War Core Wednesday, War core 4, Intro.

Intro.

“Great Leader Hssim, our efforts to enlist the aid of the lesser species have borne little fruit. Perhaps it's time to reconsider our focus?” Senator Killbaxss said. Hssim could see the ambition in the young senator’s eye, the gleam of hate and jealousy that he understood all too well. Any true Ssath sought to better themselves, after all, the strong must rule, and for the strong to rule, anyone weaker must be torn down for the stronger to thrive.

“It matters not, my leader, our other investigations have found what you have sought. Only six may challenge the GCA for control, and I think we can find five others to join the champion we choose,” Senator Hissrax said.

Old and crippled, Hissrax was the one exception to the rule that the strongest must rise. The venerable senator was touted as the wisest among the Ssath and his position was protected from a challenge for as long as he continued to prove useful. Navigating the ways of the GCA and finding obscure information to further the Ssath cause had been his task. Now, Hssim had him doing the most important research of his life, finding a way to bring the war to the GCA itself and free his people from their shackles.

“You have succeeded in your task as always. Let all that are here see that Hissrax continues to serve the Ssath people with distinction. Now, tell me what you found,” Hssim said, using his authority to reinforce Hissrax’s position of honor.

“The GCA’s rules and labyrinthine processes are still a mystery, but, in my years of service, I have learned to use them well. It has cost us an unfortunate number of influence points, but there does appear to be a way to challenge the GCA for the right to cut ourselves, and all other species from their grasp,” Hissrax said.

“I don’t need a scholarly lecture, just tell me what I need to do, honored one,” Hssim said. While he still called Hissrax an honored one, his tone let the elderly scholar know his time and patience were limited.

“My apologies, Great Leader Hssim, I shall be succinct. The path leads back through one you have already traveled, it leads back through the battle pits. Your victory was a great one, and it was achieved in the difficult category of individual combat. Joining forces with another, as you did with the human, is a valid option, but the rewards are diluted when more than one victor claims them,” Hissrax said. Hssim leaned forward, his interest growing in what the scholar was saying.

“I have uncovered another version of these battle pits, one that is joined voluntarily, and one that must be fought with a team, a team that cannot be composed of more than one member of a species. The rewards for this tournament are ones that you select yourself, and the options for those rewards are myriad. One of the options that I found, hidden among the numerous others, is the option to have your species elevated to full membership in the GCA,” Hissrax advised.

“We want to destroy the GCA, to slip its shackles, not become part of its rotting carcass. How is this supposed to help us?” Hssim demanded.

“Once again, I offer my apologies, Great Leader Hssim. Let me explain. Should we win the tournament, we can be elevated to full membership, and remember, there are no other living members of the GCA. Their whole system is run on automation, and there is no living claw guiding it. Should we win this tournament and request full membership, ours would be the sole claw upon the controls of the GCA. The Ssath would, in essence, become the GCA, and the entire galaxy would become our hunting ground,” Hissrax said.

Hssim sat there stunned, it was more than he had hoped for. At best, Hssim envisioned the Ssath, and all other species being cut off from the GCA’s slowly deteriorating automated system. They would continue as they had before the GCA ever found them. Given their natural superiority to all others, Ssath technology would eventually allow them to span the stars and conquer as masters of their own destiny, not tied to the whims of some foolish system. If what Hissrax claimed was true, and the venerated Senator’s research had never been wrong before, the Ssath could win their rightful supremacy all at once, not after centuries or millennia of research and expansion. The Ssath would be the masters of the GCA’s apparatus, and Hssim would be the master of the Ssath, the master of all the universe.

“What drivel. This old one has finally lost his mind. The influence points he’s wasted on this ‘research’ could have been spent to help us conquer once more. Instead, he’s driven us back into poverty, and given the losses we faced against the humans, we’ll be hard-pressed to defend what we have. It will be decades or centuries before we can retake the offensive. The great leader can’t be foolish enough to buy into this false dream,” one of the younger senators, the brash Ssath, Killbaxss, interjected.

“Bold words from a hatchling. You should show more respect for your betters. Do you dispute Hissrax’s statements? The venerated senator has never been wrong before. Even worse, you have inferred that I was foolish, is this a challenge, hatchling,” Hssim replied, flexing his claws and showing his teeth to the young fool.

“It was not a direct challenge, great leader, I have not been blessed with the enhancements that the GCA you seek to usurp has granted to you. Had you been as you were before, I might consider it, but you have the strength of three Ssath now,” Killbaxss complained.

“I thought as much, coward, yes, I have been enhanced, but even without the gifts, giftsI earned in battle, mind you, I would tear your throat out,” Hssim growled, his anger roaring forth as the natural Ssath bloodlust began to take over. “You say I have been granted the power of three Ssath, and that is what’s holding you back from challenging me, correct?” Hssim asked.

“Yes, great leader, that is what I said,” Killbaxss answered.

“How about we even the odds, then, in fact, I’m feeling generous, why don’t you find five others and challenge me as a group? I’ll take on double the three Ssath you claimed represented my newfound strength,” Hssim offered.

“If six of us drag you down, I would then lead?” Killbaxss asked. Hssim could see the bloodlust was also taking hold over the young Ssath, driving him to rash action.

“If I’m defeated, I don’t care who leads, I’m sure the survivors of the challenge would fight amongst themselves to settle the question of who becomes the new great leader, that is the Ssath way. So, Killbaxss, do you have five others that wish to join you in the challenge? Understand, I’m going to kill you either way for the affront of your outburst,” Hssim threatened.

