Densetsu no Batoru Part 2: Legendary Pirate Interrobang!?

[RoxxyRobofox]

Part 1: Legends Awaken!

Dressed, repaired, and ready for their trip, Lynne, Ifrita and Serval made their way towards the airstrip where their ship awaited them. An escort of engineers and code experts headed by Agni and Jotun doted over the androids, bombarding them with technical questions and reading data readouts. It was bright and cool outside, and a brisk gust of wind whipped across the field as they approached their ship. Jotun gestured towards the large but sleek craft and said, “Here she is. The R-55, She's an old transport but quite tough. If things go south she'll get you out of trouble.”

Agni continued to walk as if he had not realized the group stopped, his eyes on a sleeker combat vessel outfitted with several obvious cannons. When he realized that Jotun was speaking of another vessel, he whipped around, his jaw open with shock. “You cannot be serioussss! The R-55 hasssss no weapons, no sssshielding! Remember that these girls are our besssssst hope and we've recently been sabotaged!”

Ifrita spoke up. She held herself stiff as if she were addressing a drill sergeant and turned her gaze on Jotun. “Sabotage? What is Agni talking about?”

Jotun closed his eyes and turned away from his colleagues to address Ifrita directly. “Your combat programming. It didn't load yesterday because it was wholly deleted and the backups removed. The only way this would have happened is if someone purposefully tampered with your code.”

“Yessss, yesssss! There'ssss traitor ssssomewhere in the complex, to send you out on this unarmed transport issss utterly foolish!” Agni became more and more agitated. His tail flicked and his lips curled back into a scowl that bared his fangs.

Tiredly, Jotun turned back to Agni. “The reason I chose this ship is because it has the space to support three androids. It has a room we've refit for training and can support multiple auto-repair stations. The weaponized ships are simply not designed for the kind of long range travel the girls will be doing.”

“You infuriatingly narrow-minded fool! I could have the engineersss make this ship sssafe for travel within a few weekssss! It would be prudent to-”

“Agni, we need to move immediately. There's simply no more time for preparations, even minor ones. Besides...” Jotun walked towards the angry thermavore and poked his red-scaled chest. “If I were to suspect anyone on the team of underhandedness, it would be you.”

“How... how dare!...” Agni's eyes went wide, he dropped his jaw and lifted his clawed hand as if he were going to strike Jotun down where he stood. Ifrita looked even less pleased and silently started to approach until Lynne reached out to grab her shoulder. Agni towered over Jotun, looking like he was going to tear the man apart.

“You fool! Your rassssssh decissssion-making and carelessssss management are going to be the doom of usssss! I'm going to prepare a complaint to the Arret Alliance right now!”

“You may do so if wasting your time pleases you. Try not to get stuck on any ssssyllables.”

Agni thrust his gaze into Jotun's face. His nostrils flared as he blew a hot breath that caused Jotun's bushy beard to flutter. Snarling loudly, he stormed off, his bare footprints leaving smoldering marks where he walked in the grass.

Ifrita managed to shrug herself out of Lynne's grip. She marched up to Jotun and locked eyes with him, her body shuddering briefly with restrained anger. “Jotun, you had better have a good reason for not sending us out in a ship that has better armaments.” Lynne and Serval joined Ifrita's side. Serval kept her head down and Lynne looked between Ifrita and the doctor.

“My reasoning is simple. The ship cannot handle the extra strain of weaponry and energy shielding because we've already modified it with equipment that can repair and recharge you all. On top of that, none of you are programmed to use weaponry and we're lacking any military pilots here that could train or escort you. Now I order you to drop the conversation and get on the vessel with no further argument.”

Ifrita narrowed her eyes and turned away silently to board the loading ramp that had opened in the back of the ship. Lynne and Serval watched her march off, then looked to each other and shrugged. Before boarding the ship, Lynne looked back to Jotun and waved. “Goodbye doctor! Thanks for building us and stuff! We'll do good!”

