King Karik Korinth
The ship exploded into pieces. We had been hit. All I could think about was Vanessa. I hit the ground hard inside of the piece of the ship that I was in. I could hear growling. I unstrapped myself and got to my feet.
“No, it is just me,” I heard Azlo say. I quickly moved around the back of the ship that I was strapped in. He was strapped into another part of the ship. I quickly unbuckled the belt and helped him to his feet.
“No, I just got the wind knocked out of me,” he said as he put his hands on his knees and took a minute.
“No. I didn't see anything. It was just a flash of light. I didn't even know what happened until I looked around a second ago lying here,” he said.
“All right. I am going to fly straight up keeping with the tree canopy to see what I can see. You stay right here and stand guard. Whistle if you see any Clenok cyborgs in our direction,” I said.
“Got it,” he said standing straight up and scanning the area. I flew straight up. I could see another piece of the ship; we had to get to it. I flew back down to the ground.
"To our right between those trees. There is another piece of the ship. Let's go quietly. If you see a cyborg use, fire first. We do not want gunshots going off to warn other Clenok cyborgs of our presence,” I said.
We quietly made our way to the other piece of the ship. Jex was strapped into it, and he was unconscious.
“No, he is just unconscious.” I lightly slapped Jex on the cheek over and over. His eyes slowly opened.
“We were shot down. Be very quiet. We are in enemy territory surrounded,” I said. He nodded his head yes. Azlo helped me get him out of the ship. Jex stood on his feet, getting his bearings back. I looked around but could not see the other piece of the ship. I hoped that she survived. I could not be without her. Not now. I would blame myself for allowing her to talk me into this foolish mission. Then I saw her. I couldn't believe it.
“Will you look at that,” I whispered pointing in her direction. Jex and Azlo both looked. We watched as she calmly walked toward the keddle. There were Clenok cyborgs near her, but because she was going so slowly and calmly, they did not detect her presence.
“It's courage or stupidity,” I said feeling angry that she was being so careless. But also feeling extremely proud that she was so courageous, brave, and alive. My mouth watered for her.
"The mission has not changed. We must give her a cover. Azlo how do you feel?”
“Good. I want you to fly up to the top of this tree. You are the sniper. If any try to shoot her or any of us, take them out. But as a last resort. We do not want to alert them to our presence,” I said.
“Jex, you will stay on the ground. I want you to go around to the right. Use fire first if you can. I am going to fly directly over her. I'm going to pick them off from the air if they come near her. Make sure that she and I are clear of your firing,” I said.
I saw a cyborg going toward Vanessa. I am mediately flew into the air and over. I grabbed the cyborg just as it was about to aim its gun at her. I picked it up into the air and broke it. She looked up at me. Then she continued on her mission. I carried the cyborg to the brush and quietly dropped it. Then I flew back over her and watched her from up high. She was sitting inside the keddle just as she was before when I rescued her. I could see that she had plugged in something. This was good. It was going well. I looked at Azlo and Jex in position. Maybe we were going to get away with this. I hoped that this virus worked.
Then I noticed a cyborg standing directly in front of her a few yards out. It's seemed to be locked onto her. Then it began to take steps toward her. What should I do? I didn't want to fire at it. I didn't want the keddle to close with her inside of it. I noticed the cyborg look to the left and then the right. Then it picked up its gun, aiming at her. But then it lowered the gun. I think it realized that shooting at her meant shooting at the keddle. This was a good thing. I was relieved. But I needed to buy her some time and get her out of there. I could no longer be quiet. This cyborg was going to be on her in no time.
“Hey, you,” I said to the cyborg as I landed beside the keddle. It looked at me. Then it walked toward me, aiming its gun. I went directly behind the keddle. It followed. It couldn't shoot at the keddle: I had already learned that. As soon as it got around the corner, I was ready with fire in my belly. I opened my mouth and shot fire at it. It melted.
But this must have alerted something inside the keddle. I could hear the hydraulics go into action and it slowly began to close. I went around the corner just in time to see Vanessa running out of it. I moved into action. I grabbed her and flew in the direction of my soldiers.
“Go, go,” I said to them through my radio. We flew in the direction that we had come from around the back. “Keep it low. They shot us down, so they have guns on the side. Stay inside the tree canopy,” I whispered. “Move fast. Be a blur,” I said to them.
Soon we were out of range. I landed on a large outcropping of rock on a cliffside. I put Vanessa down on her feet. Jex and Azlo landed beside me.
“I am fine. Are you hurt? What about the rest of you? I thought that I had lost you. The ship was shot down,” she said.
“I got it in there. It was uploading. But then it started to close. I had to get out of there, but I left the virus in the port. Hopefully, it is still going,” she said.
“Vanessa, you've got some balls on you. We saw you walking calmly toward the keddle like it was nothing. You are one courageous human female,” Azlo said to her.
“I don't think I have ever seen anything like that. You are amazing,” Jex said.
“Yes, let's go. Take the exact same route we took in the ship. Headed back to the wall. Hopefully, it has not fallen,” I said.
We flew off of the cliff and rounded through the back of the area. It was the same way that we had gone, opposite of the battle. Soon we could hear the gunfire and the sounds of battle. I landed on the perimeter wall. So far, the Clenok cyborgs had not breached even though the electricity was out. But they were slowly piling up. I put Vanessa down on her feet, and Jex and Azlo landed next to us.
"But look. They are piling on top of each other against the wall. It won't be long before it is a ladder,” she said.
“My king. The opposite side of the wall is a mess. We are holding them off as best as we could but there are piles and piles of Clenok cyborgs, and they are going to breach the wall within ten minutes. What should we do?” my lieutenant said to me over the radio.
“No, if you bombed the wall, it could crack. It could come crumbling down,” Vanessa said.
“Maybe the virus is delayed. Just hold them off a little longer,” she said.
“I need to go take a look at that side of the wall. Stay here with Jex and Azlo. It is too dangerous on the other side,” I said.
“Like hell. I am going with you,” she said. I knew not to fight. There was no use. She had already proven herself brave and stubborn.
“You are going to make love to me over and over when this is done,” she said playfully. I admired her for her playfulness in such a crazy time. It made me laugh.
“I can promise I will. Let's go check it out,” I said. I picked her up and flew to the other side of the wall. It was dire circumstances when we got there.