Pasted

[LILIM FOUNDATION ENTRY / SKELL ENGINE LOG / BLACK BOX RECORDING]
//TAGS: DEEPSTRIKE / PARADOXON / HEAVY COMBAT LOG / UMBRAL-STRIKE - CONFIRMED WEEPING KING ENCOUNTER
//DEEPSTRIKE OPERATION: "LOOSE NOOSE"
//SUBJECT: HEAVY SKELL-ENGINE "SLANDERING KNAVE" - MYTHIC CLASS
//DATE: 163K.302-04/004
//OPERATIONAL LOCATION: VOLLOS II - GRID 009.828 / 022.990 
 [TAG HIERARCHY]
-PILOT/WARDEN: RYQUO-44 - [RYQ]
-SKELL-Ai: "TARON" - [TAR]
-ARBITRATOR: LILIM BIOTECHNICS MOD CYBERNETIC EHANCED UNIT "MOD-44/LHW / "MODEMIA" - [MOD]
 <LOG 0A-1 / PLANETFALL...>
 TAR: [ALERT! ALERT! PROXIMITY TO LANDING COORDINATE TARGET: 2.6 KILNS. LANDING DAMPENERS ENGAGING... IMPACT IN EIGHTEEN SECONDS.]
RYQ: "Mod, get on the scope the second we make Angel-Fall."
MOD: "Angel-Fall. Scope. Echo."
RYQ: "Echo Correct."
[...]
TAR: [ALERT! SURFACE PROXIMITY. ANGEL-FALL IN FIVE- FOUR- THREE- TWO- IMPACT!]
 	*THE GROUND OF VOLLUS II CRACKS UNDER THE THUNDEROUS ANGEL-FALL OF THE SLANDERING KNAVE, ROCK AND EARTH SUNDER UNDER THE IMMENSE WEIGHT OF THE SKELL, CRACKING IN EVERY DIRECTION LIKE A SHATTERED WINDOW, DEBRIS AND DUST FLY INTO THE AIR LIKE A FOUNTAIN OF EARTH...*
 [...]
 RYQ: "Taron. Warhorn. Four blasts. Let the scum know we're looking for attention."
TAR: [WARHORN. FOUR BLASTS. ECHO.]
RYQ: "Echo Correct. Sing out."
 	*THE WARHORN CRIES OUT ONCE...*
		*NOW TWICE...*
			*THRICE...*
				*FOUR TIMES...*
 MOD: "Vollon contacts, East-Southeast. One point-two kilns, slowly closing."
RYQ: "Nothing else on-scope?"
MOD: "Negative."
RYQ: "Taron. Long-range Hyperacoustic search. We have few friends, find us some more."
TAR: [LONG-RANGE HYPERACOUSTIC SEARCH. FIND TARGETS. ECHO.]
RYQ: "Echo Correct."
 	*THE SKELL'S HYPERACOUSTIC SYSTEMS RESONATE...*
		*THE CHAINED SONG OF THE MACHINE BARELY HELD BACK...*
 TAR: [HYPERACOUSTICS READY.]
RYQ: "Two Pulses, rapid release, low frequency followed by high frequency."
TAR: [HYPERACOUSTIC SEARCH, SURGE, TWO PULSES, RAPID RELEASE, LOW, HIGH. ECHO.]
RYQ: "Echo Correct. Deafen them."
 	*THE SKELL-ENGINE'S PULSE-VOICE GRUMBLES LIKE A LOW ORCHESTRA... AND THEN A SHRIEKING SIREN-SONG, SWEEPING ACCROSS THE BARREN LANDSCAPE OF VOLLUS II, SHOVING AWAY THE REMAINING VOLLONS IN A CLEANSING WAVE...*
 [...]
 MOD: "Hyperacoustic search successful... Close targets have expired- no targets within the region..."
RYQ: "Forward stride. Make for the Umbral's last known location."
MOD: "Forward stride. Last known location of Umbral Target. Echo."
RYQ: "Echo correct. Let's go for a stroll."
<LOG ENDS>
 <LOG 0A-2 / SKIRMISH...>
 RYQ: "Taron. Time to target?"
TAR: [TIME TO TARGET AT CURRENT STRIDE: FOUR MINUTES, FOURTEEN SECONDS.]
RYQ: "Good. Mod?"
MOD: "Awaiting instruction, Skell Warden."
RYQ: "Compulsive weapon systems check. No surprises."
MOD: "Compulsive weapons checks. Echo."
RYQ: "Echo Correct."
 [...]
 TAR: [ALERT! VOLLON CONTACTS, REAR, HULL-BEARING 142. SIX-POINT-EIGHT KILNS]
RYQ: "Taron. Swarm density?"
TAR: [VOLLON CONTACT DENSITY HIGH. RECCOMEND HYPERACOUSTIC BLAST.]
RYQ: "Charge Hyperacoustic and hold until the Vollon scum are within four Kilns. No sloppy work."
MOD: "Skell Warden! Multiple Vollon targets- Stride-front! Coming out of the ground! Close! Four-Hundred Microkilns!
RYQ: "Mod! Weapons check status!?"
MOD: "Still running, Warden! Eighty Seconds!"
