Disclaimer: I don't own the BLoSC series or the movie or any of the toy franchise.
Chapter 8
Solar Legacy
I couldn't believe it. How can one inspection took this long to complete?. Brain Pod 32 thought weary.
Arriving at the Z Tower via the transport ship, Brain Pod 32 wheeled out from the entrance doorway and steer himself towards the elevator where a Hornet guard was stationed outside. But before he could go near the elevator, the Hornet stopped him with its blaster on.
"Identification." The Hornet said in an unwelcoming tone. A simple word but with a serious threat behind it.
Brain Pod 32 speculated that the Evil Emperor is out somewhere in space and left the planet on security software to 3.5, the latest update for security defense system. He sighed, worn out from the excursion. I just only want to get some rest before filing in my reports and paper works.
He had hoped that it won't get piled up again on his desk since his absence.
Pulling out the ID strap from his machine body and presented it to the Hornet for verification, Brain Pod 32 wondered how Zyra was doing with her project in his absence.
There's no doubt of her abilities but there are times that she needed more guidance around technological topics to improve better. Sadly, they have to postpone working an agility software few days ago due to the immediate order from the Evil Emperor Zurg. Turns out one of the Brain Pod inspectors in his division got a flu and got carried away to the MedBay area. Which leaves him to do the job since other Brain Pods under him were not available at that time.
He noticed that the Hornet was taking its time scanning his ID.
How long does it take for the Hornet to scan? It's just a piece of plastic with a unique bar-code. The Hornet could have scan the bar-code easily. Was there a protocol that he wasn't aware of?
"Clear. Proceed." Said the Hornet guard, taking a step to the side from the doorway.
Finally.
Entering inside, Brain Pod 32 typed in a series of codes on the mini console and felt the elevator taking him down to the lower levels, where the science bay area was. Since it takes a while for the elevator to reach its destination, he better checked his reports before sending them to the appropriate division.
In his mechanical hands were three tablets with different color coding base from what sector they belong.
The first blue colored report talks about the heavy use of fuel in Sector ten. He added some recommendations to use the fuel efficiently. That way, there will be no waste of precious fuel.
The yellow colored report took him around two days due to the fact it was the huge Hornet factory machine. So many malfunctioned Hornets happened in a year and the maintenance staff didn't do their job very well.
The solution?
Immediate mechanic training sessions and hire more efficient ones to replace the incompetents.
And the last report which is colored red gave him a major headache.
The shipment area from Sector four was packed full of problems. One of their weaponry shipment in the Delta Quadrant was delayed due to the interference of law enforcement; especially by Space Rangers. There will be many set-backs after I clear all of this. It's not good for the Empire to lose such a chance to disrupt the Galactic Alliance's plans.
He still need to come up with the right proposal to encounter such a problem.
DING!
He tucked the three reports inside his personal compartment. The elevator doors opened to a huge hangar area and exited towards the Science Bay Section.
It's good to be back in the labs.
"THIS CALLS FOR A CELEBRATION!" said a muffled cheery voice from the right portion of the bay area.
A celebration?
The source came from behind the doors of Science Bay four. He walked up to it and presented his board membership security card. Once the metallic doors spread out, he cautiously entered the lab and was even more surprised on what he witnessed.
Grubs wearing different kinds of party hats, poppers exploded the Bay area with colorful confettis' and a victory music blared from the sound systems as everyone in the lab dance to their heart's content.
Eyes searching for the head of the staff, he spotted Brain Pod 99 dancing with a Grub.
Whenever he is busy with other work-related tasks, he left the babysitting job to Brain Pod 99. Since 99 became part of his science lab bay division some time ago, the work load diminish surprisingly though only a small portion but it was good enough for him. Diligent and a hard-working fellow.
He approached them from behind.
"The lot of you have been busy while I was gone."
"Oh?! Brain Pod 32!," 99 said, dropping his dance partner to the floor, "You're back!"
The Grub grumbled irritably and walk off to another area.
"How's the trip?" 99 asked.
