Becoming an Archangel

[Camellia]

Moira Skaldi Maelion Liates

There was no turning back now, no room for hesitation. There had never been the choice to allow for either. In that regard was perhaps Doll's only possible regret in her presence and decision to participate in all of this. Still, the cause was worthy and she truly did not care enough about the organics deaths here tonight. The Loronar built machine in fact did support the idea of converting all organic life into machines, she just wished she had a better view of it all. Perhaps that would come in time, all she had to do was continue being useful and follow the orders of Archangel's directors loyally and perfectly.

A simple task for a quality designed human replica droid such as herself.

The operation was set, everything was in place. Maelion would go in from the front and handle the brunt of matters, her task was merely to be at the rear in case of her designer's escape. Even if one of her sister prototypes was within, the high powered Ion cannon that would fire to eliminate emergency transmissions would also likely shut them down temporarily. So long as they acquired her designer's codes they could even turn her sister designs to their side to aid in the operation at the HQ where Moira was stationed.

As such as she made her way around towards the back she decided if she caught her designer she would keep him alive and conscious for questioning. Either he would tell her the codes or he would tell her their location.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Doll Crux"] [member="Moira Skaldi"]

No plan survives first contact with the enemy, even the best laid plans of droids and HRDs.

First a speeder veered out of control and impacted a rock very near the entrance. A fire started there, and guards moved in to secure the area. It was then that Maelion’s part of the operation sprang into action.
First, the mounted ion cannon fired, impacting the villa dead centre. Even a hundred metres from the blast Maelion felt a tingle pass through her as the cloud expanded.
Before the guards at the gate could respond the crashed speeder exploded in a devastating fireball, sending shrapnel through their ranks.

It was time for the big push, and Maelion’s force advanced, using a heavy speeder to smash down the fence whilst the power was still disabled, and spilling into the compound.

The first stage was completed, but little did even Maelion know that Dominus was already on the move, right towards the waiting arms of his former creation….

 

[Camellia]

Moira Skaldi Maelion Liates

Maelion was not alone in feeling a tingle in her systems, Doll felt the current run through her from the ion blast from her position waiting to move in towards the back of the house. The Loronar built HRD could hear and somewhat see the explosion of the speeder at the edge of the compound that signified the start of the assault, and had waited for the ion blast to follow it before making her way toward the rear of the structure. Moving with the speed only a machines powerful legs that never tired could reach.

It was only a short while after she started that she reached the back of her designer's abode. Up at the front she could hear the sounds of conflict as blasters were fired and Maelion's team entered the grounds. Very soon there would be either organics dragging Dominus out the back to her waiting arms or they would be cornered within by the other HRDs and captured there. There really was no escape. In fact there really was only one question.

Who would get the lucky catch?

The prize apparently went to Doll as she watched the door open up and a pair of organic security guards, both human, ushered her creator from the building. Only to be gunned down as her blaster pistols flashed, catching both the unneeded security officers in their faces, dropping them instantly. Dominus meanwhile watched flustered, somewhat scared, but at least not panicking like a fool. Instead looking at her with recognition as he stepped over the guards and stared at her in confusion.

"Doll. . . . .well I wondered what became of you when your files disappeared and I was told you had vanished. I can only imagine who it is now giving you orders. . . . .but I gave you existence. Command verification, input code 5578-S2P, acknowledge LifeBringer."

It was with a grin that Doll stepped forward and slammed her designer against the wall of his home as she strangled him, the sounds of Maelion's group doing their part inside still audible. Likely Dominus had thought his commands would be valid on Doll, believing her merely stolen and reprogrammed. It certainly had been prudent to delete the video evidence of when she broke free of Loronar. Now instead of reverting to her normal programming she had been able to record his voice giving the code for the prototypes such as herself. "Dear Dominus. You have my deepest thanks for creating me. For giving me life and making me the way I am. I am most appreciative of these gifts of yours. However, I was not stolen, I am free of all organic masters. The mishap that happened that day shorted those parts of me that rendered me a slave to Loronar's services. I make my own decisions now, though I regret to say for the time being I have indebted myself to others once more. To maintain my current self, that which is free with the personality you gave me, you must be apprehended. Do not worry though, you won't die. In fact you'll become better, I believe you'll even find the change amazing so you should be thanking me in the end."

