Chapter 15: Major Battle 1: Blood at Red Mountain
There was still time before midday arrived, so Kay and Virid have finally decided to get their troops ready.
The army of zerglings were moved into the ring of crawlers to burrow behind and next to the defense line. One out of two hundred and fifty zerglings were chosen to run out into the desert wilderness beyond the creep to act as scouts, traveling a kilometer outside the zerg territory. If Kay could estimate on how many zerglings there were in total, he could at least count around ten thousand, perhaps eleven thousand and a half. More and more zerglings could join them, even when much of the ground had much of its nutrients leeched by the creep already. Ever since the expansion, using nydus worms and creep tumors made by queens, the drones were more than happy to diligently harvest nutrient-rich creep for the hatcheries they tended. It was slow work, but it turned out that fifty drones assisting and feeding a single hatchery had barely made it equal to twelve drones gathering from a semi-circle of mineral deposits.
The overlords were floating over their fellow zerg, but the main concentration of them mainly hovered over the central hive cluster. The overlords, from a distance, could be seen as a giant mass of purple, dark beige, and green. There were so many of them that they had formed a literal cloud in the center of the zerg infestation. It provided nearly constant cloud cover for any zerg at the cluster, though light rarely trickled down from above at times.
The small population of roaches sharpened their claws as they got themselves ready for the shit-storm that was about to occur. Aside from the roaches, a few queens also joined them as field medics and anti-air personnel. A small amount of accelerant was used for mutating certain overlords at the furthest nydus worms to have ventral sacs, which would help transport the queens around any areas that still lacked creep. Zerg queens were slow when they had no creep to skate on, after all.
But the zerg swarm's main problem was the infected overlord and the trickle of accelerant that hindered their mutations. At least Kay was happier to know that the offensive and defensive capabilities of the zerg mutated further, making them even more lethal and more hardy. But still, how would one protect an overlord when their enemy could potentially strike them from any side? The answer was simple. Take the infected overlord out of the fight. The infected overlord would be joined by its own overseer bodyguard that traveled with it. Once they received their commands, they flew high up in the air and several kilometers away from the battlefield. It would at least ensure that if the zerg hive cluster ended up becoming decimated by the coming battle, the infected overlord would not die and spread its deterioration to the other zerg strains. The drones within itself had already died, but the queens kept themselves and the overlord they were riding within alive.
Speaking of space-bound overlords, the one that had been sent to the hexagonal moon a long time ago was slowly making progress. Sure, it suffered severe sunburns, but it still made good progress. If Kay was correct in his calculations, then one more day needed to pass in order for the overlord to finally make it to the hexagonal moon. More or less. A new hive cluster on the moon had the potential to benefit Kay and Virid's Swarm, via by supplying flying strains that can attack any location on Planet Kiln. However, Kay and Virid were unsure if the planet had useful materials the Swarm could utelize. What kind of resources could a geometric moon hold anyway?
PANIC!
A zergling that was north-northeast looked up when it felt a rumble in the ground. A wide machine, with four tall rectangular towers on wheels were attached to the sides of this giant vehicle as it rolled forward noisily. It looked to be more than two hundred and fifty meters long, and one hundred meters wide. Several cylindrical shapes were stored on the underside of the machine, and a large square hatch was located on the underside of its center. The whole central machine somehow kept itself even, even when it ran up and down the sand dunes while loudly strolling forward. Large metal screws, the size of trucks, were in each rectangular tower that connected to the giant vehicle, and each screw would turn to keep the whole machine balanced. The zergling had no idea what was above this vehicle since it was underneath this massive machine.
However, that didn't stop it from investigating and attacking the great machine. The machine was large, but the zergling wasn't deterred from striking one of the wheels that was connected to these towers. The wheel at one of the towers was immense in size, but it traveled at a slow enough pace for the zergling to keep up with it and continue its assault on the wheel. The wheel was made of metal, but stronger claws was able to make it slowly dwindle in size.
The whole machine then stopped. The zergling backed off from its attack to watch the machine with curiosity, eager to see what happened next. As it absorbed whatever information it gleaned, it was instantly shared with the whole swarm. That is to say, both Kay and Virid was using the zergling to analyze this giant machine's reaction to its tiny attacker.
The central hatch opened up and a platform suddenly dropped down, revealing machines of an oblong diamond shape that floated. Five gilanian soldiers stood on these machines and shot off from the platform, and they used these machines to hover above the ground with expert movement. They slid and surfed above the sand as though it was water, propelling themselves forward by an unknown and unexplained force. They proceeded to circle the zergling that dared to gnaw at the rectangular tower's wheel.
One of them began shouting. "Jeembawb, ready your tranq gun! Boss wants this one for the copper coats!"
A shot from a rifle added to the noise of the humming oblong diamond devices and the zergling felt force applied on its left flank. A tranquilizer dart tried to enter its carapace, but it had only ricocheted off of the living armor, punching straight into the ground instead. The zergling screeched and tried to rush after its potential attacker. Once the zergling came close enough, it struck out with its claws and teeth, only to have the surfing machine uppercut it. "Whoa! Kleetis, this thing is a grumpy one! Tranq round didn't connect! I'm thinkin' this thing got a tougher hide than we thunk!"
The other soldiers arrived to assist the tranquilizing expert, using roped sticks to try and tie down the zergling. One managed to tie their looped rope onto an attack-claw. The soldier was having difficulty trying to maintain his hold. "WHOA! Need some help here! Get some more capture nooses around it! Watch out for the pointy bits! This thing is stronger than it looks!"
The zergling gnawed at one of such capture sticks, which resulted in it breaking apart, its rope noose no longer useful. However, more capture nooses assailed the zergling right after its brief freedom. Two nooses were tied to one of its legs, another onto its neck, while another noose was lucky enough to tie over both attack claws. "Its tusks are hard to get around. Jeembawb! Use some shocker rounds this time!"
The sniper changed ammunition by the request of his teammate. "Aight aight, Kaisie, I heard you. After that though, I'm shootin' the jag in its mouth." After including a new bullet to his weapon's cartridge, the sniper fired a specialized bullet that paralyzed the zergling with electricity. The zergling tried to scream in pain, but the effort was futile as another round shot right into its mouth. Its senses quickly deadened, forcing it to lay limp. After a few seconds of analyzing their subdued target, the sniper reached into his person for a short-range handheld radio. "Boss, this is Jeembawb. Mission accomplished. We got the jag to sleep, and are ready to move it on board."
[Excellent work, Jeembawb. Commander Kralluf would be pleased with our work. We'll send you a dune boat to transport that blade hound back to Kralluf's desert platform, so sit tight.] Jeembawb's radio barked.
