Kid Kinetic and the Space Knights! Issue #2 "Ummm where are we?"

KID KINETIC, BIOFORCE, MIMIC LAD, MENTALLICA, CUTTHROAT and DEPTHCHARGE

Depthcharge rumbled "Kid, the reactor has been messed with. Somewhere in the ship is one of those Illithids and it's hooked up permanently to the ships' reactor. The machines that have your lady buddy in them direct mental power to that Illithid and it converts it somehow into energy to power the reactor which in turn allows the reactor to generate more power."

Cutthroat nods "Yup. That Illithid will be locked away, guarded, impossible to get to. What you battled through to get here - to the bridge of a spaceship that doesn't fly any more - is nothing compared to what you'd need to beat to get to that reactor. Sure, if you can get to that brain eater and yank it from the reactor then I guess maybe it would shut the reactor down. But if we cut the power source - the prisoners minds - the Illithid won't be able to control the reactor and..."

"Kaboom." muttered Mentallica.

"Yeah." said Depthcharge. "That."

Matt/Bioforce shook his head. "I'm with Ryan. Must be some way to save everyone. We're heroes, it's what we do."

Mimic Lad sighed. "I mean, yeah, I'm with you but... if we fail against those squid heads we all end up hooked up to a machine. Save some or save no one?"

Mentallica spoke up "Hey, if Ryan thinks we can do it I'm willing to give it a go but we need everyone on board. We don't have long to do it."

Cutthroat shook his head. "It's a fools errand. Sure, you can try and be a hero but you'll end up in a machine powering this place. That's not part of my life plan! We might have the parts we need to get off this rock and maybe take a few with us but even if we rescued everyone, no way will they fit on the ship. It's one of the hard decisions you'll need to make kid. Save some, or save no one. No one said being a good guy would be easy, that's why I try not to fight on anyones' side but my own."

Kid Kinetic sneered at Cutthroat. "That's a real nice philosophy you have there, Cutthroat. What would have happened if I'd decided to only look out for number one when you and the others came to my planet? Should I have simply turned my back and let the Psions fly you and the others away?"

"We are now in a whole ship full of prisoners that need our help just like you did earlier.

Kid Kinetic thumbed toward one of the lumbering hulks lying unconscious on the floor of the control room. "And these guys are just slave labor and are being coerced into serving the Illithids. Do I leave them to their fate too?"

Kid Kinetic addressed the members of the New Knights along with Cutthroat, Depthcharge and Moth lady. "I'm going to shut down that reactor then free the other species that were powering it. We can worry about what to do with them after we win. Our first move should be to get the Hulks on our side. Mentallica and Mimic Lad should try to keep them out of our heads long enough to reach the reactor."

'Who's in?"

KID KINETIC, MENTALLICA, BIOFORCE, MIMIC LAD, CUTTHROAT, DEPTH CHARGE and MOTH LADY

"Huh, watch out kid. That stick up your ass will make you walk funny." muttered Cutthroat. He looked about as one by one everyone raised a hand to agree with Kid Kinetic. Even Depthcharge.

Cutthroat rolled his eyes and turned to Moth Lady. She crossed her arms but then raised a hand too.

"Great. So we're all gonna end up plugged into a brain eating machine. Well that's just fine and dandy isn't it." complained Cutthroat.

With a sigh he shook his head then added "So what's the plan oh great and fearless leader? Those purple things look tougher than Depthcharge and the squid heads can control you with a thought! To be honest I'm amazed you got this far!"

He frowned, considering "Like, really amazed. You're tougher than you look kid."

Bioforce spoke up "Kid Kinetic is right. We leave no one behind. Not Rachel, not the other prisoners, not the Purple dudes. We just... maybe need to tread carefully because I don't want to be powering their machines and feeding them with my brain impulses that's all."

All eyes turned to Kid Kinetic.

"Well fearless leader?" asked Mimic Lad.

Kid Kinetic looked around to those assembled. "Leader? But, I'm not the..okay," he relented. "We know all about the purple hulks. They are slaves too. They get tortured a lot. It's really sad. We had one convinced to join our side but I have no idea where he went."

"I am impressed we made it too, Cutthroat," he said humbly. "I guess I got in some lucky hits." Ryan still wasn't ready to disclose the nature of his newly acquired abilities.

