Nate looked at her sadly. "Item-type soul weapons are much harder to figure out. I'm afraid there is nothing I can do to help you there."
She frowned. "Okay. I don't want to sound ungrateful. Thank you for teaching us."
It was getting late and everyone was tired. On the way to the apartment building, Lana bought more food. She was very hungry. She didn't realize how much energy she had expended in her torture with Linda. She bought some extra things to eat in the morning. Just outside the building, she heard, "Lana?"
She looked around and her brother was running towards her. Right behind him was the rest of the team.
She smiled brightly and ran to her friends giving them all hugs, the biggest for her brother ensuring she told him happy birthday even though it was late. "Can we all sit somewhere and catch up really quick?"
They sat at an outside eatery that had shut down for the night. They quickly updated her that the five of them were all at rank D now. They had been playing with the crystals and such to keep them from leveling up too much afraid she would show up after the civil war started and they would be too high to join her.
She told them about how her plans had not changed but she was now pregnant and had a body guard which she pointed to Shalt when she said that. She told them she had been working with Caser all summer to teach him how to hunt. After talking for a bit, they decided for right now, they could rotate out. As long as they went out once a week, everything was fine. Those who started out higher would sit out the next two days and hang out around the shelter. Two days later, those two would swap with someone. The point was to keep Lana and Shalt on the away team so they could at least get up to D. They would look at the option of adding members of a second team once they were both rank D.
Ranks had to be within one of each other with the exception of D, E, and F. A C-rank could not join a team if there was an E. This was to make sure everyone grew and could stand on their rank. People got killed by cheating the system.
Lana then told Dobin they needed to tell their plans to Quinn. Dobin asked why and she replied she had to keep a promise.
Lana took a big breath, holding her twin's hand standing beside her. Shalt was behind her in his usual spot. She knocked at the door and a few moments later, Quinn came to the door. "Quinn, I know you're a really busy person but I was wondering if now was a good time to let you know what my plans are?"
"Of course, come in," as he stepped aside.
She, Shalt, Caser and Dobin walked in and found a place to sit in the small room.
Getting right down to business, "I made a deal with Logan to update him once a week and with Sil to update you or your designated representative once a week, on Sunday. Sil told me there can be no more than 4 days between communication so I'm looking at Logan on Wednesday or Thursday. Is this okay for you?"
Quinn looked confused, "Yes?"
Lana nodded, took a deep breath and let it out. "We will be setting up our Family on the planet you killed that king-tier on. Once…"
Quinn interrupted, "Why would you go back there? It's dangerous and you are carrying Vorden's babies!" Quinn looked distraught.
She smiled sadly, "one could argue they are Sil's babies but yes, I am. As for the planet…"
Dobin chimed in, "This has been planned for a few months. She felt a connection to that planet. The plants spoke to her in a way that touched her. As for us, our team from school is here with us. I'm level 8. The other two males are level 6. I'm sure Kattie will be soon if she has not grown that much already, thanks to Lana. And Logan's funding, to be honest. We came here for the summer to gain experience so we would be ready for when she wanted us to move. Do you think I would allow my twin to do something very dangerous? Especially in her condition? She has six strong people to protect her and it's not like she's not capable herself."
Looking a bit unhappy, "I promised Vorden I'd keep her safe. How can I do that if she's not even here?"
"How about you stop by the shelter once it's built to see for yourself or send someone once it's built? I have plans to create evacuation shelters as well once I'm able. The fact that we are on that planet is to remain a secret. Our communications will be turned off except on the days when we need to report in. If we are going to be gathering information, that can create enemies. Caution is essential here."
Quinn nodded. Then he let out a deep exhale and looked very tired. "Does Vorden know your plans?"
It was her turn to nod, "The same night I discussed this with Logan, he was informed. We even all three got together to flush out some details so he would feel better about me doing this."
"Why do you need to report to Logan?"
She smiled softly, "Well, he is clandestinely backing our family so that only makes sense. Plus, it gives plausibility to where the information came from."
Quinn nodded, thinking. "Okay. I'm good with weekly reports but, if something happens, that you need help, I want to know immediately. I don't like the communications only being up twice a week. It's too dangerous. If there is an emergency, we won't be able to contact one another."
"I agree. Logan is going to invent something that encrypts and even hides the signal so it can't get picked up by anyone we wish to hide the signal from. Once that's done, the communications can be up full time. Also, because of that danger topic you brought up, I will be joining Dobin and my team as a traveler while on this planet. I can't do the more dangerous quests due to the babies and you need the room to grow. I know I briefly mentioned the idea to join him before but this is me making it firm. I know that leaves you a man down but I'm sure others will be honored to work with you once they know how strong you are."
"You know I could protect you…"
She cut him off, "yes, you can. At the expense of me being a distraction." Quinn tried to rebut. "It's final Quinn. I will not be responsible for distracting a man while he's at work." Looking into her suddenly hardened eyes, he decided to drop it. She and Dobin stood, "get some rest. Tomorrow starts our hunting and growth. We will be doing the same. There is one option I'm willing to do and that is our teams to travel together to hunting areas so we are near each other. Will that make you feel better? Wear my mask in case you want to check on me? Also, my team is really close to being level C so I may need to pop over to another group for a while. My team is already at 5 and the shelter says minimum of 5. I think seven might be okay. I'd rather get three more people who were in your class and bring me up to ten instead, two teams going out together. Understand, I expect your whole team to be Cs within two weeks. You are all strong. It will take more time for me to train Shalt. Now, I know I can do that as we go but I don't want his rate to be inflated."
"Okay, how about for the next few days we go to the same hunting grounds and see what happens?"
Lana agreed.
They then left while Quinn once again felt like a person he cared about was walking out of his life.
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