A Race Displaced
Chapter 13
Tactical Encounter
"We have a test run for the Squidata Civil Defense Programme." Squidata said as he poured out more Evolutionizer into a large aquarium, "Time to commence the Triton Series Program." he reported to one of his scientists.
"What about the original Triton 100?" an anemonite female scientist came up to him, "The one we have secured in the Vault?"
"He was my first one... Along with Britten and Britannia..." Squidata responded, "Plus, I haven't domesticated him with the genome re-sequencer... So it's best we save them for a future time."
"We can cryo-sleep them for a time so they won't get old." an Inkling male scientist added, "If you want to."
"Yes yes." Squidata nodded, "Excellent observation... Put them in Cryo-sleep for 16 years, that will do."
00000000
"So your name is Britannia?" Caci asked the brittle star woman, "That's a cute name."
"I do not understand the concept of 'cute'." Britannia responded,
"Oh..." Caci mumbled, "Well, cute is something that's nice and sweet... like a baby."
"I do not comprehend." Britannia grumbled, "Enlighten me."
"Well... I can't really explain it." Caci groaned, "Ah.. I'm so hungry..."
"Now that is something I do comprehend." Britannia told her, "Hunger is very debilitating, especially for my mission. We must eat." she said,
"There's a very nice diner at the end of this road here." Caci informed, "It smells very good... Too bad the only thing I can do is smell..." she sighed,
"Why is that?" Britannia asked,
"Because I have no money to buy the food they serve." Caci cried, "But sometimes the nice waitress who works there gives me a bite to eat for free!" she lit up.
"Do not worry, Caci." Britannia said, "I will buy you something, I cannot have you dying of hunger while I am on my mission."
"You talk so much about your mission." Caci giggled, "What is this mission anyways?"
"It is confidential." Britannia responded seriously, "Plus, I do not want you to be part of it... If you join, you only have a 13.591 chance of survival, rounded of course."
"Ooh... Sounds tough." Caci groaned, "But hey, we're gonna go eat, so that's nice!" she laughed and grabbed Britannia by the hand,
"Huh?" Britannia seemed confused by the gesture, but complied with it anyways.
00000000
"Where are we going now?" Calamaird groaned as they walked down a lonely road, "This is almost out of my jurisdiction!"
"Be quiet." Starly told him,
"Yeah, this is still technically Inkopolis." Splat added, "Just the very extremity of it."
"That's good to know." Ink said, "And it's also good to know that we're the same person... To tell you the truth, I felt as if I had some connection to you before I met you in person."
"That sounds odd." Splat grumbled, "But yeah... So you're telling me I partnered with Callie in your Universe?"
"Yep." Ink nodded, "That's her and my son, Squil." he pointed to the two.
"At least we're still in Inkopolis." Calamaird chuckled, "That means I can still help you."
"You were gonna help us either way." Starly laughed, "Jurisdiction limit or not."
"So you're telling me I would have no choice." Calamaird mumbled, "I guess it's not too bad... I've seen more happen in the hours I spent with you than the last 2 years combined." he laughed, "This will be a good story to tell the others..."
"What story?" Splat asked,
"How I faced off against an invulnerable being, helped two little youths, got on the highway of death, and then saw my first birthing sequence since my wife." Calamaird sighed.
"That sounds very interesting, really." Pacifca muttered, "I would like to hear it."
"Those eggs are going to make our job a lot harder." Starly commented, stunning Ink's group.
"What eggs?" Marie asked, "Where? Who? Why!?"
"Here." Paprika pointed to the basket, "And it's ours." she grabbed Splat's arm.
"If Britannia or that Patroller finds us, we have three extra things to guard." Starly responded, "Three defenseless, frail, and immobile eggs."
"Don't worry, Starly.. I'll take care of them." Splat told him, "I am the father, they are my responsibility."
"I hope you do your best." Callie said, "Eggs are a huge responsibility!"
"Look, a diner!" Paprika said in relief, "I'm starving. Laying eggs takes its toll."
"Maybe you should've waited." Calamaird grumbled.
"True that." Tinker muttered, "From what I've heard you all went through... I would've waited."
"We can stop and eat." Starly told them, "Lest you be too tired to continue."
"Great." Splat chuckled, and they walked towards the diner.
