The Codex Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3 " AFTERMATH "

DRACO SERPENTIS IV CODEX RECOVERY SITE COMMAND CENTER OF THE PRAETOR

I WANT A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON THE SURVIVING HUMAN RESISTANCE ACROSS THE PLANET.

AND AN ESTIMATE OF THEIR CAPABILITIES WITHIN TWO UNITS.

YES, PRAETOR.

GREETINGS, PRAETOR.

I WAS UNAWARE OF YOUR PRESENCE ON THE PLANET. EXCUSE ME FOR NOT GREETING YOU PERSONALLY AT THE LANDING PAD.

HOLY CLERIC!

OF COURSE I DIDN'T EXPECT YOU TO MEET ME WHEN YOU ARE NOT TOLD OF MY ARRIVAL. IN FACT I HID MY PRESENCE FROM YOU AS TO OBSERVE HOW YOU HANDLED THE CAPTURE OF THE CODEX.

YOUR SECRECY WAS UNNECESSARY, HOLY ONE. IF YOU HAD ANNOUNCED YOUR PRESENCE, YOU COULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED--

PLEASE PRAETOR, DO NOT ARGUE.

...

COME. LET US WALK.

I WISH TO REMAIN UKNOWN SO THAT I MAY OBSERVE YOU WITHOUT BIAS. AND I MUST ADMIT I AM MUCH IMPRESSED BY WHAT I JUST SAW.

YOUR USE OF THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE ALLOWED US TO CAPTURE THE CODEX WITHOUT DAMAGE TO ITS HOLY STRUCTURE AND WITH MINIMAL LOSS OF LIFE...

IT WAS A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF YOUR MILITARY PROWESS. AND AN AUSPICIOUS BEGININNIG FOR THE FINAL STEP IN OUR QUEST TO FULFILL OUR COVENANT...

YOUR HOLINESS FLATTERS ME.

NONSENSE! BECAUSE OF YOU THE HUMAN RESISTANCE ON THIS PLANET HAS BEEN BROKEN! AND WE NOW STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF ONE OF THE MOST HOLIEST STRUCTURES IN THE UNIVERSE...

THE CODEX: DEEP WITHIN ITS MAJESTIC STRUCTURE LIES THE POWER OF THE GODS...

AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE NEED TO FINALLY EMBARK ON OUR GREAT JOURNEY!

AND NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE YOU TO THANK FOR ITS DISCOVERY...

BUT ALSO NOW FOR IT'S QUICK AND SAFE CAPTURE FROM THE VILE HUMANS! YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT MY REPORT TO THE PROPHETS WILL REFLECT YOUR ACTIONS IN A FAVORABLE LIGHT.

I THANK YOU CLERIC. BUT I FEAR THAT YOUR HOLINESS IS TO KIND.

MUCH OF THE CREDIT BELONGS TO ANOTHER. HOLY CLERIC, I INTRODUCE ANDA 'SOFADEE. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMANDER AND LEADER OF THE FORCES THAT TOOK THE CAVE.

HAIL, CLERIC!

A FEMALE ?!

I WILL DO MY BEST TO-YES, BUT DO NOT LET HER GENDER FOOL YOU. ANDA 'SOFADEE IS ONE OF MY MOST FIERCEST WARRIORS AND MOST TRUSTED ALLIES.

YOU WILL SPEAK WHEN YOU ARE SPOKEN TO, BREEDER!!! AND NOT A SECOND BEFORE! PRAETOR, I AM APPALED THAT YOU WOULD ENTRUST SUCH AN IMPORTANT TASK AS THE RECOVERY OF THE CODEX TO A FEMALE!!!!

SHE IS A CAPABLE WARRIOR. TO ENTRUST THE MISSION TO ANOTHER WOULD BE FOOLISH AND A WASTE OF VALUABLE RESOURCES. THE MISSION WAS

THE MISSION WAS SLOPPY!

ANY FOOL WITH A TRAINING WEAPON COULD HAVE DONE BETTER!

SEXIST BASTARD <_<

PSSH PSSH

PSSHH PSSHH

PSSHH PSSHH

ENOUGH! ENOUGH!

