The Heroic Seven

by MaloKen 17

The Frozen and Tangled characters peer into the future and to their horror witnessed the world attacked and decimated by creatures of ultimate darkness. But there are those who would defy this fate. Join Anna, Elsa, Rapunzel and their families as they watch their children from the post apocalyptic future cross the boundaries of time to prevent the Storm of Unquiets.

17. The Asteroid

Welcome back everyone! And thank you for waiting.

To start things off, I hope you've seen Treasure Planet. It will help.

Also if you've seen Lilo and Stitch you may remember The Grand Councilwoman. Although she will appear slightly younger in this chapter.

There'll be many references to other medias in this chapter. See if you can spot them all.

It has been brought to my attention that Disney owns Fox. So as a treat I'm going to invite a guest character, it will be quite the encounter.

Lastly. I have two new pictures on Deviantart, please check them out.

With that, please enjoy.

•••

Chapter 17

The Asteroid

•••

The dirigible sailed high above the empty green pastures, few have ever looked down at the vast earth from such a height. With the setting of the orange sun in the horizon the sight was breathtaking, and someone was certainly taking the time to enjoy it.

"I'm flying!" Amelia laughed.

Standing at the bow with her arms spread and the wind in her face was Amelia. Behind her stood Novak with his arms around her waist.

"Aww." Anna cooed.

Lady Caine grinned.

Hans looked away.

A not so enthusiastic Kristoff grumbled at the screen.

"My. They sure are high up!" Exclaimed Elsa.

"They are flying at the dirigible's absolute limit, at least five thousand feet above sea level." Explained Varian.

"Do we really need to fly that high?" Frederic whined. "What's wrong with staying just thirty feet off the ground?"

It terrified the former king just to watch.

Neoma stood at the helm with her hands on the wheel, Aidan and Eri stood beside the alchemist, the trio discussed their next destination. Flynn and Wrenn meanwhile lounged at the stern simply cloud gazing while Amelia and Novak stood at the bow, continuing to have their fun.

"You should have a try, Novak." Amelia insisted. "Don't worry. I'll hold you."

Novak did as he was told and for a moment he felt the awe inspiring sensation of flying.

Until Amelia shook him!

"WARGHBLAGAR!"

The rest of the group heard Novak squawk like a seagull, they watched the boy and girl collapse backwards onto the deck, Novak's legs were jelly and his face was white as a sheet. All the while Amelia hugged his waist and laughed playfully.

Lady Caine shook her head disapprovingly at her son's display of fear.

"You shouldn't horse around like that, Amy. It's not safe." Neoma admonished.

"Aww. But he's so cute when he's scared!" Amelia squealed, rubbing her cheek on Novak's back.

Novak was unresponsive to Amelia's teasing, seemingly unconscious with an expression of fright frozen on his face.

A round of chuckles from the audience.

"I guess this means Novak doesn't need to put up a tough guy act for Amelia." Said Eugene.

The rest of the group resumed their own activities, letting the newly coupled have their moment.

With the setting of the sun came the rising of the moon, the silver crescent rock already visible in the late afternoon sky. And next to the moon was the 'odd star.'

Eri's eyes darkened, as did Aidan and Neoma. A terrible secret had been revealed to the team, this odd star was a herald of doom for the world.

"Hey. What's that up there?" Asked Flynn.

All members turned to the cloud gazing boy. Their eyes followed Flynn's finger which pointed up further into the sky, there they spotted two bright moving lights streaking across the clouds.

"Those can't be comets." Stated Rapunzel.

"Comets don't make course corrections." Said Cassandra.

The screen zoomed onto the lights to reveal two ships flying through the clouds.

Varian immediately lurched forward on his seat, his eyes staring intently at the flying vessels. They had no balloons of gas or hot air to raise the craft, just sails similar to sea ships, but with the exception that they glowed. And they were flying fast, impossibly fast.

One ship was chasing the other.

"We've got them now!" Roared the female captain.

"Raider ship within range, Captain!" A heavily suited man at an instrument panel yelled.

"FIRE BOW CANNONS!!"

Bright flashes lit the late afternoon sky, the pursuing ship opened fire.

In a jaw dropping display of aerial manoeuvrability never before seen by the people of Earth, the raider ship strafed left, avoiding the shot. Slowing down to match pace with their pursuers, the raiders fired back with their broadside weaponry.

For a moment the two ships exchanged payloads, both crafts weaved and evaded each other's projectiles.

"That's impossible!"

Varian, Cassandra, Hans, Lady Caine and The Stabbington Brothers stared with bulging eyes. Their minds have been blown away.

But that won't be the only thing blown away.

The half naval war half dog fight has come dangerously close to the teen's dirigible.

"Everyone, brace yourselves. We have to get out of their path!" Shouted Neoma, forcing a hard right.

They were too late to avoid unwanted attention. The raider craft took aim and fired upon them!

Despite Neoma's skill, her craft could not avoid the shot. The careening flaming cannonball scored a direct hit, bursting the dirigible's helium envelope in two! The vessel spiralled toward the ground far below!

The parent group were pale with confusion and worry. Varian and his crew however were blue with horror, this was their worst nightmare.

"Varian. There is an emergency plan for this, right?" Asked Elsa, nervously.

"Umm. Yes, of course!" Squeaked Varian. "They just have to open the emergency trunk. The balloon lines will detach and an emergency tarp will be released."

Varian took a deep breath to reassure himself. If all goes according to plan, the dirigible will glide down safely. But then again, everyone has a plan until they are hit in the face.

A lashing rope smacked Aidan dead in the mouth. There wasn't much force behind it, but in freefall the hit was enough to lift the boy far into the air.

"AAAAHHHH!" Aidan screamed.

"AIDAN!"

Neoma caught Aidan by the waist, without hesitation she had launched herself off the deck to catch the boy. And she wasn't the alone. Amelia, Novak, Flynn, Wrenn and Eri all joined the airborne pile up.

"We can still make it!" Neoma yelled over the rustling wind. "If we can just get back onto the deck, we can-."

FLOPLOP!

The emergency trunk flung open on its own.

Up went the the vessel. The seven teens stared with beaded eyes as their life boat floated pass, over and above them.

" Okay, that didn't work out. How will the kids survive now?" Asked Anna.

"THEY DON'T!" Screamed Varian, pulling at his hair.

"GWAAAARGHHH!!!"

The human pile up plummeted towards the earth.

Fighting for control under the deafening screams and the forest of flailing arms and legs, Neoma tore down her armour to form a spherical Black Rock cage to contain the panicked group.

Next, Eri filled the cage thick with snow, pressing and cushioning all members. The snow continued to spread, seeping between the bars until it form a massive twenty foot snowball, and finally a thick layer of ice over the surface for extra impact resistance.

The life pod hurtled towards the hard earth.

"Everyone stay calm!" Gasped Eri. "We just have to wait until we hit the ground."

With lungs burning, everyone eventually stopped screaming to catch their breaths.

"Phew. It's pretty cold in here." Gasped Amelia, shivering in the snow.

"Everyone huddle up." Said Aidan. "Don't worry, Neoma. I got you."

"That's me, Aidan!" Screeched Wrenn.

"Sorry. Too much snow in my face."

"Um, how long will this take?" Asked Novak.

To wait in silence was even worse.

"Hmm. Given our distance from ground, our overall mass, the resistance of flow from this pod... I DON'T HAVE A CLUE!" Cried Neoma.

"Huh. At this rate we'll run out of air before we hit the earth." Huffed Flynn.

"You're welcome to go have a peep." Growled Neoma.

"I think I will. After all, I could probably survive either way."

The rest of the group heard Flynn shuffle and grunt, the golden glow of his hair diminished with distance. All was quiet until Flynn let out a blood curdling:

"BLAABLURYAAGAAHH!"

The audience gasped. Through the ice shell, they saw the deck of a ship closing in fast!

THUMP!

"Civilian pod safely on deck, ma'am!"

"ALL HANDS, BRACE YOURSELVES!" The Captain yelled. "Full power to thrusters. HALT OUR DESCENT!"

Fire of massive propulsion spewed from the stern and hull of the airborne vessel. The deck rocked, and the crew stumbled under the sudden massive increase of gravitational force. The ship that had descended to softened the landing of the escape pod, finally came to a grinding halt, stopping just shy of scorching the trees.

Frederic slumped back on his seat, his legs have turned to jelly.

The audience let out an unanimous town wide sigh of relief. They still don't know how this vessel does what it did, but they're not about to complain.

All was calm again.

"Is everyone alright?"

The round of acknowledgement from the crew was what the captain needed to hear.

"That is good. Lieutenant Hawkins, how goes our unfortunate guests?"

The anxious parents also very much wanted to know the condition of their seven children.

They watched "Lieutenant Hawkins" examine the pod, it was a surprise to many to see that the lieutenant was also only a teenager, a boy roughly the same age as the seven.

"Fascinating."

Another notable character examined the pod, this one wore a baggy protective suit complete with a tinted fish bowl helmet. The design and many strange gadgets that peaked Varian's interests.

"Did you find something, Doctor Doppler?" The Captain asked, in a very professional manner.

"Why this pod appears to be made of solidified water." Replied the doctor.

Raising his glove to wipe the vapours from the pod's surface.

"But how did they create ice so quickly and so expansively? These primitives don't have the technology to-."

Dr Doppler never finished. He wiped the pod again and came face to face with Flynn's contorted mug smeared against the inner ice shell!

The ship shook with the throaty scream from the horrified doctor.

Rapunzel and Eugene screamed also.

A loud crack and the pod opened like an eggshell, an avalanche of snow spilled onto the deck and buried a few of the crew. The contorted faced body shambled on top of Doppler, the doctor continued screaming.

Lt Hawkins braced himself against the onrush of snow when suddenly a person crash into his arms also. The boy swallowed a lump in his throat, he was not keen to look this person in the face after witnessing Doppler's close encounter. What Hawkins saw stunned him cold.

She had long silk like platinum blonde hair that reach down to her slender waist. Her cerulean blue eye was as deep and mysterious as the most blanketed gas planet yet also vibrant and lively as the very blue planet they now fly above, almost giving a glow to her pale flawless skin.

'Whoa! A chick, and a cyborg!'

Elsa made a confused look. "What's a cyborg and what's a chick?"

"Thank you." Eri smiled at the boy, her glowing blue left eye flashing at him.

"Oh uh. You're welcome." Hawkins replied.

Meanwhile, the body of Flynn surprised the ship with an unnatural and haunting groan. The assumed cadaver rose to his feet in a most eerie manner, his back let out a crackle as he righted himself. A creak and a pop and his neck and jaw snapped back into place. One final click and Flynn's nose was poster perfect.

A very presentable blonde Flynn grinned at the audience with gold sparkles flashing about him.

"Death is just another foe I have defeated."

Rapunzel and Eugene each let out a sigh of relief. They also couldn't help but be slightly annoyed with their son.

Aidan, Neoma, Amelia, Novak and Wrenn shuffle out of the snow, all of them rubbing their arms from the cold.

"I am glad to see that you have all escaped unharmed." Said the Captain.

The town let out frightened gasps.

Due to the lighting and the shaky nature of the sky fight, the screen had been vague when displaying the captain or the crew.

But now.

Said captain was humanoid yet she had the facial features resembling a cat.

Dr Doppler removed his helmet and is revealed to be a human and dog hybrid. And the crew were an assortment of strange creatures, many that were not even humanoid!

Neoma returned the Black Rock cage into her armour and immediately took up a defensive stance.

"It is alright, they are friendly!" Eri declared. "They saved us, we owe them our lives!"

Lt Hawkins stood beside her, he seemed to be the only human of the crew.

•••

"Welcome aboard the RLS Legacy, the leading frontier exploration vessel from the planet Montressor. I am Doctor Delbert Doppler head of this research expedition." The human-dog hybrid astrophysicist introduced, displaying commendable civility. "Captaining this fine vessel is my lovely wife-."

"Captain Amelia. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." The human-cat hybrid captain announced herself, very formally.

"Your last name is Amelia? My first name is Amelia! YAY!"

No such poised mannerism from the human princess. Amelia bounced forward to give the captain a hug, but the captain with her cat like reflexes evaded at the last moment.

"You can just call me Captain, or ma'am." The Captain huffed.

The rest of the teens saluted.

"Anyway. Sailing in this uncharted star system, we are most delighted to find intelligent life on this planet." Said Dr Doppler. The astronomer gestured at the group then at the landscape and the setting sun.

"Yes, but then we caught sight of one of Blackteef's ships. And as a former officer of the Montressor Navy, I for one cannot turn a blind eye on raiders." The Captain declared. "I am terribly sorry that you youngsters were endangered by our pursuit. "

"It's alright." Wrenn waved it off. "Thank you for rescuing us."

"You folks come from a different world, and you have mastered the technology to travel beyond the stars." Neoma gasped.

The alchemist turned her gaze around. Her stance was calm, but with hungry eyes she took in every detail of the alien craft, from the glowing gold sails to the thrusters propelling the ship.

Varian was having less success containing his excitement. Muffling his squeals while bouncing on his seat. He turned to his king and queen.

