Magic of Etheria

Chapter 32 | Dreadnought

Hordak had apparently let Entrapta know we were coming. As soon as Spinnerella and I landed I realised that the engines were already running. We found Entrapta on the bridge, excitedly staring up at the fireball through the huge flight deck windows. Wrong Hordak stood nearby and his face lit up in a bright smile as we entered, waving almost shyly as we walked in. Emily hovered near Entrapta, and I noticed the tell-tale swishing of a tail coming from the administrator's chair.

'Brothers! Welcome aboard, we are prepared to-'

'Oh, good! You're here! Darla, fly towards that crashing ship!' Entrapta yelled, interrupting Wrong Hordak and laughing maniacally at the prospect of hurtling towards a crashing space warship.

<< Affirmative. >>

I felt a low rumble as Darla steadily lifted off the ground, aimed towards the Dreadnought, and launched upwards into the sky. Spinnerella and I joined Entrapta at the controls, looking up at the ship as we approached. The cloud of Swarm drones had completely separated from it now, hurtling down towards Erelandia. If they were to see us, that many drones would tear Darla apart-

A mewling from behind me caught my attention, and I turned to see a small Melog still lying on Catra's stomach. She was draped over the administrator's chair, fast asleep, her tail absently swaying from side-to-side. I walked over to them and knelt down in front of the chair, gently stroking down Melog's mane. If we were to get past the Swarm, we would need Melog's help.

'Hey, buddy,' I whispered, being careful not to wake Catra, 'do you think you can do your thing and hide us again?'

Melog cooed in response, before licking Catra's face, closing their eyes, and disappearing. After a moment, the ship seemed to glow, wisps appearing on the bridge and dancing around as Melog hid us from sight, cloaking Darla once again as they had done when we snuck past the blockade around Etheria. Catra stirred. She opened one eye and looked up at me, dazed and tired.

'Adora? Why are you here?' Catra asked as she reached out and lightly trailed her fingers down my face. I smiled and leant into her touch, holding my hand up to press her palm against my cheek and hold it there. Something about her warmth seemed to calm me. For the briefest of moments, I felt like it was just the two of us and we weren't flying head-first towards once of the single-greatest dangers we've ever faced.

'Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to see you?' I asked, keeping my voice low.

'That sounds sappy enough to be something you would say.' Catra teased, but her eyes darkened as she looked over my shoulder. 'Although judging by the view, I'm guessing that's not the case.'

'Yeah,' I said, lowering her hand. 'We have to stop that ship from crashing into Etheria. We have a plan. It will all be okay.'

'That's Adora for, "it's super dangerous and I'm going to risk my life to save everyone again," isn't it?' Catra sounded worried, fretful, but there was a hint of something else there too: resolve. 'Let me help you. I know I can be useful; I don't want you to do this by yourself.'

'She won't be by herself!' Entrapta appeared beside us, beaming while holding up a tracker pad. 'I'm scanning the Horde ship now and will transfer the map and data over to Emily.'

'Why can't Wrong Hordak take her?' Catra asked, as if it were the obvious thing in the world. Entrapta looked confused, puzzled at the question. I watched as Wrong Hordak nervously walked over, tapping his fingers together.

'If I may, brothers,' he began, 'I'm afraid a mission like this would be too much for me. So I was most grateful when our sister volunteered her services in my place.'