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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 1987105" data-attributes="member: 6294">"The Targ Totality" - Part 12Fury reacts first, throwing the disruptor he carries into the face of the nearest Targ, then snatching out his atomic pistol.  The Targ, surprised and staggered by the sudden assault, never gets a chance to recover.  Fury's shot blasts him in the chest, and the second alien falls.There are many more Targ in the hangar, however, and the metal deck reverberates from the pounding of their running feet.  Four of them race into sight from behind the Pathfinder, levelling disruptors as they come."Deploying plasma burners." Archie steps forward, and a massive gout of fire rolls forth, completely filling the screen.  Shouts of pain and alarm rise above the roar of the flames, and when the fire clears, all that remains are smoking bodies upon the ground."Mein Gott!  Watch out, Archie!"One of the hangar's enormous loading cranes grinds into action, a Targ technician at the controls.  The metal arm swings almost lazily, trailing a huge iron hook on the end of a long chain.  Slow it may be, but the hook's mass gives it great power and momentum.  It strikes Archie in the shoulder, and sparks fly as the robot staggers, his metal skin buckled and torn by the force of the blow.Two more Targ rush toward Gustav and S'Ondra.  The Princess whirls, leg sweeping up to knock one of the aliens from his feet.  She spins her heat lance as he falls, then drives the point downwards, impaling him to the ground."Leave my leibchen alone!" Gustav warns - somewhat unnecessarily.  Screwing his face up in what he undoubtedly thinks is a mask of rage, he hammers at the second Targ with an iron wrench.  Even wielded by an elderly scientist, ten pounds of metal in the face can seriously ruin your day, and the alien warrior staggers back, trying to wrestle his disruptor free for a shot at Gustav.The crane's movement reverses, the hook starting to swing back toward Archie."Not this time, my friend."  Fury snaps his atomic pistol up, cradling it in both hands as he sights along the barrel.  The weapon's energy bolt flies right between the gap in the crane's superstructure, and the Targ technician tumbles out of his seat. "That robot's under Space Force protect - ooph!"A Targ soldier appears out of nowhere, barrelling into the Captain and knocking him from his feet.  The two men tumble to the ground, wrestling.  The Targ gets his hands around Fury's throat and starts squeezing."I shall assist you, Captain." Archie wheels to face the melee.  And then he stops, as a new sound reverberates through the hangar.CLANG.CLANG.CLANG.Like the toll of a huge bronze bell, it shakes them all as they stand, the very floor trembling with each booming impact.  A shadow looms from behind the Pathfinder, sweeping over Archie.  The robot turns, plasma burners whining into readiness and gouts of flames leap out once more, consuming all in sight.And then a dark shape looms out of the fire, and a massive automaton bursts into shot.  Its body is charred and blackened, but it seems entirely unharmed by the superheated plasma boiling around it.  Steam hisses from its joints as it sweeps its arms high and brings them slamming down on Archie's chest.The automaton stands fully ten feet all, and some six feet broad.  Its hands are huge, with serrated fingers designed to rend metal like paper.  It could demolish a vessel like the Pathfinder within minutes, and right now, all of its attention is on Archie.The smaller robot staggers back from the blow, a metal panel tearing lose from his shoulder.  His larger foe follows, claw-like iron hands digging into Archie's upper torso.  There is a squeal of tortured metal as the entire chest plate tears free, exposing the gears and wiring that are Archie's bones and nerves.Fury, red-faced and gasping for air, slams the butt of his atomic pistol into the face of the Targ who grips his throat.  The alien slumps back, and the Captain rolls shakily to his knees.  He raises the pistol to fire on the automaton, but can't get a clear shot.  He calls out, hoarsely:"Archie, get away from that thing!""I'm trying, Captain, but he seems most reluctant to let go." Archie hammers his fists against the automaton's massive metal arms.  The blows dent and scratch the heavy metal plates, but do nothing to shake the other robot's grip."Damnation." Fury snaps his pistol back into its holster and turns to run toward the crane.As he does so, Gustav's reeling Targ finally pushes the Doctor away long enough to swing his disruptor into line.  The black and ugly snout points right at Gustav's face as the weapon flares to life."Father!" S'Ondra pushes Gustav aside, knocking him from his feet.  The Doctor will have a few bruises in the morning from the sudden tumble, but he is out of the way of the blast.S'Ondra is not so lucky: she gasps, and staggers, then falls to her knees.  The butt of her heat lance scrapes against the ground as she tries to prop herself up, and we at last see the blackened flesh where the disruptor blast struck her stomach.  She clasps a hand over the wound, but blood immediately begins to seep between her fingers."Princess!" Fury's call is anguished.The Targ raises his disruptor, ready to finish what he has begun.  The shot tightens on his finger as it curls toward the weapon's firing stud.And then suddenly that finger spasms, and relaxes.We sweep back into a medium shot, and once more see the Targ as he stands over S'Ondra.  But now there is a heat lance driven clear through his chest.  S'Ondra grips it in one white-knuckled fist as she stares up at him, her eyes fiery and defiant.  Slowly, one hand still clasped over her wound, she staggers to her feet."Venusians do not die so easily." The Princess snarls to the stricken Targ.  Placing her bloodied hand against his chest, she tears the heat lance free, and the alien falls silently to the floor.</blockquote>

Verification