Killbaxss looked among the crowd gathered to watch the senate hearings. The young Ssath was a good fighter, else he would have never won his seat, and there were always those that resented Hssim's rise to fame. It didn’t take long for Killbaxss to assemble his challengers. All were younger Ssath and accomplished fighters, but none held even a fraction of the power that Hssim held. All would fall beneath his teeth and claws.

As with most challenges to the leadership of the Ssath, the battle would take place right there on the senate floor. Hssim rose and walked away from the podium in the center of the room where the great leader ruled from. It was a precarious position, surrounded by most of the senate, any one of whom may be willing to take a chance at seizing power. It was that way for a reason, a Ssath leader who couldn’t defend his right to rule, was not worthy to lead. The challengers did the smart thing and formed a circle around Hssim. None wielded any weapons, not even the traditional metal extensions to their claws. They would try to take Hssim as a Ssath was supposed to, bare claw to bare claw, which made Hssim respect them for their adherence to tradition, but also despise them for thinking they could defeat him so easily.

With a chorus of hisses and roars, the six challengers charged toward Hssim. Unfortunately for the attackers, Hssim had been powerfully enhanced by the GCA after his victory in the battle pits. His body was faster and stronger than any Ssath before him. His scales were hard as steel armor, and he accepted the few swipes that landed as he countercharged Killbaxss. Hssim’s target tried to dodge, but with his improved reflexes, it seemed like Killbaxss was moving in slow motion to Hssim. Not wasting time with an elaborate kill, Hssim lashed out with his left hand, claws digging through the thin scales on Killbaxss's throat without trouble. As he passed the now dying Killbaxss, Hssim leaped to the right and landed on another attacker.

Hssim’s improved body was now much heavier than it had been, the scales, muscle mass, and enhancements to his skeletal system made him nearly double the weight of a similarly sized Ssath. The senator that Hssim landed on tried to claw at Hssim’s legs as he was bowled over by the great leader’s weight. Hssim could feel bones in his target crack under his weight, and to make it a sure kill, Hssim flexed the long disemboweling claws that were on each of his legs. His victim gave a disgraceful shriek of pain, which was cut short as Hssim’s claws found his target’s heart.

Two more of the attackers were on him, one bouncing off Hssim, the attackers' claws barely penetrating the thick armored scales of their great leader. The other attacker tried to bite at Hssim’s throat, but he was too fast and instead of landing the bite, the attacker became the victim of Hssim’s powerful jaws as they closed on the attacker’s head. With a sickening crunch, Hssim crushed the skull of the attacker, licking the delectable blood of his foe as he circled the surviving challengers.

Three still stood against him, and the one that had bounced off his sturdy body was dazed from the impact. Wanting to end this quickly Hssim charged forward, targeting the dazed attacker. The other two challengers backed away, which sealed their fate. Perhaps they had a chance if they had attacked while Hssim was dealing with his current target, but the others were frightened of him. They had been confident of their victory due to their superior numbers, but now, mere seconds into the fight, three of their number were dead, and the fourth now had his neck in Hssim’s jaws.

A quick bite ended the dazed challenger and then Hssim charged for one of the survivors. The challenger tried to claw and bite at Hssim, but other than peeling off a few scales, he could do little to stop Hssim’s onslaught. With a screech that sounded more of desperation than blood lust, the final challenger launched himself at Hssim, who dodged out of the way and used his claws to open a gaping wound in the challenger’s leg. His opponent slid along the stone floor, leaking copious amounts of blood, the scent of which was now strong in the room. Hssim could see the short fight and the blood scent had riled up the entire senate.

“This was a pitiful display, are there no others to challenge my rule?” Hssim asked as he bit deep into the last challenger’s chest relishing the taste of his opponent’s flesh as he died.

“You are our great leader, there will be no further challenges, Hssim,” Hissrax said, bowing low to his leader. All around the senate, the other Ssath dipped their snouts in obeisance. Eventually, one or more would challenge him, but after today's display of martial prowess, the day of the challenge was likely far off.

“Now, we proceed, how do I join this tournament?” Hssim asked.

“Great leader, you must choose one of our cores must proceed to Harmony Station, once there they can use any reward terminal to input this code,” Hissrax said, passing the necessary code to Hssim’s datapad.

“No, this is no task for one of our other cores. This task is for the great leader alone. I shall reenter my war core and win the galaxy for our people,” Hssim declared. He was a bit wary, unsure if the GCA would even allow him to become a core again. It was a risk, but if any of the others were to complete this trial and win the victory, their status would surpass Hssim’s, and he would lose control of the Ssath. Losing control meant losing his life, and that wasn’t something Hssim was ready to do. No, he would enter his core, seize the victory, and join the eternal hunt that would commence once the Ssath ruled over all others.

Hssim felt a momentary pang of regret, he had enjoyed battling together with the human Stephan Wagner, and if he had lived, Hssim would honor him. He would perhaps even spare some of Stephan’s pitiful species. Unfortunately for the human race, Stephan had died, and with his death, the only human that Hssim respected was gone. It was the only human Hssim respected, but there was another he knew of, one he had already torn to shreds and feasted upon, one that had frustrated Ssath plans for too long. It was time to defeat the GCA, and the other species of the universe would help him, never knowing that in doing so, they were sealing their own fate.