Phoenix looked up to see Saoirse still airbound atop the floating metal bot. The thing bucked like a bull waiting to be branded. Saoirse's balance was incredible; she rode it like a pro. Feet planted, never wavering, her face showed no panic whatsoever.
Was she smiling?
Phoenix looked closer and indeed she was. It was plastered on her face; her delight shone like the brightest star. In that moment, Phoenix stood transfixed--she looked beautiful.
Saoirse brought the metal bot closer and leapt off it gracefully. Doing a double front flip in the air, she landed on the balls of her feet. The metal bot smashed into the far wall and exploded into a thousand pieces behind her.
"Showoff," said Phoenix with a smirk.
"One must put on their best performance," said Saoirse with a smile.
Phoenix heard a groan behind him. Plowstow was slumped against a wall, holding his head with a scowl on his face.
"I'm alive, if anyone cares. Don't wanna break up the moment," said Plowstow.
Jumping apart, Phoenix and Saoirse each pulled a face. "Moment?" they both said at once.
"We weren't--"
"Nah, it wasn't--"
"You hit your head and are seeing things."
Phoenix walked over to Plowstow and crouched down. Looking the Orcian over, Phoenix couldn't see any major injuries, although Plowstow was indeed bleeding.
"How you feeling? Up for another run at this?" asked Phoenix.
"Sure. Another chance to get myself killed. Why wouldn't I wanna jump at the chance?" said Plowstow with a heavy sigh.
"That's the spirit, buddy," said Phoenix, slapping the Orcian on the shoulder.
Phoenix pulled Plowstow to his feet, then looked at Saoirse.
"Everyone ready for one more push?"
Getting nods all around, Phoenix walked over and picked up his plasma gun. "Saoirse, lead the way."
They took off at a light jog as they followed Saoirse. Taking twists and turns, the trio saw corpse after corpse littering the floor. A hanging limb here, a hacked-off head there, a torso with a hole. Phoenix had seen his fair share of violence, but this was on another level. This had been done with a vengeance. No, it was something darker than that.
It was done with pure, caged fury. Locked away in the pits of the prisoners' dark hearts. Day after day, night after night. Screaming to be let loose, whaling against the bars of the cells. The fury screamed in anger at the treatment it had received.
Now out, it was uncontrollable in its bloodlust.
"Halt!" screamed a guard ahead of them.
Phoenix looked up ahead and could see a guard bloody from head to toe. Bodies of prisoners surrounded him, more than Phoenix could count. How he had survived the onslaught was anyone's guess.
"I will not tell you again. Halt or I will shoot!"
Phoenix drew his weapon from his holster and fired a single shot.
It struck the guard square in the chest, knocking him backward. The trio halted as they got to the guard, and Phoenix looked at him. Amazingly, he was still conscious.
"Where did he go?" asked Phoenix.
"Where did who go?" said the guard, bursting out into laughter.
"Don't fucking play coy with me! You know who I mean." Picking the guard up by his shirt, Phoenix shook him.
"The Warden left the ship. You scum will never know what a great leader he was. You will never lay hands on him. You are too late, Mr Jones." The guard's body shook as wave upon wave of laughter erupted from his soul.
Phoenix dropped the guard as if he were on fire and placed the gun against his head. He pulled the trigger, but nothing happened.
"Out of juice, are we?" said the guard during breaks in his laughter.
Phoenix grabbed the guard by the throat and brought his hand up. Saoirse stopped him. Looking at her with wild eyes, Phoenix waited for an explanation.
"Look at him, Phoenix. Look," said Saoirse.
Phoenix looked at the guard and saw signs he had missed: eyes vacant and darting to and fro, mouth twitching with half-formed sentences in between fits of laughter.
The guard had lost his mind. The turmoil he'd seen had been too much for him, the horrors witnessed too difficult to process.
Phoenix let go of the guard and stood up. He cast his gaze once more the guard's way; the anger he once felt had been overridden by pity. He dropped his weapon, and it echoed against the now-silent walls.