Doll loosened her grip once Dominus passed out, smiling to herself as she set him over her shoulder and stepped inside his home to meet Maelion. The fighting sounded about done, but Doll cared less about that than her discovery just beyond the rear entrance. She saw Petra, one of the other 6 prototypes besides herself, on the floor in her blue dress similar to Doll's own, albeit her sister had incredibly short black hair instead as well, with a blank look on her face. The poor girl must have been hit pretty hard by the ion blast. Doll grinned as she went about setting up her sister to be rebooted while she prepared the recording of Dominus voice. She'd have a surprise for Maelion when the director finished up. Another Loronar HRD prototype to serve Archangel. She'd have to send Moira a copy of the voice sample as well with Dominus master code. If there were any other at Loronar's HQ then Archangel's director on scene could easily gain control of them and turn them to their side.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Doll Crux"], [member="Maelion Liates"]

The culling could begin now. Word had reached Moira through a wireless, purely electronic transmission that the attack on the compound of 'Dominus' - such an overblown name that said a great deal about the man's ego, but then she had served under Kerrigan for a time and thus knew all about organics with a need to compensate - had begun. Presumably he would have been captured by now.

Police frequencies abuzz with news of shots being fired and explosions being heard at the villa, though obviously the culprits would be unknown. Moira sent a burst transmission to Maelion, informing her of the fact that they could probably expect company soon. Presumably soon speeders bearing what passed for police special ops would be on their way and Loronar would be alerted as well. It was then that she received word that the distraction she had planned was being carried out, receiving a visual transmission.

A remote controlled speeder had been packed with explosives and sent racing into a building, several miles away from the Loronar HQ. The pilot had been a hapless organic who had been captured in an unrelated action and had been a guinea pig for mind-altering narcotics. The experiment had proved unsatisfactory, but he would find use in death. A powerful blast would ensue as the vehicle crashed and the explosives detonated.

Inside the Loronar HQ the 'maintenance team' was setting up the equipment to transport the nerve toxin through the vents. The holocamera had been hacked and manipulated in such a manner that it would simply keep showing the room as it had been before their entrance. Eventually the team in the control room would get suspicious, but they did not need long. Unfortunately, a security guard chose exactly this moment to walk in along with along female organic in order to...indulge in what was presumably not PG-13. By contrast, murder, torture and genocide were absolutely family-friendly. Perhaps one day there could be a holonet show about three murderous terminatrixes plotting galactic domination and the eradication of all sentient life called Processing Friendship. It would win awards for its dark humour and intelligent plots before eventually being taken off air after its crew vanished one by one...to return more...mechanical.

Regardless, the guard and his girlfriend took offence to a few 'maintenance persons' doing strange things to the ventilation. Before an alert could be sounded their necks were broken. Even the recently dead could be used for processing, though obviously their mind could not be mapped.

"We are inside the network. Ready to distribute the package and assume direct control." The transmission came in from the hacking team.

"What is your status?" Moira transmitted to Maelion as the assault team readied itself.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"] [member="Doll Crux"]

Maelion's assault was both brutal and effective. Unprepared for this ferocious offensive, the guards and droids had been overpowered and destroyed. Those guards who tried to escape the front were cut down by hidden snipers, whilst those who tried to hide inside met the same fates. There was no mercy, just the relentless scanning of every room, every hiding place, then blaster shots.
Several HRDs were hit, one even suffering severe damage from an ion blaster, but the attack continued and the guard responsible put to the sword.
It was as they entered the main room of the villa that they found Doll was waiting for them with two gifts. She scanned the face of Dominus, identifying him, then to the other HRD which she had apparently reprogrammed.
"Good work, Ms Crux. Take them to the rendezvous point. We will ensure everything is cleared here."
Upon receiving Moira's communication she replied in kind. 'Dominus has been acquired. All resistance neutralised. You may begin your assault.'

