HMS Endeavor, Mission Clock at 20:00
Dusk

If I should say anything, it’s this; direct transits between different universes takes far more time than I’d expect. Personally I’d have expected seeing a nearly instantaneous trip, but it actually took us half an hour. As we the tunnel of shifting lights died and gave way to stars and blackness I noticed Rush get up from where he had seated himself at the helm. “Something wrong Doc?” I asked.

“Well I’ve been thinking… You all launched this ship with a drive capable of passing through barriers between universes, and it wasn’t tested at all?” Rush asked. “Doesn’t that seem a bit unwise?”

“The Endeavor is completely safe Nicholas.” Amore said as she got up from her own seat. “If it was running with an unsafe drive system then I doubt we’d still be here… But if it makes you feel better I’ll get you the schematics and notes.”

Rush seemed satisfied at that and strode over to one of the sensor consoles, where after a few moments his face scrunched up into a puzzled look. “Is anyone else seeing this?”

“Seeing what?” Blueblood called from the helm. “All I can see out there is debris.”

“Well that’s exactly it. Just where did it all come from?” Rush asked in return.

I saw Blueblood shrug and turn back to his controls. “Look, I’m just here to press buttons and look like I’m flying this bucket.”

Off to Blueblood’s left the holotank flickered to life and Grey’s spherical avatar came to life. “If I may, judging by current sensor readings it doesn’t look like the stagnant.”

“So it’s some really old space junk then.” I observed.

“Indeed it has been.” The AI said. “If my models are accurate, the debris out there has been adrift for a period in excess of two centuries.”

Rush must have kept doing something with the sensors, because I heard him mutter something inaudible. “What do you got Rush?”

“Well I’ve done some analysis of what the debris is made of… I can tell what it’s made of, and long range sensors are picking up a massive concentration of the material.” Rush turned away from the console with an expression I could only define as peculiar. “There’s some sort of structure on the planet to our aft. It’s made almost entirely of the same alloy that makes up the debris field.”

Over the helm a hologram changed, showing the planet with a blinking red dot. “I’ve marked the location of the structure.” Grey’s disembodied voice rang out.

Looking at the map that the AI had projected made something in the back of my head start reacting… Reminiscent of the unmistakable sensation I felt after using dark magic during the wasteland expedition a decade ago. But to feel that by just looking at a hologram? That’s different. “Does anyone else feel that?” I wondered aloud.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed that Amore seemed a bit confused at my unexpected question. “Feel what?” She asked in return.

“Well you obviously don’t know what I’m talking about…” I muttered as I looked around the bridge. “Hey, where’s Archer?”

“I believe she’s in the armory.” Grey said.

I nodded once I heard the AI’s answer and hit the comm button on the right arm of my chair. “Bridge to armory, please respond.”

It took a moment but the speaker in my chair chattered to life. “Archer here, what’s up?”

“Start gearing up, we’re going on a field trip.” I flipped the off switch on the panel and got out of my chair. “Amore, you’re in charge until we get back. Rush, go get that shuttle of yours ready. Archer and I will meet you in the hangar.”

***

Over the Unknown Planet, Thirty Minutes Later

“So why did you decide to bring Rush along?” Archer whispered from her seat next to me in the shuttle.

“It gives him something to do.” I whispered back.

“I can hear you.” Rush called out from his seat at the controls. “Anyway, we’ll be landing shortly just outside the structure. What do you need me to do?”

I pulled my helmet on and got up from my seat. “You’re our eyes in the sky. Just keep in touch.”

As I hit the door release, Archer handed me a submachine gun before hopping out of the opening. I didn’t waste time and dropped off the edge of the deckplate towards the sandy ground below us. “I got a way in.” Archer called out.

A quick glance towards the side of the dark-colored pyramid was all I needed to know what Archer was talking about. “That looks a bit like a hull breach, doesn’t it?”

“Maybe this is just a crashed starship.” Archer offered as she stepped into the dark interior. As I followed her in, the lights on her helmet flickered to life. “It could explain the debris we ran into in orbit.”

After a few more steps the motion tracker on my heads up display began lighting up, and on instinct I shouldered my weapon. “I’ve got contacts.” I turned my own helmet light on and slowly started turning on my heels. “What are you thinking kid?”

Backing up I ended up bumping into Archer. “Whoever they are, they’re moving quick. I can’t get a good count on targets.”

“Do you see anything yet?” I replied.

