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___Explosions and Promotions___

Chua: little rodents of the universe. Usually they are seen as those nonsensical rodents, prone to violent outbursts and crazy experimentation usually containing explosions of one sort or another. Most of them... Vega? He just doesn't find any enjoyment in the 'science' the others seem to revel in. What's the point in building something if it's just going to explode? No, it's the dark, vastness of space for him. Seeing the slightest of movements of the stars as you fly around debris, finding useful things to bring back... why would he ever want to build when there's so much out there waiting to be found and explored?

Unfortunately, scavenging ruins doesn't always pay the bills, nor keep the pilot from doing anything beyond drifting. Those long boring moments between the jobs was killer, though the small joys of finding something usually more often than not made up for it. Most of the time, so between those times, he's forced to be a transporter. With all this talk of Nexus, The Dominion is paying handsomely for their important people shuttled to their new acquisition. What makes this particular request odd was they wanted one of their doctors taken down... by himself. Not in a group, not with a regiment of armed guards, but by himself. There is a possibility it has something to do with how Paradigm is always talking to himself, bragging about how important he or his work was to everyone that cared to listen.

This left Vega with lots of time ogling the nearby planet, and his own reflection in the canopy. The green of the holo-screens threw off a bit of the Chua's color, but allowed for the underside of the jaw to easily be seen, and bringing the normally white sections of the face to that of a nearly neon glowing green. The darker sections around the dagger-point panda markings that surrounded his eyes are filled in with the darkness of space filled with a multitude of stars. It leaves an eery floating eyeball sensation across the curvature of the glass. He leans back, the unusually skinny Chua taking the moment to let his thoughts drift.

Slowly his thoughts drift back to previous excursions onto other planets, some of the things that he had pried from wasting wreckage, and not so deteriorated denizens... the sudden pressure rising up in the pit of his stomach signaling for a more base urge to take over.

"Vega will be right back," He announces to the solo passenger, as if it was something of importance anyone would need to know, while sliding out of the tall chair to the cold metal floor.

With a flick of his wrist, the autopilot engaging itself to continue on it's borish course. Interestingly enough his hand is not the one that touches it, but a projected blue hand that dissipates the moment it's done with the device. Vega is one of those few 'gifted' with telekinesis, and has been one of the better points for earning money. No need to buy scaled down ships, he can pilot those big wreckers just fine. Sure it looks odd sitting in a large human-sized chair, but it's not like another Chua doing something 'against the norm' is going to actually turn heads.

"When are we going to actually land?" The good doctor asks as soon as Vega clears the passageway between cockpit and the rest of the ship.

"Soon. Be patient," he replies with a roll of his eyes. It wouldn't be long, and soon there'd be a large locked door between them and Vega could go back to his meditation. Not that it ever happened, as halfway through the much needed personal time, the ship itself began to list. At first, Vega thought little of it, chalking it up to the mere whim of the auto-pilot acting up. It didn't fully dawn on him what was going on until the return trip through the cabin. The 'good' doctor himself was no where to be seen, and Vega was starting to realize he was standing at an angle.

He rushes to the door, throwing it open, and sees the chubby chua sitting there in his chair, playing with the piloting console.

"What are you doing?" Vega called out, rushing to the console while trying to dislodge the doctor with a push of his elbow.

"Getting us closer," came the reply, "At current landing, would have to spend too long walking." this is when Vega realizes that the autopilot has not been turned off, but the entire panel has been turned off, no thanks to the Doctor's little floating robot.

"Besides, you taking too long."

"Was in bathroom for only five minutes!" Vega cried out, trying desperately to pull the ship back. He even attempts to pull back on the controls manually, but the gravity of that now accursed planet had already taken over, and with no ability to control the vessel, they were going down.

A sloppy reentry was not something new for Vega, though usually he has his instruments to tell him where he was going. Instead, he is going to rely on sight alone, something he is not going to be doing till the bright orange licking flames of re-entry clear. Once they do, there is not enough time, and just to throw more smoke into the fan, they fall right down into a storm, with lightning severing one of the stabilizers needed for landing.

