Smoke rose from two alien corpses. They both looked like Catalan natives.
“Which way?” Naos said, pointing in both directions.
Sora looked up and noticed the teal, glistening walls. The planet looked dull, but the lights, paneling, and strength of this interior seemed far more vivid. He noticed several flashing green and red lights along the floor but, as Chok stated, no security cameras or defense mechanisms. This beautiful structure sat open for anyone to take.
A shriek echoed from the left corridor. The group resumed their sprint, making it across the hall before lasers followed the screams. Sora rounded the corner and peered into the next corridor. The passageway only held a couple of side doors and the gunfire didn’t sound far. These buildings couldn’t have too complex of a layout.
He took the lead, running through the empty hall. He noticed another corpse at the end and heard another, louder scream. Sora threw his hands forward and ran faster, rounding the next corner before checking to make sure the others remained close. As they came to a stop and another laser echoed, Sora glanced into the next, long corridor. An open doorway sat to the left in the middle of the hall.
“That’s it,” he said, pointing at the opening. He took a breath. “You all ready?”
“It’s now or never,” Nait said, shrugging. His teeth chattered. “I mean…yeah, it’s all we can do.”
“Let’s get her back,” Natalia said, glancing at everyone with a look of confidence. “We will.”
Naos bit his lip and shifted. Sora noticed the pistol shaking in his hands. “Naos, I really believe that—”
“Yeah, I know,” Naos said, puffing his chest and walking into the corridor. “I-I’ll be okay. No turning back.”
“She’s killing people as we stand here and have a pep talk,” Trika said, rushing forward and pointing her rifle toward the doorway. “Let’s get in there.”
Sora charged, overtaking Naos and Trika. He pointed his own rifle to the door and didn’t hesitate, launching himself through the doorway. He felt the rush of air as the four others did the same, landing inside the next room simultaneously. He squinted, allowing his eyes to adjust to the brighter light.
Large computers with elaborate displays lined the walls of the room, along with several empty tanks that reminded Sora of Bosnan’s lab on Adli. Scout stood at the center of the room, pointing her pistol and rifle at Kasco and one other of his kind. Kasco’s large, dark eyes blinked at the new arrivals.
“C-Captain Tr-Trok?” Kasco said. His thin lips trembled, while Scout’s head twisted in Sora’s direction. “How…”
“Ignore the defectors,” Scout said, aiming her pistol at the group and looking again at Kasco. Two smoldering bodies rested at her feet. “I’ve shown the Queen’s kindness by handing over your own defector. Submit to her or suffer the same fate as your brethren.”
“Enough!” Sora yelled, stepping forward. He aimed his rifle at Scout, clicking the stun option. “Kasco, we’re here to help your people. Scout, let them go and back away.”
“The-these are your friends, remember? You came to me with them on—”
Scout fired her rifle into the face of another Catalan native. Sora fired but Scout ducked and shoved Kasco toward the opposite window. Kasco shrieked, while Scout glanced back and forth between her prey and the crew.
“Scout, I’m your brother! You hate Bettina and you’re giving her exactly what she wants!” Nait said, throwing his hands in the air.
“Captain Trok, she brought Chief Bosnan here as a prisoner and threatens to kil—” Kasco started, but Scout kicked his stomach.
“I know, I know,” Sora said, although the Bosnan information came as news. He took another step toward Scout.
“We were coming to ask for your people’s aid but she beat us here. We won’t let your people be slaughtered,” Natalia said, breathing heavily and aiming her rifle at Scout. “Please, Scout. We’re telling you the truth.”
“I am Lady Cerasi. The only truth is Queen Bettina,” Scout said, sounding as apathetic as when she killed Cecil. Her face still held no emotion. “Fugitives will not be allowed to disrupt her reign any longer. Soldiers, engage.”
Boots echoed from the corridor. Sora spun around as six soldiers charged into the room. He fired three times before the soldiers’ blasts forced him to roll to the right. Two of his shots hit one soldier and Nait managed to hit the same soldier with another three, but another soldier’s shots slammed into Trika’s stomach and sent her into the wall.
“Trika!” Natalia said, rushing to her and leaning down. The gunfire ceased.
