112. Angel Spear Four part 3
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T-Minus: Four Hours, forty-two minutes.
Location: Crashed Ship – Prison Compartment
"Blah blah blah blah blah," Lobo grumbles. "What do they keep blathering on about?!"
"Shhhh!" Katma hisses.
The two stand to the side as the whole group of Tamaranian escapees talk hurriedly amongst themselves. A ring of elders have formed. The native tongue flies between them. Many nod heads in agreement or understanding as everyone comes to a center.
"Don't you get it??" Katma quietly remarks. "They're doing it!"
"Doing what??"
"They're making the decision to infiltrate the bridge of this Gordanian ship and try and acquire the data analysis and frequency modulation of the cloaked armada surrounding the planet."
"Why can't we just….ya know….shoot around their feet and herd them towards the destination?!"
Lobo suggests. Katma frowns.
"Imbecile. We are merely ASSISTING in history. We're Angel Spears, remember? Not the real Tamaranian heroes of this day!"
"Heh…well I dunno what that shimmering popsicle was thinking back at the 'Great Implosion', but I'm no angel!" Lobo twirls his megapistol and hangs it over his shoulder, grinning. "If I was smart, I'd become a demon and join Death's side. Hell was always more benevolent to me than Heaven. I think we both kinda like the same sort of music."
"With all of your brash ways of smashing through walls and nearly melting the very same people we're trying to SAVE….I'd might as well go on and let you join death for all we care," Katma huffs.
"Babe….I'm just in it for the treasure," Lobo winks. "If that semi-omnipotent dweeb that sent us here can usurp time itself, then shit knows what good she or he can do for my banking account!"
"I swear….you are a selfish, pigheaded waste of DNA…"
"Well, you ain't gettin' none of this DNA. So don't even try." Lobo chuckles.
"Why, I never---rrrrrghhh…if you weren't such an important part of this team, I'd rip off your third leg with a pair of green sheers."
"Then I'd have to take this pistol here and shut your third mouth!!!"
Katma raises a finger. "That's it! From now on, I don't want to hear another word from----" She blinks. She looks across the corridor finally and remarks: "Noir?! What in the Hell are you up to?!?!?!"
All of this time, I have been rummaging through a utility compartment built into the metal framework of one of the corridor's walls. I toss armor and equipment and laser spears behind me until every now and then I run into the occasional helmet when I try over my head—either discover that it's too big or not fit for a Terran skull—and toss it into the pile behind me before continuing on with my rabid search.
"Bad time for the Squirrel to be foraging," Lobo smirks.
Katma marches over and plants her hands on her hips. "Excuse me?!?! Noir?!?!"
I look at her. I pant. I furiously hand-sign something which she can't possibly understand. I return to scouring the compartment.
Katma sweatdrops. "Whatever could you possibly be looking for?!?!"
"Something to hide his face…"
Lobo and Katma look over. Princess Minnae walks up.
"There's someone here that Mr. Noir knows," she murmurs. "Someone whom he'll meet in the future. Approximately four and a half earth years from now."
"What??" Katma makes a face. "A Tamaranian?!?!"
Minnae nods. She looks my way. "And you are paranoid of her seeing you and thus remembering you in the future, right Mr. Noir??"
I rummage through more equipment. I pause to hand-sign something anxiously. I continue along in my rummaging.
"But how could he possibly know someone on this planet?!?!" Katma exclaims.
Lobo smirks. "Mail-order bride?"
"I could sense from his mental frequencies earlier when he told me of his predicament…," Minnae explains. "He says that the girl found alive in the last prison chamber will later go to Earth and become a Teen Titan."
"Teen Titan?"
"By the alias of 'Starfire'."
"Pfft…pretty original," Lobo rolls his red eyes and decides to inspect his gun.
"This is crazy!" Katma cackles. She turns to me. "How could you have a Tamaranian contact from the future and not tell us?!?!"
I frown over at her.
"I do not believe he could have foreseen this!" Minnae exclaims.
"He was chosen by surprise by the founders of the Angel Spears along with the rest of us! We did not even know the true nature of the planet or the war we were descending upon until after our teleportation!"
"Regardless of that…the fact that he knows someone who will….w-will eventually KNOW HIM in the future jeopardizes everything! This mission! History! The future…"
"Surely the Being who sent us here was aware of this…," Minnae remarks, laced hands cupped together. "I do not believe that such a wise and benevolent entity would have placed us here…knowing that the course of history would be put at risk…"
"Everything that lives is capable of error…," Katma grumbles. "Wise Entity that sent us here or not…precautions must be made…"
I am way ahead of her. I finally find a decent helmet. It is a curved, brown piece. Something small enough to hug my skull. The top portion is ribbed and reminds me of those helmets the Rebels wore in Return of the Jedi. The piece that covers the brow is low-hanging, and a tail of leather hangs down where the back of my neck would be. But most important of all is a dark sheet of glass hanging down the front. A visor. I take a breath. I squint my black eyes as I take off my shades and put the helmet on in its place. I then tuck my long hair (rather uncomfortably) up into the back of the helmet. From long distance or even close up, I look like an average, short-haired soldier. My black eyes are hidden and the only recognizable parts of me are---well---my sword and the scar on my neck. But those can be dealt with in time. I turn and look at the others.
They stare back.
"Besides the fact that you look like total frag fodder in that Gordanian issue head-banger….," Lobo does a thumb's up. "I'd say it's a snug fit!"
I simper.