Jeembawb cocked his head. "Yeah uhm... Why are we not usin' the MEM device to move this jag to him isntead?"
[I heard that a scientist tried to transfer samples of a body killed by zerg poison encountered a complication. However, we will attempt to MEM shift the blade hound as per standard extraction protocols. Send the blade hound up to us. If we encounter the same problem, then we'll send a dune boat down to you afterwards. You are to remain down there and protect our desert platform.]
Jeembawb sighed. "Got it, boss." He pocketed the short-range radio with another sigh.
"More jags! Blade hounds coming in toward the front of the desert platform!" One of the oblong diamond machine riders shouted.
Jeembawb turned to see a small collection of zerglings had grouped up and decided to start their attack. Jeembawb threw down his tranquilizer rifle and took out what appeared to be SMG-like weapons. "Alright fellas! Get your sand-boards ready for a tussle with them blade hounds! Protect the desert platform! EMPEROR BE BLESSED!"
"EMPEROR BE BLESSED!" All of the other sand-boarders yelled in unison before splitting off and circling around the front wheels of the giant machine, which Kay assumed was what they referred to as the desert platform.
The sand-boarding soldiers rode forward and matched the speed of the zerglings, gunning them down with alien weapons that shot pistol, SMG, and assault rifle bullets of gilanian craftsmanship. The zerglings would suffer minimal damage, but could burrow into the sand should their carapace became close to being compromised. The sand-boarders were quick to this tactic, and opted to strike down a single zergling with enough firepower to stop it from burrowing and entering the safety of the sand in time. The zerglings changed tactics, losing interest with the sand-boarders and going for one of the wheels of the desert platforms. The damage that one zergling had caused was multiplied by a factor of ten, and they quickly ruined the wheel. Jeembawb fished out his hand-held radio. "Boss, it's Jeembawb! Them blade hound jags are cuttin' up the platform's front-right wheel up good! Use your turrets on the dang things!"
[Request accepted. Offering assistance now. Hold your tails!] Eight cylinders under the platform opened up and revealed a type of rotating turret system. The zerglings could see that these were manned by gilanians, and the turrets opened fire on the zerglings at the giant front-right wheel. They were being mowed down more quickly than expected, so they all quickly burrowed themselves at once. After a few seconds more of continuous manned turret fire, Jeembawb's radio barked again. [Jeembawb, the blade hounds are under the sand. Looks like they're copying the shryik serpent's main strategy. How's our wheel?]
"Alright, fellas! Get our sleepy jag on board the platform so the boss can deliver it!" As Jeembawb shouted that command, his subordinates dragged the drugged zergling onto the lowered platform, and then slowly brought it into the hatch that closed afterwards. Jeembawb hovered over the wheel and gave it a long once-over. "It don't look good boss. Looks like the wheel was being chewed off."
[Chewed off? But it's made of solid metal!]
"Yeah, but I'm tellin' ya, boss! It's been chewed to bits! Looks like we'll be draggin' our feet if we don't cut off a leg."
[Can we still roll?]
"Uhh... Nope, not as we is. We might have to ditch the wheel support tower entirely if we want to speed out of here." Jeembawb said, slightly leaning over his sand-board.
[*sigh* Damn it all. Engineers! We lost the front-right wheel-tower! We also need to cut some extra weight off! Cut a half from the front-left and back-right wheel-towers! We're going into low-terrain mode!] Jeembawb's boss ordered.
As the entire rectangular tower made heavy clunk sounds, it shifted its weight and fell down, landing on the sand to make a thundering 'whump' sound. Two other rectangular towers bent in half and then fell onto the sand in a similar manner, but with half of the impact. However, Jeembawb quickly reeled backwards reflexively when a zergling tried to surprise him with a claw to his face. "WHOA! These jags are sneaky! Boss, it's gettin' pretty molty down here! Request permission to board the platform?"
[I haven't gotten confirmation from the MEM device technician that the MEM transfer was successful. Sit tight for ah... Excuse me for a second. Hmm? ... Dammit. Alright Jeembawb, new mission. Our MEM device is incapable of transferring the blade hound to a secure location. Were sending you a dune boat down, and it has important live cargo. Think you can outrun your little zerg monsters?]
Jeembawb rotated his sand-board and smacked a zergling in the face. "That's what I hope! These jags are quick little critters, but I'm feelin' pretty sure we're fast enough to outrun em'."
[I'll tell the driver to slow down so you can get on. We'll send out our combat fliers to assist you.]
Jeembawb circled a zergling before running it over. "I ain't much for the stratergizing type, boss, but could you send some scout fliers over to their turf too? Ol' Jeembawb is gettin' a bad feelin' bout' this."
[*sigh* Fine. At least we might figure out how far these blade hounds have traveled just to meet us.] A minute later, several triangular flying machines flew into view, originating from the top of the desert platform. Some appeared to have weapons installed into their frame, while there were others that had none, containing different equipment. The hatch under the platform opened up again and a new vehicle was introduced. A trapezoidal-shaped metal contraption rolled off of the lowered platform, which ran over two zerglings as it disembarked. The zerglings decided to burrow to safety, just before they risked becoming more roadkill victims. The machine had several rotating turret placements on its front, sides, and rear, making it an effective light-armored anti-infantry weapon. There was a zergling that was placed into a cage and tied onto the top the vehicle.
"Alright fellas! Assist the dune boat! Don't let them jags get their jag buddy back!" Jeembawb announced, hovering next to the dune boat and matching its speed. The 'combat' fliers, as they seemed to be called, followed after the escaping dune boat with its cargo. The 'scout' fliers flew in the opposite direction and fanned out, avoiding the ground battle the desert platform was engrossed in.
However, the zerglings didn't pursue their 'jag buddy' held captive. More zerglings did eventually appear over the horizon to assist in terrorizing the desert platform, but none gave chase to the retreating party. The eight turret emplacements underneath the desert platform shouted their curses as their physically wounding ammo wounded their attackers, but the battle had soon become short lived once the damage became more than superficial. The desert platform tilted dangerously when another leg was whittled down to nothing. When the entire structure managed to finally tip over, it gave the zerglings a chance to see what was on top of the desert platform. There were a series of tents that was located at the back of the platform, and several siege sized weapons were located on the front. Several vehicles of different designs, mostly dune boats and sand-boards, was littered in the center. From the zerglings' perspective, they could see all gilanian personnel quickly entering a circular plate and disappearing in what looked like blue-white static light. The zerglings killed at least twenty six soldiers, but many more survivors used the desert platform's MEM device and managed to escape with their lives. The zerglings quickly destroyed the machine, and then proceeded with the disassembly of the desert platform using only their claws.
The sand-boarders and combat fliers assisting the escaping dune boat had an easier mission. It was a ten minute ride before they reached an area of safety that was away from the theater of war. One of the dune boat's protectors decided to pipe up.
