Fiction:Ice Age/Distant Planet/Part 0

The Mission
A team composing of, , , and  had been invited to meet up with a Kalda businessman in his personal spaceship, near Zoles territory. All of them had received an invitation to join a special mission on a seemingly unknown planet.

Baptarion - ''Well. The war barely ended and we meet again.'' Nu - I can't get a break in this galaxy, can I? Sarec - Who says it will be bad? Hachi - ''Sarec said I should never trust strangers. Hehe, trusting strangers gets us to see an unknown world!'' Lemmo - ''Wow! Nice to meet you again.'' Baptarion - ''So I take you all received the same message as me. Someone wants us to go on a mission on an unknown world.'' Sarec - This is still a glory age for explorers. Lemmo - ''And he pays well. Around 100,000 credits or something. And that's about a million in AEUs.''

A nearby robot approached the group.

Robot - ''Greetings, visitor. Please follow me. I shall take you to Lord Jakarl.'' Hachi - ''See? Strangers like us, Sarec!'' Sarec - We'll see Hachi. Lemmo - ''Jahrakal? What kind of name is that?'' Robot - Jakarl. Nu - *mumbling* What am I gonna do with 100,000 credits? Lemmo - How about giving them to me, Nu? Baptarion - ''I got offered relics to study. I guess our payments are different.'' Hachi - I got offered strip club vouchers! Lemmo - I still do not understand the conept of "strip club", really.

The group followed the robot across the corridor until it took them to a large room where a Kalda was waiting them.

Jakarl - ''Ah, you arrived! Take a seat!''

Hachi nodded and sat on the floor.

Baptarion - He meant the chairs, kid. Hachi - The floor's comfy enough!

Lemmo looked at the seats, confused.

Lemmo - ''So... where am I supposed to sit?'' Jakarl - I thought I had prepared a chair for you...you sure it's not one of those?

Sarec walked over to a chair that lacked a backrest and sat down on it.

Sarec - Take a stool. Jakarl - ''Alright, so I take you're all comfy? Let me explain why I brough you all here.''

Jakarl turned on a holographic image on the table, displaying a planet.

Nu - Hmph. Jakarl - ''This planet is located near former Alvino Brood territory, so no one ever had access to it. But I found a working Cold Relay leading to it and I've made a pretty big discovery.'' Sarec - We're interested.

The hologram changed to to several blurry pictures of what appeared to be various kinds of creatures.

Lemmo - ''Oh, yes. Any Kormacvar ruins in there?'' Nu - What do want us to do, deforest it? Jakarl - ''I took these pictures with a probe. It's hard to see but those animals...''

He pointed at Nu.

Jakarl - Are twice this big fella's size. Nu - ''...What? Never seen a Kicath before?'' Jakarl - 'Fraid not.

Hachi looked at Nu and laughed.

Lemmo - That's a lot. Hachi - ''Somebody bigger than Nu that's not a god? That's a funny thought.'' Sarec - ...Are you certain of this? Jakarl - ''I am. And these are apparently the smaller ones.'' Sarec - I need to introduce you to Stalkies, Hachi. Nu - My experience with giant creatures say to me that this planet is dangerous. Jakarl - ''Now, about Kormacvar ruins? That's the other thing. My probe has detected something really unusual on this planet's underground. It has an extremely extensive and complex cave sytem. Too complex to be natural.'' Lemmo - Oh, now THAT is interesting. Jakarl - ''Of course, before my probe could explore further, it was destroyed. This was the last image it sent me.''

The hologram showed a pitch white sillhoette. Sarec sat back, both intrigues and startled, while Nu looked closer.

Hachi - ''Whoa, whoa! That's dirty!'' Sarec - Hachi...that isn't what you think it is. Hachi - It sure looks like it to me! Sarec - ''Would he really show us a strange stain? It's an entity...'' Nu - What's that? Jakarl - ''I have no idea. And that's part of the surprise. You'll go through these caves and uncover their secrets.'' Hachi - ...Stranger danger....Stranger daaaaanger... Jakarl - ''Now, I've prepared a shuttle to take you down to the surface. When you're all ready, we'll make our way to it.''

