Conquest and Preservation

Arix held his position in front of Sergei, but blinked once he felt the other probe his mind. If the other wanted to test his defenses so be it, but he decided to switch over to a telepathic form of communication.

"What sort of trouble have you heard about with our lunar base?" He asked, his voice slipping into your mind, but he didn't probe your thoughts, keeping a modicum of decency with the dragon. [i]"This is classified data, and yet you know that there is trouble out there...either your senses are unusually sharp, or you somehow have a bug in our computers, and I know for a fact that is impossible for the latter."[i]

At the same time he spoke through conventional means. "Elaborate on the plasma casters." He said, drawing even more shocked looks from some of the staff, even the Brass giving him a few raised eyebrows. "If you think you can improve on the design, please, explain." He wanted to see just what Sergei had in mind. Although he already sensed that the dragon was half insane, he also believed that he was an asset rather than a liability at this point.

While the whole test and whatnot was going on, Rose was busy within the base and looking around. She snatched a few things from the armory, then slipped out and started heading through the base, not sure where everything was yet but was exploring and gathering info from her surroundings that'd come in handy later.

Sergei was taken aback. Either the dragon was unusually good at reading others, or he too was a mind-reader. Un-gifted with the ability of mind-speech, Sergei thought hard about his answer to the other's query, in hopes that he would pick up on it.

I felt a weak EMP blast. I've got a few cybernetic parts that are a bit sensitive to powerful EM fields. This one was pretty far away, and damn powerful. Don't ask me how I know...just call it experience. Doofus and Dorkus said something about the moon, and losing contact. I figured you or someone on your staff sent 'em but they weren't telling me everything.

At the same time, he spoke aloud.

"Well, it's a little process I call "entechment." To put it in layman's terms, you basically suck the soul out of a being and suspend it in a specially designed capsule, which can then provide enormous power output for a very, very long time. Some of the more powerful beings we enteched while I was working for Chaos had been providing power for centuries. The process is about the single most horrible and tortuous ordeal anyone could possibly go through, and it lasts, you know, being that you aren't dead. After it happens. So like I said....ethical dilemmas."

Sergei grinned a toothy grin.

[OOC: Yeah, I know, mixing in a bit of Star Wars canon. I assume this is "loosely based" on Warhammer canon .]

The dragon picked up on Sergei's thoughts, it was weak but at the same time, he was able to hear him clearly. The tone of his own thoughts sharpened now, becoming more like the commander that he was, instead of the diplomat. "You working for Chaos explains enough about how you know.. He paused for a moment while he considered all of this latest information, "You have my thanks for this information."

"Well...you are right about ethical problems." he said, seeing and sensing the revulsion and snarls starting to form on the faces of the others present in the room. Deciding to quickly shift topics, the dragon looked over to a tech station, "What's the status of our lunar base?" He called out, and a few seconds later a tech called back, "Nothing sir...nothing but static." The dragon let out a mental sigh. "On all frequencies too..." he said and looked up. "Sir this isn't a tech problem, not even the emergency frequencies are functioning."

"It appears you were right..." He said as he plotted his next move. "Alright, I'm ordering all active units to standby, and calling in all reservist troops. If something's gone wrong up there, I want a response team at the ready." Instantly the command center flew into action. Techs punched in commands into their terminals, and a pre recorded message started playing over the intercom throughout the base and throughout the city itself. "Attention: A threat level of Alpha has been issued, all residents are encouraged to return to their homes, and all military personnel are ordered to report to their respective posts for assignment. This is not a drill."

Sergei paused a moment, wondering if he was perhaps out of line in considering a request. He was, after all, a former hostile, still, and likely as long as he lived, under heavy government surveillance.

He didn't figure it would hurt anything to try. A bit of politeness might be enough to manipulate the situation into something beneficial. The dragon-wolf was nothing if not self-serving. He unconsciously shifted his weight back forward, and increased his height a few inches to appear more authoritative.

"Sir. I respectfully request that my weapons, confiscated upon residence of this world, be returned to me. I have been no trouble to your government in the twenty-some years I have resided here, despite having numerous occasions of easy access to many classified operations. I would like to return to active duty, even if I'm returning for the "other side," so to speak."

