Never Hurts To Help

Chapter Eleven: The Pursuit

Will Sylvia and Wander find a way off planet and away from their pursuers? Will they be the bestest friends ever? Read on and find out!

Sylvia bent her head, avoiding a jutting rock sticking down from the ceiling. Behind her, Wander was singing to himself softly, gently plucking at the strings of his banjo as he walked. She would have tried to quiet him down, but it wasn't loud enough to attract attention, and the whispered music was kind of soothing. To be honest, the cave was giving her the creeps.

The passage they were making their way through was so narrow now that she had to keep her arms pulled close to avoid brushing the slick walls. The air was damp, humid but chilly which made her shiver, and it was pitch black except for the wan glow from the squishy egg in her hand.

Suddenly she froze, an unexpected sense of vertigo hitting her. Behind her, she felt Wander stumble slightly as he pulled up short, hand going still on the strings with a quiet jangle.

"What's wrong, Sylvia?" he whispered.

"Not sure." Sylvia held the light out in front of her, but it revealed nothing. Gingerly, she slid one foot forward, feeling her heart leap into her mouth abruptly as the rock seemed to disappear. "I think there's a pit or something," she observed, working to keep the terror she'd was feeling out of her voice. "It's too dark to tell how deep it is. Got anything I can drop?"

"Hmmmm, reckon I do." There were sounds from behind her of Wander scrabbling around for a moment, then the noise of him rummaging in his hat. After a moment she felt him nudge her from behind, depositing something from his furry hand when she held hers out.

"Is this a slinky?"

"Yeah!"

She shook her head. He carried the weirdest things with him.

Extending her hand over the potential void, Sylvia released the metal coil. She heard the clang as it struck rock almost immediately to her relief, then paused at the hiss-slither of the slinky as it walked. Down, across, down across, again and again until she could no longer hear the sound.

"I think it's…stairs," she whispered after the noise had completely vanished.

"Oooo, that's lucky!"

"Not so sure about that." Sylvia held her meager light source out in front of her, trying vainly to see the down into the murk. "I thought this planet was uninhabited."

"Well, now sure, but maybe there used ta be folks livin' here long ago!"

"I guess." Wander sounded like he was enjoying this investigation a little too much. "In any case, I think we should head back. Going further into the planet's core doesn't seem helpful to me."

"Aw, do we have to?"

Sylvia swiveled her neck, all ready with a retort that her smaller companion would understand in no uncertain terms, when she froze at a sound that came echoing through the tunnel from behind them; footsteps, intermittently accompanied by muffled voices.

She and Wander looked at each other in the darkness for a moment and she knew that for once, they had the same thought. Lady Infinite must have figured out they weren't coming, and may have pinpointed that they were already on the planet, whether by locating their ship, or through some other means. There was no reason for her soldiers to venture into random caves unless they were looking for the two of them.

Either way, going back was no longer an option, regardless of how unpleasant the idea of navigating ancient stone stairs in the dark seemed.

With a muttered "flap-drassit!" Sylvia was moving forward again, lowering her feet cautiously as she began descending the stairs, but trying to put on a little speed without risking her neck. Behind her, she could hear Wander following her example, quiet for once.

The stairs seemed pretty even, though slick with moisture like the rest of the tunnel, and Sylvia had to be careful to keep her footing on the smooth, wet stone. The voices behind them seemed closer now. They had a distinct reptilian hiss to them, and the soldiers sounded like they were fairly large, which could actually work to their advantage in the narrow spaces they were navigating.

Suddenly, Sylvia noticed she was having to exert much less effort on traversing the slick stairs. The passage was getting wider as they went lower, just enough so she no longer felt uncomfortably crowded. There seemed to be a faint light coming from somewhere below them as well. Ordinarily, that would have made her feel better, but with their pursuers sounding ever closer behind them, it wasn't a great time to start being visible. Just as her foot touched what seemed to be the bottom, or at least a landing in between flights, she froze as a shout echoed off the dark rocks.

"Hey you! Stop right there!"

Case in point…

Sylvia spun on her heel, snagging Wander by one arm and maneuvering him so that he was behind her. He gave a squeak, but didn't protest. She could feel him pressed to her back as she looked a long way up to try and assess the new arrivals.

Three aliens stood at the top of the stairs they'd just descended, crowded together in the tight space, one behind the other. It was hard to see details, as the lights mounted on their armor seemed to obscure rather than illuminate them, but they did seem fairly tough, if likely shorter than her. She caught a flash of scaly gray skin, long necks and the suggestion of head frills. The one in front looked like he was holding some kind of bulky weapon slung over a shoulder.

Wander seemed to be on his tip toes behind her, peering over her shoulder. Now he piped up with an enthusiastic wave.

"Joe, Annette, Murphy! How ya doin', fellas?"

"There he is!"

Sylvia shot a glare over her shoulder as the soldiers started down the stairs.