Katma walks forward to me. "Good thinking, Noir. Seriously." She tries on a smile. It doesn't last long. "But you may not need it throughout the entire mission. Your friend…St-Starfire……she's only a child. She can stay here with the military regiments while the rest of us help the escapees with the data rush to the Capital."
I gulp.
I know better.
I look at Princess Minnae.
Starfire will be coming with us.
'Koriand'r?? How??'
I just know it, okay?!?!
She'll be coming with us, no matter what we do.
'But what for?'
It is history.
'You know of this……'
She told me.
'………'
On more than one occasion.
'Mr. Noir…how could she possibly be with the escapees transporting the data?? I spent a good deal of time comforting her after the poor child was found. Koriand'r only wants to be reunited with her family. Kormand'r especially.'
Yeah, I know. Blackfire.
'Blackfire??'
Listen…I know we can't shape history. But you gotta keep me away from her. Starfire's my close ally. At least, in the future she is. Anything we might do today to affect her could send ripples of distortion through time and—
'Mr. Noir. Do not despair. Perhaps the tales Koriand'r told you in the future were in error. Maybe she merely wished she could be with her family and thus psychologically established the false memory in her mind of having taken part in the brave transportation of data across the battlefront.'
I sigh.
Let's just hope you're right about that, Your Highness. Still…I gotta be careful. I gotta keep my distance.
'Understood, Mr. Noir. Completely.'
"Hey!!" Lobo calls out.
We look at him.
"You two done making mental love?? Cuz I think those redheads have made a decisions."
We wince. We look over at the group of Tamaranian escapees. A group has broken off from them and are assembling around one of the piles of rubble. Most of the group are able-bodied men and women. Would-be warriors. And among them are the first two escapees that somehow orchestrated an explosive springing them from their jail cells.
The heroes of the Flight…… Katma listens in close by to the final conversation of the two groups. She walks over.
"They've made a decision."
"You think???"
She glares at Lobo…then continues. "One group will head for the bridge. The other….for an exit from the ship. They're trying to get the innocent prisoners out of here at the same time."
"There's a group of Tamaranian soldiers somewhere in this ship still!" Minnae exclaims. "I can help out! I can reach them telepathically and unite the helpless with the helpful!"
Katma gives her a skeptical look. "As Angel Spears…we've been assigned to see to the Victory of this mission at all costs. That means protecting the prisoners going after the data, not the—"
"—others, I know. But what good would I be on an assault to the collapsed ship's bridge?!?!" Minnae exclaims. "I can still keep in mental contact with you three if I assist this group. Besides…I can rejoin you once they are safely under the guard of the Tamaranian soldiers! Surely it won't take you three much longer to get to the bridge and attempt an escape?"
Katma sighs.
I look at her through my helmet visor….silently.
A beat.
"Very well…," Katma grumbles. "Do your duty, Your Highness."
Minnae Metharsia beams. "I shall not let you down, Captain!"
"Lobo….you're with me."
"Rowwwr."
FLASH!!
"OW!!" She glares, holding up her power ring. "I need your brute strength. Who knows what juggernauts await us on the bridge."
"If I can survive you, I can survive anything…sweet cakes."
Katma looks at me.
"Noir. You're coming with us."
I nod.
"Besides….you must stay away from your lady-friend….right?" she smirks.
My brow sweats.
The Tamaranians chatter on about something. They unite in two separate groups. Katma Tui floats over and assists them in burrowing through both collapsed hallways one starbolt at a time. Even Lobo walks over—casually whistling—and begins pummeling the walls with his fists.
I stand to the side. Silent. Breathing slowly.
"……….."
A petite figure appears on my left.
"………."
I blink.
I glance through my peripheral vision from under the helmet.
A bright-green eyed Koriand'r looks up at me. She leans her head to the side and blinks. Cute and curious. Her hair is much shorter at this age. Her eyebrows, less prominent.
I pretend to not notice her.
I look straight ahead.
Silent. Still.
Not daring so much as to look at her.
A beat.
She creeps forward another step or two. She clutches to her shoulder the top half of my combat fatigues which I had given to her earlier. She no longer appears trembling or frightened. She leans her head the other way and….
"Nu jaat sli m'bla X'Hal??"
I grit my teeth.
I try not to move.
"Vral kiblorg satta'm niul?"
I sweat.
My feet want to move.
I try to ignore.
I try to ignore…
She shuffles over.
A tiny hand reaches out and envelops the part of me that is metal.
"Thriel katta'm mhal…"
Swiftly, I walk a few steps away. My boots plod thunderously for moving with such lightness. After a yard or two, I come to a stop. I sigh.
A beat.
I give in.
I look over my shoulder.
She is clutching the shirt, but has her eyes to the floor. She's so lonely….so helpless….
And it's hard. My heart aches. I feel every painful inch of my inner ribs with each breath as I force myself to stay there even while giving her that forbidden glance from afar.
For Starfire isn't alone. I want to look at her and touch her too. Because I feel so far away and so lost from my friends. My true friends.
But I can't. I mustn't let anything sacrifice the order of events for the future. Even though—paradoxically—the Angel Spears are here to change the future to the better.
Or are we merely preserving history in its truest form?
I sigh and clutch my head through my helmet.
I wish to wake up.
I wish to wake up….
A wave of light.
I glance over, squinting.
The collapsed passageways have been cleared. A handful of Tamaranian citizens cheer before quickly being silenced by hissing emphasis. Katma ducks out into the hallway to the left…then reenters, signaling that the coast is clear. Minnae marches over, salutes the Green Lantern, and escorts the innocent group through the ship to meet with the soldiers. In the meantime, Katma and Lobo meander towards the right hallway with the small crew of elite Tamaranians. Katma looks back while hovering and motions me along. I nod.
