The Minotaurs Brigade: Mercenary Teseum Wardens. . .

@inane.imp . . .

"Nah, Maan. . . . .Connected the dots JUST some hours ago, after the weird Quantronic Sweep covered by Svengali's Drone Attack was filtered !!"

"Aaaaaalso, TECHNICALLY, after Mother Superior Kitsune of the Observanzah, I MYSELF, Your humble Moonriser, is ONE of the LOCAL TOP-NOTCH Black Hand "Local Assetts". . .BUT the problem is that I have to go through a LOT of Double-Code Checks through the Corregidoran-Dedicated darknet spots of Arachne. . . . .Instead the Right-Hand Assistant of thah Mutha Observanzah, Sistah Lacryma, that weird Custodier with the Bluddah' Tears mask, is the one to have DIRECT QUANTRONIC LINK with their own Black Hand Command, in Bakunin, with specific "Red Alert" codes. . ."

"WE NOW DECIDE in a proper Corregidoran Fashion, and then, I think is wise to connect with Your squad, drop down a Plan of Action AND THEN inform the High Overseers of the Black Hand. . ."

". . . . ."

"There is a thingah important there ! It is ONLY rumors, but IT SEEM that all that whole Minotaurs Thingah started a handful of Years ago when a sort of Spekkulaz-styled Operation FAILED spectacularly ! What is sure is that one of mine "Mousy Spy Drones" had seen what were SUSPICIOUSLY Dissected Frogface Corpses in a Morgue Vault Cryo-Crypt, far, Far, FAR under the surface, right between the Haqqislamite Bubble Compound and the Stealth Bioship of the Tohaa parked in the Submarine Docks. . .!!"

". . . . .!!!"

"Waddah looking at Mah so ? Ah, Yezzah, I failed to mention previously that Minotaurs have a FULLY FUNCTIONAL Tohaa Biomechanoid Stealth Dropship under the Island Shoreline. . .!!"

"Weird Buncha, those ! They seem to be considered Radical Nutjob Crackheads by their OWN Culture ! But they get along VERRAH WELL with the Haqqislamite Genengineers, the Chimera-Makers of Bakunin and the small Krewe of Fish-Men Rebels from Panokkah's Own Waterworld. . . . .Waddah they are called. . .??"

"Ah, Yezzah ! Thah "Libertos Freedom Fighters" of Varuna !!!"

. . . . .

Now the black faced Native of Old Sol System, from Tycho crater in Luna, the only moon satellite of Old Earth (in the ONLY succesful place that is a Nomads Cultural Enclave ON A PSEUDO-PLANETARY SURFACE), grinned a shitty grin. . .

It was CLEARLY a show-off, what Tony could know is that Moonriser was a crafty bastard, with a Heart of Lead JUST thinly plated in Gold, but that cared FEROCIOUSLY for His own. . .

In fact was the bloodthirsty retaliations against who harmed His Nomads Contacts that gained Him the O12 "Dangerous Terrorist-For-Hire" label, but EQUALLY to be hailed as a "Folk Hero" by the often stranded Corregidoran Orbital Workers exploited by wily Hyperpowers Corporations. . .

There was ALSO a subtle undercurrent of wary respect in the "Litany of Accomplishments" that the Black Faced Mobile Brigada Officer launched ! Previously His interactions with Tony were like those between a "Doting Uncle" and a "Cherished Upcoming Nephew" but now was treating the Gecko Mechanic roughly as an "Equal Partner". . .

Obviously the Smuggling Contacts Ring that Tony had successfully served by securing what the Ariadnan Bikers + Kum Gangers wanted had garnered much "Honour Points" in the mindset of the dangerous, but VERY useful, Criminal Mercenary Cyborg. . .

. . . . .

EVEN if the Masai-Scarfaced Caribbean STILL was callously thinking in terms of "Chess Pieces Value On The Board" the "Rank" of Tony had increased overmuch, from a simple "Pawn of the Human Sphere" as "Rook", "Bishop" or even "All-Ranging Queen" (with OBVIOUSLY Moonriser Himself as the "King" on the Chessboard !!). . .

. . . . .

If was STILL thinking in the Hunter-Stalker Mindset of His African Ancestors was MUCH LIKE the Elder Tribal Huntmaster that proudly saw the cherished Youngster Protege as volunteering to act as "Bait" to lure, trap and kill the dangerous Maneater Lion. . .!!

. . . . .

Moonriser was NOT so stupid to NOT acknowledge the DIRE proportions of the "Allieance, Even of Convenience" between the Rogue Artificial Intelligence Mobster and the MOST Insidious of the Xeno Warrior Races serving under the Combined Army. . . . . but STILL it smelled for Him of ALL manners of "Monetizing Opportunities". . .!!

Seemed ALSO that the Afro-Caribbean Heavy Infantry Officer was far, Far, FAR more optimist about Tony's Skills and Effectiveness than the prudent, almost-paranoid, Mechanic & Pilot was HIMSELF. . . . .!!!

 

@Golem2God . . .

There were three Humanoid Drones of H.I.V.E.M.I.N.D. that respectfully and slowly entered the premises of Lord Alistair's Bungalow, and that retrieved the "Motherboard Core" prize, still dripping loathsome greenish-goo droplets; apparently if they heard Uja's dire proclamations the aknowledged it with JUST a pico-second long "Half Freezing" of a couple of secondary hydraulic joints. . .

