Chapter 32: Taking Off

Two weeks had passed since I woke up from my sleep. Brackett was watching me like a hawk during that time, making sure my leg and the scar on my chest were healing properly. I had to admit that it was getting annoying. Everyone else was feeling the same way but I was the only one who had the nerve to say it out loud to her face. She got grumpy after I spoke out at her for the first time but at least she toned it down a bit, giving me some peace and quiet while I recovered.

While I was recovering, I asked McKenna what had happened when I was asleep and he explained that ever since, they had to keep moving from one spot to another, hiding from the remaining forces of Stargazer but we were lucky that without any survivors and Traeger out of the picture, they weren't organized well and had a hard time finding us for a while.

But I knew better. This peace will only last for some time. Eventually, they would track us down as long as I was alive. They won't stop until I'm captured or dead. There was no denying the truth.

But it was something to think about later at the time. My mind was totally focused on food and it was all the time. Hell, I felt very bad for Lar'ja cause he would go hunting for meat and when McKenna cooked it and split it between, I would devour it like it was nothing, demanding for more in which Lar'ja had to go hunting again. Sometimes he would go out two or three times a day to satisfy my appetite. I kept apologizing but he said he was alright with it as long as I got food in my stomach so I would recover faster. I smiled every time he would say that but also worried inside.

When Lar'ja would go back to the ship and begin repairs on it, I would spend my time playing with Rory and A'kib since it was the only company I had for some periods. Mostly, it was me watching while Rory would go hide and seek and A'kib had to sniff him out. But no matter what, A'kib would get him and gently drag him back by his jacket and I laughed at Rory's futile attempts to break free. It was a great time, seeing Rory laugh and giggle like any normal child and I was happy, knowing his leg had fully recovered as well.

But the thought of telling Rory always comes back to haunt me. I told McKenna and Brackett first about my plans to go with Lar'ja to Yautja Prime. At first, they were a bit concerned since it meant there would be more dangers for me out there but I had strong reasons for it. Eventually, they both agreed with my decision but it was easy to tell them since they were adults and understood but with Rory, although he was very smart for his age, was still a child and probably would be devastated that I was leaving him. But I had made up my mind in going and I needed to do this. For them, Lar'ja, and myself.

When two weeks were up, my leg had fully recovered and I was able to walk normally again. The scar under my chest still stung a few times but it wasn't painful or sore anymore. At least I could hunt my own food now and let Lar'ja finish the repairs on the ship but I had to convince him a few times that I was alright by myself. What a worrywart.

One day, I went to go visit him on the ship to check on him in the morning. There was some damage to the panels so the cloaking device, shield and something called a wormhole machine didn't work anymore but it could still fly, which was enough for us.

"Hey, Lar'ja."

I saw him sitting on the chair at the front of the ship, pressing some codes to it while red and blue lights flashed around. I didn't have much idea yet what the symbols meant but Lar'ja's expression told me that everything was going well.

He turns around in his chair to look at me.

"Anya. Everything alright?"

I nodded. "Everything is fine. Got my wrist gauntlets and knife with me. All set to take off."

He bowed his head and clicked his mandibles together.

"That's good because the ship is ready as well. We can go now if we want to."

I smiled a bit but it was bittersweet. I couldn't avoid the inevitable now, which is explaining to Rory about what I was planning. Lar'ja must have sensed this cause he got up from his chair and walked towards me, wrapping me in a warm embrace while I pressed my face on his armored chest.

"Rory will understand. You just have to tell him the truth."

"But . . . I don't know how. I'm worried that I might make him more upset at me for doing this and I don't want him to feel like that. Or maybe . . . I'm just scared."

I closed my eyes tightly, imagining Rory's reaction of this and it terrified me. I cared for him like a little brother but I knew what needed to be done. If there was any chance of protecting this world and the people living on it, then I will take that chance. Lar'ja pulls back from me and I do the same, letting our eyes stare into one another for just a moment.

"It will be alright. Trust me."

I pressed my lips together a bit, still uncertain about it until Lar'ja moves his head so that our foreheads met. He closed his eyes and I did the same, staying where we are for God knows how long. But I had one question to ask him that was itching my brain for quite some time.

"Lar'ja?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you spare me that night? The night when we first met?"

