"Let's get out of here," Hal said after Jejliard had left the conference room. "Split up and act like nothing is different. Anyone who wants to leave, gather your things and be at the transport bay in fifteen minutes."

"I hope you don't plan to take all your suitcases," Raemolle said to his wife.

"They'll be full of weapons if I do," Danlea replied. "My priorities have changed."

"We're taking both transports," Hal said to the crew. "We will have room for all of your friends or family who want off Sora. The plan is to hide underground until it's safe to live on the planet's surface again. We don't know how many bombs have been set off or how long that will be,"

"We came to avoid the war. Nothing has changed down there. Why shouldn't we stay here? " a man asked from the back of the room.

"Your choice, but you'll die on the Sora long before it reaches another planet suitable for life," Hal said. "Die here or on Beldora. It's up to you, but I'm telling you, Jejliard has changed. Who knows what fresh hell he and this ship may have in store for you."

The room came alive with conversation as the crew talked among themselves. Most wanted to leave.

* * *

Widhbo knew it might have been a mistake to tell Jejliard their plans, but Tajlon's father had the right to know his son's fate. It might have been the last time he would ever speak to the real Jejliard. Widhbo teleported Tajlon to the transport deck and forced him awake. Hal was helping the Raemolles hand out weapons they'd brought with them from the Sea Grinder.

"Where did you stash these?" Greyla asked. She remembered her own room had been thoroughly searched.

"Right under their noses. Under the G-force seats," Raemolle said.

Tajlon was still groggy, but reflexively reached for the gun Hal held out to him.

"One of the crew spotted the guards in our quarters looking for us," Danlea said. "They'll soon figure out what's going on."

"We'd better hurry, guys," Hal said. He directed Tajlon toward a loading ramp. "Wake up, pal. You're flying this one." He began directing the crew with their family members to split up, half on either transport.

Greyla shouted to Widhbo above the noise and confusion. "What about Nova? I haven't seen him since he uploaded. I wanted to say goodbye."

"Nova uploaded?" Taljon asked. "His chip! Widhbo, the ship will have him under it's control by now."

"I've not seen any evidence of that. I'll go find him, "Widhbo said. He did a telepathic search for the leopard. He wasn't sure it would work without the real Nova, who was still on the sub, but he was able to get a read and teleported to the location.

Nova was asleep under a long table in the crew's galley. Remains of the feast he'd enjoyed were scattered over the floor including an empty bottle of a rather expensive wine from Kalara.

"Come on Nova," Widhbo prompted. "You should say goodbye to your friends."

Nova barely roused and half opened one eye, showing a glint of green. "Where's everyone going?"

"Back to Beldora."

"We just got here. What's the rush?" Nova yawned, lolled out his tongue and made lazy swipe at a morsel of food lying in front of him.

"They're going to meet up with the sub."

"Then I don't need to say goodbye. I'll see them when they get there."

"I don't have time to argue," Widhbo said. He jumped inside Nova's program, possessing the leopard, and took control. Nova was in no shape to go anywhere on his on power, so Widhbo teleported back to the hanger.

* * *

Greyla was boarding the transport with Tajlon, glad Hal would be piloting the other one. She couldn't be around Hal right now without getting angry. She saw Nova appear when he teleported to the hanger. He staggered drunkenly to the side of the ramp and Greyla ran back down to him.

"There you are. Are you alright?" she asked leaning down to give him a hug. Greyla caught a whiff of the wine and laughed. "Looks like you found the galley."

"That's our Nova," Tajlon said and laughed. "We'll see you when we get to the sub."

"Your copy looks exactly like you, Nova," Greyla said examining his coat. There was even the little scar at the back of his neck where his chip had been surgically inserted. "We have to go. I'll tell the real Nova he now has a twin brother."

"See? Not necessary," Nova said to Widhbo who stayed merged within him. He nuzzled Greyla while she petted him.

"It doesn't matter," Widhbo replied to Nova telepathically. "She wanted to know you were okay. Who knows if the they'll survive the trip down to Beldora with the war going on."

Nova had dozed off and didn't hear him.

"Goodbye Tajlon," Widhbo said telepathically.