"Eugene and Rapunzel. I implore you two to extend a hand of friendship to these off world explorers!" Varian pleaded.

"Of course, Varian." Rapunzel chuckled.

"Ma'am, we have located the civilian lifeboat." An insectoid crewman reported.

"There's your basket of of goodies!" An ecstatic metal man gestured at what was left of the teen's dirigible.

The balloonless vessel and its contents landed gently on the grass in its calm and safe descent.

"That's an impressive landing." Sideburns whistled.

"At least we know those parachutes work." Said Patchy.

"Too bad it doesn't mean anything if the riders are thrown overboard." Grumbled Lady Caine.

Varian rubbed his neck. He knows he will have to remedy that.

"We will set the seven of you down with your grounded craft. I hope you will be able to get by from here." Said the Captain.

"My team and I will be fine, ma'am. Thank you for rescuing us." Aidan saluted. "Of course, I wager we would have survived regardless, or simply reanimated if we didn't."

Flynn and Wrenn snickered.

Rapunzel smiled hesitantly.

"Aww. But we just met." The metal man whined. "Do we have to say goodbye so soon?"

"Varian. Is that metal man an automaton?" Asked Cassandra.

"I think he is." Said Varian. "And they gave him a personality, for better or worse."

The master engineer was nevertheless impressed.

"B.E.N. They have their task to do and we have ours."

"I'm gonna miss you guys!" B.E.N wailed dramatically. His behaviour and movements were overly eccentric.

"He kinda reminds me of Olaf." Whispered Anna.

"He does." Elsa nodded in agreement.

And so the seven teenagers prepared to disembark. Their meeting and time spent together with their unworldly rescuers was sadly brief.

But then fate will have other plans today.

"Captain. I picked up a smoke trail!" Lt Hawkins yelled. The boy flew in, riding on what bafflingly appears to be a windsurfer... that flies!

Neoma had for the umpteenth time forgotten to blink, everything she's seen about this ship and its crew enthralled her.

"The raiders have fled towards that asteroid." Jim pointed at the odd star.

This news peaked the interest of the teens.

"So that is their stronghold. Well done, Lieutenant Hawkins. Kindly see to our guests and then prepare the ship for immediate take off."

"Captain, wait! This craft can reach the 'asteroid' yes!?" Cried Eri. "If so, then please. We ask that you take us with you!"

The Captain's natural response was to rebuke the request. However.

"That asteroid is on a collision course for Earth. When it hits, it will raise enough dust to block out the sun." Explained Neoma.

The audience gasped. The post apocalyptic world was always shrouded in dust.

•••

BLAAAAGH!!!

"AAAAHHHH!" Cried the audience.

"And this my space faring friends is a Gut-Spiller Unquiet." Aidan introduced.

A life-sized snarling ice sculpture of the monster, with its wicked bladed forearms used for its namesake held menacingly at the the crew. The denizens of many planets who have seen many diverse species all quailed under the snarling glare of the monster.

"You fought this Unquiet?" Asked the captain. The cat-human hybrid narrowed her vertical slit eyes. "And you prevailed?"

"It's just one of many." Said Flynn.

He gestured at the assortment of different Unquiets they have faced.

"The truth is. We are not from this world either." Aidan explained.

"We seven travelled here, from thirteen years in the future. In our own time, our world was overrun by these monsters." Explained Wrenn. "Everything you see now will he gone. Every nation in every land, all flora and fauna, life beyond counting and life as we know will be destroyed by the fell extradimensional entity that are the Unquiet."

"But we are here now to make sure the same does not happen to this world." Flynn declared.

"Yet as we are, we have no means to reach the asteroid." Neoma sighed. "But now, with your help, we may be able to eliminate the calamity entirely."

"Time travel?" The Captain furrowed her eyebrows.

Dr Doppler gasped.

"No, my dear. I believe this goes beyond that." The dog-man hybrid stared at the teens. "It's The Multiverse Theory. You seven come from another universe!"

This statement begs an explanation. Many were puzzled.

And so it was that Delbert Doppler explained the theory of multiple realities existing in parallel planes of existence. Truly a mind boggling concept.

"Some universes may be as similar to one another as a simple gap in time, such is your case. Others may be different beyond recognition, their laws of physics and relativity completely paradoxical to ours, as ours is to them." Delbert Doppler theorised, raising his hand in a dramatic manner.

"It would be nice to live in a universe where we had no enemies." Elsa sighed.

"Imagine if someone like Maleficent wasn't a villain." Said Rapunzel.

"Ooh. I got one!" Chirped Anna. "Imagine a universe where one of us is a villain!"

Rapunzel, Elsa and Anna looked amongst themselves. Of the three of them, who would be a villain?

"Every decision anyone makes branches into another universe, it is truly beyond conceivable measurements. There are more stars in the universe than there are sand on any one planet. There are more universes in the multiverse than there are atoms in the universe."

"Me brain hurts." Patchy massaged his temples.

The viewers were certainly given a lot to think about.

"Oooh I can only imagine the machine you used to travel here." Dr Doppler squealed.

"Actually. It was magic." Wrenn corrected.

"Magic?"

"Back to the matter at hand! If we do not stop the asteroid, then this planet is doomed?" The Captain asked.

"Yes." The seven teenagers confirmed.

"The fate of this world may well rest in your hands, not ours." Eri said lowly

"...Very well. Perhaps we can assist each other."

Thus it was decided. The Heroic Seven are going into space.

•••

"So these 'solar sails' catch energy, the energy emitted from the sun. And that energy is then harnessed and used to power the thrusters of this ship?" Neoma asked.

"That's right." Confirmed Lt Hawkins.

Looking over the railings Neoma could see that they now flew way above the clouds and rapidly climbing higher. Great mountains of monolithic scales shrank before their eyes, becoming insignificant, whole countries can be seen in one field of vision.

"That's Incredible." Gasped Varian.

Frederic's legs turned to jelly again.

"Solar energy powers everything on this ship, including the artificial gravity generators."

"The what?"

Neoma felt her weight from the ship's ascend slowly ease, then eased completely.

"Whoa!"

Her feet came off the deck, she was floating! Flynn, Wrenn, Eri, Amelia, Novak and Aidan were similarly caught off guard by the sudden weightlessness of space.

"Not again!" Cried Neoma.

"Engage artificial gravity!" The Captain commanded.

THUMP!

The rest of the team fell back down with less than graceful landings, but Neoma had Lt Hawkins to catch her.

" That's the artificial gravity." Hawkins laughed.

The Black Rock Alchemist laughed in astonishment. She will have much more to be astonished by.

•••

Another scene showed Neoma studying the workings of the ship's batteries as Lt Hawkins explained their inner components and how they are used to store energy.

Neoma gleefully wrote all her findings on her notepad.

The screen skipped to the next scene.

"No, wait. Go back, I didn't get all that!" Cried Varian. His own notepad in his hand.

"Let it go, Varian."

•••

"Pardon me, Dr Doppler. But if our destination is the asteroid, then why aren't flying straight towards it?" Asked Wrenn.

The ship was flying at an odd angle, seemingly circling the asteroid instead.

"Ah. That is because we are sailing upon the Etherium." Answered Dr Doppler.

"The Etherium?" Asked Eri. She stood with Wrenn.

"Yes. A layer of space that contains breathable air, safe for us to sail in and habitable to space fairing wildlife. Beneath this layer however is the cold empty void of Vacuum." Doppler's voice fell hush.

"What happens if we enter the Vacuum?" Asked Wrenn.

"You don't want to know!" Doppler shivered, hugging his space suit. "Suffice to say, as long as you stay in the Etherium you can do whatever want like it's Earth."

"WOOOOH!" Someone in the distance cheered.

"Like that."

Neoma rode the flying windsurfer. Lt Hawkins stood behind to hold her steady. Amelia, Eri, Flynn, Wrenn and Novak watched and cheered.

"You assembled one of these by yourself?" Asked Neoma. Her blue hair whipping behind her. "At the age of eight!? That's impressive!"

"Yeah. Well... I admit I stole the parts to build it. Ehehehe." Hawkins laughed, feeling unsure of himself.

Unbeknownst to Neoma, this was a rare moment for Jim Hawkins. Few people showed interest in his quote "felonious" early life or his hobbies.

"Feel free to bring him over!" Varian laughed approvingly.

Irrespective of Hawkins admittance of felony, Varian was thoroughly impressed.

Cassandra turned toward her husband. She narrowed her eyes questioningly.

"Pull back on this lever to reduce speed."

Neoma did as she was instructed, and her eyes sparkled as the two sailed over a most spectacular sight, a pod of space whales swimming down the etherium came to greet them.

The audience were in awe. It was rare to even see earth whales, let alone space whales.

Amelia, Eri, Novak, Wrenn and Flynn leaned over the rails enjoying the close encounter, cheering at the sight.

Lt Hawkins smiled proudly. He was making people happy.

"Ah. It is so nice to finally see Jim socialising with other teenagers." Dr Doppler smiled to his wife. "You know. Growing up as a troubled boy, Jim never did get along with other children. I will have to tell his mother all about this when we return."

"That's nice, Delbert. But you may want avoid telling Sarah about this next part." The Captain warned, eyeing the beeping monitor with a grim expression.

Nearby. Aidan was another person who had a grim expression. The teenager kept his arrowhead glare at the windsurfing pair, all the while harbouring a squiggly lined mouth and a grumbling rumbling in his throat.

"Uh oh." Kristoff gulped.

"Aww. Don't be jealous, Aidan." Anna cooed.

"Master Bjorgman. A word?"

"YES MA'AM!"

"... Very well then." The Captain blinked.

•••

"Long range scans have identified a large structure in the darker regions of the asteroid." The Captain declared.

A holographic image appeared before the group at the desk of the captain's quarters.

"As you can see, the raiders have in their possession a massive base of operations. And far from undermanned."

The captain gestured at the small fleet of ships. Some were docked while others flew around the fortress patrolling or transporting goods.

"Ooh! Is this thing really like a photograph!?" Gasped Amelia.

The curious girl reached for the holographic castle, it turned to static as her fingers passed through it.

"Ooooh." Said the rest of the team.

"Ooooh." Was right.

"That was a recording!?" Exclaimed Kristoff.

"Captured in motion and projected with crisp lifelike quality, and with colour and sound. I have never been more amazed in my life!" Varian salivated, his eyes glazed with awe.

"Varian. You've been watching recorded events in colour with sound on a magical screen for the past three days." Cassandra reminded.

"Yeah. But that's magic, this is science. Which means I could potentially make one!" Varian's eyes sparkled.

"So we're basically up against a small army?" Asked Wrenn, staying on topic.

Elsa frowned. The parent group did not like these odds.

"Indeed. Too big for an exploration ship to attack, that is why I have sent a request for a reinforcements." Stated the captain.

"Oh thank heavens! We'll let the fleet handle the gritty business." Dr Doppler sighed, turning to the rest of the crew. "Good job, explorers. We have performed our observational duties admirably."

The crew of astronomers, geographers, biologists and botanists rejoiced.

"Don't be daft, Delbert. I have received a reply that the raiders have taken 'high profile' hostages." The Captain stated.

"Wait. You don't mean..."

"That's right."

The Captain showed a different image on the hologram. A person... a strangely reptilian person.

"The Councilman and his daughter that went missing last week. Just our luck they are held by this band of blighters."

"The raiders have leverage." Elsa sighed.

"That's bad news if the fleet are planning a siege." Rapunzel grumbled.

"Seeing that we have a crew of mostly non-combatants..." The captain narrowed her eyes at her husband and the crew. "I have reluctantly made the decision to second Master Aidan and his team for the task."

Aidan stepped forward, his stance was straight and he bore into his team with uncharacteristically piercing eyes.

"Locate and extract hostages before the reinforcement fleet arrives!" Aidan declared. "Everyone, listen up and listen up well."

Anna and Kristoff exchanged glances. Their son was in full mission mode.

"Let's not make this a repeat of the Witch Haunt mission, I want to see this job done without anyone losing anymore hands or any parts of their faces."

Hearing this, Amelia let out a whine. She squeezed Novak's remaining hand tighter and looped her other arm around Eri.

"This will be a covert mission. Engage only when necessary. Now here's the plan!"

"Well. At least they're taking this seriously."

•••

One small step for man, one giant leap-. Really giant leap.

Boots were on the ground, or at least as on the ground as often as they could.

Four baggy figures bounced between the grey rocks of the asteroid's jagged surface. Each step that Aidan, Flynn, Novak and Jim took darted them between protruding rocks.

"That looks fun." Giggled Anna.

"Remember to plan each jump." Jim reminded them. "This asteroid isn't nearly big enough to have gravity. If you miss your landing you could fly off and drift forever in emptiness... just like Scroop."

The four boys skimmed the perimeter of the large enemy base undetected.

"Oof!"

THUMP!

Flynn suddenly fell flat on the ground, Aidan, Novak and Jim did too.

"Guess we're inside their artificial gravity field." Groaned Jim, climbing to his feet.

"We're getting close. Let's keep it down." Warned Novak.

"They can't hear us. This part of the base is not covered by etherium. That's why those patrol ships avoid this area." Jim pointed up. "Perfect for us."

