by M. Shaunessy
Moments later Hiss and a few guards brought Xman back in Drax’s office once more. Drax smiled upon him as Xman looked up to Drax’s red eyes in disgust.
“Congratulations, you father decided to have me terminate your life,” Drax started. Xman’s eyes surprisingly widened. “It seems that he does not care for you anymore.”
“My father would rather save my people than have you control them,” Xman said proudly.
“Well I am not a barbaric man Xman,” Drax said, “so I will give you a fighting chance. Do you remember what you did to me on Jorda two years ago?”
Just then, his mind created a vision. Jorda was a fueling station in the Hyder System. Xman remembered that his father assigned him there by to guard it, but the Empire invaded the planet. Xman then knew what has happened next.
“Yeah I remember,” Xman replied, “I also remembered that you invaded that planet.”
Then Drax said, “Isn’t it interesting, I was a corporal and you were a captain. Well, it looks like the tides have turned around. Now I am the higher rank officer. Funny, that vat of chemicals you threw me in gave a new lease on life.” He held up his hand and suddenly it morphed into a sharp wielding weapon. Xman’s eyes widened in astonishment then to resentment. “Now, with this new power I have, I can do much about anything, including terminating you. Maybe you can tell me if you remember why we attacked that chemical plant in the first place.” Xman looked at him, confused. Drax smiled back at him and reminded him, “My primary orders were to locate information about a great energy source that was rumored to be somewhere in this galaxy. We had information that someone there knew of this. Perhaps you?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about. We were there to protect that fueling plant from you. Whatever information you got must have been bogus. Because by the time you gotten there all of the scientists were gone. You were stupid enough to fall in our little ambush.”
Drax frowned at that last remark and said, “Well if you won’t tell me, perhaps your rebellious friends will. Tell me Xman, where are your colonial friends hiding?”
“I rather die than to tell you.”
“That could be arranged Xman,” Drax said as he motioned his gauds to take Xman back to his cell once more.
Xman then realized what Drax was going to do to him and faintly smiled. He could not wait to get another shot to finish what they had started. For a moment, he thought of his family back on Felinoron, but he had to do what he felt was right to protect them.
Back on Cian, the doors on Port 23 opened and Tygla entered. She saw Mike near the ship’s entrance ramp and smiled to him. She was in awe of the beauty of the Condor and knew that she would have her brother home in no time. She walked towards him with her grey bag over her shoulder.
“Are we ready?” Tygla asked.
Mike turned around to Tygla and replied, “Uh, yeah, get on board and we'll take off.”
Tygla smiled and Mike followed her onto the ship, The Golden Condor. The bay door then closed. Inside, the two pilots entered the cockpit as their passenger settled in. She looked at the small lounge area and wondered how these two manage to live here. As she stowed her bag in the compartment above the lounge, she joined Mike and Justin.
“Are we all set?” Mike asked checking ship’s system.
Justin replied flipping a few switches, “Yep let’s rock.”
Mike entered the starter code on the key pad and the ship’s thrusters fired as the Condor lifted itself up off the ground. Tygla entered the cockpit and sat down behind Mike as he piloted the ship into outer space. Once they made into orbit, Mike needed to know where the Xatu were hiding Tygla’s brother.
“Ok Tygla,” Mike said turning to her, “Where too?”
“Well,” she started, “First we need to head to Felinoron to get more information on where the Empire is holding my brother. Then we need to plan some sort of break out.”
“All right, that makes sense,” Mike nodded, “Justin, set course to Felinoron.”
“Already on it,” said Justin, “Course set to 1149.36.1434.19”
Mike then pressed the Hyper Flight controller on the console and the next thing they knew the ship disappeared into the farthest star. A few moments later in the ship, Tygla retired to the ship’s lounge, which was pretty small. She saw a small two-seated couch on one side and a small vinyl cloth chair that someone folded into the hull. She also noticed a small washroom next to the chair. She looked up, saw another chair on the ceiling, and wondered what that was for. She lay down on the tiny sofa feeling tired and relieved, and then Mike entered the room.
She looked up at him and asked, “How is up front?”
“Just fine,” Mike said as he unfolded the vinyl chair and sat down, “We'll be at our destination in a couple of hours.”
Then Tygla nodded and lifted her head and put her hand under it for support. She was curious about her new found friends and wanted to know them more especially, Michael.
“So how did a guy like you get in to a business like this?” She asked curiously trying to kill time.
Mike smiled and like telling his fascination with archeology, “I always like finding things. Ever since I was a boy, I found archeology fascinating. I took a couple of courses in it at the Cian University majoring in archeology. I think it was Uno Pu’Do that made me interested in it. You know the famous archeologist who was lost in the forbidden zone.”
