Hiigaran Sorrow

The entered the dust cloud, the microscopic particles scrambling any sensors that tried to see through it.

"We made it."

The Firelance dropped to emergency power to make finding it even harder the crisp lighting on the bridge replaced by dim red. Already men in space suits were removing the destroyed sensors in preparation for the replacement being installed. The rebel crew were in full activity taking stock and searching for any crew who had escaped their grasp as well at stationing the prisoners they had it strategic locations so that there was no way they could organize or all be rescued in one swoop.

"So let me get this strait you plan on making us all raiders.. pirates."

"Thats why I need you, you have experience, contacts... where is the nearest pirate base? We'll fly there and..."

"No Veers, I'm done with that. I joined to get away from that life, so stop having to kill civilians and steal to survive. What you propose isn't a way to save the rebellion, its a way to doom it to petty crimes and disgrace."

"Oh and suddenly you know how to save the rebellion. Suddenly you're an expert on honor Mr. Pirate. Mr. I lost my sister. Have you ever stopped to consider the rebellion has to continue. At all costs and there are those who have lost more that you."

Jido stood, his legs shaky but supporting his weight. I See one way to save the rebellion General Veers..."[/color]

The older man turned towards him.

"Then by all means..."

He didn't get any further as the lights came back on and the sensors came online... the Firelance was repaired.

"Now.. a heading if yo..."

The flash filled the entire bridge and the smell the burned flesh followed soon after. Jido stood laser raised as Veers' burned body hit the deck.

"By your leave Veers." he spat as the bridge crew looked at him in shock. He walked forwards and slowly sat in the captain's chair jamming his finger into the intercom.

"Well now... You all know who I am but theres one thing different. My dear compadre Veers has had an accident. I'm in charge now... stand by for further orders."
 
They were making good use of their speed and current location. The Firelance had absolutely no clue where they were unless they did some sort of U-turn and whipped around to fire at them. Which, hopefully, they would not do. Mikel was having no luck with the coordinates. It wasn't his cup of tea. Quiet honestly, it was none of their cup of tea. They all had different strengths. Imala just grabbed two random Core members; one was actually a gunner and the other...a chef she called 'Recon'. A strange entourage to say the least.

"Got a location?"she called out to Mikel from over the wheel, not keeping her eyes off of the Firelance whatsoever. The slightest screw up and their position would be given up. They had as much as they needed to maneuver behind them. but it was keeping stealthy that was the task. Imala was sure to keep her blue eyes peeled for any and everything, while still trying to command the makeshift crew she had.

"No. I have no idea where they are going." Mikel said. The brute honesty was not a good pill to swallow. That only meant that there may be another place where they have all of their machines, supplies, equipment, and...more men. Imala did not think to much of that. It was better to take it one step at a time.

"Pinpoint all near planets. Gather resource info, anything you think the Rebel would get their grubby hands on."she ordered.

"Yes mam. The first is some plane--"

Seekkkk!

All heads turned to the dash to see a brightening of lights in front of the Firelance. That could only mean one thing: They had repaired the ship. Which meant radars were back online and they were now in the open. Imala swore under her breath, gripping the wheel.

"Gunner. Charge those Gattles. Make sure they are at 80%, not the full 100. Mikel, see if you can get us to go a little faster. Check engine status. Recon, I need eyes on their guns. Positions. Every damn thing."she snapped. If Firelance was going to turn around, they had better be prepared for a dog fight.​
 
The Firelance's engines opened up bathing the could in a blue reflected glow.

"CONTACT! Right behind ass and closing. Looks like a lightly armed shuttle."

"Attention core vessel do not get any closer, just because we're under new management doesn't mean the conditions ave changed. If you get within half a mile of the Firelance a hostage dies for every foot you approach."

This was not a time for diplomacy, this was a time for survival, Jido agreed that much with Veers. Then he cut off the transmitter.

"Do not open fire, I want us out of this cloud and going faster than they CAN as of right now. We're rabbiting."

"Running from one transport... Sir?"

"We kill this one and the entire core fleet will be breathing down our necks instead of one shuttle... Imala I hope to hell thats not you out there..."

The Firelance could get away without any blood being spilled, the problem was there was nowhere for them to go....
 
There was no way in hell Imala could remain stable at that moment. No way... When she heard Jido's voice blare over in the ship's speakers, her entire body shut cold and her fears were realized. He sabatoged one of her ships! Again! For a moment, she didn't think she could move or speak while the last of his words rung in her ears, threatening to kill her people. There was a momentary silence and cold drop on the floor before Imala finally found her air and voice. She inhaled and looked Gunner in the eyes.

