This isn't a long post, even though it's been about a month. I cite lack of commentaries as an excuse, now that I've established (somewhat) the krogan subplot, I can get back to the
main characters.
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<<Artemis Tau Cluster/Knossos/Therum
Infiltration Drone- Theta_8301-6372>>
An explosion shook the world around Theta; the synthetic was tossed through the air. It hissed as it stumbled back to its feet, glancing in the direction of the krogan.
The Geth drone spun and scrambled away as the young bull’s shotgun cycled out its waste heat. Theta could hear the other krogans nearby.
The rocky terrain of Therum offered some brief relief, but Theta had realized by now that there was little chance of surviving this operation.
The mission had been rather simple, infiltrate the krogan base and kill the coven of female mistresses of the warlord here.
It hadn’t been difficult to get inside, and overcharge the power grid. The coven was electrocuted and the primary power had gone out; everything had gone wrong since then.
Theta’s synthetic musculature was compromised, that last blast had burned much of it away. The infiltration drone had never felt true agony before, discomfort yes, but not the searing sensations lancing through his form.
It had underestimated the fury of the warlord here, Theta had expected a challenging retaliatory action, but the krogans’ wrath was truly terrible now that he’d felt pain for the first time.
After the females were dead, the surviving krogan had mobilized almost instantaneously. Theta had only finished transmitting his report when the krogan discovered it.
Above the roars and battle cries of the krogan, the erupting volcanoes of Therum shook the sky and earth. Theta spotted one of the warriors in his periphery, then the reptilian alien stalked out of sight.
Infiltration Drone 8301-6372 stared at the starry sky above, either the krogan would find him or power would run out, fate was a cruel mistress indeed.
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Tuhrus scanned the area again; doing his best to ignore the warlord was beside him. He wouldn’t put it past his leader to shoot the next clan-brother to show up if they didn’t find the infernal machine that had killed the coven
very shortly.
“It’s somewhere behind those rocks, I watched crawl there with my own eyes.” One of the younger bulls insisted over the comm.
Tuhrus gave a start when the black, grey blur of the warlord stormed past him and over to the ridge the others were referring to. He immediately followed his leader; silent, dutiful submissiveness could save you an unexpected and sudden death when it came to this clan.....
The warlord grabbed the bull’s shoulder and spun him around so their gazes met. “Search those rocks for that synthetic
hrakhor; when you find it, you’ll tell me where it is so I can throw its pieces in the d*** lava to burn!”
The bull and many others scrambled up the ridge into the rocky labyrinth. Tuhrus watched silently, not drawing unwanted attention to himself. His effort failed miserably as the warlord turned his way. “When will the others get here? I’m rip them open and sell their organs to a salarian if they don’t get here within two days!”
For the millionth time Tuhrus wished he hadn’t qualified for the warlord’s assistant.....
AKA: personal subject of him to vent his spleen. At least he vents everything else on the others; I’m too important to shoot and/or kill for no reason.
He was about to reply when there was a blue flash from atop the ridge, accompanied by a fair amount of cursing and bellowing.
Then the entire ridge ceased to exist with another flash of light and a thunderous shockwave. Tuhrus threw himself against the ashy ground. He squinted through the blinding dust cloud that enveloped him and the warlord.
His helmet kept him from inhaling any potentially harmful micro-shrapnel. From his knowledge of technology and explosives, Tuhrus could guess what had happened. The synthetic drone had used whatever remaining power and its element zero power core to destroy itself and take the unfortunate clan-brothers with it.
As the ash and dust dissipated, Tuhrus picked out some very large pieces of volcanic rock jutting out of the ground that hadn’t been there three minutes ago.
The wonders of element zero... He mused silently; nearly jumping when a booming shotgun report echoed right next to him.
Dragus better get here before the warlord really feels like blowing someone’s head off..... Tuhrus thought grimly, setting a waypoint at his location for the others to rally for the warlord’s inevitable tirade.