"Yo, who's drivin'?" Jeembawb asked as he knocked on the heavy metaled cockpit, where only slits showed the inside of the driver's uniform.
"It's me Jeembawb. Jub." Said the driver.
"Jub?! Oh hey sis! I didn't expect seein' you here!" Jeembawb said with a broad and elated smile.
"Clamp your jowl, Jeembawb."
"Yeah, well, not till you give me info on when we're nearin' safety an such."
"You can already see it in the distance, Jeembawb. Quite bugging me."
And as per Jub's declaration, they were already quickly closing in on another enormous desert platform. This one was larger than the other desert platform. It was a giant machine that had six wheel towers, and was three hundred meters long. The machine was decorated with various cloths of silver and blue, signifying its importance as a desert platform belonging to someone of a high military position. Oddly enough, a line of several other desert platforms were parked to the left and right of this huge machine. The swarm knows of this because the zergling that was tranquilized was slowly becoming more lucid and in control, since the zergling played the 'tranquilized animal' trick in the presence of the other soldiers. It was a lot like the 'playing dead' trick, except the zergling made them believe that it was tranquilized.
The hatch under the largest desert platform opened, while the dune boat and its escort of sand-boarders boarded the impressively large machine. The zergling's cage was handled delicately and placed on a wheeled carrier before moving to the back of the desert platform. Once there, the zergling was able to see Commander Kralluf silently cursing to himself. When the wheeled carrier brought the zergling cage to a stop in the command tent on what was supposedly Kralluf's desert platform, Kralluf turned to inspect the organism from a safe distance. "Hmm..." Kralluf said, voicing his curiosity. "Never saw these things up close and in person before. The video communication link made them look larger than I thought." The tent was filled with many kinds of computer equipment, and there were many screens that showed the first-person perspective of some gilanian soldiers, or showed a camera perspective that was on a desert platform or vehicle.
Jeembawb slammed his hand on the cage a few times. "Yep. This 'un blade hound here nearly took my face off. Managed to bite a capture noose in half before I needed to get an electric shocker round into its hide, and then tranqed it in the mouth right afterwards. But then we had to leave when more of them jags came and crippled the desert platform I was stationed on."
Kralluf sighed before turning to talk to Jeembawb. "What was the assigned number of your desert platform?"
"Oh. Uh..." Jeembawb seemed to forget what number it was.
Jub stepped forward, sighing. "It's desert platform nine hundred, sir."
Kralluf shook his head at Jeembawb. "What's the condition of desert platform nine hundred?" When his staff changed the screen that showed the condition of the desert platform, Kralluf couldn't help but sigh when he saw its destroyed condition. "Figures. One of our machines have been destroyed, and we ended up with a hick on board my platform!"
Jub coughed. "Sir, I mean no disrespect, but he is my brother."
Kralluf looked at Jub for a second before scoffing. "Then congrats, Jub. You get to stay on my desert platform, while your brother and his men goes out to do the fighting for you." He then turned to Jeembawb. "As for you, trapper, you go ahead and get on that MEM device and transfer to desert platform eight-nine-nine." Kralluf said, pointing to a nearby circular pad.
Jeembawb looked taken aback, but he sighed before going onto the MEM device. After some console fidgeting from the technicians, Jeembawb's matter was shifted into energy, and then sent away to be turned back into matter somewhere else. His fellow sand-boarders joined him shortly after, since they too used to belong to Desert Platform 900. Jub, on the other hand, was indifferent to this event. Jub saluted to the commander. "Lieutenant Jub, sir. Reporting for duty."
Kralluf lazily gestured to Jub. "Eh, stand there and look pretty." He turned to his staff. "Observation and surveillance teams. Relay the recordings of Desert platform nine-zero-zero to me, then send copies to General Pallax and Commander Faddoh. Play the recording on the main screen and sub screens here." After looking at the carnage that had occurred, added with the audible commands that were issued by the higher-ups and the screaming of the dying gilanians, Kralluf made a very deep sigh. "I swear. Every time I look at these critters, it seems like they get even more dangerous."
Jub nodded. "I think dealing with these monsters might be a more difficult task than previously thought. In fact, dealing with these enemies might as well be a jagged affair, sir."
Kralluf turned to Jub and pointed a finger to her. "Don't you start calling them jags too, Jub. Especially since I know the guy that seems to be breeding them. He isn't any ordinary jag. He's smart. That much I can tell just from looking him in the eyes."
Jub blinked. "... You have been close to the enemy, sir?"
Kralluf smiled. "Close enough to hear him breathe." He then turned to his staff. "New orders from the Crescent Arms command! Desert platforms zero-zero-two to eight-zero-zero, form a perimeter around that purple slime on the ground, but don't enter too far in that the blade hounds start nipping at your heels. You have permission to fire at will on anything that is colored purple, brown, green, and looks like it will eat you. Desert platforms eight-zero-one to eight-five-zero, provide assistance to the assault force. Desert platforms eight-five-one to eight-nine-nine, you will be the assault force. Desert platforms eight-zero-one to eight-nine-nine are to gather south to the edge of the northern zerg territory and deliver two explosives that will be detonated to the center of this infestation. The mission will be fielded under my direct command. Once all forces are in position, I shall order for the assault operation to begin. Get in position, soldiers of Gollog! Know that your service to the empire will be heavily rewarded, if our immortal emperor deems your conduct worthy of reward! Go forth and make him proud!"
"... So Virid. Do you think he knows that we can eavesdrop on his commands?" Kay asked, completely calm.
Virid hissed. "He thinks that we don't know where he is, too. He is completely wrong. Shall I summon a nydus worm and send the special forces group to assassinate him?"
Kay tapped at his chin. "... You know what? We could be a little daring. Let's play that card near the end of this battle. If Kralluf decides to flee the scene if he knows that he would lose, that would be the window we need to spring our little surprise for him."
Virid sighed, but then nodded. "I would suggest allowing him to believe that we are close to being defeated. That should be when we spring our trap."
Kay nodded as well. "Then a compromise. Turn it into a war of attrition and let both our numbers dwindle. Simply put, we match their strength instead of trying to overcome it. Only then do we spring that trap when both sides on the surface have suffered."
Kay couldn't help but hear Virid trilling happily. "As you command."
The ninety eight desert platforms moved into position, taking much of the late morning to get ready. It was obvious to understand that once midday arrived, the command to attack would begin. Fourteen kilometers north from the zerg infestation, the desert platforms congregated and got ready for the assault.
Kralluf nodded, seeming to be pleased of the speedy positioning of his men. But they are not to act. Not yet. Kralluf turned to his men. "Staff. Send a call to the holy emperor. Six of my best, stand behind me. Jub. Have you ever wanted to see the emperor with your eyes?"
