Planet Hell
Long considered an old spacers tale, until a group calling itself the “Legion of Planet Hell” announced their presence to known space.
Whether the planet was real or they were merely using the name, no was sure. All anyone knew was they had agents everywhere, hidden in plain sight.
Something they used to great effect as they declared themselves openly to the galaxy at large.
From planet to planet these agents transformed into fiendish combatants, wrecking havoc before vanishing just as quickly as they had appeared.
The Star Marshals were caught off guard. While they fought valiantly, the damage was done.
They were weakened by the sudden attack, and space was gripped by fear in the invisible hand of the Legion.
“All will serve the Legion. Through will or force.”
The Legion would then remain cloaked in shadow. Using its influence to shift events to its favor.
Nothing brazen, not unless a show of force had to be made. On most days one could be forgiven for even forgetting they could be lurking anywhere.
They could be anyone.
But there was one in particular who would not forget.
She would fight.
_______________________________________
Rika Bennet awoke in her quarters on Shinbone Station. An old space station kept by a crew of maintenance bots and forgotten by the galaxy. It made for a handy place to rest.
“Good morning Rika.” A voice echoed in her head
Rondo was the name she gave to a sentient mass of alien nanomachines, a Nanoshroud.
They had met a few years back, when she found his capsule and the ship that held him at her old ship breaking gig.
With Rondo’s advanced technology, they had a neural link allowing them to communicate.
“Good mornin’.” Rika replied “How’re my bumps and bruises?”
“I have repaired the damage sustained in your last bout. However, I must still suggest that you be less reckless.”
“Noted, but I still think it's funner to cut loose.”
Rika had a portion of Rondo’s Nanoshroud inside her. They performed various functions, like their neurolink, healing, reinforcement and others. Pretty useful when battling the Legion.
She dressed herself before grabbing her large belt and put it on.
Surrounding the belt were sealed capsules filled with portions of Rondo’s Nanoshroud to be used as needed.
She adjusted it slightly and headed out the door.
She made her way down the slightly dingy halls of Shinbone Station, occasionally sidestepping out of a maintenance bots way.
Shinbone Station was an old jump off point for exploring that sector of space.
However, once it became clear that there was nothing of value in the area, the station and its machines were abandoned and forgotten.
“Rika,” Rondo said, “We have received a message from Sigil.”
“Blackstone, huh? Didn't expect another call so soon. We'll check it out on the ship.” Rika replied
The hanger doors swung open and revealed her ship waiting inside, the Nightingale.A ship of an unknown make or class, Rika came to own it by chance.
Found drifting through space, it was brought to a breaker yard by scrappers looking to make a buck. The same yard Rika was working at, as fate would have it.
It was there that she found a way inside and met Rondo. After that, her life changed forever.
Not too far away from her ship were a pair of friends she picked up in her adventures. The wandering android Revy, and the handyman engineer Duncan Clearwater.
“You know she doesn't like you trying to fiddle with the ship.” Revy said to Duncan as he felt around the dark hull of the Nightingale.
“Yes, but it's also a ship completely unknown to the galaxy at large. So you'll have to forgive my continued curiosity.”
Revy noticed Rika approaching and gave Duncan a quick seat on the shoulder. He looked at Revy before turning and quickly standing up straight when he noticed her coming over.
“Oh, hey Rika.” He said in a failed attempt to be nonchalant
“Don't bother, I already saw ya.” Rika said with a slight smile
“Aw, I wouldn't damage it.”
“Course not, you'd just take it apart to see what makes her hum.”
“I could put it back together…probably…”
“I'm sure.”
“Some things just gotta stay mysteries, pal.” Revy said, patting him on the shoulder
“Maybe just a little bit of the Nanoshroud?” Duncan asked
“Not my call.” replied Rika as the Nightingale’s ramp lowered
“Got another lead, do ya?” Revy asked
“Maybe. Still gotta check with Blackstone.”
“Good hunting then” Revy said with a wink
Rika gave a quick salute and smiled as she headed up the ramp.
“Aw shucks.” She heard Duncan say as the ramp began to raise
“Don't worry, I'll keep ya company.” Revy told him as the ramp closed and sealed
The loading bay had a few crates here and there, not that she had that much. But more importantly, it housed her air bike, the Hurricane.
She'd had it for years and was like a precious companion to her. She was riding it when she met Revy out in the middle of nowhere.
It was how she had met Duncan when it got busted up good and he managed to fix it up good as new.
She headed further in, entering the central chamber. In the center of the room was the large containment unit housing the gently rippling sphere of condensed nanites that was Rondo.
Or rather, most of him. They were in the ship, they were in her belt, they made up her jacket, and they were even in her. She trusted him, she supposed she had to.
