Fiction:Great Mirusian Conflicts/Year Two

"The Mirus Galaxy is riddled with hatred and conflict. We have made sure of it. Now, let this galaxy...let this universe long last drown in blood! FOR WAR ETERNAL!"

- Imperator Caligustus

"Enemies surround, seek to destroy, we move to defend. May glory and bloodshed guide our path, unto victory!"

- Barda Clett

"All sorts of scum have come crawling out of the void of these stars...its time for some slaughter."

- Empress Besta

"This is a time of unrest in our galactic community. Heroes falling to our enemies, invasions on a massive scale, and senseless bloodshed. While I was away, things have become chaotic. But perhaps I can help...restore order."

Cosmic Horror
Thew crawled, through space and void, through nebula and star, through galaxy and planet. And where they crawled they consumed, and grew, and spread. They were many and their many was one. They could feel the universe, a yawning, unending chasm filled with pained existences of sentience. They must end it, the pain, it was like a virus, they must consume it to end it, to end they must consume everything. Once everything had been consumed then the pain would be gone and everything would be complete, nothing would exist except unending, blissful, painless nothingness. But they were running out of time, for they were pursued, by what they did not know, but as they fled it gave chase and the stars grew dark. They must complete for to not was to be the end.

A Race to be Reborn
Gridlock could hardly contain his excitement. For years, he had gathered the resources, sought out the best scientists, and had sacrificed time and energy to do so, but now, the thing he reached for, was almost in his grasp. He chuckled to himself, as he clenched his right fist in front of him. So much needed to be done, but he was closer then ever.


 * Gridlock - Soon, my race shall be reborn...

As he prepared to sit back in his throne, a Grux officer cleared his throat. Gridlock turned, his red eyes glinting like jewels in darkness.


 * Gridlock - Yes, captain?
 * Grux Officer - Sir, Lord Kradik re-unified his race and is prepraing for his war against the Galactic Empire of Cyrannus.
 * Gridlock - Excellent. Inform me when he does so, so that we may covertly send more ships and units to assist him.
 * Grux Officer - Is that safe, sir? Diverging resources from our home front?

Gridlock fixed him with a curious gaze. Most Zarbanian officers where trained not to question the orders of their superiors. If Gridlock chose to, he could simply stab the Captain's neck with his barbed tail, or cut through him with his claws. However, this Officer struck a bit of a cord with him.


 * Gridlock - We have allies here. The Imperium of War, The Shadow Hunters...They will form a bedrock against the Alliance, as we continue to grow our own forces. Besides, when Kradik is successful, we can divert more forces home.
 * Grux - Right, sir.
 * Gridlock - What is your name, Officer?
 * Grux - Fordic Rumstol, sir.
 * Gridlock - Excellent, I shall keep you as one of my personal Officers. You've impressed me with your thinking.

The Grux looked confused, then bowed slightly to Gridlock.


 * Fordic - Thank you sir, I shall not disappoint.
 * Gridlock - I am sure you will not. Carry on, Fordic.

Gridlock laced his fingers. Even with the loss of one supply base, it was going exactly as planned. The Alliance was playing right into his plan.

Unearthing Evil
A Circle of Sins frigate approached a planet called Alpha Rosetta III. The planet, a large world covered in ice, was surrounded by hundreds of derelict ships, which the frigate easily navigated around. Alpha's moon, Tau Theta, loomed in the distance. To any passers-by, the whole system appeared abandoned. Then, the ship was hailed on a secret frequency. This was a frequency used only by members of the Proditkar Movement. This system was not abandoned. The Movement's fleets were actually hiding behind the moon.

On board the ship, Maccasin, the second-in-command of the Circle of Sins, took the transmission. On his screen appeared a huge Raptoranean with pale skin and white hair. This was Glacier, Solid's apprentice and one of Unitech's skilled assassins.


 * Glacier - Identify yourselves.
 * Maccasin - This is Maccasin. I'm here to check up on the work you've been doing here.
 * Glacier - Alright. You're cleared to land on the primary pad.

Maccasin departed his ship in a shuttle and entered the atmosphere. The whole planet was nothing but glaciers, snow-covered mountains, ice plains, and snow everywhere. His destination was a research base Unitech and the Circle had set up on the planet. His shuttle touched down on a makeshift landing pad. Maccasin stepped out, followed by two Sharquoi guards. The first thing he noticed was Unitech excavation teams digging into the snow and ice, and synths carrying large boxes into the various buildings that were quick-dropped onto the surface of the planet. In another area, Circle troops and workers were assembling new ships, using leftover Grox tech to upgrade the designs. In the background, a bluish beam of light extended through the atmosphere. This was the gravity elevator going to Tau Theta.

Glacier went up to the landing pad. Despite his species evolving on a jungle world, Glacier was quite at home in the cold.


 * Glacier - Right this way.
 * Maccasin - What exactly am I going to look at?
 * Glacier - Our newest weapon.

They started walking toward the primary research center, the largest building in the complex.


 * Glacier - As you know, this planet was once run by both the Cyber Collective and Brotherhood of Darklings. When they turned on each other, they left most of their stuff behind.

They reached the main building and went inside. All around them, Unitech Psiteon scientists were conducting experiments on various grotesque insectoids. Some of their abominable Flesh-Crafts and Pain Engines stood guard. Several of the insectoids were contained in observation containers and even containment vases, quite alive. Some scratched at the glass, their shrieks and screeches unable to be heard through it. Others were docile, simply sitting in place and occasionally scraping some of their appendages together.


 * Maccasin - What are these things?
 * Glacier - We call them Nexus Heads. They were an unfinished project by the Theta Grox. We found them buried in the ice, still alive for the most part. They hold great potential, so we've been conducting lots of research on them.
 * Maccasin - They don't look very dangerous. What's so special about them?
 * Glacier - This way.

The two entered another room. It was an observation room, with several rooms with glass walls.


 * Glacier - We've been receiving shipments of captured prisoners. Not many, but enough to get the job done...somewhat.

One room had a captured Raptoranean inside. Glacier pressed a button, and a Nexus Head was released into the room. It screeched, as if it suddenly and unanticipatedly had found something valuable, running up to and leaping upon the screaming Raptoranean. It clamped onto his head using it's various appendages and began inserting it's tentacles and limbs inside his body. It gnawed through his head and inserted several feelers into his brain. He staggered around a bit, then stopped moving. A little while later, the air around the Nexus began to shimmer.


 * Maccasin - What's that?
 * Glacier - Once attached to the host, the Nexus releases a hallucinogenic gas that causes extremely violent hallucinations. This makes anyone around it more vulnerable to infection.
 * Maccasin - Incredible.
 * Glacier - We calculate complete takeover of the host in thirty seconds. Gas is released after one minute. The host is dead, nothing more than a vessel. The Nexus releases spores into the body to reproduce. More Nexus Heads will grow from this one. However, the process is slow.
 * Maccasin - But how useful are they if we cannot control them?
 * Glacier - The answer to that lies on the moon. Are you up for a trip?
 * Maccasin - Sure.

Glacier and Maccasin left the facility and headed for the gravity elevator. Putting oxygen helmets on, they stepped inside and were carried up to the moon.

On the moon was an old Cyber Collective base. While it had been shut down, Unitech was able to restart it. Outside, various Unitech Synths and Circle heretics were mining up the surface. Maccasin and Glacier arrived and started walking towards the base. Maccasin noticed the mining.


 * Maccasin - What's going on over there?
 * Glacier - The reason the Collective and Brotherhood set up on this planet was because of a metal they found. It's called Plaganium. It produces a nearly-impenetrable energy field around it. The servants of the Brotherhood couldn't figure out how to mine it because they couldn't get through the field. But we found that we could use electric shocks at the right frequency to deactivate and reactivate the field.
 * Maccasin - Can this be made into weapons and armor?
 * Glacier - Right now, no. We're still studying it yet, trying to find out it's strengths and weaknesses. We're on the right track, though. I'm almost certain we'll succeed rather soon. We haven't begun shipping it out yet, either. We can't risk anyone getting their hands on it or finding our base. Would you like to see a demonstration?
 * Maccasin - Of course.

The two entered the base. They passed a cargo hold full of tubes filled with purple clouds of what seemed to be gas.


 * Maccasin - What's all this?
 * Glacier - These are unprogrammed Grox nanobots.
 * Maccasin - Unprogrammed?
 * Glacier - They're empty. Wiped clean. Unprogrammed. We can insert our own instructions into them. But that's not our main concern right now.
 * Maccasin - There's hundreds of tubes here.
 * Glacier - Indeed. They might prove quite useful in the future.

They reached a firing range of sorts. Glacier placed a chunk of Plaganium on a podium. He stepped back, drew his pistol and shot it. The metal was undamaged but was flung off the podium. Glacier picked it up, put it back on, but then sent an electric shock up the podium. Electricity danced around the metal as it's energy field activated. Glacier shot again, but this time, the shot just dissipated against the shield. Glacier electrocuted the podium again and deactivated it.


 * Maccasin - Excellent! But I believe you have more to show me?
 * Glacier - Of course. The Nexus.

Glacier and Maccasin kept walking down the hallway. Along the way, they passed several cryo tubes full of disgusting, zombie-like creatures.


 * Maccasin - By the Messengers! Are these..?
 * Glacier - Correct. They are Bio-Morphlings. The Grox left them behind, as well as samples of their DNA and a Marker tuned to their biology. We've been conducting research on them, including ways to control them.
 * Maccasin - Why try to control them? They should just be destroyed!
 * Glacier - You reveal your shortsightedness. Why destroy something that could be useful? It is not logical.
 * Maccasin - Lorka's not going to like this.
 * Glacier - I don't care. Lorka's not my boss. Either way, we've been working to reroute the signal from the Marker to another receiver. We will likely be successful within the year.
 * Maccasin - Within the year?
 * Glacier - Great things take time, Maccasin. Besides, I don't care what stands in my way of success.
 * Maccasin - What do you care about?
 * Glacier - Victory, for one thing. I don't care about honor, or morals, or empathy. My only purpose in life is to destroy the enemy, including the fool Waptoria. I only live, to see them die!
 * Maccasin - You really hate them, don't you?
 * Glacier - You do not understand hatred as I do. Hate is the only thing keeping me alive. Why else would I endure this pain? Besides, don't you despise the Church of Spode?
 * Maccasin - As the enemy, yes. But I pity the fact that they cannot see the light of the true messengers.
 * Glacier - Pity. Irrelevant. The weak exist to serve us. If they do not, then their only purpose is to die.
 * Maccasin - Of course. Still, we should try to convert as many as possible to the one true way.
 * Glacier - Killing them takes less time. You can kill far more enemies in the same time it takes to convert them.
 * Maccasin - And this is why we were chosen first, not you.
 * Glacier - And yet, you didn't "see the light" until Pridar showed you. We existed long before you did.
 * Maccasin - And now you reveal your shortsightedness as well. You didn't join the cause until Pridar freed you from the grip of the Grox, while they handpicked us from the heretical scum of the Church! We served the messengers before you!
 * Glacier - Of course you served the "messengers" before me. I don't serve them at all.
 * Maccasin - And what results do you think these unholy beasts will produce?
 * Glacier - You are not a scientist, Maccasin. You are a soldier of faith. Though you are effective at what you do, you lack the imagination to see things from other perspectives.
 * Maccasin - I do my duty, Glacier.
 * Glacier - And that you do. I have fought alongside you, and you are a great warrior. Still, as I said, your blind faith prevents you from achieving your full potential. You...miss things.
 * Maccasin - Like what?
 * Glacier - For example, you miss the fear value the Morphlings possess. Nobody wants to fight the remains of their former friends.
 * Maccasin - Oh yeah? Tell me, what potential do these loathsome parasites hold?
 * Glacier - Look at them. They are perfect. They don't need to eat. Or breathe. They don't tire, they don't feel fear, or pity, or compassion. When you give them an order, they do it until they either achieve their objective, or die.
 * Maccasin - And what if you lose control of them? Do you have any idea of the damage these things could cause us?
 * Glacier - And that's the beauty of it! It can't happen! These creatures are connected to their marker, which in turn will soon be connected to our computers. If they get separated from that signal, they die! They simply can't rebel!
 * Maccasin - Then perhaps our leaders will remember you with pride when the time of our victory comes.

