It should go without saying by now, but the victory over the dragon was followed by a massive feast, complete with some bard who'd been thrown onto the island makin a song about it to tell to posterity. Yeah, really cliche (how the hell did we just happen to get a bard here, anyway?), but I think it fit. Some day, when I got to a medieval world, I would want this tale to be told, if only to make myself and my allies look better. Vivian didn't count - this stuff came to her naturally.

Another thing that should go without saying was that we took time after the feast was finished to prepare for our final excursion - the mission to the Tek Cave. No lies, this would be the toughest challenge our group would have to face, especially since we would go from fighting mythical beasts to robots in a cave that went from roasting heat to frigid cold at practically the drop of a hat. Within it lay a robot that would spawn other bots to attack us - some of which could attack at range. We'd effectively go from a medieval level of fighting to a modern one once we entered the Overseer's lair.

Once this thing was down, I had plans for the ARK. Oh sure, I wanted to get pet creatures from all of the ARKs, but completing the story like it was in the game? Nope - if nothing else, I would put Rockwell in the ground early (or at least capture him and keep him for study) and save HLN-A from destruction. And also probably keep the Genesis ship intact - so much I could gain from it.

I'd already layed out the groundwork to achieve this. I'd had Fide zero in on the location of the ARK, and sync up the portal device to it. Once we had the Overseer offline, I'd have the fabbers work on taking over the ARK, then build orbital facilities to reclaim the rest. Then I could sicnece up a solution for the element corruption, purge Rockwell from Aberration, and claim the Genesis Ship for whatever use I wanted. First, though, I would offer those in the ARKs and related habitats a choice: join me, stay on Earth, or be sent to another planet in this universe after I used the Staff of Life to make it habitable for humans. All seemed reasonable options to me, and hopefully were acceptable to everyone else in this universe (well, everyone that I cared to consider - no aliens had shown up, after all).

...Now I needed to figure out what to do after I left this island. And maybe a few more things to do while on it so that I could do some stuff on the Hub before I went to another universe.

XXXXX

Celempheros couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow in surprise at the sight he was seeing - his newest 'employee' was working on building what looked like a Viking Mead Hall. After having already built a castle. All for fun.

Tau and Zeta was also staring, barely able to comprehend what they were seeing. Just...why exactly did he intend to do that? When he could easily divert such a task to construction drones after he returned from the Island?

A conversation he had with Vivian soon explained this - he just wanted the challenge.

"...I think you took on a weirdo," stated Zeta, voice monotonous.

"So someone just like you two?" asked the Progenitor.

"Yeah, pretty much," conceded Tau. "We're a great big rag-tag bunch of misfits, aren't we?"

"Indeed we are. Oh, by the way, have you confirmed that the task the client offered us is being completed on schedule?"

"Just about to send that report now."

XXXXX

To: Client XVI

Subject: Completion of Assigned Task On Schedule

Content: As per the agreement defined one Terran month prior, an member of our staff has been assigned to contain the incident. I am pleased to confirm that everything is progressing as intended. Completion of the task is likely to be done within one Terran week. As per the terms of our agreement, you are now indebted to Valum Custodial Services, with the debt to be called on as deemed necessary. I trust these terms are acceptable?

Sincerely,

Valum CEO

P.S.: You are permitted to acknowledge me by name in the return message. I merely wish to maintain some decorum with this announcement.

XXXXX

To: Valum Custodial Services

Subject: RE: Completion of Assigned Task On Schedule

Content: Thank you for the confirmation. It is fortunate that things are on schedule. Regarding payment, I accept all future burdens placed upon me in recompense for allowing the situation to spiral out of control.

Sincerely,

Client XVI

P.S.: May I contact the staff member assigned to fix this mess, Celempheros? I would like to congratulate them personally on a job well done.

XXXXX

Infernum Element Research Lab

Fide eyed up the element sample, wondering just what she could find within it. True, it was a corrupting substance, but even the worst poisons had their uses, as did radiation.

Yet even she didn't know some things. Among others, she hadn't quite figured out just how bizarre element was. The comparison to tiberium was apt, but it missed a few important details. Chief among these was that element was...well, alive.

Element linked together all of the corrupted creatures on Earth in the universe it originated from. This meant that it possessed some ability to communicate with itself. And that communication network extended much further than Fide or the Commander knew.

In fact, the samples in the lab were still in contact with the element now infesting Earth, which were listening in intently on what their kin had to say. There was little that could be gleaned, but every tidbit helped.

And some of those tidbits were about to make the Commander's life very miserable.

XXXXX

AN: Short Chapter, just want to make sure I don't lose pace while my muse is chugging along good and fast.

Read and Review! This is Flameal15k, signing off!