"Why don't you space farers just build enclosed ships that are airtight? Then you can travel anywhere." Asked Aidan.

"..."

"...Simple minds make simple solutions." Chuckled Cassandra.

"FIRETEAM, REPORT!"

Aidan, Flynn and Novak jumped on the spot. Jim alone received the alert with calm.

"This is Hawkins, following Scout Eri's trail and about to reach the tunnel entrance." Jim spoke into the strange device on his head.

"I am never going to get use to these communicators." Huffed Flynn.

•••

It was dark all around her, and that's just the way the captain wants it. The ship had parked against the steep slopes of a crater, and at this time of the month this spot was bathed in shadow. Safely concealed.

"Remember to maintain constant communication. I want to know every detail of your mission progress." The Captain spoke into an instrument panel.

"Yes ma'am." Jim's voice buzzed over the speaker.

"They can do verbal communication instantaneously over long distances!?" Gasped Varian. The surprises just never ends.

"And here we are sending letters by boat that often takes days or weeks to reach one another." Groaned Rapunzel.

How she would love to communicate with her friends like that. Anna, Elsa and herself would chat for hours.

"Is there anything we can do that the space farers cannot do better?"

They didn't have to wait long to find out.

•••

"There's the entrance Eri spotted for us." Novak pointed. "And look. There's her space suit."

Jim Hawkins followed Novaks finger and true enough he saw Eri's space suit, lying empty and discarded! Jim's eyes bulged like his own suit had suffered a tear.

"ERI!!!"

The panicked lieutenant rushed to the sight.

"SHE TOOK OFF HER SUIT!? WHY WOULD SHE TAKE OFF HER SUIT!?"

Jim frantically scanned the area with grim expectations. But despite his best efforts he could find no sign of a headless body with gore and brain matter splattered on the rocks.

"Eri's fine, Lieutenant. She must have figured out she didn't need a space suit." Flynn shrugged. "Then she took it off to seep between the bars."

"Wait. So Eri isn't a cyborg, she's a robot?" Asked Jim, staring at the bars. "A nano robot?"

"A magical girl." Flynn corrected. "Not sure what a cyborg or a robot is."

"Magic?"

"Yes, magic!" Said Aidan impatiently. "We're wasting time. Flynn, destroy those bars!"

As ordered, Flynn whirled on the metal bars with his hurt incantation magic. The metals crumbled to dust before Jim's wide eyes.

Aidan grumbled. He lead his team as normal. However, the captain had affirmed that this was a Montressor Navy mission. And as such, Lt Jim Hawkins was to accompany their team. Also, this was unfamiliar environment for the seven teens, so Jim's guidance would prove invaluable.

That didn't make it easier for Aidan.

"Gear up. We're going in!" Aidan ordered.

The boys all drew guns and proceeded inside.

•••

The space raiders laughed and bantered around a fire.

"Gotta love this here undocumented planet ' Eaarth.' Close to base, and plenty of juicy live stock to snatch up." An odd insectoid looking alien cackled. Enjoying a succulent roast.

"Brrr, is someone messing with the airlocks again? It's getting colder in this side of the base!" A frog like alien shivered. "Why hasn't that blasted powder monkey unclogged the air vents yet!?"

•••

Meanwhile. Inside the cramped rounded air ducts did an ape like alien work his maintenance routine. The environment was dark, dank and claustrophobic, a most uncomfortable environment for anyone to work in. But the raider mechanic was used to it, nothing new...

Until today.

A flash in the corner of his eye caught the ape-man's attention. It looked like a blue glint in the distance but it vanished as fast as it came that he wasn't sure he saw it at all.

The flash came again, he definitely saw it this time, and it was closer. The ape-man swore it revealed the outline of a human face.

The space raider snatched his torch and shone the light down the length of the air duct. Nothing. Whatever was there, if anything was there, it was gone. There was only a cold draft that blew past him and causing an uncontrolled chill down his spine.

"This is not a nice place to be alone." Eugene cringed.

"Kinda creepy." Varian shivered.

The two men were not alone in this opinion. The vast majority of the audience felt a great unease. The town fell deathly silent.

Kristoff. A seasoned ice harvester with many run-ins with wolves knew straight away that a predator was in the ducts. Every fibre in his body wanted to yell 'Run!'

"I must be imagining things." The raider shivered. "I'm starting to scare myself."

The ape-man lowered his torch.

The audience yelped. For without the light of the torch they saw the blue glow again!

The ape-man realised the proximity too late. He came face to face with a visage of cold terror.

The audience shrieked.

A girl, as pale as death with long hair draped over her face. The incriminating blue glow of her left eye revealed the look of bone chilling murder on the girl's snarl.

Eri attacked!

Her victim's blood curdling scream echoed throughout the labyrinth air ducts, cut short by a bubbly cough.

"Elsa's daughter is terrifying when she wants to be." Hans whispered.

Eugene, Kristoff and Varian agreed.

Elsa sat with a rictus frown marring her face.

•••

"Looks like Eri came through here." Said Jim.

He, Aidan, Flynn and Novak, free of their space suits, followed a trail of overhead ducts that have been covered in frost.

"She picked off a straggler. Look." Flynn pointed up.

Blood. The life liquid of the victim had thickened into a syrup like texture as it drooped down from a vent. Pulled by the artificial gravity, it had eventually frozen solid mere inches from the ground.

The boys entered a hall and found three more frozen bodies strewn around a camp fire, including a frog faced raider. The human amphibian had a pair of holes punched through his chest.

Elsa's frown deepened. Eri had killed them all in cold blood.

"The bodies are all close to one another, they didn't have a chance to react, run or fire a single shot. This was well done." Novak praised.

Hans grimaced. Lady Caine shrugged.

"That's Eri for you. She's the sneakiest of us all. That's why she's our recon." Said Flynn. And he said it so casually.

Rapunzel and Eugene weren't happy with how desensitised to death their son was.

"Check their gear." Aidan ordered. Uncaringly poking the bodies with his gun. "Look for anything we can use."

Now Anna and Kristoff were unhappy.

Jim set B.E.N on the ground. The boy and robot began scavenging.

"Why do you carry him on your back? Can't B.E.N walk on his own?" Aidan complained.

"B.E.N is not exactly graceful on his feet, and he has a tendency to run off. But he has his uses."

"I suuuuure do!" Cheered B.E.N.

The boys grimaced from the excessively loud robot.

Jim finished tinkering a new piece of machinery and plugged it to the top of B.E.N's head.

"There. A motion tracker. Anything near us that moves, we'll know." Jim introduced.

"Ooh. That's very handy. I bet Neoma would be impressed." Flynn chuckled, he made a smirk at Aidan.

"I can make useful tools too!" Aidan snapped.

Aidan went to work and in no time, he presented his tool.

"Voila. A stick with a rock tide to the end!"

Anna buried her face in her hands.

"Hey, Cassandra. If that Lieutenant Hawkins kid wants to court Neoma, I'm all inclined to let him." Whispered Varian.

Cassandra looked none too pleased with her husband.

Seeing that Eri was handling things just fine, the boys decided to check on the other girls.

"Aidan to Brute Squad."

•••

"Brute Squad here." Answered Wrenn. "We're in some kind of menagerie."

Wrenn stepped through a large warehouse. Cages of all sizes lined its walls, many contained animals from earth. There were some perhaps not from earth either.

"Looks like our raiders are poachers too."

Wrenn paused as she passed one of the smaller containers, it was empty. Whatever was inside had escaped, leaving a gaping hole melted through by acid.

"What could have done that?" Rapunzel wondered.

"They have some strange creatures in here. But what really has us interested is the magical door."

"Weee."

Amelia jumped in front of a strange metal door. To the astonishment of the viewers, the metal door let out a hiss and slid open all by itself. Neoma stood nearby to examine its workings.

"This isn't magic. It's science." The alchemist declared.

"Air pressured hydraulics." Varian gasped.

"Wow. A door that opens itself for you." Gasped Eugene.

"Seems a bit unnecessary and lazy." Said Elsa.

"Hey. It comes in handy when you have paperwork in one hand, a coffee mug in the other and a cookie in your mouth." Replied Anna.

Amelia continued to jump back and forth many times until-.

"STOP PLAYING WITH THE AUTOMATIC DOOR!" The Captain yelled through the transmitter. "Get back to locating the Councilman!"

"On a more productive note. If you are at a menagerie then it's likely that a prison holding cell is nearby." Dr Doppler offered.

"You heard the man-dog. Everyone, find those hostages!" Aidan ordered.

•••

"A fine catch. Don't you think?"

A thuggish catfish-human raider hauled his catch for the other raiders to see. A young woman cried under her rough handling by the raider, the beast's unnecessarily hard grip bruising her porcelain skin.

"Caught her on our last expedition run. Reckon she will fetch us a fine bounty." The catfish salivated, his slimy whiskers brushing against the girl's cheek.

"She is pretty by human standards. But I hardly see the value. Certainly not worth being pursued and almost shot down by a Montressor ship." A bird faced raider retorted.

"Ah. But she is no human."

The catfish wrapped his webbed hands around a part of the girl's back and with a vicious yank he pulled out an interesting feature for his peers to see.

Again the poor girl cried under her rough treatment, her left wing was forcefully and painfully unfurled. A beautiful kite of pink that match the girl's hair, it was the wing of a butterfly.

A fairy.

"Hmm. Perhaps she will fetch a fine price." The bird alien conceded.

The the teenage fairy looked away with tears running down her cheek. The catfish raider seemed to take pleasure in the exposure and pain he inflicted.

"Monster!" Cried Anna.

"How cruel! Who could do that to someone!?" Elsa barked in outrage. The temperature dropped.

Anger was the general consensus of the town.

"Brrr. Did the room just get colder?" The catfish shivered.

"Put her in the holding cells with the hostages." The bird alien ordered.

And so the catfish shoved the captured fairy toward the direction of the corridor.

"There is something there." Cassandra narrowed her keen eyes.

Varian heard and followed the direction of Cassandra's gaze, and there he saw it. Even though the entire room was alien and unfamiliar, there was a piece of the wall that stood out, it defied physics. Like looking through a glass or a lens there was a small patch of area that distorted light, and it was strangely shaped like a person.

Shockingly, as the catfish and captive vacated the room-.

The distortion followed them!

•••

"Whoa. This must be their armoury." Gasped Flynn.

The four boys ventured into a large storeroom chock-full of weapons and munitions.

"I am guessing our hosts have a hand in weapons laundering too?" Said Novak.

"Guys. These are ship weaponry, highly volitile stuff. We can't have any firing in here." Warned Jim. Drawing a sword.

With grunts of annoyance, all guns were slung. Flynn drew his double swords while Novak at the head of party held a tactical shield clamped to his jig and the sword of Amelia held firmly in his left hand.

"Guess it's too cramped for that halberd of yours. Eh, Aidan?" Asked Flynn.

The older boy did not answer. Merely continued to walk with his fists raised in a boxing stance. He will be thankful he did.

"Movement!" B.E.N warned.

The motion tracker affixed ontop of the robot's head blared into life. The blipping noise it emitted herald the arrival of an approaching entity. By the increasing rapidness of each blip, whatever approaches is approaching fast!

The creature moved on eight legs, crossing the length of the racks in the blink of an eye. It zeroed in on the four organic lifeforms and lunged at its victim.

The audience gasped.

Luckily Aidan was in a boxing stance. The arachnoid creature was blocked from grabbing onto his face.

"BLAARGH! WHAT IS THIS THING!?" Aidan screamed.

The creature wrapped its long tail around Aidan's neck, its eight long spindly legs reaching out trying to grasp Aidan's face. Worst of all was its long slimy proboscis which wriggled for Aidan's mouth!

Anna cringed at the sight.

Many of the audience gagged at the sight, it was quite a grotesque situation to witness.

"GET THAT DICK OUTTA MY FACE!!!" Aidan roared.

Flynn and Novak immediately dropped their swords to help their friend. Jim set B.E.N down and rushed to help also.

Persistent and refusing to be denied, the creature tightened its tail around Aidan's neck.

"Gah!" Aidan Choked. "WHY YOU LITTLE!!!"

Aidan responded in kind. The alien flailed its digits as Aidan put the squeeze on it. Surprisingly, despite squeezing with enough force to break a man's neck, the creature still refused to let go of him. Aidan then decided to slam the thing down onto his knee, again and again.

'I could have broken a man in half with one of those. DAMN, THIS THING IS TOUGH!'

Flynn and Jim forcefully unwound the tail from Aidan's neck, then with a vicious swing of the tactical shield Novak smacked the alien across the room.

The creature was back on all eight legs in an instant. It rushed back towards the group and lunged. The four boys dove to get out of the way, but alas the creature successfully latched onto someone.

The audience held their breath.

For a brief moment all was silent. And then-.

"It's got me! IT'S GOT ME!!!" B.E.N screamed.

Screaming loudly in full panic mode, the robot ran blindly in circles, crashing into several hazardous containers.

To B.E.N's relief and confusion, the facehugger released him without fuss. Apparently the alien was disinterested with the robot.

The thing rounded a corner and prepared to attack again. But this time-.

SPLAT!

