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Captain Marlena cleared her mind. She knew she could transport this large cylinder with Valeria’s help; she created a large arcane field which covered the entire Bastion and then created a power teleportation spell to hurl it out toward space. She wanted to place the Bastion close to the Behemoth Vvong ship. She knew her best bet was to ignite the Bastion on the right starboard side of the Vvong ship.
Captain Marlena said, “Ok, give me some of your power.” She felt that she was losing time.
Valeria moved closer to her and placed both her hands upwards. Marlena started to feel Valeria’s magic come forth and surround her. Marlena nodded. It was good. The power was not as strong as the Alpha mages but strong enough. Marlena quickly projected her magic over the Bastion and enveloped it with tight bands of power. She needed a holo screen but couldn't reach toward it since it was attached to the wall far away from her. Valeria anticipated this and did something better. Valeria created a magical floating sphere which showed the whole battle scene in space.
Captain Marlena saw her dad’s ship, Equinox. The battleship was taking on a lot of damage. The ship’s escort the Black Squadron was almost all destroyed. The Equinox started to shoot photon torpedoes at the large Vvong battle cruiser. Detonations lit all over.
Captain Marlena was looking for a specific place to teleport the Bastion.
She said, “Commander Giles, do you hear me?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“When I tell you, I want you to trigger the Bastion,” Captain Marlena said. “I will transport it in place.”
“For explosion or release?” Commander Giles said.
“For release and then when the magic is out then an explosion. I will send the Bastion soon. Send a message to Duke Grendel about what I'm going to do,” she said.
“Yes Captain.”
Marlena hoped this would work. Her magic with the aid of Valeria became strong enough for the task. Captain Marlena was about to evoke the teleport spell, when her ship rocked suddenly to the side, sending Valeria and herself sprawling to the ground. Her concentration and magic ceased.
“What was that?” Valeria said.
An alarm blasted through the large storage room. “Intruder alert, intruder alert.”
Captain Marlena yelled into her communicator, “All hands get your weapons. Commander, where is the Red squadron?”
“Captain, I cannot get ahold of them.”
Blasted, Marlena thought, she was supposed to keep in contact with them. Another voice came through.
“Captain Marlena, do you hear me?”
There was a hissing and static noise. It was coming from her communicator.
She said, “Fergun?”
“Yes Captain.” More hissing. He said, “I can barely hear you.”
“What is happening out there?” She said.
“There is only me and another pilot left.”
Captain Marlena said, “Get out of here. Meet at the rendezvous place.”
Fergun said, “Are you sure Captain?”
“Yes, go now. We will handle it from here.”
“Ok, I will meet you at the rendezvous area. Fergun out.”
Her ship shook violently to the side. Captain Marlena said, “Commander how are we doing?”
“Our shields are still up. And we’re firing back at the Vvong. When are you coming back to the bridge?”
She said, “Soon.”
Her ship shook again. Marlena had to cast her teleport spell now. She dug into her powers and wove the spell and cast it. The Bastion didn't move; it was still in the ship’s hold. Marlena looked at Valeria. She was on her knees staring back at her.
Valeria said, “Try again. But this time use the magic inside the Bastion.”
“Yes,” Marlena said. She almost forgot what the Bastion was filled with. It contains vast amounts of magic. She can tap into it. But she was not sure how to use it.
Valeria said, “At the base of the Bastion is an area where you can siphon magic.”
Suddenly, Marlena heard a noise. It sounded like something scrabbling along the floor. The ships alarm said, “Alert. Intruder Breech. Alert!”
Commander Giles said, “Captain, the Vvong had penetrated our shields.”
The noise started to get louder followed by blasts of guns. Something was coming toward them. The Vvong creatures sensed the magic encased inside the Bastion. A creature scrambled into the storage hold. The Vvong creature looked like a giant insect with a long carapace and huge jaws. It held an elf in its mouth and was sucking the magic out of her.
Valeria said, “Captain, teleport the Bastion out of here. I will take care of the creature.”
Valeria walked slowly up to the Vvong creature. Valeria held up her hand and shot flame balls at the insect. Marlena hesitated and then ran up to the Bastion and frantically looked at the bottom of the container. She couldn't find the siphon tube.
Behind her, Marlena felt Valeria’s magic as it shot at be Vvong. She wanted to look behind her, but she needed this Bastion out of here.
Marlena said, “Aha, There it is.”
Sticking out from the very bottom of the Bastion was a tube. Marlena grabbed it. She instantly felt magic flow into her. The flow was stronger than from Valeria’s magic. She stood back and teleported the Bastion. It disappeared. Marlena felt instantly tired. She went on one knee.
Captain Marlena said, “Commander open the Bastion, now!”
She didn't hear his response but the Vvong creature who was attacking Valeria suddenly turned around and flew out of the ship. The creature broke through the metal wall, creating a large hole. Marlena was too tired to yell at Valeria, but it was too late. Valeria looked at Marlena and then she was sucked out into the vastness in space. Marlena couldn't help her. She tried to concentrate to teleport her back, but she was too exhausted.
Marlena started to feel herself move toward the opening; she couldn't find anything she could grab. She almost let herself go and fly out into space but the emergency shields came on. The gravity stabilized, and she was safe.