Kid Kinetic pointed to the two unconscious Illithids. "I was hoping their mind control powers could work in our favor. Mimic Lad can copy one and take control of it. Mentallica can try and take control of the second one. Then we make them take control of another two and so on. The rest of us make for the head Illithid and uh..unplug him from the reactor."

OOC Things are crazy at the moment. Apologies for the delay!

KID KINETIC and his team...

Mimic Lad looked doubtful, but "I guess I can try. They are really..." he cringed at the word "Alien, though."

"Dude!" said Matt. "Look at them! Of course they are! You gotta try though..."

Cutthroat shook his head. "Kid, we gotta finish 'em before they get up." At the teenagers look he held up his hands "Ok, you don't do things that way, alright!"

Depthcharge grumbled "He has a point. If they wake and can take control of any one of us, we may all end up in machines."

"What about taking them with us and putting them in stasis?" suggested Bioforce.

"Yeah, great idea kid. Tuck one under each arm. The rest of us will do all the fighting and sorting things out." muttered Cutthroat.

OOC Mimic 12 + 2d12+0 5,10+0 = 15 (27) vs
OV9 + 2d12+0 9,10+0 = 19 (28)
Failed! Just...

"I think I... yes, I ... I... ahhh nuts." said Mimic Lad. He sagged back on his butt, pulling his hands away from the unconscious 'Squidhead'.

"If you want something done..." muttered Cutthroat.

"You have been spending too much time amongst humans." grumbled Depthcharge.

Cutthroat gave him a look then crouched next to the Illithid. Before everyones' eyes his features and appearance changed to match the Mind Flayer.

Actually, it didn't match. Up close it wasn't fooling anyone. The tentacles were off, the skin colour not right and the eyes weren't scary at all.

"Dude, you look like a bad cosplay." muttered Matt.

"Do YOU want to try this?" growled Cutthroat, his voice strange coming from the not illithid stood in front of them. "Hey, humanoid shapes I can kinda do. It helps me get into places and off my marks."

Joe shook his head. "This is useless. This... oh wait."

OOC Mimic 12 + 2d12+0 10,7+0 = 17 (29) vs
Chameleon 4 + 2d12+0 1,7+0 = 8 (12)
Success +6
Ev12 (18) vs RV4=14 RAPs.
Mimic Lad copies Cutthroats' Chameleon:4 ability

"Oh, hey! Check it out!" said Joe. He morphed into a copy of Matt/Bioforce.

Mentallica chuckled, but pointed out "Do that."

Joe tried, but like Cutthroat the results were not convincing up close.

Moth Lady shook her head and made a musical sound. Cutthroat turned and said "Well I don't hear YOU coming up with any ideas!"

She turned and pointed to Kid Kinetic, then crossed her arms.

Tim turned, as all did. "Best we have. Worth a shot? Get into their inner place? Free the captives then get out of here before it blows up?"

"Mentallica, I agree we head for the inner place but we have to stop the reactor from detonating. There is not enough room on the Valkyrie for all the lifeforms that have been captured. It would be cruel to take some with us and leave the others behind to perish on this planet. I mean, what right do we have to decide who should live and who dies? We take out the leader and free everyone, got it?"

KID KINETIC and his TEAM
Consisting of:
Cutthroat
DepthCharge
Moth Lady
Mentallica (Tim)
Bioforce (Matt)
Mimic Lad (Joe)

"Sigh." muttered Cutthroat. "No sense, even from you?" asked the mercenary, looking up at DepthCharge. The huge hulking blue skinned alien merely shrugged.

"Great. Let's get on with it. We'll all end up plugged into a machine and I swear I will try my best to haunt you in your matrix reality dreams kid!" said Cutthroat as he turned to Depthcharge. "We need to open this door." he said pointing to the bridge door.

CLANG!

The door crunched inwards and Cutthroat marched through. "Any big purple guys with strange eyes, don't look directly at 'em, just hit them... somewhere other than their heads." he growled. "Oh yeah I forgot." he said, pausing and turning to raise a finger to Ryan/Kid Kinetic. "We might not end up as brain prisoners cause this whole ship is gonna blow! Small consolation!"

He wheeled about, cursing in an alien tongue.

"Don't mind him." grumbled Depthcharge in his baritone. "He was making the most noise to come in here and get you out."

Mothlady flitted past, floating feet off the floor and shaking her strange moth head.

