The entire group was standing in front of a large spaceship that everyone believed looked like a mythical animal that they had only seen drawings or depictions, but never in real life. The head of this spacecraft looked somewhat like the head of a horse and the wings appeared to be a bendable material that was folded and resting against the fuselage of the vessel.  The fuselage was large and octogen in shape where all eleven will fit nicely.  There were engines at the back and four impressively large thrusters that sat underneath that were currently facing downward.

For everyone on the team, except Igetis, this was the first time they had been in the underground airbase.  They were stunned by the rows of spaceships and other vehicles that sat looking to be untouched for many years.  There were weapons of all types nicely organized in different containers, all sitting undisturbed.  All nine looked around with their eyes gaping and their jaws open wide.  The General was already inside the spaceship, activating controls and preparing to leave.  Rose stood at the bottom of the platform, smiling at the reactions from the rest of the group.

“The General wants to take his ship,” said Rose, “because he feels that it will give us the best advantage if we have to go into battle.”

At hearing this they all looked at Rose.  “What are the chances of that happening?” asked Filos with a large gulp. His skin was changing colors at a fast rate.  “Do you believe Zeus is chasing this individual we are going to save?”

She nodded with a grim face.  “He has exactly what Zeus wants.  Hopefully, we are not too late.”  Rose heard the thrusters ignite.  “We better get in because he will not wait for us.”  The entire group ran up the platform past Rose and onto the vessel.

The last to board was Makarios.  He was studying the spacecraft intensely.  “This ship looks somewhat like an animal.  I am trying to figure out what animal it is.”

Rose smiled. “It is shaped like the General’s favorite animal.”

“What animal is that?”

“A Pegasus.”

The platform of the vessel extended upward and sealed up the passengers in the fuselage.  The thrusters from underneath hovered the ship into the air. Then, which only took seconds, the thrusters folded upwards and then ignited with an incredible blue explosion which pushed the ship forward through the opened large doors and then ascended towards outer space. All nine gripped their armrests as they felt the incredible gravitational forces suctioning them to their chairs. The wings magically formed into what appeared to be the large wings of a bird.  Thrusters under the wings pushed the ship even faster and everyone inside could fill the mighty power of this vessel as it accelerated.

Tharros looked out the window and could see the wings now formed and was impressed on how the ship’s wings were now solid.  She looked at Rose who was up in the cockpit sitting next to the General.  Rose saw her looking at her and she pointed at the wings on the outside of the ship.

“The wings are made of millions of magnets that allow it to bend and fold like wings of a bird,” explained Rose.  “An electric current pulsates through the wings, changing the polarity of each magnet which allows it to make different shapes.  Hopefully, you will get to see this ship in battle.  The wings allow this ship to make some incredible moves.”

Tharros gave a nervous laugh. “No need to take us into battle.  You can show me any time when we’re not dodging enemy fire.”  Rose smiled in return.

The ship reached outer space and another huge blue fireball from the thrusters was seen. Within seconds they were passing thru the energy field and into the nebula, racing towards their destination.

 

 

Many hours later, the ship exited from lightspeed and descended into the atmosphere of a new planet that gave off a red glow from the north and southern caps.  They looked to be active volcanos in these regions, but on the rest of the planet were found blue flowing waters, large green forests, huge mountain ranges, and many populated cities. 

“This is Ekrixi, the planet of the volcanos,” explained Rose.  “Anything grows on this planet because of the nourishment of the soil.  Big trade centers are found here, plus lots of crime so watch your step.”

“This is where your friend is found?” asked Igetis.

“We can only hope,” answered the General.  “If he was smart, he would have left at any sign of a threat.”

“How would he have known there was a threat?” asked Tharros. 

“Once you feel his presence, you never forget,” answered the General which sent a chill down Tharros’s spine.

They entered the atmosphere and answered any communications that they received from the planet’s security forces which made them feel that this new ship was not a threat.  Then they headed towards one of the larger cities where Rose knew he was located.

“We could land in the closest landing dock and then search around his last known location,” said Rose.

“Still do not believe you two kept in contact,” said the General as he headed towards the landing dock.  “You know how dangerous that could be and now you see why.”

“Yes,” answered Rose in an angry tone, “You can lecture me after we find him.”

