The gondola made good time. They passed through the center city and began moving into the distant reaches of quarter three. The buildings began to gradually grow more decrepit and rundown as they moved toward the location of the hybrid den and when they did see a citizen, they would fearfully duck back into the sanctuary of the buildings. Hover-trollies, the public transportation used in Drydellia, would arrive occasionally in front of a dimly lit habitation hive and the employees would leave their residence as a tightly knit group, casting cautious looks over their shoulders and wasting no time to get inside the trolley and depart.

“Well, they seem fearful and on edge.” Moloch said, pointing down at the group.

“They have every reason to be. The hybrid den has been out of control, and they know we are struggling to protect them. There are also dozens of drainers on the loose.”

“Have you had contact with them?” Moloch asked.

Salazaar puffed on his cigar, and then spit some juice over the side of the gondola.

“Too much contact. We’ve lost over half the constabulary to them already.”

“Over half your forces?” Moloch said in astonishment.

“Pretty much. When we first learned of the Hybrid den, they didn’t cause much trouble, just evaded our forces, stole critter dust and food from the warehouse, and laid low on the outskirts of the quarters in uninhabited structures. Weird thing was they would even leave most of the stolen food and medical supplies behind in the employee habitation hives like they were trying to give back to make the Employee’s lives better, which it did for a short time.

But once the Drydellians caught wind of it, the hybrid's generosity did not improve their lives at all. Supervisors arrived and caught everyone they could with the stolen contraband. They popped a few napes to make an example of the poor unlucky saps who had the goods, and put the rest of them on ice, in the cryo-vault. The Den Master at that time was a large golden lion hybrid. When he caught wind of what the Dradellians did, he and his hybrids didn’t take kindly to that move, and in a short time they raided the Royal Palace. They ended up killing several supervisors, in addition to destroying a large section of it.

“That would explain the walls and the large security force around the Drydellian’s palace. It seems they don’t want a repeat of the raid to ever happen again.” Moloch said.

Salazaar made some inputs into the gondola’s navigational board, and the craft adjusted slightly on its course.

“The Drydellians can’t ever let anything go. Since the raid on the palace, they have declared total war on the hybrids. At first, they would just run from us, and I knew they weren’t trying to hurt employees, they just took what they needed to live, and would keep to themselves. I knew the other constables would intentionally miss shooting at them and muddle up any investigation and clues about their whereabouts. That’s how they managed to survive for so long.”

A pleasure yacht was floating by a raucous party in full swing atop it, drowning out their conversation. Salazaar patiently waited before continuing, “We knew the hybrids only held hate in their hearts for the Drydellians, and boy did it ever get them angry. They couldn’t do anything about it, because they needed us to protect them, so all they had were empty threats. Life for us was never better than when the Drydellians were scared for their own welfare. Which is why they petitioned for you lot to show up and fix this whole mess. They never wanted any officials that weren’t Drydellian poking around in their business, but the situation has become too much for them to handle.”

“You wouldn’t know it from the way they were bleating for help over the petitioner feeds.” Krasus said as he walked across the aisle of the gondola to join them, sitting on the bench beside Moloch and behind Constable Salazaar. Salazaar nodded as he pushed his hat back and wiped his brow with his coat sleeve.

“They had to swallow their pride and ask for help. As much as it grieved them to do it. Since the beginning of last cycle, something changed about the Hybrids. They started getting vicious, dosing increasingly stranger gene sequences. Then they started killing anyone that got in their way.

The constables started shooting back and now it’s all-out war. We haven’t seen the Golden Lion since the real war started. Now I reckon he’s dead and whoever this new Den Master is has begun a more bloody-minded regime. Before, there were never drainers, but now this quarter is overrun with them as more employees are going missing every day.”

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“Well hopefully we can clean up the Drydellian mess, in one go.” Moloch said.

“Hopefully.” Salazaar replied.

“How did you become Employed in Drydellia?” Krasus asked. “Someone who could make a shot like I saw earlier could do better than being a Constable in this chintzy level.”

“When I was younger, I used to relish throws of the dice. I was an airship dozer back in those days. Fresh into Zerzura after a long run from the burning seas. I was told by a shipmate that Drydellia was an undiscovered gem in the Pillar, and a fella could have a good time without burning up his whole pay. Well, I come down here, I partake in many of their offerings. Before too long I had lost it all and I had no choice but to take a job here. In twenty cycles, and despite all my work, I haven’t repaid my debt. I don’t think I ever will.”

