Hybrid 3, Chapter 14: Chase in the Newborn Star

Chapter 14:
Chase in the Newborn Star

    Helen’s Bravery was in the ocean searching for the Titan Relay. They came upon what looked like a seamount. Yuya scanned around to detect any Helbot lurking either in or above the water. The radar showed pods of reptile-like whales swimming by the seamount. The ship hovered over it.

    “This seamount has the relay inside,” said Alpha as he scanned it.

    “Do you know if it is functional?” Alexander asked.

    “If it took us here, then it has to,” said Aoife.

    “Then let’s go down there,” said Alexander. “No we just need a way inside.”

    “There is a tunnel at the base of the seamount,” said Alpha. “You would have to crawl through in to activate the relay.”

    Alexander planned it out, “I would just need a few people to help me out then. Yuya, I would need you with the reactor. Alpha, I totally need you as obvious.”

    “I want to come with you too,” said Vyla. “Hortor and I would be more useful since we are Aquatics.”

    Hortor raised his eyebrows, “Wait a second, he did hire us yet! Plus, I am the one who commands us.”

    “If you too want to join us to the relay, I would like that,” said Alexander.

    “See Hortor,” Vyla smiled. “I knew he would pick us.”

    “Just hope that we don’t get killed,” Hortor warned her.

    “I will stay here and look after your forces,” said General Floundo.

    “Thanks sir,” said Alexander as his group leaves the bridge.

    Alexander got his starsuit back on while his team puts on their gear. As they reached the hanger, the hanger door lowered down from the floor. Then water leaked over the door as his team got on it. Vyla and Hortor didn’t put on their apparatus since they would be going underwater. Yuya on the other hand had to wear a battlesuit with a scuba gear on his back.

    “Gods my gills needed fresh water,” said Vyla feeling relieved as the water level was at their waist.

    Yuya shook nervously, “Those whale things better not eat us.”

    Alexander puts his hand on Yuya shoulder, “Last time I seen massive sea creatures underwater, there didn’t want to eat me because I was too small of a prey.”

    Yuya breathed with relief, “That makes me feel better.”

    As they got underwater, Alexander stepped off the hanger door and slowly sank down. Alpha followed him. He landed on the seamount as if he was Neil Armstrong taking his first step on the moon. His feet then sand into muddy black sand. He looked and Yuya struggled to swim down to the seamount as he wiggled his tank around. Vyla swim like a ballerina as Hortor followed her.

    As they got to the top, Yuya looked and whale-like creature with the head of a chameleon took a sniff of the nose of Helens Bravery and it swam away like a cat. Alexander looked down to see if any monstrous creatures were crawling after them. As it looked clear, Alexander steps off a cliff and his team follow him.

    “Alpha, we are half down to the base,” said Alexander. “Any Helbot movement?”

    “No Alexander,” said Alpha. “They seemed to disappear all of the sudden when we got there.”

    “We will get that relay ready,” said Alexander. “By then, the Helbots will not know we are here.”

    Ten minutes later, they made to the base of the seamount. Alexander took out his solar rifle and aimed around in case any giant crabs or lobsters would attack. They see the cave to the relay. Alexander entered in the cave and Vyla followed him with the trident in her hand.

    “You seemed to love being down under,” said Vyla.

    Alexander chuckled, “Sometimes it is like that.”

    He turned on his night vision as they ventured deep into the cave. This seemed too quiet for them to get into the relay and escape. Alexander aimed his rifle around before entering the chamber. As he stepped out, he found a pile of rocks next to the relay platform. He picked up a boulder and put it to the side carefully so he would not cave them in. Hortor and Vyla hovered over the platform with amazed.

    He got the pile out of the way as he unburied the reactor. But it was ruptured by the collapse of a wall. It looked like a giant can that got ripped open in a split. He looked inside and there was nothing inside. Yuya found the control for the reactor and it was crumbled up.

    Alpha scanned at the reactor and said, “This reactor could not be repaired.”

    “Is this the same relay that got us to this planet?” Alexander asked feeling shocked.

    “Apparently, this relay could only be used for a one way trip since there is still power in the relay,” said Alpha.

