Plausible Deniability 9

PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY

An AU Battle of the Planets/Star Blazers crossover

By Frederick P. Kopetz

Inspired by "Yuki Wildstar" and Gail (Fluffy) Kopetz.

CHAPTER NINE: THE FIRST CHAIRMAN BACKED INTO A CORNER

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I. HASSHIN!

The Tokyo Megalopolis

Underground Space Naval Dock Twelve

Friday, April 26, 2222

0800 Hours: Local Time

Description: novascan1 __________________________________

“Captain!” said Nova Wildstar from her place at the Argo’s Cosmo-Radar: she would be acting as both Living/Operations Chief and Head Ship’s Surgeon on this mission. “The crew register checks out. All present and ready for takeoff.”

At the Captain’s Station at the aft part of the Argo’s First Bridge, Admiral Wildstar nodded, and snapped, “Pull in the gangway; commence procedures for takeoff!”

“Aye, sir, begin flooding the launching dock,” said Lieutenant Hiyoshi Bando from the Technical Ops station. The usual officer there, Stephen Sandor, was not available for this mission, so Bando had taken his place. “Water in the launching dock!”

“Awaiting takeoff orders, sir,” said Commander Holly Venture, Mark’s wife, at her place at the ship’s helm. She would also be the ship’s XO this mission since Sandor was not available, and Nova already had her hands full for this cruise. Mark was also unavailable since he had a job for now at EDF Headquarters and was also caring for their daughter Adrianna, who was now twelve years old and quite a handful of intelligent, crazy redhead. She was two grades behind Derek and Nova’s son and daughter Alexander and Ariel, and she attended the same middle school.

“Those orders will be coming shortly,” snapped Derek.

“Water level, 10 meters and increasing,” said Bando.

“Engineering, start auxiliary engines,” Derek ordered.

“Priming starting cylinder, power to auxiliaries in thirty seconds,” said Commander Timothy Orion from his post.

“Station status,” said Derek. “Main Tactical?”

“All weapons systems green, all crews ready,” said Commander Paul Rosstowski from his post. “Flight crews also ready!”

“Helm?” said Derek.

“Astro-compass running, systems coming up,” said Holly.

“Main radar, operations and Medical?” snapped Derek, looking at Nova.

“Green and ready, sir,” Nova replied with a winning smile.

“Combat Radar?” asked Admiral Wildstar.

“On standby, suh!” replied Senior Lieutenant Carl Broadhead, an officer Nova knew from several previous assignments (and had suggested to Derek for this cruise.). The bridge lights gleamed off Broadhead’s shaved, chocolate-colored head as he spoke. When they had boarded before, Holly had told him he looked like the old 21^st century actor Samuel L. Jackson, and he rolled up his eyes and said, “Ma’am, everyone tells me that,” with a slight grin on his face.

“Artillery and weapons systems?” asked Derek.

“Confirming Mister Rostowski’s report, sir,” said Senior Lieutenant Kyla Albreese, a Pellian officer serving with the Star Force on this cruise. Her long chestnut-colored hair came to her waist.

“Communications?” said Derek last of all.

“My station’s ready, sir,” said Lieutenant Jose’ Pedromo as he adjusted his headset over his ponytail. “Sir! An urgent communication from Earth Defense Headquarters!”

“Put it up on screen, Mister Pedromo,” said Derek as Orion announced, “Ready to ignite Auxiliary engines, sir!”

Derek nodded to Orion as the start-up sound began while Bando snapped, “Water now over the Navigation Bridge!”

A moment later, Commanding General Singleton came up on the main screen. Derek and the crew stood and saluted.

“Star Force,” said the Commander. “Admiral Wildstar, what’s your readiness?”

“Sir, we’re almost done flooding the dock,” said Derek. “I was about to order the crew to cast off in a moment, when…”

“Abort your launch for now,” said the Commander.

“May I ask why, sir?” said Derek as he raised his eyebrows.

“We’ve heard from G-Force and the Gamilons. There was a battle near Alpha Centauri. Zoltar was captured at gunpoint by Leader Desslok himself. G-Force and the Gamilon Fleet are now on their way back to Earth. Zoltar is a prisoner on Desslok’s command carrier, and…”

“And, what, sir?” said Derek.

“We’ve discovered something rather strange about Zoltar. He…or, rather…hold, please. Expect another call, Admiral. He wants to tell you himself.”

“Who?” said Derek.

“Sir, Desslok is breaking in on the conversation,” said Pedromo. “What do I say to him?”

“Be very courteous, Mister. He’s known to have a temper,” Derek said while Nova stifled a giggle. “Mrs. Wildstar, please hold back the commentary!” Derek snapped as he caught Nova’s chuckle through their bond.

“Aye, sir,” said Nova in a very serious voice.

A moment later, with Pedromo evidently having been courteous enough, Desslok’s image faded in over Singleton’s on the main screen. “Good day, Admiral. We’ve interrogated this Zoltar…person…and he is asking us to propose a peace conference on Earth, in your city of New York, in four days. I have advised your government, and your President Kane has agreed to it. But that’s not why I’m calling. I desired, instead, to share the results of our medical exam on this person. We observed as we unmasked this potentate that Zoltar is actually female.”

“Permission to speak, Admiral?” said Nova.

“Go ahead,” said Admiral Wildstar.