The General gave a heavy sigh and began landing procedures to land the ship.  The wings went back into their folded position and the ship was placed in hovering mode.  Suddenly, the General held position and saw something that disturbed him.  He could see thick black smoke rising in the distance and many security forces were circling the scene.  There were also individuals running across building tops and then jumping with incredible strength from one rooftop to the other.  Rose and the General locked eyes and both knew that the enemy had found him.  He immediately ascended the ship upwards and then pushed forward, weaving around the buildings and other structures.  Other ships dodged the speeding ship that seemed not to be obeying flight patterns or other rules.

As they approached the scene, they could see many that were injured from explosions, falling objects, and weapons fire.  They looked past the scene and saw that others were chasing one individual that appeared to be injured.  The others that were chasing this injured individual were not security forces of any kind.  They were followers of a master that they had once served and appeared to be serving him once again.

“They found him, and I led them right to him!” Rose shouted.

The General ascended the ship to a higher altitude and then raced towards the individual being chased.  This individual jumped off the top of a building and fell three hundred feet to the ground below.  All in the ship, except Rose and the General, believed that he would die upon impact.  Just as he was about to hit the ground, he lowered his shoulder and hit the ground hard.  But his body did not lay lifeless as the rest of the team expected.  He rolled five feet and popped right back up and continued running with a noticing limb.  The others that were chasing him, also jumped from the large building and landed on the ground hard, leaving cracks from where their feet hit.  They then continued chasing the one they hunted.  There were many species below on the streets of this large city that watched these individuals with shocked looks on their faces.  Everyone in the ship above, except Rose and the General, had the same shocked look.

The one being chased kept running, dodging others to avoid knocking them over and looking for a place to hide.  The ones chasing him, did not even care to dodge the innocent bystanders.  They just pushed them out of the way as they closed in on the wanted victim. 

Two creatures with fierce sharp teeth protruding from their large jaws and large claws bulging from their four huge paws were close behind the individual being chased.  Their two owners were directly behind them.  The owners were different creatures. These two creatures ran on two feet.  They were equipped with what appeared to be silver armor that covered their entire muscular body.  Their faces were a greyish color, and their skin was thick and leathery with scars and wrinkles.  Their teeth were sharp as well and protruded from their jaws that extended from their face with two small slits for their nose.  Their eyes were massive and dark green and could each look in different directions at the same time.  Their heads were protected by large silver helmets.  These two were identical in every characteristic.  They carried large, bladed swords that had blades at each end with the handle in the middle. They were frightening creatures to stare upon but even worse to encounter as innocent bystanders screamed and ran from the approaching creatures.

The individual being chased turned down another street and began climbing a building with incredible speed.  He was jumping and grasping ledges showing his incredible strength.  The power and dexterity were a marvel to behold.  When he was near the top of the building, one of the creatures extended his arm and fired a mini rocket. It slammed the one they were chasing in the back with a loud explosion and sent him flying.  He landed at the top of another building with a large crash, sending rocks and metal in every direction.  The creatures then climbed the building with the same speed and accuracy.

The General lost sight of their target and was hovering high above, trying to find him once again.  When they saw the explosion, they immediately headed towards the location where they heard and saw the huge bang.  They saw the creatures reaching the individual and there was also another ship hovering just above the individual as well.  He was unconscious and in great need of help.

“Rose!” yelled the General.  “Take the ship a safe distance and then you know what to do!”

The General, without any parachute or any other protection, dived out the now open side door and seemed to glide over to the top of the building where the creatures now had the individual in their grasp.  Everyone watched in shock as they saw the General landed gracefully on top of the building with his swords out ready to strike.  Rose had found a spot not too far away and landed the ship safely on top of another building that was taller than the other where all the action was taking place.

“Do not touch anything!” shouted Rose.  “I will be back in a few minutes!”  She then launched herself out the side door and fell towards the building.  The General had surprised the creatures and with a flying roundhouse kick to the head, had sent one of the creatures flying.  The other creature threw the individual they were chasing to the side and began twirling his two-bladed saber and taking heavy swings at the General.  The General deflected each swing with sparks flying in the air with each hit.  His quickness made it appear as if the creature’s two-bladed saber was moving in slow-motion.  Then the General trapped the creature's weapon against the ground with one sword and using his other sword, he slammed the creature with a hard swing against his chest.  The armor was strong enough to withstand the impact, but the creature was sent flying and hitting the ground hard.  Both creatures now stood motionless as they pondered their next move.  The creatures’ pets were growling loudly, drool dripping from their mouths, wanting to attack, but they waited for their masters’ sign.  The other hovering ship had let down other creatures that were much like the two twins but were of a smaller size and stamina and their weapon of choice was quick firing laser rifles and they had them aimed at the General.

