(Alexander has reached the cave's maw. Has he noticed anyone? Attempt 6 Response 6. Reroll. Attempt 1 Response 5. Not noticed.)
(Was he noticed? Attempt 6 Response 4. Not noticed!)

Alexander trudged slowly into the wide room at the end of the cave. It looked as if a Wurm had dug through the passage, then rolled up into a ball to form the room. Then he spotted a tiny chunk of Wurm bone, though it was still as big as half of his body. Maybe his assumption was correct.
Alexander now surveyed the outcropping for a place to lie down and rest.

(Attempt -2 because darkness. Attempt 5-2=3 Response 5. Nowhere to sit. :( Did he notice anyone? No -2. Attempt 3 Response 1. Takamura noticed.)

"Hey, you there!"

"The..... guards?" Alexander asked, puzzled. But he knew the eyes that glanced up at him. Those eyes he knew by heart. "Rain....."

Suddenly the cavern rocked. A low, almost inaudible sound was heard from below them. "Is that what I think it is?!?!?" Alexander yelled, startled. Then the monstrous head broke the surface. "Grrrrrrrraggg............" It growled.
"It's fine, most species of Wurms are blind. They only locate people by smelling.... blood." Alexander glanced at his arm. "S***."
The Wurm's broad face darted at Alexander.

(Wurm vitality=4x d6. Roll! 1+6+5+3. 15 Vitality, 7 stress ((Run away meter)). )

Alexander lurched out of the way.

(-2 Wurm size +3 Quick boost Attempt 2+1=3 Response 3. Reroll. Attempt 4+1=5 Response 2. Avoided narrowly!)

The Wurm missed, and struck into the solid wall behind him. (-1 to vitality, Wurm at 14)

(Your move, Takamura!)

"Yes I understand you. Lead the way."

Skotino said as he placed away his drink in favor of following the man.

As Stratios slipped the Azure Armour on, he scrutinized a large map of the Clockworks, composed of a massive myriad of research notes and documented with scientific florilegia.

Tracing his fingers along the labyrinthian elevator system, a sly grin parted his lips. The timing was ripe. He still needed to abrade the remaining pieces from the enigmatic depths, but that itself would most likely be accomplished trailing after the youthful knight.

Stratios's plans were culminating, yet something was still amiss.

No matter, he thought. All will be resolved within good time.

---

Without delay, he stepped into the expanse of the Arcade, immediately identifying the young knight already situated, waiting.

"Young man," Stratios called out, "I do not believe you told me your name."

Hussling into the Arcade, three heavily armed men followed by two Researcher's all baring the crest of a Merc. group husseled in loaded down with equipment for what looked like a long study. Behind them strode a Warden who's armor didn't glow blue like normal instead giving off a nightmare Trojen's purple color.

Skotino better be onto something this time, other wise it will be at least a week before we get the supplies for this kind of investigation together again.

Walking slowly while the team it's self marched in time Daud stood at the top platform watching as they got on one of the elevator's and dove deep down to there distation, way below.

Right on time, the man came to the arcade. Approaching Lance, he asked for his name. Realizing that they had not, in fact, exchanged names, he apologized. "Sorry, I am Lance Nighten. I admit that it may not be the best name, but it's what my parents gave me. What's yours, and are you ready?" Lance himself was ready.

The man, named Decipio, asked if they were the only ones in the expedition. "Well, yes," Lance answered truthfully, "however we won't get much time to reach the level as it is quickly leaving rotation, so I didn't have much time at all to ask many people. We could ask around if you feel it's necessary, but it'd have to be quick. If it's combat you're worried about though, there won't be much problem there, I know how to avoid fights." Lance smiled slyly.

Looking over the room and after the welcome Skotino had to take a moment to take it all in mentally. Everything seemed a bit elaberit for just a run of the mill group in the Clockworks let alone the fact they were in some walled off section that didn't match up to the battle grounds outside. The room it's self was nice enough but being called a newby kind set Skotino off, but he caught himself before doing something 'brash'.

