Hamster Evil
…
In an asteroid field, a metallic tower sat on top of a single asteroid. A force field surrounded the tower, repelling any random asteroids in the field that would smash it.
A ship maneuvered its way through the field toward the tower.
The intercom beeped, and the pilot pressed a button. "State your identity," a mechanical voice said.
"Captain Martu," the pilot said. "I am returning from a raid."
The tower's main doors opened and the ship zoomed into the hanger bay.
The ship's door opened and the pilot exited. He was a giant alien with a wiry body, dark gray skin, a shark-face, and green eyes. He wore red pants and a red sleeveless shirt with a utility belt. A bunch of spiderlike droids exited the ship, carrying a load of merchandise.
"Captain Martu," a voice called from a speaker. "Dr. Hamsterviel requires you report to him."
"Great," Martu said wearily. "Finish downloading the stolen goods."
The droids complied.
Martu exited the hanger bay; his huge feet went 'thud-thud-thudded' as he walked. Eventually he reached some tall metal doors at the end of the passageway. The doors opened automatically and he entered a room, his arms at his side a huge scowl on his shark-like face. The room was empty, except for a small couch and a large communication screen high upon the wall at the far end of the room. The screen had an image of a person on it. This person was a rodent-like alien with white fur, red eyes, rabbit ears and a long tail. He wore a red cape with a gold "H" icon on it.
"Typical of Dr. Hamsterviel," Martu thought sourly to himself. "He either appears on an intercom screen, or rides on a hover chair whenever he's in front of his generally taller employees!"
"Sit down," Dr. Hamsterviel told Martu in a voice that had a distinct German accent, gesturing with his left arm for Martu to sit.
Martu's frown deepened. Then he sat on the small couch. It wasn't much of a fit. It felt like a kiddy chair to him since he was over ten feet tall; but he stayed quiet and eyed the screen, waiting to hear his mission.
"Before I sent you on this mission, tell me…" Hamsterviel began, his red eyes narrowed and a frown touching his lips, "are you familiar with the trial of Dr. Jumba Jookiba and Experiment 6-2-6?"
"I've heard of it," Martu said. "A mad scientist and his genetic creation were banished to a primitive world."
"Well you seem to have some intelligence," Hamsterviel commented sarcastically. "Anyway!" he continued abruptly, "a spy within the Federation has informed me that investigators have recently discovered that Dr. Jumba Jookiba was actually responsible for the creation of six hundred and twenty-five genetic experiments besides 6-2-6."
A look of surprise crossed Martu's face as he stared at his boss. "Did you say six hundred and twenty five experiments?" he asked, his deep voice rasping, not believing what he was hearing.
Hamsterviel sneered. "Yes, they also have found Jumba's secret documents on the experiments and I have stolen copies of these records." Then he scowled in frustration, folding his arms. "Unfortunately, it's only a list of the genetic experiments' serial numbers and some minor information about their abilities…" He clutched his fists, his rabbit-like face contorted with rage. "All formulas on how to create them have been erased by the idiotic Federation police!" He exhaled before continuing. "The point is that the location of the experiments is still unknown and the Federation is still investigating all of Jumba's former labs and known contacts…" The rodent-like employer smiled proudly, before saying the next thing. "But I think that they are with Jumba on the planet he and 6-2-6 were exiled to."
Martu opened his mouth in disbelief. "But how could he possibly smuggle so many experiments on earth without being detected by the authorities?" he asked, making a questioning gesture with his hand.
"Simple!" Hamsterviel replied irritably, his front paws on his hips. "Jumba dehydrated them and then secretly stored them away in some hidden compartment until he could get them." Then he glowered at Martu. "Any genius would know that," he added, his voice thick with contempt.
The thinly veiled insult made Martu scowl, but he said nothing.
"I believe these genetic experiments will be v-e-r-r-y useful in increasing my criminal powers," Hamsterviel told his underling. "I want you to go to Earth, find those experiments and bring them to me." His red eyes narrowed on Martu. "Is that clear?" je asked.
