Chapter 49

“I think they’re just standing still,” Adsila finally announced after scanning the Vultoqi for a few minutes.

“Want us to start a distraction?” I asked, glancing at Tirus who was also doing some sort of electronic passive scan.

“Yes, I need something to cause them to react. You’ll note, they’re no longer standing inside objects though,” she replied with a grin as she continued to try and get something to report on.

“Yes, I think they realise the folly of that now,” I chuckled.

“Stupid thing to do anyway, though the Orcs, from their histories, never really caught on that they can attack through walls ... well, not until it was far too late.”

“Tirus, take out a random sentry please, Adsila will spot for you,” I requested. Adsila looked out through his eyes and showed him where the Vultoqi were.

There was a sharp crack and a stricken dying Vultoqi came into phase as the other sentries came alert. “Ah, got it, they’re using microbursts on this level. We aren’t going to be able to rapidly translate, but we will be able to detect them and get a rough idea on what they’re up to, but not any subtle nuances,” Adsila stated as she gave us the frequency, and bandwidth ... in a manner of speaking, of the Vultoqi communication telepathy.

“Subtle,” Róisín murmured, having attached herself to my team whether I liked it or not (I did, but had qualms as to her safety).

“Yes, I suspect wherever they’re from, they had some very nasty predators after them or lived in a very dangerous and competitive environment,” Adsila replied.

“One appears to be heading our way,” Kate piped up.

“Discourage it, Tirus, if you please,” I ordered.

A sharp crack sounded out and the Vultoqi ceased to be, along with a massive energy heat bloom as its internal organs were literally liquefied by the speed and impact of the nulled dart.

This was followed up by a series of scans washing over us which tested our ability to remain undetected, though did not locate us.

“Pretty sure they’re trying to triangulate the sound of the rail gun,” Clara murmured.

“It’s the dart passing the sound barrier that makes the noise,” Tirus explained. “The gun itself is pretty much soundless as well as shielded to prevent electromagnetic detection.”

“Not a lot we can do about that as shielding the sound would be an even bigger giveaway than the sound itself,” I added.

“Orcs coming to have a look,” Kate warned.

“Everyone remain in place, I doubt they’ll spot us in our armour, but we can see how the Vultoqi react and try to get any new information,” I ordered.

Within a quarter of an hour the Orcs had passed us and were probing the ruins of Grmmar where the remains of the second fallen Vultoqi lay. To those Mages who were proficient in detecting out of phase quantum manipulation it was disheartening to see the Orcs carefully surrounded before a series of force blades flashed out to cut them to pieces.

“Poor fuckers didn’t stand a chance,” Clara sighed.

“True. Not sure why the Orcs sent them in,” I nodded. “Hello, what’s happening now?”

The Vultoqi had come back into phase to drag the bodies away, presumably to use as fertiliser, when several of the bodies just exploded in a massive cloud of acid mist causing the Vultoqi to trill out in what had to be agony with several falling to the ground, dead and injured.

“Sneaky,” Tirus observed. “Took advantage of the arrogance of the Vultoqi in not scanning the dead bodies for traps I reckon.”

“Yep, reckon you’re right,” I agreed. “Wonder how the hell we’d capture one?”

“Production of the cloaking dampener is now up to two a day,” Crnnch informed Brnnt and Karkol during an arranged morning meeting. “It helps, but we still only cover barely a tenth of the perimeter at Grmmar.”

“And their excuse is?” Karkol asked, barely masking his sarcasm over the intransigence of the TechnoYr’ch in producing essential war materiel.

“Clearing their order books from other requests from the Beoghra, mostly luxuries and trinkets, I believe.”

“One would think they do not care if we lose another planet,” Brnnt grated out.

“So long as it isn’t Draenoric, I believe it is exactly that, revered Archimandrite. I also have the impression that they are under pressure from some members of the Council of Archimandrites to slow this process down to reduce your popularity amongst the MilitaryYr’ch.”

“That’s a distinct possibility,” Karkol nodded. “Some will see us as a new threat, not adjuncts of the Most High.”

“We have reports of the success of our suicide squads,” Crnnch added. “Though my belief is that the Vultoqi will live and learn caution from this.”

“I concur, but while it works, it is one of the few ways we can hit back.”

“This is true, revered Archimandrite. We can only hit them when they appear,” Crnnch agreed.

“What of the reports of the forces of Ar-Thenna?” Brnnt asked.

“They appear to be probing the Vultoqi, though as to what they are looking for, I cannot say. Certainly they have the ability to spot them when they are cloaked, whereas we do not.”

“I suspect they are simply trying to find an easier way to stop them. From what she told you their numbers are low,” Karkol replied thoughtfully.

“Stop them and us ... or rather the regime. I rather doubt they have ceased their activities on the other planets and I suspect they will succeed in taking them from the regime,” Brnnt added. “Which admittedly is a preference of mine.”

“And then we will no doubt have Beog aroused and enraged, hence our attempts to aid the MilitaryYr’ch to stave off his wrath and focus it upon the rest of the Beoghra. Still, you have the right of it, brother, freedom from Beog is the ultimate aim and weakening him by removing the hordes from the outer worlds will greatly assist in shortening his rule over us.”