The two reached the end of the hall and entered an observation balcony. The glass was extremely thick, and the dark room before them was hundreds of meters high and across. Glacier banged on the glass. A terrible screeching roar echoed through the room, shaking the glass. Then a monstrous, crested head rose from the darkness. The creature was eye-to-eye with Glacier. The dim light of the room shone on a massive, segmented monster with huge limbs. It roared at the pair, it's yellow eyes glowing dimly.


 * Maccasin - What. Is that?
 * Glacier - It's a Nexus King. The first, to be exact. See, when we started studying the Nexus Heads, it was determined that they were too bestial to control. So we engineered a dominant strain to control them, which we in turn control. Remember when I mentioned that the Nexus' reproduction method was rather slow? Well, as soon as this King is mature, it will produce hundreds. And when we create more, our production rate will increase a hundred fold.
 * Maccasin - Then you have succeeded.
 * Glacier - Our only problem is that we don't have nearly enough bodies to host the Nexus. The Archons won't ship us more until we show them that it's worth the investment.
 * Maccasin - I will tell Proditkar command of your success. That should get you more support.
 * Glacier - Good, but that's not the only problem. Until this thing is mature, the Nexus Heads cannot be controlled. Even then, one King is not enough. We'll have to make more, a slow and tedious process.
 * Maccasin - Then stick to it, Glacier. Stick to it.
 * Glacier - Of course.
 * Maccasin - Well, I must be off. I will report your success to Lord Ghetsin.
 * Glacier - Good.

Maccasin walked off. Glacier continued to gaze into the King's eyes. He then departed as well.

Maccasin returned to his shuttle. He took off and returned to his ship, glad to be away from Glacier's butcher shop. Still, the more abominations the drugged-up Incubus produced, the more enemies would die in the name of the Proditkar.

Maccasin's frigate approached Circle of Sins territory. He returned to it's capital. The Circle had based themselves near the rest of the Proditkar, to be closer to their "lords". It served them well, providing an extra line of defense if attacked. He landed in his shuttle near a huge temple-like structure. All around him were high-ranking soldiers of the various races. Baxtar Shock Troops, Karagon Battlemasters, and others patrolled in endless loops. Maccasin entered the temple.

The first thing one would notice was the huge purple flags with the yellow evil eye symbol on them. The Circle's symbol. While many races considered the evil eye to be a sign of death and destruction, Spodists believed it was a good luck sign. The second thing one would notice was that, the farther Maccasin walked into the temple, the more devoid of life it was. While the outside was bustling with activity from workers, soldiers, the occasional Yan-Mee swarm darting to and fro, parts of the temple were completely empty. Then Maccasin entered the great hall.

While most of the city's building were similar to the Mirusian Church, mixed with some Multus Esse elements, the temple was similar is aesthetic design only. The great halls of the Mirusian Church would be packed with members of the high council and other important leaders. The Circle's hall had only one high-ranking presence: Ghetsin. Unlike the Church, which was led by multiple leaders, the Circle was led completely by Ghetsin. Anyone who disobeyed him could expect to lose their head.

The only other presence in the room were about a dozen Terniam Honor Guards lining the walls. They wore ornate ceremonial armor with glowing flanges on them, including crested helmets. They carried long, bladed pikes with crackling electricity at their tips. While these weapons could do extreme damage to an enemy, the Guards all had plasma weaponry on their hips. These weapons were superior to the Church's, having been upgraded with Proditkar tech and even the occasional piece of Grox technology. Not much Grox tech was present, however. Like almost everyone else, the Circle still considered the Grox to be inferior heretics. Unlike the Church, the Circle was not above using salvaged Groxic tech, just in small amounts. These Terniam looked different from the ones of the Church. While the ones loyal to the Prophets were clean shaven, other than for some stubble, and were also thin but muscular, the Terniam of the Circle were hairy, gluttonous and corpulent beasts. Discipline in the Circle was far worse than in the Church, and the soldiers of Sin showed it on their bodies. Their bellies, arms and legs scabbed from ripping their own hair out, as they had carved purple-glowing Spodist runes into their own flesh by special ceremonial daggers. The Circle believed that only they could sin without punishment, and it was their duty to absorb the sins of the world.

Ghetsin himself sat on his hoverthrone as usual, humming some nonsensical tune to himself. Maccasin walked up to him and bowed slightly before him.


 * Maccasin - Lord Ghetsin. I have returned from our base on Alpha Rosetta III.
 * Ghetsin - And it's status?
 * Maccasin - Our shipbuilding program is going quite well, it would seem. We should have fully functioning ships very soon. The Unitech forces on the planet are also making progress on their and our bioweapons projects too.
 * Ghetsin - The Nexus Heads. I read the reports. Are they getting results?
 * Maccasin - Lots, my lord. I saw their work myself. They...request more test subjects. I told Glacier I would inform you of his success.
 * Ghetsin - If he is advancing our cause, then give him the resources he has asked for.
 * Maccasin - My lord, he is experimenting on the Loathsome Parasite as well.
 * Ghetsin - Bio-Morphlings? What exactly is he doing with them?
 * Maccasin - He has reprogrammed a Marker to control the beasts. He is making more powerful versions of them, and doing other ghastly things. He is making his own private army of the things.
 * Ghetsin - Then he is advancing our objectives.
 * Maccasin - My lord? Is it not heresy?
 * Ghetsin - Unitech serves the Messengers, just not in the same way as us. While we may consider it blasphemy to raise the dead, they do not. If Glacier uses the Morphlings to continue to spread the will of the Messengers, then I have no quarrel with him. You will give him the support he has asked for.
 * Maccasin - Yes, my lord.
 * Ghetsin - With the setbacks of our failure last year, we will need all the support we need. Besides, I need the UAE to focus on something else other than us, so I may enact my plan.
 * Maccasin - Your plan, sir?
 * Ghetsin - While I cannot inform you of it's details just yet, trusted bodyguard. But trust that it will devastate the UAE and bring our heretical brethren under the control of the Messengers!

Ghetsin rose from his chair, towering over Maccasin. While the Terniam was more powerful physically than Ghetsin, he was intimidated just a little at this being who, with a flick of his wrist, could order the nearby Honor Guards to obliterate him in an instant. While most of his race, at least the ones of the Church, were frail beings who did nothing but sit on their thrones and preach the name of Spode all day, Ghetsin believed in superior combat prowess hidden in a ruse of deprecity. His regal appearance and mighty essence powers, combined with his intellect, made him a formidable being indeed. He rose his arm above his head in a traditional Enlightened One salute.


 * Ghetsin - We will destroy the heretics and sing victory...EVERLASTING!

All the Honor Guards raised their hands as well and roared in agreement. By the second chant, Maccasin joined in as well.

When the chanting was done, Ghetsin sat back down in his chair and activated it. He started to hover out.


 * Ghetsin - Come with me.

Maccasin, half hoping his lord would let him in on what was on his mind, walked along. The two went to one of the outlooking balconies of the temple, overlooking thousands of Circle members going about their daily work. Ghetsin activated a voice amplifier on his chair and spoke to the crowd.


 * Ghetsin - Soldiers of Sin, the time has come! We must prepare to destroy our enemies in the name of Spode!

The Circle members all stopped what they were doing to turn and look. They cheered.


 * Ghetsin - All our foes will burn! Then we shall take their place as lords of this galaxy! We are Spode's chosen and soon everyone will know it! It is time to take our place as the true warriors of Spode!

The crowd erupted in applause, chanting and roaring at the top of their lungs. They raised their arms in salute, some leaping in the air in a frenzy of excitement. Maccasin was overjoyed. His master had always been an eloquent speaker, and now it was time for those words to guide weapons. Maccasin could hardly wait. He could already feel the hammer in his hands, the blood on his skin and fur, the flesh in his teeth.

Ghetsin, followed by Maccasin, returned to the great hall. Ghetsin smiled to himself. All was going according to plan, and soon the UAE would bow before him...

Later, when things had calmed down a little, Ghetsin opened a comm channel with Glacier. The mutated Raptoranean looked stoned as usual, yet his eyes were unusually alert.


 * Glacier - Ghetsin. What a surprise.
 * Ghetsin - Maccasin has informed me of your work, and how well it is progressing.
 * Glacier - Indeed. The fleet of ships you requested are nearing completion, and there is something else you might be interested in.
 * Ghetsin - And what might that be?
 * Glacier - Well, I didn't want to tell Maccasin. I don't want word of this getting out. On Tau Theta, we discovered schematics for a Grox-designed ship. It's massive, and shielded with Plaganium. The Grox never could mine enough to build the ship, so it was never built. We can build it.
 * Ghetsin - You shall not.
 * Glacier - Why not!? A weapon like that could absolutely destroy the UAE's fleets.
 * Ghetsin - Because Grox tech is heretical.
 * Glacier - We will not use any Grox technology. The design shall be purely our own.
 * Ghetsin - Fine. As a Proditkar Lord, I will allow you to build it. But on only one condition.
 * Glacier - What?
 * Ghetsin - That the ship is mine, and mine alone.
 * Glacier - Hmpf...Right. It will be done.
 * Ghetsin - And what of the Nexus Heads? How soon until they are ready?
 * Glacier - We estimate that they will be ready in time for our next big offensive against the UAE.
 * Ghetsin - Good. Send some to me when they are ready.
 * Glacier - I thought the Circle considered raising the dead blasphemous?
 * Ghetsin - The others may, but I do not. Anything that progresses the will of the Messengers.
 * Glacier - Glad to know someone who knows what they are doing is in charge.
 * Ghetsin - Maccasin told me that you are programming a Bio-Morphling marker.
 * Glacier - Indeed I am. They will likely be ready before the Nexus Heads are.
 * Ghetsin - And you are sure it is safe?
 * Glacier - I assume Maccasin did not tell you all of it? It is likely he could not quite comprehend it. I'm taking the signal the Marker gives off and rerouting it to a different receiver, meaning they will be absolutely loyal to us.
 * Ghetsin - While I think a marker modified by the Loathsome Parasite to suit their needs is blasphemus, if it serves the Messengers in the end then I will support you.
 * Glacier - Good.
 * Ghetsin - Besides, it is good that these Morphlings will not end up in service to the Grox or Brotherhood.
 * Glacier - Then may I have more shipments of specimens?
 * Ghetsin - Of course. May we reign supreme.