PSSHH PSSHH

PSSHH PSSHH

PSSHH PSSHH

COMMNDER, RESTRAIN YOUR WARRIORS.

CLERIC, YOU WILL DO WELL TO REMEMBER THAT THE PROPHETS APPOINTED ME TO COMMAND THIS INVASION. THUS MY DECISIONS ARE BEYOND QUESTION!

THE COMMANDER IS AN EXCELLENT LEADER AND YOU WILL GIVE HER THE RESPECT DUE TO A WARRIOR OF HER RANK.

GLARE GLARE

COMMANDER, RETURN TO YOUR BARRACKS.

...

COMMANDER, RETURN TO BARRACKS. YOUR SOLDIERS MUST BE TIRED FROM BATTLE. SEE THAT THEY ARE GIVEN WHAT THEY NEED.

YES, PRAETOR! YOU WILL OBEY AN ORDER FROM YOUR SUPERIOR, BREEDER! OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES!

PRAETOR, I WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO ME VERY CLOSELY! THE PROPHETS MAY HAVE PUT YOUE IN CHARGE OF THIS OPERATION...

...BUT THEY PUT ME IN CHARGE OF YOU! I AM HERE WITH THEIR BLESSING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO NOT REPEAT YOUR PAST MISTAKES.

NOW YOU FLATTER YOURSELF!

THE PROPHETS KNOW ME TO BE A LOYAL SERVANT. THEY CAN SEE IT IN MY HEART. THERE IS NOTHING BUT LOYALTY AND DUTY.

YOUR FAILURE TO ALERT THE COUNCIL OF THE CODEX'S DISCOVERY HAD MADE THEM QUITE SUSPICIOUS ...

THOUGH I AM UNDER YOUR COMMAND FOR NOW...

I COULD REMOVE YOU AT THE SLIGHTEST HINT OF HERECY. ONE WORD FROM ME, AND YOU WILL BE TORTURED BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND I WILL BE PLACED IN CHARGE OF THE OPERATIONS HERE.

SO BEFOR EYOU TRY TO ASSERT YOUR POWER OR PUT ME IN MY PLACE, I ADVISE YOU TO REMEMBER JUST HOW MUCH YOUR CURRENT SITUATION IS DEPENDENT ON MY SATISFACTION

NOT ONLY YOUR RANK AND YOUR POSITION...BUT YOUR VERY LIFE HANGS IN THE BALANCE.

ARE YOU THREATENING ME, CLERIC !?

I AM GENEROUSLY REMINDING YOU BEFORE THAT BEFORE YOU DO SOMETHING RASH...

...THAT I HAVE BEEN GRANTED A HOST OF SERAPHIM FOR THIS ENDEAVOR. THEY ARE MY EYES, PRAETOR...

AND I AM ALWAYS WATCHING...

I HAVE BEEN PLACED IN CHARGE OF ALL MILITARY FORCES ON THIS PLANET! BY ORDER OF THE PROPHETS, YOUR SERAPHIM MUST REPORT TO ME!

YOU ARE RASH AND NAIVE, PRAETOR!

I AM THE ARM OF THE PROPHETS! AND AS SUCH A CONSTITUTE THE ULTIMATE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY ON THIS WORLD!

7 SERAPHIM HAVE BEEN SENT HERE AS MY PERSONAL GUARD...

...THEY ALONG WITH THEIR SUBORDINATES, ANSWER ONLY TO ME! AND I WILL NOT SUGGEST PUTTING THEIR LOYALTY TO THE TEST!

IF YOU AR EGOING TO HAVE ME KILLED, CLERIC, THEN DO SO. BUT DO NOT WASTE MY TIME WITH TALK. I STILL HAVE AN OPERATION TO FINISH...

BY ALL MEANS, PRAETOR! I DO NOT WISH TO DELAY YOU OF YOUR APPOINTED DUTIES.

GO AND CONTINUE YOUR LABORS IN THE NAME OF THE COVENANT! AND AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SUCCESFUL RECOVEY OF THE CODEX.

WATCH HIM! IF HE DISPLAYS THE SLIGHTEST HINT OF HERECY OR REBELLION...

ARREST HIM!

TO BE CONTINUED...