//------------------------------// // Lost in space // Story: Cowcolt Bebop // by lilinuyasha //------------------------------// Trekker sighed. “We’re not gonna make it at this rate.” he said. “Relax. I’ve got this covered.” said Bonsai. Space Trekker, a tall, dark grey pony with a green mane,sat back in his seat. “I told you we should’ve stopped for gas on Venus.” “Alright. My bad. Now let’s focus on the issue at hoof.” Bonsai, as he came to be nicknamed for his strange attachment to taking care of them, ignored Trekker and continued operating the switches. Bonsai was a well built steed, muscular, tall, with a red body and a black mane. “Alright, hold on to your seatbelt. This is gonna get a bit rocky.” As Bebop, their spaceship, entered Pluto’s orbit, Bonsai prepared the landing gear. They had JUST enough gas to land. After that, they were out of gas and flat broke. Bebop pulled into the landing bay, securing a spot. A small, worn sign reading “Welcom to Plut” greeted their arrival. It had obviously been worn down by years of blizzard-like conditions. “See? Told you I had it covered!” “Great. But if we don’t get this bounty, how exactly do you plan on getting off this planet?” Bonsai wasn’t exactly sure what to say. “We’ll figure it out then. Get your stuff. It’s cold out there.” Trekker and Bonsai put on warmer clothing and stepped out of the Bebop into the cold, frozen planet. Trekker never understood why ponies lived here. It was so far desolate in the solar system that it was a major spot for bounties and other criminals to go to escape. Trekker took a deep breath in, letting the refreshing cold fill his lungs. “Alright. So where is he?” asked Trekker. “Well, our closest info says he likes to loiter around bars.” “That’s not very helpful. This is a bounty, not an adventure game.” “Well, “Crank” Dash, as he’s known, is a known alcoholic. Why don’t you check the bars? There’s only two of them around. I’ll ask around to see if I can get some street info on him.” Trekker sighed. “Yeah. Sounds good. If you hear gunfire, you’ll know where to find me.” Bonsai smiled. “You do know how to cause trouble. Anyways, I’ll keep in contact with you if I find anything.” “Sounds good.” And with that, Trekker and Bonsai went their separate ways. Trekker traveled down a small, icy street. Ever since they decided to populate the planet, the cold was bearable. He still shivered as he looked for a potentially shady bar. To his right, he passed a boarded-up door with a spraypainted martini glass under a “bar” sign. Trekker found this a good place to start and went in. The welcoming bell rang, and every pony in the bar turned to look at him. Yep. This was where he’d find him. Trekker ignored their looks and took a spot at the bar, next to a white pony with a black mane, between another burly steed with brown hair and a black mane. “What’ll it be?” said the bartender. “I’ll take anything you have. Something to warm my body from the cold.” The bartender smiled. “You’re not from around here, are you?” “Was it that obvious?” The bartender smiled again. The ponies on either side of Trekker shifted their weight, a bit uneasy. “I’ll take a double shot of gin and tonic. Stirred, not shaken. With a sprig of lemon.” The bartender looked at him. “That’s oddly specific. Not sure I can do the lemon. In case you haven’t noticed, our planet ain’t exactly good for farmin’.”. The bartender looked at Trekker, then to the pony to his right, then back at Trekker. “I’ll get that right out for you, colt.” “Thanks. So...” Said Trekker as he turned to his right. “...What brings you Pluto?” The pony stared at him, an evil glare. “Not the talkative type, I see. Well, that’s just too bad. Here I was thinking we could engage in a delightful conversation over a glass of tonic.” The pony looked away, grabbing his glass. “I’d buy.” The pony looked at him. As the bartender set Trekker’s gin and tonic on the bar, the pony to Trekker’s right grabbed his glass and swung at Trekker. Trekker strafed his head right and grabbed his hoof, swinging the pony around as the one to Trekker’s left tried to pound Trekker’s face with his hoof, only to punch the other pony’s body. Trekker let the body fall to the floor as the other pony, in anger and futility, charged at him. Trekker strafed left and tripped him, sending him sprawling face first down to the floor. The bartender ducked down behind the bar as Trekker leaped over it and ducked behind it. The two ponies who had sat next to Trekker, now aware of what was going on, pulled themselves up off the floor and drew their guns. Trekker drew his pistol and blindfired over the counter, trying to hit something. He had no such luck as both of the ponies who had sat next to Trekker retreated, flipping over a table and