In the far reaches of space, in a galaxy mostly unexplored, where a bright blue sun lives, a giant skull floats lazily in its orbit. Though once considered a God to a long deceased alien race, it has a new function now, that of a newly commandeered base of operations for the mysterious interplanetary hero of the Galactic Government known as Ghostbird.
CHAPTER 1
Through the left socket of the floating skull base, a brightly lit room of red, orange, pink, green, and yellow, that make up the walls, plus a few sharp angled home decor shapes to tie the room together (according to Marsha). In the center, the cowled hero sits deep in thought behind a small purple table, raised out from the black and white tile floor of his newly constructed base. And across from him, a golden robotic owl called Noc, who sits on a pile of books in order to be level with the table. They are locked in an ancient Earth game of the 16th century called "chess".
Noc’s head lifts up from his metallic body, and with the aid of a long inner neck device, stretches his head to the chess board, removing a white horse, and replacing it with one of his last remaining black pawns.
NOC: This game is not as dull as I anticipated.
GHOSTBIRD: No, Noc, this is not a game to take too lightly as I warned you before playing. It is a game of cunning wit, and deliberate strategy.
The space hero makes his move, then sits comfortably back in his chair, hands behind his head. This is his game.
NOC: Checkmate, Ghostbird.
He shoots forward, knocking his knees into the table.
GHOSTBIRD: What? How?
NOC: According to the rules, Ghostbird.
GHOSTBIRD: But I have a move right here.
NOC: Check.
GHOSTBIRD: …How about here?
NOC: Check, Ghostbird.
GHOSTBIRD: I still have many more moves my little friend.
NOC: Yes, but no matter where you go, I will have you in check. The point is to detain you of any options of winning. You can keep going, but I have you at every move. That is checkmate.
GHOSTBIRD: Hmm I should have hardwired you differently.
NOC: You did not construct me Ghostbird, we met -
GHOSTBIRD: I know I know, I remember Noc. I saved you from your master on that strange beanstalk planet.
NOC: I would hardly consider getting bored with my former master, and choosing to come with you as an act of heroics.
GHOSTBIRD: Yes but don’t forget your former master was abusing you, and planning a full on invasion of his neighboring world. Not to mention when you expressed your distaste for his senseless acts of violence, he re-programmed you to slaughter countless lives. I de-programed you from that.
NOC: Yes.
GHOSTBIRD: Nothing to add to that, do you my friend?
NOC: What more do you want me to say?
GHOSTBIRD: How about a nice “thank you”?
Noc rolls his glowing yellow eyes behind his silver lids.
NOC: Okay. “Thank you.”
GHOSTBIRD: You're welcome.
He smiles proudly, followed by a long silence…
NOC: You need the last word to make up for losing the chess game, don’t you?
GHOSTBIRD: What?!
Ghostbird huffed, caught in his act.
*ALTER!* *ALERT!* *ALTERT!*
The spastic red blinking turns the base into an epileptic episode of tension.
GHOSTBIRD: The alarm! Quickly Noc, to the viz-screen!
Noc glides his way to the control panel, while Ghostbird rolls himself by use of his chair, bumping into the control panel, denting it, facing it, and clicks the large red button. Before their eyes, a large 30 inch holo screen appears, filled with the old stressed features of the General.
GENERAL: Ghostbird! Thank God you answered! We need your help!
GHOSTBIRD: What's the problem General?
Ghostbird was usually this calm. A reminder to both the General, and Noc,that if anything bad happens, Ghostbird is the one to call.
GENERAL: The President’s been taken!
NOC: The President? How? Don’t you have guards to prevent this kind of thing?
Ghostbird leans to his side, covering his mouth, and whispers to his avian friend.
GHOSTBIRD: Shhh, I know people annoy you, but don’t criticize now. Do it later.
Noc whispers back with a hint of sarcasm.
NOC: After we get the President?
GHOSTBIRD: After we get the president.
NOC: Okay deal. We’re on it General!
Ghostbird brings his attention back to the General (an upward crease lifting his cheek since the General did not notice the small interaction with Noc)
GHOSTBIRD: Now, are there any clues? Anyone you suspect?
GENERAL: No, but we did find this…
The General presents a black shell.
Ghostbird ponders it.
