by M. Shaunessy
Chapter 7
The Great Escape
While the situation stranded Mike and Justin on the spaceport, things seemed grim as Xman slept in his cell. He suddenly awoke to find out that the engines had stopped. He wondered what Drax was up to, and whatever it was, it was not good. He also wondered why no one had attempted to rescue him. Maybe it is because this Xatu battleship was too much for Xman’s fleet to handle. He saw what happened at the battle he witnessed. It was then up to him to escape.
“Hey!” He said to his cellmate, “What’s goin on? I heard the engines stop.”
“It seems that we’re at a destination that Drax had set,” CRAIG replied. “I have been monitoring our movement with my internal motion sensor and it seems that he brought us close to the center of the galaxy.”
The center of the galaxy, Xman thought, but why what did he-. Then remember that Drax’s prior duty was looking for a great power. He also remembered from his teachings at home of an old expedition involved with the center of the galaxy and pure energy. He knew the laws forbade anyone to go there, and that its one explorer never returned from it.
Drax must be crazy to duplicate where Uno had failed, but if Drax did find that energy, the Xatu Empire would be unstoppable. He had to escape and get help, but first he had to get out of his cell. He remembered what CRAIG told him about the material was used in the cell, so had to think. He looked down at the foot of the door and saw the food passage slot. Currently the Xatu guards closed it, but every time they served him disgusting slop, the guard had to push it through and that gave him Idea.
“Guard!” He shouted hopping to grab his attention, “I’m starving, how about some breakfast over here?”
Three Xatu guards were at the prison’s command post talking to each other when they heard Xman’s request. The high officer nodded to one of the other guards to permission to feed Xman. One guard walked over to the food preparation station on the nearest wall. He pressed a hexagonal button and a square tray that had a bowl attached on top dropped down on a counter that embedded to the wall. He waited a couple of seconds when grey lumpy substance poured down into the bowl. He grabbed a utility spoon and took the tray over to Xman’s cell. He placed the food on the floor, pressed another button that was next to the cell door and the food slot opened.
Xman saw the slot slid open and got ready. The guard then crouched down and pushed the tray into the cell. Xman waited until the tray was halfway in, then he quickly reached through, grabbed the guard’s hand and pulled it towards him. The guard irked as Xman slammed his body into the door and pulled him through the tiny slot.
“Open this door, or I’ll rip your arm out!” Xman ordered.
The other two guards took notice as high officer told the other one to help him. The second guard took out his stun rod, opened the cell door, but before he could use it, Xman pulled the first guard towards him, grabbed his head and twisted it killing him instantly. Xman, in all in one motion, swiftly grabbed his gun while he kicked the dead guard on the second officer and fired his gun at him, killing him too. The high-ranking officer saw this, drew his gun and rang the alarm.
Xman looked down the corridor and saw the officer coming over to shoot him. Xman raised, aimed and shot the Xatu officer in the chest as he screeched and fell lifelessly. Xman had to act quickly as he knew that more guards would arrive. He went over and took one of the dead Xatu guard’s key card. He then inserted in a slot next to his cell. The door opened and Xman saw the blond android just sitting there.
“Come on, we’re getting out of here,” Xman ordered.
CRAIG replied “But I must stay here to serve the rest of my sentence.”
“I don’t have time, but I need your help, and you’re the only one who knows this ship inside and out.”
He then heard the elevator slide door open then eight more soldiers filled the main control room. They saw him out of his cell and fired their blasters. Xman promptly covered his body by moving in between CRAIG cell door’s thick archway and shot back killing one guard. CRAIG, now alarmed stood up. Xman was an excellent sharpshooter as he ranked high on his home planet. He was one with his weapon, even though it was a Xatu gun that he despised, he had to make do. As a bolt whizzed by Xman’s arm, he pulled it back and they knew that the Xatu trapped them like rats. Xman cursed at himself but he did not want lose control of the situation.
“Is there any other way out of here?” He asked CRAIG.
“I am sorry,” CRAIG replied, “But the elevator is the only exit.”
“Perfect,” Xman mumbled disappointedly as shot another soldier down.
He looked around quickly as laser shots flew by and saw an air duct up on the ceiling. It must be connected to the cells he thought, but he wondered if the covering could be destroyed as the cells were made of Xryolite. He had to find out. He aimed at the covering and blasted it open.
‘Great’ he thought, now they had to get up there.
The ceiling was about ten feet high and it was out in the open. Xman had to kill all the guards and get to the vent. It did not bode too well as he was out gunned. He saw the other dead guard lying on the far wall across the corridor and quickly went over. While shooting more shots at the barricade down the hall, he grabbed the other gun and tossed it over to CRAIG.
“CRAIG, Cover me!” He said, as the android looked at him puzzled.
“I’m and sorry sir, but my programming restricts me to…”
“Just shoot them!” Xman yelled as he hit another soldier in the neck.
