"So where'd you get that scar?" Feit asked, looking at Streamline's battle-weary face. He delicately cut his steak and put a small piece in his mouth as Streamline stabbed his fork into his, picked up the entire steak, and bit a large chunk from it.

Feit was referring to a long gash that ran from the top of Streamline's head, across his nose and mouth, to his chin. His military, crew-cut hair style had a receding hairline that arched around the scar.

"A hatchet," Streamline responded, staring at him with an intimidating look.

Feit tilted his head as he looked at it.

"A big one."

Feit chewed his piece of steak while keeping eye contact, unfazed by Streamline's dark brown eyes. "You mean an axe?"

"You can call it that." Streamline shrugged and continued eating, shooing Leroy's sheepdog away as it begged for his food.

Crysilis and Vecto, meanwhile, stared at their plates.

"No time for lollygagging; eat up, y'all!" Leroy motioned encouragingly as he ripped a piece off the loaf of bread.

"I told you, I am incapable of eating," Vecto said, stiff-looking.

"Yeah, me, too!" Crysilis nodded in agreement.

Feit leaned over to whisper at Crysilis. "It's disrespectful not to."

"Ah, don't be fuddy-duddies," Leroy said as he ripped a piece of steak with his teeth as viciously as Streamline. "I know ya'll got it in ya. Jebadiah's a wait'n."

Both Vecto and Crysilis looked at the buff Jebadiah, the chef of the food. He was sitting there silently, his hands folded on top of the table, waiting for his guests to eat before he did.

Vecto understood this and, out of respect, picked up his entire steak. "Well, here goes nothing," he said. He intensified his shield, and the steak mostly evaporated. He sucked the carbon from it and laid the leftovers back on the plate. "Mmm. Good."

Feit and Jebadiah's eyes widened at how he ate it with his hand. They looked back at Crysilis and noticed that his steak was missing as well.

"Yeah, delicious!" Crysilis said, rubbing his stomach.

Jebadiah nodded and began eating.

But to Crysilis' left, he had his steak hanging for the dog to eat. The animal had its mouth open, panting with its tongue out as Crysilis offered the meat. It snatched the steak and feasted.

"Mighty good meal!" Streamline said, gulping the rest of his orange juice and slamming the cup down.

"I appreciate your kindness," Jebadiah said, bowing his head. He pierced the yolk from his eggs and took a bite.

"Yep, good ole steak an' eggs," Leroy said with a burp, as he too had finished the meal. "It's the recipe for the Blue Birders back in the late 23rd century. A gal named Secra always fixed it. Quite a ninja, I might add, too."

"You mean the Blue Bird Crew?" Feit asked. "The one from the battle of Tor? You knew them?"

"Indeed I did, boy. I was a young lad then. They were great fighters but went missing after the war-died, I reckon."

Streamline cocked an eyebrow. "You're telling me you were alive back then? That was more than seven centuries ago."

"Yep, thus the traits of a Zoe, Zarlian, Zarlera, and Zarlero," Leroy explained. "We live quite the years-thousands, I say."

"So, tell me about Zendora," Vecto said, cutting straight to what he wanted to know. "And why does Morphaal want it?"