Chapter Eighteen
MACHINATIONS
"Clever bastards."

Large cumulus clouds loom low over the Green Moon's only and capital city, Verd. Geronimo sits in the front passenger seat of the Hover Screemer(tm), examining the Prompt O'Sting(tm) pole. Fystik rocks softly in the backseat, cooing to the Tri-Prong Defacer(tm). A pensive Gladius, back in the driver's seat, keeps the pressure on the accelerator, speeding the Screemer toward the city.

RUMMMMMBLE!!!

An explosion deep within the Annihilator rocks the ship, straining the joint of the Gooey Tube(tm) connecting it with the Vi-Scout(tm).

Salata South helps the final survivor into the tube, then takes one last glance. A brief wave of emotion washes over him. He is looking into a giant coffin, the final abode for a couple of hundred dedicated men and women, valiant heroes each.

Seeing no sign of life, he lunges into the tube, its seal closing like a slimy zipper behind him.

ThssshhhWWWHOOP!

BAAAAFOOOOOOMMMMM!!!

The Annihilator tears in half. The unsupported tube, blown by the concussion, is flung in a graceful, slow-motion whip around the Vi-Scout(tm). Unable to oppose the centrifugal force, Salata is snapped to the end of the flailing tube and must wait out the painfully slow retraction into the ship.

The Hover Screemer(tm) slices through Verd's version of suburbia. Up ahead two Cop Hoppers(tm) appear over the rooftops, racing to intercept the black vehicle.

"We've got trouble!" shouts Geronimo, pointing skyward.

The Hoppers home in on the Screemer, their lights blazing and sirens wailing.

"Use this," calls Gladius, patting the BIGGER GUN(tm) propped between them.

Lavoriss cradles the massive weapon. He stands, red cape snapping in the breeze, and props the barrel on the frame of the windscreen.

The Hoppers open fire and Gladius veers sharply to avoid the erupting road ahead. Several meters of elegantly manicured lawn are ripped up by the propulsion drives of the erratically skimming Screemer. Geronimo points the gun, scrunches his face, and shoots.

A stream of yellow goo spits from the massive weapon, adhering to one of the Hoppers. Blinded, it careens and buries itself in a Bi-Level Stellar Ranchhouse(tm).

"Good shot," chortles Fystik.

Gladius spins the Screemer into a back lane. The second Hopper drops into view at the far end, blocking their path. Geronimo fires again. This time a spew of charged pellets spit from the barrel.

The Hopper takes evasive action, destroying a garage and a clothesline full of laundry as it retreats.

Gladius decelerates, easing the Screemer down the lane, cautiously peering between buildings and around fences in search of the lurking Cop Hopper(tm). There is a glint in the rear view mirror. The police vehicle is accelerating low and fast on their tail.

"Behind!" shouts Gladius, tromping on the accelerator.

The Hover Screemer(tm) banks sharply around a low shed and vaults along a narrow alleyway. Lavoriss flips the BIGGER GUN(tm) end-for-end and plops the barrel on the rear deck of the vehicle. Fystik ducks, narrowly missing a bonk on the head.

The pursuit vehicle blasts around the corner and Geronimo unleashes the huge weapon once more. A blue power-pulse stings the starboard gun of the Hopper and the vehicle skitters toward a small carport. It clips the corner of the building, effectively disabling the port side gun and knocking out a supporting beam of the structure, causing its roof to collapse.

Geronimo trains the sights of the gun onto the Hopper, waiting for its motion to stabilize. He squeezes the trigger. Nothing.

"Crap!" He yanks at the trigger again: no response. The Cop Hopper's(tm) powerful drives have begun to close the gap between the two vehicles.

"What's wrong?" Gladius is nervously eyeing the rear-view mirror.

"It's stopped workin'!"

With its on-board weaponry sufficiently disabled, the Cop Hopper(tm) closes in on the Hover Screemer(tm). The Troopers within have opted to overtake the Screemer and use a Magno-Sync Sucker(tm), a hand-held electro-magnetic pulse generator of limited range, to disrupt the electronics of the Screemer and force it to shut down.

The copilot clips the safety cable onto his suit-harness and begins to climb out onto the side-board platform of the Hopper. When they are close enough, he will lean out over the front of the hoodless Screemer and activate the Sucker as near as possible to the Screemer's Central Processing Unit.

The three fugitives anxiously observe the approach of the Hopper. Slate's foot is firmly planted on the accelerator, but the Screemer has reached its limit. The vehicle speeds along the narrow back lanes of Verd's suburbs, jockeying to stave off the nearing Hopper.

