Fenris Perrywinkle: The Great Galactic Duel

Chapter XVI: The Center of Everything

"Are you sure this is the right place?" I ask Jenn as we exit her cloaked craft. Once again, we find ourselves in the desert of New Mexico. The sun threatens to set as Jenn shades her eyes and glances around.

"The signal is coming from right around here. They're probably cloaked like us though, right?"

I shrug. "They've been cloaked every other time, so why not?"

"Call out to them or something."

"Okay..."

I stride out into the desert in what I think is a manly fashion. I fill my chest with air and shout, "Little Green!"

Nothing.

"Bubbles Benson!"

Nothing.

"Aliens from Everbright?! Guys? We know you're here!"

I can feel Jenn rolling her eyes behind me.

"Awww come on, guys! I need your help!"

Jenn clears her throat. I turn to see what she wants. She grins a little and raises a fist in the air.

"Brace yourself."

Before I can ask what she means, a burst of Deepdark energy explodes from her hand and tickles the landscape all around us. I'm knocked off my feet with a little yelp. I suddenly find myself in shadow as the enormous Everbright ship de-cloaks directly above me. A familiar hatch slides open on the underbelly of the craft and Nester points a ray gun at me. Benson whirls in a circle of bubbles beside him.

"Traitor Fenris! You dare to attack our ship now? Truly, you are a blight on the people of Everbright!"

I frantically wave my hands in front of me. "No! No, wait! You misunderstand! I need to talk to you about the tournament. It's rigged! It's not a fair fight!"

"And now you come here with the champion of Deepdark to speak poorly of one of our most cherished traditions! How was I ever so blind? Where is champion Amanda? Have you done away with her?"

A little power indicator on Nester's weapon begins to glow bright green. I swallow hard and try to keep it together.

"Please. I know I have failed you in the past. I'm trying to do the right thing here. Will you please listen to what I have to say?"

Benson begins flying in a circle around the barrel of Little Green's weapon. "Benson says to blast you to space dust. Goodbye, traitor Fenris!"

I have the wind knocked out of me as Jenn scoops me into her arms in a blur of speed. The ground behind me explodes from Nester's attack.

"So much for your Everbright friends!" she yells.

"Plan B. Back to your ship!" I yell back.

"I had the same idea!"

Her ship's hatch opens in the air in front of us. A moment later, I'm gasping for air in the co-pilot seat.

"Hang on!" Jenn shouts. "My instrument panel is freaking out. They're powering up their ship's weaponry!"

Our craft quickly accelerates. The blonde frantically swerves left and right as the air all around us is illuminated by alien death rays.

"I guess they're still a little mad at me," I say sheepishly.

"You think?" Jenn asks with a scowl.

I'm tossed around in my seat as we continue our evasive maneuvers.