RYQ: "Taron! Change targets! Hyperacoustic blast, target current vector-front with a heavy repeating sweep! Mod! Alter stride, hard Starside!!"
TAR: [HEAVY HYPERACOUSTIC SWEEP, CURRENT VECTOR, COMPENSATING FOR STARSIDE STRIDE-CHANGE.]
MOD: "Alter stride, hard starside redirect!"
RYQ: "Two echoes correct! Play our audience a song!"
 	*THE SLANDERING KNAVE'S STEPS SHIFT IT'S FORWARD VECTOR AGGRESSIVELY TO THE LEFT- OUTWARD AND ACCROSS THE LANDSCAPE, METAL JOINTS CREAKING AND CRAINING AS IT'S JUMP GRINDS THE ROCK BENEATH IT TO SAND. THE RUSHING AIR BLOWS THE SUBSEQUENT DUSTCLOUD BEHIND THE MASS OF THE WAR-MACHINE LIKE A THICK CURTIAN...*
 	*THE SKELL-ENGINE'S HYPERACOUSTIC SYSTEMS WHINE... AND BLAST THE GROUND WITH DIRECTED ROCK-SHATTERING SURGES OF HYPERCOMPRESSED SHOCKWAVES, THE ROCKY SURFACE OF THE DEAD WORLD YIELDS AND CRUMBLES, KICKING UP DUST AND LIMB ALIKE, SNUFFED VOLLON SHRIEKS ARE ALL THAT THE SKELL-ENGINE'S SUB-ACOUSTICS PICK UP...*
 RYQ: "Taron! Dense, quick, repeating, short-range acoustic pulses!" 
TAR: [DENSE, RAPID, REPEATING, SHORT-RANGE ACOUSTIC PULSES. ECHO.]
RYQ: "Echo Correct! Sing them to sleep!"
 	*THE SKELL'S ACOUSTIC WEAPONS THRUM FOR A MOMENT BEFORE RELEASING HEAVY, POUNDING VOICE-PULSES... THE WORLD AROUND THE SKELL-ENGINE QUICKLY CHURNS TO A THICK CLOUD OF ORANGE DUST, BLOTTING OUT THE SUN...*
 RYQ: "Taron! Continue acoustics- Hold stance! Mod! Thermal scope! "
TAR: [ACOUSTICS SING, HOLDING STANCE. ECHO.]
MOD: "Thermal scope! Echo!"
RYQ: "Echoes Correct- Targets status?!"
MOD: "Vollon contacts don't like our music! Multiple retreating- numerous contacts expiring!"
RYQ: "Taron! Finish acoustics with a surge! Send them screaming-deaf back to their holes!"
TAR: [END SIREN-SONG. HYPERACOUSTIC CRECENDO.]
RYQ: "Echo Correct. End the song."
 	*THE SONG OF THE SKELL-ENGINE BRIEFLY HEIGHTENS BEFORE IT FIZZLES OUT...
		*SILENCE...*
			*THE MYTHIC MACHINE GROANS...*
				*THE ACOUSTICS THRUM AND RESONATE...*
					*A SHOCKWAVE-SWELL SURGES OUT FROM THE SKELL ENGINE, FORCEFULLY BRUSHING THE BATTLEFIELD CLEAN...*
						*NOT EVEN A DUSTCLOUD REMAINS...*
 RYQ: "Mod? Get us moving again."
MOD: "Re-engaging stride. Umbral Target's last known location. Echo."
RYQ: "Echo correct."
 [...]
 RYQ: "Mod? Time till compulsive weapon checks are finished?"
MOD: "Two seconds- One second- Weapons are re-synced. Ready for a proper fight, Skell Warden!"
RYQ: "Outstanding. Time to target?"
MOD: "Time to target- One minute, forty seconds."
<LOG ENDS>
 <LOG 0B-1 / INTRODUCTION RITUAL...>
 	*THE SKELL'S STRIDES CEASE AND THE ENGINE THRUMMS*
 MOD: "Target location reached..."
RYQ: "Mod. Eyes on the scope... Taron, search for concentrated in-motion metaphysical disturbances."
MOD: "On visual scope... Echo."
TAR: [MOTION-FOCUSED METAPHYSICAL SEARCH. ECHO.]
RYQ: "Echoes Correct..."
[...]
 	MINUTES PASS, DRAGGING ON AND ON...
		TIME SLOWS TO A CRAWL... 
			SILENCE... SILENCE... SILENCE...
				THE ONLY THING AUDIBLE...
					THE HEARTBEAT OF THE WARDEN...
						THE DRIP OF SWEAT...
							 ONTO THE SKELL'S CONTROL-FLOOR...
								...
									THE STRESS AMOUNTS LIKE A BAND OF METAL...
										BENDING... GROANING... CREAKING...
											...
												...BREAKING...
 TAR: [CONTACT REAR! METAPHYSICAL ANOMALY! DISTANCE UNKNOWN!]
RYQ: "TARON! EMERCENCY THRUST VECTORING! TURN US AROUND!"
 	*VARIABLE-THRUSTERS ALL OVER THE SKELL IGNITE, TURNING IT ON A DIME, ROCK AND GROUND GRINDING UNDERFOOT...*
 RYQ: "Mod! Lock onto the contact's anomalous signature!"