“Thank you, Derek. It’s as I suspected from examining Zoltar’s DNA. I also have reason to suspect something else…”

“Have you also found that Zoltar is an apparent hermaphrodite; able to change genders at will?” said Desslok.

“…just what I was about to say, M’Lord,” Nova said in a calm, slow voice, with a little of her flat Midwestern accent coming out.

“The courtesy is appreciated, Doctor,” said Desslok with a slight bow. “Because as we observed in her quarters in our brig, Zoltar has changed gender back to male. Kindly observe the image we took of Zoltar in her feminine persona,” said Desslok.

Bando looked up and whistled. “If I wasn’t under a Buddhist vow of chastity, I’d ask her out!” he said.

Desslok also said, “If you allow him or her any free movement around New York, he must be heavily guarded. Our tests have also discovered he has an immense amount of psionic ability.”

“That would explain why he, or she, can just appear and disappear at will, I guess,” said Derek as Nova nodded her head and looked disturbed.

In the meantime, Commander Rosstowski looked up at the screen, stared hard, and then he flipped his chair around and looked at Nova as Desslok’s image faded as he signed off, followed by General Singleton, but Zoltar’s image still filled the Argo’s main screen. “Ma’am, my I speak freely?” he said with a devilish expression on his face.

“Go ahead, Paul,” Nova said as she rolled up her eyes slightly.

“No, let me say it,” said Holly. “Nova…uh…she almost looks like you. Except for the eyes. Yours are brown and innocent. Hers are green and wolfish. You’ve also got a cuter nose if I can be so bold.”

“I know, I know,” Nova sighed. “Why does everyone have to look like me?”

At that, everyone else on the bridge laughed, Nova herself included.

ABOUT THREE HOURS LATER…

At Crossroads Middle School, not far from the Wildstars’ and Ventures’ homes in the Tokyo Megalopolis, before lunch, Adrianna Venture was working in the drained outdoor swimming pool, wearing her spring and summer school uniform of a sailor-patterned top in red and white with a red bow at the neck, plaid skirt, and sandals. She was doing a minor chore of cleaning the bottom of the pool before it would be filled up again for Spring classes.

The pixyish redhead of twelve looked up from her work to smile at her blond friend, Ariel Wildstar, as she climbed into the pool to assist her in her chore.

“Ariel! I’m glad to see you!” said Adrianna with her big blue eyes smiling along with her face.

“What’s up?” said Ariel as she pushed some water towards a drain to assist Adrianna.

“I’m fine, but I’m not in the best of moods. You see, my Mom and Dad had a big argument last night. Mom’s supposed to be deployed to some ship today, but Dad doesn’t want her to go. They got really, really mad and were throwing things. I heard them…talking about a divorce or something.”

“Adrianna, they may not split up.”

“How do you know, Ariel? Your Mom and Dad are so in love they probably never argue. I’ve been around your house!”

“No, they do argue!” Ariel insisted. “I heard some of an argument real late Wednesday night. My Mom and Dad woke me up and they were screaming at each other! I even heard Mom yelling the “F” word at Dad! Mom usually never swears. She was REALLY upset about something.”

“Okay, then?”

“Alex ran downstairs to see if Mom and Dad were okay. He said they were. Things in the house got quiet. Annie, our nanny, got us to bed…”

“You have a nanny?” said Adrianna.

“Yeah. Mom and Dad are kinda...rich,” said Ariel. “I think Mom and Dad went out for a while. When they got back in the morning, they seemed all happy again and they told us we had a long-lost big brother. That’s the guy they adopted and it was on the news. I’m not sure about everything,” Ariel said as she made up a convincing lie on the spot, “but I think maybe Mom had a kid in college or something, before we were born and before she met Dad. Mom told us she had boyfriends in the past her weird Mom was trying to set her up with. Maybe she got pregnant.”

“So, your point is, Ariel?”

“Parents can argue, and make up. Like anyone else in love. I’ve argued and made up with this boy I’m seeing too often to talk about.”

“SOOO, Ariel has a boyfriend,” teased Adrianna. “Who is he?”

“I don’t have to tell you,” Ariel sang back.

“If Dad starts yelling at Mom again, can I come up the street tonight and sleep over?” Adrianna said.

“I’ll ask Mom as soon as I can. Mom might be deployed soon, too,” said Ariel. “And Dad. Then, we’d be stuck with Nanny Annie.”

“Does your Nanny let you stay up late and eat junk food?”

“No,” said Ariel.

“I know your Mom does,” said Adrianna.

“Yeah, if she’s in a good mood and Dad isn’t walking around with that samurai scowl on his face, like this,” said Ariel as she stood up very straight, made a face, and stomped around, saying, “Alexander, Ariel, Anastasia, Nova, you have to remember your duties!” in an artificially deep voice with a scowl on her face. “Sometimes Dad is cool, sometimes he thinks our house is the Star Force.”

“Yeah, he sounds funnier than my Dad,” said Adrianna. “He walks around depressed half the time lately. I don’t know what’s buggin’ him! He’s a Commodore or something, too, and we also have a big house.”

“Our house is bigger,” sang Ariel.

“That’s because your Mom keeps on getting pregnant,” sang Adrianna back. “Let me quote: ‘Derek and Nova sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes your Mom with a baby carriage!’”

