"What did you do to that ship?" questioned one of the guards.
"We've placed a small explosive device somewhere inside it," X responded truthfully. "Unless you leave this room sometime in the near future, you will be destroyed."
"Then you'd better remove the explosive," snapped the guard. "Or you will be destroyed along with us."
"It's not going to be that easy," X insisted. "The explosive is too hot to be removed and the engine is severely damaged. It will take some time to shut the engine off."
"Perhaps someone can help you," suggested the guard. "Did the two of you come alone?"
"Yes," answered X.
"I don't believe you," sneered the guard. "No one could have come in here without some help. Search the room thoroughly! Make sure no one else is hiding in here."
Most of the guards left leaving only four to guard Hank and X. For two normal people, four guards would be enough but X had much quicker reflexes than a normal person. The guards were not aware of X's abilities. X nodded to Hank who immediately dove to one side.
X fired four times in rapid succession. All four guards fell to the ground.
"Run!" yelled X dragging two of the guards out of the room.
Hank stayed right where he was.
"Why are you helping them?" he wondered.
"If we don't help them they'll die in the explosion," X explained. "The only time I kill somebody is if I have no other choice."
"I'll help you," Hank said determinedly. "I need to stay with you."
Hank could only move one of the remaining bodies. He started out at a fairly reasonable pace but soon he began to tire.
"Keep going," X encouraged him. "We're almost there. Just another hundred meters to go."
They were almost outside the blast area when they ran into two more guards. They tried to fire, but X was too fast for them.
"I'll move these bodies to safety," Hank told him. "You go back for the other one."
X knew that time was running out. It wouldn't be long before the explosive reached the critical temperature of 800 C. When he reached the body, he saw three guards examining him to see if he was still alive. If he stunned the guards this time, he wouldn't have enough time to drag them to safety.
X dropped his weapon and came out to face them with his hands up.
"He's still alive," stated X. "but he won't be for long unless we can get him to safety. We only have a few minutes left."
"Why would be concerned about one of us?" one of the guards demanded.
"I believe you have just as much right to live as I do," X began. "You are not my enemy. The Ruler is my enemy. Since you did not fire at me, I know you are not truly evil, but you are being deceived by someone who is. The Ruler could care less whether you live or die but I do. Come with me and live."
The three guards took a long, hard look at X.
"Evacuate!" ordered one of the guards. "Evacuate immediately!"
A few minutes later there was an explosion destroying over 90 percent of the fleet.
TIME : 11:45 P.M. (23:45)
PLACE : The old couple's house
Peter, Linda, and Lisa were enthusiasticly welcomed by the old couple who wanted to know every last detail about their mission. Peter's wounds were immediately treated. His injury was more serious than he first thought, but nothing that couldn't be healed with the medicine available. Peter went into the bedroom and fell asleep giving his wounds a chance to heal.
Lisa felt like her old self for the first time since her over indulgence at Zhrook's Space Station. She told the couple everything she could remember, excluding the part where she dropped what she was carrying, and asked them questions about life on Altair 7.
Linda was greatful for a chance to relax. The old couple's house was the only peaceful place on the entire planet. She stretched out on the couch meaning to rest for only a few minutes but she fell asleep for a much longer period of time.
She was awakened by X, Hank, and four of the Ruler's soldiers. When she first saw the soldiers she panicked, but when her senses came back to her she realized that they were friendly.
"I want you to meet our new team of spies," said X.
"They saved our lives," explained one of the guards. I have dismissed the soldiers who were guarding it."
Peter, Hank, Linda, and Lisa returned to M.W.G.D. Headquarters knowing their mission had been a tremendous success. X stayed behind to introduce the old couple and the guards to each other. They would be working as a team from that point on. The guards would tell the old couple the Ruler's plans and the old couple would relay that information to M.W.G.D. Once the group was acquainted, X left them alone to work out the details themselves.
TIME : May 9, 2015
PLACE : M.W.G.D. Headquarters
The place X had discovered contained only part of the Ruler's attack fleet, however, he had still managed to put a sizable dent in it. The Ruler was in no condition to carry out his attack, but he did so anyway to save face. The attack was a dismal failure.
Peter, Hank, Linda, Shawn, Rynn, Shrame, and X were gathered together to assess the situation.
"How many casualties have been reported on Altair 3?" Shawn asked Shrame.
"Zero," Shrame reported happily. "The attack fleet never reached Altair 3. The were held back by the combined forces of the combined forces of the other planets."
"They never had a chance," added Rynn. "Our new team of spies are fast and efficient. Sometimes we knew what the Ruler's orders were before the Ruler's soldiers did."
"The spies have been most helpful to us," agreed Shrame. "and Beng is doing his part by telling us what he knows about the Ruler's activities on Triax."
"Perhaps the Ruler has treated his own soldiers poorly one time too many," remarked X. "He kills his own people and then wonders why he has a problem winning battles."
"Our forces are getting stronger every day," declared Shawn. "It won't be long before the Ruler is defeated permanently."
"The sooner, the better," bellowed Linda. "I don't want to go through another emergency mission like the one we just had."
"Speaking of our last mission, has anybody seen Lisa?" wondered Peter.
"She has gone to see Chav at Zhrook's Space Station," replied Shawn.
"I hope she doesn't decide to get drunk again," grumbled Peter. "If she does, I'm not going to help her."
"She wasn't that bad, was she?" inquired Shawn.
"I'll put it this way," said Peter slightly calmer than before. "If X hadn't arrived when he did, we never would have made it out of there."
"You were doing fine on your own," disagreed X. "I just helped speed things up. If you'll remember, you were the one who helped me out of a jam."
"I just don't like the way Lisa always has to do her own thing no matter what's going on around her," argued Peter. "I wish she'd take responsibility for her actions every once in awhile."
"Telling us what you think won't do you any good," stated X. "I think you should have a talk with her as soon as she returns and tell her what you think. Maybe the two of you can work things out before your next mission."
"I don't even want to think about a next mission right now," groaned Peter.
"You won't have to," Shawn assured him. "You, Hank, and Linda are dismissed. You can take the rest of the day off."
"Thank you," said Peter, Hank, and Linda simultaneously.
The three of them headed to the cafeteria to get something to eat before they went their separate ways.
"Any idea where the Ruler will strike next?" Shawn asked those who remained.
"Not yet," X replied. "I think he'll need to regroup his forces before he attacks again."
"When he does decide to attack again, we'll be ready for him," Shrame assured them. "I feel as confident about that now as I did before the Ruler took over Altair 7."
"I guess we've said everything that can be said," reasoned Shawn. "This meeting is concluded."
Rynn accompanied Shrame back to Altair 3. As soon as Lisa returned, M.W.G.D. Headquarters would head into deep space to go wherever it was needed next.
"It was nice to see you again," Shawn told X. "Perhaps you could stay with us for a while."
"No," X said sadly. "I am needed elsewhere. Good bye."
Shawn watched him leave knowing the galaxy would be in safe hands for a long time to come.
Copyright MCMXCII, MCMXCIX
