By now, most of the people have been evacuated from the colony, but Mason and Burdok were still inside fighting for their lives. Will they escape in time to reunite with the others, or will their fate end here?
Mason got up weakly. He was still stunned from Derongeous's attack. "Father…"
Burdok: "It's too dangerous here! Get out!"
Dergoneous: "You both will die!" They continued fighting until Burdok realized something.
(How can this be? He's too strong to be Kori's henchmen. It doesn't make any sense!)
Mason rushed to help Burdok, but the building was very unstable from the damage. A piece of the ceiling fell in front of Mason, blocking his way from Burdok. Crash.
Burdok: "No! Leave now!"
Dergoneous hit him onto the floor. He got back up and fought back.
Mason: "I can't leave you!"
Burdok: "This is the last time I'm going to tell you. Leave this place!" Burdok and Dergoneous twisted each other's hands and struggled. Mason quickly left the building, which was falling apart.
Dergoneous: "Let go you fool! We'll both die!"
Burdok: "Exactly. This will be the end of both of us."
"You're crazy! Let go of me!"
Burdok: "With me out of the way...Mason will not have any distractions in his fighting...goodbye my dear son..."
A missile blasted out of the Battalion and hit the building. Kaboom!
Dergoneous screamed at his unwanted death. Burdok, on the other hand, predicted his death will come. His whole life had been borrowed time, ever since he lost his family. He just closed his eyes and accepted his fate.
Mason: "Father! Noooooo!"
The giant spaceship flew away and disappeared into the sky. Mason fell down on his knees as the dust from the building faded away. His eyes were full of tears and rolled down his cheeks and hit the bare ground.
The others arrived to the scene. "Where's Zorton? Did he make it?" Leila asked.
Mason turned around and looked at her. "No, he was caught in the explosion..." Piper: "You mean..."
Zelfire: "It can't be!"
Leila: "Zorton..."
Margrit: "Z-Zorton is...dead?" Her face was in horror.
Mason continued crying.
Piper: "Mason…"
Mason: "He…he was my father."
Everybody was literally open-mouthed. No one said a word until Jerrell broke the silence. "Oh Mason, I'm so sorry."
Leila: "Father? He was your father?"
Margrit was crying too. "Yes, it's true. Mason told me himself."
Mason: "Burdok...why did you do this? Why?"
It was the first time Margarita saw him cry. Who could blame him? He had lost the father that he never knew. She wanted to go and comfort him, but Leila stopped her. They didn't say a word to each other, but Margrit knew what Leila meant. Just let Mason grieve.
Jerrell: "My colony! It's gone! All gone!"
Kane: "Don't say that! Some of the buildings are still unharmed..."
Jerrell: "Most of it is destroyed! Everything I've worked for is gone. More than ten years of hard work all gone! It's all my fault. All because I was tricked. Goddam it!"
Kane: "No! It's not your fault. Starburst is the one to blame. Hey, look on the bright side...most of our soldiers have survived. Fifty are injured, and forty five are dead. The rest of them made it safely out."
Jerrell stared at the ground. "There's no hope for us. We just can't beat Dark Spectre. We better give up now and save whoever we can."
Kane: "What? I can't believe those words are coming from your mouth!"
Jerrell: "I just knew this day would come. The day our resistance ended. I prayed it wouldn't happen, but it's just reality. Dark Spectre's forces are too strong."
Kane: "We can't give up! Everyone is looking at us. We're the last of the rebels. Jerrell...we're the last hope in the universe...you said you wanted peace for the universe, if we give up now, it'll be all over. And what about all those who died?! They died so that the resistance can continue!"
Jerrell's expression on his face changed a bit.
"If we give up now, then those brave Sayans who died on the battle field died for nothing. What about all those innocent people who were slaughtered for nothing? Jerrell...you've resisted for your whole life, and now you're giving up?! Never give up until the end, those were your words."
"I...I...I..." He couldn't find the right words to say.
S-Soldier: "Kane is right! We can not, and will not give up!"
Kane: "Your soldiers really look up to you. I hope you know that."
Jerrell: "...You're right! I can't give up my life's work! We can start over! We can rebuild the colony!"
Kane: "Alright!h The old Jerrell is back!"
S-Soldier: "We will fight until the end. The war isn't over until all of us are dead."
Jerrell: "Thanks Kane, you talked some sense into me."
Kane: "There's someone else who needs some comfort. Mason. He just lost his father..."
Jerrell: "Okay, I'll go talk to him."
Mason was sitting by the table, putting his head between his crossed hands. (Starburst, I'll make you pay. I promise you won't get away with this!)
Leila: "He is depressed."
Piper: "Of course he is. He just lost his father."
