"You know how I get," Helena said, with a halfway smile.

Patterson turned and gave a polite nod to the couple.

"Are things going well with you?" He asked simply leaning on the counter slightly.

"Well enough," R.D. said, nodding to Col. Patterson. "They just got done with me down in the mechanoid division."

Unknown to the others during this exchange, Alasea frowned the tiniest bit upon seeing Helena's coy half-smile to R.D.. Did she miss something? Or did something happen during their time off-world...?

Blinking, she shook her head minutely.

(OOC: Not exactly. Last I checked, Area-K doesn't have lava close to the top of the volcano, and where the lava is at is grated off before anyone hits it. Also, Maya and Mercy are totally breaking the in-game fourth wall.)

Seril could see the metal grating in the crater rushing up at her, protecting anyone entering the volcano from actually winding up in the magma. Flaring out her wings, the dragon slowed her descent, and settled down on the grating, her claws clicking against them as she shifted her position.

Suddenly she moved still, then lowered her snout towards the grating, as if sensing something. For a few moments she stayed that way, then, as if alarmed, moved her head away, looking almost affronted. She looked upwards, where she could make out the forms of Gatz and Geetz looking down at her. Furling her wings in, she leaped up onto the wall and sank her claws into the rock, and began a surprisingly swift climb up the wall, as opposed to a tiresome rise with her wings.

Upon reaching the mouth of the crater, she quickly made her way out, turning to look back at the Servitor Units.

"I was right. Some time ago, probably in the last thirty or so years, a Magma Dragon's made its home within the volcano," she said in her rumbling voice. "Its deep within the magma. Barely close enough for me to sense it."

(OOC: 'Tis what happens when the eight-year-old daughter of a world creator ends up in his little created world. Also, "exta-plana" is supposed to be "extra-planar". Had to make something up for a little child who is speaking in her second language.)


"Daddy told me a widdle about dem." Maya explained, her eyes focused on the forest floor. "He knows a lot." The little girl let out a sigh. Suddenly everything seemed a little less fun than she had expected it all to be. She took in a deep breath and then cocked her head up to brave her fears and looked at Veritas. "Where are you from, sir? Are you lonely?"

Col. Patterson nodded with a good smile.

"Good, then things are going pretty well then. Just it seems Helena here and her friends forgot some food for their time in the vault." Patterson said with a chuckle. He then turned to Helena.

"Well when you're ready we better head back." Patterson said before turning back to RD again, "If you need anything don't be afraid to ask, kid."

Ummm... How come there is blood comeing out of storeroom!?!?

"If its willing, we can try communicating with it and ask for its help," Seril said. "With me around, it won't think we're trying to invade its weyr."

"This should be good for a bit," Helena said.

"Let's go find Matt, Hugo, and Ileyna then," R.D. said. "They're still at the Essence, right?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. Lead the way, Helena."

When they arrived back at the vault, Matt looked up from his portable game. "Hey, Helena, toss me the sack."

She did, and Matt reached inside, pulling out an old lawn chair that he propped against the wall. He sat down and wedged the sack next to him, crossing his legs.

"Do you intend to stay here this entire time?" Alasea asked, planting a hand on her hip.

"We're guarding this, aren't we?" Matt said.

"Unless you have a better option," Hugo said.

"I think my father had the Colonel take us here so we know where its at in case there is an attack," Alasea said.

"She does have a point," R.D. said. "We're not gonna know if there's an attack here. I don't see any klaxons or anything in here."

Hugo shot Matt a look.

"Oh," Matt said. "Then where should we hang, then?"

"Well a tight security is best. I'm not sure where else to have you." Patterson said turning away, "I'll go see what the General's orders are, perhaps there's more to this than we know. I'll be back.." Patterson smiled as he walked off to command central. This time, he felt better about leaving them on their camping trip. He gave another chuckle thinking about what it would be like in there for hours on end. A roaring game of Bullshit would pass the time. Or charades. He smiled as he walked off.

Edited by Blazen on May 5, 2009 at 19:06:12.

"Why don't we go back to the recreational sector?" Ileyna suggested.

===Main Command Center, Aube===

"How goes the assessment?" Patrick requested, standing in front of his desk in the command center as the technicians worked at various terminals.

"Not good, sir," one of them said. "We lost three of the mechanoid launch hangers, and one of the main turrets in the initial attack. Twelve percent of our remaining Nine-Ball forces were destroyed."

"Rubble is being cleared from levels 0C to 4F," another one stated. "There's reports of high casualties. One of the bunkers collapsed and killed ten squadrons."

More reports were issued, as the various screens showed the level of damage, and the repair and recovery efforts. As they continued, Patrick sighed and lowered himself down into the chair at his desk, rubbing at his tired eyes for a brief moment. Sometimes, the days just get to be too much for this old soldier.

Patterson put a hand on Patrick's shoulder. He had walked in as the reports were getting put out. As inappropriate as it was for Patterson to touch him, he felt the man needed a bit of reassurance. However Patterson remembered his place in a second and straightened himself into a salute.

"Sir, the kids know where the place is. Do we have any more orders?" Patterson asked.

"So what do we now?" Matt asked, as they all occupied a table in the recreational sector.

"Find something to do," Hugo said. He hopped down from the table. "I'm going to take a walk."

"I'll go too," Helena said.

"Mind if I join you?" Alasea asked, looking over at the girl. She figured it was a good way to get to know Helena again.

===Main Command Center, Aube===

The General corrected his stance and sat up straighter in his chair, looking back at the viewscreens. After contemplating for a moment or so, he spoke. "Those children managed to increase what we know about the enemy forces by over forty percent," he said. "For now, Colonel, you should make sure that the commanders are notified of this development. They'll need to study the information for the next attack."

"Sure."

"I'll just sit here and drink until the pain goes away, if you don't mind," Matt said.

"Drink what?" Hugo asked. "Root beer?"

"Go on your stinkin' walk already."

A few minutes later, R.D. and Matt found themselves alone at the table, as some of the younger civilian children had found Ileyna and dragged her off to play.

Leaning back in his chair, R.D. looked about the place.

"The Principality wasn't kidding when he said the Essence had left its mark, did he?" he commented.

"No kidding indeed."

***

Enough flat gray corridors has passed before Helena finally ventured a question.

"How good friends were we, exactly?" she asked Alasea. "Back then."

"Best friends, I guess," Alasea said slowly. "We could relate better than we could with the guys, and we didn't meet a whole lot of people when we traveled."

"How did I act back then? Was I different than how I am now?"

Hugo just kept walking, silent.

"Yeah, a little. You were a lot more subdued because you'd lived with your condition all your life," she explained. "But you were always bickering with Matt."