The words echoed in his mind, much like Anziar’s once had. Before Selas could reply, Anziar rose. Smoke rose from his body, but he progressed toward Kossk and Selas, raising his sword again. “You should be grateful that I am keeping your brother alive, Selas. That last shot would have killed him.”
Anziar charged and threw his foot forward, kicking Kossk off the walkway. Selas’ eyes darted to the right as he watched Kossk plummet to the walkway below. However, he felt the rushing air slap his left cheek, and he grabbed the spear in time to block Anziar’s next swing.
“Kossk!” Fi shouted. Selas and Anziar both glanced to see her backing away from the attacking soldiers, firing shots but focusing on their unconscious crew mate. She positioned herself in front of him, covering the vulnerable alien. This didn’t discourage the soldiers.
He couldn’t waste any time.
The spear clashed with Anziar’s blade. Selas looked up to see a flash of lightning reveal itself among the thick, thundering clouds. He didn’t allow himself to look away. Instead, he allowed the lightning to enter his eyes and he used the sight of it to secure his grip on the spear.
“Your storm won’t scare me this time,” Selas said, returning his gaze to his lifelong foe. “You took Jekk from me, and now, you will return him.”
5
A pirate elbowed a soldier’s helmet, sending the man off the edge of the docking bay. Another soldier entered through the side and aimed at the pirate, but Sora fired several times and sent the soldier to the same fate as his comrade. One more soldier entered behind the second and rolled a grenade onto the floor before Natalia took him out.
Sora dove behind a group of boxes as the explosion occurred. The shrill cry of tearing metal followed and he grabbed his ears to quiet the piercing sound, but he knew he didn’t have time to focus on sensory issues. He rolled toward the back of the docking bay and looked up at the source of the tear. A long, yellow beam shook the room as it fell to the ground, nearly blocking the way to the command center.
Sora stood, grimacing at the destruction. Natalia made her way out from a different pile of boxes and ran to his side. He scanned the area for the pirate he covered, but she disappeared in the explosion. He peered out to the battleground that once functioned as the crew’s haven. The gunfire had grown exponentially.
He spotted Ursun’s black armor. The pirate leader climbed onto the walkway that led into the docking bay and punched a charging soldier, before shooting a second. A third and fourth fired from their three-barreled rifles and sent six thick lasers toward Ursun. He crouched and slid forward, using his left fist to knock one to the ground and using his assault rifle to repeatedly shoot the other’s legs.
Sora glanced to the far-side of the docking bay on his right. One yellow, bulky transport’s engine activated and nearly hit the leftover pirates with orange fire as they finished loading another identical transport. The first lifted off and zoomed away from the violence. He suspected that Ursun had only bought his people a minute or two before soldiers resumed storming the docking bay.
Sora pulled out his comm and keyed in Scout’s frequency. No response.
“She’s probably with Felicia,” Natalia said, wiping the sweat off her face. “You know they won’t let her get away right now.”
He shook his head. “That’s what I’m afraid of. There’s no telling what’s going on down there.”
Felicia would use this situation to her advantage, and if she had to hurt one of the teenagers in the process, she would. He wouldn’t allow that.
“The Killer,” Natalia said, interrupting his racing mind. Sora peered out again to see the Killer passing the second transport as the latter exited the docking bay and the former entered, landing where the second transport sat seconds ago. Now, the room consisted of leftover boxes, wreckage, the Killer, and the last transport. Two remaining pirates ran in and out of the transport, loading whatever supplies they could.
Sora keyed in the ship’s frequency. “Chok, tell everyone to remain on the ship. I need to go down to the holding cells, but once the others get back, we have to get out of here.”
“That big butt, Nait, went there when the battle started, Captain.”
He sighed. Exactly what he feared. He turned back to Natalia. “The Killer can give you back-up when more soldiers arrive.”
Natalia opened her mouth, but a high-pitched, mechanical roar cut off any thought she had. They both looked to see a shuttle gliding over the battle, accelerating at a pace faster than possible for most shuttles. Sora didn’t waste any time in questioning it, diving again for the back of the room. The wind that came with the shuttle knocked several boxes on top of him as it landed.