Jim brought the makeshift hammer down.

By the grace of the facehugger's speed did it avoid receiving a hit on its main body, it instead took the blow to the tail. But the damage was done.

The split second stall was all Aidan needed to boot the facehugger across the room. This time it tumbled down a disposal chute.

For a long pause the four boys stood silent, not saying a word. All had their hands raised in boxing stances, their bulging eyes darting around the weapons storeroom, listening intently to the distancing rattling that grew fainter and fainter until...

"It's gone." Breathed Novak.

The blipping on B.E.N's motion tracker had also ceased.

The four boys and the robot exhaled... Well B.E.N pretended to exhale anyway.

The audience relaxed. The parents sunk onto their seats, every bit as dishevelled as the four boys.

"A stick with a rock tied to the end. Who knew?" Laughed Novak.

"Thanks Aidan." Jim thanked. Returning the crude but affective tool to its creator.

"Umm. No worries. Thanks for putting it to good use." Aidan replied.

"Ah. Peace among the boys." Eugene sighed, trying to make light after the close encounter.

A gaunt faced Kristoff wordlessly glowered at him.

"Continue the mission as planned. Reach the hostages without alerting the raiders." Aidan ordered.

TTSSSSS.

The four boys turned to the hissing sound of sizzling metal. The spot on the floor where Jim had struck the facehugger was dissolving, eaten away by the potent organic acid of the creature's blood.

A tiny plume of corrosive steam floated up, toward yet more strange devices that Flynn, Aidan and Novak were unfamiliar with. Jim however knew exactly what they were, his eyes bulged with terror.

"NO!"

Too late!

WIR! WIR! WIR!

The deafening wail of the base's fire alarms blared into life, the sirens and emergency lights flashed in every room.

The audience winced from the sudden increase in volume.

"A device that detects smoke and triggers an unmanned fire alarm? That can really come in handy!" Varian's eyes sparkled.

Cassandra, Anna, Elsa, Rapunzel, Lady Caine, Eugene, Kristoff, Hans, Frederick, Arianna, Willow, Edmund, Marius, the Stabbington Brothers, and Matthew groaned. They could not disagree with the master engineer but they did not appreciate the bad timing.

A growling Aidan shook his fist at the vents.

They've been busted, the plan just went to Hell. The damned Facehugger got the last laugh!

•••

"Hmm? What's that? A fire!?" Asked the catfish raider.

He and the winged girl paused their trek to the holding cells.

In a desperate attempt to escape in the confusing, the fairy jerked her arm trying to slip from her captors grip.

"Oh no you don't!"

The catfish tightened his hold, pulling her close, his whiskers brushing against her face. The fairy cried in pain from the grip. In her struggle she opened her mouth and bit down on the catfish's whisker.

The raider blocked out the fire alarms with his deafening ear-splitting animalistic scream. Eyes full of anger he shoved the girl hard against the wall. He brandished a knife and pressed the wicked blade against the fairy's cheek.

"I don't care if this will decrease your sale value. I will show you how it feels to have a sensory organ maimed!"

The raider raised the blade toward the fairy's ear, the terrified girl whimpered.

People seethed with anger at what was to come.

The temperature of the town square dropped with the rise of Elsa's contempt for the act of barbarism.

They say that 'when it rains, it pours.' Here. When it snows, it blizzards.

The temperature plummeted, a spine chilling throaty growl tore the man-fish's attention away from the fairy. The raider saw the danger but only managed a half scream when a literal blur attacked him!

It was over in an instant. A jet of blood sprayed across the fairy's shocked face, she watched the body of the man-fish crash to the floor. Behind the cadaver stood someone who oddly enough appeared to be made of clear glass. The fairy could see through her rescuer, could see more raiders rushing into the monitor room!

The bird-man stared wide eyed at the translucent apparition. The thing gazed back, he could tell. A single patch on the figure's face that wasn't transparent turned to face him. The flash of the thing's glowing blue eye broke the raider's state of shock, and he screamed:

"CONTACT!!!"

•••

"Fireteam! What's going on!? I'm detecting multiple weapon discharges in the base!" The Captain demanded.

The ringing of gunshots echoed down the corridor. Aidan, Flynn, Novak and Jim broke into a sprint towards the noise.

•••

"I'M SPOTTED!" Eri yelled into her mic.

"We're heading to you now! What are we expecting!?" Jim's voice buzzed through.

"A dozen armed men, or men-things. Very trigger happy!" Eri shouted. Yet she was barely audible with the background fire. "They have us pinned!"

"Us?"

The Snow Princess and the fairy took cover behind a hedge of alien instrument panels. It wasn't quite big enough for two people. A lucky bullet zipped into an exposed area and blasted a hole in Eri's shoulder.

Elsa yelped.

"Stay here, and stay low!" Eri yelled at the fairy.

Leaping away from the consoles to draw fire at herself, Eri pointed her index and middle fingers to shoot bursts of ice javelins at the aliens. One of which speared an alligator-man through the torso.

"Yeah, Eri. Kill them!" Cheered Elsa, her sudden bloodlust surprising her family.

It was a shoot out. Deadly projectiles were exchanged with reckless abandon.

Eri shot a stream of ice at the ceiling, dropping dozens of ice stalagmites onto the raiders. One stalagmite nailed a crab-man to the ground.

The raiders resumed firing, shooting at the icy mist that Eri fled behind.

A stray bullet tore a chunk from the instrument panel, spraying electrical sparks. The terrified fairy yelped under her crumbling fortress. A body plopped down in front of her, the fairy shrieked.

Eri was riddled with holes!

"We need to find you better cover." Eri huffed. She formed a solid shell of ice around herself and the fairy.

Elsa cringed. Her daughter was on the defensive.

A violent bang saw the hallway door kicked off of its rails. Aidan rushed past the debris followed by Novak, Flynn and Jim.

"You know, these doors do open automatically!" Said Jim.

"Not automatically enough!"

Aidan launched his boot at the next door that opened too slowly for his liking.

The sheet of metal flew into bullet storm killing field and knocked out a cockroach raider. The other raiders were quick to turn their ire and their guns at the new interlopers.

"I think we're at the right place!" Yelled Flynn, taking cover from the hail of bullets.

"I see Eri. She's protecting someone!" Yelled Novak.

"Get to them, Novak. We'll cover you!" Shouted Aidan.

"Shut your eyes, Jim!" Flynn yelled and threw golden sphere at the centre of the monitor room.

POP!

The aliens cried and shrank from the blinding flashbang.

Novak dashed into the monitor room with tactical shield raised. Flynn and Aidan let loose with their guns, Jim joined in after he set B.E.N down. The robot made a devastating sentry turret of himself, hosing at the raiders.

"Get them boys!" Anna shouted.

Several aliens were shot. Aidan even scored a critical hit with his laser musket, the raider disintegrated into a pile of ash.

Novak reached the two stranded girls, wasting no time planting his tactical shield to protect the fairy and Eri. Not that the latter needed it.

Eri was only too happy to jump back out and bury the aliens in an icy avalanche.

The raiders fell back but did not yield the room to the teens. The firefight resumed with ever increasing intensity.

Then it happened. Aidan got shot!

Everyone yelped, Anna screamed, Kristoff fell off his seat.

"BLAAARGH!"

Aidan landed on his back, his bloodied hands clutched his liver.

"Aidan!" Cried Jim.

"I got him!"

Flynn was at Aidan's side in an instant. Without showing hesitation, Flynn plunged a knife into Aidan's bullet wound, provoking another throaty yell.

Kristoff almost fainted. Frederic did faint.

"Suck it up!" Said Flynn.

With a flick of his wrist, the bullet was out. Flynn performed his healing magic, of which an intrigued Jim could not help but steal a glance at.

More armed alien raiders rushed to join the fight, one even heft what looked like a portable cannon. The lumbering hippopotamus-woman raised the horrendous weapon and with an appalling display of recklessness she pulled the trigger!

BANG!!

The cannonball zipped overhead, nearly giving Jim a haircut.

"That's it, I'm calling it!" Jim declared. "Brute Squad, we need you. WE'RE TAKING HITS!!!"

The adjacent door burst inwards and in stomped Amelia. She wore a red headband over her brow and a vicious scowl on her face, the keyblade she carried even took the form of a large hip mounted gun.

"Amelia looks mean." Whispered Willow.

She acted mean too. Amelia identified her foes and unleashed upon them. The barrage of fiery magic missiles obliterated flesh, feathers, scales, carapace and bones with equal ease.

Those who survived took cover behind metal machinery. That's when Neoma and Wrenn came in.

"Flush them out Wrenn!" Neoma shouted.

The room darkened despite the flashing of guns.

Rapunzel swallowed a lump in her throat. Cassandra glanced her way.

A black haired Wrenn whined back her arm and threw a Sphere of Decay over the enemy defence line. The grenade of death detonated with a spray of green embers and black smoke, both of which rapidly withered away everything they touched.

As expected, the aliens scrambled out from their cover to escape the horror of decomposing alive.

But Rapunzel will not be the only parent to watch their daughter with worry.

Now it was Neoma's turn.

Varian's lips curled into an arch as his daughter stepped forward and hoisted a cannon made from black rock.

"Not that again!" Varian cringed.

"COVER YOUR EARS!!!"

Neoma anchored herself down, then aimed the appalling weapon at the raiders, specifically at the hippo.

"Mine's bigger." Neoma grinned.

••• Moments later •••

"Secure the area!" Ordered Aidan.

"What area?" Jim asked, gesturing at their surroundings.

The audience were aghast at the unsightly state of the monitor room. There really wasn't much left to secure.

Half of the room had bullet holes everywhere, not a single square foot of wall or instrument was missed. The other side of the room had no bullet holes, but that was because there was no 'other side of the room.' Just a thirty foot wide tunnel that seared through the base's exterior walls and deep into the asteroid's crust beyond.

"Gee, Neoma. Did you even need me to flush them out?" Asked Wrenn. Her nose wrinkled from the steaming slags of the tunnel's walls.

Amelia poked a severed lobster claw with her keyblade. The rest of the crustacean-man's body cannot be found, it was just gone, as were the rest of the raiders, no trace of them will ever be found.

"Talk about excessive force." Elsa cringed.

"You should see the beam I shot Zhan Tiri with." Neoma shrugged.

Neoma dismantled her black rock cannon and busied herself scrounging for tech. Even wrecked alien technology was still alien technology.

"Don't forget. These raiders tried to kill us back on Earth and had every intention to kill us again here. Plus, they totalled my dad's dirigible, I gotta find other uses for my Flynnolium charges."

"You're a clever girl, Neoma. Surely you can think of better use for Flynnolium than to blow it up!" Cried Varian.

"Let's do a head count. Everyone okay, everyone alright?"

"Aye."

After receiving seven calls of pain-free acknowledgements Jim was satisfied that the engagement ended in their favour. That was until he did a visual.

"ERI, YOU'RE HIT! YOU'VE BEEN HIT A DOZEN TIMES! HOW ARE YOU STILL STANDING!?"

"She's gained weight too." Said Flynn.

"FLYNN!" Cried Rapunzel.

" Charmed." Eri rolled her eyes.

Eri gave herself a few shakes and the metal floor drummed with the rattling of bullets dropping from her body. It finished with a loud clank when a cannonball fell out. Her bullet holes resealed themselves and a very near pristine and slim Eri stood before everyone.

"Magical girl indeed." Jim gaped.

"I'm glad he's impressed." Elsa smiled. "They must not see much magic."

"Hey, are you hurt?" Novak asked.

Taking cover behind Novak's shield and with her arms tight around his waist was the teenage fairy.

"It's alright, don't worry. It's safe now, it's over."

Novak's words of encouragement fell on deaf ears. With her eyes squeezed shut, the whimpering fairy continued to cling to him for dear life.

"Oh, looks like we've missed a straggler. Some kind of butterfly-human-hussy." Spoke a voice full of venom.

Novak looked up to find Amelia looming over them. Through her darkened expression he could see the accusing eyes glaring down at him and the fairy, it also was not missed that Amelia was slowly angling the nozzle of her very large gun towards the fairy.

"Whoa! Amy, NO!" Novak yelped, planting the shield over the girl again.

"Yikes. And we thought a jealous Aidan was unfriendly. Amelia is downright dangerous!" Exclaimed Eugene.

"Amy! That's the prisoner I was protecting!" Eri scolded.

"Pss, Elsa. Does Anna get jealous like that?" Rapunzel whispered.

"I could not tell you, Rapunzel. I have never known of any other women in Arendelle that showed interest in Kristoff. And certainly none from royals or nobles abroad."

"Well they all lack taste!" Anna scoffed. She wrapped her arms around her husband.

"But what will you do if someone did?" Asked Cassandra. "And you caught her with her arms around Kristoff the way the fairy has her arms around Novak?"

"I'd break her in eight!" Anna declared.

Kristoff squirmed under Anna's possessive squeeze.

The response made Elsa, Rapunzel, Cassandra and Lady Caine chuckle.

Eri knelt in front of the fairy. With gentle hands and soft words of comfort, Eri eventually managed to coax the frightened girl to unhand Novak.

"There we go."

