Chapter 27 - Conflict

UZOK - PANAMA

Uzok clambered over the side of the drowning craft, and splashed into the knee-deep seawater. Behind him grumbled Moke, as water splashed across his technical gauntlet and various pieces of eclectic equipment. Moonlight sent silver rays through the water, which Korenn gracefully weaved through with a practiced comfort, while Hakis and Akres gingerly followed in her wake.

"I told you we should have stopped sooner," griped Hakis, trying fruitlessly to keep himself out of the water. From alongside him, Sokul smiled.

"It could be worse, brother," he said calmly. As if on cue, Uzok watched Akres trip under some unseen underwater hazard, falling face-first into the water. A titanic splash rose through the air, sending droplets of water raining down on all of the Skakdi nearby. Moke gave a cry of anger, still trying to wipe the water off of his equipment, while Hakis shivered bitterly.

"Yeah?" he replied. Sokul cocked an eyebrow, and Hakis continued by slapping the surface of the water, sending a splash towards the Ko-Skakdi. "Well it could be a lot damn better!"

Uzok, whose amusement had exponentially decreased as he watched the spectacle, silenced their back-and-forth with a well-placed point.

"Stow it. Get to shore, Warbirds."

"No need to tell me twice," said Akres, angrily spitting up water as he rose from the waves, and continued trundling forward. As a group, they finally arrived on a thin stretch of silt beach, and sat on the ground, shivering.

"That's the second time in recent memory I had to swim to shore," said Hakis, still dripping with water - his bright red color seeming much duller than usual.

"Must you always gripe?" said Korenn.

"Must you always be a pain in my-"

Sokul coughed, interjecting himself into the conversation.

"Undermarshall, I think I speak for the 65th Warbirds when I ask what our plan is."

Uzok sighed, nodding. He had been thinking, as the boat slowly sunk, what exactly the plan was. He had hoped that the Shadow Toa his team had been escorting were planning on providing some sort of method to return to the Brotherhood - but this had clearly not been the case, as they were rudely abandoned once they had finished their cross-country hike. As such, the only solution Uzok could see was to make a return voyage back the way they came in order to reconvene with the Brotherhood's forces.

Drawing a deep breath, Uzok stood to his feet, and addressed the circle of unhappy Skakdi.

"Failing to find adequate transport back to friendly territory, we will have to return by land. The enemy is now aware of our existence, and thus the return voyage will not be an easy one."

Uzok watched the group look among itself with an expression he could not entirely read, though they did not say anything. Not facing a response, he continued.

"We will attempt to reconvene with the Brotherhood's ground forces as we head westward. Prepare to move, Warbirds."

"Do we have a route?" said Moke, concise as always. Uzok paused, pulling up his map of the area, and looked at it with confusion. The map had been of little help before, as the group had diverted from their intended course almost immediately. As such, they had largely been following the river upstream for most of the voyage, or the gap in the mountains when not traveling by water. Now, set apart from both the areas of the map they knew and the reliable navigation of the river, they were in the dark.

"No," said Uzok, after a moment's consideration. Better to tell them now than be exposed as a liar later. "But the Brotherhood will be moving towards us. If we keep our eyes open, and continue moving westward, we won't miss them."

Uzok turned, leading the group towards the treeline, before a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"March through enemy territory a second time? Wandering aimlessly? Are you joking?"

Uzok turned with a grim expression to see Hakis, brow furrowed and a sour look on his face.

"Hakis, I am not asking you, I am telling you - we are moving."

"You said it yourself that the Brotherhood is moving towards us. There's no call for us to risk our lives again."

Uzok cocked a brow in confusion.

"That's sir to you, Hakis - and what are you implying?"

Hakis took a defiant step forward.

"I say we hunker down and wait for the Brotherhood to reach us, sir," Hakis spat the last word defiantly before facing away from Uzok. "Moke - it would be safer, wouldn't it?"

Uzok turned to face a slightly-stressed Moke, whose gaze darted between the two.

"It is possible. A small force like ours could stay undercover for some time."