His body stiffened against me and I opened my eyes, leaning my head back to see that he hadn't move nor did he open his eyes. In fact, he lowered his head down until I couldn't see his face anymore and his dreadlocks hung down like curtains. I started to regret asking him such a question since I didn't think he would react like that. So I began to move away from him until his arms tensed into steel bars and I was trapped. I kind of started to get nervous and the hairs on my arms stood up like goosebumps. Something inside told me that he wasn't ready to answer such a question and although I really wanted to know, I didn't want to push him further into something he wasn't comfortable with. Eventually, I cupped his face in my hands and lifted it slightly so I could see him. He slowly opens his golden eyes and I looked into them intensely.

"It's okay if you don't tell me now. I'll wait as long as you need. Okay?"

I gave him a gentle smile, hoping it would do the trick and ease his mind a bit. It worked as Lar'ja's body relaxes around me and purrs once more. I chuckled a bit and he grunted in response.

"Will you ever stop making that noise?"

I chuckled harder and he started to growl again.

"Why do you hate it so much?"

"It's annoying."

I tried my best not to chuckle again but my attempts to do so weren't fruitful. It just made my chuckles louder and he rips away from me, growling and grunting in response as he went back to get something from the panel. I just stood there waiting as he came back with some strange object in his hand.

"What is that?"

It looked very unusual. It did have the shape of a wrist gauntlet except it was almost completely black in color and had two shafts sticking out to the sides with open rings at their ends. I tilted my head to the side and squinted my eyes to try and study it in detail. Even then, I was utterly confused.

"What is that?"

Lar'ja lifted up so I could get a better view of it but it didn't help to ease my curiosity. I looked back and forth from him to the gauntlet and I sighed in frustration. He huffed a bit and brought it closer to me.

"It's the secret weapon we were searching for. Called the Predator Killer."

"Predator Killer? What does it do?"

He nodded his head up and down.

"It creates an armor for the user and provides new weapons for the oomans to use. This was made in case the war comes to this planet, giving them a fighting chance against the Bad Bloods."

"Will it come to that?"

I looked at him with worry in my eyes and Lar'ja picked it up quickly, purring a little in an attempt to calm me down. It did work somewhat but I was starting to think of the future and what will happen to this place if the war does come here. But I silently hoped that it wouldn't come to that.

He shook his head back and forth as his dreadlocks swayed and his mandibles twitched simultaneously.

"We will do our best to make sure that doesn't happen. But right now, we need to get back to my homeworld and start from there. We need as much support as we can."

With his free hand, he places it on top of my head and gently caresses it. I just gave him a smirk and he does his best to do the same. Even though he looked funny, it made my heart raced and I tried to breathe deeply to slow it down.

When he lets go, he walks past and motions for me to follow. I hustled to catch up to him and we both walked out of the ship. But I didn't expect that the others would be waiting for us at the entrance. I had no idea of what was going on and worry started to build in my chest.

"What's going on?"

I got to Lar'ja's side when he stopped just in front of McKenna, Brackett, and Rory. A'kib saw me and raced to be at my side, rubbing his whole body on the side of my leg and I almost toppled over. I just gave him a slight pat on the head and he sits by my side. Lar'ja just turns his head to the side at me.

"I called everyone over here. It's time."

He pats the back of my shoulder gently and I glanced at him for just a second before I looked back at the others, especially at Rory who had an expression on his face that told me he knew something was up.

"What's going on?"

Rory turns around to everyone and Brackett and McKenna just look down to the ground as if trying to avoid his gaze. When he looks back to me, I stepped forward and stopped to kneel in front of him so that we were at the same eye level. I inhaled deeply and blinked my eyes slowly until I spoke to him. His gaze solely focused on me.

"Rory . . . I have to tell you something."

He didn't move at all and it made it harder for me to get my words out. I tried to think of an easier way to tell him but nothing was coming to mind. I knew that I had no choice but to say it truthfully to him.

"I know that Earth is safe since we defeated the Bad Blood but . . . it's only temporary for now. There are still some things I have to do to make sure this world is safe so . . ."

I swallowed the saliva that was gathering in my mouth and took a huge breath once more until I looked back into Rory's eyes.

"I have to go away for some time."

Right then, Rory moved back from me a bit but only a little bit. To me, it was like I shocked him and I started to regret telling him. However, I was in deep now and I couldn't take my words back. I had to do this.

"You . . . can't leave. You can stay here with us. I'm sure that it won't come to that. You belong here."

I smiled a bit at him. "I know and I thank you for that but there's no guarantee of that. Lar'ja and I have to do something but not from here. I'm sorry but I can't stay."

