Admonition
With pep, I emerged from the elevator within the highest levels of Palace Phalia and headed down the extravagant hall. My destination was the briefing room. Highlord's representative, Malanvia, had summoned me and a few of my peers from the DTO. She was uncharacteristically vague in her message, as she failed to detail exactly what she was signaling us for. It must be a concerning matter; a matter to remain secret. I personally enjoy situations like this, out of my 30-something years of loyal service, I can't help but get excited when something unusual happens. I was coming up on the briefing room now, an elite XK Sentinel stood alongside it, and glanced at me when I unconsciously sped up my pace.
"Droid. I'm Director Hemsworth. Let me through." I said.
The Droid stared at me for a moment with its red Synth Eyes. The lack of emotion or even politeness from these droids never ceased to disturb me.
"Director Hemsworth, 2008. Letting you through." It said.
A muffled click was heard from the locking mechanisms on the door. The Droid stepped to the side as the door rolled into the wall, and I stepped in. The briefing room was already darkened; the vast, lengthy curtains along the large balcony and window to the left were closed. The only light source was a relatively bright blue hue emitted from the tabletop screen of the long conference table at the center of the room. Sitting around it were a few familiar faces. Malanvia at the far end, Superintendent Neg alongside her, Provincial Commander Gray closest to me, and a few District Admins hovering around him - identifiable by their white and blue uniforms. However, there was something else behind Malanvia. A hulking black silhouette, with slight glints of metal or glass. It barely looked humanoid, I couldn't detect any features, but I somehow knew it was animate. Cautiously, I took my spot at the opposite end of the table. Gray smirked at me.
"Good to see you, sir. You haven't missed much; she was waiting for you." He said.
"Right." I said.
I looked down at the tabletop screen. It depicted a map of the 6th District. I looked up at Malanvia, she was staring right at me with her inhuman, violet eyes.
"Greetings, Director Hemsworth! My apologies to everyone for calling you here on such short notice, but we have an urgent operation proposed by Head Engineer Edward Ratt and Highlord."
Highlord? So, the big guy actually has us doing something again?
"If you look down at the map, it shows the full layout of Division 6, a largely urban district. We have received accurate Intel that a rebel stronghold is located at the Southern area of downtown Ruguo."
The map zoomed in to where she detailed, showing photo-realistic imaging of the region. A densely populated cityscape, many high buildings, many nooks and crannies.
"Superintendent Neg has already ordered local LE to initiate surveillance of the area, and we've been able to pinpoint the exact location of their holdout."
She pointed at a large warehouse-like structure.
"This is it. We have reason to believe that this sizable building is harboring many large weapons, they're amassing something. Since these rebels are likely affiliated with an extremist sect, The Crimson Sword, this is notably concerning."
Gray turned to me with a grave countenance.
"The Crimson Sword ain't no joke. Remember the run-in I had with them last year?" He whispered.
"Mhm.."
"I still think about it."
My eyes wondered again to the large silhouette behind Malanvia. It was subtly moving like the stomach of a sleeping drunkard. There was a moment of silence; I took the opportunity.
"Miss Malanvia, what's behind you?" I asked.
The DTO members alongside me remained silent and stared at it. They were all likely asking themselves the same question.
"Well, I planned to introduce him when I explained his role, but since you asked..."
She waved her hand in a swift, bored gesture.
"Mr. Warning, come to the table, please."
A series of rumbling thuds sounded as the black mass moved slowly around the increasingly small-looking figure of Malanvia. The shadow was finally illuminated as it stepped into the boundaries of the light's advance. I felt a drop of sweat slide down my temple as I gazed up at the beast of a man. This Mr. Warning was a giant! Wrapped in a fine, ebony suit, a sleek, metal gas mask, this was an intimidating man. An aura of danger swirled around him and diffused throughout the enormous room, replacing the oxygen. He placed his hands on the table. His right hand was clad in black metal, the other was unnaturally pale and vein-ridden like the appendage of a corpse. Mr. Warning's shoulders were so broad, it made his head look small. Malanvia cleared her throat.
"This is Mr. Warning. He is an operative that, much like me, serves directly under Highlord. Think of him as his shadow."
Warning stood rocking slightly back and forth; no sound came from him other than a constant, raspy exhale. This didn't do much to put me at ease.
"An operative? What does that mean exactly?" A District Admin asked.
Superintendent Neg eagerly perked up for the first time.
"He may be considered an enforcer! With his purpose in this latest operation, he will be our assault." It said.
"What?" Gray asked.
"That leads us to the main subject of this meeting," Malanvia started. "We are sending Warning to clear out this warehouse and eliminate resistance. He will also dispose of any rebel paraphernalia we find. I'm simply notifying you all of this situation. We are executing this tomorrow morning, make any independent preparations to minimize collateral damage, if you see fit."
"Wait." I leaned forward, seeing her vibrant eyes in the dark. "We don't even know who this guy is, or even how he can supposedly attack an enemy stronghold on his own. And you inform us of this on such short notice? Are you telling me we don't have a choice?"
"Warning is to be trusted, he is effective. Blame Highlord for the short notice. And no, you do not have a choice. Highlord expects preparations to be made by the end of the day. I implore none of you to stall. Any questions?"
