Homestar Saga

Chapter 124: Running

"Scarrend, grab Kilroy."

The Vrrl made a grunt of effort as he lifted the frozen Peacekeeper. Kilroy was shaped like a two meter tall pixen, but his body was metal and he weighed nearly a thousand kilograms. His arms and legs had been frozen in place midstride.

"How close are..." Mims started to ask Scarrend. He cocked his head, listening. Yvian could hear it, too. Boots. A lot of boots. Coming from the side corridor just ahead. "Never mind."

"We could run?" Lissa suggested. Mims shook his head. Before he'd finished the gesture, twenty humans spilled out of the corridor. They wore the blue coveralls of dock workers, but they all had the same military haircuts High Commander Young had sported. Close shaved on the sides, and just a little longer on top. They spread across the way with graceful precision, transition from a dead run to full stop in just under two seconds. Their backs were straight. Their eyes were hard.

"Scarrend," Mims said quietly. He started a slow walk towards the humans. "Laws three, six, and seven."

The Vrrl nodded, following the Captain. Yvian followed as well, trying to project confidence while she racked her brain. She got the part about hiding intent, and the part about drawing attention, but what The Crunch was the seventh Law? Take all the credit?

Her annoyed pondering was interrupted when Scarrend took a breath and moved in front of the Captain. The roar he released shook the corridor. A wall of sound that froze Yvian's blood. The humans in front of them siezed up as well.

When the roar subsided, the Vrrl spoke. Yvian was gratified that he did so in plavdi, a language Yvian could understand. "Show your bellies and move aside, humans," he ordered. "You are blocking the way."

One of the humans moved forward to meet them. He said something in human speak, but Yvian didn't know what it was.

"Don't be an asshole," said Mims. "Use a language the girls can understand."

"I said good morning," the man repeated in plavdi. "I'd appreciate it if you three come quietly." He nodded at Scarrend. "The Vrrl and the Peacekeeper are free to go."

"Are you sure that's how you want to play this?" asked the Captain. "Attacking three heads of state on an Oluken station?" He gestured at the trio of Oluken next to him. Yvian had forgotten they were there. The two Security Officers each had tendrils wrapped around their stunwhips, though they had not yet drawn the weapons. "Right in front of Security?"

"I'd rather not attack anyone," said the man. His eyes gave the lie to his words. "Like I said, I'd prefer you come quietly."

One of the Oluken burbled something. The two Security Officers drew their stunwhips. The weapons hummed, but something was wrong. The Officers shook their whips, eyestalks bobbing. The human fixed them with a menacing stare.

"Those won't work," he told them. "I suggest you stay out of this."

"This is going to be an international incident," Captain Mims warned the human. "Keep going, and it will be an act of war against the Oluken."

"And the Vrrl Starfang Empire as well," added Scarrend.

"That's above my paygrade," said the human. "I'm just supposed to bring you in." He shifted his feet, muscles rippling as he took a stance. The soldiers behind him readied themselves as well. "You can come quietly, or you can come broken."

"More humans," Scarrend warned. "Coming from behind."

Yvian didn't hear them, but she trusted the Vrrl's senses. The Captain did as well. "Last chance," he said. "Make a hole, or we'll make one for you."