New Threat From
Planet 10
Part 5: Explosions
By Regalo3000
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I
It was the news of a series of explosions that caught the attention of Team Banzai, acts of firy destruction had swept across the countryside before they could even leave the territory. Farm houses were blowing up everywhere. They had only moments ago been celebrating their minor victory against a gang of evil Kill-troids at a farmhouse when their attention became focused on the local news.
It's the Red Lectroids, said Slow Motion.
How do you know? asked Reno.
They're experimenting with our technique, said Slow Motion. It's obvious.
There seems to be no purpose to what they're doing, said Buckaroo. Why blow up farmhouses at random?
Oh there's a purpose, said Rawhide, they're learning, and it seems our little Lectroid friends are perfectionists when it comes to destruction. They want to get it right until they're experts.
Newborn Lectroids, said Perfect Tommy with extreme disgust. I'll bet they don't even understand why they hate us! It's probably genetic! Like the instincts between a dog and a cat.
A blue blaze irregular walked into the communications center and said, Back up has arrived in the form of the local police ...
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II
Sheriff Namby was not a fan of the Hong Kong Cavaliers and it was quite evident by the way he spoke to Buckaroo and the rest of the Team, with a certain lack of respect, going on and on about lawless vigilantes and certain irresponsible people who shouldn't be allowed to carry guns ...
Are you finished, said Buckaroo, because we've got a crisis on our hands.
Oh, please, do, explain to me why your people are in my district and all hell has broken loose? Tell me, please, this I have to hear.
Red Lectroids are building a new army in your district Sheriff. This army is training itself and it learns very fast. And before long your entire district will be nothing but smoldering ashes if you don't let us help.
Arrest him, said the Sheriff. I hope you like prison chow, Buckaroo, 'cause you're going to be eating a lot of it. Come on, arrest them all.
But he's Buckaroo Banzai, friend of the President of the United States.
I DON'T CARE WHOSE FRIEND HE IS ARREST THEM ALL, NOW!!!
We can't let you do that, said Rawhide, now while all of this is going on!
Buckaroo said, Put down your guns, Rawhide, let's play this game his way for now ... Let's respect the good Sheriff's wishes ...
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III
It was night-time. The lawyer moved at a quick pace as he headed for the jail cells that held Team Banzai. When he reached Buckaroo's cell Banzai stood to his feet.
I'm your lawyer. Sorry I couldn't get here sooner.
What's the news?
Several oil refineries have been completely wiped off the map. Your Sheriff has egg on his face, trying to explain how Team Banzai can cause so much devastation while sitting in jail cells. They're going have to to let you go.
Alarms sounded. The lawyer panicked. I've got to get out of here.
What's going on? asked Banzai.
On the way I saw numerous trucks on their way here.
Red Lectroids, said Reno.
Get us out of here, said Buckaroo.
That's up to the Sheriff. Not me.
The lawyer was running now. Buckaroo called after him to no effect. They could hear gunshots now, and screams. Then inhuman the roars of what could only be the evil Kill-troids.
Sheriff!!! called Buckaroo. We're defenseless in here!!!
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Slow Motion and the New Threat From Planet 10
Part 6: Escape
By Regalo3000
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I
After a minute a door opened and the Sheriff appeared, keys in his hands. Sorry, Buckaroo, said the Sheriff.
Right, right, whatever, said Banzai. Just let us out of here, and we'll need our guns.
Opening the cell door the Sheriff said, Sorry, your weapons were taken to another location.
Well, what do you have that we can use, asked Rawhide.
Shotguns, this way, the Sheriff lead them to the weapons room where they loaded up on supplies. Shotguns and ammo.
Buckaroo asked, World Watch One, where did you park her?
She ruined, said the Sheriff, Red Lectroids destroyed her.
Our go-phones, where are they? asked Reno.
Another location.
You keep saying another location, what the hell does that mean? asked Slow Motion.
Look, the reason you were arrested was that your personal items are collectables, okay? They were supposed to disappear and disappear they did. They probably won't even cut me in on a piece of the pie!
You sold us out, said Rawhide, grabbing the Sheriff by his shirt.
I came back for you! yelled the Sheriff. I didn't have to do that!
Leave him be, said Buckaroo. We have a war to fight. How many are there?
Uncertain. Fifty? A hundred? Odds are they know you're all here ...
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II
A Kill-troid overturned a car that was parking by the curb, throwing it into a storefront, glass was shattered, and window dressings crushed.
BAAAANZAAAAIIIII, screeched the mindless creature. It pulled a lamp-post right out of the sidewalk and threw it into a crowd of running citizens!
Several town officers turned a corner and opened fire upon the creature! Still it kept on coming, before the thing managed to drop dead, it had given quite a struggle.
BAAAAANZZAAAAIIIIII, another creature was saying as it strode through an alley coming upon a homeless man. The Kill-troid looked down at the man who stood to his feet and looked the creature in the eyes. Then the homeless man cried out with an inhuman wail, something the Kill-troid had never heard before. Something inhuman, something not Kill-troid either. The Kill-troid backed away in fright. The homeless man kept on yelling his otherwordly yell.
All across town, the homeless people were yelling, howling inhumanly. Then a great wind swept through town.
Team Banzai was standing in the streets, shotguns in hands, when the wind hit them, practically knocking them off their feet. Slow Motion noticed there was a man on a bicycle waving him over. He made a run for him.
Slow Motion, yelled Buckaroo, what are you doing?
Slow Motion reached the man on the bike, it was the Old Indian. YOU!!! said Slow Motion.
Just came to tell you that The Wind is nearby, said the Old Indian. Whatsamatter, not happy to see me?
