In the words of Michael Feather,” I don’t mind saving the world, as long as it saves me too,” never truer than right now. I sat in the market in Heatherpush (a city of drug dealers and drug takers) waiting for my loaves of bread and meat. Even if it is war you still have to eat, shit, and laugh. I watched a little boy steal a large sandwich and I thought good for you Kid. No one should go hungry for any reason, there’s plenty of food.
The market was alive with thousands of people buying everything and anything as the sky was crystal clear. I thought about Vola and her beautiful hair. What luck, finding love in the middle of a war I knew I wasn’t the first to do that.
Heroy tapped me on the shoulder and asked,” You gonna daydream all day?”
“Heroy, hello is it time yet?” I asked nonchalantly as I inspected my bread.
“No, but close eat up, you’ll need your strength. Oh, Vola told me to tell you not to worry, good people win sometimes,” said Heroy as he stood there grinning at me I looked around and couldn’t help but feeling powerful. I wondered what life would be like if people were no longer afraid of The Floating Man.
“What are you scoundrels scheming?” asked Testassio as he slid in beside Heroy. I watched as Testassio looked a little nervous. Was he the spy? I wondered but at this point it really didn’t matter, the war was here.
“Oh we thought we’d steal all the bread in the world and corner the market. Is that what you were doing also?” I asked sarcastically as I nudged Testassio.
“Of course, that’s a given.”
“Given? You bucket of beans we can’t be joking about these things it’s almost time,” said Heroy as he rubbed Testassio’s left shoulder.
“You don’t have to tell me. It’s going to be horrible, but necessary. Enjoy that bread, it might be the last we get for awhile,” said Testassio warmly as he winked and then meandered off into the crowd.
“Isn’t it odd that Testassio keeps slinking off all the time,” said Heroy as he offered me a muffin.
I looked at Testassio as he disappeared into the crowd and then said,” It is, but he’s good people. I wouldn’t think he was the spy for any reason. Don’t worry about it let’s have some fun,” I said warmly as I started to dance to a young boy playing the violin in the street. Heroy smiled from ear to ear as I danced and waved my arms.
“You’re having too much fun!” said Heroy happily as I danced around the young boy.
“Impossible! Why don’t you join me?”
Heroy shook his head no at first but then said what the hell and started to dance. We laughed as the young boy weaved in and out of us as he continued to play. It was truly beautiful in a world gone wrong.
“What are you up too?” asked Vola as she walked over to us.
I danced over to her and helped her set down her bags of bread.
“Let’s dance, Gorgeous,” I said happily and dance we did. Then we heard it, a loud explosion at the far end of the market.
“What the hell was that?” asked Heroy nervously as we looked and saw the large fire at the far end.
“I don’t know but we have to get out of here. Vola, grab the bread,” I said quickly as everyone was scattering. I looked down the walkway and saw The Floating Man’s personal soldiers shooting people a t random. It was crazy I’d never seen such blatant disregard for human life.
“Are we running?” asked Vola as she pulled on my shoulder.
“Damn right,” I said quickly as I watched a stream of death coming our way. We hauled ass out of there and our soldiers did as well. This was not the time with them having the element of surprise and our troops not ready for battle, but the day was coming.
In the Vast
We traveled that day and night to a neutral area called simply the Vast. It was space pirates and people living outside the burden of law (my kind of people). They living in underground houses that poked out of the grass like you’d poke your head out of the water. We were safe here The Floating Man wouldn’t trifle with these people for any reason because they were all killers.
Goilda joined us for dinner and the sky was filling with red dust again. I was learning to hate the red dust but this was all we had, I mean this world that is. The Golarian’s last chance as one person put it. I don’t know I think we’re just due for victory but what do I know?
On the last 2 planets in our galaxy they were trying out new weapons. It’s always good to have a couple planets to trash, why not I say. I mean nothing lives there anyway. And the genetic experiments continue on a twin planet. I don’t think I want to know what they’re doing over there, it’s too crazy.