"Oh…not much of a difference and it's always the same routine." Though Brain Pod 32 appeared composed, his thoughts were a different matter. Except that I'll be spending my days chained to my desk with the work load, he thought. "So what's the occasion?"
"For our Evil Emperor's victory against Star Command, of course! What could be more joyous than that?"
That took him by a surprise. "Really?"
"Really!"
To see his junior happy makes his tired brain alive again. It's better to have staff with good attitude and healthy to balance the work. He knows that it doesn't sound nice since they are working in the Evil industry, but it will do them good to keep them up in spirits to perform their work well.
"I wouldn't celebrate just yet, 99."
The music stopped abruptly. Their attention focused on the little girl seating on the leather movie seat while crossing her arms and glared up on the main computer screen.
"…and welcome back, 32. A lot of stuff had happened while you're gone." Zyra said, without taking her eyes off from the screen.
"But, my lady!" Brain Pod 99 exclaimed, "We finally won. Star Command's finest is no more and there's a chance that Zurg will finally rule the whole galaxy."
She tsked at him.
"It's not that simple." Zyra said, ushering everyone with her left hand to look at the big wide movie screen, "Just watch and listen."
Brain Pod 32 follow suit with everyone else.
From what he is seeing, the brig staff were also celebrating; including the Emperor seating on his throne, chuckling evilly at the holograph form of the Star Cruiser. Bits and pieces of debris from the ship scattered around it and what's left intact was the cockpit with major cracks on its windshield.
"At long last! Victory is within my grasp! Who is the greatest baddie of them all?! That's right! IT'S ZURG, BABY!"
His evil laughter echoed around the brig while the Grubs and Brain Pods were cheering. Suddenly, something flashes beside the camera and the whole view turned to a monitor, blinking like a human heart beat. A Grub wearing a polka-dot party hat went up to the screen and check on it. Soon the Grub's face of happiness turned to a shock of horror.
"Evil Emperor Zurg, we are picking up three life signals from the wreckage."
The camera views the entire staff, pausing on their victory dance and not only that, Brain Pod 32 looked around the Science Bay four and all the lab staff show the same reaction. The Brig Staff's eyes turned towards the Emperor, even he too was shock with the news.
"WHAT?!" Zurg yelled, standing up from his seat.
Which he didn't take the news likely.
"I thought they were finished! Turned to nothing but space dusts!" Zurg asked angrily.
Knowing the fact that there were survivors, the Emperor's sharp talons gripped harder on the armchair like he wanted to squeeze the life out of someone.
The Grub, mostly scared out of his wits, continued.
"Well…umm…sh-should we checked it out?"
"OF COURSE WE SHOULD, YOU IDIOT! Are the systems back online yet?"
With the party over, some Brain Pods scrambled to their stations and the clicking sounds of buttons could be heard but one of their monitors shows an image of the engine system, which had a big red X mark over it.
"No..not..yet, your Evilness.." said a nervous Brain Pod.
"Arghh should have gotten that T-99 power generator on sale day in Trade World…"
Both Grubs and Brain Pods from where they stand in the brig looked at Zurg perplexed. Seeing their reaction, Zurg covered his grilled mouth with a fake cough while getting his composure back.
"Uh..i mean…YES! This is ALL part of my plan," he said, standing in a triumphant pose, "Even the explosion! With that high level energy blast, it will disrupt their cruisers for us to take over!"
Zurg let out an evil laugh and that the entire brig staff followed suit but with uncertainty.
Brain Pod 32 wasn't sure if that was what the Evil Emperor intended to do. That kind of energy could blast the Dreadnaught to another dimension with the right amount of arcadium fuel line control. In fact, even his daughter wouldn't believe it; her face says it all. Milady Zyra sports a deadpan look with a deep frown towards the Evil Emperor, her own father.
Sometimes he questions where she truly get her intelligence from. Definitely someone far more evil than Zurg in the Z family lineage. But he'll keep in mind to keep his opinions to himself less having the same fate of one who is foolish enough to ask his Emperor's IQ status.