With that, the loading ramp retracted, the door of the ship closed and the vessel began to rise vertically, wings extending from its knife-shaped hull before taking off with a blast from its thrusters. Jotun watched the ship take off, his gaze steady and unblinking. With the ship nearly instantly out of sight, he turned back towards the complex and fished a commlink out of his pocket. Turning it on, he held it up to his ear and spoke quietly.

“They've taken off now. Whenever you're ready.”

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The girls had spent two weeks acclimating to life on the ship. At the front was a cockpit, behind which was the large, circular dojo where a database of basic combat maneuvers and martial arts data could be accessed. Opposite of the entrance to the cockpit and across the dojo was a hallway that led to th storage bay, the automated repair room and personal chambers for the androids to relax in.

Lynne's voice echoed through the halls of the ship. “Serval! Ifrita and I are gonna try out all the stuff we've been working on! Come watch us spar!”

Serval looked up from her history book, her furry ears twitching at the sound of Lynne's voice. Maybe... if she pretended she didn't hear them they'd get impatient and start without her. She tucked her muzzle deeper into the book she hoped to be able to enjoy quietly but unfortunately her plan was doomed to failure. Her door hissed open and Lynne came bounding in.

“Hey, come on! You've spent almost your whole time in here all cooped up. We should hang out more!”

“B-but I... I don't... uh...”

Lynne tilted her head, eyes bright with curiosity as she watched Serval stammer. “You what, kitty?”

Serval held her book up to shield herself from Lynne's vision, her eyes down and ears pinned flat. “I can't... I can't spar. I haven't even b-been practicing, you know?”

Lynne frowned a bit and planted her hands on her hips as she leaned forward and peered over the book at Serval, who fearfully looked up into her gaze. “Serval! You don't have to fight, but I would like it if you watched. Like I said, we spend barely any time together and-”

“Lynne! I grow weary of this stalling! Come out here and allow me to pummel you!”

Lynne and Serval both flinched as Ifrita's demand piunded down the hall. “So yeah, Serval. You don't HAVE to but I'd love it if you came and watched.” Lynne smiled at the fereian and turned to leave, pounding her fists together as she made her way out towards the dojo.

When Lynne stepped into the dojo, Ifrita was already there. The thermavore had switched attire into a form fitting one piece that hugged her curves. Her plush black lips formed a smirk as Lynne walked in, and Ifrita stepped to one side of the white circular mat that took up the center of the room. “Now that you have finished stalling, let us see which of us has come the farthest in our studies.”

Lynne grinned widely and rolled her shoulders forcefully enough that the joints within whined and buzzed. “You got it, Ifrita. Fair warning though, I've really improved since we fought those training drones.” She walked over to her side as well, feet planted firmly into the mat's firm surface. Just as she took her position, Serval quietly snuck into the room and took a seat at a bench by the back wall.

Ifrita noticed her slink in. “Tch. I see the coward has arrived. At least she can serve as a witness to your humiliating defeat.” Ifrita lifted her hands and held them at flat striking angles, palms open and fingers tight. Lynne put her dukes up and bounced from heel to heel, her exuberant energy flowing into her steps as Ifrita remained statue still.

“Okay, let's start!” Lynne shouted as she pushed off the balls of her feet and launched herself at Ifrita. With rapid strides she closed the space between them instantly and swung a powerful right jab at Ifrita's face.

Ifrita swept her hand outwards, which deflected the attack away and gave her an opening. She drove her other chop directly into Lynne's gut and the redhead grunted but took the blow easily. Lynne responded by lifting off her foot and going for a spinning kick aimed at Ifrita's head. The blow slammed its target and sent Ifrita stumbling to the side. She recovered quickly and launched herself towards Lynne, her movements terse and purposeful.