Even if the two had the capability to retain consciousness, it's possibly for the best that they don't see the sudden slam into the ground, careening and rolling over the grass landscape. Closer and closer they roll towards the ocean, with only the trees doing anything to stop their movement, ping-ponging them in a roundabout pattern before it comes to rest near the precipice. The whole ship was still smoking when the emergency door flies from it's handles, landing on the grass nearby.

Vega pops his head out into the rain, coughing with half of his face covered in soot, and dragging himself as well as his passenger out of the wreckage. The two are quick to make camp with what little supplies they have left, away from the ship should it suddenly decide that exploding is a good idea. The younger of the two just gripping the side of his head trying to prevent the same from happening with the now quickly building rage.

"Good news! Much closer than first calcul-"

"Don't want to hear it."

"But it me-"

"I was gone... for five minutes... you couldn't wait... five minutes!?"

Silence falls over the camp as Vega's rage was rather out on display, surrounding his wide-shot eyes and large ears fallen back against his head then righting themselves as he sat back against his rock. One hand rolls one of the two thick gold rings that are hanging half way up the pink fleshy ears to help distract himself from exploding again.

"Tomorrow... we'll be heading to the camp so I can get a new ship."

"No, will be escorting me all the way to city."

"... What? No, especially not after this!" Vega retorts, making a motion with his arm towards the large, crashed ship silhouetting the night sky behind them.

"You signed contract..."

"I did no su-" but now it was Vega's turn to be cut off, as the elder Chua' flighty robot projects an image from it's front sensors. It was plain as day, there was Vega's signature, and it zooms in on a small portion where apparently Vega agreed to take Paradigm over to Illium. Vega grunts in disapproval.

---

"It would go faster if you didn't stop to scan everything," Vega remarks, about half way through their travel to the base camp. It should have only taken a few hours, but with the constant need to stop to scan all the new fauna and wildlife, it is nearing mid-day. There is no retort from Paradigm. Hours go by, with not a word from the lab-coat wearing chunky Chua, before the silence is finally broken.

"What wrong with you?" It was not a question that Vega was expecting. It was enough for him to stop dead in his tracks and spin around.

"...What?" Vega asks, to which Paradigm parrots back the question.

The question is parroted back.

"Nothing...?" There is so much running through Vega's mind that could be wrong, but certainly chewing out the absentminded professor would do nothing but cause even further problems.

"Then why is this not interesting? All of this? New planet, new things to exper-"

"I just don't... ok?" Vega retorts. It is a tad on the snappish side, but he is a bit perturbed not even including the events leading up to them now being stranded.

Dr. Paradigm just stares back, right over the rims of those glasses that tettered near the edge of his nose. The disapproving look of a teacher to one of their students. One hand slowly stroaks his chin, pulling on the short goatee in thought, before he is just shrugging it away and turns his attention to his little helper-bot.

"... I could have sworn the camp was this way..." Vega remarks, pulling out a small device that projects a small holo map of the area that they were in, looking it over as he mumbles to himself incoherent ramblings as he works on clearing his head.

"Problem..."

"What is it this ti-" Vega is cut off this time, as he turns to see a few hunkered down wolves bearing down upon the Doctor.

"Not big problem, but problem," Paradigm remarks, sliding hands into his lab coat ever so slowly. Not that he does much with those hands, as a sudden blue light arcs right past the labcoat, sending the tails up and into the air from the blow back... even those white dreads of the good doctor flicker in the breeze of several semi-transparent blades sink deep into the wolves, before dissipating as their bodies collapse upon the ground.

"Good job... but not the ones was worried about," Paradigm remarks, pulling out some sub standard looking pistols, aiming them over in Vega's direction. Of course the three wouldn't be the problem, but the few groups that are now starting to circle around them might be a bit of one.

The two Chua back up till they are standing back to back as the pack starts to circle round, standing almost back to back while they narrowed in closer. With a flick of one wrist, Vega has another blade appearing from the Aether, then flies into another one of the wolves. It yelps out as the blade sinks down into its hip, and then promptly is gone. Not to be outdone, Dr. Paradigm levels his pistols, firing out a shot from each. Rather than bullets, a flash of light shoots from both, lighting up two separate wolves. The smell of charred flesh and fur slows down the rest of the circling masses.