To someone of the Human Sphere that was NOT privy to working alongside a LOT of A.I.-Controlled Drone Soldiers would have been ALMOST invisible, but to the Daturazi Krakot, in the past often charging towards Enemy Lines alongside relentless Staldrons Infantrybots and towering Artillery Support Overdrons, that "Pseudo-Glitch" was clear as a Humanoid yelp of unwanted surprise. . .

Was that the cause that made the Drone, JUST now exiting from a Low-Level "Holomasking Camo" that just blurred the details of the Frame Chassis (Uja knew that, as a matter of facts, very often A.I.-Controlled Drones exited from Holo-Stealth and depowered Armements as a "Courtesy Nod" towards respected Organic Fellow Soldiers) clapping shut with a TAD too much haste the oversized lid of the "I.P.I. Safebox" (also the Combined Army employed "Inert Plumbum Isothope" neomaterials obtained by alloying simple lead with the rare, precious Nessium and Teseum, to TOTALLY shield Quantronic Interferences, but the Voodootech Versions were faar smaller, and thin-walled that the cumbersome "Mini-Safe" that was held in the Humandroid Robot left manipulator). . .

. . . . .

The two Tohaa Elite Commandos (with the typical Patchwork "Piecemeal Wargear" of Biotech mixed with Plastimetal Hardware, often seen in Special Force Officers) instead, stiffly froze in mid-action to a formal bow towards the Human-Returned Dogface Officer welcoming then. . .

They seemed as to stop in mid motion, as if hearing some whispered words that ONLY they could hear; Uja'Rak'Se'Ok reasoned that as Tohaas ALWAYS worked in Three-Numbered Triads (except for rare "Kamikaze Solos" who were considered dangerous, nigh-suicidal crazed lunatics) and there were ONLY two evident, VERY PROBABLY a camouflaged, hidden and distant Long-Range Operative (maybe one of those crafty and dangerous Viral Heavy Snipergun Sharpshooters, so similar to His lethal, adorable Human Wife !!) was following them and communicating with some of their weird "Artichoke Head Pheromones". . .

. . . . .

In fact Uja as a Morat Veteran who often fought in the past AGAINST Tohaa Infantry (peculiarly the Makaul Spear-Dancers that were so upped on Biotech Combat Drugs to be a PASSABLE worthy opponent of Daturazi Warriors !!) and ALONGSIDE the Sygmaa (the "Freed Tohaas" under the "Doting Protection" of the Ur Evolved Intelligence) had started to comprehend a Basic understanding of Pheromone Communication Codes (especially now that PROPERLY managing that dangerous Ariadnan "Combat Pet", Knucker the Snakewolf, needed a Control through a Com-Log Emitter !!). . .

Usually when "Artichoke Heads" of whatever Allegiance communicated between them they had an "Overperfumed Smell" that was too thick, syrupy and cloying on the nostrils (and Daturazis, fighting Helmetless, employed A LOT their Sense of Smell, to properly fight in a Galactic-Sized Battlefield !!) but when alerted they started to have a sour undersmell, much like Vinegar burnt on a Censer !!!

When they started to emit that "Danger Odour" the biggest of them, a Male with an almost-unplated Symbiotic "Second Layer" of Biotech Muscles covered by a weird Mimetic Cloak looked at Uja directly in the eyes (weird, Tohaas USUALLY avoided direct eye contacts, as they often seemed shifty and duplicitous). . .

That muscular, large one (albeit STILL a Head smaller than the burly, taller Warrior-Monk Renegade) had two weird Blade-Like "Curved Daggers" with a too long shaft sheated on the back (to a Martial Art Master like Uja it was clearly evident that those two small weapons would combine in the single double-headed spear-like "Warstaff" so beloved by Tohaa Meleeists) and a single "Pseudo Revolver" oversized Pistol, of clear Ariadnan "Vintage Primitive" style, that instead of normal Brass Cased Ammo had Shotgun-Like "Slugs" transparent and filled with what seemed a brightly fluorescent blue-white fluid. . .

And then, surprise amongst surprises, that Tohaa Elite spoke fluently in a PERFECT Morat Language, WITHOUT any trace of External Translator-Chip and free of weird Accents:

"Sumi Na Rat ! Rut No Mat Wa THEKALASHU KOOTAIL De !! Wa Kau Kusitaka Za'Z'Va'Sta'Vah Teh'Kah ROTOK ?? Wa Ka Pa Sumi U Ni Be Wa, Pa Ka Nek !! UDO MO !!!!! "

. . . . .


[O.O.C.=

Roughly translated by using the small Morat Vocabulary on N2 Human Sphere Manual, intersped with what small I know of Japanese Grammar AND Klingon Battlecant (based on Ancient Edo Samurai War Rallies !!). . .

"Sumi Na Rat ! (I salute a Morat Warrior !)

Rut No Mat Wa THEKALASHU KOOTAIL De !! (My name is "Kootail" -Military Rank- "Thekalashu" - Proper Name- !!)

Wa Kau Kusitaka Za'Z'Va'Sta'Vah Teh'Kah ROTOK ?? (If I understand correctly THAT Shaasvastii Voodootech ??)

Wa Ka Pa Sumi U Ni Be Wa, (I do not understand well, excuse My worries,)

Pa Ka Nek !! ("This Is Not Right !!" - Is a worrysome thing -)

UDO MO !!!!! ("Quite Lefty" - Very Sinister Discovery) ]

 

Far Later in the Night, when Early Morning start to shine on that Sector of Planet Dawn. . .

