Author’s Note:
Upvotes and comments go a long way in helping me reach a larger audience <3
First
Inside GB-2
“Huh, that wasn’t there before,” Ron said, pointing to a new hole in the wall – another passageway.
Henry turned to look where Ron pointed. Sure enough, there was a new doorway. It must’ve been a section that opened after they restored the power. “Huh, yeah. Let’s check it out.”
He went through, finding a short hallway past it and another room just beyond. Henry signaled for his team to form up, preparing to breach. As they stepped in, they found themselves in a brightly lit room filled with various types of furniture – empty pedestals, comfortable-looking single couches, and empty desks with opened cabinets.
Henry stepped further into the room, eyeing the oddly arranged furniture. The single couches were lined up in neat rows, all facing the same direction – towards the empty desks. It was like some sort of waiting room, but for what?
“Is it just me, or are these couches set up weird?” Isaac asked, voicing the question on everyone’s mind. “I mean, who lines up a bunch of single couches like this?”
“Strange, indeed,” Sera agreed. “They seem arranged as though for spectators, yet naught lies before them to behold.”
Like a movie theater, Henry thought. However, there weren’t any screens or holograms to watch. If there was a clue, it would probably be within the couches themselves.
Dr. Anderson approached one of the desks. “Perhaps this was some sort of office or workspace? The desks and cabinets certainly suggest that.”
Isaac then decided to touch one of the seats, eliciting no reaction. He pushed further, sitting down on one of them. At that point, the couch began to adjust its form to better suit Isaac’s envirosuit, as if able to optimize its comfort for the user. Then, a nozzle slowly stretched up from the seat’s headrest area, stopping just short of Isaac’s neck. “Woah!” Isaac bolted up as the nozzle bonked against his helmet.
“Neural interface, maybe?” Henry wondered. “I think we should leave this to the researchers… unless you wanna volunteer as a lab rat?”
“Hell nah,” Isaac vigorously declined the offer. “Hey, there isn’t anything on my helmet is there?”
Henry dusted off the back of Isaac’s helmet with his glove. “Nope, you’re clear. Just gotta hope it ain’t grey goo.”
He could see the dread and uncertainty through Isaac’s visor. Henry gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Well, think about it this way: if it really was grey goo, it would’ve gotten to us – or the Spiranids, for that matter – long ago. C’mon, let’s secure the next room.”
With a nod, Isaac fell in line behind Henry as they moved towards the doorway leading to the adjacent room. Peeking inside, it couldn’t be further from the rest of the room’s they had encountered so far; not at all what they could’ve possibly expected inside an ancient, high-tech alien facility. It was expansive, with a layout that reminded Henry of a high-end restaurant. Comfortable booths lined the walls, while tables of varying sizes filled the central space. The furniture looked almost human – perhaps even indistinguishably so.
The room was tinted with a soft, cozy yellow light. The warm and inviting ambiance felt soothing compared to the clinical feel of the previous areas. The lighting, combined with the plush booths and elegant tables, gave Henry a nostalgic impression.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Ryan remarked. “Think they got any cheesecakes?”
If it wasn’t for the alien decor and helping of sleek devices scattered around the room, Henry would’ve thought they were back home. Hell, there was even a bar, filled with exotic liquors that could probably fetch millions at an auction – or give them the trip of their lives. Beside it however was something unusual. Where he might’ve expected a path leading to the kitchen, he instead found a wall with a slight, rectangular-shaped recess that was just big enough for a tray.
He glanced at Isaac, who returned a knowing look. “Replicators,” Isaac said.
Henry smirked. “Personally, I’m partial to synthesizer, but to each their own.”
They gathered around the wall, which didn’t seem to respond to their presence. Taps on the wall didn’t seem to do anything, either. Henry considered probing further, but decided against it. “Alright, let’s not take any chances. We’ll make a note of this for the research teams to analyze later. Let’s keep looking around.”
Henry split apart from the others, pairing with Ron as they continued to walk around the room. They soon came across another doorway on the far side of the room, which opened up into a short corridor that led into multiple sets of doors. Each had a symbol on the wall beside the doors – one that depicted the basic figure of a person.
Ron pushed open one of the doors, taking a peek inside. “Looks like even the Gatebuilders needed restrooms.”
Finally! “Alright, let’s take a quick break here. Bring everyone else over.”
Thankfully, the amenities within were easily comparable to those of modern society. The toilet looked like a toilet, and the sink resembled a sink. Even in a space as mundane as this though, the Gatebuilder’s technology was evident: self-cleaning surfaces and enough technology to put a high-quality Japanese bidet toilet to shame. At least, that was just from the look of things. Henry didn’t think now would be the best time to check whether the restroom had ass-washing robots or not.
After a few minutes, Henry regrouped with the rest of the team around a central table in the ‘restaurant’. Dr. Anderson was already present, his archaeological kit opened and a spread of alien items organized on the table.
“Ah, Captain!” Dr. Anderson noticed him approaching. “We found cabinets that weren’t empty. Most of the artifacts appear to be personal effects.” He held up a necklace, emphasizing his point. “Jewelry, memorabilia, and some other artifacts that I – admittedly – can’t quite describe.”
Dr. Anderson pointed his pickup tool at a small disc laid out on a padded mat. “It hasn’t shown any active properties yet. It’s rather peculiar; it seems to be a solid disc. Lightweight, unblemished surface, no visible markings or etchings.”
“Have you tried touching it directly?” Henry asked.
Dr. Anderson frowned, manipulating the claws of his pickup tool. “Well, not directly.” Catching the implications in Henry’s query, he continued, “I’ve checked for radiation, toxins – all clear. While I’d advise against direct contact, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t the least bit curious.”
Henry nodded. Yeah, the Doc was probably right, but what was discovery without risk? He reached out and picked it up, rotating it in his hands. As his gloved fingers brushed against the surface, the disc suddenly emitted a soft glow.
Henry flinched slightly, almost dropping the disc in surprised. As he fumbled with it, the disc seemed to respond to his touch. Suddenly, a series of objects materialized on the table, appearing out of thin air.
“Oh, shit!” Ron exclaimed. “It just… spawned a bunch of stuff!”
Henry stared at the new items. Several containers, probably holding some kind of food, were still sealed tight and impossibly effective at insulating its contents. It was crazy to think that the food inside might still be hot after who knows how long.
Next to the containers was a bracelet. Possibly normal, possibly enchanted or integrated with technology they couldn’t hope to understand. There was also a bottle of some bright blue liquid – probably for drinking, but there was no way to be sure until Perdue tested it. And then there was the picture, showing a strikingly human couple, holding each other underneath a gorgeous alien sky. It reminded him of memorabilia people would sometimes keep in their wallets, though why humans were there was a mystery.
The last object the disc spat out was a thin, transparent sheet. Coincidentally, it was about the same size as a smartphone. If he had to guess, it probably had the same function as one, too.
“Incredible,” Dr. Anderson gawked at the items. “The disc must be the Gatebuilders’ version of a wallet, somehow using dimensional storage technology!”
“Akin to the Holding Bags,” Kelmithus noticed. He peered into his own Holding Bag, his expression indicating that he was connecting the dots. “Fascinating!”
Dr. Anderson then inspected the image, his face reflecting the same confusion Henry felt when he first saw it. While they continued to sort through the items, Henry explored the sheet further. The moment he tapped the screen, a holographic interface sprung into existence above it.
What he had initially thought was a simple hologram was something far more advanced, almost indistinguishable from reality itself. Almost instantly, they were surrounded by mountains and valleys, details springing up to form a realistic, three-dimensional map.
It was like a pocket holodeck. The only anchors the projection had were the various icons and pockets of text floating around – and the fact that the hologram was transparent enough for him to see his surroundings and his teammates.
Sera seemed to be the most shocked out of all of them. He couldn’t blame her. The sight was surprising enough for himself, who was even familiar with the concept through sci-fi; how much more alien would it seem to someone from – effectively – the past?
“I’ve not beheld such a spell… ever!” she exclaimed softly, pausing to gather her thoughts. “Hold on…” she continued, pointing to the distant peaks. “Why, yon mountain range! Does it not strike you as familiar?”
“Huh?” Ron squinted at it. “Does it?”
“No, yeah, it does!” Isaac said. “Shit, uh, is that the Ovinne Mountain Range?”
Henry brought up the file for the Ovinne Mountain Range on his visor, comparing it to the hologram. “Huh, yeah, it is. What’s a map of that doing in here, though?”
Dr. Anderson raised his hands in the air and spread them apart, mimicking a zoom. Lucky for them, the alien tech seemed to understand what they were going for. Now up close and in full detail, the Ovinne Mountain Range dominated the room. Somewhere in the mountains, an icon that looked like a pair of glasses sat right on top of a Gatebuilder tower, barely poking out of the mountainside.
Ryan crossed his arms as he scrutinized the hologram. “Is this what, Find My iPhone?”
“Hmm… rather likely,” Dr. Anderson agreed. “This device must be some sort of Locator.”
