Chapter 10: The Escape
Zill Dreadnought Adjudicator, Two Days Later
"It looks like I made the right decision after all," said Rahksha, feeling quite pleased with himself. "The Black Dragon, battlemage for hire, brings down the legendary Magic Knights in mere moments. I don't think that could have gone any better. You did well, sir."
The Black Dragon just stared at him, standing as still as a statue. "It's the job you chose me for," he finally said. "Nothing more, nothing less."
"True, but you made my job much easier by doing so," said Rahksha, standing up from his chair. "So, you have my gratitude, and the gratitude of the Imperium."
"I'd prefer the rest of my payment," said the Black Dragon. "Then I can be on my way."
"Ahh yes, about that," said Rahksha. "I am afraid there has been a bit of a problem. I've only been authorized to pay you half of the remaining balance. Bureaucracy and all that."
"We had a deal, Admiral," growled the Black Dragon. "I'm not the kind of man you break a deal with."
"And I'm not the kind of man to be intimidated by anyone, not even you," said Rahksha firmly. "Also, let me remind you, you're on my ship surrounded by thousands of some of the best troops in the Imperium. And you're surrounded by an entire Zill fleet as well, meaning if I wanted, I could order them all to open fire on this ship and destroy us all. I highly doubt you value money more than your very existence."
The Black Dragon let out a long hiss of breath and said, "Very well, I accept the revision, Admiral."
"That's a good boy," said Rahksha. "Thank you again for your services. Take care now."
The Black Dragon turned and walked out of the Admiral's chambers, in a very foul mood. "You'll see what happens when you cross the Black Dragon, you pompous uniform."
Cell Bay AA09
Hikaru looked up as the door to her cell opened. A guard stepped in, towering over her. "What do you want?" she asked, glaring.
"You're coming with me," said the guard, grabbing her arm and roughly dragging her from the cell.
"Hey let me go!" she yelled, struggling against his grip. Once she was out of the cell, she saw two very welcome faces. "Umi, Fuu! You're all okay!"
"Oh Hikaru, it's you!" said Umi, being restrained by another guard.
"Miss Hikaru, you're alright!" said Fuu, her face brightening before her guard growled at her.
"What are you doing with my friends?" Hikaru demanded.
"Orders from the Admiral," said the guard. "The three of you are to be executed at once. An enemy fleet is approaching our position, and they want you out of the picture before they arrive."
"Autozam and Fahran," said Hikaru. "They're going to stop you all for sure!"
"Not likely," said the guard. "Now come on."
The girls were dragged down the corridor, past rows and rows of cells. The girls could feel the fear creeping over them, as the reality of their situation set in. They were really going to die now. They would never see their friends again, or their families.
"Excuse me, guard, what's going on here?"
Hikaru looked up and saw Kefka standing in front of the guard, accompanied by two other Zill soldiers. "Kefka! They're going to kill us!"
"Silence, you little brat!" snarled the guard, squeezing her arm. "Orders from the Admiral, the Magic Knights are to be executed at once."
"I see...very well then," said Kefka, turning to look at Hikaru. He gave a small, almost imperceptible nod to her. "Carry on then." He and the others walked past the group of guards. Once they'd taken two steps past them, they suddenly spun around, drawing their weapons and shooting the guards in the back.
Umi let out a surprised scream as her guard fell to the floor dead, then she turned around. "Wait...Raxx, is that you?"
Fuu also turned around to see her rescuers. "Shakku, I thought that was you!"
Hikaru spun around, smiling. "Thank you, Kefka!"
"Come on, we need to get moving fast," he said. "Meex has hacked the security cameras in the detention bay but it won't last for long. We need to get your equipment back and get you off this ship."
"Right! Come on girls, let's go!" said Hikaru to her friends, who all nodded in agreement.
They made their way down the corridors, doing their best to act like they were still prisoners being escorted by armed guards. Suddenly a heavy explosion rocked the ship. The corridor lights turned red and an alarm began blaring.
