Falling Away From The World, Part 3
By Wu Konguk
Author's notes: Okay it’s been a while, but I have good excuses this time.
Firstly, I have had my A-levels to panic over for a while, then I got a job which
is fairly time consuming, and lastly, for the past few weeks I’ve been laid
up in bed with a virus. Anyway, enough about me, on with the show.
Chapter 3
Thoughts run through my mind… why? We are alone. I can only go on for
a little longer. My heart. Why do I wait? Why do I make others wait? Thoughts
of home, my family, my friends, my loved ones. All has changed. We are being hunted.
Reasons unknown. And now we have been asked to do something unspeakable.
“You are going to help us destroy the DOOP.”
The words felt like
a thunder in the great hall, but only Leela, Fry and Amy seemed to be shocked.
The others in the hall carried on eating.
“You will help us wipe them off
the face of the universe.”
There was a stone silence that struck the PE crew.
It took a while for Leela to even register what had been said.
“You can not be serious!” Her voice was trembling as she spoke, “Why
would we help destroy an organisation that has brought peace to much of the universe?”
Her voice had steadied and stabled but it was poisoned with anger.
Natarla looked at her with a cold glaze in her eyes and laughed derisively.
“The DOOP… bringers of peace.” She swiped the bang of hair that
covered one of her eyes to the side. “The DOOP of harbingers of DEATH. They
have killed millions of innocents in the name of peace. Her cold eyes began to
burn with a fire that would make the Robot Devil quake. A small smile then broke
on her face, but it was not a happy smile. “Maybe it would be easier if I
showed you. Please follow me.”
The others remained in their seats as she got up.
Fry and Amy looked at Leela for direction.
“I guess,” she began slowly, “that since they have offered their
hospitality we should at least hear what she has to say.” She looked towards
Amy first, who slowly nodded her eye, then lingered on Fry, who did not move.
She softened her voice considerable as she talked to him, “You do not have
to come, Fry. It’s alright.”
“No,” his voice was almost silent, “I always thought there was
something wrong about DOOP, but I thought nothing of it. I want to see what they
have done.”
Leela was surprised, this did not sound like Fry, but she had no time to ponder
what he meant, Natarla was waiting at the door and was beginning to look impatient.
“Very well, Natarla. We shall hear what you have to say.”
Natarla’s expression showed that she was not to surprised. “Good.
Now please follow me quickly. I do not know how much time we have left before
we are located.”
The crew quickly got to their feet and left the great hall. Natarla’s
pace was quick and the other three were finding it hard to keep up. The corridors
seemed to go on forever.
“Aw how much longer?” Fry looked tired and was not afraid to show
it. “Can’t we have a rest?”
“That would take longer, and we do not have much time.” Natarla seemed
to be losing her patience. “Besides, we are here.”
They stopped outside two large doors. Natarla quickly entered numbers into
a panel on the wall. The doors hissed open and the crew cautiously entered. They
entered a fairly large room with a circular table in the centre with what appeared
to be a hologram generator in its core.
“Be seated,” Natarla’s spoke this as an order not a request.
The PE crew slowly sat down in their seats. “I will now show you your benevolent
DOOP.”
Images flashed before them of a peaceful city with happy people walking through,
they all had blue skin. Then, without warning, the city changed; it was destroyed.
Flames licked the side of partially destroyed buildings. More images flashed past,
bodies lined the streets. Then a thundering noise began. It was the sound of boots
marching in unison. Through the dust, soldiers began to appear, their faces covered
with masks. Their uniform was the same that Fry and Leela wore when the DOOP attacked
Planet Sphereon 1. One soldier moved to a pile of rubble as he heard muffled screams.
As the rubble was removed, they saw a women, apparently dead cradled over a child.
His uniform was slightly longer than most, especially his head.
“My… momma… please, mister, help my momma.”
The soldier tapped his helmet. “Sir, we have found a survivor.”
The solder's voice crackled with static.
The voice that returned, on the other hand was instantly recognisable. “You
know your orders.”
It was Zapp Brannigan.
“But, sir, it is just a child.”
“No survivors means no survivors, soldier. This planet is rich in natural
resources. It is what we need, but this planet would not share. If there is no
evidence of a species left on this planet, then it is ours. Do it.”
“Yes, sir.”
The soldier hesitantly raised his gun as the child whimpered. “I’m
so sorry.”
No words could describe the horror the PE crew felt as the young child fell
limply to the floor.
“What have I done?” The soldier fell to his knees and removed
his helmet, the crew were shocked, the solder continued to weep.
“Natarla, move quickly, this might be our last chance to escape.”
The view switched to a young man who looked similar to Natarla. “Let’s
go.”
“That is enough.” Natarla quickly switched off the view. She looked
shaken. Her voice quivered as she spoke, “As you can see, the DOOP kill mercilessly
in an attempt to increase their own status and wealth. Those Bastards raped my
planet and many others. All of this crew are the last survivors of planets taken
over by the DOOP.” She threw a huge amount of disks onto the table. “These
contain similar memories from the rest of the crew. Some are far worse than what
you have just witnessed. These are not falsified. They are the truth that has
been buried by the DOOP.”