Big Dan brought some steaks and Testassio came in late with some sort of new wine. The wine tasted terrible which made me wonder if he was pulling something. We sat in an oval shaped, titled room looking out at the stars.
“They’re out there you know, the Baaj. I know it’s easy to forget but if they find us it was all for not,” said Goilda as she titled her head back and wiped the sweat from her neck.
“I forget…it’s easy to ya know. They would destroy us all and laugh. For what?” I asked rhetorically as I watched a trio of ships race off into space.
“That’s the wild card, but I don’t worry we could fight them better this time around. We’d have a chance,” said Big Dan as his words seemed to float in and out of everyone’s ears. Big Dan turned on his holographic sunglasses and turned his body into that of Baaj. I have to be honest just looking at that image made me nervous. Who needs to see that shit even in jest?
“Dan, come on, switch back already,” I said firmly as I watched Big Dan’s holographic self swinging a glowing red blade.
“What’s the big deal, it’s just for fun?”
“Change it!” I shouted and then I said angrily,” I don’t need to see that shit, Dan, change it!”
Big Dan looked at me for a few seconds and then changed his holographic image to that of an elephant. I felt the room was shocked by my outburst but I can only take so much.
“Ya know, the first time The Floating Man came to power it was worse,” said Goilda as she sipped her wine.
“It was, he’s was more ruthless then,” said Testassio as he stood up and walked over to the window.
I noticed he was carrying something in his pocket. It looked odd for some reason.
“What’s that in your pocket, Testassio?”
“What, oh nothing just some trinket,” answered Testassio quickly as he looked visibly nervous.
“Let me see it?” I asked as I stood up and walked towards him.
Testassio turned and his eyes were wide and his face covered in sweat. Big Dan slowly pulled out his Gaimer from his hip pocket.
“Yeah, Leftic, don’t be so dramatic. Just stop being a nuisance,” said Testassio sternly as he fingered the object in his pocket nervously.
I walked over to him and put my arm around him. I looked forward and then violently reached into his pocket and pulled out a Haley Communicator. I said sternly,” Well look what we have here.”
“Give that back!” snarled Testassio as I inspected the Haley.
“Look, Heroy, Big Dan, this is the exact type of communicator The Floating Man uses. Isn’t that unusual, Testassio?” I asked sternly as I got ready to turn on the Haley. Testassio was sweating buckets as we surrounded him. I turned on the Haley and at first we just heard breathing.
“Please, Leftic, this is boring,” said Testassio nonchalantly as he rubbed his forearm.
“Testassio! Is that you?!” asked The Floating Man while I kept the channel open.
“Huh, is that you, Floating Man?” I asked snidely as I put my arm around Testassio. We heard The Floating Man grunt and then Testassio tried to run for it.
“No you don’t!” said Big Dan loudly as he swung his Gaimer into the back of Testassio. The shock sent him screaming to the floor. I watched as the far edge of the Vast started to fill up with glowing red lights. It felt like an ambush.
“Please, don’t kill me I had too, I did!” pleaded Testassio as he fought to break free of the 2 soldiers holding him down.
“Hey, The Floating Man, we got your spy. We know what you’re up to,” I said flatly as I watched the sky fill with pirate ships.
“Leftic, death will be your friend and soon. That stooge Testassio was not our only card to play. Get real you idiot!” said The Floating Man loudly as he floated upside down in his ship. The Floating Man waved over one of his soldiers and he shot electricity through his torso and blew him to pieces. He had a bit of a temper.
“Well I wouldn’t say that exactly. We’ve got a whole deck to play, and you won’t love your hand!” I said snidely as I sat down in a brown mahogany chair. The Floating Man glared at the Haley and then shot it with electricity blowing it to pieces. He’s not much of a phone person.
“We’re getting to him,” said Vola as she put her arm around me.
“I know, now that we’ve got his spy he won’t see us coming. And in regards to the spy, whose real name I will never speak again…your punishment will be quick and horrific. Isn’t that right, Spy?”
