River's Run(6)

Over the next two weeks they did the same routine. River began having Jo and Star explore the vents to get familiar with the ship while she stayed with one or the other. They figured she could cover up with the bedspread and act like she was sleeping if the creatures came back early. So far, they had been left alone. It wasn’t until the beginning of their third week of captivity that they knew something major was happening. The ship jerked and shuddered tossing them to the floor as the lights in the cell dimmed.



“What’s happening?” Star asked frightened. She gripped the edge of the bed trying to keep from falling again.



“I don’t know. I’m going to go check it out.” River said. “Give me a boost.”



Jo and Star stood and cupped their hands giving River a boost through the vent. River closed the vent grill before whispering, “I’ll be back shortly.”



The sisters nodded as they staggered under another shudder. The ship moaned then everything seemed to become deathly quiet. Moving over they sat on the edge of the bed holding on as they waited for River to return.





Chapter 3




River moved swiftly through the vents. She was a pro at navigating her way through them now. She had even pack-ratted items she thought might come in handy. She had food and water stored throughout the ship. She had even found a storeroom filled with weapons. She had taken as much as she thought she could get away with and hidden them in strategic places as well. Her biggest find had been what looked like explosives. She figured they could always find a good use for those. Moving down she followed a group of creatures running towards the shuttle bay. They seemed to be very excited about something.



Running she made the quick climb down the vents until she came to the vent she had originally slipped into almost three weeks before. Staying to the shadows she moved quietly out onto the catwalk using the pipes to move around. There was a large square duct hanging down she could hide behind but be close enough to hear what was going on as she would be almost directly above them. Crossing the thick metal beam she made her way across and hid behind it just as the huge creature that obviously was in charge stormed into the shuttle bay with almost twenty armed men following him.



Another ten men stood surrounding a shuttle with their weapons drawn. A small explosion caused the platform at the back of the shuttle to open. The men rushed in. A few minutes later they came out followed by a group of almost a dozen men. River caught her breath at her first look of the men. They were much different than the creatures that had captured Jo and Star. They were tall, about six and half feet, but had long black hair pulled back at their necks. They were all dressed in leather pants and had on different color shirts except for the one in the front who was older and wore some type of formal cloak. They were so handsome River would have to call them almost beautiful. They appeared almost human in form. She couldn’t tell what it was about them from this distance but she knew there was something different about them. Maybe it was their builds were very muscular or the way they carried themselves but something was different.



River watched as the huge creature named Trolis walked up to the man in the long cloak and hissed at him.



“So, Krail Taurus, we meet again. This time there will be no peace negotiations.” The huge creature hissed.



“Trolis, you have broken the treaty signed by your people by attacking an Alliance vessel on a diplomatic mission.” Krail Taurus replied calmly. “This will be seen as an act of war.”



Trolis grinned nastily before replying, “No, this will be seen as an act of war.”



Before anyone knew what Trolis planned he swung a double-edge sword and sliced the older man across his neck severing it clean off his shoulders. The other men roared with rage and moved to attack. Suddenly the ten men surrounding them opened fire and all the men dropped to the floor.



River shoved her fist into her mouth to keep from crying out. Silent tears coursed down her cheeks as she watched all the men drop. She almost fell from her hiding place when she heard Trolis tell the men to drag the men to the holding cells. They weren’t dead, just unconscious! She thought with relief. She waited to hear what else Trolis had to say. She needed to know what he planned on doing to the other men. If he planned on killing them she was going to have to tell Jo and Star they were moving up their attack on the creatures.



“Commander Trolis, what do you want us to do with the others?” One of the creatures hissed out.



Trolis swung his large head back and forth, “Two of the men are part of the royal family. I think a demonstration of who is in charge is necessary. Strap them to walls. Take the younger one with the red shirt and secure him to the center of cell block eight. I want the others to watch as he is gutted. I have plans for his older brother to suffer.”