Chapter 11-Escape
Everybody in the club stopped dancing, eating, and drinking when the Drej came in. It was quiet as they held their guns up to the crowd that was there. The drones scanned the people in the room. Then, one drone on the right nudged his fellow drone and pointed to Cale and the group. The Drej pointed their guns at them. "And now we have to run." Korso said to the rest of his comrades. They all dove on the floor as the Drej began firing on the bar, hitting miscellaneous people, except their targets. Akima took cover behind the bar while the others were on the floor. People went into a screaming frenzy as their loved ones fell to the floor, dead. Samir got low to the floor beside Korso and pulled out his pistol.
Cale took off his shotgun and began putting shells in it and pumping it, getting the plasma inside to charge up. "No!" Korso yelled as he grabbed a hold of the tip of Cale's shotgun, "You'll hit people with the spread fire! Use your Raptor Magnum!" Cale nodded and whipped out his Magnum pistol like Korso had told him to. He pushed a button on the side of the gun that made a red laser sight come out just underneath the nozzle.
Stith stood up next to the bar and fired off a few shots at the Drej. She missed every time for the Drej had taken cover as well. She gave a loud, war cry as she shot her two, large guns off. The blast from her guns was powerful enough that it blew holes the size of basketballs into the walls of the joint. With a gun in each hand, she watched as the Drej moved, waiting for the perfect shot so as to not harm anyone.
Then, all three of the drones jumped up from behind their defensive blockage and all fired upon Stith at the same time. One blast pierced her shoulder and another nicked her waist while the third missed her. The two shots threw her backward and caused her to accidentally fire, hitting the orange strobe light. Stith groaned and held her wounds as her blood spattered on the wall behind her. "Get down!" Korso yelled as he grabbed Stith by her left arm, which connected to the wounded shoulder, and pulled her down to safety.
Cale used the misfortune of Stith for his own gain by standing as soon as the three stood. His laser pierced through the smoke as it searched for a target. When the laser reached a drone's head he squeezed the trigger and hit the drone. Cale's Raptor Magnum gave a loud bang as the green blast smashed into the drone's head which diffused the entire body. The other drones crouched down and took cover behind their own respective dance platforms.
Korso rolled out behind his cover with his pistol ready. A drone saw him rolling and fired at him. Korso dodged his blast with another roll and returned his fire at the Drej. He, too, missed his target and went to dive back behind cover, but the Drej shot the gun out of Korso's hand. "Agh!" Korso exclaimed as his pistol flew back and landed on a table behind him. Samir jumped out and covered Korso as he shuffled on the floor. The Drej creature, from its crouching position, fired one quick shot and hit Samir's hand. "Ahha!" he exclaimed.
Cale caught sight of the drone peaking out that held Korso and Samir in their position. The laser searched through the dance floor until it reached the Drej's head. To Drej, only head and thorax shots were fatal. Cale pulled the trigger as his silver, square-looking gun let out a burst of plasma which flew directly for the drone. The Drej's head flew back and his body fell limp as he lay back on the floor and disappeared.
The one Drej stood up and grabbed a woman wearing a blue dress that cut off at the shoulders. The drone's movements seemed to be in one place and then another as the strobe lights revolved overhead. He held the woman directly in front of his as a human shield and shoved his gun into her lower back. The woman was scared out of her mind as he led her down onto the dance floor, amongst other people. Her lips quivered and her movements were skittish. Everybody was on the ground, face first. Some people dead, some trembling for fear for their lives as the Drej led the woman out into the center of the dance floor.
Cale stood and pointed his Magnum at the Drej, but the woman was in the way! She screamed when laser shone on her forehead. "Don't worry! I'm not gonna hurt you!" Cale said, trying to calm her down. She still trembled as the Drej tightened his grip on her. "Let her go!" Cale yelled at the Drej, as he kept his gun pointed at the two. For a second, the drone peeked over her shoulder and watched the movements of Cale's gun. He paused, and said something in Drej. The drone fired his gun, sending a blast of plasma through the woman's midsection and pierced Cale's upper, left leg. Blood from the woman splashed out of the wound and onto Cale as he screamed and fell on the floor, holding his leg. "Oh, God!" Cale seethed as lay back on the floor, comforting his leg.
The Drej stepped over the fallen woman and walked to Cale. His footsteps clanged like metal as his feet hit the floor. He stood over Cale, cocked his gun, and pointed it at Cale. Cale sat there, with his eyes wide, looking down the black barrel of the blue gun. The drone braced his arm to fire, when a loud swishing sound could be heard. The drone looked up from Cale to see where the noised was coming from.
