Jack Strong and the Red Giant

Chapter 33: Escape

Vyleria listened as Kat's life ebbed from her, one heartbeat at a time. There were Xenti soldiers everywhere now, dozens and dozens of them by the sound of it. It was over, she'd failed.

Then she heard someone else, mumbling away from the others.

"Padget, is that you?"

"Vyleria?" said Padget with a sniffle. "I thought... I thought you were dead."

"Not yet," she said, pushing back a wave of nausea. "Tell me what's going on."

"They've killed her, Vyleria. Whoever was hiding here, she's dead – they've just shot her and I'm next, no thanks to you."

Vyleria had only moments to think. If they wanted to get out of this alive then she had to act fast. She summoned up what little strength she had left. "Padget, I want you to listen to me very carefully. I want you to fire the cannon."

"What? Are you mad? I don't stand a chance."

"You do while they're distracted. A girl appearing out of nowhere tends to do that. Do it now whilst they're still trying to figure out where Kat came from."

"Who?"

"The girl on the floor! Look, we've no time for that now. FIRE THE CANNON! Quick. We're running out of time."

"But..."

"Do it. DO IT NOW."

All Vyleria heard next was a noisy mix of heavy breathing, frantic Xenti voices, followed by the thud thud of sonic cannon fire. Never had weapons' fire sounded so good. The rumble of a hundred explosions crashed down her ears, each one rivaling the other to be the loudest and most destructive.

"Well done Padget. Now switch over to the pilot's console and get out of there. Padget..."

He didn't respond. All she heard were more shouts and the sound of laser fire ricocheting around the control room. What is going on?

"Padget?" she begged, feeling dizzier than ever. "Padget, are you there?"

Moments passed, then she heard the sound of someone scrambling for breath. "Padget, can you hear me? Are you okay?"

She kept shouting at him to answer her, but all he did was moan, cough and whimper.

He was dying, and with him her hopes of rescue were dying too...

"Don't move Kat," said Vyleria. "If they realise you're still alive they'll kill you. I can hear Xenti soldiers all around you, but by the sound of it they are busy with Padget now. Just hang on... I'll... I'll think of something."

What could she do all the way back here? She couldn't even heal herself. If only she had access to the ship's medical facilities...

Of course! How could I have been so stupid? She thought.

"Kat, I need you to listen very carefully. I want you to think of nothing else except being healed. Do you understand?"

"What good will that do?" she moaned.

"Just trust me."

"Okay," she said, wincing from the pain. "I'll do it..."

"Kat?"

Silence.

"Kat? Are you there?"

"It's... it's working," she garbled. "I can... I can feel myself getting better. The wound is healing."