TDM 13 "Escape Is Improbable"

Want to read this in a different language ? Change the TO field to your own country and click the TRANSLATE button after going HERE THE DREAM MACHINE The Lost Saucer Can't Get Off This Crazy Ride ! © October 2013 Written by David Wicker Please do not reprint without permission [ CHOOSE A DIFFERENT CHAPTER ] CHAPTER 13 - ESCAPE IS IMPROBABLE * * * This chapter is Rated: EVERYONE But before the guards could carry out their threat, suddenly Marshmallow and Candy shot out a sticky webbing at the surprised guards ! Even Fi, Alice, and Jerry were completely amazed at what they were seeing. Ribbons of thinly spun sugar was shot out of their crystalline mouths and apparently it was a lot stronger than it looked ! Cause at this point the guards began to bumble around in it and finally fell against the wall in clump, their arms stuck in the air firing their pistols madly at the ceiling where it ricocheted harmlessly off into the distance behind them. "Stop firing you fools !" the captain said, afraid now a stray shot would hit one of themselves. In moments they were bound head to foot in a neat thinly woven cocoon of the material which glistened and sparkled beautifully in the light, all their arms pinned at their sides, either up in the air or down at the floor. Just then Candy collapsed and wilted over, still being held in Fi's hand ! "Are you okay ?" Fi asked the little sugary symbiot. Candy gasped but spoke in that curious high-pitched voice again, "I'm fine, but that drained a good deal of my power. Let us locate our vessel and leave this place at once !" Jerry seemed to be more familiar with the corridors than Alice and they finally found their way to a main hallway where paths led off in all directions. Fortunately wherever the residents were right now, there none to be seen at the moment. Marshmallow then spoke in a deeper yet curiously effeminate voice and he was still being held by Alice, "It is this way." and he rotated in her palm to point the way. "How can you tell ?" Jerry asked. He looked and it was clear there were 9 corridors going out like spirals from a star and all the paths looked alike with no markings. "I can - smell it !" Marshmallow replied. "Smell ?" Fi queried. Candy explained, "Our ship is also made out of a composite compound of sugar from our planet. While you humans have, as you call it, a sweet tooth, we Fraxians have what we call a sweet NOSE, and we can smell sugar from miles away. It is necessary for our survival so we can find both food and shelter on our planet." So with this information, they took the North-Easternly route and were finally confronted by seven doors, also all looking alike. "The fourth one." Marshmallow said promptly to end their confusion. Fi nodded. His sense of smell and direction certainly was impressive as well ! Touching the door it opened to reveal a brightly lit laboratory, also empty of people but on the counter next to what looked like scanning and probing equipment was a small egg-shaped spaceship, about 2-feet across, that glittered like a million diamonds. Alice spoke, "How beautiful ! How - why is it so sparkly ?" Marshmallow replied, "It is made out of the hardest most composite form of sugar our planet has to offer. Not even the heat of a quasar can affect it's surface. This is necessary to safely travel and navigate through time streams." Alice and Fi approached the ship and set down Candy and Marshmallow gently on the counter next to it. Marshmallow wiggled inside to examine the ship for any damages and Candy stayed outside. Then she bowed respectfully and spoke to the trio. "Thank you so much, humans, and - android. We could never have escaped without your help. We are deeply in your debt and should our paths cross again, we will certainly do whatever we can to help you." Fi grinned and reached out to gently shake Candy's antenna as she had it extended in a farewell salute. "You're more than welcome, Candy." Fi replied. "Can I say since I have met you, I have found you to be - sweet." Candy blushed slightly causing the pretty pinkness of her cotton-candy body to take on a slightly rich violet hue, but she was without words to express her appreciation at the unexpected compliment. * * * Marshmallow came back out. The two touched their antennae together for a moment. Then both wiggled into the egg-shaped ship. A little panel closed sealing them in and then beautiful colored lights shone all around the edges like a miniature and marvelous Christmas light display and the slight sound of a whirring noise was heard. The lights twinkled gently on and off and then the ship rose and hovered in mid-air for a moment. Suddenly there was a bright flash followed by a streak of movement and for a moment it appeared that the craft had hurtled forward straight into the wall across the lab ! But after the glare had receded, a moment later you could see there was no mark left behind in the wall. Clearly, they were on their way, traveling back in time - to save their planet from the dreaded rainstorms. Jerry spoke, "Okay, so they found their ship, now what about the saucer -" "and - home ?" Alice said completing Jerry's thoughts. Both nodded in agreement. For a moment it appeared as if Fi was thinking of something else and - perhaps for just a moment she seemed sad, as if remembering a lovely memory of her own from years ago. Perhaps there was something in Candy that reminded her of herself years ago. Seemingly impetuous and aggressive, but deep inside, soft and kind. "Oh ? Yes !" Fi said nodding her head up and down. She then touched her chest panel and depressed some buttons making the familiar electronic sounds. Then she turned her head left and right and you could hear the sound of a sonar like from an old submarine movie. "Fum is no longer in the forest !" she exclaimed. She tilted her head left and right and finally added, "He's outside, waiting for us, and - oh no ! Since the saucer is repaired, it's sensors are telling me that there are other vehicles moving in ! Big ones ! We have to hurry, kids !" Backtracking the way they came, they came to the same center with 9-corridors branching off in spiral directions, unfortunately this time they heard shouting, a group of angry people were approaching ! Alice bounced up and down on her toes nervously, "Oh ! Hurry Fi, which way do we go !" Fi took on a serious look and the sound of her sonar grew louder. "It's this - no - this way !" "You're certain ?" Jerry asked. He certainly didn't want to get captured again. "Positive !" Fi said, but then a moment later, "Mostly positive. Look any place is better than here, right ?" Jerry couldn't argue with that logic. As they ran down the corridor it was clear there was a LOT of guards all chasing after them now and they could hear their angry echoes behind them, followed and punctuated occasionally by a random shot being fired over their heads. "Run faster, Fi !" Alice told the android. She could run even faster than she was now but she knew Jerry wouldn't be able to keep up. And poor Fi was running as fast as she could on her stiff little metallic legs, but it was clearly she was not going to be able to keep up with the kids. Suddenly there was a voice of rage from behind them, "There they are ! We have them now !" "Go ! Go without me !" Fi said and waved them away. Perhaps they would just be satisfied with finding the android and the kids could get away. "Oh no ! We're not leaving you behind !" Alice cried. She looked very upset and just like Jerry she didn't want to think what was going to happen to them if they got caught. They reached back to help Fi but suddenly Fi grabbed both kids tightly in her arms ! "Wha - what are you doing, Fi ?" Jerry asked trying to pull free, but he couldn't. For a moment he was thinking Fi's programming was on the fritz cause holding them like this certainly wasn't going to protect them from the guards. "Lemme go !" Alice said and struggled in Fi's iron grip, but she wouldn't release her, either. New panic entered the kids eyes and they wondered if Fi had gotten seriously damaged in the earlier scuffle with the doctor and she was short-circuiting now. But suddenly Fi smiled curiously down at both of them. "I'm sorry kids, I don't have time to explain right now. Just - hold - on - tight !" END OF CHAPTER 13 Return back HOME   You are Earth Visitor #