I couldn't muster up a single thing to ask. All I could do was look at the animal in the room. The looming figure of Warning. He was dressed like a gentleman, but there was no mistaking the figurative chains I saw. This was a loosely leashed hound, not a soldier, not an "operative." If we continue to put the preservation of the Nation of Phalia in the hands of freaks and droids, a bad ending will befall us all.
"Droid. I'm Director Hemsworth. Let me through." I said.
The Droid stared at me for a moment with its red Synth Eyes. The lack of emotion or even politeness from these droids never ceased to disturb me.
"Director Hemsworth, 2008. Letting you through." It said.
A muffled click was heard from the locking mechanisms on the door. The Droid stepped to the side as the door rolled into the wall, and I stepped in. The briefing room was already darkened; the vast, lengthy curtains along the large balcony and window to the left were closed. The only light source was a relatively bright blue hue emitted from the tabletop screen of the long conference table at the center of the room. Sitting around it were a few familiar faces. Malanvia at the far end, Superintendent Neg alongside her, Provincial Commander Gray closest to me, and a few District Admins hovering around him - identifiable by their white and blue uniforms. However, there was something else behind Malanvia. A hulking black silhouette, with slight glints of metal or glass. It barely looked humanoid, I couldn't detect any features, but I somehow knew it was animate. Cautiously, I took my spot at the opposite end of the table. Gray smirked at me.
"Good to see you, sir. You haven't missed much; she was waiting for you." He said.
"Right." I said.
I looked down at the tabletop screen. It depicted a map of the 6th District. I looked up at Malanvia, she was staring right at me with her inhuman, violet eyes.
"Greetings, Director Hemsworth! My apologies to everyone for calling you here on such short notice, but we have an urgent operation proposed by Head Engineer Edward Ratt and Highlord."
Highlord? So, the big guy actually has us doing something again?
"If you look down at the map, it shows the full layout of Division 6, a largely urban district. We have received accurate Intel that a rebel stronghold is located at the Southern area of downtown Ruguo."
The map zoomed in to where she detailed, showing photo-realistic imaging of the region. A densely populated cityscape, many high buildings, many nooks and crannies.
"Superintendent Neg has already ordered local LE to initiate surveillance of the area, and we've been able to pinpoint the exact location of their holdout."
She pointed at a large warehouse-like structure.
"This is it. We have reason to believe that this sizable building is harboring many large weapons, they're amassing something. Since these rebels are likely affiliated with an extremist sect, The Crimson Sword, this is notably concerning."
Gray turned to me with a grave countenance.
"The Crimson Sword ain't no joke. Remember the run-in I had with them last year?" He whispered.
"Mhm.."
"I still think about it."
My eyes wondered again to the large silhouette behind Malanvia. It was subtly moving like the stomach of a sleeping drunkard. There was a moment of silence; I took the opportunity.
"Miss Malanvia, what's behind you?" I asked.
The DTO members alongside me remained silent and stared at it. They were all likely asking themselves the same question.
"Well, I planned to introduce him when I explained his role, but since you asked..."
She waved her hand in a swift, bored gesture.
"Mr. Warning, come to the table, please."
A series of rumbling thuds sounded as the black mass moved slowly around the increasingly small-looking figure of Malanvia. The shadow was finally illuminated as it stepped into the boundaries of the light's advance. I felt a drop of sweat slide down my temple as I gazed up at the beast of a man. This Mr. Warning was a giant! Wrapped in a fine, ebony suit, a sleek, metal gas mask, this was an intimidating man. An aura of danger swirled around him and diffused throughout the enormous room, replacing the oxygen. He placed his hands on the table. His right hand was clad in black metal, the other was unnaturally pale and vein-ridden like the appendage of a corpse. Mr. Warning's shoulders were so broad, it made his head look small. Malanvia cleared her throat.
"This is Mr. Warning. He is an operative that, much like me, serves directly under Highlord. Think of him as his shadow."
Warning stood rocking slightly back and forth; no sound came from him other than a constant, raspy exhale. This didn't do much to put me at ease.
"An operative? What does that mean exactly?" A District Admin asked.
Superintendent Neg eagerly perked up for the first time.
"He may be considered an enforcer! With his purpose in this latest operation, he will be our assault." It said.
"What?" Gray asked.
"That leads us to the main subject of this meeting," Malanvia started. "We are sending Warning to clear out this warehouse and eliminate resistance. He will also dispose of any rebel paraphernalia we find. I'm simply notifying you all of this situation. We are executing this tomorrow morning, make any independent preparations to minimize collateral damage, if you see fit."
"Wait." I leaned forward, seeing her vibrant eyes in the dark. "We don't even know who this guy is, or even how he can supposedly attack an enemy stronghold on his own. And you inform us of this on such short notice? Are you telling me we don't have a choice?"
"Warning is to be trusted, he is effective. Blame Highlord for the short notice. And no, you do not have a choice. Highlord expects preparations to be made by the end of the day. I implore none of you to stall. Any questions?"
I couldn't muster up a single thing to ask. All I could do was look at the animal in the room. The looming figure of Warning. He was dressed like a gentleman, but there was no mistaking the figurative chains I saw. This was a loosely leashed hound, not a soldier, not an "operative." If we continue to put the preservation of the Nation of Phalia in the hands of freaks and droids, a bad ending will befall us all.
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