A NEW BEGINNING

Chapter Sixteen

"Brothers in Arms"

19:13 – Planet Snivelak, Thug HQ (The Cantina), Bogon Galaxy

Stravek Thratcher stood before a mirror in a private room on the top floor of the cantina, with his hands on the elastic medical band wrapped around his chest, two of his claws lifting, pulling, and peeling away each strap on his left side. He watched as the soft tissue of the band broke easily away, shooting forth a couple of tightly pinched wraps beneath them. When he could fully wind one of the loose bands around his left forearm, he jerked at the rest of the bandage with his right claw. The bandage slid slowly off his chest. And in place of his previous injuries, where parts of his flesh had been charred by his Thrasher Cannon--blasted at close-range--were only scars left behind, a reminder of another series of stories which he could add to his tales of victory.

Behind him, there was a knock on the door.

He dropped several layers of his bandage to the floor, and then motioned his head toward the door, speaking loud enough to be heard. "Youz better have a good reason for bothering me," he hissed.

The room door creaked opened, filling the room with the bustling sounds of the patrons a floor below. Inside stepped a younger thug dressed professionally in armor-clad uniform of green and brown; and, on his head, he wore a small mask which obscured only the sides and back of his head; his face, exposed and marked by importance. When he approached the Manhunter, his clothes and armor brustled in unison. And dangling on his left pant leg, an inch above his waist, was his sword without a scabbard; on his right, his pistol left in its holster. At a glance, he fit the profile as being one of the military police who normally watched over the recreational areas of the base.

The officer stopped a couple of feet behind the Manhunter with his tail bent low to the floor. He cleared his throat as he said in an authoritative tone, "Stravek Thratcher, youz are wanted back at the Manhunters building for new assignment by order of Captain Natasha," the officer reached behind him and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "Here's the captain's order," he unfolded the slip of paper and offered it to Stravek without so much as saying another word.

The Manhunter whirled around on one rough heel and accepted the message from the officer. The officer watched with a hint of wonder on his face, his eyes following the famous Stravek's. Stravek quickly skimmed through the message. His face became contorted as he finished reading the end of the memo, lowering it with a clawed hand, and then calmly ripping it into pieces. He motioned toward the bed and retrieved a jacket, a simple item to cover up his wounds, and then he turned to the officer for further instruction.

The officer beckoned with a claw, "Please, follow me. I am to escort youz back," he mentioned and turned around sharply, looking over his shoulder to see that the Manhunter was following him. Together, they stepped out of the room and onto the mezzanine floor.

From the main floor beneath them, at a table shadowed in a far corner, a pair of red eyes fixed onto the Manhunter as he and his escort began descending some stairs winding to the lower floor of the cantina. These eyes narrowed with jealousy and animosity the more they studied the other henchman. When a stray bar light fixture swayed in the direction of the observer, the corner brightened with a dull yellow, and there sat the alone Velak, squeezing his shot glass. His lips were pulled tightly back at the corners of his mouth, exposing the last few sharp teeth in his mouth. His fore lips were chapped, and skin so sebaceous because of having been in the presence of the bar's thick fume of cheap cigars. He had been drinking for the past hour, thinking mostly about the past, his future in the army, and of Natasha.

He said in a low voice to himself. "She lieds to me." His eyes shaped into evil slits.

When his older brother and his escort came around from the end of the winding stairs and were within twenty feet of the bar's entrance, Velak gave a quiet growl and darted up from his chair in drunkenness, knocking over his table in the process. The neighboring thug soldiers, made up of a motley group of henchmen and first-class brutes, were offended by this sudden outburst from Velak that a couple of them suddenly rose from their seats and advanced the uncaring brother of Stravek. They easily dwarfed him with their bigness, but their size alone wasn't enough to daunt the young soldier.

"Hey! What's your fucking problem, pal? You made me spill my drink on my uniform, and I didn't like that one bit," erupted the brute as he cracked his knuckles together and waited for an answer from the silent henchman in front of him. "What should we do with this little pip-squeak, Ralph?"

Ralph, another henchman, curled his lips into a supercilious smile as he too popped his knuckles, and then began to retrieve a pair of his gloves from behind. He pulled on these fingerless gloves, flexing his clawed fingers, and replied with, "We should kicks his ass, that's all I has to say about it."

