HAWK

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: PEGASUS (3/6)

With the Pegasus finally approved by Worm's team for departure, the F-88 was loaded into the cargo hold along with the faster of the two courier ships, just in case the freighter broke down mid-transit and they had to resort to Astrid's original plan of using a harpoon cable. After that went a cache of food for the crew containing enough supplies to last them the trip five times over.

And that would have been it, if not for one last thing that required a little more attention.

The base was eerily quiet with many of the tunnels declared temporarily out of bounds. Rhaspa had instructed most of the residents to remain inside their rooms with their doors locked while Kas and Sudds and a handful of armed soldiers went to assist Captain Mack.

The silver sarcophagus containing the alien had been placed on an antigravity transport rig to make it easy to move. Mack had given Beak the task of steering it while Sudds, Kas, Pari and ten soldiers surrounded it on all sides, their EMP and laser-rifles armed and ready.

Kas originally thought it all seemed a bit over the top, seeing as the alien was locked up in a state of hibernation, but then Sudds explained that keeping it in the dark was only the primary way the alien acquired power. It also absorbed heat and elements from the air in a similar way to how artifibre powered itself, though to a much greater extent. The sarcophagus kept the alien inside a temperature controlled vacuum, depriving it of everything it needed to reanimate, but since they had had to disconnect it from the power supply in order to move it, they weren't about to take any chances. If what Astrid had said about the alien possibly being aware was true, then if it somehow did wake up, it was not likely to be friendly.

They reached the command centre within two minutes. From there, Kas stayed put while the company led the sarcophagus into the hangar. She would have gone with them but Sudds had accidentally given her the only faulty breathing mask, forcing Kas to watch on the big screen as the company pushed the coffin up the Pegasus's ramp to where Worm was waiting. Though Kas couldn't see, she knew the sarcophagus was being sealed inside the F-88 where it would be connected to the fighter ship's power supply. If the alien did wake up and manage to break free of its coffin, Astrid would be able to contain it inside the Infinity Fighter to stop it harming the crew.

With that unpleasant matter finally out of the way, the tunnels were declared safe once again and the small population of Xeo scurried like ants back to the command centre, ready to see off their heroes.

Kas, Captain Mack, RoboWorm, Sudds, Pari and Beak had assembled on the dais where the hologram of Xeo had been temporarily disabled. They were all dressed in artifibre skinsuits - except for Captain Mack, who had once again opted for military fatigues.

Rhaspa and Mana stepped onto the dais to join them. It was a highly emotional moment. Despite the large crowd that had crammed themselves into the room, there was an uneasy silence while they waited for Rhaspa to speak. He didn't keep them waiting long.

'Since time is short and long goodbyes are the most painful,' he began, 'I will only say a few words. It is impossible for me to convey the enormous gratitude and pride I feel for each of you. Were I a younger man, I would be standing beside you rather than before you, but I doubt this decaying form could offer you much assistance in the coming days.

'Life is such a fragile thing. It is the gift that separates us from all other matter in the universe. It should not be spared or risked willingly, but held gently in our hands and protected. The journey you are about to embark upon represents not just the protection of mankind, but of all life. It is surely the most noble voyage ever undertaken in the history of our worlds, if not the galaxy. All that's left for me to say is thank you, my friends, and travel well.'

Rhaspa's speech was met by a thunderous applause. Kas felt awkward standing up on the dais for everyone to see and judge, so she was pleased when the security door leading into the hangar suddenly swung open, beckoning her into the exit tunnel. She stepped down and waded into the adoring crowd but was soon slowed to a stop.

'Move!' she said, to no effect. She was about to shout when the crowd suddenly split apart, like a boulder had tumbled into a river and cracked the current in two, clearing a path for her all the way to the exit. She looked behind her and saw the reason why: Worm had stepped off the dais in her X1 suit and was waving to the people like she was a celebrity.

This kid...

Kas turned back and continued towards the exit as she took out her breathing mask and pulled it on.