Part 13 .
Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs FanFic page by Stellar Spark http://www.angelfire.com/id/stellar
Email: Stellar Spark (stellar@mailcity.com)
The Star Sheriffs were caught fast. Even they were surprised of how fast it all happened. As soon as Remrod came into orbit with the enemy's light gun, Jesse Blue contacted with boys.
"Hello, Star Sheriffs! I will give you a chance to surrender, or else! You have 10 seconds to make up your minds. Time's running up, guys!
Leaving them with those words, Trail Boss Jesse Blue stepped aside from the screen momentarily to allow the Star Sheriffs some time to think about their future.
For some moments the Star Sheriffs just stood there where they were. Neither one of them said a word. They were just simply staring at each other, and before they knew it, ten seconds had already gone by.
For once, Jesse honestly waited for their answer before ordering to open fire. Then, the attacj began. Without wasting much time, April proceeded to aime the light gun at Remrod, hitting it at precise weak spots to paralyze it rather than firing a direct hit. She was talking to herself while going through with the process carefully:
"Slowly... Careful... Like cutting through with a scalpel. A few cables here and there… It's done!"
A fine beam cut right through the metal of the ship like a hot knife through butter. Shortly after, Remrod lost all of its control to the engines as well to the life support system, following the final shut down of all the lights on board. Nothing worked. Even the automatic hatches were down. To survive, the crew had to abandon the ship. All three of them manage to go out through a hand-driven escape hatch where they then greeted by a group of waiting Outriders. At this point, it was useless to resist. Even Fireball could see that a fight in their current situation would be proven disadvantageous. Besides, it was a part of their plan to get captured.
While a group of Outriders escorted the three Star Sheriffs back to a big space ship that suddenly had appeared out of nowhere, the rest went on a small space crafts to tail Remrod back to the planet. The Star Sheriffs could only imagine of what was going to happen next to them. Despite the fact that Jesse didn't blow up the Remrod, it didn't necessarily mean that he would also spare lives of its crew. However, it was definetely clear that the Outrider Trail Boss wanted to get his hands on the most powerful Earth spaceship.
The Star Sheriffs were led through various corridors in the base, down on the planet. They were going up, then down for a while. Finally, they reached a large but yet brightly lighted hall. All four walls, the floor and the ceiling were made from a metal-blue material with only a door out from the room.
"Oh! How nice of you all to come to visit us!" Jesse Blue shouted out loud cheerfully while making his way into the room right after the Star Sheriffs' entrance.
Compared to his voice, his smile was not friendly at all.
"That's what I always wanted - all four Star Sheriffs and Remrod in my power!" he continued, but then turned around to the door to see if there was somebody there.
Fireball: "What did you do to April?"
"Oh, don't worry about her! She had some time to think what was good to her. Obviously she has come to her senses and chose to be with a winner!"
Saber Rider: "You're lying!"
Jesse Blue: "Oh, am I? Why don't you ask her for yourself! She'll arriving here soon. In the meantime though… Why don't' we get ourselves comfortable. Gentlemen, please, remove your suits." he had that evil smile on his face again.
When the Star Sheriffs were left nothing but in heir casual attire, Jesse Blue let out a happy chuckle. The sight of his prisoners being utterly defenseless did have its appeal. Reaching over to the wall, Jesse then upshed a button on it. Seconds later, the floor rose along with a heavy column of thick glass surrounding all three Star Sheriffs. Another piece of glass then came down on them from the ceiling, and covering them effectively like a dish-cover.
"So, gentlemen... It looks like you only have 24 hours left to pray to god before running out of oxygen. I'll come by and visit you later on... Closer to your end that is when you'll start feeling not so comfortable."
Jesse Blue turned around and walked out. At that moment, April came in. She looked at the prisoners from a distance, and not really addressing to anybody, by saying:
"I see that they have been already brought up here!"
She gave Jesse a short nod, acknowledging his presence as he was about to leave the room.
