From the long set sun, a gentle cast of purple radiates into the living room of the ranch style house. The soft ambient drone of domestic convenience looms in the air. The refrigerator's compressor kicks on. The rush of wind filters through the vents of the wall mounted air conditioner just above the couch. And, the vertical blinds hanging in front of the sliding glass door wave gently. Behind the kitchen door, light, muffled rumbles of machinery rattle, the sectioned metal panels of the garage door opening. With a swift turn of the knob, the door swings quickly open, gusting away a few specs of dirt under a nearby cabinet. Stepping in, Sotalia tilts her head back in a dramatic wave of relief and spreads her arms out. "Oh gods... So good to be back here..."

She moves through the kitchen area, slides out a dining room chair, and plops down. Blinking her gold on black eyes, she rolls her neck in a stretch, slacking her shoulders, and relaxes upon the seat. "Dessert may have been a bit too much..."

Cracking a sly smirk from the corner of her mouth, she glances off to the side. "BUT... I think I earned THAT much."

Cideeda walks across the kitchen floor, faints clicks from her claws upon the tilework tapping out. Sighing out her relief, she loosens her body suit and quickly rounds the table into the hallway. "I'm calling first shower! Need to wash the funk of this mission off of me."

With a few sniffs, she scrunches up her nose and grimaces. "Gods. Surprised no one said anything at the Pancake Shed."

Sotalia rolls her eyes playfully and smiles dismissively. "Oh, you were FINE. I think Rekeeka and the rest of the staff could tell we had a rough enough day."

Nodding, Aristespha climbs the steps from the garage, turns around inside the kitchen, and smiles encouragingly to Bach. "Your muscles are going to be VERY sore. While I detected no significant damage, thankfully, you still have put your body through tremendous strain. It will need to heal through its own processes."

Bach winces in a mix of sharp pain and frustration, bracing himself against the door frame. Gritting his teeth with each foot step, he manages to travel up the short stairs into the kitchen, Dretphi behind at the ready. He stands idly, the soreness radiating throughout his body, and settles a worn gaze at Aristespha. "Yeah... It's REALLY starting to feel like I did a week of workouts in one day. Ow..."

Sniffing up a short, pained breath, he eases out a slowly exhale. "Gods. Man, I didn't realize I had muscles in so many places... And how badly they could all ache."

Aristespha smirks sympathetically, nodding understandingly, and swiftly moves towards the hallway. "Give me a moment. I have a potion that will help soothe your muscles and should boost your natural healing."

Plodding ahead through the kitchen gradually, Bach vainly tries to work out the aches in his body, grimacing during the process. "At this point... Ow... I mean, I'll try anything. Because, I think it's going to feel a whole lot worse before it gets better."

Dretphi brushes off her under armor suit and glances at the remaining armor plates stacked on the garage floor. She keeps close to Bach, slowly walking. "Do you need help?"

With hints of embarrassment, Bach smiles appreciatively and braces himself upon one of the dining chairs. "Uh... I mean... I think I should be good. But, I wouldn't mind someone keeping me from falling flat on my face. Legs are getting real sore and stiff. Thought I was doing okay when we were eating, but..."

Fluttering his eyes, he shakes his head slowly. "It's all hitting me now."

Aristespha arrives from the hallway, presents a vial to Bach, and meets his eyes. "This is a particularly potent potion, and it WILL cause drowsiness. So, I would not take it until you are ready to go to bed for the night."

Grasping the glass container from Aristespha, Bach observes the colorful, shifting mix inside, curiously tilting it around. "Oh. Okay."

Sebastian's ethereal form materializes next to Aristespha, and he studies the vial in Bach's hand. His translucent blue eyes widen briefly, and he chuckles with an amused smirk. "Oh, THAT stuff. Yeah, that stuff is pretty powerful. Drowsiness is an understatement, bro. It hits me pretty hard."

Bach squints at the concoction, blinking the fatigue out of his blue eyes, and barely shrugs his shoulders. "Honestly, I wouldn't mind going to bed early. Yeah... It's been quite the day, and my fun bucket is really fucking full right now."

Managing a hearty chuckle, he winces, his arm covering his side. "Ow... Yeah, I'm going to bed. That sounds really good."

Bach stiffly steps ahead. Aristespha catches Dretphi's attention and nods to her. "I will have a similar potion for you in a few minutes."

Dretphi nods thankfully, staying behind Bach with her hands ready to catch him. Grimacing with each step down the hallway's hardwood floors, Bach plays off the aches, lightly laughing. "Hey. I know how I'm feeling. But, how are you holding up?"

Deliberating her response, Dretphi smirks slightly and perks an amused brow. "Stretched thin."

Bach reflexively snorts in a laugh, holds his stomach, and shakes his head slowly. "Ow. Nicely put."

Opening the door, he plods slowly into the room. He sheds off his scorched duster onto the floor, stands next to his bed, and plops himself down upon the mattress. A long sigh of relief escapes him, and he closes his eyes briefly. "Gods... What a day..."

