War Beast

Book Two: Chapter 19

After Jenny took a shower at the hotel level above the bar, she returned to the underground basement with Krysta in the elevator. The two girls entered a small room with computers and other power equipment. Toward the center was a mechanic table with a blue screen on it. Huntar, Zena, Torag, and Gojo sat around it while the guards watched the corridors and entrance. The Beastmen still wore their usual clothing. Perhaps they didn't like what the aliens provided them.

"Nice outfit, Jenny," said Huntar.

Jenny sat next to him. "Thank you. Why are you still wearing your loincloth?"

The lion shrugged. "I can fight faster in my loins."

"But you could wear other clothes instead."

"We don't need to wear new clothing," Zena added. "Plus nothing could fit Torag."

"Torag!" The rhino agreed.

Jenny couldn't understand her friends. Maybe the aliens' clothing was uncomfortable to them.

"Let's get down to business now." Krysta approached the table and held up a clear disc, coated in golden circuit lines. "This is what I got from the enemy."

"Is that the disc containing the plans?" Gojo asked.

"Indeed." Krysta inserted the disc into a slot beneath the table.

Before Jenny's very own eyes, a blue light flashed over the table, projecting an image of a giant spiked ball. At least it looked like a spiked ball with metal plates across its surface.

"What is that?" Zena asked.

"That is the Krawls' secret weapon, the Devastator," Krysta answered.

Huntar pointed his finger through the projection, trying to touch the image. "Amazing! Is this magic?"

Krysta chuckled. "It's a hologram, built to show us the plans."

"What is a hologram?"

"I can explain that another time, but we need to observe the weapon."

"What do you know about it?" Jenny asked.

Krysta stared at the image closely while rubbing her chin. "All I know is the Krawls built the Devastator to harvest planets. The spikes on the sphere are plasma conductors, capable of vaporizing all living material on the ground. They are so powerful, they can turn a continent completely barren in a matter of days."

"It is their only weapon they built," Gojo added, "but the good news is, they don't have a power source for their weapon."

Jenny held up her hand. "Not until they get me."

Gojo glanced at her. "Why you?"

"A Starium crystal transferred its power into her body." Krysta turned to Jenny. "Can you show us?"

Jenny nodded and held up her palm. A light ball formed over her hand, sparkling tiny bolts from its static surface.

Gojo's green eyes grew wide at Jenny's flickering ball. "Whoa! That is incredible....."

Jenny closed her palm and lowered. "I'm still learning how to use it though."

Gojo shook his finger at Jenny's closed hand. "I never heard anyone receiving Starium energy from a crystal before."

"It was a rumor, until now," said Krysta. "We can't let them get her, or else her planet will be doomed."

Gojo bit his lip. "No way....."

"What we need to do is sneak aboard their station and destroy the Devastator."

"How do you plan to accomplish that?" Zena asked, crossing her arms.

"We have a spaceship at our second base outside the city," Krysta explained. "We can use it to fly directly toward the station. Then we can plant a bomb and escape."

"Valorous plan," said Huntar with a nod. "But what about the portal to our home?"

Krysta drummed her fingers on the table, thinking. "They might have a teleporter on their station, but I do not know where it is."

"Then we will destroy the weapon first."

"What about our team?" Gojo asked. "We need to get off before the station blows up."

"The teleporter can send us anywhere we want," Krysta explained, "but we have to move fast."

Gojo nodded. "I say we use the ship to return home if we can-"

The doorway exploded, blowing shrapnel across the room.

Jenny and her friends ducked as the holo image faded away.

After the smoke cleared, a tall figure stepped through the rubble, appearing in a giant purple mech suit.

Krysta's guards raced toward her aid and aimed their rifles at the intruder.

After the smoke cleared, Jenny dropped her mouth down, wide open. She knew exactly what the thing was.