| The Mountain� Chapter Fourteen Within their newly stolen ship, Grim Grey and Gee were once again flying on course towards their goal � the oldest glacier that once stood where the tropical region of the planet used to be. Despite the fact that Gee was now able to drive the bulky beast of a ship � she was not able to do so efficiently. �I miss my old ship.� Gee complained. �You aren�t alone.� Grey added. �It feels like we are back on the ground.� Grim pointed out. �That�s because we are. The controls are very sticky. I can barely move them.� she replied. Grey made his way over to where she was and sat down on the chair beside her. �In other words the controls were made to be controlled by stronger people.� He commented. �If you are calling me weak�� she warned. �Wouldn�t dream of it. Can you park this thing and let me try?� he asked. �You don�t know how to fly.� She retorted. �Walk me through it.� He suggested. She wanted argue the issue � but she knew that the Iceion was right. She wasn�t strong enough to maneuver these controls. She let out a frustrated sigh and stopped the ship. She switched seats with him and looked out the window. �So what do I do?� he asked. �Turn the key and push the ignition button. When you hear the engines hum. Pull up on the stick. Once we are high enough � lean forward on it.� She instructed. Grey went through the instructions. Before he knew it the ship was in the air again. �Oh, just so you know � during take off the controls move pretty easily. Once we hit a cruising speed they will start to clamp down.� She added. Grey looked over at gee and realized that she was not enjoying this situation. �I�ll keep that in mind. How do I make this thing go fast and stop?� he asked. �It took me a little time to figure that out. There are two pedals on the floor. One makes the ship go fast � the other slows it down. Right go � left stop.� She replied. Grey gently pressed down on the right pedal � the ship went a bit faster. He lightly tapped on the left � the ship slowed down. �What a messed up system this is. Hey Grim � how will find this Beast Beneath the Ice? I don�t image he will be jumping out of hiding just because we came calling.� Grey asked. Grim snapped himself out of his trance and looked over at the new driver. �Why are you driving?� he asked. �Don�t ask.� Gee replied sternly. �Okay. From what I was able to salvage out of the old � old � databanks from the time before the ice, the Beast was created as a weapon to destroy the comet that sent Glacoria into its ice age.� He began. �Judging by our warm temperate climate � I take it the weapon didn�t work.� Grey asked sarcastically. �Not exactly � it just wasn�t finished in time. From what I was able to decipher � by the time the beast was activated � the comet had already hit. A quake swallowed the lab that was launching the weapon. That was the last entry in their archives.� He replied. �Hold on � are you telling me that this Beast is not only under that huge glacier � are you saying that it is underground as well?� Gee asked in disbelief. �I have a better question. You say that thing was activated way back then � exactly how are we supposed to control it?� Grey asked. Grim wanted to answer but sunk down on his chair. �I have no idea.� He replied. �This just gets better and better. So what you are saying is that we risked our lives to find a beast � that we might not be able to reason with or control?� Gee asked hesitantly. Grim nodded. �I was going over some research that I had been working on since I was planning this venture. I hoped that by the point we reached this stage that I would have some answer � some clue � but I ran out of clues.� He answered. �Well its too late to turn back now. We are in way too deep. Ungh. You weren�t joking when you said the controls would clamp down.� Grey stated. He felt as though the ship was telling him to land. �Can you handle it?� she asked. �I�ll do my best.� He answered. �Grim � maybe we aren�t at a dead end yet. Did they have a map of where this lab used to be?� she asked. �Yeah, but the geography has totally changed. There would be no way for me to link one map to the other.� He replied. �Do your best. That is all we can ask of anyone at this point. We came to find the Beast � we might as well find it.� Gee reassured. Grim smiled and reviewed his maps on his pocket computer. All he needed to do was find one common link and it would match up. He watched as two globes appeared on the tiny monitor and began to slowly rotate. The planets turned � the axis changed degree by degree � but still nothing matched. It was then that a common point hit. The two globes flashed and slowly merged. The two were continuing to spin � one more point and he would have the approximate location pinpointed. He closed his eyes and did a silent prayer. Just then the monitor beeped. The second point was found. �I got it.� He muttered. He zoomed in on the globe until it showed a grid of four squares. It was pretty hard to make out as the details were overlapping � but it was somewhat readable. �You did?� Gee asked. Grim brought the computer over and handed it to her. �So this is where it was when the ground swallowed it up. I hope it is still in that area.� She commented. �I think we are passed the point where negativity is allowed.� Grey interrupted. �You?� Grim clarified. �All throughout this whole damn trip I have been thinking the worst and every damn time it has almost happened. I have had it. We will get there � the lab will be there � we will find a way to reason with or control the Beast.