. . . . .

A couple of Drones of H.I.V.E.M.I.N.D. entered the old "Commission Room" (inherited from when the Old Miner Settlers of New Knossos Island went Here to discuss opening new Mine-Heads or have Syndacate Discussions about Workers Union Rights !!) and took away the Drab Olive Tarpaulins from the Wall-Screens and the big, antiquated "Video-Box 3D Holo-Table" sitting in the middle. . .

After quickly folding the cumbersome covers they started to warm-up the old, vintage stuff (mainly for the commodity of Ariadnan Observers and Spectators as ANY of the "Involved Parties" would have employed their own Augmented Reality and Sync-Comlogs) and even sweep the mineral dust from the floor. . .

. . . . .

Soon anyone would reach the Briefing Room to start to plan the "Stealth Incursion"; while GREATLY reduced in Number (what in fact WAS "Squad Alpha" IS now BARELY "Fireteam Alpha" !!!) by Resignations, Litigations and Wounds from the Airport Battle STILL they showed a lot of promise. . .

The VERY reason of the existance of H.I.V.E.M.I.N.D. was to counter the "Existential Threat" of Svengali, the Rogue Criminal A.I. that risked to suborn the "Spirit of the Nomads Nation"; while the Humandroid Drones worked mechanically and precisely, the Artificial Intelligence controlling them allowed Itself the Simulated Organic Emotion of "Eager Anticipation". . .

These THREE Hyper-Elite Veteran Soldiers could as well become the VERY "Attack Spearheads". . .the VERY "Crest of the Minotaurs' Horns" to start the Offensive against the hated Svengali. . .

. . . . .

The vile, cowardish Aerial-Scuba Drone Attack at the Old Airport of New Knossos Island was REALLY the "Last Straw That Broke The Camel's Back" as the Haqqislamite Personnell cited often. . . . .Now the High Command Officers of the Mercenary Company were incensed and angry. . . . .NOW A RECKONING WAS DUE !!!!!

 

In the briefing room soon the Humandroids Frames were joined by a few of the Minotaurs High Command, along with their strict entourages. . .

First to arrive was the couple that was the "Heart & Soul" of the Mercenary Company Officers Corp; Lord Grey Graywulf and his wife, the Dogwarrior Stavka Veteran, Katya Volkova. . .

The Caledonian Noble, one of the most influential, if controversial Mormaer Dukes of the Highlanders, was a very striking figure; high and broad shouldered, muscular and tattoed with "Pictish-Celt Woads" bluish whorls, half-spirals and triskelions, had a flowing mane of hair, mixing fiery Gaelic Red with grayish streaks, and a bushy beard of Steel-Gray colour; but what was TRULY striking was that the WHOLE Left Half of his face (handsome, masculine and beautifully virile notwithstanding the hidden scarring !!) was covered by a 100% Pure Teseum half-facemask, into which a antiquated, vintage Cybernetic Eye glared blood-red like the baleful blazing gaze of the mythic Balor, the God-King of the legendary "Demons of the Sea" of ancient Scottish Legends. . .

Also the left arm, and shoulder, were covered by Articulated Plates of the same extra-expensive Neomaterial, but was clear to anyone that was even barely proficient in Cybernetics that these were NOT Artificial Bodyparts, but rather mere Body-Fitting Armorplates that were affixed to the ruined Organic Tissue underneath. . .!!

Just the minimum acceptable Galwegian Officer Uniform was worn, for the rest was almost as if Sir Grey was prepared for a Celtic Renaissance Fair, with the long Dirk Dagger at the belt and a Battleaxe on the back, made with weirdly, irregular and sharp-angled Teseum Blades. . .!!

. . . . .

At the side of the Husband, beautifully cold and splendidly aloof, much like a "Tsarina Sculpted in Blonde Ice" was the Stavka Senioritat Rezident ; apparently was lightly dressed in a Office Summer Uniform of the Kazak Army Female Corps, well-tailored and perfectly pressed as if it was a sort of "Fashion Model Presentation". . . . .but many knew that was a matter of moments and the lovely, well-tanned visage would morph into a snarling "Engine-Of-Death" Bestial Snout with white-snow fur and merciless, bloodthirsty Eyes as blue as the lethal frozen northern wastes of Planet Dawn. . .

She appeared unarmed, but many knew that as a Former Assassin Operative of the Stavka G.R.U. very probably Major Volkova had AT LEAST three small throwing blades and a couple of light pistols secreted on Her shapely, gorgeous body. . .

. . . . .

The same "Discreet" approach at Arms and Armour was NOT shared by the almost identical twin daughters following suit their parents in the Conference Room; TOTALLY ignoring the disapproving look of the Sensorial Apparatus of the H.I.V.E.M.I.N.D. Drones these two Wulvers were toting a true Arsenal, and they also eschewed the classy outfits of their parents, clad in the simple Military Fatigues of the Minotaurs. . .

The slightly taller and more muscular one, Siobhan Greywulf-Volkova, (but whose main demarkation of difference from the Twin Sister were the Emerald Green Eyes, like the Father, and a more deep "Blood Red" Hair, Mane and Body-Fur) had a big, large Teseum Claymore shaped like a serrated, saw-bladed Medieval "Cleft" Broadsword put on the back, and shoulder-crossed with an Ariadnan Spitfire, whose Ammo Belts were also criss-crossing many of the Half-Lupine feral beauty; at the hip belts there were sheated a couple of Americolt Combi-Revolvers, a big Throwing Knife and some Frag Grenades. . .