April: "I better go check on Remrod. It's going to be easy to repair it - only two small cables…"
"April!!!" a loud shout came from behind her, belonging to the Star Sheriffs who were trying to talk to her.
A shudder passed over her as she slowly turned. At first, Jesse wanted to grab her and drag her out of the room, but then decided against it. Instead, he leaned against a nearby wall and silently watched the scene unfold.
Meanwhile, April was staring at those miserable humans who dared to pronounce her name. No other expression was on her face except that of annoyance.
"April!" Saber Rider was trying to reach out to her in calm voice despite the situation. "April, don't you recognize us?"
April: "Of course I recognize you. You are the Star Sheriffs, aren't you?"
Once those words were out from her mouth, despair were written all over the faces of Saber Rider as well the others.
"How do you like your cell?" she continued, coming closer to them while putting her hand on the glass wall between them.
"Jesse was the one who invented it. He's a genius of this sort of things".
She fell silent for a moment as if thinking of something or someone.
"Well, I don't have time to waste it on you, guys. So... Bye!"
April stormed out of the room while Jesse decided to step forward to the glass wall. He was smiling down at his prisoners when he saw their hearts dying with any hope left to have their friend come back to theim.
"Well? I guess you were hoping for her to come you to you guys in the last minute, huh? Or perhaps you think that she's pretending? Something like... As soon as I'm out of here, she'll come back to you and rescue you? Well... I'm sorry to disappoint you, my dear fellows... The only time that she pretended was when she was with you. However, now, she's her real self again! Even, Stellar is helping us, too. Like I said before - Start praying!"
And with that, he left the room, laughing.
The Star Sheriffs waited for everyone to leave and vanish into the dark corridor before talking.
Colt: "At least, he's right about one thing - we can't count on April anymore. But they changed Stellar as well?"
"Maybe she's only faking it?" Fireball questioned with a big share of doubt in his voice.
Saber Rider: "We'll wait a little, but we do need an escape plan though. According to Jesse, we only have some 23 hours and minutes left before the oxygen is all out."
Stellar was sitting in her room, thinking hard. From some time now, she had started noticing that a lot of wrong things were going around her... After meeting him - Jesse Blue. This man had turned everything in her life upside down.
Why did April betray the Star Sheriffs? Why wouldn't she let her contacting their father? Why were they joining forces with the Outriders after having Lavana helped fight against them? And why was Jesse suddenly acting so cold towards her even through she wasn't intimately involved with him... Not for once did she have any feelings for him! Why was he watching April with eyes full of desire and yet wouldn't dare to come close to her? And how in the world did she end up in this mess in the first place?!
She had been such an ideal girl on her home planet. Many had wanted to be like her, or even known by her. And now what?
Although no one was accusing her, she still felt guilty. Most importantly, April had lost all her memories about her past despite the fact that the doc told her that she was fine now. All of this was so confusing for Stellar. Why was all of this happening now? Why?
That wasn't the only questions she had. There were others as well. All of which that gave her a terrible headache. It wasn't like for a Lavanian princess to bother herself with such riddles without answers.
She rose up and went out in to the corridor, hoping to find the doc in his office so that he coud prescribe her some asperin. On her way over, she then came across a a brightly lightened hall. Full of curiosity, she decided to give a look inside and thus went inside.
Behind the glass partition, like in an aquarium, something was moving. Stellar made few steps towards it, and soon enough, she recognized Saber Rider, Fireball and Colt. It was then when they also took notice of her presence. However, they waited for her to make the first move to talk. Feeling slightly guilty, Stellar had a hard time figuring out what to say to them after what she did… betrayed them… like April did… Yet, they probably were the only ones who could answer her many questions, or at least, half of them.
"Hey, guys! I'm completely tangled up in this mess here. Could one of you be kind enough and explain a few things to me?"
All three of them reacted differently: Colt only chuckled, Fireball staring at her in disbelief while Saber Rider began to talk slowly in a a cold tone: "We were hoping that you could give us some answers."
