Chapter Seven
Lord Comet
Three very different sets of feet hurtled through a dimly lit metal corridor. The first set was a pair of purple feet, with hints of deeper purple spots going up the legs. The second set was a set of four blue paws, each with little black claws. The last set belonged to something in between a quadruped and a biped, with long black arms that could easily have been used to propel their owner on four legs, but was more like hands then paws.
*Speed up, Wacko. He will be lost at this rate!*
"Cool it, Nieslp." The purple one's stalk eyes turned to meet another pair of eyes, large blue ones. "We'll get him."
*This body is far faster then you. You should have let me go first!*
"Grrr, no. Argue. Breath. Save." The creature behind the blue one snarled.
*I most certainly do not have that issue, Girg.*
"Worm shut up." Girg said.
"Enough, both of you." Wacko looked back at the pair. "Come on guys, what would the Commander think?"
*Duck!*
Wacko turned his left stalk just in time to see a blue laser blast heading his direction. He ducked his big purple head, just missing the blast by an inch. He could hear heavy footsteps ahead of them. Footsteps that surely belonged to the villain! Wacko gritted his teeth and pushed on.
Rounding a corner they saw their prey racing towards an airlock. Wacko aimed a blaster at him and shouted. "Freeze, robot!"
The robotic dog creature turned with a metallic growl. "You are too late, Wacko. Lord Comet is far from this system! By the time you figure out where he has gone you'll never be able to save that world!"
"Why would you even follow a Mertzian? They're all insane warmongers!" Wacko argued. The robot made no reply.
"Tell, where going." Girg lumbered up beside Wacko. The big huge claws on the alien's back snapped aggressively at the robot.
"No." The robot dog aimed his own blasters at the group and fired wildly, poking holes in the thin spaceship hull.
*You fool! This old thing cannot withstand that kind of power! You shall blast through if you are not careful!* Nieslp "shouted" as he dodged.
"Unlike you, I don't need air! I'll never be caught by you! I'll leave your corpses to float in space! See how your commander likes that!"
"No, I don't think I will like that at all."
The robot turned, seemingly startled. A huge, black clawed hand slipped through the airlock door and slashed through, cutting the door in two. A black shrouded figure slipped through the ruined airlock as the vacuum of space started to suck the four others out. However, the black aura around the figure slipped away and formed a barrier around the place where the airlock had been, stopping the vacuum before anyone could be sucked in.
"Commander!" Wacko shouted in joy.
The Commander nodded and grabbed the robot by the neck, one hand still aimed at the airlock. Black energy seemed to be flowing from a gauntlet on his left hand to the force field. There was another gauntlet on his right, glowing but apparently inactive.
"Go back to the ship. I will take care of this. You did well, men." The Commander nodded to them.
"Right, let's go." Wacko didn't want to stay and strain his Commander. He and the other three left, grateful to be gone.
Five minutes later the three were back on the ship, reporting to the other two members of the small crew.
It would have been a surprise to many that one of the other two was actually a Mertzian, a small, weak looking man known only as Guy. However, he was the only one of his kind that was not a superpowered lunatic with delusions of grandeur, and as such he was an exile from his own home.
The last member of the crew was Nok, a little cabbage that stood on six little green legs. He was a Larsonian Mutant Cabbage, a refugee like most of his kind. The poor things had been granted intelligence from a radiation leak, but the Larson cows had not recognized them as real living things, and ate them with impunity. Nok's people were scattered about the universe, and though they had the power to duplicate living things, and through this power rule worlds, they chose not to use this power for conquest. Although they did modify themselves enough to grow little legs to make themselves mobile, as well as some sort of mouth, buried somewhere in the cabbage leaves.
Since both Nok and Guy were not combat heavy members of the crew, they instead had different work. Guy was an excellent cook and could make even the strangest of alien foods into something edible to all members of the crew that had to eat. Nok, who was very smart and could manipulate things with his little foot-hands, could scramble around the engine room, fixing anything that needed to be fixed.
"So you found Big Nasty?" Guy asked. "Where is the Commander?"
*The Commander is…handling it."
Guy grimaced. "I wish he weren't so…aggressive."
"He has to be. Lord Comet won't back down!" Wacko said.
"I know, I just wish there was another way." Guy said.
"We all do, but..."
"At least he's alone now! No way he can get back to his troops with that barricade! We've tracked down the last of the ones that fled with him after the battle! General Rcus really turned that battle around." Wacko said.
"Commander get Comet. Only Commander have power. Only we can help. We his crew." Girg said. "And Guy have…thing."
"None of us really have the strength to face Comet!" Guy sighed. "And it may be ready, but I'm not sure if my invention will work."
"Don't despair, Guy. The five of you have more heart and soul then Comet has in his little toe! Don't sell yourselves short. There is a reason I chose all of you."
"Commander!" The five of them saluted their leader as he thumped onto the bridge. He was the tallest of all them, even taller than Girg. He nodded at the five of them, the signal for them to relax, as he walked over to his chair, situated in the very front of the ship, right in front of the view screen, and sank down on it.
"He is heading towards a small planet at the edge of the galaxy, a planet called Earth. Set a course for it, Wacko, and let's finish this."
"Aye Commander!" Wacko raced for the navigation chair, which was situated in the center of the craft, above the Commander's chair. Wacko brought up the display and punched in the coordinates for Earth. As he did this Nieslp trotted over to the left gunner chair and Girg took the right.
"Guy, is that invention of yours ready?" The Commander asked.
"Yes, I think it is." Guy said nervously.
"Good, if I fail you use it. Even if I am in the way." The Commander looked at Guy in the eyes, who nodded. "Forward, Mr. Wacko." The Commander said as he turned back.
"Aye, Sir!" Wacko pushed a button, and the hyperdrive engaged.
They would be at Earth within the hour.
"Okay, here is the plan-"Megavolt started to say, until Quackerjack interrupted.
"Why do we need a plan again?" Quackerjack asked.
"Because, Quackerjack." Megavolt gritted his teeth. "We don't want them to escape. Again."
"It is just Khola and Dingo." Bushroot said with a shrug. "They're not exactly supervillains, more like blundering thieves."
"Still, we need to be careful, even against Khola and Dingo." Megavolt said. "You never know what will happen."
"He has a point." The Liquidator said. "Statistics show that preparedness is better than rushing in."
"Plus, I see an Electro-Magnetic Superthingy." Megavolt said. "I bet it's like a huge magnet or something. It'll probably attract all the metal in a five mile radius. I don't know what those two want with a bunch of metal, but we have to stop it!"
