[SB039] Eeney Meeney Miney Moe "God damn that Raptor!" Jerhevon blinked and continued on to Dinosorceror's room a bit more hastilly having detected the sound and rustling from that room. He paused a moment, leaning his head to the door a moment to try and determine what was going on. Hearing just only more rustling and swearing, he opened the door to find the parasaur throwing the clothing of his drawers everywhere as he searched for something. Jerhevon rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh before speaking, "Something amiss, Dino?" He waited for an answer as their fearless leader continued hunting for something over muttered curses. The stegosaur cleared his throat and asked louder this time "I said, Something Amiss, Dino?" That got Dinosorceror's attention and he looked up at Jerhevon. His new clothes, courtesy of the Patriarch, were rumpled. And he looked as disheveled as any creature without any hair at all could. There was naught about his neck. "She took it! *She* took it! I can't believe that b...". "Woah, Dino, from the top, From the top! She who...?", interrupted Jerhevon. "X, she was here, with a friend. She'd come to deliver a message.. and something else.. and she stole it!", anguished Dinosorceror. "Stole what? and how did she get onboard? the sensors only picked up asteroids nearby." "The Lens, the 4-D Lens! It had to have been her, it's the only way, it isn't here and I never put it with the other pieces of the Device. I don't know how she got on, but she was here with a friend of hers, armed to the teeth." "Hmm, well, we better tell the others.." Dinosorceror hoped, "And go after her?" "Only if it is the easiest piece to reach, Dino. So what was her message?" "She said the previous Dinosorcer had a stronghold there, something with weapons and other things we need.. on Hoth of all places." The stegosaur considered, "And do you trust this?" "I don't know anymore...", Dinosorcer trailed off. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The two of them arrived in the control room to find Red playing solitaire with Darwin, Orelious in a heated debate with hirself. And Stormfront trying to sell a videophone to Benji while Livingstone slept. Dinosorcer paused, a moment, looking to Jerhevon "Weren't there two more of us, and where are the rest of the pieces?" as he reached into the display case to take up the Lens labeled DARK and put it about his neck. "Yes, WolfWings is in the science lab looking into those other pieces. The Lens you had plus this one both seem pretty obvious in use. FIELD definitely has a power, that force shield we saw, and he is looking into how to use it as well as those other pieces. Considering the other pieces we have seen, it would be surprising if they couldn't do anything more then test the hardness of things. "As for Matt, while you were busy, I have been having him train in the gym to bring him up to par with the rest of us. He's already taken a remarkable delight in knocking the punching bag across the gym with a swing of his tail." Red looked up, noticing them "Hey guys, what's up?". Pretending not to notice as Darwin shuffled the cards between various stacks. "We've got to get cracking," explained Dinosorceror, "Call the others, we've some planning to do." Jerhevon nodded his approval. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Once they were gathered in the breakfast nook, Dinosorceror explained the whole deal. Finishing up, "...So that leaves us with three choices:", he said enumerating each one with a claw, "One, we can track down X and try and regain the lens she stole. Two, we can go to Earth and seek the remaining pieces there. Three, we can track down Ceralien and capture her piece...", at which the others in the room shiverred. "Or four..." Orelious blinked, and hir Goat spoke up, echoing the sentiments of the group, "Four? I thought you said thr..." "Four, I'm sure I said four," the parasaur hmpphed, "Anyhow, Four, we secure Hoth and see if we can glean anything from it." "I would go with whatever is closest and simplest, so we can build our forces and have what we find to use in the more extreme cases", answered Jerhevon. Benjamin spoke up, stroking Livingstone, "Well, when the Patriarch brought us here, he brought us a good distance away from Earth. Maybe something else is closer, now." "Oh wow," spoke up Matt, "I've never been this far from home before." Stormfront chuckled, "What? Didn't we tell you all the business travel that was involved with this little adventure?" Red hmphed, "Too bad it won't apply to your frequent flyer mileage." Dinosorceror covered his eyes at the side conversation, how had he come to lead this motely crue? Jerhevon chuckled as Dinosorceror spoke up "People, People, I'm serious about this... Darwin, in relation to us and Earth, where is Hoth?" "We would collide with Hoth if we flew straight to Earth, lizardboy," the dolphin AI responded flippantly. "Well, I guess that settles that." Red, nearly Dinosorceror's height now, minus the wings, rose up and spoke, "Not quite, we.." indicating himself and the other dragons. "We can't go with you right now." Dino was taken aback, as were the non-draconic part of the crew, "Why not?" he asked surprisedly. WolfWings spoke up, "A Dragon's duty. We have a Ritual we need to attend. For Red especially." Red nodded and continued, "It's a celebration of life and maturity. It is something all dragons go through at some point, it marks a turning point and a change over between being a hatchling and a person. It is after this point that we may study and learn skills and magics. Or in my case, to start practicing them again. I have chosen WolfWings and Stormfront to be my witnesses, and they have agreed." Dinosorcer nodded to all of that "Well, since you put it that way, I can't stop you, but we'll miss you, friends." He was seconded by the others, except for a single third from the snake. "When are you leaving?" "We should be heading off shortly, probably sooner if you guys are about to head off." Jerhevon rose a hand, "And how are you getting there?" The dragons grinned as Red spoke, "Now now, can't give away all our secrets now." "Ahh, how long will it take you?", asked Dinosorcer. "Oh, about two to three episodes, give or take a little bit. Don't worry about us we'll get back soon enough to help with your treasure hunt." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Orelious looked out the window at the passing stars, * I miss them already, seems almost empty around here now. * Benjamin nodded "Yes, feels more spacious about here now. Dino, Are we there yet?" "Any minute now," replied the parasaur as Jerhevon stegosaur-handled the controls. "Ah there it is now. Jerhevon, put us into orbit. Darwin, scanners on, main screen." Jerhevon nodded, making the adjustment, which didn't jounce them too badly as the computer revved on the screen, skittering past the test pattern, FOX, and finally showed Hoth after a touch too long pause on Baywatch. All of them gasped, for Hoth may have been an ice world once, but it certainly was not now. Readings on temperature, humidity, and foliage indicated a thriving jungle. Lights visible in the shadow of the planet indicated thriving civilization. Slowly, Dinosorceror asked, "What's down there?" as the external sensors strived to zoom in for better resolution. The screen focused on an amusement park sign near a dormant volcano. It read "Welcome to Lava Dome ]I[" and as the scene panned down over sinous bodies Darwin announced succintly, "9 Billion life forms, all coelurosaur." To a one, they could almost all hear a malevolent "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" --------------------+------------------------------------------------------- Jerhevon |"Oh I'm a Stegosaurus, and my friends all call me Pete" Stegosaur at large | - Brian Dullaghan, Dinosaur Songs brefin@cache.cow.net| http://cache.cow.net/~brefin/Sarthia/ --------------------+-------------------------------------------------------