00000000
"Oh.. It's you!" the waitress smiled when she saw Caci, "And who is this?" she looked at Britannia,
"This is my friend." Caci told her, "She is helping me."
"Oh.. really?" the waitress gasped in surprise, "I guess there is some good in the world.." she smiled, "You don't know what Caci's been going through.. I wish I could help her, but I have children of my own.. and my job."
"It is ok." Britannia told her, "I want to help her."
"Oh... how nice!" the waitress said giddily, "Now what do you want to order?"
"I want to ord-" Britannia stopped when a familiar presence entered the diner.
"This is it." Splat chuckled as his group walked in,
"Wait." Starly muttered, then looked around,
"Caci..." Britannia told her little friend, "Get down."
"What?" Caci said in confusion,
"Duck under the seat..." Britannia muttered,
"What's wrong?" the waitress asked, seeing Britannia tense up,
"Step back." Britannia told her, "Caci! Get down!" she yelled, then took out the pistol she had gotten from Triton,
SPLATSPLATSPLAT! She fired right on Starly's chest.
"Oof!" Starly grunted, not expecting the attack,
"Ah!" Caci got under the table in fear,
"It's her!" Calamaird alerted and pulled out his pistol, then started to shoot ink,
"Hmph..." Britannia grunted at each shot, then turned her aim to the cop,
"Ha!" Starly charged and grabbed her gun arm, "Give me this!" he snatched the pistol out of her hand, then threw it out the window.
"Let go of me..." Britannia growled and converted the seized arm into the spiny whip,
"AH!" Starly yelled when he was poked, then let go,
"Come with me!" Britannia whipped him, so the whip wrapped around his neck,
"GA!" Starly gagged as his head was brought to the ground,
"You have interfered with my mission long enough!" Britannia raised her fist, aiming to punch the back of his neck,
"Britannia!" Caci came out, "Stop!"
"Stop this now!" a hooded figure stood up, he stood about as tall as Arnie, maybe a bit taller it was hard to tell. He was unlike anything they had ever seen.
"Who are you!?" Britannia turned to the figure, "What to you and to us? This is none of your business!"
"Get out of it." Starly grunted, then pushed the figure back.
"Don't you touch me." the figure responded, then pulled out a Splattershot Jr., immediately commencing his barrage.
"Watch out!" Starly stood in front of his group and blocked the shots.
"Huh?" the figure said in shock, the pulled out a small, black, and sleek weapon that looked a lot like the N-ZAP '85.
POOM! POOM! This weapon did not fire ink and pelted Starly with unknowm material.
"AH!" Starly winced in pain as he took the brunt of it.
"Pow." the figure muttered and shot the weapon on his forehead, making the starfish fall to the ground. "And for the piece-de-resistance!" he yelled and threw down a yellow can, which flashed in a brilliant light.
"AH!" the group screamed as they covered their eyes in pain. After a few minutes, the effects died down and the figure was gone.
"Ah... that thing went Flash and Bang!" Ink groaned as he regained his senses.
"Who was that guy?" Paprika muttered.
"Argh..." Starly muttered as he stood back up, regenerated from his wounds, turning to Britannia soon after. "This isn't over!" he roared and raised his fist.
"No! Stop!" Caci got in between the two of them, "Get away from her, you big meanie!" she pouted and kicked his shin.
"Huh?" Starly said in confusion.
"Caci!" Britannia stood up, "I order you to retreat! You only have an 11.292 percent chance of survival, rounded of course." she informed.
"No!" Caci turned to face her, "And why are you fighting him!?"
"Because he has interfered with my mission to destroy Triton!" Britannia responded, "Now I'm not going to tell you again, retreat at once!"
"Wait." Splat came up, "You're out to kill Triton?"
"What is it to you?" Britannia said, "Ah.. I remember you from the warehouse." she looked at Splat and Paprika.
"There must be a misunderstanding." Paprika came up, "We're running from the same fiend."
"So, you all are against Triton?" Britannia asked in confusion, "Who are they?" she pointed to Ink's group.
"These are some new guys." Calamaird said, "And I guess we're on the same boat if we're against Triton."
"If we were against Triton in the beginning." Britannia said, "There is no reason to continue fighting, no? It should be time to settle our differences since the fiend is gone."
"Yes." Starly said, "But why were you against Triton?"
"It's a long story." Britannia muttered and commenced to tell them...