"…you can tell all of that from just looking at it once from ten feet away as you huddle behind a crate in an abandoned warehouse?" Quackerjack asked.
"Yeah, can't you?"
"…you are such a nerd."
"And you're a clown!"
"At least I've never received a wedgie." Quackerjack grinned.
"Did you even go to a real school, Richy Rich?" Megavolt grumbled.
"Actually I ran away to join the circus when I was fourteen."
"…seriously?" Megavolt stared at him.
"Just because my family had a lot of money doesn't mean I had to stay with the snob patrol." Quackerjack said.
"A circus…"
"If it helps my family's known the ringmaster's family for years, so it really wasn't running away so much as it was visiting an uncle."
"The more I learn about you the stranger you become." Megavolt said.
The Liquidator looked at Bushroot. "You and I are the only normal ones here."
"That's scary." Bushroot smiled. "But true."
"I say me and Likky just tackle them, and you and Bushroot play science games with the science thing." Quackerjack said. "Trust me; if I touch that thing it'll be to break it."
"And yet you are a building a robot bear in your underground lair." Megavolt said. "You must be some sort of idiot savant. It's the only explanation."
"I am not an idiot!" Quackerjack said.
"…whatever. Regardless it's not a…bad plan. You think it'll work guys?" Megavolt looked at Bushroot and the Liquidator, who nodded. "Alright, let's go!"
At this moment Dr. Khola was bellowing something about collecting all the metal in St. Canard to use on his new project, Megavolt really didn't care. Like Quackerjack he was becoming less and less tolerant of mad plans and such. He had been hearing them for years, and he was getting bored with them. After the fiftieth Take Over The World By Collecting a Resource Plan you got a little fed up of it all. The only worse one was the Let's Make a Shrink Ray, and the ever popular I Have a Big Death Ray. It was funny how most of these plans involved rays of some sort. It was strange.
"Let's do this before Steelbeak and Bulba show up. I'd rather not have to listen to them pick at each other." Bushroot said.
"But it's hilarious!" Quackerjack said.
"Okay, then let's at least do it now so I don't have to listen to Dr. Khola over there rant about the world falling to its knees before him anymore." Megavolt grumbled. "I think he's going to make my eardrums bleed!"
"Your wish is my command, Megs! It's Plaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaytiiiiiime!" Quackerjack howled and activated the springs in his shoes, shooting right at Dingo with little other warning. Normal people would have been too busy being shocked by the shout, and the fact that there was now a colorful blur bouncing towards them, but Dingo had the instincts of a killer. He whirled around at the sound of Quackerjack coming for him and punched. The blow landed on Quackerjack's chin and sent the clown flying across the room.
"All that dare challenge the Dingo shall be met with the fury of the Gods in my fists! I will rip your intestines out through your spine! Eat the Fury, duck!" Dingo bounced after Quackerjack and tried to kick, but Quackerjack dodged and launched a few exploding marbles, which temporarily blinded the crazed kangaroo. Quackerjack jumped and wrapped his arms around Dingo's neck. Dingo went nuts, bouncing around the room and screaming in anger. Quackerjack didn't budge.
After making sure that Quackerjack wasn't going to be killed, the Liquidator rushed over Dr. Khola, and swept him underneath a nice wave. Dr. Khola sputtered and shrieked, reaching such decibels that would have shattered fine wine glasses, but the Liquidator was probably the only person in the world who wasn't affected by his shrill voice. And Khola, despite his mad brilliance, wasn't really equipped to fight a being of pure water. Though the Liquidator wasn't going to kill him, he did manage to pin and subdue him in water.
"Have fun with that, Megavolt." The Liquidator nodded stiffly at the device. Megavolt nodded and edged past the Liquidator, Bushroot at his heels.
"Okay, let's see. Reverse the wires on the left side of the s-plange. Turn the interior electro-carbon converter…" Megavolt tore off a panel and began to fiddle with wires with the fury of a man possessed. Despite the fact that Megavolt had just be lecturing about plans and taking things responsibly, he did have a slightly enamored look in his eyes. It was clear that, even though he was trying to disable the device, he was still starry eyed as he fiddled with the machine…
Meanwhile, right above the planet, in orbit, a sleek black starship chased what appeared to be a small flying saucer. The black ship's red laser ammo cut through the darkness of space, but the small saucer dodged each one.
*No offense to you, Guy, but I hate your race's small ships.* Nieslp said.
Guy didn't usually come on the bridge, preferring the mess hall as his realm. However, he just had to be here to see this. This was important to him, and to everyone else affected by Lord Comet's evil.
"At least we know there is only Comet." Wacko said as he eyed his display screen. "He has no more troops in this sector! He came here to hide and lick his wounds."
"Yes, and we won't let him." The Commander was eyeing his own screen. "Wait…Wacko, what are these energy readings I'm detecting?"
"I…have no idea! But they're coming from that planet."
*Impossible! There is no way that a race that primitive can make energy readings like that! They are worse then Girg!*
"That tru-….hey!" Girg looked over and glared at him.
"Watch out! It's spiking!" Wacko bellowed as the energy signature from Earth shot forwards and hit Lord Comet's small ship. The ship shuddered and was pulled downwards, much to the shock of the crew.
"How…how did that happen? That technology should be beyond those Earth people!" Guy shouted.
"We have to go after it! Now! I don't know what kind of experiment the natives of that planet might be running, but they have no idea what they just fished out of the stars! Get it! I won't lose Comet!" The commander shouted.
Wacko nodded and got up, followed by Girg and Nieslp. They rushed out of the comand center. After a few moments the Commander got up and followe dthem out. "Guy, take care of the ship."
Guy nodded. "Aye." He walked over to the command chair and hit a few buttons. He gulped when he saw the ship's smaller fighter emerge from dockign bay. "Good luck." He muttered.
On Earth, in the warehouse, Dingo's mad jumping was making Quackerjack dizzy. Quackerjack had a clacking teeth set in his hands and was nipping at Dingo's neck with them, but they didn't penetrate the thick fur around Dingo's ruff. Dingo jumps neared to the top of the warehouse, shaking his head in an effort to dislodged Quackerjack.
"Get off!" Dingo bellowed and leaped sideways. He flew through the air, and he didn't bother to look where he was going. Megavolt looked up just in time to see both of them flying towards him. He leaped to the side.
"Quakerjack! Let go!" Megavolt screamed. Quackerjack looked up and saw the machine heading for his head, but didn't have time to do anything. He and Dingo rocketed through the open panel to slam into the devices interior. Megavolt clapped his hands over his head and howled.
"Quacky! Oh no!" He didn't even notice the fact that the device was shuddering, and the radar dish top was now whirling around to point to the sky. Dingo's tail flapped to the side, activating the device.
