Chapter 7: Sparking and Frogging
The ventilation shafts were horribly dirty. Soot lined the vent walls above the mekboss workshop, while other air vent sections were encrusted with the permanent smell of alien body odors. There were even a few new kind of squigs that made their nests in the vents, which were some kind of flying variety that had propellers on their tails. However, whatever assault of hungry biting they could bring to bear against Cularities was cut short, as Cularities' Energy Drain ability made short work of any small creature that dared make physical contact with their suit. The ventilation machine's filter was caked with dust, but Cularities easily made their way past, all the while carrying their friend as they crawled through. The ventilation shaft then began to sharply slope upwards, becoming a vertical shaft that ran up, supposedly coming out of the underground ork stronghold. This new obstacle was a tricky problem to tackle, but Cularities had decided to unlock the Spider Magnet power-up, which allowed their new friend to hang on to them. The embrace was awkward, since Boltus was mostly made of metal, but it merely meant that he could cling onto Cularities with less of a chance to fall off of them during their ascent in the vertical ventilation shaft.
In the highest part of the vertical shaft, Cularities noticed a circular rock formation straight above them. Slivers of light trickled through the faintest of cracks. The smell of freedom seemed to seep past the stone cover. The muffled yet familiar sounds of animal calls and predatory howls were barely heard.
A boulder with a clay frog effigy wobbled before it rolled to its side. The boulder was strangely light. As Cularities reached the outdoors, they were met with the same angry buzz of insect life and distant growls of enormous beasts. They turned off their Spider Magnet power-up, letting Boltus off of themself before they began stretching their legs and arms. "Well! That was an adventure!"
"However. We. Are. Still. In. Dangerous. Territory." Boltus reminded Cularities as they flexed their functioning limbs. "How. Are. You. Able. To. Generate. A. Magnetic. Field. To. Carry. This. Unit?"
"Uh..." Cularities looked back at Boltus for a brief second, paused, and then shrugged. "Magnets."
Boltus answered back with silence and what might have been a contemplative stare.
Cularities began to feel awkward with Boltus. "... Right. Anyway. I think it's time we take you back to your home. Do you know the way back?"
"Negative... My. Capture. Resulted. In. A. Temporary. Cloth. Binding. My. Vision. Receptors... This. Deathworld. Has. A. Jungle. Biome. That. Is Enormous. In. Scale. And. Dangerous. To. Sentient. Life... It. Would. Require. Weeks. Of. Planning. To. Chart. A. Course. To. Civilization. Safely... Catachan. Is. Not. To. Be. Underestimated. In. The. Slightest. Or. Any. Miscalculation. Will. Result. In. Failure. And. Possible. Permanent. Termination." Boltus droned.
Cularities sighed. They finally learned the name of the planet they were on. "Right. So... Any landmarks I should take note of?"
Boltus paused before answering. "The. P. O. R. Dash. 2. Auxiliary. Explorator. Temple. Is. Located. Next. To. A. Cluster. Of. Temporary. Settlement. Structures... The. Temporary. Settlement. Structure. Cluster. Is. Technically. Designated. Fortress. 2. 2. 6. 1... The. Organic. Inhabitants. Of. The Settlement. Designated. Their. Location. Greatglade... The. Most. Notable. Landmark. Of. Greatglade. Contains. An. Exclusion. Zone. Of. Dangerous. Plants. And. Animals... It. Spans. Ten. Kilometers. Wide. In. Diameter... It. Contains. Mainly. Grassy. Plains. And. Small. Hillocks. Which. Is. Protected. By. More. Than. A. Hundred. Outposts. That. Protects. The. Borders. Of. Greatglade. Including. The. Fortress. And. My. Temple. Within... This. Landmark. Is. Called. The. Plains. Of. Repose."
Cularities nodded for a bit. "Hmm... I think I remember seeing some grassy hills with no trees before." Cularities looked at the trees around hem for a few seconds. Another sigh left their lungs. "I think I'm going to have to shinespark up to see above the treeline."
"Query... What. Is. Shinespark?" Boltus asked.
After purchasing and unlocking the Speed Booster and Shinespark power-ups, Cularities turned to Boltus and made shooing motions at him. "I'll demonstrate. I just need you to step back a bit, because I need some running room."
Boltus paused again, but nodded and took a few steps back. "Request. Accepted... Will. Adjust. Current. Coordinates. To. Satisfy. Suggested. Safety. Measures."