“If you weren’t my best friend, I’d pop you!” giggled Ariel. “Don’t let my parents hear you singing that, especially Dad. Mom sometimes sings us weird songs.”

“About what?”

“Wacky stuff,” giggled Ariel.

“Oh, yeah, now I remember,” giggled back Adrianna.

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II. OF SCIENCE NINJA AND SPACE SAMURAI STUCK IN THE COOP

Center Neptune

200 Kilometers East of The Tokyo Megalopolis

Monday, April 29, 2222

0800 Hours: Local Time

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“Nothing going on near Pluto,” 7-Zark-7 reported to Susan on Pluto Base.

“That’s…gorgeous,” said Susan in her sultry voice. “Where’s Center Neptune now?”

“Well, the base can move, and it’s been cruising underwater the past few days. We’re getting close to Japan, now,” he said.

“Roger-Dodger,” said Susan in her sexy voice. “Do you want a date sometime, Zark?”

His antennae shot up. “I’d love it! Who’s…buying?”

“Should be you,” said Susan. “Can you meet me in a week?”

“What do you really look like?” said Zark to the female robot’s voice actuator. He had never actually seen Susan before!

“Five foot seven, metallic skin of bronze, humanoid Efficiency-IX-10 form…I’m stacked!”

“That sounds great!” said Zark.

One-Rover-One then came in. He yapped, and made some rude grunting noises.

A moment later, Zark saw that he had “pooped” a few stray nuts and bolts!

“I thought you were housebroken!” he snapped.

The robotic dog just barked.

FIVE HOURS LATER: 1300 HOURS: THE READY ROOM

“So, what’s going on now?” said Jason as he whipped a spare Feather Shuriken at a dart board in Center Neptune’s Ready Room. He was trying to improve his aim. The dartboard had a picture of Zoltar attached to it, and Jason had thrown several Feather Shuriken, a few regular star-shaped Shuriken, a throwing knife or two, and, of course, some darts. Jason had on an updated version of his civvies that Princess had programmed into his Transmutation Chip; it consisted of a white T-shirt, black jacket with his number “2” on it in red. Brown Chino pants, and white sneakers.

Mark and Princess were back on command duty tonight, and Princess was playing a song on her guitar with her legs crossed on a couch while Mark openly lay on her lap smiling at her. Princess had on a new version of her civvies, too; a yellow t-shirt with her number “3” on it in black, with a black leather vest and matching miniskirt; her legs were bare and she had black peep-toe booties on her feet. Mark had on a white polo shirt with collar and sleeves trimmed in black with a neat number “1” on the right side of his chest, blue jeans, and he had sneakers lying nearby. He had kicked them off and was sitting there in his sock feet, looked relaxed and dreamy for once as he played with Princess’ ebony locks.

“Where’s Keyop and Tiny?” said Mark as he looked around.

“Over there, shootin’ pool,” Jason replied as he pointed with his thumb while Princess switched chords and then began to play a rare acoustic number by the Demon Five called, “Forever,” a heavy metal ballad about eternal love. “Forever, I swear I’ll be around…forever, until the stars fall from the sky,” Princess sang in her sweet voice as she looked into Mark’s eyes and he smiled at her.

“Yuk, mush, Sis,” said Keyop as he lined up a shot at the pool table. He looked a little small to be shooting billiards, but he was good at it. He had on a blue T-shirt with the number “4” on it, and battered chinos rolled up to his knees, with black running shoes.

“That’s not polite!” snapped Princess to her younger brother. “I’m trying to get Mark in a good mood. We were starting to move into our new penthouse in Tokyo when we got a Scramble to show up here on duty tonight. Sheesh, it’s crazy with Anderson and the Admiral in command, and crazier since we bagged Zoltar. Or rather, since we got Gamilon help bagging Zoltar.”

“Yeah, His Blueness friggin’ killjoy with the tear gas and his theatrical ramming capsule and cape,” said Jason. “I think that Desslok’s just as much touched in the friggin’ head as Zoltar is. Good thing the guy is on our side, even though he bombed Earth a few years before we were even born.”

“Who sent da Scramble?” said Tiny as he watched Keyop lining up his shot. Tiny had on a new black t-shirt, a grey shirt with the number “5” on it, cargo pants in a camo pattern, and black combat boots.

“Anderson,” said Mark. “Wasn’t the Admiral since he and his missus were in the penthouse helping us move stuff in with their demented red robot. They were as pissed as we were when we had to run.”

“How could you tell they were pissed off?” said Jason.

“When you see Derek Wildstar shouting and cursing into a video cell phone and whipping things against a wall, that’s pissed off,” said Mark. “Jayce, the guy’s got a temper like yours.”

“Was little Miss Genius MD upset, or was she in some corner yelling, ‘oh, dear!’” said Jason.

“You honestly don’t like that poor woman, do you?” said Princess. “To be precise, Nova was yelling into the phone too. It was Anderson they were yelling at.”

“No, I don’t like Little Miss Muffet, and her husband’s an even worse prick,” said Jason. “But, hey, the Chief would set anybody off. This collaboration with Earth Defense is cramping my style, man. How demented was that robot they had?”

“Pretty demented,” said Mark.

“Demented? It is impossible for a robot to be demented,” said 7-Zark-7 as he came up, almost prissily, while Keyop took his shot.

