Crash Landing 2:

EXILES

PLANET ICE - MEETING ROOM

Once the introductions were made, and Flare was convinced he was in no danger at the moment, everyone got down to business. "So, how did you end up out here, Flare?" King Cryos asked.

"Our planets tried an alliance four generations ago. It failed," Flare explained.

"As well it should have!" Lord Mantle's voice echoed angrily through the speakers in the meeting room.

Cryos turned to the view screen, and spoke to the Rock lord's image. "Perhaps if our predecessors had created an alliance all those generations ago, we would have defeated the Beast by now. Instead, it took us THIS long just to work together!"

"I still do not trust your people!" Mantle insisted. "But, nonetheless, this planetoid deserves to be warned of the threat!"

Cryos nodded, then turned back to Flare. "Does the planetoid have world engines?" he asked.

"World Engines??" Flare asked.

"Yes. As you can see, planet Rock, Bone, and Ice are travelling by their world engines.."

"I noticed. I do not know if Scrap has such a thing," Flare explained.

Cryos nodded. "Well then, we will send a team down to find the engines. Tekla and Graveheart would be the best choice. "

"They may not be welcome by our people..." Flare finished.

PLANET SCRAP

Tekla and Graveheart walked through Arnia and took in the people. Bone and Fire, Bone and Ice. Ice and Rock, Rock and Fire, and every other mix imaginable. Tekla smiled. "See the beauty an alliance can create?" she spoke quietly.

Graveheart couldn't disagree. He nodded politely to those passing by, but they eyed him with suspicion. "They may be a beautiful people... but I have a feeling they're uncomfortable with our presence."

"Can you blame them?" Tekla asked. "They have been exiled from their ancestral planets and persecuted!"

"True..."

Two children came around a building, chasing each other happily. One accidentally ran into Graveheart. She quickly looked up at him, and ran away, eyes filled with confusion, suspicion... and fear.

Graveheart shook his head. "I wonder what kind of stories their parents have been telling them about the originals." He then turned to Voxx. "Can you find the world engines?"

Voxx clicked and beeped for a few moments. "World Engines are not present on this planetoid," Voxx answered.

"What?!" Tekla gasped. "But that's impossible! I thought all planets had---" She stopped, and shook her head. "But then, this is not a planet after all. This is a moon for exiles..."

"Are you SURE, Voxx??" Graveheart asked.

"There is a 100% probability that there are no world engines present," Voxx reiterated.

Graveheart shook his head. "What are we gonna do??!"

"We have made homes for Pyrus's people on one of the battle moons. Do you think we could do the same for these people?!" she asked.

Graveheart didn't sound hopeful. "Good luck talking Lord Mantle into that one!"

ICE SHIP AURORA - JADE'S QUARTERS

"Are you SURE there are no world engines on that planetoid?!" Mantle asked.

"Yes, sir. Tekla and Graveheart could not find any," Jade explained to the figure on the small screen in front of her. "They will have to abandoned the planet, or the Beast will get to it."

"And you want me to give up another battle moon for THAT?" Mantle asked. "This does not fit into our deal, Jade!"

"Sir... this is IMPORTANT! We cannot let these people die!" Jade insisted.

Mantle put a hand to his forehead and massaged his temples. He was silent for a moment, then finally spoke again. "I will go down to Planet Scrap first. THEN I will decide whether to provide these people with a home on my Battle Moons!"

Jade nodded. It was the best she would get from him.

PLANET SCRAP

Mantle walked around on Scrap, and stared disapprovingly at the people around him. How DARE his enemies come together and... MIX... like this? He shook his head. "I cannot believe this!!" he muttered.

"What is wrong, sir??" Jade asked, unaware of Mantle's thoughts.

Mantle continued to shake his head, and ignored her question.

"Wow!!" Femur, who had joined them despite Jade's protests, finally spoke up. He looked around in admiration at the different beings on Planet Scrap. "So, Bone and Rock CAN cross-breed, eh, toots?" Femur said as he looked up at Jade.

Jade rolled her eyes. "Why didn't you stay on the ship, Femur?!" she asked.

"What? And miss one of the greatest finds in the history of our four planets?? No way, babe!"

Femur subtly reached a hand behind Jade... and Jade quickly grabbed it. "Bone and Rock may be able to cross-breed with one another, but you will NOT be breeding at all if you touch me, toad!"

"Aww, c'mon, toots! I know you love me!" he said, and raised his eyebrows.

Jade held down the bile rising in her throat. "Not even in your DREAMS, toad!"

Mantle glared at the two. "Do you think this is a JOKE?!?!" he thundered angrily. "LOOK at these people!! Who knows what they have done to the delicate balance of our different species!"

Jade looked at Mantle, and furrowed her brow. "Sir?"

"Never mind!! Let's continue in silence!" he commanded.

"Hmpf! What crawled up HIS crown and died?!" Femur asked Jade quietly.

She shook her head and ignored his question... but found herself wondering the same thing.

PLANET ICE - MEETING ROOM

Mantle's form filled the view screen. "I will not provide a Battle Moon for these people!" he said to the rest of the alliance.

"But... Lord Mantle!! They'll die if-" Graveheart started.

"Quiet, traitor!!" Mantle interrupted. "You do not have permission to speak to me!"

"MANTLE!" Cryos snapped. "Put your bias towards Graveheart aside for the moment!! These people will DIE if we do not do something!!"

"Then let them DIE!! I will not give up my Battle Moon for a half-breed species that should not have existed in the first place!"

Everyone looked at Mantle, eyes wide. Pyrus stared at the older king, shocked to say the least. Finally, he spoke. "Lord Mantle... are you holding their mixed ancestry against them??"

Mantle didn't answer the question. "I cannot give up another Battle Moon for EXILES! I already gave up one for your planet, boy!"

"But...!" Pyrus started.

"We are already over-powered by the Beast as it is!! To give up another Battle Moon would be suicide!" Mantle insisted.

"But... the Battle Moon my people are on is still used as a weapon regardless! How is providing a home for Planet Scrap mean giving up a Battle Moon? I don't understand!"

"The inhabited Battle Moon is used as a weapon RELUCTANTLY!! I cannot worry about yet ANOTHER species holding back my Battle Moons! End of conversation!" Mantle snapped, and cut the communications.

Pyrus shook his head and closed his eyes. "Then... it looks like the people of Planet Scrap will die..."