With a frown, Uzok stepped between the two, standing in the midst of the group.

"I don't want to hear another word from either of you. We are the 65th Honor Guard. We do not give up and hunker down because it is more convenient for us. We serve the Brotherhood with every breath, even if we don't like it. Now, Hakis, with all due respect, pack your zyga, and get moving before I beat the teeth out of you myself."

The two glared at each other, their eyes boring into one another, and Uzok could see the Ta-Skakdi's fist balling in anger.

"Yes, sir," he spat, before moving past Uzok towards the treeline. Uzok felt an internal sigh of relief, though he was careful not to show it to the troops - he did not need a violent confrontation right now. Turning, he followed the rest of his team into the jungle, making his way forward through the underbrush.

It had been an entire day and night of walking, the group having grown steadily more exhausted with each step. Uzok kept a position at the head of the formation, and every once in a while he would hear whispers from behind him, though upon turning to inspect the group he would see each member stone-faced and silent.

Uzok was as surprised as the rest of the group when the jungle suddenly broke out into a large valley, filled with some sort of Primitive fruiting trees. A shack stood off to one side, running along a large dirt road, and he could see other buildings on the outskirts of the orchard, likely garages or sheds for farming equipment. The scale of the environment briefly shocked him, as even the largest farms he was familiar with were nowhere near this size. However, he paid it little heed.

"Alright. Korenn and Akres, you two take point, head down to that shack. Clear out any hostiles you see. Hakis, Sokul, do a sweep of the perimeter, same instructions. Moke, you're with me; we're camping on this ridge to provide fire support."

"I'm not convinced that's necessary, sir," said Sokul, looking over the area.

"Oh?" Uzok replied back, challenging the Ko-Skakdi to elaborate.

"Enemy forces have not posed a significant threat to us thus far. It's unlikely some farmers will either."

Uzok paused and nodded.

"Right. Akres, Korenn; Moke and I are with you. Hakis, Sokul, standing orders."

The group broke, scurrying down the ridge towards the farm. Uzok kept a constant and vigilant eye open, paranoid that at any moment an enemy being may scream out in terror and begin running away from them. He wanted to keep his group's presence undetected if possible, as was always the case when behind enemy lines.

They approached in silence, sneaking up on the shack, and once they finally pressed their backs to it, Akres and Korenn leapt through its doors with bloodthirsty eagerness. Uzok and Moke followed, prepared to drag out the occupants by their collars, but Uzok bemusedly found himself fortunate that the building appeared to be abandoned. Akres, sweeping the hovel, returned to the central living room, and gritted his teeth as he made his report.

"No signs of life, sir. This place is dead."

Uzok smiled, and tucked his Cordak pistol back into his holster.

"Good. Warbirds, let's make camp."

Uzok's team settled into the room eagerly. So delighted was he for this brief slice of safe haven that he did not pause to think that perhaps they did so too eagerly. He may have saved himself some trouble if he had.

Uzok was awakened by a tapping on his shoulder. He was leaning against the wall, having planned on sleeping until nightfall, so that he and his team could move under cover of darkness.

Blinking awake, he turned to see the faces of his crew, all of whom were already awake, scattered throughout the room, much to Uzok's surprise. Hakis was closest, squatting by him with a determined look in his eye.

"Evening, sir," he said, with a taunting tone. Idly, he swung Uzok's tactical map between his fingers. Uzok glared, grabbing at it to no success, as Hakis kept it just out of reach, smugly dangling it. "It's alright, I'm not going to drop it," he said.

"What do you want, you spine-slug?" said Uzok, annoyed at Hakis' incessant difficulty.

"Just wanted to know where we were is all," he said, before dropping the map on Uzok's lap. Uzok stood with a sigh, pocketing the map.

"Well, now that your curiosity is satisfied, we can get ourselves packed and be back on the road by-"

"Why?"

The question, a single word, pierced Uzok's sentence, and Uzok felt white-hot rage flare up inside him. Uzok's nails dug into his palm, and he gritted his teeth.

