The Law and Order Alliance of Extraordinary Super-Duper Heroes versus Ora Magnappetitus, Galactoshark
Professor Xylem strode onto the stage and raised his arms. Gradually the room fell silent.
“I’ve called this meeting of the Alliance because grave news has reached us from our outpost orbiting Neptune. Ora Magnappetitus, the Muncher of Planets, has entered our solar system. Already Pluto has been gnawed and three of its moons nibbled. We need ideas on how to stop his progress before he reaches the inhabited zone.”
Arachnoman stood up. “I could cast a super-duper-immense web around Magnappetitus and slingshot him into the sun.”
Rhinoboy laughed. “Your puny body couldn’t slingshot a pebble into a puddle. No, leave the power work for those of us that have super-duper-strength. I will smash this Magnappetitus into smithereens with one mighty blow.”
“And just how are you going to confront Magnappetitus in the cold, airless, emptiness of space?” asked Astrogirl. “You’re not, that’s how, No. This is a job for me and my sidekick, Nanoman. We can blast him with my astroship’s super-duper-lasers.”
“Excuse me,” pouted Nanoman, “I’m not anyone’s sidekick. I thought we agreed we work as a dynamic duo for outer-space missions.”
“We did, but it’s my astroship and I’m captain, so if anyone travels with me, they’re my sidekick.”
“What rot!” exclaimed Lord Aqualis, “When we went to the sunken city of Subaqueanus in my super-duper-underwater zeppelin, were you my sidekick?”
“That was different. We weren’t on a mission. But if…”
“Hey,” shouted Arachnoman, “what about my plan?”
“Oh shut up, silk-bum!” cried the others in unison.
Chaos ensued.
“Smash him!”
“Blast him!”
“Sling him!”
Professor Xylem shook his head and muttered, “This always happens. Bickering, pettiness, name-calling. I really should just disband the Alliance and go back to teaching woodwork.”
Meanwhile, Magnappetitus drew ever closer…
My entry in the July 2021 300 Word Story Challenge at SFFChronicles
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, or other Speculative Fiction
M. Robert Gibson 