Chapter 22

“So, they ... or rather it, can’t actually detect us when cloaked?” Roxanne asked Melanie during a morning meeting.

“That’s correct. It can however detect an ... absence of information and infer from that where we might be,” she replied, choosing her words carefully.

“So, it detected where Ilzik wasn’t?”

“Yes, and found an area where its nanites couldn’t see.”

“Is there a way around this?”

“The Loegrian scientists are examining the nanites that attached to Ilzik’s clothing when he jumped and believe they can adapt their nano-camo interface into giving a false signal to these nanites so that they see through whatever they are attached to. Once that is achieved we’ll be able to adapt our own armour to the same standards. It’s a case of where they can use the science quicker than we can use magic.”

“How long?”

“A week, there’s the usual issues with the Orc technology using differing frequencies and control modulations to get around.”

“Aye, but a week’s fine.”

“We’ll need to test it,” Melanie added diffidently.

“I know. We also have a few demands from the other groups to study this thing, though so far we don’t know where it’s operating from. It’s the first real threat to our abilities we’ve faced.”

“I suspect it will be near the head Adept’s base. As far as we’re aware all their data gathering on us is forwarded there,” I added.

“You’re probably right, John,” Roxanne nodded. “But that’s a very dangerous place to go nosing around.”

“I know, but...”

“Yes, we’ll have to find a way; so yes, you have my agreement to look. However, I want a detailed plan before you will get permission to try it.”

“Thank you, Mage Roxanne.”

“Just be careful, John.”

“Alice, I want your team to assist the medic Mages to get hold of some of those rat like investigation creatures the Orcs use for evidence gathering.”

“Yes, Roxanne. We’ll get straight on it,” came the reply.

“Brianna, any further details on this chamber with the life signs?”

“No, Roxanne. It’s too deep and too well shielded, even against the Seers’ probes,” Brianna admitted.

“Well, it can wait, it’s obviously been waiting since the Orc invasion,” Roxanne nodded. “Get to work with Harmel and Sinnead and see if you can figure out what the hell that shield thing around the Seeker might be.”

“At once, Roxanne.”

“Melanie, I’m going to permit an extra Seer planet-side until we have detected this threat’s location and also to help pull out any team that gets into trouble because of it.”

“Thank you, Roxanne,” Melanie nodded.

“Liaise with John, he’ll be doing the sneaking around looking for it ... but not till we have a counter for those nanites.”

“I’ll keep an eye on him,” she replied with a grin.

“Good luck with that,” Roxanne chuckled.

“So, you thwarted a plan of theirs, Seeker?” Archimandrite Karkol noted during their weekly briefing.

“I believe so, revered Archimandrite. However, it gained us no further real information on them, save that we can extrapolate where they may be, from where they definitely aren’t,” Crnnch replied.

“I have ordered the security architects to begin designing new security measures by adding a nanite swirl detection system to critical facilities. Though this will take some time as it will be added to buildings upon Draenoric first, where it isn’t needed,” Brnnt added with a sigh.

“As they detected my attempts to capture them and will be looking no doubt for a counter to my abilities this may well be somewhat wasteful, revered Archimandrites,” Crnnch replied carefully as criticising the decisions of the ruling Council was a quick way to become enlightened.

“This we know, Seeker, and we sought to point this out to the rest of the Council as well as the Most High, to no avail,” Karkol replied, letting Crnnch know by his tone and pheromone output to drop the subject.

“I bow to their wisdom,” he replied in neutral tones, letting them know he’d received the underlying message.

“As do we all, Seeker. As do we all.”

“We will look into other detection methods using technology rather than biologics as it appears from the data you have provided that they are psionically adept ... unusually and powerfully so,” Brnnt added, changing the subject back to the matter in hand.

“As they appear to regard me as worthy of study, I am prepared to offer myself as the bait in a trap ... once we have a potential method ready, revered Archimandrite,” Crnnch offered.

“Your zeal is noted and approved, Seeker. However, such a task will most likely go to another Seeker so as to retain the knowledge and abilities you have for our use,” Karkol replied after a moment’s thought.

“I bow to your wisdom, revered Archimandrite.”

