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Post by Romans Empire on Jun 18, 2007 23:33:19 GMT -5
Salakk sat in the pilots chair of the heavily armored freighter monitoring all communications from the battle that raged. They had been adding armor and weapons to the ship for the better part of 4 months in anticipation of this day. All the careful planning and plotting... and they were running behind.
If there was one thing Salakk hated, it was tardiness. In truth there were many things he hated, but tardiness was at least in the top 5. At least the plan was simple. Destroy the East wall of the factory, raid it for weapons, he extracts the team and they get extra-planetary before the Manhunters knew what hit them. They knew the Manhunters were not living beings... it was not like they needed to tie bootlaces before charging into battle. But it was their plan, and it could work.
Salakk’s console beeped signifying the ‘Go’ order from Katma. He held his breath and put his four arms to work, piloting the ship and manning the weapons.
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Post by Romans Empire on Jun 18, 2007 23:34:34 GMT -5
All four teams began to retreat to the pre-designated rendezvous point. Out of the 15 former Green Lantern’s leading the charge, only six remained. Of the 50 former slaves that fought alongside them, only 17 of them stood. Katma shuddered at their losses... Khen-To, Harvid, Blish and poor Flodo Span. With every Manhunter she felled she thought of another lost friend.
The Manhunters fire increased as did their numbers. if Salakk was even a second late, they would all be lost.
A steady beam of destructive energy appeared from out of the sky plowing into a contingent of Manhunters, vaporizing them instantly. The beam spun and whirled in every direction disintegrating everything it touched, while carefully avoiding the rebels. The thick black smoke parted as the extraction ship darted through, abruptly stopping to hover before them with the door wide open.
Without hesitation the rebels tossed their stolen weapons onto the deck of the freighter and hopped in after them. Immediately the rebels took to their designated battle stations, manning 14 small arms mounted laser cannons and a 3 bomb bays scattered all over the hull.
The fighters laid out an impressive cover fire as Katma Tui joined Salakk on the bridge.
“You were late.” Salakk said flatly.
“Were not.” She retorted.
“17.23 seconds late.” He replied without a second glance or a trace of humor.
She wrapped her arms around his elongated pink head and squeezed playfully. “That’s what I love about you, you stupid lunk!”
“If that was a proposition, young lady, I am not interested,” he said just as seriously while trying to push away from her. Katma just smiled at the light moment... something they’d had so little of since that fateful day she’d inadvertently brought the Corps to it’s knees. She frowned again as the guilt came over her.
The ship violently rocked as it was hit by blaster fire, and then by another. There was a scream in the rear hold followed by a sudden evacuation of air from the cabin.
“We’re hit, and we’re venting atmo!” Arisia shouted to the forward cabin area.
“Try and patch it!” Katma shouted back as the crew donned breathing masks.
“I’m afraid it’s worse than that,” Salakk interjected, “Their first hit ruptured our fuel line.”
They had lost. All of the death and fighting was for nothing. She began replaying the events in her head, looking for anything she could have done differently. Anything that would have allowed them to survive...
“Look!” Salakk shouted showing more emotion than she thought possible from him.
Katma glanced up in time to see a green flash of energy. They had entered a warp field... She looked down at the panel below, the warp drive was inactive. It wasn’t possible.
“Katma! Salakk!” Arkkis shouted from the hold.
The two leapt from their chairs and running for the others. There standing in the center of the hold was a Guardian, dressed in black, and deep in concentration. They just watched for what seemed an eternity before the ship slipped out of warp to safety.
Appa Ali Apsa opened his eyes, as sweat beaded on his forehead.
“There, that should do it.” He said telepathically.
A wave of relief came over Katma. She fell to her knees gathering up Appa in her arms holding on tight as the tears came. She sobbed into his shoulder as the pain of the past seven months flooded back through her mind.
Appa had a speech prepared... the sudden physical contact had overwhelmed him though. He placed his hand on the back of Katma’s head and gently stroked her hair to comfort her. She had been through so much so far, she would need this moment.
For the war had just begun...
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Post by Romans Empire on Jun 18, 2007 23:35:24 GMT -5
To be continued...
Up next: Whatever happened to Kilowog?
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Post by mockingbird on Aug 1, 2011 18:31:20 GMT -5
To let us know what you think of this issue, please visit the letters page here!
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