"What's going on?" asked Umi, looking around.
"Something must be attacking the ship! Come on, we have to move faster!" said Kefka.
They managed to reach the holding room for the personal effects of the prisoners. Kefka used a keycard from one of the dead guards to open the door, and led everyone inside. "Here they are," he said, grabbing a sealed container. Sure enough, inside were the gloves that belonged to the girls.
"Finally, now we can fight back," said Hikaru, pulling it on.
Shakku stood close by the door, watching as soldiers raced by. "This isn't good," he said. "With all of this activity, someone is bound to get suspicious of us."
"We don't have a choice," said Kefka. "We have to get these girls out of here and fast."
"Well, I have an idea," said Raxx, "but we need to get to the armory."
Everyone looked at him curiously.
A few minutes later, they all exited the armory, with the girls dressed up in Zill armor.
"I can't see a thing in this helmet!" complained Umi.
"Here, let me try this," said Raxx, adjusting something on the side of the helmet.
"Oh, that's better," said Umi. "Thank you."
"Come on, let's go," said Kefka as another explosion rocked the ship.
"Commander Kefka, sir!" shouted a soldier, running up to them. "We're under attack! A joint fleet from Autozam and Fahran are attacking us!"
"Understood, soldier, we'll scramble as soon as we can," said Kefka. "Carry on!"
"Looks like our friends finally made it," said Fuu. "The timing couldn't be better."
"Come on, we need to get you girls off this ship somehow," said Shakku.
"We can launch them out with an escape pod," said Kefka. "Once you clear the ship, summon your Rune-Gods and join the battle. The rest of us will get to the hangar bay and launch in our mobile armors."
"Right, let's do it," said Hikaru.
They raced down the hall as several more explosions rocked the ship. They found an escape pod and the girls climbed aboard.
"Wait," said Hikaru, turning to Kefka. "Come with us, Kefka."
"I will, Hikaru, but not right now," he said. "We need to make it through this battle first. But we will see each other again."
"Do you promise?" she asked, looking into his visor.
"Yes, I promise," he said, looking back. "Now go, hurry!"
Hikaru boarded the pod with her friends, the door sealing shut. She pressed her hand up against the glass, watching as he pressed his hand to hers. The pod launched, sending them flying away from the Adjudicator. Outside it was pure chaos. Starfighters zoomed around, mobile armors clashed, and ships exchanged weapons fire. The pod suddenly burst apart as the girls summoned the Rune-Gods and jumped into the fray.
"Come on, men," said Kefka, "it's time for us to fight now."
They nodded in agreement and they rushed to the hangar. As they rushed to their mobile armors, out of the corner of his eye, Kefka saw the Black Dragon standing in the hangar about to board his Rune-God mech. For a brief second, the two held eye contact before Kefka spoke. "Mercenary dog," he growled as he looked at him. "If I cross your path, I'll make you pay for what you did to Hikaru."
"Don't make it personal, soldier boy," said the Black Dragon. "It was strictly business. And your Admiral thought he could cheat me out of my pay."
"No more than you deserve," said Kefka. "A man with no honor or commitments except to pocket change for dirty work."
"This from a man who just helped the enemy escape because she stole his heart," he shot back. "Yes, I know all about your visits to her cell while she was here. Where is your honor now?"
"Still intact," said Kefka, "because I know I did the right thing. As long as I'm true to myself, nothing else matters."
"I see," said the Black Dragon. "You're a curious one, soldier boy. Try not to lose your head out there. I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other in the very near future."
"What makes you say that?" asked Kefka.
"I owe your Admiral some payback for cheating me, and I plan to get it one way or another," he replied, turned to his Rune-God and boarding it.
"Whatever you say," said Kefka, boarding his mobile armor.
They all launched, the War Wolves charging out to join the battle waging in space. The Black Dragon, however, flew away from the battle, straight towards Cephiro. He had a special delivery to make.