7Seven Secret Space Guppies
The ETS is still on Mars. The final panel got deactivated, but they first have to escape this Red Hell.
Chapter 16: Power Fantasy
"Okay guys, get in the elevator. We're leaving." Molly yelled. The lift closed and went down.
"Have we been spotted you think?" Oona asked. At that moment, the elevator abruptly stopped moving.
"Great!" Molly tried to access the control panel, but it was blocked. "Stupid shit!"
"Let's climb out of it via the emergency hatch!" Zooli pointed up. There wasn't much place for all of them, so they hold on to each other.
"Nonny, any escape routes?" Molly asked via radio.
"They retracted the emergency ladders. You guys are stuck. Sorry..." Nonny replied. Molly looked annoyed.
"No choice, let's cut the cables keeping it from falling! Goby, explosives." Everyone went back in the cabin while Goby installed his explosive charge.
"Ready to detonate..." He added.
"Keep your weapons ready. When we're down, there will be a lot of enemies. Detonate it!" Goby pressed the button and the elevator fell down at an incredible speed. It only took seconds before it hit the ground floor.
The Guppies got up from the floor, noticing the door was closed.
"We're stuck again, cough cough." Oona complained.
"They are here, bring a cutting tool!" An OD soldier said from the outside. Hot sparkles appeared in a circle.
"Soon they will throw a grenade through it! A solution, someone?" Zooli asked.
"Step back!" Gil yelled. The cut circle fell. A gun showed up through it. When it wanted to shoot, Gil took it with his power fist and crushed it.
"Hey how what is this!?" The OD lobster yelled. The energy charge couldn't escape. The rifle lit up and exploded, disorganizing all the soldiers standing behind the doors.
"Ready your weapons guys! It just started!" Gil power-punched the elevator door with all his might. The door flew across the hall, killing 2 lobsters. The ETS started spamming out their energy charges at the remaining enemies.
"Hallway clear!" Molly shouted.
"I hope you don't use that arm to pee..." Goby commented.
"Take their weapons and let's leave. We must find our spacesuits first. Nonny, the closest route?"
"Watch out, enemies!" Zooli said. Soldiers appeared from the cafeteria part of the hallway. The Guppies ran in the opposite direction.
"You are heading towards the agricultural dome. I can lock that door, but not for long. And watch out for hostilities there." Nonny explained.
This dome was a half glass circle filled with vegetable plantations. There was an x-shaped walkway, leading to 4 exits.
"Alert! Intruders in dome 8!" A present soldier yelled. The squad hid behind the plant containers and started shooting.
"Have you locked all the doors already?" Molly asked.
"They are, you must take the one on your right to reach the storage. But I suggest you clear the room first." Nonny answered.
"Very funny."
The last OD forces were eliminated after some more fire exchange.
"Okay Nonny, unlock the..." Interrupting her, the door exploded. "By unlocking I didn't mean that!"
"It wasn't me!" Molly gulped.
"Take cover again guys!" Everyone obeyed. The smoke of the explosion vanished slowly, and revealed robot lobsters.
"Long time we didn't see these guys! You still know how to kill them?" Gil said, aiming for the limbs, but it only exposed wirings. "Ehm, never mind..."
"What do we do now?" Oona yelled. Molly looked around. Behind her was a hose, and she had an idea.
"Let me try this!" Molly activated the hose and pointed at the metallic enemies. The water flew out and entered the robot's systems. They all fell on the ground.
"Nice one, Molly. Let's leave before other ones arrive." Gil said. The 5 jumped over the metal corpses and arrived back at the starting hallway, next to the glass tunnel bridge. They continued running towards the storage.
"We left them in those boxes there!" Molly pointed.
Everyone switched armours in a record time. They were ready and left back to the hallway.
"Over there!" An OD soldier said from across the hall. Zooli shot him in the leg, but reinforcements arrived.
"First airlock opened and... Ah. The second airlock door is under a double emergency lockdown. I can't open it." Nonny explained. Molly turned to Goby.
