111. Angel Spear Four part 2
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T-Minus: Five Hours, thirty-two minutes.
Location: The Plain of Flight – Crash Site
"…….."
Cr-Crumble….
"………."
Crummmmmmble!
I grit my teeth.
I strain.
I push the small boulder out of the way.
CRUMP!!
It crashes down into a tiny crevice of rock.
I pant
My lungs heave.
I wipe my brow and look around.
Pitch black.
I take my shades off.
With black eyes firm, I peer around.
I am in the shadow of the crashed ship.
The tiny crack in the ground has protected me at the last second.
On either side of me is solid rock. Walls of a thin, little ravine.
I look straight up.
Almost in jumping distance is the belly of the settled ship. The roof—actually—for as memory serves me right, the spacecraft flipped and teetered over before finally collapsing on top of us.
Us……
"N'tal nu jereblorg thatta…."
I peer around. Black eyes blinking.
Four Tamaranian soldiers creep out of the hiding place where we remained safe from the thunderous crash. They peer in shock and horror at the predicament we are in. They also stare uncomfortably at me…and my eyes.
I take a deep breath. A beat. I simply turn around and creep towards the end of our little 'ravine'.
"Havork j'nu ferabloggan lu!"
I ignore whoever it was. I reach a flesh hand up and feel the surface of the crashed dreadnought's hull. It is cold an alien. An invading body from the frigid depths of space.
I groan.
I lower my eyes and concentrate.
Minnae?? Minnae, are you there??
Silence. Audible and mental.
Princess Minnae?! It's Noir! Please respond!!
Nothing….
Dammit……
I grit my teeth.
I hold my right hand out and peer down at the Angel Spear wrist band.
T-Minus: Five Hours, thirty minutes.
I bite my lip.
I lower my wrist.
With a sigh, I unsheathe Myrkblade.
CHIIIIING!!!
Green lights. Four of them from behind me. Illuminating the ravine.
"N'Torrak liin!"
I look back at them.
They eye me apprehensively, starbolts at ready.
I wave a metal hand and mouth: 'It's alright.'
I turn around, raise Myrkblade, and slash into the hull.
CLANK!!!!
I try it again, more force this time.
CLANG!!!!!!!
I take a breath. I close my eyes. I meditate. I charge my limbs with pulsing murk. I let smoke course through my fingers and into my blade.
I open my black eyes. Smoke dances out of my optics as I twirl Myrkblade, bring it back, and blur it forward in a slash.
CRAAAA-AAAACK!!!
I form a huge tear in our piece of the hull.
I take a breath and swing another charged slash with Myrkblade.
CRACK!!!! CRKKKKK-CKTING!!!
Sparks fly. Black shards of the hull litter the floor beneath me. A strange light from the other side starts to seep through.
I pant, leaning on my blade.
One of the soldiers walks up past me. He kneels and feels the crack that I made. His fingers feel the laceration.
A beat.
He looks back at me. "Hakka thorgan blub. Nu saat." He smiles.
I simper back.
He looks over my shoulder. His face is firm. "Vordan'm." He motions with his red head.
Another Tamaranian walks up. He brushes me back with his arm.
I take a few steps in reverse and stand by the others.
The two soldiers stand side by side. The first utters something in command to the second. Both set their feet firmly in the ground and aim at the crack I made in the hull. Their hands glow bright. And….
FLASH!!!!
A huge hole is made in the hull.
Immediately, all four Tamaranians dash in…floating.
I make a double-take, gulping. I blur in last.
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T-Minus: Five Hours, twenty-nine minutes.
Location: Crashed Ship – Outer Walkway
The four soldiers hover in a circle, starbolts ready. The dark hallway glows a bright green as they aim down both ways, eyeing the interior for enemies.
Silence.
They relax.
They touch down to their feet and continue looking around.
"H'jaataal nimerole ti…" the leader of the four utters. "Nisu…"
I saunter into the hallway, squinting and blocking the light from the starbolts with my hand. I slip my shades on and peer down both sides of the interior. The Tamaranian soldiers start talking to each other in hushed tones behind me. Probably organizing their thoughts. Strategizing.
I glance down at my wristband on my right hand.
The arrow points me diagonally towards the wall of the hallway passageway to my right.
Northeast. Distance: 0.01 miles.
I take a breath.
I'm close………but to what exactly?
Or who?
Regardless, I hold Myrkblade up at ready and start wandering down the passage way.
Then from behind me….
"Nu!! Nortakka h'tal vurugait?!"
I pause and peer over my shoulder.
All four soldiers are looking at me. Perplexed….
"Nu lathlorg basu fera??"
I waved them off with my metal hand and continue walking.
"Der sakka!!"
I sigh. I swivel around--
They're practically in my face.
I blink.
They're following me….
"Havork guden'ni san."
I raise an eyebrow.
The leader points a finger over me in some obscure direction which I felt figuratively represented: 'the ship'.
"Gord'n thretteraat."
I bite my lip.
The leader points at himself. "Tamr'n." He points all around. "Gord'n." He points at me. "Nu???"
I exhale and shrug. I mouth something indistinguishable and point at the scar on my neck.
The leader leans his head to the side. He fingers my neck….then groans. "Siss'm thrie…" He turns and looks at the others. "Ni cadda vorg'n thriett."
The others nod, looking at me.
ZAP!!!!
A blue pulse of energy slams into a wall besides one of the soldiers.
They gasp and shout in Tamaranian. They aim starbolts past me.
I spin around with Myrkblade raised high.
My black eyes widen under my shades.
Three reptilians with the same trademark jetpacks and red wings of metal rush down the hallway with sparking war spears. They hiss and charge mercilessly at us.
"Gord'n threttu!!" the leader of my little squad shouts.
Gord'n???
I narrow my eyes.
The reptilian faces become distinguishable.
They aim their spears.
I gasp.
Gordanian!!
ZAP!!! ZAAAAAP!!! ZAP!
I spin Myrkblade, deflecting two of the blue beams.
The four Tamaranians dodge the third and let loose their starbolts.
