Matuscarantos

  Jackie and I spent a few hours discussing what was going in the city. Which Gangs were doing what, and to who. Which revealed why the roads were clear st night. The Animals had made a big py on the Tyger Cws turfs. Smashing a few of the Cws major businesses, and kidnapping a few of their major pyers.

  The Voodoo Boys had been slipping some nasty shit into the Maelstrom's clusters for a while. Finally, it all exploded right as the 'Strom were having a big get together for some supposed prophet of theirs. The prophet was toast, and the 'Strom were pissed.

  Jackie's former Gang, The Valentinos had been over in Santa Domingo rumbling with the 6th Street Gang. It was over some territory disputes. Nobody made much progress on either side, and now they were all grumpy about it.

  NCPD was pissed at all the extra paperwork, and having to do so much clean up, so they were doing "random" spot checks and being super "nice" about it. Word was they were going to be raiding a few pces to send a message. Doubt that was going to work out the way they thought it would.

  Everyone was bracing for the all the expected retaliation that was going to be flying around. Staying indoors was the smartest py most people could make for a while.

  So it probably be best for me to head back to base, and not show my face north of Pacifica for a while. Since I didn't have a proper ID yet. I'd have to set that up for ter.

  I asked Jackie and Pepe, to give me a holler if either one heard anything else I needed to know.

  I skedaddled.

  While I drove I made pns. Taking out Faraday was probably still the best py here. If I removed him, everything I was worried about might not happen. Though setting it up might be a pain.

  Having a number of backup pns didn't hurt either.

  If I can, I'll send a quick message to David, expining the hows and the whys of Arasaka keeping tabs on him. Lucy might try to hunt me down, suspicious about my knowledge. But without any Chrome in my head, she was far less of a threat. So I wasn't worried about her.

  Honestly, I'd be more worried about her siccing the Gun Gremlin on me, right now. If her interest in David hasn't pyed out yet, she might try to pop my skull, without even thinking about it, or any sort of prompting.

  On the other hand, I really do want to meet her. If I could gain her loyalty, she was the epidemy of a ride or die woman. Just small, and feisty. I've always been more attracted to real loyalty than anything else.

  But a three foot height difference could be a problem. Ha.

  Hmm. Yeah, let's not count the chickens. Lot's to do before I can think about potential fun times.

  Again nothing really got in my way. Traffic was heavy but behaving.

  Pacifica had a hush over it. Trouble was coming. Everyone knew it.

  Back at my base. I fed Ryll a few more SCOP Dogs. As she got bigger, her hunger grew in greater proportion. She'd grown maybe two total inches, but already her food intake had doubled. Oh well, she was more than worth it.

  There were now 22 Probes, 6 total Pylons and the Nexus. A humongous pile of Minerals had been stacked up. I had the two hold over Probes start on clearing out a space for a Gateway.

  Looking around the now cavernous space, I'd be worried about earthquakes and cave ins if it wasn't for the all of the graceful bracings that the Probes had added. They'd even built out support pilrs.

  Seriously, why hadn't the Protoss done more with their baseline materials?

  The only bummer was that the tunnel headed towards Portal Isnd wasn't even halfway finished.

  To kill time, I did more training with Ryll.

  A couple of hours ter the Gateway was finished.

  [ New Features are in Py ]

  [ A Building capable of producing Sentient Units has been built under your control.

  All Units produced by buildings you control are absolutely loyal, unto death, some even beyond.

  Limits are imposed on the number of Sentient Units you may summon at one time. ]

  Now wasn't that interesting. Absolutely loyal you say?

  "Hahahahaha!"

  Let's see, without a Forge and a Cybernetic Core I should only be able to build Zealots. Ooo, I wanted to watch Zealots rush some Gangers. Maybe soon, it would be possible.

  However, like with the Nexus, I couldn't understand the building. I sensed 10 maybe 11 different units it might produce, but only three where avaible right now. My confusion was total.

  Even if it allowed me to summon all the units of a united Protoss, that was still too much? I thought, but I could be wrong.

  Well, nothing for it, but to try it out.

  I could summon 5 of the first option. I'm betting those were Zealots. But only one each of the other two. I had no ideas. I shrugged and queued them all.

  'Orin shis'nal!' The first Zealot came through the Gateway. I'd no clue about the hows, or the where from of the situation. For my purposes, I didn't need to know. I waved the Zealot over and he descended the ramp of the Gateway to stand patiently next to me. His mind though alien to me still, was a bright thing to my mental senses.

  This repeated 4 times. I could feel the Protoss talking to each other with their minds, even if I didn't understand a damn bit of it. If my mind had eyes it would be uncomfortable staring at the Protoss.

  The next Protoss was like the Zealots but his armor was much more eborate. There was a sense of age and control the others didn't have. I didn't remember the Protoss rankings but this guy was clearly a leader of some type. I could sense the deference of the Zealots to him. His mental energy was as bright as all five of the Zealots together. Was he a High Tempr?

  He walk over to me and offered his arm, I mirrored his gesture and we csped arms. I sensed curiosity at my Psibde Focusers. His blue glowing eyes stared deep into mine. Searching for something. I think he found what he was looking for.

