By simply waiting, the Consortium had been enticed by the Wild to withdraw to new fields. The failed bombardment and infiltration attempts at Tohoku no doubt caused a re-evaluation of their plans--though the Wilde would continue to watch them closely.
The new focus of the collective has been manifested as the Za Aoi Ichi--"the Blue Ones". Each expression and development of the Wild serves a specific purpose. Many tangents are pursued simultaneously by the collective mindshare and their results and effects are synthesized and synergized in an ever-changing strategic flux...all with the goal of cleansing mankind's influence from their home and enhancing the Slomon K'Hara's own plans and agendas.
The focus of effort by Das Wilde on the one known as Boeser Verraeter continues...
The Red Hessian bordering party carefully entered the unidentified derelict cruiser through an already open air lock. All life pods had been launched the vessel was on emergency low power.
The six man team quickly sealed the airlock behind them and tested for pressurization. The atmo-scrubbers and generators were still operational and air pressure slowly began to climb. There were no signs of a fight or damage. The ship was simply...abandoned.
Corporal Hans Gruber began to sweat inside his vac suit. It was too quiet here...nothing seemed right. Yet the find was too fantastic for a small Red Hessian Camara crew to pass up. Rheinland pirate cruisers didn't pop up free everyday--this was an instant captaincy and respect. Weapons drawn, the boarders split into two, three man groups: one advanced towards the bridge and the other headed for engineering. It was no sooner had the parties turned the corner from one another when a large krr-rang! was heard echoing thunderously in the passageways--now fully charged with atmosphere.
The ship shuddered suddenly under the Hessian's feet as the shock wave from the exploding Camara shook the hull of the cruiser. Corporal Gruber heard screams from around the corner and looked in fear at the other two terrified men trapped in the now sealed passageway with him. The steel doors that had pneumatically been slammed into place were inches thick and reinforced alloy. There was no amount of small arms fire going to open them. As Corporal Gruber looked more closely, it was then he noticed the small slots in the door. He opened his mouth to shout a warning but it was cut off by the dull thuds of concussion wafers dropped into the space with them. All three men were instantly rendered unconscious.
When they awoke, they were strapped to tables and a man advanced from the darkness...a man with glowing purple-white eyes and a gurgling, reverberating laugh. Above his head--as if emerging from his own body--a flowered, long tentacle appeared opening its petals to reveal...oblivion.
Corporal Hans Gruber had been aboard the Hraesvelg...the "Corpse Swallower"...for close to a month now. Onboard that vessel, a month was an eternity. It made him older than most there. Daily, Hessians, bounty hunters and Corsairs were thrown together in the "feeding pits". He remembered his first day aboard:
"You eat what you kill" Hans was told. A former Hessian destroyer captain, Jan Horval, had taken him under his wing. He seemed to have authority...none of the others aboard would meet his gaze..and if any gave a scowl toward Hans it was quickly erased by the mere suggestion that the captain was noticing. It was over a quite meal in private quarters that night that Jan told him of the way aboard Hraesvelg:
"There is no escape...but death. Some say even that is denied us--that the Wild simply have us reborn through their retained memories of us into new shells. This is truly hell. You will fight to survive--you and your Hessian comrades will stand against your sworn enemies--Corsairs and hunters--in hand-to-hand battle. Do well and you will feast...fail, and you will be the feast. You eat what you kill. Those who will not fight and eat are taken to special sections...that is my job. Should you fail to obey our new masters in anyway, you will be turned over to me in that section. Should that happen, you will pray that God blots out your life and birth--that it had never been--and He will not hear you here. When I am done, the Wild themselves will come and show you the cruelty of man is nothing compared to what they can do. Do you understand"
Corporal Hans Gruber stopped chewing and stared in slack-jawed terror, nodding faintly, his face pale and bloodless.
The Captain leaned forward and stared him squarely in the eye--all humanity seemed gone from it. He paused and then spoke again, "No--I am fully human but you and I no longer have the luxury of behaving as if it were so. From this point forward I am your judge, jury and executioner. Do...you...under...stand?"
Corporal Gruber swallowed hard and jumped to attention shouting, "Jawohl mein kapitan!". It was only afterwards that he was informed his meal had consisted of the Hessian before him who would not fight. He spent the rest of the evening throwing up what remained on his stomach.
The Hraesvelg had finished her mission in Kusari. Systems had been fully mapped -- including those hidden systems various factions wished to keep secret -- weapons receivrf for evaluation and prisoners had been taken. The Consortium assaults on Tohoku had abated and the Za Aoi Ichi -- Kusari Wild -- were taking over patrols and defense. The assistance of das Wilde was no longer essential and they could turn their attentions back fully to Rheinland now.
The experiments aboard the Hraesvelg continue. Humans will be fully cataloged and understood...all to further the mechanism of their inevitable demise.