Disclaimer: I don't own the BLoSC series or the movie. Enjoy.
Chapter 6
Know Your Enemy
"You can do this. Just follow what she says and you won't get into trouble," the Brain Pod gulped in fear, "I hope."
Apprehensive, he put down the vials of blue liquid to the test tube rack and mustered enough courage to walk up to his supervisor, while passing by incubator tubes filled with horsemen specimens.
He didn't know where did the Emperor get those but it's not his place to ask, though they are creepy looking with almost a skeletal body. The Brain Pod in question was busy monitoring the crystallic cell generator when he tap on his shoulder, getting his attention.
"Huh? What? What is it, Brain Pod 88?" asked the supervisor.
"I know that we are in a tight schedule but I was asked by the other division to deliver his personal screwdriver," Brain Pod 88 said, showing the tattered metallic case containing the screwdriver.
"That so? And what division?" he asked
"The Engineer department." Brain Pod 88 replied.
"Obviously." he eye-rolled at that phrase, "but be right back after you are done and do be careful on that area. I heard that you'll get burns from the hot metal pipes."
Brain Pod 88 cringed at the last part. He knows this base from the reports of several Grubs affected with first degree burns. Poor little fellas.
"Noted, sir." said Brain Pod 88.
His supervisor returned back to observing the generator while Brain Pod 88 exited the lab. The long corridor outside the lab is creepy, dark and a little chilly due to the freezing degrees of space. He thanked the heavens for heat ceiling lamps as he makes his way to his destination.
He knew the moment Brain Pod 99 and the princess share the same glint, a hint of mischief, he got caught up in their plan. And now, this minimal mission which she calls it, made his body quivered in agitation.
Passing by door after door until he reached the Engineer Division. Inside said room, Grubs were wearing their hard shell helmets and Brain Pods checking each section of the engines, making sure that no leaks or damages.
His supervisor was telling the truth, the compact engine room is literally a sad compilation of broken metal walls from the pressure, pipes everywhere, on the ceiling and on the side. Not to mention, the hot air from the steam pipe lines were burning hot that even a slight touch of the pipes would burn the skin.
Hornet guards stationed at every corner of the room. Some turned towards him menacingly.
Brain Pod 99 chuckled nervously, "Don't mind me. I'm just here to deliver."
Slowly and carefully going through the given pathway, he still couldn't shake off the feeling of being stared at by the Hornet Guards.
Trying to find his colleague, he almost hit his brain dome on one of the random pipes that are simply out of place until Brain Pod 88 was able to find his pal, who is working on the pipes.
Heavy grunts were heard.
Though he appeared at his side, he doesn't seem to realize that there's another shadow beside him.
"psst..buddy!" Brain Pod 88 whispered softly.
"Who-? OUCH!" The Brain Pod got up quickly and bumped his brain dome on one of the pipes. Brain Pod 88 hurriedly went to his side and used the protocol for first aid.
If shaking his buddy by the shoulders is part of the protocol.
"OH MY GOSH! Are you alright?! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do that."
"Stop shaking me, 88!" the Brain Pod yelled and slapped the arms away, "how many times have i told you to use the knocking Morse code while i am working!"
"Sorry again!" Brain Pod 88 replied, "But I manage to get your tool." He handed over the case to the Brain Pod. He opened the case and took out his trusty tool.
"Finally, you have no idea how hard it is to fix the loose knobs on these blasted pipes." He said, while nursing his head dome.
The Brain Pod was about to say his thanks when he noticed the strange-looking emblem on Brain Pod 88. Sigh...not you too...He hummed in understanding.
"Ah..i see what's going here."
"What?" Brain Pod 88 looked down in panic and frantically covered the emblem, "Oh you mean this? Its just a new fashion trend, courtesy of the friend i know from the other sector and..and-"
"Stop mumbling, 88."
Brain Pod 88 paused.
"Don't worry your little noggin. I am familiar with that technology, that belongs to the princess, isn't?"
"You..you knew?" Brain Pod 88 asked.