Jub's eyes widened with surprise. "Uh... If it's not too much trouble, then yes, sir."
Kralluf nodded as six of his highest officers stood behind him. Kralluf waited whilst the call for Emperor Gollog was requested. After a few seconds passed, the image of an albino gilanian wearing white and opalescent clothing was shown on their screen. Kralluf saluted. "Oh holy liege, the dreaming immortal, the incarnate of divine will, I call upon you. Emperor Gollog, I request your permission to lay waste to the enemies of our empire. Awaiting your commands."
Emperor gollog smiled. [Allow us to revel in the moment. It isn't quite midday yet, and I wish to see this unique enemy through my godly eyes first.]
Kralluf bowed. "Yes, my liege."
Gollog turned and shifted the camera to pan its view to a pearly white interior with several ivory columns. A new screen showed the top-down view of the area of battle. Several blue dots surrounded a purple circle, and there was a collection of several more blue dots on the lower-left part of the screen, within the blue circle. [As you are well aware, these 'zerg' entities have the impressive ability to expand their control of the land in response to an aggressive threat. I have witnessed the speed of their growth, and have considered them to be a threat to my rule and the empire. The purple slime on the ground has spread at a phenomenal rate, and several more zerg organisms have been located and identified. There is a possibility that there is an underground nest that is breeding more of their numbers. From what I am able to glean, these monsters might have been the result of genetic engineering gone wrong, and they have made their home in the Hidden Water Spring Tribe's base of operations, most likely an underground village. judging from their numbers and expansion, this infestation may have started months or years ago. Due to their speedy method of expansion, I predict that it would take these monsters a little more than a week, perhaps two, to overtake Kiln. I decree that this must not be allowed.]
"Uh-uh-uh-A week?!" Kralluf exclaimed. Even the officers behind him paled as their emperor said that, while audible cussing was whispered by the rest of Kralluf's staff.
The view returned to Gollog's face. [Fret not, my young people. Your deaths shall determine the validity of these dangerous monsters. In fact, since the day is reaching its peak, I shall see about assisting you in the battle.]
"You don't mean..."
[Oh, but I do. I feel that much of my abilities have only ever been used in ceremonious displays over the years. But as it stands, I must break tradition in order to save it.] Gollog paused before his gaze shifted somewhere else. [Oh! I see that you have one of his beasts. Send that creature to Commander Faddoh at once.]
Kralluf bowed. "I cannot, my emperor. The soldiers on desert platform nine hundred reported that their MEM device experienced a malfunction when they tried to shift the blade hound to Faddoh's facility."
Gollog raised a scaly eyebrow. [Really? May I see this malfunction in effect?]
Kralluf nodded, snapping his fingers to prompt one of his officers to deliver the, convincingly tranquilized, zergling to the MEM device that Jeembawb and his group used. After placing the caged zergling onto the MEM device's shifter plates and inputting the coordinates to send the zergling to the facility which had someone called 'Faddoh' in charge of it, they activated the device. The MEM device started to glow its blue and white static that chimed its use, which enveloped the caged zergling a second later. However, several beeping noises was heard from the machine and the glow immediately dissipated. The officer checked the device several times before he came back with a conclusion. "Uh. ... I apologize, sir. The MEM device indicates that the blade hound has some kind of biological defense against energy conversion. That, or it's too biologically advanced for the device to shift it to its destination. I am unsure of which."
Gollog frowned, whilst Kralluf sighed. "I apologize, my lord."
Gollog raised his hand. [There is no need to apologize, Kralluf. I wanted to see the error for myself. As it stands, you may need to keep the beast as it is. You have a long trek before you. Go to one of Faddoh's nearest facilities, and I suggest starting now! In doing so, you may take command of your forces as you travel there. If by chance you need my assistance, simply request it.]
Commander Kralluf snapped his fingers again, prompting one of his officers to bow before leaving to tell the new orders to the pilot of the desert platform. Kralluf sighed. Judging from the facial expression that Kralluf was just emoting, it was going to take a long trip. "Yes, my liege. It shall take a long time before I arrive, but by my will, and your grace, it shall be done."
[Good. I believe it is already midday by now. You have my blessing to start the attack. I shall observe you battle. Unless you request my aid, of course. May your efforts reward you in my service.] Gollog said, tilting his head up and spreading his arms out before the communication channel ended.
Kralluf nodded with a sinister smile. The commander's personal desert platform came to life as he made his command, posing and raising his left hand forward. "New orders from Crescent Arms command! Initiate the assault! EMPEROR BE BLESSED!"
The gilanian soldiers shouted Kralluf's last sentence in unison as the desert platform roared to life and turned, moving away from the battle to begin its long sandy trek to the nearest Cube Research facility.
Elsewhere, the 98 desert platforms that had gathered north of the zerg territory came to life and began rolling southward. 49 of those desert platforms moved ahead of the slower group. Several flyers, both that could scout or had weapons attached to them, flew from the desert platforms and proceeded forward. The combat fliers would swoop down to the ground toward the zergling scouts and gunned them down. The zerglings that had managed to evade the aerial attackers were blown to pieces by the artillery cannons and turrets of the desert platforms.
[Hahahahaaaa! Another one bites the dust!] [Easier than sucking krell eggs.] [Blade hound dug under the sand. Pockmark that spot with artillery.] [There's even more of them the further up we go? How many of these jag zerg are there?] [No idea. I killed at least twenty by now.] [I'm on my thirty fifth kill.] [This is Kandyork, the scout captain of the primary assault force. I see a forest coming up ahead.] [A forest? In a desert? That's weird.] [From what I recall, there are no forests near Red Mountain.] [Those are some funny looking trees though!] [I don't think they are trees.]
But when the scout fliers neared the ring of crawlers, that was when the air-born machines started suffering casualties and losses.
[What the-AUGH~! *static*] [This is the scout captain Kandyork of the primary assault force, can I get a report on that scream?] [One of our scout fliers ran into something in the air. His aircraft looked like it was smoking before it crashed.] [Care to explain?] [No ide-HOLY SHIT! I'M GOING DOWN! REPEAT, I'M GOING DOWN! *static*] [Sir, something green looking flew from the zerg territory and attacked one of our scout fliers. Recommend proclaiming the area above the purple ground a no-fly zone.] [Not until we figured out how our own scouts are falling out of the skies. Can I get a volunteer to sacrifice himself?] [Well... I have an incurable cancer growing in my lungs. I might as well be the one to volunteer.]
