The Alliance - An Unlikely Ally: The Dred Pirate

Reluctantly, X40L1N nodded and motioned towards the roof where @goldenarms was firing up the engines on his ship. He stood at the bottom of the wall, waiting for everyone else to scurry up the ladder then followed his allies and boarded the vessel. "Another time," he thought to himself.

#thealliance rushed onto the ship and The Dred Pirate exclaimed with authority, "Everybody find a seat and hold on!" The steady hum of the core resonated throughout the ship as it began to lift from the roof top. Everyone found a seat up near the cockpit except X40L1N. He sensed something and followed his intuition to a different location.

Being one of the least trusting people alive, @goldenarms yelled, "Where the fuck you think you going dipshit?!" to which X40L1N gave no response and continued down a corridor, around a corner and out of sight of GA. He was no stranger to any terrain - rocky, icy, weightless - to him it was all the same and he retained his balance as the craft started to gain speed.

X40L1N was being led by the source of his 'curiosity', which eminated from the Dred Pirate's personal chambers. He looked around for a little while trying to pinpoint the energy and came to a desk. On the desk, in an ashtray with an old stogie, it sat. He knew exactly what it was, but noticed something was a little different. It was almost dripping.

Back at the ship's helm, GA's patience was at its end. So, putting the ship on autopilot, the uneasy @goldenarms abruptly stood up from the captain's chair and stormed off in the direction X40L1N went. "I'll be back in a minute, @topkpop, you can explain to them a little about me - just don't leave out the good stuff."

The Major waited until he was out of sight and took a deep breath. "Hi @saffisara, it's a been a little while. Can you tell me who these people are and what the heck is going on? I've never seen that many Hadish before since the war started and they were all over the news."

Before @saffisara could say anything, @michaeldavid spoke up, "We're part of a newly forming alliance led by that - I don't even know what he is, @enginewitty. I've come to know him fairly well and we've won many a battle. Every feeling in my gut says he's the one that will change everything. He even made me a sword and from what I have been able to gather, each of us have some unique ability he finds favorable. I was just a regular old ninja until he sent me half way across three galaxies to get some stupid egg."

"I also - sort of - found an egg, or rather it found me," @tattoodjay said, "though I didn't have to go galavanting across the stars. X40L1N seems to want them for something and like The Docta, I wasn't anyone special until it found me."

"Eggs? Is he insane? What possible connection could an egg have with --- " and @topkpop paused mid-sentence realizing exactly what had happened when she put the necklace on all those years ago. Her countenance dropped as she reminisced of her grandmother and stared out the window as they hovered above Earth's atmosphere. Her necklace still warm and almost glowing about her neck.

Sassafras stood in front of her slowly waving her hand in front of her face, "You ok K-Pop?" She asked with a confused look. @topkpop nodded a positive yes slowly blinking her eyes. Sass turned back to The General and @michaeldavid and explained, "I can understand what makes me special. I'm The Snow Leopard, after all. As for this egg thing, doesn't make any sense to me. My powers were more of an inheritance through expected necessity."

"Well, he sees something in you. He's often cryptic in his speech and I swear, half of the time it's like he can speak without saying anything. Just his eyes...like a mental connection." The Docta explained. "I've heard people calling him the Juyo but he never really explained what it meant. Like he's some sort of god type person, but he doesn't act like any 'God' I've ever heard of."

@tattoodjay and K-Pop just kind of shook their heads with an 'I don't know' look on their faces but Captain Sassafras, her eyes grew wide and the wild cat shape formed in the center of her iris as she spoke softly, "The Juyo Deity". The other three looked at her kind of puzzled and she continued with more conviction, "None of you have heard of the Juyo Legends? It's said that every millennia or so when one is needed, he or she appears. The last known to have walked on earth is the one who gave rise to the Six Mountain Clans. It's said that some remnants of his armor still remain and this very gauntlet I wear now, was fashioned by his own hands."

Captain Sassafras then started to understand what exactly it was that made the relic so powerful and caressed what was always believed to be a 'focus stone' embedded in the bracer. "I bet this is one of those eggs too." They all approached her and could see the slight aura it gave off and agreed in silence.

Meanwhile, @goldenarms caught up with X40L1N and he turned to face The Dred Pirate asking him, "How did you come by this?"

"You're a nosy bastard, aren't ya?" And as GA reached for the egg, it dissolved and was absorbed by the palm of the Juyo at which point, he snatched The Dred Pirate's wrist and an overwhelming calm rushed through the obnoxious racketeer's body.

"It was a trophy." @goldenarms looked at X40L1N and began to explain. "For about the past 5 years, I've had an ongoing struggle with this fucking shitdick thief. He went by the pseudo name 'The Dark Templar'. He must have swiped, shit I don't even know the math on it, but a bunch of not only my, but many of the philanthropists and business owners' merchandise around the galaxy. Sure, I'm no goddamn saint, more of a some sort of modern day Robin Hood. But that fucking guy was just scum and that day sure set it off about 6 months ago because I finally caught up to him and shot the shitstain's ship down."

@enginewitty listened intently and nodded for him continue. "I wanted to make sure the asshole was dead so I went to scavenge, er I mean - investigate the crash site. I found his mangled body, some sweet stacks of gold and silver rounds and bars he must have stolen from somewhere, and then that egg thing rolled out from behind him. It was already cracked, I guess from the impact of the 'failed landing'. Something told me to grab it, so I did. I kept some of the stash and spread the rest around the community, trying to help them recover their losses. Was about the same time that K-Pop showed up and started attracting massive audiences to The Songbird. But ya, that's where."

With that, the two headed back toward the bridge where the others stood looking at each other, somewhat confused. "GA," started K-Pop, "I didn't really tell them anything about you. The conversation kind of went in a different direction."

JJ sat down in a comfortable chair and Michael sat beside him at the table. The ladies too, joined them and so they all sat down, except GA. He walked toward the console and #thealliance exchanged stories of their origins. After listening and setting the ship's course, @goldenarms turned back to them and said, "I suppose I can introduce myself."

"They call me @goldenarms, or GA for short, on account of everything I touch 'turns to gold'. I used to be an intergalactic thief and smuggler and went by the name of Donny Bloghard. Honestly, I was never really comfortable doing it, but was real good at it and was my way of leveling the playing field with all those corporate fucks." He kind of chuckled to himself before starting again. "Bastards think they own everything, and everyone for that matter. I became known as The Dred Pirate. Wasn't my first choice of names, but suited the role I was playing. 'The People's Pirate' was more of what I was going for. I didn't keep it all you know. I gave most of it to the community that was oppressed by those fat bastards. I just kept enough to open my club a few years ago."

"Dred Pirate huh?" Michael stated with an interested look on his face. "I heard a few stories about you. Aren't you the one that took out The Dark Templar? Shot his ship down in a blazing glorious ball of flame? If so, it's a pleasure to meet you. That guy robbed many of my family blind, glad he got what he deserved."

"Yes, I'm the same guy and you're welcome." As he said that, an awkward silence showered the room and the elephant began to trumpet its trunk and make itself known. GA grabbed himself a drink from the bar located close by and headed toward one of the viewing windows. @topkpop followed him and looked out at the planet and he spoke up, "Ok, well if no one else is gonna say anything, I have to ask, what's your goddamn fascination with all these fucking eggs?"