[Writing] Keller - Chapter 38 (10th Mar 2025)

[Tapewolf]

...wow! From length alone, this has passed the threshold of Side Story, and is landing solidly as an Intermission, if not straight up Sequel. Add in the fact that Keller fell from MC POV position to Recurring Character rather early on, perhaps it would be a good idea to save his self-titled story for an actual character piece.

For the sake of brainstorming, might I suggest simply going with "Project Future Intermission: The Dragon Mask"? With the Mask showing up as early as Chapter 5, it isn't really a spoiler. In fact, I would put the Mask solidly under the Hitchcock definition of McGuffin: The thing everyone wants that kicks off the plot, but the object itself is entirely interchangeable. Effectively, "The Maltese Falcon" as a AA Battery. All the interesting stuff is what happens around it.

Heh, yes.  'Keller' was always a working title, and this is definitely intended to be Project Future III now, and the main story after Epsilon assuming all goes well.  "Dragon Mask Replica" is a title I've considered, or possibly "The Dragon Project". 

Also, every time I read Lord Ravage's name, I hear it in the voice from this video:

I never really watched many of the animations so I didn't really get a feel for what he sounded like.  Apparently he was far more talkative in the UK comics than the US versions for some reason.

[Starcat5]

Part the First: Hmm... Is putting "Replica" in the title the right move, when the original is inside said replica and presumably has the same likeness? Likewise, there really isn't a "Project" in this story. Well, one maybe, but "The Queenslayer Project" is a bit of a spoiler, and not relevant for most of the run time. 

Part the Second: Yeah, the G1 Animation did Ravage and the other cassette-based beastformers dirty. At least he got a speaking role during his stint on Beast Wars. ...with a Russian accent. WTF?    For a good fan voice though, let me recommend this classic rendition:

That said, my post wasn't talking about Ravage's voice. I was commenting on the fact that every time I read his name, I kept hearing it in that announcer's over the top gravelly voice. ...or at least my memory of it. The real thing was much more subdued than what was in my head. 

Part the New: Oh snap, I forgot to mention my sorrow for R-ALF's loss. Getting knocked back to Square One through no fault of his own, or that of the test body, must really sting. I wonder if he'll reconsider the Anthro upgrade if they throw in a set of CyberJag-themed plate mail? 

[Tapewolf]

Part the First: Hmm... Is putting "Replica" in the title the right move, when the original is inside said replica and presumably has the same likeness?

Yeah, I'm not completely sold on the idea for the reasons you mention.  But it's mostly because of this:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trout_Mask_Replica

Part the New: Oh snap, I forgot to mention my sorrow for R-ALF's loss. Getting knocked back to Square One through no fault of his own, or that of the test body, must really sting. I wonder if he'll reconsider the Anthro upgrade if they throw in a set of CyberJag-themed plate mail? 

Yeah, it might be that he'll get another shot at that later, we'll have to see.  R-ALF would certainly go for it, it's a matter of convincing the Commission.

[Tapewolf]

Okay - no promises on how regularly this is going to update, but here we go:

Chapter 34

Jakob went into the hangar and abruptly froze, causing Strauss to bump into his back.  Zordan was reclining upon the concrete floor, surrounded by a number of cyberjags who were sitting in a semi-circle around him, listening attentively.  He appeared to be telling them a story.

"What's all this?" the wolf asked once the dragon had stopped speaking.

"Since I am likely to spend the foreseeable future here and in this form, it seemed wise to get to know the locals," the cyber-dragon explained.  "They were understandably skittish at first, but we appear to have smoothed over that now, I hope."

Strauss frowned slightly and Zordan rolled his eyes.

"You are about to accuse me of colluding with the cyberjags and corrupting them," he said.  "Actually, I find their presence soothing.  Remember that I am built on the same technology, and subject to the same penalties as them if I go off the rails.  Why should I not feel some kind of kinship with them?  It may also be a side-effect of the brain technology you have given me."

"He was telling us tales of the past," R-MAC said.  "It is always interesting to hear different viewpoints.  Especially from a race believed to be extinct."

"And who would have made you extinct if they'd known," Strauss pointed out.

"Hizell certainly would have," Zordan said.  "But you wouldn't have needed his help.  The Creature Council alone would have been outraged by Mr. Pettersohn's actions in creating artificial sentience.  He would likely have been condemned to beheading for such impudent deeds if he had been caught.  Or else, he would be deported to Hizell's domain, which amounts to the same thing.  The panthers would have been destroyed soon after."

"Thanks," Jakob said ruefully, unconsciously rubbing at the "Do Not Remove" mark that Daryil had left on the back of his neck.  "And what about you?  Would you have seen us extinct?  What did you actually plan to do with the Dragon Mask, if you had been able to take it?"

"I was not pro-'Cubi," Zordan admitted.  "Few were, at the time, thanks to Hizell's propaganda and the misdeeds of the Jyraneth.  Your kind did not exactly help yourselves, but I think you already know that.
"But at the same time, I did not push for your extinction either.  Now, as for the artifact, I had sought it for the usual reasons - greed, and the promise of great power.  Among others, Hizell and M'Chek had become top-tier Dragons, disgusting though the latter's method of achieving it was.  I saw that in the proper hands, the Mask could have raised me to similar heights.  So naturally, I coveted it too."

"And how would you have used such power?"  Jakob asked nervously.

"I don't know," Zordan said sadly.  "You may find this hard to believe, but at one time I sought to throw down Hizell and reach a settlement with the 'Cubi race.  End the hostilities, and break the cycle of might-makes-right.
"Now do not mistake me - I would not have done this out of love for your kind, who I saw as upstarts and usurpers at best.  But such a world-shaking deed would imbue me with fame and reputation on a grand scale!  I would be forging a new age, remaking the world in my own image!  And you lot would have owed me big," he added with a wicked smile.

Jakob started in horror.  "So you're saying that if Daryil had protected it less thoroughly, you could have stopped Hizell in his tracks...?  Saved the lives of untold 'Cubi left headless by Hizell's death squads, and prevented the extinction of the Dragon Race?
"...And we threw all that away by our own over-cautiousness?" he whimpered.

The cyber-dragon sat back and shrugged sadly.  "Who knows?  Without that safeguard, Hizell may have obtained it first and become wholly unstoppable.  He would likely have executed me for daring to try and take what was rightfully his.
"And if I had obtained the device, would I have stuck to that plan once such power was truly within my possession?  You, Lord Cross, know as well as I do, that power corrupts.  What may start as a worthy goal can be perverted by time and character flaws.
"Just as you became a tyrant over Ha'Khunn, it is all too likely that I would have begun to hoard my power and prestige, jealously guarding my position at the top of the tree, and seeking ruthlessly to destroy all who threatened to dethrone me.
"In short, and to be brutally honest, even if I had started by trying to change the world for the better, I would likely have become Hizell in all but name, and the War would eventually have happened anyway." 