Dretphi slowly nods agreement, crossing her arms, and quietly thinks to herself in the quiet moment. Bach blinks his eyes open, carefully sits himself up, and gazes over to Dretphi, hints of concern in his voice. "Hey... You doing okay?"

Snapping back to attention, Dretphi glances over with a warm smile and uncertainly rocks her head of platinum blonde braids side to side. "I will need to... process... today."

Bach sighs and musters up an awkward grin back. "Yeah. Definitely going to need to think through all this. Soon... Not before getting some sleep, though."

He lifts the potion from Aristespha up in front of him, unscrews the cap, and sniffs the vial. "Let's see how hard this stuff really hits."

Tilting the small bottle back, he quaffs down the liquid, grimacing briefly at the taste. He screws the lid back on and sets it down upon the nightstand. "Well... That was... NOT tasty..."

With a light chuckle, Dretphi smiles warmly. Catching a stray thought in her mind, she inquires. "I have a question."

Bach settles back down upon the bed, slowly stretching out upon the top, and rests his head on the pillow, gazing over to Dretphi. "Okay. What's the question?"

Pondering out her query cautiously, Dretphi watches Bach, hunting for a reaction. "Why did you not blast the beast with energy? Would it not have been simpler?"

Blinking in surprise, Bach sheepishly grins. "Well... Yeah... But..."

He averts his eyes briefly. "I didn't want to... Let you go."

Sighing deeply, he lays out his thoughts, fighting off a yawn. "To be honest... I barely had anything under control. If I was going to do anything with what I had, I wanted to make sure you were safe. It may have not been the optimal solution... But, it's the one I know I could live with."

Dretphi blinks in genuine surprise, bows her head down, and speaks warmly. "Thank you. Bach."

Bach briefly opens his eyes against the drowsiness, yawns, and smiles. "You're welcome. You're worth it. Just forgive me if I'm... Not eager to run laps anytime... Soon..."

A faint blush of pink fills Dretphi's cheeks. Mulling over a thought quietly, she lifts her head up, starting to open her mouth. A snore halts her. In a moment of confusion, she studies the sleeping Bach. Seconds later, she smirks and giggles quietly to herself. Stepping over to the end of the bed, she grabs hold of Bach's boot and gently tugs upon it. Bach stirs briefly in slumber, muttering incoherently. Dretphi pulls and shakes a bit harder. Bach's fatigue secures his slumber, and he only squirms a bit in defiance. Furrowing her intrigued, tan brow, Dretphi gazes over Bach and sighs with a kind smile. She curiously eyes Bach, unstraps his boots loose, and pulls the footwear off. With Bach sleeping, Dretphi contemplates the bed covers underneath the sleeping man, narrowing her steely gray eyes. She carefully rolls Bach onto his side, tucks the sheets under, and guides him back over. With a swift sweep, she drapes the covers over Bach and tucks him in.

Gazing at the slumbering Bach, Dretphi gently brushes his longer brown hair out of his face, holds her hand upon his beard-covered cheek, and watches him gently snore. She softly pats his face, smiles warmly, and steps quietly on her under armor covered feet out of the room. With a flick of the light switch, she pulls the door closed and walks down the wood floor hallway. Sebastian's ethereal form drifts down the passage, and he smirks humored. "Let me guess, it hit him hard, too?"

Dretphi nods simply, smirking. "Yes. In minutes."

Grinning with the knowledge, Sebastian laughs softly. "Knew it."

His gaze grows more serious, and he meets Dretphi's eyes. "Hey. Just wanted to ask how you are feeling. It was quite the day for all of us. Especially you."

Frowning momentarily, Dretphi sighs and musters up a partial smile. "I will need to process it all."

Sebastian nods understandingly, placing his hands on his sides. "Yeah... I know how THAT goes. Just remember, we're all here for you. And, you shouldn't think twice about asking any of us for help. We'll do what we can."

An appreciative full smile emerges upon Dretphi, and she acknowledges thankfully. "I know. Thank you."

A sly grin creeps out from the corner of Sebastian's mouth, and he points his thumb over his shoulder towards the archway into the living area. "Now... The other reason I'm here is that Sotalia is mixing up some drinks and wanted to know if you wanted to partake."

Dretphi's steely gray eyes light up, and she nods eagerly. Sebastian leads the way, Dretphi following.

----

Slipping through the windows, faint traces of very early morning glow barely contrast against the cold, looming darkness of the bedroom. The outline of an armor stand with an incomplete suit of plating momentarily emerges from the uncomfortable, silent shadows. Dretphi's steely gray eyes stare widely out into the void around, and she struggles to calm her breathing down. Tossing and turning on her bed, she settles herself into a workable enough position and concentrates on relaxing her tensed body. She mutters comforting logic to herself in grath. She slowly allows her fatigue to guide her into slumber. She drifts off. Her mind kicks her body abruptly awake. Eyes wide in sudden panic, she pants, resting a hand on her pounding heart. Frustration and fear surge up into a teary mess upon her tan, tired face. Sniffing, she rolls over to her side, tightly clenches the sheets, and trembles, her eyes darting between the chaos in her head. She struggles for any kind of calm moment, the night surrounding isolating her further into her own frantic, desperate state.