Tajlon walked back down the ramp. "Widhbo? Where are you?"

"Here, inside Nova. He was too drunk off his ass to come alone. Asleep as we speak actually."

"So you're inside of him?" Tajlon asked.

"Yes. It's only temporary until he sobers up."

Greyla shot Tajlon a puzzled look.

"Widhbo merged with Nova," Tajlon said in explanation to her.

"What?" Greyla looked closely at Nova again. "I don't see him. How's that even possible?"

"Just as he did with Koutou, I suppose," Tajlon answered.

"Okay, that's just a little too weird." Greyla said ruffling Nova's fur. Greyla wondered how her copy was handling the new world inside her storage unit. Far better than if she were merged with Widhbo she imagined.

"Goodbye to you too, Widhbo. I'll miss you. At least visit me in my storage unit now and then." Greyla gave the leopard a final pat on the head before turning to board the transport.

***

Widhbo shuddered knowing the last pat was for him. "So condescending. I don't know how Nova puts up with everyone petting him."

"He likes the attention," Tajlon replied. "So, you aren't coming with us?"

"No. I'm staying," Widhbo said. "I'll make sure you get away and then try to regain control of the Sora, maybe find a new planet. Who knows? I might get it right next time."

"Take care of my dad," Tajlon said. "At least the part of his that's still there."

"I'll do what I can," Widhbo said. "No promises where he's concerned. Nova may have a chance. We can at least have some fun."

The guards could be heard breaking through the locked doors protecting the transport bay.

"I'll figure something out. You need to get out of here now," Widhbo said. Sora hadn't wasted any time coming after them.

The first rounds of gunfire rang out. Nova woke up with a start.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. We slowed them down for no good reason except some sentimental blathering," Widhbo said to Nova.

"Stupid idea, just went to bad idea," Nova replied. "Leave now or I'm jumping on that transport before you get my head blown off."

Widhbo teleported them out of the hangar to safety. He didn't want to bring the Sora's attention to Nova by allowing him to be killed and regenerated. He realized the Sora would take soon take over Nova just as it had Jejliard. The leopard, Tajlon, and Jejliard all had one thing in common, the chip in their brain, which had formed the necessary neural connections to give Sora access and control.

* * *

"Hold them off while we get these doors sealed," Hal called out as he ran to board the other transport. "No time for anymore goodbyes."

They returned fire with their weapons. Some of the guards had lasers which scorched the hulls but didn't penetrate the tough exteriors. Danlea watched Greyla's actions on the other transport and followed her lead by flinging herself flat on the floor to make a smaller target.

Danlea kept up a volley of fire covering Raemolle and the crew members who were working to close the heavy hatches. Ramolle struggled to shut his door but laser fire had damaged the pressure ring,

Some well-placed shots by Danlea hit the approaching guards. Their programs faltered and collapsed as the weapon fire corrupted their integrity.

"A laser melted the door seal." Raemolle yelled to Hal. "We can't take off like this. This door won't hold."

Hal left the cockpit to check it out. "It's no good."

Danlea called on their radio to the other transport. " We can't take off until we make repairs. Our door won't close."

Tajlon picked up. "Come over to our ship. It can hold more people."

Hal took the mic from Danlea. "Take off now! I've got this. It's too dangerous. You can't hold all of us without exceeding your load capacity. I'll have to bring this one down later."

Above their heads, the big bay doors were sliding open. The Sora was in a low orbit and the atmosphere was thin. Hal found a tarp, jammed it in the ragged edge of the hatch, and pulled the door shut tight on it. A small stream of air whistled past, but it held.

"Let's give these bastards a warm farewell." Hal powered up and tilted the transport to cause the stream of hot gases from the engines to hit the guards who were coming out of the corridor. It blew them back and incinerated everything in its path. Only the charcoaled debris of their weapons remained. The guard programs dissipated when the flames caught them.

Tajlon reluctantly guided his transport from the bay. He had to trust Hal could find a way to make repairs. He couldn't risk the lives of all the people on board his vessel to stay and help.

Greyla buckled in and watched with dread as the bay doors closed again behind them, trapping the other transport with Hal and the Raemolles inside the Sora. There would be more guards. The Sora would simply regenerate them.