Though Mr. Jeffy's initial attack missed its mark, it served to spur Broski and Marx into action. As the hapless engineering officer vaulted past the looming presence of DANA,
Broski swung his injured fist at the androids jaw, connecting squarely and breaking the knuckles of that hand.
At the same time, Marx rushed forward barreling into DANA's unyielding abdomen, separating his shoulder for the effort. Both enlisted men staggered back to reassess their impromptu assault. From behind
the automaton came a blood curdling cry as Jeffy once again leapt toward DANA.
The android turned at the sound of Jeffy's approach, grabbing the engineering officer by his medical gown as he soared through the air. The flimsy garment tore free as Jeffy's mass and velocity impacted against
the mechanical threat, surprising him and throwing him off balance. They fell to the ground in a mass of flailing arms and legs. Broski and Marx joined the fray, pummeling the prone enemy and,
unwittingly, Jeffy himself.
"Geez, guys", Jeffy yelled, twisting away from the battle and readjusting his sciveys, "cut it out!!"
He stood and was about to rejoin the combat, when DANA rose swiftly, an enlisted man held by the throat in each of his metallic hands.
"DESIST, BIOLOGICS", the android ordered, "Or I will be forced to constrict your air passages." Both men stopped flailing, their feet dangling inches above the ground.
"What're you gonna do?", Marx croaked, his hands locked on DANA's wrist to relieve the pressure to his neck.
"I plan to relieve you of your petty existence", the bio-mech answered casually.
"Not if I have anything to say about it." Jeffy stood a few feet away, his hands on his hips, wearing nothing but a pair of Space Fleet underwear and a determined expression. He took a bold step
forward, looking up at DANA's red, gleaming eyes. "It looks like you've got your hands full, pal", he pointed out with a newly found bravado, "and now your going to have to deal with the Jeffster."
He doubled up his fist and reached back, preparing to deliver a massive blow.
Just then, a compartment slid open in the middle of DANA's chest, revealing a small, but certainly deadly
particle cannon, which he aimed at the engineering officer, by an unnatural twist of his torso.
"Ah, heck", Jeffy exclaimed, hitting the deck.
A blast of pure energy shot forth from the weapon, blazing a path through where Jeffy had just been, and destroying the wall on the opposite side of the room. The uniquely, high pitched squeals of panicked
women could be heard over the falling rubble.
Jeffy rolled over to survey the damage and noted, with some surprise, that the adjacent compartment held the enlisted women's showers. Lost in the vision before him, the engineering officer didn't hear the
low scrape of DANA's footsteps until the monstrosity was right on him. He turned over onto his back as the android's shadow fell over him, his eyes drawn to the still
smoldering barrel of the particle cannon.
