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Leph and co prepare to look for Feldoh and Teri.


Shawn: How do I look, Jules?
Juliet: Like my 11-year-old nephew in his Peyton Manning pajamas.
Shawn: Your 11-year-old nephew is ruggedly sexy? That's weird.

---

Dez awoke to an empty room. Serleah was already gone somewhere. He got up and rubbed his face until the sleep left his eyes. He noticed an S-Com on the bed as he got up. It was Serleah’s. A message was on the screen. “Hey, lover boy. Had to go clear my head and get some fresh air and I know how much you love to sleep. Come find me when you wake up.”
Dez dragged himself out of the room, hungry and still tired. He wasn’t particularly disturbed by the situation they were in. It was a fantastic opportunity for a story of epic proportions. His publishers would give him a massive bonus for something like this. His stomach grumbled, and he decided that Serleah could wait a bit. That and she probably wanted to talk. He gulped, rounding a corner and almost bumping into Cyan. “Whoa there! Where are you going in such a hurry?”
Cyan looked groggier than Dez. “Food.”
Dez nodded. “Me too. Do you know where we can get some grub?”
He pointed down the hall. “Down there.”
They started walking down the corridor, Cyan checking his pace this time. Dez glanced down at him. “Didn’t get much sleep, huh?”
“I got enough. What about you? You look tired.”
“Oh, I’m not tired. Just, uh… nervous.”
“Being sucked into another galaxy will do that to you.”
“Oh, that’s not it… um…”
Cyan looked. “If getting lost in a strange world isn’t throwing you off, what is?”
They walked for a little bit before Dez answered. “Alright, I’ll tell you a little about it.”
Then entered a large room with some strange smells wafting around. No one was there, but there were a few huge platters sitting on some tables that seemed to be producing most of the aromas in the room. Dez and Cyan sat at the table but were too cautious to dig in right away. “I got a note from Serleah this morning. She wants me to meet her later.”
“Oh no. Is she gonna break up with you?”
Dez laughed. “No, of course not. We’ve been mates for longer than you’ve been alive.”
He continued chuckling as he poked the steaming mass of greenish plants on the table. “We’ve had rougher patches than this, lemme tell you.”
Cyan shrugged. “Then what’s the problem?”
“Well… Seeing Leph again hasn’t put her in a good mood. She’ll want to vent to me, and as much as I love her it just gets uncomfortable…”
Dez took a bite of the plant and found it tasted a little meaty. He ate it slowly, as he didn’t exactly like the flavor. Cyan shrugged. “I don’t know. If someone I liked that much was going through something, I’d do anything to make them feel better.”
Dez munched for a while. “Yeah. You’ve never been in a situation like this, though…”
“What situation?”
Leena walked in and headed for the table, catching Dez’s response. “Sorry, kiddo. Can’t tell you anything. It’s between Leph, Serleah and me. Oh, hello.”
Leena sat with them but didn’t speak right away. Cyan tried the plant and nodded. “This is tasty. Try some, Teliko’s mom!”
Leena sniffed it. “Well… I suppose it’s something.”
Leena and Dez ate reluctantly, while Cyan dug in with gusto. As they ate, two Sytis lumbered in. After a second, Leena recognized them. “Makron, Vaà. Please, sit with us.”
The two Sytis approached but did not sit. “Where is Leph?” Makron said.
Leena gestured for the door. “Still sleeping, I think. He should be along in a bit… Have you come to a decision about us?”
Zach walked in, was startled by the two Sytis, then sat with Leena. “We have. I would like to tell Leph directly, so I don’t have to explain multiple times.”
“Alright… there he is.”
Leph walked in, looking sleepy. Yalogalil followed shortly after. Makron turned to face him, and he stopped. “Um… hi.”
“We have decided to help you look for your friends.”
Leph smiled. “Hey, that’s great!”
“There are some conditions that the council decided on. One, we are only taking two ships, and I must accompany you.”
Leph nodded. “That’s alright. Leena?”
“Yes?”
“Will you be coming with us, or do you want to stay?”
Leena looked over at Dez, then back to Leph. “I’ll watch the kids. Don’t get yourself killed.”
Leph nodded. “Alright. I’ll take Zach and you… uh, Yalogalil.”
Yalogalil shook his head. “I will not go. I want to stay here.”
Leph shrugged. “Ok, fine.”
“I will not join any of your adventures in fact. I have resolved to keep this planet as my home.”
Everyone fell silent. Makron shifted her tail and Vaà’s mouth hung open a little. Makron stepped up to Yalogalil and glared at him. “You wish to stay with us? You do not want to re-join your kind? Why is this?”
Yalogalil rose to his full height, paws akimbo. “I like it, this planet.”
No one in the room knew how to respond. Leph broke the silence. “Uh… We can wait to discuss this, right Makron?”
Makron grumbled. “You must think about this, Yalogalil. We can speak after we return from Evil space.”
Yalogalil nodded, then sat at the table. Leph sat also. “Well… Makron. Do you mind if we eat first?”
“We will depart when you are ready. I caution you not to dawdle, however. It won’t be long until the Evil catch wind of these anomalies.”
Zach stood. “I’ll go see how Rico is doing. It’ll only take a second, so don’t leave without me.”
Dez stood. “I gotta find Serleah. Feel free to leave without me, though.”
“Alright. Zach. I’ll find Leo, he’ll be useful on this too. Be back here in half an hour.”
He nodded and left the room, Dez tagging along. Leph looked down at one of the plates of plant matter. “What’s this?”
Cyan bit off another piece. “Plant meat!”
Leph shook his head and stood to leave as Leena giggled. “Yalogalil, I don’t understand how you go from being a pirate to wanting to stay here with this… slimy vine meat.”
Yalogalil chuckled. “No, I am supposing you do not.”