The request was a long shot at best, but the drudgery of every day life was getting to him. Twenty years is a long time, even for someone of 137 years of age. He didn't have some strong patriotic desire or sense of duty, more just a need for something different. The fact that his so-called 'good behavior' had earned him a spot off the government "security threat" list helped his position, or so he thought.

"I don't have much to return to - at home, I mean."

[OOC: Anyone else planning to jump into the fray?]

[She could be a reservist or something, I would imagine conscription being essential in a hostile area, join my team?]

Kaiyoki had stalked off to join his comrades in the Elite Scout Corps, listening in at the door proved to be a good decision. How did Arix know to check with the lunar base? There were times where conversation just stopped, just like that. He did not have much time to ponder, having almost reached his team.

"Eh! Kai, man!" Followed a few greetings of "Yo!" and "Hey!". Kaiyoki swept his eyes over the small group, seeing a few reservist and new greenlings. "Jamie! I never thought I'd see you back! Guess where we're going now." The group continued to catch up with one another and initiate the newbies, waiting to receive some instructions from whoever.

**I'm waiting for Alex to post again, continue on with whatever he has going before I start making things get really interesting, sit tight for now guys and just go with the flow, I can promise you that the action will get turned up really soon.**

Arix sensed the growing animosity towards the draco-wolf and knew that making any decisions in front of the men like this would do no one any good. "We will discuss this in my private office." He said before turning back towards the other brass and the techs, "I want all of you getting our defenses prepared and get a capital ship and an escort carrier mobilized." His expression grew grim, "We're going to find out what's going on up there."



"You can have your weapons back, but only on the stipulation that I see exactly what they are before I allow you to carry them." He said as he turned back around and motioned for Sergei to follow, heading towards his own private office located a few halls down from the command center.

"I've got a blade I modified to carry an electric current...don't worry, no entechment involved...a low-caliber bolt-action rifle. Pretty rusted and somewhat unreliable, I doubt anybody but me could make use of it. Ahhh...what else...there was a 50 cal sniper rifle and the silencer to go with it. I won't need a team to carry the gear with me. I had a couple spikers too. Should be marked as Evidence 2335-29D, if I remember the number correctly. Haven't been able to touch them since I was processed."

Sergei paused, and kept walking.

"Bad energy back there," he said, laughing. "I'm used to it. Most people aren't too thrilled with my appearances." At this point he, drew back his hood, revealing his entire grotesque head - with all the draconic traits grafted onto a lupine body.

He pulled a cane out from within his robes and used it, walking further down the hall with Arix. Some of his carefully-tuned cybernetic parts had been thrown off by the EMP blast, causing a small amount of pain.

Tap-step. Tap-step. Tap-step.

There was a sort of ominous silence that amplified the small amounts of noise, which to Sergei, seemed to create a very threatening atmosphere. He tensed up a few muscles, ready to flee if thing should turn sour.

The explaination about the weapons left the silver thinking that there was something else that he was leaving out, but he gave a nod, "Nothing that shouldn't be a problem." He said in all honesty as he walked, listening to the rather awkward steps the draco-wolf made. He stretched out with his thoughts once more, "If spikers and a silenced sniper rifle are your most powerful weapons, then that leaves me to assume you either have something now that we missed or you've constructed, or your psi abilities are much more powerful than I've guessed...and I'm inclined to go with the latter."

Arix was no fool when it came to psi. It was true that he held the mystical energy, and wielded it, but at the same time, he used it only sparingly. Turning, he walked into his small office, taking off the trench coat he had on, hanging it on a rack. Around his neck was a black crucifix, one that appeared to be made out of a precious stone rather than an ordinary metal, and Sergei also saw a pair of tattoos running across his arms, one of a long blade, coated in blood, a design etched into the pomel. The other was an Iron Cross, placed right on his bicep, only this one held a cross in the center, and barbed wire ran along the outer edges of the design.

Arix turned towards a video panel, turning it to the armory channel, almost at once he was patched through, "Sergent, I want Evidence unit 2334-29D sent up to me ASAP." He said, drawing a confused nod from the younger soldier. "Yes sir." He turned the panel off and then took a seat, indicating for Sergei to do the same.

"You'll forgive me for dodging that particular question, for a variety of reasons, least of which being the answer. I find the less people know about me, the safer I am. Or at least, I'm less likely to be thrown off the planet."

