Chapter 11
Summer watched as the four were raised up into the bubble and the ship raced towards the asteroid. She watched everything happening on the viewscreen, a feeling of unreality grabbing ahold of her mind. As soon as they were inside the giant space rock, and even as the Phoenix was setting down, she saw the four of them leap off of the Phoenix.
Mark and Keyop landed on the ground and moved toward a pair of ships on the opposite side of the hanger. Jason and Princess leapt up and onto a balcony above the Phoenix.
After she felt the slight bounce of the ship, Tiny turned towards her waving his hand at Mark's seat.
"Why don't you sit up here?" he offered. "You will get a better view, and it's probably more comfortable than standing there for the next fifteen minutes."
The Owl went back to touching switches. As she moved towards the chair, she never really took her eyes off of the point where she had seen Mark disappear. The Owl broke into her thoughts again.
"I don't usually enjoy remaining on the Phoenix, but I have a feeling this time Mark may be right. We may need to make a quick get away this time, and my being out there would slow that down."
Suddenly, the hanger was plunged into darkness as the lights went out. The Phoenix's external microphones picked up the sound of multiple rifles being cocked and loaded.
"Come on out, Owl!" cackled a strange voice. "We know you're there, because we saw the other four leave."
The viewscreen was still dark, and neither Summer nor Tiny could see anything outside of the Phoenix.
"There's no way I'm going out!" Tiny declared. "What are they going to do, shoot the Phoenix? Like their puny rifles would even make a dent in it!"
But although the Owl's words were confident, his demeanor was far from it. His eyes darted nervously back and forth across the control panels.
"This is your last chance, Owl..." the voice announced.
"They can't do anything." Tiny reassured Summer.
But even as the words left his mouth, a strange green gas began coming in through the vents at the top of the bridge. The metal openings began melting before Tiny and Summer's astonished eyes.
"Acid!" the Owl gulped. "It will destroy the Phoenix!"
"What are you going to do?" Summer asked nervously.
"I... I have to go out." Tiny hung his head. "I can't risk you getting hurt too. They don't know you're here. You need to hide. When the rest of the Team comes back, let them know what happened."
"I..." Summer's voice cracked.
The green acidic gas clouds were getting stronger. Summer's skin began to burn, and she sagged to the ground.
"I'm going!" Tiny announced, stepping on the elevation platform.
The moment it began to rise, the gas stopped, and the air inside of the Phoenix cleared. Summer stood up, frantically looking for a place to hide...
Summer knew she had been told to hide, but she really wanted to see what was happening. No, she needed to see what was happening. She couldn't let Tiny get hurt because of her! Then she remembered what Mark had said when they were in the Medical Bay.
"I can not think of a safer place on Earth than the Phoenix. No Spectran has ever gotten onboard her."
Maybe she was really safe here. Especially now that that acidic gas had dissipated.
As she glanced down, Summer noticed a niche under the terminal at Mark's station. If she had to, she could kneel down in there and she would be hidden by they chair, at least from a quick observation.
When Summer heard laughter over the radio, she turned and looked up at the monitors. As the Owl had been raised up to the surface of the Phoenix, the lights in the hanger had gradually been turned on. Now, Summer could see on the monitor that the second level balcony was filled with Spectran guards all pointing their weapons toward the Phoenix and the Owl was standing and looking up at someone.
"What are you supposed to be a Thunder Cloud?" Tiny asked, laughing. Summer heard someone answer, presumably the person to whom the Owl was speaking.
"You don't have time to ask questions. You will follow my orders. Now get up here."
"Ahh!" The Owl appeared to look down at something on the ground. "Umm! … I'm not sure I can do that."
"You're … What?" screeched the voice from above.
"Well, yeah! You see, I'm not as athletic as the others. I tend to have a hard time jumping up. Now down… "
Again, the Owl was looking down at the floor, but this time Summer thought she saw a flash of white between the two space cruisers opposite the Phoenix.
"Not very likely, Owl. Now get up here."
"If you insist." the Owl said as he took two steps and launched himself into the air.
Only, instead of coming down gracefully on his feet, as Summer had seen the others do, the Owl landed on top of two men, stumbled, and knocked another two screaming goons over the railing.
In an instant, goons seemed to be dropping everywhere as Summer saw the Eagle and Swallow jump up to join the fray. Then the Condor and Swan dropped from the ceiling rafters. She was surprised at how quickly the balcony was cleared. It seemed like only a few seconds before Mark's voice was calling out.
"Good job! Anyone notice in which direction the Captain ran off??"
Summer looked around, startled, and realized that the reason that she had been able to hear Mark's words so clearly was because the Bridge of the Phoenix was somehow being broadcast everything that was sent out on the G-Force team's bracelets.
"He went out over there." the Swan responded, pointing to a door opposite them.
"Okay, Condor, Swan, finish your job. Swallow, get back to that terminal we found and see what you can do with it." Summer watched as the three ran off to complete their assignments, and then Mark turned to the Owl.
"Owl, was there a problem in the Phoenix?"