Geronimo takes pot shots at the Hopper with a Hand Cannon(tm), but the jostling movement of the Screemer badly affects his aim. An occasional shot strikes a glancing blow off the front deflector of the police vehicle, but has no effect on its advance. As it nears, Geronimo refrains from shooting for fear of a close-range hit backfiring into the Screemer.

The Hopper vies for position, using its ability to gain altitude to situate itself slightly above the rear quarter of the swerving Screemer.

The gap closes. The copilot, Sucker in hand, begins to lean out over the Screemer. Geronimo and Fystik stare at the Hopper. Gladius white knuckles the steering wheel, desperately trying to avoid scraping the fences along the lane. He risks a quick glance to fix the position of the Hopper. Concurrently, a small, personal ground-effect vehicle pulls out into the path of the two racing machines. Gladius jerks the wheel out of instinct, slamming into the landing gear of the Hopper. The outstretched arm of its copilot is thrust into the open cockpit of the Screemer.

FFFAAAAZZZZWINGGGGG!!! SPPLOOOOT!

Fystik lops off the intruding arm with the Tri-Prong Defacer(tm).

The two vehicles strain against each other, narrowly missing the car blocking their path. The copilot, still leaning into the Screemer cockpit, realizes that his arm is missing.

"Yeeeeeaaaahhhh, aaah, aaah, aaah…"

Gladius jerks in reflex to the scream in his left ear. The Screemer lurches and the Hopper catapults over top of it, clipping a fence and rebounding across in front of the Screemer.

"…aaaaaaah, aaaaaaah, aaaaack––"

THWICK!

A guy-wire stabilizing an antennae tower decapitates the howling copilot.

SPLUTCH!!!

The grimacing head ricochets off the Screemer's windshield, leaving a grisly smear.

The Hopper pilot fights to regain control. Glancing to his right, he sees the flapping, armless, headless corpse of his partner. Stunned, he fails to notice the rapidly approaching power transformer building at the intersection. Gladius has a split second to comprehend the imminent collision and yanks the vehicle in a hard right, plowing through a fence and entering a yard. He brakes hard and the Screemer drops to the ground, sod peeling.

The Hopper slams, full speed, into the transformer building.

FFFIZZZZZZZKERRRWHACKA!!! ZZZPITTZZZZLE!!!

KAAAAKOWWW!!!

The building erupts in an enormous, spidery array of sparks and smoke.

Gladius, Geronimo and Fystik sit stone-faced, staring at a huge stone-faced fountain, against which the nose of the Screemer rests.

"Yiiipa, yiiipa, yiiipa!"

"Shaddup!" Fystik yells at the yapping Gimmeldinjellian Terrier prancing beside the vehicle.

Gladius snaps out of his trance and fires up the Screemer's engine. The vehicle lifts off the ground and he nudges it between the houses toward the street. Residents have begun to gather around the burning building, gawking up at the growing column of smoke.

Geronimo sits in his seat, looking at the bloodied Fystik who is tugging at the tendons of the headless copilot's arm, causing the fingers to twitch.

"Can't we go any faster?" Fystik asks of the humans.

Gladius blinks once, incredulous. Geronimo stares, dumbfounded.

"She is in danger," Fystik opines, tossing the arm out of the vehicle. His eyes glaze over and he begins to rock back and forth. "We must hurry."

Geronimo leans to Gladius, confiding: "Look, Gladman, I'm gettin' real tired of this friggin' rescue mission."

"We are acting in the interests of the IDR! This is not, I repeat, not just a rescue mission!"

Geronimo shrinks under the glare of his former boss. Gladius returns his attention to the road, the strain on his face riddled with distress more than anger.

On the dark side of the Green Moon, the Mark II Battle Accelerator HyperCraft(tm) Decimater finally arrives. Colonel Dwayne Itchtrong is wrapping up his briefing session with the twenty-four Frak Crak Assault Troopers under his command.

"…after the initial strafing run, Troop Carrier One will maintain a lookout for offensives; number Two and the demolition squad will gain access to the terrorist complex. As soon as you're in begin to set the mines. My ship will make the pickup, the rest of you disperse and continue strafing and setting mines. I want it shut down, inoperative, spotless. Detonation will be triggered by remote once we're weightless. Are there any questions?"

The squad leaders remain silent, their orders completely understood.

Itchtrong leaves the briefing room and strides onto the bridge, his authority filling the control area with tension. He stops behind the helmsman. "Take us into low, synchronous orbit."

"Should we hail the Abrogate?" asks Lieutenant Flinnff, arriving at the commander's side.

"No." Itchtrong glances out the main view port to witness the occasional flash of the eclipsed battle on the far side of the moon. "Maintain communications silence. Get the Vi-Troop Carriers ready, scramble the Frak Crak Assault Squad, and meet me in the hangar in ten minutes."

