Detritus (The Axe of Calax)

Part 2

Inside one of the other three chambers amongst the Horde Warrior recruits an otherwise humanoid being save for his oversized insectoid head was sitting on a black stone. The insectoid man was dipping his long silver tipped needle like appendage in front of his face inside a black crater where a pool of water resided.

A voice alerted the insectoid headed man that Force Captain Dragstor was outside of his chamber.

"Let him in.", the insectoid man said in a high-pitched voice from somewhere as he had no working mouth.

Dragstor came into the cave like room as a reddish energy glowed from behind him.

"You will have to stop whatever it is that you are doing.", Dragstor commanded.

"I am flushing out my Probscis system as well as cleansing the needle.", the insectoid man stated.

"How often do you perform this cleaning?", Dragstor asked.

"I like to perform a cleansing at least twice a day to keep things flowing. It is not required but I like to take advantage of the accessible water that I have to perform my cleansing.", the insectoid man explained.

"So, your bio mechanical anatomy can sustain itself for long periods without nourishment as mine can.", Dragstor mused.

"Indefinitely, I can survive forever without blood nourishment. I only need blood to self-produce.", the insectoid man proclaimed.

"You can be my Horde scout Mosquitor if we live to tell about it.", Dragstor went on," You can fly, correct?"

"When I let my wings out, yes.", Mosquitor admitted.

Dragstor realizing that time was wasting so he began to move things along. So, getting to the point of his visit Dragstor alerted Mosquitor to what was happening," I find benefit in talking shop with you, though there just isn't time. I was informed by Hordak that the Barge which is arriving soon may pose a potential threat to us."

"What kind of threat?", Mosquitor asked.

"Hordak seems to think that the Barge may pose more of a threat to himself. I tend to believe that whatever this threat is that it would easily go through us in order to get to Hordak. I plan on surviving this encounter, how about you?", Dragstor warned.

"I can survive the depths of space. In spite of how unfortunate it would be to lose out on a trip to a healthy world full of blood nourishment. However, I would survive. It may take me a while to hitch a ride on a meteor to a world where I could feast so I would rather take a much easier mode of transit. What say you?", Mosquitor asked inquisitively.

"You can stop probing me for information insect man. As Force Captain you are my subordinate. So, you must decide if you wish to be a part of my team here and now. If you desire to take your own chances, then stay here in your water hole. If not, then come with me now." Dragstor ordered.

"Your circulation of blood nourishment is lower than your artificial energy supply. I prefer larger quantities of blood nourishment to meager amounts.", Dragstor interrupting Mosquitor threatens," Stop stalling! I am a survivor of desolation that you could never imagine! I have gone it my own way for long periods of time in the wastelands of Polarides where besides blood nourishment, clean water and air are almost nonexistent. I have lead raiding parties while then betraying those same raiding parties, for lack of loyalty. So, tell me now if you wish to ride with me off Detritus or not. For we may have to fight our way off! You can trust me as long as this Horde supplies my needs as I believe the same can be said for you. So, what do you say?"

"I say yes because as you are a survivor by need, I am a survivor by choice. So, if you don't give me a reason not to betray you, we'll be fine.", Mosquitor warned.

"You will make a great scout far and away from me, now let's go!", Dragstor orders.

"1,000 Parsecs until arrival of the Barge.", the cold voice of Detritus informed Hordak.

It would not be long now, Hordak thought to himself as he rubbed the hilt of the large stone axes handle with his black gloved thumb and forefinger while seated in the control room.

The large dome shaped view screen presented to Hordak the outside of Detritus which happened to be deep space. The Outer Rim as it was referred to by the Horde Empire. A desolate area of uncharted space for where Hordak was imprisoned aboard a scrap heap the size of a small planetoid. Hordak thought as he gazed amongst the distant stars outside his prison cell. Then as Hordak squinted at a bright prospect of white light he wondered if that star was dying and if so, was he awaiting his own execution? Was the Barge bringing an assassin to do him in? Hordak brandished a vicious smile which showed off his red fangs in the honor of such a proposition. For it was far better to die in battle than fade away like some distant star.

Hordak then thought of the signal which he had sent using his bio technical capabilities for which he shouldn't have been able to do. For Detritus should have blocked any attempts for him to do so. Yet because of the random glitches he was able to send his message to his ally amongst the stars. An ally whom Hordak never truly trusted because of his secretness as well as ambition. Those two attributes always posed a threat to power, it was better to keep those you mistrust within arm's length as well as know what they were up to at all times.

If the Barge intercepted Hordaks distress signal, would it change its plans? Would this slight detail cause the assassin's mission to be aborted? If Hordak had orchestrated this assassination attempt than he would still carry it out despite the knowledge of the target. If for no other reason than that Hordak as the target has no way of knowing how this assassination attempt is going to happen. Is this assassin even organic, maybe it is composed of gas, which could make if invisible. Hordak had no idea. The only thing that Hordak could be certain of is that whatever is aboard the Barge must be the assassin. Though with absolutely no knowledge of this possible assassins' capabilities Hordak was truly at a murderous disadvantage.