“I-I think I’m okay, just bleeding,” Trika said, moaning and clutching her stomach. “Don’t let thi—”
An assault rifle touched Sora’s head, distracting him. Another soldier grabbed Nait and another shoved his rifle into Naos’ back, while the remaining two pointed their guns at Natalia and Trika on the floor. Sora exhaled and dropped his rifle, before nodding at Naos and Nait. Both stopped resisting.
“Before your execution, I will allow you to watch the end of any revolt,” Scout said, again aiming her weapons at Kasco. “This is your final opportunity.”
Sora dropped his hand into his pocket, activating his comm, but he feared that Kasco didn’t have enough time for Selas and Kossk to reach them. He needed rescue now.
Kasco gulped. “Ma’am, the planet of Catalan has been all but wiped out by the royal family. We…we…”
Sora glanced at the doorway. Slow footsteps echoed from the hall.
“…will never submit to Queen Bettina, regardless of any offer.”
Scout’s fingers touched the triggers, but her head snapped toward the doorway as the footsteps became louder. Sora exchanged uncertain glances with Natalia, Naos, Nait, and Trika. Selas and Kossk couldn’t get here that fast.
“Is this a kind of trap?” Scout said, glancing at the crew.
“No, not quite.”
The words didn’t come from any crew member. Jaskia and two children somersaulted through the opening, firing their weapons. The soldiers near Natalia and Trika fell, while Nait broke free from his soldier. Jaskia fired at him five times with her pistol, releasing a laser with every second. The soldier died and Nait gazed at his old friend with wide, unbelieving eyes.
“Jaskia…you came.”
“Don’t get too excited,” Jaskia said, winking and looking at Scout. “Nice to see you alive.”
“Do not release them,” Scout said, pointing to the two soldiers who had Sora and Naos. She pointed her pistol at Jaskia and her two allies. “Identify yourselves.”
The action distracted Sora but he returned his attention to the doorway. Jaskia came as a surprise, but she didn’t answer Scout’s question. Another voice responded. A voice that everyone in the room would know, but that Sora knew best.
Felicia Malone strolled through the doorway, wearing a red fur coat over her traditional leather suit. Her spiked hair again looked short and she retained her usual calm, prideful expression. She looked around the room, taking in the scattered group. All paused and stared at the former crime lord.
“Felicia,” Sora said. His voice quivered.
“Hello, Sora,” Felicia said, smiling. Kurt and Jenn marched in behind her, pointing their weapons at Scout. Felicia’s arms widened toward everyone in the silent room. “At last, a sign of respect. Or justified fear.”
Felicia motioned to the soldier behind Sora and Kurt fired. He almost felt the bullet as the whistle passed his ear and broke through the soldier’s helmet. The final soldier fired at Kurt but the girl with Jaskia raised her rifle and fired. Kurt dodged, while thick, purple lasers burned into the soldier’s armor and freed Naos. Modified weapons.
“Enough,” Scout said. She still pressed Kasco to the wall while pointing her pistol at the others. “No one move.”
“I love the fire in this little girl. Allow me to introduce you to my newest companions,” Felicia said, ignoring Scout and gesturing to the children with Jaskia. �
�Semilin Estaire and Li Storm. I believe the rest of you are well-acquainted.”
Sora cleared his throat, glancing from Scout to Felicia. “Felicia, what are you doing?”
Scout’s eyes and pistol focused on the woman. An unfazed Felicia shrugged, looking toward the ground in contemplation. “Well, let’s see.”
She returned her gaze to the group and raised one finger. “I was a drug lord and a free woman.”
Felicia sauntered in Scout’s direction, glaring at Sora. She raised another finger. “Then, I wasn’t.”
“I will shoot,” Scout said, although she sounded more unsettled than before. “Do not come any closer.”
Felicia again ignored her, continuing her march. She raised a third finger. “Then, I was a free woman.”
Li and Sem aimed their rifles at Scout and Jaskia did the same. Kurt and Jenn both looked calmer than anyone else in the room, focusing on Scout. Scout noticed the growing attention, while Naos stumbled forward. Nait looked back and forth between Jaskia and Sora. Natalia lifted Trika off the floor and Kasco trembled next to Scout. Sora didn’t know what Felicia had as her goal, so he didn’t know what move to make.
