From: boomer@coplex.com (Mike Gallenstein)
Subject: REPOST: Story -- Bionic Flea part 2
Summary: Sequels are hell to write.  Now I see why movie sequels aren't as good.
Keywords: rorschach,sequel,luser,bionic,flea,strange
Organization: Copper UNIX/USENET Services
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 01:21:11 GMT

Sorry to put some of you through this tourcher again, but ... It seems that this
didn't make it out everywhere the first time.  My apologies to those who have
already read it.  For those who have not, enjoy!!

	Mike G

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                         THE BIONIC FLEA


                            Chapter 2

                            The Enemy

                                

March 2

    I think they liked me.  It felt so good to rescue that larva
and her mother.  The mother was kind of cute too.  Remind me to
alter my suit for possible expanding appendages.  I don't know
what is happening.  There are too many "coincidences."  I think
this is all being orchestrated for someone's amusement.


    The news of the Bionic Flea's first deed traveled quickly.
It was not long before the whole of flee-kind knew of their new
hero.  He brought a fresh hope to all.  With the humans
developing more effective pesticides against them, the fleas were
finding it harder and harder to settle in one place.  The Bionic
Flea could now change that.  He could make the world safe.
    Not all feel this way.  A small group sees the Bionic Flea as
a threat.  Not a threat to the innocent, but to themselves.  For
years this group of anarchist, called Thanatopse, has operated to
bring a new order to the fleas.  One of bigotry, hate, and
destruction.  They believe all pets should be pillaged.  Raped of
their resources and left as chewed up shells for their masters.
    Their leader is an evil flea named Carmil.  She is said to
have the heart of a tick.  Her father founded Thanatopse.  Just
when it started to rise in power, he was killed.  Rumors still
persist that it was Carmil who poisoned him with the White Death.
None dare to challenge her.  She operates Thanatopse with an iron
hand.
    "Madame Carmil, the Bionic Flea has been spotted again.  This
time he saved the entire population on a Labrador."
    "Damn!  We needed them gone.  Did any of our agents manage to
plant a homing device on his Flea-mobile?"
    "Yes, Madame Carmil.  The signal is weak, but I think we can
get a fix on it."
    "Good!  Dispatch a strike force as soon as you do."
    "As you wish, Madame."

    "I think I am on to something here," thought the Flea.
    "This has been the third time a collar has just 'appeared'
out of no where.  The odds of the scouts missing them this many
times in a row ...  Something is up.  Some one is giving
information to the humans."
    Just then a warning light on the panel of the Flea-mobile
started to blink.  It was accompanied by a low beeping sound.
    "Hmm?  What's that.  I'm picking up a high energy
transmission.  Let's see where its coming from.  The outer hull.
I  better set down and see what it is.  Probably a homing
transmitter."
    The Flea looked around for a place to land.  A couch was just
up ahead.  He could set down behind that.  As he approached it,
the Flea noticed how un-Godly awful the upholstery was.  It was
sort of a paisley flower pattern.  Didn't go with the carpet at
all.  Yet it would provide concealment.
    The Flea-mobile rose majestically over the back of the couch.
Its ever capable pilot rotated the Flea-mobile and pressed the
button to start the automatic landing sequence.  The landing legs
extracted and a slow decent behind the couch began.

    "Sir, the transmitter on the Flea-mobile is now stationary.
We have a solid fix on it."
    "Good!  Close in and prepare for attack!"

    Upon touchdown, the Flea leaped from his seat and dashed out
the door.  He began inspecting his craft.  It wasn't long before
he found a small disk, with a flashing blue light, attached to
one of the landing legs.  The Flea plucked it off, let it fall to
the ground, and conveniently stepped on it.  An insignificant
crackle, a paltry crunch, and some smoldering smoke spelled its
end.  The Flea noticed a sound emanating from inside his craft.
"The perimeter defense warning!"

    "Fire before he sees us!"

