Chapter 3

Ten minutes. Ten minutes have passed already. The clouds are getting thicker, that's obvious. Jo then saw Baron check something on the panel.

"Ten minutes have passed. Density up to 17%. Very good. A t this rate, the gas will have reached lethal levels within the next 40 minutes." He turned to Jo. "How is it, Jo? Seeing your planet die slowly?"

"Please, turn it off."

"What?"

"Just turn it off. Please."

"Haha, can't take the sight, can you. Well, that's just the point. But, I guess I can throw you one last bone in the last hour of your life. I'll give you ten minutes. But then you will sit threw the entire thing." He pressed a button on the panel and the screen flipped off.

Jo then wiped her face with her hand. Now or never. She then started groaning and bent over. Her two guards were immediately alert.

"Aaron, what do we do?"

"It might be a trap. Be careful."

"Shouldn't we just leave her? I mean, is she even important." Aaron then looked at him.

"Yes, she is important. Baron wishes to execute her himself, and being robbed of that pleasure might make him, I don't know, unpleasant. Do you really want to pull the wrath of the destroyer upon yourself?" That Jaron zip right into Jo's cell. He ran his fingers through his reddish-blonde hair and then scratched at his mustache. He then set his glasses correct and flipped her over so he could examine her. In that moment she punched him in the gut and he keeled over immediately. She then took his gun, which resembled a large pistol, and aimed it at Aaron. That moment was the first time she actually looked at him. He had slightly long black hair and a goatee.

"Your name is Aaron, right?" He just nodded. "You're coming with me." She approached him and he drew his weapon, a rifle-like gun, and aimed it at her.

"I would rather die." She just smirked.

"Fine by me. I got your buddy here and from what I reckon he would be delighted to do anything so that I won't kill him." Aaron obviously pondered about that. Then he lowered his rifle.

"Just leave him out of this." Jo nodded. She walked behind him and pushed the gun into his spine.

"Can you override the system from here?"

"No, Baron made sure that this program could only be controlled through the main panel." She nodded.

"Yes, I expected that. What's the best way to get there unseen."

"Unseen. Impossible. Garonian soldiers are all around the place and the air ducts have heat seekers."

"I see. Which way would be the least protected?"

"Irrelevant. The panel is in the heart of the mother ship."

"I can fight my way through."

"No you can't. It's true that you are superior to other humans, but Baron already established that you can't match up to real Garonian soldiers. You can not stop us. We will win. For the glory of victory. For the glory of Garon."

"Shut up, I don't want to hear that crap anymore."

"I know. You only fight for that other girl. You have never met real discipline, real community, real strength. But what does it matter, you'll be dead soon anyway."

"Just show me any way. I want to get there."

"Alright, alright." They went to the door, he opened it and they walked out and through a hall. They eventually stopped and Aaron pointed at a door to his right. "This is the elevator. It goes up to level 49. Baron is currently on level 50. In order to get there, we'll have to get through a unit of soldiers guarding the elevator to level 50. There, we will probably be greeted by Major Varons troops. Jo, give up. You'll be lucky if you get one meter far."

"Shut up. I will never give up. I'll be executed anyway, what do I have to lose." Aaron grinned.

"At least your a real soldier in that sense." He placed his hand on a panel next to the door and the elevator opened. They walked in and he pressed the button for level 49.

"What do you think, Aaron? Will Baron be surprised to see me?"

"I doubt it was outside his calculations. He's probably already expecting you."

"I thought as much." They reached level 49 and the door slid open. They were immediately greeted by eight soldiers. Four kneeling in front of the other four, all aiming their weapons at the opened door. One of them spoke up.

"Aaron, how could you let this happen?"

"She threatened Jaron. I will not put my comrades on the stake if I can help it." The man nodded.

"Good." All eight laid down their weapons. "You are awaited upstairs." They then moved aside as the two walked past them. They reached the elevator and Aaron opened. As they entered, he spoke up.

"Seriously, Jo. Did you even remotely think of what you will do once you enter the control room?"

"I did. I hope it'll work."

"We'll see." The door opened and Baron greeted them.

"Ah, Jo. Very nice of you to drop by. Mind releasing my man?"

"Not really." She let Aaron go and he towards his comrades. "Now then, Baron. I have a proposal for you."

"I expected that. I'm listening."

"I challenge you. To a simple one on one fight. Just you and me. If I win, you stop this operation."

"And if I win?"

"I have a request in that case. I would like you to put me back on Earth, so I can spend my last minutes with Meg." Baron chuckled.

"Denied. If I win. You will be sent to level 45 for recovery. Then you will fight your way back up and challenge me again. And then, you will be executed in case you lose again." Jo just stared at him for a while. But then she spoke up again.

"Very well. I accept your terms."

"Excellent. Now then, let's start." They both got into a fighting stance and circled each other. Then Jo attacked. First she punched with her left, then kneed with her right, but both hits were dodged. He then swung at her with his right arm, which she just narrowly dodged. She found her balance again just in time to dodge a leg sweep, with which he wanted to completely break her balance. She then jabbed him right on the mouth piece, and something unexpected happened: he fell back. He just barely caught himself again. It took a moment for her to realize that she had just discovered his weak spot. She then jabbed him there again. And again. And again. He was already about to keel over. She knew, she only had to hit him once more, and it would be over. She jabbed. This is it. But her fist halted. She felt something in her stomache. She looked down and saw Baron's arm dug into her gut. That's when she felt it. The immense pain. It made her scream and even spit a little blood. She then sunk to the floor, the pain took her ability to talk, think and she couldn't breathe normally. Baron stood over her.

"You lose. Down to level 45 with you. You have half an hour to return." A couple men then carried her into the elevator and they descended to level 45. Once there, they brought her to a medical station where they put her on a bed. She looked like she was in agonizing pain but in reality she had already shaken the worst off in the elevator. She just kept up the stance to hide her grin. I found his weak spot. Next time, he will fall. But then the pain got the best of her and she passed out.

After a while, she awoke. It took a while for her to shake off her dizziness, and then she looked around. There was only one man in the room, who approached her after she woke up.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Twenty minutes. You only have ten minutes left before the gas becomes lethal." She nodded and stood up. He reached her the pistol.

"You can't say we Garonians aren't fair." She smirked and took the pistol. In that instant, he swung at her. But she caught his arm, threw the pistol in the air and caught it again holding it backwards. She then pistol whipped him across the face, sending him to the floor. She aimed the gun at his chest.

"Ready?" He chuckled.

"I was born ready?" She shot. The pistol fired an energy blast that fried his chest. He died instantly. Then the door opened and the other men came in. I'm coming, Baron. I'm gonna save Earth. I'm gonna save Meg. She aimed the pistol at the men.

"You just entered a whole new world." Her feather mark glowed brightly. "Welcome to HELL!" She fired.