To Anicrazy- thanks for reviewing, and i think i've finally found someone as nuts as i am!! Yay!!
Kharina(sp?)- thankyou for your review too, keep yours up!
Lady Alionae- Now, I can't tell you that, can I? It'll ruin all the fun... ; D
Anyway, here goes.........................
I went over every possibility in my mind, over and over again. I felt like one of those cartoon characters, with those hypnotising twirling eyes. I also head a splitting headache.
Twenty minutes more had passed, and still, there was no word from any of our friends. And yet, there was still that small hope dwelling deep inside me.
Beside me, I felt Marco take in a shuddering breath, and I looked up at him.
(It's ok, I'm fine) he assured me, laying a hand on the middle of my back.
(No, you're not. There must be something I can do...) I trailed off, turning my attention to the guards again, and the four walls that surrounded us. Four... wait a minute... that was it!
I'd figured out the first part of my plan. But what to do after...
Look Jade! Look damnyou!!
I looked at each wall, then behind us... wait, to my right, was that a... yes! A door!
(That's it!) I cried out loud, hope overwhelming me. The kind of crazy hope that you get when you don't know if your plan's going to work or not, but knowing that some plan is better than no plan.
(What's it?) Marco muttered beside me. He would only last so much longer, before he got trapped, or he...
Focus Jade. Don't give in to the fear.
(There's a door, to our right) he looked, then turned his attention back to me.
(Jade, we wouldn't be able to move two inches toward that door before they...)
(You're forgetting something)
(What?)
(I'm a shape-shifter. I don't need DNA, remember?)
(Jade, there's nothing you could change into that could...)
(I'm going to become walls)
(Huh? What?)
(I'm going to give you cover while you demorph and remorph. That should give you some more time. Then, we find a way to get out that door...)
(But that's crazy!!)
(Crazy is definitely better than dead)
(Hmm. You've got that right)
I moved to stand in front of him, looking into his eyes.
(Now, I don't know how long I can do it for, cause I've never done this before. I'm going to mimic the shape of these walls, give you complete cover from all three sides, as well as above. Just in case there's anything watching us. You'll have to be as quick as you can, all right?)
(I understand. But... what happens when I'm ready? You can't exactly move with me...)
At that second, another part of the plan fell perfectly into place.
(I'm going to become that ugly creature Visser Three did the last time we met. It's big, it's powerful, and it can move with you. How does that sound?)
(Completely crazy) I nodded, and if I was human, I would have smiled.
I turned around, watching as the guards tensed up a little. I took my position in front of him, planting my feet at the ready.
(As soon as you're covered...)
(I know. And Jade?)
(Yeah?)
(Micky D's and a movie sound good to you?)
(Micky Ds?)
(McDonalds)
I laughed. (Yeah, just as long as I get to pick the movie)
Then I focused. Walls, four...no, six inch thick walls... something like... titanium?... something really strong... a funny rust bronze colour...
BAAMMMMM!!!!
It sounded like an explosion just outside the ship! Like...
(Marco, I think that's Ithiell!)
(Great. Now all we have to do is get out of here...)
(Yup, agreed) I focused again, starting with the part right in front of Marco. Instantly I grew up and out, my form flattening out like I was a squashed bug. I saw the colour of my... no, it wasn't skin anymore! It was... metallic... I had become like a metallic flattened cat!
Keep your focus Jade! This all depends on you...
TSSSEWWWW!!
TSSSSEWWW!!
TSSSEEWWW!!
I felt the sting of the Hork-Bajir weapons, but I kept going, my neck seeming to almost snap backwards as it arched up and over the top of Marco's head... a foot, no more above him.
My arms and legs, on each side, did something simular, blending together until it had completely enveloped Marco's gorilla body. Finally, all but one of my senses stopped working. I 'felt' the Dracon beams cut into me, but it felt as if it were far away... like in a bubble...
I made sure I had sealed every part of myself, making sure that there wasn't a square inch that didn't cover Marco.
(How's that?)
(Great. Demorphing now)
After a few tense moments, and me suddenly being able to feel the sting of the Dracon beams a lot more, I heard Marco's voice again, sounding strong.
(All right. I'm ok now)
(Good, cause I'm not) I gasped as I eased myself out of the metallic shape, focusing on becoming the image I had in my mind of the creature Visser Three had shown me. That's when the pain became a lot more intense.
(Ahhhh!!!)
(Jade!)
(Get to the door! NOW!!) I screamed as I stood in front of him, with limbs that were going down in number every few seconds. I pulled back one of my heads a little, and... fired!!
A round spinning ball of flame caught two of the guards, and they went running, screaming in pain. Again!! And again!!
