The two Yapeil arced through the air. Apparently, Lafiel was already acclimated to the planet’s gravity; the shots nailed their targets. One hit the forward transport, and the other sailed into the open door of the other machine.
Flashes of light, then screams. Explosions. Angry shouts.
“Holy…” began Minh.
“Run!” yelled Lafiel as she bounded away from the walking machine. By the time she had hit the ground running, she somehow already had her Klanyu drawn and ready.
She didn’t have to say it twice. The remaining occupants of the walking machine scrambled out and ran.
“Over there!” commanded Lafiel, pointing to an area of particularly dense brush.
They ran for cover in the bushes.
Aranga furiously barked orders. Gunfire erupted all around, tearing down the walking machine, splitting entire trees in half.
Without breaking stride, Lafiel dropped Aranga with one incredible shot. “Hurry up!” she called.
“Shit!” Minh yelled. “Thanks to the Abh, I’m a damn fugitive!”
“Silence. I’ll take your complaints later.”
The enemy soldiers seemed to have sorted out their initial confusion, and were more than a little bit agitated.
“Son of a… ! Everybody over here!” called Minh, leading the others through the foliage.
“Look!” yelled an aberrantly animated Daswani. He pointed at the sky.
The personnel transporter that hadn’t blown up now teetered unsteadily in the air, revealing an imposing gun on its underside.
With a monstrous blast, the gun eradicated a handful of surrounding trees.
“Follow me!” Minh called, running through the flaming wreckage.
Jinto couldn’t see through the smoke, but he felt a hole barely large enough for one person to enter. Lafiel shoved Jinto through it, then followed him in.
After sliding for a moment along a surprisingly smooth stone tunnel, Jinto felt the brief sensation of weightlessness. Something nice and cushy broke his fall.
“Clear the way!” yelled Minh.
Quickly rolling toward the voice, Jinto managed to avoid the next body that came crashing down. “Owww,” Undertaker moaned.
Jinto remembered his Klanyu’s illumination capability, and pulled it from his backpack to light up the area.
They were in a cave, about six feet in diameter. A big, shock-absorbing mat sat on one side. Undertaker and Daswani were still tangled in a heap on the mat.
“Everybody in?” checked Minh.
“Looks like it,” said Marca.
“Good. Come with me.” Minh pointed into the cave.
“What is this?” asked Jinto as he walked alongside Minh.
“It’s a lava tunnel,” said Minh. “This was an active volcano up until a few hundred million years ago.”
“Was that slide always part of it?”
“That’s my addition. Don’t worry about it.” He turned to Lafiel. “Did you really have to blow all that stuff up? They know who I am, you know.”
“Apologies,” Lafiel said calmly. “I’m sorry to involve you all in this. We simply cannot be arrested.”
“I once knew a man,” Undertaker lamented, “who jumped from the second story of a building into a tangle of brambles for no apparent reason. He was completely messed up. I mean, he had to be covered in a systemic regeneration stimulant and everything. Well, when I visited him in the hospital, I asked him why he did it. Know what he said?”
“What?” asked Marca impatiently.
“He said, ‘it seemed like a good idea at the time.’ ” “So you think it was a bad idea to take an Abh hostage?” Marca huffed. “And you want me dismissed from my position as cell leader, too, I’ll bet.”
“Maybe. If we survive,” said Minh.
They arrived at a fork in the tunnel.
“Turn right,” Minh instructed, “and we’ll come out into the main current.”
A short time after they turned right, they could hear faint, rhythmic footsteps behind them.
“They’re following us,” Marca whispered.
Eventually, they came to another fork and choose a path without a second thought.
“Will we be able to escape?” wondered Lafiel. “If we can just get out into the main current, we can slip into another tributary, where there will be numerous paths to the surface.”
“Then you guys go ahead. We’ll stop them,” the princess promised. “Say what?”
“I don’t want to cause you any more trouble. Go on ahead.”
“For crying out loud!” hissed Undertaker. “We’re the kidnappers here. We can’t let the hostages save our butts! Jeez!”
“It’s okay, Undertaker,” said Minh. “If we keep going like this, they’ll kill us all.”
“Exactly,” said Lafiel. “Please go.” Marca sighed. “Okay. Let’s go. This girl’s mind is made up.”
“Thank you,” said Lafiel. “I’ll stay, too,” volunteered Daswani. “That’s not necessary. You’re not even armed. You’ll be of more use to us if you escape.” “She’s right, Daswani.”
“It’s a complete disgrace!” Undertaker announced. “Hurry up. They’re getting closer.” Due to the nature of the cave, there was no way to tell exactly how close the soldiers were just based on the echo, but they were definitely gaining ground.
“Very well. If you live, perhaps we’ll meet again,” said Marca.
“Thanks,” said Lafiel.
“Stop it!” Undertaker insisted. “We abducted you!” The Anti-Empire Clasbul Front wandered further into the cave, and Undertaker grumbled the whole way. Jinto shut his light off in hopes of surprising the enemy.
“Jinto, you don’t have to stay, if you don’t want to.”
“You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
“Darn,” Lafiel joked. “The way you shoot that gun, it’s doubtful you’ll hit anything anyway. Just try to not die, okay?”
“You’re always brightening my day,” Jinto said, then grimaced.
“Hand me my Kreuno and Alpha.”
Using the lowest illumination setting on his laser pistol, Jinto retrieved her Kreuno and control tiara from the rucksack. They had eight Yapeil left, and they split them up evenly.
“Good thing we didn’t bury this,” said Lafiel as she put on the Alpha.
Jinto cringed to think she had been right. He switched his gun into its firing mode, and waited.
The cave was narrow enough to give Jinto and Lafiel good odds. Unless, of course, the soldiers had heavy weapons.
“If they use the big guns, we’ll be buried alive.”
“Don’t worry,” Lafiel said confidently. “How can the Kasarl Gereulak die underground?”
“Uh, yeah. Good logic.” And, in spite of the impending battle, Jinto chuckled.