A light flicks on out in the hallway and beams into the room from underneath the bedroom door. Bach's muffled, grumbling voice complains. "...fucking... bright bathroom light..."

The glow dims, and another door closes to the hallway. Wrapped in the sheets, Dretphi sits up on bed and stares longingly at the illumination pushing away the surrounding darkness.

Bach opens the bathroom door, steps out into the hallway, and turns around stiffly, fumbling for the light switch. Mid rotation, he notices Dretphi peeking out from behind her door and pauses. Blinking to some awareness, he sighs and apologetically waves. "Hey. Sorry if I woke you there."

Dretphi shakes her head and smiles. "No. It is okay. I was... awake. Why are you up?"

With a slow, careful shrug of the shoulders, Bach awkwardly grins. "Well... Going to bed early threw off my sleep schedule a bit. And..."

Rolling his blue eyes, he smirks with a faint snort. "Well, I just can't convince myself to go back to sleep. Aching muscles and all..."

He gazes at Dretphi curiously, cocking his head curiously. "What are you doing awake at this hour?"

Dretphi briefly grits her teeth, glances away hesitantly, and fights an avoidant urge. Pausing in thought, she gazes at Bach, opening her bedroom door more. "Yesterday will not leave my mind."

Bach frowns slightly, pondering a moment, and nods with a similar sentiment. "Yeah... Me too. Honestly. Thoughts are really what's keeping me awake right now."

The two share a silent minute. Bach thinks to himself. Dretphi wanders off into her head, idly fidgeting with her pajama shirt and shorts. Cracking a smirk, Bach glances over to Dretphi and motions towards the living area archway. "Hey, um... You want to join me and watch some terrible early morning TV? I figured something mindless to watch would be nice, right now. And, I might be more comfortable in the couch chair."

A smile grows on Dretphi's tired face, and she nods thankfully. "Yes."

Bach maneuvers rigidly towards the living room with Dretphi following along behind. The two plod over in front of the television. Snagging the remote off the coffee table, Bach wanders towards the recliner. Dretphi settles along the length of the couch, resting her head on the side next to the recliner. She adjusts a couch pillow underneath her head, sinking into the cushions. Bach eases himself into the chair and glances over to Dretphi curiously. "By the way, did you take my boots off and tuck me in?"

Dretphi blinks in surprise and awkwardly twists her mouth. "Yes. You fell asleep. Could not wake you easily. Did what I could."

Nodding, Bach reclines back and points the remote towards the screen. "Oh, okay. Thank you. Was trying to figure THAT out. Man... That stuff knocked me right out."

With the press of a button on the remote, the television flips on. Lowering the volume, Bach flips through the many channels of early morning broadcasts. One show contrasts the rest of the entertainment wasteland.

"Next up on Relic Roadshow, famous and infamous episodes marathon..."

Glancing over to Dretphi, Bach lifts a curious eyebrow. "You okay with Relic Roadshow?"

Dretphi tilts her head up, directing her voice softly. "Yes."

The two settle their attention towards the screen, watching items of strange antiquity get evaluated to unexpected prices. Arrogance earns the reward of embarrassingly low values, and humble people realize their unexpected treasures. A sleep deprived, humored Dretphi blurts out softly. "Cannot be worth... much..."

Blinking slowly and fighting off a yawn, Bach smirks, furrowing his brow. "I don't know. I mean... we've seen some real garbage get a decent price."

Dretphi hums in modest agreement, letting her eyes close, and settles into the couch more. Bach stifles a snort and quips at the appraised value appearing on the screen. "Really? Huh."

Groggily opening her eyes, Dretphi glances to the screen, noting the final price. She drifts her gaze over to Bach in the recliner, smiles tired, warmly, and eases her head back on the pillow. "Surprising..."

Closing her eyes fully, she allows herself to relax. Minutes later, the end credits for the episode scroll on the television. In the intermission, Bach turns his gaze over to Dretphi and watches her lay quietly. He slowly folds up the recliner, lifts himself up, and stiffly walks as silently as possible through the archway into the hallway. Dretphi cracks an eye open and listens to Bach's mumbling. Bach searches through a linen closet in the hallway, squinting in the low light. Seconds later, he returns with two blankets in hand. He tosses one over to the recliner and opens up the other. Slowly and cautiously, Bach maneuvers around the coffee table, flaps the blanket open, and glides the cover over Dretphi. He pulls the corners around for maximum coverage. Shuffling around the coffee table, he eases back over to the recliner. He grabs the blanket, settles back into the chair, and covers himself. Squirming into the cushioned recliner, he resumes watching Relic Roadshow.

