Chapter 47: Moon of Silver
The surface on the hexagonal moon became eerily calm. The zerg organisms looked up and took heed of a small star moving across the surface of planet Kiln. Once one of the overseers had met its demise when it tried to intercept the star, it turned out to be the mechanized commander, Mecha-Kralluf. His flight path was analyzed by the overlords, and then calculated by Virid. Somehow, the newly revived commander is tracking and following after Kay. He was going after the zerg infestation at the dark side of the Day Circle, where Kay's leviathan had transported him to. He wasn't traveling to Whisper Stones to annihilate the hive cluster that grew there, nor was he continuing his assault on the infestation underneath Red Mountain. The giant mech commander was heading straight for Kay without any deviation, and Kay felt agitation crawl underneath his carapace.
"'Nothing personal.' Pfft. You killed one of my damn leviathans, you dipshit." Kay whispered to himself as he saw a mote of red and blue light approaching the hive cluster that has completely expanded over the entire surface of the hexagonal moon. He glared at that distant speck, which signaled a doom that was meant for him. But try as Mecha-Kralluf might, Kay was not going to let him accomplish his objective. "Corvurn, please know that I'm in the neighborhood. But you also should know that you're about to have an unwanted guest that's after me. Think you can use some of your resources to assist me and defend this hive cluster?"
'Troubling.' Corvurn replied. 'Unique enemy. Powerful attack exterminates leviathan strain. Assessing observed weaknesses... Assessment troubling. Must theorize more weaknesses. Test possible weaknesses. Gestating units for hive cluster defense. Spore cannons now attacking. Corruptors and scourge, intercepting.'
Kay nodded. "You do your thing." Kay focused his attention on the soaring light that was coming closer. The spore cannons adjusted their aim and fired their spore projectiles toward the incoming enemy. The corruptors, both patrolling the surface and being newly spawned, flew to the incoming foe in the hopes of eradicating it. The threat coming to the geometric lunar hive cluster would no doubt spell its destruction if it wasn't dealt with soon. But at the very second the spores, scourge and corruptors intercepted with the mech commander, brilliant red energy blew them apart once they got close to him. From the perspective of the corruptors, Kay could see that the giant mech had created a hollow sphere of red around himself, which shined brilliantly every time a projectile, or flying zerg organism, impacted this defensive energy field. "... Tch." Kay furrowed his brow as he witnessed Kralluf's defensive attack. Kay hadn't realize just how powerful the Crescent Arms commander had became!
After spearing through the squadrons of anti-orbital spores, and the intercepting scourge and corruptors, the giant mech slowed his approach to the surface of the hexagonal moon. Once Mecha-Kralluf adjusted his descent so that he would land softly on the surface of the hexagonal moon's surface, the creep he landed on broke apart with ripping and tearing, as though a enormous metal elephant stomped onto a crusty puddle of dried jelly. After a few seconds of being in a crouched position, Mecha-Kralluf stood up and slowly turned to the general direction that Kay's leviathan was located. It was at that point that Kay understood, by some unseen method unknown to him, that Mecha-Kralluf knew where he was at all times. At least, that's what Kay thought within that moment.
'Command organism Kay. Distraction needed for emerging zerg strains. Gestation incomplete.' Corvurn requested to Kay.
Kay nodded. "Alright. I'll see what I can do." Kay commanded the leviathan he was inside of to move toward the commander. Kay halted the leviathan's approach when it was six hundred meters away. The leviathan wouldn't be close enough to use its bio-stasis ability, but the distance also prevented the mech commander from literally jumping onto it. The mechanized commander was about to unleash his energy attack from both hands before Kay held up one of his in a passive manner. Kay wasn't entirely sure if Kralluf could see him from such a distance away, but he still gestured frantically to the mecha commander. "Hold on there, Kralluf. I want to share a few words with you."
The energy at Mecha-Kralluf's palms held their charge for a few seconds before they dissipated. Despite the massive difference in size between Kay and Mecha-Kralluf, the mech commander was able to see Kay's hyperactive gestures from within the leviathan's mouth.
Kay breathed a sigh of relief. "Kay then. Thank you." After a brief cough, Kay continued. "I merely wanted to tell you that I don't want to fight you, or your empire, any more."
Mecha-Kralluf tilted his head and lowered his arms. He seemed complacent to hear Kay out.
