Author's note: Here it is! The next chapter! Thanks for the wonderful reviews, and I wanted to thank Aries for sticking up for Tania and Karl on Biowolf's phone fic. My jaw dropped to the floor when I saw it! You go, girl!
Dragonflame by Shelly
CHAPTER NINE
The next morning, Karl, Van, and Thomas were called to a meeting to go over their plans to start investigating the list of names Tragar had given them, leaving the women and Irvine by themselves. After finding out that Karl had to attend the meeting, Irvine had volunteered to watch over Tania as he didn't trust in the guards abilities to keep her safe. They were all gathered in the suite sharing a pot of coffee as Tania told Fiona of her dream last night, the young woman unable to tell her anything. Strange thing was, Zeke had become overly protective of her since last night and was always nearby just in case she needed him.
After a couple of hours, the men reappeared talking of something that had them excited. Moonbay asked them what was going on, and Van replied that they had received a transmission from the base where they had found the Lightning Saix telling them that they had found something that might be of interest to the Guardian Force. Rudolph gave them leave to investigate, approving for everyone else to go as well as he knew they would regardless of his word.
They were soon aboard a Whale King that took them to the site, Irvine wondering why there were so many soldiers around the base. When they arrived, they learned that the base had been under attack by unknown forces ever since the military had occupied the site, and they wondered if it was because of what had been found. The head of the investigation team took them into the base and down a tunnel that had been opened recently, the man telling them that they had picked up on the strange heat signature just a few days ago and had just finished digging the tunnel yesterday. He was unsure as to what it was they had found, but figured that they might so he contacted them.
They emerged into what appeared to be the remains of a small cavern just high enough for them to stand up comfortably. In the middle of the cavern stood a pod that emanated a soft light that illuminated everything around them.
Van's eyes widened. "This looks like the same kind of pod that Zeke came out of. Maybe it's an organoid!" he exclaimed, beginning to walk forward.
"No, don't go any further!" the head investigator warned, but it was too late as Van had already stepped too far and was struck by some kind of force field that protected the pod, the jolt sending him flying onto his back.
"Van!" Fiona cried, rushing to his side and looking back at the pod. It was strange that she wasn't feeling anything from whatever was inside, and she had always been able to get a feel for things like this. Irvine and Moonbay looked to her for an answer, but all she could do was shake her head.
The only one who knew anything was Tania as she stood transfixed at the sight before her, hearing voices that whispered within her mind to urge her forward and not be afraid. She took a hesitant step forward, and Karl moved as if to stop her but Zeke stepped in front of him as if to tell him to leave her alone. Another step and she was nearing the field as she stretched out her hand to feel where it was and strangely finding nothing as she continued on farther to end up standing right in front of the pod. She laid her hand on the smooth surface, and an image of the silver tiger flashed before her as well as the fiery eyes she had seen in her dream. Cracks began to appear on the pod, and she stepped back as it burst open to reveal the silver tiger as it fell out onto the ground, lying there for a moment. Crouching down beside it, she laid her hand on its head and saw its green eyes flare to life before it surged to its feet with a roar, knocking her back a little as it stared her in the eye.
She met its gaze evenly, refusing to show any fear as she thought of how beautiful it was. Then she cried out as it pounced on top of her, and she saw several panels open up underneath it to send out coils of cable that wrapped around her and drew her within itself.
Karl surged forward as he cried her name, only to be knocked back by the same force that had attacked Van. This time the field materialized itself in a whirling sphere of electricity that kept anyone else from interfering.
Inside the organoid, Tania found herself dreaming once more as the organoid showed her images of a long ago battle that had almost destroyed the planet. Two dragon-shaped zoids fought fiercely, neither of them noticing that their battle had similar effects on the land around them. Eventually one was the victor, but the defeated dragon fled before it could be destroyed, finding a hiding place to stay until it could fight again one day. The other dragon went into hiding also as it awaited the day when the other would awaken again and it would be called upon to once again keep it from destroying everything.
Finally Tania was released from the organoid as the field disappeared, and she collapsed to the floor exhausted and breathing heavily as the organoid stood by her. Zeke made a move to come towards her, but a growl from the tiger had him staying where he was as he rumbled plaintively. "No, Silver, they're friends," she said as she struggled to her feet. "They mean me no harm."