FLASH!!! FLASH!!!!!! FLASH!!
The Gordanians shriek and run for cover.
More starbolts fly.
I dash forward, moving almost as quickly as the green pulses of energy. My feet blur and I drag Myrkblade along the floor. Sparks fly. I grit my teeth. I reach the first Gordanian and swing the broadside of my sword into his chest.
WHUMP!!!!
He bends over, hissing.
I twirl and slash off his metal wings.
CH-CHTING!!!
I kick him in the rear.
WHUMP!!!
He teeters forward and collapses into another Gordanian soldier.
Hisses. The third one fires at me.
I duck the blue laser, gasping.
SWOOOOOOSH!!! One of the Tamaranian soldiers flies in with a heavy fist.
WHAM!!!!!
The Gordanian recoils from the blast.
The Tamaranian flies naturally behind him and grabs the Gordanian from behind with wrenching arms.
The Gordanian struggles and twitches in grasp.
The Tamaranian hovers and pivots the two so that the Gordanian's chest is facing the other three soldiers.
All of them charge up starbolts.
I gulp. I dash out of the way.
"Nu forblogger!!!!"
"YAAAAH!!!"
FLASH!!! FLASH!!! FLASH!!!!!
All three starbolts impact in the Gordanian's chest. Purple blood flies in a huge splash. The Gordanian croaks and falls limp in the one Tamaranian's arms. The soldier drops him, heaving and panting in some sort of righteous bloodlust.
Then…
More hisses from down the hallway.
The four soldiers hover up with starbolts charged.
The leader brushes the sweat and purple blood off his brow. He shouts loud and thunderously: "Thrack'n de X'Hal!!!"
"De X'Hal!!!"
"De X'Hal!!!!"
"RAAAAUGH!!"
They soar down the corridor in four bolts of green fury. Charging the enemy.
I pant.
I look down at my wristband.
The arrow is still pointing northeast…which happens to be where our passageway is taking us.
I shrug. I twirl Myrkblade and dash down the hallway after the four Tamaranians.
When in Rome……
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T-Minus: Five Hours, twenty-two minutes.
Location: Crashed Ship – Junction Corridor
I rush out.
I skid to a stop.
There are…bodies moving everywhere.
Reptilian and Tamaranian.
I glance around. I count mentally.
Four Tamaranians…..
Eight Gordanians!!
The Tamaranian soldiers shout at the top of their lungs, entangling themselves with and exchanging starbolts with the overwhelming Gordanian onslaught.
Warriors to the core…
They're not going to survive this!!
I look at my wristband. I eye the illuminated arrow pointing me into the core of the spacecraft. I look at the claustrophobic, airborne battle. I bite my lip.
SWISSSH!! I twirl Myrkblade and rush at the first Gordanian-Tamaranian coupling I see.
I jump…and…
SLASH!!!!
CRACK!!!
The enemy's spear flies apart.
The Gordanian hisses in shock.
The Tamaranian soldier fighting him growls and socks him hard in the face.
POW!!!
Meanwhile, I land and blur towards another fight.
A Tamaranian and a Gordanian are twirling in mid-air near the ceiling. The Gordanian grabs the soldier in an awkward position and prepares to bite down on his neck with reptilian fangs.
I blur my feet. I run up the wall. I leap off it with a mid-air slash.
SWIIIISH!!!!
I sever the Gordanian's jetpack in two. Its body lurches downward. The Tamaranian takes control with his natural flight and flings the enemy into the wall.
I land in a crouch.
Panting.
I don't want to kill…this is not my war……this is not my war……
I look across the way.
Two Gordanians are overcoming a third soldier.
I rush over.
The fiends raise their spears at the struggling defender.
I clench my teeth.
Smoke dances out of my eyes….
FLASH!!!
I teleport on a curtain of smoke and solidify in front of the two. I slash Myrkblade out in a horizontal arc.
CL-CLANK!!!
Their spears snap apart.
They hiss and--
FLASH!!!!!
With two hands outstretched, the Tamaranian behind me sends a starbolt into each face of the offenders.
I pant and look at him.
He smiles and nods his head. "Caclutta firm'n dyet!" He flies off and joins the others four in combating the last four.
I charge murk to blur over and join them when—
'Noir?! Are you there?!'
I gasp.
Minnae!!
'You are safe, Noir! I am elated!'
Where's everybody??
'I cannot say. Things became confusing ever since the ship crashed!'
Tell me about it……
'Did you see the ship crash land?'
Yeah. I was beneath it.
'Beneath it?!?! Were you all right?!?!'
Uh huh. Hold on.
I twirl Myrkblade. I blur forward into an attack.
A double cluster of four Tamaranians and four Gordanians has formed to the far side of the interior. Two Tamaranians are shoved back, forming an opening.
SWOOOOSH!!!
I dive through it, Myrkblade swinging.
The Gordanians hiss and--
CL-CLANK!!!
I smack Myrkblade hard across both helmets like a ricocheting stone over a pond. I kick one in the stomach and smack another hard in the side with the broadside of Myrkblade, sending him plunging into a third Gordanian. The Tamaranians quickly make mincemeat out of the forth.
And all is quiet.
I pant, leaning on Myrkblade.
The Tamaranians cheer.
Two of them even pat me hard on the shoulder, smirking.
I simper.
'Noir, what is going on?? Are you okay??'
I'm inside the ship. More or less battling my way to the prisoners. The place is crawling with Gordanians.
'Gordanians??'
Well, this is Tamaran isn't it? Or some Tamaran world??
'That, I have noticed. But I have not seen a Gordanian close up. They only meet other races to obliterate them!'
I think they're the invasionary force. The prisoners must also be Tamaranian.
'How do you suspect all of this so much?'
I……I have a very close friend who is also Tamaranian……She's told me a lot about her planet and………I-I think I might know when and where we are.
"Nu! Vablorg de j'nal frat!" the leading soldier points and commands to the other three. They start creeping down the hallway. One or two glance at me.