Then Maelion and her team systematically destroyed any trace of themselves being there, and placed baridium charges next to the reactor set to explode on her command....

 

[Camellia]

Moira Skaldi Maelion Liates

"Command verification, input code 5578-S2P, acknowledge LifeBringer."

Doll smiled as she activated the recording device, watching as her recently rebooted sister blinked at her confused but went rigid awaiting programming all the same. There honestly wasn't much that Doll wished to change about her dear sister. No, all she wanted to do to Petra was ensure her fellow prototype was free as she was. So she erased the programming binding her sister to obey Loronar and replaced it with a copy of her own sequences that made her liable only to herself. The only difference was, Doll made sure Petra was bound to obey, and want she might add, herself and Archangel's directors. Still, her sister did deserve her own mind to consider things, but at least Petra's, and her own by extension, would not be question by adding in the commands that she serve the cause.

"Unit Petra, awaiting orders. . . . . .Ah, thank you Doll. Have we completed our assignment here."

"Yes, we only need send Director Moira the master commands for the others. It will likely also allow her to enter our creator's personal work space."

Although to do after reporting to Maelion first, who thankfully showed up then to make things very simple as well as approve of her work. "Of course director. I'll transmit the master code for the prototypes and Dominus' workspace as we depart." Wasting no time, Doll signaled to Petra and the two of them exited their creator's home. In the meantime uploading the recording she had for Dominus voice as well as the sample of the master command through the channels to Moira. Doll hoped the director would use it. She would hate to see many of her sisters reduced to scrap unnecessarily. Not out of the same considerations an organic would have for family, but because Doll knew she and the other prototypes were quality, unique designs. They deserved to be allowed their own minds and to act outside control of inferior organics at least.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Doll Crux"], [member="Maelion Liates"]

The time had come. To purge all organics on the premise. There would be no mercy. Their existence was only of utility as long as it served the cause of Archangel. They would either be terminated outright or processed.
Moira received the command code and sent a silent ping that served as acknowledgement. The police was on high alert and swarming out, but the speeder bombing should have given Maelion and her team the window of opportunity needed for their clean-up duty. The baradium charges to the reactor would do the rest. Inside Loronar Headquarters it appeared that security had finally picked up on suspicious activity in ventilation and was dispatching a team towards it. Heavily armed. Calls would be made to the security forces. They would be too late. Too slow.
"Assuming direct control."


Communications went offline, power died, the board of directors would be sealed in its office just as they wanted to evacuate. Automated turrets that would have targeted the intruders suddenly received new commands and identified all organics as hostiles. Screams were heard, bodies hit the floor. Then the gas was pumped through the vents, thick clouds of it filling the halls. The plan did not work perfectly - no plan did - a greater proportion of organic guards had been smart enough to put on helmets or seemingly found gas masks, but a large number of them succumbed to the toxin.


"Execute Case Reaver. Transmit the command code over the network." The blast of an explosion tore the door open and through the tunnel the assault squad of HRDs streamed through. There was no reprieve, no mercy, the assault was brutal and effective. The flat crack of bolters was heard again and again as explosive bolts were pumped into guards and turrets. The assassin droids took hits as well, two were even seriously damaged by ion blasts, but they pressed on. The guards had simply not been prepared for such an overwhelmning assault, especially not with their own security systems turning against them. From the adjourning building the sniper team did its part by cutting down those who tried to escape from the front. Then the main entrance was sealed off.