“Scout!” Naos said, shaking. However, he looked far more confident and desperate than several minutes earlier. “Don’t shoot, just—”
“Things are looking up,” Felicia said, hissing as she reached the teenager.
“The arrival of the royal army is imminent. Queen Bettina will see justice,” Scout said, backing away. She lowered her weapons and threw herself backward, crashing through the window and grabbing a railing outside the building. She jumped and disappeared.
“No!” Naos said, whirling toward the doorway. “We’ve got to go catch her.”
“Yeah, we do,” Sora said, picking up his rifle and glaring at Felicia. “But first, we need to know what is going on. You can’t get in the way here.”
“I just saved your life,” Felicia said, smirking and eyeing the window. “I wanted to see the Queen’s newest experiment in the flesh. Quite remarkable what she did to Tian.”
“Remarkable?” Nait said, growling.
“Remember what I told you about taking risks? I’m taking a risk and I’m protecting kids from becoming that,” Jaskia said, staring at Nait and pointing at the window. “After I left, I found Li and Sem, and then Kurt took me to Felicia. We’re building something that gives the orphans in the Nebula a home and a purpose. A purpose for good against the Queen.”
Trika scoffed, holding her stomach and approaching. “Joining forces with the woman who had you hunted and shot doesn’t seem very homey.”
Jaskia didn’t display a reaction, only looking from Nait to Sora. “Trust limits us. You both should know that by now.”
Sora winced. Jaskia’s methods went against his beliefs and seemed too dangerous. Then again, he didn’t have time to contemplate it now.
“I feel better than I have in my whole life,” Li said, coughing and nodding at Jaskia. Sora noticed the scythe tattoo on his wrist. “No more scrounging for food or living in a sewer. I never wanted to be a criminal, and now, I don’t have to be. Now, I’m a Ghost!”
“The Ghosts,” Jaskia said, nodding before Nait could get a word out of his open mouth. “That’s us.”
“Jaskia’s intuition is inspiring. I should have found her first,” Felicia said, winking at Sora. Her smirk still looked smug. “We are giving these young people a purpose, and they are giving me an army.”
“Jask,” Sem said, tapping her shoulder. The short, white-haired girl seemed young but had a hardened, experienced face. “If the royal army’s coming, we need to haul ourselves out of here.”
“Not yet,” Jaskia said, shaking her head. “I need to know my friend is safe. Then, we can go.”
“Excuse me,” Kasco said, bowing toward the group. He trembled when Felicia glanced at him. “If the Queen is attacking, then our people won’t survive. We have no protection.”
“We’ll protect you as best as we can,” Natalia said, stepping to Sora’s side. “If you have any evacuation ships, now would be the time to prepare them.”
“We cannot leave Catalan. This is all of our home that we have left.”
“They’re gonna blow the last of your home the hell up,” Kurt said, crossing his arms.
“We can stay and fight until you’re ready,” Jenn said, nodding at Jaskia. The woman sounded reassuring, but her presence still made Sora uncomfortable. “But if you take too long, it’s over.”
“You see, our interests have once again aligned,” Felicia said, raising her hand and running it across Sora’s cheek. He tensed. “Jaskia cares about Tian, so we came. I am always good to my people, remember?”
He wanted to dispute this, but again, they didn’t have time. Scout had already covered too much ground while the crew stood here and tried to resolve the confusion. He looked at Naos, who neared the doorway.
Scout came as their top priority. Sora may not enjoy Felicia positioning herself as some kind of savior, but he cared more about Scout than his old rivalry. He owed it to her and to Naos, and if she hadn’t made it too far, then they needed to find her now.
As Sora stared at Naos, he remembered the encounter on Ondon. No matter how much Naos fought Scout or spoke her, she focused on Cecil. She didn’t leave until she killed him.
“Alright. Naos and I will stay with Kasco, while the rest of you hold off the army,” Sora said, turning his focus to Catalan’s new leader.