Kay nodded. "I know, it's an odd thing to say in the middle of battle. Didn't you remember the conversation we had when you, and those other commanders, built a perimeter defense around that hole in the ground at Red Mountain? ... Well, I say 'Red mountain', but I think it's more like 'Black Mountain' by now due to the ash and char. Or maybe it should be called 'Glass Mountain'?... I'm getting off topic. Anyway! What if I told you there was a way for your empire to completely get rid of the zerg once and for all?
Kay folded his arms behind his back. "The solution is as easy as it sounds. ...Well, not really, but if you simply allow the zerg a means to safely leave Kiln, the zerg will gladly leave and no longer inhabit your world. This war is only going to end in further suffering for the empire gilanians, and you have seen firsthand the horrors that the zerg are able to accomplish. Think of it like this: You give the zerg directions to the door out of here, and we will leave peacefully. The creep that covers your world and this moon will be removed, and I will work tirelessly to erase all traces of zerg infestation before I and the zerg leave the gilanians on Kiln alone, once and for all.
Kay started pacing back and forth. "The politics of gilanian dictatorship is not something I would condone, but I am the only outlier to Gollog's 'perfect system', which is destabilizing your economy and environment. I predict that if the zerg continued to fight your empire, then it is possible that ALL gilanians will either die, or become infested and suffer a fate worse than death. Their skin will crawl with hell, be turned insane from the infestation, become immortal against their will, and have their will be overtaken by the Swarm hivemind. Just imagine it! Unable to die, even if you had some semblance of a preserved self to wish for that embrace. No ounce of peace will ever be given as their minds are filled with savage instinct, forced into becoming pawns of the bigger picture. I'd imagine you would lose nearly all of your memories as you become a feral-minded infested gilanian. I know well enough that if the infestation is accelerated in an organism, the rapid viral growth will rip and tear at their brain matter.
Kay stopped his pacing and sighed. "But alas, I do grow tired of this pointless war. If the zerg continued as they are now, then they would be left with no challenging prey to hunt. No enemy to adapt to. No threat to survive from. The zerg would live without a purpose as they stand on the graves and battlefields that marked your undoing. In time, you would all become a distant memory. A faded legend. A forgotten myth.
Kay turned to Mecha-Kralluf and gestured to him. "I see you as the kind of person that wouldn't want to have his potential wasted away, and I can respect that. If I remained here with my swarm for the eternity that might come, then the only enemy that I would ever have to worry about would be boredom. And let me tell you, I know for a fact that immortality and boredom DO NOT MIX WELL TOGETHER. If you find us a way to leave, then you will no longer have to worry about the zerg. It's as simple as that! The empire can rebuild from its destruction, and you can go back to rebuilding your forces from your ruins without the fear of the Swarm looming over your heads, or under your feet.
Kay stretched out a hand toward Mecha-Kralluf. "So what do you say? Can we make a truce right here and now? Please let it be known that it was never my intention to be your foe, and I would prefer friendly collaboration over hostile enmity. I would rather be an ally than an enemy."
The giant mech commander paused for a while, unmoved from his current position.
Kay slowly lowered his hand as he stared at Mecha-Kralluf. "... Uh... So... Do you want to say something?"
Mecha-Kralluf looked left, then right, and then looked back at Kay.
"... Come on, man. Don't leave me hanging here. What's your answer?" Kay said impatiently.
Mecha-Kralluf pointed at the side of his giant mechanical head as it shook left and right. The giant robot then shrugged, almost as though...
'Uh... Corvurn? There is no atmosphere on the hexagonal moon, is there?' Kay asked.
'Correct.'
'... Bitch and a half, I am so goddamn stupid.' Kay telepathically sent to Corvurn whilst rubbing the temples of his head.
'Self insult unimportant. Gestation complete. Command dormant chrysalis' nearby to deploy.'
Mecha-Kralluf shrugged and shook his head again, and what followed after that gesture was the reddening palms of his mechanical hands that were pointed at Kay and his leviathan. 'Couldn't come at a more perfect time. Let's see what you... OH! Corvurn, when did you start spawning these?!'
'Command organism Virid explained. Made preparations. Currently safe. Away from area. Resources, plentiful. Capitalized on surplus. However, hive cluster needs protection. Command organism Kay required.'