The two exchanged and deflected each other's blows for several seconds. Both fighters were locked into close combat, every rapidly-launched punch or knife-hand chop answered with a blow or dodge, the two evenly matched. Finally, Lynne landed a punch in Ifrita's jaw while Ifrita answered in kind and slammed the back of her hand against Lynne's cheek. The two took the chance to break away; Lynne took a few steps back as Ifrita backflipped into a safer position.

Lynne took in a deep breath, the first she'd taken this combat, and exhaled a thick cloud of steam for several moments. “You're fast, Ifrita. Heheh.”

“You hit hard.” Ifrita rolled her neck slowly but never took her eyes off of Lynne.

Serval had tucked her knees in and was hugging them as she watched the fight, her book at her side. She wasn't interested in training but something about watching the two mechanical women fight intrigued her. “Wow... Ifrita's so technical and Lynne is so fierce! I... I wonder how I would fight...”

The two fighters closed the distance. Lynne shouted loudly and Ifrita intensified her silent glare as they rushed towards each other. They both prepared to strike at one another when suddenly the ship rocked, a rumble heard vibrating through the walls. They both stumbled out of their charge and exchanged glances, then looked to the cockpit where a warning siren could be heard going off.

Lynne looked back to Ifrita. “What's that sound me-AAH!” Another quake shook the ship, and this time Lynne and Ifrita lost their balance, tumbling onto the mat. Serval squeaked sharply as she fell backwards out of the bench she was sitting on. The three girls jumped quickly to their feet and rushed for the cockpit. They were greeted by a display of the ship's blueprints on the screen in front of the empty pilot's chair. Two of the thrusters on the 3D image of the ship were blinking red. A moment later a calm female voice filtered through the ship's speakers.

“Warning. Damage detected in thrusters one and two. Thruster one is offline. Thruster two at 50% capacity. Thrusters three and four are undamaged.”

Lynne stammered out a response. “Ship... computer-brain-thing! Tell us what happened!” Ifrita gave Lynne a concerned look.

“Damage assessment suggests plasma attack. Ship detected within short range sensors and is closing.”

Lynne perked up at that news.. “Oh great! Tell them some jerk shot our ship and we need help!”

Ifrita grabbed Lynne by her shirt and hoisted her up to eye level. “You ditz! They're the ones who attacked us.”

Before Lynne could respond, the ship AI chirped up. “Attempting to contact...” As the ship put out a communication request, Serval trembled and wrung her tail while Ifrita dropped Lynne and crossed her arms. Her angry glare transferred to the screen in case whomever was attacking decided to respond.

“Contact acknowledged. Communications on screen.”

The screen switched from a layout of the ship to the interior of a cockpit that looked horridly unclean. There were takeout boxes stacked to the side of the pilot's seat and a tree freshener hung from something off screen. The cockpit itself was mostly scuffed metal surfaces covered in wrappers, old clothes and a few dirty magazines. The man that sat in the seat before them was even less appealing. He was tall, lanky and in possession of equal parts chin and face. He had a wide smile and his greasy green hair was done up in a pompadour. Topping off his look was a pair of ruined black jeans and a leather jacket with spikes coming out of the shoulders.

“Yowza! I knew I was chasing some saucy robo-hotties but you three kn-kn-knocked it out of the park!” He clutched the armrests of his chair and leaned forward with a leery smile.

Ifrita recoiled. “Ugh. We've made a mistake. Close communications.”

Lynne waved her hands frantically. “No! Wait. Uh, listen mister...”

He turned his head to mug for the camera. “Mister? My dear hottie, I am none other than the one and only dread pirate Interrobang!” He waggled his eyebrows and Lynne felt her CPU freeze.

“S-so uh... I-Interrobang?...” Serval asked quietly, deeply conflicted about talking to such a man but unable to help her curiosity. Interrobang nodded with enthusiasm, which caused his green pompadour to bob up and down.