"Really? You do remember they're after you, right?"

She was already moving without waiting for his reply, hoisting Wander onto her back again and pushing forward down what seemed to be a new passage to try and put some distance between them and clattering of footsteps down the stairs behind them.

"Sorry Sylvia! I was jus' tryin' ta be polite." Wander wrapped his arms around her neck, holding on as she put on more speed. The faint glow was all around them now, and it was certainly helping with visibility, even though she wasn't sure what was causing it. "'S been a while since we've seen each other, after all."

"Yeah, well, let's hope we don't have to see them too close for a while yet." It was hard to stay mad at the little guy, as she'd already discovered, and Sylvia could already feel her anger cooling, although her worries about being caught certainly weren't.

There was a sudden discharge from behind her, a bang followed by the whoosh of air, and Sylvia darted forward, risking the treacherous footing – just in time. Something impacted the wall behind them, and she glanced back to see a thick net made of woven metal strands spread across one wall, the ends apparently stuck to the stone blocks. The soldiers were almost at the bottom of the stairs now, the one in front busy reloading, and despite their proximity, Sylvia looked askance at the tangle of wires.

"I knew they weren't trying to kill you, but a net launcher, really? I figured they'd have stun guns or something."

Wander waved a hand dismissively.

"Lady I's not really a fan of that kinda thing. Calls 'em 'newfangled doohickeys.'"

Sylvia didn't have time to reply. She ducked, sending the next net flying over their heads.

"Nice shot, you narfin' froods!" she called back tauntingly. About to put on more speed, she skidded abruptly to a halt, smugness fading. The second net was spread across the hallway in front of them, completely blocking their way forward.

"Well, this is certainly a pickle." Wander's voice was bizarrely calm.

Sylvia took hold of two of the thick strands, bracing herself and giving them a strong yank. They seemed flexible, and whatever was holding them to the stonework was very tough. It wasn't going to budge without a fight. She leaned back, pulling hard. She could feel the ends starting to come lose, but too slowly. The running feet were close behind them now.

Suddenly she noticed that she felt lighter; Wander was no longer crouched on her back. She looked around in confusion for the little nomad.

"Sylvia! This way!"

At the whispered call, Sylvia released the net, peering into the shadows to her right. She was sure Wander's voice had come from there, but she couldn't see him. All she could see was old, wet stone bricks and mist. The soldiers were almost on top of her now. Desperately, she threw herself to the right. The wall spun when she hit it, throwing her violently to the other side, into a new passage that sloped down steeply, almost like a slide.

Exactly like a slide.

Not having time to brace herself, Sylvia found herself sliding down the slick stone ramp to end up in a heap on a pile of wet moss at the bottom. She looked up to find Wander's upside-down face looking down at her.

"Woah, that was getting pretty dangerous! You okay, buddy?" The smile suddenly froze and Wander put his hands over his mouth. "Oh, sorry Sylvia! Forgot yer not so keen on m'nicknames." Furry hands clasped together and big eyes looked at her guiltily.

Sylvia looked away, finding herself unable to meet his gaze.

"I don't actually mind if you want to call me that sometimes," she muttered. "Just so long as you're using my name most of the time."

"Really? For real really?" Skinny arms wrapped around her neck, his smile lighting up the room more than the faint glow had.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now get off of me." Sylvia pushed herself to her feet, trying to ignore the sudden heat in her face. She didn't do hugs, even if she'd had someone around her over the last few years that she'd have wanted to hug. Zbornaks weren't very touchy-feely, and her idea of showing affection was much more along the lines of a slap on the back or a punch on the arm, both of which looked like they'd knock Wander completely over if she tried them.

Looking away from the confusing little alien, she examined where they'd ended up. She could already tell by the way their voices were echoing that the space around them had dramatically increased. That strange glow was still present, and the mist no longer seemed to be seeping out of the rocks, which meant visibility was much better, and the ground under her feet dryer and less slippery. Behind her was the slope she'd slid down, and she moved away from it with Wander following. She wasn't sure whether the soldiers had seen which way they'd gone, and she wanted to be prepared in case they decided to follow.

She also noticed that the ground had changed. Instead of the slick, well worn rock in the upper tunnel, the floor seemed to consist of large, cut blocks, set close together, and made of some deep green stone. Her eyes traveled up from examining the floor to look across a huge cave, seemingly in the center of the planet. In the middle of the cave, visible now in the improved light, a great temple rose higher than she could make out, made of the same green stone. It was mossy, some of the pillars cracked or broken, and the whole edifice seemed tilted slightly as though the ground had sunk on one side, but it was still impressive.

Impressive, but also kind of creepy.

Wander leant over; voice quiet but still cheerful.

"Soooo, think we should go inside?"

