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Prisoner 0056

Prisoner 0056 has escaped...

The message scrolled across the screen, flashing yellow and red as a high alert to the Retrieval Team. Drog hunkered down in his seat between the massive Rhincon to his right and the bulky Glorbiul to his left. The Threat Eradication Detection and Destruction of Yabba (nicknamed Project T.E.D.D.Y.) was only called out when the most dangerous of the Yabba race were found outside of containment.

Yabba's are venomous and disgusting creatures with the ability to shapeshift into any form. The Yabba's preferred meal were small human children and often disguised themselves as cute objects or toys that would attract children close. When the victims would fall asleep, the Yabba would unhinge its massive jaws and swallow the child whole. There had been ten Yabba attacks in the last year, and the entire T.E.D.D.Y. team was desperate to keep an eleventh from happening.

Drog took a deep breath as the vehicle slowed and began prepping his weapons and adjusting his helmet. The vehicle had barely stopped when the Captain was up and shouting orders, pushing his crew out of the vehicle, "Move it! Go time! Go! Go! Go!" Drog fell in line behind his teammates and rushed to the waiting portal in the docking bay. With laser blaster set to "Well Done," as the boys called it, he aimed carefully at the portal, a bead of nervous sweat already dripped down his horn into his sixth eye. He blinked it away furiously.

Yabba were terrifying beasts. They weren't even really monsters. They were giant creatures that had fell from space sometime when humans were still living in caves. The Monsters, having sworn a pact to protect the human race, have been at war with these space invaders for millennia. Yabba had huge flabby bodies covered in a sticky mucus that acted as a sedative. They had long limbs that stuck out in every direction, huge teeth like knitting needles, and were completely blind, navigating around by smelling with their long tongues like snakes. A Yabba could easily crush you with its arms, but it usually attacked by spitting acid at its prey, dissolving any organic material.

Drog reached up and quadruple checked his helmet clasp was closed completely. His partner, Mlerg, had his helmet knocked off a few years ago during a Yabba attack. Drog could still smell the stench of his friend being melted. "Alright, Scum! We have a High Alert situation here. Prisoner 0056 has escaped from confinement. He is an adult Yabba with full shapeshifting abilities, so have your sensors on heat detection. Remember, Yabba's core temperature never reach below 40 degrees Celsius. You're all looking for a hot spot."

Drog muttered affirmation with his teammates. The captain continued, "On my count, we will enter the portal to the human dimension, so be ready when boots hit the ground for action. As far as we know, there are no bystandards in the immediate area, so be prepared to shoot at will. Weapons hot!?" "Hot!" Came response. "Move out!"

Drog followed closely behind his teammate and felt the familiar pull of the portal as he dematerialized and materialized into the human realm. On tip-claws, he moved forward out of the small space, what appreared to be a dark pantry door and began canvasing the house for any hot spots. They were searching for minutes that seemed like years, when Drog heard the garbled message over his headset, "Sir... I have visual. You're not going to like this." The captain barked, "Officer, Bartyut! Why is this thing still breathing!?" The response came, "Sir, the Yabba has a child captive."

There were multiple curses and swears muttered, and all the officers quietly rushed into the sleeping child's room, decorated with cars and movie posters, and all looked in horror as a boy about 11 years old slept with his arm around a stuffed teddy bear. Drog's sensor read the bear as white hot, and he felt his hands start to shake with the adrenaline.

The captain came forward and carefully made his way towards the teddy bear, "Prisoner 0056," he whispered angrily, "You are under arrest for crimes of war and attempted murder. Release the child, or-" "Oooorwhhhaaaaaaatt......ssssssss" came the hissing reply. A shiver went down Drog's spine. Yabba didn't have lips, so their speech was drawn out and hissed through teeth. A hellish sound that would haunt your nightmares. The captain didn't hesitate, "I will blow your disgusting hide into oblivion where you came."

"Nyehuehehehehheheeee... Sssssstupiiiiid mosssssterrrr.... I'mmmm ooofff the ooooollldd racccccce... you havvve noooo poooowerrrr ovvvveeerrr meeeeeeee. I wiiillllll feeeassssssst onnn thisssssssss ccaaaaaarcccuuussssss aannnndddd theeeeennnnnn cooooonssssssuuuummeee, yyooooouuuu aaalllllllll!" The captain flipped the switch on his blaster and a high pitched whine indicated it was ready for launch, "Don't try me, Space Snot." "GggrggggrrrggrrrrrRRRRRAAAAAAAHHHH!!!" The Yabba growled menacingly, then its tiny bear jaws suddenly opened to reveal huge jagged teeth and a wet, green tongue lashed out at the captain, causing him to stagger back.

The tiny bear body was ripped back and the blobby and slimy body smilled out of the fur and cotton, revealing an eight foot monstrocity with whipping arms and tongue, spitting acid in every direction, one arm still gripping the unconcious child. Drog swallowed his fear and began shooting at the Yabba's legs, trying to distract him long enough for someone to grab the boy. The Yabba roared again and vomitted a wave of green acid onto one of his teammates.

Thankfully, the protective gear kept the acid from getting to the body, but a loud hissing and an acrid smell filled the air as his suit tried to withstand the damage. The T.E.D.D.Y. retrieval team dodged in and out of the Yabba's flailing limbs, but no one was able to get close enough to grab the boy. Drog suddenly noticed that one of the Yabba's arms bent at an awkward angle. The Yabba must have somehow injured itself during the escape!

Drog quickly lifted his weapon, took very careful aim, and shot the injured limb. "OFFICER DROG! DO NOT SHOOT CLOSE TO THE HUMA-" The captain began to bellow, but the Yabba had lurched back and screamed in agony, dropping the boy as it clawed at its now severaly injured limb. Drog darted forward and barely dodged a leg as he grabbed the child and hunkered down under a desk, wrapping his tendrils protectively around him. The T.E.D.D.Y. team now open fired on the Yabba and managed to force it into a containment cube, screeching and spitting uselessly against the box walls.

The captain came over and stared at Drog, "Officer, that was both the dumbest and best thing I've seen in my line of work. You will be written up for such reckless behavior," Drog's head drooped. However, the captain put a hand on his shoulder, "But you did save a life today. I won't forget that, son." The captain turned and began giving orders when a pair of headlights swept past the window.

"Retrieval team! Move out! Humans are home!" The retrieval team manage to slide the containment cube under the bed, disappearing into the emergency exit. Drog gently laid the boy back on top of the bed, tucking him in gently. He ruffled the boys hair and smiled to himself. For thousands of years, they'd been caring for and protecting these creatures, and they never knew a thing. "Drog!" the captain whispered angrily as the front door knob began to rattle, and Drog slid underneath the bed just as the human adults came in the front door.