After nodding, Cularities then began jogging in a circle. "Okay. Let's see. All I gotta do is increase my jog to a run." Cularities began to accelerate their run to a sprint. The sustained sprint triggered their suit to produce two jets of light to shoot out from their back armature, which increased their running speed. Their suit quickly adapted to the speed, but the sudden burst of forward motion made Cularities trip forward to land in a roll. "... No. That's not it. Let's try this again in a wider circle." Cularities got up and began running in a circle again. They increased their speed to a sprint once more. Their suit jetted them forward with incredible acceleration, and Cularities made sure to adjust to the sudden speed in their second try. Their speed was being sufficiently boosted. "Okay! This is more like it! Now how do I do it? Uhh... Oh. I think I just kneel to store my boost. That's right. But how do I do that while in a run? Maybe like this?" Cularities tumbled forwards. A sigh escaped their lungs. "... No. That's not it. I think I gotta crouch down faster."
Boltus stared at the running Cularities with piqued curiosity. One last time did they run around in a circle, building up speed to a dizzying degree. Boltus was further surprised when he saw Cularities crouch quickly to the ground, their armor shining a flashing energy, before shooting straight up into the air.
Cularities took this moment to gently turn themself in a circle and scout for landmarks. They saw a depression in the jungle in one direction, looking to be hills and grass with some small gray and white blobs nearby, where every other direction contained forests, forest-covered mountains, and a body of water that was quite a ways away. They used their Map Menu to take note of the depression in the land. It was directly north of their current location.
"Alrighty then. Plains of Repose. If that is you over there, then here we come. ... Oh wait. Gravity is still a thing." Cularities said as they began descending to the ground.
Boltus' gaze seemed to not have wavered once as Cularities ran around, shot off the ground like a rocket, and came back to Catachan's terrain with a hard thud. They landed on their feet with bent knees. Boltus walked up to Cularities. "How. Are. You. Able. To. Launch. Yourself. Into. The. Air. Like. A. Missile?"
Cularities stood up from the small crater they created and looked at Boltus. "Uh." They looked up at the sky, to the ground they landed on, then back to Boltus. "I want to say magnets again."
A mechanical whir emanated from Boltus. "You. Do. Not. Know. How. Your. Wargear. Functions? ... It. Displays. Abilities. And. Purposes. This. Unit. Has. Never. Observed. In. Their. Entire. Active. Service... This. Information. Leads. This. Unit. To. A. Hypothetical. Conclusion. That. You. Found. This. Xenotech. And. Equipped. It. Without. Understanding. Its. Capabilities. Strengths. Weaknesses. Utilities. And. Power. Supply... Please. Explain. This. Phenomenon."
To Boltus, Cularities might be standing as still as a statue. Inside Cularities' mind, their thoughts were racing.
Okay, how am I gonna parse this to Boltus. He clearly doesn't know what chozo armor is. So what exactly do I tell him? Uh... ... ... ... ... I guess I'll just keep this as simple as possible, since we're not out of the woods yet. Literally.
"As much as I would like to discus this at length with you, we are out in the open and we might be assaulted by orks, monsters, and who-knows-what-else out in this jungle if we're not cautious. However, I can make a long story short. To summarize: I woke up with amnesia. I was inside of a small underground ruin with a half-bird half-man statue, some stone mural with half-bird half-men sculpted on it, and I was wearing this suit at the time when I became conscious. Fortunately, I was able to make my way out but I ultimately got captured by those orks, thinking I was some kind of weapon. As a result, they picked me up, brought me to their base, and tried to cut me open. I was against being cut open, so I defended myself, resulting in the slaughter in the huntboss' trophy toom. And that pretty much covers everything I can recall in short order." Cularities then pointed north. "There is a depression in the land over there. That's the good news. The bad news is that I don't know how to gauge the distance between here and there, and it seems like a long ways away. In your current state, with me protecting you even when I'm still tired from fighting all those orks, with our backs facing towards a hidden ork fortress, and with a dangerous jungle in front of us, our chances of survival are very low. We could dedicate most of our time trying to find civilization and getting to safety, and we'll get there sooner if you refrain from stopping me every ten minutes to ask if I can take a piss in my armor or not."
... Shit. That wasn't simple. I should probably make an amendment.
