Suriks had to admit, he was surprised at the complexity of the strange alien Queen and her people’s home. The corridors were an ever shifting maze, impossible to navigate without a guide or the innate biological ability to “read” the pheromones lining the corridors. The whole structure was a veritable fortress similar to that of Riis-Reborn, and it was taking him almost as much time to learn the paths around here as it had there as well, though with a slight learning curve. Still he managed well enough and lumbered down deeper into the heart of the mighty Hive to meet with his new ally. There was much to discuss regarding their alliance and the specific goals of each party. It wouldn’t do for the Eliksni to pass up a golden opportunity to acquire as much Ether as possible before they took their fight to the traitor machine and its corpse warriors.
Further and further the massive Eliksni trod, his eyes already well adjusted to the darkness surrounding him as he continued down the lightless tunnel, while the changeling architecture was amazing in its structural complexity and defensive prowess… visually it was no different from any other naturally formed cave.
Suriks listened intently, but found the chittering of Changelings was absent here. Not because there were fewer in this area though, No, the quiet was because this was where only the elite soldiers of Chrysalis’s army patrolled. Each was adept both in combat and in stealth thanks to years spent infiltrating behind enemy lines. No doubt they were following him even now, their strange Magic making them imperceptible to the Kell. Their numbers had been reduced thanks in part to a schism prior to House Salvations arrival, something Seviks was all too familiar with. Even now the thought of the traitor Veriks or the bleeding heart Missreks made his blood boil. If the Eliksni were doomed it was because of their refusal to evolve and accept the traitor machine for what it truly was, a destroyer by proxy and a coward by design. Even now that cursed orb cowered behind the legion of corpse warriors and their blasted walls, like a pathetic dreg starved of ether.
Suriks closed his eyes and steadied himself, now was not the time to think of his enemies, it was time to be a diplomat and secure resources for his army. If justice was to be theirs then they would need as much as these creatures could give. Their assistance would be rewarded of course, already there were talks of great successes when introducing ether to the most trusted soldiers in the Hive. Like the Eliksni they would grow larger, their chitin would harden providing greater strength and durability, and even their strange mystical abilities had been enhanced. Should the opportunity present itself, House Salvation may even be able to persuade these beings to aid in the downfall of the Humans and the Traitor Machine. A wicked, fang filled grin spread across his face as he imagined the shock and horror on the enemy’s faces at such perfect subterfuge catching them unprepared.
So deeply had the kell been lost in thought that he had not noticed his arrival at the Queen’s war room. Leaning down to enter he saw exactly what he’d hoped to, numerous changelings skittered around with various documents and even what looked like pods with creatures inside. In one corner these pods were stacked against the wall with tendrils of viscous mucus connecting and holding them in place. He watched as green flame engulfed one soldier and its form became identical to its prisoner before it darted off with clear purpose in its canter.
Towards the middle were arranged a set of what looked like stolen tables and boards that the Eliksni had found to be common in old human ruins. Chalk was being used to take down notes or list objectives by one group, while others scoured maps, gesturing to some of his own Captains points of interest for harvesting and targets for the eventual invasion. As he strode towards this group he began to hear the changelings giving details on each location. The residual Magic levels, points and persons of interest for capture or elimination. One particular spot they mentioned was a gorge far south of a heavily crossed out forest, close to the far eastern edges of the Badlands, that had housed numerous cave systems for hiding their forces closer to enemy territory.
All seemed to be going well, if a bit slower than Seviks would have personally liked. But these new Allies had only just begun to reclaim power thanks to their ether, and House Salvation would need time itself to prepare for the war to come. Eramis had shown the foolishness in rushing to meet one’s enemy without considering every variable, he would not make that same mistake here.
A voice suddenly spoke up behind him, “Well good evening Surikskell, I trust you had no issue navigating my illustrious palace?” As Queen Chrysalis sidled up beside him, a contented smirk plastered on her muzzle. Suriks simply hummed, bowing slightly at the waist to the Queen before returning his attention to the plans being drawn up. He spoke with purpose, “My teams are investigating the preliminary sources your scouts marked for ether collection, it will not be long now before the start of this conquest you seem so ecstatic about” he paused as his multiple eyes moved to the Queens place before continuing “Though I can understand the anticipation of exacting vengeance on an enemy of course”. The Queen nodded, they both had already discussed much of their history and plans for this alliance. She was more than happy to have these strangers from the stars bolstering her hive so she could finally take down the infernal thorns in her side that were the equestrians and their motley ‘hero’s’. She would enjoy ripping their homes down and making them watch as a new era of Changeling rule swept across this land, and every other land soon after.