With Novak released, Eri promptly asked Flynn to inspect the fairy for injuries. Eri would have asked Wrenn to do it, but one look at Wrenn's black hair made her choose otherwise.

"Don't worry. I can heal your injuries." Said Flynn, kneeling before his patient.

The fairy watched the boy hold out a sphere of golden light. It was gentle, calming, she felt the soothing magic relieve her pains, the physical and the emotional.

"Poor thing." Said Arianna.

Meanwhile. With Novak freed, Amelia was quick to question him for injuries and to express her ample worries.

"I'm okay, Amy. Really." Novak chuckled.

Novak moved close to put his good arm around Amelia. "Thank you, Amy."

Kristoff grumbled.

"Aww. Isn't this sweet? There's so much love for Novak and the Moth-girl." Aidan cooed. "Did everyone forget I've been SHOT!?"

"Oh crud!" Gasped Kristoff. "I completely forgot!"

"He's fine." Anna laughed.

CLANK.

The sophisticated alien device fell from Neoma's limp fingers.

Aidan stood still as Neoma marched towards him. He gulped when he saw the look of seriousness in her eyes, that stared intently at his bloodied shirt.

"WHOA!" The town exclaimed.

Without pause, Neoma took Aidan by the shirt and parted his buttons with a rough decisive yank. She ran her hand and prosthetic hand up his abs, feeling for the wound.

"Gwaaglarrghah." A wide eyed Aidan moaned.

Flynn paused his healing session to gawk at the pair, as did everybody, even the fairy.

The parent group were bug eyed from staring at the screen.

"I see Flynn has already patched you up, did you really need to make such a fuss?" Asked Neoma.

"Well... Flynn could have missed a spot. So it pays to be checked twice." Aidan said, sheepishly. "I'd feel a lot better if you would examine me again."

A flustered Neoma raised her index finger and jabbed Aidan in the stomach. Aidan must be ticklish because that poke immediately dropped him.

"It was worth a shot." Aidan chuckled, in fettle position.

Anna laughed.

Kristoff shook his head, but laughed nonetheless.

"I knew it." Cassandra grinned.

"Knew what?" Growled Varian. He could not stop frowning.

"Aidan is more important to Neoma than all the technology in the universe."

Varian paused to consider how quickly his daughter dropped the alien device to check on the boy. He let out another grumble.

"That's Aidan. He's a jokester but he leads us well." Flynn introduced.

Having healed the last of the fairy's injuries which were thankfully only scrapes and bruises, Flynn rose to his full height and offered his hand.

"My name is Flynn, I am the team medic. What's your name?" He smiled.

"Oh, now he's being charming." Huffed Rapunzel.

The pink haired fairy blinked in astonishment, she was no longer hurt. The blonde human had healed her, introduced himself and requested to know her name. Not at all like the monsters who saw her as a commodity

Could the humans really be trusted?

She hesitated, staring at Flynn and then at his offered hand. She regarded it like a box which she feared to open.

The fairy slowly accepted it, and that's when Flynn noticed her expression change. From the instant they touched she stared at him with her mouth agape. Not sure what had happened, Flynn simply pulled the fairy onto her feet, she was surprisingly light.

"...Thank you, Flynn." The fairy nodded. A confident smile spread on her lips.

"What's a lady to a Fitzherbert, eh?" Eugene laughed.

Rapunzel made a face at her husband.

"I am Laethae, Princess of the Sky Fey. Thank you all for saving me."

•••

"Fireteam! What happened!? You went dark!"

"We were in a shoot out, a big smoking firestorm of a shoot out. But don't worry, Captain. We won." Jim reported.

"Is everyone alright? Was anyone hurt or killed?"

"Umm. Everyone is... in fit condition." Said Jim. " Anyway. Good news, Brute Squad found the Councilman and his daughter."

The audience saw the two reptilian humanoids mentioned. One was an adult, regally dressed and standing tall, unbroken despite the days in captivity. Beside him stood the little reptilian girl, frightened but unharmed.

"Here you go, little one."

Naturally. Eri was there to comfort the child, creating a cute teddy bear for the alien child. It was a heart-warming act and the little girl was smiling in no time.

"You are such a brave girl. I'm sure you will make a great Council member like your father someday." Eri cooed. "Maybe even a Grand Councilwoman."

"Thank you all so much." The Councilman nodded.

Jim watched the interaction with a growing smile, his first mission was a success. And he has made powerful allies and friends.

'I can't wait to tell mom.'

"Hey, Jim. We found another prisoner, this one was in a hole." Said Neoma. "He says he knows you."

"JIMBO!!"

"Silver!?"

Jim Hawkins was plucked off his feet by the plumped bear-man cyborg.

"How're ya doing, laddie? I see ya got yaself a flashy uniform, been making a name for yaself. Good for you, Jimbo!"

"GAH!!! Good to see you too, Silver." Jim gasped. "How did you end up here?"

"Well. Ever since that old Treasure Planet fiasco. I've been looking me plunder in uncharted places, more discreet places from the law if yer know what I mean." Silver explained. "Thought I might recruit meself a fresh crew on this here rock... turned out to be a bad idea."

"This sort is not your type?" Jim raised an eyebrow.

"Hey. Even pirates have honour and standards. Raiders, now they are a different ilk." Silver's one robotic eye shifted to Jim's seven companions. "Heh, speaking of crew. I see you have a savoury bunch wit ya. And I notice ya have an eye for cyborgs."

Jim followed Silvers gaze and saw that he was indicating at Eri and Neoma. A flustered Jim was quick to voice his denial.

It was a sweet moment for the group, and the audience were certainly appreciating the respite. It was, however at this moment t when Lady Caine raised a concern.

"It doesn't make sense."

Everyone turned toward Lady Caine.

"The Raiders have a well positioned, well suppliable base of operations, far away from the space authorities, on top of a world that cannot oppose them. It makes no sense for them to drop it all on our heads."

"Could they have done it out of desperation?" Rapunzel suggested. "Their location was exposed, and a fleet is on its way."

"But they had hostages. And there were no Heroic Seven in the alternate timeline to rescue the councilman." Lady Caine argued.

"She's right." Elsa agreed. "And it's too great a coincident that the asteroid dropped just as the Unquiets initiated their world wide attack."

Everybody's features darkened.

"I think we are about to see a real fight." Said Cassandra.

"Everyone get back to the ship right this instant!"

The Captain's voice screeched on all communicators, the teens grimaced.

"An unidentified third party has appeared and they are tearing into the base!"

•••

Captain Amelia stared at the monitor. The pupils of her feline eyes dilated into perfect circles upon witnessing the chaos that unfolded.

The live captured footage showed a living wave of claws and teeth crash against the walls of the Raider fortress. These creatures displayed an absolute absence of rational thought, clamouring over one another to sink their claws into their enemies. Heedless to the rough terrain that tripped them, heedless to the pockets of vacuum that froze them solid. They were even heedless to the mighty guns of the fortress that took aim at them.

Mindless rage made manifest.

The parent group's worst worries have been realised.

•••

"Pack it up people, we have Unquiets on the field!" Jim warned.

"Guess that explains why the rest of the Raiders didn't try to swamp us." Said Wrenn.

"The mission remains unchanged. Escort the councilman, his daughter and Miss Laethae back to the Legacy." Stated Aidan.

"LET'S MOVE!"

•••

"Delbert. Move one of the drones to the base of that hill." Said The Captain.

Perhaps for the first time, Captain Amelia was glad that her crew was comprised of explorers. They were recording footage, audio and data in ample amounts.

Dr Doppler did as his wife instructed. The drone moved around the hill, keeping in the shadows to avoid unwanted attention.

Captain Amelia narrowed her eyes at the two suspicious figures that stood apart from the mindless monsters.

"Adjust audio."

•••

"Crush these outworlders. Whatever magic they conjured to keep this island afloat, see that it is destroyed!" Barked Maleficent.

Elsa swallowed a heavy lump in her throat, this was the first time they have seen Maleficent since the Battle of Northuldra. And Elsa was far from the only person in the audience who felt dread.

The dark fey surveyed the wanton carnage that the battle wrought.

A towering Unquiet Behemoth of muscle raised its mighty fists and struck the fortress gates with the force of a rockslide. The metal construct buckled and screeched with the sound of twisting metal, the hordes of lesser Unquiets unable to stay their bloodlust surged into the gaps and rents before the behemoth could make another attack.

The base was breeched, in other areas the Unquiets have scaled the walls and descended onto the occupants, a grim and dark situation for most people. But alas, for these folks?

"LET'S SCRAP EM!"

The Space Raiders met the Unquiets with glee. Weapons raised, the aliens were eager to finally let looses with their shiny loud guns without restraint. Overhead the small fleet of ships rained broadside fire, the ship crews cheering as they obliterated scores of the invaders.

And finally there were the four colossal anti-ship cannons of the asteroid fortress. As things were in this part of space, these cannons were rarely ever used. So naturally the gun crew took the controls with uncontained excitement.

Maleficent snarled at the impertinence of the raider's behaviour, they see it as a sport! A single shot from the great gun blasted the behemoth in two. The raiders whooped.

"These crude fools may laugh as they like. I will hear them scream as they plummet to their doom." Zhan Tiri chuckled.

Cassandra gritted her teeth at the sight of the enchantress.

Many in the audience felt a shiver down their spine. Zhan Tiri was another insidious villain they dread and fear.

Then came a third.

"See that it does indeed plummet."

Maleficent and Zhan Tiri turned to face the new comer.

A woman wearing a cloak as dark as night, approached the two. Her complexion was pale, easily comparable to Elsa and Moonstone powered Cassandra. Her jet black hair was unnaturally dark, light itself cannot escape its surface. But what truly stood out were her blood red eyes.

The town square drummed with hushed murmurs. Despite their collective experiences and adventures, no one in town has met or seen this new villain.

And they were glad for it.

So harrowing was the young woman's gaze that none could stand to look her in the face for long.

Even the dreaded Maleficent and Zhan Tiri almost seem to shy away from the cloaked woman.

"We have suffered too many setbacks. The Organisation will tolerate no more blunders!" The woman's voice was like a furnace, the words echoed and sizzled from her mouth.

"Poultry loses, young Lorkara. When this asteroid falls, it will do the work of a thousand infiltrators. No nation in the world will escape its effects." Zhan Tiri replied.

Rapunzel and Cassandra exchanged wide eyed glances. Even the smug and arrogant Zhan Tiri was speaking cautiously. Who is this Lorkara!?

"The Unquiets that I have summoned are yours to command, their numbers should be sufficient." Lorkara turned to leave.

"Zhan Tiri. We will leave this matter to you. Do not fail us." Maleficent warned.

"Let's hope these Unquiets are more competent that the vaunted infiltrators." Zhan Tiri sneered.

Maleficent turned her glare down at the enchantress. The Dark Fey made it clear that she took this matter seriously.

"Not that I care for your wicked life, but you will do well to be on your guard." Maleficent warned. "Our infiltrators were targeted and hunted down. The sealing of two of the Dark Portals were inextricably connected. And I do not doubt for a moment that those responsible had a hand in Kroza Kul's unbinding."

"Hmm. About the event at the Southern Isles. Did Brad the Defacer reveal anything about our saboteurs?"

The audience shuddered. The dread vampire was not killed by Flynn that night!?

"This is bad." Gasped Rapunzel, looping her hand around Eugene's arm.

Lady Caine discretely reached for Hans's hand.

"Brad's mind is lost to us! Fortunately he may still prove useful."

As Maleficent said this, Lorkara summoned a portal, they both turned their back to Zhan Tiri and the battle.

"Maleficent, you will go to Faerie to ensure that the last infiltrator fulfils its task successfully." Lorkara ordered.

One does not typically order Maleficent, to attempt it is to invite death. Nonetheless, Maleficent neither acted nor voiced her disdain. She stepped into portal and was gone.

"I will be back, Zhan Tiri. I expect to see... something upon my return." Lorkara stepped into the portal also and was gone.

With Lorkara and Maleficent finally out of her hair, Zhan Tiri took to the field.

Worry filled the audience's hearts especially with the parent group.

"Zhan Tiri." Cassandra hissed.

Memories of the pain and suffering Zhan Tiri had wrought upon herself and her daughter assailed Cassandra's thoughts.

Varian quickly put his arms around his trembling wife.

•••

"RAAARGH!" The monster roared.

The audience recoiled from the screen in horror, and understandably so. They were watching Blackteef Da Orrible, the vilest and meanest of all the space raiders. His infamy was legendary. Not that the earthlings needed to be told to know the threat that Blackteef posed.

The towering brute of muscle and metal stood eight feet in height and equally as wide. He seized an Unquiet in his mechanical claw, halting the creature's charge dead in its tracks. In his other hand Blackteef held a firearm, the weapon was big enough to be a stationary weapon for humans. It surprised the audience to no end when Blackteef raised the gun one handed and hosed the onrushing Unquiets.

"BWAHAHAHHAH!!!" Blackteef laughed.

He wasn't alone. The carnage Blackteef wrought drove nearby raiders into a greater frenzy of bloodlust and butchery.

"Jee wiz. I don't know if I should cheer for the Unquiets or the Raiders." Said Willow.