“At least the debt gives you something to keep living for, imbuing you with motivation, and reminding you that the system is worth protecting with your life and sacrificing your time for.” Krasus said.

“For now.” Salazaar said. He spit once more over the side of the gondola and chuckled darkly to himself.

The gondola began a sharp descent, veering slowly towards a section of the quarter that was shrouded in darkness. Their craft stopped moving forward when it reached the border of the light.

“We have arrived at the rendezvous point. The hybrid den should be that way.” Salazaar said as he pointed into the gloom of the city blocks ahead of them. “We should travel the rest of the way on foot. The gondola will attract too much attention.”

Another much smaller gondola had arrived just ahead of them, parking at the station. A constable had gotten out and he pulled a creature out of a holding cage that was mounted on the back of the craft. Then he stood in a pool of light, under one of the few working illumin points at the gondola mag lock station and watched the craft with the legionnaires slowly descend.

He wore the same uniform as Salazaar, except it was fresh and new, complete with creases. He was young, with a soft fuzzy plumpness about his face. Resting between his short wide philtrum and weak chin was a mean smile that complimented his cruel eyes. Before him a knelt a hunched creature that wore a black sack over its head and its clawed hands were held before it in glowing force restraints. The constable kept a tight grip on a leash that ran from the force restraints up to the collar that was snapped around its neck.

Constable Salazaar dismounted the craft, followed by Moloch and Krasus and the rest of the legionnaires who filed off silently behind them.

“Where is Supervisor Rofosque?” The young Constable demanded without any kind of formal introduction. The creature on the end of the chain gave a nervous hop at the mention of the Drydellian’s name.

“Be still filth!” The young constable commanded, giving the leash a harsh jerk.

“Supervisor Rofosque is currently indisposed.” Salazaar replied.

“Oh? What is he occupied with now?” The young constable asked.

“He was attacked by a sug and landed in a psychedelic leech tank. I had him scraped off as quickly as possible, but some of the venom got into his bloodstream.”

“He what?”

“It happened just as I said.”

“Well, it is a despicable failure that you permitted any misfortune to befall one of our royal sires. They’ll have your nape for your failure. Then they will run out the clock on your wife. I wonder how much the cryo will have deteriorated her faculties by the time she gets out. Maybe they’ll just punish you by dropping her cryo pod by another degree. How many is she down to now? -6 below the safety threshold? Tell me Salazaar, do you think she will remember your face? Or even be able to see it when she finally gets thawed out?”

Salazaar clenched his fists and bit down hard on his cigar.

“Who is this Constable, and why does he speak as if he was reared by swinefolk?” Krasus said, stepping up and cutting the building silent tension.

“This is Jakob White, and he was raised by Drydellians, so do not judge him too harshly.” Salazaar said his eyes burning with hatred for the other constable. “He is one of our head constables, the Drydellians put him in command here.”

“Well, he shall not use such a tone in my presence again, or he shall learn firsthand, the price of indecency.” Krasus said.

“I meant no disrespect was towards the Legion or its members, but here in Drydellia I shall conduct myself towards my subordinates as I please. Jakob said to Krasus, ignoring Salazaar.

“Decent speech is wasted on subspecies creatures such as them.”

“This fresh young constable is your superior?” Krasus asked Salazaar, turning away from Jakob to make sure the constable could not mistake the meaning of the gesture.

“When Head Constable Jakob’s parents sold him as a baby for their freedom, he enjoyed the privilege of being educated in the Drydellian foundling academy. As a graduate from such a prestigious institution, he outranks me, and will serve as your liaison until Supervisor Rofoscue recovers his faculties.” Salazaar said.

“That is correct. So, heed my instruction and your place Salazaar, or find yourself facing yet another formal reprimand and all the unpleasantries associated with it.” Constable Jakob smiled deviously, as he held out the lead that the hybrid was tethered to.

“Now take up your position behind me Salazaar, and secure the creature's leash, for I have grown weary of holding it.” Jakob cast the leash to the rockcrete street, not even bothering to hand it to Salazaar.

The older constable stooped and picked up the lead and began tugging the creature to a position behind Jakob.

“Belay that Salazaar, I would examine the creature myself.” Moloch said.

“What is there to see? You’ve seen one hybrid; you've seen them all.”

Moloch ignored Jakob and stepped forward and tugged off the creature's hood.