"Why? Because I command it so. Do you ask Marshall Koltari or the Shadow Toa to explain their orders to you?"

"No. But with all due respect, sir, they're not here right now, and if they were, I suspect they would stand on my side of the room, not yours."

Uzok looked around the room, and suddenly realized how very alone he was, with the rest of the Warbirds across the room from him. With a shaky breath, he spoke calmly and with authority.

"We go west in one hour, until we reach the Brotherhood's territory."

Uzok stepped closer to Hakis, and with a disgusted tone, closed the negotiation once and for all.

"Carry on, Hakis," Uzok said, before making his way back towards the wall he had been sitting against. Meanwhile, Hakis stood stone still, now backed up by Korenn and Sokul. The room was silent for a moment, before Hakis spoke.

"We've been talking. Me and the team."

Uzok stared at him with heavy lids.

"And?"

"We're not continuing west. We want to stay here and wait for the Brotherhood to reach us."

From behind him, Korenn nodded, and Uzok could see Akres murmur an affirmation under his breath. Uzok almost felt confused, seeing a group that had previously been so loyal to him act in such a manner.

"What in Karzahni do I care what you and the team want? Hm? Where do you think you are, Hakis - do you think the Brotherhood is some kind of democracy?"

"Officers are advised to respect their -" began Moke, but Uzok immediately cut him off.

"Shut up, Moke," he said, glaring at the assembled team. They remained quiet, and with a shaky voice, Uzok addressed them all.

"You're dismissed."

Suddenly, Uzok saw another item in Hakis's hands. It was his cutlass. On a table behind him sat his Cordak pistol. Uzok felt very exposed without the two. Hakis, meanwhile, turned the weapon over in his hands, inspecting it carefully.

"We're staying here, sir. We'd like you to stay too."

"And supposing I don't? Suppose I make it back to Koltari on my own, and I report you. What then, Hakis? Moke? Akres? When the Brotherhood finds you, they'll kill you all. And they'll make it hurt when they do it."

Hakis sneered, and his brow furrowed.

"It'd be best if you stayed with us, sir," he said in a low tone. His threat was very plain.

Uzok assessed the situation. He was one against five - but he could see doubt on some of their faces. Moke had been a member of the 65th Honor Guard for many months, and Akres was too bloodthirsty to stay behind. Neither of them could truly be loyal to the little mutiny that was forming. On the other hand, he was unarmed, and Hakis currently held a sword. It was not the time to try anything brave.

"Fine," said Uzok, after a painful silence. "We stay. Hakis, bring me some water,"

Hakis smiled, dropping the cutlass on the table, before turning to fetch Uzok's canteen. The second he did, Uzok lunged at him.

Now was the time to try something brave.

Uzok's fist landed squarely in the back of Hakis's skull, before Uzok dropped his elbow between the other Skakdi's shoulderblades, just narrowly avoiding his spines. The Ta-Skakdi cried out in pain and confusion as the assembled team watched with a mixture of fear and excitement.

It was a rite of passage that every Skakdi commander should need to fight his underlings - and usually more than once. Uzok had beaten his fair share of whelps in the past. But never had the odds been stacked so against him.

With Hakis still doubled over in pain, Uzok reared his leg forward, and kicked him in the back, hoping to send him toppling over. Instead, and with surprisingly quick reaction time, the Ta-Skakdi sidestepped the blow, and grabbed hold of Uzok's leg. Twisting it, Uzok flailed for a moment before crashing to the ground.

Striking the ground, Uzok was disoriented for a second, and when he came to, he could see Hakis' foot descending towards his head. Scrambling backwards, the foot crashed into the ground less than a Kanohi's thickness away, and Uzok made his way back to a standing position. This did not last long, however, as he was immediately forced to duck a wild haymaker from Hakis.

Uzok had long credited Hakis as a fool - but he was on the Honor Guard for reasons of merit. When it came to fighting, he was no pushover. Although his haymaker did not connect, he almost immediately followed it up with a grapple, hugging Uzok tightly with one arm, and punching him in the side several times with the other. Uzok could feel himself being winded with each blow, and so he summoned his strength and brought his head crashing against Hakis' chin.