Stellar: "Do you know if that camera is leakproof or not??"
"What do you mean?" Colt didn't get what she was trying to say.
Stellar: "Fresh air is coming in now, right?"
"Jesse was kind enough to explain that to us." Fireball answered with a sigh.
Saber Rider: "Listen, Stellar. Do YOU wish to see us dead?"
Stellar: "Mmm… What did April tell you?"
"She would be happier if we stop getting in her way. Oh, she was also proud of Jesse for this little marvelous invention of his." Colt instantly replied.
"April knows better! Even if she's acting strangely lately. Has she have those fast mood changes before? Or it could have been that illness she had? Or maybe I just should simply disregard everything and all will back to normal soon?" Stellar looked at the prisoners with questions in her eyes.
"Yea, but when this all happens, we want be alive to feel happy about it!" flared up Fireball.
"Stellar! This is serious!" Colt protested, "I'm too young to die!"
"Stellar, listen. I don't know why April has betrayed us. I don't even know how Jesse Blue managed to ensnare her. Or even to why she left her father and Earth for him. But I do know for sure that she's wrong." Saber Rider stared straight into girl's eyes, causing her to be unable to break eye contact with him.
"He didn't ensnare her if that;s what you think. She built all of this, the base herself. In fact, he even gave her all the power and authority to do it. April is now second in command."
Fireball: "It's not that! Stellar, think about it... What could Jesse do to make her work for him?"
Colt: "To me, it's totally clear! I'm sure she's in love with Jesse! That's what he was up to from the very beginning!"
Upon hearing those words, Stellar flamed up.
"NO!" she shouted, "APRIL DOES NOT LOVE HIM! I know that! I'm her sister!"
"Oh... I get it," Colt turned back to the others, whispering so that Stellar could not hear him: "She's in love with him, too."
Saber Rider: "Stellar, did you know that Jesse pursued April from the very first day they met? He even went that far on telling her his feelings for her, and not once… Did you know that he left the Cavalry Command right after she had denied him? Afterwards, he had other girls, but all that time he only loved one - your sister, Stellar."
"No! He doesn't love her!" Stellar turned away from them, hoping that they didn't see how her face changed.
'Is this the truth? I even saw his strange gazes on her, but it never went further than that! Nothing more! If he really loves her that much, then he would reject me. Instead, he always is glad to see me whenever I see him. He's kind and careful.'
Fireball: "Stellar, please... Think about it. Don't take too long though... We'll run out of air soon, and then we won't be help you out."
Not looking at them anymore, Stellar left the room. Her headache had now become stronger. Without wasting much more, she went straight to the doc's office.
Stellar coughed several times, letting the Outrider-doctor her presence known to him.
"Oh! Miss Stellar! What brings you here today?" the doc was surprised to see her.
Stellar: "I don't feel so good. Maybe you can do something about it."
"Hmm..." he thought for a little, scratching his chin.
"Sorry Miss Stellar, but Jesse Blue never feels sick, and I don't have other human patients. I even don't know how the human body works!" he smiled apolegiticallyconfusedly.
Stellar only gave a gloomy sigh in return.
"You know what, Miss Stellar... Sometimes Jesse Blue asks me to give him vitamin injections. I could do the same for you. It may help. He says that when a human lives with someone like us Outriders, he needs an overdose of vitamins."
Stellar nodded in agreement and hoped that it would help. From a line of completely identical medical instruments, he picked up something up, worked on it a little and soon a syringe with a tiny needle was revealed. The minute Stellar saw it, she wanted to reconsider it, but at that very moment, April and Jesse Blue walked into the Doc's office.
After the little chat she had with the Star Sheriffs, she saw this pair with completely new eyes.
"I see there's a line-up here!" livened up Jesse.
"Stellar, do you mind if I go first? I just need an injection, then we'll leave. We have a meeting in 15 minutes." April asked.
"Yea, sure…" mumbled Stellar, "But I thought that you're alright now…"
April didn't listen to her anymore. She walked to the doc and sat down in front of him on a chair while pulling up her sleeve.