They are still heading in the way I need to go, according to the Angel Spear prompt. I can't tell if they are taking this mission up spontaneously or if they too are trying to find the prisoners. But then again, we had all been caught underneath the ship when it collapsed.
'Perhaps then you will be of further assistance to this mission?'
It all depends. Where are you?
'I am with a small contingent of……I suppose Tamaranian soldiers.'
You suppose?!?!
'They possess long red hair and green eyes.'
You suppose right…
'We are approaching the space ship. They judge me to not be a threat. They're keeping me along as a way to protect me, rather than abandon me on the battlefield.'
How do you know all that?
'I can interpret what they're saying.'
You understand Tamaranian??
'No. My telepathy reveals the intention of their verbalizations.'
Oh……
'I may likely be seeing you soon, Noir.'
What about Katma and Lobo?
'Captain Tui is in the ship somewhere. That at least, I know. Mr. Lobo…I am unsure of. He won't respond to me. He is most stubborn.'
I could really use his help right now.
'With what?'
…………Reptile stomping.
'Huh??'
Never mind. Keep in touch…as much as a telepath can keep in 'touch'. The group of soldiers I'm with is more or less heading towards the destination. I may get to the prisoners first, if I'm lucky.
'As long as we all stick to the mission, I feel that everything shall be fine. But we must make haste! Almost an hour has been elapsed!'
I know. Crashing ships sorta do that.
'Take care, Noir.'
Take care, Minnae.
I focus my attention on my surroundings.
I realize that the doors of the corridor rise three feet from the floor. The Tamaranians that re walking have to hop over the ledges.
I raise my eyebrow in confusion….then I remember that the ship we are in is upside down. I smack my forehead.
"Nella j'ttaden vagaglorben thrie…" a soldier utters.
"Yut!" the leader raises his hand.
All of them hault.
I freeze as well.
Silence.
My black eyes dance about under my shades.
A long, metal door stretches along our left side from the ceiling/floor.
The leader Tamaranian holds up a glowing green hand.
"N'mal….," he mutters.
A beat.
KABOOOM!!!!
The wall is blown down.
I cover my eyes from debris. I hold Myrkblade at ready and peer through the settling dust.
The dust settles.
But instead of charging forward with starbolts flying, my 'comrades' smile and let out a cheer.
I blink at them curiously. I glanced through the smashed door.
A line of nearly a dozen Tamaranian soldiers stand in the hallway on the other side.
I sigh with relief. I smile--
FLASH!!!!
I gasp as a bolt of green slams into my chest.
SWOOOSH-WHAP!!!
I fly backwards into a wall, wincing.
Two of the soldiers from the other side soar in and push me harshly against the wall. They raise glowing hands of fury at my face. A third floats over, barking: "Nu heverak!! N'jat kemina!!"
I wince from the burning heat of the starbolts up close….
Suddenly, the four soldiers from my party rush forward and push the others back.
"Haaka h'nala dielin sae!! N'kal rivet'n!"
"J'vern thrutt!"
"Vu lie cackli'm vanasun!"
The soldiers look at each other.
I'm dropped from being pressed to the wall. I breathe easier.
The four walk towards me and pat my back reassuringly.
I wheeze and simper.
A pair of boots.
I look up.
A somewhat elderly Tamaranian stands before me. Under his armor, his skin is just starting to wrinkle. Strands of a pale brown form in his red hair. With firm green eyes, he stares down at me. Every Tamaranian is magnificently tall. I can't help but feel dwarfed in contrast.
"Hre'vort li nablorg that…," the elderly soldier speaks. He must be a special officer or something. There are medallions on his breastplate. I eye the equipment and relatively good shape that he and his men are in and figure that they must have just recently poured into the crashed ship from the outside. He eyes me with emerald orbs and points a finger: "Nu Noir?"
I do a double take. My lips part.
"Nu Noir??"
I slowly nod.
He turns around and whistles…then waves for someone to step up. "Avaark'n nieblum plathorg cutte!"
A figure steps up from the other hallway. "Solada kun. Embraka'm mineterod si taka." It is a feminine voice. A glow of green emanates from the person's hand, but it isn't a starbolt. It is a power ring. Katma Tui stands before me.
I gasp, smiling happily.
"Finally I run into you," she leans her hands to her hips and exhales. "Minnae 'told' me that you were okay. But I had a heck of a fight on my hands with a bunch of Gordanians outside. You haven't seen Lobo, by chance?"
I shake my head.
"Figures," she grumbles. "Stupid waste of DNA…."
I hand-sign dramatically.
She doesn't understand what I'm 'saying', but she understands my confusion.
"I'm a member of the Corps," she explains. "I need to be adept in many languages. Including the prime dialects of the Vegan system, such as Tamaranian."
I nod. I scratch my neck….still trying to catch my breath.
"Hablaarkan n'miaow sembel arkan thremerog," the elderly soldier utters.
Katma turns and nods at him. "Hem'na thri…"
He nods. He looks towards the other soldiers and motions them to follow. The company marches down the hallway. The four soldiers I had entered with join the other ranks and become one with the officer's regiment. Katma takes up the rear. I hastily follow along.
"This is the climactic battle to the Second Gordanian War of the Reformed Cosmos…," Katma explains quietly to me as we move along. "When the Gordanian invasionary force reached Tamaran, a sudden leak in information revealed the location of the cloaked vessels of the Gordanian armada. Also, there was a relaying of shield modulator data to the Tamaranian side of the front. The result was an utter penetration of the Gordanian forces. The invaders were forced to retreat."
My lips drop.
I've heard this story before……
"But this isn't ancient history…," Katma remarks. "I'm rather surprised. The representative of the Angel Spears sent us to an event that happened a mere six and a half Chronometric Units ago. The equivalent to four of your earth years into the past!"
I freeze.
It's an effort to not stumble in the middle of my march.
If it's only been four years, then that must mean……
I bite my lip.