� He stated sternly. The attitude change sincerely surprised them. �Okay � you�re the boss.� Grim stated with a smile. The three laughed as the ship continued on its way towards the glacier. *** Meanwhile, back at the place where the three had obtained the ship � Storg looked in the water at the bobbing Jakkle. All were dead � frozen to death for quite some time. If they weren�t dead he would have killed them for their incompetence himself. �Fools no get job done.� Storg grunted. It looked around until it faced the direction of the glacier. By the tracks he had seen coming out from the ice � he was dealing with three. One was Articur � the tunneling and tracks confirmed that. The second was Iceion. Back where the flea�s nest was � one was found dead with a spear of ice in it. Only Iceions possessed that degree of mastery over ice. The last was either a Snowitte or Coldan � he decided Coldan � the tracks were too heavy to be Snowitte. �Not get far. Ship too strong for weak to fly.� He muttered with a metallic cackle. He made his way away from the dead Jakkle and noticed several places where the ship had touched down and taken off. A little further he could see that the ship had been skidding along the ground. �Hmm. New pilot. Stronger than old.� He commented. In his mind, his long-range scanner had spotted the ship. It was a fair distance away and was moving relatively quickly. Whoever the new pilot was knew what he was doing. �You not escape.� It growled. It hopped up high and landed and then propelled itself in the direction of his prey. They had the advantage of distance � but it would be an advantage they would lose soon enough. *** Back at the ship, they were still focusing on their destination. The console that monitored the scanners was unmanned as all were watching the glacier that now seemed so close. If they were watching � they would have noticed a blip that was on the scanner one second and gone the next. Up close the glacier was even bigger than any of them could have imagined. �I heard rumors about that thing � but I had no idea.� Grey commented. �Same here. The oldest glacier on the planet � kind of humbling up close.� Gee added. It was then that she snapped herself out of her trance. They were not here to be sight seeing � they were here on a mission. �Grim � where would the lab be according to the maps?� she asked. �About halfway in. Find the peak at the center of this monster � the place we seek is a few clicks south from there.� He answered. �Could one of you check the scanners? I got me a feeling that we�re being followed.� Grey requested. Grim nodded and rushed back. He sat down and studied the screen. Everything registered as clear so he got up and walked back to where the others were. No sooner did he leave than the blip reappeared and vanished � only this time it was closer. �I checked it out � I didn�t see anything.� He answered. Grey shook his head. �Must be my nerves � people � we�re here. Look at that thing.� Grey commented as the ship flew up to avoid one of the many peaks on the huge glacier. They all looked at the size of this continent of ice in amazement. After seemingly many days of traveling � they were finally over the heart of the old tropical region. �Where is the peak we have to go over?� he asked. �That one.� Gee pointed out. He looked to his left and saw a mountain of ice that vanished into the clouds. Without a doubt � that had to be the highest mountain on the planet. �Will you be able to get this thing over it? I noticed that you are losing a bit of control.� Gee asked curiously. �You just watch out for things to avoid crashing into and leave the flying to me.� he retorted with a smile. The ship slowly turned and headed towards the cloud-covered peak. �It�s just like fog � only with sharp jagged rocks.� Grim pointed out. �You are developing a sense of cynicism Grim � this is not the time or place for it.� Grey retorted. Everyone braced themselves as the ship began its ascent. Everything became cloaked in clouds. Just then the clouds parted. Light seemed to explode all around them. For the first time in ages � free Glacorians saw the sun. �Oh my god � what is that?� Gee asked in awe as she shielded her eyes. �Records say that it is a sun.� Grim commented. The three looked around and saw the numerous jagged peaks that poked through the swirling clouds. Even from there � the peak they sought stood out from the others. �I guess it�s time to head down.� Grim stated. �Back into the storm.� Grey confirmed. The ship dipped back into the clouds and reemerged on the other side of the huge mountain. Everyone was a little quiet. Despite everything that they had been through � for at least one brief moment � they knew how the first ones must have felt when they left the storms and went out into the stars. �So how far is it from here?� Grey asked. Just then something smashed through the ship. The back of the ship peeled away from the front. Grim looked down and saw Storg falling with the piece of severed ship. �Storg � we got troubles.� Grim pointed out. �Grim � you are the master of understatement. We just lost over half of our engine. We are going down!