The Outcasts: Rise Of Bonez

10 - Journey Into The Unknown

On board The De Vil Rocket, Fast Maker sat in his chair as the vessel continued on its path through space. Black Star would be standing beside him, armed with the knowledge gained from her visit to Garrison's Library. The two would quietly talk to one another as other members soon entered the room.

Gathering around the centre console, Lola and Enzo stood close together, whispering to each other. They were truly amazed by all that the ship had to offer, which made Apollo feel grateful to have such resourceful new friends.

Centa, Rift and Batsy were all too inside the cockpit, sitting alone, their eyes glued to the view outside. Despite being in a spaceship, they felt uneasy, their expressions pensive as they gazed upon the stars, trying to make sense of everything.

It felt strange that most of The Outcasts had been kidnapped, with only two members still remaining. With the rest of the team gone, they knew they had to do whatever they could to get them back. However, as they pondered over the situation, they also had to acknowledge the fact that they might not succeed. It was a sobering thought, but they didn't dwell on it for long.

Instead, they simply focused on the task ahead: a rescue mission to return their fellow Outcasts and Baroness Rose back to safety.

"So how long are we going to be stuck inside this death bucket?" Centa growled, his voice darkening as he glanced around. "I've got a lot of pent-up aggression that needs releasing."

Rift nodded in agreement, his expression grim. "Yeah, I'm ready for action."

Stepping into the room, XLR8 would shrug his shoulders. Making his way over to Black Star and Fast Maker, the alien would turn to look at the new crew members.

"Right now, we're heading to a planet that we don't even know really exists...and we don't have enough fuel to get us there," he stated in a low tone. "That means we're gonna have to take a quick stop about 100 lightyears in."

"Why didn't you tell us when we were on Earth?" Lola asked, her tone laced with disbelief.

"Because Earth hasn't got the stuff for it to put it bluntly..." Black Star replied, raising her arms and gesturing as she spoke. "They don't have the resources to create anything like that. That's one thing I figured out for myself since living here..."

"But what if we can't get there?" Centa demanded, crossing his arms and glaring at the group. "What happens then? What do you suggest we do?"

"We'll figure something out," Rift assured him, picking up where Black Star left off. "There's gotta be a solution."

"I suggest we just hurry to this space gas station or whatever it is!" Lola yelled, her tone serious. "If we don't get moving now, we may never see our friends again! We need to move fast!"

The mood in the room changed, almost immediately, as everyone became more alert. The members looked towards XLR8, awaiting his reaction.

"You're right," he said, nodding slowly. "We should get moving...as quickly as possible..."

The Bramnium turned to face Ben.

"On it, Captain?" XLR8 asked.

"On it!" he responded with a smirk.

The ship's speed doubled as it shot at a breakneck pace through space. The heroes stared out into the vastness of the universe, their minds awash with worry. They couldn't help but feel helpless while staring at the empty void surrounding them but they knew they had to save the others.

With so many thoughts running through Lola's mind, she decided to take a little walk around the vessel. She wanted to try and find some kind of comfort zone, something that would help calm her nerves. Walking along the corridors, Lola kept an eye open as she passed by various rooms. Moving past the airlock, Lola pushed through a door and stepped into another part of the ship. She arrived in the cafeteria where she noticed some porridge-like food in a buffet station. With no one else around, Lola took a seat and pondered to herself if she should try it or not.

Grabbing herself a bowl and taking a spoonful of the paste, Lola rolled the taste around her mouth before swallowing. It wasn't very tasty; however, there was something about it that reminded her of Earth that made it not taste bad either. After finishing a few bites, she set the bowl down and walked away. With her stomach now being full, she could now think straight and focus on what needed to be done.

Lola made her way out of the cafeteria and back to the cockpit, but before she could enter the room, she'd notice someone just outside.

Standing by a window and looking into the depths of space, Rift turned to face Lola. He nodded gently as he saw her, his body language filled with concern.

"What's wrong?" she asked, noticing his expression. "You look worried..."

"I am," he admitted, shaking his head. "Oh, I'm Rift!" he added, extending his hand.

Lola smiled softly in response, revealing her name as she shook his hand.

"Good to meet you," Rift told her before going back to looking into space.

Lola had no idea what to say or do next so instead, she started walking towards the cockpit. Rift watched her go, his blue-suited eyes following her every movement until she disappeared into the room. Rift sighed heavily, feeling conflicted. He felt terrified just being in space but he couldn't let Disney Duchess down, especially after all she'd done for him.

Centa meanwhile was still contemplative, his mandibles furrowed as he thought of everything that could possibly go wrong. Even though he was on a spaceship, Centa was used to being on land and now with them heading to another planet, he was feeling homesick.

He tried to focus on what they were doing, trying not to dwell on how much he wished he was back home. But that only lasted so long before he found himself thinking of Quar and Monroe, hoping they were doing okay.

"How long?" Centa growled, catching the attention of XLR8 and Batsy. "Are we ever gonna make it!?"

XLR8 confidently spoke up after clearing his throat.

"About an hour, maybe two," the alien replied, his voice calm. "This isn't the fastest ship in the galaxy by any means but it'll get us there safely."

"You know I'll try my best!" BECKI, the A.I. stated, popping up on a screen nearby. "Don't fret!"

The crew members exchanged nods and shifted their focus back to the front window of the ship, fixated on the endless expanse of stars ahead, eagerly anticipating their arrival at their destination. Enzo, however, was doing something very different.

Enzo had been given a room to rest in which was located at the rear. His sleep cycle didn't match anyone else's since he was always active during the night and day. His room was dark, lit only by a small lamp hanging from the ceiling. The room was also quiet with just the sound of breathing coming from within. But for some reason, the young man could not fall asleep. He tossed and turned, feeling restless as he recalled nightmares from his youth.

Enzo was plagued by memories of a time when his life seemed so normal until things took a turn for the worst. As he grew older, without the guidance of his mother, he'd run wild and become involved with the wrong crowd, which he did for a while.

Opening his eyes, Enzo looked up at the ceiling.

"Space..." he laughed.