"Vase of Xiang"
Jayce's Root was vibrating, meaning that Audric or something belonging to him was nearby. After Gillian calculated where he would most likely be at, The Pride touched down on the planet Xiang. (Lizzard's Note: This is pronounced "jung," not "zee-ang.") Xiang was renowned for its material wealth, catching Herc's interest, persuading him to accompany Jayce and Oon on their investigation.
In a nearby bazaar, Herc found a golden vase that had a secret coded message from Audric built into it. The vase was promptly stolen by raiders, who stormed the entire area for valuables and take them to Igzas -- the Planet of Thieves. After the League members departed, the vase vendor contacted the Monster Minds, having recognized Jayce from a "most wanted" database via his laptop.
Herc didn't want to take the barge there because it was also the Monster Minds' main base in that area, but relented when Jayce promised him the solid gold vase in return. Once there, the League went undercover to get it back. When Jayce saved Oon from an angry street tough, his true identity was revealed and the group was captured in a Terror Trooper's tractor beam, but they escaped thanks to the Ring of Light. Saw Boss had already deduced that Jayce was after the Vase of Xiang, so he set a trap by ordering all merchants to drop their vases inside a huge pit. As Jayce lunged for the Vase of Xiang, he fell right into the pit, with Oon following a few moments later. They awoke to find themselves inside an activated blast furnace, all their signals for help jammed by the Monster Minds. Thanks to Herc alerting the others, the League rescued them just in time by tunneling into the only unscannable spot in the city. They hurried back to the ship in possession of the Vase of Xiang.
Herc almost didn't make it, for he had tied a bulging net full of gold vases to Drill Sergeant's chassis! He was forced to relinquish them in order to escape, driving the enemy troopers away in the resulting avalanche. Back on the Pride, Gillian used the process of molecular transference to turn the vase into lead so that Audric's message could be deciphered -- it was an old one, but they set course for the indicated location just in case Audric is still there.
Herc was finally given the Vase of Xiang, but it was a bittersweet reward!
Jayce: "My father must be close!"
Oon: "Audric! My Master, at last!"
(Oon accidentally beans Herc with his Lance)
Herc: "OUCH! Hey, be careful with that thing! You know what I can get get for you as scrap metal?!"
Herc: "This whole area is controlled by Saw Boss! Are you sure your old man's signal's coming from there?"
Jayce: "This Root only responds to my father or something belonging to him. Even if he's not there, it's possible he left a clue behind."
Gillian: "And the planet Xiang is renowned for its material wealth!"
Herc: "Hmmm! This 'Xiang' sounds like my kinda planet. Punch up coordinates, kid, we're wasting time!"
Herc: "Eh, where's all this 'material wealth' the old wizard was talking about?"
Herc: "Hey, wait! Look at this!"
Vase Vendor: "Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh! You have a good eye, mister -- that vase was made in the Third Solar Age, by the Seventy-Seventh Kingdom!"
Jayce: "This is it! The Root is responding to this vase!"
Herc: "I okayed the trip to planet Xiang, but going to the planet Igzas is a different story. That's the Monster Minds' main base in this area! You're not going in with my ship."
Oon: "Don't worry, Herc -- I'll protect you!"
Herc: "You can't even protect me from YOU!"
Jayce: "After we get the message, the vase is yours, Herc -- and its solid gold."
Herc: "Slip the old Pride under Saw Boss' nose, huh? Heh-heh-heh... well, if anyone in the universe can, it's YOU, Herc old boy!"
Terror Tank: "Jayce and the Lightning League are moving toward Igzas in search of the Vase of Xiang!"
Saw Boss: "The Vase of Xiang?"
Terror Tank: "It's possible Audric has hidden a message in it -- or something."
Saw Boss: "No matter. We'll be waiting for them!"
Oon: "You said this planet is controlled by Saw Boss, right? I w-w-wonder if they'll notice us?"
Herc: "Don't worry, Tin Head -- we'll slip in."
Jayce: "Saw Boss would never expect us to come this close to him!"
Gillian: "Go now, Jayce. Keep your courage and you'll be safe -- the Lightning League forever!"
Street Tough: "It's YOU! The boy, Jayce -- Saw Boss is offering a GREAT REWARD for him!"
Saw Boss: "So, the boy warrior and his Lightning League are already on my planet. Perfect! The Vase of Xiang will lead them right to me."
Terror Tank (announced via floating satellite): "To all the residents of this planet: bring all vases to the fortress! This is an order from his Excellency, Saw Boss!"
Jayce: "Saw Boss must be onto us, Oon. We've got to get the vase before it's taken into the fortess, hurry!"
Terror Tank (announced via floating satellite): "This is an order from Saw Boss! Bring all vases to the fortress! Your reward will be your lives!"
Jayce: "This is it, Oon -- the Vase of Xiang! My father's message at last!"
Oon: "At last!"
Jayce: "NOW we can go back to the Pride."
Oon: "At last!"
Herc: "Hang on, Jayce, I'm on my way!"
Herc: "HEY, kid! You're a hard man to find!"
Herc: "Hey! This thing's lead! What happened?!"
Gillian: "In order to get the message from Audric, ah, I had to use the process of molecular transference."
Herc: "Molecular transference...! It's downright FRAUD!"
Jayce: "Don't give up hope, Herc. Gillian turned it back into lead into gold and it turned back into lead. Maybe the lead Vase of Xiang will turn back into gold!"
(Everyone LOL, with Herc eventually joining in)