Jesse answered on behalf of herl:
"She still needs proper medical treatment from time to time though. By the way, what are you doing here?"
Stellar: "It's my headache... and I couldn't sleep last night."
"Oh, I see…" he said, "We are planning to have a little celebration later today. If you're up or it, then do come. We'll be waiting for you."
At that moment, April appeared between them.
"I'm ready! Come on!" She pushed Jesse out. "Bye Stellar!" she said without even turning around to her.
'That so called invitation sounded more like a favour. And April is acting like I'm not her sister. Could the Star Sheriffs be right after all? In any case, I don't like it!' Stellar made her decision while the doc was waiting for her approval.
Stellar: "Give me your vitamins and the sleeping pills for tonight."
"Please, sit down." He showed her to the chair where her sister was in a while ago. Just like April, Stellar walked over to the chair, sat down and held her hand out. The doctor then gave her the shot.
"Do you also inject the sedative?"
The doc nodded in response.
Stellar: "In that case... Please, give me one for the night."
"Do you know how to make an injection by yourself? If not, then you should come…"
Stellar: "No thanks, I can do it by myself just fine."
Without saying another word, the Outrider just gave Stellar the medicine she asked for.
Stellar: "Say, doc, how often does April get her shots?"
"Every day." From the doctor's look, Stellar could tell that he didn't want to tell her more about it.
Stellar: "And for how much longer will she have to get them?"
"Until her body can take care of itself again." This time the doc's words sounded like he was repeating from someone else's mouth.
Stellar: "How can you treat my sister if you just have told me that you don't even know how the human body works!?"
That was a tricky question, but nevertheless, the doctor seemed to be sure of himself as he replied:
"Trail Boss Jesse Blue gave me all necessary instructions. I'm just following his directions."
Stellar: "Does Jesse know anything about medicine?"
"I don't know that for sure, but according to the results, he knows what he's doing."
Stellar eventually nodded good bye and left the doctor's office.
'Maybe it's time for me to do something about for my own goodt?' Stellar thought while straying around the base corridors. 'And the best thing about it is that I can do all on my own and help the Star Sheriffs. April won't notice me anymore and Jesse is spending more and more time with her. I still remember the time when I was near him all day long. NO! there's definitely something wrong here! Maybe late,r April will regret treating me like that! Let's see, how CAN I help the Star Sheriffs? What will they think of me if they'll find out that I was telling all those bad things about them to April when she was ill, and now I'll help them… Maybe Jesse only needed me to proof his words about her past?' with those thoughts Stellar's royal blood started to boil in her veins
And with that, she headed straight to the Star Sheriffs.
Meanwhile, the Star Sheriffs were sitting on the floor of their cell.
"Alright guys! Even if I still don't like you - from the beginning in particular, but I'll help you nonetheless!" declared Stellar right from the doorway.
"You don't like us?! And I thought the other way around!" and Colt grinned at the girl with one of his famous charming smiles.
Stellar instantly blushed a little, and then remembered that she did like Colt. After having met Jesse, she had completely forgotten all about it. Jesse had filled all of her heart. But now she had to separate April and Jesse even if it meant she had to betray both of them. Stellar quickly found the control panel to the glass cell. Luckily, it was user friendly, made especially for Outriders. The only trick to it was simply - the walls wouldn't move as long as one wouldn't remove the ceiling to it. Stellar ought to get an A+ for performing the escape of the Star Sheriffs with such ease.
Minutes later, the Star Sheriffs were standing near her, fully armed. They did succeed in their dangerous plan to penetrate into the Outrider base. On top of that, no one knew that they were now free to act on it.
Saber Rider: "Stellar, do you have a Renegade Units right here on this base?"
Stellar: "First of all, not 'you' but 'they' - I'm with you now. And yes, six of them, but only two of them are ready. The third one is supposed to be done by this evening."
Fireball: "Who designed them?" It was completely an unnecessary question.
