Saving Na'Drahg

Chapter 18

Al'nuk set the blaster back to rapid fire and turned as they got to where the corridor split up. Kneeling down, he told Janine to take cover behind the wall and started firing at the men running towards them. He had to dodge a few himself, rolling from one side of the passage to the other. When he ran out of cartridges, she tossed him the other blaster and he started firing again. When the last man dropped, he only had one cartridge left.

Al'nuk sat tapping the blaster against the floor, trying to come up with an idea. He only had the tranquilliser gun and one cartridge left.

"I need you to do something for me but its going to be very dangerous so you need to listen very carefully. I need to lure a trag'nikiai here and I need you to shoot it."

"You said I can't kill it with that blaster thing."

He held up the tranquilliser gun and she shook her head.

"It works the same, but instead of cartridges, it takes darts. You will have to shoot it as I come down the passage and then run and hide. I will lead it to the door and then hide in a passage as well. It is the only way I can distract the Mal'ikiai and get a shot off. I only have one chance at this and it has to be perfect. I can not do it alone."

"Please don't make me do this? What if I miss and I shoot you instead?"

"You won't miss. I will run along the wall and you can shoot towards the other side. Just don't shoot the..."

He stood up and looked at the door, reaching up to his neck.

"Farah, How far are you from the door?" he asked.

"Far. Why?"

"I need you to stay where you are and do not move when you hear the explosions. Where is the Mal'ikiai and Marco?"

"Right in front of me. They are far away from the door as well. What are you going to do?"

"Just lay very still and wait. Ja'nuk, what will happen to the vessel, if there is damage to the storage door?"

"Nothing. It is there to seal in the air for the plants."

"The plants are not as important as family." He took a deep breath and looked at Janine. "I need you to stay out here and shoot the darts at the door. It will take me wo'ore nahgs to get to the grid inside. Shoot the first one. Count to-"

"I don't understand what you said?"

"Ja'nuk?"

"Say twenty seconds."

"What is Ne'ore?"

"Ten."

"Okay. Twenty seconds, first dart. Ten seconds, second dart. Then..."

He held up his hand and she said, "Five seconds, third dart. Okay. I got this. Shooting a door is easier than that beast."

"You must run and hide. Do not wait after the third one. The first one will go off... soon."

She nodded and took the gun from him wth shaking hands. He showed her how to hold and fire it and then went to the grid, looking back at her.

"I'll be fine. Go. It's getting hard to breath."

He could see her chest heaving and looked away, before he got caught staring again. It took him exactly twenty seconds to the grid. He heard the shot and listened for movement. When it was silent, he moved the grid away and climbed out behind Marco's plants. The second shot went off and he looked over the crates to see where the Mal'ikiai was. When he found his position, he set the blaster to silent and heard the third dart hit the alloy door.

As soon as the first blast went off, the Mal'ikiai moved away from Marco and Al'nuk stood up and shot him in the back. A projectile flew over Marco's head and the man dropped to the floor next to Marco. The other explosions went off and Al'nuk ran over to them, grabbing the blasters out of his hands, shooting him in the back.

Marco jumped up and ran over to Farah. He heard her say that she was fine and then turned to cover them as the last three blasts went off, ripping the door to pieces. He felt something hit his back and slid down to the ground, losing control over his legs. He saw movement and turned to look, but was relieved when he saw Janine running in.

"Don't move. Just sit still so I can get this out."

"Get what out?" he asked.

"Are you kidding me right now? There is a... thing in your back and you can't feel it?"

"I thought it just hit me. I didn't know it was embedded in my back. It does hurt though."

She touched his back and he moved away. "Hold still, you big baby."

He could hear her giggling and smiled. If anyone else had said that to him, he would have removed their heads from their bodies with his bare hands. She pulled it out and he bit down on his tongue, punching the boxes that Farah had been lying on, moving it away and he lost his balance. He put his hand out to stop from falling over, but he was shaking so much, that his arm gave way and he ended up on the floor.

He could hear them all heaving for air, so he pushed himself back up and tried to stand.

"Are you crazy? You can't get up." Janine said.

"There is no air. We have to get to the upper level."

She grabbed his arm and Marco grabbed the other, helping him up to his feet. He stumbled forward and they grabbed hold of him again.

"Just hold onto us. You were not supposed to get hurt. You expect me to listen, but then you don't," Janine scolded him.

"Woman, can you keep your voice down and the scolding for later. You are wasting precious time again."

"You better watch what you say, mister. I will leave you here with no air and call all those damn beast things to eat you."

He chuckled as she started dragging him forward. He put his arm around her and let her drag him, until he heard the heavy stomping outside the door.

"Go the other way. They are coming because of all your shouting. Go through the passages."

She turned and pulled him around, jarring his back. "Keep that up and I will really feed you to those creepy tree things."

She pushed him forward as they got to the grid and he climbed in, everyone following him. His arms gave way and he fell face down in the passage.

"You can't do anything right. Why is it always up to the women to get things done. Move your ass over so I can get passed you."

Janine pushed him over and crawled over him, rubbing against him. When she got to the other side, he winked at her and grinned.

"God, you are one sick perverted asshole. You two better get over him. I'm pushing him back out so those beasty things can eat his sick demented brain."

They laughed and she sat looking at them with one eyebrow raised. "I wasn't joking."

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