Um… ok. My chapter now…
I don't know where I'm gonna go with it so bear with me, ok?
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Jade
I didn't know what to do after the Pilot episode. I'd never seen someone go so… ballistic.
Not even my universe Robert… he'd glare and then walk away.
Unless we were in a battle for our lives.
I looked at Lily, and she looked at me. For a second it seemed like there was an understanding, then it was gone as she turned and walked away. I shook my head, sick of everything, and wanting to lash out at a wall myself.
"You ok?" Erik asked, and I looked up at him.
"Honestly? No" I muttered, then turned and walked the opposite way that Lily had gone. I just walked… I don't know why… I just… had to…
I found myself walking along where our 'rooms' used to be, and gave into the urge to look inside the open doors.
I almost smiled when I saw Damara. She was sitting up, talking to Fred about something. She'd be ok… for now.
I'd been terrified when I'd known she was in the explosion. Even though I didn't know her that well, I still thought of her as a friend now. One of the only friends I had here…
I sighed, walking away to find something to eat. I couldn't remember the last time I'd actually had food…
"What are you looking for?"
I yelped and spun around to see my dark double, staring at me.
"Um… something to eat?"
"Come with me then" she kept walking down the tunnel I was going, and I reluctantly followed.
"I really am sorry about before. I'm still not used to you being here"
"Same" I muttered. Her tone was one of cold acceptance, not a heartfelt apology.
Dark Jade reached a cave entrance, stepping through it, and I followed her. She gave me some food and told me that if I or my friends wanted any more, they could just come here. I thanked her, and then she was gone.
I sat there for a moment on the floor, just thinking about everything. About my friends, about Pilot and Erik… even about Aaron and Damara… Damara was great… they all were…
I suddenly felt empty. Hollow of all emotions. And that I think was the most painful thing of all… just being sick and tired and not caring anymore…
KKKKBOOOOOM!
A sudden explosion close to me send me tumbling.
"WARNING! WARNING! WE HAVE A BREACH! I REPEAT, WE HAVE A BREACH!" Came the panicked voice from somewhere… a speakerphone?
I jumped up, and ran out into the tunnel as it came alive with people rushing here and there. I caught a glimpse of Amanda and Jerry bursting out of a room… he was fussing with his pants…
My attention was diverted when I heard someone scream,
"That force field was just checked! Someone must have sabotaged it!"
"Get all the children and non-essentials to the cruiser!" Jerry roared, and then Amanda began barking out orders into what looked like a walkie-talkie.
"ALL HANDS TO BATTLE STATIONS! CODE FIRE! CODE FIRE! WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY!" Then she saw me.
"What are you waiting for? MOVE IT!" She snapped, then she and Jerry ran in the direction of the blast. I was moved into the wall, watching as the mass of people ran by. When they were all gone I went and ran behind them… I didn't know what else to do!
I saw the kids, and I thought my duty was firstly to them. Had to keep them safe…
Another explosion suddenly rocked the caverns close to where we were. I looked back to see debris tumbling out of one of the caves we'd just passed. Then I heard them…
"Move it! We need to get in before they can retaliate!"
"Move it kids" I hissed, pushing them along faster. It was just so blocked up… I had to do something…
I turned around to see humans and Hork-Bajir alike flooding into the tunnel, and before I knew it they were on me! They were surrounding me!
No escape!
I was grabbed under the arms, then two other people grabbed my legs. I kicked and squirmed, struggling for all it was worth… felt a hand where no hand should be…
"GET OFF ME!" I screamed, but they had me now. I was yanked along like that, with all these others on me… they all had weapons…
"Let's have some fun" someone muttered, then the three broke off and headed into a cavern. They threw me down hard, and I hit my head, passing out for a few seconds.
And those few seconds were just seconds too long.
When I woke up one of them was straddling my waist, a greedy look in his eyes. He had that idea… no way…
My arms, which had been over my head, were loose.
Big mistake.
I put my hands together, then threw my weight forward and slammed them into this guys head. He fell back, screaming.
I took that moment to scrabble up, looking at the other two. One headed towards me…
"YAH!" I yelled, slamming my elbow straight into this guys face. He tried to come at me again but I dropped, then swung my leg catching him behind the knees and he fell onto his back cursing blue murder.
The third was smart.
He had pulled his gun on me.
I braced myself for when he fired. Instead…
"Get on the floor bitch. I'll show you what its like to be a woman" he grinned, and I shivered in disgust.
"Not even gonna think about that one" I muttered, shaking my head. I'd rather be dead than let that happen to me.
"You are gonna pay for what you did to me last time you-"
He never got to finish. Because at that moment someone slammed his head with a nice fat rock. Safe to say he'd be out for a while.
I looked at the person…
It was Lily.
"Come on! We have to get out of here! Our forces are holding them back for now, but it's only a matter of time!"
