Disclaimer: Yeah… Don't own Esca…
Author's Note: Hello everyone! So, this is the twelfth chappie and we're not even close to the finish! Wonderful isn't it? Plus we still have characters to put in here! Don't lose faith, those who haven't been put in yet! You'll get in there I swear!
Sisters till the End
This is dedicated to Pablo/Cecil because he is such an awesome writer and he has inspired me to go farther. Thank you Pablo/Cecil for your awesome story and your awesome talent!
Chapter Twelve: Network, BabyMoonlight shone across the small field making each strand of grass stand out with a silvery glow. The clear night sky sparkled with the many lights of stars and not a cloud could be seen. Cool night air and a gentle wind caressed the field like a mother caressing a newborn before kissing it goodnight.
Two shadows stood crouched low in the field, silent, waiting, watching. They didn't speak a word to the other and remained as still as statues. One was trying to control her heart from bursting and concentrate on the job at hand while the other remained cool and unaffected by what they were about to do. The minutes passed by slowly like a clock ticking down the time of the world's end. Both hated waiting.
Finally Coran gave Kat the signal and they moved forward stealthily like cats in the night towards their prey, a large dome at the end of the field once hidden by cloaking technology. They're smart, Kat thought as she ran. They only had a minute left to reach the dome before all chances were lost. Cloaking technology that is impossible to detect is very effective when you want to remain hidden from the world. I wonder if their base is mobile too?
Two large hanger doors that had opened only seconds before to allow a small guymelef enter the dome were beginning to close, their large metal plates strangely quite as they slide to meet each other. Out of the corner of her eye Kat saw Coran gain some feet to her left as he barreled towards the closing doors. It was only a matter of seconds now.
Six… Kat saw Coran reach the doors. Five… He jumped through the shrinking space and disappeared into the darkness. Four… She was getting closer. Three… She was almost there; she could see the plates' bolts now. Two… There was no time left, she needed to jump. One… Flying through the air she wondered if she would make it or get killed by the doors.
Zero… Her body collided with something hard, smooth, and not to mention cold. She heard the pressurized seal as the hanger doors closed and she knew she was inside. A rough hand grabbed her and pulled her back, pressing her against his body so she could feel the heat emitting from it. Inwardly she sighed and leaned back a little. Well, at least the easy part is over, she thought.
Looking around she saw rows upon rows of small guymelefs, all in a silver-gray color. She frowned as she noticed that the guymelefs were unusually metallic in color. Not even knew guymelefs are that shinny, she thought. What are these new 'melefs? However, she had no time to dwell on the subject. Just then Naru entered with Era. Damn, the telepath. She'll know we're here, Kat thought.
Coran must've had the same thought because he pulled on Kat's arm, silently pointing to an air vent. She nodded and stood up, slinking her way over the air vent, and examining it. Thick bolts secured it to the wall, which would make it impossible to move without a ton of sound. Jumping up Kat phased herself through the wall and into the air vent, waiting a couple seconds before phasing her arms through the vent cover and grabbing Coran's, who had moved the second she had, arms and pulling him up through the vent cover and into the vent.
"That was close," Kat muttered very softly. She knew that Coran had heard her. Turning, or doing the best turn she could in the circumstances, she looked around the air vent. It wasn't very big and it was just luck that she could fit in it. Coran on the other hand was having troubles.
It's metal plates were clean and smooth providing tough terrain for both. Not to mention the fact that the ducts were not on a horizontal plane. They dipped and rose and twisted while dipping and when you came across an adjoining duct it was only a few feet before it would join another one. Trust them to put a labyrinth in their air ducts, Kat thought to Coran. She knew they couldn't talk in these ducts.
Network, baby, it's called a network.
Then do you have the plan for this network?
Your lucky I do. A person could get lost and die in here.
I'll tell you when we come across some bones, then.
Kat knew Coran had rolled his eyes at her comment but he simply pushed her leg forward. They started moving, precautious, along the maze of vents. Coran guided Kat through miles of small metal tunnels as they headed towards the center of the base. Fear and sweat mingled on Kat's body as her muscles groaned with the workload. The sheets of metal would sometimes seem to close in on her, delivering her to her doom, ready to crush the life out of her within seconds. A bad time to be claustrophobic, she thought as she shook the images from her head and continued.
There was no way they could give up now. Not when they had come so far. The Second was here on Gaea and it was the Protectors' job to find him and bring him to the Temple of Artemis so he could do his thing. However with so many obstacles now standing it was like a dream they had been able to locate him. Stress of her job and her life coiled around her mind like a snake and feed her fear as she traveled. Would they even survive?