GHOSTBIRD: I need you to send that clue to my base at once, General. The feed from the screen makes it too difficult for me to decipher it fully.
GENERAL: I’m sending it to you right now! Please, for God’s sake, save the President!
GHOSTBIRD: Don’t worry General, we won’t let you down!
Ghostbird flicks down a small silver switch. The viz-screen disappears, leaving behind two heroes to ponder their upcoming mission.
After several agonizing minutes, the black shell materializes on a red cylinder device attached to the control panel. Ghostbird picks it up, and adjusts his blue ocular bird-like goggles.
NOC: It looks like a broken fragment of an insect.
GHOSTBIRD: Hold on my little friend. We will figure this out.
The advanced computer connected to his goggles begin analyzing the shell. The computer searches through the data banks based on Ghostbird’s personal missions and experience. 10 minutes later, the computer returns with an answer.
GHOSTBIRD: I got it. It’s a broken shell fragment of an incest.
NOC: …Wow, Ghostbird.
Noc sighed, unconvinced of his friend’s potential, and bothered by his pride. Was sarcasm part of his programming? It had only begun to be a daily part of his speech pattern when he met Ghostbird.
NOC thought: [Oh well. When I get bored, I’ll leave, and maybe that strange new tone of language will stay behind.]
Ghostbird continues.
GHOSTBIRD: It’s a large insect too. Very large.
NOC: How big are we talking here?
Noc snapped himself out of his inner thoughts, and was now genuinely interested.
GHOSTBIRD: We’re talking man sized, my little friend.
Ghostbird takes a dramatic pause…
Noc’s talons click impatiently.
GHOSTBIRD: This belongs to my arch enemy, Zorg Borg!
NOC: Zorg Borg?
GHOSTBIRD: That's right. We’ve been enemies for years. Smart fellow, but not as strong as he wants you to think. Always needs his cronies to fight me. Now I will use my cowl computer to trace his whereabouts.
NOC: How are you going to do that?
GHOSTBIRD: Everyone has a level of energy emitting from them. Even you, and even Zorg Borg. That energy takes days to fully disappear. However everyone emits their own personal energy, so I need to be certain of who I am tracking. My cowl computer can trace the trail from the Galactic Dome over New Earth where the President was kidnapped, and follow it like a cookie trail to the location Zorg Borg has chosen.
Adjusting his goggles yet again, Ghostbird does exactly that, and when he locates the lingering energy to its final destination -
GHOSTBIRD: Bingo! He’s on Planet Zuuph.
NOC: Zuuph? There's nothing on that rock. It's a dead world.
GHOSTBIRD: And that’s exactly why it's the perfect base. Zorg Borg is a creature who enjoys his solitary.
NOC: Too bad that doesn’t keep him away from the public.
GHOSTBIRD: My sentiments exactly, little friend.
Ghostbird throws the shell away, where it shatters against the tiled floor. A gloved hand on a wooden arm holding a small broom comes up from a second tile, as if waiting to do its job, and sweeps the shattered fragments into a glass dustbin, that is held by a second gloved hand, and is then projected out of the skull base, and into the atmosphere of the blue sun.
GHOSTBIRD: Zuuph is too far for my jetpack, so we’ll have to take the Talon Cruiser. Let’s go Noc!
The two hero’s depart for the lower levels of the skull base; the jaw.
Unknown to them watching from a security camera in the second floor training room (somewhere by the nostrils of the skull) the young protege Marsha has been listening in on the whole conversation.
MARSHA: So they think they can go on a sweet mission without me?
She pulls back her long blonde hair into a stylish ponytail, places on an identical pair of goggles to Ghostbird, hooks on her belt, pulls up her matching red gloves and boots, and holsters her fully loaded red ray pistol.
MARSHA: We’ll see about that.
After a few hectic moments of preparation, the lower jaw of the skull base opens, and out comes the amazing might of the Talon Cruiser!
CHAPTER 2
Planet Zuuph has been deserted for as long as its known recording in the galactic government research files. A big blue ball of rock, with black hills formed over its surface like a twisted sad face. For many years it was thought unable to harbor life. Its oxygen levels were deemed too risky for colonization. Even during the prime hype of planet colonization, where several hundreds died due to premature comedering. (Something the GG denies)
However that would soon be proven wrong as the years went on. Not only have scientists since then discovered the oxygen levels on Zuuph are indeed breathable, but it also appears to have all the necessary resources to breed life of its own. But it never has. So instead Zuuph floats on, void and alone. And off limits to anyone, courtesy of the Galactic Government. (For your safety of course)
The President wakes in a dark, and cold room. Groggy, he slowly raises himself from the chill stone floor, and looks around. Surrounded by darkness, save the strange circular spotlight on him.