"80%."

"What of his threat?" Mikel spoke out, making his way over to the radar. Mikel. Always the one to bring bad news. Imala accelerated the ship, ignoring the threat on all terms. besides, the Firelance was gaining some speed and they had to match it in order to be in firing range.

"I think it'd be a lot worse if he just give up, don't you? Recon, any news on the guns?"

"Not yet, mam. They are not in position to attack us just yet."

"Gattles on 74%, mam."

"Mikel, engine status!"she snapped. Mikel momentarily stood in place before sliding away to the next computer board to Imala's right.

"They're at full."

"Good."she answered, speeding up. The entire time, she hoped that Jido wasn't as...wasn't as dirty of a Rebel that he was before. Would he really tell her all of those things and promises while holding a gun to the heads of her Core?

"Gattles on 80%, mam."

"I need a shot to the lower region engine support system. And dont miss."she ordered, trying her best to level the ship. There was no way she was letting him get away with this a second time.​
 
The Firelance shook again as the second blast hit.

"Engine cowling hit, transmitter and rear powerplant comprimised."

"Sir... Don't you think we shoudl shoot back?"

"Can we repair without stopping?"

"The engines, yes the transmitter we do not have a spare."

"They're trying to cripple us.. damn..."

It had to be her, had to me Imala, no one else would take on a capitol ship with nothing but a shuttle.

"Aft battery prepare to fire, bring her about, port battery and aft section turrets fire at will."

The Firelance turned and over a dozen guns fire wildly at the pursuers.

"Who told you to do that... what gives you the.."

"Who said you were in charge, you shot Veers in my book that makes you a traitor. You're lucky I don't feed you to the prisoners... I'm not letting them pick us apart without a fight."
 
There was a shake, rattle, and rumble as multiple shots flew off of the shuttle's hull. The first couple of shots shut off the main coolant system, but it didn't effect the oxygen tank in the least. That was a plus. The minus was that the next few shots shot off the percentage gauge for the engines.

"Mam! We have engine life but no definite percentage! Thrusters are still on if I can recall and--"

"Great, that's all I need to know."

"Taking heavy fire! Guns at 84%! Advance in firing?" Gunner asked. Imala looked behind her at the three Core she had with her. Gunner and Recon were new to her command but were in the Core long enough to know that when a order is given, it must be followed remorselessly. Mikel was a different matter. He was with the 'right' and 'wrong' things to do part of the mission, speaking out on terms that had no time for negation. To be honest, they may not come out of the fight alive. Might as well do the best to ensure they do not arise from the Core ashes.

"Mam?"

"Yes. Fire, but only at the engines."she said, turning back to the dash to watch the turrets of Firelance reign on them...by Jido's command....

"I wouldn't shoot you over a word, or this damn treaty."​

Imala's fingers flinched on the wheel, lurching the shuttle slightly to the left. Thankfully, Gunner had not yet got the Gattle ready and she readied the ship back onto attacking positions, taking heavy damage to their transmitting ports.​
 
"Turn back around and full burn and for just sake get communications back up."

"You're not in charge there traitor...."

Jido was standing the gun back in his hands, across from him three other men also armed were standing.

"I am the highest ranking officer left alive and I' telling you to run. We can move faster than them. You've made your point."

"Says the man she killed Alexander, the man who killed Veers... why shouldn't I kill you and make myself General."

"Because you're likely to get yourself and everyone on this ship killed. The core will have more ships coming and we need to get out of here." He raised his gun and pointed it to the seated navigation officer. "Punch it."

The Firelance's engines burned brighter as she accelerated her turrets still firing.

"There to general?"

"Heading 813 by 431."

The Belt of tears... one of the most dangerous regions of space. Nothing but giant ice crystals and pirates.. the perfect place to hide.
 
The turrets were ripping through the flimsy outer covering of the shuttle. Their radars were down and a few other things were not working as smoothly, but the engines and Gattles were doing just fine. Imala did her best to turn the ship to avoid as much fire as she could, but their turrets were a lot more advanced then the Gattles they had.

"Gattle at 92%!"

"Mam! The engine shutters are showing sign of electrical resistance! It looks like the thrusters are going to be out in a few minutes."

"Dammit," she muttered to herself, tossing the ship to do a violent left lurch. The Gattles let fire at the Firelance engines, but with all the moving, they had not destroyed them. It was getting hectic. Firelance was speeding up and they were slowing down. The chart of advantages and disadvantages were outrageous at this point. Imala and the others were hanging on by a thread.

