Star Raiders and the Lost Expidition

by M. Shaunessy

Mike wondered where the puma came from. He then realized it must Drax.

  Unbelievable, he had morphing powers, Mike thought.

  Drax, with his razor sharp claws tried to swipe Mike’s face, but he caught it with his free hand. Now Tygla could have helped them, but Drax attached the chain leash to the immobile chair before he morphed. She tried to release herself but it was impossible. The metallic leash will not budge. She was lucky that there was no electric shock like last time. She frowned and knew she was helpless.

  Mike got both of his feet free and kicked Drax with all of his might as flew on to the far wall. One of the swords fell to the ground as Tygla saw it, just inches from her. If she just could reach it, but her hands her were bounded behind her back.

  Meanwhile, Justin struggled with Hiss as they fell to the ground. He saw his gun just in arm’s reach. He wiggled his arm out of Hiss’s grasp, grabbed the barrel of the gun, and hit continuously on the commander’s eye. Hiss cried in pain as finally released him. Justin fell on the floor weakly.

  Mike wearily got up only to see a large black grizzly bear stand on its feet. He growled and pounced on Mike once again. Drax slashed his face as Mike shrieked in pain.

  Tygla shouted fearfully, “No!”

  She looked to her pendant for a moment and remembered why Mike had given it to her. That was it. With Tygla’s catlike agility, she sat down and slid the cuffs over her tail, down her buttocks, thighs and around her feet. She then can now grab the sword, but she was too far away to use it.

  “Hun, catch!” She said as he tossed the blade to him.

  Mike caught the butt of the sword with his free hand, thanked her, and stabbed Drax in the shoulder. The bear bawled in pain as he morphed back into Drax. He then kicked him off another time. Drax staggered back holding his shoulder with his other arm. He then grinned evilly as his arms became sword-wielding weapons. Mike’s eyes widen, not believing this.

  As the fleet battled Xatu Empire on the outside of the hull, Xman had gotten word from CRAIG that he Hades self-destruction sequence had begun. He asked if Mike and the rest gotten to their ship yet.

  “Not yet your highness.” CRAIG replied.

  This worried him as he continued to blast more B’tars. He did not want to leave his friends stranded on a doomed battle ship, but he only had ten minutes to fly away safely before it blew.

  “THIS SHIP WILL SELF DESTRUCT LESS IN FIVE MINUTES,” The computer reminded them.

  “Thiss my cue to ssscramble,” Hiss said cowardly as he slithered away as fast as he could to nearest escape hatch.

  Justin was trying to get his breath back when he saw Mike and Drax engaged in a sword fight. Drax advanced on Mike slashing his morphed blades on him side to side. Mike did his best to block his deadly blows as their swords clashed together. Tygla saw in horror but she cheered on Mike the best she could. Then Drax found an opening and stabbed Mike in the shoulder.

  Mike screamed as Tygla and Justin shouted, “NO!”

  Justin slowly aimed at Drax, but could not get a clear shot. Tygla however took the other sword from the wall and threw it sideways at Drax. The sword’s blade sliced his back as he growled in pain. It fell near Justin as, this gave Mike the opportunity and pierced Drax’s abs. Drax grunted as Mike kicked him off. He fell on the ground apparently dead as Justin limped over to Mike.

  “I thought I told you to get the Condor and get out of here!” Mike argued.

  “And leave my best friend here to die?” Justin shot back, “Not likely.”

  Mike smiled briefly to him and said, “Go unchain Tygla.” He glanced over to where Drax was, but he was gone. He wondered where he went, but it did not matter as they only gotten less than four minutes left.

  Justin hobbled over to her told her to move and he blasted the links off. Tygla got up, ran over, placed her bounded arms around Mike, and kissed him ever so gracefully.

  “Thank you Justin, oh you’re welcome Tygla,” Justin said to himself wittedly.

  “THIS SHIP WILL SELF DESTRUCT IN THREE MINUTES,” the computer voice warned.

