A quick explanation before I start this. This story involves The Skulls. They are an idea I had for quite a while and I have developed an indepht story for them. Their story is too long and spiked with too many details to be told, so you learn about them as I go. Don't worry about losing track of the situation though, as I will try to make it as clear as possible. If you still have questions, I made a series on DeviantArt about them, called „The Skulls Frontline stories" out of the perspective of a halfbot scout. I reccomend reading it, because I already explained some stuff there. Now, after all of this, here is the actual story:
Bolts P.O.V.
I was laying on my bed for quite some time now. Not I really had to think about somethings, like Penny, Rhino, Mittens and how I wanted my life to progress. Do I want to be a superdog? Or just a normal one? How can I even be a normal dog?
I was ripped out of my thoughts by a scream from Mittens, then hysteric calls telling me to come outside. Oh no, what is it this time? „I'm on my way!" Hopefully she's alright... I headed downstairs and slammed into the closed door. For a second I saw stars, then I shook my head thinking: 'I really have to practise doors.'
Once outside, I saw the black cat and Rhino standing in the yard, looking up to the sky. „Bolt! Look!" - „What? Have you seen aliens?" - „See for yourself!" I turned my head up and tried to spot something.
And yes, I can't say how much that surprised me, there was an object in the sky. Flying. But not a jet, not a helicopter or airbus, nothing like that! It didn't even have fire coming out of exhausts! It was just... hovering? Now I could see some blue rings popping out off four pillars. Two on each side of the craft.
And it was coming down? „What is that?", Mittens asked in disbelieve. I was too impressed to reply. But now the thing got closer, and I started seeing its shape. Kinda like a jet, but it didn't have wings, or at least big wings, instead, it was holding itself up using these four engines.
„We have to go." - „Wha..." - „We need to go! NOW!", I yelled, grabbing the cat and the hamster and started to run. I looked over my shoulders to see the mysterious craft landing on the yard. „But Bolt! This is so cool! Can we say hello to these people?" - „Not the right time Rhino!"
We hid behind a corner and stared at the jet like thing. What is it going to do? Anything at all? Is it just going to take off again? But then something happened. A windshield popped open with the sound of air streaming inside, then it folded to the right side.
I tried to get a better look at it, since my curiosity has won over my protective instinct. Then two arms grabbed the edge of it, and I could see a head, followed by the rest of the creatures body. It looked like a human, but... different!
Instead of having an arm made of flesh and bones and muscles, it had a robotic one! The same with its right leg, ear and... eye? „What is this thing?", Mittens asked again. „I really don't know. It looks human!" - „That's impossible! I have never seen a thing like that! And why does he have these strange body parts?"
„Ah, you guys are just waaaay too scared! Here! Watch and learn!" The rodent walked towards the creature. „RHINO! Come back!" - „No way! This is way too cool!" He ran over to it. I started to panic. „Should I run after him?" - „NO! I- I mean, no. This guy might not see Rhino, but you are too big!"
Then I heared a noise. It came from the creature! And it was... talking? It had a male voice, and looked over all like a man, but I wasn't sure. „OH GOD!" Mittens yelled. „What? What's happening?"
„He just pulled out a gun and is aiming it at Rhino!" I was shocked, but then my instincts took over and I sprinted towards him, pushing the hamster out off the way. The man was startled, but quickly recovered and started to laugh, then point his gun at me.
I was preparing to die, but instead, he just lifted his arms up. What? What is he doing? He took a step back and shook his head, then pointed the gun at the grass beneath me. He signalised me that everything was ok, and shot. To my surprise though, it wasn't a bullet! It was a beam that scanned the grass!
He then lifted it up, directing the beam at me and scanning me. The man took another step backwards, after which his head twiched for a second and he said: „Now that's better, right?" He speaks my language? „What did you do?", I asked him, knowing that I wouldn't get an answer back. But he surprised me once again as he responded: „I just scanned you over your language and DNA. Sorry if I scared you!"
„You understand me?" - „Not only that! I even speak your language now. Don't worry, I already know how to speak the one from the most intelligent species on this planet." - „B- but why are you here?" - „Because I we believe that you are in great danger!"
I was out of words. Suddenly Mittens came from the back and asked: „What do you mean, we are in great danger?" - „Look. Here is the background: A long time ago the Skulls landed on your planet. We discovered it during recon missions in sector 5F30, you are in sector 5F29. When we got here, we introduced ourselfes.
Due to the Skull codec, we are not allowed to attack a planet that hasn't given us reason to do so, or declined our peace declaration. In your case, you became a member of our peace program. That means we took over 15% of your planet, the desert, and gave you security over all space dangers there are."
My head felt like it was going to explode. „And who are you?", I asked. Maybe I heared his name somewhere. „My name is ExoSkull. Commander ExoSkull. The leader of the Skulls, some reffer to me as 'The Skull', because I was the first one. I made and formed our organisation, and took over..."