Perhaps it had something to do with the combined weight of duck and kangaroo, but when the device turned on it did so in a concentrated, but powerful beam that sliced upwards into the sky. Dingo, who didn't seem especially phased by any of this, stood up and walked two steps. He looked around, grinned, and dragged Quackerjack out of the device. With a howl of anger he lifted Quackerjack and tossed him to the other side of the warehouse. If Quackerjack had not been unconscious before, he certainly was now. He slid to the ground, and didn't move.
"You!" Megavolt shot a bolt of lightning at Dingo, who fell back, but didn't seem bothered by the shock. Instead Dingo lunged at Megavolt, punching out at him with his fists. Megavolt stumbled back, shooting Dingo as he backed up. Bushroot moved towards Quackerjack, intent on helping.
However, their efforts were put on hold when all of a sudden a small object smashed into the device, shattering it to pieces. Everyone stopped for a brief moment, turning to look at the thing that had landed. The wreckage shuddered, and then a small saucer object erupted from the debris.
"…is that a tiny flying saucer?" The Liquidator asked.
The saucer shuddered and a foot emerged. Then a leg, and then another leg, and finally the entire alien was out of the saucer, the ship sitting on his head like a little hat.
"Ahhh! It doesn't have a nose!" Khola screamed.
Indeed, the alien had a flat, pinkish face, with no snout to speak of, or a beak for that matter, though it did have an unusually large lower jaw. There was a strange growth between its mouth and eyes that might have been a snout, but it was smaller than even the smallest of cat noses. The creature did have the appropriate number of arms and legs, but it was completely and utterly hairless, at least as far as the Earthlings could see. It's saucer craft was perched on its head, making it look utterly ridiculous. It wore a dark black outfit, a skintight outfit that looked for all the world like a leotard, and a wavy black cape. The creature looked around at the Earthlings.
"Peasants! Bow before Lord Comet of Mertz!" The alien's voice sounded…well…a little dumb. "You're planet is mine now! Yohoooooo!"
"…you have got to be joking." The Liquidator said dryly.
In response the alien turned to the Liquidator and a beam of blue light emerged from the alien's eyes. All at once the Liquidator felt himself hardening. His body began to freeze, to his utter horror. While he was distracted Khola leaped out of the Liquidator and rushed over to the alien. He gave a short bow to the alien and motioned for Dingo, who bounced over. The Liquidator was soon frozen solid, and he could feel that he wasn't going to be melting anytime soon.
"Sure, we'll be your servants! Just help us get rid of these do gooders! I just know they'll try to stand in your way!"
"Kh-"Dingo began, but Khola grabbed him by the neck and brought the kangaroo's head closer.
"It's either the alien or the Four! Which do you really think I'm going to pick!"
"…may the Dingo think about that?"
"No! Do as you're told!"
"Very well. Consider yourselves con…con…hired." Lord Comet said. His eyes turned to the two remaining members of the four. "You can be a part of my new army! We will conquer this planet and its pathetic citizens, for I am Lord Comet, Conqueror of the planet Mertz!"
"Hmmm, let's see. Obey a clearly evil villain out to take over our world or kick that villain into next Tuesday…I think I'll take Tuesday!" Megavolt bellowed an aimed a bolt at Lord Comet, who deflected it with his arm.
Comet's eyes slide over their heads as a black starship started to come into view. He grinned a bit and pressed something on the spaceship that was even now perched on his head. A set of almost goofy looking grabber claws emerged and grasped the frozen Liquidator.
"Let's go men!" Lord Comet bellowed as he turned around, flanked by Dingo and Khola. Megavolt and Bushroot were on their trail in a second.
To Megavolt and Bushroot's relief, a black car pulled up and a rooster poked his head out the window. The car was being trailed by a police car, from which Detective Bulba emerged. Bulba had taken to following the trademark black car around, as if he could somehow sense Steelbeak's presence. He still didn't really trust Steelbeak, so he tailed him.
"Steelbeak! Bulba! Go help Quackerjack! He's hurt in there! We're after the alien!"
"…Alien?" Bulba looked past the now retreating figures of Megavolt and Bushroot to see a large…thing carrying an apparently frozen Liquidator in a pair of stupid looking grabber cay things. "What is going on?"
"Looks like your typical alien invasion to me." Steelbeak said with an annoying grin. Annoying to Bulba at least.
"This is typical for you?"
"Just another busy Monday, babe!" Steelbeak said as he walked towards the door the warehouse that the Comet, his new minions, and half of the Four just came from.
"Do stop calling me that."
"Sure babe."
"Do you listen to anyone other than yourself?"
"Yep, sounds good."
"…I hate you."
"So nice of you say." Steelbeak grinned.
"…you win this round."
"Thanks for playing."
Bulba sighed. Steelbeak always seemed to want the last word. It drove him insane.
As the two burst into the warehouse Bulba gasped in shock, and Steelbeak frowned. Bulba brought out his pistol and Steelbeak also pulled his own weapon from the inside of his jacket, a strange looking white gun with a rather large barrel.
Standing there, right in front of them, prompting the need for the weapons, were two of the oddest things they had ever seen. One of them was almost like a blue centaur, with the upper body and torso and arms of a person, but with the lower body of an animal. Only instead of a horse the lower body seemed more like that of a canine, with a wolf's chest and back and four long legs with paws. Its head was long and angular, and shaped almost like a perfect triangle, with a pointed snout and two long ears jutting out from the back. There was a long, black mane growing from the top of its head down to lie on its wolfish back. It had a long, fluffy blue tail, but the fuzz on the tail looked hard and spiky, almost like the spines of a porcupine. It had no mouth to speak off. The creature was holding Quackerjack in its blue arms. Qauckerjack's eyes were closed, and he wasn't moving.
"Put him down!" Steelbeak shouted.
The creature took a step towards them. All of a sudden something moved from the side, and Bulba turned and almost screamed. This creature was somehow worse! Maybe it was the insectiod way the creature moved. It was long and thin, and covered with what looked like a thin layer of shell. It at first appeared to have only two long arms and legs, until you got a good look at the back, where another pair of large claw like appendages clicked. To Bulba's horror the back claws moved upwards and hovered over the things' head. There was another pair of arms, small and delicate looking, that were being held close to the chest. The creature's head was thankfully not insectiod, but was instead a long, crocodile maw filled with razor sharp teeth. It had small, almost normal looking eyes. The creature stepped towards them again with two-toed, clawed feet.