Dretphi stirs slightly. Her hand grips hold of the cover, and she snuggles up in the blanket, soon drifting off into slumber with a content smile.

----

The tall, thin Captain Hackle walks thoughtfully, his arms behind his back, and studies the archway barrier sealing off the large entrance at the perimeter of the circular clearing. Pausing a moment, he notices the morning sun and glances over to Sergeant Violet with a calm smirk, lifting an intrigued eyebrow. "So, what is the situation at the present?"

Sergeant Violet flips through a clipboard of paperwork and narrows her dark blue eyes at a few key entries in a collection of notes. "The facility containment force field is still active, after reactivation. Current readings indicate that it seems to be maintaining strength at the moment. But, minor fluctuations have been detected. The adventuring team's report detailed the state of the facility..."

Furrowing her brow, she flicks a brief glance ahead through the archway, into the darkness beyond. "And the hostile creature within."

Captain Hackle nods, pondering further with each step towards the gathering of Greater Azure Alliance specialists a distance from the shielded facility entrance. Sergeant Violet follows dutifully alongside Hackle, spots a familiar lanky, half-emin man, and calls out to him. "SPECIALIST THAYAL! Status report!"

Nearly twisting himself back around, Specialist Thayal pivots abruptly and salutes Sergeant Violet. "Gods fu- Yes! Sergeant! Barrier is still stable. We have done initial scouting of the area and have not found any other entrances given current knowledge of the structure. A team has been dispatched to use ground penetrating radar and survey magics to properly map out the extent of the structure. We are maintaining a safe distance for now."

Captain Hackle glances over to Sergeant Violet with a humored smirk and settles his inquiring gaze upon Specialist Thayal. "Good to hear. Any sightings of the creature?"

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Specialist Thayal contorts his tan and gray face and uncertainly grimaces, eyeing over towards the facility's archway barrier. "Nothing confirmed. A few of us believe we saw movement beyond that second golden magical barrier, but... It's been hard to get a good visual going through the force field and that magic barrier."

Pausing in thought, he narrows a curious glance at Captain Hackle and inquires. "Captain, is this the same adventuring group from that one cybernetic research base a few months ago?"

With a smile, Captain Hackle nods calmly and chuckles, stepping purposefully closer towards the archway barrier. "Yes, it is. And, I see they've left another quite impressive feat of their handiwork behind."

Disappointment washes over Specialist Thayal, and mild annoyance appears. "Yeah... THAT is going to take some doing to remove, Captain. It looks way more involved than that last barrier we pulled off."

Flipping through a few pages of notes, Sergeant Violet quickly skims over a section of a report and directs her voice towards Captain Hackle. "Captain. It says here they constructed the barrier as a means of sealing off the creature long enough to explore other more permanent options. They did not know at the time that the facility's systems were going to try to reactivate the archway force field, or even if that was a possibility. They had to evacuate quickly, but felt they needed to make efforts for containment due to the dangerous nature of the creature."

Captain Hackle's brown eyes narrow upon a warping mass in the darkness, and he sneers his upper lip, curling his graying mustache. Focusing through the outer energy field, he aims his gaze through an opening in the golden magical barrier. His posture stiffens to a rigid, straight and readied stance. With a cool and stern tone to both Sergeant Violet and Specialist Thayal, he frowns sharply. "I think we would be wise to leave that barrier in place for now..."

Sergeant Violet and Specialist Thayal visibly notice the dramatic shift in the Captain's tone. Both quickly snap their attention towards the strange, distant movement in the unnatural darkness past the golden barrier. Around the furthest gentle bend, a black mass briefly contrasts against the cyclic red glow of emergency lights. An array of pinpoint crimson eyes peer out, down the long corridor, gliding along the featureless body of the beast. Behind Captain Hackle, Sergeant Violet, and Specialist Thayal, a number of other military personnel spot the creature. Tension floods through the area. Mages ready themselves and soldiers draw their weapons. Two heavily armored, three meter tall mechs stomp into place, access panels closing up and armor surrounding each pilot in protective layering. Both of the robotic suits raise their arm mounted weaponry, awaiting further orders.

The creature's form warps and undulates vaguely. Its eyes retreat from view along with its black spherical mass. A minute later, Captain relaxes his posture and exhales a long sigh of relief, slowly shaking his head. Pivoting around, he clears his throat and calls out. "Stand down! It's not looking for a fight, right now. Let us hope it keeps it that way."

He gazes over to Sergeant Violet and instructs with a calm demeanor. "Please coordinate a rotating watch. Until we have the facility externally mapped, I want to make sure there's a mage, technician, and someone in a mech ready to act..."

Sneering his upper lip, he narrows a cold stare into the corridor beyond the barriers. "In case it decides it wants that fight."

Sergeant Violet nods quickly, salutes Captain Hackle, and dashes off to the other troops. "Yes, Captain!"