� Grey retorted. The three watched as the mountains around them got closer and closer. *** At the spot where the other half of the ship landed Storg hopped out of the crater just in time to see the ship explode into the mountains. He got ready to leap after them to finish them off when he noticed his coil was twisted. It no doubt happed when the wreckage fell on top of him. It was no real concern. Within minutes he would be mobile again � his prey would not. *** At the site of the crash, the three were laying amidst the flaming wreckage. By some act of god they managed to escape the ship before it crashed � but the explosion that followed hit them all pretty hard. �Ugh � we � have to � keep going.� Grim strained. He dragged himself over to where Grey and Gee were. They had several cuts and bruises, but aside from that they looked okay. �This ringing � ow.� Gee commented. �If we get through this Grim � remind me to give you a beating.� Grey moaned. They slowly sat up and looked off into the distance. They could see the smoke coming from where the other half of the ship crashed. �Do you think Storg survived?� Gee asked. �It isn�t a matter of if. Look, I�ve given this a lot of thought � you two go on without me. I�ll do what I can to buy you some time.� Grim stated. Grey and Gee watched as the Articur forced himself up to his feet. �If this is about what I�ve said�� Grey began. �It isn�t. All of us can�t escape that thing.� He replied. �Don�t be stupid. We aren�t leaving you here to die. Not when we are so close to finding this Beast. This is your doing � you have to see it through.� She retorted seriously. Grim looked at the two and shook his head. He reached over and handed his pocket computer to Grey. �All I know � all my work is in there. I have done all that I can for my people � if I try to escape with you � all I have done will be for nothing.� Grim stated. He shook his head and looked in the direction that the lab was to be in. �We � we�re just supposed to walk away? Leave you here to deal with Storg?� Gee asked in disbelief. In the distance they heard a metallic shriek. There could be no doubt that Storg had survived. �My leg was badly injured in the crash. I can barely stand let alone run! You two are the last hope our planet has. If you drag me along with you � that hope will die with us. Do not condemn our planet!� Grim demanded. There was a moment of silence that followed as the three looked at each other. �Are you sure about this?� Grey asked sincerely. �I couldn�t be more serious. You two should go now. Storg is on his way. I may not be able to buy you much time � but every second I can give you will be a second more you can use. May the winds guide you. I shall miss you both.� Grim stated quietly. On that note, Grey and Gee slowly made their way away from the crash site. �I haven�t much time � but I will delay that monster as long as I am able.� Grim muttered to himself. He quickly began to construct traps for the sole purpose of either destroying � or at least stalling Storg. *** A short while later, grim was sitting up by the cooled down wreckage. In the distance he could hear a slow constant thumping sound. Storg was getting closer. It was then that he saw the metallic beast leap over a distant hill. Fear began to set in. he slowly got up and got ready to confront the greatest evil his kind had ever known. �It begins.� He muttered. Storg could see where the Glacorian was standing. It leaped up and over towards the prey he had been pursuing. The metal monster landed on the ground before Grim and fell into a series of pits that the Articur had dug for this occasion. Despite the obstacle � Storg smashed his way out from under the mountain of snow and landed before one of his three targets. �Did you think that would stop me?� Storg hissed. Grim studied the huge monster. He then looked down and saw that one of the coils by his foot was crudely held together. �The thought had crossed my mind.� He muttered. �Think again.� It shrieked. �Killing me won�t stop us. The time for you and your butchering fiends is at an end!� Grim shouted. He leaped at the metal beast with a jagged rock in his hand. Storg watched the defiant bravado with amusement. He had been attacked by elemental forces � ships � traps � everything that these pitiful Glacorians could think of � nothing they had could stop him � yet here was a wounded one handed Glacorian attacking him with a rock. It was to laugh. Just then Grim seemed to trip and fall by his metal foot. He was getting ready to laugh at the pathetic fool when Grim smashed the rock into the damaged coil. The metal skin split and sprayed onto Grim�s face. He rolled away screaming as the liquid burned his face. Storg was going to laugh when he realized what the Glacorian had done. �You fool! This will not stop me!� he roared. �It-it doesn�t have to.� Grim retorted. A huge fist slammed down and crushed the injured Glacorian. Storg frantically looked around and saw the tracks of his two friends. He was getting ready to follow when he saw a blinking light coming from the remains of his ship. His eyes focused to see. It was a timer � the time had just expired. *** A fair distance away, Grey and Gee heard a powerful explosion. They turned around and saw an avalanche fall down on the area where they had crashed. Ideally � the explosion would have hurt Storg enough so that he couldn�t dig his way out � but they both knew that wouldn�t happen. �Goodbye lunatic.� Gee whispered. �Goodbye friend.� Grey added. The two turned around and continued on their journey. With good fortune � Grim�s sacrifice would not be in vain and the dark cloud that shadowed Glacoria would soon be lifted. |