(Another bites the dust!) I yelled as I kept myself between them and Marco, who had reached the door and was now punching and ripping at the panel beside it with all his might.
But more Hork-Bajir piled into the room, and more guns were fired. Another head missing! Five heads left! Hah!!
I fired my own deadly weapons, again and again, until I heard what sounded like a door being ripped open. I swivelled one of my heads around, keeping the other four directed at the guards, still firing my deadly flame balls.
I saw that Marco was trying to force the doors open, his gorilla form I saw was having trouble with it though.
(Here) I backed up just enough, using my four remaining sets of hands to help him pull it open. Together, we pulled it open almost all the way.
TSSSEWWW!!
TSSSSEEEWWW!!
(Ahhh!) Now I only had three heads!
(Marco, go!)
(But...)
(I'll follow you! Just get out of the way!!) I screamed as I lost another leg, then another arm. He jumped out, and my shrinking form followed. I tumbled to the grass, a miniature version of the monster I had been, and the doors shut.
(YOU FOOLS!! OPEN THE DOOR!!) Came the Vissers voice. Seconds later I heard a terrified muted voice, then the owner of that voice was silenced for good.
"One more down..." I muttered out loud, suddenly realising I'd become human again. Seconds later, big arms lifted me into the air.
(Good plan. Crazy, but good) He said, carrying me away from the Blade ship, towards where we last saw Jake and the others, getting far enough away from the ship before cutting a path that way.
"Nice to know chivalry isn't dead" I said relaxing into his gorilla chest. Being tense was only hurting my back... I feel so tired...
(Yeah, but what about the others? Where are they?)
"Well, I can't hear anything, so maybe... maybe they're all right" I focused on another change, doing my best to keep myself from freaking out.
(Or maybe they're dead) he put me down, since I was growing now, this time to polar bear.
(What if... what if they're on the Blade ship?) I turned back to look.
(Hey! Guys! Can you hear me?!)
(Right above you man) I looked up to see Tobias, circling above us.
(Where are all the others?)
(Guys, you're not gonna believe this...)
(Just tell us! Are they all right or not?!)
(Look, let me just show you. Everyone's ok Marco) Tobias added, speeding off past the tree line, with me and Marco having to follow him.
It wasn't long before we came into what looked to be a large meadow. And in that meadow, was the one thing I never thought I'd see again.
(The Aerionna) I breathed, unable to take my eyes off the beautiful white ship that sat in the meadow before me.
(Well, I was going to introduce it, but you seem to know what it is already) Tobias seemed to pout a little as he flew towards it, and we both followed him.
The Aerionna was equally as large as the Blade ship. The front was shaped like a blunt arrowhead, or like one of those old stone ones archaeologists find at dig sites.
In fact, the whole thing was shaped a lot like an arrow. The middle was long, and fairly thick, and the back ended like the feathers at the back of an arrow. It was all white, with a little cream colouring in it too. And it was beautiful. Like everything the Chanaibens made, this ship deceived you into believing it was slow. Wrong. It was fast, manoeuvrable, and the weapons could fire with amazing accuracy.
We had only been on it twice, once when Rtaia's older brother, Lowri, was commanding it. In fact, it was Rtaia's brother who designed, and built it, almost with no help at all. He told us the Aerionna was dedicated to the memory of their mother, a brave Chanaiben woman who survived many wars, and always stood for the right of the people. Her name, roughly translated, meant 'Deadly Beauty'. And the ship had definitely lived up to the name in the past.
"Jade!!" I saw the hatch begin to open, and just before it hit the ground, Amanda came barrelling out of it, running towards me. And I think if I was human, she would've knocked me over.
Instead, she dug her head into my soft furry shoulder.
"You're ok... I thought the worst when... and then..." She turned back to look at the ship.
(I know Amanda. It's ok, we're all right) I kind of emphasised the 'we' bit. I heard Ithiell call out to her,
"Give it a rest Mand, they're ok now. You should learn to have more faith" I saw her go red-faced, and she stormed back to the ship.
(Don't hit him too hard Mandy) I laughed as I saw Tobias flying after her. I focused on my own body, and next to me I saw Marco becoming himself too.
I looked at him with my own eyes when I was done, unable to keep the smile from my face. I was happy, and I was alive!
He was smirking as he looked at me.
"Now, you wouldn't be thinking of backing out of that date you promised me, would you?"
"Not a chance" I laughed, grabbing his hand in one fluid movement and pulling him along towards the ship, knowing when this was all over I'd never get the smile off my face.
Next Chapter; The Blade ship versus the Aerionna. Who will win? Find out next time...