Ridley heard the booming noise of the drop-ship's reverse engines firing. The ship started to slow down, rapidly. The momentum from the sudden decrease in speed sent him and his squad lurching side-ways in their high-impact seats. He could barely hear the Pirate's cursing underneath the deafening sound of the engines and the rocking of the ship.
"Squad Commander, I have visual confirmation of the planet, we'll arrive there in two minutes," went the voice of the old Pirate on Ridley's secondary com-link. "Once we get in close enough, I'll pull into a low orbit, and launch the drop-pod."
"Acknowledged," Ridley replied.
"Two minutes," he repeated to himself. Two more minutes and his claw would once again run with the red blood of his enemy. He could already feel the fire coming from his throat and into the face of a GF Trooper. Ah, how good it will-
"I'm picking something up from the planet," the pilot yelled with curiosity over the com-link. "It's cloaked whatever it-ah, son-of-a-bitch." the Pirate cried out in fear and anger.
Ridley pressed on his com-link, "Pilot, what is the objects identity?" he said sternly.
"It's a damned PDGF-Cruiser! Those bastards have a PDGF-Cruiser," the pilot blurted out.
"What? Give me access to the ships view screen," Ridley commanded.
"Yes Commander, right away," responded the pilot.
The ship's camera replaced Ridley's vision. Against the dark-side of the planet, he could see the hulking gray Planetary-Defender Galactic-Federation Cruiser. Hundreds of turrets lined the ship's heavily armored frame, and they all stated to aim towards them.
Karolyn's voice went off in Ridley's head, "Good Lord, how could the long-range scanners not pick this up?"
Ridley needed to think fast. "Pilot, contact Marauding Supremacy and tell them
we need immediate back-up."
"Yes sir, contacting now," replied the pilot with fear laced in his voice. There
was a momentary pause as he switched to the long-range communicator. "Marauding Supremacy, this is drop-ship number 105-A438 C113. We have identified a PDGF-Cruiser located in planetary-sector 45.382, by 13.803. Requesting immediate assistance."
The garbled voice of a pirate responded. "Negative, we can't send in the
Assailants while those turrets are still act…try to make…uo copy that…it pla" the signal was suddenly cut short by the oncoming laser firing that was zooming past the drop-ship.
"Damn it! Fine, Commander, I'm going to come in as close to the drop-zone as I can and I'll fire the drop-pod," yelled the pilot over the com-link.
"Acknowledged," Ridley replied. He looked over at his team, Karolyn had a look of concern, not fear, and the commandos portrayed no feeling at all, with the exception of Alic-Til, who was shaking violently. Shameful.
Ridley's view of the ship's camera was cut off, but he could still feel the rapid motions of the vessel. The ship burst forward as it sped up to avoid the cannon-fire from the Cruiser. The interior vibrated as dozens of lasers dangerously whisked past the small ship. The untiring whine of lasers hammered at him. If one even hit the ship, he would die instantly and not even know it. He did not need another reincarnation so close to his last one.
The webbing of the high-impact seats was barely absorbing the heavy G-forces. His head was being pressed against the seat. He felt as if his brain was slowly being pushed out the back of his skull. Dear God, they hadn't even began the impact landing.
He felt the ship pull into a sharp curve as it began to enter orbit around the planet. "Commander I'm now releasing the pod's locks. You should land right on top of the base. Good luck, Sir." Said the pilot with a somber finality in his voice.
Before Ridley managed to activate the com-link and give a thankful farewell, the drop-pod released and blasted them toward the surface.
G-forces tugged at Ridley. His eyes were squeezed tight; his reinforced jaws were clamping down. The pressure felt almost twice as bad. He felt grateful that he had his bodily mass increased in its durability, otherwise it would've been much worse.
"How are you holding out," he asked Karolyn over the com-link.
"I've been better," she replied with strain mixed with her mental voice.