A gleam of metal flew, end over end, and stuck in the drone's head. It was a wakazashi blade! Cale looked up from the floor at Akima who was behind the bar, still had her hand extended from the throw. The Drej was swept off of his feet as he fell. He fizzled out even before he hit the ground. "Let's get out of here!" Akima said as she climbed up and over the bar and ran into the dance floor to pick up her sword. Stith, Korso, and Samir stood up and collected their guns. Cale struggled to get up as he seethed with pain for his leg. Akima came and helped him around while he limped out toward the door. "Can you walk?" Akima asked as she hung Cale's arm over her shoulder.
"Yeah, ah... it just hurts." Cale replied while trying to support himself. "Akima you really shouldn't, the baby-" he started.
"Don't worry. I can take care of myself." she said while helping him out the door. They all stood on the balcony which was albeit deserted now. Six Drej slijah screeched by from left to right as they fired on the balcony.
"Get down!" Korso yelled as he dove for the ground. Everybody obeyed and braced themselves while they brought an onslaught of attacks on the balcony. "Samir," Korso addressed while on the ground, "can you lead us to your ship and give us the beacon right now?"
"Yes, it's not far." he replied. "Follow me!" Samir yelled as he turned on his jet-pack and flew up into the air.
"Once we're in the air, I'll be all right." Cale told Akima as he pulled away and started his jet-pack. She started hers and began levitating next to him. Stith let go of her wounded arm and sucked up the pain so she could have both hands on the controls. They each flew away from the balcony in a hurry.
They all sped in a line with Samir leading, Korso close behind, Cale and Akima flying side-by-side, and Stith who made up the rear. Each passing building seemed like a blur by their speed. Flashes of lights, street signs, and anybody in the way zoomed past them as they made haste on their getaway. Stith was busy tending to her shoulder when she saw something over it. It was the six Drej fighters, all in formation and racing toward them. "Hey, guys, we got company!" Stith announced as everybody turned to look over their shoulders as well.
"Oh, great!" Cale sarcastically said as he saw the stingers whizzing by buildings and dodging objects, only to return to formation.
"Move!" Korso ordered while facing forward again and speeding up.
"Come on!" Stith yelled as she pointed her gun back and fired. The Drej took evasive maneuvers and cleared her shot. "Oh, you think you got moves!!" she added with a cocky attitude as she turned and flew on her back. She held out both large guns and began firing shots of three out of each. The first two sets missed them, but the third disintegrated the stinger on the left wing. "Woohooooo!" Stith celebrated while turning over and increasing speed. The stingers increased speed as well and kept on Stith's tail.
They each fired shots at Stith who evaded each blast by zigzagging around. She eventually caught up to Cale and Akima who were following close behind Korso. They all steered left as there was a building in the way. A couple of blue laser blasts whizzed by right over their heads. "Yeeoow!" Cale exclaimed while ducking the shots.
"Keep comin'! Samir tells me we're almost there!" Korso announced by turning his head over his shoulder.
They each followed Samir as he began a steady descent toward a raised landing pad. It was a square platform that loomed hundreds of feet above the ground. There were various crafts that were parked a uniform distance from each other. Samir came to rest on the edge of the platform with Korso, Cale, Akima, and Stith landing behind him. They all ran as the five Drej fighters came speeding forward, firing blasts as they ran. The shots hit just behind their feet as they ran with Samir who was heading for his ship. The blasts grew increasingly closer as explosions that were caused from them billowed up.
Then, a flash came in front of the group and Samir was thrown off of his feet as an explosion from a laser blast hit underneath him. He screamed as he went up into the air, but there was too much fire around him so they couldn't see where he was. Samir fell to the ground with a loud thud. As the smoke cleared they all saw him on the ground. "Samir!" Korso yelled as he ran up to the black man. He lay there, missing his left arm and leg, writhing and screaming with excruciating pain. Large puddles of blood were beginning to accumulate as he lay there.
Korso knelt down beside him and tried to console him. Samir tried to get words out, but all that could be heard was groaning. "I-, I took one, oh!" he cried while starting to settle down. "Listen, ugh, the beacon is in the, ah, navigation port of my ship. It's that one right there," Samir said as he pointed to a triangular ship two landing spots away with his only arm, "They're, ah, turnin' around. You, ugh, get out of here."
"I don't just leave somebody in need!" Korso replied as he knelt there holding up the black man.
"No, ugh, I'm a goner, just go!" Samir waved. Korso laid him back and stood up.
"Come on," he said as he turned and ran toward Samir's ship. The others ran after Korso. He climbed up into the cockpit and started searching for the navigation system. "You guys cover me while I'm busy." he ordered. They all obeyed and raised their guns up to the sky, waiting for the slijah to return.
"Here they come!" Akima said as she pointed up into the air. The Drej fighters screamed downward and raced forward, opening fire upon the landing platform. Stith held her ground and shot with her good arm at the group of blue fighters. She hit the center one and it exploded into a shower of blue, white sparks.