Glacier smiled. He would get his specimens and create a new army. He would finally have revenge on the filthy Waptoria for their transgressions against him, and then he would have so much more...

Glacier closed the transmission and went into a different room. There were several containers of Bio-Morphlings inside. He went up to one containing a Revenger and placed his hand on the glass. He looked up at the monstrous creature. What an amazing specimen, he thought to himself. Then he looked at his hand. He noticed his darklight omnitool. He gazed at it for a moment. The omnitool was used for a number of things, which included hacking any sorts of computers, mainframes, programs...and signals. Glacier's eyes widened. He slowly took his hand off the glass and looked at the palm of his glove. He made a fist, then released it, activating his omnitool. Glowing pitch black with a white outline, it made a low-pitched whining noise. Glacier smiled.

Glacier ran into the computer room overlooking the Morphling marker. One of the Circle Baxtar guards looked at him.


 * Guard - What is it? What's wrong?
 * Glacier - Nothing!

Glacier began frantically typing on various computer keyboards in the room, running back and forth like a madman. The Marker began to glow a dark maroon. Glacier looked at it.


 * Glacier - Eureka...

Glacier held up his Omnitool. It glowed it's usual color, then Glacier uplinked the signal and it began to glow a maroon color. He stormed out of the room, heading for the Morphling stasis pods. As he passed then, he thought he saw a crack in the wall, suggesting the presence of a door there. Then he blinked and it was gone. Glacier quickly dismissed it. When he rounded the corner, he saw a few Unitech and Circle guards casually chatting with each other. He pointed at them.


 * Glacier - You! Come with me!

They followed him without question. They reached the Morphling pods.


 * Glacier - Present arms, but do not fire unless I give the command.

His soldiers were confused, but complied. Glacier selected a tube containing a standard Drone and opened it. The Morphling stepped out, groggy from years of cryo sleep. Glacier raised his hand, his omnitool glowing maroon. The Morphling stared intently at it, instantly becoming still. Glacier looked at it with intent, then pointed his omnitool at another corner of the room. The Morphling marched over without hesitation. The Circle and Unitech troops stared in shock, lowering their weapons.


 * Cambion - Sir, you've...you've done it!

Glacier said nothing. Instead, he threw back his head and laughed. The Morphlings were his, and now he would have his revenge.

An Accidental Discovery
Tau Theta had changed a little since Glacier's breakthrough. Various Morphling forms now stood guard alongside the Circle and Unitech troops. The troops were nervous around the beasts, but had enough faith in their leader to know that he had complete control over them. Still, some were concerned. Glacier was wasting too many specimens in creating more of these things. Though the Nexus Head project was progressing nicely, some of the Unitech scientists thought the specimens were too valuable to simply convert into zombies. Glacier maintained that they were for a good purpose, and continued his experiments. The massive ship Unitech and Circle were working on, called the Icon of Sin, had been moved to the Unitech Citadel, as Glacier did not want all of his assets pooled in one area.

One day, everything was as normal. With no threats and no reason to be on high guard, the Unitech and Circle troops were screwing around as usual. A group of them were playing some kind of game involving scratching the floor with knives. Just as one of the Kabalites jumped up in excitement at winning, a Morphling was walking down the hallway. The Kabalite bumped right into it. He turned around to tell whoever he bumped into where to shove it, but froze when he saw it was a Morphling. The creature hissed at him, baring fangs made from finger bones. The Kabalite backed up in fear, then tripped over one of his companions' legs and fell back against the wall, cursing. When he stood up, he noticed that a part of the wall had come slightly open, as if it was a hidden door.


 * Kabalite - What is that?
 * Wyach - Looks like a door or something.
 * Cambion - Should we see what's inside?
 * Mohinah - No. This is a Grox base. There could be something dangerous in there.
 * Kabalite - Better tell Glacier.
 * Mohinah - Tell him yourself.

The Kabalite went into Glacier's command office, guarded by two Incubi. Glacier was reclining at his desk, spinning a hologram of a Nexus Head around. He noticed the Kabalite.


 * Glacier - What do you want?
 * Kabalite - Sir, we found a door or something in the hallway. It was hidden until we bumped it open.

Glacier sat up, intrigued. He himself had thought he saw a door there at one point.


 * Glacier - Did you go inside?
 * Kabalite - No. We thought it best to inform you first.
 * Glacier - Good, Cambion, Lead the way.
 * Kabalite - Sir, I'm just a Kabalite.
 * Glacier - Not anymore. You've impressed me.
 * Cambion - Thank you, sir.

Glacier reached the hidden door. He ran his fingers around the cracks, then backed up and kicked it open. It led into a dark hallway with a staircase. He stormed inside, followed by a group of Circle and Unitech soldiers. They ran down the stairs until they reached the bottom. There was a hallway in front of them, and a blue glow eminated from a distance. The group walked cautiously down the hall until they reached the source of the glow: a large cryo tube. Inside was a large creature with multiple arms, two of which extended over it's shoulders and ended in huge claws. It's cylindrical head ended in five glowing eyes.


 * Sharquoi - What is it? Some kind of Bio-Morphling?
 * Kabalite - It doesn't look like any kind of Bio-Morphling I've ever seen.
 * Baxtar - Could be a new type the Grox were developing.
 * Cambion - Hmm. Glacier, sir, what do we do.
 * Glacier - Open it.
 * Cambion - Sir, is that wise?
 * Glacier - Ready weapons. One of you, open it. The rest of you, open fire if it is hostile.

The troops complied. A Sharquoi went up to the tube and activated it. It opened with a hiss, and cryo gas billowed out. The creature slowly stepped out, flexing it's limbs. It cocked it's head at the Proditkar troops, it's eyes glowing with an intelligence unlike that of Bio-Morphlings. Glacier raised his omnitool cautiously, unsure what the creature's reaction would be. It glowed. The creature looked at him for a moment, then lunged forward and grabbed him by the throat with one of it's smaller arms. The thing lifted him right off the ground, staring intently at Glacier. Though the mutated Raptoranean towered over everyone else in the room, this creature was taller than even him, and much stronger. The troops immediately aimed their weapons at it. The thing didn't even flinch, it just kept looking at Glacier.


 * ??? - You...are different. You reek of pheremones, of flesh untainted by metal. You are not Grox.
 * Glacier - Indeed I am not. I despise them.

The creature lowered him to the ground and released him. Glacier's troops lowered their weapons, but still remained cautious.


 * ??? - That makes two of us.
 * Glacier - What are you, creature?
 * ??? - I am Scavenger. I was in that tube for a hundred thousand years, staring at the same view. Thank you for releasing me.
 * Glacier - You were conscious while in stasis? For a hundred thousand years?!
 * Scavenger - Indeed. Stasis doesn't work on me due to my physiology. My body was frozen, but my mind was still active.
 * Glacier - What do you mean, your physiology?
 * Scavenger - Every one of my cells is an individual. He imprisoned me here, thinking it would keep me from interfering with his plans. He was wrong.
 * Glacier - "He"?
 * Scavenger - ...Mortox.

Glacier's eyes narrowed. He hated Mortox. And if this creature did as well, he sensed a potential ally in it.


 * Glacier - Mortox is a sworn enemy of the organization I am part of.
 * Scavenger - Good. *Looks up at the ceiling* I can smell you, Mortox! I can see you! You'd better start running! I SAID! RUN!

Glacier realized that this creature was likely insane after a hundred thousand years of imprisonment.


 * Glacier - And what do you seek now, Scavenger?
 * Scavenger - *Turns back to Glacier* Vengeance! I will destroy the Grox! Everything they built, I will tear apart!
 * Glacier - Good. Perhaps we can make a deal.
 * Scavenger - Who are you, and who do you serve?
 * Glacier - My name is Glacier, and I serve no one. I am a member of an organization called the Proditkar Movement.
 * Scavenger - Proditkar? That sounds familiar...
 * Glacier - Perhaps. They were around for quite some time.
 * Scavenger - Well, I will join you. Tell me about current events.
 * Glacier - Come with me.

The group started walking back up the stairs. Glacier and Scavenger went to Glacier's office.


 * Scavenger - Bio-Morphlings? You've taken control of them?
 * Glacier - Yes. These belong to me.
 * Scavenger - Good.

Glacier pressed some buttons on his hologram table. He brought up a map of Mirus.


 * Glacier - The most powerful player in the Galaxy is an empire known as the United Lanat Empire. However, the largest part is under jurisdiction of an organisation calling itself the Unified Alliance of Enlightenment by a small margin. They are foolish beings who believe they can keep the peace by using peace. They are powerful, but weakened by the concept of good, not being able to do everything necessary to win. You know the other two primary factions present in this galaxy. The Brotherhood and their servants...and the Cyber Collective. Our objective is to destroy all four of these empires and bring galaxy under our control.
 * Scavenger - An interesting, if not ambitious, goal.
 * Glacier - You don't believe we can succeed?
 * Scavenger - I know next to nothing about your organization.
 * Glacier - Indeed you don't. We are powerful, trust me.
 * Scavenger - You are Raptoranean, are you not?
 * Glacier - Yes...How did you know?
 * Scavenger - I met someone like you, a long time ago. Well, it doesn't matter. Besides, I think he's probably dead now anyway.
 * Glacier - Hmm...What do you want for your end of the deal?
 * Scavenger - I want to destroy the Grox and Brotherhood. That's all I want.
 * Glacier - And what are your skills?
 * Scavenger - Would you like a demonstration?
 * Glacier - Humor me.
 * Scavenger - If you're doing all this biological testing, you have test subjects, right?
 * Glacier - Yeah, what about it?
 * Scavenger - Give me a test subject.

Glacier brought Scavenger into a glass containment pen, then threw in a captive Cotari Drac. As soon as he noticed Scavenger, he started roaring in fear and throwing himself against the glass. Scavenger walked up to him, drew back it's arms, and impaled him through the back. Scavenger lifted him off the ground, kicking and squirming, then it's head ripped itself in half. A tongue shot out of the new, fanged maw, wrapped around the Cotari's neck, and pulled his head into the snapping jaws. A mixture of the Cotari's blood and a viscous, yellow fluid dripped onto the floor. Glacier realized that Scavenger was assimilating the Cotari Drac. Scavenger threw the Cotari against the glass, splattering it with blood and slime. The Cotari Drac began grunting and slowly moving his limbs. Eventually, it stood up, it's wounds already healing.


 * Glacier - Impressive.
 * Scavenger-Cotari - Give me another. Armed.

Scavenger's original body left the room, and a Gardeili armed with a blade was thrown in. He saw the Cotari Drac dripping with slime, and instinctively raised the blade in a defensive position. Scavenger smiled and flexed it's fingers. Then, one of it's arms split off, grew insectoid legs, and skittered right at the Gardeili. As it leaped at him, the Gardeili screamed and slashed at it, cutting it in half at the joint. The two halves skittered across the floor, then reattached to each other and resumed the attack. The Gardeili kept beating the arm back and defending himself. Growing bored, Scavenger rolled his eyes and fired a tentacle from the palm of his other arm, impaling the Gardeili through the shoulder. A purple neurotoxin dripped from the wound. The Gardeili soon became paralysed and fell to the ground. The centipede-arm attached itself to his face and began assimilating him. Soon enough, the arm returned to it's owner and the newly-Scavengerified Gardeili stood up, twirling it's blade.

