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Chapter 12: Striking Out.

Brian's eyes opened once again, shaking off the cobwebs of a dreamless sleep. Not like there was anything else to do but sleep, anyway... he was still stuck in this infernal cave with a bashed skull and broken ribs. He was still ticked off about that; the next one of those huge Sharpclaw he came across was going to bear the brunt of his frustrations... "Even if it takes using the fifty-cal." The Marine finished his thought out loud as he sat up, surveying his surroundings.

Krystal's staff was still in his hand, and he noted that it was at about half-charge. Even though they had argued last night, she had left it with him... saving his body quite a bit of agony. He was definitely grateful for it... even though he was still a bit irked at her bringing up his divorce.

It really wasn't any of her business, anyway. Erica decided to be a cheating bitch, and when he caught her she decided to try to milk as much money out of him as she could. The divorce was going to be nasty as hell, and he would have wound up paying for it for years to come... at least until this happened.

That much he admitted to himself. Just like that Stones song, he was two-thousand light years from home; stranded on an alien planet with no way to get back. Yet... he was free. Everyone he might have known was good as dead; his parents, brother and sisters, friends, comrades... but he was free from Erica. He wasn't going to get letters from her lawyer. She wasn't going to bleed him dry, and that alone made it worth it.

Brian was, however, still fighting. A different place and a different foe. Instead of Al Quaeda and forces still loyal to Saddam Hussein, he was fighting lizardmen and their maniacal Hitler-esque leader... who almost took his damn head off yesterday.

Had it only been that long? It felt like ages since they fell off the side of that palace. It had only been by sheer luck and Krystal's abilities that they survived it... and he didn't even want to think about falling again. The thought of going through that again shook him to his core. He was grateful that she was able to save their lives, but at the same time he wasn't sure he was wanting to face the prospect of such certain death again. Getting shot at was one thing; he could shoot back. Falling to his death was not what he wanted to do.

A concerned voice from the cavern entrance brought Brian out of his thoughts. "Hello? Anyone alive down here?" It was Tricky. The young Earthwalker may have been annoying, but at least he could speak English, and he was always eager to help.

"Yeah, I'm here." The Marine caught a glimpse of Tricky rounding the corner, with what he could have sworn was a worried expression on his features. How he could have actually discerned an expression on the face of an actual dinosaur was beyond him... maybe he was going nuts. "What's up?"

The Earthwalker walked up to the piles of fur that made up his current bed; giving a concerned glance to the Marine that was sitting there. "I saw Krystal run out of here last night... what happened? Where is she?"

"We had a bit of an argument, and she took off." Brian shrugged as he slid off of the bed, making sure he kept his hand wrapped around her staff. He wasn't sure how much he had actually healed up, but under normal circumstances he wouldn't be walking for at least a month. At the same time he looked around, trying to spot his pistol. He wasn't going to walk out of the cave unarmed, and wielding his M14 or shotgun wasn't going to happen while holding onto the staff. "Where're my guns?" he grumbled, not being able to locate any of his firearms.

"They're at the mouth of the cave." Tricky explained, tilting his head to the side. "Why'd you and Krystal have an argument? Aren't you two friends?" He wondered why they would be arguing. Friends were supposed to stick together and not argue, that's what his mom told him. "What if you hurt her feelings? She wouldn't even go to sleep so she could make sure you were okay."

"Wait a minute." Brian felt a twinge of pain from his ribs as he stood up, but amazingly the crushing headache from earlier had faded completely away. He reached up to the side of his face to feel the gashes from his run-in with bullet fragments... and felt only smooth skin. Krystal's staff was working miracles... it would be awkward, but he'd have to thank her. He wasn't sure how, but he would. An idea took hold in his mind, and a test of said idea soon followed; he simply propped the staff against the cave wall next to him and let the excruciating pain come.

The Marine's luck was holding out... it didn't come. All he felt was a soreness spread throughout his ribs; a soreness that practically screamed that his broken ribs had knit and were for the most part okay. His crushing headache was gone as well... and that was something that would have laid him up in a hospital for months. It hadn't even taken a couple of days as Krystal had figured it would.