Both twins began talking, but not at the same time.  They both knew what each other was thinking so they finished each other’s sentences.  Their voices were deep and dark. A low growl seemed to be heard as they spoke.  They spoke a language that the rest of the team did not understand, but they could hear and see all that went on.

“We are honored to have before us the mighty Perseus,” said the Twins.  “The son of our lord and master, Zeus.  The one that we have been told enslaved our master and now has become our enemy.  The one that let Olympus fall by spreading the lie of our master’s death and taking away everything that we had and leaving us to feed ourselves off the scraps of others.  Now we will take our revenge and rebuild the glorious kingdom, but this time it will rule the entire Universe.”

“Your trust in your master was your downfall,” said the General, “and will be your downfall once again.”

Everyone on the ship was watching with great interest but were very nervous because the numbers were much bigger on the other side.  They did not understand the words that were being spoken but they could see the creatures were slowly creeping closer to the General’s position.  They wondered why he did not attack, but then suddenly they realized why.  Rose had returned and she was carrying the individual that was being chased.  While the General occupied the enemy, Rose sneaked down and quietly rescued the injured individual.  She laid him down carefully on a bed that extended from the wall as she pushed a button.  She checked his vitals and saw that his head and legs were greatly injured.  Gennai approached offering help, but she patted his head and told him that the help he needed could not be given here.  She pushed another button on the wall and a glass cover closed around the injured individual and holograms appeared.  She tapped a few of the symbols and machines began to work on the injured victim. 

“I am running scans and giving him medicine,” advised Rose.  “Those head injuries show that he has been through a lot and that he was tortured.”  She turned to see what was going on with the General and could tell that he would need help.  The rest of the team gathered around to view the individual. 

“Who is this that we are here to rescue?” asked Igetis.  “He must be very important to have so many chasing him.”

Rose looked at Igetis and smiled.  “His name is Hephaestus, and he is my brother.”  She readied herself to jump again from the ship.  “I am going down there to help.  Do not touch anything!”  She again launched herself from the ship.

“The god of fire lays before us!” shouted Dunamis.  “There are great statues of this god everywhere on my planet and now he lays before me, suffering from wounds caused by enemies!  We must be dreaming!”

“Calm down Dunamis,” said Igetis with his patient voice.  “We all feel as you do, but now is not the time to lose control.”  They all watched as Rose glided down to the top of the large building where the creatures had begun to attack again.

Perseus was defending himself against the two twin creatures while dodging and deflecting laser fire from the other enemy creatures.  Deflected laser fire took out a few of the other creatures while he was deflecting the double-bladed swords from the twins.  He did a backflip to dodge another swing from one of the twin’s strikes and then began to attack with powerful swings.  The power from his attack pushed one of the twins back.  The other twin took a mighty overhead swing at the General which he dodged, and the blade hit the ground with a large smash, leaving giant cracks.  The General then jumped twisting his body and kicked this twin in the chest which sent the creature flying.  Then while still twisting in midair, he swung using both swords smashing the other twin’s double-bladed sword to the side, and then landed with both feet and quickly gave this same twin a powerful kick underneath the chin and then a powerful kick in the stomach which sent that twin flying.  Other smaller creatures came running at him with spears and swords.  He deflected one attack and then the General stabbed the attacking creature, the General’s sword protruded the creature’s back, and green blood went flying.  The General then removed his sword from the creature’s abdomen and then did a spin move which blocked a second attack from a smaller creature and chopped off the creature’s head as well.  More green blood went flying.  Soon many body parts from these small creatures were lying on the ground as Perseus continued his attack.

“Oh, my goodness!” yelled Gelio.  “Is that blood and a rolling head?  What is going on down there?” She immediately grabbed her stomach as she now felt ill.

“The gods are fighting,” Dyamion stated as he looked on seeming to enjoy the battle.  “Looks like our side is winning.”

Rose had landed on the building edge and was looking to see how she could help.  Just then a huge explosion went off right in front of the General which sent him flying backward.  He recovered and gracefully landed on both feet.  The two pets of the twins leaped forward, ready to sink their teeth into the General.  Rose quickly used her famous energy blast which sent the pets flying backward.  This blast surprised their enemy, and they looked to where the energy blast originated.  The twins saw a face they recognized, and a huge smile came to both their faces.

“Aphrodite!” yelled the twins.  “The great daughter of Zeus!  The empress of love!  You also are a traitor to our kingdom!  You will fall with your brothers as you taste the steel of our swords!”

