🚀 go-pugleaf

(continued from part three...)
                                   ***********

     Bulletproof started to pull the trigger on his flamethrower...
     "I claim this land," Captain Non-Sequitor exclaimed, loudly, "for the
Emperor of Brazil!"  He leapt into the line of fire, from someplace
Bulletproof couldn't determine, and planted his huge Brazilian flag squarely
between himself and Radian.  The wind was picking up, blowing the flag so
that it obscured his vision.  The Captain did the rumba as he drifted away,
and Bulletproof knocked the flag aside, his flame-thrower roaring to life.
     When the flames cleared, Bulletproof found the place where Radian had
been empty.
     Gone.
     His only chance, gone.
     He should have gotten to her sooner, before expending the last of his
reserves.  He should have kept one bullet, to make this most important of
kills.
     But he had used that last bullet on someone else.  A nondescript mage
who had somehow drawn him into a war of words, and had demanded surrender.
That had cost him his destiny.  Cost the world its destiny.
     The pain hit him like an acid sledgehammer.

                                   ***********

     Odd blinked.  One of these days, he had to get ahold of some Awesomeantium
for analysis.  He just couldn't see how an airship could cave a....a _canyon_
in the side of a starship like that, and still fly.  Immense chunks of the
Dalek ship were falling off, raining down on the ground towards an approaching
cluster of U.S. Army trucks, and the Awesome Force One's nose wasn't even
crumpled.
     After allowing himself a few moments to relax, Odd spun the M.E.C.H.A. Jet
around and opened up a comm channel to the rest of his teammates.
     "Summer?  Where are you?"

                                   ***********

     On the bridge:
     Had the Daleks on the lower decks been alive, Benedict would have been
repulsed by the scenes of carnage on the security monitors.  He had long ago
falsely convinced the Moronic Moose that standard combat Daleks were not true
life forms.  This had been a necessity to get around the Antlerd Idiot's steady
refusal to kill.  He had been a very effective Dalek slayer those many years
ago, during the final assault on Davros.  He was even better now- his Moosely
powers had grown steadily since then, and the robot Dalek shells he was now
fighting were nowhere near as effective as their living counterparts would be.
     Not to mention that there were far fewer of them.  As part of his plan to
deceive Space Moose, Benedict had ordered virtually the entire ship's
compliment of RoboDaleks to converge on the furry superhero.  Nearly crewless,
the 2402 had lost all helm control and was now drifting randomly over the Bob
City skies.  But their sacrifice was having the desired effect- Space Moose had
not yet realized how badly undercrewed the ship was, since there certainly
seemed to be plenty of Daleks in the few compartments he had ripped through.
And if he fell for the next phase, he never would.
     Benedict remote-controlled the empty Bridge Escape Pod to launch just as
the Antlers of Steel blasted through the armored bridge doors, the shredded
remains of an SWD falling from each hoof.  The main viewscreen lit up with the
image of a face.  An ancient, hideously deformed face, computer-generated by
Benedict using old file footage.  A face that, once seen, could never be
forgotten.
     "GREAT MOUNTAINS OF ALASKA!!"  Space Moose hissed, "DAVROS!!!!!"
     "Once again, you have failed," cackled the pre-recorded image, "While you
have caused some small delay in my plans to conquer your world, the Daleks
cannot be defeated!"
     "By the glow of the Northern Lights, I shall not allow you to escape this
time, Davros!"  Space Moose flexed his Mooscles Mightily, readying himself to
leap after the retreating pod, "I SWEAR IT!"
     "As you wish.  But are you not concerned with the fate of your friend?"
     "BENEDICT ARNOLD!!!  WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HIM????"
     In response, the image cackled evily and switched off.  The Heroic
Herbavore looked around quickly, then grabbed the nearest bridge-crew Dalek (Not
realizing that it was, in fact, Benedict).
     "WHERE HAVE YOU TAKEN BENEDICT ARNOLD!!  Tell me, or by Author I shall
destroy this entire ship!"
     "The traitor is to be exterminated In Shuttlebay Twelve in three minutes,
five seconds."  Benedict replied in the same flat voice used by the RoboDaleks.
     "Bay Twelve?!?"  Space Moose casually tossed Benedict aside to consult the
map on his hoof.  "I can make it in time!  DO NOT FEAR, BENEDICT, SPACE MOOSE
SHALL SAVE YOU!!!!"
     Digging his rear hooves into the decking, Space Moose twirled around and
launched himself back out into the main corridor.  Behind him, Benedict righted
himself with his levatation field and re-attatched the front tray of his built-
in Wet Bar.
     "Space Moose, you idiot.  You never did remember the turbolifts."
     Working quickly, Benedict plugged himself into the navigation console and
downloaded a final series of comands into the ship's computer.  While waiting
for the files to transfer, he glanced down at the Tactical Board, which still
showed the somewhat distant shape of Awesome Force One.
     "The Revolution has failed."  he pronounced, "Andy Awesome, your
unwillingness to exterminate a minor segment of your population may doom your
world to destruction at the hands of one such as Radian."
     Unplugging himself, Benedict backed up into a waiting elevator car and
left the bridge.

