Chapter 89: Major Battle 15: Golden Star Armageddon 1
Before the battle, underground.
Within a hollow cavernous chamber, containing only a mat of creep that slithered and oozed over the ground, the most notable commanders responsible for protecting and managing hive clusters, or those fielding zerg into the war effort, were gathered into this chamber. The first to enter was Kay and Kragnon. The other commanders that joined with Kay and Kragnon were Virid, Corvurn, Othafurn, Thyzir, (whom had to be transported into the chamber upon the backs of drones.) and several of the most capable broodmothers Corvurn had recommended to Virid.
With the zerg commanders and lieutenants gathered, Kay stepped forward and held his hand up. "Kay. I decree that this war council is now in session. If any of you have anything meaningful to add into this meeting, then raise your hand like I am doing and I'll call you up, or point you out, to give you permission to share your opinions or strategies." Kay then lowered his hand. "With that said, I want you all to be aware that the purpose for this war council is to refine any strategies that are available to us. I think it's about time that our war against the Kiln Keepers, and the Golden Star Empire, comes to an end." Kay then folded his hands behind his back. "At the moment, we don't have an opening strategy. Golden Star has a type of technology that enables them to listen into any of our conversations that expressly uses psionic communication. They call it their 'ENO field sensor system', which is installed into their sky ring orbital mega structures that works on a global network. It is protected by a series of defensive systems, consisting of energy lances and point-defense turrets. They will not hesitate to fire their energy lance weapons upon the surface of Kiln, and have done so through via orbital bombardment. They function much like Gollog's divine smite attack in a sense, but they have notable exceptions. One of which is that each lance can target a single entity on the surface of Kiln, another is that they can be fired at any time, be it day or night. We can count ourselves fortunate that Gollog's smite attack was disabled during my temporal containment, but that doesn't make the sky rings' energy lances a better alternative for us. Worse still, the Kiln Keepers are constructing more of their production facilities on the surface of Kiln, while the flying fortresses are patrolling above our heads in uncontested territory. In order to win against our enemies, we need to be fast and efficient, have a premeditated plan of action, and we must work in unison without relying heavily on our zerg hivemind psionic connection. But now, I believe it's about time for the most important question I'll be asking all of you. What is our battle plan?"
Corvurn slithered forward and raised his hand. "Swarm army population, limited. More hatcheries needed. Above ground hatcheries needed. Required for gestating airborne strains. Must spawn more overlords."
Kay nodded. "That's all well and good, but we need a foothold before we can morph more hatcheries and spawn aerial zerg." Kay pounded a fist into his own open hand. "We need a fast and efficient opening strategy. Some kind of blitzkrieg plan that can destroy the Kiln Keepers faster than they can adapt their strategies, and circumvent the sky rings' ENO sensor network. We can use the omega strain nydus networks to summon omega worms on the surface of Kiln easily enough, but we still need some kind of counter against their sensor network."
Othafurn raised her hand. "Actually, I believe I know of a way in which we can counter Golden Star's ENO sensor network. I will need to embed a small fraction of primal essence into our Swarm to help us circumvent the ENO sensor network."
Kay tilted his head at Othafurn. "Um... But that would mean we would risk our zerg becoming feral and resisting our psionic control. Do you really want to repeat our little 'omegazor' incident?"
Othafurn shook her head. "Not exactly. After gaining some insight from a new friend, I believe that evolving our command structure to include verbal directions will enable us a means to limit the information that the ENO sensor network can gather. We will only need to imbue our available various zerg strains with only a few drops of primal essence in order to achieve this. The risk of a zerg organism becoming feral would be greatly reduced in this manner. I believe Corvurn used too much essence the last time he experimented inducing a primal evolution. We will still maintain control of our swarm, but the risk of creating feral zerg that shuts itself from our hivemind completely would be infinitesimally small."
"Hmm... Very well." Kay sighed. He didn't like the idea of zerg strains within the combat castes becoming independent and violent, but he couldn't deny that the swarm needed to be violent. "But that would leave us with the only other big problem we need to deal with. The Kiln Keepers. Once we attack them, they will begin to adapt to our strategy at the speed of a supercomputer."
Virid skittered forward and raised a clawed hand. "I have an idea."
Kay turned and gestured to Virid. "Then let's hear it."
Virid nodded. "I delved into the information that's stored in the swarm hivemind and have discovered a delay when a new zerg strain attacks the Kiln Keepers."
"A delay?" Kay parroted Virid questioningly.
"A delay from within the ranks of Kiln Keepers." Virid explained. "It took them seconds to begin firing their weapons upon any new zerg strains that have attacked them for the first time. I surmise that newer strains they've had no prior knowledge of would not be identified as their enemies. It would grant us an incredible advantage to use this delay against them."
Kay nodded. "Huh! I never noticed that they even had a delay!" Kay shrugged and sighed however. "But even so, I would recommend transporting the ravasaurs and tyrannozors to the central territories held by the Kiln Keepers. If we use the creeper hosts, igniters, and the nydus destroyer wurms, they could potentially mistake them as new strain variants of the swarm host, roach, nydus worm and devouring maw strains. They might even figure out that the ravasaurs and tyrannozors are on our side if we sent every primal evolution to attack them all at once."
Virid nodded. "I understand. We will field ravasaurs and tyrannozors against the ranks of the Kiln Keepers."
"Then how about I throw my input into this strategic discussion as well?" Thyzir interjected. "I would raise my hand, but I will stress to remind all of you that I have no limbs to ambulate with."
Kay rolled his eyes. "You could use a drone and tell it to raise its pincer. But anyway, what kind of strategy do you want us to discus?"
"The best kind of strategy, Kay." Thyzir beamed, as it politely commanded a drone to raise a pincer toward the sky. "Upon analyzing the genetic sequences of the primal essence that The New Overmind has graced us with, I have discovered a special trait hidden within it. Our brood seems to have a fifth of a chance to gestate a gene mutation when a zerg organism morphs into a primal variant, such as granting it a means to regain health when attacking, have more health in total, attack more quickly, and there are also specific mutations where a creeper host can produce double the normal amount of creepers, and another as a tyrannozor could launch spikes at an attacker when wounded. However, since we will be diluting our primal essence to mere grams into the rest of our swarm here on Kiln, any other transformations not relating to the primal evolutions will resort to a tenth of a chance to gestate a single gene mutation."