He groaned, shoving the closest box away and lifting his head. The shuttle occupied where he and Natalia had just stood. Natalia collected herself several feet away from the newest arrival, sitting up with wide-eyes. She glanced in his direction and he noticed her heavy breathing.
The shuttle looked familiar, but he couldn’t place it. He saw Trika standing in the shadows of the Killer’s ramp, but before either she or Sora could move and reveal themselves, Natalia threw her hands up and motioned for them to stay. He raised an eyebrow, scanning the rest of the docking bay for anything suspicious.
Soldiers should’ve resumed their offense by now.
The shuttle’s ramp lowered and Sora saw a figure at the top of the ramp but couldn’t identify them. Natalia stood and clung to her rifle but still held up her hand in his direction. Sora briefly locked eyes with Trika and saw the apprehension in his sister. She raised her gun, but he shook his head. Natalia had a reason for this.
The figure emerged as they strolled down the ramp and Sora felt as if all oxygen left his body. His chest squeezed his heart. Queen Bettina, adorned in an unusual combination of black armor layered above a black dress, stepped off the ramp. Glittering jewelry hung off her ears. Her white face looked harder than any other face he’d seen. She held a double-edged sword at her side.
He’d seen plenty of Queen Bettina in the media, but the physical sight still chilled him. Natalia, however, didn’t move. She aimed her rifle at the monarch.
“Senator Natalia Valie, one of the greatest failures of the Nebula’s old political system,” Queen Bettina said, looking from Natalia’s head to her feet. “Perhaps the greatest failure. I had hoped to end your failures in the last convening of Parliament. A grand pity that you stand before me now.”
“That’s how you’re going to portray this?” Natalia said, still motionless. The rifle shook in her hands. “Forgetting the friendship, the years of servitude? Forgetting the unjust slaughtering of our colleagues?”
“It’s the Queen!” one pirate shouted. Sora’s head turned to watch the two remaining pirates run for the monarch, firing their pistols. “She’s attacking the Senator!”
Queen Bettina dodged each shot in smooth, fluid movements. As the pirates closed in on her, she launched herself into the air and landed in the centimeters between both. She stabbed one through the chest and used the other edge to stab the other through the side. They both fired aimlessly, losing control of themselves.
“Stop!” Natalia screamed, firing. Bolts hit the Queen’s armor but he didn’t see any real damage.
Queen Bettina removed her sword from both pirates and allowed them to collapse, writhing as they died. She smashed one’s torso as she proceeded back toward Natalia. He wanted to rush Bettina, but he stopped himself. How would he stop her? Her head stood out as the only vulnerable point, but with her quick maneuvers, Sora didn’t think he could make that shot.
He glanced at Trika again and shook his head. Natalia wanted them to remain back for a reason, possibly their own safety, so he had to trust that. At least for this minute.
“You’re…you’re a monster,” Natalia said, shaking. Tears formed in her eyes and her voice grew raspy. However, she still didn’t lower her rifle. “I shouldn’t be surprised. You’ve torn apart families. I watched the faces of Parliamen
t as the soldiers shot them. I watched the faces of women and children as your soldiers blew up homes. I’m watching you ambush these people. Do you even care about the havoc you’ve caused?”
“No, I do not,” Queen Bettina said, stopping several feet away from Natalia. “You, much like the hormonal children, are ruled by your emotions, and in that, you have caused this havoc. None of this would be happening if it weren’t for your ludicrous quest.”
Natalia moved to the side. “I thought I gave you compassion. I thought we were friends, but even if we weren’t, I still have to do something. The Nebula deserves better than you, your Highness.”
The sarcasm dripped off her last words. Sora saw the tears exit Natalia’s eyelids and fall to her cheeks. He put his hand on the ground, ignoring the desire to slam it and let his frustration reveal his presence. However, he could only let this minute of hiding go on for so long. He didn’t know what Natalia had in mind, but Queen Bettina would kill her at some point.