                                   ***********

     Bulletproof stood alone.
     That was okay. He was used to it.
     He looked down at his hands. There was still dried blood caked on the
metal.
     There came the squelch of a footstep behind him. "Bulletproof," came a
voice.  An Awesome voice. "It's over."  Bulletproof knew it was over - he had
heard the announcement from the Awesome Force One that the Quantum Absurdity
Beam Projector had been trained on those fighting below, and would be used, if
the revolutionaries still fighting didn't surrender.  They surrendered.
     Bulletproof didn't turn. Turning around meant effort, and there wasn't the
energy within him to spare.
     "It's all over. Even Benedict Arnold agrees that it's over. You're the last
one on the battlefield."
     Bulletproof didn't turn. "It's over," he whispered.
     "I'm afraid we'll have to ask you to put down your weapons and come this
way," Andy continued.
     That was amusing, Bulletproof thought. "I don't think I can put down my
weapons."
     Another voice...one Bulletproof didn't recognize growled from behind him.
"You _better_ put down your weapons, killer. We've got you outgunned."
     "You've _always_ had me outgunned, whoever you are." He tried to laugh,
but the pain in his head made him stop. "Always."
     "Are you trying to pull some sort of sympathy stunt?"
     "No. I'm just saying that almost any of the paranormals on either side
could have taken me down. Could still do it any time. That's all." He tried to
laugh again."No, all I meant was...I can't put my weapons down.  Maybe I can
get my weapons to put me down."
     Bulletproof's hand rose to the Rescue lever high on the left-hand side of
his chest. He pulled it, and the armor split apart, the torso plate falling off,
the helmet flipping back, the arms opening like clamshells.
     Even Andy Awesome stepped back from the stench released. "Gangrene," came
the whisper, and as Bulletproof stepped out of his armor and turned to face
them, they could see the blood that had poured from his forehead and dried,
the green and rotting skin. "How could you even walk with..."
     Bulletproof looked down at his hands. "No blood," he said, then looked up
at Andy. "I thought they'd be bloody. They ought to be, anyway."
     Then, ever so slowly, like a tree falling, a building crumbling, Tacoma
Narrows twisting its way into oblivion, Bulletproof collapsed.