Willow's question earned her a reprimanding frown from her sister.

"I believe the most sensible answer would be neither." Scolded Arianna.

Seeming to appear out of nowhere, a shadowy figure sprang on a group of raiders. The aliens collapsed, not understanding why their bodies were unresponsive.

Zhan Tiri ignored her headless victims, she flicked her shiny short-sword, not a drop of blood had marred the weapon.

Blackteef was not so graceful. He raised the Unquiet trapped within his mechanical claw, held it up for Zhan Tiri to see, then-.

SPLOOOOSH!

The Unquiet was sheared in four, its black ichor showered the raider boss. Blackteef flashed his jagged and decayed tusks at Zhan Tiri.

Things are about to get hairy.

"GO, RAIDER! Kill her!" Cheered Arianna.

Willow gave her older sister the look.

•••

Novak lead his group back down the dark corridors back to the rear entrance from where they had first entered, he held up his tactical shield as he retraced his steps. Amelia was by her boyfriend's side, her keyblade still in the form of a heavy firearm was aimed menacingly down the length of every hallway at every turn.

And while Novak and Amelia defended the front, Flynn guarded the rear of the group, ready for any would be pursuers. The three of them protected the Councilman and his daughter, the pink haired fairy and even the large bear-man Silver.

"Ya know? This here door leads to a hanger. We might be able to commandeer a vessel or two." Silver suggested. "If I can just get it opened..."

Silver stuck a pick into the mechanical lock. At first he appeared confident but was quick to appear troubled. The lights of the door panel remained red and sounded an accusing buzz at every failed attempt by Silver.

"Blasted raiders took the main battery of me mechanical arm. Can't hack these doors as good as I'd like to."

"Step aside."

Amelia raised her massive gun at the unyielding door and everyone scrambled to take cover behind Novak's shield.

Tap tap.

Two gentle taps was all it took. To the amazement of the group, the panel screen blinked green, let out a welcoming chime, the door hissed and slid open.

"Blimie! How would ya like to join my crew, little lady?"

Before Amelia could decline, Laethae let out a sharp gasp. With frightful eyes the fairy raised her finger back at the direction they came from. A distant animalistic screech silenced the group. All eyes turned back to the dark corridor.

Was something following them? Only one way to find out.

Flynn launched a sphere of light far down the pitch black corridor, and there they saw them. Scuttling claws, dozens in numbers, razor teeth and the glint of unfathomable eyes glaring at the group with murderous intent.

"UNQUIETS!"

Flynn let loose with his rifle. The Councilman's daughter cried under her father's arms at the sudden increase in volume. Nevertheless, the Unquiets oozed forward like sewage, filling up the corridor with the bulk of their numbers.

Rapunzel, Anna, Lady Caine and their respective husbands held their breaths at the sight.

Silver didn't know what was chasing them but he recognised danger when he saw it.

"EVERYONE INTO THE HANGER!!!"

Nobody argued with Silver, everyone ran in... almost everyone.

"FLYNN!" Exclaimed Novak.

"FLYNN!" Cried Amelia.

"FORGET HIM, HE'S GONE!" Yelled Silver, hitting the switch to close the door.

Said Flynn slipped through the door just before it slammed shut behind him.

"Ha! I knew you'd make it." Laughed Silver.

"BLAAAAGH!!" Cursed Eugene.

Amelia smashed the console, locking the door indefinitely. Almost at once, the obstruction was met with the sounds of loud banging and the scraping of claws against metal on the other side.

"That's a really good door, but it won't hold them. Trust me." Said Amelia

"Can any of you sail?" Asked Novak, pointing at the small fleet of parked ships.

"Are you kidding me, lad!? I'll have you know that I'm a captain!" Exclaimed Silver.

"Then please get to it, Captain!" Cried the Councilman.

The two men promptly rushed to get a favourable ship running.

Novak, Amelia and Flynn moved some crates to form a barricade, afterwards they trained their weapons at the door which already showed signs of warping from the abuse.

Behind the three were the councilman's daughter and the fairy.

"I have never sensed such hate, such resentment, it blots out all ration thoughts and reasoning." Laethae shuddered, while holding the little crying reptilian girl.

"Oh, Unquiets are all like that." Flynn responded.

Amelia and Novak passed a look at one another.

"Even if Silver gets a ship running, we can't fly out without the etherium outside." Said Novak.

"That's where Aidan and Neoma come in. We're counting on them, we have to hold out until they fly the asteroid somewhere safe." Said Amelia.

•••

The control bridge of the Raider base was nearly cleared out. Most of the aliens were only too eager to rush into the killing field to join the fight. As for those who chose to remain because they did not fancy getting killed?

Well, tough luck.

BANG!

Aidan boot down the door and rushed in, guns blazing!

"Well done, Aidan." Neoma said, curtly.

The Black Rock Alchemist stepped over a charred mushroom-man and made her way to a large console.

"Here we go. Jim said this should be easy."

Aidan peered out the window to observe the fierce battle below.

"Urgh. Unquiet presence, confirmed." Aidan grimaced. "Gotta admit though, I'm impressed by these raiders. In all my years, I have never seen a group fight the Unquiets so enthusiastically."

"They're still our enemies. So let's kill two birds with one stone."

Neoma tampered with the touch screen controls.

"This might take a while."

•••

"Too slow."

Zhan Tiri slipped her sword into an opening, gashing the lumbering brute.

"What do you say to that, piggy?"

"BLACKTEEF SAYS SHUT UP AND DIE!!!"

Raising his monstrous gun, Blackteef angrily mashed the trigger. The storm of explosive rounds tore metal floorings and shattered the space rocks underneath, a great plume of dust blanketed the area.

"Daargh! Where did you go!?"

Blackteef couldn't see Zhan Tiri and likely never would, the enchantress can move unseen like no other.

"The angrier they are the easier they are to fold." Zhan Tiri taunted. "Such a base creature, you remind me of Cassandra."

"RAAARGH!"

"Calm down, Cassandra! Don't flip the table!" Cried Varian with his arms locked around his thrashing wife.

Appearing behind the alien, Zhan Tiri drew back her sword to prepare for a killing blow.

But then.

The ground shook, the great rocket boosters of the space station whirred into life. Zhan Tiri lost her footing and let out a yelp. A momentary stumble that is going to cost her.

"AHA!"

Blackteef swung his claw, smacking Zhan Tiri square in the face. The tiny woman flew across the compound, spinning like a kickball before bowling over a stack of oil drums.

"Take that!" Laughed Cassandra.

•••

"Yes, Neoma and Aidan did it! We're moving!" Cheered Flynn, feeling the vibration under his boots.

The rumbling of nearby engines also signalled that Silver and the Councilman have procured a working ship.

"Not a second too soon." Said Novak.

The metal doors screeched under the immense pressure from the press of Unquiet bodies, it finally gave. The door burst open, the Unquiets spewed into the hanger explosively, more bodies than expected, many tumbled over and tripped the Unquiets behind.

"LET'S ROCK!!" Yelled Amelia.

Deafening gunfire and magic missiles obliterated scores of the intruders. But more kept coming.

"Fall back, fall back!" Yelled Novak.

"Get to the ship!" Flynn motioned for the fairy and the little alien girl to run.

"They're coming out of the walls!" Yelled Amelia.

Panels hit the ground as many more Unquiets spewed out of the air ducts. Amelia, Flynn and Novak were forced to divide their fire.

The audience watched on the edge of their seats, there was utter terror in Kristoff's eyes.

Aboard the acquired vessel, Silver stood at the helm, anxiously staring up at the large bay doors above. The fairy and the little alien scurried below deck. Flynn, Amelia and Novak boarded at last, a trio of clawed fiends hot on their heels. Amelia sent down lightning, destroying the catwalk and dropping the pursuers.

"Can we go already!?" Shouted Novak.

"We can't, boy. The bay door lights are red, it is still the vacuum outside!" Yelled Silver.

For now, they were trapped. Below them the numberless hostiles clambered up the walls, Flynn shot one that attempted to leap at the ship, but others successfully boarded. Amelia, Novak, Flynn and Silver fought them in close quarters. And more were climbing.

"This is a nightmare." Hans cringed.

No one argued. And it was looking grim.

But then.

The broadside cannons on the lower decks open fired, blasting the Unquiest off the walls. The Councilman operation the weapons consoles slumped back, sighing with relief.

At last the lights flashed green and the massive bay doors creaked opened. Silver booted a disintegrating Unquiet off his blade and quickly took the wheel. The engines roared and the ship ascended, leaving the swarming death trap behind.

A wave of hums echoed across the streets, the audience let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Phew. That was intense." Chuckled Anna.

"I knew they'd be fine." Laughed Rapunzel.

"It was a little close for my liking." Elsa breathed.

"They accomplished their task, and everyone made it out in one piece. That's what's important." Said Lady Caine, maintaining her composure.

"Let's just hope the other groups will also get out safely." Said Cassandra.

That might be a bit difficult.

•••

The fierce fighting continued in the compound. Both aliens and Unquiets fought relentlessly. But relent they shall.

An oil drenched Zhan Tiri leapt on top of a truck to assess her surroundings. Something was wrong, it was too quiet. The alien raiders and even the a few Unquiets noticed it too. The thundering boom of the base's great cannons had ceased, yet they continued firing, soundlessly. It was the silence before the storm.

The asteroid moved into a new area of space, areas that were vacuum became etherium, and etherium became vacuum.

The environmental change hit like the end of the world.

•••

"Oooh. What a way to go!" Aidan grimaced.

From the window of the observation bridge Aidan watched the carnage below.

All lifeforms caught in the shift died horrendous deaths. Ice crystallised over their bodies as the sweat on their skin froze. Their complexion turning blue when the very liquid in their blood and organs turned to ice and the air is sucked from their bodies. And these were the ones whose deaths were subtle. The rest simply exploded into shards of frozen gore or immaterial black ichor.

"All part of the plan." Said Neoma. "Two birds with one stone."

The girl's hands were on the control sticks, deliberately steering the asteroid.

"Neoma did that on purpose!?" Varian was aghast.

"LOOK OUT!!!!"

Neoma felt the bulky weight of Aidan bowl her over, throwing them both onto the ground, and not a second too soon.

The windows exploded inwards, a hailstorm of bullets hosed into the bridge. Aidan held Neoma close, covering her protectively while glass, cables and ceiling collapsed around them.

"AIDAN!" Cried Anna.

"Neoma! Oh no." Gasped Cassandra.

•••

"Rrrgh."

Blackteef lowered his hot smoking gun, satisfied with the long uncontrolled burst he unleashed.

Zhan Tiri watched the raider leader turn towards her again, his heavy footstep crunched a score of the hundreds of bullet shells lying at his feet.

"You think you're smart, don't ya? Messing ole Blackteef's asteroid. I'll rip ya heads off, and use ya skulls to put my gold in!" Blackteef bellowed.

Zhan Tiri furrowed her brows at the accusation of the brute, she looked up at the demolished tower. Her eyes widened.

"The interlopers!" Zhan Tiri spun on her heels. "I have no time for you, beast!"

Blackteef brought his claw down onto the impudent imp's head. But Zhan Tiri vanished into the shadows, leaving an empty claw mark where she stood.

Blackteef roared.

•••

Aidan let out a painful groan, with some effort he shoved a piece of the ceiling off of him.

"Neoma. Are you okay? Speak to me!"

"I'm fine. Some scratches on my weak spots, but nothing gets through my armour. You should know better than to shield me with your body!" Neoma scolded. She rubbed a cut on her neck.

"Can't help it." Aidan chuckled.

He and Neoma were alright despite the wreck they climbed out of.

Anna, Kristoff, Varian and Cassandra relaxed.

"Aidan. Your arm!" Exclaimed Neoma.

Anna, Kristoff, Varian and Cassandra gasped.

A piece of metal had pierced Aidan's left arm. Spearing into his tricep and piercing the skin of his bicep.

"It's nothing." Aidan assured. With a grunt of pain he pulled out the offending object. "We have to go. This room is no longer safe."

He was right, the bridge was no longer airtight, they need to leave. But there was a problem.

"Oh no. The asteroid is flying towards Earth!"

Neoma grabbed the control sticks and steered the asteroid away. The problem was, she put them in the path toward the vacuum.

"Neoma. We can't stay here!"

"We don't both have to. Get out, Aidan!"

Aidan was taken aback.

"Oh no. I'm not sacrificing my team member! You go! I'll stay."

Aidan tried to take the stick from Neoma. The pair began to fight.

"I said go, Neoma! That's an order!"

"Stop playing tough guy on me, Aidan. I have an idea-."

Whoever might have won that debate, fate decided to settle the matter for them. The only exit became part of the dead zone.

"Aidan, HOLD ME TIGHT!"

This time Aidan didn't argue. He circled his right arm around Neoma's waist and his left around her neck. Neoma winced when Aidan's bloody sleeve pressed against the cut on her neck. That's when the realisation hit her.

The piece of metal that pierced Aidan's arm would have skewered her neck. He had saved her life.

"Aidan." Neoma whispered.

But then again... it was just as likely that the metal pierced his arm and then he scraped her with it as he grabbed her unnecessarily.