Silver rumbled deep within his chest, and she touched his head to show him she was all right as she was recovering much of her strength by the minute. She saw Karl lying nearby and rushed over to him to check on him, glad to see he was okay.
Karl looked upon her as she seemed to have changed, and he reached up to brush her hair away from her forehead to reveal a flame-shaped mark that had appeared there. "Is it you, Tania?" he asked.
She smiled, looking at him strangely. "Of course it's me, silly," she replied, helping him to his feet and embracing him tightly as Silver looked on with his head cocked at an angle.
Once upon the Whale King, she was bombarded with all sorts of questions, but all of them wanted to know why the organoid had bonded with her. She told them of her visions as she became aware of a sense of urgency she had never felt before, and she said that they needed to travel towards the unknown Eastern Continent in order to find any more answers. Karl left to inform Rudolph that there was a change in plans and told him where they were going.
Tania found a nearby chair and slumped down into it, sighing as she heard Silver step over to her. "Silver, please tell me what's going on," she said.
He growled a soft reply, telling her that he couldn't help her as she needed to find her answers elsewhere. She smiled and rested her hand on his head, laughing as she heard what sounded like a purr coming from him as she rubbed him down his neck and across his back. "You're just like a little kitten, aren't you?" she asked, laughing even harder as he bared his teeth in what appeared to be a grin.
Over the next few hours, they had little else to do but wait as they crossed over the Deldaros Ocean, the sun reflecting off of the blue waters and if she looked hard enough she could see whales surfacing for air. Everyone took over a room to get some rest as they sensed that there was going to be some long hours ahead of them, Karl and Tania finally finding the time to be alone together.
Not long after, a warning was sounded as the radar had picked up on unidentified objects that were fast approaching which turned out to be sinker zoids. A defense force of Pterasaurs was sent out but quickly defeated, leaving the Whale King defenseless except for its own weapons. But even those weren't enough, and they were hit with missile fire that damaged the main engines.
Luckily enough there was an island nearby large enough for them to make an emergency landing on, and they braced themselves for impact as the Whale King crashed to the ground, uprooting trees as it crashed into a dense forest.
******************
Did anybody survive the crash? And what did you think of the organoid? Like it? Hate it? Anyway, thanks for reading and please review!
Dragonflame by Shelly
CHAPTER NINE
The next morning, Karl, Van, and Thomas were called to a meeting to go over their plans to start investigating the list of names Tragar had given them, leaving the women and Irvine by themselves. After finding out that Karl had to attend the meeting, Irvine had volunteered to watch over Tania as he didn't trust in the guards abilities to keep her safe. They were all gathered in the suite sharing a pot of coffee as Tania told Fiona of her dream last night, the young woman unable to tell her anything. Strange thing was, Zeke had become overly protective of her since last night and was always nearby just in case she needed him.
After a couple of hours, the men reappeared talking of something that had them excited. Moonbay asked them what was going on, and Van replied that they had received a transmission from the base where they had found the Lightning Saix telling them that they had found something that might be of interest to the Guardian Force. Rudolph gave them leave to investigate, approving for everyone else to go as well as he knew they would regardless of his word.
They were soon aboard a Whale King that took them to the site, Irvine wondering why there were so many soldiers around the base. When they arrived, they learned that the base had been under attack by unknown forces ever since the military had occupied the site, and they wondered if it was because of what had been found. The head of the investigation team took them into the base and down a tunnel that had been opened recently, the man telling them that they had picked up on the strange heat signature just a few days ago and had just finished digging the tunnel yesterday. He was unsure as to what it was they had found, but figured that they might so he contacted them.
They emerged into what appeared to be the remains of a small cavern just high enough for them to stand up comfortably. In the middle of the cavern stood a pod that emanated a soft light that illuminated everything around them.
Van's eyes widened. "This looks like the same kind of pod that Zeke came out of. Maybe it's an organoid!" he exclaimed, beginning to walk forward.
"No, don't go any further!" the head investigator warned, but it was too late as Van had already stepped too far and was struck by some kind of force field that protected the pod, the jolt sending him flying onto his back.
"Van!" Fiona cried, rushing to his side and looking back at the pod. It was strange that she wasn't feeling anything from whatever was inside, and she had always been able to get a feel for things like this. Irvine and Moonbay looked to her for an answer, but all she could do was shake her head.