“Locator, huh?” Having this clue was an incredible breakthrough, but he noticed something else. “And right where the Ovinne Mountain Campaign’s supposedly taking place, at that.”
“Indeed, that you mention it, such alignment is surely noteworthy,” Kelmithus remarked. His voice took on a more excited note, “Be it fate, perhaps?”
Henry smirked. “Hah, you’re sounding a bit like Sera, now. Well, looks like fate’s telling us where to go next. Let’s pack this up and head back.”
They carefully stowed the various artifacts in their holding bags, Henry holding on to the Locator. They made their way back to the locker room where they first entered, everyone excited for the next step in their mission.
Henry stepped through the airlock first, emerging on the other side. As he did so, a faint sound caught his attention. It was distant, muffled, but definitely not a sound that belonged to this facility. He wanted to take off the envirosuit, but it seemed that had to wait.
Ron came through the airlock after him. “Bro, you think –”
Henry held up a hand, stopping him short. He raised his weapon, picking up on the ‘something’s not right’ vibe.
Activating his infrared vision and using the laser mounted on his M7, Henry searched for signs of thermal distortions, just like he’d done back at Duke Vancor’s mansion. Ron did the same. As the rest of the team emerged from the airlock, they quickly caught on to the situation. Without a word, they joined them in securing the room.
After clearing the locker room, Henry signaled to move on to the lab next door. It was just as empty as the locker room, but now the sounds were more audible, definitely coming from the hallway just outside. Instructing his team to hold still, he crept toward the doorway to investigate.
He peeked around the corner, and felt his stomach drop. There, in the main hallway, was a group of soldiers. They were decked out in distinctive black armor and cloaks. They had no identifiable markings or insignia on their armor, but it was obvious – these were Nobians.
Henry pulled back, returning to his team. “Contact outside. At least a dozen Nobians securing the hallway.”
Ron’s expression grew serious. “Shit. Any idea on their entry point?”
Henry positioned himself behind a desk, aiming his weapon at the doorway. “Probably the same way we came in.”
“Main corridor’s the only play, huh?” Ryan said.
The main hallway only had one line of sight, and it just happened to be the only way out. Well, the only one they could reasonably access. The facility probably had other exits or fancy teleporters, but they’d already scoured the area for the former and wouldn’t be able to figure out the latter.
“Dozen hostiles doesn’t seem like a lot,” Isaac pointed out, taking out another Black Hornet from his bag. “We’re still good on ammo, too.”
Ron shook his head. “Dozen? Yeah, a dozen that we can see.”
“Owens is right,” Henry agreed. “We can’t confirm their numbers outright. If I had to guess, it would probably be at least fifty. Manageable, but I’d prefer that to be our last resort.”
“How might we fare with a disturbance?” Sera offered.
Kelmithus gripped his staff. “I might conjure an echo of noise distant hence. It shan’t last, but it can afford us enough time for our escape.”
Kelmithus’ plan seemed like it could work, but only if the Nobians didn’t know they were here. “No,” Henry disagreed. “They’ve seen our MRAPs outside. We’d get surrounded.”
“How about negotiation?” Dr. Anderson suggested, a hopeful note in his voice.
“Negotiation? With the Nobians?” Kelmithus questioned.
They all knew what the Nobians were like. It really did come off as a ridiculous idea, but what if Dr. Anderson was right? The archaeologist defended himself, “I know, I know. However, we have yet to confirm their hostility, and it would not serve us well to initiate hostilities with the Nobians.”
Taking in the silence as contemplation, he continued, “If talks break down, we hold our ground here. It’s not ideal, but we’ll control the engagement area and prevent them from flanking us.”
Henry reviewed the situation again. 12 hostiles, but they should expect the worse, so at least 50 hostiles plus failed negotiations. Holding the only way out, they were likely spread out between the hallway, the cave system, and possibly even the forest outside. Dr. Anderson’s plan was solid, but he had a few minor qualms. In particular, holding the line meant possibly exhausting themselves in a battle of attrition.
“Alright. We’ll open with negotiations. I’m skeptical, but it's worth a shot. Should that fail, we can’t engage in a drawn-out conflict. We’ll disrupt their positions and quickly move to the cave outside.”
“Smoke grenades and flashbangs,” Ryan muttered.
“Affirmative,” Henry said, nodding in agreement. “If we can’t see them, we’ll level the playing field so they can’t see us.”
“Captain,” Kelmithus quickly interjected, “Bid me aid your efforts. I’ve insight enough to create fog. I’ve learned from our encounter with the Sentinel Lindwyrm.”
“You can replicate that heavy fog?” Ron asked.
Kelmithus held up his palm, producing an opaque puff of steam to prove his point. “Indeed so, Lieutenant. Adequately do these envirosuits shield us, that I might harness more extreme temperatures for more effective casting.”
Henry was impressed with how quickly the archmage grasped such a concept. “Good. Yen, get that drone into the cave. We’ll hold for updates.”
Yen nodded, carrying out Henry’s order silently. The drone’s feed directly streamed to their HUDs, and after a few minutes, Isaac looked up. “Done.”
Henry analyzed the data. They had visual confirmation of a dozen Nobians inside the facility itself and a staggering forty outside, both in the cave and around the cave entrance. It was an assumption, but there probably weren’t many cloaked soldiers past the hallway. He sighed; the worst-case scenario would have them facing a hundred men in total.
It was a challenge, but the drone’s intel granted them a critical tactical advantage. He analyzed his minimap, selecting and sharing a route with minimal enemy contact. “After clearing the facility’s entrance, we’ll proceed along the designated path. Upon exit, I’ll deploy a flare to signal our movement to the MRAPs for extraction. We will then rendezvous with Zulu-9 and coordinate with air support before re-engaging to secure the site.”
His team nodded, fully on board with the plan. He took a deep breath to steel himself before checking his watch – 16:24. “Alright, time to show ourselves.”
Letting his M7 sling over his chest, Henry prepared two flash grenades – one in each hand – before stepping out. With his team in tow, he moved to the center of the hallway, catching the attention of one of the Nobian patrols.
“Attention, Nobian forces! We request parley. I am Captain Donnager of Alpha Team, Tier 6 Adventurer. We are on an official quest sanctioned by the Adventurer’s Guild. We have no intention of hostilities and seek to discuss our presence and objectives to ensure mutual understanding.”
As Henry’s words echoed through the hallway, the Nobian soldiers snapped into action. He heard the sounds of bowstring being drawn taut and the rasp of metal as swords cleared their scabbards. His hands tightened around the flash grenades.
He kept his gaze steady, projecting a sense of calm; of confidence – enough to convince the Nobians that even outnumbered, he and his team were still no match for them. More soldiers joined the patrol, until all twelve of the previously identified Nobians were upon them. They kept their distance, but Henry could feel the tension boiling.
Just as the standoff seemed to reach a critical point, the air in front of them seemed to fold outward from itself, like watching the effects of gravitational lensing on light. A figure coalesced from the distortion – so this is what invisibility magic looked like.
The man was broad-shouldered and tall, seeing eye-to-eye with him, even despite the extra inches in height the envirosuit gave. As the last wisps of the cloaking magic faded away, Henry found himself staring into a pair of piercing gray eyes that seemed to bore into his very soul.
The newcomer had an angular face and was clad in black armor with a different sheen than the black armor of his comrades. Silver trimmings and an insignia emblazoned on his chestplate – a dagger through a swirl of mist – differentiated his status. A cloak of the same dark hue billowed behind him as he walked forward and drew his sword.
Keeping his sword to the side, he stopped a respectable ten meters away from Henry. “I am Carvus Alnect Virelius, Umber Vicearch of the Order of the Shadow.” He then pointed his sword at Henry, declaring, “Of desecrating sovereign Nobian territory, you stand accused.”
As Carvus spoke, more soldiers materialized alongside him, shimmering into existence as they dropped their cloaking spells. Henry had expected this to happen, but seeing it play out still sent a chill down his spine. How many more were still lying in wait?
The Vicearch kept his weapon on Henry, eyes narrowing. “Commander unto commander, I offer a choice: cede your Holding Bags, that secure passage may be granted unto you. Refuse, and you shall be declared as spies and enemies of the Nobian Empire, your lives forfeit to swift execution.”
READ 2 WEEKS AHEAD: Season Finale Chapter 17 is now available for Tier 2 Manifest Fantasy Patrons and higher!
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So I'm almost done with Might and Magic 7. I've gotten the final quest to get the dohickey from the sunken ship which I've long since spoiled for myself as being the final one. That and the Warlock promotion are the only ones that remain undone (and even at level of 60, that's a lot of dragons). Even doing unnecessary (for Dark Path) stuff like clearing the Temple of Baa, the Wine Cellar, and the Mercenary Guild don't add much. I could start picking fights in the Pit or raid Castle Lambent (though fighting more enemies that spam Dispel AND Light Elementals sounds more tedious than anything). I just feel like Might and Magic 6 had more to do. More places to visit, more quests, more varied locations. As annoying as they could be, I even miss the more convoluted layout of places like Castle Alamos.
I know many consider 7 the high point of the 3D entries, possibly even the series as a whole.
So am I alone in this impression?

