Chapter Twenty-Three

Author's Note: Updating... Updating... maybe I should start DATING...

Placynth found a place where Elfinorr could demorph peacefully. The both of us stood at guard, acting inconspicuous, just in case.

Eventually we moved away. And then.

TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!!

I chanced a look and saw fallen Hork-Bajir.

Not wasting another second, I dashed straight at the place where Councilor Eleven was and pulled out my SD and MOS-2.

[Target: Hork-Bajir, Taxxons and Gedds,] I snapped at the MOS.

TSEEEWWW!

I fired at the door with the SD.

TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!!

The two Hork-Bajir vaporized upon contact with my MOS's beams.

I ran inside.

BREEEET! BREEEEET!

A Gleet Biofilter! Accursed security fanatics!

Inside, there were only Taxxons surrounding Councilor Eleven in his Hork- Bajir host. They had gotten him inside, but otherwise no Hork-Bajir or any other species was allowed to come, except perhaps Gedds.

I threw my entire body forwards.

FLASSHH!!

My legs were gone.

No time. MOS-2. I had to finish the job with it.

TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!!

Four beams finished four Taxxons. Not enough. Pholmgs! (Author's Note: Andalite-ese for 'Drats' curse word)

The Taxxons shielded the Council Member from me.

TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!!

TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!!

TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!!

That would be enough. But when I aimed at the Councilor...

TSEEWW!!! TSEEWW!!!

Dracon beams had sliced off my arms!

The Councilor would have fired more rounds. But he swayed; he was still not treated well enough to do much.

I focused on demorphing. That was the only way.

Hork-Bajir tried to leap in, but met their ends in the rigged doorway. Thank god they didn't have the sense to send Taxxons or fire with a beam weapon. I supposed that Elfinorr was keeping them busy.

I demorphed. After that it was child's play to remove the Councilor's head from his neck.

I ran into the next room, typed 'Mission Accomplished' onto my MSD-100, sent it to Placynth, and waited.

Eventually, the ceiling was blown up and a rather large Bug Fighter descended form the skies to rescue me. The doorway was open.

The fighter managed to land by making the walls tumble, and then I leaped in.

The doorway closed with a 'WHOOOSH!' and then we were shooting towards the starry sky.

[What about —] I started.

[Yarx is dead,] said Elfinorr softly. [So are the other warriors.]

I didn't ask him how.

Placynth, who had been busy with his Security Pinpointer, said, [Blade Ship on interception course! They'll be practically on us in about two minutes!]

[Can we shake them off?] I asked as I took over piloting (Elfinorr wasn't doing well; he took the weapons station).

[No.] said Placynth flatly. [Any move we try to make, they'll get us.]

But I refused to acknowledge it. I increased the speed.

Placynth remained silent. He didn't believe we could do it. But he hoped.

But onwards it, like a black kafit spearing full speed at its prey. One blast and —

I pulled up as hard as I could. If I could evade... then they wouldn't be able to turn around fast enough... we'd be in Zero-space by the time...

But no. Not even an experienced and exceptionally good pilot could get out of that situation.

TSEEEWW!! TSEEEWW!!

I blinked.

Twin Dracon beams had destroyed the Blade Ship's bridge.

OUR Dracon beams.

[You had to be smart enough to spot that one flaw,] Elfinorr said, satisfied.

I burst out laughing. I couldn't help it. Soon even Elfinorr and Placynth had joined. We entered Zero-space and made for home, laughing in relief.