MOD: "Anomalous signature lock-! Echo!"
RYQ: "Echo Correct!"
 [...]
RYQ: "Taron... Is the contact... Physically there?"
TAR: [METAPHYSICALLY ANOMALOUS CONTACT IS PRESENT ON VISUAL AND SUB-ACOUSTIC SCAN. WARNING: ADVISE: PRELIMINARY READINGS SUGGEST UMBRAL-CLASS ENTITY: THE WEEPING KING.]
MOD -*SHAKILY, FIGHTING FOR COMPOSURE*-: "...Skell Warden...?"
RYQ: "Hold position... No hasty decisions... The Anathema had the jump on us- We already lost the first encounter... We don't know if he's actually there- TARON! EMERGENCY HYPERACOUSTIC PULSES- CROSS-FREQUENCY! NOW!!"
TAR: [EMERCENCY CROSS-FREQUENCY HYPERACOUSTIC PULSES ENGAGING.]
 	*THE SKELL-ENGINE'S VOICE SCREAMS TO LIFE, RESONATING PULSES WAIL FROM THE MYTHIC MACHINE... THE LANDSCAPE CRACKS, STONES ARE TOSSED... AND AN ORCHESTRA OF SOULS WAIL OVER THE SKELL-ENGINE'S SUB-ACOUSTIC SENSORS...*
 RYQ: "MOD! ISOLATE THE NOISE COMING THROUGH SUB-ACOUSTIC SCOPES! GET ME A HARD-LOCK! TARON! ENGAGE ENGINE-PILOT NERVE-LINK!"
MOD [HURRIED/SHAKILY]: "Isolating sub-acoustics! Locking...! -LOCKED ON! ECHO!"
TAR: [SKELL-PILOT-NEURAL LINK ACTIVE- HANDING OVER CONTROL. ECHO.]
RYQ: "Echoes Correct! Taron- Monitor Skell-Pilot Link! Mod! Blinkdrive home!"
TAR: [MONITORING PILOT LINK TO SKELL: SLANDERING KNAVE / WARDEN RYQUO.]
MOD: "Negative Warden! I am staying!"
RYQ: "Stubborn as always-! Mod! Assume direct-control over short-range Hyperacoustics!"
MOD: "Assuming control of Hyperacoustics! Echo!"
RYQ: "Echo Correct! Going under!"
 	*THE SKELL-ENGINE'S MACHINE-SOUL & RYQUO'S CONCIOUSNESS BEGIN THE DANCE...*
<LOG ENDS>
 <LOG 0C-1 / DANCE WITH DEATH...>
 	*THE SKELL'S SYSTEMS AND RYQUO'S CONCIOUSNESS ARE ONE... THE MYTHIC MACHINE AND RYQUO, TWO HALFS OF A WHOLE...*
 RYQ: "YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM ME- NAMELESS THING!"
 MALIFUX: "WRETCH OF OLD- HAVE YOU COME TO FINALLY DIE!?"
 	*THE SKELL-ENGINE ROARS, A HYPERACOUSTIC PULSE SURGES OUTWARD.*
 RYQ: "YOU ARE THE ONE WHO IS ALONE HERE!"
 MALIFUX: "AN AUDIENCE! HOW GRAND THAT YOU MIGHT DIE ALONGSIDE A COMRADE! BUT, WHO?"
 MOD: "Shut up- SHUT UP!"
 	*A DIRECTED HYPERACOUSTIC SHOCKWAVE FLIES FROM THE SKELL-ENGINE, RESONATING WITH MALIFUX'S METAPHYSICALITY, CALMING IT...*
 MALIFUX: "TCH... YOU LOWLY WORM-!"
 MOD: "Say my name again..."
 RYQ: "Luko... Luko..."
 MALIFUX: "YOU AREN'T EVEN A CANDLE-! I AM THE **BONFIRE!!**" 
 RYQ: "BE QUIET, NAMELESS THING!"
 	*A SURGE OF AIR RUSHES BY THE SKELL, MALIFUX IS ALREADY BESIDE IT.*
 RYQ: "NOT THAT EASY!"
 	*MOD SENDS ANOTHER RESONATING PULSE SURGING OUT FROM THE SKELL, STUNNING THE ANATHEMA.*
 	*THE SKELL STEPS BACK AND THE CLAWS SWING, CUTTING INTO THE ANATHEMA'S CHEST...*
 MALIFUX: "-YOU FRAIL THINGS DARE TO TOUCH ME!?"
 MOD: "YOU WON'T HAVE ME A SECOND TIME, DEMON!"
 MALIFUX: "OH- BUT ***I*** WILL! ***LET ME OPEN YOUR EYES!!***"
 	*MALIFUX RAISES A HAND... THE WORLD AROUND IT WARPS AND TWISTS... CONTORTING INTO A SPHERE OF BLACK...*
 RYQ: "Modemia!"
