Psionics Game: The'ss'it Arrives

Kyrian paced up the deck of the ship, fencing with his shadow while he got a feel for his new weapons. He’d tried to make friends with the crew, but they were a surly, uncommunicative group as a rule, so he was reduced to keeping himself entertained.

At first, they’d only been interested in getting out of sight of land, but now with a few days of seeing nothing but water they’d begun to wonder where exactly they should go. It didn’t seem like an emergency, though, and they were still recovering from their wounds. So, they waited.

Kyrian flourished his weapon and nearly stepped on La’ss’a, who was curled up on a sunny patch of deck. The lizard jumped up and snarled. “Whoops! Sorry.”

“And I was having a really good dream, too. Oh well.”

“Does that look like him?”

“You’re askin’ me? I caint see anythin’ in this big rock!”

“It’s a crystal ball!”

“Yah? Well it’s all cloudy!”

La’ss’a and Kyrian stared at each other. “Did you hear that?” Kyrian asked finally.

“I heard something, at least,” La’ss’a said.

“What is he talking to, a giant bug? Are you sure you done this spell right?”

“Yes! Would you just go through the portal already?!”

“Don’t get yer tail in a twist, I’m going, I’m going . . .” There was a loud bang and something heavy fell on Kyrian. He screeched and promptly toppled over onto La’ss’a. They skidded across the deck, finally coming to a halt when they fetched up on an enormous coil of rope. La’ss’a poked her nose out from under Kyrian’s wings and growled.

“The’ss’it, what the heck?!”

“Damn it!” The weight on Kyrian’s back cursed, and another lizard nose peeked over the half-fey’s shoulder. “Yer supposed to be Fa’ss’th!” The new lizard announced, pointing an accusing finger at La’ss’a. She hissed.

“I’m a lizard sandwich,” Kyrian said dreamily. La’ss’a grabbed The’ss’it’s hand and pulled him off Kyrian.

“Those stupid wizards!” The’ss’it continued, seemingly oblivious. He shook a clawed fist at the sky. “I WANT A REFUND!”

La’ss’a shook her head. “You paid wizards to send you here looking for Fa’ss’th, I take it?”

“Well, no, but it’s the principle of the thing. So where’s that no-account brother of yers, anyway?”

“What am I, his keeper? Anyway, what do you want him for?”

“Our swamp is drying up, that’s what! The portal got et by a big chunk of crystal or something, I don’t know anything about magic, that’s why we need Fa’ss’th!”

La’ss’a shrugged. “Well, he’s not here. Last I saw him, he was headed for Athkatla. I can point you in that direction if you want, but it’s a bit of a long swim through salty water.”

“What?” The’ss’it chinned himself on the rail and looked over the side of the ship. “GADZOOKS, look at all that water! This won’t do at all! You turn this thing around right now!”

“Oh, calm down, you crazy old fool. We have to talk to Sam about it, then we’ll decide where to go. Until then, you’re stuck, so you might as well relax.”

“But, but the swamp!”

La’ss’a hissed. “It’ll take months for them to be in any real danger. Come on, I’ll show you around.”

Kyrian looked at the little lizards. “Um, who is this?”

La’ss’a chuckled. “This is The’ss’it, my third cousin twice removed on my mother’s side. He’s not as dangerous as you might think.”

“I so am dangerous! You just have no respect for the traditions of Ubtao!”

“Yes,” La’ss’a said, “but you need us, not the other way around, isn’t that right?”

The’ss’it deflated a bit. “Well, when you put it that way . . .”