The other, slightly more feminine and demurely, shyily beautiful (that had some more striking resemblances with the Mother, especially in the deep Icy Blue eyes, along with a more "Sandy Blonde" under-hues of the otherwise Reddish Mane) wore on the back a thinner, longer Two Handed Blade, whose general shape was far more "Highlander Scottish Claymore" than the relative's blade; while it was clear that the % of Teseum was quite high on both "Zweinhanders" it was CLEARLY alloyed with other Rare Earths and Hard Metals. . .

To complete the Arsenal that other one, Shaunèè Greywulf-Volkova, had a long and narrow Ariadnan Heavy Machinegun, of the the general shape of the Compact Models preferred by the Paratroopers of Planet Dawn; there were a fewer ammo-belts criss-crossed on Her body, as the Caliber of the H.M.G. was heavier than the one of the Sister's Spitfire, comparable to the one employed by the powerful Assault Rifles ubiquitouse everywhere on the Militarized Frontiers of Dawn; also She had a single, smaller Pistol, with the elongated Clip that showed it a refurbished Americolt Assault Pistol, no grenades, but there were A LOT of Smaller Knives, Throwing Daggers and weird Launch Blades, comprising a strangely shaped "Star" that seemed to be fashioned, crudely and in a primitive manner, with outward facing Antipode Claws covered in Fused Teseum, arranged in a "Spiral Glaive" pattern. . .

But the long, curved Talons were of a shape, and size, quite uncommon in the "Dark Forest" Tribal Specimen found ALMOST everywhere on Planet Dawn. . .

. . . . .

And then, with a pit-patter clinking sound of Metal Nails on Perma-Concrete the origin of that savagely looking "Throwing Multi-Blade" was made apparent, as the LAST "Family Member" of the weird Ariadnan Homestead entered the premises. . .

Far larger and taller at the shoulder than a "Normal Antipode" there was the infamous, lethal "Grand-Father Winter-Coat", the ONLY known specimen of the "Frozen Wastes Arctic Natives" that had survived captivity on its own (the ACTUAL small percentile of Artic Antipodes in the Kennels of the Minotaurs where ITS half-blooded Offsprings !!) ; it was one of the OLDEST Antipodes knwon to be alive, and it was postulated that like the Terran Predators known as Sharks or Crocodiles, those peculiar "Primitive Throwbacks" NEVER ceased to grow, until Death. . .

It was as if one of the LARGEST Dogwarriors, with Bulging Biceps and a Olympic Athlete Muscular Frame, was walking a little stooped on all fours; the dazzling whitey mane covered jagged scarrings (some CLEARLY Self-Inflicted as a form of PECULIARLY "Barbaric Tattoo Brandings") and the peculiar "Armorscar Growths" that Elder Chieftains showed when mixing their Bloody Open Wounds with Ash and Soot, and that approached Human-Made Kevlar2 in efficiency of Ballistic Protection. . .

The Taloned Claws showed the tipical glint of having MULTIPLE times being dipped in Molten Teseum (a Ritualistic Fashion of creating Elite Brave Weapons of devastating Armor-Piercing Sharpness !!) and EVEN the Fangs had a sort of translucent hue that belied their lethal effectiveness. . .

But was the Look of the Lupine Eyes, so startly identical to the ones of Katya Volkova (whose Mother was bitten, while pregnant, by the very Antipode Elder Alpha Chieftain, signaling that Katya and Grandfather Wintercoat were GENETICALLY related) to be weird and strange; USUALLY "Single Lone Wolves" of the Antipodes, deprived of the "Shared Mind-Link" of a Tri-Pack, reverted to simple Animalistic Savagery. . .

But was rumored, in the darkest recesses of the Stavka Intellighentsya Komitat that the White-Maned Antipode Apex Predator has been subjected to all manner of weird, proscribed, HIGHLY illegal, Mind-Altering Drugs imported from the very first contacts between the fledgling Ariadnan Nations and the Nomads. . .

There was a cruel glint of devious intelligence, of a sadistic smartness in those Bluish Orbs of Ice; it was savage and brutal, but seemed peculiarly aimed to imagine all manners of dismembering an Organic Prey. . . . .or dismantling an Inorganic Target, such as the Humandroid Frames of the Minotaurs Servic A.I. to which a throaty growling was directed. . .!!

It was AS IF the bass rumbling, almost ultrasonic reverberating, howl was somehow simulating the Human words of "Uuunnnnwwwrrrrtthhhy Ppprrryyy". . . . .!!!

 

"Goooood Morrrrniiiiing, Sir Alistaiiiiir !!!"

. . . . .

The twin daughters of the Graywulfs, Siobhan and Shaunèè, made again that annoyingly "Scottish High Schooler" synchronized pranky tone, even if their glinting, slightly feral eyes were clearly happy to see the Highlander Lieutenant. . .

They looked appraisingly at the Mormaer Ducal Scion, even with some difference, Shaunèè, the most demure of the two, clearly was admiring the Mastercraft Handiwork of the Mac Elliott clan Heritage Sword, reforged from a Human-Sized Claymore to a monstrous "Anti-Exoframe" Blade when Alistair's Father was born a Dogface (and, sadly, left to take dust and accrue loathspell in the Clan's Armoury, from Grandfather McElliott, as was a little unbearable by a Dogbowl Star Champion's "Tool" !!) and the other weapons. . .