Her magical weapon had repaired damage that was far beyond the reach of even the best doctors and medical researchers on Earth. The hardest fact he had to swallow was that he had no idea how it worked. If it were some sort of sci-fi device that used nanotechnology or energy manipulation to heal wounds, it would have been one thing. Yet, her staff seemed purely... magical. He wasn't happy to put his trust in something he didn't even remotely understand, but without the vixen's staff he wouldn't be walking right now. Another sobering thought hit him... if it wasn't for her abilities, he wouldn't be alive right now, either.

"Alright, alright." Brian snapped, finally responding to the intruding Earthwalker; his annoyance fed by the realization that he really had been too hard on her. "I'll look around for her like a good little boy. Just quit harping me about it; I don't want another headache." The Marine picked her staff back up and strode around the bend in the cave, keeping his eyes open as he approached the entrance.

Sure enough, one of his weapons was propped against the cave wall next to the door. The sight of his M14 sitting there unmolested was a relief... being in a combat zone for so long had made him quite nervous to be unarmed. He grabbed the rifle, giving it a quick once-over to make sure it was functional. It was a bit battered from the abuse it had received over the past few days; several deep scratches ran across the walnut stock and some of the finish had been roughly scraped off... yet it was completely serviceable. 'Still works. Thank God for good 'ol American engineering.' Brian smiled as he slung the rifle over his shoulder and stepped out into the valley.

It looked to be mid-morning, and the start of a very mild, nice day. It felt like late spring back in Billings, where it was warm enough to be comforting yet not blistering hot... the perfect day for a family picnic. He stood there for a moment, letting the warmth of the sunlight beat down upon his abused body. It felt great. If he could take away the dinosaurs and burnt patches of grass ahead, the valley would have looked exactly like a national park. The creek flowing through the middle of the valley was clear and inviting... and that reminded him that he sorely needed a damn shower.

"Should put her staff back in the Humvee as well." he stated to himself, glancing over to the vehicle. It sat where he had parked it last, next to the slope that led into the valley. It was also a good first place to check for Krystal, as well... it had all their supplies, in any case. Basking in the wonderful weather, he slowly strolled towards the armored truck.

The Humvee had definitely seen better days, he mused. The passenger's windshield was cracked in several places, courtesy of a few insurgent bullets right before it was transported to Sauria. The tan camouflage stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the vibrant greens of the valley, and it was still caked with dust and dried mud; the dust from the deserts of Iraq and the mud from the poorly-maintained trails of Sauria. It was very much ready for action; the M2 .50-caliber machine gun still sat upon the top, primed and ready. For Brian, it was his last real link to home... a home he would probably never see again.

Before opening the door, he peered through the thick armored glass. Judging by the mass of blankets piled upon the back seat, Krystal was in there... and still sleeping. He would have to be quiet. He gently popped the catch holding the door shut and slid into the driver's seat, a gaze cast to his vulpine ally as he did so.

She was tangled up with her blanket, looking as if she had tossed and turned half the night. Her foot was poking out of the blankets and hanging lazily above the floorboard of the Humvee. That caused a memory to stab at Brian's mind... Erica used to sleep like that. The few months they had lived together before he went to boot camp, he would always be up before her... he'd run downstairs to make coffee, and sneak back up. He would always reach out and tickle the bottom of her foot, sending her tumbling off the bed in a fit of laughter. He would usually get a pillow upside the head in retaliation, but it was one of those games they played.

He shook his head, clearing his head just in time to notice his hand had drifted towards her foot. His face lit up bright red as he yanked his hand back; as if he were pulling it away from a red-hot poker. Was he actually about to do that to her? It was completely inappropriate, and a major lack of self control. 'Get a grip, man. Erica's long gone, and you know it. Thinking about her ain't going to help. You're better off keeping it buried.' He chided himself as he set the M14 back into the passenger's footwell.

