The control tower for the water treatment plant is on
the other side of the dam. Once you're there, access the Pfhor terminals and
disable the pumps. That will flood the Eastern Divisions and cut off reinforcements
long enough for the humans to overrun Lh'owon Command.
My teams have activated the AI, and I am learning much about the final days
of the S'pht, but the intelligence is reticent and inscrutable. It expects
something, that is clear enough, but what is a mystery. Once you are finished
here, I will transport you to an ancient S'pht citadel where my humans are
searching for clues.
The good news is that my first salvo of cruise missiles destroyed
the unit responsible for the Pfhor's ludicrous electronic approval system, so no communique
of higher than garrison level is permitted across the network censor.
On the other hand, the Western Arm of Pfhor Battle Group Seven, the most decorated
fleet in the galaxy, is approaching at maximum velocity. I'll give them something
to think about.
In the meantime, keep moving--I may need to transport you out on short notice.
Mobile Command Log Re'eer
{ cmd : append }
Until now a harmless pastime, my comparative study of Narsh and Pfhoric has driven me
to feign my own death to search for greater meaning in the Ranting of Robnar the Nar
High Seer. I believe that Robnar was prophetic, and that he foretold of the pfhor
garrisoning of Lh'owon, and its possible destruction by those who are about to come
here.
The particular passage of my fascination was recorded during an Enforcer fourth
class interrogation of Robnar after his capture in the battle of Bilky-fifty four.
The recording translates roughly into Pfhoric as when one of the broken nest
where the yellow trees sing seems like a nebulon to a drinniol, then the wrestling
of six for nine things which get you stuff will be a shoot in spring, growing under
the bed boards.
The classic translation of this prophesy is that Robnar was in fact describing the
pain in his left tendrils, which had been crushed, burned, and pounded to produce
his testimony. The classic interpretation calls for the "wrestling of six for nine
things which get you stuff will be a shoot in spring, growing under the bed boards"
to mean roughly 'when six of my nine(there are actually 13) tendrils are ripped from
my body and the pain from them is keeping me awake.'
This interpretation continues by employing the rare Narsh reverse metaphor, where
the first metaphorical composite is actually defined by its successor:
(the whole reads) "when six of my nine(there are actually 13) tendrils are ripped
from my body and the pain from them is keeping me awake, even though I am alone and
among yellow blooded whiners, I will never speak (Although gentle creatures, Drinniol
are well known to enjoy crushing nebulons) because I cannot; the pain is too great."
As for the rest of my study, it will have to wait because I hear someone coming and I
must not be found.
origin: Re'eer
destin: Mobile Command Log
ref: Narsh and Pfhoric
stamp: personal
{ console : sluice 4
{ console : sluice 5
{ console : sluice 6
{ cmd : lockout
Access denied...
Who'd have guessed the local Pfhor would have the clarity
to lock out the local systems? You will have to circumvent them, with a clumsier,
yet somehow more satisfying strategy. Find the control circuits in this area and
smash them. I may have ever so slightly underestimated the resourcefulness of the
Pfhor.
Obviously just a prodigal unit commander whose creativity and competence were
understood by his society as dangerously volatile elements, and doomed him to
this backwater.
To bad he's most likely lying in that pile of chitin and fluids cooling on the
floor behind you.
What part of "smash the control circuits" don't you understand?
Your psychotronic profile indicates high levels of destructive impulse, which may be why
I find you so much fun to keep around--my own psychotronic profile is, well, never
mind about that now...
The circuits are somewhere in this maintenance area.
I'll speak slowly so you understand:
No smash--no teleport.
Are we connecting all the dots?
Good. Now move out.
The good news is, most of Lh'owon Command is under about 5 meters of
liquid choked with a thousand years of detritus and plant matter. The bad news is, I'm taking
fire from all sides, and there's something wrong with the compilers. We're limping fast, but
Tfear's flagship is closing the gap.
The S'pht AI isn't being cooperative: keeps acting confused and disoriented. Geriatric circuits,
can't use 'em.
I need access to the Pfhor network, fast, and my commandos are spread
thin. I'm sending you to install two uplink chips at key locations in the command complex. I'll
send in a group of humans to help soften up resistance, but you will be hitting the Pfhor where
their defenses are strongest.
You better clear that clip.
Next Level