“The one and only legendary pirate Interrobang! As in, more bang for your buck, more pompadour than you could hope for, and more panache for your menage-a-trios.” He spun himself around in his chair and allowed the rapidly-spinning chair to throw him to his feet. “You know, I was paid to blow you babes into cosmic dust but you're just so intensely saucy that you have to be mine!”

Ifrita's eyes twitched and a crackle could be heard inside of her head as she asked through gritted teeth. “Yours. You think you can make us yours.”

“Ahaha! Oh man, so feisty and spicy! I gotta love me some thermavore booty! You can be my new ship maid... ooh, and the redhead could be the chef!”

Lynne shook her head quickly. “But I can't cook! Couldn't I be something else?” Ifrita reached over and knocked her on the back of the head. “Do not encourage him, you slow-circuited fool!”

Interrobang's attention went from the bickering girls to Serval, who was trying to hide behind the cockpit's chair. “Oooh hooh! Look at that fereian babe! Such a robo-cutie can easily serve as my personal bedside courtesan.” Serval's cheeks began to burn bright red until the color crept up to her ears.

“O-o-oh gosh! Please just blow him up now! Get riiiiiid of him! I can't take this pervert another second!” Serval launched herself tat the controls, pressing buttons in a desperate bid to activate some kind of weapons system. Ifrita and Lynne grabbed her and yanked her off the controls while she helplessly flailed and mewled.

Interrobang's toothy smile expanded to take up much of the real estate on his face and he let out a cackle of unbridled glee. “Oh baby, these fembots are just the kind of sauce I need to liven up my ship!” From behind Interrobang a much more professional-sounding voice called out.

“Sir! We're ten seconds from breach and EMP rifles are ready.”

“Saucy awesomeness!” Interrobang turned back to the screen and blew them a wet kiss, complete with a loud smeck. “See you soon, love-bots.” The communications screen went blank and left the three in stunned silence for a moment.

Only for a moment though, as suddenly the ship lurched again. The sound of metal rending apart filled the cockpit and the sirens blared constantly as the ship AI reported in a dull tone. “Danger. Danger. Hull breach detected in the storage bay. Hull breached. Multiple boarders detected.” Ifrita had already turned and begun to make her way quickly down to meet the invaders. Lynne helped Serval to her feet, nodded silently at her, and then followed behind the thermavore android. Serval stalled for a moment, shuddering in silence, then squeezed her eyes shut and ran after her two companions.

The three girls stepped into the storage bay and were greeted by the sight of Interrobang twirling a switchblade in his fingers. Between himself and the girls stood a pair of intimidating thugs clad in grey combat armor, clutching a pair of large rifles loaded with shiny blue energy packs. They wore face-obscuring helmets with black visors. The three intruders had entered through a dark steel tube that had rudely forced itself in through the storage bay doors and knocked over several boxes of supplies.

“Oooh, you girls look even saucier in person! Alright, the sooner we finish this up the sooner we get to the sexy reprogramming scene where I make you my robotic sauce-slaves! Jenkins! Wilhelm! ♫Light up the niiiiight!♫” Interrobang lifted his arms, spun in place and then pointed rather dramatically over his minions' shoulders. On command, the two armored thugs leveled their large weapons and opened fire.

The two rifles discharging thundered loudly and bright blue EMP blasts were unleashed in a massive torrent of power. Serval jumped forward and put her hands up, a glowing blue hexagonal shield digitizing rapidly into place between the attack and the three androids.,. The storm of bullets crashed into the shield as Lynne and Ifrita ducked behind it, every impact sending a ripple through it.

After a couple of seconds, the rifles let out a strained groan and hissed steam from a few vents near the nozzle. The minion on the left looked over his shoulder at Interrobang and shrugged. “Yo baws, we're out! Whut now?” Serval dropped her shield and Ifrita stepped forward, holding her hands out as red fire licked down her limbs and gathered into two roaring flames held in her palms. Ifrita pointed her hands forcefully towards Interrobang and his goons, and a column of heat and fire blasted towards them. Interrobang managed to roll to the side but Jenkins and Wilhelm were not as lucky as the fire engulfed them. They were blown back down the breaching tunnel they had used; their bodies tumbled as if they had been violently thrown by an explosion.