“Damnit!” said Keyop as his cue ball went into the pocket.

“You scratched, little buddy,” said Tiny. “Sorry. My shot,” he said as he retrieved the cue ball.

Princess smiled and began to play “Besame Mucho” on her guitar while both she and Mark sang. Jason grinned a little, but he honestly felt bad for the recent newlyweds, who obviously wanted to be somewhere else other than on alert tonight.

“Uh, oh, my sensors are picking up something really bad,” said Zark.

“What, a hangnail?” quipped Mark as Tiny landed his shot. “Six ball in the corner!” he laughed. “I’m three shots ahead of ya, Key!”

“Yeah?” laughed Keyop as the yelling out in the passage became obvious.

A moment later, Chief Anderson stalked into the Ready Room, in his usual suit and vest combination. Following him were another pair who looked ticked off.

Admiral Derek Wildstar stalked in first, in the same clothes he had on earlier that day; a black and white striped dress shirt that looked like something once worn by the Beach Boys, with a bright red tie, jeans, leather engineer boots, and a tweed newsboy cap on his head. Commander Nova Wildstar followed him, pointing hard at Anderson and glaring at him through the round glasses she sometimes wore as she snapped, “You know what sort of imposition this is on our personal lives, Anderson? We could have heard them reporting over the phone or something!” Nova was in high dudgeon in a casual white turtleneck sweater, cute denim mini, and gladiator-type sandals in dark red with their straps winding up her calves.

“Yeah!” yelled Derek as he glared at Anderson. “Jim, this is bullshit! We were trying to help those two kids move, and then we were going to the pizzeria to get three boxes for our kids and us. I’m a flag officer! I’m not one of your teens at your damn beck and call!”

“You work with G-Force, you work according to my rules, Admiral!” snapped Anderson. “Give your report, and then you know what you’re going to do tonight, hothead! Especially since your own Commanding General said you had to.”

“Yeah, I got my orders!” snapped Derek. “But that doesn’t mean I have to like ‘em!”

“Preach to the choir, Derek!” Nova sang as she patted his arm as a third guest came around; a battered red robot with yellow markings and lights flashing in his dome. He was a much older model than Zark, and he had the swagger of a robot veteran.

“Who are you?” said Zark.

“IQ-9, Genius robot, hero officer aboard the Argo and Star Force, and I’m as much as a samurai as these two. Maybe even more. I also want to advise you that if the Admiral ever dies, I have a pre-nuptial agreement ready to sign before I become Nova’s second husband and help her pick up the pieces of her life!”

“I have no pre-nup with you, Tinwit!” Nova cried.

“I proposed to you before Derek did. You turned me down flat on Beemera.”

“Sleeping with you would be difficult,” Nova snapped. “You’d break the bed and your hands are cold. Let alone that you can’t make me happy like he can,” she said as she kissed Derek.

The team clapped and went “WOOOOOO!” at that.

“So why are they here tonight?” said Jason.

“Mark, give them a full report on what happened the other day with Zoltar. Their robot will record what you say. Then, you are to entertain our guests in the Ready Room until 1800 Hours.”

“What happens at 1800?” sighed Nova.

“I don’t like this any more than you do, Doctor, but we have our orders,” said Anderson. “Two extra seats and rudimentary controls have been added to the Phoenix for tonight. At 1800, when you go out on patrol, you are to take the Wildstars with you.”

“Why?” said Mark.

“I have orders to observe you on patrol tonight. It’ll probably be boring, and nothing will happen with Zoltar locked in jail in Manhattan until that Peace Conference next week,” said Derek. “We’re supposed to treat that lunatic like a visiting head of state; even though he’s as dangerous as a rattlesnake.”

“And smells even worse,” added Nova.

“Well, now that you have gotten together, enjoy yourselves, kids,” said Anderson. “Take care.” Then, he left.

“Kids?” said Derek. “We’re as old as he is. We have children of our own. Thanks to our adopted son Jonathan, we’re even grandparents.”

“You’re the youngest two grandparents I’ve ever seen,” smirked Jason. He smiled and said, “Sorry I’ve been such a prick. I can tell that Mark and Princess obviously want to be anywhere else than on duty tonight, and you two must feel the same.”

“Yes, we’re really out of our element,” sighed Nova. “If we go out on patrol, we can sure do it, but we usually go out with our guys and girls…our family of funny, adventurous Star Blazers.”

“We’re a family, too,” said Mark. “Tonight, you get to hang in the rec room with us.”

“Guess we’d better make the best of it,” sighed Derek as he and Nova took another love seat.

Nova nodded, and then asked, “Jason, does Anderson ever change that suit of his?”

“Not sure,” said Jason.

“And don’t ask him,” added Mark. “The Chief’s life is waaay private; even when we lived in the same mansion with him once upon a time when we were starting out.”

“And where I first met my little buddy, here,” said Tiny as he grabbed Keyop and gave him a bear hug.

“You two look like brothers,” Nova said with a smile.

“We are,” said Keyop. “Wanna hear how we met since we have nothing else to do until 1800?”

“Sounds good,” said Derek as he put his head back, put his legs out, and Nova ended up curled up on the couch with her head in Derek’s lap.

