CRONOS I—WAR ROOM BUNKER
Apophis, Jiraya, and ThreeDog finally arrived at the entrance of the bunker, where they were warmly welcomed by the Federation soldiers!
However, moments later, all three received a notification.
System: Congratulations on completing quest "Call to Defend Cronos I!"
Quest Performance: X
Reward: You have become a full citizen of the Federation + you can withdraw basic Federation military equipment + 100 GC + Your [Genocidal] trait will be replaced with the [Rehabilitated] trait.
Additional reward: 1,000 Skill Points + 200 to all stats + 1 random Runic Skill
The three players immediately stopped and stared at one another.
What an incredible reward! 1,000 Skill Points?! That was equivalent to the rewards from leveling two hundred times!
Same for the stat point reward, which was the same boost a player would receive upon evolving at lvl 100!
And most importantly, they would be rewarded a runic skill?! That was the most unbelievable part!
Apophis reflected on this. He realized that by inducing Regnier, the enemy commander, to switch sides completely, they'd achieved the maximum possible score for the quest. Even still, the reward was unimaginable! Apophis would hardly have expected such rewards even from lvl 200 quests, let alone now!
Apophis would need to dedicate some time soon on to spending his new Skill Points, as well as to obtain his new Runic Skill, but first he needed to settle a matter.
He moved through the war room bunker until he found the central command room, where he was once more greeted with applause.
Thanks to Apophis and his Eternals, after all, the Battle of Cronos 1 had been miraculously won! Even Marshall Androf came to shake his hand.
Once the acclamations were over, Androf and Apophis isolated themselves in the marshall's personal office. Androf said, "Congratulations again. Without you, this victory would have been impossible. Everyone knows it, and I'll make sure that everyone at HQ knows it too!
"Nevertheless, we still have many problems to solve. Obviously, there is this small, unknown invasion fleet trying to capture the planet after our armed forces are weak from battle… but unfortunately, it's the weaker of our current problems.
"The Chancellor has ordered me to arrest you and all Eternals in the army. As you know, in the Federation ground forces, every soldier and officer has an obedience chip implanted in their head. If we don't carry out an order, or if we desert, the chip releases its poison. The sensors in the chips for superior officers are actually quite tolerant and allow a certain margin of maneuvering, notably on the time frame and manner of executing the order, so perhaps we can work something out!. This is why I need you again. You must order the Eternals to leave the planet as soon as this invading army is repulsed. If not, I'll be obliged to imprison your people, no matter that they fought so hard for the same Federation which now casts them out!"
Apophis thought about this. "I'm sorry, Marshall Androf, but I refuse."
The officer gave a careful reply. "I don't understand, Apophis. I'm trying to find a solution for you and your people which will prevent bloodshed and imprisonment, and yet you refuse? Why? I'm trying to help you!"
Apophis gave a thin smile. "The authority of the Federation over the Eternals ends today, Marshall. We're going to found our own countries, and soon all the territories of the Federation will be ours. In this new world, I'll be one of the main actors. I'm not here to put myself under your orders, but to depose you and take control of the planet's armed forces!
"Now that I'm a recognized Federation Army commander,taking this planet's army will be child's play. In any case, it'll be much easier now than it would've been to depose the late Colonel Zareil... He was much more difficult to kill."
Androf couldn't believe his ears!
Chancellor Souley was right. The Eternals couldn't be trusted. Even a senior officer like Apophis had just performed the ultimate act of betrayal. The Eternals would recognize no authority which was not more powerful than them!
Apophis drew his sword and decapitated Androf in less than a second.
Blood splattered the walls, and Androf's head rolled to the floor.
Outside his office, all the senior officers of the war room lay dead on the floor, having been slaughtered by Jiraya and ThreeDog.
Apophis moved to the central control panel and took control of the entire Federation's armed forces.
It was time to implement the second part of his plan.
Comments