A/N: It just doesn't look right unless something is written up here, y'know?
Chapter 3
"Your friends will know you better in the first minute you meet than your acquaintances will know you in a thousand years." - Richard Bach
He had never really liked his job. Sure he liked having money that he could blow on whatever he wanted, but he didn't really like having to do stuff for it (especially the not-quite-legal things that consisted of most of his paychecks). But it provided enough freedom and variation that was hard to be bored with; so it was okay.
Right now, though, he really wanted to turn down this particular job.
He was on some hippy-space-crystal planet being lead around by some robed guy and he was supposedly going to deliver some "items" to some backwoods world that was as high on the Peace Keeping Chart as this one was. Fun.
Robe-guy was not being very helpful though.
"Look, it's great your crystals are also your power source and stuff, but I really don't have time to sit around. So, either get me to the 'cargo' or let me be on my way."
"Patience, Young One. All in good time."
"I don't have time-" Sprx gave up arguing when the guy started humming along with what appeared to be the rest of the Temple. Stupid hippy monk people, he thought.
He was eventually lead to a rather long hallway with a very large door at the end of it. He stared up at his guide waiting for some clue as to what was going on. Robe-guy just pointed down the hall before walking off, continuing his humming.
"What a bunch of freaks," he said before walking down the hall. Hopefully his "cargo" would be just through the doors.
Oh boy, was it.
~8~
At first there was surprise. Then disbelief. Then more disbelief and a whole lotta staring. A whirlwind of thoughts and feelings and outcries caught in their throats raced inside each and every one of the cyborg monkeys. One thought pervaded them all: There are others like me.
Because being unique is all well and good and dandy until you realize how lonely it is.
The stares you get used to, answering questions becomes a knee-jerk reaction. But the feeling of being the only one of your kind, the knowledge that nobody will ever understand how your tail-gadgets function or sympathize with how difficult it is to clean your helmet is overwhelming – the pain of that knowledge never dulls, only becomes stronger with each passing year spent amongst strangers who misguidedly keep offering you bananas.
But they weren't alone anymore. There were others like them, others who could understand and connect with them like no one else...
"You're a pretty pink colour," Otto said to Sprx.
"And you're asking for trouble," Sprx snapped back.
"Well, you must admit that your dye is of a rather faded saturation to be considered red."
"You want in on this too, Bluebell? Because I've got plenty."
"Plenty of hot air, if you ask me."
"Nobody asked you, Blondie."
"Blondie! I'm going to bend you into non-Euclidean shapes you sorry punk!"
Before the fray could turn disfiguringly physical, three monkeys approached them. A pair of black and orange monkeys was walking quickly while the white and third monkey lagged behind, unsure of the situation.
"Please, this is a reunion between lost family," the black monkey implored with arms open, while the orange went over them with a scrutinizing stare. "It is to be a happy event."
The disputing monkeys turned to the newcomers, surprised – but not astonished– at the presence of even more cyborg monkeys.
Gibson cleared his throat. "Indeed. Perhaps we should start over. My name is Mr. Hal Gibson," he said politely and looked at Sprx inquiringly. None of them had been quite prepared for this first acquaintance; it was not a surprise that they should start off on the wrong foot. Perhaps if they took the time to properly converse, they could gather much from each other. Kindred spirits are hard to come by.
Sprx gave all monkeys present a thorough glare before crossing his arms. "I'm SPRX-77. Call me Sprx." Monkey-doodling cryptic crystal-huggers with their theatrical antics and surprise family gatherings. They had known and they couldn't be bothered to tell him in advance? For the sake of appearing all mysteeerious, probably. What a circus. Still... other monkeys. It was worth hanging around for.
Otto, whose eyes were still saucer-wide at the initial excitement of seeing other robot monkeys happily chattered on: "I'm Otto. Call me, uh, Otto." He chuckled lightly and took to rubbing the back of his head. The universe is a big place – so big, in fact, that it has Everything in it – of course there are other robot monkeys - he just thought he'd see such things as a banjo-playing tea-cup-shaped folk dancer before meeting them.