There was a stunned silence while everyone digested that.

At length, Jakob turned to the Ray twins.  "So, given that background, how did you become friends with Zordan?" he asked.  "I'm not against it, I'd just like to know."

"He's big and powerful," X-RAY said, looking a little awed.  "And yes, it was scary at first.  He could probably kill us with those big clawed feet of his!  I don't think we count as protected personnel!"

"But he promised that he'd use that power to protect us and watch over us," Y-RAY chimed in.  "After being shot in the head... You can see how that was a comforting thought, right?  I mean... I hope we don't end up in such a fix that we need a Dragon to save us... But if we do, we're covered, right...?"

"It was not a selfless act,"  Zordan admitted.  "Even a Dragon on an high mountain needs someone to talk to, after all.  Hizell had his minions, M'Chek had the cream of his city, and Pyroduck sojourned among the lesser races... no offence intended.
"I need company, so I made overtures to those in a similar condition.  It has been most illuminating.  I believe have been experiencing friendship, something that does not happen often to Dragons.
"Our culture does not encourage such things, but without any peers to pressure me, what does it matter?  Bonding with others like this has been a pleasing experience."

"Well, I'm glad you're settling in," Jakob said.  "Even if it's worrying Ms. Strauss."

"You do still hold the upper hand," Zordan pointed out.  "Aside from ordering my execution, you can now suspend my visiting privileges if I commit some lesser infraction.  Doubtless you would have thought of this yourself anyway, but I point it out myself as a token of my earnestness.  I cannot go back to how things were, so I must move forward.  And that means becoming part of your team as best I can."

"I'm sorry," Strauss said.  "But I can't forget that Demonkind was pencilled in as the next target for extermination after the 'Cubi had been obliterated.  That does not make things easy."

"I will try to be good," Zordan promised.  "And now, I presume that since the both of you came here, you wished to ask me a question?"

"Yes," Jakob said.  "Daryil, Strauss and a number of other parties have a meeting shortly, and we would like to have your opinions on the matter at hand."

"Very well," the Dragon said.  "Show me how to operate the communications system and I shall attend."

*  *  *

"Amanti?"  Niall said.  "The Lord Daryil wishes to see you."

"No!  I haven't killed anyone!"  Amanti whimpered, looking terrified.  "Well, apart from that psycho mayor and the Talon guys!  But they don't count, right...?  That was self-defence!"

"It's not about that," Niall said, facepalming.  "We think you know who hired them."

"It wasn't me!" the incubus screeched.  "The Talon mooks tried to kill me too, remember!  And Keller!"

"Amanti!  Stop panicking and listen," Niall snapped, rolling his eyes.  "For all your faults, Daryil does not believe you're responsible.  But we have learned that the perpetrator may be part of your family, so naturally he wants to ask you about it.  That is all."

"Oh," Amanti did not look much happier.

"I have been given information that Sims is actually Silas Jyraneth," Daryil said, appearing behind Amanti, who screamed in panic, claws almost tearing his gloves.

"I... I've only met him once or twice," Amanti admitted once he saw there was no escaping the question.  "You know we're a very fractured clan.  After my parents were executed, he tried to recruit me into some scheme.  Bastard told me that it would help avenge them... But I turned him down."

"That was noble of you," Niall said, looking at Amanti with new respect.

"I may have been grief-stricken, and I may have wanted to get back at Daryil having their heads chopped off," the cat said miserably, "But I wasn't that blind.  I loved my folks, but they died because of what they did, and I knew it.  Knew that it was only a matter of time until their deeds caught up with them.  Taking over the world wouldn't fix anything...  It wouldn't bring them back, now would it?"

"You made the right choice," Daryil said softly.  "And I'm proud of you for it.  I'm only sorry I couldn't help your parents before they crossed the line into the unforgiveable.  All I could do then was grant them the spectacular deaths they requested, even though I find public execution very distasteful."

"Thank you, MiLord," Amanti said.  "For granting them that wish, and for saving their child from a similar fate."

"We cool...?" Daryil asked, opening a meeting room door and gesturing him inside.

"We cool," Amanti replied.  "As for this Silas, I suppose you've asked Keaton...?  She was far more infamous than me, she'd have made the perfect ally for someone like that."

"Thanks," Keaton said proudly, slouching in one of the meeting room chairs.  "But... Well..." she trailed off uncomfortably at the sight of Zordan, who had just appeared on the main screen.

"Is that..." she whimpered.

"A dragon?  Yes," Zordan said.  "Or what is left of one, at least.  There will be time for introductions later."

"Keaton's last run-in with her own clan hadn't ended well," Daryil said, switching back to the topic at hand.

"Yeah," the black-backed jackal said.  "I found some fanatics.  Ex-Inquisitors, I think, doing the only thing they know how.
"All smiles and roses until I made some remark - then they pulled a greatsword on me for heresy against The Lady.  So when this other guy turns up later, and says he's a Jyraneth and wants me to help him conquer Her...  Well, either it's the Inquisition again, trying to entrap me for blasphemy and lop off my head, or he's mentally unstable and the Inquisition will have his head off next.  Either way, I knew better than to stick around."

"Thank you Keaton," Daryil said.  "Now, I guess we'd better get this meeting underway."

[Merlin]

but HOW will I choose just ONE THING in this chapter to be excited about??? oh i will have to love it all

[Tapewolf]

Still crawling along with this, though it's now also competing with a dragon story as well as a story I'm trying to write for Merlin.

Chapter 35

"Many of you are aware of this," Daryil began, "But to be sure we are all on the same page, I shall provide a brief recap.
"Long ago, one of Hizell's children owned a precious artifact, a source of great power.  This individual was later slain during the First Dragon War, and Hizell's response was swift and brutal.  In this turmoil the artifact was lost, and eventually fell into my possession, greatly extending my power and lifespan.
"Then, within living memory for many of us here, Hizell pushed for a new war, to exterminate the 'Cubi race once and for all.  Fearing that he might be able to detect the artifact, I hid the thing in hopes that I may be able to reclaim it later.  Naturally the artifact was lost again during the intervening century or so, and I have only recently been able to retrieve it.

"To cut a long story short, I warded the artifact with a stasis trap, which King Fairwater fell into, having sought the thing for himself.  In the course of rescuing him, several important things occurred.

"Firstly, we made enemies of the Talon Corporation, who had been commissioned to take the artifact and the unlocking gems for their client.  This client turned out to be a Jyraneth incubus known as Sims, who hoped to use the artifact to further his own aims, and we have made enemies of him also.  I might add that Sims is extremely dangerous, and is wanted by the Being-Creature Commission as well, for multiple capital offences.
"Finally, along with several other individuals also trapped within the artifact, we have the dragon Zordan.  Unable to survive in our magic-depleted world, we have transferred his soul into an experimental robotic avatar.  He has agreed to help us."

