Chapter sixteen; Never say die!

Present…

Jade

(Great Marco, just… just great! Hah! You really did a-whoa! a great job of talking to them. Hrrreeeyaaah!)

(Oomph! Well I did know they were-ah! I didn't know they were so smart!)

(They're Terinans Marco, not Hork-Bajir! They don't-rraaah! They don't take kindly to simple charm!)

(Well now you tell me!)

(I did! I told you like… seven times! I even gave you the warning look!)

(What warning look!)

(The one I kept giving you when you were chatting up the Captain. Or… bah! Is there something you're not telling me!)

(Like…?)

(Like you've… you'd rather have an alien around than an actual human being!)

(What! That's just… whoa!)

In case you were wondering, and in case you care, me and Marco had just taken up fighting like an old married couple. During a fight to save our lives. We were barely holding off the unending supply of Terinan warriors that were coming at us. Thankfully, we'd been able to morph and shift and get running, giving us the smallest of advantages.

And all thanks to Marco's brilliant little speech in front of the 'Captain'. So much for the B.S artist of the century.

We reached a meadow, knowing we were exposed but still running. I saw our 'friends' pull back, exhausted. Or…

(Get down!) I yelled, jumping on him and knocking him over just seconds before a grey flash of light charred the ground where we had been just seconds before. I growled and looked up… to see a Terinan fighter hovering above us.

(They're toying with us! Those snivelling little…) I jumped off Marco, who got up and looked at the fighter as well. We continued to run, pushing ourselves as fast as we possibly could. But gorillas aren't built for pure speed, and tigers only have so much endurance.

(Cut left!) Marco yelled, and we both bolted. Seconds later…

TSSSSSSEWWWW!

(Marco!)

(I'm ok. Jeez that was close though!) we tore ahead, since they'd blocked us on the left side. They were herding us!

(Split! It's the only way!) I bolted left, and Marco went right. What we didn't count on was there being two Terinan fighters after us.

TSSSSSSSEWWWWW!

TSSSSSEWWWWWW!

(Ahhhhh!) Marco yelled.

(Ahhhhh!) I agreed. We both joined up again in the middle, still running.

(What do we do now?)

(Like I have any freakin' idea!)

TSSSHHEWWW!

Blue streaks shot above our heads, and seconds later one of the fighters exploded. It was only then that we stopped to look up. And what we saw was amazing.

Our fighter and the last Terinan fighter were going for it! Shot after shot, showing the most amazing aerial acrobatic skill I'd ever seen! Our fighter took a shot, aimed…

HIT! The second fighter went down in a blaze!

Then… three more! I stared up in wonder, trying to catch my breath. It was hard to do, since I knew Ithiell and maybe Rtaia were both doing all they could to fight and stay alive.

(Hey guys!)

(Ahhh! Oh god, Tobias! You scared us to death!) I cried as he flew over our heads, then turned around and perched on Marco's shoulder.

(Sorry about that. The good news is I'm not alone) he turned his head, and when I looked at the direction we'd been heading I saw another tiger come into view, flanked by a wolf, a panther, a polar and a grizzly bear, and Ax.

(Hey guys, how's it goin?) Cassie said casually.

(I've seen better days) I muttered, sighing in relief as they joined us, and we all stared up at the aerial dogfight that was going on, with Ithiell showing impressive flying skills. He fired, and took out another one. The thing crashed just beyond the meadow, making all of us jump.

(Oh damn, and I thought I could have your CD's) Jake said to Marco.

(Ha ha. And just for that, you get an extra sarcastic ha)

(I would've liked that dress you never wear)

(Amanda! You're just as bad as Jake!)

(Sorry) she muttered, and I laughed.

TSSSHEEWWW!

Ka-BOOOMM!

We all looked up to see the second fighter heading straight towards the ground. It crashed on the other side of the meadow, bits of metal and other burning things flying into the air. One piece came within feet of us. I looked up again as the Terinan fighter fired. It hit an engine! There was a small explosion, but Ithiell somehow managed to keep it in the air!