Her staff was gently set next to her... he also noted that she was quite deeply asleep. None of his rummaging around had woken her, and he was mildly surprised that her abilities hadn't alerted her to his presence yet. As he was tucking his staff next to her, he spotted his own prize settled underneath one of her paws: His gunbelt, complete with his M1911. He grabbed it, setting his piece upon his lap. Now for his combat pack.

The pack was sitting in the passenger's seat, which made the next part easy. He fumbled one of the pockets open and took out a large plastic bag; his toiletries kit. It contained all the necessaries... soap, shampoo, his razors and shaving cream, toothbrush and toothpaste, and deodorant. He grabbed another blanket to act as a towel and slid out of the Humvee, content to know that he hadn't woken her up. "Time to find some privacy in this joint and get cleaned up."

He didn't have to look far. The waterfall that marked the beginning of the creek looked like a good place... and sure enough there was a natural cavern behind it. He had no idea that Krystal had used it earlier, nor did he notice the several softball-sized glowing orbs that were nestled under a pile of clothing in the Humvee's cargo area.

The Marine made his way towards the waterfall, thoughts of finally getting a few minutes to relax running through his mind.

*---------------------------------------*

Krystal slowly awakened from a very fruitless sleep. Even though she was exhausted, questions had burned through her mind all night, awakening her several times. The good news was that she felt a little better than before, after eating the human food packet she had rummaged up before going to bed. Still, those very questions were on her mind right now... how did other Cerinians get to Sauria? How did they help the Saurians, and what had become of them afterward?

The Warpstone would have those answers, she hoped. That would be her first order of business, after checking up on Brian. She didn't want to take it from him if he was still injured, but she still wanted her staff back. While human blasters were powerful, they were loud and she wasn't all that skilled with them. She turned her head to the right to glance at Brian's blaster pistol...

...and saw her staff right there, ready and waiting. Brian had been here and brought it back, taking his belt in exchange. At the very least he was courteous enough to do so after their argument the previous night. That caused a grin to appear on her features as she glanced around the vehicle.

Since it was encased with thick armored glass, the human military transport became quite hot with the brunt of Sauria's sun. The turret opening above her provided a little relief, but she knew that she didn't want to stay in there all day. Grabbing her staff, Krystal exited the Humvee. She was exhausted and worn out, but she had questions. 'How did other Cerinians manage to get here? Is this why the Saurian language is almost identical to my own; did Cerinians manage to teach them how to communicate?' Her mind puzzled over the multitude of inquiries her mind formed as she padded along the path that took her to the Warpstone. The curiosity overwhelmed her to the point where her senses were forced to the back burner... they required a great deal of concentration; something she didn't have much to spare at that point.

The grotto the Warpstone resided in was still and peaceful; marred only by the sound of water rushing over the falls below them. The massive monolith appeared to be sleeping as she made her way onto the bridge overlooking it, memories flaring into her mind. The last time she was here she was bleeding to death from Scales' blades, and was only saved by the quick action of Tricky and a few of the Thorntails. She shuddered at the dim memory of the pain and fear that coursed through her mind. It was over now, and it would not happen again, as long as she could help it. Composing herself, she walked the few remaining yards to face the Warpstone.

Krystal noticed that the living rock was in fact still sleeping. A frown formed upon her muzzle as she studied him... after a moment the Cerinian made the decision to interrupt his slumber. "Excuse me?" she inquired, prompting a stirring from the ancient magical being. "Are you awake?"

The Warpstone acted much like any sleeping sentient creature would have if awoken... he blinked, yawned, and glanced at the young vixen before him. His annoyed scowl lightened as he realized who it was, and he nodded. "Aye, lass. It's good to see ye alive and well. There are few that survive Scales' blades, so count yeself lucky." He paused and glanced her over. "Where do ye need to go today?"

"I don't need to go anywhere, honored one." Krystal looked down, taking a deep breath. "I needed to ask you some questions. The Gatekeeper told me that you helped others of my kind so long ago... what happened?"