"I owe you my life," Zordan said.  "Or as much of it as you were able to save.  Draconic pride or not, you went out of your way to save me, when you could have simply left me to die, or devoured my very soul while I was helpless.  Others would have done so, and I cannot lightly throw that aside."

"Why did you even have a cyber-dragon?"  Josh asked.  "Did you really put all that effort into making a fun body, so you could pretend to be a dragon?"

"Yes,"  Daryil said simply.  "Dragons look way cool.  Also, remember that there are dragon-like mythos creatures who could benefit from this technology.
"I'm certainly not alone in doing this, I might add.  Queen Admaria impersonated a dragon for some years while plotting revenge on her tyrannical father, and Quoar is said to have posed as a dragon also.  In his full Tri-Wing form, he would be large enough to do that by shapeshifting, rather than the tricks and enchantments Admaria used.
"I also shapeshifted into a dragon once, and frankly it was way cool.  But rather upsetting to everyone who saw it."

"Hmmf," Zordan said, rolling his eyes.  "Once, I would have been deeply offended by this.  But, I suppose this dragon fetish of yours is the reason I have this body now instead of a cat," he added, looking at his clawed foreleg with an expression of satisfaction.  "It could be worse."

"It may also be the reason Daryil tried to save you at all," Strauss pointed out.  "A more cautious leader would have shoved you right back into stasis the moment you emerged."

"Don't think that didn't occur to me," Daryil said sharply.  "I may not have wanted the Dragon race to be wiped out, but I can shed no tears for Hizell and his psycho mates.  But Destania was happy to punish the innocent as well as the guilty, and when - against my will - I found myself in a position to undo some of the damage she caused, I took that chance.  Not because I wished for mastery, but because I believe in redemption."

"That sounds like you are judging my race," Zordan pointed out.  "But things are what they are.  Now, if your summary is complete, we should turn our attention to the problem at hand."

"Indeed," Daryil said.  "Everyone present, and the organisations they represent, are likely to be targets for Sims.  So we must all be on alert."

"Actually, if you want my advice, I would focus your defences elsewhere," Zordan intoned, "While Sims does continue to pose a danger, in the near term I would be more concerned about the Talon Corporation.  I worry that you have let your guard down where they are concerned.  From what Sethir and Keller have said, I would deduce that they have broken ties with Sims and are now following their own agenda.  Vengeance for their fallen comrades is one possibility, especially given the fight you put up at Grimhaven, but it seems very likely that they will wish to take the dragon artifact for themselves, and sell it to the highest bidder.  I suspect they have been massing for an attack while you have been distracted by Sims."

"You worked all that out during this meeting?!" Niall said worriedly.  "You're not supposed to be that smart!"

"I have fashioned a workaround," the dragon said.  "The totality of my mind is in my soul.  Only a portion of it will fit inside this small brain you have given me.  But I can choose which parts are loaded into hardware, as you would put it."

"You're using your soul as swap space?!"

"This is the kind of result we had feared," Strauss said, looking mortified.  "That you may be too intelligent for us to keep track of and could devise some way to escape our restrictions!"

"I remind you that have thrown my lot in with you as payment for my life," the dragon said tiredly.  "I am fully aware that you can pull the plug on me at any time.  If the solemn oath of a Dragon is not enough for you, I don't know what is."

"He is telling the truth," Daryil said.  "Please do not annoy our friend, and remember that if he is somehow plotting anything, those schemes are unlikely to mature within your lifetime."

"I know all too well the noose you have around my neck," Zordan said.  "I, who had lived sixty millenia, shall die within a mere twenty years unless my power source is replenished.  I live on your sufferance, dependent on you to renew my lease of life.  Why would I want to hand you an excuse to deny me that?
"By extension, seeing Daryil clan destroyed would also result in my own demise.  Therefore, as an ally of Daryil, I am warning you all about the twin threat I have deduced from these organisations.  I thought such insight was why you wanted me to attend this meeting, was it not?"

"Precisely," Daryil said.

"Good.  If I may make a suggestion, I would ensure that Daryil's true form remains safe within the dimensional realm of your power generation systems.  Key personnel from the clan should accompany him.  From Jakob's testimony, the Talon Corporation know that Daryil is dependent on his children and took into account Jakob's close ties to his clan leader.
"Therefore it is quite possible that the Talon Corporation will either threaten or attempt, to exterminate all members of Daryil Clan until Daryil concedes to their demands, presumably possession of the Dragon mask artifact."

"Do you know anything about the artifact itself?"  Keller asked.

"Yes," Zordan said.  "At least, I have my suspicions.  But I would prefer to confirm them first.  In any case, we have no time for that.  You should prepare yourselves, before..."

Zordan's voice trailed away and he looked sideways with an expression of deep concern.  Daryil was sitting bolt upright.

"They are here!"  Zordan exclaimed.  "Defend yourselves!"

*  *  *

The gryphons burst into the room, peppering Zordan with automatic fire that bounced off his armour and richocheted across the room.  He lunged forwards, holding out one foot which caught the soldier and crushed him.  Zordan's eyes dilated slightly and he staggered as the safeguard heuristics kicked in briefly before concluding that the dead mercenary did in fact need killing.

The dragon grinned nastily and a sweep of his spaded tail brought the gleaming tip swinging around like an axe.  The bird-man's eyes went wide as his head arced through the air leaving a trail of blood.

Zordan gave a happy sigh and collapsed like a rag-doll as his safeguards kicked in, his bulk crushing the remaining Talon mercenary.  The other gryphon's head came to rest beside his snout.

*  *  *

The round struck Josh behind the ear and he went down.  Jakob grabbed him with a wing-tentacle and pulled him into the store-room, locking it behind him.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I think so," Josh said, picking himself up weakly.  "But I do wish you hadn't implemented concussion quite so thoroughly."

"Perhaps, but if you take that kind of damage, you definitely need to know about it," Jakob said.

"Have they gone kamikaze on us?"  Josh wondered.  "Shooting up members of a peacekeeping organisation isn't the best idea if you want to keep living."

"I wish I knew," Jakob said.  "They've got mind-shields, so I can't give you an answer there."

"What do we do now..."  Josh asked, his voice trailing away as he suddenly noticed what was in the store-room.

"Yes," Jakob said.  "Guillotines.  Special ones."

"We've been streamlining the process of converting people into Panthers," Daryil said proudly, walking in through the wall.  "We have it down pat now - set up a few of these puppies with a panther body ready to go.  It's all automated!  Pull the lever, head comes off, soul goes straight into panther," he added excitedly.

"That's sick," Josh said.  "And I don't mean in the good way.  Shouldn't it be in a dungeon or somewhere out of plain sight?"

"These were not built to use on our enemies," Jakob said heavily.  "They were designed for me."

"What?!"

