Houston's Ambush

Story so far

The moment Phase One Combat engages, Architect Houston jumps to his feet in the The Lemig Castle, his robes flinging back to reveal a horrific bug-like body with six arms, two holding a rifle. He fires as Carl dives; Carl lands against a counter, grabs a bag of cat food, and drops an impact Hob-Lobber before Baroness Victory's twenty-second teleport pulls him out mid-shot.

Carl arrives in the Field Hospital with a hole punched through his shoulder, and reasons that Houston planned all of it — or at least knew what was happening to Commander Stockade and compensated, willingly sacrificing another living, breathing world leader to get a shot at Carl. The bomb failed, since a kill would have produced a message, and Carl regrets going with his Hotlist instead of something bigger. Houston's earlier taunt — that Carl was in mortal danger and didn't realize it — was a warning delivered in plain sight.

Role

The assassination attempt that opens the Faction Wars for Carl personally.

Relationships