Kay paused after Thyzir finished with his strategy and nodded. "Hmm. That's actually pretty good for us."
"Oh indeed! But that's not all. The mutalisks can not only have the ability to transform and evolve into devourers and guardians, but also into brood lords and vipers too. In short, Corvurn has been very busy evolving the swarm's aerial strains." Thyzir explained.
"Really?" Kay asked as he raised his eyebrow at Corvurn. "Say, is it possible for a single zerg organism to accumulate every single gene mutation?"
"Well, not for ALL the strains available to us, perse. For example, we could have the zerglings and banelings, or even the roaches and ravagers, morph back and forth between their forms to gain every single gene mutation at their disposal, but with a tenth of a chance to gain a gene mutation with each transition. Might cost a bit of resources doing so, so I would consider that to be a waste of resources. However, primal evolutions will always have a fifth of a chance to gain one gene mutation or more, but some of those primal evolutions are usually irreversible after the fusion is complete. Especially so with ultralisks fusing into tyrannozors, and swarm hosts fusing into creeper hosts. But even with that said, infestors, defilers, aberrations, and all of the queen variants are incapable of acquiring gene mutations."
Kay nodded. "I see"
"However, I would like to add that a pair of hydralisks could be fused together to form into a mutalisk as another kind of primal evolution. We might lose two hydralisks after the fusion evolution, but the process is infinitely more faster than spawning mutalisks straight from a hatchery. Unlike having to wait about thirty seconds for a mutalisk to hatch, a hydralisk fusion evolution that forms a mutalisk would take about eight seconds. At least we have a new host of mutations that the mutalisks have gained, such as dealing one and a half times more damage to airborne enemies with a new glaive wurm projectile, and having a shifting carapace mutation that reduces any damage they absorb by half as it flies. As an added bonus, Corvurn also discovered that the roaches can fuse together to form guardians."
Kay's eyes brightened up as he realized what kind of newfound power he attained. "This would mean we can quickly summon a swarm of mutalisks and guardians just by sacrificing pairs of hydralisks and roaches. And considering that we can transform mutalisks into any of the five other strains..."
"Oh! And I forgot to mention. Since we are adding a small amount of primal essence into our brood, most of our combat strains will be gaining a small buff to their overall health as well." Thyzir added.
Kay could feel his grin widening even more.
"I don't think all this would be enough." Interjected Kragnon, as he tried to keep up with the topic at hand.
Kay turned to face Kragnon. "... Uh. Raise your hand, Kragnon."
Kragnon rolled his eyes as he held up a hand. "You seem to forget that the sky rings' defense system and orbital bombardment weapons are under the command of Gollog and his military. To try and strike him from our limited ground presence would be next to suicide. I might not understand the technology that went behind its creation, it still displays a terrible power that is effective against any terrestrial force or any airborne threat that we could muster from our position. Even with a more expedient means to spawn more mutalisks from the ground, we would still be targeted by the dky rings' orbital defenses."
Kay nodded as he began to slowly pace around the chamber. "True... But then again... Actually... Hmm..."
Virid raised her hand. "Kay, I proposition that you send me through your wormhole and deliver me to the hive cluster on the hexagonal moon."
Kragnon turned to look at Virid with a puzzled expression. "His what now?"
Kay turned to Virid as well and smiled broadly. "... Of course! A two-pronged assault! Their weapons would become half as effective if they were forced to fire in two directions at once! And if the brood on the hexagonal moon used the new mutalisk adaptations, as well as absorbed a small amount of primal essence-"
Virid clasped her clawed hands together. "-We will be able to fly into attack range and finally assault the sky rings!"
Kay nodded confidently. "Kay! We got the makings of a fan-fucking-tastic plan at hand! Let's go over it a couple more times. We'll begin our attack thirty minutes from now." Kay then turned toward Kragnon and patted his back. "So! Anyone want to volunteer pairing up with this infested gilanian?"
Kragnon chuckled lightly as many condescending eyes silently judged him. He would have a lot to prove as a volunteering lieutenant to Kay and Virid's brood.
The battle, on the edge of Red Crater.
[Scanning... Analyzing... No targets detected. Resuming search strategy.] A studious pair of scarlet glass eyes, belonging to a Kiln Keeper Peace Keeper, glowed red as it scanned the horizon. It noted that the life that once populated the surface of Kiln experienced a sudden rate of rapid decay before dying. It glanced upon a gray flower on a bush before looking elsewhere. Its metal brethren, both its siblings and those of a different unit class entirely, were just as indifferent to the dead landscape. They were charged with the eradication of the zerg organisms as a priority to their programming. Every other program that once was a priority was forced into secondary objectives, and all secondary priorities were forced into becoming tertiary objectives, and so on and so forth. Nobody knew how the Kiln Keepers could be reprogrammed, but the method to do so was a blanketed mystery. Some may even theorize that it is a computer hacking technique only known to Emperor Gollog himself.
[Scanning... Analyzing... No targets detected. Resuming search strategy.] The built-in seismic sensors in its robotic legs planted themselves into the ground in order to listen for any vibration patterns of zerg origin. The vibrations produced by its metal family was tuned out as it listened for other seismic algorithms. When it found none, it proceeded forward for a few meters before stopping, planting its feet into the ground, and repeating this march. It didn't mind the occasional shadow that a floating Kiln Keeper variant or flying fortress provided. It was such repetitive monotony, but it was an activity that the Kiln Keepers were designed for.
[Scanning... Analyzing... No targets detected. Resuming search strategy.] It was a tireless cycle that didn't amount to any quick progress, but it was among the first strategies that the Kiln Keepers had learned to use against the zerg. It was an effective counter against the roaches, infestors, and any other kind of burrowed zerg monstrosity that would delight in ambushing their prey with their various methods of hunting. But even then, there were some monsters that didn't rely on using burrowing tactics very often. In fact, they were the kind of zerg monsters that needed to be dealt with quickly, or else they would deal irreparable damage if left to their own devices.
