Stranded on a Tiny Planet

Despite the pain, Merco tried to maintain an urgent pace toward Anashee. Pixie could tell he was struggling though. She kept telling him to stop or asked him if he was ok but he stubbornly kept going. If what she said was true and the other mercenary had found Anashee, he couldn’t waste any time. Though he didn’t know the mercenary’s intentions he could only guess they were not friendly or benevolent to the little Ansheetans. He only hoped he wouldn’t be too late.

As he could visually see the arc of mountains that surrounded Anashee he heard the distinct cracking sound of an energy projectile being fired. His heart skipped a beat as his head perked.

“What was that?” Pixie asked from his shoulder.

“We need to hurry.” Merco said, hopping a bit to gain some momentum to jog.

But when he tried to go faster his injured body protested with harsh painful lightning across his nerves. He grunted and stumbled, falling to his knees.

Pixie yelped, flew up off of his shoulder, and over his head. Merco’s face was tightly scrunched with a pained expression as he tried to subdue the pain stabbing through him.

“Merco? Are you all right?” Pixie cried out with concern.

He breathed heavily but didn’t answer her. The answer was “no” but he was determined to not convince himself to give up. Again, he forced himself to stand. His torso was wracked with burning pain. Pixie darted around him in an anxious manner. She kept protesting his forcible resolve to get to Anashee but he tuned it out. The last time he had to force himself through this much pain was during the war with half of his arm blown off. That was worse than this, but he was tougher, younger man back then.

Merco kept going with Pixie trailing close by. It wasn’t until he exited the forest and neared the “gate” to the Anashee valley that the silence was shattered by a loud [BOOM!] Both Merco and Pixie jerked with shock. The hairs on the back of Merco’s neck prickled with familiarity.

That wasn’t an energy projectile...that sounded like a bomb.

“No...no nonono.” Merco shook his head anxiously as he hobbled on.

When they were very near the outer rock gate they saw a huge crowd of Ansheetans gathered there. A group of EFP members appeared from over the rocky border; Coroc and Anu among them.

Anu flew down to him quickly, “Merco! He’s within the city walls! He’s by the Temple!”

Merco’s face scrunched with concern in his eyes. Though the group of Ansheetans outside the valley was indeed numerous it wasn’t the entirety of the population.

“Is this all there is?” he asked.

Coroc gestured to them, “These are the ones who fled the city after the Third Tower was attacked. There are many more in the First and Second. But these evacuees have said the mercenary deployed those stun devices we faced earlier. Many were paralyzed and are still in Anashee.”

The man nodded, listening carefully, “He’s probably wanting to collect a few of you if he’s using stun disks.”

“What does he want with us?” Pixie asked.

“Probably thinks you’re worth something to others outside this planet. Money is the major motivator for guys in his line of work. Otherwise, he’d just be killing you for fun.”

Coroc nodded, “I’ve sent several scouts along the perimeter. They are awaiting my command. What do you want us to do?”

Merco’s eyes wandered slowly as he thought, “If I go through that gate he’s going to see me...and he’ll probably shoot me on sight. I don’t know what he is, but I can almost bet he’s going to use a weapon before he fights me hand to hand.” He sighed, “And I don’t think he’ll let me get close enough to use this knife.”

“You need a distraction.” Coroc concluded.

“Maybe...” Merco was still trying to formulate a plan in his head.

Coroc raised his plumage a bit, “My scouts have informed me this mercenary wears some sort of device over his eyes, so going for his eyes like we did with that other won’t work if he’s wearing them.”

Merco moved his mouth a bit, “But...if his vision were obstructed...”

And then he had an idea; one that was crazy and very dangerous. But it might just work. He discussed his plan with Anu, Coroc, and other members of the EFP who were gathered. Very soon it was decided, items were gathered, and he stood up.

“I want to help you.” Pixie announced, flying into his view.

With abrupt gentleness Merco scooped Pixie out of the air and held her close for a moment.