“You’re dead, Leftic, you’re all DEAD! ” shouted Testassio angrily as he reached down to his ankle and produced a small gun. Big Dan saw this and tried to wrestle it away from him but he was too late, and Testassio shot himself in the face. The blast left little of the friend I had once known left. War always changes the rules.
“Now what, we didn’t get any information from him?” asked Vola sternly as she gave me a long look of concern.
“It doesn’t matter we’ve got the element of surprise now. That gives us a chance, Vola,” I replied calmly as I watched Big Dan tearing up and I asked,” What’s wrong, Big Dan?”
“He was my friend too, now he’s nothing but dead. I’m sorry but I miss him.”
“It’s ok, Big Dan, he was our friend once too. But for now we’ve got bigger fish to fry. Goilda, will you fight with us?” I asked nervously as she sat slowly sipping a glass of wine.
“Well, I might…but I can’t say for certain. The Floating Man is ruthless we know that, but I don’t know if he can be defeated. I’ll let fate decide,” said Goilda as she sipped her wine and stretched out her legs. Over came her girlfriend Passa with a long embrace and passionate kiss. Goilda asked,” Do you all know Passa?”
“We’ve met,” said Big Dan warmly as he winked at Passa.
“Dan, they’ve got you wrapped up in this,” replied Passa as she pressed her face against Goilda’s.
“It’s important, Passa, everything is at stake. I hate to ask…but whose side are you on?” asked Big Dan as his eyes never left Passa. I watched this and knew they must have been lovers at some time.
“I’m with you, always, Dan. What do you need from me?”
Big Dan took a few steps, stopped, and then turned and asked brightly,” Can you still fly?”
“Of course, where too?” asked Passa warmly as she tugged at Dan’s hair.
“The Floating Man,” said Big Dan flatly.
“When do we leave?” asked Passa as she flashed a grin.
“We already have, warm up the fleet we’re not gonna wait anymore. Leftic, it’s time!” said Big Dan boldly as he started to levitate up to the ceiling. I felt a rush come over me. It was finally here, the war of all wars. The fight for freedom and the fight for our lives had arrived.
Somewhere in the Sky
We flew into the night and hit the mother of all electrical storms. Flying was extremely slow going and the fleet was getting restless. I made love with Vola and then we shared a quick dinner of roasted Hesa and whipped vegetable. Vola walked around naked in our quarters and I didn’t mind the view. It seemed so innocent but the waves were coming.
In burst Heroy and he said nervously,” Leftic, there’s a problem!”
I jumped up and pulled on a green sweater. We ran down the hallway and into the control deck. I saw a large group of our soldiers and generals looking helplessly out the window at the massive storm.
“What is it?” I asked as I walked up to Big Dan and he barely turned his head.
“The engines are fried, it was a direct hit.”
“What now?” I asked intently as I grabbed a cup of coffee off the table.
“We’ve got our best engineers and mechanics working on it, but for the time being we are going nowhere. That said, I should also tell you if The Floating Man finds out we are sitting ducks,” said Big Dan sadly as he watched another lightning strike to the outside of our twin destroyer.
“We have to think of something. He’ll find out, Dan, he must have other spies. We have to get this fleet moving and fast!” I said sharply as my patience was running thin. I drank the last of my coffee and tossed my cup into the wall.
“There’s no point getting angry, it’s just bad luck, Leftic. Now the only other option is to ditch the destroyers and used the Grada ships. I know they’re small but they are well equipped with missiles and electricity spreads,” said Big Dan as he floated in mid-air.
“That’s not ideal, but it’s all we have isn’t it?”
“I’m sorry, but it is.”
“Alright, Big Dan, we’ll wait until the storm passes and then we’ll use the Grada. God this just what we didn’t need,” I said sadly as I spun around and walked over to the monitors. I saw a glowing light in the storm and I was sure it was bad news. “Something’s coming!”
Everyone ran over to the monitors and saw the collection of ships piercing the storm.
“It’s now, everyone to the Grada tell the Fleet!” ordered Big Dan excitedly as he watched The Floating Man’s ships flying their way.