Cularities sighed. "Sorry for snapping. I've had a long and difficult day."
"Your. Frustration. Is. Noted. Cular... I. Will. Reduce. My. Inquiries. To. A. Minimum." Boltus said with a slow and respective bow. "The. Astra. Militarum. Must. Be. Notified. Of. The. Presence. Of. Orkoid. Organisms. At. This. Location... The. Greenskins. Must. Not. Be. Allowed. To. Proliferate. Or. They. Will. Endanger. All. Entities. On. Catachan. Including. Human. Bioforms. and. Mechanicus. Units."
"Thank you." Cularities said, grateful of Boltus' response. When Boltus said that the orks were dangerous, Cularities had no idea that the orks were capable of being so threatening, even to many kinds of lifeforms. They pointed northward. "That way." Cularities said, walking towards that direction.
"Cease. Ambulation." Boltus said with a stop.
Cularities turned around. "But we barely started our journey."
"Danger. Detected. Caution. Must. Be. Exercised." Boltus explained.
Cularities sighed. "I don't see any danger. Can you point to it?"
Boltus used their mechanical arm to point at something between two damp bushes.
Cularities' gaze was directed to the directed location and scanned what was there.
It was a large frog.
Cularities tilted their head. "A frog?"
"Negative." Boltus answered. "Greater. Catachan. Barking. Toad... It. Is. The. Most. Poisonous. Animal. In. The. Galaxy... If. The. Amphibian. Feels. Threatened. It. Will. Explode. Into. A. Cloud. Of. Poison. That. Can. Cover. One. Kilometer. Of. Land. Radially."
"Really?" Cularities asked.
"Really... Do. Not. Provoke. The. Organism." Boltus warned.
There was a long pause before a soft chuckle slipped out of Cularities. "That gives me an idea."
Streams of frosty white energy left Cularities' arm cannon after they purchased the Ice Beam upgrade. The shot froze the unsuspecting toad into a solid block of ice. This made Boltus chitter mechanically and angrily at Cularities. "WHAT! ARE! YOU! DOING?!"
Cularities ran up to the frozen amphibian, picked it up with their left hand, carried it in both their arms, and then ran back to the ventilation shaft they had left from. "Leaving a goodbye present." Cularities then dunked the frozen creature into the hole, only to cover it back up with the fake boulder. They they turned to Boltus. "Okay. I hope you don't mind being bridal carried."
Before Boltus could complain, Cularities picked up the magos and effortlessly began running north, their run accelerated with a speed boost.
"Boss. Are ya sure ya don't wanna rest for a bit? I can lead dhe boys around, and you can take a nap and heal yer wounds." Skark said, lugging his snazzgun alongside Huntboss Tarog as they now scoured through the jungle.
Tarog growled rather dangerously. "Skark. We needed Razza. He's a really lucky weirdboy, he was. And Cularities, dhat git, krumped him. I listened to him speak his visions. He told me about dhe bug-eyed froggies and how poisonous dhey were, see? He told me dhat even dhe biggest and baddest monsters on dhis world are scared of dhem. So I thought I can make some fake froggies and put dhem on some hollow rocks on every entrance into my base. It made dhe big beasts shy away from us and our underground home, and dhat gave us time to build our army. But wifh him gone, our luck is runnin' out, see? And if it runs out completely, dhen we won't conquer Catachan." Tarog then hooked a punch to Skark's face. "And if you tell me to do somefhin' again, I'll do more dhen dhat! NOW GET TO DHE FRONT OF DHE LINE!"
"YES BOSS!" A pained Skark replied back, running forward despite their possible concussion.
Tarog was in pain, but he endured it when the mad doks were done with their procedures. At least he was glad that they didn't replace his brain with a squig's brain. Afterwards, Tarog then went to the ash pile that used to be Razza and painted his face and weapons white with said ashes. Afterwards, Tarog became focused on hunting down the very being that laid his plans low, and stopped him from delivering the killing blow. Whatever kind of luck that had let Cularities lasted that long in that fight had ran out the moment their armor had turned white, and Tarog knew then that if he didn't kill Cularities soon, then Tarog would have no more big game to hunt. For Cularities to foil Tarog's plans in this manner, it instilled an anger he had felt before. Tarog had no idea what would have happened when they laid that weird bomb. Nonetheless, Skark tried to convince tarog that Cularities might have died from the explosion, except Tarog was quick to point out that if Cularities did die from the explosion, then their armor, even if it were in bits or pieces, would have remained. To Tarog, it meant that Cularities would try and escape Tarog's hidden underground fortress base. He was determined to hunt them down, to take their life, and take their shiny armor pieces afterwards.
