The Pathfinder Project (part 4)

The rangers followed the scientist out in silence flanking their newly appointed leader. Shadow stood slightly behind and to the right of the main group; not willing to lower her mental and emotional boundaries to let anyone close. Even those from whom shortly she would not be able to hide from. Still she seemed unwilling to get too close to them physically at all.

Soon their trek down the corridors to the main control room had ended and the six stood in front of Stance. The mech looked them over appraisingly and was silent for a while before speaking.
"Well it seems you have all adjusted adequately; now all that's left is for you to meet your seventh" he let them digest this for a while before continuing "Of course this will have to be done within controlled conditions; since we can't have a rampaging geasult due to the risk to this facility." He stopped for a bit gauging their reactions. Shadow seemed impassive which was; to be honest, expected. Dark (whom the technicians had told him had now renamed himself Darkclaw) seemed eager; casting glances in Shadow's direction every now and then. Whisper (now Windwhisper) seemed expectant but cautious. Saber seemed interested yet still a little nervous to the whole ordeal. Skyfighter (now Sky) seemed curious and willing. Drill (now Beedrill) seemed to be quite happy with the whole thing. 'Yes well it could have been worse' Stance thought to himself; at least they accepted each other and seemed willing to co-operate; the brief skirmish at the beginning had been expected and Shadow's knowledge of how to overpower her own instincts had been invaluable in getting Darkclaw to break the fight up before too much damage had been caused. Still he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy; animals had been a good choice for an alt-mode but they were also unpredictable.

"Now I'm sure that you are all curious as to what has been done to you." he paused "In order to understand how to be a geasult it is thought that perhaps you need to understand how it is the you are a team" Stance paced in front of them explaining as he did so about the complexity of the geasult program and how that when they merged for the first time it would create a permanent bond between them; something that while they were separate could assist them in their workings as a team. For one as they grew more accustomed to each other they would be able to converse without speaking out loud and eventually they should become so that they would work as one; both separate and combined. "Any questions?" When no one answered Stance nodded pleased with himself “Good; now follow me." The group obeyed without question following Stance like the good little soldiers that they were.

Shadow however walked behind the main group she observed all in silence still debating whether or not that this had been a good idea on her part. Nevertheless when it came down to it she had no other choice; Shockwave had made that very clear when they had caught her. Of course she'd be rather off world hunting pirates taking great glee in ripping them to pieces. However; it was not to be; she no longer had a choice in what she did, Shockwave had made that clear. Either she obeyed or she died and Shadow still intended to live a while longer.

As the group followed the kept casting speculative glances at their sixth; whom was still adamant to remain separate. They did not understand her; why would she want to stay away from them? What was it that they had done to deserve her ire? They quite simply didn’t understand; they were nervous and worried. A strange tension hung in the air as they followed Stance to their destination; each one eager to test out the new abilities of their bodies and (for five out of the six) merge.

Eventually they reached a long rectangular room and Stance turned round to face the others. “Now then in order to work together in a merge you have to work together outside of it” and with that various obstacles were either released from their storage positions or; in some cases, rose from the floor. “Your task is simple. All of you must get to the other side of the room. If one person is left behind then you fail. Understood?”
A chorus of “Yes sir” resounded around the room. Their combat trials had begun.