The Evacuation Beacons were lit, Riki waking up in such disorientation that for a second he didn't know where he was, having been quickly dragged by Katron off the pod bed and onto the safety of a corner, the Furniture likewise cushioning him from the inevitable fall. The Exclusive had to wrestle with his scattering mentality, rousing himself from the stupor not that he'd caught sight of a fire and the pangs of certain panic emanating from around him, feeling a trembling that raced down the form of the whole transport. It made the vessel shake. They held on as things were beginning to slide one side, interior furnishings toppling over, objects displaced, chandeliers creaking in a swing as glass and other breakables shattered.
What on Amoï -why was the ship going down!?
"What the hell! Katron!?" as he staggered, shaking the grogginess of slumber out of his system.
"I honestly do not know what's happening, Master. But I think Kryon has opened fire on us."
"What!?"
Katron helped him to his feet, but there was another heavy shudder and the ship wobbled further, causing everyone to grab tight once more due the imbalance, the entire ship tethering dangerously to the right as announcements ensued, instructing everyone to the nearest set of Escape Pods as a harsh red glare filled the interior following persistent hazard alarms. Bots were automatically dispatched to deal with the roaring blaze that had consumed one portion of the ship already. This pushed people to bottleneck the exit passages. There was wind being sucked in from a gaping hole somewhere and it was fanning the flames, not to mention drawing in the dark clouds of smoke that's beginning to suffocate the space. A visible dread rising louder now as cries of horror and screams of anger could be heard. A concoction of stress. The staff were beginning to be overcome and were themselves lost.
"Master, it's not safe here," the Furniture's eyes had turned Karinese long before all the uproar began, as he presently sought a way out other than where people had immediately and instinctively congested.
Riki has regained equilibrium enough to do the same, pointing towards a service hallway that his senses had picked out from all this ruction. "How about there Kat?" He's explored the path before, as he often did with new areas unfamiliar to him. Thankfully he could be so curious. He knew where that smaller walkway led. Away from the major thoroughfares of the vessel undoubtedly.
"It would take us around a bit," Katron worried.
Riki could only frown. "Beats the rushing crowd," the Exclusive had this serious look on his face, determined not to lose his cool as much as everyone else was doing, running around like beasts with their heads hanging.
Actually, he was thinking clearly. To Riki, this was by any length, not a dire situation just yet. Even if the way took them around a bit, he could fly right? Katron had his morph that afforded him speed, and they would manage well enough for them both to be able to get out. Actually, he'd even try the windows and was going to suggest it, but the fire and smoke seemed to concentrate there, blocking that exit option. Well this was their next safest bet out then.
Riki's level-headedness was a mongrel's trait that despite the rush around them still allowed for some common sense to rule over the situation. It was a trait Katron admittedly appreciates. Why wouldn't he when it would save both their lives?
Although he'd still be equally relieved even if only his charge was safe, regardless if he made it or not. He won't tell him that though. Knowing the Pet, he'd be mad at Katron for even entertaining the idea...
The Furniture nodded in agreement. "You're right Master. We should be able to make it out of here faster through there," he said as the transport again trembled, creaking dangerously, this time, followed by what sounded like something falling and crashing to the Ocean below, the waters swallowing whatever that was up.
The chandeliers above them had suddenly fallen loose and crashed with that next, Katron pulling Riki aside again, further against the wall as the debris came crashing, scattering the other passengers like aimless ants.
This is not good.
The fact that the ship is still hopelessly adrift and levitating is a surprise in itself.
No time to hesitate.
The two of them, Master and Furniture, sped out of the venue via the opposite way everyone else was going. They were not about to wait for all hell to break loose even further before doing anything.
Back at the Capital.
Raoul had perhaps taken his play at domination a little too far, pushing the mongrel he has captive to the brink of pain and pleasure unheard of before, having easily denied him his release despite the latter already agreeing to his terms and would undergo whatever procedure he wanted.
Who knew what had snapped in him, but clearly even the Blondie himself knew how he must be at a point of insanity by now, ignoring things as he did and dragging this on for as much as he originally intended.
Proof was that he had now taken Noch out of the labs and into a private room he kept at his offices, by a leash like he would a pet, bound and fighting him every step of the way, refusing to follow his demands, yet was quickly overcome by pressure.
For what was the strength of mere slum trash to a Tanaguran Blondie?
