The Caelestis and Comicron-1 prepare to face off.
ANDERS
The enemy vessel will be entering firing range in one minute and twenty-five seconds.
ROMERO
Prepare all forward weapons banks. Ready the artifact should its power be called upon.
ANDERS
We are receiving a transmission.
ROMERO
Put it on screen.
It’s a message from Cinema Snob.
SNOB
Hi. I’m the Cinema Snob. You might remember me from…The Cinema Snob. And Black Angus!
ROMERO
State your intent.
SNOB
My intent is very simple. Have you ever heard of a little movie called Necromantic?
ROMERO
What?
SNOB
Well, it’s about this couple that steals a dead body and spends all their free time having sex with it! In one scene, there’s a dead body.
ROMERO
I do not understand.
SNOB
Well, speaking of fucking in weird ways, do you know that in Caligula, Malcolm McDowell improvised a scene where he put a flower in a guy’s ass after he fisted it?
ROMERO
I demand that you explain yourself.
SNOB
Oh, but I am. And speaking of Caligula, there’s this movie called Gestapo’s Last Orgy. It has an alternate title of Caligula Reincarnated as Hitler, even though it doesn’t have either Caligula or Hitler in it. But it does have Nazi cannibals, including this really tender, sensitive, romantic subplot between a Nazi and the woman that he’s torturing.
ROMERO
This conversation serves no purpo…
SNOB
Oh, and don’t even get me started on cannibals! There’s this other movie called Anthropophagus where the cannibal in the movie gets his stomach cut open, and then he takes a bite out of his own entrails. And much like Gestapo’s Last Orgy, both of them feature baby-eating.
ROMERO
Enough! What is the meaning of anything that you are saying?!
SNOB
What, isn’t it obvious by now? (chuckles) I’ve been distracting you this whole time.
They both notice a light blinking on the control panel.
LUPA
Now!
MARZGURL
Fire the forward lance!
Comicron-1 fires its laser, doing considerable damage.
ROMERO
Return fire!
The scout ship successfully dodges the shots. Cinema Snob sits back down next to Lupa.
LUPA
Okay. I think we might’ve pissed them off.
SNOB
You think I pissed them off? If we hadn’t have fired (sic), I was gonna start talking about Nukie.
ROMERO
Channel all remaining power from the artifact! We must destroy them!
The back of Comicron-1 takes a direct hit.
NIMUE
Warning: structural integrity compromised on levels five, six, and seven.
JOE
We take another hit like that and we’re goners.
MARZGURL
Increase power to the force wall! Lupa, Snob, is there any chance you can take the heat off of us for a minute?
SNOB
Aww, careful mentioning the heat, or I’m gonna start singin’ some Glenn Fry.
LUPA
We’re on it.
SNOB
The heat is on!
ROMERO
Move the ship around and target the smaller craft. The larger one should not be a…
Comicron-1 approaches the Caelestis head on.
MARZGURL
All weapons fire!
All weapons fire; all hit.
MARZGURL
Aft batteries, fire!
Comicron-1 fires red lasers, doing major damage.
ANDERS
The artifact is drained.
ROMERO
All power systems exhausted.
ANDERS
Structural integrity is compromised. The ship is buckling.
JOE
Our shields are down!
NIMUE
Warning: enemy vessel is about to explode.
MARZGURL
Teleport them into the brig.
The crew is beamed out just as the ship is destroyed.
---
Mechakara makes his way to Linkara, tossing pieces of skin onto the floor as he goes. His metal skull is now completely exposed.
Allen wipes his face with a towel.
LINKARA
How do you feel?
ALLEN
Crappy…in more ways than one. Where are we?
LINKARA
Europa.
ALLEN
Okay, clearly I missed a few things. How long was I out?
LINKARA
Actually, you were dead. Uh, there’s some sort of energy field around here that can repair damage to dead tissue.
ALLEN
Okay… Well, considering that new knowledge, I now feel significantly better…aside from what I assume is in my pants, which isn’t making me feel too great about the situation.
LINKARA
Don’t worry. In anticipation of this, I have prepared some pants.
He pulls a pair of striped pants out of nowhere.
ALLEN
Well, at least I maintain my dignity.
Linkara nods. Mechakara is heard nearby.
ALLEN
What was that?
LINKARA
Change your pants, grab a gun, and get ready.
ALLEN
What’s going on?
LINKARA
We’re trapped on an alien world armed with a magic gun and a gun that shoots bees. We’re about to fight a robot duplicate of me from another dimension.
ALLEN
You still review comic books, right?
LINKARA
Wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. Now wipe your ass and get ready.
The entire crew of Comicron-1 teleports into the base, prepared with weapons. Linkara puts his coat on again.
