Last time he’d gotten into trouble aboard the Wingspan, Hunt had been kept in a kind of house arrest in his office. Prior to that, he had always managed to keep his nose clean. This was the first time he'd been on this side of the barred walls. He stared angrily at Dekken, who was now being kept in the cell opposite his. Evidently the revolution had not gone according to plan.

  There was a sailor sitting at the security desk, and it hadn't taken Hunt long to figure out that the man was loyal to Drilby. At the moment, however, he was snoring loudly and had his feet propped up on the desk. Hunt certainly wasn't impressed by the discipline of his usurpers.

  “Admiral,” whispered a voice. “Are you there Admiral?"

  Hunt turned to the wall panel outside his cell, which seemed to be talking to him, wondering for a moment if being in prison even this short time had already driven him mad. However, he recognized the voice, and when it clicked with him, he responded.

  "Drixen, is that you?" he asked in a low whisper.

  "Yeah, it's me," said Drixen with a laugh. "We're kind of prisoners ourselves."

  "Who's we?" asked Hunt.

  "My squadrons, sir. I suppose they figured we were too loyal to you, so here we are. Do you want us to come in and bust you out of there?"

  "Not just yet," said Hunt. "There's been enough rash action already. If you've been locked up, there's a good chance you're not the only one. Let's see if we can gather our forces and make a more coherent effort than our friends have managed."

  Heavy boots could be heard stomping outside of the brig. The guard woke up with a start, sitting up as straight as he could, trying not to blink his bleary eyes too much.

  As Drilby stepped into the room, he stomped over and kicked the bars of Triflin's cell. The Astralbian looked up at him lazily, then looked away again.

  “Get out of here, you lunatic,” seethed Dekken.

  "You're going to tell me how to get in touch with Griffonia, Astralbian," said Drilby, ignoring Dekken entirely.

  Triflin shrugged. "Good luck.”

  “Would you like me to send you home through one of the airlocks?" asked Drilby in an aggravated tone.

  Triflin sighed. "Look. We only just got our bearings here. There's a lot of stars for the programs to look at. Once the program had computed where we were in the galaxy, it had to get us a location for Griffonia. Turns out we’re more than halfway across the galaxy.

  “Now here's the thing about ripmed communications: you have two options. Broadcast, which disperses and is lost over a few light years of distance. Or a directed beam, which is much more narrow in scope, but can travel much further. Now that beam can travel, nearly instantly, halfway across the galaxy. If, that is, you've got a massive enough photon charging your ripmed system. Either way, a more massive photon means better comms, but also expends more energy.

  “Given that our energy is limited, and that we’re halfway across the galaxy at the moment, it would be very unwise to send a high-energy ripmed comm that will reach Griffonia this century. It was always the Admiral's plan to get in touch with Griffonia as soon as possible, but you can see that his plans have been interrupted as of late."

  "Fine," said Drilby, "have it your way. We'll be landing clayside to take on water shortly. And once we do, we're going to be headed back towards Griffonia. And I expect your cooperation in getting us in contact and getting us back home."

  "I'm pretty excited for you to get back home, Drilby,” said Hunt. “I think the powers that be are going to have a few words for you."

  Drilby scoffed. "I told you before, I'm getting a medal.” He turned and walked back out of the brig.

  Hunt slunk back onto the combination bench and bed that made up his cell’s only furniture. Drixen was probably gone for now. Even if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t be able to communicate until the sailor at the desk fell asleep again. He laid down and tried to get comfortable. He could use some sleep himself.

  ***

  Vanbrook had barely gotten comfortable in his bunk before he heard the now-familiar sound of a pterosaur landing on the roof of the shuttle with a clattering thunk. He rolled out of bed, grabbed his revolver and saber from where they sat, and went to join Doc and D’Jarric in the main room.

  Looking out through the windshield of the cockpit, he saw the head of a pterosaur appear as it climbed down from the top of the shuttle. It turned its head to one side and stared at them, bird-like, with a blood red eye, its pupil contracting to a black pinprick in the shuttle’s light. Satisfied that there was a meal within the shuttle, it began to peck viciously at the windshield. The cracks caused by the rolling over of the shuttle began to widen noticeably with every strike. Another pterosaur scrambled down from above and began pecking at the windshield as well.

