Chapter 6
Pigeon Hunt
Brussi swore as the ship shuddered again. Her fingers flew over the controls, trying to bring up an outside view. She frantically scanned the array for the commands she needed. Finally, one of the screens in front of her flickered on. There was a few seconds of static, then it cleared to show the ground below.
The private ship port receded quickly as the ship gained altitude. A few blue-white energy bolts sped out from a ground mounted cannon. She didn't know whether they were being shot at by rebels or the palace guard and figured they would be just as dead either way if it continued. Metal groaned each time a blast struck and the screen flickered.
Brussi scanned the panel again and spotted the shield controls. She pressed in the start code, then ramped up the energy output. The engines whined a bit as the new demand drew off the necessary juice.
A definite hum built up in the air. The view screen flickered again as the shields snapped into place. An energy bolt cut through the thinning atmosphere and collided with the newly erected barrier.
"Gah!" Brussi swung on arm up to cover her eyes as the monitor relayed the brilliant explosion. The ship shook but not as violently as before. Brussi lowered her arm and blinked, trying to rid her vision of the black spots dancing before her.
She hadn't quite succeeded when another, stronger quake gripped the vessel.
"Now what?" Brussi rubbed her eyes with a fisted hand and tried to bring up more views from outside with the other. They should have been out of close range of the ground cannon. Sweat began to dot her brows as she pushed down a rising panic.
Other view screens popped on in response to her commands. She glanced at each of them, taking in the situation. Two small ships were following them. The vessels were long and angular, the shiny silver surface on each carried a royal blue snake outline. The designs were distinctly of Emperor Seisan's palace guard.
Brussi had no time to voice her opinion of the new development. The nearest ship let loose a volley of blue-white blasts. The first few struck, causing the escaping vessel to pitch to one side. The others missed their target due to the variance.
Brussi could feel the blood drain from her face. Fear was clogging her throat, making it hard to breath. She didn't have the training...
Another few blasts hit. The ship rocked under the assault. Brussi's body was thrown against the restraints, then slammed back into the seat. Her breath was forced out from the impact. Mai cried out as her injured body was also rammed backwards.
Brussi flicked her gaze over to the Namek. New streamers of purple blood sprouted from Mai's mouth. The delicate features of her face were drawn tight with renewed pain.
"Aaaagh!" Rage burned away the fear that had wormed its way into the older woman.
The Saiyan cursed fickle fate and stabbed at the command panel. The ship kept trying to return to the course it had plotted automatically. Brussi slapped the override button. The auto pilot would just make the ship easy to track. She could only hope she knew enough about guiding the vessel that she wouldn't send them careening into an asteroid or the other ships as she tried to evade the onslaught.
She quickly pressed a few buttons, bringing up a defensive display. The computer showed a grid of the nearby space. A yellow triangle pursued by red ones glided across a black background. Another section of the screen displayed the ship with colored outline. One part of the outline flashed red while others alternated from yellow to white.
The realization that red meant the shields in that area were close to failing sent Brussi's mind into fast planning mode. She watched as the computer visually reported more oncoming attacks. Punching in coordinates, she managed to avoid three of the four bolts. The last one still struck dead on to the weakest part of the barrier.
Brussi was whipped back and forth again. She grimaced as her torso began to ache from the abuse. The illumination in the cockpit faltered, then returned to its original brightness. A low, drawn out groaning vibrated through the metal flooring and into her feet.
We can't go on like this. A determined expression settled on Brussi's face. Reaching over to the shield controls, she cut the power to the failing section of the barrier and divided it between the engines and the weapons. Next, she input a change in course. The ship banked sharply, arching back to the planet they had left behind.
Brussi pushed the engines, using the extra energy to speed the ship along. She kept an eye on their pursuers.
The guard ships, apparently not expecting such a drastic course change, weren't quite as quick to bring their ships around. One guard brought his ship into a wide turn, following Brussi. The other banked his ship the other way. His course would bring him head on with the stolen vessel.
The following guard fired again. A blast grazed the unprotected portion of Brussi's ship. The fleeing vessel bucked from the impact, a shock wave rumbled through its interior. The images on the screens wavered and the lights cut out for a second. A few sparks emitted from one of the unused panels. Part of the weapons panel flashed red.
Brussi shook her fist at her pursuer, wishing she could deliver a few words personally to his face as well as a few punches. She increased the power to the engines. The persistent whine rose an octave, making her ears ring. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mai cringe.
Well, at least the brat isn't dead from being thrown around yet. The Saiyan concentrated on the grid display. She gauged the distance between herself and the guard ships. Both of them had about completed their maneuvers She had to time this right. Tapping the buttons, she commanded the computer to lock on to one of the ships.
Her fingers twitched as she held them ready to punch in the fire code.
Closer...
Closer...
Now!
Brussi jabbed in the command. The forward canons fired into the oncoming ship. Pure white beams ripped through the guard's shields and slammed into the hull. Metal and glass exploded, consumed by a vaporous plasma cloud.