He rips away from me and I froze immediately as his face twisted until it looked like he was worried and angry at the same time, making it harder for me to know what he is feeling right now. But then, he shouts at me with all of his might.

"You can't! You'll get hurt out there and I can't bear for you to be in pain again. Not after you've gone through in order to protect us! You'll be safe here."

I was glad that he cared for my wellbeing but it wasn't enough to persuade me. I just lowered my head to the ground while shaking my head around. I lifted my head back to greet him once more.

"I'm sorry Rory but it won't be possible. Even if I did stay, Stargazer will still be hunting for me and all of you will be targets as well. I'm putting you in more danger if I stay here. Out there . . . all of you will be safe and I can find a way to stop the war once and for all. I owe that much to all of you after everything you have done for me. Giving me a chance to live and accepting who I am . . ."

I clutched my chest with one hand and pounded slightly on it, showing Rory that I was determined about what I was saying. He just stared at me but I could sense his concern in his breathing. His chest was rising and falling fast and I wanted to let him know how I felt. I scooted to him on my knees and put my hands on his shoulders once more, keeping my eyes on him.

"And for that, I'm forever grateful to you. And to your father, Brackett and the others who have sacrificed their lives so we can survive."

I looked back up at Brackett and McKenna and they both smiled at me. I returned the gesture until I moved back to Rory. I smiled at him and he lowers his gaze to the ground for just a moment before he glances back at me and nods slightly. When I knew that he had calm down, I turned my head back to Lar'ja and raised my hand out to him.

Our eyes did the talking for us and Lar'ja moves closer to me, bringing the Predator Killer to my hand and I took it in mine. He nods at me and I responded back with the same notion. I brought the weapon until it was in the middle of me and Rory and he looks down on it with curiosity.

"What is that?"

I chuckled a bit. "This is called the Predator Killer. It's the weapon that Lar'ja had brought to Earth so it would give all of you a fighting chance just in case. It's a gift to humanity and I want you to hold on to it."

Without hesitation, I moved his hands so that it would wrap around it. As soon as I knew that Rory had it, I let it go and watched as he moved it around to inspect it. When he was done, he looks back up to me.

"Make sure you protect it at all costs. It's very important."

"Hey. Why are you giving that to him?"

To my slight shock, I looked back at McKenna when he questioned as what I was doing. His shock expression wasn't much of a surprise but I got a bit annoyed by it. Brackett didn't say much while she looked back and forth between me and McKenna. I just told him out without remorse.

"Because I trust him more than ten of your lives combined so just shut up back there."

His lower jaw dropped all the way in shock and surprise and Brackett just giggled at his response. It was infectious as me, Rory, and even Lar'ja started to laugh. McKenna just shrugged it off and crossed his arms in front of his chest in annoyance. When we finished, I looked back at Rory with a smile on my face.

"Take care of yourself okay?"

I waited a bit for me until Rory nodded slowly to me. With that, I stood back up on my feet and patted his head a bit. I let him go and turned around, walking towards Lar'ja's side and both of us began to walk up the ramp of the ship with A'kib following close behind.

But then, I heard running steps coming from behind and when I turned around, Rory had wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed his face on my stomach. I froze in surprise for a moment until I heard him speak but it was muffled a bit.

"I love you and you will always be my sister."

My eyes widened in shock as I looked down at him but his face didn't move from my stomach. After some time, I relaxed and smiled, kneeling back down again and wrapped my arms around him as well. I pressed my face into the side of his head and spoke.

"I love you too and you're the best brother that I'll ever have."

Both of us tightened our grips a little, enjoying this precious moment for a while until we let go of each other. When his face came back up to me, I saw a single tear fall down his cheek and I caught it with my finger, glancing at it for a moment until I looked back at him, smiling.

"Goodbye, Rory. And to you all."

Rory smiled and I stood back up to see McKenna and Brackett with the Predator Killer in her hands. I smiled and bowed my head in respect to them. They smiled as well and they bowed their heads as well. When that was done, I took one more look at Rory until I turned back around and followed Lar'ja and A'kib back into the ship. As soon as we passed the threshold, the ship activated and the ramp began to ascend from the ground. I turned around and smiled back at all of them before the ramp finally closed.

All three of us made our way to the front of the ship where Lar'ja sat on the chair and started to press more codes into it while I stood behind and A'kib sat beside me. When he did, the whole ship activated and many lights turned on all around us. I could feel the rumbling of the engine starting up and before I knew it, I felt the ship lifting off the ground and in the air.

