"So," I asked Vivian, "you think we can convince this group to aid us in getting off this ARK and finishing the fight against the Corrupted?"
My former ROB nodded. "We can. But we will need to do some work first. Namely, stocking supplies."
"That sounds more like a survival goal than a diplomatic one."
Viv held up a hand to halt my retort. "At least one person who is with the matoran is another survivor with an implant. They have told the 'tribe' about Ascension. Thus, my point is that if we can get a large supply store up, we can convince them to ally with us because we have the resources needed to esacpe this ARK after beating its controller."
Oh, that was a problem. "I thought the controller blocked off access to its cavern here after the humans pushed it too hard?"
"I'm betting everything on the idea that it will let us back in if we unite everyone together and defeat the manticore. Not the best plan, but I got no other ideas."
I wanted to claim I had a better idea, but I didn't. "Ugh, guess we'll have to go for that, then."
"Yeah. Now let's get to work."
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Fide watched on in curiosity as her master and his companion/former superior/possible future lover (she had money on that bet) had made their way into the wyvern canyon of the desert ARK, where they, in no uncertain terms, beat the shit out of everyone wyvern they found. Only a couple were spared, in part so that they could create a breeding population of the dragons later on. Plus baby wyverns needed tons of milk to grow up strong.
"How long until the boss gets his resources set up?" questioned Synais.
"I give them a few days. Just enough to get the matoran tribe and their allies on his side. Then they're gonna try and get a manticore head to mount on the wall."
"Neat. Oh, and before I forget, construction on a large scale underground shelter is complete."
Fide quirked an eyebrow. "I didn't order its construction, nor did anyone else. What's it for?"
"When those machines come here after the Faro Plague inevitably eats them and their human batteries."
"I see. Nice foresight."
"Thanks-"
Suddenly an alert popped up on one of the nearby terminals. Examining it, the two found an interesting sight - it appeared that a group of human-like aliens (who all seemed to dress like ancient Egyptians, for whatever reason) had landed upon Cornucopeia, Babbage, and Origin. Alongside them were tons of humans and other aliens, which appeared to be slaves.
Also, the forces on Cornucopeia, Babbage, and Origin were all unknowningly close to, respectively, a Lizardmen temple city (recently founded, but still), a Tomb King necropolis, and an Imperial fort and attached hamlet.
Wordlessly, Synais sent out a request for drinks and popcorn. The fight that was to come would be most interesting. It was really nice when the random portals opening up across the Hub provided them with a good show.
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Khopesh in hand, Erkhos watched as the intruders made their way toward the necropolis, daring to defile the land his brother had claimed on this strange world with each footstep. The Tomb Prince was waiting for the right moment to strike, and in doing so cast out those who dared to taint this new extension of Nehekhara's glory.
Of course, the prince was not so foolish as to strike as soon as he saw the fools - his brother would have the command. Right now, they were waiting until the leader of the group (a woman who wore clothing in mockery of their own, named Menhit if he heard correctly) to disperse her forces, and leave them open to being divided more easily by chariots. Then any survivors could be hunted down at their leisure.
Eventually, the foolish woman did exactly what the brothers desired, and split her warriors (Jaffa, she called them) into three groups, all tasked with assailing a nearby oasis, and the traders that had taken up residence there. She had no way of knowing they had already fled, having sensed her arrival well before she had located them, and given fair warning to King Omhaf about the force she commanded.
All of this would lead to her death. Soon enough, at any rate.
A distant reflection of light told Erkhos all he needed to know - the attack was to begin.
Moments later, it did, with a huge emerging from the snads and sinking its stinger into the leader of one of the enemy cohorts, who was dragged beneath the sand to his doom. This was followed by a three pronged charge, each lead by a different warrior - Erkhos commanded a cavalry force, atop a mighty chariot. Necrotect Edbor, meanwhile, lead an assortment of constructs from atop his own skeletal horse. Finally, King Omhaf rode in atop a Khemrian Warsphinx, with his troops following swiftly behind. The first to fall were the slave drivers - Omhaf new that if they died, the slaves would scatter, leaving the warriors of Nehekhara to deal with the enemies that actually mattered. And indeed, once those who commanded the slaves were gone, the enemy lost half of its fighting force.
That number rapidly grew smaller as other forces moved in to slaughter the enemy warriors. Ushabti rained arrows upon the strangely armored warriors before ones with swords cut their foes down. Chariots and horsemen further depleted their ranks, with Erkhos personally slaying the invader queen's second in command. It made Omhaf's own contribution seem more like an afterthought than anything else, though none would dare say that to the king. And indeed, Omhaf still managed to find a great measure of glory in the fight - the one known as Menhit tried to flee when she realized that she would lose the coming fight. Omhaf, atop his warsphinx, made sure she did not flee far.
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If Lady Norgard Heiden were not a witch hunter, she would laugh at the scene before her. Rare was it that empire state troops inflicted such a rout upon enemy warriors, yet here they were, doing exactly that.
The enemy's arrival had been sudden, but not as sudden as an entrance by the Skaven, or the Arch Enemy, or even a Bray Herd. In fact, this force pailed in comparison to even a raiding party of beastmen - no monsters, no great warriors like Nobz or bullgors or chosen, just men in strange armor that still proved to be vulnerable to gunshots. And that was discounting just how poorly they fared against things like demigryphs or hellblaster volley guns.
Hell, Free Company Militia were routing these warriors.
Oh sure, their leaders - a warrior with a gold mark atop his forehead and a man with strange armor and glowing eyes by the name of Zephyr - were refusing to rout. But they could be dealt with.
Allowing a rare smile to grace her face, Norgard raised her pistol.
The sound of the gunshot was the last thing System Lord Zephyr ever heard.
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Underlord Tlaloc raged as his forces found themselves losing ground against the strange lizard creatures. The scaly beings had emerged from the forests atop giant reptiles, tearing into the Jaffa force he had brought through the strange portal in hopes of finding new conquests. His First Prime had held the line for a while, but had been forced to engage one of the lizard creatures riding a strange flier after it had fired a poison dart at Tlaloc, hoping to end the fight swiftly. Though Tlaloc had healed off the poison quickly, his foe getting close enough to launch the attack in the first place was worrisome.
Suddenly, a huge form burst out of the underbrush and towered over the underlord. Looking at it in shock, Tlaloc found it was mounted by another of the lizard creatures, which wielded a spear pointed at the Goa'uld.
Outraged, Tlaloc aimed his Kara Kesh at the beast and fired forth a shockwave.
It only occured to him a moment later that the beast would be too large to repel. And that it would only end up angry.
The creature soon found out a new truth: Goa'uld and their hosts are tasty.
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Several days later, as her commander finally completed his stockpile, Fide would note that the last of the Goa'uld forces had been rounded up and defeated. She wondered alongside Synais what would be the next challenge the portals threw at them.
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AN: Read and Review! This is Flameal15k, signing off!