She watched the Prometheus line up the shot, hovering in midair, forgetting she was between the monster and the ship. The ship shot. A solid plasma bolt seared across her side and disintegrated the beast. It didn't even hurt...at first.
"Were those the only two??" Emilly asked.
"Did I get it did I get it? Did it work??? Oh my GOD THAT IS [B*TCHIN]!!!"
She flew back to Gearhaven, landing just beside the stone stairs up from the shore, changing her tag back. The ship still fired on her.
"[Motherf*cker]--" Justine yelled. "It's still firing at me?!"
She dove into the ferms. "Emilly Emilly [F*CK] STILL FIRING ON THIS SIDE!!"
"Hang in there, I'm coming--" Zack said. Moments later, he shimmered into existence on the shore.
"Did you change your tag?" Emilly asked.
"YES!" Justine shouted.
"The Prometheus is firing on Zack now!" She flew down to the shore, having to dodge more bolts. "I want to make sure he's okay--"
Justine thought furiously, pulled open the Gearhaven profile, and made a change. "Zack! Change your tag!"
She landed heavily, but the bolts seemed to have stopped. "It stopped firing on him!" She watched as the Duchess touched down and walked up the stairs.
"He's got a group tag now," she reassured her.
Emilly scanned the skies for more tentacle beasts. Zack stepped forward.
"Justine Meimei? Are you okay?
Emilly just stood, staring off into the distance. "You know, I was coming in to check on something that I have entirely forgotten now..."
Justine barely heard her. "I sure am!!" she yelled. "I'm PUMPED! That was amazing!"
"That was bizarre," Emilly corrected.
"High five, Emilly! We TOTALLY got rid of the monsters!!!"
Emilly grinned, high-fiving her with a pale paw. "Solid plasma bolts are win."
"Good to see the the technology you have managed to get rid of them easily," Zack said, sounding mystified. Justine joyously danced around.
"Do you think they're on the hair trigger because the Duke's on the ship?"
"Yup yup! Definitely!" Justine said. "Can't risk any non-authorised persons getting anywhere near him. Especially with...well, you know."
Emilly nodded.
"Gotta keep him safe."
"I understand."
"He sure is," Zack added in, "but don't forget about your safety, too. Both of you."
Justine touched her comm unit, closing the circuit. She grinned. "I told a friend how we got rid of the monsters and said, 'I can't believe it was that easy' and she said, ‘That was easy?’” Then she blinked.
"Hey. Hey hey. We should go check on the rift."
Emilly's eyes flew wide. "Oof..." she murmured. She turned towards Zack.
"It took two days the last time, until Deebs pulled out the energy pistol!"
Justine nodded. "Because...they probably came through there. Also, I thinkk I saw where the...where the...thing..."
She swayed on her feet. "I don't feel so good..."
"Oh, no," Emilly said. She peered at her. Zack peered at her.
"What's wrong, Meimei?"
Emilly looked around. "Okay, first, which thing? Green thing or black thing? And second, where do you think they came from?"
"I gotta sit down," Justine said.
"Because if it's not the rift..." Emilly looked down at her, and Justine realized she'd folded up into the ferns.
"Were you hit?"
Justine thought. "I...I don't know. Maybe...and...monsters...Just need a minute." She put her hands up to her pounding head. "S'ok...just...need a minute..."
Emilly looked concerned, before her eyes slowly widened. She looked down at her own side, peeling up the charred fabric on the side of her denim bustier, peering at the fur and skin. They all watched sluggish, thick blue strands of energy crawl over the burnt skin."
Emilly swallowed, looking back up. "Yeah, that...might be bad for humans..."
"That...doesn't look good." Justine looked up at Zack. "Is that bad?"
"It'll...probably heal..." Emilly didn't sound that sure.
Zack sighed and looked down at Justine. "You two might need some proper healing...I can take care of it if we can go to the medical center."
Emilly blinked at him. "On Haven?"
"No, here..." He stared at her. "You do have a medical room somewhere in Gearhaven, right?"
"Well...there's the med bay on the Prometheus," Justine said helpfully, just as Emilly said "Well, the Prometheus..."
Justine looked between them. "Or...the science lab has some medical gear."
Emilly blinked at her again. "The...one with the...tanks?"
"Science lab is easier to..." Justine broke off. Thought. Nodded. "Yeah, that one."
"I do not have the clearance on the pPrometheus if the security has been tightened up. So I guess we gotta use the science lab, yes."
Justine nodded. "Okay, help me up?" She held out a hand to Zack.
"Right," Emilly said decisively. She climbed the stairs, heading for the front door of Steamopolis.
(Continued in part LXII.)
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