I ran, looking and then barely ducking in time as a green shot went over my head. I saw the line of people firing back… just barely holding them off…
I followed Lily, and soon Aaron, Fred and Damara met up with us.
"To the cruiser! We need to get everyone out of here!" Damara roared.
"But… what about the others!" I cried, pointing back to those brave souls who were risking their lives for us.
"Too late for them" Fred said darkly, then the three took off. I looked back… how could I leave them…
I heard something rumble behind me, but I didn't pay attention to it. I was too caught up in not knowing what to do… how could I not help them…
I barely noticed the arm go around my throat until it was too late.
"What should I do with this thing?" Came the guttural voice of a Hork-Bajir, the one who I now realised had me. I heard someone walking around… then they came to stand in front of me…
It was Pete. Pilots otherworld double.
"Ah. It's the other one. Pretty little thing, but she's just a waste of my time" he grinned, pulling something that glinted out of his pocket, slowly stepping towards me and grinning.
He was a traitor. It hit me like a ton of bricks.
He came even closer, and the Hork-Bajir lifted me up, exposing my throat for him…
It was then that I realised I didn't want to know what this guy had in his hands.
I remembered a little trick Ithiell showed me once.
I swung upwards with all my might, grabbing Peter around the neck with my feet. I barely registered the shock on his face before I snapped his neck, taking his life in a heartbeat.
I had to. There was no other way…
The Hork-Bajir cried out, yanking me back and pulling me up enough to expose my throat again… I felt the cold blade at my neck, and waited for the end to come…
I felt the Hork-Bajir suddenly gasp, and for a split second I thought he was playing with me. Then he stared to fall…
I yanked his bladed arm away, just before he landed on top of me.
He was dead. But who…
I tried to move, then suddenly someone grunted and the weight of the Hork-Bajir was moved just enough so I could scrabble out. I got up, then turned and looked at the person who had saved me.
It was Pilot. And he was holding something nice and pointy. Something like junk metal.
"You ok?"
"Brilliant" I muttered, then suddenly Erik popped up and I screeched.
"Sorry. I managed to slam some of that rock back into place but it wont last long. They'll break through again any minute so we need to get moving"
"Right" Pilot muttered, taking my arm and leading me down the tunnel. We kept running until we found Damara, Aaron and Lily.
"This way! MOVE IT!" Damara snapped, running towards the docking bays… then I realised something was wrong.
"Shit! They left without us!" Lily snapped, walking around in a nervous circle. Then I saw Dark Jade in a corner… she was doing something…
"Uh… what's up?" I asked going over to her. She jumped, but then she realised it was me then kept digging through the metal junk to find whatever she was looking for.
"There's an emergency exit tunnel here! Help me move some of it!"
So I did, and soon all of us were helping. Then… it was suddenly there.
CRASH!
"Ah!" someone yelped. Then… we saw Robert. He looked burnt and bloody… and he was firing back at wherever he'd just come from… he threw some of the scrap metal… and then stopped firing.
"Robert!" Dark Jade ran over to him, grabbing him before he fell. We all just kind of looked at each other, not sure what to do. Damara hesitantly went over, stopping halfway there.
"I'm ok… just… just get out of here Jade. And get the others out too" he groaned, holding his side. Jade looked scared… it almost broke my heart in a way. The only reason it didn't was because I was still remembering the Yeerks were coming after us still.
"I can't… not like this…"
"Jade, you have to"
I saw tears running down her cheeks, but the look on her face told me she knew he was right.
"I'll hold them off. Just…get into that tunnel" He managed to get up, gripping the dracon beam tight in his hands, then half hugged her. She held on tight to him for a few more seconds, then pulled back and turned to us.
"You heard him! Get in there and start crawling!"
Lily jumped, but then turned around and dove in, closely followed by Pilot then Aaron, Damara and Erik. I just stared and watched as the sheet of metal Robert had thrown was tossed aside and the firing began again.
"GO!" He roared, and then my twin ran at me, pushing me towards the hole. I managed to get into it with Jade still pushing me. I saw the look on her face before she did… and as I started to crawl, and heard her get in after me, I realised something.
That was Robert dying back there. Maybe not the Robert I knew, but a Robert nonetheless. And I realised why Dark Jade was crying. She was loosing someone she loved…
As I we continued to desperately crawl down the tunnel, I felt the hot tears start running down my cheeks. Ithiell was dead. Possibly Rtaia too. And now…
And now Robert was going to die to.
So I cried silently for him. And for my other self.
This world was truly a harsh, harsh place. So easy to loose all hope…
And I was losing the very last of mine.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
OH THE DRAMA OF IT ALL! (dramatic pose)
Hope you lyked it! PLEASE REVIEW!
And thankyou Tiamath for continuing to read and review this! COOKIES FOR YOU!