“So let me get this straight, the Allbirther’s base is 200km deep inside that fleshy mess?”
Levik rubbed his eyes, realising he had vastly underestimated pretty much everything to do with this divine mission.
“Yes.”
“And we will have to walk along large stretches of it?”
“Yes.”
Talok also seemed concerned. Most of the mission didn’t phase him. But walking? No way. Talok was just over a meter tall, to walk that far would take forever. And according to the massive creature in front of them, there was no other way in.
The massive creature in question was a Banikan by the name of Ct’Era. She was an Ita of a tribe of electric-magic Banikans. But the leader no longer had anyone to lead. Most of her tribe had been killed by the Allbirther while they slept, harvested for parts then turned to dust. The only reason Ct’Era had survived because she had been on a diplomatic mission to another tribe.
“This does sound… tedious…” Talok muttered. “Is there no way we can’t get some vehicles here? Or maybe there is some sort of travel system inside the flesh thing?”
“Vehicles?” Ct’Era asked.
“Yeah. Or a train system or something.”
“Hm…” Ct’Era thought to herself. “There IS a shipping system. Transfers raw materials in and out. Is somewhat further north. But we could fly there. To the entrance.”
Levik sighed again. “It doesn’t matter how we get in, the issue is that everything inside will attack us on sight. We stick out like sore claws.”
“You think?” Talok asked. “Surely it would work the same way a normal nest would? Using specific pheromones that are unique to the nest in question?”
“Or you make a bad smell!” Ct’Era suggested. “Overpower the smell detectors. Use strong odour. So strong that we are not detected as we are.”
“I don’t think that will work…” Talok looked back at the large hologram map in front of them. “But you are right that we could overpower sensors with a scent the system recognises. That way it doesn’t have to be completely accurate.”
“So we won’t be attacked on sight?” Levik grunted. “Where do we find this scent stuff though? Just rub ourselves against the fleshy stuff on the surface?”
“Basically, yes.” Ct’Era looked up, stretching her neck. Her massive black horns had scraped across the ceiling a little. “That is how I do it. Have been surveying for a while. Worked so far. Except for data labs.”
“That is where we are going though…”
Talok shrugged. “Honestly we might be able to pick up another scent creator while we’re inside. Or perhaps, if the systems work the way I think it does, I might just be able to alter things so the data labs accept our scent…”
“You do that?” Ct’Era blinked.
“Talok here is one of the most intelligent Vahlan security managers in the local cluster. He knows his stuff!” Levik reassured the Banikan. “That is why I brought him.”
Talok grinned. “I’m not just here for my good looks!”
“Okay, so let’s recap all of this. We take my ship up north to this transport system entrance, roll ourselves in the fleshy surface to get the scent on ourselves, then we hijack a transport and ride in to the processing labs, before working our way to the main experiment labs. We take what we can, destroy what we can then get out before everything tries to murder us.”
“We are not destroying it all?” Ct’Era asked, looking disappointed.
“If there is a self-destruct button, then yes…” Levik sighed. “If not… Well, there is only so much we can do. After all, it’s the three of us against an entire planet…”