 	 *THE SKELL ENGINE THRUMS AGAIN, SLOWLY BUILDING IN INTENSITY...*
 MALIFUX: "YOU WHINING CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED NOTHING FROM YOUR PAST!! THE FUTURE WILL CONTINUE WITHOUT YOU-"
 	*THE HYPERACOUSTIC SURGE RUSHES FORWARD, WASHING OVER THE BATTLEFIELD. THE ENERGY IN MALIFUX'S HAND SURGES BACK TO HIM, AND HE WAILS IN AGONY...*
 MALIFUX: ***"-GHYAAAKK!!!"***
 	*MALIFUX SIEZES, HIS FORM TAKEN OVER BRIEFLY BY A BLAZING BLACK ABSENSE*
 	*THE SKELL LURCHES FORWARD, A SECOND SWING OF THE CLAWS CONNECT, RENDING A HEAP OF WRITHING METAPHYSICAL BIO-MATTER FROM MALIFUX'S BODY*
 	*MALIFUX TUMBLES BACK, BOTH HANDS OVER THE WOUND, HUNCHED IN PAIN*
 MOD: "You talk too much- Demon! But I have a SONG for you!!"
 	*THE WAIL OF HYPERACOUSTICS PICK UP AGAIN, BUILDING...*
 RYQ: "You've gotten sloppy. NAMELESS THING, HALFMOON!"
 	*MALIFUX SLOWLY GETS TO HIS FEET AND LOOKS UP FROM HIS WOUND, HANDS COVERING THE HOLE.*
 	*THE CLAWS DROP THE LUMP OF PHYSICAL PARADOXES TO THE GROUND.
 	*MALIFUX'S AGONIZED EXPRESSION TURNS TO A GRIM SMILE, EYES AFLAME WITH SEARING WHITE LIGHT.*
 MALIFUX: "A PROPER FIGHT... HAS FINALLY COME TO MY PRISON..."
 	*THE SKELL'S AUXILLARTY WEAPONS HUM TO LIFE...*
 MALIFUX: "***A PROPER WAR! TO THIS WEB OF NOTHING!!***"
 	*MALIFUX VANISHES FROM SIGHT, FLASHING IN AND OUT OF REALITY, BLINKING FROM PLACE TO PLACE.*
 MOD: "...WARDEN!"
 RYQ: "LUKO...!"
 	*THE SKELL AND RYQUO'S SHARED EYES DART AROUND THE BATTLEFIELD... ERRORS AND CONFLICTING ALERTS FILLL THE TARGETING ARRAY...*
 RYQ: "I SEE YOU, ARCHENEMY!"
 	*BOTH SHOULDER-MOUNTED RESONANCE-CANNONS FIRE, IMPOSSIBLY HITTING MALIFUX SQUARE IN THE CHEST AS HE BLINKS BACK INTO REALITY. THE ANATHEMA FLIES BACK FROM THE IMPACT, DOZENS OF KILNS AWAY... A LINE OF DUST AND RUBBLE MARKING A TRAIL FOR THE SKELL TO FOLLOW...*
 MOD: "HAKA-! Nice shot, Sir!"
 RYQ: -*BREATHING HEAVILY AS THE NEURAL-LINK GOES OFFLINE*- "We aren't done yet..."
<LOG ENDS>
 <LOG 0C-2 / BLOOD TRAIL...>
 	*THE SKELL MARCHES ALONG THE PATH OF RUBBLE. THE CREW, SCANNING AND SWEEPING, EVER-VIGILANT.*
 TAR: [NO SIGN OF METAPHYSICAL ANOMALIES, WARDEN.]
RYQ: "He's out here. I know it. It's in his nature to return to the fight. But instead of coming back, he's left us alone. That means he's injured in an extreme capacity he never could have anticipated, he's backed himself into a corner with the intent of hiding from us..."
TAR: [WARDEN, IF YOUR ASSESMENT IS CORRECT, WITHDRAWL IS RECCOMENDED. WE DO NOT HAVE THE TARGET'S MOST RECENT LOCATION. ONLY AN APPROXIMATION.]
MOD: "...I think Taron is right, Sir..."
RYQ: "We are continuing forward."
MOD: "...Copy, Skell Warden..."
 [...]
 RYQ: "Taron. One low-intensity long range Hyperacoustic pulse."
TAR: [SINGULAR LOW-INTENSITY LONG-RANGE HYPERACOUSTIC PULSE. ECHO.]
RYQ: "Echo Correct. Sing."
 	*THE SKELL'S HYPERACOUSTICS SING OUT AND THE DENSE WAVE WASHES OVER THE DESOLATE, DEAD WORLD... FINDING NOTHING...
 TAR: [NULL RETURNS, SKELL WARDEN.]
MOD: "I don't like this, Skell Warden... It feels like a trap..."
RYQ: "..." - "Hard stop."
MOD: "Hard stop... Echo."
RYQ: "Echo Correct..."
 	*THE SKELL LURCHES TO A STOP...*
 RYQ: "Taron. Scan around with the scope. All filters."
TAR: [SCOPE, INTENSIVE SCAN, ALL SPECTRUMS. ECHO.]
RYQ: "Echo Correct. Modemia."
MOD: "Skell Warden?"
RYQ: "..." - "Weapons check. No shutdowns, I want them on standby."
MOD: "Weapons check, on standby, no shutdowns. Echo."
RYQ: "Echo correct..."
<LOG ENDS>
 <LOG 0C-3 / SALT IN THE WOUND...>
 RYQ: "Taron, how long has it been?"