"You feel capable of placing another explosive while under enemy fire?" She asked.
"It seems like we have to!" Molly turned to the rest.
"Oona, Gil, cover us from the corners. Zooli and I will flank them. Nonny, can you unlock the other door in the storage room?"
"That one is possible. Unlocking right now..." Everyone took place. Heavy fire exchange started. Gil and Oona shot back. Goby was waiting for Molly's distraction.
Zooli and Molly sneaked through the other hallway.
"It's not the moment, but... Molly?" Zooli asked. Molly turned around.
"What?"
"Why do you always pick me to go with you?"
"You're reliable, what a question."
"No not that. I just feel that..."
"You feel? Sssjt, the enemies are right behind this corner. On go, we rush. Goby, be ready." The girls stood behind the corner. "Go!"
Molly and Zooli appeared and shot at the OD guards. Goby sprinted to the airlock door and placed his charge. Molly saw other troops coming from her left eye corner. The girls had to retreat into the storage.
"You got it done, Goby?"
"Detonating now!" Goby pressed the detonator once more, blowing up the airlock door.
"Alert! Depressurization detected! Evacuate and isolate the area!" A loudspeaker said. The explosion damaged the glass from the bridge.
"Activate your spacesuits, or you guys will die in a couple of minutes!" Nonny said.
"Time to leave! Go to the bridge!" Molly ordered. The OD troops didn't have adequate suits and had to retreat from the area.
"The glass tunnel got destroyed. We are in the open air of Mars." Oona commented. The 5 kept running. The walkway was long. From under the bridge, drones flew up in front of them. Second later, behind them too.
"We had such a scenario a long time ago... Keep moving and shoot at it until they all explode!" Molly commented. The drones shot red energy charges, and the Guppies shot blue ones back.
"Stupid machines! All you got?" Gil said. But he didn't saw one behind him.
"Gil look out!" Zooli yelled. The drone shot at Gil's right arm.
"OD engineering! Didn't even hurt!" He answered. Zooli rolled her eyes. All the drones were destroyed, and the rest had already reached the other side.
"Guys hurry before they come and chase us!" Molly shouted. The flying duo started running, but something bigger caught their attention. An OD spaceship appeared from the hole. Gil tried to shoot the cockpit.
"Watch out!" Zooli knocked Gil on the ground as the spacecraft shot a salvo of its laser machine gun. It then flew to one pillar of the bridge and launched 2 rockets on it. It started crumbling, and the whole bridge shaking.
"RUSH!" Zooli pulled Gil up and the 2 started sprinting as the bridge fell part by part in the hole.
"You're almost there! Come on!" Molly shouted. The rest held their breath.
The running duo almost arrived at the end, but the bridge completely crumbled.
"AAAH NO!" Gil shouted. Zooli planted her hand in the metal bridge. Gil was holding her other hand.
"My arm won't hold this Gil! Plant yours in it too! I'm sure it's possible!" Gil stopped moving and approached the vertically hanging bridge. He planted his hand in it.
"Woah! Okay! What now?! Nonny you're the expert in this! Tell us quick!" Gil shouted.
"Deactivate your gravity modules, and use your propulsors." Nonny said.
"Okay... Oh, no!" The spaceship reappeared and was heating up his laserbeam. "Get up quick!"
Gil and Zooli executed Nonny's plan step by step. Molly was reaching out.
"You're almost there Gilly!" Molly said. Zooli got there already.
"Hmpf... Yes, got it!" Gil was safe. The squad looked at the ship.
"Run!" The 5 rushed inside the abandoned part and laid down on the ground. The ship's laserbeam was ready, and it had to be fired. Half of the room got destroyed, and metal plates fell on them.
"Nobody hurt?" Molly asked. From the ruins, everyone stood back up. Gil got up and looked at the other side of the hole. OD soldiers stood there and saw them.
"Let's go before they get here, they are coming!" Gil said. The squad left and entered the buggy.
"Drive away asap, Gilly! Goby, use the mounted machine gun!" Molly ordered. Everyone rushed inside the vehicle, and they started driving.