How much sweeter it would be when the Crystal Empire was finally surrounded on all sides, how sweet the fear that putrid pink alicorn would no doubt exude as Chrysalis took everything from her once again. This war… was going to be PERFECT!
For most guardians traversing Sol in their reclaimed jumpships there is very little to do while they travel to and from missions, save for catching up on sleep or watching a Crucible holostream. But for those wise enough to secure larger vessels like a lovingly refurbished long haul transport? There are plenty of nooks and crannies to do all manner of hobbies and activities. Drifter told the Lights in Gambit about that all the time in the pre-drop face off, though few ever seemed to pick up on his sage wisdom, too busy punching or taunting the opposing team usually. Not that he cared, just meant they’d be back to fight more Primevals before too long after all.
At that time though banking motes was taking a backseat to his current project, the latest test bed for what he and the rest of this little “fireteam” that had formed in the past few weeks would lead them to their favorite god-slaying hero. Fingers crossed anyway. He was hunched over the ragged machine finishing some last minute soldering as they prepared to test and see if this was the gonna be the one or just another dud.
Wiping his brow Drifter stepped back, trademark smirk eerily absent as he stared down at the mechanical pipe dream on his work bench. His ghost, as creepily as always, hung in the air silently across the room. It’s lone red eye simply staring at him as if it were trying to see through him. He’d never been fond of it before, stupid thing couldn’t rez him with a full stomach but could rearrange his body from ash? What a rip off… but he did at times wish maybe the Derelict wasn’t quite so silent. At least every now and then anyway.
He rubbed at his temple to banish that melancholy away before scooping up his new baby and snapping at his silent rez-dispenser. A moment later his comm link went live and he was sending his dulcet tones to his favorite conspirators, Moon Dust and Stranger Danger. He was still working on that last one, not every nickname was a winner after all.
“Hey you two, got the last of those mods ready to go for our little test run” he said as he placed the machine down on an engram compiler. A few moments later and it was stashed neatly away in a brilliant purple engram for safety. “Got the goods ready for transport so you just tell Drifter where the party’s gonna be”. Another snap of his fingers and the comm went silent as he made his way back towards the cockpit. Wouldn’t be long before one of them would send him the coordinates and the real fun began. Until then… he had motes to count, and guardians to pay.
“Reports indicate that the valley marked here should be a good starting point for ether refinement” one of Suriks captains pointed a claw at the map spread on the table before continuing, “With that we should be finished with preliminary storage and can begin dispensing the rest to the combined forces in time for the first infiltration missions” she said before stepping back, the report was better than Suriks had hoped. Whatever this Magic was composed of was enriching this planet's atmosphere to the point that ether could be gathered and refined at three times the normal rate! The Long Drift had left most houses on the verge of starvation due to most the planets they attempted to scour for scraps of ether being practically destroyed inhospitable to all life and the sheer distance between what few could be harvested on. To have such a veritable treasure trove of premium ether in such quantities meant that his troops, even down to the lowliest dregs, would be larger and tougher than ever! He was barely able to keep his mirthful chittering to himself at the thought of fully empowered Eliksni warriors burning the Traitor Machines chosen hovel to the ground, with its empty husk at its center.
Suriks surveyed the proposed troop movements from his captains before turning his gaze to Queen Chrysalis. Her expression was unreadable, in part due to her alien nature but Suriks could tell it was also due to her own acumen for subtly and subterfuge at play. While their current working relationship certainly saw both parties gaining as much as giving, he was not about to turn his back on a creature that clearly had such a voracious appetite for power.
The Queen's eyes slowly wandered over the maps and troop placements. Each was methodically examined by her as she considered the risks and benefits, weighing them in her mind before continuing to the next set. Once she had finished a small satisfied smile wormed its way to her lips as she nodded in approval. Her changelings immediately set off to begin preparations while she turned to the alien leader and addressed him.
“Impressive work Surikskell, your people have a knack for infiltration and subterfuge I find quite refreshing” she said before looking to the side in mock exasperation, “So few truly appreciate the work such well laid plans take to truly catch an opponent by surprise! A dying art to be certain” she tittered lightly as she returned to looking Seviks in his many eyes. “I look forward to seeing how they perform in the field alongside my devoted soldiers”.