    “Damn it!” Alexander shouted. “We got to get this relay fixed before the Helbots come back!”

    Yuya suggested, “Why don’t we use the ship’s reactors to power up the relay.”

    Alexander thought about it and asked, “Alpha, could that work?”

    “If we insert the reactors to where we have to on the relay, yes,” said Alpha.

    “Alright, get head back to the ship guys!” Alexander called to his team and headed out of the chamber.

    As he got out of the cave, he looked around for any Helbot or creature. His team did the same thing. He leaped on the slope of the seamount. Yuya struggled to swim up since he wasn’t good at swimming. Vyla grabbed his tank and pulled him up. Alexander looked up at the hanger door and crunched down as he judged the distance to that door. Then he sprang up like a giant spring. He grabbed a hold of the edge of the door and pulled himself up. His team below him cheered for him. Alpha hovered toward him to congratulate him. He waited as Hortor swam up and Vyla helped got Yuya up to the hanger door.

    “Thanks Vyla,” said Yuya as they were heading back to the hanger.

    “Don’t worry about it,” said Vyla. “You should probably practice scuba diving more often.”

    “More often, we are in space,” said Yuya.

    The hanger door was then sealed. Alexander noticed that the Aquamaids were filling tanks of seawater and putting their apparatus in them. Aoife and Howie waited with concern seeing that they did not open the rift from the relay. Yuya took off his scuba tank and rolled his arms around.

    “Any luck Alex?” Aoife asked.

    “No Aoife,” said Alexander as he took his starsuit off. “Alpha and I think we should hook our reactors to the relay since that reactor was destroyed.”

    Then an alarm buzzed all over the hanger. Alexander sprinted to the bridge knowing that the Helbots found them. David and Boudicca looked at the radar showing a fleet detected above them. Alexander rushed up to check out the situation. The marines and Cobains were on the controls thinking they were heading to battle.

    “David, what is going on?” Alexander asked. “Did the Helbots find us?”

    David had Alexander looked at the radar, “We have seven ships hovering above the planet atmosphere at our location. We are not sure if they are Helbot ships or not.”

    Alexander turned as Alpha was behind him, “Alpha link into our network and see if you could identify those ships.”

    Alpha inserted his fingers into the radar system and they waited two minutes for him to finish scanning. He said nervously, “Alexander, those are Spacer ships.”

    Alexander thought, oh no.

    “Alex, what do we do?” David asked knowing that the Spacers were helping the Helbots.

    Alexander remembered the last time they saw them; Cahan destroyed Colonel Chan’s fleet and blamed him for their destruction. They couldn’t stay on the planet for long. The relay couldn’t take them back home as it was a wreck. If they try to fight back, the Spacers would surround his ship and destroy it. Aoife and the others joined in the bridge.

    “Alpha, have they detected us yet?” Alexander asked.

    “Not yet,” said Alpha.

    “Then let’s stay submerged and travel back to the other side of the planet,” said Alexander. “Then we launch ourselves back into Space and head to another planet undetected.”

    “Too late, they detected us!” Aoife shouted as the radar blare another alarm. “And they’re diving down.”

    “Quick Boudicca, maneuver our ship out of here!” Alexander shouted.

    Helen’s Bravery propels from the seamount as Cahan’s fleet splashed down into the water. One ship against a fleet was an impossible match for a battle. The ships propelled like sharks down along the ranges of the seamounts as they chased the ship.

    Cahan watched through the window and chuckled. “Look at this, Alexander decides to flee as we found him. He doesn’t have the courage to face us.”

    He turned to his crew and said, “Fire a few warning shots.”

    Cahan’s ship fired red lasers around Helen’s Bravery, not trying to hit it yet. Two Spacer ships rushed up to the ship in hopes of crushing it. Alexander’s heart throbbed as they were gaining on him.

    Alexander shouted, “Stop this ship!”

    Helen’s Bravery came to a stop and the ships passed him and banged against each other. The ship then made a U-turn and flew passed the rest of Cahan’s fleet.

    Alexander looked at the radar and said, “Ok, we have passed them. This is our chance to launch ourselves out of the water.”

    Boudicca shouted, “Hang on everyone!”