Hey everyone! I back again with some more funny shenanigans with our good pals Lerson and Silversmith. Thank you all for the great feedback for the last chapter, it really made my day. I'm excited to hear what you all think about this next one. Hope you all enjoy!
And again a special thanks to SpacePaladin15 for the NoP universe! __________
[First] [Next] __________
Memory Transcription Subject: Lerson, Undercover Farsul Date [standardized human time]: October 24, 2136
How did I get here? Just yesterday I was running for my life through the forest on this backwater planet and now I am sitting in the back of a vehicle with a predator, who thinks that I am some kind of hunting beast. Well… what do I do now?
The first part of my plan went off without a hitch. The simple minded predators had not realized I was not one of their slave beasts, so they released me from their holding pens. However, I am now trapped in a car right alongside my new predatory master.
Maybe I could try to take it down. It doesn’t seem particularly dexterous at least compared to the other predators I have seen. It is not looking at me now, so I would have the upper hand, but it is nearly twice my size. I will probably have to hold out for a little bit longer before I make my move.
I am suddenly pulled from my thoughts when the predator in the front seat begins to growl, “Car, can you bring me to the pet store, please?”
‘Pet Store,’ what is that? My translator says that it is a place for the sale of animals. Is it going to sell me already? Maybe I am just being sent to my new prison. My heart races as I watch the vehicle begin to slow down and come to a stop in front of the building. The elderly predator gets out of the vehicle and walks around to the door next to me. Oh no! This isn’t part of the plan. I thought I was finally out of that place, but now I am just about to get locked up again. The door opens.
“Okay bud, we’re gonna get you some things,” it said. Huh. I am not getting sold? The predator grabbed the end of the rope around my neck and beckoned me out of the vehicle. I chose to oblige and we slowly made our way towards the nearby building.
It was a small structure that looked like it was in disrepair. It makes sense that the predators would not upkeep their buildings all they care about is killing and eating. I was surprised to find that they even have buildings to begin with.
The old one pushed the door open, which produced a soft jingle as we walked in. First thing I noticed was the intense smell. It was almost overwhelming with how many different scents there were. Looking around the aisles of the shop were very narrow and the shelves were packed with different items. “Um, so the lady at the shelter suggested that I get food, bowls, a bed, and… I don’t really remember what else. That’s probably fine to begin with, we can always come back later.”
We walked down one of the narrow aisles, which had dozens of bags of ‘kibble.’ My translator says it is “ground meal shaped into pellets, especially for pet food.” That does not sound very appetizing. The predator stops and starts looking through the different options. I also start to look around. The bag nearest to me has an ingredients list. Luckily I opted for the built in visual translator. Scanning the ingredients it contains mostly different grains and other fillers, which is surprising from predator food, but it also lists ‘animal byproducts’ which sounds horrifying. I guess whatever the Terrans do not end up eating gets tossed to the lesser predators.
“Let’s get this one. It says it’s for ‘senior’ dogs. Ha! That’s something we’ve go in common”
Really?! Do I look that old to everyone? By the Tenants, maybe I need to dye my fur after I get out of this mess. We continued going around the store picking up items until we got to the counter near the front.
Speaking to the predator behind the counter my ‘master’ says, “Good afternoon Bobby. How’s everything going?”
The young predator behind the counter responds, “Not too great, Mr. Silversmith.”
“Oh. I spose that was a bad question to ask, sorry.”
“It's okay sir, there is just a lot going on. I’m glad that my parents and I are all fine, being out here in the country, but my brother works in the city and we still don’t know if he’s alright.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I hope for the best.”
“Thank you. Now what can I do for you?”
“Oh I’m just buying some supplies for old Buddy over here,” he gestures down to me.
The clerk looks over the counter towards me, “Uh… Mr. Silversmith…” The old predator cuts him off, “I know he aint the best lookin’, but can’t say much about myself either, so I don’t need to hear it.”
“Sure… Well… let me ring that all up for you then.”
Spekh! That one has to know, right? Perhaps these predators are not as dense as I thought and the one I got is just really stupid. Well at least that helps my plan, but I will still have to be careful around other Terrans.
The old one finishes paying and we head back down to the vehicle and it drives off. After about [~34 minutes] we reach what I think is the elderly predator's den.
It is at the end of a very long dirt roadway, tucked among the trees, that I see the structure. Just like the pet shop it is a small building made out of simple materials like wood and stone. I suppose the predators really are as primitive as I thought.
The vehicle comes to a halt next to the building and the old one steps out. After he opens my door, I step out of the vehicle as well. I follow him to the entrance of the den, which is a simple wooden door painted bright red. And if I remember correctly that is the color of blood on this planet. So savage!
Upon entering, the interior looks very similar to the outside with wood adorning the walls and floors. Though I was surprised how similar the layout was to the living quarters back at the guild. The room at the entrance looked to be some kind of lounging room with a small couch and rug in the center of the room facing a screen mounted on the opposite wall. To the left of the door was what I could only assume was a kitchen with storage cabinets covering the walls.
The elderly predator returned to the car to retrieve the items it purchased at the ‘pet shop,’ which makes this the best time to do some sleuthing. I made my way past the lounge room into the depths of the den. Past the entrance room was a hallway leading further back. It was adorned with photographs filled with predatory snarls. I did my best to ignore them and worked my way further down the hall.
Up ahead there was a door and upon opening it I found a room which, by the smell of it, must be a lavatory. That really reminded me that I had to go to the bathroom. My cell did not even have a waste pit. I made my way quickly into the room and relieved myself with haste. Once I finished I thought about flushing the ‘evidence,’ but that’s when I heard the front door open again, so I was forced to hurry out of the room.
“Hey Bud! Where did you go?” it growled from the other room. I made my way back to the entrance as quickly as I could manage on all fours. “There you are. So do you like the place?” the predator asked. I did not respond and just looked towards it. “Ha ha, great!” it growled. I did not say anything?
“So I got your food and water bowls over here. Let me go fill them up. You’ve gotta be hungry.”
It walked over to the kitchen with the bowls in hand and filled one with water from the sink. The other bowl, the predator filled with the ‘kibble’ from earlier. Then it placed them both on the floor. It looks like the food situation might not be any better than my previous arrangement at the holding pen.
“Well, I spose I should eat dinner as well.”
It opened the large metal cabinet and began looking through it. I snuck a little closer to get a better look. When I approached I could feel the chill coming off of it, so I could assume that it was some kind of refrigerators unit. Must not be that primitive I suppose. After a bit of scrounging around the refrigerator, the elderly one pulled out a clear plastic container. It was green on the inside. Is it really going to eat rotten flesh!? I guess that is expected of a predator.
As it opened the container I braced my nose for the putrid smell of rotten flesh, but it never came. I watched as the predator poured out leafy greens into a bowl. Huh, a predator is eating plants?
Wait, I do remember that during the Terran’s deceptive talk at Aafa, they had said they were [all-eaters]. I guess that must be true. Watching it eat the greens is making me even hungrier than I was before.
I watched as the elderly predator finished its salad. It brought the bowl and utensils to the sink to begin washing them. I waited in the corner of the kitchen for him to finish and leave. My stomach was killing me and I could only think of the amazing taste of a crisp salad. Finally the predator finished his task and turned away from the sink. It looked towards me and then at the bowls on the floor. “Aren’t you hungry boy? You haven’t touched your food at all… I hope you’re alright. Maybe I need to take you to the vet tomorrow?”
Vet? My translator says that that means ‘animal doctor.’ Even though the average human is pretty oblivious, a doctor will be sure to realize that I’m not really a ‘dog.’ I can not let this Terran take me there. I know what I have to do, but I do not like it. I steel myself as I walk over to the bowl and stare down at its contents. Am I really going to do this? You have to! So, I lower my head and bite down on a mouthful of ‘kibble.’
It… is not that bad? I honestly expected worse.
I suppress the thoughts of the ‘animal byproducts’ in it and swallow. Immediately I wash out my mouth with the water in the second bowl. Then I turn to look at the human who is now snarling at me. I freeze. Did I do something wrong? Did it figure me out?!
“There you go. Ha ha. I was worried for a second there.”
What? Is it happy that I ate? Then why is it snarling at me? Maybe maybe that means that it is happy? These predators are so weird. At least it seems like I have avoided detection once again. Nailed it!
The old predator, having been satisfied, let out a yawn revealing all its sharp teeth… well… most of them were surprisingly quite dull. “Okay bud it's getting late, so I think it's time for me to turn in, but let me get you your bed first,” it said. Reaching into the biggest bag from the pet shop the elderly predator pulled out a round fluffy bowl. It looks similar to beds I saw when working on the Iftali and Sulean homeworld, though this one is a lot smaller. It placed the bed down in the living room next to the couch.
It paused, “Oh wait. I should probably take you outside before turning in for the night. Don’t want a mess in the morning, come on.”
I follow the predator as instructed, wondering what it wants me to do now. It leads me out a side door into a grassy area. “Okay… do your business,” it said.
What? Does it want me to do something? I just look around seeing if there's anything to give me any clues.
“I guess that didn’t work. Go potty.”
What?! Is it commanding me to defecate?! Outside! I guess he does think I am an animal. But there is no way I am doing that especially with it watching me. Why is it watching? Is it some kind of pervert? Grr, Screw the plan!
“Okay… uh… I guess come back in when you’re done,” it says as it turns to walk back to the house.
Thank the Tenants! I wait [a few minutes] and then slip back into the predator’s den. On my return it spots me, “Oh good you’re back!”
It walked over to the side door and locked it. Then the predator shuffled to wall switches and turned off most of the lights. Thankfully it left a singular lamp turned on. It is already bad enough that I am stuck in a predator's den, but being in the dark with a predator would be too much even for me.
“Okay goodnight bud, see you in the morning,” said the old one. Then right as it entered the hall it stopped and looked down at a nearby table, “Good night Ella. Good night Ben. Good night Martha.” Then it walked out of sight.
Who was he talking to? Are there other predators here? I don’t smell anyone else and I think I would have heard them earlier. Spekh! Did I get a crazy one?
Okay craziness aside, I need to eat some real food. I finally stood upright. Ah my back! It was already getting bad enough when I was back home. Hopefully I can get used to this because walking on all fours is killing me right now.
I walk over to the refrigeration unit and slowly open the doors trying to stay quiet. Looking around the inside I am surprised to find so many vegetables. However, I did spot a slab of flesh towards the back, which I did my best to ignore.
Now, I can not just eat anything, it might notice if food is missing. Scrounging around for a [minute] my eyes eventually find a plant in one of the lower drawers. It looks like a big bundle of large leaves. I take it out and pry off one of the ones on the outside. It comes off relatively easily with a crunch. Hopefully this is edible. I bring the leaf to my mouth and bite down. It makes a very satisfying crunch as a do. There really is no distinct taste, but I am so hungry that I don’t even care if it is bland.
I scarfed down the rest of the leaf quickly and then grabbed another and then another. Before I knew it, the bundle was only a third of the original size. So much for being sneaky. Finally satisfied, I returned what remained of the bundle to its proper place and closed the refrigerator doors.
After finishing my raid on the refrigerators, I thought about what the old predator had said earlier. I walked over to the table near the entrance to the hallway. There must be something interesting here. However, there was nothing but a handful of photographs. Looking at them in the dim light I was able to make out the wide snarls that adorned the faces in the photo. I guess It makes more sense now since the snarl is a ‘happy’ expression. It is still very strange to me.
The photo closest to the front had the old predator standing next to a much younger predator, which appeared to be wearing Terran military pelts. Strangely, the young one has very bright orange hair on the top of its head.
Next to that one there was a similar photo, but the old predator looked slightly younger. The other Terran in the photo looked similar to the first. They did share the same bright orange hair, but the enlarged mammaries indicated that this one was a female.
I then spotted another picture including the same female, but this time she was next to a different predator and she was holding a Terran pup, which had the same orange hair. Perhaps the female was the mother of the other one. Most of the other photos appeared to be different combinations of the same four predators: the old one, his offspring, his offspring’s mate, and then their pup.
I moved over to the other side to see if I could find anything more useful. There was a photo that stood out to me. It pictured the old one, but he looked significantly younger even more than the other photos. Standing next to him was a female, which had the same orange hair as the others. Who was this? I had not seen it in any of the other pictures.
I searched around to see if I could find any more with this female in it. Towards the back I saw two pictures next to each other. The one on the left had the female again with the old predator. Laying in a bed she was cradling a newborn pup in her arms. However, the photo on the right was the old one with the pup in its arms. The pup appeared to be a year or two older in this one, but where was the mother? Looking at the older predator I saw the look in his eyes. I know that look. Cerci…
No! They are predators! They are not like us! You know they can not think like us! It's not the same!
Grr, you are tired… just… just go rest. I walk over to the bed. I curl up and try to let sleep take me. __________
[First] [Next] __________
So much for being comedic and lighthearted. I promise that the rest of it won't be so depressing, but I wanted to add a little more substance to some of the characters. Thanks again for reading! Feel free to leave any feedback or suggestions, I really appreciate it.