He shuffled over to the seats, and sat down, grimacing, in obvious pain. Although he was in a more relaxed position, his muscles were still tense, ready for action. His reptilian eye surveyed the room, while he kept his lupine eye trained on Arix.

"Takes a day or two to work out the kinks in my parts with an EMP blast like that," he offered as explanation. "Fifty or sixty years ago, that would have put me out of commission for a few weeks."

"Your markings," Sergei said abruptly, looking at his arms. "Your military unit?"

Waiting for an answer, he let his robe slip off his right shoulder, and pressed his left hand to it. He closed his eyes, and a small glow emanated from beneath his claw. When he took his hand off, Arix could see an image of a wyrm devouring itself, superimposed over a filled-in arch. Written beneath were the words "All is Dust". He quickly hid the image again, and pulled his robes back up around himself. "That would be the only one of mine that I can risk showing." he said, but something in his voice hinted at more sinister reasons than simple politics.

[Reservist then hehe...she's no military girl but she can do some nasty stuff.]

The lithe vulpine scientist kept walking through the base until she heard the call. She nodded to herself and continued walking. She slipped into the science labs and swiped a few chemical bottles she knew if mixed in the right order would be...well unpleasant to say the least. She was no chemist but she had a few memories of high school and college. She slipped them into one of her coat pockets and then headed towards the army areas to await whatever would follow. She put up her hair in a ponytail and fingered her revolver absent-mindedly. "This won't end well..." she muttered softly.

He gave Sergei a curt nod, keeping his eyes locked with his, an intensity in his that matched the draco-wolf's but at the same time, much more subtle. "I can respect that." He said before then hearing the questions about his arms, which drew a smile, "Not exactly." He said, showing off the sword arm,

"I'm not just a telepath." He said, and a sort of energy started to swell within him, but nothing material began to show itself, "I have...let's just say, some rather useful close combat specialties, ones that my enemies only see once." He then let the energy dissipate. "The other one is more of a declaration of faith." He explained, "My ancestors were apart of an area back on old Terra known as Germany, and this was one of their national icons...the "Iron Cross" they called it, but I decided to add in my own cross inside of it...call it honor to God."

Rose pushed open the door to the more military areas, feeling the two holsters on either thigh moving a bit as she walked. Her .9mm was on her left thigh, her knife on her right. She had her blade on her left hip, her revolver on her right. She ignored the stares as she walked in. Her heels clicked on the floor and she gathered her courage and determination as she looked around at the others. She said nothing but the way her paw didn't stray from her gun much said a few things for her...She was either strict as hell or paranoid, or a little of both.

On the other side of the Ostima system, Kyle Jona sighed as he tightened his jacket, trying to prevent the winds from stinging so badly. The dock worker shivered once before returning back to the meat storage building, one that was rather ramshackle from the outside, but stable enough to survive the periodic blizzard. Ostima 2's polar shipping facility Kraikan was frigid over 90% of the year, and this time was no exception. The snows were blowing as always, only now with more intensity than usual.

"Well that's the last transport." he said as the heavy doors began to seal themselves. His other workers were all busy doing whatever they did to kill time, most huddled around a portable heater, a card table up and a poker game going on, others were in the employee lounge, drinking and watching whatever videos they had managed to get.The pungent odor or raw meat, blood, and whatever the cleaning crews used to clean the carcasses hung in the air, but by now most of the staff on the planet were used to it.

"Good, i'm about dead." one of the others called out from around the card table. A few chuckles and a few groans came as a result of the workers' statement, but Kyle didn't really pay attention to the rest of his fellow workers. He walked through the building, going by rows of slaughtered bovine and a few pigs, heading towards the communications office. Opening the door upon arrival, he got an overhead glance from one of the few people on Ostima 2 who actually was civil, and smart enough to maintain and repair all the communications equipment on the base.

"How's the radar looking Roland?" The man sighed,

"Pretty much nothing but that damn snow." He said, turning to give you a glance at the screen, confirming his statement.

"Well the Sat Comm is still up right?"

"Yeah, but I can't promise you'll have a good quality signal."

Suddenly there was a fresh blip on the radar and a warning light lit up, "What the hell?" Roland said as he turned around, looking at the monitor. Kyle frowned and came over to the technician's side, "What is it?"

"New contact on the screen, except..." the look on Roland's face turned pale, "It's the size of a damn asteroid."

