By Chris McCarthy

The conclusion of our story finds our heroes saved by something unexpected by everyone but Chase...

CRAACK. Another fist pounds into the door, leaving another huge indentation. Lisa looks at the marks in the steel door and her mouth drops. She looks at Ambassador Trong with a look of disgust. 

“You had him kill the magno-puppy?” Lisa asks.

“Yeah. I did.” Trong responds. “Do you have any idea how dangerous those magno-puppies are? How big they get? Besides puppy is a misnomer—they’re more like bears. There’s no place for those beasts on planet Tumis.” 

Lisa looks at Winston. “It’s all my fault. That innocent creature is dead because of me.”

“Well, we can’t do anything about it now. Besides I’m the idiot who helped you catch it. It’s not all on you.” Winston says.

“Guys, enough. Open the door, Sal,” Amanda says. 

“What do you mean open the door?” Salamander looks from the door back to her. 

“I mean, open the door. Like I just said.” Amanda responds, walking over to the door. 

“Fine.” Salamander says. “Why delay our inevitable gruesome deaths, right?”

Salamander taps a button on the command interface screen. The door at the back of the bridge slides open. On the other side is a hulking half man, half mechanical monstrosity. He has a powerful titanium exoskeleton frame grafted onto his muscular body, with pulsing bright blue energy lines pulsing visibly between the seams. One arm is an interchangeable weapons system that in its current form identifies as a sleek plasma cannon, softly humming with power. One eye can flip around revealing a powerful laser. He’s just under seven feet tall and weighs four hundred pounds. 

“Holy sh…” Salamander says just before he passes out, falling to the floor of the bridge with an echoing thud. 

Amanda tries to turn her head away from the blue-hued monstrosity but can’t tear her eyes away. She just ends up turning her head slightly in Lisa’s direction. “Help him, Lisa.” 

Lisa looks from Amanda to their giant visitor, speechless, then over to Salamander. “O…K.” She walks over to Salamander and takes a knee, gently slapping his cheek to wake him up.

Winston looks at his hand. Whatever he did with the blue energy stream earlier, he can no longer do. He says, “Well, I guess this is it, everybody. Really wish I hadn’t helped Lisa steal that mango-puppy because now Ambassador Trong is going to have this biomechanical freakshow kills us all.”

“That’s rich coming for a metal head like you.” Trong says. 

“Hey don’t call him metal head, you anti-mech bio-traditionalist. Like you’re not going to seek augmentation when you get old and ugly. Or I should say uglier.” Lisa says. 

Winston continues to himself, “Why do you always try to impress the wrong women? Three hundred years old, eleven marriages, and you still make the same mistakes. I should have just stayed out of it.”

This hits Lisa. “Excuse me? Stay out of it? Catching mango-puppies was your idea. How convenient for you to forget that now.” She points at the biomechanical monster in the doorway.  

Amanda puts a hand on Trong’s shoulder, “Man, he looks like he took a nosedive off the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down before landing in a pool of, well, ugly. I mean, talk about darkening a doorway, jeez. This guy’s probably in the dictionary for that term.” 

“I don’t think they have terms in the dictionary. Just words right?” Maritha asks. 

“Will you shut up, Maritha?” Trong says. 

“Wow, you let him talk to you like that? You wave flags for this guy?” Amanda asks. 

Winston walks up to Lisa, “But the way, I’m no longer in love with you.”

“What?” Lisa says. 

“I’m not sure I was ever really in love with you.”

“Great, thanks for that. I’m gonna lose so much sleep over this realization. I would NEVER date you. Just fyi. But you don’t care anymore so that’s great.” Lisa says, with a pettiness that shocks even Amanda. 

Winston continues. “I think I’ve just been trying to prove to myself that I’m…still a human. Then, for a moment, having otherworldly power and shooting blue laser beams out of my hands, I thought I’d transcended my hybrid nature becoming something more. But that was just a fluke. I have to come to terms with the fact I’m neither human or machine. And that proof is standing in the doorway.”

Lisa takes in Winston’s admission and looks over at the blue mech in the doorway, her eyes following the blue pulses of energy in the cracks of his titanium frame. 