. . . . .

"Wow! The new, improved Novy Kalashnikov A.K.R. Micro-Saiga, chambered in Cal.20 Submunitions Shells !! I have seen used as a proper Roomsweeper Rifle by a couple of those Mad-Head Nomads with the Jungle Cat Tattooed Skins, but I daresay that seems BARELY a Big Shotgun-Pistol for You, Lord Mc Elliott !!"

"And have You tried that interesting Americolt Combirevolver, the one with 5 Cal.20 Slugs in the Ammo Wheel and a Underbarrell Tube for a single Cal.10 Shot-Shell. . .?? I fancy more something smaller, but with more shots, but My Sis ABSOLUTELY LOVE those Beasts! Let Sir Alistair see Yours, Siobhan !!"

. . . . .

The called had Her eyes glued to the parts of anathomy of the Caledonian Werewolf where the Tattoed Skin was visible, COINCIDENTALLY where the rippling muscles of the Torso ended and started the Myomar-Like Fibers that provided the Anchoring Points of the State-Of-The-Art Cyberlimb, affixed firmly to the reinforced ribcage of the Dogface (that, EVEN more than the PERFECTLY functioning Cyborg Arm of Alistair was TRULY a Masterwork Level of Bioengineering as the VERY Dogwarriors BONES swelled dramatically in size, mass and lenght when entering the Battleform, and was needed some kind of "Smart Memory Metal" of Alloyed Teseum to be able to cope with those Physics-Defying morphing). . .

. . . . .

"Uh! Sure, Sis !! Lord Alistair could Take M. . .My Guns when He wants !!!"

. . . . .

Almost transfixed still to the ample broad-shouldered chest of the Highlander Riflemen Officer, with an intensity bordering on "Impropriety" extracted one of those quite large U.S.Ariadnan Combipistols and offered it to Alistair (who started to wonder if some Pheromones of His nightly Paramour had latched on Him, or maybe were DOGFACE Scents to have inconsciously aroused the Wulver Girl, as Dogwarriors and their Genetic Offsprings, even of RADICALLY distant Heritage shared a complex "Pheromonal Intermixing Balance"). . .

. . . . .

"Girls ! Back Off !! I have started from Your Birth to Train You both to behave as good, proper women, and Soldier Women !!"

"Mmmh! I have ANYWAY to say, Lord Alistair that You seems POSITIVELY Radiant and Beaming this very early morning !! Have You slept well ? I daresay VERY Well ??"

. . . . .

An uncharacteristic smile graced the usually otherwise thin-lipped mouth of Katya Volkova, who addressed Who she rightly thought at Her husband more faithful, steady and reliable Vassal; Her graceful nose's nostrils inhaled inconsciously and so Alistair KNEW. . .!!

Katya Volkova was a VETERAN Dogwarrior, and trained in the merciless "G.R.U. Stavka" school of Political Assassination and Espionage; it was a well known "Secret" that Her most DEVASTATING technique of Elimination had Her heavily made-up, with hair tinctures and eye lens of different colour, to parade as a vapid, brainless "Bratya-Vory Escort Babe" and enter the premises of a Criminal Hideout under the pretense of being a Drug-Addled Prostitute; even if thoroughly frisked (some of those PARANOID Russian Mobsters had Paramedic Nurses that checked EVEN intimate parts of "Evening Joygirls" JUST to be sures). . .

Then when the Criminals were LITERALLY with their Pants Down; Katya will bite deeply her lips, or lightly wound Herself (as a "Berserk Drug Dispenser" like the one employed by Alistair to morph in Battleform even if unharmed, would have been PRIMARILY suspect) and transform in a White-Maned Deathdealer, slaughtering the intended target and all intervening bodyguards. . .!!

As a Consumate Seductress Dogface Female the MERE scent of arousal still wafting around Alistair (EVEN after a thorough Hot Shower !!) of the ENORMOUS quantity of Adrenalin and Serotonin still flooding His bloodstream was tell-tale. . .!!

There was a little puzzled expression anyway; for THEIR PERSONAL REASONS that Alistair DID NOT WANT to explore, the "Musk" of LaTigre Balam (often claiming when VERY drunk to be PECULIARLY intimate with ALL the Graywulfs Family ! One of Her Jaguar Sidekick Lieutenant sniped that, when TOTALLY stoned, She has tried to fuck EVEN Grandfather Wintercoat !!!) was VERY knew to Katya; the fact that the "Perfumed Smell" of a DIFFERENT Woman cloyed a little Alistair's Pheromones clearly intrigued Her. . . . .!!!

. . . . .

"Alistair! My Lad !! You try to steal Mah Women ALL THREE TOGETHER !!! I should be MORE worried You wanted My Throne, rather than Mah Missus and Mah Little Girls !!!"

Laughing boisterously Lord Grey approached the lumbering Dogface, clapping HIS Teseum-Prosthesis on Alisair ones (and the 100% Pure Teseum-On-Teseum clanged quite reverberating in the relatively small conference room !!). . .

The Graywulfs had for GENERATIONS (even on Old Earth Middle-Age, when Scotland was an INDEPENDENT Kingdoms) counted on the FEALTY of the Mac Elliotts; whatever was the truths or suspicions of Lord Grey it clearly CARED ZERO if compared to the one that EVEN on a pitched devastating battlefield could be counted to be "Tru Bydand" (a "Truly Steadfast Retainer" in Ancient Gaelic) . . . .

