appeared in the distance and started to come closer. Soon, it was clear who it was.

‘’Stand your ground everyone, we can’t let Steele through!’’ Yukon ordered over the comm. link as Steele stopped the Obliterator in front of the four droids.

‘’Well, well, I have the advantage, and you still think you can beat me. How predictable.’’ Steele then pulled out his weapons. He possessed dual Bulldog rocket launchers, which launched six rockets at one time. Brent was shocked. He hadn’t thought the prototype Obliterator would be this powerful. Steele then pulled the trigger.

‘’Evasive manoeuvres!’’ Yukon yelled as the six rockets headed for the four droids. Steele growled and reloaded his weapon. Balto took this momentary pause to aim and fire. He managed to fire off two quick rounds at Steele’s droid, doing minute, but still acceptable damage to the Obliterator’s armour. Steele grinned and pressed the trigger. Balto’s droid took all six rockets. His red droid was thrown backward from the force of the rockets. When Balto finally managed to activate the jet boosters and stop his droid, the true damage seemed to now just sink in. Off the droid, sparks flew into space, and the droid started to slouch, like a child after it was scolded. Steele smiled and replied, ‘’how fitting. I finally get to finish you off, all the while sitting in the most powerful droid in the universe. I just want you to know that this victory will be delicious. Farewell Balto, my admirable adversary!’’ Steele pressed the trigger the rockets shot from the Bulldog. Balto closed his eyes.

‘’Nooo!’’ Brent yelled and threw his droid in front of the rockets. Brent’s blue droid took the full force of the rockets. Inside, the damage counters were going off the scale. Brent started to sweat as the internal temperature of his droid started to rise. A computerized voice then replied, ‘’warning, warning, droid damaged at tolerability threshold. No more damage can be tolerated.’’

Brent tapped his comm. link microphone and said, ‘’Balto, you still there? You Okay?’’

A crackled voice came back through Brent’s audio speaker.

‘’Yeah, I think so…droid damage at 85%.be fine…Steele doesn’t hit me.’’

‘’Balto, you’re breaking up. Balto? Balto!’’ The line was dead. Brent grabbed his comm. headset and smashed it on the floor of his cockpit. He knew it was over. His droid could not take any more damage, let alone six more rockets from Steele guns. He shook his head and thought, ‘’Man Brent, you really blew it this time.’’

Suddenly, an explosion caught both Brent’s and Balto’s attention. They both looked in the direction of the explosion and saw that Yukon and his yellow droid had taken major damage too. It was just Jenna and Steele. Steele could not force himself to shoot at Jenna, which gave her the advantage. But all she did was pointed her Pulse Rifles at Steele, nothing else. Through Brent’s smashed comm. Headset, he could here Balto yelling, ‘’Jenna, you can finish this right now. Do it, pull the trigger!’’

But Jenna response was to lower her two rifles and say, ‘’I can’t. Even if he’s about as low as pond scum, I can’t force myself to shoot him. It wouldn’t be right.’’

‘’Then you do have a soft spot for me after all, don’t you?’’ Steele asked. Jenna raised her rifles again.

‘’I said I couldn’t shoot you, I didn’t say I wouldn’t.’’ Jenna scowled. Steele whimpered. Suddenly, Brent noticed the time. The colony was going to explode in five minutes.

‘’Okay everyone, we have to get out of here. Let’s move!’’

But just as they were about to leave, a small child’s voice came over their comm. link.

‘’Help me,’’ he wailed, ‘’help me. I can’t find the escape pods! Help!’’

‘’Oh, for the love of Christ. Fine, okay guys; let’s hang a U-y! We have to save that kid.’’

Colony K9, three minutes until explosion,

Brent and the five others landed there droids and jumped out. Inside the hangar was the small child. Brent grabbed him and placed him on his shoulder. He then turned to Yukon.

‘’Yukon, you know this place like the back of your paw. Lead us to the escape pods.’’

Yukon pointed to a door just to Brent’s left. It read “Escape Pods” over the door.

‘’Smart ass.’’ Brent muttered and opened the door. Inside sat one pod. It was able to sit five people, and there were six. Balto then replied, ‘’ you guys go. I’ll stay.’’

But Brent had other plans.

‘’Listen, I know how much you want to be a hero Balto, but I will give my life. You have Jenna and your owners to take care of. Me, I have no one. No friends, no family. I’m a loner. That’s why I don’t deserve to live. Go, before my sacrifice is in vain.’’

There was no denying it. Brent was indeed sacrificing his life. But before Balto closed the canopy of the pod, he said quietly, ‘’Brent, you’ll always be a friend in my heart. And my hero. Thank you, and save me and Jenna a spot in doggy heaven, will you?’’

‘’10-4. See you in the future, Balto.’’

Those were the last words Balto heard from Brent as the pod, (driven by Yukon) sped off away from the colony. Just a minute later, all five looked back to see a giant explosion appearing right on queue. Balto held Jenna as she shed tears for their friend. They had never had one like him before. And they called him a nerd when they first met him. Yukon, not trying to break up the moment, exclaimed, ‘’next stop, 1947! Hang on!’’

And with a quick burst of speed, the pod disappeared in a time portal.

November 28, 1947,

The pod reappeared discreetly behind the old fishing yacht that was Balto’s home. Yukon smiled and said, ‘’it was nice meeting you Balto. I’ll never forget this moment. Bye!’’ And after a flick of a switch, Yukon was gone. Balto and Jenna sat on the ship, while Steele slowly walked back to town, shouting, ‘’I’m sorry Balto. You deserve the popularity, not me.’’

This statement from his arch rival made Balto a tiny bit happy, but the loss of a good friend kept him sad. Just then, Balto heard something. He looked up and listened intently. The sound he heard sounded like screams of terror. The sound then got louder, and a time portal opened up above the boat, spitting out Brent from it. He fell onto the deck, hitting it hard. Balto and Jenna rushed to his aid. Brent got to his feet slowly and shook his head.

‘’You didn’t think I’d die that easy, did you?’’ he retorted. Balto and Jenna were so happy, they both hugged him. Brent smiled and replied, ‘’Man, I think I may have found my home after all. Forget the future, I like the past better.’’

And with Balto and Jenna by his side, Brent walked into Nome, happy he was with his friends once again.

END