Perhaps more gold than green, the eyes were set in a face that was neither human nor feline. Golden fur coated high cheekbones and a strong jawline. A wave of ebon hair flopped over one eye and a few strands floated loose from her ponytail. Her leathers were somewhat tattered, but a crystal lotus on her chest sparkled as if alive, even in the dark of the cell.

Jayce attempted to sit up, if only to show that he wasn�t totally helpless. Her lips parted, revealing long white teeth as sharp as daggers and she leaned closer to him. He was more than a little surprised when she rubbed her face against his, purring softly.

"Albeiro 12 and 7 are most compatible with humanoid life, so I�ll concentrate the broad range scanners on those." Herc watched the screen closely, first scanning for Monster Minds. Nothing. He then adjusted the sensors accordingly for Jayce�s biowaves. Flora and Oon jumped as he kicked the console.

"W-what�s the matter, Herc?" The little squire asked, half-hiding behind the plant girl.

"The scanners are on the blink again. It�s got a reading, but it can�t decide if it�s Jayce or not. It says the biowaves are similar but not identical."

"Could it be Master Audric?"

"Hmmm� could be, tinhead. We�ll go down and see, just in case."

The catwoman took her time grooming Jayce�s ears and face as if he were a kitten. He had regained enough strength to gently push her away, but she would just pin him and go right back to licking his ears. He finally gave up and let her lick away, showing his obvious displeasure and annoyance by lashing his tail, something he wasn�t even aware he was doing. He had never had a tail before to notice.

Both cats looked up as the door opened with a low hiss. Jayce�s new ears immediately flipped back and lay flat against his skull, his tail low and bushy.

"Well, I see you�re adapting quickly to new instincts." Falco laughed. Jayce hissed and growled low. The catwoman moved in front of him a bit, her own fangs bared, claws out. Falco moved back a bit, then smiled coolly. "It�s all right, Kari, I�m not going to hurt him. My, you�ve already become quite possessive of your new brother, haven�t you? I would be interested to see how you would treat a mate." He was answered with a short lunge forward. Kari then moved back to gently nuzzle Jayce, who never took his slitted blue eyes off the professor.

The Pride put down on a rock clearing. Herc noticed the way the red stone in the canyon crumbled as they landed and hoped a landslide wasn�t inevitable.

"FLORA! Be careful!" the pilot looked up as he heard the old wizard shout to the little girl on her fish. Flora waved and took off into the air. "That girl! So stubborn!" Gillian half-laughed.

Flora felt so confused when she allowed her senses to probe the fauna if the strange planet.

"It�s so strange, Broc. I can�t tell if they�re human or animal�" She patted the flying fish. She finally gave up on a "broad scan" and tried to zero in on Jayce mentally. �Jayce� Jayce?�

Jayce�s ears perked up and swiveled around. He raised his head and looked around. Was he hearing things? Kari stirred lightly, her sleep disturbed by his motion, seeing as how he was her pillow. Again he heard it. Flora�s voice. She was calling him. He sat up, rolling Kari to the ground. She woke sharply, growling at him for disturbing her nap. Jayce didn�t hear it, though. She watched with confusion as he circled and paced in the cell, beyond agitated.

Flora�s eyes snapped open to the size of plates when she felt Jayce�s response. It wasn�t the surprise of him being alive, but the way the response felt. It was the first time she had ever heard him so clearly. She had never been able to do that before with humanoids, only plants and animals�

"What�s wrong with the small one? He seems very disturbed."

"I don�t know D�lani. I�ll investigate. Watch the female." Jayce looked up as the door hissed open and D�lani and the one he recognized as D�nik entered the room. He immediately drew back a bit as he saw the long stick. The electric prods gave of a painful jolt, that much he knew from experience. Kari was suddenly in a defensive crouch as well.

Jayce jumped backwards over his "sister" and then forward, clearing the two drones� heads. He leapt to one side as the prod hit the ground near his hand. He heard D�lani shriek and suddenly Kari was beside him, a touch of dark blood on her lips. She wiped it away and then motioned for him to follow her. "This way!"

"GILLIAN! HERC! I FEEL HIM! He�s here!"

"Where, child?"

"Below ground, I think. Wherever it is it�s dark and cold."

"Well, its either a cave or that glass monstrosity a few miles ahead." Herc yelled down from checking the engines. Flora urged Broc higher and spotted what Herc was talking about. She closed her eyes again and glowed briefly.

"He is! He says he�s at� sub level� six!"

Jayce poked his head out of the utility shaft and carefully stepped where Kari did.

"Where are we going?"

"To get your jewelry, my weapons, then we go."

"You know where they are?"

"Mmn! Had free run at one time. Falco�s "pet." She said �pet� with a low growl and then spat. Jayce nodded and followed silently, trying to shake the vertigo from his head.

"We�re close�" Flora said, guiding Drill Sergeant through pure instinct, "He feels so strange�"

"What do you mean, child? Is he hurt?"

"I� I�m not sure. Just different from when I used to feel him before� clearer."

"Well, whatever the cause, we�ll know soon!" Herc barked to her over the whine of the drill�s turbine. All of them jumped in surprise when Jayce�s voice crackled over their intercoms.

"Flora, Gillian, Herc, Oon, do you read me?"