He placed her on the ground outside the rocked opening, “You can help me Pixie if you stay here where it’s safe. I don’t want you to follow me for any reason. No matter what happens, no matter what you see or hear, you stay away.”

The worry written on her tiny face was evident as her plumage dropped. Satisfied she would listen, Merco nodded to Anu, Coroc, and four other EFP members. They flew up and floated just behind his back out of sight. He squeezed through the entrance to the valley and kept close to the rock wall, slightly ducking to keep low. He needed to maintain stealth for as long as he could but he also needed to get close enough to execute his plan without getting shot.

He’d made it down the path a bit when suddenly a light flashed and a piece of ground near him erupted upward with a spatter of dirt. Merco jumped slightly which made the EFP behind his back do the same. He stared off toward Anashee and could plainly see the mercenary standing amid the little city, arm up with an energy projectile pistol aimed.

“I can put the next one straight through your head, human!” the familiar, tenor voice of the mercenary shouted out across the distance. “Let me see your hands!”

Compliantly, Merco raised his hands over his head, hands open in a surrendering gesture.

The mercenary moved through Anashee until he was near the wall. With a brief hop he climbed on top of the stone wall and stood tall with his pistol trained on Merco.

He gestured with the weapon, “Now nice and slow come this way!”

“What does he want?” Coroc asked from behind Merco’s back, not understanding their exchange.

Merco whispered subtly in Ansheetan, “He wants me to come closer. Just follow me and stay out of sight until I give the signal.”

Gradually, Merco walked across the river land until he was about fifty yards from the city wall. The mercenary watched him, never lowering his pistol.

“Well, well, human. I’m honestly surprised to see you survived. Gurt owes me fifty credits. I gambled you’d live at least two weeks.” he commented. “I told him humans can be resilient.”

But then as the man drew closer he noticed the distinct bite wound encompassing the man’s bare shoulder amid the other injuries, “That’s far enough, human.” he gestured with the weapon, “I see you’ve already met my partner.”

“I saw the ship...thought it was a rescue.” Merco called out, hands still aloft. “Your scaly partner tried to kill me.”

He shrugged, “Not surprising.” His mouth twitched, “What is surprising is that you’re here and he’s not...you kill him?”

“Didn’t leave me much choice.” Merco replied evenly.

For a moment Cresh was quiet, his finger tapped the tube of Ansheetans at his belt absently, “Hm. So that’s why he’s been MIA.” He clenched up on his pistol a bit, “Do you know how hard it is to find a good Gret’nal these days?”

“Can’t say I do.” Merco replied evenly.

Cresh sighed, “Hm. Very surprised you got the better of him. Not much brain in that one...but damned useful muscle.”

Merco noticed the containers at his hip and could blatantly see the Ansheetans trapped inside, “I see you’ve discovered the locals.”

Cresh smirked, “Teeny little things aren’t they?”

Merco smiled back, “That they are. What are you going to do with them?”

“What do you care?” was the flippant reply.

The man shrugged, “Well I’m just hoping you don’t take too many of them. Not much to eat on this planet. They aren’t too bad if you cook ’em right.”

Cresh made a face of mild surprise, “Huh. Gurt said they tasted good too. But then again, he’d eat anything.”

Very quietly Merco clicked his tongue in Ansheetan so the mercenary wouldn’t hear him, ”Fly in front of me, Anu.”

Anu, who had flown down and hid behind Merco’s leg, obediently flew up into the air in front of him. With a fast sweep of his hand, Merco snatched her out of the air dramatically. She squeaked loudly for effect but also because Merco had never grabbed her so fast before. It was honestly scary.

Cresh raised a brow ridge at the catch.

Merco held Anu up, “Might I make a proposition?”

The mercenary shrugged.

“Say I help you catch and collect some of these little guys...would you get me off this planet and dump me at the nearest space port?” he proposed.

Cresh seemed to think a moment, “Not really sure I’d trust you. I did maroon you here in the first place. You might be wanting to pay me back from that.”

Merco flipped his free hand subtly, “I’m willing to let bygones be bygones and forget it ever happened if you’ll just get me off this planet.”

