The Lords of Sol

The hoard of Genghis Maximus rolled away from the destruction, heading in the general direction of the troublesome spacecraft. He paid no notice to the scrabbly begger who went to scavenge through the wreckage.

Knuckles, since you were bright enough to bring the Gausian gun against orders, I want you to head back to base and pick up enough gausian weapons for the whole crew, and keep them in the shielded crates in case we have any more problems. Also, bring a few boxes of peat for the bikes, we dont need to run outta fuel in the middle of nowhere. The peat he was referring to was highly compressed bricks of peat that could burn for hours, and was used in the steam-powered motorcycles as fuel.

As they drove off towards the east, he remembered how he first met the Amazons. He'd come to LA to break into business and put his knowledge and skills to use with some of the best corporations around. He'd planned to be some power-executive who raided corps through hostile takeovers, crushed his competition through superior advert-power, and evaded anti-trust lawsuits with deft and ease. The reality was that he met instant discrimination, being a Dwarf and all. The various employers seemed to think that size somehow equaled intelligence; his beard probably didn't help either. In the end, he ended up broke and living on the streets, living like a bum drinking cheap liquor and complaining about the unfair world around him.

Then one night while he was sleeping under a bridge, he heard fighting and a woman's scream. He went to investigate and found five members of the west-side gang trying to have their way with two runaways. He'd have none of this under his bridge, he'd thought, and rushed in and started taking his pent-up aggressions out on the hoodlums. He'd tossed three into an open sewer and chased off the other two, before returning to the teenage girls and helped them up. Their names were Amidala and Callisto, come to Hollywood to be movie stars, but had ended up like some many other nameless runaways. More to cheer them up than form a gang, he started calling them the 'Amazons'.

Now the Armada of Fallen Amazons rolled onto the freeway where they were the only moving vehicles on the road, and rumbled east, a thunderous convoy of motorcycles a mile long.

 

Blinky signalled the H9 back to pick up the crew.

If you need a ride, hop on, I want to get out of here before Maximus shows up. I know him, if he took out the scout, and who else could have, he'ld come here. And I don't want him seeing me and having it trigger any latent memories, it's hard to keep a Lord stupid and mind-blanked. You do know I'm curious why you need an airstrip, though.

Blinky opened the side of the H9 after retrieving his gun.

Arleen, track that ship, I want to know what he's doing before he does.
You got it.

 

Xiao and Sima Yi jumped into the H9, Xiao grinning wickedly.

Airstrips mean planes. Planes mean transport. Transport means troops.

I could have used your help back home, you know.

Oh, leave it out. I didn't know that I couldn't change history then. I thought I'd destroy my world!

The conversation quietens, and soon Xiao and Sima Yi and huddled together, discussing some kind of plan. Words draft to listeners:

The Xiahou brothers are decent fighters, but not too good at tactics...

I hear that Zhang He has a mean streak a mile long when he's riled...

Pang De is unimaginative but very loyal. Quite useful as a frontline warrior.

I don't care how good a fighter he is, I am NOT using that fat freak Xu Zhu!

 

The dishevelled man continued his circuitous route through the sewers. An hour of wading through sewage might have dampened the spirits of many people, but not this individual. He scarcely noticed as his mind was working on a higher plane. Trying to understand recent events. He was so engrossed in his thoughts he almost tripped over the twitching body of one of the Tongs.
Dammit. The fools must have sought shelter down here when the creature opened fire. His life signs must have been too weak for the auto-defences to detect. Hmm. Have to look into that.
"Computer. Clean up. Junction 27a. Bio-waste."
The man pressed himself back against the wall of the tunnel as a maser swept down from a niche in the roof and incinerated the body. The dust that used to be a man was swept away with the stream of sewage.

Eventually the man reached an impressive vault door marked "Storm overflow. DANGER!"
He pulled on the skin of his wrist, peeling it off like a glove, to reveal his real hand underneath. He pressed it against a sensor which appeared to be nothing more than a brick, like any of the other million which made up the walls.
The man stood in an awkward, contorted manner for a few seconds (as invisible microwave beams lanced around the tunnel just barely avoiding him) and the vault door sighed open.