The entire fleet abandoned the destroyers just as they were being blasted with powerful Gre missiles.
We flew through the storm and took our shots when we could at the Floating Man’s fleet. The air was thick with death and our soldiers were dying right and left. Then I saw it, the man himself The Floating Man flew out of his ship and started blowing our troops to pieces with streams of pure electricity. It was bloody and disgusting but I saw him and thought I could take him.
“I got him, Big Dan, watch this!” I said boldly as I flew in between 3 of The Floating Man’s ships as they tried to blow me out of the sky.
“Here he comes!” shouted The Floating Man snidely as he filled with energy and power. I fired off a Hangman at The Floating Man and it wrapped around his torso (a Hangman is a studded metal chain that sends waves of electricity through anything it touches.
“There you go sucker!” I shouted as I flew past the struggling Floating Man. I looked up and saw a Dense Fogit ship racing right at me. There was no time to turn they had me and I knew it. “Oh God!” I exclaimed in sadness as the Dense Fogit powered up their guns, but they didn’t fire on me instead a tractor beam hauled my ship into their hangar bay. I looked around and it was eerie. There was no one in side, just a massive empty space. I whispered, now what?
In came Goilda smiling and carrying her staff. She spun and then said brightly,” I had to grab you, Leftic, that ship of yours wouldn’t have survived.”
“Thank you, a million times thank you.”
“It’s nothing, your friend The Floating Man has broken free of the Hangman and he’s looking for blood. It’s best to hide you here for now, Leftic, the war will wage be sure of it,” Goilda explained as she floated up to the hangar bay opening and the 2 of us looked out.
It was absolute chaos everywhere you looked. Vola’s ship was circling a warship and I watched her get blasted on her left side. She activated the escape pod and was launched helplessly out into the flying battlefield.
“That’s Vola!”
“I know we’ll swing around and try to pick her up. Hold on!” said Goilda boldly while her body was moving to a control panel. She fired her missiles continuously as we worked our way through the mayhem. I watched as Heroy took out 4 of their ships and I more than a little vindicated.
“She’s there, falling towards that destroyer!” I pointed to a helpless Vola as we were taking hit after hit to our broadside. The sun pierced through the clouds and for a moment it was beautiful
“I’ve got her, watch this!” declared Goilda as she turned the ship down sharply and bashed her way through 6 of their fighter jets. Goilda reached out a giant retractable hand and tried to grab the escape pod, but as she did it got hit on the right side and it sent it spiraling downward.
“Please hurry, I love…”
“Trust me, I’ll do what I can,” said Goilda as she smashed through a supply ship, but then we heard a loud clank sound. It was The Floating Man tried to short out our electrical system.
“What do we do it’s him I know it?” I asked nervously as I searched for a decent weapon in the supply chamber with Goilda.
“I’ll be right back,” said Goilda as if it was something I needed to hear. She flew off into the war and I could hear her and The Floating Man exchanging blast after blast. I used the retractable hand and stretched it out to its full length. Vola was falling helplessly and it looked as if I wouldn’t be fast enough to save her.
My heart sank and my mind hurt. Then a small fighter jet hit her escape pod from underneath and it bounced her up into the retractable hand. I grabbed her pod and started reeling her in. The pod was taking fire and there was no guarantee she’d even be alive once I got to her. All’s I could do was hope.
“Floating Man, you’re nothing!” shouted Goilda as she changed forms into a dragon and wrestled The Floating Man in mid-air.
“You’ll never win, Bitch! You’ll never know the truth!” said The Floating Man angrily as he tried to pull Goilda’s head clean off.
She headbutted him and flew back from him. The Floating Man filled his torso with electricity and fired it at Goilda. She fired back a wave of energy and when the two forces met the sky lit up with an enormous purple and red fireball. It engulfed 23 fighter jets nearby and blew them to pieces.
“I know the truth! I know it all!”shouts Goilda as she uses all of her power to keep The Floating Man at bay.
Meanwhile I reeled in Vola’s pod but as I did a pair of fighter jets crash landed in the hangar bay.
