Chapter 5
The Vindicator



Twin Rock arches…
Thirty minutes later…


The speeder zoomed across the landscape, marking up the clicks as it passed outcroppings of rock at a high rate of speed. Spirits were up, but so were the stakes. If Symon was right, and Iron Mesa’s security had gotten that radio ping, then there was a good chance they would have company.

He saw a few other speeders up ahead of him. Symon was in the middle of them on a speeder bike. The vehicles and all their occupants were armed. Symon walked up to the vehicle Kai and the others were in, looking through the frame of the cockpit with suspicion. When he saw nothing was amiss, he went to the back to board the speeder with a few others.

“Good to see you, pops!” Niles began. “Thank goodness you are here...”
“Don’t thank me yet.” Symon cut him off. “Where’s my son?”
Everyone went silent, their heads down. Karone then pulled back a curtain in one of the bunks of the transport. Mick was laying on the bunk with bandages, and all.

“My god!” Symon exclaimed. “Nicole, get me the scanner out of the med speeder!”
A middle-aged female raven darted out and came back with a med scanner. Symon scanned Mick and frowned.

“Second-degree plasma burns, and a moderate concussion. The burns look like they’re from an old plasma rifle. The only one I know of that owns such a weapon is Argus Nax...”

“You can treat him, can’t you?” Saiya asked.

“Yes, but not here. We don’t have everything we need on the med speeder. We will have to take him back to the Vindicator.” Symon replied.

“The what?” Kai looked confused.

“Just follow us, stay close, and don’t ask any more questions until we get there.” Symon commanded, exiting the transport. “As for what happened, I expect a full explanation later on.”

# # # # #

Kai piloted the speeder, following Symon and his group. The ride was surprisingly quiet, despite the questions going through Kai’s mind. What was the Vindicator? Some sort of base? A hideout?

As they sped into a canyon, Kai and the group got their answer in the form of some sort of craft jutting out from the rock. It wasn’t a base at all! It was a starship!

“You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?” Saiya asked Karone.
“Most likely. We’re going to space...” Karone answered.

“If that thing can fly.” Niles input his opinion bluntly. “Which might be an ‘iffy’ scenario, considering it’s been sitting there for… nine years?”

Karone looked over to Niles. “...And if you would use the brain that’s supposed to be in your head once in a while, which you don’t do half the time, you wouldn’t think Symon took that into the equation? Look at all the makeshift scaffolding around the ship. They must have been working on her for quite some time. About say… nine years? Which means this isn’t Symons’ first break-out. He’s most likely been in cahoots with these comrades of his for quite a while to get the ship into the shape it’s in today.”

“Which is, if you will forgive the pun, ship-shape.” Saiya finished, placing her head on Karone’s shoulder.
“All is forgiven.” Karone smiled, nuzzling back. Niles just rolled his eyes.

# # # # #

Some Time Later…

Mick woke to a temporary ringing in his ears, along with a blinding light. He was on a med-bed, with a light shining in his face. He covered his eyes to shield them from the light’s blinding rays as the world came into focus.

“Doc, he’s awake.” A voice said.

He then saw his father walk up to the side of the bed, along with several other people of interest he didn’t recognize.

“So, you got shot by Argus Nax, huh?” Symon asked. “Just what did you do besides try to escape that pissed him off so much?”

Mick sat up, scratching the back of his head. “I don’t know, I could barely hear him after that sonic grenade he set off. Unless his actual voice is a high-pitched whine.”

Symon laughed. “Some things never change. I’m proud of you for taking him on. But I’m not proud that you got a concussion in the process.”

“Sorry.” Mick said. “Not like I had much of a choice.”

“Just try to be more careful in the future.” Symon cautioned. “Remember: You only live once.”

“So, where are we?” Mick said. “Because this obviously isn’t Iron Mesa.”

Symon motioned for Mick to follow him. They started walking down a long corridor to an elevator, passing several rooms with sliding doors. They boarded the elevator, and Symon pressed a button on the elevator’s control console, speaking three words:

“Deck One, Bridge.”

“Wait a minute!” Mick exclaimed as the lift rose. “Are you telling me we are on...”

“Yes, Mick.” Symon said. “You are on a starship.”

“I’m on a starship?!”

Symon grinned. “You are on a starship!”

The lift slowed, then stopped a few seconds later. The doors opened to reveal the bridge of the starship! Light was shining in from the view ports and windows, and consoles were lit up with status of the ships various systems. Outside the viewports and windows was a clear view of space, stars twinkling in the distance.

“Welcome aboard the Vindicator, son. This is where it all begins...” Symon smiled.

Mick looked at his father questionably. “Where what begins?”

Symon looked back over at Mick, a fire ablaze in his eyes, and answered.

“Salvation.”