The Brain Bug

Johnny sat in his all-black PowerHopper. It read “Plenty” and his remaining ear had five notches on its own.

Mountain Don’t was in good form, but the rest of the PowerHoppers were badly damaged and needed medical assistance.

“Ace, you need to wait for Carmen. She’ll send someone down from orbit to pick up these wounded. Then, the two of us will merge into another nearby unit. It looks like the Fuzzbutts will need to reform back on BunnyPrime; there aren’t enough rabbits here to make a squad,” said Rico to his second.

Ace nodded as Rico called out over earnet to the orbiting fleet, “CecilyParsley. This is Fuzzbutt actual. Over.”

“CecilyParsley here. Captain Ibanez to Fuzzbutt actual. What is your status?” said a familiar bunny’s voice.

“Carmen? I mean Captain Ibanez? This is Johnny! I mean, Fuzzbutt actual. We need medevac and support. We are deep in bugtown and it’s crawling with bluebottles down here,” said Rico.

“Johnny! Is that you? I had heard that the Fuzzbutts had been lost. I had no idea you were leading them. Let me get on a shuttle now,” said Captain Carmen.

“Carmen! You can’t go yourself! We’re good. Just get somebody down here,” said Johnny to static.

Ace asked from Mountain Don’t, “Do you really think she’ll come down herself? That’s crazy.”

Rico nodded. “I don’t know, man, but let’s keep these wounded safe while we wait.”

Both rabbits looked up as a streaking shuttle came down from orbit towards them. “Hold tight, you two. I’m almost there,” said Carmen over the bunears network.

“Thanks, Carm…” said Rico as the fairy rocket hit Carmen’s shuttle. She spun out of control and the craft crashed into the pink surface of Oral.

“CARMEN!” yelled Rico, and he immediately fired his glute jets to the flaming wreckage. As he soared in the air, he used his carrotsight at full magnification to see the downed shuttle, but saw no signs of any rabbits.

He landed at the flaming wreckage and yelled, “Carmen! Carmen! Where are you?”

Ace landed nearby and yelled, “Damn it, Sarge! You can’t just run off on us!”

Rico shouted back, “It’s Carmen! Where is she?”

Ace used his carrotsight thermals and noted, “Look, Sarge, there’s a heat trail leading down into the red pocket. It must be a 5 or 6 on the probe scale. I bet the bugs took her down there.”

Rico noted, “That pocket is deep and narrow. No room for jumps. We’ll need to skate.”

The sergeant leaned forward and let his glute jets off in controlled bursts left and right. His wide foot plates sent trails of red raw earth behind.

Ace yelled, “Holy Molar! Let’s go!” and followed suit after his leader.

The two found the opening of the pocket and did not pause.

“Look. Rabbit blood!” yelled Ace at a red splash on the wall. Rico pushed harder and Ace could see the black RedVines feed starting in earnest.

“You sure it’s time for that, boss?” yelled Ace as they pushed deeper into the pocket.

“Shut up, Ace,” said the sergeant over black-on-black eyes.

Three fairies blocked their path. Rico’s salted licorice made them scream for mercy.

“Whoa! Salted?! Is that a war crim…” croaked Ace at his leader.

“DID I NOT SAY SHUT THE FUZZ UP! DO YOU NEED SOME LICORICE, ACE!” said the enraged rabbit. His eyes leaked black from each tear duct.

“No,” offered Ace softly.

Rico rubbed his nose and sniffled, “Good,” and continued down the hall.

Ace hoped for no additional fairies, for their sake. Rico’s skating pushed harder and his second could not tell how many bluebottles died. He could see his feet covered in purple blood and knew it was at least a few.

Then, the passage opened into a wide throne room of sorts. Carmen was being held by what appeared to be a strange female fairy witchdoctor. The witchdoctor spoke oddly and her breath stank. “Leave us alone!” she Exhaled at the hoppers.

Ace took in the foul odor and his eyes glazed over. He then turned his PowerHopper around and left the scene.

Rico’s black-on-black eyes were unmoved by the Breath. He skated over and raised his ear blades to decapitate the monstrous witch.

“STOP!” yelled Carmen. “She’s the mother of PegLateral. We can use her!”

Rico heard the command. His ear blades neared the fairy, but he stopped. Carmen took him in her arms as he died.