The One Worthy Of A Princess

New York City

Self-Proclaimed City Of Tomorrow

The sky was raining fire.

The glittering metropolis was besieged by fire and rock from the sky above. The cities shimmery emerald green shield dome was doing its best to repel the onslaught. Every once in a while, the powerful shields would flicker just enough for one of the large rocks to push through and fall towards the city below. The stray meteors ripped through the city cutting into the high-tech skyscrapers and turning them into swiss cheese.

In the center of the town stood the spire, a glittering high-tech tower of steel and electronics. The top of the tower was capped with a large dish that currently pointed straight up into the sky. Green energy cascaded out of it straight up into the air and creating the lifesaving dome New York was currently under.

Inside the spire there was a flurry of activity. The men and woman of the Earth Defense Corp or EDC ran to their established posts. The best of the best earth had to offer took to saving the city with relish and excitement their blue and bright yellow jump suits shining softly in the muted light. At the heart of the spire was the CCC the Command Control Center nicknamed “The Lions Den”.

“I need a sit rep!” The man barked his large cigar bouncing up and down on his square jaw. The blue and yellow jump suit he wore stretched across his washboard chest as he ran a hand through his streaked back silver hair. Every one stood to attention when the man walked in standing and refusing to sit back down until he took his place at the center of the room.

“Commander Zalvin the shields are holding” A leggy blonde whose jump suit did little to hide her bodacious body said.

“An optimal one percent are getting through” Another agent said this time a male with a killer mile.

“Good” The man known as Commander Zalvin said cigar smoke billowing out of his nose “All things considered we could-“

Before the commander could say anything more a blaring alarm echoed through The Lion’s Den. Red emergency lights lit up throughout the room bathing everyone in an ominous red glow. Lines of code and information began to lite up the agents screens detailing the source of the information.

“Sir” The male agent said his eyes moving back and forth as he processed the data “We just started receiving reports that aliens are fighting by the United Nations building. Initial reports indicate they came from one of the meteors that managed to get through”

“Aliens” Commander Zalvin said shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose “Just what I needed today! Who do we have on standby?”

“Mr. Freedom” The female agent chimed in bringing up the active duty roster “He can be deployed in fifteen minutes”

“Mr. Freedom?” Zalvin said taking another hit from his cigar and waving away the smoke “Very well! I want him deployed in ten!”

“Aye aye sir!”

………………………………………
“Are you sure you want to do this Artie?”

Arthur Crow couldn’t help but smile as his younger prodigy of a brother hovered around him. To say the fourteen-year-old tech genius was anxious was an understatement. He hovered around Arthur as he wheeled himself down the bright lit corridor of the spire. The lights reflected off of Arthurs wheelchair as he moved creating odd patterns in the ceiling above as they went to the loading bay.

“New York needs me little brother” Arthur said smiling at Zachary as they moved through the automatic double doors “Besides this is what you created the freedom armor for remember? To help people”

Zachary opened his mouth in response but Arthur cut him off with a wave of his hand. The younger blonde-haired man knew exactly what he was going to say. That he had created the armor to help ARTHUR and not anyone else. It was a way to atone for the guilt the young prodigy felt he needed to carry from the accident that left Arthur crippled.

Arthur supposed he shouldn’t complain. His brother guilt was so great that he devoted himself to fixing the problem. That fix led to the freedom armor a high tech cybernetic suit that let the former football player all American man to walk again and do so much more. In the armor he could fly, was given the strength of ten men, and could follow his natural desire to help people. It was always Arthur’s dream to become a cop a dream he thought died with his leg.

But now as Mr. Freedom he could be so much more.

“Let’s get this on with” Zachary murmured moving over to the armor rack and beginning the activation sequence. The armor began to light up moments later its yellow lines coming to life around the edges and joints of the blue armor.

While Zachary tended to the armor Arthur changed. After two years of not being able to use his legs Arthur was more than adept at using his torso and his arms to get around. He used the bars and pulleys to change forgoing his usual jeans and T shirt combination for one of the tight yellow and blue jump suits of the EDC. The jump suit stretched well over his tan body showcasing the powerful torso he now rocked from the extra use. Once he was in the jump suit he dropped back into his seat moving over to the armor and placing his hand on it.

“Is it ready?” Arthur asked his sky-blue eyes flickering over to his brother.

“As ready as its ever going to be” Zachary replied chuckling “Go ahead and get in”

The armor opened unfolding like a flower and giving him access to the cockpit. Arthur grabbed the handles on the torso and pulled sliding out of his chair and into the inner shell of the suit. Once he was ready he nodded giving his brother the go ahead to seal him in and activate the neuro bridge. The armor beeped and came back together locking Arthur in and sealing him with a faint hiss. He closed his eyes doing his best to keep his body lose. It knew what was coming next and fought him wanting to tense up even before the various needles pushed into his body.

He winced as the needles sunk in deeper plugging his body into the neural network in the suit. Various monitors began to appear in front of his eyes green check marks appearing as the system connected him to the armor. He closed his eyes and let himself drift doing what Zachary told him to do and keeping his mind as clear as possible.

“Neural connection established Artie” Zachary said connecting to him through the suits COM system “Go ahead and try”

Arthur opened his eyes and brought his head down to look at his legs. It always seemed like such a simple thing. People walked every day without any knowledge on how precious the gift was. Sometimes it seemed so unfair to him, that he could just start moving and walking like it was nothing. Of course it helped that he knew how hard his brother toiled on the Freedom armor, how much work went into the neural bridge that made it all possible. Yet sometimes he didn’t feel as if he truly enjoyed it.

It was also the one thing that made him truly alive.

“Artie?” Zachary asked concern in his voice “Are you, all right?”

Arthur opened his eyes and turned his head regarding his brother. He nodded and without any further hesitation willed his legs to move. The suit responded instantly moving him forward and out of the docking station for the armor. He kept his body moving doing a simple lap around the lab before stopping in front of Zachary.
“Feel good” Arthur said trying to keep his voice level. The rush of being able to walk again was heady and potent and it was hard not to get swept into it.

“Uh huh” Zachary said frowning at him “Are you SURE you should be doing this?”

“I don’t have a choice Zach” Arthur said “The government funded the Freedom armor for large scale threats. They did not appreciate you using it as a ruse for me. I’m grateful you did it but that means we owe people like Commander Zalvin. Which means me being Mr. Freedom”

“Bah I hate that name” Zachary said pouting “If I knew they were going to hold me to it I would have thought of something cooler”

Before either one of them could say anything more the door to the lab opened.
“Mr. Freedom!” Commander Zalvin said moving in with the blonde agent “What part of get your ass moving did you not understand!”

“Right away Commander!” Arthur said snapping to attention before Zachary could retort and possibly get the two in trouble “Do we have any more information?”

“There seems to be an alien woman at the center of it” The Busty blonde said as she checked the data pad tucked in her shoulder “the other aliens seem to be trying to capture her”

“We don’t know the threat level so proceed with caution” Commander Zalvin said “The alien peace accords say that we extend diplomacy to both of them until a threat is enacted. Get them to stop finding long enough to find out what’s going on!”

“Got it” Arthur said moving to the window. It opened for him sliding back without a sound and exposing him to the glittering jewel that was New York City. Arthur wasted no time running straight out the window and leaping into the air.

“Flight mode activated” The Suits AI said speaking in the smoky lounge singer esque voice Zachary used in all his programming. The jetpack built into the back of the suit kicked on it’s turbine screaming like a banshee as the jets in his boots activated.