                                   ***********

     From the shadows, a woman darted forward, spreading her cloak over herself
as she leaned over the body of Scholarman.  If anyone were to fire on them now,
she'd gladly die to save his life.
     She turned the body over.  It wasn't yet cold.  She could sense the
tiniest spark of life still in him.  But it couldn't last long.
     He looked the same as he did in Terrania.  And he still hadn't learned to
guard his back.
     The woman closed her eyes, and let the strength of the Goddess flow
through the Earth, up through the floor, into her hands and into the damaged
heart and lungs of the man.  She felt his tortured body drink the power up, and
she forced his recuperative system to heal the injuries.  They would be too
weak to heal such horrid wounds normally, but the Goddess gave them strength.
     Magic, some called it.  Or Witchcraft.  The woman only called it the will
of the Goddess she loved.
     Her name was Autumn, and she had spent her life trying to help people.
The Goddess demanded it.  There were those who used the Goddess's gifts for
darkness, but Autumn had sworn to always heal, never harm.  But one day her own
townspeople -- her own lover -- had turned against her and tied her to the
stake.  They would have burned her.
     And a man she had never met had come out of the darkness and freed her.
And then he had gone on to help her true princess save the Unicorn of their
land.  She had never forgotten him, even as she had realized she had no life
left in Terrania.  She had taken a freighter across the ocean to his country,
only to hear a call in Boston Harbor, bringing her to a meeting in a Church of
a God she did not believe in.  And their they had made councils of war.  War
she had no tools to fight.  But still she followed them.
     *Please,* she prayed.  *If it kills me, Goddess, save his life.*
     Autumn had felt real hope when he came from the Shadows again.  She could
sense that he cared nothing for prophecy -- that he would flout it if it suited
him.  She had felt something in her tear when the Metal Man had shot him down.
She had to save him.  She had to find the strength.  If she couldn't....
     The heart began to beat on its own.  The lungs began to take air.
     She had done all she could.  She was exhausted...but Scholarman would live
long enough for others to help him, if any of them lived.  She leaned down, and
brushed her lips across Scholarman's temple.  And then she was gone, back into
the shadows.