Suddenly the chamber we were standing in lit up in a pale glow. In the dim light I could make out shapes of at least a dozen bipedal figures all pointing what appeared to be rifles. As they got closer I could make out the details of scales and shades of green. “I think so…” Archer muttered.

Suddenly the group I was staring at parted and a different creature stepped forward. It certainly wasn’t lizard-like by any stretch, but it wore a more decorative ensemble of red armor with a dark undersuit. “Alright, ditch the helmets.” The creature ordered, and I judged the creature to be a female.

“What’s the play Dusk?” Archer asked.

I shook my head, lowered my gun and latched it onto my right thigh. “Do what she says Archer.” With guns aimed at me I tilted my head forward and pulled my helmet off with little resistance.

The female stepped forward and snatched both mine and Archer’s helmets before taking a step back. “All right, start walking.”

I turned and started walking lock-step with Archer down the newly lit corridor. “So she seems friendly…” I muttered.

“Quiet!”

Archer just rolled her eyes. “Look, did we do something wrong?” She asked.

“You’re trespassing in the lair of our lord Mumm-Ra.” The female spat as she shoved against Archer’s back. “So where’d your ship go? It disappeared before we could intercept it.”

“It’s probably back in orbit by now. Which admittedly is probably a bit safer than down here…”

As we stepped out of the corridor and into a larger chamber the armed lizard creatures began to fan out, while the female stepped between Archer and myself as she shepherded us towards a platform at the bottom of a ramp. Standing there was a large and imposing armored figure that easily was twice my height. “Pumyra, these are the intruders?”

So that’s the female’s name… At least there’s something that I can put to that face. “They are, my lord. However their transport escaped capture.”

“Like I said out in the hall it’s probably already in orbit.” I retorted. “And if my crew is following protocol then they’ll level this building if they don’t hear from us for more than an hour.” Granted that was a complete bluff, but these two don’t need to know that.

“Curious…” The larger individual droned. “I don’t recognize your species. Tell me, where are you from?”

“Oh you know, first star to the right and straight on until morning.” Archer chirped.

“Mumm-Ra asked you a question. Answer it!” Pumyra barked.

“What? I thought my friend here offered a succinct answer.” I said, trying to sound as artificially pompous as possible.

Maybe this Pumyra character was going to smack the back of my head, because her boss held up his armored hand and I heard a shuffle of feet as she put some distance between the two of us. “Sarcasm won’t serve you well here.”

“So the pyramid with the evil vibe is the exception to my usual shenanigans… Got it!” As the large likely evil figure stepped forward to tower over me I started wondering if I’d be regretting my impudence. But where I’m probably already in a hole I decided to feign disgust. “Awe jeez dude, you need a breath mint!”

Of course I shouldn’t be surprised that this beast wrapped his armored hand around my head and effortlessly picked me up off the ground. “Well if you won’t give me the answers that I seek, I will simply take them.”

I felt the grip of the hand loosen slightly, but that was replaced by the sudden sensation of the fur on the back of my neck standing up under an intense static charge. Then the tingling along my spine started and the alarms started going off in the back of my mind, the same feeling that I had a short time ago on the Endeavor’s bridge. Suddenly the sensation of a giant fist around my head disappeared and I noticed that I was standing in a cloud of purple mist in only the bodysuit that was under my armor. “What the hell?” I muttered.

“Such power… I haven’t encountered an individual like you in many years.” The disembodied voice of Mumm-Ra boomed. “Are there others like you?”

That's when I realized what was going on; Mumm-Ra was probing my mind. “Maybe there are, but you won’t find them.”

“It’s just a matter of time until I get my answers.”

“Well that sucks, because unless I’m mistaken you aren’t getting too far.” I retorted.

“And just how do you know that?”

Suddenly the mist disappeared and I dropped to the floor, having ‘returned’ to the chamber. I looked up at Mumm-Ra and saw that the armored monster had fell to his knees. “Because I’m one lucky son of a bitch!”

As I turned and started moving my helmet fell into my hands courtesy of Archer. “Come on, let's go!” By the time I slid my helmet on Archer already had her pistol in her hand and used it to club the lizard that was blocking the door into the corridor.

“STOP THEM!” Mumm-Ra roared, his voice echoing about the chamber and the corridor.

As we ran I pulled up the radio on my heads up display. “Ground Team to Rush, you there?”

“I’m here.”

I took the opportunity to pull my submachine gun off of my thigh. “We’re in need of a quick exit. How soon can you hit the ground?”

