[center][h2]Xena Rock Field[/h2]
[sub]The Ambush Point[/sub][/center]

	Luke was quick to pull his sword from the ground and leap to join Jenso and Onweer on top of the totaled ATV. He shook his head when Jenso spoke, staring the serpent down with a subtle grin. He was intent on fighting the massive beast, head-to-head, despite how utterly [i]suicidal[/i] that prospect was. Him and Jenso shared one quality, or weakness, in the sense that their bravery knew no bounds. Onweer's comment stung Luke's ego, regardless. "I [i]was[/i] planning on [i]slashing[/i] at it, but you might be onto something there, girly!" He rasped, watching the ground around them carefully. He caught sight of Cecil climbing to higher ground as he spun around, and smiled. Looks like these CMAS clowns weren't completely inept after all! Not that Luke was in any place to speak. "That guy's got the right idea, oi, get off the ground!" As he shouted, the ten remaining Divers scrambled towards the nearby boulders, frantically attempting to escape the impending disaster that awaited. Yvette grunted loudly and clutched her side, but Brian was already by her side, and helped her onto the Truck's roof to join Onweer, and Luke. 

	"The A/B powering the Cannon works like any other, Onweer. Granted, it's much larger than most, but to use it as a weapon might be..."

	"Dangerous as all hell!" Luke Chimed in, interrupting Yvette as he tapped into his arcane network to add a few more inches of steel to the tip of his sword. "I'm excited just thinkin' about it!"
[hr]
[center][h2]Arcadia[/h2]
[sub]CMAS HQ - Sydney's Quarters[/sub][/center]

	"It's so nice to have a plethora of such obedient mages nowadays," Sydney mused, sipping from a small ornate teacup. He sat at his desk, overlooking a series of notes regarding the Survey initiative with Joshua standing meekly behind his left shoulder, and Mina Neve, the head of arcane supervision, hovering precariously over his right. "None even dared to question the [i]sketchy,[/i] details of the mission. Isn't that funny, Joshua?" Joshua didn't respond. The scientist instead gripped his clipboard tightly and stared at his toes with a tinge of regret creeping down his spine. "Funny, isn't it?" Sydney repeated, turning his head towards Joshua unexpectedly and peering at him through his silvery-blonde hair. Joshua looked up and nodded with a painful smile. Sydney offered a curt nod and returned to his notes once again. "What's the report on the situation in Xena, Miss Neve?" Sydney asked, listening attentively as he gently traced the details of his robes with his left hand.