Once inside he carefully removed his other "hand" and peeled off his silicon face.
Urghhh. I've got to work on a less itchy prosthesis.
The man's new face, unlike his previous one, had a certain unmistakable intelligence to it. Cunning, perhaps. But it also possessed the care worn lines of a professional cynic.
Computer. Power up the bioscanners. We have some work to do.

 

Xiao waved goodbye to Blinky and his H9 and flipped open her mobile phone. She had the dedicated look she only got when she was planning some kind of large-scale action, a combination of worry and exhileration(??) that seemed to make her eyes shine with borderline madness.

Saanjun? Yeah, of course it's me! Well, of COURSE I didn't report in, the fucking plane crashed! I was in America when the pulse went off, that's why! SHUT UP and fetch me Kermit!

You have a big green sock puppet working for you? The expression on Sima Yi's face was priceless, and it was only through a monumental effort of self-control that Xiao kept a straight face.

No, you twonk. I have a geek-boy who calls himself Kermit and dyes his hair green. Ah, speak of the devil. What's the damage, m'boy?

Not too bad - the EMP had mostly exhausted itself by the time it reached us, and our shielding protected us from any ill effects. We got a bit worried when the jet dropped off our screens though.

Heh. I am SO not allowed to make a manual landing again. But I digress. We have a code red over here.

Code Red, huh? Been a while since we had one of those. The Network again?

Nyet. Some kind of tentacle-headed alien. You've got access to the lower level, so I need you to start bringing through the following people and their units...

A few minutes later Xiao finished rattling off instructions.

Sounds good, but where will be getting the troop carriers from?

Little Johnny and his bitch Costello owe us. Pull a few strings. She snapped the phone shut and smiled that fang-enhanced smile again. This is what I live for.

I thought you lived for Sex and the City, Sima Yi snickered.

OI! Xiao grabbed Sima Yi by the collar and kissed him roughly. This is what I live for. Men and War. Why did you think I visited your era anyway? I was on holiday.

 

Wolfsbane stood and watched Maximus and his Amazons as they rolled away for the highway, towards Arizona. He then watched and smiled as Tongs, one of the more distant Lords, walked right up to the nearly-killed-off alien and finished it with a poisonous injection.

He then decided that he should be headed for Arizona, too, and pulled a street-light out of the ground. He pointed the thing, like a spear, towards Arizona, and then threw it as hard as he could. The cow then leapt onto the street-light and surfed away at jet-speed towards Arizona.

As he sped over the interstate, he spotted Maximus and his gang. He gave them a little cheerful wave and then sped past them high up in the sky.

 

In the distance, the spaceship could be seen, lumbering south at an unusually slow pace, almost as if it was out for a Sunday drive. Maximus decided action would be more entertaining and called over to Gabrielle who was riding on the back of Xena's bike.
Gabrielle, I need you with me, you'll have to drive my bike in a minute.

As she climbed onto his bike, Maximus noticed a strange sight indeed, a Cow surfing on a street light.... At first he wondered if someone had spiked his water, and then recognized Wolfsbane waving. He responded with a salute.

Amazons, hang back unless I signal, I'm going in for a look! He raced on ahead and set a course to intercept the craft. When he came along side, he switched positions with the woman and prepared to check things out. He lingered a moment as she slipped past him to enjoy the feel of her half-naked body sliding past, her skin glistening with just a hint of sweat. He would have to spend some time with her later....

Then, remembering his mission, he pulled a spent rifle shell from his pocket and hurled it at the craft. It bounced off without incident.
Good, no shielding, he thought, and started spinning a grappling hook connected to a length of rope. Closer! Get me closer!

Now right alongside the ship, he threw the hook out and caught it on a piece of pipe halfway up. Pulling an Indyana Jones, he swung across and started climbing up the side, looking for either an entrance or something to break. Gabrielle backed off and followed from a safe distance. Not finding anything when he reached the top of his rope, he pulled out two mechanical suction cups and used them to continue climbing toward the top. He stopped partway up to place a tracking device that Knuckles was smart enough to bring on the side of the ship. The beacon generated could easily be picked up by anyone with a radio within a twenty-mile range. Then, just to vent some frustration at having to drive clear out into the desert he kicked at an exposed pipe until it broke off, sludge oozing out of it. He continued to the top.

