Chapter 2 - Escape (The Ari Chapter)

Escape

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At Planet Arnon - A few minutes before Ari’s rendezvous with Starship 191.

“Destruction imminent…Evacuate. Destruction imminent…Evacuate.”

Ari woke up startled by these loud instructions from the Central Computer.  The siren was blaring, and the emergency lights were flashing. 

Smoke had started to rise from three-four places of the residential complex, as she could see from the windows of her living quarters. Her quarters, which she shared with her friend, was on the twelfth floor of a massive housing structure. She could see a large part of the complex from there. Smoke was rising from the circular dome which housed the Main Command. A few more places were on fire. Arthe’s spaceships were suspended in the air and were striking these places with their destructive beams. A few retaliatory beams were being fired from the ground. It was a war zone.

“C’mon, I have the young one ... Let us go” shouted her friend Zella. Zella had picked up Ari’s infant daughter in her arms and was putting on a backpack. Zella was an athletic girl with wide black eyes and a round face. Her silver shoulder length hair was like what most people had on Arnon.

Ari was confused by all this commotion. Just yesterday there were talks of a truce, an agreement with Arthe and that had given rise to hopes to everyone on Arnon. But now this…She thought maybe she is having a nightmare.

The loud sound of crashing glass startled her out of her daze.

“Let’s go” Ari said, while picking her own backpack and grabbing her infant daughter from Zella’s hands into her own. The backpacks were survival kits carrying food and water - especially designed to be carried on occasions like these.

Both Ari and Zella knew that they needed to head to the big bunker. Maybe they would be safe there.

In the last few years, Arthe ships had started appearing in Arnon’s skies and were seen landing. Arnon’s Defense command had repulsed them and had found that they were trying to mine the planet. Over the last few years, it had become clear to Arnon that Arthe was looking to take over their planet for these resources. While Arnon had developed many alternate sources of energy to sustain and preserve their naturally occurring resources, Arthe had given least priority to that aspect. This had led to their essential resources plummeting in the wake of their unabashed usage.

In these trying times, Arnon had to increase its defense capabilities and had been able to thwart the attacks. The war had become long drawn. In the last few weeks, there had been some signs of reconciliation between the two sides and it seemed that a truce would be reached. But this unexpected sudden attack meant that Arthe was just playing for time with Arnon.

Ari had a bad feeling about it since yesterday, even though the announcement of an impending truce was announced.

“Watch out” Zella shouted as a beam struck the upper floor and its debris started falling. They took the express capsule to the ground floor. They could see people rushing out and a lot of dead bodies around them. They also saw some Arnon Ships being airborne. It’s was sure going to be a fierce battle. The advantage was with Artheians as Arnon was thinking of the truce and had relaxed a bit.

“Let’s take the airpod to the Command base” Ari told Zella. She was now coming into her own combative self. She wanted to protect her planet and people. She had the right credentials too.

Ari was part of the space exploration organization of the Arnon Stellar Command. She had graduated from the Space School with flying colors and the natural progression was to join the Command. The Command was established to explore and find other life forms in the galaxy. Ari had been on a couple of missions.

The airpod was stationed near the residential complex. Ari strapped herself in the pilot’s seat, while Zella held her daughter at the back. She zipped past the central vistas and entered the war zone. She needed to reach the Stellar Command Centre to be able to be part of any action needed. She was thinking of dropping Zella and her daughter at the big bunker and then proceeding on.

 “Ari..at the back !!” exclaimed Zella.

One of Arthe’s large ship was attacking with beam after beam on the many airpods in the Arnon air. One beam barely missed them. The Command Center appeared to have taken a hard hit. It appeared that the end was imminent now. Ari was afraid for Zella and her daughter.

As she contemplated what to do next, an incoming beam struck them. It had hit the left side of their pod.

She turned around to check on the impact. She saw Zella slump to one side.

“Zella.. Zella .. “shouted Ari to get her to respond. But no response. The strike seemed to have found a target. Her daughter was wide awake and strapped right behind her. Perhaps being on the right side had saved them both.

Ari was completely gutted. She for the first time thought maybe the end has come.

“Take the airpod to the North of the complex. There, near the X-Labs, you can enter the backup arena. Board the X21 – a compact and highly advanced ship with potent weaponry onboard to thwart any attacks. Follow the super navigator, it is pre-programmed to take a vertical for two miles to get out of Arnon’s atmosphere. You can then attempt to reach Xeno using the onboard navigator” a voice came thru. It was the voice of her partner. She had met him on one of the voyages. He had been assigned to setup Xeno – the outpost for Arnon to explore further.

Ari headed north. Nobody followed her. Maybe she would be safe.

Ari reached the X-Labs arena and landed the airpod in the pod bay. She unbuckled herself from the seat and leapt back to grab her daughter. She looked at Zella with pain in her eyes – their best memories started to flash in her mind. But she had to go – to keep her daughter alive. She had to be strong.

She boarded the X21 and it started to climb vertically as her partner had informed.

Suddenly, two Arthe ships appeared from nowhere. They were also climbing behind the X21 and firing.

Ari had been trained in combat but only on simulations. But this was real. She took control and turned left sharply. And in a split second, went for a nosedive, a maneuver she had learnt. The two ships in pursuit followed the same. Now Ari was headed towards the ground with enemy in hot pursuit. The zig zag motion she employed in the nosedive was helping her escape the enemy fire. But for how long?

Meanwhile, a ground position registered this dog fight and came to Ari’s rescue.

An attack beam bean from the ground found one target. One of Ari’s chaser was down and out.

She had to safe herself from the one left and hope that no more came for her.

The X21 was heading towards the ground at a very fast pace. If she did not get this right – it would be the end. There was no way she was going to let that happen to her and her daughter.

In a swift action, she turned the X21 to the right just a few hundred feet from the ground and took a sharp upward turn in a full circle. She was now right behind the Arthe ship. She fired and found her target easily.

With every minute, the sky was becoming full of more Arthe ships. The retaliatory fire from sky and ground was starting to fade. The fall of Arnon looked certain.

Ari was devastated but was determined to save her daughter and her herself. She wanted to reach Xeno to give themselves a chance.

Soon, she was out of Arnon’s atmosphere. She sighed a relief and looked back at her daughter. They had escaped. They were headed to Xeno.

Ari closed her eyes and remembered the last days spent with her partner. Perhaps they will meet soon. A tear escaped her left eye. 

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