Captain Hackle ponders a moment and calls out to Sergeant Violet. "And, tell the drivers to get the trucks with mounted guns up here. Even if it means clearing out a path through the woods. We may need such for larger equipment anyway."

Sergeant Violet swiftly acknowledges the orders. Turning to Specialist Thayal, Captain Hackle inquires with a determined tone. "Thayal. We did restock the explosive rounds for the auto cannons on the mechs, correct?"

With a confident smirk, Specialist Thayal nods quickly. "Oh. YES, Captain."

Captain Hackle stands up straight, a grin creeping out of the corner of his mouth, and narrows his glare towards the darkness deeper within the facility. "GOOD. Tell the crews to load up both mechs with those rounds. And, if you run into the explosives crew before I do, send them my way. I need to have a selective conversation with them."

Frowning slightly, he twists his graying mustache to either side of his face. "As much as the higher ups would like access to what is in there... I'd much prefer to keep what terrors sealed in there permanently."

----

In the dining area of the two-story house, both Deedri and Tassilda sort through magical reagents and other supplies upon the table. Inventorying items, Deedri's furry ear perks over towards the sound of another message chime from Tassilda's aetherphone. At the earliest convenience, Tassilda pauses from her task and grabs hold of her aetherphone off the tabletop. Flips through a few menus, she begins to tap out a response in a messenger application. A smile appears on her gray face, rereading the paragraph and double-checking her own reply. Deedri sets aside her work for the moment, gazes over to Tassilda with a sly smile, and inquires. "So... How's Daedrican doing?"

Blinking in surprise, Tassilda glances up from her phone to Deedri, biting her lower lip with hints of embarrassment. "Oh... Um... He's set to be released. He'll be back with the Chrome Crusaders on light duty for a while, until he fully recovers. It sounds like a bunch of paperwork filing and doing inventory."

Deedri smiles happily, wagging her long, fluffy tail. "That's great news! I'm sure he'll be happy to get back to work. Did he mention when the group will be heading out?"

A tinge of sadness darkens Tassilda's mood, and she sighs with a slight slump of her shoulders. "This coming Saturday. He says they've got another patrol run to do along the side routes leading towards Hattan. They're finishing up repairs on equipment right now, and he's the last one they are waiting on to be released."

Noticing Tassilda's shift in demeanor, Deedri leans over with a scheming grin, whispering close. "You know... I could stand to stock up on some more supplies from the clinic. Would you like to join me next time I go?"

Tassilda's face lights up with an appreciative smile, and she flutters her light blue on black eyes with an eager nod. "Why, of course! How could I turn down such an offer?"

Settling back in her seat with a grin, Deedri returns to sorting through medical supplies, clawtips flicking through packets. "Good. I'll make a list and convince Chad to drive us out tomorrow then. You can assist me with properly transporting supplies..."

Rolling her auburn eyes playfully, she smirks. "After an hour or two of deliberating what to specifically get."

Over in the living room through the archway, Chad sits on the couch and studies a number of documents out on the coffee table. Slowly shaking his head, he visibly processes the flurry of information from schedules, itineraries, and other lists of lodging. "For a resort retreat... This is.... RIDICULOUSLY complicated... And demanding."

Veevi stretches out on the couch next to Chad, groaning dismissively, and lounges playfully. "Tell me about it! Are we ever going to get a chance to actually enjoy the resort?! GODS! It just seems like we're running around from one appearance to another with no break in between. Then, we have to patrol around..."

Rolling her pink pupil eyes back, she grunts in disgust. "Ungh..."

Modoran scans over the paperwork, nodding, and ponders out loud. "This is just the resort trying to minimize problems. I get the feeling they have hosted THIS ordeal a few times. They know who exactly they are dealing with."

Furrowing his brow, Chad glances up to Modoran, puzzling over the comment. "So... Uh... What makes you say that?"

Sitting down on the floor across from Chad at the coffee table, Modoran points out a few evuukian names and room assignments, tapping out on matching floor maps. "They are TRYING to keep all the main houses separated into all the different sections. But..."

He points over to another resort layout, circling a large section. "They have also placed them in areas where they should have large enough spas and hot spring pools nearby. That way they won't be inclined to split up and wander off in smaller groups."

Placing a dusky, bluish gray hand down, he rotates the map, comparing it to another list of evuukian names, and gradually nods. "Oh, yeah... They know who they are dealing with. They have put the infamous drinkers close to small side lounges with bars, so they don't have far to stumble to get back to their rooms. They are also setting up extra staff to be at the ready to escort people back to their rooms."

Arranging papers for his point of view, he studies more of the room assignments, humming to himself, and mutters out a few names, contemplating. "They have done a good enough job. BUT... I can see there are going to be a few problem areas we may need to keep watch over."

Chad blinks in surprise at Modoran, leans over, and inspects the documents under Modoran's scrutiny. "Really? Why?"