Jakarl called over the robot from before and started to intruct it.

Hachi - I'm holding Sarec's hand for the rest of this trip! Sarec - ''Understood, Jakarl. Sarec - And if you get nervous Hachi, there is always my back.'' Lemmo - ''Now that will be a good vacation. Nature and everything.'' Baptarion - ''This sounds easy. I bet we'll be back home with all the secrets in less than a week.'' Nu - Should have brought a flamethrower. Hachi - Cry some more. Sarec - Nu you don't explore much do you.? Nu - Does it look like I was designed to explore? Sarec - Camping? Hachi - Hey, perhaps if we look hard enough, we can find a Pekomon! Nu - ''Hm. Perhaps next time I should bring a light-bomb.'' ??? - I'm surprised I was never informed of this expedition. Baptarion - Huh?

Stepping through the door was Uriel, wearing a rugged exploration outfit and a jacket covered in pockets. he has a sword-sheath strapped to his side. Hachi's ears perked and head tilted.

Baptarion - Paragon Ultanos? Hachi - You look like that posh dragon guy. Uriel - Something of a surprise, I know. Lemmo - Why do I meet the Highlords all the time?

Jakarl turned and knocked on a window behind him, where a sillhoette was visible.

Jakarl - You invited him?

The sillhoette signaled, and Jakarl turned back to the group.

Jakarl - ''Welcome! Guess I'll have to explain the plan again.'' Uriel - ''You can give me a summary. My entourage did their own passover.'' Jakarl - Well, you're going to an unknown planet full of large beasts to explore its cave system to find its secrets.

Uriel smiled.

Uriel - Exactly my kind of trip. Hachi - Shouldn't you be running an empire? Uriel - ''I don't do it single-handed. My wife takes over when I am absent from Alcanti and I do have the Grand Senate. A few days outside the Imperium shouldn't hurt.'' Hachi - A woman leadin an empir--

Sarec shut Hachi's mouth.

Uriel - ''Besides. I have been doing this sort of thing for many, many years.'' Lemmo - We have much in common, Highlord. Jakarl - ''Well then. I'll see you guys on the shuttle.''

The robot moved to the group, to guide them to the shuttle. As they left, Jakarl kept speaking to the figure behind the window.

Crash Landing
The group was inside the shuttle, making its way to the planet. Visible through a window, the planet had large extensions of green forests and blue oceans. Uriel smiled looking out the window.

Lemmo - ''Beautiful. Shuttle AI - ''ETA, 15 minutes. Uriel - ''A virgin nworld, untouched by the hands of the advanced races...

Hachi's ears perked, while Nu remained silent.

Hachi - What's this about virgins? Sarec - ''It's a figure of speech. Uriel is quite the philosopher.'' Hachi - But...will there be virgins? Lemmo - ''Yes. You.'' Sarec - Probably not, no--

Suddenly, however, the sound of an impact was heard, and the entire shuttle shook violently. Hachi was thrown across the shuttle and slammed into Baptarion's back. Out of panic, he covered Baptarion's eyes and gripped tightly.

Baptarion - What's going on?! Nu - ''Sounds like a crashing spaceship. I hope you can all survive crashes, otherwise I'm going to be bored here.''

Uriel appeared calm and kept in his seat.

Shuttle AI - ''Meteoroid impact against structure. Engines failing. Power lost.'' Uriel - I advise breathing apparatus. Hachi - ''I dunt wanna die alone! I dunt wanna die alone! I dunt wanna die alone!''

The shuttle started to free fall into the planet's direction, causing it to shake even harder.

Lemmo - ''Oh, here we go again. Death, old friend...''

Uriel pulled a wire frame from a backpack under his seat and slotted it around his snout. There was a pulse as a transparent emmbrane covered his mouth. The frame was connected to an air tank attached to his jacket. Baptarion looked around and found what looked like a medkit. Sarec got out of his seat and pulled Hachi from Baptarion, keeping him close.

Nu - This is the six hundred and seventh time this has happened to me now... Baptarion - ''There's more of those breathing things here. I suggest you all put yours.''

