A large group of miscreants sits in shadow around the Z-files briefing table. A holographic image of Bingo's head appears in the center of the table. Bingo does not look too at ease with the gathered group.
Bingo: As much as I disagree with this idea, High Command has decided that your services are needed.
Bingo's head fades out to be replaced by images of the Aaron drugging the R-files team and the Z-files team stealing the space shuttle.
Bingo: Earlier this morning, the team you know as the Z-files group waylaid the R-files team, hijacked a top secret faster-than-light shuttle craft, and took off in search of this man...
A headshot of Oddfellow appears and moves to the top left of the holographic display.
Bingo: Oddfellow. Some of you are familiar with this man and his unique circumstances.
Grunts of agreement can be heard from some of the shadowy figures. Other shadows scratch their heads.
Bingo: Others' have no idea what I'm talking about. Regardless, this man is of primary importance. Your mission is threefold.
A giant bullseye target appears over Oddfellow's face.
Bingo: First, you must capture this man and return him to these headquarters. Failure to do so, means you don't get paid.
Oddfellow's face fades out to be replaced by a schematic of a planet.
Bingo: Second, you must make sure that no one gets off this planet. We traced Oddfellow's ship to this planet. Every non-vaccinated individual faces contamination by the dreaded CRAFT virus and we need to quarentine the place before a rampant outbreak occurs.
Oddfellow's face reappears on the holo-display. Headshots of the rest of the Z-files team appear next to Oddfellow's face.
Bingo: Your final objective is to stop and capture the Z-files team by whatever means necessary.
Bingo's head reappears on the holodisplay.
Bingo: Are there any questions?
The shadowy figures mutter amongst themselves. One of the figures raises its hand.
Bingo: Yes?
Shadowy Figure: Are we authorized to use lethal force?
Bingo's image shudders for a second.
Bingo: Yes, as much as it sickens me to say so, you are authorized to bring them back... dead or alive.
The Shadowy Figure moves into the light and is revealed to be Saint Faucet.
Saint Faucet (in the best mock-Mr. Burns voice): Excellent.
The other shadowy figures start to maniacally laugh a very loud and evil laugh.
Sometime later...
The Z-files' space shuttle has parked itself in orbit over the planet that was seen in Bingo's briefing.
Arkman: Did you guys hear something? Sounded like laughter.
Achilles looks up from the sensor display he was working on.
Achilles: I think you're hearing things.
Achilles goes back to fiddling with several buttons on the sensor.
Judicator: Hey Achilles, have you figured that thing out yet?
Achilles smiles and presses a button. An image of the planet appears on the main screen.
Achilles: Check this out! If I press this button...
Achilles presses a small black button.
Achilles: ...it zooms in. If I press this one...
Achilles presses a small blue button.
Achilles: ...it zooms out. And if I press this one...
Achilles presses a large red button.
Achilles: ...we get all the pay-per-view cable channels for free!
Tashi sighs, walks over, and smacks Achilles on the back of the head.
Madcat: So where's Odd?
Achilles (rubbing the back of his head): Ow. Well Odd's ship crashed here.
Achilles adjusts a few knobs. A box appears around part of the planet's surface. The image inside the box grows larger and covered in static. The static grows more intense for a second before fading away to reveal an image of the Sith Infiltrator. The Infiltrator appears to have crashed into a field near a farm.
Arkman: What's the gameplan?
Aaron taps a gauge near the pilot's seat. He flips a few switches and then stands.
Aaron: Silver, Arkman, and Judicator take the lander tubes and check out the Sith Infiltrator.
Judicator: Okay, and what about the rest of you?
Aaron: The rest of us repel the boarders.
Tashi: What boarders?
The entire shuttle rocks from a sudden impact.
Aaron: Those boarders. Get out of here quickly!
Judicator and Arkman rush over to a set of circles on the floor at the back of the cockpit. Silver walks over and grabs one of the Robo-Hamsters.
Silver: Just in case I get hungry...
Silver walks over to a circle and stands in it. See-through tubes rise from the ground and lock the three Z-filers in. Judicator waves and then the tubes and their respective Z-files member disappear through the floor with a rush of air.
A radio crackles on the pilot's dashboard. Aaron moves over and flips a switch. Madcat walks out the back of the cockpit.
Saint Faucet (through static): Attention Z-files fugitives. We have you surrounded. Prepare to be boarded.
Achilles taps a button on the sensor. The planet view is replaced by an image of the Z-files shuttle. Three small blips descend quickly from it towards the planet with a ship in pursuit of them. Another ship hovers near the shuttle.
Achilles: Exactly how does one ship next to us count as "surrounded".
Tashi shrugs.
Tashi: I don't know. Let's ask.
Tashi grabs a microphone.
Tashi: Attention dumbass. At current count, you have exactly one ship. Please define "surrounded". Over.
Muttering can be heard over the speaker.
Saint Faucet (clearing throat): Attention Z-files fugitives. We have you outgunned. Prepare to be boarded.
Achilles taps a few more buttons. A scan bar sweeps over the other ship and a bunch of text appears on a small screen. Tashi reads the new information and shakes her head.
Tashi (speaking into the microphone): Attention dumbass. Our sensors indicate you only have one gun on that ship and you burned it out with your initial attack. Try again.
Muttering can be heard over the speaker.
Saint Faucet (clearing throat): Pizza man. Someone order a large pepperoni with cheese?
Tashi shakes her head.
Tashi (speaking into the microphone): Attention dumbass. No one's falling for that idiotic ploy and we already HAVE pizza. Thank you and please drive through.
Tashi turns the microphone off. She bows her head and sticks out her hand palm upwards. A large pizza appears above it, which she proceeds to scarf down.
Madcat walks in from the back of the cockpit.
Madcat: Well I've prepared a little welcome for our... errr... welcoming party. If they do get on board, it'll take them a while to get up here.
Achilles: Need I ask?
Madcat: I set a super-glue trap up. Anybody that sets foot back there will be stuck to the floor...
Madcat grins.
Madcat: ...and then a bucket of feathers will be dropped on them.
Madcat's grin gets wider.
Madcat: ...and then the elevator music starts...
A light blinks on the cockpit dashboard. Aaron leans over and presses it.
Aaron: What is it Jay?
On the planet, the three Z-files members stand in front of a door inside the Sith Infiltrator. Judicator talks into a headset.
Judicator: We just arrived at Odd's containment area.
Arkman taps a few buttons and the doors slowly open with a hiss. Steam pours out of the bottom.
Silver sniffs the air and looks around. Her eyes start to glow and she gives off a low growl.
Silver: We've got company.
Judicator: We've got a problem...
Aaron (through heavy static): Say... blizz... again... ov...zizzz...
The steam disappates and Arkman gasps.
Judicator turns away from the door and taps the side of his headset.
Judicator: Make that several problems... Oddfellow's not here.
The lights in the Sith Infiltrator go out.
Judicator: ...and the lights just went out.
Arkman: What next?
Mysterious Evil-sounding Voice: What next indeed?
End of Chapter 3
Note: Happy birthday, Odd (since technically it is your birthday now in your part of the world)! Hope you survive it. :-D -
I did, thanks. - Odd
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