When last we left our daring hero, he, and his fellow officers, had been knocked to the ground...

Gathering his bearing, Commander Reed helped the commando to his feet.

"You've rumpled my stylish uniform some, trooper, yet I believe I owe you a debt of gratitude.  What's your name, son?", Reed queried.

"Stauch, sir.  Sergeant Stauch", the commando replied.

"Well Mr. Stauch, I hereby promote you to the rank of sergeant."

"But I'm already a sergeant", the trooper muttered, not wanting to insult his captain.

"So be it, then!", Reed barked, and grabbing his hand held plasma cannon from its hip holster, turned the corner, unleashing violent destruction on the enemy.

The belch of the cannon echoed throughout the ship, and when no shots were returned, Reed motioned for the recently promoted Sgt. Stauch to check it out.  Utilizing all of his elite, space commando training, Stauch moved forward through the wreckage until he found the charred smear on the wall that must have been their assailant.  On the floor nearby was a pulse rifle which Stauch recognized as the AZ-13 Brainsplatterer...the weapon of choice for Wyzenhymer ground troops.  Indeed this was a trap.  Returning to his captain's side, he related this information.  Reed called the USS Escort as he and his companions raced for their pods.

"Mr. Schultz, it seems as though we've stumbled into a trap", he warned.  "Prepare to retrieve landing pods and go to full alert."

"Aye aye, sir."  Schultz punched the codes that would alert the crew of potential battle, then entered the sequence which would engage the "Suck Beam", enabling them to retrieve the small ships Reed and his landing party were drawing near the landing docks when a Wyzenhymer *Com-Bot stepped into their path.

"HALTORBEVAYPORIZED", came its metallic, monosyllabic order.

Reed resignedly aimed his phaser preparing to fire, having spent all six rounds of his plasma cannon, and knowing the robot's armor was most likely too resistant for their phasers, but Spunky attacked first.  The small cyber-canine burst forth, it's hydraulic jaws clamping onto the rifle mounted on the Com-Bot's right arm.  The rifle erupted as the robot tried to rid itself of its tormentor, spraying deadly particle beams in every direction.

Reed threw himself an Lieutenant Scott to the ground.  Proteau dove forward, aiming a strange mechanical device at the Com-Bot.  Sgt. Stauch took aim at the mechanical menace, but was thrown violently to the ground by Mr. Jeffy, sustaining a concussion as a result.  A violent thrash of its robotic limb sent Spunky skidding across the flight deck toward the open dock bay doors.  Proteau engaged the strange gadget in his hand, and the Com-Bot sagged, slowed, and then was motionless.

"I magnetized this corridor, so the robot can't move.", Proteau stated proudly, getting up.  "We should be relatively unaffected as most of our equipment is synthetic by design, and..."

The relative quiet was shattered by the renewed blasts from the technological monstrosity.  Though unable to lift its limbs, the Com-Botwas able to fire the rifle.  Partical beams shot forth from it's appendage, blasting through the floor, creating an ever widening gorge that let out into space.