Wits were being exchanged between members of Kaiyoki's squad. The recently-burned wolf replied in suit, "Jamie, you can ju-" he stopped mid-sentence. A vixen had just walked in, that could gal turn heads. All conversations in the area had stopped, most were busy staring at the new arrival. Everyone seemed to be staring, either jealous or lustful. A wolf whistle rang out, by the way her hand lingered around her gun, Kaiyoki guessed the guy who sounded out to have some courage. The whole room laughed and went back to killing time.

Jamie was staring at him, mouth gaping. Slowly it sank in, the wolf whistle had come from him.

Rose's cheeks burned as she heard the whistle, staring daggers at the male who made it and started to approach. She readjusted the glasses on her muzzle with a paw and stopped a few feet in front of him. "Do you think you're funny or something kid?" she asked with an annoyed growl as she looked at him. She snorted afterwards and found an empty chair and sat down, buttoning her lab coat enough to hide her breasts from anyone who wanted to look.

"I'm afraid to say mine don't stand for anything or anybody quite so noble."

Sergei twiddled his thumbs, looking a bit nervous. Small talk wasn't really his specialty, more from a lack of any real practice rather than lack of desire.

He scratched roughly under his chin. His scales were starting to shed again, something he'd never gotten used to. Although he'd like to have natural armor as tough as a reptile's scales, the shedding always bothered him. It was maybe a bit of a blessing and a curse that he wasn't completely covered in chitinous skin.

"So what gives? I spend one-hundred-plus-years working for chaos, and you're willing just give me a gun and toss me back into the fray, this time on your side? Isn't that a bit...well, I don't know...way too trusting, at least?

"I mean, it's not like one guy could really do too much internal damage, but you aren't the least bit worried I might go running back to Chaos with your intel?"

Arix sensed the unease in the draco-wolf, understanding his position and he relaxed a bit. "That's an understandable question." He said, "The reason I'm letting you have your equipment back is because I do not sense any deceit within you." There was a knock on the door, and an assistant to the quartermaster entered inside, looking at the two of them, and hurrying to deposit the container of weapons. With a quick salute he exited the room.

"That, and I believe you are an asset rather than a liability...you forsook chaos on your own accord, that right there tells me much." He decided to lay all his cards on the table at this point, "And finally, your talent with psi energy is a rarity." He paused letting that sink in, "I don't know what exactly you are capable of, but at the same time, I do wish to find out...that is why I wish you to accompany me. If you are with me, then you won't face much opposition from the others here..they trust me."

"Well, not quite. The Imperium captured me, used me for a few experiments, one of which broke the Chaos control over my mind. Still, I guess I didn't return to them, but, I mean, I didn't exactly choose to leave."

He headed over to the crate, and pulled out his weaponry, one by one. He affixed the sniper and the bolt-action rifle into the pouches on the inside-back of his cloak, in an X-shaped fashion. The pistols he holstered at chest level, and the sabre at the hip. The gear for the sniper rifle was fitted into a leg pouch.

Sergei sighed.

"Mmmm. That's a good feeling." he said, remembering the reassuring weight of his arsenal. He much prefered to fight with these weapons rather than the other....abilities...at his disposal.

Sergei turned back around to face Arix, and gave him a good, hard stare.

"Believe me when I say that you don't want to find out all that I am capable of. The sort of limited telepathy you sensed earlier will hopefully be all I ever need to reveal.

"Chaos powers are neither something to be marveled at, respected, or wielded. They are something to be feared, both for what they can do to others, and the user. They are always horrible, vile, bloody, violent, painful, and pure evil. Only those with absolute strength of mind can limit their taint. High Priests in particular are well-versed in the more horrific powers. I think...some of the things I did while I was High Priest would make even you flinch. They're nothing to be proud of."

The bit about the corruption of mind rang particularly true for Sergei at the moment. The hunger was returning to him. Each time he could stave it off for a little longer, but never indefinitely. Sometime in the next week he'd have to find a way to slip off alone. He sat back down in the chair, clenching his fists and closing his eyes, shoving the hunger out of sight and out of mind.