The Ta-Skakdi staggered back clutching his mouth, while Uzok dropped his head between his knees, gasping for air. He looked back up to his opponent, only to see a rapidly approaching knee, which crashed into his nose, sending him flying back. Uzok grunted, and felt blood flowing from it.

Flailing blindly, Uzok felt his fists connect with something, and he prayed that whatever it was would hurt the Ta-Skakdi, but he was unfortunately wrong, as his blows were either poorly-placed or the Skakdi was too enraged to notice. Hakis slammed into Uzok, who in turn crashed into the nearest wall. Hakis' fist soared towards his face, and Uzok's head crunched against the wall painfully. Uzok weakly held onto Hakis' collar as the Ta-Skakdi wound up for another punch, but as he did, the Le-Skakdi found an opening.

His fist shot upwards against Hakis' chin, prompting him to yowl and fall back, landing against the front door. Uzok reared his leg forward, and used it to shove Hakis against the door, which crashed open and sent Hakis tumbling outside. Meanwhile, Uzok slid downwards against the wall. He watched with a smug satisfaction as Hakis spat a bloody tooth from his mouth. Then he felt a hand grab his shoulder - it was Korenn, hauling him upright.

"Come on, sir, to your feet," she said, throwing him out of the building and back towards his opponent. Similarly, Sokul cheered on Hakis with an encouraging "Finish him off, then!"

The two bruised combatants crashed into each other, again throwing their fists, feet, knees, and elbows at each other, all while the rest of the Skakdi piled out of the building and watched them. Each spat blood onto the dirt road they found themselves on. As they did so, however, Uzok began to feel pain seep into his limbs, and he suddenly wondered if perhaps he had been mistaken in picking this fight.

His confusion turned to panic as a sucker punch to the gut doubled him over in pain, while he coughed up blood. Uzok's body was spent, and it was all he could do to struggle against Hakis' grasp. He had lost, fair and square.

He heard Hakis grab one of Sokul's axes, and walk around behind him. Uzok tried to resist, but it was as if his limbs did not obey. A second later, he felt the blade press against his neck.

With only one working eye, half covered in blood, Uzok stared painfully outwards, waiting for the Ta-Skakdi to finish him off.

So this is how it ends… mutiny. Fits for a sailor like me.

Then, with what little vision he had, he saw an unwelcome sight.

"Any last words, sir," Hakis said, mockingly.

Uzok wheezed, drawing ragged breaths, before obliging the Ta-Skakdi.

"C- contact," he said, raising an arm and pointing down the road. All of the Skakdi followed the road, and their gaze turned towards a trail of dust that was rapidly closing on them. Several vehicles, of the same sort that they had seen guarding the docks at the village, were only a stone's throw away, and there would be no hiding from them.

"Oh, Karzahni," said Hakis, limping towards the shack, as the group scattered. A swarm of bullets rained through the space they had just previously occupied, as Moke extended his Microkanoka gauntlet towards the enemy. The lead vehicle's windscreen was suddenly peppered with tiny shots that caused a maze of cracks to form, obscuring the driver's vision.

Uzok, exhausted, dropped to the floor, breathing in the dust and dirt for a moment before recognizing the danger.

Come on, I need to move, he said, willing himself into action. With shaky and tired movements, he began pulling himself along the road, towards the shack.

Akres was the first being he saw, hunkered behind his shield. He and Korenn channeled their elemental powers, pulling spikes of earth from the ground underneath the enemy convoy. The second and fourth vehicles immediately rolled off into the ditch on the side of the road.

"Akres! Heal me!" said Uzok, bullets still flying overhead. Akres glanced over at him, and Uzok could see a torn expression in his eyes.

