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Part
0
"Prenotion"
"Are you Aero, the Hunter?"
The HUmar looked sideways at the Principal of Pioneer 2, "Chief,
you know me! I used to be in the force, man!"
"Oh? Oh, Aero, yes yes, of course... At any rate, I have a
special job I'd like to ask of you and your team." Principal Tyrell
continued on to brief the founding member of Blue Zonde about the
situation at hand.
-----
Just outside the warp that led up to Tyrell's office, a RAmarl's
toe tapped impatiently. The newest and youngest recruit to Blue Zonde,
she was also the least patient. "How long is this going to go on?"
Teila complained, "Do you have an estimate?"
The FOmar waiting with her had his back against a rail in his
usual 'slacker' pose, he'd just finished off a chocolate bar and
amused himself by incinerating the wrapper in his hand. "Just chill
out," ColdFlame spoke calmly, "Y'know how Aero is."
"Whatever." A moment's time, and her thoughts turned to her
mentor, the one that called her his 'apprentice', an android built to
operate heavy gunnery and command platoons of troops, the RAcast known
only as....
"Hey," Teila inquired, "Have you seen FUZZ?"
"He's where he always is...."
-----
"5000 Meseta?!?! That's all?!" The android hawked one of his
spare Armors with the guy at the Guards' Shop. "You can turn around
and sell this for well over 15000!" He snatched the clerk by the
collar and lifted him with his massive mechanical arm, "Kind of a lot
of overhead there, don't you think?"
The clerk pleaded hysterically, "Knock it off, big guy! I just
work here! I'm just some guy! Lemme down!"
-----
ColdFlame's eyes peaked with curiosity, "I wonder why all those
security guards are heading over to the Shopping Distr...." Common
sense dawned on him, "FUZZ...."
"What's wrong?" Teila asked, "Has something happened to FUZZ?"
"It ain't FUZZ you hafta worry about...." ColdFlame roused his
lax muscles, "Stay here and wait for Aero," he ordered the RAmarl,
"and hope we don't get arrested."
-----
"I'm sorry to have to ask this of you hunters," Tyrell continued,
"but truth is, Ragol is dangerous. We don't need just investigators,
we need...."
"Soldiers..." Aero finished.
Tyrell paused deeply, "You were a good cop, and an excellent
detective. Why did you quit the force?"
Aero shrugged, "I just wanted to go independent, I guess...."
"I'm sure you won't disappoint me, Aero. If anyone can get to the
bottom of this Pioneer 1 mess, it's you."
"That's quite a compliment, Chief" Aero jabbed, "We'll do what we
can."
Aero re-emerged from the Principal's teleporter to find Teila in
a frenzy. "Aero! Aero! Come quick!" She frantically motioned towards
the Shopping District.
"What th...." Common sense dawned on him. "FUZZ..."
Security had already cuffed the FOmar and four of them were
struggling to subdue the massive android. "You HAD to start something,
FUZZ..." ColdFlame spoke.
"YOU had to roll up with your Force self and start Zonde-ing
guys!!"
"Hey! That was the low-voltage version!" ColdFlame defended,
"Those guards will be just fine in a day or two."
Aero strode over to the captain and spoke with an authoritative
voice, "Are these two givin' you trouble?"
"Lieutenant Aero?!" The captain began to list their charges,
"Disturbing the peace, aggravated assault, assaulting an officer with
magic techniques,..."
"Yeah, yeah," Aero nodded, "Nice work, captain. I'll take'em from
here."
"What? Are they yours?"
"Something like that."
"Y'know." ColdFlame stated, "Just so y'know, I could Gizonde you
all and be outta here, but my conscience won't let me kill folks, just
so y'know."
"I have a freakin' Photon Launcher!!" FUZZ added in an assertive
voice.
"Ooh!" Teila chirped newbly, "He does! It goes WHOOSH right
through enemies, so don't start none!!"
"Don't start none, there won't be none," FUZZ threw in his catch
phrase.
"But," ColdFlame motioned with his just-uncuffed hands, "you
started it...."
"Don't start with me, Force!" FUZZ exploded, "THEY started it!
Highway robbery!"
"Can we just get going?" Aero asked wearily, "We have a job...."
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