Time Shredders 2017 (DR2220+) Charity Event 6 High Queen Xydoraq

#1

Prologue: Queen Xydoraq? High Queen Xydoraq !

The Quall nations were in chaos. First their collective will had been compromised by the menace Holys. Now the only queen protected from Holys mind control, Queen Ayx was missing in action. She had been taken prisoner by unknown attackers during a Neliff battle in the Cloud Slaver Mountains.

But the movement that Queen Ayx had started to depose High Queen Qu’oa had grown steam. With Ayx missing, and in some sort of stasis cutting off her connection to the Hivemind, it was her five HiveLords who decided to raise the aged Queen Xydoraq to the role of High Queen.

It all took place in the flying Grand Obsidian Memorial Palace. The twenty story tall flying fortress was made of smooth volcanic glass, and was topped by an open air courtyard. The courtyard was adorned by large couches made of layered flayer skin, and stuffed with k’iou hair.

On the couches lounged the visiting dignitaries of all Quall Hives considered part of the High Queen’s Council and those ruled by them. One massive Quall Hivelord, nearly twelve tall, with a rack of horns that gleamed in the light of the sky.

He said, speaking and transmitting through the Hivemind connection at the same time, “Greetings Heroes of the Quall Hives, Queens honored by all, and the most trusted of the Cult of the Horned Dog who serve us.

Some of you know me as Grane the Pillager, others know me as Granex HiveLord, all of you know my Queen Ayx. She is protected as is all her children.

Here we are in the Memorial Palace, the last proof that a Quall Progenitor Queen once joined us and ruled us. I bring up the Progenitor Queen, because legend tells us she was beyond all outside control. Right now we need a High Queen that could be trusted.

That Queen will be Queen Xydoraq.”

“What about High Queen Qu’oa?” asked Queen Etieme from where she rested on a couch and supped from a stone cup full of binber wine.

Hivelord Granex said respectfully, “Your Highness, Queen Qu’oa is behind the kidnapping of Ayx. I was there when she was kidnapped, and I can share with you what I saw.”

They saw the large Burrower burst from the ground in Granex’s memories. They saw the stasis net fire from the open door, and in that memory they could see members of Qu’oa’s Human and Brethren servants reeling in the body of Queen Ayx and escaping with it.

Queen Le-a who was very familiar with IR Brethren soldiers said, “That is an Hourglass model of Brethren. They were just put into mass production, but at the time of this attack the only Hive that had access to an Hourglass was Queen Qu’oa.”

At this moment Queen Xydoraq arose, “My sister Queens and our children. Do not lament. I do not think Queen Qu’oa did this on purpose. She is probably just under the control of Holys. But we cannot allow one Queen’s servants to hunt other Queens. At minimum her lands are forfeit, but we must decide sisters if she is to be declared a Rogue Queen.

But I also have fantastic news, my Hive has received herds of Quall N’Haram from the Oleifera species. These N’Haram will be breeding stock so that my Hive no longer needs to raid anyone. If we succeed in controlling the herds of the N’Haram I will distribute herds to those who serve me honorably in my new role as High Queen.”

As the Quall Queens learned of a new breeding stock they grew greedy and covetous and the majority voted to raise Xydoraq to the High Queen.

#2

Part 1: Liberating Slaves on the Dream Seas of V’Crios

The starship came down with a thud and a dull wet noise. Nigel looked over at GHX-138 Black, the Brethren who sat in the pilot seat, and then at Hourglass who sat in the co-pilot seat.

The gangplank extended and the atmo seals opened and Nigel walked out from the starship. Down below the vessel was the smeered mess that had once been PeaceLord Leenoir.

He leaned down and looked at the mess knowing it was going to be a problem. The battle that followed for the tropical island was equally epic and anti-climatic.

Little did Nigel know this act, killing PeaceLord Leenoir, would have long reaching implication and days later when they arrived at the Llandreu settlement of Ophiah there was an expedition about to set out.

At its lead was none other than Ceroj the Red, Falosini Sovereign. Nigel knew they had no chance of facing off against a full Falosini army, but age had taught him the benefits of diplomacy. He contacted the Falosini diplomats in Ophiah and requested an audience under the terms of the new Peace of Falos forged in 2218.

The Sovereign was forced to accept the audience by the diplomats and Nigel and his team found themselves in a most tense and concerning meeting in the marble halls of the Falosini temple. The city of Ophiah was half on the island of Ophiah, and half submerged under the waves. The submerged sections were fully injabited by the Llandreu merfolk. The Falosini diplomatic contingent was in a marble temple complex above the waterline looking out across the beautiful tropical bay.

Nigel was impressed to see V’criosian Dolphins leaping in the waves. They were majestic creatures.

At the meeting table with them was Ceroj the Red, and a younger Falosini Sovereign with a Yellow cowl.

“Welcome Nigel of the Dimension Walkers of the Cult of the Horned Dog. I am Grash’tah of the Line of Gorsj. We have been called into this region by children of the Falosini freed from the rule of PeaceLord Leenoir. Among them was a child of the line of the lost Kur’ai tribe. With such a prize in hand the Falosini were most interested in learning who had overthrown the mad Peacelord Leenoir. Imagine my surprise when it was people matching your description. Not many Dimension Walkers who wear a hood taken from a Falosini lord, are there?”
And so began the first real negotiation between the Cult of the Horned Dog and the Falosini Sovereigns in ages.

In that meeting an alliance was forged between the Horned Dogs and the Falosini, to bring down Holys and end his control over the Quall Hives once and for all.

