|
Sirhc Reklew looked through his binoculars. What wonderful tools, he thought
again... a Scout's best friend.
He was watching two 'Followers of the Voice' who were themselves looking warily
at a decrepit building. While on a scouting patrol to survey an unmapped area,
Reklew had spied these two who were on their own mission.
Even with his heightened hearing, had it not been for the binoculars, he
probably would have missed the tell-tale signs that these were indeed
worshippers of the computers of the Ancients. When the two successfully fought
off an attack by carnivorous plants and began administering first-aid to one
another, Reklew spied computer tatoos on one's chest.
After discovering their allegiance, he promptly dispatched a messenger bird,
just in case they led him to something valuable... a probable outcome where
Programmers, Restorationists, or Archivists were concerned. Help should be
arriving anytime now, he hoped.
He had now been tracking the 'Programmers' for several days. Reklew had only a
vague notion of what a computer was, and he didn't much care. If these fanatics
wanted to worship machines of the Ancients... to each their own.
He noted with a small measure of admiration, that these fools had not rushed
headlong into the Ancient building. They had been sneaking around the perimeter
for several hours now, looking for signs of danger. Who knows what could now
inhabit that building, or what deadly defenses might be left over from the days
of the Ancients.
An hour later, Reklew was still watching the Followers of the Voice, who were
continuing to carefully survey the building, but at a closer range. Suddenly,
he felt the presence of strange thoughts invading his own. Reklew tensed and
prepared to fight off a mental attack if the sentience forcing its way into his
psyche was hostile. He relaxed once he realized that he was being contacted
telepathically by one of his comrades.
'We have followed the secret trail signs you said you would leave for us, and
they have come to an end. I am just glad I was able to reach you with the
mind-speak.', said the thoughts of one.
Finally, his help had arrived. They would now hopefully be able to overcome the
Followers and take anything of value they were able to discover.
Reklew could not project his thoughts with telepathy, so no true two-way
communication was possible. He just pictued the path from his last subtle
trail-marker to his current hiding position, and hoped one of his comrades
would be able to read his thoughts.
After a few moments, Abbub Relssek and Selair Nivek crept up close to his
hiding place.
'They were actually being pretty quiet too', thought Reklew, 'considering they
were big, thug-like Enforcers instead of stealthy Scouts like himself'.
Abbub Relssek was a very large, arrogant mutated humanoid.
'He is definitely the perfect example of a thug-like enforcer', thought Reklew.
Relssek had big, thick bony ridges on his brow, and resembled a tribe of
ignorant, barbaric humanoids that lived to the East.
'He probably isn't related', thought Reklew, 'but he is savage and stupid
enough.'
Relssek also sported a partial carapace that covered his head and back. This
tough armor provided wonderful defense, and added to his brutish appearance.
Reklew wouldn't have allowed his mind to entertain such thoughts if he had been
able to feel any contact that might indicate Relssek was probing his thoughts
with telepathy.
Reklew sighed, and thought for not the first, or last, time 'Such a shame that
the Great Glow would bestow the blessings of mind-speak on one so dull-witted.'
"We are here to do the 'real' work now, Reklew.", said Abbub.
Reklew was annoyed by the remark, but more annoyed by the noise. He looked
angrily at the big enforcer and gave him the signal for silence. Looking back
through the binoculars, he sought to determine if Relssek's poor decision to
speak audibly had given their existence away to the Programmers.
Fortunately it appeared the Programmers were too engrossed in their slow
advance into the shadow of the installation's entrance.
Reklew breathed a sigh of relief, and looked over at Nivek, who at least had
not spoken up after Relssek.
While one would have not thought it possible, Selair Nivek, the other enforcer,
was even less intelligent than Relssek. Nivek was a hulking brute, however, and
was even stronger than Relssek.
Despite his size, and dangerous appearance, it was hard not to be amused when
looking at Nivek. He was a huge mutated Camel who walked mostly bipedal. The
Glow had given him photosynthetic skin, and one could clearly see the green
through his sparse hair. Nivek also had very long, oversized arms which could
drag the ground when he loped along with his awkward gait.
While the enforcers may be short on brainpower, they were sure to be deadly in
a fight. Reklew was sure they would not have been sent on this mission unless
they were efficient dealers of death when pointed in the right direction.
Reklew turned his attention back to the Programmers, who were actually entering
the building now.
Now that the Programmers had actually disappeared into the dim doorway of the
installation, Reklew motioned for the others to follow him slowly, and stay
well behind him.
Reklew, a mutant humanoid, had been blessed by The Glow with short stature.
While it might not seem like a blessing at first, standing barely 4 foot tall
was perfect in many situations for a Scout. More importantly, his heightened
hearing enabled him to do his profession with great effectiveness.
Reklew now put into action his most wondrous blessing from The Glow. As he
crept through the weeds of varying color, his chameleon flesh swirled, helping
him to blend in against the backdrop of vegetation.
Not for the last time, Sirhc wondered why Szymon, the leader of their group of
Radioactivists, had not seen fit to send an Examiner with the Enforcers. Surely
one must not have been available on such short notice, or Szymon would have
wanted one on this investigation.
|
