Captain Lambda and the Empire of Evil

Chapter Four: Attacked By The Terror Bird!

Our hero CAPTAIN LAMBDA, attempting to find the scientist DOCTOR GALBRAITH, finds himself in the bindings of the rebel DOMINA and her LEATHERONES. Earning her trust, Lambda must now find allies in the mysterious GREMLINS to help rescue the Doctor. But before he can continue his adventure, the Leatherones are attacked by EVIL ROBOTS!

FEATURING: Space Captain Lambda, hero of Earth on a mission to save a lost scientist; and Domina, leader of the rebel Leatherones.

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Screams and shouts echoed among the stone ruins of Espoir as the robots from the Society for the Reformation of Morality flew above the city. The lightning strikes from their fingers picked the rebels off one by one. Lambda had been followed!

Two of the robots jumped from a rocket bike and landed on the balcony. Captain Lambda took one, grappling with it on the edge. With a sharp uppercut he knocked it over the balcony. Domina struck the other. She pulled a coil of rope from her belt and rapidly trussed the robot up rendering it helpless. Within seconds it was dangling over the edge of the railings.

Several more robots approached the building. Lambda drew his raygun and scored hits on several while Domina grabbed a lazerbow and began firing shots from the balcony. Her rebels started to make progress holding them back yet still more of the drones emerged above the runs.

"Quick, captain, you need to get out of there! We will hold them off and stop them pursuing you." Domina grabbed a bag and attached it to the side of the abandoned flying bike. "That has all the supplies you will need. And here," she reached up, removed a stud from her left ear and placed it in Lambda's palm. "This is a traditional token of favour. The Gremlins will recognise it. There's also gifts for them in the bag."

"But you're coming with me!" Lambda gasped.

"My people are under attack. I must stand with them. Now move!"

Domina helped Lambda climb onto the bike and trigger the accelerator. The wind rushed past Lambda's hair as the bike kicked into top speed.

Three rocket bikes approached from behind, breaking apart from a brawl that had developed around Domina. Lambda got some shots off, his raygun's colourful sparkles slamming one of the riders in the centre of their dark figures. The remaining two returned the favour with lighting; the smell of burnt hair entering his periphery.

But if there is one thing that Space Captain Lambda, legendary test pilot of the Astronef rockets, knew how to do better than a computer, it's fly. Lambda dived into the streets of the ruins below, dodging the rubble and overgrowth as he swerved sharply around corners. A loud crash echoed behind him; one down already. The second will have learned.

While the city was in ruins, it was not abandoned. Trails from those living amongst the rubble weaved around the town. They vanished where routes were closed and cut unusual paths through destroyed walls. Lambda eyed one particular route and followed through the middle of several large complexes. Through courtyards and streets, he followed the serve of the path as gaps in the walls created new routes highlighted by the worn path.

Then ahead of him, he saw a sharp turn left on the path which headed into a collapsed building. Lambda let the robot close on him as he maintained his heading. The lighting bolts got closer, singeing the remains of his shirt and sparking off the walls on either side of the route. He made his turn at the last second, his foot scraping against the rocks. The robot, not seeing the correct route to follow, hit the brakes and smashed head-first into the rubble.

Leaving the pursuers in the dirt, Lambda headed out into the open country. His original mission had been to simply rescue a scientist. But he now had another objective, to help liberate the people of this world.