Not that they stop... there was a meal present. One lunges straight for the pair, and it takes Vega lifting up with both of his hands to keep it up in the air, while the gunslinger scientist turns and fires a volley of shots right into the wolf's stomach. There was way too many, and a larger wolf out of the group started to make its presence known, slowly moving from the edge of the treeline, to the edge where the other wolves were tightening their noose.

"Time for Daring escape, yes?" The Dr, the only one seeming to not be scared for his life. Pointing both the pistols pistols into the air, and holding the triggers, energy swirls around the tips. First green, followed by red, then blue, he's not even aiming them at any of the wolves. This leaves Vega fighting for his life, raising a hand as fire erupts around him, forming a large bird of blue fire. It floats for a second, and as Vega throws his hand the bird flares into a few of the wolves, burning them alive. Not enough to put a dent in their numbers, but enough to make them back off for just a second.

"If you have a plan, now would be the time!" Vega shouts out, lifting up his arms while manifesting three of those blades. Much larger than normal, and with a swing of his arm, moving each one as if he was a Draken with three arms, doing nothing beyond creating some distance between the separate groups.

"Behold, the power of ... SCIENCE!" Runes begin to float above Dr. Paradigm's head while he levels the pistols. The energy gathering at the end of the pistols mix, and Vega could certainly feel the blow back, now careening down the hillside, charring and swirling as it cuts a path through not only the wolves and dirt, but the trees and rocks as well. It was enough that it disrupts Vega's concentration enough that the blades retire abruptly. Not that they are needed anymore, as a swift hand from the Dr grabbing the collar of Vega's leather flight jacket and dragging him through the black, soot-ridden earth.

The wolves give chase, and Dr. Paradigm can't carry the younger Vega the entire distance... not that it matters, as Vega is quick to pivot on his feet and follow after the fluffier one. The wolves seemed to be stalking the two, as they continue further off into the woods, seeming to dodge them for a time period, or at least gaining enough distance that they are far more trouble than they are worth.

"So... you still dislike science?" Dr. Paradigm asks during the short reprieve once they had gathered enough time.

"Do I have to answer that now?"

"No..." Paradigm starts, letting his voice trail off, offering a shrug, "But Science is what we make of it, yes? Besides, can see it in your eyes, as much as you pretend to hate all this, you are enjoying chance to do something, to go see something new. Exploring is a Science all of it's own."

Vega just stares at the Doctor, a mixture of lack of words, and not wanting to admit one way or the other.

"It's also how we're going to get back to camp."

---

Vega is the first to admit that the plan seemed rather crazy, but he'd rather not have a pack of wolves nipping at their heels the entire way there. So it is, the two of them continue on their way, ever vigilant against the feral wolves that, for now, where keeping their distance. The daylight wanes, making the race to get somewhere near civilization drawing ever to a close.

Twilight, that time period between light and dark, when it's too bright for one's eyes to pierce the darkness, yet too dark to actually perceive properly the wolves attacked once again. Though, this time, it was not the wolves of fur and fangs, but a faction. From the trees, a half dead monstrosity fires a single bullet, catching Vega right in the shoulder, spinning him around and down onto the ground. Paradigm, quick on his feet inscribes with one hand blue runes in the air, causing the wounds to slowly expel the bullet, while firing back into the treeline, hitting an intercepting man made of granite... or rather some invisible force, dissipating the fired plasma in a shower of sparks.

Coughing violently, Vega mentally pushes back the pain, shoving it to the far corners of his mind and extending his hand, pushing back the charging Granok, who plants his feet firmly in the ground to slow his forced retreat. The dirt and grass pushes up, making the initial push next to worthless as he re-lifts a large, glowing red sword.

Dr. Paradigm has just enough time to scribe runes with his hand that the next shot fired by the Mordesh ricochets off of the floating field of protection, followed by a sudden shattering as the Mordesh appears right behind the two, shattering their protection. Vega turns, just in time to make a punching motion straight for the grey one, creating a large psionically charged fist, shattering right through the warrior's armour and knocking him into one of the trees.