Nothing to see or hear either except the unnerving dripping of water drops against jagged cave walls.
He walks forward - BANG! The cartilage in his nose splits. An invisible force field? No, it's glass. He mimes his hands around, up and down, left and right. Following the trail up until it curves. A glass dome. And above the dome, was a long teal tube, reaching up to the unknown.
This sudden realization sends his heart rate through the roof. His breathing intensifies. Desperation overflows his lungs. There are no open vents! How much longer does he have?
PRESIDENT: Oh no! Help! Anyone? Help!
Then a strange cackle of laughter echoes in the distance. It gets closer. Closer. Closer. The footsteps were heavy. Scratching. Deep terror ran up the President’s spine. Finally the voice from the darkness says,
“I’m happy you're awake, Mr. President. I do so really enjoy the company.”
PRESIDENT: Who said that? Show yourself!
“Oh be careful what you wish for, Mr. President.”
The dark cave lights up, forcing a reflexive squint in the President's face. His eyes adjust. He can see everything now.
A large cold inner workings of a DIY science lab, blending unfaithfully with the sharp marble workings. Wires, bulbs, swirling tubes. It looked like a Frankenstein of laboratories.
Finally the voice reveals himself in all of his horrifying glory.
Large blue fly eyes, twin mandibles covered in translucent drool, large muscular upper body, toned hairy legs with double pointed toes. His large arms were in a constant flex from the shoulders down, with stressed veins risen permanently to the surface.
The President was quiet at first, fear stricken. Speaking was now hard labor. Until finally he forced his weakened vocal cords to speak the name of this monstrosity.
PRESIDENT: Zorg Borg!
Zorg Borg properly holds his chest, and politely bows before the leader of the Free Galaxy.
PRESIDENT: What do you want, Zorg Borg?
ZORG BORG: Well you see I’m going to eat you, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT: Eat me?
ZORG BORG: That’s right. I’m going to enjoy slowly ripping your insides to shreds, and digesting only the necessary parts I need, and then discarding your pathetic remains, and leave you here to rot in the terrible silence of this world. But that's not even the best part, more like the bonus for my hard work.
PRESIDENT: What do you mean, you sicko!
ZORG BORG: Well Mr. President, when I’m through with you, I will wear your skin, and be you.
PRESIDENT: What?
ZORG BORG: That’s right Mr. President. I have a paralyzing gas hooked up to the dome you are in. Don’t worry, you’ll be awake while I slice you. And then I’m going to be the President of the Free Galaxy! No one will ever even know! And I will use my new political powers to do as I want! And the first thing I’m going to do is turn the entire military might of the Galactic Government on Ghostbird, and eradicate him from existence once and for all!
PRESIDENT: You’re mad, Zorg Borg!
ZORG BORG: You’re right, Mr. President, I am mad! No better yet I’m furious! Over and over that costumed freak has stopped me from every plan I have ever made! Do you know, Mr. President, do you know how frustrating it is to plan something, go through all the hard work in getting it made, just to have it crash and burn! To have it snuffed out from under you before it ever gets off the ground!? Well not anymore. No one knows where I am, not even Ghostbird!
Just then, Zorg Borg’s alarm rings a loud and long one note strain.
The President smirks, while whipping away a cold sweat from his white weathered head.
PRESIDENT: Looks like someone knows where you are after all, you diseased maniac!
ZORG BORG: Silence!
He dashes to his controls, where a cubic computer monitor sits on a smooth stone surface. Wires jut out the back like wild metal hairs, violating the wall behind. He quiets the alarm, and turns on the screen where he sees an all too familiar star cruiser.
ZORG BORG: Gah! The Talon Cruiser! Ghostbird!
He clenches his fists so tight, he draws blood.
PRESIDENT: It’s over Zorg Borg! Ghostbird is here to stop you yet again.
ZORG BORG: Don’t get too excited just yet. This is all too predictable. To think that I would not expect an appearance from that miserable creature would mean I do not know him as well as I established. Think again! Mwahahahaha!
