Chapter Eight
Lost in Desert Storm part one
The loading dock to the Irken Rebellion's elite ship, The Blitzkrieg, squealed and whined as the rusting locking systems eased their grip on the loading ram. It crashed into the fine grained sands of the planet Quartitocal. The sands plumed up, then revealed two Irken silhouettes. The two soldiers stepped into the hot, almost unbearable sunlight. One wore a traditional invaders uniform, the other a tight black leather custom uniform. Both had blood red eyes, though the taller of the two, who wore the traditional clothes, had one blue eye, the blind eye.
The one wearing black stepped onto the hot sands, shielding his eyes from the unforgiving sun, "why am I stuck on a pointless mission to get a stupid rock for a project I don't even agree with? The empire dropped this dust-ball years ago, nothing else lives here after they bled it dry." He snarled.
"And there is no waffle stands either…" the other complained, rubbing his spooch as it cried out for attention.
"Quiet you! Why that bastard Fine sent waffle-head with me is most unsound, I think it's time for a new leader." The one in black hissed, growling slightly in annoyance. He was in the middle of messing with the lab techs when General Fine sent him with Marix.
"Aw, c'mon Blade, you know my name is Marix, the techs seem to know it." Marix teased, flexing his muscles trying to show off to invisible fangirls. The ship floated away as the two spoke, "we just need to find this Inhibitor ore and we can go back." Blade rolled his eyes and started off into the blowing winds of the merciless desert.
Hours passed, no sign of the ore had shown itself to the officers. Marix whined constantly, heat, hunger, thirst, being tired, anything. He threw himself from side to side the way a child would or some drunken man, "I'm hungry, it's too hot…"
"Shut up!" Blade snapped when he finally had enough of the abuse, "we are stuck here until we find this hell-damned hard to find ore so quit whining or the Rebellion will have one less mouth to feed." Blade drew out his dagger and glared at Marix, growling like some tortured animal.
Marix blinked, "…did you hear that?"
"That was me getting sick of you!"
"No, not that! Shush!" The two listened to the sound of hustling feet, dashing around on the sands with a light footfall, a master hunter's step. It dashed from behind a stone to another, quickly as to not be seen, but something tall was there. The soldiers drew their weapons, ready for one hell of a fight as the steps came closer and closer, it was almost on top of them now. It stalked masterfully, how waffle-head Marix even heard it over Blade was a mystery.
"This one is mine," Blade grinned with of hint of psychotic pleasure.
"No way!" Marix challenged his superior.
As the two bickered with whispers, the creature stalking them came within striking range. Mere inches away, it struck out, "Hai Blade!" it shouted gleefully, jumping right behind Blade, giving Marix a near death heart attack…almost.
As Marix fell over, Blade just raised an eye-ridge at Marix, and then turned to the hunter in her loose fitting blue outfit and combat boots. She had pale green skin, giant ghost blue eyes, and a mid-toned blue shirt with lighter blue ribbon highlights that almost seemed kimono-like. "Great, now I have to idiots to baby-sit." Blade walked on, totally ignoring Mer and Marix.
It was almost a comical scene from a cartoon. Marix shot up, steam rolling from his head, his antennae twitching in fury, "Smeety isn't stupid!" he snapped.
"You're right," Blade turned and smiled maliciously, "she has a busted PAK, can't fight worth shit, can't do basic math, can't wield a sword, can't fire a smeet's pistol, spent her entire life in a ward for the mentally insane where there was no schooling…she has enough brainpower to live with the aid of others baby-sitting her constantly and that's it." Blade blinked at the spot where Mer stood, "Aw shit now where did she run off to?"
Marix paused, "How do you even breathe in that outfit?" He asked.
"Go find her asshole!" Blade barked at Marix.
Marix rolled his compound eyes and ran off to the West, Blade to the East.
Miles away, Mer had found a pile of rocks in the middle of a desert flower field in a basin. It was cooler here from the shade. Her loose fitting clothes already keeping her cool in the heat of the purple sun. She waved her arms as she spun in total bliss. Most of the rebellion thought her childish behavior was an issue. When really, a pure mind, a cup not filled with hate and corruption of war was more of an asset than a disability in times like this. If only one could see that her peaceful mind kept balance, not a care in the world of the dangers all around her. Happiness really was the key to peace.
That is what Mer thought at least. But not all on-lookers watched her with the same care-free feelings. Mer smelled a white flower with soft petals. Its smooth skin overlooked its thorny stem. She spied a glowing stone buried in the pile of rocks. Running up to it, she observed the feeling around it. The cool smooth surface, she picked it up. "What's this?" she shrugged and stuffed it in her belt.
A gun clicked next to Mer's head. She blinked, staring down the smooth barrel. She glanced past it to see a male Irken at the other end, "Hai there!"
"On your knees Empire scum! I know a bounty hunter when I see one!"
