Arsha, her parents, her spouses, Orbak, Elmpam, Lardeth\u2019s parents, Markulak, and the senior staff met in the conference room. \u201cYour home\u2019s been taken over?!\u201d said Bashoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd blockaded, it seems,\u201d muttered Elgrad, on edge that his home was threatened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy\u2019s the robot here?\u201d asked Thangred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMarkulak has tactical information on the robot forces,\u201d replied Arsha. \u201cHe\u2019s also good at intelligence gathering, so I\u2019m having him brief us on how to get into Largandra without being seen and how to take down the robots quickly and quietly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd it seems you could use the help in scrapping them,\u201d observed Markulak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026I mean, you\u2019re not wrong,\u201d muttered Thangred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo, this briefing,\u201d Markulak was addressing everyone, \u201cwill be concerning how to effectively destroy my former compatriots, starting with my type, the humanoid.\u201d A diagram of his type then popped up on the screen. \u201cThe basic weaknesses are as follows: a good slice at the joints, an electric spell right between the eyes, or a shot to the chest if you want to detonate our payload.\u201d Bashoon then noticed something was off. Markulak then noticed the same thing. \u201cHey, where\u2019s Dr. Vorsholstein?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe sure is taking his sweet time!\u201d muttered Elgrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCaptain, permission to find him?\u201d asked Bashoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPermission granted,\u201d replied Arsha. \u201cI\u2019ll have recordings of each robot type\u2019s weaknesses for you to review.\u201d Bashoon nodded and left the room while Markulak continued. She headed down the corridors and made her way to Delselii\u2019s quarters. She rang the door chime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCome in!\u201d called Delselii. Bashoon opened the door, prompting Delselii to grin. \u201cAh! Bashoon!\u201d greeted the Homunculus Mad Scientist. \u201cHow\u2019s the planning going?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhere were you?\u201d asked Bashoon. \u201cYou were supposed to be at the briefing!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was engaged in a project that required my attention. Lieutenant Barmek, prepare yourself!\u201d Delselii then pulled a cloth off a machine. \u201cHere it is!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026What is it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a thaumic pulse generator! With one blast, any cloaking device within a por range would short out and malfunction! Very low energy cost, yet very potent!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s good, but surely it could have waited? The briefing needs you there right now! Markulak is telling us about the weaknesses on all of his former compatriots!\u201d Delselii then scowled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBashoon, last I checked, you\u2019re the commander of the Metal Melter Squadron. Unless I\u2019m mistaken, you\u2019re supposed to destroy all robots on sight, not talk to them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026I see what\u2019s going on here.\u201d Bashoon then sat down in one of the chairs. \u201cDelselii, when you talked to Markulak, could you really say that you didn\u2019t see any similarities between him and Endea?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t talk to it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI saw no need.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf we\u2019re gonna use this person\u2019s-!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIT\u2019S NOT A PERSON, DAMMIT! IT\u2019S A ROBOT!\u201d Bashoon simply glared at the taller Homunculus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026If we\u2019re gonna use this person\u2019s knowledge, we need to put aside our prejudices for right now.\u201d Delselii wouldn\u2019t be swayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJust because it has a name doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s a person like Endea! Just because it laughs at a Three Maidens <\/em>sketch doesn\u2019t mean it fully understands humor! Just because it talks doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s sentient! It is what it is!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat makes that particular robot unlike Endea?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere aren\u2019t any fresh breath particles on him, are there?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAre there any on Homunculi?\u201d Delselii\u2019s eyes went wide at her counterargument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026You\u2019d dare\u2026?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn this case, I had no choice. Last I checked, Homunculi didn\u2019t get the fresh Breath of Life. You guys use the Breath particles of the corpses that were your original ancestors, yet you\u2019re still considered life-forms on the level of everyone else. And Golems are considered life, yet the clay they were made from have even less Breath particles than you. I would advise you to talk to Markulak before you start making snap-judgements, because if you don\u2019t talk to him, you\u2019re going to find your decisions about his destruction harder to live with than you realize. Now, I\u2019m going back and finishing up the briefing. I\u2019m leaving you with a choice. You can either stay here and stew about what was said, or you can join me and get what you missed.\u201d She left the room and shut the door behind her. Delselii scowled at the door as he thought about Bashoon\u2019s words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bashoon returned to the conference room as Markulak wrapped up his briefing on robot types and their weaknesses. \u201cAll right then,\u201d declared Arsha as Bashoon returned to her seat, \u201cwe have a plan. Bashoon, you will lead a squadron to breach the northern walls around Largandra. Review all the robot types and make sure your entire unit is up to scratch on stealth kills. Once there\u2019s a sufficient window, the rest of us will sneak into Largandra. After that, Mama and Daddy can take over the operation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy your parents?\u201d asked Denstra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBecause we know the layout of the castle like the back of our hand,\u201d explained Elgrad. \u201cThe usual Royana tradition is that after the heir finishes their tour, they have to spend time studying the layout of the castle, secret passages and all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSecret passages?\u201d asked Orbak. \u201cLike my castle?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYep. King Tundark Royana had them installed when he was in charge. The family used to think he was just being paranoid, but it looks like they\u2019re going to be put to good use.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, this is a rare thing,\u201d chuckled Elmpam. \u201cUsually, secret passages are for a cowardly ruler to escape a besieged castle. It\u2019s rare for a ruler to use them to get IN one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLike you said, only cowards use them for a way out,\u201d chuckled Elgrad. \u201cTundark was the BIGGEST coward in our family history.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSounds like we have a plan!\u201d declared Arsha. \u201cWe start it tomorrow morning! Dismissed!\u201d As everyone filed out, Arsha put her hand on Bashoon\u2019s shoulder. \u201cBashoon, a word with you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, Captain?\u201d asked Bashoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDelselii DID get the message about him needing to come here, yes?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe did, but childishly ignored it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd why, pray tell?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe doesn\u2019t recognize Markulak as a living person because he wasn\u2019t given the Breath of Life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDelselii said that?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah, him of all people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026I don\u2019t care what you have to do, get Delselii to drop this prejudice! Is that clear?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCrystal clear, Captain. He\u2019ll put it aside by hook or crook before tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m gonna hold you to that. Here.\u201d Arsha handed Bashoon a data crystal containing the recording of what she missed. \u201cDismissed.\u201d Bashoon saluted and headed out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Arsha, her parents, her spouses, Orbak, Elmpam, Lardeth\u2019s parents, Markulak, and the senior staff met in the conference room. \u201cYour home\u2019s been taken over?!\u201d said Bashoon. \u201cAnd blockaded, it seems,\u201d muttered Elgrad, on edge that his home was threatened. \u201cWhy\u2019s the robot here?\u201d asked Thangred. \u201cMarkulak has tactical information on the robot forces,\u201d replied Arsha. 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