| Prologue Hannahoko stood within her castle walls surveying her vast kingdom. It seemed like only yesterday that her planet was at the height of its glory and now it practically lay in shambles. How had this happened? She asked herself this question again and again. How could her faithful ally the Russians suddenly betray her? Obviously they had been faking their alliance from the start, she told herself, but how could she have been so blind to this fact? Below her, her faithful elfin subjects were picking through rubble that used to be their homes. There was absolutely nothing she could do. Up until this point her planet had been chiefly peaceful and she had no use for a large army. It was hopeless to think she could withstand Russian forces now. Footsteps echoed through the halls as a person neared Hannah's quarters. She made no effort to turn around- she already knew who it was. A young man cockily strode into where Hannahoko was standing. He had a strong build and an array of yellow-and-teal hair sat spiked on his head. It was obvious by his expression that he thought highly of himself. "Hannahoko," said the young man, "I have news." "It is customary to call a Royal Highness 'your majesty,' Commander," Hannahoko countered. She was not usually one to squabble over formalities but with Anday she needed to make sure he stayed in his place. "Your majesty," Anday corrected himself somewhat mockingly, "I have important news." "Continue," Hannahoko replied her back still turned to him. "Your friend Matt is on his way to Neptune. He will arrive tomorrow, and he requests an audience with you." Hannahoko turned around sharply, a look of shock on her face. "Are you kidding me Anday? Because if you are.." Anday laughed outwardly at the Queen, "No 'your majesty' I am not joshin' you." Finally some news had come to brighten the Queen's day. Her and Matt had been well-known friends since before Hannahoko had left to rule Neptune. "The Kidd is coming to visit? Anday, here is something to lift everyone's spirit! Tell the elves to start a feast with the food rations we have left. The matters of state can stay on hold until after supper tomorrow." Chapter One The darkly clad figure stared through the cockpit window at the sight before him. As he approached the blue gas giant's hidden surface, all he could do was stare. It had been ages since the one called the Kidd had been to Neptune. What had happened? The last time he had been here, Neptune had been a planet full of beautiful cities and towns; a planet home to hardworking lovable elves, turtles, penguins, and of course hamsters. Now, though, as he steered the Sudden Dawn toward the once glorious capital city, Balthasaar, a lump settled in his throat. He tried to make out the silhouette of the crystal castle but to no avail. The dust rising from the ruins was to thick to see very far. His instrument panel, however, indicated that the crystalline palace stood 3 kilometers to the east, and he adjusted accordingly. As he approached the beautiful palace, he was surprised and pleased that the castle had not been laid to waste as well. Had it not been for the shield generators around the palace grounds, he was sure it would have been destroyed as well. Some evil attacker had come to destroy the peaceful Elfin people, but Matt found it hard to believe anything could get past the Queen's sharp mind, and certainly not past the Planetary Defense system devised by Neptune's powerful ally, Russia. "Chibibacca!" he suddenly called. "Chibibacca!" A muffled growl of annoyance followed by a small blur of fur swooping down of the instrument panels answered his call. The small flying squirrel alighted on his right shoulder. His blond and black stripped fur shimmered with the reflection of the blue atmosphere, and his large black eyes darted with interest over the city below. The Kidd's faithful sidekick was abandoned years ago as the runt of his family. Matt had rescued him from near starvation years before, and an inseparable bond had formed between them almost instantly. "We're almost to Queen Hannahoko's castle on the edge of the city, Chibi," Matt said. "When we arrive, we are probably going to have to do some work, helping the Queen and her Elf Lords clean up this planet." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "The Kidd's ship has just entered the shield zone, my liege," a servant announced to the Queen. "He will be landing in bay 216. Shall I call an elf to take you there?" "Yes, right away," she answered, "and send Commander Stamatkin and his squadron as a royal escort to his ship. We want him to feel welcome." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anday accelerated his XLT Samurai to intercept the Sudden Dawn for escort. His wing mates followed his direction. "Wraith Leader to Sudden Dawn," he spoke into the microphone. "On behalf of Queen Hannahoko and the entire planet of Neptune, we welcome you with great pleasure as a royal guest. Please follow my coordinates exactly, and we will have you through the defense shield very soon." Anday pulled his Samurai into a small starboard turn, and the Sudden Dawn followed without reply, heading for the royal bay 216. The Kidd landed the Sudden Dawn with perfected ease. Anday already began to walk across the marble landing bay. His body language expressed a great awareness of his physical strength. A short young man slowly walked out of the Sudden Dawn. He tilted his sunglasses down to survey the area. From inside his ship the music of Linkin Park, a band from Earth, was blaring. "You Kidd?" Anday asked looking downward at the pilot. Matt half-laughed, "I can see you've been talking to Hannahoko. My name is Matt Ballenger." He put his hand out to shake Anday's. "Anday," said the young man with teal-streaked blonde hair. The latter grasped Matt's hand so tight he had to pull it quickly away. "That's quite a grip you have on you, Anday." A smug look crossed the taller boy's face. Anday sized the pilot up further. The Kidd had striking metallic blue hair. He also had a small build and appeared scarcely taller than the Queen herself. Stuck to his shirt were what seemed to be lint balls, and jumping from the ship to his shoulder was a flying squirrel. Matt had a very nonchalant stance about him and he abounded in self-confidence. Not the cocky self-confidence that Anday had a great deal of, but the real self-confidence, the kind that showed comfortability with oneself. This was the most important thing that Anday noticed and it was the thing he despised most about the pilot. Even with his lacking appearance the Kidd was extremely secure. "Looks like you have a static problem, Kidd," Stamatkin commented. "Static?! Oh...how rude of me. I didn't introduce you to my friends. This is Chibibacca, my flying squirrel, and this is Ancient and Super lint ball. Ancient, Super, and Bacca, this is Anday.” Bacca jumped into the air and landed on Anday's shoulder. Here he chirped loudly into his ear. "Oh look at that," Matt said, "He likes you." "Get your rodent off me, Ballenger," Anday yelled. "Come here, Chibi, not everyone likes flying squirrels like I do. I know, I know, it’s just a fact you'll have to live with. Chibibacca made a sound resembling a "hmph." "You're strange Ballenger, but I have orders to take you to Hannahoko." "D'you think I look all right?" Matt joked as he turned off the music and shut Sudden Dawn‘s door. "Why should you care what you look like? It’s only Hannahoko." Anday smirked thinking of what the Queen would say if she were there, "But since you're asking, your hair is a mess, it looks like you slept on it." "But I did," The Kidd mumbled. |
 |