"Nice place."

They prase a god, well goddess here. Oh the experiments I could run, testing their fates. Thats not the time or place here, still I wonder how they would react if they knew what I was made of.

"Well, its fancy thats a fact, here is another. Well more like a statement; why show me this."

"Impressive story if anything, but I am a skeptical man for reason that are quiet clear for me. I do not believe in gods, kings, queens, or even a sand genie. I believe in facts and the cold hard truth about the world, and this world is anything but down to a science. If I had to say it, most times no one else will, I would say ever man woman and child is tempted by their own believes and should follow them, just don't do it blindly."

Skotino crossed his arms and looked around a bit with his eyes. Gods, goddess, religion is truly something to fear when its followers are this devoted. Still better not make them angry I know what a cult can do when they believe their god is so real one person's words are enough to start up Extremist.

Uncrossing his arms Skotino yawn slightly before starting to unlatch his helm. A dark mist started to emit from under the armored hood as the Harmonic seal was broken.

"Forgive me for what your about to see, but in my field this was the kind of thing necessary for the advancement of my men and woman who fight under my banner. At least I took the risk for them."

Taking off the Helm Skotino exposed to the world his face, obsidian flake like scales showed here and their, not completely covering his skin but enough some one would know he was no longer completely human. from his silver hair stood what looked like Dark Matter Crystal's shaped like small horns followed the patter of creature he mixed with Dark Matter it's self. As he spoke a light purple light lit the back of his thought and died as it came closer to his lips on the inside of his mouth, giving his teeth a darker appearance, not that sharp teeth were very welcoming in the first place.

"Let me introduce myself, I am Master Skotino. Once a Warden but now a Shadow Guardian of the Darkwatch, its leader. What you see is what happens when you mix Dark Matter and DNA of a Dragon, a poitan mix. Now, you asked do I believe, let me answer with a question of my own. Do you believe me a Monster?"

Placing his helm on one of the spikes of his armor Skotino crossed his arms in though. Where in the world did he get that. Only my lab boys make my medication, unless he has a plusebo I don't see how he could have gotten my formula.

"Stop looking at me like that, I am a man who crossed a line with nature nothing more. Now as for that not on me. My personal Medic keeps it on hand at all times in case of problems. If he is not around and I know he won't then I keep some on me like for right now I indeed do."

Reaching into one of his satuals attached to his waist Skotino pulled out what looked like a black kit. Inside was a small bottle with a metal lid which had a little needle sized hole covered with plastic so a Hypodermic needle could be placed inside and extract a purple liquid, giving off a radiatingly bad vib to any normal person, above that was a Hypodermic Needle desized to be injected directly into the neck of the resever.

Closing the box and placing it away he looked back up at the man.

"Anyway, about the tea and information. I did the favor of taking off my hat before we sat at the table. Its bad manner's to do such a thing."

"It's ok," Alexander said sarcastically. Rain had been a target on a previous contract...... One of the only few he never completed. Alexander knew Rain may try to kill him. Alexander got to his feet slowly, just in time for the Wurm to finish his food. The giant beast swung his head around, aiming for both Takamura and Alexander.

(Wurm attack! Alexander -1 balance, +3 Quick. Attempt 1 Response 6+2=8. Critical dodge, Alexander gets extra attack.)

Alexander dodged the head nimbly, stabbing Silverslicer into the Wurm's side.

(No bonus. Attempt 3 Response 6)

He missed, and the Wurm raised itself out of the ground to its full height.
It was a massive Elder Wurm. One hundred feet above him towered the beast's head.

"YOu seem to be under the influence I work for free. As far as an escort goes, sorry dad I don't need one. If you want this done, then we do it my way or we are going to butt heads till the cows come home and your payment will be wasted. On a side note, why would you hid the information about her real name? Do you really think I am going to go around into some ones base saying 'goddess where are you', no that would be sucide. I need a name to be able to confirm or deny. That being said, you should know we have killed people who try and inhibit our missions. Anyone you send better be able to follow order's to the letter and not complain, other wise my second in command will gladly to away with them."