Special thanks to u/SpacePaladin15 for creating the NoP universe.
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I'd also like to thank u/xskipy10 for their awesome fanart of the main cast as well as their recent Tohba meme and their fanart of Michael baysitting. You're work is a treasure!
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Thank you as well to u/Accomplished-Golf-59 for his take on Michael, Teylim, and Tohba in his submission for the Banner Art Contest, and u/Spacer_Catgirl4969 for their awesome music video featuring a pixel-art Dohkar in his bar. Be sure to give ALL of these awesome creators your love and support.
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And let's not forget u/Guywhoexists2812 who has been an awesome source of memes as well as sick pixel art, such as THIS and THIS!!!! And even THIS!!!!!! And how could I forget THIS!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much!
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Today, we join Dohkar and Davids as they continue the hunt for Albiel, and we have the final confrontation between father and son. And Bennic finally decides what side he's on. LETTUCE...continue...
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First
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Previous
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Songs Mentioned/Used: Fire by Barns Courtney
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Memory Transcript Subject: Patient T-143, Yotul Refugee Sponsor Date:[Standardized Human Time] January 16, 2137
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That was Michael! It HAD to be!
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There was no mistaking it. That was my joey’s voice. And it tore a swath through this building. I couldn’t hear the guards outside my cell anymore. Either they ran off, or the sheer sound alone was enough to knock them unconscious. Either way, it gave me hope. And as I began hearing gunfire in the distance, slowly getting closer, my heart surged.
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This was it. This was my chance. Whoever these attackers were, there was no way Michael, Khornel, and Tohba coming over the loudspeakers at the same time as the attack was a coincidence. This was a raid! They were here to clear the place out and save the patients here! They were here to save me…
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I hopped up and grabbed onto the barred window of my holding cell. I wasn’t even close to strong enough to get this door open, but perhaps one of the raiders were.
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“HEEEEEYYYYY!!! HEEEEEELLLPPP!!! OVER HEEERRRREEE!!!!”
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I listened as my voice echoed down the halls and corridors, waiting for a response. When none came, I waited for the sound to completely dissipate, and tried again.
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“HELLOOOOOOOO!!!!! PLEASE!!! ANYONE!!!!! HEEEEEELLLPPP!!!!”
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Once again, I listened to my voice bounce from wall to wall, echoing through the building, waiting for any kind of response…
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^{“TEYLIM?!” TEYLIM, IS THAT YOU?!”}
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My heart soared as tears of relief built in my eyes. It was faint from just how far away it was, I knew that voice anywhere!
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Dohkar…
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“YES!!!! DOHKAR, IT’S ME!!! I’M HERE!!!”
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I began hearing footsteps echoing through the halls, getting closer to my cell. He was so close. Dohkar found me. He’d get me out, and then we could leave this place and find my joeys. It was almost over.
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The footsteps were so close now. I could barely contain my excitement as I let go of the bars and landed back on the ground. I waited with baited breath as the steps arrived just outside. But…something was wrong… Those footsteps sounded a lot…heavier than a Venlil’s should…
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The door opened, and the first thing I noticed…was the tall, menacing figure’s singular, sharpened, horn…
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“Y-you’re not Dohkar…”
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Memory Transcript Subject: Dohkar, Venlil Bartender Date:[Standardized Human Time] January 16, 2137
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“Yeesh, the kid’s got some pipes, I’ll give him that.”
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Davids and I were the only ones remaining from Squad 1. Chavez and our medic were the only others, and they were on their way back to the APC. We were on our own now, but seeing the complete and utter devastation of the Guild’s forces didn’t make that much of an issue. Occasionally we’d find one that was still conscious, but they were completely deaf from not getting their headset off quick enough.
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“Yeah. Let’s keep moving. We still have a job to finish. Is there still interference keeping us from contacting Squad 2?”
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Davids held a finger to his earpiece.
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“Squad 2, this is 1-1 Sargent Davids, over.”
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I listened in on my own ear piece. We were getting nothing but static.
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Come on, Tevis.
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“Squad 2, respond! This is 1-1 Sargent Davids. We are two men down and require assistance, over.”
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For a moment, there was still nothing but static, until a haggered, pained, voice crackled through.
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“This is Tevis. I read you Squad 1…”
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“What the hell happened?! We lost contact with you as soon as we began the attack!”
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“We were hit right away. Lost half my squad in the initial confrontation.”
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“What’s your status?”
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“Alive, but I’m the only one left. I found my original team…or…what’s left of them… But I’ve got the data we needed. Objective Complete.”
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The grim tone in his voice said it all. They must’ve found something they REALLY weren’t supposed to.
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“I’m aborting the mission. Even if we do manage to capture Albiel, there’s no way we’d be able to clear the facility with just the three of us. Meet back at the staging area where I’ll get back in contact with Magistrate Intellegence and request reinforcements.”
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“We can’t just leave! Not when we’re so close!”
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“We’re retreating. That’s an order, Dohkar.”
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My free paw clenched itself into a fist. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Everywhere around us, the defenses were crumbling. Anyone who could possibly have gotten in our way was either dead, unconscious, or deaf. We had this! There was no reason NOT to continue.
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Davids gave me a sympathetic look. He was a soldier, and he knew orders were orders. Still, I made a promise! I promised those pups, those pups who managed to wipe out an entire Guild Office’s worth of exterminators from half a town away, that I’d return and bring back Clem and-
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^{“HEEEEEYYYYY!!! HEEEEEELLLPPP!!! OVER HEEERRRREEE!!!!”}
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“Teylim?”
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Protect the herd!
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My ears perked up, and my senses were brought up to full alert.
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“Dohkar, what did you say?”
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“I…I thought I heard-“
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^{“HELLOOOOOOOO!!!!! PLEASE!!! ANYONE!!!!! HEEEEEELLLPPP!!!!”}
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“TEYLIM!”
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PROTECT THE HERD!!!
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My ears were on swivels, desperately trying to pinpoint the direction the voice was coming from. Once I’d narrowed it down, I took a few steps and cupped my paws around my snout as I shouted back.
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“TEYLIM?!” TEYLIM, IS THAT YOU?!”
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“Dohkar, what are you doin-“
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“Quiet!”
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I focused on my hearing as much as I could. Odds are, I’d probably get a decent chewing out for talking back to a superior officer, but if I found Teylim, it would be worth it. I listened as hard as I could.
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^{“YES!!!! DOHKAR, IT’S ME!!! I’M HERE!!!”}
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Protect the herd!!!
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My mind immediately raced, trying to remember what was in that direction. My mind slowly formed a layout of the building until-
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THE TEMPORARY HOLDING CELLS!!
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“Davids! Hostage located! It’s Teylim!”
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“You’re sure?!”
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“Positive! She’s that way!”
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“Dohkar! Davids! What are you-?”
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“We’ve got a location on one of the hostages. We’re going after her!”
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“Negative! I gave you direct orders to-“
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Before I could respond, Davids did it for me.
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“All due respect sir, the UN doesn’t follow YOUR orders.”
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“Why you filthy pre-“
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The signal cut off and Davids shouldered his rifle.
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“Come on. We’ve still got hostages to save.”
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I gave a thankful nod and we sprinted towards the holding cells. Tevis could run all he wanted, but WE still have a job to do.
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Hang tight, Teylim…
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Passing several other squads of downed exterminators on the way, we eventually made it to the holding cells. These were where we’d temporarily hold suspects until they were ready to be screened. I immediately spotted a pair of officers outside one of the cells, it’s door was wide open.
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“Teylim?”
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I jogged over to the open cell.
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“Teylim?!”
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Nothing. It was completely empty. The only thing that showed that anyone had been here…was a streak of green on the floor…
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[Warning!: Anger Response Spiking Rapidly: Attempting To Compensate…]
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I knelt down and ran a finger across the streak. It was fresh. She was here…and someone had hurt her…enough to draw blood. The only other clue I found were a few white hairs speckled with blue blood. Fissan fur…
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Albiel…
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I didn’t need to look anymore. I knew exactly who did this, and exactly where he would go.
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“It’s your call, Sarge…”
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“We finish the mission…and save the hostages.”
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I led the way. The Chief’s office wasn’t far. A right turn here. A left turn there. And then a long hallway with the office at the very end.
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Once the door to his office was inside, Davids and I both picked up the pace. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he was waiting for us. I knew my father. This was a test. He knew I’d go after Teylim. He wanted me to chase him.
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“This is probably a trap!”
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“Definitely!”
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Once we made it to the door, we stacked up, both taking a side. Davids raised his hand and began silently counting down.
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Five…
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Four…
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Three-
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BANG!!!
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The door flew open and an arm holding a sidearm shot out fired at Davids. Before I could even see what became of him, that same arm ripped me inside the room before I could react.
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SLAM!!!
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Before I could catch my bearings, I was yanked into the air and flung across the room, slamming over the desktop and landing roughly on the floor behind it.
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Getting ragdolled like that brought back all sorts of unpleasant memories, but I did my best to shake myself loose from them. Disarmed, I went for the human pistol holstered to my hip and stood to aim at my attacker.
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“Oh, I wouldn’t if I were you.”
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“Dohkar!”
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Albiel…
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My grip on my weapon tightened and I could feel my teeth chipping as they ground against each other in rage.
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There he was, the symbol of everything wrong with The Guild. The Chief. My father. Albiel. In one paw, he held Teylim, beaten, green dripping from the side of her mouth, and a patient shock collar around her neck. In the other paw, he held the remote for it.
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“Let. Her. Go.”
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“You never fail to disappoint me, Dohkar. You AND those failures of a squad you called your brothers.”
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Bennic?
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Did he hurt them too?
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“Every time I think the bar couldn’t be any lower, you still somehow manage.”
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His fur was matted and disheveled, and there was an outright manic look in his eyes. The only thing about him that was still prim and orderly was that damned horn, still and shiny and sharp as ever. Bennic was right. He really had lost it.
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“ALL of this could’ve been yours one paw, Dohkar! Everything I’ve done! EVERYTHING I’ve built! I did so in the name of finding someone worthy enough to pass it all on to. I found you, along with the rest of your incompetent squad in a damned GUTTER! I gave you a home, a purpose, and THIS is how you all repay me?! Failure! Betrayal! Disappointment! And for WHAT?! ‘People’ like THIS?!”
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His grip around Teylim’s neck tightened. I felt myself breaking apart as she shrieked in his grip.
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“Dohkar, plea-“
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“SILENCE, SAVAGE!!”
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I tried aiming my weapon once he was distracted, but he quickly noticed and held up the remote. With a chuff, he regained a facsimile of his usual self, the mask he kept on to hide the madness I always knew was there.
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“Even after you left, you continue to disappoint me at every turn: Cavorting about with primitives and predators far below your station, opening up that filthy excuse of a watering hole, so you could spend even MORE time with the mindless gutter trash that INFESTS this town?! Even when my expectations for you could not have been any lower, ALL you had to do…was STAY. AWAY Just look good for the ‘people’, continue on being the former ‘legend’ that everyone moron in this town believed you to be, and keep your noseless shout OUT of our business. But you couldn’t even do THAT, could you?! How I saw ANY potential in you in the first place continues to elude me.”
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I didn’t respond, continuing to let him talk himself to death. Any moment now, David’s would break through that door, and I’d have my chance. I continued to just stare, only taking the occasional glance towards Teylim.
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“Buuuut no matter. I’ll just have to start again. I’ll find a new backwater town, with just as neglectful management. I’ll find other downtrodden youths more than willing to stay loyal if it means a roof over their heads and food in their stomachs. I’ll build it all up again. And you…well…maybe you’ll surprise me and survive long enough to see it.”
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“No. It stops here. I won’t let you take advantage of anyone else.”
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“Oh? What are you going to do? Shoot me with your primitive space ape gun? We BOTH know you won’t risk hitting HER.”
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He lifted Teylim closer to him, using her as a shield. My paws began to shake.
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“Now here’s what’s going to happen. You are going to stand by and watch as I take my leave. And if you try to stop me, I’ll not only reunite this wretch with her mate, but I’ll be sure to find their tainted SPAWN as well, and take extra time in coming up with a creative end for him. Who knows? He might make for a decent recruit after all.”
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“Dohkar!”