“Computer give me a navigational marker to the crash site” Arthur said upping the speed as he raced through the streets of New York. There was a chime and moments later the waypoint appeared giving him a heading as he raced to the crash as fast as he could.

IC: Shannarrah

Shannarrah had arrived on this planet and proceeded onto her mission here. Her mother was Queen Protector Regnant of the Valarisian system. This Earth', named after dirt-which was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard, was a developing world five or six centuries behind Valaris in technology, but the rapid development of these Earthers was startling. According to the information she'd read about them a mere hundred years prior they invented flying machines and sixty or so years after was sending rocket-powered expeditions to their moon. The same feats on her world had been separated by two and half centuries of time between them.

Her ship had dematerialized back into its energy state and contained within the restriction field within her belt buckle. Now here she stood on an alien world looking up at an alien sun. It shone down warmly on her. Ancient Valarisians had worshipped the binary suns Atta and koura. They had blessed her people with a variety of gifts to survive and conquer a hostile and savage world. With the solar radiation of the twins she could defy gravity and generate and control simple condensed energy forms.

She lifted her arms up to this alien sun soaking in its radiation. It was reportedly called by the Earhers as simply 'the sun'-which was just another bit of this people's utter nonsense she had yet to understand. Whatever it was named this small yellow star was only one instead of Valaris' two but much closer to 'Earth' than Valaris was to the twins.

She had dressed in the traditional white and gold armor of a Valarisian warrior. A chest piece holding and lifting her ample breasts, Shoulder paldrons with her mother's sigil and the royal gaurd's emblem, elbow length bracers and knee high boots, and crotch and belt piece with traditional 'Kumal'-a palm-wide strip of sheer material hanging from the same belt buckle that held her ship listing her accomplishments and feats in battle all the way down to her ankles. She had a repeat 'Kumals' coming down her bare back from the paldrons all the way to tickle her shapely buttocks. On her brow holding back the golden hair falling down past those buttocks was the headpiece of the Crown Princess with her own sigil. She wore nothing else. Her turquoise blue hourglass body was completely bare.

She had read with alarm the maddeningly contradictory sexual mores of these people, and how they'd most likely view the sight of her in her armor or whatever she deigned to wear normally. Valarisians were typically sun-worshipping free-thinking culture...these Earthers would have to accept that culture in this. Besides she'd seen what Earth females wore, and could not understand how they could stand having that much of their bodies covered in stifling and itchy cloths and fabrics.

She took a breath of this alien air and lifted off from the wooded area she had landed her ship in towards the first goal of her mission here. These people did not have a single planetary government-which was a terrible and baffling concern considering they'd discovered nuclear fision and had weaponized it. No instead their planet was ruled by a tribal committee they referred to as the 'United Nations'. She'd make her way there and introduce herself as her mother's envoy of peace to their leaders there.

Shannarah flew at speed alien clouds racing this alien wind coldly buffeting her. Gravity was 20% lower here than on Valaris making flight an easy joy for her. Perhaps this planet named after dirt was not so bad after all.

The city of New York-odd that since she found no mention of what happened to the 'Old York' in any of the intelligence files she'd been given came into sight and the building which housed the 'United Nations' she flew up to its entrance hovering over the ground. The broad avenue was filled with ground vehicles-automocars or something-but they were stopping as she passed over them staring up at them.

One male whistled saying to another nearby, "Whoo-hoo-man, check out this chick's rack..."

"Is that how you greet women on this world," She asked eyeing the male over. No, this one could never do. She required a true warrior, a 'Gorjah'. This one was far too round for her liking. Besides Shannarrah doubted greatly he'd last long within the mating circle. The sting of the first touch of the painrods, the 'Husai', would most likely cause this little round man to curl up in a ball and pray to whichever of the confusing array of deities these Earthers worshipped for an end to the contest before the Mirrai', the celebration joys, truly started between them.

Pity. He had pleasingly large hands to feel over her body.

A small chiming sound from the circuitry woven into her bracers alerted her. There was an Xantraxi ship in orbit and launching a volley from its magnetic launcher. They had followed her and she had not realized it, and now these poor innocent primitive Earthers would die for her negligence. She turned and looked up as the asteroids plucked from their own Solar system were falling down in smoking fiery streaks down to murder this city.

She was amazed however as a primitive and inefficient but large forcefield raised up over the city as the first asteroid collided into it spectacularly followed one by one by its siblings.

Shannarrah's glimmering multi-hued eyes looked at the other end of the avenue a shimmering orb of a teleportation field emerged expanding before blinking out of existence revealing a Siuragi hunter on a zero-point hoverpad. "Crown princess of the Valarisian sub-creatures. You have been found guilty of offending the exalted supreme race. I am Sokar, Siuragi for the exalted supreme race. The Xantraxi hierarchy, has sentenced you for execution. Surrender now and none of these innocent native sub-creatures need be executed in the ensuing carrying out of Xantraxi justice."

She floated higher, several 'Darabs' up into the air shining balls of condensed energy forming, growing larger in her hands ready to fire at this hunter. "No, Sokar, I will not surrender, and I shall not allow harm to befall to these innocent people. I shall defeat you before that happens."

The battle was afoot then. Her firing volleys of condensed energy blasts from her hands against the forcefield the coward hid behind, and the Siuragi firing plasma pulses from his weapon. Unfortunately in the melee many of their shots missed hitting the surrounding buildings, the automocars, and even the poor bystanders.

Shannarah grit her teeth determined to break through that Atta and Koura accursed forcefield and finish this quickly. She just needed more firepower to overwhelm its capacity to regenerate. Then Sokar was a tracker and hunter outside his technology he would not prove to be a warrior, certainly no 'Gorjah'.

He soared high over the metal sky scrapers his boots flaring as the jet thrusters built into the suit and turbines on his back gave him a smooth sustained flight. He let out a whoop as he closed his eyes imagining the wind in his face as he moved toward his objection. He knew it wasn’t “professional” of him to react to flying….
But how could anyone react differently?

He once again sent a mental thank you to his brother for the gift. Not only did he give him the chance to walk again but to experiencing flying as well! He knew it was born out of guilt for causing the accident but it didn’t diminish its importance to him. He never needed him to make it right not when he knew it was an accident. Yet his brother dedicated himself to fixing it and in his own true fashion improving it.

Arthur kicked his body up and he hovered against the bright-eyed sun. He opened his eyes and took in New York City stretched out before him like the glittering metropolis it was. He and his brother had come so far, from the country side where they were just the sons of their parents to the hub of the world and premier super heroes.

“Mr. Freedom!” Commander Zalvin barked coming over the suits internal COM system “What the fuck is taking you so long!”

“I’m sorry Commander!” Arthur said red coloring his cheek at his angry tone “Just trying to assess the situation”

“When you’re still five blocks from the U.N building?” Commander Zalvin said his tone firm “I very much doubt that….”

“I am almost there”” Arthur said further wincing as he took one last look at the view. He angled his body horizontal once more and took off rocketing towards the U.N building and the smoke that was currently wafting out into the air. He crested one last sky scraper and dropped down cutting through the smoke and debris like an arrow. He landed on the ground with a solid THUD half crouched as his helmet compensated for all the smoke and activated its infrared setting. He scanned the dust making out several prominent figures that he advanced towards.

“In the name of earth stand down!” Arthur said activating his suits external speaker system. He raised his hand palm out as it began to glow with a faint blue energy. A small tube slide out of his other hand but he didn’t bother to raise it up.
At least not yet.