Another thug from the table of the two called behind them, "Hey, wait a minute. Don't strike up a fight with that lad. That's Stravek's brother. You mess with him and then you deal with the Manhunter."

The brute smirked and pressed a sharp finger into the shoulder of Velak, pushing him back repeatedly. "You're lucky you've got a big brother to look after you. Otherwise, I'd kick your ass just for staring at me, you punk," he snarled, his big nostrils flairing magnificently.

Beside the brute, the much older henchman clutched Velak's other shoulder and reared back a gloved fist, stopping it short before it came into contact with the younger thug's face. Not surprisingly, Velak didn't flinch, nor did he show any other emotion than anger. Instead, he stole a glimpse past the two soldiers and noticed his brother was about to reach the bar's entrance.

Velak gave a cruel smile as he secretly reached for a large beer mug on an adjacent table behind him and held it at his back. "You knowz, if I had the time to pay you two's any mind, for an ass-kicking, I would've already done it. But I has someone else in mind for that. So gets out of my way, will ya's?" He tried to part the two apart and slip by, but they forced him back with a shove.

"Why you smart ass, I don't care who your brother is. If I see you on the streets, your ass is mine," bellowed the brute, who released the Manhunter's brother, and was beginning to turn around and go back to his company.

The henchman beside him followed suit, glaring before retiring to their table. However, before they could sit down and forget about the whole ordeal, they heard Velak speak again. "Good, you's can kiss it and the other can lick it." He saw the brute rise again, followed seconds after by his friend. And before anyone could have guessed what was going to happen next, the brute fell first to the floor after the sound of a glass exploding on his head. Beside him, Velak punched the other henchman, sending him back against his party's table.

After the commotion, everyone within the bar turned their attention onto the fight scene. Velak stood ready in a determined battle pose, targeting the next thug willing to oppose him. The group of thug soldiers rose altogether and moved in on him, with their fists while others drew their weapons.

The first swing from Velak missed and proved most unfortunate when one of the other thugs tackled fiercely. Together, they crashed into a brick wall and with most of the damage being absorbed by Velak. Velak lost his breath thereafter and felt a pair of strong hands collaring him, yanking him up to his feet. Then came another's massive fist across his face. And then another. He felt more attacks landing into his stomach, chest, and sides. It was a losing battle until a familiar voice caught him by surprise.

"You guys just signed your death wishes."

"Huh?" said all of the thugs. A weak, sheepish smile formed on Velak's face.

Stravek Thratcher latched onto the shoulders of the closest thug and pulled him right off his feet, lifting him high above his shoulders. He threw the thug across the room, the thug smashing into a table occupied by other soldiers who too were off-duty, but for fear of a Manhunter, they simply backed up in their chairs and watched the scene carefully.

"It's Stravek!" warned another thug closest to the Manhunter, the same who had had the opportunity to land a blow on the Manhunter's brother. He came out with a combat knife, twirling it skillfully in his hand.

Stravek watched, unamused by the thug's showmanship. The other thugs remaining in the party of six, with the exception of two of them still seizing Velak, they turned their attention onto Stravek. They readied their weapons, all varying in size and degree of destruction--from combat knives to small blasters to swords. After seeing all of these different weapons trained on him, Strevek however only welcomed them, loving the adrenaline rush that came with danger.

Not waiting for the fellow henchman to attack him first, with a quick jab to the lizard's throat, he quickly disarmed him and allowed him to fall onto his knees, the thug grasping his throat in sheer agony. The lizard slumped over and writhed in pain, but Stravek simply stepped over him and waited for the next thug who dared to offend him.

Stravek beamed, "Who's next?" He watched as another brave soldier stepped forth and this time with a short sword. "You then? Okay, come on," he gestured with his hands, bending low.

When the thug came brandishing his weapon, Stravek leapt back to avoid the blade. He evaded again the closer the thug's blade came to him, obliterating everything it touched, from wooden tables and chairs to the bar's walls and windows. Stravek's escort watched in amusement and kept a ready claw on his sword.

The last swing of the sword struck the wooden floor in a sharp angle and caught into it. Promptly slamming a boot down on it, Stravek snapped it in two, and then leapt into the air with a knee, kneeing the thug in the face. The thug reeled back and teetered, finally tripping on his own boots and throwing himself into a booth where other thugs were. They pushed the dazed thug off them, throwing him to the floor.