"The Outrider specialists. Well, I was helping them a little though." she blushed again, understanding what a big favor she did to them.
Saber Rider: "Good! Then you know where their weak points are. Come on!"
The Star Sheriffs along with Stellar ran through the base, knocking out all Outriders that were on their way.
Fireball: "Stellar, where are your ships?"
Stellar: "Why do you ask?"
Saber Rider: Right mate! We need to blow up them as well! So ,no one could escape from here! Especially Jesse Blue!"
"So, where should we go first? To the ships or to the renegades?" Stellar stopped in the middle of the corridor and turned to the boys.
Colt: "To the ships!"
Stellar: "But we are closer to the renegades now!" she protested." she made her decision clear to everyone. "Come on!"
They walked for about another 150 meters or so when they finally saw through a big window the huge hangar with several renegades under work.
Saber Rider: "I understand. We'll take it from here!"
Fireball: "Stellar, lead me to the ships! Do you know how long it will take us to get there?"
Stellar thought for a second.
"Not more then 2 or 3 minutes."
"In 4 minutes." said Saber Rider.
Fireball showed thumb up and disappeared around the corner with Stellar right in front of him, leading.
"Stellar, where are April and that Jesse Blue now?"
"They were talking about a meeting, but it shouldn't take long. April, I think, should be with her beloved Remrod by now. It's with all aver spaceships. She'll be all alone there - she won't allow anyone else come near Remrod. She says that those dumb Outriders could break it. And where Jesse is at the very moment, I don't know. He could be anywhere. He did mention something about a party tonight though. So, he could be making preparation for it now." Stellar was tired of all the running around. She was breathing hard.
Fireball: "How many Outrider guards are there in the hangar?"
Stellar: "None! I'm telling you - she sent them all away."
"She know I'll come!" growled Fireball.
Stellar: "What?"
Fireball: "Is she armed?"
Stellar: "Always."
Fireball, mumbling something under his breath, took out his gun. Stellar saw it and stepped away while her eyes widened.
Stellar: "Hey?! What are you going to do?!" she shouted.
Fireball: "Nothing! It'll be better for everyone if we do it this way, including for her."
It made Stellar shiver, but she continued to lead the Star Sheriff nonetheless.
Stellar: "Here!" she stopped at the massive metal door. She pushed some control buttons, and seconds later, and the door obediently opened, allowing them entrance.
In a huge hangar, there were only three big spaceships and about 20 one-man units stationed. In a distance, Remrod stood like in a showroom.
It took one minute for Fireball to place all the explosives. He wasn't hiding them at all - it wasn't necessarily. Once done, he then took off to Remrod, holding tightly on Stellar's hand as he pulled her along.
"Fireball, you are not going to blow up Remrod, are you?!" terror was in her voice. "April is in there!.."
"Of course not! We'll take cover on board. Besides, we can't leave your sister running around free.
Stellar and Fireball freely walked up in to the ship. It appeared that April believed in the power of her order, thus wasn't waiting for any kind of surprises. They were moving quietly as possible while trying to pass the sensors undetected. Finally, they made it to the control room where they saw someone working in the middle saddle unit. Fireball gestured Stellar to stay where she was, while he moved along.
April had been quite busy with the repairs, She would gladly spent all her day in here, but she had other duties on the base to attend. The repair itself, as she suggested before didn't take long, but the system check, on the other hand, could take all afternoon.
She was just finishing it when she felt Stellar's approach. If she came 5 minutes earlier, April would have surely send her away. Now though, she was happy to see her. After a hard day of work, she prefered her sister's company over Jesse's. Perhaps she could skip the party tonight... The one Jesse was organizing now.
'He's been getting on my nerves lately…' thought April while entering a few last commands.
The computer's reply satisfied her and she switched it off.
"Come in, Stellar" called April, knowing for sure that the girl could hear her.
April rose from her place to meet Stellar. Instead of her, she came to face with him - the one who was supposed to be dying in the stuffy glass cell today. Instinctively, her hand reached for the blaster, but Fireball was faster. A bright flame beam quickly ran to her.