"Let's go."
47
The trio burst into the hangar, feet pounding on its metal floor. There weren't many ships occupying the space. Phoenix didn't know the first thing about spaceships, but what he saw in the hangar didn't fill him with hope. He knew what a heap of junk looked like, and these ships looked as if they should all be in the scrapyard.
Rust coated more than a few metal panels. Some had cracked viewing portals, which didn't bode well for use in the vacuum of space. Wire hanging from the underbelly of most did nothing to instill confidence that they were at all space-worthy.
"Err...I know nothing about space travel, being from a backwater planet like Earth. But I'm pretty sure none of these ships should be used in any circumstances whatsoever. Just a hunch, you understand. Not saying I'm some expert or anything," said Phoenix.
"It would appear your keen sense of observation has once again come to your rescue," said Saoirse.
Laugher slowly came to Plowstow's throat. Phoenix shot him a stare that made Plowstow turn it into a cough.
"Do you know where the others are?" asked Phoenix.
"Woohoo!" shouted a voice.
The group found L waving like a teenage girl who had just seen her pop-star heartthrob across the street.
"What you all staring at? You better hurry up if you want to catch the Warden!" said L.
Phoenix stared at the ship L stood next to. It was smaller than the rest, but looked sleeker and newer--but then that wasn't exactly hard among these rust-buckets. It was shaped like an arrow split down the centre. Rust did adorn some panels, but not as many as on the others.
Saoirse ran up to L and looked her over like a mother hen. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did anyone touch you?" Saoirse fired the questions one after the other, until L raised her hands to halt the barrage.
"I'm fine, Midnight, honestly. Better than fine." L smiled.
"Are you sure?" said Saoirse.
"Don't believe me? Watch me dance." L proceeded to do a little jig on the spot. "Watch me, Midnight! Watch me!"
Saoirse rolled her eyes and turned to Phoenix. "Let's make a move." She led the way into the ship.
The ship was bigger on the inside than it appeared on the outside. Phoenix followed Saoirse and found equipment he didn't have the first idea what it was for. Although a spaceship had delivered him here, he didn't exactly get the chance to take a leisurely stroll around it.
Dim, overhead lights hung from wires, giving the whole place an eerie glow. The ship was snug for the amount of people it would house.
But Phoenix didn't rightly care about that for the moment. Every second they didn't get a move on, the Warden's lead increased.
"How do we drive this thing?" asked Phoenix.
"You don't drive a ship, honey. You pilot it," said L, over her shoulder.
"Fine. How do you pilot this ship, then? We need to get moving."
"Midnight, lead the way to the bridge," said L.
They came to a set of doors that opened up into a small cabin. Phoenix viewed it with a raised eyebrow.
"This is it? I would hardly call this a bridge--it only has two seats in it," said Phoenix.
Plowstow said, "You sure this can fly? Dying in space ain't fun. It's cold, dark--"
"It will," said L, cutting him off. "For how long does it have to?"
"It doesn't matter," Phoenix said, "just get this thing up and running, will you? We need to catch the Warden. How far ahead is he?"
"He couldn't have left more than ten minutes ago. His ship is newer and faster, but that shouldn't be a p
roblem. We should arrive maybe five minutes or less after him," said L.
"Good, good. Oh, I almost forgot! Where's Freyan?" asked Phoenix.
L's hair turned black and her shoulders slumped. She lowered her head, avoiding Phoenix's gaze. Bringing her hand to brush away her hair, L looked up at Phoenix. "The turmoil he went through must have been too much for him. I haven't been able to wake him. He seems to be in some sort of deep sleep. I really don't know how long it will last. I am good with machines, but the Bloodless..." Trailing off, L gave Phoenix a shrug.
"Take me to him," said Phoenix.
Phoenix followed L through the narrow walkways of the ship. Pushing a door open, he found himself in what appeared to be the sleeping quarters. A few bunk beds were lined up from wall to wall.