Flinnff, a short, hard man layered with sinewy muscle, turns on his heel, heading to carry out his commander's orders. A thin smile creases Itchtrong's face.

Geronimo, with the barrel of the BIGGER GUN(tm) pointing forward over the windscreen of the whizzing Hover Screemer(tm), has the Randomizer's keypad open on his lap. Despite his limited knowledge of micro-electronics, he spies what appears to be a loose wire and searches for the terminal to which it belongs. Finding a likely candidate, he touches the wire to the contact. The GUN spasms and fires a blue power-pulse. Geronimo looks up at the retreating energy bolt. As it disappears into the distance, he notices four small specks taking evasive maneuvers to avoid the shot.

"There's four more of 'em!" he shouts.

Gladius releases the accelerator and scans the distant skyline, locking onto the rapidly approaching police vehicles.

"Down there!" Geronimo points to a small access tunnel at the base of the viaduct along which they have been traveling.

Gladius swings the Screemer down the sharp slope.

BLAA-BLAA-BLAA-BLAA-BLAAMMMM!!

Huge chunks of concrete are thrown up around the black craft as the Cop Hoppers(tm) open with a salvo of Bottle Bolts(tm).

Geronimo leans out the side of the Screemer, firing an infrared beam at the mesh grill that covers the tunnel. The grill glows red, melts away, and the Hover Screemer(tm) escapes into the darkness. The Cop Hoppers(tm) are unable to follow, the entrance being too small in diameter.

"Where are we going?" asks Fystik.

"Where ever this leads," Gladius sighs, guiding the Screemer along the damp tunnel.

The Vi-Scout Salvage Ship(tm), with its cargo of Annihilator survivors, nears the Battle Accelerator Abrogate. Explosions buffet the small craft as the grid's Fraz-Boom(tm) guns attempt to destroy anything that moves.

Inside, the first aid technicians try to stabilize the flagging Vice-Admiral Ragellon. Lieutenant Ginjee swings the Vi-Scout(tm) under the Abrogate's belly.

Docking complete, the hatch opens and another emergency team appears, whisking the wounded toward the ship's AutoDoc(tm) bays. Lieutenant Ginjee exits, Salata South in tow.

Major Wu Su turns as they enter the bridge. "South! What the hell happened out there?"

"It was a trap, the terrorists were waiting for us."

"Clever bastards."

A medical engineer with an AutoDoc Remote Unit(tm) appears and, wincing, motions for the bruised and scraped Salata to take a seat. South complies and the engineer begins to spot-weld the scarred Captain.

Wu Su returns his attention to the Holo-Vis Monitor(tm), perches on his Magno Supreme Command Chair(tm) and opens hailing frequencies to the Expunger and the Pulverizer.

"This is Major Wu Su. We have successfully rescued Vice-Admiral Ragellon and the remnants of his crew. Helfogg, do you think you can stand a run through the grid?"

"Yes, sir."

"Brown?"

"No problem."

"Then prepare for an assault. We'll use straight line formation in a concentrated push. The Pulverizer will take point, followed by the Expunger. I'll bring up the rear."

"Any sign of the Decimater?" queries Helfogg.

"None, but I see no use in waiting at this point."

Helfogg turns away from her Holo-Vis Commucon(tm), her chest tightening. Through the view port she watches the Pulverizer take its position at the head of the assault line.

"Set a course to match the Pulverizer," she orders. Her hand slides to a small locket around her neck. She examines the tiny Holo-Freeze(tm) image of herself and the smiling Heratio Brown. Discreetly, she kisses her finger, presses it to the image, then slides the locket back inside her uniform.

The tunnel comes to a dead end. Gladius slams his foot onto the brake, skimming the Hover Screemer(tm) to an abrupt stop. He cuts the engine, the black craft settles, and the threesome disembark.

"Now where?" asks Geronimo.

Gladius surveys the area. He looks down at an apparent drain or air shaft in the floor, access protected by a barred grate. "Stand back!"

Snatching a Hand Cannon(tm) from the Screemer, Gladius blasts the clamps holding the grate in place. Hot bits of metal spit around the tunnel. He kicks the remains of the grate down the shaft. There is a set of iron rungs mounted inside.

"Okay, let's grab everything we're going to need and start climbing," he orders, trading the Hand Cannon(tm) for the BIGGER GUN(tm).

"We don't even know where it leads," protests Geronimo, strapping the Hand Cannons(tm) to his waist and grabbing the Prompt O'Sting(tm) pole.

Fystik, Tri-Prong Defacer(tm) in hand, follows Gladius down the ladder, leaving Geronimo standing on the floor above, rearranging his cape.

"You could end up in the dungeon, for all you know," he shouts after them.

"There's no place else to go," Gladius calls.

