When The Stars Died

Exploring Pt 1

Skeeter's vice cut through Pandora and Joe's conversation, and Joe peered down at the town worriedly.

"Where?"
"How can you not see? It's literally huge, and you have big eyes, too." Pandora whispered.
"Sorry. Now I can see it... Okay... Son of a human!"

Pandora raised a dark eyebrow. "Well. That's offensive."

"Pardon the language. That's a FAD vehicle. Find And Destroy vehicle, for your information. It's for rogue Supernovae who escape a death penalty, disobey orders or run away. Or break the law."

Skeeter frowned, his eyes bright. "How'd ya use them up in space? Yer ships ain't that big, right?"
"No, I assure you, no. The FAD's were being built for domination of Earth. Queen Imerosis prepared for almost every possibility. Up there, we simply tortured rogues, or choked them. To death, of course." Joe laughed lightly. It died when he saw the looks Pandora and Skeeter gave him. "Maybe it's not that funny. Sorry. Anyways, they must've been suspicious when they came past again and couldn't find my body. That a code green. Code green is the supposed escape of a soldier or worker, and until the body is found—well. They'll probably stop after a day or two of searching. So, my desicion is to stay with you, if you wouldn't mind. I could help you... Survive, or whatever you're doing. What are we doing?"

Pandora and Skeeter frowned. "I dunno." Skeeter finally spoke.

They gathered the firewood in silence. Then they retreated to the Caves and restarted the fire. Once they were all settled around it in a circle and the boulder was safely back in place, Pandora finally spoke.

"We should probably fight back, right?" Pandora's voice was shaky.
"Yeah. Wit' bombs." Skeeter grinned. Pandora slapped his arm.
"No bombs."
"Not even a lil' C3?"
"I don't know what that is. Is that even a thing?"
"Uh. Mebbe I got i' wrong. But, bombs. Kill 'em all before they kill us."
Joe butted in before Pandora could protest. "If you just kill Queen Imerosis, that would delay our powers from returning. You see, there's a Ceremony. The Queen offers a sacrifice, the earth takes them, and then blah blah blah, super confidential, top secret, blah. But if you kill the Queen, they'll take weeks, even months, to select a new Queen. Since Queen Imerosis has no children, they'll have to pick out of the upper class Supernovae."
"How many upper class Supernovae are there? Ten? Twenty?" Pandora asked.
Joe snickered. "Last count, three hundred and seventy two."
"Oh." Skeeter said.
"So it would hinder them. A lot?" Pandora continued.
"Yes. But... Queen Imerosis is under light guard. Only a squad."
"How... How big's a squad?" Pandora paled.
"Not very big. Five to ten Supernovae, maybe?"
"Where can we get a gun?" Pandora asked.
Skeeter snorted. "I brought a rifle?"
Pandora cursed. "What the actual hell?"
"How were you gone protect us, then?" Skeeter sneered.
"Knifes." Pandora sniffed haughtily. "I brought knifes."
"Yeah, well, I find a gun works a lil' better. Specially on aliens."
"Well, did you bring... Ammunition, is it?"
"Ammo. And duh, you eejit."
"Eejit." Pandora sounded amused. "Since when were you Irish?"
"I'm a lil' bit Irish!" Skeeter protested.
"Why aren't you red headed then?"
"Cos I'm only a lil' bit Irish!"
"Yeah, right. And I'm an Eskimo." Pandora rolled her eyes.
"That'd explain yer ice cold heart." Skeeter hissed.
Pandora huffed and sulked silently, staring into the fire.
"Told ya." Skeeter shrugged.

They sat, and watched Nut chase one of the other squirrels.

"Joe. How do we get to your queen?" Pandora emerged from her sulk.
"How far does your rifle shoot is the real question, Skeeter?"
"No more than a hundred and fifty metres, I reckon. For accuracy, she'd be pushin' it."
"Okay, well, do you think you would guarantee a kill shot from a hundred?"
Skeeter paled, but nodded. "Reckon so."
"Aim for her heart. Or her brain. Doesn't really matter. No bones." Joe laughed.
The looks of Pandora and Skeeter's faces shut him up.
"Haha." Pandora dead-toned. "You're hilarious."