Leila: "Poor Mason...look at him...he didn't say a word all day. I'll go talk to him."
They walked over to join Mason. "Hey, how's it going?"
Piper: "Mason, I know whatever we say can't change what happened, but..." Mason: "Go away! Let me be..."
They were surprised to hear this from him.
Leila: "Mason! We're just trying to help you."
Mason: "I don't need your help. I don't need your pity!"
"Pity? Is that what you think of us?"
Piper: "I think we better leave him alone."
Zelfire: "Yeah, he needs to be alone right now."
They left him and Margrit came in and joined him. She sat down next to him. He remained silent. "Hey, it's Margrit, remember?"
"What do you want?"
"Want? I want to help you, of course."
"I don't need your help! I need some goddam peace and quiet! If you really want to help then give me some time alone."
It was the first time she heard him curse like that. He had never been so pissed off like this. Mason walked over to the balcony. Margrit just stared at him, not knowing what to do.
Later, Jerrell joined Mason to talk some sense into him. "What do you want?"
Jerrell: "I'm just trying to help you."
Mason: "Well, forget it. Just leave me alone!"
"Look Mason, we're all sad about Zorton's death, but we can't be sad forever. I know how you feel."
"Oh, really?"
"That was how I felt when my parents died. I felt angry, I wanted revenge, and I ignored everyone else."
"What are you trying to say?"
"I'm trying to say that...even through the most tragic loss, you have to live on, Mason. You can't go on like this. You're avoiding everyone around you, and soon they'll desert you. It's not worth it."
"Why can't anyone understand that I don't need them right now? I don't need you to tell me what's worth it or not. Father...where are you?"
"Zorton. Forget it, Mason. He's dead. You have to move on."
"I don't need this garbage from the likes of you." He walked away.
Jerrell sighed. "Sorry guys, looks like I can't help Mason." he grieved to himself.
Margrit had an idea that might cheer him up. "Mason, you haven't eaten in days. Here, I made this soup just for you."
He ignored her.
"Come on! It's good for you." She put the spoon next to his mouth.
"I'm not hungry." he answered coldly.
"You have to eat something...Mason...you can't go on like this. How about if I feed you? C'mon, open up."
"No."
"Mason, just take a sip. Please? If not for yourself, do it for me."
"I said I'm not hungry!!!" He pushed her hand away and the bowl of soup fell on the floor. It shattered apart and the soup spilled on the floor.
Margrit: "I, I, I was just trying to help..." Tears came from her eyes. "Mason...I guess you don't want my help...look at you! I just want the old Mason back! Look at yourself now! Look at what you've turned into!" She ran away covering her face.
Seeing her like that, he regretted being so mean. He got up and gazed at the spilled liquid. He could see his reflection on the liquid.
He could still hear Margrit's voice in his head. I just want the old Mason back! Look at yourself now! Look at what you've turned into! He had finally realized what Jerrell was trying to say to him. (I'm sorry everybody. Sorry...Margarita.)
At night, the heroes had to share rooms since most of them were destroyed. Most of the soldiers had guard duty and night patrol. Those who didn't have duty slept where ever they could.
Mason, Leila, Piper, and Zelfire were squished into one room, since they obviously are close to each other. Jerrell, Kane and Margrit slept in another. Her nice, pretty room was gone now, but at least her diary was saved. While her friend and brother were sound asleep, she wrote on the diary, then went so sleep.
Everyone was sound asleep except for Mason. The room was silent. He opened his eyes, looking around to see if it's safe. Leila was asleep. So was Piper. And Zelfire. Good. He took the backpack out of the blanket and got up. He took each step carefully, not wanting to make any noise to awaken his friends. He walked out the door and slowly closed it.
He slipped past the hallway like a ninja into the other room. He put the note he had written earlier in Margarita's hand. He kissed her on the forehead. "See ya Margrit. I'll be back."
It was a beautiful morning, the suns were shining and the birds were chirping. Margrit woke up pleasantly and found a note lying next to her. She picked it up and read it. She crumbled it up and ran towards the next room.
"Mason! Where is he?" she asked loudly, slamming the door.
Leila and the others woke up, alarmed. "Huh, wha..."
Piper: "Mason! He's gone!"
"Nooo! I can't believe he did this..." Margrit said. She stared at the floor sadly.
Zelfire: "What is it?" He spotted the note in her fist. "What's that?" He took it from her hand and read it.
Piper: "What does it say?"
Zelfire: "He's going to find Starburst for revenge!"
Leila: "No, he wouldn't!"
Piper: "Would he? But, if I lost a father, I'd do the same thing."
Zelfire: "If I was in his shoes, I'd be upset too."
Margrit was shocked. "Mason...how could you..."