Leph found Leo and Fieru in their room. Leo was tinkering with his leg as Fieru watched. “Just… Look, that servo is locked. There must be somethin’ jammed in there!”
“This is my leg, Fieru. I know what’s wrong with it.”
Leo glanced up. “Ah, Leph. Have the Sytis said anything?”
“Yeah, actually. We’re being allowed to go look for Feldoh and Teri. I want you to come along… if you can.”
Leo pushed something with his claw and there was a little click, and the leg flopped down from where it had been locked. “Yes, I think I can. Fieru?”
Leo began reattaching his leg as Fieru scratched under his floppy hair. “Eh… I think I’m gonna stay and tinker with the ship. I am not leaving it on this planet.”
Leo nodded. “Alright then. Leph?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
Leo stood, flexed his legs, and followed Leph out of the room. Fieru waited until they were gone to get up himself.

Zach walked into the clinic to see Rico bouncing tentatively on his injured leg. “Rico!”
“Zach! Look at this shit! My leg is almost completely healed.”
Lenny was also standing nearby, arms out in case Rico fell over. The Sytis doctor was also there, observing. Zach laughed and shook his head. “Damn… Doc, how did you do it?”
The doctor didn’t seem to be impressed with his own work. “It was simple. I placed him in a cell regeneration field overnight. It was difficult to calibrate it for such fleshy skin.”
Rico laughed. “Well whatever you did, it worked like a charm… Wah!”
Rico suddenly fell over. Luckily, Lenny was there to catch him. “H-hey! Are you ok?”
Rico hopped out of Lenny’s arms and back onto the bed. “Yeah… Cramp.”
Rico massaged his leg. Zach chuckled. “Well… The Sytis had decided to help us. We’re gonna go see if we can find Feldoh and Teri.”
“You want help?”
Lenny and Zach were surprised for a moment, and both tried to speak at once. “Rico you-”
“Why do-”
“Uh, sorry Zach. You go first.”
“Right. Rico, you don’t have to come.”
“No. I came here to stop Cain. I should be helping you get your fleet back. You said that we might run into Cain as well, right?”
“Yeah…”
“Then I’m going. What were you going to say, Lenny?”
“... Nothing. I’m coming too.”
The doctor grunted. “The cramps may continue.”
Rico stood again. “It’s all better now. Come on.”
He went for the door, Lenny and Zach following. Zach ran up beside Rico. “There’s no way I can change your mind, is there?”
“Nope.”
“Jeez, were you always like this?”
“Yeah. I believe it was my dogged devotion to eating lunch with you even though you clearly wanted to be left alone was how we became friends.”
“Hey, you’re right.”
Lenny, who was walking behind them thanks to his shorter legs, raised a finger and began to speak when Rico and Zach started giggling uncontrollably. He slowed a bit. It was that same dogged devotion that kept him and Rico together, even though prison. It was that loyalty that Lenny came to count on when he was stressed or depressed. Now he knew where it came from, and where it was now going.