The Aisu-jin ship plowed through the remains of the obliterated guard ship. Some of the debris trailed after it, forming a fiery tail. Brussi pulsed the landing rockets. Normally, they wouldn't be used outside an atmosphere but she needed to spin the ship quickly. The last impact had disabled the rear weapons. She had to get the undamaged side canons lined up.
Inertia tugged Brussi's innards and for a moment caused the blood to rush out of her head. She shook off the wooziness. Glaring at the defense display, she forced her shaky fingers to command a lock on of the remaining ship.
The enemy burst through the spreading debris of its partner. Brussi punched in the fire code.
Shit!
The shot went wide, the computer lagging too much to compensate for the spin of the ship. The blast didn't even scratch the guard.
Brussi rushed to get another lock, her fingers dancing over the controls. But it was too late. The guard shot another round of blue-white bolts, causing the ship to roll. The combined inertia flipped it around. The unprotected rear of the ship became exposed again.
Another volley tore into the Aisu-jin vessel. The sound of rending and buckling metal screamed through the air. Sparks flew as excess energy surged through the wiring, shorting out various components. The lights flashed and thin, stinging smoke curled around the cockpit.
Brussi choked as she inhaled the noxious fumes. Breathing heavily through her nose, she peered at the display again. The ship was still spinning some. If the damned guard would hold off for a few seconds more...
The vessel rocked again. Darkness engulfed the room as the lights went out. Two of the screens also blipped out, while another two showed static. The Saiyan looked down at her controls.
Brussi burned the air with a venomous string of swears.
The vile ship had reverted to the Aisu-jin language! The woman stared at the panel, her face twitching with fury. Her fists clenched hard and her knuckles threatened to pop from the strain.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHH!" She pounded her fists onto the treacherous surface. The panel dented, then cracked as she continued to vent her bitterness and wrath. The sounds of her tantrum echoed off the walls.
A movement on one of the remaining screens drew her attention. She watched as the guard ship approached. She growled and raised her fist. She was about to drive her hand through the monitor when the guard slowed, then pulled up to the side of her ship.
Brussi blinked. She placed her palms onto the ruined panel and leaned as far forward as the restraints would allow.
What were they...?
A grin slowly spread on the Saiyan's face. She chuckled as a short tube extended from the hatch of the guard ship and latched onto the outside of her vessel. A distant clank followed a second later. Soon, a sizzling, zapping noise floated through the air.
Brussi leaned back and began to undo the buckles on her straps. She licked her lips, tasting salty sweat and the acrid smoke still wafting about. She stood and stretched. Wiping her hand over her face, she noted they were covered in blood and cuts from her attack on the command panel.
Brussi shrugged and walked over to where Mai was still strapped in her chair. Bending down a little, she turned her friend's face toward the little bit of flickering light coming from the view screens.
The Namek was still breathing, though a bit shallowly. Her expression was touched with pain but mostly relaxed. Brussi gripped the chin. She shook Mai's head a little.
"Mai? Mai, I have to leave you here," Brussi explained in a curt voice. "A guard followed us in his ship. But the fool is boarding. I'm going to go give him a warm welcome."
Mai's eyelids fluttered, but she didn't respond otherwise. Brussi let go of her chin. She didn't know if her friend heard or understood. She supposed it didn't matter. The woman was too injured to defend herself.
Brussi considered whether she should end it now for Mai.
Better for you to die here, she thought, then be taken back. Though I don't know if Seisan would want you in this condition.
A sigh slipped through Mai's cracked and bloody lips. She didn't appear to be bleeding anymore, the trails of purple drying into a darker hue. Her legs still dangled, more limp than even the most unconscious are capable of.
A faint shudder rippled through the floor. Brussi tilted her head but couldn't hear anything aside from the crackling and sparking from the damaged components. Then, a red light flashed and a garbled voice full of pauses and clicks announced something over the intercom. She guessed that meant the guard had gotten through the hull.
Brussi glanced back down at Mai.
No... no, if she did kill Mai she was admitting defeat. The Namek had said given time and rest she would heal. Brussi intended to make sure she got both.
Turning on her heel, Brussi strode toward the cockpit door. She gave the panel sharp taps. The door opened silently. Setting the door to lock after her, she stepped out into the corridor.
There was a little more illumination in the hallway. Some lights flickered, others were dim or out completely. But there was enough to see by. Black smoke crawled along the floor and a paler gray mist drifted closer to the ceiling.
Brussi scowled. The clouds would give away her movement and there wasn't enough of it to use as cover. They also made it a little hard to breathe. She tore a long piece from the hem of her tattered dress. Folding it over a few times, she tied the makeshift mask over her nose and mouth.
The fabric was dirty and smelled of mud and blood. Moisture from her breath mingled with the filth, increasing the stench. She resisted ripping the stuffy cloth off. It was better than breathing in whatever was leaking into the air.
