Galaxy On Fire Chapter 6: 6. Escape the plan

The metallic walls of the alien prison rattled with every distant explosion. Alarms screamed through the corridors, red lights casting the area in an ominous glow. Kai clutched Maya’s hand as they sprinted through the chaos. His muscles ached from his earlier fight, but he didn’t dare slow down. The only thing louder than the alarms was Maya’s ragged breathing behind him.

“Keep moving!” he urged, glancing back to see her stumble. He quickly steadied her.

“I’m trying!” Maya gasped, her voice laced with a mix of determination and panic. “But maybe don’t drag me like I’m a sack of potatoes!”

Kai smirked despite the situation. “You’re too stubborn to be a sack of anything.”

Maya shot him a glare, but there was no time for a witty comeback. They turned a corner, only to skid to a halt as two alien guards blocked their path.

“Prisoners!” one of the guards bellowed, raising a glowing weapon that hummed ominously.

Kai stepped forward, shielding Maya. “Stay behind me.”

“Oh, sure,” she muttered, catching her breath. “I’ll just stand here while you go full alien warrior prince mode.”

Kai ignored her sarcasm and lunged at the guards. With fluid precision, he disarmed one, knocking the weapon to the ground and spinning to deliver a swift kick to the other’s abdomen. Maya, meanwhile, spotted the fallen weapon.

“Hey, is this thing idiot-proof?” she called, grabbing it and aiming it at the second guard.

Kai ducked just as she pulled the trigger, a bright beam of energy narrowly missing him and hitting the wall instead.

“Idiot-proof? Clearly not!” Kai yelled, twisting to knock out the last guard.

Maya winced. “Oops.”

“Oops?” He gave her an exasperated look, though a flicker of amusement danced in his eyes. “Next time, maybe don’t aim at me?”

“Noted,” she said, tossing the weapon aside as they continued running.

\---

The corridors grew narrower as they neared the exit, the sound of blaring alarms giving way to the chaos outside. Explosions and flashes of light painted the alien city in a palette of destruction.

“Who’s attacking this place?” Maya asked, dodging a fallen beam.

Kai shook his head. “I don’t know, but whoever they are, we owe them one.”

They reached a large hangar where several sleek alien ships were docked. Kai’s eyes scanned the room, calculating their best option.

“That one,” he said, pointing to a smaller craft.

Maya raised an eyebrow. “You sure you know how to fly it?”

“Of course I do.” He paused, glancing at her. “Mostly.”

“Mostly? Great,” she muttered. “Our lives are in the hands of ‘mostly.’”

They darted toward the ship, but just as they reached the ramp, a familiar voice boomed behind them.

“Going somewhere, Prince Kai?”

They turned to see the Elder flanked by armed guards, his expression dark with fury.

Kai stepped in front of Maya, his fists clenched. “Let her go, Elder. This is between you and me.”

“Oh, but it’s not,” the Elder sneered. “Your little human companion has caused quite the stir. She belongs to the Council now.”

“Like hell I do!” Maya snapped, stepping out from behind Kai. “You want me? Come and get me!”

Kai groaned. “Maya, this is not the time for bravado.”

But the Elder had already motioned to his guards, who surged forward.

“Get on the ship!” Kai yelled, shoving her toward the ramp.

She hesitated for a split second before running up the ramp, her heart pounding. From inside, she could see Kai fighting off the guards, his movements a blur of precision and power.

“Come on, come on,” she muttered, frantically pressing buttons on the control panel. The ship hummed to life, its systems sparking with unfamiliar symbols.

Kai sprinted up the ramp just as the guards fired a volley of energy blasts. One hit the edge of the ship, rocking it violently.

“Fly!” he shouted, collapsing into the co-pilot seat.

“I’m trying!” Maya yelled back, yanking at the controls. The ship lifted off unsteadily, careening to one side before she corrected its course.

“Are you sure you’re not an alien pilot in disguise?” Kai teased, gripping the armrest as the ship wobbled.

“Shut up!” she shot back, her eyes wide as she navigated through the chaos outside.

\---

As they soared through the city, the attackers came into view—massive ships firing on the Council’s forces. Kai’s jaw tightened.

“This isn’t just a raid,” he said. “This is an invasion.”

“Fantastic,” Maya muttered. “As if our day wasn’t exciting enough.”

A warning light flashed on the console, and the ship’s systems blared a shrill alarm.

“What now?” she groaned.

Kai leaned over, quickly analyzing the readings. “We’ve got enemy ships on our tail.”

“Of course we do,” she said, gripping the controls tighter.

The pursuing ships fired, their blasts grazing the hull. Kai activated the ship’s weapons, returning fire.

“I thought this was a rescue mission, not a full-blown action movie!” Maya shouted, narrowly dodging another blast.

“You’re doing fine,” Kai said, a smirk tugging at his lips despite the situation. “But try not to crash.”

“Helpful, thanks,” she replied, rolling her eyes.

With a sharp turn, Maya steered the ship into a narrow canyon. The enemy ships followed, their blasts ricocheting off the rocky walls.

“Hang on!” she yelled, pulling up just as the canyon ended. The pursuing ships weren’t as lucky, crashing into the cliffs with fiery explosions.

Kai let out a breath of relief. “Impressive.”

“Don’t sound so surprised,” she shot back, though a small smile played on her lips.

\---

As the chaos of the city faded behind them, a tense silence filled the cockpit. Maya glanced at Kai, his face bruised and weary but still exuding an air of calm determination.

“Why did you risk all of this for me?” she asked quietly.

He met her gaze, his expression softening. “Because you’re worth it, Maya. No matter what this world says, I see your strength. And I won’t let them take that from you.”

Her heart fluttered at his words, but before she could respond, the ship’s console beeped urgently.

“What now?” she muttered, checking the readings.

Kai’s expression darkened. “We’ve got trouble.”

Ahead of them, a massive Council warship loomed, blocking their path. Its weapons powered up, aimed directly at them.

“Kai,” Maya said, her voice trembling. “Please tell me you’ve got a plan.”

He glanced at her, his jaw set. “I always have a plan.”

Before she could question him, the warship fired, and their ship shook violently.

“Kai!” she screamed as the controls sparked in her hands.

“Hold on!” he shouted, grabbing the manual override.

But as the warship loomed closer, one thought burned in their minds: this escape might have just led them straight into the lion’s den.