Jaden and the gang have been met by the revelation that Thelonius Viper has been alive on Dark World and is now seeking revenge for being left there. Already he has taken Chumley and Syrus under hypnotic control, commandeered the K.C.I.I. Reliant, and has used the ship in a devastating no-win battle with the Enterprise. With both ships extensively damaged, it is unclear who will eventually prove victorious.
Now, the Enterprise heads for Regula Station, unaware that the wounded Reliant is hiding there…
Chapter 10- The Search at Regula
"Any sign of the Reliant out there?" Jaden asked, his eyes scanning the Regula satellite and dimension through the viewscreen.
"Long range scanners are down also, Jaden," came Crowler's negative response. "What you see is all we can get. It could be on the other side of the dimension's orbit, or it might not be here at all."
Jaden took the answer grimly. "Fonda, can we get in touch with the station?"
"Only on the shortwave. Wherever the Reliant is, it's still jamming us."
"Try it."
Fonda programmed the connections into her computer and placed an earphone on her head.
"Regula Station, this is the K.C.I.I. Enterprise, please come in."
There was no answer, not even static. She tried again.
"Regula, this is the Enterprise, do you read me?"
Nothing again. She turned and shook her head.
Jaden sighed in dismay. He did not want to contemplate the thought that Viper had already beaten them there, but an image was crossing his mind.
Alexis writhing on a steel floor. Viper standing over her with an icy malevolent grin. He was chuckling behind his teeth. She was crying out, "Jaden! Jaden, where are you?"
"Too late," Viper spoke coldly. "You're dying, and he's not coming. You're dying, Alexis Rhodes, and he cannot do a thing."
He brought himself out of the thought before it could get any worse. He looked at the station again through the cockpit screen. If they couldn't get through on communications, then he would just have to go there himself.
"Crowler, how's our transmat power?"
At his station Crowler checked if any damage had been done to the transporter systems. There wasn't. Then he calculated how much power it would require to use it and still keep the ship operating; the result that displayed on his screen was not good.
"There's only enough power for one go, at least until the main power is restored. Any more would deplete the ship entirely."
"Very well. Take the chair, Crowler."
"Jaden?"
"I'm going to Regula Station. Blair, you're with me."
"Got it," the co-pilot replied, standing up.
"Fonda, tell Zane I need him with us as well. We may need a medic if Viper has been here already."
"Okay, Jaden."
"Jaden, may I be allowed to speak?"
"What is it, Crowler?"
"Well, this is still a combat situation. The Reliant's still out there. If they strike again while you're there, you will not be able to return until full power is back online. A ship cannot be without its captain in a crisis."
"The Reliant has repairs of its own to do, Crowler," Jaden argued.
"Not as heavily as us."
"Noted, that is why we have a chain of command. Now, I'm going to the station to see if everyone there's okay. You take the chair."
Crowler sighed. "Understood, Jaden."
:*:
Jaden regretted snapping at Crowler like that. Despite their own beginnings and his teacher's exaggeration of the rules, he knew that the guy cared for him deep down, as well as for the others. But it wasn't the time for that. There was a maniac out there who was gunning for him, and to get him, he was painting targets on the backs of everyone he could possibly hurt.
Including Alexis.
He and Blair approached the transporter room. Zane was already there waiting.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Jaden. The ship's captain, doctor and co-pilot leaving? In a combat situation? That can only spell disaster."
"You too, huh?"
Zane smiled. "Relax. I know why you chose Blair and me to go with you. Jesse's there. Alexis is there. And you know I won't let Yubel go anywhere without me."
Shut up Zane, they heard her growl. You're-
Love you too, Zane transmitted.
Jaden cringed. "Can you two please take this conversation out of my head?"
A rare blush came onto Zane's usually pale face. "Sorry, Jaden."
Yeah, sorry, Yubel apologised.
Blair looked between Jaden and Zane and pictured Yubel being somewhere in the room. Mental conversations sure were weird to witness.
The three of them got up on the transporter pad and assumed positions. Jaden gave a nod to the bay chief, who applied the right settings to send them to their destination. A low electronic hum throbbed around them.