“You are servants to a monster!” yelled Rose.  She positioned herself next to the General and an energy whip and battle-ax appeared in her hands.  “If you wish to take my life, then come get it.”  She motioned to the two identical creatures to come forward with her battle-ax.

The twins smiled large again and then they yelled, “OPEN FIRE!”

All creatures that stood behind the twins began firing.  Even the enemy ship that was hovering over them began firing their laser cannons.  Explosions were seen all around and the General and Rose dodged and deflected the incoming laser blasts with incredible speed and dexterity.  Laser fire was repelled back at the creatures and again they began to fall as they were hit with their own laser fire.  The twins then attacked, swinging their double-bladed swords in every direction.  Rose and the General blocked every attack and worked as a team to counterattack their enemy.  They moved around each other as if they were dancing, swinging their weapons, twisting, jumping, deflecting any attack, and landing blows that sent the twins flying backward.  Other creatures approached them with laser rifles, swords, spears, and other weapons.  Limbs were chopped away. Bodies were pierced with swords and battle-ax and more green blood was flying.  This made some of the team in the ship cover their eyes, not wanting to see the battle. Even the four-legged pets jumped to attack our two heroes and they were sent flying.

Hundreds of bystanders in ships and those down below on the ground, stopped to view the battle that was going on.  Security forces had arrived, but none wanted to engage because of fear of what they saw.  Many were screaming and yelling because of the explosions, laser fire, loss of limbs, and blood that they were seeing.  Some onlookers had been hit and medical crews were coming to attend to them.  The scene was that what you saw in war and everyone around was shocked that it was here in their city. 

Even though they were greatly outnumbered, Rose and the General were winning the battle.  They had taken some hits, but they still had the strength to continue.  The General continued to swing his swords skillfully with every attack.  Slicing, blocking, deflecting any enemy with incredible power and force.  Rose was equally skilled with every attack.  Every move she made was perfectly performed which sent the enemy flying backward, sometimes missing limbs.  The battle looked to be close to over, and Rose and the General were to be the victors.

Suddenly, more ships appeared with more creatures and firepower.  The team watching safely on the ship noticed their arrival and was left wondering what they should do.  More creatures began to descend, and the twins gained strength in the numbers they saw.  They began running at the two all at once, firing laser rifles and all other weapons in full force.  The General and Rose each put their arms together and form energy shields to block all incoming fire.  The amount of firepower being thrown at them was pushing them backward and soon the full force of the enemy would be upon them.

The General then reached behind him and grabbed a small round ball and showed it to Rose.  She nodded and knew the General’s next move.  He flung the ball forward towards the approaching enemy and then quickly drew his laser pistol from his holster and with one shot, hit the rolling ball.  A large blue explosion was seen and heard, and creatures were shown flying in the air in all directions.  It all appeared to be in slow motion as all bystanders saw spaceships engulfed in fire, falling to the ground.    Smoke was everywhere and all thought that everyone on the top of the building and the surrounding area had perished.  Once the smoke dispersed, Rose and the General were the only ones standing. 

 Suddenly, the twins climbed up from the side of the building where they hid from the huge explosion.  Their two pets appeared on the rooftop again as well.  More ships were seen moving in quickly.  The battle was not over yet.  The twins regrouped and they gathered all creatures to make another charge.  Rose and the General looked at their ship and wondered if this should be the perfect time to escape, but they saw other enemy ships above them that were preparing to fire.  They doubted they would be able to make it to their ship without being hit or causing harm to any of the passengers on Pegasus.  They decided to keep fighting but they switched weaponry.  The General swung out his automatic laser rifle and Rose began using her energy blasts.

The General began firing at the ships above.  His accuracy was impeccable as the enemy ships all around began receiving damage.  Rose fired energy blasts at the approaching creatures which knocked them back.  The creatures were having a hard time advancing but the twins used their skill and pushed forward.  They got within striking range of Rose, and both began attacking her.  She immediately switched back to her energy whip and battle-ax and defected their swings.  They did get the best of her for a moment and knocked her to the ground.  She immediately popped back up and then used her whip to pull one of the double-bladed swords from one of the twin’s hands.  Being left defenseless, she sent him flying with a powerful kick.  The second twin used the opportunity to advance and began swinging his double-bladed sword with fierce power and rage.  Rose had a hard time at first in defecting his blows, which made the twin give an antagonist smile.  But then Rose gained her composure and after a few swift attacks with the battle-ax, she wrapped her whip around the ankles of this twin and then with great strength, swung him around over her head and sent him flying back towards the approaching creatures.

