Cale and Vendetta remain in silence and locked in a fighting stance, staring at each other blankly eye to eye. A drift of wind could stir the pot at any moment. Cale glances quickly to his right over at Soosie and as his eyes return facing forward, Vendetta appears right about Cale towering over him like a skyscraper does a person. Cale awkwardly waves while Vendetta flicks him away with her fingers, sending Cale flying into a pillar.
Soosie: AHHH!
Cale lets out a groan and slowly regains his stance. As he recollects himself, Cale wipes a small amount of blood protruding from his head as a result of being cut by Vendetta's fingernails.
Cale: Is that all you got? I can take it.
Vendetta: Trust me, there's MORE where that came from.
Like a raging boar on steroids, Vendetta charges at Cale.
Cale: OH SH-
Vendetta grabs a hold of Cale and lassos him around like a rope, then smashes his face into a pillar, leaving a small indention of his facial features. Cale spits out a chunk of rock, missing two of his teeth.
Cale: You'll PAY for that one, you witch.
Vendetta: Here's some plus INTEREST.
Vendetta slams Cale into the ground and jumps up into the air with her elbow locked facing towards Cale.
In a split moment, Cale immediately scurries away and barely misses her. As Cale slowly trembles trying to stand back up, Vendetta grabs his shirt and throws him towards the edge of room right near Soosie.
Soosie: MOM, STOP!!
Soosie puts her arms out in front of Cale, shielding him from Vendetta.
Vendetta: You dare defy me, daughter?
Soosie: MOM, YOU-
Vendetta slaps Soosie in the face, knocking her several feet away in the air. As she hits the ground, Cale looks over at her in anguish. He then faces towards Vendetta with his teeth clenching.
Vendetta: Wherever your story began Cale, this where it ends.
Vendetta swings her fist in a circular motion at a rapid pace before swinging it directly towards Cale's chest.
Violent flashes of light cover the room momentarily, afterwards revealing Cale slightly clenching Vendetta's fist.
Vendetta: What a lucky shot.
A visible white aura begins to surround Cale's body as he pushes Vendetta's fist away.
Vendetta takes a few steps back from Cale and readies back in position.
Cale: If you haven't already noticed, I don't give up so easily.
Cale's eyes turn a sky blue and a visible blue aura surround Cale's fists like balls of fire. Cale leaps in the air towards Vendetta and attempts to lend a punch on her before she swats him away like a fly. Cale's body hits the pillar, causing him to fall to the ground afterwards. After a few moments, he gets back up and cracks his neck before sliding around Vendetta and kicking her in the thigh with his foot.
Unfazed by the hit, Vendetta turns around slowly and looks at Cale.
Vendetta: Wait. Look at yourself.
Cale: I'm not falling for-
Vendetta grabs Cale by the face and lifts him up, then slowly places him back on the ground near the windows.
Vendetta: I said look at yourself.
Cale looks at himself in the mirror and sees the swirls of energy around his figure. Baffled by the display, Cale looks at his hands and takes a few steps back in concern.
Vendetta: It's alright. Take a deep breath before you take yourself out.
Cale turns around and looks at Vendetta.
Cale: What's going on? What's happening to me? Is this.. death?
Vendetta: Well, not yet. But it is an interesting development. All the more reason to-
Doob comes crashing into the ceiling with the jet hood open and grabs Cale by the leg, then swings him into one of the seats. He then proceeds to make a circular motion around Vendetta, barely missing a swing of her fists. Doob then grabs Soosie by her arm and throws her into the jet right next to Cale and blasts off away from the scene. Vendetta furiously rushes to one of the hallways and claps her hands twice, triggering a large hologram to appear right in front of her. She presses a button on there and speaks towards the screen.
Vendetta: DO NOT LET THAT SHIP LEAVE THIS ATMOSPHERE. DEPLOY ARMADA 3!
As Doob hurries to leave the atmosphere, Doob looks around the holographic control panel located inside the jet and presses Exit Mode, causing three wings to expand out from underneath the jet.
Cale: Are you sure this thing can leave the atmosphere?
Doob: Oh, these puppies are built by design for space travel. How far we can ride it though is up for debate. But I know one thing is for sure, we're getting the HECK OUTTA HERE!
A mass of ships speed quickly towards the jet and lock on to them. Doob presses a speed gauge on the panel and looks at Cale and Soosie.
Doob: HOLD ON!
The jet pauses momentarily in flight before blasting off violently in an effort to escape the atmosphere. The ships behind them begin to fire missiles towards the ship, causing Doob to swerve the jet swiftly like a pendulum. Several heat seeking missiles turn around right in front of the jet from a distance, enabling Doob to tilt the jet upwards. Doob presses an ejector button to the left of him multiple times, triggering an array of missiles to swarm towards ships located at the front of the armada and the heat seeking missiles. Soosie turns to her side to watch the scene unfold, watching the outpost grow smaller and smaller as the jet approaches the top layer of the atmosphere.
Doob presses several switches on the screen, looking behind at Cale and Soosie as they hold on to seats like their life depends on it.
Doob: HERE WE GO!
