Cosmonogic

Chp. 2: Stuck in Space

Beetle evaded Rake with ease, then began levitating above him. "This is the legendary space pirate that Orange warned me about?" he rasped. He observed the pirate for a long moment. "I suppose he could be of some use."

Rake glanced at the computer-pad on his arm and began to panic. At full capacity, it offered about a hundred breaths. Fortunately, Rake could hold his breath for about seven minutes while physically exerting himself. Unfortunately, there were only four breaths left. That meant that he had about half an hour before the grim reaper got a bit too up close and personal for his taste.

Have I really built this much of a reputation for myself that Beetle himself felt threatened by my presence here? Rake's palms became sweaty as the word legendary echoed through his mind. The thought of that kind of attention shined on him and his crew made him want to vomit. He gazed at the technological terror, unsure of whether or not he was going to make it out of this alive.

Rake began to worry himself sick. I can't show fear. With a new sense of determination, he smirked at the mighty Beetle. "Too butthurt over some stolen scrap metal to let us go?" Rake sneered in an attempt to get a reaction out of the armored horror. Come on, insect. Show me what you're made of. Beetle gave no such response. Rake's pulse quickened.

This is bad. Should I try and strike again? His hand twitched at his side, inching toward the now inactive Dawnblade; a curved monster of a blade compromised of suspended electric matter.

"It is more so that you are in my territory, without my permission," Beetle rasped, tilting his head down so that his visor lined up with Rake's eyes. "Leave."

Rake could feel Beetle's eyes piercing into his soul. Beetle, letting us go? Where's all of the havoc? Rake's mind began violently racing. Doing as he asks is our only option. "Of course," Rake answered him, silently cursing the slight quiver in his voice. "We will depart immediately."

Rake stood there for a moment, unmoving in a state of shock. He gazed into Beetle's biconvex lenses sticking out of his mask. A dark-gray glass pane covered them, making it impossible to see what lurked beneath. How can he even see through those things?

"Well?" Beetle's voice grated through the building tension around them.

"Sorry," Rake snapped out of it, and clipped Dawnblade back onto his belt.

"All ships return to Astrocruiser. Call off Stardust and Starslayer. We're leaving." Rake lifted his wrist up to his mouth as he spoke through the master voice channel. The same computer-pad that alerted him of his now three-remaining breaths transmitted the message across their fleet. "Thank you," Rake awkwardly bowed, unsure whether or not he should.

"If you ever return, I will be the first you encounter," Beetle announced ominously. Rake took that as a crystal clear threat. He looked back, noticing his ships were beginning to retreat. Rake backed away slowly towards his cockpit. His ship was programmed to stay near him during any close-ranged combat, just out of range of the conflict.

Then he remembered, "There is one thing," he paused, not sure how the Overlord would react. Beetle paused. "What is it?" he asked, the hoarseness of his voice becoming more annoying than fearsome. "Our engines are down. We're working on them as quickly as we can, but it might take a while." Beetle waited a painstaking moment before responding. "Very well," he stated, then he went away. It was like one moment he was there, and the next he was gone.

In utter trepidation, Rake climbed back inside of his ship, and raced back into his private launch bay, hidden beneath the Astrocruiser. It was where they stored their most elite fighter ships, alongside Rake's own Spectral Menace. He landed less-than-gracefully, scratching up the floor as his ship grinded across it. He missed the landing pad's slightly elevated landing circle, unintentionally parking his ship just up beside it. I'll fix it later.