Kinana slowly regained consciousness, finding Ollete on top of her unconscious, bleeding out from her shoulder.

  "Letty, please wake up! Please don't be dead!" Kinana shook Ollete vigorously.

  Ollete awakened, clutching her throbbing head."Kinana?"

  "Yes, it's me!"

  With tears in her eyes, Kinana hugged Ollete tightly, only releasing her as she screamed in pain from her wounds.

  "I'm so sorry!"

  Kinana swiftly ripped open her blouse, revealing her bra, tearing off a piece of her clothes, wrapping it tightly around the wound on Ollete's shoulder. And as she did, Ollete slowly regained her senses and looked around, seeing the dead bodies of their comrades."What's happened?" Immediately jumping to her feet in a panic!

  "Letty, calm down! You're hurt!"

  "Forget me! Kinana, the mission? What's happened to the mission?"

  "The last thing I remember is a flood of blinding light!"

  "I remember now! The enemy attacked, and I jumped on you to shield you from the blast!"

  Ollete swiftly turned to the base behind her, below the cliffs, scanning it for their surviving comrades. And she found them as Evelyn readied to kill Daisy!

  "By the lawgiver! They have Damara and the generals ready for execution!"

  Kinana quickly stood up."Let's find some weapons, go down there, and-"

  "Get killed," Ollette interrupted.

  "Well, what are we supposed to do? Watch them die?"

  Ollete labored tirelessly on what they should do. Her brain ran with speed that rivaled the processing of a computer. Multiple scenarios and battle strategies played beside each other in her mind for the one that could save them. But with the enemy having superior numbers and firepower, each led to death and defeat. However, with a heavy sigh, she finally came to a dire conclusion, her only conclusion!

  "There's only one option left! I can make out their commanding officer by her uniform. One of Mavor's shadow hands, she's about to kill Damara!"

  "So?"

  "Snipe her, and we can at least slay one of the enemy's top officers!"

  "But that won't save them or complete the mission we came here for!"

  "Kinana, the mission is lost, and there's no way we can save our comrades! But we can't leave here empty-handed!"

  "But-"

  "I'm ordering you as your superior officer, ready your shot!"

  Kinana heeded Ollete's orders, summoning her bow! She trained her shot on her target, igniting the arrow. But a realization came as she drew the string. There was a way to save their comrades, but it would be the biggest gamble of her life. A gamble that demanded factors miles beyond her control to assemble without flaw. However, Kinana was brave and desperate enough to try it, firing the arrow!

  The arrow hastily cut through the air from the cliffs to the base. The white streak closed the meters in seconds, nearing Evelyn as she went for the kill. But it flew past her face by inches, clipping a lock of her hair and stopping her attack. "What?" As she saw it hit a massive fuel silo instead in an explosion of blinding light!

  Ollete's eyes widened with shock and horror."Kinana, you choose today of all days to miss?"

  "Wait for it!" Kinana swallowed a lump of anxiety.

  On the ground, Palos hastily traced back the attack to the cliffs."Aim!" Readying his soldiers to shoot at them. But as they did, a series of explosions got their attention. Kinana's electric arrow, hitting the fuel silo, ignited its contents. The heat from the first ignition transferred to the others, causing a fiery chain reaction!

  Carter watched his enemies intently as the explosions continued and the chaos grew. He searched for any opportunity to break through the blood troopers to Daisy. It slowly came as he gazed deeply at the one before him. Carter looked through the cyborg soldier's faceplate, seeing the eyes of the Nemesis underneath. The second he did the slightest glance at one of the explosions, Carter made his move, punching him! "Damara!" Running to her aid!

  The trooper retaliated against Carter, readying to shoot him. But Carter quickly grabbed him by the neck as he was about to fire, directing his arm to hit his comrades instead. The plasma bolts flew toward the Nemesis, forcing them away! As the onslaught came to Evelyn, she ran from Daisy, taking cover! And Carter continued his advance, backhanding the trooper away!

  The other blood troopers aimed their guns at Carter for the kill. But as one prepared to fire, Lev kicked the back of his head, disorienting him. Another tried to follow suit, but Clive, Ros, and Norn attacked, stopping him!

