Evacuation

by Ivan Ishara

[Complete, Fully Revised] Book 1 of the Ivani Chronicles: The quest has already been brought halfway to the point of damnation, The first step to be taken must be backwards, in Evacuation.

9. Life Like Thunder

The Ivani Chronicles : Book 1 - Evacuation : Chapter 8 - Life Like Thunder

"The trees have returned to their original density," Ivan called out over his shoulder. "This can only mean one thing," he continued, drawing his sword, "We're almost out."

Ivan's sword then came down with a clean stroke, cleaving the intertwined branches away in front of him. Continuing his maneuvers, Ivan made a path through the immensely dense forest as he had on the other border of the forest. Maddie followed closely behind, watching the trees. The trees grew and moved at amazing rates in response, giving the impression that they were living, breathing animals and not the rooted plants that they were.

Filmaramon slept on Maddie's shoulder in the form of a small cat. Over the past years, she had found the form of a cat to be most comforting to Maddie, as well as to herself, so the transformation stuck for the majority of the time she was transformed. Although not particularly effective in combat or support of others physically, Filmaramon found that her skill lied in psychological assistance for those who needed it.

Houndramon walked at Ivan's side, keeping his eyes on Ivan as he rent branches from their owners. He wished he could serve some more useful purpose, but such was not possible. Although he wanted to help, his claws and teeth weren't effective against the thick wood; they worked more as forceful bites and scratches, while Ivan's sword was able to make clean cuts and slices through the digital trees. At present, all he could do was watch and wait until they had passed through the dense woods.

Gatomon walked a short distance behind the Dragoons and their allies, thinking about the events of the past few days. Patamon flew above her, his mind on much the same thoughts. All the excitement had put them both on end, worrying for their partners' lives as the danger increased. And, with the enemy's strength increasing while theirs stayed the same, they were at a significant disadvantage. They had Ivan and Maddie to thank for saving their companions from destruction, as they had the power and the will to oppose these new opponents. Even TK had been helping them in combat, learning how to use the staff he was now relatively skilled with. The week that had passed in the forest had certainly taught both TK and Kari many new skills.

Looking back, Gatomon remembered the other new skill the two humans had acquired recently. The way in which they hit one another with their mouths was very new. For the life of her, Gatomon could not understand why they insisted on doing it over and over as they walked; it seemed more painful than pleasurable to her. However, if it made Kari happy, then she wasn't about to argue the point. Kari's happiness and safety was, after all, Gatomon's ultimate goal in life.

Patamon, too, turned to watch the two. He could not understand the reasoning behind the lip-smacking procedure that TK and Kari did as they walked along either, but he accepted it as another one of humanity's strange behaviors to entertain his or herself. If the flashing screens in TK's house could amuse them so well, for instance, hitting one another like that could be equally pleasurable. Patamon turned back to the direction he was flying as Gatomon turned about and continued walking, leaving the two humans to the activity people called kissing.

TK pulled away from Kari after planting another kiss upon her lips, looking into her crimson eyes. She smiled up at him, her arm around him tightening. Even as they followed the others, their eyes never broke the lock they had on one another. Only the brief moments when their lips were locked together did they close their eyes, daring to break the connection. TK's free hand reached up, brushing Kari's bangs out of her eyes. His other arm, currently about her shoulders, pulled her closer as he kissed her again. TK never wanted to let go of Kari, but rather to hike on forever as he and Kari gazed at each other, in joy and in love. Nothing had ever made TK feel so complete and connected, as if he was a puzzle finally finished and ready for presentation. He hoped that the composer of the puzzle would keep the picture in one piece.

Kari looked up into TK's cerulean blue eyes as he pulled away from her once again. It felt like it had been only a few short moments since they left the campsite, but over an hour had actually passed. Kari didn't care, however; she was too overjoyed to be holding TK in her arms. Nothing had ever been more enjoyable for her, and if she could spend eternity the way she was, there would be nothing better she could ask for. She pulled TK close again, pressing their lips together in a loving exchange once again. Kari felt as though she were given an electric charge, a shock of passion unlike anything else. The only clear thought that came through was a desire for more.

Ivan glanced over his shoulder at the couple, shaking his head as he turned back with another swing at the next branch. It almost hurt to see the other two so in love. He wanted to hold Maddie as TK held Kari. Although he regretted the thought, he was envious of TK. His feelings for Maddie were only inflamed as he saw TK and Kari. He needed to explain himself to Maddie, and soon. Otherwise, his emotions threatened to become too much for him to bear. His eyes then strayed to Maddie, who was now walking alongside him. Her presence nearly made him lurch forwards as his heart gave off an incredible surge at seeing the one who had been on his mind right next to him. Maddie, however, appeared nonchalant as she moved closer to Ivan, her eyes still on the forest in front of them. Ivan did his best to forget the thoughts and concentrate on getting out of the dreaded forest, but something in the back of his mind kept the thought there, nagging at him as he continued slicing the outlying tree branches.

Maddie noticed Ivan's sudden motion, but made little of it, although it did give her a bad impression. Perhaps she as being a bit forward, being so close to Ivan. He certainly cared about her; Maddie knew that, but he didn't really seem the one to love another. However, if she learned anything from her wards, it was that Love was possible anywhere, and that Courage was the requirement for its coming. As long as Maddie was courageous, and stayed true to her Love for Ivan, he certainly could return that Love to her just as strongly. She hoped that Ivan was ready, for even though he had been acting strange lately, he never slipped on what she wanted him to say and never let on any more than his care for her. It was as if she were his little sister. Maddie hoped he didn't think that way. She would have loved to have a big brother, but her affection for Ivan went beyond friendship and, indeed, any sort of familial affection.

Maddie turned, looking over her shoulder to ensure that the others were still following. Her eyes fell on TK and Kari, oblivious to anything else but one another. Her heart gave her a pang at the sight; she turned away to stop the aching. Seeing those two in one another's arm made her emotions only redouble upon her. She wished Ivan would hold her as TK held Kari, not just for comfort as she cried or protection from her dreams. She wanted him to hold her just because he loved her. It was that Love that she wanted, that she craved. She didn't know how to find if his feelings mirrored hers. She'd thought about it for hours, but only one solution really seemed decent: to tell him outright. Again, her wards came to her mind. Courage would have to help her reach Love; she had to tell him.