setting it as shelter as the patrons in the bar got ready for a brawl. “Good to see you again, Gin!” Said Trekker. “I’d love to catch up, but I’m a bit preoccupied.” Said the bartender as he drew a shotgun from under the counter. “I’ve always had terrible timing!” Said Trekker as he leaned over the counter, firing. Trekker shot down 3 ponies before he grabbed his gin and tonic from the bar and ducked behind the counter, reloading. After he reloaded, Trekker quickly drank it. “You’re one crazy son of a bitch, you know that?” Said Gin as he ducked behind the bar after firing a few rounds. “Yeah, I get that a lot.” He said before glancing over the counter again, shooting a few rounds at some of the ponies reloading near the entrance to the bar. Trekker came down to reload. “Body!” Said Gin as the dead body of a purple pony fell in front of him. Gin ducked behind the counter. “Filly tried to jump the counter on us” He said, putting more cocks in his shotgun. Trekker, done with his reload, froze for a minute. The sound of gunfire was no longer existent. He slowly leaned over the counter to observe his surroundings. The minute his head popped the counter, gunfire resounded and Trekker ducked behind the bar again. Gunfire came from the entrance of the bar as Bonsai entered, guns blazing. Some of the ponies behind shelter, including the ones Trekker sat next to, lowered their guard went out to fight Bonsai by hoof, breaking beer bottles scattered haphazardly about the floor after the start of the fight. While they were distracted, Trekker fired at them, killing them. Bonsai, now only dealing with one pony, took care of him quickly, curb stomping him before galloping over to the bar, hopping over it while Trekker and Gin provided cover fire. “Follow the gunfire, just like you said.” “Yeah, I’m kind of predictable like that.” Gin readied his shotgun and leaned over the counter. He fired once towards his right side and stumbled back, shot in his front leg, crashing against the alcohol cabinet before contorting his body in pain. Trekker slid closer to him as gunfire broke through the counter and glasses dropped all around him. Bonsai fired, killing off the remaining two. “You’re gonna be alright, Gin.” said Trekker. “Just hold on there.” he said, wrapping his front leg with a bandage. Bonsai leaned behind the counter again and, seeing nopony else, looked at Trekker. “You’ve caused quite a bit of a mess, Trekker.” “Yeah, I have a bad habit I need to quit. Like you chewing your hooves.” Bonsai froze for a second. He couldn’t deny it. He did have a nervous habit. Suddenly, Trekker heard the welcoming bell ring and he looked over the counter. One of the ponies, apparently alive, was galloping away, leaving a trail of blood. “That’s your bounty!”shouted Bonsai. Trekker hopped the bar and took off after him as Bonsai took care of Gin. Trekker kept the brown-haired, blue-maned pony in his sight. Crank took off down the cold street, taking a hard turn, heading down an alley, Trekker following him closely. As he turned into the alley, Crank swung a hoof at him from nowhere, hitting Trekker hard in the face as he stumbled back. Trekker regained his balance as he stood up and motioned for Crank to come at him.Crank rushed forward, launching a power attack him that Trekker easily dodged. As Crank’s inertia carried him forward, Trekker swung his hoof, knocking Crank in the back of his head. Crank fell forward, landing face first in the snow. Crank quickly regained his balance, standing right back up, just in time to see Trekker’s hoof slam against him, breaking his nose. Crank reeled back, slamming his head against the side of a building, knocking himself out. “Looks like I cranked it up a bit too much.” said Trekker. A terrible pun, he knew, but who was there to stop him? Trekker hoofcuffed Crank and headed back to the bar. Trekker was instead met by Bonsai and Gin in the street. “You get him?” “Would you expect any less of me? How you holding up, Gin?” “It’s a pretty bad gunshot wound, but he’ll pull through.” said Bonsai. “That’s good news.” said Trekker. “You get the bounty and turn it in. I’ll take Gin to the hospital. We have a bit of catching up to do.” Bonsai agreed and trotted behind the building, flinging Crank up upon his back and carrying him to the local police station to collect the bounty. As Bonsai collected the money, a considerable sum, Trekker put Gin in the hospital. Bonsai filled the Bebop with gas and food for several weeks and got ready to takeoff. Trekker got Gin situated and propped up. “You gonna hold up?” “I’ll be fine.” said Gin, looking away from Trekker. “I know what you’re here for.” “I came here for a bounty. Nothing less.” Gin turned to face Trekker. “No...this is about Rose. And I know it.”