The Price of Mercy

Chapter 1

The USS Pocahontas was on its monthly course to the Pokemon DMZ. She was the largest fastest and most beautiful ship in all of the Corporate Armada. She held a functioning crew of five thousand. The gorgeous and had cruised past Saturn’s rings

Captain Jean-Baptiste Piggard stood on the bridge.

Truly nothing could go wrong with the Pochahontas.

"Captain Piggard, I’m picking up a distress signal from Sector 137-b. It appears Pokemon in origin."

"Pokemon. On screen."

"No visual sir. Only audio."

"Why would the Pokemon dare to break their own borders? This does not bode well."

The communications officer turned up the volume

"Jiggly puff jiggly jiggly pufff pufff."

Captain Piggard turned white

"For the sake of Dog!"

The Jiggly Puff, one of the most malicious and bloodthirsty of the Pokemon clans. None had ever lived who had faced an attack of the Jiggly Puff.

"No. If that is what I think it is, Mr. Crackshell. I believe we should go to red alert."

"Aye Captain."

The lights flashed yellow and dimmed.

"This is Captain Piggard, all personal stand at the ready. Enemy ship approaching."

Outside of the ship a slim bird shaped cruiser, aerodynamic despite the frictionless nature of space. It was a ship that would barely fit fifty let alone five hundred. It was dark and small, barely recognizable in space. It was from this tiny ship that the corporation panicked.

The crew of the USS Pocahontas had no idea it was not the Pokemon Empire they were facing today.

But the IMS Star Vulture, the first and only ship in the Martian Navy.

A bear with brilliant red hair sat shouting gibberish into a headset.

"Jiggly Puff Jiggly Puff."

Lieuntenant Frappucino, a dashing looking canine with a strange splotchy skin coloration sat at the forward console. "If we can keep this up we’ll have convinced the great Corporation a Pokemon Dreadnaught is upon them."

A tall fox stood up from the captain’s chair, his right eye covered in a eyepatch "The less you have, the more you gotta get is what Gramma always said." A strangely inappropriate New Joisey accent escaped his lips.

"Mr Owens keep up the good woik."

The Officers gathered on the bridge.

"Jiggly Puff, one of the fiercer warrior clans of the Pokemon empire. Usually sent at the cusp of invasion to weed out any stragglers. The etymological history of the word is nearly untraceable but I think roughly translated it means. Sleeper Jackal snakes."

The tactical officer grunted

"They’ll pick us off and have a straight path to the Three Worlds.

We can’t break through the interference. We don’t know how many are outside. It could be one Dreadnaught and it’s attendants. It could be The Third Legion of the Pokemon Armada."

"They have jammed our signal. There must be more than we can count out there."

"They are trying to confuse us by hiding their numbers. Making us think there is one ship."

"But is Signal jamming an act of war? Can we risk an attack at such odds."

"We must act fast. Deploy Starfighters. Evacuate habitation decks to safe zones. We’ll fight those Pokemon down to the last." Piggard said nobly "No matter how hopelessly outmatched we are.

The panel fell off the ship’s circuitry. There was yet another power surge in the old X37 Commarant war cruiser. The circuits sputtered as the five man crew operated the run down old ship.

"It’s a good thing they can’t see us."

"Our baby is old. Another power breakdown like that and we’re toast." Frappe rubbed the console leaving a trail of frost. Icicles were forming on his forehead.

"Disquette, Is the signal jam still intact?"

A spritely duck girl with long brown hair swung down from the upper levels, in a dragonfly mask.

"Aye Aye Sir." She saluted. She stared out the viewscreen

"These huge Corporation vessels are so dumb. We’d never fall for such an easy signal jam on the Vulture." She said gleefully.

"They haven’t falled for it yet." The Lieutenant said. His eyes were ice colored , not blue or grey or white but real ice.

"Thorn status."

A cloaked figure stood next to the captain, her smooth voice flowed out of her hidden bill

"I am sensing confusion and distrust, Captain. I can’t place it. It could be the hatred of the Pokemon."

Don Karnage held his forehead speculatively.

"But the Numbah One is right. Mr. Owens end transmission."

"Jiggly Puff." The bear said in an approximation of Pokemon anger. That would have scared any red blooded being on the planet.

The bear cut off the signal.

"I hope you know what y’all are doing. I might have the worst Pokemon accent in the history of the universe." Owens chuckled in his good natured southern drawl.

"The Corp is suspicious of the Pokemon, and trigger happy. Let’s just hope dey don’t plan on attacking only one cruiser." Don Karnage said "Numbah One scan all signals. Do dey see us?"

"Maybe if they were looking out a window." Lieutenant snorted.