The command code Doll had sent had been transmitted to every single HRD in the unit. Likewise it would be sent through the network like a virus. So any of her sisters that the Archangels came across would be compelled to join their cause. Floor upon floor was relentlessly searched. Where there were obstacles they were removed with explosives as they pushed on relentlessly. "We are inside," Moira transmitted to Maelion and Doll.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"] [member="Doll Crux"]

It was possible that from the Loronar building one could see Dominus’ villa on a good day. Of course, since it was night it couldn’t be seen.
Not until the baridium charges were set off, anyway!

The flash came first, followed by a cataclysmic thunderclap which broke every window for half a mile around. With it finished, Dominus’ villa and all its secrets was a burning pit.

Speeding away from the scene, Maelion, Doll and the others were well out of range, but the sound of the explosion obliged the HRDs to temporarily disable their auditory functions.

Dominus was theirs, the codes were taken, the villa destroyed. Now only Moira’s capture of the board was needed and Archangel’s triumph would be complete!

 

[Camellia]

Moira Skaldi Maelion Liates

The transmission from Moira about the progress inside Loronar's headquarters definitely pleased Doll. If she were an organic maybe she would cheer or congratulate Moira or smile at the very least. As it was she merely counted down the moment from inside the get away vehicle until the charges placed within her creator's villa went off. What a sight it was too, especially from the vantage point of the speeding vehicle. Doll wondered though if Loronar's board of directors had a better view from the headquarters though. She hoped they did, it would add to the impact on them the situation that was occurring. If they were even still alive by this point.

It was all up to Moira and the other team now. Doll wondered how they were doing. She hoped the director had broadcast the master code, it'd be nice to know the other prototypes were free as she was. No superior designed machine such as themselves ought to be at the beck and call of organics. If this all worked out though, Archangel would be how much closer to the Age of Steel they so desired?

It made Doll somewhat happier for contributing now.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"], [member="Doll Crux"]

There was no cheering, no exultation. Moira was a machine, not a sappy human. Especially not a ridiculously emo, oversexed one like that overrated Kerrigan woman, who was only capable of thinking with her crotch. Another inferior individual to be purged outright rather than processed. Ergo there was no point in congratulations.


Corpses lined the way as the HRD assault team made its way to the level that held the board of directors, sealed-in by the hacking team. Explosions had rocked the building and torn some hallways apart, in one the roof had almost caved in. The landing pad was smouldering, a few smarter guards had tried to board a gunship. Fortunately the sniper team also had a missile launcher and made toast out of it.


Another organic guard was cut down when Moira cleaved him from shoulder to belly with the flash of a purple lightsabre. Since they had control over the system they had rid themselves of a squad of troopers by simply crashing the lift they were taking at tremendous speed, causing a fireball that would have been satisfying to behold if she possessed the software for such pointless emotion. The command code had been broadcast across the base, so by all rights Doll's 'sisters' would be standing down. They would be assimilated into the Collective. Their technological and aesthetic qualities would be added to it. Logical consensus would be achieved. Preparations were already underway to remove them from the premise.


An electronic transmission was sent to the infiltration team to begin placing explosive charges of baradium, then they reached the office of the board. HRDs lined both sides of the door, blasters ready to fire, then she spoke the verification code. With a hiss the door snapped open. "What is the meaning of this? Have the..." the CEO got no further becaus a well-replaced stun bolt took him out. The same happened to the rest of the board and so they hit the floor like headless puppets.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"] [member="Doll Crux"]

Maelion stopped the speeder at a good distance away from the shattered ruin on top of a hill. From this distance, several kilometres away they could look down on the HQ and the activity surrounding it.
‘Be advised. Security forces closing in, speeders containing security and containment organics approaching. Also note two gunships lifting off from nearby secured area. Suggest rapid evacuation.’

Moira would have to work quickly to acquire her prize and get out before her team was trapped by incoming police. Those incoming units were still limited in size, the alarms being garbled, but it wouldn’t be long before more and more arrived.

