Of Sentience and Predator

C3: Monster Weather

The robot that once belonged to the Forever Knights stood deactivated in the center of the RV, silent and dead. EightEight stuck the device she found into an odd slot on the robot, then used the screen that came up to reprogram it. At some point, Kevin and Asani had fallen asleep on the couch, the small Nosedeenian being held in his arms as it happened. Gwen and Ben were sitting next to each other at the table, each with a notepad-like phone-ish device, doing something with it and speaking quietly between the two.

As time crawled by, EightEight paused when a noise came from her Dragoon badge. She walked over to the table, ignoring the duo as they glanced at her, then picked up the badge. She went to the badge's notifications and stared at what popped up.

"The towerspark?" EightEight suddenly gurgled, causing Ben and Gwen to look at her.

"What's wrong, Sister EightEight?" Gwen asked as Ben looked towards Kevin and Asani.

EightEight looked at the, before starting, "Have you heard of Corrodium?"

Ben tilted his head as Gwen answered, "It was mentioned in the Ectonurite and Loboan entries, but it just said they were immune to Corrodium."

EightEight nodded slightly before saying, "To non-Anur-native species, Corrodium is a potent material that, if exposed to it for long enough, can mutate other creatures. The Anur System uses it as an energy source and it's basically everywhere in Anur, especially on Anur Khufan."

Ben and Gwen nodded, but the boy added, "Why are you mentioning it?"

"Some other Dragoon members alerted Dragua of Corrodium radiation," EightEight answered. "It's already beginning to mutate the farm it's somehow near. Dragua contacted me to see if Gwen's Ectonurite form could help move it so either the Plumbers or Galactic Enforcers can pick it up."

"I... don't mind," Gwen replied, pausing slightly. EightEight nodded.

"We'll start heading out now, there's a massive storm brewing between here and the farm, so we need to be quick," EightEight gurgled. When the duo nodded, she added, "Inform Kevin when he wakes up so he knows."

She went back to the robot as Ben and Gwen went back to the devices in their hands. The disguised Sotoraggian pressed something on the holoscreen, causing it to shut off and the device to click off. EightEight grabbed the device, then pressed a button on the robot to retract it into a cube. She picked it up and put both items away, then went over to the front of the RV.

-()-

Snow looked around, ignoring the beginnings of a storm brewing above him. Tears began to sting his eyes and his mind swam. All he wanted was his family back. How is he going to find them?

He stopped when he noticed a rock structure that wasn't a cave, but did block most of the storm. Snow walked over to it and entered, his body lighting up the darkness. He sat on the ground before allowing his emotions to break. Sobs broke from his throat as he hid his face and the storm continued on.

Was it so hard to ask for his family back?

He reached up to his arm, then tensed slightly as he couldn't feel what should've been there. Did he lose it? Dear Omni Override, why did he-

More sobs and tears and the distraught crackle of his electricity rolling off of him.

-(...)-

Thunder roared through the sky, a bolt of lightning striking along the clouds. Rain poured down hard, pattering the windows and drenching everything it touches with water. EightEight crossed her arms and looked out. They were forced to stop due to this stupid weather. Through the static of rain, she saw a strange arch with slate light coming from under it. She looked towards the Wyrmlings.