"Now…STOP LAUGHING AND GET BACK TO YOUR STATIONS!" The Evil Emperor bellowed, "Send any functional Hornets to the site and other Star Cruisers! Search those pesky rangers and take them in as prisoners. I want them grovel for their lives as I torture them to oblivion!"
Images of Hornet silhouettes appeared in all monitors.
One monitor showed a side hatch of the ship and squadrons of Hornets blasted off to where the debris of the Pulsar Cannon and the Star Cruiser 42 were as well as other Star Cruiser ships.
"And this, my brainiac scientists," Zyra said while laying back further in her comfy seat, "Is where fate would decide the true victor."
Bzzt!
…
The annoying buzzing sound almost awakened her from her slumber. What is that noise?
…
Bzzzt!
…
There it is again. I couldn't pin point its location. Everything is still foggy.
...
…Young, one. …
…
Hello? Is someone there?
…
Through her blurry vision, there was someone in front of her. A well-dressed old man, baring the crest in his robe of someone whom she once served under, calling out to her.
You need to wake up…your friends are in danger…
…
…
Bzzzt! Bzzzt!
…
…
Bzzt Bzzzt! Bzzzt! Bzzzzt!
…
"…argh…" someone groaned from her left side.
Fully awake, the noise became clear as her eyes opened to see a half torn pilot chair and blinked. What had she been doing before she dozed off? Suddenly, memories flooded her mind as she snapped back to alertness.
An Invasion.
Enemy ships were retaliating.
She and her team stopped the cannon from firing.
THE EXPLOSION!
Captain Luna took a look around and everything around her were in shambles. The windshields were cracked like a spider's web, wires tangled on the side, slight sparks from the monitors, pieces of dashboard parts on the floor and a Mahambas hula doll broken in half from the middle. She tried to shift around but it seems that something trapped her down to the floor.
"I'm..alive...?"
She couldn't believe that she could survive the blast.
The feel of metal as she tried to identify the foreign object with her free hand and another clicks of buttons pressed in the process. It was the ceiling control board.
It must have fell down from the blast.
Slowly, she crawled out from the board and assess herself for any injuries. Her entire space suit is in a poor condition, covered with scratches and bruised but so far no fatal injuries. Her laser equipped wrist guard was broken so she remove them and placed it on the side. There are a few gashes on her arms.
"Bronx? Tobias?"
Captain Luna strained her ears, listening for any sounds coming from her teammates.
But no such responses.
Alright, time to search for the two.
Knowing that Tobias was the one closest to her before the blast, she looked around the pilot area and saw a yellow tail curled under a pile of debris.
Immediately, she knelt down and gather the broken pieces of the metal away despite her arms ached a little from the gashes.
Once the debris clear out, Tobias is in sight but unconscious; if his reptile spots say so. His species have a unique ability to tell the health condition to one another based of the color of their spots. His spots are light blue in color, which means that he is a state of unconsciousness.
At least it's not red. Most of his elders died from old age so it would be rare to see anyone with a red colored spots in their planet, red meant "close to death". She pulled Tobias out and lay him on the side where no shrapnels of metal around.
I know that Bronx was somewhere near the side control panel. Trekking through where sparks coming from the fallen wires above, she spotted Bronx's body near the damaged transport chute. Captain Luna rushed towards him and perform first aid. Checking a pulse from his wrist, then his eyes which were dilated a little and his breathing patterns were normal.
"Oh thank Venus, they're both okay," she said.
Bzzt! Bzzzt!
"Co…in….2!...D…o…..rea…..me…!"
It's the noise from earlier but she can almost hear the words and a familiar voice, coming from one of the video screens which she was glad that it didn't get destroyed.
Standing up, she walked slowly to the side panel's vid screen and pressed the button.
Bzzzt!
"Co…Come in, 42! Do you copy?"
The screen was still black that it didn't show the image of the person. Lucky for her, she can recognize the voice who belongs to a man few years younger than her.
