James stood in the center of the clearing. He held the blue dodecahedron.
"Sage? You're safe now," James said. The orb remained dim and its geometric patterns pulsing with a weak, dying light. There was no response. James thought she must be out of power.
"Is everyone alright?" he called out as he approached the battered Humvee.
With a sudden, metallic groan, the driver's side door of the Humvee fell off. Yuriko stepped out. "We're in one piece, James," she said.
Rachnera vaulted off the back of the Humvee. Her eight legs clicked as she landed with her usual predatory grace. "That was quite the adventure," she remarked.
Cera then jumped off the back as well. She landed next to Racherna. Her hand rested on the hilt of Custodire. "Thy victory is absolute, Master," she declared.
"Well given the circumstances, yes, I would say so," James said.
One by one, the rest of the girls spilled out of the smoking transport.
Illuna rushed to James's side and tugged on his sleeve. "Oni-chan! Did you see the green moon? It was so spooky," she said.
Kusano rushed to his leg and grabbed it. "It was fun but scary," she said.
"My tail is covered in dust. Darling, you owe me a very long bath for this," Miia remarked as she slithered out.
"Papi wanted to fly there," Papi said as she began flapping her wings.
Suu bubbled and wobbled, her translucent body still tinged.
"I am glad you are all okay," James said.
At that moment, Lefi came flying out. " I felt something," Lefi said.
"Yes, there was something, gather everyone we need to have a debrief," James responded.
After an hour, Lois, Jasmine, Saya, Saeko, Rei, Musubi, Akitsu, Kusano, Matsu, Tsukiumi, Shizuka, Yuriko, Lefi, Miia, Papi, Cera, Mero, Suu, Rachnera, and Illuna all gathered around the Ninth Floor in the Small Living Quarters` Dining Room.
James stood at the head table. He put Sage's orb and the Battle Key in the center.
"Sounds like you all had an adventure," Jasmine said with a smile on her face.
"I missed my chance to fight," Musubi said as she looked a little gloomy.
"Tell us exactly what happened?" Saya asked as she crossed her arms.
James began, "So we were pulled into an inter-dimensional rift by a storm which came out of nowhere."
"It was crazy, we were tumbling up and down in the car," Miia said.
"I thought it was fun," Illuna commented with a smile.
"Not for me," Yuriko remarked as she sighed. "I had to drive the Humvee up it," she added.
"You did a good job driving it," Lois remarked.
"Yes you did," Shizuka agreed as she nodded.
"Once we got to the otherside, we were in another universe, it was a barren land with no life," James explained.
"Well that was until we saw them," Yuriko said.
"Yes then we saw the Vandals who were chasing Sage," James remarked.
Saya leaned forward, "These 'Vandals,' James, are they just scavengers, or is there more to them?" she asked.
"They're a predatory race," James explained as she gestured to the hexagonal relic. "They were trying to get Battle Keys to create a bridge between worlds to conquer and strip them of resources," he added.
Saeko narrowed her eyes. "The Battle Keys, how do they work?" Saeko questioned as she looked at the object.
"They were created by the Blue Sentient who Sage is part of," James responded. "I think we need Sage to help us use them," he added.
"Wait before we move on," Tsukiumi said. "The Vandals, how do they fight?" she questioned.
"They have special vehicles in great numbers," James replied. "They can use swarm tactics when they are in the vehicles. That's why the Humvee was torn apart," he added.
"But when they are on foot and you can fight them one by one and they are pretty easy," Racherna remarked.
"Kusano pushed them all back," Illuna said as she said with a big smile.
"Yes, that was cool," Papi agreed.
Matsu adjusted her glasses as she looked at the dormant orb that was Sage. "So this is Sage. Why can't I just hook her up to our main servers and jumpstart her core?" she asked.
James shook his head. "I thought of that, but her architecture is alien. We would need a Mobius Command Centre. If we plug her into a standard Earth or Dungeon power supply, we might fry her personality core. I don't want to take any risks," he replied.
"That does sound reasonable," Rei responded as she looked at the orb.
"But where are we going to get a Mobius Command Centre?" Saya explained.
"There is one in those zones," James replied.
"So we are having to go back there?" Jasmine asked.
"Yes, we will have to," James replied.
Miia slumped in her seat. "I felt so helpless there," she muttered.
"You saved Papi," Papi chirped with a smile.
"Everyone is helpful in their own way and you did the harder thing and saved everyone," Rei remarked.
"Yes, I am proud of you Miia," James said. He also thought Papi should not be on the front line.
Lois leaned back. "Do not be so hard on yourselves," she said firmly. "From what I hear of these 'Vandals,' they had every tactical advantage," she added.
"You got thrown into the situation and still came out on top," Tsukiumi remarked.
Miia's eyes brightened. A soft blush creeped onto her cheeks as she looked at her friends. "You really think so?" she asked. All nodded in unison. Miia beamed and her usual bubbly energy returned.
"However," Yuriko added. "If we're going to be jumping into worlds like that again, we can't rely on a salvaged Humvee. It's too slow, and it's not built for multiversal combat," she said.
"Rika is going to be sad about her Humvee," Shizuka remarked.
"James will make it up to her," Lois commented.
"Pervert," Saya added.
James cleared his throat. "I do think we need vehicles," James said.
"Vehicles like those one we fought would be useful on our side," Rei remarked. "James, you mentioned something about it," she added.
James smiled. "Exactly, those Deceptions we fought, there are good ones called Autobots and some of them may join us," James responded.
"So we are heading there?" Musubi asked. She looked excited.
"Yes, me, Lois, Jasmine, Saeko, Musubi, Lefi and Rei will go and get them," James responded.
"Yes," Musubi said. "I will do everything," she added.
"Why me?" Lefi asked.
"Why have I not been included?" Tsukiumi asked.
"We just went outside with James," Saya responded.
"We are going to need someone to defend the dungeon," Jasmine added.
Tsukiumi sighed and nodded.