[Scanning... Analyzing... Targets detected. Annihilating.] Several hundreds of omega strain nydus worms erupted out from the ground and roared in unison. It was a strange sight to see as nydus worms sprouted out in a sparse pattern. As they pushed apart the ground and anchored themselves in place, they immediately began to vomit swarm after swarm of zerg. Zerglings were blasted apart as soon as they showed their filthy faces, roaches were torn asunder the moment they approached the Kiln Keepers or attempted to burrow under their defenses, and hydralisks were slain as they exchanged spines with energy projectiles. This new battle was rather sudden, but the Kiln Keepers knew well to target down the nydus worms in order to prevent any further complications. However, these nydus worms seemed different. They were slightly spinier, had more sets of eyes, and their carapace armor and overall health was bulkier than before. Even the zerglings, roaches and hydralisks seemed bulkier than before.
It was because of the omega worms' larger health pool and stronger carapace armor that enabled it to survive longer, and the omega worms' ability to expel a multitude of so many zerg created more problems for the Kiln Keepers. The Kiln Keepers were then beset by the sudden appearance of brutalisks bursting through the ground and laying waste to their formations and ranks. The symbiotes that often accompanied them were quick to launch their spine projectiles at any nearby enemies, as well as being able to cover their forms with a tough layer of ablative shell that helped them survive longer in a fight. Once the ultralisks and swarm queens finally joined the battle, the Kiln Keepers began to lose their ground.
Especially so once gigantic versions of ultralisks began populating the battlefield, which either had the noxious or torrasque strain abilities mixed into their genetic structure. The nydus destroyers also became another factor that the Kiln Keepers didn't account for as the living sentry organisms anchored themselves on ground that was or wasn't covered in creep. The creep continued to grow forward, even when the creep tumors that normally spread the growth wasn't present on the surface of Kiln.
In short, the Kiln keepers were summarily unprepared for the new strains and tactics that were attacking them.
[Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Deficient unit formation. Deficient unit composition. Upgrades required. Requesting additional assets. Unable to continue with current composition. Unable to alter current strategies efficiently. Unable to maintain foothold. Continuing with target annihilation until unknown variables prompts strategy analysis. Analyzing alternative strategies. Notifying non-Kiln Keeper forces.]
But as the battle raged on, they failed to notice the unusual animals that fled past them. They didn't know what they were, yet they didn't seem interested in attacking the Kiln Keepers. It could be surmised that the robots assumed that they were some kind of fauna that survived the global radioactive rainstorm, or that they didn't care what they were as they focused solely on the targets they were programed to fight. These creatures refrained from fighting the Kiln Keepers, so the Kiln Keepers had no reason to annihilate them.
The ravasaurs and tyrannozors smiled their toothy smiles as they carefully continued passing through the ranks of the Kiln Keepers.
Within a gyroscopic mag rail station, inside of a surveillance deck.
[General Pallax, sir.] A surveillance officer reported. [The Kiln Keeper ground forces notified us that they have accepted new targets.]
A tired general groaned as he pinched the bridge of his snout. He was already in one of the many surveillance decks that surveyed the surface of Kiln, sitting on a computer desk that was prepared for him prior to his arrival. The surveillance officers scrambled to their stations as the creep began to slowly cover the surface of Kiln once more. He could see on some of their monitors the new kinds of monstrosities that plagued the Kiln Keepers and their efforts to eradicate the Zerg Swarm. "Of course. Why WOULDN'T they accept new targets? It's not like I expected this to happen." Pallax shook his head before steeling his expression. "How is the new targeting algorithm for the energy lances?"
[We should have it online in a few minutes, sir.]
"Good." Pallax sighed. "See if you can identify the new targets that the Kiln Keepers are now fighting."
[We have already done so, sir. We're sending you an image right now. You're not going to like what you'll be seeing.] The surveillance officer warned.
Once Pallax received the image file through the computer on his desk, he accessed it and scanned it with his eyes. Under his scrutiny, he grew puzzled by what was sent to him. "... Officer Leytab. What have you sent me?"
[An oversized razor fiend, sir. The largest one ever discovered. You can see how large it is when you scale it next to that peace keeper next to its foot.]
Pallax analyzed the image further and paled. Indeed, it was a larger torrasque strain ultralisk. He could also see a new host of monsters that sided by it. He sighed. "Leytab, I need you to continue monitoring the zerg. I need to make a call to the Cube Research Division."
Officer Laytab saluted. [Understood, sir.]
Pallax softly grunted as he tried to connect to Commander Faddoh. Once the connection was established, Pallax briefed Faddoh on the situation that occurred. Or he would have, had Faddoh not spoken first with a great big green grin greeting his caller. [General Pallax, sir! It is wonderful to hear from you again! I trust that your celebration went well?]
"Faddoh, shut up for about ten seconds and tell me what you think of this image I am sending you. That is an order." Pallax growled as he sent a file through Faddoh's communication line.
Faddoh's expression soured. [Okay, first off, there is no reason to be rude to me. But fine.] After a pause of a few seconds passed, Faddoh's eyes widened. [... What am I looking at?]
"I would imagine it is an even larger breed of razor fiend. There are more types of zerg organisms discovered, and I need you to analyze them. To summarize to you what is happening now, it is that the zerg have adapted yet again." Pallax growled.
Faddoh sighed. [Oh... Well I know for certain that Kralluf is going to be pleasantly surprised to learn that razor fiends can grow even bigger than their predecessors. But how did this happen, and what change caused this unexpected growth? Could it possibly be caused by the necrostorm secret weapon? It would certainly seem so, since we have never seen razor fiends of this size before. ... Actually, some of the zerg seem even larger than before! Egad! They must have evolved and adapted to the necrostorm's nuclear rainfall! Perhaps they mutated to metabolize the unstable isotopes that produces the necrotic electromagnetic radiation? Hmm... So many possible questions to ask... So many theories to test... I need to make a call to Commander Guik! She has the kind of technology that I need now! In any case, have one of your surveillance officers contact me so I can continue to be updated. In the meantime, I'll see if I can MEM shift a facility to a secure location. Commander Faddoh, out!]
Once Pallax was done talking to Faddoh, he then tried to connect to Kralluf and Ralkan. Once they both accepted the communication request, Pallax began to inform them. "Commander Kralluf. Commander Ralkan. We have a problem."
