Golden Shrapnel

The bulky guards, dressed in black tactile gear with skull masks, moved their fingers close to their triggers. They stood on the snow near a spaceship as the cold wind flapped their clothing. A few small rectangular buildings were by the snowy hills, and some cargo boxes were around them. An alien merchant named Robby stepped outside the buildings and walked toward the spaceship.

A gray alien named Vile, who wore robotic armor, carried a suitcase next to the guards. As they walked from his spaceship, a tiny, blinking tracking device, which had the picture of a cartoon bomb, was attached to the back of Vile’s ship.

Robby said, “No one better have followed you. I don’t want to deal with Nova, that human pirate, who killed the infamous bounty hunter, or even that psycho woman obsessed with bombs. They both been causing trouble to the economy.”

Vile said, “Don’t worry. We’re safe. Now, I’m here for that invention you’ve created from those stolen plans. The one that can make you fly.”

Near the cargo boxes, an alien laid on the snow with a punctured hole in his chest. Nova, a browned haired woman with a leather jacket, who hid behind the many cargo boxes, chuckled while placing her sword in her holster. Nova said, “You’re never safe as long as I’m around.” Nova opened the boxes and saw jewelry, gold, and a pair of gravity boots. While she placed the precious items into her bag, Nova spotted and grabbed the pair of gravity boots and said, “Strange. I don’t need these.” Nova then threw them away onto the snow.

A man named Mark, who wore a black bandana on his head, stumbled on a rock and pushed Nova’s back. Nova’s face smacked some stacked cargo, moving the boxes slightly, and the jewelry from her bag tumbled onto the snow. Nova swiped Mark’s collar. ” Watch it. You’re going to get us caught.”

Mark said, “My bad. We’re just a bit uneasy about the guards.”

Frowning, Nova said, “There’s nothing to worry about.”

Another crew member said, “These are no ordinary guards, captain. They’re the elites. It’s wise if we go.”

Nova stared at the jewels on the snow, and her bag that was half empty. She raced to pick up the gems, and she said, “No, I want to deplete these scum bags for what they’ve done to me.”

Mark said, “Captain, please. We can find a safer way.”

Nova growled and said, “Never, I was born in poverty working hard labor for those gray faced savages.” Nova grabbed a handful of jewels, and they glittered on her face as she glared at her crew. “My opportunity’s here now. I deserve this!”

Something clicked, and some nets soared, entangling Nova and her crew. Black shoes stepped toward Nova as she wrestled with the net.

Vile said, “Your days are over, pirate. I’m sure your rulers will be happy to see the escaped slave that’s been causing trouble.”

Nova said, “You’d better watch your neck.”

Vile chuckled and said, “Oh, really?” Vile lifted his wrist and pressed a button. The electricity ran through the net.

As the net zapped Nova and her crew, their screams echoed into the hills.

Vile said, “Know your place, worm.” While Vile laughed, a guard shouted to him.

The guard held the tracking device that was stuck on Vile’s spaceship, and gave it to Vile, but when Robby saw the bomb image, terror filled his eyes.

A guard’s eyes widened, and he pointed to the hills.

Robby looked, and his mouth fell open.

All the guards lifted up their rifles and aimed at a light purple-skinned woman on the hill, who wore a tactile vest and a beanie with goggles. A few grenades hung from her clothing.

The woman smirked, and she said, “I can feel my excitement bubbling up inside.” She placed her finger above her lip and chuckled.

Vile said to Robby, “What’s going on?”

When the electricity stopped, Nova’s vibrating hand moved toward her sword in her holster.

Robby’s skinned turned pale, and he said, “It’s ... Frag!”

Frag giggled and said, “It’s not nice to steal my plans, mister merchant.”

The guards fired their energy weapons, and the red lasers swooshed toward Frag, who stood on the hill. As the red light shined on Frag’s face, the outline of her sneakers glowed white. The energy beams crashed, and the snow sprung up into the air like powder.

After Nova yanked her red energy blade from her holster, she ripped the net to shreds and slashed the nets that entangled her crew. While most of the guards searched for Frag on the hills, a few of them fired laser beams at Nova, but she dodged the attacks and struck them with her sword. Grabbing her bag from the snow, she raced to the cargo, but Mark tugged on her arm. Nova said, “What’re you doing?”

Mark said, “This is the perfect time to leave, captain.”

Nova flung Mark’s hand away, and said, “I won’t take long.” She dashed toward the cargo.

Mark said, “No, don’t do it.”