“You mean the one who tried to reach the center of the galaxy and never returned?” Tygla inquired.
Mike nodded, “Yup that’s the one. One day, probably when we retire, I want to follow his footsteps and find out what’s really in the center of our galaxy.”
“Yeah right,” Justin said sarcastically entering the lounge, “Mike no one ever came back from that place. That’s why the council banned anyone to going there, it’s cursed.”
Tygla looked to Justin and wondered, “What do you think is in the center?”
“Personally?” Justin answered as Tygla nodded, “I think it’s just a giant black hole.”
She looked to Mike for an answer and replied, “I think it was the same as Uno thought when he sent back his last transmission, Heaven and Hell.”
Tygla nodded again, “So how did you two meet, at the University?”
“No, we first met at the Cian orphanage,” Mike said as he started to frown, thinking of the terrible past, “We were the last survivors of Earth, before it was destroyed by the Xatu Empire. I was about 4 years old when it happened. They took my parents and killed them. I was taken by one of my dad’s friend and was transported to the Cian orphanage.”
Tygla frowned as the story saddened her, “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s ok. Sometimes I do miss them,” Mike replied as Justin just stood in the doorway, “So how about you Tygla, what’s your story?”
“Well,” she started trying to find the words to tell them, “I lived on Felinoron all my life, trying to defend our planet from the Empire. My father raised me and my brother with help from our servants,” she started.
“Servants?” Mike thought interrupting her, wondering what she was talking about.
“Yes,” she replied, “My father is, a king.”
“King!?” the crew exclaimed.
“Hold on, you mean you’re a princess?” Justin asked.
“Yes, I suppose so,” she replied.
Justin did not believe what he heard, “No wonder why you were offering us a lot of money.”
“Well I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Tygla said, “But I had my reasons, if I had told you would you still take the job?”
“Well,” Justin thought.
“Of course not,” she continued, “You would think I was way beyond your expectations, just like those jerks back at Cian.”
“No, we’ll take any job from anyone, ‘cept from the Xatus.” Mike said not caring about the Xatu part, “So it’s ok.”
Tygla smiled at him, she knew in her heart that Mike was kind and u
nderstanding. She liked that in men.
“Thank you,” she said warmly.
“Wait a minute,” Justin interrupted, “If you’re a princess then why do you need us? Don’t you have soldiers of your own or something?”
“I wish,” Tygla replied looking at Justin, “Father thinks because of this stupid war, it’s unnecessary to waste soldiers to rescue my brother. He thinks I am not capable of commanding a squadron to help set free my brother, so I have to show my father that I can gather a rescue party and get him back myself. The Empire has kidnapped my brother and no one on my planet can help me, not even my father. I can just think what horrible things they are doing to him. The Xatu, there’re just a bunch of….bearcats!”
Mike nodded to that last comment. “So what does he look like?” Mike asked.
Tygla dug into her small bag and brought out a small device that looked like a Palm Pilot Mike read in technical history class. She turned it on and the screen showed a thumbnail of pictures. She tapped on one and it enlarged showing her brother and herself in bathing suits standing on a beach. Mike smiled at Tygla in the picture, as she was more stunning than ever. He then looked to her brother who was holding her. He had the same complexion as Tygla’s, but taller and more muscular. She sighed looked at it and realized that she missed him so much.
“Xman, I miss him so much,” she said sadly.
Mike replied, “Don’t worry, we’ll help you get your brother out Tygla, I promise.”
“Thanks,” she replied, “I’m sorry. I’m just a little cranky.”
“Get some rest,” Mike said, “You’ll feel better when we arrive.”
Tygla smiled to him, she closed her eyes and lay down again as Mike got up. Both pilots left her alone and headed back in the cockpit. They both sat back down in their seats as Justin looked at his companion’s face as Mike smiled. He knew that it was the face of love and Justin did not like it. He had seen what love did with him when Mike was dating Julia. Moreover, Justin made a promise to himself that he would not let his friend go through that again.
“No,” said Justin.
Mike questioned looking to his friend, “What?”
“You got the hots for her, don’t you?” Justin replied.
Mike exclaimed looking to his friend, “What? No way, well all right, she is cute and I do like her.”
“Mike you got to remember two things man,” Justin started, “One, she’s a Felinis, and two, she’s a princess and can never happen.”
“I know, I know,” Mike sighed looking down on the controls, “But something in her struck my heart. I don't know, maybe I’m crazy.”
“Yeah, crazy in love,” said Justin, “Look Mike, you just can’t fall in love with every woman you meet. Remember what Julia did to you?”
“But this is one different,” Mike replied looking back up to him, “I don’t know. Somehow she seems special.”
“No one’s special,” said Justin, “Not in this galaxy anymore.”