Chase, who has been sitting this whole time, stands up and turns around to face the doorway. He jumps back. “Jesus!” 

Chase gathers himself and nods at Trong. “What’s with death incarnate over here. And why is he just standing there. Is he waiting to be invited inside?” He looks at the mechanically augmented man standing the doorway. “Hey, God’s mistake, are you a vampire?” 

“No, he’s not a vampire. His name is Olg. He’s a terrifying specimen who’s going to kill all of you.” Trong then turns to the mech, embarrassed. “Come inside.” He waves him in dismissively. 

“Olg?” Chase says. “That is the dumbest name I’ve ever heard. Other than Trong, of course.” 

The crew laughs at this joke, making Trong uncomfortable. 

“Guess they modified everything but the brain, huh?” Amanda says. The laughter continues.  

“Looks like he doesn’t understand English? I’m not fluent in dumb, otherwise I’d see if that worked.” Salamander says.

The crew is in tears, including Amanda, who laughs so hard she leans on the wall for support. They’re tee-ing off on Trong and his associate. 

“It’s called gallows humor, Trong. Feel free to laugh with us. Release the tension. It’s stressful murdering a whole crew of innocent people, isn’t it?” Chase says. 

“I said you can come in, Olg!” Trong says.

“I said you can come in Olg!” Lisa repeats in a mock-serious voice, to everyone’s uproarious laughter. 

Olg takes a few steps inside the door. His arm cannon whirs and lights up a brighter blue. His eyes turn red and get larger.

“What is your command Ambassador Trong?” Olg says, his voice so terrifyingly low that it seems to shake the room. 

The crew get so silent you could hear a pin drop. Trong smirks. 

“Kill them all.” Trong says. 

Amanda stands frozen. “I guess this is it.”

Then Chase takes a knee. “Here boy.” 

Olg looks at him curiously, his arm cannon raising up to Chase’s chest level. Then suddenly, Olg gets on all fours, running around and bouncing off walls and consoles and the viewport. Amanda and the crew look on, in confusion. 

Chase watches Olg bout around the bridge. “Trongy, did you know that magno in magno-puppy is actually short for magno-morph?”

“Magno-morph? What does that mean?” Trong looks around, lost. “Maritha, what does that mean? What does that mean?”

Winston touches his temple then whispers in Amanda’s ear. 

“It means these animals can turn into any other creature they see, a defense mechanism they can access if they are in enough danger.” Amanda says.

“No. No, that can’t be…” Trong says. 

“Salamander, get us out of here. Go back to wide orbit. We’re leaving.” Amanda says. 

“God you’re good at leading, Amanda.” Salamander says. 

“Keep that kind of fawning inside Salamander, but I appreciate it.” Amanda says. 

Sal runs over to the front of the bridge and hops into his seat and hits a few buttons for new coordinates. 

“Lisa, can you chart a safe course out of here? I want to make sure those ionospheric disturbances don’t cause any more problems for us on our way out.” Salamander says.

“Look at you, Sal!” Winston says. 

“On it.” Lisa jumps into her chair, hopping over Liam’s body on the floor of the bridge. She activates her holoscreen, which pops out in front of her face. She looks at it. “Everything looks good, Sal. Just a couple of quick modifications to the flight plan and we’re good to go. Initiating now.” 

“So you’re saying…that’s the…” says Trong. 

“Oh yeah, you’re still here.” Amanda says. “Yeah. That’s our magno-puppy. To be honest I thought he’d kill and eat us all, but it seems like he’s… a part of this messed up family.”

“I don’t buy it. You must have hacked into his system somehow.” Trong says. 

Then Olg transforms into the magno-puppy, his body shaking, the metal exoskeleton seamlessly being replaced by hair. Back on all fours now, he sticks his tongue out and runs over to Chase, who reaches down and ruffles the dog’s face fur with both hands.

“Who’s a good boy? Oh…yes…that’s my good boy. Wait…” Chase looks between the animal’s legs a bit closer. “Who’s a good girl? That’s my good girl.” 