The snowy cloud disappeared, and Frag levitated in the air with her gravity sneakers. Frag said, “Talk about a great way to greet your guest. I’ll crash your little party.” Frag pulled a remote control from her pocket and pressed the button.

While Nova threw loads of jewels and gold into her bags, and as she discovered another pair of gravity boots, the ground rumbled, and on the hill, the snow sprung up as a stampede of sheep, strapped with lit dynamite, raced down. Losing balance, all of the jewels and gold tumbled onto the snow. Yelling and pulling her hair, Nova’s fingers sprinted toward them.

When the ground shook, and as the guard’s struggle to fire at the sheep, Frag watched as Mark and the crew struggled to pull Nova, who was trying to get all the jewels she dropped.

Nova said, “No, let go of me.” Suddenly, a grenade dropped from the sky and landed into Nova’s bag. Dropping the bag, Nova dived, and it exploded. As smoke surrounded Nova, and as pieces of jewelry smacked into her face, her eyes watered, and she shed a tear. Frag appeared inside the smoky area, levitating in the air as she bounced a grenade in her palm.

Frag said, “Nova, the space pirate. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Nova said, “You idiot. Look at what you’ve done.”

Frag chuckled. “Oh, dear. I’m sorry. It must’ve slipped from my hand.”

Nova swung her sword, but Frag evaded and flew around her while giggling.

Frag said, “You pirates are all the same. Selfish trash of the universe.”

“Shut up! You ruined everything,” said Nova. Nova jerked her energy gun, and she fired multiple shots as Frag flew and hid in the smoke.

Frag’s eyes appeared from the smoke as she glared and said, “You remind me of my former captain. I’ll show you the vanity of your efforts, you greedy hog.”

Nova snarled, and something clanked on the ground. A grenade rolled near her boots, and she dived as it detonated. As Nova arose, she could hear her crew calling her name, but then suddenly, many explosions made the ground rumble.

Stumbling, Vile and the guards emerged from the smoke as the sheep, strapped with lit dynamite, chased them. The bombs exploded, vaporizing Robby and some of the guards. Nova flew from the shockwaves and slammed into some of the cargo boxes. The boxes dropped, and all the jewels landed on her body. As the sheep bleat, more of them exploded, and Vile, throwing his hands in the air, ran into his spaceship as Frag’s laughter echoed.

Vile said to drivers, “Go, go, go. She’s crazy!”

While the spaceship arose, Frag returned to the hill, and she struggled to lift her bazooka like weapon. “Oh, how I love seeing things go kaboom!” Frag laughed. The missile appeared from the barrel, and it had googly eyes with a big smile. The rocket ripped the air, and it soared toward the spaceship. The spaceship exploded and descended.

As Nova massaged her head, and while her crew shouted her name, Nova stuffed her pockets, but as she removed the jewels, a bleating sheep’s head popped out, and it stuck its tongue out at Nova.

Screaming, Nova sprinted, and as she tried to contain the jewels from leaving her pockets, the bomb exploded, and the shockwaves thrusted her body, causing her to hit her head on the ground. She knocked out.

Laying on the floor, Nova awoke inside a prison. Nova had cuts on her arms, and her jacket was torn up as well as her black jeans. Ropes held many baskets that carried gold and the jewelry that belonged to Robby. The glittery gold reflected into Nova’s eyes, and her hands reached for it, but as Nova’s fingers moved toward the gold, the rope lifted the basket.

Nova growled and dived toward the baskets, but the ropes kept lifting. A screen lowered and it activated, displaying Frag’s face as she raddled the camera to adjusted it. Nova said, “You’re a stupid fool. You’re going to pay for this.”

Frag smirked. “Oh, what? You didn’t like my gift baskets. How rude. And here I was trying to be nice.”

“You better get me out of here before I--”

Frag laughed abruptly and said, “Oooh, the pirates making threats behind the bars. Well, Nova, it’s time to show you who’s in charge.”

In the ceiling, openings appeared, and the baskets shot up into the holes. In the screen, a room appeared where the gold and jewelry dropped into a pile near dynamite.”

Nova said, “You ... You’re insane! Do you have any idea how much that’s worth?”

“Oh, it gets much, much better. Looky who I got.”

Mark and her crew hung on the wall with chains wrapped around their wrist. The bombs next to them had frowning, googly eyes.

Nova’s fist tightened. “Why didn’t you kill us in the first place?”

“Killing an unconscious foe is no fun. Better to see the emotion on their face when the time hits zero. But you, captain, I want to see you self-destruct internally.” Raddling the camera, and as Frag laughed, the prison bars lowered, and the screen shut off.