After the abrupt landing on Vork, Jim and Fung knew the cost of getting a solid plan in place and fast. The city could be seen from their crash zone, and they were being chased by the feared pirate captain Spike.
"What's the plan?" said Amelia fearfully, some slight blood running down the side of her face from the crash.
"We need to get away from here as it's the first place they will search; do we have any maps on our navgear of this planet?" said Jim to the group.
The group loaded up their mobile navgear equipment and saw in the archives there had been a map entered for Vork, and it showed old utility tunnels through the mountains to the city, unused and abandoned.
"The Tunnels!" said Fung happily.
"They will provide a good shelter for our safety and escape from this planet" he continued.
The group decided to leave the remains of the wreckage as there was nothing salvageable from it without causing a delay in which they would be surely caught. The planet Vork had large desolate wasteland areas which intertwined with overgrowth and mechanical tunnels. The pirate city was well armed and ready for most attacks if provoked. The group continued hastily, the dusk setting in on the planet and with a steady pace they had managed to avoid detection and could see pirate ships examining the wreckage in the near darkness.
"That was too close, but how are we going to get off this planet and more so into the city without being killed?" said Amelia.
"We are not far from the tunnels; I am thinking we lay low and rest there until we can enter the city with a resolute plan to ensure our safety" replied Fung.
With the sentence they could see the large tunnel entrance which was on their navgear but it was heavily overgrown with slight small holes in the vines and branches which the crew could squeeze through without too much fuss. Being in the cavernous mech tunnel, there was a feeling of eerie silence but at least for now they were safe from detection and if the navgear was correct it would lead them to the city.
"Let's make camp here for now and get a small-scale fire going, ration what water and food you have" said Jim to the group.
The crew all made a small resting zone for themselves around the slowly burning fire and set up a motion sensor in case of any intruders. Fung was laying staring at the embers thinking to himself, if we can make it to the city, maybe we can stow aboard a ship or even steal one. With this his eyes drooped until fully shut, getting into a deep sleep.
With the morning sun drawing in through the old entrance of the tunnel, illuminating the way forward, a dripping sound could be heard where water had managed to get through the cracks. The crew awoke and found that Fungs bed encampment was empty. This alerted Jim and Amelia straight away.
"Fung where are you!" They both shouted together with panic.
The crew rushed onwards after doing a search of the immediate area and realizing there was no trace, the panic was now setting in and they must find their comrade. After 30 minutes or so the crew came to a large opening in the tunnel which was astounding to them. It appeared to them that it had once been lived in like a sort of shanty town but was now vacant, in some respects it felt like a refuge for anyone that either wanted out of the planet or was a safe zone against the pirates. The shacks run down and rusted, lots of rubbish lying about the place but not a single soul in sight. The group wandered through it slowly, keeping a cautious lookout for any danger. They all rounded a corner and in the meeting area a familiar figure was seen.
"Fung! What are you doing and why did you leave?" Demanded Jim sternly.
"We were worried sick about you, and you just left us!" said Amelia with tears in her eyes.
Fung looked back at the crew and started to smile at them, like he had formulated a plan.
"I'm sorry all, I was meant to come back but I couldn't sleep and wanted to see what was slightly further ahead. I thought I wouldn't find anything but look at all this!" he said pointing to a cart which lay a few feet from him.
A collection of clothes, weapons and equipment was on the cart, most of which was gathered by Fung but some of it was there way before Fung found it. The group gathered around the cart to take a good look, and each picked up items which took their fancy.
"Fung! I think you have found our solution, we can don these as disguises and use the weapons and tech to go undercover as a pirate crew. We need to stick to our story that the peacekeepers blew up our ship and we barely escaped" said Jim to the crew, excited in his voice knowing this might work.
"My thoughts exactly and I am happy that you guys can agree on this, please take what you want to make us look and integrate with our surroundings," said Fung.
The group took what they wanted and made themselves look like fearful pirates and go without detection once in the city. The outfits that they had chosen and weapons honestly would make them indistinguishable from the inhabitants of Vork. The crew continued and within half a day they could hear loud sounds coming from ahead of them, it signaled that they were near the city's entrance. They took a peek from behind the vines and brush and saw that the tunnel had led them to the perimeter fence where the main gates could be seen, guards patrolled it but there was a tech checkpoint which was allowing people in and out, it looked mainly like foragers.