There were flames and pieces of steel rocketing past my head. I could only hope they died in the crash as I was mentally exhausted and not ready to fight. Damn it I thought here we go, as I saw the fighter pilot’s dive out of their ships. I fired a Rally Long gun at them and it nearly hit them, but they ran behind computer consul and I ducked into a long hallway that ran parallel to the hangar bay.
“Oh God, Vola she’s trapped,” I said under my breath as if she could hear me. I looked out a small window and saw no signs of the fighter pilots. At least that’s what I thought until a laser blast burst the window and took the top of my ear off. I screamed for a moment before catching myself. I didn’t have time to nurse my wounds.
Then I heard it an unbelievably loud explosion. The Floating Man and Goilda were both knocked out and blown off into the sky. They drifted unconscious and dazed. The war raged on around them as they simply floated there in the sky.
Heroy flew into the hangar bay and instantly started taking on laser fire. I looked up and saw Vola’s escape pod door was open but no sign of her. All’s I had was hope that she’d escaped. You can’t lose the love of your life and ever be the same.
“Heroy!” I shouted as he jumped from his ship and fired on the fighter pilots He looked over and raced to where I was. He jumped through what was of the window and hunkered down with me. “You alright, Man?”
“Not really, thanks for asking. Where’s everyone, where’s Big Dan?”
“I don’t know, but I think Vola is here somewhere but I don’t know where.”
“Ok then we fight them,” replied Heroy as he checked his gun. “Let’s run to the end of this hallway and try to get behind them, come on!” said Heroy boldly as he peeked out and saw the fighter pilots pulling out their grenades.
Outside Goilda and The Floating Man were starting to regain consciousness. Goilda looked up at the sky and suddenly she remembered where she was and turned to face The Floating Man,
“You and Me, Hun, let’s party!” said Goilda snidely and then she rocketed into the chest of The Floating Man and the two turned into a hurricane of swirling red power.
“Nice try Bitch!” screamed The Floating Man as he wrestled her in a different dimension from the war. The pounded each other with everything they had. There was a mushroom shaped plum of electricity coming from them that went 1,200 feet high.
“It’s always a pleasure,” said Goilda snidely as she spun The Floating Man at incredible speed and bombarded him with blasts to the head.
Inside the hangar bay we were finally at the end of the hallway and saw Vola in a recreation room wandering around in a daze.
“Are you alright, Vola?” I asked as I walked up to her. She looked at me blankly and pointed to her ears.
“I can’t hear anything,” she said loudly as she shook her head. Then there were 4 thunderous explosions outside the ship. Things were heating up as the battle ensued.
“Hurry over here!” I said boldly as I grabbed her arm, but as I did a laser blast hit Vola in the leg.
“God damn it that hurt!” Vola screamed as we hurried her behinds a partition.
“Just stay here, we’ll handle it. Let’s do it, Heroy, you go left I got right,” I said quickly as I checked my gun’s power cell. It read 35 percent which was not what I wanted to see.
“What I do if they come?” asked Vola as she slid behind a small couch.
“Stay hidden, let’s go,” I said nervously as I heard the fighter pilot’s firing into the partition relentlessly.
We sprinted out into the hangar bay and shot at the fighter pilots. Heroy hit one in the neck and he crumbled like a candy wrapper, but the other one kept the laser blasts on us. Each shot was closer than the last to ending my life.
“Hurry!” yelled Heroy as he ducked behind a service robot.
“I’m coming!” I yelled back as I ran full out to where Heroy was. “There’s only 1 of them left let’s just overpower him,” I said breathlessly as I tried to calm down unsuccessfully.
Heroy smiled and shook his head. “No chance, that guy’s got one of those large Recedas, he’ll blow us away. No…we have to outthink him.”
“What if we attach a time grenade to one of these robots and send them the fuck over to him?”
“Let’s do it,” said Heroy as he pulled out a pair of grenades. He set the timer for 40 seconds and said firmly,” Droid, make you way over to that room, hurry.”