Lemmo put a breathing apparatus on his beak sloppily, while Hachi, Baptarion also Sarec did the same. The shuttle entered the atmosphere, burning its way down. It started to hit the largest trees of the continent, causing even more damage, but slowly it down somewhat. The shuttle crashed into several of them, making it way down, until it finally impacted across the ground. Baptarion was thrown out of the shuttle, unconcious. Uriel climbed out of the shuttle, largely intact.

Uriel - ''Urgh. Something tells me our host did not spend enough on proper shielding...''

Sarec and Hachi had been trapped. There was an explosion as Sarec bust through the wrecked hull,holding Hachi tightly in his arms. Hachi was also unconscious, he looked rather flushed. Nu got up, somewhat unscathed.

Lemmo - ''My head, my chest, my... everything. Feels like I am on a date with Lamni again.''

Uriel pulled out a nanospray from his pack and tossed itto Lemmo.

Uriel - In case that is from injury. Nu - ''Hm. Next time, roll when you land.''

Steps were heard as a large-headed creature, about as tall as Sarec, approached the impact site.

Nu - Whoa, that's ugly.

Uriel crouched low and activated something on his jecket. The rugged outfit he was wearing blended from the default to match the terrain surrounding him, while Hachi slowly woke up, mumbling.

Hachi - ''N-No, I w-want fries with that...Hmm? WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?!'' Uriel - *hushed* Stay quiet!

The creature let out a yawn and marched closer to the site, and Nu activated an armor mounted laser and pointed it at the creature's head.

Lemmo - Ew. Uriel - Don't...do anything...to provoke it. The creature started to sniff on Baptarion, and then quickly got him on its mouth. It shook Baptarion and chewed on him.

Uriel - Shit, okay now we can react. Hachi - Hehe, he looks like a flappy fluffy fish. Nu - ...So do I fire or not?...Screw it.

Nu fired the laser at the creature's head. The creature was hit and launched back considerably, letting go of Baptarion. Uriel pulled out a folded rifle from his pack, aimed, and fired at jut above the creature's nose. Uriel's shots finished off the creature, who fell dead. . A this moment, Hachi noticed another creature next to him. It was small, red, humanoid, with large beady eyes and a large leaf on its head. Hachi examined the creature curiously and then flicked the leaf on its head.

??? - Woh. Hachi - I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to hurt that bad! Uriel - Careful, alien.

The red creature approached the corpse of the dead one and then let out a loud moan, causing dozens more of it to appear and take the dead one away. Baptarion finally got back up, holding his head and chest.

Lemmo - Who's that? Hachi - What the... Uriel - I think we may have caught them their dinner... Baptarion - Ouch...I feel like I got eaten... Hachi - You look tasty today, Bap.

A very large plant-like creature emerged from the woods and approached the dead body, and then started to eat it. The smaller red creatures all jumped in joy.

Nu - ...the fuck? Lemmo - What? Hachi - ...What has been seen, cannot be unseen. Baptarion - What's going on?...Wait, I think that Kalda said something about useful equipment. Lemmo - Maybe they worship the plant thing or something.

Uriel appeared to smile, unconsiously licking his lips. Baptarion got up and started to search around the crashed shuttle, until he found a datapad.

Baptarion - Ah, found it! Datapad - ''Checking authorization... --FZZT FZZT--  ACCESS ALLOWED. WELCOME TO MACRONORMUS DATABASES.'' Nu - Macrowhat? Baptarion - ''I guess that's how the Kalda named the planet. He said he had a datapad with the animals he managed to identify with his probe.''

Baptarion aimed the datapad at one of the small creatures.

Datapad - ''No name given. Possesses plant and animal traits. Desplays tribal-like level of intellect.'' Hachi - Well, who's up for naming those things? Nu - Cannon Fodder. ??? - Mik. Lemmo - Mik. A loud roar was heard, and the small red creatures started to run around in panic. A much larger version of the dead creature approached the impact site. The datapad immediately named it "Striped Routrith".

Nu - ...That's big. Uriel - ''Not good. Keep low.'' Hachi - ''Hit its weakspot for massive damage! Uhh...I mean...''

