Unbroken: Rise of the Horde

Chapter Fourteen

It was then that Hordak remembered just how much he loathed Catra. The all-too-knowing look in her eyes. The sass in her tone. The way her tail swished behind her.

Rage and disbelief brewed inside Hordak in a way it hadn't for days. He clenched his jaw, but willed that his powerful emotions calmed. Somehow Catra had managed to escape the Crimson Waste and capture She-Ra along the way.

The Captain threw Adora to the ground. As soon as the sword entered the room, the air shifted colder. The screens blared until they were so bright, the contents on them were unreadable. The tubes and pipes twisted and warped. Catra admired the weapon for a moment, then tossed it to the ground besides the defected Horde soldier.

"What?" Catra smirked, placing a hand on her hip. Hordak noticed that she had accessorized. With her, she carried a coiled deadly-looking whip. "Didn't expect to see me again?"

"Wow," Entrapta whispered. Her hair reached for the weapon. "You have a whip now?"

Catra pulled away. "Focus!" she snapped. "I got you what you needed. This sword is the key to the whole planet."

Adora struggled against her bonds, but it was no use. Her tidy dirty-blond hair was tangled, and her famous hair poof was a disaster. Her sky blue eyes radiated rage.

Entrapta picked up the sword and examined it. "Hmmm," she thought out loud. "I suppose it makes sense. She-Ra's sword is First Ones tech, maybe the most powerful I've ever seen. All this time, this was the key we needed!"

For a while, the scientist just stared at it. "Uh, I guess I should figure out how it works."

Hordak's hard features softened, and he dropped his gaze. His rage for Catra's return changed into something else.  He felt his shoulders fall ever so slightly as he gazed at Entrapta.  He scolded himself, and straightened back up quickly. This is what I need to do. 

Catra snapped her fingers together, drawing their attention. "I brought you everything you need to open a portal and finish the Princesses off for good," she growled. "What are we waiting for?"

Entrapta and Hordak exchanged glances. The clone had only slightly improved with facial cues, but it was enough to tell that she was disappointed, too. They nodded and turned back to the machine.

In her bonds, Adora thrashed harder.

. . .

Entrapta held up the sword, looking at it skeptically. She had connected it to the portal through metal clips attached to wires, but it didn't seem to be doing anything.

"With the sword connected to the portal," she told Hordak, "We should finally be able to bypass the planetary interference." She shrugged. "I just have no idea how it works!"

Hordak's expression softened. It always amazed him how open she was about her understanding of the planet. Or at least, it was amazing to him.  You'll figure it out.

After admitting she was stumped, Hordak turned to the muffled noise maker across the room. He scoffed, "Must she be here?"

Entrapta hummed to herself, looking at Adora. "Good question. I'm not sure if we need just the sword, or She-Ra, too."

The clone watched as the girl struggled against the cuffs binding her to the pole behind her. So much for a legendary war hero. She looked pretty helpless now.

Entrapta's hair stretched forward and pulled the cloth off of Adora's mouth. "You wouldn't happen to know, would you Adora?"

"No," Adora spat. She gritted her teeth. "And if I did, I wouldn't tell the Horde."