River's Run(8)

Jo and Star stared at her for just a moment before they nodded. Jo cupped her hand and lifted Star up through the vent. River reached over and helped her through the opening before they both reached down and grabbed Jo’s hands as she jumped pulling her up as well. River pulled two weapons out of her black duffle bag. She handed Star a miniature crossbow she used during her performances. She also gave her the twenty arrows she had to go with it.



“Make each shot count. Remember to aim for the throat or between the eyes. They have a thick bone covering their chest. I don’t want to take a chance of the arrows not going through it. Jo, take the staff. Push the center button, it extends and has blades on each end. You are the best with that. They have some men captured in cell block eight. They are going to kill them so we have to move now. Remember our plan. We’ll take out any creatures in cell block eight then head to our spots to shut down the lifts. I’ll take out the engine room. Star you head down to block all the entrances out of their living quarters. That should take care of almost half the crew. Jo, you make sure all lifts coming up to the shuttle bay are blocked. We meet in forty-five minutes at the vent leading into the shuttle bay. Remember to kill as fast as you can. Don’t think.” River said looking at each of her friends. Now they were taking action she was calm. She would probably bawl like a baby if she lived through this.



“Do you think the men will help us, River?” Star asked hesitantly as she pulled the arrows across her back.



“Yes. I don’t know why but I feel like they are our only hope. The huge creature cut one man’s head clean off, Star. He plans on killing all the rest of them. I don’t know why but I feel like we have to save them.” River looked into Star’s eyes before turning to Jo.



“Well, let’s go kick some alien ass.” Jo said with a smile. “Hell, if I’m going to die today I plan on taking as many of those assholes with me as I can.”



“Show time.” The three girls said as they put their hands on each others. It was their favorite saying right before they were to perform.



Heading down the vent they quietly came up onto cell block eight. Jo lifted the grill. It was located in a small unlit corridor of the cell. This cell was much larger than the others. River jumped down crouching low until she was sure she hadn’t been heard. Nodding up to Jo she stepped aside as Jo lowered herself down followed by Star. Nodding for each sister to take a side they had decided River would come up the middle. It gave her more freedom to throw her knives with both hands.



Holding up a hand the girls listened as the one-arm creature talked about how he was going to kill each of the men before killing the man fighting against the restraints. River heard Star catch her breath when the young man said goodbye to his brother. That was all the three of them needed to hear to know they were making the right decision.



Torak watched as Progit raised his sword with a harsh laugh. He refused to look away from his brother’s face. Just as Progit was preparing to bring his sword down to sever one of Jazin’s arms he froze it place. Torak watched in disbelief as he turned halfway around then fell face first into the metal floor, a knife protruding from between his eyes. He jerked when the other two creatures, who had been on each side of his brother, met the same fate.



Glancing up with undisguised hope he called out softly, “Manota?”



River wasn’t sure what to do when the man tied to the wall called out for someone. She looked around the room to see who he was talking too but didn’t see anyone else. Nodding to Jo and Star, she moved slowly into the room. They would cover her back if these guys turned out to be bad too. Pulling her short swords from her back, she held one in each hand as she moved into the light.



Torak’s breath caught in his throat as he watched a figure move cautiously out from the darkened corridor. He had expected his middle brother, Manota. He had not expected to see the most beautiful female he had ever seen to walk slowly out of the shadows carrying two battle swords. He watched as the female stopped just inside the room. She looked at the three Tearnats first moving over to them and kneeling down to make sure they were dead. When she was satisfied they were she pulled the knives out of their foreheads with a disgusted look on her face, wiping the blades gingerly on their clothing. She then slid the knives into her boots.



Rising up she glanced at him briefly before moving her eyes over each of the men watching her so intently. She moved to stand in front of Jazin looking up into his eyes. She slid one of her swords into the harness on her back before slowly raising her hand to his cheek with the blood on it. Torak growled low when she reached up. The female froze, then turned to stare at him a moment before she turned back to his younger brother.