John and Peri silently, but swiftly travelled through the claustrophobic vents.

*Bang, bang...*

Even when they were deeper in the Outpost they were still able to hear the gunshots coming from the battle that was happening just outside.

"Will he be okay...?" John wondered in low voice.

"He will be fine." Peri said with certainty. "After all, he is a Survivor..."

"...?" John glanced at Peri. Her words looked like it had a deeper meaning that he didn't quite understood. [Survivor? What's up with that?] He was about to ask her what she meant when she pressed her finger at John's lips, stopping him from making any noise.

John inspired the scent coming from her. He didn't realized before because they were in the middle of the forest, but now that he was so close to her and isolated from the nature, he felt it. Her scent was like nature and flowers, a pretty good and comforting smell. Very different from the Florans he met in the Academy, those had lived for far too long in civilization, they lost the their natural odor and looks.

John always dreamed of being a Protector, roaming across the universe and protecting the people. He never really liked living in cities, it felt like prison for him. That's why he always liked the unknown and the natural. For him, the nature represent the most perfect beauty, that's why since the first encounter with Peri he became entranced by her.

Her style of clothing, her wild appearance and mannerisms. It fascinated him.

Even though Peri had already got a lot of contact with civilisation, she still had this natural and somewhat wild aura. She doesn't hiss like most Florans do, and she doesn't kill everyone that it isn't a Floran at first sight, luckily for him.

"Shhh..." Peri woke John from his entranced moment when she signalized for him to not make any noise.

He glanced at her and saw that Peri was curiously looking at him.

He embarrassedly avoided her eyes and looked at the side. "Huh?" At his side was a grid with some small holes that he was able to see through. He inched closer and stared at the sight below the vents.

"Florans..." John grabbed Peri's shoulder and stopped her from going deeper in the vents.

"What...?" She crawled back and looked at the grid John was looking. "!!!" Peri instantly recognized the kids that were in the black cages made of Tungsten.

She was about to angrily burst the grid with her hand when John swiftly grabbed her hand and stopped her.

Her anger filled eyes stared straight at John.

"Look closer..." John met her eyes, unafraid.

Peri stared at the situation at the room and realized that the power had turned on again, the EMP Grenade had lost it's effect.

The whole room was covered with cameras, heat, noise and motion sensors. If Peri had jumped down at that moment, they would have been busted.

"Power room..." John tried to convey what he wanted through the less amount of words and noise. "Turn off... Power... Cage, Open."

Peri nodded her head in understanding.

Both of them started to crawl deeper into the Outpost through the vents.

...

"Where are them?" A1 was talking with his squad through his PIPS.

"We don't know sir." A voice came from the A1's PIPS. "The power went out for about 2 minutes and we were completely blind for that time. They are probably are already inside the Outpost."

A1 repeatedly tapped his finger in the desk in front of him. "Close up the backdoor. Since they are already inside, let's make them stay inside." He commanded after some thought. "Also, turn on all defense systems, including the turrets. I want them dead, understood?"

"YES, SIR!" Multiple voices came from the PIPS.

The captain looked at A1. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes." A1 used his long fingers to relaxedly caress his beard. "They are inside, but that's not the problem. I prefer this way. They are caged in our stronghold."

"They might have more EMP Grenades."

"It's okay, I already set up the defense system against Electromagnetic Pulse. I didn't left it activated 24 hours since it consume way too much Core Fragments, but now that it's on, any EMP won't have effect in this Outpost's surrounding."

"Good..."

The captain looked at the duel happening below him, Lenny versus Oscar.

Lenny was dual wielding some Wild West looking revolvers while Oscar was using a pump-action, Tier 3 Shotgun.

Both of them were wearing cowboy clothes and surprisingly they were able to juggle, and jump around with those tight clothes.

"Who do you think is going to win?" The captain asked the A1. He was more inexperienced in actual combats since he is more like a commander and thinker, not a fighter himself, so decided to ask the more veteran A1.

"Don't know..." A1 frowned when he looked at both of them. "They haven't started giving their all, yet... Oh...?" He exclaimed when he saw Oscar's next movement. "Oscar is starting to get serious now."

...

*Bang*

Lenny sprang forward and ducked his head fast enough to dodge the close range shot that Oscar just fired.

While he was able to maintain his head intact, his hat wasn't that lucky, it was almost completely obliterated by the multiple pellets of the shotgun bullet.

Lenny took the chance that Oscar had to pump his weapon before he was able to fire again and swiftly ran toward him.

He lifted his revolver and aimed at Oscar's head. They were less than a meter away from each other, it was physically impossible for Oscar to avoid a bullet at such close range.

*Bang*

Lenny pressed the trigger. Smoke exploded off the revolver's muzzle and the bullet easily travelled toward Oscar's head.

*Pzzt*

Lenny's expression changed when he saw that the bullet had stopped mid air, centimeters away from Oscar's face.

Oscar sinisterly grinned and lifted his gun.

*Bang*

*Splat*

Lenny inclined to the side, but he wasn't fast enough. His left arm was completely obliterated by a close range shot from Oscar's shotgun.

Yellow plasma splattered everywhere. Lenny hastily retreated and hid himself behind a tree.

*Bang*

Oscar tried to fire again, but all he only hit the tree bark.

"Tch..." Oscar clicked his tongue, unsatisfied.

"Urgh..." Lenny clutched his what remained of his left arm.

He took a bandage from his PIPS and swiftly stopped his plasma leaking.