"That's an order!" Uzok shouted. Akres bowed his head, and furrowed his brow. A second later, Uzok could feel his body grow stronger, and his bruising shrink. His eye cleared up, letting him finally see once more. Meanwhile, dents in Akres' armor began to grow without any visible source, leaving scratches across flesh and metal alike. The Onu-Skakdi winced, but did not stop until the two were about even in their damage.

"That's it?" he said, with a sarcastic tone. "Hakis must not know how to throw a good punch," he barked, laughing. Uzok did not find it funny, but even if he had, he would have been more distracted by the enemy attack. The walls of the hovel were thin, and not well equipped to shield from bullets, which continued to pour through.

A second later, a large explosion blew open the side of the building, exposing the orange-tinted sunset.

"They've got explosives - Hakis, counter!" Uzok barked, still not sure where Hakis was. However, he was pleased to hear the sound of the Ta-Skakdi charging a blast - and a second later, the lead vehicle in the enemy convoy was blown to pieces by a ball of fire.

"Stick to cover, move up, move up!" Uzok shouted, still giving orders despite not being certain if his team would follow them. Luckily, at least Akres was still loyal to him, as he rushed out of the building, hunkering behind his shield. Moke provided covering fire, Microkanoka pouring out of his gauntlet at massive speeds and easily ripping apart any enemy infantry that dared to disembark from their now-blocked convoy.

Following them, Uzok could see there were still two enemy vehicles in commission, and both were beginning to make a retreat.

"Alright, we've got them on the run!" shouted a cheerful Korenn. Akres, meanwhile, furiously banged his fist against his shield, still charging after them.

"They're mine!" he shouted, spittle flying from beneath his mask. "I'll get you back for my face, you Primitive scum!"

"Akres, wait!" Uzok hollered, but it was no use - the Onu-Skakdi had flown into a rage. He could risk having Akres be baited into a trap alone, or with the rest of the team as backup.

"Warbirds, give pursuit! Moke, Sokul, wall them off!"

Uzok's order did not need repeating, as a moment later, a wall of stone burst out of the ground, and the latter of the vehicles crashed into it. Meanwhile, the former rolled to a stop, nearly colliding with the latter. It was now pinned between the wall at its rear, and the burning wreckage at its front.

Darting from vehicle to vehicle, Uzok watched the trapped vehicle round its roof-turret towards him. The weapon attached was slightly different, and seemed perhaps larger barreled, as if it were meant to fire a heavier projectile. It let out a thunk noise, and a small bronze-colored capsule flew towards him. He suddenly felt an impact to his body, and upon looking, saw Hakis, diving into him. The two hit the ground with a thud, not for the first time in the past few minutes, and the space behind the two was lit up by an explosion.

A moment later, an enraged Akres leapt on top of the vehicle's nose, and swung his mace down hard on the occupant in the turret, who screamed for only an instant. The vehicle attempted to throttle and escape the angered Onu-Skakdi, but he held his balance well, and gripped onto the vehicle, riding it like a Matoran on a Kikanalo. Meanwhile, Sokul raced up behind him, smashing his ax into the windscreen of the vehicle. Bringing it down over and over again, he began to carve a gash into it, through which the inside could be seen.

Korenn and Sokul worked together, and began to flood the inside of the vehicle with ice, which chilled the occupants to their core. They struggled within, but it was all for nought, as their bodies began to freeze over, and their limbs stopped responding. They were dead within moments.

Meanwhile, Uzok rolled Hakis off of him. With the enemy threat eliminated, he turned his attention to the Ta-Skakdi. Clambering upright, he planted his foot on Hakis' throat.

"Thank you, Hakis. Now, for your play at mutiny, it is my authority to dispose of you as I see fit. A more lenient officer would strip you of your rank, and throw you into the slave corps. But you've been a constant pain since I met you, and so…"

A memory flashed through Uzok's head. He did not know why, but he suddenly recalled himself diving onto Koltari at the parade, what seemed like a year ago, saving him from an attempted Nova Blast. He recalled the selflessness that he felt, the simple urge to protect a fellow member of the Brotherhood, the duty and responsibility that he carried out with the knowledge it may endanger him. He looked down at Hakis, who struggled underfoot.