He stepped out of the smoke and finally laid eyes on his target. The next order to stand down suddenly was lost as he took in the woman before him. In all his life he never laid eyes on someone… well someone so hot! There was just no other way to describe the alien woman before him. Her clothes were revealing showcasing a body that would have been almost impossible to achieve by earth standards. Her skin color was quite simply a work of art a stunning master piece of colors and shifting blues. To say she was attractive would be like saying that the mona lisa was “just” a picture.

Arthur shook himself out of his perverted thoughts. Focus! This was his first day as a full-fledged member of the Justice Force and working with the EDC. He couldn’t be known as the pervert! He cleared his throat and opened his mouth ready to tell them to stand down again. The EDC protocol for encountering unknown hostile aliens (The Stephan Hawking Protocol) clearly stated how he was to act. Both alien races were not to be attacked until their hostility was proven. Until then he could only try to mediate between the two and at best contain them.
Luckily one of them made the battle lines clear.

It wasn’t the luscious babe (thank god). Instead the alien on the floating disk let loose with a bolt of energy that slammed directly into Arthurs chest. His armor flashed out a warning as the suits shields flared to life. He could see them flickering as they tried to compensate and absorb the blast.

“Shit” He swore his eyes narrowing at the alien “Alright I think that’s pretty damn clear”

“Be careful Artie!” Zachary chimed in over the COM “That dropped your shield down to fifty percent!”

“Well let’s see if our weapons tickle his fancy!” Arthur chimed his palm charging up as he jumped forward. His jet packs compensated giving him an added oomph as he rocketed forward and directly towards the alien foe. There was a bright flash as his palm canon activated shooting out an intense high beam energy weapon that would punch through most conventional armor.

Conventional at least

He stumbled back more or less bounced off the shield. He was about to curse when he noticed the shield flickering trying to regenerate. Even though he had a sinking feeling it was more her work than his he knew well enough to try and press the advantage. He raised his free hand bringing up the tube and shooting out a dense shotgun esque bullet. The aptly named buster exploded seconds later billowing fire and smoke as the alien shields failed and it was forced back. He went after it both palm blasters filling the air with energy as he tried to take it down. The mission was now to capture the alien either to figure out what they know or to hold them as a political prisoner.

IC: Shannarrah

Shannarah grit her teeth determined to break through that Atta and Koura accursed forcefield and finish this quickly. She just needed more firepower to overwhelm its capacity to regenerate. Then Sokar was a tracker and hunter outside his technology he would not prove to be a warrior, certainly no 'Gorjah'.

The battle raged on. The Earthers that had been on the street had ran for shelter leaving her and Sokar alone. They traded volleys, Shannarrah flew at speed in circles around the floating Siuragi laying condensed energy bolts into the shields, but it whitheld all of them. Meanwhile Sokar used his pulse blaster to fire at her. She was too fast so he kept missing but the surrounding buildings and vehicles were being obliterated by the hunters weapon. Several caught fire causing the air to thicken with smoke.

Shannarah grit her teeth. This wasn't working. She could not lay enough damage to his shields fast enough to overload them. More damage was happening. More of the Earthers were suffering for it. She had to end this and quickly.

Then through the billowing smoke a metal man painted a gaudy red, white, and blue flew in. “In the name of earth stand down!”

At that Sokar leveled his blaster and shot him in the five pointed sigil on his chest. "Your interference is unwelcome, primitive sub-creature."

Shannarrah was concerned for the metal man but could not go to assist him for she had to fly an evasive pattern as Sokar began firing wildly.

But the metal man was not down. He stood back up and rocketed towards Sokar. A beam of energy shooting out from his raised hand striking the Siuragi's shields, yet its resilience must have surprised him for he hit the shield and careened off into one of the automocars on the street.

"Enough of this," Sokar howled pulling out a silver orb from his belt. "Sub creatures of this world. You have offended the supreme race with your interference...with the authority I have as Siuragi for the Xantraxi hierarchy I have judged that this planet will be cleansed of you now!"

"No," Shannarrah cried recognizing the device in his hands. She threw a frenzied flurry of energy bolts at him as he activated the orb and dropped onto the street beneath him. Then teleported back to his ship.

Shannarrah floated over to the metal man, "You are a warrior for this world?"

She pointed to the orb starting to glow a bright orange and making an ominous ramping up humming sound. "That is a disintegration grenade...it will turn everything on the surface of your planet into eradiated dust. Together we must deactivate it from Sokar's ship."

She tapped her belt buckle and her ship rematerialized hovering over the street. She held out her hand to the metal man. "Come, your world's time grows short."

That hurt….

That hurt A LOT

He thought he saw the shield flickering and took his chance. He charged at the opposing alien with full force blasting him with the maximum power outage he could. Arthur thought for sure that would be enough, enough to finally break through his shields.

But it wasn’t.

Instead he hit the shield and was instantly repelled. The metal suit compensated for the force and wrapped his body in a protective gel as they careened into a buick. He crashed through the glass windshield crumpling the entire front of the car as he finally stopped.

“Shit” He groaned ignoring the flashing warning lights on his HUD. His hand scrambled for the door slapping it before he finally found the handle. He stretched his palm out once more and blasted the door off sending it clattering against the ground as he pulled himself out.

“Well that wasn’t smooth” Arthur said shaking his head. He turned back to the alien ready to blast him again. His eyes landed on him just as he disappeared leaving behind and orange orb that flickered menacingly.

“Computer scan” He said activating the suits powerful AI “Send the results to Zachary”

”Certainly” The AI said scanning the device as the powerful woman landed next to him. He opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off explaining what the device was and causing dread to fill his body. She spoke about disabling it from the aliens ship and next thing he knew another alien ship was appearing above them.
“Did you get that Commander?” Arthur asked following her.

“We did” Commander Zalvin said his voice all business “I’m dispatching the rest of the Justice Force but for now you’re on your own. Your mission is to get that bomb disabled by ANY means necessary.”

“Understood” He said rocketing up and into her ship.

“Be careful Artie” His brother said his tone worried and concerned.

“I always am” Arthur replied the smile in his voice. He imagined his brother sitting at the COM center worried and trying to put on a brave face. He knew how worried Zachary was. Worried about losing him the same way they lost their parents. Even after five years the wounds were still fresh for him as well as the fear it would happen again.

He wouldn’t let that happen. He would do everything in his power to save the world and come home. A hatch opened up in the ship and Arthur flew inside rocketing up as fast as he could given the time limit of the mission. He promptly ran into something causing a sharp CLANG to echo through his armor as he winced and dropped down onto the dick.

“Holy shit” He murmured shaking his head “I am on an alien ship! And I headbutted it!"

He stooped down realizing with some issue that the place was cramped and small. It looked comparable to a fighter jet. His eyes fell on the one seat and he looked over at her wondering how this was all going to work.

IC: Shannarrah

She tapped her belt buckle and her ship rematerialized hovering over the street. She held out her hand to the metal man. "Come, your world's time grows short."

The metal man looked up to her ship announcing, "Understood." Then he rocketed up to her ship. Shannarrah followed right after.

Inside was the cockpit, a tight confined space with a single chair. "Sit down," She instructed the metal man, "I will sit atop your lap. We have little time to dawdle here."

When he did she settled down she set her bare bottom against the hard angular planes of the armor pieces of his and frowned over her shoulder at him. She could see through visor over his eyes. So this was not an automaton, but there was a man inside, but what kind of warrior cowered underneath that much armor? Was this one like truly like a soft-bellied Kereel?