Just a little longer, he thought, just a-
They landed. The pod hit the ground with a strong force. Ridley's head slammed against the side of the impact chair. He could feel the pod pushing against the dirt and rocks until it abruptly stopped against an unknown structure, forcing his head against the impact chair a second time. He would have a headache later, he thought to himself.
"How do you think I feel? At least you have a metal plate around your skull. I can already feel the migraines," Karolyn commented.
"My condolences," he thought sarcastically while getting out of the impact chair.
He walked toward the edge of the pod, which settled at a slightly upturned angle, and gave his commands. "My sole concern is the destruction of the generator, not you're safety. That is Karolyn's role, and any act of stupidity might make her forget that. Activate your cloaks, and form a perimeter around the base, but don't go in. Just keep the GF slime caged in, as they should be." He grasped his claw around the pod's hatch, the bloodlust was beginning to climb up his spine. His voice grew more crazed and sinister. "Just stay out of my way."
He then twisted off the hatch and burst through the opening. There were already seventeen GF-troopers surrounding the four-foot pit the pod had formed, and more were coming. His sudden emergence combined with his menacing stature and reputation sent them stepping back nervously and opening fire without order.
He quickly assessed the field. It was night, excellent. The pod had landed against one of the turret towers, leaving a landing trail eighty feet long, and about four feet deep and fifteen feet wide. He could see the base forty yards off to his right. He could only assume the generator was close by.
Now, he thought to himself. Now.
He reared his head back let his flame-breath fly from his mouth. The fire blasted across seven troops, sending them running screaming in agony as their metal armor melted against their skin and finally collapsing on the ground charred, and twitching.
The bullets from their guns reflected harmlessly off of Ridley's armor plating. He let off a screech and charged forward and sent a GF-Trooper flying through the air and landing on his neck. Three troopers came in behind him. He twisted his long neck back and snarled nastily. His razor-edged tail twisted to the side and swiped at them, clearing the troopers in two. He tuned around, and pulled his tail along his face and examined the red blood that dripped from his nalrynium-plated tail segments. He looked up and thrust it into the chest of on oncoming trooper. The feeling of his tail bursting through the hard armor of the trooper, and out the other side gave him a brief sense of satisfaction.
That feeling soon wore off and was replenished by him swinging the writhing body off into another trooper, killing him instantly. His swiped his tail once more to fling off the intestines that hanged between his tail segments.
That trooper was lucky to be killed so fast, he thought, I'll have to avoid doing that.
If he flew, then the turrets would be able to target him and take him out. He ran toward the base and heard the screech of Karolyn as she emerged out of the pod and saw a red flash as she sent second sweep of fire across the field, killing a few more troopers. He looked back and saw troopers shooting at nothing and suddenly having the energy-scythe of a cloaked commando burst through their chest. Their commanders tried to install order in their troops, but they were too busy screaming and shooting mindlessly to hear the orders of their superior's.
Apparently, they had only intended to only stop an orbital attack. They hoped that a single PDGF-Cruiser would be enough. For all of their resources and technology, they were certainly an idiotic organization. No matter, he thought.
Five soldiers jumped from the corner of a turret tower and fired missiles at him. Three hit him squarely in the torso while the other two streaked off into the night sky behind him. He grasped his chest a breathed heavily; it hurt, but not as bad with his improved chest plate.
He opened his jaws, lurched forward and clenched down on the shoulder of a trooper and ripped apart his upper body. The spinal cord flailed wildly as blood sprayed all over him and the troopers who began to run away.
He was about to torch them when an orange blade formed in the dark and slashed across two of the trooper's chest. The necks of the other three unexpectedly turned sharply sideways, sending a disgusting crack across Ridley's ears, and making their bodies slump lazily towards the ground. The floating blade made a motion of something that resembled a solute and disappeared.
"Hmm…these commandos are more effective than I had anticipated," he mused.
"They certainly do come in handy," Karolyn commented.
Ridley snapped off and continued toward the base. The flash of gun and laser fire filled the sky, and screams echoed against the metal towers decorated with the blood of his hated foe. He forgot how much he loved this part of the job.