"...and so, I will have to think of a befitting punishment for you. You are dismissed. Fall in with the team. Warbirds!"

Uzok called for his team, stepping off of Hakis, and turning to address them.

"As you can see, the area is no longer safe. Any illusions you had during your moment of indiscretion should be shattered. We're sticking to my plan. Pack your things, we leave now."

He turned, heading back towards the house to collect his cutlass and pistol. As he did so, he overheard a conversation between Hakis and Sokul, who rushed to help him.

"That's it? You saved his life, and he doesn't even reward you for it?" Sokul asked, bitterly.

"He did, you idiot. He did," said Hakis, getting up and dusting himself off. Although Uzok could not see it, he could hear a wry smile on the Ta-Skakdi's face as he spoke.

UKAITAK - TARGET MAIN

Ukaitak worked within her scrap shop, furiously tinkering with various assorted parts that were never designed to interlock with each other. However, Ukaitak was a Vortixx, and if she had but one skill, it was manufacturing esoteric devices.

This skill had served her handily in the months after the catastrophe of the Great Journey. Dozens of beings came to her with strange requests - air conditioners, dehumidifiers, automatic farming devices, power tools for construction, etc. However, money was tight from the day the Brotherhood landed in their new reality, and so the work orders quickly dried up. Soon enough, a depression set in, and there weren't enough widgets to go around. Ukaitak heard rumors every day that the Brotherhood was going to establish a mint soon, and begin making more currency - but if rumors were food, perhaps she might be less hungry.

Ukaitak found it hard to believe how far she had fallen. She, like all of the civilian members of the Brotherhood, had been specifically brought through during the Great Journey in order to achieve a specific goal. What it was, she had no idea, as the Brotherhood did not specify, but rather expressed a firm suggestion that she pack her belongings and join them as they departed. She could hazard a guess that it was due to his technical skills, as she considered herself with no ego to be one of the finer engineers and craftsmen within the entire Brotherhood. Unfortunately, once the Brotherhood had found themselves in such dire straits, they had completely abandoned her, and focused on more essential operations like constructing shelter and farmland. Now she was the proud owner of a shop that doubled as her living space, that saw a single customer each week - and those were on the lucky weeks.

Many of her clients were criminals. No shortage of beings were already experienced thieves and murderers - they had joined the Brotherhood willingly, after all. But a combination of the hard times, and the sudden freeing of a great number of slaves with little job opportunities meant that crime had spiked drastically. Ukaitak had no qualms about serving unsavory clients, luckily, as she had already been doing so since the days before the Brotherhood, when she first climbed The Mountain on Xia. She was a Vortixx through-and-through, and money was all she cared for. Thus, her skills as a craftsman turned into skills as a weapon's dealer. She made small, concealable weapons - the sort of Microkanoka blasters that could be tucked in one's armor, or discretely carried by a crime boss's enforcers. Other times, she made power swords, or electric spears - simple modifications of easily-acquirable blades. She considered it unlikely that it would ever pose a problem for her, and it was her only choice that didn't involve starving to death.

However, she did not expect that word of a Vortixx weaponsmith would find its way back to her.

Standing at the door of her shop, a small green Matoran stood idly. Despite standing at the same height as her thigh, Ukaitak felt a distinct sense of unease looking at the small being. They moved with a sense of presence that far exceeded their stature, and their eyes were cold and hardened in a way that Ukaitak had never seen before. Her first impression was that they were clearly some member of the criminal elite - but then she saw two Rahkshi flank the Matoran, and with a sinking feeling, Ukaitak recognized the very real danger that the Brotherhood was tightening its grip on the law, and that she had been caught red-handed.

"G-good evening. How may I be of service?" stammered Ukaitak, attempting to remain as calm as possible, and present a professional demeanor.

"Your name is Ukaitak, is it not?" said the Matoran. She spoke with a raspy and dry tone.