"They were pumping in acidic gas. As I was on the lift, it was already clearing."
"I am going to follow the Base Captain. I have a feeling he's going to lead us to the King and Queen. He may try to use them as hostages."
"You mean these hostages?" a voice sneered out.
The Eagle turned and Summer's eyes traced the direction he was facing. She gasped as she saw her parents surrounded by the Base's Captain and eight Spectran Blackbirds. She watched as six of the Blackbirds spread out to either side of the Captain, while two stayed at her parents' sides. Anther radio chirped, making her jump, and then she heard the Owl's voice.
"Condor, we have a problem here. We have Blackbirds. Eight of them."
"What? The Swan and I are done here, give us a moment and we'll be right there." the Condor responded abruptly.
"Release the hostages to us, and we will let you go." the Eagle said to the Spectran Captain.
"I don't think so, Commander." the Spectran laughed evilly.
"I suspected you wouldn't agree." the Eagle sighed. "But I had to attempt a peaceful solution, all the same."
"Why insist on a peaceful solution?" the Spectran cackled. "I would be most happy to have you die."
"What makes you think we're the ones who are going to die?" the Owl retorted.
"Because if you fight back, we'll kill the King and Queen."
Summer gasped. The two hostages held by the Blackbirds were indeed her parents, and they weren't protesting the assumption of the Spectrans that they were royalty. A tear trickled down of Summer's eye as she finally accepted the truth.
She was a Princess, for all of the good it was doing her now. She was hiding under a console, completely useless, unable to help either her parents or Mark.
"However, I'm sure we could come to a different arrangement." the Spectran announced.
"What's that?" the Eagle asked suspiciously.
"We don't really want the King and Queen." the Spectran revealed. "The Queen isn't of Tribaldi blood, and the King is too old to be of 'use'... but we'd be willing to exchange them both for their daughter..."
"No!" the Eagle shouted, not allowing the Spectran to finish his sentence.
"But we would safely return the hostages to you, and even allow you to depart with them, unmolested." the Captain smiled thinly. "Surely one girl is worth that much..."
This was something she could do. Summer stood up, making her way over to the elevation platform on the Bridge. She didn't relish the idea of being held prisoner by the Spectrans, but if it would save her parents, she would gladly exchange herself for them. She knew that Mark would do his best to rescue her, when no one else's lives were at risk. She pressed the buttons she had seen the Owl use, and the platform began to rise.
At the top of the Phoenix, she was surrounded by a clear dome, which began to retract the moment she had ascended.
"I accept your offer!" she shouted loudly. "Let my parents go!"
"Excellent..." smiled the Captain, rubbing his hands together. "Lord Zoltar will be most pleased."
"Summer, no!" the Commander shouted, and a white streak blurred through the air, coming straight for Summer's position. At the same time, six streaks of black came from the other direction, and suddenly Summer was surrounded by Blackbirds. The Eagle growled menacingly, finding his attempt to reach her thwarted.
"Leave her alone!" he shouted threateningly. But the Blackbirds just laughed in the Eagle's face.
"We have something else for you, Commander." the lead Blackbird laughed harshly, throwing a small metallic ball in the Eagle's direction. A cloud of gas surrounded his white form, and Summer could see Mark falling to the hull of the Phoenix, clutching his arms to himself in pain.
"What did you do to him?" asked Summer fearfully, as she looked from the lead Blackbird to the Base Captain and back.
"Don't worry your Highness." the Blackbird sneered. "The gas was only an acidic compound. With his first breath it probably burned his throat. If we're lucky it might even have made its way into his lungs. It is in twelve hours that the real fun will begin for him."
Summer's eyes filled with fear as she looked from Mark, who was still lying on his side in a near fetal position, back to the Blackbird.
"What do you mean?" she whispered reluctantly. She really did not want to know, because she sensed what was probably coming.
"Maybe you should ask your Father about biominiopic particles." the Blackbird laughed savagely.
"No! You can't …."
The next thing Summer knew, she had pushed herself between two of the Blackbirds and was on her knees beside Mark, reaching out to him, hoping to comfort him. As her hand touched his face, Mark's eyes snapped open. He quickly pulled her against him and burrowed her head to his shoulder.
Even as Summer heard the first sounds of alarm from the Blackbird leader, Mark was already rolling their bodies toward the edge of the Phoenix, where he pushed off. Suddenly, they were flying down to the ground, Mark's wings open wide to catch the air currents in the large hangar.
She barely had time to gasp and clutch tightly at Mark's chest before they had landed and the Eagle grasped her hand, starting to move toward the back wall. As they ran, Mark raised his wrist and shouted.
"Protect the King and Queen! Get them to the Phoenix!"
When they reached the far wall, Mark swung Summer around and pressed her back up against a stack of containers.
"Don't move." he ordered, before turning his back to her and facing into the hanger as two Blackbirds dropped down in front of him.
"Well, Commander, you are causing us a bit of trouble. You're going to die anyway. Why don't you give us the girl now, and be done with it?"
"I don't think so." the Eagle replied coldly, moving into a defensive stance.
