Alpha Rho Leo 0257 II –provided (graphic)
Having every atom of my being rend apart through the vacuum of space made me sick, but when the red haze lifted and a cool breeze swept across my hairy face, I felt more at ease. I looked down to see if I was all there and found the terrain quite hospitable; the ground appeared to be soil, with pink flowers sprinkled across grassy hills. Tall vine-like trees with bulbous purple leaves stretched around me up to a grey sky. In the distance, rocky mountains spanned the horizon, fissured with rivers. I could have done much worse.
A cursory search of the surrounding area revealed no fauna, but just over the first hill I found several ripe stalks of tomatoes. A lush planet indeed, I thought, if such a succulent fruit was to be found growing abundantly in the wild. Days spent hurdling through the vacuum of space had worn me thin, and seeing no sign of danger, I immediately began tearing the plump red orbs from their vines, devouring them in ravenous hunger. But before I could finish breaking my fast my sharp ape senses caught a strange scent, then there was movement.
I looked up from my perched position to see a monstrous creature charging towards me. It was a burly purple beast, bigger than I, bear-like yet reptilian, with large spikes protruding from its head. My heart raced as the creature lumbered closer and closer; I could only assume it was unaware that my impressive commander’s stripe denoted years of survival and combat training; still, the creature seemed unfazed. I fumbled through my pockets in search of anything with which to defend myself. The world grew dark as I was enshrouded in shadow. I looked up to see the ferocious monster descending on me with vicious intent, blocking out the sun above. At the last possible second, I drew the shard of a metal stowed at my hip and leaped forward with a howling slash.
The beast was wounded, stunned by my attack. Hoping to end the encounter quickly I gripped the sword tightly and aggressed. My second strike landed firm, stunning the creature once again. As I stood there, weapon raised to make the final blow, a screech erupted from behind. I turned at the last second to see another of the violet creatures attack. I only caught the deep burning blue of its eyes before its entire mass crashed into me. The force knocked me back. I was stunned at first, but my instincts quickly kicked in, and I ran.
Like any good ape commander, I knew the odds and I knew my weaknesses, one of which is the inability to fight two rabid alien monsters who have me in a pincer formation. Using my highly-developed simian reflexes, I prepared myself for another charge if only to leap atop my attacker’s shoulders and off into a full sprint. I did not slow, nor did I look back. My legs pounded into the ground and I continued to sprint, leap, and climb across the land and over the hills until I was forced to stop, not from exhaustion, but by something far worse than a couple of wild beasts. Before me stood a large concrete and steel complex, many meters high. It would be an imposing structure anywhere, but here, out in the reaches of a nowhere galaxy, it was not only a surprise, but frightening. It would seem that the Minikong’s reach had extended further than I thought possible.
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