Geronimo curses inwardly, then steps down to the protruding rungs. Although his attitude hardly reflects it, decked out in his red cape with the Prompt O'Sting(tm) pole slung on his back and a pair of Hand Cannons(tm) at his sides, he makes a convincing swashbuckler. "I'm not into this death thing, ya know. Livin' suits me fine. All I want is a ship… go back to mindin' my own business. Maybe start my own used shuttle lot. Or become a financial advisor. I could be a financial advisor. Get to meet a lot of rich people, dress fancy. But noooo, instead I'm climbin' down some grimy shaft with a coupla butt holes who're doin' their best to get me stuffed and mounted…"

Itchtrong, Hand Cannon(tm) holstered at his side, boards the last of the Vi-Troop Carriers(tm) to depart from the Decimater. Lieutenant Flinnff, finishing his flight check, reports as the Colonel enters. "The other ships have begun descent."

Itchtrong takes his seat in the Magno Command Chair(tm), activating its field. "Good, launch this thing." He casts a look at the crisp, efficient crew of trained killers that surround him. The Frak Crak Assault Squad are the deadliest of the special operations soldiers in the known Universe. And each one will serve him without hesitation.

"Prepare for launch!" Flinnff calls over the Inform-U-Amp(tm) intercom.

The occupants of the small craft brace themselves. The powerful Mini-HootToot(tm) drives shudder and the Vi-Troop Carrier(tm) is ejected from the mother ship, hurtling toward the Green Moon below.

On the day side, Brown and the Pulverizer are in the lead position, the ship's Tremor Blasters(tm) pummeling away as it moves toward the largest opening in the battered and weakening grid. The slightly crippled Expunger, under Helfogg, follows, with the Abrogate and Wu Su behind her.

Alfonse and the Glik-Gnome watch as the two ships enter the grid. Their slick fingers rest on the Emergency Self Destruct buttons.

"Hang on, just hang on," breathes Alfonse.

"Hurry," says the Glik-Gnome.

Gladius emerges from the opening of the shaft, swinging down to the damp floor below. The others follow, entering a large access tunnel with tram rail lines running down its length.

"Where the fuck are we now?" Geronimo is not happy.

"Underground transport." Gladius hops across the rails to a small concrete stairway, up the steps, and onto a loading platform.

Fystik follows closely, while Geronimo begrudgingly picks up the rear, still cursing under his breath.

Brown jostles in his chair, silver hands balled into fists, as his ship blasts its way through the failing grid. With less than half a ship's length to go to break through to the other side, he thumbs the ships Inform-U-Amp(tm).

"Almost there people, hang tough and keep up the good work."

The Expunger, in the middle position, is now completely enveloped within the grid and the Abrogate's nose is entering the gaping hole behind it.

"Now!" shouts Alfonse.

Together, he and the Glik-Gnome jam their fingers onto the self destruct buttons.

"Detecting an energy surge in the grid," informs the panicked voice of the Pulverizer's helmsman.

Brown snaps his gaze to the grid, realizes what must be happening. "Full Tooters ahead!"

The Pulverizer whines forward, crunching into the web of scaffolding. Brown's eyes lock onto the Holo-Vis Monitor(tm) depicting the Expunger to his rear. His silver hand snaps open the frequency on his Commucon Stay-Close(tm). "Helena, get your ship out of there!" he shouts, at once realizing that she has no where to go.

The grid rapidly glows red. Brown's message is lost in the electromagnetic cacophony. The bridge of the Expunger is in panic mode. A tear wells up in Helena Helfogg's eye as she glimpses the fleeing Pulverizer and her love, Heratio Brown. Helpless, she turns away, knowing of her imminent death.

The grid goes nova and her ship, super-heated and subjected to an extreme concussion, begins to disintegrate around her.

"Full reverse Tooters!" shouts Wu Su.

The Abrogate whines and shudders as it retreats from the dissolving grid. The ship lurches violently, the crew fighting against their restraining Magno Chairs(tm). The nose of the ship is engulfed in hot plasma and hurtling debris, its bow sustaining severe damage in the blast.

The concussion engulfs the Pulverizer as it surges toward the moon, HooterTooter(tm) drives misfiring badly.

"We're losing her," calls the helmsman.

Brown ignores him, his silver face saddened by the loss of the Expunger. The First Officer arrives at Brown's side. "We have the pod ready," he shouts over the crumbling ship. "We must hurry."

"You go. Abandon ship."

The First Officer hesitates, then hurries with the rest of the bridge crew to the pod, leaving the solitary silver figure to gaze out the view port. Brown steps to the huge pane of Stalwart Glass(tm) and places his silver palm against it, his heart broken.

A fiery blast slams him to the deck. The Pulverizer is ripped apart.