Glacier clapped his hands and released the lock on the containment chamber. Scavenger's two new bodies walked out.


 * Glacier - Very, very good. I am impressed.
 * Scavenger - Great. So do I get the job?
 * Glacier - Of course. Right now, we're just preparing for another attack against our enemies. With that imitating ability, we'll definitely have a use for you.
 * Scavenger - Glad to be of assistance, but I will need more bodies to make more imitations. I'm not really any good with just three forms.
 * Glacier - Tell you what. You can have the rest of this shipment of specimens. There's about forty bodies left. Will that be enough?
 * Scavenger - That's plenty for now.
 * Glacier - Good. Let me show you to your new quarters.

Scavenger was about to say something when all of his bodies suddenly held their heads in pain.


 * Glacier - What's wrong?
 * Scavenger - There's this noise. A noise I've heard ever since I was put in stasis. Some kind of incessant buzzing or ringing noise. Every waking hour. I thought it would stop once I was released from cryo, but it hasn't.
 * Glacier - Perhaps our scientists could have a look at it.
 * Scavenger - No, it's not just in the heads of my bodies. Every single cell of me hears it. The more cells I absorb, the louder it gets. Can't you hear it? Can't anyone hear it but me?!
 * Glacier - I'm sorry.
 * Scavenger - Well, it's not your fault.

They reached Scavenger's new room. It was suited to the everyday needs of an assimilant being.


 * Glacier - I'll call you if something comes up. Let me know if you need anything.
 * Scavenger - Right.

Glacier left, closing the door behind him. He leaned against the door, thinking about this new discovery. He decided to contact Solid about it.

Glacier went to his office and contacted Solid.


 * Solid - Ah. Glacier. What do your require?
 * Glacier - There's...been a development at Tau Theta.
 * Solid - What's wrong?
 * Glacier - Nothing's wrong, but...we've found something. A creature, locked inside a cryo tube. We let it out. It calls itself Scavenger. It's some kind of assimilant. It says it's an enemy of the Grox and Brotherhood. I told it we might work out a deal. It showed us it's assimilation abilities. It's...incredible to say the least. I have never seen something so effective. It assimilated a Gardeili and a Cotari Drac in just a few minutes. Every cell of this thing is an individual animal.
 * Solid - And you say it's friendly to the cause?
 * Glacier - It wants to help.
 * Solid - Then by all means let it join us. Something like this could help us rip the UAE apart from the inside. So make it comfortable, Glacier. It could be one of our most effective assets.
 * Glacier - Very good.

Glacier ended the transmission and walked away.


 * Glacier - Very good indeed.

By mid-afternoon of the next day, Glacier stood in front of forty perfect copies of the test subjects. Each one stared intently ahead with the same glint of intelligence. Glacier smiled to himself. In front of him was an army that could gear every cell towards the cause, an army that could reproduce from the dead bodies left in their wake, an army incapable of desertion, of fear, of pity or compassion. When the call came to mobilize, Tau Theta would be ready. And come it would.

The Hive Expands
(More coming soon.)

Killer Queen
The shuttle left the Queen's Children Flagship, the Queen's Flame, rocketing out into space. Onboard were the Ahrat of the Queen's Children, Elegand'r, and the Archon of the attached Peacebringers, Konrad Wilson. Also aboard where the Honor Guard of the Queen's Children, the Phoenixian Guard, and the Peacebringer's Honor Guard, the Cataphract Titans.


 * Elegand'r - *Smiles* You're still feeling a bit upside dow, aren't you?
 * Konrad - You Raptoraneans have weird ways of saying I'm in awe, Elegy.
 * Elegand'r - And you still don't believe me?
 * Konrad - Seeing is believing! I''ve get got to see it.
 * Elegand'r - You will right away.

With this, a titanic shipyard came into vieuw from behind the asteroid belt. It ws round and unremarkably Drakodominats in design. Though the redesigns were completely appearant as well, having been stripped off the many spikes and sharp adges, and clad in gold, silver and green, the colors of the Unified Alliance of Enlightenment. Inside it, lied a titanic Glorinia-class Flagship, an Garganuan in size.


 * Konrad - Is that...
 * Elegand'r - Yes. I am pleased to say the Peacebringers will get their own flagship. Concider it a gift from your father and UAE command. at least, from those of UAE command that don't oppose your every move. So, how are you going to name it?
 * Konrad - I'm gonna name it...Killer Queen.
 * Elegand'r - I like the way that sounds. Possibly because of how my Creed sounds.
 * Korad - In honor of our unity of Oath-Brothers! And in honor of your Queen! And most of all, in honor of Queen!
 * Elegand'r - *Smiles* Well, aren't you a dramatic one at times?
 * Konrad - Duh. You too, Elegy.
 * Elegand'r - *smiles again* Well, I guess that is correct. Let us take a closer look, won't we?
 * Konrad - Looks kinda bleak. I mean, not much color.
 * Elegand'r - Yeah. This is only the basic hull. I thought yo would like to paint and decorate it yourself.
 * Konrad - Sure thing.

The shuttle entered an small opening in the space docks, soon touching down. Even the interior had been thoroughly changed from the original Drakodominatus layering.Elegend'r gracefully stepped out, as his guard followed in perfect synchronisation. Konrad ran out too, esctatic with joy, as his guard juped out one by one, sometimes even over each other. Making no haste, the goup of enhanced warriors made their way to the inner side of the shipyard. Once there, they were greeted by a diminuitive Spikron, who bowed heavily.


 * Spikron Egineer - Ah, Ahrats. It is a pleasure to meet you.
 * Elegand'r - *Smiles gently* The pleasure is all mine.
 * Konrad - Uhmmm...Peacebringer Gene-Seed derives from my father, Phase-Hunter. He's the Ahrat. I'm mainly the stand-in...Archon I belive the term is called. Just sayin'.
 * Spikron Egineer - Ah. Uhm. Pardon me, Archon. I'm not familliar with the terms.
 * Konrad - Bah. that doesn't matter. All that matters is...I'M GONNA GET A FLAGSHIP!
 * Elegand'r - *Grins* Yes. Yes, you are.
 * Konrad - Hehehe...Thanks, Elegy.
 * Elegand'r - Chief egineer, could you lower the bridges? So we could get inside and Konrad can start toget planning the interior design...


 * Konrad - ...Well, we had to put the stables somewhere. The armory seemes the best place.
 * Elegand'r - Agreed. But converting part of it into a storage room for hay?
 * Korad - Those cuties need something to chew on close by. And we can use it to clean the threats of our verhicles if they get muddy.
 * Elegand'r - It's gonna be a nice mess if you do that.
 * Konrad - Indeed. It's gonna be a nice mess.
 * Elegand'r - Glad you agree with me.
 * Konrad - Yeah, you too.
 * Elegand'r - And this is the command bridge.
 * Konrad - The club house!
 * Elegand'r - Pardon me?
 * Konrad - Can't you see thus huge room taking shape, Elegy? That elevated platform there at the far end of this room is gonna be my seat, with a bed of all thse fat-bottomed womed I'll invite and all that.
 * Elegand'r - Granted, it was already meant to be your seat of command.
 * Konrad - Even better! We'll convert this whole floor into a titanic dance floor! There will be gigantic moving, multi-colored spotlights everywhere in the roof! Then we put this gigantic disco globe from the roof in the middle of this room. Underneath it we put this nice antique orrey to plot our course. Near the side walls we also put two strips of elevated space, though not as high as mine, and nice leather benches to relax upon! Behind the fat braids of cables, circuits, tubes and all that, plugging into control consoles that project holographic images. We'll have these hese extending fans of tubework made in such a way that the consoles will resemble giant pipe organs, complete with triple sets of keybords inscribed with flashy control sigils. It'll look really cool! And most importantly, we'll some really big boom-boxes in the corners! In front of that, a huge row of glided long tables to indugle ourselves into foods and drinks!..I bet you can miss some, Elegy?
 * Elegand'r - ...Yes. I defenitely can.
 * Konrad - Good! Then I'll make this ship full of noise and light and ponies and manlyness and Queen and awesome!
 * Elegand'r - You're really exited, aren't you?
 * Konrad - I'M GONNA GET MY OWN FLAGSHIP! WHOOHOOW!

Meeting the Wrym Riders
If Konrad was in awe of getting his own personal flagship, then awe didn't even begin to describe what he was feeling now. The ship was massive, so huge that he couldn't see the other end of the it's front. Massive red eyes glared at them from a head encased in brilliant golden scales, with a mouth full of wicked looking teeth. The ship was easily bigger than the flagships of the Queen's Children and Peacebringers combined twice over. Elegand'r chuckled and turned to the viewing screen.


 * Elegand'r - Impressive isn't it? Though, to be honest we were lucky to find it.
 * Konrad - What!? How could something this big hide!?
 * Elegand'r - Well, for one its mobile. For two, it uses a drive system completely alien to any of us, one we can't even track it. Behemoth here is something of giant golden needle in a galactic hay stack. But *Grins*...If you think the outside is impressive, then wait untill you see the inside.
 * Konrad - Sooo...How do we get in there?
 * Elegand'r - It eats us.
 * Konrad - WHAT!?

Suddenly, a low rumble sounded from the ship, growing into a growl, before Behemoth opened in enormous maw in a roar and lunged forward, swallowing the smaller ships before it. To the occupants of the smaller ships it seemed as if they were in the middle of a hurricane, sending them tumbling out of control down the ships massive gullet, eventually coming to a jarring stop as something grabbed them from the ceiling. Konrad looked to see what appeared to be a bio-mechanical claw holding them fast, a membrane opened up and the ships were moved into the open. Konrad's breath caught in his throat and Elegand'r chuckled again. Below them was a massive, sprawling, bio-mechanical metropolis rose from a golden dessert into the dull orange air of a world lock in a perpetual state of twilight. The building were massive skyscrapers of a strange combination of Gothic and Industrial styles merged giving off an eerie yet practical feel with blood red liquid ammonia cascading from some and glowing a ghostly electric blue. At the center, suspended at the ceiling of the worldship, was what appeared to be a space station that stretched all the way down to the ground which the claws holding them were heading towards. Konrad swallowed and turned toward Elegand'r.


 * Konrad - how exactly did you know?
 * Elegand'r - Waptoria ships eat you too. They share simmilar fast regeneration, and the same type of cloaks, but better ones. They aren't radioactive though, so they not as hazardous to enemies. In you don't take the enemy-hostile symbiotes inside into account, that is.
 * Konrad - So what exactly are we here for?

Elegand'r sighed and rubbed his forehead. He didn't really why they always called on his Creed to do this. There were other Olympian Creeds who the ones they were here to see respected more. Like the Brave Burners, most of all. Or even the Plague Guardians. But duty was duty.