Still, no decernable windows or doors, perhaps he'd have to make his own? He started digging through his pack for something suitable.

 

Venezuela.
Venezuela?
Venezuela.
What in the fuck is in Venezuela?

Arleen was silent for a second.

A sub-base for Operation 17 and 22, Project 93, 108, 109, and 362, and a fuel depot for the South American division.
That still doesn't answer my question, Projects 108 deals with squirrel intellegence enhancement and 109 is trying to hybridize them with sabertooth tiger DNA.

Operations 17 and 22 were both nonhostile in nature, and diplomacy was obviously not this creature's strength. Project 93 dealt with growing high-nutrient bananas, and 362 was only trying to create toxin-resistant trees by delivering gene-altering drugs via rainwater. Results had shown the plants were far better at resisting the harmful toxins like smog and poisons like herbicides. But somehow Blinky doubted the being needed vitamin-rich bananas and extra-strength trees.

The H9 took off from LA International, where Xiao apparently availed herself of the jets that were abandonned in the rioting. Veering south it sped to Atlantica IV, the local command post in the Gulf of Mexico. The H9 sped over there with all haste, slowing down only just when Blinky leapt out, diving into the warm waters and swimming with practiced ease to the bottom, where the airlock opened to allow him into the base.

The water drained out of the holding room and Blinky gasped out him fading breath as the air hit him. It was hard to swim down 650 feet after jumping out of a helicopter. Ariel's face appeared as the door opened.

You're probably thinking of a different Ariel, although this one was also a pretty banging redhead. No seashells though, and she always had two legs.

Blinky, what a pleasant surprise. Here to keep me from my work?
How I wish, but this trip is actually for business.
The disturbance over Arizona?
I'm afraid so. I'm heading to Venezuela, I might need some men.
All crews are standing by, just tell us when and where.

Blinky thought for a second, then he knew exactly where it was the alien was headed.

 

Wolfsbane saw the alien aircraft before him as he surfed yet closer in the sky. He was going to crash into it, but that he'd planned from the beginning, so that wasn't a problem. The problem was, it might be shielded.
The cow sighed and prepared a chakral barrier which should protect him from any possible shield. He wasn't sure though; the barriers wasn't his thing.
The ship drew even closer, and Wolfsbane prepared himself for the crash. He hadn'd hit any shields yet, so he assumed that something or someone'd taken them out previously. He was indeed grateful.

The streetlight crashed into the metal plating of the ship, and remained there. Wolfsbane breathed out and sat down on his new little spy-post and opened up his suitcase for a munch of spam. As he chewed, he wondered where the craft just might be going, and why.
He couldn't think of anything, so he started looking around him for clues. Then he spotted Maximus again, now in the act of climbing aboard the ship just as Wolfsbane'd done. He gave the dwarf a little "Mooh" and then waved for Maximus to come and sit with him.

 

After putting down his scalpel, the man wiped thick black ichor from his hands. The disembodied head lay on the operating table, its skin peeled back and skull cut open. Interestingly its skull was a flexible fibrous sheath which allowed the head to be compressed. These creatures probably had the capability of squeezing through very narrow gaps and withstanding great pressure. These similarities with squid along with the obvious tentacles seemed too much like a coincidence.The Professor wasn't too keen on coincidence. In fact, he chose not to believe in it at all.

"Computer. Is that DNA analysis complete yet?"
The main screen displayed a countdown with a few minutes remaining.
"In the mean time recap the anatomical analysis of the creature's brain."
The countdown time was relegated to a small box in the upper left of the screen. The rest was filled with text.
Limited synaptic potential.
Brain size to body ratio lower than expected.
IQ lower than the average human.
Structure of the temporal lobes 97% analogous to that of humans.
Structure of the hippocampus 100% analogous to Architeuthis (giant squid).
Many other regions showing notable similarities to other species of squid.
60% of brain tissue of unknown function.
The text continued to scroll.