"My name is Nova," the yellow monkey said with a firm voice. She kept her posture straight and her countenance neutral - but inside, curiosity and agitation bubbled. These were the allies Master Offay had spoken so highly of. She had been exhilarated at the thought of family, but that glee had dwindled minutely when they opened their mouths and stupidity came out.
"I am Antauri," the black monkey said and smiled at them serenely. He radiated an aura of tranquillity that clashed with the timidity displayed by the white monkey behind him as she peeked at the rainbow-coloured group over his shoulder. She looked like she felt she didn't belong with them, like she didn't deserve to belong.
"My name is Helen," she said after Antauri nudged her gently.
Immediately after she presented herself, Mandarin quit his silent in-depth examination of his future comrades and said with a voice equalling Nova's in steadfastness: "I am Mandarin. You have all been brought here to Paralladoll - the home of the Veran Mystics - to fulfil the course of destiny."
Sprx rolled his eyes. Oh joy, this one loves his drama.
Gibson frowned. "Destiny, you say? I was requested here with the intention of research."
"Lured, more like," Sprx cut in. "I wasn't told that I'd be shipping relatives around. Doesn't mean you get a discount, y'know." The last part was directed at the robed Mystic standing courteously in the background and patiently over-seeing the reunion of the cyborgs and the exchange that followed. Now that he was called to attention, he stepped forward.
"You have indeed been called here on false grounds. Please forgive us our deceit as the true purpose was to reunite you with your kin."
"How nice," Sprx snorted.
"Yeah," Otto said joyfully and received an odd look from the red pilot.
"Our Master Zan will explain. Please, follow me. I shall take you to see him immediately."
The monkeys followed the Veran Mystic, all the newcomers displaying varying degrees of curiosity and mistrust. They were herded through the glittering hallways into one of the Inner Chambers where a tall robed being awaited them, having an air around him as if he'd waited all morning and wasn't particularly thrilled about it.
Mandarin, Antauri and Helen immediately bowed shortly in respect, while the others eyed the Master. His posture and appearance signalled a piercing authority that demanded instant respect.
"The intention of your gathering here is not only that of a mere reunion. The Universe has far greater fates in store for all of you." The severity of the voice hinted at no use of dramatics – these were the facts as the robotic simians had to accept them and nothing else.
"Here on Paralladoll, we, the Veran Mystics, learn to wield the sacred energy of the Power Primate. Through it, we are able to discern the course of Fate. We have learned of a great danger threatening the very threads of reality - and of the Team of heroes who would stand between this looming threat and the undisturbed existence of the Universe."
The words weighed heavily on the multi-coloured monkeys. Mandarin seemed almost happy while the faces of Gibson, Otto and Sprx ranged from slight nervousness to outright dismay. Nova looked strict, but still awaiting further orders – like a true warrior ready for battle. Antauri and Helen waited in dutiful silence for their Master to go on.
"You were always meant to form this Team – however this imminent threat has forced us to join you on rather short notice. The duty and responsibility of protecting the Universe as the Hyperforce is now yours."
"We shall see to it that you will not be disappointed, Master," Mandarin spoke with no little amount of pride.
"Hey now - I came here as an errand boy, granted - but I definitely did not sign up for any saving-the-day-malarkey!" Sprx had woken up from his initial stupor and felt it right to speak his mind. As if he ever did anything different.
"... I have uncertainties about this as well," Gibson squeaked. "I am not sure if I qualify for this sort of enterprise."
"I think it sounds like fun!" Otto said, and was gifted with several odd looks – as per usual.
"Master Offay has put his faith in me to ally with you," Nova said. "I'll respect his wishes on my honour as a warrior. I'll join your Team."
