Bucky O' Hare
In
"A Soviet Indignation"
By Andrew Norris

"Nice shootin', Deadeye!" Bucky smirked as yet another Double Bubble 
imploded into space dust. The Righteous Indignation was once more 
feeling the wrath of a minute Toad Patrol. Her trigger-happy gunner, 
Deadeye Duck, seemed to destroy each craft as though it were as simple 
as an eye blink. Bucky scanned his eyes across the desolate area. 
Nothing but fragments of space dust was to be seen. With the patrol 
defeated, the adventurous rabbit fell back in his chair. He smiled at 
the thought of the Toad Fleet now missing a handful of its best pilots. 

"Set course for Genus, Jenny." Bucky turned to his first mate. 
"Aye, aye, Captain." Jenny smiled, and began to pilot the mighty 
frigate back to Genus for repair. They hadn't got very far, when 
Deadeye rushed into the Cockpit.
"Cap'n! I almost forgot! The Canards need me on Rigel 7!" he shouted. 
Bucky turned to face his gunner. His feathers were now dripping with 
sweat, and his face seemed desperate.
"Why are you needed on Rigel 7? I thought the Treaty had been signed." 
Bucky frowned.
"Aye. But it's nothin' about the treaty. This be an official clan 
meet." Came the reply. Bucky considered this for a short while, and was 
eventually convinced to change course to Rigel 7.

As Deadeye hopped from the Righteous and onto the planets damp surface, 
Bucky then realised he'd no gunner should trouble arise. Deadeye was 
now out of sight, and no one would dare to drag a Corsair Canard from a 
Clan Meet. Bucky felt lost.
"Think, Bucky, think." He muttered to himself. As the Righteous hummed 
slowly out into space, Jenny clicked her fingers, and gazed at Bucky.
"Bucky, do you remember Natalie?" she asked.
"Yeah, but Na..." Bucky then smiled at the notion whirling inside 
Jennys' head.
"Full speed to Genus, First Mate." He grinned, glad to have a solution.
Natalie Farrell had left Earth some time ago to join Bucky on his 
travels, in the rank of Secondary Gunner. After the incident on Rigel 
2, it was decided Natalie would only accompany the crew if Deadeye were 
taken ill or called away. Bucky could see the look in Natalies' hazel-
brown eyes now, and piloted his mighty vessel through the depths of 
space. 

On Genus, Chairman Fritz Warner had called a meeting of the Council. 
Every member known was there. Vice Chairman Griff was there. Miss 
Sheffield was there, in fact, there was no absent yet known. Fritz 
whacked down his mallet, and cleared his throat.
"This meeting of the United Animals Security Council is now in session. 
We've had disturbing reports of unidentified craft attacking both 
Mammal and Toad vessels." Everyone began to murmur and whisper in 
uncertainty. Fritz switched on the large video screen behind him. 
Everyone watched as a brief film began to play. All that could be seen 
was space. Then came a group of Toad Double Bubbles being chased by 
another Mammalian Frigate, the Screaming Mimi. As the Toad Fighters 
were once more obliterated, a cuboid shaped, scarlet battle cruiser 
came into view. The cruiser first fired a beam of blinding white lasers 
at the remaining Double Bubbles, and then to the Screaming Mimi. The 
screen then went blank. Everyone stared in shock and disgust.

"The Screaming Mimi is returning to Genus now. That attack occurred one 
hour ago from now, and a UAC satellite captured the film, while in 
orbit of Canis 4." The oak-wooden doors of the Board Room swung open, 
revealing Bucky O' Hare, First Mate Jenny and AFC Blinky. Fritz spun 
around to greet them.
"Ah, Bucky. You're just the hare I wanted to see." Bucky gave a worried 
expression. Before he could even get a word in, the crackle of the 
intercom and blaring klaxons from the landing bays began a chorus of 
awful din. 