Ralkan sighed in exasperation. [Gods-damn it. I was looking forward to some rest and relaxation for once.]
Kralluf growled. [Stop your bellyaching. What is it, General Pallax?]
"The zerg have evolved yet again. I'm sending Kralluf an image of the new monsters that are battling the Kiln Keepers. Ralkan, I need you to coordinate your remote control mastery with Kralluf to take command of the abandoned flying fortresses. We need to attack the zerg now, or else they might cover Kiln with their slime and nests in its entirety."
Ralkan's expression paled. [Oh gods... Alright, I will see what I can do. Kralluf, I need some of your desert platform operators and flying fortress captains to team up with my senior surveillance officers.]
Kralluf's face soured. [Why do you need my boys to join up with your preening lawmen?]
Ralkan's eyes hardened. [That would be because you and your men have no training on how to use remote control programs or drone interfaces. We'll need to get hold of some of the aristocrats and commodores that have custom flying fortresses that have weapons installed on them. More importantly, we need to know every kind of adaptation that the zerg gained after they were exposed to Gollog's necrostorm secret weapon.]
"I already notified Faddoh. I believe he will ask Guik to borrow some technology he might need for his new study projects." Pallax shared with Ralkan and Kralluf.
Kralluf sighed. [Is Emperor Gollog aware of the zerg resurgence?]
Pallax sighed. "He and I had suspicions that the zerg might come back after the necrostorm secret weapon was activated. However, we didn't suspect that the zerg would make a return this early. We had hoped that the Kiln Keepers would root out the last of the zerg's nests before they grew in strength again, but it seems like we underestimated their abilities and capabilities yet again."
Ralkan snorted. [I share your resentment, but we need to focus right now. Kralluf? Send a message to all of your desert platform operators, every captain and every commodore. Have them get in contact with my senior surveillance officers.]
Kralluf huffed. [Yeah yeah, I got it. Hang on though. I need to check this image file. ... Oh.] Kralluf's expression contorted into surprise. [That's a big fucker.]
Ralkan groaned. [I'll tell the senior surveillance officers to prepare. However, I have a question, General.]
"Go ahead and ask." Pallax said.
[Are we going to alert the rest of the empire about the zerg resurgence? Or will we be keeping this a secret?]
Pallax nodded. "The twenty year war with the zerg has been a huge strain on the morale to not only our military, but to the citizenry of Golden Star as well. The last thing we need is to raise unnecessary alarms. I will contact Gollog and keep him informed. You two will mobilize the remaining flying fortresses and position them near or over heavy combat zones. Commanders Faddoh and Guik will be joining forces for their own missions. They will find out how the zerg have adapted and what they are planning to do. Do you understand your objectives?"
[Yes sir.] [Yes sir.]
"Good. Over and out." Pallax finished as he closed the communication link. However, he made one more call, and it was to his emperor. Once his emperor accepted his communication request, Pallax sighed. "Emperor Gollog, sir. It's as we suspected, only worse."
Gollog's face shifted into an angered pout. [Dammit.]
"But I have out a plan in action, sir. Kralluf and Ralkan will be responsible for remote controlling the remaining flying fortresses to fight in heavy combat zones, while Guik and Faddoh will work together to study the zerg." Pallax reported.
[Mm. A conservative approach. Why?] Gollog asked.
"To send our military back into the flying fortresses would risk them becoming contaminated by the necrostorm fallout. I wouldn't dare risk contaminating our self-contained ecosystem with irradiated water." Pallax answered.
Gollog paused before he slowly nodded. [Hmm... Very well then. However, we mustn't let this war escalate beyond our control. If it does get to that point, then we might have no other choice but to send our military to combat the zerg. I recommend we begin making water-proof suits for the bondmen soldiers.]
Pallax bowed. "Of course, my emperor."
[Will that be all, Pallax?] Gollog asked.
"For the moment, my lord. Over and out." Once Gollog bowed back to Pallax, Pallax discontinued his link. After a heavy sigh, Pallax stood up from his desk and looked at the surveillance officers within the surveillance deck. He hardened his gaze as he readied himself. "Right... Time to get back in command."
Low orbit above Kiln, near the ruins of Empire Capitol.
An invisible thing was floating in the sky. It wasn't a zerg organism that discovered how to cloak itself through a biological method. It wasn't an Intelligent Automaton Kiln Keeper variant that tried to hide its presence to its enemies. Nor was it a supernatural anomaly that couldn't possibly be explained by science. Instead, it was an experimental floating craft. Twenty years ago, Commander Faddoh had created a prototype series of floating research bases that were capable of gathering information as they moved. This one in particular was a cloaked C-series cube research facility. In fact, it was one of the first experimental flying bases that Faddoh had ever made, which eventually became the inspiration that later created the flying fortresses.
It was currently piloted by Commander Guik, whom had been given a quick rundown on how to fly the mobile facility. Meanwhile, Faddoh was chatting to himself in a giddy manner. "This is certainly a rare privilege! To be the first ever gilanians to be allowed back on Kiln, even after the necrostorm secret weapon was activated, is certainly a humbling experience! I wonder if I can make a photo album during a mission and take it back home with me? I'm sure Pallax and Gollog wouldn't mind!" He was apparently excited about the mission he had planned for himself and Commander Guik to partake in.
Guik, on the other hand, was not as excited. "Atmospheric entry is complete. Slowing the descent of our mobile research facility. We are now approaching the zerg and Kiln Keeper combat zones. Our light-screen mesh is still operational. The polymer electromagnetic repelling mesh bundles are at a hundred percent and are still intact. Our invisibility is still functioning at normal parameters." Guik said. Her face-mask's letters were currently displaying the word 'focused' as she was analyzing the controls of the mobile research facility and analyzing the various screens, which displayed several camera perspectives that was outside of the floating facility.
Commander Faddoh approached Guik and pointed at the explosions of red in the distance, while lines of crimson harshly painted the horizon. "I see some fighting going on over there! How close do you think we can get to that?"
Guik sighed in exasperation as her face-mask's letters changed to 'annoyed'. "Commander Faddoh, if we come too close to the zerg organisms, then they will detect our presence. We don't want to stray too close to the oculars, barnacle sentries, spawners, greater spawners, flying caretakers or dread maws."
