Nearing the End
The giant temple was two large sanctuaries, set diagonal to eachother. A crumbling stone wall bordered them, stretching far out into the jungle, where over time had grown over the well kept gardens and ponds. Only the inner walls of the sanctum were left in fairly decent order, keeping the jungle at bay for thousands of years. A series of high walled yards and weeded gardens were the main structure of the inner sanctum, each a maze leading to the main temple with thier own stone pathways leading into it.
This was it. The end was nearing. Jumba was down inside the old temple, probably hidden inside some old room with bars baracading him from getting out. 626 and 327 were hell bent on getting him out, 625 was also down there, but both of them had thier doubts about getting him out. They decided not to look for him, they would only rescue him if he was in thier line of sight.
626 landed the cruiser carefully in a gigantic stone courtyard on the east side of the temple. They would need the ship to get off the planet later on. Aside from leveling everything in his path 626 saw no reason for extensive planning. He grabbed his Crytos and the CH-6, he didn't need anything else he'd grown adapt to the two monsterous weapons, using each of them in thier own deadly way to the most efficient manner. 327 had two Federation standard blasters, both set on stun. They lowered the docking bay doors, hoping to recieve a cold reception, but the yard was empty.
Talk was scarce, neither 327 or 626 dared to talk, they just covered thier own backs and moved slowly from walled garden to walled garden. 327 sturgled to comprehend the military signs that 626 used to dirrect her. Although she had basic training, but over time the battle tactics faded away to computer skills. After a while they did come back to her, the important ones anyway.
"We're getting close." 626 whispered. 327 nodded. "Would you like to split up" We'd shorten the search time and have more luck." he suggested. 327 peered out of the doorway and into the next segregated area. "No, I'd rather stay with you." she pulled her head back in. "What do you suppose we do about the gaurds?" 327 asked. "Nothing, we waltz up there like we own the place. I they give us any gruff and try to dazzle us with thier weapons, we smoke'm." 626 said. 327 gave him a skeptical look. "Are you nuts?" "Nope." 626 grinned. 327 sighed. The blue experiemnt waved her over to the other side of the doorway.
626 looked out to asess the area. Two soldiers in heavy armor and supressive weapons stood at the top of the hundred or so steps, giving them a complete view of the area. Near the bottom was a gaurd tent with three privates with relatively powerless weapons. 626 figured he'd get some trouble out of the heavily armored ones at the top, but hey, he had his CH- 6.
62 motioned 327 to walk out slowly, they bot emmerged from the door way simultaneously. The soldiers at the bottom of the stairs acted predictably. They took up thier riffles and aimed them at him. "Who are you? What is you business here?" one asked. 626 stayed silent for a minute, that really bugged the soldiers. "Speak!" he yelled. A slight grin was all 626 could do. "Some call me Experiment number six hundred and twenty six. But you can put you weapons down and run." 626 said. "What seemes to be the problem?" asked a small radio on the pravate's shoulder, the voice was comming from one of the soldiers on the top of the stairs. "Seems 626 has shown up." he spoke into it. The radio spoke again, "Captain wants him dead. Kill him." The soldier nervously adjusted his grip on the riffle. He paused. "You can run, or die here." 626 told him flatly.
The privates nervously waited, they'd seen the tapes, what this thing could do. 626 still waited for a move. "You IDIOTS!" the radio shouted. "Now you're all dead!" the radio fuzzed. "Hit the dirt!" the private said, and rolled to the side. The ground before them was torn up with automatic fire from the gunners up the steps. 626 rolled to the side, shooting as he went. 327 rolled the opposite way, firing too. They both were covered by the safety of the huge statues on squared off rocks. The fire continued, except he was one gunner short, 327 had scored a hit on one. Now the loneyl support gunner sat up on the top of the steps, looking down, and trying to hit the two aliens.
626 occasionally stuck his Crytos out fired a few rounds. 327 was trying to get a good hit of the guy, but was failing miserably. "Give me a distraction and then I can hit him." 327 yelled over the fire. 626 nodded, and jumped out from behind the statue, firing aimlesssly up at the soldier.
The automatic fire now swung toward 626 who had presented him self as a target. Shots danced arround him as he was trying to dodge them. 327 went prone and aimed for the gunner. Her concentrated aim was paid off with a shot to the head, stunning the soldier and giving him a bruise he would never forget. "We should have rung off the alarm, shooting up the place like that." he said, suspecting something was up. "Now, let's get inside and find Jumba." 626 said, after conclusing that all the opposition was gone. "What about them?" 327 pointed to the soldiers cowering behind some rocks. "What about them." he said. "I don' have time to deal with them right now. The sooner we get Jumba the sooner we can leave." 626 pulled 327 toward the steps.
When the two experiments reached the top 626's question was answered. The huge doorway was blocked with a giant shield that nothing could get through, even sound. It was a clear view to the other side, where the generator for the shield sat. "Look for a window." 626 commanded. Both of them looked arround for several seconds before 327 spotted one. She pointed it out to 626, it was way up on the temple's cone shaped roof, on a steeple that looked to be falling apart. "We'll have to climb." 626 stated. "You up to it?" 327 turned to him and grinned. "Bet you I can make it up there first." she boasted. "Fine." 626 grinned in return. "Go."
327 though she had the head start when she caught the lip of an overhanging rock and flipped up several feet. She turned, half expecting 626 to be behind her. But she was worng, she looked up and saw him climbing faster than she could ever go. He reached the window and stopped, looking inside. "What is it?" 327 asked, noticing that he was staring camatosely. "It's a lab of some sort." he answered, looking down into it. 327 peered down too. She gasped, amidst the sea of equipment and the banks of computers moved scientists in biological hazard suits, alot of them. They mulled about a huge vat of something that was clearly maked as a bio hazzard. They all seemed pre-occupied, doing diferent things.
"A lab? In the middle of a millinium year old temple? Aren't labs supposed to be controlled environments?" 327 shot a barrage of questions. "I know." 626 said. "It is, they have the atmosphere fairly stable inside." 327 have him a skeptical look. "It is? They are making chemical weapons and they leave the window open. I don't call that stable." she remarked. "No, there's a pane of glass over the hole." he assured her, and ran his paw over the seemingly invisible sheet. 327 shivered, "I bet you this is one of Darfinis Maurader's doings. A chemical plant in the middle of nowhere." 626 nodded, "It probably is. He's bent on destruction or domination of the galaxy. It is the perfect place too, no prying eyes or media, like the facility on Chenadiss. Some one needs to intervene and gather evidence to give to the Council and bust him, or assassination might work. I won't always be here to destroy his stuff, to keep him from doing it." he told her.
327 took her eyes away from the window. "He had some pretty nasty stuff going on when I last hacked into his place. Besides, Jumba is down there somewhere, we have to go in." "First we have to decide, go in quietly. Or make a mess." 626 grinned. 327 rolled her eyes, "Let's try and get inside quietly, then when things get hairy we can get dirty." "Agreed." 626 said.
626 ran his claw in a circular motion over the pane of glass, effectively cutting it. He half expected it to fall inside the lab, instead it got pushed out and was followed by a phoosh of air. That meant the lab was presurized positively, more than the atmosphere on the planet. 626 let 327 go first, and reminded her to be quiet. He went through next, not before tossing the glass plate out into the jungle. The scientist were still working, oblivious to the danger approaching them from the roof.
Silently the two experiments crept over the white painted roof, hoping the scientists hoods covered the view of the ceiling. The air was full of chemical fumes that made the air thin and unwelcoming to the experiment's sensitive noses. Both tried to ignore it. Things went well, untill they got to the air lock at the bottom of the room. It was locked, and if they opened it, an alarm would sound. They had seconds to act before a scientist turned arround. 626 pointed out an air vent that ran along the top of the room and out to the other side.
626 backed the screws out with a claw and pulled the grate off the wall. He let 327 go and then backed up. He screwed the grate back on from the inside. "It's dusty." 327 whispered. "Don't sneeze." 626 said, moving to the other side of the vent. He repeated the process and closed the vent back up. 327, once outside the vent, breathed in fresh air, the vapors in that lab were starting to make her light headed. "We need to find Jumba." 626 announced. "We don't even know where to start." 327 protested. "We stick together and do a room by room search of the place. Sound ok?" 327 nodded.