"Yes, sir," Martu replied dutifully as he got up. "I shall leave immediately!"
"Then go," Hamsterviel ordered Martu, scowling deeply.
Martu turned and headed out of the room, making big strides with his huge legs, thinking to himself: "Dr. Hamsterviel pays well, but he has an extremely unpleasant attitude."
…
Inside Jumba's lab on the spaceship, Experiment 2-2-1 pressed his front paws against the glass cage, staring intensely at these strange people who befriended him. Reuben kept his distance on the far area while Lilo, Stitch, and Jumba stayed close.
"I'm going to call you Sparky," Lilo told the genetic mutant alien, pointing her left finger at him.
"Sparky," Jumba commented with a chuckle, his big belly rumbling with each laugh. "That's a good one!"
2-2-1/Sparky smiled slightly, finding the name more fascinating than his number. Lilo then turned to Jumba. "Jumba, can we let Sparky out of the cylinder now?" she asked, looking up at the former evil genius.
Jumba shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea," he stated in a firm voice.
A look of shock crossed Lilo's face. "But why?" she protested, not believing what she was hearing. "He seems friendly now."
Jumba sighed. "You have to understand that he is an evil genius creation," he explained, gesturing to Lilo with both hands. "And though he now sees you as friends, his original programming may still compel him to cause harm the minute he is free." He threw a glance at his caged creation. "Wait a few days, maybe sooner. Then we can let him out."
Lilo turned to Sparky sadly. "I'm sorry, Sparky," she told him sincerely, touching the glass cage with her hand. "But Jumba thinks you should stay in there longer."
Sparky stared at Lilo with a rather sad look on his face. "It will be alright Sparky," Reuben assured him, walking up to the cage. "You'll get through it. You're strong. Not a failure like me." He threw a brief glare at his creator, making Jumba wince when he saw the glare.
The encouragement cheered up Sparky a little bit. Suddenly…
"Guys! It's dinner time!" a familiar high-pitched voice shouted from behind the walls of the lab. "Hey, where are you?"
"Uh oh!" Jumba exclaimed, a worried expression on his fat face. "It's Pleakley!"
"Who?" Reuben asked puzzled, his dark eyes narrowed in wonder.
"What do we do?" Lilo exclaimed in fear, throwing glances at Stitch and the others. "If Pleakley sees these cousins, he'll freak!"
"Uh…" Jumba stammered, his pudgy hands trembling in front of him.
"Hmmm…" Stitch murmured, touching his lips as his computer-like brain tried to come up with a plan. "Reuben and Sparky staya here," he told him, pointing a clawed finger at the two experiments. "Jumba, Lilo!" he said to his human girlfriend and scientific genius in a serious voice. "Follow me… and act natural," he told them, signaling them with his left paw to follow him.
Exiting the lab, Lilo and Jumba followed Stitch, and they met Pleakley in the main hall. "Ah! THERE you are!" Pleakley exclaimed, pleased to find them. "What were you three doing?" he asked curiously, his thin hands on his hips.
"Ah… ah…" Jumba stammered, rubbing his hands together. "We were working on … a… an ingenious secret project!"
"Yeah!" Lilo agreed quickly, her face tense. "What he said!"
Stitch grinned, looking like he was hiding something. "Well, that's cool," Pleakley commented, his one eye looking towards the lab. "Can I see it?" he asked, walking toward the lab.
"NO!" Jumba, Lilo and Stitch shouted in unison, raising their hands desperately as they blocked Pleakley's way. "You mustn't! It's top secret!" they all shouted, as scared as kids who feared getting caught breaking a parent's rule.
"Alright, alright!" Pleakley exclaimed irritably, frowning deeply. "You don't have to get huffy with me."
"Uh, Pleakley," Lilo said as calmly as she could. "Can you go back to the house and wait for us?" she tried not to gulp as she waved her right hand dismissively. "We'll be there for dinner shortly."
