Welcome all ye princesses, heroes of prophecy, and green muppets with laser swords to yet another episode of LST3K!
This episode is a little longer than those previous, and I'm afraid you know what that means if you've been sucked in with me before β double the pain! The original story has a few spoofish moments of its own, some of which the author admits are intentional. Others, he chuckled nervously over.
Thankfully, I've managed to capture a couple of unlucky souls to share this nightmare with me. Please offer your condolences to
Scriptordelecto
and Malkor!
( Or their next of kin, as appropriate by the time this is over )
There is only one proper way to introduce this cringe-worthy tale. So, grab a seat, scroll slowly, hum that timeless tune, and make sure you have a barf bag handy.
Not long ago, in a galaxy not nearly far enough away...
Episode VIII The Fandom Menace
Throughout the world, they lurk everywhere. They are the fans who can quote every line of dialogue. They are the devotees who dwell as much in that place far, far away as in the real world around them. They come from every corner of the globe, and from every walk of life β the true believers in the force.
But, just as with that enigmatic magic, there is a dark side.
In mother's cellars and dormitories they lurk, their sexual frustrations merging with their devotion to produce masturbatory tales of woe to strike against the innocent and unsuspecting. Ever mindful of the danger, they craft their fantasy with the necessary care to barely avoid the retributive power of a cease and desist order...
Turn down your lights
(Where applicable)***LST3K**********
Malkor: Since this is Star Bores, I say we drink every time we come across any mention of "only hope", "we're doomed" or "oh, dear".
Dark: Sounds good to me. I'm liable to be hurling by the time it's over anyway, so I may as well enjoy the ride!
Script: Break out the shot glasses.
The ship shuddered as yet another laser blast thundered into the shields.
"Captain! We can't take another hit like that! The shields are failing!"
Captain Achilles turned to the concerned woman watching the viewscreen at his side. "Princess Leigh, I don't think we can escape. That Fempire Destroyer has us dead to rights."
Dark: Princess Leigh? Fempire Destroyer? I think we're in for a worse ride than the fictional crew here, everyone.
Malkor: With a name like Achilles, I don't think the Captain will be with us for long. *Mutters* Lucky Bastard...
Cries of alarm erupted throughout the bridge as the strongest jolt yet destabilized the artificial gravity plane. Crew members lurched from left to right, the lucky few grabbing on to something while the rest hurtled from one side of the bridge to the other.
Dark: It's a Klingon attack! Quick β everyone run back and forth while the cameraman shakes the camera!
"The shields are gone, Captain! Captain?"
Princess Leigh regained her feet from where she'd fallen at the foot of the Captain's column, her brow furrowing as she saw the wide-open stare of the Captain's eyes.
Dark: What are the odds? Everyone else is fine, but Captain Achilles takes one in the heel. That's Murphy's Law for you!
"He's gone," she announced.
Dark: Memorial services will be held in ten-forward, with bingo to follow. That is all.
"We're doomed," DP-13 declared, wringing his synth-flesh hands.
Malkor: Everyone Drink, it might make this story more palatable.
Dark: Or knock us mercifully unconscious. Works for me! *Tips his shot glass*
Script: I don't think a
case
of alcohol would make it appealing.
"Not now, Deepee," Leigh snapped to her over-reactive Attendbot.
Dark: An "Attendbot" named DP... Yeah, we know what it's attending to!
"Helmsman, drop the nose and turn us around. We're more maneuverable. That hulking Fempire Destroyer should shoot right past us. We'll find somewhere to hide and make repairs."
Leigh felt the change in the ship's momentum at the same time as everyone else. "They have us in a tractor beam, Highness," the ship's second in command lamented.
Dark: Okay, I know that
said
can grow monotonous at times, but this is getting ridiculous.
He then turned to the navigator and ordered, "Charge the pulse generator. We'll break the beam and escape."
"No," Leigh argued. "We're low on power as it is. The pulse generator will suck the reactor dry.
Dark: Sounds like Princess Leigh is pretty familiar with that process.
We won't have enough power to go more than a few pathoms." She moved toward the door of the bridge and commanded, "Activate the pulse generator on my order. When the Femtroopers board us, offer only token resistance, and then surrender."
"But the data we have..."
Leigh cut him off. "Trust me. Wait for my signal. Deepee, my quarters, come."
Dark: Now is hardly the time for that, Princess.
"Of course, your Highness." When she darted off down the corridor, the Attendbot started and hurried to catch up, "Oh, wait for me!"
Leigh sprinted through the plastisteel hallways as fast as her legs could carry her. She knew that the fate of the galaxy depended upon her succeeding in her mission. She could think of only one possible way to accomplish that goal with capture by the Fempire eminent.
She silently cursed the doors to her quarters for the milliseconds of delay they required to open, forcing her to break her stride, and hurried into her room. She reached into her gown to retrieve the data chip secreted in her bra and called out, "Em Eight!"
The little spherical Attendbot hovered out from its alcove, beeping a greeting that Leigh knew without even seeing the translation readout. Once again, she wondered if the little bot had somehow developed beyond its programming to somehow enjoy using its hidden vibrator on her.
Dark: Oh, she's a naughty princess! Bet the droid is uploading live video to YouTube and charging 6 Fempire Credits per parsec.
Malkor: No bet, my... um... friend downloaded that video.
Dark: Self-bleeping porn!
She sighed, "I wish, Em Eight."
M8-69 let out a disappointed sounding beep and hovered over to await orders. Leigh pushed her data chip into his input jack,
Dark: Wasn't that what the bot was planning to do to her a minute ago? Mate Sixty-Nine? *snicker*
and breathed a sigh of relief when a light came on to notify her that the data had downloaded into the bot. "Hover up here, Em Eight."
M8 beeped apologetically in response.
Dark: Could these bots possibly be any more ripped off?
Leigh leaned down and looked at the translation readout. She sighed, "I thought I told them to fix your spacial plane motivator." The battle to escape the Destroyer had prevented Leigh from keeping track of the ship's location, so she asked, "What is the nearest A1 planet friendly to the rebellion?"
Dark: A1 β yeah, it's
that
important.
Script: Why am I suddenly craving a steakburger?
Malkor: Because it will make the hurling more pleasant later.
Leigh groaned when she read the readout. "Not Lance. Why did we have to be here, of all places?" She knew she had little time remaining, so Leigh swallowed her pride and knelt down where M8s recorder could focus on her without the need for the Attendbot to hover upward. "Record this message, Em Eight."
Malkor: I thought the swallowing happened
after