"If it's any consolation and we do all die or end up brain slaves..." said Matt/Bioforce "I just wanna say it's been fun! All that time training and when we finally get to be heroes... well ok we're light years away from home and may never get back but hey, it's been fun, right!"

"Yeah. Fun like, dying in a fireball whilst smiling and laughing fun?" asked Mimic Lad (Joe). He shook his head, chuckling and following the three aliens down the corridor.

"I think it's a noble cause. Save everyone or no one." said Tim. Kid Kinetic looked down at Tim in his wheelchair. The mentallist could move it with his mind when required so pushing it or floating up and down stairs wasn't a problem. Like everything else, the mind was a muscle and so he couldn't keep it up indefinitely, but certainly do enough to get by.

Ryan watched them go down the corridor. His team. He was the leader. Responsible for them. If they died, it was on him.

No one said being a hero would be easy.

=========

About fifteen minutes later.

"You sure about this?" hissed Cutthroat.

Moth Lady shrugged and pointed to her feathery antennae.

"She says that this room is reinforced and guarded because the next room is where all the brain slaves are held and the big brain illithid leader is. She can sense him, them, everything. Don't ask me how. I understand all languages and even I can't get much sense out of her." whispered Cutthroat.

The group had moved through the ship, stepping over and around sunken sections where the jungle had encroached and moving aside the heavy stuff. Depthcharge was strong, even more so than Ryan and Cutthroat who were on a par with Ryan using his symbiote.

The group had moved through several rooms, hung back to let jogging patrols of Umber Hulks past and moved carefully towards the centre of the ship. The three aliens in their midst seemed to have a reasonable idea of which direction to go but occasionally stopped and argued with Cutthroat translating for Moth Lady - who appeared to speak without making any sound a human could hear - and then turning on her to argue, equally silently.

They'd come here, to a large open area and crouched on a walkway looking down at the level below. Machines lined the walls but a thick heavy blast door guarded by three Umber Hulks and an Illithid/Mind Flayer was the focus.

"No other way round." said Cutthroat. "The place inside is sealed, their holiest of holy places. Where all the slaves are kept. Maybe some way in on another level but..."

He was cut off when somewhere in the vast ship another explosion went off. They'd been sporadic and shook the vast spacefaring vessel turned base/home for the Illithids and their slaves but were increasing in frequency. "So, remember when I said this was a bad idea?" said Cutthroat.

"I don't remember you saying it was a bad idea." commented Matt/Bioforce. "You said 'This is a really ****ing terrible idea. Several times. With stronger words."

"Helpful." muttered Joe/Mimic Lad.

"Anyway..." growled Cutthroat. "I've been chatting to Depthcharge and we reckon that is a blast door. If someone hits a switch another layer drops over it making it super tough but the power will switch to a force field around the brain slave room and it will be nigh impossible to get in. They do that to protect in case of fusion core reactor going kablooey."

"Kablooey?" muttered Depthcharge.

"Hey, I spent time on Earth. I picked up all sorts o stupid words. Sue me." growled Cutthroat.

"So I was thinking, we need a plan." said Cutthroat. He peered over the rail to the three Umber Hulks and Illithids below, some fifty down and across an open area stood at the hefty looking door. "Rush em."

Everyone looked at Cutthroat.

"What? I didn't say it was a good plan." he muttered.

Kid Kinetic made a vain attempt to put a positive spin on Cutthroat's "plan".

"Um, yeaaaah. Good. That's good, Cutthroat. Let's go ahead and put that in the 'maybe' column? My biggest worry is there's an offset chance our group won't take them down before they activate the energy shield. Maybe Mentallica and Mimic Lad can't take control of the Illithid from here? Then they can have him order the purple guys to let the rest of us through?"

Tim and Joe looked at each other

"Well, I can try but... they will know we are here. If it fails, this place will go crazy with guards looking for us and alarms blaring I guess." said Tim.

"Even if we both have a go, all I can say is... it's gonna be tough. Some of these alien squidheads seem 'tougher' than others if you know what I mean. Better at stuff." said Joe.

"Stuff?" asked Tim, eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, y'know. Brain stuff. It's like... like the difference between one of them have walls like a tent and another made of brick. Yet another having walls like a steel vault." said Joe, struggling to describe how tricky it was to scan the Squidheads.

Matt frowned. "Well... I guess... I could aim as best I can to take out the Squidheads. A lucky shot and maybe I can bag one or two."