Considering how crafty and cunning Cularities was, Tarog figured that they might make a break to the surface. As such, Tarog would respond in kind by intercepting their escape route. Tarog couldn't imagine them getting very far on their own two legs!
With their hunting party formed, Huntboss Tarog ordered the charge as he rode in the war buggy the late Mechboss Scraptooth had fixed for him. The hunt was on.
A lone gretchin was idly sweeping in the trophy chamber. There were so many bodies that had to be shifted, which would be cooked or composted for later. It was hard work for many of the surviving gretchins, even when they were biologically and naturally disposed to being servants to the larger, stronger, and ever war-hungry orks. Such was the life of a gretchin.
A clattering from overhead caught his attention.
He looked up to see a large frog crash through the overhead vent.
It landed in front of them, the pile of bodies cushioning their fall.
They seemed to be quickly thawing.
Once thawed, the frog stared at the gretchin in confusion.
The gretchin stared back in confusion, and then decided to prod the beast with the blunt end of their broom. That was the last ever prodding he will make in his life.
The greater barking toad began puffing itself up.
"ReeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-"
The gretchin tilted his head in confusion.
Cularities looked behind themself and saw several plumes of green shoot out into the air. The magos didn't seem to be exaggerating that the greater barking toad was a dangerous organism. Regardless, the nuclear amphibian was dropped into the abyss of the ventilation shaft, which would deal a crippling blow to the hidden ork stronghold. Wherever that toad might end up, it would undoubtedly cause untold and swift destruction to the orks and gretchins residing within.
Cularitied decided to access their logbook for the first time, and went ahead to make an entry for the amphibian they scanned earlier.
Name: Catachan Greater Barking Toad
Morphology: Overly poisonous amphibian, with noxious secretions that can melt flesh and metal. Will explode, spreading its poison a kilometer away, if threatened.
Description: They are considered to be the most toxic animal in the galaxy. Avoid bothering at all costs, unless you have Ice Beam and a very precise plan ready.
Cularities sighed as they closed their logbook. They would have to go back to their other logbook entries to make the necessary edits to their descriptions. That would certainly take a whole chapter, and maybe a half, to update. On the other hand, they were making great headway as their Speed Boost had given them and their passenger a means to increase the distance between themselves and the center of the explosion created by the nuclear amphibian warhead. Cularities felt sure that whatever ork or gretchin that remained in that hidden base would no longer be alive. At least Cularities is glad they could escape from the orks alive.
"THIS! UNIT! FEELS! LIKE! THEY! ARE! NEARING! SUDDEN! EXPIRY!"
Sadly, they can't seem to say the same thing for their new friend.
Cularities slowed down from their speed-boosted sprint, slower still to a regular sprint, then to a run, then to a jog, then to a power-walk, then to a normal walk, and then to a stop. They placed Boltus carefully on their legs, in which they had a hard time steadying themselves. Cularities patted him on his shoulder. "There there. I think we've traveled a kilometer and a half away from the living tactical bomb I threw into the hole. We should be far away from ground zero by now."
Boltus shoved Cularities away. "Had. I. Still. Have. My. Stomach. I. Would. Evacuate. Its. Contents."
Cularities blinked a few times before relaxing their posture. "At least you're still alive. You're welcome for that, by the way."
Boltus robotically growled at them. "I. Suppose."
Cularities paused. "... Do you want to walk the rest of the way?"
"Yes. Please." Boltus replied, using the pipe they stole from the hidden ork base. He must have clung onto it with a death grip as they were being carried by a Speed Boosted Cularities.
And so, they traveled onward at a pace the magos could manage. It was slightly slower than a jog, but Cularities felt that their party should be fine. The small arthropods, reptiles, and mammal critters were of no concern to Cularities, since they could easily drain their energy upon contact with them. Larger animals can be deterred or killed with a few precise beam shots to their vital areas, like to their hearts, brains, and livers. Much of the plants Cularities came across also gave them and Boltus trouble in equal measure when compared to the fauna of Catachan, even if stationary targets were much easier to deal with.
