Chapter 12
Elsa stood with Hans by the airlock of the ship. They had docked with the Imperial shuttle carrying Hans's mother, Empress Maleficent. Elsa was silently praying that Eric and the rest of the friends she had met while on the Black Raven were doing their job and saving her beloved Anna.
The airlock hissed open, and Empress Maleficent boarded. Her skin was a venomous green, and her eyes were golden yellow. They almost reminded Elsa of Anna's eyes. She wore a form-fitting black dress with a high collar, and a tiara made of the finest ebony. She looked at her son, placing her fist over her heart. "Hello, Commander."
Elsa looked at the empress, fearing her slightly.
Maleficent then turned her attention to Elsa. "And you, I trust, are the girl my son has chosen as his bride? I must admit, I didn't expect you to be Arendellian."
"I realised it was my purpose to serve the Empire," Elsa explained. "Your son has treated me well, Empress."
"Good. I believe that he will make a fine emperor one day. Now then, how is your crew?" she asked Hans.
"Most of them are fine, Mother," Hans replied, "although my first officer and a few others are ill with vernian flu."
"I see. And what of the Knydaxian?"
"Still in containment," Hans said as he led his mother to his quarters
"Excellent."
The three of them sat in the quarters, a hearty meal laid out for them. "Ahh," Maleficent said, smiling. "Grilled kyloth bug. My favorite."
Elsa took one bite of the meat. It tasted like dung to her.
"Your ship's cook is very skilled, Commander," Maleficent remarked between bites.
"Thank you, Mother," Hans replied. "I'll give my compliments to him later."
Elsa suddenly felt her earpiece vibrate. She had been given it by Eric as a means of communicating with him during Anna's breakout.
"Excuse me one moment, Your Majesty. I need to go powder my nose," Elsa excused.
"Very well," the empress accepted.
Elsa sneaked out of the room and pressed on her earpiece. "What is it, Eric?"
"We're moving," the lieutenant replied. "Hiro just scrambled the security systems in the cell block. Once we get the prize out, we'll have about ten minutes to get her to point zero."
"Good," Elsa replied. "I'll keep the gruesome twosome busy. Don't message me till Anna is free."
"Right. Nick, Baymax, and the doc are en route now."
Elsa walked back into the quarters. "Welcome back," Maleficent said. "By the way, you never told me your name."
"Elsa, my lady," Elsa said. "Elsa Frost."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Frost."
"Likewise."
Maleficent smiled at her son. "I'm glad you chose to heed my advice."
"I didn't just do it for you, Mother," Hans stated. "I did it for the Empire."
"Of course."
Elsa's earpiece started buzzing again. "Excuse me one moment," Elsa said.
"She must have a sensitive stomach," Maleficent said to Hans. "Understandable; not everyone is able to handle Zetan cuisine."
Elsa walked out and pressed her earpiece. "What? I told you not to message me till Anna was out."
"Elsa, we've got a problem. They changed the security code on the cell door."
"For fuck's sake." Elsa sighed.
"Hans' terminal will have access to the codes. Find a way to get his password."
Elsa groaned. "Alright, I'll figure something out."
"Hurry. Hiro says we don't have much time before the security systems come back online."
"I get it. I'll be quick." Elsa walked back into the room and stood next to Hans. "Sweetie, I have a problem. I was trying to use the restroom but it locked me out because I didn't have some kind of security code."
Hans sighed. "Those stupid security codes. Always so frustrating. You know, I never understood why they put a code on the bathrooms."
"Can you tell me what the code is, please?" Elsa inquired, making movements to pretend like she was desperate for the toilet.
"I can't remember it offhand. Here, look it up on my terminal." He logged her into the machine.
Elsa found the passcode, then gave Hans a kiss. "Thanks, baby."
"You're very welcome."
She then rushed out of the room, pressing her earpiece. "Okay. The passcode is 27112013"
"Got it," Eric said. "They'll have Anna out soon."
"They'd better," Elsa replied. "I don't know how many more bathroom excuses I can make."
"I get that. Just try to keep Hans and the empress occupied for a little bit longer."
"I will." Elsa walked back into the room and sat down.
"Feeling better?" Maleficent asked.