Kay nodded, reaching his mind out to the temporarily dormant zerg organisms and taking command of the battle in round two between himself and Mecha-Kralluf. Two beams of devastating energy shot out from Mecha-Kralluf's palms, one ray striking against Kay's leviathan as it attempted to dodge the harrowing attack. Followed after the dodge, Kay's leviathan closed the distance between itself and the giant mech commander. The leviathan launched a bio-stasis attack onto him once it got close. After that disabling attack, Kay's leviathan was directed away from the mech commander to a group of queens that gathered close by. Kay's leviathan flew low to the ground, and the queens transfused their healing fluids by puking upwards and wetting its sides. The damage that was done to the leviathan had healed, only leaving a small bleeding scar that slowly faded through zerg regeneration.
But ten seconds later, Mecha-Kralluf broke from his bio-stasis and proceeded to fly after Kay's leviathan again. Kay's leviathan was already flying away from the queens that healed it, and the queens focused their attention on the giant mech commander coming after it. Acidic spines was fired from the queens with great rapidity, but Mecha-Kralluf ignored the queens since his invisible magic armor technology prevented their attacks from harming him. The queens there were left alone, but another group of queens had also gathered just ahead of Kay's leviathan and were ready to heal any damage inflicted to it as well.
Mecha-Kralluf's path was suddenly obstructed by several more obstacles of the zerg variety. Kay's leviathan was also producing several waves of mutalisks and scourge to intercept the pursuing giant mech commander, while several new waves of mutalisks, scourge, and corruptors hatched from the endless fields of hatcheries. All the newly hatched zerg organisms flew into the path of Mecha-Kralluf and attempted to strike him down. But try as they could, that same sphere of red was created once more as several kamikaze scourge met their end without ever hurting the giant mech commander. Even the glaive worms and parasitic spores that the mutalisks and corruptors launched against Mecha-Kralluf fizzled into nothing.
Mecha-Kralluf had eventually caught up with Kay's leviathan and fired a beam of energy at the leviathan's 'tail'. Kay could feel the massive beast's pain, hearing the internal screeching and grunts that was accompanied by the smell of heavily charbroiled flesh. It could only mean that Mecha-Kralluf's attack had nearly struck Kay within the leviathan, and Kay knew that he had a scant amount of seconds before something worse happens. Thankfully, Kay began to understand how Kralluf fought.
The chase between Mecha-Kralluf and Kay's leviathan had continued like this for around two minutes. A blast of bio-stasis would force the mechanized commander to pause in his chase for ten seconds, only to continue his pursuit once the bio-stasis wore off. It was an odd thing to see, since a creature that was around five kilometers in length was being chased by a cyborg powered mech that was only a hundred and twenty meters tall. But then again, Mecha-Kralluf's energy attacks were unerringly devastating.
After a while, this chasing ceased. Mecha-Kralluf changed tactics and started gaining altitude. After he was several kilometers off of the ground, Mecha-Kralluf emitted sweeping swaths of red energy across the creep covered ground on the hexagonal moon, whilst his chest opened, launching several rocket missiles that targeted and exploded many bio-structures with calamitous results. The creep heavily receded as both creep tumors and hatcheries were struck with strategic precision, burning away the fields of creep in a quick flash. But Kay noticed that Mecha-Kralluf had also targeted the creep covered area in front of his leviathan. It was then that Kay realized that Mecha-Kralluf was trying to target the queens that could heal his leviathan. With them out of the way, he could hinder Kay's leviathan's main method of rejuvenation and have a greater chance of killing it and Kay.
But alas, Mecha-Kralluf had no chance to do so when twenty more leviathans had approached him. The twenty leviathans surrounded the giant mech commander with many squadrons of mutalisks and scourge, while more corruptors had joined in on the fight. If there was atmosphere on the hexagonal moon, then the smell of ozone and barbecue would have heavily polluted the air. The attack was so immense that Mecha-Kralluf's defensive laser sphere grew into a whitened bright red that had shined like a crimson star. A leviathan had flown close to the giant mech commander and delivered a statically charged biological fluid that would have locked him in place, but the red/white sphere had only absorbed and negated the leviathan's method of bio-stasis.