To the President's astonishing horror, Zorg Borg switches on the paralyzing gas.
CHAPTER 3
Aboard the Talon Cruiser. The relatively compact cruiser had exactly enough room for five passengers, the pilot included. A subsidiary life boat of a much larger ship, that was destroyed in a fight with pirates. Every passenger was killed, and every prize possession taken. By the time Ghostbird stumbled across the ship, he found one lifeboat still intact, though it could only fit four people. In four days, Ghostbird redesigned it, adding an extra seat, and a slew of other secret weapons and modalities to assist him in his galactic crusade.
Ghostbird ready's himself for battle.
GHOSTBIRD: Take the controls my little friend. I need to check on my ray gun.
NOC: Wheel’s all mine, Ghostbird.
Ghostbird opens a glass case where his red ray gun has been charging since their departure.
GHOSTBIRD: Fully charged. Perfect.
He holsters it to his right leg.
GHOSTBIRD: How much longer before we reach Zuuph, Noc?
NOC: Still have 10 minutes, Ghostbird.
GHOSTBIRD: Perfect. And with the cruiser in camouflage mode, Zorg Borg won’t know we’re coming. We have the element of surprise.
Noc tilts his head. Silent for a moment.
NOC: …Nothing can detect the cruiser in camouflage mode, right?
GHOSTBIRD: That’s right little buddy.
NOC: Not even giant purple space bats?
GHOSTBIRD: Hmm oddly specific, but yes. Not even they have sonar strong enough to pick us up. I designed it myself. It came in handy many times in the past.
NOC: And you put the cruiser in camouflage mode?
GHOSTBIRD: ...No. You did.
NOC: No I didn’t, I thought you did.
GHOSTBIRD: I asked you after we left.
NOC: Ghostbird, I didn’t even know this thing had a camouflage mode!
GHOSTBIRD: I thought I told you.
Ghostbird ponders calmly.
Noc, not so calmly.
NOC: Look, forget about that, we have incoming hostels. I think Zorg Borg knows we're here.
Ghostbird runs to the cockpit. On the small green radar screen are two targets moving fast in their direction. He looks up to see in the distance two large hairy purple space bats, covered by thick purple manes. Person sized, with a 30 foot wingspan.
GHOSTBIRD: Noc, I need you to stay in here, and keep flying the cruiser. I’m going out there.
NOC: But we have missiles. We can just blow them away.
Ghostbird stretches his arms, cracking several bones.
GHOSTBIRD: I need the exercise Noc. Trust me.
Ghostbird hits a yellow switch on his red glove. Then in a flash, he is covered by a thin yellow glowing aura. He slides down into a compartment under the side door, and jettisons himself out into the dark void.
The hatch closes, but in a silver trunk next to the side door, the top opens, and Marsha peaks her head out in concern.
CHAPTER 4
The Cruiser continues its projection to Zuuph, while Ghostbird, protected by his oxygen shield of his own design, dives with controlled accuracy for a clash with one of the bats.
*BAM*
A powerful left hook sends one of the bats backwards, while the second flaps upward, avoiding the impending clash with its brother.
Ghostbird ready’s another powered punch, but the bat gets the better of him, swatting him away with one large swing of its wing. The bat comes back for more, slamming head first into the galactic hero, knocking him upwards.
Noc catches the first bat on the monitor. He slams his golden talon on the control panel, ejecting a large red missile into the creature, killing it in a silent fiery explosion.
While the second bat notices its brother’s death, Ghostbird takes advantage of this distraction, and grabs the thing by its mane, and holds on for dear life.
The static voice of Noc speaks in the radio receiver of Ghostbird’s cowl.
NOC: Ghostbird! Use your ray gun!
GHOSTBIRD: I can’t’!
Struggling to hang onto the contorting bat.
GHOSTBIRD: Nothing can exit or enter my shield when it's active. If I had turned it on before holstering my pistol, then I could use it, but I didn’t. If I use it, It will backfire!
NOC: Then do something!
GHOSTBIRD: I’m trying!
The alarm on the control panel goes crazy. Noc see’s a large cluster on the radar coming at rapid speed.
NOC: We have incoming asteroids!
GHOSTBIRD: Asteroids?
