"If you mean, how has he developed in the last five minutes since you asked me before, then, again, not much has changed," said Alice who was on infirmary door duty, much to her despair, and was not much enjoying Fam's constant questions.
"Well, can I see him?"
"No," replied Alice bluntly, "And if you don't leave, and go to the official waiting area, soon, I will have to call security."
"Come on Fam," continued Gedrick, taking Fam by the hand and leading her out, "Alice is right, for once, Orpos just needs to rest for now and we need to work out how we're going to get this Dawnbringer plant."
"Your right, your both right," replied Fam, miserably, "It's just..."
"I know, I know," said Gedrick, remembering Fam's connection to the oni: soldiers rushing through a village by a river... three nymphs huddled by the corner of a burning house... the eldest nymph, with white hair, cut down... a soldier carrying away a small nymph with black hair... another soldier approaching the final nymph, a young girl with rippling blue hair... and, finally, a shadow of a huge creature and a flash of red skin...
The two friends entered the waiting area to find INFOS awaiting their arrival.
"Oh, hello INFOS," said Gedrick, surprised to see the robot.
"Good day, Earth Elemental," responded INFOS "I have a message."
"Well go on then," snapped Fam.
Gedrick sighed and motioned to INFOS "Proceed."
"Very well... no need to be rude..." his voice changed to a slightly higher pitch, that sounded suspiciously like Alice's, as he prepared to deliver his message "'You are required to come to the Team 5 headquarters by 1130 in order to receive your next briefing.'"
"What?!" exclaimed Fam, jerking towards INFOS, aggressively. Gedrick grabbed her arm again, to stop her attempting to tear the robot apart "They can't really expect us to go on a mission when Orpos is injured!"
"Wait," he thought for a moment "They might want to brief us on information about the Dawnbringer plant, remember," Fam nodded, relaxing slightly, and Gedrick continued "What's the authorisation number, INFOS?"
"A 'please' might be nice once in a while... The authorisation number is 1010."
Fam looked at Gedrick, shocked "Again? Why do we have another mission from the top? What could they want now?"
"I don't know, Fam, but we'd best hurry up, it's almost 1130."
Once they reached the Team 5 Headquarters, they were met by a frantic Exalndria as well as two others. One was a short, calculating, male humanoid wearing the O.U.T.L.A.W.S.' uniform and and the other was a tall, female, Elemental wearing clothes that appeared to be made from nature itself.
"Ah, hello there, you must be Fam and Gedrick," said the female, shaking their hands in turn, "I expect you have some questions."
"Not that there's time for them, is there, Gaia?" snapped the male. Before she could retort, he continued "You are here for a briefing and that is what you will get. You know who I am, of course." He waited for a response to which Gedrick, knowing that Fam wouldn't reply, responded "You are Rick Rathe, leader of the O.U.T.L.A.W.S."
Rick Rathe nodded, "Good, so you'll know that what I say is to be taken seriously and acted upon straight away," the team nodded and he continued "Your previous mission, to capture Jared Kyko ended in failure and the injury of your leader," he looked at Fam, disapprovingly "I have heard from Miss Kye, here, that you have been wasting precious resources trying to keep him alive for long enough to recover this Dawnbringer plant that you think will heal him..."
"Wasted!" exclaimed Fam, shocked and disgusted "What do you mean 'wasted'?! He's our friend as well as being a valuable member of this team and the O.U.T.L.A.W.S. in general!"
"I am well aware of your particular connection and past with him, Miss Peacelyre. And, may I just point out that your first point is invalid in matters such as these..." Fam started to retort but Rathe carried on quickly "But, due to your last two points as well as much persuading by Gaia here, I am willing to let you go on your mission to retrieve the Dawnbringer plant. Now, I must get back to, more important, work."
Fam was both relieved for receiving permission to go, and annoyed at having to get permission in the first place. It was Gaia who spoke next.
"You and Gedrick will be transported to the Light Section in order to retrieve the antidote for Orpos. I wish I could give you more help than this but I am restricted by your own jurisdiction. But," she paused and walked over to Fam, looking her in the eyes "I am sure you will succeed and save your friend," the Elemental left the room going after Rathe.
Fam glanced at Gedrick and then Exalndria, who was sitting, awkwardly, on the table, "Why aren't you coming?"
Exalndria shrugged "They won't let me. But it means that I can look after Orpos while you're gone so..."
Fam ran over and embraced her friend, "Oh, thank you, thank you!" she let go of the lexarch "Don't let anything bad happen to him."
Exalndria smiled, "Don't worry, I won't. And I have INFOS to help me with that."
"True," Fam laughed, her first since Orpos was wounded, "Now, Gedrick, we must be going."
The dwarf nodded and the two left the room, heading for the transport room and, eventually, for the Light Section.
Exalndria stared after them for a while before getting up and walking down to her laboratory, a black key in her hand.
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