The two in front soon felt the uncomfortable silence bearing down on them. Thankfully, Houndramon was willing to break the silence. "Only a little further," He said, sniffing at the earth a few feet ahead of Ivan. He had started worming through the branches to get a bit of advance notice on things to come for the rest of the group. The branches were getting less dense as they went, signifying the woods coming to a close.

TK and Kari were unaware of the change, but their digimon started cheering. They, unlike the humans, had no emotional experiences through the trip and had grown bored over the course of the journey. They hadn't even needed to fight much, as Ivan's weaponry skills and Maddie's magic proved more than a match for all their encounters. The end of the road was what they wanted most.

Ivan's heart also lightened at the news. Once out of harm's way, and with TK and Kari back in the Real World, he would be able to have some quality time with Maddie. He wanted to take her away from all the action and combat; perhaps Azulongmon and Kilvaramon would give them some time off. Regardless, it would give him the opportunity he needed to finally say what he wanted to say and possibly have Maddie give him the answer he so desired.

Maddie was, perhaps, the most animate at the knowledge. More than anything, the confinement and uneasiness inspired by the forest had been getting to her. Ivan had done his best to keep her dreams, which had been increasingly dramatic, at bay. Even with his help, Maddie still felt the pain and loss that they brought. Perhaps escape from the forest would mean escape from her dreams. And, with the freedom of the forest would be the freedom to spend time alone with Ivan. TK and Kari would return to the Real World, and she would be left alone with Ivan.

Their digimon would be there as well, but Houndramon and Filmaramon rarely spent off time with their human companions. It was more likely that they would return to their friends of the digital sort. Houndramon apparently had a family, though Maddie had never been introduced to them. Houndramon kept having excuses, which were legitimate, but in the all the time Houndramon had, a bit coincidental. Nonetheless, he continued to say they'd come with him next time.

Her thoughts returned to Ivan and all the loving, romantic ways they could pass the time until their next assignment. Walking trough some of the lush fields, flying away together around the Digital World or perhaps taking a trip to one of the many sandy beaches. Even spending time in one of the digital cities was appealing, so long as Ivan was there at her side. So long as Ivan was there at her side, she would do anything.

Ivan's sword cleft through branch after branch, covering the ground they trod with branches and leaves. The branches got thicker and sparser as they went, but they grew back as they had at the other side of the forest. TK, having not taken his eyes from Kari's for an instant, stepped on a particularly large branch that rolled under the pressure of his foot. With the sudden loss of equilibrium, TK went down. His hands, rather than at his sides, had been in Kari's. Thus, he could not catch himself and instead dragged Kari down on top of him. Both screamed as they fell unexpectedly, Kari's arms quickly grappling TK. TK landed with a thud and a groan. Kari's body shoved him into the uneven ground again, eliciting a second groan. Kari propped herself up on TK's chest, looking down at him with worry.

"TK?" she called softly, her head close to his. "TK? TK, are you okay? Say something," Kari's worry grew with each passing second. Then, after a moment, TK's eyes slowly opened, staring up into Kari's.

"Ugh." he managed as a response, shaking his head. "Well, that's what we call a fall. I'm fine, Kari, but if you wouldn't mind, could you please slide off of my chest so I can breathe again?"

"Oh, sorry," Kari moved almost too quickly, apologizing again as she did so. She then helped TK to his feet again, putting her arm around his waist to keep him steady as he stood. "Sorry for falling on you, TK," she said softly.

"It's alright," TK replied, rubbing the back of his head. "Besides, I pulled you down. It's not as if you had a choice."

Kari smiled up at him. "Right. If you want to survive the rest of this journey, then you may have to just let go of me."

"Thanks for the offer," TK said, placing his arm around Kari, "But it's more fun to have you in my arms than to live to the other side. The best, of course, would be accomplishing both." With that, TK tightened his arm around Kari but put his eyes on the path in front of them. However, the branches had again decided to grow back at their great speed, blocking their path and now thrusting out at the two of them.

TK pulled Kari out of the way as more branches sprang out at them, spinning back and forth. He could have pulled out his staff, but a blunt rod would to little against the thick wood. He called out to Ivan, hoping he could cut back to them. Meanwhile, the branches continued to drive out at them, forcing them down to the ground to avoid being impaled. TK continued shouting, as did Kari, until the familiar sound of a blade cleaving through wood came to their ears, growing louder.

TK only then realized that, when he was clearing a path in the woods, Ivan swung the sword into the ground. Grabbing Kari around the waist once again, he held her against himself and rolled as quickly as he could up against the trees on one side. Seconds later, the blade struck the dirt where they had been. TK called out again and the blade stopped. Ivan's head then poked down to the earth. TK thrust the branches off of himself and Kari, helping her to her feet this time.

"This is inevitable with you, isn't it, TK?" Ivan said, shaking his head. Maddie and the digimon, who had come back with Ivan to avoid getting trapped, could hardly keep themselves from laughing.

"Well, you know it's hard to watch all this stuff at once," TK said, blushing and laughing a bit himself.

"Surely hindered by a distraction like Kari," Ivan responded slyly, causing Kari to blush as well.

"Too true," TK said softly, for only Kari to hear. Kari looked up at TK, smiling. Her arms returned to their place around his waist as TK's went back around Kari. TK then put his eyes to the path before them and led Kari back to the rest of the group.

"Alright; let's get out of this place, shall we?" Ivan's statement met a unanimous nod and Ivan turned around, starting up once again on his way through the dense woodlands.

It took little more than an hour for Ivan's sword to cleave the final branches. Before them lay grassy fields and rolling hills, dotted with small clumps of trees. The river, some fifty feet off to the left, wound down into a small valley further to the left, the other bank striking up sharply into the side of a plateau. The sun, setting fast behind them, signaled the end of their day, and the expanses of open grasslands in front of them inspired a great sense of accomplishment.

Maddie was the first to crack. Finally free of her confinement in the forest, her pent-up energy exploded. Screaming and cheering, she dashed ahead of the others. Her gymnastic skills were then displayed as she somersaulted, back flipped, spun, and leapt around the open field. She kept at it for several minutes, Kari joining her as well as most of the other digimon. TK then followed after Kari, taking her in his arms in a dance.

Ivan was relieved as well, but his joy was released more internally. With an accomplished sigh, he leaned against a tree at the edge of the forest with a smile upon his lips. Houndramon lay at his feet, rolling back in forth in the grass. He was also mellower when an adventure came to an end. He had, after all, experienced much more than this.