Leela was shocked. She knew that Zapp had attacked some planets that did not
need attacking, but she did not think even he was capable of ordering the death
of a child. She looked over the table and saw Amy huddled up against Fry crying.
Leela knew the question Amy was unable to ask.
“Natarla, may I ask who that solider was that killed the child?”
Leela knew the answer but hoped it was not true.
“Usually I would not know. There are many soldiers in the DOOP. This one
I do know however, since he rose in rank after this coup. His name is Kif Krocker.”
Amy’s crying became louder, “NO Kif….Kif … could never.”
Amy was barely able to string the sentence. together.
“I am afraid that if he did not kill the child he would been killed, but
that is no excuse.” Natarla balled her fist and hit the table. ”Now
you see why they must be stopped.”
SLEEP MODE WILL DEACTIVATE IN 5………4……3…2
1
The metal shutter slowly opened and the Planet Express ship slowly came into
focus.
“Aah, my ass!” Bender looked at his posterior to discover a large
boot print. “Damn Leela. Wonder what I did this time?” Bender slowly
rose and began to head for the bridge. He looked around and saw he was alone.
“Aw com’on guys, I’m to sober to look for you now. Huh” Bender's
attention was drawn to the flashing light on one of the consoles. “Hello,
what we got here?” The monitor played the message to him.
“Aw crap.”
“Okay, Natarla, we can see that the DOOP are no good, but how can we
help, we only have one ship?”
Natarla had just forced them to watch more of the crew memories. Leela felt
sick as she said these words, but she knew she had to say something.
A bemused smile spread across Natarla’s face. “Did you think we would
let anyone on this ship? We knew who you are, and more importantly, we know what
you have in your possession.”
Fry and Leela looked at each other puzzled.
“Perhaps I should explain then. We have spies in the DOOP, one had discovered
a new project that the DOOP was working on that would cause mass devastation.
He was caught as he escaped the facility but not before he found somewhere to
deposit the information. Why do you think you are being hunted? They saw where
he downloaded the information. You lost your rights as citizens because of it.”
Leela started to look angry. “So because of your group, we are being hunted
like animals.” Leela shot up in her chair, prepared to hit Natarla.
“Do you not understand? That is how they treat people, like animals. I
am truly sorry that you got messed up in this, but try to understand if you do
not help, many will suffer.”
The speaker on the wall then crackled into life: “Captain, an unauthorised
person has just left the hanger in one of our ships. I’m not picking up a
heat signature.”
Leela and Fry sprang to life.
“Bender!”
“Make sure he does not get away.”
“Captain, he is already out of range and we have another problem. It looks
like a fleet of ships is heading this way. Headed by … oh God, it’s
the Nimbus!”
Natarla looked panicked. “Can we get away in time?”
“No, Captain, they are already in range.”
The ship shudders as a blast hit the hull of the ship.
“Put me through to the ship.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“This is your captain, all hands to battle stations.” Natarla looked
to Leela, “Look I know you may not trust me, but that robot is vital to the
universe’s survival. Please, I’m begging you to find him and keep the
data safe.” Natarla’s eyes were softer than before.
Leela said nothing but nodded in agreement.
“Thank you. We will give you cover while you make your escape. If you
survive, try contacting us as soon as you find the robot. Go!”
Leela knew they had precious little time to argue. She looked at Fry, who understood
her. He lifted the crying Amy into his arms and followed Leela.
“Good luck”
“To all of us.” Leela’s voice was still shaken by the images
they had seen.
The ship continued to shake as they headed back to the PE ship. The other members
of the crew ran past them. Leela looked into some of their faces knowing the horror
that they had seen. As they entered the ship, Leela ran straight to the controls.
Fry put Amy into one of the chairs.
“You two, hold on, this is going to be a bumpy ride.”
The ship rose from its platform and headed for the open hanger doors. As they
exited, they saw the fleet attacking the huge vessel. From time to time, stray
laser blasts would scrape past the ship. The PE ship shook violently as they headed
from the battle zone. It was some time before Leela was sure that they were not
being followed.
“We made it.” She looked over at Fry, who was staring horrified at
his consol. “Fry, what’s wrong?” She looked over Fry’s shoulder
and saw her worst fear realised.
In two chairs sat her mother and father bound and gagged. Zapp stood by them.
“This is to the luscious Leela. Bring the robot to us or suffer the consequences.”
Zapp raised his gun and shot Leela’ father in the leg. “Return the robot
so he can be destroyed or I will make those you care about suffer. Well, apart
from me of course.” Zapp continued to laugh until Leela’s fist smashed
to consol.
“Damn that bastard!” A tear began to swell in Leela’s eye.
“Uh, Leela, what’s worse is that the transmission had some kind of
beacon laced into it. I’ll try and scramble it.” Amy who was still crying
herself began busily tapping her consol.
Leela fell onto her knees. “Why? Why would?” The tears began flowing
from her like a torrent of emotion.
Fry came to her and hugged her tight. “Don’t worry, Leela. We’ll
get him back for this.”
To be continued
Well, it took a while to get this chapter going, but due to work and illness
it could not be helped. Anyway, I hoped you liked, if not, please tell us why.
On the beginning bit, it was not meant to be a Farscape reference, but I feel
it may have turned out that way. Well, I hope I have not offended anyone this
time, but I’m sure someone will be. :sigh:
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