The Warpstone paused for a moment. "'Tis a long story, lass... and not one for the faint of heart. Suffice it to say they came here to help us in our time of need... and they succeeded."

The vixen sighed, sitting down upon the bank of the small lagoon. She glanced up at him, shaking her head. "You have time, honored one. I have time as well. We never developed star travel... and the first Cornerian traders to Cerinia arrived fifty years ago. Please... I need to know what happened."

"Ye drive a hard bargain, Guardian." The use of her new title caused her ears to perk. "Five hundred years ago, there were no Spellstones to counteract the raw magical energy that powers Sauria... just one huge Soulstone. The Krazoa Spirits were the Soulstone's only defense from destruction... for if the Soulstone was destroyed, Sauria would rip itself apart in no time."

Krystal nodded. "Just like the Spellstones do now, right?"

"Aye. Since only a fool would even think of destroying it, there was nae need for them to be defended... or so most Saurians thought. However... the leader of the Sharpclaw tribe had other plans. The bastard's name was Drakor. He was a heartless brute... even today most dinosaurs will cower in fear at the mention of his name. Drakor decided tae take the Soulstone for himself... for reasons even we cannae understand."

"Drakor took his most powerful soldiers tae the remote wastes where the Krazoa guarded the Soulstone. Even the Krazoa were no match; they were scattered tae the winds, unable to hold the Sharpclaw back. Drakor then smashed the Soulstone, and the planet started tae fall apart... much like it is now. When he did, the blast transformed him. Made him powerful... almost like a god."

Krystal nodded, motioning to the Warpstone to continue his story. It seened as if Drakor had been far more of a threat than Scales was... at least he had been defeated. That gave her hope... maybe they could actually save Sauria.

"Drakor wasn't a Sharpclaw anymore... he was a demon. All the other tribes sent their best warriors after the Sharpclaw... but they were slaughtered. It was hopeless... and we had nobody to call upon. In our darkest time... we needed heroes. The Krazoa gathered here and talked tae me... we put our heads together and sent out a message... telepathically. Maybe someone out there could help us; it was our last chance."

"And... Cerinians came to your aid." She sat back, her mind racing. The Krazoa were powerful spirits; most likely even greater than the Guardian Spirits she would have been sworn to protect. Several of them would have been powerful enough to send a telepathic message quite a distance. Even a star system away, Cerinians might have heard it.

"Aye, again. Ye have a sharp mind, Guardian. A week later five of yer kind simply... appeared right here. Where ye're sitting down, in fact. One almost fell intae my little pool." The Warpstone offered a mirthful chuckle into the air at the memory. "They asked how they could help, and I told them the whole story. They were powerful... all of them experienced Guardians... and one of them a high priest. They swore to protect Sauria at all costs, and they did."

"So... what happened?" Krystal was also puzzled at a few other questions. "How do all Saurians speak Cerinian... did they teach them?"

The monolith nodded at her. "They taught us a lot, aye. None of the Saurian tribes spoke the same language... and very few knew all the languages needed to communicate. After Drakor was defeated, they helped foster a common tongue... and everyone eventually started speaking it instead. However... the task they had before them was immense. They had to gather the fragments of the Soulstone... battling Drakor's forces all the way. Once they had all of them... they had to forge a new one."

An idea came to the vixen. "The four Spellstones... they're just parts of the Soulstone. The other Guardians managed to piece them back together and made four... so it would be harder to steal or destroy them."

"Correct, lass. They were also the ones that constructed the Force Point Temple tae deter thieves from taking them... and built the Krazoa Palace and shrines so the revered spirits would not be disturbed. The Spirits are as important to the survival of Sauria as the Spellstones are, lass. Without them... even if the Spellstones were returned tae their rightful places... the planet would continue tae crumble. The Krazoa are the only ones who can manipulate their power... to put everything back to normal."