Ivan's eyes followed Maddie as she pranced around in the open field. She and Filmaramon were having a grand time, making Ivan want to join them. However, he suddenly noticed something in the sky. A speck of light, high above the plateau, was flickering while it was still day. Stars were not common before it was late at night, setting Ivan on guard. Anything suspicious was usually bad; subterfuge was not the forte of the Digital World.

As the object flickered, it seemed to get bigger, and then divided into two. Then the two shining objects grew, staying side by side. The sound came then: the low reverberations of a sonic jet flying overhead. The others were unaware of the source, but Ivan knew it was the flickering lights. He also knew that the flickering lights were in fact two robots of their enemy. The hulking monstrosities came into view, camouflaged in the synthetic skins of Digimon. The species they imitated Ivan did not know, but one was of a blue tint, and the other, bigger with a more vicious appearance, was orange and green. Like lightning, the robots came at them, under the impression that they had caught the group off guard. Indeed, they would have if Ivan was not the ever-alert guardian that he was. Only seconds were available for Ivan's preparation, which he used to extend a desperate call out to the others. "Get back!" he yelled, dashing forward to them. His super-human reflexes were put to the test as he cleared the fifty yards between him and the others, who were still unaware of the danger. He cast a protective barrier as quickly as he could. However, the time allotted was not enough to have the shield perfected.

The digimon called out simultaneous attacks as Ivan yelled out to his companions. The blue robot, calling out in a synthesized voice, "Reaver Hail!" threw out a bombardment of no less than a hundred shards of energy at the party. The robot cloaked in orange and green launched a great fireball as he said in an equally monotone voice, "Infernal Vortex!"

The Hail came first, the Vortex an instant later. As the shards neared, Ivan's shield came into being, bolting out from his palms at incredible speed. Each shard was cut off, the barrier only just intercepting them. Then, instead of striking its respective target, the bolts of force were channeled back to the source of the shield – Ivan; he was still generating the shield. Each blade pierced through him, not causing physical damage, but instead surging his nerves with pain. Gritting his teeth, Ivan endured the pain only to have the Vortex come blazing directly into him. Unlike the individual shards, the Vortex attack held a far greater and deadlier punch. Hardly prepared for resisting the assault, Ivan was hit by the full force of the explosion. The barrier shattered under the pressure.

Hurled back like a rag doll, Ivan cleared the fifty yards again, this time through the air, until he collided with a tree. Maddie screamed, dashed towards him, and was kneeling beside Ivan's fallen form in an instant. The others ran as fast as they could, both out of immediate danger and to Ivan.

"Ivan, Ivan, can you hear me?" Maddie pleaded, taking his hand in her own and holding it against her cheek. Ivan's eyes opened after moment, blinking then flashing back into life. His arms then shot forward, raising another barrier. The others, having their backs turned upon their enemies, never saw the new onslaught that Ivan noticed. This time, his shield was completed with a few seconds' leeway. The shards showered down upon them, but their surge was greatly reduced as Ivan's shield strengthened. Even the Vortex only had a minor repercussion on Ivan. However, there was no more time for mere defenses. Ivan's resources were already greatly drained from the first attack. Assault had to be quick and precise, he knew, lest they would all end up dead.

With everyone assembled behind the temporary barrier, Ivan quickly issued out a plan. "TK, take the digimon and Kari back into these woods. They're dense, but the path that we followed comes out just over there, see? The trees won't grow over you there. Get back in there and stay-" A series of collisions drowned out his voice temporarily, "-alert. I may need you. Maddie, you need to create a distraction for the rest of us. I can keep the barrier up long enough for you to transform. Then, make a dash-" More attacks struck the shield, "-across the field, between the two robots, and then bolt off to the side. They attack quickly, but I know you can outrun their ballistics. Just keep an eye on their aim in case they try to-" Another shower of shards poured down; another mighty Vortex slammed into the barrier "-cut you off. Make an erratic path, like thunder. Once you're out there, TK will move up into cover and I'll transform. Then, we'll take down these two imposing robots."

"Well, let's not waste any time!" Maddie shouted as more explosions reverberated through them. She then pulled her amulet out from under her shirt, speaking softly to it. Instantly, as if sensing the danger, the light burst out of the necklace. Maddie was absorbed into its warm, protective substance. Another moment passed and the light had faded, leaving the Ruby Dragoon, Madina, standing before them. "See you on the other side, Ivani," She called, bolting out from Ivan's protective shell. The robots, falling for the plan, set their sights on the dragoon as it rocketed out between them. They did indeed try to cut Madina off, but Maddie's piloting skills were far beyond those of the hulking machines.

TK grabbed Kari by the hand, calling to the rest of the digimon to move in their opportunity. Houndramon led the way, followed by TK, Kari, and the other digimon. Ivan alone was left within the blockade. Standing, he rubbed his back that was badly scraped from the tree bark. He was thankful for his reflexes, for he may not have been able to survive the blast back if his partial shield hadn't been in place, or if he hadn't let the Vortex explosion carry him. Stiffening would have only made him more brittle.

His thoughts didn't stay for long, as he whipped out his amulet. With a silent prayer for Maddie's safety, he recited his phrase of calling. The light within his amulet erupted, as if linked with Ivan's own apprehension and anxiety. With the conclusion of transformation, Ivani stood in the clearing. The barrier faded from view.

Within the helmet of the Diamond Dragoon, Ivan sought out his Ruby counterpart. He spotted her, releasing a conflagration at the blue robot. The machine was hardly affected; its masquerading shell darkened, but little more. A steady flame was the only real way to cause severe damage, as metal needed steady, high heat to melt. Unfortunately, these robots had no kindling foliage like the imitation Cherrymon.

Ivani charged like a streak of lightning across the field of combat to Madina's side. He signaled her that the others were safe, and then commenced to release his own vicious assault upon the twin robots.

TK and Houndramon slipped into the opening a moment later. Moving in a few feet to provide some cover, they looked eagerly out towards the battle between the Dragoons and the robots. The explosions went back and forth, with flashes of light around the bases of the levitating robots. Gatomon, who had been looking away from the battle on the field, suddenly cried out urgently. TK and Houndramon turned to see what the problem was. They saw it – two drones, moving quickly towards them down the path. As they came closer, their blades came out in a flash of metal, ready to strike with deadly force upon the humans and their digital companions.

TK threw the strap attached to his stave back, the stave swinging around him into his hands. Another instant passed and the staff was detached from the strap and readied. Ivan's relentless preparation and drilling made his reflexes even faster than they had been from basketball and his previous journeys in the Digital World. Houndramon, naturally prepared for battle, only needed to brace for the charge.