"You got nothin'!" Stith taunted as the fighter blew up.
"Nice one!" Akima praised as she shot twice at one fighter and hit it on the wing. The fighter spun out of control as a slug trail of blue energy spiraled around it. The slijah came crashing down onto the platform and slid until it ran into a parked craft. The two ships exploded and the Drej fighter was enveloped in flames.
"Love ya, honey!" Cale said as he quickly kissed Akima.
"Okay, people, let's move!" Korso yelled like a drill instructor as he ran by with the beacon in hand. All four of them started their jet-packs and flew upward, with the Drej speeding intently toward them. They started on their way back to the Valkyrie, racing in between buildings and other high streets. The three remaining fighters came hurtling forward after them.
The group was led by Korso, followed by Stith, then Cale and Akima. The structures flew by while wind whipped over them as they raced at speeds close to two-hundred and fifty miles per hour. No matter how fast they went though, the Drej seemed to stay right on their tail.
Cale rolled over and took out his pistol again. The Drej fighters scrunched close together for the buildings on either side were becoming less remote. Cale took his laser sight, which was a blur as well, and aimed it before the slijah on the far right. "Eat this!" he said as he squeezed the trigger, sending a green blast of plasma at it. The fighter's right wing blew off as his shot hit it. The fighter careened out of control and knocked into the slijah on its left, sending both of them into the side of the building. Glass erupted from the structure while fire and blue energy streamed from it.
The only Drej fighter sped up as his comrades fell around him. He seemed enraged by their deaths and fired repeatedly as Cale and Akima flew downward toward the street. The slijah followed them. "What are they doing?!" Korso asked Stith as they slowed to watch to two.
"Got me." Stith replied.
"Hurry up, Akima!" Cale yelled as they were weaving in between cars on the street. The fighter shot intently, hitting cars and sending them exploding into the air. Cale and Akima flew just above the cars with the wind break from them slightly disturbing their flight. The cars seemed like blurred ribbons as they shot overhead with the Drej fighter firing after them.
"We're not shaking 'im! Follow me!" Cale yelled as Akima followed and sped with him upward again the Drej fighter fired once as Cale and Akima flew beside a building. The blast missed them, but caused an explosion on the side of the building which made Akima lose control. Her jet-pack turned off and she began to fall, screaming. Just then, Stith fired a shot at the slijah and blew it up.
"Akima!!!" Cale yelled as he turned vertically down and sped after her. She tried grasping for anything that would have been in her way, but she had fallen away from the building. She pushed the buttons on the analogs of the jet-pack, but it just gave her a buzzing sound.
"Cale! My pack won't start!" she screamed as Cale came falling after her. Tracks of lights seemingly fell upward as they plummeted down. Cale came nearer and nearer to her with each passing second. She closed her eyes and prepared for death. They were deafened by the wind that broke over their ears.
"I've almost got you!" Cale yelled to her as she fell. He grew nearer and nearer until finally he was within arm's reach. He flew underneath her and held his arms out forklift style as she fell into his arms. "Akima, it's okay; you're safe now." Cale whispered as he levitated upward while carrying her. Akima opened her eyes and looked around.
"Oh, Cale, I'm never going to put myself in harm's way again!" Akima pleaded.
"Don't worry, I always knew I was falling for you." Cale said and smiled, still levitating upward.
"Oh, Cale," Akima wooed as she leaned her head forward and locked Cale in a kiss. Cale flew a little faster as she held his head close to her. They both closed their eyes and lost track of what had happened. The two floated upward and stopped in front of Korso and Stith who were stationary in the air. Stith was awed and Koso was cracking a smile as they slowly spun before them.
Korso cleared his throat which startled them and they looked up at him. "Would you mind a more thorough examination back on the ship?" Korso asked with one eyebrow raised and a sly smile. They turned their heads from Korso back to each other.
"Love to." Cale replied as he looked deeply into her eyes. She giggled at his response as she had her arms around his neck.
"Come on, let's get out of here." Akima said as the four started their flight back to the Valkyrie.
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"Let's get airborne!" Korso exclaimed as he stepped up the stairs that led to the pilot's seat. Stith walked up to the engines controls and turned them on. Gune came lumbering in and sat down at his station. "Gune, can you plug this into the navigation computer?" Korso asked as he threw Gune the beacon.
"Immediately, captain." Gune replied as he fumbled around to catch the beacon. He eventually caught it and took it over and plugged it in.
The Valkyrie began its ascent into the dark sky. The engines rumbled as the purplish-gray steel reflected the water's ripples underneath it. The Valkyrie turned in the favored direction and went into hyperspace.