"Gotta get all around now." Gil mumbled.
"I'll keep an eye on the radar. Oona, Zooli, watch our surroundings. Nonny, we're coming back. Activate the ship's evac take-off. Gil will give you the instructions." Molly yelled.
"Oh oh, that mosquito is back!" Goby mentioned. He shot at the ship, but it dodged all.
"I'm in the cockpit Gil. Never thought you had to instruct me something..." Nonny said.
"And I never thought you were that funny. Okay, start by scanning the key card to activate the command systems. It should be in a grey locker behind the 2 seats..."
"It shot a rocket Gil!" Goby shouted. The buggy abruptly turned to the left and jumped.
"Oush my head!" Oona complained.
"You wouldn't have it if I didn't jump! Great mechanism this. Nonny, you have the key card?"
"Got it, scanning... Okay what now?"
"This thing won't stop shooting at us! We must take it out!" Goby screamed.
"Hold on Nonny, little problem here... Goby! Tell me, it's flying as fast as we move, right?"
"Yes!"
"I will brake, it will bypass us, you shoot it from behind, and it crashes!"
"All right, do it!" Gil pressed the brake pedal. The OD ship wasn't expecting it and didn't slow down immediately. Goby rotated the turret and fired at will! The engines were smoking, the OD jet lost altitude and crashed behind a rocky dune.
"Woohoow! Take that!" Goby said celebrating.
"Keep your enthusiasm for later. Hostile buggies spotted from behind!" Zooli said. 2 clouds of Martian sand got closer and closer. Goby turned.
"Nonny, next step. Go to the launch control. The top left icon that looks like a rocket."
"Clicked on it. The interface switched. What now?"
"No you, oh shit!"" One OD buggy drove left from Gil and started shooting. He took cover. "Take it down Goby!"
"I was busy with the other one! Firing now!" Goby shot back and hit 2 of the 6 wheels, making the buggy slow down and disappear.
"Only 2 kilometres left!" Molly mentioned.
"Okay, I'm back. You got the interface? In the right top corner, you gotta insert a security combination. Put '1 1 5 2'..."
"Done, what now? A yellow button appeared on the screen saying 'launch automatic preparations'. Do I press it?"
"Wait wait wait! Not yet! Just above you is a red lever. Pull it first and immediately after, press the button, or else the systems will be blocked!"
"Lever, button... Preparations in progress, scan in progress. Ready to launch in 5 minutes."
"We'll be there soon." The Guppies pushed back the final assault of the OD. They passed the mine entrance, and abandoned the buggy there. The squad climbed over the Mars dune and located the transport ship again.
"Good to be home, almost..." Goby said, entering the ship. Deema gave him a hug.
"And in one piece!" She answered. Gil ran to the cockpit. Nonny stood there.
"Ready to launch immediately. All systems are stable." Nonny explained.
"You're brilliant." Gil said, putting his hand on Nonny's shoulder. They smiled.
"Everyone take a seat! We will leave within moments!" Molly said.
"Eh Molly?" Zooli asked from behind her Sergeant.
"What again Zooli?" Molly looked a bit annoyed.
"I wanted to say something earlier, but..." Gil ran into the briefing area.
"Time to leave! 10 seconds left!" He said.
"You pick the worst moments Zooli! When we're far from Mars, okay?" Molly walked away to a seat. Zooli was silent and did the same.
The transport ship flew higher and higher. The inside shaked hard. It lessened with time and after a quarter, the Guppies could stand up again. They got around the table.
"You all did great," Molly started, "and soon, the OD's HQ will be no more. The last panel got deactivated." Everyone nodded happily.
10 minutes later, everyone was busy with their tasks. Molly looked at space through the cockpit.
"Ehem..." A voice said. Molly turned around and saw Zooli. She walked to her, leaving Gil there.
"Sigh, what did you want to tell me?" Molly asked.
"Well look, you choose me to go with you, often. I found it weird because..." Zooli got interrupted. An alarm went off. Gil ran out the cockpit.