Modoran sighs, gritting his teeth, and rolls his dark blue eyes, grumbling out his frustrations. "Well... These two smaller houses just had a big trade deal go really sour between them. So, neither side is exactly in the forgiving mood. I don't think they would fight over it, in the open at least. BUT... I doubt it would take much if they had a few drinks in them, and found a spot where they knew no one was looking."

Narrowing his gaze upon Modoran from his seat in a couch chair, Trakenthin studies the information upon the table top. "Our schedules are not forgiving. We could patrol that spot. There would still be large time gaps."

Modoran scratches his chin thoughtfully, deliberating the situation quietly in the moment, and taps out a spot on the room assignments. "THIS might be a solution. Let's see if the resort can switch these rooms around. I know THIS guy. Both those small houses have been wanting to get on his good side for YEARS."

Glancing around between Trakenthin and Chad, Modoran smirks slyly. "SO... I really doubt they would want to cause too much trouble near his room and look like complete dumbasses in front of him. Also, he might like being further away from the rest of his house at the moment."

Slowly shaking his head, Chad stares at the mass of information before him on the coffee table and directs his curious tone towards Modoran. "I'll see if they can manage that. So, I mean... How do you know about all this?"

Modoran shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly, analyzing the schedules and squinting with new mental notes. "Well, I worked in the service industry for a long time to make ends meet. When you get big conventions or meet ups like this, you have to factor in EVERYTHING to keep it as peaceful as possible. Otherwise, you are just setting yourself up for total fucking disaster. Not something you want to be known for if you are expecting to get repeat customers."

Chad nods gradually, furrowing his brow impressed, and cocks his head to the side, lifting an eyebrow. "I see. But, how do you know about all the Evuukian politics going on right now? I didn't think you were that close to any of those houses."

Modoran's dark blue eyes spring wide open momentarily out of sight of everyone else, and he hides a reflexive grit of the teeth. Presenting his usual casual demeanor, he plays off the question. "Oh, that? It is kind of hard to NOT hear about all that stuff. There are scandals after scandals that hit the evuukian news networks, ALL the time. You can't browse big news aethersites without seeing some article talking about the latest incident between houses."

Veevi's fuzzy ears perk up, and she reaches out for the nearby remote. "Oh! That reminds me. That new evuukian drama is coming on."

Pondering Modoran's answer, Chad nods in agreement, studying the paperwork further. "Yeah... I can see that. If they're making shows about it, then it must be pretty commonplace."

Modoran awkwardly smiles, briefly nods, and points out another possible issue on the room assignment map. Trakenthin examines the general layout of the resort, mulling over some areas. A knock sounds out from the front door behind him. Pausing a moment, Trakenthin sits up and glances over to the door. He meets the puzzled gazes of everyone else, stands up, and walks towards the door. Veevi twists her mouth and tosses her pink hair back. "Did someone order anything?

Chad shakes his head, watching the front door. "No. I don't think so. But, that reminds me, we do need to think about what to do for dinner."

Stepping up to the door, Trakenthin places his hand on the door knob and freezes for a moment. He shakes off an odd sensation, turns the handle, and pulls open the door inwards. Standing just outside the door, an older grath man stands waiting outside. Similar in height to Trakenthin, the grath man turns slowly around and smirks proudly. Trakenthin's hazel eyes open wide, and he recognizes the graying variant of his dirty blonde hair on the man. Staring at the similar dark bronze skin face of the older grath, he remains speechless for moments. The older man greets Trakenthin with a friendly grath greeting. Shock and sheer confusion hide behind Trakenthin's stoic facade, and he notices the teams of camera crews lining up recording equipment for the perfect shot of the developing scene. A few moments later, Trakenthin forces an uncomfortable smirk upon his face and returns the greeting awkwardly. The grath man chuckles slightly, shrugs his shoulders, and gazes right at Trakenthin. "It has been a long time."

Trakenthin slowly, stiffly nods, and meekly replies. "Yes. It has."

The grath man glances around, peers inside, and presents a stoic lift of the chin. "May I come in?"

Pausing in thought and tightly clenching the door knob out of sight, Trakenthin draws in a long breath of air and simply states. "Yes..."

He steps back and aside, allowing the grath man to come in. The man surveys the room, and Trakenthin closes the door shut, releasing a quiet, nervous sigh. The rest of the team's attention snaps over to the new person in the house, and they gaze curiously, expectantly at the grath man. Standing up from the couch, Chad walks towards Trakenthin and the man, puzzling the situation. "Well, we weren't expecting company. Um, Trakenthin, who is this?"

Trakenthin stands next to the man, glances over briefly, and settles his gaze out into the room, with a calming breath. "This is my... Birth father..."

The rest of the group's interest piques with the new arrival, and they get up to greet Trakenthin's father. Trakenthin stands by, quietly, a nervous tremor sneaking into his hand, and he remains stoic and amicable.

