Kulagi trudged through the protodermis pipelines, lugging all of his equipment behind him. He reflected that he had perhaps taken too much with him; it was easy enough to haul along when he was driving his Hover-Bike, but on foot it was slowing him down quite a bit. But what was even worse was the darkness. Kulagi could see well enough in low light, but even he couldn't see in absolute darkness. Being from Onu-Metru, it wasn't as off-putting as it would be for other Matoran, but it still forced him to move along carefully. Especially since the pipe's floor was damp, so he had to take extra care not to slip.
Kulagi had found the access tunnel to the pipeline easily enough, but now that he was in it, he regretted not asking for more detailed directions. The Ga-Metru protodermis pipeline wasn't as complex as the Archives, but there were enough offshoots to make it difficult to navigate. Kulagi wasn't sure where Sufina and the others ended up, and all he could do was hope that he was moving in the right direction.
And hope ended up coming through for him. As he turned one corner, he saw a faint glow further down the pipeline. He headed towards it, but paused and drew his Kanoka launcher. Just in case the Dark Hunters were down here.
But when he caught up to the light, he saw it was merely three Matoran: Sufina, Agni, and Glax.
"Kulagi, thank goodness!" Sufina said, racing forward to hug him. "I didn't know if you'd made it or not!"
"Well, I did manage to get away, and wasn't followed either," Kulagi said.
"That was quite a show, Kanoka Maker," Agni said with a nod. He was the one with the lightstone. "Your plan ended up getting us all away safely."
"I guess you're not as dumb as you look," Glax said. He glanced at what Kulagi was carrying. "What's all that?"
"My supplies," Kulagi said. "I managed to unpack my Hover-Bike before heading down here. Although I was forced to crash it some distance away to throw off the Dark Hunters." He frowned. "And I really liked that bike too."
"Wait, did you bring your Kanoka forge with you?" Sufina asked incredulously.
"It's portable," Kulagi stated.
"And also really heavy," Glax pointed out. "Why would you even think of doing something like that?"
"Well, I've actually really wanted to test some of the protodermis from these pipes," Kulagi admitted. "Just think of the purity levels! But I've never been able to find access points to ones that weren't in use, or guarded by any Vahki for that matter."
Agni rolled his eyes. "Kanoka Makers," he grumbled. "Okay, follow me, I'll lead you back to our main encampment."
"Where did the others go?" Kulagi asked, as Sufina and Glax helped him carry some of his equipment.
"We've already led them back," Glax said. "Then we ventured out to find you, just to see if you would show."
"How's Triki doing?" Kulagi asked.
Sufina smiled weakly. "He's resting right now."
"Really?" Kulagi asked. "That doesn't seem like him. But I guess it has been a busy day for him, since he had to flee Le-Metru and then joined up with me to come here."
"That's not quite it," Sufina said. "When he showed up, he got a little too excited and charged in to meet all the other Matoran. And some of the Po-Matoran we had left back there were a little on edge and they. . ."
"They hit him on the head with a big rock," Glax finished. "He's okay, but he's also out cold."
"Well, that is one of the few guaranteed ways to get him to rest at night," Kulagi said with a shrug. "But I am curious; what's your story. How did you manage to flee the Dark Hunters?"
"It was a surprise attack, but we did have a few minutes notice," Sufina said. "I was heading towards my lab at the time, and luckily I had my Kanoka launcher. A few of us tried to fight off the Dark Hunters, but it was useless, since they came in so many numbers. Instead, what we did manage to do was hold them back while the rest of the Matoran took cover."
Kulagi nodded. When he had first met Sufina, she had not been very good with a disc. But he had since taught her how to shoot, and she had turned into a decent marksman. Furthermore, Kulagi had supplied her with a couple of powerful Kanoka too, which would've helped in a fight.
"The Dark Hunters had us on the run pretty quickly," Agni said. "But Sufina was able to lead us to a few hiding spots. Eventually, we pieced together our collective knowledge and decided that the protodermis pipeline was our best bet. While the Dark Hunters were trashing the rest of the city, we made our escape."
"That's quite a brilliant idea," Kulagi said. "And the pipeline runs all the way to the Great Temple, which is still in a Toa controlled region. You can take it all the way to safety."
"Yeah, except that part didn't work out so well," Glax said. "These pipes have been out of commission for a long time, and so haven't exactly been maintained. We tried to pass through them, but there's a cave in that's blocking the pipeline. We can't go any further."
"So we're still trapped in enemy territory," Agni summed up. "We're well hidden, but our supplies won't last forever. We just have to hope that the Toa reclaim the Metru soon, so we can return to the surface."
"But shouldn't you be up there, fighting the Dark Hunters?" Kulagi asked. "Isn't that what you were doing earlier?"
"We were searching for any other civilians who didn't get evacuated in time," Agni said. "We know the Dark Hunters captured some Matoran, but there might be others out there we can still save. But we've done our best to avoid the actual Dark Hunters."
