The Unity Core Piece under Karov
Part 1: Everyone Hates Warmonger’s Dead…
Hob'na of the Army of Krodnok was stuck in the offices of Uhryu Bill, the current administrator of the Shadow Dome of Karov. Across from her was a bastard and a K'iou both dressed as wanderers who had started a fight with her guards, all of whom were Krodnok's Dead.
Watching them all were Uhryu Bill and Zh’Mak Gor’ab who were argueing about the presence of the Dead in the city. It seemed the Gor’ab agreed with Forge (the K’iou) and Scout (the bastard) and their assessment of Krodnoks Dead of being no better than Warmongers Dead and worthy of an end to their unlife.
Bill however had kept all the lands under his control free to travel for all peaceable beings, dead or alive.
It was at that already tense moment that a small bastard with a bucket on his head rushed into the room and made a comical bow, “Honored Mr. Bill, I am Steg, I am a bodyguard of Commander Shiro who wishes to meet with you.”
Bill seemed concerned when he heard the name Shiro but nodded and EEF Commander Shiro was brought in, flanked by Cat Dancer, Specialist Kreshak and a pair of EEF Goliaths.
“Bill its good to meet you,” said Commander Shiro, as the olgog soldier entered the offices carved from the stone caverns under Karov, “For the first time.”
“We have spoken on many occasions,” said Bill with suspicion, “You were responsible for much mayhem here in the Goblin Lands.”
“It was not me,” said Commander Shiro, “I can only say a doppelganging spy working for the Quall Hives replaced me, and had been trying to set the Colonies and the Olgogs on each other.”
“I do not believe you,” said Bill.
“Then believe this,” said Shiro motioning to Specialist Kreshak, who used a holographic display to show an orbital scan of the Shadow Dome of Karov, “This shows a piece of the Unity Core, an extradimensional city that exploded its outer layers two years ago. A full year before your people resettled the Ruins of Karov, a small section of the Unity Core must have landed here through a transdimensional rupture.”
“Why should we care about your extradimensional wars, Earther-servant,” said Bill.
Shiro replied tersely, “Simple, the sections of Unity Core that were jettisoned were infested with a species known as E-strain Manslayers. They will kill your people and destroy this little city of yours if you don’t let my agents deal with them first.”
“I don’t trust the Earthers,” said Bill, “Everytime I trust them my people are harmed or hurt. If I had to allow…” He was interrupted by Steg who had pulled off the bucket on his head, revealing an identical bucket below. The bucket Steg had removed now showed the words soap box on it, and Steg offered it to Bill to stand on. Bill idignantly turned it away, gaining a crayon tear from Steg’s own bucket helmet.
“Thats why I assembled this team. And If that is Scout and Forge I see sitting over there, I’ll extend a little hazard pay their way to help get this team in and out,” said Shiro.
“No Earthers,” said Bill again.
“The Goliaths will stay here with me, Bill,” said Shiro, “Go with the squad. Steg is acting squad leader.”
Bill went to leave and Zh’Mak Gor’ab grabbed him by the shoulder and pointed at Hob’na accusingly.
“Take her with us?” asked Bill, “Fine if you don’t trust her, you can keep an eye on her.”
Zh’Mak grunted in agreement.
Hob’na followed them out, wondering how her day had gotten so surreal.
Steg walked over to her and his bucket seemed to reform its crayon face into a smile. He pulled one off and offered this one to Hob’na. She smiled cooly at him, and allowed the strange little bastard to place it on her head. To her surprise it covered her face but allowed her to see as if it wasn’t there. On its side, it said +8 in silvery crayon.
Hob’na left the bucket on, hoping it would keep the locals from freaking out at her undead visage.
Scout and Forge followed the strange squad of irregulars, as they descended tunnels deeper below Karov. They passed by work crews that seems without fatigue and without rest.
Forge said, “It seems like they got more than their fair share of undead down here.”
“Yeah lots of undead,” agreed Scout, “I thought the Karovians were very anti-undead.”
“We are…”muttered Zh’Mak Gor’ab angrily.
“The Kul Gul Rapi Family showed us all, through their good works and their giving water to all tribes, that not all cursed beings are evil and deserving of final death,” said Bill with righteous indignation, “The Wintermute Undead have been friendly and supportive of my people. They have asked nothing in return except to be accepted the way a living being would be accepted.”
“Which is why the place is crawling with Warmonger’s Dead,” grumbled Forge, “Once you let one dead thing in, everything goes to rot.”
“Improved Warmonger’s Dead,” corrected Hob’na.
“Improved,” mocked Scout with air quotes.
“I don’t serve Warmonger,” said Hob’na, “Never did. Just went to sleep in the wrong cave at the wrong time…”
“We are here,” said Bill showing them the wall of the cave network closest to the crashed city-section on the maps.
Forge stepped forward and tapped the Havokhammer against the wall. The ancient K’ias artifact flared momentarily with a Leyas spark and the wall smoothly opened up revealing a corridor of strangely technological design.
As Nanite plague dispensers and cutting beam weapons deployed from the ceiling, death seemed almost an inevitability.