Auroc arrived at Command Center Delta with a cheery expression hiding his dark intentions. He skipped up the stairs quickly, and slammed open the door. Grinning--or at least approximating a grin with his bipartite mandible structure--he greeted the Overseer clumsily. Standing beside the overseer was Harkal.
Lt. Harkal quickly raised his gun and blasted a hole through Auroc's chest. The carapace was instantly ruptured by the massive plasma blast, spewing his innards across the tiled floor.
"Did you really think we didn't monitor your conversations, you rebellious little bastard?"
Auroc shuddered. "So..you birdbrains aren't such idiots...after all... Well... there are.
more...of my kind...so..." His body collapsed in a heap and shuddered again. Fluids and
organs spilled out. "...damn..you.." He uttered a single last curse, gurgled twice, and was
still forevermore.
The PA blared again. "Attention all miners of Mining Camp Delta! We've just executed the Rebellion leader. If anyone else is even SPECULATED to be a part of this rebellion, you will be punished SEVERELY. Loyalty above all else is a requirement for life here!"
Murphy shuddered. 'I knew he didn't have a chance... if only I'd warned him... nah, he would never have listened...'
Another Commando walked up to him. "Yo, Five-seven-double-oh-three."
"That's me. Whatcha need, Sir?"
"You're being relocated. Your proximity to Auroc worries Overseer."
"I tried to talk him out of it. I swear, I'm not part of--"
The Commando flipped a trigger on his gunarm and a massive energy blade extended. He brought the blade to Murphy's neck. "You're being relocated, you worthless maggot! Follow our goddamned orders!" He smacked Murphy in the face with his free hand, and kicked him for good measure. "Hut! Follow me!"
Murphy fumed and grabbed his axe. "I mean no disrespec--no, screw it!" He winced and prayed,
then swung. Three seconds later he found himself running like hell--running from the headless
Commando that would get him executed for sure.
"Did you see that! 57003 just took out a Commando! Harkal, get down there and finish him!"
"Yes, my lord." Harkal activated his dash jets and took off. "Bastard..."
Murphy continued running until his joints ached so bad he was forced to stop. He curled up and rolled down a nearby hill, into a relatively hidden oasis in the middle of the dry desert. Landing on the shore of the lake, he discovered several bug-people camping at the edges.
"Wha..what are you doing here?" one of them queried.
Murphy blinked and poked her to make sure she was real. "..other..refugees?"
"Yes. I am 00401, call me Sarala. This is 32019, Miikha. And this is 90192, Tikani. We are followers of Lord Auroc."
"Auroc is dead, Sarala. He worked in my sector.. They thought I was with him, and I got accused of being a revolutionary.. I killed a Commando... so here I am..."
"Killed a Commando! Wow!" shouted Tikani. He was a small figure, probably rather young. "That's so cool!"
Miikha stood up. "Who are you, traveler?"
"I am 57003... Murphy." He sat down at the water's edge. "Glad I remembered where this place was."
Harkal jetted across the terraina, following the trail of blood he picked up. "Judging from this trail, I'd say his leg was hurt and bleeding.. So he probably found somewhere to hide..."
He shot up and activated his infrared scanners. The Commando turned in all directions, searching everywhere for any sign of life. Finally in a small bush he found a huddle of warm bodies...
"Bingo." He sneered and jetted towards the oasis.
Murphy stood and stretched. "I'd best get going. They're no doubt hunting for me. I'm endangering you by--"
A cold voice from outside cut him off. "Why, hello there."
Murphy froze. "Oh.. shit." He whirled to see Lt. Harkal, energy blade extended, looming over the group. "RUN!"
Tikani promptly fainted and Miikha dropped to his knees and begged. Murphy and Sarala, however,
stood their ground.
Sarala spoke first. "Harkal. Please, listen to me."
"I have orders to exterminate 57003 and anyone else associated with him. Do not--"
"Please, Lieutenant. Think about what you're doing. You've betrayed your own species!"
"All I'm doing is saving MY OWN HIDE!" He punctuated this statement by slashing at Sarala. The blade nicked her upper left arm, gouging deep into the chiton. She screamed in agony and backed up.
Murphy stood tall. "Harkal, she's right. If the Commandos helped us, we could overthrow the Chozo."
"Again, SURVIVAL OF THE GODDAMNED FITTEST!" he bellowed, slashing at Murphy. He nimbly dodged the slash and backed up.
"Calm down! We have to work together. We can beat--"
"If we were equal to them, we wouldn't be enslaved. It is our destiny. Give up." He glared and disabled the blade. He punched another button and began charging his grenade launcher.
Murphy rushed at him and delivered a swift punch to Harkal's chest with both fists at once. Harkal shrunk back and slammed his arm onto the ground. The impact detonated the grenade, completely eradicating his gun and siniging him badly. Murphy left back just in time and delivered a powerful kick to his enemy's head as he tried to rise. He wiped the blood off his exoskeleton and prepared to attack again, but his foe didn't rise.
Murphy chuckled dryly. "Hmph! When will you ever learn that--"
Suddenly a plasma shot blasted right through Murphy's right arm. The joint was incinerated and his entire lower arm dropped off. He fell to the ground in pain, as blood poured down the slope.
"Learn what? That we will always beat a lesser opponent?" Harkal rose and aimed his auxillary pistol at Murphy's head.
Murphy winced and slowly rose, holding his stub with his other arm. "You'll regret that, you
piece of shit!" He quickly released his other arm and snatched the pistol. "Death is too good
for you, but I have no better means of punishment available." He leveled the gun on Harkal's face.
"Any last words?"
Harkal bowed his head and nodded. "Yes.. My last words: REQUESTING BACKUP! 57003 HAS GONE BERSERK AND IS ARMED! He's wounded! All available personnel to Sector--AAAAGH!" He was quickly silenced by a shot through the neck. He hoarsely voiced the sector names over the PA, and then promptly fell into the lake.
"Sarala, Miikha, Tikani! Come on, we have to get out of here, NOW!"
Sarala nodded and followed Murphy as Miikha splashed Tikani with water to wake him. The two then dashed after the others.