Krodnok's Lab


#41

Hob’na waited to see what became of Lotara’s current project. In the meantime, she thought about Lotara’s offer, and debated her options.

It wouldn’t hurt, she thought. But to be laying open like that… With my insides, my organs, just, out there… There’s no way to be more exposed, more vulnerable… And for what, HER benefit?

Hob’na allowed her thoughts to trail off, and she remained silent for a few moments. When she regained her composure, and sought to break the silence. “And how is it that you were created?” she asked, trying her best to hide the nerves in her voice.


#42

The Mag Der’al Olgog woke up, converted back to life. His eyes looked at the pair of females, but his nose told him quickly they were undead. The Mag Der’al Olgog waited.


#43

Lotara thought back to the process. The removing of all the glands, ducts and squishy internal bits. The necrotech nightmare and vampire flesh to supplement dead nerve clusters. The drying and preserving of the skin.
Then the surgical adjustments to the brain and spinal column. So many minute changes to the physiology. And of course the purging of the original spirit inhabiting the body so that the New loyal mind can be prepared.

Lotara was surprised that Hob’na had any recollection of her old life. As far as Lotara knew, it was impossible to salvage the original memories during the process.
Her father had no memories of his time “before” being a Warmongers Dead. Nor any other Unit she had met.
Lotara wondered if Hob’nas retained sense of self was a good thing or a liability.


#44

Lotara looked at Hob’na. “I know how I perform the proccess on them,” she said, gesturing the the body that was now sitting on the table. “I don’t remember it being done to me.”

“Although,” she added absently, shaking small bits of meat off her hands. “I imagine it was quite like what you just witnessed.”


#45

She doesnt remember? Hob’na thought. I don’t remember, either. I just took a nap…

Composing herself, she stood up to her full height and walked over to the table. The Mag Der’al hadn’d shown itself to be hostile, so she shoved it off the table, and laid down herself.

She looked at Lotara and smiled. “Well, I suppose we had better get started, before I change my mind…”


#46

The Mag Der’al Olgog struck the ground looked around confused and scampered over to a corner of the room.

Lotara began cutting open Hob’na. She opened the sutures on the head and began looking at the undead brain, and how it was preserved. To her confusion she saw a silvery liquid flowing over the brain pan. She took a small sample, and placed it in a vial. Then she sealed the head.

Checking in the chest and legs, she found silvery flesh had been necro-teched into place where a lymphatic system flowed through a normal living body. This silvery flesh dripped silvery liquid.

Each time Lotara checked a part of the body, she saw there was a silvery liquid saturation of the main nerve clusters.

Suturing back up the wounds she had made, Lotara was still puzzled.

She wondered what this silvery liquid was and what was the flesh she had seen. How would she test the flesh and fluid samples she had taken…?


#47

Time passed. Lotara was still unsure of how she would test the substance taken from Hob’na. She pondered this as she swirled the liquid in its vial. She sighed and placed the vial in one of the drawers of the desk she sat at. This wasn’t important now. Her father was returning.


Krodnok had come back. After the incident at the domed city, he wasn’t pleased. Those wild Gor’abs had served no purpose, but to make a mess out of business that wasn’t theirs. Why they were even there…? Bill was a fool.

He descended the stairs of the Lab to greetings from his followers. He ignored them, for the most part, stopping only to acknowledge the children, living or dead, that ran through the halls playfully. So far, the expansion had gone well.

He located Valurk, and motioned for him to follow. The two of them made their way to Lotara’s workshop. Krodnok didn’t answer Valurk when he asked how it when in Karov, which, Krodnok thought, was answer enough.

They walked into the lab as Lotara closed one of the desk drawers and stood. “Oh. Hello father, Valurk.” She smiled. “What can I-”

“Things in Karov didn’t go well,” Krodnok interrupted. “Wild Gor’abs interjected, and made a mess of the situation. As you can guess, I’m not happy.”

Silence fell in the room for a few moments. “However, there is a thing going on in Karov. A ‘Grand Conclave’, I think it was called.”

“You’re leaving again, already?” Lotara asked.

“No,” Krodnok answered. “Send a representative. Naz’a’ez, probably.”

As Valurk turned to leave the room to do just that, Krodnoks eyes lit up. “No!” he shouted. “Don’t send Naz’a’ez. Send someone else. someone alive. Send Sarhana.” He turned to leave the room himself, but paused at the doorway. “And a small conitngent of warriors to protect her. Make sure they’re alive, as well. Use the Church of One converts.”