TK came up with an idea as the chargers closed in. A few seconds before the drones reached them, he knelt down on the ground and held the staff horizontally. With a forward roll, TK drove the staff forward into the legs of the drones. The resulting blow threw all three to the ground. Houndramon set upon the fallen drones, but got only a second's opportunity before they were back on their feet, sword points forcing the dog-digimon back.

TK was on his feet just as fast as his attackers, whirling his staff about in a protective windmill. He then caught one of the drones in the torso with a cross swing, pulling its attention from Houndramon to him. Thus, TK and Houndramon was each engaged by a razor-sharp blade wielded by expert, electronic hands. Houndramon used his great agility to avoid the whirling sword, while TK's stave was still resisting all forms of attack. Nothing seemed to break it, which was fortunate as the Drone's blade crashed into TK's blocks again and again.

The drones, which happened to be more advanced than the boys expected, continued their onslaught. They held no fear, no remorse. All they knew was death. They were either to kill their opponents, or be slain themselves. With their destruction as the only other option, they held back nothing; perhaps this made them too overzealous in their attacks.

It made little difference, however. TK could not maneuver his staff fast enough for a counter-attack after a parry, leaving him only with the option of protecting himself. Houndramon was likewise pinned, unable to get past the weapon of his opponent without taking a hit. Even as it was, there were occasional connections from the blade of his opponent with his side, causing Houndramon to yelp. The others, inadequately equipped to engage in battle, could only watch as the two fought with their oppressors.

Thrusting backwards, Ivani's cannon shells struck their mark on the blue robot. However they, as Madina's fire, cause little damage. The counter-attacks of the robots tore apart the dirt in front of Ivani, kicking up a great cloud of dust. Madina again tried an attack: "Flame Vulcan!" She released a great fireball at the orange and green monstrosity, catching it square in the chest. The façade of the robot burned and melted away, exposing the internals of the goliath, but was extinguished almost instantaneously. There was almost no overall effect.

Ivani dashed over to Madina, creating a barrier as he reached her. Ivani's enhancements made the shield far stronger and much more quickly than he had in his human form. He then turned to Madina. The two tried to come up with a plan, as their own attacks had only superficial damage upon their attackers.

"Maybe their own attacks are more effective?" Madina offered, watching another series of attacks cascade down into the shield.

"It's worth a shot," Ivani said in reply. "Hold tight here, I'm gonna get on the other side. On my signal, thrust up and forward, straight at me. Don't change your angle until the mid-point, and then dive down until you're a few feet above the ground. Remember – like thunder." Madina nodded once in acknowledgement.

Ivani bolted out through the robots, while they tracked him with their weaponry. Ivani's erratic movements were all that kept their explosions from hitting him on full. Then, reaching the other side of the two robots, he turned around. Throwing his arms out to his sides in a signal to Madina, which she understood, he somersaulted into the air. Madina mirrored his movements as if it was a choreographed flight pattern. Simultaneously, they hit the boosters on full, charging at one another. Like a pair of electric bolts, they passed through the gap between the robots.

The robot cannons fired as both targets entered the same vicinity. However, their ballistic speed was far less than their targets; they hit one another in the crossfire instead. The blue robot's energy shards tore through the imitation digimon skin, some piercing the internals of its orange and green ally. The Vortex attack was far more damaging, however, as the blue robot felt the full impact upon its torso. The masquerading shell was incinerated, leaving only tattered remains. In addition, its armor was damaged and somewhat melted in the great heat of the energy explosion.

Ivani looked back with pride, knowing just a couple more passes would end the robots. However, he found that the robots were no longer so close. They were not elites for nothing; they comprehended Ivani's plan and used the first plan they processed to counter-act it. This was to split up. They could do more together, but they were more likely to hit one another again in such close proximity. Thus, they spread out.

Madina looked over at Ivani, as if to ask "what now?" Ivani shrugged, and then pointed her to the formerly blue robot. Madina shook her head. She then pointed at the orange and green robot. Why Madina wanted to take on the larger robot Ivan didn't know, but he didn't want to contest it now. He nodded, and then dashed off after the metallic monstrosity.

"Any plans, Houndramon?" TK panted as another swing came down upon his stave.

"Not yet, but I'm thinking," Houndramon responded breathily, back-flipping out of another blade swing.

The drone engaging TK came down with a particularly harsh, vertical strike. TK blocked the blade, but the force reverberated through his fatigued arms and sent him down. Kari screamed as TK fell. TK relaxed as the sword pulled back, but only for an instant before rolling to the left. The Drone's second attack hit the soft dirt rather than it's original target. A dirt cloud was thrown up. TK again performed a windmill-parry, knocking away the drone's blade. In the instant provided, TK swung his staff against the legs of the drone, utilizing the force of the windmill as an amplifier.

The impact resonated through the trees. The drone's leg was thrown out from under it. TK got to his feet an instant before the drone stood, and met it's rising body with a phenomenal backstroke to the head. He utilized his whole body to empower the blow. Spinning with the momentum, TK brought the drone into the trees at his side with a deadening thud. Another follow-up strike to the torso yielded a felled drone. However, TK was not quick enough to avoid the blade the drone still held in its hand as the weapon came flying along with it. Catching TK in the side, the blade made a shallow slice through his clothes and into his flesh. TK cried out from the gash, stumbling into a tree and gritting his teeth against the pain.

Kari screamed, running to TK's side. She quickly pressed her hands against TK's wound, easing him down into a sitting position. TK's shirt turned crimson and wet against Kari's hands, making her even more scared. She did what she could, then, with a rush of strength, ripped one of TK's sleeves off and used it to help staunch the wound.

Houndramon saw what happened; his adrenaline erupted. As it peaked, Houndramon charged away from the drone to the opposite side of the path. Jumping at a tree, Houndramon used it as a springboard. Launching himself to the other side, he vaulted off of the tree, moving a bit higher. Back and forth Houndramon threw himself, moving a higher each time, as well as a bit faster. The pace increased to the point where the drone could only decipher a black shadow whirling above it. Once he was about ten feet above the ground, Houndramon held his next launch a bit longer, bending the tree down further. With a snap release, Houndramon's angle of projection was much steeper. Houndramon reached the pinnacle of his launch directly over the drone, and maneuvered himself into a dive of deadly claws.