“None of this was personal, Natalia. It was necessary. However, I suppose…” Queen Bettina said, pausing and pointing her sword at her. She moved toward Natalia but her former friend stepped to the side again, beginning a circular movement between the two. Bettina’s back faced him.
“…I did take pleasure in drilling a hole through Jet Arbol.”
Natalia let out a cry of rage and fired three times. Queen Bettina ducked and darted for her, extending her sword. Sora used his hands to pull himself to his feet and he ran into the middle of the docking bay, aiming his rifle at the back of the Queen’s head and firing. She swerved out of the way and turned away from Natalia.
“Captain Sora Trok,” Queen Bettina said, lowering her sword to her side. She took a step toward Sora while Natalia backed away. The monarch didn’t smile or remove her stoic face, but in her eyes, he saw satisfaction. “We meet at last.”
Sora swallowed and tried not to break his stance. “You know me?”
“Don’t take me for a fool, Captain, I warrant more respect than that. I identify people who are different,” Queen Bettina said, lowering her voice. Sora couldn’t tell if he detected frustration or intrigue. “The man who destroyed 13-BZ before it could kill Felicia Malone. The man who saved four government fugitives multiple times when my forces were upon them. The man who rescued his crew from my flagship before it vanished.”
Sora pressed his tongue against his teeth. He had nothing to say and he didn’t want to indulge her.
“Sora, don’t—” Natalia started, pointing her rifle at Bettina again.
“I set out to do all these things to do what was necessary for the Nebula, as I told Senator Valie,” Queen Bettina said, unconcerned by the two rifles trained on her. She narrowed her eyes at him. “Yet, all of these events and their endings trace back to you.”
“This won’t end well for you. Two versus one and an entire ship,” Sora said, motioning to the Killer. He didn’t know if Trika still stood on the ramp, but he hoped she didn’t abandon that position. They still needed some element of surprise if they wanted to beat her.
“An orphan from the streets of Peor. A peasant rebelling against the ruler of the galaxy,” Queen Bettina continued, ignoring Sora’s statement. She leaned in closer. “However, the biggest mystery? Felicia Malone ordered your father burnt alive in front of your very eyes, and yet, you saved her life. Instead, you come for me? Where is the justice in that, Captain?”
“I actually care about the people you hurt,” Sora said, swallowing again. His finger tapped the trigger.
Before the rifle went off, Bettina swooped forward and knocked it out of his hands, cutting his wrist. He yelled out, while Natalia screamed and fired in the background. Bolts whizzed past Bettina’s head, but she only focused on him, putting her sword to his neck. Natalia stopped firing as soon as the sword touched Sora. The monarch lifted her boot and stomped several times, smashing Sora’s rifle beneath it.
He watched the pieces scatter. The main rifle he’d used since he faced 13-BZ.
“Bettina, take it out on me! Leave him out of it!” Natalia said. Her voice cracked as it rose.
“Your nobility lacks the capability required to give it merit,” Queen Bettina said, hissing as she finished. Now, Sora only heard anger. “Hence, you fail.”
A burst of green erupted from the Killer and Bettina removed her sword, diving to the right. Sora scrambled away from the blast, nearly losing his footing as the docking bay quaked from the impact. He glanced from the ramp, which now sat empty, to the moving turret. He waved his arms toward Natalia.
Natalia darted for him, firing a few shots in Bettina’s direction. Bettina turned to the turret before she jumped to use her shuttle as cover. The turret fired again, while Natalia used the distraction to reach Sora. As her face came closer, he noticed how much the tears had stained her cheeks.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. After she mentioned Jet, I couldn’t even shoot—”
“It’s alright, we don’t have time,” Sora said, ushering her toward the ramp. As they scrambled onboard, he focused on Queen Bettina one more time. She stepped out of cover and narrowed her eyes at him again.
She still looked unmoved. He didn’t see any frustration or fear.
Natalia hit the button on their left and the relieving hiss entered Sora’s ears. While watching the ramp close, Sora grabbed his comm and keyed in Scout’s frequency. He had to find her before Bettina did.
Still no response.
