Fall of the Stars: Clint's Story

Chapter 16

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always." -Mahatma Gandhi

~~~

"We have to go back."

Lisa had been eating when she heard Clint's voice. She hadn't seen him come in and she jumped. She looked up at him once she finished her meal.

"What?" She mumbled with her mouth full of food.

"We have to go back to earth. Let us," Clint begged her.

She wiped the food from her mouth. "You aren't ready."

"Says who?" He challenged her.

She crossed her arms, standing up. "Me. You're still considered an apprentice. But there is something I can do."

He glares at her. "What?"

"I can give you a mission," she says with excitement in her hazel eyes. "It'll be easy."

He sighs and pulls back. "I want to go back to earth."

She shakes her head. "There'll be time for that. I need you to visit other systems. Now that you can fly, we need to rally the others to our cause."

Clint's eyes grew wide. "There are other aliens?"

"Yes," she says considering him. "And we are not called aliens. The creatures I want you to visit are dragons. They can speak their language and English. They are expecting you."

Clint feels his curiosity grow. He perks up a little.

"However," Lisa continues, "the Zygers' allies are expecting you."

"Allies? Who would side with them?" Clint is confused.

"The Puritans side with them. They're like a sort of demons," Lisa explained. "They know about you. They've been told to capture you alive of course."

Clint felt cold. I need to talk to Ted. He never told me any of this additional information. The blood was roaring in his ears.

Lisa looks at him in the eyes. "You'll come with me, won't you?" Clint suddenly felt very small and insecure.

"I wish I could," she sighed. "But this is to test yourself. See if you're really worth it."

"You'd let me die?" Clint is disappointed.

She shakes her head quickly. "They wouldn't kill you!"

"You don't know that," he said turning away from her. "No one knows that."

"Jack Kennedy sticks to his promises when he says he wants you alive," she continued fiercely. "He is against hurting you, Clint. He wants you alive and unharmed."

He snorts. "Doubt it."

She touches his arm. "I would never let anyone hurt you, Clint. I promise. I'd hurt them first."

He looks back at her. "Then don't let me go."

"I can't. It was Gaia's decision." She looks down. Her face is soft and sweaty. Clint grunts.

"What is it I need to do with this dragon friends of yours?"

"They will ask favors when you arrive," she pulled away from him. "You will do them without complaining. Then, their leader will gladly follow your lead and they with their help, rally other star systems. The Milky Way is millions of light years across. There are others, Clint," she added before continuing, "we just didn't want you guys figuring it out. By that time, it would have been too late."

<>

Clint decided to lie.

It was not going to be easy lying to Lisa, however. He'd felt something grow for her in the last few weeks. So what he decided was that he would go to the dragons and hopefully avoid the demons, but then he would take them to earth. This was where the creatures themselves would rise up in rebellion and help the human population against the aliens. These dragons, Lisa had said, were very strong. In fact the only thing that could kill them was a poison hit.

I'll have to be careful, Clint thought. I'm not intent on hurting them.

Gaia had presented him with a metal mask. It was similar to that of his father's but his eyes would glow red under it. Clint wasn't too sure about it. As long as no one was scared by him, it was alright.

Stepping into the starship, he looked around. The pilot, who Gaia had requested, was sitting down with the engine idiling. "Thanks," Clint said, looking at the controls.

"No problem," she answers looking at him. "'My name's Marilyn."

He extends his hand to shake it. "Nice to meet you." He smiled.

She laughs. "I guess it is."

Marilyn was a blonde. Her eyes were blue like diamonds glistening on the shoreline of a beach. Her skin was silky white, but not perfect he admitted. Her lips were red with makeup, or maybe it was just her genes. And she was wearing combat boots, with a gun sliding across her wings. She tapped the door shut and looked at him as he sat.

"Thanks for coming," he acknowledged. She shakes her head a little.

"Lisa told me you needed a lift since you're still working on flying techniques. We all have that problem." She glances at his wings.

Clint felt uncomfortable. "I was a human all my life. Then to have these wings... It makes me insecure about myself and who I really am."

"You shouldn't be," she said turning around and hitting the buttons. "You'll get used to them I promise."

Yeah and hedgehogs will fly, Clint retorted silently, but said nothing aloud.

He watched as she kicked the engine into gear and then lifted the plane up. He held onto his seat, suddenly feeling sick. "Oh and buckle up," Marilyn said. "This ship isn't for beginners."

Clint quickly did as told. His heart was pounding as she pressed on the brakes.

"Yee-haw!" Marilyn shouted, almost in a Texas southern drawl before hitting the brakes and blasting off into space.

<>

Far away, a small young Puritan with green-yellowish eyes watched the sky. The planet where she was on was a volcanic island. The body of her temperature helped her stable in this environment. Her wings were pulsing with dark energy as was the rest of her body, but she didn't mind. In fact, she seemed to cherish the dark energy swirling around her.

She opened up a little holopad and looked into it. She could see the enemy ship. It was approaching the closer moon of the planet. Where the Dragons resided, she thought to herself.

Ventress knew she had to intercept the ship. She had to get at them.

For the Overlord, she knew that. She the Halfblood on the ship was his son. She knew that he was wanted alive. And that he was considered dangerous.

It didn't matter if he was dangerous or not, she needed to have him ensnared. The thing was she would have to kill the other person on the ship.

That'll be easy, she told herself. The other is untrained. It's the Halfblood I have to worry about.

The boy could certainly unpredictabile. She had heard about him when the Zygers first invaded earth. A year into the invasion, he'd reduced a Zyger to ashes by simply burning him alive. She winced at the thought.

She wouldn't end up like that if she were careful. All she had to do now was wait.

Wait for the mouse to fall into the trap.