A lightbulb goes off in his head.
GHOSTBIRD: That's it! Noc, jettison the grappling cable towards us!
NOC: On it!
The little robotic bird flaps, and hops to the left side of the control panel, taps several buttons, then pressing hard on a squared pastel button. A latch under the cockpit slides open, and a large metal hook connected to a 10,000 foot long cable fires out.
Ghostbird catches it, and ties it around the bat’s neck.
GHOSTBIRD: Perfect! Now fly at the asteroids!
NOC: What? Are you insane?
GHOSTBIRD: No, just trust me!
NOC: Ghostbird I know you love heroics, but can we -
GHOSTBIRD: Noc, just do it!
The frustrated owl reluctantly changes course for the incoming space debris.
NOC: I hope you know what you’re doing, Ghostbird.
The cruiser increases in speed, taking the bat up with it. Ghostbird holds on tighter, hoping the force of the cable would just as easily break the bat’s neck, and if so, then he doesn’t have to go through with this plan, but no luck. The bat holds on, and so does Ghostbird.
CHAPTER 5
If Noc had a heart, it would be beating out of his chest. The fuse in his bulb-like eyes threatens to burn out.
The cruiser enters the asteroid field. The turbulence sends Noc flying into a wall. The silver trunk that held Marsha rattles, and rocks.
A hard hit from a space rock springs Marsha out of her hiding spot, into the wall, and next to Noc.
NOC: Marsha?!
MARSHA: Ow! What’s going on?
NOC: We flew into an asteroid field!
MARSHA: What did you do that for?
She gains her balance, and runs for the controls, steering the ship up and out of danger.
Marsha and Noc breathe.
A small sharp rock cuts through the grappling cable, and Ghostbird loses his grip on the bat.
Several rocks hit him like sharp rain. Unconscious, he sores downward, out of the asteroid field, and into the atmosphere of Zuuph.
The bat turns towards Ghostbird, but a large space rock slams into it, crushing it as it collides with another large asteroid, literally coughing up its own lungs before being crushed and flattened.
Noc tries for the radio receiver, but there is no answer. Marsha worriedly tries. No answer.
Checking the radar screen -
NOC: See that little blip?
MARSHA: Is that him?
NOC: Yeah. And he’s moving fast towards Zuuph. This isn’t good. I think he’s been knocked out. I knew that stunt was stupid.
Marsha bolts for the wheel, and steers the cruiser down to the falling Ghostbird.
MARSHA: We’ll tell him how stupid he is AFTER we save him.
NOC: Speaking of which, what are YOU doing here?
MARSHA: Uhh lets go over that later.
Marsha smiles nervously. Busted.
Down down down the cruiser goes.
NOC: He’s going to be entering the atmosphere in minutes! Faster!
MARSHA: I’m trying with this thing!
Then a thought enters her mind.
MARSHA: Hey, isn’t he protected by his shield thing? Isn’t that, like, indestructible?
NOC: The shield is yes, but what is inside is not. The shield will protect him from burning up, but the moment he hits the planet, the full force of the impact will cause Ghostbird to burst IN the shield!
MARSHA: Oh crud!
NOC: Yes! Now we need to do something because I don’t think we’re going to reach him in time!
MARSHA: Wait, I have an idea. The grappling cable!
NOC: No, we used it with the bats, and lost it in the asteroids!
MARSHA: Come on, really?!
NOC: Yes really, now think of something else!
MARSHA: Am I the only one thinking?!
NOC: No, I'm thinking too!
MARSHA: You should be better at this, you're a freakin robot! - Wait, I got it!
NOC: Spit it out!
MARSHA: The taser net!
NOC: He’s already knocked out, Marsha!
MARSHA: I know, but we can turn the taser part off manually from here.
NOC: After it’s already fired!
MARSHA: So we need to time it just right, about 0.5 seconds. We catch him, he’s safe.
Noc says nothing. His small golden chest moves up and down.
MARSHA: We have to try!
NOC: Okay!
Noc hits a switch. A large rectangular latch slides open under the cockpit, and a large black net ejects out.
Just seconds away from catching the falling hero.
Sweat rolls down Marsha's face as she hovers over the disable button.
Any second now.
The heavy balls at the end force the net to close around Ghostbird. There is a second-long jolt from the taser, as Marsha turns it off, 0.5 seconds too late.
