The Damaged Factory Controls

#21

Krodnok sat cross-legged on one of the catwalks above the platform, looking down on the the controls to the factory, and those who studied them. He was invisible, of course. Can’t risk being seen by potential enemies…

He’d been listening to them for a while. A lot of useless chatter, and only a few bits of maybe useful information.

He was sitting in a Warmonger’ Dead creation facility. As useful as that could be, he heard someone say this was of Unit 111. Chances were, Krodnok could create a thousand dead with this machine, but he couldn’t control them. The machine would require some major alterations before he could create his army. And he wasn’t able to do that…

For the time being, Krodnok would have to just be content to watch, and wait. Perhaps he’d learn something more useful…

#22

Bo’gan seemed genuinely confused by this technology. He understood forges, and smelting, and mixing metals to create alloys. He understood concepts of biology like the idea of circulatory systems and the idea of organs. He even understood complex concepts of physics, even though he would never use the word physics to describe it. But Bo’gan grew up in a society that did not have technology any more advanced than the wheel, the lever and the pulley.

He stood back allowing Pluto and Uriel to work on the machines.

When Uriel joined with the machines using that strange nightmare Brain leech appendage, Bo’gan wondered what type of being he was really dealing with. He whispered with an almost superstitious tone, “Uriel, pardon my directness. What is it that you are?”

#23

Uriel sat with his legs crossed his right hand was buried to the wrist in the brain like organ while his left made motions as if it was turning the pages of a book. His head swung toward Bo’gan and he answered in a slightly distracted voice.
“I am of the Tyr’ani. We are a group of scholars, artists and librarians. We are dedicated to collecting knowledge and experience and sharing it freely with all. In this way we grow closer to understanding and to our founder. He began life as a simple nightmare but he was able to learn to be more through study and cultivation of his mind and understanding. The alterations that occur in our bodies are a manifestation of the expansion of our minds in much the same way. As we grow closer to the universal it reacts with our bodies through the leyas and moves us toward being more than we were.” He stopped speaking as he slowly removed his hand from the control organ. There was a wet popping sound as it came out. The wound in the organ was covered by a glistening liquid from the tip of the brain leech which quickly dried over like a scab. Uriel stood slowly as his hand resumed its natural shape, the leech withdrawing again.
“Well that was illuminating.” He said happily to himself.
“I hope that makes things clearer for you Bo’gan if you wish to know more I will happily answer any questions you have, but first.” He turned to Pluto. “To answer your question about the console. It is more automated than I had thought earlier. It seems three things will awaken the guardians. First if more than five war machines are made in under twenty-four hours. Which thanks to Bo’gan is no longer a worry. Second if the console detects a demonic artifact and lastly if a kias joined itself to the console. which I also assume will not be be a problem. Mainly it just allows you change the aesthetics of the dead it produces but it has safeties to make sure the dead will be functional soldiers. I would say that your biggest concern would be any dead you create would be loyal to unit 111.”

#24

Looking at Uriel, “What if the Dead already had a functioning control chip? I know mine is still intact. Most of the newer members of my unit do not have them. This is due to the fact our outpost ran out of them over a year ago. And if the machine didn’t remove my chip, i will still follow the last orders of my General then, correct?”

“If that is the case, then we should be fine. The last orders i received were Take a chance. Stop what's corrupting the empire. Think for yourselves and be free. And his control crystal is in the top to his burial urn. so we should be good on the point also.”

“I have been able to think for myself since the Fall of the Circle of Thirteen.”

#25

“It’s possible but dangerous. If we send you into the upgrade process it will attempt to alter your crystal. You may be able to resist it. If that happened your body would be upgraded and your mind would be intact. If however you failed to resist the process it would erase your mind and leave nothing but an irresistible need to kill any living thing you saw.”

#26

“I am willing to take the chance. I would rather not be here when someone does something drastic and wakes all of the defenders. I can’t ask my troopers to do it of they do not have the chiops to begin with.”

