by M. Shaunessy
Chapter 4
The Rescue
Early that morning, Justin and Mike were already on board the Golden Condor and Tygla just walked up the ship’s ramp that led the small area that adjoined two other small rooms, the cargo bay and the lounge. She could not wait to see her brother again. She barely got sleep last night thinking about it and about Mike. She thought how wonderful to go out on a date with him, if he asked. She wondered where they would go and what they would do. Probably something exciting, but her brother must come first. She wondered about Xman, what the Xatu must be doing to him. She thought that they must pay dearly for taking him away from her, just as they did with their mother.
“Morning,” she said nicely.
Mike and Justin was in the cockpit, turned to her voice and replied, “Morning.”
“I like to thank you two for being here, fifteen minutes early,” Tygla remarked.
Justin replied, “No problem, I had to finish this stupid shielding system before we leave,” he then attended to his controls trying to debug the Ghost Shield.
Mike then noticed her baggy eyes and said, “Didn’t get any sleep?”
“No,” she replied sadly, “I kept thinking about my brother. I miss him.”
“I know you do,” said Mike admiring her cat eyes. He never knew that Felinis’ eyes were ever more beautiful and exotic than human’s eyes.
Justin turned his head towards them and said, “Ahem, can we get this bird flying now?”
Mike, not looking at him asked, “Is the Ghost Shield working?”
“I’ll get it working before we get there, don’t worry,” Justin replied.
Mike and Tygla made their way back into the cockpit and got to their seats, but just before they took off a panther-like Felinis royal guard came running out. He hoped to catch the princess, but it was too late.
“Princess, princess!” he shouted. The ship lifted off the ground turned to the cloudy sky and took off. The guard sighed and mumbled, “King Rymu is not going to like this.”
He turned around and went back inside to tell Rymu. Rymu did not like the idea that Tygla could leave whenever she likes to, especially when he had grounded her. He was afraid that she might lose her just like his son and his wife. When the guard told him what happened he was in shock. He wanted someone to go after them, but he did not have many soldiers to spare at that time. He had just hoped that her new guards were the best.
Meanwhile Xman could not sleep either. His thoughts were more on Drax than his family. What in the galaxy, did Drax have in mind he thought, as he sat in the prison center on Hades? Then, Xman’s cell door suddenly opened and two guards entered harshly.
“Get up you slime,” the guard ordered as grabbed Xman’s arm pulling him up.
Xman awoke, looked at the guard unpleasantly and replied, “Couldn’t you just knock first?”
Xman kicked one of the guards in the gut as he fell back. The other guard used his stun stick and prodded Xman in the shoulder. Xman cried slightly, and then his body went limped. They then dragged him out of his cell. A portable screen hovered in front of him, and then Drax’s face appeared. Xman slowly raided his head and saw his enemy. He narrowed his eyes at him. He knew that what he was going to say was not pleasant.
“I will give you one last chance, Where is the colonials’ secret base?” Drax said. Xman did not say a word, but stared at him like hungry wolf. Drax continued, “Well, if that how it’s going to be, Guards, prepare him.”
“For what?” Xman inquired.
Drax replied, “Don’t worry my friend. I have special plans for you. We’re going to continue where we left off two years ago. That’s right a battle, a battle of strength, wit, and fate to the death. Just you and me alone, Mono è mono.”
“Ok Drax,” said Xman, “What’s the deal?”
“Deal?” he replied, “If I wanted to kill you I would of done it a long time ago. No, if you win, I let you go, and if you lose,” Drax heckled and continued, “Well, you know the answer to that.”
CRAIG peek out of is tiny cell window, witnessing the scene and said to himself, “No.”
The screen vanished as it moved aside. Hiss stood behind it grinning like a Cheshire cat. Even though Drax told him that he must be at his best, he did not say he could have some fun with him first.
“We musst prep you up for the sshowdown Xman,” Hiss remarked. Xman growled at him and struggled again trying to regain his strength from the stun stick. Hiss then ordered to the guards, “Take him to the chamber.”
