Chapter 2: The Disaster That is, Drekk Engineering

Bretna Vet is a free human, but like many who escape she did not make it away unscathed. She had escaped captivity from a Vehnuan robotics lab. She was a part of a series of experiments focused on interfacing robotics with the nervous system of organics. 

As a result of the focus, the Vehnu in charge of the experiment ordered one leg and one arm to be removed from every human test subject, and the attempt be made to interface them with robotic ones. She spent 8 years there, every one of those years was filled with agonizing pain at the whim of the apathetic tentacles of Vehnu researchers. 

It was in that 8th year that they had finally done it, after an especially painful surgery she finally had a functioning arm and leg. Since her experiment was done they were going to transfer her and a few others to another research lab located on another planet. It was to keep her useful and give her time to rehabilitate and see the full extent of her arm and leg functionality. 

It was her and 2 others from the experiment. They were loaded onto a small transport ship with a singular female Drekk guard, the females being dominant in every capacity amongst the Drekk. Along with the Drekk, there were 2 Vehnu pilots. 

They had shackled Bretna's and the other human's hands but not their ankles. That was all they needed. One of the other humans passed out from space sickness and Bretna and the other took advantage; they both kicked the distracted Drekk in the side of her knees with their new robotic limbs. She immediately fell and began screaming in pain, Bretna silenced her with a swift kick to the jaw. She took the Guard's keys and unlocked everyone's shackles, at around that same moment the Vehnu copilot came out with a small blaster looked over the scene, and was intending to fire when the passed out human had awoken and threw up on the copilot. This gave Bretna the perfect opportunity to disarm him, shoot him, and enter the cockpit. 

She leveled the blaster at the pilot, "Alright you disgusting monster, show me how to fly and I might just let you live."

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The elevator doors opened up at a large outdoor platform, it was entirely open aside from a medium-sized shuttle in the center. It had all the makings of Drekk design: sharp corners pointed forward curves with guns mounted right behind the pointy part, large cockpit and doors, and an oversized engine. It was a true testament to the disaster that is, Drekk engineering. 

Derek made to stand up using the elevator handrail when a piercing pain erupted from his leg. He looked down and noticed that a large portion of his calf was purple. He grimaced and looked about. He pulled at the elevator handrails a bit and noticed one was loose, he braced his other leg against that wall, grasped the handrail tight, and pulled. 

It came off the wall with a loud metal screech. Derek examined it a moment, he realized it was too long to use as a splint but figured it could help him walk. 

He grabbed a sturdier handrail and hoisted himself up being careful not to step on his hurt leg, then he used the curved side of the handrail as a flat surface and pushed it onto the ground to steady himself, and finally, he took a tentative step forward. Finding that this mostly worked with only a little uncertainty in the balance of his weight, he limped over to the ship. 

He swiped the Warden's keycard over the side door not sure where exactly the card reader is. Eventually, he gets it and the door slides up and a set of large steps extends down. Derek steps up and hopes there is a manual inside. 

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Jort had made a quick detour to the Warden's office to check the system scanner for any allied ships that might be near. It was not a well-traveled system, but he figured it wouldn't hurt in case the AA guns didn't do their job. He didn't have much trust in anything going smoothly today. 

He looked over the entry log and saw that almost 40 Quads ago a Vehnuan transport shuttle entered the system, but that was it. 

He decided something was better than nothing and hailed the ship. 

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Bretna and the other humans froze as the ship's onboard communications device lit up. She looked at the pilot who had been going over the last few essential controls and how to use them. She motioned for him to answer it. He pushed a singular button and a Drekk voice emitted from the speaker, male, tired. 

"This is Drakkna mining facility 3-1 calling Vehnuan shuttle 3578 do you read?"

The pilot looked to Bretna, she nodded, "We read you 3-1 what do you need?" The Vehnu's gurgly voice was deeply contrasted by the rough grating of the Drekk's. 

"We have a potential rogue shuttle about to lift off, if our guns don't take it down please do what you can as stated in the Economic Development treaty." 

"This shuttle is not armed, but we will make sure to follow it and send its coordinates to a nearby Drekk fleet 3578 out." The pilot cut the transmission. 

Brenna pressed the blaster to the pilot's head, "Now have you taught me all the essentials? Would you feel safe in this shuttle if it was us flying it?" 

The pilot looked at them all in turn and then started explaining more concepts. 

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Jort moved to contact the Guards at the AA guns when he heard engines come to life not far above him. 

"That murderer is gonna get away," he growled. 

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Derek had no idea what he was doing. 

However, one could vaguely call it hovering. He had a Technical Manual open in his lap and was frantically pressing buttons and flipping switches that sounded and looked right. He flipped a switch near the control stick and suddenly the shuttle started propelling forward. 

He tried pulling down on the stick and the shuttle slowly angled itself upward so that it could escape the planet Drakkna. 

Derek was happy as to how smooth the ride was however, it was about to get bumpy since he had just reached effective altitude for the AA guns. 

The first salvo almost knocked Derek out of the seat, that's when he realized he should strap in. He began looking again for the throttle lever and upon spotting it he pushed it to the max. 

He felt his body squish against the seat and flak rounds rock the ship about just meters away with every shot. Derek was certain that the shuttle was being damaged; he just didn't care so long as it kept moving. 

That's why he had a problem when a portion of the right side of the shuttle was blown off. The shuttle veered hard left due to the now extreme weight and thrust difference. He started flipping switches that had some sort of symbol that resembled the Drekkan word for left hoping to shut off the left side thrusters. 

He only found a power lever and dragged it as far down as it went. 

The shuttle was now going at a weird angle but the altimeter said it was going up, and the lack of bouncing meant that the flak was no longer hitting near him. 

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Bretna had just shot the pilot and was adjusting the seat when she saw a smoking object start leaving the atmosphere of Drakkna. She looked on the communications screen and realized the object was a shuttle, she realized it may be the escapee they were talking about. She tried to contact it. 

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Derek jumped from fright as the communications device started screeching at him. He readjusted himself in his seat and looked at the designator on the screen. 

It was a Vehnu shuttle. 

He knew he had to answer it, he was screwed, and he had only barely experienced freedom. 

He pressed the button to answer. It was not a Vehnuan who answered. 

"This is shuttle 3578 calling unidentified Drekk vessel, are you the escaped human?"