I glance to my left.
Koriand'r is gone.
I sigh and blur over to go on with the mission.
While running, I glance down at my right wristband.
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T-Minus: Four Hours, thirty-seven minutes.
Location: Crashed Ship – Prison Level Corridor
There are about a dozen of us. Almost divided by gender straight down. As a huddled mass of able-bodied vigilantes, we creep down the dark corridors of the Gordanian ship's inner core. Katma hovers at point with the two first escapees. She shines a ray of green lantern light ahead to spot enemies or sentries ahead of us. Lobo and I take the rear. The movement is agonizingly slow, especially with the amount of time we know that we have left. But as it stands, we're letting the Tamaranians dictate the pace. This is their story, not ours. We're just helping out.
For all we know…they think of us as miraculous benefactors. But in the eyes of each Tamaranian—as I notice now—there is nothing but burning, emerald resolve. This is their war. This is their planet. Whatever help they can get, they leap upon. They must save their planet from this hideous onslaught. And the answer—they know—lies in the databanks of this ship's computer.
"Tamaranians…," Lobo grumbles in a safely low voice. He leans his head to me and mumbles without looking. "I've never truly gotten these bozos…"
I give him a wyrd look through my helmet's visor.
"A well-built Tamaranian will rip your arms off and beat your ears in from both sides in a second if he needed to…," he glances at me. Red eyes round. "And yet, they choose to hug the stuffing out of you and sing ungodly amounts of poetry instead…"
I blink.
This is not news to me….
He smirks. "Good for us, we're seeing their badass side, huh??"
I groan.
He pats me hard on the back and surprises me with an arm around my shoulder. "You need to cheer up, Squirrel!! Today may be a good day to die…but it's an even gooder day to make other people die!!"
I grit my teeth and shove him off.
"Whoah ho ho!!! You don't need the spare the sword if you're mad at me, squirt! I'll gladly grow an arm or two back to bitch-slap you!"
I sigh and march on ahead to leave his presence.
"What? Do I smell? Sorry…I haven't taken a bath in two hundred years."
I groan.
Something catches the corner of my vision.
My head turns and I peer out from under my helmet.
Nothing.
Just my imagination….or was someone following us from the shadows of the hallways?
I continue on with the march as we round a bend…
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T-Minus: Four Hours, thirty-five minutes.
Location: Crashed Ship – Lower Gantry Junction
"H'valak…." Katma utters, a hand held up.
The entire party of Tamaranians freeze.
Lobo and I similarly halt our movement. Silence.
She slowly steps out, green eyes thin and gazing. I crane my neck to look past her and over the Tamranians' shoulders.
We've reached what—when rightside up—must have been an elaborate junction of multiple hallways on multiple tiers. Four separate floors converge with metal walkways and ramps and steps and the like. The result is a long, one hundred meter lattice or skeleton of criss-crossing bulkheads and catwalks. The railings hang underneath, where people would most likely be expected to walk. A dead Gordanian or two is scattered in a few random places, tossed to their death from the crashing and careening ship. A dim, twinkling red light barely illuminates the interior from three sporadic sources. Inside this huge chamber, we can hear the groaning of settling metal and latent crash damage. The Gordanian ship suddenly feels like a huge monster slowly trying to digest us inside its ulcerous stomach.
All of us stare, silent.
"N'mal……," one Tamaranian male quietly murmurs.
Silence.
"This is too open….," Katma grumbles. "Too much of an invitation." She glances back at us. "I don't like it."
Lobo glances at me.
I blink at the two of them.
I shrug dramatically.
Katma sighs. She turns and looks across the length of metal labyrinth. "We may have to do this one at a time."
"Why?"
"In case there's an ambush---"
Cl-Click!! Lobo arms three grenades at once.
I lose my breath.
Katma goes bug-eyed. "WAIT!!!"
"PEAKABOO!!!!" Lobo tosses all three explosives at once. They dance and scatter across the platforms like stones on pond water.
Clink—clink—clink—BOOOOOM!!!!
Katma and the Tamaranians shield themselves, gasping in shock and horror.
"HISSSSSS!!!!!"
I peer through the chaos.
Seven Gordanians dash out of hiding, hovering about and waving off fumes or clutching arms wounded with shrapnel.
"Woo baby!!!" Lobo grins and whips a pistol out. He spins it. "Duck Hunt!!" He takes aim.
BLAM!!!! BLAM! BLAM-BLAM!!!! BLAM!! BL-BLAM!!!!!!
The Gordanians groan and drop like flies in purple puddles.
Silence.
"………," Katma blinks. She glares at Lobo. "I….hate…..you…."
Lobo grins a crescent moon. "Hate means never having to say you're sorry."
"Pffft." Katma turns and motions the Tamarians ahead.
I sigh with relief.
A beat.
I notice a shadow beneath me.
I glance up.
SWOOOOOSH!!!!
Five Gordanians sail down at me from a ceiling (floor?) compartment with laser spears glowing.
I gasp.
SWOOOOOSH!
"HISSSSS!!!!!"
I pull out Myrkblade. CHIIIING!!!!
I grit my teeth and spin in a circle, deflecting all five attacks at once.
CL-CL-CL-CL-CLANG!!!!!
The Gordanians fly from my sword blocks, disoriented, and collapse in a ring around me.
"Whoah!! Dropouts!!" Lobo aims---
ZAAAAAP!!!
"AAAAA-AAAAUGH!!" an electrified Lobo flies across the room and collapses a couple of tiers below as six more Gordanians sneak into the corridor from the hallway behind us and start unleashing blue-streaming punishment en masse.