  “Let’s get the hell out of here,” Justin said as he and Tygla helped Mike. They exited the office, and Justin said pulling Tygla’s arm, “This way.”

  Mike looked down to his friend’s injured leg and asked, “How’s your leg holding up?”

  “You know a little salve goes a long way,” Justin replied as his friends smiled.

  Justin led them down the hall as they looked around and saw people scrambling around as if it was the end of the universe or something. It took them two minutes of wandering until Justin knew where he was going. They have gotten to a large area that it looked like a viewing room or a lounge area. Before them was a huge thick pane glass window that showed the deepness of space. Justin closed and blasted the door’s controls. Mike and Tygla wondered what he was up to.

  “THIS SHIP WILL SELF DESTRUCT IN ONE MINUTE AND COUNTING. T-60, 59….” The computer reminded them.

  “Here put these on,” Justin ordered as he handed them a couple of Oxymasks from his mini pack. They looked at them curiously then Justin said in his MicroCom, “Ok Digan, we’re ready.”

  Out of nowhere, the Golden Condor floated up behind the glass window while it opened the bay ramp. Justin aimed at the huge window. Mike and Tygla thought Justin was out of his mind.

  “Justin! Are you crazy?!” They cried but Justin fired at the window, but nothing happened, the bolt ricocheted and hit a picture of Mi’Tuk. He frowned, increased its power to maximum, and fired two more times. The windowed cracked as Mike and Tygla eyes widened and quickly slipped the oxymask over their faces.

  “THIS SHIP WILL SELF DESTRUCT IN 30 SECONDS, 29, 28…” The loud speaker informed.

  Justin told them to hold on each other, then with the pressure of the vacuum outside the window shattered in a million pieces. They screamed in terror as all of them flew out towards the ship’s opened bay ramp. They tumbled through the ship’s air shield and into the ship’s mini cargo bay as the mesh net caught them.

  “THIS SHIP WILL SELF DESTRUCT IN 10 SECONDS.”

  “Get us out of her Digan!” Justin shouted as he slowly got up.

  The Condor closed its ramp, backed away, turned and rocked in towards the Rebirth. The Condor and the Thunder Claw joined the rest of the fleet as they made it to a safe distant. Tygla helped Mike down on the couch and attended his wounds.

  “5, 4, 3, 2, 1”, the speaker finally spoke.

  Suddenly the whole ship violently exploded. Millions of pieces shot out as a brilliant combustion roared through the known area. It was over. The Felinis was finally free from Xatu’s grasp, but for how long. Mike recalled a familiar phrase, they may have won the battle, but the war was far from over. Perhaps it was finally to time enlist into the Colonial army he thought, but then again, who knows.

  Moments later in the lounge, Mike unlocked Tygla’s bounds, and then Tygla immediately applied some slave on his wound, from the first aid kit she found. She inquired of CRAIG, as she was worried of him. With that said, the android peered his head from the cockpit, wondering what they needed. They smiled knowing that they did not lose a friend. It seemed that he used his super speed to run down to the Condor before Digan took off.

  Mike looked at Tygla and just kissed her lovingly. He knew that only her love could dull his pain and make it better. Justin entered the lounge holding a bag he found in the hold as he was organizing the area. He saw Tygla finishing up with Mike’s bandages she got from the first-aid kit that was on board. They both looked up to him and noticed the bag.

  “What’s that?” Mike asked.

  “I don’t know,” replied Justin, “I found it in the cargo hold.” He opened it and inside held pearl necklaces, diamond earrings, rings and bracelets, Justin eyes widened and said shockingly, “Holy, there must be at least fifty thousand galatical dollars worth of jewelry in here.”

  Tygla then said, “That bag belongs to Mr. Hazu. You’re not considering of keeping it.”
<
br />   “Why not?” Justin asked.

  “Cause that’s Mr. Hazu’s jewelry,” she answered.

