"Hi friends!" Pinkie squealed when she saw us.
"Oh, hey Pinkie." I said, "Find anything tasty?"
"Oh yeah, tons of stuff." She replied happily, "Is it ok that I used some of our credits?"
"They're our credits for a reason, Pinkie." Twilight said, "Of course you can use them."
Pinkie had the biggest smile on her face and she was glowing like a star.
Squee
"YAY! You guys are going to love this, I promise."
What the hell was that sound? I thought as I looked around.
"Well, C'mon, let's go see what's wrong with Victor." I said as we all continued. We weren't far from the loading bay that connected the ship's cargo bay to the station. As we entered the bay, I could see a group of workers crowding around the locked down entrance to the ship. They appeared to be a mix of Rockman and humans, all pissed off that the ship wouldn't let them in.
"What's going on here?" I asked.
"Are you Captain Cormorant?" A human in the fanciest suit asked.
"Yes, I am." I replied, "Why are you trying to get into my ship?"
"We were told to deliver this to you, as payment for liberating Outpost X32."
Behind the foreman I saw a jet-black vehicle parked nearby.
"Is that a Razorblade 6X6?" A voice asked. I turned my head to see Dash joining us. She only looked a little tipsy, thank god.
"A what?" I asked. I knew about some vehicles, but this wasn't one of them. It looked like an old fan boat that had six big knobby tires mounted to the sides. What really got my attention was the turret: mounted on the rear was a semi enclosed ball, containing a Thresher Maw rotary cannon. The shots may not be powerful, but at 6,000 of them a minute, it makes up for it..
"A Razorblade 6X6. It's an all-terrain ground transport." Dash said. She looked like she was deconstructing it in her head.
"I'm listening." I said.
"400 horsepower engine, inch thick chobham nanosteel armor, all wheel drive adaptive traction and even an aquatic drive system." Dash listed off, "If you can't fly there, this thing can get you there."
"So, it's awesome?" I asked. Again, not a motor-head.
"Yes, very awesome." she replied.
"If you two are done," The foreman interjected, "I have other things to do besides argue with your ship."
"Oh right, sorry." I said before turning to the ship,
"Authorization?" Victor asked. This was the only time he didn't sound happy, his voice replaced by one more akin to Grimlock's. A small mechanical eye extended from the door, then looked around to find anyone it knew. It soon focused on me.
"Oh. Hi Boss," the frigate said happily as the cargo door opened, "Sorry about that guys, I don't want to have to shoot you out an airlock."
"Again." Spike said.
After the crew loaded the ship with the Razorblade and took the missiles in exchange for the crates of ammo, we'd gotten back underway. I was hanging out with Twilight in the shield core.
"So Dash, how do you know so much about vehicles?" Twilight asked through the video system.
"When you fly ships for a living, you gotta have an interest in anything with an engine." She replied.
"I can't believe they gave us an armored car worth two and a half million credits." I said, "But how exactly are we going to use it?"
"Oh that's easy" Dash said, "It was built to be carried under a shuttle, even airdropped. It's suspension and jump jets let it land like a butterfly."
"So it really is a go anywhere carrier."
"It looks like a boat." Spike said, "Does it float?"
"The only thing it can't do is fly." She said.
We all listened as Dash regaled us with the specifications of the Razorblade. Well, we pretended to listen: Twilight went back to the book she was reading. I just brought up a hologram for one of my inventions: this one a giant suit of power armor. I was working on the arm mounted weapons when Twilight perked up.
"What are you building now, Clay?" she asked.
"Power armor." I said, "Or at least a really expensive trash can."
"You know, sometimes I really wonder if you're part Nomad: you always have an idea for something."
"One-eighth on my mothers side." I said without even looking up, "That's why I don't need the suit."
"Wait, really?"
"No, it's just fun to mess with you." I said, smiling.
"I hate you sometimes." she replied flatly.
"You know, you're cute when you're angry at me."
Fuck, did I just say that out loud?
She just rolled her eyes and sighed.
"As much fun as it is to watch you two fighting, I just picked up a distress call." Victor chirped happily, "It looks like an escape pod but I've never seen this kind of signal."
"From where?" I asked.
"That planet."
Twilight and I look out the window and saw the planet he was talking about. It looked like a giant desert but contrasted by deep blue patches.