The drone, seeing the blue and black object come driving down upon it, attempted to block him with its blade. Houndramon had expected this. His angle of descent was not aiming for the drone's head, as it expected, but for its sword-wielding shoulder. The drone saw this too late, and as it attempted to adjust the blade's angle, a flurry of claws and fur cascaded down violently against its side like a streak of lightning cleaving through a tree.

The drone's arm was hewn from the core, the blade still held in the hand and ultimately driving into a tree from the force behind Houndramon's claws. The rest of the drone met the incredible strength of Houndramon's hind legs, kicking the drone into up a tree at the other side of the forest with his hind legs. Houndramon's momentum continued, sending him running up another tree. Again, Houndramon vaulted across the gap of the path, this time directly at the drone. His claws this time impaled torso of the drone, leaving behind only cleft fragments of metal with a pair of legs and a sparking, torn metallic skull. Houndramon then back-flipped off of the tree, landing on the ground with a soft thud.

"Well, that worked as a pretty decent plan, didn't it?" Houndramon said to the astonished crowd. He then paced over to TK, who was half-asleep from the pain in his side. Kari looked pleadingly at Houndramon. Houndramon's eyes scanned the path for some sort of material to help stop the bleeding, but he was at a loss for what would work best on a human. Then he noticed the lights flickering on in the drone on the far side of TK.

Ivani drove to the right, dodging yet another shower of energy shells. By now he was getting bored with the same attack, wishing desperately for a conclusion. He could evade all these attacks, while the machine could endure all of Ivani's. Then it hit him; Azulongmon's sword. It could cleave any material, and was by all accounts unbreakable. "It's worth a shot," he said to himself.

Throwing his left hand to the sky, Ivani's sword was ejected from the slot installed on the arm plate. Ivani caught the blade as it fell. With a quick swipe, the blade of the Diamond Dragoon was brought to the ready. It was another instant before a barrage of energy shards came down at him from the bestial robot. This time, instead of dodging, Ivani spun his shining sword about in front of him. The shards were knocked way. Although now more dispersed, some of the shells did collide with their creator.

One bolt of energy tore through the sensory systems in the headpiece of the robot. It stunned the visual capacities of the machine for only an instant, but the quick swoon of his opponent signaled Ivani that it was an opportune time to attack. With its visual capacity restored, the robot found Ivani's blade swinging horizontally, emitting a great arc of light.

The sword's beam, far stronger than any of Ivani's projectile weaponry, cleft through the target with incredible affectivity. The central core was ruptured, leaking oil onto the ground. The robot slowly fell from its airborne position, but never actually landed. To finalize his victory, Ivani fired another great arc of deadly charged energy, this time in a vertical pattern.

The blast of force rent cleanly through the machination, causing the remaining fuel and charged energy to detonate. Engulfed in a flurry of blue-green flame and smoke, the remnants of the robot fell to the ground in a smoldering pile. Ivani came back down to the ground, looking at the charred remains of his former opponent. Then he realized Madina was still engaged in combat at the other side of the battlefield. Adrenaline rushed through him. "Breaking on through to find my light," he said softly to himself, charging his thrusters. "I'm gonna fly so high and never hit the ground." With that, Ivani rocketed towards where Maddie had gone.

All anyone could have seen was what looked like a silver streak of horizontal thunder rip across the field.

"Keep breathing, TK," Kari whispered in TK's ear. "Stay awake; don't close your eyes. I don't want to lose you." She rested her head against his shoulder, doing her best not to cry. She pressed harder against his side, her hands now as red as the armor of Madina. She wished desperately for clean water, but the only source was on the opposite side of the battlefield. All she could do was hope that the bleeding would slow. Houndramon kept dashing off into the woods, sometimes coming back with some herbs. Other times he came empty-mouthed. Kari did what she could with the herbs, but she didn't know how to use them and Maddie was in the middle of combat. Chances were that Maddie wasn't in a much better situation.

"TK, please don't die," she pleaded. "I love you, I don't want to lose you so soon." It had only been a day since they had admitted their love for one another. To lose TK so soon seemed almost cruel to Kari, and indeed not something she wanted to endure.

TK's eyes slid over to Kari, and he managed a weak smile through the numbing pain in his side. "I'll be alright, Kari," he said softly, resting his hand on top of her own. " If I can have you fall on me and be alright, I think I can endure this." Kari's mind reeled to that incident.

At the time, it had all been in jest, and TK had been all right. She knew that it meant his love for her was incredible, but she didn't want him to die right after they had reached such salvation. Irony was not something she enjoyed in serious situations.

"Here," Houndramon said as he nudged a few more herbs into Kari's lap. "These are very absorbent and have special antidotes within the leaves. They're effective for open wounds. They need to be applied to the bare skin, though."

Kari shuddered at the thought of having to see the actual wound. Up to this point, it had been under bloody cloth. Gingerly, Kari pulled her hands away and lifted up the fabric. TK winced. The sight was indeed not a pleasant one. Kari had not been as prepared as she would have liked for the image.

The blade had sliced clean through both cloth and flesh on its passing. Even without much force behind it, the saber's sharp edge was enough to cut through skin easily. Now the wound had bits of cotton stuck in it, along with a bit of white visible inside. Kari felt her tears come back even stronger, but she held them back as she did her best to clean her hands of TK's blood on her shirt. She then picked out the specks of cotton in his gash. Lastly, Kari placed the leaves delicately across the wound before pulling the shirt down over TK's side and pressing against it. It wasn't as severe a wound as one to the heart or head could be, but it was augmented by the blood loss.

Kari looked into TK's pained eyes, losing all her inhibitions. She left her right hand to hold the new herbs against TK. Kari used her left hand to pull TK to herself, crying softly into his right shoulder. TK's right arm cradled her against himself, and his left hand held helped Kari's right on pressuring his wound. He kissed her head gently, whispering again and again that it would be all right.

TK, too, had though of the events of the day. He knew how much he loved Kari and would have certainly held Kari in the safety of his arms, even if it meant his own death. The prospect of death left him as he learned that Kari's happiness and life wouldn't be secure without him. Kari loved him just as much as he loved her. Without him, she would lose a part of herself. Kari's arm tugged on him feebly, making firm his thoughts. He returned her embrace, his strength returning from his own resolve and the medicinal values of the herbs.

Houndramon noticed TK's recovery had turned for the better. He stopped running errands for herbs. Then he turned his attention back to the drone still in one piece. It kept erratically charging up, but only Houndramon had noticed it as of yet; the other digimon continued to watch the explosions and flashes of the battle outside. The drone sparked to life again, slowly rising. The drone took only an instant to regain itself, but it was an instant too long. Its sword was only just coming to the ready when Houndramon pounced upon it, rending the cables out from within.

