Skyfire Avenue - Chapter 723

Chapter 723

Chapter 723: Duty-Bound to Rescue

Tears streaked down the Pharmacist’s face, twinkling like small crystals . Of course she knew her decision was foolish and emotional . But years of pain bubbling up to the surface was impossible to ignore .

Lan Jue wanted to hit something . He’d known she wasn’t in her right mind but he’d believed her and let her go . However, he also knew he wouldn’t have been able to stop her . He remembered that she’d been about to say something but held back . Suddenly the sentimental and reluctant look in her eyes that day made sense .

“I suspect my chances of coming back are slim . Jun’er has grown and has all of the Avenue to look after her . That brings me peace . Don’t tell her what I’m doing, just tell her that I’ve gone far away and I won’t be back for a long time . I’ve locked this with your fingerprint to ensure she can’t see it . I’m sorry, Jun’er… but I can’t wait any more . I’m sorry . I’m so sorry!”

The hologram stopped here and the Pharmacist’s image vanished .

“Mama . Mama!” Jun’er squirmed uncomfortably .

Lan Jue understood right away that the little one had lied to him . But how could he criticize her now after what they’d seen?

There was no question as to her destination, she was after the alien planets . Her goal was also plain as the nose on his face . She was on a suicide mission to make them pay for what they’d done to her late husband .

“Jun’er, don’t rush . I’m going to go get your mother back, alright?” He hugged her tightly to his chest, using his warm embrace to try and soothe her .

But Jun’er was calm . She spoke plainly . “Mama will come back . Definitely . Go and get her daddy – you’re the only one who can . ”

Lan Jue’s heart sank for he knew the dangers, and the likely outcome . Could he bring her back? It didn’t matter what the answer to that question was, he had to try . He had to for Jun’er, for himself .

“Let me take you back, Jun’er . Then I’m going to go find your mom . ” He carried her from Zeus’ Jewelry Store with hurried steps and told no one of what they’d seen . After dropping her off at the Skyfire Museum he left immediately for the airship hangars .

Lan Jue knew it clear, he had to go on this journey alone . The chances they would have the alien planets was high, and the chance of coming back very low . Yet despite that he had to go, because if he didn’t the Pharmacist’s death was assured . Perhaps if he were lucky the Pharmacist would get lost in the Starfields and he’d have a chance to convince her to come back .

Lan Jue quickly took a verti-car to the hangar, boarded Zeus-1 and departed Skyfire . He’d had no time to rest before his next mission . Once he was free of the planet’s atmosphere he urged Zeus-1 to top speed and raced for the Shattered Starfields .

He dialed a number into the ship’s systems .

“Shouldn’t you be on Skyfire?” Lan Qing’s face appeared on the screen .

Lan Jue wasted no time . “Something came up that needed handling right away . The Pharmacist has gone after the alien planets by herself to seek revenge . I need to find a way to stop her . I’m by myself and it will be dangerous . If I don’t come back…” He trailed off .

He hadn’t brought Lin Guoguo and thus had no way to hide his presence from alien patrols . He didn’t want to force anyone to share the dangerous situation he was putting himself in .

Lan Qing’s brows furrowed . “Do you understand how irresponsible this is? Star Division needs you, all of Skyfire Avenue needs you . How can you act on impulse like this and rush off alone?”

Lan Jue sighed . “Look, I understand everything you’re saying and I understand the responsibilities that have been put on me . But you know me, you know the kind of person that I am . If I didn’t help when my friends were in need than I wouldn’t be me . I’m sorry, I need you to tell Skyfire Avenue . If I don’t make it back then Xiaosu will be in command of Star Division . She’s the best choice . I’ll do whatever I can to stay safe and come home . ”

Lan Qing stared at him through the screen for a long time . Eventually he replied . “Be careful . ”

“Yeah, ok . ” He hung up then blocked all further communications . Once the word got back to the Avenue he knew people would be trying to get him to come back . However, it was already too late to change his mind . He was going to save the Pharmacist for the benefit of Jun’er and the woman herself, even if she didn’t want it .