"They did all this while clashing with Drakor's forces. It was nae easy, and they were beaten back more than once. Yet, the day came when they rallied together and confronted Drakor himself.... at the place now known as Dragon Rock. They were victorious, but at a great cost... the high priest was killed... and the chance of returning to Cerinia died with him."

She closed her eyes, the mention of Cerinia threatening to bring a fresh twist of pain to her heart. She didn't even know if anyone else was alive; was she the last Cerinian in existence? She just did not know, and that fact simply hurt. "They stayed here?"

"Aye. They split apart to live amongst the separate tribes... tae teach them their language and to act as ambassadors. They also helped design the Krazoa Palace tae provide a safe place for the Spirits... but eventually, as all mortal beings do... they passed from life. Very few of us remember them anymore, but those that do knew they had made a great sacrifice. We honor your kind, lass."

"Thank you for telling me." She slowly stood up, glancing at the Warpstone while trying to keep the tears from coming. "I.... understand what's at stake here. I shall do my best to honor them by making sure Scales does not succeed." She left it at that and slowly made her way to exit the small lagoon, all the while her mind consumed by thought.

*------------------*

Krystal sighed as she walked down the path, the realization of what the Warpstone had told her weighing heavily on her mind. There was not one word written of the five Cerinians that had made the permanent trip to Sauria; left their homeworld on a risky journey to save the denizens of a planet they had never even seen before. Not only had they risked their homes and their lives, they also made Sauria a safer place, taught the scattered tribes how to communicate with each other... and lived out their lives among them.

And she was entrusted to keep their sacrifices from being in vain. It all fell upon her shoulders. She was barely a Guardian, with no real command over her inner power. She had her wits, fledgling abilities, and her staff to guide and protect her through it all. Cerinia was surely destroyed by the Venom military, and it looked as if they were trying to hunt her down. Her mother was killed, and she wasn't even sure if her father and brother made it from the system alive. Krystal closed her eyes, letting the seriousness of her situation sink in. For once, it was a great burden to bear, and....

...A splash of water from behind her snapped her attention back to the present. She turned around, almost gasping at the sight from behind the waterfall she had been walking near; chiding herself for not keeping her eyes and abilities open.

Brian was bathing in the same pool she had been several hours earlier. Part of her screamed at her to turn away, but her curiosity remained. Cerinians were covered in fur, but Brian didn't have any. She could clearly see his body working as he moved, scrubbing some sort of soap through his hair... something that was quite strange when compared to Cerinians or even Lylatians. All of them had some sort of fur, scales, or feathers... Brian only had bare skin. Krystal also noticed a marking on his right arm; some sort of stylized skull and words she couldn't quite make out... although she was glad that he was more than halfway immersed in the pool. Her ears flared up in a deep blush as she turned away... but not quick enough.

Brian apparently caught her movement out of the corner of his eye and turned around, immediately ducking down to the bottom of the pool... where only his head remained out of the water. "Jesus Christ!" he spat. "I thought you were a mindreader, Krystal! I'm sure as hell not decent!"

The vixen's blush intensified as she turned her back to him... her curiosity had gotten her a little in over her ears on this one. "I'm so sorry... I was very occupied. I had a chat with the Warpstone. Just tell me when you're ready, Brian... I have to talk to you about something." She was extremely embarrassed... as someone groomed for some very powerful positions within the Cerinian government her interactions with males were severely limited. Had her world not been ripped apart she would most likely have gone through an arranged marriage... and she was expressly forbidden not to mingle with anyone her parents deemed unsuitable for the Council. Simply put, she had never even seen a male in such a state of undress, and to have walked up on her friend was something she was really sorry for.

His voice called back. "Gimme a few minutes, alright?" As she made her way back up the path, he sighed... at least he was relatively certain she hadn't really seen anything. 'Yeah, that wouldn't have ended well.' Brian quickly rinsed the rest of the shampoo out of his hair, then pulled himself out of the small pool. It didn't take long to dry himself off with the blanket, then hastily throw on his boxers, pants, and T-shirt. He emerged past the waterfall a moment later, his supplies in tow.

