Welcome to Gaia! ::

"I am recovering. Relaxation is part of that process... And it's near impossible to relax at the lab." Especially with the Dr. coming out with a new experiment nearly every day to 'improve' on something or other. That was something the General did not like to discuss. He still felt as if all his accomplishments were not his own. Nothing but the longest ongoing experiment of the Dr. Fox.

"This place helps me calm my nerves." He smiled. Yet at the same time it made him remember that night six years ago. And every time he remembered the scar on his face felt as if it were recently carved into his face. "The wound is healing nicely, Dr. Fox is highly experienced with wounds like that." He laughed. "And it's not the first bullet wound I've received... far from it." In fact Nicodemus has a tally stick mounted on a plaque in his office. He puts a notch in it every time he gets a bullet wound. Needless to say it looks as if Scoob got a hold of it and gnawed a bit on it.

"Thank you." He spoke sincerely as he got himself to his feet. Briefly looking down at Angelina as he spoke.

"I was a reckless cadet... Took any mission labeled dangerous just to keep busy. Many said it was courageous, but in fact it was pride." Nicodemus sighed as he walked over to the old Liger. It was not something he was proud of, that much was obvious in his tone.

He was gone but a brief moment before returning with some art supplies. Paint, a small canvas, brushes, and a pencil.

Almost immediately after taking his seat once more he begun to sketch out a familiar form to Angeina. It almost look like... the wing blade?

"So tell me more about yourself Cadet." Though he did not look up from his art work he was listening.

he couldn't help but chuckle a little at Angelina's excitement over the art of her own ZOID.

Nicodemus knew all too well about how it felt to loose parents. Though his were not as kindly as Angelina's mush have been. For the longest time he resented them for how they treated his younger brother. Than lost them all that bloody night. Murdered, both of them, and the culprit had still not been identified.

Hid brother had been accused of it, but he to this day -knew- Riot had not killed them.

"I'm sorry of your loss." He paused in his artwork and looked at Angelina directly. That had happened before he was a general... even before he was fully in the military. "Zach and Chad, hm?" He laughed. Nicodemus had heard they had a sister new to the military.

"I am sure she is very proud of you regardless. She has much to be proud of." With another chuckle he returned to the artwork. Working on the background color. "My parents were just the opposite. They heavily encouraged my enlistment in the military."

As more color to the ZOID was being added to the liger it became more obvious that it was Seraphim.

The final touch was the General's signature in the bottom left corner of the picture.

"Ah, thank you." Nicodemus looked back at the pond as the paint dried. "Yes, the raynos dynamic duo. I have seen them, but I have not had much time to talk to them personally."

The pond rippled calmly as a cool breeze rushed over the surface. It was peacful, relaxing, and soon it would be time to return to the lab. Nicodemus dread the thought of having to go back and continue the tests. But for the moment he would remember the good times and converse with the Cadet he had fatefully to run into.

When the paint was considerably dry he offered the small canvas to Angelia with a smile. "For you. And perhaps sometime I can ask you for your own piece of art."

(( I blame poor education ))

"You should never compare yourself to someone else. You will fall short of their imperfection every time. Everyone has their own talents and should be proud of them..." Nicodemus looked back over to Angelina before pushing himself from the ground. He stretched his arms a bit before looking over to his liger.

"William, you ready to go back?"
The liger groaned a bit, but did not move from his lowered position.

Nicodemus laughed. The liger did not want to go anywhere, but knew it would have to sometime. It wanted to milk the nice open area of the -not- hanger.

"We should be getting back soon." He took a deep breath. It was not a pleasant thought.

William groaned as she stretched his metallic paws and turned around.

The walk was somewhat of a long one, it took a good hour and a half of travel to reach the large well protected lab. Many have been to it, yet oddly not many remembered who to get back there.

The guards opened the gates for the two ZOIDs to walk through. The etstate was huge ( and that is an understatement. ) Fox had owned more lands than even the Imperial Emperor.

The hangers were able to house large ZOIDS, the size of even the ancient deathsaurer. This lab was the birth place of many inventions, and ZOIDS. (( Or at least one of the facilities ))

William's stride slowed to almost a crawl as they neared the hanger.

Inside the hanger was even more impressive than the outside. Full of tools ramps, elevators, hooks, anything needed to take care of a ZOID.

Though there was a ledge for the Pilot to exit the ZOID without it laying down. However, William preferred to lay down and let the General exit the cockpit as he usually did.

The two were greeted promptly by a two lab assistants. Each one seemed to be irritated about something. Or perhaps they were just rude by nature. Not much were known about the Lab techs at Dr. Fox's establishment, all of them lived on the estate and never left.

"You are behind schedule General. We might have to keep you here an extra day just to catch up." The one on the right spoke without any emotion. "We must begin immediately."

The other one waited silently for his turn to speak. "The Doctor has prepared a report for your Cadet to return to base with. This report has further instructions for the officer in charge of the base." How was just as a mystery as the Doctor himself.

Nicodemus turned to face Angelina after the two men had spoken with him.
"You are relieved of your bodyguard duty Cadet. Return to base with the report and hand it to Sergent Radfield." The two assistants folded their arms across their chests as the waited impatiently. But even they knew not to make the General seem like a child in front of his soldiers.

"Thank you for the peaceful evening Ms. Solaris." One of the Assistants huffed at the mention of the eveing. "Dismissed."

A formal dismissal, but he had to keep in mind that though he was not on duty at the moment, technically she was. And any informality in front of these clowns and he would not hear the end of how he was being to unprofessional to his solders. He got enough of that already...

The two assistants gave no time for Angelina to respond before they escorted Nicodemus back into the large building connected to the hanger. One of them handing the goldenrod envelope over to the Cadet. Angelina was not alone in the hanger. Another Assistant showed up to helper find her way to the exit and give directions back to her base.
"Ms. Solaris." He spoke in a monotone voice and waited patiently for a response.

"I will show you to the gates. Another Soldier will take you back to your base. As you exit the base I will warn you you might become a little dizzy. It is natural. Now, please, follow me." As the assistant gave his instructions. A familiar figure walked by, not even glancing at the two as he passed. He was so focused.

Dr. Fox recieved a slight bow and a "Sir." From the assistant as he passed by. Dr. Fox said nothing still as he passed. He seemed be to following where the two assistants and the General. Kard did bare a resemblance to him, save for this man seemed so cold hearted and Kard was quite the opposite... and his face was usually as red as his hair in the presence of ladies.

The assistant motioned for Angelina to move as he himself begun to walk. he'd stop in front of her ZOID and wait for her to get into the cockpit before continuing on a strange small device which could move as fast as a ZOID could walk.

Lt. Dixon waited near the gate for the Cadet he had been informed he would be taking home. Since his gordos had been killed by the bone dragon ZOID he was forced to pilot rental ZOIDs off and on. None of them being the same... he missed his old friend greatly. This time he would get to pilot a speedy Konig wolf named Rog. This one was full of life and his favorite ZOID to borrow, but it had so much energy that it would be best fitted for a young cadet... The white and blue wolf was a handfull sometimes.