"Oh heck Icy," Brian slapped the ice dog on the shoulder "Even I know space ships don’t got windows.". He took out the earpiece.

"Just think Karnie. If we get this haul how dumb the Corporation is gonna look. I’ll tell you. One X37 cruiser against the Flagship of the Terran armada. Like something out of Jonathon Swift."

"Just think of all that free cargo, lying there while the Corp plays soldier boy. We could fill the Vulture five times." Lieutenant Frappucino drooled and strangely the drool seemed to freeze solid against his strange cheek. He chipped drool off his chin.

"We’re not here for the money." The younger duck girl said sternly.

Don Karnage cut them off.

"Disquettes’s right guy, Rope it in." Don Karnage said curtly "Besides I’d rather get away with our skins than a few thousand pounds of fishsticks." He looked out the front viewscreen "Why would we bother with the egg when you can steal the goose?"

"Yeah you guys. We’re not here to get rich." Dolly said "We’re here to get the Eluddium back from the Corporation."

"Speak for yourself Dolly." Frappe crossed his arms. "Wealth is the only real power. And we aren’t going to win this war with rhetoric and fisticuffs. The corporation is depending on that."

"Yet with the Elludium kb 97space modulator, we would amass quite amount of Prestige for the Martian cause." Thorn said.

"Yeah. It’s kind of hard to ignore a group of folks who could vaporize the Moon." Brian said.

"As long as the Corporation does not have it. That is our only objective as of yet." Don Karnage said sternly.

The sleek space cruiser, a third of the size of the huge starship, hovered over it’s tail. They were piggybacking the ship. They were small enough to manuever inside of the shield

"Land us here Numbah One."

The ship stopped hovering it’s feet landed on the surface of the ship, hopefully they wouldn’t touch any of the sensors or the emitters or they would find out everything.

The Pirates prepared to board the ship.

Thorn split her bo into nunchuckas, and hung them around her neck."

"This access portal should take us to top secret storage." Frappe said. "Watch my baby, Brer Red Duck." Frappucino shook his friends hand.

"Now don’t you go dying now, Green Dog Frost. Unless it’s a car I’m not touching it till you get it till you get back."

The Silver Disquette rushed to her station and pulled out her wooden box. She took a quick glance at the picture of her dad, The Great Quacker Jack saving the city, taking her gleaming chakram out of it’s place, and tying it to her belt.

Frappe sat opening the portal as Thorn and Don Karnage got ready to fall into the ship.

"I’m ready let’s go." She said.

Don Karnage glared at his young protégé.

"You must stay here and help navigate the Star Vulture back to Mars, if the worst should happen. As my clan sister it will be your duty to carry on in the Hikariwa name, should I perish. You are too young to get yourself killed over a mere bomb. You are the future of the Revolution."

***

The three pirates dropped down into the chamber so far below. Frankie tried slowing her descent by using her staff.

They crashed into a big painful pile.

"The schematics weren’t the best in the world." Frappe said.

"Let’s get running."

***

The fighter pilots of the USS Pocahontas assembled in a long line.

"We are fighting Pokemon out there so lets see some fighting. It’s a good day to die."

"Yes Commander sir."

The evacuation continued.

Captain Piggard almost gloated. "Just think Crackshell, with initiative like this I’m sure to get that promotion."

"You are handling the threat admirably sir."

The inhabitants of the Pocahontas were being forced into escape pods. Screaming and wailing.

"Yes Captain Kork and his pathetic Underpies will never match the courage that we had on this day. Piggard at Saturn. I like that. Look great on my resume."

Frappe dripped through a tiny crack to get a better look. He looked at Don Karnage.

"Anything yet Numbah One?"

"The last fighter pilots are leaving. Their down to suicide crew."

"I can’t believe they are falling for it."

Captain Piggard stood on the deck ready to free the Elluddium kb 97 space modulator

"The Elludium must not fall in the wrong hands."

That was a truth and a half

All at once the door dilated really a dark figure against the snowy white hall. Passing the dull clad soldiers. A red lazer sword hung from his belt. He moved with machine like precision down the hall as all that were left stared in complete fear and awe.

Don Karnage walked down the Hallway, his breath heavy and laboured.

Captain Piggard looked up.

"Is this the way to the bathroom?"

"What." The pig was frightened.

"Well well well Piggard, at last we meet. It appears we got to have a little chat, Captain to Captain."

"Don Karnage."

"You’ve hoid a me. And you are Captain Piggard."

"But."

"You see Jean-Luc." The fox placed his arm around the Captain paternally

"Jean- Baptiste."

"What evah. I been just wondering if you’ve been kind of tense lately. Everything alright between youse and Misses Piggard. And every little thing."

Piggard sweated profusely.

