Moonshine made me blind to this pyramid scheme (BL)

Time was not limited, nor was irrelevant. In other words, they should have enough time to find a new source of energy without blindly running out to their deaths. An yet, they should not delay for too long due time needed to actually drag the whole thing to new position. Even though Tzol claimed they could just move outside, no one was enthusiastic about scraping by in a jungle. Like some natives.

Once the mission was decided, Yax followed the protocol and set preparations in motion. He carefully skimmed over data given by Tzol about latest outside conditions, then passed it to Ivory. He will be in charge of intelligence as it was his area anyway.

Dagda got politely requested to prepare their supplies and instruct two of his team members, famous only pair of twins that ever appeared in long history of their station, to be in charge of logistics.

Then he invited Blaze over, making sure that Cid was present as well, so that he could get some more info about only future team member that he was not familiar with. Mysterious Mani.

Not that he was overly familiar with Blaze either, him being stationed down at the basement level all this time. But since Blaze and Jone were from same batch, and Jone being glued to Ivory, by association he felt mostly positive towards half forgotten mech-tech slash surveillance agent who was in charge of monitoring daily status of the only calculator clerk they had on board. First Old Mone, who started to go off his rocker, and then his overly young substitute.

Seeing Blaze enter and fill up the space, his feelings became even more positive. Tank model, similar to himself. Yep, useful indeed. Not that he had any reservations towards speed and agility types as Ivory and Jone, but seeing one more strength and power based person, made him being more confident into success of their mission.

He was lucky that Cid could not read his mind because he would righteously asked what is he then, invisible? Though, as he observed Yax's glowing eyes that measured biceps and thighs of his new subordinate, Cid had other gloomy thoughts on his mind. He is not going to switch his tastes and start chasing after this one now, will he?

Blissfully unaware of his personal guard's worries, Yax started to question Blaze about his opinion on clerks ability to survive outside in the wild.

"If you asked me this a day before yesterday, I would say he has the same chance of survival as a fly meeting a frog." Blaze grunted and shifted his big body in a small chair. "For ten years, other than drinking way too much coffee and sticking his nose in those equations, he never expressed any interest at all in any other topic."

Blaze's eyes got misted as he complained "He never even remembered my name correctly. And I had to talk to him every day to be able to asses his mental state." He felt himself close to whining so he coughed and straightened up. "Then yesterday he boldly used a profanity for the very first time ever. And stuck that gem into that invisible keyhole no one else could see."

Weird way to order things, thought Yax who found that seeing invisible things is way stranger than cursing. But Blaze was not done. "And even when door opened, we could not decipher anything. We saw blinking screens and display lights, but they all looked the same to us." He paused not sure what words to use to describe the way Mani acted inside that room.

He never saw that guy so enthusiastic. He examined all the panels, then squeezed behind them to check wires. Being thin and flexible, he even managed to get behind pipes that were connecting the side rooms with main duct to check for leaks. He literally climbed over them. Blaze found it funny that a cleric, err, clerk came with an acrobatic perk, but he also noticed random traits all new additions had and did not pay it much attention any more. In the labs above, gods were drinking way too many holy potions in their spare time.

"Well anyway" he decided to skip that part "without him, it would be impossible to find that other Eye of Great Serpent. It was behind some obscure panel that was barely noticeable." In other words, they really cannot leave Mani behind.

Yax pressed his hands together, elbows firmly on the desk in front of him. He stared straight in front of him with an expression that portrayed deep thoughts and determination. Cid and Blaze exchanged glances and waited in silence for further instructions.

After a while, since he did not muster any valuable idea about how to handle fragile yet indispensable youth, he simply slapped the table and proclaimed "Right, Cid, you will keep your both eyes on that one and make sure he keeps up."

Feeling lighter by one heavy thought, Yax sprang up to his feet as time for talking was over, and time for walking starts now.

Cid and Blaze stared at his retreating back, then looked at each other. "You don't have it easy either." Said Blaze full of sympathy.

"This one at least knows my name." Cid snorted "Where can I find that Mani guy?"

Blaze also stood up and motioned for Cid to follow him. "I will show you." He needed to go downstairs as well. Packing his tools and weapons and tents should not take too much time, thinking about it he added "You should make sure to help Mani pack essentials and be ready to carry all the food and tent for both of you."

Cid understood at once. Two person tents were the standard, Yax will insist on sharing his with Ivory under guise of tactic discussions and planning. Blaze will team with Jone, twins are a set, which leaves him with Mani. Predictable, really.

He trudged behind Blaze wondering if his liege had that same plan in mind, or he stopped thinking about it as soon he thought of sharing a tent with his old flame, leaving everything else for them to sort out.

He did have that tendency, Cid was well aware, to rank things to do according to his preferences. Things that Yax liked or found interesting, he did by himself and right away. Things that he deemed boring or annoying, he delegated to Cid. And he never asked about results, as he would never remember that there was ever such a task dumped on his assigned bodyguard.

In Yax's mind, those things were never noted as something he should care about. So, he did not. He would simply forget about it completely.