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“Teylim…”
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My mind went from plan to plan, idea to idea, finding no solution that wouldn’t end with Teylim getting killed. Even if I adjusted my aim, he’d just activate the collar before I could pull the trigger. I was also out of time for stalling.
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“Dohkar! I need…you…to promise me…”
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My eyes focused back on Teylim. Trails of tears flowed down her cheeks as her teeth clenched. At that moment, I knew exactly what she’d say. This was it. These were Lohrek’s last moments, before Albiel killed him… He made me make a promise, too.
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No. Not again.
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“Promise me… Whatever happens…watch over my joeys… Michael… Tohba… Protect them…”
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No. No. No. Not again. Please not again.
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“I…I…”
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“PLEASE, DOHKAR! They’re all I have… Please… Promise me…that you’ll protect them…”
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Every last part of me shook and shivered. I couldn’t find words to express the horror I was feeling, watching the death of my best friend play in front of me again, almost verbatim. So instead, I said what I wish I could’ve said to Loh.
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“Like they were my very own pups.”
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She forced a pained smile as Albiel’s grip loosened for just a moment.
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“Well isn’t that precious? A mother’s love truly does run eternal. …Perhaps THAT was the missing piece. How might YOU all have turned out if you’d had a mother as well. Food for thought-“
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“GYYYYAAAARRRGH!!!!!”
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Albiel’s speech was interrupted as the Yotul he was holding shrieked out, twisting her head to the side and clamping her jaws onto his arm, causing blue to spurt out from around her teeth.
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“GAAAAAHHH!!! VICIOUS BEAST!!!”
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I watched in shock as with one massive swing of his arm, he shook Teylim off and sent her slamming into the wall with a sickening slap.
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“TEYLIM!!!!!”
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PROTECT THE HERD!!!
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I raised my weapon. While I could’ve ended him right then and there, my only concern was the remote in his paw that he was pointing in her direction.
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BANG!!!
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Another splatter of blue, another shriek of pain from Albiel, and the remote was sent, sparking and nonfunctional, to the ground.
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Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him make a break for it through the door, but my focus was entirely on Teylim. I slid down to the ground beside her and cradled her in my arms.
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“Teylim! TEYLIM!!”
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She was unresponsive. One of her legs had definitely been broken from the hit and while I could feel a pulse, it was weak
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I turned on my ear piece and hoped it still worked.
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“Medic!!! I need a medic in the Chief’s office! One soldier and one hostage critically injured!!! Medic!!!”
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While I waited for a response, I went back to trying to rouse Teylim.
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“Teylim! Wake up! Please!”
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Still…nothing… She was getting weaker. I could feel it.
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“Please, Teylim… You can’t leave us yet. We still need you. Your pups NEED you, you hear me? BOTH of them! Michael… Tohba… They need their mother. And…”
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For the first time in a long time…I felt the old sting of tears build up in my eyes. They flowed down my face is thin streaks as I held one of the only friends I had left in my arms, pressing my head against hers.
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“I need you, too… So please… Wake up…”
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There was a moment of nothing but silence, before she took in a faint, raspy, gasp of air.
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I reeled back in shock as her limbs finally moved, clinging onto me. Her chest convulsed as she coughed and sputtered, before finally, her eyes winced open, meeting mine.
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“Doh..kar…?”
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I couldn’t speak. My mind refused to create the right words for the relief I felt as I pulled her in, holding her close.
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“Wow… Hehe… Never thought…I’d see the day YOU cried… HeheOH stars, it hurts to laugh…”
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I pulled back and wiped at my face.
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“I’m getting you out of here.”
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Finally, right on queue, I heard multiple people enter the room. I turned and saw a pair of UN medics come in with a stretcher.
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“We heard your request for a medic!”
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“Here! Help her!”
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“On it!”
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As we got to work getting Teylim on the stretcher, I noticed there were only two.
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“What about Davids?”
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One of the medics gave me a sympathetic look before shaking his head.
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Damnit…
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Suddenly, I realized something. These medics… They weren’t ones that we’d left at the staging area…
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“Wait. Aren’t you two supposed to still be at the bar?”
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“We were needed to help care for the rescued patients. The staging area’s already being turned into a field hospital for all of them.”
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I was…confused… We didn’t get to clearing out the facility yet. And as far as I knew, Tevis had already retreated back outside.
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“What? But we didn’t-“
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“That would be my handiwork, Dohkar.”
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A voice crackled through the radio. It wasn’t Tevis, Mike, or anyone else I’d have expected to hear. It was…
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“Ben?”
Memory Transcript Subject: Officer Bennic, Senior Extermination Officer Date:[Standardized Human Time] January 16, 2137
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Madness…
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Pointless, directionless madness…
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I slowly made my way down the hall to just one of the many treatment rooms in the facility, my squad mates at my side, doing my best to not let what I saw in Chief’s office get to me.
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Though, now that I thought about it, it made perfect sense. How willing he was to stand by in his code little room in the back of the building while the rest of us fought and died.
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The perfect shields and distractions…
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Don’t think… Just do… Follow orders…
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We believed in The Guild. We believed in HIM. That’s how we were raised, after all. It’s how we all were. Albiel always DID prefer to recruit young. All the easier to mold into what he wanted.
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Obedient little soldiers…just like me…
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Don’t think… Just do… Follow orders…
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I walked through the door. I remembered when we were shown these rooms the first time. “A necessary evil”, it was called. We didn’t like it, especially Dohkar. He was always stronger than us. Sometimes I wonder…
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Don’t think… Just do… Follow orders…
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There are two chairs in the room. The door to the rest of the facility, particularly the holding cells, had a line out the door of prisoners and patients. All waiting for the inevitable.
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Don’t think… Just do… Follow orders…
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The door was guarded. Two of the younger officers who’d been assigned this post for a while now. One remained focused, while the other constantly kept glancing at the rears of any female patient he could see. Even now, after we found out what he would do in his spare time, he never received punishment.
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Don’t think… Just do… Follow orders…
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I looked to the two patients already strapped to their chairs. In the left one, an elderly Venlil, a soldier if I remember right. He served this planet, and served it proudly, and paid the price with his eyesight. Is THIS what all those years of service has earned him?
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Don’t think… Just do… Follow orders…
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In the right, a Gojid female. She was only a pup when she was first brought here. She was adorned with two large burn scars. One that covered her entire forearm from a flamer burning her. The other wrapped around her neck, a permanent reminder of the collar that had been placed around it. What does a child do to deserve a life like this, I wonder.
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Don’t think… Just do… Follow orders…
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“Mr. Clem…?”
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“It will be alright, child. I promise.”
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“I don’t wanna! I don’t wanna get hurt again!”
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The elder faces in my direction, his glassy eyes filled with nothing but hatred. I have a clue about who he is, but just to be sure…
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“You’re Clem? You’re the one that helped Dohkar when he left The Guild, right?”
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“Why are you doing this?’ What did we do?! You can’t just punish us without giving us a reason!”
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If only he knew…
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“This…isn’t a punishment… The Guild is under attack. Under direct orders by Extermination Chief Albiel, I am to oversee the scuttling of the facility, including the evacuation of staff, deletion of data…and termination of prisoners…”
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The glassy eyes of the blind old man, glared white-hot daggers into my very being.
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“You monsters! Dohkar really was right about you lot! You’re not protectors! You’re just murderers!”
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He’s right…
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Don’t think… Just do… Follow orders…
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Those are my orders. While my fellow officers fight and die just to buy time, while my Chief, my father hides away in his office, making deals and planning HIS escape, I cover up what we should never have been doing in the first place.
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Don’t think… Just do… Follow orders…
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One of the doctors begins charging the machine. It whirs to life, sending the Gojid into hysterics. She knows what these chairs do, as do I…
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Don’t think…
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It’ll kill them…
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Just do…
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Just like it killed so many others before…
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Follow orders…
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…
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Unfortunately…I don’t feel like following orders.
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Without even NEEDING to think. I pull a sidearm from my holster, followed by my squad: Abra, Canuck, and Ento. My brothers. Among all the other officers in our branch, We were all recruited together, with Dohkar as our leader. When he left, we all stayed, but I did my best to fill his place.
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So when I draw my weapon, the others do as well.
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BANG!! BABANG!!! BANG!! BANG!!!
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The doctor falls. The two guards fall. And the generator fueling the chairs sparks and dies. We unstrap the two from the chair and do our best to calm the patients.
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“Wha-? What are you-?”
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“For the first time in my life, doing my job. Now then, would an old soldier be willing to help me get these people organized and out of here?”
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With more than a little hesitation, especially from the young Gojid girl, the two walked over to the other patients and began talking them down.
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So, with me leading the way, letting the soldier and his cellmate ride in my back, we began to lead the line of patients toward the emergency exit, opening every cell along the way.
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Don’t think… Just do…
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It wasn’t easy. Many didn’t trust me, others were simply too out of it or just plain damaged to come out on their own, but with the coaxing of more of true or own, we’d add them to our long caravan.
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There was only one we didn’t find…
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Jerrik…
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Memory Transcript Subject: Dohkar, Venlil Bartender Date:[Standardized Human Time] January 16, 2137
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“Ben?”
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“You’re clear, Dohkar. The patients are already at the staging area getting triaged and sorted by Canuck. The other UN soldiers here have already called for the medics and volunteers to come and help.”
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I felt my heart warm as I heard Ben’s speaking. This wasn’t the old, beaten, Surulian still subservient to Albiel. This was my brother, my brother who is not truly seen for a long, long time. And he wasn’t alone.
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“Canuck? Does that mean that Ento and Abra are there, too?”
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“Copy that, commander!”
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“Yeah…we’re here…I guess…”
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Guys…
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My brothers. My whole damn squad from training. My brothers who were taken with me. They were all there, helping how they could.
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“How does it feel being on the right side again?”
​
“Like we’ve still got a LOT of work to do. And so do YOU. Go, Dohkar. We’ll handle things out here… Take. Him. Down…for all of us…”
​
…For all of us…
​
Protect the herd!
​
The signal cut out. I gave one last look to my friend on the stretcher. I didn’t need to look at the two medics.
​
“Tell me you have her.”
​
“We have her.”
​
Teylim gave me a weak smile and a nod.
​
“Go. Finish this.”
​
I turned, and ran. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. And then, a familiar tune came to my mind. A promise I’d made the last time I left this wretched building.
​
A promise to burn everything my father built.
​
LORD, GIMME THAT FIRE!!!!
​
I ran.
​
LORD, GIMME THAT FIRE!!!!
​
I chased.
​
LORD, GIMME THAT FIRE!!!!
​
I raced to finally put his madness to an end.
​
BURN!!!! BURN!!!! BURN!!!!
​
Memory Transcript Subject: Patient J-902, Nevok Predator Disease Patient Date:[Standardized Human Time] January 16, 2137
​
I hid. I saw the others get let out and huddled together in a line. I knew the room they were being led to, so I hid.
​
I heard the roar of the predator through the speaker in my cell. I heard the screams of the guards. I heard the shots being fired.
​
My door opens. Many of the other ones opened, too. I peek around the doorway to make sure it’s safe. And it is.
​
**Nowhere is safe.**It’s so much brighter now. Now that I’m finally out of the cell. I can think clearly again. And with clarity, came pretty much everything I wished had stayed forgotten.
​
I failed. I couldn’t go through with it. And as punishment, I was locked away.
​
Father…
​
I fell to my knees and cried. Cried like a damn pup, just like I did when I begged him not to lock me in here.
​
Father…
​
I did EVERYTHING else right! I followed the training. I followed the beliefs. I did everything he told me to do! But still, he…
​
Father…
​
[Warning!: Anger Response Rising Steadily…]
​
I looked up. Above the cells, above the walkways, above all of this damned facility, was one window. HIS office…
​
Father…
​
“This way everyone! Stay together!”
​
I snap my attention towards a large group approaching my direction. I COULD go with them. I COULD go back outside…but…there’s something I have to do first.
​
As I make my way to the electroshock chamber, I spot the dead guards and doctor. I spot one of their weapons on the ground, and pick it up.
​
Just like my training, just as HE instructed me. The predator has been smoked out, fleeing from his hole out into the open. All that was left…
​
Was for someone to take the shot…
​
Next