Despite Noch's struggles and complaints, his fight partially returning, he had no other choice but to comply, staggering to his feet and taking one painful step after another down these seemingly endless corridors, forced by the Biochemist who had also refused to let him cum, that D-Type still snug around his aching member, and worse, accompanied by a standard plug into his anus that jabbed at his insides the more he moved.
"A-aah! P-Please…!" as, again, the naked mongrel collapsed, scraping his knees, but with Raoul unmovingly yanking him to his feet, pushing him to walk on, he was left no other choice but to oblige.
More steps, each as excruciating as the next, the destination appearing far too out of reach, only to end in the chamber Raoul kept here for himself after a seeming eternity.
The Blondie shoved him into the light as the doors slid smoothly open, to tumble straight into the bed; as to how he even managed getting there when he had to cross that much length of sterile floor, Noch did not really paid attention anymore. He just found himself plummeting into the softness of the bed, his entire body instantly convulsing to cum but the Pet Ring's hold had proved effective. The leader of Neu-Bison whimpered. He was clearly at his wits' end, biting down at the closest thing he could find as he shuddered again into nothing.
And that Biochemist, what had he been doing?
Despite the haze, Noch swallowing a dry lump in his throat that refused to go away, Raoul just stood there at the foot of the bed. Then, without much preamble, just as harshly flipped his captive unto his back, spreading those legs to get the better view and access.
The mongrel whined and protested, but could do no other act. How can he when all those fruitless ejaculations yielded not to his favour and has drained his strength admittedly? He slumped against the surface of the bed, feeling his consciousness slip, groaning into his suffering.
Raoul refused that.
Noch suddenly thrashed, but briefly, as he was pumped steadily, cruelly once more, making him toss a head back far enough that even his shoulder muscles screamed, the mongrel resorting to shaking his head for some leniency yet Raoul was not evincing the slightest care.
Damnit, this devil!
In fact, he had fallen into a strange state, without any words now as he stared down at the mongrel, his taunts earlier replaced with an eerie silence and this manner of intense concentration as, expertly, he sought to attack every known spot of weakness upon the body completely under his control.
Being the creator of Pets, and a Blondie of the highest Class of the System, he certainly knows plenty on the subject of where it should make the other ache even more. And he wanted to see all his reactions.
Noch just had to bear with it until the Master was entirely satisfied.
Meanwhile, the officials of Tanagura's Aeroport had only received the distress signal sent from the already doomed luxury transport, and had scrambled to dispatch some much needed help. If only they knew how terrible a state it was now in.
If only Iason knew that his beloved was going to be in danger from a threat obvious from Kryon, but evidently had not expected to act this way, and not so soon...
The Evacuation had been done in haste, but despite the transport crew's best efforts to secure everyone, only some of the Pods had been filled and detached, a number of the escape hatches damaged during the initial blast and deemed unusable. As was their means of communication, among other necessary equipment. The true casualties unassessed as the foundations of the ship shattered piece by piece, part by part. The fire caused by the attack was by now beyond help as it ate through the interior, things exploding left, right and centre within the luxury vessel's holds.
Thankfully, their dock has already received the ship's distress signal before most of its configurations, mainframes and circuitry had shut down. Majority of the passengers had high hopes that they would be saved following the positive announcement, but unbeknownst would be not, really, especially since the disparity between statuses had split even this exodus in two. Even with an emergency, the rift was magnified.
A number of VIPs were promptly escorted to safety, while the lower class were second priority. Their only chance would be the incoming aid from Midas, but what they did not know was that the dispatched saviours were still far off.
This ship hovered Ocean here, as its itinerary stated, to take advantage of the scenery and take its time. Time which, right at this moment, everyone aboard was running out of.
Riki and Katron were correct to take an alternate route. As they left the lounge, the blaze had began licking into the space from wall to floor and ceiling, deforming it, minor yet hazardous explosions occurring, causing the whole ship to quake just as violently as it's done once more. But while they were running through the corridors, the Pet leading Katron despite having difficulty maneuvering through the inclined spaces and passages himself, unable to take flight, one of the luxury line's senior staff in charge of the VVIPs on board had finally caught up with them.
Disheveled look and exhaustion aside, the man was relieved to have found them at that place and alive. They had only discovered the Exclusive was on board. Imagine what Tanagura would say or do - for them to have put Neu-Jupiter's Pet in mortal peril! They should have secured him sooner!