The Brain Pod nodded, "Of course I knew. I've been working on that particular lab for years now before I got reassigned to the ship's division."
Oh…right... Brain Pod 88 sweat-dropped.
"Let me guess, she has something for you to do for her?" The other Brain Pod asked.
Brain Pod 88 can no longer deny the truth and he softly said "yes".
"Well, whatever she has in mind, you better do it fast," the Brain Pod got up from the ground and dust off the ink dusts, "I had experienced this before, something to do with bribing the chefs to give up some portion of the shrimp popcorn for the little miss."
"Really?" Brain Pod 88 was shook. It was no wonder that there was a shortage of that specific gourmet food the other day. But since no one knew who was the culprit, they leave it be. And now he knows who, he highly doubts that he'll be left alone, less the princess threatens him to not say a word.
"Yup, but you have to leave now. One of my supervisors is doing a routine check on all staff members. Apparently someone smuggle a defector in this room and they have strict regulations from then on."
"Oh! That explains why there are many Hornet Guards around here."
"Yes yes yes. Now, use this passage. It's less troublesome that way."
He lightly pushed Brain Pod 88 towards the path he directed.
His buddy was right.
It was much more easy for him to move around and found himself already at the door. Who knew there were others like him doing such minimal tasks for the Emperor's daughter.
He had heard stories about the girl when he started working for the Emperor few years ago.
When the princess was eighth months old, she was already mimicking strings of syllables from listening on the conversation of the Grubs or Brain Pods around her. Once the Emperor knew about it, he made sure that everyone would keep their mouth shuts about any offensive words like curses.
Unfortunately, the poor soul of a Grub accidentally hit his toe on a metal box and shouted "Craters!" within the vicinity of the baby's hearing and she mimicked it. What a terrible feeling to be that Grub. No one ever saw that Grub again. Probably sent off to the torture chambers.
Or the other time when she started her education lessons with Brain Pod 32, the older staff would often gather to watch her progress.
From what he was told, the young Zyra doesn't mind the on-lookers. However, if she sees someone who interests her, she watches them like a hawk with too intelligent eyes before approaching them with a plan in mind. It was never the ones with bitter personality, she carefully selected her targets and used her adorable charm to get what she wants from them.
A master mind of manipulation at such a young age. He couldn't suppress the shiver crawling all over his spine.
She is truly the daughter of the most Evil villain in the whole galaxy.
Moving through the halls, passing by the "Z" banners on each metal beam pillars, and finally arrive at the entrance to the Control Room. Brain Pod 88 entered through the purple metallic door, while calming down his nerves.
Situated near the middle of the room was the holographic dome projector machine and numerous monitor stations for Grubs and Brain Pods around it.
There, in front of his brainiac eyes, lies the throne chair of the Evil Emperor Zurg, and saw the gray clawed hand tapping impatiently on the metal armrest.
This is probably a bad time. He finishes rehearsing the words that he is supposed to say in his mind and take a deep breath.
Okay.
Alright, you can do this.
He moved towards the side of the throne and froze in his place.
He started to regret taking this mission.
His will was iced from the cold dark expression, the fury from the Emperor's eyes were so intense, he wanted to get away from the tension as fast as he can. Though the Emperor's line of focus was at the incoming battle in front of the ship, it made Brain Pod 88 more nervous because the Emperor's tapping suddenly increases, out of irritation.
Brain Pod 88 tightened his claws, to break the nervousness away. Here goes, nothing.
"E..ex..excuse me, your Evilness?" Braid Pod 88 asked anxiously.
The sounds of tapping metal stopped midway and Zurg turned his attention to the Brain Pod, his eyes glowing red.
"What is it now, Brain Pod?" Zurg asked gravely.
"…umm…I…" the words were stuck in his esophagus and couldn't muster to say anymore due to the tensed aura surrounding the Emperor's. Zurg didn't seem to appreciate the Brain Pod's expression of fear right now, since he loves to place fear on his minions, because his frown became more severe.
