"Yeah. We have a lot riding on this," R.D. said, looking over at the girl.

"For now, we have them stay in the escape craft should things go south," Richter said. "They know to go there during battles."

R.D. only nodded in response to that.

"Well then, you may relax here while you wait," Richter said. He then turned and handed each of the four humans in the group a small transceiver, like the ones the soldiers had been using back in Japan. "We'll contact you over these when you receive new orders."

Matt and Helena slid theirs in their pockets. "Now," Matt said, cropping his fingers dramatically, "I wonder what they serve here."

"I just hope it's good," Helena said. "I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry."

"Well, yeah."

"Hey, Officer," R.D. called over to Richter before he could depart. He looked back. "Can you show us where a cafeteria is? We haven't had lunch today."

"Sure thing. Follow me."

===Lower Facilities, Aube===

"So, Alasea," Patrick started as the two made their way to his office in the base, "Your friends... how did you meet them?"

"Well... it was a couple hours after the Dark Dragon disappeared," Alasea started, looking off to the wall alongside her as she thought back. "I took your two short swords before I got out of the house, and I was using them to protect myself from... well, anything. I hid in a building until the attack was over, and then R.D. came into the place... I was scared, so..."

She went on to explain everything of her life and adventure after that fateful day in her home city. How she woke up and met R.D., Matt, Hugo, Hsien-ko and Mei-ling, how they became enemies of the Seven Beasts. How they met Aisha Liembre, who told him of Ziatoch and the role the Daughters of Dawn were to play in the final battle, and Helena's original origins.

They soon arrived at his office as she was finishing up her tale. "... me and the others don't know how Helena returned to life, or how her memories were changed. As for Ileyna... I don't really know her all that much. I've been around her for less than a day in total, and she's much too shy to talk to me."

"I see. You haven't been around them in a while?" Dagenais asked of his daughter as he sat down behind his desk. Alasea quickly pulled up a chair.

"Not really. Before R.D. and Matt had to go to the Eternal Sanctuary they told you about, they had to leave me behind in Japan. You see... I, ah, am one of the Daughters of Dawn, like Aisha."

So they ate.

"Remember when I said I was going to eat you last?" Matt said, holding up a brownie. "I lied."

Helena giggled as Matt tossed the treat into his mouth.

Edited by The Helldragon on April 20, 2009 at 20:12:26.

Richter did not join them for the meal, excusing himself as he had other duties to attend to, being part of a military organization.

"I never would have thought that there'd be such an advanced resistance here," R.D. commented as he ate into a burger. "I know Juno said that there were multiple resistances throughout what's left of the world, but something like this... its unbelievable."

"I don't think it would be possible for them to get this far without the Essence," Ileyna said between mouthfuls of her own meal. "They did say that it was giving them an edge against the bad guys here."

===General Dagenais' Office, Aube===

Naturally, Patrick Dagenais was concerned when he learned of the revelation. At first, he didn't want her involved at all--this was a war, and no place for young teenagers like his only daughter. He didn't even like the idea of R.D. and Matt, who were more than capable in protecting themselves, being in such a war.

It took her a while to get the point across: though she didn't choose to be a Daughter of Dawn, she had accepted the burden. She explained their exact purpose: seven women who would unleash the might of the Pillars of Dawn against the alien entity that destroyed Australia, the Eternal, the Destroyer of Worlds. She went into detail about what made her accept the burden, going on about the state Khalis had been in, and of the ailments of the three friends they had made there.

Eventually, the man relented, and accepted that his daughter was a part of the ongoing, escalating struggle for the world. "I understand. But still, is this not dangerous?" he asked. "Surely, Ziatoch will not allow such a threat to Him continue to exist."

"Yeah, I know," Alasea said quietly. "One of His cronies, this skank named Kara Llewelyn, set some sort of test and gave me a warning. And then later... I think He may have sent Malvettix after me."

"Malvettix?"

"Yeah. He's... well, an evil clone of Matt?" she made a nervous-sounding laugh when her father raised his eyebrows at her. "I know, it sounds stupid, right? But its true... and he's terrifying, father. When we first fought him, he turned Matt into a gibbering wreck with a single touch. And when he attacked me... he tried to do... the same..."

She shivered, but stopped when the General rested a hand against her shoulder. She looked up and gathered herself back up. "Malvettix lives only to fight and kill Matt, for some reason. R.D. keeps getting in his way and things get ugly when he does," Alasea said after a few moments. "But he came after me for whatever reason, and Matt wasn't even in our dimension when he did. So I think he may have allied himself with Ziatoch, for some reason."

"I see. I shall have the base on the lookout for this Malvettix being," Patrick said with a nod. "Your friends should be able to tell us more about the kind of threat he poses."

"I just wish we could leave it here, personally," Matt said. "But...well, the needs of the many and all that."

