Fun For All The Family

Clinging to a tiny rogue asteroid, heading straight towards Jotun space, was a creature of pure evil. It held a burning hate for all other life in its dark heart, and lived for suffering and pain. It laughed silently in the vacuum of deep space as it went on its path of destruction.
As the asteroid spun, the creature leapt at the movement ahead with terrific speed and malevolent intent.

With a dull thud, it impacted against the hull of the Imperial Honour, reduced to a green smudge.
"Helmsman, activate the hullcleaners," Commander Beowulf muttered.
A huge forcefield smeared the thing across the hull before flicking it into deep space, leaving a dark green stain across the letter 'H'.
"Regent? I have a vital message for you."
In the dark room sat two shadows in voluminous chairs, adorned with imperial insignia. A mechanical hand reached into the pool of light from the open door and beckoned.
"Here, lad. I was expecting this."
The young Jotun handed the letter to the hand and departed quickly. Light flashed off a blade in the darkness, and a letter opener sliced the envelope open and whirred back inside a finger. One sombre grey eye and one robotic red one scanned the words. The paper crumpled in the hand, which was trembling with rage.
"NOOOO!! Not again!"
The occupant of the other chair clapped his hands, and the lights came on.
"What goes on, Uncle?" Emperor Thor inquired, blearily. "I hope it is not terrible news that has woken me up."
"It is," the Regent growled, storming about restlessly. "They rejected my loan application again!"

Back on the Imperial Honour, TPP Gamma Four appeared on the viewscreen. Giant rings circled the planet, with the words "Mega-Shujo-Happy-Happy-World" written on them. Commander Beowulf growled and rolled his head in anger, an old genetic trait that had not been ironed out over millennia of civilisation. To his left was a vortex of light and energy, swirling with colour. Inside a shape took form, and a beautiful creature appeared, with long elegant wings, soft blue skin and flowing green hair. Her eyes were pink, and she seemed to radiate happiness. She laughed melodically and span around.
"Good morning, Commander! We are here, as you can see!" She said cheerfully, gazing out at the planet with large, sparkling eyes.
"Thank you, Ship. Can we land?" Beowulf asked.
"I'm afraid that the rings prevent large ships landing! We have to use a parking lot on one of the moons!"
"Can we send down Beserkers, Ship?"
"Yes, Commander, but only twenty! This is the number of shuttles that would ferry patrons to and from the parking lots! Any more would be destroyed!" Ship said, performing a pirouette.
"Very well, send down our top 15 pilots, Ship."
"I suggest that I should accompany them! The park's security system is very complex, and may need to be broken!" Ship sang, looking hopefully at Beowulf, clasping her hands against her chest. If only, she thought, if only he would let me...
"Agreed," he said, and waved her away. Ship hesitated for a second, then vanished.
In an unused corner of the Imperial Honour, Ship's robotic form sprang to life. she leapt into the air and soared down the winding corridors, dodging Jotun and robots, feeling more excited than usual. She landed delicately with a cartwheel in the busy docking bay.
"Yahoo! Which one's mine?"
All the pilots looked up, the gaze of the robots lingering a little longer than it should do. Bjors gestured to a Beserker suit standing in a row with several others with his free hand.
"That one over there is spare, Ship."
"OOH! Thank you!"
Ship danced over to the Beserker and looked at it with an expression of wonder that would not seem out of place on a small child. She frowned and bit, then flopped her head to one side. "Can I change it a bit?" She asked out loud.
"We all do. Consider it your own one now."
"YAY!" Ship cried out, aglow with happiness. She swooped over to Bjors, grabbed an armful of tools, and soared back. Quickly, she began to work, welding and connecting more equipment.

After a while she glided back to the floor, and admired her handiwork. After a brief moment her face lit up, and she spun around to face everyone else.
"Done!"
There was a metallic clink as Bjors dropped his spanner. Ship's Beserker was once a grimy thing, unchanged since it rolled off the assembly line. Now it outshone everyone else's, with a sleek black finish and polished silver runes. The entire bay was silent as they admired the Beserker, though some robots kept one sensor on Ship herself.
"Wow," said Thjorska, smiling. "That's as good as mine."
Ship frowned playfully at him, then hopped inside, running systems checks in the blink of an eye. Thjorska chuckled and went back to attaching a twin system of heat-seeking missiles to the underbelly of his Beserker. For a brief moment he glanced back at Ship's new Beserker, then buffed the red paint on his with his sleeve.

One by one, the Beserkers spiralled down to the planet's surface, with Ship's one barely showing up against the void with it's black paint work. Commander Beowulf watched the viewscreen, as the atmosphere sparked when the Beserkers descended.
"Helmsman, take us as close to the planet as possible. I have a feeling that they may need to leave that place quickly."

Chapter 1

Chapter 3