* * *
"Are we sure he's here?" A tall female figure standing in the shadows asked. The voice was some what softspoken, but very firm and sure. "I'd be willing to stake my rank on that." a male voice interjected. Silence followed. "Captain Gantu, you have the council's permission to take whatever you need to capture 'Experiment 626' and Dr. Jookiba. Take soldiers, take armored divisions, take anything, but you need to stop 626 at all costs. He has been running throught the galaxy for nearly four months, unhindered by any attempt for capture. He levels anything he touches, Chenadiss, the space station orbting Turo, now you assure me he is in the chemical weapons factory down there. Unless I'm mistaken and he's down there for a tour of the facilities you'd better get some men down there and stop him." The Grand Council Woman said, spitefully. "The attempt to capture him last night failed, he is still down there."
"It would be better if I go down there alone and take experiment 626 for myself. He has neutralized soldiers, no matter what thier rank. He has passed squads of men undetected. If anyone should go down there it should be me." Gantu spoke, trying to get the Council Woman to calm down. "What makes you think you can take him single handedly, when, as you pointed out, he has been out numbered nearly one hundred to one and he has managed to turn the situation to his favor. What do you, one alien, have that can stop him when a whole amry can't?" she cut back. Gantu growled, "We have taken a permanent disliking for eachother."
"So now it's personal." she stated icily. "N-no, it was never personal.... to some extent. Yes it is. But regaurdless I will capture 626." Gantu said firmly. "I see. You'd be best to take my suggestion and get down there captian." The Council Woman turned and headded toward the exit. Gantu gave a weak salute and raced out to the docking bay.
* * *
Quite alot of time had passed since 327 and 626 made their way inside the temple. If you had the time to look arround and actually study the intricate engravings carved on the stone walls, and all the other magnificent works of art made by the occupants thousands of years before you would amazed at the sight. But they were in a hurry to find Jumba and get the hell outta dodge that the two hadn't the time to look. They had searched two levels of the temple and were approaching the end of the third, only one more after that.
626 ran along the stone floor, barely making any sound. He stopped behind a pillar and 327 ran past. He jumped out from behind it and passed a huge window that over looked the courtyard, he stopped. Out side in a different area of the garden was Jumba's red cruiser, in the adjoining area was a ship that had just set down, he felt a tingle in his head. Something told him that he'd seen that ship before, and it wasn't good. 327 had noticed he'd stopped and turned to see what was the matter. She, however, recognized the ship when she got to the window. "Gantu." she whispered venomously.
626 felt a weight drop inside when he heard 327 say that. Now he knew what it was that he was afraid of. He knew why Gantu was here, and he didn't like it. "Last level to search, then we can leave." 327 said urgently, tugging at him. 626 unshouldered his Crytos and ran up the spiral staircase that started right after the window.
The last and final area of the temple was huge, sitting under one of the enormous domes. Light seemed to pierce through the vaulted ceiling of the cone shaped roof, giving the area an unnatural glow. A raised stone alter with grooves cut into it was at the far end of the empty square room, probably a scarificial table. Shortly after the alter was a door where light came through, neither of the experiments knew, but it was a balcony that gave a full view of the area. Along one of the walls were barred cells for holding the victims, inside one sat a Dr. Jumba Jookiba.
The two experiments ran over to the cell. Jumba sat up as soon as he heard them. "I thought you'd never find me." he grinned. "No time for familiy ceceptions, Gantu is here, and you can bet he doesn't want a cup of tea." 626 told Jumba after he bent the bars and freed him. "Then we must leave. If we hurry, we can beat him before we get trapped up here." No one said anything, they just ran.
The three reached the main floor and were ready to leave. But they stopped, a scream froze them. It was a trapped female scream followed by a blood curdling growl. 626 immediately pointed in the general dirrection of the lab. Glass shattered, followed by at least thirty more cries for help. "Gantu?" 327 asked. 626 shook his head, "No, something else. It is back." "It?" Jumba echoed, confused. "Long story." 626 sighed, running off into the lab area. Jumba shrugged at 327 and both followed.
Whatever was going on behind the panes of glass was hidded with a red sheet of blood. 626 nocked out the glass, with that gone the screams became louder. Inside the previously peaceful lab was in chaos. Tables turned over, shards of glass all over the floor, chemicals mixing together and creating deadly gasses. Amidst the chaos ran a huge creature, cutting down anything in it's path. 626 recognized it as the beast from the previous night, obvoisly not dead as he suspected. The thing caught a bio-suited scientist and playfully threw him up into the air and let him drop, hitting the floor with a sickening crunch, then it jumped on the body, tearing open the side that was facing up.
626 jumped over the six inch barrier that held the pane of glass, some one needed to stop this thing. Jumba and 327 skidded to a hault when the saw the situation. Both turned and tried to find somewhere to hide. 626 moved slowly from table to table, trying to get behind the thing and give it what for. He moved arround the bigger pieces of glass, hoping not to knock into any of them. The boilogical agents, with the blood of the dead bodies, started pooling in the containing floor built to hold them inside the bio area and not sink into the grounds.
626 got close enough to get a good look at the dammage he'd done the other night. Besides some singed fur and a minor burn mark, the weapon did nothing else, visibly at least. He was in position, close enough to touch it, hiding behind a table. He leaned out on one knee and aimed. The thing moved from it's activity of shredding a body and looked up to smell, it took one good whiff and turned to exactly where 626 was. It let out a low growl and lunged.
626 had somehow frozen, he tried to pull the trigger, but couldn't. As soon as the thing jumped at him he moved, rolling through the pools of chemicals and prone on the floor. He then unleashed a barrage of rounds, straight at it's head. They did nothing but bounce off and take some fur with it. The beast was moving strangely, like it had a leg broken or something. 626 had no time but to move before he could really see what it was doing. Straight as a bull running toward a metator the thing ran, 626 had moved and it crashed into a table holding several large glass containers with variable liquids, sending them to the floor.
The beast came again, 626 dodged, and in getting more time to see what was up with the beast when it kept 'dancing' arround the place. He noticed that it was trying to avoid the pools of chemicals on the floor. Aparrently they had no effect on 626 who had already been drenched while prone on the floor. He began to knock over every table he saw, to increase the volume of agents. Now nearly the entire floor was covered, the beast was cornered. 626 shot every drum full of liquid he saw. The beast climbed up on the walls, but fell because they were covered in a resistant coating. Very soon the floor was completely covered, the beast moved to a raised area in the lab. It growled accusingly several times at 626.
"Gig's up. Just be a good dog and die like one." 626 grinned devilishly. He looked above the platform where it sat and saw what looked like a glass cover that looked like it was a cover for the platform. He traced the wires on the wall to a panel, he splashed through the poisins as he made his way there. The beast made an offensive-like growl, indicating that 626 was doing something he didn't like. "What?" 626 played. "Don't push this one? Ooops." he chuckled. The glass cage dropped down onto the beast, covering it. A mechanical click let 626 know that it was sealed to the floor.
Once trapped the beast began to slam the walls, trying to get out. 626 moved over to it. A small hole in the top made him grin. The beast followed 626's eyes to see what he was looking at, trying to see a way out. Meanwhile 626 was carying over a huge hose from a tank filled with chemicals.
*
After 626 was done with that he went to find out what happened to Jumba and 327. Both were behind a stack of boxes. They felt relieved when 626 found them. "Is it dead for real?" 327 asked. 626 nodded. "It won't be bothering anyone again." 327 breathed a sigh of relief. She and Jumba emmerged from thier hiding place. "I'm glad that's over." "Yeah, we need to go, Gantu could be here at any time." "Wait," Jumba cut in. "What is over? and What was that thing?" 626 ran off, leaving Jumba behind. "No time to talk." 327 said, "Run, the ship is outside in a garden area." she convinced him to move. Both ran in the general dirrection 626 had. "You will tell me about this later though." Jumba huffed, running wasn't one of his strong suits. 327 didn't bother to answer, she just ran.
They caught up with 626 who had slowed to a jog in order to let them do that. They neared the main entrance, where they could deactivate the shield and get to the ship. The group rounded the corner just in time to see a hope oblittering scene. Captain Gantu had just taken down the sheild and walked inside, the then proceded to raise it and pocket the remote.