Will you stay and help us fight? asked Slow Motion.
I'm an old man, what could I do? said the Old Indian with a wicked smile, except to say thank you for taking it off my hands! Boy, are you ever in deep poopoo! He laughed and began riding away, whistling a little durge.
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III
What is it, John Johnner?
John Critter, there's something in the air.
What do you mean? What has caused all the Kill-troids to cease their destruction. We must kill Banzai. John Joshua gave us orders before he died.
The National Guard is on its way, said John Mooshoo.
There's something evil in the air, said John Johnner, something more evil than a Red Lectroid.
Can there be? asked John Critter. Something more evil than we?
I'm afraid so, and this is not our fight, give the signal, retrieve the Kill-troids. We will now attack the Institute. Banzai is sure to show up to defend it.
I obey, John Johnner.
A strange-sounding siren sounded, and the Kill-troids retreated back to the trucks. As soon they they had returned the trucks took off, heading for the Institute.
Buckaroo and his men were strolling through town when they came upon a lone man. He was standing still staring at them.
What can I do you for? yelled Buckaroo.
Don't talk to it, said Slow Motion.
What? said Buckaroo.
It's The Wind, informed Slow Motion.
Oh, what now? said Buckaroo in expaseration.
The stranger was joined by two more. Ready, said Buckaroo. The Team aimed their shotguns. A slight breeze was in the air. More people joined the three members of The Wind.
Are they armed? asked Slow Motion.
Unknown, said Reno, it's too dark to tell!
It was right then that Sheriff Namby grabbed Slow Motion by the throat and squeezed. Slow Motion grabbed the man's arm that which had a gun in its grip. The others threw themselves on the Sheriff and wrestled then gun away from him. The Sheriff screamed inhumanly and fell unconscious.
The wall of people began to move towards the Team.
Take cover! yelled Buckaroo.
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Slow Motion and the New Threat From Planet 10
Part 7: Bullets and Choppers
By Regalo3000
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I
A glass bottle crashed nearby.
They're throwing bottles, said Reno, after the Team had taken cover behind cars and building columns.
Another bottle smashed nearby.
We don't have time for this, said Buckaroo.
It was then that several choppers appeared overhead.
Yep! said Buckaroo. They're ours!
The choppers landed in the street and Team Banzai ran with their heads lowered, climbed inside, and the choppers took off, amid being bombarded by flying glass bottles.
What about the Sheriff? asked Reno.
He'll be fine, said Slow Motion.
Slow Motion gazed down at the tiny figures of people who had been possessed by The Wind. A sad feeling came upon him. But, when he got a look at the countryside, that sadness turned to anger. There were fires all over the place, explosions here and there. It was then that the pilot spoke up, We've spotted their trucks, they're heading in the direction of the Institute.
Well, we're just going to have to intercept them, said Buckaroo.
They're going to hit a solid wall of National Guard any minute!
They're trapped! said Slow Motion. If we kill them all now, we'll stop this threat dead in its tracks!
How can you be so sure? asked Perfect Tommy.
I can't prove it, said Slow Motion, I just know ...
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II
The scene below on the highway was one of utter chaos and mayhem. Kill-troids were butting heads with National Guardsmen. In the choppers above the kill-zone Team Banzai watched for stragglers, occassionally shooting a Lectroid or two that had managed to break free from the battle in an attempt to escape.
Mean while The Wind was running at a good clip, they would soon join the battle.
There's one, said Perfect Tommy, pointing a spotlight at a retreating Red Lectroid.
Slow Motion took the Lectroid out with several good shots.
Don't fly so close to the ground, said Buckaroo. Any one of these creatures could possibly pull the chopper down.
The screams were inhuman to begin with, but the dying howls sounded even worse.
Chopper Two was doing the same thing as Chopper One, sniping the stragglers. In that chopper being flown by Thunder were Knuckles and TommyBoy along with Penny Priddy and they were all having a time shooting at Red Lectroids and Kill-troids.
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III
When dawn arrived the highway smelled like death, like a piece of Armageddon had paid the earth a tiny visit. Team Banzai walked amid the corpses of the dead aliens and watched as one by one they disintegrated into dust. There had been no time to bring in freezers to preserve the New Threat.
Slow Motion appeared out of smoke and fire with some bad news. The Wind is here!
Buckaroo yelled, Get into positions!
There was silence for a long time as they waited. Smoke filled the air. Then they could see tiny lights. What is that? asked Buckaroo.
Torches, I think, said Rawhide, binoculars in hand. No ... molotov cocktails.
Everybody aim! yelled Buckaroo.
The lights were hefted into the sky, dozens of molotov cocktails had taken flight.
Fire!!!
Team Banzai and National Guardsmen alike fired into The Wind, and they fell as normal men do. Slow Motion found he could not aim correctly, tears were in his eyes. Not due to the smoke and the fire that exploded around the battleground, but from the anguish in his heart.
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Slow Motion and the New Threat From Planet 10
Epilogue: Post War Blues
By Regalo3000
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Slow Motion? said Buckaroo. It's over.
I know, said Slow Motion rising to his feet, wiping tears from his eyes. I didn't fire one shot.
It's okay, said Buckaroo. Everyone else did.
None of Team Banzai looked happy. Neither did any of the National Guard. Who would after such a horrific battle? TommyBoy was comforting Penny for some reason. Knuckles and Thunder were involved in a heated discussion. Rawhide and Reno were staring off into space, silent as death. The only thing, the only bright moment, was when Slow Motion saw Perfect Tommy giving his autographs to several Guards. It was only then that Slow Motion's mood lifted and the future seemed a like golden promise just waiting to be grasped and savored.
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