"But we could be up there causing chaos, and keeping them on their clawed toes," Kulagi said. "A little guerrilla warfare, to mess with them until the Toa arrive."
"Is your mask loose?" Glax asked. "We're no match for the Dark Hunters; we'd be sure to lose any fights we'd get in."
"I disagree," Kulagi said. "A few well-placed Kanoka would take any individual down, and if we fought from the shadows. . ."
"It's too reckless of a plan," Agni said. "We'll stay hidden until help arrives."
"But what about going after the. . ." Sufina started.
Agni shook his head. "No, we've been over this. It's too risky."
Sufina frowned, and Kulagi glanced at her, wondering what that was about. To make conversation, he asked Agni and Glax, "So what are you two doing here? I understand that a lot of Po-Matoran immigrated to Ga-Metru when the Dark Hunters took over Po-Metru, but what's a Ta-Matoran and a Ko-Matoran doing up here?"
"I'm in the Matoran Guard, and was stationed in this region," Agni said. "It's my duty to help the Matoran here, regardless of their Metru."
"And you?" Kulagi asked Glax
"Well, I was doing a delivery from Ko-Metru," Glax said. "I just happened to be in the area at the time, and got stranded here."
"You're a courier?" Kulagi asked. "I thought you said you make Kanoka."
"I do dabble in the arts of Kanoka," Glax said. "But I'm usually the one delivering messages for the Ko-Matoran seers and all. They find my personality a little. . . irksome at times, I guess. So to make up for it, they send me on deliveries all the time."
"Ko-Matoran seers do tend to be a little strict," Sufina said. "I've worked with some before, and they're not the easiest Matoran to be around."
"Besides, most Kanoka Makers tend to be a little different," Kulagi said. "Don't take it in a bad way."
"Well, I'm glad they sent him, because Glax has been very helpful," Agni said. "Both him and Sufina are some of our best Kanoka shooters, and it's been thanks to them that we managed to get away when we did."
"And speaking of which, we're here," Sufina said.
The party of Matoran turned a corner of the pipe and entered a large chamber. It was originally supposed to be an underground storage pool for the protodermis, but now the chamber was a hidden haven for the Matoran refugees. There were supplies packed in the corners and small tents set up for Matoran to sleep under. The air was cold and damp, but the Matoran were clustered around heatstones to stay warm. It was not the most pleasant place to stay, but it was safe and well hidden.
"Pick a spot and get settled in," Agni said. "You'll probably be down here for a while."
"I think I may be able to find a way to occupy my time," Kulagi said. He knelt next to the wall, and scrapped up some protodermis rust. "This stuff looks to be really pure. I bet I can make some good Kanoka out of this."
"So that's why you brought your forge?" Sufina asked, as Kulagi started to set it up.
"This will be a great way to arm ourselves, by churning out discs while we're waiting," Kulagi said. "And if I get any powerful ones, I won't have to hand them over to the Guard right away."
"Well, we probably won't need them," Sufina said, sitting down next to Kulagi. "Agni doesn't seem so keen to return to the surface until the Toa get back. Especially after you riled up the Dark Hunters with your stunt."
"Yeah, although I get where he's coming from," Kulagi said. "He wants to protect everybody else first, and that means not taking any unnecessary risks. But see, some risks might be necessary. The Dark Hunters are here for the long haul, based on how well their guard was tonight. The Toa aren't going to reclaim this area any time soon. So it might be in our benefit to stir up trouble ourselves."
Sufina giggled. "And if there's anybody who knows how to stir up trouble, it's you."
Kulagi shrugged, and fired up his forge. "We'd have to be smart about it, though. Quick attacks, with planned escape routes and plenty of back up plans. It's like taking protodermis from a Vahki guarded region. You need a plan, but also the ability to change tactics and improvise when things do wrong." He frowned. "Only Huaju is right; if we misstep here, we won't just get sent to the Coliseum jail."
Kulagi scrapped up some of the protodermis rust off the wall and added it to his forge, where it began to heat back into a liquid. As he waited, he looked up and noticed a concerned look on Sufina's face. "What's wrong, you look worried?"
"How can I not be, considering our position?" Sufina asked.
"Well, you've seemed fairly in control so far," Kulagi said. "It's impressive, really."
Sufina sighed. "The thing is, there's something I left behind, and I need to go get it. But Agni won't let me go."
"What do you mean?" Kulagi said. "What's worth that much to you?"
"It's not just to me," Sufina said, lowering her voice to barely a whisper. "Look, what I'm about to tell you is a secret. Agni is in on it, but nobody else here is. So you can't tell anybody."
"Okay. . ." Kulagi said slowly.
"I was asked to work on this secret project," Sufina said. "It was only a small team, and we were all hand selected by Turaga Dume for this. But we've been sworn to secrecy, to keep this under the radar."
"What is it?" Kulagi asked.
"We were supposed to make a power source," Sufina said. "It was an experimental design, apparently based on something from the Nynrah Ghosts. The Toa wanted us to get it to work for them, so they could use it in the war."