    The Flea turned just in time to see a rather ugly looking
flea leaning out of a 1990 Fleaster coupe; and the glint from a
Tick & Wesson sub-machine gun.
    The ugly flea opened fire.  A barrage of high calibre, high
velocity slugs impacted over the entire torso of the Flea.  As
the Flea fell he yelled, "Guard up!"
    The Flea-mobile sealed its door and protective shielding
covered the view ports and other vital areas.
    The Fleaster stopped within inches of the Bionic Fleas limp
body.  Four burly looking ants and two fleas got out.
    "Is he dead?"
    "He has to be.  No armor can withstand a full clip from one
of these.  I've seen this thing cut a beetle clean in half."
    "Let's take his body back to Carmil.  She'll want to have him
stuffed and mounted."
    "You mean have him stuffed and she'll mount him!"
    The four burly ants leaned over to pick up the Flea.  Much to
his surprise, one of the ants found a fist square between his
eyes.  With a dazzle of dexterity and a partial flip, the Flea
was back on his feet.  An ant attempted a sucker punch from
behind.  The Flea pushed a button on his Flea-Belt.  Again the
two small exhaust ports ejected out of his back.  The Flea leaned
over to aim the ports at the approaching ant.
    The Flea pressed the activation button.  Nothing but a couple
of sputters and a puff of smoke.  "Damn!  I used this trick on my
last rescue!"
    The ant struck the Flea square in the back of the head.  The
Flea was once again one the floor.  To add some more injury, a
couple of the other ants kicked him in the gut.  The two other
fleas finally stopped laughing and just now heard the clamor.
    "No way!  He should be dead!  Stand back.  I'm gonna nail him
again!!"
    The ants backed away.  The Flea knew his suit couldn't handle
another assault from the Tick & Wesson machine gun.  He had to do
something.  Frantically he thought of what trick to use to get
him out of this.  The flea with the gun popped in another clip,
cocked his gun and said "I'm gonna crack open that suit and fill
you with lead!"
    The flea pulled the trigger.  A burst of speed and the Bionic
Flea got on his feet and concealed himself behind one of the
ants.  The flea with the gun tried to follow him.  He only
blasted an ant all to hell.
    "Will you hold still damn it!!!"
    Another burst from the gun echoed in the Flea's ears.  A
swift back flip and a clever tumble placed him behind another
ant.  Again the flea followed him.  Another ant bit the dust.
Instinctively, the Flea tucked himself in a ball and rolled
behind a third ant.
    "Damn!  Out of ammo again."
    The Flea took this opportunity to take out his gas spike.  He
promptly pointed it at the base of the neck of the ant he was
behind.  A small pop followed by the smell of CO2 and the ant's
head was flying in the air.  He looked at the two fleas and said,
"Three to nothing.  Your move."
    The two fleas looked at each other.  They reached in their
pockets and pulled out knives.  The final ant, still somewhat
dazed by the punch he received from the Flea, started to charge
the Flea.  A simple movement to the side and the ant was
stumbling toward the two burly fleas.  Before anybody could do
anything, the ant had plunged himself on to the knives the fleas
were holding.
    The Bionic Flea leapt a top the ants body and delivered a
sharp kick to the chins of both fleas.  The Flea flipped behind
them.  Being in a slightly fowl mood, he grabbed their underwear
and gave them a very fine wedgy.  Both fleas dropped their knives
and fell to the ground in pain.  The Flea picked one of them back
up by his head.
    "Tell me who sent you or I'll pop your friends head off."
    "Go ahead Flea.  I'll never talk!"
    A low hum started to emanate from the Flea-Suit.  It sounded
very similar to that of a flash packet charging.  Suddenly an
ugly flea's head was about 10 feet in the air.  It landed on the
chest of the remaining flea.
    "Christ!  Who the hell are you?!  What did you do that for?!"
    "Now if you don't tell me what I want to know ..."
    "Yea, I know you'll do the same to me."
    "Yes.  But I'll start with your arms and then move on to your
legs.  If you're lucky enough not to have passed out by then, you
can hear the funny sound your eye makes at it's being ripped from
its socket."
    "Hahaha.  You're bluffing."
    The Flea reached down and removed one of his arms.  The
scream was so hideous that the Flea-Suit's automatic audio
dampener kicked in.
    "Am I?"
    "I work for a group called Thanatopse."
    "Why were you sent to kill me?"
    "Orders."
    "Orders from who?"
    "I can't tell you.  They'd kill me."
    The flea grabbed his other arm and gave a stiff tug.
    "NO!  We got them directly from the top.  They came from
central command."
    "Where is central command?"
    "I don't know."
    The Flea ripped off the other arm.  This time the scream
seemed a little worse.  The Flea couldn't really tell.  The
dampeners were doing their job.
    "Christ!  I swear, I don't know!  I'd tell you if I knew!"
    "Where did you come from then?"
    "From the recliner.  We were told to wait there until we got
the signal."
    "Did you plant that transmitter on the Flea-mobile?"
    "No.  It was one of our other operatives.  Please.  Stop the
pain!"
    "In just a minute.  First tell me who your leader is."
    "Her name is Carmil.  Now please.  Help me.  Stop the pain."
    The Flea reached in his belt.  "Here I have something that
will just do the trick."
    He opens his hand, and the other flea is staring at a gas
spike aimed between his eyes.
    "No!  Please!!"
    The familiar aroma of CO2 filled the air.
    As the Flea dug out the spike from his informants skull, the
thought to himself: "That was for my father.  Now Carmil, I am
coming for you to avenge my mother."
    The Flea walked up to his Flea-mobile and said "Guard down."
    The door unsealed and the protective covering recessed into
their hidden compartments.  The Flea climbed aboard feeling
somewhat soar.  This was the first real hand-to-hand battle he
had been in.  It didn't help taking the full clip from the Tick &
Wesson either.
    "Thanatopse is my enemy.  Carmil is my nemesis.  I will hunt
and hammer them into hell.  This has become personal."

                         ... and the adventure continues.

-- 
 __________________________________   Tyger, Tyger burning bright,
/         boomer@coplex.com        \  In the forest of the night,
\  ...uunet!coplex.com!plex!boomer /  What immortal hand or eye
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   Could frame they fearful symmetry?