"Yes," said Ukaitak, cautiously.
"I have need of you," said the Matoran, bluntly. Ukaitak blinked in surprise. The Brotherhood? Has need of me? She felt her heart flutter - perhaps this was the chance to regain her old life, to be respected by the Makuta for her accomplishments, and no longer scrape by a meager living in a hovel.

"I… am curious as to what you would ask of me," she said, trying to keep her prospective client on the leash.

"A special project. But this is not the place to discuss it. You will come with me, or these Rahkshi will drag you behind me."

Ukaitak nodded nervously.

"Of course, ma'am. Lead the way."

A second later, a black void enshrouded Ukaitak and the Matoran, as if a flash of lightning had lit up the room - but instead of light, it was dark. Ukaitak drew a sharp breath, and suddenly saw new surroundings around her.

The room she stood in was some sort of meeting room, with a vaulted and tall ceiling that gave it a Gothic appearance. Ukaitak noticed that the floor rumbled with the hum of an engine running. She could feel a gentle sway in the room - she wagered she was aboard a ship somewhere.

Ukaitak kept the realization to herself, instead turning to the Matoran.

"How did you do that?" she asked. She has never heard of a Matoran with the ability to teleport. In fact, she had no knowledge of other species that could teleport, except...

Ukaitak's eyes widened as the Matoran before her began to grow and stretch. Their face grew into a more pointed and angular construction, and a second pair of arms grew from beneath their first. Their fingers extended into claws, and a pair of clear and crystalline wings emerged from her back.

Ukaitak recognized the being before her, and the fact terrified her.

"Makuta Gorast!" She cried, dropping to one knee in reverence. She did not dare meet the Makuta's gaze, for fear of retribution.

Makuta Gorast shuddered slightly, as if adjusting a set of armor or a robe. She did not acknowledge Ukaitak until she was settled.

"Ukaitak," she said. "You are a skilled weaponsmith, are you not?"

Ukaitak nodded, though she suspected the question was more of a formality than a legitimate query. The Makuta would not ask a question like that without already knowing the answer.

"Good. Now...what is the most powerful bomb you can build?" asked Gorast in a cold tone. Ukaitak blinked.

"Bomb?" She asked with a mixture of fear and excitement. Perhaps she was designing the perfect weapon to win the war - and for such an act, there would certainly be a monetary reward.

"That is a loaded question," Ukaitak replied coyly. "It depends."

"On?"

"Materials are very expensive, my lady. The most powerful bomb I could design and the most powerful bomb I could build are not one and the same."

Gorast raised her chin, and squinted her eyes.

"I will provide you with both the money you require and the materials. You will provide me with the item I describe."

"Of course, my lady. Please, continue."

Ukaitak smiled - Gorast was willing to foot the material costs bill. Ukaitak kept it to herself that, in fact, the materials were the expensive and difficult part of the project, and far dwarfed the labor costs.

"This bomb must be powerful enough to both destroy protosteel armor, and additionally, it must be capable of destroying everything within its blast radius. I do mean everything - not even the air must survive. It must scour the very atmosphere. Do you understand?"

Ukaitak thought for a moment. It was, in principle, possible. She could even picture one or two designs that might make such a thing a reality. She wondered briefly why Gorast would request such a thing, but she was experienced enough to recognize the need for discretion.

"Very well, my lady. I can begin work on your project immediately. How quickly do you require it to be completed?"

"As quickly as is possible. Work through the nights if you must. You may name your price once the device has been delivered to me."

Ukaitak could think of no words in the entire Matoric language that she loved more than those three. There was an effervescent ring of possibility within them. Name. Your. Price.

Extending a hand, Ukaitak shook Gorast's eagerly.

"It will be done. For some of the more rare pieces, how should I acquire them?"

"I will provide you with an envoy. The two of you will meet only at specific locations and at specified times, and you will speak to no other being about this transaction. If I find out that you have…"

Gorast leaned closer to Ukaitak until the two were eye to eye.

"...there are other Vortixx I can turn to. Perhaps even cheaper ones."

Ukaitak's blood ran cold.