  "Everybody get ready, we're about to have visitors," cried Vanbrook.

  By now, the others had filtered into the room as well. Darvik stood ready with his saber and sidearm. Reclan had a rifle over her shoulder and her data pad in hand, ready to utilize her drones as soon as they were needed.

  "Any idea how many are out there?" asked Darvik.

  Vanbrook shook his head. "Not sure, beyond the two that I can see.”

  A third pterosaur climbed down onto the windshield. The vicious, arrhythmic pecking of the creatures continued to batter against the windshield.

  “There’s at least three,” amended Vanbrook.

  Darvik shot him a dirty look.

  The windshield gave way suddenly with a horrible crash, and the pterosaurs began to clamber in through the hole. They were met instantly with a hail of gunfire. Pterosaur after pterosaur was killed by the high caliber energy rounds coming from Vanbrook's pistol, as well as the bolts of energy from D’jarric’s fists and everyone else's small arms.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Reclan activated her drones, sending them up to the window to form a barrier against further incursions. They created a small network of shields and were set to shock any enemies that got too close. The pterosaurs continued to attack, but were rebuffed every time they got within a few feet of the drones.

  Before they could celebrate the victory, a deep, throaty roar rumbled in from the jungle. Looking out a side window that the pterosaurs hadn’t discovered yet, Vanbrook saw the huge jungle predator coming to investigate all the commotion. With the hull electrification system out, the monster would soon be batting the shuttle around to its heart’s content.

  "All right, Rec," said Vanbrook, "I think it's time we hopped in the ATUC and made a run for it. Can you leave your drones here a moment?"

  "Yeah, I'll just recall them when we get down there," said Reclan. "You drive."

  "Will do," said Vanbrook. “Alright Squad, let’s hit the road!”

  They scurried out of the room and headed down into the cargo bay. As the others piled in, Vanbrook leapt into the driver's seat after punching the button to open the rear door. The process felt painfully slow as the stomping of the jungle monster grew louder and the screeching of the pterosaurs sounded closer and closer.

  "Gun it!" cried Reclan.

  Vanbrook pushed the thrusters to their maximum, squeezing out through the still-opening door and ramping into the night. The ATUC came down hard, its airborne suspension saving them from the worst of the jarring shock. The pterosaurs burst out of the hangar doors behind them. Vanbrook raced along the shoreline, heading south towards and into the plains as Darvik, D’Jarric, Doc, and Reclan focused on firing back at the pterosaurs following behind. Off to their right, the huge form of the jungle tyrant bore down on them. Fremig looked ready to leap from the ATUC and attack the monster with his bare hands, but he refrained. Vanbrook didn't let his foot off the thruster for a moment as they darted down the shoreline, but it was clear there was no place to hide from the quickly-gaining pterosaurs that chased them down, along with the jungle beast that showed no signs of giving up the pursuit.

  "I'm going to swing us around," said Vanbrook. "Everybody hold on."

  Vanbrook brought the ATUC around in a hard hairpin turn that threw all the passengers off to one side, though thankfully no one was ejected from the vehicle.

  "Don't do that again!" shouted Reclan.

  Vanbrook couldn't help but smile to himself a little as he once again gunned it. This time he headed into the flock of pterosaurs, trying to thread the needle of getting between the pterosaurs and the monster.

  "Are you trying to get us killed!?" asked Darvik.

  "The only place we haven't tried so far is the mountains," said Vanbrook. "I'm hoping that we can find shelter and maybe even a few less predators in that direction. Didn't seem any good going out onto the lake, or into the jungle, or staying on the plains. That doesn’t leave us with too many options."

  "Fair enough," said Reclan.

  A flock of at least a dozen pterosaurs descended on the ATUC, but were repelled by Talon Squad's fire. One got dangerously close, its toothy beak snapping at the Squad, but Fremig ripped it out of the air, tearing its head off and throwing the pieces away with a triumphant roar. The jungle beast took a swipe at the ATUC as it passed, but found it to be just out of reach. Its foremost claw claimed a small amount of paint as its only prize. The beast roared and gave pursuit, but soon found no need. The ATUC managed to outpace it, but just barely.