Faddoh simply smiled at Guik. "Then we simply keep far away from them! I recommend staying four hundred to five hundred yards away from the battle, and from any zerg detector organisms."
Guik sighed. "Copy that. Flying closer to get a better look."
As the cloaked floating mobile research facility neared the battle, Faddoh and Guik were able to see the war that ensued between robots and monsters, which was a violent dance that went on for well over twenty years. It was an incredible fight to see.
The two commanders could see a noxious omegalisk carving itself a path through the ranks of the Kiln Keepers. Each swing of its enormously large Kaiser blades either heavily damaged a robot, or completely took it out of commission, which did so to several at a time with each attack. The noxious mist and clouds of acid that expelled from its hide ate away at the armor of the surrounding Kiln Keepers, while its blades not only decimated its targets with every strike, but also healed their wielder simultaneously. The defilers kept guarding them with dark swarms, while the vipers casted their disabling clouds onto the ranks of the Kiln Keepers, preventing them from firing their weapons and using their special attacks effectively. It was odd to see mutalisks already flying in the air and fighting against the Kiln Keeper ground forces, but they were already there and they were much tougher than before. They even seemed to attack the flying Kiln Keeper variants with much more force than before, downing more droves of hovering Peace Keepers with their bouncing shots. Guik was appalled to see that these mutalisks can not only transform into either devourers or leviathans, but they also seemed to quickly transform into brood lords, vipers, and guardians as well. Guik suddenly wondered if there were any surface hive clusters that have already morphed the appropriate bio-structures needed to enable such monsters to be quickly produced. Even so, the zerg's ability to adapt and evolve was uncanny and frightening to witness. Even as the orbital bombardment attacks, provided mainly by the energy lances, only stunned or killed a few of the zerg. Even with the overhead distraction, they still continued fighting the Kiln Keepers.
Faddoh seemed delighted with the information he was gathering. "Most astounding! The zerg have gathered an impressive aerospace presence already! Is this yet another adaptation that the zerg developed?"
Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'frustration'. "Adaptation or not, this will not bode well for our empire, or for the Kiln Keepers."
Faddoh didn't seem deterred by Guik's doubting observation. "You may not have the same curiosity as I do, sweety, but that is the glorious thing about discreet research missions! We can do whatever we want, so long as the research subjects remain unaware of our observation."
Guik shook her head. "As always, you're an insistent optimist." She then surveyed the screens that was fed information, provided by the surveillance cameras outside of the mobile floating facility. However, before too long, something caught her eye as she saw something strange in one of the screens. "... Hm?"
That one audible note of a hum caught Faddoh's attention. "Something caught your eye?"
Guik pointed at a screen as she typed in a few commands to a nearby keyboard. "I'm zooming in one hundred and seventy five percent on this image. Do you recognize these creatures?"
Faddoh glanced at the screen as it refocused. His expression turned into surprise as he saw ravasaurs and tyrannozors for the first time in his robotic life. "... Well well well! What have we here?"
Guik shook her head and shrugged as her face-mask's letters changed to 'confused'. "I was hoping you would know."
"Then it will delight you to know that I do not." Faddoh said with a broad smile.
Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'annoyed' again. "Perhaps delight is not the word I would use."
"On the contrary! It would mean that you have the privilege of naming these new zerg creatures!" Faddoh boasted. "Oh, and reporting your findings to General Pallax too, but that part comes later. So, my sweety! What kind of name will you be giving them?"
Guik shook her head and sighed. "We don't know what they are capable of. I would rather observe them before we give them an appropriate label."
Faddoh nodded with Guik's assessment, and then posed as he pointed at the newly discovered zerg. "Then we shall observe those creatures, Guik! We have science to do!"
Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'unamused'. "At least keep yourself quiet. You know that I have problems working in noisy conditions."
Faddoh nodded as he chuckled nervously. "Heh heh... Ah yes. I keep forgetting that you inherited your introverted nature from your mother's side. I apologize."
Guik continued to concentrate on the creatures on the screen. "I didn't know robots could forget. ... Hmm... Wait... What?"
Faddoh looked upon Guik's screens and noticed it too. Apparently, the new zerg organisms were moving past the Kiln Keeper ranks. It appeared as though the various Kiln Keeper variants moved around the ravasaurs and tyrannozors, even as the newly discovered zerg beasts parted through the marching formations of metal. Both forces ignored each other as each pressed on to their intended destination, with the Kiln keepers marching toward the war front, and with the unknown zerg parting through the march of metal formations.
Faddoh stared at this with slack-jawed confusion. "Uh... Wha-what? Why are the Kiln Keepers not attacking these new zerg organisms?"
Guik stared at the creatures on the screens before her and slowly shook her head, while her face-mask's letters changed to 'confused'. "These monsters are ignoring the Kiln Keepers too. It's like they don't see each other."
Faddoh scratched at his copper chin and thumbed at the lowest portion of his green LED face. "This behavior is most unusual! Have these creatures somehow developed a biological trait that enables them to be rendered invisible to the Kiln Keepers?"
Guik shook her head. "No, I don't think it's that. The Kiln Keepers would have bumped into them if that were the case. Even then, their seismic sensors built into their legs would have detected them too. Even if they did develop some kind of invisibility, then why are we able to see them at all?"
Faddoh hissed. "Mm. This doesn't make any sense."
Guik sighed as her face-mask's letters changed to 'concerned'. "I think we should contact Pallax. We need to report this."
Faddoh gestured for Guik to move. "Fine by me. Move over and let me take command of the facility."
Guik tightly held onto the flight controls of the C-series floating research facility. "No. I'm a Pyramidal Guard commander, and you are a Cube Research commander. I will keep piloting this floating block you call a research facility, while you make a link with our general. That is an order."
Faddoh hissed again, but grumbled as he walked to a vacant keyboard and pulled up a screen for him to look at. "Then do me a favor and follow those creatures. I don't know what they are capable of, but if we find out where they are going, we might be able to piece together what their plan might be." Faddoh said as he requested a communication link with his general. Once the link was made, Faddoh saluted to the image of Pallax. "Apologies, my general. We have discovered a new caste of zerg organism, and I wish to report our findings to you so far."