626 brought all his guns to bear as the enormous alien turned to see them. An evil grin crossed the captain's face. "Ah, you have been waiting here for me. How good of you. Oh, I hope you weren't going to get out this way, it's locked." he sneered. "Lower the sheild and we won't hurt you." Jumba announced. Gantu laughed, "Ha, you think you can defeat me that easily? You thought wrong." "626, deal with him." Jumba said coldly. Gantu's smiled slacked off into a neutral grin.
The blue experiment stood stock still, gun still pointed at Gantu, unwavering. "626, you can wipe him from the face of this planet now." Jumba said, uneasily. 626 didn't answer or shoot, he was waiting for Gantu to make the first move. The captain's face returned to the confident smile, and crossed his arms. "So much for the ultimate fighting machine. Besides, your weapon would have no effect, my species has a hide that is as resistant to lasers as 626's supposedly is." Gantu stood steady, ready to move at a second's notice.
For a second 626 thought about using the Ch-6, but then though different, the area was too small and the collapse of the temple would surely result. He relaxed his grip on the riffles, and slowly let them sink to the ground, his expression along with it. Jumba was ready to protest, but thought he knew what 626 had in mind. 327 had no idea what was going on, she pulled her blasters and kept them at the ready.
Gantu moved foreward a gigantic step, he stopped only a few yards away from 626. "Come quietly, and that might sit well with the council..." He paused to let 626 shift position, and raise a gun. "Or go down with all guns blazing.." he pulled his gigantic blaster from it's holster at his side. 626 saw what he was doing. He fired a shot from the Ch-6.
The blue ball passed over Captain Gantu's head, who had barely any time to duck. "Ha! You missed." he yelled, and began to fire a barrage at 626 from his cannon-sized blaster. The stone tiles dissappeared from where 626 was standing, he'd rolled away too fast for Gantu to even notice. The ground started to shake slightly.
Gantu felt a heat on his back, he cringed and turned to see what it was. He was hit with a fair sized stone from the roof, then pummeled with fist sized rocks. He fell to the ground and was buried under a pile of falling stones. 626 had rolled behind a pillar on the side of the main hall. Gantu was now under the pile of debris and reaching the remote was impossible, the only way out now was to get to the roof and get the ship.
Jumba and his two experiments re-grouped behind a pillar, just in case Gantu decided to wake up anytime soon. "Well," 626 said. "The only way out now is up near the prison cells, some one get through a window and get the Cruiser and bring it to the balcony to pick the rest of us up." Jumba nodded, "I agree. I'm not going to try and fit my body out of a small window." he said, indicating his large figure. "Are you sure that is the only way out?" 327 asked. "I could go out one of the other windows closer to the gardens, and meet you up there." 626 suggested. "Alright, let's not waste time." Jumba started out from behind the pillar.
The three ran, 626 turned to see the pile of rubble that knocked out Gantu. He grinned upon seeing it. Then it started to move, and the hulking shark like alien underneath groaned. 'Time to go.' he reminded himself, and raced to catch up.
327 and Jumba were already nearing the flight of steps up to the sacrificial area in the roof. Instead of climbing the three flights of winding stairs and catching up to them, he grabbed hold of a pillar that went all the way up to the third floor and climbed up. He paused to look back to the floor, Gantu had recovered and was starting up the first flight, rubbing his head from the looks of it. They had to get to the ship fast, otherwise they would suffer the wrath of Gantu.
626 had no time to get out a window, Gantu was enraged and headed toward them at a blinding speed. He judged that there was no time to get through a window and get the ship to meet Jumba and 327 up on the balcony. He sped up the winding stairs, to the room where they rescued Jumba earlier.
"Trapped." Jumba announced after seeing 626 hadn't gone for the ship. "What are we going to do?" 327 looked arround nervously for an escape route. "We can make a stand and fight." 626 suggested, moving his C3 into a more comforatble position. "Considering Gantu is extra large and that the weapons I have are of no use against him, we'll have to improvise." He looked arround the room for a weapon readily available. Jumba moved to the balcony to see if there was any way they could escape.
626 had no luck in finding anything he could use, he would have to fight Gantu in hand to hand combat, a battle that could have been so predictable if it weren't for 626 unreal strenght. 327 and Jumba decided that it would be safer for him and 327 to move to a deserted cell and watch the fight from there.
Gantu pounded up the steps, his blaster drawn. It was a tight fit for him to go through the door at the top, but he made it anyway. He grinned when he saw 626 mid-way in the room, waiting for him in a fighter's stance. The large shark-like alien moved across the room, covering alot of ground in one huge step. He pulled a small pair of handcuffs from a pocket and tossed them across the room, they landed right in front of 626. "The Council would most likely lean toward leniency if you go quietly." Gantu said to 626. "But you're so predictable, it looks like a fight to the end. I will ask one more time, put down your fists and come quietly. If you don't comply, I will have to use force."
626 didn't move, he held the stance during the whole boring small talk. He was convinced that as soon as he was in the hand cuffs there was no telling what Gantu would do. He kicked them to the side and they hit the wall with a metallic clank. "So it begins." he muttered under his breath. "You dare defy me?" Gantu asked, partially alarmed. "You will regret ever being made, I'll send you back to the pits of hell where you came from." He raised the huge, cannon sized blaster and aimed for 626.
626 had seen this comming, any soldier from the council always would think with his gun and not plan for the best. That is why he stood with one foot behind him and the other in front. He jumped into the shot, it flew right over him, barely missing his barbs, which were now horizontal because his body was in defence. Gantu saw his miss and shot again, firmly believing that this fight could be won by conventoinal means. He missed again, and this time replied with a volley of shots, no one going in any peticular dirrection, just toward 626.
626 grinned between the shots, Gantu was getting aggrivated and loosing his head. He moved closer to the balcony, hoping Gantu would get within range so that 626 could throw him off.
Jumba partially wanted to leave 626 to fight Gantu, and sneak past them to the ground floor with 327 and go. He feared for his own life, and now he was ready to give up and sacrifice 626 for him. He didn't dare move, Gantu and 626 were all over the room, engaged in a mortal combat. 327 would also stay behind, she wouldn't leave 626 for any reason, thus he couldn't leave. So he was stuck in the small cell with 327 untill the victor arose, and he didn't like it.
Gantu started tiring fast, he was exerting all his energy just to keep away from 626, he didn't want to see what that little beast could do up close and personal. 626 was on the edge, ready to fall over from exaustion, but he pushed on, trying to get Gantu out of the way so they could escape. He knew if he failed and zonked out that all would be lost, and he would never see 327 again.
626 jumped from side to side, dodging the incomming fire. He noticed Gantu's gun was starting to overheat, he moved again, this time he tripped on a hole that the blaster left when it hit the floor. He quickly recovered before Gantu could make any opportunity out of it. He noticed the floor was looking pretty beat up from all the abuse, a small smile crossed his face. He whipped the C4 from his back and began to shoot at what looked like Gantu.
"Ha, nice try. Your gun is nothing, try all you want. You'll never bring me down like that." Gantu sneered and fired two more rounds. He noticed 626 was beginning to tire out, hopefull he would soon fall over from exaustion. He moved over a step to get out of the wildfire that 626 was laying. Although he wouldn't get hurt, it still stung like a beast. He watched 626 trace the shots over to his feet again. He moved again, while firing at him. 626 kept shooting at Gantu's feet, and he was getting aggrivated.
Ha, the plan was working. He kept firing at Gantu's feet. His Crytos was over heating, he hoped it would only take a few more seconds, then Gantu moved again. He cursed. He moved his fire again, this time he couldn't hear much, the noise of the gun was being drown out by something, a loud noise. He brushed it off as nothing and smiled at Gantu who was now 'dancing' between the rounds.
327 thought it was hopeless, 626 was going mad and shooting the floor up, that meant they only had for as long as the gun didn't break from excessive heat. She moved closer to Jumba, who looked down at her. "626 has something up his sleve, he'll get us out." Jumba said firmly. "I hope so..." 327 started to say something, but couldn't hear her words. A loud whirring noise filled the sacrificial later room.
Gantu stopped firing, 626 also followed suit. Thier attention was diverted to the deafaning noise that now was the main attraction of the minute. Gantu scratched his head and mumbled something, but no one heard it. 626 was trying his hardest to figure the noise out, but he was at a loss. All five looked toward the balcony, where it seemed to be comming from.