"Much better, Your Majesty," Elsa replied, smiling happily.
"Good." The empress smiled.
"Could you tell me a bit about yourself, Empress?" Elsa asked.
"Well, what do you wish to know?"
"As much as I can. I want to know everything about my future mother-in-law."
"Very well. My father, Emperor Xanatos, was responsible for expanding the Empire to its current size."
"I see," Elsa replied. "He must have been a very powerful leader."
"Indeed he was. He claimed countless worlds for the Empire."
"How did he meet your mother?" Elsa wondered. "Hans told me she was from a planet called Zebes."
"That's correct. They met when my father conquered that world."
"Must have been a romance from a fairy tale." Elsa sighed.
"I suppose so."
At that moment, Elsa's earpiece buzzed once again. "Oh, damn, not again. It must be the kyloth meat not sitting well." Elsa quickly moved out of the room and touched her earpiece. "What now?!" she demanded in an angry whisper.
"They did it," Eric said. "They got Anna out of the cell block. I'm heading to meet them now."
Elsa wiped her brow. "Finally! Don't trip any alarms. I'll meet you at the reactor in five minutes. Just let me finish business with my future-in-laws."
"Okay, but be careful."
Elsa walked back into the room and sat next to the empress, giving her a happy look.
"It's a shame you can't truly appreciate the Kyloth bug," Maleficent commented.
"Maybe so," Elsa said, "but I can appreciate you."
"Excellent."
Elsa ate a big piece of Kyloth bug and chewed it slowly. "Mmmm, delicious."
Just then, Hans' communicator beeped. "What is it?"
"The Knydaxian, sir! She's escaped!"
"WHAT?!"
"I don't know how, but she's not in her cell."
"Send a team to the warp reactor. Nobody in or out until I get there."
Elsa looked shocked "Oh, shit."
"Mother, would you mind waiting here? Something's come up." He grabbed the gauntlet off the wall and put it on.
Elsa quickly snuck out of the room and headed towards the reactor. She had to be there to help Anna.
Maleficent stood up. "What's going on?"
He smirked. "Let's just say...big things are happening." He came up behind her, activating the energy blade in his gauntlet. The blade appeared with a loud hiss, impaling the empress.
Maleficent shouted in surprise and pain. She looked at her son in shock.
Hans just grinned. "Glory to the Empire." He sheathed the blade, and Maleficent collapsed to the floor, dead.
"Security," he said into his communicator, "please send a clean-up crew to my quarters. My mother has had an accident."
Hans then cut off his mother's head, picking it up and making his way towards the reactor. His plan had finally come to fruition, and his ultimate goal would very soon be realised.
xXx
Nick, Baymax, and Dr. Facilier made their way to the cell block. "Okay," Nick muttered. "Let's grab Anna and go."
Anna stirred in her cell, hearing voices.
Dr. Facilier punched in the security code, but the force field didn't open. "They changed the password."
Anna came to the force field. "Are you here to rescue me?"
"Affirmative," Baymax replied. "We were sent by Captain Frost."
"Elsa!" Anna cheered. "Wait…where is she?"
"She's with Commander Sideburns," Dr. Facilier answered.
Anna looked at them. "Wait. If you take me out of here, I'll die."
"Not immediately," Baymax explained. "I have scanned you. If you are removed from this containment cell, you will be able to survive without iridium energy for approximately ten minutes."
"Well, that's comforting," Anna remarked.
"Do not worry. You will be safe."
"Nick," Dr. Facilier said, "call up Eric. Tell him Elsa needs to get the code."
Anna sighed. "I hope Elsa's okay."
"Well, she should be," Nick said as he took out his communicator. "Eric, it's Nick. They changed the code on the cell door."
"Fuck!" Eric swore. "I'll see if Elsa can get it." After about a minute, Eric called them back. "The code is 27112013. Get Anna out of there now. I'm on my way to you."
Anna watched as Dr. Facilier punched in the code. The force field lowered, and Dr. Facilier held out his hand. "Come on, girl." His shadow moved behind Anna and helped her stand up.
Anna fell out of the cell, feeling weak. "Oh!"
Nick pulled her to her feet. "Come on, Anna, stay with me. You can do this."
"You're a fox," Anna said weakly.
