A/N: Continuation of the continuation chapter. Awkward repetitiveness intended. My apologies for the weirdness, I'm quite tired at the moment. Disclaimers still apply.

Thanks to Epsilon Team Captain Hande, Brandon259, and TailsLovesCosmo for their kind reviews.

Figured it out: POV Markers are staying now.

Planet Tes' La: Unknown Cave…

The men stacked anything they could find to reinforce the makeshift barricade. The Beasts were still on the other side of the valley, but that only gave them a few minutes, even considering the slopes' loose gravel surface. The plan was to hold out until Shadow and Galaxina returned with the Chaos Emerald and got them back to the Gerald before the Nexu tore them all to pieces.

At least we got weapons that give us a chance… Maerick assured himself, eyes darting across the layout of the defenses.

The cave's entrance itself was not very large, probably only large enough for two or three Nexus to enter at a time, but that was still two or three a second with how fast they run. The "room" they were set up in had a dome-shaped ceiling, with the cave narrowing at the entrance to the back tunnel that led to the inner caverns where the party slept. Oddly enough, there were few stalactites and stalagmites in this part of the cave, probably from the lack of moisture on the planet. Nothing to worry about normally, but the barrenness left little cover. The group had improvised by leaning metal plating scraps against the bulkier remains of wreckages, creating make-shift barricades to form a semicircle of protection from the front of the cave. The floodlights that the group had used on Maerick and Shadow stood in a gap in the middle of the barricade, dividing the two sections.

Maerick turned back to the cave opening. "Alright, listen up." His mind was whirring with plans and possibilities. "We have to hold them off as long as we can. Try to take down the first ten while they're on the slopes and then let them feed into the cave. Keep firing until I give the signal. When I do, I'll switch on the floodlights and blind the beasts, which will make them easier targets. We hold out until Shadow and Galaxina return, you got it?"

"Yes, Sir!" The group saluted and returned to the barricade. By now the Nexu were probably half-way to the cave. Biome jumped as Snipe surprised the group when he fired off a round, but a moment later they heard a yelp of a stricken beast.

"Snipe, you get one?" Biome anxiously eyed the opening as he looked for signs of a dead feline.

"Do you really need to ask?" Snipe grinned and fired another round, followed by another yelp.

Maerick paused. Two of the Nexu were down in as many seconds; perhaps they would be able to beat them after all…

"Crud, they're in the valley. I can't shoot 'em now. We'll have to wait for 'em." Snipe quickly took apart his rifle and packed it in its bag. "Alright, where can I get one of those cheating sticks?"

"The rifles are over here." Biome grabbed one and circled around the barricade to the sniper.

"Hm. Weighting's not bad. Decent scope. I can live with using this."

"You'll use it if you want to live, nitwit. Stop yakking and get into position!" Slick spat as he watched the opening.

Alright, let's see how this goes… Maerick tapped the stock of the gun with his fingers, adrenaline zipping through his body as the more than two dozen hunters charged their human prey.

T*B*Y*B

From deeper in the cave, Galaxina struggled to keep up with Shadow, who was doing his best to run slow enough for her pace.

"Would you please slow down, Shadow? I am not built to run!" Galaxina stopped to lean on a rock as she brushed one of her flower's petals out of the corner of her eye, panting heavily.

Shadow jerked to a stop and turned around. "More? You still can't keep up? Hmph. How about I just go grab the emerald and bring it here. I'll have it back before you're done resting. We can kill two birds with one stone."

Though he had meant it with sincere empathy for her weathered state, Shadow's ego had a funny way of twisting meaning.

"Look, animal, just because you think you're all that doesn't mean you have to insult me." She glared at him, her breathing still heavy.

Shadow gaped at her. She really thought he was insulting her by stating his abilities? Him? No one could measure up to the performance of the ultimate life-form, it was a fact. How could she be offended by that? He finally settled on avoiding a time-consuming fight and tedious explanation. "Fine, I'll slow down. Just try to keep up."

Before she could protest, he was on the move again. Flabbergasted, Galaxina realized she was staring at his back and quickly struggled to her feet. "Amazing…you are really intending to just keep going? You are such an indifferent…jerk!" Using the last of her energy, she sprinted to catch up with the hedgehog before he got too far away.

As they moved deeper into the inner caverns, Galaxina felt the air searing her lungs as her limbs screamed for rest. She struggled to keep up with the jogging Shadow, who continued to pull further and further away. As they hurried down the corridors, the ceilings' patchwork of openings allowed flashes of light to illuminate the corridors, their shadows tailing them with each streak of lightning.