"OD mosquitos incoming!" He shouted.
"Hop in your spacecraft and take them out! We will support you 2 with the defense systems. Go go go everyone!" Molly shouted. Gil and Zooli rushed to the hangar and hopped in the ENB.
"Opening the gates! Let's get them Zooli!" Gil said. The ship flew out.
"I detected 3 on the radar. They are going straight for Gil and Zooli." Nonny said.
"Is the auto-seeking rocket launcher loaded already, Oona, Deema?" Molly asked via radio. The girls were in a room at the back, where the weapon was installed.
"These things are heavy! Deema, come help me!" Oona said back.
"Goby, if they come close, shoot them, understood?" Goby sat in a turret on top of the transport ship.
In the meantime Gil and Zooli approached slowly.
"Still no enemies detected near us. Gil, can I ask you something?" Zooli asked.
"Be quick then."
"Do you perhaps know if Molly, changed, since the last time I asked it? We were in this ship too, you remember?"
"Oh I do remember. She's still extremely jealous. And this time I can't do anything, it's between you 2. You guys must resolve this problem."
"But she's so stubborn!"
"I know... Howly sh!" Suddenly some laser bullets ricocheted off the cockpit. "Enemies!"
Gil flew straight up and accelerated.
"He's behind us eh six o'clock! Aiming at it!" Zooli pressed the button for the laser-chaingun and started shooting from behind, but the OD ship dodged most shots.
"We're suffering from behind! Take it out!" Gil yelled.
"Gilly! Fly over us! We will fire at it!" Molly proposed.
"Understood!" Gil was high in space. His ship went down and approached the transport ship.
"We are ready!" Deema said.
"Lock the mosquito, not Gilly, okay?"
"Hey, I'm not an idiot Molly!"
Gil and Zooli approached more. Zooli and the OD ship fired at each other. Small sparkles started to come out one of the engines.
"Ash! He destroyed the chaingun on the back!" Zooli said.
"Almost..." The 2 ships were very close.
"Locked, fire!" Deema yelled. A rocket flew at the OD spacecraft and blew it up. Debris of it bounced against the transport ship.
"Very effective!" Gil commented.
"Load it again Deema. 2 other targets to go." Molly ordered.
Gil took some distance, and another OD fighter appeared behind him.
"Oh no, not this time!" Gil started to slow down a bit. "He won't see this coming."
"Gil! We are almost immobile! What are you doing?" Zooli said, panicking.
The OD fighter opened fire, Gil pressed a button and his ship turned around.
"Fire at will!" He shot with the 2 laser-chainguns at the enemy ship. His firepower was greater and the OD mosquito blew up.
"Jeez, Gil..." Was the only thing Zooli said.
"Haha! I'm the best!" Gil wasn't paying attention. On his left, the 3rd enemy attacked and managed to destroy Gil's weapons.
"Ah fuck!" Gil get us back! Gil?" Zooli said. But her teammate had other plans.
"Activating turbo mode..." The last enemy approached them and went for a final blow. But the WPP ship flew faster and faster at it.
"He's not gonna do that right?" Molly said.
"I think he will collide..." Nonny added. An explosion followed his words. A sea of debris was around the transport ship.
"Gilly..." Molly was silent. Nonny felt bad too, and the silence looked eternal. But behind them, the radar started beeping again.
"Cough cough, ahh... Stupid idea." Gil said through the radio. Molly was relieved.
The flying duo got back inside the hangar of the ship. The rest of the squad rushed inside quickly. Gil and Zooli climbed out.
"You really scared me Gilly." Molly said, hugging him. "Oona, can you nurse them?"
"It's okay, just a couple of bruises. And a bump..." Gil responded. He turned around to look at his ship. "Jesus Christ what have I done to him!"
"That's repairable, it's not a Guppy like you." Everyone went back to the briefing area, except Zooli.
"There's still a bigger problem..." She thought.
And that was it! The end is approaching, I hope you enjoyed this adventure until now. See you next time.