Status: Morking progress.
The Hornet's Nest
Chapter I
The fetus like body of a soulborg warrior hung suspended in a harness in front of a computer screen. His skin was a deep black, and the darkness around him only emphasized that fact. A shrill beeping noise, emanating from two speakers to his right and left, wakened the soulborg from his sleep. He mentally input the command, awaken . The screen five inches from his face flashed a brilliant white, illuminating the cockpit of his armor. The screen showed only seven words at first.
System reboot, stabilizing reactor
Reactor stable
The brilliant light softened to a less blinding grey. The next command he input was, Status report .
Date 3/6/3322
Time: 0537
Location: unknown
Core system failures: none
Minor system failures: none
Armor read-out: Several surface chars and punctures, no serious damage
Ammunition read-out: Machine pistol: full Wrist rocket launcher: half full.
He input the command, allow manual control
The screen’s color softened even further as it displayed what was actually happening outside his armor. It was early morning, yet the sun would not be visible until well after seven ’o clock. The reason being that there were huge mountains rimming the horizon. Yet, though the sun had not risen fully, the heat was already oppressive. His temperature regulating system kicked in with a shiver. He was camped at the edge of a pool of brackish water in the middle of the largest swamp he had ever seen. To his right were three other soulborgs. The first was a Deathwalker, the leader of the soulborg people. His armor was bulky; his shoulder armor was much larger than his waist. It was all black aside from large red markings. His armor possessed no arms or hands. These having been replaced by a large, repeating artillery canon, and a small mini-gun. The other two were identical. Their armor was the same, large shoulder armor, small torso, short legs and small arms. In one of their hands, they carried a small chain gun, the typical armament of the zettian guard rank.
Ten seconds after Q10 awoke their image receptors winked on and glowed an eerie red. The zettians moved to scan the landscape for potential threats. The deathwalker approached Q10 and transmitted, core system failures?
Q10: None my liege.
Deathwalker: Minor system failures?
Q10: None.
Deathwalker: Armor readout.
Q10: Several surface chars and scratches, no major damage.
Deathwalker: Ammunition readout.
Q10: Cain pistol full, wrist rocket launcher half full.
Deathwalker: Night watch report.
Q10: No major troop movements. No scouts, messengers or reinforcements. All quiet.
Deathwalker: Very good.
This data was transferred within seconds. Using a highly sophisticated cerebral to electronic thought transfer device, they could receive process, understand, and transmit a response within a fraction of a second. A zettian guard approached the deathwalker and transmitted, my liege, a messenger from the general is approaching.
Very well. How soon will he arrive?
He has already arrived.
Bring him here.
From the sharpness and quickness of the deathwalker’s transmissions, Q10 could tell he was not at all looking forward to talking with this lesser. On alpha prime, soulborgs have called a genocidal war on all beings unlike themselves. Extermination teams prowl the streets daily. Under normal circumstances, the zettiens would have shot them out of the sky. These, however, are not normal circumstances.
Deathwalker was being forced to fight side by side with lessers by a powerful race of beings called Valkyrie. These Valkyrie possessed immense power that dwarfed that of the efficient soulborg killing machines. The messenger was brought to the major and deathwalker. The man was young and well muscled. Yet his face was worn with the toils of war. He had large, white wings coming out of his back. He was a kyrie, only slightly lesser in power than the Valkyrie. He a tattered traveling cloack the standard for kyrie messangers.
He tried to speak, but was cut off by a cough that erupted from him with great force, revealing the toil he had gone through.
“Bring this man what libation we can spare.” deathwalker said to one of the zettian guards. His voice sounded human with a tinge of metallic clinking that must have been the vocal speaker opening and closing.
The zettian took a large metal glass and dipped it in a large metal basin of clear water. When the messenger was given the cup, he downed it in less than a minute. He thanked the deathwalker and proceeded with his message,
“General Vydar orders you to take the ruined temple to the south-east. Marro1 stingers and one warlord are disrupting our supply routes.”