The droid started walking towards the fighter pilot as he fired mercilessly at our position. I looked out around the corner and saw sweet heaven. The droid got right next to him before he realized what was happening. Boom, that sucker blew him to pieces and saved our lives. Modern technology I love it.
“That worked,” I said slyly as I smiled at Heroy. He calmly grinned and pointed to Vola. Vola was walking aimlessly through the hangar bay. I worried she had brain damage.
“Help Me!” shouted Vola as she fell to her knees.
“I’m coming!” I yelled quickly as I sprinted over to her. I put my arms around her and held her as tightly as I could. She started crying and the sounds of war were making our ear ring. Heroy looked around for a better set of guns as I watched a massive ball of fire and electricity fly past the hangar bay door. It was The Floating Man and Goilda still going at it blow for blow.
“We don’t have a lot of time, Leftic, we have to get this ship out of here,” said Heroy as he ran over to us.
“I know, but this might be our only chance to take out The Floating Man.”
“There’s no chance, we’re outgunned.”
“Don’t give up yet. Let’s get Vola to a safer spot. Help me, Heroy,” I pleaded as I tried to stand Vola up as she wept.
Heroy put his hands under her armpits and we hoisted her up. We moved as fast as we could to the back of the hangar bay and the main hallway.
“We’ve got company!” said Heroy nervously as a pair of The Floating Man’s scout ships flew into the hangar bay. They were looking supplies and general mayhem but we weren’t interested in hanging out with them.
“Quick, we’ll have to carry her!”
“Ok, Leftic,” replied Heroy anxiously as he lifted Vola off the floor and I did the same. We jogged down the hallway carrying her as best we could. She started screaming incoherently as the walls shook from a missile hit. The scout ships had 4 soldiers per ship which meant trouble for us if they found out we were here.
“Come on, faster, Leftic, faster!” pleaded Heroy as he heard the sound of voices drawing near.
“In here!” I said quickly as I saw an empty office to the left. We ducked into the office just a second before the soldiers entered the hallway. Luckily they hadn’t seen us, but now we were in one hell of a strange room (Goilda kept a different life for herself I’ll say that).
The walls glowed and there were vines growing everywhere, as well as oddly shaped robots milling about and talking to each other. The office had a pair of windows that looked out over the sky or in this case the destruction. We stood there watching he ships get destroyed left and right and I knew this battle was lost for us.
“We need to hide and fast,” said Heroy sternly as he set down Vola.
“I know but where?”
“Why don’t you use the catacombs? They’re right here,” said Mefic the android as he showed us a secret passageway behind a troll statue.
“That’ll do, let’s go!” I said boldly as the soldiers were talking close to the office.
“Then we carry,” said Heroy as he let out a sigh and then lifted Vola up again. While we were carrying her into the passageway a soldier named Rowa walked in and saw my hip disappear behind a wall.
“Hey, where do you think you’re going!” shouted Rowa as he ran after us. I felt one hell of a chill go through me when I heard his voice. We really had to move now.
“Hurry!” said Heory as Mefic closed the secret passageway behind us.
Rowa burst into the room with Mefic and saw no signs of us. Rowa asked angrily,” Where’d they go, Bot?”
“I no speak words and stuff I dance robot,” said Mefic coyly and then he started dancing awkwardly and grinning.
“Ha ha, I’d wise up quick or im gonna blow you to pieces. Now where are THEY?!”
Mefic titled his head back until his torso collapsed into a pile of blocks on the floor. Rowa saw this and lost it. He shot Mefic again and again with his gun also shooting large holes in the walls. Then he heard a solid ping sound and froze. He looked at a hole in the wall and saw the catacombs inside. “Here we are.” Rowa stood back from the wall and proceeded to blast hole after hole in the wood until he simply walked right in.
“I hear someone behind us, hurry, Heroy!” I pleaded as Vola went in and out of consciousness. I didn’t know what had happened to her but it wasn’t just a loud noise, she looked poisoned.
Goilda and The Floating Man were exchanging giant blasts of energy. Goilda was tiring as her body could only take so much. The Floating Man unfortunately was getting his second wind.
