Humans and Pokémon are colonising Mars, but good people aren't the only ones with their eyes on this new world.
The first spaceflight of the Ares program launched 49 years ago. So far, the red planet hasn't been kind. Without spacesuits, few Pokémon...
There were many people who disagreed with Hadron's decision, including his own officers. Daeng was angrier than anyone else. It was unusual for anyone from Seri to fly into a rage, but for the first time in his career, he did then.
'How could you?!'
'It was the only option. They've already caught one of the rogue Team Magma Grunts. Fukuzawa personally found the one who went missing after witnessing Joshua Pickett's murder.'
'He'll let you down. As soon as you turn your back, he will take over Mars.'
'Then I'll take responsibility for it.'
'You've ruined your own career. Whatever. I will not work with that man. I refuse all future Mars missions in advance.'
No-one else felt quite that strongly, but they were all nervous, even Triton who mentored Hadron and trusted him completely. Chief Fukuzawa also had fans, however, including Julien and Callerya, who thought he was hot in his new uniform.
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'Your dad!' Callerya exclaimed over lunch on the floor at Delta Lab 1, 'He's actually a DILF!'
Praise blinked. 'Pardon...?'
'A "dad I'd like to–"'
'I know what it means! But you can't be serious...'
'I am deadly serious, mate. Don't you agree, Pheromosa?'
Pheromosa looked as disgusted as Praise. So did Thalassa.
'Whatever... y'all don't have any taste!'
Julien wasn't in earshot to agree. Music boomed from the office he shared with Koray. He was busy singing karaoke for the Interplanetary Police recruitment video that Hadron requested.
'They want you! They want you as the new recruit! The Interplanetary Police! Come on, protect our solar system! The Interplanetary Police! Come on, people and Pokémon! ♪'
He was a perfectionist. It went on for hours until he was satisfied. Mercury kept glancing at his phone, although it wasn't to count down the minutes until he could escape Julien. He awaited a text from Calypso, who was interrogating Horace about where he came from, how he got to Mars and what he saw since he arrived.
'So Rayquaza simply entered the Ultra Forest without warning or provocation?'
'Yes. It was running from a woman in a Magma Suit. She chased it in some kind of Rayquaza-shaped spacecraft. It seemed that she wanted to destroy the actual Rayquaza to prevent it stopping the Groudon she captured. I forced her back out into Ultra Space – and that is how I gained Rayquaza's trust.'
'Right... and did the woman look anything like this?'
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