                                   ***********

     There weren't many RoboDaleks left on Imperial Dalek Cruiser 2402 to
hinder Space Moose, he arrived at Shuttlebay Twelve in less than two minutes.
However, by utilzing the ship's internal turbolift system, Benedict Arnold got
there significantly faster.  Rolling out of the lift, he parked himself in
front of a line of Special Weapons Daleks, in classic executioner style.
     "Monitors indicate the arrival of Space Moose in three...two...one..."
     The entire inboard wall exploded in a flurry of hoofblows and antlers.
     "HALT, FOUL MACHINES OF EVIL!!!!  THROW DOWN YOUR WEAPONS!!!"
     The SWD's, being completely empty shells without so much as a wind-up
clock mechanism, did not respond (One of them wasn't even an SWD, just a
cardboard cut-out with a life-sized Dalek photograph taped to it).  Benedict
wondered quietly to himself exactly how a SWD was supposed to "throw down" its
built-in gun, anyway.
     "YOUR MURDEROUS PLANS HAVE BEEN ENDED BY SPACE MOOSE!!!  Now, tell me-
where is Benedict Arnold?!?!?"
     Even a Dalek can only take so much.  "Space Moose, you idiot..."
     "AHA!  There you are!"
     Without pausing for breath, the Antlers of Steel blasted down the line of
inert SWD's, swatting them into the walls with mighty blows of his hooves (not
even noticing how easily the cardboard crumbled).  When the last one was gone,
he leapt to Benedict's side.
     "Benedict Arnold, my faithful companion!  Are you..."
     "SPACE MOOSE!!"  Benedict cut him off sharply, "_NEVER_ refer to me as a
'companion'!!!"
     "Oops, sorry.  Are you injured?"
     "All systems are functional.  What is the status of the battle?"
     "Davros has escaped in a lifepod.  I fear that he has already left the
Earth's gravity well and activated the pod's hyperdrive, we shall never catch
him now."
     "And the ground warfare?"
     "Davros' plan has failed.  Thanks to your early-warning, the heros of
Earth have all assembled to battle the evil horde of Dalek Warriors."
     "How......astute of you, Space Moose."
     The Heroic Herbavore beamed with pride in his fellow superguys. "Yes!  I
saw them while attacking this ship!  Never has there been such a battle!
Superguys from across the globe, fighting as one, lead by the mighty
Bulletproof, all to defend Earth's magi!  I wish you could have seen it
yourself!"
     "That would be an...interesting...sight."
     The shuttlebay suddenly glowed red as klaxons shrilled an alarm.
     "WARNING!!!  REACTOR BREACHED!!!"  the computer shouted, "DEATONATION
IMMANENT!!  ALL DALEKS REPORT TO ENGINE ROOM FOR EMERGENCY REPIAR!!!!"
     "GREAT NORTHERN GLACIERS!!  We must depart!"
     If Daleks had had faces, Space Moose would surely have wondered at the
smug grin on Benedict's when he scouped up his "loyal" friend and punched
through the outer shuttlebay door, headed for the ground.  All around them, the
few surviving Dalek Warriors were abandoning their battles and launching
upwards on internal soild-rocket boosters in stalled by Benedict for exactly
this purpose, flying into the open drop-bays of the enormous smoking starship.
     "Look!  They are retreating!"  Space Moose pointed towards the flying
salt-shaker shapes, nearly dropping Benedict in the process.
     "SpppppaaaAAAaaccee MoooooOOOOoosseeee......."  Benedict tried to grab onto
a furry forearm for stability, but his thin plunger-waldo was nowhere near
strong enough.
     "Egads!  I am sorry, Benedict!  Here, let us land so that you may regain
your bearings!"
     Descending gently, the Antlers of Steel settled down to a soft two-hoof
landing near a parked van.  Setting Benedict down, he looked up towards the
now-distant Dalek Battlecruiser just as the ship vanished inside a series of
massive explosions.  He grunted approvingly.
     "A fitting end for such an evil craft."
     Next to him, Benedict also looked skywards approvingly, but for an
entirely different reason- he was still recieving telemetry from the 2402's
navigational computer.  Having deatonated several missile warheads and dumped
sufficient chaff into the air to blind all sensors, the crippled starship was
already halfway through the stratosphere.  The warnings of a breached reactor
had been false, played by the computer at Benedict's request for Space Moose's
benefit.  Now all the autopilot had to do was re-activate the cloaking device
and limp back to it's moonbase lair to resume repairs...
     "Excuse me, would you like to say a few words to our audience?"
     Benedict spun his eyestalk away from the billowing smokeclouds that were
concealing his starship's escape to look at the rather haggard human who was
shoving a microphone towards him.
     "You are Radio Free Hero?"
     "Yes, I am.  And you are Benedict Arnold, are you not?"
     "Affirmative."
     "Great.  We've been hearing some rather odd reports about you from various
sources today, so it seems only fair if our listening audience could hear a
few words from you yourself."
     "I...."  for once, Benedict found himself without anything to say, having
completely failed to predict this possibility.  Fortunately, there was someone
else nearby who did not share his problem.
     "Benedict, my friend, you are always too modest!"  Space Moose interrupted.
     "Really?"  Sensing a more media-oriented figure, RFH held his microphone
up to the Heroic Herbavore's snout.  "And you are the Canadian superguy known
as..."
     "I am SPACE MOOSE!"  The Antlers of Steel bellowed proudly, swelling his
chest.  "Although I am but a visitor to your fair United States, I can truly