She stood up slowly before using a wing to wave Suriks toward her, the tall alien lumbering beside her as they made their way out of the war room and back into the labyrinthine halls of the palace.
“Eliksni have survived a great deal due to our cunning Chrysaliskell, you will find my warriors are as battle hardened as any other. Any resistance these ponies attempt to make when the time comes will be paltry in comparison to what we faced in the past” a low chuckle mixed with chittering tumbled from Seviks as they continued walking.
Chrysalis cut her eyes toward him asking “Do not under estimate the leaders of our enemies, they are a threat far greater than their meager subjects and that is why we must maintain the element of surprise.” Suriks simply grunted in response before Chrysalis continued, though her tone took a noticeably more worried edge to it.
“You're certain that these ‘Guardians’ won’t come here looking for you? From what you’ve told of them they make the legends of the Two Alicorn Sisters look like a nursery rhyme for hatchlings. And they were no strangers to war in the distant past” she said as they entered into the Throne Room. Neither one having paid much attention to their surroundings during the small journey.
“No.” Said Suriks, “The Guardians may have begun to wield the Darkness recently but they have not yet utilized it as we have. Furthermore they are shackled to the Traitor Machine and their destitute home world, they would never risk seeking us out here.” He assured her.
From the large windows lining the rooms vaulted ceilings came the rumble of Skiffs as they soared into the air, the first of the operations for acquiring ether now in full swing. The two allies turned to watch as they flew past, each thinking of the future battles and victories to come.
Cyrell and Selene wandered the Palace Gardens in the dead of night. All around him he could hear the sounds of life like he had never been able to before. His journey to the City had been filled with deathly silence before they found a mostly operational ship at a defunct launch field in the remains of Old America’s southern region. Each night there had been silence and the day brought few birds or animals aside from a few resultant species. It had impressed upon the Titan from the beginning just how much humanity had lost during the Collapse, and instilled in him a desire to protect all that remained.
Commander Zavala had been his mentor, teaching him what it meant to be a Titan; the two had walked in the City's own gardens just like this. The commander passed on wisdom and advice to a novice Cyrell as he began the long winding road into becoming a full-fledged Guardian. Lord Shaxx had of course helped with drills and the Crucible remained an excellent place to train with other strong Lightbearers. Now Cyrell found himself wishing for the familiar presence of his mentor, wondering what he would think of this strange situation.
Selene slowly hovered in front of Cyrell, her eye at level with his faceless helmet. “Whatcha thinking about in their big guy, worried about the upcoming mission?” She asked, her tone soft in the quiet of the night. Cyrell came to a slow stop in front of a modestly sized tree, turning his helmeted face to observe its size. The tree’s trunk stretched up above him into a large canopy of bright green leaves that were muted in the dim glow of the stars and moon overhead.
“No, I’m sure it will be fine. I’m more worried about how I’ve gone about this… mission” he said, his voice low. There was a pause, the night's unique cacophony filling the void around them. It was so different from the roads they had traveled all those years ago. Cyrell listened intently, memorizing these sounds and wondering if they were similar to Earth before the collapse, similar to how he would have known them before he died and became a Guardian.
He turned back to his ghost, asking “Have I done the right thing?” Selene was silent, Cyrell had been more contemplative since receiving Stasis on Europa and in turn had a lot of his, and to be honest even her own, understanding on much changed or challenged. No doubt, she thought, this was in part due to the conversation he had with Princess Luna and her concerns about using the Darkness. Back then they had assured it was safe, and certainly it was now, but they were trying to convince her as much as themselves even then, the two still wrestling with the idea of Darkness being more than the enemy. More than just pure evil like the entirety of mankind’s remnants had since the Collapse. It had all been so much simpler when that was the case.
She hovered up to his helmet and lightly tapped her shell to it with her eye closed as she hovered in place, saying “I don’t know big guy, this is a pretty unique position we’re in… but we have to do what we can to get back to earth. To the City…” the two stared at one another briefly before Cyrell and Selen both said “and the Traveler.” The two turned their respective gazes to the garden, it was as beautiful in the depth of night as in the day, though more somber with the deep purples and blues of the nighttime shadows darkening the normally vibrant flora. Hopefully soon this view would be that of the Last City and its bright lights, the bustling of guardians, Tower personal and the thrum of ships soaring in the nighttime sky. They just had to keep going forward, no matter what came next.
In the far distance, miles upon miles away, a united task force of Eliksni and Changelings worked to gather and refine as much ether as possible in the wilderness. Preparing for a war looming unseen over the horizon.