Cularities checked their surroundings. It suddenly seemed familiar to them. They checked their map. It was then that Cularities discovered that they were now in the very area that Cularities once trekked through in their Ball Morph form, and was close to the area where those orks had abducted them by happenstance. It seemed like quite the lucky break. Cularities looked back to check their traveling companion. He was slowed from the injuries and torture sustained by the orks, but at least he was... mostly functional.
The day slowly became dusk, but Cularities could see a clearing in the jungle ahead of them. They and Boltus walked forward to see a patch of dust on the ground, looking like a gray crop circle in the grass fields. Further ahead, past the hillocks, Cularities could see a large insectoid monster being hacked apart by several butchers wielding various knives against the corpse, seeming as though they were enjoying the labor after felling a great beast they brought down. A welling feeling of dread filled their gut. Would those hunters perhaps recognize them?
Cularities decided to scan the monster.
Name: Catachan Devil (Deceased)
Morphology: Enormous insectoid monsters with venomous stingers and pincers capable of crushing armored vehicles.
Description: Seem to be fuck-ass mad against all sentient life. At least they have trouble catching up to rapid response units.
Boltus hobbled forward. "Greetings. Organics... This. Unit. Requires. Assistance."
The people hounding over the slayed monster looked over to Boltus and Cularities. One of them got up from the giant beast corpse and approached Boltus and Cularities. "That's far enough, tech-priest. Identify yourselves."
"Serial. Number. C. M. E. 3. 5. 7. 4. Magos. Boltus. Albrakan. Of. P. O. R. Dash. 2. Auxiliary. Explorator. Temple... Requesting. Identity." Boltus answered.
The man nodded. "I am Lieutenant Ralpha Glosn. Outpost master of Site POR dash O dash Twenty Two. Your equipment seems to be roughened up a bit."
"Unit. Sustained. Damage. By. Orkoid. Organism. Captors... Existence. Of. Orkoid. Organism. Infestation. Must. Be. Reported... Exact. Position. Of. Orkoid. Infestation. Located. 8. Point. 7. 8. Kilometers. By. 182. Degrees. South. From. Our. Current. Coordinates." Boltus droned.
"The Greenskins? Fekkin' spore-spreading menaces, those lot are! I'll certainly have to make a report to the major about this." Ralpha growled.
"Addendum... Greater. Barking. Toad. Was. Used. As. Improvised. Warhead. Against. Orkoid. Infestation... Caution. Must. Be. Exercised." Boltus added.
Ralpha nodded. "I'll keep that in mind when I make my report." Ralpha then paused before his gaze finally centered on the white-suited figure next to Boltus. He pointed at them. "And who are you?"
Okay. I was worried that he might start asking about me. What do I say? Do I say nothing? What do I do here?!
Boltus was quick to answer for Cularities. "Unit. Designated. Cularities... Assisted. With. Escape. From. Orkoid. Infestation... Unit. Classified. As. Friendly."
Ralpha blinked a few times, nodded slowly, but kept his gaze on Cularities. "Right. Well. I was talking to HIM. So. Let him answer my questions. Anyway. What kind of profession do you have? What outfit do you belong with? I've never seen that kind of armor before."
Cularities mentally sighed. I guess I gotta talk.
Cularities gestured to themself. "I honestly don't have a profession, but I think I'll look into becoming an independent contractor for hire in the future. I'm pretty good and guarding this tech-priest's life, so I might look into becoming a bodyguard. If that doesn't pan out, then I could look for other vocations elsewhere. Maybe becoming a mercenary or bounty hunter would be more to my liking?"
Ralpha chuckled. "Yes, well, I doubt the Astra Militarum will have much work lined up for you around these parts. But back to my earlier question. What kind of armor is that? Looks like xenotech to me."
Cularities looked at their armored left hand and clenched it experimentally. "Chozo."
"Eh? What's that?" Ralpha asked. Boltus was also staring at Cularities.
"It's a technology from an ancient alien civilization. It's called a powered chozo armorsuit. For simplicity's sake, I call it a power suit. I don't know where the chozo went, or where they came from, but they left this suit behind. I was wearing it when I woke up, and I can't remember how I got into it. I don't even know if the chozo are still around, so I can't really ask them questions about it." Cularities answered.