Out of the corner of his eye, He saw it.
The generator was ten feet long and five feet high, and on either side of it was a seven-foot Trooper-Mech. He read about them in the Pirate databanks, but he never had encountered one before. They each had a dual-cannon located on their left wrist and an energy-scythe projector in their right. They were heavily armored, and from what he could tell, would be most entertaining to defeat.
Then, something flashed through his memory. The Pirates wanted the GF technology left as intact as possible. Surely, this would be a good prize for the Mother-Brain. Yes, it would be a very good prize indeed.
The two mechs lifted their right arms and opened fire. They lasers peppered across his armor as he ran towards them, his wings fully spread out, but the anti-grav netting not activated. It actually stung!
Most impressive, they seemed to be getting smarter.
He lept into the air and clasped his talons against the head of the mech. He reached his arm back, and bashed it through the cockpit and pulled out the pilot. The skull as crushed underneath his powerful grip. He tossed the body out and licked the blood of his nail. Ah, that brought back memories.
He stepped off the mech, and sent it toppling towards the ground. He felt a sharp pain across his back and realized it was the energy-scythe. He turned around and blocked a second strike. He was temporarily stunned by this action, then the machine pulled its left arm back and rammed its fist up towards Ridley's chin.
He stumbled backwards, confused over what just happened. The machine came at him with a full charge and tackled him to the ground. And tried to stab through the plating on his chest, but only sent sparks spraying across its black cockpit.
What? How can they design machines this well?
Ridley swerved his tail around and swiped the mech off of him. The machine quickly recovered and charged at him once again. He jumped up and thrust his claws towards the machine with the intention of digging his claws into the horrid shell and pulling out the audacious trooper. But, the machine reached out and grabbed his fist, and swung its right arm's energy-scythe down on Ridley.
Quickly, Ridley brought his forearm above his head and blocked the scythe.
His eyes shifted from his left arm, trying to release itself from the mech's grip, to his right arm, whose nalrynium plating was beginning to glow red from the energy-scythe. This is enough, he thought. He opened his mouth and sent his flame-breath melt away the cock-pit glass.
He reached his arm through and pulled the struggling pilot out of his seat. He brought it up to his face. It gave him a cold steely look. He has held humans in a death grip before, but this one was different, it didn't beg for its life like they always did, with the exception of Samus.
It continued to stare, and finally said, "Go ahead and kill me you scaly son-of-a-bitch."
Ridley cocked his head and gave a grin that showed all eighty-eight of his teeth and replied, "As you wish."
Slowly, but steadily he tightened his grip on the human. It struggled and groaned under the pressure. Ridley could hear the bones beginning to break, the delicate organs begin to rupture. Blood began to pour where his claws were beginning to pierce through its flesh. Soon though, it died, without begging. Interesting.
Ridley released his grip and flung the human off of his hand. He turned towards the generator and let his hateful fire obliterated it. He was growing tired of this game.
He switched to his long-range communicator and contacted the Marauding Supremacy. "Marauding Supremacy, this is Squad Commander Ridley. Target is destroyed, please send in assistance."
He waited a moment and received his reply. "Confirmed, now setting course for your sector. We will arrive in ten minutes. Congratulations Ridley. Marauding Supremacy out." Said the ship's captain.
Once again, he succeeded. Once again he showed the Galactic-Federation horrors greater than the ones they inflicted upon him. He took a deep breath, expecting the overwhelming satisfaction that he had done what he had to do. That his actions were justified, and that he should take joy in his success. But, for the untold time, he didn't feel anything.
He just felt as he did when he first killed a GF-trooper a flash of content, but as soon as its limp body fell to the ground, the feeling disappeared. That's strange, he first thought. Perhaps, I just need to kill another one.
Mission after mission. The scores of GF-personnel he had slaughtered, the blood that flowed from his claws, just the sight of a dead trooper filled him with glee, but it was never enough.
Well, maybe next time, he told himself. Maybe next time there will be enough.