The cells in Jaden's body tingled as he felt the sensation of being removed from normal space. He closed his eyes. The effect of transportation began. In the eyes of others, he, Blair and Zane vanished. For him it was different.
His body turned numb. He had become weightless; carried through nether space like a bird's feather on an arc of wind.
The he was solid again. He opened his eyes. They were in another transporter room.
The transporter room of Regula Station.
"Put on your duel disks," he instructed as he attached his own to his arm. "Stay on guard."
:*:
The search throughout Regula seemed to come up with nothing. From the transporter room, Jaden, Blair and Zane went through corridors and looked inside the rooms just off those corridors. Everything that would hold a person's belongings had been hurriedly emptied. Clothes and other property were all gone. The ship's cafeteria was unattended, but its kitchens were still active. The library was empty, as was the power room and the security station.
Next they checked the main laboratory.
:*:
"I don't like this," Blair moaned as they entered the lab. "There's no one, not even a dead body."
Jaden and Zane gave her bewildered stares. She blanched angrily.
"Not that I want us to find a dead body!" she snapped. "It's just strange we haven't found anything."
The sounds of the intercom buzzed through the room before the other two could make a retort.
"Regula Station, this is the K.C.I.I. Enterprise, come in," they heard Fonda's voice. "Regula Station, please respond."
Jaden headed for the communication booth and pressed the answering button. "Ms. Fontaine, this is Jaden," he spoke into the microphone.
"Jaden? Have you found anyone?"
"No, not a single trace. Can you scan the satellite?"
"Negative, Jaden," Crowler's voice came in. "Not without the mains."
"Okay then, we'll keep looking. Regula out."
He turned away from the machine and thought about what to do. Then an idea hit him.
Yubel, can you look around? You'd be faster than the rest of us.
It took a while for the duel spirit to answer.
Well, I don't sense anyone on this satellite but us. Then again, Viper probably has some monsters that could hide his energy, and Alexis and the others have Dark Magician Girl with them.
You're hesitating. Why?
Let's just say someone wants to argue with you about letting me go off alone.
I'll talk to him.
Okay, I'll go.
He felt her leave him and watched her transparent form go to the other side of the lab and through the wall. He turned. Zane was glaring at him; he too had sensed Yubel going. But before either of them could voice their point, Blair screamed.
"Jaden! Zane!"
They turned. Blair had opened a nearby storage cupboard. Bundled inside it were tow still bodies. Jaden recognised them on sight.
"Chum. Syrus."
Zane got to the storage cupboard before him and tested Syrus' neck for a pulse, and then Chumley's.
"They're both okay," he breathed.
"Let's get them out of there," Jaden suggested decisively.
Carefully, Zane extracted Syrus from the cupboard and laid him gently back on the floor. Then he helped Jaden with Chumley.
"Agh!" Jaden tried to cope with the strain. "This is one time when I wish he didn't have so much grilled cheese for lunch."
"Shut up," Zane growled as he struggled with the weight.
They both managed to get Chumley on the floor. Jaden wiped at his forehead.
"How bad are they anyway?"
"They seem to have been knocked out by something other than a blow to the head," Zane answered him.
"Can we wake them up then? They might know something about what happened here."
"I've got some smelling salts in the kit, but I wouldn't risk using it without knowing what's put them this way."
Blair looked from Zane and down to the two on the floor. "So, no chemicals, right?" she asked.
He shook his head. She smiled and cupped her hands over her mouth.
"Chumley, it's lunchtime! Double grilled cheese!"
"WHOA!" Chumley roared as he shook awake.
"Syrus, Dark Magician Girl's angry with you. You forgot about your date!"
Syrus leaped up off the floor, shrieking, "No I didn't."
Both the formerly unconscious duo blinked as they realised where they were and whom were standing around them.
"Blair? Zane? Ja-JADEN!"
Jaden laughed. "Nice to see you guys too, but there's something we need to ask you. What happened here?"
A weird blankness crossed their faces, then guilt showed on Syrus'.
"Aw, Jay. It was Viper. He took some of our expedition team on Dark World hostage and he and his monsters got on board the Reliant. They took over the ship. He ordered us to bring him here, but no one was around when we got here. Then he left us, he said he had another target."
"That would've been us. We got into a battle with them."
"Oh no, is everybody okay?"