TAR: [TWO HOURS FOUR MINUTES FOUR SECONDS, VOLLON TIME.]
MOD: "Skell Warden- That's just over three and a half standard days..."
RYQ: "...Taron, Hyperacoustic Search, figure out what's around us... Mod, weapons ready."
TAR: [HYPERACOUSTIC SEARCH. TOPOGRAPHICAL MAPPING. ECHO.]
MOD: "Weapons locked and loaded. Echo."
RYQ: "Echoes Correct..."
TAR: [HYPERACOUSTICS CHARGING.]
 	*THE CHAINED VOICE OF THE SKELL-ENGINE HHUMS THE BEGINNING OF A SONG...*
 [...]
 TAR: [HYPERACOUSTIC SEARCH: READY.]
RYQ: "Sing out."
 	*THE SKELL-ENGINE'S PULSE-VOICE HOWLS OUT, SWEEPING OVER THE PLANET'S BARREN SURFACE...*
 TAR: [ANALYZING TOPOGRAPHICAL DATA...]
MOD: "Skell Warden? What else are you looking for?"
RYQ: "Irregular markers..."
TAR: [HYPERACOUSTIC TOPOGRAPHICAL DATA ANALYED. BRINGING UP HOLO-DISPLAY.]
 	*A HIGHLY DETAILED TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP PROJECTS INTO THE SLANDERING KNAVE'S CREW-COMPARTMENT. VOLLUS II'S DESOLATE, DEAD LANDSCAPE DOMINATES THE IMAGE, FOR THOUSANDS OF KILNS, THERE APPEARS TO BE NOTHING BUT BARE, LIFELESS DIRT, STONE OUTCROPPINGS, AND ENDLESS DUNES OF ROCK-SAND.*
 MOD: "There's... nothing. Sir, It's just a dead wasteland..."
 	*RYQUO GLARES AT THE HOLO-MAP, UNCONVINCED.*
 RYQ: "Taron. Scan the map for irregular and atypical geographical markers. Especially along the Umbral's last known trajectory."
TAR: [GEOGRAPHICAL PATTERN SEARCH: IRREGULAR AND ATYPICAL MARKERS ALONG TARGET TRAJECTORY. ECHO.]
RYQ: "Echo Correct."
TAR: [SEARCHING... MARKING...]
 	 *YELLOW MARKERS DOT ACROSS THE PROJECTED MAP, CONCENTRATING ALONG THE ANATHEMA'S LAST KNOWN TRAJECTORY...*
 RYQ: "...There."
 	*RYQUO POINTS AT THE MAP'S PROJECTED EDGE. A CLUSTER OF MARKERS IN EXTREMELY TIGHT DIRECTIONAL-SPREAD.*
 RYQ: "That surface-disturbance is far too impact-like to be displaced rubble, or Vollon activity. That's the site of something heavy hitting the ground at speed. That's Malifux."
MOD: "What if he's waiting for us there? I still think this is a trap..."
TAR: [CAUTION. WARDEN RYQUO. ADVISE REPORT TO OVERWATCH.]
RYQ: "Mod. Prep a Warhead. Taron, send a detailed report of our encounter so far."
MOD: "Prep Warhead... Echo."
TAR: [COMPILING DETAILED REPORT... REPORT STANDING BY FOR TRANSMISSION. ECHO.]
RYQ: "Echoes Correct, send report."
 	*THE SKELL'S EXTERNAL COMMS RELAY THRUMMS...*
 TAR: [REPORT SENT.]
MOD: "Warhead ready, Skell Warden."
RYQ: "Target: Center of marker concentration at grid-reference: A-4. Grid coordinates: 004.201 by 019.330."
MOD: "Warhead Target... Grid reference: Alpha-Four, Sub-grid target coordinates... Zero-zero-four-point-two-zero-one by zero-one-nine-point-three-three-zero. Echo."
RYQ: "Echo Correct. Salt the wound."
MOD: "Sending Warhead."
 	THE SKELL'S OVERHEAD WARHEAD LAUNCHER CREAKS UPWARD AND ADJUSTS IT'S AZIMUTH, ONE OF THE TWELVE WARHEADS IGNITES, AND FLIES FROM IT'S CRADLE, QUICKLY VANISHING INTO THE SKY... BEFORE CRASHING BACK DOWN WELL PAST THE HORIZON... IN A BALL OF ANTIMATTER-FIRE...
<LOG ENDS>
 <LOG 0C-4 / RED HERRING...>
 	THE SLANDERING KNAVE STRODE FORWARD, ACROSS VOLLUS II'S WASTES, ON THE HORIZON: BURNING ANTIMATTER...
 RYQ: "Time to target destination?"
TAR: [EIGHT POINT TWO MINUTES AT CURRENT STRIDE.]
[...]
MOD: "...More fours..."
RYQ: "Hm? Come again?"
[...]
RYQ: "Modemia, what do you mean, "More fours"?"
MOD: "I- I don't know? There's- Here-"
RYQ: "Will this take long? We are in relatively close proximity to the target..."
MOD: "No- No- This shouldn't take long- Look!"
