Linn gulped down a bit of her increasingly stagnant water and looked to see Lexan talking to rook, they were both grim but this was the only way "I assure you my friend, no harm shall come to her so long as I live" she heard rook say, his light green wings fluttering a bit, getting used to being out.
Linn walked over and hugged her husband tightly, and said "I have something to tell you" "can it wait? you gotta get going" "......okay, ill talk to you about it after we're safe" he nodded and kissed her "good luck, my dear" she smiled and rushed over to see rook preparing for take off.
Just as they took off, Lexan yelled "open fire!" she looked back but rook had to swerve something, he cursed and yelled "linn of allavile! I need your skill with fire arms!" she looked forward and gave a yell as a hundred rotting, flying bugs attacked them.
She set her pistol to single shot and fired. she wasn't as good as her husband, but she was a good enough shot.
The battle in the air was getting intense, but thankfully, they saw the ship "here we go! hold on!" rook yelled and began a dive bomb, linn screamed and bellowed "pull up! pull up, damn it!!"
THWUMP!!!!
They rolled on the sand and linn lay there stunned, however, she vaguely heard rook mutter "damned back seat drivers" she kicked out and heard him yelp.
***
Lexan laughed as they stopped firing, the last of the diseased dropping "yes!! let's make a break for it!" Raan yelled, but Lexan grabbed him, frowning "what is it?! lets get out of this hell hole!" "wait! can't you hear that?" "I'm a giant lizard Lexan" Raan said patiently "I have poor hearing!" "it sounds like......rumbling? like something's tunneling under us"
He looked around, and saw Raan pale visibly "no......" he moaned "it....it can't be......" "what? Raan what is it?!" "shhh!!! any vibrations will alert it, keep your body stock still, and whisper, what ever you do, don't shout or yell or make loud vibrations......" they went quiet......
........
......After what seemed like an eternity, there came the sound of shuffling from the front of them, Lexan raised his gun, but Raan stopped him.
The rumbling got louder and louder until.....
BOOOOM!!!!
From out of the ground reared a huge worm like creature, it's head was shaped like a snake, while its body was thick and slimy "quick! while its above ground, run to that rock outcrop!" Lexan did so, bolting alongside the raa'ga'kid, once they were on, the worm had disappeared....
"What in all the planets and space was that damned thing!" "a cryll" Raan panted "a what?" "a cryll, a monstrous worm like snake that eats anything and everything-" "OH NO! KIS'NA!" he jumped up, but relaxed when a voice said sleepily "you called?" He turned to see her sun bathing "oh thank god!" he cried hugging her, she blinked, confused.
"Umm, did I miss something?" she asked "no, just a giant worm thing eating a diseased in'stara" Raan said calmly.
"Always when I'm sleeping!" she grumbled "what do we do now?" Lexan asked "we wait for linn and rook to get back" Raan said sighing.
***
Linn stood up shakily as rook hopped around grumbling about women and their down sides. he looked at the ship and its pristine state "it could be a trap" she nodded and pulled out her pistol.
She walked forward and typed in the code, only to have a spear near skewer her! whipping around, she saw rook being thrown to the side by a stranger in a cloak "hey! that's my friend!" she fired a shot, but the stranger vanished in a cloud of dust, to reappear behind her and slash down.
Her flying instincts kicked in and she rolled away, in mid roll, she turned and shot, this time he brought up a staff and deflected the bullet.
He chuckled and said "so young.....and vibrant, my master would be pleased if I brought you to him" "so, your not the sole crook here?" "I am insulted your highness, I am no mere 'crook' as you put it" "really? what makes you think that? And tell your master I'm taken!" here the stranger laughed "also naive, the master always gets what he wants, so there's no use in denying him"
"Get out of here! your burning daylight with your damned idiotic statements" here the stranger laughed "belive you me, their not statements, their facts......" quicker then a bullet linn drew, aimed and fired, the stranger reached out and grabbed it, a smirk hidden on his unseen face.
"Tsk, tsk your highness, there is no need to react with violence.....your husband should be dead by now, so you can have the ship, once I revive his corpse, the door shall open"
With that, he vanished, linn raced to rook who was just waking up "come on! we need to get to them before he does!"
***
Lexan fired and dodged a claw, then roundhouse kicked the diseased in the chest, Raan carried two automatic pistols, spraying the bullets into the fray.
Kis'na fought tooth and claw against all of them, protecting both from sneak attacks "Lexan! if you have a plan, now would be a wise time to divulge it!" "sorry Raan, not this time......" the backed up against the wall of the outcrop and lowered their weapons "I'm gonna assume linn and rook didn't make it....." He added.
"It was a pleasure to know you Lexan......you too kis'na" "right back scaly legs" she said sadly.....the creatures moved slowly forward when they heard something.....a screech through the air, and then, like a miracle from a fairy tale, plasma shots rained down like comets, blowing great craters in their ranks "its the star flight!!" Lexan yelled happily.
With renewed vigor, the three on the ground rained bullets on them, while the star flight reeked havoc on the back lines.
Soon, none were left, the star flight landed and the door opened to see rook grinning smugly "bet you thought we wouldn't make it?" they all laughed.....
Once inside, linn hugged her husband furiously and laid kiss after sweet kiss on his cheek and lips "I thought you were done for" she whispered "take more then an army to keep me from you linn" he whispered back.
"Not that this isn't touching" Raan began "but we need to get out of here, more are coming" rook finished for him "good point, everyone, find a seat and lets find a safe place to land"
"Aye aye!" they all said happily......
The stranger watched them leave, fury in his heart.....they weren't leaving the planet, but why? there was nothing here 'unless' he thought 'their after the pla'gr shone.....' he would not let them have it, no mater what!!