----

Relaxing in a recliner, the elderly, well-dressed Dr. Dawkins stares distantly out onto the evening skyline and eases out a long sigh. His green eyes wander around the room of artifacts, awards, and photographs upon the walls and shelves. Idly tapping his fingers on a half-full glass of brown liquor, he slowly frowns, wandering into his own thoughts. Minutes passing by, his expression saddens further with the conclusion of each chain of thought. A knock soft echoes out from his front door, and he cocks his head slightly. Briefly he focuses his stare towards the sound, quickly searching his mind, and squints at an empty Tuesday spot on a wall calendar. Another series of polite knocks tap out upon the front door.

Dr. Dawkins tugs the corner of mouth, perks up his brow, and eases himself up. Walking initially stiff into the nicely decorated dining room, he steps into a cozy entry room with a fireplace, and stands at the front door. He closes one eye and peers through the peephole, seeking who is on the other side. Pausing in surprise, he pulls his aged face away from the peephole, blinking dumbfounded. He flips a nearby light switch, and focuses through the lens to the other side of the door again. His jaw drops agape. Standing up straight, he stares blankly. "My gods..."

With a series of well rehearsed motions, he undoes the small security chain, unlocks the deadbolt, and opens the door. Isaac greets Dr. Dawkins with a pleasant smile and bows slightly, adjusting his blue scarf against the wind. "Sorry to drop by so unexpectedly, but I didn't have time to send a proper advance notice."

Dr. Dawkins stares at Isaac for a few moments, dons a short grin, and chuckles to himself. "My gods... Isaac. What an unexpected, though welcomed surprise! Please come in, my friend."

With a little reservation, Isaac smirks, glances around, and steps inside. "Thank you."

Dr. Dawkins directs Isaac inside with a delighted smile and pats him on the shoulder. "I told you that you may darken my doorstep any time. You will always be a friend to me and welcome in my home."

Isaac steps in, a slight frown appearing on his face, and gazes over to Dr. Dawkins. "I really do appreciate the sentiment. I just didn't know if... The invitation was still valid after all these years. And, after all that I've done during them."

With a firm squeeze on Isaac's shoulder, Dr. Dawkins stares right into Isaac's gray eyes and narrows his gaze briefly. "I've come to be more aware of your activities as of late... As have some others. Admittedly, I've had my suspicions for quite some time. But... Right now..."

He smirks reassuringly. "All I see is Isaac Huxley, my old friend. And, someone I wouldn't mind sharing an evening drink with."

A bright, gracious smile appears on Isaac's face, and he nods thankfully towards his friend. "Thank you, again, Dr. Dawkins."

A similar grin appears on Dr. Dawkins, and he steps more energetically, leading Isaac through the house towards the living room. "Gods almighty, there is so much catching up we have to do. You ARE going to stay awhile are you?"

Blinking to attention, Isaac quirks an eyebrow towards Dr. Dawkins. "You certain about that? I mean, if you know exactly what I've done over the years... I wouldn't want to impose upon you..."

Dr. Dawkins slowly shakes his head and scoffs with a curl of his upper lip. "Bah. Impose all you want. No one bothers me out here. I've got a spare bedroom with a wonderful view of the backyard, a fine desk, and a recently purchased bed."

With a snort, Isaac chuckles and shakes his head. "So, you finally got rid of those antiquities?"

Nodding his head, he laughs and grins with a sarcastic edge, directing Isaac to another recliner in the room. "Yes, I finally realized there are some museum pieces not worth curating."

He settles down into his recliner, glances over to Isaac, and rolls his eyes at himself. "Truth be told, I was sitting around one day pondering about random things, and damned if it didn't dawn on me to do the math. Once I figured out how many years I had those things, I just couldn't really bring myself to lay on them anymore."

Setting up another glass next to Isaac on the small table between the recliners, he laughs and shakes his head with a bit of embarrassment. "Gods, I really should have done it years ago. Those new beds are so much nicer on my aging back."

Isaac supports his glass, and Dr. Dawkins pours a healthy portion of brown liquor in. Topping his glass up, Dr. Dawkins rests the bottle down and picks the drink up. Isaac lifts his glass up. The two clink glasses together and share long sips of the alcohol. They quietly stare out at the evening light through the windows, sharing a few minutes of silence. With a sly grin, Dr. Dawkins glances over and hoists up an intrigued eyebrow. "So... The fateful question... What ever brings you back to these parts?"

Postponing his response with a long swig of liquor, Isaac deliberates the query upon his face and hums in thought. "Well, to be perfectly honest, I recently encountered a strange, unexpected turn of events... That left me reconsidering how I was approaching things. And, I felt I needed to consult someone I felt was wiser than me."

Dr. Dawkins snorts out his amusement, furrowing his quizzical stare at Isaac, and frowns slightly, gazing back out into the evening skyline. "You are more than welcome to what wisdom I may still have, but it is quite ever full of doubt these days."