Jason smiled, thinking, They dress and sort of act like the rich kids of the family, but they’re not that much older than us. We’re all kids, really, and they’re as cute as Mark and Princess. And they don’t like the BS anymore than we do. Neat to see that the great heroes of space are human like us. Gotta hear their story sometime if we live through this.

Keyop curled up on the floor near Tiny, their billiards game forgotten as Tiny sat next to him. “It went down like this,” Tiny said as he began to spin his tale…

“I think it was back when I was eleven or so,” Tiny said. “I’m nineteen now; the oldest of the team. What year was that, Keyop? You’re better with math than I am.”

“Well, it’s 2222 now, so, when we were first in the mansion; uh, I’m seventeen now, that’s uh….” Keyop said, counting on his fingers, “the year 2214…I was just nine years old then. And I was scared in that mansion. It seemed crazy in there at first…all those kids.”

“Yeah. I brought you with me from the Jupiter Orphanage; remember?” said Princess.

Keyop nodded sadly. “I had this horrible stutter then, nerves, maybe…or maybe it’s because I was…I was…”

“Artificially conceived in a Petri dish,” sighed Princess. “You had it worse than any of us. You never even had a mother…”

“That’s…terrible,” said Derek. Nova looked hard at him and squeezed his hand hard. He squeezed her hand back as he noticed her pain through their psychic bond; the bond they had formed only a few years ago, well after the Comet Empire war.

“When I was in Anderson’s mansion,” Keyop said. “I was separated from Princess; she was in another wing of the mansion for a while. There were all these exceptional kids, and I was scared. They made fun of how small I was; how naïve I was…and my stutter. They used to call me the…breep doop…village idiot,” he said as he thought back…very bad memories…he was not sure how to put it into words.

Then he said, “This big kid from Japan named Yoshi liked to steal my books on the way to training class. He said I hadda pay protection money to go to class. He was backed up by this kid named Kevin Dalton, from someplace in the American Midwest; he was fourteen then, and he was mean. Real mean. They called him ‘Bruiser’ Dalton in school in the mansion. He liked to grab me and throw me against the wall because I was so…little…he had this beetle brow like an ape…and…he said he had a big brother who was in jail…even meaner than he was…he said his name was Darryl…and he had a weird nickname, too…”

Nova sat up as her hands flew to her face. “Where…where…did he and his brother grow up?”

“Not sure,” said Keyop.

“Kevin was born in the days when we were in the underground cities during the bombings,” said Tiny. “It was before any of us got born. Neo-Denver, I think. I confronted Kevin once…well…a coupla times…and he said his family came from Boulder, Colorado.”

“Did his brother have the nickname of ‘Diesel’?” Nova said.

“I think so,” said Tiny as Keyop nodded.

Keyop added, “Bruiser used to brag that his brother Diesel was in jail for killing some guy….”

“I’d believe it! I knew Diesel when I was growing up in Boulder, Colorado, before the bombings,” Nova said. “He liked to follow me around, steal my books, pull my hair, beat me up…even tried putting his hand up my school dress once…until I learned aikido, that is…and I met another friend, who I’ve seen on and off all the years afterwards.”

“Brew, you mean?” said Derek. Nova nodded.

“Who’s Brew?” said Tiny.

“Jerre ‘Brew’ Marrable,” said Nova. “My protector, sparring partner and first boyfriend…if you can consider the first boy you kissed at thirteen to be a boyfriend. Mom never approved and starting trying to arrange marriages for me with other boys then.”

“Breep boop, your mom was messed up,” said Keyop as he blushed.

Nova nodded and said, “Back to your story, my little friend.”

“Kevin, rather, Bruiser, was the ringleader of the bunch who beat me up,” said Keyop. “His sidekicks were Yoshi and this kid from New York City, the South Bronx, named Tyrone somebody. One day…they were beating me up…”

“And, then **I** came along!” said Tiny triumphantly. “I saw them pickin’ on the little guy here, and I saw red!” he said as he slammed his fist into his hand. “So, I took on Bruiser, Tyrone, and Yoshi for my little buddy here. ALL AT ONCE.”

“What happened to them?” said Derek.

Tiny laughed. “Broken arm for Bruiser, concussion for Tyrone, and I broke Yoshi’s right wrist.”

Keyop got excited and began to act like he was shadow-boxing. “While Tiny was sitting on Bruiser and pullin’ his leg back, I did a kick-twirl and broke Tyrone’s fracking nose. And then, I kicked Yoshi right in the nuts!”

“You had spunk, little buddy,” said Tiny as he hugged Keyop. “We became a team, then. You’re the brains…”

“And you’re the BRAWN,” said Keyop as he felt Tiny’s bicep. “Getting’ a little flabby, huh?”

“Flabby, I’ll give ya flabby!” yelled Tiny.

Then, Derek’s eyebrows went up as Tiny and Keyop got into a wrestling match, laughing like crazy as they wrestled.

“He’ll hurt him!” Nova cried as she squeezed Derek’s hands and got up from off her husband’s lap.

“They do that all the time,” said Princess. “They’re just like big kids, those two. And inseparable.”

Keyop did a fast, tough move and he got Tiny pinned. “I won, I won! I’m the Great Swallow, and I kicked your BUTT, brother!”

“Wait until we have a burpin’ contest! Zark, get some soda!”

“Okay,” said the robot.

IQ-9 burbled up and said, “This is most illogical.”

