Prologue: Reflections of Descended Beings
Up until now, Kolgol had spent much of his jail time contemplating his situation, and how he might begin to improve his standing on Der’al once more. After all, razing a city to the ground and burning the inhabitants that tried fleeing the destruction tended to add a negative connotation to one’s reputation. Add the fact that the patron deity of their tribe, the demon-lord Kalok, had manifested physically and taken his people to his own private dimension, and one gets the feeling that the tribe of Ka’Rhug is not something you’d want to be openly associated with.
Despite this, Kolgol knew that he was one of the few members of his tribe that still had the pull necessary to regain some autonomy from their god, being that most of the powerful aufgogs were now either dead, in hiding, or indoctrinated so thoroughly that they had no desire to break free any longer.
However, these damned EEF were getting in his way with their very proactive suppression tactics. He didn’t know where they were transferring him, but he got the feeling that it would be best for him if he never arrived at that destination.
Kolgol had learned a valuable lesson, learned by Dako’tha with Warmonger and by General Kal’shek with Unity. Which is that once a Greater Evil has risen, it quickly sacrifices all that is held dear to its creator. Its corrupting influence breaks down even the greatest of institutions. Kalok had claimed in his fiery grasp all that Kolgol held dear, even the soul of his former squire, Dominic…
Kolgol heard the gas begin to fill his cell. Another of the EEFs medical tests? He wondered. Instead of walking him to the medical lab like a person, or simply taking the samples in his cell, the Earthers had gassed him multiple times. This time he struggled to stay awake. As his legs gave out, he saw the black composite armor of the spec ops soldiers assigned to his “care and feeding” as they opened his cell. Their own faces covered by elaborate combat masks with goggles and rebreathers.
Kolgol felt like an animal with the way he was treated, and couldn’t help wonder if this was how the Earthers made the his ancestors feel during the Genocide. At least he could be sure the Earthers weren’t going to have him executed, at least…not yet.
Part 1: General Concerns about Security
General Giffords sat on the bridge of the EEF Gunship, Apex Pride, watching the tactical displays show the holding facility near the Brezan Hovertrain station, It was a small operation, tasked primarily with checking the spread of the Mag Der’al infection. It had become the impromptu holding cell for Kolgol after the Simonsburg tragedy. The EEF had hesitated to bring him out via AAV after the repeated by the terrorist group calling itself The Yyan Empire.
The Hover train was easier to defend, and easier to moniter than a lone AAV over the deep desert.
Giffords growled, “Lets see if this intel pans out. Even if it comes through such disreputable channels.”
Giffords lifted up a small digital pad, making a quick set of requisitions for more heavy tanks to counter the giant threat. Through a haze of supply lists, he heard the voice of tactical officer Lt. Oren, “General, satellite scans of the site show a small Olgog and an Aegelis moving into position on the north end of the Holding facility.”
“Do we have sight of their accomplices,” asked Giffords pressing send on the pad, while bringing up a closeup on his pad of the satellite image feeds.
“Not yet, Sir.” said Lt. Oren, “We won’t know until they go for the package.”
“Fine, go ahead, lets set out the bait,” agreed Giffords, “And Lieutenant, make sure the Goliaths know to take anyone alive. I want to question the brains behind this little operation.”
“Sir, yes, sir,” said Lt. Oren, “Signalling the Goliaths now.”
The Goliaths were soldiers, dressed in a signature matte black military armor. Each had his face covered, a breathing mask and tactical goggles hiding the few signs it was a normal living person under that armor. Two of the Goliaths held acid cannons and kept them pointed at Kolgol’s back as they began escorting him across the walkway to the street where the APC waited to take the religious criminal to his final destination.
Another pair of Goliaths stood wider out, scanning the streets for any sign of trouble, their plasma cannons tracking all movement. The local Brezans knew to keep clear of the EEFers on days like today. There was that stillness in the air.
Like clockwork a fire broke out at the rear of the Holding Facility. General Giffords allowed the tactical officer to send the infantrymen to put out the blaze. He also suggested calling the Gunpod Fightercraft in for a closer “look” at the fires. All to lull their prey into a false sense of security.
Stormclouds began filling the sky, and Lt. Oren said, “Sir we are showing a large increase in Air Leyas and Water Leyas surges. Typical of an Adept starting a storm up.”
“Let him do so,” said General Giffords, “Pull the Gunpods north, let the enemy agents think they have a shot.”
As the Gunpods pulled back, the smaller Olgog and the Aegelis split up. The smaller Olgog began inching his way to line up a shot at the Goliaths with some Artifact.
Two of the Goliaths carrying the Acid cannons stumbled. One complained about the heat, the other dizzyness, but their weapons waved off target for a moment.
In that moment Dargor’lur appeared from Kolgol’s shadow, grabbing the prisoner and preparing to leap away. Kolgol dripped away to goo in Dargor’lur’s hands, and the tla’loc’alan tried to turn and flee. The prisoner, revealed for a shapeshifter and EEF agent, lifted up his own shock knuckles and took out one of Dargor’lur’s knees with a brutal strike. The shapeshifter landed on the falling Olgog and continued hammering away at him with the knuckles. Each time a spark dived between them, and Dargor’lur’s body spasmed in pain.
At that same moment, the EEF Gunpods wheeled about and put enough ammunition at Gobbog’s feet that the small Olgog found himself pinned down. Gobbog tried to turn to run but a .50 caliber bullet struck his leg at the shin, and foot, boot and all were turned to mushy paste. Gobbog fell to the ground, feeling his aryeserai symbiote offsetting the pain
General Giffords slammed his hand down in anger when he saw the Aegelis leap into the air, carving a pair of hover emitters off of the lead Gunpod. Its pilot was too close to the ground to bail out, and had to experience the painful jarring landing bouncing across the newely paved roads. It came to a skidding stop before glancing off a broken marble pillar left over from the first colony of Brez that once was on this site.
The Aegelis tried to rejoin the olgog but was driven back by a hail of guided missiles. She superheated them causing the missiles to prematurely explode but was driven backwards by it.
They watched watched as one of the EEF Goliaths rushed Gobbog, slamming his face in the sand. The Goliath bent the maimed olgog’s arm back, marveling at how small the olgog was. There was an electrical hum once the cuffs were on him. The zela insides of the cuffs cut off his ability to call on the Leyas.
The last thing Kitty the Aegelis saw before creating an energy bridge to Kyrpos to escape, was Gobbog being lifted up and tossed into the back of the waiting APC along with Dargor’lur.