Antauri, ever the peace-maker, turned to the red and blue monkeys before Mandarin could get the chance to rebuke them into submission. "I know this responsibility seems sudden and unfair, but the importance of this is far greater than any of us can perceive."
"... surrounded by pushover preachers and lunatics..."
"I am a teacher, a scientist – not a combatant. Do you expect me to lecture the evils of the cosmos into capitulation?" Gibson rejoined. He didn't look fearful as much as guarded – like he wanted to be sure he wasn't hired on the wrong credentials.
"Each of you has different skills to offer. The variety of your abilities will ensure your victory, but you must stand united," the commanding voice of the Mystic Master rang through the increasingly heating discussion.
Gibson heeded the words of the Veran and slowly looked around at the others. "I... suppose I could offer my services... for a trial period, that is."
Master Zan nodded, much in the way a father nods in patient approval while the child lists the cute and short-sighted plans it has made for the rest of the day.
Everybody turned to stare expectantly at the red monkey.
"... what?" Sprx asked; feeling swamped. "Do you think I'd be a valuable addition to the Team if I'd be bullied into this through peer pressure? What is this – third grade?"
"Dontcha wanna help people and be a hero?" Otto asked.
"I dunno. Does it pay well?"
Mandarin was growing increasingly infuriated with the lax attitude of the pilot. "Did you not listen? This is not your lacklustre day-to-day job! Galaxies upon galaxies will depend on our efforts to keep them safe! This is our purpose, this is our Fate! This is greater than whatever worthless jack-of-all-trades career you used to waste your pathetic excuse for a life on!"
"Enough, Mandarin," Master Zan declared. His orange student immediately quieted, but it was clear that he wasn't ashamed of his outburst and had more to offer should the need arise.
However, the enraged words seemed to have struck a chord in Sprx. The pilot fell to pondering silence while Master Zan gave each and every one of the monkeys one final stare of judgement before joining his palms and saying: "... Let this conversation rest for now. I am sure you will come to a conclusion, given some time." His tone of voice clearly indicated what conclusion Sprx had better come to or else it was the Endless Void for him, but no snarky come-backs were made as Antauri gestured the others to follow him out into the glittering hallways.
The red, black, green, blue and white monkeys slowly receded out of sight. Master Zan called Mandarin and Nova to stay while the others went on ahead. They both looked at each other quizzically but remained as told.
"Now I'm sure this has been a very exciting day for you both, but we must go over a few things," the Master began, giving them both meaningful stares. Mandarin experienced a sinking feeling as he recognized the last time that such a tone had been directed toward him.
"I'm sure you are both aware of your positions within this Team-and feel it your duty to act accordingly on them. That is good. You are both strong and loyal and will complement each other well."
Mandarin suddenly had an overwhelming desire to inflict harm on himself via blunt force trauma to his cranium. That crystal over there seemed solid enough...
"This is not to be taken lightly by any means. Destiny has not given us a clear view of what trials you are to undergo yet, but sticking together is key. That much we can foretell-"
"Excuse me," Nova finally piped up. "But, what exactly are you talking about? Shouldn't you be talking to everyone?"
"My dear, I am speaking of you and your leader's inevitable union."
"What?" Neither Mystic had previously known that a voice could both freeze and burn one's blood at the same time, but that was the gift of female-kind.
"I have already told you, Master Zan, I shall not take a mate of any kind," Mandarin informed his Master who seemed to have developed some sort of elderly dementia as of late.
"You bet your scrawny little tail you're not-at least with me."
"Silence! I believe I told you Mandarin that you would take on a mate someday-and this is who the Universe has sent. You cannot deny Fate."
"We'll see about that," Nova interjected. "Listen here Zan there is no monkey-doodlin' way that I am going to just keel over and mate with someone just because you said so. I don't care who or what you heard it from-there is not a raincloud's chance on the Celestial Flames of Eron that I am going to go along with this. Is. That. Clear?"