"Computer. Analysis of unknown area."
Unknown.
"Extrapolate."
Insufficient data.
The man sighed with impatience. Perhaps he should go back to a menu driven system.
"Extrapolate goddamnit!"
Area extremely sensitive to electromagnetic fields. Possible function of region: Input/Output signal transmitter.
Yes...yes. That makes sense. The creature is simply a drone, a puppet. Therefore there must be a being of higher intelligence controlling it.
Fortunately I didn't bring that creature back to base when it was alive, otherwise the controller could have seen everything...
"Computer! Generate a magnetic field around the tissue! Maximum strength! Now!"
The creature was dead, the brain cells already decaying, but the man didn't believe in taking chances.

The man sat drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair, considering whether to incinerate his specimen. A chime from the computer interrupted his pondering.
DNA analysis complete.
"Computer. Is this creature of terrestrial origin?"
No baseline available.
"Select human genome (generic, male) as baseline. Repeat query."
Insufficient data.
"Extrapolate."
27% DNA correlation with human genome
"Compare subject's genome with cephalopod genome."
Processing...
29% DNA correlation with Architeuthis
25% DNA correlation with Amphitretidae
23% DNA correlation with Octopodidae
12% DNA correlation with Tremoctopodidae
7% DNA...

He walked away from the screen rubbing his forehead.
This isn't right. The Star Trek tentacle aliens with human bodies. The obvious similarites with human and cephalopod DNA. The spaceship come to cleanse the evil humans. Why would it bother landing? No, this was all far too theatrical. Someone was going to a lot of trouble to put on this show. But why? Who had the resources? Who had the will?

He turned back to the small cubic device he had used earlier. Above it was projected a detailed scan of the battle device that Maximus had trashed.
Exotic alloys, cutting edge technologies, unusual (even bizarre) assembly but still, it could be done on earth.
Hell, I could whip one up myself given a couple of weeks.
I'm missing something, but what?
He retrieved a syringe from a nearby cabinet. Mentat solution. After injecting it he sat back in his chair, reclining it and shutting his eyes. His lips moving rapidly, eyelids twitching.
"Notthegovernmentsno.Noresources.PerhapsAmerica.No.Americawashitbyblast.China?No.Growninsular.Outsidefactor?Aliens?Slimchancebutthereisachance..."

 

Several large Australian troop carriers landed at LA International, which needless to say caused no small amount of panic amongst the civilians who had been stranded there. Xiao chuckled slightly at the chaos. Those people would be having REAL panic attacks if they'd known what was really going on.

Excellent job, Kermit, Xiao told a young gawky man with green-dyed hair and no small resemblance to his namesake, poor lad. You tracked the ship like I asked?

Yeah. We tracked its path and extrapolated its most likely destination. Apparently it's heading for Venezuela.

What's there that could be important enough for it to go after?

Fucked if I know. Kermit, get the refuelling under way and assemble all the generals in the command ship.

Half an hour later the planes were fuelled and in the air, thanks in no small part to a couple of bribes aimed at the fuel attendants, who probably weren't getting paid enough anyway. The command plane was a sleek jet, the larger version of the one Xiao had crashed in the desert.

Xiao looked at the generals. Sima Yi, of course. Zhang He, who wasn't as narcissitic as Dynasty Warriors suggested but was definately a bad-tempered pretty boy. Xiahou Dun with his eyepatch and glare, Xiahou Yuan next to him with an almost identical look of scorn. And Zhen Ji - Xiao had won that particular arguement on the basis that women coud be just as vicious as men, if not more so.

So. Kermit told you the situation. Are you in or are you out?

It could be an... interesting diversion, Zhen Ji commented, her wicked smile almost twin to Xiao's own cruel grins.

It will be another chance to defeat friend Yuan at archery. Zhang He smiled sweetly, but the sweetness also held the icy tang of steel.

Why should we take orders from a mere slip of a girl? Xiahou Dun growled, hefting his sword menacingly.

Xiao looked him straight in the eye. Because I'll cut of your balls if you don't! she roared.

Sit down, brother. At least hear what she has to say.

 

Maximus was busy at work placing plastic explosive strips on the surface of the ship, in the shape of a large square, and was about to fix the detonator when a street light crashed into the side and nearly caused him to loose his footing and fall off.