"Wait, does this have anything to do with energized protodermis?" Kulagi asked, remembering the fiasco that had resulted from Sufina's research into that.
"No, of course not," Sufina said. "But I'm sure my work on that was what prompted Turaga Dume to put me on the team."
"So you were working on this. . ." Kulagi said.
"Not just working on it; we finished it," Sufina said. "We had managed to create a working prototype, and plans were being made to ship it to Ta-Metru for mass production. But then this Dark Hunter attack happened. There's nothing else special about this region, so it's too much of a coincidence. Somehow they got word of our breakthrough, and they attacked so they could get the prototype."
"But they don't have it yet?" Kulagi asked.
"I don't think so," Sufina said. "I wasn't able to check before we had to flee, and I've been kicking myself ever since. But our lab was inconspicuous, so they might not know its importance if they went through it. And the prototype was hidden inside a secret safe, so they still might've missed it."
"But you want to be sure of that," Kulagi said. "And so you want to return to your lab and check yourself."
Sufina nodded. "But the lab's in a spot that's not easy to sneak into. It would be risky, and that's why Agni is completely against it. For one Matoran, it might indeed be impossible. But if we could put together a small team, we might have a chance."
"You have a point," Kulagi said. "Triki and I can help you for sure." He paused, as he began to stir the protodermis in his forge. "So this is something the Dark Hunters want? Enough to stage this massive attack?"
"Yes, and it's absolutely vital that they don't get ahold of it," Sufina said. "The prototype is a power source unlike any I have ever worked with before. If the Dark Hunters find a way to utilize it, the Toa will be in deep trouble."
"Then it sounds like something we should get back," Kulagi said. He began stirring vigorously. "And with any luck, I'll have a couple of powerful Kanoka for us to use by morning."
Meanwhile, back on the surface, Hakann observed the wreckage of the Hover-Bike. He and Optics were looking over the crash site, with a few other Dark Hunters on guard nearby.
"So this is where the Matoran was last seen?" Hakann said, rubbing his chin. "Something smells here, and it's not just this damp air."
"The angle of the crash indicates that he flew directly into the building," Optics observed. "The trajectory points to this being a deliberate crash. Furthermore, there's no sign of the pilot, but there's also no sign of any supplies. This Hover-Bike has plenty of storage compartments, but they're all empty. This leads me to believe that the Hover-Bike was unloaded before the crash."
"That means that the Matoran is trying to mislead us," Hakann snarled. "And it's working too. There's no signs here to show where he went. Can you figure out where he might've flown from?"
"I can extrapolate from the crash angle, but it just leads up into the air," Optics said. "There's no obvious flight path that indicates where the Matoran bailed."
"Then he could be anywhere in this cursed city," Hakann said, gritting his teeth. "And if there's one thing those Matoran know how to do, it's hide in the most unlikely corners. I hate to say it, but I think we might've hit a dead end with this one."
"What was that you said about hitting something dead?" a voice rang out behind Hakann. The crimson Dark Hunter scowled as he recognized the new arrival.
"Vengeance, how good of you to join us," Hakann said.
Vengeance was a high ranking Dark Hunter, and was unusual because he was there of his own free will. Vengeance was a massive figure, with wings, a spiked tail, and horns that could neutralized even Hakann's mental attacks. He was a fierce fighter, and was always looking for his next challenger to defeat. He joined the Dark Hunters so he could unleash his battle lust for a profit, and was more than eager to fight this war against the Toa. He also didn't tolerate failure, which made him a ruthless general. Currently, he was just below Lariska in terms of leadership for their current maneuver.
He glared now at Hakann and Optics. "Are you implying that you have lost the trail of this Matoran?" Vengeance asked.
"The Matoran has covered his tracks well," Optics stated matter of fact. "This crash was meant to throw us off his scent, and we cannot trace where his last position was or where he fled to."
"I see," Vengeance said coolly. He flicked his tail, and it struck Optics in the face, knocking him over. "Wrong answer."
"Look, it's just one puny Matoran," Hakann said. "He's not even from around here, by all accounts. So we'll keep looking, but this manhunt is really unnecessary, compared to our other priorities."
"The Matoran could provide useful intelligence," Vengeance said.
"Yes, like the score of the last Akilini match," Hakann spat. "Admit it, we don't know where to begin looking for what we're really after, and focusing on tracking down a single Matoran won't bring us any closer to our objective. So you could keep whining, or you could let us do our work as we see fit."
"Don't test me, Hakann," Vengeance snarled.
"Don't underestimate me either," Hakann shot back. "Will your horns still protect you from my mental attacks if I shear them off first?"
Vengeance ignored Hakann's threat. "Find that Matoran," he said, turning away.
Optics got back to his feet, rubbing the sore on his head. "So what do we do now?" he asked.
Hakann narrowed his eyes. "We keep looking, but we also make sure we don't answer to him anymore. If Vengeance wants to see perfect results, then he needs to do the work himself. Because if he crosses me again, he'll get a taste of what it's like to lose, for once."