Mandarin had to admit he was impressed with the female's nerve to stand up so vehemently to the powerful Mystic. He looked up with an air of mutual sentiment toward his Master, awaiting a decree.
"I'm afraid this cannot be stopped. Whether you wish it or not it has been decreed that-"
"I don't care. I will make sure it doesn't happen. There is nothing in this universe that can force me to become some-some-some dependent little biddy."
The monks watched the highly enraged female storm down the hall in the direction the others had been lead.
"You've lived your whole life here then?" Gibson asked, drawn into the conversation with the black monkey.
The previous exchange with the head of the Veran order still had him shaken to his very core, but the quiet and calm demeanor of the black monkey prevented the scientist from running for the hills screaming just yet.
There was something… familiar - not only about Antauri, but about the others as well. It felt like he had been mentally holding hands with them his whole life without knowing - the physical distance had strained that contact – and now that he was in close proximity to these his future allies, the pull on that contact relaxed and let him feel just how tense he had been spiritually, he supposed, up until now. However, he couldn't detect that feeling of closeness from the white monkey—Helen. She was… not present in this mental encirclement.
"As long as my memory serves to remember, Mandarin and I have remained here as students, serving the Order and preparing ourselves for this day."
Otto shook himself away from the shiny distractions that were the vast interior design of the Temple. "Must've been nice to grow up with other Robot Monkeys, huh? I would've liked that. Somebody to run around and climb stuff with."
Helen looked progressively more uneasy.
"… I am not quite like you," she admitted.
"How so?" Gibson inquired politely, sensing her discomfort.
"My species have the ability to change their physical shell. I took this form when I became bonded to Antauri."
Gibson gawked with such vigor that it had Helen tense up like a soldier snapped to attention. "You have the innate ability to change the very structure of your cells?"
"… yes." It had never been that big of deal – nothing was that big of a deal on Paralladoll, unless Master Zan said it was. And he didn't. "I just… will it to happen. It is a trait all of my species possess." Helen carried on, spurred on by the blue monkey's obvious interest but deterred by the manic gleam in Gibson's ocular lenses.
"Your molecular build can shape itself into complex biological compositions and mass shapes? At will? Amazing! You simply must come to my laboratory and let me probe you sometime!"
The group, who had been slowly walking along stopped on cue, all but Gibson rigid with embarrassment.
"…"
The awkward silence inflated and oppressed everybody present like a giant and overly eager airbag.
Sprx was the first to regain his ability to speak: "… Wow Hal, that's… a great pick-up line an' all, but Helen is married, y'know."
There was a definite audible snap as Gibson's mind broke when the horrible, horrible connotations of his request slammed against him like a truck made of plastic explosives and filled with bricks on fire. The scientist made a gargled sound and looked about ready to keel over and faint.
Sprx turned with a grin - noticeably cheered up at the stunned reaction of the blue cyborg - to the just as flabbergasted Helen. "Oh don't you worry; I'm sure he says that to every pretty girl he meets." The pilot noticed movement in his peripheral vision and fixated on somebody quickly advancing on the group. "… and speaking of pretty girls… What did Chief Hippy have to announce, Blondie?"
The yellow monkey marched with all the gusto of an incensed mother bear seeing her cub being slung yipping for dear life over the shoulder of a fat, greasy lumber jack. "First off, Pinky – shut up before I shut you down. Second – what's with him?"
The monkeys turned to look at the scientist who appeared to be foaming at the mouth.
"Oh dear," Helen whispered.
"Eh. He just needs to get over himself," Sprx said, annoyed at the cheap shot at his fur pigment.
"May I ask what Master Zan wanted with the two of you?" Antauri asked.
"I don't want to talk about it," Nova answered curtly. Remember your vow to Master Offay; Master Offay trusts you to do this; Master Offay said this is what I've trained for my whole life… to be a warrior, to fight for justice, to die if necessary… I'd rather steer right into a white dwarf than become a housewife – a detail he neglected to mention!