But as the counter-attack against Mecha-Kralluf continued, Kay noticed that the sphere of bright red protecting Mecha-Kralluf had started to flicker. In fact, it seemed to grow in luminescence and doubled in size. "... What the fuck are you-?" Kay started to say before the sphere of energy exploded outward and vanquished any nearby zerg organism in a flash of blazing destruction. The one leviathan that had gotten close when it used its bio-stasis ability on him was immolated by the explosion, the front half of its body now removed by the detonation. The slain leviathan lost altitude and had fallen onto the surface of the hexagonal moon, only to roll across the battlefield and slide away.
However, it had left Mecha-Kralluf an opening that the leviathans could capitalize on. One leviathan had blasted the giant mech commander with a bio-stasis field, and it had halted Kralluf in his movements. Before the tenth second could pass, another leviathan had approached the zerg's current enemy and launched another fluid blast of bio-stasis onto him after nine seconds had passed. Each and every leviathan took turns to stun Mecha-Kralluf in this manner, as their bio-stasis ability helped keep him immobile and contained. Soon, more leviathans joined the area, followed by several infestors that gathered below the giant mech commander.
Kay was rather amazed by this as he watched the contained giant mech from the safety of his leviathan. He felt like he needed to ask his evolution master about Mecha-Kralluf's current predicament. "Corvurn, is he...?"
'Contained? Yes.' Corvurn replied. 'Leviathan bio-stasis key to containment. Calculations made for permanent containment. One hundred and fifty nine seconds needed to generate single charge for bio-stasis. Bio-stasis lasts ten seconds. Minimum number of leviathans needed for continuous bio-stasis: sixteen. Nineteen spawned leviathan strains survived. Leviathan energy generation exceeds energy cost for permanent containment. Commencing new test.'
Mecha-Kralluf was guided closer to the surface of the hexagonal moon by the help of several corruptors firing down on it. They forced down the mechanized commander so that the infestors could spit their neural parasite onto newly created entrance points, and try to control the giant mech commander from inside itself. Once in range, One infestor had made contact through the magic armor that was produced around the giant mech. Already, Kay could feel that he could control the mechanized commander. "... Well now, isn't this something? I now have a giant mech that I can command!" Kay said with elation. "I bet Gollog will be pissed."
'Enemy resisting infestor strain's neural domination.' Corvurn reported.
"... Wha?" Kay said in a dumb manner.
'Complete neural domination, ineffective. Enemy computer systems too complex. Designed to resist complete control. Calculated permanent neural parasite control. Infestor strain makes energy for permanent neural domination every one hundred and fifty nine seconds.' After that part of Corvurn's sentence, the infestor's neural parasite had detached from the giant mech's foot, leaving only a small hole where it had intruded. 'Neural domination attempt lasts thirty seconds. Temporary neural parasite requires one hundred and twenty seven seconds. Typically lasts eleven to fifteen seconds. Host's size debatable. Minimum number of infestors needed for permanent neural parasite control: twelve. Mutating larvae into more infestor strains.'
Kay raised his eyebrow. "Okay, Corvurn. The hell are you planning?"
'Unique enemy. Analysis required. Must dissect.'
Kay chuckled and shook his head. "Corvurn, it's a robot with the brain of a gilanian commander inside itself. You won't find anything else organic in there."
'Prefer to try. All attempts provide data. Data essential to understand weaknesses and strengths. ... Have been reminded. Enemy contains functioning brain. Request command organism Kay to communicate with enemy using telepathy.'
Kay nodded at Corvurn's request. "Not a bad idea. Actually, I could have used that before all this mess started! Hah! Ah... Kay, I''ll give it a shot." After that conversation, Kay took in a slow breath before he focused on the giant hundred and twenty meter tall mech. Placing his fingers on the sides of his temples, he looked and searched intently for a consciousness inside of the piloted machine. ... And Kay saw a small star of light within the mammoth mech. A flicker of someone's consciousness! He focused onto it and spoke softly. 'Kralluf.'
"Hmm?" There was a small pause before Kralluf talked. "Weird. My com channels are not active."
'It's not the com channels, Kralluf. It's me. Kay.'
"... Did... Did you get into my mech suit?!" Kralluf shouted.
'Hahaha, not exactly! We're just talking to each other with our minds! ... Well. More specifically, I'm talking to you with my mind. It's a power of mine that is known as telepathy.'