Lisa runs over to the five foot tall puppy. “I’m so glad you’re alive!” The puppy turns to her and starts licking her face. 

“Oh, you’re so sweet. Yes, give me all those kisses…Wait, is that? Is that…?” Lisa asks. 

“It’s blood,” Amanda says. 

“Ewww.” Lisa blinks both eyes quickly and her holoscreen pops up, already with a front facing camera feed running live. She looks into it at her face and wipes the blood from her lips and nose. “That is so disgusting…” She turns to the puppy who stands back from her, chastised. “You’re lucky you’re so cute.” 

The huge bear-like puppy spins around in excited circles then runs to Salamander and jumps in his arms, knocking him down to the ground. 

Trong takes in the scene. “What is…happening?”

Chase says, “The figs.” 

“Huh?” Trong says.

“When you and your retinue were boarding, I went down to check on our little…our huge… gal to make sure she was secure down in the brig—and to fuck with you by not being there for that fucking song and dance reception bullshit. Anyways, he was curled up in a corner. Turns out the gal had a ridiculous case of gas since we’d been feeding her popcorn for six days straight. Note to the crew—popcorn is not good for puppies. Anyways, I gave her some Parthian figs and won her over.” Chase says.

“And that’s when your freak of nature science project showed up at the ventral airlock—you thought you were being so slick, sneaking him aboard through another entrance while the crew was distracted on the bridge getting ready for receive you,” Chase continues, pacing away from Trong. He turns on his heels, the detective delivering his final blow. “But unluckily for you, our puppy, having had some of the figs, had gotten her appetite back.” 

Chase looks over at the puppy. “Isn’t that right, girl?” The puppy jumps down from Salamander’s chest and runs full speed back to Chase, who falls to the floor with her and rolls around. 

Trong shakes his head. “I’m not sure I’m catching the logic. She ate him…then became him?”

Amanda jumps in. “I think what he’s trying to say, Trong my good man, is that your human specter of death scared our puppy so much that his defense mechanisms kicked in and he morphed into a carbon copy. Then, spurred on by the taste of figs, he ate your man.” 

“So did he eat my man when he was a dog or did he eat him after he looked exactly like him…I’m just trying to get the picture here.” Trong says. 

“Don’t think too hard about it. It’s something I’ll never unsee if that helps.” Chase says. “Hey crew, I’m thinking we name him…Olg.”

The crew all nod and agree. “Excellent idea,” says Lisa.

Trong shakes his head, resigned and annoyed. 

“Well, isn’t this a…very strange and dysfunctional domestic picture. I think it’s time we took our leave…Maritha, what are you doing? Do not play with the creature.” 

Maritha is down on one knee waving her flags at the puppy. She looks up at Trong. “Oh come on, Trong. She’s so cute. Why can’t we ever have fun when you’re around?” 

“That’s Ambassador Trong or sir to you, Maritha. You insolent…” Trong says. 

Maritha stands up, “Ambassador? Are you sure about that?”

Trong takes a step forward. “Of course I’m sure… What do you…?” 

“Well, you’ve lost your entire retinue… And by Legion dictates, that means you have to relinquish your title.” Maritha says. “You’ve lost your people’s faith.”

“But, you’re still here, Maritha. I still have you. You’re on my side, right?” Trong says. 

“Nope. I don’t like you.” Maritha says. 

Amanda covers her mouth to try to hide her laughter. “Hah!” 

Amanda’s crew all cheer as Trong loses his last supplicant. He looks totally alone standing on one side of the bridge. 

Amanda walks over to Edwin and puts her hand on his shoulder. “Edwin, things just arent’t working out for you are they? Is this how you thought our reunion would go?” 

“No—hey, look, everyone. I think we started off on the wrong foot. Let’s reset.” He turns to Amanda and walks toward her, both arms extended. “Amanda, so good to see you!”

Amanda backs up and pushes Trong’s arms away. “Are you delusional? You were about to kill us.”

“Yeah, how are we supposed to get past that?” Chase asks. “Look, I see you sort of as a distant step-son, re your mom, of course, and…”

“What does that mean? RE your mom? I don’t understand…” Trong says. 

