30 Worlds, Episode 2: "What We're Gonna Do Today"

CHAPTER SIX

As Meap and Phineas continued work on Meap's starfighter, Meap heard a beeping coming from the control panel. "I gotta take this, Phineas. Just keep working," he said. "Sure thing, Meap," Phineas said as Meap hopped into the cockpit and closed the hatch.

Meap then pressed a control. A human appeared in a blue holographic projection. "Commander Meap, are you all right?" he asked.

"I am all right, Supreme Commander Gavan," Meap said. "My people suffered some minor injuries and damage to their starfighters, but it's nothing we can't handle thanks to the Enterprise."

ISA Supreme Commander Retsu Ichijoji (alias "Gavan") cocked an eyebrow. "The Enterprise?" he asked. "Yes, sir—the ship that rescued us," Meap said. "Its commander, a Terran named William Edwards, chased Mitch's forces off. Unfortunately, the Army of Inter-universal Chaos has now become involved."

Gavan nodded gravely. "I understand, Meap," he said. "I am authorizing you to give Captain Edwards the XR-57 prototype schematics hidden on your current mustache translation unit. If what you and Yen Sid have told me is accurate, he will need it."

"I understand, sir," Meap said. "You and your people are to assist Captain Edwards and his crew in holding back the A.I.C. forces until I can send reinforcements," Gavan continued. "I do not need to tell you how important your mission has now become, Mr. Meap. If you and the Enterprise fail on this day, all of the multi-verse will surely fall to the A.I.C.'s evil."

"We will not fail, sir," Meap said. "Meap, out." As soon as the projection faded, Meap took off his mustache translator and opened a secret compartment on it. A small computer chip fell into Meap's hand. Then, after closing the compartment, Meap replaced the translator.

Phineas looked up from his work as the cockpit hatch of Meap's fighter opened. "Phineas, I need to go see William. Keep overseeing the repairs while I am gone," he said. "Sure thing, Meap," Phineas said as Meap hopped out of his fighter and ran for the shuttlebay doors.

On the Bridge, William turned in his chair as the turbolift doors hissed open, revealing Meap. "Commander Meap, what's wrong?" William said.

"William, I must speak with you in private," Meap said. "Sure," William said. "Sofia, take over." Sofia sat in the command chair as William led Meap to a small room just off the Bridge.

"I have been authorized by my superiors to give you this," Meap said, handing William the computer chip. "This data chip contains schematics of the I.S.A.'s latest state-of-the-art starfighter. Supreme Commander Gavan wants you to use this fighter during your mission."

William smiled as he took the chip and placed it into a chip reader. "Download complete," E.R.I.N. said. "Shall I commence construction?" "Immediately," William said.

A few hours later, E.R.I.N.'s voice came back on the comm. "Manufacture of the XR-57 is now complete to your specifications, William," she said.

"And it's a good thing too," Sofia said. "We're picking up Mitch's ship on interception course, and he's got some friends." "Edwards to Flynn. Phineas, are Meap's people ready for battle?" William said.

"As Ferb would say if he were down here, they're ship-shape and Bristol fashion," Phineas said. "Good," William said. "Commander Meap and I are on our way."

William and Meap ran out of William's office and into a waiting turbolift. "Shuttlebay 1," William said before the doors closed.

Down in the shuttlebay, Meap stood before his pilots, William standing alongside him. "Everyone, Captain Edwards will be joining us in the battle against Mitch's forces. He has agreed to follow my orders as you would. All right, everyone, to your fighters!"

William and the other pilots saluted Meap. Then, as the other pilots rushed to their fighters, William pulled his sunglasses from a pocket of his jacket and put them on. "Jouchaku!" he shouted before pushing a button on them. His flight suit appeared on his body.

Then, William got in his fighter. "Let's see what she's got," William said as he activated his engines and followed the other starfighters out of the shuttlebay. "All fighters, report in," Meap said. One by one, the pilots signaled their readiness to proceed with the attack.

"Silver-7 standing by," William said. "Then, all craft, fire at will!" Meap said. William turned his craft towards a cluster of A.I.C. fighters and let his weapons fly. 6 of the fighters were destroyed, but one escaped the blast zone and fired its weapons.

William swiftly dodged the attack and flipped a switch marked "Countermeasures." A cluster of small silver devices burst from the rear hatches of the XR-57 and deflected the enemy weapons. "Sweet!" William said.