#3

Part 2 Convincing Queen Ayx

Nigel, Hourglass, Churchwood and Brethren GHX-139 Black all watched the massive HiveQueen.

She laid on her back unmoving, the stasis net that Hourglass had designed seemed to be working quite effectively. None of her hive had come looking for them yet.

Grash’tah the Falosini had promised them a vessel, and a laboratory for the brain computer, and he had come through as promised. Even the often hateful red cloaked Ceroj seemed to be excited to see a device involving a severed Quall Queen head.

Ceroj and his Children of the Falosini armies were protecting the vessel.

The ship they were on kept having to change its location. Even staying in a location for a short period of time could result in them being swarmed by E-strain under the command of Holys. But quick travel, and keeping its location on a need to know basis had kept them one step ahead of Holys and his enslaved hives.

Nigel made sure none of the Falosini were here in the chamber when he awoke Queen Ayx.

The Queen came to and once the stasis net was turned off she was appraised by her Hive of all that had occurred since her capture. It took them but a moment to upload information from across dimensions.

The coronation of Queen Xydoraq upset Queen Ayx, knowing how close to high Queen she had personally reached only to have her ambitions dashed by these Dimension Walkers and their plots. But she could not undo time, and had to accept that it would be High Queen Xydoraq from now on.

As Nigel explained to her the need for the computer, for the secret nature of their plans, and the great power it would give them over Holys, Queen Ayx learned something else that was interesting. It had been Nigel who had granted her immunity from Holys in the first place.

The wise queen restrained her rage at Nigel and the Dimension Walkers. She told them she would grant them a Queen. One of her own daughters to be the Queen’s head for Yoba Sabot’s monstrous machine.

Nigel could not believe his luck. Not only was Ayx seemingly not angry about her kidnapping, but the Quall Queen was going to provide her own child to power the device.

With this fantastic news, Nigel received a call. A strange beacon to meet out in space at a known rubble field. The death of the Starship, the Iron Word, had left half of it in orbit around a moon, and the other half was shattered and spread out in a dangerous rubble field. And supposedly their old friend Yoba Sabot was being held there by a group of Red Fist Commandos who reported directly to Iron Republic Fleetmaster Deer.

Right now it was a race against time, they would have to beat Yobak HiveLord and Gilox Teddyheart there, and assume custody of the Ydyara prisoner. If they didn’t succeed, Yoba Sabot would be granted final death.

In that event, Nigel would have no one to operate the machine, and all his efforts to join the Falosini and Quall against Holys would all be for naught.

#4

Part 3: Gilox Teddyheart and Yobak Hivelord get stuck in space

Gilox Teddyheart had once been a larvae and Nigel had been his host. In an act never before seen, Nigel had survived the birth of his Quall larvae. Gilox had hoped they would remain friends, remain close. But instead Nigel went on the run with a Ydyara named Yoba Sabot.

Gilox knew his Queen Qu’oa had ordered the final death and destruction of Yoba Sabot. He also knew his Hivekin Yobak Hivelord was a Quall birthed from part of Yoba Sabot’s essense. The fact that Yoba Sabot still lived meant that Yobak was dying. While his body was strong, his animating lifeforce was slowly draining away.

Together aboard an I.R. Raptor, Yobak and Gilox flew towards the I.R. starship where allied forces held Yoba Sabot prisoner.

Gilox was surprised when he checked the comms. It seemed his own brethren pilot was talking with some other pilot out there. Gilox opened the comm line and yelled at the pilot, but it was too late. While GHX-139 Black had been talking to the pilot, the devious Brethren serving Nigel had also targeted their systems and fired off a set of disabling shots that crippled their vessel.

Yobak grew angry.

“We are so close, but now we are trapped,” said Yobak, “Stupid brethren. Made from stupid Earther flesh.”

Gilox said, “Calm Hivelord. No need to get upset. Our pilot is already working on reinitializing the sublight drives. We will be on the way shortly.”

Yobak leaned over and Gilox had to steady him.

“We must get Yoba Sabot. The Dimension Walkers cannot be allowed inside the Hive Queen connection again,” said Yobak, “We must…”

Yobak fell forward going unconscious. Gilox stammered and then placed a pillow under the Hivelord’s head. Gilox walked over to the comm systems and quickly patched through to the disabled starship’s cameras. Gilox watched in anger as Nigel met with the Red Fist Commandos. At his side, Gilox recognized his old friends, Hourglass and Churchwood and Lainey Hayden.

Gilox felt a sob when he thought about the friends lost. Maybe this was part of why their hosts were not meant to survive. It was traumatic to see one’s friends turned against them by the Dimension Walker Nigel, his own former host.

Gilox slammed his hands against the console. Nigel had bested him. He had secured Yoba Sabot. Looking down he checked the heartbeats of the Hivelord.

Yobak was dead.

Gilox reached out through the Hivemind connection but he couldn’t find his queen. Instead all he saw were the cold eyes of Holys starting at him and Gilox knew fear.

#5

Epilogue

Nigel met with a representative of Fleet master Deer. Deer was quite interested in providing Nigel some Red Fist Power armor for coming operations. But he also wanted quite a bit in exchange.

It seemed Claude Vysen had been working closely with Fleet Master Deer on a project. A project to turn the tide if the Quall were ever hijacked just like they had been by Holys.

Nigel was given the location of a secret military installation, and a small keycard notated by the designation Operation: TRUTH. His secrecy would be the price of the return of Yoba Sabot to him and his allies instead of to the Hivelord and Gilox Teddyheart.