Pallax grunted. [Of course. Send me all the data that you have collected.]
After a brief passing of a couple seconds, Pallax received the data he requested in the form of a live surveillance stream."We haven't collected much data as of yet. We do have a live video capture of these beasts, however. Uploading a live stream to you now."
It took Pallax roughly a minute to decipher the information for himself. Once he has done so, he returned his gaze to Faddoh. [Rather queer creatures, I must say. Have you given a name to them? And do you know what they are capable of?]
Faddoh shook his metal head. "We don't have a name for them yet. That little privilege befalls to the commander of the Pyramidal Guard Division. However, I must stress the fact that these are newly discovered creatures, Pallax. As of right now, we don't know what they are capable of. However, this is what I really wanted to show you! Can you tell me what you can see if you looked closely at the stream you're currently viewing?"
Pallax took a few seconds to himself to watch the stream that Faddoh shared with him. After those seconds, his eyes brightened up. [... They are not attacking each other?]
"Both the Kiln Keepers and the new zerg organism breeds, yes." Faddoh added, nodding slowly and with concern on his LED green face. "I will also note that there is a new breed of under beast plaguing the Kiln Keepers, but I figured that this required your most immediate attention."
[They all seem to be moving through the Kiln Keeper formations. They're almost infiltrating through their march entirely.] Pallax remarked as he scratched his chin. [... If they are heading into the direction of the Kiln Keeper's production facilities, then this might become an even bigger problem in the long run. But even so, I can't understand why the Kiln Keepers are refraining from attacking these new zerg beasts. These new zerg organisms almost look like brutish lizards...]
"I have decided on some names for them." Guik interrupted, even while she remained focused on the screens and continued following the ravasaurs and tyrannozors. "I think naming the littler ones 'invaders' would be an appropriate name as any other. The larger ones could be called 'obtruders'. Since these two creatures have a similar appearance between each other, we can group them together into a single breed name. I want to collectively call them... 'drakes'."
Pallax nodded. [Invader drakes and obtruder drakes it is.] He said. [However, I can see that your mission is now of upmost priority. I need you to follow these drakes as best as you can. Find out what they are planning to do, if you are able to. If you can't, then gather as much substantial data without putting yourselves in harms way. I'll see if I can mobilize any other covert operatives into any other areas that have Kiln Keepers attacking zerg infested zones. You have new mission priorities, commanders. Make your emperor proud.] And with that, Pallax's face flashed and vanished.
Faddoh beamed a proud smile as he turned to look at Guik. Guik, though nobody could see her face, simply rolled her eyes and continued with her task on piloting the floating research facility and following the newly dubbed 'drakes'.
For a long while had the cloaked floating research facility slowly hover above the ravasaurs and tyrannozors, who were later named 'drakes' by Guik. They moved in wide groups that were spread out, and there seemed to be established pack leaders within each group that seemed to direct them toward and past the march of Kiln Keepers. Much of the obtruder drakes, otherwise known as tyrannozors by the zerg, would primarily mingle through the looser Kiln Keeper formations that contained any of the larger variants of Kiln Keepers. The intruder drakes, the ravasaurs, had little trouble slinking through the Peace Keeper Kiln Keeper variants, though the kept their distance from the more larger variants somewhat. What seemed like tens of tyrannozors and ravasaurs eventually grew to hundreds, and then possibly thousands more of these creatures, all walking up the stream of marching Kiln Keepers. A while longer, and the two commanders followed the migrating packs of 'drakes' to the newly established production facilities of the Kiln Keepers. The Kiln Keeper facilities slowly expanded so that they could supply more troops to the battle that ensued on the battlefront, yet they seemed to take no interest with their intruders and obtruders. In the minutes that followed, more and more ravasaurs and tyrannozors gathered around these Kiln Keeper production facilities.
Faddoh was amazed by what he was seeing. "Incredible! These new zerg creatures haven't attacked the Kiln Keepers during their entire pilgrimage. And the Kiln Keepers just allowed them to pass through their controlled territories, both unmolested and unharmed. It is like they were ignoring them! How is this possible?!"
Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'concerned'. "This is... unbelievable. To be able to pass through so many Kiln Keeper army units and troop formations without ever being attacked. Not even once did any one of them exchange barbs."
Faddoh scratched at his coppery head before grunting in frustration. "Okay, let's think about this. There must be some kind of variable that enables this... non-aggressive behavior to manifesy. What could cause the Kiln Keepers and these new zerg organisms to ignore each other?"
Guik sighed as she leaned back in her seat. "We can rule out invisibility. We can rule out the Kiln Keepers being offered a treaty from the zerg, or else all of the zerg and the Kiln Keepers wouldn't be attacking each other. We can also rule out faulty machine parts or sabotaged Kiln Keeper builder mechanisms since they are quite quick in detecting faults in their own systems."
Faddoh growled as he began to pace. "But what is the variable that caused this behavior?"
Guik shook her head. "There is definitely something wrong here. It must be some factor either too complex for us to understand, or we are overlooking a simple factor that we didn't account for. Perhaps even both. What would cause the Kiln Keepers to refrain from targeting and exterminating the drakes in the first place?"
"Simple factor... Complex factor... Targeting..." Pallax repeated as he hummed the words to himself. For a few minutes did Guik and Faddoh muddle over the available facts, but neither seemed to figure out what was happening. It was a definite strategical equation that both Faddoh and Guik were having a hard time solving. However, after some extensive musings, Faddoh's expression suddenly lit up with an uncomfortable dread. "... Oh."
Guik turned to look at Faddoh. "What?"
"MOVE!" Faddoh shouted as he forced Guik from her seat.
"GUAGH!" Guik tumbled onto her back as she was thrown from the flight controls. She looked up at Faddoh as her face-mask's letters changed to surprised. "Faddoh, what are you doing?!"
Faddoh made a communication request with his general once more as he began to take control of the floating facility. They were already ascending rapidly as Pallax's face greeted Faddoh once more. [Hello again, commander Faddoh. Do you-]
"There is no time to talk, Pallax! Order all of your covert operatives to abandon their missions and retreat back to the military living blocks in the fifth sky ring!" Faddoh loudly urged.