“We will take them out. Will we need to await reinforcements for this position? Or will some of us have to remain here?”
“General Vydar wants all of you soulborgs to assault the position. A company is one hours march behind you to hold this position, and to provide a counter attack, should it fail.”
“A useless gesture, but appreciated nonetheless.”
Satisfied, the messenger took flight. Soon, he disappeared to the north. Deathwalker opened a private channel to Q10.
Worthless leeches 2! I would very much like to conquer this planet. However, there are too few of us. We are two fragmented to do any good against them. They are far too numerous.
Q10: But the demigods3 proclaim it to be done!
Deathwalker: Unless you have forgotten, I have fallen out of their favor! That is why they sent me to this place. We must complete our mission quickly and efficiently.
Maybe then, I will be in their favor!
Deathwalker opened a channel for all of the soulborgs to hear.
Abandon the camp! Demigod Vydar has bid us to capture an important position this day. We shall not fail in this mission! For I belive if we are victorious, the demigod will grant his favor upon all of us and provide a way to defeat the lessers, and conquer this world. Now, move out!
All, in unison: Yes deathwalker!
They all proceeded to the southeastern edge of the swamp. It was only fifteen meters in front of them. In addition, there was not much overgrowth, so they made very good time. The zettian guards holding up the back, major Q10 taking point, and deathwalker in the center. By now, the sun had risen fully, illuminating the landscape. However, deep in the water waited a new threat, marro drudge. Marro drudge are extremely determined hunters, and they can use their acid pistols with deadly efficiency. The troop of soulborgs was walking right into a cleverly laid trap.
1 Marro are a vaguely humanoid species of alien. They have the exact some body structure, but lack skin. Their flesh is a drab pick. Their mouths show rows of razor sharp teeth. One on one with a typical marro warrior, it is an easy fight. However, in quantity, you will most likely die.
2 Another name for humans and other humanoid races. The soulborgs consider them to be little more than leeches, having to feed off large amounts of food to survive.
3 The demigods are mysterious beings on alpha prime. They proclaim to be the sons and daughters of the war god Binthorinth. They posses’ powerful psychic abilities. Therefore, a religion has sprung up around them. The soulborgs will not wage war without the demigod’s approval. They believe the Valkyrie to be demigods.
System reboot, stabilizing reactor
Reactor stable
The brilliant light softened to a less blinding grey. The next command he input was, Status report .
Date 3/6/3322
Time: 0537
Location: unknown
Core system failures: none
Minor system failures: none
Armor read-out: Several surface chars and punctures, no serious damage
Ammunition read-out: Machine pistol: full Wrist rocket launcher: half full.
He input the command, allow manual control
The screen’s color softened even further as it displayed what was actually happening outside his armor. It was early morning, yet the sun would not be visible until well after seven ’o clock. The reason being that there were huge mountains rimming the horizon. Yet, though the sun had not risen fully, the heat was already oppressive. His temperature regulating system kicked in with a shiver. He was camped at the edge of a pool of brackish water in the middle of the largest swamp he had ever seen. To his right were three other soulborgs. The first was a Deathwalker, the leader of the soulborg people. His armor was bulky; his shoulder armor was much larger than his waist. It was all black aside from large red markings. His armor possessed no arms or hands. These having been replaced by a large, repeating artillery canon, and a small mini-gun. The other two were identical. Their armor was the same, large shoulder armor, small torso, short legs and small arms. In one of their hands, they carried a small chain gun, the typical armament of the zettian guard rank.
Ten seconds after Q10 awoke their image receptors winked on and glowed an eerie red. The zettians moved to scan the landscape for potential threats. The deathwalker approached Q10 and transmitted, core system failures?
Q10: None my liege.
Deathwalker: Minor system failures?
Q10: None.
Deathwalker: Armor readout.
Q10: Several surface chars and scratches, no major damage.
Deathwalker: Ammunition readout.
Q10: Cain pistol full, wrist rocket launcher half full.
Deathwalker: Night watch report.