“You think that it’s illogical that we’re brothers, ya rollin’ trashcan?” said Tiny. “Hey, where’d you get all those dents in you from?”

“Battle,” said IQ-9. “Unlike little Mister Prissy the Butler here,” he said, referring to Zark.

“I heard that!” said Zark as he looked for cans of soda in the fridge. “I’m very insulted!”

“I’m insulted too. Unlike you, I got to go out on the Argo with my friends. I fought in battles. I got this dent from defusing a Gamilon mine when I had hiccups, and I got this dent when I was on Beemera on that recon mission defending you from those killer Bee aliens, Nova. Nova, my love, my eternal love!”

“You’re cute,” giggled Nova as she gave him a kiss on his glass-steel dome. “But please, love, keep your hands to yourself.”

“You mean, I can’t do…THIS???” he screeched as he lifted up Nova’s skirt, exposing the willowy 44-year old woman’s slender, strong thighs, and her white lace panties.

Nova screamed and yelled, “DAMN you! You pervert weirdo! Here’s another dent for you!” she screamed as she jumped up and did a judo kick just as well as Princess, denting the robot’s metal casing and bouncing him against the wall!

“Hot damn, lady!” said Jason. “There’s a rumor going around we might get two new members for the Team soon. Should I give Anderson your resume’?”

“No, I already have several jobs,” Nova said as Derek hugged her protectively.

They heard a scream as IQ-9 grabbed Princess’ behind as she was trying to get soda from Zark. “You son-of-a-bitch!” she screamed as she likewise jumped up and applied a boot hard to the robot’s metal hide.

Mark got up, but then Zark got up and got between Princess and IQ-9. “You’ll deal with me if you try to hurt Princess! I’m a newer and faster model than you, you antique! Same goes if you bother Mrs. Wildstar again!”

“I struck out, what can you say?” said IQ-9.

“Get out of here, Tinwit, and don’t come the hell back for half an hour!” yelled Derek, outraged. “And when you come back, you’d better apologize to Nova and Princess!”

“All right, all right,” said IQ-9. “I’m heartbroken, Goodbye. I think I’ll go soak my head in a toilet.”

“Thank you Zark, you’re so gallant,” said Princess as she bent down and kissed her friend, whose sensor lights flashed.

Nova giggled at that. “That’s cute. Unlike the boor we sent out.”

“Is he always like that?” said Princess.

“Sometimes, he’s gallant, too,” said Nova. “IQ risked his metal life for me several times, too. His internal CPU is okay, even if his BIOS has that pervert glitch in it. It was embarrassing after I got married!”

“Here’s your soda, guys,” said Princess as she tossed several cans of Cosmic Cola to Tiny and Keyop.

“Let’s start drinkin’,” said Tiny.

“And then let’s start belching!” laughed Keyop

The two teens consumed half the first can of soda and they looked at each other and belched in stereo. Princess giggled.

Keyop then farted.

“You did it first!” said Tiny as he burped.

“You’ll do it in a minute…BELLLCH!” said Keyop as Tiny then passed gas.

Princess giggled harder as Mark started to chuckle. He ran to Derek chuckling, and leaned on him.

Derek threw back his head and laughed like crazy on the love seat.

Nova looked at him, and then at Tiny and Keyop, as they farted and belched simultaneously. Then, the serious-looking, slightly sad-looking doctor put her hands up and began to chuckle.

“RIP ONE, KEYOP!” yelled Tiny.

Keyop drank more soda and got up and said, “In your face, big brother!” as he put his butt in his big brother’s face and farted.

Nova’s chuckles turned to giggles as she leaned against Derek.

Then, Derek laughed again at Tiny and Keyop as they belched again, starting wrestling all over again, and farted at the same time.

Mark laughed, and he wanted to say something, but then he looked over at the Wildstars laughing their heads off. Then, Nova squealed as Derek went for her stomach with his fingers and began to tickle her. “Tickle match, tickle match!” he yelled as he laughed and Nova literally screamed with laughter. She yelled, “Tickle attack technique! GO!” as she tickled her husband back.

“ARRRGH!” he yelled as he laughed and he and Nova fell into a heap, playfully wrestling themselves on the floor!

“Is there something in the water?’ said Zark with concern.

Tiny and Keyop continued wrestling, both laughing like mad as the Wildstars also rolled around laughing and tickling each other. Nova screamed with laughter as Derek caught her flailing leg and began to tickle her toes (her sandals were strappy and didn’t cover much).

Then, Tiny farted again.

Jason then fell over laughing as, a millisecond later, so did Admiral Derek Wildstar!

“ARRRGH!” cried Nova. “Derek, what did you have for lunch before I met you downtown?”

“Tacos,” he said as he and Nova kept on rassling and almost crashed into Keyop and Tiny as they belched and farted as Nova, who moved as quickly as a mongoose fighting a snake, pinned Derek and said, “Now that’s three for three today, Derek!”

“Uncle, uncle, uncle!” he yelled.

Then, Nova farted. And belched.

Keyop got pinned by Tiny and he turned his head and he realized his face was centimeters away from Nova’s on the floor.

“You’ve got eyes almost as gorgeous as my sister Princess,” said Keyop.

“Thank you,” Nova said.

“That calls for a kiss!” he said and he got Nova on the lips before she could skitter away.