Isaac narrows his concerned gaze at Dr. Dawkins and settles his white haired head against the back of the recliner. "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. I have said it before, and I will say it again. Orth Ridge was NOT your fault."

A regretful wince creases Dr. Dawkins' face, the glints of tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "I truly do appreciate the sentiment, especially coming from you. But, gods, I have not been able to find it in me to bring forgiveness to myself. Haven't been as sure of myself since, either."

A sad expression washes over Isaac, and he pours a long swing of alcohol down his throat. Dr. Dawkins hems and dons a mild, hopeful smile to Isaac. "But, it has humbled me greatly and tempered my opinions. I've certainly learned to be whole lot less judgmental of anyone's methods. Just do not feel like I am really of any authority to question them."

Isaac cracks a smirk, slightly shrugs his shoulders, and nods understandingly. "Well... The truly tragic are the ones who gain no wisdom from their adversities."

The two men peacefully sip on their liquor in silence for a few minutes and idly think quietly. Isaac breaks the quiet with the main topic. "So, I've come here for your help on a few matters."

Dr. Dawkins steadies his drink, perking up a white eyebrow, and smirks intrigued. "I figured as much. And with most matters, I will be happy to assist. But, I am not the big mover and shaker I used to be with the Grand Library. Still..."

He curls a faint smirk from the corner of his mouth. "I do have a few favors I need to cash in before they go too stale. So... You may as well benefit from them."

Isaac smiles appreciatively and nods with a lift of his glass. "You are ever so kind. Unfortunately, there might be one thing that could prove a bit too difficult for even the both of us."

An inquisitive grin warms on Dr. Dawkins, and he narrows an intrigued gaze towards Isaac. "OH. Really? Now whatever would that happen to be?"

Twisting his mouth, Isaac calmly replies with a bit of reservation in his tone, gauging Dr. Dawkins' reaction. "WHERE Dr. Malkav is?"

Dr. Dawkins' green eyes spring wide open, and he cocks his head back, staring curiously at Isaac. "Good gods... NOW, you have my intrigue. Why ever do you want to find that crazy old bastard for?"

A sly grin appears on Isaac, and he chuckles out his amusement. "What if I told you, that crazy old bastard... Was RIGHT."

Slowly sitting upright in his recliner, Dr. Dawkins rests his drink down on the table between and focuses an intense gaze upon Isaac. "NOW... You have my full attention. I do hope you are not playing some elaborate joke at my expense."

Isaac meets Dr. Dawkins' attention with an excited smile and his face lights up. "What if I told you I have PROOF that there IS a way..."

An examining stare analyzes Isaac's face, and Dr. Dawkins cocks his head to the side in genuine wonder and academic excitement. "Well... I certainly would hope you wouldn't keep me waiting, and present such evidence before me."

Resting his drink on the table, Isaac leans himself off the recliner and stands up from it. He smiles eagerly and nods. "Of course not. I have that particular evidence in my car. It might take some time to fully explain the significance, but it's a fascinating process I learned from a very bright future prospect for the Grand Library."

Dr. Dawkins quickly rises up from his chair, steadies himself, and follows Isaac, the two heading towards the front door. "I am a retired man. I have got a frustrating surplus of idle time I would love to find a good use for."

A new excited energy sparking youthful life in Isaac's eyes, he opens the front door. "Well, then you might be quite interested in a few of my other notes and unpublished discoveries."

Waving a finger at Isaac, Dr. Dawkins grins slyly at him, the two approaching his car. "Gods almighty, I am so glad you finally came here. I do hope you are planning to stay for at least a week or more."

He points over towards one of the doors in a large garage and motions Isaac to it. "Let me get the garage door open, so you can hide your car in there. That way we can take our time tonight and however long we need."

Furrowing his brow, Isaac stands next to his sedan and laughs, scratching his head of white and gray hair. "Well, I didn't mean to completely upset your schedule."

With a dry grin, Dr. Dawkins shakes his head and scoffs. "Bah, to hell with my schedule. I will just tell everyone I have got a terrible case of something in graphic detail, and you won't believe how happy they will be that I stayed home."

Isaac blinks in utter surprise and cocks his head to the side. Dr. Dawkins smirks and rolls his eyes at the notion. "You will NOT believe what you can get away with when people think you are a senile, old, washed up retiree."

Stifling his laughter, Isaac nods in agreement, pondering a moment. "I have to ask, is that old Pancake Shed on highway two thirty one still around?"

Dr. Dawkins grins with a chuckle, pausing in thought. "Oh, yes. Despite what's changed over the decade, that's still a fixture. I can't fathom how the damned thing stays in business being on that ancient route."

Donning a bold smile, Isaac opens his car door. "I think it's people like us later tonight. If you don't mind sneaking out and keeping a low profile."

Pausing in thought for a moment, Dr. Dawkins wags finger at Isaac and nods. "They do have good late night coffee."