CHAPTER 6: THE PIT OF DOOM
Ragefish cracked her neck as she viciously walked down her station corridors towards the DM officers chamber. She entered the room to see her officers awaiting her answer on what was to happen with LEF. Their team had a unique dynamic which challenged one another. She stepped in to see Leatherface sitting in an aggressive stance, adjacent to her. He rose from his chair with a face of pure fury. He looked at his boys and turned his head back to her.
The officers arose as they began to a circle around the two making a pit of doom. Rage fish began to stretch and in preparation. Leatherface smiled as he too readied himself for an ancestral tradition in the DM team. The “Pit of Doom” was called up when a member would challenge the leadership. The core of DM didn’t fear change, so challenges to the leadership – kept their alliance alive and inventive. Redrum watched as the two circled each other like wild beasts and sent an alliance wide transmission.
*The pit of doom is upon us. You are summoned to witness the champion*
Whoever won the pit of doom was crowned the new leader. Ragefish welcomed these challenges. Finally the two stopped walking and turned to face each other with a circular crown surrounding them.
“Give me your best shot!” Ragefish looked at Leather with intense eyes. He smiled then quickly drew out a missile blaster and shot the column next to her sending debris flying into the air. She dipped, dived and dodged the blast as she rolled to the side. She grabbed out her signature metallic whip and wrapped it around his foot then yanked him back. His back hit the floor but pushed him slightly out of the pit. The crowd cheered.
Most thought the pit of doom was a time DM killed its own members. But in reality, the pit of doom was a time where they unleashed their frustrations of the scarce resources, the intense political climate and extraneous bull shit they were tired of putting up with. Leather starred at the ceiling as Ragefish moved forward and stood over him. He shifted his body and threw himself back up. She grabbed his shoulder as he flipped her over his back and pinned her down.
Her stern expression grew into a huge smile. “Did you let manhunter back in?”
“Yes…” Leather stood over her out of breath but mildly amused.
She began to laugh as she maneuvered her body up and ask with a smile, “So Leather…you changed your mind?” Leatherface furrowed his brows and pursed his lips. He hated to admit that Ragefish had been right about her instincts on Manhunter, but couldn’t deny he was a unique recruit. The rest of the officers left to finish off a few duties around their galaxy. Leatherface and Ragefish got up and brushed themselves off from the fight. They began to walk down the space station corridors. Finally, after some small talk, Leather face began to express his concerns.
“Fish – I’m concerned about a few things…” Leather genuinely cared about the alliance. He felt a sense of gratitude for his home here since Red had found him in the abandoned space station.
“Listen, Manhunter told me something about LEF. He said they sent someone here to observe our team. He isn’t sure who. But we need to be on watch for a spy!” A siren began to ring.
The AI Lars came on the intercom.
“Ragefish, two officers have been targets of mass terror. Officer Imp Badge 3-4-0-7-2 and Officer AK47 Badge 3-4-0-6-8. Station HP’s have been depleted in both sectors”.
Both Leatherface and Ragefish looked towards one another in horror. They starred out the space station window as they saw debris of two of their officer’s drift past them. The DM team began an emergency medical rescue mission. Using unique fleets – they were able to collect unique items. The first set of fleet collected the officers themselves. The second collected ship parts they could recycle. They rushed the two officers to their medical health station.
After countless hours, Lars announced on the intercom.
*For those you waiting; in the medical station room. We have both officers back in revived conditions. Your continued patience is appreciated*
The officers stood in the medical health station as Gloryhole pulled out his wrist guard.
“Guys… I witnessed the whole thing. Check this shit out.” He passed around a visor to the fellow officers. Once they each put their visors on, they began to see the initial fight. Imp and Ak47 had been on strategic covenant kill missions. The group watch the replay of the events through the perspective of Imps fleets.
*Imp was starring to his left as he flew into a spiral pattern upwards. Suddenly Ak47 blew past him upwards and shot a missile blast. The brilliant ball of energy smashed into a large covenant ship which evaporated into resource debris. “Crystal is mine bro, you have the rest” Imp began to collect as he turned to the left. Ak47 began to send drones to the resources collection location. He looked up to see Imps fleets were staggering looking frozen. He turned around to see a large missile blasting them back. Ak47 engaged emergency shields on his fleet. They barely withstood the significant blast and it left the two incapacitated. Two LEF drones shot by like wasps to determine the damage then warped back to their mothership.*
Gloryhole removed his visor and waited for everyone else to finish watching the visor presentation. The rest of the team took their visors off.
“They fucking attacked OUR guy Fish”. Glory stopped as he shook his head down in angst.
“They just entered a whole new pit of doom…” She looked forward and began to sit with her officers as they brainstormed their team strategy.