"Aidan!" Neoma grumbled.

The doors blew outwards and the cold void of emptiness and death engulfed the embracing pair.

The town was dead silent, slowly some hush mutters began to circulate, the parent group remained in shock.

•••

In the base's generator room.

"Wait, no! What happened to my boy and his girl!" Cried Kristoff.

"My little Neoma!" Varian heaved.

Shaking, breathing rapidly, his vision blurring, Varian teetered on the edge of unconsciousness until-.

"Wait. What do you mean ' his girl!'" The outrage broke Varian from his shock.

"I'm sure they are both fine! I saw Neoma reach for a vile of something."

Cassandra breathed her words with force and exertion. In truth she was mainly just trying to reassure herself.

"Stronger than me, and smarter than Varian." Cassandra whispered.

Wrenn and Jim Hawkins patrolled the generator room, where what appears more like a grand hall, lined with pipes, wirings and flashing lights.

Here is where the reactor core resided. The object that powers all technologies on the asteroid. That which the enemy seek to destroy.

"Movement!" B.E.N screamed.

The motion tracker attached to the robot's head blared into life. A single blue dot blipped on the monitor, converging on their location. Wrenn and Jim turned their guns toward the door, B.E.N acting as a sentry turret swivelled to that direction also. The trio braced for the violent assault.

But it didn't come. No banging nor scratching or screeching of twisting metal, the door was not attacked. Curiously enough the blipping ceased entirely. It didn't retreat, whatever was on the other side simply stopped moving or vanished.

There is no obstruction she cannot cross, no destination Zhan Tiri cannot reach, the enchantress phased through the solid material unseen.

Passing the robot, passing the boy and passing the girl.

'Rapunzel? No, it isn't her.'

Zhan Tiri's ability to move undetected is second to none. That was why she was sent on this mission of sabotage.

The anxious audience yelled at the screen, screaming to warn the trio of the shadow walker.

Alas, Zhan Tiri reached her target unhindered. A spine chilling grin of triumph split her face as she raised her sword. Wrenn, Jim and B.E.N never saw Zhan Tiri prepare to destroy the reactor core.

But Zhan Tiri never saw Eri.

An ice peak shot out of the ground and it speared Zhan Tiri through the torso.

"PPPHHHHTTT!!"

Zhan Tiri spat out a stream of black goo that soiled the walls. The enchantress was raised off the ground, her feet dangling, she stared down at the object that impaled her and at her attempted murderer. In the room dotted with red and yellow lights, a single blue light glared up at Zhan Tiri.

Dozens more ice peaks shot out with the aim to turn their victim into a sponge. Zhan Tiri transformed herself into a blizzard, sifting through the peaks, she made good of her escape.

In response, the floor came to life. Drawing together into the form of a stump and then a body, the colours changed until it resembled a glittering mannequin.

Not bothering to change into her human form, Eri gave chase.

The blizzard sought to gain some distance by seeping through a rack of cables. Eri simply dispersed and seeped through also. There was no slowing down, no room to breathe.

Eri opened her mouth wide, really wide, splitting vertically down to her chest. With her inherent control over the cold elements, Eri drew the blizzard closer to her monstrous gaping maw. She intended to devour Zhan Tiri!

"I did not know Eri can do that." Said Elsa, visibly disturbed.

"Umm. Does that mean Eri can eat me, Marshmallow and the Snowgies?" Asked Olaf.

Elsa didn't answer.

Zhan Tiri could not escape, so she rode the pull instead. Transforming into a manticore, Zhan Tiri bowled Eri over. She pinned the glittery mannequin down and brought her bestial paw across the victim. Eri's head came off in a splatter of snow.

"YAAAARGHH!!!"

The deed was answered with the vengeful cries of Wrenn, Jim and B.E.N followed by a hail of bullets. Eri had successfully driven Zhan Tiri away from the reactor core, they were now free to use their guns.

Zhan Tiri made to flee but found that she was stuck. The headless body was still alive and had frozen all four of her paws to the ground.

'She really wants me dead!'

The shots tore bloody gouges into the manticore's hide, drawing a throaty roar from the beast.

Zhan Tiri reverted back to her most reliable form. The intangible shadow phased out of her prison, taking cover in the walls, floors and ceilings.

Eri took on her base form and quickly joined the others. The group of four stood back to back, ready for an attack from any angle.

"A most impressive performance my young friends." Zhan Tiri's mocking laughter echoed. "I have seen what I need to confirm my suspicions. You are the ones that have hunted our infiltrators, sealed our portals and undermined our plans."

"TCH!"

Wrenn and Eri exchanged a knowing glance to each other.

Blending perfectly with the shadows of the room Zhan Tiri remains unseen to the group as she holds out a strange trinket that radiates with magical energy.

"It's time I found out who you really are."

She continued her approach, undetected, much to the terror of the audience.

"Let there be light." Said Wrenn.

BANG!

The sudden new light source turned aside every shadow in the room, too quick for the shadow walker to react.

"Eh?" Zhan Tiri stood confused and exposed.

"THERE SHE IS!!!"

Eri identified the threat in the blink of an eye. She shot the trinket and Zhan Tiri's hand, freezing them both together in a solid block. Jim rushed in, plunging a dagger into Zhan Tiri's thigh and planting a device onto her screaming face. A jet of flame fired from the device, its tremendous force launched Zhan Tiri upwards. Zhan Tiri scraped against the ceiling, the wall and then out the door.

The battle has shifted away from the generator room.

"That Jim has some good moves." Said Melody.

"Mhm." Ascot agreed.

At the table with Ariel and her family and friends. Melody and Ascot were watching intently like many, but for them who have fought alongside The Seven it was especially pleasing to see someone else fill their role in fighting along side theory heroes.

Into the hall they fought. Zhan Tiri was having a hard time, these opponents were fast and graceful. Not at all like the clumsy raider leader. And they are much more resourceful.

"Try a little something called electricity!"

With B.E.N holding Zhan Tiri, Jim pulled a pair of wires from the robot and jabbed them into Zhan Tiri's cheeks.

"BLAABLURYAAGAAHH!!!"

Both Zhan Tiri and the robot garbled incoherently. Finally the ice block containing the trinket shattered. With a glare of defiance, Zhan Tiri slammed it at her attacker.

Jim Hawkins saw a bright light. He managed vengeful head-butt at the little woman, then everything went dark.

Wrenn was at his side in an instant.

The bloody nosed Zhan Tiri slipped out of the robot's hold. She turned into her shadow form again and in her intangible state she weaved straight back toward the generator room.

"Stop her!" Cried B.E.N.

Alas with Jim in her arms, Wrenn was too late to throw a flare. This time Zhan Tiri will reach the core unhindered.

Thankfully however...

"Attention, all personnel." A robotic voice chimed. "Astro Base is now clear of planet's gravity well. You may now throw your rubbish upwards if you please."

"What does that mean?" Asked Lady Caine.

"It means Zhan Tiri has failed!" Elsa cheered.

"NOOOooooo!!!"

The wail of dismay rang out of the generator room. A devastating blow to Zhan Tiri's ego.

"Well. It looks like Aidan and Neoma did their task, which means Amy, Flynn and Novak should have made their escape with the prisoners." Smiled Eri.

"Then we should go too. Before Zhan Tiri gets back." Wrenn grunted, hauling an unconscious Jim by the arm.

"What's wrong with Jim? Can't you just heal him?" Eri took the other arm.

"Zhan Tiri did something. He's not hurt or under any ailment, but I can't wake him up."

The people of the streets muttered amongst themselves. They have grown to respect and like Lieutenant Hawkins, they would hate to lose him.

•••

Jim's eyelids fluttered, he roused to the sounds of laughter. On instinct his fists shot up ready to defend himself. But the setting had abruptly changed, Jim's wide anxious eyes scanned his new surroundings. He was not in a raider's base caught in a fierce battle anymore. Instead he sat in a calm room with warm familiarity.

"I'm home?"

Jim explored his place of residence, never once lowering his guard. With each step his confusion grew.

'None of this stuff should still be here. It all burned up with the first Benbow Inn.'

Following the sound of laughter Jim stepped into his old living room, and in a single instant he was thrown back to his childhood. For there, sitting on a rug was a toddler building a little toy boat.

"Is that Jim?" Asked Anna.

"It looks like him." Said Elsa. "But what is he doing in his past?"

Elsa looked at her sister with worry. This was the first Anna has spoken since they last saw Aidan, and Neoma. Elsa immediately turned her head toward the girl's mother. But Cassandra was far from withdrawn.

"This is really bad!" Exclaimed Cassandra.

"Jim is in the Dream World. It is a trap of the mind." Said Rapunzel. "We went through several of those in the phantom estate of The House of Yesterday's Tomorrow."

"Tromus was an underling of Zhan Tiri, it only makes sense that she could use the Dream World too." Cassandra growled.

The old memory assailed her. It was about to get worse.

The ship had sailed. Little Jim watched his father leave, never saying goodbye, never to return and never wishing to see him or his mother again.

Lt Jim stood behind his younger self, his features remorseful as he relived his greatest trauma. Jim balled his fists, he wanted to hit his father, a year ago he porbably would. But no, Jim is mature now, he knew it was beneath him, and he would not see him lower himself.

But he would have no choice in that matter.

The audience watched a good boy descend. From his childhood to his early teen years Jim became a troubled boy, always getting into trouble with the law. Society had given up on him just as he had given up on society and himself.

Lt Jim watched the uncaring younger teen shrug off his heartbroken mother even while she pleaded with him not to throw away his future.

"But he didn't. Jim Hawkins became a respected Lieutenant." Patchy said proudly.

Indeed. Snippets of what was known as the Treasure Planet event played out for the people of the town. The turning point that lead up to Jim's reformation.

Jim had made something of himself, became someone the people around him could be proud of, someone he was proud of.

Seeing his mother smile, Lt Jim knew it too.

Straightening his stance, Jim turned to leave. He did not know how he came to be here but he needed to return to his duty and help his new friends.

"How sickening!" Someone retched.

Jim spun on his heels and there she was, overdressed for a fight stood Zhan Tiri.

"You are such a disappointment. Just what connections do you have with the Unquiets and our plans!?"

"I only know that you must be stopped."

The Enchantress's response was another wail of frustration and rage, never in over a thousand years has she been so incensed. She lunged for the boy.

Jim was unarmed but he wasn't about to go without a fight. He balled his fist and threw it at his foe.

•••

"Jim, Jim! Wake up!" Cried Delbert. "Oh gosh darn it. What will I tell Sarah? How will she react?"

WOOSH!!

A fist shot up, aimed straight for Delbert's face.

'Hmm She might just do that.'

CLUPT!

Silver caught the fist before it hit the man-dog.

"Jimbo, you're awake!" Cheered Silver.

"Yeah. I guess I am."

The audience relaxed.

Jim groggily blinked the sleep away and scanned his new surrounds. He was back on the deck of the Legacy surrounded by his worried friends.

"JIM!!!"

B.E.N and the crew tackled him. Captain Amelia stood nearby, maintaining her composure with some difficulty the captain nonetheless stood over the pileup with a smile.

"Ya know, Jim. You talk in your sleep." Said Silver.

Clasping a strong hand on Jim's shoulder, Silver gave the boy a stern look.

"That deadbeat may be you father, boy. But he was never your doggy."

Silver slapped Delbert on the back.

"HEY!!!"

The crew laughed.

The rescued councilman, his tiny daughter and the pink haired fairy Laethae smiled at the scene.

Wrenn and Eri also stood nearby, happy that their team member made it through. They can only hope that the rest of the teams have similar success.

Buzz buzz.

"This is Flynn to Legacy. We're at the control bridge. We've found Aidan and Neoma!"

Varian and Kristoff immediately sat straighter, Anna and Cassandra held their breaths. Elsa swallowed a lump in her throat, worrying for her nephew and Neoma.

"How are they? Are they alright!?" Asked the Captain.

"Uh... Yes and no?" Was Flynn's reply.

"What does he mean yes and no!?" Exclaimed Rapunzel, not happy with her son's lack of clarity.

"We're gonna need help carting them back." Novak's voice came through.

Varian's breathing quickened to the point of hyperventilation.

•••

The crane lowered a large, heavy and very solid object onto the deck. It was Neoma and Aidan, the pair held one another, their tight embrace immortalised inside a solid amber rock.

"GAHH!!" Varian yelped.

It wasn't as bad as he had feared, being that the alternative was death. But still.

Anna fidgeted under the table, she was concerned for her son. She did not know what they were encased in, and Varian's reaction certainly didn't help calm her.

"Don't worry Anna, they are both going to be fine." Rapunzel assured.

Flynn went to work with his Hurt Incantation magic while Wrenn remained in her Sundrop form, ready to treat any injuries... or treat any burns if her brother should overdo it.

In no time at all the amber liquefied and the pair tumbled out. Wrenn immediately went to examine them both, Neoma had a scrape on her neck, an easy fix. Aidan sported a hole in his arm.

The warm feeling of comfort and recovery roused Aidan back to consciousness.

"Neoma! Oh no, I'll never let you go, Neoma!"

GLOMP!!