"You have my word, my lady. I will be very discreet."

"Good. Begin."

The black flash occurred again, leaving Ukaitak back within her shop. She felt a brief wave of nausea at the sudden shift in locale, but quickly adjusted herself. In the doorway, the two Rahkshi turned and left, Gorast having not elected to teleport back into the shop in her Matoran form.

Ukaitak watched them leave, and as soon as they were gone, immediately squealed with joy. Rushing to a nearby shelf, she began inspecting every item she owned. Pulling several pieces towards her workstation, along with several tablets, she eagerly set about drafting designs.

She was pragmatic about her task - the bomb was not designed to be aesthetically pleasing. Nor was it designed to be durable, or particularly reliable. She had one goal - to make a product that could be produced quickly, easily, and with devastating effects. Tablet after tablet she filled, proposing different designs - a blast of plasma, a gravity wave resulting in a black hole, a portal to the Field of Shadows, a simple explosion of immense heat and intensity. There were several possibilities to dwell upon.

So engrossed was she in her work that she failed to notice the sound of her door opening. She was suddenly pulled from her work by the presence of a hand on her shoulder, as an Ihidauri stood behind her, peering at her desk.

"What are you working on," they said, calmly. Ukaitak, in a fit of panic, threw her arms over her work, hoping that he had not seen.

"Nothing! Just - uh, it's - uh, it's a pet project. For fun."

The Ihidauri raised an eyebrow.

"Is it now…?"

Ukaitak felt uneasy. Did he mean Gorast? Or was he with one of the island gangs?

"I… no. It's a hobby."

The Ihidauri stared coldly. Ukaitak, finally taking the opportunity to observe him, could see that he looked extremely regal, clad in ivory white armor like all of his kin, but with fire-red accents, and piercing deep blue eyes. Additionally, he carried a medal on his chest distinguishing himself as a member of the Brotherhood's navy.

"You're…part of the Brotherhood?" Ukaitak asked, cautiously. The Ihidauri nodded slowly. Gorast's words suddenly came back to the Vortixx - "I will provide you with an envoy," Could this be them? She thought to herself.

"What can I do for you?" Ukaitak inquired. The Ihidauri retreated away from her workstation, and turned away from her, speaking across his shoulder.

"I'm looking to acquire a special device from you."

"A device?"

"An explosive."

Ukaitak barked a laugh.

"Well get in line, pal."

Immediately she regretted the words. Stupid, stupid, she thought, berating herself. She might have just done the one thing that Gorast instructed her to not do. She watched the Ihidauri carefully, trying to gauge whether or not he had noticed her slip of the tongue.

"So you have experience in that field," said the Ihidauri, after a moment's pause. Ukaitak nodded.

"Very well," said the Ihidauri. Drawing a bag from his belt, he threw it onto her workstation, and widgets spilled out from it.

"I require it as quickly as you are able. It must be easily concealable and compact, capable of killing the population of a single room, no larger than the one we stand in."

Ukaitak felt a bemused expression crawl onto her face. What he was asking for was Matoran's play compared to what Gorast had asked from her - yet what were the chances that two different beings would come into her shop looking for her to build them a bomb?

"That should be doable," she replied, calmly. The Ihidauri smiled at her, and lifted a finger to her chest. She felt a chill as his nail scraped against her heartlight.

"I expect you will be…discreet in this matter," they said.

"Always," she replied, with the conviction of a stone wall. The Ihidauri withdrew his finger.

"It must be done by this hour tomorrow. I will be back then."

Not giving her time to respond, the Ihidauri left her shop, and Ukaitak let out a held breath. She watched him leave, and for a moment, he joined with a cloaked and hooded figure in the doorway, who stood almost as tall as him, but with broader shoulders and thicker build. As the two left, she could have sworn she heard the sound of servos and pistons coming from the Ihidauri's companion - but too quickly did they fade from earshot, and too distracted was she by the item on her desk. She turned immediately to the bag of coins with a ravenous look. She could hardly believe her luck.

"Business is good," she murmured with glee.