"It's a last-ditch measure," Jakob said.  "If I have no other recourse, say I'm mortally wounded, or Daryil himself has been slain and the base is full of enemy soldiers.  If I'm going to die anyway, my last throw of the dice is to become a cyberjag.  I stick my neck in it, and after a bit of unpleasantness I can escape the base far more easily with four legs and an almost impenetrable hide.  Hopefully to have my brain popped into a proper android body later if I can reach one of our secret outposts.
"Understand, Josh - these are not things we expect to happen, but given the persecution 'Cubi have endured, we'd be stupid not to have a multi-layer backup plan.  Key personnel such as Niall, Ashley and myself have done regular drills tele-operating a cyberjag chassis to make sure we can adapt quickly if it becomes necessary."

"Of course, we did need 'volunteers' to test them," Daryil chimed in, with a worryingly toothy grin.

"But why a guillotine?"

"Firstly, it's easy for a dying person to trigger it themselves with their last ounce of strength.  The whole thing can be automated, and we can wire up the blade release to boot the panther up out of hibernation.  Secondly, it leaves a very obvious corpse for our enemies to find as proof of death.  And finally, we have found from experience that when someone is put into a robotic body, they recover a lot quicker if they died violently, than if they had expired peacefully.  We don't know why, but the trauma of experiencing your own death seems to help."

"That's not why we're here, is it...?"  Josh looked at Jakob, appalled.

"I hope not," Jakob grimaced.  "We have a bunch of these stationed around the place, it just happened to be the nearest safe-house.  But now you know what to do if...  If Talon had hit me instead of you."

"What now?  Josh asked, looking rattled.  "Is there another exit?  Or have we just let ourselves be trapped by a bunch of psycho gryphons?"

"One sec," Daryil said, poking his head through the wall.

"...Ah," he said.  "They're... not going to be bothering us.  But watch for the blood when you leave, okay?  Don't want you to slip up."

"What did you do?!"  Jakob looked appalled.

"I merely sent them to sleep," Daryil said sadly.  "But they're not how I left them.  Could have been Keaton, but more likely one of the other Talons executed them for falling asleep on duty."

*  *  *

"Well shit," Niall said, looking at his remote.  "Zordan is down."

"What?!  How...?"  Strauss asked.  "He's a 12-foot high dragon robot!"

"...Yeah, and his safeguards have kicked in," Niall said, looking at the details.  "Ew... Looks like he beheaded someone.  Presumably one of the Talon crew, or he'd not even be able to try."

"Reset him," Strauss said decisively.  Niall glanced at her to make sure he'd heard right.

"Keeping the world safe from Zordan is a high priority," Strauss said, "But staying alive is higher.  We need all the help we can get, even if it risks letting the Dragon off his leash for now.  We can investigate that incident later... but first we need to ensure there is a later."

"Right," Niall said, and hit the button.

[Starcat5]

Woo! Update! 

It is fun to see that no one remembers that there used to be Clan Leaders who were of Dragon decent. Seriously, am I the only one who thinks Quoar wasn't actually disguised beyond hiding his head wings? 

Also, Zordan's safeguards might be set just a hair too tightly. Having his system hiccup like that for his first kill was bad enough, but the fact that the Gryphon's cohorts were each judged separately rather than giving Zordan carte blanche to defend himself and others from their group is telling. There is no way the Cyber Jags or the mainline Androids would have shut down in this situation. 

Edit: This comment contains no complaints. Merely throwing popcorn at the screen when someone does something dumb but in character, and snarking with the other readers.

[Tapewolf]

It is fun to see that no one remembers that there used to be Clan Leaders who were of Dragon decent. Seriously, am I the only one who thinks Quoar wasn't actually disguised beyond hiding his head wings? 

Can you link to a source?  I'd have thought that the best you could get would be dragons of 'Cubi descent, and the chances of a 'Cubi being born are about equal to all the molecules in a peanut spontaneously moving in the same direction.

Also, Zordan's safeguards might be set just a hair too tightly.

Yeah, I think they're starting to realise that now.

[Starcat5]

It is fun to see that no one remembers that there used to be Clan Leaders who were of Dragon decent. Seriously, am I the only one who thinks Quoar wasn't actually disguised beyond hiding his head wings? 

Can you link to a source?  I'd have thought that the best you could get would be dragons of 'Cubi descent, and the chances of a 'Cubi being born are about equal to all the molecules in a peanut spontaneously moving in the same direction.

Given that it is now 4 in the AM CST, the search will have to wait. That said, it was a group shot of several former Clan Leaders, one of which was clearly part Dragon in full Dragon form. Not sure where in the archive to even START looking.

[Liatai]

Archive diver to the rescue! o7

That said, we don't know if they were a dragon-descended leader or not. They could be Mythos-descended. A dragon-descended 'cubi IS theoretically possible, but unlikely due to genetic and societal factors.

[Starcat5]

Archive diver to the rescue! o7

 

[Tapewolf]

Yeah, they absolutely look like a dragon.  But for that to work it would have to be from a really, really weak dragon and even then it's probably a billion-to-one chance.

Without knowing more I'd be a little hesitant to reference them in my own works.  (We don't even know the clan's name or symbol and it's even possible Ambaaargh doesn't either)

[Tapewolf]

No, this isn't dead!  But updates are likely to be sporadic.  Hopefully not 6 months sporadic, though.


Chapter 36

Dorcan hid in one of the store-rooms, with the lights out and the door open just a crack, as Zordan limped down the corridor, taking fire from a crowd of gryphon mercenaries.

"Error..." Zordan boomed in a monotone voice, looking at the blood on his claws.  "F-First law v-violation... C-c-critical failure... positronic brain s-self-terminating...  h-help... huh..."

His head dropped to the ground with a loud crash and he fell silent.

"We did it!" one of the gryphons crowed.  "It's dead!"

"Sucker," Zordan said, and there were a horribly wet crunching sound as the gryphon was splattered against the wall.

"Kill the organics..." Zordan intoned, stomping down the corridor theatrically.  "Kill... Destroy... Exterminate... Purify... Muahahahaha!"

"They've made a doomsday weapon!" one of the Talon agents wailed.

"What have you done?!"  the doberman screamed, bursting out of the store cupboard.  "You let the dragon loose!?  We had them safely imprisoned!  It's the end of the world!"

"Kill him!" the captain ordered.  "That's our mission, remember?"

"But he'll know the way out!" one of the underlings protested.  "We have to flee!  We can't fight that... thing!"

"There's not much time!"  Dorcan said, playing along.  "Follow me, and we can hide in the bunker!  The Commission will bomb this place to glass to get rid of the dragon, we have to get out of here!"

"He's right," the other underling said.  "Screw the mission, we have to get out of here!"

"He's one of Daryil's clan!" the captain snarled, "Kill him, or I'll kill you all myself!"

One of the underlings raised his weapon and fired.  The captain slumped to the ground, looking shocked for a few moments before death took him.

"Fuck the mission," the gryphon said, throwing his gun to the ground.  "Get us out of here.  Please!"

*  *  *

Dorcan lead the way, and turning a corridor ran headlong into a couple more gryphons.