From the windows, everyone stared as the Screaming Mimi slowly prepared 
to land. A trail of thick, black smoke poured from her engines, and her 
motors whined loudly as the charred vessel returned at a sluggish pace.
"Screaming Mimi requesting emergency clearance for touchdown." Jonathon 
crackled over the intercom, his voice incredibly muffled.
"Roger. You're clear. Bring that ship down and start thinking of some 
good excuses," Griff roared, taking control of the radio. "You're going 
to need them!" With a roar of firing retros, the battered ship slowly 
hovered over one of the landing pads. Technicians and Engineers ran 
frantically to assist as the Screaming Mimi finally landed with a heavy 
thump. Griff stormed out of the Board Room to have a good talking with 
Mimi. Fritz frowned slightly, and turned to Bucky.
"Bucky, can you and your crew see me in my office?" he murmured, so 
that Griff wouldn't hear.

The foursome was led down several corridors and into Fritzs' office. 
Fritz activated his projector, and showed them all a star map labelled 
SECTOR 26. 
"What happened to the Screaming Mimi?" Jenny inquired. Fritz frowned 
further still.
"It was attacked by one of many unidentified ships in this sector," he 
pointed at the star map. Flicking a switch, a multitude of small red 
dots appeared, scattered on the map.
"There are several, shown by these dots," Fritz continued. "They've 
attacked several spaceships, including Toad Patrols." Activating 
several other controls, more dots of white and green surrounded the 
scarlet blobs. There were probably thousands of them. Fritz then picked 
up several sheets of paper, and recited their contents.
"Sector 26: 3pm, Tuesday 16th Jingtober, Toad Patrol over Canis 1, 
Unidentifiable craft destroys 30 Double Bubbles. Sector 26: 1am, Friday 
2nd Harchtember, Mammalian Fuel Tanker EFZ7 damaged by unidentified 
vessel near Planet Vulpanna, 120 gallons of Superon Rocket Fuel lost." 
Bucky and Jenny stared at one another in shock. No one they knew would 
attack both sides of the Toad Wars.
"Any ideas of who the attackers are?" Bucky commented, staring at the 
map.
"That's where you come in, Bucky," Fritz turned to him. "I want you to 
attempt to board or attack one of these cruisers and see who our 
friends are." Without saying another word, the trio were dismissed.

With Natalie in the armoury, the Righteous Indignation was ready for 
takeoff. Willy had soon arrived when he heard the news of the Screaming 
Mimi. With a roar of engines, they were soon rocketing through the 
black void of space. Willy and Natalie both chattered away excitedly, 
hoping to grab some action. As Bruiser began to suffer from a headache, 
Bucky came down to greet them.
"Right," he began. "I know you both are glad to be back in action, but 
remember; you're both members of the Coalition, so try and think about 
your jobs if action does come up." They both gave him a salute, and 
calmed down.
"Aye, aye, Captain. I'll behave like a good boy." Willy chuckled. 
"Yes sir, I'll make good of Deadeyes' absence." Bucky smiled at them 
both, and made his way to the cockpit. As they trekked through the 
stars, Bucky thought to himself.
'Two teenagers,' he thought. 'Willy and Natalie, two mature teenagers 
treating the Toad Wars like a carnival. Can't blame them though. They 
never see much action.'
The trilling of a craft in radar range interrupted his contemplations. 
Everyone looked up, and saw their attackers close up.

In front of the Righteous Indignation, roughly 1/2 kilometre away, was 
a mighty, maroon coloured battle cruiser. Its' menacing figure made it 
seem like a duplicate of the Toad Mothership. Four boosters, the same 
size of the Righteous Indignation, steamed and hissed small trails of 
smoke, as though the beast had just come out of hyperdrive. Along the 
side of the craft was a huge hammer symbol of the Communist Party, 
overall gold. At the front of this monstrosity was a monstrous head of 
a jackal, with a cockpit housed inside the brain. A bright yellow burst 
of a tractor beam drew the Righteous inside. 