The Blackbirds advanced, and the fight began. Watching the Eagle move was almost like watching a dance. His movements were smooth and flowing, yet perfectly controlled. The way his arms, legs and body were sweeping, it looked like an advanced form of Tai Chi: effortless and elegant. Summer found she could not summon the words to describe what she was seeing. Even through the violence, the Commander's movements were graceful and beautiful to the eye.
Summer was unaware of how much time passed while she watched the fight, but eventually the two Blackbirds were dead at the Eagle's feet. The Commander then looked up toward the ceiling and raised his wrist communicator to his mouth.
"Report!" he ordered.
"The Owl and the Swallow got the King and Queen safely to the Phoenix. The Swan and I have just disposed of the Blackbird Leader. We have six down, two are still …"
"I have dealt with those two down here. Head back to the Phoenix, I'll meet you there."
The Eagle lowered his arm and when he turned to face Summer, she could see three bloody slashes across his ribs. Summer wanted to ask if he was all right, but something in his eyes made her avoid the question.
The Eagle motioned her forward and they walked back to the Phoenix.
"Put your arms around my neck." he instructed her.
"Wh …Why?" she stammered.
"We have to get back up there again." Mark replied with a smile.
"Up …?" Summer's raised her eyes to look up at the Phoenix, staring wide-eyed at Mark. The Eagle gave a chuckle.
"Come on. It's almost as much fun as coming down."
With Summer in his arms, Mark made the leap to the top of the Phoenix. Within moments they were descending into the ship where Summer heard her parents' voices. She tensed realizing that she wasn't entirely certain how she felt about seeing them just yet.
"Where is our daughter? And what the hell was she doing on this ship?" her father was demanding.
By now, even Summer knew it was not a good idea to throw careless demands around at the Condor. She held Mark's hand nervously as the elevation platform descended onto the Bridge of the Phoenix, but the moment she saw her parents she ran over to them, only to be engulfed in a joyful embrace.
"Summer!" her mother shouted tearfully. "What are you doing here? I was so worried for you..."
"Last we heard, you were in the hospital!" her father said sternly. "Why aren't you there?"
"Well..." Summer looked around nervously. "Mark said that I shouldn't be alone in the hospital, and that I should come to stay with the Chief..."
"The Chief? Who is the Chief?" her father asked angrily. "And Mark... isn't he the boy you went out with? You went to stay at his house after one date?" The veins in Summer's father's neck were beginning to bulge out. He stumbled slightly, and Summer's mother let go of her daughter to support him. Now that Summer thought about it, her mother was looking rather pale too.
"Looks like Mark's going to be the one in trouble, for a change." snickered Jason. Princess elbowed the Condor sharply and his face immediately took on a contrite expression.
"Galaxy Security Chief Anderson." the Eagle stated, stepping forward. "Summer was placed into his care. He already suspected that she was Princess Tribaldi. Do you know, your Highness, why Summer was in the hospital?"
"They said she got caught in a fire..." Summer's mother volunteered. "We didn't get much of a message, because by then we were almost out of communications range." Beads of sweat appeared on her brow, and she wiped them away unconsciously, her eyelids drooping with fatigue.
"To be more specific, she got caught in the destruction of a Spectran base." the Eagle elaborated. "She was kidnapped by Spectrans while out for the evening, and we were able to rescue her. The Chief figured out why she was being targeted, and decided to keep an eye on her."
"That still doesn't explain why she's on this ship!" Summer's father shouted. "What the hell is she doing here? Shouldn't she be safe back on Earth under watch by Galaxy Security?"
"She insisted on helping us find you." the Commander replied. His tone was quiet, but firm. "If it hadn't been for her, we might not have been able to locate this base."
"But don't you realize what could have happened?" Summer's father gasped. "They've infected us, and they could have infected her too..."
Summer watched, horrified, as her father fell to his knees, her mother collapsing next to him.
"Daddy!" she cried. "What's wrong?" Frantically she looked around. "Help him!"
The Swan was at her side, and the Condor was already rushing from the Bridge, only to come back a moment later with a medical kit.
"You can't help us..." Summer's father gasped. "The Spectrans extracted our blood, and used it to make a virus targeted to our individual DNA. You see, my bloodline has unique properties..."
"I know." Summer said. "Biominiopic particles. Chief Anderson told me. He also said that you were... a King?"
"He is right." confirmed her father. "I am King Tribaldi. I am so sorry we never told you, Summer, but we were trying to hide. We didn't want to run the risk of being found out, by the Spectrans. As someone who carries Royal blood in her veins, you are a very valuable commodity..."
"We wanted to tell you." her mother added. "We were planning on doing so in a couple of months, when you graduated from high school. You are a beautiful, intelligent young woman, Summer, and we couldn't be more proud of you..."
Queen Tribaldi suddenly stiffened, and her eyes rolled back into her head.
"My love..." sobbed King Tribaldi, then he too fell to the floor.
"They're alive," Princess quickly reassured Summer, "but they've fallen into some kind of comatose state. Jason, help me get them to Medical Bay, now!"