The Last Atonian

Chapter 13:

"That's the trap?!" Chris parroted furiously. "Couldn't you have warned us before it went off?"

Veerna viewed Chris with what could only be described as a pitying expression. "How was I supposed to know that it was trap before it actually happened?" she asked.

"Then why did you make it seem like you knew ..." Don trailed off. He would never understand the bizarre workings of Veerna's mind.

"Are you nuts?" Chris demanded.

Veerna flashed her a savage grin. "According to my psychologist, I am," she told her before going to the steel door. She dragged her switchblade against the metal, not even scratching it. "Huh. I guess Rulon was serious about catching us."

"Guess so," Don said, trying to conceal his uneasiness over the whole situation. "What happens now?"

"We sit here and wait for him to show up," Veerna said with a shrug. "There's nothing else we can do. That steel's not breaking unless you've got ten bombs to tape put on it, and we'd blow up in the process anyway."

"So that's it?" Chris said, her tone ringing in disbelief. "We just sit here and wait to be dragged off to slavery?"

"I didn't say that," Veerna said. "I just said we'd wait for him to show up."

Both of them stared at Veerna, who smiled innocently and patted the gun at her hip. "There's a difference, you know," she added.

"Not one I was aware of," Don grumbled. He just wanted to go back to his peaceful office, analyzing criminal minds. Was that so much to ask?

"Hey," Chris interrupted them, going beside the door. "I've got an idea." There was a computer on both sides of the door, and she started tapping into it. Watching over her shoulder, Don came to the conclusion that what she was doing wasn't entirely legal. However, if it could help them escape, he was all for it, legal or not. He kept watching over the captain's shoulder as she typed in the computer almost faster than the eye could see.

Without warning, the door slammed back up into the ceiling. Veerna turned to Chris with an appraising look on her face. "Well, well," she said. "You are full of surprises, Chrissy. I guess we'd better get going, hm? Before Rulon comes back."

"I'm all for that," Don agreed. Chris nodded, and the three of them hurried out of the infirmary and into the halls. Veerna dragged them around, leading them through the dizzying maze as if she'd been through it for her whole life. It was discombobulating and Don found himself quickly losing his way. He hoped desperately that she knew where was she going and that they weren't just going around in circles.

However, it seemed that Veerna clearly knew where she was going. They reached the landing bay without incident and Veerna hurried them into the ship. All was as they had left it, and Melody threw her arms around her sister. "Chris!" she cried. "You're alright! Thank God! Thank God!"

Chris returned the embrace enthusiastically, smiling. "I'm so glad you're alright," she whispered. "I thought I'd lost you."

Melody buried her head in her older sister's shoulder, sniffing. "I thought so too," she murmured.

Veerna, however, had little time or interest in sisterly sentiments. "Captain Chase, if you'd please report to the cockpit, we can get the heck out of here."

Chris pulled out of her sister's embrace and gave Veerna a mock salute. "Yes, ma'am," she said, rolling her eyes. Then she stopped. "Wait, what about Commander Sareen?"