Another thug of the original party came forth with his blaster and aimed it at the dangerous Manhunter. Stravek approached closer to him, pressing his chest against the end of the weapon. He was unflinching in his approach to deal with the thug, and this made the other soldier uneasy. When it looked like the thug was about to pull the trigger, the Manhunter slapped the weapon down quickly and there was a scream--the thug shot himself in the right foot. His right foot shone a charred hole billowing with circular tendrils of smoke and spumous flesh, and then he fell forward clutching his injured foot. Now there were only two assailants remaining--Ralph and the brute.

The brute released Velak and came forth, narrowing his eyes as if to intimidate Stravek with his nastiness. "Stravek, eh? You're just as small as he is,"--pointing a finger at Velak--"If you want to roll, let's roll then. Get the damn dang done then." He balled up his huge fists and prepared to strike.

The brute jabbed quickly for someone of his massive size, nearly hitting Stravek in the face and chest. Without enough room to maneuver in, Stravek inevitably bumped into a table, which made him lose his balance. A fist caught him in the jaw and forced him to grip the table with both of his hands. Slowly, he stood tall again, accepting another powerful blow to his face. He staggered about before another blow smashed into his face, peeling his head back. He remained standing, returning his head to face forward. Then crimson droplets seeped from his nostrils.

"What's wrong, little man? The great Stravek is too afraid to fight back? You Manhunters ain't shit," the brute chagrined with a victorious smile, flexing his arms and showing the spectators that he was about to finish off the Manhunter.

Stravek sluggishly stepped forward, in a foolish manner, as if to accept another beating. He sniffed up the bleed from his nostrils and spat blood on the brute's feet, licking over his lips afterward. "Come on, big man, showz me what youz got. I'm still standing."

The brute frowned. "Alright, you're asking for it," he said, motioning a fist back.

When the fist came forward, it missed the Manhunter; instead, Stravek gripped the brute's arm and flung him over his shoulder, slamming him into the floor. With a twist of the brute's arm, and a satisfying pop, the brute cried in pain, using his other hand to tap out in defeat. As a precaution, Stravek kicked the brute in the face, rendering him unconscious in an instant, and then he turned to look at the remaining thug--Ralph.

Ralph responsively released Velak and stepped back, allowing the Manhunter to take his brother by the arm and lead him out. Moments before being pulled away to safety, Velak stopped his brother, turned in a flash, and knocked out the last thug standing. Ralph clumsily fell back against a wall and slumped down, looking to the floor with his eyes closed. At this, Stravek formed a broad smile and led his brother out of the cantina, both of them being tailed by the officer.

In passing, the officer grinned. "I couldn't have done it better myself."

Outside, the two brothers and the escort looked back into the bar when they heard cheering. In response, Velak raised one of his arms and cheered too before turning to his brother in a sottish stare, whose expression hardened to seriousness as before.

"Stravek? Why did youz help me back . . . in there?" Velak belched loudly, his voice cracking unexpectedly. "Youz could've just lefts me to get beaten up and . . . and . . . and . . . learnz my lesson."

Stravek's head spikes bristled. "What lesson?" He quickly clung onto his brother and helped him to his feet again when he almost fell forward. "You drunk bastard." Together, they trudged along the main street, taking a path that would eventually lead to the Manhunters building.

"My lesson: I, Velak, am butz a dog compared to the likes of you. My brother is the greatest soldier, the most respected thug here, and yet his brother is only second place--number two." He motioned his head to his brother, becoming sad. "Your reputation is tearin' me apart . . ."--he gestured toward his chest and in the incorrect place where his heart would be--"on the inside. My heart, Brother, has bad aches."

Stravek said nothing and continued looking ahead of them. Their escort followed a short distance behind, giving them privacy to talk.

Velak continued; and his voice becoming filled with great sadness and hurt. "I don't sees youz anymore. Hell, I am not even sure that you's here with me now, I could be dreamin' all of this,"--his voice turned to weepiness; he, himself, estranged--"M-m-my, my, my mind sometimes wonders whether or not if you still have any feelin's for me. I think youz want to avoid being around me. Is that it? I, Velak, embarrass you?" He broke away from his brother's hold, pushing himself away from him in disgust. He began snarling as he pointed a claw at him.