Holy cow……
"When I was dropped in…," Katma continues in spite of my sudden revelation, "…I quickly had to defend myself from a whole squadron of jetpacked Gordanians. This officer's company helped me out. And in return, I gave them safe passage to the crash site and helped them infiltrate the ship. Tamaranian soldiers are always glad to see a member of the Corps like myself. One thing that worries me is—because of a bizarre contract predating the Second Gordanian War of the Reformed Cosmos—the Guardians of Oa could not send any reinforcements to aid the Tamaranian cause during the planetary invasion. I'm not even supposed to be here. If word breaks out of my action here as a mercenary—Angel Spear or not—then it could mean devastating political repercussions all along structure of the Vegan system!"
I gulp a lump down my throat.
I am not the only one concerned about 'history'….
"If we play my cards right…the forces here will keep silent about our involvement as a way of saying 'thank you'. I don't think we have anything to be worried about as long as we achieve victory. After all…there's nothing in the archives saying that the four of us were here….right?"
I look at her blankly.
She sighs.
"Listen to me. I sound like a sap."
I shrug.
"Wherever Lobo is, he'd better get his ghost-sheet ass over here and help us," Katma grumbles. "I've had a long talk with the captain here. The first priority on his and the soldiers' list is to get to the engine room of the spacecraft and shut it down to prevent an emergency launch. THEN they're going to go for prisoners. Judging by our time…we can't afford to wait. So while they're making their way to the rear of the ship, the Angel Spears have to go to the core. Where the prisoners are. You understand?"
I nod with a shuddering breath.
"Good. Minnae?"
'Captain Tui?'
"Report."
'………'
"Tell me where you are."
'Oh. I do apologize. I am in the process of entering the ship with the soldiers escorting me. I do believe they are attempting an entrance through the hull of the ship opposite of where you entered.'
"Any word---or thought from Lobo?"
'None at all, I am afraid.'
"Okay…well…Noir and I are making haste to the prison holds. Once we get a firm location, we'll report back to you and see if we can't guide you to where we are or not for a combined attack."
'But Captain Tui! What could I possibly do to help in combat?? I am far too weak to attack a soul! Much less a Gordanian!'
"I'm sorry, your Highness, but as the leader of this mission I have authority and I must command you to do everything you can to regroup with the rest of us!! Remember, you are not of this world nor this time. None of us are. The only way we can truly be safe is if we are together."
'Angel Spears in numbers?'
"Yes. I'd like it VERY much if we could make the flight to the Capital City together with the prisoners."
'Understood. We must aid history.'
"Over and out."
'Oh! Wait!!'
"What is it??"
'Mr. Noir, what is troubling you??'
Katma glances at me.
I do a double-take to the air. I blink under my shades.
Troubling me??
'Yes. You are heavy-hearted right now, are you not?'
We're in the middle of a bloody war.
'But it is something beyond that.'
I'm not sure exactly yet. I can only let time tell.
'Do not feel afraid to confess whatever it is that's troubling you.'
Right. Catch you later……er……'your highness'.
Katma's green eyes narrow. "Why do I have the feeling that we were set up with a counselor and not a warrior telepath?"
I snicker.
"Shhhh," Katma slowed her steps quietly.
I sneak along the wall and halt beside her.
The company marches on…without us.
"Better to keep our good deeds secret…," she whispers. "Where's the prison cell relative to us?"
I glance at my wristband. I eye the flashing arrow. I point….downwards.
"Ugh…," Katma groaned. "We'll have to spelunk our way."
I raise an eyebrow.
"Ventilation shafts."
I mouth 'oh'.
"Over here…," she drags me over to the side where a huge grate rests along the metal structure of the wall, upside down.
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T-Minus: Five Hours, thirteen minutes.
Location: Crashed Ship – Ventilation shaft
FLASH!!!
CRKKKKK-CLANG!!!
The female Green Lantern rips the grate free with translucent, emerald fingers of energy. She slides in and starts crawling down the narrow corridor. I slip in and scurry close behind her.
"We have to hurry…," she mumbles. Her voice bounces against the metal walls. "The more time we waste, the closer we get to the point in which the prisoners have to be at their destination. For all we know, history could be unfolding without us if we don't get to where we need to be fast enough. Those prisoners may be brave in escaping this ship, but they're gonna need protection. They're gonna need us."
I nod with a shuddering breath.
She glances back at me momentarily while crawling.
"You seem on edge, Noir. Is war too intense for you?"
I shake my head. I simply sigh….
"Well whatever's gotten into you, keep it together. You've proven enough as it is that you've got invaluable strength as a part of this mission." A beat. She chuckles. "Heh…listen to me. I hardly know a thing about the people employing us in this time traveling debacle, and yet I'm head over heels for following them."
I crane my head to the side as I follow her.
"I'm a sucker for rescue missions. I suppose it makes up for…people I can't rescue anymore. You know….in the corps…"
I take a deep breath.
"It seems so….so spectacular to be able to 'rewind' time and ensure that things go right in some part of history for the sake of Life, doesn't it?"
I smile ever so slightly.
We reach a bend in the ventilation shaft…then a drop. We navigate our way into a descent (or ascent??) slowly. With stealth, we reach another junction in the crawlspace. We pause. I scratch my head. Katma Tui looks at her and my wristbands. The arrow points in a direction that one of the turns is more or less facing. We take that route, hurrying our movement.
At some point, Katma speaks again: "I want you to do me a favor, Noir. As a subordinate under my impromptu command…"
I nod from behind her.
She speaks without looking back: "If I fall in combat and we haven't achieved victory…do not go out of your way to save me. You understand?"
I bite my lip.
"The being told us outright…triumph is more important than anything. The lives of people that we see around us in this war are expendable. One crucial detail that the being left out—I'm sure—is that we're expendable too. Angel Spears or not…we're merely parts of the equation. If I must give myself up so that Life itself can prosper…then I am prepared to do so. I want you not to forsake the mission if my life is in peril. You understand?"
I nod.
She glances back at me for a moment. She looks ahead and resumes crawling. "As for Lobo and Minnae….well…I'll lave their lives up to you. Don't tell them this to their faces….but I believe everyone in this mission is expendable. Including yourself."