"Because I think youse have been a tad preoccupied in your dealings with me and associates."

Thorn and Frappucino flanked him menacingly.

"Cause this wasn’t your run of the mill, Pokemon attack. I mean come on Piggs, the Pokemon invented the friggin Elludium kb 97 space modulator. Why would they need to steal yours?"

Piggard winced as Don Karnage pinched his cheek.

"Leaving two alternatives. A race of warrior oyster crackers or a said organization committed to vast social reform whose voice has not been heard in ya government, maybe an out group. Or maybe just maybe. The Martian Resistance."

"I made a mistake didn’t I."

"I don’t think it was the Oyster crackers babe." Don Karnage slapped his cheek gently.

"You have some alternatives here. You are a very lucky guy. One you can surrender the Elludium to us, along with various other litle odds and ends on behalf of oh let’s call it generosity to the poor of Mars. Nothing a few thousand pounds of flour. Then of course you could as the captain of the Flagship of the Terran Armada, advocate the dissociation and end of military presence on Mars. All very nice options."

"Or."

"Or? What your not gonna do it, Piggs? I thought we had an understanding." Don Karnage lifted him up by the neck. "Just because you have options doesn’t mean you can expend them all at the same time."

"You are twisted."

"Well I’ve been trained by the best. I live on Mars."

The fox captain stood on the

"Every day I have these issues to face. You can buy Martian Corporation Brand food or starve. You can work for the companies mines or become homeless."

The pig squirmed.

"I could submit to the will of the Corporation or die. Give up every last shred of my dignity, or survive. So you see I should be good at this kind of ruthless brutality. Those are some options you don’t even have to face. After this is over,you’ll get to go home. What about the varls who won’t even have a roof over their heads tonight, or food in their stomachs. I think it’s fitting that you, a great official of da Terran Armada can experience."

He dropped the Captain.

"I hope youse guys are recording dis. That’s one of my stipulations. You must broadcast this on every station, every search engine, every console. Capicshe?"

"Sure Anything you say."

"Now let us get to the Elludium."

"I cannot comply to the will of terrorists. I will destroy my ship first."

"Ooh another option."

Don Karnage let the pig go.

"Be my guest, as one Captain to another, I would never deny your right to an honorable death. Begin self destruct if you really wish it."

The cowardly pig pulled out his key to the room. Don Karnage had called his bluff.

"You’ll never get away with this."

He opened the door to the chamber containing the elludium.

Don Karnage shook Piggard’s hand and strolled in, followed tenatively by Frappe. Thorn turned her head back at the captain.

There was something funny going on.

"Ladies first." The Captain bowed.

"Captain it’s a trap.

Before she could grab him the steel door dialated shut, before Piggard could enter.

"That’s what I was hoping." Karnage said.

The room fell silent as the three pirates glanced around.

"AH hah. Mr. Smarty Fox. Thought you could trick the Terran Navy. Well you are trapped."

A huge laser blade pendulum sliced through the doorway.

"How clever." Don Karnage jumped out of the way.

Frappe let the pedulum pass through him.

The Captain gasped.

"Numbah One, proceed in alarm encryption. And lets get this out of here."

"Aye Aye Captain."

Frappe sat at the computer.

A laser bolt almost hit Don Karnage in the forehead. He ducked.

"This is beautiful. You’re plan worked Frappe.No one in their right minds would enter this room."

Don Karnage jumped out of the way of another laser beam.

"You two weren’t supposed to be in here."

Outside the Captain panicked

"They’re surviving the booby traps. How will we get stop them now."

He remembered the special button.

"There’s one even the wily Karnage can’t survive."

Inside the chamber huge spikes jabbed out of the walls.

The walls began moving.

"Well this is new." Don Karnage chuckled.

"I can only keep the walls parted for so long."

"That would be a problem considering I’d probably squished by then."

"You’re finished Time Pirates." The Captain shouted from the other room.

"Not quite. I’ll survive this." Frappe said absently, staring at the console trying to disarm the security system.

"See. You’ve lost already. I guess ya should have cooperated, huh Piggard." Don Karnage said climbing up the spikes.

Thorn was completely silent. She broke off two spikes and placed her hands on the walls.

"That tiny duck cannot stop these walls there over 3 tons of steel."

"Steel?"

With a flash of lightning, Thorn created a field around her. Which held the walls shut."

"I work well with steel." She said.

A huge spike was poking through Frappucino’s chest."

"Hurry up Numbah One." Don Karnage said trying to climb up the spikes, one barely avoiding his tail."

"Sorry captain. But it’s hard too type. The walls are caving in, and I can’t move my arms."

Karnage reached the ceiling.

"What no, trap door? Boy and I thought the Star Vulture was substandard."