"WELL?!" Zurg boomed, balling his clawed hand into a fist and slammed on the armrest.
"EEP! Iwasmeaningtoaskifyouwouldallowmeto-" he couldn't help but mumbled the mash-up words together.
"Speak slowly, pod!," the booming voice of command silenced the jabbering Brain Pod, "I can't understand the word you're saying."
"Myapolo- ahem..," Brain Pod 88 coughed, "m..my apologies, Evil Emperor. I was saying that if you will permit me on behalf of the Science division to watch this battle?" said the now shaken Brain Pod 88.
"Watch the battle? What kind of a request is that?"
"I..IT'S for research purposes! By studying their weaponry system, we can build one of our own to add on our attack ships, My Emperor." Brain Pod replied. At least he was able to read her lines, though butchered up a little from his fear of what the Emperor will do to him.
He could see the Emperor tapping again on his armrest, before making his verdict, "That could work for my next set of plans. Why...That's a brilliant plan! Why didn't I thought of that?"
Phew. That was a close one. He couldn't believe that it actually works.
Zurg glance his way, "Anyways, you have my approval," before staring again at the enemy fleet, "Now scram! And leave me to my evil thoughts." Zurg gestured the Brain Pod with a hand to the front portion of the room.
"Thank you, Your Evilness." Brain Pod 88 bowed before the Emperor and used the ramp down to the staff section and observe the upcoming battle from the glass windows.
He laughed vaguely to himself.
I'm alive. I'M ALIVE!
Brain Pod 88 ignored his fellow species who were giving him weird looks of his happy expression. He brought out his pad and pen to start writing down his observations while pressing the side button of the spy camera, to signal the little girl that he was able to do his part of the mission.
"Evil Emperor Zurg, the hyper matter particles are at full capacity," said a Grub from his side.
"Excellent! Prepare for hyperspace!" Zurg commanded.
Brain Pod 88 heard the roar of the thrusters outside the ship and he held tight on the monitor in front of him, preparing himself for travelling at high speed.
It's almost over. The rush of adrenaline was too much for him. He needs to take a high grade drink after this.
Back at the Zurg Tower, specifically at the Science Bay 4.
"With this, we have the front row seat to ourselves and watch in comfort." Zyra said.
Zyra and Brain Pod 99 were seating on reclining chairs, custom made with cup holders and leather soft armrests. The main computer was transformed into a home movie theater with red velvet screens on the side. A Grub delivered her a bucket of the food that she had always wanted to try since watching the first series episode.
Shrimp Popcorn.
Which she had a Brain Pod to bribe the chefs with uni-bucks to get the food stash from her father. She couldn't believe her father was stingy enough to not allow her to have one. Always saying that it's not good for little girls her age to eat. She doesn't even see him eat those around her! It's kind of sad, really. Most of her meal times were spent alone on the long extravagant table while her father was busy working or doing some diabolical plans.
Sorry to burst your bubble, father. But this girl gets what she wants, whenever she wants. Zyra thought, stuffing some shrimp popcorn to her mouth and sigh in bliss of the juicy tender taste of it.
But it did confirm her theory of her father not being a robot at all. How else can he eat this stuff, a sure sign that he is organic.
Darn. She wished that Zurg's powers would passed on to her if he is really techno organic. But that doesn't mean to disregard her mother's genes, it makes her feel more human that way, close to her humanity side. Zyra wondered if she will develop powers like her father's laser vision or something but they could come from his robot helmet not his genes.
Beside her, Brain pod 99 was sitting uncomfortably and she thought that maybe leather and metal don't co-exist together until he spoke.
"Is this really alright for me to relax with you, princess? It seems improper for an employee of this division to take part in on this occasion." Brain Pod 99 asked.
"Sure, you can. Take this as an award for your hard work." After all, this is her plan to cement the relationships with the people who worked for her and psychologically, train their feeble minds to know who is the boss if her father is not around. That way, it will be close to a hundred percent of loyalty, benefits not only to her but to her future loyal servants as well. How deviously evil she is. All thanks to all the villain movies she watched.