What the hells!? He looked over to see a cow munching spam and waving him over. Spam. He cringed at the thought of the stuff. A psuedo-meat product derived from unknown sources in a manner not suitable for discussion amongst polite company. Not wanting to get to close to the stuff, he pretended to be overly involved with the setting of charges to talk, which was partially true.

He set the detonator caps into the pliable explosive and extended the wire leads to a safe distance away before connecting them to the trigger.
Hey Wolfsie, take cover or lose an eye! After giving him a moment to hide, he laid down on the surface of the craft and pressed the button. The explosion was small, meant only to tear metal. It detonated with a small Wump! noise, followed by some smoke and the smell of burnt metal. He approached to view his handywork, gausian pistol drawn. The metal was burnt all around and attached only in a few small spots now. He gave it a sharp kick and the plate fell into the darkness with a clang!

Hey Cow, you coming, or you gonna sit out here all day? Without waiting, he jumped down into the hole, his miner's hat lighting the way. (He also just recently layered the inside in heavy-duty aluminum foil, which has been proven to protect against psychic emminations....)

 

Blinky was speeding on a jetski towards the Puerto la Cruz, with Ariel beside him. She looked quite good in a wetsuit, although the two speedboats of specialist S.H.A.R.C.s (Selective Heroics Armed Reconnaissance Corps) killed any romantic mood.

The city came into view, and the group veered slightly eastward, to the ocean entrance of the Blinky's fuel depot. Blinky had never actually toured this facility, but now wasn't the time for a run down.

Blinky went directly to the garage where a small spanish man was fixing up one of the trucks.

Excuse me, I'ld like to requisition something.

The man grumbled something until he looked up from the hood of the truck.

Eh... Dios mio! Senor Blinky, I apologize, whatever I can do...
Don't worry about it, cutting off his sycophantism before it wasted too much time, just get me a truck that can hold 20 people, and tell me where Diallo Robada is.

The little man scrambled to get a truck ready, while providing Blinky with some very precise directions. Blinky wished he had the time to smile, and he made a mental note to have Arleen send the man's family something. Probably like a ham or a turkey, or at least a chicken or two.

Blinky had made one mistake in his previous planning, he assumed the creature was after one of HIS projects. He had quickly remembered what else was in Venezuela: The Diallo Robada Advanced Research Facility. Owned by none other than the Umbrella Corporation.

 

I like this outfit. What did you call it again?

Leather bodysuits with armor plating. They are quite flattering, aren't they?

Xiao and Zhen Ji were both wearing bodysuits in blue-dyed leather, as Kermit had neglected to bring Xiao's preferred energy plate, developed after a marathon session of Phantasy Star Online. She suspected that the oversight had been somewhat deliberate, but eh. At least the soldiers would be more willing to listen to them now.

The two women sauntered into the main body of the plane where the men had finished putting on their own armor, a bulletproof variation of the armor from their own period.

... I think my brain just imploded.

I'm keeping this.

Of course. Kermit, how much longer until we catch up with the ship?

We're coming up on it now. You may be interested to learn that Maximus and Wolfsbane are already there.

 

It was dark and musty inside, and a stench of rotten seafood hit him instantly. Maximus reeled from the foul odor, and then fumbled in his pack for his gas mask with air canister attachment. The air seemed like oxygen inside, but perhaps it was best not to take any changes.

He looked around himself and found that his newly-built door led into a wide cooridor running in both directions. The lighting was poor and mostly consisted of orange glowing disks that illuminated the hallway from below. On the walls ran pipes in every direction, many of them dripping water or hissing steam. The floor seemed slimy or coated with some slick material. He listened carefully for a moment and only heard a constant mechanical droning coming from nowhere in particular, and the sound of water and steam.

He moved forward, opting for his gausian repeater rifle instead of his pistol. Cooridiors led off in many directions and disappeared into the darkness. He pulled a pouch from his pack and fastened it to his belt, then removed a small button with a wire-tie attached and fastened it to a pipe. It began pulsing a bright white, then fading to a soft glow. This would help him find the way back in case he needed to leave in a hurry.