To be honest, she didn't know all that much about Rondo. He didn't mind sharing details of what he could do or what he knew about certain things.
However he refused to explain HOW he or the Nightingale worked or their origins. If repairs or anything were needed he would dictate specific instructions.
Any attempts to glean information would be met with silence.
“Rika,” said Rondo, the sphere quivering as he spoke, “would you like me to make contact with Blackstone?”
“Go for it.” Rika replied as she moved to the cockpit and sat down at the com-station.
Sigil.
Allegedly an organization dedicated to counteracting the Legion. They were secretive, hard to contact, and even harder to trace.
However, they'd been helpful in the past, finding ways to supply her with things she might need in her fight against the Legion.
However, she had only ever been in contact with one member.
Blackstone.
They mostly communicated over comms, and the very few times they had met in person, he was wearing some sort of sleek space suit.
Hell, I might not have even been him for real. Either way, he hadn't led her astray yet. She supposed she had to trust him too.
A strange, circular symbol appeared on the screen, the emblem of sigil.
“Well hello there Rika,” said the voice of Blackstone, “I'm glad you got my message.”
“You got something for me?”
“Straight to business I see, shame. Never time for pleasantries"
“Would you actually tell me anything about yourself?”
“Mmmm, maybe, someday.”
“That's what I thought. Whatcha got?"
“A new mining operation has started up on one of the frontier worlds. Rare metals and the like. Little globe doesn't even have a proper name.
From the sound of it, the Legion has sent an enforcer of sorts to strong arm the mining groups into diverting portions of the cash flow and resources up to the Legion.”
“You know anything about this “enforcer”?”
“Very little, I'm afraid, beyond that I'm told he's quite strong physically. I guess they mean “strong arming” literally."
“Send me the coordinates, I'll check it out.”
“As always I have the utmost faith in you.”
The screen turned off and she leaned back in the seat
“We've received the planet's coordinates, and the town Sigil believes the Legion will appear next.” said Rondo
“Then let's spool up the star drive and hit the spaceways.” she replied as she took her seat in the pilots seat
The Nightingale began to rise in the hanger of Shinbone Station, slowly passing through the docking field and entering open space.
She watched space shimmer for a moment before the star drive roared to life and she felt the ship lurch and she was off.
The way she figured, the Nightingale's alien star drive allowed to fly outside space, or something like that.
However it worked, it let her fly faster than any other ship in the galaxy.
At least that she knew of. No need for jump gates or the like, very useful.
A few hours passed before they dropped back into normal space within view of the planet. Most detection systems weren't able to register her ship coming and going.
Again, very useful. They followed Blackstone's coordinates and landed a distance from the town they suspected would be visited next
She headed down into the loading bay. A stream of nanites drifted down from above.
They swirled around, growing and combining before forming a helmet and gently resting in her outstretched arms.
“Thanks partner.” Rika said, sliding the helmet on
“Your safety is important.” Rondo replied
The ramp began to lower as she climbed on the Hurricane. She started it up and it rose up off the ground.
She checked gauges, hit a couple switches and with a quick rev of the engine she was down the ramp and speeding along the dusty surface of the planet.
Rika never tired of this feeling. The speed. The air whipping past her. The world speeding beneath her as she raced towards the ever distant horizon.
But it can never last for ever as soon she found herself approaching the outskirts of the mining town, set up by whatever company that ran this particular operation.
She parked behind a storage shed and hit a couple more switches to activate the Hurricane's security systems.
She took off her helmet and watched as it reconstructed itself into a scarf and wrapped around her neck.
“You're a fan of this look, huh Rondo?” Rika said
“It suits you.” Rondo replied in her mind
They moseyed into town, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Though that was easier said than done. Anyone there could be a member of the legion.
Carefully she made her way deeper into the company town until the sounds of the hustle and bustle were cut short by a crash and a yell.
“Alright people, listen up!” Boomed a voice from the center of a now gathering crowd
A large and imposing man stood over another laying on the ground.
“As I was just explaining to your foreman here, it is my absolute pleasure…” he paused, giving the man at his feet a quick kick,
“to let you all know that this operation is now generously contributing to the Legion of Planet Hell!”
The crowd murmured and exchanged glances.
“Now, it's quite simple, really.” The man continued, “You'll be told exactly what to do, you'll do it, and most importantly, you’ll keep quiet. You do all that and this will all run smoothly.
He slowly looked over the crowd.
“Ah, but perhaps I'm sending a bit of trepidation here? Maybe you all don't believe me. Well, let's fix that, shall we?”
He snapped his fingers. Several men in the crowd quickly stood at attention and pounded their chest with their fist.