 * Elegand'r - Were here to see a particular Olympian Creed who have been called into question more than a few times. As you know, every Olympian is required to send in a small portion of their gene-seed to evaluate it's traits, however these Olympians are...resistant due to how much other question them.
 * Konrad - What for?
 * Elegand'r - Their past and series of rather rampant mutations they experience. The only ones who experience simmilar ones at times are the Brave Burners, but only rarely. These ones hwoever, nearly always grow them.
 * Konrad - Personally I wonder why they are so hesistant towards it. I mean, Elegy, Peacebringer Gene-seed constantly has mutations run rampant in it, and Olympians aren't put into question based on a mutated Gene-Seed or something. We're all thought to be loyal to the UAE no matter what, so why would we ever fall to Darkling Corruption? Our resistance towards it and that of the Vahallans is legendary. We only can join willingly, but why the heck would anyone of us want that? No, it is their rites on wich a Creed is judged. And that's damn right at that.
 * Elegand'r - Hmmmm. It's best to be just cautious.

stood on a launch pad at the edge of Behemoths Prime City over looking the dessert beyond. She was sharpening her Varish steel-coated arm blades when she spotted two figures walking over to her. Both were tall, but one was a rather stunning Raptoranean and another a twisted human. Drain stood and marched over, her Hyper Gravity Gun swinging at her side. The Raptoranean saw her and made an typically Olypian/vahallan motion of greeting, to which Drain returned, before pointing her out to the human. Elegand'r walked over to Drain, who looked up and muttered.


 * Drain - Hello, Elegand'r. Who is your friend over there?
 * Konrad - Hey, little girl! I'm Konrad, Archon for the Peacebringer Olympians.
 * Drain - And I'm Drain, Wrym Rider Olympians 8th Vector Commander.

Konrad was taken aback, this little girl was and Olympian and a commander at that? Also, he had never heard of the Wrym Riders and this girl looked almost human, except that she had blue hair with glowing red ends, blue skin, glowing red eyes with slit pupils as well as fangs, cat-like ears, clawed hands and feet, horns, arm blades, bat-like wings, and a spade-shaped tail. Konrad shook his head.


 * Konrad - Oh, I'm sorry. I though all Olympians were male-only. And vahallans female-only. That's the way it normally works, see?
 * Elegand'r - These are a special case.
 * Konrad - Also, I'm not familiar with a Creed called the Wrym Riders.
 * Elegand'r - Their official name is the Rad-Eaters. But the name they call themselves inspired some tech-cultists to mix their Gene-Seed with Brave Burner Gene-Seed. The result were two Gene-Seeds they called "Dragon Rider" and "Black Drake". Before they were confiscated.
 * Konrad - Wait...Wait...Wait...You mean they are those Olympians!?

Drain hissed at hearing her Creed's official name and stalked away towards the Ornithopter that would take them into the dessert.


 * Konrad - Did I say something wrong?
 * Elegand'r - The Rad-Eaters have had a dark past, now the have reformed and they are trying to obliterate it, however...some aren't willing to let them do that...

Konrad continued to stare as the desert beneath them rushed past, the Ornithopter's powerful wings buffering the air as it carried them high above the sand.


 * Konrad - This is impressive, but couldn't we have ridden mounts out here instead? I'm a bit more comfortable on a horse.
 * Drain - Sue we could have, if we wanted to be eaten.
 * Konrad - Huh?
 * Drain - Worldship Behemoth's wilderness is a very dangerous place, lots of predatory things that live beneath the sand and are attracted to vibration. Horses would draw unwanted attention. As would sonic weaponry. i read the reports of the favorite battle formations of you two. All I can say is that yiu're both high on sonics.
 * Konrad - Ah. Heh. Right.
 * Elegand'r - That is, if I am not mistaken, exactly the reason UAE Command chose to attach the Peacebringers of the Hunter to us instead of to the Grey Hunters on the very last moment. Though I personally believe that would've played out just as well.

The Ornithopter flew over a large, but shallow salt lake. Aroud it stood and lied the calcified remains of various large, four-legged creatures, with two or even three heads. They looked vaguely wolf-like, but were as big as a giany bear, and had their hairs sransformed into razor-shaped spikes.


 * Konrad - And that are thevremains of what exactly? I think I know I know what they are...It's on the tip of our tongue.
 * Drain - They were our trial by blood.
 * Konrad - What?
 * Drain - They are the remains of Doombringers of Fenris. Tyranny Overseers.
 * Konrad - Oh.
 * Drain - It was not just this, but a true thri-fold attack. The only time in our history all three of our worldships were attacked at once. The Doombringers of Fenris attacked Worldship Behemoth. The Hounds of Kuzushimasu attacked Worldship Ziz. The Leviathans of Scyllraken attacked, you guess it, Worldship Leviathan. All were backed up by quite a lot of Combat Harvesters and other nasty things. These battles were short, but extremely bloody. All in all though, we beat them out.
 * Elegand'r - Reminds me of the clashes of our Creed with the Sons of Hedon...
 * Konrad - *Suddenly grim-looking* And those of my father with the Horsemen of Destiny. Ripping apart their surviving praetors felt...statisfying. That was our trial by blood. That was how we were accepted.

They continued onward until a massive craggy scar appeared on the landscape eventually reveling itself to be a massive crevasse. Drain took the Ornithopter into a dive, accelerating down into the depths of the canyon before pulling to a dead stop as they landed. Drain jumped out of the pilot seat and ran over to a trunk pulling out a pair of goggles and throwing them toward Konrad.


 * Drain - Konrad. Put these on, the only light down here is ultraviolet, they will allow you to see.
 * Elegand'r - Good thing Raptoraneans can see much more frequencies of light than other spcies can. Heck, all up to microwaves and X-waves. I guess that is what causes my species to wear such colorful clothes all the time.

Konrad shrugged and put them on as they stepped out into the canyon. The first thing they noticed was that it was much cooler than the dessert surface. Looking around Konrad saw what appeared to be the Creeds main base with their symbol and motto positioned over it. As the go closer Konrad could begin to make out the Varish lettering which he had been trained to read.


 * Konrad - "War is hell, we must end it." War is hell, we must end it?

He frowned, from what he had heard of the Rad-Eaters this motto had always seemed out of place, but then again he had heard that they were good friends with the Brave Burners, leading him to suspect that there was more to this Creed then what he had been told. As they approached a low growling voice rumbled from the shadows.


 * ??? - Who goes there? Do not take a step closer or you will taste chem cannon.
 * Drain - Relax, Carnage. It's just me and Elegand'r here to get a sample of our gene-seed...Again. Oh...And we have a newcomer with us.
 * Carnage - A newcomer, you say? Well, then better go say hi.

A massive blood red Vanaris atlas stepped from the darkness a stood before them. The Devourer surveyed the three and gave Elegand'r a nod, before turning towards Konrad.


 * Carnage - And you are?
 * Konrad - Konrad, Archon of the Peacebringers.
 * Carnage - *Chuckles* Ah so your the one in charge of that new Olympian Creed. Well, may I extend my welcome, new battle brothers?
 * Elegand'r - With pleasure so. May I extend my gratefulness back to you?
 * Carnage - Heh. Certianly
 * Konrad - Eerr...Elegy...What..? Weird habits.
 * Carnage - *Laughs* Stay here. I will get Vice Jaw for you.

And with that Carnage vanished deep into the fortress along with Drain. Konrad and Elegand'r waited somewhat nervously, Konrad because he had heard more than a few scary things about the Rad-Eaters Archon, Elegand'r because he knew Vice-Jaw had a temper. An Ultraknight Captain who had been sent to do this job instead of him had pushed things too far and Vice Jaw had almost bitten him in half. After awhile, the ground began to shake, as a massive, heavily armored, silver, four-legged, saurian Contemptor emerged from the fortress with Drain riding atop his head. The Rad-Eaters Archon's eyes narrowed and rumbling rather mechanical sounding voice ushered forth as his jaws shaped open and shut.


 * Vice Jaw - Welcome Elegand'r and Konrad, I take it you are here for the gene-seed.
 * Elegand'r - *opening up his ams wide in an seemingly friendly gesture* Indeed we are.
 * Vice jaw - Fine, I will have Carrie procure some for you.

Vice Jaw turned to the purple and blue armored Mourner that had come to stand next to him. Carrie nodded and looked at the others balefully before, scampering off. Drain leaned down to whisper something Vice Jaws audio receptor to which Vice Jaw nodded and Drain leapt down from his head and proceeded to scale the sides of the canyon. Vice Jaw turned towards the others.


 * Vice Jaw - I believe Drain wants to put on a show for you, would you like to come and watch?
 * Elegand'r - Indeed, it would be an honor.
 * Konrad - But do we have time...I mean...What if someone here wants to get out real quick...
 * Elegand'r - Trust me. You do not want to miss this.

Drain stood on the open sands as many from her Creed and the others gathered on the rocks to watch, slowly and then with increasing speed she began to dance in a rhythmic fashion. Beginning to twirl and twist she did not seem to notice as lighting began to crackle in the air above her and a massive bulge began to appear in the sand and head towards her with ever increasing speed.


 * Konrad - Shouldn't we get her out of their!?
 * Vice Jaw - Do not worry she will be fine.

Drain's eyes narrowed as she saw the underground predator barreling towards her.


 * Drain - It's a big one...

Suddenly the sand erupted in front of Drain as a massive, coiling shape began to emerge. It was a massive black scaled, serpent around 150 meters, with a terrible, eyeless horned head. Opening it's mouth filled with massive razor teeth the creature roared to the sky, as flames bleached forward, and it's 24 tongues thrashed about. Drain simply continued to dance and the creature began to move and twist. After a while Konrad, much to his astonishment realized the creature was dancing with her, arcing in and out of the sand fallowing Drain's fluid movements.


 * Konrad - What is that? How is she doing that?
 * Vice Jaw - That is a Boronic Wrym, creatures we Vanara unleash on planets to convert the ecosystems biochemistry to one more fitting to our's. Drain, we know not how, can control them.
 * Konrad - Amazing...

Drain continued to dance until both her and the Wrym began to tire, dropping her arms to her sides Drain came came to a stand still and Wrym turned, dived back under the sand, and tunneled back into the dessert.

When Hunters Become The Hunted
Deep beneath the blue ammonia seas of Leviathan, down in the darkness, lay a trench. A massive scar across the landscape of the shadowy abyss, only lit by the slight glow the volcanos that had emerged in it's depths. Nothing lived down there, nothing wanted to, and no one ever went anywhere close for fear of what had emerged from that terrible rift. Even now the energy of Ada's domain, the Abyss, still seemed to pollute the sea that surrounded it. But for years, the breach had been silent, nothing moved in it's shadows...until now. Slowly, a dull dark cyan glow began to appear inside the rift. It quickly grew brighter and to absolutely massive proportions. The ammonia around began to boil and churn, as hisses, screeches, and roars sounded from below. The color of the eerie light changed from dark cyan to dark blue, and then to a bright electric blue, as an explosion ripped through the ocean, hurling glowing, malignant crystals across the Worldship.

Manifest Destruction
Deep in the archives of Maturkoris in a long abandoned section the archives a group of archivists and miners were digging deep through some collapsed rumble. Stopping for a short lunch break one of the archivists raised his voice in complaint.


 * Archivist - How long is this going to take? We've been down here for 12 hours and all we've found in rubble and more rubble!
 * Miner - It would help if you bothered to help!
 * Archivist - That's your job! Our's is to catalogue and make sure you handle anything we find down here properly.
 * Miner - Yeah well fuck you!