Cutthroat shrugs. "Hey kid." he says to Ryan. "You're fast. We get in there quick and take out the Squidheads. Everyone else target the purple goons."

"I'm up for that." growled Depthcharge. "Might need to run over." he grunted.

Moth Lady wiggled her fluffy featherlike antennae.

Cutthroat glanced at her. "She says she'll fly over and blast the third Squidhead and come about to blast at the big purple ugly things, but not as ugly as Depthcharge apparently."

"She said that?" asked Joe with a look at the alien female who spoke in a language the human ear couldn't understand.

Cutthroat shrugged "Hey, some things get a little lost in translation."

Depthcharge growled and crouched, pointing.

"So. That one (left) you." he said with a nod to Bioforce.

"That one (middle) you two." he said at Ryan and Cutthroat.

"That one." he pointed at the third Squidhead "She can have. They look made fer each other." he chuckled.

"I'll not repeat what she said." muttered Cutthroat. "Everyone else. Anyone else. Keep the big purple goons busy. Team up on them. The Squidheads are the most dangerous because they can control you. The purple goons are just as dangerous in their own way because we'll be hitting them and they shrug most of it off."

"That any better for you?" he said, turning to Kid Kinetic crouched nearby.

Ryan agreed to the plan in theory but was not eager to take on the hulks again. Truth be told, he pitied them. They were as much slaves to the Illithids as Rachel and the others. Punching them out felt, well, just plain wrong.

"Yeah. We can try that. I took down two hulks last go around by hitting it with everything I had. Catch them flat footed and you can probably get away with the same. But watch out for their eyes. The squid is another matter. If you don't drop it in one shot you run the risk of it zapping you with a brain blast. Or worse, it takes control of a teammate."

Kid Kinetic crouched into a sprinters position. "Let's get this over with. Ready....set....go."

He streaked forward and prepared to strike the one in the middle with a critical blow.

OOC Apologies for the delay! Work and Kids time off school have occupied my time with little available for anything else! A week or two they have left and that's it for the summer. Hopefully all being well be back to regular updates then!

Cutthroat and Kid Kinetic raced across the space, the former assassin not as fast but able to reach the short distance a heartbeat later than the youngster.

Surprise was the order of the day as the 'squidhead' looked up when the interlopers closed in on it!

The Illithid gaped, turned to call out the alarm and seemed to be moving in slow motion compared to the pair of galactic space travellers...

OOC You guys win initiative and with surprise this should be reasonably easy...

Kid Kinetic AV9 + 2D Martial Artist + 4d12+0 10,7,9,11+0 = 21 (30) vs
OV7 - Team Attack 2 - Surprise 4 + 2d12+0 7,4+0 = 11 (12)
Success +6 (to EV15) vs RV6=9 RAPs. Mind Flayer is DOWN and OUT!

Cutthroat calls out "youuuuuuuu taaaaaaaake hiiiiiiim froooooom thaaaaaat siiiiiiddddeeee" which sounded weird but everything sounded slow to Kid Kinetic! The illithid looked from one opponent to the other and turned slightly to Cutthroat being the physically larger.

Bad mistake.

Kid Kinetic delivered punch after punch after punch to the mentallist alien and saw him fall - in slow motion - into a seven foot high (but very thin!) heap!

Though less effective the other groups were either keeping the Illithids occupied or keeping them down whilst the purple hulks lumbered forward!

OOC Moth Woman Lightning 13 (Crit Blow) + 2d12+0 5,12+0 = 17 (30) vs
OV6 + 2d12+0 9,12+0 = 21 - surprise 4 + crit blow 4 - distance 0 (telescopic vision counters) (27)
Success +2
EV13 +2 (EV15) vs RV6 - Crit Blow 6 (RV0)=15 RAPs. The Illithid is DOWN and OUT!

Moth woman swooped overhead and electricity crackled between her antennae before lancing down and lighting up the Illithid! It was shocked, skeleton lighting up and falling away, smoking and unconscious!

Bioforce blasted as his target...

OOC Energy Blast 12 + 2d12+0 8,9+0 = 17 (29) vs
OV6 - surprise 4 + range 3 + 2d12+0 3,7+0 = 10 (15)
Success +5
EV12 + 5 (EV17) vs RV6=11 RAPs. Illithid is DOWN and out!

With all three illithids down something strange happened.

