The Dimensional Quest Part II: Galactic Peril

Chapter 14

The home of the furry creatures sits outside the shuttle's window, trapped in a circle of Atsafarian ships.

Emily glances over at their leader, who has been staring at the planet since the flight started.

"Sorry we couldn't save your planet, little guy," she whispers, giving them soft pats on the head.

"Wicket," the creature mutters.

"Huh?"

"Wicket."

"That's your name?" Emily asks.

"Sheeu ta Wicket."

"Well, nice to meet you, Wicket."

Emily joins him in looking at the planet.

"I hope this isn't the last time you see your home," she sighs.

Then the shuttle's computer beeps.

"Guys, we're getting some kind of message," April says.

Chloe slightly frowns.

"We shouldn't be getting any messages, the transciever's out," she mentions.

"Let's ignore it. Maybe we can still fool them," Lily guesses.

Compa revisits her medical room, where an unpleasant surprise in an empty bed meets her.

"Emily?"

She searches every closet and cabinet around.

"She's gone," Peashy groans.

"Gone? She's in no condition to be walking around!"

The nurse storms into the hallway, then onto the command floor.

"Anyone know where Emily is?" she asks, like a mother asking about her lost child.

Everyone turns to face her, having curious looks on their faces.

"Nice to see you too," Daffy bitterly remarks.

"This is serious," Compa responds.

IF points at a spacecraft getting smaller in the viewscreen.

"She went with the others on the shuttle."

Compa plants her face into her hands, then unleashes a muffled scream.

"Does no one listen to their doctor anymore?!"

Meanwhile, the shuttle blends in with the other ships, then slides into the portal.

"Too late now," Daffy shrugs.

"I think it worked," Amethyst says.

"Don't jinx it," April warns.

Suddenly the shuttle quakes.

"Aaand ya jinxed it," April mutters.

BWOOM!

Another missile strikes the ship.

Then another.

"So much for fooling them!" Kelsey shouts, over the explosions of conduits and rumbling of torpedoes hitting the hull.

Several of them obliterate the shuttle's engines, causing it to come to a hard stop, thrusting its passengers forward.

"GAH!"

Fortunately, the seatbelts of their chairs keep them from smashing through the front window.

However, a squad of Atsafarian soldiers arrive.

"Move a muscle, you get a bullet," one of them warns.

Everyone at gunpoint raises their arms.

Even Amethyst, who has to fight her hind legs from veering sideways.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the deflector of the Atsafarian flagship glows orange.

"Open another portal. Let's find ourselves more ore."

"Sir, what about the terrorist ship? They might follow us."

The Admiral pats the shoulder of their new tactical officer, who asked the question.

"Good question, officer. The last of our ships that pass through the portal will lay down some mines. That way, no one can pursue."

"Understood. Deflector has warmed up and is ready, sir."

A few seconds later, another hole in space has ripped open.

As the fleet begins to move towards it, the tactical officer pipes up.

"Sir, the terrorist ship disappeared."

"Dissappeared?? It can't be!" the Admiral exclaims, like a kid who's been thrown a surprise party.

He hurries over to the tactical officer's console.

"As delightful as this is, I wonder how they could've vanished like that."

"Eh. What really matters is that they won't be bothering us anymore," the officer responds.

"Good point. Good riddance, too. I was getting tired of running into those brats."