Kari and TK both looked over, shocked at the sudden outbreak. Houndramon, panting, had another shredded drone beneath his paws. "It wasn't quite dead," Houndramon commented, his claws still digging into the skull of the drone.

"Thanks, Houndramon," Kari said, TK nodding in agreement. Kari noticed that the blood from TK's wound was no longer flowing out, but staying somewhat contained within him. She kept her hand tight against him, worried that it might re-open, but gave a prayer of thanks for keeping her beloved alive.

Ivani looked around for Madina, but she was nowhere to be seen. The orange and green monstrosity was still lumbering about, though not in any particular direction. Once Ivani came into view, it caught sight of him and turned on its new opponent. Ivani noticed the new attacker, but knew that the sword he held could not reflect the Vortex attack that it used. He needed to develop a new strategy. More importantly, he needed find where Madina had flown.

Madina certainly had the speed to avoid the attacks of this robot, even if her attacks weren't strong enough to take it down. Still looking about, Ivani noticed a glint of red in the evening light, on the ground amongst a small patch of trees. Bolting down to the patch of trees, Ivani saw that it was Madina, lying prone on the ground.

Ivani called out to her, but there was no response. All that was to be heard was the orange and green machine's "Infernal Vortex" prepare for another strike. Ivani whirled around, calling up a barrier as the Vortex was fired down upon him. Ivani's enhancements made the shield more than a match for the great energy ball. Ivani then turned to Madina, raising a more substantial barrier around the fallen Ruby Dragoon. As much as he wanted to help her at that instant, the onslaught of the enemy could not be ignored. He turned on the hulking opponent, brandishing his sword as the eyes of the pilot glinted with fury. No one crossed Ivan and got away with it, especially if it involved Maddie.

Tactics were no longer a part of the calculation. Ivani's adrenaline, peaking as he saw his angel on the ground, gave him more than enough skill for this battle. His thrusters ignited with a mighty flare. The robot took aim once again, but Ivani had already cleared to the other side of the machine. As the lumbering robot attempted to track Ivani, it was thrown further off-target. Ivan's emotion augmented the speed of the Diamond Dragoon exponentially, allowing him to perform feats otherwise unimaginable. Time felt as if it was slowing down around him, but he could still move at his normal speeds. The robot, naturally slow but strong, seemed to become more sloth-like with each passing second.

Then, all at once, it stopped. The enemy machine ceased to move; the wind in the trees stopped; the running river stilled. Even the sun had ceased to fall behind the horizon. Ivani alone had movement capabilities. Had he seen himself, he would have noticed the radiant light bursting from his dragoon armor, but of this he was not aware. All he knew was that Maddie was in grave danger, for when a Dragoon ceased to move, the pilot was either unconscious or dead. With that thought in mind, Ivani wasted no time in readying his blade. It, too, was shimmering with a radiant light.

Ivani dove then, straight at his mechanical opponent. With a whirlwind of deft strokes, Ivani cleft straight through the paralyzed machine.

As Ivani finished his drive, time rushed back across the landscape. The wind whistled through the trees again, and the water of the river ran on. The sun continued to slip out of view. As for the hulking robot, only two large portions of hewn metal imbedded in the ground remained. Ivani looked over and noticed oil leaking out from the core of the machinery. He also noticed that several components were now on fire. This combination was very dangerous, he knew, and the oil's quick movement gave only a few seconds' time before ignition.

Ivani bolted over to Madina, throwing himself over her fallen form just as the oil met the flame. A second later, a cataclysmic explosion of fire and shrapnel detonated behind Ivani, followed by burning rain and debris. Only the dragoon armor kept Ivan safe, though even it was pierced by some of the particularly large metallic shards.

After a moment, the infernal rain ceased. Ivani slowly rolled off of Madina, who was still unmoving upon the ground. He said her name again, gently pushing her arm. No response came. He tried again, more urgently. No response came. Ivani pried back Madina's helmet, hoping for the best.

Maddie, although unconscious, had suffered no wounds that Ivan could see. Her face, still as pretty as he remembered it, rested inside the helm of the dragoon. Her hair, disheveled from movement and fighting, made a thin veil over her face. Otherwise, Maddie could have very well been asleep. What had happened was still questionable.

Ivani stood, taking a quick glance around to ensure that there were no more dangers at hand. Once he was satisfied, he recalled the armor about him. As the light receded, Ivan knelt down at Maddie's side once again. He had many sharp pains along his back, but ignored them. His attention was focused completely on the safety of Maddie. The light had not stirred her, making Ivan further worried. He ran his hand gently along her cheek. At this, Maddie's body did stir slightly. The warm skin beneath his fingers was a great reassurance to Ivan.

"Maddie," he whispered softly, his head near her ear. There was no response. "Maddie," he tried again, "Maddie Mongoose, you need to get up dear. Just give me a sign you're alright. I can carry you back, but you need to recall your armor first; it's far to heavy for me."

For many moments, Maddie gave no physical response. Ivan continued to whisper gently in her ear, running his hand back and forth along her cheek, occasionally stopping to check her pulse and breathing. Her pulse was regular, but her breathing was shallow. Then, slowly and painfully, Maddie's eyelids blinked open. With a groan, she regained consciousness.

"Ugh, what happened?" she murmured, straining to even get the words out. "I feel like I got hit by an omnibus."

"Well, It's possible one of those Vortex shells caught you in the side," Ivan said, relieved as Maddie slowly got up on her elbows. Ivan put his arm around her shoulders when she faltered, acting to support her.

"All I know is it really hurts," she pouted. She tried to rub her sore arms, but the metallic armor prevented her from doing much.

"Maddie, I would suggest you start by recalling Madina, okay?" Maddie nodded in response. She tried to stand up, but again faltered. "Here," Ivan said, resting her back down on the ground as gently as he could when dealing with the weight of the dragoon armor. "Just recall it lying down. It'll be safer this way."

Maddie made no objection. She set to recalling the armor. Ivan, unable to look directly into the explosion of light, clenched his eyes while still supporting her head. As the light faded, Ivan dared to open his eyes once again. Looking back, Maddie was lying on the soft dirt, her clothes looking more worn and tattered, her hair still covering her eyes, and what skin was visible had several bruises. Maddie groaned again, unable to move many of her ligaments due to the betterment that she had endured. Ivan moved closer to her, brushing the hair out of her eyes with one hand while keeping the other under her head.