Faddoh reared his head back in surprise. [What?! Why?!]
"Do it, my general! The reason why the Kiln Keepers are not attacking the new zerg organisms is because the Kiln Keepers have not identified them as threats yet! I'm sending you a live stream to you right now! Look at how many drakes there are!" Faddoh barked.
After Pallax paused for a few seconds to view the live stream that Faddoh sent to him, he paled yet again. [... My gods, there are so many! I'll notify my covert ops forces immediately. Your mission now is to retreat. I will notify Gollog so that he can reprogram the Kiln Keepers to target these new zerg organisms.]
"It might be too late for Gollog to reprogram the Kiln keepers in time, Pallax." Faddoh growled. "We are already beginning our transit back to the sky rings. If we are under any kind of danger, then I will have Guik MEM shift into your private quarters, using our onboard MEM device."
Guik shook her head as she stood back up. "Not that I'm thankful that you would MEM shift me to safety, but what about you?"
Faddoh sighed as he turned to Guik. "I will be fine." He pointed at himself. "If this robotic body you see is destroyed right here, then my backup consciousness will inhabit another robotic body. I might not remember too many of our past conversations, so it's up to you and everyone else to fill me in on what is happening."
[Faddoh, check your surveillance screens. There's something happening with the live stream on my end.] Pallax interrupted.
Both Guik and Faddoh then brought their focus onto the surveillance screens. What they saw startled them into shock. They saw that the ravasaurs and tyrannozors have begun attacking the Kiln Keepers, and they have done so in a unified frenzy. The ravasaurs coughed a sac-like glob that collided into the ranks of the Kiln Keepers, which made them fume and burn. It was an acidic spit that was weaponized into a volatile projection. Any Kiln Keepers that were in melee range to the ravasaurs were clawed down in a similar efficiency to their spit attacks. The tyrannozors were even worse. Their claws struck out with savage strikes as their Kaiser bladed fingers glided through their targets, while their sharp teeth chomped down on hard armored metal and ripped them into useless metal scrap and broken parts. The earth had opened up as nydus worms of the omega strain arrived at the new battlefield. Once its maw opened, swarms of new zerg left its gaping mouth. These other breeds of zerg were, again, nothing that Guik or Faddoh had ever seen before.
Igniters skittered up close to the Kiln Keeper Peace Keeper variants and unleashed a hot hell. Their fiery breath seemed to glow hotter than plasma as their burning exhalations seemed to melt the enemies plaguing the zerg swarm. They could see roaches fighting and fusing together in order to evolve into more igniters, which either replaced any igniters that perished, or added more numbers to an escalating war. Roaches fought among themselves and melted together in order to be spawned into these beasts, or to be spawned into a guardians. The guardians even seem to drive themselves into a frenzy as they launch their acid spores with primordial fury, which seemed to detonate with explosive force. The next kind of zerg organism then came out from the mouths of the omega worms, which revealed itself to be another variant of the swarm host. Even when Guik and Faddoh saw how two swarm hosts fought and melded together into form the creeper hosts, they were still in disbelief. These creeper hosts then proceeded to release a type of locust that was beyond the typical description of a locust. The creepers that the creeper host produced were joined with locusts that were either grounded or flight capable. The Kiln Keepers would be too distracted to target the locusts before they realized that the creepers were a more prominent danger to them. The creepers, and the targets they collided onto, exploded in a mix of melted metal and boiling acid. The next kind of creatures that came were similar in appearance the the shryik serpents they feared, which also have the physical traits that were quite similar to the nydus worms. The nydus destroyer wurms bursts out from the ground and began attacking any nearby foe that was an enemy to the zerg.
One of these nydus destroyers looked up into the sky. Guik and Faddoh didn't know what it was seeing. But when it roared and began attacking their supposedly cloaked floating research facility, they both knew that they were no longer safe.
Faddoh turned to Guik. "Guik! It's time you get your tail out of here! Our light-screen mesh is already compromised! Those new under beast variants can detect us!"
Guik nodded as she quickly went for the MEM device in the next room. Thud after thud of splashing acid was heard from outside of the mobile research facility, and the subtle sound of boiling, sizzling acid was heard. Guik inputted the coordinates that placed her within Pallax's private quarters. Before the MEM device turned her body into energy and transported her to the designated location, she yelled out to Faddoh. "What about you?!"
Faddoh waved at Guik. "I'll meet back with you again, sweety! Now go, before a dread maw shows up!"
After that quick exchange, Guik's form was surrounded by blue static before disappearing completely. Faddoh sighed, but he knew that he was still far from being out of danger. More thudding sounds from outside impacted onto the mobile research facility. The entire facility began to shudder and shake, which warned Faddoh that the mobile facility was now under heavy attack. A flurry of spikes impacted the floating facility, which was the necessary catalyst to finally disable it. It began to fall from the sky. It would later create a crate in the ground once it explodes.
Within a mag station, inside of Pallax's private quarters.
Guik sighed as she materialized within a safe space. She looked around and found that the room she was in definitely belonged to a general of Pallax's stature. The design was utilitarian and simple, but there were several corners of the room that was adorned either with various weapons, with pictures regarding personal memoirs, and several kinds of exercising equipment. It certainly was an improvement than the other place he used to sleep in. The opalescent palace that was once the crowning jewel of Empire City, situated in the middling island of Shallow Ocean within the Day Circle, had obnoxious lighting that Guik couldn't stand. Here however, so high up and far away from the surface of Kiln, had the kind of lighting level that she could tolerate. It would make it easier for her to blend in with the shadows.
She went to Pallax's personal computer terminal and accessed it. "Skrico, connect me to General Pallax please."
[Command detected.] A computer voice replied to Guik, and fulfilled her stated order.
After a few minutes, a face finally lit up upon the computer terminal's screen. Pallax's face greeted Guik, but it turned into an image of him shaking his head and sighing. [So I take it that your mobile facility was targeted and destroyed?]
Guik's face-mask's letters changed to annoyed. "I MEM shifted myself into your private quarters in time. I don't know of Faddoh's condition, but I speculate that he went down with the C-series mobile research facility. The custom light-screen mesh we installed onto the hull of the mobile facility was inefficient. There is a new breed of under beast that saw past our invisibility, which would explain why I am here now. Why did it take you so long to accept my communication request?"
