171 Space Cat.
Shi Lang pushed on the throttle and said, “Zysha, you better not puke in the suit.”
The big cat did not understand his meaning and the boy did not care to tell her in detail. The speed of the vessel was fast enough for him to reach the destination in fifty seconds. He could tell that the situation on the other side was not good.
A smaller-sized ship was being chased by two bigger ships and they had no hesitation in unloading their phasor beams on the target.
Shi Lang connected the comms to the smaller size ship and the other size replied, in an instant. He asked, “What is your situation?”
“I cannot hold on for much longer, my vessel’s shield capacity is degrading quickly. Maximum for a minute I can survive.” replied a soft voice, he could sense the panic carried in it.
Shi Lang nodded at the bravery of the soul inside the ship and said, “When I say, Dive.”
“Roger that.” said the other party.
Shi Lang found an opportune time and said, “Dive.”
The spaceship dived all of a sudden and vanished from the crosshair of the enemy ship. However, they were all equipped with high-tech computer systems. However, Shi Lang had already calculated the spot where the enemy ship will dive to follow the count.
Till now the enemy did not react to Shi Lang coming so close to the fight zone. They were that focused on the insider, however, now, Shi Lang was too close to them, and now, and it was too late. Shi Lang used his phasor guns and aimed at the most vulnerable part of the enemy ship.
The engine outlet was the only place where the shield was the lowest, it was universal. Shi Lang did not have the time, and neither the firepower to take out the enemy in frontal combat. His ship was meant for speed, and not combat.
The few phasor beams landed on the target and all of them happened to be impacting the same point, the layered effect took down whatever amount of shield in the area, allowing the last few phasor beams to hit the tail.
The shockwaves created by the explosion in the tail were visible to the naked eyes. The second ship of the enemy camp was stunned, they were confused about whom they should follow. Suddenly, the small ship of the insider emerged from behind them, and with a clean line of sight they took out the engine of the second ship.
The insider did not stop at just taking out the engine, after the shields were powered down, they attacked ruthlessly, making sure that the ship has turned into a pile of rubble. On the comms, Shi Lang heard a voice, “We should get down to the point of business.”
Shi Lang said, “I thought you would never ask.”
That said, the two people came to the stationary space rock and landed their ships there quickly. When Shi Lang saw the pilot of the other vessel, he almost doubted his eyes. It looked like a child, not more than ten or so years old.
The girl was wearing a gray-colored spacesuit and only her face was visible. The thing that stood out about her was her cat-like nose. She walked closer to Shi Lang and the young man could tell that her eyes were scanning him all over. He slowly moved his hands and then the two arrived to stand five meters away from each other.
The girl said, “Hello, I am Cara. The daughter of the minister of intelligence in the Court of Arcadia.”
Shi Lang replied, “Ace, I am the leader of the Terran team now visiting the Neomons. How can you confirm your identity?”
Cara replied, “You have a beast in your vessel, she can clarify if what I say is the truth or not.”
Shi Lang suddenly heard the voice in his head, “She is speaking the truth, I can sense it.”
Shi Lang asked, “Since when did you have the skills to judge the truth and the lie?”
“Since the day you decided to take me and chat with half beast and half-humans. We beasts have a keener instinctual sense, you will never understand this, Lang,” said Zysha.
Shi Lang sighed and asked, “Cara, can you tell me why did you agree to meet us, and does your father knows about this?”
Cara nodded and said, “He knows, the reason I am here is that he sent me here. At first, he was to come by himself, but at the last moment, the third prince suspected something and held him back. My father asked me to give you the things that will help you in the war.”
Shi Lang asked, “Why?”
“We are the most skillful assassins and spies in the whole Arcadia. However, for the past three centuries, we have been kept in slavery of the throne. We have to complete tasks to even get food. The intelligence that we gather without lives at stake, is to help the tyrant king and his arrogant sons. Not only this but the grown-up women in our kin are treated like some toy. They are all to sacrifice the blood of their innocence to the King and his sons if they wish to ever marry.
Defiled and tortured, this is the fate of my kin in that reign of these tyrants. My father does not want me to grow up being a toy for anyone, and he has been planning to rebel with our kin for a long time, however, the tyrant’s suppression is too intense. They are watching every movement of our people.
Thus, I was tasked to come here and ask your aid.”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “I will do what I can but you know that we will need details.”
Cara nodded and said, “Take me with you, after destroying those ships I cannot go back to Arcadia. They will kill me on sight. I have all the data that you might need with me, such as military resources and other things.”
Shi Lang said, “Can you hand it to me now?”
Cara asked, “What will I do if you left me behind?”
The young man smiled, “You can ask the beast in my vessel. Also, what guarantee is there that the data is correct and not a trap?”
Cara nodded and said, “I cannot tell you that, all I know is that those tyrants need to die. Last week… the second prince took my mother away, and my father was beaten up brutally. My mother was raped and then she committed suicide in front of my house. I can only tell you that there is nothing more than the death of the royal family of Arcadia that I desire.”
Shi Lang could tell that she was not lying, but still, he waited for Zysha to confirm her words. Shi Lang said, “I will take you with me, but I will clarify one thing, You will be taken to a secret place, there we will check your body for any sorts of trackers and drugs that might be harmful to us. Only then will you be left to live freely.”
Cara said, “I am willing to stay with you until the war is over. I do not have the habit to live alone.”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “We will see about that, come along now, it is not safe to stay here.”
Cara nodded and then the two people boarded the train. Zysha said, “Lang, I will puke soon. You better take me back soon.” as soon as the airlock was secured.
Shi Lang sat in his chair and to his surprise, Cara sat next to him. He did not mind and quickly controlled the flight system and took off.
Cara said, “Destroy my ship.”
Shi Lang nodded and after firing a phasor at the ship, he turned his vessel back to the Neomonian empire. He said, “This is peace star, command do you read?”
“This is Command, go ahead.” Shi Lang recognized that it was Amelia on the other side.
“I have the package, we are heading back. I also have a refugee tagging along with me. Have the medics on stand-by.” said the young man.
Amelia nodded and said, “Very well, initiating commands now. Godspeed.”
Shi Lang nodded and the connection was terminated. He gazed at Cara, who was curiously looking around the console, and suddenly after recalling something a smile emerged on his face.
Cara asked, “Why do you laugh, is something funny?”
Shi Lang said, “Back in my homeland, there is a story.”
“What story?” Cara asked, she was a child, and this was her innate reaction to things.
Shi Lang smiled and subconsciously patted her head and said, “The story of a cat, who was curious about the stars and then one day to save the world, she flew away in a spaceship. That cat was later called, the space cat, a superhero.”
Cara asked, “What is a cat?”
Shi Lang was in a stupor and then he broke out in a burst of laughter.