Time ticks by agonisingly slow while Slicer paces around the cell and Lappor tends to his swollen nose. Those puny creatures…, he ponders with a frown. So, they seem to notice when I manipulate them. Good for them. It'll make it that much more satisfying to kill them! But how do I get out of here? Which way to go?

Angry, he looks around the cell. Despite the stench the cell seems clean going by how spotless and white the walls, ceiling and the ground are. The so-called beds, albeit small and fairly useless to get quality sleep, are also clean. And since they seem to be made from a strange cross between plastic and metal, Slicer doesn’t see a way to use them in a meaningful way to escape. Sure he could pull one or both lose, but he doubts to be able to cause damage to the walls they are a-fixed to. Soon he notices the air vent, but it is also too small to fit through or to make a usable weapon out of the grit.

Growling Slicer sits down on the bed and looks at his calloused hands. The scars where the webbing of his hands has been removed shine silvery grey. I could use my pinky claw to kill the guard once they're going to take us out but then again they most likely send the Menkar out to the job, he muses.

A commotion suddenly erupts outside the cell. Immediately Slicer and Lappor are back on their feet. Whatever happens outside gets louder and closer. Suddenly something bangs against the door of the cell then everything goes silent.

„What was that?”, asks Lappor even more nasal than usual due to his injury.

„Silence!”, snaps Slicer and gets ready to fight anything that might dare to enter their cell.

With a loud bang all lights go out. As a second later the blue emergency lights flicker to life, Slicer growls as he feels a Menkar approach the door. With a click, the lock opens accompanied by blue sparks of electricity and the smell of ozone. Soundless the door opens. Suspicious about the meaning of this Slicer lowers his fists but the moment Felrani appears in the door he raises them up again.

„You?”, he says in surprise.

„Couldn't let you get killed”, she says smiling.

„You know 'er?”, Lappor asks and walks up to them.

„I don’t”, he rumbles.

„All's fine and dandy but let's get out of here first, yes?”, she says as carefree as a young Morphling. „The Imin‘tora seem all weak and such, but they're vicious little monsters.”

Knowing that this is his only chance to get out and fetch the Empress’ weapon, Slicer bites down his anger and leaves the cell without another word. The corridor is empty except for the dead guards. Slicer looks at them grinning. So much for mocking me, you little bastards! But his smile leaves his face as the less than pleasant smell of their yellow blood penetrates his nose. Not wanting to stay longer, Slicer begins to walk with long strides into a random direction.

„Wait! This place's a labyrinth!”, Felrani says as she pulls him back. „Best I show you the way out.”

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Just as she has finished speaking an alarm goes off. Without having any time to waste she drags Slicer away while Lappor follows them.

—

On the way out, they stop by the guard station. Inside lay two more dead guards, both seem to have been electrocuted. But Slicer doesn‘t waste any time to take a closer look. He and Lappor fetch their hyperspace-bracelets as well as Slicer's revolver. But before they follow Felrani, who waits already outside the station, Slicer grabs Lappor by the collar and pulls him close.

„I don't know what her deal is but once we're by the Jäger we kill her”, he tells his Chief of Science.

„I doubt that's a good idea”, he tells him timidly.

„And why's that?”, Slicer asks menacingly.

„She's helping us”, he answers, shrinking underneath Slicer's gaze. „And we might need anyone we can get to fetch the weapon should Deep Space take the weapon before we do.”

Slicer lets out a hiss but thinks about Lappor's words. He's got a point, he admits to himself sourly. Well, I can deal with both later…

„Good point, Lap“, he replies with an evil grin.

Lappor looks at him with surprise, but before he can say anything, there is a commotion outside the station. Immediately they run out of it with their weapons at the ready. Yet before Slicer can even assess the situation he gets temporary blinded by an explosion of light accompanied by the smell of ozone. The bang following it still rings in his ears as he regains his vision.

Felrani stands before him in one of the most ridiculous posses he has ever seen. She stands sideways with her hands raised to mimic guns. Around her fingers curl the last remainders of electricity in the form of bluish sparks. Judging by the new still sizzling corpses of more guards she has zapped them.

Slicer has no time to remark upon it. More guards are coming with their weapons at the ready. This time they mean business as they shoot with short bursts of condensed energy at them.

„Get out of here!”, Felrani shouts.

Without any objections, Slicer runs with Lappor out if the building. The moment they are outside in the sunlight, they both stop as they need a moment to adjust. At the same time another electric explosion erupts behind them. Along with some debris, Felrani jumps out of the building and runs past Slicer and Lappor, who follow her without looking back.

—

There is not a single soul around the hangar the Jäger is in, but Slicer knows it is just a question of time before the first highly armed K-People will appear. So, he runs to his Jäger and opens it. At the same time Felrani opens the roof of the hanger via the panel next to the entrance. Bright sunlight pours immediately in and makes Slicer hiss. I can't wait to be as far away from this sun scorched world as possible!, he thinks with a growl. Once I've the weapon this will be the first world I'll utterly destroy with it!

„Everything's ready!”, Felrani shouts and climbs after Lappor into the Jäger.

While the craft is offering enough space for all of them, Slicer doesn‘t want her along. While her ability to manipulate electricity is noteworthy, he sees in her just another contender for the ownership of the weapon.

„Get off!”, He growls. „Now!”

„What? No!”, she says with an angry hiss and pulled turned ears. „I've saved your ass, Aranian! I'm coming along for the ride!”

„I haven't invited you!”

„Thank you very much, but I usually invite me myself! There’s no way in the Void I'll stay here any longer! Especially after busting you out of the prison!”

„The K-People are coming!”. Lappor shouts and closes the entrance of the Jäger.

„What the fuck are you doing, Lap?!”, Slicer shouts.

„Saving our lives!”, Felrani snaps and pushes Slicer to the helm of the Jäger.

Begrudgingly he sits down in front of the console and starts the spacecraft. Within a few moments it shoots out of the hangar. Slicer could head immediately into space, but instead he veers off towards the approaching K-People, of whom plenty are already surrounding the hangar. With a volley of shots from the phaser-cannon of the Jäger he destroys at least two more hangars and kills more than enough to satiate his bloodlust and frustration for the moment.

Laughing like a maniac, he flies off into space.