Chase looks around the room, then at Amanda, who puts her face in her hands. Her father’s infidelities are no secret to her. But Chase quickly tries to cover. 

“Nothing. Sorry—I just mean I like you a lot kid. I remember driving you and Mandy to school. You were always nice, just a bit clueless. But now it’s time to take the hint.” Chase says. 

“What’s the hint?” Trong asks. 

“Oh, that the puppy is going to eat you.” Winston says, as the puppy licks his face. 

Trong runs to the hallway exit, but it slides shuts just before he gets there. He looks over at Salamander. 

Salamander looks to the rest of the crew. “That’s the coldest thing I’ve ever done.” 

“Hell yeah, greenie.” Chase says, proud of Salamander’s assertive move. 

“Look at us,” Amanda says, looking around the bridge at the faces of her crew, a proud look on her face. “Coming together, like a real spaceship crew, over a thirst for vengeful blood. I could almost…No, I’m not going to do it. I’m not going to cry.” 

Lisa looks on empathetically. “Oh my gosh. Don’t cry, sis.” She walks over and hugs Amanda, moved by her emotional response. “I feel like we’ve gotten so close.” Both women hold back their tears. 

“What…the fuck…” Trong says, walking backwards to the wall, trying to keep distance between himself and the crew who seemed so ragtag a few moments ago but now seem to revel in a sudden bloodthirsty confidence. 

Trong trips on the foot of Lisa’s station. He trips but regains his footing and falls slightly against the back wall of the bridge, his face slamming against the aft viewport. 

The huge puppy takes several heavy steps and bares his teeth at Trong. 

Trong gulps. 

——

Later that night. 

Chase and Amanda sit on the bridge. 

She’s in the captain’s chair and he’s in Salamander’s. The rest of the crew sit in a circle behind them playing with Olg. 

“You know, when I was young, my dream was to work as a crew member on your ship.” Amanda says. “I mean, before…”

Chase turns to her. “Before everything went to shit?” 

Amanda nods affirmatively.

“By went to shit, do you mean your two decades long campaign of drinking and womanizing yourself through the galaxy while leaving me and mom behind?” 

Chase looks at her, unsure how to take this, and for once has no words. Then Amanda cracks a half-smile and shakes her head.

“Well, I guess we’re here now. And maybe we can make the best of it.” Chase continues. 

Amanda smiles. Twelve years into her career as a ship captain in the Legion, she’s intimately familiar with the punishing toll the job takes on people and can see her father better than she ever could before. 

“Do you think we were too hard on him?” Amanda asks.

“Who?” Chase is genuinely confused. “Oh…him.” 

He looks out the viewport and angles his head down a few degree to look at the bow of the ship. Wearing a white thermasuit and pressurized helmet, Trong is attached to the front of the ship. 

“I mean, he’ll be fine as long as we don’t go too fast.” Chase says, leaning back in his chair. 

“That’s what I was thinking,” Amanda says.” 

Amanda smiles, enjoying the moment with her father. 

End

Copyright Chris McCarthy and MDA Press, 2024, Graphics by Chris McCarthy with Imagen3.

By Chris McCarthy,

Edwin lords over the crew until Chase arrives. The backstory of Amanda’s conflict with Edwin comes out. And things go from bad to worse…

Ambassador Trong walks onto the bridge of Amanda’s ship. His attaches, Liam and Sturgis, enter with him. 

His pageant guard Maritha, walks just in front of him waving green and yellow flags wherever he is going to walk to give him the pageantry accorded to his station.

The entourage walks onto the bridge in a heightened dramatic way, stone faced and eyes not connecting with anyone. Liam and Sturgis do dramatic bows and Maritha walks around the bridge, waving her flags, as Ambassador Trong empties his pockets of the thick stack of unusable paper credits and gold statues of his predecessors. In the old days. He might have left one of these valuable statues with the ship, but inflation’s a bitch and these days the statues are just used in the ornate display of wealth and privilege that got the man into this position.

