locations. Kan'Kun - As you can see, the Vault's entrance is approximately 3 kilometres underground. Mahanaya's caverns often run deeper than 3 kilometres, so getting to it is easier than I expected. Kan'Kun - As for the keys, they are situated in shrines across the planet - often unreachable areas. This is where I call upon the more durable of us to get there. Hachi - Like me? Koluap - Kithworto should go in these places then. Nothing seems to kill this guy.

Upon hearing about keys, Kelsos smiled.

Kan'Kun - The locations of these shrines are in the most inhospitable parts of the planet. Temperatures often rise above 300 Celsius at midday, and winds as fast as 500 kilometers an hour. These winds often carry shards of rock. As a result, nothing lives there. Hachi - I will bravely nominate Koluap. Koluap - Cowardly kid.

Kithworto laughed.

Kithworto - Considering what you just said sounds like walking through Hell for a lifetime, i'll do that. Kan'Kun - Sounds good. For the rest of you, I need you to get to the Vault's entrance and wait for the Kicath to retrieve the keys. Koluap - Understood. Kan'Kun - From what I see, the entrance is partially buried, and this entrance is approximately 300 metres wide. As for myself, I cannot do anything until the entrance is clear and the key is brought to me. Koluap - And why's that? Kan'Kun - Only I can open it with this essence...unless anyone else is willing to volunteer. Hachi - I guess I'll volunteer. Koluap - Hm. I got no essence. Kan'Kun - Those with soldiers, set up a perimeter around the Vault's entrance. What could arrive on the planet will be dangerous. Kelsos - Even if I had the right energies do you really think I would play along? Koluap - Hey, if you're not gonna help, then scram. Kan'Kun - I can always open the Vault, regardless if you want to play along. Hachi - I wanna be a credit to the team, after all I don't wanna seem useless. Koluap - Huh, if I knew we would need essence, I would have brought Thea or Macin here. Kan'Kun - Very well. If you can open that door, you can keep the key. That is if you can lift it of course. Hachi - Hey, I'm stronger than I look! Kelsos - You are all making a very big mistake, mark my words. However we could always consider locking the technology within the Inquisitions' reliquary. Kan'Kun - Of course. Koluap - You can lock your part of the loot if you want, I'm keeping mine. Kithworto - Heh, i'm taking enough back to the Remnant. Fight back the Empire. Kelsos - One scrap of that technology is beyond your understanding of how dangerous it is. Koluap - I had Angazhar on my tail twice, I know what danger is like. Kan'Kun - Do what you wish. But you must understand that this technology cannot, repeat, CANNOT fall into the Legion's hands. I have belief that this Vault is different to others. Hachi - As if I'd trust the Legion! Hehe, they don't even have cookies! Kelsos - Fine, whatever. I hope you all see reason when the time comes. Kan'Kun - From what I can gather, reasoning will be gone once the Vault is cleared. Koluap - I would punch you in the face if you weren't friends with Thea and Baptarion! Hachi - *turns to Koluap* Hey shup, old man! I know what I'm doing! Kan'Kun - We must set out now. If Kithworto can retrieve the key parts, we should be able to open the Vault in approximately five hours. Kelsos - *looks to Kan'Kun* That is what I am afraid of. Koluap - Bah. I'll get my forces ready for when he arrives. Kan'Kun - Fortunately, it is a five hour walk to the Vault. Vehicles won't be needed. In fact, tremors might collapse the entrance.

Kelsos grunted and left the room.

Kelsos - Careless talk costs lives... Koluap - You expect me to walk around this overheated rock for 5 hours? Kithworto - Koluap, we need a long talk my friend. Kan'Kun - If you want to survive, yes. Koluap - Why? I could just use the spaceship to get there! Kan'Kun - The terrain is too fragile to land on. Our weight is enough, anything more will cause the ground to collapse.

Koluap folded his arms.

Koluap - Fine, I'll do it. Kan'Kun - And the only ones surviving out of that would be the Kicath and myself. Hachi - Come on Koluap, has your sense of adventure dimmed with old age?

Kithworto left the fort and went to find the key parts.

Koluap - I just don't wanna fry on this heat.

Koluap left with his forces.

Kan'Kun - Come. The cavern's entrance is only a short walk. The rest of it is downhill.

Hachi followed Kan'Kun closely and inquisitively.