Chapter 4

Planning

Yeah, this was not going to work. This was the main thought that the Brotherhood held in their minds as they sat aboard a newer and better armored ship, still in a panic. The plan was too go in under fake assumption that their ships belonged to a fleet of prisoner ships; get in, rescue Zodiac and their teammate and get out. It seemed to easy, which meant it was going to be. The Brotherhood's normal clothes were currently discarded for some sort of armor that was common on this planet, but non-to-flattering.

"How are we supposed to know what to expect?" asked Fred.

"Expect violence, insanity, and everything to go to shit," said Corsair, "It's really why our plans don't take much time… No amount of planning can protect you from what you don't know. I could give you a lesson on every detail of what you're going to fight, but what's that going to do but waste time. Stay away from Broods, aim for their weak spot if they get close. A Tricid- is a shifter, trust your instincts, and use their brute force and their lack of tactical skills against them, if you run into a general hit them hard. Now anything else in between, just avoid or maintain the upper hand. The main objective is to get in and out as soon as possible with as little interference as possible. We meet on these ships and haul north west not north east, if we head that way we go right into the galactic war zone and we want to acoid that quadrant. Got it?"

"…" there was silence from the Brotherhood and nods from the others.

"What are doing?" asked Nature, "We didn't even go over how we get in or where we go exactly."

"Down," said Raza, "They's prison under."

"Do we have weapons?" asked Mika, he held up a small tube, "I mean I don't have powers, here."

"That's an electro-gun," said Ch'od

"A Taser," said Corsair, "Think of it like a hockey game, start with strategy but realiy on your own skills and let the pucks fly…. And if you need it, the boots have a plasma gun and the small beads are some screens, our red hearings."

"Hockey is all about planning," said Mika.

"Real hockey isn't, okay… so let's get started, get in and get out, drop us off on our ship and away we go," said Corsair confidently as he went to the front of the ship.

"Oh my go, we are so screwed," said Lance, his shoulders slumping, "There's so much I haven't done."

"I know right, you're going to die a virgin… that sucks, even Toad beat you on that one," said Pietro, patting his shoulder.

"I will not hesitate to practice my gun on you," said Lance with a glare.

Zodiac walked with the guards taking in her surroundings, it was a long walk up many stairs. Even though their weapons looked to be advanced technology, their building reminded her of a time without it. As they proceeded things looked more like she imagined an alien hostile planet, including a wall filled with heads of many animals or species of other aliens, she really didn't want to know. She imagined this Triccidian king to be like the Brood monsters she'd seen, but when she entered the room a tall man barked orders at soldiers in a different language. He was older but with a thin handsome face, and strong features. His hair was deep in color and at first looked like thick braids, but as they grew closer she realized they were attached to his armor.

"Ah, princess, how nice of you to join me," his voice was thick with an accent of what might be this races language, "Zodiac is it not?... I am Vantragood, King here, are you enjoying our hospitality?"

"I'm a prisoner," said Zodiac, she wanted to say something witty, but she felt herself reacting physically in defense out of fear, her mind was scanning his.

"Meer formality my dear, I just wanted to discuss terms of an agreement, then we'll have you taken care of…. Would you like some food? My general informs me that on Earth it is different, but we could have something made for you," said Vantragood, he seemed almost casual, something she felt uneasy about.

"No thank you, listen I'm not the person you want to discuss any agreements with," said Zodiac, something in the back of her mind said not to do that, she felt immediate regret, "I mean my mother is who you want talk too… I haven't even been in space before."

"Perhaps this was true, but as she abandoned Animite. That makes you to new heir when the war ends… if it ends, and thus it would end with whomever made the agreements and terms. Your family seems to think the war should continue versus reaching terms, a fools approach at peace really," Vantragood smiled, his teeth were black little fangs, "I would hope being raised on a world without a sense of entitlement, one would be able to be rational."

"I…" a voice in her head told her to lie to stall, she wanted nothing more than to find a way to run, but something seemed to push her, "I can't make any agreements without knowing more…. I.. I don't know….I don't know anything about Animite…"

"You do not know of your people?" his face was unreadable, "Of how they suffer, I suppose the royal family being away so long has become blind to the ways of the war… or do you lie to me?"

"I'm not lying… my family never told me… listen I'm sure my mother would gladly come to terms to get me home… but my home is Earth, not Animite," said Zodiac quickly, Zodiac waited for a push like before, but the other voice was gone, "I don't belong here and I don't want to be a part of this war for somewhere I've never been."

"I see… they've chosen to raise the future queen blindly, how foolish…. I suppose some wish to ignore reality like Mites tend to do… I chose to raise my son Lagood differently, he's a top general," he indicated to the taller of the guards who nodded shortly, "But if you wish to be informed, I would have no greater desire than to tell you what they hid from you my dear. Your mother was foolish to keep the truth from you, your birthright is to know."

Before Zodiac could respond with a no, she stopped herself. She should say no and then talk her way out of this, convince and agree with this person to get home, but she couldn't. She wanted to know, know more than what her mother had been forced to tell her. She had even tried to sugar coat it when everything came to light and had become angry with her aunt for trying not to. She'd come to the conclusion that her mother must have ordered her sisters never to speak of it… she may be their older sister but that wouldn't have been why… She didn't doubt her mother would order them to still keep quite. She nodded, against her better judgement.

"Well then, let us have dinner then," he grinned triumphantly.

