Chapter 10

Back on the space station…

The figure sits at a bar watching, waiting. “It seems like the coast is clear. I’d better get out of here before someone suspects me of being involved.”

“Hey mac, what’s the thing you got there tucked under your arm?” the bartender said pointing at a metal case the customer was holding.

“None of your business” the figure said as he flipped a credit over his back and onto the bar. “I’ve got a shuttle to catch.”

The bartender shook his head. “They can afford a drink, but they can’t afford to be friendly. Lousy robots” the bartender said as he shook his head.

The figure thought to himself as he walked through the space station. “Both of them are gone now, but if Spectral Death doesn’t return the Cult most certainly will.” The figure stopped to survey the damage done to the station.

One of the station’s repair crews was talking to another. “I’ve heard those LONAC guys were trouble, seems every other station they stop at gets trashed. Security guys told me the only reason they let them dock was because they needed business. Looks like this turned out to be a bust.”

The other repair crewmember shook his head. “Let’s hope the station’s other investments weren’t as bad, if the don’t pay off we’ll end up at the next station, and who knows what’ll happen then.”

“LONAC’s situation is unfortunate,” the figure thought to himself. “LONAC is our only hope, and no one can see it. I’ve kept my distance, but now I have to break my promise.”

The figured ventured off into an air lock. He hacked the security as best he could. The air lock opened up long enough to allow him passage to a rather small shuttle.

“Seems good enough for a pinch such as this one,” he said as he jumped into the shuttle. “I’m still getting a signal from their ship, they’re still within my reach.”

“Hey, what are you doing? That’s my shuttle!” a creature yelled at the entrance to the air lock.

“Sorry, but I need this shuttle more than you” the figure replied as he flew the shuttle out of the docking area.

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“They’re breaking through the doors,” Cuffs reported as he finally met up with Waitstate and Recoil.

“That’s impossible, the doors are far too thick!” Waitstate shouted back.

“Oh, it’s more than possible. It’s gotta be really tasking on them though, by time they reach us they should be out of energy and probably be in bad need of repairs” Cuffs replied.

“Toom’s partner must be just as brainless if they’re going to trash themselves just to slow us down. They can’t honestly expect to beat us,” Waitstate told him.

“Heh, must be Hitatron then. Spectral Death is pretty brainless, but those too are the worst of the bunch,” Recoil suggested.

Waitstate shook his head. “That’s all well and good, but we need to get them off the ship before we find Spectral Death, or they find us.”

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Aries, Takedown, and Patchwork were in a locked corridor with their weapons held fast.

A noise was heard in the distance. “Did you hear that?” Patchwork asked.

“Hear what?” Takedown asked him.

“I think he’s right, we’d better take a look,” Aries suggested.

“You first” Patchwork said to Aries.

“Yeah, you first” Takedown said as he shoved Aries forward, causing him to drop his gun.

Patchwork went to pick it up. He handing it back to Aries.

“Tank!” Aries shouted.

Patchwork smiled. “I believe that’s thanks, and you’re welcome.”

“No, TANK!” Aries shouted as he pointed behind Patchwork.

Toom came charging through the rounded corridor. Hitatron came running behind in his robot mode. Both of them fired their weapons at the LONAC trio, but missed.

“Nice try, but it seems you need a bit more target practice,” Aries shouted. He and Takedown transformed into their animal modes and lead a counter assault.