Tiny looked over. “Uh-oh, little brother. Major foul! She’ll slap you!”

“I have kids, too,” said Nova as she kissed Keyop back. “They sometimes end up rassling on the floor with us!”

“Do you guys do that on your space battleship?” sneered Jason.

Derek grinned and nodded. “Yes, when we’re not on duty.”

“Oh, that’s cool, you’re just like us,” said Tiny. “Best friends forever, huh, Keyop?”

“Yeah, best friends forever.”

“Just like us, dear,” Nova said as she kissed Derek.

“And just like us!” said Keyop as he put his head up and kissed Tiny on the lips.

“Hey, bro…we ain’t THAT close!”

Everyone had a good laugh at that one. Even starchy Zark.

Then, Jason said, “Hate to break the good karma with a Debbie Downer, but we were talking about our parents before all four of you kids decided to get on the floor to wrestle?” he said as he helped Tiny get Keyop off the floor, followed by his assisting Derek while the Admiral helped Nova up.

“Back to me,” Mark said. “The mother I grew up under kind of abandoned me,” said Mark with his eyes downcast. “As for my real mother, the one I was taken from before I knew it, or before she even knew she was pregnant,” Mark said as his eyes filled with tears. Only Mark, Princess and the Wildstars knew the full story; Mark hadn’t the desire to tell the rest of the Team yet; there was also the Wildstars’ own privacy to consider. However, Jason noticed that Mark’s eyes fixated on Nova and Derek as he spoke. “…I just found out about her recently. So did she…”

“So, what the hell happened, Mark?” Jason said with concern.

“The Washios weren’t my real parents. Colonel Cronus was my adoptive father, not my real one, same with my sick mother; she was also adoptive, or, rather, a surrogate mother,” Mark said. “My mother was…is…a woman that Anderson and Earth Defense felt would have special abilities someday. She might also be part-alien,” he stammered. “My father was and is a great warrior. He loved…and loves, my mom very much. Anderson and Earth Defense found out she was pregnant, and they wanted me as their guinea pig #1 for G-Force. I was taken out of my true mother’s body during an operation, and placed me, an embryo a few weeks old, in Mrs. Washio, my surrogate mother, closest to a real mother I had. But that ended up being a big lie.”

“Are your Mom and Dad still alive? Still married?” said Tiny as he came up to Mark and patted his shoulder.

“Yes, and yes,” said Mark. “I…get along well with them…”

“If Anderson did this crap, he should be fired,” hissed Jason. “If I find out the full story, I’ll kick his friggin’ ass! Does your real Mom love you?”

Nova then sobbed. “I know her. Yes, she loves him…very much. So does…his father.”

Jason looked at Mark’s face, and then he looked at Derek Wildstar’s face, then he looked at Nova’s. Something hit Jason, and he went cold. He sorta looks like them both! Jason thought. That can’t friggin be! But what if it is? If he is, and we already know Nova’s part Iscandarian…no wonder they wanted her first child…if that’s what happened. The bastards! “Yeah…while we’re on the subject of mothers, you all know my mother got killed in front of me by Spectra assassins on BC Island,” hissed Jason.

“That’s terrible!” Nova said, her memory going back events of a few years ago; an angry boy in the hospital, from Sicily, who spoke Italian. Nova kissed Derek and got up to hug Jason, something none of them suspected would ever happen, as she said, softly, in Italian, “Mi dispiace tanto per te, mio caro amico. For the rest of you, that means, “I’m so sorry for what happened to you, my dear friend. And I am!” Nova said as she shook and wept.

“Gracie, Nova,” said Jason in a choked-up voice. “Means, thanks, Nova.”

“You poor kid,” Nova said as she then kissed Jason softly on the cheek before Derek came back to help her back to the love seat. “You and I need to have a good talk over some Chianti someday, Jayce.”

“I like the idea, let’s…make a date,” Jason quipped as he smiled at Nova and she smiled back. “Provided your husband doesn’t mind.”

“Do you think I keep her on a leash?” said Derek. “I can’t. She’s too high-spirited anyway. She once violated orders and joined in a mutiny with me, even though I really didn’t want her to go.”

“That’s a story and a half,” Nova added. “We’ll tell you that one sometime, too.”

“Keyop, Tiny, back to your story,” said Derek as he made Nova comfortable again on his lap.

“My mother died of cancer and drugs,” said Princess with tears in her eyes.

“My parents were wiped out by a Gamilon planet bomb,” hissed Derek as he made a fist.

“My mother’s alive; but I’m not on very good terms with her,” said Nova.

“Why?” asked Princess.

“She never liked my career choice; or Derek,” Nova said. “Mom wanted me to be a concert pianist, would you believe it? I enraged her when I joined Earth Defense, enraged her more when I joined the Star Force, and I turned her one hundred percent livid when she met Derek and I said I was marrying him.”

“Got along good with my parents, but they were poor,” said Tiny. “That’s why I ended up in Saint Anselm’s Orphanage, and that’s where Anderson met me. He took me to the mansion, and…”

“What was that like?” said Derek.

“Then? I gave you an idea what it was like when we were talking about Keyop and me. Lots of other kids there, as I said, hardcases of all kinds. Candidates for G-Force, I guess,” he said. “They ended up flunking out and either being cashiered or assigned to other posts in ISO.”

