It was an impossible task carrying Null back up out of the mines. His legs and arms felt like they were on fire. Every step felt like he had ran a mile. Yet step by step he climbed up out of the cave and and into the starlight. Jeran was surprised how much time had passed since he had entered the mines, the return journey must have taken him much longer then he thought that it did. He just barely was able to set Null down outside before collapsing himself. He didn’t know how long he would last but he had to find a way to get the two of them to a hospitol.
However his pain seemed to vanish when he heard somebody yell, “Dad! Run!” Jeran scrambled to his feet. That was Silvia’s voice. He looked around trying to figure out where the voice came from when Solvar and Silvia walked into view from around a corner. General Solvar was pointing a gun at the back of Silvia’s head and her arms were tied up behind her. Silvia screamed when she saw her dad, his arms and legs looked horrible, like the flesh had melted away from them.
“Geez man, You look horrible.” Sneered Solvar. He kicked Silvia and threw her to the side. Jeran couldn’t possibly escape in the condition that he was in now so there was no need for him to have a hostage. Solvar kneeled down next to Jeran who had collapsed again in pain. “I know I haven’t been very nice to you, but you really haven’t given me much choice. You stole something from me and it was very important. If you just give it back then I’ll be nice and just let the three of you go. That sounds like a good plan doesn’t it?”
Jeran didn’t think that Solvar would ever keep his work. The man would either capture them to use as pawn or kill them after he had what he was looking for. “What about that ANGEL, certainly he wouldn’t like it if you just let us go free, wouldn’t he have a problem with that.”
General Solvar laughed softly, “I could care less about about what happens to that man and I care even less about following his orders. Also given that you both came out of the caves I am going to assume that he is no longer going to be a problem for me. I guess I have to thank you for that as well.”
Jeran took a few breaths, “How very nice for you but I regret to inform you that Zolurious was still clinging to life when I left with Null and he probably won’t be happy when you betray him.” Jeran tried to sound like he was gloating but it was just too painful.
“That is a problem isn’t it,” Said Solvar in a tone which made it sound like he had already taken that into account. “I guess then I will only be able to left you and your daughter go. I think I will need to keep the criminal, then he won’t care what I do too with the two of you.”
Jeran climbed slowly to his knees and looked Solvar directly in the eyes, “Well then, I must inform you that all your efforts have been in vain.” He would have laughed at Solvar if it wouldn’t have made him feel like his body was tairing apart. “You see I have already destroyed the activation codes for the weapons of mass destruction. In fact they have been destroyed from the very begining when I escaped with one of Myth’s military ships. Your whole quest has been hopeless from the very beginning.”
Solvar’s eyes began to widen as he realized what Jeran was telling him. Jeran was sure that he was totally mad, breaking point mad. That probably made their chances of survival fairly slim but Jeran didn’t see any way to escape. Solvar kicked Jeran and swore, “How dare you trick me like that. It is your fault I waste all my time.” Solvar continued to kick Jeran several times, though because of the pain in his arms and legs Jeran had didn’t know if he felt it.
Eventually Solvar stood back and drew his gun, “Well, this has been a waste. You had been a thorn in my side Jeran and I think it is finally time to put you out of your misery. A piety that all your work saving this woman will have been useless. Goodbye Jeran.” Solvar raised the gun and pointed it at Jeran.
Jeran continued to glare at Solvar. He would have tried to stop Solvar if he could even stand up. There was a ringing shot in his ear and he was surprised to still be alive. Solvar gurgled for a second before his gun clattered to the ground and he began to clutch his shoulder. Across from him holding a smoking gun was Silvia. She had managed to escape from her bonds and find the gun that she had dropped earlier.
Silvia stood there shaking, and as Jeran collapsed again and began to fall unconscious he whispered, “Silly, you where supposed to breath out before you shot. You’re lucky that shot hit.”
Silvia continued to break hard, it was only the second time that she had shot somebody and it was still a horrible experience. She didn’t know if it would ever be better and she wasn’t certain if she wanted it to. She looked down at Solvar who was writhing on the ground clutching his good shoulder. Silvia took a few steps closer, continuing to point her gun at him. She tried speaking in a tough voice but it probably sounded scared, “I want you to get somebody to bring a ship here for us to take. These two aren’t in any condition to leave by themselves so the ship had better be here soon or I will shot you again.” She hesitated slightly as she spoke but she was serious.