"Shadow, slow down!" Galaxina panted as she stumbled over to a stalagmite to buoy her weary form. "I'm not made for running..."

"You already said that." The black and red hedgehog spun to face her, pausing to reevaluate his partner. He noticed now how her head heaved with every breath, how her panting was on the verge of gasping, and how her white face was flushed even fainter from her exertions. Clearly she was untrained for any form of running; they were only two and a half miles from the corridor. She would not be able to continue the two miles that were left at this rate, and neither would he: having to restrain himself to speed walking was driving him crazy.

Shadow smirked and turned back to the corridor. "I'll be back in a few minutes." He stretched into a runner's crouch. "Oh, and try putting your hands behind your head and inhaling through your nose. It will help."

Leaving the bewildered Petali in his wake, Shadow raced for the innermost cave.

T*B*Y*B

Meanwhile, the defense plan had worked well after all. Too well, though. The group had blinded the Nexu that first came into the cave and killed them. Same with those that followed. In a matter of a few minutes the men realized they had killed twenty Nexu, but now none were coming through the mouth of the cave.

"Um, sir?" Biome had hurried to the mouth to search for the feline killers. "There are ten Nexu trying to find another hole to come in through on the higher slopes…"

Maerick grinned. "So what's the issue, this is the only cave opening you said, so they can't get in, right?"

Biome shook his head. "Some parts of the tunnel that winds through the mountain are uncovered. They're big enough that we get lightning strikes though them, so I think the Nexu could squeeze through the openings."

Maerick sprinted for the rear cave opening. "Shadow and Galaxina!"

The clones and other humans ran out the mouth of the cave to chase down the renegade felines, while Maerick rushed down the tunnel to Galaxina and Shadow.

As the corridor cleared and footsteps faded, the Nexu that had been feigning death slowly climbed to its feet, stretched its forepaws, and extended its talons, waking from its nap of imitated death. Warily eyeing the mouth of the tunnel that the sounds of footsteps echoed from, the beast gently swished its tail before skulking down the passage. It was time to hunt.

Maerick's progress was slow, to say the least. The cave's rock floor had been rubbed smooth, probably by centuries of wind erosion, and he could not get enough traction with his boots to run. So he settled on a fast march with long strides, but he was still going nowhere fast.

At this rate they will be dead before I get there. Maerick paused as he realized his error. What am I thinking? Wherever Shadow is right now is probably the safest place in this cave. No, wait, it definitely is the safest place. I should go help the others hunt the Nexu on the mountain top.

Maerick turned around to head back, but his feet slid out from under him. As he fell forward, the ground rose to meet him with a metallic clang from his suit, but in the silence that followed a swishing shadow caught his eye. Then he heard the tiny clicks of claws on rock approach, the shadow getting bigger as it came closer. His arms beneath him, Maerick struggled to raise his body enough to silently free his gun that was pinned beneath his torso. As the sounds drew in, his gun was almost free, but nearer still they came. They were only a few feet away now, but as he pulled the gun from under his stomach his elbow struck a stalagmite.

The noises stopped altogether.

Silence ensued, and in the stifling darkness Maerick noticed the shadow was no longer swishing, but a slow and noiseless drawing back, as if a spring was coiling…the white rush of dread overwhelmed the soldier as he realized the shadow was getting ready to pounce. Like a cat. With a tail that swished. Like a cat. And claws that would rip him apart, armor and all. Not like a cat. He was only a few feet away from a Nexu, flat on the ground, and didn't even have his gun fully drawn.

The only thing that will hurt more than this burning fear will be having those claws tear into me. He smiled. There are worse things, I suppose. Strange though, for a while there hasn't been a flash of-

Lightning streaked across the skies above, illuminating the cavern in blinding white light that reflected off Maerick's armor and straight into the feline would-be hunter's eyes. The perfect boon, a blinded Nexu shrieked in agony as it scratched at its formerly dilated eyes. Seizing the chance, Maerick sprung to his feet and fired three shots at the beast, but too slowly for the beast had already sprung behind a stalagmite. Maerick slowly backed up the tunnel deeper into the mountain, the soldier ready to shoot his own shadow but still alive. For the moment. A few feet away, the Nexu was already out from behind the rocks and using the darkness to slink closer to the prey that had now scalded its eyes twice. It would enjoy this kill.