“After a while, when they got rid of some of those other girls on the girls’ wing of the mansion, I got to move my room closer to the guys; then I was able to look after Keyop again like in the orphanage,” said Princess.

“So, it’s sort of like you already have a kid,” said Derek.

“More like a little brother,” said Princess as she gave Keyop a hug.

IQ-9 came back in, and he said, “Can I join in on this touchy-feely, getting in touch with our feelings stuff?”

“NO,” Nova and Princess snapped together. Then, both the older and younger woman began to have a laugh.

An idea flitted across Derek’s mind, until he shook his head and cleared it, thinking, We can’t have a brew now if we are going out on patrol in an hour. Besides, most of these kids are under eighteen, anyhow. They’re not going to have beer around here. Maybe later, if we get back from patrol OK.

Then, there was a loud kicking at the door.

“Hey, are you awake in there?” yelled a loud female voice.

“Who the hell needs to know?” yelled Jason. “We’re having a party in here with the team, Admiral Longhair, and Little Miss Muffet!”

“Admiral Longhair?” whispered Derek to Nova.

“Little Miss Muffet?” Nova whispered back.

They held hands and shared a laugh. Then, Nova sent to Derek through their bond, Were you looking for adult beverages?

How do ya know? Derek sent back.

Derek Wildstar, I know you all too well, Nova sent back with a smile. You want your Sapporo Beer, huh? I could use a cold Yuengling Lager myself, but not good since we’re on duty soon.

Mark ran up and put his hand on his arm. “Jason, stifle it!”

He answered the door, as a young lady in a t-shirt reading LA Gymnastics Team pushed her way past him and shoved Jason on the arm. The young woman, who was wearing shorts and sneakers, was a stunning blond with hair the color of sunlight that reached down to her waistline, and large blue eyes. She oozed very open and aggressive sex appeal in a way that neither Princess or Nova did; although both of those women were very attractive, given that Princess was attractive in her teenage, almost innocent fashion, while Nova was attractive in a girl next door sense combined with some of the cool appraisal of a woman of science.

The newcomer came up to Jason, glared at him, and slapped him across the face. Hard.

“Hey, what gives, Heather?” yelled Jason.

“Why did you stand me up on that date the other night, you son-of-a-bitch?” she snapped.

“Heather, I have a life. And how did you find out for whom I work for?”

“Jackass there’s been helping to train me,” she said as she extended a thumb towards Derek.

“Listen, Lieutenant!” Derek hissed. “If you think you have a right to barge in here and insult my friend and then call me a jackass, you have another thing coming, lady!!”

“Lieutenant?” Mark said.

“Yeah, she’s EDF,” whispered Nova. “And she’s trouble. And I never liked her attitude.”

“Yeah, sir, give me a hard time!” snapped Heather with venom in her voice.

“Don’t you have any regard for your superior officers, Junior Lieutenant Burkhardt?” Nova said as she got in Heather’s face with her hands on her hips, even though Heather towered over her by three inches. “Like Mister Asakura, myself, and Derek?”

“Doctor, get the hell out of my way,” said Heather. “I came here to rip my boyfriend a new asshole! YOU butt out, lady!”

“Funny, since you told me we were through last week in the text ya said,” snapped Jason.

“I changed my friggin’ mind!” yelled Heather. She glared at Jason again and added, “I ought to take my Gold Medal from the 2220 Olympics and shove it up your ass!”

“Jason, Heather, take your lovers’ quarrel out to another room!” snapped Mark. “Where did you dig this one up from, anyway, Jason?”

“The Sword Mountain Race, which I won,” snapped Jason.

“You and what ARMY!” yelled Heather as Jason gave her a push outside. “Get your hands off me, you Sicilian Sausage!” she yelled as the door closed.

“Guess what, she’s trouble,” said Mark.

“Get used to her, because I have the feeling you’re going to be seeing a lot more of her, and very soon,” said Derek.

III. OF THE MOON NEMESIS

Spectra’s Number Two Moon Nemesis

Sicarus Base: Underground

Monday, April 29, 2222

1310 Hours: Earth Time

__________________________________

“So, tell me; what do we do with First Chairman Zoltar captured?” asked Admiral Hegan Gorus; a Spectran Officer who wore a mask, uniform, and cape in two-tone blue. He had a black beard beneath his mask, and a very sinister appearance.

“The Great Spirit has told me already,” said High Commissar F’mon Manos, whose uniform was in black with a cloak and mask in dark red. “Zoltar allowed himself to be captured. He wants us to back him up in a few days with an attack on New York City; Midtown Manhattan, to be exact. In the chaos, we will retrieve him and Brock; after he of course assassinates some Terran officers and maybe gets to bag G-Force at last!”

“Which mecha will we use for that one?” asked Admiral Gorus as he looked over plans on a computer in what was usually Zoltar’s office on this moon.

“The new Cobra Mega-Snake,” said Manos. “This mecha is massive. You’ll note the fangs? They catch objects, cars, and personnel and swallow them up. This will be tested with this smaller mecha we are sending to Earth today under the command of Captain Heren; the Black Mamba.”

“That Black Mamba looks dangerous,” hissed Gorus with a laugh.

“It is dangerous,” said Manos. “With this mecha, I intend to make New York…suffer.”

At that, both Spectrans laughed like madmen.

TO BE CONTINUED…