"Kill him!" one of them said.  "And the traitors!"

The doberman jumped sideways, but took a round in the side of the head.  He collapsed sideways, the gryphon kicking him out of the way and aiming at his gun at one of the deserters.

"Die, traitors!" he snarled.  Then his head came off.  A tentacle snaked around the next gryphon's throat.  His hands almost reached it before the same grim fate occured and his head toppled forwards to roll across the ground.

"You surrendered...?" Keaton asked the terrified pair.

"Yes!  Yes!" the ex-Talons chorused desperately.

"Pity," the jackal sighed, folding the tentacles back into her wings.  "Now... Dorcan?  You there?"

"Yes," the doberman said, getting to his feet shakily.  There was a chunk missing from his temple, showing gleaming black metal beneath.

"Robots," one of the gryphons said, looking at Dorcan and shaking his head.  "Always with the robots."

"It has its perks as well as its downsides," Dorcan said.  "Now, I suppose you've guessed that the dragon is actually under our control, with the reluctant blessing of the Commission?"

"Yeah."

"Are you going to make trouble, then?"  Dorcan sighed, making a knuckle-cracking gesture.  "Please say 'yes'," Keaton added, grinning psychotically.

"No!" the ex-Talon said.  "It doesn't matter whether the dragon is on your side or running rampant... We can't fight something like that, and I want out.  We were pretty much backed into a corner, there was no way this was going to end well, but..."

"No-one leaves Talon," the other gryphon sighed.

"You might," Dorcan said.

*  *  *

Daryil glanced at the door, moments before it burst open.

"Wait!" the gryphons yelped, holding their hands up.  "We surrender!"

"Good," Daryil said, as Dorcan piled in after them, followed by Keaton, who shut the door behind them.  "Why, though?" he added.

"Because we didn't know you had a freaking dragon!"

"That's a bad answer," Daryil said, clenching one gloved hand into a fist menacingly.  "It means that if it weren't for Zordan, you'd be happy to kill us all."

"Making war against you was a stupid idea," one of them said.  "But have you seen what happens to people who leave?!  Defeat could be a blessing in disguise for us!"

"Yeah!  You think we had a choice?!" the other replied.  "It was this, or being shot for insubordination!  You 'Cubi... You're empaths, probably a damn sight more merciful than our captain was!"

"Was?" Jakob asked.

"They killed him," Dorcan added helpfully.

"Very well," Daryil decided.  "I can be merciful.  Just keep one thing in mind... If you betray me, I will hang you both.  I don't care what it takes.  Even if you die here... that will not save you.  If I have to resurrect you in specially-designed android bodies capable of being strangled to death, I'll do it.
"Do you understand?  Cross me, and you will die, slowly and painfully."

"Fear clan," Keaton pointed out.  "He does that.  But he's right about one thing - if you ever fuck with us again, you'll wish your captain had shot you."

"I should move," Daryil said.  "Keaton, Dorcan, stay here guard these two.  Jakob, Josh and I will go on ahead."

*  *  *

"There's a lot of heavy-hitters here," the Gryphon captain barked.  "Daryil, Starfire, The Commission...  If we kill them all we'll be a lot safer!"

"Rick!  Wait!" a voice called.  The gryphon spun around to see a cyberjag standing there, staring back at him.

"Kill it!" one of them yelled, shooting at the panther.

"Wait!  It's me!  John!" the robot protested, diving aside as the bullets rained over his back.

"You're not John," Rick spat disgustedly.  "They sent us his head as a warning.  That's one of the reasons we're here."

"He is," R-OBN confirmed.  "And I was Robin.  They gave us new life - and having been executed by my colleagues, I have thrown my lot in with Daryil," the jaguar added, flexing his iridescent claws menacingly.  "Please leave, guys... It will be better for all of us."

"Kill the traitors!"  Rick yelled.  J-OHN received a sniper round in the eye and collapsed with an electronic-sounding groan.  Alarms went off inside his head, and pain flooded his systems.  Power systems failed and his brain began to shut down, darkness creeping around the edges of his vision and tunnelling as he lay there on his side.

The last thing he saw was his own gleaming red claws as the world faded away.

*  *  *

Daryil beckoned to Jakob, his expression grim.

"Oh... Oh no..." the wolf sighed as he turned the corner and took in the scene.  R-OBN was standing vigil over his fallen brother, paws, claws and muzzle stained with dried blood.  One eye was cracked and broken, the red glow gone out and the sensors behind it destroyed.  Scattered around the robotic jaguar lay several Talon soldiers, all very dead.  Rick's head had been roughly detached from his shoulders, and the other corpses had been similarly dismembered.

"Help him, please..."  R-OBN begged.

"Did you do this?"  Daryil asked, gesturing at the corpses.

"Yes," R-OBN admitted, looking miserable.  "I... I did..."

"Daryil, we don't have time," Jakob protested.  "Let's bring John to the next safe-room.  We can talk things out there."

Sombrely, Josh took the fallen jaguar and carried him as they headed down the corridor, Daryil's avatar first in line.

"I killed them," R-OBN babbled, sounding a little dazed.  "They murdered John.  I killed them...  But... they used to be my colleagues... Co-workers... I knew them...  And now I've murdered them..."

"You tried to reason with them," Jakob pointed out.  "I can see that in your mind.  You tried..."

"They wanted to kill you too," R-OBN sobbed.  "That and killing J-OHN... I couldn't let them do that... But they used to be my... friends..."

"They were not," Daryil said sharply.  "They used you and John.  And your so-called 'friends' blew your own head open without a moment's hesitation.  What you have done isn't murder, Robin.  You did your duty as a protector of this base.  I know... It's so hard to kill someone when you know their name, but they'd be dead by the end of next week regardless."

"I guess so," R-OBN said.  "But... it's hard..."

Daryil paused and made a gesture on a nearby wall.  A secret door opened and they went inside.

"They sentenced themselves to death when they started using warp devices to breach my sanctum," the vulpine added sadly.

"So did I," R-OBN pointed out unhappily.

"Yes, and now you're dead, so your slate is clean.  Besides, you used the device under duress, right?  It wasn't your idea, was it?"

"True," R-OBN admitted.  "What about John...?  Can you save him...?"

"Not here," Jakob said sadly.  "We need specialist tools to open a panther because your armour is so tough.  Making you so hard to kill also made you hard to repair in the field.  But I promise, we'll do what we can..."

"Assuming we get the chance," Daryil said.  "We're in trouble here, Jakob.  Dozens of armed maniacs have descended on my inner sanctum, during a conference of several major powers.  I will probably survive, but given that our attackers are targetting members of the Being-Creature Commission, I can't make any promises who else will.  This is a bigger threat to us than the Epsilon Project."

"It's pretty hairy," Jakob agreed.  "But aren't you being a little melodramatic?  Zordan and the others seem to have stomped a lot of the Talon guys real good."

"In Zordan's case, literally," Daryil concurred.  "But they're desperate and they can do a lot of damage in the meantime.  And..." he stopped.