"We have to try to gain entry, we can use the excuse that during foraging we were attacked and lost our crew keycards" said Fung.
The crew nodded as this seemed to be a solid plan for entry. They left the confines of their tunnel and approached the city's gates and once there they spoke to the droids on the gate which saw they had gathered some old ship parts so allowed them entry into the city.
Once in, the crew looked around at the scene. There were blood thirsty cutthroat pirate clans everywhere, fighting and brawling seemed to be the choice hobby here. Gambling and killing seemed to be another past time here as well, the city smelled strong of rot and mold, but it was dangerous from the all looked at each other for an idea of safety and where they may get it, as they were walking, they saw a tavern which seemed busy and would provide a good hiding spot for them. The crew entered the tavern and quickly collapsed into a small booth where they could gather their thoughts.
"We need to find a ship to either take or stow away on, we should separate and ask through the crowd for a lead on a ship but be weapons ready!" said Jim.
They got up from the booth and disappeared into the vast crowd of pirates, Fung could see his crew mates asking various creatures and droids where they may be able to get a ship. As soon as each member was told to move on, they did swiftly and it didn't take long until Amelia had signaled the others to join her, this was it she may have found a lead.
She was in the company of a captain that the group had recognized from the wanted posters seen throughout the galaxy, her name was Captain Scorla, she was a fearsome pirate captain with a strong reputation for killing those that wrong her and having a hidden planet for her plunders. She was from the race of fire angels, built similarly to a human. However, she had big flame wings and was taller than a human.
The group gathered to where Amelia was and listened in on the proposition.
"I hear you require a ship; I have been told yours was destroyed on the run from peacekeepers and that you took out a few of their ships in the process. That I commend" she said to the group.
"I have recently acquired another ship we found in deep space, alone and unmanned, the name of this ship is "The Last Hope" and I am looking for a crew for it" she said.
"And why would you let us have it guy?" Fung questioned suspiciously.
"Oh, you won't be getting it for free, you will be a part of my armada, and I will give you one of my trusted crew to be with you, so you don't get any funny ideas. Where is it you are going?" said the captain.
"We are traveling to Earth and we need to establish if the planet is safe, who will you be sending with us on the voyage?" asked Fung
The captain turned to her ranks who were standing behind her so that she could see the members before she raised her hand and directed a member to come forward. She was like Fung, a female croc, elegant with a touch of black widow to her look. She stepped forward and stood before the crew, Fung's eyes widening slightly at the sight of her slender but tough exterior, his cheeks feeling a little warm.
"This is commander Onyx, she is steadfast and resolute in her determination to me, do not deter from your plan and never abandon the call of our armada." replied the captain.
"We may also be in a spot of bother with captain Spike, will that pose an issue?" Jim asked.
"No, he owes me for a heist we completed, and he never paid up so you will have the protection of the armada from him" she replied.
Fung and the crew nodded and thanked the captain for letting them into the fold and they reacted with caution with the newest crew member and for good reason, commander Onyx had a reputation as an ex-bounty hunter and was a lethal weapon.
Before departing to the docks, the captain gave a digital contract to the crew to sign stating that unless freed by the captain they would be in servitude for as long as required of them. Once signed the crew gained what they needed for the travels and went towards the dock. The new commander had informed them she had to tie up a loose end before they departed.
She left the group and proceeded to the darker areas of the city and slowly walked down a steamy ally to meet Scroop. He looked happy to see his saviour and awaited the message from her.
"I have assimilated into their crew and I will let you know our movements to Earth but keep a close distance in the small stealth ship I acquired for you, got it?" she said to him.
"And what will you tell you captain when I get my hands on them?" Scrooge demanded, rather impatient.
"I will say they tried to do a mutiny and were in ranks with other pirate factions." she replied.
"Excellent, keep me posted." Scroop smirked then departed back into the shadows, eager to give Fung and Jim a violent death.
With this exchange over, she went back to the docks with something she had picked up on the way there saying it was an essential ration. The crew boarded the spacecraft and input the coordinates they needed to travel to Earth. Their new financier and captain stood on the docks watching them leave and was happy that she had managed to fill the recovered ship with a crew.
"At least we are on our way back to Earth!" said Fung happily.
"Hopefully we don't have anymore issues or run ins" replied Jim
And with that the ship left the atmosphere of Vork and was now in space travelling to its destination.
Thanks to a fellow writer for helping me out with this chapter and hopefully eventually finishing this sequel finally!