The sudden shock wakes Ghostbird up, and is hoisted back into the cruiser, which then slows to a complete stop above Planet Zuuph.
CHAPTER 6
Meanwhile, on the Talon Cruiser.
GHOSTBIRD: That was good thinking, Marsha.
MARSHA: Thanks GB.
Marsha’s smile was from ear to ear. Ghostbird didn’t usually give out compliments like that to anyone, especially Marsha. Never wants anything to get to her head. He means it now, and that felt good to her.
GHOSTBIRD: But why are you here? I told you to not break my rules!
Dang! He didn’t forget. Not even after she saved him. It was her plan after all. That was part of Ghostbird’s way though. Bring you up, but never bring you back down. Only to level you out. Shows you your progress, but also where you are at.
His voice still hit her feelings a bit hard, but that's not his fault. That was her upbringing. Everyone she was around lived to bring her up, only to gladly pull her down so hard, she’d left a crater somewhere on her home planet of Thane.
She blocked out most of her memories before Ghostbird met her - saved her really.
The memories are gone in a way, but the feelings linger from time to time. And it isn’t anyone’s fault. Sometimes a single word, or tone of voice can bring them back up. And when that happens, she usually regresses back to the cold sad little girl of Thane. But that was six years ago. Ghostbird and Noc had been helping her since. And progress has been made. And that's what she needs to remind herself of. Progress. Even with Ghostbird. He meant what he said. She saved his life, and he knows it. But she did break a rule. And she understood that too. He is not her family. She needs to remember that. He is a hero. Her hero.
MARSHA: Can we go over that later?
She was nervous.
GHOSTBIRD: Marsha, I told you countless times that if I need you, I’ll call you. Until then, you need to spend time in the training room. You need -
MARSHA: Me to save your life.
She interrupted, then regretted it immediately. Ghostbird straightened up. He was taller than usual.
GHOSTBIRD: Marsha -
NOC: Um Ghostbird…
Noc was quiet at first, then he grew increasingly more confident when he caught his friend’s attention.
NOC: Marsha did break the rules you set, yes. I’m not arguing that, and I don’t think she is either. But she did save you. She came up with the plan, and quite frankly she can fly the cruiser better than I can.
GHOSTBIRD: I understand, but the risks -
NOC: Are no different from your own.
The shoe was on the other foot now. Noc wanted so badly now to ream Ghostbird for that stupid stunt with the asteroids, and how it failed. How it seemed he was running at the foot of his pants. To call him an idiot, and a sore loser, especially at chess games. But he didn’t. Instead, Noc said what needed to say, and left it at that. And he, along with Marsha waited apprehensively for their leader’s answer.
Ghostbird took a long pause. He knew they were nervous. With Noc, he could read it in the dimness in his eyes. The way she stood was timid now, with one arm behind her back, while her feet were crossed, and she even did a little sway from side to side. A cover for her shyness and a fight for what's to come. He waited purposely but only for their own good. The moment he noticed his actions were in the stages of narcissistic and cruel, he stopped, and answered.
GHOSTBIRD: You’re right, Noc. I risked my own life, without a clear plan. I didn’t even need to leave the ship, but I did anyway. Sometimes we can all get a bit caught up in ourselves. Thank you Noc, and thank you Marsha, for saving my life.
Noc and Marsha breathed for the first time in centuries.
GHOSTBIRD: Now let's go save the President.
Ghostbird returned to the controls, and the cruiser began its descent to the barren planet.
Marsha hooked herself to the back passenger seat, while Noc hopped onto her shoulder.
MARSHA: Hey. Thanks.
Her voice shook a little.
Noc cannot smile, based on his design. But he was.
CHAPTER 7
Meanwhile in Zorg Borg’s base.
The President lies stiff as a board. A press of a button, and the glass dome lifts up, hovering 10 feet above. Zorg Borg rolls him to his back, where the President's eyes still dart in panicked directions.
ZORG BORG: Ah looks like my paralyzing gas is taking effect much quicker than I anticipated. And with Ghostbird gone, thanks to those space bats I captured from Planet Fungo, there is no one to save you, Mr. President.
He pulls out a long thin blade.
ZORG BORG: I’m going to begin by skinning you alive very gently. I hope you enjoy it, because I know I will.