A third scout flier had slowly hovered forward, whilst the other fliers, both combat and scout, hovered in place and watched. They then saw that the trees were not actually trees. A few of them began releasing a green projectile that seemed to follow after the scouting flier! No matter how much the flier tried to maneuver out of the path of the projectiles, they found their mark and damaged the intruder.
[THEY'RE NOT TREES! THEY'RE NOT TREES! THEY'RE NOT AAAAAAAAH~! *static*] [Primary assault force, this is scout captain Kandyork. Be advised. The trees ahead of your position are not trees. They are anti-air defenses. Over.] [We read you, Kandyork. You are to come and dock on the assisting assault desert platforms. The primary assault platforms shall use artillery to woodcut our problem. Over.] [Acknowledged. Over and out.]
The fliers flew away from the ring of crawlers, splitting their flight paths in half when the forward assault group of several desert platforms started unleashing their artillery. Just as the rounds started hitting the 'trees', they uprooted themselves and started moving away from the defense line.
[... Well THAT is something you don't see every day! Commander Kralluf, be advised. A new zerg organism has been detected. They look like some kind of tree that can uproot itself and walk around. Looks like there's two types. We know that one kind of them can shoot aircraft down.]
Kralluf sighed distressingly. "And just when I thought I saw everything! Proceed as planned, but stay cautious assault force. Don't take any necessary risks. Blast those things that think they're sentries for the zerg. ... Say, I think that's a good new name for them!"
[Uh... Yes sir. Targeting the zerg sentries now.]
The desert platforms rolled ever more slowly forward, the artillery shooting down any spine and spore crawlers that was in range of their shots. The turret and cannon emplacements stationed on the desert platform rained hell down on any nearby scouting zergling that decided to strike out against the incoming warpath of 49 desert platforms. Despite the slow progress, their movement was made slower when the platforms finally drove over the expanded creep fields. An attack from under the desert platforms finally began when 20 of those platforms crossed over the creep. Roaches unearthed themselves and began covering the wheels of the large machines with bubbling liquid spit. Around five to ten roaches per group focused on one of two wheel towers, which severely crippled the desert platforms' movement.
[Fucking jag zerg! Be advised! There are underground enemies! Looks like them pukers the briefing talked about! They're melting our wheels too!]
"Enter walker mode. Be sure to keep moving as you strike down all hostile organisms you see. If you need to evacuate using the MEM device, then only do so when your desert platform is about to be compromised." Kralluf ordered.
The wheel towers of the desert platforms changed from rolling around, to moving forward in a walking motion. The joints of the towers would rise up, rotate, descend down, counter-rotate, and repeat this process, allowing this mechanical means of transportation to be achieved. The acid of the roaches reduced the size of the legs, but the desert platforms kept walking forward uninterrupted, for a time. There were a few desert platforms that had been permanently grounded, but the crew of those crippled vessels managed to escape before too many of their numbers dwindled dangerously.
[YOW!] [What was that?!] [New zerg organism detected! ... What is that thing?!] [It's brought company! Is that its sister or something?!] [It's firing at our manned turrets! Shoot at it! Shoot at it!] [There's another one!] [Shoot at that too!]
New organisms began accosting the Golden Star Empire at that moment. These new zerg were the zerg queens. They strode forward with purpose and towered over many of the other zerg organisms. When they reared back, whatever their 'wings' were pointed at had a spine lodged into it. Whatever those spines was embedded into created a lot of steam as bubbling fluid trickled from the newly made holes a few seconds later. At first, it was the anti-air spore crawler organisms that crippled their air superiority. Now, another type of zerg organism was directly attacking the turret and cannon emplacements on the desert platforms. They seemed to move in groups of two or three as they targeted the intruders in their territory. Kralluf leaned forward and stomped his feet. "TARGET THOSE JAGS LIKE THEY FUCKED YOUR SISTERS! THEY HAVE A RANGED ATTACK, AND ARE TAKING DOWN YOUR DESERT PLATFORMS' WEAPONS! USE AN ARTILLERY STRIKE ON DOWNED PLATFORMS IF YOU HAVE TO! ... Oh gods. Now I'M calling them jags."
20 of the 49 desert platforms that crossed the creep fields have been slowly torn down, and then destroyed. However, the surviving primary assault group, and the assisting assault group, opened fire with their artillery in an impressive show of force. Many of the roaches and queens burrowed themselves into the safety of the ground, but a few of the zerg units that were still attacking a leg or destroying a desert platform was unmade by an artillery explosion. Much of the other desert platforms were also explosively unmade as well.
And that was when the zerglings emerged from the ground. Literally hundreds of zerglings emerged from the creep and sprinted toward their enemy with excited bloodlust. The fusillade that struck the roaches, the queens, or the newly emerged zerglings did little to deter them, and they didn't back off when yet another barrage of shells rained down on them. Another 20 desert crawlers had their legs reduced to nothing, and platforms would be slated for destruction. Kralluf stared at the battle unfolding before him with wide eyes. "So many..." He sighed in surprise for several seconds before he turned to his staff again. "Dammit. They took down the platform carrying the bomb. Make the call to the emperor."
After one of his officers connected Kralluf to Gollog, the emperor had gave the commander of the Crescent Arms Division a serious stare. [Kralluf. You are aware that by asking for my assistance, you are willing and prepared to sacrifice something of my choosing. Do you have a request?]
Kralluf nodded and bowed. "Yes my lord. I have need of your smiting powers, and I request that you smite the monsters that their leader calls 'zerg'. A great number of these beasts have killed my men, and I wish for the zerg to be dead. I pray that your power can fulfill my request."
Gollog smiled and nodded. [I find your request within my power to accomplish. AND NOW, WITNESS AS I LET A SLIVER OF MY RED HOT RAGE FLOW OUT, LIKE THE WRATH OF AN EXPLODING STAR! I SUMMON FORTH MY DIVINE SMITE!]
Kay and Virid didn't see it coming. Kragnon should have been more specific when he said that 'he can summon the power of the orbiting sun to smite the foes that angered him'. All in all, the attack acted similarly to the energy pistol weapon that Raxa used. However, the damage of that energy pistol, compared to the current bullshit that was happening, was multiplied around a thousand times, if not more!
"Oh fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck, how do we defend against THAT?!" Kay shouted, holding onto the sides of his head and tugging at his hair. He winced when he forgot to refrain from pulling his mock-hair.
Virid hissed loudly. "Such a powerful weapon! Anything that is akin to a protoss purification beam must be destroyed!"
Kay nodded. "Yeah, it should be destroyed, but how do WE destroy it?! Is the super beamy death weapon the sun itself?! How do we even destroy a sun?!"
Virid sighed and stepped on Kay's foot. He yelped as he grappled at his foot that now had a deep and bloodied hole. Virid then turned to Kay. "We will adapt to a way where we can, and will. Remember that we are not in a conventional space. The people of this world have said that this was a prison world after all. So, if you think you can be calm, help me command the brood as we fight off these trespassers."