They seemed to flicker for a moment before changing to reveal themselves as Legion footsoldiers. Hollow combatants created and existing only to serve the Legion.
Outfitted in combat gear and featureless hoods, they began to grab and toss about the workers gathered around.
Rika felt a hand seize her arm, but she was quick to deliver a quick punch to the combatants face with her free arm.
The hollow man reeled back as she followed up with a straight kick to send it tumbling back. Rondo's nanites really let her pack a wallop.
A second combatant charged her, only to be quickly seized and slammed into the ground, with a third faring no better.
Their leader soon took notice and let out a shrill whistle. The soldiers quickly stood at attention once more before leaping away and giving them space.
The large man stepped forward as a pair of workers dragged the foreman away.
“And who might you be, missy?” He asked
“Just a concerned passerby, I guess.” She said with a shrug and putting her hands in her jacket pockets
“Heh. ‘course you are.” He said with an amused smile as began to pace around, “Just a passerby, all the way out here? You don't look like a miner. So what are you doing here?”
He frowned
“You a Star Marshal?"
“Nah, they kicked me outta the academy.” She replied with another shrug, though she couldn't hide the slight grin as she said it
The man laughed.
“Well that makes two of us. They kicked me off the force for “use of excessive force” and “behavior unbecoming of an officer”, if you can believe it.”
“Oh, I can believe it alright.”
“So, you aren't a Marshal, and you just so happened to be here at the same time as us. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you knew we'd be here. So who are you then?”
She didn't answer.
“You get one chance, now talk."
She smiled, removing her hands from her jacket and resting one on her belt.
“Make me.”
“With pleasure.” The man grinned as he tore off his shirt
Embedded in his chest was what appeared to be a mass of red metal. He held his arm out to the side.
“For the glory of Planet Hell!”
He pounded the metal with his fist. Rika watched as it slowly began to spread and cover his whole body.
“Any idea what this is, Rondo?” Rika thought via their link
“None, perhaps there is more credence to the existence of Planet Hell than presumed.” Rondo replied
The man clenched his fists a few times and rolled his shoulders.
“Last chance, girl.” He said
She flicked a switch on her belt and the capsules surrounding it burst open.
The Nanoshroud swirled around her at high speed, with her jacket and scarf disassembling and joining as well.
The remaining workers used this as their chance to flee.
“Fist of the Cosmos! Enshroud and Fight!”
At once the swirling mass converged on Rika.
It took mere seconds for the nanites to morph and shape themselves before Rika was clad head to toe in her black power armor, complete with the scarf that Rondo was so fond of.
The eyes of her lupine helmet lit up as she took a readied stance.
“Oh damn, it's you! Get her!" He yelled
The combatants attacked at once, but they were all cast aside with quick, powerful, yet seemingly effortless blows.
As the last of them fell, there was a spark in their chests as their body quickly consumed by a tiny singularity, a black hole.
This was what happened to all Legion operatives when defeated, so as to leave no evidence.
Her metal foe rushed forward and threw a punch with Rika throwing out her own in response.
A loud clang rang out as their fists met, the air filled with the creaking of straining metal.
They pulled their fists back and lunged forward, locking hands and grappling.
With a quick burst of effort she flung his hands to sides and smashed him in the gut, causing him to slide.
“Damn, that actually kinda hurt.” He said with a smile
“Don’t worry, there's more where that came from.”
She leapt back and planted her feet. The ground seemed to explode as she pushed off with blistering speed.
Time seemed to slow as her opponent watched helplessly as her fist made its way towards him and connected with his jaw. He spun in place and she was gone.
Not for long, of course, as he was hammered by another blow from behind. And then a third, a fourth, and several more.
He couldn't keep up, feebly trying to guard against blows he couldn't see coming. But after a few moments, the blows stopped. He looked around, no sign of her, until he looked up.
There was Rika, high up in the sky. Rondo formed on her back and activated, sending her rocketing back downwards.
“Meteor Kick!”
“Ah damn…” he grumbled
He tried to guard, but it was no use. He crumpled under the sheer force of the kick.
She jumped away as she watched his chest flash and his body disappear into a singularity.
She lingered for a moment, before turning and heading back to the edge of town.
The miners slowly began to come out of their hiding places.
They watched her climb on the Hurricane before one of them stepped forward.
“Um, excuse me.” He said
She turned to look at him.
“Thank you for that, for saving us. We've heard the stories out here, of someone like you. Is it true, are you the Cosmo Fighter?"
She stared for a moment.
“Yeah.” She said “I suppose I am.”
The Hurricanes engine whined as she rode off.
Back to the fight.