I understand that….
"Pssst! I think we're almost there…."
A dark corridor through a grate appears up ahead….
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T-Minus: Five Hours, ten minutes.
Location: Crashed Ship – Ventilation to Prison Compartment
Katma snakes up to the grate. She peers through. I peek from behind her.
Our eyes narrow respectively.
The prison corridor is a long, dark thing. A spinal column of metal sorts. Like rivets, prison cells line the sides with obsidian indentations in the wall. Even upside down, the cells look like perfectly aligned crevices of an onyx bee hive. Six or seven Gordanians patrol the ceiling which is now the floor. They grunt and hiss at the faint shadows of bodies inside each cell, obscured by white-staticy blazes of force fields.
All of this we see through a metal grate. We can only assume if the passageways at the end of the corridor lead to more prison compartments or not. We need more time to access the nature of the situation, determine how many guards are present, and perform a legitimate raid on the prison cells.
But we don't have more time…
"So few guards…," Katma speaks quietly. "They are no match for a Green Lantern. I'm going to charge in. Guard my rear in case any reserve guards come in from behind." She holds out her hand and the ring starts to glow. "The last thing we need right now is—"
POW!!!!!!!!!!!
An explosion from one of the cells.
Katma and I freeze.
Gordanians shriek and run towards the blast.
FLASH!!! FLASH!!!!!!!!
Starbolts fly out of the one cell and the Gordanians collapse from their heated fury.
Two adult male Tamaranians rush out, flinging starbolts at everyone and everything they can. There are no manacles on their wrists. Somehow they have managed to escape.
Katma blinks. She glances at me. "History unfolding! They would have fought their way out of here without us!!"
I unsheathe Myrkblade—CHIIIING!!!—and nod towards the grate.
"Right," she smirks and charges up her ring. "History is our story…."
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T-Minus: Five Hours, eight minutes.
Location: Crashed Ship – Prison Compartment
SMASH!!!!
She bashes the grate down and lands just as three reserve guards rush in from an adjacent passageway junction beneath us. Katma growls and produces a floating, green javelin which she uses to bash in the skulls of the Gordanian fiends.
I snake out, roll, and lands with Myrkblade outstretched. I look up…panting.
Yet another Gordanian rushes out from the adjacent corridor.
I charge him.
He hisses and raises his spear.
ZAP!!!!
I dodge, dive, and slide belly-first along the metal floor/ceiling. I slip past the Gordanian's legs, vault upwards in a flip, and come down with Myrkblade slapping the back of the Gordanian's head like a staff.
WHACK!!!
THWUMP!!! He falls down hard.
I spin around.
Katma has her hands full of three guards. But not for long. She forms a broadsword out of green energy and hacks off an arm of one of the reptilian fiends.
The creature howls in pain and stumbles back as the other two charge.
Katma morphs her broadsword into a giant 'hand'. Shouting, she extends two fingers from the huge emerald wrist and uppercuts the two Gordanians back against the wall to join their bleeding companion.
She spins around—panting—and points. "Help them!!"
I turn around.
The two Tamaranians are being drawn into a corner by the original six guards. Two more Gordanians rush in from a nearby corridor and overwhelm them. Starbolts and blue beams exchange furiously.
I hold my breath. I blur across the room.
As I speed towards the scene, my peripheral vision beyond my shades catches the frightened, amber faces of Tamaranians. Young and old. Weathered. Fearful. Pressed against the forcefield.
The weak mosaic of green eyes fill my head and explode through Myrkblade as I attack a line of unsuspecting Gordanians from the rear.
SLASH!!!!!
CRAA-AAACK!!!!
I sever two spears at once.
Gordanians gasp and turn--
WHAM!!!
I kick one upside the chin. I spin and--
WHACK!!
Smack one hard across the skull with Myrkblade.
The guards break off from surrounding the Tamaranians and hiss at me with weapons raised.
I charge.
They fire.
ZAP!! ZAAAAAP!!! ZAP!!
I deflect. My teeth grit. The impact of lasers to my sword push me back on two scraping boots.
And then…
"RAAAAAAAAAUGH!!!!!"
I look up.
My black hair waves wildly as Katma soars over me. Extending from her ring is—quite literally—a Terran bulldozer in energy form.
SMASH!!!!!!!!!!
She slams four Gordanians at once into a wall, causing cracks to spread crazily through the metal structure.
The other Gordanians reptilian eyes bulge.
The two Tamaranians and I take advantage of them, sailing in and attacking by sword and starbolt.
SLASH!!!
FLASH!! FLASH!!!
The last of the guards groan and fall down hard.
I stand with my sword. Panting.
I still haven't killed anyone……the others, sure. But I can't……I just can't……
I swallow. I look over at Katma.
She lowers and dissolves the energy back into her ring.
"Could have been a little less loud about it…but……..," she shrugs. She turns and faces the Tamaranians. "Nu!! Jakka n'mal Tam'ranz wri mar frakkablorg thinno leet sude Gord'n!!"
They wipe their brow and point down an adjacent corridor. "Haratta n'tal heru thretta! S'dan fri leet calla drun!"
"Bevorana kun!"
The two soar down the nearby corridor.
Katma holds a hand out. "Devraat!!" They don't pay any heed. "Dammit….," she grumbles.
I look at her curiously.
She glances at me. "They're going to try and access the prison's main controls and shut down the force fields from there to free everyone."
I scratch my head. I look back down the corridor of prison cells.
"I'm going to go give them a hand," she says. "They'll need it. In the meantime, Noir…I need you to free these people the hard way. At least SOME of them have got to be the group that takes the data to the Capital in the Flight. I'll rejoin you shortly. If Lobo or Minnae catch up with us…tell them to join you until I return."
I raise a finger and part my lips.
SWOOOOOSH!!!
She flies away in a green streak.
I groan.
I turn around, twirl Myrkblade, and rush towards the nearest prison cell.