The great woolly creature inhabiting his cold enclosure was a mammoth in proportion as well as appearance. The creature designed his quarters after a tundra-region on his home world. It was adequate for this enormous creature who seemed to be preparing for rest or a slight hibernation. For a large portion of earth was dug out for the creature to nestle inside of to stay even warmer for a slumber.

Though just as the giant lay down face first to where his wooly back would act like a big blanket to keep hi warm a voice alerted him not to do so," Mastodon Man has two visitors: Force Captain Dragstor as well as Mosquitor."

"Why are they here?". the Mastodon Man asked.

After a brief moment the voice answers back," An urgent meeting is to take place in the control room."

"Then turn off the Prakamos ice simulation so my guests don't become frozen fixtures.", Mastodon Man told the voice.

As the room icy stalactites, stalagmites, as well as snowy banks disappeared the rooms temperature turned up as well. As Mastodon's room now resembled that of a thawed-out cave without the temperature extremes of a meat locker. Though it was still chilly in some respects just not blood curdling so.

Mastodon Man who was twice the size of Calax looked down at his superior Dragstor as he explained the situation," Under Hordaks orders I am to bring both you as well as Mosquitor back for an emergency meeting with Hordak."

Unlike Mosquitor, Mastodon was not testing Dragstors newfound authority or at least not overtly.

The giant behemoth simply bowed his head to indicate his compliance while adding," 'Lead on leader."

"Why are you not telling him about the threat?", Masquitor asked Dragstor.

Dragstor became irritated very quickly as he tried to explain more for Mastodons benefit, "The threat as Hordak explained may not be directed at us. He will explain it better than me. That is why we are having this meeting."

Mosquitor took one last poke before backing off, "Well you told me about the threat..."

Mosquitor purposely let his words linger until Dragstor waved everyone to follow him into the red glow outside the room.

Instantaneously, the pervasive red glow led the three Horde recruits into the control room where they saw Hordak looking at his domed monitor.

"Welcome my new Horde warriors...come forth so we can plan.", Hordak said without looking up from the monitor below him.

Then.... a....very.... loud...CRASH!

What followed the unexpected collision was a series of tremors within the voluminous compacted metal structure that was Detritus!

The jarring tremors knocked Dragstor to the ground where he instinctively transformed his body into an auto propelled one!

As Dragstore raced around the room his velocity kept him grounded to the floor amidst the tremors!

Somehow, Hordak was unmoved in his seat as Detritus shook!

Mastodon Man also shook but did not fall while Mosquitor spread four pair of translucent wings to take flight in its effort not to hit the ground. Unfortunately, the shaking of Detritus causes some debris to fall on top of Mosquitor who did shake it off to cling onto a wall with its magnetic palms as well as boots!

The violent tremors within Detritus finally ceased to the relief of the three Horde warriors, including Detritus itself which declared," stabilizing...all systems are operational...stabilizing...the threat has locked onto self...the situation is normalized...communication with attacker is noncommutative...

Hordak who was intently looking at the domed monitor shouted urgently at the voice, "I need a pan out shot of Detritus!"

In a blink of an eye a panoramic shot of Detritus itself was seen on the monitor screen. There just so happened to be a phenomenon being shown of what were three comets in appearance circling Detritus! The comets spread around Detritus at speeds so fast that no discernable pattern could be seen with the naked eye. The dance around the globe of Detritus by these fireballs was mesmerizing.

As all three Horde recruits looked at the cosmic phenomena taking place outside, they became captivated as well.

"I hear a staticky signal...or something...it's very faint.", Mastodon Man mentioned almost casually.

Hordak thanked Mastodon for his highly acute hearing for picking up on what could be his original signal being sent back to him by these comets. Thought the best way to be sure thought Hordak was to transform his ear into a miniature radar dish once again.

Hordak found out that once again he was able to transform his right ear into a small highly tuned radar dish. Then no sooner had Hordak transformed his ear did he receive his previous signal with a follow u message." Hordak to Modulok...Detritus may soon be compromised from a threat aboard the Barge...in 3,000 parsecs from message sent.... repeat."

Though the message does not repeat, instead it is followed by a new message which states," Message received from Modulok...Module Probes already on the way...Module-Lab will arrive in 2,000 parsecs from this message being received."

Confidently, Hordak returns his ear to normal before declaring," I believe that my predicament has now become a stalemate."

"What about us? Unless the Barge can connect with Detritus, we cannot depart for Etheria.", Dragstor declares.

The voice of Detritus comes back on as if hearing Dragstors concern crying out," The Barge has made entry to the Outer Rim...ability for the Barge to dock has been compromised.... alert...Barge will be unable to dock...alert...", the voice just erratically cried out that the Barge would be unable to dock onto Detritus.

Hordak did give Dragstor a definitive answer to his original pleading question," Who cares! I can feel my reconnection with the Horde Force swelling up inside of me! The Barge is no longer a threat to me!"

Dragstor asks almost meekly," So, are you no longer concerned with the Barge arrival?"

Hordak snorts in a long breath before he seemingly begins again in a far mor abrasive tone, "As I first started to say before Detritus was hit. My Horde warriors, let us plan."