“And now a distasteful task, Seeker. You will take one of the new cloaking dampeners and link up with the Inquisitor Folar who spied upon you in the recent past, along with a select squad of Yr’ch weapon platforms and attempt to penetrate the Vultoqi screen to see how well the device works. The Inquisitor is under instructions to try and keep psionic activity to a minimum as you do so and to aid you all to escape if possible. This is risky I know and Folar hates you with all his being since his humiliation by the forces of Ar-Thenna in which he places the blame on you. Unfortunately, this order comes from the Most High, so, take care, Seeker, and may Ar-Thenna protect you.”

“Blessings of Ar-Thenna upon you too, revered Archimandrites.”

“All is within the parameters of the great plan?” the senior patripure asked its peers on the caveatra.

“It is, though the Yr’ch and this other enemy have shown great ingenuity in attacking the adelshaut and causing their light of creation to dim to nothing,” the head of infiltration spoke up.

“Losses were expected,” the senior patripure assented.

“Should we consider the introduction of the ghosin?” another asked.

“Not at this stage, not unless our adelshauts’ brightness dims by a far greater degree,” the senior replied after a long period of contemplation. “Let us not show our other abilities and creatures until we need to.”

“The Yr’ch appear to be experimenting with phase disablers,” the head of observance noted.

“The troichin from the energy field will deal with defensive posturing in due course. Yr’ch numbers and weapons will avail them not against their sting.”

“What of this other enemy?” the head of infiltration asked.

“Until we know more, we will only deal with them should they give us the opportunity,” the senior replied with the equivalent of a shrug. “Eventually they shall face our wrath and be assured, we shall prevail!”

“WE SHALL PREVAIL!” came the expected reply.

“So, you finally appear,” the Inquisitor sneered.

“I had matters to attend to that are far more important than you, honoured Inquisitor,” Crnnch replied indifferently, yet noting the repressed anger the Inquisitor attempted to hide.

“More important than a member of the Beoghra?”

“The Archimandrites Karkol and Brnnt demanded an update on the production of the anti-cloaking devices.”

“Pah! Trinkets and toys, and no doubt useless,” the Inquisitor huffed before turning to mount one of the weapon carriers.

“Orcs are up to something in Grmmar,” Arwen announced, giving us a heads up.

“Trying out the de-phasing device in an armed convoy,” Arch mused. “I suspect they’re going do a drive-by and hope to get out in one piece.”

“Chances?” Roxanne asked out loud.

“Not good, the de-phaser simply makes the Vultoqi visible and vulnerable to fire. It does not negate their other abilities,” I replied.

“Aye, thought as much,” she nodded.

“The Seeker, whom Athena seems rather fond of, is in this convoy ... along with that Inquisitor,” Arwen added.

“Keep an eye on things. I’ll authorise a rescue attempt for this Crnnch, but no one else. Bring a view up on the screen please, Arwen. John, Naimh get your teams into gear and ready,” Roxanne ordered. “If we go in, I’ll lead as I expect we’ll need sword-work.”

“Yes, Roxanne,” we both replied as we sent out a mental summons.

Although the shield he maintained as a Seeker kept anyone from seeing his features, there was a palpable sense of tension to be felt around Crnnch. His mental state was not being helped by the Inquisitor questioning every judgement call he made on the plan that the MilitaryYr’ch were presenting to them for opinions.

“I fail to see why you are being so timid in this first attempt; surely a device thought up by an Archimandrite will enable us to kill Vultoqi by the thousands?” the Inquisitor sneered.

“It will only make them apparent to us, not kill them. That we will have to do ourselves and we know they are consummate warriors when they can be seen, hence the need for caution on the first attempt,” Crnnch shrugged as if indifferent.

“Better than the Yr’ch?” the Inquisitor asked ominously.

“When the revered Archimandrites Brnnt and Karkol forced the Vultoqi to appear in our initial defence, we still lost nearly three hundred thousand of the horde before they forced us to retreat. Our own intelligence gathering on the Vultoqi told us we killed perhaps ninety of them. Draw your own conclusions, honoured Inquisitor, but I intend to err on the side of caution,” Crnnch chided him in calm tones, which, he suspected (correctly), infuriated the Inquisitor.

“Pah, I’d look more to the accuracy of our hordes with a gun, than excuse them their failure and retreat,” the Inquisitor goaded.

“Are you saying the Archimandrites were wrong to order a retreat, honoured Inquisitor?” Crnnch enquired mildly, but with malice aforethought.

“They did so without consulting the senior Adept, head of the MilitaryYr’ch, I feel they were ill advised,” the Inquisitor replied carefully.

Crnnch said nothing, he knew for a fact that the Archimandrites had not taken advice from anyone except Ar-Thenna, nor was a higher authority on Draenoric able to be contacted ... not that they would have anyway.

“We are ready, holy Inquisitor,” the Squad-boss in charge of the grunts stated obsequiously.

“Very well, let us take the fight to the Vultoqi!” the Inquisitor ordered.

The defending Yr’ch watched in silence as the convoy of modified vehicles drove through the perimeter heading for the area where what few patrols had been sent into the zone had been interdicted and massacred. Progress was slow as the roads were covered in debris from the destruction of the city and the drivers themselves were extremely nervous about approaching the Vultoqi too closely. Crnnch suspected it was only his and the Inquisitor’s presence that was preventing the fearful grunts from a possible withdrawal and claiming they’d seen nothing.