He laughs, and starts for the President's neck when suddenly there is a loud explosion.
*KABOOOOM*
Zorg Borg drops the President, and turns to see a large hole in the rocky wall, where two heroic figures stand.
GHOSTBIRD: Step away from the President, Zorg Borg.
MARSHA: Yeah, don’t you know eating Presidents are unhealthy for you?
ZORG BORG: Then I guess I’ll have to mix things up with you two as my sides!
Pulling a lever by his computer table, a stone door heavily lifts up, revealing a large red creature, like a slug, but with long muscular arms, and a head of a horse, with deer antlers.
The creature charges intensely at them.
Marsha aims her ray gun, and fires.
The blast bounces off the thing’s chest.
GHOSTBIRD: Let me handle this, Marsha.
Ghostbird launches himself into the stomach of the beast.
The creature roars in frustration, as it was knocked back only a few feet. It swipes at its attacker, sending the costumed hero back through a brick wall.
Zorg Borg grabs the President, and fixes his blade right above the man’s neck, when a red beam evaporates his hand, shearing it cleanly off his wrist.
ZORG BORG: AHHHGGGG!!!!!!!
MARSHA: Sorry ugly, but the restaurant's closed. You’ll have to go home!
ZORG BORG: No brat tells me what to do!
He balls up a fist, and goes for a hard left.
Marsha ducks, and shoots his leg. It disintegrates.
Zorg Borg wobbles, then falls to the floor.
ZORG BORG: AHHHGGGGGGGG YOU FREAKIN BRAT!!!!
Ghostbird sores back into battle, and fires his ray gun into the monster’s eyes, blinding it.
GHOSTBIRD: Bingo!
He repeatedly fires shot after shot through the monster's head, where its brains explode out the back of its horse-like skull.
Marsha yelps, as Zorg Borg manages a hard punch into her gut, then another at her head.
She collapses to the floor. Unconscious.
ZORG BORG: BLASTED KID! I’LL TEACH YOU TO MESS WITH ZORG BORG!!
He raises his foot with the harsh intention to step on her head, busting it open like a melon. But his victory is cut short however, when he is careened up to the ceiling by a hard tackle from Ghostbird, causing him to crash into the vent. It cracks open, releasing the paralyzing gas. Zorg Borg crashes down onto the control panel, where it explodes into flames.
ZORG BORG: AAAHHHHHGGGGGGG!!!!!
Wave after wave of fiery explosions begin to take over the cave.
Ghostbird snatches up Marsha, and the President, and heads for the sky, zooming out through the hole they came in from, leaving Zorg Borg to his fate.
A small flickering light of a cell leaves Zorg Borg’s husk, and darts into the upper atmosphere, where the empty shell chars to pitch black.
The cave explodes.
The blast radius reaches Ghostbird, sending all three rolling in the air.
But a blue beam catches them, pausing their inevitable doom. Ghostbird looks up to see the Talon Cruiser, and a voice echoing from the ship.
NOC: Don’t worry I’ve got you!
The three passengers float up the beam, and onto the ship, where it takes off.
CHAPTER 8
Meanwhile on the Talon Cruiser, an hour later.
GHOSTBIRD: There you go Mr. President. Zorg Borg’s gas should be completely worn off by now.
PRESIDENT: Thank you all so much.
MARSHA: Aw don’t mention it. Unless it means we get a reward for it.
NOC: Marsha.
MARSHA: What?
GHOSTBIRD: Anyway, you're safe now. We will bring you back home, where I’m sure many will be delighted to see you.
He turns to Marsha.
GHOSTBIRD: And as for you young lady. Taking on Zorg Borg by yourself was not part of the plan.
PRESIDENT: Oh don’t be so hard on the girl. She saved my life after all.
MARSHA: Yeah. I even got a few good hits on Zorg Borg. Freak didn’t see me coming.
GHOSTBIRD: Because he underestimated you. If he had known how much of a threat you were, he would have killed you before you could even think of making a move.
She whispers to Noc.
MARSHA: I think he's just jealous.
Ghostbird smirks. His smile was as kind as ever.
PRESIDENT: Listen, Ghosrtbird, everyone, you have my eternal gratitude. If you ever need anything, anything at all, just let me know, and it will be done.
GHOSTBIRD: Thank you, Mr. President.
THE END