Skotino crossed his fingers in a weaved pattern, all the while he kept his eyes dead set on the man in front of him trying to find a weakness in his eyes. Maybe some hit as to a second reason he would want some on like Skotino, or his band of Mercenaries, to fight on behalf of this goddess's army. It didn't make since but if they where going to pay, which he has seen no sign of, then he was not going to ask the reason.

"Well, am I clear?"

"This is something I can get behind."

Reaching hind him Skotino placed his helm on his head and reconnected to Daud's signal.

"Daud, we have a new contract. Go ahead to the armory and get together a hand full of Gunslingers, three Demo-techs, Four Cobolt Knights highest Caliber, as well as some Incinerator's. When your done with that go ahead and have the Operator working on a trace for the Spades guild, make it silent. We have a rescue to preform, and its going to be a nice invasion."

The Communication device was turned up as Daud spoke back.

"Roger, the armory has already been sent the word. High Ordinance will be used, any pending conditions?"

"Desalination."

Skotino looked back up at the man whom paid him.

"I really hope you can live with that."

Getting up Skotino left the hall, feeling no different then when he entered.

Odd people. Anyway back to base to formulate a better plan then just all out war, that will be phase two. Phase one might be to get some political movement on my side, after all trying to do anything with in the Order with out some money grubbing Politician breathing down my neck.

Getting on the Elevator Skotino said nothing as he returned to Haven, taking time as he watched his team leave to investigate what ever happened below. Walking like he had a meaning Skotino kept his arms behind his back and face forwards, he was not known as the Leader of the Darkwatch guild, that was Daud's title for what little value it had. No Skotino worked quietly behind peoples back and making sure no one would suspect him unless he had to say it.

Returning to his hall Skotino sat down in his chair looking over the massive expanse, to his left and right his honor guard dressed fittingly for the spot entitled to them, each one carrying a weapon of Cobalt. Outside of the main hall on one of the hall ways there were many expanding paths further down the road leading to different sections as well as restricted unless access was granted. The thing that had the main guard was the R&D lab which was locked off to all but the top brass of the guild.

"Daud, get the men I said on said by and have everything of the Guild transfered to my name. We need to step up and get the Politician's something to eat at while we work out some more information on this Spade's guild. At this point we should just attack on the information gathered."

Daud nodded as he walked off, the heavy set Warden seemed to walk on silent feet for such a bully man. On a second screen an image of the Darkwatch Guild cress came up, a Skull with a black and white checker backround, followed by a distorted voice.

"I have taken the liberty of cutting all minor information from the system and started running backround checks. I don't know much but what I can say is this Spades guild is one of the major guilds. If only the Order knew what we looked like truly, but still they are nothing to laugh at. They do have access to the Order's main weapon's stocks but can't use them in the event a guild war happens. There leader is timid and protected at all times, I suggest getting some of the Gunslingers with ranged rifles to either A kill her off quickly and step in in the chaos or B undermind them from there own bank, the Politician's who support them. It might be best if we exposed how big we really are. Also, project 119 is done."

"Good, get me a feed to the Congress of the Order, its time we sat in on some of their sessions and see what they know about is and the Spade's guild. This might also get us the Spade's contract out of the way."

Looking over at the woman Skotino gave no emotion, mostly the helm hiding his face, but a simple look.

"How do you think we should go forth?"

"I am a Mercenary, my emotions are either dead or lost some where in my head. As for any kind of guilt your speaking of, no I don't because I don't care what happens to the lifes of the people I am told to get after the money has passed by. Sure that makes me sound like I have no soul or heart but to be honest I think having such things only slows down your thinking mind, its a cruch people will use and a weakness some one can exploit."