"You ready for the Scrum, My Boyo ? I'm not so KEEN on those SIMULATED Battles, as I prefer far more LIVE AMMO !! But is NOT EASY AT ALL, to be able to make work TOGETHER a Caledonian Dogwarrior Elite, a Alien Renegade Assault Specialist and a Nomad Exoframe Pilot !!!"

"Speaking of whom, they SHOULD be there anyway! Oh, I see the Corregidoran AMBASSADOR of the Company, but not His Protegè. . . . . .!!"

. . . . .

Lord Grey was referring to Moonriser, the Cybernetic-Enhanced Mobile Brigada Officer, that entered the premises with in tow the usual entourage ("Lady Mirrorshades" the Tunguskan Interventor and the Bakunin Chem-Grenade Warfare Specialist with an impossibly weird Hair-Mane). . .

The USUALLY Jovial ebony faced Native of Old Earth Satellite was NOT His usual gregarious and happy faced presence! Scrunching a little, looked in any nook & cranny of the Room, not finding what / who He searched. . .

Then sighed and made His Hacker Sidekick open an Encrypted Hypersecure Channell and compose a Wake-Up Call. . .

. . . . .

"TOOOONY ! Maaaan !! Wakey-wakey !!! You risk missing the Prebriefing of the Simulated Mission, maaan !!!! Dress quick and come quicker, the Top Bananas of the Company will be there to check Your new Band performances !!!"

"And where is Da Alien Gorillaz ???"

 

At Uja and Arabelle homestead bungalow when the Early Morning activities were underwent, soon there will be a polite rapping of knuckles to the door, made of aged Ariadnan Oak, a wood stronger than some metals. . .

Whoever of the "Enlarged Family" will reach to open (or peek from the armoured Low % Teseum Alloy door-slit) will see a very peculiar figure. . .

High but lithe, muscular but supple, could have been a minute Human Male OR a particular brawny Female. . .

Was impossible to discern, as the figure was clad in a long flowing Mantle with Cloak, along with a Full-Facemask with Rebreather and Armoured Optic Lenses; under that a Reinforced Desert Suit of clearly Haqqislamite design further confused the issue. . .

Was form-fitting and quite bodshaped, but with so many Tactical Pouches, Belts, Riggings and Paramilitary Garb Jewgaws to be mudding extremely who was the wearer and what sex it had. . .

And, even more, the Voice who spoke was HEAVILY synthetized digitally, with a Reverberator that joined together VARIOUS different voice tones, both Males and Females. . .

. . . . .

"Maaasah-lah-ayy Salaam Aleykum!

Is perchance the honourable Uja'Rak'Se'Ok Effendi there still in the House. . .??

I would GLADLY speak with Him, about Matters both Theologically Spiritual and Mundane. . .

I'm Shaikh Kindjal Shylat, Ambassador of the Hashashin Bahram here on New Knossos Island . . .and PERSONAL Envoy of the Old-Man-Of-The-Mountain of Sacred Alamut Himself !!!"

 

@inane.imp ; @Beodren . . .

At the CLEAR undertone of suffering condescension of Alistair (but STILL politely, VERY Politely delivered. . .as befitting a High Noble of Caledonia and a Scottish Gentleman !!) the mountainous Nomads-Of-The-Lunar-Colony shrugged nonchalantly; what incensed many Operatives (or FORMER Operatives, like the Highlander Officer) about the casual disregard of Citizens Civilian Lives of Moonriser, was the fact that the Mercenary Bandit and Criminal-For-Hire had NO QUALMS whatsoever in His retrospective of actions. . .

When addressed by His "Lesser Shieldbrother" Sir Grey beamed positively, and Alistair felt that Katya somewhat, under an "Icy Surface of Cool Aloofness" that was probably drilled by Merciless Stavka Instructors from early age, was VERY pleased to be addressed as "Duchess". . . . .While exteriorly She was the poster-image of Composure, from Dogwarrior to Dogwarrior there where subtle facial hints (Brows and Tips of the Ears far more animated and expressive than in Normal "Baseline" Humans) and pheromonal cues that showed a certain degree of proud accomplishement. . .

While many of the Kazaks of Matr affected a sort of "Soviet / Post-Soviet" attitude, calling anyone "Comrade" and blabber-mouthing of "Communal Distribution of Needed Resources", "Quinquennial Plannings" and "Abolitions of Classes" they were AT HEART the very, Very, VERY Proud People of the Steppes of Kazakhstan and Syberia, wool-hatted, sabre-wielding warriors and horsemen that were amongst the MOST feared Praetorians of the Tzars Feudal System. . .

There where some Kazaks (especially the ones that had STRONG ties with the Braty-Vory Mobsters, and their DISTANT relatives from Mothership Tunguska) that affected some sort of "Neo-Tzar Aristocracy" and HONESTLY had Genetic Ties with the almost-extinguished Princes and Princesses of the Belarus and Ukrainan old families (or even more exotic nobility relationships, such as Pre-Islamic Tchechen "Shamanistic Paynims" Priest-Kings or the Warrior Khans of the Tagiks, Ughyurs and Mongols !!!). . .