Slowly a huge red form rose out from below the balcony, it was monsterous, with a dome, shapped, head like appearnace. Then 626 breathed a sigh of relief when the black bordered wrap arround window came up, seemingly no one at the helm. Jumba's red cruiser hovered in mid air, the much hated 625 appeared in the window and said something which 626 read his lips as only one thing, 'I'm hungry.' He grinned a sight of relief.
Gantu stared dumbly, he hadn't any idea what was happening. 327 rushed to the balcony and leapt the distance to the cruiser. She landed on it and began to climb over to the hatch. An angered expression crossed Gantu's face, they were about to get away. The pink alien appeared at the helm and pushed 625 onto the floor, she turned the ship so that the wing was nearly touching the stone overhang of the balcony. Jumba saw this and grinned, "Hooray for 625!" he hooted and ran the distance between him and salvation.
"NO!" Gnatu howled, he lunged at 626 who's full attention was on the ship, he nearly made it too, except the floor gave way when he jumped. He now realized why the infernal 626 had been shooting the floor, he swore to get revenge. The stone fell, he tried to catch hold of something, the floor right behind 626. He succeded, the blue alien turned to him. "We win this round." he grinned. "See ya." he moved slowly to the ship.
626 did that just to remind Gantu how much he had failed, and then rubbed it in. He jumped from the temple onto the wing and turned to see Gantu's massive finger's clutching the edge, trying to get up. He was ready to enter the door to the ship, but Gantu had somehow pulled his upper body up from the hole, and aimed the deadly blaster at the ship, determined to brin git down. "Eat this." he mouthed to 626. He pulled the trigger just before she slipped down into the temple.
626 stared dumb founded, he tried to move, but so much adrenaline had been released during the fight, there was none left to help him here. He caught the shot right in the chest, the heat instantly burned his combat suit's triangular chest piece and the remaining area arround it. All his breath was pushed out with the impact and he was thrown into the couch on th eother side of the cruiser. The entire ship jolted from the impact. He was nearly ready to black out when 327 appeared in front of him.
"Gantu..." he coughed. "Shot one last time....tried to shoot the ship, but missed." he breathed heavily. "Are you all right?" 327 asked, after inspecting him for any external injuries. "Yea, I think so." 626 groaned as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. A metallic like liquid filled his mouth, he opened his mouth to spit, but id accidentally drooled out the side. 327 jumped back, "You're bleeding!" she exclaimed. 626 nodded, "But my tounge." he wiped it from his chin. He slowly reached up to touch his nose, blood also dribbled from it and into his mouth. "What a day." he mumbled. 327 hepled him pull the remainder of his suit off and carefully mopped up the blood arround his nose.
626 winced when he breathed in. "Think I broke a rib." he poked at his chest, he hit the spot and cringed. "Yeah, it's broken allright." 327 gave him a soft smile, "It will heal before tomorrow." she said confidently. "And thanks to 625 we're safe." That name brought question to 626. "How did he manage to start the ship and find us? Isn't he only concerned about his stomach, and what he's going to fill it with next?" "Yeah, he probably found a place somewhere deep in his disgusting fatty little heart where he actucally cares about us." 327 grinned. "Ah, whatever. At least we're safe, unless Gantu decides to get ideas and chase us. I'm going up to the cockpit." 626 stood up and slowly walked to the front, being careful not to aggrivate his rib. 327 helped him hobble up there.
Jumba was in the midsts of piloting the ship and giving 625 the credit he thought he deserved. 625 was taking it quite well, he had his hands on his hips and a heroic han-of-the-hour look upon his face. 626 eased himself into he co-pilot's chair and breathed a sigh of relief. Jumba took one look at 626, his batle uniform was gone, some of the hair in his chest was singed and his nose was bleeding. 625 couldn't stand the sight of blood, he slowly slinked off into the back. Jumba landed the huge red cruiser in the clearing where it was the night before, he shut off all the engines.
"What happened? You were fine before you came into the ship." Jumba asked alarmed. He set the timer for twenty minutes and swiveled his chair to face 626. "Gantu got one last shot off before he fell. I think I cracked a rib, its hurts whenever I breathe in." He told Jumba, pointing to the stop. "A rib? Most unlikely." Jumba touched the area, 626 pulled back in pain. "Hmmm...." he posed thoughtfully. "No mater, it will heal in a few hours anyway."
626 laid back in the seat, relieved to be there and not back in the temple. One thing lingered in his head though, a question that needed answering. He turned his head to see 327 come from the kitchen with a cup of tea. Jumba grabbed it from her and drank the contents and handed the empty cup back. "You can always get more." was his exuse. "Jumba, what exactly was 625 doing in the cruiser back there. I know he wasn't interested in saving us, or was he?" 626 asked.
"Probably not, as soon as we entered the ship he mumbled something about being hungry. Most likely he was just fooling arround." Jumba suggested. "But he knew where we were." "Coincinence maybe, or a lucky guess. He might have seen us go inside and heard the shots from the temple roof. Ask him if you really want to find out. But I'd rather not know what he was doing, there's probably something worng with the engine now."
"Or he was trying to win some respect, by doing something like that." 327 added, sitting a good distance away from Jumba so that he wouldn't nab her tea again. "Where is 625 anyway?" 626 asked. Jumba and 327 turned thier heads to the back, taking a short glance and hardly any effort was put into it. "Who cares, he out of our hair for now." Jumba concluded.
"Ok, another question. Where do we go from here. Zenon IV wasn't much of a secluded place, the Council found us there. Unless we disappeared for good they'll keep pursuing us untill the day we die. Personally I don't want to run forever." 626 said. "Neither do I," Jumba replied. "But it's thier move, we're stuck untill they do something. We have the entire Federation fleet above us, it's only a matter of time before they come down and overwhelm us."
"Why can't we escape, and run through the blockade?" 327 asked. "They'd be all over us before we can brake orbit. But I don't think that's going to happen." 626 figured. Jumba and 327 gave him far-out looks. "Why not?" the two said in unison. "Gantu has been persistant about catching us for himself, most likely for a promotion, or increase in rank. The fleet is just there to back him up. I'd say he will be back, that fall in the temple was nothing. I give him thirty minutes to find us after he gets out."
"You paint a pretty grim picutre, 626." Jumba groaned. "I am an evil genus, but not a combat tactician. Where to next?. I am trusting you will make the best descision." "Me?" 626 asked suprized, "I don't know. I've never been put in a spot like this before, I mean, I usually make my own descisions, but they aren't as important as this. If you really want my honest opinion, I think we should ge back to Turo, It's the last place they'll look. Also it might be the only other place that I can say I really know."
"You might be right, you might be wrong. But it's looking like our only choice. 327 do you have any comment on this, what you think?" Jumba turned his attention to the pink experiment. "I really can't say no...can I?" she hesitated, choosing her words carefully. Jumba shook his head, "Not really, but other suggestions help."
"Suggestions you want now, is it?" 625's voice floated from the kitchen. He moved closer to the cockpit so he didn't have to yell. "Why not take 626 and have him take over the entire planet of Turo. Ya` know, kill everyone and make it our planet, then slowly go out and conquer everything. Soon there will be nothing left to oppose us. Problem solved."
Upon hearing this, 626 scooted farther from 327 in the cockpit chair, trying to make himself smaller. He didn't like the sound of what 625 said. He shifted uneasily in the chair, trying not to draw attention. Jumba gave a dishearted smile. "Uh, not the best course of action. Highly impractical, and at the most, impossible. But if he's up for it it could be done."
626 felt eyes upon him. He was trying not to shake, but did anyway. "No, I don't feel up to it. I really don't think I can even. Hiding on Turo would be the best thing to do anyway." Jumba nodded. "626's logic is good. Turo it is." he started the huge cruiser and intiated the lift off squence by flipping the switches and turning several dials in a blindingly fast manner. The cruiser hovered above the ground momentarily before tearing up the air and speeding out into the atmosphere.
The ship gained speed, hopefully to blow right by the blockade of star cruisers. They were all prepared for the worst, bracing themselves against anything they could hold onto. But Jumba and his experiments were stunned at the sight as they exited into space. "They're gone!" 327 observed. "Yes." Jumba said causticly. "But to where." 626 switched his vision into infrared and scanned the area, nothing but the icy cold black of space. "I don't see anything in a different spectrum of light, we're clear." he gaves the thumbs up. "Alright," Jumba punched in the legnthy code for Turo. "Hold on, sub-space in three... two... one." He pulled the handle down and the ship tore through the endless void at a speed previously uncharted by any standard.