Dez spotted Serleah the moment he left the building, which was probably what she planned. She was sitting on top of a very wiry tree with few leaves. Dez walked over and sat under it. “Hey.”
She looked down. “Oh! Hey, there.”
“The Sytis decided to help us. Leph and them are going on a rescue mission.”
Serleah clambered down the tree nimbly. “When are they leaving?”
“Uh, as soon as Zach gets back. You planning on going?”
“Yes.”
Serleah sat beside him, and her tail fell over his. He sighed. “I understand. B-but you should know something.”
She took his paw. “Tell me.”
“This… whole thing makes me uncomfortable.”
Serleah nodded. “This place is pretty freaky.”
“No, not being brought here. This is my job.”
Serleah looked away. “You mean… why we joined the Frontier fleet. I’m trying to make up for a mistake I made. You went along with it.”
“I know, I know. It just doesn’t sit right… being around him.”
Serleah was silent for a while. “You’re right.”
Dez squeezed her paw tighter. “I still think this is a good thing. And I still forgive you.”
She looked at him, slightly misty eyed. “Do you? I cheated on you, Dez. I… broke my word, I hurt you and my best friend in the worst way possible.”
“It irks me, but I've... We've already gotten over it.”
“I just… I need you to understand. I want to win back Leph like I won back you.”
She started slightly, then smacked herself. “That came out so wrong! Rrrrg! I just… I-I-”
Dez pulled her into a hug. Serleah stopped stammering and froze up, as though if she moved, she might burst into tears. “Shh. I know what you mean.”
“You said it irks you.”
“I’ll get over that, too… Sorry.”
“I appreciate the honesty.”
They sat for a moment, then Serleah stood. “I better catch up with Leph and… Go see if we can find Feldoh and Teri.”
Dez nodded. “I’ll stay here. You be safe, now.”
“I will.”
She waved, clasped her paws together indecisively, then walked off towards the building. Dez leaned back against the tree and stared into the reddening sky.

Leph was trying to figure out how to remove the battery pack from the laser rifle. Leo watched with amusement. “Need a paw?”
“I got it…”
Rico, Lenny and Zach walked in. Leph was quick to put the gun down and smile up at the trio. “Oh, hey Zach. And you two…”
“They’re coming too.”
“But-”
Rico jumped up and landed on his previously shot leg, interrupting Leph. “My leg is fine, and I can be useful.”
Leph shrugged. “Alright. Let’s go then…”
Teliko walked in, yawning. “Hey guys… Has anyone seen Czyak?”
No one ventured an answer. Serleah entered behind Teliko. “Oh, excuse me, Teliko…”
“Oh, hey Serleah!”
“Hi… Leph? You ready to go?”
“Go? You’re not thinking of coming with me…”
She crossed the room quickly, then picked up Leph’s gun. She began to field strip the weapon as she spoke. “You’re in way over your head, Leph. You have no idea how to use a weapon and you’ve only ever held your own in a fight out of pure dumb luck. You need me.”
The gun lay in several parts on the table. Cyan whistled. “Cool!”
Leph sighed. “You have a point.”
Serleah began reassembling the gun. “When do we leave?”
Makron stood from where she was now sitting. “We can go now. Our ships are waiting outside.”
Vaà shuffled a little as everyone going began to gather their things. Teliko swayed a little, then walked over to Vaà. She held out her paw, and Vaà extended one of his claws. She took it. “Don’t worry, Vaà. If you run into any trouble, my dad’ll protect you and Makron.”
He seemed to relax a little. Teliko grinned. “You’re welcome.”
Serleah shouldered the rife. “This’ll be a breeze. C’mon.”
Teliko sat down next to Cyan so she would be out of the way as everyone evacuated the room. “Hey, why don’t you cheer me up when I need it?”
Teliko glanced at him distractedly. “You’re never sad. Or… I can’t tell when you are…”
Cyan shrugged. “I guess…”
Leena patted Cyan on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Cyan. We’ll find your mother and father.”
“Thanks, Teliko’s mom.”
“I suppose I’ll never get you to stop calling me that. Oh, Mr. Yalogalil…”
There was no one else in the room. Teliko stood and stretched. “You guys hang around here, I’m gonna go find Czyak.”
She strode out. Cyan sighed. “Damn…”
“Hm?”
“She’s so- U-uh, um, she’s so tall.”
“Why, you’re right.”