With the light of Madina gone, there was minimal illumination left. The sun had finally completed its course, casting only a few chance rays back over the forest. Stars had not yet emerged. Dusk surrounded the two. "You're the medic, Maddie," Ivan said lightly, hoping to get Maddie's mind off the pain. "You can't be the one getting hurt like this all the time. What'd I do without you there to give me a hand when I get totaled by one of these goons? It's my job to get banged up, not yours."

Maddie smiled up at him, thankful for his endearing words. "Sorry," she said, "I'll keep that in mind next time we find ourselves in a fight. In that fraction of a second I get to do something, I'll throw you in front of their attack, okay?"

Ivan chuckled at the thought, but had the lingering feeling that she would follow through with it. "Sounds like a plan," he said, regardless of what it might ensue.

"But it really hurts," Maddie whined again, starting to move, then halting herself as the sharp pains of her injuries ran through her. "This really stinks."

"Come here, Maddie," Ivan said, holding out his arms to her. Maddie looked up into his eyes. After a moment, she nodded. Ivan knelt against her, letting Maddie put her arms around Ivan's neck. Pulling back up, Ivan's arms slipped underneath Maddie's thighs, providing her with a seat of sorts. Maddie weakly tried to pull herself against Ivan, attempting to center his gravity better. However, it was to little avail; her arms were so fatigued she could barely keep a grip about Ivan's neck. Instead, she leaned her head against Ivan and let him carry her back to the others.

"It won't be far, Maddie," Ivan whispered comfortingly in her ear. "You can take a nap when we get back, I'll take care of dinner for everyone. I don't know that there's a whole lot of stuff we can use for bruises, but if you'd like we can try pain killers."

"I'll be alright," Maddie said, wincing as she did so. "I don't want to be a burden."

"It's not a problem," he assured her. "Besides, I know you'd insist on doing the same for me. We'll get you some water and something to help dull the pain. I know how hard it is for you to sleep as it is, I don't want you to have trouble falling asleep in the first place, too."

"Alright," Maddie said, giving in. "Thanks, Ivan," she added, tightening her grip.

"Anytime, Maddie," Ivan responded.

The strange intimacy of the whole event suddenly hit him. He was actually holding Maddie in his arms, even if it was out of comfort rather than love. Moreover, she was holding him in return. The signals had been very confusing for Ivan to understand in the past, but as of late they were getting clearer. Once he received one clear, definitive signal, he would be in bliss. For the time being, he was happy to hold Maddie and carry her back to the rest of the group. Resting his head against Maddie's, Ivan continued to stride back to the forest's edge.

As he walked, he continued to try and create amusing distractions for the girl in his arms. Although they may not have been particularly funny or well rehearsed, Maddie was thankful and laughed at the points when she was supposed to. Maddie's body seemed to get heavier as Ivan walked, for even her small frame was more than Ivan usually carried. However, Ivan wasn't about to show any sign of weakness when Maddie really needed him. Readjusting his grip, Ivan tried to put his own focus on his pointless stories as well, in order to ignore the numbness enveloping his arms.

Several minutes of slow progress across the field passed before Ivan and Maddie reached the entrance to the forest at which they had left the group some time ago. Houndramon, ever resourceful, had created a small fire at the mouth to the forest. The other digimon, lying in the verdant grass some feet away, were chatting softly. TK, laying on his right side, struggled to keep his eyes from closing, lest he be taken by a dangerous sleep. Behind him, Kari sat with one hand on his side and the other in TK's. When Maddie and Ivan came into view of the fire, Houndramon padded over to greet them.

"What happened?" Houndramon said at seeing Maddie half-asleep on Ivan's shoulder.

"The larger robot caught her off-guard, gave her a good bashing," Ivan explained, running one hand gently down her back. "She's a bit beat up, but with a good night's sleep, some food, and pain killers she'll be fine." Maddie nodded, emphasizing what Ivan said.

"That's good to hear, we weren't so lucky to have just a few bruises," Houndramon loped back over to the fire, gesturing to TK and Kari. It was then that Ivan noticed the great stains of blood on TK and Kari's clothes.

"What happened here?" Ivan said, eyes wide in worry. Maddie stirred, and Ivan carefully lifted her up. Sitting down, he rested Maddie in his lap. She gasped at the sight of TK's side. She started for her pack, but Ivan took her hands in his. "Let's find out what happened before you try and give him medication. You are still having trouble moving your arms. Don't go hurting yourself yet, okay?" Maddie sighed, nodding. She looked over at Houndramon.

"So, what happened?" she asked softly.

"Well, we were ambushed by a couple of drones while you two got involved with the robots. TK and I took them down; he smashed one down with his unbreakable staff, and I got the other with a well-executed pinball claw attack." Ivan and Maddie both couldn't help but laugh at the thought; Houndramon had used the skill in the past a few times, and although very effective, it was a very amusing display in hindsight.

"Anyway," Houndramon continued, not finding his special moves humorous, "the drone that TK felled happened to do a spin with its sword as it fell, catching TK in the side. It didn't have much force, but it doesn't take much to wound someone who is void of armor. He's looking better now; I gave him some of those nice medicinal herbs you showed me a few months ago. But when it happened, it was a very red scene. He's lost a good amount of blood, perhaps an entire pint by now. As for current medical action, some of the gauze would be helpful right now, along with any more of that medicinal herb you've got. I found some in the woods, but there wasn't much."

Maddie nodded, and then reached for her pack. "I can put it on for you, Maddie," Kari said quickly. "That is, of course, if you don't mind? You do seem a bit fatigued, though,"

"Thank you, Kari; that'd be great." No sooner had Maddie replied than she handed a roll of gauze and a small vial to Ivan. "Here, give these to her. The vial's got some of those herbs in it, known as the Engrachi herbs, crushed for potency and space. Only a small bit of it should be necessary."

Ivan handed the vial and the roll of gauze over to Kari as Maddie spoke. Maddie then gave Kari instructions on how to properly use the herbs and the gauze. Kari followed all of Maddie's directions diligently. "Be sure to pull it tight, Kari," Maddie said as Kari was pulling the gauze around in the final step, tying it fast around TK's stomach. He winced at the sharp pull; Kari quickly apologized. Nonetheless, she made sure it was tight around TK, keeping the medicinal powder against his wound and acting as a constant source of pressure to help contain any further bleeding.