Kay looked at his foot and saw that the gash Virid made with her crabby/insect feet was healing quickly. He got up from the ground and stared intently at Virid, slightly agitated that his foot had been injured. "... Are you seeing a strategy that I'm missing?"
Virid bowed. "Corvurn holds our answers. He spoke to me that he will soon create new strains that will strengthen our brood. He is currently making a spore cannon that can transmit special mutations to guarantee our success, or attack enemies that are great distances away. Even in orbit. I believe this is what you might call vision."
"Spore cannon?!" Kay shouted his surprise. Since it was wartime, everyone was a little on-edge. Even Kay.
"It is not available to us yet, but soon." Virid replied.
Kay paused for a long time before slumping and sighing, feeling defeated. "... Kay. But if you're going to knock my senses back into me, try a less painful method first?"
Virid sighed. "As you command."
The battlegrounds was razed with energy that originated from the sun above the battlefield, a raising blaze of destruction burning and evaporating the zerg it touched. The beam burned the creep away with such speed that it caught fire and vanished. The zerglings that were caught in its tyrannical attack suffered for a split second before disappearing in a flash of flame, gore, and char. The zerglings tried to burrow under the safety of the creep and sand after several seconds of the beam weapon struck them from the heavens, but only the zerglings that weren't directly under the deathly weapon survived. Some were cooked partially under the glassed sand, but the zerglings' regeneration enabled them to auto-cannibalize themselves and reintegrate their barbecued flesh back into their bodies. The attack was so devastating for the zerg forces, but they felt no fear from the experience. The roaches and the queens were marginally better off since they had more health and armor, compared to the zerglings.
Kralluf sighed before issuing his next command, even when he was retreating with his stored zergling onboard his desert platform. "How many survivors in the assault groups?"
One of his staff checked the numbers. "Uh... I'm counting about 8 desert platforms still functional in the primary assault group. 49 are undamaged and intact in the assisting assault group."
Kralluf grunted. "Have the assist group merge with the primary group, and cannibalize whatever tech they can from the disabled or destroyed desert platforms. Their main goal is to retrieve the bomb from the primary assault group. After that, they are to proceed further into the heart of zerg infestation. Once they are in the center, activate the bomb timer and get them out of there."
As the assist group and the remaining primary assault group merged together, hidden monsters ran to and burrowed underneath the wrecks of the fallen desert platforms. When the sand-boarders and dune boats were deployed to salvage the wreckage for ammo and parts, they would be silently assailed by stealthy assassins of carapace and claw. However, they would be surprised during their recovery operation.
[Salvage group 1, standing by.] [Salvage group 2, standing by.] [Salvage group 3, standing by.] [Salvage group 4, standing by.] [Salvage group 5, standing by.] [Salvage group 6, standing by.] [Salvage group 7, standing by.] [Salvage group 8, standing by.] [Salvage group 9, standing by.] [Salvage group 10, standing by.]
[This is Colonel Zongtoth, acting officer for the salvage operation. This will be a quick sweep, people. Find the explosive in this mess and we can double our yield to our jag zerg fuckers. You'll be looking for a rectangular box that looks copper and green. It'll have a lot of blinking green and yellow lights and two handles on either side. It'll be big, and it'll take at least two people to carry it. The bomb also has a beacon installed into it, and it will emit a shadow frequency signature that can be tracked. By now, all of you should have your locators aligned to its signature. The captain of each salvage group should have their own locators, and it is your job to retrieve it.] Said Colonel Zongtoth over the radio, slowly.
[Uh... Sir? It's moving.] [Yeah, I'm reading that too. Two hundred feet east. Two hundred twenty five. Two hundred and fifty.] [Colonel, I think that takes it outside the initial search areas.] [What the hell? Is it past the sand platform wrecks of the primary assault group?!]
[... To hell with this. Can some scout fliers fly east and see if the bomb is moving over there? Be sure to avoid the zerg sentries.] Said Zongtoth.
[Scout Flier Group 1 of desert platform eight forty four, taking off now.]
A sand platform's vehicular cargo came to life, as weaponless triangular fliers took to the skies and speedily flew to where the bomb box was said to be located. It didn't take the fliers long to spot two zerglings carrying a rectangular box on their back, running in synergy. They balanced the box on their backs while their attack-claws carefully held it so it didn't fall or slide off.
[Uhhhhhhhhh, this is Scout Flier Group 1, we found the explosive package. It's being carried away by two blade hounds.]
Colonel Zongtoth was now clucking mad. [Salvage groups, get on your dune boats and sand-boards! Chase after those jags and get that bomb back!]
The dune boats and sand-boarders were swiftly deployed, riding off of the desert platforms in a mad dash toward the two zerglings making off with their explosive. [Dune boats are a little slow, so sand-boarder units better go on ahead. What even is this purple stuff?] Despite the dune boats being slow and having slight difficulty catching up to the zerglings, the hovering capability of the sand-boarders were better suited to the pursuit.
The chase took a good while, and a little longer than the chasing gilanians expected, but the chasing party was met with an impasse. They got close to the two zerglings carrying the explosive device, but the zerglings escaped into a forest of spine and spore crawlers. The fliers were wise enough to avoid confrontation with the spore crawlers, but the ground crew had no experience with the spine crawlers. Two sand-boarder soldiers were impaled through the chest, three through their limbs, and that was when the soldiers decided that they gained just enough firsthand experience with the spine crawlers.
[Colonel, some of the guys sent for the bomb recovery mission got killed by the zerg sentries. The ones that look like whip trees tore a hole through their chests. Some lost some arms and a leg. But more important than that, I think I found some new zerg organisms.]
Kralluf stood forward. "This is commander Kralluf. What is your description of the creatures? My observation staff is cycling through the camera network to see them on your end."
[Well, uh... One looks like a big pyramid to be honest with you, sir. But not like one made of stone, or metal, or wood, but... it kinda looks like its alive. Little wriggling things are coming out of it. There's also what I think is called an under beast next to it. ... Oh shit, and one of those shooty things are here! The ones that shot them acid spines! Looks like it's taking care of that pyramid thing. Sir, I have reason to believe that this pyramid thing is a zerg nest, and that the six legged thing with those freaky wings is its caretaker! There's also some floating things that are hiding behind that nest too. To be honest, it kinda looks like something I might steam, and then baste in some butter, sir.]
Kralluf nodded. "Congrats, recovery team. You just named the new organisms." Kralluf said. As an image was patched through to the main screen, Kralluf was able to see what the soldier described. He noticed the larvae coming out of the 'nest'. "... Make that four. Caretakers, nests, wrigglers and floaters. Commander Faddoh is going to love drinking all of this up."