Nova's cheek twitched precariously as Mandarin closed in on the group. The two of them didn't make eye contact.
"Hiya," Otto cheered. "What was—"
"I don't want to talk about it," the orange simian cut him off.
"Oookay," Sprx said. "I'm not getting any good vibes from this Zanny guy… I hope I'm not making a mistake here…"
"Oh? You're really joining?" Otto asked excitedly.
Sprx shrugged. "Until something better shows up, I guess," he grinned at Mandarin who glared in response.
"So what now?" Otto asked and looked around at the others as they had unconsciously formed a closed circle. "Where do we go from here?"
Mandarin straightened up and crossed his arms. "According to Master Zan," he said, "we're going Home."
"And where, exactly, is Home?" the pilot asked crossing his arms.
"A small planet over in the Outskirts Region. I believe it is called Sh-"
"Shuggazoom," Sprx interrupted him. He shook his head in disgust or disappointment or maybe exasperation. "Yeah yeah yeah, that's what I was called here for. I was supposed to deliver some 'cargo' to the little backworld planet. You're lucky I stalked up on supplies."
"Deliver some 'cargo'? That cannot be legal," the blue monkey chimed in horrified. "Under the Intergalactic Peace Conference Treaty such actions are prohibited under the penalty of-"
"Well we wouldn't exactly be going on this little heroic stint if the universe followed that useless little piece of paper, would we?"
Gibson was interrupted from continuing this moral debate by Antauri who once again endeavoured to keep the peace. "Please, let us not quarrel over such things. They are in the past now, and I'm sure that Sprx here will no longer be engaging in such actions as long as he is a part of this Team. Isn't that right?"
Sprx stared blankly back at the expectant black monkey: "Yeah, sure. As long as I'm on the team..."
"When're we leavin'?" Otto asked; he was bouncing with excitement. The prospect of living with other Robotic Monkeys just like him and going on amazing real adventures together was rushing to his head. He vaguely wondered if they'd let him test out some ideas he had about how they worked; now that there were more of them he could stand to do some deconstruction.
"We shall leave at first light tomorrow," Mandarin proclaimed. He slipped into his role as leader rather well-naturally even.
"And who made you the boss?" Sprx asked.
"The Order has foreseen that I am to lead you all into our glorious and noble destiny."
"Oh really? And what if I don't think you're qualified enough?"
"I am one of the highest of the Order, I am as close to a Master without remaining here. I have learned secrets of the universe that you cannot fathom. I am a Master in combat and in the Power Primate. Who else could do so? You? I think not."
"You've never even been off planet, what could you know about the universe that I haven't seen with my own eyes?"
"Mandarin, Sprx, please-"
Antauri was ignored this time as the two males faced off. They glared at each other, challenging to see who would back down first.
"You both are being ridiculous," a new voice broke in. Nova rolled her eyes at them. "I could kick both your butts in half the time."
"Why don't you go talk in the kitchen with Helen over there, Blondie, and leave the men-folk here to sort this out?" Sprx switched his ire over to the she-warrior.
"Oh that is it. I've had it with your smart-punk attitude and obnoxious comments," Nova activated her large fists-eliciting a surprised gasp from most of the others in the group-and charged at the light red monkey. "Boom-Boom Wake-up!" she called as she sent him careening into the crystalline wall.
Everyone stared at the scene in shocked horror for a moment. The red monkey lay where he'd embedded into the wall before slowly sliding down and finally stopped on the floor unmoving. No one's face was more horrified than that of the yellow monkey. Oh stardust what have I done? How many times has Master Offay warned me not to let stuff get to me like this? Why did I do that? What if he's dead? Oh my... I killed him. I killed him I killed him I killed him-
Sprx groaned before slowly raising himself up and tenderly touching the back of his helmet. His movement initiated a flurry of activity as everyone rushed to him to help him up.
