Okie, time for me to finally post a new chapter. Sorry this hasn't been updated in a while, I've had school, girls, beta testing, and also girls distracting me. Anyway, I'm back (thanks to the awesome power of the Office 12 beta), and so is the story. Here's Chapter 3.

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Chapter 3: I Think I’m a Clone Now

Fooruman carefully examined the printout that the Clone-O-Matic had just fired off. After reading through the printout in its entirety, Fooruman looked up at the huge machine in front of him. He then smashed in the ‘eject’ button with his fist. There was a large cracking sound, and after a short pause, Black Ninja’s clone shot out of the machine. Fooruman was pleased. “My faithful servant,” he said, “here are your clothes. Please, walk with me. Much has happened.”

Fooruman and Black Ninja walked for a while before reaching the new conference room. After Fooruman had finished explaining everything that’d happened, Black Ninja, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke. “What would you have your servant do?”

Fooruman laughed. “Your orders are to annihilate Sonyk. I’m going to go give the remaining resistance a bit of a warning message.”

Fooruman picked up the spell book and his heat shield and headed for the door.

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Violet was furious. “Coppertop, you actually think that using a component created by Fooruman is a wise idea? After all, he’s left countless traps for us in the past.”

“Yes he has, and I am well aware of it. However, I’m also well aware that we only have a couple days before we need to kiss this planet goodbye.”

There was a loud hiss of air as the door to the lab opened, revealing Spotty. He walked into the room, closed the door, and slowly walked towards the heat suit in the center of the room, all without saying a word.

Violet frowned. “Spotty, you know full well that this is a restricted area.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Spotty said, “None of this matters. The humans of old couldn’t colonize Mercury. How will we colonize it in a matter of days, especially with Fooruman against us?”

“Good point,” Violet said, “Let’s all just give up now and wait for our slow, painful suffocation.”

Spotty turned to the window on the southeast corner of the lab and walked towards it. He looked out and saw exactly what he expected to see – pitch black. Just as he began to turn around, a blinding light pierced through the thick cloud of ash that had replaced the atmosphere. A dead tree just outside the window exploded in a cloud of fire. Spotty fell to the ground, temporarily blinded by the piercing light. Then, just as quick as the light had appeared, it was gone.

Violet rubbed his eyes and looked out the window for a moment before saying anything. He then turned to Coppertop. “Coppertop, I really hope you know what you’re doing. Fooruman obviously does.”

Violet then turned on a dime and headed for the door. He opened it up, walked through it, and closed it behind him.

Coppertop watched the door close behind Violet and sighed. “Spotty,” she said slowly, “Do you think we have any chance at all?”

Spotty stood back up, walked a few steps, and then fell again, still blinded. “Well,” he said, “Not really.”