“We’re tracking two more, sir.” My twin ensign informed me; interrupting my perusal of the documents I was assigned to memorize.
“That makes seven of the pristine beauties escaping.
“I have two more,” My triplet confirmed. “That’s nine in all, sir.”
Inside the dimly lit citadel, orange and red emergency lights glowed against opaque control panels it had become my onus duty to command. After my genuflectual mannerism to the Colonel of Centurion Arms agoged His Majesty’s courting daughter, he placed me on this rock as a test for her hand. Frankly, they should have asked me if I was at least interested. Now, I’m forced to reassess my Colonel for reassignment, as I’m sure His Majesty will be disgruntled at my Prithee NOT to be wed to his daughter.
“They’ve reached the South Rim.” My triplet announced behind me.
“Heading for the prisoner shuttles.” I commented, like a good commanding officer; let them know you’re in control, even when you’re not. “Shanghai!” I exuded with glee, “Who’s responsible for this archaic machinery?” As all eyes found me, amicably enough, in my fit of fugleman tyranny I yelled, “Why can’t I stop the ships from launching?”
“Communications are down, sir.” My triplet said, “We can’t stop the timer settings they’re connected to either-”
A trotting of what sounded like hooves and combat boots filled the corridor behind us, officer’s quibble, no doubt.
“Do we go after them, sir?” The first ensign asked.
“No. It’s out of our hands now. The night guards will shoot to kill.” I replied. If they wanted to run, let them suffer the same fate free men would face on Earth.
“Commander Mikah!” Another voice entered the room with a different face. The egocentric lieutenant I sent to check the escapees’ cells. Of course, he may be the one to sop around here for a good mark with my Colonel’s decision to reassign me.
“Sir, they put goats and chickens in their cells with their tracking implants tied to them. They made their escape after breakfast merrymaking.”
“And this, sir,” A second lieutenant, identical to the first (the original, I knew), brought forth a milky white snake with blood red eyes. The creature glared at me with familiar eyes; recognizing me from when I made tasty noshes of his brethren. “This was in the cell of our immortal. The healer.” He groused.
“The one His Majesty covets? Isabal?” I knew it was her; yet I don’t believe she would...betray us. “Hornswaggled, eh?”
“Yes, sir. She malingered this morning at breakfast merrymaking.”
“Catch her! Find her! I want her back alive!” I pounded the control counter before me with a leather gloved fist. The video monitors lining the walls of the room stared back at me, dark and uncaring. The officers behind me backtracked down the corridor, leaving loquacious squeals and twaddle-some heckles as their furry and feathered prisoners were herded away.
“Commander, the shuttles are away.”
“Land them! Ground them all!” I yelled back at the wet blanket; I knew we couldn’t, she’d gotten away. This SNAFU may cost me a rank. Blast the witch!
“I can’t, sir. They’ve gone.” My twin clone sputtered.
“I can see that, you ninny!” I considered a tête-à-tête with this one after lunch merrymaking.
“Prepare my ship, get after them!” I turned a twisted snarl at him as he hurried out of the room with my triplet. “I want to leave in five minutes.” I finished.
Stealthily turning to the awakening monitors snowy screens, her ghoulish name escaped my reluctant lips, “Isa.”
Isabal stared out the hatch that narrowly missed crushing her moments ago, watching the muddy brown complex disappear within a cloud of dust and exhaust fumes from the ship she stowed upon. Heir Mikah would be displeased with my betrayal of His Majesty as he had cared for me himself, when no one else would. Only his obtusely fetid henchmen would lose their dolce vitas on PRONE. Feeding off the pristine concubines they’re surrounded with, their soft nature’s rubbing off onto soldier’s in the King’s royal army...His Majesty would never be caught dead in a sarong!
BACKGROUND: I belonged to a Word of the Day Club at a former employers with about eight other gals and we had a list of words compiled over a few weeks that I decided to immerse into a story I wanted to write at the time. It's not my best, but it was an awful lot of fun to write!
emginc