Chapter 15

I hurtled into the desk, demolishing it completely and trapping the drawer of the desk underneath the surface. In it was probably some kind of stun gun, or lower level Dracon, and there was no way I was going to let the Controllers get their hands on it.

The first guy decided maybe he'd better snap out his own Dracon, after all.

"Arrgh!" he yelled, as I stampeded towards him. I felt barely felt his body collapse as it was crushed between by fatal horns and the wall.

Omph! I swung my head, impaling another Controller. He slumped to the floor, unconscious. Normally, I try to avoid taking casualties if it's at all possible - but this was a friend on the line, and I couldn't sacrifice anything for her right now. I ploughed into a third Controller, watching as he slid across the floor. A forth, Dracon beam in hand, moving to my right. I hunched up my shoulders and ran towards him, head on. He was too scared to even pull the triggered. I tried to run out of the way at the last second, to escape to the door, but I couldn't let him. I swung my massive head, knocking him to the floor with my horns. He twitched and fell still, blood trickling from his ear. I'd killed him - there was no doubt about that - but at least it has been swift. A sound - to my left! I snorted. There were two left. One has escaped out of the corridor. The other - the frightened seaman, barely out of his teens, crouched huddled in the corner. I looked at him with my beady ox eye. He whimpered.

--Leave him, Philip!-- shouted Maggie. I focused my attention to her, realising how she'd just killed the Controller escaping into the hallway. Blood dripped from her black snout, her yellow eyes narrowed into what seemed a very human gesture.

I heaved myself back into the corridor.

--Left nothing get in your way,-- I repeated. --Where's Ferdie?--

--I told you - he went further up the hall towards the warehouse.--

--We'd better go follow him.--

We heard Ferdie before we saw him. Actually, we heard the voices of more Controllers before we heard Ferdie. Obviously, on a ship, the news of the slaughter of half a dozen Controllers did not take long to filter down the line. The hallways were soon full of Yeerks - some holding Dracons, some holding regular guns, all yelling and shouting. I lowered my head, clearing the way of them. Maggie howled, snapping her jaws at anyone who dared to come near. I heard a cry - a Controller hobbled away, blood streaming down his leg.

--Philip!-- I heard Ferdie's thought speak. --I can smell something - I think it's another cat!--

--Sam!-- I shouted. --Her leopard! She must have morphed! Can you follow the scent, Flawless?--

--Can do!-- he called back. We made our way, snorted and yapping at the Controllers, further down the corridor, seeing Ferdie pounce down from the pipework and landing gracefully in front of us.

--I think she's got up on deck!-- he shouted.

We raced down the corridor, paws flying, my hooves skidding on the metal floor. We turned up a stairwell - Controllers following us, some shooting at us with low power Dracons, some keeping well back. Ferdie and Maggie dodged the beams easily. I felt a severe burning in across my back, and the smell of smouldering fur. I grunted, ignoring the pain. It takes more than a few shots to take down oxen.

--Out here!-- called Ferdie, bounding towards a door leading to the deck.

--Move out of the way!-- I yelled.

I took a step backwards, arching my horns forward. I powered my body and rammed my head straight into the door. The door detached from the hinges and skidded across the deck.

--You could have used the handle!-- shouted Maggie, as we dashed through.

--No time,-- I replied, as Ferdie put his nose in the air, searching for the scent of Sam's leopard. He picked it up, running on ahead. I galloped after him, Maggie bounding along beside me, keeping pace effortlessly.

And then we came to a halt. We had come to a clearing. I peered into the space, straining my weak eyes in the dim light. There, in front of us, stood Sam in leopard morph, growling at a dozen Controllers pointing Dracons at her, and Visser Five.