Amanda’s crew stand at attention in a line at the center of the bridge, Amanda standing directly on top of the four foot diameter Intergalactic Legion insignia, her fists up in the official pugilistic stance of a captain, the rest of the crew standing in official positions behind her, Salamander—his official title Number Two—with his arms on his hips looking up and to the right, affecting an ambitious overconfidence; Lisa, her hands on either cheek, her face locked into a silent primal scream, an affected stance all Navigation Specialists must use, the meaning lost over the centuries. Winston, the communications officer, is down on one knee, his arms out to the side as if he’s singing the final note in the final song of act two of a musical, his mouth wide open to affect a basic level understanding that his job is in communication, which typically for humans involves the mouth… ok, you get it. 

“Sup?” Suddenly, Ambassador Trong, relaxes his body and drops all formality. “What the fuck is up, Mandy?” He looks around the ship, taking in the small bridge. 

Amanda softens a bit, but keeps her official stance. Her crew behind her stay frozen but keep their eyes on her, following her cue. 

“What, you don’t want to talk to your old buddy, Edwin Trong?” He asks coyly. 

Amanda shows the beginning of an uncomfortable smile, still frozen in position. Edwin walks up and pretends to shadow box with Amanda. 

Lisa, her mouth still locked in the mock primal scream, meets Winston’s eyes below her and to the right, “Can we stop doing this now? I’m getting crow’s feet.”

Winston whispers, “We have to wait for Ambassador fuck face to say at ease…”

Trong takes in Amanda’s crew. “There’s a real ragtag underdog thing going on here. Very on-brand, Amanda. The self-sabotage is palpable… but that’s always been your thing, hasn’t it?”

He looks to his entourage who suddenly remember to laugh uproariously. Even Maritha stops waving her flags around and cracks up. 

WHOOOOSH.

The loud noise of a toilet distracts everyone as the automatic hatch slides open from a hallway at the back of the bridge and Chase walks onto the bridge. Trong’s retinue look over, Liam wide-eyed at the impertinence and Sturgis looking at Trong and Liam, wondering how he should react to this breach in protocol.

“Excuse me, sir, what do you think you’re doing?” Sturgis asks, a condescending lilt to his voice. “Trong is eldest son of one of the wealthiest asteroid mining families, so you will show him the respect he’s earned…”

Sturgis stops talking as Chase rips open a bag of Prathian Figs and throws one in his mouth. “These are supposed to help get you regular. Oh shit, wait, that’s prunes, right? Too bad Earth is gone and no one thought to take prune trees with them when they left.”

Then for the first time, Chase looks over at Ambassador Trong’s delegation. 

“Sorry, guys. I had to see a guy about a prairie dog back there. Right? Get it?” 

He walks over to Sturgis and wipes his hand off on his shirt then looks at it to make sure it’s clean. “Oh, I’m just fucking with you guys.” 

Sturgis’ mouth falls open. 

Amanda looks over at Chase nervously, “Dad…I mean Chase…who the hell are you doing?”  

The rest of Amanda’s crew, visibly exhausted now and wearing pained faces, look around at each other desperately as they try to hold their positions. 

Trong says, “Excuse me. You will give me the deference I have earned…” 

Maritha runs over waving her ribbon in Chase’s face—this time it’s an aggressive move. She hisses loudly at him. HISSSSSS. 

“OK, so they don’t have gum on Tumis,” Chase says. “Noted. I’ll let my smuggler friends know.” 

Chase looks at the stone-faced entourage. “I’m kidding. Come on, have a sense of humor.” 

Suddenly, a look of realization comes over Trong’s face. “Wait a minute…” says Trong. 

Maritha keeps waving the flags as she circles Chase, who doesn’t seem to notice. 

“Maritha, stop. Just please stop.” Trong says, pushing her flags away.

Maritha dances her way to the other side of the ship.

The crew, still frozen in place, look at each other as they mouth her name—Maritha.

Salamander says, “It has to be Marissa, right?”

Winston nods in agreement, “Has to be. The thhhh sound is really uncomfortable.” 

Trong walks up to Chase, excited, “You’re Chase Markley!” 