LINKARA
Guys, you’re all right! What happened to the Caelestis?
MARZGURL
Blown up, and the astronauts are under lock and key.
SNOB
Although some are a bit more dead than the others.
ALLEN
Well, the planet brought me back. Maybe whatever did that can bring them back as well.
SNOB
It’s worth a shot. Except some are a bit extra crispier than you were.
Mechakara is heard again.
LUPA
The hell was that?
LINKARA
That is the sound of something dark and terrible coming this way. That is the sound of boundless rage, and power to back it up. That is the sound of something that will not be satisfied until it stands over our pulverized remains. That is the sound of a monster.
JOE
Good!
Joe tosses away his gun and charges his lightning.
JOE
Let’s kill it!
SNOB
Uh…hey, guys…you sure you don’t just wanna get the hell outta here? Or…maybe you’d like to handle this yourself.
LINKARA
No. We’re all in this together.
Linkara and MarzGurl nod to each other. Everyone aims their weapons as Mechakara makes his way in. The door opens to reveal that the entirety of his steel skeleton is visible.
MECHAKARA
I shall paint these walls with your blood!
LINKARA
Yeah? Fuck you, too!
Everyone fires at once, except Nash who just kind of looks at everyone else. Mechakara collapses immediately. They pace around him cautiously.
MARZGURL
Was that it?
LUPA
Someone should probably go check if he’s actually dead.
SNOB
Not it.
NASH
Why would we do that? We have guns! Shoot him!
Joe picks up a gun.
JOE
I’m down with that.
LUPA
Light ‘em up!
They both fire at him repeatedly. Allen can’t seem to get his gun to work. However, Mechakara's shield adapts to their weapons and he gets back up. They aim their weapons again. He punches the ground, making the whole building shake. Then he aims his laser.
LINKARA
Scatter!
Everyone runs every which way before he fires. They fire from different locations; still no effect. Allen tries various buttons, but still can’t figure out how to fire.
ALLEN
No… God dammit!
He sees a box reading 'Black Pants (Men's)'.
ALLEN
…Hm.
Pollo attacks Mechakara from behind.
POLLO
You know what bugs me about you? You’ve actually got arms, yet you’re not satisfied with it. You’re just an asshole!
Mechakara punches him into some boxes. Joe gets closer to the cyborg, continuously shooting at him. It comes down to Joe’s lightning in the direct path of Mechakara’s own. Mechakara comes out victorious, tossing Joe aside.
ALLEN
I can’t figure this thing out!
LINKARA
It’s a gun that shoots duct tape. You have to switch off the safety.
Allen does so.
ALLEN
Huh. Wait, it shoots what?
The gun shoots duct tape, taping Mechakara to the wall just as he approaches the group.
NASH
Don’t worry! I’ll fix it!
He hits him with the mallet; it does nothing. Mechakara easily frees himself from the tape. Nash makes a run for it as he’s fired at.
90s KID
Dude, the guns aren’t workin’! He’s just adapting to them!
LUPA
We’re gonna need more boom than these things can give us. Say, you didn’t happen to program these with an overload setting, did you?
90s KID
No…but give me a minute.
He pulls out a screwdriver. Mechakara has taped a tube to his arm. Harvey runs out of bullets, so he tosses his gun aside and picks up Nash’s mallet.
HARVEY
Take this, you overgrown microwave!
He hits him from behind. It dents him, but Mechakara simply tries to strangle him. Nash sees what’s going on.
NASH
Ahh!
He sees Harvey’s cigarette discarded on the ground. Mechakara pins Harvey against a wall.
MECHAKARA
You look so much like him.
HARVEY
Why does everybody say that?!
NASH
Live, everybody!
He sticks the cigarette in Mechakara’s eye, distracting him and giving Harvey time to escape. However, the robot recovers quickly.
LINKARA
I just wanna say I’m very proud and honored to be fighting alongside all of you today.
MARZGURL
Thanks. Hope you’re having a happy birthday!
LINKARA
Ooh, now I am!
MARZGURL
Well, you know, I was gonna get you a Pokemon plushie, but I figured you’d appreciate this more.
LINKARA
Infinitely so!
A few shots damage Mechakara. He growls.
MARZGURL
Hm…sounds really angry.
LINKARA
Ooh, you think he sounds pissed now, wait until he realizes he’s going to lose!
A gun is thrown at Mechakara’s feet. It explodes, knocking him to the ground. ‘90s Kid and Lupa do a high-five thumbs up. The group approaches Mechakara to make sure he’s dead.
90s KID
I think we got him, dudes!
Mechakara punches his way through the boxes.
90s KID
Then again…
LINKARA
Round two, everybody! Get into positions!
They scatter again; MarzGurl and Cinema Snob briefly bump into each other. Mechakara gets up.
