Chapter Nine-Shoot. Darn. Crap. Something Like That. (No swearing)
Glimpses of pink and grey led the trio up the stairs to the Colonel's office. They had not talked the whole chase, but records are made to be broken.
"There's no way out of the Colonel's office but the stairs." Torina whispered.
"You stay here and guard them then." Gandrayda hissed back, stepping forward.
Torina bit her lip, and stealthfuly followed behind Ghor and Gandrayda.
The office was unusually dark, though would that matter to Ghor's suit enhancements, Gandrayda's genetic-code-change, and Torina's awesomeness? They could see the paper on the floor, the door on its hinges, the desk scratched up, but no Space Pirates.
The desk scratched up…
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The Hunters swung around as bolts of energy flew past them. The Pirates were in the door way, blocking escape, but at the same time, providing it.
"Thank you for letting us kill you." One of them snarled.
"We aren't dead yet." Torina remarked scornfully.
The three Pirates snarled and darted forward for the kill… When the ground started to rumble, and the ceiling began to quake. The Pirates paused and looked up, readying for another attack, when what was left of the ceiling collapsed and the floor dropped, carrying dead Space Pirates, and three Hunters.
The floor hit another floor with a thump (as did Gandrayda) giving the Hunters time to catch their breath.
"Torina, when on earth did you speak Space Pirate?" Ghor asked, coughing through the dust.
"The microchip gave me the fundamentals of most languages. Applying them to languages unknown was actually quite easy."
The ceiling slid, and they all looked up fearfully. But it remained intact, leaving them shrouded in darkness.
"Alright. Gandrayda, can you…?"
"No!" Gandrayda slammed her fist on the floor. "I'm sick of people asking me to turn into things! When I'm other objects, I still feel pain, I hope you know!"
"O.k., o.k., settle down…"
"No, Ghor I will not settle down! Who do you think you are? Some famous action hero that can go get drunk every time somebody tells you they hate you? It takes more than sweets and treats to make a girl feel like she's wanted!"
"You never seemed to want more." Ghor said defensively.
"What! So I'm just another common girl who can be satisfied with candy? I'm a Bounty Hunter, Ghor; if you really want to impress me you get to get me big things."
"You know I have a limited income, right?"
"You don't get it! Nobody gets it! Everything comes easy to everyone else, but nobody understands what it's like to fight constantly for something you want!" Gandrayda's voice quavered, and then the flood gates opened.
Just barely through the darkness, Torina could see Ghor looking perplexed at Torina. "Just pretend I'm not here."
Ghor cleared his throat, and then got down on his knees. "I'm sorry, Gandrayda. I never realized that you have to treat life like you treat Bounty Hunting: watching everything around and always making sure you have an asset and where it is. I misjudged you. I saw what I wanted to see: a pepped up version of Samus with a better sense of humor. Even after that Valentine's Day, I still saw you as a confident cocky Huntress."
"What? Are you saying I'm not that?" Gandrayda choked out.
"No. But there's more to you than what first meets the eye. You're cautious, courageous, and down-right terrified of what others think of you. And I want you to know something." Ghor paused, either for dramatic effect, or for how he would phrase the phrase effectively.
"What?" Drayda sniffed.
"No matter what happens or how stupid I'm being, you can always come talk to me or challenge me to hand to hand combat. Alright?"
Through the darkness, Torina could see Gandrayda grip Ghor by the armor and pull him close. "You are a good friend, Ghor."
Torina closed her eyes and plugged her ears.