"Aidan, let go of me!" Cried Wrenn.

A cheerful Eri and Amelia helped Neoma back onto her feet, the trio embraced.

Everyone was okay, the mission was a success. All was well.

The town applauded the teens for their victory.

"Neoma used the amber rocks to save herself and Aidan? Pretty smart." Praised Eugene.

Varian was happy, but not too happy. The memories of his own father encased in amber rocks still makes him shiver to this day.

"She's a genius but reckless." Varian muttered.

"It didn't seem so reckless to you when you used the amber rock serum on me." Cassandra rolled her eyes.

"Cassandra, I told you it was a malfunction. I never pulled the trigger on you."

Varian furrowed his eyebrows. He had examined the chemical launcher but never did figure out what caused the misfire.

Without being seen, Zhan Tiri reached for a crewman's holstered gun, she pulled the weapon's trigger. The resulting bang, the slimy splattering of a foot and the piercing scream of the slug-man announced Zhan Tiri's presence aboard the Legacy.

"Oow. I bet that was upsetting." Zhan Tiri laughed.

The victim fell forward into the awaiting arms of Wrenn. Zhan Tiri observed the healing.

"So my hunch was correct, you do possess the Sundrop's powers. Sometimes it's better to use ones own eyes than to rely on trinkets."

Zhan Tiri glared at Jim.

All around the Enchantress were people who wanted her dead. Her eyes turned to Flynn.

"And it seems you have the Hurt Incantation magic. But what surprises me the most?"

Zhan Tiri turned her wicked gaze at last on Neoma.

"The Moonstone powers. And that unflattering scowl you have, why it is just like Cassandra's."

"THIS MUG WILL BE THE LAST THING YOU'LL EVER SEE!!!"

"This is really bad, you guys." Said Eugene.

"She knows that the children have your powers!" Gasped Frederic.

"She can't do anything with that knowledge if she's dead!" Said Rapunzel.

The battle on board the Legacy has begun.

A furious Neoma charged at the enchantress, her hair and armour flared with blue lights.

"Come and get it." Zhan Tiri grinned, her face warped.

Neoma found herself ploughing face first into a mass of writhing black tentacles. Zhan Tiri had transformed into her signature demonic form, her sudden increase in volume filled the deck. All items that were not nailed to the floor were shoved aside, and some items that were nailed, were violently ripped out.

Zhan Tiri swatted Neoma away. The demon was now tall enough to throw the girl into the solar sails, tearing the strange material. The other teens joined in.

It was pandemonium on the ship. The crew and scientists ran about the deck screaming. Delbert managed to rally the panicked crowd and moved them below deck, Laethae alone poked her head out to watch the carnage.

And what carnage it was. Handrails were smashed, floor boards were punched through, the horned demon even gored down a mast. But the greatest threat posed to the Legacy was Zhan Tiri's massive increase in body mass.

Under the base's gravity field the ship was being pulled back down onto the asteroid, which would have been fine if the space below them wasn't a vacuum!

"GET HER OFF MY SHIP!!!" Yelled the Captain. "If any crew is in the engine room, I need full power to thrusters!"

Captain Amelia took the wheel, she fought to halt the descent. But it will only delay the inevitable.

The parent group tensed, time was not on their children's side.

"Get a face full of this!" Piped Amelia Bjorgman.

A barrage of fiery magic missiles exploded in Zhan Tiri's face, drawing roar of rage from the thrashing demon. More essential components were destroyed in her mad throes, it didn't help that Silver was flying the stolen ship around the Legacy and pelting the demon with more projectiles causing further damage.

"The stolen ship!" The Captain gasped.

Flynn threw a flash bang at Zhan Tiri, in the demon's temporarily blinded state Wrenn took the opportunity to throw a Sphere of Decay right at Zhan Tiri's face, burning her eyes!

"Now's our chance, all hands ABANDON SHIP!!!" Yelled the Captain.

It wasn't "GET HER OFF MY SHIP" anymore. It was now "Get everybody else off the ship!"

And so everyone made their evacuation. Eri froze the tentacles onto the deck and remaining masts of the Legacy, trapping Zhan Tiri on-board.

Zhan Tiri shrunk to her human form, freeing herself from her frozen appendages and her poisoning ravaged demon eyes. More importantly with her reduced mass the shipped stopped falling.

But where were her foes?

She blinked and looked up just in time to see the other ship with a grinning redhead aiming a giant key at her.

"Force!"

Amelia cast her gravity spell. The ominous black orb flew down onto the Legacy.

In that instant Zhan Tiri felt an insane amount of pressure forcing her to her knees. The ship around her resumed its descent, faster this time.

"NOOOOOO!!!" Zhan Tiri wailed on all fours.

The audience watched the space ship soundlessly crash onto the asteroid, raising a cloud of dust.

They cheered.

••• Later •••

"The reinforcement fleet has arrived!"

"HUZZAH!"

It was finally over.

The councilman and his daughter are safe. The ships from the Montressor Navy are now free to mop up the raiders... well that was the initial plan anyway.

"Your team took down this raider stronghold by themselves!? Did you leave anything for us?"

"Only bodies." The Captain explained to the officer.

They have at last secured the entirety of the asteroid. The surviving raiders were rounded up and arrested. But as for their leader? Blackteef was never found.

••• Far away •••

"HAHAHA!!!" The raiders laughed.

A trio of ships sailed away, the raiders aboard were in a jovial mood despite their defeat.

"What are they so happy about? They just lost a base!" Exclaimed Cassandra.

The same question was widely shared. There was no intelligent reason for the laughter.

"That was a good fight. We so gotta do that again!" Blackteef declared.

The other raiders cheered.

Herein lies the answer.

Blackteef and his crew may find themselves in another fight sooner than expected. None of them noticed the movement of a certain eight legged critter scuttling in the shadows.

••• Back on the Legacy •••

"Cabin room searched. No sign of Zhan Tiri." Novak reported, through the communicator

"The bilge is clean. Tentacle lady is nowhere in sight." Amelia reported.

"Make absolutely sure. Remember, she can shape shift." Warned Wrenn.

"No carcass, no closed case." Said Aidan.

Neoma made her way down the wooden stairs, nearing the kitchen of the Legacy's wreck. As ships often are, the stairways and hallways were cramped, made even more so when one is forced to wear a baggy space suit.

"Dammit, did she get away?" Neoma cursed.

The squeeze was testing her patience, it did not help that some parts were caved in. But then, a break through. Someone had found Zhan Tiri first.

Lorkara stood in the kitchen, her body enveloped in a sphere of swirling red mist. To the amazement of the audience she was completely unfazed by the vacuum, the same could not be said for the her target. Lorkara seized the unresponsive, frozen Zhan Tiri, pulling the enchantress out of the mountain of clutter by her thin neck. It was rough handling, but not as rough as what was about to happen.

Without hesitation Neoma lunged at the woman, black rock sword aimed first. The tip of the weapon met the spherical barrier of swirling red mist, stopping the sword dead in its tracks. The resistance was a surprise, Neoma felt her arms jar from the impossibly unrelenting opposing force.

A wicked spear materialised in the palm of Lorkara's free hand. She thrust the weapon at Neoma's stomach, the alchemist was sent flying into a pile of broken plates.

"Hmm."

Neoma bounced back up. Like Lorkara, she too suffered no damage. Lorkara regarded the tip of her spear and her foe.

"I see how you and yours could defeat Zhan Tiri. You must be the ones foiling our plans. Who are you!?"

Neoma broke off a piece of her sword and placed it over the puncture in her space suit. The piece melded with her armour on the other side, sealing the hole.

"I'm not about to tell you!"

Neoma raised her sword and attacked again. The two dueled.

"You're good. But you're not me." Lorkara said between parries. "And neither are YOU!"

Lorkara batted Neoma away and swung her spear at a different foe. This time the spear cut through effortlessly, a little too effortlessly.

A living snow storm engulfed Lorkara. A hundred razor ice shards grated against the mist barrier, Eri had no qualms about blending the Unquiet summoner into a red smoothie.

Lorkara raised her spear and tapped the ground with the pommel, the barrier pulsated violently, the flux sent Eri and bits of Eri splattering on the walls.

The obscuring snow cleared from Lorkara's vision, just in time to introduce her to a snow covered Amelia bringng down her keyblade! The physical offensive power of Amelia's weapon is absolute, the keyblade smashed the barrier like glass. A wide eyed Lorkara brought her spear up to block the attack, the spear and the keyblade met.

Alas, one must learn that you don't block a swing from Amelia, you evade it.

WAMM!!!

The teeth of the keyblade bullied passed the spear and smashed into Lorkara's chest. The Dark Organisation member let out a cry of outrage, the cuirass under her cloak bent painfully inward.

"You will regret that!" Lorkara spat.

The roof was forcefully pulled out, Wrenn, Flynn, Novak and Aidan hopped down into the kitchen. The bits of Eri peeled off of the walls and off of Amelia. The Heroic Seven are assembled.

Lorkara summoned her exit portal and stepped through, taking Zhan Tiri with her. She was gone but her parting words lingered.

"Interlopers. I know your faces. The next time we meet I will feed your hearts to the Netherfiend. As for the keyblade wielder, I will shattered yours utterly!"

The portal vanished, the parting threats of Lorkara faded into silence. The group remained where they stood, defensive in stance staring at the last location of their newest foe.

"We'll need to be careful the next time we meet her." Warned Eri.

"She's tough." Grumbled Neoma.

The parent group shuffled closer together, they were concerned about the new enemy and what it could mean for their children.

"This Lorkara is formidable." Said Hans.

"She held off both Eri and Neoma with one hand on a spear and another around a dead Zhan Tiri." Said Elsa.

"But hey, 'Dead Zhan Tiri.' That's one major enemy down at least." Kristoff encouraged.

"I wouldn't count on it being permanent." Cassandra warned. "Zhan Tiri has been dead before, last time there wasn't a trace of her left and she still came back."

"This is bad, you guys." Said Rapunzel. "The enemy will know what our children are capable of."

"She's right." Said Lady Caine. "Until now, our children have always had the element of surprise on their side. But now the enemy know they are being sabotaged and they know who is sabotaging them."

Their worries grew, things were looking grim.

"Our kids have this in the bag!" Chirped Anna.

Everyone turned to the suddenly upbeat queen. Anna sat straight, her smile was confident, she was a tower of strength among them.

"All of us knew what abilities our children possess. Yet every time we watch them they never fail to surprise us."

The parent group considered Anna's wisdom.

"Anna can be a real ditz, but she can be very smart sometimes." Olaf entered the conversation.

"Yeah-. HEY!"

And with that, the group morale was restored.

"Huh, Anna's right." Elsa smiled. "Our children fight and behave very differently to us, for better or worse."

"Imagine the look on Zhan Tiri's face if she expected to fight another Cassandra, but then Neoma throws a bomb at her?" Eugene laughed.

"At this point, I'd be shocked if that's all she'd do." A bead of sweat rolled down Varian's brow.

"There is only one infiltrator left. Where did that creepy lady with the red eyes send Maleficent again?" Asked Kristoff.

•••

"Now, young lady. What planet did those raiders abduct you from?" Asked Dr Doppler.

" Planet?" Asked Laethae.

"Umm. Your world of origin, where is your home?. We will be happy to return you."

The pink haired teenage fairy cast her gaze back to Earth with much longing in her eyes.

"I come from the island Faerie, the home of the fey folk." Said Laethae.

•••

End of Chapter.

•••

A big hand to our guest star, the Facehugger!

Okay. Yeah I like playing Aliens Fireteam Elite and later Aliens Dark Descent. So I thought I have the teens pose as marines (a change to their usual style of combat). As a bonus I even had Eri go Predator on the raiders :D

Onto Treasure Planet:

I'd like to thank the YouTube channel Cinemas Therapy for their insight into Jim Hawkins, it really helped. They mentioned how Jim has two very different father figures in Silver and Delbert, and of course he gravitates towards Silver. So I just had to throw in that: "He may be your father, but he wasn't your doggy." line XD

•••

Design note.

"You're good, but you're not me!" "And neither are YOU!"

Lorkara ...Or should I say Original Neoma / Original Eri.

Yes, Eri was once a villain too.

The original idea was to have a construct called Davina (Ina), Elsa created a child with all the love and happiness of her heart. But where did all the fear and hate filter out to?

A will to live formed out of the fear and the dark child was born, Eri. Eri hated Ina for having everything she could not, and the two sisters would come to blows throughout the story.

Later it was revealed that the true child of love was in fact Eri. But as she was raised in the dark realm her personality descended to cold and hateful. Meanwhile Ina was raised by Anna, and grew to be a loving and devoted girl.

In the end I scrapped that idea because it was too much like Metal Gear Solid.

I had to pick one, Ina was the obvious choice with her hair braided like Elsa in Frozen 1. But then Frozen 2 came and suddenly Eri with her free flowing hair resembled Elsa more, so in the end Eri became the Heroic Seven member.

I guess in that regard, Eri is exactly like her mother. Both were villains in the draft but became heroes in the final release.

Still. I do feel bad about scrapping Ina... Hmm, the multiverse exists in this story, perhaps I could?...