He was no Gorjah, that much was certain.

"We need to catch Sokar's vessel in the next few seconds," She informed him. She stretched her arms out to the walls on either side and they became transparent. It was as if they floated in the chair above the street in the chair by itself. Around her outstretched arms floated system status screens. All were blue. The ship was ready. she looked up and a circle showing the fleeing Antraxi vessel leaving the planet's orbit.

It was a Xantraxi stalker. Small, stealthy, slow, but it had astoundingly good sensors to track the warp trail of any ship it was sent to hound after. No wonder Sokar had followed her here. She had led him straight to Earth. These Earthers didn't know the danger Xantraxi knowledge of their existence would pose to them. It would be all her fault too.

She had to silence Sokar from reporting to the hierarchy for this world's future.

"I have disengaged the inertial compensators to give us more speed. So hang on to me, yes?"

She turned her arms to point at the circle and her ship shot up from above the planet the clouds and the atmosphere racing past them. The G-forces of their climb pressing them back into the seat.

She felt the metal man's arms tighten around her.

"This is a courier ship," She told the metal man, "Built for speed not for pitched battle. It has no weapons capable of overpowering his shields. Our only chance is to get in close and board her."

The stalker's particle cannons opened up on them and she took the courier into evasive maneuvers. But the ship was hit again and again every time she tried to get close enough to it to teleport the both of them on board.

By now the grenade had activated and it would be emitting a dome of energy that would break down the molecular bonds of any physical matter that came into its growing circumference. It would first disintegrate the street, the neighborhood, the block, the burrow, the city, the state, the country, the continent...It would just keep going and going until the entire surface of Earth was wiped clean.

They couldn't reach She had led Sokar there...it would be all her fault.

She grit her teeth in frustration. "I can't do it. I can't get us in close enough. His weapons are too strong."

Things moved quickly from there. No sooner was Arthur questioning how they were going to sit together then she was pulling him into the seat. He slammed into the seat and momentarily wondered at the pilot seats ability to mold to his body and provide cushion. The system seemed adaptive to him even though he was technically another species. He made a mental note to ask her if and when the opportunity presented itself.

Then all other thoughts were blown out of his mind.

She sat on him. SHE SAT ON HIM! Her body pressed against him her tits heaving and in his face. Even though he was clad in head and toe armor he somehow thought he felt her. It was impossible but he could swear her warm succulent thighs radiated heat through….

“Stop it Arthur” He thought to himself as she went about her business. He refused to be a horn dog! Not when the entire earth was at stake.
No matter how hot she was.

With great restraint, he focused on her taking note of what he was doing. The armor was designed to record all interactions for further study but he wanted to make sure he could provide a detailed report. The way she was interacting with her ship for example it seemed light years beyond the simply touch screens of earth. How was she doing that? Was the ship preprogrammed to follow those patterns or did it naturally move like that?

He noted her growing feelings of frustration and felt dread. There wasn’t much he can do right now given that he was a stranger on the ship. If she was frustrated that meant things were very very wrong. The ship sped up as she spoke of increasing the speed and he was forced to wrap his arms around her and hold on for dear life. The pull of the G- Force was compensated by the suit. Zachary said it could survive in space for a limited time.

Not that he was eager to test it.

Warning lights began to flash across the screen and seconds later the ship began to shake. She began to simulate defensive maneuvers and he realized they were being shot at. His grip tightened as he trusted her a part of him wondering if this was how he would die.

Then he got the bad news.

The… things weapons were keeping them away. Which meant the earth was fucked unless he could somehow turn the tide. His mind began to work the problem trying to pull something out of his ass. A idea began to form in his mind one frankly dangerous. He wasn’t even sure it would work but he knew he had to try at the very least.

He grunted and pulled out from under her. He crouch walked over to the hatch leading out and hit the seals on his suit. The experimental tech activated filling the joints with hardened foam that was supposed to hold up in the vacuum of space.
“I have weapons” He explained pointing at his suit “I know it’s a long shot but I can distract it fly out into space and engage it long enough for you to get in.”

IC: Shannarrah

She grit her teeth in frustration. "I can't do it. I can't get us in close enough. His weapons are too strong."

He lifted her up and slid out of the cockpit's chair. Shannarrah turned her head to look back at him. "What are you doing?"

“I have weapons” He explained pointing at his suit “I know it’s a long shot but I can distract it fly out into space and engage it long enough for you to get in.”

Her eyes widened at his words. She had all but given up. And here this warrior from an alien planet still wished to fight on. This metal man was no soft-bellied Kereel. He was a warrior. One that put her to shame. She would follow his example, and continue the fight. Together they will overcome this challenge.

"Perhaps not," She told him, "That Xantraxi Stalker has a blindspot directly behind it. It's too small for this ship to sneak up on it, but it isn't too small for you. None of its gun will be able to fire on you and its sensor won't pick you up as you approach it."

She turned her wrist opening the hatch. "May the twins grant you success warrior."

With that he was off jetting off into the deep black of outerspace and into the narrow corridor directly behind the Stalker where its particle cannons couldn't train on him and the sensors couldn't track him.

Just in case he strayed out of the ship's blindspot Shannarah rocketed her courier drawing the fire of those guns in a never-ending dance of evasive maneuvers. It shook as hit after hit despite her excellent piloting impacted her own shields, some penetrating and hitting her ship. Damage warnings began to mount faster and faster with every hit, but the ship was still functioning, and she was still in this fight.

Finally the metal man came overtook the ship using those primitive but powerful palm lasers of his to fire through the openings the Stalker's own cannons fired through to destroy them.

Looping around she targeted him with the teleporter and beamed him and herself over to the control room.

Sokar was waiting for them trapping them in a forcefield globe as soon as the two of them materialized. "Valarisian Princess, for the crime of existing in the Xantraxi's universe I hereby execute your sentence." He pressed a button on his console and the globe began to shrink around them threatening to crush them.

"Urrggh..." She grimaced pointing to a console to one side of the Siuragi hunter, "That one controls the grenade...one of us must reach it..."

She pressed up against the metal man as the globe shrunk tighter and tighter. Yellow energy surged out of her hand as she gave it everything to overwhelm the forcefield's cohesion. "Go," She barked to the metal man, "I'm weakening it...get to that console...do not worry about me...save your world, warrior."

It was time to be a hero.

The hatch slid open and he jumped into the cold black of space. The suit immediately compensated for the vacuum and activated the O2 tank fitted just under his jetpack. His HUD changed new vitals showing as well as how much air he had left. A warning reminded him that his suit was fragile in this environment. One hit would be enough to break one of the seals. He would have to be careful and play it safe.

Which probably DID NOT mean rocketing towards a hostile alien ship.
He knew he could die out here but he didn’t focus on it. He would focus on saving the earth and let whatever happened happen. He activated the thrusters on his boots and he rocketed forward. He remembered the words of the alien woman and moved accordingly doing his best to keep in the blind spot as she distracted him.
He diverted any energy he could spare to his palm lasers and let loose. The shield flashed as he fired staying strong even as he poured in the hurt. He did a fly by and let loose a barrage watching in hopes of seeing those shields finally flicker and die. His expression grew worried as he watched the shield hold. He was beginning to prepare for a suicide maneuver when they finally flickered and died.

“Yes!” He said cheering as he watched the shield go down. Before he could say anything more he felt a tug on his groin. Suddenly he was back in a ship standing with her as they faced down the alien warrior. He said something in a language Arthur couldn’t understand. The two were suddenly trapped! Encased in a glowing orange energy ball that began to shrink and tighten.