The giant temple was two large sanctuaries, set diagonal to eachother. A crumbling stone wall bordered them, stretching far out into the jungle, where over time had grown over the well kept gardens and ponds. Only the inner walls of the sanctum were left in fairly decent order, keeping the jungle at bay for thousands of years. A series of high walled yards and weeded gardens were the main structure of the inner sanctum, each a maze leading to the main temple with thier own stone pathways leading into it.
This was it. The end was nearing. Jumba was down inside the old temple, probably hidden inside some old room with bars baracading him from getting out. 626 and 327 were hell bent on getting him out, 625 was also down there, but both of them had thier doubts about getting him out. They decided not to look for him, they would only rescue him if he was in thier line of sight.
626 landed the cruiser carefully in a gigantic stone courtyard on the east side of the temple. They would need the ship to get off the planet later on. Aside from leveling everything in his path 626 saw no reason for extensive planning. He grabbed his Crytos and the CH-6, he didn't need anything else he'd grown adapt to the two monsterous weapons, using each of them in thier own deadly way to the most efficient manner. 327 had two Federation standard blasters, both set on stun. They lowered the docking bay doors, hoping to recieve a cold reception, but the yard was empty.
Talk was scarce, neither 327 or 626 dared to talk, they just covered thier own backs and moved slowly from walled garden to walled garden. 327 sturgled to comprehend the military signs that 626 used to dirrect her. Although she had basic training, but over time the battle tactics faded away to computer skills. After a while they did come back to her, the important ones anyway.
"We're getting close." 626 whispered. 327 nodded. "Would you like to split up" We'd shorten the search time and have more luck." he suggested. 327 peered out of the doorway and into the next segregated area. "No, I'd rather stay with you." she pulled her head back in. "What do you suppose we do about the gaurds?" 327 asked. "Nothing, we waltz up there like we own the place. I they give us any gruff and try to dazzle us with thier weapons, we smoke'm." 626 said. 327 gave him a skeptical look. "Are you nuts?" "Nope." 626 grinned. 327 sighed. The blue experiemnt waved her over to the other side of the doorway.
626 looked out to asess the area. Two soldiers in heavy armor and supressive weapons stood at the top of the hundred or so steps, giving them a complete view of the area. Near the bottom was a gaurd tent with three privates with relatively powerless weapons. 626 figured he'd get some trouble out of the heavily armored ones at the top, but hey, he had his CH- 6.
62 motioned 327 to walk out slowly, they bot emmerged from the door way simultaneously. The soldiers at the bottom of the stairs acted predictably. They took up thier riffles and aimed them at him. "Who are you? What is you business here?" one asked. 626 stayed silent for a minute, that really bugged the soldiers. "Speak!" he yelled. A slight grin was all 626 could do. "Some call me Experiment number six hundred and twenty six. But you can put you weapons down and run." 626 said. "What seemes to be the problem?" asked a small radio on the pravate's shoulder, the voice was comming from one of the soldiers on the top of the stairs. "Seems 626 has shown up." he spoke into it. The radio spoke again, "Captain wants him dead. Kill him." The soldier nervously adjusted his grip on the riffle. He paused. "You can run, or die here." 626 told him flatly.
The privates nervously waited, they'd seen the tapes, what this thing could do. 626 still waited for a move. "You IDIOTS!" the radio shouted. "Now you're all dead!" the radio fuzzed. "Hit the dirt!" the private said, and rolled to the side. The ground before them was torn up with automatic fire from the gunners up the steps. 626 rolled to the side, shooting as he went. 327 rolled the opposite way, firing too. They both were covered by the safety of the huge statues on squared off rocks. The fire continued, except he was one gunner short, 327 had scored a hit on one. Now the loneyl support gunner sat up on the top of the steps, looking down, and trying to hit the two aliens.
626 occasionally stuck his Crytos out fired a few rounds. 327 was trying to get a good hit of the guy, but was failing miserably. "Give me a distraction and then I can hit him." 327 yelled over the fire. 626 nodded, and jumped out from behind the statue, firing aimlesssly up at the soldier.
The automatic fire now swung toward 626 who had presented him self as a target. Shots danced arround him as he was trying to dodge them. 327 went prone and aimed for the gunner. Her concentrated aim was paid off with a shot to the head, stunning the soldier and giving him a bruise he would never forget. "We should have rung off the alarm, shooting up the place like that." he said, suspecting something was up. "Now, let's get inside and find Jumba." 626 said, after conclusing that all the opposition was gone. "What about them?" 327 pointed to the soldiers cowering behind some rocks. "What about them." he said. "I don' have time to deal with them right now. The sooner we get Jumba the sooner we can leave." 626 pulled 327 toward the steps.
When the two experiments reached the top 626's question was answered. The huge doorway was blocked with a giant shield that nothing could get through, even sound. It was a clear view to the other side, where the generator for the shield sat. "Look for a window." 626 commanded. Both of them looked arround for several seconds before 327 spotted one. She pointed it out to 626, it was way up on the temple's cone shaped roof, on a steeple that looked to be falling apart. "We'll have to climb." 626 stated. "You up to it?" 327 turned to him and grinned. "Bet you I can make it up there first." she boasted. "Fine." 626 grinned in return. "Go."
327 though she had the head start when she caught the lip of an overhanging rock and flipped up several feet. She turned, half expecting 626 to be behind her. But she was worng, she looked up and saw him climbing faster than she could ever go. He reached the window and stopped, looking inside. "What is it?" 327 asked, noticing that he was staring camatosely. "It's a lab of some sort." he answered, looking down into it. 327 peered down too. She gasped, amidst the sea of equipment and the banks of computers moved scientists in biological hazard suits, alot of them. They mulled about a huge vat of something that was clearly maked as a bio hazzard. They all seemed pre-occupied, doing diferent things.
"A lab? In the middle of a millinium year old temple? Aren't labs supposed to be controlled environments?" 327 shot a barrage of questions. "I know." 626 said. "It is, they have the atmosphere fairly stable inside." 327 have him a skeptical look. "It is? They are making chemical weapons and they leave the window open. I don't call that stable." she remarked. "No, there's a pane of glass over the hole." he assured her, and ran his paw over the seemingly invisible sheet. 327 shivered, "I bet you this is one of Darfinis Maurader's doings. A chemical plant in the middle of nowhere." 626 nodded, "It probably is. He's bent on destruction or domination of the galaxy. It is the perfect place too, no prying eyes or media, like the facility on Chenadiss. Some one needs to intervene and gather evidence to give to the Council and bust him, or assassination might work. I won't always be here to destroy his stuff, to keep him from doing it." he told her.
327 took her eyes away from the window. "He had some pretty nasty stuff going on when I last hacked into his place. Besides, Jumba is down there somewhere, we have to go in." "First we have to decide, go in quietly. Or make a mess." 626 grinned. 327 rolled her eyes, "Let's try and get inside quietly, then when things get hairy we can get dirty." "Agreed." 626 said.
626 ran his claw in a circular motion over the pane of glass, effectively cutting it. He half expected it to fall inside the lab, instead it got pushed out and was followed by a phoosh of air. That meant the lab was presurized positively, more than the atmosphere on the planet. 626 let 327 go first, and reminded her to be quiet. He went through next, not before tossing the glass plate out into the jungle. The scientist were still working, oblivious to the danger approaching them from the roof.
Silently the two experiments crept over the white painted roof, hoping the scientists hoods covered the view of the ceiling. The air was full of chemical fumes that made the air thin and unwelcoming to the experiment's sensitive noses. Both tried to ignore it. Things went well, untill they got to the air lock at the bottom of the room. It was locked, and if they opened it, an alarm would sound. They had seconds to act before a scientist turned arround. 626 pointed out an air vent that ran along the top of the room and out to the other side.
626 backed the screws out with a claw and pulled the grate off the wall. He let 327 go and then backed up. He screwed the grate back on from the inside. "It's dusty." 327 whispered. "Don't sneeze." 626 said, moving to the other side of the vent. He repeated the process and closed the vent back up. 327, once outside the vent, breathed in fresh air, the vapors in that lab were starting to make her light headed. "We need to find Jumba." 626 announced. "We don't even know where to start." 327 protested. "We stick together and do a room by room search of the place. Sound ok?" 327 nodded.
