Planning for Action, Armed for Bear

No, really? the one known as Slith thinks to himself (barely able to bite back blurting it out aloud), Like having a huge ^$&^# female Red angry at you who's able to use magic in a world where we all need to relearn even the basics?! Shucks, no problem what so ever! Sure do have a great grasp of the obvious, Roland!
 
 

He then remembered some of the "toys" that Scott had shown him and the others (things like shoulder launched "Surface to Air" missiles), and then muttered something better left unsaid. It had been directed at himself, but it would have led to some fights with these strangers. Of that, precognitive flashes (or whatever) or no, Slith was certain of that! Hell, if somebody besides himself called him that (or he'd thought that they'd done that)...he'd...
 
 

"Agreed," Kang says, shaking off the last of his shock (or at least putting it aside for later), "If I know Red dragons, she'll be a mad as hell for what you did....and by inference at all that she saw through that magic gem of hers. That is, basically every last human and draco standing here right now!"
 
 

"Yes, and to make things even more interesting there is the fact that they are heading in the same direction as we are," Slith puts in, gesturing at Roland and company, "The way to the Dark Tower is at the very abandoned city we are heading for!"
 
 

Slith then shakes his head.
 
 

"Wait, how did I know that?" he asks himself in consternation.
 
 

Indeed, it soon came to light that Queen Astra and the others were indeed heading towards the same location as the Draconians. It seemed that Slith had been "gifted" with second sight in addition to everything else. Also, it soon became clear that the two groups needed each other in order to maximize their chances of success in this endevour. Dragon Synizn mentioned that, while the Draconians flew rather well for "first timers" in their alternate dragon forms, there was still much for them to learn in order to be able to fight and fly as a proper dragon (or dragon kin, as the dragon mage put it). Also, the dragon mage was more than willing to give some pointers in how to cast spells (being that he sensed the glow of budding magery in each and every Draconian here).
 
 

Soon, as the group were "rolling out" in their transports (the vehicles were too valuable to leave behind and too heavy to carry along while flying)...somehow some Draconian...still a bit lost and lonely from the combined shattering effects of their goddess abandoning them and the truth of her real character.....asked Astra and the others about what their religion was like. Being clergy, Astra's description (i.e. sales pitch) was a bit more effective than the others (most of whom were just telling about their various religions...not trying to convert). It soon came to light that...before the night was done...a growing number of Draconians took up Astra's faith in Artriemis! See, while "Christianity" was nice and all, the idea of monotheisms was just too alien for the Draconians' taste. While some may have thought that them turning to worshiping Tiamat was a forgone conclusion, it was just Dragon Synizn is a dragon mage...not a cleric.
 
 

"And thus it came to pass," Eddie Dean said softly, ruefully, to himself as he watched the last Draconian get baptized (or whatever Astra was doing to induct them into her religion). Slith got off his knees from kneeling, and composed himself after a bit. Eddie noted that....the Draconian had been crying there a bit at the end as he'd confessed all his sins to Astra at the last. Eddie hadn't listened in, but he got the feeling from the length the guy had felt guilty about a lot....now with certain truths coming to light about "what was what and who was who."
 
 

"Oh, by the way..." Eddie says in a friendly manner as Slith is turning to leave, "The stuff with pointing at us with the bastard sword was a good effect."
 
 

"Just wanted to get the point across with a weapon that would probably be known as a weapon," the sivak says, "Wouldn't do to have an incident where violence could have been avoided..."
 
 

"While the Pretender would have probably approved...we aren't going to dance to her tune any more," the Draconian added darkly, referring to the Dark Queen.
 
 

None of the Draconians would refer to the Dark Queen in anything respectful, anymore. Eddie, sensing the anger in the Draconian's voice over those wounds, changed the subject.
 
 

It soon came to light that both human and Draconian shared a similar sense of humor...and a budding friendship soon was developing.
 
 

Soon, the others hear a joke going around camp about it's just as well that alcohol doesn't seem to effect Draconians any more (something that at first had brought a groan from them all, since Draconians are traditionally heavy drinkers). It then came apparent how funny it would be, though, if there was an incident of "drunk flying." After the little play on words was explained and actually how deadly a drunken crash into he ground by a dragon would be....well, it was kind of funny. Fit right in there with he Draconians rather still rough sense of humor, really.
 
 

Besides, the actual experience they got from flying....the rush was not something they wanted dulled by alcohol, anyway!

 Later, after a long day driving, camp was set and Roland watches the spectacle of "Junior" (a baby Blue dragon who breathed lightning instead of fire as a breath weapon) started to "breath" on a Tesla coil like contraption.
 
 

"The vehicles are powered by batteries," Kang explained, "The manuals over them had several interesting and odd ways of recharging them...including some small 'nuclear' micro reactors on one of the vehicles for such an occasion. But this way is faster then any other."

 Though I'll be damned if I believe that the Pretender expected us to have some one like Junior, Kang added to himself.

 Frankly, little to nothing had been expected since the start of this trip...really.
 
 

Indeed, those words describe what they find next day on their journey. See, something like the disaster that had happened back on Terra Prime had been instigated by Chaos before he'd been stopped. Chaos had been trying to "pancake" realities together to bring about a disaster. While not successful,...
 
 

1. Well, we soon see the convoy coming upon a town with some kind of inn in it called "The Inn of the Last Home" or something like that. Looked rather ramshackled and such, like a tornado or something had touched down there... 

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