Maerick continued to carefully touch one foot to the ground behind him before placing his full weight on it so that he would not fall. Foot behind foot, he continued to move deeper into the lightless tunnel as he swept the cave in front of him with his gun. The darkness swallowed the cat's shadow, leaving Maerick to guess where the sounds of the claws were coming from. The occasional streak of light from the lightning didn't help anymore, because the beast would be hidden once the flash came. How it did, Maerick did not know, but he hoped the stupid cat was guessing and would mess up.

That, or someone is bound to come back eventually, right? Maerick continued his slow march backwards into the cave. Hopefully…

T*B*Y*B

Deeper within the cave, Shadow was already halfway back to Galaxina. When he had gotten to the inner chamber, he remembered why the others told him to take her when his sensor revealed the emerald was in a safe. Its walls were coated in some energy diffusing technology that kept absorbing his Chaos Spears. So he settled on taking the thing to Galaxina to have her open it. She heard him coming, and stood to greet him. When jerked to a stop in front of her, with the perfect balance of the ultimate life form, she smiled.

"Thank you for the helpful tip," her smile evaporated as she shot him a withering glare. "But never, ever leave someone sitting in the dark alone like that! I have half a mind to slap you for your inconsiderate behavior. Didn't you even think that a Nexu could have come down the tunnel and found me? Then what would you do with the safe?"

Shadow stared back at her with his stoic leer. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't remember that the emerald was in a safe, or I would have just carried you or something. Anyway, I have it right here, so can you open it?

Galaxina's icy glare turned to pure disbelief. "Are you teasing me? Did you really not hear a…fine. I will aid you with this." She stood and brushed her skirt, then went to the keypad on the safe and punched in a few numbers.

The front hatch swung open revealing the sparkling purple gem inside. Shadow slowly removed the gem and then tossed the safe aside as he inspected the emerald.

"This is the emerald." He rotated the jewel as he inspected its depths.

Galaxina smiled and quickly turned to head back down to the corridor.

"Wait, we can save some time. I'll teleport us back with Chaos Control."

She turned to face him again. Her smile carried a cold indifference. "Whatever you say, ultimate life form." She walked over and grabbed his arm. "Lead the way."

Shadow smirked. "Fine, we're going." The gem began to glow. As Shadow let the energy build, energy was also building in the clouds above. Shadow stretched the emerald up to release the energy when the clouds released their own. The lightning bolt was pulled to the emerald like a magnet in the open cavern. When it struck, the light exploded, enveloping the entire mountain in blinding white light. As it faded and the dust settled, there was a crater in the mountain's place.

Two hours later, a mountain of rubble, location unknown…

Maerick struggled under a large stalactite that had fallen on him after the flash of light. Maerick stared at where the tunnel with the Nexu had been a few minutes before, but now it had collapsed. He was flat on his stomach with the rock lying squarely across his shoulders, unable to do more than survey for the moment. The walls of the cave that hadn't collapsed already were riddled with cracks, and the smooth floor was now littered with dust and debris from the ruin.

What happened? There was a flash…then it felt like I was free falling…and now this…Maerick paused as he noticed there was sunlight above. He turned his head as far as he could manage, and noticed a hole in the outer cave wall that peeked out at miles of treetops stretching to the horizon.

Is that a forest? Jungle? Why are there trees and sunlight? What the heck was that flash of light?

A flock of Technicolor birds flew above the tops of the trees, and Maerick realized he could hear the gentle hum of insects.

Beautiful scenery, I wish I could stare at it all day… cold panic suddenly swept through Maerick, and he thrashed under the rock, trying to free himself. The Nexu! It could still be here…Then what do I do? He twisted once more against the stone pillar, but its weight was too much for his muscles. He waited in silence for a few seconds, both listening for the beast and trying to think his way out of his predicament. Then he remembered the hydraulic joints in the armor.

If I can just free my left arm, I can use them to help me lift this oversized rock! He struggled to wrestle the arm out from under his stomach. After what seemed an eternity of wiggling, his arm slid free. Maerick quickly activated the hydraulics controls and lifted the stone on his back with his arms. He let the rock slide off and tumble away before he moved again to shut off the hydraulics.

Just like doing a push up. He chuckled, when a faint beeping caught his attention. He reached for the source of the sound on his belt and realized he was holding the Chaos Emerald tracker.

Hope sprouted in his chest as he realized he was also alone, the hunter hopefully crushed in the tunnel. "Hey, no matter where I am, if I can get the emerald, Tails will find me!"

Maerick took a moment to survey the vast expanse before him. The ground at the base of the mountain was crushed, the grey Tes' La rock meeting the rich brown soil of the jungle floor like jigsaw puzzle pieces; jagged rocks, as well as broken and dismembered trees, littered a ten meter radius around the mountain. As he followed the brown away from the mountain to the edge of the jungle, leaves and branches melted away into a sea of lush green under a light-yellow sky. Birds that moved from place to place above the trees were tiny blips of color in a vast expanse of jungle.