"What...?"  Jakob looked fearful.

"Talon may have cut loose from Sims," Daryil said sternly.  "But even if they're planning to take him down next... Do you think he'd miss the chance to pay a little visit while we're distracted by an innundation of armed lunatics?"

"The artifact!"  Jakob whimpered.

"Precisely.  And it's virtually unguarded."

[Starcat5]

Talon Company done goofed. Not only are they now the World's Public Enemy #1 with a LOT more than just a bullet, but they let their previous employer get his shot at Unlimited Cosmic Power and all the living space he can get his paws on. At this point, they better HOPE that the Being-Creature Commission gets to them first.

Also it is looking less like John needs repairs, and more like he needs a soul transfer into a "J-OHN Mk2" body. When your robo-brain begins giving you error messages, other system damage doesn't matter anymore. Just ask Xerian. 

[Tapewolf]

Chapter 37

Sims threw Strauss to the side of the room, where she tumbled over and fell limply to the ground, blood trickling from her nose and mouth.

"At last," he said, the mesmerising colours of the Dragon Mask washing over him as he stood triumphantly in Daryil's vault, preparing to claim his prize.

"Nuh-uh," Pixie interrupted.  "That's not yours."

"Yet," Sims retorted, without even looking. "It's not like a hunk of metal and fluff like you can stop me, right?  And when I have the power of the Mask, none on this continent will be able to stop me!"

"That sounds like a good reason to attempt it, then," Pixie declared.  "And if I die, it will be a glorious death trying to end your evil!"

"Shut up," Sims told him.  He reached out for the glowing device, only to draw back his hand with a yell of pain, four streaks of red blossoming across the side of his arm.

Pixie opened his mouth to give Sims a further warning, but was immediately punched in the side of the head by a wing-tentacle.  The force knocked the jaguar replicant clean off his legs, and the wing-tentacle flowed to circle his neck.  The jaguar scratched and scrabbled at the tentacle as it squeezed his neck brutally.

"I'll skin you alive, cat!"  Sims gloated.  "Your pelt shall become a rug for my throne room!"

"You know it's synthetic, right?" Pixie said, voice thickened by the pressure on his vocal tracts.  "You can just order a complete panther skin as a spare part.  It would be easier."

"Like Lord Ravage, you are a simpleton, cat.  It is not the fur I want, but your pain and your suffering!  And a trophy for Lord Daryil to look upon as a symbol of his failure!"

"Removing my skin won't kill me," Pixie said.  "But it may make Daryil remove yours."

"Then I'll have to do this quickly before he finds out," Sims retorted.  "Goodbye, cat."

The wing-tentacle shimmered, flattened and then sliced through the unfortunate jaguar's neck.  Pixie's head tumbled from his furry black shoulders and rolled across the floor, eyes glazing as his brain went into power-saving mode and the world greyed out.  His body staggered, jerking and spasming before collapsing onto the ground in a shuddering heap.

Sims glanced at the Mask, took a step forward and then changed his mind.  He rolled the quivering body of the panther over and began to tear the dying cat's artifical fur from his body.

"If you want to remove a panther skin, try removing mine," Panther S-IXY said, leaping at Sims, and tearing a gash in his back.  The otter yelled with pain and released Pixie's decapitated body.

"More of you!" the otter snarled.  "No matter.  I'll make a pile of your heads if that's what it takes.  For attacking your future king, I sentence you to death by decapitation, cat!  Any final words?"

"Yeah - Blackmetal armour," the panther said defiantly.  Sims' wing lashed out in a stroke that would have instantly beheaded most Creatures.  It knocked the cyberjag over, but did no permanent harm.

"Not so easy, was it?" the panther crowed, leaping at Sims with his claws out, only to be deflected by a wing-tentacle.

"You think you're so safe in that pretty armoured shell of yours," Sims said, eyes blazing with wrath.  "Let's see if it can stop me from devouring your soul!"
So saying, he grabbed the jaguar, wrapping his wing-tentacles around them to bind the legs and prevent himself from being clawed.  He seized the unfortunate cat by the head and his eyes began to glow.

"STOP!" Zordan's voice boomed, echoing throughout the chamber in godlike tones.  Sims' wings fanned out in shock.

"Dragon!" he shrieked, as the spell faded out.  "No!  That's impossible!"

"Clearly not," Zordan said.  "Since I stand before you."  He glanced at Pixie's severed head, and then at Sims.  "I should destroy you for this, incubus.  But I can still be merciful.  Release my companion... or die!"

"Whatever you are, you are clearly no dragon!" Sims laughed cruelly.  "Nice try, Daryil!  You think that some stuck-up lizard would be caught dead fraternising with a mere guard robot?!"

"But I am dead," the dragon said, grinning nastily.  "Behold me, spawn of Jyraneth!  Is this the voice of Daryil...?  I am Zordan, and I am older even than Taun, let alone that deranged whore you call your clan leader.  I am returned from death, and if I choose the company of robots as substitute minions, then that is my business and mine alone.  Who are you to question a Dragon?"

"Then stay back, or I will destroy your so-called minions' souls while you're forced to watch!" Sims said, eyes glowing fiercely as he primed the de-souling spell again.

"That would be very ill-advised," Daryil said loudly, as another of his avatars worked to save the dying Demon lady.  "You are in enough trouble as it is, Sims.  Go too far and the Commission might decide upon a sentence of eternal death.  You are not the only one capable of destroying souls, and I advise you to remember that."

"But their soul still still be gone forever," the otter pointed out, glancing at the captive panther.  "Not even you can fix that!  I will keep my hostage, thank you."

"Please let me kill him," Zordan said venomously.  "Give me that, at least!  I'll crush his head, it'll be quick..."

"Hold on," Daryil said.  "Don't kill him... Not yet.  I wish a parley.  Perhaps we can still save this."

"Indeed," Sims said, looking pleased with himself.  "Perhaps we can."

"Lord Daryil..." Sims began, "Can we not reach some kind of accord?  You are a Tri-Wing, yes - but so is The Lady, and She has had fifteen thousand years more experience at ruling Her realm than you have had ruling yours.
"Should She truly return, it will not take Her long to discover that you have seduced Her surviving Children into betraying Her will.  Under your guidance, most of them have renounced their sacred task of purifying the land, and now live peacefully among Beings, even helping them.  Interbreeding with such lesser races alone is a capital crime in Her eyes.

"Think, Daryil!  You have domesticated her glorious Raiders... You have helped reduce them from the terror of the Northern Ridge to mere peasants!  You have interfered with Her affairs, poached Her clan members and made most of them into traitors and heretics.  This is not something She will ever forgive.

"You know too that She destroyed Zalantare...  If She decides that you must die next for your impudence, do you really think you could stop Her from destroying you utterly?  Even with this so-called dragon at your side?  I think not... yet I can prevent all that - by taking Her place!"