Ifrita lowered her hands and sneered as she glared down the smoke-filled tunnel where the two thugs laid in a pile. Wilhein and Jenkins groaned quietly as their scorched armor sizzled. “Such trash. Lynne, finish off the pirate. I think even Serval could defeat him were she not so insistent on non-violence, so you should have no problem.”

“H-hey! You're not the boss of me!” Lynne shot Ifrita a nasty look, crossing her arms. “And besides, Serval's not insistent on non-violence! She was just talking about blowing that dude's ship up with him in it!”

Serval wrung her tail in her hands and nodded sheepishly. “I-it's true. I was very bloodthirsty.”

“Ugh, very well. Then Serval is merely a coward. And Lynne...” Ifrita gave the redhead the widest, fakest smile she could manage and gestured towards Interrobang. “Would you please be so kind as to handle this nuisance for me? I fear the grease he's covered in is bad for my scales.”

Serval pouted at the insult and Lynne returned the insincere courtesy with a deep bow. “Of course my lady. We know how fair and delicate you are.”

Interrobang stroked his thumb against his long nose and chuffed angrily. “Some robot babe thinks she can take the legendary Interrobang in a punch-em-up? I'll knock the sauce outta ya!” He tossed his switchblade from hand to hand and rushed at Lynne, knife held down at his side. Lynne put her dukes up and aimed a jab at his wide chin, only to miss as Interrobang turned his head aside. He countered by driving his head forward and slammed his forehead into her nose. A spark jumped from Lynne's face as she stumbled backwards, disoriented.

“Next!” Interrobang leapt towards Ifrita in a manner not entirely unlike a ballerina, and when Ifrita aimed a sweeping chop at his head he spun under it, twirling into a kick that swept Ifrita off her feet. She hit the floor with and grunted with annoyance, about to leap up before being stopped when Interrobang jumped onto her stomach with both feet, causing her to reel and grunt.

“Buh-geeze! Did you girls learn how to fight yesterday or something? I'm walkin' all over ya!” Interrobang stomped down on Ifrita's muzzle, causing her ears to spark and eyes to flicker. He removed himself from standing on her and started to approach Serval. The feline mewled and flattened her ears as she stepped away from him, trembling slightly.

“Come to papa, kitty!” He charged her, but only to slam into a blue forcefield that bounced him back. As he stumbled backwards Lynne drove her fist into Interrobang's face and a thin spray of blood fired from his nose. He fell against a storage crate but pushed himself up and lifted his knife, ready to rush at Lynne. As he approached her, however, Ifrita whipped her tail out and caught him in the leg, which caused him to trip. His arms pinwheelend helplessly and his face smashed firmly into the steel floor.

As Interrobang looked up he saw the three girls towering over him and panicked. He crawled away as quickly as he could, until he found his back pushed up against a crate. “Gaah! S-so you got yourselves organized! Big deal!” He kicked his legs up and jumped to his feet, then jammed his fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly.

“REEEEENO! Reno babe, I need your saucy self in here!”

Lynne, Ifrita and Serval looked to one another and shrugged, only to be caught off guard by a dull thump, followed by another... and another. They looked back to the smoke-filled boarding tunnel and saw a large figure slowly approaching...

She was a head taller than the tip if Ifrita's horns. Her body was chrome and sculpted to look athletic. Through exposed joints on her elbows and shoulders the girls could see moving mechanical parts and wiring. Her face was all steel with glowing blue eyes. Smirking ruby lips sat on a hinged mechanical mouth and her smooth head was covered with a black bandanna sporting a jolly roger. Impressive chrome breasts were covered by a tied white blouse and she wore black cargo pants whose pockets were stuffed with all kinds of tools, spare parts and bits of odd junk.