Jaden sadly looked down to his knees. "Marcel's dead."
"M-Marcel?" Syrus asked disbelievingly. He glanced at Blair and saw her trembling with quiet sobbing.
Chumley chose to speak then, emotion showing again on his face, and all eyes went to him. If someone's had stayed on Syrus, they would have noticed his expression going blank again.
"It was horrible. They killed everyone on the ship but us. They felt nothing. He's gone wild, Jaden. He's an animal. He-he blames you and Yubel for-
"I know what he blames us for, Chumley, but while we are at fault for it, so is he. It's because of his choices as well that landed him where he was."
"Yeah but-
Jaden?
Yubel, he nearly jumped in surprise, don't do that. Sometimes I don't know when you're back in my body.
How about you be quiet and listen? I've found them.
Alexis?
And Jesse. And Dark Magician Girl.
Where are they?
Most of the staff evacuated to the Regula dimension, but Alexis, Jesse and Mana are in the recreation room.
"Yubel's found them," he announced to the others. "They're in the rec room."
:*:
"Master, the insectoid is agitating."
Viper turned from watching the viewscreen image of the Regula dimension to Brron and then over to the tank. The parasite mother had scrambled to the top of the earth and was clicking its pincers furiously at the lid above. He smiled.
"My slaves have regained consciousness."
He walked over to the tank, opened it, and proffered the parasite his gloved maimed hand. It crawled onto it. Gently he lifted it out and stroked it along its back, walking back to his seat. He sat back down.
"Grant me sight," he whispered to it.
His vision changed, leaving the bridge of the Reliant and he found himself looking through Syrus' eyes. At Jaden.
"But there's something we need to ask you," Jaden was saying. "What happened here?"
Viper took the reins of Syrus' mind and triggered an answer. "Aw, Jay. It was Viper."
He let Syrus go on with his answer and changed over to Chumley's mind, ready to force him to speak. He chose his moment.
"It was horrible. They killed everyone on the ship but us. They felt nothing. He's gone wild, Jaden. He's an animal. He blames you and Yubel for-
"I know what he blames us for, Chumley," Jaden retorted.
Viper grinned. He had gotten under his enemy's skin. His heart soared.
"But while we're at fault for it, so is he. It's because of his choices as well that landed him where he was."
And it plummeted into silent fury. His fault? All he had wanted was his son back. Was that truly a crime? And did that make them justified in theirs?
No, it didn't. It was their vendetta. Theirs. The fault was all theirs. They would be the ones who would pay this time. But the moment could not be taken now. He had to know where the Project information had been hidden, and right now Jaden and Yubel were the key to finding it.
Then he heard Jaden say that others had been located in the recreation room. Good, he thought, that's where they've hidden it.
"Follow them," he instructed Chumley and Syrus. "But do not do anything else until you hear from me again."
He blinked, bringing himself back to the Reliant, and he pushed the ships' communications button with his free hand.
"Transporter room."
"What are your orders, Master?"
"Send a squad of monsters to Regula Station. They are to head to the recreation room. They must not be seen and they must not enter. They wait for my order."
"As you wish."
:*:
Jaden followed Yubel's directions from the main lab to the rec room. Zane walked behind him, Chumley and Syrus walked side by side after them, and Blair was at the rear of the group, switching between walking forwards and backwards to make sure they weren't being followed. Finally they reached a steel door with the word RECREATION printed above it. Jaden pushed the button to open. A dull thud answered him but nothing else occurred.
"It's deadlocked," he realised out loud.
Hold on, Yubel spoke. Reaching into her power she sent a message to Dark Magician Girl.
Mana, it's us. We're at the door but it's locked.
I know, but Alexis and I are having a hard time convincing Jesse to open it. He's not trusting anyone since Syrus sent that message.
Syrus is with me and Jaden now. He's okay.
Really? I can't sense him.
You can't.
No, but I can't sense anyone outside but you at the moment.
Why is that?
The deadlock isn't the only barrier we've got. I've set up a psychic shield.
So that's why you couldn't sense them earlier, Jaden said.
Hi Jaden.
Hi Mana. Is there anything we can do to convince Jesse it's us?