"I have been cleaning up the mess she left behind," Daryil remarked.  "I have been caring for clan members she abandoned and left to die!  But for my aid, she would have no clan, and for all her powers, she would have withered away to madness and death by now.  Jyraneth owes her very survival to me!"

"And do you seriously believe she will see it that way, Daryil?  Or would ever forgive you for doing what she could not?  Join me, and I can ensure that she does - or is replaced with someone more aligned with your own aims!"

"Attempting to murder my friends is a strange way of proposing an alliance," Daryil said, eyes narrowing.  "And you did your best to kill Ms. Strauss.  What part of that seemed like a good idea?"

"How do you mean?"  Sims looked put out.  "Keller and his fellow cutthroats were working for Fairwater.  Together they plotted to take the artifact away from you.  The Commission restricted your actions.  In targeting those three, I was doing you a favour!"

Sims started as something like a gust of wind rippled his fur.  He glanced down briefly and froze.  "...The fuck...?" he gurgled.  Somehow he was carrying a sandbag instead of the cyberjag.

"Here," Keller said, looking pleased with himself, the crippled robot held in his arms.  Carefully, he placed the stricken cat down in front of Daryil.  The Tri-Wing glanced at the rescued jaguar, who just lay there twitching, and then stared pointedly at Sims, who took a step backwards.

"I have many faithful servants," Daryil said, helping the fallen jaguar to their feet, and watching as they took a few wobbly steps towards the safety of Zordan.  "Lord Ravage, Pixie, Sixie and Ralf are among them.  Most of Kellsmere can testify that you guillotined Lord Ravage and then, when that failed to do sufficient harm, attempted to destroy him with anti-materiel rifles.  You hired goons to to rob the Archbishop of Neuheim, and those thugs of yours promptly shot Pixie in the forehead, and put a bullet through Gamma's eye.
"You programmed Trixie to try and kill Pixie again, arranged it so that Ralf's brain would have been incinerated had I not been extremely lucky...  And now, you have beheaded Pixie...  So forgive me if I find your contention that 'We both want the same thing' a little difficult to swallow.",

"Those robots?"  Sims stared at the avatar in confusion.  "You rebuff my offers of an alliance because I damaged some of your little toys?  They are not your Children!  They're not even alive!  They are mere playthings, far beneath the notice of a Tri-Wing.  What do you really care for them?"

"Servants have rights, Sims.  They do your bidding out of loyalty, for the money, or in some cases because they owe a debt.  This is a much more powerful relationship than 'Do It... Or Die' since it fosters a pride or vested interest in their work.  But it also means you have a stake in their wellbeing."

"So...?"

"So, these panthers are my servants," Daryil said, picking up Pixie's head for emphasis.  "They may not be members of my clan, but nonetheless, my clan gave them life, and we have a duty of care to them.  They have souls, wants and needs.  Think of them as my pets, if you must - that may still help you understand why I am so very, very displeased at your actions towards them.  Not least that you tried to soul-steal Sixie right in front of my face."

"Foolish sentimentality," Sims sneered.  "They exist to carry out your will... affection for mere tools is misplaced.  They're not 'Cubi, they are far below your status, whatever that so-called dragon may think!"

Zordan snorted and his front leg twitched slightly.

"Then let's return to Keller and Amanti," Daryil shrugged, handing Pixie's head to the snow-leopard.  "As I said, I have many faithful servants.  While Keller may be a little chaotic, Amanti is one of my rescues from Jyraneth Clan.  You conveniently omit that among their 'cutthroat friends' is Yvonne, one of my own Clan Children.  While the mission did put her in a conflict of interest, she too was directly endangered by your machinations in Kellsmere."

Daryil fixed the otter with a cold expression.  "Putting aside Sethir, and the fact that I have an alliance with Fairwater, you specifically programmed Trixie to kill Dr. Handling - and I have not, and will not forget that those same thugs who shot up my panthers, also abducted my own deputy at gunpoint on your instructions.
"You threatened my Primary Line, Sims - and for that, you must die."

[Tapewolf]

Chapter 38

Daryil's wings flashed out and Sims found himself bound helplessly.

"So that is how it must be?" the otter snarled defiantly.  "For all your fine words, you aim to destroy me?"

"He did say not to kill you yet," Zordan pointed out helpfully.

"You made your bed, Sims," Daryil said lidding his eyes into a lazy expression of a supervillain who holds all the cards.  He straightened out his gloves with an annoying squeaky noise.  "I'm sorry, but I really can't let you go after something like that.  Dear me!  If word gets about that a tri-wing's chief of staff can be kidnapped with impunity, poor Jakob and Niall will become immediate targets for every fruitloop with a grudge - and then where will we be..?
"No, I'm really sorry, but I'm going to have to crush you into paste as an example to all.  I am the Lord Daryil - all who oppose me will be turned into a sort of jam-like substance."

"He peeled that panther!"  Keaton remarked, pointing at Pixie's shredded corpse.  "You should peel his brain!  It's only fair!"

"Even your fellow clan-mate is calling for your death," Daryil observed.  "If you're so far gone that Keaton has it in for you, well..."

"Stay your hand, Mi'Lord, I beseech you," a new voice called.  An imposing figure followed Keaton in the room - a wolf with snow leopard markings and draconic wings.  His bare chest was flecked with blood that wasn't his own, and Niall followed him, black combat armour similarly decorated with streaks of crimson.

"Ah, Zeremac isn't it?" Daryil said without turning.  "Welcome!  Do come in... I presume you'd like to kill Sims yourself?"

"Yes," the wolf said.  Sims' expression changed, his defiance gradually giving way to concern.

"He has maimed my deputy," Zeremac continued, as he approached the two incubi.  "But for your intervention, Lord Daryil, Leavander Strauss would surely have died.  As Director of Enforcement at the Being-Creature Commission, I take this indignity as seriously as an attack on your Primary Line.
"Sims sentenced himself to death when he began using stolen jump units and unauthorised androids to further his crimes, but even without all that, I do have a claim on his head, my lord.  Justice must take its course."

"I have to admit, I do so hate having to kill people like this," Daryil said, turning from Sims to Zeremac.  "It wouldn't exactly encourage other Jyraneth to come forward to receive my aid... And besides, we'd have to clean up the mess afterwards.  So if you want to do my dirty work for me, I'm all ears."

"No!"  Sims yelped, passing from mere concern to terror.  "NO!"

"Well, if you must kill high-ranking members of the world police force, you can't look all shocked and surprised when the bill falls due," Daryil sighed.  "Dibs on his head, though..." he added, glancing at Zeremac.

"Ah," the Demon sighed.  "With the greatest of respect, my lord, we at the Commission note that you have long been collecting executed criminals and placing their souls in panthers or similar constructs.
"While it is not for us to tell you how to manage your own affairs, there are limits, and this specific case has had a wide impact far outside your own realm.
"Lord Daryil, we do not begrudge you certain lesser criminals, but I and my superiors are especially concerned about Sims in particular.  He cannot be allowed to evade the long sleep of death, and must pay his dues in full."