“Oi! What's this all about? You three girls knocking me husband about?”

Interrobang nodded with enthusiasm and pointed towards his bleeding nose. “That's right, dearest lover! They busted my nose open and-”

Her chromed hand moved like a blur and with a reverberating smack she backhanded him with such force it sent him flying into a wall. He whimpered pitifully as he stayed pressed up against the wall and thought about the life choices that had brought him to this moment.

“You know I can't stand your sissy talk! Now then...” Reno's neck whirred as she turned her gaze back to the girls. Ifrita and Lynne put their hands up while Serval took a step back and summoned her shield once more. Reno chuckled and set her hands on her hips as she approached the three of them. “You three look interesting. Y'ready to get turned to scrap so's I can go back about me business?”

Ifrita took a step forward and the flames roared all over her body. “Pressed for time? Then I will end this quickly.” She pointed her palms at Reno, fanned her fingers and an unholy roar of red fire overtook the chrome maiden. The heat in the room grew so intense that the air distorted and quivered, and when the massive blast of flames dissipated, every inch of Ifrita's body steamed, her suit burned away to reveal her naked form.

Reno however, still stood. Her chrome was scorched and white sparks fired from her joints, but she moved no less fluidly. “Gaha! Not a bad start but since we're going all-out right away...” She pointed her arms at the girls and the chrome plating whirred and clattered as it unfolded and her hands retracted into her wrists. Her forearms reconstructed themselves into a pair of massive gatling guns, that began to spin up. In the split second before they fired, Serval jumped forward and interposed the shield between her friends again. The utterly enormous amount of bullets that fired from Reno's weaponry caused the shield to flicker, the ripples where bullets impacted it before falling to the floor in broken lumps making the blue coloring thinner and thinner.

“I-it won't hold! I need someone t-to do something!” Serval squeaked, her arms sizzling with electrical current as she squeezed her eyes shut.

Lynne and Ifrita looked to one another and nodded. Ifrita knelt down and held her hands out, and as Lynne stepped into Ifrita's palms the thermavore launched her into the air, above the shield and the firing bullets. Lynne somersaulted into a flying kick, and the bottom of her boot impacted Reno's head with a satisfying crunch. The gatling guns spun down and the chrome woman stumbled backwards as her weapons rattled and reformed into fists.

Lynne landed and closed the distance quickly. Reno swung for Lynne's head but she ducked under the attack, then rose up into an uppercut. Reno's head jerked upwards with a spray of sparks. “E-error, cranial damage d-detected! Targeting systems offline, optical systems m-malfunctioning...” The chrome woman's eyes flickered rapidly as she took broad haymaker swings at Lynne, whom barely avoided each dangerous punch.

Lynne was doing well until Reno launched herself forward, arms extended. Lynne coudln't get around the large android in time and ended up getting grabbed around the waist and hoisted into the air. Reno's joints sizzled as she applied pressure, causing a panel to blow open in Lynne's exposed cleavage. Inside, circuits cracked apart slowly as Lynne struggled to get free.

Seeing the damage, Interrobang jumped forward, waving his hands at Reno. “h-hey sweetness, take it easy! If you destroy them I can't add them to my robo-harem.”

Reno turned her head to look at Interrobang. “...What.” Reno dropped Lynne and put her hand out, grasping Lynne's face gently. The redhead grunted and started to swing wildly at the air, unable to reach Reno's body.

“Y-you didn't know about that?” Serval lowered her shield and rubbed her sparking fingers together. Smoke rose from her furry ears. “That skeezy guy w-wanted to reprogram us to be maids and cooks and... and...” Her ears drooped. “Other things.” She clasped her hands to her cheeks to hide the synthetic blush.

“Affirmative. He was incredibly crass, even for the standards of a pirate.” Ifrita turned to glare at Interrobang, whom was trying to pack himself as tightly as he could into a corner. At this point, Lynne had given up and stepped away from Reno to join her friends.