Being accustomed to be called Major from Stavka peers, and "Werewolf Bitch" from MANY detractors, being addressed as Nobility of Royal Lineage (as ALL the Mormaer High Clan Lords of Caledonia CLAIMED "Direct Peerage" from "Bonne Prince Charlie" and "Queen Anne" of the Scotland Crown !!!) was surely an accomplishment; while there was an undercurrent of "Humanist Racism" towards ALL Dogfaces and Wulvers, for AT LEAST the Highlanders of Planet Dawn NOBLE BLOOD IS NOBLE BLOOD, even if it is ONLY % partly Homo Sapiens. . .!!!

. . . . .

When Tony entered the premises, IMMEDIATLY the dark-faced Moonriser beamed a 64-teeth smile (ALL of whom Ivory-White and Perfect. . . and ALL of whom TOTALLY Artificial, after a particularly nasty incident with a Panoceanian Security discharging a Light Shotgun at the head, at pont-blank range !!) and zeroed on Him, latching on the (luckily) Armoured Limb of the Suit with a vise-like grip of His EXCESSIVELY powerful one (NOT ONLY had the USUAL Myomar Fibermuscles of a Mobile Brigada Heavy Infantry, but being MORE than 75% Cybernetically Rebuilt had Industrial Servomotors in ALL of his limbs !!). . .

. . . . .

"Toooony ! Jambo maaan !! Nice of You to come !!!"

"We are prepping a small conference but can give You the gist of it in a pinch as I fell You a little groggy !"

"By the way, Bakunite Hair-Do, PPPLEEAASE make one of those Praxicoffee Mugs of Yours, and fetch some of the Space Cake Muffins FROM MY PERSONAL STASH, I feel that an Early Breakfast is needed by our valorous Gecko Mecha-Pilot there. . .!!"

"Lady Mirrorshades, babe, pleas Help Him! Chop, chop Boyz-N-Gals !! Hurry Hop !!!"

. . . . . .

Then, profiting from the little diversion of his two cronies capturing a nearby table and setting a IMPROMPTU breakfast post (SERIOUSLY ONLY Nomads will bring to a Paramilitary Mission Briefing two sturdy armoured cases that opened up to reveal a Self-Heating Coffee Pot Machine, with Styrofoams Cup dispenser and a micro-oven optimized for all manner of SUSPICIOUS glazed donuts !!) whispering a little in Tony's hear. . .

"Maan ! There is a GOLDMINE opportunity there !! Artificial Intelligence claimed to ALL High Command that, EVEN reduced to mere THREE Members, the Fireteam of You and Your pals, Da Homo-Homini-Lupus and Da Klingon-Monkey, with the RIGHT Gear, could be an Early Response Team that could be Deployed EXTRA QUICK in a pinch WHEREVER on this Teseum-Rich-Mudball. . .!!"

"Lady Mirrorshades is busy cracking Periferal Servos, but from what She yet inferred the Drone-Hydra-Heads is setting a sort of "Treasure Hunt" Simulation for Your Squadmates to enter stealthily (never thought of the Space-Ape Boyos to be silent; fancied were their Monkey-Babes to be ALL stealthy killing !!) while You provide Tactical Support with Your Gecko hidden nearby !!"

"His Drone-Puppets will SIMULATE being Cateran Highwaymen Bandits, Irmandhinos Smugglers and Rogue Wulver-Thugs, with all bell and whistles, and You will CRUSH them with Live Ammo, while they will fire Tazer-Blanks, just to be sure"

"The place is NOT an ezact replica, but rather an EXTRAPOLATION of all the Bases and Dupe Personnell, the Local Assetts so to speak of that Bastard Svengali that FINALLY revealed His True Colours ! "Incarnated Spirit of the Social Energy" , My Cybernetic-Black-Ass !! That Inhuman Bastard plan to SELL US ALL to Da Combinedz !!!"

"If You perform well as a Assault Fireteam (have heard WEIRD rumors of OUR I.A. calculating how to deploy AIRBORNE even Your Exoframe Suit !!) then You will "Spearhead" ALL of the most serious attacks of Minotaurs !!"

". . . . .!!"

"Maaan ! I have NOT to tell You that this is PRIME GOLDMINE Occasion for US ALL of the Cyber-Network !! Svengali traffick in Stolen Teseum giving High Tech Baubles to petty criminals of Ariadna !!!"

"We CRUSH the Opposite Concurrents AND . . . . .WE ARE PAID FOR IT BY THE GRATEFUL ARIADNANS !!"

"Maaan! You will have BIDS as First-On-The-Scene to all that pretty, Pretty, PRETTY Teseum Bullets and Raw Ore Ingots. . . . . and their counterprice in Alien Voodootech. . . . .and Illegal Artificial Intelligence Ware. . . . .and whatever the fuck they pay for that !!!"

"Oh man ! OH Maaaan!! OH MAAAAAAANNN !!! Think of It, Tony. . .!!"

"You could retire SO FILTHY RICH to become, if You want, AS INFLUENTIAL, OR EVEN MORE, than Old Man Sarmiento himself ! Could go back to Corregidor as DA TURF BOZZ !!!"


. . . . .

@Golem2God . . .

"Oh Allah The Merciful ! An Intruder ?? Here and Where ???"

"I wonder if is a Straggler of the Drone Attack ! DO NOT FEAR, Merovingienne Mademoiselle !! I will HELP You take care of the Intrusion !!!"

Arabelle could easily understand the mocking tone PRACTICALLY bleeding from the smurky tone of the weird Haqqislamite Hashashin. . .

