"Your not gonna run away again, are you?" Espio asked mockingly. "Get help. You're no match for him, he's a Raiju lord" Solaris said, Espio thought of multiple things they've both fought over the war "Chancellor Solaris, Raiju lords are our speciality". The three of them advanced on one another "Do you really want to do this again, gentlemen?" Dimitri said. "You won't get away this time, Dimitri" Espio said as the three of them ignited their lightsabers. They engaged in a quick fight before Dimitri backed away. The echidna grinned "I've been looking forward to this". Shadow looked angrily at the echidna who took his hand "My powers have doubled since the last time we met, Dimitri". Dimitri grinned at him "Good. Twice the pride, double the fall".
The three of them started duelling, making their way back to the stairs, once halfway up Dimitri Force pushes Espio to the ground. Shadow keeps fighting him up the stairs, Espio gets back up and follows them. At the higher level, the three of them continue their fight, Dimitri kicks Shadow to the wall and then uses the Force to launch Espio back to the lower level and he then drops the platform above Espio on him, knocking him out. Shadow quickly jumped kicked Dimitri off the platform and back down to the lower level which also knocked his mask off. Shadow jumped down after him and they both locked sabres "I sense great fear in you, Shadow. You have hate. You have anger. But you don't use them". Shadow broke the stalemate and the two made their way back in front of Solaris. Dimitri took a swing at Shadow but instead of blocking it Shadow grabbed him by the wrist to stop the sabre and then used his free hand to slice off both of Dimitri's.
Dimitri in a state of shock fell to his knees, Shadow picked up the echidna's lightsaber and crossed both of them to his neck. He then heard a chuckle from Solaris "Good, Shadow. Good. Kill him. Kill him now". Dimitri looked at Solaris in shock and then turned to Shadow who looked conflicted "I shouldn't". Solaris looked slightly annoyed "Do it" he said with a sinister tone. Dimitri turned stoic, he could sense what Shadow was about to do and he was going to face it with dignity. Shadow used both lightsabers to cut off Dimitri's head. He stared at his handy work in shock, but Solaris broke him out of it "You did well, Shadow. He was far too dangerous to be kept alive", Shadow undid his restraints "He was an unarmed prisoner... I shouldn't have done that" he said in regret of his own actions. Solaris stood up "Believe me, my boy, he deserved it. Now we must leave before security arrives" Solaris walked towards the exit, but Shadow ran over to the unconscious Espio. "Shadow, there's no time. We must get off this ship before it's too late", Shadow examined Espio's body "He seems to be alright". "Shadow, leave him or we'll never make it", Shadow looked at Solaris "His fate will be the same as ours" he pulled Espio out from under the platform.
The ship was getting attacked by a Republic Cruiser. Inside Shadow was carrying Espio over his shoulders with Solaris standing next to him. They stood in front of the lift doors Elevator's not working". He got on his commlink "Emerl, activate elevator 3224". The ship suddenly tilts disrupting the gravity. Shadow and Mephiles grab onto the lift doors and climb through into the shaft. They run across the shaft but the ship begins to level out. They slip and begin sliding down the shaft wall. Mephiles grabs onto Shadow's leg as he uses his robotic right hand to grab part of the machinery on wall saving the three of them. Espio starts to wake up and opens his eyes to see the massive drop. He gasps and clings onto Shadow who grunts "Easy. We're in a bit of a situation here" "Did I miss something?". They heard a noise "What is that?". Shadow looks up and sees the lift falling towards them "Emerl. Emerl, shut down the elevator" "Too late. Jump!". They all fall through the shaft, Shadow and Espio take out grappling hooks and through them around a beam. They swing through another door into a corridor just as the lift passes. Espio stands up "Let's see if we can find somehting in the hanger bay that's still flyable" "Emerl, get down here".
The three of them were now running down the lower-level corridor but suddenly a shield appeared around them, stopping them from running "Ray shields" Shadow said calmly. Espio looked annoyed "Wait a minute. How did this happen? We're smarter than this". Shadow shrugged "Apparently not. We'll be fine, Emerl will be along and he'll turn them off". As if on cue a door opened near them and Emerl ran inside "See, no problem" . However Pawns, Gammas and Omegas all appeared and surrounded them. An Omega went over to Emerl "Hands up" Emerl kicked it's leg, but this did nothing and the Omega kicked him to the ground. "Do you have a plan B?" Espio asked.
The three of them were taken to the bridge where Dark Oak seemed pleased to see them "Ah, yes. General Espio, how nice to see you again. That wasn't much of a rescue". One of the Pawns handed him the two Shinobi's lightsabers which he grabbed, "You're welcome" the {awn responded sarcastically. "And I believe you are Shadow the Hedgehog. I was expecting someone with your reputation to be a little older", Shadow smirked "Dark Oak, you're shorter than I expected". Dark Oak was annoyed by that "Shinobi scum!". Espio had a slight grin "Try not to upset him, Shadow". Dark Oak shook his head "Nevermind, I have the three of you and your lightsabres will make a fine addition to my collection" he placed both of them inside his cloak. "No, but I think you'll make a fine addition to our prison" Espio said before Emerl suddenly started flying around the room distracting the badniks. The two shinobi pulled their lightsaber out of Dark Oak's cloak with the Force and ignited them. Dark Oak's guards went in front of him "Kill them". The Metorex activated their electric staffs and fought the two of them. Espio managed to cut the head off one he was fighting but as he walked away he noticed it was still moving. Shadow cut his one in half and see's Solaris being taken away by Pawns which he promptly destroys and frees Solaris. Espio beats his one and the two of them then corner Dark Oak who was standing at a window, he picks up an electric staff "You lose, General Espio" he shatters the window with the staff shattering it".
He gets dragged out into space while the others hold onto the control console for dear life. Dark Oak pulls a small grappling hook out of his cloak and pulls himself onto the hull of the ship. The emergency shutters close over the window saving the others, but the outside the ship begins to explode from damage sustained in the battle with the other ships. Dark Oak gets back inside through a hatch and enters an escape pod "Haha, time to abandon ship" he launches not only his escape pod but all of them. Shadow see's this on the screen "We're not getting out that way. Alright I might be able to land us... maybe. Strap in" him and Espio both sat in the pilot's seat while Solaris sat down behind them next to Emerl. "Open all hatches and extend the drive fins" the ship began heading straight down to the planet below. Suddenly the ship shook violently "Master, does the screen say we lost anything?". Espio checked the screen then looked to Shadow "Not to worry. We are still flying half a ship". Shadow sighed "That's something at least", Espio looked back at his screens "Alright, we've entered the atmosphere" Emerl beeped nervously. Two ships appeared next to them and they started shooting water on the ship to stop the fires "Alright, I see a landing strip. HOLD ON!". The ship hit the ground and continued to shoot forward until eventually stopping. They started to relax once they realised they were out of danger "Another happy landing" Espio said, he was happy just to be on solid ground again.