“You’ll be dead soon, Bitch! I hope it was worth it,” snarled The Floating Man as he floated up above Goilda and started to tear her head in half.
“You won’t win, you’ll never break us!”
“Don’t count on it,” said The Floating Man snidely as he tore Goilda’s head in half causing a massive explosion as she disappeared.
The Floating Man’s fleet was winning the war, but taking heavy losses. I glanced out a window our eyes met. I felt a chill go through me that terrified me. Then I realized the window was tinted and he couldn’t see me. That’s one lucky break I’ll remember.
We ducked around a corner and came to a brief stone walkway.
“Vola, honey you have to wake up,” I said warmly as I held Vola. Her eyes rolled back into her head and I did the only thing I could think of, I slapped her good and hard. The blow snapped her out of the haze and she looked at me perplexed.
“Thank you,” said Vola softly as she stood up and shook off the haze.
“Did they poison you?” I asked intently as I watched her rubbing the back of her head.
“Yeah, a poison gas hit my ship and nearly killed me. Wow I feel bad,” said Vola as she looked around.
Heroy looked back through the catacombs and saw the light from Rowa’s gun in the distance.
“We’re moving now,” said Heroy boldly as he grabbed Vola’s arm and we ran down the walkway and into a large games room.
There were toys and large games filling the room. It was the perfect place to hide out. I saw the ceiling light was too bright for us to hide so I shot it out. The blackness startled us all. I mean I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face.
“What now?” asked Vola as we walked into a clown statue and closed the door behind us.
“We wait, and then we kill ‘em. Take no prisoners,” I whispered as Rowa jogged into the room with his helmet glowing. I didn’t have a shot at him yet but I would if he kept running forward. I watched the lights on his helmet bob up and down and felt my heart beating out of my chest. I aimed and was just about to shoot when 3 more soldiers came walking into the room. Damn it we can’t catch a break.
“Now what?” asked Vola in a whisper as we watched the soldiers milling about.
“In a few seconds all hell is going to break loose. Just remember to keep shooting. Heroy, get those two on the left. Aim…NOW!”
We fired our weapons and hit two of the soldiers with laser fire. They fell to the ground and Rowa ducked behind a demon statue.
“You’re dead ya know. You’ll never get off this ship ALIVE!” shouted Rowa angrily as he watched two of his soldiers slowly die.
“Don’t listen to him, Leftic, we can still escape.”
“You’re right, Vola, but we’ve got to get moving. Turn off your guns and grab the back of my shirt.”
“I see where you’re going with this. Let’s go,” said Heroy quietly as he grabbed my shirt. We walked out into the pitch black and started walking slowly towards a candle lit hallway. I looked back and saw Rowa and his soldiers checking all the statues. It was so black he couldn’t see us with our guns off, that
was what I was banking on. Then Rowa just started randomly shooting in every direction. One laser blast shot past my ear and I froze. We stood there in the dark and tried not to lose our cool. Again we started walking through the blackness with no guarantee we’d live.
“Where are you?!” screamed Rowa as he shot and destroyed all the different games.
“This way, Leftic,” whispered Vola as she steered me into a blackened room. We looked around and were unable to see anything at all and then I heard a dog bark. I knelt down and felt him licking my hand but I couldn’t see him.
“We need light,” said Heroy as he felt the walls for a light switch.
“I’ve got an idea,” said Vola confidently and then she smiled and said,” Light’s on!” Then the room lit up revealing a dozen dogs and 4 cats milling about as well as a kitchen (food was definitely on our minds at this point).
“Let’s eat,” I said happily as we hurried into the kitchen and started devouring cookies, pies, and even handfuls of potatoes. Anything at this point was delicious.
“God did I need this. Leftic, we have to ear fast they’ll be here soon,” said Vola in between bites as she tried to calm down.
“You don’t have to tell me. Heroy, check the door,” I said quickly as I ate like a dying man.
Heroy walked over to the door and saw the lights from Rowa’s gun bouncing in the darkness and heading their way. “We’re going folks, hurry!”