Skotino looked at the screen placing his chin in his hand as he listened to the Politician's raddle back and forth about meaningless things.

"Why, do you?"

"You just don't get it."

Skotino moved the window to the side before giving her a stern look, much like a father would to a rouge child.

"None of you get it. Your Religion is nothing more then believing in some one who is living, who can die, who more then likely will die? Then what, your going to prase her work like some kind of god who was no more special then the bug I squash walking outside. None of you understand whats going on unless you have seen the things I have in a war or battle. Seeing your allies die for some dirt cheap pay you realize real quick how low down our kind is on the hierarchy of things."

Taking off his helm Skotino waited as a Medic rushed over quickly pulling out a bottle of purple liquid followed by a Hypodermic needle. With quick hands the Medic took the liquid and injected into Skotino's neck, the only sign that he had been pricked was a small wench from his eye. Walking away, going to despose of the needle, the medic removed his gloves only to put on a new pair.

"I have no love any more, I have one friend in this world and he is currently working on getting things done. Outside of that I really couldn't give a care who or what happens. I think it funny, I might just kill the 'goddess' if I get in a situation where things go south. But if I want the money correctly I suppose I need her alive, or at least as close to alive as I can get. When you asked how do I feel about this, look me in my eyes and tell me something; does it look like I feel anything."

Looking at her, all she could have seen were his red eyes. Dead and holding no joy, it was as if she was looking in the eyes of a corps or worse, just the hollow sockets of a skull.

"I have no love, for any one."

Skotino just laughed, a hollow chuckle more like it, but a laugh none the same as he heard the woman's plead. It was warming to him to hear some one just jump out and call out some ones lie like it was nothing but she was the first one in a long time to honestly hit him.

"Call me what you want, honestly it doesn't matter. At the end of the day I am still the mad man with the gun right? Besides, I don't ware shame or pride hell I sooner go out there and take a bullet to the head and fall over then sit here. It has a occur to me more then once that others are in my kind of situation, but instead of doing something they just turn to a village to give them a hand. No I stand on my own feet here and yes that might be my vanity showing up, but can you blame me?"

Reaching up Skotino rubbed his face, the years of Dark Matter flowing threw him almost cut off his feelings of pain.

"I would say that hurt, but then I would be lying no only to myself but to you as well. To be blunt I died along time ago, whats left over is the thinking mind and body of a man who saw the light but gave no cracks one way or another as to how the chips fall. Think about it like this, when hell comes to the surface I want to be the one to greet it like a old friend. But that just makes me sound insane."

Leaning back in his chair Skotino just sighed as he looked at the screen once more, nothing had changed, politician's rambled and talked about the day's pass, people needed this or that. Just a boring day in the office for them.

"Still real me would keep fighting, real me would not condone things like folly. I will ask you this nicely don't hit me again, not because of my health but because of yours. Some of these men behind us are a bit rage prone when I get hurt. Outside of that I won't lie, have no reason to, why do you think its crap? I believe you just have a simple idea given to you from some one you knew or 'loved' and this idea of yours conflict with everything I just said making you react in such a way to resort to physical voliance which comes from the human reaction to mental hurt. A complex system of synapse in your brain told you to react this way because you thinking mind heard a conflict between your sub-conscious making a auto-reaction of your motor functions to get in a direction of my face. Now that I have said that, why do you believe its crap?"

Skotino looked at her lifting an eyebrow rather questioningly at this point. She is mad as a march hair.

"Your right, I like to be lazy some times. And it is easier killing some one for money, specially blood money because it leaves a smile on my face just for the thrill if you know what I mean. Its like hunting only difference is you are playing with your life to do so."

He chuckled slightly as it to match hers, maybe the dark matter was starting to kick in at this point.

"No you didn't hit me because I was right, you hit me because to you I was wrong. Personally there are no rights or wrongs in this world. I don't care to know what they are unless they are my idea's of right or wrong. That being state, you hit be because in your mind I am wrong. make since?"

