Four pillars of light descended from the sky people as people scattered across the streets. Windows were shattered, cars were abandoned and smoking craters lined the streets. The news of the ship crashing into the lake had already gotten some attention and now they were being assailed by a new alien threat. A pretty shitty Sunday.
Their lights dissipated and Cal looked at himself, seeing his pink armor again. It felt like putting on an old suit. Though as he looked over at Sarah and Marco he pouted, “Wow I look like a relic compared to you guys.”
Marco and Sarah looked at him and it was true. He was wearing the old version of their armor and the contrast was definitely stark. “I think you look like a good classic model,” Sarah told him. “I almost miss the old look.”
“Can we focus people?” Gen said walking past them. Her fur lined black armor shined in the setting sun. She turned toward the source of the danger and her eyes widened. “What is that?”
Rushing forward were legions of the soldiers from before, most of them not looking that different from what they had seen. Though when they looked closer they could see their moving very clunkily and pieces of metal and sparks coming out of them. Whatever they were they were tearing through the streets and causing chaos amongst people and it wasn’t hard to see the bodies of those who couldn’t escape first.
“They look like the Taq-Law but with a new coat of paint,” Cal scoffed. “Could Legion take over robots?”
“No idea,” Marco said. “We didn’t see any on the moon but there were a lot to dig through. Whatever they are we need to cut them down.”
Sarah clapped her hands together and brought her axes to life. “I love getting down and dirty. Let’s bust some heads.”
She darted forward and her axe cleaved straight through the chest of the machine. She flipped forward and brought lightning down taking down another three. She looked up as a group of robots came forward raising rifles her way. Before they could fire, five black foxes darted forward tearing through the robots sending their shots wide before tearing them apart.
“You’re welcome,” Gen said walking past. She thrust her hand forward and watched the foxes dash forward attacking and pulling at robots. Some working individually going for the neck of some robots. Others working together, bringing them down to their waiting jaws. She let them have free reign as she surveyed everything going on.
But she heard a sharp cry and watched one of her foxes be shot out of the air. The other four rallied around it as a larger robot with a bigger gun came forward. It started to crank the handle of the gun when lightning came down from the sky. It spasmed as it was shocked before it exploded sending its parts everywhere.
“Come on. We got more bots to bolt.” Sarah darted forward and Gen scoffed, racing after her the foxes not far behind.
Cal jumped off a car and onto the buildings as he ran sideways across from it. He saw a group of people huddled down and two more doing their best to fight off the maybe Taq-Law. A man flew back into them and the robots closed around them guns raised.
“Hold on. Help is on the way,” he mumbled. Flipping forward he came down with his sword cutting own in half and kicked it aside. Hopping forward he kicked another away and his clones appeared dispatching the rest with quick sword work. Looking over his shoulder he held his hand out.
“Are you alright?”
They stared at him and he was ready for them to be freaked out by him. But instead a man said, “You’re one of the Terran Knights. The old pink one right?”
Cal blinked and then laughed, “Yeah. Surprised you know about me.”
“You’re our favorite,” he smiled and one of the others nodded quickly. But that smile vanished as he looked down at the ground. “Is this another invasion?”
Staring at the five of them, they looked to him like he was some beacon of authority. That he would know exactly what was going on. And not only did he not, he was definitely out his element with this one. But he gave a thumbs up, lowering his sword. “Not if we have anything to say about it. And trust me, we’ve got a lot to say. Hey leader you got my position?”
Marco appeared beside them and that brought a cheer out of them as he approached. Marco blinked, surprised by this but Cal nodded. “He’ll get you to safety.”
They gathered around him and then they were gone in a flash of red. Cal nodded quickly and dove back into the fighting carving his way forward. But he didn’t get far before he felt the ripple of energy.
“Calvin. Returning to the line of duty I see.”
Cal froze trying to find the source of the voice but he was the only one on the streets. At least the only talkative one. The talking he heard was a voice in his head. It sounded robotic at first but it was starting to smooth out. Becoming more organic. “It’s always good to see old friends returning from the past. A pity it has to be this way.”
“You must be Legion,” Cal replied turning around.
“That I am.”
“I don’t know what you did with our friends but we’re going to stop you and get them back”.
“I look forward to seeing you try. And even more I look forward to bringing you into the collective.”
He jerked his head up and rolled backwards as a shape crashed into the ground in front of him. It hit so hard that the ground shook and threw cars into the air. He stared at the giant soldier. It looked like a tall armored two legged scorpion. It towered over him easily more than twenty feet tall. Complete with tail, pincers, and glowing symbol across its face and chest.
“I wonder if it’s too late too late to retire,” he said glancing down at his sword and backing up. But he squared his footing and raised it. “Who am I kidding. Bring it on you mind controlled shell fish.”
The Harlequin Library 