17

17

Wreckage of Adican Cruiser, Deep Space

Rilfor had arrived at the wreckage to see the ship blown to bits.  All of the Adican crew members were killed.  Morale was low as Rilfor’s crew searched the wreckage of their dead comrades but was picked up when human sources were discovered which led to the knowledge that a Rapirian Battleship was on a course for the Rapirian capitol.

Rilfor opened a link to the Empress informing her of their discovery.  

“Push towards the capitol,”  The Empress told Rilfor,  “Other teams will be close behind.”

“Other teams?”  RIlfor asked “We’re just grabbing a few humans and leaving.”

“Oh Rilfor,”  The Empress said.  “Still thinking so small.  This isn’t about the puny humans playing pawns in a war for the galaxy.  You should know that the Corinian Legion surrendered to our forces yesterday ending their rebellion.  With men returned home from the war effort we’ll now attack the Rapirian Republic and continue to spread our superior species throughout the galaxy.  Is that clear?”

“Y-yes ma’am!” Rilfor replied confused and surprised of the Empresses new motives.  Rilfor closed the link and told his crew they were heading for the Rapirian Capital.

.     .     .

Queryit, Capital City of Rapiria

To Spencer, Queryit looked just like any other city, mind the spaceships and aliens.  People rushed around going to work or going out for entertainment.  The city seemed more peaceful and friendly than the militaristic capital of the Adicans.

Rojan led the group to a car that took them through the city until they arrived at some kind of Capital building that had the Rapirian symbol large and centered.

The group left the car and approached the building.  Spencer was about to open the door but Rojan grabbed his shoulder and told him to wait.  Rojan stood in front of the group and spoke to them.

“Inside this building you will stand before the council.”  Rojan told them.  “They will evaluate you and basically decide what to do with you.  Try not to anger them and only speak when spoken to.”

Rojan looked at the group for a second and then stepped aside and let the group through the door into a large, tall, orange-red, hall held up by massive pillars.  The group walked forward into an area enclosed in a half circle by a large wall with seven Rapirians on top.

“Ah, here are the humans,”  A female Rapirian said.

“Indeed,” Another Rapirian said. “Their soft flesh seems so fragile.”

Spencer wanted to say something.  He was offended by their comment about their skin.  It wasn’t his fault he wasn’t born with skin as strong as steel.

“What will we do with them?” A Rapirian asked.

“I’m not sure” The women said “They don’t seem to pose a threat, but they don’t seem all too helpful either.”

“They’re probably getting bored.”  One Rapirian said,  “Let’s discuss this in private.”

“Fair enough,”  The woman said and led the group to another room in the back.

Colby walked over to Spencer and asked “What do you think those guys are gonna do with us?”

“I don’t know” was all Spencer could say back.

“I’m kinda worried man,” Colby said  “What if they get rid of us, or kill us or something.”

Spencer just sighed and sat down against a pillar and waited for this ordeal to blow over.

30 minutes later the council emerged once again and Spencer jumped to his feet.

“We have decided,” The woman said “That because you don’t pose a threat you can remain alive.  We also don’t support the Adicans warmongering so we won’t return you to them.  Instead you will be rebased to an isolated location just beyond the city walls.  Effective immediately.  So please exit the doors and board your transport vehicles.”

Without saying a word the group exited the building and Spencer was surprised to find Rapirian cars waiting for them out front.

The group boarded the vehicles and they were supposed to speed away from the building, through the city, and out to a bunker located in the forest just outside the city, but that’s not how things played out.

Before they could reach the city walls the ground began to shake and the car stopped.  The driver ordered everyone out and they took shelter in a nearby building.

Spencer stepped out from under the building and looked towards the sky.  What he saw filled him with dread.  An Adican battleship emerged from the sky and hovered in the air above the Capitol building.  Next a pod shot down through the capitol building.  Everyone was frozen.

A few minutes later a message was broadcast across the city saying “This is Rilfor of the Adican empire.  We have your council held hostage and any Rapirian who enters within 500 feet will be killed along with the council.  The humans in this city will turn themselves in unless they wish for their friends who hijacked one of our spacecraft to be killed along with their home planet.  You have 15 minutes.”  The broadcast ended and Spencer brought everyone together

“We have to turn ourselves in” Spencer said.

“Yes” Jensen agreed.

“Of course” Colby said

“All right” Grace said

“I guess” Lily agreed.

“No” the guard said “You can’t do that.”

“Sorry” Spencer said.

“I won’t drive you,”  The guard said smiling.

“Okay” Spencer said as he opened the driver's door and got into the driver’s seat with Colby, Lily, and Grace in the back and Jensen in the passenger's seat.

“Hold on!” the Guard shouted.  “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Driving,” Spencer shouted as he hit several random buttons and miraculously started the engine.

Spencer then closed the door and stepped on the gas and sped towards the capitol building.  He managed to keep the car on the road and swerved out of the way of most things, save several road signs and vendors stands.  He eventually pulled up to the building and stopped the car.

“All right,” Grace said,  “Are we just going to turn ourselves in?”

“We have to,”  Spencer said,  “If we come in guns blazing they’ll destroy our friends headed back to Earth.”

“Ugh,” Lily sighed, “How come things never seem to work out.”

“We have to go in,” Colby said,  “We have to go unarmed, and we have to go now.”

The group walked through the front door of the building to find the council laying on the floor with several Adican pointing guns to their heads.  When they entered Rilfor walked down the steps to greet them.

“Ah,” Rilfor said, “The little humans came at last.  Did you miss me?”

Spencer and his friends remained silent.

“Well,” Rilfor said, “I have orders to take you back to the Adican capital where you will be properly executed for crimes against the Adican Empire.”

Spencer and his friends still didn’t speak.

“You guys are no fun.” Rilfor said, “Well at least you saved your friends, too bad you couldn’t save this planet.”  Rilfor smirked.

“Wait a second,”  Spencer said,  “What do you mean this planet?”

“Oh,” Rilfor said, “Well, when the Rapirians so ‘kindly’ took you in they declared war without even knowing.  In other words the rest of the Adican military will be here soon, before the silly Rapirians can react and then we will take this planet as our own and crush the Rapirian Republic.”

“It won’t work,”  Spencer said.

“Oh really?”  Rilfor asked,  “Who’s going to stop us?”

“We will.”  Spencer stated boldly.

“Ha!” Rilfor laughed  “Good luck doing that inside a prison cell for the few days you have remaining.”

After that Rilfor shoved them all into a single pod and launched them up to the large Adican ship.

Inside the ship Spencer and his friends once again, as they had so many days ago, stepped out into a room filled with no color other than glossy black.  However this time they weren’t so welcome.

Upon stepping out of the pod, Spencer and his friends were grabbed by several Adican guards and basically hurled into several cells where the guards locked the doors with an electronic code and left them there.