"Oh dear, this looks bad-if only I had my medical bag, I'd could get you fixed up. Perhaps it's only surfatory-yes, I'll need to go get my scanner before I'm able to determine any more. Just stay right here and I'll be right ba-"
"Hal?" Sprx looked at him. "Shut up."
Gibson did so. He and the rest of the Team watched the red monkey almost limp off down the hallway.
"Is he gonna be all right?" Otto asked.
"I... I don't know," Gibson answered honestly.
"Well, this wasn't a good start. Hopefully tomorrow you will all be able to control yourselves better-I'm sure it was just the excitement and shock." Mandarin stated, looking on disapprovingly at them all. Then he too turned down the hall and began to head towards his private chambers.
Nova had hung her head toward the floor at some point and refused to meet anyone's eye now, even as she began to wonder the halls away from the 'Team'.
"I shall... we can show you both to your rooms for the night, if you wish." Antauri turned to the last two monkeys. He looked far more weary than he had a while ago and Helen gently clasped his hand.
"That would be accommodating, thank you."
This was going to be harder than they had thought.
Leaving was a fairly routine procedure: they all packed their stuff away in the hold and buckled down for take off after the Verans said a few final words of wisdom about peace and destiny and teamwork and the like and then they were off.
The journey however...
"Oh wow, a Tychean hyper drive!"
"Don't touch it."
"Ohh! Ionized shield generator!"
"Don't touch it."
"Ooooooooh!"
"Whatever it is - don't touch it."
A loud beeping noise blared through the relatively small spacecraft. Otto sheepishly retreated from the console he had been hovering over.
"What part of "don't touch it" didn't you get?" Sprx barked.
"The 'don't' part, obviously," Gibson dryly pointed out.
"I was looking for the cupholder," Otto defended himself and started to toy with another console.
"Don't t- there's no cupholder," Sprx said irritably.
"Wha? But where will we put our drinks during battles?"
"Maybe in your big mouth, does that work for you?"
"Not much of a first-class spacecraft without a cupholder, is it?" Gibson added with a teasing smirk.
"That's it! If anybody has any more complaints about cupholders or seat warmers or whatever-I'm turning this perfectly fine spaceship around and dropping you all off with the crystal-gazing hippies!"
"Y'know, a cupholder really is a good idea. Drinks tend to spill and stain awfully, especially when you're about to be pulverized at short range."
"Shut it Lenny, nobody invited—Lenny?"
Everyone turned their undivided attention to the communications screen. Otto had inadvertently activated the open line and thus enabled the slug mercenary to smile in all his gory glory at the cockpit full of befuddled robot monkeys.
"Hiya, Sprx. Looks like you've scooped up a mangy bunch of buds. Maybe you'll introduce us?"
The radar beeped hysterically to indicate that a band of spaceships were closing in, all with weapons ready and targeting the ship in which their explodey-prone bodies rested.
Sprx cursed under his breath. "Can we reschedule this tete-a-tete? I'm busy."
"You will be - busy fighting for your life. Zaaba doesn't like loose ends."
Sprx could practically feel Mandarin's stare drill into the back of his neck. "What is your connection with these ruffians?"
"Uh… Nuthin'."
"They seem pretty ticked over 'nothing'," Nova said angrily.
"Do ya owe 'em money or something?" Otto asked.
"The only thing I owe them is a swift kick in the—"
"Hello! Contracted maniacs with lasers here! Could we shift the attention to the threat on your lives?" Lenny snapped.
Another voice suddenly cut in, high-pitched and nasal: "I take offence to that. I'm a perfectly normal non-maniac."
"Your bounty hunter alias is 'Crispy the Spleen-Frier'. That's not normal," Lenny said blankly.
"It's for advertisement and image purposes only!"
"I've seen you rip off the arm of one 'client' and beat him to a pulp with it. You giggled the whole time. Then stuffed the arm in his mouth and stole his wallet."
