The Merry Hunters of the Galaxy

Dogfight at The Spicy Mariposa

Ardia

"We are above The Spicy Mariposa,"  Etta spoke.

Iggy pumped his fists. "Let's blow this place up!"

"Hold your fire," Draco lowered one of his arms. "We have to get the civilians out."

"Oh, all right," he sighed and pressed buttons. "Hello? Is this The Spicy Mariposa?"

A frilled Herpettian erupted on the screen. "You've reached The Spicy Mariposa. This is Blaise Barba, the hotel owner. Who is this?" 

Draco leaned into the screen and grinned. "Guess who?"

Barba's tiny eyes bulged. "Rattling Jack!" He slapped his wrist. "Take this call immediately! They're here!"

Rattling Jack's hologram projected from his wristband. "Already?"

So, he thought we'd drop off the Lepidopteran Caronine first. Unfortunately for him, we knew that wouldn't solve our problem.

"Hello, Spicy Mariposa!" Iggy called through the microphone. "This is the Merry Hunters of the Galaxy!"

People screamed beyond Barba's screen. "The Merry Hunters?!"

"We don't mean to cause a panic--actually, we do--" his voice lowered, "--but there is a stolen ship full of explosives hovering feet above you! This is not a drill!"

The screams grew louder. "They're going to bomb us!"

"Don't panic!" Barba snapped. "They're bluffing!" 

Humayra smiled cooly. "If you are a Lepidopteran or a guest unaffiliated with the Black Star, stay calm and exit the building. If you are affiliated with the Black Star, please remain in the building."

Feet pounded as people fled The Spicy Mariposa. "Let's get out of here!"

Rattling Jack clenched his fangs. "How dare you."

Barba turned even paler. "Everyone, to your ships! Comets, into the Cobra! We'll shoot them down!"

Shoot us down? "We're going to have a dogfight?"

Iggy rubbed his hands together. "This is getting good!" 

"Iggy and Humayra, you take the port guns. Helmut and Snippy, you take the starboard guns."

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Iggy saluted and took off.

"Ardia, take the rear gun."

"On it, Draco!" I took off for the back of the ship.

Another ship broke through the hyperspeed barrier. It was a small GFA ship, and it looked familiar.

"Caliban, you have a call from the USS Fido."

The Fido? I knew it was familiar!

"Take the call."

"Merry Hunters of the Galaxy!" Lieutenant Patel barked. "This is the Galactic Federal Authority. Cease your fire and surrender immediately!"

"How about no?"Iggy shot off a cannon.  Bang!

A rocket shot from the Caliban and went off inches below the Fido, grazing its hull with sparks and smoke.

"Commander!" Officer Edwards shouted. "They're firing on us!"

"Get out of the way, officers," Terran's voice crackled in. "This is personal business."

"Personal business?" Lieutenant Patel's voice stayed hard. "Commander, you ordered us to stop the Merry Hunters. The Galactic Guard's not here, so we have to fight."

"Go back to where you came from. I can't let innocent people get hurt."

"Commander—"

"Do you understand, Lieutenant?"

A wild idea ignited. I opened the respirator compartment, snapped one on, and connected it to an oxygen tank.  

A button on the tank beeped green. It was activated.

I pulled the caronine hose down from its wall hook. Time to put it to use. "Etta, release the caronine hose."

"As you wish, Ardia." 

The hose popped off the wall.

I slapped the fastener on the Lepidopteran Caronine. This had better work. "Close the door to the rest of the ship."

The door slid shut with a thunk.

"Rear compartment closed off."

"Open the rear hatch."

The hatch rose, revealing the dry yellow sky.

"Lightening the load?"

"Something like that," I gathered up the hose. 

A rocket shot from the Cobra, shooting red sparks and missing my spot by an inch. 

I had to take the ship down now. I smiled grimly. "You like caronine, Barba?"

Barba looked confused. "Yes."

"How about six by three feet of it?" I aimed the hose at the Cobra and pressed the Fill button.

The hose glowed red, and liquid caronine spewed from its nozzle. 

"No!" Rattling Jack shrieked.

"Compromised air quality in the rear," Etta spoke. "Oxygen tanks and respirators are advised."

"Already got them." I sprayed caronine all over the Cobra's front. As it made contact with its windshield, it hardened into putty.

The Cobra's computer began to buzz. "Visibility compromised...visibility compromised..."

I screamed. "Shoot it!" 

Rockets fired from the Caliban's side cannons. 

The blinded Cobra flew erratically, getting struck left and right. With every hit, it dropped lower and lower.

A new voice cried from the Fido. "It's going into a nosedive!"

The Caliban swerved out of the way, and the Cobra crashed into The Spicy Mariposa with a fiery BOOM.

The Fido soared down to rescue any survivors.

The Lepidopteran dropped to the floor with a thump. 

The hose fastener clattered beside it. 

"Air quality in the rear is back to the optimal level."

Nothing came out of the nozzle. The caronine was gone.

The Lepidopteran lay sprawled on the ground.

I pulled off my respirator, disconnected it from the oxygen tank, and stuffed it back in its compartment. 

They groaned softly, their fingers twitched, and their eyes opened. 

What?

They pushed themselves up and stared at me. "Who are you?"

This was going to be something. "I'm Ardia Musso," I tipped my cap. "Welcome to the Merry Hunters of the Galaxy."