Stravek sneered, "Lies, lies, lies! I do loves you. I wouldn't trade the world for you, Brother. You are drunk and saying anything to instigates me."

Velak breathed deeply, almost sobbing. "Youz don't think I can't sees the big picture? I knowz about you, my brother. Youz been wanting me out of your way all this time. It's no wonder on my mind why she keep youz closer to her than me. No matter how hard I try," he growled furiously, "she keep me down and you--you--holdz me back." He began holding and shaking his head with frustration.

Stravek came closer, wanting to touch his brother's shoulder. Not used to sudden emotions and bursts of this kind, he became distraught with grief. "It's not like how youz says it, Velak. Youz just don't understand what's going on with me, the army, and the Manhunters." He tried to hold his brother and comfort him, but Velak pushed him away once more as if he were his greatest enemy. "And who is 'she'?" he asked, a state of consternation coming over him.

Velak shot him an icy stare, "Like youz don't knowz! She, your captain! She know everything that goes on," he gripped his head, and then said forcefully, "but youz can keep your reputation. I don't want to be a Manhunter anymore. I has the greatest prize of all--her love." He began laughing loudly, a sense of pride returning to him.

Stravek was speechless. He watched as his brother began dancing around in the street like a wild person. He thought for a moment of what he had said and what it truly meant, and then the realization hit me with full force.

"Velak! You fool! Don't youz knows what youz done?" He didn't want to say the truth in front of an officer of the army, for fear of having his brother detained. "She has corrupted your mind, filling it with these thoughts of grandeur. She is playing youz from the start."

Velak stopped prancing around in front of his brother and the officer. "Youz just jealous! She's the nicest person to me, always teaching me how to improve. Because of her, I've moved up in life. Where was youz when I needed your guidance?"

A headache tore into Stravek; it was so fierce, he clutched his head and fell onto a knee, facing the street. "Velak, I've failed you. I was supposed to watch after youz, and now youz become loose,"--he looked up and stared hard at his brother--"but I won't let you fall like this," he said and climbed to his feet. It had finally become clear: he knew what he needed to do to save his brother's life and reputation.

All of a sudden, the sirens all around the base activated, resounding for miles on out. Fear struck the officer and he instinctively reached for his sword. Velak snapped out of his inebriation, if only for a moment, and looked around with a worrisome face. "What's this? My l-l-love calling to me?"

A bolt of lightning flashed in the sky, and thunder crackled loudly, dissipating in drums over the base. More streaks of lightning shone across the base, and then rain raced down harder than it has ever been, pelting the pavement along with everything else like little stones.

Stravek, Velak, and the escort became doused in an instant. Shouts of other thugs also caught in the rain could be heard several buildings over. All of the occupants in the headquarters came alive, all shouting in confusion and fear. A row of military policemen ran through the streets past Stravek, shouting orders. "Bear arms! Bear arms! An invasion! An invasion!"

The Manhunter reached out and stopped one of the Snivelakian guards. He shook the reptile, "What invasion?" The guard forced himself free and replied, "We're being attacked in the outer rim. First Lieutenant Ghan and Corporal Trakgnak have already been briefed and deployed by the General himself. Captain Rezabar is already planning the stages of defense and is forming the second line to protect the HQ. Because we lost contact with one of our relay stations in the Feltzin System more than five hours ago, the general has put us on high alert. He's taking no chances."

"I see, move along then!" he reassured the officer with a slap on the shoulder, and then turned to his brother.

Stravek suddenly recalled the memo given to him by his escort. "Velak! Velak! Natasha has ordered youz to reports to Captain Rezabar at the heliport for aerial assault. Go now! Drunk or not, you will defend the base one way or another. And so help me, if you screw this up, I'll finds youz and kick your ass."

He turned to his escort, "C'mon, we've got to get back to Captain Natasha as soon as possible."

Before Stravek could leave, Velak lurched forth to his brother and grabbed his shoulder. "Where are youz going?" he said loudly, the thunderous storm growing louder than before.

Stravek gave a piercing look to his brother and jerked his shoulder free. "To save your life, you idiot," he growled back, rain dripping from his lips. "Natasha won't gets away with what she's done to youz and me. I'll sees to it."