"That's work. After hours I'm a perfectly sane and wholesome Galactic Citizen. I'll have you know I took up basket-weaving and flower arrangement the other day. I can make you a pansy basket for the patio if you'd like."
The line went silent for a long while.
"O… kay. We're a bunch of maniacs with lasers and another - for want of a better word – guy with lasers and we're going to kill y'all horribly."
"Now would be the time to prove yourself as a pilot," Mandarin hissed into Sprx' auditory receptor. The red cyborg wasted no time on answering, but booted up the hyper-space sequence at once.
"I'm afraid that little stint of yours isn't going to work this time. You see, here are all the various hunters out for the price on your head. I'm sure you're familiar with all of them and their reputations for ruthless captures and success rates."
Sprx was still tapping desperately away at all the various knobs and buttons of the control panel-most of which not even Otto had figured out what they did; Sprx preferred a customized system.
"You might wanna buckle down..." he hissed at his passengers; most of whom were standing around gawking at the scene or glaring at him.
They cyborg monkeys began to scramble around the cabin, getting into various seats and tying themselves to them as tightly as possible.
Sprx braced himself for the first stunt that had flitted through his mind: becoming the hunter, so to speak. The best defense was a good offense (or something like that...) and he could use a really good defense right now. So he deployed a few of his Bombadier Cannon Missiles-which were highly experimental and therefore very very explodey and not all that accurate-at the large formation of ships blocking him in.
He released the bottom-thrusters on the ship and was dropped a few good meters from the carnage that ensued but was unable to fully appreciate his working tactic as he spun round and shot at the other ships which were opening fire on him in return.
"You! Green! What did you do to the shields? They're not working!" he called out as another laser blast was taken full force. His sudden swerve detained the specified monkey from answering right away due to the air being knocked from his chest.
"I... I may have hit a button or two..." Otto admitted.
"Which buttons?" the pilot's tone was conversely calm and stable in contrast to his tense stance about the current situation.
"The-um, the blue one?"
"The blu-There isn't a blue button!" The ship lurched again. Sprx had just traded some paint with another ship in an attempt not to be directly hit in the right engine.
"I don't know!" Otto yelled back; he hadn't ever had to think so quickly under such pressure. He was understandably a bit stressed and confused.
Sprx growled as he wove in and out of the small fleet all bent on decimating his small craft.
"Blue! You said you were a scientist, yeah?"
"Yes..." Gibson admitted; he was looking a little greener than he had when they'd left planet.
"Can you come up with a solution that will detonate in about thirty seconds or so in -270 degrees C vacuum pressure?"
"Possibly, given the right chemicals. Yes, and the proper time to test them and make sure that they will follow through every ti-" his voice was cut off as the ship once again dropped suddenly and completely switched directions.
"Well you don't have that kind of time. Get back to the cargo bay, there're some big metal boxes marked 'Private Property.' Inside is sobxen gibarium and nanixa-do whatever you can to get them to stay stable long enough before exploding. Use whatever you have to-there's a deep freezer and other scrap and chemicals in there too."
Gibson stared at the pilot for a second before scrambling to unbuckle himself from his chair. The chemicals the pilot described were highly illegal and could result in a very destructive explosive, if combined correctly. He debated with himself for a moment about the implications of what this would mean, before deciding that his life was more important than some law. As soon as he was on his feet Sprx had to turn hard to avoid a large incoming missile, knocking the scientist off his feet.
"Well it'll be easier if you could try and refrain from such excessive maneuvers!" he called out. He picked himself off the floor and made a bee-line for the back of the ship.
"No promises!" Sprx hollered back.
He had to focus on not dying before the chemicals were properly mixed and then come up with a plan that would make sure that his ship would avoid the large explosion that would result once he'd released it into space. This would be so much easier if they'd just clear a path for me... he thought while shooting back at one particularly persistent ship that he could not seem to shake.
"How did you say you knew these ruffians?" Mandarin called out to him. He was clutching his chosen seat with as much force as was dignified for one of his stature. He looked pretty peeved too.