He snapped his left arm down for a hologram to appear. After tapping and swiping on it for a few seconds he continued: „2000 Planets with intelligent species on it, and a few hundred thousand terraformed ones. We are really the greatest force in the universe. Or at least the us known one."
„So you go around, taking over planets? But why?" The commander laughed a bit, then replied: „Because sometimes it's fun, sometimes it makes jobs, and most of the time you get more space for your people to live." - „You are basicly having wars everywhere in the universe and thats it." - „Well, yeah. BUT! We are not telling anyone to join the war, in fact, we are producing bots that do it for us!"
Before he could fill our minds with even more information, Mittens asked: „So what's that danger we are in?" He made a serious look and said: „The slimes."
„Wha-" - „What are these 'Slimes'?" - „We dicovered a high concentration of Tempamaturum on your planet. The exact material the slimes are made off. They can for into every shape and every color they want, just to attack from behind and kill everything in their way.
Now I was worried even more than before. „We need to evacuate this whole planet! Only for a short time, our special force will take care of the slimes, but we can't risk any of your lives."
„So what are we going to do then? And why did you come over here to us?" - „Here is why I chose you: As I said, we need to evacuate this planet. The thing is, noone would ever listen to a crazy cyborg guy with a huge army behind his back! But you! You are one of Americas, and with that the whole worlds biggest superstar! And you are a dog! People love dogs! They will listen to you and do what you say!"
We looked at each other. Mittens and I were really concerned, but Rhino was hyped. „I am SO in!", he said in excitement. I sighed. „Ok. I will do it. For Penny." - „For the rest of the world." - „And that." - „Alright! We just need to go to a news show and tell them to-"
The commander was cut off by an alarm in his left arm. „Wait a second please." He turned away and popped out the hologram. He didn't do a great job at hiding it though, as we could hear everything.
„Alright. What's it this time? - Ok Dad. Remember how I told you about this outpost at grid 88.0? - Calm down. What planet are we talking about? - Maximus. - Yeah, I think you said something about 88.0. - Look dad, things just got worse.
I am sending the elite, but screw driver is still recovering from his last mission where he took a rocket to the face, and without him and his gatling gun we are screwed.- Name coincidence, right? Ok Echo. Do we have Rex on standby?
- Let me check... Yes. - Good. I am coming over. Send Rex and Rocket. If Drendor is free too, he should get the transformatron and get them there. - Ok dad. See you."
He turned around again and looked us me in the eyes. „We have to go. Now. Pack your stuff, I can't leave you here." - „But what about saving the world?" - „Your world can wait! Just get inside the skullion and we are on our way!" - „I think you are talking about the ship. No. I can't leave Penny here by herself! Not again!"
„Ok. If you say so." He ran over to the house door and knocked. Or better said: He smashed the door with his right arm until Penny opened up. „What can I do for y-" She looked at him in horror, and stood silently while the commander said: „Look Penny. You don't know me, I don't know you. Your pets know me and I know them. I need to take them for a while. Here, take this in return."
He handed her a pistol. „I want this thing back when I bring your animals back. And don't fire in the house." - „Wait! You can't take Bolt with you!" For a moment no one made a sound. But then he tapped his right ear and a little thingy popped out. „This is a speech converter. High tech for your standards. Now, I want you, Penny, to take this and plug it in your ear."
I saw what he was trying to do, so I walked up to her and poked her leg with my nose to signalise her to do it. She waited and stared at the headset like gadget, then plugged it in. Immidiately I started to talk.
„Penny, can you hear me?" Her eyes started to fill with tears. „Yes! Yes I can!" I was so relieved. „Ok. Listen. This planet is in danger. So called 'Slimes' are here. And this guy needs me to tell the world to evacuate. I don't even know how, but I have faith in his idea. Please. I need to go. WE need to go. But you have to stay here. It's for your own safety." - „But Bolt, I don't want you to go!"
„And I don't want to leave you here. But this is something big. You have to understand." She looked at the commander again, then back to me and said: „Ok. But please take care of them, ok?"
„Oh don't worry! It's not like I am doing this for the first time! I am 250 years old!", ExoSkull replied. „I don't mean you! I was talking to Bolt!" - „Oh. If you say so. Now please give me the converter back and we are on our way."
She reached to her ear and pulled the thing out, then stroked through my fur and said: „Promise me to come back." I nodded and pressed my head against hers, then went over to the ship with the others. One last look back and I was in.
The commander closed the visor and started the engines, resulting in little vibrations on the seat we were on. „Ever flew?", he asked. Stupid question! Of course not! „No, I never had the priviledge to do so."
„Wow. You've been missing a lot of fun! Ok, so to reach our destination in time, we have to hyperjump. It won't hurt, but your atoms will be transfromed into data, then launched at over light speed. To prevent data from corrupting, please don't touch anyone else. You don't want to be superglued toghether, right?"
And with these reassuring words, that totally made me feel saver about this whole trip, we launched off to the sky. Let's just hope we come back in one piece...
