its been five months since the incident at the warehouse with talon. this gathering in the briefing room seems different, only hinosa, rindhunt, balgas, and malak are present along with zorkorin. the atmosphere is unusually tense

rindhunt sits there in the silence polishing a white and green egg, the size of her head.

hinosa is looking around questioningly, obviously uncomfortable in the silence.

"this isn't the run of the mill operation" he tosses a newspaper across the table, with an article circled *ancient relic of the great menace, the imperial command tank* "you're likely to encounter more than just kaiser krobelous, we're also on a race. if we let the chimera, the unicorns, krobelous, or any other terrorist gain access to what may be on that relic, it'll be an all out war. that's why we only have you four. armag is a cyclops, there's no telling where his clan's loyalty lies. you're not working as the program you were originally brought in. this is a top secret mission of the phoenix and the dragons.

(the article is at the bottom of the technology page)

"What is so special about this ancient piece of junk?" Malak asks. "I mean, it probably doesn't even work so what is so damn important about it?"

"read the article" zorkorin replies "its a machine used by the army of the great menace, whom our researchers have been able to identify as krobelous' great one. smaller weapons have been identified and their strength can over power most endroians, his forces were made of shitrans, and they slaughtered endronians. this... monstrosity must have been able to deliver more destruction that what its lesser counterparts were able to. if any terrorist or power hungry tyrant gets their hands on it and make it operational, then the universe is doomed." a hologram of the terrain of the raintra chimera training camp shows up over the table. "we'll drop you off here" zorkorin points to a small opening in the forest "about four miles north you'll find a cavern into one of the mountains, according to the archaeologists it'll be about 15 miles into the cave" he tosses a small explosive charge to malak "i want you to nuke it"

"Now you're talking my language," Malak says. "Though this doesn't seem like it'll do the job on its own," Malak holds up the small bomb.
[hr]
Balgas quietly naps next to Rindhunt, and occasionially his hands and feet twitch.

"have you forgotten about the last mission's lesson already?" zorkorin asks malak "it may be small, but it can easly colapse that mountain range"

rindhunt nuges balgas "hey wake up"

"True, but it just ain't flashy enough," Malak says. His left arm is now tagged with an entire tattoo sleeve.
[hr]
Balgas groans, makes a few incoherant words, and he goes back to sleep.

zorkorin cracks a joke "its not flashy because it hasnt been detonated yet"

rindhunt jabs her elbow into balgas' gut, trying to be as discrete as possible.

"we'll be leaving on board the Rapture, one of our stealth cruisers. it'll take us behind raintra's one moon there you'll be transported in an apocalypse pod. once the device has detonated and its safe, use the onboard terminal on the pod and we'll send for pick up"

"Touche," Malak says examing the bomb. "Which button makes it go boom?"
[hr]
Balgas groans louder. "Piss off bitch, I'm napping," he says loud enough for everyone to hear.

"you hit the red button" zorkorin explains "then you use the other two, white, buttons to set the time, then you hit the red one again"

rindhunt's eyes open wide, she tosses her egg to hinosa who backs up to the back of the room after catching it. she picks up balgas and throws him across the room, just missing hinosa and the egg.

Instantly awake Balgas turns in mid air, he vaults off the wall and lands on all fours. "What no applause?" He asks.

rindhunt walks around the table, punches balgas in the back of the head "asshole" she takes her egg back from hinosa.

"i want to be out of her within an hour" states zorkorin, he walks through the back door "dismissed"

"Who pissed in your corn flakes?" Balgas says rubbing his head.
[hr]
Malak hurries over to Rindhunt. "Umm, what's with the egg?"

rindhunt sticks her tongue out at balgas. "its a dragon egg, you'll eventually get one issued to you."

"I highly doubt that they will issue me a dragon egg," Malak says. "There is a better chance of Balgas quitting and losing his pension."

rindhunt chuckles "you will, its almost blasphemy for a dragon to not raise one of their own... well i think zorkorin is close to showing him the door, by the way why didnt you take his offer to leave?"