  Vanbrook looked over his shoulder to see the creature gaining on them for a moment, pushing itself into one final burst of speed. However, the ATUC continued to pull away. With a last defiant roar, the creature stood its ground and watched them drive off into the distance. The remaining pterosaurs broke off their pursuit as well, returning to the shuttle to search for anything worthwhile within. It gave the Squad little comfort that they wouldn't find anything of use to them.

  "All right then," said Vanbrook. "To the mountains it is."

  ***

  Raivyn sat, staring dispassionately at the Drakmundi General who sat across the table from her in the small interrogation room. They had taken a number of Drakmundi prisoners, but the General, whose name was Kleppo, was easily the highest-ranking. The beast soldiers they captured were nearly useless, amounting to little more than caged animals now. Whatever had happened that had freed Fremig from his mental bondage refused to be repeated in the other beast soldiers. The infantry that had been captured refused to speak for the most part and had little to say regardless. That left the General as their most valuable asset. Of course, he was also the most fluent in Talpaertan of the bunch.

  "Kleppo," said Raivyn, "if you would ever like to be returned to your people, it would be helpful for you to explain some things about them to us."

  Kleppo huffed, "My people will come for me. You will be destroyed as you should have been in the first place, and the superiority of the Drakmundi will be made clear to you."

  "If you're so superior," said Raivyn, "how is it that we drove away your precious world serpent?"

  Kleppo took an indolent stance, crossing his arms and looking off to one side.

  "Has it occurred to you," asked Raivyn, "that your cybernetic cult might not be everything you've been told it is?"

  Taking the bait, Kleppo snorted, looking back at Raivyn. "Our cybernetic cult, as you call it, is the most powerful force in the galaxy. Our power is derived from the great serpent himself who circles Drakmundi's home."

  "And Drakmund, the crown jewel of your society," pressed Raivyn, "is a world which you have never seen and that is in constant need of supplies, is that correct?"

  "It is not for the soldiers of Drakmundi to see Drakmund. We go out into the galaxy and harvest resources for the council, for the homeworld. You must not question it further. Your blasphemy grates against my ears and I will hear no more of it!" Kleppo snarled.

  With that, Kleppo crossed his arms and looked away from Raivyn again.

  "Such a powerful world that it has to survive off the resources of others," she pressed.

  Kleppo ignored her. For a few more moments, Raivyn tried to prod and provoke the general into giving them some more information, but he refused.

  She sighed and nodded, then stood up and walked out of the room where she was greeted by Trebor and Lawbine. After Griffonia had been liberated from the Drakmundi, a task force had been formed. The vast majority of the civilized galaxy had come together to understand the Drakmundi threat and prepare for any possible return. Lawbine had stayed on as Aerat's representative. Hrake was also part of the team, as were Lady Rewna, Baron Flubbyn, and a number of others from across the galaxy.

  "Well, we hardly learned anything that we didn't know before," said Trebor sullenly. "I would still like to see you interrogate him using telepathic techniques."

  Raivyn scoffed, "Trebor, you were there when we fought him in Bluff. He's a powerful psychic. There's no point in trying to put him in a room without T-blocking technology, other than to force another battle of psychic wills with him. Besides that, psychic interrogations are an absolute last resort. Something quite close to torture."

  Trevor shrugged.

  "I have to say, I'm with Raivyn on this one," said Lawbine.

  Trevor scoffed, shaking his head. "What a surprise."

  "Psychic interrogations are nothing to take lightly," continued Lawbine, ignoring Trevor's remarks. "They can do as much damage as good, especially when the target himself is a powerful psychic like our General Kleppo here."

  "Well, perhaps we could have gotten more if Hunt hadn't absconded with our best resource," said Trebor.

  "When the Wingspan comes back, I am hoping to have a very long conversation with our friend Fremig," said Raivyn.

  Again, Trevor scoffed. "You really think the Wingspan is coming back? Even if that's what they're hoping for, they just went through a door that took them to who knows what corner of the galaxy, which was promptly shut and burned behind them."

  "D’Jarric is no fool," said Raivyn. "And he would not take the Wingspan on a fool's errand."

  "I never should have allowed Darvik to go along with this ridiculous plan," said Trevor, shaking his head.

  "And yet you seem to have gotten away with it unpunished," said Lawbine.

  Trevor took a long, hard look at Raivyn. "Did I?" he asked.