While all this was happening, the General had been able to cause much damage to the other enemy ships.  Seeing that the enemy ships were coming in with more firepower, he flipped a switch on his laser rifle and pulled back the forearm and pulled the trigger.  A plasma sphere fired from another larger muzzle on his rifle and hit approaching ships with a mighty explosion.  He sent three more spheres firing into the air and ships were seen crashing on the side of the building.  He saw bystanders running away and only hoped they will keep their distance.

Now was the time to leave because the enemy was stunned, and enough time was now available to reach the ship.  Suddenly, a person that had been patiently watching from a safe distance was seen quickly approaching.  He was flying high in the air over the tall buildings leaving a trail of fire behind him.  Rose and the General could sense who he was, and they became nervous.  He then reached the top of the building where the battle was raging and with a powerful swing, he smashed the ground with his fists which sent electricity flying in their direction.  They tried to absorb the blow, but the power was too strong, and they were sent flying against the wall of the roof, nearly falling over.

The individual then stood before them and stared.  His eyes were full of rage, and power could be seen pulsating through his whole body. His face was not one they had seen but his presence they had felt before.  Their King had returned.  Zeus was here.

 

 

“My son and daughter have come to battle against me,” he said in a calm, deep voice.  “After everything that I have given them, they want to fight me.”  He began to strut around the roof of the building, but his eyes never left theirs.  “I allowed you to be a part of my glorious kingdom.  I gave you everything that you desired.  Taught you with my incredible knowledge and gave you the power that I created.  After all this that I did for you…” he paused and his eyes glowed red, “you betrayed me!” he yelled with enormous power.  Electricity pulsated stronger around his whole body.  Then he closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them again and the natural color had returned.  Less energy was seen pulsating on his body.  “Now, I can never return to my kingdom.  It is lost forever.”  This confused Rose and the General, but they dared not ask questions.  “Now I will begin a new kingdom, and this is the first key to my kingdom,” he said with a large smile, holding up a round device that fitted in his palm.  Rose and the General knew the device and anxiety came to their faces.  They were too late to stop him.

Tharros, in seeing this new individual arriving and his power, knew they were in trouble.  She immediately jumped into the pilot seat and began checking out the controls.  Dyamion saw this and approached her.

“What are you doing?”

“Learning to fly this ship,” answered Tharros as she continued to study the controls.  “Do you think that is the trigger?”

“It could be.”  Dyamion then shook his head and said, “You are crazy that you think you can fly this ship and somehow rescue them.”

“You have a better idea?”

“You see what these creatures can do.  We are no match.  You, flying over there could lose any chance of escape.”

“I trust Tharros’s instincts,” said Igetis from behind.  “Let us help her and not judge.”

“Even when it could be that we all die?” asked Dyamion to Igetis.

“We haven’t died yet,” Igetis said with his sly smile.

Dyamion rubbed his head and said, “Fine!  What do you want us to do?”

While still looking over the controls, Tharros said, “Find a rope to cast down to them.  Pretty sure we are going to need a speedy exit so no time to land.”  Dyamion began looking around the ship for rope. 

“It might be good,” Igetis said to Atromitos and Gennai, “that you find some weapons just in case you need to give us cover fire.”  Atromitos and Gennai searched for weapons.

Zeus had now calmly walked over to the General and Rose and stood a few feet from them.  His followers stayed behind waiting for his signal.  Nothing was said for a long moment as this face which they had not seen before stared intensely at them both.  Zeus then slowly placed his hand against Rose’s cheek.  She tensed up but did not attack.  The General took a small step forward which made Zeus look in his direction.  This made the General stop in his tracks as they both locked eyes.

Zeus then gave a sly smile and then turned and looked at Rose.  “You were my most trusted daughter.  I gave you a seat at the table of the grand council.  You were a protector of my people.”  His face grew angry, and his eyes turned red. Electricity began pulsating through his body and Rose could feel a small shock on her cheek.  “Of all that betrayed me, your betrayal hurts most of all.”  More power is seen pulsating through his body.  The General’s grip on his weapon grew tighter as he readied himself to strike.  Then Zeus lowered his hand and the power pulsating through his body stopped.  Zeus then looked at the General.  “I know that this was your plan.  Your want of revenge for what I did to you.  I so hoped that your punishment would have made you understand the gifts I had given you.” Zeus’s face then turned to sadness.  “I so hoped that you would return to me and ask for my forgiveness.  I would have given it and placed you at my side again.”  His eyes begin to glow, and more power is pulsating through his body.  “But you wanted revenge and my power for yourself!”  He then became calm and then for a small moment, he stared at both with a face of sadness.  He then calmly walked back to where he stood before, and his face grew angry once again.