"No!!!" screamed Stellar as she ran to her sister. Like in a movie, April slowly collapsed.
"What have you done!" Stellar's eyes were wet with tears. She even didn't tried to hide her sobs, "You've killed her!"
Fireball: "Don't worry. She'll be all right! I just stunned her." He calmed the hysterical girl down. "Let's take her back to her room."
There, they laid the unconscious body down on the bed, and left.
Stellar: "When will she come around?"
Fireball: "In about 2 or 3 hours."
Stellar: "Are you sure? Is she all right? I almost felt her pain!"
Fireball: "Don't worry. My gun was set on minimum. And please, do trust me on this - It's best for everyone this way. I don't feel shooting my friends, even former ones."
Stellar: "You mean that she's a traitor?"
Fireball: "How would you call it?"
Stellar: "No, it's not that! There's …"
Unfortunately, she never got the chance to finish. A powerful explosion then errupted, shaking the entire base, following a set of smaller blasts. The red-hut shatter bombarded Remrod's armour. Yet, the ship itself remained undamaged. When the fire whirlwind fainted, Fireball put his helmet on and headed towards the exit. Stellar instantly dashed after him.
"Look, with this button you close the hatch. Don't let anyone else in while I'm out. I try to be quick!"
Waving good bye, Fireball ran out of the ship and made his way towards the hangar's doors.
Stellar did what she was told. She had nothing else to do then to wait and watch the entire neighborhood through monitors. Outriders came storming in seconds later. They saw that there was nothing that they could do to stop the fire. Instead, they retreated, saving their priceless lives.
There was a moment when she thought she saw the familiar figure of Jesse Blue. However, it was only for a short moment, then a flame covered her view. Other explosions errupted, one after another. Stellar was sure that there was nothing left in the hangar that could be blown up now.
After a short pause, all of it begun again, this time much more stronger. Half-melted fragments of the destroyed vehicles were flying all around the place. Stellar jumped when a large piece of on-fire metal fell on the glass of the main viewport. It started to melt, leaving dark spots after itself. She still was staring at the window when a noise came from downstairs. The girl was scared to death. What should she do if those were Outriders? If they found out that she was the one who set the Star Sheriffs loose, they would surely tear her up into pieces! Could it be Jesse? At that thought, Stellar trembled like an aspen leaf in wind.
Fighting with her fear, Stellar sneaked to the hatch and listen.
"Stellar! Open quick!" shouted Saber Rider.
The next moment, Stellar was at the control panel, unlocking the hatch. The boys came storming in.
"It'll blow up now!" croaked Fireball.
Stellar didn't understand what was going to blow up, but she became scared nonethelsee. Even in a situation like this, she didn't forget about the one she loved.
"Wait," she caught Fireball's arm, making him listen to her. "What about Jesse? He's no Outrider! He can't vaporize!"
Fireball looked at her, not really getting what she wanted to say. Then, finally he understood and shouted loud to cover the noise of the fire outside: "Don't worry! He'll survive! That snake always finds a way out!"
Stellar felt a little at ease. Immediately forgetting about her presence, Fireball added: "If I'll ever see him again, I'm gonna rip his skin off! Simple death is just too good for him!" and he continued on his way.
Stellar followed him in. On her way to the control room, she felt sudden movement of the ship. It was starting to move, and second later, she found herself thrown against the corridor wall. As the acceleration of the ship picked up, she was pressed to the wall until she was suddenly thrown to the floor at the opposite wall.
Moving like she was heavily drank, Stellar finally entered into the control room where she saw the others already at their saddle units, watching intently their screen monitors. A huge orange sphere of fire was growing rapidly, absorbing everything in its path. Then, the flame bubble burst and shattered into all directions.
The guys finally turned away from their screens, and Saber Rider took a step forward to Stellar.
Saber: "Everything is all right now. How is April?"