“Hang on” Arthur called ignoring her words to leave him “I can do this… I can save you and the earth”

His mind swam before he grabbed onto a desperate idea. He threw his hands out and pressed against the ball. He sent a pulse of pure energy into it trying to short it out. The orb flickered and then died dropping them down to the deck and causing the alien to stumble back in shock.

“Turn it off!” He said pointing at the console as he rose “I have him”

He reached onto his back and a handle popped out. He grabbed it and pulled it out flicking the switch and creating a curved sword of pure purple energy. He growled and leapt at the alien his anger at the earth being put in danger getting the better of him. The energy sword cut through the shield like butter forcing the alien back as he tried to get away.

“Don’t you fucking dare!” Arthur shouted punching the alien right in its face. It stumbled to the ground and Arthur brought the sword to its chin. If it so much as moved it would be cut.

IC: Shannarrah

She pressed up against the metal man as the globe shrunk tighter and tighter. Yellow energy surged out of her hand as she gave it everything to overwhelm the forcefield's cohesion. "Go," She barked to the metal man, "I'm weakening it...get to that console...do not worry about me...save your world, warrior."

"You make jests. The supreme race's judgment has been passed," Sokar grated at them, "It was an abomination to find a sub-species so numerous on that world....the infestation of less evolved vermin's extermination will be a matter of necessity for the Xantraxi now. You both would do well to accept your much deserved executions."

"No, we will never accept that without a fight," She said using her other hand and firing double barreled condensed yellow energy into the shrinking forcefield causing an oblong deformation into its circumference. The edges of that deformation flickered sporadically as the projectors strained to resist her energy barrage against them. "Now's your chance," She told the metal man...leave me...Go now!"

"Hang on," He called out from behind her, "I can do this..."

Shannarrah frowned as he raised his gauntleted hand around her. "What are-"

"-I can save you and the earth,” He fired his own energy beam directly at the flickering area of the forcefield. The confluence of energies caused a sudden cascade failure in the projectors which shut down before their overloading capacitors exploded.

They dropped to the Stalker's deck and as Shannarrah was still rising to her feet the metal man was rocketing forward at Sokar shouting, "Turn it off! I have him!"

"I will not fail your planet warrior." Shannarrah declared in agreement of the trust he was showing in her. His planet's fate was literally going to be at her fingertips. She flew over to the console glancing at the Xantraxi codes and symbols flashing over it. She located and pressed the shutdown command key. Nothing happened.

She wheeled her head around to find Sokar staggering back and the metal man holding a purple energy blade to his throat.

"Do not kill him yet," She cried, "I need his access code to deactivate the disintegrator."

"You will get nothing from me," Sokar rubbed the green blood from where the primitive metal encased sub-creature had punched him straight in his snout and chortled at them both darkly. "That planet is doomed. Death before tolerating you vermin's existence in the Xantraxi's universe."

He wasn’t planning on killing the creature but her words made the blade inch back even further from his neck. Even after captured the blasted creature held all the cards in his hand! It was maddening and only made more so by the fear in his bones. How much time did they have left? Was the earth already gone? Was he the last surviving member of his race?

She said something about access codes and the creature protested saying something in a language he couldn’t understand. He wondered why he could understand her but not vice versa and realized that she must have a translator of some kind working.

He brought the alien creature over dragging it as it resisted. She seemed worried which meant that these “Access” codes were not being given by the alien enemy. His mind scrambled to think of what he could do to get the creature to give them up. The only thing that sprung to mind was torture but wouldn’t he simply wait out the clock? Or was it to late anyways?!

“We’re out of time!” Arthur shouted hoping the woman would understand “Please… you must save my world! I can’t be the last of my kind if I have to sacrifice myself to save it I will! There must be SOMETHING we can do”

He was beginning to panic under the pressure. Arthur was fresh a newly minted super hero someone who wasn’t used to having the fate of the entire world on his shoulders. So far a combination of Adrenalin and bravery helped see him through but now that they were standing still and seemingly helpless a sense of hopelessness was blooming in his chest. He imagined every one back home dying the planet itself becoming little more than dust.

“Please” He said again not sure who he was talking to. His grip on the alien remained firm even as he sunk to his knees. He heard it say something more and then what sounded like a laugh and he punched it hard enough for more of its green blood to spill onto his fist. He made the solemn vow that if the earth was destroyed he would keep going he would kill them all in order to avenge his people.

IC: Shannarrah

"Do not kill him yet," She cried, "I need his access code to deactivate the disintegrator."

"You will get nothing from me," Sokar rubbed the green blood from where the primitive metal encased sub-creature had punched him straight in his snout and chortled at them both darkly. "That planet is doomed. Death before tolerating you vermin's existence in the Xantraxi's universe."

Of course the Xantraxi did not speak any other language but Xantraxi. Why would he bother to learn any of the languages of lesser races, after all. The metal man dragged Sokar over to him, his energy blade held at the ready. Earth's technology was too primitive for him to have been injected with translation microbes she realized so she spoke out.

"His race, the Xantraxi, are intensely xenophobic," She explained to him, "He said he would die before allowing us to save your planet."

“We’re out of time!” The metal man replied desperately, “Please… you must save my world! I can’t be the last of my kind if I have to sacrifice myself to save it I will! There must be SOMETHING we can do”

"I am a warrior not an expert in computers," She told him feeling terrible about not being able to save him the pain of watching his world's death sweep over it. "I am sorry...I can not help you..."

"Please," He repeated as if he was beseeching the twins or whatever deity the Earthers begged for miracles for.

"I can patch in someone within a lightyear of this ship..." She said activating the Commlink on her left bracer, "I can easily slice into the primitive radio frequencies your people use for communications...but do you know of anyone on your planet who could understand alien coding?"

There was only one person he could think of.

Was it the best choice? Probably not! Was it the only person on the planet he trusted to save them?

Hell yes

“I understand” Arthur said sending another high powered punch to the alien in his hand. Said alien dropped like a light passed out as Arthur rushed forward and joined her at the console. He saw a connection appear in his suits HUD and raised his gauntlet up to connect back to the CDC tower back home. Within a matter of seconds the line was ringing and then the connection opened.

“Artie!” His brother cried out in relief “I thought you were dead!”

“No time Zachary” Arthur said cutting him off before he could say more “You and I are about to save the entire fucking earth! I need you’re A game bro. I need that genius mind of yours”

“I understand” Zachary said his voice changing as he entered the “zone”. His brother claimed that entering the zone allowed him to transcend the human part of his mind and focus entirely on the analytical side. Arthur wasn’t sure how much stock to put in that but he did know that now his brother would be entirely focused on what was happening.

“I’m patching you into an alien computer” He explained activating his palm scanner and waving it over the computer console “I need you to hack into it now!”

“Understood” His brother said as the connection was established. Arthur listened as his brother grew silent focusing entirely on the task. The only sound from the COM link was the sound of his fingers furiously flying over the keyboard. The seconds stretched on and Arthur tried his best to stay calm as his brother worked to save them. Every so often he would glance at the alien making sure he was still down.

The finally his brother spoke one simple word.
“Done”

Arthur shoulders sagged in relief and he touched the console. It warmed to life revealing its contents to him. He hit a few buttons and the console powered down and went silent.

“Please tell me we did it” Arthur said speaking to his brother and not the alien woman next to him.

“We did it” Zachary said his voice thick with relief “Half of New York is gone but we did it!”