MARZGURL
You know, maybe we should get outta here. We’re throwing everything we’ve got at him, and it’s barely fazing him!
Linkara sees that some shots do hit him.
LINKARA
Some of our shots are getting through. But I thought he was adapting. He needs to see it coming! ‘90s Kid, another bomb! Do it!
‘90s Kid nods and configures his remaining gun.
LINKARA
Everyone gather up on me!
‘90s Kid sends out another bomb from behind; it knocks him back. Everyone gathers around Linkara.
LINKARA
All right. Everybody grab the shoulder of the person in front of you, forming up two lines behind me.
The others look confused.
LINKARA
Just do it!
They comply.
NASH
Why the hell are we doing this?
LINKARA
My gun is a magic gun. I’m going to need strength from all of you if I’m gonna pull this off.
Mechakara gets up. The magic gun is charged through everyone’s bodies.
LINKARA
We’re all in this together.
He fires a massive shot…and Mechakara dodges it.
SNOB
You missed.
LINKARA
I sure did.
The glowing ball of energy comes back around like a boomerang and hits Mechakara from behind, creating a massive explosion. However, he walks out of the flames, a naked metal skeleton. although clearly falling apart.
MECHAKARA
Die…must…kill…you…hate…you!
Linkara leaves the group to confront him head on.
LINKARA
You just don’t know when to die, do you?! You know, you were telling me earlier about how much better machines are, how flesh sucks and steel rules. But that’s the thing, isn’t it? You are an android, but me? I am a man!
He punches him hard, decapitating him. Linkara holds his fist in pain.
LINKARA
Ow!
Pollo emerges from a pile of boxes.
POLLO
I feel like a rainbow…
LINKARA
Well…that takes care of that. All in all, successful Monday.
The head lands in a corner of the room. Everyone seems to agree that that’s the last of him, except one.
SNOB
You know in action movies in the eighties and nineties, whenever the hero thinks that he’s killed the villain, it always ends with the villain opening his eyes and paving the way for a sequel.
Considering this, Lupa shoots at Mechakara repeatedly, narrowly missing Linkara. Snob claps.
SNOB
All right! I think that got it!
Everyone nods.
---
Later, the crew of the Caelestis are in the base with them, regaining their organic selves. Logan still appears to be dead. Romero examines her glasses.
ROMERO
You know, I miss the bionic vision.
LINKARA
Well, it might come back. According to the scans, it’s still in there. There’s just no visible sign of it anymore.
She puts them back on.
ROMERO
Well, do we know how long it will be ‘til Logan is healed?
LINKARA
Look, I gotta be honest: we don’t even know if it’ll help him. Yes, Allen was dead, but, well, his injuries were far less severe, and…
Logan immediately sits up, gasping for breath.
LINKARA
Well, there you go.
Linkara’s communicator beeps. He walks away. Anders pats Logan on the shoulder.
ANDERS
Welcome back. Come on, get up.
They both help him on his feet.
LOGAN
What…
ANDERS
Yeah. Come on. Walk it off. Just…walk it off.
Logan attaches the Post-It Note on him to Anders.
LINKARA
Go ahead.
On the ship, the crew is in the process of fixing up the remaining damages. Snob walks around with a tube in his mouth.
MARZGURL
We’re pretty much finished with repairs. We’re ready to bring you guys up.
LINKARA
Stand by. We’ll be up in a minute, after the astronaut finishes, um…healing.
ALLEN
Yeah. It’s a shame that the field here isn’t permanent. I’d figure that even you would be willing to ferry people up here for treatment.
LINKARA
Happily. Unfortunately, resurrecting the dead has pushed the field down pretty hard already. NIMUE says that the field has reduced its lifespan from about a year to two weeks if we’re lucky. Maybe we can do some good before it goes out, but until then, I’ll give you all the sensor data I have and, well, maybe it can be recreated.
ALLEN
You’re suddenly feeling very generous now, aren’t you, Linkara?
LINKARA
Well, a new attitude about living brings about a new attitude about a lot of things. Don’t expect me to give you any more technology than the bee gun, though.
ALLEN
I’m also taking the duct tape gun for myself. So, when you guys return to Earth, you finishing up your movie party.
LINKARA
Yep! But first, there’s something I have to take care of…
---
Linkara returns to his futon.
LINKARA
Hello, and welcome to Atop the Fourth Wall, where bad comics burn!
---
THE END
Credits here
---
Close-up on Mechakara’s severed glove. It doesn’t seem to move, but then it glows red at the wrist…
---
The group sits around the TV with looks of shock and horror. Cinema Snob is grinning like a psycho.
SNOB
And that was Salo! Huh? (laughs)
He elbows Nash.