Within the monster lay smaller battle cruisers, and were the same type 
of Cruisers that had attacked the Screaming Mimi. Hundreds upon 
thousands of officers in scarlet overalls, again with the communist 
ensigma, surrounded the Righteous and targeted their rifles at the 
entrance shaft. Bucky and Jenny were shocked.
"Oh my stars," Jenny whispered in horror. "We've just confronted the 
Communists."
Everybody stared in fright as a panther stepped forward, eyes affixed 
on the hatch.
"All of you out! Otherwise we'll blast you out!" he squeaked. Bucky 
thought of what to do. Totalitarianism in the Aniverse was in its last 
stages of exhaustion, which would probably explain the attacks. If they 
resisted, they could lose their lives, if they didn't, they'd lose 
their ship. Bucky signalled to Jenny that he was out to investigate.
"Stay here," he whispered. "If anything happens, get Natalie to blow 
their brains out."
"But Bucky..." it was no use. Jenny knew that once Buckys mind was made 
up, there was no way to alter it.

Bucky disembarked cautiously. Every antelope, sheep and bear had their 
eyes all affixed on him. They lowered their guns, and relaxed their 
faces. The panther looked at him, and gave a cordial smile.
"Welcome to our abode, Captain O' Hare." He squeaked. "I am Lieutenant 
Sellers of the Aniversian Communist Party. We're sorry to use firepower 
against you, but we knew you'd try and attack us first, just like the 
Toads." Bucky was taken quite aback.
"We are nothing like the Toads. The Toads will wipe out anything they 
can grab, the Coalition is just trying to keep the peace." The hare 
protested. 
"I doubt General Osiris would agree," Sellers sniggered. "Ask your 
friends to come out of your ship and I will see if the General will see 
you." Bucky did as he was requested, while the Lieutenant walked off 
with two possum guards. 
"What's his problem?" Willy thought out loud. The group disembarked, 
leaving Blinky and Bruiser to guard the ship, should anyone try to 
sabotage the ship. 

By now, the troops surrounding the Righteous had broken away, and were 
working on the separate cruisers around the bay. Jenny gazed around her 
in amazement. 
"What is this place?" She pondered, as though the Toad Mothership was 
smaller than this...whatever it was. Lieutenant Sellers soon returned, 
his possum escorts behind.
"General Osiris wishes to see you all immediately." He sneered. The 
ochre-furred officer led them through several corridors, to the front 
of a large metal door labelled "GENERAL P. OSIRIS" Sellers turned to 
Bucky with a broad smile.
"I shall leave you here." He then left, again with his two drones. The 
hefty door slid open, and the four trotted inside. The room was a 
plush, luxurious sitting room, with burgundy carpets, richly decorated 
walls of gold and blue, with two plush couches in front of a marble 
fireplace. Nothing oily or military seemed to reign inside here, with 
the exception of portraits and brightly polished medals on the wall. 
"Welcome my friends," Came a voice. In front of a dominating oak desk, 
with his chair facing outwards towards the great glass windows of 
space, was the General. He turned to them, and gave a wry smile.

"I am General Osiris of the Red Republic. I hope my troops weren't too 
hard on you." He coughed. General Osiris was a black-haired jackal, 
perhaps no more than 37 years of age. His glowing, green eyes scanned 
them up and down. His generals' uniform consisted of metallic silver 
body armour, and a cape of the Communist flag. No medals seemed to hang 
from his armour. They all seemed to hang on the walls. Osiris seemed to 
give Willy the creeps. Even if he was a Space General of 4ft tall, 
there as something about him that made Willys' blonde hairs stand on 
end.
"May I ask what is going on here?" Bucky snapped. "I thought the 
Communists were long gone." Osiris grinned, as though he'd been 
expecting the question.
"It hasn't all gone, Captain O' Hare," he began. "It is still alive. 
But only just."
"Tell us about it." Bucky lowered his voice. The mysterious jackal 
allowed them to be seated on the couches. Osiris squeezed in with 
Natalie, who was keener than anyone to hear the story. Bucky and Jenny 
listened carefully, as Osiris began.