Chase throws another fig into his mouth then puts the empty sack into Liam’s pocket. “Yep, who the fuck are you and why are standing on my bridge?”

Trong steps back so Chase can see him better. “It’s Edwin Trong. You used to drive me to school when Mandy and I were in pre-academy.”

“Oh, yeah, Edwin. OK, how’s your mom doing?” 

“Oh… she’s dead.” 

“Oh really? Shit. Wow. She’s dead? Like fully dead?” Chase asks. 

“Yeah, like fully dead. Yes.” Edwin responds.  

Amanda rolls her eyes as Chase walks past Edwin over to her and the crew. “Why are you so uptight Mandy?”  

He touches her shoulder and gently shakes her and she unfreezes. 

The rest of the crew relax out of their poses. Lisa rubs her cheekbones and flexes her jaw. “It feels like I’ve been chewing gum for an hour.” 

“Gum’s illegal here. Just ask… Marissa, is it? I mean her breath could knock a buzzard off a shit wagon.” Chase says. 

Marissa looks over and hisses again but lowers her flags to her side when she notices Edwin laughing, quickly followed by Liam and Sturgis. 

Winston stands up, rubbing his knee. “Gonna need to oil this knee when we get to the outpost. Wait a minute…” 

Winston looks down surprised as his knee emits a faint blue glow.

Lisa raises her eyebrows. “What’s happening to your knee?

Winston pulls up his right sleeve and examines a small screen on his wrist. “It appears that the update included a patch to my regeneration algorithm. The nanobots in my system were reprogrammed for better efficiency.”

“Wow,” says Lisa. 

Chase looks at the crew, now relaxing back to their normal postures, except for Salamander. “Hey crew, relax. Chill. It’s just old Edwin Trong. Used to drive him to school then mow his mom’s lawn on my way back home.”

Chase shakes Salamander gently. “You can relax now.” 

Salamander wakes up, shivering. “Sorry, I went deep there.” He runs over to a corner of the bridge and taps a button. A stream of hot air comes out of a panel in the wall. “Oh yeah, that’s the stuff.” 

“Sorry, what did you say, Chase? Mow my mom’s lawn?” Edwin asks. 

Chase says, “It’s an expression.” 

“OK. That’s what I was wondering.” Edwin asks, slightly suspicious.

“I mean, I actually did mow the lawn…I did it well. Really well. Too well, maybe.” Chase says. 

“Oh. OK.” Edwin shakes off his confusion and it’s quickly replaced by excitement.

“Well, guys” Edwin says, “This is the legendary bounty hunter, Chase Markley. He brought down the Orphelian six.” 

“Seven. One of them morphed into two.” Chase says. 

Winston leans over to Salamander, and whispers, “Notice how one always morphs at the last minute. Champion stat padder, this guy.”

Sal says, “What are you talking about? Chase is a legend. Plus, he’s Amanda’s dad, so… ” 

“You’re obsessed with Amanda.” Winston counters. 

Salamander looks at her, admiringly, “She’s a good leader. Just doesn’t always know how to show it.” 

“She shoots you out the airlock every chance she gets,” Winston says.

Winston watches as Lisa walks over to Chase and puts a hand on his bicep.

Lisa says, “Chase, thanks. Finally someone did something.” 

“No problem, Lisa. Edwin’s just a family friend.” 

Amanda steps between Edwin and Chase. “So now that we’re done with all that, let’s talk about…”

Chase interrupts. He looks at Edwin, an edge to his voice. 

“So you weren’t going to at ease my very hospitable crew who were here all ready for your arrival. I mean, shit, ancient metal face over here got on one knee for you. You know how much effort that took?” Chase points at Winston. “The guy’s three hundred years old.” 

Winston glares at Chase, then looks down at his knee. He stretches it out. It feels amazing. 

Edwin puffs his chest out with pride. “Well, as you of course know, I am trade ambassador for Andolenga Outpost, a position my family has held for two hundred years. It is my duty and privilege to choose one ship a day to extract ceremonial tariff. So when I saw captain Amanda Markley’s identification come up, well, I mean, I had to stop her ship. Just for old time’s sake.” 