CRAIG walked out a bit when a laser bold missed his abdomen. He stopped turned to see the six remaining guards. It was against his program to kill any living creature, but as he monitored the situation, he noticed a control box near the archway into the control room. He aimed his weapon and fire upon it, destroying the panel. Suddenly a safety force shield appeared between the Xatu troops and the two innocent fugitives. The guard was stunned and immediately went to the other control box on their side. Xman was surprised to see CRAIG’s action.
“As I was saying your highness, I cannot kill any living creature whether it be Xatu or otherwise.” CRAIG said to him.
The android went under the air duct, looked up, and then positioned his body, so his can give Xman a boost up. Xman grinned slyly and placed his foot on CRAIG’s cuffed hands. He looked at the troops for a moment as they were still trying to hot wire the controls to the safety shield. The android with his bionic strength boosted the warrior prince up into the ducts. Xman climbed in and looked to his android friend.
“Come on!” he said to him.
CRAIG looked up and replied, “You go on, I must stay here.”
“Are you crazy? Your master abandon you, you’re a free android.” Xman said to him. Xman was right, he had no master, and according to his program, he must have a master. He look up to Xman and his logical sensors told him that he was new master. Xman looked again down the hall and saw that he shield flickered. “We don’t have to time to philosophize,” Xman said to CRAIG as he extended his hand to him.
“All right,” He replied, “Remove your hand your highness.”
At that moment, with one leap, he jumped and grabbed on the ledge and climbed in with his new friend. The shield was finally down as Xman told CRAIG to lead on. The Xatu troops ran over blasting the ceiling, hopping that made a lucky shot, but it was too late they were gone.
In the office of Lord Drax, Hiss was in there with him planning the next move when the Hades arrived at their destination. Hiss told him that one of his spies he hired a Vrampian, found Tygla and she was with two rouges, Mike Tippin and Justin Jobbs at Space Port 88. He researched their names and told Drax that they were some sort of freelancers called ‘Star Raiders Inc.’ He also told him that they might be in pursuit to recue Xman. Drax then told him to let them come. Soon he will have both Tygers and two more slaves for the Emperor.
Suddenly Drax noticed
the faint alarms go off and did not like it. Then the door slid open as a young female human officer entered. She was one of the first female officers to command the security department in the Hades. In the old days of Earth navel history as Drax remembered from his school days. It was bad luck to have a female on board a ship, but times have changed, and even the Xatu Law once forbade having a human woman to become of a solider of the Xatu army.
Drax looked up at her. She was young, thin, but athletic. She had tied her short brunette hair in the back due to military regulations. She walked in and greeted herself.
“Lieutenant Tila, you better have explanation for the alarms,” Drax told her sternly.
Tila did not flinch, even though she was tad nervous as she replied, “I am sorry my lord, but the Felinis you captured has escaped.”
“What!” Drax exclaimed.
Hiss said, “I told you it wasss a missskate to capture him.”
“Oh shut up,” Drax warned him then looked to her, “Alert all posts, I want him brought back, alive.”
“But sir, he also took your old android servant and they were last seen in the air ducts,” Tila informed him.
Drax frowned realizing his mistake and ordered, “Seal off all air ducts,” He then though that if Xman had his old servant CRAIG, they would easily break through them, “No on second thought, release the security bots.”
“Alright my lord,” Tila replied, “But to let you know, he has a blaster.”
Drax frowned as things could not get worse that is when Hiss said “My lord,” He began, “I may have a better idea sssss.”
Xman and CRAIG found themselves crawling in the ducts in the upper decks of the ship. CRAIG informed him that the hanger that his ship was on was down eight levels. As they crawled, CRAIG stopped abruptly when a gate closed on them, trapping them. Xman frowned and looked behind as another gate sealed shut. He did not like this, it started to feel like was in that dark torture chamber. This did not worry CRAIG, as he punched the gate with so much force, it bent like tinfoil. Xman smiled and commented something about how lucky he had him as a friend.
They made their way through and got to a vertical shaft. CRAIG looked down and estimated that it was a 50ft drop. He climbed out as small razor sharp spikes emerged from his fingers. He then started his decent gripping the walls with the spikes. Xman got to the edge and looked down. See saw CRAIG descend and though that could to the same. He remembered from his military training that he could scale shafts like this one, by using his palms. Once they both reach the bottom, they had to crawl a few more ducts.
“We are almost there, the exit is just up ahead,” CRAIG informed when they started to hear a crackling sound, like some electric discharge or something.
Xman heard it as well and suddenly it appeared from another corridor. It was dodec shaped robot with eight tentacles waving all about. Sparks flew all about as Xman looked at it sternly.
“Duck!” He said as pulled the blaster from his belt.
CRAIG lowered his body as Xman aimed and destroyed it. They heard the same noise again, except it was coming from behind. Xman looked back and saw another Octobot emerging. Xman blasted at that one too.