"Get away!" Bulba snarled and fired at the thing's head. The bullet ricocheted against the alien's head. It did nothing to the alien save for knocking its head back a bit. Bulba growled in anger and started to fire at the thing some more. The creature tucked in its head and threw its arms over itself, curling into a ball. The bullets didn't seem to affect it, and the bullets continued to bounce around the room. Bulba was about to fire a few more rounds but Steelbeak placed a hand on his arm.
"You're gonna hit someone. Let me." Steelbeak aimed his strange white gun and fired a canister at the alien. To Bulba's surprise the canister blew up and rained smog on the curled up thing. The alien uncurled and gasped for air as the smoke settled around him.
"What is that?" Bulba asked.
"Sleep gas. I try to leave even the monsters alive." Steelbeak said with a smile.
"Yeah? I don't think its working!" Bulba shouted as the alien shook its head and roared at them. It charged, running on all fours with a terrible scream. Bulba and Steelbeak jumped to either side, and the alien barreled past. To their surprise it immediately whirled around and leaped over their heads, sticking to the ceiling like a bug. It scurried along the roof to land beside its fellow extraterrestrial. The blue one broke into a run, still carrying Quakerjack. Steelbeak and Bulba were on the alien's heels in a flash, but they were too far away. All of a sudden a black barrier sprang up between them and the aliens.
Steelbeak growled and to Bulba's surprise attempted to bit the black barrier. His head snapped back as his metal beak bounced off the barrier. He worked his lower from side to side, rubbing the underside of it.
"Okay, that's some tough stuff." Steelbeak said as Bulba stared at him. He grinned at Bulba. "Hey, the metal jaw's not for show."
Bulba nodded and stepped back. He fired some more shots at the barrier, but nothing happened, not even ricochet this time.
"Your trick gun has any more surprises?" Bulba asked.
Steelbeak nodded. "Okay, attachment number two…the hose!"
But before they could do anything more the barrier dropped, revealing something that neither of the two had noticed, due to the fact that most of their attention had been on the fact that Quackerjack had been in the clutches of an alien. It was a huge, triangular shaped ship, with two smaller arrow like attachments jutting from its back. There was also a pair of ski like attachments on the bottom, the landing gear. It was about the size of a truck or a van.
"It's like those little ships in that old tv show. What was it called?" Bulba said.
"Yeah, and I bet they took Quackerjack in there! Quick! Before they start probing him or something!" Steelbeak said as he rushed for the craft. However, the small arrow things on the back suddenly turned so the tips aimed to the sky and the ends pointing at the ground fired up. Small, but cool glowing energy erupted from the base of the arrow-engines and the craft took to the air.
"No! We've lost them!" Bulba screamed.
"Not if I have anything to say about it! Follow me. We have to visit Area 51!"
"Oh, so there is an alien craft there…why am I not surprised?" Bulba said dryly.
"Hey, your best allies are three fourths of a freak show." Steelbeak said. "A nice freak show, but a freak show."
"Three fourths?"
"Yeah, ol' Bushy's probably the most normal person I know, considering." Steelbeak said.
Bulba nodded in agreement. Swiftly he followed Steelbeak, hoping that they would get to the apparent ship before Quackerjack ended up as alien food.
"Nieslp, would you mind telling me why I have a bird on my ship?" The Commander folded his arms as he turned from the shuttle craft display and looked at the alien bird still in Nieslp's blue arms. The alien shuffled its paws a bit.
*It was hurt. And the scene down there was…confusing. We couldn't tell if the blue liquid creature, the electric one, and the green one were swearing loyalty to Comet or not. We saw this one hurt, so we thought that if we helped it then it might help us.* Nieslp. *Besides, it was hurt because of us.*
"It not" Girg said. "We no bring Comet here."
"It is risky, especially when you both got shot at by the other aliens that showed up. It is very likely they think you stole an ally of theirs...but…there is some merit to the argument. Girg, get down to the planet and track Comet. Keep on his trail, but do not engage him. Nieslp and I will take this alien back to the ship and see if Wacko can heal him."
Girg nodded and opened a hatch. He leaped out of the craft before it could get to high, landing on a building and rolling in a ball as he went. He went to all fours and scurried along the roofs, his snout sniffing for any sign of his prey. His black armored body blended into the night, and not a single person saw him…
Well, almost no one. As he passed a rather fancy looking restaurant two heads turned to the window as his tail flashed past.
"Did you see something?" The woman, a tall, majestic looking duck wearing a flowing, spidery black gown raised her eyebrows.
Her much smaller companion's eyes narrowed. He did see something, but…
"It's not important…unlike you." The faked romantic smile he gave her was enough to turn her head back to him. She smiled and placed a hand under her chin. The look she was giving him was almost pleasant to him…almost. He still liked slaughtering bunnies more, but she didn't have to know that.
"Now." The disguised Negaduck smiled as he took a small sip of the very expense wine he had stolen quite a bit of money for "I want to know everything about your life, dear Morgana. Tell me more about this magic…"
Quackerjack groaned and opened his eyes. There was a light shining in his eyes. He twitched and moved his head to the side. What was Megavolt doing? Getting back at him for the silly putty incident?
"Megs! Stop!" He tried to raise his hand to shove whatever it was away. But to his shock his hand didn't move. He felt something soft, but unmovable, strapping him down. He moved his hand a bit, and felt the soft form of Mr. Banana Brain still attached to his belt. This eased his mind somewhat. He suddenly also realized that what he was laying on was not his bed. It felt more like a metal table. He saw…something behind the light. A very odd form that looked like it had stalk eyes. Suddenly the light was pushed to the side and Quackerjack's eyes widened.
Oh…Bloody hell. Headboss said.
Alien! Is it going to probe me!
I don't know!
Oh thanks, Headboss. Fat lot of good you are!
"Hold still, I think that I-" The purple alien leaned forwards, to be meet by a head butt from Quackerjack, who then hissed as his already damaged skull sent fire down through his brain. That hurt! But he wasn't going to be dissected easily!
"Ow! Hey! Stop that!" Wacko said, shaking his own head.
"No way! I'm not going to let you slimy alien abductors probe me, dissect me or eat me! Stay away or Mr. Banana Brain blows! I'm not afraid to take all of you with me!"
"Okay, first off. I didn't abduct you. We rescued you. I'm not dissecting you or killing you or…probing you…what is probing anyway?"
"Oh, that's when the alien menace sticks their long, glowey tubey stick things up the nearest available hole and violate you!" Quackerjack raised his head up a bit and faux whispered. "It's very Freudian."
Wacko stared at him for a long time. "What kind of aliens would do a silly thing like that? What possible scanning device requires it being stuck up an orifice! I mean, advanced technology would eliminate the need for invasive surgery."
