From the Journal of Rex Chance, dated June 11th, 1937

It's only been a day since I arrived on these islands, but it feels like a week. I haven't slept at all, but somehow I'm not tired. Lucy and I have been working around the clock to repair the hovercraft. This thing is practically held together with chewing gum and bailing wire, with each repair causing two more problems. Our biggest issue remains fuel - there is a depot on the next island, but it's also a fairly obvious place for us to walk into a trap.

Isla Exsilium

"There's the fuel depot." Rex pointed out the tank on the next island over. It was a shadowy shape in the early morning light, but easy enough to make out against the snowy backdrop. Rex and Lucy were standing on the top of the small hill Rex had fought the Polar-ox upon the previous day.

"It should be easy enough to get there. The ice has bridged the straight." Lucy pointed out. Rex frowned suddenly, keenly appraising the straight. "I don't think it's going to be that easy - look!" A fresh set of enemy creatures were sniffing about at the far end of the ice bridge.

"Back to the lab! Pick up your feet!"

Although they were both panting when they reached the lab, the enemy creatures didn't seem to have followed them... yet. Lucy went to a nearby coal pile armed with a pick and two pails and started to gather more, so that Rex could create further creatures for defense. He had spied a wolf on their rushed journey back and paused to collect a sample, and soon noticed the colony of lemmings by the lab and added another creature to the genetic library. He set about flicking through the information sheets to discover if there were any useful combinations he could make.

"Perhaps we need to make some tougher, meaner animals to venture to the other island. I've been putting together some new research that will allow us to build more powerful creatures." Lucy told him over chipping the coal. Rex nodded, quickly learning what she meant. The combination of a wolf and a cougar was an impressive one. With the wolf's big bite and cougar's claws, it was a swift, dangerous creature with four special abilities. The wolf had keen senses and something called high endurance, which allowed it to recover faster from poison or sonic attacks and use special abilities at a higher frequency. It also had the wolf's pack hunting bonus, and the cougar's leap attack. The leap attack wasn't evident in the Cogine because it didn't work alongside ranged attacks.

Rex built an experimental Wolf-cougar cross, but somehow the name 'Wolfar' just seemed too odd for the creature when it popped out of the chamber. It was truly a beautiful animal, with the cougar's long legs on the strong lithe body of the wolf. There was something about the face of this creature that just caught Rex's eye. Despite the fact that the animal's eyes were as clear white as the rest, they seemed to shine. Rex had no doubt this was an intelligent animal. He decided suddenly he would only build one, and he named the beast Wolf. He stood quietly to one side, his ears perking in one direction then the other, guarding the base.

"Lucy?" He hoisted the two pails full of coal and left her two empty ones as she chipped at the coal.

"Hmm?"

"When a combined creature dies... what happens? I noticed the bodies of the enemy ones we killed yesterday weren't there anymore. Not even bones."

"It's part of the Sigma Technology , Rex. Your father and I agreed that some balance was needed for combined creatures, since we were making them from essentially nothing. For starters, all combined creatures are sterile. They don't even have the urge to mate, that part of their physiology was left out on purpose. We agreed it would simply make things easier. Therefor when the combined creatures die it isn't the same as a regular animal. They essentially break down from the original blueprint and are absorbed back by their chamber."

Rex's head suddenly snapped up. The enemy creatures they'd seen from the hill were charging down the path towards their base. Calling Wolf and the seven remaining creatures, Rex defended them against the snarling, snapping enemy monsters, swiftly directing his army to methodically pick off the enemy animals one by one. While two of his Coyunks were injured, they were all still standing after the fight. Rex was impressed with Wolf. He had torn fearlessly into an ox-bear cross which must have weighed twice his size without batting an eyelid, and had moved with enough speed that the larger creature hadn't a hope of hitting him. Wolf trotted up to Rex with an enquiring glance, as if asking how well he'd done. Without thinking, Rex reached up to pat the rough hair on his head. The creature uttered a low growl of contentment.

"Good job, but that fuel's not getting here by itself." Lucy reminded him as she set a load of coal down beside the creature chamber. Rex pulled a comical face at Wolf when her back turned. "Gee, why don't I just go over there and ask nice?"

"Why don't you, Mr Chance?" She shot back as she started to chip another load of coal, sending him a cool glance. Hmm, typical. A woman who always wanted the last word. Rex winked at Wolf and flashed Lucy his most charming smile. "Please - just call me Rex."