ZAP!!!! ZAA-AAAP!!! ZAP!!
I gasp and jump back, deflecting a dozen blasts in one and a half seconds.
I land on my back and tense my body as a few streams of energy soar over my chest and face.
Katma grits her teeth and extends a force field of green.
The lasers splash off against it.
She retracts the shield and unleashes a stream of green 'knives' that soar out and impale two Gordanians while the others duck.
As I get up, I take notice of an additional EIGHT Gordanians sailing in from both sides.
An ambush indeed.
"Oh yeaaaaaaah!!" Lobo climbs up, his body smoking. He grins and aims his pistol at anything and nothing in particular. "About time recess got called frickin' cancelled!!! Let the lead out, mother-fraggers!!!!"
BLAM!!! BLAM!!! BLAM!!!!
Katma shouts out a command. The squad of Tamaranian escapees yell bravely at the top of their lungs. With green eyes glowing, they take to the air while Katma runs across the platform with her power ring sparking discharges of death.
What results is a three-dimensional battlefield full of zig-zagging Gordanians, blue lasers, Green Lantern streams, starbolts, and potshots of Lobo's pistol throughout the lopsided lattice of metal platforms.
I sweatdrop….....
I jump to my feet, panting---just as a Gordanian dives in and plows into me.
WHUMP!!!!
I'm scraped along the bottom floor on my back by the jetpacking Gordanian.
"HRESSSSH!!!" his serpentine tongue snakes down at my helmet.
I grit my teeth.
I kick my feet up.
SWOOOSH!!!
The Gordanian is flipped off of me and against a bulkhead.
I vault, spin in mid air, and land with a twirl of Murkblade before----SWOOOOOSH----blurring over and slashing across the Gordanian's helmet.
CLANK!!!!
Sparks fly.
The reptile groans and shakes his head, dizzily--
SMASH!!!
I kick him hard in the face.
He groans and slumps down…silent.
I take a breath and spin around to face the chaos--
ZAP!!! CLANG!! I deflect a laser at the last second.
Two Gordanians charge.
I hold my breath. I back flip—contact the bulkhead behind me with my feet—and push off with a pulse of murk.
WOOOOOOSH!!!
I hold Myrkblade out horizontally by the center with my metal hand.
WHUMP!!!!
I fly between the Gordanians, catching each's shoulder with the hilt and tip of the sword on either side of me. I land, flex my muscles, and yank back on my blade. The Gordanians shriek as they're flung into the open sight of two flying Tamaranians, who blast them unconscious like rag dolls with their starbolts.
I pant.
I look to my left.
Lobo is spinning around on a lower platform, his feet tense, his hands holding his mammoth pistol with both hands. He squints one red eye and aims—laughing his head off as he pivots around and blasts multiple Gordanians out of the sky.
BLAM!! BLAM!! BLAM!!!
Suddenly, a huge Gordanian flies up from below and grabs him by the leg—flinging him against a wall.
CLANG!!!
"Whoah!! Pull another tiger by the toe, will ya dipshit?!" Lobo pivots his weight to his upper back and kicks the Gordanian hard in the chest with his big boot.
WHAP!!! The Gordanian stumbles back, hissing.
Lobo gets up and starts whalloping him bar-brawl style with his fists. "WHAP!!! POW!!! WHAM!!! Don't mind me while I do my own sound effects. It makes your death that much cooler. HA!!"
I tense murk through my limbs to blur over and join him….when--
WHAM!!! A Tamaranian body slams into me.
The two of us go flying off and sprawling across a lower platform.
"Blorfarker!!!" the escapee curses in his tongue.
The two of us jump to our feet at the same time.
We look up, panting.
SWOOOOOSH!!!
Two Gordanians soar down, laser spears aimed.
ZAAAAP!!! ZAP!!! ZAAAAAAAAAAP!!!!
The Tamaranian ducks.
I deflect two blasts.
The first of the two reptiles dives, swinging his spear.
I slash his weapon in two and smack him across the skull.
WHACK!!!
But the second Gordanian plows into me head-to-chest. WHUMP!!!!
I lose grip of Myrkblade and tumble backwards, entangled with the hissing beast.
Myrkblade slides to the edge of the platform.
I roll to a stop. I wince. I look up.
Through my helmet visor I see the Gordanian hover up and stab down at me with his spear.
CLANK!!!
I roll out of the way.
He stabs down again.
CLANK!!
I roll the other way.
"HRESSSSHAAA!!" he shrieks and fires his laser this time. ZAAAAP!!!
I vault up with a pulse of murk, run two steps up the platform's vertical bulkhead, leap off it, and kick him across the face in mid-air. WHAP!!!!
He spins from the impact of my boot.
I land. I take a breath. I twirl my hands into a Tae Kwan Doe pose and charge forward with a flurry of three rapid punches.
THWAP!! WHAP!! WHAM!!!
I finish with a roundhouse kick to his skull. WHACK!!!
He falls down, and as he does so…two more Gordanians with spears land down with jetpacks.
I take a breath. I switch to kung fu and start hopping in place.
They hiss and slash at me with their spears.
I absorb the attacks and deflect away with an exhale. I jumpkick an uppercut across one's chin while backhanding the second.
I suddenly feel scaly arms from behind.
My mind licks into judo, and I'm quickly pulling his weight over me with three expertly placed hands and launching the Gordanian across the platform.
More hissing.
I spin around.
Two Gordanians fly at me, spears ready. A random starbolt flies in and knocks one to the floor. The remaining one stabs his spear at me at full force.