With that said, Stravek gripped the bottom of his brother's chin and smiled, and then stormed off down the street away from the plaza with escort running alongside him. Velak remained where he stood, watching his brother disappear again, not sure whether or not if he'd ever see him again. He grew cold inside and out, ignoring how the rain and rage made him tremble. In one final outcry, he yelled in the direction his brother left . . .

"I hate youuuuz!" He then fell onto his knees and stared up at the sky, and rain stinging his eyes but following the direction in which the attack-copters and attack-ships flew by. "But I also love youz."

Captain Natasha watched in horror as the invasion went underway a little more than a couple of miles away from headquarters. She stood soft and still and in front of the long glass window of her office with her gloved hands holding her chest.

She saw large objects, unmistakably space pods, coming down from the sky, turned a fiery red from entering the planet's atmosphere. When they struck down on land, they created small craters and obscured their landings with a thick cloud of dust and debris; parts of planet's natural structure crumbling upon impact. She didn't have the slightest inkling of what imaginable horror lied inside, and while other pods came down and smashed into the treacherous parts of Snivelak's ocean, they created a titanic wave of water, a colossal riffle which moved like an aquatic beast beneath the surface until it lapped against the nether parts of the base.

Out from a distance, the communication tower just before the bridge caught ablaze and exploded, igniting the whole area of the outer rim where some of Snivelak's bravest soldiers circled in attack-copters. On approach, attack-ships and attack-copters engaged the unknown enemy forces in the sky, flying in unidentifiable space fighters. Then suddenly, another ship appeared miraculously in the sky, zooming past the battle field, circulating the base, and then coming to halt in a place in the outer rim where most of the space pods had landed.

"That ship, it looks familiar, and like something I'd seen in the archives. Could it be . . . ?" She lost her train of thought when she heard someone entering her office and locking the door. "Who is there?" she asked, and then turned around in surprise to see one of her own.

"Stravek? So you did receive my message then?"

The Manhunter's face showed contempt. "Youz were mistaken if you thought you weren't going to gets caught," he gnarred viciously. He made his advance slowly and carefully, knowing all too well how portentous his captain could become.

Natasha's face hardened, her eyes became sharp slits of beauty, and she moved somewhat wickedly from round her desk. Stravek abhorred the way she moved before approaching someone she thought potentially dangerous; it was her way of a fair warning that she was about to attack.

"'Caught,' you say?" she said calmly. "Caught doing what, Stravek? Do you have any proof?" She stopped in front of him. In response, he backed a foot away.

"Youz were fraternizing with a thug soldier, who happenz to be my brother, and youz knew this. I bet youz been having an affair with him from the start, polluting his mind with thoughts of becoming someone great. Youz sicken me, Captain."

The shabox stepped back and sat on her desk, shiftingher tail to a side with a hand. "So, I see what this is about. You want me to just stop loving him? Does that make you jealous that I do? Hm?" Her sass made him curl his hands into fists. "And what business of it is yours, soldier?"

He pointed disrespectfully at her, "Youz know the thug law--and youz brokes it. I has come to save my brother's life and reputation before you ruin it. And youz don't loves my brother like I do. I would never putz him in a dangerous, reckless situation as you have."

Natasha raised an eyebrow at his strong affirmation. "Those are two different kinds of love, Stravek: the love I share with Velak, and the love you share with him." She slid off her desk onto her feet and turned back to the window, folding her arms behind her. "I think you better reconsider what you're saying to me. Our past involvement is clouding your better judgment."

"No, it isn't. It's made me more aware of the snake youz is. Youz a good captain, but a bad person." He glared. "I've come to put an end to this affair. Nothing more, nothing less. It's best this way for Velak."

Natasha concurred with a nod and turned around to face one of her best soldiers she'd raised to greatness. "Very well. You've challenged me--and I accept. I fight to keep Velak where I want him--beside me. As for you--"

Stravek smirked, bringing up a hand to stop her. "If I defeats youz, I get my brother back and youz must give up commanding the Manhunters. Deal?"

A small, sly smile formed on Natasha's face. "If that's how you want it, then let's get started. We really don't have much time left because this invasion grows worse by the second. I'll make this quick--and painful."

Stravek prepared himself, getting into an attack pose similar to his captain's. Natasha followed suit, eying him powerfully with her sensuous eyes. They moved in closer to each other, and when their wrists finally touched, the fight for the future of Velak Thratcher began.