The general seemed angry, but he didn’t have anyway to protect himself. Silvia walked closer and picked up the gun that Solvar had dropped. She wasn’t about to make the same mistake that Solvar did. She also made sure that she had Jeran’s gun as well in case Solvar tried to take it from him. “Come on, call the ship. We are in a hurry.” She raise the gun and shot at the ground next to him to threaten him a little more.
The general glared at her before reaching to his belt and grabbing his communicator. He threw it toward her and said, “You do it, I’m sure you can manage that.” Silvia reached down and picked it up, wary that he might be trying something. She connected to one of the channels that she assumed must connect to his soldiers and spoke, “I am holding the General Solvar hostage. If you don’t want him to die then bring a ship to his location which is crewed by one unarmed person.”
She could hear some talking in the background, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying, before a voice talked back to her, “How can we be sure that he is alright?” Silvia held up the communicator and pointed it at Solvar.
“Come on, tell them.” She said to him while she wave her gun at him with her other hand.
“I’ve alive,” Said Solvar grudgingly, “I have been shot, but I am going to be fine if I get medical attention. Though the same might not be able to be said about her friends.” Silvia glared at him before bringing the comminator back to her eye.
“Is that good enough? Now send someone with the ship and quickly. If it isn’t here in ten minutes them I’m going to shot him again.” She was threatening the best that she could. She didn’t know how well she would be able to go through it and it was painful to even make the threat. But since the alternative with probably death for her, Jeran, and Null she was able to find the resolve to continue.
“Fine, it will be there. Just don’t shoot him. We will get the ship there as soon as possible.” Silvia didn’t trust the voice, Jeran had told her that governments usually had a non-negotiation policy with terrorists and she guessed they qualified for that currently. She waited for the ship while keeping an eye on Solvar, she wished she could do something if they were planning a trap but she wasn’t certain what she could do. It would be too dangerous for her to move Jeran and Null someplace in case Solvar tried something.
After waiting for around nine minutes a ship appeared and began to land. Silvia stood behind Solvar and kept her gun pointed at him. After the ship landed the doors open and a man walked out with his hands up. He didn’t seem to be armed but Silvia couldn’t be too careful. She pointed at Jeran and Null with her free hand and said, “I want you to carefully carry those two into the ship.” She waved her gun again, “And if I see anything strange I’m going to shot.”
The man looked at her and paused for a second as if wondering if a teenage girl would really carry through with her threat. He then walked over to Jeran and lifted him up carefully. It took him a couple of minutes to bring Jeran into the ship and then come out again. He picked up Null and asked Silvia, “Are you sure she is alive, she feels really cold.”
“Just do what I said.” Said Silvia though she was really worried. She really hoped that Null would be fine, but she was doing the best that she could. The man nodded and carried Null inside and then came back outside. Silvia asked, “Does that ship have an escape pod?”
The man said, “Yes, but why do you ask.” Silvia nodded at Solvar who had surprisingly remained silent and then said, “Because he is getting on the ship with me and once we are safely in orbit then we will eject the escape pod with him in it.
The man looked a little bit panicked, “But, that wasn’t part of the plan. You never said that you would do that.” Silvia felt a little bit relieved at his reaction. That he was worried mean that they were planning something. She had feared that they would shoot them out of the sky as they were leaving the atmosphere and this would protect them about that.
“To bad, I changed the plan. Now Solvar get into the ship, and you, stay back while I enter.” She let Solvar lead the way as she entered the ship. She sealed the door behind her and as the walked made sure to check each room in case there was another person on it. She didn’t see anybody so she lead Solvar to the cockpit and told him, “Fly this thing and get us off this planet.”
“So I guess there was another reason that you need me. You probably don’t know how to fly a ship do you?” Silvia remained silent but Solvar had gotten it right. She had relied on her dad to fly and didn’t know how to do it herself. Solvar grumbled a little before beginning the lift off process. The ship took off and began going into space. Through the viewport she could see the people that brought the ship saying something into his communicator. He was probably telling them about the change in plans.
It wasn’t too long before the ship had reached orbit. Solvar looked back at Silvia and asked, “Are you satisfied, can I go now or do you want me flap my arms for you.”
“I want you to set the ship onto autopilot. It should set to go to the nearest other inhabited planet.” Solvar shrugged and did as she said. She watched hum very closely as he did so, making sure to note exactly how he did it.