say that I am inspired by the great feats of heroism that I have witnessed
today upon this field of battle!"
     "Really?"  RFH cocked an eye in puzzlement.  "Some people might disagree
with you."
     "How can that be?"  Space Moose looked shocked.  "A great evil has been
defeated here, by the united might of Earth's Superguys!"
     RFH scratched his head.  "Okaaaaaay.  Why don't you tell us about it, in
your own words?"
     The Arctic Avenger's chest swelled Moosily.  "Gladly!"  He took the mike
in one mighty hoof.  "Citizens of the world!  Good listeners of Radio Free
Hero!  I have a tale to tell, a tale of alien invaders, of unthinkable evil, of
great heroics, and personal sacrifice!  A tale that you will all be proud to
hear, that will make your hearts sing with joy!  It all began many years ago,
on a distant plant known as Skaro..."
     And so he began his story.  Standing tall and proud upon the muddy fields,
the sun gleaming from his antlers, Space Moose projected the very essence of
heroic calm and Mooseiness as he spoke.  He talked of grand events that,
frankly, bore no resemblance to reality.  But at least he told them well.
     He began his story with Davros, evil master of the Dalek race.  A
horrific, twisted figure who sought to conquer the universe.  Upon discovering
the beautiful blue-green world of Earth, Davros sought to destroy it.  But he
dared not attack, for the defenders of Earth were too powerful.  He had to
weaken them somehow, and saw his chance with the Radian incident.  Seizing upon
the public's fear of Radian, Davros had used spies and deception to turn public
opinion against Earth's mages, for magic was a powerful weapon that could be
used against the Daleks.  The innocent public, fooled by Davros' insideous
lies, had begun to take up arms against the the mages that they falsely saw as
a threat.  The mages, realizing this, sought to protect themselves by banding
together.  This was when Davros made his master stroke:  the evil genius had
forged invitations to all magi, inviting them to come to the Bob City
Correctional Facility to join forces in a defensive Counter-Revolution.  And
so they had come, seeking out each other for help.  Instead, they had found
death:  When the magi came, Davros sent down a heavy ground-assault
battlecruiser to destroy them, dropping hundreds of Dalek Warriors to
exterminate everyhting in their path.  Overwhelmed, the magi stood no chance.
     But Davros' plan had not gone unnoticed.  Benedict Arnold, from his secret
observation facility at MooseLodge, had detected Davros' influence over the
media.  Unwilling to risk the lives of Space Moose and Clyde, Benedict had left
the safety of the Canadian wilderness to disguise himself as a Dalek Officer
and infiltrate Davros' orbiting fleet.  Having learned of the plan to ambush
and exterminate the magi, Benedict had bravely blown his cover to alert the
Superguys of Earth.  His transmission had been too weak to reach MooseLodge,
but one hero, the mighty Bulletproof, had heard the call for help.  Realizing
his duty as a true hero, Bulletproof had promptly spread the word amongst the
other Superguys.  There had even been a groundswelling of common people, armed
with everything from rifles to pitchforks, who had also heard the call and
came to defend the magi.
     Together, they had converged upon Bob City just as the starship began its
attack run.  Most superguys and bubbas, heedless of their own lives, had
charged in to protect the mages, while the Awesome Force remained overhead to
bravely battle the cruiser itself.  There had been terrible losses, great
victories, and true heroics.  The very ground of this field was soaked with the
blood of magi and heros alike.  It was all so sad, yet also so very inspiring...
     "Where does he get this stuff?"  RFH muttered under his breath while
the Antlers of Steel continued to pontificate into the microphone.
     "Space Moose has a vivid imagination," noted Benedict in a harsh but
quiet voice.
     "I suppose he would have to, there's nothing else in that big furry
head of his."
     "He's high..." Max gurgled, from under a pile of video equipment.
     "And so, good people of Earth, I would like to end my simple story by
saying once again how proud I am to be...wait...what is that...?"
     The Awesomely Antlered Arctic Avenger paused, idly holding the mike, to
sniff the air.
     "My Moose Sense...tells me of danger...a disaster has occured...to the
north...GREAT NORTHERN LIGHTS!!!!"
     "Um, Space Moose, are you feeling alright!" Radio Free Hero started
towards the imposing Mooseclebound hero.
     "DO NOT APPROACH!!  SEEK SHELTER!!!  SEEK SHELTER!!"  Benedict shrieked a
warning.  RFH had just enough time to look confused before the wind blast of
Space Moose's supersonic departure hurled him facefirst into the mud.
     "THIS LOOKS LIKE A JOB FOR SPAAAAAAAAAAAAACE MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE!!!!!!!"
     Covered with mud, Radio Free Hero pulled himself up to his knees, wiped
his eyes, and looked at Benedict.
     "So, he does this all the time, eh?"
     "Affirmative."

                                   ***********

     Not far away, a group of men in a darkened monitoring room watched.
     "Manipulation...Benedict...invite...hey, is someone writing this down?"
one of them asked.
     "What was that name he said?" another asked.  "Dav Ros?"
     "Sounded like Dave Ross to me," a third said.  "He on file?"
     "Checking," a fourth man said.  "Nope."
     "Well, it's not much, but it's all we have," the first man said.  "This
is just what we need."

(continued in part five, following...)