Meanwhile, back on the Golden Condor still in Hyper Flight, the three space adventures waited to arrive to their destination. Justin was still fiddling with their new equipment. Tygla however, was a bit anxious to rescue her brother.
“Can this thing go any faster?” Tygla remarked impatiently.
“What’s your hurry princess?” Justin asked as an electric spark shocked his hand “Ow!”
“I have this gut feeling he’s in big trouble,” she replied nibbling on her fingernail.
Justin said, “Don’t worry. You’re looking at the fastest ship on this side of the galaxy.”
She just wished that she were with him right now. The Empire captured him for some reason and she wanted to know why. She looked out towards the streaming stars and wished on one of them. Mike looked at her and felt so sorry for her, but he promised that he would get him back for her even if it were going to get them killed.
On the Hades, The guards forced Xman in to a circular room. There was a coffin like chamber in the middle, made of metal. Xman did not know what that was, probably some kind of torturing device. Something he already did not like.
“Get in there,” ordered the guard, as he pushed Xman in the chamber.
The door then slid closed as Hiss attended the controls. It was pitch back inside and could not see a thing. It was as if he was blind. He pounded on the dark black walls, but it did not help him at all.
“I know you’ll get a charge out of thisss,” Hiss remarked as he chuckled.
Just then, he heard a hissing sound. No, it was not Commander Hiss, but something else. Gas poured in the chamber, shocking Xman as he saw flashes of light flickered all about him.
“Noron gas!” He cried painfully.
Tygla suddenly woke up from her daydreaming as Mike turned to her and asked worriedly, “What is it Tygla?”
Tygla replied unsurely, “I don’t know. I-I thought I felt a sharp, shocking, pain down my side,” she then relieved herself and asked, “Are there yet?”
“In just a couple of minutes we will,” replied Justin.
Mike then said to Tygla, “Are you sure you’re ok?”
“Yes,” she replied, “I’m just...Never mind. I really appreciate what you guys are doing. This means a lot to me and my home planet.”
Mike placed his hand on hers and said, “Don’t fret about it. It’s our job.”
She smiled to him as if suddenly all of her worries were gone. She never felt like this to another man before. She had other relationships, but they did not turn out what she wanted. Some of her past boyfriends were either boring or just after her family’s money. All she wanted was someone who knows how she feels. Michael might be that man.
The two guards took Xman to the ship’s arena, and then threw him to the ground as the door to the arena closed. He looked about and saw that the room had empty seats. The arena itself was oval shaped, and there was wall-to-wall grey tarmac on the floor that reached the bleachers. He then got up, but before he got his thoughts together, a giant large bat swooped down trying to claw at him. Xman ducked quickly as he wondering what that was. It could not be Drax, he thought. It then landed on the ground and transformed its body in to the figure of Drax.
“Welcome my old friend,” Drax said evilly, “Let the battle begin.”
He then morphed in to a spider like creature with sharp metal legs as
he attacked Xman. Fortunately, he rolled out the way as Drax’s razor sharp tarsus landed near him, as he did not believe what he was seeing. How could this be Xman thought? He then remembered of the vat he had through him into. That vat must have given Drax morphing powers.
“You know this is not fair to me!” Xman shouted as he quickly got up, “You have enhanced human power.”
Drax turned around and looked to him and he morphed back to human form and replied, “Fair? I was human once! Normal! And you. You were stronger and bigger than I was. No, I think the playing field has been leveled.”
Drax’s lower half has morphed in to a snake like form. He then quickly wrapped his slithery tail around Xman and squeezed his body, crushing every bone in Xman as Drax chucked at his pain. Xman struggled and grunted, as with his tiger humanoid strength, finally broke free of Drax’s hold. Xman fell to the ground tired as ever, but he had to continue. Drax, hoping that his enemy was out of action, whipped his snake like tail at him, but Xman saw this, grabbed the tail, and started to swing Drax like the hammer throw event, with all his might. The gravitational pull threw Drax from Xman’s hand as he flew in the air and crashed in to the empty seats. Xman panted and was still weak from the Noron gas treatment as he looked at his nemesis. Drax then changed in to a bear like creature, charged, and pounced on Xman. Xman grabbed Drax’s paws as he fell on his back.