I grabbed one last sandwich and we darted into the next room over. We were just fast enough to avoid Rowa as Vola was starting to feel better and her head was clearer. Outside there was a thunderous explosion as The Floating Man’s main destroyer went up in flames. Maybe we could win after all.
“Hey, you guys lookin’ for a ride?” asked Petto Firm (Goilda’s half brother as he popped out from behind a secret doorway).
“Yeah but who are you?” I asked nervously as I aimed my gun at Petto.
“Goilda…she’s my sister. I know who you are and I also know the battle is going to shit. If you want out then tell me now,” said Petto firmly as he slowly pulled out a red cigar and lit it.
We looked at each other and then followed him into the passageway. Behind us I heard laser blasts and my heart was jumping. We ran through a secret passageway under the hangar bay and then Petto stopped suddenly and turned to us.
“This floor of the ship is a breakaway ship but I don’t know a safe place to send you. So you’ll have to get lucky. Here, it’s in here,” said Petto in a way that made me think he was sad we were losing the war. He was one of us.
“What’s your name?”
“Petto, call me Petto now have a seat,” said Petto as the room lit up and several dozen computer holograms turned on all over the 300 foot long room. We sat down in our control seats and looked out at the disaster the war had become. It was total destruction, damn if we had only been able to use our destroyer’s.
“We’re lifting off, Petto, thank you. Are you coming with us?” asked Heroy as he taxied the ship to the last barrier before we were outside.
“No, not this time I’ve got to stay and help. We need you to live through this to ever have a chance to win. Be safe, stay alive bye,” said Petto sternly and then he fell through a turbo chamber in the floor and disappeared.
“Ok, we’re off and we’re breathing,” I said happily as I saw the gate open and a set of 3 fighter jets race past.
“Where are we going?” asked Rowa snidely as he walked over to Heroy and aimed his laser rifle at him.
“Hey, let’s keep our heads calm alright?” I pleaded as Rowa grimaced and glared at Heroy.
“No!”
“What, why don’t you just let us leave?” Vola asked nervously as she started to reach for a pistol near her hip.
“Save the Keyguy,” proclaimed Rowa as his eyes danced around the room.
“What the hell does that mean?” asked Heroy as he slowly pulled out his laser pistol.
“The great thinker Keyguy once said…save me and you’ve saved the herd. Kill me, and you’ve killed yourself. I can’t let you all live,” said Rowa snidely as he raised his gun and aimed right at me.
“Wait, we’ve got something you wouldn’t believe. Trust me have a look,” said Vola coyly as she3
walked across the room like she was going for something and then she fired a hipshot at Rowa. The laser blast clipped his shoulder and spun him around. I grabbed my gun and shot over and over again at him but he ducked behind a chair.
“Come out you coward!” I barked as I hoped to dupe him into showing himself.
Rowa laughed and started to activate a Deto bomb he had around his chest. I heard the clicking sound of a bomb and knew it was on. I ran at the chair Rowa was hiding behind and jumped through the air. I looked down at him and shot him right through the left eye. The shot killed him instantly.
“I got him! Wait, there’s some sort of bomb here,” I said nervously as I fingered around the bomb and then saw it had a timer with only 58 seconds left on it.”
“It’s a bomb! What do we do?” asked Vola anxiously as I freed the bomb from underneath Rowa.
“I need a window,” I said nervously and Heroy scanned the room and saw no sign of a window we could use.
“Hey, the garbage shoot, let me see it,” said Heroy quickly and I handed him the bomb which was down to 23 seconds now. Heroy tossed it into the garbage shoot and then jumped into the captain’s seat.
“We have to get some distance from that sucker!” said Heroy as he hit full acceleration causing the ship to launch forward just a second before the bomb exploded. The blast pushed us forward and smashed through The Floating Man’s supply ships, obliterating them.
“That was fun,” I said slyly as we rocketed off into space.
We looked back at the battle and saw that both sides had taken very heavy losses. I worried our army was dead, and we were back to square one.