“Yes!” Arthur said whooping in relief. His chest finally relaxed as he stepped away from the console and turned back in the direction of earth. He pictured it still there and began to laugh as the shock of it all got to him. He waved her off for a second and reached up unsealing his helmet and breathing in as he attempted to calm himself.

Once he was sure he was calm he turned to the alien who put his planet in danger. He moved over to the creature grabbing it by its neck and lifting it up. The creature kicked and tried to move away but he didn’t let it budge.

“You and your kind have been warned” Arthur growled tightening his grip until the creature’s eyes began to bulge “Never come here again! If you do we will beat you bastards back and kill you”

He threw the creature away directly into the wall of the space ship. He turned without another word moving towards the women and nodding his head.

“I’m ready to go back” He said “Beam us back to your ship I guess? Or do you want to kill the creature for coming after you? I don’t care if you do given what he did to my planet”

IC: Shannarrah

"I can patch in someone within a lightyear of this ship..." She said activating the Commlink on her left bracer, "I can easily slice into the primitive radio frequencies your people use for communications...but do you know of anyone on your planet who could understand alien coding?"

"I understand," In answer he punched Sokar in the snout knocking the Xantraxi unconscious before rushing over to her at the console. She began setting up the connection for the primitive radiowave communications device to contact his computer technician.

He spoke to him, this 'Zakree', and scanned over the console, remotely accessing the Xantraxi computer and hoping this genius from a technologically primitive world could save them all.

She hung on every second as 'Zakree' worked through the alien computer coding and around the Xantraxi security firewalls.

"Done."

She blinked as the console lights turned green. She quickly stabbed the abort command for the grenade. "Done."

"Please, tell me we did it," The metal man exclaimed and after a second 'Zakree' answered, “We did it. Half of New York is gone, but we did it!”

"Yes," The metal man shouted as a victory celebration. Shannarrah smiled proud that she had been instrumental in stopping the annihilation of his world. That was when she noticed the Stalker's subspace communicator had been used before they teleported inside.

Sokar was rousing and the metal man hauled him up by the neck exclaiming, “You and your kind have been warned. Never come here again! If you do we will beat you bastards back and kill you” With that he hurled Sokar against the far bulkhead.

He turned to her. “I’m ready to go back. Beam us back to your ship I guess? Or do you want to kill the creature for coming after you? I don’t care if you do given what he did to my planet.”

She turned her eyes on the Siuragi then back to the metal man sadly, "It does not matter now...he sent a beacon to Xantrax. They know of your world now...they will come."

"They didn't know about Earth before," She said lowering her eyes from him, "He followed me here. They have tried to exterminate us many times but we have always fought them off, but they keep coming. Now because of me they will come for Earth as well. They will not stop. They never stop, and you world is not prepared for them."

"Earth's secrecy is gone now." She concluded, "The only option now is the alliance I was sent to get from your leaders. I am sorry...this endless war will visit your world and it is my fault for thinking I slipped past their blockade to get here."

Their victory was short lived.

The smile on his face faltered when she explained the situation. The idea that an entire race of aliens like him knew the location of his home scared him more than he wanted to admit. He started to as her if they were all like that but decided by her tone of voice he already had his answer.

“Did you get all that?” Arthur asked noting the COM to Zachary and the EDC was still active. There was silence for a few minutes before his brother finally spoke.
“I did” He said his voice shaky “I’ll go let the Commander know. Safe travels coming back Artie”

There was a click and the connection went away leaving Arthur on the strange alien ship with the equally strange alien woman. She continued to blame herself for what happened and Arthur shook his head.

“It’s okay” He said coming over to her and putting a hand on her shoulder.

“There isn’t anything we can do now” He explained softly “And we beat them back once. You’ll find we humans are very good at coming together to beat back a common enemy. When and if they come we will be ready for them.”

He nodded at her and released her shoulder.

“Now let’s get back” Arthur said looking around the spaceship “If I stay any longer I may blow the entire ship up myself!”

……………………………….

Meanwhile

“So the aliens want to play huh?”

Commander Zalvin stood dead center in the war room. He was joined by a man wearing non-descript clothes a simple T shirt, jacket, and jeans. A scarf was wrapped around his mouth hiding his features save for his intense green eyes and reddish-brown hair. Both of them watched Zachary the entire time he gave his report.

“I’ve sent the transcript and the data to you” Zachary explained watching as EDC agents poured over the data “Mr. Freedom is on his way back with the alien woman who helped”

“You both did excellent work in the field” Commander Zalvin said offering Zachary a rare smile “Your freedom armor went above and beyond the call of duty”

“Thank you sir” Zachary said blushing “But it was the man inside who did the heavy lifting”

“Every soldier needs the best equipment possibly” Zalvin said turning to the man next to him “Wouldn’t you say so Shadow?”

The man introduced as Shadow nodded. Zachary eyes widened as the name connected and his mouth opened before he could help himself.

“You’re the shadow?!” Zachary exclaimed stepping forward “The original vigilante! I heard rumors you were funded through EDC but this is insane”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Zachary” The Shadow said pulling his scarf down to reveal an older tan male “You can call me Doctor Alias”

“The good doctor is one of our foremost technicians” Zalvin explained “many of the gadgets he employs on the field our of his own design. I want you to work with him show him your brothers armor and see what more can be done with it”

“What more?” Zachary asked in confusion.

“There’s a war coming” Zalvin said his eyes flashing with resignation “And I need all of my agents at their very best. Your brother is going to be needed. Let Doctor Alias take a look at the armor and see if you two come up with any modifications. When your brother gets back he will debrief me and we go from there”

“Yes sir” Zachary said nodding and turning to the vigilante known as Shadow.

“Shall we?” He asked moving to the door.

“Lead the way”

IC: Shannarrah

"Earth's secrecy is gone now." She concluded, "The only option now is the alliance I was sent to get from your leaders. I am sorry...this endless war will visit your world and it is my fault for thinking I slipped past their blockade to get here."

He turned talking to 'Zakree' before coming back over to her. Shannarrah looked askance as he reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She had read of this. Among the Earthers this gesture was called a 'Hug'. When she first learned of it she thought it would be invasive of her space and uncomfortable, however now that one was doing this 'hugging' she was feeling quite the opposite. It actually felt oddly comforting and reassuring to her now.

"It's okay," He told her, “There isn’t anything we can do now. And we beat them back once."

"They will still come and come until your people are wiped from existence." She said shaking her head to him, "They won't rest...we only stopped them because we are more technologically advanced than they are...Earth does not have that advantage to save it."

"You’ll find we humans are very good at coming together to beat back a common enemy. When and if they come we will be ready for them,” He told her with a nod before letting go of her shoulder-something she instantly and oddly was sad to have ended.

“Now let’s get back” The metal man continued looking around the Stalker's cockpit, “If I stay any longer I may blow the entire ship up myself!”

"The damage is done," She agreed setting commands into the navigational computers, "We shall send Sokar back to Xantrax as a warning to their hierarchy. Maybe the extermination fleet's departure will be forestalled once they hear of what excellent warriors Earth has."

Once done she signaled her ship to teleport them back. They rematerialized seeing the Stalker head back to warpspeed off towards Xantrax on the holographic displays of her courier's cockpit. Then other messages in flashing red got her attention.

She turned to the metal man, "This is not good. My ship was hit multiple times and has received critical damage...specifically the engines and life support systems."

She began gesturing flipping through holodisplay screens adjusting settings and activating emergency systems. "There...I have set a course back to your world at the best speed the engines can muster right now, but it will take 22.6 of your hours for the journey. Also I've used emergency power to the life support system...however that will only last for 4.2 of your hours before it fails..."