"…I think you're missing the basic point of Freudian subtext." Quackerjack said. He pawed at Mr. Banana Brain and shook it a little, saying "Maybe the alien needs to learn how to read!"
"…is this normal in your culture? What is that totem for?" Wacko asked.
"Totem? This is Mr. Banana Brain! He's my best friend…okay my best toy friend. Megavolt is my best real friend! And no, no one else talks to stuffed animals…fruits. It's because I'm special!" Quackerjack grinned.
"Are you some sort of shaman?"
"No, just crazy."
Wacko blinked. He backed away from Quackerjack. He turned his stalk eyes over his shoulder. "Commander! The alien is scaring me!"
"I'm the one strapped to the dissection table, and I'm scaring him." Quackerjack laughed. "At least, I think it's a him? Are you a him? A her? Otherwise?"
"He's really really scaring me!"
"Hey! How did you know I'm a guy…you didn't …check…did you! You perv!" Quackerjack shouted.
"Commander!" Wacko continued to back away, out of Quackerjack's view.
"Wacko, what is the problem here?" Quackerjack heard a sliding sound and a pair of heavy feet enter. Quackerjack burst into laughter.
"Owhahahaha! You're name is Wacko! Hahahahahahaha! Oh man, that's the best thing I have ever heard in my life! Hehehehehe!"
The feet paused. "Is the alien alright?"
"I think he's insane! If he's typical of his race then this planet is insane! He keeps talking about probes!"
"What in the galaxy are probes? He can't mean the ones we use to scan planets…does he?" The Commander said.
"Hey, if you're going to be eating me later, at least do me the favor of seeing who'll be doing the munching!"
"Eaten?" The feet clomped closer, and Quackerjack stared as the Commander came into view. He took one look at the Commander and his mind screamed. Hell even the Headboss was going into hysterics, which the Headboss never did. However, the only outwards sign of Quackerjack's impending mania was more laughter, this time more high pitched and almost screaming.
The thing in front of him was about three times taller than himself. Long, silky red fur covered its body, at least the exposed parts. Quackerjack assumed there must be more. It had long, narrow snout, longer then Girg's, and filled with razor teeth, two of which jutted from its upper jaw like a pair of saber toothed cat teeth. It had long, curved horns that instead of curving upwards like Bulba's, curved downwards under its chin. It had a pair of small, almost cute pointed ears, like a cat's. It had a long tail that came to a barbed point. And, to top off the picture, it had wings. Bright red wings on its back, totally separate from the pair of burly, fuzzy arms it had. It had long black claws at the tips of its hands. It wore a totally black, skintight suit that looked like something out of a superhero comic book. Well, totally black save for the strange skull like symbol on it. It looked like the skull of the alien race this thing belonged to. It wore a pair of black gauntlets on its wrists, with a pulsating black gem in each one. He looked intimidating. Powerful.
And for the life of him Quackerjack couldn't stop laughing.
"Are you well?" The alien's bright red eyes narrowed. "Do you need something?"
"AAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH!"
"…you are concerning me. Please. Calm down friend." The alien said. He knelt on the floor of the room, brining his huge horned head nearer to Quackerjack's level, as if he hoped that by making himself smaller his guest would calm down. Quackerjack couldn't stop.
"You ahahahahahaahah! You look so ridiculous! Oh god…ahahahahahaha! I think I can die a happy duck now! hahahahaha!"
The Commander pulled back with a snort. "Wacko. Help him."
"How?"
"Tranquilizer. Sleep aid. Some sort of sedative. I don't care. That much laughter isn't helping." The Commander said wryly.
"Right away, sir." Wacko rummaged through what sounded to Quackerjack like a drawer. Wacko reappeared holding a long tube filled with a clear liquid in one hand. He went for Quackerjack's arm.
With the suddenness of a snake striking Quackerjack leaned forwards and strained his neck, biting Wacko on the arm. Hard. His buck teeth, usually not used for this purpose, still sank into the arm, almost breaking the skin. Wacko howled.
The Commander reached towards Quackerjack's neck and touched it gently. Quackerjack bore down harder.
"Let go of my crewman, or I will be forced to take action." The Commander said. Quackerjack glared and shook his head, slinging Wacko around. The Commander's eyes narrowed.
"Have it your way, Earthling." The Commander said. His hand removed itself from Quackerjack's neck to hover over his head. Quackerjack expected him to crush it, ending his life. However, to Quackerjack's surprised a beam of dark energy oozed from the gauntlet and entered into his brain. He felt a horrible draining sensation, a bit like what happened when he had his blood drawn that one time. He suddenly didn't have the energy to fight, and he sank back, letting Wacko go. As soon as he let go the Commander stopped using the strange energy, but Quackerjack still felt drained.
"What did you do?" Quackerjack hissed. He didn't feel like laughing anymore.
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to do that, but you gave me no choice."
"What did you do to me?" Quackerjack glared at the Commander.
"Your kind does not know of the Artherian Black Gauntlets, do you?" The Commander said. "These are one of two remaining sets. They grant the user great power, but at the price of life. They are powered by life itself, and can drain life from any living being. Too much and it can kill. I took enough to tire you, no more. But only because you were biting my crewman."
"You vampire." Quackerjack spat.
"I don't know what a vampire is. I only did it because you gave me no choice." The Commander rose up. "I can kill you easily, you can see that. You can't escape from those bonds, and I can drain you in a instant. But I will not, because that is not how the Untied Galactic Army operates. Something terrible has come to your planet, and I have sworn to bring him to justice. I would like to work with your kind, but not if you insist on biting my men. If you continue to act like a barbarian I will let you off this ship right now, and fight Comet without your aid. Then, if we lose, you can fight him yourself. And you will lose, Earthling."
The Commander got up to leave, and Quackerjack glared as he left. He then turned the glare on Wacko, who was trying to avoid any more contact with the teeth. However, Wacko did bring out a funny looking ring thing, with a bunch of buttons on one side.
"Okay, look. This is what we use to scan people. You were hurt, but it's not going into a hole. I'm just going to run it over your body. Please don't bite." Wacko cautiously activated the thing and started at Quackerjack's head, just hovering the now buzzing thing over his head and downwards. It didn't hurt…in fact it felt almost soothing. Quackerjack kept glaring though, just so the alien knew that he did not appreciate this at all.
The Commander stepped out of the room, legs trembling slightly, and then fell to his knees, his hand flying to his forehead with a hiss of pain.
"Oh gods! The voices! How can that Earthling stand it! The poor mad thing!"