He turned back to the grey ruin. No sign of the others either… Maerick struggled against the despair of possibly losing his unit a third time. First the jungles, then in space, and now here…no, not here. I can still find them!

Maerick hurried back to the exposed tunnel, calling out names of people in the group, but quickly found that all the enclosed caves had collapsed. He tried to find any way to move to another part of the mountain, still moving down the list of names as he shouted, but it was to no avail.

After moments of silence, he resigned himself to the unhappy alternative. Once I get the Chaos emerald I can look for them more, but I need to make sure I don't lose that emerald right now…And so, reader in hand, Maerick carefully climbed through the hole in the cave wall and down towards the darkness of the jungle below.

T*B*Y*B

A few kilometers away, the ruthless cat was once more on the prowl, inspecting ruins of a different kind of rubble. It carefully navigated the sparking hallways of a wrecked space ship, looking for any prey. When the flash came, it had fled to the outer corridor before the ground seemed to fall from under its feet, where the corridor's collapse had batted it free and sent it rolling into the jungle. Now back in its element, the hunter had found this wreck. Wreckage means death, and death means easy food. So here it was stalking the ship, in search of a meal. As it rounded a corner, faint clanging reached its ears. Though the corridor was still mostly housed, the crash had torn various holes that allowed some light in. Enough of it, at least, for the feline to spot its next prey; clueless rodent of some kind totting a glowing prize with its forked tail, so oblivious to the cat that it continued to stop every few feet and check on the large, glowing gem it held.

The Nexu crouched silently in an alcove as it waited for the rat to draw near. The sounds drew closer, and the cat stretched deeper into its pouncing position, ready to take its next prize. The rat finally came around the corner, and the Nexu pounced, mouth open, snapping up the rodent and its prize before it could make a noise. The cat quickly dismembered the meat and swallowed, but almost choked on the stone. It lay on the floor moaning as the stone painfully worked its way down its esophagus, and then tried to nap the ensuing stomach ache away. It finally settled into a restful sleep as the Chaos Emerald nestled into a nook in the beast's stomach. When the pain passed, the beast purred in contentment from its mostly satisfying meal.

It quickly awoke to birds fleeing the trees nearby, and as the monstrous hunter stretched it heard footsteps. It jumped to its feet and slunk to an opening, where it saw the large thing from the caves coming toward it, looking down at something in its paw.

Maerick noticed the signal was moving now, and looked up to see a Nexu standing inside the wreckage looking back at him. As it leapt to the mud-covered jungle floor, the emerald detector followed its movements.

Now how in the world…it swallowed an emerald? Great, this will be so much fun… Maerick rolled his eyes as he gently eased the detector back into his waist holder and settled into a combat stance, slowly patting around his armor in search of his gun.

Crud, I left it in the cave!

As the beast eyed him, he remained stead fast in his stance.

The feline rock-eater began to purr. It would have its chance for payback after all. The beast slowly paced in a circle around the soldier, its tail playfully teasing back and forth in soft, deft twitches. Maerick slowly removed a combat dagger from the forearm of his armor, allowing his fingers to wrap around its grip only a centimeter at a time. After what seemed an eternity of a stalemate, Maerick had finally eased the blade from its niche in the armor. Apparently, the Nexu was also satisfied that the veteran would not put up a difficult fight because it had stopped moving and was simply eying him.

"Here, my little cat friend. Come to Maerick. You have my gem, and I want it back." He watched the tiger-like animal as he slowly spread his feet and drew the knife into the open. "That's right little kitten. I have fangs too. Come to Maerick, you little thief."

The Nexu twitched its tail slower, slightly confused now. It's prey that had been scared motionless was now making noises at it. Agitated noises. Perhaps there should be another approach. The alien tiger backed away slowly. Maerick waited until it was outside the clearing before following, but he still found the tracks easily enough. They snaked through the underbrush for a little while before they disappeared when he arrived at a fork in the foliage.

"Now where did-" he heard the quiet purring too late. The Nexu was dropping straight down at him, claws and teeth at the ready to tear him to bite-sized pieces.

Well, that could really ruin your day. Just how will this turn out? And just what has happened to the others of the Tes' La group? Find out next chapter! As always, comments, criticisms, suggestion, etc. are welcome, and if you have any concerns, feel free to shoot me a PM. I hope you have a great day!