"Yeah, I know. Now come on!"
Anna stumbled, leaning onto Nick for support. Eric met them at the exit of the cell block. "Good job, you guys. Now let's get her to the reactor."
Just then, a voice behind them shouted, "There's been a breakout!"
An expression of panic fixed itself on Eric's face. "Shit! MOVE!" As they took off, Anna felt herself getting weaker and weaker. She felt her arms go numb as she stumbled around. "Hold on, Anna," Eric said. "We're almost there."
They soon arrived at the reactor chamber, where Elsa and Hiro were waiting for them. "How is she?" Elsa asked.
"My sensors indicate that her health is declining rapidly," Baymax reported.
"We have to get her to the iridium core," Elsa said hurriedly. "Hiro, open the blast doors."
"I'm on it," he said. He ran to the keypad and punched in a code, and the blast doors slowly slid open. At that moment, a phaser beam fired through the air, straight through Hiro's chest. As the young man fell to the floor, Elsa spun around to see Hans standing in the doorway. He wore a black armoured battle suit with the imperial insignia emblazoned on its chest.
"Hello there, darling." He smirked.
"Eric, get moving," Elsa said. "Get Anna to the core."
"He'll do nothing of the sort," Hans stated. He fired a phaser beam from his gauntlet at Eric, striking his leg and causing him to drop Anna. He stood next to Eric and looked at him. "I'm surprised, Eric. I never pegged you for a traitor."
"I wasn't a traitor," Eric growled, clutching his injured leg. "Not until you became obsessed with killing Anna."
"Really?" Hans said in mock surprise. "I didn't know I was obsessed. I was only following orders from the empress. Speaking of which…." He held up his mother's severed head, dropping it onto the floor.
Eric gasped in shock. "You're insane!"
"No; I'm a hero," Hans responded. "I've just ended the greatest tragedy in Zetan history: my mother's rule."
"How was she a tragedy?" Eric demanded. "She kept the Empire alive after Xanatos brought it to the edge of ruin!"
"By forcing us to be all nicey-nice with those Federation cunts? If my grandfather could've seen what she did to the Empire, he would've died of embarrassment."
Elsa scowled. "So that's what you want. Galactic domination."
"Exactly, Captain Frost. And with you at my side, I'll see to it that the Zetan Empire becomes a galactic superpower once more!"
"We can't do that!" Eric shouted. "We barely survived the last war!"
"We will do that," Hans replied. "Now, Captain Frost, kindly put my Knydaxian where she belongs. I promise, I won't mention this in our marriage vows."
"Is that all she is to you?" Elsa asked. "A trophy? This girl saved my life!"
"Oh, she's so much more than that. Her powers will make me the most powerful warlord in the galaxy." He met Elsa's eyes. "Imagine it, Elsa. An entire Federation fleet, wiped out in a single blast from Anna. I never wanted to kill her. I wanted to use her."
Elsa scowled. "I won't let you."
Hans sighed. "Well then, I guess the wedding is off." He smirked. "Time to start planning the funeral."
Elsa grabbed Anna and pulled her to her feet. "Anna, go!"
A pair of jet thrusters on Hans's boots activated and he flew towards Elsa, charging at her like a bull. He grabbed her by the neck and slammed her into a wall. As Elsa cried out in pain, Hans snarled, "I'm going to do what my grandfather should have done seven decades ago, Princess Elsa!"
Elsa glared at him. "Go ahead. Do your worst. But I promise you, you're not gonna win."
"I beg to differ." Hans began to use his gauntlet to crush Elsa's neck. Elsa grabbed at his gauntlet, choking. "Choke, Elsa! Choke! Let the last thing you see be me killing you!"
Darkness was at the corners of Elsa's vision, and she soon lost consciousness. Anna stared in horror as Hans dropped the Arendellian's limp body to the floor. "You...you killed her," Anna whispered. "You murdered my nira." She slowly stumbled up to the iridium core, collapsing to her knees beside it. "Make peace...with your gods..." she muttered. With the very last ounce of strength she had, she reached up and touched the core.
xXx
Author's note: Dun Dun Dun!
I apologise for leaving it on a cliffhanger but it was matts idea, not mine ^^;
See ya next time!