Free them the hard way……
I come to a stop in front of the cell. I eye the force field. I see a Tamaranian woman and three children on the other side. They're pleading and murmuring something in their native tongue. I looked at the cell. I scratch my head. I twirl Myrkblade and---
The family winces.
---CHTUNK!!!!
I stab Myrkblade deep into the metal device. Sparks fly and shoot up my blade.
I grit my teeth and pulse smoke down the weapon, pushing back the sparks and exploding into the apparatus.
CRACK!!!
The console explodes.
With a fizzling sound, the force field dissipates.
I pant and motion with my hand.
Timidly, the woman and children saunter out.
I smile slightly. I blur over to the next compartment. I hold my breath. I stab into it.
CLACK!!!!
I twist. I send sparks and metal shrapnel flying. I pulse murk into the device and--
SHATTER!!!!
Another force field collapses.
Half a dozen Tamaranians march out…some of them limping. They mutter in mixed confusion and elation. They eye me strangely.
I don't waste a second. I rush over to another compartment. As I stab Myrkblade in again, I hear the sound of starbolts behind me.
I glance over my shoulder.
Some of the freed Tamaranians are blasting the force field devices apart on the other side of the corridor, gradually freeing prisoners along with me.
I smirk.
I finish my job on the present prison cell and move onto the next.
As I stab into the apparatus of this one, I glance inside. I blink.
All four Tamaranian bodies inside are lying on the floor. Still. There are bloody burn marks of laser blasts on their necks.
Dead….
I take a
deep breath. I continue to break the force field, unphased.
I'm just playing my part in history……
With that cell taken care of, I rush towards another one. More and more chattering voices in Tamaranian fill the chamber. I soon realize that—with the greater multitude of escapees comes the chance for more confusion. I suddenly wonder if releasing all of these people so suddenly was such a good idea.
But some of them have to be the destined ones to carry the data to the capital. But which ones?? Which ones…
'Any luck, Noir??'
Minnae! So far, so good. Katma and I are already in the prison section and—
'I'm in trouble here!'
I pause in what I'm doing.
Minnae?? What's wrong?! Where are you??
'I-I was following the soldiers infiltrating the North Side of the hull and all the men have either run into a bunch of Gordanians or they are deceased! I had no choice but to run for my life and try and find the rest of you! But now I am lost and there are Gordanians closing in all around me! I'm scared, Noir! I'm scared!'
I take a deep breath.
Okay, Minnae. Try to stay calm. As soon as Katma gets back, I'll dash out and try to find y—
'Eeek!! They are here! They have found me, Noir!!'
Minnae!!
'Help me! Someone please!! EEEP!!'
Minnae?!?!
………………
Crud……
I spin around, panting. I rush towards the passageway where I last parted with Katma. I push and shove my way through crowded clusters of frightened escapees.
One emotionally relieved Tamaranian rushes over and hugs me in a deadly vice grip.
I gasp and desperately pinch her shoulder.
She releases me.
I pant and teleport through the crowd.
On the other side, I scamper to regain my balance and rush to meet Katma and the other two--
BLAM!!!!!
The corridor is full of shrieks and gasps.
I skid to a stop, panting.
BLAM!!! BLAM!!!!
Huge plasma blasts sail into the wall of the adjacent corridor.
Three shadows….a green blur….then--
SWOOOOSH!!!
Katma Tui and the two first escapees soar around the corner. Katma creates a huge, medieval shield out of her Green Lantern power. She hovers above me at the end of the corridor.
"Not good!!" she pants. She looks down at me, her black bangs tossed. "How're the prison cells going??"
I look over my shoulders.
The escapees have finished blasting away the last of the force fields.
I face Katma and do an 'ok' symbol with my hand. I then wince. I want to tell her about Minnae Metharsia's ugly fate. But we're suddenly short of a telepath…..
"Push 'em back!!" Katma shouts. "We ran into some company! Some company!!"
I go bug-eyed. I look down the corridor.
A series of stomping sounds, then two metal legs. Then two huge gun-arm plasma rifles. A twelve foot, two-legged assault droid stomps into the corridor. Flanking its sides are six Gordanians with massive laser spears. The robot positions itself at the end of the corridor and reloads the plasma rifles. They aim at us and start to glow a bright orange. In the meantime, the Gordanians aim burning spears.
I gulp.
"It's about to get really damn hot in here!!" Katma snarls. "Push them back! Go!! I'll hold them at bay!!" She looks over her shoulder at the Tamaranian crowd and shouts: "B'maka thi!! B'mak! B'mak!!"
The crowd gasps and cries out. They start to run, walk, scurry, hover, and fly in one huge surge towards the other end of the corridor.
The plasma rifles vibrate…pulse…and--
BLAM!!! BLAM!!!
Two plasma fireballs throttle down the corridor in midair.
Katma clamps her left hand around her right fist and explodes a solid sheet of green energy—stretching from wall to wall and from ceiling to floor.
SPLASH!!! SPLASH!!!
The plasma blasts absorb into the body of the green 'wall'. The translucent energy fluctuates wildly. Sparks fly from the friction made with the metal surfaces of the corridor.
The Gordanians start firing their laser spears while the second round of plasma blasts go off.
ZAP!!! ZAP! ZAAAAP!!
BLAM!!! BLAM!!!
Katma's body tenses in mid air and her right arm shakes and quivers. "Nnnnnnghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!" She grunts and struggles as she maintains the focus and power of her ring.
In the meantime, I'm streaking so fast on blurred legs that I run up the wall near the ceiling (floor?) and leap down onto the other side. I lead the charge, motioning for the fleeing Tamaranians to give each other room and not trample each other. I take one look at where we're heading and skid to a stop, gasping.
At the entrance of two separate hallways, eight Gordanians have emerged. They hiss and aim their laser rifles in a phalanx.
The Tamaranians shriek. The brave ones in the crowd are too slow to draw starbolts to fling back in a return volley.
In a split second, I take a deep breath, pulse murk through my lower body, and teleport to the left wall.
SWOOOOSH!!!!
I materialize with my right side to the floor. My feet meet the wall. I kick off.