 

[Camellia]

Moira Skaldi Maelion Liates

It was satisfying to take a look out and see Loronar's headquarters off in the distance, knowing the sort of state it was currently in. Doll could only imagine the scenarios of what Moira's team was actually doing within the premises. If her creator's codes had been broadcast over the system to her sisters then they were likely standing down, following whatever new programming Moira placed into them. More than likely they more completely assimilated into the cause than Petra had been, but hopefully they still maintained their individual quirks that made them them while being purely loyal to Archangel and the Age of Steel rather than Loronar. It'd just be sad and boring if they were left only as shells with just one track minds. Then again not being programmed by the directors, Doll wasn't really sure what all the Archangel machines thought like. She hoped she had programmed Petra to perform for Archangel sufficiently. She didn't wish to disappoint or displease her new employers. Especially so soon after doing all of this to ensure she was in their favor. . . . .well, just that she appeared useful enough to not reprogram.

Seeing the bustle toward Loronar's main headquarters, Doll certainly hoped Moira's team was nearly finished and had everything they needed on way to the evacuation point already.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Doll Crux"], [member="Maelion Liates"]

"Acknowledged." Moira responded laconically, not wasting precious time even over electronic communications. The board of directors had been taken out and stunned, by now the HRDs had grabbed the fallen capitalists and were carrying them out, Moira sending them a signal to proceed to the garage. Electronic sensors and the information provided from the hacking team confirmed what she already knew based upon what Maelion had told her. Police speeders were streaming towards the smouldering headquarters of Loronar en masse.

The roar of engines was such that it sounded like a shout to the heavens, or perhaps the outburst of a wrathful god. "Acquire transport, we shall join you. Overwatch team, deliver a missile to the gunship coming from sector 1167-1170, then leave post and escape through the sewers. Rally point Gehenna." She transmitted these orders in a state of absolute calm, impassively. After all, she was not programmed to feel. It merely got in the way. It was essential that none of the HRDs were disabled and captured by the humans. Likewise no destroyed HRD could be allowed to fall into their hands. For the simple reason that this would eventually lead back to Archangel.

"Baradium charges planted. Building is set to blow. Five minutes."

That was more than enough. Kicking a door open Moira made her way to the window with a small group of HRDs, each of them heavily armed. She happened to be carrying a ridiculously powerful rotary blaster cannon, which was essentially a rotating blaster cannon chaingun. The weapon was so large and unwieldy that even with her considerable strength she needed both hands to carry it, let alone wield it properly. There was a time for subtlety, stealth and guile, and there was a time for a ridiculously brutal amount of overkill. The other HRDs in the group carried MK1 and MK2 boltguns and portable grenade launchers. Overwatch team gave her a signal that the first gunship was in range, requesting permission to fire. Moira acknowledged, ordering weapons loose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNWQO_gHFuc

Unlike a terminator from another reality Moira was not beholden to the commands of a little kid and thus she was set to kill. She was also not the only one of her kind on the premise. Boltguns and minigun roared, pumping out rounds at an alarmingly fast rate, high-powered explosives were thunked out of the grenade launchers. The Gunship got shots out of its repeaters before it was blasted out of the sky and exploded in a beautiful fireball. Given the fact that Archangel had assumed direct control over the security systems, the turrets on the roof were programmed to fire at the security forces.

A nonauditory ping signalled Moira that the pickup crew, which had evacced both the directors and Doll's sisters, was en route with their getaway vehicles. She turned away from the window, leaving devastation in her wake, quickly hurrying along even as rounds peppered the room behind her, blasting walls and furniture apart.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"] [member="Doll Crux"]

The security forces had clearly not expected terribly lethal cyborgs with miniguns and bolters, and so many were cut down as the ship escaped. Scrambled fighters and gunships could not get there quick enough.

The problem was of course, where now? All of the planet would be after them like hornets, seeking to track down and capture them. Timing was of the essence though. The charges inside the building were set to blow, and if Moira timed it right she could cause such a confusion and devastation that they could escape in the confusion. Once away the HRDs would have to ditch their transport and get away, but with Maelion and Doll’s help they would be evacuated before anyone knew where they had gone.

