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"Was I ever weak of will? Were my powers not enough? Was my loyalty not enough?"
It happened without hesitation, no previous warnings, or suspicions. It seemed that for Lotor to strike her so quickly and certainly, her loyalty truly wasn't enough, nor did he trust her.
She failed only once and paid the ultimate price...
Kova stared at her. He pressed his head against her hand, thinking that somehow this was a therapy situation.
Narti was bleeding out, yet her body remained frozen. No struggle sounds came from her.
Haggar outpowered her all too quickly. She knew she wasn't too honed up in the defensive side of her magical powers… But Narti would never place a tracker on the ship, like she did, nor willingly sabotage Lotor’s mission plus herself among the group. She knew how important the element of surprise was regarding the trans-reality ships.
But, what gives. Where will she go, and who's going to ally themself with a Galra half breed? Nobody. No Galra would... No refugee would...
This is bullshit! She's been so wronged! A general as unique and lethal as her, just going to lay there and play dead?
She played dead long enough after she was stabbed, hurt and shocked that out of nowhere and without her being fully conscious, her team leader attempted to kill her.
Well, now she was fully aware, and so very alone.
Narti scowled to herself, but Kova came by and butted his head to hers, easing her face to untense in a sad realization. Her whole family, they didn't defend her.
Not that it happened often, but when any of them were in danger, they would have each other’s backs. They suffered hardships, formed bonds, yet…
With nobody with her, she could truly just fade away and die.
No, no.
She's going to be ok. She's suffered worse things. This is not the first time being betrayed, misunderstood or left behind.
She breathed out, painfully.
Right now the reptilian general was in one big problem. Soon the Galra will come after the ship and 'clean' it off the map.
An escape pod mustn't be far, she's in the hangar.
She didn't feel Haggar’s will on her nor on Kova. Haggar probably let her go as soon as Lotor struck her and fled.
"Find a pod." She ordered Kova, finally moving her arm and patting him weakly.
Her tail was powerful, it could lift twice her weight. She could slide herself to the nearest pod and sit up, were that to help.
Narti knew this was going to hurt... But the quintessence inside of her kicked and revved. She could make it. The pod would have some emergency materials such as food and medicine, so she could tend to her wounds.
Fuck Lotor. Fuck Haggar. She’s going to live. After this is over, she's going to hone her magic skills to the max. Nobody will overpower her again. She had so much potential, so much talent and unexplored aspects of herself that she needed to bring closure to.
Kova mewed and Narti was able to localize him.
A pod was on the far back.
Okay. Okay!
She began with her legs, moving them away from her tail, resenting that she had to keep her back straight to push correctly.
Only then when she bent and raised her legs, she noticed how shaky she was. She was trembling in pain and shock, but she had to do something!
Her tail twitched and slapped the floor, easily being her strongest appendage, she only kept her legs bent as to not feel the gash on her stomach, to not stress her muscles more. And so she started to push.
Ack!
That hurt!
She grunted, winced and breathed out forcefully. Narti really didn’t want to attempt that again.
She needed to change strategy before continuing. Pain gathered at her chest, throat and all around her nerves, shaking badly. But she had to keep going.
Narti was still a witch. She can manipulate quintessence.
She remembered healing bruises and scratches before, and some first aid treatment.
Those powers she hadn't used in such a long time, as they weren't necessary. If Lotor or the generals got hurt they always had a teammate help them with a medical kit.
Narti tried to concentrate despite the burning and aching in her torso. She slowed her breath down, and focused, severing her connection with Kova to do so better.
The witch felt… Her tissue, her chest scales, her ribs, open and exposed, just trying to keep alive. Her nervous system kicked up. She felt it. The need to act, it was more strong.
Dragging her arms to her wound, she repeated to herself the spell.
Her mind began to ease...
Relief.
Relief spread out from her head, then smoothing down to her torso, even stretching to her legs and tail.
Her arms felt so strong, pumped with the same energy she felt when she took over someone else's consciousness. But now it was turned to herself, and she gave her body the order to heal.
The very same regenerative capabilities her tail had, Narti felt on her chest wound. She shivered and breathed slowly again, the gash felt cold, plastic and unnatural. However, she knew that the spell was working.
But then she picked up a noise.
Proximity sensor. Coming from the main panel.
Not good.
They were probably going to check if Lotor left any trans-reality comet ore.
Maybe it was her worry about gathering valuables she could trade with, or pure spite of not letting the Galra have anything, but she would like a piece of the comet, were there any.
"Kova. Search hangar for rocks."
Okay, she could see why her powers were limited. Were there any comet pieces she should have felt them. But if her detection range was short, then perhaps not.
Narti knew where the pod was already, and her focus on the healing spell was interrupted. But she felt much better. Maybe she could stand.
She turned around, put her palms on the floor and bent her knees. Her torso felt fragile, however.
Crawling was more effective, she could use her arms as support, and put less pressure on her torso.
And so she rose up. At last, she was moving!
She went over to the pod entrance, and sat down beside it, arm over her wound. That was already exhausting, but she felt more alive and awake. Rushed and full of adrenaline once more.
Her head bopped down, resting for a few moments. Narti wanted to mourn, none of this should've happened.
Perhaps Lotor was hyper aware of Haggar, as she always monitored him, he knew exactly what was happening. Or perhaps not, and he mistook Narti for a willing spy, a traitor.
But how could he believe that? She was unquestionably loyal to him, she was never one to take it easy on their enemies, she never slipped up.
And if she did, what? Was she going to be a sacrifice eventually and he would not? The relationship could never be equal.
At least she was comforted to know for certain that her teammates will not take it lightly. That they will miss her, that they will protest, that they will speak behind his back.
Narti may have a grudge against Lotor, but she wouldn't hold anything against Axca, Zethrid or Ezor. They loved her, she was sure of that. She hoped she could end up together with them again, and gain a new mission trajectory without Lotor.
Kova meowed, and as she snapped out her thoughts, she connected to him. The sound of a rock sliding on the floor.
There were a few chipped pieces left of the comet, probably because Lotor left in a hurry. Narti pushed herself up against the wall with her tail and bent her knees, taking a step.
And another step.
She would need such valuable, rare items only Lotor would go after. Making her way to the pieces of comet, she let her body down onto her knees again and picked them up. She searched her pocket to put them away, turning her body, which was more so limping, back to the pod. Narti didn’t feel dizzy, but her movements were erratic, zigzagging.
Pain started to return… She wasn't bleeding anymore but her wound is still very fresh and if she didn't treat it, it might open and bleed again.
Another noise.
Someone approaching to land.
Troops.
"Kova, let's leave."
The cat was already following her.
Narti made it to the pod, slapped her hand on the door’s scanner, and it opened up. Kova settled next to the pilot seat and waited for her.
Narti eased onto the seat, the pod's airlock closed, and by the time the troops suspected someone leaving, the small escape ship was full power ahead, unnoticed.
Knowing of tricks to avoid detection, she leaned in, and immediately typed away. Huh, Lotor thinks of everything. Of course the pod already had cloaking, just like the ship.
Narti huffed in pain and tensed her hands.
One rested over her chest, the other gripped the wheel.
"He should’ve thought about me.
We were a team, we could've figured it out together. I will never forgive him for tearing us apart.
My loyalty was enough, my will is at my strongest, and my power will be boundless."
Unfortunately for him and the rest of the Galra, that’s not the last they will see of Narti.