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

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.

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.

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. Irrlevant. 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 Centurions, Karogan Berserkers, and others patrolled in endless loops. Maccasin entered the temple.

The first thing one would notice was the huge yellow flags with the 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 Multusse 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 hairy, gluttonous and corpulent beasts, the Terniam of the Circle were clean shaven other than for some stubble, and they were also thin but muscular. Discipline in the Circle was far worse than in the Church, and the soldiers of Sin showed it on their bodies.

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, 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 decrepit, lazy beings who did nothing but sit on their thrones and have beings wait on them, Ghetsin believed in superior strength in all forms. His physical strength and size 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 did. 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...

When Hunters Become The Hunted
Deep beneath the blue ammonia seas of Leviathan, down in the darkness lay a trench. A massive scare 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 the void 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 blue glow began to appear, growing brighter as it grew to absolutely massive proportions as the ammonia around began to boil and churn as hisses, screeches, and roars that sounded from below 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 rumble and more rumble!
 * 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 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 rumble. After another three hours they managed to break through into an open chamber. Looking around they could see the entire chamber was filled with large eggs, the archivists knew what to do a quickly spread out to study this new find.

will continue latter