"Master Riki Mink, please, allow me to help you get to safety!"
A very important congress had just adjourned on the ninth hour, the top Blondie and his golden court walking down from their higher office, only to be greeted by the news of the luxury airship burning somewhere a far-off, the coordinates pointing to an area on the Ocean that was not entirely given importance out of all their jurisdictions, no matter if it was part of the territory. A Platina had approached them with the details, in apparent distress, but managed to state all the information they have so far, thankfully.
Orphe Zavi and Gideon Lagat, the overlords of both Midas and Eos respectively, immediately checked if the necessary actions have been taken since Raoul Ma was not present, mindful to have someone send him word in case he has not been informed just yet. Which was doubtful but it paid to be certain.
Tragedies of magnitude were uncommon on the planet but they were equipped certainly to handle any such occurrences? The pinnacle of Science and discoveries that was Tanagura took everything into account in terms of contingency.
Iason, quietly listening to the conversation having a sudden forewarning however, as, for some reason, he felt something was awry with what was happening.
"Send a team out to make an immediate investigation once the safety of the passengers are ascertained," stated Neu-Jupiter as they continued in pace down the lower areas of Jupiter's Tower. Yet there was still that hanging notion, a tug at the top Blondie's senses. Something was troubling him.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance, making a sudden stop that everyone else in his entourage paused for.
"Iason, what's the matter?"
The top Blondie turned to his brothers, looking as if he was going to say something. Only to be cut off by a sudden beeping.
His personal line rang with a certain urgency, Iason Mink unfolding his transparent phone to see who it was; surprised that the registry just now notified him of a mass of calls coming from one person: 'Katze?'
He turned to take the call, but was stalled when a Ruby from Liaisons Affairs ran in, the look of panic on his face.
"Sires!" He had, in his hand, a data screen which he showed them immediately. The Master Blondies, especially Iason, noting the visible date stamped.
"Was this sent from earlier?" asked Marcus Jayd. Sent earlier but was this just seen now? What has happened to the Communication lines?
"Yes sir. It was sent before departure of the currently burning Luxury Liner Almandros 07, but we do not know why it took awhile for the message to be received.
"We have no idea why there was a delay in the com links…" said the Ruby with a sense of trepidation.
Upon seeing the snapped footage, everyone turned to Neu-Jupiter. Because in that screen was the smiling image of his life's pair, Riki. He had boarded the ship with Katron from Cerberus unknown to anyone, basically, perhaps, going under the radar...
The top Blondie's worst fears were realized and his heart seemed to have stopped then and there-
"Master Iason," the Ruby further confirmed these said fears and everyone turned pale as it likewise dawned upon them all. "The Exclusive has boarded that ship. His life is in danger!"
The ship was hovering ever closely to the waters, about two more of its engines including the flight mechanisms giving way to a chain of explosions the hazard droids and emergency bots were not able to control, an interfacing Riki immediately knowing just how vast the damage was as he, with his personal nurse, Katron, ran hurriedly, ducking debris and tumbling scraps as they fell, the ship tilting ever heavier to its right, their escort barely able to keep up though he pointed them to an alternate passage closer to the front of the ship.
A carrier was said to be waiting for them there, reserved for the Pet of Tanagura, everyone knowing how he was the most important being on board. So much was at stake here. They cannot have anything happen to him for their own sakes.
But Lady Luck was not on their side, rather, was definitely out to inflict upon them a difficulty.
As Riki was trying to establish connections to Tanagura, as he was seeking to right the already failing com networks, there was yet another pulse from afar. It sparked like a dying star before once more sending a deadly beam at the luxury transport, hitting its side pods where some of the evacuees were piling into.
The casualty soared instantly as victims were either incinerated or fell prey to the waters.
Riki hissed.
"Master, are you all right?"
The Exclusive held onto the side of his head, a sudden ache overcoming him in a mix from both the fluctuations while he was assaying connection, almost disconnecting in truth, and the anxiety brought about by that perhaps intentional blast. There were too many lives lost- who would do such a thing!
"I'm fine…" but that was far from the truth. He was yanked out of his interfacing all too abruptly this time as the ship's backbone system had shut down completely. It left a migraine coursing through Riki's brain that he had to quickly shake off as he stopped for a quick breath, but continuing on before Katron could ever worry about him.