    Helen’s Bravery moved up towards the surface and splashed out like Old Faithful. It flew through the atmosphere and entered the planet’s orbit. Alpha scanned around to see if any Helbots were also in orbit. Only Cahan’s fleet came.

    “We need to find a way to escape from those guys,” said David.

    “I got to think!” Alexander shouted. “Do any of you have ideas?!”

    Just before he could think, Cahan’s fleet returned and surrounded Helen’s Bravery. Alexander stood still as if he robbed a bank and got caught by the police. He could literally feel his hands up in the air. Everyone stopped what they were doing not sure what was going to happen next.

    Then the communication panel rang and a screen appeared on the window of the bridge. It was Cahan himself. He fiddled his fingers around as he glared upon Alexander. He said, “Hello Alexander, we meet again.”

    Alexander didn’t answer as he was scared out of his own wits. His face was sweating and he could barely breathe. Cahan crossed his arms, “Are you going to be that rude and not answer me?!”

    “Um,” said Alexander. “Cahan if that is what you are named. What are you doing here?”

    “You know why I am here,” said Cahan.

    “Of course,” said Alexander. “To destroy my ship!”

    “Yes!” Cahan clutched his fists. “You shouldn’t have survived my first attack.”

    Alexander pointed his finger toward him, “You attacked us because you think we nearly wiped out your race. We did not do that!”

    “Stop lying to us!” Cahan snarled. “You didn’t try to wipe out our race. Look at you, having your father’s eyes and hair. I wonder what skills you have against me. As far as I know, you have none!”

    “Shut up and listen to me!” Alexander snapped as he got angry instead of afraid. “Seiton became an A.I. and turned your technology against you. These primitives and I did not do that thousands of years ago. Besides, I was not alive when that happened.”

     “You were alive then,” said Cahan as he chose not to listen to him. “Fabocusa raised you and you used what he taught you to take advantage of us.”

    Alexander clutched his fist and turned to his pilot. He whispered, “Let me take over the flying for now.”

    Boudicca quickly got off her station as she couldn’t take her eyes off Cahan. Vyla cornered herself while Hortor and General Floundo shielded her. Aoife held tightly to her pistol in the back of her pants. Howie dared not to let go of his shotgun. Alexander slid onto Boudicca’s station slowly.

    He said, “I don’t know who you really are, but here is what I am going to tell you. These primitives all over the galaxy didn’t have the advance technology by the time you got attack by Seiton thousands of years ago.”

    “Who is Seiton?” Cahan asked.

    Alexander felt shocked that he had never heard of that Titan turned A.I. who wiped out majority of the Spacers by using their network as a weapon. He learned that the Spacers were raising the primitives to advance their technology. That way when Seiton and the Titans returned, everyone in the galaxy would be ready. But somehow, Cahan’s Spacers don’t know who he was.

    “How can you not know him?” Alexander looked at him as if he was not being smart. “Seiton is the Titan that turned your technology against you to extinction. Then he used your last bits to create the Helbots.”

    “I am telling you to quit lying, you abomination!” Cahan gritted his teeth. “Three thousand years ago, the primitives got a hold of our technology and immediately invaded our worlds. They turned our technology against us. This all started because you were born from Helen!”

    “I did not cause this!” Alexander screamed.

    “YES YOU DID!” Cahan jumped off his seat and roared. He caught and sighed. “So, I have enough seeing your face. You have been leading these things to take over the galaxy. You escaped my first attack. And yet you have returned with a new ship and crew. Shame on you. Now, we have surrounded you and have nowhere else to hide. Say good-bye.”

    “Good-bye,” Alexander snarled and hits the ship’s accelerator.

    Helen’s Bravery zoomed towards Cahan’s ship. Their noses nearly touched each other. Alexander’s crew grabbed a hold of the wall and ceiling as Helen’s Bravery tilted at a right angle. The ship slightly passed Cahan’s ship, leaving Cahan’s jaw dropped.

    “Don’t just stop, after them,” he snapped. “Make sure that ship blows to dust!”

    The Spacer ships made long turns to follow Helen’s Bravery. It flew out of orbit. Boudicca got back into her driving station as the chase continues. The others kept their eyes on the radar trying to know how the Spacers will attack and hoe to defend themselves. Cahan’s ships started firing rain of lasers at them.