“For the moment, work in the background and only assist the Adepts if there is a large enough presence to shield you. If you do by any chance detect the enemy, give them a wide berth and hopefully we can lull them into a false sense of security ... admittedly unlikely, I know.”

“I obey, revered Archimandrite.”

“Under no circumstances are you permitted to allow yourself to be captured alive, Seeker. You contain far too many of our secrets and abilities ever to allow that to happen.”

“Of course, revered Archimandrite,” Crnnch nodded, understanding the warning all too well. He then gave a formal arm to the chest salute before leaving through the dimension gate, back to Craachan and his work.

“Do you believe he will succeed?” Karkol asked, after ensuring the room was not being observed, particularly by the likes of the Most High.

“Not knowing the full capabilities of this new enemy, I cannot say, nor care to speculate,” Brnnt replied.

“It may be that we have finally met a foe who can cast down Beog,” Karkol murmured quietly.

“Silence, my friend. The thoughts and desires of your heart may not be spoken aloud here. It’s simply not safe!”

“Yet still I dream.”

“As do I, but enough for now. I have a report to deliver to the Most High.”

“Mission, John,” Roxanne announced to me and my team.

“Yes, Mage Roxanne?” I replied politely.

“There’s a sled-making factory in what we’d consider China. I want you to take Brianna’s people there and guard them while they see how they form or manufacture these gravity vortex things.”

“Of course, Roxanne,” I replied with a smile, happy to be back in action again as a lot of the missions had been cancelled until we’d sorted out a few protocols on Seeker avoidance.

“No risks, not until we know what we’re dealing with, with regards to this Seeker,” she warned.

“Yes, Mage Roxanne,” I formally replied, letting her know I was taking this seriously as well.

We had a quick conference with Lagertha to select a drop off site near an Orc farm and went over the enhanced security protocols in place just to make sure we were all reading from the same page, before stepping through a portal and on with our new mission.

Whatever it was that the Orcs were growing didn’t look like any sort of Earth food. I suspected it had been genetically modified to produce something very high in protein, in bulk and quickly too, come to that. I made a good few mental notes on the biology and construct of the plants, knowing Xi or her team would want to know.

The air over the farm was almost sizzling with energy beams to anyone who could sense them and more or less led the way to the factory where they made sleds of varying types. Other than a massive open and flat space in front of the plant, there were no recognisable security features except a couple of guards at a doorway; not even any Omniscient probes.

“Ilzik,” I stated in a low murmur, pointing at the doorway in the distance.

“You got it,” came the reply as his people cloaked up and ghosted towards the entrance to begin an initial reconnoitre.

“I don’t think it’s a trap, John,” Brianna said as we observed the outer buildings.

“Neither do I, but it’s a good practice run for us nevertheless.”

“True.”

‘All clear, the guards are either asleep or in a drunken stupor, ‘ came a mental message from Esira.

“Camo on, let’s go,” I ordered as Clara and Kate led the way whilst I stayed in the rear to keep an eye on anything untoward coming up behind us.

With our Mage armour in camouflage mode we were almost as invisible as the Drow as we hurried across the open space to get our first look into the factory.

“Not exactly a hive of industry,” Clara chuckled as we gazed at the silent innards.

“No, no wonder the guards weren’t exactly guarding,” Brianna replied.

“Well, we can look around anyway, can’t hurt,” I chuckled.

“Yes, it doesn’t have to be working for us to figure out what it does and how.”

Other than a few maintenance drones fussing over what appeared to be a lifting apparatus, there was no sign of life, not even in the control room. The automation though was impressive with bioneural interfaces coupled to robotic machinery to the stage where I could see why there were no Orcs around; the place simply didn’t need them.

‘Found the brain store, ‘ Ilzik sent.

‘Keep looking for the vortex store, that’s mostly what we’re here for, ‘ Brianna replied as she studied the interface on some sort of fusion cutter.

“Be a better weapon than their plasma beams,” I observed.

“Power consumption’s a bit prohibitive, but yes, would even tax a Mage’s shield if hit directly,” she agreed.

“Nice alternative to hellfire,” I chuckled.

“If your opposition wasn’t expecting it, yes, but not something you could exactly practice on with a friend,” she nodded.