  “She’s right,” said Mike, “We got to bring it back to him.”

  “Aw come on,” Justin protested.

  “Digan?!” Mike shouted.

  “Yeah,” he cried back.

  “Take up to space port 88” He said.

  Chapter 18

  Grand Celebration

  They told the rest of the Felinoron fleet to meet them back home after they had to make a stop. In an half an hour, Justin and Digan docked the Condor in the hanger bay back on the spaceport, which they departed from. Mike asked Justin to go with him, he agreed. Mike grabbed the bag and walked down the ramp when Tygla stopped them.

  “I’m coming too,” Tygla said.

  Mike replied, “It’s ok Hun, this only take a minute.”

  “But,” she started, but Mike placed his index finger to her soft black lips.

  “We’ll be right back, I promise,” Mike said as they kissed. “Why don’t you lie down? You look like you need some sleep.”

  She sighed knowing Mike was right. After what happened today, she was exhausted. He let the boys go in to the mall by themselves as she turned and walked back up ramp. Tygla wondered, as she lay on the couch, why Mike did not wanted her come along. Then she figured it out, her lover was going with his best friend without her to a jewelry store. She smiled and knew why.

  As they approached the store, Mike saw most of the mess cleaned from the last time he was there. Hazu was coming from the enclosed area of his shop when he saw Mike and Justin. Mike presented the bag to him.

  “Here you go Mr. Hazu,” he said as he opened the bag showing him the contents.

  Hazu gasped as his eyes widened, “Oh, thank you Mr. Tippin! Thank you very much!”

  “You’re welcome,” Mike replied smiling.

  “What happened to the Tabby Felinis?” he asked

  Mike assured him, “Don’t worry the local authorities of Sadr got him.”

  “Oh thank the gods. What do I owe you?” The Lizzian asked curiously.

  “Fifty Thousand galactic dollars?” Justin inquired curiously.

  Mike slapped his friend’s jacket as Justin said, “Ow, hey?!”

  “Don’t mind him,” Mike said. “He’s got always got money on the brains. Look we brought you’re jewelry back, you don’t have give us anything.”

  Justin looked at him as if he went crazy.

  Hazu looked at him curiously, “No, I must give you something. Take anything in the store, free of charge.”

  Justin then smiled looked in the case in front of them, and asked, “Really? What worth fifty thousand?”

  Mike turned to him and asked, “What’s with you and money these days?”

  Justin looked to his friend replied, “One word, Mama’Halb. Or did you forget we still owe her that money.”

  “I didn’t forget, but don’t worry Justin, we’ll find that money for her.”

  “Gentleman please,” Hazu said, “In my planet we Lizzians have a custom to offer a gift to those who did a great service for us.”

  He looked to Hazu and said, “You know, you’re right. It would be insulting for us not to take your gift.” Mike looked around and saw an encrusted Bimend ring in the display case. He really wanted to present Tygla something before he asked her hand in marriage. “How about that ring?”

  Justin looked to him wondering why he would-. Then he knew when Mike smiled to him.

  “You know Mike you only known her for a couple of days,” Justin said as Hazu took the ring out and placed it in a box.

  “I know. But our love grew so strong in the last couple of days Justin,” Mike replied, “You don’t mind do you?”

  Justin frowned, “Not really. I mean this is total commitment Mike. I mean think about our business. Are you gonna have time for it?”

  Mike looked to him not believing his words and replied, “Of course I will Justin. Our business will continue, that I promise you. Remember what I said before? I’m not going to let my love for Tygla ruining what we have. Who knows, maybe she can come with us on some jobs?”

  “He’s right,” Hazu said handing Mike the small black velvet box. “My wife and I started this business over ten years ago, and we’re still going strong.”

  “Where is she?” Justin asked.

  Hazu replied, “At home sick.”

  Mike looked to his friend, “So what do you say?”