Fireball and Stellar both scowled, glancing at each other when the name was mentioned. Not looking at anyone else, Fireball was first to speak up again through his teeth:
"Either she really has betrayed us, or Jesse Blue has done something incredible evil to her for which of course he will die for!"
Saber Rider: "Anyways, I still would like to see her though."
All of them then headed towards the room and entered it. Colt was first to step in, looking for the light switch when all of the sudden something very heavy landed on his head. Smaller objects from April's night table soon came flying at them. On her way out, April hit Fireball straight in his stomach before coming face to face with Stellar. April stopped for a brief second, staring at her with unbelieving eyes for her sister's treachery. That short moment of confusion was all Saber Rider needed to take the enraged girl down. Colt quickly brought a piece of rope to tie her up. Together they tied her down and put her on the bed. Finally realizing that it was no more use to fight, April stopped struggling, and kept a watch on them.
Saber Rider: "April, before you are going to trial on Earth, we all would like to know to why you have betrayed us?"
April didn't say a word. She was looking at him like she didn't hear his words.
"Yes, you can tell us everything. We are your friends after all." Colt offered, patting his sore head.
"Friends?!" the word came out with much contempt, causing an icy shiver run through the veins of everybody.
"You were never or ever will be my friends! The only one that I can call friend, even in the most possible stretch, is Jesse Blue! Yet, somehow he can't see as a friend in me… Because of the revenge to all human kind, he thinks more of the Outriders around him than the humans! And to think of my sister...," April stared at Stellar, "She never could to see the long view. I knew from the beginning that Jesse was playing with her! If it weren't for her stupid act, I would be free right now... From Jesse as well as from all of you! Then, there will be nothing that could stop me!"
Once donw, April turned away from the Star Sheriffs and stared at the wall.
"If this is how you truly are, then who were you before? Just don't tell us that you weren't happy with us. And what about your father? Doesn't he mean anything to you?" it was Fireball who asked.
Like everyone else in the room, he was simply stunned by her harsh words, even touching the finest heartstrings of his soul.
"What are you talking about?! Don't try to fool me here! My parents do not exist to me! And you all mean to me no more than enemies of my well being! I would never socialize with such jerks as you all are! Stellar, you were there and witnessed it all!"
Only now Stellar understood what was going on. She remembered what she was telling to her sister. At that time she didn't think it would cause any harm when Jesse asked her to tell her sister about certain subjects. Now, she knew. Her words were now clear. Each time, after finishing visiting her sister, Jesse would then come and visit her to talk about her visit. Was that what they were talking about?
"Guys, can I talk with you for a minute?" her eyes indicated that April's presence was not desired for this talk.
Nodding, the guys followed her out. Silence spanned out as Stellar tried to think of where to start. Finaly, she found her first words, and began.
"When I first met Jesse, he offered me to help find April. We've been searching for her for long time, and each time, he would tell me a different excuse to why I couldn't contact you or even inform you to where I was and what had happened. I was completely confused about, but when he finally announced that he had found her, I was so relieved. I've been told that she was hit by high voltage electricity, and consequently, lost most parts of her memory. Jesse had asked me to help him in restoring her memory. I've done my best that I could! I do have to admit thoud... At that at that time, Jesse already had a great hold on me. I was telling April what I knew of her life while he was adding other facts to my tale. When April started to feel better, we changed our location to Santa. From that moment, all three of us had been busy with the base construction project. Throughout the course, she became his right hand. They always were together, and eventually they both forgot that I was even there.
"Now I get it! Just imaging what he could have told her about us during that time!" exclaimed Fireball, "Which then means that she really didn't betray us afterall! He tricked her!" he was extremely happy to find out that his worst nightmare didn't came true.
"Stellar, how come you didn't tell her about your parents? Why you didn't tell her who she's really is?" a baffled Saber Rider asked.
"Yea… How come she wanted to kill us so bad?!" Colt still was patting his poor forehead.