The only one who knew anything was Tania as she stood transfixed at the sight before her, hearing voices that whispered within her mind to urge her forward and not be afraid. She took a hesitant step forward, and Karl moved as if to stop her but Zeke stepped in front of him as if to tell him to leave her alone. Another step and she was nearing the field as she stretched out her hand to feel where it was and strangely finding nothing as she continued on farther to end up standing right in front of the pod. She laid her hand on the smooth surface, and an image of the silver tiger flashed before her as well as the fiery eyes she had seen in her dream. Cracks began to appear on the pod, and she stepped back as it burst open to reveal the silver tiger as it fell out onto the ground, lying there for a moment. Crouching down beside it, she laid her hand on its head and saw its green eyes flare to life before it surged to its feet with a roar, knocking her back a little as it stared her in the eye.
She met its gaze evenly, refusing to show any fear as she thought of how beautiful it was. Then she cried out as it pounced on top of her, and she saw several panels open up underneath it to send out coils of cable that wrapped around her and drew her within itself.
Karl surged forward as he cried her name, only to be knocked back by the same force that had attacked Van. This time the field materialized itself in a whirling sphere of electricity that kept anyone else from interfering.
Inside the organoid, Tania found herself dreaming once more as the organoid showed her images of a long ago battle that had almost destroyed the planet. Two dragon-shaped zoids fought fiercely, neither of them noticing that their battle had similar effects on the land around them. Eventually one was the victor, but the defeated dragon fled before it could be destroyed, finding a hiding place to stay until it could fight again one day. The other dragon went into hiding also as it awaited the day when the other would awaken again and it would be called upon to once again keep it from destroying everything.
Finally Tania was released from the organoid as the field disappeared, and she collapsed to the floor exhausted and breathing heavily as the organoid stood by her. Zeke made a move to come towards her, but a growl from the tiger had him staying where he was as he rumbled plaintively. "No, Silver, they're friends," she said as she struggled to her feet. "They mean me no harm."
Silver rumbled deep within his chest, and she touched his head to show him she was all right as she was recovering much of her strength by the minute. She saw Karl lying nearby and rushed over to him to check on him, glad to see he was okay.
Karl looked upon her as she seemed to have changed, and he reached up to brush her hair away from her forehead to reveal a flame-shaped mark that had appeared there. "Is it you, Tania?" he asked.
She smiled, looking at him strangely. "Of course it's me, silly," she replied, helping him to his feet and embracing him tightly as Silver looked on with his head cocked at an angle.
Once upon the Whale King, she was bombarded with all sorts of questions, but all of them wanted to know why the organoid had bonded with her. She told them of her visions as she became aware of a sense of urgency she had never felt before, and she said that they needed to travel towards the unknown Eastern Continent in order to find any more answers. Karl left to inform Rudolph that there was a change in plans and told him where they were going.
Tania found a nearby chair and slumped down into it, sighing as she heard Silver step over to her. "Silver, please tell me what's going on," she said.
He growled a soft reply, telling her that he couldn't help her as she needed to find her answers elsewhere. She smiled and rested her hand on his head, laughing as she heard what sounded like a purr coming from him as she rubbed him down his neck and across his back. "You're just like a little kitten, aren't you?" she asked, laughing even harder as he bared his teeth in what appeared to be a grin.
Over the next few hours, they had little else to do but wait as they crossed over the Deldaros Ocean, the sun reflecting off of the blue waters and if she looked hard enough she could see whales surfacing for air. Everyone took over a room to get some rest as they sensed that there was going to be some long hours ahead of them, Karl and Tania finally finding the time to be alone together.
Not long after, a warning was sounded as the radar had picked up on unidentified objects that were fast approaching which turned out to be sinker zoids. A defense force of Pterasaurs was sent out but quickly defeated, leaving the Whale King defenseless except for its own weapons. But even those weren't enough, and they were hit with missile fire that damaged the main engines.
Luckily enough there was an island nearby large enough for them to make an emergency landing on, and they braced themselves for impact as the Whale King crashed to the ground, uprooting trees as it crashed into a dense forest.
******************
Did anybody survive the crash? And what did you think of the organoid? Like it? Hate it? Anyway, thanks for reading and please review!