With TK bound and safe, Kari lied down behind him and laid her arm over TK's body. TK placed his hand over Kari's, gently grasping it and holding it to his chest. His other arm acted as a pillow, and TK was asleep almost instantaneously.

Ivan looked about, noticing that no one was very energized anymore. TK had fallen asleep while Kari was resting by his side. The digimon, save Houndramon, were still talking idly, relaxing in the soft blades of grass. Kari, using Ivan as a resting board, was nearly asleep herself. Indeed, it seemed as if the group would go to bed without food. Ivan, however, knew that Maddie at least needed something to eat. After gently resting Maddie on the grass, he told her to rest for a bit; he'd get her some food.

"You don't have to do this for me, Ivan," she said, taking his hand in hers. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather just sleep?"

"I'm sure, Maddie," Ivan replied, squeezing Maddie's hand softly before standing. "Besides, I'm hungry, too."

Maddie laughed at the remark. "I never knew you when you weren't," She giggled. She then closed her eyes, still smiling at the thought of what Ivan said.

Half an hour later, Ivan returned to Maddie's side. Gently stroking her arm, he called her name. "Dinner is ready, Maddie,"

Maddie opened her eyes. "It was the greatest dream, too," she said wistfully, leaning up. Ivan's arm was behind her in an instant, helping her up. In his other hand he held a bowl of his famous Requallo Soup. "Oh, the classics," she said slyly. "What would we ever do without them?"

"You've got me," Ivan answered. "It's more due to a lack of supplies than anything else. It's a good thing that we'll have these two back home in a day. Otherwise, we'd have rationing problems."

"That'd be terrible!" Maddie said with mock-worry. "Why, if that happened, you wouldn't be able to sate yourself whenever you liked! What ever would you do?"

"It's something I prefer to not think about," Ivan said, sarcasm all too apparent in his words. "I may just have to go eat tree bark or grass."

Maddie, who had just taken a sip of her soup, could do nothing but keep from spitting it out as she got a visual of Ivan running through the forest stripping bark from the trees and gnawing on it. "That's a priceless mental image," Maddie said once she regained herself. "If you ever, ever decide to go gnaw on random trees, let me know; I'll bring my camera."

Ivan, too, started laughing at the thought. Frolicking through the forest, licking at tree bark was not something he wanted to have to do on a daily basis. "I'll be sure to let you know when I do. But then I'll need a picture of you popping out of a mongoose hole,"

Maddie again nearly lost her soup as another vivid mental image hit her. "It's a deal," she said after swallowing her soup.

"Okay, I'm gonna go get my dinner," he stated. "Houndramon, if anybody's hungry, let him or her know there's a vat of Requallo Soup up for grabs." Ivan then stood up slowly, making sure that Maddie was able to support herself. He then went over, retrieved his own bowl of soup and proceeded to wolf down the bowl's contents.

After finishing off the soup, Ivan checked to make sure everyone who was hungry had gotten some food. Kari took a bowl and woke up TK to feed him a few spoonfuls. The digimon each took a bowl, downing the liquid rapidly. Lunch had, after all, been skipped over.

Ivan retrieved the bowls from the digimon, Kari, and Maddie once they had finished. Stacking them, he decided to wash them in the light the following morning. For the present, he gave Maddie the drugs she had set aside for after the meal. She took them then returned to resting, this time without worry of interruption.

The sparkling stars and moon overhead, coupled with the low energy level of the group made Ivan tired. His own fatigue from combat and carrying Maddie washed over him. He didn't want to leave the camp unguarded, but knew that his own stamina was running low. His staying awake through the night would make it all the harder the next day, and he dared not ask any of the others.

Kari and TK had returned to their dreamland, although Kari had moved to TK's other side. Facing him, she had again wrapped her arms around him. Gatomon and Patamon slept near their human counterparts, while Filmaramon became a pillow for Maddie and Houndramon lay down at her side.

With a sigh, Ivan resigned to leave the camp unguarded. He extinguished the fire to eliminate the possibility of a brush fire. He moved all the used dishes and the duffel bag out of the way. Then, with one final check to make sure everything was in its place, Ivan decided to join Maddie.

Ivan lay down next to Maddie, looking over at her sleeping frame. Even after all she'd been through, her light and loveliness shone like a beacon to him. "Goodnight, Maddie," he whispered, his arm gently wrapping around her waist.

"Goodnight, Ivan," came Maddie's reply, a small smile coming to her lips. She placed her hand on Ivan's over her stomach. Ivan grinned, squeezing her hand gently. The squeeze was returned, causing Ivan to smile again. Then, getting as comfortable as he could on the ground, Ivan let sleep take him away to the realm of his dreams about the darling whom his arm was around. However, letting down his guard was perhaps the worst mistake he could have made. Indeed, the greatest threat to come was now bearing down upon them.

"End of recorded data," a monotone voice stated.

"Well, they must be aware of our attacks by now," another voice growled. It was low and ominous.

"Both the 'Chassis: Turkanmon' and 'Chassis: Rugardimon' Robots, as well as the two Class-B drones have been disabled," the monotone voice said. A blunt object was slammed into another, as a fist on a wall.

"All of them?" The low voice sighed. "Damn; those were some of my top combatants. Can none of my mechanisms hinder these pathetic humans?"

"It appears that the power of the pathetic humans is not to be underestimated," the monotone voice replied. "To date, no attacks have succeeded in eliminating any of the targets. However, they have been wounded. The one called Madina was struck by the 'Chassis: Turkanmon' and the one known as Takeru met the end of one of the Class-B drone blades."

"Madina was injured?" the low voice roared, a pang of emotion running through it. "That wasn't supposed to happen, it's Ivani that they're supposed to target. Madina is to be brought to me alive."

"Indeed, sir," the monotone voice interrupted. "The 'Chassis: Turkanmon' Robot had succeeded in knocking the Ruby Dragoon unconscious. However, the Diamond Dragoon intervened-" Another slamming noise emanated.

"Damn that Ivani," the sir said, loathing accenting his already icy speech. "Well, if my creations are of no use, perhaps it is time I go in there myself. How long will it take to ready my equipment?"

"Twenty minutes and you will be ready to engage the targets, sir," The monotone voice answered.

"Very well. Set to preparing my equipment immediately. They sleep now; it may be my best chance for an ambush." Again the heartless tone of his words became evident. "You are dismissed, R-374Y"

"Yes, Jason," The monotone voice said.