Lemmo hid behind one of the larger bushes and Hachi hid behind Sarec. The Routrith hunt down the small red creatures, who were too afraid to fight back, and devoured several of them whole. Nu chuckled slightly.

Uriel - I guess those "smaller" creatures evolved with flight mentality. Baptarion - ''Should we do something to help? I mean, between the friendly small ones and the angry big one, you can guess which one I'd take.''

The large plant attempted to step up against the Routrith, who just headbutt it against the ground. Uriel aimed his rifle once again, shooting it between both eyes. The Routrith shouted in pain and then approached the hidden group while growling.

Hachi - W-Well...It looks like we pissed it off now!

Uriel lay on the floor, hoping his camoflage would hide him. Lemmo leaped towards the Routrith and fired at point-blank range, the shot hurting it more, who kicked Lemmo away and then tried to bite Hachi. Nu jumped on to the Routrith, bashing his fist into its head repeatedly.

Hachi - ''Two words! Breath. Mint!'' Sarec - Everyone get back.

Hachi jumped back away from the beast, backing against a tree. Nu's punches caused the Routrith to fall off its feet. The small red creatures, noticing the group, suddenly approached and alsop jumped on the Routrith, swarming it. By the combined injuries caused by the group and the red creatures, the Routrith let out a moan and fell, lifeless. Nu got off the Routrith and flexed his fists.

Nu - That was all me.

Hachi looked at Nu's muscles and eyes widened slightly.

Hachi - T-Those muscles... Nu - ''Well yeah. My SP is 2,020 after all.'' Uriel - You forget who made the first shot. Hachi - I distracted that thing! Uriel - I myself do not particularly care for artificial muscles.

The red creatures all approached the group, watching them intensily. However, they didn't appear hostile, and instead all let out chants.

Creatures - Mik-miiiii! Hachi - Hey guys, perhaps I can talk to them. Baptarion - ''Huh. You can try.''

Hachi got on his knees and looked at the creatures.

Hachi - Mik-mii mik-miki-mi mik-mik mii-mik.

The creature only stared at Hachi for some seconds and then poked his face. Hachi held his face and ran back to Sarec crying. Sarec lowered himself and allowed Hach ito hug him, wrapping his arms round him.

Nu - ''Hm. Give me that datapad.''

Baptarion threw the datapad to Nu. Nu's hand deconstructed slightly, and put his hand to the datapad. He downloaded all of the information from the datapad to his systems, and then threw it back to Baptarion.

Nu - So I don't hear that annoying voice again. Lemmo - ''Mik, mik... Maybe there is a pattern M.'' Baptarion - ''Huh. So, they keep saying Mik. Might as well call them that. Mikmik.'' Uriel - Catchy. Nu - ''Hm. Their language isn't taught in Kicathian culture. Must be a tribal culture.'' Baptarion - The datapad did call them tribal.

Uriel packed up his rifle and stood up. The large plant, which Nu could identify as "Vorlora", approached the dead Routrith and started to eat. He could also identify it as the female counterpart of the smaller red ones.

Nu - ''Hm. Their females aren't exactly 'Hachi' material.'' Uriel - So their females are the larger gender? Baptarion - That's some extreme sexual dimosphism. Hachi - 0/10 would not bang. Uriel - I've seen more extreme. Lemmo - Like me and Lamni.

Lemmo chuckled.

Hachi - Eww, that's dirty!

Hachi punched Lemmo's arm.

Uriel - One species in the Imperium, the females are the queens of a hive species - massive things. Hachi - I refuse to believe that THAT thing is a female. Baptarion - ''Well...we're trapped in this place. I supposed we should set up camp before midnight. Datapad said most carnivores are most active at night.''

Nu pulled from his back a large, slim weapon.

Uriel - So large I doubt if it ever saw the blue alien, it might have trouble discenering him from mate or food. Hachi - ...Both works for me. Baptarion - What. Hachi - Err nothing. Uriel - Have any of you been camping before? Baptarion - Nope. Nu - ''A year on. Don't want to talk about it.'' Hachi - A few times before I met Teacher. Uriel - Then I suppose that makes Hachi and I the experts. Nu - ...Eh? Hachi - I never said I was good at it. Lemmo - All the time. Uriel - I was only curious.

