EPISODE XXXVIII - CUZ' THEY'RE TWO IDENTICAL COUSINS, CONNECTED BY THE SPINE
Sgt. Stauch, who had been quietly conversing with Lt. Krashaki, became concerned when Broski and Mr. Siddons ran past, screaming, in the direction of their transport ship. He looked
at the pilot who seemed nonplussed.
"Does he do that a lot?", Stauch asked, trying to sound calm.
Krashaki smiled at him, "Do what?"
"Run around and scream."
Krashaki turned his head to follow the rapidly departing duo. "Nah", he replied calmly, "I've never seen him do that before."
Stauch watched with growing horror as both men dove into the ship and began pulling at the doors. He grabbed the pilot and began to run for the transport yelling at Broski.
"DON'T SHUT THAT DAMNED DOOR!!"
Broski looked back to see the sergeant pulling Krashaki behind him, and after a brief internal debate, ran back out to assist his superior, cursing reflexively as he went. Together they managed to get Krashaki
on board and secured the hatch behind them.
"What the hell's going on?", Stauch demanded.
Broski's breath rasped within his lungs. "We gotta... get off... this planet...", he said between breaths, "...gonna...blow up."
Stauch, marking this date in his memory as the worst day of his life, turned to check on Krashaki. The pilot lay still, breathing normally, his eyes wide opened. Broski looked over his shoulder.
"Is he in shock?", the corporal asked quietly.
"I don't know", the sergeant admitted. He shook the pilot's shoulder. "Are you alright?"
Krashaki looked over at Stauch, "Yeah Sarge, I'm fine."
Stauch's face turned a deep shade of red. "Then why are you laying on the floor?", he asked through clenched teeth, "and why did we have to carry you onto the ship?"
"I thought you guys were having a training exercise or something", Krashaki replied.
Stauch swallowed his anger. "This planet is about to explode..."
"Yeah", Krashaki interrupted, "I heard."
"...and", Stauch continued slowly, "we would like to be away when it does."
"Oh", the pilot said, breaking through the fog, "no problem."
He stood, moved to the pilot's seat, and began to push buttons. The ship began to vibrate and hum with life. Krashaki turned to his passengers.
"You may want to strap yourselves in", he suggested, "this thing takes off pretty..."
His sentence was cut off by the roar of the twin turbine, grav-engines as the ship lurched forward, plastering the three unseated passengers against the rear bulkhead.
"Hang on", Krash yelled over the din,, "this could get weird."
A blinding light flashed from below them. "I think the planet just exploded", Krashaki informed his semiconscious crew mates.
Stauch managed to pull his head from the wall. "Are we going to make it", he bellowed to the pilot.
"That all depends", Krashaki replied loudly, "on if we're far enough away."
The ship began to shake as it rocketed toward the planet's atmosphere. The temperature inside increased dramatically as the shock wave caught the small vessel, and flames shot past them through the sky, transforming
the ship into a massive fireball.
