The Space Between

Chapter Twenty-Nine: "Peace Or War"

Mark weightlessly flipped through the void of space with the broken pieces of the window. It was disorienting. He couldn't tell what end was up or down. He couldn't stop himself or slow down. All he could do was float. He kept his breathing level relatively calm though. His training had taught him that. Out here there was no sound. Nothing for the sound to bounce off of. In the middle of his spinning, he glimpsed Rip-fang spinning with Logan clinging to his chest. Their tails lashed at each other. Mark outstretched his hand toward a bar that had been broken off the window. Gripping the bar in a tight grip, he pulled himself to lay on it. Adjusting the blow torch in his hand, he looked at Logan with worry. Out here, he couldn't help him. Logan got struck across his back over and over. He could see Logan screaming as his back split open and bled, but Mark saw no muscle or exposed bone. Mark couldn't make sense of it. Rip-fang's tail should have been slicing him up. Logan clung to Rip-fang biting at his neck to try tearing flesh.

Mark winced as Rip-fang grabbed Logan's arms, his talons racking down his arms to tear off a light layer of skin. Blood droplets filled the area around them as they thrashed around. Mark looked off in the distance to see three other smaller lizards watching the fight with wide eyes. Mark blinked a bit stunned until he recalled what Miles had told him. This was a challenge fight. By Reptilian law, they couldn't intervene unless they wanted to challenge Rip-fang for control. They were here to witness. Mark inhaled, looking to Logan. If he rushed in to help, the Reptilians might try to stop him since they couldn't tell he was a hybrid. Glancing toward the ship, Mark saw the little pod carefully trying to dock against the Ceres. The sight made him smile. There was still a chance they could get away. He hoped Sean was alright but refused to go to the ship. If Logan couldn't end this... He'd have too.

From within the escape pod, the Asian man flipped a few switches and told them loudly. "Get ready to connect! This could get rough!" The pod slowly turned to point the hatch to the small port on the side of Ceres. Sean stood up by the door, his hand touching the dented fingerprints as he looked out the window. He had hopped to see Mark and his prayer was answered. Bouncing a little, he told the pilot in a rush. "Don't dock yet! I see Mark! We can go get him!" The pilot hesitated, saying grimly. "We are already here. We should-" Sean banged a fist on the hatch, snapping out. "You all said that you'd try to get him! Well? Let's try!" The pilot turned slightly, stating out nervously. "What about that big lizard? Is he out there?" Sean didn't answer, but the woman stood up to look and answered for him. "Yes. He's fighting that other lizard." The pilot shook his head, saying firmly. "We can't risk it. The big fucker almost put a hole in the door. There are no suits in here. We need to dock and-"

Sean shook his head, looking to the woman as he snapped out. "No! I'm not leaving him behind! He'll run out of air! We can save him!" The woman shrugged, saying softly under her breath. "I know how you feel... but he's right. We need to get the Ceres ready to leave. If we try to get him and the door weakens..." Sean curled his fingers into fists. He didn't know what to do to convince them. Part of him wanted to physically fight them. Rising stiffly from the floor, the lizard gruffly growled out to them. "Let me make this clear. We are NOT leaving my son. And if you have a problem with that. You'll have to kill me." The pilot swallowed nervously, and the woman backed up a step or two from the lizard. The lizard curled his long tail around his feet defensively, uttering out in a commanding voice. "I am in charge here. So, let me tell you how this is going to go." The lizard pointed to the door, stating out sternly. "We don't know if they sealed the door to the Ceres. If it is still open, we'll be stranded up here. The only people who would know... are out there. Now are they worth the fucking risk?!"

The woman bravely retorted to him. "We may not have enough gas to get him and come back!" The lizard lifted his head, telling them seriously. "I'm telling you to risk it." The pilot stiffly turned in his seat to flip the controls back and start heading toward the others. Sean nodded to the lizard, asking him nicely. "Thank you. Are you feeling better?" The lizard kneeled a little to look out the window at the fight that was going on between his son and Rip-fang before answering. "I've been better... but I am grateful." Sean's eyes widened as he watched the lizards body change. Scales down his back, arms, and chest were turning a darker shade of green. Even a set of scales darkened over his head like a helmet. Within seconds the lizard looked like he was wearing a type of medieval dinosaur looking armor that was apart of him. Sean blinked, what he had thought was impressive muscle was actually harder scales. The lizard glanced at him when he caught him staring, his lips curling into a sharp toothed grin. Sean could see where Rip-fang had bitten his softer looking throat.