"Hear you loud and clear, Corporal."
"Heavens to Betsy! You're alive!" he said dubiously.
"Yeah, I knew that there's a slim chance for our survival but it's a miracle that we made it through."
Corporal chuckled and said, "Hope the Commander wouldn't blow a fuse on that successful suicidal plan of yours. How are Ranger Bronx and Ranger Tobias' conditions?"
Captain Luna replied, "There both alright. Unconscious but their injuries are not life-threatening."
"Phew…that's good news," he said
"But more importantly, what's the status on all Star Cruisers?"
"All comms are still intact. The energy blast only shut down our systems temporarily," Corporal grimaced, "We won't be moving for a while."
"Blast! Any sign of Zurg's forces?" Captain Luna asked.
"They're the same boat as ours. Leaders from all Cruisers are still on high alert in case Zurg might launch an attack again once the power lines are on."
"We need to regroup and send the injured to Star Command for –"
"Sorry to interrupt you two," a female voice took over the communication, "but we have a serious situation. Incoming enemy squadrons from the mother ship!"
Hornets?! Captain Luna ran, almost flew across the brig and her eyes focus on the viewing windows where she saw groups of Hornets spreading out towards the other Star Cruisers and to her general area.
"Corporal!" she yelled.
"I'm on it! ALL UNITS PREPARE FOR CLOSE QUARTER COMBAT!" Corporal yelled.
As multiple footsteps could be heard from the other line, she readied her trusty lasso the only weapon she had and exit the brig to the attached emergency hatch. Activating her space bubble, Captain Luna opened the lid with her bare hands and a scene of blackness with twinkling lights.
"Here goes nothing."
She hopped out through the hatch and used her jet pack to fly over on the top of the cockpit as hordes of Hornets were coming in her way. Captain Luna pressed a button of her lasso and it glowed gold with light yellow energy around it and she lashed out her lasso to the nearest Hornet; successfully it hooked the leg.
She swiftly brought the Hornet around in a full circle like a Galaxian Champion Toss before she aimed it to the other Hornets as they slammed to each other and exploded to pieces.
From a distance, she could see other Star Cruisers were engaging with the robot army valiantly. Corporal and his team were trying to blast as many Hornets as they can.
Reeling in her lasso for another attack, another group appeared after the first were destroyed. Some have already landed on the hull and Captain Luna kicks her feet, dove under a Hornet and deliver a right swing punch to a Hornet's chassis. She jumped back to give herself some advantage of space as few enemies were slowly surrounding her.
When will this ever end. She can't fight while protecting what's left of her Star Cruiser where her comrades were in a defenseless state. Few blasts passed by her as she dodges and lasso again on the Hornet and slammed it to the other.
The only thing that she can do is to make sure that not the entire Hornet armada flooded her out and to avoid being captured by Zurg.
A Hornet dropped down behind her and it was about to blast her when she tugged the end of her lasso and form it to a loop as she twists around catching the Hornet by a surprise. Latching on behind its knees, she pulled the lass towards her and the Hornet fell down.
Captain Luna could feel her wounds burning from using her muscles too much. Form her right side, a Hornet lunges and tried to grab her by the arm but she distracted it with a full right knee uppercut with force to its robot head, knocking it off from its body.
Her half functioned space suit indicated that her body temperature increases despite the coldness of space, making her every move sluggish after kicking a Hornet from diving straight to her.
A fever? At the time like this?!
This must be the result after working for thirty six hours straight. She should have heed the advice from one of the LGMs to take a break once in a while. But how can she rest when there are lives at stake.
For the past three weeks, crimes from robbery, hi-jacking and money profiteering have sky-rocketed across the galaxy, leaving everybody in the barracks no time to rest or take a power nap as they were dispatched immediately to where the crime took place.
It becomes a bit harder to balance and she closed her eyes, almost submerging herself in her tiredness.
But she dodged to the right, just in time to evade another blast.