  "Palos, kill her," Evelyn said.

  Palos rushed to Daisy with his sythe for the kill. Carter ran behind him, closing the distance. As Palos slashed at him, Carter dodged it, kicking him in the face, hurrying to Daisy. And he swiftly reached her, scooping her into his arms as he ran away!

  "Carter, I'm sorry!"

  "Don't worry about it!"

  Evelyn dashed at the fleeing couple, preparing a shockwave. But as she went for the attack, Kinana rained more arrows on her. And Evelyn ran out of the way, stopping her assault! However, another obstacle came to block their escape. The blood troopers regained their senses, flew into the air, and readied their guns to fire!

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  Daisy saw them about to attack and summoned the remnants of her strength. She commanded her shields to fly to them at a blurring speed. Before they could dodge, they rammed into them, knocking them miles away! With their path cleared, the couple rejoined the United Planets' exodus as Lev made a poison mist wall to cover their escape!

  "General Carter, what's the plan now?" Sarah asked.

  "Retreat! Obviously!"

  "But they probably have our ship destroyed or captured!"

  "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it! Just make tracks!"

  Hearing Carter, the United Planets doubled their speed, running forward. But as the ground shook, many dared to glance back, seeing Evelyn blow away Lev's poison mist with a shockwave. With the pink wall gone, their enemies ran at them in a furious flood. The Nemesis gave chase at speed, quickly surpassing theirs!

  "General Carter, I don't think we can outrun them," Lev said.

  "Yeah, but we can't fight them either!"

  The blood troopers returned to block the United Planets. They hovered before them above their heads, aiming their guns. But as they were about to fire, they got hit with a plasma flurry. The shots came from the clouds but soon revealed the source. The Argonautis descended upon them, bombarding the Nemesis with its vast artillery!

  Lev's communicator buzzed to life. "Keep running!"

  "Athena, thank goodness you fixed the ship! But why not land?"

  "There's enemy fighters on our tail! There's no time to land. I'll open the emergency hatch!"

  The Argonautis lowered to as close as possible, staying out of range of enemy fire. It opened its emergency hatch, and the United Planets swiftly went for it. Those among them who could fly, levitate, or jump the distance grabbed as many of their comrades as their various appendages could carry! But for those that couldn't, Sarah, in her giant form, scooped as many as possible into her hands."Sorry, guys!" Tossing them into the ship as she jumped in, shrinking back down!

  Daisy summoned flaremane, flying beside Carter.

  "Nice to see you, horse!"

  Carter grabbed Flaremane's reins, and he pulled them towards the ship. Lev followed suit, grabbing Norn and Clive with Ros in his arms, rising to the vessel.

  "Palos, where are our anti-aircraft batteries? They're escaping," Evelyn said.

  "The explosions must have disabled the system, but I have another way!"

  Palos swiftly hurled his sythe, freeing it toward his escaping enemies. The blade cut through the air, racing toward Lev with her unaware, focusing on getting to the vessel! But as she heard its whining, she noticed it barely dodging a lethal blow as it cut her back! However, the pain from the attack made her release Norn and the others, falling to the ground!

  "Oh, no!"

  Lev hurriedly tried to go for the three, but Evelyn blocked her path, firing a shockwave. And as she dodged, the attack hit the Argonautis instead.

  "General Lev, keep going," Ros said.

  "Just forget us," Clive said.

  "Lev, please save our comrades," Norn said.

  Lev begrudgingly flew to the ship, rejoining Daisy and Carter. As Carter saw her arrive alone, he frantically scanned for Clive and the others. But as he didn’t see them, his heart skipped a beat, running over to Lev with Daisy still in his arms.

  "Where's Clive and the others?"

  "They're still on the ground!"

  "What?" Carter shouted.

  Lev showed the cut on her back."I wasn't paying attention, and they hit me in the back. The shock made me let them go!"

  "Oh, no," Daisy said.

  "We can still save them! Ready the weapon systems!"

  "Turn it around, turn it around! Return to base, return to base," Carter shouted.

  Athena ran over to the group."We can't!"