The prince kicked with all of his might and forced Drax from his grip and he fell on the ground. He turned into a hungry mean wolf and lunged at Xman. They both fell down again while Xman grabbed the wolf's paws and threw him off once more as the wolf tumbled.
Drax then turned in to a tiger and remarked icily, “I hope this shape will makes you more comfortable.”
“Nothing makes me comfortable with you around,” Xman replied puffing.
His scars were shown all over his body, but he was not ready to give up yet. Even though Drax was stronger than he was, Xman was more cunning. He had to catch him off guard somehow.
However, before Drax attacked again one of his guards informed him over the intercom, “Sir,” he said as Drax turned to speaker, “You have a transmission call from the Emperor himself. He said it is important.”
Nothing is more important than this he thought, but he did not want to ignore the Emperor’s request and submit himself to his torture. He then morphed back into himself and looked at the speaker.
“Tell him I will be there in a few minutes,” He replied.
This was it, Xman ran, then leapt in to the air with his foot up front. Xman kicked him hard in the chest as Drax fell down. Drax slowly got up, quickly shaped his hand into a metallic hammer-like shape and slapped Xman as he fell to the ground unconsciously. He glared at his opponent. He hated to be interrupted, and someone was going to pay for it.
The guards came in as Drax ordered, “Take him back to his cell. We will continue this later Xman. Right now, I have more important matters to deal with.”
Drax then left to his office to receive the Emperor’s call as the two guards dragged Xman back to his cell. Once in his office he turned on the VidCom screen and saw Mi’Tuk waiting impatiently.
“Sorry M’Lord, I had to attend to some unfinished business,” Drax apologized.
“You were supposed to take control of Felinoron, not play with them,” he started sternly, “Now I hear the king is still alive!”
“I-I am sorry my lord,” Drax replied, “I- AAAARGG!” Drax’s mind was suddenly in pain as he shrieked madly. It felt like he was being stabbed with a cold sharp knife through the ear.
“You are a fool Drax,” the emperor said. Drax didn’t realize that the emperor’s mind-bending power could reach across the galaxy. “I should’ve sent Hur’Sjo instead. At least he follows orders.”
“Please M’Lord,” Drax pleaded, “I-I have, have everything under c-control.”
“You have disobeyed me Drax, so I am reassigning you to another mission I have in mind, but don’t worry. We will deal with the Felinis in time. I have another task for you instead.” Drax glanced up to him wondering what he wanted him to do. “A more important task. You remember why I have come to your galaxy Drax. Power, ultimate power.
“Twenty years ago my soldiers had captured a human who had been searching for the ultimate power. I had tried to extract information from him, but he had resisted my power somehow. He only carried a few pieces of information that I sought.
“Years now I had you going to different science facility to retrieve any information leading to this power, now after years of waiting. My spies have told me an old Lizzian explorer named Uno Pu’Do, led a one-man expedition to find this power. His last known location was somewhere in the Norma System.
“I want you to go there and extract any information concerning his expedition. Then when and if you find this power you will bring it to me.”
“But sir,” Drax argued, “I m a military commander not a…AHHHHH,” his head was in pain again as Mi’Tuk said to him
“You will do as you are told Drax. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes My lord,” he answered as the pain subsided, “But what do I do with Prince Xman? I am sure his people will be looking for him.”
“Xman?” The Emperor thought a sly smile covered his face. “He can be a valuable slave for us. As soon as you find this power, bring Xman to me. As for his rescuers, his people will not be foolish enough to attempt to cross us, but be on alert, just in case.” Drax nodded, “And Drax, don’t fail me again. Xata!”
Drax nodded once more, as the screen blacked out. He did not understand why the Emperor was so interested in an old failed expedition that happened thirty years ago, but he must obey him. He went to his COM and ordered Hiss to prepare a jump to into Hyper Flight.
At that same moment, the Condor trembled violently as Justin questioned, “What the?!”
“A couple of minutes eh?” Mike said as he quickly slowed down the ship out of Hyper Flight.