Freyan lay motionless on a bunk, his intelligent eyes dormant. Phoenix stood over Freyan at a loss for what to do. Freyan had showed him kindness in a place that bred hate. Freyan hadn't lost his will to help people. Phoenix wouldn't have blamed him if he did. This prison would leech it out of you until you were a husk of your former self. But somehow, this sentient being had managed to keep something that made him more alive than many people Phoenix had met.
Phoenix placed his hand against Freyan's chest. A faint hum could be felt. Breathing out a sigh of relief, Phoenix stepped back.
"There is nothing we can do for him. The only person that can help him now is himself. L, please stand watch over him. Come and get me if anything happens. I'll be up front with Saoirse. There's still some unfinished business to be taken care of."
48
Phoenix stood behind Saoirse and Plowstow. Both sat in the only available chairs in the cockpit of the ship. Although Saoirse kept calling it the bridge, Phoenix refused to on principle. He'd watched enough sci-fi shows to know that a bridge had more than two chairs.
"Lets get a move on. Take us out, Saoirse," said Phoenix.
"Take...us...out?" asked Saoirse with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes. You know, fly us the hell out of here. Engines a-ready. Let's go. Go, go!"
Saoirse shook her head and muttered under her breath before flicking switches and pressing buttons. The engine coughed once and sputtered to a halt. Starting it again, the same thing happened.
Phoenix gave Plowstow a sideways glance, but didn't say anything. He simply crossed his arms over his chest.
Saoirse slapped the dashboard with the palm of her hand and tried again. This time, the engine stayed on. The vibrations it sent shook every panel of the ship. Bolts wiggled and nuts shook.
"Err, are all space ships meant to do that? Because you understand, coming from a backward planet like Earth, I'm not educated in such things," said Phoenix, trying to suppress his smirk.
"Plowstow, check that all the systems are up and running and shields are holding. Access codes for the hangar doors should already be programmed into the ship. On my mark, I want you to open them," said Saoirse.
Plowstow gave her a nod to show he was ready.
"Plowstow, ready the hangar doors."
"Hangar doors opening."
"Time for us to get out of this shithole," said Phoenix.
There was a different note to the engines as the ship slowly lifted off the floor and started towards the open hangar doors. Flying through them, Phoenix could see on one of the screens that the doors were already closing behind them.
"We're getting a hail!" said Saoirse.
"Where could the message be coming from?" asked Plowstow.
"It seems to be from the prison," she said.
"Can you play it on any of these screens?" asked Phoenix.
"No, this ship doesn't have that capability. It's old. I can only relay it through these speakers," said Saoirse, pointing to tiny round mesh objects sunken into the dashboard. "Might as well hear what they have to say."
Saoirse pressed a button, and nothing came through at first. But then slowly, they could make out distorted background noises. Blood-curdling screams bounded off the walls of the bridge. Yells. Cries of pain. Heavy breathing. The heavy gasps cleared until a voice spoke through.
"Hello, hello, anyone there? Please answer, please!"
"Hello, what do you want?" asked Phoenix.
"I want help, dammit! This isn't right. This isn't fair. Things are being done. Things..." The breathing stopped, the speaker almost scared it could be heard.
"Hello?" asked Phoenix.
"Please, you must come back for me. Please, I didn't commit the crime I was sentenced here for. I didn't do it. People are being killed, raped, tortured! I need help. I don't know how long I can last till they find me. I don't know how long I can last till..." Once again, the breathing grew quiet.
Phoenix closed his eyes and placed one hand over them. Why must he always go through the most difficult roads to get what he wanted? Why was his path always paved with broken glass? He'd done so much that haunted him, and he knew he was about to add something else to that pile.
Thinking back to the twins' smiling faces warmed his heart and steeled his mind. Eyes open, he saw Saoirse and Plowstow staring at him.
"Hello again to the unnamed person. I'm sorry, but I've people who need me more right now. I have family depending on me, a city that will burn if I don't leave now, a country that will destroy itself and a world that will crumble. So I am truly sorry. I wish I could help. But I can't, I won't," said Phoenix, the words burning his tongue.