  "It's a direct order!"

  "Athena, Norn, and many others are still on the ground," Lev said.

  "Generals, please! The vessel's structural integrity is hanging on by a thread! If we crash this time, there's nothing left I can do!"

  "No!"

  Carter and Lev gave each other sorrowful eyes. They knew the truth that their mouths dared not to speak. Without words, they came to an agreement that killed a piece of their souls. They knew they had to leave their dear friends and many loyal soldiers behind at the enemy's mercy, assuming they had any!

  Carter forced the words out, using immense strength."Fine! Get us out of here!"

  The Argonautis swiftly rose higher and higher, preparing to escape. The remaining United Planets soldiers on the ground ran after it in vain as it went out of reach. But running along the cliffs beside the vessel were Kinana and Ollete. However, with every step, Ollete lost more blood from her wound, forcing Kinana to drag her forward as she grew more delirious!

  "Letty, stay awake! The ship's getting away. We might have to jump for it!"

  "The pain in my shoulder...too great! Please leave me behind! Save yourself!"

  "No!"

  The Argonautis finally moved past the cliffs, and their last window to escape was mere seconds from closing. But at her most desperate, Kinana summoned all her remaining strength, picking up Ollete and tossing her at the ship. She quickly followed, jumping off the cliff, and the two young women hit a window together face first. Drawing Lev and the others' attention as they saw them!

  "Ollete and Kinana! You're alive," Lev said joyfully.

  "Let them in," Carter said.

  Athena pushed a button on her holophone panel, and a hole formed in the window, letting Ollete and Kinana fall inside.

  Lev ran to the two young women, hugging them with tears in her eyes."I'm sorry!"

  "For what, General Lev?" Kinana asked.

  "It was your arrow that saved our lives. But I was prepared to leave you behind!"

  "Ma'am, I would lay down my life for the cause anytime, anywhere. So don't feel guilty!" Ollete cracked a small smile.

  Meanwhile, the nemesis continued the chase on the ground led by Evelyn and Palos. But they soon stopped, as the ship quickly began leaving the atmosphere!

  "Damara is escaping! Palos, our anti-aircraft batteries?"

  "The system is still malfunctioning!"

  "One option left, my trump card!"

  "Are you sure, general? Every time you use it, you're out for a week!"

  "There's no choice! Clear our soldiers!"

  Palos hastily heeded Evelyn's orders, driving their soldiers back from her. And as they went, she called upon the darkest and most potent of her powers. A shockwave many times stronger than her others combined. A ball of dark energy appeared in the palm of her hand, shaking the very air! It grew larger and larger, eclipsing the size of the Argonautis, cracking the ground as if a titanic earthquake floated just above it!

  Evelyn motioned to unleash her terrible weapon upon her enemies, but a pink blur rushed toward her. Ros came at Evelyn to stop the attack, but Palos went to block her advance with sythe in hand. However, as he slashed at her, she revealed her speed that surpassed his, allowing her to dodge the strike. Palos hit nothing but air as Ros reached Evelyn."Bingo!" Punching her in the face!

  Ros' punch disoriented Evelyn, knocking her attack off course! It flew from her hand through the air, missing the Argonautis by inches. And instead, it hit a mountain comparable to Everest, obliterating it to rubble!

  Ros dropped to her knees, exhausted, seeing the ship finally leave the atmosphere. But as she turned her head to look at the Nemesis, Palos loomed over her with his sythe like death itself. Ros knew being a defector and aiding Damara sealed her doom. But still, she remained calm as she accepted her fate. Palos raised his blade for the kill, but a voice came. "Stop!" Halting his attack inches from her skull!

  Palos turned around to see Evelyn struggling to her feet and went to help her."Why?"

  "There's been enough killings here today. Let's start rounding up prisoners!"

  "But she's a traitor to our people and aided Damara's escape! We must make an example out of her!"

  "Let's not make our emotions rule us. It's better if we interrogate this one for information. Besides, Damara hasn't escaped yet!"

  "Are you sure?"

  "Yes! Because I want you to scramble all our ships in the sector to stop them!"

  "Yes, ma'am!"