"We're going, aren't we?" Twilight asked, knowing fill well the answer.
"Dash, looks like we get to test out that Razorblade." I said as Twi and I headed for the cargo bay. Once the lift door opened in the lower level, I saw Dash using Requiem's cargo gantry to move the shuttle over the transport.
"So this thing isn't going to fall off half-way down, right?" I asked. Dash shook her head.
"Nope, it comes with powerful magnetic clamps that hold it on." she said.
"Do you know how to drive this thing?" Twilight asked.
"Of course I do." Dash replied.
"Dibs on the turret." I said quickly.
"Of course you'd want the gun." Twilight said.
"Brace yourselves!" Dash said as we neared the planet's surface. The shuttle Victor was controlling had dropped us and we were in a freefall to the sandy ground.
"How bad is this going to hurt?" I asked.
"You ever dropped to the ground from space?"
"I'm a weapons tech, not a damn ODST."
"Oh, then this should be fine."
I felt the vehicle lurch as the jump jets kicked on.
"Question: How will you two not die on impact?"
"The jump jets and suspension absorb the impact." Dash replied.
And then the Transport proved it by slamming into the ground. It bounced a few times before settling.
"I think I'm gonna be sick." I said as I tried to hold down my stomach.
"Hey, I'm the one that has to clean that." Spike snapped over the radio, "Don't you dare."
"I see the radio works." Dash said, "Where are we going?"
"Forwarding now." Spike said. The nav system updated and Dash made tracks for the location.
"It's a little cramped in here." I said as I adjust to let my spine relax. I saw Dash hit a few switches.
"Hold on." She said as my seat shifted. It slid to the back of the vehicle, then began to lift as the roof opened. I was lifted out of the vehicle into the clear polymer bubble where the cannon was.
"That enough room for ya?" She asked. I watched the desert landscape fly by at about seventy miles an hour.
"Best seat in the house." I said as I stretched out, causing a few pops from my back. Dash chuckled.
"Estimated time to target: Fifteen minutes." Grimlock said.
"Thanks Grim, I was about to ask that." I said, "Hey Spike, anything new about that signal?"
"Not really." the Engi said, "Victor already said everything we know: it's and escape pod distress signal.."
"Yep, definitely an escape pod, but it's in a language I've never heard before." The A.I. said, "Some of the words don't even sound like they have vowels in them, and the ones that do have, like, sixteen of the same letter."
"Okay. That's a little weird." I replied. I was no language specialist, but I'd noticed that, aside from a few specialty words, languages usually lined up pretty closely.
"I'll have the shields and Stealth drive ready to go." Twilight said, "This smells like Antioch."
"Antioch?" Dash asked, "Who's Antioch?"
"Remember when I said I'd messed with a Rebel cruiser?" I said, "Well, that ship was the Hammer of Nightmares commanded by Captain Benjamin Antioch."
"And he is hell-bent on catching us for it." Twilight said, "And he isn't above faking a distress signal to do it."
"So we might be driving into a trap?" Dash asked with a sigh, "Good to know it wasn't gonna be easy."
"Hey, It might not be him." I said, "maybe it's actually a distress beacon this time."
"How many times has it not been a beacon?" Dash asked tentatively.
"Eleven." Spike said, "Although that's not counting..."
"Hey look, we're here." I interjected. The nav point corresponded to the large pod lodged in the side of a rocky outcropping. I looked over the mountain to see a cave in the side.
"Dash, you stay here and keep this thing ready, Grimlock and I'll check out the cave."
"Ok, I'll have us ready for a quick getaway...again."
Grimlock and I both left the vehicle and headed for the cave.
"Son of a bitch it's hot out here." I groaned as we neared the cave.
"Explanation: We are in a desert." Grimlock droned.
"Good point." We entered the cave, where the temperature dropped a good twenty degrees. Grimlock clicked his spotlight on and lead the way inside, while I pulled my Shotgun off my back.
"So, what do you think we'll find?" I asked the drone.
"Sarcastically: A hungry sand shark." he said. Humor was not his strong suit.
We continued down the cavern until we heard something. Grimlock turned out the light and we listened to what sounded like a female voice.