“Get ready...” Merco tittered in Ansheetan almost without moving his lips.

Again, the mercenary took on a pondering expression and then a slow smile split his face. Merco didn’t like the look.

“Go.” He whispered.

“I think I can manage without you.” Cresh announced aiming the pistol more deliberately, “So turn around and keeping walking back the way you... ACK!”

Before Cresh could register the movement, a blur entered his periphery and suddenly his goggles were splattered with a thick purple substance that was reminiscent of paint. Everything went black. He cursed and wiped his sleeve across his face to clear his vision. But before he could do that Merco released Anu, surged forward, struck Cresh in the legs, and threw him off of the wall onto the ground. The mercenary growled and blindly aimed his energy pistol, firing a couple shots. But Merco quickly kicked his hand and the weapon went flying, bouncing off the wall nearby.

In an instant, Merco was on top of Cresh, gripping his throat with his strong prosthetic arm. He quickly gripped the clear canister full of Ansheetans and the one containing the chrysalis pod, pulled them off the mercenary, and with a fast squeeze he unlocked the mechanisms to free them.

...

Commander Madala had been trapped in the mercenary’s plastic cage along with several other Ansheetan citizens; some awake, some unconscious. Every attempt to escape was met with disappointment and nothing she or the others did made a difference; the container was impenetrable for them. Despair set in when the mercenary went about his dastardly business, even breaking into the Temple of Emergence and stealing a pod. He acted like he was going to gather more when his attention was drawn elsewhere. Commander Madala hovered near the top of the container, trying to see what it was but couldn’t.

Was it Merco? Had he finally arrived?

The mercenary reached down into a pocket on his pant leg and pulled out a thick metallic disk that resembled the top of the container they were imprisoned in. He twisted the two metal tabs in opposite directions and instantly a second container formed. Madala could only watch helplessly as he placed the chrysalis pod into the container and attach it to a clip on his belt beside them.

It wasn’t until the mercenary walked through the city at a brisk pace, powerfully moved upward, and was standing on the front wall of Anashee that she was able to see. All the way across the valley, past the farm and river lands, the EFP leader could see Merco’s huge silhouette in the distance. A deafening boom made her and the others fall down to the bottom of the container when the mercenary fired his projectile weapon. The sound hurt it was so loud and was followed by the thundering voice of their captor.

Had...had he shot Merco?

It wasn’t until a few minutes passed that Commander Madala could see what was happening. Merco was approaching the wall of Anashee, hands in the air whilst the mercenary menaced him with the energy firing weapon. The two giants spoke to one another in that low, vibrating language that Merco used. None knew what was being said but the Commander made sure she and the others who were awake were moving inside the container with lively energy. She needed Merco to see them.

They continued to speak until suddenly everything happened at once. Madala saw the flash of EFP uniforms, the mercenary cried out, Merco charged forward, and they were all thrown down with tremendous force. She and the others trapped were momentarily stunned from the ground shaking movement. Above, Merco was straddling the mercenary and holding him down. His eyes were intense when they met hers. Though it was intimidating to witness as his huge hand swooped down and grabbed both containers in a powerful grip, Madala had never been so happy to see the giant alien. A mechanical chirp from the top made her sigh with relief; they were free.

Her relief didn’t last long when the mercenary fought back and Merco lost his grip on the containers. A cry of terror rang out from the prisoners when they were flung through the air and hit the ground. Ansheetan bodies toppled on top of one another as the clear container rolled and finally came to a stop. Madala’s crest vibrated with pain as she crawled out of the tube and flopped out onto the ground. Several others followed. They were free.

Her head was still foggy when someone was pulling her to her feet, “Commander! Are you all right?”

She looked to see Combatant Coroc and several others landing to aid her and the others, “I-I’m fine...help the injured...and find the other container with the chrysalis pod.”

“Already on it.” Coroc assured her.

And suddenly, the fight turned...and not in Merco’s favor

...