* * *
"Are we sure he's here?" A tall female figure standing in the shadows asked. The voice was some what softspoken, but very firm and sure. "I'd be willing to stake my rank on that." a male voice interjected. Silence followed. "Captain Gantu, you have the council's permission to take whatever you need to capture 'Experiment 626' and Dr. Jookiba. Take soldiers, take armored divisions, take anything, but you need to stop 626 at all costs. He has been running throught the galaxy for nearly four months, unhindered by any attempt for capture. He levels anything he touches, Chenadiss, the space station orbting Turo, now you assure me he is in the chemical weapons factory down there. Unless I'm mistaken and he's down there for a tour of the facilities you'd better get some men down there and stop him." The Grand Council Woman said, spitefully. "The attempt to capture him last night failed, he is still down there."
"It would be better if I go down there alone and take experiment 626 for myself. He has neutralized soldiers, no matter what thier rank. He has passed squads of men undetected. If anyone should go down there it should be me." Gantu spoke, trying to get the Council Woman to calm down. "What makes you think you can take him single handedly, when, as you pointed out, he has been out numbered nearly one hundred to one and he has managed to turn the situation to his favor. What do you, one alien, have that can stop him when a whole amry can't?" she cut back. Gantu growled, "We have taken a permanent disliking for eachother."
"So now it's personal." she stated icily. "N-no, it was never personal.... to some extent. Yes it is. But regaurdless I will capture 626." Gantu said firmly. "I see. You'd be best to take my suggestion and get down there captian." The Council Woman turned and headded toward the exit. Gantu gave a weak salute and raced out to the docking bay.
* * *
Quite alot of time had passed since 327 and 626 made their way inside the temple. If you had the time to look arround and actually study the intricate engravings carved on the stone walls, and all the other magnificent works of art made by the occupants thousands of years before you would amazed at the sight. But they were in a hurry to find Jumba and get the hell outta dodge that the two hadn't the time to look. They had searched two levels of the temple and were approaching the end of the third, only one more after that.
626 ran along the stone floor, barely making any sound. He stopped behind a pillar and 327 ran past. He jumped out from behind it and passed a huge window that over looked the courtyard, he stopped. Out side in a different area of the garden was Jumba's red cruiser, in the adjoining area was a ship that had just set down, he felt a tingle in his head. Something told him that he'd seen that ship before, and it wasn't good. 327 had noticed he'd stopped and turned to see what was the matter. She, however, recognized the ship when she got to the window. "Gantu." she whispered venomously.
626 felt a weight drop inside when he heard 327 say that. Now he knew what it was that he was afraid of. He knew why Gantu was here, and he didn't like it. "Last level to search, then we can leave." 327 said urgently, tugging at him. 626 unshouldered his Crytos and ran up the spiral staircase that started right after the window.
The last and final area of the temple was huge, sitting under one of the enormous domes. Light seemed to pierce through the vaulted ceiling of the cone shaped roof, giving the area an unnatural glow. A raised stone alter with grooves cut into it was at the far end of the empty square room, probably a scarificial table. Shortly after the alter was a door where light came through, neither of the experiments knew, but it was a balcony that gave a full view of the area. Along one of the walls were barred cells for holding the victims, inside one sat a Dr. Jumba Jookiba.
The two experiments ran over to the cell. Jumba sat up as soon as he heard them. "I thought you'd never find me." he grinned. "No time for familiy ceceptions, Gantu is here, and you can bet he doesn't want a cup of tea." 626 told Jumba after he bent the bars and freed him. "Then we must leave. If we hurry, we can beat him before we get trapped up here." No one said anything, they just ran.
The three reached the main floor and were ready to leave. But they stopped, a scream froze them. It was a trapped female scream followed by a blood curdling growl. 626 immediately pointed in the general dirrection of the lab. Glass shattered, followed by at least thirty more cries for help. "Gantu?" 327 asked. 626 shook his head, "No, something else. It is back." "It?" Jumba echoed, confused. "Long story." 626 sighed, running off into the lab area. Jumba shrugged at 327 and both followed.
Whatever was going on behind the panes of glass was hidded with a red sheet of blood. 626 nocked out the glass, with that gone the screams became louder. Inside the previously peaceful lab was in chaos. Tables turned over, shards of glass all over the floor, chemicals mixing together and creating deadly gasses. Amidst the chaos ran a huge creature, cutting down anything in it's path. 626 recognized it as the beast from the previous night, obvoisly not dead as he suspected. The thing caught a bio-suited scientist and playfully threw him up into the air and let him drop, hitting the floor with a sickening crunch, then it jumped on the body, tearing open the side that was facing up.
626 jumped over the six inch barrier that held the pane of glass, some one needed to stop this thing. Jumba and 327 skidded to a hault when the saw the situation. Both turned and tried to find somewhere to hide. 626 moved slowly from table to table, trying to get behind the thing and give it what for. He moved arround the bigger pieces of glass, hoping not to knock into any of them. The boilogical agents, with the blood of the dead bodies, started pooling in the containing floor built to hold them inside the bio area and not sink into the grounds.
626 got close enough to get a good look at the dammage he'd done the other night. Besides some singed fur and a minor burn mark, the weapon did nothing else, visibly at least. He was in position, close enough to touch it, hiding behind a table. He leaned out on one knee and aimed. The thing moved from it's activity of shredding a body and looked up to smell, it took one good whiff and turned to exactly where 626 was. It let out a low growl and lunged.
626 had somehow frozen, he tried to pull the trigger, but couldn't. As soon as the thing jumped at him he moved, rolling through the pools of chemicals and prone on the floor. He then unleashed a barrage of rounds, straight at it's head. They did nothing but bounce off and take some fur with it. The beast was moving strangely, like it had a leg broken or something. 626 had no time but to move before he could really see what it was doing. Straight as a bull running toward a metator the thing ran, 626 had moved and it crashed into a table holding several large glass containers with variable liquids, sending them to the floor.
The beast came again, 626 dodged, and in getting more time to see what was up with the beast when it kept 'dancing' arround the place. He noticed that it was trying to avoid the pools of chemicals on the floor. Aparrently they had no effect on 626 who had already been drenched while prone on the floor. He began to knock over every table he saw, to increase the volume of agents. Now nearly the entire floor was covered, the beast was cornered. 626 shot every drum full of liquid he saw. The beast climbed up on the walls, but fell because they were covered in a resistant coating. Very soon the floor was completely covered, the beast moved to a raised area in the lab. It growled accusingly several times at 626.
"Gig's up. Just be a good dog and die like one." 626 grinned devilishly. He looked above the platform where it sat and saw what looked like a glass cover that looked like it was a cover for the platform. He traced the wires on the wall to a panel, he splashed through the poisins as he made his way there. The beast made an offensive-like growl, indicating that 626 was doing something he didn't like. "What?" 626 played. "Don't push this one? Ooops." he chuckled. The glass cage dropped down onto the beast, covering it. A mechanical click let 626 know that it was sealed to the floor.
Once trapped the beast began to slam the walls, trying to get out. 626 moved over to it. A small hole in the top made him grin. The beast followed 626's eyes to see what he was looking at, trying to see a way out. Meanwhile 626 was carying over a huge hose from a tank filled with chemicals.
*
After 626 was done with that he went to find out what happened to Jumba and 327. Both were behind a stack of boxes. They felt relieved when 626 found them. "Is it dead for real?" 327 asked. 626 nodded. "It won't be bothering anyone again." 327 breathed a sigh of relief. She and Jumba emmerged from thier hiding place. "I'm glad that's over." "Yeah, we need to go, Gantu could be here at any time." "Wait," Jumba cut in. "What is over? and What was that thing?" 626 ran off, leaving Jumba behind. "No time to talk." 327 said, "Run, the ship is outside in a garden area." she convinced him to move. Both ran in the general dirrection 626 had. "You will tell me about this later though." Jumba huffed, running wasn't one of his strong suits. 327 didn't bother to answer, she just ran.
They caught up with 626 who had slowed to a jog in order to let them do that. They neared the main entrance, where they could deactivate the shield and get to the ship. The group rounded the corner just in time to see a hope oblittering scene. Captain Gantu had just taken down the sheild and walked inside, the then proceded to raise it and pocket the remote.
