A human who guards the crew would seem rather outnumbered given the SIZE of the ship. But the pirates didn't count on him having a very well trained Belgian Malinois. -- BKF
The Investigative Process was a very big ship. Galactic Survey motherships had to be large, mostly for the scientific analysis labs and customisable vivariums for the wild captive samples. Between stellar systems, the Ship's Human roamed the connecting halls, checking up on what Human Beck called Geektopia.
It took them and their pet, Pookie, a week to make "the full rounds."
The surveyors worried, as any Havenworlder might, that the Investigative Process was too much ship for one Deathworlder to handle. The response from the captain was, "Ah, but we have two Deathworlders."
Many could not fathom how such a friendly creature could be any help at all if the worst happened. Until, as it inevitably would, the worst did happen.
The Space Pirates had been waiting, just outside of scanner range, for the Investigative Process to commence its trip towards civilised space. Once the Galactic Survey Vessel was full of minerals, chemical compounds, and potential exotic pets, they struck.
The usual tactics to deceive, and they made certain to attach very far from the one Human on board.
Humans are pursuit predators. Compared to many other species, they don't need to rest and they never sleep. Dogs are their best companion animal because they are one of the few who can keep up.
Human Beck did not run to meet the invaders and hold them off. They jogged, much faster than their slow amble on their 'rounds'. A pace they could keep up for hours.
They didn't need hours.
The Pirates had control of three labs when their leader was hit with seventy-five pounds of high-velocity herding hound. A very well-trained dog who Beck had "hepped up" for play on their way to the scene.
Pookie may have been growling and biting the Pirate, shaking the offending limb vigorously, but she was also wagging her tail. This was a game to her.
Meanwhile, Beck was using the resulting shock and awe to spray the area liberally with stunner disks.
They didn't know what hit them. Well, most of them didn't know what hit them. One was very certain that he'd been hit by a carnivorous monster.
He was only correct by the vaguest of technicalities.
Beck caught their breath before sauntering over to the Pirate that Pookie was playing with. "You want to surrender, or do I let Pookie try to tear an arm off?"
Never before has such a friendly ultimatum been accepted so readily.
"See?" said the Captain when all was done. "Two Deathworlders."
[Photo by Abhijit Bhole on Unsplash]
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