"What gives?" growled Depthcharge. "They ain't fightin." he growled at the Purple Hulks, as big or bigger than he was but not causing the metal floor to crease and buckle like he was under his feet!

Could this be a trick?

Cutthroat turned to Kid Kinetic. "Your play kid."

The three Purple hulks were standing protecting the door but had backed off rather than fight and the team, unsure at seeing an opponent who was apparently surrendering, had surrounded them but held off on attacking.

Now the entire team faced off against three Umber Hulks who stood there, un-moving, not speaking...

Cutthroat turns, looking up at Moth Woman.

"She says she can speak to them, mind to mind. What do you want to say?" the former assassin states. "I say we take em out, just ta be sure."

Depthcharge nodded, rolling his neck and popping his blue knuckles but waiting for the call.

"Is it absolutely necessary we take them out? These guys are prisoners too. Well, sort of. Sure they do the bidding of the squid heads but I get the impression they don't want to. Mimic Lad, Bioforce and I met one that helped us out earlier. I think we should ask for their help."

OOC Apologies for the delay! Summer holidays for the kids=no free time for me... That's done now though so we're back with our regular programming... thanks for your patience!

Moth Woman with her strange 'my head is the same as a moths' tipped her head slightly to the side then turned to the Purple hulks, who stood tall and wide, even more so than the massive Depthcharge!

Cutthroat sighed. "Kid, you're too soft for this game. We should... ah forget it."

Moth womans' antennae twitched and the former assassin translated. "She says... or rather they say... the Illithids found a way to easily and directly control them, with no chance of resistance. When you took them out they were freed - but only until another Illithid is encountered. With just a thought they are enslaved again, and MUST do their bidding!"

Matt (Bioforce) shook his head "It's too risky to take them along. All we need is to find one Squidhead and they switch sides!"

Joe agreed "Yeah, and if we leave them here and another Squidhead comes along... they have these hulk guys ready to join them! Enemies at our backs!"

Cutthroat sighed "See kid? You're too soft. There's only one thing we can do... " he ran a finger across his throat...

Ooc: No problem. I have been working a lot.

Kid Kinetic was not surprised Cutthroat wanted to simply execute the hulks. It was probably not the first time he had made that choice . He was willing to bet the alien mercenary would not lose a wink of sleep over this. It was likely just the price of doing business.

In contrast, Ryan had never taken a life before. The concept had always been used in hypothetical situations in New Knights' training sessions. But this was not some cold, logical math problem with one answer.

"No way, Cutthroat. Tell these guys to evacuate the ship. We are pressing on."

OOC Apologies again. Had all sorts going on at this end. I'm hoping/praying I've turned a corner!

Cutthroat shook his head indicating he didn't agree, then threw his hands up. "Whatever!" he said, stalking off to sulk.

"Don't mind him." grumbled Depthcharge. "His solution to most things is make sure it can't return to be a problem again. You are changing his mind, but the process will be slow."

Moth Woman communicated the need to leave for the Purple Hulks. They looked at the heroes then filed out towards a side door and prized it open with their great strength.

With the Purple Hulks out of the way the team now had the problem of getting into the reactor/prisoner area. By necessity it was blast proof so attacking it to destroy the walls or the weakest point (typically doors) might cause more problems than it solved. Especially as the metal...

"...this stuff is the toughest part of the ship." grumbled Depthcharge. "I can punch at it all day and won't make a dent."

"You could try using your head. It's harder than most things because there's so little in it so you only need a tiny brain. The rest is bone." muttered Cutthroat.

Depthcharge ignored him and looked at the control panel.

"Locked from the inside. The Illithids will communicate mentally to pass a message on."

"I could... maybe pose as one of the squidheads and convince them I need to get in?" said Mimic Lad, doubtfully. "Or..."

Whilst he pondered Matt shook his head. "We can't get all this way in, so far, and fall at the last hurdle! There MUST be a way through this wall and door!"

"Kid, it's designed to hold in radiation. It's containing something that powers a big starship. It ain't gonna open by hitting it." said Cutthroat. To demonstrate he pounded on it. Cutthroat was strong, able to press around 10 tons of weight. When he pounded on the door it didn't give, not even a dent. Instead the former assassin rubbed his hand.

"I say we pick Depthcharge up and use his head as a battering ram." he suggested.

Depthcharge leaned against the door and pushed. The floor seemed to buckle under his suddenly incredibly heavy density, rippling with the weight but the door didn't budge.