626 brought all his guns to bear as the enormous alien turned to see them. An evil grin crossed the captain's face. "Ah, you have been waiting here for me. How good of you. Oh, I hope you weren't going to get out this way, it's locked." he sneered. "Lower the sheild and we won't hurt you." Jumba announced. Gantu laughed, "Ha, you think you can defeat me that easily? You thought wrong." "626, deal with him." Jumba said coldly. Gantu's smiled slacked off into a neutral grin.
The blue experiment stood stock still, gun still pointed at Gantu, unwavering. "626, you can wipe him from the face of this planet now." Jumba said, uneasily. 626 didn't answer or shoot, he was waiting for Gantu to make the first move. The captain's face returned to the confident smile, and crossed his arms. "So much for the ultimate fighting machine. Besides, your weapon would have no effect, my species has a hide that is as resistant to lasers as 626's supposedly is." Gantu stood steady, ready to move at a second's notice.
For a second 626 thought about using the Ch-6, but then though different, the area was too small and the collapse of the temple would surely result. He relaxed his grip on the riffles, and slowly let them sink to the ground, his expression along with it. Jumba was ready to protest, but thought he knew what 626 had in mind. 327 had no idea what was going on, she pulled her blasters and kept them at the ready.
Gantu moved foreward a gigantic step, he stopped only a few yards away from 626. "Come quietly, and that might sit well with the council..." He paused to let 626 shift position, and raise a gun. "Or go down with all guns blazing.." he pulled his gigantic blaster from it's holster at his side. 626 saw what he was doing. He fired a shot from the Ch-6.
The blue ball passed over Captain Gantu's head, who had barely any time to duck. "Ha! You missed." he yelled, and began to fire a barrage at 626 from his cannon-sized blaster. The stone tiles dissappeared from where 626 was standing, he'd rolled away too fast for Gantu to even notice. The ground started to shake slightly.
Gantu felt a heat on his back, he cringed and turned to see what it was. He was hit with a fair sized stone from the roof, then pummeled with fist sized rocks. He fell to the ground and was buried under a pile of falling stones. 626 had rolled behind a pillar on the side of the main hall. Gantu was now under the pile of debris and reaching the remote was impossible, the only way out now was to get to the roof and get the ship.
Jumba and his two experiments re-grouped behind a pillar, just in case Gantu decided to wake up anytime soon. "Well," 626 said. "The only way out now is up near the prison cells, some one get through a window and get the Cruiser and bring it to the balcony to pick the rest of us up." Jumba nodded, "I agree. I'm not going to try and fit my body out of a small window." he said, indicating his large figure. "Are you sure that is the only way out?" 327 asked. "I could go out one of the other windows closer to the gardens, and meet you up there." 626 suggested. "Alright, let's not waste time." Jumba started out from behind the pillar.
The three ran, 626 turned to see the pile of rubble that knocked out Gantu. He grinned upon seeing it. Then it started to move, and the hulking shark like alien underneath groaned. 'Time to go.' he reminded himself, and raced to catch up.
327 and Jumba were already nearing the flight of steps up to the sacrificial area in the roof. Instead of climbing the three flights of winding stairs and catching up to them, he grabbed hold of a pillar that went all the way up to the third floor and climbed up. He paused to look back to the floor, Gantu had recovered and was starting up the first flight, rubbing his head from the looks of it. They had to get to the ship fast, otherwise they would suffer the wrath of Gantu.
626 had no time to get out a window, Gantu was enraged and headed toward them at a blinding speed. He judged that there was no time to get through a window and get the ship to meet Jumba and 327 up on the balcony. He sped up the winding stairs, to the room where they rescued Jumba earlier.
"Trapped." Jumba announced after seeing 626 hadn't gone for the ship. "What are we going to do?" 327 looked arround nervously for an escape route. "We can make a stand and fight." 626 suggested, moving his C3 into a more comforatble position. "Considering Gantu is extra large and that the weapons I have are of no use against him, we'll have to improvise." He looked arround the room for a weapon readily available. Jumba moved to the balcony to see if there was any way they could escape.
626 had no luck in finding anything he could use, he would have to fight Gantu in hand to hand combat, a battle that could have been so predictable if it weren't for 626 unreal strenght. 327 and Jumba decided that it would be safer for him and 327 to move to a deserted cell and watch the fight from there.
Gantu pounded up the steps, his blaster drawn. It was a tight fit for him to go through the door at the top, but he made it anyway. He grinned when he saw 626 mid-way in the room, waiting for him in a fighter's stance. The large shark-like alien moved across the room, covering alot of ground in one huge step. He pulled a small pair of handcuffs from a pocket and tossed them across the room, they landed right in front of 626. "The Council would most likely lean toward leniency if you go quietly." Gantu said to 626. "But you're so predictable, it looks like a fight to the end. I will ask one more time, put down your fists and come quietly. If you don't comply, I will have to use force."
626 didn't move, he held the stance during the whole boring small talk. He was convinced that as soon as he was in the hand cuffs there was no telling what Gantu would do. He kicked them to the side and they hit the wall with a metallic clank. "So it begins." he muttered under his breath. "You dare defy me?" Gantu asked, partially alarmed. "You will regret ever being made, I'll send you back to the pits of hell where you came from." He raised the huge, cannon sized blaster and aimed for 626.
626 had seen this comming, any soldier from the council always would think with his gun and not plan for the best. That is why he stood with one foot behind him and the other in front. He jumped into the shot, it flew right over him, barely missing his barbs, which were now horizontal because his body was in defence. Gantu saw his miss and shot again, firmly believing that this fight could be won by conventoinal means. He missed again, and this time replied with a volley of shots, no one going in any peticular dirrection, just toward 626.
626 grinned between the shots, Gantu was getting aggrivated and loosing his head. He moved closer to the balcony, hoping Gantu would get within range so that 626 could throw him off.
Jumba partially wanted to leave 626 to fight Gantu, and sneak past them to the ground floor with 327 and go. He feared for his own life, and now he was ready to give up and sacrifice 626 for him. He didn't dare move, Gantu and 626 were all over the room, engaged in a mortal combat. 327 would also stay behind, she wouldn't leave 626 for any reason, thus he couldn't leave. So he was stuck in the small cell with 327 untill the victor arose, and he didn't like it.
Gantu started tiring fast, he was exerting all his energy just to keep away from 626, he didn't want to see what that little beast could do up close and personal. 626 was on the edge, ready to fall over from exaustion, but he pushed on, trying to get Gantu out of the way so they could escape. He knew if he failed and zonked out that all would be lost, and he would never see 327 again.
626 jumped from side to side, dodging the incomming fire. He noticed Gantu's gun was starting to overheat, he moved again, this time he tripped on a hole that the blaster left when it hit the floor. He quickly recovered before Gantu could make any opportunity out of it. He noticed the floor was looking pretty beat up from all the abuse, a small smile crossed his face. He whipped the C4 from his back and began to shoot at what looked like Gantu.
"Ha, nice try. Your gun is nothing, try all you want. You'll never bring me down like that." Gantu sneered and fired two more rounds. He noticed 626 was beginning to tire out, hopefull he would soon fall over from exaustion. He moved over a step to get out of the wildfire that 626 was laying. Although he wouldn't get hurt, it still stung like a beast. He watched 626 trace the shots over to his feet again. He moved again, while firing at him. 626 kept shooting at Gantu's feet, and he was getting aggrivated.
Ha, the plan was working. He kept firing at Gantu's feet. His Crytos was over heating, he hoped it would only take a few more seconds, then Gantu moved again. He cursed. He moved his fire again, this time he couldn't hear much, the noise of the gun was being drown out by something, a loud noise. He brushed it off as nothing and smiled at Gantu who was now 'dancing' between the rounds.
327 thought it was hopeless, 626 was going mad and shooting the floor up, that meant they only had for as long as the gun didn't break from excessive heat. She moved closer to Jumba, who looked down at her. "626 has something up his sleve, he'll get us out." Jumba said firmly. "I hope so..." 327 started to say something, but couldn't hear her words. A loud whirring noise filled the sacrificial later room.
Gantu stopped firing, 626 also followed suit. Thier attention was diverted to the deafaning noise that now was the main attraction of the minute. Gantu scratched his head and mumbled something, but no one heard it. 626 was trying his hardest to figure the noise out, but he was at a loss. All five looked toward the balcony, where it seemed to be comming from.