But another fighter began to bear down on William's fighter. Suddenly, the enemy fighter burst into flame and debris. The Enterprise soared through the debris and started to attack some of the larger A.I.C. ships.

"This is payback for you saving my ass during the Flying Rally back in Enchancia," Sofia said. "Thanks, love," William said. "Keep the capital ships off our backs." "We're on it, William," Phineas said. Perry let out a string of clucking.

"Perry says that we will kick some serious A.I.C. tail," Sofia translated. "That we will, Perry," William said. "Out."

Suddenly, Meap's voice came on the comm. "Silver-7, this is Gold-Prime. I have a special target for you. Details to follow," he said.

William checked his tactical eye display and gasped. But he recovered and smiled. "Silver-7 to Gold-Prime. Copy target. Now engaging," William said. He turned his craft and maneuvered to the rear of Mitch's flagship. "Here's where the fun begins," he smiled.

Then, as he targeted the nozzles of Mitch's ship's engines, he smiled again and said to himself, "Here's your El Camino, Officer Bimbeau!" "Please copy your last transmission, Silver-7," Meap said.

William looked down at his communications panel and saw that the comm channel was still open. "Forgot the channel was still open, Gold-Prime. Disregard last statement. Silver-7, out," William said before closing the channel.

Blushing at the mistake he had made, William then returned his attention to the target. Flipping the "fire" switch, William watched as two silver bolts emerged from the weapons emitters and struck the engine nozzles dead center.

Mitch's ship fell still. "Excellent shooting, Silver-7," another of Meap's pilots said. "Nothing to it but to do it," William responded. "One, question, however," Meap asked as the A.I.C. ships and fighters turned tail and ran into hyper-light. "What was the meaning of that chant you said before you fired?"

"It's a line from a favorite movie of mine," William said. "This ship Supreme Commander Gavan let me use is amazing." William then looked up and saw that only Mitch's ship and his starfighters were in the area. "Where did the A.I.C. go?"

"They saw that the weakest amongst them was compromised and sought to save themselves at the weak one's expense, as all cowards do," a voice from behind William said. He turned and saw Yen Sid. "Master Yen Sid, what's going on?" William asked.

"I'll explain back on the Enterprise," Yen Sid said. "While Supreme Commander Gavan and his people take Mitch and his cronies into custody, we have the next world—and some other things—to discuss."

In his office off of the Enterprise Bridge, William and Yen Sid were talking. "So you want us to go to meet these...Rocky and CeCe, was it?" William said.

"Exactly," Yen Sid said. "Their friendship has become strained after CeCe was not asked to return to Shake It Up, Chicago after the studio was rebuilt. Only you of the Enterprise can bring them back together and...maybe even get CeCe back on the show."

"I'm sure Phineas, Ferb, Isabella and Perry can help me, but the matter of the final Danville Key component must be resolved before we can leave," William said. "I know who can help you with that," Yen Sid said.

"Who?" William said before Yen Sid disappeared. "I hate it when he does that," William said. Suddenly, the door chime rang. "Who is it?" William asked.

"It's Commander Meap," Meap said. "Come in," William said. The doors slid open, revealing Meap. "I just wanted you to know that Supreme Commander Gavan has placed me on detached duty here on the Enterprise, under your command," he said. "With the A.I.C. becoming more of a threat by the day, he theorized that you'll need all the help you can get. Sofia has already helped us to register with E.R.I.N."

"And that's not all," Meap said as he hopped up onto a chair across the desk from William. "I do not know how or why, but Yen Sid has unlocked an ability I never knew I had. I know who the final Danville Key component is."

"Who is it?" William said. Meap hopped onto the desk and whispered in William's ear. "You're kidding!" William exclaimed. "No, I am not," Meap said.

"All right," William said. "Phineas, this is William. Set course back for Earth. We have one last bit of business to attend to before we can head to the next world."

::TBC::

Note: William's mysterious chant during the battle is a paraphrasing of a line from the 1980 comedy film The Hollywood Knights, which is one of my favorite movies. Go to the "IMDB-The Hollywood Knights" link in my profile for more—but be warned before you go: The Hollywood Knights is rated R, so the link will contain references and words that may be inappropriate for younger audiences without parental supervision.