Stranded on a Tiny Planet

Abduction

Commander Madala was spun through the air when the shock wave slammed into her. She managed to right herself when the deafening sound subsided and continued to echo off the walls and the mountains of Anashee. Screams of panic and shock filled the city. Commander Madala's head plume lifted high with alert when she stared over at the black barked tree known as the Third Tower. A huge hole was blown clear through it and debris lay everywhere behind it.

She barely had time to process the horrific scene when a loud whirring sound made her look upward. Three large disks were falling toward the city at various points. The Commander recoiled when the disks made a sharp chirping noise and each one shot a beam of green light beneath them onto the city below. At first she wasn't sure what was happening until the light stopped and she saw hundreds of Ansheetans fall where they stood and drop out of flight to the ground.

She shook her head in horrified disbelief. What just happened? Was everyone caught in those beams dead?

Then the tall, thin mercenary, looming on the mountain above, began to descend toward Anashee.

He was coming.

The city began to boil with panic as those who were not caught in the green beams of light took to the air to get over the wall and out of Anashee. The air became filled with fliers like a bee's nest that had been destroyed. Those whose flight was not very strong began running for shelter; buildings, the tree towers, or even toward the gates to escape the city.

With an intensity she hadn't felt in a long time, Commander Madala opened her communication channel to her EFP squadrons, "All EFP! Converge on the invader using formation 11! Do whatever you must to keep him away from Anashee! Fly out!"

From various points she could see the maroon and blue uniforms take to the air; combatants and scouts alike. The mercenary continued his descent and then he stopped. Forming their combat pattern, the EFP flew at him from across the city. But with calm intensity the mercenary's thin hands went to his waist and suddenly he tossed more disks out over the oncoming fliers.

"BREAK! BREAK FORMATION!" Commander Madala shouted urgently over the channel.

But it was too late. The disks chirped and the green light enveloped most of the formation. There was another flash and anyone caught in the beam crumpled and fell from the sky. Fallen fliers struck the sides and roofs of buildings. The Commander could only stare in horror as most of her force was dropped. Her mind whirled furiously, trying to formulate a strategy. Shock had rendered her mind to muddled soup. But the giant mercenary continued his path toward Anashee, growing larger and more menacing by the second. Soon he came down just above the Cliff Markets and stopped.

...

Cresh kept walking until he came to a drop-off bordering the city. He peered over the edge and discovered that it formed a carved cliff face lined with what looked like shops and walkways. Cresh stopped and gauged the height before he jumped down and landed in an open area paved with colorful stones. He stood up and looked around, noting the buildings were only about as tall as his shoulder at their tallest. Most were only up to his waist. The area was clear and as he glanced around he noticed a couple unconscious aliens laying in the street ahead. He smirked and strode forward to collect his prizes. Both were that mint green color like the first one he'd caught back at the ship. With quick efficiency he retrieved the container from his hip and placed the two inside with the four he'd caught earlier. He held up the clear container to examine his catches like a bug collector. The four he'd caught earlier were awake and seemed horrified by the two new-comers unconscious states.

"Aww. Don't worry. They'll come out of it...hopefully." He assured them with a smirk before returning the container to the clasp on his belt.

Cresh wandered through the little city, running his hand absently over the building roofs as he passed. There were several more aliens on the street ahead of him which he picked through selectively. A couple were dead, their light blue blood staining the stones of the street. He wondered if he could get anything for the dead ones. However, he had limited container space and he figured live specimens would be much more valuable. He could always come back.