Xenotober 21 Training (Reunion cont.)
a/n: A filler chapter where we consider the perils of a small slice of Oblivia.
All the good things belong to Monolithsoft.
Neesae and the others flew into the canyon without trouble. They weren't even bothered by the giant walker that usually breezed up and down the entrance. He wasn't much of a threat, easy to outrun since he tended to stand and swing rather than chase. Sometimes he'd be on the far end of his patrol, chilling with the birds that made their homes on his shoulders, and the entrance would be completely free. That must have been the case today, because they didn't spot him as they zipped into the area.
The next section was where the real danger was located. Most of the indigen here were mild, but they didn't need to be strong individually. Packs of grexes raced across the sands and darted out from behind pillars of sandstone. From above you faced flocks of auravis, always swooping down from a blinding desert sky that hid their approach until it was too late. Creatures in this area came at you fast, and came at you in groups. If you hugged the canyon walls, there were predators there as well, like the ictus the team was intent on fighting. The best solution was a quick passage, but that had its own problems. Running wasn't going to help you if you didn't know the right route in advance, because you could easily get confused by the rock formations.
And in the center of this collection of horrors was Feliciano, the All-Seeing. Maned and tailed like a lion, the size of a city block, and full to the teeth with, well, teeth, as well as a roar that could strip the paint off a skell. Also laser beam eyes, or at least that's what a few hapless BLADEs swore was true. Even if that was a delusion caused by the narrowest of escapes, Feliciano had enough special tricks to knock a team out of commission before they had to change weapons.
Rosalee took point, as promised. Neesae recognized the skell she was using, just from around town. Ro was riding in Barrett's own special, which meant that if they angered Supreme Danger Kitty, their best shot was to pull way way back and let Rosalee take care of the problem. Neesae considered telling Carranza, the leader, but decided that was just the sort of suggestion that would make him act in all the wrong ways. She considered telling Frye.
The comms peeped. "Sorry about offering you a drink. I forget you're a kid."
Neesae checked the monitor. Person to person communication, not to the group. "I'm no baby. Never was."
"Yeah, same. Still, gonna say sorry. You tell me if I step out of line, okay? Better yet, tell Irina. I swear her hobby is ripping me a new one. Leave it to the professionals, say I."
Neesae spoke before she could change her mind. "Rosalee's worried and Carranza's too busy trying to prove he doesn't need help."
"Got it. What do you think I should do?"
"Me? Why are you asking me?"
"I just started thinking about it. You've had more time. Maybe I can block him before he goes off on old Felix."
"I'd really prefer if he doesn't," Neesae said.
"Blocking it is," drawled the voice on her comms. "I may not be as fast as you gals, but I can stand like a brick wall. Got all the brains for it." The comm switched off on the gurgle of his laughter.
a/n: Short because I had to help my kid write, and I quote, "a corn maze of an essay". To all teachers, thank you for your service and I am so so so sorry, okay?
Next up: I promise you, this was not Chekhov's gun, nor Chekhov's tyrant. The team reaches the lake, no sweat.