"Its just the knowledge on the Essence that they need," R.D. said. "We'll have to take the Essence anyway... imagine if one of the Five Beasts or Ziatoch get their slimy hands on it."

That was not a thought he wanted to entertain. R.D. faced off against one unaided Beast of the Dark Apocalypse, and nearly died twice. If one of them were to get the power a fragment of the Omega Core...

===Audrey's House, Argentina, South America===

Unlike last time, when Lance had broken into her house, Audrey, to her credit, did not run screaming out of the house (or attempt to, at any rate). Instead, she sat paralyzed on her bed, staring wide-eyed at Siegfried with the sheets of her bed clutched to her chest.

===Innerpeace===

"Should we expect any dangers underground?" Seril asked. "Reaverbots, moldering structures, anything? I don't want to go unprepared and face something like a Divinity Unit again."

Edited by RisingDragon on April 22, 2009 at 23:44:31.

"We can't let that happen," Hugo said. "At all costs."

"You're telling me," R.D. said, taking another bite out of his food. "Defeating Sheena was enough of a struggle even with KishouDoragon. And Matt can't even bring out Genesic GaoGaiGar to help me with it anymore."

"I thought Guy piloted GaoGaiGar," Ileyna said, looking up and looking confused.

Matt made a face, whirling his hands around each other. "Ehhh...well..."

"No more stories," Hugo said. "I don't want to think about that for a while."

"We'll just chalk it up to 'the Omega Core did it' for now, okay, Ileyna?" R.D. replied to the girl.

She pouted. "Okay."

"Good enough!" Matt said.

Before any of them could continue the conversation, the group's transceivers crackled to life.

"Willard Company, report to General Dagenais," an unfamiliar woman's voice said over it. "Rendezvous in the main briefing room in 1300 hours."

"Uh, any of you know what 1300 hours is in military time?" R.D. asked after a moment.

"I think it means one PM," Helena said. "What time is it now?"

"Uh..."

R.D. looked down at his wrists, and saw that he had no watch. Frowning, he reached into his dimensional satchel and pulled out the transceiver, and looked about it. He noticed that luckily, it contained a clock, though in military time.

"1237 hours, apparently," he said after reading it. "We better get going."

"Just because one race may have abandoned it does not mean that others will stay away," Seril chided. "Many creatures have migrated to new locations to escape the wrath of the Seven Beasts. Too often, even we dragons find humans wandering into our weyrs by accident."

And usually, the humans tended to freak out when they came face to face with a dragon. Some creatures, however, were not so friendly when intruders enter. Other creatures invading could also be equally threatening.

Matt stood and picked up his tray. "Let's boogie."

They had to flag down a passing soldier to find out where the main briefing room was. After getting the instructions, they made for the nearest elevator.

"We should probably tell them what we know of Malvettix and Magister's goons, too," R.D. said as he punched in the numbers to get to the specific floor. "We might be dealing with Ziatoch here, but if Malvettix is still after us, they'll need to know."

"We know that Malvettix is damn near invincible," Hugo said. "That's not going to help them much."

"He's not weak to anything?" Helena said.

"Nothing but brute force, from what I can tell," R.D. said. "Only way we've ever managed to beat him is by overwhelming him before he can get in an attack. Like with Megaton Cannon, and Strong Arm Tactic."

"One of the Genesis Arms I used to have," Matt explained. "I'm not sure if I can make it again, but if I can, we'll be better off."

Helena ran a hand over her hair. "So, if I shoot him with a lot of fire, do you think that'll work?"

"I'd rather not fight him if we can help it. It's not exactly fun."

"Our only safe bet is Tamaran," R.D. said, as the doors opened once the elevator stopped. "I think right now, that's the only thing that'll give him pause until I can get Lumiya fully repaired."

They proceeded down the hallways until they reached briefing room. Two soldiers stationed on either side of the doorway motioned for them to enter. Within, they found a massive room filled with computer terminals, large screens covering the walls, wide tables, and a number of officers and technicians, along with both Alasea and General Dagenais.

"There you guys are!" Alasea said, making her way over to them from where she stood by her father. "I was wondering when you were gonna show up."

"It's not like we knew where we were going," Matt said.

Hugo walked forward, surveying their detailed equipment. "What's the situation?"

"We're ready for your input on the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy forces," Patrick said as he too came over to them, following his daughter. "We'll enter it into our database, so that we can better coordinate our defense in the next assault."

"Well, let's get started then," R.D. said as he pulled out a chair on the table with the strategic analysts. "There's a lot we can tell you from our encounters."

"Maybe I should've brought a drink," Matt joked as he sat down.

They went over all they knew-their encounters with the Seven, battles with Magister's minions, and more importantly, Malvettix.

Details, weaknesses, strategies... all of it was quickly inputted into the Genesis Armada Resistance's expansive database.

"I noticed something about Malvettix, actually," Alasea spoke up during Matt's discussion of his unusual antithesis. "Its not just strong attacks that make him pause."