"95%, mam!"

"Keep firing. Recon, use those thrusters now!"she shouted, gripping the wheel while it made a violent lurch forward. Her hair had been whipped back and forth while she shouted her commands that it now fell out if it's tight bun and lay in dark pink strands around her shoulders.

"Imala...I have an idea where they're going...and you may not like it."

"Then don't tell me. Just pursue."​
 
"Sir, if we go in there we're dead." More shits from the shuttle but less accurate, less focused.

"No we won't. I used to pilot shot up freighters though here. Piece of cake."

The dark crystals loomed ahead and Jido searched them.. then a feint red flash.

"50 percent thrust for five seconds. Then twenty degrees down. DO IT"

They did, they had no choice, Jido was the only one who knew hos to get through the belt, the only ex-pirate among them.

"Up thirty degrees and port ten."

The slipped into the field between two great chunks of ice and the turrets fell silent unable to shoot though the boulders.

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"I do... now, navigation light on the starboard side only, all of them on.. five degrees starboard twenty percent thrust. God this ship is a brick..."
 
Imala had to squint her eyes to see ahead of her. If she was seeing things right, and she hoped she was, there were giant chunks of floating...ice?

"Mikel..."

"The Belt of Tears. I thought you told me not to tell you."he responded, making his way over to her side and staring ghastly at the cluster of chunks that bobbed around them. The shuttle was stuttering as the thrusters had finally died down.

"Mam! We're losing sight of them through the ice! Use the Laser Be--"

"No. If we hit, we'll bring down the ship and the Core with it."she said, trying to keep her eye on Firelance. It was hard to move through the rubble around them. The engine percentage had given out and they were now running on nothing but support fuel. Recon barked out that the O2 tank was facing high damage and the right wing was hanging on by a couple of crushed piles of metal and will power.

"My god...it's almost as if he knows exactly where he's going." Mikel whispered through his scarred lip. Imala wasn't going to comment on his compliment to the Rebel that was trying to kill them. Her focus was the back of the Firelance's engi--

Crrraaannnncckkk!

The entire crew was thrown roughly to the left after a large chunk of ice rammed into the right side of the shuttle, ripping the wing right off from the thread it was hanging onto. Imala was thrown into Mikel and the two of them were thrown onto their backs, rolling until they slammed against the far right side of the shuttle. The back of Imala's head cracked against the walls and a familiar burst of white lights filled. The ship was tilted on it's left as the screeching of ice on metal could be heard. It took a minute for them all to straighten themselves and stand the best they could. Imala tried to make her way back to the pilot seat, swaying with a cut under her cheek and a blanket of pink in her face.

"Mam, all engine support is down! We--"

Crraankk!

The lurch happened again, this time, with sparks cascading from the circuits.

"Imala!"

"Hold onto something!"she shouted while another chunk of ie hit the left side of the ship, extracting a scream from her.​
 
"Sir....."

"I know... Thirty degree starboard..... All stop."

There was silence as the Firelance's engines shut down.

"I've seen it many times... Welcome to the belt of tears. Left pick them up."

The Firelance's shuttlebay opened and thanks to Jido's careful maneuvering it was a simple matter to bring Imala's ship inside and close it again as two dozen men in armor and carrying weapons took position. Jido among them.

"No one who has never been taught the routs through here can hop to get though." he said. "Your backup cannot follow, come out unarmed and you will be reunited with the crew of the firelance and handed back to the core with them.. once out demands have been met."
 
One by one, all for of the Core were shoved roughly out of the ship. Gunner and Recon were the first two to encounter the Rebel since they were at the back ramp of the horribly maimed shuttle. The Rebel's were not gentle to them, even while the two of them were tangled on the floor wrapped in each other. Gunner, the young male, was the first to be tossed into the Firelance and surrounded by a handful of Rebels, Jido standing in the middle. He was slightly disoriented, but was aware enough to know that he was in a world of trouble. Recon, the young lady chef, was only tossed a few seconds later behind gunner. She was forced to her knees, just as him, holding her arms behind her head. Mikel was soon next, followed by Imala.

The two of them were in the worse way. Mikel was so dazed and confused, he could hardly stand up right. He groaned and only heard half of what Jido said. The other have was a ringing in his ears and a semi-screeching much like the metal on ice contact the ship had endure before. Imala was the last to exit, and she was the one thrown the roughest. She had to shoot her hands out at the last minute to keep herself from falling on her face. Her hair waved in front of her face and she coughed once, trying to get the smell of melting metal from her lungs. Her little mission of valor was ending in a fiasco...