Interrobang nodded enthusiastically. “Uh! Yeah! What, is that some kinda problem?”

Reno's eye lights flickered rapidly, and her head twitched. “Error. Anger.exe has run out of virtual memory. Loading new file: Fucking_tweaked.exe.” She shoved Lynne gently towards the dojo, and then pushed the other girls in as well. They looked at each other, utterly dumbfounded as the door slammed shut behind them. They could hear Interrobang's muffled voice through the door as he spoke.

“Reno babe. What's going on? Ooooh hee hee, is it saucy hug time?...”

Then there was a crunch.

“Gaaagahahaha! This is not saucy hug time! I need an adult! Preferably one more responsible than I am!”

The yelling, snapping and expletives went on for just under an hour. Ifrita and Lynne were lounging on benches. Serval was curled up in the corner, white as a sheet. The door opened again and Reno stepped in. The girls jumped up, ready to fight, but Reno shook her head and gestured for them to stand down.

Lynne stepped forward, confused but intrigued. “S-so you don't want to fight?” She seemed to have recovered some stability. Smoke was not rising from her chest, and sparks weren't firing from her face anymore.

“Naah, we're cool girlie. I'd like to personally apologize for his rude behavior. We generally don't attack ships that don't have valuable cargo and he took this contract without me knowing. I've sent him off to think about what he's done. Wilheim and Jenkins should be able to handle his medical needs” There was another sound of rude grinding metal that came from the cargo bay, followed by the airlock systems going into place and finally the sound of thrusters at full power drifting away.

“Pretty words and apologies will not fix our vessel.” Ifrita crossed her arms and drummed her clawed fingertips against her biceps. “We were on an important mission until that idiot attacked us.”

Reno nodded towards her and rubbed the back of her head. “Aye 'tis a shame I can do so little. However if ye like I can sign on as a pilot and mechanic for as long as ye need me to. I know my way around most ships and I fly like a demon. Also I know a little place not too far from here. Seedy little satellite but ye can get your ship fixed up no problem.”

Lynne hopped up and down, clapping her hands. “Oh great! I mean, we do need a mechanic and someone who knows what the buttons do and stuff.”

Ifrita sighed. “I suppose it could not hurt. We have no other options as far as repairs are concerned and Jotun left us with so little in the first place.”

Serval watched silently from the corner. At first it seemed like she'd be able to get away without having to speak up, but then the other androids all looked in her direction and she wilted slightly. “Uh... S-sure. I mean s-she seems nice when she's not trying to destroy us.”

“Then it's settled!” Reno reached out and grabbed Ifrita and Lynne in a big hug. Lynne returned the affection happily and Ifrita just stared off into space as if she were a trapped animal that had given in to fate.

Reno let them go and cracked her knuckles. She grabbed a couple of tools from her pockets and turned back towards the cargo bay to see what she could do. Lynne, Ifrita and Serval followed behind but turned into the repair station, docking themselves into repair pods that were outfitted with dozens of tiny mechanical arms that slowly began to disassemble and expose their broken mechanical parts.

Though their adventures had gotten off to a harrowing beginning, Lynne, Ifrita and Serval seemed to have made a new friend. However, repairing their damaged ship will not be as easy as visiting a garage, because their journey now brings them to Barbosa Station! What challenges will they encounter when they arrive? And what about the saboteur loose back home at Alpha Complex? STAY TUNED!

Part 3: Legendary Tournament!

[DukeNukem 2417]

This is something I'd buy the DVD of---it's THAT good.

The pacing's great, the dialogue is nice, the characters actually make me want to keep reading---hell, this is better than a lot of what's on TV right now.

Keep up the greatness!

[Saya]

As a tribute to the silliest of animes, especially DBZ or anything similar, it works really well. : D I like it, and I want to read more of it! I can't wait to see how the story plays out. Knowing you, it is going to be a blast.

By the way, I hope you continue writing now that FBC is back up!