Scout pulled the rest of her body onto the ledge, allowing the rocks to scrape her hands. A small, metal platform sat in front of the emergency exit, but other than that, the pirates hadn’t created a clear path to her secret oasis. That made her journey back longer, but she could complain to Ursun after she had Jaskia. She flipped her hair back, trying to get rid of the water, and approached the door.
“It sounds crazy up there,” Naos said, climbing onto the ledge and pointing to the source of the echoing gunfire. Scout could only see the bottom side of the platforms and walkways, but she could still spot a mixture of lasers. Bettina hadn’t wasted any time.
Her comm buzzed, but she let it remain in her pocket. Only one thing mattered right now. Adrenaline caused her mind to race and she didn’t try to stop it, even if part of her knew she should. She didn’t have the water to stare at and she didn’t have the time to stare at Naos. Nothing to slow her down or still her mind.
“Better there than down here, Blondie,” Scout said, putting her hand on the control panel and watching the emergency door ascend. “We have a job to do before the soldiers get here.”
For once, Scout’s primary concern didn’t fall on Bettina. She wondered if the monarch invited herself along on her soldiers’ expedition, much like Wantim, but she had to focus on Jaskia right now. If she wanted to focus on Jaskia, she had to focus on Felicia. This mindset felt foreign, because her skin still crawled at the thought of Bettina. She wanted to indulge that and go after her.
But Jaskia mattered more. Stopping Felicia even mattered more than Bettina right now.
She stormed up the stairs, listening to the water that seeped from her boots to the metal. She spotted water droplets ahead of her. Someone else had come through here.
Naos lagged behind, catching his breath after all the swimming and climbing, but Scout didn’t let that slow her down. She followed the staircase as it made a sharp right and only stopped once she reached the door.
She pressed her ear to the holding facilities’ entrance. No gunfire and no voices. The soldiers hadn’t made it here yet.
“I think Sora’s buzzing me, do you want me to—”
She shook her head and held a finger to her mouth. She’d give Sora an update once they needed to leave, but right now, he needed to focus on the battle above and let her do what she needed to do. If that involved killing Felicia to save Jaskia, then she would do it. She didn’t know if Sora would let that happen and she didn’t have time to debate with him about it.
Even if he was ri
ght.
She pressed the button on the right and the door lifted. Scout ran into the corridor and rounded the corner, sliding on the water underneath her feet as she entered the holding facilities. She grabbed the wall and steadied herself when she saw Kurt, Jaskia, and Praxa in front of Felicia’s cell.
“You should’ve let me free you,” Praxa said, shaking her head at Felicia. “This will get messy.”
“No, no, she’s right on time,” Felicia said, crossing her arms and staring at Scout. She raised her voice. “Here you are, Tian. Jaskia Paine, as promised.”
“Jaskia,” Scout repeated, staring at her friend. Chained to Kurt’s ankle, Jaskia looked more ragged than she did on the screen. Her long, matted hair hung over her face and tears marked most of her clothes. Scout spotted the bandage on her stomach.
The last time she saw her, they laughed during training. They talked about playing a trick on the guys at dinner. Dinner never came.
“Hey, Scout,” Jaskia said, carrying a softer tone than Scout remembered but still giving a confident smirk. Oddly calm for a captive woman, but then again, Jask never liked to give her opponents any satisfaction. “Long time, huh?”
“Hand her over,” she said, trying to shove any uncertainty or fear out of her voice. She narrowed her eyes at Felicia and took a step forward. “Now.”
Felicia smiled. “You know the terms. Allow Jenn to release me and you can take her. Considering the noise I’m hearing, we have a bigger battle awaiting.”
“Scout, I came as soon as I—”
Nait ran around the corner, followed by Naos, who’d taken his sweet time catching his breath. Nait grabbed the wall and pulled himself to a stop in the exact same manner that Scout had. His eyes widened, honing in on Jaskia, and Scout saw his knees buckle. She extended a hand toward him, reminding him to stay calm.
“Still running a little late,” Jaskia said, allowing her usual, firm tone to emerge. Her smirk remained as her gaze turned to Nait. “Naos, nice to see you still following Scout like a lost puppy.”
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