"Some of them are so horrible that I spent years forcibly locking them away via meditation in some dark corner of my head, and I hope I'll never remember them." He paused. "The only reason I tell you this is because you are perhaps the first individual who is curious rather than reviled by me. Sorry if I seem like I'm unloading or something like that. Honesty is not normally my way but I feel like I really couldn't get away with lying to you.

"I can't begin to explain how maddening it is, trying to live a way that your brain is simply not wired to live. The urge to control, to dominate, to rule, to just be cruel without reason...that's all still up here." Sergei pointed to his head. "And that's all dueling with what I want to be - and I'd settle for pretty much anything but that.

((I don't feel like giving a dry excuse for the delay. Point is I'm back, and ready to set some things in motion.))

Robillard entered suddenly, there was no announcement, no trumpets or intercom, just the famous, unnamed man strolling into the room, with Clark keeping pace behind him. He liked being unmentioned in this part of the Galaxy, notoriety was both a help and a hinderence. On one hand, it made business easier, and the prices whatever he wanted them to be, on the other hand, it was a pest near well-informed world. Sometimes he was fighting with the weapons meant for profit. Here though, neither advantage was lost, the battle would be long, with millions of troops fighting, demand would be high, and with no other dealer, he controlled the prices. Never a more perfect place in the Galaxy. Robillard had mumbled to himself after getting reports of the approaching armies.

He surveyed the men before him, six in all. Two of which were brutes, one who was too shady looking to be trusted, another two had a superior smile spread across their faces when glancing at their competition, with more weapons strapped to them then there seemed to be space on their body. It was the last man though that caught his interest. A man with silver hair and a young body, with only a few weapons strapped to him. Julius caught his eye mainly because he felt different from the others, in a way that Robillard could not explain. His eyes were colorless, like his hair, but Robillard could not read anything from them.

He paced for a few moment, mostly for show. He wanted to see their reactions, looking for uncertainty, or confusion. After exactly three minutes had passed Robillard stopped, and faced the men.

"You already know why you're here. So instead of wasting any more time you are to follow me. You will be paid handsomely, and I expect my orders to be followed, no matter how difficult it may seem. You're mercenaries, you should know what the job description is. Now, follow me, and I'll answer wht questions you have, after I hand you your first check however, my time with you will be up, so pick your questions wisely. Those of you that live that is."

While robillard had been pacing he hand slightly nodded his head towards the men. Clark, taking Robillard's silence as his cue, drew his pistol and fired, ten shots. The first was to the head of the men surrounding Julius, the second was for their hearts. Clark was Robillard's second in command for a reason.

Nodding at Julius Robillard began his approach towards the exit of the room.

"Come," He began, nodding in aproval at Clark. "You only have a few minutes to question me."

He never slowed his stride a single step. He cared not for how many mercs he hired, only the quality. As soon as Robillard reached his office, he would hand Julius the biggest paycheck of his life, the first was always upfront, before he made contact with Ostima. Clark would be in command of Julius then.

Kaiyoki followed closely behind the vixen, he had honestly been suprised that she had approached him but decided to finish what had started. The stalking wolf began to notice the sway of his target, it was admitingly enjoyable.

When she sat down, Kaiyoki leaned on her chair and whispered softly, into her ear, "Whats your name then?". His hand started to play with an ear that it just happened to find.

"Midna, Rose Midna." she said softly and pushed him away roughly, finding him being so close very, very unnerving. Her paw twitched reflexively, very much wanting to pull out one of her weapons, given her training on Ostima 3 but she didn't, luckily for the wolf.

She looked over at him, her eyes piercing. "Why do you find so much interest in me, if I may be so bold to ask?" she asked then, raising a brow. She was indeed beautiful but she had a dangerous air about her. She was smart for one thing, and two she was quick to react, which didn't go in his favor too well. But she was curious, the only advantage he would have had at this point.

Arix paused and listened to Sergei's account on his escape from the forces of Chaos. "I see...well the fact you still have not made an attempt to return to them says much." He was about to continue when the draco-wolf began to go into detail about just what sort of power that these forces wielded. He kept his expression calm, just listening and weighing what he heard. He also sensed a bit of anguish within Sergei, from what exactly he would not be able to know without venturing inside of his head, and after gaining even a modicum of trust with Sergei, that was not going to happen.

"I cannot know what it must have been like for you." He started, as he reached below into one of his desk drawers and pulled something out, something that remained hidden from Sergei's sight. "But I can tell you this, if you wish to learn more control, I am willing to help you." Before he could say more, an intercom came on.