"Well… I guess so…" Pleakley conceded, rubbing his chin with his left hand, wondering if he should be curious or let it go. "Just don't keep me waiting, please." With that, he turned and left the room.
When he was gone everyone gave a huge sigh of relief. "Ooh, that was close!" Jumba replied, rubbing his forehead with his left hand.
"We can't let anyone else know about Stitch's cousins yet," Lilo told Stitch and Jumba, throwing a glance in the direction Pleakley had exited. "We have to wait for the proper time."
Jumba stroked his chin. "We could keep them in the lab until we can find a way to break the news to the rest of the family," he suggested, shrugging his hands.
"Yes, let's do that," Lilo agreed as she turned and ran back into the lab. Reuben and Sparky turned; they were waiting.
"So, how did it go?" Reuben asked casually, leaning his back against the counter, his arms crossed and his face calm.
Lilo stopped, looking hesitant. "Reuben, Sparky…" she began to say. "We can't let anyone see you until the time's right. So just wait on the ship until then, OK?"
Reuben stood up, taken aback by this information. "Ah…and just how long do we have to wait?" he asked, frowning, his front paws on his hips.
Sparky just stared intensely at Lilo from inside his cylinder. "Ah… ah… I don't know," Lilo confessed, rubbing her fingers together.
"Yeah well if we're going to stay here for a long time, can't you give us something to keep us entertained?" Reuben asked, tilting his head forward.
"Sure, but I have to go," Lilo told him in a slightly stressed voice. "Me, Stitch or Jumba will be back tonight after dinner."
Reuben shuddered as Lilo exited the lab. "Oh, I hope JUMBA'S not the one coming back," he replied as memories of the cruel treatments he suffered resurfaced in his consciousness.
…
At the dinner table, Lilo, Stitch, Jumba, Pleakley, and Nani quietly ate their hot dogs and drank their soda. "So what did you do today, Lilo?" Nani asked curiously, staring at her little sister.
"Ah… not much," Lilo replied in a slightly hesitant voice. "Just doing top secret stuff with Stitch," she finished before she took another bite of her hotdog.
Nani eyed Lilo. "Really? Like what?" she asked with a friendly smile.
"I can't tell anyone," Lilo insisted. "Its top secret," she said, putting a finger to her lip.
Nani stared at her little sister. Oh. Well, maybe it's no big deal, she thought with a shrug before taking a drink of her soda.
"Can I have another hot dog?" Jumba asked, gesturing with his huge hand.
"Another hot dog?" Pleakley exclaimed in disbelief, his one eye narrowed on Jumba. "But you've already had four."
"Hey, I have a big belly to fill," Jumba grumbled, patting his huge stomach to emphasize his words.
"Well if you'd eat less you wouldn't have a big belly!" Pleakley stated, taking on the pose of a professional. "I read in a book about - "
"Stop lecturing me," Jumba interrupted irritability, annoyed with this so-called expert criticizing his lifestyle.
Nani looked at the four remaining hot dogs. "Anyone besides Jumba want other hot dog?" she asked, looking around at everyone.
"Ih!" Stitch shouted, waving his paw up excitedly.
"Not me," Lilo answered politely.
"Not me," Pleakley answered with a frown, throwing a glare at Jumba.
"You two can have one more," Nani told Jumba and Stitch crisply.
Jumba and Stitch each took his hot dog and put it on his bun; Stitch then grabbed the ketchup bottle and put some on his hot dog.
…...
Reuben was sitting in a chair, his chin on both front paws. He was bored. He threw a glance at Sparky, who was looking very anxious from inside his cage, full of energy and wanting to use that energy to its fullest.
Reuben looked at the door that led out of the lab. He was considering sneaking out and exploring the outdoors. But he had a great fear of the unknown and he didn't know what was outside the lab. Suddenly the lab doors opened and Lilo and Stitch walked in with their arms full of stuff.
"What's all that?" Reuben asked curiously, getting out of the chair.