The vixen soon walked back down the path, the deep red tint to her ears apparent even to him. She was still blushing like a beet, which struck him as a little odd. This was the first time he had really seen her in the light. She looked like hell, almost. He could tell her eyes were a bit bloodshot as she approached, and the way she walked belied the fact she hadn't had much sleep at all. They were both running ragged, and they hadn't even really begun all of this. "I'm so sorry, Brian... I really should have watched out with my senses. Forgive me?"

"Don't worry about it." He might have been snarky with her last night, but knowing that he had been a little too hard on her made him go easy this time... it sounded like she was about to beat herself up for running into him like that. "No harm, no foul. I'm not pissed... I was just a bit surprised."

"I was as well. Intruding on a friend while they're bathing isn't common among my people... not that there isn't a first time for everything." She managed a short, nervous laugh... causing the Marine to arch an eyebrow.

Did she just make a pass.... no. She wouldn't have. "Apparently they don't have a YMCA on your planet." Brian deadpanned. The quizzical expression on her features was worth it... besides, giving her a good-natured ribbing might help ease some of the bad blood caused by last night. He did have to work alongside her, after all. "But, really. I think I was a bit tough on you last night. I get defensive about my past... and Tricky told me about you refusing to leave my side until I woke up. You saved my life. Thank you."

Krystal took a moment to collect herself, forcing herself to clear her mind... the exhaustion and embarrassment were taking their toll. Still, the fact he wasn't angry at her intrusion and actually apologized for what had happened last night was a very good sign. She hoped she hadn't crossed the line with her earlier remark, but now wasn't the time to worry about it. "You're welcome, Brian. I know that this might be so soon after you've been hurt, but I need your help."

Brian nodded as he started making his way towards the Humvee, motioning to her. "I see. What's going on now?" Something told him it wasn't going to be good news, but around here that seemed to be all that came up... bad news. It pissed him off, in a way... he was finally free from all the obligations, regulations, and bullshit he had to deal with back home... but now he was pretty much fighting for his life. He had t be honest with himself... the situation quite well sucked.

"Well... do you remember the Queen Earthwalker telling us about the four Spellstones?" she inquired. At Brian's nod, she continued. "The Snowhorn you rescued in Ice Mountain is Garunda Te. He is a Gatekeeper; one who is tasked with guarding one of them. The Sharpclaw have it guarded in the Darkice Mines... we need to take it back."

"And, let me guess... We're going to march over there, blow some holes in some lizards, and grab the stone? Something tells me it's not going to be anywhere near that easy." Brian sighed as he reached the door to the military vehicle and opened it... pausing to look back at her. "They almost killed both of us. You might be a telepath, and I might be packing some serious firepower... but they're a damn army, Krystal."

The vixen countered, flashing him a grin. "They haven't had to deal with both of us at once, Brian. As long as we can work together without bickering... we will be just fine." 'I really hope we will, at least... we don't stand a chance if we can't work together.' She stood back a bit, simply looking at him. Her mind flashed back to the first time she saw the Marine, as a dim silhouette against a dark sky; a harbinger of death rushing in to save her life. She now knew that Scales capturing her would mean her death... and a major victory for the dictator.

Another fragment of memory flashed into her mind... Brian standing before her torn body with only a firearm, armor, and defiant attitude. He had saved her from Scales...he had saved her from death more than once. She had saved his life, that was true... but there was far more than that at stake. He was tormented with his own inner demons... and she had made the decision to help him with them, no matter what road lay ahead. The human had shown her kindness and compassion in her time of need, and she would be damned to the Void if she didn't do the same.

His voice shook her out of her reflection. "Even then, it's not going to be easy. I wish we had more resources... more people." The Marine sighed, leaning back against the armored vehicle and looking up to the sky. "We'd be able to clean their clocks if we had a decent fireteam. Hell, Rico and Jack would've been a damn decent help." He was thinking about his friends, his squadmates. Not like it mattered... he was effectively a dead man to everyone back home. He'd have a memorial service and his parents would get some sort of medal... he hoped so, because he'd be damned if Erica got her hands on it.

