Part Three – The Brigade Unleashed
Thul Gulokas knelt in the Temple of Warlock, the ship’s divine sphere before him. His ship’s Aspect had yet to contact the Commander of the Dragon Brigade. Thul wasn’t worried, he never worried about his faith. He was more loyal to Warlock then anyone else on the ship. He would do whatever his God wished of him, anything. He was Warlock’s iron talons made form. He was the God’s Chosen. Warlock chose him to be Commander of the Dragon Brigade and Captain of the Warlock. At first, the Dragon Emperor had not been pleased. He hadn’t believed Thul was worthy of the position, being from a lesser Asamet House. Thul proved the Emperor wrong, which the half-black dragon knew had incensed Mezzenbone even more. The great red wyrm had chosen the title, Dark Son, for a reason. It was not meant as an honorific. It was derogatory because of his heritage.
Thul didn’t care. His God used it with pride.
“Thul, my child.” Warlock’s Aspect stood in front of his favorite mortal with pride. “What troubles you?”
“Arassil is here, my Liege.” Thul kept his head bowed in reverence. He did not look upon his God’s Aspect. It was his way of showing servitude and devotion. He didn’t need to look at him to see him.
The Aspect was one of the most feared in the Dragon Empire. Warlock was as Aspect of both the Destroyer and the Magus. Warlock always appeared in clad in an assault exoskeleton, which is black as space and filled with infinite stars. Over this is a tabard made of living dragon scales, which shimmers in all the colors of the Houses of the Asamet. Under his armored helmet glow two red suns of pure darkness.
Thul could fell the fear rising in Temple due to his God’s presence. He reached out and embraced the fear and darkness willingly.
“Ah, your old mate comes out of the hole she’s been hiding in. You must capture her, my child. Capture her and bring me my prize.”
“It will be as you command, Warlock.”
“I sense her now. She is definitely here somewhere, but hidden. Her Gods’ hide her location from me. But she is here.”
“I will bring her and the prize to you, my Liege! I swear it!”
“First the world, my child. First the world. Do not forget your duty. Who is your Liege, Thul?”
“You are, great Warlock!”
“Before anyone else!”
“Before even the Dragon Emperor, my Liege!”
“Yes… yes… now go and destroy in my name!”
Thul felt his God touch his mind and soul. Warlock poured his energy into Thul, making him even stronger. The power of his God became part of him. He could sense the Temple, the ship, the space around Toril. And he sensed the crewman standing behind him in the temple.
“I have standing orders not to be disturbed, crewman!” Thul turned towards the orc-blooded crewman, his eyes glowing with divine, red fire. “You better have damn good reason for this intrusion, orc man!”
He had obviously witnessed the exchange between Thul and Warlock. The scro crewman tried to hide his fear. He didn’t hide it well. Scro were just as plain as regular orcs. They thought themselves better than that and often took it upon themselves to flaunt it. It was pathetic.
The scro wavered under his Commander’s glare. He was dressed in the uniform of a communications officer. His knees shook and he stammered when he spoke.
“Scans of the system and the enemy ships have found no trace of Arassil, Commander. She isn’t on the Deva Wing or the Victory, sir.”
“And the planet?” Thul would let the crewman live long enough to glean the information he craved.
“Initial scans show major resistance in the region of the main continent known as the Dales. There is definitely more technology down there then there should be. Including an energy field which is strong enough to stop any bombardment.”
“Arassil,” Thul voice boomed through the Temple of Warlock. “She is there! I know it!”
“S-sir,” the half-orc fell to his knees. “I am sorry I intruded upon your communion with the great and all-powerful Warlock. Crewman One insisted I bring you this information right away.”
“Crewman One would never have told you to enter the temple, regardless of the information! He doesn’t have a death wish!” Thul snarled at the crewman.
“I-I’m s-sorry Commander,” the scro crewman was near tears. “I h-had to see Warlock for myself. H-he inspires me.”
Thul shook his head laughing. This scro wasn’t worthy of even that races stature. He was truly pathetic. Warlock did not stand for cowardice, sympathy or annoying mortals.
The scro man trebled before the Chosen of Warlock. The half-black dragon walked up to the crewman lifting him off his knees by the scruff of his uniform.
“A true believer are you? Well, we shall see! Now, is there anything important in that report of yours before I punish you for being a coward.”
“O-only that t-three of the crew of the Centurion have been rescued from the depths of space. Two might survive as is but the third is being prepared to have his soul bound to a soulmech.”
“Really,” Thul was intrigued. Men who could survive the depths of space without protection for so long were crewmen that he’d relish adding to his crew. “Is their clearance high enough to become part of the Brigade? Good crewman are so hard to find!”
The last comment was toned as an insult.
“T-the two that survived with their bodies intact don’t have the clearance, sir.”
“A pity. And the new soulmech?”
“Sir,” the scro gulped trying not to lose his lunch under the glare of the Commander he was trained to respect and fear. “The soul bound to the machine is Captain Farhand’s.”
“Ha, ha, ha!” Thul dropped the crewman to his feet. “So the drow spawn survived did he?”
Thul lead the crewman out of the Temple of Warlock his clawed hand over the crewman’s shoulder.
“This is indeed, important news, crewman. Do they think his soul will survive the transfer into the machine?”
“Yes, sir. He’s an Imperial captain, after all. They chose the best-prepared shell we had ready. Of course, it won’t be the same as a shell prepared specifically for his soul but it will do until the Warlock’s technomancers can design a more proper shell for him.”
Thul lead the crewman toward the outer edge of the ship. The corridor leading to the forward section of the ship ran along the length with several glassteel windows allowing view of space from the corridor.
“Good, good, good,” Thul noticed the scro crewman had relaxed some. “I look forward to meeting the good Captain so I can dispense his punishment personally.”
“S-sir,” the scro seemed confused.
“He did fail the Empire, crewman.” Thul stopped in front of an airlock. “There is only one greater crime in my eyes. Disturbing me in the Temple!”
Thul slammed his fist on the airlock release and threw the crewman in.
“No, please d-!” The scro’s words were cut off as Thul sealed the airlock and hit the button to decompress it into the depths of space. The crewman was sucked into space.
Thul calmly walked down the corridor watching as the Warlock traded weapons fire with the Victory. He thought the words of his God. First the World. Then Arassil, then I come for you.
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