ZAP!!! ZAP!!! ZAP!!!!! ZAAAAP!!!
I slide across the width of the room, twirling Myrkblade straight up with my metal left hand, effectively deflecting each laser in the row of deadly energy.
Time resumes as I slide into the far wall and vault off in a dive.
I sail at the right most two Gordanians.
They aim at me.
ZAP!!! ZAAAAP!!!
I twirl in mid-air, dodge their blasts, and land in a crouch between them. I immediately sweep my leg out, tripping the two nearest me.
WHUMP!! THWUMP!!!
As they collapse, the next two aim at me.
But I beat them with a blurred charge ending with an upswing of Myrkblade.
SLASH!!!
CL-CLANK!!
I knock the laser spears out of their grasps.
I kick the first one into the second.
THWUMP!!!
The last four aim at me….but are too distracted to fend off an enormous volley of starbolts from the escapees lined behind me.
FLASSSSSH!!!!!
The Gordanians hiss as they burn to death and collapse in a smoking heap.
I take a deep breath, panting on my knees as the escapees momentarily cheer.
The least I have to kill…the better……
I hear Katma growl louder.
I look across the corridor.
BLAM!!! BLAM!!!!!
More plasma blasts splash into the energy field. The wall starts to lose its shimmer. Katma is being pushed back by the robot's and the Gordanians' punishment.
"I…..c-can't hold it for long!!!" she grunts. "Get…them…OUT!!"
I nod.
I whistle and motion for the Tamaranians to follow.
But as soon as we reach the exits…
"AUGH!!! LOOK OUT!!!" Katma shouts.
She falls down hard as her energy field explodes from a huge pair of plasma blasts.
FLASH!!!!
The Tamaranians gasp.
I look with wide eyes under my shades.
The robot takes a huge, stomping step forward. Its plasma barrels reload. The Gordanians on either side hiss and their spears sparkle.
I bite my lip.
I turn around---
CRASH!!!!!!!!
The wall between the two exits explodes outward. Debris and dust flies in a fountain.
The Tamaranian crowd and I jump back, startled and gasping.
Katma shakes her weary head and looks from her grounded location.
"WOOOOO BABY!!!" a pale, muscular figure stomps out of a fresh hole in the wall. "So that's what that button does!!" Lobo grins. He has a petite body hanging over his shoulder. "Sorry I'm late to the party, assholes!!"
I mouth his name.
"Hey Squirrel!" he smirks at me. "Special delivery!!" He tosses the body at me.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!" Minnae shrieks as she flails in mid air, her pretty skirt and gloved hands waving about.
I drop Myrkblade and catch her with a gasp.
WHUMP!!!
She blinks her amber eyes and looks at me. "G-Greetings…," she blushes.
I simper.
"Lobo!! Fine timing!!" Katma hisses.
"Hey!! The Main Man makes his own entrances!!"
ZAP!!!!
A Gordanian laser blast strikes his head. His face turns charcoal black and his hair splits at the end…smoking.
"………….," Lobo blinks. "And the Main Man doesn't do a 'fro!!!" He snarls and whips out a pistol. BLAM!!! BLAM!! BLAM!!!
In an instant, three Gordanian skulls on the far end of the tunnel beside the droid splatter into purple mist. The remaining, living Gordanians hiss in terror and flee. The robot shifts annoyingly and aims its plasma rifles at the undead bounty hunter.
Tamaranians shriek.
"EEEEK!!" Minnae plows her face cowardly into my shoulder, upsetting my balance and plunging us to the floor. PLOP!!!!
"Oooh!" Lobo smiles and blows out his pistol before spinning it. "Something that'll explode!! Bastardly!!!"
BLAM!!! BLAM!!!!
Two plasma missiles sail at the alien.
In a flash, Lobo holsters his megapistol and whips out a chain. He spins the metal links around and expertly deflects the two blasts to the far corners of the corridor.
CRASH!!! THRAP!!!!
The Tamaranians duck and cover. Dust and debris scatter around us.
"You idiot!!!" Katma shrieks, covering her head. "You should have just stayed outside of the ship instead of coming inside and getting us all killed!!!"
"Sorry, babe! Just following your orders!!" Lobo shrugs. "Kinda got stuck when a Gordanian space fighter fell on me. Heh…boy did that hurt. Took my body a good ten minutes to rejoin the spleen to the esophagus….not to mention putting together some other vital organs."
In the meantime, the robot reloaded its plasma cannons.
"Do us a favor and HELP!!!!" Katma shouts. She sits up and aims her ring at the droid. She launches a huge, green mace at the machine.
The robot merely bats it away with an arm gun and raises its foot over Katma.
The Green Lantern rolls out of the way in the nick of time.
WHAM!!!
"HEY!! Nobody gets to nail the chicks but the Main Man!!" Lobo frowns. He stomps over towards the fresh hole in the wall and picks up what appears to be a huge, seven-foot-long skeleton of a phaser bank's innards.
My jaw drops.
"Lobo?!?!?!?!" Katma shrieks. "Is that the gun turret of a Gordanian dreadnought?!?"
"Yup!! Twenty Billion Killowatts of electrified pulse magnification!!" Lobo smirks as he 'sets' the weapon over his Lilliputian shoulder and aims down the corridor, one red eye squinting. "Which comes down to the fact that you probably want to move, sweet cakes."
Katma scrambles out of the way.
I teleport madly and shove the Tamaranians on either side of the corridor as--
BLAM! BLAM!!
The robot fires.
Lobo laughs his head off: "HA HA HA HA HA!!! DANGER DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!!!"
ZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!!!!!!!!!!!!
A solid wave of blue fire rockets down the corridor. The metal on the ceiling (floor?!?!) literally melt as the energy streams down, absorbs the plasma blasts, and totally eradicates the upper torso of the robot.
PHOOOOOOOM!!!!
The metal legs twitch until they realize there's no more 'pelvis', and with a rusty groan they fall in opposite ways onto the floor.
Silence.
A huge sigh of relief among the crowd.