“Now, I will take away your lives and send you to where your souls can never escape as I have done to many others!”  He raised his hand into the air and powerful lightning came pulsating down into his hand.  Clouds began to swirl around them in the sky above. The winds began to increase dramatically. Screams and yells were heard as any bystanders left went running for cover. The twins behind Zeus smiled showing their fierce sharp teeth.  They knew what was coming.  Rose and the General put up their energy shields and got ready to advance on him, knowing this move was very risky but their only shot.

“Tharros!” yelled Dyamion holding the rope he found and seeing the lightning coming from the sky.  “If you are going to do something, now is the time!”  Everyone else stared in disbelief at the great power they were seeing right in front of them.

Tharros flipped a switch which ignited the thrusters and then grabbed the joystick and the throttle.  She began to move the ship and scrapes and bangs could be heard as the ship hit the building underneath it.  She then got the hang of it and pushed the ship towards the roof of the other large building.  She located the weapon system and turned on the targeting control.  She found the trigger and aimed the laser cannons.  She pulled the trigger and the lasers fired, but they were way off target.  Zeus was surprised at the laser fire and wondered what they were aiming at because they hit nothing.  Rose and the General looked behind them and saw their ship approaching.  They began stepping back towards the edge of the building, hoping that the plan of their friends may work.

Tharros figured out the targeting system and began firing again.  This time she was on target and laser fire began to rain down on Zeus and the creatures.  Zeus surrounded himself with an energy shield and began to fire his lightning at the ship which will surely destroy them.

“Tharros!” yelled Dyamion.  “Do something!”

Tharros pulled back the handle on the trigger and pulled the trigger again.  This time the ship fired a plasma rocket toward Zeus.  The rocket hit the rooftop, and an explosion erupted.  Zeus and the creatures went flying into the air.  The roof underneath them gave in and everything began collapsing around them.  The building was beginning to shake and felt as if the whole thing could collapse.

Tharros steered the ship, so the side door was facing the building.  Rose and the General were hanging on the side of the building.  Dyamion lowered the rope, and both grasped on.  Suddenly, there was laser fire coming from other ships as they saw that Rose and the General were trying to escape.  There was no sign of Zeus or the other creatures but enough laser fire from these ships could send their vessel crashing into one of the surrounding buildings.

“Go Tharros Go!” yelled Dyamion.  Atromitos and Gennai began firing the weapons they found hitting some of the ships.  Their ship continued to shake as laser fire hit different areas of the ship which almost sent Dyamion over the edge, but Dunamis grabbed hold of him.  Tharros began moving the spacecraft away from the incoming laser fire, but she still did not know how to quickly maneuver the vessel, so escape looked doubtful.

Rose and the General quickly climbed the rope while deflecting laser fire back at the enemy ships.  Rose was first to climb into the ship and she immediately ran to the cockpit and tapped Tharros on the shoulder and yelled, “Move over!”  She quickly obeyed and Rose took control of the ship.  The General climbed aboard and closed the side door.  More laser fire was felt, and the crew of the ship fell to the floor because of the impact.  Rose pushed the throttle forward. The wings were set to a solid form and the ship began to quickly move away with the enemy ships in pursuit.

“Best to buckle in because this is going to be a bumpy ride!” yelled Rose to the entire crew.  They all obeyed and then the fun began.

 

 

She weaved the ship in and around the tall buildings of this giant city. Tharros was impressed with how quickly the ship could move and turn. The wings folded and bent much like that of a bird which enabled the ship to maneuver around obstacles with little trouble.  Small, quick enemy ships were pursuing them. They fired lasers and missiles hoping to hit their target. Rose spun and tilted the ship, avoiding all incoming fire. The lasers and missiles found the buildings around them as their targets which sent debris flying everywhere upon impact. Rose seeing that species on this planet could be harmed from the enemy ships, ascended upward out of the city. Tharros nearly passed out as she felt the g-forces as the ship moved upward into the sky at an incredible pace.

Suddenly additional enemy ships were seen descending upon them, and the crew all recognized to whom these enemy ships belonged. They were Kraken.

“They know their master has returned,” said Rose quietly.  Tharros only stared in terror as they began firing on their ship. 