Nai’s legs were the only thing visible of him as he tinkered inside the computer casing. The other three sat nearby, waiting for Nai to speak. “Ok! Try it again!”
Cain stood, sighed and approached a bundle of wires that was connected to the computer and the wall. The cables coming from the wall were strange. They didn’t seem to be coated in any protective material but weren’t metal either. Nonetheless, they were not at all compatible with the Atriean computer. Cain reached into the mess of wires with his synthetic, not conductive arm. Sparks flew, and he pulled out two leads. One was alien, with some modifications, and the other was Atriean. He connected the two. Nai yelped. “Ah! Shit! Ow!”
There was a bang and Nai could be heard blowing on something. Gray Fox hurried over and peeked inside the casing. “Nai?”
“Something sparked and caught my fur on fire!”
“Are you alright?”
“Yes I’m alright! I stopped screaming, didn’t I!?”
Cain nudged Polos. “Do you think he’s ever been cool and collected?”
“Nai? Probably not.”
Grey Fox straightened up. “His mate seems to think he is.”
Nai slid out of the computer and sat up. “Drifrasa’s tits! It didn’t work… We’re not getting any of the test data, are we?”
Gray Fox was about to answer when a clang from the other side of the room told them the door was opening. The Rhetorician slowly strolled over and gestured to the massive force field. “We are here.”
They all looked out into the hazy vista of space. Nai rubbed a charred patch of fur on his paw. “I don’t see anything.”
There was a flash of metal in the distance. As they drew closer, a collection of three cargo containers came into view. The dull metal was difficult to see in the low light, dusty area. A beam of light shot out and encased the containers. They began moving towards the ship. Cain raised an eyebrow at the strange beam. “What the hell is that?”
The Rhetorician made a raspy sound that might have been laughter or a scoff. “That is our stasis beam. It excites the dust particles in space, and they push objects towards the ship. Then those concierges will carry them in here.”
Gray Fox nodded. “Interesting. Any sign of Sytis activity?”
The Rhetorician grumbled something, then turned back towards the door. “… Yes, there is. But not nearby. It seems a small detachment of Sytis vessels is on its way to the second spot within god’s domain. They will make it there before us.”
The first cargo container entered the ship, and a few concierges flew up and attached themselves to it. All four stepped back nervously. The cargo pod was at least eight meters tall, and probably weighed thousands of kilograms. Despite this, the concierges had no problem carrying the thing to one corner of the workspace. Nai ran after it. “Wait! Turn it around! The yellow side needs to be facing us!”
The Rhetorician retreated to one corner of the room as the cargo pods were brought in one by one. It was a slow process, and by the time the last one was brought in, Polos and Nai had already gotten inside the first pod. Gray Fox stood outside as they rooted around. “Strange that there was no ship. Just pods.”
Cain shrugged. “Maybe they flew off. Or never entered the… anomaly in the first place.”
Nai poked his head out. “Computers! I found computers! We can adapt these to the ones from the station!”
Polos stepped out and held out a container triumphantly. “Here.”
Gray Fox took the box and set it down. The box was filled with carefully packaged, beautifully shiny crystals. “Perfect.”
“There’s also sheet metal and plenty of tools. It’ll take a little elbow grease, but I think we’ll be golden.”
Gray Fox scoffed. “No reactor. We need the Frontier.”
Nai jumped down off the pod. “I still think we can just use the ship’s power to run the Oculus beam.”
“I want to run it off power native to our universe.”
Nai shrugged. “Fine. I’m taking a break.”
Cain turned around. “Me too.”
He followed Nai as Polos and Gray Fox reentered the pod. “Nai! Hang up a second.”
“Hm? What?”
“Gray Fox mentioned something about you having a mate… is that true.”
Nai sat down next to the half-gutted computer console and began to munch on some green, meaty substance that a concierge had brought earlier. “Why do you want to know?”
“We’re stuck together, right? I wanna get to know you.”
Nai shrugged. “Yes, I have a mate. And a son… and maybe a daughter in law. They probably don’t even know I’m missing.”
“Why?”
“Because Gray Fox blackmailed me into spending the rest of my life working for him on his stupid goddamn energy project.”
Cain sat as well. “Blackmailed you? What, did you cheat on your mate or something?”
“No! Never! I, uh. Well, he’s still blackmailing me. I can’t say anything.”
“Fine.”
Nai put down the food. “But listen. Before we got sucked in here, me and my colleague, Drifrasa rest his soul, found out he was lying about this universe. It’s not full of energy.”
“Obviously.”
That’s why I was pointing a gun at him. He tried to kill me when I found out.”
Cain nodded. “That does make him suspicious. We think he’s out to get something more than energy, too.”
“Suspicious? Oh, yes. Now let me eat in peace.”
Cain stood. “I will. And since I’m not a genius like all of you, I’m going to do some recon. Rhetorician!”
The wiry man ran over. “Yes, Cain?”
“I want to speak to God.”
“You… seek an audience with God?”
“That is what I said.”
The rhetorician folded his hands together. “…Indeed. Follow me.”
Cain was led through the halls, heading down ones with more and more red ‘paint’. After a while, they reached a set of doors. The rhetorician was vibrating strangely, and upon opening the doors, he only said one thing. “Do not be rude.”
Cain walked in, glancing around at the empty room. There was a slightly raised platform, but other than that the only other thing was a small panel on the wall. “Hello?”
Something moved from across the room, and a raspy, grating voice commanded: “Kneel.”
Cain’s body was then subjected to an incredible pressure. It felt as though a Cain shaped force field had formed around him, and then knelt. He had no choice but to follow his wraith as it dipped his head all the way to the floor. He couldn’t even speak. Large, lumbering footsteps approached Cain, stopping a meter away. The same voice returned. “Why have you come before me?”