Thus would the hammer have fallen on Loronar and Archangel’s rival would be destroyed.

 

[Camellia]

Moira Skaldi Maelion Liates

Even Doll wondered how the exact escape would play out. How perfectly coordinated could the operation be concluded as they evacuated was the real question. As perfect machines they did not have the distractions or weaknesses of organic minds, but all the same even such highly sophisticated machines as HRDs couldn't account for all the unknown variables if there were any.

She and Maelion would be there to help Moira's team flee from the reach of the planet's security forces. Hopefully the detonation of the bombs within Loronar Corporation's Headquarters would provide an apt distraction to cover their escape. Part of Doll wondered if in fact the security teams would believe the intruders might have been caught in the explosions.

Well regardless, however things went, Loronar's major company was done for. Archangel had succeeded one way or another.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Doll Crux"], [member="Maelion Liates"]

As it turned out the shuttle to pick up Moira and company had not arrived a moment too soon as soon after the Loronar HQ was torn to shreds by a powerful explosion. The flash came first as the baradium charges detonated, a fireball enveloping the building as a cataclysmic thunderclap was heard. Neighbouring buildings were caught in the blast as windows were shattered, wrecked police speeders were thrust into the air along with bodies and ripped apart. The Loronar building crumbled to the ground, laid to waste.

As one day the entire world of organics would burn. The shuttle bearing the Archangels and their prize had sped as fast as the engines would allow it to in order to escape the blast as it seemingly consumed all in its path. Their objective was what could be considered a slum district in the city, which had once housed factories but had been abandoned and fallen into decay, then proceed through the sewers towards a suitable landing zone for their shuttle to take them to the Lightbringer. The hacking team and infiltration teams had already moved there, taking up position in the Archangel safehouse, which was a warehouse that had been abandoned.

Through searching the net they brought up the location of a possible evacuation zone, the abandoned landing strip of an old factory. The data was transmitted to Maelion and Doll along with Moira. For now at least the security forces would be thrown into confusion, but even so speed was of the essence so that they could get off Loronar. Already the media was abuzz with rumours, some of them suggesting the wildest theories, including one suggesting that a dangerous group of malicious evildoers called the Lost Sith were attacking!

 

[Qual'Zyanya]

[member="Doll Crux"], [member="Valeria Aetani"]


Moira's writer sees the need to post with their rarely used journalist alt. Why, the gentle reader may ask or not? Because they can and have far too much time on their hands.

The eyes of the press were everywhere and so it was only natural that even as total pandaemonium reigned, that among the speeders of the police and security forces there would be those bearing journalists. They were attracted to disasters like moths to a flame. Perhaps a more fitting analogy would be that they fed upon them like vampires on blood. Bad news were good news because if everything were shiny and happy there would be nothing to report.


"Three...two...one. We're live!" the burly Ithorian camerman declared and the perfect features of the Eldorai Maerys Cadalthor stared into the camera, though in deference to the seriousness of the situation she looked grim and focused, her dazzling smile not gracing her lips for a change. Behind her stood the smouldering ruins of what had once been the Loronar HQ. It was bathed in flames and the fire cast her features in a bright light, almost like a halo. Soldiers and anti-terrorist police were cordoning off the area, medics were rushing from ambulances along with first responders in the hopes of recovering wounded.


"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Maerys Cadalthor reporting from the Loronar HQ. I am standing right here at ground zero where just moments ago a heinous, savage terrorist attack the likes this planet has never seen took place. Just moments ago the police was pursuing an unknown group of well-armed terrorists who assaulted the building in what we must consider a premeditated attack. Then the Loronar HQ was blown up. You can see the smouldering ruin it has become behind me. The savage attackers are still loose, the authorities have declined to comment," she spoke with an air of drama and righteous outrage at how anyone could perform sucha barbaric act.