Mike argued, “But she is Justin, she is. I just have a funny feeling that she might be the one. And for once I like to share my fortune other than a great friend like you.”
Justin shook his head not believing what he is hearing, “I don’t know about this one though. All I know is that you’re heading in deep waters with her.”
Mike did not care what Justin said. He took a quick glance at Tygla and saw her sleeping. She looked so cute just lying here, Mike thought. Maybe one day, could it be possible and Mike did not care about Julia anymore, but then again Justin was right. When he first met Julia, she was so nice and he liked her. That was until she backstabbed him and broke his heart, but what if Tygla was not like Julia, Mike thought. He just wanted to fall in love again and he wanted someone to adore.
Meanwhile on Hades, in the detention center, “Get in there,” ordered the armored guard, as he shoved Xman in his cell. Xman just looked at him with a grim expression. He did not like empire’s lackeys treating him this way. Even though, he was a warrior, he was also a prince.
“I will kill you,” Xman warned.
The guard laughed and replied, “Yeah right.”
The guard closed and locked the door, before Xman could react. He needed to escape and look for help, but then that was only a pipe dream. The walls were made of the strongest metal the Empire could find. There a few air vents, but they were excessively small for him to crawl though. Xman hated the Xatu Empire, ever since they killed his mother. That is why he joined the colonial army. He knew that escape was impossible and decided to sit and mentally prepare for his battle against Drax if he gets out.
He remembered the last time he fought him. He had thought that Drax was dead. After he was thrown in to the vat the entire place was about to explode from the battle and he had to get out of there quickly as possible leaving Drax’s dead body. That was until he had seen him today. It was not possible, he thought. Drax was dead. He saw him die, but what now, what has he become, some kind of mutant freak? He did not care, all that Xman new that he had to finish off what they had started.
“It’s not promising, is it?” A voice said in the cell next to him through a small air vent atop near the ceiling.
Xman questioned looking around, “What? Who’s there?”
“The name’s CRAIG,” he replied in the next cell over, “I’m a Cybernetic Robotics Advanced Intelligence Generator.”
“That’s a mouthful,” said Xman looking towards the vent, “So, what are you in for?”
“I was once lord Drax’s assistant, until he got disappointed with my programming, so he’d gotten Hiss, then Drax decided to put me into this cell,” he replied.
“If you’re an android, why didn’t they disassemble you or something?” Xman asked.
“Drax thought it would be amusing if I was locked up like a human animal,” CRAIG replied. “I just don’t understand humans sometimes. You are Prince Xman are you not?”
“Yeah,” He replied unsurely to his cellmate, “How’d you know?”
“My wireless news network informed me that you were here.”
“Well, if you’re really an android why don’t you escape or something?” Xman thought.
“I was ordered to stay in this cell until I rusted,” CRAIG replied, “So as Drax says and I must obey. It is part of my programming.”
“Well, what if I asked you to forcefully open the door?”
“Well, it is my program to obey any living person,” The android replied. “But these walls and door are made out of a Xatu metal called Xrylium, an unbreakable metal. Even I cannot break them. So it seems that we will be in here for a very long time.”
Xman then said, “Well, don’t worry. We won’t be here that long.”
“How do you mean?” The android wondered.
Xman replied, “I got friends in the Colonials who I think right now they are planning to get me out of this hell hole.”
Meantime the Golden Condor finally arrived at its destination, Felinoron. It became a dismal planet after the Empire’s latest hit. Smoke bellowed from the remains of the buildings. They saw some Felinis scurrying around trying to put out the fires and rebuild what the Empire destroyed. Tygla frowned and sighed at this sight and wished it never happened. They landed on the royal launch pad in the capital city. The palace was the only building that the empire did not hit too badly. When Mike and Justin first looked at it, they thought they took a wrong turn and ended up in the ‘Emerald City in Oz.’
“Jeez,” Justin exclaimed as they got down from the bay doors. He looked at the ruined city and said, “It does look like the Empire has been here.”
The port was empty as no one greeted them. Then suddenly a door on the far side of the pad opened and four Felinis guards entered the area with their laser rifles aimed at the new arrivals. Mike, Justin and Tygla were alarmed and confused. When they noticed Tygla, they lowered their guns. One of them mumbled something in his MiniCom. The doors opened once more and an older tiger looking Felinis entered the pa
d.
“Tygla?” He called to her.
Tygla turned towards the door and replied, “Father?” She knew that she was in trouble disobeying her father, but maybe he had forgotten as she ran towards her with open arms.
Her father hugged Tygla and said joyously, “Tygla my daughter. When I learned that you disappeared, I-I was so worried,” he then looked at her with a stern look. Tygla’s heart leaped in fear. “I thought I told you to stay in the castle walls.”