Plasmatropolis [OLD]

Honour and Glory

The repurposed Droug transport train stopped by the cold mountains of the north of Alvatros, and Krista stepped out of the coach she was in and began walking, wrapping a coat around her body to keep herself warm. Nobody ever came to these lands, except Droug hunters like her. The train was, in fact, private, rented by Marco, and only she and a few staff members were on board.

She knew where to find what she was looking for. Captain Adek was the leader of one of the strongest remaining Droug holdouts, his group having amassed many of the escaped ones after the leader had been defeated. Somewhere around here was their headquarters. Krista had already been tasked with investigating Adek and his group before, and had even confronted Adek personally a couple times, but from that experience, she learned Adek was not violent or aggressive, and nor were the ones under his command. He was surprisingly compassionate for a Droug and always preferred diplomacy over bloodshed, and he barely had any quarrels with Alvatros. Krista knew that there was a good chance she could get Adek's help.

Eventually, Krista arrived at an area in between the mountains, hidden to most eyes, where a large facility was present. Dozens and dozens of Droug guards patrolled the fortress - real Droug, not mind-controlled innocents of other species like had once been commonplace when Alvatros was under occupation. The Droug turned to face her as she appeared and raised their weapons defensively, but Krista knew they wouldn't shoot if she didn't threaten them.

"Where is Captain Adek? I must speak to him at once. This is urgent." Krista declared, shouting as loud as she could so her voice could be heard.

Wordlessly, a few Droug at the front of the fortress nodded and went inside. Krista waited patiently, tapping her toes and letting her mind drift to other thoughts, such as Sam. She would probably see him again soon if this all went as planned. She was excited, but she wasn't sure if she was ready.

Finally, a group of Droug excited the fortress and moved aside to reveal one in the center. Captain Adek was distinct from the others. His metal was brighter, a shade of lustrous silver. The eye in the center of his face was curved downward, like a crescent. Besides that were a few differences in the glowing lights on his body.

"Krista, what brings you here now? Have you finally come to end us?" Adek asked.

"On the contrary, I need your help to fight someone else." Krista stated.

"Now listen here. I may not want you dead, but we are far from allies." Adek claimed. "I won't do errands for you. This group's entire existence is at stake if we even so much as step beyond these snowy mountains."

"You might think differently once I show you this." Krista told him, before procuring the newspaper Marco had given her. She handed it to Adek, who cautiously accepted and began reading. Within a few moments, Adek began shaking profusely, his lights glowing bright with anger. He then tossed the newspaper to the side and, with a mechanical growl, slammed his fist down into the ground, launching up snow around himself.

"This is outrageous!" He declared. "How could someone do something so vile?"

"To be fair, it was the Droug who mind controlled innocents to serve in their army." Krista pointed out.

"An operation which I never agreed with." Adek countered. "No Droug could speak up against Madosek." Apparently, Madosek was the name of the previous Droug leader, as Krista had learned.. "Madosek was the final say. The rules, the law. Varek barely agreed with any of that either. Remember where he ended up? Exiled to the abandoned homeland."

Adek let out a long, robotic sigh, to calm his nerves. "Varek was like a brother to me. We witnessed many noble Droug commanders being booted from our society for the most infinitesimal blunders. And eventually it happened to him. Madosek was a tyrant, and in all honesty... I am glad he is gone. You and Samuel Kyber have done me a great favour in getting rid of him."