"Some things to keep you two entertained!" Lilo answered as she put some stuff on the floor. "These are just some sleeping bags, books, my record player and some of my records," she explained as she got things ready. Setting up the record player, Lilo looked up and added, "Look, we have to get back to the house."
Sparky and Reuben looked surprised. "Ah, do you HAVE to go?" Reuben asked unhappily, not wanting them to leave again.
Stitch and Lilo looked distinctively uncomfortable. Lilo was the first to break the silence. "I'm sorry," she told them earnestly. "We would like to stay for the night but I don't want to arouse anyone's suspicions," she explained as her eyes squinted. "But we WILL be back tomorrow!" she added.
Stitch nodded in assurance. Activating a teleportal device, Stitch then transported one of the sleeping bags inside Sparky's cage. Sparky looked at the sleeping bag, blinking his dark blue eyes, and then crawled into it. As the fabric reacted to the static electricity emitting from his body and sparkled a little, he crawled out, looking very excited. "Ooooh!" he murmured in his low nasal voice.
Lilo meanwhile had finished setting up the record player. "Well here's some music, and when it ends just switch the record!" she explained. "Well, we've got to go. Aloha!" Lilo said, turning to leave as Stitch followed after her.
Suddenly the Song "Devil in Disguise" began playing on the record player.
"Ooooooh! Nice!" Reuben commented, loving the song and music he was hearing.
Sparky grinned with enjoyment as he pressed himself against the glass wall of his cage, electricity crackling from his body.
Hours Later
Everyone was in bed sleeping. Well… not everyone. Lilo lay in her bed staring up at the ceiling.
"You know Stitch," Lilo began softly. "I've been thinking."
"HMMM?" Stitch grunted in wonder, looking at the bed where Lilo lay.
"Even if we can convince Nani to let us keep your cousins…" Lilo explained unhappily, "there isn't enough room in our house for them to live with us…" She looked up and focused on Stitch from across the room. "But we can't just leave them dehydrated either!" she added seriously.
Stitch looked up from his pillow, considering the logic of what Lilo said. Then he turned to face Lilo. "Meega naga know…" he answered brokenly, his rabbit ears drooped. What was to be done?
Suddenly, Lilo had an inspiration. "Maybe we can find homes for them on other parts of the island!" she suggested thoughtfully. "But what kind of places would the cousins live in? We should start with Sparky."
Stitch thought for few moments. Then he got an idea and started speaking rapidly in his alien language. Lilo frowned at Stitch. "What did you say, Stitch?" Lilo asked, frowning. "I barely understand alien. You said something about a lighthouse?"
Stitch cleared his throat and tried again in English. "Sparky could liva in the lighthouse on the edge ofa island!" he explained with an effort. "He could be itsa power source, especially since he lika creating electrical power!"
"That sounds good," Lilo exclaimed excitedly. "But what about Reuben?"
Stitch was silent again, and then shrugged. "Don't know," he answered, not imagining where his failure of a cousin could live.
"Oh well… we'll think of something," Lilo replied with a shrug. "After all, Jumba said he had all of your powers; there could be any number of places where he could live." She yawned and then rolled in her bed. "Good night, Stitch," she said tenderly.
"Good night, Lilo," Stitch replied as he lay down and closed his eyes, going into sleep mode.
…..
It was 3: 56 AM in Earth's time, and an alien ship had just landed on a mountain far from any of Earth's primitive dwellings. The doors opened and Martu walked out, his green eyes glancing at his surroundings. He took five tracer probes from his utility belt and held them in the palms of his huge hands.
"Search the island thoroughly for any signs of advanced technology, bizarre biology readings, or anything suspicious," he ordered them gravelly.
The probes hovered in the air and took off into different directions. Martu then went back to his ship. It was going to be a long wait…
HOURS LATER…
It was 6:39 in the morning when the probes finally came back to Martu's ship. The ship's hatch opened and the probes flew inside and landed on a table. There was a "thum-thum-thum" sound as Martu walked up to the table and looked down at the probes. "Probes, report!" he ordered in a gruff voice, his hands on his hips.