...and it was all because of him. Imala shot her light blue eyes up at the minute Jido spoke, all the while, being forced to her knees with her hands thrown behind her back by a rebel. She didn't say anything in response; neither of them did. They all just looked up at Jido and awaited his next orders. He was the one in charge and he held their lives in his hands and behind his words. Imala hid the look of betrayal behind her expression of disgust while she knelt next to her crew.​
 
He looked at the soldiers before him "Take them to the holding cell, every man in a separate cell and no way to communicate with eachother.. except her. I'll interrogate her personally."

He grabbed Imala's arm and pulled her from the line the cold toutch of a pistol pressing into her back.

"I killed Veers" he growled at he pushed her out of the room and towards a store room where they would have privacy, closing and locking the door behind them pushing her to the floor. "I am in charge now. But the men hate me... I had to put on a show."

He didn't expect her to trust him. Not after it looked like he shot her out of space. "I want to surrender then entire rebellion to the core.. but I have terms. The core will pay for Hiigara to be rebuilt, Hiigara will have its own independent government ruled by the people of Hiigara and in their interests and every member of the rebellion is to receive fair trial under an independent Hiigaran court and NOT in a court run by the core... I need you to deliver that message."
 
"Here's my delivery..."she growled and swung her fist towards his face, decking him right in the jaw. There was a blinding white fire that ripped through her knuckles as soon as it came in contact with his jaw. She was angry that she didn't hear it crack beneath the blow. She was angry that she couldn't follow it up with another one because the first had caught him off guard enough for him to stumble back.

"You killed one of your own. Heh, that is no surprise to me. Betraying your own friends...your own partners...me!"she screamed. There was nothing he could tell her to soothe her fears, doubts, and anger. This was too big of a coincidence to happen over and over and over again. She paced around the room angrily, thinking about where Gunner, Recon, and Mikel. Imala gritted her teeth and waved her hand again, piercing Jido with a blue eyed gaze.

"What are they doing to my men? What sick...sick plan do you have in store for us? Because I don't believe a word of your surrender bull shit! You just recovered...by the hands of MY people, and this is how you repay us?"she snapped. For a moment, she had to hold onto something because of the dazed feeling she felt. The cut on her forehead was still seeping out blood, but id didn't bother her. All she saw was red, anyway.​
 
He recovered and spat out blood. "I didn't think you would believe me Imala but as you have just pointer out your men are in that hands of the psychopaths under my command." His voice was a growl. "I will give you one of our shuttles and one prisoner of your choice as a show of faith. You go back to the core and tell them to grant Hiigara her independance. Then I turn myself, this ship, these men, and all the prisoners over to Hiigaran custody. Hiigara gives the ship and prisoners to the core and we all get a fair trial... and for me a fair trial leads to an execution. You know this as well as I do but no one else needs to die. I don't want to fight anymore."

There were tears in his eyes but his hid them. "That is my offer. You have one hour to decide." He turned and stepped out of the store room, then tossed a communicator to her. "This will let you tell me when you've decided." The door slid closed and locked... and with insulating metal between then Jido allowed himself a sob.
 
"LET ME OUT OF HERE, YOU TRAITOROUS BASTARD!"she yelled, banging on the door with her fist. The clanging of her fist on the door was all she heard while she was locked in that room. It was amplified by 10 while her head was still messed up from earlier, but Imala did not cease her rampage.

"Jido Vikal! What kind of man are you? Huh? WHAT KIND OF MAN DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! You're nothing more than a robot! Hiigara's Own?! I am not like you!"she shouted, twisting her fist so that she would punch the door instead of bang on it. They were only short bursts of pain, but she needed it.

"I am nothing...like you! I'm not going to take one of these guys as prisoners just so I can give Kole some honorable story about how you 'sacrificed' yourself for the sake of Hiigara! You sabotaged another one of my ships and tell me you would give me a SHUTTLE in return?!" Imala continuously punched the steel door. She wasn't satisfied until her knuckles split and blood began to ooze from the cracks. Her hand became numb as well as every other feeling she possessed in her body. Unconsciously, her voice cracked with the rush of oncoming tears.

