Chapter 4
Where am I? Krystal thought, dragging herself into consciousness. Her head was pounding, but she couldn't remember hitting it. She touched her forehead, and found a large lump. When she looked at her fingers, she saw blood. Moaning, she got up into a sitting position. Then Krystal realized she was in a cage. What happened? She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She remembered getting up in the middle of the night, and going for extra ArWing training. She had actually gotten to Level 7 in the simulator.
She was doing great, but a new, larger ship had just appeared. She went in, firing at it; then it fired back. Her ArWing shook with the blasts, and Krystal knew it wasn't a hologram. She tried to fly back to the Great Fox, but it fired at her engine, and it died out. At the same time she was placed in a tractor beam. The sudden halt had caused her head to hit the controls, and she had blacked out. That had caused the bloody lump on her head.
My ArWing! She suddenly thought, and sat up straight, looking around. No, it was there, in the opposite corner of the room. She squinted through the darkness to inspect the engine. The laser shot hadn't really damaged it, just overloaded the system. The ArWing wasn't quite so shiny anymore, but it looked like it would still fly.
She now checked herself more closely. Except for the lump on her forehead, Krystal seemed to be uninjured. She noticed that she still had her blaster. Good, she thought. It could be used to escape.
Then the lights came on. Krystal was temporarily blinded by the brightness, but her eyes soon adjusted. When she could see again, there was a dinosaur standing in front of her.
"Scales! Let me go, right now!" she yelled.
"Oh, no. I shall have to keep you here, for how else can I assure that Fox is following me?" He replied.
"What? Fox?"
"Yes. I do not care what happens to you. You are merely the bait to lure your husband to me. He did me wrong when he took the final Krazoa. I wanted to kill him! But I was not able to. That Andross ruined my plans for domination. But you are a pawn in my revenge."
"You're insane," Krystal said coldly.
"How DARE you insult me!" Scales roared, raising his hook. "You insolent, little..." he restrained himself, glaring at her. "That is not the way to survive, my girl. As your life depends on me, I would not be rude if I were you."
"Then let me out," Krystal pleaded. "I have no quarrel with you. I don't need to be imprisoned."
"No. I need you in a secure place to ensure you don't attack me. This cage will suit you just fine," Scales laughed. "I will return, later, with rations. Sadly, I must keep you alive."
He walked out the door, which sealed itself behind him. The lights shut off again, leaving Krystal in the darkness a second time. How will I ever escape? She wondered.