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Mint Flitter
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I am hesitant to share my knowledge of the salikai base, as if any of my allies were to be captured, then the salikai would know that I know about their base. However, if I were to become incapacitated, then my knowledge would be trapped with my outcome. therefore, I recount what I know about the base and write down the overall layout on some stationary that Lucera had in his pocket.
There are over 2,000 arkots in cryogenics, but there has been hints of power failures in the past.
There are 2 fufas. At least 6 fully grown vernauts, 8 grottles, and 8 Rokoa's. Almost definitely more Rokoas, and there are at least several in the process of being made. There are also 600 bots of varying degrees of use. Some use heavy weapons, but are slow and predictable. Most are not thoroughly tested. The salikai still own the one CAI, and lastly, one predator.
The clone Rokoa watched another Rokoa fight several things. She can take an average voklit if both have a spear. Without weapons, a voklit has a decent chance of winning by simple mass and strength. Rokoa can handle up to 9 dozen arkots that are sent at her a dozen at a time, faltering from exhaustion and blood loss. She cannot handle a fully grown vernaut with a simple blade, but she is able to frustrate it until it decides to roll over on her. A fight with a fufa is pathetic on Rokoa's half. No grottles were used in the experiments due to a lack of control the Salikai have been able to exert over a grottle. I do not know what I will do with this information, or what the Salikai care about what an unarmored, often barefisted Rokoa can do. This is all, of course, a clone Rokoa's abilities.
Both Ohidi and Vanski own a killswitch for the CAI. Or at least what Rokoa believes is a killswitch. Neither of them have gotten a good rest in months. Salikai do not sleep in the same manner most beings do, and can remain active, but constant exertion takes their toll. Vanski would be able to think far more clearly if he took so much as half a day off, but he may have lost the sheer ability to relax, now.
Vanski talked a great deal about dealing a blow to the surface world and a lot of ways to do it in. Everything he says is presented like a cool headed madman's presentation, and it is impossible to tell how much is feasible for the salikai and how much is just wild daydreaming.
"Korli, how many did you say were in your hive?"
>"About 13 or so? We don't see each other much though, so I only know several really well."
There are about 23 or so, and they barely know each other through unjammed walls. They blend in together so much that it feels like there are only a handful. Clone Rokoa broke in and got them to talk about themselves before the salikai dragged her out.
Rihhin, Likol and Momu are the CAI handlers. Likol was a developer before he suicided.
Mirim is the primary clonist, with help from Lollu and Saitul the biologists.
Moi is one of the younger ones at age 24, and is seeking to take over Seca's job as the armor engineer. The latter is 125 years old.
The oldest, at an alleged 208 years, is Quokko, the manager and most knowledgeable of the hive.
Ramella's title was a Rocket Engineer. I would have been concerned that this meant the salikai have rockets, but they put a Rokoa dart in her. Then again, Niam was cloned, it's possible that so was Ramella.
Everyone else does not seem to be worth note. Generalists, architects, chemists and so forth.
That is about all Rokoa knows to any degree of reliability, and even then, everything must be taken with caution. Four Stripes dealt with all of the Rokoas extensively, and I doubt any made it out unscathed. This information also includes the vague knowledge of one extra entrance at the top of the base, and one at the bottom. The upper ceiling ceiling has an extensive reinforced layer, and it extends down around the base in a protective cylinder. The bottom side does not have appear to have this.
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