I saw a window on the side and I went to it, looking out to see Rory and the others watching us as we got further away until they were just little dots on the ground. Soon, the whole forest became smaller and smaller until I couldn't see the individual trees and more. And before I knew it, we were out in space as the Earth became no more than a small, round thing in the middle of the darkness.

I admired the Earth a bit more before I moved away and went back to Lar'ja's side. A'kib was laying on the ground until he lifted my head when he saw me coming. He barked in joy and hopped back and forth in excitement. I giggled and patted his head until I motioned him to lay back down. He did as he was told and started to doze off until he closed his eyes in sleep.

When he was out, I came to Lar'ja and leaned on the frame of the chair for support. He noticed my presence and looked back at me.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am. I just hope that we can stop this before it gets out of hand."

Lar'ja raises his hand from the panel and pressed into my cheek as he purred for me. I enjoyed it as I pushed my cheek further into it, relishing in the warmth of it along with noting how soft he was. He lets go and returns back to the panel.

"You should get some sleep. It will be a while before we arrive."

I didn't argue with that since I let out a huge yawn. I moved to where A'kib is and laid down beside him, using his body as a pillow for my head. When I got comfortable, it didn't take long to let myself drift into a deep slumber.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Anya. Wake up. We're here."

I didn't know how long I slept but a headache was coming on and I groaned when I got up from my spot. Thank goodness that I didn't disturb A'kib as he kept snoring on. When I got to my feet, I rubbed my eyes and head as I went towards Lar'ja who was frantically pressing more codes into the panel. I let out a huge yawn until I spoke to him.

"Finally?"

When I finished rubbing my eyes and opened them slowly, I looked forward and saw a huge planet coming closer to us. I widened my eyes a bit as the sight was something I didn't think existed.

The planet was covered in a bright, red color that made it looked like it was glowing like the sun. If I didn't know any better, it sort of reminded me of Mars but when we got closer, some of it was covered in metal buildings that reminded me of cities. It also had some parts that were covered mostly in jungles but also swamps and even a desert. A mix of several types of land and metal. Somehow . . . instinctually . . . I knew that this was Yautja Prime.

I looked at Lar'ja and he did the same, staring into each other and all I can do is smile at that moment. We turned our heads back to the front and watched as the planet came closer. I gripped the frame of Lar'ja's chair and stared forward.

"Shall we begin?"

Hi Readers!

So Twisted Fate is now finished but it doesn't mean that Anya's journey is over yet. As Lar'ja and Anya make it to Yautja Prime, they prepare themselves to face what awaits them. Although there are many uncertainties about what will happen next, Anya is determined more than ever to stop the war at all costs. No matter what . . .

Also, I couldn't help but use the quote from Daenerys on Game of Thrones at the end. Those words always get at me and I believed it was appropriate to use at this moment as well. Yautja Prime might be a little different since not much is certain about its terrain but I did it the way I believed it to be so I apologize if some readers don't like it.

So as an announcement to everyone, after Break Free is finished, I will be taking a month off from posting stories but that doesn't mean I won't be working on them. In fact, I will be using this time to write chapters for the sequels of both Twisted Fate and Break Free so that when it's time to post them, I will be able to edit them much better than before. So I hope that all of you understand but I'll be posting things on my Instagram and maybe leave some sneak peeks of chapters in them as well :D

In fact, I will give you guys the summary of the sequel Metamorphosis that I've made so far below (might change just a little to fit into FanFiction. Word limit and all . . . )

"After reaching Yautja Prime, Anya is thrown into a world that is completely different from the one she left behind. Still struggling to control her Yautja powers, she must face those who question her loyalty with Lar'ja acting strangely. On top of that, Anya must find the secrets hidden in the darkness that might turn the whole Yautja world upside down."

Anyway, I hope that all of you enjoyed this story and that I appreciate your patience as you look forward to the sequel Metamorphosis that will be coming soon. I'll keep everyone posted as much as I could. As for the other stories, I will be keeping tabs on them but not sure yet when I will be working on them with school and personal stuff going on in my life but I will make sure to update it on my profile of any changes made.

Thank you very much and have a great day!

Enjoy the last few chapters of Break Free! :)))

P.S. (For Anonymous-E): I know you wanted a love scene with Anya/Ta'kasa and Lar'ja but you will have to find out in the sequel. Hope you can wait for it. :)