The Commander groaned and shook his head for about three minutes, until Guy rounded a corner and spotted him. Guy rushed over.
"Commander? Are you okay? Is it the alien?"
"I…am fine. The alien…is mad. There is something wrong inside him. So very very wrong." The Commander got up. "And yet…he's so good as well. It was like looking into a broken glass, half light and half dark and a little bit grey. I never want to touch a mind like his again."
"Commander, are you going to be okay?" Guy asked.
"I think so." The Commander said. His eyes slide to the door to the infirmary. "I don't know about our friend, though…"
"I thought that this place was in a different state?" Bulba said as Steelbeak lead him through what looked for all the world like a drain tunnel.
"Naw, that's just the dummy site." Steelbeak said.
"I'll remember to tell the conspiracy theorists that." Bulba said.
"Be my guest." Steelbeak grinned. "For every conspiracy theorist out there there'll be people to tell them they're nuts. We could spell the location out in fireworks over the city and most won't believe it. We actually like the nutjobs. They make our job easier."
"You are such a bastard." Bulba said.
Steelbeak smiled and tapped a few numbers out on a number pad near the two electronic doors that he had led Bulba to. To his surprise he heard a metallic shifting as something apparently moved around in there. It sounded big.
"What is that?" He asked.
Steelbeak smiled. "Just making sure that we have the closest route to the ship."
"Does it even work?" Bulba asked.
"Yep, it's been tested."
"Let me guess, this is the real source of U.F.O sightings?"
"Not all of em, babe, but we do use it for rescuing people from alien abductors."
"And they don't talk about it?" Bulba asked.
"They don't remember it. Something about the drugs the aliens use." Steelbeak shrugged as the whirring stopped. "Alright, let's go."
Bulba inhaled deeply as the doors opened. His eyes widened as he followed Steelbeak down the sleek, white hall that was now in front of him. The door closed behind him, but he barely noticed it. He could see up ahead, sitting on a raised platform. It was as white as the hallway, a bright, brilliant white. It had a simple shape, the shape of a crescent moon or a boomerang.
"Why are you letting me see this? Your superiors can't like this, no matter what you say."
Steelbeak was silent as he walked up to the side of the ship. He turned and smiled at Bulba. "You don't trust me. I understand that. But I want you to see that I trust you. And maybe, one day, you will trust me." Steelbeak grinned and pushed a button on the side of the ship, and a small elevator like platform descended. "Are you ready?"
Bulba smiled. "I'm ready." He was starting to hate Steelbeak a little less.
Girg finally found the group, and it was clear to him who had joined with their hated foe, Lord Comet. The rodent in the yellow suit and the green creature were fighting both Comet and the other two creatures that Comet had apparently recruited. One of them was a small, grey creature with a black nose and huge ears. The grey one had a ray device of some sort and was firing it widely. The other creature was tall and red, with a blue vest and huge long feet that it used to bounce around and punch things.
Girg slinked through the trees where the battle was now being fought. They had reached a wooded area outside the concert area that Girg assumed was a city. In truth he liked the trees better…at least he could sneak through those better. He thought that they were like the ones at his own home planet.
To Girg's shock one of the trees he was huddled underneath suddenly moved, and reached for Comet. The alien overlord's eyes widened as the branch reached for him. He snarled and grabbed the branch. Straining he flung the tree over his shoulder and tossed it to the side. The green alien winched, and gestured, and a few bushes jumped up and started to careen towards Comet. Comet punched each one, not showing a single sign of effort. The bushes collapsed into small piles of leaves and branches.
The yellow one, meanwhile, was fighting both the long footed one and the small grey one. Bolts of electrical energy zapped from his hands as he fought the two back. However, it was clear he was having trouble, as the two others kept flanking him and attacking him from both sides.
Girg wanted to leap to the aid of the yellow one, but he had to follow orders. He slunk back a bit and lifted a bit of his exoskeleton, a small square bit that had been cut out of his arm. Slime lined the edge of the square area, and beneath the hole, against the flesh of his arm, was a small round metal device which Girg tapped. The device rose up and began to admit a green light, which none of the combatants noticed.
Girg talked into one end of the device. "Commander. Comet found. Fighting. See?"
Girg held the device up and waited for his Commander to respond.
Quackerjack had to admit that the thing Wacko used on him did make his head feel better. It even got rid of his sinuses for that year, which Quackerjack also appreciated. However, he still was wary of the aliens. As soon as the Commander had come back to the infirmary, from doing whatever it was he was doing, Quackerjack started asking questions.
"You mentioned a villain, right?" Quackerjack had been released by Wacko, who was currently five feet away from Quackerjack with his back against a wall. Quackerjack was greatly amused by the fact that Wacko seemed more afraid of him then Quackerjack was of the alien. Quackerjack didn't want to let the aliens off the hook though. He folded his arms and glared at the alien leader.
"Oh, so now you want to listen to me?" The Commander grinned wryly.
"You did say my world is being invaded, and I can't let that happen. Now, I don't trust you, but I'm willing to play along for now." Quackerjack grinned and lifted Mr. Banana Brain. "Two heads are better the one…usually."
The Commander blinked, but said nothing. "Lord Comet." He began, "is a native of the planet Mertz, a planet of super powered beings, most of which have more natural abilities then any single race. It's common for them to have abilities like flight, great strength, heat vision, speed, breath in space, defy the very laws of physics, all in one being."
"Aww, that shouldn't be too hard to fight." Quackerjack grinned. "I fight those kind of things all the time and all I have is wackiness!"
Wacko stared at him. "You're insane."
"Oh really? What was your first clue?" Mr. Banana Brain said through Quackerjack.
The Commander paused and continued. "Most of the Mertzians are too busy fighting each other to care about the rest of the galaxy. They are a warlike, power hungry race, and their constant fighting has almost torn their very planet apart. However, despite the deplorable conditions of their home world, only one of them has ever left the planet, and that is because he is technically the weakest, and the most inept. However, even a weak and inept Mertzian can cause great damage, and many of the less savory races of the galaxy will flock to one, just because they are so powerful."
"Like the Larsonian cows." Wacko said. "Nasty race, those cows…"
The Commander nodded. "We have been fighting him for years. He styles himself as Lord Comet, and through sheer force of strength he has managed to cause great damage. Recently the general of our forces came up with a plan to separate Comet from his forces, and take him out while he his alone. We managed to complete most of the plan, and we have separated and isolated Comet. He's fled here, and we intend to take him down. With him gone his army will scatter. Now all we need is Comet."
Quackerjack was about to say something, when Nieslp rushed in, blue fur standing on end.