 	*MODEMIA BRINGS UP A LOG OF "FOURS" ON THE HOLO-DISPLAY, AS WELL AS A CONCERNING AMOUNT OF CORRELATION AND CAUSATION REGARDING NUMBERS EQUALLING AND DIVISIBLE BY FOUR... EVEN JUST THE MENTIONING OF "FOUR"...*
 MOD: "Look at this-! There are so many separate instances of Four! Why!? I thought I was going crazy at first!"
 	*THE LIST ZOOMS IN TO THE FIRST FEW ENTRIES...*
 MOD: "Here! This is the first one I ever saw! "Log 44D.4- That's part of the Malifux File! And that's FOUR fours-!"
RYQ: "That's three fours... What are you on about here?"
MOD: "D! It's the fourth letter in Humanity's English Lexicon- Their most spoken language! Four-Four-Four-Four!"
RYQ: "I hardly see how this is related to our situation..."
MOD: "Look here-!"
 	*THE LOGS SCROLL TO A DIFFERENT SECION... MORE FOURS...*
 MOD: "Look at this! A private log of RYQ-322 discussing fours with RYQ-31, RYQ-22, and RYQ-4! Look at those numbers and tell me I'm not crazy!"
 	*IT SEEMED LIKE JIBBERISH TO RYQUO INITIALLY... THEN HE STARTED LOOKING...*
 TAR: [SKELL WARDEN. IT WOULD SEEM THAT MODEMIA'S CONCERN OF "FOURS" MAY YET CORRELATE TO OUR SITUATION...]
RYQ: "-what, how?"
TAR: [ADDITIONAL TOPOGRAPHICAL DATA FROM POST-WARHEAD DETONATION... OF THE SIX ANTIMATTER EXPLOSIVES CARRIED BY THE WARHEAD- ONLY FOUR DETONATED. I AM READING TWO INERT ANTIMATTER EXPLOSIVES, CLOSEST TRACKED WARHEAD: THREE POINT NINE KILNS. FURTHEST TRACKED WARHEAD: NINE POINT ONE KILNS.]
RYQ: "...Hard stop. Now."
TAR: [HARD STOP. ECHO.]
RYQ: "Echo Correct- Stop us now!"
 	*THE SLANDERING KNAVE GRINDS TO A STOP, KICKING UP DUST AND DEBRIS AS IT CEASES STRIDING FORWARD...*
 RYQ: "Taron- Hyperacoustic search- ...Four pulses... Variable intensity."
MOD: "Sir!?"
TAR: [HYPERACOUSTIC SEARCH. FOUR VARIABLE PULSES. ECHO.]
RYQ: "Echo Correct, Call out."
 	*THE SKELL'S ACOUSTIC SYSTEMS ROUSE FROM THEIR SLUMBER AND BEGIN THEIR SONG... A QUIET HUM BUILDS INTO A WAIL LIKE HELL'S AIR-RAID SIREN... FOUR PULSES SURGE OUTWARD...*
 TAR: [DATA INCOMING. ANALYZING...]
MOD: "Sir- If I could get your attention while Taron is occupied-"
RYQ: "Make it as quick as you can- we may be in danger."
 	*THE HOLO-PROJECTION LIT UP AGAIN, HIGHLIGHTING ABNORMAL INSTANCES OF "FOURS"...*
 MOD: "Going back to this one, it looks mundane- until you look it over-"
 	*IT WAS THE CONVERSATION OF FOURS BETWEEN RYQ-322, RYQ-31, RYQ-22, and RYQ-4.*
 MOD: "It's the numbers specifically, and the order! Three-one, two-two, Four-"
RYQ: "I understand, Three plus one is four. Two plus two is four. And plain four. That doesn't explain RYQ-322."
MOD: "It's the order of his numbers- Three other fours- Two plus two! Four!"
RYQ: "Seems like a bit of a reach."
MOD: "This one then! For four-hundred years you were MIA- That was only two years for you but still!"
RYQ: "..." 
MOD: "And this one! This one got the ball rolling for me..."
 	*AGAIN, THE HOLO-DISPAY SCROLLS TO AN INSTANCE OF "FOUR"...*
 MOD: "RYQ-31 Himself had a discussion -fairly recently- with Dillan, the Venturelust Operative where "Fours" were brought up! He said it himself- Dillan brought it up first: "Why all the fours?" -There's a correlation to something bigger here!"
TAR: [ALERT: TOPOGRAPHCIAL DATA ANALYSIS COMPLETE.]
RYQ: "Modemia, we'll come back to this... Compile a report."
MOD: "Yes Sir- Compile report... Echo."
RYQ: "Echo Correct. Send when ready. Taron? Show me what we've found."
TAR: [ON-DISPLAY, SKELL WARDEN.]