OOC Mimic Lad Mimic 12 + 2d12+0 11,1+0 = 12 (24) vs
Ov12 + 2d12+0 3,7+0 = 10 (22)
+2 (EV14) vs RV12=2 RAPs

Mimic lad copies Transmutation to a value of Dex 6 +2=8 RAPs

"I might be able to... I dunno, turn the air out here into something that eats away at the metal, weakens it." he shrugged. "The metal is too strong for me to affect. I can feel that. Even if I managed to copy all of Ians' power it wouldn't affect this door."

"Whatever we do, we need to hurry up." said Matt. Everyone could feel it now, some kind of vibration. "Any bright ideas fearless leader?" he asked, turning to Ryan...

Ooc No apologies necessary. I had been following your posts concerning your home. We have had heavy rains and had a french drain installed to alleviate the flooding. I contracted Covid 19 last week and am still recovering.

Ryan listened to Joe rambling tben pinched his nasal bridge and let out a defeated sigh.

"Mimic Lad, could you please just turn 2D and go unlock the door before we all blow up?"

OOC I have visions of the Superman and the Legion of Substitute Heroes issue. Despite Superman being the straight up non nonsense get on with the job superhero everything the Subs did made things worse.

Mimic Lad shrugged. "Must be some way in. Being 2 dimensional I can slip through the smallest of gaps. Assuming there are any. I'll check."

He turned invisible at the side on view and started to move about the doorway. If there was a way in he'd find it but by its very nature the 'power plant'  of this vessel would be sealed in case of leaks or breaches!

Cutthroat sighed and dropped onto a pipe to sit down. "This thing is going to blow up before we get in there. You know these things go off with a forty Nanobong explosion?"

"That much?" grumbled DepthCharge. "That will take out... a lot."

"What, you mean like a nuclear explosion?" asked Matt/Bioforce. "That sucks. I mean, we got into space, having a wild ride, adventures, now we're all going to get blown to smithereens with no way of escape?" he shook his head. "It's not fair!" he added, kicking at the floor. There was a pause then he started hopping about. "Ow, ow! Spandex boots! Ow, ow!"

Cutthroat stood and turned...

An Illithid - and a Purple Hulk bodyguard - entered by a doorway a level up and stood looking down at the group.

"Heads up! Let's kick this guys ass and... he's not attacking." muttered Cutthroat.

Matt readied his energy blast. "I'll blast the walkway under his feet and they'll fall. You gangpile 'em and... they are just stood there. What gives?"

They were just stood there. It was hard to read the expression on the squidhead. Ryan/Kid Kinetic felt something in his head. A ... 'tickle' of sorts. Was the Alien trying to mind control him? If so he would have to...

'...your language... ⟟ ⏃⋔ ⏁⍀⊬⟟⋏☌ ⏁⍜ ⌰⟒⏃⍀⋏ ⊬⍜⎍⍀ ⌰⏃⋏☌⎍⏃☌⟒ ... but it is difficult. The words you form are... ⎅⟟⎎⎎⟟☊⎍⌰⏁ ⎎⍜⍀ ⋔⊬ ⋔⍜⎍⏁⊑ ⏁⍜ ⌇⊑⏃⌿⟒ ⏃⋏⎅ ⏁⊑⟒ ☊⍜⋏☊⟒⌿⏁⌇ ⏃⍀⟒ ⏃⌰⟟⟒⋏ ⏁⍜ ⋔⟒' were the 'sounds' inside Ryans' head!

"Kid?" asked Cutthroat. "I like you, you're a good kid, but if you're being mind controlled I'm gonna have to stomp you into the floor..." he growled...

Ryan felt a sensation inside his head..

These things are trying to communicate.. Finally! But the lines are getting crossed! Are my thoughts too 'alien' to them...or is it because he has bonded with the symbiote,"

"Um, ba weep granna weep ninny bong? Greetings, we mean you no harm."

"Mentallica, Mimic-Lad, see if you can translate for me."

Cutthroat sighed and shook his head. "You want somethin' doin... got to do it yourself. Wait. something right doing. Doing something right don't ask someone. Whatever!"