With a touch of aikido, I grab the spear, further its momentum with a yank, and force the invader's skull into my waiting fist. CRUNCH!!!!
I toss his dazed body to the side.
The thunderous sound of bootsteps announces a charging Gordanian from ahead of me.
A big one.
I pant.
Then from behind: "Nu!!! B'mal threttana!!"
I spin around.
The one Tamaranian waves Myrkblade. He tosses it at me.
I grab it by the hilt and immediately spin around with a silent scream.
SWOOOOOOSH—THWACK!!!!
I slam my blade into the attacker's chest.
His body sails off like a cricket ball and smashes straight through the vertical support of a metal platform. CRACK!!!!
The catwalk groans and falls down just in time to block the incoming dive of two Gordanians trying to attack a helpless pair of Tamaranians. CRASH!!!!!
I turn to the one Tamaranian…and salute with a smile.
He smirks and waves back. "X'Hal nyuvatta nu!" He flies off in a green streak.
I take a breath and look across the battle scene. Two Tamaranians soar past my sight, flinging starbolts at pursuing Gordanians with spears. Another Tamaranian is wrestling with a reptile somewhere near the ceiling (floor?). Down below, Lobo is still fist-fighting with the one giant Gordanian. They almost seem to be having fun. I look across the platforms of my level and see Katma wielding a green axe and cleaving heads of one Gordanian or two. I wince and glance to my right. I see a male Tamaranian being beaten down harshly by three, encircling invaders.
There I go……
I take a deep breath. I leap. I blur my legs. I run up the wall. I teleport through a set of railings onto the top of a platform. I leap again. I bounce off the ceiling. I sail down towards the scuffle—spiraling—and swing Myrkblade.
SL-SLASH!!!
I rip into the fuel cell of one Gordanian's jet pack.
The device drips and sparks. The reptile shrieks and pries at himself desperately to get loose of the explosive pack.
In the meantime—I've taken the space of half a second to roll across the ground and leap up with a swing that deflects two spears at once of the Gordanians double-teaming the Tamaranian.
I slide between them and slam the hilt of Myrkblade into the face of one before jerking my hand back and skewering the other with my blade safely under his tunic and barely grazing his skin.
With a pulse of murk I grit my teeth and lift the sword, flinging the reptile off like a catapult.
The first Gordanian flings his flaming jet pack. He breathes, relieved---WHAM!!!—and receives the sole of my boot into his face. THWAP!!!!
He sails off in one direction while his jetpack tumbles the other way and explodes in the distant floor alone by itself.
BOOOOOM!!!!
The catwalk that the Tamaranian and I are on rocks from the blast.
I gasp and support myself on a vertical support.
"Squirrel!!!" Lobo barks up from his ongoing fistfight below. "What are you doing?! Shed some blood, man!!"
I pant, wincing.
"This is war for Crisco's sake!!! Make sacrifices already!!! RAAAUGH!!" he grabs the huge Gordanian in a strangle-hold and gets into a bloody wrestling match. I bite my lip.
I can't……I can't……
Not again……………
FLASH!!!!!
I blink.
I turn around.
The Tamaranian is hurriedly tossing starbolts at something.
But what??
I look.
SWOOOOOSH!!!
One Gordanian collapses from a starbolt blast—but its flying companion nails me directly. WHAM!!!!
This time, I think quickly and grab onto the hurtling body.
"HRESSSSSH!!!" the Gordanian drools in protest.
I grunt. I whip my legs up. I twirl my body up and around and hang onto the Gordanian's back.
His jetpack throttles between us. Our combined weight send us wobbling and twirling madly about in mid-air as the reptilian pilot tries his insane best to compensate. I grit my teeth as the air rushes around the contours of my helmet.
We sail up and around catwalks, between criss-crossing Tamaranians and zig-zagging Gordanians. Starbolts and energy streams soar around us.
Then the world turns into a pinwheel as my opponent desperately spirals our flight in a vain attempt to throw me off.
I hold on, clenching my eyes shut tight.
And then….
'Noir!! Noir, this is Minnae!! Can you hear me?!'
I'm a little busy here, Minnae……
'We're safely out of the ship! We're heading into the jungles! Both the citizens and the soldiers!!'
SW-SW-SW-SW-SW-SWISH!!!! The claustrophobic world spirals around me. I grit my teeth. My stomach flies into my chest.
Can't say the same about ourselves right now!!
'There's something important you must know, Noir!!'
Better make it quick!
I let loose of my metal limb and pound mercilessly into the back of the flying Gordanian.
WHAM!! WHAM!! WHUMP!!
"HRESSSSSH!!!" it protests.
The Gordanian veers hard to the right. Half of my body comes loose and I'm dangling wildly off the creature's side.
My lungs empty as the walls and catwalks blur beneath my dangling feet.
'Everyone of the prisoners that went with me are present and accounted for……'
Well, good! You could have told me later—
'……except one!'
I blink.
SWOOOSH!!
I'm yanked mercilessly and hold on by one arm as the Gordanian takes a sudden dive through the streaming bodies and maze of lattice work.
Which one?!?!
'I-I couldn't help it, Noir!! She ran off before any of us could stop her!! Her head is full of nothing but her sister!! She thinks that if she stayed with your party then she'd more easily—'
WHICH ONE….MINNAE?!??!
'………your friend……K-Koriand'r, M-Mr. Noir. I-I'm sorry……'
I grit my teeth.
WOOOSH!!
I poke Myrkblade out.
CLANK!!!
I blindly catch a vertical bulkhead with my blade.
"HREESSSSHA!!!"