She turned to him, "I can extend it by going into stasis sleep, but what of you...will you be able to survive in that armor for that long without the life support systems functioning at less than ten percent capacity?"

He felt his stomach drop and seconds later they were back in her cramped spaceship. He doubled over and clutched his stomach trying to settle the agitation and discomfort from whatever she was used to do that. It reminded him of Star Trek! And how the actors described the “technology”. Once he felt his stomach settling he crouched bringing his eyes back up to regard her and listen to what she was saying.

“Wait what?” He said reaching up and turning off the polarization of his helmet to stare at her. She continued to explain the issue bringing about a whole new set of worries for him to deal with.

“I uh” He said stammering a bit at her question. His eyes flickered down taking in the suits vitals on the HUD and the small timer that was currently counting down. The timer was already at the hour marking which meant he was in serious trouble.

The technology that his brother used that allowed him to walk again was experimental. It used a combination of neural circuitry and nanobots to reforge the connection between his legs and his brain. The problem was that after a few hours his brain and his body would start to reject it. If that happened he would start to experience discomfort and pain and the connection would go out. The bigger risk was long term, according to his brother if the body started rejecting it he wouldn’t be able to put it back into Arthur.

In short he would lose his ability to walk all over again.

“I’ll have to go into stasis with you” He said moving over to the seat and crawling into it. He settled in and brought his hand up tapping a few keys and opening the emergency command section. Inside was a small keypad that he quickly typed a four-digit code in.

“My suit has an external access port” He told her glancing up at her “If you plug me in I can use my suits internal power core to extend the life of the pod for both of us”

His armor flashed a warning and then dimmed. He winced as he felt the needles and access ports that merged his body with the machines disengaging and sliding back. The feeling of his legs disappeared bringing along with it a rush of sadness and depression that caused his heart to clench. His brother caused this the “fall” after the “high” his body was reacting to the loss of his legs all over again and working back through the trauma. There was nothing he could do about it either except to ride it out and try to focus on something else.

“Go on” He said his voice shaky with emotion “Let’s get back home”

IC: Shannarrah

She turned to him, "I can extend it by going into stasis sleep, but what of you...will you be able to survive in that armor for that long without the life support systems functioning at less than ten percent capacity?"

At that the metal man asked, "Wait? What?....I, Uh..."

She reiterated, "Can you survive for that long on your suit's resources?"

He moved over to climb into the seat, "I'll have to go into stasis with you."

Shannarrah disagreed, "No, that will only cut our time in half."

He opened a panel in his gauntleted hand and pressed a series of buttons found there. "My suit has an external access port," He explained looking up at her, "If you plug me in I can use my suits internal power core to extend the life of the pod for both of us.”

At that she turned to the controls and looked over the possibility, "It will be close, but doing that could make it work...though wedding your primitive technology onto it may cause issues to overcome later...but it should work..."

“Go on” He said his voice shaky with emotion “Let’s get back home”

She set to work adjusting parameters and overriding failsafes linking his power core and stasis system wondering at his reaction...she did not understand Earthers well enough to even make a guess. Should she press for an explanation or is this one of those things that would be better off leaving it be until she understood the dynamics of his alien culture?

She finished making the connection for the stasis pod to connect with his suit's alien power system. Then she turned back to him touching the circular pads under her arms making her armor dematerialize and its pattern stored in the circuitry of her belt buckle which she affixed to the wall. Now completely nude she climbed in with the metal man, ignoring the cramped quarters and uncomfortable sharp edges of his armor jabbing her bared skin in places.

So Shannarah lay there squashed against him, but frowned as she noticed his reaction to what she'd done. "Is something wrong?"

She did not get his explanation for the stasis field activated and they were both bathed in a bubble of light submerging her in a dreamless sleep.

She lay there curled against the metal man-she hadn't even learned his name yet-with her head resting on his metal shoulder-pad like a pillow her arm curled over his chest piece.

Shannarrah slumbered as their journey back to the metal man's homeworld began.

Arthurs eyes practically popped out of his head as the alien warrior armor disappeared. His eyes slid up and down her lush naked body unable to stop himself as he felt the stiring of arousal in his chest. Nudity on her planet was clearly not an issue given the ease in which she disrobed. That thought and revelation only turned him on more. He was thankful for his armor which would keep his erection and pride safe under quarter inch thick dwarf star alloy.

"I'm fine" He said as she glanced at him curiously "just preparing my self"

Before he could say anything else however the blue glow enveloped them both. For Arthur it was as if he was suddenly and completely knocked out. There was nothing no dreams and just deep black sleep.

22 HOURS LATER

The return to conscious was different.

First there was the beeping which stirred him quite abruptly. His eyes fluttered open and he found himself disoriented his mind wrapped in fog and confusion. The armor was also beeping letting him know the battery was drained and he wouldn't be able to start the armor back up.

He used his hands to disengage the seal of his helmet to his suit. He pulled it off panting as somewhat fresh air hit him. His nostrils flared breathing in a smell that tasted deep and pleasuring. With a start he realized a few strands of her hair had curled them selves against his nose.

"Uh Ma'am?" He siad gently nudging her "I think were back... or your ship is about to explode..."

IC: Shannarrah

Shannarrah slumbered as their journey back to the metal man's homeworld began.

All was dark, no thought, no sensation, and then Shannarrah's eyes opened as the metal man gave her shoulder a nudge.

"What is it," she asked lifting her head to look at him. He had removed the face plate of his armor and Shannarah was at last face to face with the man in the armor. For someone who did not have blue skin she found his pale face with strong eyes that met hers in a earnest manner appealing. Perhaps he was a candidate for the Gorjah she was looking for?

"Uh Ma'am," He told her, "I think we're back..."

She turned to look at flashing indicator on the display. "We're about to land....in the parking zone I programmed it for...the wooded area within your city called New York...Central Park, Yes?"

"Don't move from the stasis pod yet though," She pointed out, "The life support has failed outside the stasis field while we slumbered...there's no air out there."

She set the display to show the view of Earth from outside the courier growing larger and larger as the ship approached it.

"We have some time before we can move..." She said lowering her head back to his shoulder. She looked into his eyes as she did so. "Perhaps we could pass the time answering questions from the other...like...what is your name?"

"Thats it" Arthur said nodding. He felt the ship beginning to rumble evidence that it was entering earths atmosphere. Minutes later the rumbling ceased just as she asked him for his name.

"Oh shoot" He said realizing during all the trouble he never bothered to introduce himself "My name is Arthur I go by Mr. Freedom in the field. I'm sorry for the disrespect MA'am it's been a... uh busy day"

He could only move his hands and so he did an awkward hug back clap in a way of formally greeting her. The fact that she was still naked and pressed against him was not lost to the young wannabe superhero but he did his best to ignore it. Besides she could fully see his face now and the LAST thing he wanted to do was come off as a pervert.

"Whats your name?" He asked glancing down to regard her. Behind them the screen flashed filling with images of New York and a countdown timer letting them know when they would land.

IC: Shannarrah

"We have some time before we can move..." She said lowering her head back to his shoulder. She looked into his eyes as she did so. "Perhaps we could pass the time answering questions from the other...like...what is your name?"

The ship shook as it began to reenter Earth's (still a silly name to call a planet) atmosphere and the metal man answered her question, "Oh shoot." (Shoot what?) "My name is Arthur."

"Arthur," She said trying the unfamiliar alien word out on her tongue.

