The Invitation

Acmetropolis, 2774.

Tech works in his lab, refining the design on the molecular reconstructor so it can be made smaller and more powerful. Rev works at a blur, very handy for putting ideas into action at an instant.

"Quasarlinium wires." Tech commands, before he completes the sentence, they're in his hands.

"Leranium alloy plating." Tech asks, it's there in a flash.

"Graphene coated bolts, there, that should do it." Tech says, slightly proud of his improvements.

"Wow, a 35% reduction in size by my preliminary calculations but that's only by using my eyesight if I use my GPS to measure the device we see it's actually a 37.3% reduction in size I can't believe it Tech, you even impressed me." Rev replies as his usual quick but somehow still understandable pace, the clarity of his voice enables him to do this.

"Don't be, it was child's play." Tech replies. Suddenly, Ace appears on the monitor.

"Someone's on the line with a highly encrypted message come in here quick." Ace commands them, they both leave their workstations to the main living area that looks over all of Acmetropolis, with no building coming anywhere close to the heights of their spear shaped tower. Tech comes into the room where the message is being displayed, waiting to be decrypted, which Tech does easily despite the Class Z classification.

"Greetings Loonatics, I'm The Traveller, host of my hard hitting galactic talk show 'The Meeting", and I want one of you to join me as my show comes to Acmetropolis. I understand you don't accept monetary payment, but I will make it worth your while."

Everything appears to fall in line for Duck; money and fame, all at once!

"My viewers are really excited to see one of you on the show, it's going to be a ratings hit."

"Can I? Can I! Please, please, please." Duck pleads to Ace.

"My only request is that Duck does not come on the show. My viewers want to see an intellectual conversation, not a promotion for any one of his many enterprises on the side; you should really look into those." The traveller warns. Even Ace is surprised about that.

"I won't hold back, I will ask the difficult questions, it's why my show is so popular; A beacon of thought in an increasingly simplified world. My ship will arrive in 24 hours, a reply as to who will be on the show will help me with my preparation. Bye." The traveller farewells as he disappears off the screen.

"So does anyone know anything about what he's talking about?" Ace asks, naturally turning to Tech.

"The Meeting isn't just some talk show, guests are known for reacting violently on the show, walking off stage and throwing insults in response to questions that hit their deepest, darkest secrets. Some even go into hiding over the things they say." Tech explains.

"Like about these 'side projects', Duck?" Ace asks, turning menacingly towards the diminutive duck.

"Okay, it's just one construction company, how else are we meant to have our lifestyle without money?" Duck replies. Ace suspects there's more.

"And a few product placements." Duck says, becoming more afraid as Ace stares deeper into him from above. "And a planet-wide advertising campaign, that's all I swear!"

"Strange, I haven't seen any of these adverts of yours." Lexi replies. "What kind of cape do you plan to wear?"

"They're not even aired, not even made, I only agreed to do these yesterday. Unless he has some kind of time machine, He could not have known!" Duck replies.

"I say we decline his little offer and get back to work." Ace postulates, but Tech explains the reasons why they can't back out.

"It's not that simple, I've watched his show over the last year. If guests don't turn up, he replaces them with holograms programed to answer his questions however he wants, even if the answers are false. These holograms are basically perfect, no one can tell the difference until it's too late, once what's said is said, it's out in the open, recorded and sent to himself backwards through time just in case anyone tries to reverse it."

"We'll just block his signal, force him off the air." Ace reasons.

"Not everyone can encrypt a message to class Z, I should know, I designed it." Tech explains. "I suspect he knows a thing or two about technology.

"Hmm, okay Tech, since you've watched his show, you should go on the air. You'll have all the answers, you're the smartest coyote in existence." Ace explains.

"Ahem." Duck interrupts. "I want to go on the air, the camera loves me more than any one of you."

"The average IQ of his audience is 110, you're just not smart enough." Tech replies in an appropriately sensitive way.

"Hey, I'm smart enough!" Duck replies, not allowing his pride to go down his throat. Tech grabs a tablet and a stylus and writes an algebraic equation for Duck to solve. "Anyone who's completed school can solve for x."

Tech walks to the sofa and sits down as Duck tries to focus his brain on the simple linear algebraic equation.

"What's the point of this? We have computers that do this for us!" Duck replies.

"Maybe you're suited to the trashy celebrity shows instead of some intellectual debate." Lexi replies.

"I've had it with your insults!" Duck ragingly says, ready to release one of his eggs at Lexi, hoping it could contribute to evening the score for all of the times she's brain blasted him and for all of the times she's insulted him on a daily basis. Ace quickly moves to calm him down.

"Duck, hold fire! Maybe you better stay here with Slam and watch the place in case anything happens, order in pizza and watch as we show him that he doesn't know anything." Ace explains.

Slam exclaims gleefully at the prospect of pizza in an indecipherable way.

"Wait, we?" Tech asks.

"If us 4 go on altogether, we can cover each other in case anything goes wrong. It's 4 of us against one of him." Ace reasons.

"I don't think it's going to help, but I would feel better if you guys came, I'm not exactly… camera happy." Tech explains.

"Which is why I have to come!" Duck interrupts again.

"Have you solved that equation yet?" Tech asks.

"You turned off all communication on this tablet thingy, how else am I meant to solve it?" Duck asks.

"With that tiny pea that's inside your head." Lexi replies.

"That's it!" Duck replies, throwing the tablet to the ground as hard as he can but it doesn't break because Tech made it. He readies his eggs to fire against Lexi. Ace takes his sword and extends it to full length to deflect all of Duck's attempts to get back at Lexi.

"I know we like to make fun of Duck, but maybe we need to lay off of him, maybe somewhere side that thick skull of yours is a real, mature hero." Ace explains.

"I'll show who's mature!" Duck says, but as soon as he's said, he realises he has yet again dug himself into another hole he can't get himself out of.

Slam then tells Duck something.

"I know, I'll order enough pizza, at least I have the money to pay for it!" Duck replies.

This is my first upload in around one and a half months. I hope now that I can contribute more regularly to fanfiction and actually have the conviction to post the things I write (that's probably the hardest thing to do).