Ralpha raised an eyebrow at Cularities. "That's the fact, eh? Sounds to me like you got a spot of amnesia about you. Selective amnesia, but amnesia all the same. Well, you better stay where you are as I also report this to my higher ups, outsider." He then turned to the pile of meat swarming with harvesters. "SERGEANT LIDDY POWELL! GET OVER HERE!"
A woman in a bloodied tank top came running towards Ralpha and saluted. "Sir yes sir!"
"I have a tech-priest and an outsider that needs to be watched over. Considering that Corporal Figgis is currently hacking meat into pieces and preparing them for our ration supplies, you are to stand watch here and ensure these two do not cause trouble. You can be as nice as you deem necessary. I will be contacting HQ to report about these two, as well as some pertinent information they have delivered to my attention. Are your orders understood?"
"Sir, yes sir." Sergeant Powell nodded her affirmative before breaking her salute.
"Then you are dismissed." Ralpha finished with a curt nod before walking towards the direction of the outpost.
Sergeant Powell turned to Boltus and Cularities. Once Ralpha was far enough away, she decided it was time to break the silence. "So! Tech-priest. Don't see many of you out here much."
"This. Unit. Is. Designated. As. Serial. Number. C. M. E. 3. 5. 7. 4. Magos. Boltus. Albrakan. Of. P. O. R. Dash. 2. Auxiliary. Explorator. Temple... We. Have. Escaped. From. An. Underground. Compound. Created. By. Orkoid. Organisms." Boltus replied.
"Grox shit, really? God Emperor's locks, that's bad news. But as an explorator, that's practically par for the course for your profession and for the kinds of dangers you typically face. How far away is their base?" Sergeant Powell asked with a bitter tone.
"Exact. Position. Of. Orkoid. Infestation. Located. 8. Point. 7. 8. Kilometers. By. 182. Degrees. South. From. Our. Current. Coordinates." Boltus replied, parroting what he said last time with robotic perfection.
Cularities decided to step in. "Fortunately, we made sure to drop a frozen greater barking toad in their care before we left. They're dealing with a cloud of stinking poison as we speak."
Sergeant Powell blinked at Cularities for a few seconds. A smile crept along her face. "Greater barking toad, eh? You know those are rare to find, right?"
Cularities paused. "I honestly didn't know they were rare. I only know about the one I found through Boltus'. He told me what it was."
Sergeant Powell stared at Cularities, an unamused expression on her face, She then turned to Boltus. "Is this true?"
Boltus nodded. "Cularities. Used. Cryonic. Projectile. To. Encapsulate. Explosive. Toxic. Amphibian. organism. With. Frozen. Envelop... Cularities. Proceeded. To. Deliver. Frozen. Organism. To. Ventilation. Shaft. Leading. To. Orkoid. Infestation... Orkoid. Infestation. Inside. Of. Underground. Compound. Considered. Terminated."
Sergeant Powell blinked again, except she seemed exceptionally surprised. "You froze a toad? With what? A hellfrost weapon?"
"No." They said before lifting their arm cannon up with their left arm. "I froze it with this."
"Uh huh." The Seargent hummed as she inspected Cularities' arm cannon. "Don't look like any weapon I know of. Is it magazine or clip fed?"
"Neither. It has its own power source it draws from my suit. I think it uses a series of magnetic forces that focuses energy into whatever kind of projectile I need." Cularities explained.
"What does that mean?" Liddy asked.
"Uh... Basically, it means I can apply certain elements to the beams my arm cannon can shoot. Like ice, lightning, energy bullets, missiles, and others. There's still other things I'm discovering with my arm cannon." Cularities explained.
"Oh? So it's more like a modular weapon then. Hmm! So what do you do when you need to get into melee range?" Liddy asked.
"I whack my target really hard with it." Cularities said.
"Pfft. Really? What about a knife? Can't really survive on Catachan without a good knife to rely on, you know?" Liddy said, hardly hiding a snort of amusement.
"As opposed to curling into a ball and hoping for the best? If I need to, I can probably find a way to modify my arm cannon to create a lance of energy for close-quarters-combat." Cularities said with a chuckle.
"I kinda want to see that. And watch you in action, too." She said, nearing Cularities.
"I would love to give a demonstration to a random object or some other target, but I think your Lieutenant over there might have a conniption." Cularities stated.
Liddy sighed. "Yeah yeah, he would."