The reptile hisses as my body—anchored to the bulkhead by Myrkblade—spins the jetpacking Gordanian around and tosses him off with the flick of a wrist so that he sails across two catwalks like a living pinball. CLANG!! CONG!! THWUMP!!!
I perch to the bulkhead, panting.
Sweating. I have the sudden instinct to look straight down.
I do so.
My black eyes bulge.
The nubile body of Koriand'r—having followed us along the entire flight—is now in the center of the combat. She wrings her hand and cowers at every nearby collapse of a body, strike of a laser, or impact of a starbolt. She lets out a shriek and cowers as a murderous Gordanian across the bottom floor (ceiling?) spots her and sails in at full force with his jetpack. The monster raises a spear to impale her.
I summon murk, teeth gritting.
RIIIIP!!!
I pull Myrkblade out of the bulkhead.
I tilt back.
Time slows down as I flip backwards and swan-dive in reverse with my arms outstretched.
Starbolts and blue lasers and green streams of Green Lantern energy fly and criss-cross all around my molasses-plummeting body of trailing murk.
I plummet down past one floor…two…three…and converge upon the cowering girl and charging monstrosity just as--
"HRESSSHA!!!!" the spear lunges at her belly.
I point Myrkblade straight up to the floor just an inch before the Tamaranian girl's chest.
CLANK!!!
I freeze—balanced upside down on the embedded sword's hilt like a swan.
CONG!!!!
"?????" the Gordanian looks up at his blocked spear.
I bend impossibly forward with a kick straight down the Gordania's skull.
SMACK!!!
He stumbles backwards, dazed.
I cartwheel my feet to the ground, rip Myrkblade out of the floor before Koriand'r, snarl, and swing like I've never swung before.
SWOOOOOOOOOOOOSH-THWACK!!!!!
The Gordanian's body ragdolls across the floor, sailing so hard into the metal wall across the room that his body forms a dent that holds it in place. He groans and is out cold.
I pant….pant….pant
I swallow.
I look down.
"……" Koriand'r looks up at me. Green eyes glistening.
A beat.
She smiles.
A beat.
I simper…… SMACK!!!
A Gordanian fist sails into my side.
I stumble across the floor, wincing.
The Gordanian hisses and pounces at me.
I spin my body like a break dancer and come up with an upward thrust of Myrkblade just in time to chop the Gordanian's spear in half.
The Gordanian stumbles back.
I jump to my feet directly in front of Koriand'r. I hold Myrkblade up defensively…threateningly….
Frowning….
The Gordanian's reptilian eyes narrow….then bulge.
"……," I raise an eyebrow.
"……….," suddenly, the Gordanian's head rolls off.
Koriand'r gasps and hugs me from behind.
I don't stop her.
I watch as the Gordanian's body slumps down and behind it stands Katma with a green energy sword dripping with purple blood. A great deal of her torso is liberally stained with the same color as she pants, her chest heaving. Her face is plastered with some queer smirk of victory.
"We've taken out this crowd…," she pants. "We're victorious…for now…."
I look at her.
I look up throughout the corridor.
Gordanian bodies litter the scene. Most dead. Others unconscious. All twelve Tamaranians are miraculously alive. Some are limping and being helped to hovering positions by companions as a strong pair or two finish the last of the bloodthirsty reptiles.
I take a breath. I sheathe Myrkblade. CHIIING!!!
"Probably just as well we took so many out now…," Katma clutches her side, panting. "Takes some of the pressure off of infiltrating the bridge."
I look at her side.
There is a slight stain of crimson.
My lips part.
"Don't worry…," she smiles weakly. "Just a scratch. Believe me. I've taken worse wounds than this for the sole sake of surviving. I know how to not get too damaged."
A beat.
She glances at the girl cowering behind me. "Hmm…looks like your friend is back, Noi—"
I make a snarling face.
"!!!!" Katma bites her tongue. She clears her throat. "Er….I mean….'Angel Spear Four'."
I raise an eyebrow.
Her green eyes narrow.
"How'd she get here exactly?"
Koriand'r blushes. "N'myer thrattal jereblarg wi Kormand'r…"
'She strayed from the group I was leading out. I am oh so sorry, Captain Tui!! I would have stopped her if I could, but it's enough as it is to keep one telepathically honed in on nearly thirty Tamaranians—much less trying to contact the soldiers and—'
Katma groans. "Understood, your highness. None of us our Superman…"
I mouth: 'Four????'
'The poor child thinks that if she follows your group around, she'll find her sister Kormand'r who's possibly under captive of other Gordanians.'
"Well, whatever she came for…she only got trouble," Katma walks over and ruffles the girl's hair.
Koriand'r giggles, relaxing a bit.
My lips curve ever so slightly….but then I sigh with a pain in my heart.
"Whether any of us like it or not…she's stuck with this team. We can't leave her alone to fend for herself. We need to protect her."
A beat.
Katma looks at me and plants her hands on her hips. "Especially when her future turns out to be so damn important, huh N—Angel Spear Four??"
I again mouth: 'Why am I fourth??'
The Tamaranians gather around Katma…ready to move from the scene.
'Captain Tui! The officer of these soldiers is guiding us towards the center of the jungles beyond the Valley! He claims that there is a temple there that doubles as a hangar bay for hover barges!! They're willing to wait for us to rendezvous with them and perform a flight towards the Frontline surrounding the Capital! But he is only giving us forty minutes to get there!!'
"Just as history books maintain…," Katma mutters to herself. "We need to get to those hover barges at the temple in the jungle, pdq! Lobo?!" A beat. "Lobo, get your ass over here!!"
