The sound of the first explosion triggered Bobby's training. He ducked behind the busted tractor he'd been working on, keeping the wrench in his hand. Not as useful as a gun, but it might come in handy. A few more booms followed and the sunlight dimmed.
Some colonists were already running in panic as Bobby looked around for the threat. He spotted it at the same time as Ted and the other mechanics: a gigantic black orb hovering like an obese balloon. Aasif stared at it wild-eyed, whispering a prayer in what Bobby assumed to be his native Farsi. Jasmine whimpered and darted off.
"Hey!" Bobby shouted after her. He breathed a sigh of relief when the dark-skinned woman stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Stay here. It's not doing anything." (Yet.) "Might be some nice, friendly E.T.s looking for Reese's Pieces. 'kay, Jasmine?" She nodded and joined Ted and Aasif, who'd already moved closer to Bobby.
While keeping an eye on the supersized magic eight ball Bobby looked to see what their intrepid leaders were doing. In the process he noticed Red's booted feet sticking out from under the Jeep. "Red!" he barked. No reaction. He stomped over there and started hauling her skinny frame out.
"Bobby, what the hell..." Red's grease-smeared, freckled face went slack upon spotting the black orb.
Although she yanked her headphones off, Bobby noticed that she kept her ratchet in hand. (Good girl.)
Motion to Bobby's left drew his attention. That cute egghead was walking toward them, looking as scared as Bobby felt. He motioned her into the group. "Let's get some cover until we know more. They might just be stopping by to fuel up." Bobby sincerely hoped his glib comment was correct.
"Yeah, because covers gonna help when all they have to do is LAND to wipe us out." Molly rolled her eyes. "Why do I get the urge to run around yelling 'the sky is falling?'"
Molly stripped off her gloves. Her tool set was her own and all were made of titanium with the strength of steel but without the iron. She kept her ratchet in a white knuckled grip and sort of wished for the great honking wrench she had. Like it would be any more effective than getting under cover. At least she'd feel she'd gone down fighting.
Molly looked at Bobby. "I don't suppose you have a Bowler Shooter, huh?"
Then she realized he might never have played marbles as a kid. Not like they'd knock this one out of the ring.
"Yeah," Valerie said, "I don't think cover is gonna do us any good." (Bowler Shooter?)
Val felt better just being among other people even as she realized how stupid that feeling was. As if that would make a lick of difference if the vessel overhead decided to smite them. Or, as the redheaded mechanic suggested, just settled down on top of the colony.
"What the hell happened?" Val asked. "Where did it come from?"
Cutie and Red may have been right about cover not doing them any good, but Bobby wasn't about to admit it.
"What the hell happened?" Cutie asked. "Where did it come from?"
"The sky," Bobby deadpanned, earning him a sour look from the blonde. Then he shrugged, motioning at the SGC folks. Although they had a few (pretty sweet-looking) weapons, they were doing the exact same thing Bobby's group was -- gawking. "I think they're as clueless as us. And a bowler shooter's a big marble," he added with a grin for Red.
Molly grinned at Bobby, because she was about to answer with 'otter space'. GMTA. And he knew marbles.
"Yeah, the one you start the game with where I come from, knocks all the others helter skelter. I think that one wins." She gestured upward.
"Too bad we don't have a board of colored lights and a synthasizer." Molly hummed the famous refrain from 'Close Encounters.'
See, not panicking with giant black ball about to go bowling with the settlement, and not in a good way. Humor the best defense against an overwhelming offense.
Molly looked in the direction of the school, but there was no way anyone could see it from here. Hopefully the teachers had gotten the littles away from the windows and kept them occupied instead of gawking, themselves. Children picked up on adults panic easily.
"So the army is aiming peashooters at it and gawping like we are. Don't you hate it when company comes unannounced and you haven't picked up the living room?"
Some colonists were already running in panic as Bobby looked around for the threat. He spotted it at the same time as Ted and the other mechanics: a gigantic black orb hovering like an obese balloon. Aasif stared at it wild-eyed, whispering a prayer in what Bobby assumed to be his native Farsi. Jasmine whimpered and darted off.
"Hey!" Bobby shouted after her. He breathed a sigh of relief when the dark-skinned woman stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Stay here. It's not doing anything." (Yet.) "Might be some nice, friendly E.T.s looking for Reese's Pieces. 'kay, Jasmine?" She nodded and joined Ted and Aasif, who'd already moved closer to Bobby.
While keeping an eye on the supersized magic eight ball Bobby looked to see what their intrepid leaders were doing. In the process he noticed Red's booted feet sticking out from under the Jeep. "Red!" he barked. No reaction. He stomped over there and started hauling her skinny frame out.
"Bobby, what the hell..." Red's grease-smeared, freckled face went slack upon spotting the black orb.
Although she yanked her headphones off, Bobby noticed that she kept her ratchet in hand. (Good girl.)
Motion to Bobby's left drew his attention. That cute egghead was walking toward them, looking as scared as Bobby felt. He motioned her into the group. "Let's get some cover until we know more. They might just be stopping by to fuel up." Bobby sincerely hoped his glib comment was correct.
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Molly stripped off her gloves. Her tool set was her own and all were made of titanium with the strength of steel but without the iron. She kept her ratchet in a white knuckled grip and sort of wished for the great honking wrench she had. Like it would be any more effective than getting under cover. At least she'd feel she'd gone down fighting.
Molly looked at Bobby. "I don't suppose you have a Bowler Shooter, huh?"
Then she realized he might never have played marbles as a kid. Not like they'd knock this one out of the ring.
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Val felt better just being among other people even as she realized how stupid that feeling was. As if that would make a lick of difference if the vessel overhead decided to smite them. Or, as the redheaded mechanic suggested, just settled down on top of the colony.
"What the hell happened?" Val asked. "Where did it come from?"
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"What the hell happened?" Cutie asked. "Where did it come from?"
"The sky," Bobby deadpanned, earning him a sour look from the blonde. Then he shrugged, motioning at the SGC folks. Although they had a few (pretty sweet-looking) weapons, they were doing the exact same thing Bobby's group was -- gawking. "I think they're as clueless as us. And a bowler shooter's a big marble," he added with a grin for Red.
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"Yeah, the one you start the game with where I come from, knocks all the others helter skelter. I think that one wins." She gestured upward.
"Too bad we don't have a board of colored lights and a synthasizer." Molly hummed the famous refrain from 'Close Encounters.'
See, not panicking with giant black ball about to go bowling with the settlement, and not in a good way. Humor the best defense against an overwhelming offense.
Molly looked in the direction of the school, but there was no way anyone could see it from here. Hopefully the teachers had gotten the littles away from the windows and kept them occupied instead of gawking, themselves. Children picked up on adults panic easily.
"So the army is aiming peashooters at it and gawping like we are. Don't you hate it when company comes unannounced and you haven't picked up the living room?"
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Everyone go this-a-way.
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