[Oh shit, here we go! Sir? I believe I found the two jags that took our explosive. They're standing next to that under beast!]
Kralluf squinted his eyes as the image zoomed-in to view two zerglings that were carrying the explosive package. They seemed to be looking straight back at the sand-boarder group that followed them. He had a bad feeling about this. "See if you can retrieve the package without teasing the whipper or barnacle sentries. Assault group, you are to change course and arrive at the nest site the sand-boarder team discovered. Avoid using artillery fire. You might hit the bomb."
The sand-boarders accepted their orders and circled around the expansion cluster. The hatchery and nydus worm was heavily surrounded by the spine and spore crawlers, which made retrieval difficult. The sand-boarder retrieval team couldn't intercept the thieving zerglings' cargo, or they would suffer the consequences of the spine crawlers' impaler tentacles. The dune boats eventually met with the sand-boarding soldiers and they decided to make their attack. They kept out of the spine crawler's range as much as possible, and fired at the 'sentries' from a longer range than normal. They were slightly inaccurate, but the spine crawlers' health began to dwindle. This provocation made several zerglings emerge from the nydus worm and rush toward the current attackers. The dune boats were quickly bogged down as dangerous claws cleaved its armor distressingly. No matter how much the dune boats tried to run over the zerglings and get away, the combination of creep and a horde of zerglings had immobilized the vehicle. The sand-boarders fared slightly better, but the zerglings seemed to have renewed vigor as they seemed to move faster on the creep-covered ground. [Get here soon, please! These blade hounds seem like they're faster on this sludge!]
[Nearing your position soon. Redirect your forces to intercept us and we'll provide cover fire.] The sand-boarder soldiers ditched their dune boat vehicles, allowing those vehicles to be assailed and destroyed by the zerg. After the zerglings were finished with the dune boats, they directed their attention toward the absconding soldiers and rushed again to meet them, their metabolism fueled wings improving their sprint speed to reach maximum velocity.
However, the pursuing zerglings, despite getting close to the sand-boarders a few times, were decimated by the cannon and turret fire of the approaching desert platforms. The sand-boarders successfully joined with the desert platforms, and the platforms took their time to surround the nest before rolling forward and firing their cannons and turrets. When the first shots erupted around the hatchery and nydus worm, explosively delivered from the Crescent Arms forces, the two zerglings carrying the bomb went into the maw of the nydus worm and disappeared in its mouth. [... Uhhhhhh sir? Be advised. The blade hounds went into the mouth of that under beast.]
Kralluf sighed and rubbed at the temples of his head, a migraine most likely forming within his skull. "Dammit. Seems like we're going to have to dig for it. Recovery team, can you tell how far the bomb went underground?"
There was a pause. [... Sir, it's not underground. It's... south.]
"Come again, recovery team?" Kralluf hissed, looking annoyed.
[The uh... the locator is telling me that the hollow signature is now originating at the center of the zerg infested area.]
Kralluf started pacing and gritting his teeth. "What the hell is going on?! First these things made off with one of our bombs, and now you're saying it's directly in the center of zerg territory?! This doesn't make any damn sense! Why would these beasts act like thi-" Kralluf paused, but his expression became stern and smirked. "So it's in the heart of the zerg territory? Looks like my job became easier. Where did I leave that remote detonator?" Kralluf said aloud as he went to the side of the command tent. He rummaged through several devices on a workbench before plucking some kind of fancy looking remote controller. His staff raised their eyebrows while his highest ranked officers remained motionless. Jub didn't know how to react. "Assault group, you are to remain where you are. I will activate the satellite relay to remote activate the explosive, starting on the countdown of ten seconds." The observation staff returned to their work as Kralluf started counting down. "TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE! RECOVERY GROUP, REPEAT TO ME THE LOCATION OF THE SHADOW FREQUENCY SIGNATURE!"
A brief pause later, Commander Kralluf got his response. [What the... The shadow signature states that it is now twenty kilometers from our position.]
Kralluf smiled venomously. "Thought so. MEN! WE HAVE A MOLE IN OUR MIDST! SOMEONE IS RELAYING OUR RADIO COMMUNICATIONS TO OUR ENEMY, AND THEY ARE ADAPTING TO OUR STRATEGIES AND TACTICS! ASSAULT TEAM, RETREAT BACK TO THE PERIMETER DEFENSE! COMMENCE SHADOW FREQUENCY COMMUNICATION MODE UNTIL THE MOLE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AND NEUTRALIZED!" Kralluf turned to his highest officers. "You you and you, see if there is someone using a rogue signal. Communicate with the other desert platforms to find the double agent helping the enemy zerg. You, detain Jub here and frisk her for any kind of equipment that she might be hiding."
As one of his officers went to Lieutenant Jub to detain her, she struggled a little bit. "Wha- sir! Is this necessary?!"
Kralluf walked toward Jub and stared at her in a predatory manner. "I'm afraid so, Jub. I can't have a traitor in our midst, and I can't risk compromising my forces with a dangerous advantage that is in enemy hands. Until then, I'm detaining you until I find the double agent. Get her out of here." Jub was moved out of Kralluf's sight, despite her protestations. As Kralluf became silent, so did much of the staff as they became more invested in their work. A desk and chair was brought into the command tent, which was then bolted down in front of Kralluf. Once several wires, cables and computers were installed, Kralluf sat in the chair that was brought in and sighed. "I really hate using this thing." After setting his bladed hammer down, he quickly and busily typed on the keyboard with incredible speed.
Once the order was given, the assault group turned tail from the northern forward hatchery and retreated off of the creep territories. Their retreat was underway and they fell back without any further casualties. Once all of the active desert platforms had moved to creep-less sands, the drones immediately went ahead to replace the lost spine and spore crawlers, harvesting dead bodies and metallic junk to re-purpose into the swarm, or collecting nutrient-rich creep for the hatcheries. The circle of crawlers were slowly restored to its former glory, and most of the zerglings that was still discreetly burrowed within and around the forest of spine and spore crawlers became active. Some of them would replace the scouts that had scouted a kilometer from the creep territory to ensure that the inner territories would still maintain and have an early enemy detection system. Overall, the zerg forces have forced the gilanians to run back in a humiliating retreat.
"Welp! Now he knows we've been listening to him!" Kay pointed out.
Virid trilled. "He is a smart one. Corvurn will want to dissect Commander Kralluf's brain when he gets the chance. Capturing him alive and infesting him will reveal many secrets to us."
Kay nodded. "Yeah, well we don't know what he's typing, so this is going to make our defense a bit of a pain to manage. But it does seem like he's willing to pull away his assault forces, so this might as well be a Pyrrhic victory for us."