Sunset was visible, and as the Vorlora ended eating the Routrith, it ran off to the woods while the Mikmik all burrowed themselves, leaving only their leaves off.

Uriel - We had best set up a camp quickly. Nu - In that case, get to higher ground.

Uriel looked about the landscape, trying to identify a good site to camp.

Baptarion - I got no experience in this so you guys lead. Uriel - I advise stealth and improvised camoflage. Hachi - I can do that!

Uriel got down on one knee and scooped up some soil fro mthe ground, streaking it across his face. Hachi proceeded to cover his face with mud, while Lemmo simply covered his armour with leaves. Nu's armor cloaked over.

Nu - ''...What? I can do stealth.''

Uriel looked at Nu and muttered under his breath "technophiles".

Nu - I HEARD THAT. Uriel - Well I hope your battery can last.

Uriel tapped the fabric of his camoflage.

Uriel - This requires only a few watts to change. Nu - Hmpf. Sarec - Gentlemen, perhaps we should get moving? Baptarion - ''Yes. We gotta go fast, before the carnivores arrive.'' Hachi - What about those Mikmik things? Baptarion - They look like they they can hide themselves well. Uriel - ''This is their environment. They are using what they have evolved for. Also unless you have the right...urgh..implants. I advise refraining from eating local flora and fauna.''

The group was off to find a good place to set camp. They were stranded, with no way of communicating to outside the system...they either fight for survival, or become meal.

Beady Long Legs
The sun rose the next day, the group waking up on their camp. It seemed everything was normal, except the camp was surrounded by Mikmiks. Uriel stood up and looked about the location. At over 9ft he towered over the Mikmiks. Hachi was already awake by this time. He was sitting with a group of Mikmiks, still trying to talk to them.

Lemmo - ''Wha? Stop following us!'' Nu - I'm gonna burn these whatever-they-ares.

Nu got out his cannon.

Nu - YOU WANNA GET BURNED?!

The Mikmiks around Nu panicked and ran off. Meanwhile, Uriel stood up and checked his equipment.

Uriel - Congratulations, you jut frightened the locals. Nu - That was the idea. Uriel - They don't appear to mean us harm. Baptarion - ''They are not hostile to our presence. Perhaps they are following us expecting us to kill animals for them.'' Hachi - Mikmik miki-miki mik-miki miki-mik?

One of the Mikmiks next to Hachi poked his face. Hachi then proceeded to be brought up in tears and sobbed with his head in his knees.

Hachi - Why dunt they like me?!

Sarec crouched low to comfort Hachi.

Sarec - Maybe they're curious, Hachi. Nu - They should get their own jobs. Uriel - For a man who says he's spent a year camping you're not very good at keeping a low profile. Nu - ''Yeah. When I say 'camping' I mean killing 5,000 Agents over the course of a year on an abandoned ecumenopolis filled with 10,000 Agents trying to kill you.''

Uriel was speechless for a few minutes.

Hachi - ''Sounds like a video game I played. How long did it take for them to respawn?'' Uriel - ...my comment still stands. Nu - Do you want to find out?

Uriel grunted and looked away from Nu with disdain. From the ground, a medium-sized green insect appeared and looked around. The datapad could identify it as a Talkwor Beetle. It had a noticeable smell, which caused the Mikmik to swarm it. Hachi shook his head for a few moments before also running over to the beetle.

Hachi - It smells like...edible-ness! Sarec - My my. Baptarion - ''Hm. Looking at this reminds me we have an issue. We have very little food supplies.'' Uriel - ''I packed some rations prior to the journey. Do we have any information on the compatability of the plant and animal life here?'' Nu - ''Heh. I'm 94% cybernetic. I don't need to eat. Starve to death on your own time.'' Uriel - But you still need some way to maintain that body of yours. Baptarion - ''We don't, that's what worries me. And I bet you would feel lonely in here all by yourself, surrounded by nothing but these little creatures.'' Lemmo - I survived the wilderness of Rylai IV for a few months, sir. It isn't that scary for me.