    “Alexander, what weapons does this ship have?” General Floundo asked as the ship began to shake as it got hit.

    “This ship has only two particle railguns,” said Alpha.

    “Why not use them?!” General Floundo shouted.

    “Let me get those ready!” Tloc shouted as he typed onto the weapons panel. “I can fire them from behind.”

    “Hurry!” Alexander shouted as the ship got hit some more.

    The railguns extended out with the thrusters in between. One Spacer ship increased its accelerator and got onto Helen’s Bravery’s tail. The railguns glowed purple as they began to power up. The enemy ship fired the lasers and the railguns exploded. The explosion released bolts of lightning over the ship, making it lose its’ shield.

    “Damn it, I lost the railguns!” Tloc shouted.

    “Alexander, any suggestions now?” General Floundo asked impatiently.

    Alexander felt as if he was pacing back and forth. His ship was being bombarded by the undefeatable Spacers. He was defendless as they took down his ship’s weapons. Seven ships chasing his. Sweat drips down his face and staining his shirt. To make matters worse, a swarm of Helbot ships arrived to help the Spacers take him down.

    “Alpha, what is that?” Alexander asked as he caught a glimpse of a glowing orange cloud.

    Alpha said, “That is a star system starting to form from a nebula.”

    Alexander snapped his fingers, “We are flying through it!”

    Helen’s Bravery flew towards the nebula as the Spacers were back on their tail. They constantly fire their lasers. His ship’s wings got laser pierced through. The crew flew against the walls as compartments were getting blown up. Alexander believed they might have a chance of escaping if they enter that nebula.

    They entered the cloud and the Helbots pursue after them. Rocks flew around as they bombard against each other. An asteroid rolled up towards them and Helen’s Bravery dived down. The three Helbot ships crashed against it.

    More rocks flew towards the ship and hit the starboard side. The crew on the bridge got swung to the side and the ship rattled. More Helbot ships got onto their tail and fired at one of the thrusters. The thruster exploded, burning majority of the engineering station. Many rushed to get out of there safely into the other haul. Fireballs zoomed randomly against the asteroids creating an explosion fest.

    Molten rock splattered on Helen’s Bravery wings and fizzed like eggs on a skillet. Two fireballs head towards the ship and the Helbots were behind them. The ship made a U-turn and the fireballs blows up the Helbot ships.

    The cloud thickens as they got deeper into the nebula. This made it hard for them to see where they were going. Alpha helped by turning the screen into MRI for them to see better. Waves of rocks, fireballs, and metal kept colliding with each other and the ships. The Helbots were shooting at the charging debris as they continued to hunt Helen’s Bravery.

    A giant ball of lava hurled toward giant boulders and smashed them into shreds. The broken debris rained towards Helen’s Bravery and scratched horrendously. Then they came upon a planet full of lava. A comet the size of the moon collides and the planet exploded. Helen’s Bravery hits the brakes and took a sharp turn from the blowing planet. The blazing fire rushed up and disintegrates the other Helbot ships.

    Shards of metal and dust blown across as a dust bowel as Helen’s Bravery skidded. The Helbots were forced to pull away as the bombardment was making it difficult to chase down the ship. Even as they retreat, the debris continued to hit and destroy most of their ships.

    Helen’s Bravery kept dodging the debris. They then got closer to the nearly formed star with rocks and plasma spiraling around. The debris and the ship were starting to feel the star’s gravitational pull.

    “I got it,” Alexander shouted. “We can get out of here using the star’s gravity and flew out of this bombardment hellhole. Hit the accelerator and circle around the star!”

    The ship accelerated with two of the thrusters left and flew towards the star. The pull of the star increased the ship’s speed and managed to slingshot around it. Alexander and the crew pulled back from the force of the high speed. Alpha took control of the ship and dodged a few fireballs, asteroids, and metal. The ship got hit even more damaging and blowing up more compartments.

    Then the dust and gas cleared up and they could see other stars. The debris disappears as they finally zoomed passed the nebula. The engines of the ship shut down and the severely crippled Helen’s Bravery drifts endlessly in deep space.