"I trusted you! Don't let them kill them! Please! I've already lost Enyo! Don't let them die! I don't want anymore to die! Don't...don't die..."she choked out, taking deep breaths while tears burned her eyes. It was growing common for her to feel that way, but Imala couldn't help herself. Sinking to the floor, she shoved her hands in her hair and grabbed a handful on both sides as if she were trying to pressure herself to come up with the decision. A minute in that room felt like days. She was utterly alone: with her thoughts, with her pain, and with the decision to kill the man who she had put all of her trust in.​
 
He was slumped against the wall raising the communicator to his lips. "We do what we must Imala. That shuttle, and one of your men will be all you need to get back to the core. You will get your ship back." He was ignoring her last plea because he could not guarantee he would survive, in fact the odds were against it. There was no easy way out but this way Hiigara still had a chance to be free. "We do what he have to do Imala. I shot Veers because he was going to take up into piracy. But I cannot hand this ship and these men over to the Core without a guarantee they will be treated fairly."

There was a blast of air as he sighed, then he stood and started walking away from the store room. She would decide or he would. They were in the forest, it was dark and there was no light. But that was the only time he could see the path.
 
The pain had long since went away while Imala lay slumped in a corner. The room looked completely rearranged. Imala had tossed the chairs in anger at Jido's words through the communicator. She almost threw the communicator across the room as well, but she couldn't do that. Imala still had to give him her decision. There were too many things weighing against her. Gunner, Recon, and Mikel were what she had to think about. If she decided to take him in, would they be safe, or would one of his men be stupid enough to kill them? And what if she refused? Would it be the same fate? Imala curled her hands around herself some more, knowing that her hour was soon to come to a close and she had no idea what to do.

Looking down at the communicator, Imala was suddenly brought back to Azriel. The battle smitten war zone with flying detonators and miscommuincated transmitters on the fritz. Bullets against laser. Swords against power armor. Her Core beside her, heading to her every warning and obeying her every command. She would rather be in that situation than the room she was in at the time. Imala continued to scrutinize the device gripped in her hand. There was blood still caked on her hand and the gash on he forehead.

There was a small moment of silence before she brought the communicator to her mouth, opened her mouth to speak, and then pulled back. She let her eyes close, and did the process again.

"My decision has been made. Now can you please get me out of here?"she said in a feebly tired voice.​
 
There was a sharp hiss on the speaker as Jido lifted his to his lips. "Its too late Imala, the decision has been made for you."

There was a moving dot on the scanner. A core ship was out there, looking for them. "I'm sorry." The Firelance's engines roared to life as she slipped out from behind a chunk of ice and her guns squared on the hapless vessel. The Firelance shook as she opened fire and the core ship was hit it's engines dying immediately and she drifted helplessly her lights flickering then going out.

"There now was that so hard. Set course for Hiigara."

Jido looked up at the man standing over him wiping the blood from his face. Command has been stripped from him by force, he was hurt, bloody, and now no one on board was his ally. Except maybe one person. His communicator was snatched away and snapped in half. But he wasn't done yet. He stood. "Then I will remove myself from the bridge."

"You do that.. he have a fleet to kill. You see Jido, you don't know how to use prisoners. If they won't shoot us because we have a hold full of their men then we can shoot them." the man jerked his head at Jido and a man stepped forwards and grabbed him by the shoulder and began walking him down the steel passageway. "You don't have to escort me, I'm not exactly armed, and I'm recovering from serious wounds..."

"Orders is orders, but Jido... You need time alone. I can see that, Just don't make me regret this."

Jido smile at his former squadmate. "I'll see you after the war, friend."

"Six eight three nine seven. Don't forget."

It was a full half hour after Jido spoke to her that the door to Imala's store room buzzed over an Jido stumbled in.

"We're leaving. Now."
 
He didn't look so good, much like the way he looked when he was in the Core hospital. Actually, she preferred him in a bed and strapped down then how he was now. She picked her head up from the position she was in and looked up at Jido who had stumbled into the room. Her very first instinct was to attack. To lunge at his throat and strangle him until he was near death and only then would she let go and show him how close he was to being killed. However, like any other time when she was alone and had no idea what to do, her self-esteem plummeted, and she had no other choice but to obey.

To submit to whatever he told her to do.

"I felt fire...Were you killing more of my people, since it seems to have become somewhat of a past time to you?"she asked. Her voice was a complete monotone. There was no emotion, sarcasm, or hope behind the words whatsoever. In fact, she even had to tug and pry in her mind to find out whether the question she just asked was rhetorical or not. Was an answer really necessary? Did she already know it? The Firelance shuddered with a creaking sound at the damage it had taken from her shuttle only an hour before. The tremor was probably just the engines spluttering and trying to hold some stability onto their gears and fuel. Imala got up and rocked back and forth, following Jido to wherever she was taking him.

"You locked me in there to decide for me?"she asked, keeping her eyes peeled for anything she could use as a weapon. Attacking him with her strength alone was not going to help at all. She had to have some advantage.​
 
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