Rose quickly broke down and right while spinning, dodging all incoming fire.  She then hit the throttle, and the spacecraft pushed forward across the sky.  Now they were flying over the large oceans, so she descended close to the blue water.  Large high waves were seen behind their vessel as the power of their thrusters hit the ocean below.  Many enemy ships were still on their tail.  The ships were from different species, but they all served one master and did his bidding.

Tharros wondered where Rose could be heading feeling that it would be best to leave this planet.  She saw that they were quickly approaching land once again.  Large volcanos could be seen becoming bigger as they approached.  Red liquid lava could be seen exploding into the air and continued flowing into the ocean waters.

Rose easily maneuvered the ship around the erupting volcanos and falling lava.  The wings bending and folding in a variety of different shapes moved the ship quickly and almost effortlessly.  The pursuing enemy ships were not as maneuverable, and many found their fate as they crashed into the volcanos or spun out of control as they were hit with falling lava.  The larger ships were able to take hits from the falling lava and rocks, but their shields were taking a beating.  Rose flipped a switch and flaming flares shot out from their ship from behind.  They hit the flowing lava and ignited the already intensely hot substance.  A huge explosion sent burning rocks and glops of lava in all directions.  Large numbers of smaller ships exploded upon impact and even some of the larger ships suffered much damage which made them lose control and slam into the lava below.  Rose quickly looked at Tharros and could see her nodding with a look on her face that showed she was quite impressed.  Rose gave a quick smirk and returned to maneuvering through what appeared to be a field of volcanos.

“Rose!” yelled the General, looking at a monitor that showed the surrounding area of their ship. “Many ships are approaching from the direction we are heading!”

“I see them!” she responded.  With what seemed like little effort, Rose made the ship’s wings fold and bend into a shape that pointed the wing’s thrusters forward that instantly slowed the vessel.  She punched the throttle forward, pulled the control stick all the way back and the ship’s thrusters ignited with enormous power sending the ship straight upward. Pursuing enemy vessels followed her move but they did not have the same thrusting power and were falling behind.

More enemy ships were entering the planet’s atmosphere and the security forces of this planet were on full alert.  They were approaching the incoming ships with weapons hot, but the enemy ships ignored them because they were not their target. 

Many species of this planet watched the escaping ship climb higher into the sky.  The view they had made it appear like the ship was pushing through a gauntlet of enemy ships and there appeared to be no escape.

“This is going to get rough!” shouted Rose as she saw that they were surrounded, and the only way out was to punch their way through.  She pulled the trigger, and all laser cannons began firing.  Explosions were seen in front of them as many of the smaller ships exploded from the impact of laser fire.  The larger ships also took on damage which made them maneuver away from the incoming fire.  Rose continued to push the ship forward while there were explosions all around.  Their vessel shook and rattled but continued to ascend upwards.  Much of the crew held tightly to their chairs and closed their eyes as they felt they were doomed.  Suddenly there was a large explosion and the species on the ground and security forces in their ships believed the enemy ships had destroyed their target.  A few seconds passed and then a ship that looked like a Pegasus was seen ascending full speed into the atmosphere.  They were amazed that it survived and wondered what ship had that much power.

The enemy ships continued to chase their target, not yet giving up.  Their target had now passed through the planet’s atmosphere and was now in outer space.  Everyone onboard the target ship was amazed at what they saw.  Two gigantic Kraken Elite Vessels orbited the planet’s atmosphere along with two other large vessels from a species they did not recognize.  More enemy ships were seen leaving their docks and approaching their ship.  Many more were still in pursuit.  They were blocked in and had no chance to go to lightspeed without crashing through numerous objects.  The chances of escaping were very slim.

“Well, this is going to be fun,” Rose said sarcastically.  She pointed Pegasus towards one of the Kraken Elite Vessels and slammed the throttle forward.  The thrusters again ignited with even more power and flames were seen flying from all engines.  She held the trigger ready to fire and then waited.

“What is your plan, Rose?” asked the General hesitantly as everyone else stared in shock at the number of enemy ships approaching.

“I am going to get up close and personal with one of the bigger ships,” she stated, not taking her eyes off incoming ships.

“Why would you want to do that?” questioned Tharros.

“We are pinned in, and their large laser cannons will take us out quickly unless we are out of range.  Since we cannot run away, we fly right at them.  Their large laser cannons cannot hit us flying right up against them.  Only hope shields hold until were within the large ship’s perimeter.”

“I only hope you know what you are doing,” remarked the General.