"Oh! Thank you, my lady! I will forever be in your debt." Said Brain Pod 99, taking a sip from a soda, the straw was long enough to insert the small mouth compartment and entered inside his glass brainiac dome.
Zyra finds it fascinating and weird about the logic of cartoons like how come the water inside the dome didn't flow out through the straw. But that is not of her concern now.
Her focus now is on the screen. She received the signal from Brain Pod 88 and the screen showed variety colors of lights, indicating that they were in the midst of faster-than-light method of travel. It's so mesmerizing to watch it up close. Then the lights faded and lo' and behold.
In front of her father's attack fleet were twenty Star Command Star Cruisers in defense formation, almost shielding the famous Star Command space station and Capital Planet.
While they are outnumbered to Zurg's attack ships by ten, but that won't too obvious. It takes strategy and skills to win this battle, even with few attack pawns to use. It's like a game of chess, placing your players on the board where you want them to be and choosing the right moves to reach the goal line of victory. She knew that Star Command would never start the fight.
Their job is to defend from the attacks of the invaders.
The Evil attacks while The Good defends. She thought. The same old Good versus Evil mojo.
But there is one ship that got most of her attention. By using the wireless computer mouse, which still exists in this universe, on top of her tray pad and double click on the image to zoom in.
Like looking on the famous toy figurine in its display case, a number insignia reflect a shine from the Capital Planet's sun, surrounded by the wings of Star Command design.
I should have known that this one is part of the enemy fleet.
42
It's always that double-digit number. The lucky number of the pride of Star Command. However, if Buzz is still out there, a ranger gone rogue, who is manning the Star Cruiser 42?
"99, Do you have any information on that cruiser?" Zyra asked, pointing at the lead enemy cruiser.
Brain Pod 99 glance at the screen, " Ah, yes. That would be one of Star Command's best team. Annoying pests, they always wreck your father's plan and making us Brain Pods do all the clean-up." He huffed angrily.
"Who is in-charge of it?"
"Let's see...ummm...i believe the one piloting that ship is Stellaris Luna. A justice fanatic type of person," Brain Pod 99 said, as he brought out a data pad, entering some codes and hand it over to her to read.
These were articles and some biographies about the current team of cruiser 42.
She glimpse at the data sheet and read them in silent.
~0~0~
Name: Tobias Repio
Species: Lizarian, known for thoughtlessly rushing into battle.
Academic achievements: Graduated at ranked eighth during his Academy years despite receiving most unfavorable remarks during the training and classes.
~0~0~
Name: Bronx Cossette
Species: Human from Capital Planet
Academic achievements: Ranked sixth during his Academy years and his motto is "Keep Striving for a Better Future."
~0~0~
The next article talks about their captain and this interests her more than the other two. Zyra has to know her enemies, their skills and weakness. Most especially, the leader of the current Star Cruiser 42.
~0~0~
Name: Stellaris Luna
Species: Juranian
Academic achievement: Number one top student in the Academy
Biography: She use to serve as one of the holy Juran Knights before she joined the Academy and Star Command. Chosen by King Canis II of her home planet, Juran, to lead the defense and repel Zurg forces from entering the cold country at a young age.
Once she turn over her leadership mantle of knighthood to the next successor, the King gifted her a gold lasso, made entirely out of energy with a metal grip to hold it in place and she signed up on the Space Ranger to achieve her goal.
~0~0~
Zyra gets it why 99 called her a justice fanatic. So she is like the total package of a Space Knight and a Space Ranger?. This woman proves to be dangerous. A possible major threat than Buzz Lightyear.
This team…could they be the predecessors of Buzz Lightyear, since he inherited Cruiser 42 in the future? If that is true, then what has become of them? She felt a static lightning passing through her mind when the full dawn of realization came to her. What if…?. Maybe the reason that they were never heard or spoken about again was something happened to them on this battle.
What if this is the part where they met their terrible fates?
