CHAPTER 6: BEGIN

MIZAR'S PALACE, 11:00 AM, DAY 2

They had been walking in this dark hallway seemingly forever before they met up with a large pack of drones. Outnumbered nearly three to one, the Tribal leader ordered them to hold their ground and fire back, but it was all useless. In seconds they had been forced to run, and already some rebels had been killed. These drones attacked like none other. The older drones of the Mizar period had mediocre aiming and arsenal, but the foes they were facing now shot like experts. They rarely ever missed, and when they did, it wasn't by much.

Suddenly, however, drones fell to the ground while the rebels' backs were turned. Surely it couldn't be any of them…then who?

"Are you alright?" Ish yelled out, running with his group to the desperate rebels. They had been a squad armed with machine guns…perhaps a poor weapon in this situation.

The machine gun rebels…perhaps seven with them…stopped their pace. "Much thanks for your help. We could have died." One said, extending a hand to Ish.

Robbin, who shoved in front of Ish, shook his hand, "Well, thanks to me you're safe!"

"Robbin, you never even fired your gun."

"And…?"

Flames, ignoring that, "Good. Now we have a decent group of people with us." He motioned behind himself where at least ten or fifteen other rebels stood. "We're heading to the railings to escape these dark tunnels. I strongly advise that you come with."

A male human, about Flame's height stepped up. Raising his arm to show a broken wristwatch, and leadership over the squad, he said, "We shall. We have seen other squads taken over by drones here…they are different from the others. It's odd how they fight."

"Yes, I have noticed that." Ish agreed. "But there is no time for this right now. We have to hurry to the rails before a worse run in occurs."

Robbin had volunteered through his pride to walk in front of everyone else. Although everyone knew he didn't do it for them, it was a good way to get him away from them. Of course, no one protested, and Robbin strode in front, with his near useful gun and his not so useful brain.

So far they had met no more drones, only dead rebels. Ish, who had been through the palace before, knew one secret about finding the rails…through the labyrinth of the dark tunnels, there were two types of hallways, built and organized to make ease for finding the rails. Smaller, narrower tunnels called minor vias, and larger, wider tunnels called major vias. All major vias led to the rails. This was so guards and slaves could find the rails easily if lost.

Unknown vessel, Unknown time, Unknown day

Neonis was aware that what he was about to do would most likely fail. Still however, he had to try and hope for the best.

He had slowly managed his way out of the cell and slipped out of the dank cells along with the other captive, from the Gemini team. Juno had not quite seen everything that Neonis had, for better or for worse, and there was no time to waste trying to explain something so complicated. Neonis was therefore the one responsible for making a plan to bail them out of such a dilemma—had he the choice, he would have left it in Juno's hands.

They snuck through the fluorescent hallways, which were now deserted of drones. Their weapons had to have been hidden somewhere around somewhere—and without them, nothing could be done. They might, as well have crawled back into their cells if they couldn't find a decent gun. Of course it was a very bad attitude, but a true one nonetheless.

Neonis couldn't tell if Juno was simply this quiet all the time, or if this situation didn't really inspire any friendly chat in him. Neonis finally dismissed it as an unsolved mystery after lots of thought, although he didn't feel the sudden desire to blurt out 'Nice weather we're having today, isn't it' when they were searching for a gun to overthrow a vessel of evil insects who were now threatening the safety of the universe. Mainly because they were in a vessel where there was no weather.

After a great length of searching, they came across a lone machine gun in what appeared to be a lounge room with surprisingly comfortable couches and some vending machines. Apparently a loaded machine gun in a lounge room did not seem odd to either one, who were mostly caught up with what to do with it.

"You need it more than I do, Juno." Neonis said, holding the gun up to Juno.

"I might agree if I knew what I needed it for." Juno said, not needing to ask for an explanation.

"You will be going to The Peak." Said Neonis, without further comment.

"Ookay. And what will be waiting for me at the peak, aside from a wonderful view of air?" Juno asked now, refusing to take the gun with his hands.

"Just do it." Neonis tossed the gun to Juno, who was now forced to catch it or let it fall.

"Yes ma'am!" he mocked, to which Neonis scowled. "Honestly…"

"Juno." He said, catching his attention. "Don't you find it peculiar that there are no drones on patrol here?"

"I guess so." Juno said, now being serious again. "I suppose you know why?"

"I suppose I do. And you don't. Now go to the peak." He said curtly. "I suppose you can steal an unattended and un-patrolled drone ship too." Pointing to the direction of the drone ship yard.

"Whatever." Juno said. He was not trying to be defiant or immature, but was not the person who took orders easily. He was signifying that while he would do what Neonis told him, it didn't mean he was higher up than Juno in any aspect of anything. "I hope you don't mind if I make some stops before the peak," Juno said, as if waiting for a response, "because I'm going to either way." He said before there was any time for a response.

With that, he walked briskly into the hallway away from where Neonis pointed. Sighing, Neonis set off to his own battle.

MIZAR'S PALACE, 12:30 AM, DAY 2

They had been walking through the dark chambers of Mizar's palace seemingly forever until there was a clanking noise and someone yelled out in the front.

"Robbin!"

"I'm alright, I'm alright, I'm alright—" he repeated, his voice coming now suddenly beneath everyone else's. He jumped back up, rubbing his knee. "Some idiot made a big hole in the middle of this hallway!"

"Robbin—" Ish said, now suddenly in a grave tone, "That's not a big hole…that's the mine cart."

"That hole? How can you call that a track?"

"It isn't. It's the mine cart." He repeated himself, not truly expecting Robbin to understand but being absolutely fine with that.

He hopped in, his feet making a band on metal ground. Walking a few steps he felt a wall as high as the point in-between his waist and shoulder. It was a thin wall—that was, wall of the mine cart. The trail and cart were built a few feet underground, and the supposed hole was actually a parked cart.

Now needing the light, he charged up his plasma shot gun, producing enough light for the others to see him inside the cart. A yard in front of that cart was another. "Alright, everyone. Hop in. Machine gun squad, in the front. Everyone else in the back, except Robbin and Flames." He ordered. Soon there was a bit of shuffling around and clanging in and out of carts. After a minute of disorder, there was silence. And more silence. One lone rebel could be heard scooting back and forward, as if trying to push the carts along with his own body movement.

"Ish, sir…" one started, "…how do they work?" Everyone sat dumbly in the darkness.

"These mine carts are run by magnetism in the rails, which are given off through electricity, of course." Ish explained. Once again, there was a moment of silence.

Flames looked up at the nonexistent light, not like anyone could see him. "Ish, there is no electricity."

"I am aware of that."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

And finally the mine carts sped forward into the darkness, inspiring rebels human and tribal alike to yell out 'ergh'.

Author's note: Yes, well, this chapter didn't really give off as many clues as I thought it would. Truth be told, there was absolutely nothing useful in this chapter. Oops.