  I also didn't fail to noticed that this obviously ritualized greeting had our bdes aligned to kill each other easily. One quick swipe and we'd both go down. Warrior cultures are often full of these little quirks.

  He moved to stand next to me while we waited. He sent something to the Zealots who visibly straighten, not they they were slouching before. They just found a little extra steel to put into their spines.

  Lastly, a Protoss arrived that was of a completely different caste, I think. There was no air of ready violence around him. Judging by the small Probe-like robots swarming around him I pegged him as one of their engineers. What did they call them again, Phase-Smiths. his mind darted about and it energy while as bright as the leaders was not as... sharp, maybe cutting would be a better term.

  I'd bet anything this guy was a Phase-Smith.

  His little Probes scattered, beginning to scan everything. He was looking at everything, I could feel his mental nods.

  He wandered over to me, and though Protoss had no mouths, I'm pretty sure he was smiling at me. He also offered me his arm, and I took it. It didn't feel as challenging this time.

  'Veraku.' The Phase-Smith thought. He reach in one of his pouches and pulled out a golden circlet. He handed it to me and mimed put it on.

  I slipped it on, and everything changed.

  'I wonder who we shall fight.'

  'Our Hierarch is an odd one.'

  'I like not, being underground.'

  'Will there be many foes?'

  The Phase-Smith nodded at me, 'Ah, it worked. I'd been working on a way to communicate better with other species. I never thought our Hierarch would need it though.' Something like a mental ugh followed, 'I am Martann, second order Phase-Smith, formerly of Aiur, now in service to you.' A cheery fellow Martann.

  'We can speak properly now? Good, I am Jar'thal Praetor of the Tempr caste. I shall serve you well, Hierarch. Someday you shall have to tell me how you came across bdes of the Lost. We thought them all gone.'

  'Oh?' Martann leaned over to look at my Focusers. 'Interesting, those are indeed the make of the Lost.'

  'I am gd to see you all.' I tried reaching out with my mind like they were. 'I am Guy, and I'm still getting used to all of this. For now, perhaps you can both give me an expnation of your nguage and culture. So I won't always need this." I pointed to the circlet.

  'Very wise. Let us share our knowledge. It would be best to have the builders craft a pce of meditation. It will aid in the process.' Jar'thal expined.

  I would like to say I was very adept at learning about the Protoss, but I'd be lying. Without having the nerve cords and the unity of the Kha I had to absorb the information the hard way. Though they both managed to share some things mind to mind which did help dramatically. For instance I knew that for these Protoss, Aiur hadn't fallen yet. Nor had they found the Nerazim. So I fervently avoided certain topics I remembered a little about... like Amon, or the Zerg. We might try to tackle all of that once we had a better army, and more rapport.

  Jar'thal suggested that a High Tempr might be able to share information mind to mind.

  This would be a long and involved struggle, but I felt it would be worth it in the end. We would try to scheduled a few hours everyday to practice the martial forms of the Tempr, and further my studies.

  I ended up sharing my story as I learned of their culture.

  'You do not know why, these things were done to you?' Martann asked. He seemed to be considering something. 'Though it was not my area of study I do recall something about a hybrid and a prophecy. Do you remember it, Jar'thal?'

  'No other than its existence, and the line, "When three become one, a new path shall open to the Firstborn". The full prophecy you speak of was restricted to the Justiciars and the Council.'

  'Ah, that's the one.' Martann pointed to me, 'Three become one, right there.'

  Jar'thal mentally nodded, 'It is something to consider. I will meditate upon it.'

  We split up. I needed time to think, they needed time to absorb where they were, and what that meant to them.

  Martann wasted no time and quickly began to expand our underground base. Spaces for a Forge and a Cybernetics Core were rapidly developed. Then he used multiple Probes and his mini Probes to facilitate the building process.

  Amazing what a little bit of knowledge and experience could do. Haha!

  Jar'thal had gone to meditate. He sought to find answers through the Kha, though I had a feeling he wouldn't find them, yet.

  In fact, I'd bet the light of the Kha was only here on Earth, in this universe. And the one he'd find on Azeroth was not going to be the one he knew. Just a hunch though.

  Meanwhile, I had a hungry dragonling to feed.

  As I got back out to the vending machines, I heard something loud going on up at the Mall. Music and shouting. Were the Animals holding a party?

  Ryll seemed aggravated by the noise, but still ate five SCOP Dogs. Almost angrily.

  She was happy when a little while ter we returned underground, and the sounds of screeching guitars ceased.

  I was incredibly tempted to gather the Zealots and go ask the Animals nicely to be quieter. But I didn't think we were quite ready for rge scale gang warfare, yet.

  'Ah, Hierarch, the path back to the other World you mentioned is complete.' Martann sent me through the Pylons. 'I have taken the liberty to have the builders stockpile materials to transfer there. I have also started some of the builders on mining this area under the isnd, it is rich in useful metals and substances that are easy to convert to Vespene.'

  'Thank you, Martann. I'll gather the Zealots and Jar'thal, then meet you there.' I sent back.

  'No need Hierarch, I sensed you both.' Jar'thal interjected.

  Time to return to Azeroth, and check up on the sneaky Naga.