"We were once a mighty superpower," Osiris sighed. "We were in full 
control over most of the Aniverse. When the Toad invasions began, the 
Red Republic began to crumble. The newly formed United Animals 
Coalition wiped out much of the communist fleet. Many toads did the 
same. We were on the brink of extermination, but when we saw what Toad 
Motherships could do, we decided to build our own Mothership, and it 
was built on our homeworld, the planet Rott. When Toads attacked Rott 
some 11 years ago, some of us fought the Toads while several of the 
high-ranking officers and their families retreated in the Mothership. 
With our planet blinded by chaos, we were able to escape unnoticed. We 
constructed our assault cruisers by collecting space debris from Toad 
Craft that had been destroyed. Now we are the last survivors under 
Totalitarianism, and we live a nomadic lifestyle. We trek across the 
Aniverse hiding from the Toads and the Mammals. We always attack any 
craft that may pose a threat to us, so as not to make a repeat of Rott. 
If we were to expose ourselves, we would die, and the Communist Regime 
would die too." 

Bucky had no idea of what to say. They were only hostile to them 
because they feared execution from either side of the Toad Wars?
"Bu things have changed. I'm sure a word with our Chairman, Fritz 
Warner..." he began, but Osiris cut him off in mid-sentence.
"You mean to say that Pigton is no longer chairman?" Osiris began to 
cheer up.
"No, he was murdered some years ago. Why do you ask?" came Buckys' 
answer.
"Pigton was chairman when he declared that the Communist Party should 
be wiped out. Do you still have a Frigate named The Fearless?"
"No. I take it that Pigton sent the Fearless to destroy you." The hare 
concluded.
"Heavens be praised! We are no longer under any Mammal threat!" Osiris 
began to dance around merrily, as though he had just won the Lottery.
"If you like, I can radio ahead, and see if you can land on Genus." 
Bucky cleared his throat, after Osiris began to sing joyfully like a 
hummingbird. 
"Please do! Oh, please do!" It seemed that the General would never stop 
dancing. Natalie and Willy helped to calm the insane jackal, while 
Bucky and Jenny left the room to radio The Security Council.

Further afield meanwhile, near the planet Rigel 6 in the neighbouring 
Sector 21, a newly built Toad Mothership had been successfully launched 
from a Toad Observatory on the moon. In charge of her were The 
Airmarshalls' two bumbling assistants, Frix and Frax. One of several 
Mothership Pilots guided their new ship, with several Double Bubbles on 
board, ready for action. The two stooges were in conversation with 
KOMPLEX himself, who didn't seem keen about this.
"Remember Frix, Frax, if you can at least keep this Mothership in one 
piece, you two will both become Sergeants. If, and only if, you are 
able to conquer another world with it." KOMPLEX hissed, his optic 
sensors glowing demonically.
"You can count on us, oh mighty KOMPLEX." Frix squeaked.
"We won't fail you, oh mighty KOMPLEX." Frax squealed. KOMPLEX then 
severed the communications link, and the two then discussed with each 
other where to go.
"How about Sector 4? There are a few planets there." Frax suggested.
"Nah, they're all gas planets. We'll be poisoned!" Frix squealed. His 
twin then clicked his fingers, and then turned to his brother.
"What about those pests in Sector 26?" Frax grinned.
"Yeah, if we got rid of them, KOMPLEX would promote us to Colonels!" 
Frix brightened. Frax turned to the Mothership Pilot, whom was 
polishing his purple epilates at the time.
"Set course for Sector 26. Course 2930 Blue." Frax shouted. The pilot 
jumped so vigorously, a blob of fabric soap landed on his maroon 
helmet. However he followed his orders and steered the ship further 
into space.

Back in Sector 26, The Righteous Indignation was flying alongside the 
Communist Mothership as an escort. Genus was almost visible, and a 
special welcoming party was being prepared by all to welcome the last 
survivors. Osiris beamed happily, knowing he would finally land on a 
planets surface once more after 11 years. The Planet Rott no longer 
existed according to Genus. The Toads, while testing their experimental 
slimebombs, had left nothing but a planet of gunge and poisonous 
insects. Anyone stupid to go there would die of mosquito bites and 
Malaria. Still, Genus would be better than anything, and the first 
thing to do would be to drink a whole barrel of... A thundering 
explosion sent the Mothership whirling. Bucky and Jenny watched as a 
Toad Mothership appeared from a hyper space-jump. Double Bubbles poured 
from the beast, swarming over the Righteous like a plague of locusts. 
Natalie began to fire the masers frantically in all directions, often 
achieving lucky hits. Lieutenant Sellers led the Soviet Cruisers out to 
assist. The image of Frix and Frax showed up on the video screen, both 
making poor attempts at being evil.