“Stay?” Naos said, blinking. “No, we need to—”
“Trust me,” he said, ignoring the responding scoff that came from Jaskia and narrowing his eyes at Naos. “Trust me on that.”
Naos opened his mouth but didn’t speak. Sora didn’t know what clicked, but something in his mind changed. He tightened his lips and gave Sora a nod of approval, walking toward his side.
“Thank you, Captain Trok,” Kasco said, making a slight bow. “I am indebted to you.”
Lady Cerasi wouldn’t leave without finishing her prey.
“Then let’s get to it,” Jaskia said, eyeing Nait and following her group through the doorway. As the hesitant crew made their way to the door, Natalia gave Sora one more look of uncertainty.
He shook his head at her. No turning back.
Selas watched the rain strike the Killer’s viewport and the lightning that followed. Then, almost simultaneously, he listened to the thunder. The timing between the lightning and thunder grew smaller, so he could tell that the storm hovered very close to the four towers. Somehow, the storms always came too close.
Odd that Anziar hadn’t shown himself. Selas associated thick, black clouds with the master of darkness and it seemed uncharacteristic of them to come without him.
He glanced at the comm in his hands, listening as the crew left Sora and Naos. Him and Kossk had prepared to charge inside the building once Sora had given the signal, but once they realized Felicia’s involvement, they had chosen to wait and see how Sora handled the situation. Considering the impending attack, they’d chosen wisely.
Darkness came, Anziar or not.
“Scanner detecting transports entering atmosphere,” Chok said, rolling his chair closer to the device. “Big butts will descend quickly.”
“The storm calls again,” Jekk said, standing beside Selas and stepping closer to the viewport. His eyes drifted to the stormy horizon and Selas saw the same stare that he saw when Jekk examined Ondon’s sunny horizon. “Are you ready, brother?”
He heard a contemplative tone in Jekk’s voice that he had never heard, as if he considered the question. Still, Selas knew he would have to fight, but he still found himself reluctant to leave Fi. Perhaps that held him back when Felicia arrived, as well.
“Be ready, Taban,” Fi said, inching into the cockpit and leaning on the doorway. She wore a full set of armor. “None of this will be pretty.”
“You should be resting,” he said, sighing and frowning. “This world isn’t a place for you right now. You—”
“Have been restrained by Bettina and yourself for too long,” Fi said, pursing her lips and glaring. She folded her arms. “You heard Kossk. My body has had plenty of time to recover.”
“Kossk also said that you shouldn’t push yourself.”
Fi scoffed. “I’ve let you win enough arguments lately. If we’re to make it off this planet with Scout, then we need everyone playing a part. We’ve done this enough to know how it goes.”
Selas shook his head. Even with every crew member playing a part, every encounter with the royal army led to the crew fleeing sights of wreckage and destruction. He didn’t want Fi to become part of the wreckage that currently descended onto this remnant.
Perhaps he could change her mind one more time.
“Our bodies have received contact from the mind of Kit Vel Aath,” Kossk said, appearing behind Fi and staring at him. “Her mind requests the presence of your body, Selas.”
Selas raised an eyebrow. Kit chose an inopportune time to contact them and then went on to make an unusual request. His shoulders stiffened as he recalled the woman’s unmoved face and the cold sound of her voice. He’d never noticed anyone else like her and she always grabbed his attention.
“Thought the information broker would be out of this by now,” Fi said, glancing in the direction of the communications center. “You said you were helping Ondon.”
“We were,” Selas said, exiting the cockpit and following Kossk to the communications center. Fi walked by his side. “Chok, watch the transports. We’ll see what this woman has to say.”
“I’ll help him keep an eye out,” Jekk said. Selas heard another chair roll toward the viewport.
Selas and Fi entered the communications center, where Kit’s face sat on the screen of the central communicator. The elderly woman still had her black hair tied in a bun and her wrinkled face still carried a neutral expression. His muscles tensed further when he noticed the satisfaction in her eyes as they locked on him, ignoring Fi and Kossk.
“Selas Taban, I have long awaited this opportunity for a private conversation,” Kit said. She didn’t smile, but her tone sounded cheerful.
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