Well-
:*:
"Jesse Anderson, you open that door right now!" Alexis growled.
"No can do, Alexis. No one is getting through that door."
"Oh, so how do we get down to Regula?"
"Um, uh?"
She put her fists to the sides of her waist. "You didn't think it through, did you?"
"Alexis, it's not safe at the moment."
Mana came out of her communication trance. "Jaden and Yubel are outside the door. Open it."
Jesse glared at her. "I don't care if it was Seto Kaiba; that door is not getting opened."
"So are Syrus, Chumley, Zane and Blair," she finished, putting an emphasis on Blair.
It worked.
"B-Blair?" Jesse blinked.
Alexis chose his hesitancy as a cue to push her argument. "Well, I wonder how she'll feel if whatever's behind this comes to kill her and she can't get to safety because her fiancé won't let her in."
Jesse groaned and pulled out his communicator. "Computer, unlock the doors to the Recreation Room."
"Your password is requested for this action."
"Serpent of Many Colours."
:*:
Viper took Chumley and Syrus' minds again. This time he would stay completely to make sure his little trap worked.
"These are your orders, boys. Ascertain whether the people you find in the recreation room have the Project information and where they have it. Then, render Jaden Yuki unconscious and rob him of his communicator. Activate it; I want them to hear my voice. Then take the information from them."
He paused for effect. "And if they don't surrender it, threaten to kill Yuki with the phaser I gave you, Chumley."
Chumley and Syrus opened their mouths to speak. "Do not answer!" he snapped.
He then used his own mind to transmit a message to the monsters lurking nearby.
My minions.
We are yours to command, Master.
Let them enter. I will give you a signal when we know about the Project information.
And then?
Then you will bring the corridors around the room down.
Of course, Master, he heard the satisfied replies.
He smirked. All according to plan this time. This time he would have the Project information. This time Jaden and Yubel would be his.
:*:
The steel door opened. Jaden, Zane, Chumley, Syrus and Blair walked inside. It closed behind them and deadlocked again. Jaden looked around. The darkened room played host to a clearing surrounded by a small forest with ceramic benches, single chairs and a P.A. system hanging from the ceiling.
"Hello! Anyone?" he called out.
"Don't move!"
Everyone all turned to where they heard the voice come from. Jesse emerged from the shadows, holding a steel rod threateningly in both hands.
"Whoa, Jesse, what are you doing?" Jaden yelped.
"Being careful. I need to make sure you're you."
"What do you mean?"
Jesse ignored him. "Syrus, what did you say in your message to us about Dark World?"
"I said it wasn't safe, but not for the reasons I said."
"Good enough, that tells me you're not lying. Chumley, how many grilled cheeses did you have to eat before leaving for Dark World?"
"Seven."
"Good. Blair, when I took the transporter to Duel Academy for the first time, where did I end up?"
"The Obelisk girls' sauna."
Jaden spluttered. "He what?"
"Alright, nice to know it's you, honey," Jesse replied, now smiling. "Zane, why did you become a doctor?"
"Because of my heart condition. I thought if I didn't have much time left, then I could save others and give them more time."
Jesse nodded. His eyes turned on Jaden. They narrowed. The smile went away.
"Jaden, how did Yubel die?"
"They know the truth, Jesse. Ask me something else."
"Prove it. What is the truth?"
"Yubel and I fused together using the Super Polymerisation card."
Jesse lowered the rod and let it fall to the floor.
"You can come out," he called back over his shoulder. "It's definitely them."
Alexis and Dark Magician Girl came out from behind the trees, both smiling and looking relieved.
Jaden grinned the instant he saw Alexis but before he could speak a word Blair rushed past him. He stared dumbfounded as she leaped at Jesse, who caught her in his arms.
"What was that about?" she asked him.
"Sorry, Blair. The monsters got here before we could get away. We heard them say something about using mind control on someone. We had to be sure you guys weren't."
"Syrus, what's wrong?" Mana exclaimed in worry.
"Nothing, Mana. I'm fine."
"But your face looked blank a moment ago, and I - I still can't sense you."
"Alexis," Chumley interrupted the conversation. "What about the Project information? Is it safe?"
Alexis put her hand in her pocket and pulled out a flash drive. Every person in the room looked at the device.