“Keep moving,” he said to CRAIG as he pushed the Octobot debris and continued.
They finally got to a grating, as CRAIG quietly pushed and bent it open. They were in a large corridor. Xman saw that the interior of the ship looked a little organic as if they were inside a burrowed log except that the material the Xatu used was iron and steel. CRAIG informed him that the hanger was a hundred yards to the left. Xman and CRAIG cautiously edged their way down when more guards spotted them from behind.
“There they are!” One of them shouted.
Xman looked back, shot one guard and they ran down to the hanger. Xman stopped briefly as he noticed another panel that look like the one in the Prison center.
“Keep running,” he said arrogantly as he blasted the panel.
The door automatically activated another shield. He smiled in satisfaction and sprinted to meet CRAIG. They found his ship in one of the hangers, but more Xatu troops guarded it heavily. They were so close of escaping, now this. CRAIG wondered how they were going to get into the ship. They both ducked behind some steel cargo boxes and assessed the problem. They looked about and saw four Xatu guards and the Thunder Claw in the middle of the hanger. They also noticed that the hanger controller closed the huge bay doors. Then it slowly started to open as a crescent moon like the one ship docked in. The force shield that protected the hanger was still up, as three B’tars passed through it. Xman thought for a moment.
“Any ideas how we are supposed get on board?” CRAIG asked.
Xman he kept thinking as he touched the wrist. He felt something on it as he looked down and saw that he still had on his control watch.
Xman smiled and replied, “My remote control. They forgot to take it. It’ll program the ship’s weaponry. The lower guns should distract them while we make our run. Let’s just hope it still works.”
He then programmed guns as the guns then came alive and fired continuously. The guards scrambled as CRAIG and Xman made their move onto the ship.
Once they got to the cockpit, Xman started the engine as CRAIG remarked, “The door is closing your highness.”
“I see it, hold on!” he replied.
He grabbed the flight stick and turned the ship around. He then pushed the throttle to full as the ship’s engines propelled them out into space. When Tila, Hiss, Drax and some troops arrived, it was too late they were gone.
“I hope your plan works Hiss,” Drax commented.
“Don’t worry my lord. Sssssss,” Hiss assured him, “You will have both sssiblingsss.”
Tila smiled to that idea. A princess slave, she thought slyly. It has been too long that she had a female companion.
The Thunder Claw was small. It just had enough room for an extra passenger and some small cargo. CRAIG sat behind him in the co-pilot seat looking outside the canopy. Xman sighed in relief, as he could not believe that they escaped Hades. All of a sudden, the shipped beeped as CRAIG looked down over Xman’s shoulder and saw his radar screen.
“Sir, it seems that we are being pursued.” CRAIG informed him.
Xman looked down and saw over ten B’tars coming toward them in high speed. He growled and took control, as he was getting ready to fight them.
“Sir, you are not going to attack them?” CRAIG warned as he turned the ship about.
“You ever seen a Felinis fight?” he asked as he flipped a switch on his console marked weapons when he noticed that nothing happen, “Crap!”
“What?” the android asked.
“Weapon’s malfunction,” he replied, “Well, I think I can out run then. Can you set the NavComp for Felinoron?”
“It should not be a problem,” he said as he was already entering the coordinates in the computer.
“Good, I’ll try to out maneuver them without being blasted.”
Xman took his flight stick again, yawed it to the right, and increased his thrusters. The B’tars got in range and started to fire its laser guns at them. Xman did his best to avoid them. He tilted the Thunder Claw left and right. CRAIG told him that the coordinates were set and locked in as all Xman had to do, was position the Claw and line it up on HUD.
“Got it!” he said as he pulled the leaver.
The Thunder Claw sped in to Hyper Flight. Xman sighed once more, this time he was relaxed. He thought of his father and his sister and could not wait to see them again. Five minutes had passed when the ships alarm rang. Xman opened his eyes and franticly looked about to see what was wrong.
“What going on?” CRAIG wondered.
Suddenly they heard a small explosion coming from the ship. The shipped slowed gradually as they exited Hyper Flight. Xman studied the controls. They heard a hiss as Xman knew that the computer activated the cooling systems to elim
inate any fire that was onboard.
“Damn, the Neoxite crystal over heated and blew,” he replied as he cut down the power. Xman then explained, “Can’t go in to Hyper Flight without it. Gotta replace it though, but first we gotta find out where we are.”
CRAIG was on the computer’s navigation system and replied, “Sir, it seems that we are between the Norma and Crux System.”
“Great,” he said, “Out in the middle of nowhere. Maybe I can radio some help.” He pressed a button that had the initials LDRT (Long Digital Radio Frequency) and entered a frequency number he knew. Static only came back. He frowned wondering what would be next. Unexpectedly the radio came alive over the Short Digital Radio Frequency and a bored female voice boomed.
“Welcome to Space Port 88, please give me your ship name, cargo number, and destination please.”