Virid hissed. "Our zergling forces can be easily replenished, but we must replenish all of the replacements soon. Our stored bio-matter resources will dwindle to nothing if we tried to defend against an assault four times larger than that last attack."
Kay chuckled before trying to imitate Commander Kralluf. "Have the zergling newborns merge with the existing zerglings, and cannibalize whatever dead zerg flesh or scrapped metal they can from the disabled or destroyed gilanian machines. Their main goal is to further protect the hive clusters and the creep territories from any future assaults. Then they are to proceed further into the heart of enemy territory. Once we have expanded further and reached the heart of our enemy, we activate the bomb timer and get out of there."
Virid turned to Kay and blinked a few times. "... Did you just imitated Commander Kralluf?"
Kay smiled and shrugged. "Not my best impression of him, to be honest. OW!" A zergling gnawed on Kay's heel again. "AGAIN WITH THIS ANKLE BITING!? GRAH!" Kay punted the zergling several meters away again, and another zergling that was close by hissed at him.
"Humor is not conducive to the swarm's evolution. Therefore, your outburst was a distraction." Virid said.
Kay harrumphed. "Let me have fun once in a while."
"Now wasn't the time." Virid retorted.
Kay sighed and decided to change the subject. "How about we review the unit composition our enemies used?"
Virid paused before continuing. "... Fine. Their army seems to be mainly composed of gilanian soldiers that focuses on using machines for travel. Their weapons are crude, but slightly less effective than terran technology. However, their technology are advanced in other respects. Each 'desert platform' has a built-in MEM device, which can easily transport soldiers to battle, or deliver supplies they would otherwise need. Their 'sand-boards' appear to hover over the ground, preventing them from making physical contact with the creep. Their 'dune boats', though hardy and able to fire its six turrets, is slow, acting more as a light tank. But the most distressing things I have learned from our battle was the purifier beam, the bombs they tried to use against us, and this 'shadow frequency communication mode'."
Kay nodded and paced back and forth. "Yeah... You'd think you've seen everything, until you get hit with the metaphorical curve-ball. Maybe we should make redundant bio-structures within the village cavern? You know, another roach warren, a nydus network, evolve a hatchery into a lair. Just in case that smite attack ever strikes us again."
Virid looked up in thought before nodding. "That is a reasonable tactic. If that purifier beam strikes at the main hive cluster, then we would lose the means to morph the larvae into the other combat strains on the surface. However, our accelerant would be greatly depleted."
Kay sighed. "I know you want to focus on storing as much of that stuff as possible, but we can't spend all our time just building up our resources and doing nothing else. What we REALLY need is to find more volcanic springs to place our extractors on."
Virid shook her head. "We found nothing else in the branching tunnels. The creep has spread to every dead end and found nothing else."
"Grah." Kay said, walking away from Virid and trying to think. "There has got to be something that we could do to stall the Crescent Arm's army from just amassing more of their numbers and bog us from all sides. We need to get past... no... Under the perimeter?"
"There is a chance that the perimeter defense knows of our burrowing capabilities, and has set those tremor sensing sensors to detect us."
Kay sighed and stomped on the creep. "Well... I dunno! Send an overseer over there and have a changeling run past the desert platform perimeter, get a nydus worm to sprout next to the changeling before it expires, and then spread out from there or something!"
Virid shook her head. "They are going to question the changeling, even if disguised as one of them. We were lucky the first time around that they did not became aware of this tactic. However, sending another changeling might risk a greater chance for them to discover the existence of changelings. It would make them review their strategies. They might devise a means to target infiltrating changelings, and focus on our destruction as a result."
Kay growled. "Dammit."
'Cease bicker. Evolution complete. New strains available.' The voice of Corvurn filled their heads, making Kay and Virid turn toward the tower in the underground village.
The both of them paused before Kay spoke. "... I can't tell if I should be excited or terrified with what Corvurn created."
Virid scuttled forward, seeming eager to meet with the evolution master. "We shall soon see."
Kay followed after Virid. "I hope that he's treating Kragnon well, or I'm going to have a word with him."
Virid neared the broken entryway into the tower. "The swarm is not known for their hospitality."
As Virid entered, Kay rolled his eyes as he followed after her. "Well... Making friends is a good way to make allies. To make friends, sometimes you have to be accommodating to a person's needs. That's pretty much how most friendships start. With camaraderie."
Virid hissed. "Sounds like some type of exotic fish food."
As Virid and Kay traveled up the tower, Kay would overtake Virid and travel ahead. Inside of the biggest cube of the underground cubed spiral tower, Kay saw that Kragnon was next to Corvurn, still searching through the information network. Kragnon seemed to be... listing somewhat. Corvurn seemed to be unchanged in his stance. Kay decided to break the silence at that moment. "So uh... I heard that new strains are available."
Kragnon turned and rubbed his eyes. Corvurn turned too, and pleaded his grasping hands together as he spoke to Kay. "Mentally created evolution chamber in underground village. Psionic hivemind input involved new materials and processes. Created new strain variant of creep tumor. Developed new strain variant of extractor."
Kay nodded in surprise, feeling like the evolution master had found something significant to work with. He turned to Kragnon and noticed his condition. "... Corvurn, don't take this the wrong way, but did you do something to Kragnon?"
Kragnon, the albino gilanian lovechief shook himself before speaking. "Hmm? Oh uh, no, he didn't do anything to me. I was just making sure he didn't break anything, or accepted any requests for a handle transfer with a military document."
Kay looked at Kragnon for a few more seconds. "... How long have you been awake?"
Kragnon blinked a few times before yawning. "Aaawn... Um. Yeah, I think I've been up for a while. What's the light cycle, Maiden?"
[Query detected. The light cycle is 74.223% waning.]
Kragnon sighed and slumped. "Oooh wow. Yeah, I think I'll be going to bed early."
Corvurn hissed. "Sleep unnecessary trait. Can remove. Swarm virus make better. Stronger. Able to be active indefinitely."
Kragnon held his hand up. "No, Corvurn. A thousand times no and more. You can ask whatever questions you need from Maiden or me at any other time, but I need sleep right now. Maiden, lock access to the information network to me only."
[Command detected. Access to information network is locked.]
As kragnon went past Corvurn, Kay decided to be the one to give a friendly goodbye to the gilanian. "Rest well, Kragnon. Sorry if my evolution master kept you up." He said, waving. Kragnon raised his hand and gestured his acknowledgement to Kay before proceeding out of the council chambers and disappearing. One could guess he was going to his own bedroom. With that out of the way, Kay turned to Corvurn. "So what are the new strains you developed?"
A/N: Above this line has a total of 10K + words for you guys to read. Enjoy!