"Commander, preparations have been made, the Cruiser Sahara and Escort Carrier Guardian are ready." The dragon took a breath and sighed, "Acknowledged." Looking up at Sergei once more he said, "We shall have to continue this conversation later." He said, standing and motioning for him to follow, "But for now, let's see what's going on up there."

Julius sat in the hangar. Five other men sat in the seats along with him. Five were in the seats, this was open mercenary territory, and he kept a close eye on his ship. Speaking of five other mercenary, he took some chosen moments to survey the competition, mainly the moments when he was fairly sure no one was watching him. He would steal a glance at one person at a time; he started on the left, looking directly at the person, taking in as much as he could, colors, sizes, posture, anything he could, then after about three seconds he looked back and tried to picture the person in his mind.

Julius had always had something of brilliant luck. His motto was always first feeling was the right feeling, and generally, it had worked. He’s been unscarred on Ostima 3, made risky moves that could have come out bad, but to say the least, if his head say jump, he’d jump, not a second thought about it.

And so this was how he judged them, he’d see what stuck out. The first man he looked at, big, not very warm but not off-putting to say the least, but he looked, new. As if he’d just caught wind of this, figured he’s big and tough enough to do it. Common shirt, vest over it, pants, no visible weapons of any kind. Or maybe, that guy was just that good, didn’t need to put on a front for the boss man. Nah.

And so he went around the room, taking maybe two minutes;

Tons of weapons just lying around him, on chairs on the ground, he was leaning back, definitely sure of himself, smiling, to sure. He’d end up dead.

Humongous, that guy was a beast. I’d never trust him, he’s about himself.

Clammy, that’s a miniature comm. station, he’d broadcasting. Ha. I’ll shot him later, make it look like an accident or something.

Everyone looked forward, in the direction of a door, people were entering the hangar from some where else on base, meaning not mercs, who. Julius looked to the door, stopping him from further judging of the others, so he choose to immediately start to get a feel for these two.

He looked at the first man entering the room;

Looking out at us, brown, a dark brown iris, black hair, red earring. Eyes again, he’s looking at me still. Wait.

Julius quickly looked at the bolt in the back of the chair three rows ahead of him. He’d been judging too. The first man. He was in charge, the other man had to be close, body guard or a second in command. He listened to the boots heels thump softly on the hangar floor. Pacing. It stopped. The man started speaking. Elegantly, smoothly, almost sounding rehearsed but with enough geniality to be true.

"..Those of you that live that is."

That wasn’t. That was an order, he looked up to see the fist man, the one with the earring and who spoke nod at the other. The second man was grim, but he seemed to understand and not question. He drew his side arm. Julius’s hand shot to his own. But it was to late, a round was already in the heart of the man on his left, down a few chairs, and the arm was moving right. A second shot. The man to his right was his as well. In about ten seconds, there were about six rounds fired off, he moved back down to get the heads too, to be sure. As he start back down the order; Julius’s hand still on his side arm looked at the other man. Still staring at Julius. The hangar fell silent as the shots sounds died.

The man nodded and turned back down the door.

Sergei hung back just a little bit as Arix left the room. All of this was moving way too fast for him to just accept. He wasn't a trusting creature and he didn't believe others could be, either. Slipping around behind the desk, he quickly jerked a few desk drawers, but found them all locked.

He glanced around the room, checking for cameras (and hoping there were none he couldn't see), and making sure Arix wasn't heading back, he gave a rough jerk on the center drawer, breaking the lock, and opening it. He winced at the noise, but hopefully it had been absorbed - the room wasn't exactly designed for acoustic benefits.

Nothing was immediately apparent about the contents of the drawer that suggested an item might be missing. He shuffled through the assorted papers and found a pass card. It was either very generic or very unusual - there was no label indicating it's purpose, which meant it could be for General Access or for some high-level security clearance. Either way, it could turn out to be useful, so he pocketed it, closed the drawer, and shot out of the room, hoping Arix hadn't missed him.

Sergei liked having an ace up his sleeve, no matter what the situation. It didn't do, to have someone knowing or guessing about you.

"Stretching my old limbs," he lied, answering an unspoken, and possibly unthought question. Hopefully that was believable enough.