Resurgence

Empty Victory

Some time before Nemo's annihilation of Jorgan and Frida's squad, Big Boss led the attack against War Lord Kane's fortress. He is in communication with Master Rael. Master Rael informs him, "The rear guard I sent to scout for our 8 missing troopers has found them. I was able to compel one of them to speak the truth, and he said they were supposed to watch from a distance and broadcast all zeroes if they saw a team containing a male Quarren, female Falleen, male Advozse, and 5 humanoids, 3 male, 2 female. They were to confirm the presence of all 8 of those, send out the all zero broadcast, and head North to assist War Lord Kane."

Big Boss replies, "That's Jorgan and Frida's group. I don't like how much attention Nemo is calling to them without mentioning them specifically. Their night shift should be there by now... it's past midnight. Raise them on comms."

After a few moments Rael comes back on, "Boss! They're being jammed! And what's more, there's a signal coming from somewhere in orbit repeating muffled chatter from the siege of the Mountain so anyone listening won't even suspect jamming!"

Big Boss says, "That's a sure sign of an attack. Call Erlkönig and tell him to start heading that way on a speeder.... it'll take him just under 2 hours to reach them at top speed! You'll get there first since Donar and Blitza can phase walk.... can you sense them in danger?"

Rael gasps, "Yes! Just now, a spike of fear! It's a surprise attack I'd wager.... oh I hope Lady Erika can't sense them passively from as far away as she is... I'll be there in moments.... Erlkönig! Jorgan and Frida are under attack! I'm heading out, but I want you to take a speeder and get there as fast as it will carry you!"

Erlkönig confirms the order, "I'm moving... be careful Master... we still don't know what they're capable of."

He responds, "I know they're no match for Donar and Blitza.... my only hope is we aren't too late!"

Some minutes later, a troop carrier tears out of a secret launch tunnel hidden in the opposite crevice of a mountain several kilometers northeast of Kane's mountain fortress. It's faster than a Lambda, but of a similar design, and it escapes the atmosphere almost as fast as the Starhawk Silver Dragon's scanners can spot it, heading south in the general direction of Jorgan and Frida's outpost.

Big Boss attempts to raise Master Rael on comms, hoping he's disabled the jammer by now, "Hey, a shuttle is heading your way.... ah, no good. Erlkönig, are you still on this frequency?"

"Yeah Boss."

"Try to reach out to Master Rael through the force."

When Erlkönig speaks again, Big boss no longer hears the whirring of his speeder bike, "I don't sense him! I can't sense any of them! It's like they're gone! I could sense Donar and Blitza's fury burning like fire, but now nothing!"

Big Boss starts frantically asking, "Jorgan, Frida, Rael! What's happening?! Are you there Jorgan, Frida, Rael!? Answer Jorgan, Frida, Rael!"

Erlkönig leaps off his speeder bike and starts sprinting in the direction of Jorgan and Frida's outpost. He seethes with the dark side, and an aura of lightning surrounds him. His eyes glow dark purple, the skin around them turns black, and his body blackens and begins to distort. His hairs become tiny black polygons starting at the tips and then working down, his extremities join in, then his clothes, and he transforms into smoke and rockets off towards the outpost, screaming past mach 1, mach 2, mach 3, and so on. The smoke trail zooms towards Jorgan and Frida in near silence at speeds to put any constructed craft to shame.

A few more minutes pass, and some Necrotic Clones reach the bowels of the Mountain. They blast open a secure door to reach the hanger at the other end of the escape tube the shuttle launched from. They call Big Boss to give him the news, "Boss, War Lord Kane is dead... I assume they were executed by whoever was in that shuttle."