I slip in and out of wow for a month or two every year (last time I was subbed before right now is about a year ago), am in a causal social guild, never do non-LFR raids, never do premade bgs. I love the theorycrafting of talent trees and trying x or y different build etc but in terms of actual gameplay or game time I'm very much on the casual end of things.
I've played hardcore pvp and semi-casual raids in vanilla, same in tbc, some of wrath, then stopped and just did about a months sub every time a new expansion released. Dragonflight was my fav expansion for a long time, and the last since wrath that I subbed to for more than 1 month.
The pros for me: - liked the return to the old-style talent trees. Liked this a lot actually - liked the more happy and positive fun atmosphere of DF in general. Not my usual vibe but was nice in wow for a change - the accessibility of the content in general - the main city hub was infinitely better than Oribos
Negatives for me: - the dungeons weren't great for me. Don't know if it's just my old man mind but some were chaotic with far too many colourful backgrounds, decals, atmospheric effects etc to keep track of what was going on half the time. I actually lowered my graphics setting and the number of spells shown to counter this, which I've never had to do before. Also wasn't really a fan of the dungeon layouts in general, found them quite repetitive, bland, and in some cases easy to get lost. In even lower level mythic keys keeping track of interrupts on mobs could be very difficult - the pvp has been the same as the last few expansions for me. Get to the basic iLvl gear and fight against classes which largely feel all the same, bar one or two unique abilities to each class. This has been something I haven't liked over a long time though and not specific to this expansion as such to be fair - there's just too much going on in general. I realise this is partly because new features or activities get added in each major patch so if I don't play for 6 months then come back then there will be new things flashing up at me, but it seems very overwhelming
Just throwing this in here since I would assume most people who post in this sub are in the more serious or at the very least not casual player base, so might be interested to hear something from a different perspective. I might add a couple of things to this as I think of them, but I think that's all for now. Peace