"Oh, I don't know about that." Sylvia tried to keep her voice casual. She did not want to admit to the creeping dread she felt when she looked at the lopsided temple, at the darkness behind pillars and through arches. "It doesn't look that stable. Don't want any floors to collapse under us or anything. There's probably a way around." She craned her neck in both directions. It was hard to see how far the temple extended. There might be another way, or the temple might be all there was down here.

"Well, I was thinkin' it might be fun to explore it together. We could see what the folks that used ta live here were like. Could also be a good place to hide," Wander offered.

"Yeah, I don't think so," Sylvia dismissed. It would be best to head this off now. She again found herself questioning Wander's survival instincts. The temple was giving her some serious creeps. "We don't want to get trapped in there somewhere with those soldiers after us, plus, we're trying to find our way out of her and back to the surface. Exploring some moldering old temple is just going to be asking for trouble." She turned, about to head around the outside of the cavern. "Come on, Wander." She paused when only her own footsteps echoed back at her; looked to the left, then the right. "Wander?"

Slowly her gaze rose to the heavy stone doors into the temple. Wander was somehow already over there. He had just finished maneuvering one of them open, a splash of orange against the dark stone. He gave her a cheerful wave before slipping inside the opening, the door already beginning to slide closed behind him.

Against her better judgement, Sylvia followed. She glowered as she approached the temple's façade, tamping down on her uneasiness. The little furry toothpick wasn't worried. She probably shouldn't be either. She ignored the fact that almost nothing seemed to make Wander worried.

When she pushed the door open, she saw a large hall lined with ornately carved pillars, sloping slightly to the right like the outside had been, gloomy and ominous despite the ever-present glow. Stone arches lined the walls, leading who knew where. Wander was over to the side, examining some of the pictures on the righthand wall. He turned upon seeing her, bouncing over to stand in front of her.

"Sylvia! You made it! Isn't this place neat?"

Sylvia didn't answer and Wander seized her hand, pulling her over to the image he'd been examining. Sylvia followed, but not without a little confusion. It was like he'd completely forgotten the danger they were in and was just having a fun time, like when they were back in the city. At least then he'd been handcuffed to her and couldn't wander off. She snorted. At least his name suited him.

"So, you seem to be having fun. Did you just forget about the people chasing us?" she asked, half sarcastically.

"Noooo." Wander dragged the word out, flapping a hand in dismissal. "But hey, we're here anyway. Might as well have some fun at the same time. Plenty of time ta run when they figure out where we are."

"Uhuh." Sylvia tried to keep her tone casual despite her annoyance. "Sounds like a blast. But do you think you could try to stay near me at least? I think we'll be doing that running sooner rather than later."

"Can do!" Wander agreed cheerfully. He gave another ineffectual tug on her arm. "Now, take a look't this!"

Sylvia glanced at the indicated mosaic. It seemed to be a depiction of the temple they were in, only something was off. Or maybe it was that something wasn't off.

"That's weird. It looks like it's on the surface."

"And it's sunny!" Wander elaborated.

"Yeah." Sylvia looked closer. The temple in the picture really did look like the one they were in, only much newer, strait and bright, even through the cracked tiles it had been depicted in. It was the focal point of the planet it was on, surrounded by trees and flowers, all bathed in the light of a yellow tiled sun.

She looked at the next picture over. This one seemed to be some sort of ceremony in front of the temple. It was hard to tell what, but there were a lot of flowers and white robed figures. She couldn't tell what kind of creatures they were. It looked like a happy scene, but something about it bothered her.

The next one seemed to be inside the temple, possibly depicting the very room they were in. It looked like another ceremony, but this one was definitely sad. The flowers were wilted and faces were grim. Red tiles lined the bottom of the picture and seemed to be creeping upward.

Feeling that dread pooling in her stomach again, Sylvia started to look at the next mosaic in the line, but halted suddenly as the big stone front doors were pulled open, the shouts of the soldiers pulling her back to the present. Somehow, she'd almost forgotten they were being chased.

Grabbing Wander again she tossed him onto her back just as another net whooshed by them to slam into the wall. Outdated they may be, but get hit by one and she wouldn't be getting out in a hurry.

Wander clinging to her neck, she darted for the nearest arch, not much caring where it led. She could hear the soldiers running after her and sped up, going full tilt down the new hallway.

She could tell she was gaining, their shouts getting quieter behind her, when one of the stones beneath her foot unexpectedly depressed. Sylvia only had an instant to wonder if, in a temple this old any booby-traps would still be active, before the floor fell away beneath her feet and she and Wander were falling into darkness.

She knew exploring the temple was a bad idea.

Hope you enjoyed!

Our buddies are having a little adventure together, and getting to know each other a little better. At least Wander is enjoying it! I was planning to end this story in the next couple of chapters, but I actually had some more ideas for it, so it might be a little longer than that. We shall see.

I'm guessing Learning To Swim or Shades Of Self will be updated next, but we'll see.

See you soon!