"I go by Mr. Freedom in the field," He continued, "I'm sorry for the disrespect MA'am it's been a... uh busy day."

She frowned at that, "How is being busy considered disrespectful on your planet?"

He made some hugging clap of his hand to her back and her frown deepened at it. Was that some sort of Earther gesture with some cultural significance she didn't understand?

Earthers! Shannarrah thought she'd never fully understand them even reading everything her people had on them for hours on the trip to their world.

"What's your name," He asked her in turn as the sheep began its landing sequence countdown.

"My name is Shannarrah," She told him with a warm smile, "I am crown princess of the kingdom of Valaris. Daughter of Queen Rhannallah daughter Marrellah daughter of Rannattah, long may she reign. I am holder of the sacred flame and chosen of the twins."

She performed the ritual of greeting placing a hand on her forehead, then her lips. Then her hand moved to his face fingers briefly touching his brow, then his lips, "May we walk together in the battles before us as allies from this day on, Arthur Mr. Freedom."

"Shannarrah" Arthur said testing it out with his mouth "I like that name its certainly unique"

Before he could say anything more she did a strange ritual that he assumed was native to her planets. He shivered slightly when she touched him and was once again reminded that she was entirely naked and stretched out on top of him.

Should he repeat the gesture? Or was repeating the gesture bad? There were so many things he didn't know about her and her culture and he ran the risk of disrespecting or making her angry with anything he did. After a few precious seconds of thought he decided to repeat it to her.

"May we walk together in the battles before us as allies in this day forward Shannarrah crown princess of the kingdom of Valaris. Daughter of Queen Rhannallah daughter Marrellah daughter of Rannattah, long may she reign. I am holder of the sacred flame and chosen of the twins"

He touched his forehead and then his lips and then with his free hand repeated the gesture on her. While he did the spaceship began to rumble once more and a new message appeared on her ships view screen. The walls of the ship shimmered and Arthur gave a soft shout as they disappeared and New York City appeared. To Arthur it looked as if the walls simply disappeared and they were now outside. They continued to descend finally touching down on the parking lot.

"Can they see us?" Arthur asked softly as he watched the EDF forces circling and surrounding the ship.

IC: Shannarrah

She performed the ritual of greeting placing a hand on her forehead, then her lips. Then her hand moved to his face fingers briefly touching his brow, then his lips, "May we walk together in the battles before us as allies from this day on, Arthur Mr. Freedom."

"Shannarrah," He said her name testing it out as she had, "I like that name its certainly unique"

She blinked looking at Arthur Mr. Freedom, "On Valaris it is quite a common name."

After a moment of silence between them he reached out and then mimicked the ritual of greeting in turn for her. "May we walk together in the battles before us as allies in this day forward Shannarrah crown princess of the kingdom of Valaris. Daughter of Queen Rhannallah daughter Marrellah daughter of Rannattah, long may she reign, holder of the sacred flame and chosen of the twins"

It was the incorrect response to the ritual, but Arthur Mr. Freedom had no way of knowing that, and oddly Shannarrah found his effort to do so (wrong as it was) uniquely endearing.

The courier approached the city and from the air they can see the large round crater from the disintegrator grenade swarmed over with flying machines that used spinning rotor blades for to hover as oddly haz-matted figures cautiously approached the now inert device. From their altitude it was difficult to see just how large the crater was, but judging just from sight Shannarrah would say it was a kilometer or two in diameter.

The courier began to slow to a hover as the came to a stop over the "Central Park" landing area of the city. It had to be a landing area, right? She couldn't think of any other reason why they would leave such a large area of one of their planet's largest cities untouched by urban development. She didn't see any other vehicles parked there though. Had they cleared the entire landing zone to receive them.

Softly the courier landed onto the grassy field surrounded by suited individuals and official looking ground vehicles with flashing lights on their roofs.

"Can they see us," Arthur Mr. Freedom asked a little nervously from beside her.

"No. Why?"

A moment more of waiting and the cockpit filled with air from the outside. The stasis field deactivated and Shannarrah lifted off of Arthur Mr. Freedom. She floated over to the wall and took her belt buckle down. She pressed one corner and her armor reappeared on her.

Assuming Arthur Mr. Freedom was right behind her she left the ship and one of the official-looking men approached her. He called himself the commander Zalvin, and welcomed her to Earth (still a silly name for a planet). Briefly she told the Commander Zalvin she was there to make diplomatic relations with her mother's kingdom and the nation tribes of this world in hopes of forming a self-defense alliance against the Xantraxi Hierarchy.

She turned and was shocked to see some of the uniformed people milling around her ship was leading a mechanized cart hauling away Arthur Mr. Freedom away.

No, the armor was opened and the person inside was missing.

"What has happened to Arthur Mr. Freedom," She asked the Commander Zalvin, "I desired him here standing beside me so we can celebrate our victory together."

"He uh should be coming out momentarily" Commander Zalvin said gesturing at the ship as a younger teenager moved into her ship.

"His brother" He explained as the blonde supermodel esque agent ran up and handed him a datapad. He looked over it for several seconds before handing it to her.

"If you can sign here princess" He said tapping it "This is a formal diplomatic agreement stating that you are a friend of the people of earth and you will not act against its interest. By signing this we enter a formal agreement for non combat against you and your species. We have a diplomatic suite prepared for such occasions in the citadel that is free"

MEANWHILE

"What did you do to my suit!"

Arthur chuckled and looked up taking in his brother and his concern before breaking into a big wide smile.

"Hey little bro" He said grasping the edges and pulling himself up effortlessly "Is that a way to talk to the savoir of earth?"

Zachary laughed in response the concern remaining in his eyes as he directed two agents to lift Arthur up and put him in the shiny wheelchair they brought into the ship. Arthur settled in his body clad in the tight fitting jump suit that went under his armor.

"You burned out the power core to the suit didnt you" Zachary said his eyes zooming around in their sockets as he took in the alien ship.

"Had to extend the power on the ship" Arthur explained thanking the agents with a nod of his head "I disconnected myself from the neural bridge before hand though"

"Thank god for that" Zachary said sighing in relief as he came behind Arthur and began to push him toward the ramp "If you don't-"

"I wont be able to walk again" Arthur said his tone soft and firm as they reached the exit. His nostrils flared as he breathed in the scent of the earth and the city. It only took his eyes a minute to adjust to the bright light of the earth and once he could see he starred at the crater from the inert bomb. A look of sadness crossed his face as he sucked in a deep steadying breath.

"How bad was it?" He asked glancing over at Zachary.

"Not bad at all" Zachary said smiling at Arthur as they moved down the ramp "We were able to evacuate the immediate area around the bomb. No one died! The baddest thing that happened were a few minor injuries"

"Thank god" Arthur said a smile of relief crossing his face as the wheels of the chair hit the ground. He glanced over at Zavlin noting that he was talking to the alien princess he know knew as Shannarah. Their eyes met and suddenly he frowned glacning down and realizing she wasn't looking at him so much as looking at his chair.

His wheelchair.

He suddenly felt on the spot and embarrassment flushed his cheeks. He didn't know how her species would react to something like this. He didn't know her well enough to guess her facial features but she didn't seem happy by the reveal.

"Get me to the jet" Arthur said ducking his head down and wheeling himself over there. Zachary hesitated before following grasping the handles once more and pushing his bigger brother over to one of the transport jets waiting for them.

"What was that about?" Zachary asked as the ramp began to close and he moved over to take his seat.

"Nothing" Arthur said a scowl on his face as he felt the jet pitch forward.