"⍙⊑⏃⏁ ⎅⍜ ⊬⍜⎍ ⍙⏃⋏⏁? ⏚⟒⏃⍀ ⟟⋏ ⋔⟟⋏⎅ ⍙⟒ ⏃⍀⟒ ⏃⌰⟟⟒⋏ ⌇⌿⏃☊⟒ ⏚⏃⎅ ⏃⌇⌇⟒⌇ ⏃⋏⎅ ⊑⏃⎐⟒ ☊⍜⋔⟒ ⏁⍜ ☍⟟☊☍ ⊬⍜⎍⍀ ⏚⎍⏁⏁ ⟟⋏ ⏁⊑⟒ ⋏⏃⋔⟒ ⍜⎎ ⌿⟒⏃☊⟒ ⏃⋏⎅ ⊑⏃⍀⋔⍜⋏⊬. ⏚⟒⌇⟟⎅⟒⌇ ⏁⊑⏃⏁ ⏁⊑⟒ ⏚⟟☌ ⏚⌰⎍⟒ ⎅⎍⋔⏚ ⍜⋏⟒ ⍀⟒⏃⌰⌰⊬ ⌰⟟☍⟒⌇ ☊⏃⌰⏃⋔⏃⍀⟟ ⏃⋏⎅ ⊬⍜⎍ ⏃⍀⟒ ⏁⊑⟒ ⋏⟒⏃⍀⟒⌇⏁ ⏁⊑⟟⋏☌ ⏁⍜ ⟟⏁ ⎎⍜⍀ ⎎⟟⎎⏁⊬ ⌰⟟☌⊑⏁ ⊬⟒⏃⍀⌇." said Cutthroat.

"You can... talk with them?" asked Matt/Bioforce.

"Kid... I can talk with anyone. It helps in my line of work to be able to travel to places, learn the lingo, meet the natives, get information then track down a target and shoot them in the head or whatever passes for a vital organ to earn those sweet, sweet credits." growled Cutthroat.

"What did you say?" asked Tim. "I'm not great at Alien Empathy but the way his tentacles are writhing it seems... agitated."

Sighing theatrically Cutthroat explains. "I said... 'What do you want? Bear in mind we are alien space bad asses and have come to kick your butt in the name of peace and harmony. Besides that the big blue dumb one really likes Calamari and you are the nearest thing to it for fifty light years.' What? I was being honest! These guys aren't nice and I'm thinking their heads look edible."

Matt rolled his eyes and threw up his hands. "Well that's just GREAT! Who made this guy our translator? I mean, why not just call the squid head an A Hole and have done with it? Or insult his mother? Her mother. Their mother. WHATEVER!"

"You gotta point kid. I don't know if these things are birthed or come from an egg or slime pool or what though. Yo, Kinetic Kid. What you want me to say to this thing before we start punching?" asked Cutthroat.

Kid Kinetic grimaced. Not only was the element of surprise lost but the squid head was likely telepathically broadcasting their entire conversation. They might be able to salvage some of the mission but any chance of freeing all the slaves was blown. He could only hope Cutthroat had not insulted them too much.

"Tell them we are fleeing the Psions and only want Shadowhawk back. After that, we will be on our way."

Cutthroat shrugged. "Suit yourself kid. I say we kick their asses and blow this joint."

He turned and spoke, the sounds, words, noises making no sense and the language too completely alien to follow, the speed, tone, accent of the noises coming out as chirps, dips and cries in places.

The reply was telepathic and Cutthroat shrugged.

"They say, the one like you, carbon based life form, estimated female to be 18 cycles or so in time, but their dating methods are really different. I told him he has a real way with words and that his dates must be laugh a minute. Unfortunately something got lost in translation with the answer but I think he says he's not a he or a she but an it and they do not date they mind meld. Where... ahhh yes. If we leave with the female only we can go in peace, otherwise there shall be war, we shall all be enslaved and our brain energies used to sustain them and power the ship. After that our brain dead husks shall be given to the Purple Umbers to eat or lay eggs inside for the young to ingest, and so we will contribute to the cycle and ensure the wheel turns. Or something like that. The translation thing..."

Matt/Bioforce rubbed his chin. "I dunno. Take Rachel and leave the others? I mean, sure it will get us away from this place but ... is it the right thing to do?"

"Damn straight kid." said Cutthroat. "Most of the saps hooked up to those machines will have degraded muscles anyway. They might be brain dead, or forget how to use their bodies or even be hostiles and attack us." He turned and translated for the Squid Head.

The Alien seemed to listen then gave the universal sign for 'Dunno' with a shrug.