"Only two areas with the readings you were searching for," the probes answered in union. One probe then projected a hologram of a house. "There are a few advanced devices located in this sector." Part of the hologram glowed. "There are also three life forms that don't appear to be in our databanks on Earth biology."
The hologram then promptly changed into a Federation cruiser.
"Scanners show high-level cruiser with advance devices. There is also a mysterious static dampening in this sector." A section of the ship glowed. "Scanners were unable to analyze internals of this area."
"Hmm," Martu murmured thoughtfully. "The experiments must be hidden on the cruiser!" he concluded thoughtfully. "The static dampening is designed to confuse scanners." With that, he holstered his utility belt again and headed out.
….
Jumba and Pleakley's ship lay in the forest quietly. The dew on the tree leaves glistened as the sun slowly rose in the sky.
Suddenly the ground shook as Martu walked through the forest and reached the ship. But he stopped short upon seeing the size of the ship. He glowered darkly.
"This won't do!" he remarked irritably. "I'm too big to fit inside." Martu looked at his utility belt. "OK, let's see… ah! Molecular adjuster, time for you to do your thing!" he said as he pressed a button on a device on his belt. He grunted as his body glowed with a yellow light and then he shrunk to six feet tall, enabling him to fit through the door. He examined his hands, scowling. "Well… it will have to do," he conceded. He took out a device from the pouch in his belt. "Now, let's see if this decoding device can hack this ship's lock."
….
Reuben was sleeping soundly in the sleeping bag. Suddenly he jolted awake. The room was full of strange sounds and bright lights.
"What the heck?" Reuben sputtered sleepily, looking up from his pillow at the glow. He looked around and saw that Sparky was zooming around the inside of his cage generating electric charges, causing light and sounds.
"Hey, will you knock it off?" Reuben shouted, his voice thick with fear and annoyance. "You're makin' me nervous!"
Sparky stopped zooming around his cage and glared at Reuben, shouting something in an alien language.
Reuben scowled in aggravation. Sparky was full of unlimited energy and wanted to use it, but Reuben didn't like Sparky's electrical movements. They aroused memories of Jumba's old lab… the glowing high-tech machines used for evil science and all that he had suffered as a result of such technology…
"Oh…" Reuben groaned unhappily. "I hope Lilo comes back soon," he complained, shaking his head. Getting out of his sleeping bag, he wondered, rubbing his chin. "Hmm, I wonder what there is to do. Maybe I'll make some sandwiches for me and Sparky."
Suddenly a thumping was heard from outside the lab. Reuben and Sparky turned toward the sound.
"Uh… did you hear that too?" Reuben asked Sparky in an uneasy voice.
"Ih!" Sparky replied in a raspy voice, pressing his front paws on the glass cage.
Suddenly the door opened, and a giant with a shark-like face and a blaster in his hand entered - or rather squeezed through the door.
"AAAHHH!" Reuben screamed at the top of his lungs and ran to the far corner of the lab.
The giant gasped. "An experiment!" he shouted in surprise, pointing his weapon at Reuben.
The giant fired his blaster at Reuben, but Reuben had agile reflexes hardwired into him. He ran left, then right, jumped high above a blaster bolt, and then ran around the giant, bolting out of the lab with surprising speed.
Martu was puzzled by the experiment's strange behavior. "What kind of trog was that?" he asked himself. Then he heard a fizzing sound, noticing there was another experiment trapped in a cage, surrounded by energy and trying vainly to escape.
"Hmm. This trog is clearly not a threat," Martu commented and turned his attention back to his mission. Using a scanner he was able to find the source of static dampening in the floor; no doubt that's where the remaining experiments were.
…..
Lilo and Stitch came down in their elevator and headed to the kitchen for breakfast. Jumba and Pleakley were still eating their breakfast, and Nani, who had already finished hers, was grabbing her purse and keys.
