Of Sentience and Predator

D3: Cry for Help

The ship extended its landing legs and, well, landed. Its engines turned off and it rested. A moment later, the door opened. An Osmosian came out first, followed by a Piscciss Volann and a Vulpimancer.

Devin looked at Patelliday and asked, "So why's the Megamutt here?"

"To see if it can track whoever activated the Rushmore base," Patelliday stated. The Vulpimancer trotted over to Devin and rubbed its eyeless face on his leg.

Devin looked at it before reaching down and scratching its head. The beast moved its head to be scratched under its chin. "Who's a good beastie?" Devin said. The Vulpimancer let out a happy growl.

"Let's go," Patelliday stated, quickly moving towards the mountain side they landed near. Devin shrugged, moving to follow the Volann with the beast following closely behind.

-()-

"On the subject of family," Psychobos suddenly started, getting Kevin, Gwen, Ben, and EightEight to look at him, "what of your three's families are you willing to share?"

They were still in the Dark Eagle, but it was parked on a dirt road near a forest. Out of the way, if anything.

When none of them answered right away, Psychobos added, "If you wish not to speak of your parents, then you don't have to. Merely a curiosity."

Kevin changed his position on the couch by pushing himself up slightly, less leaning against the back of the couch now. "Don't know my father very well," he started. "Mother was there, but didn't seem to know what to do with me. So, I don't really know either of them that much."

Psychobos hummed slightly. "Assuming what I've heard about Osmosian families is correct, the father of the child tends to be 'hidden' for the lack of a better term until the child proves themselves. Strange, but." He made a shrugging motion.

"Revonnahgander's tail thing," EightEight suddenly said and Psychobos groaned. The crab-like didn't reply, but clearly had thoughts on what EightEight said.

There was a strange moment of silence.

"Mom and dad don't like Max," Gwen commented, somewhat randomly. "They're... good, and my brother is in his first year of high school. Er, I guess second year when the next school year starts up." Psychobos simply nodded.

"Don't wanna," Ben muttered, looking away from them. No reply.

-()-

A knock at the door caused him to look towards it. He placed down the newspaper and stood up. He unlocked the door and opened.

Phil blinked as Max said, "Hello, Phil."

"Hello, Maxwell," Phil said. An odd second before he added, "You've come... unexpectedly."

Max chuckled slightly, but his body was tense. "Sorry, I... need help with something."

Phil raised a brow. "Help with what?" Phil asked.

Max leaned forward slightly and whispered, "Aliens." Phil clammed up and motioned Max to come in. The man did so and the door was quickly shut and locked afterwards.

"What about aliens?" Phil asked as they moved to the chairs.

As they sat down, Max said, "What do you know of the Omnitrix and Predatrix?"

"Rumors and scuttlebutt. Most factual thing is that Vilgax is after them," Phil answered.

"On the first day of my grandkids' summer vacation, they found them. The devices."

"W-What?"

"I don't know why or how, just..."

"That it happened."