The wall moved suddenly, and a humanoid figure emerged, its head smooth and greenish-red, with its mouth terminating in a batch of tentacles, the whole effect was like looking at a man with an octopus for a head. Both stood staring at one another for a moment, then it spoke, I cannot feel your mind, cannot whisper in your ear... Who are you and why are you here? Its voice had sounded like a far-away echo interspersed with irregular sloshing noises from the tentacles.
Good, the aluminum foil thing must be working, despite its crack-pot reputation..., he thought.

I should ask you the same thing. It is you and yours who invaded my planet after all. Plus, you blasted this country with an EMP blast. Now I'm here to find out why, and if I should kick your ass?

The thing stood there a moment contemplating, and then issued, Why do you call it your planet?

I won it in a Chess game, my opponent conceided defeat after I took his Queen. Then he kicked the board to the ground and stormed off crying in a most unsportman like way.
Anyway, thats irrelevant here. Your tresspassing and still haven't answered my question: Why are you here and what do you want?

Again the thing stood there contemplating, Maximus began sizing the thing up, trying to determine where best to shoot it.
We are the Cthulhu-Ka, followers of the great Cthulhu, he-who-sleeps. He has been here on this planet for many milennia, awaiting our return. Soon we shall awaken him, and he will rise and regain control over this planet and its weak-minded inhabitants.

Please, come with me to speak with the Overmind, and he will explain more....

At that, the thing turned its back and started to move down the passageway. It would be so easy to splatter its brains across the bulkhead, but curiousity was getting the best of him. He, started to follow, leaving a trail of light-beacons as he went.

 

Wolfsane didn't hear Maximus, and was quite suprised to find hinself hit by the explosion. The shokwave sent the cow flying of the ship, darting towards the ground. Wolfsbane acted quickly though, and used his kavarimi-ninjutsu technique to replace himself with a wooden log.
With a puff of smoke, he reappeared on his streetlight again.

He munched another spam.

Wolfsbane looked at the hole in the ship. He had no intentions of whatsoever to enter that ship. He merely wanted to see where it was going. Besides, he didn't want to fight a whole possible army of aliens which could reside in there. And, he was quite sure that Maximus could fight on his own.

So he sat down quite relaxed on his streetlight outside the ship and munched his beloved, tasty, spam.

 

The ship slowed to a halt over the facility as Blinky made the final right. The two guards in front of the gates in front of him were already opening fire on the ship, their M16s doing just about nothing to the ship's hull. Blinky and Ariel each took one out as they sped closer to the facility.

They crashed through the gate and screeched to a halt, a score of SHARKs jumping out of the back, quickly subduing the remaining guards. Blinky and Ariel moved towards the main compound, Ariel covering for the bear while he moved closer and froze the snipers on the roof. When the bullets stopped flying Blinky's crew had taken the surface of the compound without incident.

Martin, Lasser, set up a beacon near the front gate and hold this position. Realt, Henson, Stevens, hold the entrance of the facility. If it doesn't look human, don't let it enter or leave. The rest of you are with me and Ariel, we'll split up as we go, never be in a group of less than three. These things can teleport in, so stay sharp.

When they entered, Blinky knew the lab was already compromised. A researcher crawled towards him, blood trainling from a bitten arm and leg. A small part of Blinky's mind wondered how he had gotten away to begin with. The worker was already starting to change, gurgling out some warning. One of the SHARKs put him out of his tormented misery.

...Let's go.

 

The Professor woke with a spasm. That terrifying feeling of falling that only lasts for a split second. He groggily wiped the drool from his chin and tried to focus his eyes. He had to do something. Something important. Something...
His left hand felt stiff. As he reached out to stretch it he realised he was clutching a crumpled sheet of paper. On closer inspection it had a single word manically scrawled across it.
fbap
No...perhaps not...
frap?
jrap?
trap?
TRAP! That was it. It all came flooding back to him. The results of his mentat trip.
The ship was a giant trap. The lure of alien secrets, alien technology had been the bait. The bait for the most powerful individuals on earth. To gather them all in the one location. Yes, they would come. They would deal with the situation personally. The egomania of the Lords demanded nothing less.
These "aliens" were mere puppets of an earth-based power monger who sought to defeat his greatest rivals. But...that was where the trail went cold. Who was behind all of this? And for now, the greatest question was: Should he warn the Lords?