"Oh don't worry Angel, I'm sure someone will find us." She said gently. An odd chirping noise answered her. I nodded to Grimlock who rolled out from behind the barrier with me behind him. We turned the corner to see an odd sight: A small fire was burning in the center of the cave, but really caught our attention was the one sitting by it.
"Mantis!" I shouted as I raised my weapon. Grimlock brought his cannons to bear as the Mantis looked toward us. It then threw it's arms up and shrunk away from us.
"Please don't hurt me!" she squealed. This reaction stopped both of us dead in our tracks. Was she, scared?
"Please, I'm lost and stranded." she said again, "I just want to get out of here."
Grim and I both looked at each other in confusion.
"Behavior is highly inconsistent." He said. I agreed with him this was a very weird Mantis. Her normally bright green skin (exoskeleton?) was more yellow than normal, and her long, limp antennae were a soft pink. The large eyes were a bright blue instead of red and she appeared to have shorter scythes on her arms.
"Wait, you don't want to slice us into lunchmeat?" I asked. She relaxed as she lowered her arms a bit.
"Oh goodness no, why would I want to do that?" she said in a soft voice. Usually it was shrill, but this was actually pleasant.
"You are a Mantis." Grimlock said, "Mantis are characterized by insatiable bloodlust."
"I know." she said, looking to the ground in guilt, "I'm not very good at...being a mantis."
I decided to save my questions for later.
"Well, we picked up that distress signal." I said, "I suppose that was yours?"
"Oh yes, that was me." she said and she put her arms the rest of the way down, "I crashed here a few days ago."
"Hey, uh, Clay you might want to hurry up." Dash said over my communicator, "Victor said something's coming."
"Got it." I replied before turning back to the Mantis, "We need to go so if your coming, follow us."
She nodded in understanding and looked around the floor.
"Angel, come here honey. It's time to go." She said sweetly. From behind a rock emerged a small, snow white rabbit that obediently hopped up on her back. We hurried out of the cave into the blistering sun, where Dash had turned the transport around and opened the back loading door. I vaulted up on top of the vehicle and sat back down in the gun, while Grimlock and the Mantis climbed in the back.
"Ok Dash, punch it." I ordered.
"Why is there a Mantis in here?" She asked as the vehicle took off.
"She sent out the signal." I said, "What did Victor say?"
"He said something was making it's way toward them at FTL speeds." She said, "He can't tell what it is, since it's moving so fast, but it can't be good."
"Grimlock, call for the shuttle to pick us up." I said, prompting an affirmative from the drone. I looked up to see the shuttle in question on it's way.
"Wow, that was fast." I said.
"I have not called for it yet." Grimlock said. I looked closer to see that it wasn't the shuttle we were hoping for. I also saw a red bolt of plasma fly off of the front of it.
"Shit! Incoming!" I shouted. Dash jerked the armored car over just as the bolt smashed into the ground. I grabbed the gun controls and moved it over to face the craft. I pressed the first trigger to let the barrels spin to speed.
"Grimlock, get that shuttle down here now!" I shouted as I pressed the second trigger. The weapon roared to life as a stream of slugs flew toward the ship, making it weave out of the way.
"Shuttle on approach." Grimlock said. Victor better hurry the hell up, I didn't know how long I could shoot at that thing before It got lucky. A few more shots from it's main gun pounded the ground around us as I fired back bursts from ours.
"I got it." I heard Spike say over the radio. Then I saw a red beam blast down from the sky, engulfing the small fighter.
"Did I get him?" He asked. I just stared at the now glassed spot where the craft had been.
"Yeah. Yeah you got 'em." I said. I'd never seen our beam cannon up close like this before, so the already healthy respect i had for it could only go up. I saw the shuttle match our speed as it descended over us.
"Victor, What's the ETA on that ship in FTL?" I asked as the magnetic locks attached.
"It should be here by the time you return." He said. I felt the vehicle lift up under the shuttles power. Then it blasted off toward the Requiem.
"So..." Dash said as she shut down the Razorblade.
"That was awesome!" I said.
"Uh, Clay I think the Mantis fainted." Dash said. The seat I was in began to descend into the vehicle, then I could see what she was talking about. She was splayed out on the floor like...well...a bug that had been squished. The rabbit was now gently shaking her head, trying to wake his master up.
"Don't look at me." I said, "I just met her." The bug began to stir.