There was a tense silence after that, before the Versasian in charge of the miners, stood on a pile of rumble and shouted down.


 * Head Miner - Hey now! We've all been given a job to do and were not going to get it done arguing like this. Now we're all tired and want to get home, so lets stop squabbling and get digging. Including the archivists.

One Salmarian archivist raised his voice in protest, but quickly quieted after the Verasian shot him a glare. After finishing, the miners and archivists got back to work clearing out the remaining rubble. After another three hours, they managed to break through into an open chamber. Looking aroun,d they could see the entire chamber was filled with large eggs. The archivists knew what to do: A quick spread-out to study this new find. The head miner walked up to the Salmarian archivist.


 * Head Miner - So want do we have here?
 * Archivist - Eggs.
 * Head Miner - *shorts* I can see that, what kind of eggs?
 * Archivist - No idea. Must study these eggs first.
 * Head Miner - In that case, tell me when you do.

The Verasian began to walk away when suddenly he heard a scream. Turning he saw the head of a bird-like reptile snapping up the archivist and swore.


 * Head Miner - These are Manifested eggs...We must alert..!

But he was to late as the other eggs had already begun to hatch, the young lunging forward to snapped up the miners before taking wing and swarming up to the surface. Above two Veteran Warrior Hunters watched as the black cloud of monstrous bodies spread to other sectors. They were the Ugandal Kando Dorum and Ustmen Ragnar Ingavar stood watching horror unfolding in front of them.


 * Kando - Damn! A Mainfested attack and at a time like thiq! There just aren't enough pilots here at this moment to fend off such a threat!
 * Ragnar - Not exactly true. There are the rookies.
 * Kando - Do you think they could handle this?
 * Ragnar - You have a better suggestion, because I would love to hear it.

Kando grunted, he new his old friend was right, they really were out of options.


 * Kando - Alright they've already completely infested sector Onu ands have already begun to infest sectors Po and Ci.
 * Ragnar - We should deploy in pairs. Four Hunters per Sector at most!
 * Kando - As the two most experienced, we should take Onu. That is where the heaviest infestation is.
 * Ragnar - And send the rookies to take care of the infestation of the adjacent sectors.
 * Kando - Right.
 * Ragnar - Then let's go alert the others. No point in wasting time!
 * Kando - No, rather multiple, very hungry points...Not to waste time...Not at all.

Ragnar allowed himself a small chuckle before the two ran back into the Thunder Barracks.

Ragnar connected himself to Eiszeit as the barracks where a mess of pilots and maintaince crews rushing to prepare the tools of their trade. Ragnar himself was at peace. Not because he was naturally peaceful at this time, no, quite the opposite, as was common amongst his species. It was mostly because 4020 Eiszeit did not like his thoughts to be cluttered when they where calibrated together. Finally, 4020's cool voice echoed in his mind.


 * 4020 - All is ready, Ragnar. You may clutter our thoughts with your trivial passings of the mind.
 * Ragnar - Good to hear you too.
 * 4020 - Can we please hurry? If we do not work quickly, the Manifested will soon leave this already damaged tool of my creators beyond any hope of repair.
 * Ragnar - Once Kando is ready, we will leave.
 * 4020 - You and the Mendel can be so bothersome with your rituals and battle-traditions.
 * Kando - *On comm* We are ready to move. Let's get going and finish these things.
 * Barrack Princeps - The neural hand-shake is complete, your Jagers are ready to fight.

The Jagers shot out of the Thunder Barracks, quickly landing in Sector Onu, where the blackish cloud of Manifested slowly approached, explosions ripping through both city and Manifested swarm.


 * Kando - I suggest we withdraw the Federation Clone forces. They have done enough, and will merely get in our way.
 * Ragnar - Agreed. They've done enough damage.
 * Kando - To the swarm or city?
 * Ragnar - Both.

Kando snorted as the 2 mechs raced towards the flock. He was used to Ragnar's often sardonic humor, he himself had a brand of it. Though he didn't enjoy the thought of anyone dying to Manifested. Neither did, really. Of all the Beasts of Zarbania, why did it have to be these mindless killers?


 * Kando - How did these things get into Matrukoris?
 * 2203 - There is no information. A group of miners simply found the eggs, and where quickly consumed.
 * Ragnar - I do not care where they come from, as long as they go to hell.
 * Kando - *Laughs* Indeed, brother.

Jet Blazer's right arm folded into an arm canon, as they two ran forward, each firing various missile and plasma weapons into the flock of manifested, causing hundreds of them to fall to the street in flaming mounds. However, they did not seem to take notice, even as the 2 fired again and again, instead intent on swarming elsewhere across the city.

However, as the 2 separated to try and steer the swarms elsewhere, towards the center of the sector, a buzz went through the air. It was difficult to describe, almost like something vibrating against their brain.


 * Ragnar - Grr, In the Scorner's name, what is that damned...whatever.
 * Kando - I don't know, but be ready.
 * 2203 - It is in the center mass of the swarm. Something my creators banished long ago...

Just as suddenly, it stopped, as the whole horde turned towards them, shrieking and flying at them, beams flying from their maws at times to try and cut them down. Thankfully, Manifested where notoriously bad with their cutting beams, preferring to move in and swarm a foe with talons and teeth. As such, the 2 stood their ground, firing round after round.

Finally, Jet Blazer's Arm folded back into a fist, as a sword leapt out from it's wrist. Eiszeit extended both blades, as energy flooded through them.


 * 4020 - Shall we begin cleanup?

Both pilots grunted in response, moving quickly to slice through the Manifested. Cyro shots and Plasma burned and screeched through the air, as Manifested swarmed around them, trying to claw at them, most of the time, ending up in small packs and attacking each other, leaving some weight off the Warrior hunters. Still, it was a lot of work, as the manifested would return from fighting one another to attacking the Warrior-Hunters once more.

A Manifested snapped down on Jet Blazer's sword arm, grinding it's knife-like teeth down on the metal, growling as it did. Jet Blazer slammed his fist down on it's head, once, twice, then a crush, as it's body went limp, and Jet tossed it aside, and into 2 more Manifested. Another came from behind, to be meet with a spinning back fast from Blazer, snapping it's neck, as Jet fired several missiles at other Manifested nearby.

Ragnar, meanwhile, was immobilizing several Manifested at once with his cryo canons, not even bothering to hit them after, simply going after other targets during the battle, and smashing the frozen manifested to small crystals, as he danced and weaved all around, cutting down Manifested after manifested.

Finally, the manifested seeming stopped for a second, turning their head slightly, as the 2 hunters took the time to attack them. Then, without another word, the creatures fled, swarming off with what few numbers where left.

Whatever where left where too injured to move off, some crawling away, others trapped on their backs, shrieking at their nest-mates to return, or at the hunters themselves.


 * 2203 - Kando, our power levels are below 9%, and the left is badly damaged.
 * 4020 - I have similar injury. Our power generators are leaking.
 * Ragnar - Is it serious damage?
 * 4020 - Not for an organic like yourself.
 * Kando - Is it safe to check around with the other units deployed?
 * 2203 - Based off data. Yeah, we could.
 * Kando - Then let's check up on our cormades for a bit.

Gartol Gatal gripped heavily on the controls of his Warrior-Hunter, as he locked on to the Magnetic catapult that would take him to the surface. He was an Aeoneonatrix refugee that had joined the UAE. They had protec§ted him and he would protect them in turn. That was why he had become a warrior-Hunter. And now he heard the news. Manifested where in Matrukoris. Why? How? Did someone let them in? Was there a secret coup d'etat going on, executed by the Zarbania Powers? It did not matter. They were Manifested. The were filth. They had to be cleansed.


 * 1311 Taint Cleanser - ...By fire.
 * Gartol - Ah! The mental Hand-Shake is complete, it seems.
 * 1311 Taint Cleanser - Of course it is. Otherwise I would not be able to talk with you.
 * Gartol - Yet you always inspire me, shard of the Cleanser that fills this mighty vessel.
 * 1311 Taint Cleanser - If you say so, then so I am. Regardless, there are Manifested in the city. The worst of all scum.

At this moment, a snorting voice came trough Gartol's communications channel, as te face on an Cathonian-Goorkien hybrid popped up on an hardlight screen.


 * Brenzo - Good to see you pumped. You ready?
 * Gartol - Certainly.

And yet another voice came trough, old yet spirited. Gartol froze when he saw the face of his fellow refugee pop up. An Garghator. And not just an Ghargathor. That dark green skin...That pointy beard...that stern face...and those eyes, almost glowing with zealous faith...


 * Gartol - Kaldolom Spodeblessed.
 * Kardolom - Indeed it is so.
 * Gartol - *Trembling with hate* Why did they send you here, of all Hunter Pilots?
 * Kaldolom - I volunteerd.
 * Brenzo - His Warrior-Hunter makes a good match with mine. That is the main reason.
 * Gartol - Blast it! Keep a distance, Kaldarom!
 * Kaldolom - Quiet, youngling. We must focus on the task at hand. May Spode bless you with a rich hunt.
 * Gartol - Curse your god! I don't want his blessings!
 * Kaldolom - You dare speak heresy!?
 * Gartol - I serve the Cleanser! His spirit is in any of his followers! He is much more visible than the unphantomable deity you follow!
 * Kaldolom - Is he? I believe the Spirituals are quite real. And where was your "Cleanser" when your race was whiped from their homes?
 * Gartol - You...ack...Damn you!

A deep, rumbling voice then echoed trough the Entry Plugs of Gartol and kaldarom that connected them to their Hunters. It was the Observer of Brenzo's Hunter, 8152 Bronzenhide.


 * 8152 Bronzenhide - Shut up. Both of you.
 * Kaldolom - Hmpf.
 * Gartol - No.
 * 8152 Bronzenhide - Yes.
 * Gartol - All right, all right! Besides, we need to stop squabbelling. We have Manifested to kill!
 * Kaldolom - ...Errr...
 * 1311 Taint Cleanser - Good. Now, to slaughter?
 * 8152 Bronzenhide - To slaughter!
 * Gartol - Yeeeah!

Gartol swiped aside the hardlight Comm-Screens of Kaldolom and Brenzo aside, as as the three large hardlight screens on wich they were placed vanished in a green light, clearing up to give the Aeoneonatrix a ckear vieuw of the outside world. Pushing a buttom, his magnetic catapult rose to the surface, as an hatch in the ground openened, and he was launched out.


 * Gartol - Gartol Gatal, 1311 Taint Cleanser taking off!
 * Brenzo - Brenzo co Shan, 8152 Bronzenhide taking off!
 * Kaldolom - Kaldolom Spodeblessed, 1J Holy Retribution taking off!

Taint Cleanser slam-landed down heavily, whiping up a cloud of dust as his feet hit the desert ground of Sector Po. Behind him, he saw 8153 Bronzenhide and Kaldolom's Warrior-Hunter, 1J Holy Retribution, rise out of the ground as well.


 * Kaldolom - Try to take off with less force next time.
 * Gartol - Fat chance!

Bronzenhide rotated his head slightly, looking arpound for something to kill.


 * 8152 Bronzenhide - Brenzo. At the horizon. There. I sp-
 * 1311 Taint Cleanser - Manifested! Over there! At the horizon! Purge them with cleansing fire!