“For old time’s sake?” Amanda says. “I know you hate me for what I did. What do you want?” 

Chase shoots Amanda a look, “Amanda, I got this…” 

“No, Chase… I got this. Edwin, tell us our payment and we’ll be on our way. You’ve lorded yourself over me and my crew enough.” 

Edwin laughs. “Now why would I hate you Amanda?” He walks toward the front of the bridge and looks out the viewport at the blue planet that gets larger and larger as the ship approaches. 

He turns on his heels and looks back at her. “Because you came between me and my sister? Is that a reason to hate someone? I don’t know…” 

Chase tries to intercede. “Guys, let’s not get carried away here…” 

“Silence!” Edwin says. 

Liam pulls out a six inch blue light chryo-blade and waves it in front of his face, the blade humming as it slices the air. A second prior Liam seemed like nothing more than a fop courtier, but now he takes a well-practiced fighting stance.

Amanda looks around the bridge. She realizes she needs to take control. “Edwin, let’s…”

“Did you not hear what I said?!” Edwin screams. He waits a moment then looks around the bridge, everyone now silent. He sits down in the captain’s chair and picks at a hangnail. “Good. As I was saying… getting between me and my sister probably wouldn’t be enough for me to hate you. I mean, we were in academy. We were young.”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Amanda says. “Now let’s…” 

“But getting between me and my sister, whose heart you went on to break when you left her stranded after eloping with her.” Edwin says. 

Amanda takes a step back, “Uh, ok, see… what happened was…”

Edwin continues, “A heart break that quickly turned into rage for me after you told her you were breaking up with her because you had feelings for me, which was a lie…”

“It was, uh, the first thing that came to mind,” Amanda says. 

Lisa looks on and raises her eyebrows, “Wow.” 

“Yeah,” Chase says, nodding. 

Edwin continues on, “Edwina’s rage of course took our family down the pathway of internecine warfare, splitting our army into two factions, one that supported her as the successor of my family’s asteroid mines and the other, which supported me, splitting our power down the middle—and putting me in this embarrassing position as trade ambassador instead of Emperor of Planet Crassus.” 

Amanda cracks a sheepish smile. “Right. Totally. You have every right to be…” 

“Not that my sister fared any better. She fell in with a crew of Earth-wheat smugglers in the Daytona System and is now locked away in a prison half a galaxy away. Quite a fall from grace.”

“Yikes. Well…I would like to apologize…” Amanda responds. 

Edwin stands up and walks toward Amanda, “In other words, you destroyed my family, caused an internal division and power vacuum. A vacuum the Kreinalld family, our nemesis for centuries, stepped into, taking all of our power, now lording over Planet Crassus, our ancestral world.” 

Chase takes a step toward Amanda and Edwin at the center of the bridge, careful to avoid Liam’s glowing blade. “What can we do to make this right, Edwin?” 

“Make this right?” Edwin says, smiling. “Well, you’ve created the perfect scenario for me to justly kill you and your whole crew, right here on the bridge of your ship.”

Edwin nods to his right. Sturgis takes a step toward the center of the bridge and says, “You’re harboring a three month old mango-puppy, an animal blacklisted for trade. This is an infraction punishable by death on planet Tumis.”

“So, Chase and Amanda, I guess you could say you’re making this right.” Edwin says darkly.

Sturgis’ eyes turn bright green and he stares down Chase and the crew menacingly. 

Salamander walks over from the corner and stands next to Winston. “Did his eyes just change color?”

“Yeah. He’s like me. Just a later edition.” Winston says. 

“A later edition?” Salamander asks. 

“Yeah,” Winston says gulping. “He’s what we affectionately call… an armybot.”

“An armybot? As in…he’s like a full army by himself?”

Winston shakes his head, “ No. As in he murders entire armies…with his mind.”

“Oh sweet holy fuck. We’re going to die… like right now.” Salamander says, putting his hand to his neck. 

“Yep,” says Winston. He double takes as he notices a blue glow emitting from his right hand. 

Copyright Chris McCarthy and MDA Press 2024, Graphics by Chris McCarthy with Imagen3