"Is it...Is it over?" she asked softly. I could see Dash was about to start laughing at the gentle creature.
"Don't." I said sharply. I heard the vehicle make a weird hissing sound.
"Relax, we just left the atmosphere." the pilot said, "The Razor automatically pressurizes."
"Ok, so how long is it 'til we get there?"
"Arriving now." Grim said. The shuttle shook as it stopped, then set itself down on the bay floor. A little under a minute later, the door was closed and the cargo bay was re-pressurizing itself.
"Ok, soon as we can, Dash, get to the cockpit and get us ready to jump."
"Right." She replied with a nod.
"And you," I started to say to the mantis, "Just follow Grimlock. He'll lead you somewhere safe until we get clear."
"O-okay." She whispered. The back of the carrier opened and we all piled out and headed for the lift.
"Hey Boss, I got an update on that ship that's on it's way." Victor chirped.
"What's up?" I asked
"It's the Hammer of Nightmares." He said, "I know that comes as a surprise to you."
"Dammit, ETA?"
"Uh, now." Victor said, "And I think Captain Antioch will want to talk to you."
The door opened and we all headed for our stations, Grimlock most likely headed for the med bay; it was the most armored section on the ship. I looked out the window in my bay to see the Ship in question: the Hammer of Nightmares. It was a cobalt blue with black stripes running around the ends of the engines and a pair of them running the length of ship. The figurehead of the ship was the crescent moon symbol with a horned creature in it's shadow. I saw on my screen the alert that someone was trying to contact us.
I brought the message up onscreen, but before the picture of the bridge showed up, something else came up.
Oh my god, he never got it fixed. I thought, desperately trying to contain my laughter. The screen changed to a stone-faced human. Antioch was the opposite of me: very straight-laced and professional, and I bet his uniform was pressed and cleaned hourly.
"Benny; long time, no see." I said happily, "Still got that stick up your ass?"
"Captain Clayton Cormorant." He said, "Funny we should find you here."
I heard the door open and turned to see Twilight walk in.
"Captain Benjamin Antioch." Twilight said, "I see you're still trying to compensate with that ship of yours."
"Wow, even Twilight's taking shots at you." I said, "That's pretty bad."
"I don't particularly care what you or your crew think." He snapped, "You are under arrest for crimes against the Rebellion. Surrender peacefully..."
"...And you will be spared, blah blah blah." I finished for him, "Look, can we just get to the part where we jump out of here and leave you stuck with a dead engine?"
I saw a screen behind the one Antioch was on that showed the status of our FTL charge.
"That won't work this time, Cormorant." He said, "Any attempt to attack us will result in immediate destruction of your ship."
I saw a large weapon deploy from the center of the ship's head. I already knew this was the cannon that fired the Artillery Beam: a powerful beam-type weapon that could cut small ships in half.
"Have I made my point clear, Captain?" The Rebel asked.
"Hey, he's arming the Artillery Beam." Victor said, "Maybe he'll actually hit us this time."
"Do you have a camera in there, Benny?" I asked. He raised an eyebrow in confusion. I take any reaction I could get out of him as a victory, and I was about to win the whole war.
"And if I do?"
"Then you may want to take a picture." I said. Antioch looked even more confused.
"I'm sorry?" He said, "Why would I want to take a picture of you?"
"So you can remember another day where you almost caught Captain Cormorant." I said, "Dash..."
"Hold onto something." The pilot said. We all felt the ship lurch as the engines kick into high gear. Antioch got a familiar look of anger on his face.
"I'll find you, Cormorant." The Rebel raged, then the transmission cut out.
"You know, the more times he finds us, the more chances he gets to catch us." Twilight said
"I know, but it's so much fun messing with him."
Twilight just sighed and rolled her eyes.
Meanwhile, aboard the Hammer of Nightmare
"Sir, we've lost the signal." A crewmember said as the video feed cut out. Antioch stood stock still as he stared out the window that made up the wall of the cruiser's bridge.
"Ensign Sanders, Report." he commanded.
"Sir, It doesn't look like they've figured it out." The officer said, "Should we pursue?"
"No, Let them run." he said with a smile, "We'll give them a little rope, then hang them with it."
"As you command, Sir."
"Enjoy your freedom for now, Cormorant." He said to himself, "We'll meet again, and you won't be so lucky."