"I didn't," Sprx shot back at him. He was too focused on not dying right now to be drawn into another contest of wills with the orange monkey.
"Can't you remember what buttons you pressed?" Sprx yelled at Otto again. His hull was pretty much charred by now which was very very bad because if he took another hit in the wrong place this ship was going down.
"Um, the one by the big red one," Otto told him. There was still a hint of doubt in his voice as to the correctness of this answer.
"Did you hit the black and yellow ones above it too?"
"Um... yes," this response was more sure.
Sprx began typing quicker and hitting the buttons a little harder than what was strictly necessary, but he knew what was wrong now. The green monkey had deactivated all safety mechanisms-which explained why none of the alarms had been blaring throughout this whole thing.
He was able to get the shields up just as another round of laser fire was unleashed upon his ship in rapid succession. Unfortunately now every alarm on the ship was screaming at him that everything was going wrong and that he was in deep trouble. As if he didn't already know...
"How's it comin'?" he hollered over the intercom system into the cargo area.
"Isn't there anything you can do about these blasted alarms?" Gibson's slightly muffled voice came back. "They have ruined my concentration."
"Sure I can, if we were in a nice empty zone and had a few minutes to fiddle with the command sequences. Which we don't. Hurry it up."
He ended the conversation before the blue monkey could squawk at him in indignation.
The said blue monkey did in fact squawk at him in indignation but went back to trying not to blow the ship up as he created the necessary chemical equation for their needs. Time was ticking mercilessly, and the alarms were screeching and blaring and throwing a series of red lights over his work which was hard to concentrate through.
He was interrupted again as the ship lurched at another sharp angle and he spilled almost a third of his composition.
"Some pilot, he can't even fly smoothly long enough for me to do what he asks," Gibson grumbled under his breath.
He gave out a shout of triumph when he succeed in creating the desired chemical.
"I've got it!" he shouted over the intercom.
"Great. Now grab onto something real good because I'm going to open the hatch," the voice on the other end informed him.
"Open the h-wha! You can't do that!"
"It's that or you can walk out and hand it to them yourself."
"Don't you have some sort of missile device that we can shoot them with?"
"Yep. But it's full of other experimental exploding chemicals. Not sure how good a scientist you are, but adding the one you have to the ones in there is not good. We're trying to stay alive, not blow ourselves up. Hang on."
Gibson attempted to rush over to the door. The hatch began to release before he'd made it though and the force of the vacuum of space began pulling him toward it instead. He redoubled his efforts. He managed to latch onto a few pipes jutting out from the wall and held on for dear life as everything that wasn't welded onto the ship was pulled toward and out the opening; the small crate he'd turned into his workbench with the vial resting serenely on top of it, included.
It was over a small eternity later and he wearily dropped his arms and fell against the wall panting.
As soon as he'd caught his breath and his heartbeat was semi-regular he made his way back to the cabin where the others where unbuckling themselves shakily from their seats. The stretched images of stars were flying past the view screen informing him that they had entered hyperspace.
"Nice job, blue," Sprx told him with a self-satisfied smirk.
"Nice job indeed. We wouldn't have been in that situation if it weren't for you," Mandarin turned toward Sprx; fury and ire were plainly written on his face.
"How was I supposed to know they'd ambush us?" Sprx shot back; he was clearly indignant about being the source of the problem.
"I'll ask one more time: what is your association with those deplorable miscreants?"
"They think I stole somethin' from 'um..." Sprx admitted weakly.
"Did you?" Otto asked.
"No!"
A few light-years away Lenny was looking out over what was left of some of the best bounty hunters known throughout the galaxies: mostly wreckage.
That explosion had decimated most of the ships that had been directly behind Sprx's vessel. Not many had come out of the remains.
"Oh Sparky," he muttered. "You've just bought yourself a whole new death warrant."
He flipped his attention to his view screen: "Hey boss, about that little problem..."