Taint Cleanser already ran formward, as the muzzle of it's weaponry started to glow a bright orange. He fired a beam of heat at the Manifested from his left arm, scorching the from of the swarm, before jumping right into the middle, and unleashing a wide stream of fire from his right that incarcated most of them in one fell swipe.


 * Kaldolom - Be careful not to scorch the buildings...or, Spode forgive me, the false idols they build here.
 * Gartol - YES! PURGE EVERYTHING! WITH CLEANSING FIRE!

Taint Cleanser rushed forwards towards another swarm of Manifested, bring more and more to crisps as he left a blazing trail behind.


 * 8152 Bronzenhide - If the Aeoneonatrix continues burning Manifested like that, we'll likely break a new killing record.
 * Brenzo - We'll also likely break a new record for colletoral damage.
 * Kaldalom - I'll stop him.

Holy Retribution extended his arms towards Taint Cleanser with the insntention of wrapping them around it and pulling the Warrior-Hunter back. However, manifested jumped upon the stratched arms, biting and tearing away. With a rythmic howl, Taint Cleanser was forced to full back. Some Manifested still to the arms, as Holy Retribution raised it's Thiunder hammer and start bludeoming them off. Bronzenhide joined in, picking up manifested with it's hands and tossing them apart on the canyon walls of the sector.


 * Brenzo - Quick! We have to get to-
 * Gartol - Not needed.

The hybrid looked up to see Taint Cleanser walk towards their position, burned manifested hanging all around his body, slumping lifeless to the ground as the Hunter walked forwards. Behind him, a huge dust cloud had risen up into the air, as the fighting had caused a part of a cliff wall to break down on rows of statutes. Gartol has used them as clubs and bowling balls, judging on how Taint Cleanser held the half of a scorched stature by it's head. And a lot of black smoke revealed more than a couple of tents had been burned down to ashes as wel...

Ibari grinned as she sat in the cockpit of her bright red Core Splendor Access Jet. As she sat there, several voices came through the com.


 * Kryuun - You ready, Ibari?
 * Ibari - Hah! Don't you know it!?
 * Armus - Speak for yourself. I'm not sure I can handle this!
 * Ibari - If I were in your entry plug right now, I would slap you for being so self-depreciating. You're inside a giant, four-armed, cyborg-angel type thing. Have some confidence for Jura's sake.
 * Serenity - In his entry plug, oooh!
 * Ibari - Oh, shut up!
 * Armus - *groans* Can we just get a move on? We've got Mainfested swarming the city and you three are engaging in idle mockery.
 * Serenity - Oh, posh! We're just alleviating stress!
 * Ibari - He's got a point, though. If we don't get up there soon who knows how many people will get hurt.
 * Serenity - I thought you weren't the biggest fan of the Alliance, Ibari?
 * Ibari - *growls* I'm not, but compared to every other faction, is there any better option? The Alpha Cyber Collective and their allies would just turn us to drones, the Zarbania Powers aren't as bad as most make them out to be except they're under the influence of the Dark One, and the Imperium of War are just A-grade insane.
 * Kryuun - Good point.

Just then the voice of the Thunder Barracks Princeps cut through their conversation.


 * Barrack Princeps - We are readying you for launch. Breach yourselves.
 * All - Aye, sir!

Their Hunters moved forward towards the magnetic catapults that would take them to Sector Ci.


 * Serenity - Serenity launched!
 * Armus - Armus Canix, 6613 Oni launched!
 * Kryuun - Kryuun Sterra Lain, 11K Guardian CSAJ launched!
 * Ibari - Ibari Asukra Ayana, 2C Nuy CSAJ launched!

Ibari slammed her hand on the controls, sending her CSAJ accelerating up the magnetic catapult and into the open air. Below her, she saw her hunter 2C Nuy rising up out of the ground. The Hunter's back armor open and several tractor beams emerged, connecting to various points on the jet, and guiding into down on to the Chaser's back before the armor locked it in place.


 * Ibari - Core Splendor Access Jet locked. Inserting connection proboscis.

Kryuun's voice crackled through announcing the same, as Ibari inserted the proboscis and the plug flared with murky, green light before clearing to show the outside world around her and the voice of 2C Nuy filled her thoughts.


 * Nuy - It's been a while, my pilot.
 * Ibari - Aye.
 * Nuy - It appears as though we have a problem.
 * Ibari - Several, as a matter of fact.
 * Nuy - Regardless, I care not as long as get to feel their blood through my teeth!
 * Ibari - *Laughs* As psychotic as ever. That's good.

Right then, the Warrior-Hunters started losing speed, before they fell down trough the deep, gem-riddled chasms of Sector Ci until they found themselves in the lower, fully crystalline levels. Manifested swarmed around everywhere. Nuy and Ibari snarled before charging out towards the swarm of Manifested. Looking around, she could seee Guardian right on her tail, Serenity flying up above, and Oni lumbering behind.


 * Ibari - Kryuun, we'll fire my Punisher and your VOPAC at maximum output.
 * Kryuun - Then you charge in and use the roar fallowed by the rest of us.
 * Serenity - We read you loud and clear.
 * Armus - Sounds like a plan, I guess.
 * Ibari - Don't guess! Just act!

Nuy leveled the Punisher and Guardian engaged the VOPAC before firing at full out put, a green beam of light and a red beam of positrons lanced out striking at the same point in a massive blast of positrons and photons that annihilated several Manifested and scattered the rest. Unfortunately, a good chuck of roof collapsed as well, destroying several of the sector's crystal buildings. Nuy used the hole to climb out the crystal mines to gain higher ground while Ibari cursed the destruction of a chunck of the city. Unfortunately, the Manifested followed suit, as fighting now took them to the inhabitated, upper levels of Sector Ci.

Racing into the center of the Manifested, Ibari roared in a sonic scream that paralyzed several of the vicious little monsters, which she quickly snapped up, leaving a bloodied mess between her metallic teeth. Kryunn quickly charged and fired off Guardian's bladed grappling cables, slicing through several Manifested. Serenity, meanwhile, dove in and out, weaving her way through the swarm of tiny little monsters, slashing them when ever she could. At the same time, Armus smashed his way through several, while using Oni's plasma blaster to clear out the scum. Guardian engaged his maser swords and quickly used the flat of the blades to smash several Manifested against the side of a building.


 * Ibari - Try to avoid damaging the city now!
 * Kryuun - Yeah, well...These little beasts are so small they absorb the force of my attacks!
 * Ibari - Point taken.
 * Kryuun - Ibari! Look out!

Ibari glanced to see the swarm was grouping back together, swirling in a maelstrom of bodies.


 * Serenity - What the..?

The swarm suddenly jetted forward, coalescing into a spinning spear of Manifestend slamming into Nuy and pushing her through the sector in a straight path. After being rammed trough several buildings, more collapsed down on top of her, burrying her under the crystalline rubble. Struggling free, Ibari looked to see the swarm grouping together again for another strike. Spiraling downward, Ibari fired the Punisher at full output, just as Kryuun fired the VOPAC at similar output. The two beams met in the middle of the black cloud in an explosion that lit most of the swarm ablaze, but the shockwave it generated took out many, more spattering their innards all overs the structures that where sent crumbling to the ground from the blast. After that, it was simply a matter of hunting down the stragglers, but there were many, they were fast, and they were ferocious. By the time they had managed to clear them all, at least 20% of the sector was reduced to crystal splinters. Ibari growled as she looked over the destruction that had been caused.


 * Kryuun - This is gonna cause some serious shit.
 * Ibari - Tell me about it.

Campaign Briefing
It was the second year of the conflicts in Mirus. Hegemony forces had dealt the and many other enemies of the alliance a heavy blow the previous year. After the colossal battle at the end of year one, the separatists were on the run from the alliance, with Hegemony forces cleaning up any pockets of resistance they came across. With the war going so well, more forces were being sent into Mirus to speed up victory in the Galaxy.

However, even though the external conflicts are going well, internal friction between the Hegemony and some members of the alliance had begun to grow. Conflicts between chapters and their Olympian counterparts continued to worsen, especially in the case of The Scions of Rage and their feud with The Rad Eaters. Moreover, the Hegemony's relationships with certain members of the Alliance began to worsen as well, as mistrust between to spread ever further.

Fearing a violent schism in the alliance, Commander Marius stages an emergency meeting with Admiral Sophia Jamduar and General Otto Skorzeny. The goal of the meeting is two fold, the first goal being to establish a new plan of attack against the separatists (and to bring more reinforcements into the theater of war), and the second being gathering as much intelligence on the Hegemony's allies as possible (especially all the various special forces units employed by the alliance).

Meeting
The meeting commenced on the Altimus Class starbase Deliverance of Faith. It was a centrally located, heavily armed and armored strategic location, making it the perfect place for Marius to meet Admiral Jamduar and General Skorzeny in person. The objective of this meeting was to plan for the next big operations in the Mirusian theater.

Admrial Jamduar stood at attention, hands clasped behind her back, awaiting Marius's orders.


 * Marius - Admiral, allow to start by congratulating you one your performance in this war so far. Your skill at leading our forces into battle has allowed us to sweep aside our enemies with relative impunity. Your forces continue to pursue the shattered rebels with all haste, harrying their every step. You have done well out here.

Jamduar nodded her head in gratitude.


 * Jamduar - Thank you commander. My forces will continue to hunt the rebels. However, my forces have begun to complain about the monotony of the mission. The Admirals under my command say that progress is slowing. For every one splinter fleet they destroy, two other appear. The ring leaders of the various factions survive as well. We have been unable to apprehend them.

Marius raised his hand to stop Jamduar.


 * Marius - I have read the reports on the war efforts, and I have indeed noticed this slow down you have referenced. We are increasing the number of military units in Mirus effective immediately. A new fleet group is set to arrive in several days, headed by Admiral Corvus Tiberius.

Jamduar was briefly startled by the name. Admiral Tiberius was a great admiral, as well as a controversial figure in politics. He had gotten in trouble with high command numerous times for his ruthless tactics when it came to dealing with the enemy. He was too good an officer to be fired, so he was usually cycled out to remote postings, out of sight (for his actions created a lot of negative PR for the Hegemony). Last Jamduar had heard, he had been at some backwater posting in the Intergalactic Rifts.


 * Jamduar - Sir, is that entirely wise? Was he not posted away from any real actions due to Tiberius committing war crimes?


 * Marius - Admiral Tiberius has the aggression we need to speed up this campaign. If he has to torch every planet that the rebels are hiding in, he will do it. I am by no means replacing you Sophia. However, your orders have changed a bit. While you will still be fighting the rebels, you will be focusing on areas once controlled by the Dominatus. While we have some Dominatus industry and technology, it can never hurt to have more. Securing these zones are your priority now, leave the all out attack to Tiberius. Do you understand?


 * Jamduar - I understand sir. Is that all you require of me?


 * Marius - That is all. You are dismissed.

Jamduar saluted and walked out of the command room quickly, heading to the hangar so she could return to the fleet. General Skorzeny, who had been standing patiently, was then beckoned over by Marius to sit at the war table at the center of the room.


 * Marius - Skorzeny, I want your special forces group to begin investigation of the UAE's special forces units. We only know what they tell us. I want to know their full strengths, I want to know how they recruit, I want to know their specialties, I want to know their headquarters locations, etc. I especially want you to investigate the Vanara. They hate us, we hate them. I want you to figure out how their psychokinetics work and where they are trained.