*Sir! Girg has found Comet! He is fighting some natives in a forest!*
"Let me guess. Is there a guy shooting electricity and plants walking? Maybe a living water source?" Quackerjack asked.
*Actually, there is an alien shooting electricity and an alien controlling plants. I didn't see any water though.*
Quackerjack jumped up, or tried to. He stumbled a bit and had to grab the metal slab to steady himself. He glared at the Commander. "I suppose the fact that my legs feel like jelly is your fault, huh vampy?"
"You shouldn't have bitten Wacko."
"Oh come on! It's not like they're sharp or anything! I'm just a little bucktoothed!" Quackerjack said with a roll of his eyes.
"Still, I will not tolerate barbarism on this ship." The Commander said.
"And I won't tolerate a probe! And I also won't stand for my friends fighting a alien overlord without me!" Quackerjack tried to move, but his legs just wouldn't cooperate. He growled.
"You must stay here." The Commander said.
"The hell I will!" Somehow Quackerjack lunged from the table to the Commander and latched himself on the alien's arm. "I'm not staying here! Your blue wolf guy just said he didn't see any water!"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Wacko asked.
"The fourth member of our team is made of water! He might be in trouble." Quackerjack shouted.
*He can ride on me. I can take care of him." Nieslp volunteered.
The Commander nodded. "Very well. Wacko, tell Guy to meet us at the fighter. Tell him to bring his invention with us. I'll engage Comet, and try to take him down. If I fail, Guy will use his device. Let's go."
Girg hissed as Megavolt was sent flying, due to a punch by Dingo. Girg was kind of surprised that Comet really wasn't doing anything, save batting away whatever attacks the two heroes launched at him. Comet seemed content to watch the show, but it was driving Girg insane. He couldn't stand staying here just watching two people getting hurt like this!
Girg looked up at the sky and tapped his tail in joy. There they were! The small, arrow shaped fighter was heading for the ground. The fighter skimmed over the heads of the combatants, and Comet looked up and launched a fireball at the craft.
Girg took this as a signal. He hissed and darted towards Comet, raking the alien warlord with his long claws. Comet frowned and grabbed Girg by the tail and tossed him aside with barely a glance. Girg skidded into a tree, but he was just in time to notice the three that jumped out of the small ship as it passed by.
Though he had wings, the Commander didn't come down using them. Instead, somehow powered by the gauntlets, he rocketed towards them, black energy emerging from the gauntlets. his wings were folded against his back as he sped for Comet. Dropping normally was Nieslp, Quackerjack on his back. As soon as they were out the ship flew off to the west.
Comet glared as the Commander flew towards him. Comet launched a fireball at the Commander and attacked with his freeze vision. However, the Commander managed to dodge both attacks. He launched himself into a spiral and slammed into Comet's chest. Comet grunted and grabbed the Commander by the shoulders. He tossed the Commander aside.
"Who are you, you not nice person?" Comet asked.
The Commander landed on his feet and turned to glare at Comet. "You don't remember me?"
"No. Why should I?"
"You destroyed my planet!"
"…ah well. One planet is just like the other. You get used to it."
The Commander's tail snapped to and fro angrily. He flicked his wrists and the black energy enveloped his claws. He screamed and lunged at Comet.
Meanwhile, Nieslp ran towards Dingo and Khola, his tail rose and arched over both his and Quackerjack's heads. Huge barbed spines, almost the length of spears, detached from his tail and flew towards Dingo and Khola. Khola, deciding he had enough of this, ducked behind a bush.
"We will meet again, Friendly Four! Until then, eat alien laser! Hahahahahahahaha!" Khola's voice screeched through the air as he fled.
"Heeey! No fair!" Comet said as he grappled with the Commander, whose black swathed claws hadn't shown any effect on Comet. The big alien was not smart, but he was powerful enough to hold off the Commander.
Dingo, on the other hand, hadn't fled. He lunged for Nieslp, fists deflecting each spine as it flew at him. Nieslp jerked back as Dingo landed a punch at his chest. He and Quackerjack went flying. Girg snarled and lunged at Dingo from the side, but Dingo simply turned and wacked him with his tail. Dingo paused, and then looked behind him where Khola had gone. He shrugged and bounced off to follow Khola, as if nothing had happened.
*That is an unusually powerful creature for one so small.* Nieslp said as he got to his feet, making sure Quackerjack was okay.
"Yeah, that's Dingo. Mean right hook." Quackerjack said as he let Nieslp help him up. He had fallen off the alien when Dingo had delivered said right hook.
"Enough! You will die! Yohooooooo!" Comet shouted as he grabbed the Commander by his horn and flung him to the ground. Comet used his freeze vision, freezing the Commander's feet to the ground. The Commander kept slashing at Comet, his claws scoring against Comet's and creating bloody furrows, but the warlord didn't react to them. Instead Comet begin to brutally punch the Commander. Blood flew from the Commander's nose and mouth as Comet pummeled him.
"No!" Girg roared and raced forwards, followed by Nieslp, who dumped Quackerjack on the ground to charge for his leader. Comet glanced at them as swept his hand towards them, casting fire at them. The two aliens were blown back, scorched by the flames.
The Commander roared and flapped his wings, buffeting Comet over the head and driving him back. Comet roared and grabbed the Commander again, but this time the Commander grabbed Comet's arms and fell, taking Comet with him. The Commander planted a foot against Comet's stomach and kicked him away, towards a large bush. Comet rolled a bit and leaped to his feet, readying his hand to spew more fire.
"Hello, Comet." Said a voice from the bush. Suddenly the bush was tossed away, and there sat Guy. He was sitting on a strange device that looked almost like a golf cart with a gun.
"You're that ordinary guy!" Comet laughed. "What could a week like nerd like yuou possible do to me?"
"Bring you down to our level." Guy said. He pushed a button and his invention blasted Comet, who trembled. Guy smirked and leaned forwards. "You see, Comet, things are a lot more complicated for us normal people. Now you get to see what everone else goes though, instead of lording it over everyone." Guy smiled and punched. Comet reeled backwards, clutching his now bleeding nose.
"Ow! Ow! Ow! That hurts!" Comet screeched. "What did you do…you…you…weakling!" He suddenly bumped into something large and hairy. He looked up to the smiling, and bleeding, face of the Commander. The Commander grabbed him by the shoulders.
"It took your powers away." Guy said.
"No! NO! How can I ever go back to Mertz without my powers! I won't be a Conqueror anymore!" To everyone's shock he started to cry.