 	*THE HOLO-DISPLAY CHANGED FROM THE IRREGULAR AMOUNT OF FOURS TO A HIGHLY DETAILED TOPOGRAPHICAL DISPLAY OIF THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE... EVERYTHING LOOKED LIKE VOLLUS II, BUT THERE WERE IRREGULARITIES UPON THE DEAD-WORLD'S ANTIMATTER-FIRE COVERED SURFACE... BEACONS OF SOLID TWISTING LIGHT STRETCHED INTO THE SKY... FISHEYE-EFFECTS WERE DISTRIBUTED ABOUT THE LANDSCAPE... STANDING AT THE CENTER OF ALL THESE ANOMALIES HANDS BEHIND HIS BACK, WAS MALIFUX...*
<LOG ENDS>
 <LOG 0D-1 / END OF THE LINE...>
 MALIFUX: "HOW GRACEFULLY DO YOU DANCE... BUT... WOE... YOUR RUSHED STEPS ARE NOT MEASURED WITH CAUTION..."
 RYQ: "Taron... Engage Engine-Pilot Nerve link and hand me control, monitor the link."
TAR: [SKELL-PILOT-NEURAL LINK ACTIVE- HANDING OVER CONTROL. ECHO.]
RYQ: "Mod, Blinkdrive home. Now. That's an order."
MOD: "Someone has to watch your back... Sir."
RYQ: "Modemia..."
 	*MALIFUX BLINKED FORWARD, MEETING THE MYTIC-CLASS SKELL FACE TO FACE... A HAND RAISED WITH A SPHERE OF BLACK FLOATING IN A GRAVITY-DEFYING GRIP...*
 	FOUR...
	EYES...
	DRIPPED...
	MALICE...
 RYQ: "TARON- AS MANY EMERGENCY HYPERACOUSTIC PULSES POSSIBLE! ECHO OVERRIDE!"
TAR: [FIRING EMERGENCY HYPERACOUSTIC PULSES.]
 	*THE SKELL'S ACOUSTICS ROARED TO LIFE, RESONATING WITH A JUMPSTARTED FURY, THE AIR AROUND THE SLANDERING KNAVE SHOOK AND RATTLED, DUST ON THE GROUND WAS SWEPT AWAY IN THICK ORANGE WAVES... ONCE AGAIN THE ENERGY IN MALIFUX'S HAND SURGES BACK TO HIM, AND HE WAILS, BUT THE BLOW CONTINUES THROUGH THE PAIN...*
 	*A PAINED WAIL CARRIED OVER THE SKELL, AND MALIFUX'S STRIKE CONNECTS WITH THE SLANDERING KNAVE, SENDING IT FLYING BACKWARD.*
 RYQ: "BRACE!"
MOD: "ECHO!"
 	*THE SLANDERING KNAVE TUMBLES ACROSS THE SURFACE OF VOLLUS II, CRASHING THROUGH ROCK OUTCROPPINGS AND POCKETS OF ORANGE SANDY DUNE... FINALLY COMING TO A VIOLET STOP AGAINST A LARGER OUTCROPPING.*
 	*THE SKELL-ENGINE'S INTERNAL SYSTEMS BLARED WARNINGS AND DAMAGE ALERTS...*
 RYQ: "Mod! Blink out! Final warning!"
MOD -*HACKING UP SYNTH-OIL*-: "I'm not *COUGH* leaving you behind again! Sir!"
TAR: [DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! METAPHYSICAL CONTACT IN PROXIMITY!]
 MALIFUX: "YOU HAVE OUTLIVED MY PATIENCE FOR THIS "ENTERTAINMENT" - YOUR VEXING SONG ENDS HERE!"
 TAR: [OVERRIDING PILOT CONTROL - EMERGENCY THRUST-VECTORING ACTIVE.]
 	*THE SLANDERING KNAVE SHOT TO THE SIDE, THRUSTERS STABLIZED IT MID-FLIGHT, THE SKELL SLID TO A STABLE STOP...*
 MALIFUX: "FRAIL THINGS OF NAUGHT... I ADMIT, YOU TEST ME... BUT THIS DANCE WILL END WHEN YOU FADE TO THE DUST YOU CAME FROM."
 MOD: "Resonance cannons ready, Sir!"
RYQ: "Luko..."
 MALIFUX: "ARE YOU SO CONFIDENT THAT YOU THINK YOUR CONSTRUCTS CAN KEEP ME HERE? ON THIS DEAD PLANET? DO YOU TRULY BELIVE THAT I AM KEPT HERE, BECAUSE OF ***YOU!?***
 RYQ: "Luko...!"
TAR: [WARNING - METAPHYSICAL ENERGY SURGE DETECTED!]
 	*MALIFUX OUTSTRECHED HIS ARM TO HIS SIDE, AND THE WORLD AROUND HIS OPEN PALM CONTORTED AND TWISTED INTO AN OLD SHAPE...*
 RYQ: "No-No-No-NO! WE DESTROYED THAT WEAPON! AEONS AGO!!"
MOD: "-SIR??"