Kid Kinetic hung is head. "Bioforce, it does not feel like the right thing to do but I think it is the best thing to do. The element of surprise is gone. They know what we were planning to do and will anticipate our every move. Hopefully, we will get another chance down the road to save these prisoners. Or maybe Marionette can build something to power this ship without mental energy and the squids can fly back to wherever it is they came from. For now, we will have to settle for this slight concession."

Matt scowled, threw up his hands then declared "WHATEVER!" before going to slump and sit on a pipe that ran from the wall.

Joe sighed, patting Matt on the shoulder and moving over to Ryan. "This sucks man but... we can't save everyone. I hate that we can't but... your a hole friend is right. We save Rachel. The others must have been plugged into that machine for years."

Cutthroat said the word to the Alien who bowed its head and within moments thudding footsteps announced the arrival of a huge hulking Purple alien carrying Rachel in its arms. She was in her underwear and dripping with luminous green gloop as well as being unconscious.

"If you've hurt her we'll..." started Matt, moving forward with fists clenched.

The 'squidhead' calmly touched a finger to Rachels' forehead. She gasped, waking then started coughing and threw up a half gallon of green sludge!

"Eeeewww." muttered Joe. Then he moved in and helped her to her feet. With a glance at Ryan he modded - she was alright though who knew what had happened in there?

Depthcharge stared at the larger Purple Hulk and growled. "We need to leave." he rumbled.

"Wait." said Cutthroat. The 'Squidhead' warbled in its alien tongue.

"It says that if we ever meet again it will be as enemies. That we invaded its ship, destroyed its property and upset the order of things and that their laws dictate they are entitled to take and use sentient beings as prizes on their mission." translated Cutthroat.

"Guys an a hole." muttered Matt, still seething but keeping his temper in check.

Tim wheeled up. Having used his telekinesis to move about where required this time he used his hands, deliberately. "Ryan, we gotta take this and go. This dude... his powers are like, way above my pay grade."

"But if you wanna fight, we're with you." he added.

Ryan understood why Matt was so upset. He wanted to fight too. The problem was these beings knew he wanted to fight and could anticipate their actions. It was a miracle they had not already been mentally assaulted. Then again...why hadn't they? Were they really that more powerful than them? Like, the squids could win but at too great a cost. It was probably worth it to let just one human go. Probably.

Kid Kinetic nodded to his teammate but still held up the palm of his hand. "Mission? What mission is that? We might be able to help."

The Alien spoke and Cutthroat translated. "You don't wanna know kid."

At Ryans look he sighed. "Their 'Mission' is to find intelligent life and set up a colony base for their race to breed and multiply. They aren't very nice. Their ship crashed here when a 'giant flying lizard' was drawn into the engines and forced a crash landing. They must have drawn other space farers here with a distress call then trapped them whilst robbing their ships for parts."

"Space scumbags." muttered Matt, barely holding his temper in.

More squidheads had turned up to stand alongside the taller one.

Five stood there now and the danger was real. With two purple hulks and 5 squidheads in attendance the heroes would have to fight off mind control and blasts that would drop their numbers in no time then leave whoever was left to fight a losing battle.

"The Alien says 'Go now'. It wasn't a request." muttered Cutthroat.

=========

Escorted from the ship by half a dozen Purple Hulks the team entered the jungle once more.

Rachel was dazed and Tim (Mentalla) carried her telekinetically.

Weary, dirty, tired and hungry the group emerged into the jungle again.

A short time later they approached the camp.

Ian stormed over, looking over the group. He saw Rachel and bit his tongue. "You disobey orders and go off..." he shook his head. "You got our girl back. Well done."

He turned to walk to the centre of the camp expecting Ryan and the others to follow. "We've been busy. We found other space craft. Buried and overgrown in the jungle but the robot woman - Marionette - was able to absorb enough of it that she can transform into a partially repaired ship big enough to take everyone."

"We're getting off this death trap of a planet! Insects like ants attacked the camp..." he said and waved a hand. Small fires were burning and roast ant the size of dog was on the menu. "Edible. Tastes like chicken. Help yourself."

He was fuming but Ryan had been successful and rescued Rachel. Wasn't much else he could say about that but his authority had been overridden and it was clear a 'pecking order' had been rearranged!

Cutthroat peeled off a chunk of 'ant' and pulled his mask up to eat. "He's an a hole. I called it." he said.