Pike Moon And Thestage

Pike Moon.

A bitter cold forest world of rock and dirt that boarders the Periphery and the Kingdom of the Heavens. Despite it’s name, Pike Moon is actually the name of the Planet – not the smaller white moon of Thestage. Pike Moon itself has very little water or food. Too little for all but the most clever and tenacious of species to survive. There aren’t even enough resources for humans to survive long term. Just about the only race that does live here is the Moissonneuses. And they keep the world. Although – a few other minor races do ink out a sparse existence on this rock. For example- a “very” rare sub-race of the Formica known as the “Slave Makers” are rumored to exist somewhere beneath the surface. Many Solack even claim that the legendary Legionnaire Ants live somewhere on Pike Moon.

These rumors are the reason the Solack frequently search this world. Staying and hunting for years at a time. Here they keep a small but powerful garrison force of both hunters and researchers equipped with live capture guns. Many of the Solack Elite known as the “Queen’s Guard” long to hunt down a Legionnaire Ant. It is a great honor to keep their powerful mandibles as a set of trophy swords. And body parts from the Moissonneuses make comparable trophies as body armor. But more than that- the Solack Empire are after the Slave Makers. They hope to capture and clone their own versions of the Slave Makers for their many rumored abilities. Among these rumored talents is said to be the ability to mass mind control entire populations using a type of injected chemical. The chemical is said to be a type of exotic psychotropic drug that attacks the brain. Rewiring it to be obedient to the Slave Makers. The resulting slaves are rendered harmless to their masters. They will obey any order given to them and will act as if they had been with the Slave Makers their entire lives. Loyal and devout. These are no zombie slaves or mind controlled drones- these are converts.

That is far more than just mind control! And the Solack can do mind control. What the Slave Makers have is complete and utter conversion. These slaves lose none of their intellect. They are not weakened or degraded in any way. They retain their personality and strengths entirely. Their allegiances just change. The Solack can do this too. But it could take a Mastermind years to so completely and masterfully manipulate the memory and mind of just one person. Especially if that person’s mind is strong. But these Slave Makers can mass convert entire populations within days. And the effects of their organic drugs take only hours. And after just a few days- the conversion becomes permanent. The brain of the slaves becomes twisted and warped. The slave will now fight and serve the Slave Makers as if they were the only family the slaves had ever known. THAT would be a weapon worth having! To mass convert peoples and races into capitulation with the Solack Empire!

Too bad the Slave Makers are an extremely rare sight. They are ridiculously reclusive by nature and only surface for a raid when their population or resources are low. The Slave Makers can go years without surfacing. And they leave no trace of where they go. Like the Legionnaire- they are an army of ghosts. Known only as rumor and hearsay. Almost as if they never existed. But the Solack know better. Along with reliable eye witness survivors, they have hard evidence of the existence of both Slave Makers and Legionnaires on Pike Moon. They have a set of skulls and mandibles. Both sets of specimens have been confirmed as either Slave Maker or Legionnaire. And that’s proof enough to justify the Solack spending years out on Pike Moon trying to lure either race out into the open.

But neither race is stupid. And then there is still the gargantuan Moissonneuses to deal with… They don’t care if the Solack are there for research or hunting. They will overrun and annihilate the Solack if they get the opportunity. And they can if the Solack ever slip up even in the slightest. This is a risky game of high stakes poker they are all playing. Each player is gunning for a massive prize. A prize that must be taken from the other. Painfully and directly- by use of guile more than force. Worse is the fact that no party can make a move without the other parties making some type of countermove of their own. So every move any of the sides make has to be carefully weighed before acting on. There is plotting and subterfuge galore in every act commit by any of the sides- no matter how small. Each gambit is a risky maneuver to try and gain some advantage at the risk of being attacked while their strike forces are away. The only question left to the others involved is how to react. Launch a sneak attack on the enemy and risk being attacked themselves- or stay put and lose a vital chance to gain ground while others advance.

And it’s true the Solack are holding back most of their technology and power. They won’t use cloaking devices, teleporters, reinforced shields, advanced sensors, orbital guns, or heavy weaponry. Nor will they deploy vast amounts of troops or vehicles. Only basic hand to hand weapons, hunting gear, basic energy & ballistic weapons, and armor. They can’t risk being detected by any other race. Use of capitol weapons or too much high powered tech would attract the attention of the other races. Especially the humans… So far- no other race knows of what is happening on Pike Moon. No other race has a clue about the existence of the Slave Makers – nor do they know about the significance of the planet. They don’t even know the Solack are there! And that’s just how the Solack want to keep it! But the price of remaining so subtle – is paid for in blood. Thus is the way of war.






Pike Moon & Thestage  - Concept, Stories, and Art © Infinity Unbound
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