Captain Luna ducked down from another enemy fire, almost lost her footing from the fever dizziness. With the last of her strength, she made a huge lasso loop and gather all the Hornets on the hull and throw them out to the other group of Hornets, decimating the majority of the robot army.
She slowly let go of her lasso as her arms felt to her side, aching and burning from extreme fatigue.
Just…a few…Hornets left. They were swarming around her like hungry sharks out in the open sea.
Panting harshly from using most of her energy to defend, she looked up to where the Dreadnaught was. This made her clenched her hands so hard that her skin might tear from the pressure. No…I won't give up that easily. The thought of surrendering is out of the question.
Taking a stand with determination, Captain Luna becomes more firm in her stance and readied herself for a hand to hand combat when suddenly…
She felt a slight distortion from her far left side and saw a shining glint of a star. Captain Luna squinted at the direction. The shining glint turned into a shaped of a space ranger riding a space bike. Whoever was riding it started shooting at the other Hornets where Star Cruiser 16 and 34 were.
Blasting each and every Hornet while saving other Rangers who are having a rough time to subdue the robot army, the rider turned left and it headed straight towards her.
She can clearly see the physical appearance of the rider. A well-built muscular human and he has a larger-than-average chin with a characteristic swirl. He hovered above them and had his laser out at the Hornet group.
"By the authority of Star Command," the young man said, "I ordered you to stop this pursuit of invasion. We will take this the easy way or the hard way."
Hornets deviate their attention from her and aim their blasters at the new comer.
NO! The rookie won't stand a chance against all of them. She tried to speak out to warn the young man but what he did next amazed her. Sounds of engines came from above as the young man dived down towards the Hornets while they fire at him.
Her eyes widen as two Hornets in the ship's hull were pointing their blasters at the young man. Not on my watch. Captain Luna cartwheeled herself towards them and slammed both of their heads together while she ripped off the blaster arm, rewired it and fired at the other Hornets to give leverage for the young man. Once the ground threats were neutralized, she threw away the robot arm and checked up on the rookie.
He smoothly dodged each enemy fire and sped past through while laser blast them from his bike, destroying them in the process. Landing on Star Cruiser 42's hull, he dusted off some robot dusts from his uniform.
"Always the latter option with most criminals these days." he said.
She took a good look at the young man who save her life. His face looks familiar to her.
He got off from his bike and approach her, "Buzz Lightyear, at your service."
Lightyear..Lightyear..ah, that's right. It was the time when she skimmed through the new rookie files while waiting for Tobias and Bronx for a brief meeting. He is the other rookie who ranked first in the entrance exam, scored higher than the others in the physical exams and written exam portion.
She'll never forget someone like him, a high achiever just like herself. It's possible that maybe he might be the one.
"Thanks…for saving my hide," she said, her breath rasped in her throat. Knowing that everything is alright, she lay flat on the hull with a thud that spooked the young ranger to action.
"Ma'am?!" he yelled, as he approach her urgently. She nonchalantly wave him with her right bruised arm.
"Don't sweat it, kid…Just…tired…over…exhaust myself. Give me few minutes to rest and i'll be up and about. "Captain Luna replied, "You're good out there, Rookie. The name's Stellaris Luna."
"You mean…you're THE Stellaris Luna?" he said excitedly while sitting down by her side, "I always looked up to you back when I was at the Academy."
"Good to know…that I can inspire people like you, Lightyear."
Instantaneously, cheers were heard all around as several Star Cruisers finished off the rest of the Hornets and the retreating form of the Dreadnaught along with few star crafts gave a huge relief in her heart. It was a stressful but a success on their part to delay their invasion to Capital Planet.
While the LGMs check each Star Cruiser for repairs of their short-circuited engines, a medic ship arrived to where Buzz and Captain Luna stand-by and quickly two medics disembarked to aid the wounded Captain but she stopped them.
"No, your first priority are the two men inside the hull. They are in need of medical assistance than me. That's an order."
The medics look at each other and nodded as they enter inside Star Cruiser 42 hull.
