Repton and his Raptors all rode their bikes across Terra Bogaton's savannah. The morning sun glistening on the panes of glass each Raptor had on their skimmer. Repton's expression was that of impatience and annoyance. It had been a couple of weeks since the Terradons had surveyed the land. The radio silence paired with the less than subordinate attitude the Terradons exhibit started to agitate Repton. Behind him, riding both of his flanks, was Spitz and Leugey; Hoerk trailing behind by a few seconds. He had not seen or heard from Beaker for a few weeks either. Normally he wouldn't care. That was what he would remind himself.
The Terradon labs approached. Repton leant back on his bike, preparing himself for a stern word with the seemingly apathetic and lazy lizards in the building.
Dismounted, and in a confrontational mindset, Repton walked up to the gate, beating the bottom of his fist on it relentlessly. A periscope emerged from the base of one of the gate's edges, coming up to Repton's collarbone in height. 'What do you want?' Repton heard a Terradon say in a snappy and annoyed tone.
Repton growled before looking the periscope in the eye and pointing at it. 'I'm here to see what you slackers have been doing about my defences' He hissed to the periscope, anger slowly rising. The periscope disappeared back into the ground, and the gate opened to reveal Oppensaur looking angered himself.
'I don't exactly remember you pitching this project as your personal aerial defence network. But if you are that impatient, perhaps a demonstration of our endeavours is in order' Oppensaur growled in response, before turning around and re entering the facility. Repton growled a little more and yelled for his team to follow him. Spitz, Leugey and Hoerk all flinching at the outburst.
The interior of the labs had seen a slight change of floor plan, the lab at the end expanded a slight amount to cover nearly three times its original size. Inside the room itself, the Raptors saw a collection of prototypes with various slight changes to their shape, size and construction. Leftover and broken components left in piles across the room, many tables and gurneys filled with paperwork, and notepads, and all manner of items. Oppensaur waved his hand to keep the Raptors following him, and they approached a single turret prototype, limp and de-activated. 'This is the shell of the final design. the fins have been forged in just the right way, the barrel is just the right size and length, and with the crystals kindly provided by your goons-' Oppensaur's speech was quickly interrupted by Spitz and Leugey voicing their offence at the same time, '-We should hopefully have our first working unit. All we need is to calibrate the aiming systems' He finished, crossing his arms and looking perplexed at the problem.
'Wait, you want us to get shot by that thing?' Leugey asked, shaken by the idea
'We need somebody to test it, for sure. Someone who is capable and doesn't mind being shot at' Oppensaur replied.
'We have only one who is right for the job. Don't we, Hoerk?' Repton asked, in a sly and manipulative manner.
Hoerk perked up at the drafting, and immediately responded, trying to get out of it. 'Repton, wouldn't Spitz be better for the job? He's smaller, after all' Hearing Hoerk's excuses, Spitz looked up at Hoerk with contempt and punched him in the arm. Hoerk took the punch, and pulled his own fist up over his shoulder, looking down at the now flinching Spitz.
'Don't try to change my mind. See to it that you get the results we need' Repton growled back. Hoerk reluctantly agreed, looking away from Repton.
Oppensaur pulled everyone back to the topic at hand, 'I'll have the prototype packaged down into a box trailer for your skimmer. Beaker will also join you, if I remember rightly, you two are already acquainted'
'You could say that' Hoerk replied. The main lab door opened by the Raptors, with Beaker pushing a trolley full of snacks and flasks of hot drinks. Beaker looked out into the room and nearly called out for drinks, but noticing the four Raptors, she fell mute. Still pushing the trolley round and in between Oppensaur and the Raptors.
'How does another field day sound, Beaker?' Oppensaur asked with a clinically pleasant voice. Beaker looked up and at each of the faces around her in shock. 'We need to tune the targetting system. I assume that won't be an issue?' He continued. Beaker kept eye contact with Oppensaur as he spoke to her, and turned back to the Raptors afterwards. She scanned their faces before her eyes met Hoerk's. He merely folded his arms and nodded slowly and subtly.
'Sure' Beaker said, pulling a slight smirk.
The Terradons packaged the turret into a small box trailer, and fastened it to Hoerk's skimmer. Positioned on the bridge over the lab's dry moat. Hoerk climbed onto the skimmer and shimmied forward to give Beaker space to climb on herself. Oppensaur walked alongside the skimmer and spoke to Hoerk, 'Be careful with the prototype' He hissed, 'And nake sure you test it somewhere it won't be spotted' Oppensaur started walking away after his stern instruction. Repton and the rest of the Raptors sat on their skimmers either side of a straight path away from the labs.
Hoerk kickstarted his bike. The engine screaming into life, and purring idle for a second. He twisted the throttle open and rode off of the bridge, past his team, and along the floor. Rising in speed until he reached flying speed, where he opened his wings and pulled into the air.
Aboce the treeline, Hoerk looked behind him, and saw the Raptors riding away on the ground, in the direction of their base. Hoerk sighed and looked forward again. Behind him, Beaker tilted her head. 'So. How have you been?' She asked, awkwardly drumming up conversation.
'Umm. Good?' Hoerk replied. Confused as to what to say.
'Okay. Good' Beaker looked down around her, quiet with thought. 'So where are we going?'
Hoerk immediately gave a response. 'We're going to a small Terra I remember seeing a while back. It's off course from the shipping lanes, so we will be left alone' Beaker hummed and nodded.
'I'll be fine with that. So long as you don't do any crazy stunts' Beaker warned.
'You mean like this?' Hoerk playfully remarked, before fully opening the throttle, twisting the handlebars, and sending the skimmer into an aileron roll. Beaker squeaked at the acceleration, and yelped whilst the skimmer rotated. Holding onto Hoerk's torso tightly.
After his little stunt, Beaker lightly slapped him on the arm. 'Don't forget about the turret!' She said, annoyed and pulling a slight scowl.
'Oops, sorry Squeaks' Hoerk innocently replied, still smiling at her. She rolled her eyes and smiled back. Breaking through her anger.