Then…

TSSSSSSEEWWW!

TSSSSSHEEWWW!

They fired at the same time! There was a blinding flash of light, before we could look up…

And saw both fighters were falling towards the earth.

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Past…

Amanda

I shifted back, disgusted. I'd just given the totally gross arm to Ithiell and Rtaia, feeling sick. I tried to wipe the taste off my palm, then turned and gagged.

"You ok?" It was Robert.

"No. Yuk, yuk, totally YUK!" I shook my head, shuddering. Jade came back a few minutes later, almost swaggering through the door of the lab as she came in. She looked pleased with herself.

"JD stteeerrikes again!" she cried, pumping her fist into the air.

"That's great, but who is JD?"

Jade looked at Robert with a 'what are you, stupid?' look on her face. He shrugged, and she sighed.

"I'm not gonna even bother"

We waited about half an hour, before Robert asked the thing I knew we were all thinking.

"So, what are we going to do when we get this anti-regenerating medicine when we get it?"

Ithiell looked over his shoulder, then smiled a little.

"Easy. We inject them with it, then fight until we drive them off"

"But… how? I mean, they're not gonna just stand there and say 'aah' so we can shove a pill or whatever down their throat"

"One thing at a time. I believe I may have an answer" Rtaia said, not turning around.

So, we waited for an answer. I hummed a tune, and Robert paced, then went to the table to watch what they were doing. It was all pretty boring, until I noticed Jade rubbing her side, unconsciously lifting her shirt a little as she did it. I saw the scar from her first battle there. That scar would never go away, and would always remind her of how close she'd come to death.

Like we'd ever forget anyway.

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"Darts"

"Yes"

"But… how do we get darts? As a matter of fact, how do we get dart guns?"

"Yeah, not to mention none of us have ever held a gun, let alone shot at anything"

"Speak for yourself"

"I will you jerk"

"Guys" I warned. They shut up and let Rtaia speak.

"Not dart guns, but more like… dart shooters" She pulled out something that looked like one of those automatic arrow shooting thingys, but under it there looked like there was a little compartment, which I guessed held these 'darts'. It reminded me of a water gun (the compartment) in a sense.

"These hold forty standard darts, and will fire at a rapid succession of three darts per second. These were originally designed for tracking and momentarily checking of our native animals. It is standard to have these on every science ship and any ship with a lab. It is for recording and observing animals of other planets, or sedation of unruly Chanaiben crew members"

"Okay, so how many do we get each?"

"Two shooters. But we must first fix the darts to fire the antigen" She fiddled with the one she was showing us, managing to get the little compartment underneath. Then she and Ithiell began playing with the little darts, that looked like toy missiles, and turned back to the lab table they'd both been working on.

"So… how long will this take?"

"We do not know"

"Any guess?"

"Around two days"

"Two days!" I cried, unable to hold it in. We were going to have to wait two days before we could fight them!

"It is a long and arduous procedure, and we are already weary"

"And we must complete the antigen" Ithiell broke in. Then, he turned and looked at us.

"I suggest you all head home. We will contact you when the time is right"

"I'm not leaving. Not until I finish what I started"

We all turned to look at Robert. Then, I shot a look at Jade. She looked at me, then sighed and shook her head.

"Well, I'm going home. I'm tired. Mandy?"

"Yeah, same. But…" I walked over to Ithiell, putting a hand on his arm. He looked strangely at me.

"Is something the matter?"

"You rest too. We need to be in top shape before we fight those guys again. All right?"

"Amanda, I do not think it-"

"Don't worry Mand, I'll make sure these sad saps get some sleep too" Robert said, winking at me. I nodded, then smiled at him.

"Yeah, ok. Thanks Robbie" I walked by him, patting his shoulder, before I left with Jade. We were silent, then…

"He's still got cooties, you know"

"Jade, grow up!"

Hehe! Good? Yes? No?

Next time; did Ithiell and Rtaia survive? And what about the antigen? Did it work? U only get the answers… when you review! BAH!