If that happens, well, all least it will solve her worries about facing this kind of people.
But just in case, she'll hack the system again to view their background stories and details. It's best to know your enemy beforehand, who knows, maybe she might fight them later on if they survive this.
"Your highness, sorry to interrupt your thoughts, but i think the show is about to begin," said Brain Pod 99.
She glanced up from the pad and smirked, "Indeed it is."
The two army size fleets were changing their formations, ready to strike each other at any moment.
Would father be actually be able to win this skirmish after several attempts of assaulting Star Command? She highly doubts it but the watching two fleets charge at each other like watching Star Wars epic space battles will be entertaining.
Her expectations of the battle were not high or low, just average in between. She doesn't want to be disappointment with the end results.
This will be awesome. It will be more awesome if she gets another batch of shrimp popcorn, she almost ate all of it.
"Grub! Go get me more of this!"
Now, how will this batch of Space Rangers fare in a battle against Zurg?
Somewhere in the Gamma Quadrant, a built in space prison inside an asteroid with three defense towers stationed at the deep dark purple space.
A huge sign engraved on the entrance doors titled "PC-6".
The prison planetoid keeps the most wanted criminals imprisoned while serving their sentence in their cells. In the hangar area where captured prisoners were being transported to the facility, the muscular-fit warden was talking to a young-looking Space Ranger.
"Thanks to your efforts, Ranger," said the warden, "We won't be able to get this much evidence against the so-called gas baron for extortion illegal arcadium gas supply and harassing those folks." The warden shook hands with the ranger.
"It's not a problem, Warden. Just doing my job as a Space Ranger."
Suddenly, they heard shouts of protest from their side and watched a well-built man with slicked back platinum blond hair and stylish goatee in prison-issued orange jumpsuit stomping towards them but the Star Command Security droids grabbed hold on his chains.
"You'll pay for this!" said the prisoner.
"I like to see you try, Vartkes. You will never again prey on those family ever again." said the Space Ranger.
The security bots escorted Vartkes along with his two lackeys but not before he cursed at the ranger.
"This won't be the last time you see me. Mark my words, once i get out of here, i'm gunning in for you, Buzz Lightyear!" his loud yells echoed around the transport tunnel as the metallic doors closed behind them with a green lit for tight seal.
Buzz sighed in relief.
He was happy to be back in his Space Ranger suit and he has a lot to make up with his mistakes, especially to the Commander. He is still angry with how the Supreme Court proceed with the execution of judgement. It was obvious the criminal he brought in had the illegal plasma canon firearm in his possession.
But after staying away for a month, he was able to clear his mind and thanks to a certain kid he met, it gave him a new found meaning of what it takes to be a Space Ranger.
"WARDEN! SIR!" A deputy officer in green space suit rushed towards the warden.
"What is it, officer?" asked the warden.
"Sir, I receive a report that Zurg's forces is engaging Star Command on their turf!"
"WHAT?!" Both the warden and Buzz exclaimed loudly.
"Then there's no time to lose," Buzz activated his air helmet bubble and run towards his space bike and zoomed out from the hangar, launching himself to space. Out of all the times when he is not there to help his fellow rangers, Zurg, the sworn enemy of the Galactic Alliance made his move on Star Command.
To be honest, he has never encountered the fiend because he was always stuck on rookie patrol duty on Capital Planet. This is getting him excited, who knows what kind of battle rush he'll experience but he will aid his comrades to defeat Evil once in for all.
Now, he can finally get to use his catchphrase that he thought of when he was a child, whose dreams became a reality. The words that filled him with courage and strength to overcome the odds.
"To infinity and Beyond!"
He skyrocketed through space, leaving a trail of parted space dusts behind.
Author's Note: If anyone is wondering, PC-7 is introduced as a new prison station mentioned in "Taking of PC-7" episode. So i thought that there might be an old prison station before it.
Anyways, thanks for all of your reviews and interest in this fanfiction. This is an updated chapter (March 24, 2020) Tune in on the next chapter of Purple Flame.