It was pretty gloomy aboard the transport after Blake was teleported off. Luke Owens was sure his career was ruined. Henri shrugged it off and went to check out the contents of the chip he and Wyllam had stolen. Luke Wyllam and Anthony went to the lounge to play a game of Holo-chess and Luke Owens stayed at the cockpit.
At the computer terminal Henri brought up the file listing of the chip and then proceeded to look at each file one by one. After a few files he came to one that was locked with a security code.
"No problem," he said to himself. He started a code-breaking program and went to get himself a drink. Arriving back at the terminal he set his drink on the desk and adjusted his chair so he could have his feet on the desk and still be able to look out the portal. He took a sip of his drink and gazed at the peaceful stars. Forty minutes later the computer beeped to signal that the code was broken.
"Ah, should be something interesting." Henri thought finishing the last of his third drink.
Five minutes later he came running into the lounge.
"You know that chip we stole yesterday?"
"Yeah?" said Wyllam.
"Well, I broke into a locked file and found plans for a whole invasion of earth orchestrated by that Cormos fellow!"
"No kidding," said Luke.
"Well come see for your self."
After Anthony and Luke had been convinced Luke got on a secure channel and alerted his father, Ambassador Wyllam. Then Henri transmitted all the data to the Ambassador for further inspection.
A little while later Luke Owens came out of the cockpit, "I think we should go after Blake."
Everyone looked at him but said nothing so he continued, "We should try Deranby. He said Cormos had a base there and I think we should try to find it."
Henri rose to his feet, "I was never one to leave a friend stranded. Even though Blake was a pain, I agree, we should try to find him."
Anthony started toward the cockpit and Owens followed.
"Why don't we see if the ship has anything along the lines of weapons," suggested Luke to Henri.
"Try the luggage compartment," Owens suggested over his shoulder, "who knows what Blake had in his luggage."
"Good idea," said Henri.
So Henri and Luke Wyllam went to the Luggage compartment and started rummaging through Blake's luggage.
"I hope Blake doesn't mind us messing with his stuff," Luke Joked.
"He sure was taking a lot of stuff!" Henri said.
Five minutes passed... ten minutes...
"Wow! Luke look at this!" Henri yelled from across the compartment.
"What? What?" Luke asked tripping over stuff in an effort to get to Henri.
"A TRI-VAL Devastator! I've always wanted one of these," Henri said.
"Neat," Luke said and went to a corner and picked up a bag. "Man this bag sure is heavy. I wonder what's in it," he said and proceeded to open it, "Wow, look at all these Laser Rifles. These things are military weapons, they can't be Blake's" he said, and glanced at the nametag, which confirmed his thought.
"Hey Henri, I got a bag full of Laser Rifles here," He said.
"That's good, we need all the help we can get, " Henri said.
Luke Owens' voice came over the intercom "You guys found anything?"
Henri walked over to the intercom and pushed the TALK button. "Yeah, we found a TRI-VAL Devastator, and a bunch of Laser Rifles," He said.
They found nothing else, so they went to the cockpit.
"We'll be arriving at Deranby in a few minutes," Luke Owens' voice informed them.
The craft shuddered as they passed through Deranby's atmosphere, and then there was a bump that signified their arrival on Deranby.
Luke Wyllam reached the hatch before Anthony and Luke and found Henri waiting with the bag of weapons. When the others arrived he passed out a rifle to each of them and took the Devastator for himself.
"So where did you put us?" he asked Anthony.
"A few miles away from the largest power source. We entered the atmosphere on the other side of the planet and flew very low to get here and I don't think anyone picked us up."
"Perfect," Henri handed each of them a pack, "It has enough rations and water for our trip if you don't splurge... Now, let's get going."
It was pretty hot during the trek toward the suspected base. Arriving they found nothing.
"Oh boy Tony. This sure was brilliant," said Luke Wyllam, "In the middle of the desert with no shade."
Anthony had pulled out a gadget and was watching it as he walked back and forth, "It is underground. Just have to find where..." Suddenly he tripped, "Ah ha!" He started pulling on something and out of the sand opened a small round door.
"Must be a ventilation shaft," said Luke Owens.
There were no ladder rungs but the shafted was ribbed and the ribbing gave good holding places.
"Who goes first?" asked Luke Wyllam.
"I want to," said Luke Owens.
"Nah, you always go first," said Anthony, "It's my turn."
"Not true. I want to go first!"
"Come on guys," said Henri, "There are probably tons of evil things down at the bottom waiting for some juicy human to come along."
"Why don't you go first then," said Luke Owens, "You have the biggest gun."
"Look! There's a ship coming!" said Luke Wyllam.
"Uh oh! What about our ship? Someone needs to guard it!" Henri said.
"Luke and Luke can go guard the ship while you and I penetrate the base," Anthony said.
"Ok," said Henri "See ya guys later."
So Luke Wyllam and Luke Owens started walking back to the ship and Henri and Anthony went down the shaft.
"Just our luck, walking all that way and having to go back," Luke Owens said.
"Yeah..."
They walked the rest of the way in silence.
"There's our ship," Luke Owens pointed.
They walk up to the ramp.
"Look! The other ship!" Luke Wyllam cried.
"Those are Meraccians coming!" Luke Owens, "Let's get in the ship!" Owens ran up the ramp and Wyllam followed, closing the ramp and the door behind them.
Inside Owens and Wyllam pulled out their Laser Rifles.
Owens said, "Nobody's going to get our ship. Right Luke?"
"Right Luke."
They heard the ramp being forced down, and then the door crumpled away, revealing the Meraccians, who started firing at them.
"Run!" Luke Owens yelled to Luke Wyllam and they both took off down the hall.
Reaching the end of the ventilation shaft Henri dropped cat-like to the ground, gun ready. He moved out of the way to let Anthony come down. They walked slowly down halls looking for any sign of a cell block or interrogation chamber. Suddenly a Merraccian patrol turned the corner ahead of them and started toward them. Henri pointed his Devastator at them and pressed the firing stud. Its lethal green laser cut down the approaching soldiers in seconds.
"That is why it's called a 'Devastator,'" remarked Henri.
Copyright (c) 2000 by Jakim Friant. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be produced in full or in part without written permission.