  Justin thought about it. Why would Mike break this friendship, He though. He then wondered if having a Felinis on the team could be useful, but then she is royalty and he doubt that she will have time to romp around the galaxy helping them, but what if? To Justin, she did not seem like a princess type; she seemed like another adventure. Maybe this could work out as Mike and Hazu said.

  “Well only if I get the same cut,” he grinned as Mike smiled back.

  They then heard a clicking sown and a slight chuckle. They did not know who it was, but when they turned around they saw an old acquaintance, Tuskin. He had his modified laser gun aimed at Mike’s face as he said evilly, “And what about Mama’Halb’s cut?”

  Mike and Justin were taken surprised as they both raised their hands. Mike did not know what to do. He and Justin completely forgot about Tuskin.

  Tuskin continued, “You know it wasn’t easy tracking you down, Tippin. That was until a friend of mine called me, informing that you were here. I waited, figured you be back. Now I can kill you both, compliments of Mama’Halb.”

  “Hey wait!” Justin said franticly, “We didn’t desert her. We had the money, but we got side tracked, right Mike?”

  “Yeah, and besides, I wouldn’t wave that gun around here if I were you Tuskin,” Mike warned.

  Tusking wondered, “And why not?”

  They heard another clicking sound and behind Tuskin stood Sheriff Morgan as he aimed his rifle at the Warlian’s head.

  “My rifle’s reason, Warlian,” Morgan said as he warned, “Now drop it!”

  Tuskin smiled and all in one swift move, he turned his head, and kicked Morgan in the stomach. The sheriff fell back as his rifle went off. Mike, surprised at this, grabbed Tuskin’s gun. Justin remembered that he blasted Tuskin’s right foot when that left Sadr. He then kicked his injured leg as Tusking shrieked in pain. Mike side kicked the Warlian so hard that Tusking fell on the ground out cold. Mike and Justin went off to Morgan and helped him up.

  “You ok Morgan?” Mike asked.

  Morgan replied, “I’ll be fine, lookout!” Morgan readied his gun as he saw Tuskin was ready to blast Mike, but his attempt failed when Morgan shot him dead on in the chest. Tuskin laid down, now dead.

  “Thanks,” Mike said astonished.

  “Anytime,” Morgan said then asked, “A friends of yours?”

  Mike and Justin looked at Tuskin, as Mike said, “Not anymore.”

  “It’s a good thing, Hazu beeped me again, or you two would be six feet underground by now.”

  “Yeah,” Justin said as he looked to Hazu, “Thanks.”

  Hazu nodded to him.

  “Well, I hope you’re mission was a success?” Morgan asked as he went over to Tuskin’s body.

  “Yes it was Sheriff,” Mike said, and he then remembered of his ship. He didn’t know how to tell him though.

  “And my ship?” he wondered as he check his belonging for any additional identifications.

  “Yeah, about that,” Mike started trying to find the right words, “It…it didn’t make it.” Morgan looked to him slightly and frowned. He then took out an ID card from Tuskin’s coat, “We’re very sorry. We’ll make it up to you.”

  “Na, it’s alright,” Morgan said, standing up, “As long as she got to fly one last time against the Empire. Besides I was getting tired of the dust that was on her,” he looked at the card and read it out load, “Tuskin Krun, freelance bounty hunter.”

  “Yeah, he worked for a client of ours, Mama’Halb.” Mike inf
ormed him.

  Morgan said, “Mama’Halb, the gangster Slugton?”

  “Yeah that’s her,” Justin said.

  “Well I wouldn’t worry about Mr. Krun anymore, and as for Mama’Halb, I’m sure she’ll send more of her goons after ya. So if anyone around here asks for you two,” Morgan said, “I never heard of ya.”

  “Thanks, well we gotta get going,” said Mike shaking his hands. “Thanks for everything sheriff.”

  “It was pleasure, Michael,” Morgan said gracefully, “And if you in this area again, you’re always welcome here.”