Chapter 11

Admiral Lilwall sat in his office. He was working diligently on a plan to free Waitstate. A door chime interrupted his activities. “Come in,” Admiral said impatiently.

Gravix waved a data pad in the air. “I call for an immediate detainment of Artifice.”

Admiral became very unsettled. “Now is not the time Gravix.”

Gravix continued anyhow. “I’ve finished translating the Book. It gives reference to-”

“That stupid book was priority one with Waitstate, but not with me. Leave before I have security remove you.” Admiral Lilwall was very stern.

“But it says darkness will infiltrate our ranks!” Gravix was cut off again.

Admiral Lilwall activated his comm. “Security to my office, please remove Gravix. I don’t care where you take him, just get him out.”

“Something isn’t right with Artifice! If you don’t watch him he’ll betray us all!” Gravix continued to shout as Recoil dragged him away.

Admiral turned back to his desktop console. Too much was happening in such a small span of time, and with Spectral Death so unstable, all bets were off.

Not far away on the bridge, Xaraxus looked at his console and saw that Waitstate had been located. He quickly blocked the signal before anyone noticed. “They’d better hurry up, it’s only a matter of time now.”

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Cyron activated the Doom Gaze’s tractor beam and aimed it at Waitstate. Waitstate put up a struggle and broke free.

“It’s going to take more than that to stop me,” Waitstate said to himself.

“How could he do that? I want all power, and I mean all power diverted to the tractor beam” Cyron ordered. Cyron had not been properly monitoring the energy reserves. Almost all energy was being used to keep the Doom Gaze from drifting helplessly through space.

Dominion pleaded. “But Cyron, we need-”

“What we need right NOW is Waitstate, do it!” Cyron shouted back.

Reluctantly, Dominion did as he was ordered. Waitstate was pulled closer and closer to the Doom Gaze.

“This is my last chance!” With every last bit of power he could muster, Waitstate broke free from the tractor beam again. “Heh, that wasn’t so-”

Before Waitstate could finish his thought, he received a devastating laser rifle blast from behind him. Jupitor had followed his trail. “You’re right, that wasn’t so bad.”

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Admiral Lilwall returned to the bridge as an incoming communication from the Doom Gaze interrupted the crew.

“We have your leader. If you do not stand down and admit defeat he will be destroyed,” Cyron announced as he appeared on the view screen. With every word he spoke he only proved more and more to the crew that he had no business being leader. Considering the circumstances though, that made him slightly more dangerous.

Xaraxus growled and stood up. “You’re going to pay for this!”

Admiral Lilwall forcefully sat Xaraxus down. “Calm down, the last thing we need is for you to get overheated again.”

“I want to see him,” Admiral demanded sternly.

“Very well.” Cyron stepped aside to show a tattered, beaten-down and shackled Waitstate. Dominion and Jupitor were holding their guns at his head.

“Whatever you do, don’t give in to them!” Waitstate shouted.

“You’re not actually going to listen to him are you?” Roadkill asked.

Admiral Lilwall was silent for a moment. “I’m sorry Cyron, no deal.”

“We’re all getting very tired of this” Cyron said as he threw Waitstate to the floor.

Admiral Lilwall sighed. “I can’t sacrifice the entire crew for any one member, even if it is Waitstate, do what you must.” Admiral Lilwall turned to the rest of the bridge. “End communication and put shields at maximum.”