Skotino said waving his hand as if trying to point out his point. Looking at the screen he smiled as he saw the Politician he was asked to get.

"Alright your Spades guild sit here from the looks of it in the main congress." Skotino said returning to business. "We will chat more on this later, maybe if your a good girl. Now as for the Spades, it seems they are indeed sitting rather nice, getting support from the Order and housing access to the Armory. The reason I asked how you think we should proceed is because honestly our group kept out of the Political things because other wise the Order gets to look into what we are doing. You could say some of our stuff is less then favorible, look at me. Genetic mutation and experimentation, the sort of stuff making my R&D look like the home of the mad-scientist guild."

Looking at the screen he pointed out a nice precession of Spades guild as they took there seats.

"First and for most, we need to remove the most difficult part to deal with. Politician's, worse then any snake is a man who works in Politics' trust me. At the end of the secession me, you, and about four Honor Guards are going to removing the heads from these snakes. So its going to be best if your good at silent take downs and well removal's. This will cause an invistagaion as to what happened. Thankfully we already have men on the inside of the MP's who can cover this, so we are covered on most fronts. After that we just have to sneak in some of our boy's into there Political's seats which will now be empty and just like that we now have the Spade's guild out of the congress thus taking away most if not all of there Political sway. Sound good?"

"No, see backing people into a corner is the same as backing a wild animal into the same situation. Unless we can completely over power them in one swift motion then it will all be for not and we might as well just hang ourselves out to dry now. Your a Biologist, tell me, when you where on the field did you ever corner a wolver or some other animal you didn't plan on killing? I didn't know that at the time all it knew was you where stronger and had the advantage, so what did it do, it lashed out and attacked hurting some one more times then none."

Skotino paused as he started typing something on a keyboard in his arm's chair bring up a new screen. It showed just how big is Hall really was. Expanded to the point it had three wings and weapons hold.

"I can sent out all my vets and battle harden warrior's for the attack, once they find out what I did the field will be more evenly matched. How about this, I wait a little bit and attack at night when the guard in there Hall will be the most laxed or at least we will be making less noise and able to have the element of surprise best for silent fighting. Once the front force's are taken care of I send in my Stealth units to recover. We will be with them. Or we can just run in guns blazing and maybe they will kill your hostage. Your call, either way we will be using cleaned gear so they can't track who did the attack if we fail."

Skotino said as he got up and stretched, ready t walk her tot he R&D lab to get suited up for combat when night fell.

"The Quiet way safes lives. Besides, we need our vets in top ship when they call in there vets. Its all a game really."

Skotino led her down three sets of halls, each one having very few doors but the sounds were rather disheartening to the ear. Coming to a set of guards Skotino nodded as they opened the door giving his guest a second look before returning to there vigilant watch. The inside of the lab was what one would have expected, tables with people doing experiments and paper work, to one side weapons development and armor testing. But what stuck out the most where the Biotech's running experiments on living test subjects, nothing inhumane but enough to get some questions running. Despite being rather large it was to the weapons and armor he lead her.

"Stealth weapons and gear, full over hall and maybe something to eat. Scratch that last part just the weapons and armor."

Nodding the Biotech in charge led them to the Stealth gear which Skotino quickly attached to his armor as well as a some broken shards which looked like a sword at one point.

"Get suited up and meet me in the operations hall we will have a plan of attack from there."

Walking off Skotino crossed his arms behind his back as he marched off in silence.

Well lets check something shall we, if she trys anything my men will kill her. If she really wants to do this attack which has been payed for she will meet me in the main hall shortly. Smiling Skotino walked forth, excited to have some fun after so long in a kind of hibernation.

Following Lance across Emberlight, Stratios shuddered. Something was happening, somewhere.He frowned as he kept pace with the youth, until they arrived at the elevator to the next level.

"You seem eager, young man."