Kralluf sighed. "Oh good. I thought I was becoming insane after these dread maws started puking on me and paralyzing my limb motors." Kralluf said sarcastically.
'Dread maws?' Kay asked. Kay could tell that Kralluf found that name lame simply because it had came from Gollog. Anything that came from Gollog was annoying to Kralluf, from what Kay sensed. 'Well... I think it's a cool name. But what would you call them?'
"Flying mountains."
'Eh... A bit inaccurate, but it's not as good as dread maws or leviathans, perse.'
"Leviathans? I never heard that word before, but... How come I understand that word? It's not part of the gilaish language. ... Or is this really a symptom of my insanity?"
'Surprise! It's telepathy. Words are but auditory constructs that enables communication between two individuals in an verbal manner. Telepathy enables communication in a more mental manner. It's through telepathy that the meaning of words is instantly shared between the telepathic communicator, and the receiver of the telepathic communication frequency. As a result, teaching the meaning of words is irrelevant when telepathy is used. So there you go!'
Kralluf tried to shake his head, which would have made the giant mech he was in shake its head as well, but failed. "Agh... So this just means your in my brain right now! Can we not talk like this?!"
'Sadly, no. There is no atmosphere on your hexagon moon, and I can't talk when there is no air. I'm sorry for the confusion, or the uneasiness. Anyway, I was saying a few things to you before you started hunting me and my leviathan, but I didn't get the chance to convey them. But now that you're here, I would like to repeat everything I said.'
"No no no, fuck that. I already read your lips on most of that conversation, and I can tell you with certainty that Gollog will not allow you off our world." Kralluf replied.
'Oh... Well... Why is that?' Kay asked, sounding a little dejected.
"Hah! As if I know! Anyway, can you have your dread maws, or leviathans or whatever you call them, stop puking on me? I want to get back to killing you. Being stuck here is incredibly boring."
'Don't be rude! You're our honored guest! ... Or rather, our prisoner! Just for that remark, I'm going to have my evolution master do whatever he wants with you.'
"Uh... Evolution master?"
'Yeah. He looks like this, but you'll eventually warm up to him.' Kay said, sending a mental image of Corvurn to Kralluf's brain. 'He's not easy on the eyes, and does have a machine-minded personality, but at least he's determined and creative.'
"... No. No. NO. NO! NO~! NOOO~! FUCK THAT NOISE! I AM NOT GOING TO LET A GODS-DAMNED SLUG MONSTER EAT MY BRAIN! IT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S LEFT OF ME! IF THAT... IF WHATEVER THE FUCK THAT IS COMES NEAR ME, I WILL SELF DESTRUCT MYSELF AND TAKE THIS ENTIRE MOON WITH ME!"
'Whoa whoa whoa, calm down! There is no need to have a conniption. Now, if you let the scary slug monster probe you, I promise that you'll be returned back to your emperor with... maybe a few emotional scars if you resisted. It'll be perfectly painless if you cooperate.'
"FUCK YOU, KAY! ACTIVATE SELF DESTRUCT! CODE GOLD COPPER SILVER SILVER OPAL OPAL OPAL SILVER IRON ONYX! SET DETONATION TIME TO THIRTY SECONDS!"
'Uh...' Kay was actually surprised that Kralluf was willing to sacrifice himself in order to destroy him and his zerg.
"IN MERE MOMENTS, YOU WILL JOIN ME AS WE FACE OBLIVION! LET ME TAKE YOU THERE, AND YOU CAN ROT IN THE HOTTEST OF HELLS! I'LL TAKE YOU TO WHERE ONLY THE CARRION FLIES WILL WEEP OF YOUR PASSING!"
'... Hmm. I uh... I don't think so.' Kay said as one of the leviathans entwined their tentacles around the limbs and body of Mecha-Kralluf. Kay slowly sighed. 'Too bad those will be the famous last words I'll have to remember you by. Goodbye, Commander Kralluf of the Crescent Arms Division. I won't miss you.'