"You're not going back to Mertz. It's straight into the galactic jail cell for you!" The Commander grabbed turned Comet around and spoke calmly. "My name is Artlazz of the planet Hunnther. You killed my father and my mother and my brothers and my entire race! Prepare to rot in prison! Guy, would you and Girg to the honors?" The Commander shoved Comet towards them. Girg and Guy led Comet away.
To everyone's surprise the Commander's head dropped and he walked to the hill that Comet had been standing on. He sank to the forest floor with a sigh.
Megavolt and Bushroot, who had been watching all of this with wide eyes, looked at each in confusion. Quackerkack tried to stand on his own, and to his joy he found he could. He walked cautiously over to the alien and Megavolt followed him, meeting him halfway.
"You okay?" Megavolt asked.
"He's not." Quackerjack said. He made it to the Commander. He said nothing more, but put a hand on the Commander's shoulder.
"I…really thought I'd feel triumphant. I really thought that I'd feel some sort of satisfaction. But I don't. He doesn't even reme3mer all the people he's hurt. And it's changed nothing." The Commander sighed. Megavolt and Quackerjack stared at him, shock and astonishment on their faces.
"But…but he was evil, and you beat him! He won't hurt anyone again!" Megavolt said.
The Commander shook his head. "I don't know why, but I still feel so empty." The commander looked up at the sky. "You can't even see my star from here. It might as well not exist."
Nieslp trotted over and walked around to face the Commander. He knelt on his forelegs and sank down. He placed his hands on the Commander's shoulder and, at least to the Earthlings, appeared to just stare into the Commander's eyes. The Commander chuckled.
"Where do you get this stuff, Nieslp?" The Commander got to his feet. "You're right. Let's go."
"Wait…what?" Quackerjack glared at Nieslp. "Are you a mind reader or something?"
*I can transmit my thoughts. How do you think I speak with no mouth? I can send private thoughts as well. What I had to share with my Commander had nothing to do with you.* Nieslp said stuffily.
"Nieslp, don't be rude." The Commander turned to Quackerjack. "Thank you for you aid. We will be taking Comet where he can't hurt anyone anymore. You don't have to worry about facing him again."
Quackerjack stared at the alien. "Are you going to be alright?"
"I shall be fine." The Commander said.
"If there's anything we-"Megavolt said.
"There is nothing you can do, but…" The Commander looked at Megavolt. "I saw, for a brief moment, the enemy you face inside your friend's mind. I can tell you this, Earthlings. Even if you defeat the most evil thing on your planet, it shall not bring you happiness. Still, if you ever need us, my crew will help you." He turned back to Quackerjack with a strange look on his snout. "I think one day you will need us."
The Commander and Nieslp turned to leave, when a boomerang shaped craft bounced into the view, almost crashing into them. In fact, the Commander and Nieslp had to duck. To everyone's shock Bulba and Steelbeak burst out of the craft, guns in hand and aimed at the two aliens.
"Freeze, alien scum!" Steelbeak said, then he laughed a bit. "Haahaha! I always wanted to say that!"
"Guys, wrong aliens. These aren't the ones responsible for the crop circles." Quackerjack laughed.
"Are you sure? They didn't switch your brains or anything!" Steelbeak demanded.
"…what kind of aliens have you guys been in contact with?" The Commander shook his head.
Quackerjack laughed like a loon.
They finally found the Liquidator stashed in a ditch amongst a plentiful amount of leaves and mud. He was not happy. At all. However, they somehow managed to melt him down with the flamethrower that looked like a squirt bottle that Quackerjack had, for some reason, brought with him.
"I missed the entire fight!" The Liquidator moaned.
"Hey, you all missed the alien spaceship! I got to fly through space!" Quackerjack gloated.
"Yeah yeah, laugh it up Chuckles." Megavolt rolled his eyes.
"Hey, would ya look at that!" Steelbeak turned and pointed up at the dart of something shiny and metallic that raced through the night sky. "Guess the aliens are going home!"
"Yeah…" Megavolt looked up, a mournful expression on his face.
"Hey! Wait! How'd you get a spaceship, Steelbeak?" Quackerjack looked at the rooster, who preened.
"Area 51, babe." He said.
"Oooh! You know where that is! Take me!"
"Eh…no. Knowing you you'd kick off the Death Ray!" Steelbeak said.
"OOOH! You have a death ray!"
"…doesn't' everyone have a death ray?" Bulba asked.
As Steelbeak and Quackerjack argued about death rays, Bushroot approached Megavolt, who was still looking up at the night sky.
"he's right, you know." Bushroot said. "About Negaduck."
"The alien didn't mention Negaduck." Megavolt said.
"We both know that's what he was talking about. And he's right. Beating him will be the best thing we can do, but that won't make any of us happy."
Megavolt glared at Bushroot. "I don't care about being happy."
"That's half your problem. Megavolt, I don't help people because I have to. I help because it makes me feel happy. The same reason that Quackerjack still makes toys, because it makes him happy. If you don't have some sort of happiness in your life, then you'll be miserable. I don't like the thought of who you'd be if you weren't happy."
"…I'm fine, Bushy." Megavolt gave him a big grin, but it never met his eyes.
Miles away, near a decrepit looking old mansion; a pair of ducks were walking up to the door, a male and female. The woman looked up as the alien ship darted across the sky.
"Oh, look darling! A shooting star" She smiled and hugged him close. So busy looking at the sky that she didn't see the cunning look on his face. "Make a wish?"
Negaduck grinned and held her close. "I already have all I wish for." Except this city. He smiled at her. "Want to…" He wiggled his eyebrows.
She smiled again and opened the door. The two vanished into the threshold, into the darkness.
A/N: Nieslp is basically what happens when I take an Andalite from Animorphs and kinda modify it a bit. No offense is meant to K.A. Applegate (who is awesome and all of you need to go buy Animorphs books, and right now I may add), and I don't own the rights to the series. Still, Andalites and Yeerks are so damn awesome that I couldn't help but draw influence.
And yes, Steelbeak has a white version of Darkwing's gas gun. I just thought that someone needed to have that, so I gave it to Steelbeak.
The Commander's black gauntlets and their power partly came from Green Lantern's power from the comics and movie (which I did see and like, but I am very easy to please.) I know perfectly well that there are black lantern rings, I just never read the comics so I am not sure how they work. Still, although I admit that his power is similar to the Green Lantern, I hope that I made the Commander different enough to not be a total rip-off. Do tell me if he comes across as one.
Next time: Morgana Macawber had everything. A career as a magical professor, an eager apprentice, and now a loving boyfriend. But when the Four come knocking at her door, looking for Negaduck, how far will she go for the man she loves? And does he really love her? How far will she follow Negaduck into villainy? Will she take the step and use dark magic, for evil?