#27

Pluto smiled slightly as he listened. It was very noble of him to potentially sacrifice himself, but Pluto felt it was slightly unnecessary. After all, quick, noble decisions often led to disaster, although there was little room here to maneuver. He hoped that this would go smoothly, but instinct told him that it was best to be prepared. He spoke in a quiet tone to the dead Olgog,

Torlok’ab, are you certain you wish to do this? I do not know you very well, but putting your own freedom on the line for practical strangers is not an ordinary act. I understand this seems dire at the moment, but it may be that we can find another way out of here. Nobody is forcing you to do this."

#28

Tla’ab looking at Torlok’ab, he says I agree with Pluto, Is getting upgraded worth the chance of loosing yourself? Will this area open up if one upgrade is done? Is there another way?"

#29

“Any upgrade procedure should cancel the lockdown.” Uriel answered. “However I feel I should point out again that it will cancel itself once the forty-eight hours is up and no one need endanger themselves. After all Torlok’ab would not be the only one at risk should he fail to resist the changes. That said I would be very curious to observe the procedure. I’ve never seen it done before.”

#30

Glancing around, torlok’ab says " do any of you see air vents? The Dead don’t breathe and the k’ias don’t have to either. Yet their enemies do. The air in here may run out longer before the system resets. As my unit has no way to bring you back, what shall we do? If you die or just pass out, how can we deal with you?"

“Also, when you drop, who will keep the pitmonrels out of the shadow gate. Once the light leyas drops, it will reopen. It would be best if we weren’t here when they find their way in. Even if we don’t activate the guards, they will almost certainly do so in the rush to find us.”

#31

Almost as in response to torlok’ab’s comment a fresh air flow began to circle around the room, a soft voice echoed throughout the chamber “by my sweet breath fill thine lungs and be refreshed from thy hardships, for in my divine presence you shall know no hardships. Know my magnanimous love and stand in awe.”

#32

“As if I didn’t think you to be insane before, now you start spouting things like some sort of cult leader.”

#33

“If loving me is wrong, then there are many many many many people who just don’t wanna be right”

#34

“And now you sound like an introspective version of an Ancient Evil, yet you expect us to trust you?”

#35

Tla’ab said “As Candy can purify the air, Lolon and I can as well. So we should be good there. Now for the Pit mongrels activating the guards, that I’m not sure about. But it sounds like you to go through this thing, no matter the reason or arguments against it.”

#36

"I must agree with Tla’ab the safest course of action seems to be to wait. However Candy and I are here only as observers. It is your decision to make. " He looked to each of the olgogs in the chamber making it clear he spoke to all of them. Lastly he looked at Torlok’ab. “If you insist on this course of action she and I will not interfere but know that should you emerge as a mindless killing machine we will destroy you before letting you hurt others.” After speaking he went back to transcribing the symbols on the podium.

#37

Candy’s voice seems to be coming from 3 different places at once “Uriel is right, If you go all cookoo for coocoo puffs We can just wipe you out afterwards.” Candy giggles “Good thing I was wrong about you people wanting to use this place for your own benefit. As you just came here to search for your buddy, hee hee hee”

#38

Suddenly, Pluto seemed to gain a sense as to where he was. He inclined his head as the voice spoke, and finally remembered who it was. He was fairly certain it was the same woman he had traded with several weeks earlier. She hadn’t seemed terribly insane then, but there was definitely the same attitude. He realized then what had to be done.

“My friends, we must go through with this plan. If Torkol’ab decides not to do this, we must find another to take his place. There will soon be far worse things to deal with here if we do not act quickly.”

#39

Tla’ab says “Pluto, what are you talking about? What do you know?”

#40

Pluto looked at him and smiled thinly.

“I don’t know anything for sure, but what I see I find odd. We are stuck in a glass box with no way out, and yet here are two “observers” who happened to come along with us with the answer to our problems. I would be most curious to know what they are actually observing, but I’m afraid we wont find out unless we get out of here. I think it would be best if we went ahead with our plan, if Torkol’ab or another is willing.”