Battle in The Skies

Chapter 3

As we made it back to Tail's Lab we began searching for anything we could use to find the nearest Egg Carrier. I poked and prodded everything with buttons and a screen while Sonic read through notes on Tails' computer. Rouge walked in and began analyzing what looked like a wristwatch with a moustache and a screen. She turned to me and Sonic and said:

"Hey boys, I think I found what we were looking for. It's a tracking device that looks for the signal sent out by Egg Carriers to the Badniks. We find the source of the signal, we find your friend"

"Awesome job Rouge! C'mon Fred, let's go rescue Tails!"

The three of left the lab with Rouge leading the way. We followed as she guided us through dense brush and thick forest. As we neared another cave entrance Sonic grumbled to Rouge:

"Why do we have to go slow. This isn't really my style and I'm really worried."

"You'll see why; now stay quiet you two. It's time for me to do my thing."

As me and Sonic ducked quietly behind a rock Rouge slipped behind a Badnik and pulled a screwdriver out of the cuff of her boot. She waited until it stood still and unscrewed the backing. She then whispered to us:

"Sonic, this is the secret entrance to the Egg Carrier docking bay so I need you to go out front and draw Robotnik's attention away from us. Once me and Fred are inside I need you to screw the backing onto this Badnik so we can infiltrate the base. We'll stay in touch via radio."

Me and Rouge crawled into the back of the standing Badnik and as Sonic screwed the backing onto the Badnik we we're in total darkness. There wasn't much room in the back of this Badnik, I sank back and Rouge was left with nowhere to go but my lap. I could feel her body pressed against mine by the confined space. As the Badnik interior walls began to move Rouge whispered:

"Fred, are you okay?"

I was getting nervous, and a little excited... my heart was pounding as the movements of the Badnik shifted our weight and rubbed the two of us together. In an attempt to gain stability I grabbed Rouge by the waist and then I whispered in her ear.

"We'll be fine as long as your plan works."

Then the movements stopped and we heard the whirr of motors, the thump of heavy pistons. Then the movements began again. I peaked over Rouge's shoulder to see she was adjusting the tracker used to find the Egg Carriers. I had no idea what she was doing until she rolled her body in my arms to show me the screen and that this was the Badnik being sent to Tails' cell as a guard. As the sway of the Badnik intensified Rouge's chest was pressed against my face, and her legs wrapped tightly around me. Then the tracker started glowing green and Rouge turned away and unscrewed more parts of the Badnik from the inside letting us out. As we stepped quietly out of the Badnik it then fell apart before it could detect us. I looked to Rouge and said:

"Wow... that actually worked. Now how do we get Tails out of the cell."

Tails called out from his cell:

"Fred! Rouge? Where's Sonic?"

Then suddenly alarms began to sound all around us! I reached for a key-card held by the Badnik and let Tails out of his cell. Then Rouge's radio came on:

"Hey Rouge, I hope you and Fred have got Tails safe and sound because I'm on my way to get you outta here!"

"Don't worry, we're ready."

The doors we're then kicked open by the blue blur himself. He guided us down the hall onto the deck of the Egg Carrier. As we emerged from the lower decks we were met by Dr Robotnik himself. He sat in the cockpit of The Death Egg Robot and began to chuckle:

"Ho ho ho ho ho! Do you really think I'd let you four in here so easy and watch you walk out the front door! I knew you would come after Tails so I set a trap and brought him here then once I had you all in one spot, BAM! I'd destroy Sonic The Hedgehog and his friends! Ho ho ho!"

The Four of us got ready to battle the giant robot. I was shaking in my shoes but I knew we had to fight to survive. First Robotnik fired a barrage of missiles! Sonic grabbed my hand and we ran together to evade the explosions. The last missile was grabbed my Tails and redirected at The Death Egg Robot! Then as it exploded beneath it's feet The Death Egg Robot jumped at Rouge! She swooped out of the way and the Egg Carrier's deck shook beneath the force of the impact. Suddenly a fist full of robot spikes were coming towards me, I caught it and held it long enough for Sonic to fire off a homing attack at the cockpit! Then I pushed away the Robot's arm and Tails lifted me up into the air. As Sonic and Rouge dodged a storm of projectiles Tails brought me high above the cockpit and dropped me! I stomped through the top of the cockpit and reached inside. I grabbed Dr Robotnik by the jacket and tossed him to the deck. Sonic then homing attacked the Robot again knocking it over. I jumped down to the ground and tackled Robotnik before he could escape.

As he reached for a remote control I ripped it from his hands and tossed it to Tails. Tails then began pushing buttons until a recording played:

"bzzzt, Self Destruct initiated, begin evacuation. Detonation in 5 minutes!"

Robotnik yelled:

"No! You fools! You've doomed us all!"

I was terrified but all I could do was run. The four of us ran to the end of the deck and jumped! I was grabbed by Rouge and she carried me as she glided down towards the water. I looked down to see myself dangling hundreds of feet in the air above a white sandy beach on the edge of the grassy plains. My heart was pounding and I held onto Rouge like there was no tomorrow! Behind us Robotnik's base exploded; Dr Robotnik himself flew away in an Egg Mobile. We landed gently in the sand at the water's edge. Sonic let out a sigh of relief:

"Phew... that was a close one! I'm just glad to have you back Tails."

"Thanks everyone; it's good to be back Sonic. Let's get back to my lab so we can finally relax again."

"Alright, let's go!"

I turned to Rouge and said:

"Thanks for your help. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"You'll see..."

Rouge walked towards me with a seductive strut and whispered in my ear:

"Meet me tonight in the cave where we met; just you and me."

Rouge then walked off as Sonic, and Tails, and I all trekked back to the lab. My head was in the clouds for hours afterwards. She was all I could think about. When we finally got back to the lab the sun was long past set and we had a quick dinner and Sonic and Tails went almost immediately to bed. Once they were asleep I went sneaking off to the cave to meet Rouge.

I stumbled through the underbrush until I was in the cave, then I followed a faint glow. As I got closer I saw a small fire. In front of the fire stood Rouge. As she stood there silhouetted by the flames her curves were all I could see. She beckoned me closer and the two of us sat by the fire. She looked into my eyes and said:

"You did quite well earlier, I was impressed."

"Thank you. After Tails gave me the chance to realize my dreams of finding and fighting Knuckles O owed him a rescue."

"You must be really strong to have stood up to a punch from that big robot."

"I've trained my whole life as a wrestler so I learned to take a hit."

"Then let's see if you can take this."

Rouge leaned in and we kissed deeply and passionately. Holding each other tight by the fire. Suddenly she was on top of me but then I heard a buzzing sound.

"Sorry Fred, looks like I have a call to take. I hope I'll see you again soon."

As she vanished into the night I put out the fire and returned to the lab, and one day I hope to meet her again.

THE END