While Ricardo scrambled to one of the MANY Weapon Cabinets sparse on the house, Arryn seemed AS IF frozen, but Jo Un ran to the kitchen and, almost unconsciously grabbed a Meat Cleaver, of the kind that the Loup Garou expert eye immediatly knew ENOUGH heavy to be good in Melee, but also balanced ENOUGH to be thrown, hatchet style, at Close Ranges. . .!!

EVEN the hideous, poisonous Predator Beast "Pet", the Snakewolf named "Knucker" felt the alarm and anger in the "Alpha Female" voice and scuttled on the rooftop, in a manner reminiscent of a Fictional Monster that Arabelle has seen in one of Her Hentai Animes (something about a "Lesbian Couple of Earth Colonial Marines" facing down some horrible things called "Zenomorphs ?" or was "Csenomorphs ??"). . .

But the beast, with Senses that Metros G.I.G.N. Tactical Reports said were EVEN SHARPER than Antipodes, froze on the roof tiles; on His (Her ? Arabelle has NOT dared to check! Was Uja's Beast after all !!!) reptilian snout in a puzzled, almost humane expression. . .

While extracting Her trusty Fabrique Nationale Sidearm, AND the High % Teseum-Alloy Combat Knife in a crossed hands position She looked at the "Foreign Interloper" and was baffled to see Him (Her ? It ??) quickly "Disappear" in thin air. . .

Merovingians were NOT foreign to Camouflage Techniques often, as ANY proud Ariadnan was meant to be, declaring Mimetic Cloaks and Face Paints, as SUPERIOR to the Foreign Invaders fancy, Hi-Tech "Thermographic Holo-Camo". . .

But this, this was something totally absurd ! It was "Plain Magic Invisibility Trick" in SIGHT !! What the Fuck !!!

. . . . .

And to make matters even WORSE, the "Mockingjay" tone of the Haqqislamite now reverberated from ALL directions, as if bouncing from invisible echo walls; EVEN Knucker sniffed the air with a frantic beastiality, was the Hashashin even Smell-Cloaked ???

"DO NOT FEAR MAMZELLE! I Daresay that NO INTRUDER will dare enter the premises, while I, the Humble Gumia Knife of Allah-The-Wise, is present !!"

. . . . .

Then, suddendly. . .

"KINDJAL ! CUT THE CRAP, for Allah-The-Merciful sake !! ALWAYS proud of Your Hashashin Ninja Tricks as USUAL !!!"

"I swear to Azrael, the Angel of Death ! If the Old Man of the Mountain would be a King, then You are the Jester Fool of His Court !!"

. . . . .

Arabelle saw that the angry voice was arriving from a Woman, garb in the Haqqislamite Uniform of the Kawarjis, the "Red Turbans" that were BOTH "Imams" Theologian Masters of Haqqislam, and ALSO amongst the MOST lethal successful results of their "Runihura Genengineered Supersoldiers" Program. . .

She had staid at a respectable distance from the premises of the Family Bungalow, near an Ariadnan Humvee, and had removed the Facemask of Her Uniform; under was the face of a Middle-Eastern Woman of a certain age, but whose beauty was unmarried by the vagaries of time, and the harshness of the Sands of Bourak's Deserts. . .

What was peculair was that ALL VISIBLE EXPOSED SKIN of the Face, was Tattooed in Henna Colours with small, intricate Glyphs of Arabian Alphabet; Arabelle was never too interested in Old Earth Faiths, but seemed to be Verses from the Qu'Ran, painstakingly copied on the tanned skin of the beautiful, athletic woman. . .

. . . . .

"For the Piety of Allah! Kindjal Shilat, go away, back skulking in Your Dark Corridors, sharing Viral Toxines with Your Artichoke Headed Pals !! I believed that Allah-The-Watcher had CLEARLY instructed Tarik Mansuri to be the ABSOLUTE Fool trying the Faith and Temperance of the Faithfuls, but I was mistaken !!"

"You are ALMOST like the Shaitan Djinns that Heaven sent to try the Righteousness of Prophet Muhammad in His Desert Hejira Years, to ascertain HE was Pure of Hearth and Steely of Willpower!! GO BACK I SAY!!!"

"Hrrmm! I beg Your Pardon, Miss Archer !! But I and INVISIBLE JOKER Here, were sent by High Command to fetch Your Husband !!!"

"He is requested to follow us for an Important Pre-Mission Briefing !!!"

 

"HEEEEEY! Uja!! My Hombre MUY piloso!! Que pasa. . . . .Where YOU searching for Me, Hermano-Gorillòõn ???"

Just when the Morat was searching for the Hyper-Obnoxious LaTigre Balam, the "Too Expansive" Jaguar Chica-Loca, atop one of the monstruous Hybrid Bikes of the Minotaurs Gangers (terryfying crossbreeds between High % Teseum-Alloy "Desperado Harley Outriders" and the far more Hitech "Kum Aminedis Mk3", so called from mythic Sand Demons of the Arab Desert) that was GARISHLY painted in Jaguar-like spots. . .

The expression of the Corregidoran Chimera was, as usual, flirty and vain, but looking better at the Ex-Daturazi yellowish eyes, then She immediatly sensed the seriousness of its looks and stopped abruptly Her usual blabbermouthing. . .

Just at the moment the "Summoning Call" by Squad (now, sadly, JUST a Small Fireteam !!) Encrypted Comms resounded with Lieutenant Alistair Data-Signature. . .!!