Chapter 4 - Earth Shaper

An hour into the metting and alarms started going off, screaming their warnings all over the Hive, triggering fast paced boot-falls and shouting, orders being given out by officers. Commander Locane's hard features shifted back to worry, boardering panic.
''It's risen again.'' The Wasp said, standing up, heading towards the dark honey coloured door. ''You will be escorted to one of the safe rooms within the lower levels.''
''If you're asking for our help, we need to see for our selves what we'll be dealing with.'' JD said, standing up also, Shadow following suit as Locane looked from the Demon then to the Dragon, nodding quickly.
''Follow me.'' He said, his cap with it's hard, polished bill shining dully in the flickering light as the Hive vibrated angrily.

The Hive shuddered violently as they quickly moved down a maze of honey combed corridoors and emerged into a large operations room in the now familiar Bee-hive styling as the meeting room and corridoors they'd just navigated, a mass of Insectoid bodies bustling about, shouting orders, reading out information for the superior officers as they moved from console to console, trying to defend the Hive. Locane led the two Stalkers onto a front balcony that stretched across the northern curved wall, a protective visor sliding out of the way to reveal the chaos outside. The lush forrested city lay in ruins beyond the outer wall of the Hive, which itself was being slowly pulled apart from below as a handful of civilian T'raykes fled back to the main Hive, to safety, forgetting their precious crops, surrendering the fruit and veg for another day to live.

The earth churned below their feet and the Hive shuddered again, a massive hand of rock entwined with roots and vines and other small clumps of vegetation reached out of the ground, swiping at anything that moved. Locane barked orders at those around him, ignoring what monster lay outside, wreaking havoc on his own kind, ordering the main doors of the Hive to be opened, to let the civilians in and to have them medically tended to before being taken back down to the lower levels, the safest place left. As swiftly as it came, the rocky hand and arm sank back into the earth, leaving behind a shallow crater of churned debris, silence washing back over the Hive once more.
''Any ideas?'' Locane said, trying to control the shake in his voice.
''I think, infact, I'm pretty damned sure it's an Earth Shaper.'' Shadow, her hollow eyes locked on the shallow crater just beyond the holed breach in the outer wall.
''A what?'' Locane said and Shadow turned to face him.
''An Earth Shaper. All Trolls are perfectly camoflagued to blend in with their surroundings. But this one is it's surroundings.'' She said.

Locane cocked his head, his eyes briefly glazing over with thought. ''Earth Shaper...'' He said and walked towards the steps of the balcony, the two Stalkers following him.
He'd heard that name before. An old memory of a story his older brother had told him when he was little stirred in his tired mind. ''They're created by spells that are cast on the earth, aren't they?'' He said.
Shadow nodded. ''We have to kill whoever's controlling it to have a chance at defeating it.''
''You'll need to weaken the Laumii's defenses first if you're going to do that. But I'll tell you now; They have more than one magician. They also have a space fleet, so don't let their appearance lull you into a false sense of security.'' The Wasp said as he escorted them to where they'd come in.


''How d'you know this isn't some kind of trap?'' Murc said stubbournly.
JD just stared at the grey Husky for a moment. ''Why would somebody wipe out three-quarters of their own race?''
''You'd be surprised at what some people would do to their own race for fun.'' Murc grunted.
A Shark approached their table, a cup of coffee from the server in his webbed hand and a touch-note pad in his other. ''What about the signal blocker?'' Blacktip asked as he pulled up a seat across from JD, setting the pad down next to his drink on the low circular table.
JD paused, enjoying the annoyed look on Murc's face, the quiet, continueouse murmer of chatter and the low contented humming of the Station's engines the only thing to be heard.
''It's complicated. In short, without it, they couldn't contact anyone orbital or further out without it. It works as a planetary shield too, but if the shield's in full swing, no one can get any messages across, not even them. At half power, you can get a message through from the planet's surface, but not the other way.'' JD said, taking a breath.

Blacktip looked at him then nodded.
''Anyway, it seems like the T'raykes are getting what they wanted. Newark's currently in talks with Commander Locane about an alliance or something.'' Murc grunted, obviously not happy with the situation and doing little to hide it as he took a swig of his lukewarm tea.
The Station's rec room was slowly getting busier as shifts changed, the three captains paying no attention to the other officers or personnel as the discussion of JD and Shadow's recent visit to Stalo continued.
''I hear we're in for a bit of outside help too.'' Blacktip said.
JD nodded reluctantly. ''Shadow's up on the com-tech deck now trying to figure out the guy's location, but it's not easy, since the barrier the T'raykes have up is interferring with our out going signals.''


''It was just a bit of fun.'' Shadow said as her paws skittered across the console's various interface panels. Chester studied the data that streamed onto the main screen above, unable to find a suitable reply that wouldn't result in a divorce or worse.
''And besides,'' She continued, unhindered in her work. ''it was a long time ago.''
''How long ago?'' He managed.
''My first mission.'' She replied, her voice lower than usual, not ashamed, but worried someone might overhear.
Chester grunted quietly and continued to study the data, picking through the names, ages, occupations, races and species and locations that streamed onto the screen. Search by registered planets. That was the easiest way to find someone.

''Angelus S. Wolfen. Species: Angelic Wolf...'' Chester trailed off, turning to face Shadow.
''That's the guy!'' She said, glee bubbling to the surface of her usually cold attitude.
''You didn't mention the angelic part.'' He growled. ''It's a wonder he didn't kill you on contact!''
''It's complicated. I ain't exactly sure I know why myself.'' She said ponderously. ''He doesn't hurt as much as other angelic beings. But if you're so damned concerned about it, we could always send captain D'Armeus to go and persuade him to help us. It is, afterall, in his job description.''
Chester grinned, showing his solid needle sharp fangs. ''I hope this Angelus guy's feeling up to a challenge.''

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