Slowly a huge red form rose out from below the balcony, it was monsterous, with a dome, shapped, head like appearnace. Then 626 breathed a sigh of relief when the black bordered wrap arround window came up, seemingly no one at the helm. Jumba's red cruiser hovered in mid air, the much hated 625 appeared in the window and said something which 626 read his lips as only one thing, 'I'm hungry.' He grinned a sight of relief.
Gantu stared dumbly, he hadn't any idea what was happening. 327 rushed to the balcony and leapt the distance to the cruiser. She landed on it and began to climb over to the hatch. An angered expression crossed Gantu's face, they were about to get away. The pink alien appeared at the helm and pushed 625 onto the floor, she turned the ship so that the wing was nearly touching the stone overhang of the balcony. Jumba saw this and grinned, "Hooray for 625!" he hooted and ran the distance between him and salvation.
"NO!" Gnatu howled, he lunged at 626 who's full attention was on the ship, he nearly made it too, except the floor gave way when he jumped. He now realized why the infernal 626 had been shooting the floor, he swore to get revenge. The stone fell, he tried to catch hold of something, the floor right behind 626. He succeded, the blue alien turned to him. "We win this round." he grinned. "See ya." he moved slowly to the ship.
626 did that just to remind Gantu how much he had failed, and then rubbed it in. He jumped from the temple onto the wing and turned to see Gantu's massive finger's clutching the edge, trying to get up. He was ready to enter the door to the ship, but Gantu had somehow pulled his upper body up from the hole, and aimed the deadly blaster at the ship, determined to brin git down. "Eat this." he mouthed to 626. He pulled the trigger just before she slipped down into the temple.
626 stared dumb founded, he tried to move, but so much adrenaline had been released during the fight, there was none left to help him here. He caught the shot right in the chest, the heat instantly burned his combat suit's triangular chest piece and the remaining area arround it. All his breath was pushed out with the impact and he was thrown into the couch on th eother side of the cruiser. The entire ship jolted from the impact. He was nearly ready to black out when 327 appeared in front of him.
"Gantu..." he coughed. "Shot one last time....tried to shoot the ship, but missed." he breathed heavily. "Are you all right?" 327 asked, after inspecting him for any external injuries. "Yea, I think so." 626 groaned as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. A metallic like liquid filled his mouth, he opened his mouth to spit, but id accidentally drooled out the side. 327 jumped back, "You're bleeding!" she exclaimed. 626 nodded, "But my tounge." he wiped it from his chin. He slowly reached up to touch his nose, blood also dribbled from it and into his mouth. "What a day." he mumbled. 327 hepled him pull the remainder of his suit off and carefully mopped up the blood arround his nose.
626 winced when he breathed in. "Think I broke a rib." he poked at his chest, he hit the spot and cringed. "Yeah, it's broken allright." 327 gave him a soft smile, "It will heal before tomorrow." she said confidently. "And thanks to 625 we're safe." That name brought question to 626. "How did he manage to start the ship and find us? Isn't he only concerned about his stomach, and what he's going to fill it with next?" "Yeah, he probably found a place somewhere deep in his disgusting fatty little heart where he actucally cares about us." 327 grinned. "Ah, whatever. At least we're safe, unless Gantu decides to get ideas and chase us. I'm going up to the cockpit." 626 stood up and slowly walked to the front, being careful not to aggrivate his rib. 327 helped him hobble up there.
Jumba was in the midsts of piloting the ship and giving 625 the credit he thought he deserved. 625 was taking it quite well, he had his hands on his hips and a heroic han-of-the-hour look upon his face. 626 eased himself into he co-pilot's chair and breathed a sigh of relief. Jumba took one look at 626, his batle uniform was gone, some of the hair in his chest was singed and his nose was bleeding. 625 couldn't stand the sight of blood, he slowly slinked off into the back. Jumba landed the huge red cruiser in the clearing where it was the night before, he shut off all the engines.
"What happened? You were fine before you came into the ship." Jumba asked alarmed. He set the timer for twenty minutes and swiveled his chair to face 626. "Gantu got one last shot off before he fell. I think I cracked a rib, its hurts whenever I breathe in." He told Jumba, pointing to the stop. "A rib? Most unlikely." Jumba touched the area, 626 pulled back in pain. "Hmmm...." he posed thoughtfully. "No mater, it will heal in a few hours anyway."
626 laid back in the seat, relieved to be there and not back in the temple. One thing lingered in his head though, a question that needed answering. He turned his head to see 327 come from the kitchen with a cup of tea. Jumba grabbed it from her and drank the contents and handed the empty cup back. "You can always get more." was his exuse. "Jumba, what exactly was 625 doing in the cruiser back there. I know he wasn't interested in saving us, or was he?" 626 asked.
"Probably not, as soon as we entered the ship he mumbled something about being hungry. Most likely he was just fooling arround." Jumba suggested. "But he knew where we were." "Coincinence maybe, or a lucky guess. He might have seen us go inside and heard the shots from the temple roof. Ask him if you really want to find out. But I'd rather not know what he was doing, there's probably something worng with the engine now."
"Or he was trying to win some respect, by doing something like that." 327 added, sitting a good distance away from Jumba so that he wouldn't nab her tea again. "Where is 625 anyway?" 626 asked. Jumba and 327 turned thier heads to the back, taking a short glance and hardly any effort was put into it. "Who cares, he out of our hair for now." Jumba concluded.
"Ok, another question. Where do we go from here. Zenon IV wasn't much of a secluded place, the Council found us there. Unless we disappeared for good they'll keep pursuing us untill the day we die. Personally I don't want to run forever." 626 said. "Neither do I," Jumba replied. "But it's thier move, we're stuck untill they do something. We have the entire Federation fleet above us, it's only a matter of time before they come down and overwhelm us."
"Why can't we escape, and run through the blockade?" 327 asked. "They'd be all over us before we can brake orbit. But I don't think that's going to happen." 626 figured. Jumba and 327 gave him far-out looks. "Why not?" the two said in unison. "Gantu has been persistant about catching us for himself, most likely for a promotion, or increase in rank. The fleet is just there to back him up. I'd say he will be back, that fall in the temple was nothing. I give him thirty minutes to find us after he gets out."
"You paint a pretty grim picutre, 626." Jumba groaned. "I am an evil genus, but not a combat tactician. Where to next?. I am trusting you will make the best descision." "Me?" 626 asked suprized, "I don't know. I've never been put in a spot like this before, I mean, I usually make my own descisions, but they aren't as important as this. If you really want my honest opinion, I think we should ge back to Turo, It's the last place they'll look. Also it might be the only other place that I can say I really know."
"You might be right, you might be wrong. But it's looking like our only choice. 327 do you have any comment on this, what you think?" Jumba turned his attention to the pink experiment. "I really can't say no...can I?" she hesitated, choosing her words carefully. Jumba shook his head, "Not really, but other suggestions help."
"Suggestions you want now, is it?" 625's voice floated from the kitchen. He moved closer to the cockpit so he didn't have to yell. "Why not take 626 and have him take over the entire planet of Turo. Ya` know, kill everyone and make it our planet, then slowly go out and conquer everything. Soon there will be nothing left to oppose us. Problem solved."
Upon hearing this, 626 scooted farther from 327 in the cockpit chair, trying to make himself smaller. He didn't like the sound of what 625 said. He shifted uneasily in the chair, trying not to draw attention. Jumba gave a dishearted smile. "Uh, not the best course of action. Highly impractical, and at the most, impossible. But if he's up for it it could be done."
626 felt eyes upon him. He was trying not to shake, but did anyway. "No, I don't feel up to it. I really don't think I can even. Hiding on Turo would be the best thing to do anyway." Jumba nodded. "626's logic is good. Turo it is." he started the huge cruiser and intiated the lift off squence by flipping the switches and turning several dials in a blindingly fast manner. The cruiser hovered above the ground momentarily before tearing up the air and speeding out into the atmosphere.
The ship gained speed, hopefully to blow right by the blockade of star cruisers. They were all prepared for the worst, bracing themselves against anything they could hold onto. But Jumba and his experiments were stunned at the sight as they exited into space. "They're gone!" 327 observed. "Yes." Jumba said causticly. "But to where." 626 switched his vision into infrared and scanned the area, nothing but the icy cold black of space. "I don't see anything in a different spectrum of light, we're clear." he gaves the thumbs up. "Alright," Jumba punched in the legnthy code for Turo. "Hold on, sub-space in three... two... one." He pulled the handle down and the ship tore through the endless void at a speed previously uncharted by any standard.