Lobo smirks. He drops the smoking gun turret.
CLANK!!!!
He marches the whole way across the corridor until he stands above the melted robot. He kicks it with his boot.
Clang!
"Heh…," he dusts his hands off and smirks at me. "Guess he's not Lobo-compliant."
"Rrrrgh!!" Katma stumbles up to her feet and stomps over toward him, angrily. "Of all the brash….stupid….pig-headed strategies—"
"Hey…hey…HEY!!!" Lobo shouts.
"WHAT?!?!?!" Katma glares at him.
"………….," he smirks. "Anyone tell you that you're beautiful when you're a bitch?"
FLASH!!!!!
"OOOF!!!"
Katma knocks him back with a green energy baseball bat.
She growls. Fists clenched, she spins around and motions at both ends of the corridor. "Between your explosive entrance, the robot's plasma cannons, and the backblast of that damn gun turret you picked up, all exits have either collapsed or have melted!!"
"Then we'll just smash our way through!!" Lobo saidsays sitting up and shaking the cobwebs out of his ringing ears. "That's how I took my merry romp in here!! No way like the heavy-fisted way…I always say! Ha!!"
"Do not be too harsh on him, please," Minnae says, brushing herself off as I help her up. "He did rescue me from a battalion of Gordanians when all seemed lost." She smiles and cups her feminine hands together. "I do believe there is an ounce of good in him yet!"
"Heh…," Lobo mutters. "Should have sucked her brains out when I had the chance…"
I glare at him.
"We must get moving!" Katma declares.
I glance at Minnae.
She utters: "At l-least let us account for the prisoners present! It would be wrong of us to force them into a flight that only we know about!"
Lobo folds his arms.
I glance at Katma.
The Green Lantern sighs. "Very well. We DO need to attend to these people. Angel Spears…check all the prison cells. Make sure everyone is accounted for." A beat. She emphasizes. "Everyone ALIVE."
I nod.
"Hoo boy…," Lobo smirks and marches off. "Body harvest!"
Minnae ignores him.
Katma speaks Tamaranian to a few escapees. I can't tell what she's saying…or how much of the situation at hand she's explaining, but I take notice of the prisoners nodding in acceptance of something and then joining her in a thorough search. In the meantime, the whole group of escapees gradually calms down. Women and children are gathered in a corner, where they comfort and hold each other in an emotional fashion that only Tamaranians are so adept at. Many of the adult, male Tamaranians start inspecting the collapsed exits and take note of ways to make a path. The two first Tamaranians are speaking the loudest, issuing commands and hurried orders that everyone in general seems to be obeying.
In the meantime, I take on the dreary task of inspecting the prison cells where bodies are lying. Still bodies.
I turn Tamaranians over just long enough to feel pulses that are gone. I then roll the bodies back over, sighing. Men. Old. Young. Women. A child or two.
I take a deep breath.
Behind me, Minnae stands in the middle of the corridor…wringing her laced hands. She's biting her lip.
I don't hear a mental peep from her…
At some point, Katma joins me in inspecting one room. There're a lot more bodies in here. All of them female. The Tamaranian women's clothes are tattered and torn. But mostly in the conspicuous spot where their lower limbs meet.
I bite my lip.
Katma steps over and kneels beside three bodies ahead of us. She inspects closely. Her shoulders rise and fall.
"Yup….rape…..," she turns the head of one Tamaranian. Inspecting claw marks on the necks. "Gordanians got to these women and most likely tortured them long before finally sinking their fingers into their necks. Terrible way to live before dying. Expect nothing less of Gordanians….god damn savages…." She stands up. She pauses. She turns around and walks past me. "This place is a holocaust. There's nobody alive in here…."
I watch the Green Lantern walk past me. Her face is emotionless.
She's seen this before. Perhaps on countless occasions.
I groan inwardly and brave a look at the battered, cold bodies beneath me.
A beat.
I raise an eyebrow.
I could have sworn I saw one body moving….
A petite ragdoll of a redheaded girl over in the corner.
"……."
I saunter over, stepping over the violated women. I stand by the body. Slowly, I kneel down and reach to its neck to feel a pulse--
Bright green eyes flash open.
I gasp.
WHUMP!!!
The little girl pounces on me, hugging the breath out of me. Trembling.
I fall on my back. Surprised.
I feel cold limbs shivering all around me. Chattering teeth over my shoulder. A hand entangled with my long black hair.
I swallow. I reach a metal hand up and stroke the girl's back. I don't know how to comfort her….
A series of footsteps.
It's Katma.
"What's this??"
I try to look over my shoulder, but the little girl's red hair is in my face. I can smell her every follicle…
Minnae walks up besides Katma and gasps: "One is alive!!"
Katma glances at her. She glances at the girl.
Minnae bites her lip. She walks over.
A beat.
"She….she was spared….," Minnae murmurs. "She somehow managed to lower her body temperature and play dead just long enough for the Gordanian soldiers to ignore her."
"Amazing…..," Katma utters. "Only Tamaranians with families expertly skilled in the combat arts can lower their temperature to feign death. She must have warrior's blood in her."
"She also had to have been witness to everything that happened in that cell…," Minnae gulped. "The poor child…"
But I know who this 'poor child' is. The smell of her hair. The feel of her limbs…
I've been hugged by her before.
I pant.
She can't see me……
Minnae cranes her neck.
'What? Why not, Mr. Noir?'
I said, she can't see me!!!
I stand up and carry the trembling girl over to Minnae. I set her down. In a flash, I whip off my upper combat fatigues so that I'm stripped down to my black tank top. I wrap the shirt around the girl's body and rush away before she can see my face. Minnae kneels down and takes the girl into her arms, hugging her and gently relaxing her.
I rush over and plant my back against a bulkhead, panting.
I can't interfere with History……I can't! It could ruin the future! The future for me and my friends!
'She is…she is frightened, but…she is calming down…'
I gulp. I nod, panting.
A trembling, Tamaranian voice in the background.
Like a frozen songbird.
'……she says her name is Koriand'r.'
I know……