"Run!" Vega shouts, rolling just to the side as a trail of bullets rip into the dirt where he had just been. He gets a good couple of feet before something catches the corner of his eye, forcing him to duck. It was a good call, as two nano-sharpened blades slice right where he had just been. An Auren, one of those tree loving hippies had been lying in wait, cloaked as she stalked the two, and only now made her presence known.

"That is sounding better and better..." Dr. Paradigm responds, stepping beside Vega similarly to how the Mordesh had slipped behind them. He's fighting with just the one pistol for the time being, so that his other hand could be free. Lifting up his hand, he crystallizes the ground at the stalker's feet to root the cat-bunny-girl-thing to the ground to prevent her from turning around. With a growl, she claws away at the ice crawling it's way up her legs as the other two maintain pursuit.

Through the trees they run, breaking out into the opening just at the base of a hill. There was more on their heels though, as this rag tag bunch of exiles seemed to be fervently hunting the two of them down... and there are more than the three. The metallic clinking of spider-like legs is heard through the underbrush while several droids break through right behind them. Stopping to turn, Vega lifts up his hands, and the ground starts to churn, forcing hungry little mouths to jump out of the ground, anchoring the robots in place. Another shot, this one much louder, rips through the air, tearing away at the Chua's shoulder, and sending him backwards. The heavy pain of several small pellets burning into his shoulder.

The loud bang of Dr. Paradigm's pistols back into the forest, ripping off sections of the spider like automatons like that is what they are made for, and with the precision of someone knowing what they are doing. With one hand he's helping Vega up while still trying to maintain some distance, but another swift shot from the hiding Mordesh gunslinger sends the older Chua down to one knee. The only other sound coming from deeper in the forest.

"Keep that one alive! We can get information out of him, kill the other rat, he's worthless." The haunting order echoes off the last of the treeline while the rippling effect of a Stalker's cloaking field, raising those large claws in the air to try and sever Vega's lifeforce.

A resounding bang can be heard off in the distance, and it takes a moment for Vega to realize that it was not the sound of metal cutting through him, looking up to a rather dead-eyed Aurian, with a bright shining new eye-socket appearing between her eyes, courtesy of a bullet. More shots ring through the air, though from the combination of blood loss oozing out from his shoulder, and the adrenaline coursing through his small little body, he can barely hear anything beyond the sounds of thumping behind him, and the blurred vision of red and black armor before everything goes completely dark.

---

The light was bright... and there is no tunnel, only the shielding of his right hand against his eyes as Vega awakes, his whole body in pain. Once his eyes adjust, he's able to glance to his shoulder, bandaged all the way up and held a bed, pillows all behind him as he's resting on his back, tail shifting beneath the sheets.

"Oh good good. Awake. That's good. Very good." Dr. Paradigm apparently was sitting on the edge of his own bed, pudgy fat body pressing against the gown that they had put him in, an annoying lime green robe. Vega looks very confused, but apparently he didn't have very much time to really ask questions as a large, insectoid looking mechanical lady waltzes her way in.

"Oh, good, Dr Paradigm, so good of you to finally make it. And you must be..." she pauses, obviously turning her eyes towards the hologram at the edge of the bed, "Vega, the pilot. We saw your ship go down outside the landing coordinates we sent you... it's a good thing we found you and the Doctor before the Exiles had a chance to do any lasting damage.."

"Uhh... thanks. Mechanical failure..." Vega remarks, looking over to the Doctor who is in much better shape than he is.

"Yes, well... we'll be sure to look into that. Since you brought Dr. Paradigm safely to us, you are free to pick up your pay, and head back. The sooner the better, so that we can get the bed ready for some of the soldiers, hmm?"

"No." Dr. Paradigm remarks. "My new lab assistant is going to be needing plenty of rest if he's going to be assisting. Very durable. Doesn't die. Very hard to find assistants that don't do that." Vega just smirks, before wincing in pain from the still healing shotgun wound in his shoulders. Maybe it would be good to do something other than staring blankly at the darkness of space for a change.

The Mechari simply sighs, "If that is what you want, Doctor..." before she turns, and starts to leave, "When he is fully healed, we'll release him to you, get some rest, you're going to need it." She's almost out the door before she stops, and turns, and looks to the two.

"Oh. Yes. Welcome to Nexus."