A shuffling.
Katma and I look over.
We grimace.
SLUMP!!!!
The……..skin of the entire huge Gordanian that Lobo was fist-fighting is tossed to the floor before us. A Tamaranian or two behind us start to wretch.
"Hah!! Now that's one Hell of a trophy!!" Lobo folds his arms—covered in purple blood. "Whaddya think I should do, sweet cakes?? Make one bigass trenchcoat? Or about two dozen purses??"
Katma frowns. She produces a huge buzz saw out of green energy and chops the skin into indistinguishable bits. Lobo pouts.
"Awwwww frag it. Why'd you have to go and do that?"
"Fur is murder."
"Scales."
"Whatever. Get your rear in gear."
"What for?"
"We have exactly less than forty-minutes to catch a ride on history or this mission is bust," Katma spins around and speaks a few commands to the Tamaranians.
They nod back and lift off….flying down the hallway at the other end of the corridor. Katma hovers up to join them. She looks back at us and calls out, "Next stop, the bridge. Then we run like Hell through the jungle to get to a temple where Minnae and the other Tamaranians are."
"What it all comes down to is…you fly…Squirrel and I run."
Katma smirks. "Makes it all the more enjoyable for you, I'm sure."
And she's gone.
Lobo groans. He looks at me.
"Hey Squirrel…never trust a woman who wears a ring before meeting you."
I nod.
A beat.
"Pfft…Hell…never trust a woman period! HA!!"
That said, he starts climbing up the metal lattices like a huge gorilla and then runs down the hallway to catch up with the Tamaranian crowd and Katma.
I blink.
I look to my right.
Koriand'r looks at me.
She smiles.
With a sudden warmth washing over her, the pre-Titan girl floats up and zooms down the hallway like a pixie.
I take a deep breath.
So what if she has seen me??
I run a metal hand over my helmet and visor.
It's not like I'm Noir or anything……
I pulse murk through my legs and leap up—Jedi style—onto the platform. I blur my lower limbs and streak down the hallway last.
I'm Angel Spear Four.
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T-Minus: Four Hours, eight minutes.
Location: Crashed Ship – Bridge
FLASH!!!! CRAAACK!!!!
A pair of huge, metal doors explodes.
Three Tamaranians with glowing wrists hover through. They peer around. Starbolts aimed. They breathe easier. They lower their limbs.
As the other Tamaranians peer through the fresh hole, Katma hovers through in a green aura. Lobo stomps onto the bridge after her and looks around, hands on his hips.
"Hmmm………"
Bodies of Gordanians are flung against upside computer consoles and steering devices. All dead. A thin, metal platform stretches above us. Below us are two stretches of windows meant to be on the 'top' of the bridge where—undoubtedly—commanding generals looked out onto the galactic battlefield. Now all that can be seen through it is the darkened brownness of the yawning ravine below the crashed ship.
I walk forward and gaze upon it. I suddenly remember that the ship is half leaning over a huge ravine or canyon.
I wince.
"Worst case of DUI I've ever seen," Lobo chuckles.
"Shut up."
"Yes, sweet cakes."
Katma walks over. She glances around. "Now where's the central computer—?!"
"Getta thri!!" one of the first two Tamaranian escapees points and floats up to a wide-stretching, upside down computer console. The other eleven Tamaranians float up and join him…a little girl included.
Katma smirks. "Well…they certainly know they're way to the data, don't they?"
"Hey….makes our job easier," Lobo utters, nonchalantly licking the leftover purple goo from his face and reloading the clip to his massive pistol. "Hell…it's not even our job to begin with."
"Oh can it, Lobo. We're here for an honorable purpose."
"Honorable?! HA! I'm in it for the reward and nothing more, Toots!" he winks and cocks his pistol before spinning it and slipping it inside his jacket. "Besides….what's so honorable about killing every scaley thing that moves for 'Life' or some shit?! Heh…ask Squirrel. He's the goody-two-shoes who believes in non-lethal butt kicking!"
I look at him through my helmet's visor.
"……"
He smirks. "What? Caught in the headlights? You're a pansy!! You're hardly helping this mission!"
I frown, my arms folded.
"Lobo's right, Noir….," Katma says quietly.
I look at her, shocked.
My jaw dropping….
She looks at me seriously. "This is a War. This isn't like fighting crime back on your Terra Firma. There are as many lives at stake as there are lives to sacrifice. Somewhere in that balance—even you must realize—lethal force is necessary. While the rest of us are ending the lives of these Gordanian scum quickly, you're spending all-too-precious time assuring they survive your assaults. That may be honorable in and of itself, but even the Being who sent us here had to admit that there'd be expendability on both sides in order to maintain triumph—which is most important of all."
I take a deep breath. I'm registering her…but….
"I know you're young," she nods. "And this is all probably new to you. It's only natural that you find killing to be a….terrible and strange thing…."
I frown at her…thankful that she could not see my black eyes then and there.
The glistening color of white in the peripheral…
She simply has no idea……………she has no clue……
No one does.
"Jakorg rembetta thriel'm sie!!"
I snap out of it.
I turn and look up at the computer console. I raise an eyebrow.
The Tamaranians are holding out their arms as one of the first two escapees floats from one to another with what looks like….a syringe. With a spark, a strange glowing serum is teleported at point blanc into the wrists and forearms of each amber-skinned alien.
"Remarkable….," Katma remarks with a helpless grin.
"What??" Lobo makes a face. "Looks like they're getting' tore up."
"It's a nanomachanical data dispenser….," Katma speaks. "They're literally injecting the historical secret data they've found into their bloodstreams."