"I've already told you, Jesse had an influence over me. Every time I got a chance to talk to April about other things, he would always find a way in controlling the topics in our short chats. In the end, I was basically confirming his words. I saw her changing over the course, but could do nothing about it. Later, I couldn't even talk to her - she was looking at me like I was an insect at her feet. I think the only reason that she didn't send me away was only because she remembered that I'm her sister. Sometimes I think that I don't know her at all... Maybe she had been always like this?"
"The only thing I still can't quite understand is to how Jesse could have managed to rid her memory and get in her to trust him." Saber Rider thoughtfully said.
"The Outrider doctor back on the base had prescribed her some medicine. Jesse was very strict on watching her getting her shots every 24 hours."
In excitement, Fireball hugged Stellar.
Fireball: "He was giving her that medicine to make her forget about her past. During the space episode, he created a new April, the one he needed. She eventually became like him - an evil genius. The base would have remained impenetrable if it hadn't been for you, Stellar!"
At first, he wanted to say: 'If it hadn't been for Stellar's treachery', but quickly decided against it. It was already used too much lately.
Saber Rider: "Sooner or later we could have guessed it. But now, how are we going to find an antidote for it? How are we going to bring OUR old April back?"
Colt: "We could take some blood samples and examine it. There surely will be a clue there."
With amazement, everyone stared at the Cowboy with wide eyes.
Saber Rider: "Colt, you're not a waste after all!"
"Who's going to take the blood sample from her?" Fireball asked while looking around his friends.
Colt: "I can't. What if I get dizzy?!"
Fireball moved his gaze towards Saber Rider. He then turned his own look over to Stellar. She got the hint and quickly protested: "I don't know anything about it! On my planet, we got robots do those things."
Colt: "Fireball, what about you? I'm sure you can do it!"
Saber Rider: "Fireball mate, we are talking about her life here! You just have to take a small sample of her blood now. Iif we are going to do it later, the concentration of the poison, or medicine as Jesse calls it, will have vanished in her system. It will be much more difficult then. We have to act now and hurry, Fireball."
Without wasting much time, he pushed a resisting Fireball in front of him, and led him down in to the sickbay. Digging in the drawer for a short time, Saber Rider took out two plastic injectors, antiseptic and a pen size ultraviolet lamp.
"Maybe we ought put her to sleep first?" Fireball suggested firmly.
"Nope, let her suffer a little!" Colt interjected, sticking his head through the open door.
He still couldn't forgive April for the bump on his head that he had gotten from her.
When the Star Sheriffs returned to the girls, they saw Stellar sitting in the armchair and silently watching her sister. April wasn't moving at all like she was asleep.
Saber lightly pushed Fireball ahead.
"April," Fireball called out softly, "We're just going to take some blood from you. It might hurt a little.
It was then when April moved a little:
"Leave me alone. Isn't it already bad enough for you guys to destroy my superb plan? But now you want to take my blood as well! NO! Go away." mumbled the girl refusing to look at them.
However, that didn't discourage them. Fireball stiffly stepped towards her bed, gently taking all the necessary medical equipment out, placing them on the night table. April sharply turned around. There was anger and rage flashing in her eyes. Right now, she wasn't the one in control of her body - the devil inside her was taking over. With renewed strength, she wrenched the ropes and almost succeed in getting free. The ropes were stiff, causing for the guys to take a surprise step back from her.
Saber Rider was the only one who would hold her down by her shoulders.
Saber Rider: "Easy, April! It's for your own good!"
"Yea, you may thank us later for it!" added Colt while staying behind everyone else.
It was now Fireball's turn to help Saber.
April struggled helplessly in the firm grasp of the Star Sheriffs. As in the last hope, she looked at her sister, but Stellar only had her eyes on the ground. April didn't want to see her anymore. A new unknown feeling was born in her soul that she had never felt before - despise. Working with those dump Outriders she had never felt it, but now…
Fireball acted fast, his hands were shaking a little. Finally it was all over. April was finally left alone like wanted to. The rest of the journey back to Earth she drifted into drowsiness.