Boltus butted into the conversation. "Cease. Biological. Attraction. Ritual... Officer. In. Charge. Approaching."
Liddy and Cularities stepped away from each other as Lieutenant Ralpha Glosn came back. His gaze centered onto Liddy and Cularities, but he didn't seem to want to announce his thoughts. "I've acquired my orders from HQ. Tech-Priest Boltus. Cularities. There will be a convoy that will be bringing some flamer weapons to this outpost. They will be burning and cleansing this area under the suspicion that a new kind of disease is spreading through the grassland, and that a new kind of animal we haven't seen before might be spreading it. Another regiment has been deployed to supply additional support to the flamer detachment, and both detachments will mobilize to attack the ork infestation south of our position. Once the operation is complete, you two are to hitch a ride with the combined regiments that will reconvene at this outpost. After the mission, you will then be delivered to headquarters for questioning. Do you have any questions so far?"
"This. Unit. Has. A. Question." Boltus said, raising his arm. "What. Is. The. Physical. Description. Of. This. Unknown. Organism?"
Ralpha gestured the size of the animal with his hands. "About yea big. It had no arms or legs, but it can roll around as a perfect sphere. It appeared to be some kind of rolling animal, with a light blue chitinous insectoid shell. After brainstorming some names for the beast, my Corporal suggested it be called a 'Fark Ball'. I suggested 'Blue Grassy Pill Critter'. I believe Liddy here said she named it the 'Catachan Roly Poly'? Those names are what we have so far."
Liddy nodded. Boltus slowly turned to look at Cularities. Cularities looked back at Boltus. There was a long, awkward pause.
"Something you want to share with class?" Ralpha asked the two, seeing the exchanged glances between Boltus and Cularities.
After Cularities subtly shook their head, Boltus gave their answer. "Negative... However. This. Unit. Will. Report. This. New. Animal. Finding. To. The. Auxiliary. Explorator. Temple... This. Unit. Will. Credit. You."
Ralpha nodded at Boltus respectfully. "Thank you, tech-priest." He then turned to Liddy and Cularities, stared at them for a brief second, and then began speaking to them. "Remember. No funny business. Just because the tech-priest here vouches for you being a friendly type doesn't mean I cannot cast away the suspicions I have for you. Is this understood?"
Cularities nodded. "Yes sir. That would also mean no fraternization. Correct?" This made Liddy look back between Cularities and Ralpha rapidly.
"Especially that, yes. You are wielding some new kind of funky armor I have never seen before, so I can't tell if you are a human or not. I'm not going to shoot at you, due to the fact that you rescued a tech-priest from an ork horde, as you claimed. However, that doesn't mean I won't hesitate to strike you down if you pose a threat to us or to the Imperium at large." Ralpha warned.
"Oh. Does this mean you want to see my face to know if I am truly human? Would this make you feel better about my presence among you?" Cularities asked, pointing at their face.
Ralpha raised his eyebrow. "Do you know how to take it off?"
"Should be easy to figure out. Let's see..." Cularities reached their left hand to their face and pawed around, feeling for a possible button that could be pressed. Unfortunately, it all seemed seamless. They felt no buttons or nobs or switches that could remove their helmet from their face. Not even anything under their chin. "Hmm. Not there. Uh. How about..."
Zero Suit acquired.
"... Okay. Maybe I can get my helmet off now?" Cularities' vision briefly whitened as their helmet began vanishing. Cularities pawed their naked face for the first time in their life. "... Wait. Where did my helmet go? I was trying to take it off. Not make it disappear. That is weird."
Ralpha blinked in surprise. "Huh. Fair skinned with blond hair and blue eyes."
Liddy's eyes twinkled at Cularities. "By the Emperor, he is HANDSOME!"
"Liddy." Ralpha growled.
Liddy paused, coughed, and then composed herself. "Sorry, sir."
"An. Organic. Male. Human... My. Hypothesis. Is. Wrong... You. Are. Not. A. Machine. Like. I. Had. Hoped." Boltus droned, almost as though he was grousing.
Cularities reached toward their face and felt a brush of fur tickle their own lip and chin. The typical signs of male features on a human face.
Which meant that Cularities was a 'sir'.
Which meant that their pun for their own name was now secured.
And that they was now identified as a 'he'.
A/N: Whoops. Forgot to add Spin Boost to the list of abilities in the last chapter. I'll make the correction when I have the time.