After several more creatures had been created Rex felt he had sufficient enough numbers to face the depot. He called the small army to him and was pleased with the quick response. Telling Lucy he'd be as quick as he could, they set off.

He quickly realized that he was the slowest member of the team. The animals could move much faster than he could - well over twice his speed, in Wolf's case. He had to direct them to an area in front of them and have them wait while he caught up. He'd have to think about that little problem.

They crossed the bridge of ice, treading warily. Wolf led the way, and Rex noticed that the other animals seemed to follow him, stepping in the same places he did. Interesting.

Rex inched up towards the depot, making sure to keep close to his creatures. Sure enough there were several enemy creatures waiting for them, lying or pacing around the depot. Rex and the animals crept as close as they could without detection. The head of am enemy wolf (rather crudely tacked onto the squat body of a lemming) swung towards them, sniffing the air suspiciously.

"Now! Attack!" Yelled Rex, leaping to his feet. Wolf sprang eagerly away from his side, leading the Coyunks into battle. The Cogines quickly formed a semi-circle and fired a barrage of quills into the enemy ranks at Rex's direction, once again distracting them and letting the close-range fighters in to finish the job. This time there were more enemy creatures and two of the Coyunks were defeated, but the rest of the animals were still healthy.

Wolf's savage snarls drew Rex's attention to a set of fuel drums, behind which a terrified henchman was cowering, shaking badly enough to start an earthquake. Rex wanted to laugh when Wolf glanced sideways at him. He was showing every pretense of aggression, with his neck fur standing up and his long teeth bared, but there was a laughing look in his pale, pupilless eyes. Rex strode up beside Wolf and laid a hand on his neck. The henchman cowered even further. "I surrender! Don't let your creature eat me!" He pleased. Rex scowled unforgivably at the man, taking his cue from Wolf. "Give us some of your fuel and I won't let them hurt you!" He demanded with authority, as if he were in the business of ordering other people around.

"Sure, sure!" Agreed the henchman hastily, relieved beyond measure. "I'll even carry it for you! But you and your creatures will have to protect me. I don't like bein' eaten."

Rex nodded and the henchman picked up a drum over each shoulder. "Come on, this way!" Rex ordered the henchman, then turned to his creatures. "Follow us closely. Attack any enemy forces we encounter on the way."

As it turned out they only encountered four enemy animals just across the ice bridge. Knowing there was only one way to the lab and that his creatures were defending it, Rex and the henchman left the creatures in battle. Wolf led them well and when all four were defeated he tracked the humans trail back to the lab, picking up a run, and the rest of the army followed him. They all caught up and arrived at the lab at the same time.

"I gots gas!" Announced the henchman brightly, setting the drums down beside the lab. Rex laughed as he ruffled Wolf's neckfur as way of praise. "Do you ever!" He chuckled. Lucy rolled her eyes and showed the henchman where to fuel the lab up. "Charming." She commented dryly. "This should keep us flying for a while."

"I done good then?" Asked the henchman hopefully.

"Yeah." Rex nodded. "Look, I've got a proposition for you."

The henchman shuffled his feet awkwardly and looked at the ground. "Geez, I'm flattered Mr Chance, but I don't, uh, I'm not into... you know."

Rex laughed. "Look friend, it's nothing like that. You seem like a competent guy" - and here both Lucy and Wolf looked like they were about to laugh - "How would you like to work for us?" Rex finished.

"I don't like Julius one bit, but if I work for you, he'll send Whitey after me."

"What's a Whitey?" Asked Rex, puzzled. Lucy answered for him. "He's referring to Whitey Hooten, Julius's head thug who keeps all the men in line. Most of them hate Julius, but do what he says because they're afraid of the consequences."

Rex nodded in understanding. It made sense that Upton Julius would employ someone like that. He turned to the henchman. "Listen pal, if you help us out, I promise I'll protect you."

"Well, uh, they'd probably kill me for failing to capture youse anyway, so, all right. I'll help ya's. There's a structure at the base you might want to take a look at. It makes the beasts extra tough."

Rex exchanged glances with Lucy and nodded. "We should move closer to the enemy base. The depot should be perfect - let's go. Wolf, meet us there."

exsilium : exile, banishment.