 	*A PRIMORDIAL WEAPON FORMED ITSELF IN MALIFUX'S HAND -A TWINBLADE- THE VERY SAME WEAPON HE USED TO BURN MOKOSEN, THE INFINITE FOREST... AND BILLIONS OF OTHERS; TO ASH. AND IT HAD A VILE CHORUS OF IT'S OWN...*
 MALIFUX: "THIS IS WHERE YOU DIE, YOU WRETCH... HERETIC...! THIS IS YOUR END- **APOSTATE!!**"
 	*MALIFUX BLINKED INTO ARMS-REACH OF THE SLANDERING KNAVE, AND THAT UNHOLY TWINBLADE CUT THE WORLD AS IT SLICED THROUGH THE AIR... IT SHEARED INTO THE METAL, RENDING THE SKELL-ENGINE'S RIGHT ARM CLEAN OFF...*
 	*THE SLANDERING KNAVE SHOT BACKWARD, THRUSTERS BURNING HOT, DODGING THE FOLLOW-THROUGH BY MERE NANOSECONDS, SLASH AFTER SLASH, CUT AFTER CUT. THE WORLD TURNING TO RIBBONS AROUND THE DEEPSTRIKE TEAM...*
 RYQ: "MOD! YOU ARE LEAVING! REPORT TO "FATHER" -IMMEDIATELY!!"
MOD: "WITHDRAWING! REPORTING TO "FATHER" -ECHO-!"
 	*MODEMIA'S BLINKDRIVE FIRED, WORMHOLING HER OUT OF THE SLANDERING KNAVE AND BACK TO OVERWATCH...*
 TAR: [ADVISE! YOU MUST LEAVE, SKELL WARDEN.]
RYQ: "NEGATIVE! THAT WEAPON MUST BE DESTROYED! CONTINUE MANEUVERS! I'M LOCKING ON!"
TAR: [ACKNOWLEDGED. CONTINUING EVASIVE MANEUVERS.]
 MALIFUX: "SOURCE OF MY AGGRAVATION! WRETCH! YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED IN THAT PIT! BUT I SEE NOW- THESE MEAGER "BODIES" OF YOURS! FOUR-HUNDRED WRETCHES, FOUR HUNDRED FAILURES! FOUR HUNDRED PUPPETS- ***ONE PUPPETEER! RI'IIKO!! RI'IIKO, THE HALLOWED!! MY FIRST HEIR!!!***"
 	*THE WORLD SLOWLY TWISTED AND DARKENED... THE LANDSCAPE BEGAN FADING FROM THE EDGES OF RYQUO'S VISION... SLOWLY THE WORLD TURNED TO A VOID OF NOTHING... AND THE ONLY FOUR THINGS WERE THE SLANDERING KNAVE, MALIFUX, THE TWINBLADE, AND RYQUO...*
 RYQ: "LOCK- LOCK YOU DAMNED MACHINE!"
 	*THE MALIFUX'S SWINGS GREW EVER CLOSER, CUTTING INTO THE OUTER ARMOR OF THE MYTHIC-MACHINE. WARNING LIGHTS AND HAZARD INDICATORS LIT UP THE PILOT-COMPARTMENT, THE EDGES OF THAT ABYSSAL WEAPON CRYING OUT THROUGH THE SUFFOCATING VOID LIKE AN ORCHESTRA OF WAILING SOULS...*
 RYQ: "TARON- HIS SHOULDER! POINT-FIRE!!"
TAR: [POINT-FIRING RIGHT-SHOULDER RESONANCE CANNON.]
 	*THE SHOT PIERCED THE BLACKNESS WITH A STREAK OF RED. A CRIMSON STREAK PAINTED ITSELF FROM THE BARREL OF THE RESONANCE CANNON TO THE ANATHEMA, CONNECTING WITH MALIFUX'S OWN SHOULDER- BURNING CLEAN THROUGH IT...*
 MALIFUX: ***"GHAAAAAAAAHK!!!"***
 	*THE ANATHEMA'S DISEMBODIED ARM FLEW FROM HIS SHOULDER. TWINBLADE STILL IN IT'S DEAD GRIP... HE RECOILLED BACK, HIS OTHER HAND GRIPPING THE WOUND AS THE WORLD RAPIDLY CAME BACK INTO EXISTANCE.*
 TAR: [NEW TARGET LOCKED, SKELL WARDEN.]
RYQ: "...!"
 	*MALIFUX'S GAZE SHOT TO THE TWINBLADE... RYQUO SQUEEZED THE TRIGGER... A SECOND BEAM OF RED SOARED FROM SLANDERING KNAVE'S OTHER RESONANCE-CANNON AND CONNECTED WITH THE AEONS OLD WEAPON...*
 	*THE TWINBLADE CREAKED, THE ORCHESTRA OF SOULS WITHIN CRYING OUT IN AGONY. THE WHOLE CRACKED FROM END TO END, AND SHATTERED IN A BLINDING ARRAY OF LIGHT AND DARK, AND THE BOUND SOULS FINALLY FELL SILENT.*
 	*THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TWINBLADE FLUNG THE SLANDERING KNAVE AND MALIFUX AWAY, THROWN LIKE SPECS OF DUST IN A STORM... AND THE SURFACE OF VOLLUS II SHOOK...*
 TAR: [ADVISE, YOU MUST DEPART, SKELL WARDEN.]
RYQ: "Acknowledged... Taron..."
TAR: [YES, SKELL WARDEN?]
RYQ: "Good shot..."
TAR: [IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR, FIGHTING ALONGSIDE YOU, FLEET MARSHAL.]
RYQ: "The Honor, was all mine..."
 	*RYQUO'S BLINKDRIVE FIRED, AND HE VANISHED FROM THE SLANDERING KNAVE, AS IT CAME CRASHING BACK DOWN...*
<LOG ENDS>