So I attempted to get my account back, but I didn’t have the proper information (access to my old account, last NC trade or NC purchase).
I tried offering additional information, they said I need to properly appeal and closed my ticket.
So I properly appealed, they finally got back to me and said: you haven’t provided the proper info, as a final attempt to verify account ownership (emphasis mine) provide us with the last NC trade or list of Neofriends.
I’m really worried. Is my account gone for good then? And it’s frustrating to me that my appeal was based on not having this specific info, why would my appeal require the same thing from the first time around?
I’m feeling pretty upset. The password retrieval not working after they reset everyone’s passwords is why I’ve lost my account. Just feeling very heartbroken. I have emails I can forward from my Neopets account going back years… it’s like they didn’t even read my appeal info.
I have access to my old side which is a neo friend to that account, they’re the only accounts in the guild I created… I reference my side on my main… Ugh :(

Sorry if my English isn't good..

1. Fortress

The attack mission is cool segment in the game. The rewards are what I look forward to but recently I observe this same fortress layout with almost same traps and installations which is giving me an eye sore. It's like I am playing the same fortress over and over again!
It isn't wrong but come on.. just use something else try new methods. The entrance floor with water mask and the next floor with resurrection summon and the battlefield floor with those water jet traps.. ugghh

1. SAM vs VLC

I agree SAM and Village Leader Championship are equally bad when you dont have the featured kit. But VLC is bad in comparison to SAM. I mean SAM was the only mission that allows you to play with your guild members other than attack mission. It was fun.. It really helped me when I didn't have the featured card.

1. The worst drop rates and increased shinobites...
   
2. I won't say I would uninstall it. That would be a joke but slowly I am losing interest. 🤷‍♀️
   

For some context my guild is usually around rank 300ish of Guild Raids. BUT most of my guild mates have very narrow rosters. I'm the outlier; I have a very broad roster and though I'm almost power level 50, Almost all my characters are Gold I or Silver III. This means I can field a lot of adaptable teams for various battles. A lot of my guildies are stuck with one or two best teams and then a lot of dross.
Because of this, we stick to Guild War level 2, where most of the battles are Silver I or Bronze I. Even then, many of my guildies struggle to field 10 full teams to spend all their tokens.
All that said, we thoroughly enjoyed this season of Guild Wars. We won 4 of 6 wars, and I am of the opinion that our matchups were much better this time. We trounced our final match-up, but it seemed like they had very low participation.
The building buffs were awesome, I think it made a huge difference for evening the playing field and making it more strategic. It made building placement more interesting and encouraged different configurations.
They did a good job patching the guardsmen, but I like that they respawn every battle: it encourages targeting the Garrisons. Before it was step 1. Destroy the Medicae, Step 2. Wipe out everything else. Now you have to choose a strategic path based on the enemy's layout.
For the downsides:I think 6 wars is too much and leads to fatigue. Even my guild, whose members play every day, was struggling in the end. Probably 4, MAYBE 5 would be ideal. Even 3 wouldn't make me mad if the gap between seasons was smaller.
Also the War Shop sucks. I have almost 10k reward tokens and nothing to spend them on. There should be Orbs, Exp books and Badges. I'm glad Rotbone is there, I hope he stays because he's such a game changer. But I already have him and Aun'shi, so...I guess I'll just save them and hope better rewards show up later.
So how about Ya'll?

MASTER FILES

• Unofficial Skyrim Specical Edition Patch
  
• Vanilla Script (Micro) Optimizations
  
• Unofficial Skyrim Creation Club Patch
  
• Simple Workaround Framework
  
• Reconciliation QoL and Bug Fixes
  
• Recon AE
  
• Recon/USSEP patch
  
• Campfire
  
• Whiterun Forest Borealis 3.2.3
  
• Jaysus Swords SE
  
• Myrwatch CC - Editable Home Cells
  
• Falskaar
  
• Unofficial Falskaar Patch
  
• Wyrmstooth
  
• Environs Master Plugin
  
• TDG Goblins Around Skyrim
  
• Comprehensive Falskaar Fixes
  
• Wyrmstooth Tweaks and Fixes
  
• Myrwatch Tweaks
  

CREATION CLUB EDITS
N/A
BUG FIXES
N/A
CHEATS & NEW NON-COMBAT MECHANICS

• Hide UI
  
• Frostfall
  
• iNeed
  
  • Cutting Room Floor
  • Indrith's Tweaks - Movement increases Armor
  • Indrith's Tweaks - Dragon Soul Perks
  • Indrith's Tweaks - Beginnings
• Insightful Shalidor's Insights
  
  • World Encounters Overhaul
  • Cheat Room
  • Cheat Room Anniversary Edition Patch
• Tiny Houses
  
• Camper's Workbench
  
• Camping Extended
  
• CC Simple Camping
  
• TDG's Crafting Bag
  

MENUS AND UI
N/A
MUSIC & SOUNDS

• Music of Tamriel

DIALOGUE

• Voiced Narrative AE AiO

EXISTING QUEST EDITS

• College Curriculum
  
• Jayserpa's College of Winterhold Quest Expansion
  
• College of Winterhold - Open Campus
  
• Thieves Guild Requirements
  
• Edmond's A Change in Management
  
• Free Dead Man's Dread
  

NEW PURELY CRAFTABLE ITEMS

• Equippable Tomes
  
• Equippable Tomes - Campfire add-on
  
• Shortbows
  
• Bandoliers
  
• Craftable Circlets
  

EXISTING MECHANICS & SETTINGS EDITS

• Apocalypse
  
• Ars Arcanum Nova
  
• Ars Metallica
  
• Conjuror's Forge - 2L2Q Edition
  
• Serendipitous Rewards of the Weary Traveller
  
• Serendipitous - AE patch
  
• Reconciliation AE - Serendipitous Patch
  
• Realistic Night Eye - Original
  
• Arquebus
  
• Undress for Bed
  
• Archery Tweaks Anniversary Edition
  
• Faster Bow Draw
  
• Sniper - Add Damage Bonus here
  
• Headsplitter
  
• Alchemist - Create More Potions
  
• Andromeda - Unique Standing Stone
  
• Big Jump x2
  
• Improved Backpacks V2
  
• Paths of Devotion - CC Version
  
• Amulets of the Nine Divines
  
• Hunter's Senses
  

PERK EFFECTS

• Vokrii Maxx
  
• Apocalypse-Vokrii patch
  
• Odin-Vokrii patch
  
• Perks Unbound
  
• Stealth Archer Damage Modifier
  
• Simple Magic Perk Tweak
  

MAGIC & SHOUTS

• Immersive Carry Weight Spells
  
• Austin's Spell Pack
  

LEVELLED LOOT LISTS

• Tomes of Arcane Knowledge
  
• Loot Satchels of Skyrim
  
• Better Loot
  
• Lootable Things
  
• Oddities From Morrowind
  
• Fishermen Sell Creation Club Fish
  

GRASS & LANDSCAPES FIXES
N/A
NON-COMBAT NPC AI

• Ducks and Swans
  
• Netches at Skyrim by Xtudo
  
• Otters
  
• Squirrels
  
• Immersive Patrols
  
• Improved Roads
  
• Hold Riders
  
• Heart of Gold Adoption Bundle
  

MULTIPLE LOCATION EDITS

• Spaghetti's AiO/Capitals and Towns/Trees in Cities
  
• Spaghetti's Orc Strongholds AiO
  
• OLD_Cities & Villages
  
• Ryn's Lumber Mills
  
• More Crafting & Storage
  
• Better Dwemer Exteriors
  
• Watchtowers of Skyrim
  
• Quaint Borders
  
• Border Guards
  
• Quaint Hjaalmarch Swamp (Myrwatch Compatibility Edition)
  