"It's okay," she answered. "It's on here."
"Good."
:*:
Viper smiled. Alexis Rhodes had the Project information in her hand. It was-it was-it was meant to be.
Minions, strike now, he commanded.
"Chumley, Syrus, start moving into position. Follow your orders."
:*:
A dangerous rumbling shook through the recreation room.
"What's that?" Blair shouted.
Jesse retrieved his communicator and spoke into it. "Computer, what's going on?"
"Structural collapse occurring around recreation room perimeter."
"Give me camera visual."
The screen of his communicator activated, showing real-time imaging of the corridors outside the rec room. Both his and Blair's eyes widened as they witnessed the destruction and who was causing it.
"The monsters are back! They're bringing down the ceilings outside!"
"They're caving us in, Jaden!" Blair screamed.
Jaden growled. "Viper."
The rumbling ceased. All Jesse's communicator could show was a blurring of static. The camera had been destroyed.
"We're trapped," Jesse flatly stated.
"But that doesn't make any sense," Zane thought aloud. "Viper wants the Project information. Trapping us like this won't help him get it."
"Viper?" Alexis exclaimed in surprise. "What's Viper got to do with this?"
"Later, Alexis," Jaden replied. "We may not be as trapped as we think."
He pulled out his own communicator and tuned the frequency. "Enterprise, this is Captain Yuki. Come in."
"We read you, Jaden," Crowler answered. "What is it?"
"Any sign of the Reliant?"
"None."
"Well, we've had a sign of Viper's monsters. They've trapped us in the recreation room. Can you beam us out?"
"I'm afraid not, Jaden. After you three went over there, the transporter systems failed. We won't be able to get it back up without the mains. Auxiliary powers have been nearly exhausted."
"Report the extent of damage and repairs required."
"By the book, Jaden?"
Jaden tensed. 'By the book' was K.C.I.I. code for the enemy monitoring short-wave transmissions.
The monsters are here. Communications are being monitored.
He's nearby, Yubel finished for him. Probably on the other side of the Regula dimension orbit like you thought.
"Yes, Crowler, by the book."
"Then it's bad, Jaden. It will take a total f six days to fully repair everything. Restoration of the main engine and power, if all efforts are devoted to that, can be done in two."
"Okay, get it done. When you do, beam up the station staff that evacuated to Regula before us. Then come get us."
"Understood, Jaden. The usual coordinates I take it?"
Jaden glanced to Alexis and Dark Magician Girl. They both nodded.
"Affirmative, Crowler. Yuki out."
He put the communicator away, glanced at the others and shrugged.
"Guess we have to hold it out here for six days."
Alexis smiled. "Don't worry," she said. "We've got enough food at the kiosk by the east wall to last us a month."
He nodded back at her, then he turned to Jesse. His old friend was still glaring at him. Regret and the reminder that he had hurt him when he didn't say goodbye years ago stabbed him. Now, he thought, would be a good time to start apologising. Before he talked to Alexis.
"Jesse, look, I'm sorry I -
Jaden, Yubel shouted a warning.
Before he could react to her something hard crowned him over the head. Something very hard. He sank to his knees.
"Jaden!" he heard Alexis cry out.
He tried to look up but the move gave him so much pain. He slumped to the floor outcold.
Above him Chumley rearranged the phaser Viper had given him in his hand and pointed it to a now-charging Alexis.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Alexis," he threatened.
She stopped. Her eyes moved from the phaser to Jaden's prone form.
"What are you doing, Chumley?"
"What the Master tells us to do."
"Us?"
As if he was answering her, Syrus knelt down and snatched Jaden's communicator from his pocket. By the treeline, Dark Magician Girl gasped in horror. Syrus tuned the dial and spoke.
"Master, it is done as you have instructed."
"Get the device," Viper replied through it.
Chumley gestured. "The flash drive, Alexis."
Alexis looked at the drive in her hand, then at Jaden, and then at Chumley and Syrus.
"The flash drive, Alexis," he repeated, "or I will kill Jaden."
He pointed the phaser down to Jaden to prove that he was serious.
"Make the choice."
UUUUH-OH! How will the heroes get out of this one? You'll have to wait for the next chapter to see if they do.