Q10: No major troop movements. No scouts, messengers or reinforcements. All quiet.
Deathwalker: Very good.
This data was transferred within seconds. Using a highly sophisticated cerebral to electronic thought transfer device, they could receive process, understand, and transmit a response within a fraction of a second. A zettian guard approached the deathwalker and transmitted, my liege, a messenger from the general is approaching.
Very well. How soon will he arrive?
He has already arrived.
Bring him here.
From the sharpness and quickness of the deathwalker’s transmissions, Q10 could tell he was not at all looking forward to talking with this lesser. On alpha prime, soulborgs have called a genocidal war on all beings unlike themselves. Extermination teams prowl the streets daily. Under normal circumstances, the zettiens would have shot them out of the sky. These, however, are not normal circumstances.
Deathwalker was being forced to fight side by side with lessers by a powerful race of beings called Valkyrie. These Valkyrie possessed immense power that dwarfed that of the efficient soulborg killing machines. The messenger was brought to the major and deathwalker. The man was young and well muscled. Yet his face was worn with the toils of war. He had large, white wings coming out of his back. He was a kyrie, only slightly lesser in power than the Valkyrie. He a tattered traveling cloack the standard for kyrie messangers.
He tried to speak, but was cut off by a cough that erupted from him with great force, revealing the toil he had gone through.
“Bring this man what libation we can spare.” deathwalker said to one of the zettian guards. His voice sounded human with a tinge of metallic clinking that must have been the vocal speaker opening and closing.
The zettian took a large metal glass and dipped it in a large metal basin of clear water. When the messenger was given the cup, he downed it in less than a minute. He thanked the deathwalker and proceeded with his message,
“General Vydar orders you to take the ruined temple to the south-east. Marro1 stingers and one warlord are disrupting our supply routes.”
“We will take them out. Will we need to await reinforcements for this position? Or will some of us have to remain here?”
“General Vydar wants all of you soulborgs to assault the position. A company is one hours march behind you to hold this position, and to provide a counter attack, should it fail.”
“A useless gesture, but appreciated nonetheless.”
Satisfied, the messenger took flight. Soon, he disappeared to the north. Deathwalker opened a private channel to Q10.
Worthless leeches 2! I would very much like to conquer this planet. However, there are too few of us. We are two fragmented to do any good against them. They are far too numerous.
Q10: But the demigods3 proclaim it to be done!
Deathwalker: Unless you have forgotten, I have fallen out of their favor! That is why they sent me to this place. We must complete our mission quickly and efficiently.
Maybe then, I will be in their favor!
Deathwalker opened a channel for all of the soulborgs to hear.
Abandon the camp! Demigod Vydar has bid us to capture an important position this day. We shall not fail in this mission! For I belive if we are victorious, the demigod will grant his favor upon all of us and provide a way to defeat the lessers, and conquer this world. Now, move out!
All, in unison: Yes deathwalker!
They all proceeded to the southeastern edge of the swamp. It was only fifteen meters in front of them. In addition, there was not much overgrowth, so they made very good time. The zettian guards holding up the back, major Q10 taking point, and deathwalker in the center. By now, the sun had risen fully, illuminating the landscape. However, deep in the water waited a new threat, marro drudge. Marro drudge are extremely determined hunters, and they can use their acid pistols with deadly efficiency. The troop of soulborgs was walking right into a cleverly laid trap.
1 Marro are a vaguely humanoid species of alien. They have the exact some body structure, but lack skin. Their flesh is a drab pick. Their mouths show rows of razor sharp teeth. One on one with a typical marro warrior, it is an easy fight. However, in quantity, you will most likely die.
2 Another name for humans and other humanoid races. The soulborgs consider them to be little more than leeches, having to feed off large amounts of food to survive.
3 The demigods are mysterious beings on alpha prime. They proclaim to be the sons and daughters of the war god Binthorinth. They posses’ powerful psychic abilities. Therefore, a religion has sprung up around them. The soulborgs will not wage war without the demigod’s approval. They believe the Valkyrie to be demigods.