"Hey Lilo, I have to leave for work," Nani said as she walked up to Lilo. "Be a good girl," she told her in a motherly voice.
"I will," Lilo replied, her hands behind her back… fingers not crossed this time.
Leaning over, Nani gave Lilo a kiss on the forehead. Then she stood up and spoke to everyone. "Listen, I need this house cleaned while I'm gone; can I count on you all?" she asked.
"No problem! We'll get this place spotless," Pleakley answered confidently. "Right, Jumba?"
"Yeah, we will," Jumba grumbled, putting his chin on his left hand, his four yellow eyes narrowed in annoyance.
With that, Nani turned and left for work.
….
After breakfast, Lilo and Stitch left the house and headed for Jumba and Pleakley's ship. "It's too bad that Jumba couldn't come with us," Lilo commented as she closed the back door. Stitch nodded. "Come on Stitch, let's go check on Reuben and Sparky," she continued as she and Stitch headed down toward the ship in the woods.
….
Martu finished gathering the experiment pods in the containment unit and storing them in his own portable containment unit. "OK," he murmured as he threw a glance at Sparky, who was still trying to escape his cage. "I have no safe way to capture that experiment, and the one that ran away is long gone," he said with a scowl. Then he shrugged. "I guess this is your lucky day, trog," he told Sparky.
Sparky growled and slammed his fists on the glass, generating intense electrical energy that couldn't shatter his cage. Ignoring this, Martu turned and exited the lab.
….
Lilo and Stitch ran from the house and reached the ship. Stitch was about to type in the access code.
"Uh… Stitch?" Lilo interrupted his thoughts. "Who or what is THAT?" she asked, pointing at the distant figure that was too far to be seen clearly.
Stitch stared intensely in the direction Lilo pointed and sniffed the air. "An intruder!" he exclaimed anxiously.
"But what was he doing here?" Lilo asked puzzled. "Unless…"
Stitch and Lilo suddenly had the same realization and ran into the ship. "Hurry, Stitch!" Lilo shouted in a worried voice as Stitch pressed the right buttons to open the door.
The door opened and they ran inside. Entering the lab, they saw that the experiment containment unit was open and empty.
"Oh no!" Lilo exclaimed in horror. "Stitch!"
Stitch stared in disbelief at the unit; his shock was suddenly interrupted by Sparky shouting from inside his cage. Stitch turned his attention to Sparky and they began speaking to each other in the alien language that Lilo didn't completely understand. Then Stitch turned and ran on all fours out of the lab.
"Stitch, wait for me!" Lilo yelled as she followed him.
Sparky watched them go. "AAAARRGGG!" he shouted, banging his head on the glass, frustrated that he was left behind.
….
Stitch was running up the mountain as fast as he could.
"Huh?" Stitch gasped. He stopped running as he heard the familiar sounds of spaceship rockets charging up for takeoff.
Stitch continued his run and increased his speed, hoping he wouldn't be too late. But then he noticed a spaceship taking off into the sky… he was too late. His cousins were lost, captured, and probably facing imprisonment or death or who knows what.
But he couldn't give up. He turned and with a grunt ran back down the mountain. He ran about a dozen kilometers before he came up to Lilo, who was running up the mountain, gasping for breath.
"Stitch!" Lilo exclaimed, out of breath, panting painfully. "Where… are… you … …going?"
"Needa to get backa to the ship," Stitch explained rapidly. "No time to waste!"
"Stitch…" Lilo gasped, barely breathing.
Realizing Lilo's weariness, Stitch sprouted out his extra arms, reached forward and picked her up. Swinging Lilo over his shoulder like a bag, he ran down the mountain as fast as he could.
...
To Be Continued
Author's note:
I based the character Martu after Gantu. My brother convinced me that Gantu serving Hamsterviel didn't make sense. Gantu may have a problem with ethics, but betraying the Federation was unreal. That's why I made a knockoff of Gantu.
Some of the scenes are loosely based off scenes from different L&S episodes and Stitch the Movie, only different.