The Mikmiks successfully killed the insect and jumped in joy. However, immediately, a large arachnid-like creature emerged from the woods and stole the dead insect, running off with it.

Nu - ''Heh! ....oh.'' Lemmo - There weren't any spiders in there though! Uriel - A little annoying.

Hachi squealed out as the insect ran off with the corpse.

Hachi - Hey, I called first bite! Nu - I suppose that means I have to go get it, right? Hachi - Give that back, you!

The thief, which Nu's database identified as Brukar Standard, turned to Hachi and stared at him. Uriel pulled out an injector device from his supply pack. Hachi proceeded to pick up one of the nearby Mikmiks and threw it at the Brukar. The Mikmik hit the Brukar and attacked its face, making it let go of the corpse. However, the Brukar grabbed the Mikmik and clawed its head off. Uriel inserted a capsule marked with a Draconid biohazard symbol into the injector. Meanwhile, Nu grabbed his cannon and aimed it at the Brukar, charging it. Uriel slotted the injector into a holster and removed his rifle from his back. Aiming at the brukar.

Nu - C'mon you giant bug.

Hachi ran for the corpse and grabbed it, beginning to carry it back towards the group while the Brukar was distracted. The Brukar, hoever, let out a screech, ran after Hachi and grabbed him. Hachi squeaked and dropped the corpse in surprise. Sarec ran towards the Brukar and charged energy into his fist, slamming the brukar in the head, and Nu changed where he was aiming, and aimed at the ground below the Brukar and fired. Sarec felt his energy severely handicapped for unknown reasons, merely making the Brukar back away. Nu's shot, however, launched all three of them into the air.

Hachi - Whee, I can see my house from--- Oh wait, I dunt have a house.

Sarec was thrown into the air, as the Brukar backed away, Uriel fired at its head. The creature was hit and fell down, dead.

Uriel - Bring those creatures over here, I have a way to make them edible.

Nu grabbed the Brukar by the leg and threw it over to Uriel, while Hachi began to sink his teeth into the charred Tawkor Beetle corpse, ignoring Uriel. Uriel drew out his sword and cut the Bruakr into pieces - one for each member of the group.

Hachi - ''Barbeque~! <3 Uriel - Now, I'm going to need cells from each of you.'' Baptarion - ''Hm. Alright.''

Lemmo, who was hiding behind the large rock formation during the fight, finally emerged.

Lemmo - That's how I survived Rylai IV. Sarec - By cowering? Lemmo - More or less.

Nu tapped his helmet with his fingers, making a metallic sound. Juice was spilled out of the Talkwor Beetle, which attracted the Mikmiks' Vorlora. It licked the juice from the ground, making an almost humming-like noise.

Hachi - I can see why these guys like to eat this stuff!

Baptarion put out a piece of his fur and handed it to Uriel, and Nu walked away from the group, attempting to sense nearby presences. Hachi casually shared charred pieces of the beetle with the nearby Vorlora. After Uriel recieved DNA samples from the team that could eat, including himself, he mixed each sample with an instance of the the substancei n the capsule. Every DNA sample he injected into the body part he replaced a capsule.

Uriel - ''Give it time and the thing should be edible. Baptarion - ''Hmm. Interesting.

Uriel then placed syringes next to each body part. Meanwhile, some Mikmiks followed Nu in a straight line.

Uriel - ''This is just in case. To simplify, I modifed the genetic makeup of the thing to make it compatable with each of your biochemistries.'' Uriel - I can guarentee you will not die, but I cannot guarentee on the taste. Lemmo -'' Huh. I ate worse.'' Baptarion - It's better than starving.

Lemmo took a small piece of the spider's flesh and bit it with his beak. Baptarion took a bite as well.

Lemmo - ''Hm... tastes like proaniva. It's a common avian native to Il'larion, if you wonder.'' Baptarion - ''Hmm. It's actually pretty good.'' Uriel - ''...theoretically you should be safe. So long as you do not eat a converted body part designated for somene else.'' Hachi - ''Hey, this beetle tastes pretty good and I don't feel a thing! ...Why is my stomach growling more instead of less?'' Sarec - That's because it disagrees with you.