Zeus-1 shot through space like a comet . He set the ship on cruise control and shut his eyes . He needed to gather his thoughts . He didn’t want to die, but the only way to bring he and the Pharmacist back in one piece was to have a plan .

Her goal was to find her husband, or exact vengeance for his murder . That meant that she was searching for the alien planets, specifically Monarch . If the Violet Prince was to be believed that was the one that had kill him all those years ago . Ultus was there .

If Lan Jue wanted to stop her, his best shot was somewhere around Monarch . That meant that evading aliens along the way was paramount . Zeus-1 could cloak and Lan Jue had some psionic skill, though nothing like Lin Guoguo .

His ship was small and he didn’t have the Photographer of Wine Master here to make a quick getaway . If he was discovered he only recourse was to kill or run . That was a real problem .

Strong as he was, there were limits to the number of creatures he could handle himself .

Oh, but wait . He wasn’t alone . He’d hesitated to bring her but in the end Qianlin had remained safely tucked away in his spirit . He’d made her a promise that no matter what they would stay together .

Zeus-1 had undergone many upgrades over the last couple of years, and that showed itself in its speed . There likely was no other ship in its class that could catch it . Lan Jue hoped that would be enough to stop the Pharmacist . It wasn’t easy to make it to the Starfields from Luo . Getting a ship was one thing, but then she had to navigate the infamously difficult Starfields by herself . Even if she found a safe route it wasn’t certain she’d find the planets .

It was actually farther to the planets’ last known location from Luo than it was from Skyfire . Once she was in the Starfields her progress would also be considerably slowed . Only Xiaosu could navigate the broken currents of asteroids with speed and dexterity .

Space travel was a lengthy process, and therein lay his chances to catch up with the Pharmacist .

Xiaosu wasn’t piloting Zeus-1 this time . However, several trips and a state-of-the-art onboard computer was enough for Lan Jue to manage, he was confident . A couple days of travel later, he’d arrived .

As he plunged into the Stafields Lan Jue engaged the ship’s cloak . He wasn’t reckless, he tried to remain under the enemy’s radar . No one knew what the planets were like now, or what they were up to . But just the fact they were there meant the Starfields was a place fraught with dangers .

Things seemed unsettlingly still, even more than his last visit . It was probably because all life had been stolen from this sector . The swath he traveled was vast, who knew how much the enemy had gained from their systematic sweep .

Hua Li was probably right in his analysis, even the aliens were limited in how far they could evolve . They strove to break free of the restraints imposed by universal protogenia, but it was not so easy .

Once more Lan Jue was faced with just how little humanity understood about their foe .

He was on yet another scouting mission, Lan Jue mused helplessly, though this one was not his choice . This visit was far more dangerous since his target was the strongest known enemy they faced .

Keep it slow, sis . You need to give me a chance to catch up .

Lan Jue didn’t drive Zeus-1 directly to Monarch’s location – he wasn’t that foolish . If he did he was far more likely to run into patrols first . Then he’d be forced to face them, possibly a lot of them .

After discovering the aliens’ ability to psionically locate their targets, Skyfire Avenue dedicated a lot of energy toward learning more . The Keeper had designed something called a Psionic Generator which, after some testing, was able to perform at roughly one-third the capabilities of Lin Guoguo . Of course it didn’t have anywhere near the flexibility of the Psychic Tide, meaning it could only emulate a few kinds of enemy pulses . Hardly stellar, but at least it held some use . At least it extended Zeus-1’s safety net . Still Zeus-1 was small and the technology was knew . It was hard to say how effective it would be in practice . Yet, Lan Jue had no choice but to rely on it .

Lan Jue’s first destination was the small base they’d built for Zeus-1 . It was the best place for him to launch his search . Lan Jue knew from the beginning that approaching the planets in Zeus-1 was impossible . The only way he could get close was by himself .

But going solo with limited equipment also had its advantages . He was a small target .

Star Division’s former basecamp was still there, the same as it had always been . Lan Jue coaxed his ship into the hidden valleys on the small planet’s surface, then gathered some supplies and set out on his own .