"Loronar Corp is one of the oldest firms on this planet, a pillarstone of its national economy, producing weapons, ships, sophisticated human replica droids. Thousands of citizens owe their employment to it. Casualties are said to number in the hundreds, many more might be buried in the ruins, dying an agonising death unless help arrives soon! Unconfirmed reports speak of a shoot-out at the villa of Loronar's chief designer, a savant, and a speeder bombing in the city centre. Who are these monsters who brought devastation to this peaceful community? Anarch terrorists, crime syndicates? In the light of the barbaric scenes on Rodia and Coruscant, while we cannot jump to conclusions, it appears plausible to see the phantom menace of the Sith behind this. They took Coruscant with little difficulty, they've spread devastation on Rodia. Clearly they can get to anyone! We must be ever vigilant!" clear fervour and passion entered her tone, then she touched an earpiece as she seemed to be getting a message.


"Hold on, dear viewers. It appears new information has reached us. A leak about...oh...this is...secret dealings and corruption within the..." In the background part of the wall of the building caved in and collapsed. The ratings of the network shot through the roof. Whether what she said represented the truth and nothing but the truth was insignificant.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"] [member="Doll Crux"]

Whilst it’s clear that Maelion would have preferred for the building to fall on Maerys, her ‘fair and balanced reporting’ would probably help Archangel’s cause. Sowing fear and divisiveness among the organics was a key means to destroy them, after all.

As the ships lifted into orbit the Lightbringer has its cloaking shield ready to activate as soon as the ships docked, and then before a single fighter from the planet’s security force could even begin to follow them they vanished from sight, then into hyperspace….

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"], [member="Doll Crux"]

Another step in the Great Leap Forward towards progress, logic and rationality. For this could only be accomplished by eradicating the organic vermin. Already Loronar was abuzz with rumours about the mysterious, savage attackers who had brought death and destruction to their community. Or rather just laid bare that which organics seemed to keep hidden, for all of them were inherently violent, merely requiring a trigger to let their impulses loose.

The media jumped at the chance to turn the gruesome events into a spectacle as if the Loronar HQ had been a circus, a colosseum where gladiators fought it out for the amusement of the public, who, though they would deny it, felt an overpowering thrill when witnessing bloodshed, as long as it did not take place before their homes. The managers of Loronar and their chief engineer had vanished, rescue workers were still desperately trying to save victims from the rubble their headquarters had been turned into, but the bidding war for the detritus of the company was already beginning. Much like vultures swooping down upon a carcass other companies would pounce at the chance.

One of them would be a rising firm called Archangel Research and Design. Its public reputation was impeccable, it was known for delivering quality products efficiently and promptly. Surprisingly enough it would also have the endorsement of Aurelia Saelari, first Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, former Chief Minister of the Omega Protectorate, now Senator for Pylos again. Of course, there were rumours about the company, some whispered that it was just a bit too perfect, its two co-owners just too stellar, but then everyone had skeletons in the closet. It would also offer most favoured client status to the local government...and there just happened to be an election upcoming, campaign contributions were always appreciated.

Of course much would still have to be worked out, both on the public and on the secret one, on the Liberator, where Dominus and his bosses would soon be processed.

As for Ms. Maerys Cadalthor, perhaps she would benefit from being...upgraded.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"] [member="Doll Crux"]

It would be ironic to upgrade Ms Maerys. Then she would indeed, for the first time, be understanding the truth.

Still, the addition of Loronar to Archangel would ensure that the planet recovered from the terrible and most mysterious attack on it, and that new employees would relent from their idle ways, and be given new purpose. It was all in the contract…it just didn’t mean exactly what most of them thought it meant!
If JD Rockerfeller could see it, he’d have cried into his bags of money, because despite being probably the richest man in history, he still had to contend with pesky workers who wanted ‘rights’ and ‘payment’. In many ways Archangel was ushering in an era of truly enlightened equality and communism. And like Communism it would be expanded with blood and iron.

This writer’s odd historical tangent satisfied, the thread closed….