 * Skorzeny - Sir, that is impossible. The Vanara themselves are unsure about psychokinetics, and they tell no one where they are trained.


 * Marius - Do your best then. I want effective counter measures against all special forces units, be they Koatria, Ultra Commandos, psychokinetics, or whatever other special snowflake units the alliance has. I also want you to focus on identifying important individuals in the alliance and putting surveillance on them. Do we still have people keeping watch on Akanri?


 * Skorzeny - Yes sir.


 * Marius - Increase the survelliance. Akanri has two children who are already in various special forces programs. Vanara grow up even faster then Zozer and Scizok, as unbelievable as that is. One is name Niyra, the other is named Ibari. Of the two children, place more surveillance on Niyra. Monitor everything. Her team even has a Scizok on it, his name is G-sker. I want you to find out how loyal he is to the Hegemony.


 * Skorzeny - I would doubt that he has any loyalty to us. Nevertheless, I shall do as you ask.


 * Marius - Good. Don't ignore other important figure in the UAE either, keep tabs on them. I also need you to start surveying the Rad-Eaters more heavily. The feud between them and several Astartes chapters is starting to worsen.


 * Skorzeny - Understood sir.


 * Marius - Now then, let us shift to foreign threats. The rebels leaders and top agents continue to act with impunity. Solid, Glacier, Shiver, etc continue to wreak havoc with abandon. You are going to stop that. I want you to use all the special forces we can muster against them. The Astartes, your commando groups, the LRRP, Havoc troopers, our newly formed assassin temples, psionic users, you are cleared to use everything against them. If you can, kill them. IF you cannot kill them, hound every step they make. They won't be able to conduct operations if they are constantly on the run. Make them afraid to stick their heads out.


 * Skorzeny - I understand sir. They cannot hide from me. I will hunt them to oblivion.


 * Marius - Good. Now if you have no questions, I will let you get to your mission.


 * Skorzeny - Thank you sir, I shall not fail.

Skorzeny stood up and strode out of the room, already calculating and plotting. He would have to balance surveillance on the UAE as well as hunting the threats that the alliance was at war with.

Marius went back to issuing orders from the command center, organizing the Hegemony forces into an even deadlier war machine. The days ahead may be rife with conflict, but the Hegemony will be ready for whatever the rebels throw at them.

Catching Anthrax
Glacier was in his office, examining a hologram of a Nexus Head, as well as schematics for the Icon of Sin. The Nexus King was mature and producing, and the Icon's construction was progressing very well, especially with Scavenger's genius. Glacier's comlink began beeping. He answered it. A hologram of the Untiech Archon called Koschey the Deathless appeared before him.


 * Glacier - Master Koschey. What do you require?
 * Koschey - We've received a transmission from a remote T3 planet. The signal was from a Vanara, asking to join us.
 * Glacier - Probably a trap.
 * Koschey - Perhaps, but doubtful. This Vanara sounded pretty resentful towards Besta.
 * Glacier - Then he's probably one of those Singularity bastards. Want me to go take him out?
 * Koschey - No. Go meet with him. See if he can be of use. I'm sending you the coordinates. Bring your new friend Scavenger if you want.
 * Glacier - Yes sir. I'm leaving immediately.

Koschey cut the transmission. Glacier got up and walked out of the room, heading for his ship.

The Meeting
Glacier's small fleet approached the planet where the signal had originated from. Glacier's massive flagship, the Snowstorm, was in the lead of several smaller Proditkar-Zarbanian ships. They broke atmosphere onto a world covered in green grass. Glacier beamed down with a few Unitech soldiers, Scavenger, and some Marauder tribesmen.

The small group looked around, seeing no sign of activity. One of the Marauders waved it's axe around in a menacing manner, while the other just twirled it's spear. Scavenger, using his original form, turned to Glacier, arms flexing in boredom.


 * Scavenger - Think this guy's gonna show up?
 * Glacier - If he does, it had better be soon.

Suddenly, a Skreener-class Vanara ship decloaked and entered the atmosphere. A landing beam emitted from the ship. Several savage squirrel-like creatures beamed down, along with one ten-foot tall Vanara. He was a slightly mutated Keizer Vanara, missing a few spines and having a larger head, as well as extra fingers and longer limbs. He approached Glacier's group, the squirrel-things following him.


 * Glacier - You must be the Vanara who contacted us.
 * ??? - Remarkably perceptive, aren't you? My name is Phanstil Thikar Zangrealthi. The agonizing venomous ghost who kills angels.
 * Glacier - Quite the name.
 * ??? - My birthname. You can call me Anthrax.
 * Glacier - Well, then, Anthrax. I am Glacier. This fellow here is Scavenger. What do you want?
 * Anthrax - I want to join you. I want revenge on that bitch Besta for what she did to me.
 * Glacier - What might that be?
 * Anthrax - She made me lose everything. My wealth, my property, everything I own. So I will return the favor, and destroy what she holds dear.
 * Glacier - Sounds harsh. I too know loss. I was created in a lab, with other genetic mutants as my only friends. We escaped, but they scattered.
 * Anthrax - So do we have a deal?
 * Scavenger- What can you contribute to our cause? By the way, what are those ugly-looking brutes you brought with you?

Glacier and Scavenger looked behind Anthrax at the squirrel-like creatures. They were grunting and scratching themselves in a bored fashion.


 * Anthrax - They're Snagarthi. I ran into a gorepack of them that escaped detection by the Singularity. So they serve me now. I also managed to get schematics for various pieces of Vanara technology, including their Phantons, as well as some DNA samples of their military warbeasts.
 * Glacier - You couldn't have snagged me a Daikaiju or two?
 * Anthrax - Sorry. It's almost impossible to access them without the proper clearance. So what is your answer?
 * Glacier - We allied ourselves with rebel Vanara before. The Singularity and the Moderator, and they did not help us.
 * Anthrax - I despise them both. Give me the chance to kill them, and I will end their interference in a heartbeat.
 * Glacier - Very well. I must discuss this with my superiors. You stay here. I will be back.
 * Anthrax - I will be here.

Glacier and his troops walked back over to their ships, which dropped abduction beams to pick them up. Glacier spoke into his comlink as he went to his flagship, speaking to the Kabalite he promoted to Cambion, named Morg.


 * Glacier - Morg, keep a cuple ships here to guard our friend until I get back.
 * Morg - Yes sir.

Glacier beamed up, and all the ships left, except for Morg's two, which surrounded Anthrax's ship as he and his Snagarthi beamed up as well.

Glacier discussed the matter with Scavenger on the way back to Tau Theta.


 * Glacier - Well, what do you think?
 * Scavenger - I've seen his type before. I'd say he's trustable. Besides, we can just kill him if he tries anything.
 * Glacier - True, but he could cause us some damage if he does.
 * Scavenger - Not necessarily. If he's a rebel Vanara, anyone he tries to rat us out to will likely believe it to be a trap. But like I said, we can probably trust him.
 * Glacier - Alright, Scavenger. I'll take your advice.

Reception
The ships returned to Tau Theta, and Glacier and Scavenger entered Glacier's office. Glacier contacted Koschey. His hologram appeared on the pad. He looked grumpy as usual.


 * Koschey - Well, Glacier? What of the Vanara?
 * Glacier - He seems legitimate. He wants revenge on Empress Besta, and has a hatred of the Moderator and Singularity as well.
 * Scavenger - His name's Anthrax, and he managed to snag quite a few interesting items when he blew his worldship. Mainly schematics of Vanara tech, as well as DNA samples of warbeasts and a pack of ugly creatures called Snagarthi.
 * Koschey - Hmm. Schematics of Vanara tech, you say? Where is he now?
 * Glacier - He's still at the meeting place. my second-in-command, Morg, is guarding him until I return.
 * Koschey - Go to him. Tell him his deal is acceptable.
 * Glacier - Yes sir.

Glacier nodded, and was just about to cut the comlink when the pad started to shimmer and crackle. Suddenly a hologram of a very large, muscular Volver in red armor appeared on the pad. Iyoka Quista, former Blood Knight and current leader of the Proditkar-loyal Crimson Splinter.


 * Glacier - Lord Iyoka! What an honor.
 * Koschey - Iyoka. I see you survived last year's battle unscathed.
 * Iyoka - Those fools could not hope to stop me.
 * Glacier - What do you want?
 * Iyoka - I have received word of your rebel Vanara. When you bring him here, I want to speak with him. I may have some uses for a Vanara.
 * Glacier - Of course. I am off to fetch him now.
 * Iyoka - Good.

Glacier turned and left, followed by Scavenger. He left the comlink on, as Iyoka and Koschey began discussing other matters. Glacier, Scavenger, and their troops boarded their ships and went back to the planet.

They beamed down, seeing Morg's and Anthrax's ships still there.

Anthrax beamed down as well and went up to the group, his Snagarthi absent.


 * Anthrax - Well, what is your answer?
 * Glacier - We accept your deal. You may throw in with us, and we will help each other with our goals. Beware, if you try to betray us or sell us out, you will not live to see another day.
 * Anthrax - Of course, though I will say the same back to you.
 * Glacier - We do not betray those who are useful.
 * Anthrax - And I don't go back on a deal.

Anthrax extended his hand.


 * Glacier - Aren't you Vanara supposed to be radioactive?
 * Anthrax - Yes but I have much more control over mine. I am not emitting any at the moment.

Glacier nodded and shook Anthrax's hand. They each boarded their ships and returned to Tau Theta.

Glacier, Scavenger, Anthrax, and Morg went into Glacier's office, where Koschey and Iyoka were still talking. They fell silent when the group walked in.


 * Koschey - You must be "Anthrax".
 * Anthrax - I am.
 * Glacier - Let me introduce you to some of your new allies. This charming individual is Koschey the Deathless. He's an Archon of the Unitech Citadel of Sentients.
 * Anthrax - According to the Vanara Empire, you're quite the war criminal. Just the kind of ally I need.
 * Glacier - And this is Iyoka Quista, leader of a Volver rebel faction. The most amoral one yet, since you seem to find that a good quality.
 * Anthrax - Indeed I do. I like those who are willing to do whatever it takes to win.
 * Glacier - And I believe he has something to discuss with you.
 * Anthrax - By all means.
 * Iyoka - I will be arriving at Alpha Rosetta with my remaining forces soon. We shall discuss it then.
 * Anthrax - Suspense. Of course.
 * Koschey - Know this, Vanara. I don't care how much vengeance resides in your heart. We don't pull others' weight. You will contribute something, or we will abandon you.
 * Anthrax - Of course. I have blueprints for Vanara technology. While you can't replicate it completely, you can definitely improve it with your own additional designs.
 * Koschey - Good. Our facilities on this moon and it's planet are well equipped to build your designs.

Anthrax smiled a toothy, sly grin. Everything was going to plan. He had found powerful allies who could back him. Vengeance would soon be his, and then he would have so much more.


 * Anthrax - I look forward to a successful partnership.
 * Koschey - Then begin your work.

Koschey cut the transmission, and Glacier, Morg, and Scavenger left the room. Anthrax turned to see Iyoka's hologram still up.


 * Iyoka - You are just what I have been looking for.
 * Anthrax - What do you mean?