"You mean in tiny, floating robot thingies?"
"Exactly. That must have been how the Tamaranians got the information through the frontlines!" Katma folds her arms. "Simply incredible. We're witnessing the very secret of a legend."
I watch…mixedly amazed and horrified…as the last Tamaranian to be approached is none other than Koriand'r. She extends her tiny arm out and barely winces as the syringe teleports the nanomachines into her bloodstream with a spark. She rubs her arms, take a proud breath of glowing-green, and glances our way. I gulp.
It's official……she's a part of this…
"Hresshaaaa….."
Katma gasps. She spins and looks.
So do I.
A dying Gordanian coughs, hacks out blood, and presses a button on a computer console with his last breath.
PHOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!
LURCH!!!!!!
The Tamaranians gasp and float towards the center of the bridge worriedly as the entire ship shakes and careens around us.
A well-timed Starbolt sails over and incinerates both the one dying Gordanian and its computer console.
FLASH!!!
"G'vork forblarker lenn'glok!!"
"Okay…..," Lobo grunts. "Who farted??"
"It's the ship!!" Katma exclaims through clenched teeth as the entire interior starts to shake and teeter. "It's resting precariously on the edge of the ravine! That Gordanian momentarily set off the thrusters! Just enough to send this whole dreadnought collapsing into the ravine below!!"
GROAAAAAAN!!!!
I brace myself as the ship starts to lean over.
The Tamaranians look at each other, at the Green Lantern, then at the ceiling (floor?).
Katma gasps. "Okay!! We're breaking through this clamshell!!"
She floats up in a blur.
Lobo looks up.
So do I.
A few Tamaranians join Katma's side.
The Green Lantern tosses a few black bangs out of her hair, grits her teeth, and charges up her power ring. Her body glows a hot emerald as she builds up a full-chested yell and flings her ring finger towards the ceiling.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!!!!!!!"
WHURRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!
A huge, green drill of pure energy forms in front of her and spins menacingly into the inner hull.
RRRRRRRRIP!!!!!!!!
Bits and pieces of shrapnel litter downward in a spray. The worried Tamaranians hover out of the way while the ones by Katma's side start flinging starbolt after starbolt in a spiraling fashion around the edges of Katma's 'drill'
In such a fashion, a gaping tunnel is formed through the hull and a green-red, alien sky starts to peer through.
I squint my black eyes under my helmet.
Lobo makes a face.
"Ewww….sunlight."
Katma gasps and pushes the 'drill' upwards with a grunt.
"NNGHH!!"
CRACK!!!!
She's through.
"V'mana!!"
The Tamaranians start sailing up through the hole, one at a time. The ship lurches more and more. Gordanian bodies rattle around like pebbles in a jar. Katma only has enough strength to pull one of the remaining Angel Spears….Lobo.
"Jump, number Four!! Jump!!"
I pulse murk through my limbs. I take a breath. But just as I leap, the ship lurches again. I gasp. I fall short of my goal. I jab a metal hand up and barely catch ahold of the 'lid' of the burrowed hole. I grit my teeth and dangle.
The ship lurches again.
I gasp…slipping.
Then a petite figure floats back into view. She stares at me.
I sweat.
SWOOOSH!! A small pair of hands grab around my wrist. Koriand'r grunts…strains…and hoists me up enough to grab with my other hand.
I smirk.
I guess her strength comes with puberty……
WOOOSH!!
I vault up through the rest of the hole with murk….
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T-Minus: Four Hours, one minute.
Location: Plain of Flight – Crashed Ship's Hull
I land.
Squatting.
Panting.
"Come on!!"
"Nu vlinna thrait!!"
"Better hop to it, Squirrel!!"
I look up.
Everyone has descended the hull already and are standing on the brown earth of the planet. Koriand'r floats a meter ahead of me backwards…beckoning me as she would any life form.
The entire ship beneath me lurks.
I grit my teeth.
I get on my feet.
I blur.
I jump just as the ship starts to slide…
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T-Minus: Four Hours.
Location: Plain of Flight - Canyon Side
CRUMBLE!!!!!!!!
The entire ship kicks up dust in a monumental flurry as it slides off and down into the huge, gaping ravine below.
I sail through the air and land on solid ground in a tumble. Grunting. I roll to a stop….and take a huge breath.
CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A thunderous echo rises through the air from the impact of the dreadnought with the canyon floor. The ground shakes. Distant shell bursts are drowned out.
Silence.
I slowly get up, breathing heavily….that is until Lobo swats me hard of back.
WHAP!!! WHAP!!! WHAP!!!
"HA HA HA!!! Great escape there, Squirrel!! A living soul couldn't have moved faster save by the force of propulsive urine!! Which is pretty damn close to what you did in my book!!"
I whimper.
"We have no time to sit around," Katma exclaims, pointing towards the distant line of jungle. "We have half an hour to rejoin with Minnae, the citizens, and the soldiers!! We'll take hover barges together and then—"
"Wait just a cotton-picking second….," Lobo raises a finger.
Katma pouts. "What?!"
Lobo points up at the sky. "Uhhh….we've got a peeping tom………………on Mt. Olympus."
Katma blinks.
She and a bunch of other Tamaranians look up.
Koriand'r gasps.
I glance up. My black eyes twitch.
From one of the many specks that are the Gordanian invasion fleet, there is a brilliant flash of light. Then—like a comet—a huge pulse of light thunders toward us.
Nobody has a chance to scream as a galactic ion cannon blast converges on our location.
BOOOM!!!!!!!!!