Tensing her muscles, Brussi pushed the thoughts from her mind. She concentrated on the sounds around her and watched the swirling of the smoke. She walked forward carefully, placing each foot down as quietly as possible.
The Saiyan continued this way, picking her way through the ship. Every step she was mindful that there might be something the smoke prevented her from seeing. She observed the smoke patterns and avoided most of the obstacles. Once, she did step down onto a sharp piece of metal. She bit her lip and quelled even the slightest grunt from escaping.
Blood flowed out of the wound but she didn't dare stop to bandage it. She favored the foot slightly, aware that until the bleeding stopped, it would be slick and unstable.
A slight noise ahead caught her attention. She scanned the corridor for the source. A broken pipe vented some sort of billowing white fumes into the atmosphere. The heavy mist streamed down from ceiling to floor, cooling the air, then spread out over the black smoke that clung to the floor.
The black smoke eddied where the two met. Brussi cocked her head and moved forward again slowly. She stopped when she saw the matching eddies her legs caused in the ebony blanket.
Her eyes widened and she dropped onto the ground. A bolt of blue-white flew out of the white column, searing the air where Brussi's midsection had been. A second blast dug a charred crater into the wall behind her.
Brussi somersaulted, stirring up the smoke as she went. Cool and warm air slipped past her skin as she moved. She dove and flattened onto the chilly metal flooring. Several blasts pierced the mist. They missed by inches.
Brussi's eyes burned as she stayed down in the cover of the swirling black and white fumes. Tears streamed down her face but she resisted rubbing them away. Her simple cloth mask couldn't keep out all of the pollution in the air. She felt a little dizzy, not getting quite enough oxygen.
She rolled sideways quickly until she hit the legs of her attacker, then swung her own leg up, crushing the guard's kneecap. A howl of pain reverberated in the smoke. Brussi didn't hesitate. She hooked her foot behind the wounded knee and pushed. The guard toppled over with another wail. A dull thud followed and something clattered and skidded on the floor.
Brussi slipped from under the guard's legs and turned onto her stomach. She ignored her blurry vision, the churning clouds alternating in various grays with white and black. A cold mass of white flowed over her. Pushing into a crouch, she leapt forward. She aimed for approximately his chest. She didn't want to overshoot and miss his head if she went for that. Her fist burrowed into his side.
The guard swore and swung out with his own fist. The smoke eddied violently, the thick air muting the rustle snap of his shirt sleeve. Brussi jerked her head aside. His strike grazed her cheek. She grabbed his arm as it sailed over her shoulder. Switching to a kneeling position, she brought the arm down in a sharp motion. The bone gave as the arm was bent over her thigh.
A pained gurgle emanated from the gray black swirl of smoke. Brussi used the arm to pull the man forward, nearly folding him in half. She released the arm and rushed behind him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, grabbing onto the back of his head with one hand and onto his shoulder with the other. The smell of salty sweat and dust permeated her mask.
"Me-mercy!" a wheezy voice begged, sounding strangely muffled. There was a slight fingernail on metal noise. Scritch scritch scritch.
Brussi curled her lip in disgust. She responded in a voice of ice and stone, "Saiyans don't grant mercy."
She jerked the hand holding on to his head.
Silence followed the audible snap. Brussi released the limp body, moving from behind the guard. She stood, then reached down and grasped the collar of the uniform. Hauling the man into the light at last, she studied her opponent.
She blinked in surprise. It wasn't a guard at all. The man's shaggy blond hair tumbled over his collar. His face was gaunt, with fine lines radiating from the corners of his eyes. A breath mask hid much of his nose and mouth. A scruffy, days old beard covered his chin. He wore a dirty, torn beige jacket over and equally dirty, torn black shirt. There were navy arm bands around his upper arms.
"Feh." Brussi slung the man over her shoulder. The rebel idiot had probably chased them down because he thought they were an escaping dignitary. She wasn't sure why he wanted them alive. Maybe he had hoped for a ransom or reward.
She shrugged at the thought, not really interested in his reasons. She shifted the weight a bit and stepped forward. Her foot brushed against something. The thing made a grating sound as it moved.
Brussi bent over carefully and picked the object up. The dim light glinted off a shiny black barrel. She turned the gun over, inspecting it. It was a bit grimy but didn't seem the worse for its recent usage. A little gauge on the back of the handle showed green.
She assumed that meant it was fully charged. Good. If I can't use ki might as well have the next best thing.
She kept the weapon in hand as she resumed walking down the corridor. The guard ships barely had room enough for one person, so she didn't have to worry about anyone else attacking. Her main concern now was to dump the body, raid the guard ship for any other items, then cut it loose.
Then, Brussi thought, I can see about repairing this wreck. Never thought the lessons from old Nobe would come in handy.
Brussi chuckled and started humming an old war song her father had once taught her.