“I won’t be able to, I’m lining up for a strafing run. Panthro, wait don’t-”

“Rush, who are you talking to?” Archer asked.

For a moment there was silence over the radio before I heard a barely audible sigh. “Look, I found some friends. I’ll lay down cover fire and they’ll grab you. Rush out.”

“Did I miss something here?” Archer called out as we passed through the hull breach that we found. “A suicidal scientist who’s only been working with us for less than a day and clearly isn’t the most social went and made friends?”

I wheeled around and shouldered my gun. “I’ll just take what I can get!”

Bratatat!

While the burst of gunfire didn’t hit anything, it did enough to force Pumyra to duck her head as she ran out into the open. But she was still a ways away from us as a ship blew in over us and stopped in a hover a few feet behind us. “You think those are Rush’s friends?” Archer wondered aloud.

I turned away from Pumyra and looked at the ship. The boarding ramp was down and someone was making their way down it. “Well it doesn’t look like they’re gunning to kill us.” I turned back and saw that Pumyra was halfway between us and the pyramid. “Now get going, I’ll keep you covered.” Taking the opportunity I rushed towards the still-charging female. She lunged towards me with a knife, and I dropped to my knees to let the knife swipe above the horn on my helmet. Once it passed I leapt back to my feet and smacked my opponent with the stock of my weapon.

Pumyra landed on the ground face-up. “You’ll pay for that!” She growled, scrambling back to her feet and grappling onto the chestplate of my armor. It’s at that point that I saw her eyes. While they held the intensity of unbridled rage, there was something else. Her irises, they were the same shade of purple as the ‘mist’ that I saw when Mumm-Ra was trying to get into my head.

“You’re not in control…” I breathlessly said. “Mumm-Ra, he got in your head. He was trying to make me into whatever you’re supposed to be.”

“No, without my master I would be dead.” Pumyra snapped. “He saved me, made me whole again. And once I kill you in his name!”

That must be it. Mumm-Ra must have revived Pumyra, which allowed him to exert his influence over her at the same time… But that also means that she’d have intel on his capabilities. “And you’ll make a fine prisoner.” I spat back, shoving Pumyra off me before smacking her face into my knee. The blow instantly knocked her out, and with the lizard-creatures now pouring out of the pyramid I hoisted her over my shoulder, turned around and sprinted to the waiting ship. “Start taking off!” I yelled over the whine if the engines.

“Dusk, what are you doing?” Acher yelled.

I ignored her as I leapt up onto the ramp that was rising away from the sand with the rest of the ship. Once my boots hit metal I pushed off and propelled myself into the brightly lit interior. “I’m making sure that we have intel to work with.” I called out as I dropped Pumyra to the deck.

“Do you honestly think that you’ll get anything out of that traitor?”

When I turned around I was facing the individual who had come down the ramp when the craft landed. One thing immediately came to mind as I finally recognized the orange black-striped fur, reminiscent of a tiger. “I do know a few tricks Stripes.”

“Stripes? My name is-”

“Tygra, we could use you up here!” Someone called from one of the forward compartments.

This ‘Tygra’ seemed rather annoyed but left Archer and I to our devices as he hiked off towards what I would assume to be the cockpit. “So what are you planning?” Archer asked.

Well I have a rough idea, but I don’t see a reason to show my hand just yet. “Well once we get back on Endeavor, I’m gonna go change into something less intimidating. While I do that lock our friend here up in the bridge airlock.”

“Why the airlock on the bridge?”

“There aren’t enough of us on the ship to guard the brig. If Pumyra is locked up in the airlock we’ll be able watch her.”

Archer pulled her helmet off and nodded. “Just keep an eye on her for now, I’ll go keep our new friends company.”

The heavy footfalls of Archer’s armored boots echoed across the deck as I turned my attention back to the unconscious body at my feet. As I kept watch I shut off the speakers in my helmet and clicked on my radio. “Rush, you there?”

The radio silently squeaked before Rush’s voice came across the speakers. “I’m here, what’s up?”

“You’re gonna beat us back to Endeavor, right?”

“I should… Why?”

“Make sure you bring a medical kit up to the bridge.” I replied as I studied the bruise on Pumyra’s cheek. “I’m gonna need it.”

Author's Note

Well would you look at that. Another chapter! About time, right? It's only been two months since I went and published a chapter, right? Well it's time to get back into the swing of things. In the mean time, we'll see you all next week for a new chapter!

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-Striker