The jet breaks from the atmosphere and speeds off into space away from the planet, with the armada following in pursuit way in the far distance. Doob makes a hard left turn and hurries off from the scene.
Back at the control center, Vendetta stomps her away outside of the building and sees Vital scrambling with a crew of soldiers looking towards the skies. Vendetta walks right up to Vital and grabs his vest.
Vendetta: I need you to tell me what exactly happened.
Vital: Cale wanted to check out the jets, so I just shown him the ins and outs of it. He told me that he didn't know how to fly them. He just wanted to sit in one and check it out for himself. Then he took off with it and there he went! What happened up there?
Vendetta: I just got done throwing him around like a rag doll and his twin showed up or something? You all didn't TELL me he had a TWIN!
Vital: But, he doesn't..
Vendetta: HE DOESN'T, that's the thing! Listen here, I need you to explain to me WHAT is going on right now or I swear, I'll make sure you'll mop these floors here with your tears for the REST of your NATURAL LIFE, VITAL!
Vital: Madame President, I- I have no clue what's going on. But if that wasn't Cale, then we just got done dealing with a shapeshifter.
Vendetta: THEY TOOK MY DAUGHTER!
Vital: THEY TOOK SOOSIE? Oh God.. We-We need to put this territory on red alert.
Vendetta: THEN DO IT. SOUND OFF THE ALARMS.
Vital: I'm right on it, Madame President.
Vendetta walks away from Vital and opens up a holographic screen from pressing one of her earrings tucked behind her hair. She presses a button and triggers a video call to Vex-Ro. Vex-Ro accepts the call and looks concerned at Vendetta.
Vex-Ro: Dear, what's wrong?
Vendetta: Cale and this.. shapeshifter of sorts have taken our daughter HOSTAGE.
Vex-Ro: Oh no, no, no.. Tell me it isn't so, my dearest. Is she okay?
Vendetta: You idiot, I have not a clue!
Vex-Ro: Honey, how did this happen?
Vendetta: When you give a mouse some cheese, they'll bite your toes off and crawl under your skin. I don't see them escaping outside this territory and I don't view Cale as a dangerous target granted how much I just pulverized his face.. but that thing they're riding with, who knows what it's capable of.
Vex-Ro: We can not take any chances. We'll send our whole fire and fury if it means keeping her daughter safe or bringing her back home still in tact.
Vendetta: This little runt just got himself one the highest bounties in the known universe. Consider them dead.
Vendetta exits the call with Vex-Ro and presses a button on the monitor, triggering the screen to grow a white light and centering Vendetta's face on the screen.
Vendetta: Attention Star Leaders of the United Federation, the First Daughter has been taken hostage by extremist individuals and is considered gravely in danger. Locate her and these individuals noted on this screen and ALIVE so I can finish the job..
Vendetta closes the monitor and walks back into the control center.
Soosie closes the message from a device located on her wrist and looks at Cale, huffing and puffing as he does his best to control his breathing.
Soosie: Cale.. I'm so sorry about what happened back there. I.. I didn't know what to do.
Cale: You're fine.. Soosie. I just-
Cale spits out a small amount of blood, projecting it on to the back of Doob's chair.
Doob looks behind his car and then looks at Cale.
Doob: Gross.
Cale: You going to.. change back any time soon?
A white flash of light protrudes from Doob, changing his hair color to black.
Doob: I might hold on to this style for a short period of time. I'm kinda digging it.
Cale: Word.
Soosie: I can't believe all of that just happened.. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, CALE? Did you have a death wish or something?
Cale: I.. don't know. I just didn't like what I was hearing.
Soosie brushes a tear off from her eyes and wipes it on her dress.
Soosie: Now our Federation Leaders have a vendetta against you. Who knows how much alarms are being sound off right now. How are you going to survive this all?
Cale: I.. can't tell you.
Soosie: How are you going to make it back home now?
Cale: I just didn't want to see you get hurt, Soosie.
Soosie: But, you threw everything on the line! You have no idea what she is capable of, Cale. I already TOLD you about this. If you think that was even a smidge of strength from her, then you are sorry beyond your belief. She is a thousand times stronger than you and I both combined!
Doob: Your mother, Soosie.
Soosie: What about her?
Doob: Her name is Vendetta?
Soosie: Yes, why?
Doob: Daughter of the late Vilayxia?
Soosie: How do you know?
Doob: Your grandmother was quite the lady that's for sure. I'm sorry for your loss.
Soosie: That has nothing to do with anything we're talking about-
Doob: I'm just trying to change the subject.
Soosie: What for? You don't know me.
Doob: You've been adamant about giving this guy the rundown for the past few minutes when he just took a near death beating for your sake.. Just give him a chance to rest for a moment.
Soosie pauses in thought for a moment, then looks over at Cale and pats him on his shoulder, causing Cale to jerk slightly in pain.
Soosie: I'm sorry, Cale.
Cale: It's okay.. I understand where you're coming from.
Doob: In other news, we do have a problem.
Soosie: What is it now?
Doob: We're running out of fuel.
Soosie: ...Oh.
Cast
Cale
Soosie
Doob
Vendetta
Vex-Ro
Vital
Part I: Soul
Chapter 13: Nebula Crush
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