Kralluf felt bewildered confusion enter into his mind as the leviathan that entangled its tentacles around himself raised his body into the air. Several clouds of orange energy began to appear around the leviathan, whilst its skin looked like it was becoming covered in that same glowing phosphorescence. That energy also covered Kralluf, still unable to break free from his hold. Another blast of bio-stasis was applied by a nearby leviathan before the leviathan carrying Mecha-Kralluf pitched upwards. And then, in a flash of orange, the leviathan carrying the giant mech commander was transported away in a bright line of orange. The destination: At the opposite side of planet Kiln. Once the leviathan halted in his warp jump, Kay was surprised to see an unusual site that he had not expected to see.
The side of Kiln's sun was an incredibly bright thing to see, which also happened to be hexagon shaped. Strangely enough, the hexagonal sun was also at the same distance away from Kiln as its hexagonal moon was, and was also the same size and shape. Thankfully, the leviathan that had warped there was not suffering from severe burns. The sun itself was apparently a flat hexagonal surface that was the same dimensions as the hexagonal moon, but was somehow weaponized to create Gollog's most impressive attack. Kay could even see several lines of light emanating from the 'sun', attacking Kiln with pinpoint precision from an incredible distance, no doubt eradicating many fields of creep.
But once Mecha-Kralluf's self destruct occurred, the sight offered by the sacrificed leviathan had completely blacked out in an instant. Kay sighed as he felt like he was finally out of danger. "Goddamn, that was close. I hope Virid was impressed by that stunt."
'I am not so easily impressed.' Virid answered. 'But I will say that the whole battle made me anxious.'
"Good to know." Kay said, rolling his eyes. "Corvurn. How about you?"
'Survival achieved. Survival mandatory. Everything else optional.' Corvurn replied. 'Addendum: Evolution complete. New mutations available.'
"Always good to have some new mutations." Kay said, already feeling his smile stretching to his ears. "At least I don't have to eat some weird animal after I kill a commander this time. So uh... Do I go down there and get it or something?"
'Indifferent. Sent spores containing mutations and strain to Whisper Stones. Modified bile launcher strain to reincorporate forgotten structure strain. Virophage strain provides ultimate defense. Capable of organic denial of non-swarm organisms. Produces airborne transmission method of Hyper-Evolutionary Virus. Infects all intruding enemies. Efficient breathing filtration may hinder infection, or prevent infection.'
Kay furrowed his brows as he listened to Corvurn, his smile fading. "... That... Doesn't exactly sound very healthy. How big is its range of effect?"
'Healthy for swarm organisms. Intruding non-swarm organisms will convert into Swarm. Not healthy for non-swarm organisms. Range of effect, unknown. Airless environment provides no means to test range. Atmosphere required for virophage testing.'
"Ah..." Kay felt very unsure and uncomfortable about using the virophage bio-structure strains as a means for self-defense. What he is most worried about is using them for more offensive means, like setting up a virophage at a civilian area and using the population to attack the Golden Star Empire. Much of the populations in empire-owned cities were governed by a tyrannical emperor already, and to have their already broken will be broken again to attack their oppressive ruler seemed way too heartless to Kay. "... Oh. I don't know. I think I would feel better about using virophages if they were morphed in vital areas, like near hives or in important defensive locations."
'Civilian gilanians would be better infested in my opinion.' Virid hissed. 'Saves us the trouble of hearing more of their diplomatic mewling.'
Kay furrowed his brows even more. "Virid. Most of those civilians would rather live peaceful lives than die in service to a maniac with an opalescent crown. Besides that, we have nothing to gain from infesting every gilanian. If everything on Kiln is infested, then there will be nothing else left to infest or assimilate. How would our brood continue to evolve if we killed everyone, and if one of those people happen to know where the exit is?"
'...I see your point.' Virid said, grumbling in annoyance. She understood what Kay meant.
"Ask yourself this: Why do you think I want to leave this planet-sized prison in the first place?" Kay said, redirecting the leviathan he was within to gaze up at the dark side of Planet Kiln.
'To prevent stagnation in the evolution of the Swarm?' Virid guessed.
"To me, that's a side objective. I, on the other hand, want to find out what kind of universe we are in." Kay replied, gazing up at the shadowed world. He could see small lights that signaled the presence of settlements, towns and cities that he had never seen before. He wondered what kind of people were there in those undiscovered places. Someday, he might find out. But today, he needs to field a war against Gollog and his empire.
But it was then that Kay had done something so incredibly idiotic that it made survival on Kiln impossible in the days to come.
A/N: Uh oh. What has Kay done this time? '3'