“Sorry,” Justin apologized.
Enormous asteroids were pelting them as Justin and Mike tried to avoid the huge space rocks. The Golden Condor flew through the small asteroid field like a twisting roller coaster car as the two pilots decide a place for their concealment.
“How about there?” Mike asked as he pointed towards a large asteroid, the size of ten football arenas, floating by. It has holes as big as the Condor a perfect fit Mike thought.
Justin replied, “Looks good to me.”
The ship then gradually hid in to one of the holes behind the huge rock and waited. Mike turned everything off except life support and flight controls. He did not want to activate the Condor’s force shields afraid that the Xatu might detect it prematurely. Justin finally worked the bugs out of the Ghost Shield and turned it on, hoping that it did not burn out or something. Tygla’s heart was beating fast as she was so nervous. Just then, the giant ship Hades emerged out of nowhere.
“There it is,” Mike said cautiously.
Justin added, “That thing is huge.”
As the ship passed, the team tried to look for the garbage disposal chute.
“It’s got to be around...” Tygla paused and saw it, “Look,” she pointed toward the back of the ship near the engines.
The door then slid opened slowly, “This is it, let roll,” said Mike.
“And prey that your anti-detection system doesn’t give us away,” Tygla pointed out as the ship thrust quietly towards the opening.
Tons of garbage debris poured out from the chute as the Condor tried to avoid the scraps left and right. The cockpit shook a bit as a small pieces of metal hit the ship. Then suddenly the engines stopped responding.
“Crap!” Justin cursed said as he tried to move his flight stick. “The controls won’t respond.”
Mike quickly attended the computer trying to figure out what went wrong. Then Tygla saw that the door was closing.
“Mik
e! Look! The door is closing,” she pointed fearfully a Mike looked up.
It was too late as the chute was sealed. Mike frowned not knowing what to do, but what made it worse was they heard the Hades’ engines rev up and in a second, it was gone. Tygla could not believe it, she have may lost her brother forever. She looked to Justin disapprovingly as so did Mike.
Justin looked back at them and said defensively, “This wasn’t my fault. I didn’t know something would clog up the engines. I’m sorry.”
“My brother could be dying right now and all you can say ‘I’m sorry?!’” Tygla said aggressively, “How could you? I thought you guys were good!”
“Settle down Tygla,” Mike assured her as she looked to him.
“Settle down?” She said agitatedly, “Mike, you promised me you can save him, and now this!”
“I know, don’t worry,” he said to her calmly “We’ll find him and that ship and try again.”
“You seem you have a lot of confidence. Don’t you?” She wondered, as she was calming down.
He nodded and said, “We still have that homing signal remember? All I have to do is patch it up in the computer and trace it.”
He pressed a few button on the key pad and a map of the galaxy appeared on a small monitor in front of him. He saw a small line getting bigger as he knew that was the Hades. It seemed that they were heading towards the center of the galaxy. Then abruptly the line stopped growing.
“Hmm, that’s odd.” Mike thought.
Justin asked, “What?”
“They stopped in the right between,” he paused and saw that the beacon disappeared.
“Right between where?” Tygla asked impatiently.
“The Crux and the Norma System,” he said disappointedly, “I lost the beacon.”
Tygla could not believe it. She frowned and started to sob. Mike looked to her not know knowing what to say. He just leaned over and hugged her.
“It’s going to be ok,” He softly comforted to her, “We’ll find him. That’s what we do.”
She looked up to him. Tygla thought that he is the sweetest person in the galaxy. She was about to kiss him when Justin cleared his throat. The both looked at him and broke their embrace.
“So how are we going to find that ship?” Justin asked.
Mike replied as he turned to his controls, “Well, we’re going to their last position before the beacon stopped transmitting. Maybe we’ll find answers when we arrive.”
He entered the coordinates in the Hyper Flight system. Mike knew that the Hyper Flight engines must have been still working than the regular engines. The ship automatically repositioned itself, as Mike pulled the lever on the control panel. They were glad as the ship disappeared in the blackness of space.
