Xenograg steps through the magic mirror and into the fortified room in the basement of Sanctuary's dojo. Several automated gun turrets are already aimed at him. He stands very still and waits for the security system to complete its bioscan of him. The scan takes a second longer than normal because both human blood and alien fluids are detected on Xenograg's clothing. The turrets deactivate, though.
"Welcome, Xenograg," says the sentrybot via the intercom speaker. "Are you in need of medical attention?"
"No," Xenograg replies, but the system is programmed to ignore that response. A medicbot is already en route. Xenograg's topcoat is indeed covered in dirt, ichor, and blood--much of it his own. His skin has darkened from spellburn, but a large welt can still be clearly seen on the left side of his face. The ichor smells awful. Xenograg sits down on the only piece of furniture in the room, a wooden bench. A new voice comes over the speaker: Toby's.
"Xeno, are you alright?"
"Yes, my wounds have already been tended to. I need to speak with you and Tabitha about a serious matter, and I should not leave here yet. Can you both come to me?"
"Sure. We'll see you in a few minutes." The speaker cuts off just as the door opens to admit the medicbot. Xenograg sighs, stands up, and extends his arms for the medical scan. The robot does not accept Xenograg's declared species of "demonic" as the origin of the ichor. It is finally logged as unknown. Xenograg sits back down to wait for his friends. They arrive after another five minutes, both looking concerned.
"Xeno, you look like Hell," Toby says.
"Considering I am still alive, that is acceptable." Toby has already mentally reviewed the medicbot's analysis; Xenograg is hurt but not seriously.
"That bad? What do you need?"
"I want your permission to talk to all three girls looking like this. I have some very bad news for them, and thought I should make a training lesson from it, at least."
"How bad is the news?" Tabitha asks. Xenograg's answer does give her pause, but she gives a slow nod to Toby. Toby looks back to Xenograg.
"Okay. I'll go bring the girls to the training hall."
"I will stay here until you have prepared them."
Maurin, Reinette, and Selene all have strong emotional reactions to Xenograg's appearance when he strides into the hall. Xenograg barks at them.
"Stop! Control yourselves here in the dojo!" The girls flinch but start applying their learned techniques a warrior uses to control her shock and fear. Xenograg waits and watches until satisfied.
"That is better. I just came from a battlefield, and thought you should see the reality of what you are learning here. Much of this blood is my own. I have already received medical treatment, and am healing."
"I have a greater shock for you, unfortunately. Take a deep breath." He gives the girls several moments to prepare themselves anew, then figuratively stabs them in the heart.
"I would have died last night but for Orphan giving his life for mine. I am sorry, he is dead." Toby and Tabitha quickly come forward to console their now-weeping children. Xenograg is too filthy to hug the girls, but he caresses their faces or hair one-by-one.
"I have one last piece of bad news, and also a task for each of you. Urrograg has to leave for my homeland much sooner than planned. Almost immediately, in fact." The girls verbally complain about this announcement.
"Not yet!/It's not fair!/Why now?!" Xenograg kneels down before them and looks them in the eyes. They hush and listen.
"His birthday party was planned for next week, but I am moving it to tomorrow night. It is a farewell party now, which we want to be memorable. So I want each of you to bring a very special birthday present for Urrograg. Something heartfelt and personal. Something for him to remember you by. Do you understand?" Maurin answers for the trio.
"Yes, Papa."
"Good. And now I need a shower and some new clothes," Xenograg says with a smirk.
"Welcome, Xenograg," says the sentrybot via the intercom speaker. "Are you in need of medical attention?"
"No," Xenograg replies, but the system is programmed to ignore that response. A medicbot is already en route. Xenograg's topcoat is indeed covered in dirt, ichor, and blood--much of it his own. His skin has darkened from spellburn, but a large welt can still be clearly seen on the left side of his face. The ichor smells awful. Xenograg sits down on the only piece of furniture in the room, a wooden bench. A new voice comes over the speaker: Toby's.
"Xeno, are you alright?"
"Yes, my wounds have already been tended to. I need to speak with you and Tabitha about a serious matter, and I should not leave here yet. Can you both come to me?"
"Sure. We'll see you in a few minutes." The speaker cuts off just as the door opens to admit the medicbot. Xenograg sighs, stands up, and extends his arms for the medical scan. The robot does not accept Xenograg's declared species of "demonic" as the origin of the ichor. It is finally logged as unknown. Xenograg sits back down to wait for his friends. They arrive after another five minutes, both looking concerned.
"Xeno, you look like Hell," Toby says.
"Considering I am still alive, that is acceptable." Toby has already mentally reviewed the medicbot's analysis; Xenograg is hurt but not seriously.
"That bad? What do you need?"
"I want your permission to talk to all three girls looking like this. I have some very bad news for them, and thought I should make a training lesson from it, at least."
"How bad is the news?" Tabitha asks. Xenograg's answer does give her pause, but she gives a slow nod to Toby. Toby looks back to Xenograg.
"Okay. I'll go bring the girls to the training hall."
"I will stay here until you have prepared them."
Maurin, Reinette, and Selene all have strong emotional reactions to Xenograg's appearance when he strides into the hall. Xenograg barks at them.
"Stop! Control yourselves here in the dojo!" The girls flinch but start applying their learned techniques a warrior uses to control her shock and fear. Xenograg waits and watches until satisfied.
"That is better. I just came from a battlefield, and thought you should see the reality of what you are learning here. Much of this blood is my own. I have already received medical treatment, and am healing."
"I have a greater shock for you, unfortunately. Take a deep breath." He gives the girls several moments to prepare themselves anew, then figuratively stabs them in the heart.
"I would have died last night but for Orphan giving his life for mine. I am sorry, he is dead." Toby and Tabitha quickly come forward to console their now-weeping children. Xenograg is too filthy to hug the girls, but he caresses their faces or hair one-by-one.
"I have one last piece of bad news, and also a task for each of you. Urrograg has to leave for my homeland much sooner than planned. Almost immediately, in fact." The girls verbally complain about this announcement.
"Not yet!/It's not fair!/Why now?!" Xenograg kneels down before them and looks them in the eyes. They hush and listen.
"His birthday party was planned for next week, but I am moving it to tomorrow night. It is a farewell party now, which we want to be memorable. So I want each of you to bring a very special birthday present for Urrograg. Something heartfelt and personal. Something for him to remember you by. Do you understand?" Maurin answers for the trio.
"Yes, Papa."
"Good. And now I need a shower and some new clothes," Xenograg says with a smirk.