Krystal frowned and stepped towards him, a paw gently placing itself on his arm. He didn't turn away; instead allowing his gray eyes to stare into hers. Her emerald gaze fixed upon his as she spoke. "You miss your friends... I don't have to look into your mind to know that. You have lost as much coming here as I have... I just know that closing yourself off is the worst thing you can do. All I ask is for you to trust me. Together we can get through this."

"And by ourselves we'd be picked off before we even start out. I know this already, Krystal. You already know that this is way over my head. Talking dinosaurs, a planet that's tearing itself apart, magical items... it's like a damn Dungeons and Dragons story, only with a pissed-off Marine with an M14 instead of a knight in shining armor." Brian scoffed, glancing her over as she did him. Even after getting nearly killed, staying up over forty-eight hours just to help him, and looking as ragged as she did, she managed to keep a poise and elegance that, well, astonished him. He was bitching about what was going on and what they had to do... and she seemed to take everything in stride. Krystal had the patience of a saint, a quiet strength and an air of innocence... traits extremely rare to come by on Earth. Admittedly, he found her inner strength quite amazing.

"That's why both of us are going. Sauria isn't all that different from Cerinia... because my kind were here before. It's the reason why they speak my language; it's why we're trusted here. I will help you out as best I can... I promise you." she gave him a soft smile, letting go of his arm... yet her paw brushed against his hand for the briefest of moments.

Brian was about to protest, but the sincerity in her eyes caused him to stop. There was something about her that seemed different... much kinder than he would have been. He needed to shake it off... they had a mission to accomplish, and sitting there trying to figure out exactly what the hell she was up to wasn't going to do him a damn bit of good. "Alright. What do we have to do?"

"The mines are located in one of the larger separated sections of Sauria. Unfortunately, it's in orbit... so we need to use a spacecraft in order to get to it." Krystal pointed to the back of the Humvee. "I managed to find several large fuel cells last night... I think they were stolen from the Sharpclaw, but I'm not totally sure. We need to get back to my ship and see if it can be repaired... it's our only way to the separated parts of Sauria."

This caused Brian to balk, his eyes widening at what she was suggesting. "Your ship? I didn't take an expert look at it in the dark and all, but I'm pretty sure the damn thing's torn up pretty good... not to mention you're talking about taking an unarmed craft up there... where God knows what might be hanging out up there... waiting to blow us to bits!"

Krystal shook her head. "The shuttle is armed, Brian. Not very well, but it is. Cerinia didn't have many spacecraft... and we made sure all of them had some sort of protection just in case we needed to fend off raiders or pirates. They didn't do too well against the Venom military... but it will be able to protect us." She sighed, glancing down to the ground. "I don't know anything about fixing it. I need your help, Brian."

"I don't happen to be a spaceship mechanic either, Krystal. I guess I can try my best, but if it doesn't work we're going to have to find some other way. The Sharpclaw have access to spaceships, as well... I saw one when I grabbed Tricky off of Ice Mountain. If we can find and infiltrate one of those we might be okay."

"If we can't get my shuttle running, we will do that." The vixen nodded before she skirted around the Humvee. "We aren't going to do anything just standing here... we need to go." making is decision for him, she made her way for the passenger door and opened it... climbing in after she had moved his weaponry out of the footwell.

With a sigh Brian climbed up into the driver's seat, shutting the bulky door behind him. Krystal followed suit before glancing at him. "The shuttle also has a storage bay for hovercraft... if we can get it working we should be able to bring this vehicle with us... and that will be a major advantage against the Sharpclaw we will face there." The vixen gave him a grin as he pushed the button to start the engine... filling the cabin with its diesel rumble.

"I guess we should get this dog and pony show on the road, then. Here goes nothing." With that, Brian shifted the Humvee into gear and gently eased it out of the valley they had called home for the past few days.