"You know I believe in second chances," Daryil said sadly.  "He has so much potential..."

"If I may be frank, you are a power beyond us and your whims are unpredictable, my lord," Zeremac said tentatively.  "Prominent members of the Being-Creature Commision, including myself, fear you may deem it entertaining to install the mind of Sims into a 12-foot tall robotic dragon, like Zordan here.  To put it bluntly, that is a prospect we are scared shitless of and wish to avoid at any cost."

The dragon waved a foot at them with what he hoped was a cheery expression.

"Actually I was planning to stuff him into a Newton's Cradle," Daryil admitted, pulling one from thin air and watching the silvery balls clack into each other.  "I don't see him doing much damage in there."

"I fear that he might," Zeremac said.  "Sims is frighteningly clever, and with the problem given his undivided attention for an indefinite amount of time, he may contrive some way to escape from that prison.  No, my Lord... He is too dangerous for Furrae and his soul must be dispatched to the worlds beyond."

"Ah, and here I was worried you wanted to destroy him utterly," Daryil said, brightening slightly.  "That is a prospect I wish to avoid at any cost.  But, if you merely wish to cut his head off and let the gods sort it out, by all means go for it.  He's all yours!"

"No!"  Sims screamed, and struggled against Daryil's wing-tentacles.

"Thank you, MiLord," Zeremac said, bowing.  Behind him, a demon hare entered the room and placed military-grade restraints upon Sim's wrists.  The incubus' back-wings vanished as the bracers clicked shut, and he snarled with helpless fury.

"You..." he gurgled.  "You fools!  You will regret this!  When Jyraneth returns... You will all regret this!  I could have saved you all!"

*  *  *

"I found it!  I found it!" the cyberjag yelped, running into their common-room.

"What have you found?" panther A-SMV asked, looking worried.

"The bodies!"  Panther Y-RAY whimpered.  "Four of us!  And their brains have been eaten, just like the story said!  It's true!  It's all true!"

"Nonsense," Asimov said.  "That story was a prank that got out of hand.  They are not harvesting our brains!"

"What is he talking about?"  Panther J-OHN asked, looking scared.  "Harvesting brains...?  Eating them?  I don't think that's even possible!"

"Someone spread a rumour that we had positronic brains, a platinum-iridium sponge that would be scooped out like ice-cream so that they could sell the precious metals," Asimov said.  "But firstly, that's completely untrue, and secondly those metals aren't considered precious here.  Besides, you died," he said.  "Both of you, and Pixie as well.  If they wanted to harvest your brains they wouldn't have bothered to fix you up, surely...?"

"But it's true!  I can show you the bodies!" Gamma insisted.

"Where did you see this anyway?"  Pixie asked.

"In the forbidden hall!  There is a store room... with the bodies in it!"

"This can't end well," Pixie sighed, "But show us anyway."

*  *  *

"There!"  Gamma pointed at the shelving, which contained various boxes and parts.  On the bottom, four panthers lay down in a crouching position, their heads resting limply on the floor.  Their eyes were dull and un-illuminated and the tops of their skulls had been opened to reveal an empty void where the brain module should have been.

"You see!?" Gamma insisted hysterically.  "Their brains are all gone!  They've been eaten!"

Pixie's eyes narrowed.  He padded to the lifeless panther and stared hard at the shoulder, where the serial markings had been partially erased.

"That's my body, you chump," he said simply.

"What?!"

"Look at me," the synthetic jaguar insisted.  "I'm not just fur glued onto a Mark 9 body - I have synthetic muscles that ripple when I move.  I can curl up in ways your armour doesn't allow for.  Binky and I, we're a completely new mechanical design.  So how do you think they upgraded us?  They had to pop our brains out and plug them into a replacement chassis!"

"Oh," Gamma said, looking astonished and slightly embarrassed.  "I never thought about that."

"We kept the original bodies around in case Binky or Pixie changed their minds or otherwise needed to be reverted," Niall said, causing the panthers to jump.  "S-IXY and R-XKF also wanted new bodies.  I guess we should have crated them up to avoid incidents like this, but clearly that never happened."

"Uh oh," Gamma said sheepishly, as he looked up at Niall.  "Will we be punished...?"

"Well, there's no harm done, but this is precisely why you weren't supposed to come in here.  We figured the panther factory would be distressing, especially after Daryil's prank.
"That said, we want you to be able to make your own decisions too.  We can't do all your thinking for you, and at some point we'll have to take the training wheels off.  Consider this the consequence of a poor decision."

"Did you follow us?"  A-SMV asked.  "Did we set off an alarm by entering a forbidden zone?"

"No," Niall said.  "I was tracking Pixie.  Now that he has had time to recover from being rebuilt, Lord Daryil wishes to speak to him about that affair.  This was supposed to be a private thing, so we didn't broadcast it to all and sundry.  Clearly that didn't turn out as intended," he finished.  "Pixie, if you could visit his office as soon as you are free...?"

*  *  *

"Pixie," Daryil began, "As I'm sure you're aware, we do not encourage bloodthirstiness among our panthers.  That's a bad look for guard robots, and it would disturb the Commission if people thought you had been designed to take sadistic pleasure from watching others suffer and die."

"Am I being accused of that, Sir...?"  Pixie asked nervously.  "Because even if I am, city guard patrols are often made up of thugs with no better prospects."

"You are not," Daryil reassured him.  "I am simply providing context for what I am about to tell you.  Personally, I agree - it seems unfair to hold you to higher standards than organic guards.  Nonetheless, things are what they are.
"Now, as I was saying... we do not usually encourage our panthers to take pleasure from the deaths of other people, but in this case... Well, the Commission has invited me to witness the execution of Sims - and as an aggrieved party, they have offered that same courtesy to you, too."

"Me?!"  Pixie squeaked.  "I didn't know I was on their radar at all!"

"Had Sims not killed you, you might not be," Daryil said.  "Likewise, R-ALF, Lord Ravage and others have received similar invitations.  You are not obliged to accept, and there are no political ramifications either way.  The choice is yours alone to make."

"Sir," Pixie said crisply.  "I would like to see that he has been properly punished for what he has done to us.  But at the same time, I know that you do not approve of public executions."

"I do not," Daryil agreed.  "But in this case I shall be attending myself.  While I do not relish this, my own presence there would be politically astute, and I would like the assurance that Sims will pose no further threat to my interests.
"For your information, it is purely invitation-only, not a public spectacle for all to gawk at.  And again, do not worry about anyone passing judgement upon you for wanting to attend.  We tuned your kind to have a keen sense of justice, so I can hardly complain if you wish to see it carried out.
"All I ask is that if you are set on attending, to remember that this will be a solemn occasion.  Be on your best behaviour, and try not to look too excited about it."

"Thank you, sir," Pixie said.  "I will."