"Captain. I can’t hold on for much longer."

"Frappucino, it’s up to you now." Don Karnage considered his Lieutenant.

"Yeah yeah yeah. We’ll save our goodbyes for when we really need it. We’ve been in worse jams before."

A huge spike pierced through Frappucino’s head.

"Uncrapppe. Now I can’t see."

Captain Piggard laughed.

"Oh I’ll get a huge promotion for killing the Time Pirates."

All of a sudden, a girl appeared in the hallway.

"We are the Martian Navy, Pig boy."

She grabbed a shining silver disk.

Piggard ducked.

The disk missed him by three feet.

"Ah hah, you foolish brat. You missed."

"One."

The disk bounced off the ceiling.

"Two."

It knocked the halls button, and trapped Piggard from his troops.

"Three." It banked of the door on the opposite wall destroying the security camera.

"Four."

It crushed the lock mechanism on the chamber door.

The walls lurched to a stop inside.

Thorn tossed them apart easily. Don Karnage almost fell off the wall.

The Silver Disquette walked up to the Captain.

"I guess you’re right." She cracked her knuckles.

"Let me try again."

The duck punched him in the face.

Thorn ripped the steel doors open like tinfoil.

Don Karnage came out of the room.

"Dolly. I told you to stay behind."

"Some thank you." Disquette growled. "I save you guys and all you can do-"

The Captain grabbed her.

"Not so fast Karnage."

"Dolly."

"Hand me the elludium or the brat dies."

Don Karnage froze.

"And don’t think I’ll do the chivalrous thing either. You Pirates are going to jail."

"Don’t listen to him. Get out of here you guys." Dolly said.

"What an entirely Terran trick." Don Karnage said coldly.

"Come on."

"Let Dolly go. You can take me if you wish." Don Karnage said throwing aside his weapon.

"Hello genius. I do have you. I have the elludium. I have all of you. I have the gun at her head. I am the one calling the shots."

Piggard pointed the gun.

"Face it Karnage, you can never beat us."

Only Frappucino’s delicate hearing could pick up the sound of approaching webbed feet.

Frappe smiled slyly. "Come on then lets get going then."

Thorn felt it too.

Don Karnage grabbed the box from Frappe.

"Let her go."

"Captain don’t it’s-"

"Fine give me the elludium first." Piggard said.

"Let her go first."

"You have my word of honor."

Don Karnage couldn’t argue that.

"Your honor as a Captain?" Don Karnage asked.

"Of course."

Don Karnage tossed the elludium to the ground.

Piggard gasped and dropped the girl.

She stepped on his foot and pushed him aside. And ran to her comrades.

"You should have left."

Piggard placed the tiny box of elludium on his belt.

"You Time Pirates have been a nuisance long enough. Now it is time for you to die."

Crawling on silent webfeet, and red haired bear snuck behind the Captain waving his blaster.

"I wish the camera was still working. To see me bring you four to justice."

Brian delicately picked the box of elludium off of his belt.

"Now I have all the pirates, and-"

"This. You got this Piggy."

Brian said waving the box.

"The Elludium."

Don Karnage punched the Captain out.

"Oh so that’s how you do it." Disquette said.

"I’m not finished with you, young lady." Don Karnage said.

"But I saved the day." Dolly said

"Actually Brian saved the day. If he hadn’t stolen the elludium back." Don Karnage said.

"In truth I saved the day captain." Frappe said coldy

"What?"

"That’s not the elludium. Like I’d trust you within four feet of that stuff with all your integrity and honor." He pulled out a tiny box. "I knew you would be tempted by such an obvious emotional ploy."

"You dork you were going to sacrifice me for nothing."

"Don’t be ridiculous. I heard Brian in the hall."

"How did you know it was him?"

"His feet sound different than a regular duck’s."

"Whatever accolades Frappe tries to steal from me, lets get going." Brian shouted.

They ran up the ladder into the ship and jumped inside.

Frappe shouted at Brian.

"How dare you leave my baby alone?"

"Why are you afraid she would get lonely? She’s not a child Frappe."

"Shut up and Brace for take off. Duck boy."

They all stapped into their seats.

Don Karnage got on the head piece.

"Attention all inhabitants and officers of the USS Pocahontas. It is I, Da Don Karnage, Captain of the Star Vulture. I am ashamed to admit that you have lost the one Elludium kb97 space modulator to the hands of my capable crew. I am dreadfully sorry for this inconvenience, and at any time you would like to discuss this in detail, please send represenation from the Council of Earth, to the representatives of the Martian Corporation, discussing the immediate end of the Military occupation of Mars."

"That is all. Hail Mars."

The Star Vulture sped off into the dark void, as mysteriously as it appeared.