• Environs - Whiterun Watchtower
  
• Environs - Riften Wearhouse
  
• Environs - Abandoned Abodes
  
• Environs - Hroggar's House
  
• TNF Skyrim House Remodel
  
• Hold Border Guards AE
  
• Lightly Populated Settlements
  
• Merchants in Inns
  
• Water Plants
  
• Populated Dungeons Caves Ruins
  
• Hand Placed Enemies
  
• ESO Skyshards
  
• Manor Roads
  
• Lanterns of Skyrim SE
  
• Lush Vanilla Trees
  
• Skyrim Better Roads
  
• Wandering Merchants
  
• Wooden Bridges
  
• Carriage Stops of Skyrim
  

SINGLE LOCATION EDITS

• Arena - Markarth Side
  
• Bee Hives
  
• Darkwater Crossing
  
• Dawnstar
  
• Dragon Bridge
  
• Echoes of the Vale
  
• Falkreath
  
• Granite Hill
  
• Ivarstead
  
• Juniper's College of Winterhold
  
• Juniper's College of Winterhold - CRF Patch
  
• Juniper's College of Winterhold - No Doors Patch
  
• Juniper's College of Winterhold - Courtyard Patch
  
• Juniper's House for Golldir
  
• Juniper's House for Illia
  
• Karthwasten
  
• Kynesgrove
  
• Legendary Dungeons: Dwarven
  
• Oakwood
  
• Galaxy's Riverwood
  
• Rorikstead
  
• Ryn's Anise's Cabin
  
• Ryn's Azura's Shrine
  
• Ryn's Bleak Falls Barrow
  
• Ryn's Bleakfalls Tower
  
• Ryn's Bleakwind Basin
  
• Ryn's Bleakwind Basin - USSEP Patch
  
• Ryn's Broken Tower Redoubt
  
• Ryn's Crabber's Shanty
  
• Ryn's Dragon Miunds AiO
  
• Ryn's Farms AiO
  
• Ryn's Goldenglow Estate
  
• Ryn's Halted Stream Camp
  
• Ryn's Karthspire
  
• Ryn's Lost Valley Redoubt
  
• Ryn's Lund's Hut
  
• Ryn's Mehrunes Dagon Shrine
  
• Ryn's Mistwatch Folly
  
• Ryn's Robber's Gorge
  
• Ryn's Robber's Gorge and Crabber's Shanty patch
  
• Ryn's Saarthal
  
• Ryn's Secunda's Kiss
  
• Ryn's Standing Stones AiO
  
• Ryn's Ustengrav
  
• Ryn's Valthiem Towers
  
• Ryn's Western Watchtower
  
• Ryn's White River Watch
  
• Schlitzohr's Neugrad
  
• Shor's Stone
  
• Soljund's Sinkhole
  
• Solsthiem Lighthouse
  
• Solsthiem Stables
  
• Sunthgat
  
• Whistling Mine
  
• Understone Keep Swept
  
• Cow's Simple Solitude Docks
  
• Blackreach - Clockwork City
  
• Hearthfire Upgrade Bundle - Library
  
• Hearthfire Extra Planters
  
• Windstad Garden Extended
  
• Leaf Fall Farm
  
• Oddities from Morrowind
  
• Red Mountain Volcano
  
• Ragged Flagon Secret Entrance
  

MESHES & TEXTURE FIXES
N/A
MESHES & TEXTURES GENERAL

• Creation Club Textures
  
• Dark Brotherhood Armor Black 2K
  
• Leather Armor
  
• MCKing Nightmother Replacer
  

MESHES & TEXTURES LAND AND BUILDINGS
N/A
WEATHER

• Not Your Mother's Weather
  
• Cathedral Weathers and Seasons
  
• Natural Clouds
  
• Realistic Clouds - Immersive Edition
  

INTERIOR LIGHTING

• Skyrim is Luminous

INTERIOR LAYOUTS & DECORATION

• Spaghetti's Palaces AiO
  
• Spaghetti Faction Halls AiO
  

OBJECTS ADDED TO STATIC LOCATIONS

• Adventurer's Sketchbook
  
• Mirage - Summoned Mount
  
• Auto Harvest Ring
  

MESHES & TEXTURES VISUAL EFFECTS
N/A
NPC FOLLOWER MECHANICS
N/A
COMBAT MOVEMENT, RESOURCES, ENEMY AI, ETC
N/A
ENCOUNTER EDITS & ENEMY LEVELLED LISTS

• Ancient Nord Shield
  
• Steel Soldier Shield
  
• Pirate's Life for Me
  
• Bonemold and Chitin Weapons
  
• Guards Armor Replacement
  
• Thieves Guild Armor Enchantments AE
  
• Falmer Equip Armor
  
• All Armor Lootable and Wearable
  
• Left Hand Rings Complete
  
• Cloaks of Skyrim
  
• Face Masks of Skyrim
  

ENEMIES SPECIFIC VARIANTS, STATS
N/A
NEW FOLLOWERS, NPCs, & SPAWNS
N/A
NEW QUESTS & LANDS
N/A
MESHES & TEXTURES ANIMALS & CREATURES

• Immersive Dragons Resized SSE

BODY MESHES & SKIN TEXTURES

• Males With Tempered Skins Body
  
• SL01
  
• Master Skin Fix
  

CHARACTER CREATION ASSISTS & OPTIONS
N/A
NPC FACES REPLACERS

• R246 Presets
  
• Sorsia's Selections
  
• Aratamiste Hair Pack
  

RACIAL ABILITIES & STARTING STATS

• Sos Ahst Mulasg
  
• Reconciliation QoL - Sos Ahst Mulasg patch
  

WEREWOLF & VAMPIRE PLAYER MECHANICS
N/A
BODY SKELETON
N/A
ANIMATIONS, BEHAVIORS, & KILL MOVES

• Girly Animation

WEAPON, ARMOR REPLACERS
N/A
UNIQUE ITEM EDITS & POTION EFFECTS
N/A
BOTTOM OF LO

• Skyrim Particle Overhaul

NON-TREE LOD
N/A
NON GRASS & TREES LOD
N/A
MAP MODS

• A Clear Map of Skyrim

ALTERNATE STARTS

• Alternate Start Live Another Life
  
• New Beginnings
  
• Random Alternate Start Reloaded
  

WATER MODS

• Some High Quality H20

CONTROLS, HOTKEYS, AIMING
N/A
ABSOLUTE BOTTOM

• SkyHide - Don't Show Headgears
  
• Less Grass 120
  
• Dragons From the Start
  
• Shouting Provokes Dragons
  
• Radiance - Radiant Quests
  
• Protect your People
  
• Run For Your Lives
  
• Buffed Enchanting
  
• AFT AE
  
• Just Checking
  

I will layout how this happens. At the end of this broadcast/Egghead there will defiantly be increased danger on Luffy from the WG/IMU/Five Elders. Garp is currently taken by BB and his goal is to trade Garp so his island get recognized as a WG kingdom. I do not think WG/IMU/Five Elders will care about what happens to Garp and ask BB to get rid of him. Oda setup the Marine bounty for a reason for later use. I think BB collects the bounty for Garp even though he will on get a Vice Admiral level bounty.
This is where things become fun. I believe at the end of this year we will see Red Hair pirates vs Cross Guild. I think Oda has setup so that every Yonko crew will end up fighting each other once before the story ends. So after Elbaf starts I think we will get Shanks vs Mihawk. I think since Buggy wants the OP he will end up colliding with Shanks for a poneglyph. I do not think Cross Guild get destroyed like Kidd crew. It would be more of a fun fight in which the loser just back off. Shanks had asked Marco to join his crew but he declined. I think since Garp would be in Cross Guilds possession he would ask Garp to join his crew.
Garp would not be able to go back to the marines because they gave him up. Garp has said pirates are bad to Luffy so many times it seems hard to imagine he would join. But I think he would joins Shanks. Shanks would explain what is going after. That the world is going to be destroyed and that Luffy needs to claim the OP to save the world. He would say that he trying to guide/protect Luffy to make sure he worthy of RogeJoyboy to claim and save the OP. I also think Shanks crew would be really laid back as we have seen them drinking and having most of the time. This would be Garp retirement. Garp would not have any connections to the Marines is because he saved/told everyone that he trust the future of the Marines to them. I think he truely feels that way and they can shape the Marines into something better.

I played Neopets as a kid from 2000-2007ish. My old account is still up but I can’t get into that account anymore, so I made a new one today!
How long until I can do everything? Like make a shop, join a guild, etc.
Also, I’m currently working on my newbie quests and need to add 3 neofriends, so if you want to be friends let me know!

Okay so I was recently playing through the Fable games again and it occurred to me how strange Bowerstone’s town layout/location is throughout all 3 games.
In Fable Bowerstone is the only real big town and it’s literally down the road from the Hero’s Guild and Lookout Point, nothing really wrong with this.
Then in Fable 2, Bower Lake has replaced where the Guild and Lookout Point were, so Bowerstone should be just right down the road again right? Nah apparently Bowerstone picked itself up and moved 120 freaking miles away from where it originally was, since that’s the distance traveled from Bower Lake to Bowerstone Market in that game. Why and how did they just move the entire town back so far?
Then in Fable 3 it gets really funny cause Millfields is where Bower Lake originally was, and yet Bowerstone you can see is no more than a mile away from the road leading there. So between Fable 2 and 3 Bowerstone apparently expanded almost 120 miles back in the direction it originally was, in only 50 years no less. Who is the city planner and where can I find him to sacrifice him in the Dark Sanctum?