A Couple of Blown Bulbs

Some explosions later, the place, now blown to pieces, was surrounded by the forces of R.O.E.S. and various media, which were broadcasting the news live.

The two explosive mice were still playing in a pile of twisted metal and debris, which used to be the power plant.

The fire from the explosions and plumes of smoke made it difficult for news drones to fly over the scene, so they stayed away.

A small cargo ship flies between the drones until it reaches the center of the demolition zone. This ship is like a cardboard box, with small triangular wings sticking out of the top on both sides, and at the tip of each wing is a small barrel-shaped engine.

Chief Maustash: Attention lunat... You! The ship that is arriving contains everything that you asked, as soon as it lands, you can board it and take it away.

Shrapnel: No funny business?

Chief Maustash: Just take it, and don't come back.

The cargo ship lands, the hatch of the ship opens and the pilot, who is an agent, leaves the place.

Shrapnel: It 's all in there?

Chief Maustash: See for yourself.

Shrapnel enters the ship and sees a large black box with a paper sign taped on it that says "One Meter-Mass Specter, Do Not Open." Next to that box there are other smaller ones with cylindrical batteries and another one with a sign that says "Two Million Credits" that is full of small rectangular pieces made of dark gray metal, decorated with some engravings. The dynamite mouse, after inspecting everything, exits the ship and approaches Chief Maustash.

Shrapnel: That's all. Don't follow us or we'll blow up more things... like a hospital or... an orphanage!

Chief Maustash: Have a good trip and don't come back, please.

Rubble and Shrapnel enter the ship, and after a few minutes, it takes off clumsily and begins to fly towards the Sorelia Sea, passing through the autonomous industrial zone.

Shrapnel is in the pilot's seat, while Rubble begins to check the things they had ordered.

Rubble: Hey Bro, are these the batteries we ordered?

Shrapnel: I don't know Bro. I've never seen what those batteries look like.

Rubble: Oh... Bro? This doesn't look like credits...

Shrapnel: WHAT!?

Shrapnel let go of the controls and the ship nosedived for a few seconds, causing both mice to lose their balance for a moment before the autopilot kicked in.

Shrapnel: Let me see that!

Shrapnel picks up one of the tokens and looks at it carefully.

Shrapnel: They look authentic to me.

Rubble: They're missing the exoplanet council seal, look.

Rubble pulls from around his neck a chain that is attached to a token much like the ones in the box.

Shrapnel: You're right! THOSE! THOSE! AAAAAAAAAHHHH! It's always the same; but you will see. We're going to go back and blow everything up until they take us seriously!

Rubble: Hey Bro... What's in the big box? What's one of those Specters like?

Shrapnel: I don't know, I just asked for what the Goddess said we should get. I've never seen one.

Rubble: Should we open it?

Shrapnel: You, you... open it.

Rubble unlocks the box and slowly opens it.

Rubble: Oh... Bro? I think we are in trouble.

Shrapnel: It is a ghost?

Rubble: Something worse...

Mauzarella: Hands where I can see them!

Maple: Surrender peacefully.

The Rangers, who were inside the box, come out of it pointing their guns at each of the brothers.

Shrapnel: That's no worse than a ghost. It's just two rancid nuts.

Maple: Who are you calling a rancid nut, you... YOU!

Shrapnel: You what?

Mauzarella: Control yourself, Maple. We have them.

Shrapnel: Do you really? You think those toy guns are going to hurt us?

Shrapnel approaches Maple until they are face to face.

Shrapnel: We have been blessed by the Serpent Goddess. Your weapons cannot harm us.

Maple: Don't make me do it.

The brothers turn to each other and smile widely.

Shrapnel: Go ahead, shoot!

Maple: Well, you asked for it.

Mauzarella: ¡MAPLE!

Maple pulls the trigger and a gamma pulse hits the mouse's body which doesn't move a bit.

The Ranger looks at her gun to make sure it was working properly, then she fires three more times having the exact same effect before finally turning to her partner in anguish.

Mauzarella: Eh... can we... negotiate?

Rubble and Shrapnel smile once more. Rubble picks up the Rangers by the neck, holding them up high for a moment before throwing them to the opposite side of the ship. Maple hits the main screen and Mauzarella hits the pilot's chair, knocking it out of place.

Mauzarella: Ugh. I think that's a...no.

Maple sits up while rubbing her back, and Mauzarella stays on her knees, recovering from the blow.

Maple: Ouch, that went well, now what?

Mauzarella: We go to plan "B".

Maple: I knew you would say that.

Mauzarella: Ready?

Maple: No!

Mauzarella: Here we go then.

Rubble approaches Mauzarella, who is right below the main console, and pulls her up by the arm.

Shrapnel: Split her in half Bro!

Mauzarella: I have a question for you. Do you know how to fly?

Before either of the brothers could say a word, Mauzarella grabs her gun, and fires several shots at the ship's controls, which immediately makes it shake and lose altitude as an alarm goes off.

Shrapnel: WHAT DID YOU DO!

The brothers lose their balance and fall to the floor while the Rangers begin to move little by little towards the back of the ship.

Once they reach the rear, Mauzarella opens the hatch using the manual controls while the brothers, still on the floor, helplessly watch as the Rangers prepare to leave them before the ship crashes into some buildings in the industrial complex.

Maple: I hope you have insurance.

Maple and Mauzarella jump out of the ship leaving the brothers inside and break the fall using their rocket boots, which they usually wear in space.

Moments later, the ship crashes, causing a huge explosion.

BOOOOOOM!

The boots are not designed for normal gravity flight, so the Rangers' landing is clumsy and awkward.

As soon as they recover from the landing, Mauzarella unfolds her wrist computer and seeks to communicate with Headquarters.

Mauzarella: Come in, Control, we had to go to plan "B", I need eyes on the area.

Voice: We can see the crash, and we're sorry to report that the target is still moving. I repeat, the target is on the move.

Mazuarella: OH, COME ON!!

Maple: What do we do now?

A great shadow begins to take over the industrial zone. It is one of many eclipses that occur on the planet that gloom part of the big city for minutes or entire hours.