 

Hmmm...Ineresting. Einundzwanzig! Run an analysis of the technology from the "squid's" robot. I need to see exactly what it is with which we're dealing.
Sir...this is earthling technology. In fact, we've already got several scout and engagement drones using the same components and programming.
How...? That can only mean that our threat was earth-based...The ship was put into orbit without any of the lords knowing.
Why would someone willingly sacrifice a ship to an enemy unless...
Sir! We're reading some sort of strange electronic interference in Das Sturmgeist. Right now it's being pinpointed...it's coming from you!
That's always been there! I'm a beta class radioactive substance!
Sir, we already have that calibrated into our instruments. It seems that there's a sort of mechanical virus multiplying in your body at a relatively rapid rate! It would seem that the enemy ship, before it departed, sent out a dusting of these mechanical pathogens.
What? That means Blinky and Xiao could have it too...Is there some way to annull the virus?
No, sir, none that we have, short of removing the source through amputation. And...it seems that the source is in your brain.
Fantastic. Call the lords present during the ship's departure and let them know abou---AAAUGH!!! A sudden sharp pain wracked Grossenschwaum's body. It would seem the virus was stimulating the pain receptors on his nerves...L-let them know about the virus!

 

The ship had dramatically accelerated and arrived in Venezuela, but the sense of movement was negligible from within the craft.
Maximus followed the thing down a flight of stairs and watched as it swipped its hand in front of a sensor. The sensor lite up and scanned across, then the door slid open with a hiss. A soft yellowish glow emanated from the room, and a voice said, Come in, Maximus

This isn't good, it seems I've been expected, or at least identified. But how...?, he thought as he walked in, letting his rifle hang at his side so as to draw less attention to it. When his eyes adjusted, he looked up to see a tall muscular humanoid, like Arnold Schartzenager getting attacked by a green octopus. It was dressed in a wetsuit and a red cape.
Who are you, and why have you attacked Earth? He decided to just get to the point.
We are the Followers of Cthulhu, He-Who-Sleeps. We are here to awaken our god Cthulhu, who sleeps in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, awaiting our calling. Soon, we shall recover the five sacred relics from around the world and then awaken the god-monster, who will smite humanity from this planet. The first relic is here in Venezuela....
How do you know who I am?
We know who all the Lords are, and have been watching you for some time. It has been determined that those of you willing to cooperate with us will be spared, and turned into demi-gods in the new Order of Cthulhu! Those of you who resist will be fed to the Beast when he arrives, as worthy sacrifices to our God!...
And why are you telling me all of this? He dreaded the answer, but at this point it needed to be asked. He backed up against the wall.
Because Earthling, we need you to help us. We need you to lure the other Lords to a specified location, where we can all discuss how the demon-god Cthulhu will best be served by them. In exchange, you will be allowed to serve as one of Lord Cthulhu's left-hand men, a General in the Army of the Depths.
Your wasting your time, tentacle-head, they'll never join you nor will they follow me to your meeting spot. Plus, I have no intention of working for you! Deciding that negotiations had ended, he pulled the gausian rifle up from his side and prepared to turn the thing into suishi, when a blast of psychic energy hit him hard. As the gun fell from his hands and clattered on the floor, he clutched at his head to try and stop the pain. Crap! The foil isn't strong enough to resist this guys powers!, the thoughts themselves sent pain pulses through his temples.

He staggered against the wall, almost blind from the pain. He righted himself and focused his willpower to resist the attack, then looked at the creature and said, Soon, we'll come for you full force!... Then he tapped a small shaped magnetic charge he'd placed on the wall moments ago and dived to one side. A hideously loud explosion rocked the ship, sending shrapnel all over, and tore a four-foot hole in the side of the ship. The pain of the attack had stopped as he looked up to see the creature escaping through a side door. Pain shot through his back from a long gash he'd recieved from some of the shrapnel, but this was no time to worry about such things. He stood up, and stepped over the corpse of the sentry. Pausing only for a moment at the entry, he jumped the thirty feet down to the ground and rolled to a stop, spread-eagle on the ground. Hurt, but alive, he set off to rendevouz with his troops.