Today was the day. Auggie was getting out of his pod. The group was pretty happy. They had everyone back and healthy. The skiff was updated with new equipment. Their mana rifles were all topped up. Tree had assured them the problems with the vest were fixed.

Dario was waiting at the entrance to Tree’s underground base. He waved to Auggie as he walked out.

“How you doing fuckface?” Dario yelled.

“Pretty good dicklicker.” Auggie yelled back.

“Will you two act mature for one minute.” Tracy added to the side. She was standing next to Monte, and Dario.

Dario and Auggie answered almost in unison. “No can do, ma’am.”

“Jinx”

“Double jinx.”

“You owe me a coke.”

Monte and Tracy just shook their heads at their shenanigans.

“Let’s go. We got a new task from Tree.” Monte said. “We’re taking the skiff out again.”

“Awwwww.” Auggie groaned. “I thought I would at least get a break.”

“Nope.” Monte laughed. “It’s better if you get back on the horse that threw you.”

“I wasn’t thrown from a horse.” Auggie replied. “It was that stupid skiff.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Monte said. “Come on, it’ll be fun. We still got our rifles.

The group headed off to the treedocks. There were a couple of more skiffs and a large ship being constructed. It looked like Tree was going all in with his air ships. As the group walked up they saw a group of three people waiting beside the skiff. Swoopy was already aboard doing something with the engines.

The tallest of the three was a tree standing about eight feet tall. It waved at them and called in a booming voice.

“Howdy neighbors.” The tree boomed.

The four newcomers waved back.

“You can call me Tree II.” Tree II said. “I’m going to help you losers negotiate.”

“Who are these two?” Monte asked. Pointy at the other two who were trying to stand quietly behind Tree II.

“These are Sid and Winnie.” Tree II replied. “I forgot which is which. All you fleshbags look alike to me.”

“Isn’t that racist?” Auggie asked.

“Nope, I’m pretty sure it's fleshbagist.” Tree II explained. “See Swoops over there? She has an exoskeleton. Not a bag. You fleshy mushrooms have all your meat on the outside. Just like a fleshbag.”

“Alright.” Monte said. He waved to the new guys. “Good Morning, I’m Auggie, this is Tracy, Dario and Monte.” Auggie said as he pointed at each one.

“Yeah.” Tree II said. “Let’s get this show on the road.” Tree II climbed aboard the skiff and it settled and groaned in the air.

“You sure that thing will hold all of us?” Monte asked.

“Probably.” Tree II said. “I’m almost one hundred percent sure this will work.” Tree II settled into a seat in the middle of the skiff. The pilot house where Swoopy sat was moved forward. The bow of the skiff had been modified to hold a mana gun emplacement. She had a good view of everything happening around her. She could now fire directly at targets she chose and go on strafing runs. Swoops heartily approved of the new configuration.

There were three gun emplacements on the skiff. Starboard, port and aft.

Tree II pointed at the emplacements. “I don’t care who crews the guns. You all need the skill anyways. The other two will be rovers and can use their rifles to add support or they can be damage control.”

Auggie pointed to the two army grunts. “Grunts on the side cannons. Monte, you good as tail gunner?”

Monte gave him a curt nod.

Auggie continued. “Dario and Tracy, you float with me.”

Everyone nodded and went to their seats. Swoops revved the mana engine as soon as everyone was seated. The engines glowed with an even brighter blue. There was a big throaty rumble that accompanied the glow.

Tree II laughed. “Yeah. I love that sound. Sounds like growling. That should scare the bejesus out of anyone who hears it.”

Swoops started laughing with him and took off. Everyone was pressed into their seats as Swoops started her climb out. The skiff roared as it climbed up and out of the grounds.

“You’re gonna need traffic control pretty soon.” Monte said over the roar.

“Yeah, then we can buzz the tower.” Tree II said.

Auggie looked over at Tree II. “I’ve been meaning to ask. Are you Tree? A clone? A golem?”

Tree II looked guilty for a moment. “All three? While I’m within range of Tree I’s aura we are essentially in a gestalt of the mind. If we focus on each other, we can enter a shared state of conscience. Outside of that range we are autonomous. Once we get back into range we can share our thoughts and catch back up.”

“That’s cool.” Auggie replied. “So what are you doing on this tub?”

“I’m going to negotiate with those pukes who keep attacking us.” Tree II replied. “Also, I’m working the bottom turret.”

“I was wondering about that.” Auggie asked. “How does it work?”

“Same as the other guns, I guess.” Tree II replied. “I don’t get motion sick like you idiots do while I’m controlling the bottom turret.”

“Thanks I guess.” Auggie said. “You know that army camp is to the south right? We are going north.”

“That we are.” Tree II laughed. “We are going to fuck up those fucks who fucked you up. We can never let a slight pass us by. Also when I was shuffling through your memories I thought they looked distinctly deer like. I don’t get along with deer. We must purge their heresy.”

“You can do what now?” Auggie asked.

“I can’t hear you.” Tree screamed back.

Swoops chose this moment to go even faster.