Pallax shook his head and growled. [You couldn't have called me at a better time. The special infiltration forces I had selected for their covert ops missions suffered. Skrico calculated that seventy eight percent the sent soldiers have died, suffered casualties, or are missing in action.]
Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'surprised'. "How many covert ops soldiers did you send?"
[I only sent twenty squads in total to ten different locations. Their reports were quite similar to what you and Faddoh had uncovered during your shared mission. When you reported to me that the Kiln Keepers didn't attack the new zerg breeds because of a flaw in their targeting acquisition programs, I knew that they were unsafe. If I had ever delayed their retreat, I would have lost all of the squads I selected.] Pallax said with a saddened groan.
Guik sighed as her face-mask's letters changed to frustrated. "How many Kiln Keepers are deployed on Kiln?"
Pallax looked to the side, grimaced, and then returned his attention to Guik. [The numbers are not looking good. After the necrostorm weapon was unleashed, the Kiln Keepers were continually increasing their numbers with several millions of Kiln Keeper construction devices, which was able to create around two and a quarter billion Kiln Keeper units at their apex population and maintain it. However, in these last few minutes alone, the Kiln Keeper units and structures are being targeted and dismantled at a speed that is unheard of. The Kiln Keeper population counter is now in the sextuple digits, and is continuing to decrease.]
Guik turned away and paused for a couple seconds. "... From billions... to hundreds of thousands in minutes... My gods..."
Pallax looked at Guik with a stern expression. [Commander Guik. Be advised that as a commander of the Pyramidal Guard Division, you are tasked with handling discreet and classified details, or annihilating troublesome and problematic individuals. This information I have revealed to you must never be allowed to come into general knowledge with the public of Golden Star's citizenry, or be made aware to the rest of our military divisions. I will be reporting to Gollog, and I don't want you to share this information with anyone else. Do I make myself clear?]
Guik paused for a second and a half before she turned to face the screen and nodded. "Yes... Yes, my general."
[Good.] There was a slight pause before Pallax sighed once more. [Oh, and if you want to have pitcher juice marinated shellfish with oven-baked salted grain, I have it in a box of leftovers in my cooling vault. You are free to have it.]
Guik bowed. "Thank you, sir."
[However, I'm letting you have only one pickled krell liver. Leave the rest of my pickled krell livers alone.] Pallax added.
Guik hissed in silent disdain. "Of course, sir."
Sudden flashes of red blinded Guik. At the same time, red flashes flashed on her screen, which made Pallax's face change into a confused expression. He turned around and began shouting. [Are we being attacked?!]
[Sir, yes sir! Multiple contacts entering into range of the point-defense turrets on our mag rail station, sir!] [Sir, I am receiving word that four... eight... fifteen... twenty... All twenty six mag rail stations are reporting that they and the sky rings are under attack!] [Multiple zerg organisms identified. Sky bats, burst launchers, cloud lickers, scratch launchers, slayers, sun bursts, oculars and dread maws are on an approach vector to our position.]
Gollog snarled at his men. [Which side are they coming from?!]
[From above and below us, sir!] [They're attacking us from two sides at once?!] [The other mag rail stations are saying they are getting hit from both sides too!]
Gollog turned to face Guik. [Dammit. Guik, we will have to talk later.]
Once the communication link was severed, Guik quickly sprinted to a nearby window. Sure enough, she could see the point-defense turrets and energy lances fire repeatedly. As far as she could see, the energy lances and point-defense turrets, both on the mag rail station and on the sky ring mega structures, glowed with dangerous energy as they sent their projectiles toward the zerg. She stared at the brilliant light-show for a couple minutes in awe. A sigh later escaped her lungs as she proceeded to the gilanian equivalent of a refrigerator. "... Fuck this. I'm eating all of his livers."
Within the crater of a crash site.
A whirring sound emanated from underneath a pile of copper scrap, green glass and an assortment of technology that no longer functioned. A coppery grasping hand weakly moved this pile off of its owner, which revealed a heavily damaged copper robot. A pained whine from its leg joints straightened the robot to an upright standing position. "Ugh... Never again." Faddoh managed to survive as his floating research facility crashed into the ground. By using his manipulator emitters to form a manipulation field around his body, he could cushion himself from the damage of the crash landing. Sadly, he couldn't protect himself from the entirety of the fall, as much of his body was in great disrepair. He either needed a new body, or a good mechanic to fix his current problem.
However, a low, deep growl caught his attention. Faddoh slowly turned around to view this new noise and saw what had created the sound. A large, hulking mass of an almost feline, yet masculine reptile body was staring down at him. It looked like any of the typical tyrannozors, except that this one was massively bigger, had green pores that seemed to seep green mist, had purple veins that pulsed with its heartbeat, and had an unusual creature hovering above it. Faddoh only ever saw those assisting zerg organisms, known as symbiotes, assisting brutalisks and leviathans in the past. It then dawned upon him that there was never an established name for them. The enormous version of a tyrannozor leaned down an sniffed at the copper robot.
Faddoh slowly raised both of his arms to display a passive gesture. "Uh... I surrender?"
The mountainous beast looked away from Faddoh for several seconds, looking as though something else had caught its attention. Faddoh was confused by this gesture, but he didn't act upon it. After a brief pause, it then returned its attention to Faddoh, while it seemed to hiss out a chuckle. "Overcommander Kay says no prisoners. For now. You die here."
"WHA~?!-" Before Faddoh could ask his questions, two sets of Kaiser claws struck out and sliced into the commander of the Cube Research Division. Afterwards, the massive monster used its spiked knuckles to pound onto the body of the destroyed robot, which created a crater that would serve as one of Faddoh's graves. Once the copper commander was thoroughly destroyed and was incapable of ever being fixed to its previous condition, several more omega worms formed around it as packs of drones floated out of their maws. The drones began to form a chrysalis bubble around their bodies as they began to morph into the necessary bio-structures that were needed.
The massive beast looked up. It was thirsting for a REAL fight.
A/N: Went and saw that Venom movie. :V
Also, I forgot to have a gilanian name for the symbiotes. I'm dumb.