Suddenly, Cresh swung his arm up and struck Merco in his wounded side. The man grunted and accidentally tossed the container a few feet from them. He didn’t have time to check if anyone was hurt before Cresh reached up and slapped a hand on Merco’s bare stomach.

[ZAP!]

Every muscle in Merco’s body seized up, tightening with painful rigidity. The electrical current running through his body rendered him helpless and unable to move as the alien mercenary removed his cybernetic hand from his throat and crawled out from under him. Whilst Merco trembled, Cresh managed to wipe the purple gunk from his goggles enough to clear his vision. The dark goggles focused on Merco for another second until he remove his hand. The shocking stopped and Merco fell over on his back. His muscles couldn’t react. A cold sweat beaded on his skin as he gasped for air.

Cresh smirked, a bit of sweat beading on his head as well, “Guess you don’t know what I am do you? Otherwise, you would’ve known not to do that.” He wiped his goggles again, “I’m a Gymnoti.”

The white skinned alien with the tall blue Mohawk stood up and reached around on his belt to withdraw another energy weapon, “You see, my species, if stressed, can produce a powerful electric shock to defend ourselves. Physically taxing... but effective. Been awhile since I’ve had to use that little defense mechanism.”

...

It all happened so fast but Merco suddenly went stiff, his great body shaking without control until he collapsed. The mercenary was up, speaking in a tone that sounded friendly but was decidedly not.

Coroc swore with frustration. The plan was they would blind the invader long enough for Merco to step in and kill him. However, it seemed the mercenary had gained the upper hand.

And then the Commander straightened herself with her plume raised slightly, “Coroc, I need a distraction.”

“Commander?”

“Distract that monster for me. I don’t have time to explain.”

...

As Cresh stood over the paralyzed human, he cocked his head inquisitively at the man’s belt and made a face when he tugged the familiar knife from Merco’s belt.

“This is my knife.” He commented and then sneered, “Oh...so you’re in league with these little pipsqueaks? How interesting.”

Cresh tucked the knife into his belt and his hand reached for another energy projectile pistol at his leg.

“You know, it’s ironic how close you came to actually leaving this mud ball.” He leveled the pistol at Merco’s head, “But I guess you’re going to rest here forever.”

Just as he was squeezing the trigger, several Ansheetans flew right into the mercenary’s view and latched on to his goggle lenses, blocking his vision again.

[CRACK!] the energy pistol shot.

The projectile of white energy missed Merco’s head by mere inches.

Cresh pulled back slightly with a shout of frustration, swatting at the tiny attackers, ”Gah! Get off me, you little pests!”

Shaking, he sat up just in time to see Anu fly in front of him, pointing and shouting.

“Merco! The weapon!”

Not far away, Merco could see the first energy pistol he’d kicked from the mercenary’s hand laying in the dirt. His muscles felt only partially functional as he rolled onto his knees and crawled for the weapon.

Just as he gripped it with his prosthetic...[CRACK!]

Merco flinched as he felt dozens of sharp stinging sensations against his side. The end of his amputated arm went numb. When he opened his eyes, he lifted his left arm and saw the metal and silicone of his prosthetic dangling in mangled pieces from the end of his stump. Biohydraulic fluid squirted all over like milky pink blood.

"Tsk. What a damn shame...could’ve sold that little piece of hardware for a pile of credits.” Cresh shook his head with his pistol still leveled at the human.

Merco was momentarily stunned by the sight of his prosthetic shattered and broken. Other than the shrapnel that had pierced him, he felt no pain from it. He looked over his shoulder at the mercenary who stood four feet away with an energy pistol aimed at his head again.

At that moment Merco saw what looked like Commander Madala flying in stealthily behind the mercenary. She had her arms wrapped around something small and shiny and it was glowing blue. With a quick drop she released the object down the back of the mercenary’s shirt. Cresh flinched, feeling the object and swung a hand around, swatting the tiny commander to the ground. Then he felt his back and felt the tiny tubular shape.

His brows lifted with horror, “Oh SH--!”

[BOOM!]