"Greetings Bucky O' Hare," Frix sneered. His voice in a deep tone.
"Has KOMPLEX gone barmy? Why would he give you two a Mothership?" Bucky 
tried not to show how humorous he thought this. 
"We will shortly be Colonels of the Toad Empire, and you, including the 
Communist scum will be pieces of space dust floating for all eternity." 
Frax added. Bucky and Jenny eventually broke into laughter. Neither of 
them could believe that a pair of idiots would be capable of promotion. 
Bruiser was almost in hysterics, his stomach was in pain but he just 
had to laugh. General Osiris and Lieutenant Sellers also knew the 
stupidity of the pair, and could imagine the Toad Empire crumbling to 
pieces with Frix and Frax in command, and the UAC wouldn't have to move 
a muscle. 
"Oh, yeah?" Frix snarled. The Double Bubbles may have been completely 
obliterated by the Cruisers, but they still had a tritomic warhead 
ready for detonation. Frix carefully set its target, The Righteous 
Indignation. As the torpedo was launched, a laser beam knocked it off 
course, exploding it on the Toad Motherships' hull. 

There was now no choice but to evacuate. Escape Pods and battle-damaged 
Double Bubbles fled the ship, along with Frix and Frax in the Officers' 
Double Bubble. After several minutes, the Righteous Indignation and the 
Communist Mothership were clear of the blast, and still on their way to 
Genus. The Toads returned to the Toad Homeworld in disgrace, and were 
not heard from after that. Bucky and Osiris scanned space frantically 
to find where the laser came from. Gazing from behind Genus' moon, The 
Sovereign, Pirate Ship of the Corsair Canards came into view. Captain 
Lanel and Deadeye at the controls. Deadeye gave a smile over the 
intercom.
"Hiya matey. Miss me?" he laughed as the last Double Bubble beat a 
hasty retreat. Bucky smiled; glad to see his gunner again. Natalie too 
was pleased to see Deadeye.
"What that red whale be?" Lanel pointed at the Soviet Mothership in 
confusion.
"I'll explain when we land." Bucky grinned, and guided his ship 
downwards.

Several hours later, everyone was at the bar. Osiris had been reciting 
stories of his life on board the Mothership, and now was more than 
ready for another drink. The last Communists had planned to stop on 
Genus permanently, but both Mimi LeFleu and Vice Chairman Griff refused 
to accept them, and were in an argument with Lieutenant Sellers. 
"You are not welcome on this planet! You'll destroy us all!" Griff 
roared.
"Yeah! Look at my ship!" Mimi fumed, pointing at what was left of her 
Frigate.
"Fine! If you can't be reasonable, then tell that to the General, not 
me! Or at least wait until he's sober!" Sellers then marched off into 
the Soviet Mothership. Mimi sighed and went to survey the wreckage of 
her ship.
"D'you think they'll leave?" Mimi asked.
"Probably. After the trouble with the Canards, I'm not having Genus 
being overrun by totalitarianism." Griff grunted, and marched off to 
find Fritz. Mimi was examining the gash in the engines, when she heard 
a groaning noise from the entrance hatch. Opening the hatch cautiously, 
with her hand slowly hovering over her maser pistol, Mimi opened up the 
ship to find Gunner Larry Callan and Fritzs' Secretary, Mrs. Sheffield, 
both exchanging a passionate kiss. Mimi cleared her throat, and Larry 
began to search for an excuse while the young squirrel lowered her 
skirt over her exposed legs.


"Its' OK, Larry," Mimi smirked. "I can keep a secret.
"Y-y-yes, Mimi," Larry stammered. "I'm sure glad those Communists 
weren't all killed."
"Yeah. Sure they're a pest, but at least they survived." Mrs. Sheffield 
put in.
"Ah well," Mimi sighed. "We've got the Communists, now to find the 
Fascists!"

THE END