"I will remember you, Phoenix Jones. I will remember you!"
"Saoirse, set a course for Earth," said Phoenix.
"But--?"
"I thought you had a job to do. So do it!" snapped Phoenix.
Saoirse stared at Phoenix long and hard. Her jaw was set, eyes aglow. But she didn't say anything. Turning her back on him, she pressed a few buttons. "Plotting a course for Earth."
The time went past, uneventful. Since they'd left the prison, an uncomfortable silence reigned. Phoenix had tried to break it with questions, but the answers were short and sharp. So he'd given up on trying to make any sort of peace and just stood behind Saoirse and Plowstow, watching the viewing screen.
It mesmerised him. There was nothing to really see apart from the blackness of space. Out here, he felt so small and insignificant. He could die and the universe wouldn't give a shit about him. Earth could come and go, but in the timeline of the universe, millions of planets had come and gone, destroyed in one way or another.
War, asteroids, black holes, dying stars... Did it really matter what he did?
Of course he had to fight! What else was he going to do? Roll over on his back like a dog and die?
"Phoenix, the flight to your home world will take a day or two at least. We are in Flaring at the moment, so there isn't much we can do. I suggest you get some rest," said Saoirse over her shoulder.
"What about you? I want everyone fresh and ready to go when we land," said Phoenix.
"We shall take shifts."
Phoenix was about to say something else, but thought better of it. He would need time to talk to Saoirse privately. But right now wasn't it. They all had to stay focused on the task at hand.
"Right. I'll go and check on L and Freyan," said Phoenix.
He walked back the way he'd come and tried not to let his emotions cloud his brain. Reaching the sleeping quarters, he knocked lightly on the door before pushing it open.
L was curled up on a bunk, asleep. Phoenix watched with amazement as her hair went from one shade of colour to the next faster than he could keep track of. L's arms were wrapped around her, while her feet twitched like a dog's tail would when having a dream. L mumbled under her breath, but Phoenix couldn't quite catch the words being said. He moved closer, only catching a few words like a flashing light disappearing in a cloud of fog.
"Please...don't... No...no..."
Phoenix took a step back, not wanting to hear any more. He felt dirty. He shouldn't be here, shouldn't be privy to this conversation.
"I said no!" Sitting upright, L's e
yes shot open. Her head snapped to and fro, looking for danger--checking to see if whatever she'd been dreaming about had crept into reality. Eyes settling on Phoenix's face, L looked confused for a moment before she lowered her head, cheeks flushed and red.
"I apologise. I didn't mean to watch you sleeping. I came to check in on Freyan, but I found you asleep. I should have walked right out," said Phoenix.
L kept her head lowered and didn't look up.
"L...you have nothing to be ashamed or worried about. I--"
"Who said I was ashamed?" demanded L.
"I don't know what you went through, what horrors you saw, or what was done to you. But know this: you helped me escape the one place I doubted I ever would. You helped me get out, brought me one step closer to home to save the people I love. For that, I owe you a debt I can never repay. But as long as I still draw breath, I will protect you with my life. I'll make sure that you never again experience anything like that prison," said Phoenix.
"I..." Lost for words, L shook her head. "Well, you'll have to get in line, Phoenix. Midnight has already taken the position of lead protector. You can be the person who carries my toolbox." She giggled.
"It would be my pleasure," said Phoenix with a smile.
"Still no change, I'm afraid," said L, nodding to Freyan.
"He's tough, he'll come out of it." Phoenix scratched his chin and looked sideways at L. "I was thinking. During our escape, it did seem strange that the Rejects attacked us and not the guards. I thought a signal was meant to go out, controlling their thought patterns?"
"Yeah, about that. We didn't really have time to get around to it. What with rigging the engines, saving Freyan, getting a ship. So, yeah..." Hair going cloudy-grey, L looked everywhere other than meeting Phoenix's gaze.
Breakout: (Space Outlaw 1) Page 17