Sarec walked over to Hachi with a smile and crouched beside him. As Nu noticed the Mikmiks following him, he turned around and aimed his cannon. The Mikmiks remained indifferent. Their look almost appeared as if they were awaiting for an order. Nu, however, just roared at the top of his voice at them. The Mikmiks all panicked and ran off. But as Nu roared, another roar was heard coming from above the group. Uriel looked up and his eyes widened.

Nu - ...Get your own originality, Macronormous. From one of the trees, a very large, nearly 10 meters tall creature, almost spider-like in appeared appeared. It jumped down on the group's direction, crushing several Mikmik under its feet.

Lemmo - Another one!

Hachi looked up at the Kriold and screamed externally.

Nu - ''Oh. Well that's different.'' Datapad - ''Identified as Beady Kriold. Further information unknown.'' Baptarion - Useless crap.

Lemmo quickly drew his handguns and started firing rapidly, and Uriel jumped ot the side and primed his rifle, hesitating for a moment, uncertain where ot shoot. Nu started climbing one of the trees, digging into it with his fingers, and Hachi proceeded to throw the beetle's corpse at the Kriold. The Beady Kriold marched around the camp, stomping Mikmik flat. It lowered its mouth and ate the Bettle corpse whole. The Kriold also lowered its body to evade Lemmo's shots.

Hachi - It deep-throated it! Nu - If you don't shut it I'll throw YOU to the next creature we come across! Lemmo - I'll deep throat YOU with the corpse of that green spider after the battle, Rianth!

Uriel decided to fire at the joints between the body and the legs, aiming carefully, and Nu got to one of the branches of the tree, and perched himself over the Kriold. Hachi got out his sword and threw it, accidentally letting it go. The sword penetrated one of the Kriold's legs. The Kriold roared in pain from the attacks, and hid its mouth inside its body. It shook its back until it threw Nu into the ground and stomped on him.

Nu - ''Siná'in. Ugh.'' Baptarion - ''Great. My only weapon was destroyed by the crash.'' Uriel - I'd toss you a pistol but it's ID-locked...Nu do you see any weak-points?

Baptarion tried to use his elemental energy, but couldn't launch more than tiny bolts of energy. Meanwhile, Nu observed the mouth.

Baptarion - What's with my essence? Sarec - ''I'm feeling it as well. I feel drained here.'' Nu - ''The mouth. The weakspot is the mouth.'' Hachi - I wanna put my WIIIIE-

The Kriold kicked Hachi several meters away, throwing him into a tree, although not before having grabbed his sword. Sarec atempted to summon a lightning storm but the best he could do was a slight gust of wind.

Lemmo - ''Wie? Well, I dunno about wies, but I have a grenade.'' Uriel - Toss it! Nu - Give me that grenade.

Lemmo took a small white orb from his pocket and threw it into the Kriold's mouth.

Nu - Or toss it, tossing it is good.

he Mikmik swarmed across the Kriold's feet, trying to help the group, but the giant creature only stomped on them. As the Kriold's mouth was shielded, the grenade did not hit it, but caused it to stumble into the ground. As it feel, the mouth was exposed.

Nu - Anyone got another grenade?

Uriel paced up towards the Kriold's mouth and jumped up to latch onto the cheeks, drawing a combat knife and looking around. The Kriold slowly got back on its feet, and as it noticed Uriel, tried to shake him off. Meanwhile, a flying beetle-like creature, a Talkwon Thief, appeared behind Nu and took his cannon. Nu looked confused, and started to shake in anger. As he was shaken, Uriel plunged his knife into the Kriold's body, derperately using it to hold on. The Kriold roared in pain and started to rampage, stomping furiously around the camp.

Uriel - Fellows, I don't have any grenades! Lemmo - I think I do. Sarec - Then give him one.