“I trust her,” commented Igetis giving the General a wink.

“Well, that makes me feel a lot better,” said the General sarcastically.  The rest of the crew gave a slight smile but then their faces quickly returned to horror knowing escape was not likely.

Rose still had her hand on the trigger as their ship and the small enemy ships closed in on each other.  The small enemy ships then began to fire, and Rose began to push left to right, dodging the incoming fire.  Tharros wondered why she had yet to fire as the small enemy ships were almost on top of them.  Rose then pulled back on the trigger and then pushed the button.  Four objects fired forward at an incredible velocity.  The objects appeared to be flaming balls of fire.  They passed by the first of the incoming ships which made Tharros think that Rose missed, but then she clicked another button on the trigger and the flaming balls of fire exploded with a humongous force.  Ships closest to the explosions were torn apart.  Others that were farther away were pushed in all directions.  The force of the explosion made them spin, tumble and lose control of their vessels and ram into other ships.  More explosions were seen all around as the escaping ship pushed closer towards one of the Kraken Elite Vessels.     

Rose saw Tharros’s face of shock at what had just happened.  “Plasma firebombs,” Rose stated with a tiny grin.  “It is quite remarkable what this ship can do.  I have missed flying this thing.”

“It is my ship,” stated the General from his chair.  “You always took it without asking.”  The rest of the crew smiled at the comment, but then the mood returned to horror once again as the large Kraken Vessel began firing.

Rose maneuvered Pegasus as best she could around the incoming fire but still, they were hit, and the ship began to shake and rattle violently.  Sparks and debris began flying and gases began escaping from the inner piping of the ship.  Alerts began to pop up on the monitors warning of heavy shield damage.  With all this happening, Rose still pushed the ship forward.

“We just have to get through the large cannon fire and then fly past the large ship at close range without crashing, then we are home free!” shouted Rose

“So far, I am not liking this plan,” commented Gelio as the ship continued to shake and more sparks and debris fly.

“We have been through worse!” shouted the General.

Rose pushed all power to the shields and continued to dodge all incoming fire that she could.  The ship twisted and turned in all directions.  Suddenly the shaking and rattling stopped as Pegasus maneuvered very close to the walls of the gigantic ship.  The crew began to feel like they were a tiny bird flying through a treacherous canyon of large metal pillars as Rose maneuvered around each obstacle.  Large towers and other metal objects protruded from the walls of this mighty vessel making it very difficult to maneuver.  Small enemy ships appeared behind them and began to fire creating more havoc for an already disastrous scenario.  Nobody thought it could get worse, but then it did.

The other large Kraken Vessel began firing upon the other vessel which showed that defeating and destroying them was more important than the lives of any others even their own species.  Explosions were felt all around, and the shaking of the ship returned.  Fortunately, the laser fire from the other large ship destroyed the pursuing ships but still, things looked very bad.

Rose then again with what seemed like little effort, maneuvered Pegasus to the other side of the large ship which helped to avoid the incoming laser fire.  Still, more ships appeared on their tail and the ship began to shake as more laser fire hit their vessel.  Rose continued to concentrate on what was in front of her as she flew Pegasus through the small gaps that were between the large protruding towers and other objects.

“Almost there!”  Rose yelled as she saw that they were almost past the large Kraken Vessel. 

The other Kraken Vessel, saw their plan and began firing large quantities of plasma rockets hoping they will hit their target once they emerged. 

“Rose, they know your plan!” yelled the General.  “You have incoming rockets from the other vessel.”

“I see them coming!” shouted Rose.  “This is going to be tight!”

Pegasus emerged from the other side of the Kraken Vessel and the rockets were seconds from hitting them.  Rose pushed a few buttons and hit the throttle to full power and Pegasus fired forward into light speed as the rockets missed their target by mere feet.

Upon entering light speed, Rose sat back and gave a huge sigh, and looked at Tharros.  She gave her a large smile. “That wasn’t too bad.”

Tharros tilted her head and gave her a unique look not knowing if Rose was being sarcastic.  “Not something that I would want to repeat,” she said shaking her head.

“At least we are alive,” said Igetis in a calm voice.

“Yes, for now,” stated Dyamion.  “Now we have the god of Zeus and his millions of followers wanting to seek revenge on us all.  I feel that death is something we will be hoping for very soon.”

No one spoke for a few moments as they all tried to grasp upon the situation in which they found themselves.  Then someone spoke.  “If this is what it is like being a god, then you can count me out,” said Gelio.