Chapter 2: Escape!
"I can't believe we're going to go through with this." Pie moaned when Tart had finished explaining what the plan was to be.
"I don't see why you're complaining, Pie. It's a brilliant plan. What I can't believe is that pipsqueak here came up with it!" Kish taunted, grinning. The older alien sighed.
"I've changed my mind, I'll take Fuzen." He muttered as the trio got in position. "You do realize, Tart, that once we're free, I'm going to kill you for this."
"Just start already! The rest of us are in position!" Tart snapped, and it was clear that he was worried by Pie's comment, even though Pie had little intention of keeping it. Pie took a deep breath, slowly released it, and closed his eyes. I can't believe I'm about to do this. He thought to himself, but dismissed the thought and opened his eyes again. Pie plastered a huge, obviously forced grin on his face, put his hands behind his back, and proceeded to dance the polka.
"Hey! Hey, guys! What the heck is the tall one doing!" One of the guards asked incredulously, gesturing to the grinning, dancing Pie. Another guard turned around.
"No idea. Never seen anything like it!"
"What do you suppose it is? Looks almost like a dance of some kind…" Said another.
"I hope it isn't some kind of deadly, voodoo dance from Earth! I've heard stories about those." The first guard broke in, as the three watched Pie nervously. Slowly, so slowly, an ominous, oozing green plant began to sprout out of the floor behind the polkaing alien, until it towered above his head and a dark maroon bulb bloomed from the top. The on looking guards gasped, and the fourth, who had been steering the ship, turned around to see what was going on. All of a sudden, the bulb's petals parted to reveal large, spiked teeth, and it reached down and scooped Pie up, leaving only his lower half protruding from the 'mouth' of the plant. His indignant, muffled cries for help were quickly drowned out by the startled yells of the guards, who leapt to their feet, but then were clearly unsure of what to do.
"Come on, we can't just let the plant eat 'im! We're supposed to take them to Fuzen alive!" One guard said, striding purposefully toward the button that would disable the force field that blocked the exit of the cell.
"No! Do not open that door; it's clearly a trap! Besides, how do we know that the plant won't eat us too if we open it?" Another commanded, rushing in front of the other guard to block the button from him.
"Ha, let the plant have him, I say. It's just another filthy prisoner, and face it. Fuzen's got enough convicts as it is; no one's gonna care if three show up or two. Leave him." The fourth guard concluded, and walked toward the cell to watch, his eyes narrowed.
"But- aaahh…" The first guard sighed, leaving the large button to stand meekly by his superior. Soon after, the others gave up the argument, walking toward the cell to try and figure out where the killer plant had come from.
"You ok, Tart? Ready for the next phase?" Kish whispered to Tart from his hiding spot in one of the small front corners, which were not visible to the guards. The red-haired alien nodded, although he was quickly loosing energy from sustaining the large plant. "Good. We have their attention, they're all watching. Now's the time!" Tart quickly switched his control from the large plant that was holding Pie to creating a new, small plant atop the force field release button. Lacking support from Tart and having no soil to support itself, the large flower shriveled up and disappeared into the floor. Pie, covered in slime, collapsed onto the ground, panting. "Almost…" Tart grunted, his strength nearly sapped from sustaining the large plant for so long.
"What the…" The experienced alien guard mused, and his eyes lit up with realization, but it was then too late. Tart's little plant had grown heavy enough to press down the button, and the field snapped off.
"QUICK, IT'S A TRAP! GET AROUND ME AND- UMPH!" The lead guard quickly began barking out orders, but Kish was faster, and darted out from his hiding place with swords in hand. Within seconds, all the guards lay unconscious on the floor. Pie was desperately trying to free himself of the putrid slime that encased his upper body; Tart was drenched in sweat from the exertion, and Kish was bruised from a few blows from Pai-gra sticks, but they were free.
Pie, disgusted, quickly found some cloth to wipe the slime off with, and did so hurriedly while muttering murder plans for Tart under his breath. Kish and Tart quickly dragged the limp forms of the guards into the cell, reactivating the field.
"They should be out for a few hours. Plenty of time for us to dump them and slip in with the departing war ships bound for Earth." Pie stated once he had rid himself of the sludge, and quickly stepped up to the steering rod, putting the transport ship back on track to Fuzen.
"Won't the guys at Fuzen be suspicious when they get four prisoners instead of three?" Tart inquired nervously.
"Hn! No one wants to work at Fuzen; it's chaotic over there. They won't give a thought to how many prisoners are delivered." Pie replied. "Besides, we're just going to dump them; we won't talk to anyone."
"Oh…ok…" Tart concluded, although it was obvious by his tone that he was not convinced. However, Kish and Tart settled themselves atop the nearest pedestals, still panting from the exertion of their escape technique, while Pie steered the ship toward the no longer distant silhouette of the Dark Moon: Fuzen.