Nu ripped his helmet off his head and roared, jetpacking straight on to the Kriold. However, the Kriold, hearing Nu's roar, jumped off his direction. Uriel held on tightly, his claws digging into the Kriold's body. With this, the creature got enough near Lemmo for him to throw Uriel another grenade. Nu got to the ground, and charged into the Kriold's legs at full pace.> Uriel saw the grenade and grabbed it. Tearing open a wound nea r the mouth with his knife he stuffed the grenade inside, lodging it deep before he pulled the knife out and fell to the floor. The Kriold was launched into the ground by Nu's attack, and as it tried to get up, the grenade exploded, destroying its mouth. The Kriold fell down, lifeless, causing a minor earth qhake around its area.

Uriel rolled along the ground and rested flat on his tomach, coughing as he felt his ribs bruised. Nu got to the corpse of the Kriold and started shooting his fists into his body, ripping its shell to shreds.

Baptarion - Well, that's food for at least two weeks, I'd say. Lemmo - ''Well. That was... gory.''

Uriel struggled to stand up, cntent to rest on his hands and knees as he coughed out a clump of dirt. Only about 15 Mikmik had survived the battle. They ran up to Uriel and did what they could to help him get back up. Nu kept punching the corpse of the Kriold with all of his strength.

Baptarion - It's dead, Nu. Hachi - I wonder if it's poisonous inside.

Uriel smiled at the Mikmik as he was lifted up. He thanks them with nods and smiles. When back on his feet he brushed himself down.

Lemmo - ''Wow, wow, wow! Are they worshipping us or something?''

Lemmo laughed, and Nu roared again and calmed down.

Lemmo - ''Worship me, then! Your new god decrees... urm... let me think.'' Uriel - If they are then this won't be my first time. Nu - ...Bastards stole my gun.

The Mikmiks appeared indifferent toward Lemmo, and just started to harvest the Kriold's punched carcass to the Vorlora.

Lemmo - ''Hey! Don't go! Your god decre- ah, nevermind.'' Baptarion - ''I doubt these creatures live too far from here. Maybe we can find your gun while we explore.''

Lemmo turned away from the small creatures and started cutting the Kriold' body into little pieces with his knife, and Nu turned sharply to Baptarion.

Nu - We'd better do or i'm using you as a weapon. Baptarion - Hmpf. Lemmo - ''Huh. When I was a kid, I wat- nevermind.'' Uriel - I think I can confirm that these 'Mikmik' are friendly. Sarec - And possibly suicidal. Nu - And good target practice. Baptarion - ''They act like they want to help us. Better than nothing.'' Hachi - I'll see if I can try talking to them again later.

The group could notice the Mikmik were also taking the bodies of their dead to the Vorlora, who also ate them.

Lemmo - ''Hey! It is ours!'' Uriel - ''Hm. This larger creature of theirs appears to be some sort of idol.'' Hachi - I wonder what would happen if they ate something alive.

The Vorlora let out a raspy growl and the head on the top of its body started to spit what appeared to be seeds across the ground.

Baptarion - ''Hmm...is this how they reproduce? They feed the large creature and it makes seeds?'' Hachi - Right, intercourse with that thing is officially denied, no matter how tempting. Sarec - It explains why they are willing to die in order for their species to survive. Baptarion - ''If this is the case, they feeding the bodies of their dead to it implies they are "recycling" them. This is considerably intelligent for a tribal species.'' Nu - ''Who cares? Let's go find my gun before I make a rifle out of their females.'' Baptarion - ''We do. These things know this place better than we do. Working with them is our best bet right now.'' Uriel - Studying these creatures IS why we are here, is it not? Nu - ''Look at me. Do I look like a guy who sits down looking at half-brained walking weed plants?'' Baptarion - ''Well, we are here to explore the caves. But we should leave that for tomorrow. Gotta repair the camp.''

Hachi approached the Vorlora and again attempted to speak to it.

Hachi - Mik-mik miki-miki mik-miki miki-mik?

The Vorlora burped at Hachi, launching him back. Sarec chuckled and caught Hachi in his arms, who began to sob again, up against a tree.

Uriel - I can tell you are not a scholar, Nu. Nu - And why in the name of Ekol'nyuri would I want to be?

Uriel gave a stern look at Nu before turning his attention to the other Mikmik.