Lance took a deep breath as he drove; he was focusing on the mission at hand. He needed to focus, if he let his thoughts slip it could be a disaster. He would get sick… but most of all, one wrong slip and the Brotherhood were doomed. He wasn't going to let that happen, Corsair may not have a solid plan but he was going to make sure everything went well with minimal damage. He jumped as a hand touched his shoulder and Nature sat down next to him in silence.

"We're all in over our heads," said Nature, "I'm sorry for getting you all dragged into this."

"Hey don't apologize yet, we can handle this…" said Lance, feigning confidence.

"Right," said Nature as she looked out the window, "I can't….. I keep thinking the worst."

Pietro looked over to where Lance and Nature were talking in the cockpit as Tabitha sat next to him. There was an air of silence over the ship, save for the occasional joke that Todd would try to get the air less stiff. He looked at Tabitha who was currently staring off into space, she opened her mouth to say something but shrugged instead.

"How do you feel about this lack of planning and alien fighting?" asked Tabitha, "I feel like we should have brought Pyro."

"We needed a distraction to steal the ship to get out here, I'm fine by the way, typical Monday," said Pietro.

"You always know when it's Monday," Tabitha rolled her eyes.

"That's because I hate Mondays," smiled Pietro, "How are you doing?"

"Same as you, panicking internally but excited at the same time and trying to hide it…. I really need to get souvenirs for this trip…. My phone died so no pictures," said Tabitha with a grumbled sigh.

"We could just crash a space ship into the X-men's lawn, that way Lance can brag and you can have a picture of their shocked faces when I run and grab the camera," smirked Pietro.

"Oh that would be a thing of beauty," smirked Tabitha, "Pietro, can you do me a favor?"

"I won't leave your side," said Pietro, he held her hand for a second, "When we get home, I am looking forward to one hell of a party."

"Oh, it will be epic, we are going to party for weeks and find a whole bunch of hotties… I vote we trick the X-men into lending us their pool," said Tabitha with a playful smile.

"Now you're speaking my language," said Pietro as they started plotting out their party.

Wanda looked at the plasma gun thing she'd been given wondering exactly what it did and if her hexbolts would do the same damage. She scowled but she was more uneasy about this. If they were anything like what they'd faced it had taken all of them to even weaken it, what if they got separated. She looked around the ship, everyone seemed paired off already, like always she was sitting by herself. It wasn't that she minded, in fact she preferred it most times. But even when she was before she had Pietro or Todd around her just in case she got out of hands or in a jam. She looked to see Todd and Fred talking over animatedly in the far corner, and then to where Pietro and Tabitha sat holding hands and laughing. She knew she could hold her own on earthly issues, but this was a whole new ball game.

"Hey Wanda, how's it going?" asked Mika as he sat down near her, "You okay?"

"I'm fine," said Wanda, "Just deciding if my powers have the same impact as this gun."

"Can your powers disintegrate things?" asked Mika.

"I've never tried.. well that's no good then, I've never shot a gun," said Wanda with a shrug as she put it back in her boot.

"Don't be scared…. We can handle this, its gonna take some raw skill, but I got motivation," said Mika, "I'm sure we all do. Focus on that, it makes you less fearful."

"I'm not scared, I can take care of myself," said Wanda, there was a quiet moment, "I don't know what my motivation is. Yours is your sister?"

"And my wife… sooner I get my sister and get out of here, the sooner I get home," said Mika, "Right now its Zodiac, but as soon as I make sure she's safe, it's Shaylene. I'm sure somethings motivating or you wouldn't be here."

"I went because they went," said Wanda, looking at the Brotherhood.

"Could that be your motivation?" asked Mika looking at the Brotherhood, "I mean if you didn't come…"

"They'd be screwed," said Wanda with an eye role, "I still don't know how they made it while I was away at…. Ohm… school?"

"Wanda, you okay?" asked Mika, Wanda looked confused, she shook it off, "Well I'm sure that's true. Family is a huge motivator with anything."

"Do me a favor and don't mention this small mushy moment to any of them," said Wanda quickly.

"Mums the word," said Mika, "You know you remind me a lot of Shaylene… hard outside… but still human….of coarse she's a cop."

"Speaking of human…." Said Wanda as they trailed off in conversation.

Todd and Fred sat in light hearted conversation over in the corner, they had opted to try and ignore the possible turmoil at hand and focus on things to do back home. Fred was talking about work and his recent attempt at online dating, while Todd was ranting about Candy. It was his main focus, getting back home and spending time with Candy and forgetting about this strange trip.

"So you proposed?" asked Fred with a laugh, he gave a thump on Todd's back causing his knees to buckle, "Aw my little buddies all grown up and getting hitched."

"Well only if we get out of here in one piece," said Todd with a sigh.

"Any plans on when I need to get a tux?" asked Fred, keeping the topic focused.

"Well…" Todd was cut off.

"Alright guys, Corsair's giving us the signal, Mika?" asked Lance as Mika ran into the cockpit, "Okay guys…. Here's the plan."

"I thought there was no clear cut plan?" asked Tabitha, "All else fails we run screaming."

"Well, we have a plan… We stay together and if for some ungodly reason we get separated and find ourselves in stress, run like hell back to the ship," said Lance, he had his leader voice on, which even Pietro begrudgingly would listen too, "My main concern is us and our safety, mission or no mission, got it. Good. Now let's get ready."

"That is the closest to 'I Love You' he will ever get," muttered Tabitha to Todd who snickered.

"Alright, here we go," came Mika's voice over the intercom and with a jolt they were off to blend into the army of soldier ships with Corsair's 'borrowed' ship.

TO BE CONTINUED