"This way Master!"
Their escort was determined to get the Pet and his Furniture out and had pointed them through a thick set of doors. The Furniture let Riki pass first before following in, and just in time, as a running blast suddenly engulfed the upturned ballroom where they had come from, the anguished face of the nameless staff that had guided them to here fading in the mushroom and glare of hellfire.
"NO!"
But there was nothing more that they could do about this. Katron slammed the door shut behind them lest the blaze also shot into the corridor that they were in at the moment.
"Master Riki! We have to go!"
Katron knew they had to survive, and that it was up to him to ensure the Exclusive was safe regardless if anyone else had to die, whether he himself lived through it or perished here. He held fast onto his charge's wrist as he dragged them on, sensing Riki's hesitation, perhaps conscientiousness even? But he could not change the truth -there was no time, Katron knew!
"Master. The fated Lover of Iason Mink must not die here- think about your Neu-Jupiter!"
Riki was aware that the Furniture was right. What he thought at the moment was not important. Despite his sensibilities and his humanity calling to him, telling him that lives were falling everywhere that he could scarce ignore, he could no longer help anyone but himself at this juncture.
They needed to get out.
"Let's go Katron," he can ponder or mourn as much as he'd like later, for now, they had to take off running once again. It was beginning to feel like it was at Dhana then every second this dilemma was curling its fangs upon them all- he has to survive this for the Blondie who waited for him! Death will not have his way!
They were almost to the bridge now, their salvation at hand.
"Master! We're already here!"
But what was this they were seeing, reaching their destination? The side where the transport was supposed to be was likewise on fire. Riki cussed. There was a literal inferno beyond these escape doors, the hard glass serving as a peek-through beginning to darken and actually vein with cracks.
"Tch- we have no choice Katron. We need to fly!"
Let it not be said that Riki would leave his nurse and friend here. If he must escape, Katron would escape with him-
"But Master-"
"Don't think that I can leave you here! Don't you dare tell me to save myself!"
Riki had made his choice. Despite the quaking and the smoke, the ship surrendering to a turn, almost ready to fall out of the heavens now, he sought for an escape...for them both.
"The boarding hatch should be here somewhere," the Pet tried to quickly remember. He had studied many aircrafts in his time, knew how to pilot some in fact, but right now, the only thing he needed was this. "Found it!"
The crew and captain's entrance was undamaged, but the door was shut. It usually opens using a manual pull of a lever hidden behind a panel but that seemed to have been destroyed during these last few onslaught of blasts. What now? The smoke was seeping into the room. They needed to clear this area or they would suffocate!
"Master Riki, what are you doing?" Katron tried to suppress this coughing reflex, damning his heightened senses for once, covering his mouth and nose with a backhand, narrowing his cat-like eyes in search of another pass.
He can tear through a certain thickness of metal, but was there any such place here that was vulnerable enough? Ships like these were often reinforced, the glass at least a few metres thick to withstand its intergalactic travels. They can't turn back either. The fire must have already eaten the way they'd come. The struggle was becoming altogether too real...
"Master!"
"Shh Katron!" the Exclusive snapped up at him, voice a bit too impatient. "I'm trying to interface here! Give me a moment-"
He was trying to pry the doors open via an override. Usually, the locks on these doors had separate networks of mechanisms and programming, the Exclusive recalled from his lessons. Since, aside from the manual panel destroyed, that is, the doors were still in tact, Riki took a chance that perhaps he can still salvage even just an inkling of a connection to the sub-system there and force it to open.
A little hard considering how he could feel the ship rolling now, that plummet into the depths below inevitable, as he tried and focused onto the still glaring light of the eye that indicated these doors being locked, yet fortunately functional. Not to discard the smoke that was billowing thickly into the space that the Pet himself coughed. And this sudden flash Katron could see through the glass of the deserted cockpit.
No. Not now! Was Kryon going to fire at them once more!?
"Master, we better hurry!"
"I know!" Riki was trying to concentrate. This was proving a challenge as it already is.
Everything rode in this single attempt or else Tanagura could end up without one of its Lovers.
They both hoped against that and a fate that could be detrimental to the utmost, but...
Just how on Amoï would they be able to survive this cataclysm, now that another trailing beam had shot out and pierced the ship, Kryon throwing the vessel out of commission once and for all?
