The stars shine brightly, but are invisible through the dense fog of smoke and fire. The village is in flames, and there's red soaked into the ground. Terrified screams of pain beg for mercy, and at the center of it all is a tall, thin metallic figure. His eyes are a deep, hateful crimson that glows brightly in the moonlight with his other lights. Over his face, there's a deep crack over the right eye.
"No..you! It can't be! This isn't real!"
The metal man turns to Nova, looking at her as if she is a bug at his feet that's itching to be crushed. Nova snaps herself out of her panic long enough to grab her staff, aiming towards the figure. Her voice shakes as well as her hands, and she prays that the robot doesn't notice. "I-I don't know what you want with this planet, but I won't let you take it. Leave this village, d-don't make me shoot you!"
Instead of moving, the robot stares at her with an eyebrow plate raised. With a flash of light, a strange looking camera appears in his right hand. White fills Nova's eyes for a moment, stunning her, and the invader looks at the attached screen. An unfamiliar voice speaks from the device. "A positive match. Congratulations, sir. It appears you've found him."
He scoffs at the screen, clearly not impressed with the results, then turns to Nova. "Hmph, a markazian girl? Really? I expected better of you. You're not even any taller!"
"What in Zoni's name are you talking about? I've never seen you before!"
"You don't remember me, squishy? I should be insulted."
"No, I don't," Nova reaffirms. "but you're not welcome here. Leave, outsider."
The robot steps forward, too close. Nova's feet plant into the ground in fear. She knows what's coming next, but she can't stop it.
Another step. "And what will you do if I don't, you filthy organic?"
"I...I.."
With a swipe of his claw, Nova's staff clatters to the ground. With one hand, the metal demon lifts her into the air, up to his own eye level.
"It's time to end this little game of ours, and this time, I'm going to win."
Metal hands grip Nova's throat, squeezing the life from her. Those eyes cut into her soul, as if they're measuring her worth and finding nothing but disappointment. She's going to die, she knows it. She shuts her eyes, waiting for the end, and…
Combuster shots hit the glass skull, distracting Nova's attacker. The robot turns his gaze away from Nova's crumpled, gasping body on the ground, and faces the two markazians before him.
"Don't you dare touch her, Nefarious!" Corinne locks eyes with Nova, her gun still pointed toward the villain. "Nova, run! Don't look back!"
"What about you?"
"Just run!"
The remaining villagers focus their fire on Nefarious, and Nova uses the distraction to grab her staff and keep her promise. She bursts through the trees, her clothes catching on branches, not stopping until she comes to a cliff.
Fighting the knot of panic that threatens to rise in her gut, she scans the area for whatever her parents wanted her to find. She paces the old crater at the edge of the cliff, noticing a pile of leaves over an old hunk of metal. Brushing it off reveals an old starship. Her parents' starship, left to rot the day she was born. Her parents opted to stay on Quantos, away from the prying eyes of the rest of Polaris. After today, she doesn't blame them.
"The key!" Nova digs through her pockets, using the key's proximity sensor to open the cockpit. Climbing inside, she doesn't have time to marvel at the unfamiliar tech. Pressing random buttons until something sticks, she manages to activate the main computer system. The ship's computer speaks in a monotone male voice.
"Where would you like to go?"
"Far away from here! Floor it!"
The engines roar to life, and Nova straps herself in, placing her staff in the passenger's seat. She looks out the window, and her blood runs cold at the sight of Nefarious staring at the ship. He equips an old Judicator, aiming straight for her.
The ship turns away and leaves Quantos's atmosphere, but not fast enough to avoid the rocket.
A deafening explosion clips the starboard engine, and the ship tilts from the impact. As the ship fights to reach open space, it levels itself after leaving communications range. The damaged vessel hovers in open space, threatening to blow itself apart. "Please input our next course."
"Take us to a different sector. We have to get away from that guy!"
"We will not survive the jump to another sector. Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure! I'm not dying here!"
The ship makes a course for the nearby Vela sector using a random algorithm, but the jump only spreads the damage to the ship. As pieces of the engine begin to break off, Nova loses altitude at the closest planet. The controls spark, and the cockpit bursts into flames. "Fatal crash imminent. I told you we would not survive. It was nice knowing you, kid."
The crimson flashing lights of the controls seal her fate. Even if she knew how to fix this, to pilot the ship to safety, it's too late now. "No, NO! not here! Not now! I can't die now! Someone, anyone, HELP ME!"
As if answering her prayer, a blue light surrounds the ship, and Nova watches in horror as the ground spins closer and closer. She lets out a final scream, and closes her eyes. She prepares to meet Orvus on the other side, taking comfort in the fact that she'll reunite with her family any second now.
…
Three Zoni manifest near the wreckage, hovering over the pile of smoking metal. Quantum energy surrounds the totaled vessel, suspending it in the air mere inches from the ground. The sun begins to drop beyond the horizon. "We have stopped the ship."
They bring their leader with them, who scans the airborne craft for life signs. There is one faint life sign, a markazian female. "Thank you, I was afraid that I would be too late. Would you please open the cockpit?"
The Zoni comply, then leave for the Great Clock. The robot hops into the passenger seat to tend to the pilot, not expecting what he sees. Her arms are covered with his stripes. Her hair is frizzed, splayed out across the pilot's seat. Her clothes and face are coated in ashes and cuts that range in depth. In the floorboard is a hand-carved fongoid weapon, presumably hers. Orvus knows what the poor girl has seen. She's only a few years older than he was when they met all those years ago.
"Oh dear."
He pulls an orb of nanotech from his chest compartment, holding it over the girl. A gentle squeeze breaks the orb, releasing the nanites inside into her body.
A tingling chill pulls Nova out of her daze as the nanotech heals the many cuts and bruises covering her. As her eyes blink open, she gets a good look at her savior. He's obviously not organic, the metal of his body reflecting in the sunset's light. He's only about two feet tall, give or take a few inches. Her prior experience with such creatures tells her to smack him away, to run as far as she can, but she simply watches him. The green of his eyes brings her a sense of peace she can't quite understand. This one's different. I can feel it.
"Can you stand, Miss?"
"Uh, y-yeah, I think so."
Nova clumsily stumbles out of the ship, taking her weapon and bag with her. The robot that spoke to her hops off of the ship with her, standing to her right. She turns to the suspended aircraft, and the energy left around it begins to dissolve. "That should have killed me. This energy..did the Zoni save me?"
The blue light completely fades, and the sudden noise of the ship being dropped to the ground makes the young woman jump. He'd ask about what brought her here, but his body language database tells him that now is not the best time. Instead, he opts for a simpler question, and her attention snaps straight to him. "Might I ask your name, Miss?"
"It's, uh, Nova. Nova Albedo. What's yours? Are you with the Zoni?"
"My name is Clank, and I will answer your other question in time. For now, let us get you a place to sleep, Miss Nova. You have had quite a busy day, I assume."
"Like a hotel, from those old holo films? I can't deny that I'm exhausted, and a shower would be nice... Okay then, lead the way, Clank."
If Nova didn't know any better, she'd swear the little robot smiled.