Strangers on Rilleco

The atmosphere hangs heavy above the ancient planet, the haze broken by pulsing, greenish blue dots of light. Countless shades of purple and gray paint the shadowy undergrowth. Rising ominously above the landscape, mountains of the blackest stone cast their darkness. Legend speaks of an advanced, colossal race, long
forgotten by the inhabitants of Glyos, that still sleeps within the deepest recesses of the foreboding rock. A sensation of uneasy
peace pervades Rilleco: the calm before the storm. In the distance,
the silhouette of a large facility is barely visible.

I don't like it here. A feeling of dread crept over MT-01 as he waited in hiding. His previous reconnaissance of the area was brief and focused mainly on the Build Station, and the environment didn't impact him then. Now, however, he and his troopers were bivouacked in the heart of the gloom and it was taking its toll. It seemed as if they had been there for eons. The ability to think and feel is a doubled edged sword...

A ship linked to Hades and Infiltrator had recently been detected by an MT patrol in a desolate sector of Glyos, and a flash scan of its navigational system revealed a course set for Rilleco. Based on their last known location, they could touch down on the planet at any time. MT-01 would not engage the duo right away, but would observe their movements to better gauge their intent. His renowned combat record had not been attained through hasty actions and misplaced trust.

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As he deftly slid the spacecraft through a field of debris in Rilleco's outer atmosphere, Hades felt a foreign presence. It emanated from the planet in powerful waves that threatened to overpower his intuitive senses. Concentrating on the source, his mind brought forth startling imagery; Hades saw an organic being, a great warrior, encased in a kind of metallic exoskeleton. This warrior was struggling to break free of his prison-like shell, but at the same time was bound by his solemn duty to remain inside and fight for those who could not fight for themselves. Hades had received a vision similar to this once. It came to him just before his first encounter with Infiltrator.

The Pheyden thought hard about what he had just experienced. Telling Infiltrator would undoubtedly alter the gendrone's behavior and actions during the raid on the Build Station, but not telling him could leave him vulnerable to an unseen enemy. Hades was hesitant to speak and perhaps interfere with the destiny of another. Infiltrator can take care of himself well enough. Besides, I sense no evil in the stranger below...only torment. Just outside of radar range, Hades activated the ship's cloaking device and began his descent.