Hey, you might want to stop, Coran's voice suddenly popped into her head. Kat froze-had she left him into her mind? Had he heard her thoughts? What a great position, me, the We'll-Get-Through-It-Independent-Woman doubting herself, she thought. You're about to run into that vent cover. Oh.
Scooting closer to the covering, Kat found herself peering into a small room. It was regular in color, the same dull gray color that her eyes had become accustomed to on the Vione. There was a single cot and a desk, both metal, both standard for prisons, though Kat had to admit the person sitting on the cot currently was not your regular prisoner. Immediately she felt something inside of her begin to pull at her. It was as if there was an invisible rope connecting her and the young man below her and he was tugging at the rope. Go to him, a small voice whispered.
Coran? Kat wondered. Go to him. No, it couldn't be Coran, it was too soft, to innocent… she thought. Her hand went out and suddenly gripped the bars of the vent covering. Strength and resolve flooded through her and with a little push and her powers the vent cover popped off, clanging to the floor loudly.
Scott heard the sound of something clattering to the floor and whirled around, surprised, to find a slender woman fall out of the air vent. She stood up, dressed in black, and looked at him with piercing midnight blue eyes. Shock took over and he sat there like a statue, just staring at her, wondering and thinking about those eyes that seemed to peer right into the back of his mind. Something flickered to life in his mind with those eyes. Something good, something important…
The woman nodded towards him. "Hello, are you Scott?" She asked. Her voice seemed too familiar. It awoke something deep inside of him and brought a flaming heat into his blood. He was sure he was blushing from it. His skin was probably dark red and she was probably wondering why he was turning into a tomato. "Yes," he said, surprisingly smooth. "You are…?"
"Your rescuer," she said with a tone of certainty in her voice.
"You must have the wrong person. The people here rescued me from an assassin. I agreed to help them. I mean, if I was a prisoner then how come they gave me a room instead of a cell?" What was it about her that made his blood boil? It was like lust but not as intense. He felt no sexuality towards this woman yet why was he reacting like a lovesick schoolboy?
His Rescuer raised an eyebrow at him as she glanced around the room. "I know you're from Earth, Scott, but honestly. Haven't you ever seen war movies?"
Scott paused as he thought over the question. What was it that she wanted? She's from Earth, a voice told him. She knows about home. You can trust her.
I can also trust Naru, Scott thought. Just because she's rescuing me from the people that saved me and she's from Earth doesn't mean I can trust her. I mean, why save me from the people who are sheltering me?
"I'll take that as a no," His Rescuer said. "Here on Gaea Scott they like metal cells; especially in bases. They think it's indestructible and makes them look all mighty. Look around you. What do you see?
"Metal. And if that doesn't convince you try the door." Scott stared for a moment at the door. He all ready knew that the woman's words were true. He had tried the door many times only to find it locked. How did she know? He wondered as he turned to her. "Alright, you seem to know what's going around here. But how can I trust you?" He questioned.
The woman rolled her eyes. "Right now you cannot trust anyone. Just believe me, okay?"
"I can't trust but I can believe?" Scott said incredulously. "Why should I? So far the only people who have even explained anything to me are the people right here. I've agreed to help them so why should I just run off with you when you haven't even offered me any information?" His blood was beginning to rage with untamed fire. The woman walked up to him and put her hands on his shoulders making his blood boil to the surface. A small amount of pain washed through him and suddenly his fear of leaving the only secure place he knew vanished. There was a connection between him and this woman and he wanted that instead of some place. Playing people like Naru had told him to do was forgotten.
Kat felt the power that radiated from this man and when she put her hands on his shoulders it was like an electric shock of power. She could feel it flowing through her. Strength and cunning swarmed her mind and made her dizzy. "Scott, I know you're scared. I was too when I first came here. Just believe in someone who knows what you're going through, please. I promise I'll explain everything and keep you safe," she pleaded. Scott nodded.
Just then Coran jumped out of the duct and looked at Scott. "So we got him. Let's get the hell out of here," he said. Kat nodded and fired a blast at the cell wall, which blew apart like a piece of glass. Once the smoke had cleared Kat grabbed Scott's hand and ran out into the hall just as a high-pitched siren went off. "All Dark Stars, the Star Dragons are approaching! Get to your battle stations! I repeat; the Star Dragons are approaching!" A voice yelled over the communications system. Coran looked at Kat. "I never said this was going to be easy," she said.
Author's Note: HAH! Aren't Coran and Kat in a pickle? Don't you just love it! Oh, and if anyone is wondering the chapter title is odd so ignore that. I couldn't think of anything better. Anyways, more to come but only if you review!
~The Shadow That Takes Form as a Kat~
~~ShadowKat~~