30 Worlds, Episode IV: "Waverly Place Pandemonium"

CHAPTER THREE

Each of the four new crew-members volunteered to fill duties previously performed only by E.R.I.N.: Sgt. Calhoun became tactical officer, Felix became chief engineer, Vanellope became ship's counselor, and Ralph became chief of recreation.

William was visiting Ralph on the Rec Deck, when Sofia's voice came on the comm. "Sofia to William. I need to see you immediately. I'm in my quarters," she said.

"I'll be right there, Sofia," William said. Turning back to Ralph, William smiled. "Ralph, I'll have Commander Meap send some of his pilots down to assist you." "All right, William," Ralph said. "I'll be waiting."

William turned and left the Rec Deck. A few minutes later, he was standing at the doors into Sofia's quarters. William reached out and tapped the door chime control. "Who is it?" Sofia asked. "It's William," William said. "Come in," Sofia said.

The doors slid open, revealing a replica of Sofia's bedroom back at Enchancia Royal Castle. "Why did you send for me?" William asked. "Remember that message that CeCe mentioned in the transporter room?" Sofia asked.

William nodded. "The one from Enchancia?" he asked. "Exactly," Sofia said. "It was from my father—from King Roland. He wanted to inform me that if it was absolutely necessary, we can sleep together before our wedding."

"But, Sofia..." William started. Sofia held up her hand. "Bill, please, let me finish," she said. "I told him that while the option was appreciated, we'd still be chaste until our big day." Sofia stood and made her way to the viewport, which afforded them a view of Earth.

"Even so, I have lifted the ward preventing you from coming near me at night. You've proven to me that you're a gentleman and wouldn't take advantage of me," Sofia said. William stood from the chair he sat in and moved over to stand with Sofia.

"I'm glad to hear you say that, Sofia my love," William said. He leaned over and kissed Sofia. The kiss was interrupted, however, when Calhoun's voice came over the comm. "Bridge to Captain Edwards," she said.

"Go ahead, Sergeant," William said. "You've got an incoming message from Princess Scarlet, marked as urgent," Calhoun said.

William moved over to Sofia's desk and sat behind it. "Route the transmission to Sofia's quarters, Sergeant," William said. "Aye, aye, sir," Calhoun said.

Scarlet appeared on the monitor. "William, I have some urgent information regarding the A.I.C.'s plans in the World of Wizards of Waverly Place," she said.

"What are they?" William said. "Alex Russo's family is being targeted for kidnapping in order to force Alex to re-spawn the evil side of her personality from the incident of a year ago," Scarlet said. "How did you learn of this?" Sofia asked.

Sofia gestured for someone to enter the camera range of the transmission. "This is Korra, the Avatar of the Four Elements," Scarlet said. Korra nodded. "Captain Edwards, it was I who informed my old friend, Scarlet, of the plans the A.I.C. have regarding Alex Russo's family," Korra said.

"Avatar, do you have any suggestions as to how to proceed?" William asked. "I do," Korra said. "Scarlet and I have come up with a strategy that will require the use of that special disc she gave you in the World of Shake It Up." "I'm listening," William said.

A few minutes later, William and Sofia gathered the Enterprise Bridge crew in the Briefing Lounge just off the Bridge. "The plan proposed by Scarlet and Avatar Korra involves me acting as the evil Alex via the powers of a warrior team known as Mahou Sentai Magiranger," William said.

William reached into a pocket of his jacket and withdrew his tactical sunglasses. Tapping a button on the controls, he changed into MagiRed, leader of the warrior team he had mentioned. Pulling out a gold cell phone-like object from a holster at his waist, William/MagiRed then pushed "1" and "6" on the device's keypad and called out, "Maagi Magiiro!"

William's MagiRed form was replaced by a new form in a flash of red light. It resembled Alex, but with blond streaks in his/her black hair and clad in leather-based clothes. "What do you think?" William/Alex-E said before returning to his normal form.

"I think you were very creepy," Alex said. "From you, I'll consider that a compliment, Alex," William said. "Through her contacts, Scarlet and Avatar Korra noted that the A.I.C. plan to make the exchange here."

William tapped a few keys on the Briefing Room table. "This building once acted as the corporate headquarters of a television production and distribution company named SFM Entertainment—before SFM moved to a town outside New York City. The A.I.C. contact noted to Scarlet and Avatar Korra that the drop will occur there," William said.

"Be careful, Bill," Sofia said. "If the A.I.C. contact sees through your disguise, you could be in serious danger." "I've been in worse scrapes before on this journey, Sofia," William said. "But, thanks for your concern anyway."

William looked at his friends and crew-mates. "Go to Tactical Alert and prepare to beam me to the specified coordinates. Dismissed."

::TBC::

Author's Note: I chose the former SFM Entertainment building as the location for the exchange drop because of SFM's historic ties to Disney: in the mid-1970s, SFM received license from Disney to syndicate the original 1950s Mickey Mouse Club. Then, in 1977, the two companies worked together again to produce the 1977-1978 New Mickey Mouse Club.

The last time the two companies worked together was on the 1982 TV special Computers are People, Too—an excerpt from the special can be found on the DVD and Blu-Ray releases of Disney's Tron, which the special promoted.