Issue 1 Downtime

In this part of the countryside of France, you could almost imagine that the world hadn't gone completely to shit. The area looked like it had once been a vinyard, before the people tending it had vanished and the plants had been allowed to overgrow everything.

And the convoy appeared right in the middle of it. There was a sudden burst of light as space tore open in the air, resealing itself after the appearance of the convoy.

In the center of the group, arms thrown out in an ecstacy of magic, wand clutched in her hand, was Vivien. The dust seemed to start to settle upon the new entrants into the landscape. And as it did, Vivien's legs crumpled, her eyes becoming glassy and unseeing as she fell hard to the ground.

Sara, looking decidedly green after the disorienting teleport, leans out of the vehicle she's in and throws up.

Skeiron looked as if he might do the same. He kept it down, but whether it was just from the teleportation or had something to do with the wine the night before was anyone's guess.

"It's times like these I'm glad I don't have a stomach," Talos said dryly.

"Yeah, yeah, just keep braggin'," Skeiron muttered, closing his eyes to help settle himself. He was wearing his duster, which was still ragged, but a lot cleaner than it had been when he entered the Crystal Palace. The same could be said of his shirt, jeans, and boots. He was also wearing a belt that he had discarded before entering the palace. Something looked like the end of a scabbard was visible beneath the rim of his duster.

John was also trying his hardest not to lose his breakfast as he gazed out the vehicle's window.

"Someone really should check on her," he said of Vivien.

Naida put a hand on her father's shoulder, comfortingly. She didn't look particularly worried, though.

Rob moved quickly to Vivien's side, picking her up. He looked concerned and angry as he checked her pulse.

Vivien seemed to already be stirring, and made a weak gesture for Rob to relax. "I'm fine," she assured him shakily.

Rob takes off his coat, wrapping it around Vivien's shoulders.

"Rest up for a moment," Rob says, "I'm going to go take care of something."

Rob steps away, glaring angrily at Stan, "Bowen. Get your ass over here."

Stan did his best to don unobtrusive clothing, and to do his best to help the others stay inconspicuous.

"Okay, let's get moving. Don't bunch up the vehicles, and keep in minimal radio contact. But no chatter. I would guess sentinels still have very good radio receivers..."

Hearing Rob's request for conversation, he turned his way.

"Yes?"

Rob storms towards Stan, throwing a punch aimed at the old man's jaw.

Stan, after a lifetime of fights and punches to the jaw, moved his head out of the way by instinct.

"Rob, please don't.."

"Please don't what? Call you out on your bullshit?" Rob asks, "You nearly killed a girl because of your goddamn paranoia. Don't you even fucking care?"

Stan sighed, looking back at Vivian.

"She knows her own limits, and she said she could do this without harming herself. I trusted her experience with magic. And frankly, we need every advantage we can get on this trek."

"Fuck you," Rob says, "You don't even give a shit."

"If you ever risk the life of someone to keep your own neck safe, you'll be finding your own way back home. That's a promise from me to you. Understand?"

"Rob, look around. Look at all the people who are risking their own necks to get everyone from our time safely home. Right now, we all need to chip in everything we can. I promise you I won't risk anyone's life before my own, but this is going to be dangerous. we need to accept that."

"And what are you sacrificing to help them?" Rob asks, "Or does sacrifice only work one way on this little mission of yours?"

"I am going to do everything I can to make sure everyone gets home, including you. Because I will not ever let my children grow up into this timeline. Now if you are finished, Get loaded up. We need to get moving."

"Yeah, we'd better hurry if we want to abandon everyone in this timeline," Rob grumbles, walking away from Stan and back to Vivien's side, "You okay, frosty pants?"

Vivien smiled unconvincingly up at him. "I said it wouldn't be dangerous... I never said it would be pleasant."

"Christ, he really wants to impress her doesn't he?" Ronnie said, watching the confrontation between Rob and Stan over Vivian. "This is some fuckin' high school shit."

Aiden watched the situation unfold and sighed.

"That might cause trouble down the road," Aiden muttered.

"That's okay. If he tries to hold out on us over some dumb hissy fit I'll just absorb his DNA and all of his memories."

Veronica Freud wrote:"Christ, he really wants to impress her doesn't he?" Ronnie said, watching the confrontation between Rob and Stan over Vivian. "This is some fuckin' high school shit."

Rick, obviously in the let's-all-get-along spirit, snorted.

"Still don't trust him."

Cailleach wrote:Vivien smiled unconvincingly up at him. "I said it wouldn't be dangerous... I never said it would be pleasant."

Rob shakes his head, "Get some rest, okay?"

Aiden couldn't help but chuckle at Veronica's comment.

"At least he'll be fairly easy to predict or manipulate if it comes to that," Aiden said.

Dead End, meanwhile, was hoisting a saddlebag onto a streamlined, quiet motorcycle.

Will and Taliesin, working together, were organizing one of the other ATVs.

"Hey." Ronnie said quietly to Dead End. "You, um, need any help?"

Bear looked over on hearing Ronnie, giving the barest hint of a smile.

"Are you set with your own gear?"

"Pretty much. I tend to travel light anyway." It was a bit of a double meaning, considering how often she shrunk down and just rode in someone's pocket.

"Okay. Hand me that saddlebag."

If Ronnie were inclined to look inside, she would find many throwing objects. Objects which tended to be either very sharp, or very explosive. Or both.

Ronnie glanced at the contents as she handed the saddlebag to Bear.

"Looks like things have changed a bit from what I remembered."

Bear nodded, silently.

"I'm going to be traveling by myself, out of sight. It.. It tends to work better that way."

"Aren't we all trying to stay out of sight?" Ronnie asked.

"I'll be out of sight of everyone."

"... why?"

"So I can do what I need to do to keep you safe."

"So... I'd distract you?"