"Nobody's safe, old buddy old pal," said the old man, not holding to his own decree.  "In here, we might be safe from all the fighting outside, but we're not safe from<span style="font-style: italic">her</span>."  There was a pause, and it sounded as if he was sniffing the air.  "I smell blood.  She rip you open yet?  She likes that - makes her hungry."  Then he started giggling again.  "Hehehehe... she likes seeing all your intestines fall out like spaghetti.  Ever have spaghetti?  It's really good.  She gave me some before she threw me in here.  Tastes like hot lava.  HAH!  Lava.  Lava's pretty, but I've never seen it..."<br/><br/>Karogen would soon realize that the old man was rambling.  Despite his insanity, he was still lonely.  However, through his madness he kept from mentioning anything specific about himself.  Somewhere in his rotted brain there was still a driving sense of self-preservation.<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>The young daughter of the Blotar family was losing her battle with gravity quickly.  Unaware of the danger, she screamed for help, scrabbling at the edge of the moat.  Just as Sherra and Kitten drew up to the edge, her head sank below the water level.  Her waving hands and the floating folds of her nightgown were the only signs of her presence.<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>Lentan glanced at Arget's upraised hand, nodding at him before Chiro took Lentan aside.<br/><br/>Eric Lentan held Chiro's eyes after the brief ritual.  He touched a finger to his forehead, feeling the hot blood there, and nodded.  "Thank you.  I won't waste our alliance."<br/><br/>The doctors in the warehouse took down Chiro's requests on paper and nodded at him.  "We'll do our best," one of them said.  "She looks like she's been through a lot."<br/><br/>Merelli smiled at Chiro.  "I look forward to sharing stories of our homeland, friend.  Good luck on your mission."<br/><br/>Jania laid a heavy hand on Lentan's shoulder and said her words, then offered up her sword to him as the Slayers dropped to their knees.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"...Take the blade, so that ALL Slayers will know you, across the world, and fight for what is true. Fight fae you, sir."</span><br/><br/>Lentan was nearly overwhelmed by the gesture, though he hardly let it show.  First the silver serpent's blood, now this...  If only Jessica could see him now.  The little boy from the mines was really and truly a leader.  He took the sword in his hands, raising it before his eyes and looking at its craftsmanship.  Then he lowered it, looking at the Slayers with a set of bright eyes.  "Thank you," he said quietly.  "I accept your invitation."  He tied the sword to his belt at his side.  "It's good to be in the company of honor."<br/><br/>He pulled some cloth patches from his pocket.  "I don't have much to offer in return; only these."  The patches each bore a Resistance symbol, along with a new symbol - two hands with their index fingers extended, one laying atop the other.  It was the sign language symbol for "friend."  He held three patches out to the Slayers.  "I never thought we'd get to use these.  Show these and people will know you're friends of the Resistance anywhere in the world."  He held another out to Chiro and a fifth to Arget.<br/><br/>The young foxboy spoke.<span style="font-style: italic">"I'm ready to get busy... well, when you're all ready, let's formulate a plan - something that involves as much sneaking and as little shooting as possible."</span>Lentan nodded at him.<br/><br/>O'Toole raised her hand, catching Lentan's eye.  Halvorson looked at her in puzzlement before she grabbed his hand and raised it too.  "We're also volunteering for the mission, sir."  She eyed Halvorson, then caught Arget's eye and winked at him.<br/><br/>Halvorson, now understanding, shook his hand free of her and raised it of his own accord.  "That's right," he confirmed.  "We all gotta stick together."  He raised the skein dhu Baz had given him, showing it to Lentan and nodding at Baz.<br/><br/>An invigorated smile crossed the Commander's face and he looked at them all.  "All right," he said.  "Let's get to planning."<br/><br/>"Wait a minute," said Halvorson, looking around suddenly.  "We're missing someone..."<br/><br/>O'Toole looked around, mentally counting the people in the gazebo, then saying.  "Heretic.  Where's Heretic?"<br/><br/>"Heretic?" asked Lentan.<br/><br/>"A fox-fur we picked up a way back," said Halvorson.  "He gave Merelli's boys information on some sorta cult running around the city that could attack the Resistance."<br/><br/>Lentan's face hardened.  "Where could he have gone?" he asked, steel in his voice.<br/><br/>Merelli approached the group.  "I saw the fox leave the park and head out into the city.  He did not look well," he said.<br/><br/>Lentan looked at O'Toole.  "Go get him, First Sergeant," he ordered.  "Hurry up."<br/><br/>"Yes sir!" said O'Toole.  "Which way did he go, Colonel?"<br/><br/>"That way," said Merelli, pointing out the direction.<br/><br/>"All right, I'll be back."  O'Toole turned and left the group, heading off down the street, looking into each alley she passed.<br/><br/>The alley around Heretic was largely silent, save for the distant rattle of gunfire and the occasional natural noise from a building nearby.  Footsteps in the steet heralded O'Toole's approach.  She peered into the alley and saw Heretic's discolored eyes, his raising fur, and she grew very wary.  Silently she drew out her quarterstaff, keeping it low but ready for defense.<br/><br/>"Heretic?" she asked, uncertain.