"Ranger Luna!"
A young deputy officer exited from the medic shuttle and headed towards her.
He saluted at the Captain, "Ma'am, due to power failure back at Star Command, Commander Nebula wishes to speak to you through the portable communication tablet," the young deputy brought out said device and proceed to enter codes to the communication line.
Commander Nebula appeared on the small screen, "Well done, Ranger Luna and your team. I have doubts but you never cease to amaze me."
"Thank you, sir. I –"
"BUT NEVER DO THAT AGAIN, RANGER! You almost gave me a heart attack with your crazy stunt."
"Oh alright, sir." she said while leaning towards Buzz's side, "only if it's truly necessary." She whispered as Buzz slightly smile at that.
"What was that?!" Commander Nebula asked.
"Nothing, sir. It won't happen again." Now she feels like Tobias when he messes around with the officers.
"AND AS FOR YOU!"
His direct attention was on Buzz Lightyear, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights.
This intrigues her.
Why chew out the rookie? The guy hasn't done anything but help them in the battle. Truthfully, there are rookies who are full of themselves with arrogance just because they got in on the Space Ranger program. But it doesn't mean not all of them are bad, just misguided.
Though…the way the commander's face is showing, she could be wrong.
"We still need to talk about your "over-the-line" conduct in arrests as well as your AWOL status when you were supposed to be on patrol duty that day you left. Do you have ANY idea how many paper works to be done to settle all of that?!"
Yeah, definitely not good. But she is still willing to defend his honor despite all what had said. He is still rookie and there is a lot of time for him to mature and develop better.
This will be the only one time that she'll ever overwrite her own code of conduct. Sigh…what would Tobias and Bronx think of their leader who is always a stickler for rules and regulations breaking the protocol for a sake of a Rookie.
Captain Luna immediately intervened before it gets out of hand.
"Commander, permission to speak," she added, "I know that the rookie did was something that needs to be dealt with harshly going by the regulation from the basic alpha rules. But he has shown courage just like our men out there, risking their lives for the galaxy's protection. I'm willing to vouch for him if this get into the courts. Even if I'll stake my name and title for it. In Juran honor and as a Space Ranger Captain."
I apologize for putting you in a tight situations before and this, Commander, but i can't let you pull out a possible candidate once i retire.
Commander Nebula almost slap his face down, "Fine. I will look over with this one. This ONE time only." Commander Nebula replied and stare dead in the eye with Buzz Lightyear, "But it doesn't mean that you're off the hook yet. You still need to settle it the legal way. However, you have my utmost gratitude. If you haven't made it in time, we would have lost our fellow rangers." He saluted at them.
"Thank you, sir!" they both said at the same time and return the salute.
"Now get some rest. You both deserve it," the screen went off and the deputy officer rushed back to his Star Command issued bike to deliver the machine to other Star Cruisers.
"Thanks for trying to help." Buzz said
"No problem, Rookie. You still got a lot to learn."
Looking at the young man beside her, she has seen his potential from the small farce. It's almost as if the young man is like her in a way, she can't explain why. But her mind started to hatch a plan as she spoke.
"Hey, I have an idea. How would you like to be my apprentice?"
The young man's eyes lit up like Christmas lights.
"You...you really mean that?"
"Yeah, I could see a bright future for you and you're amazing at both combat and tactics. Though it needs a little more training. I'm sure with my guidance, you'll be the next galactic hero that the whole galaxy needs."
She got the feeling that the future is in good hands. Maybe it's time for her to leave her legacy to the next generation, starting with her new apprentice. He'll have to overcome a lot of obstacles if he has what it takes to be a better, top notched Space Ranger.
"It would be my honor to accept your proposal, Ma'am."
She laughed a little, "Enough with the formalities, kid. You can just call me Luna."
Author's Note: Action scenes are really not my thing but i'm glad that you guys still love it. This is an updated chapter (March 24, 2020)
Another note, Thank you for your time to read this fanfic of mine! Tune in on the next update.