Disclaimer: Penguins of Madagascar and all related characters are the property of Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, and any or all related affiliates. This fiction was created for the purpose of having fun and being creative, no money is being made in any way from it's creation and posting.
Deviations
Chapter 9
By
Wildgoose
(The scene comes up inside of a baggage truck as it zigzags it's way across the tarmac at JFK airport in New York. It is a brisk early December day with overcast skies and an occasional snow flurry drifting through the air. The aura of the upcoming holidays are present within the airport as the baggage truck hurries about stopping periodically to load or unload it's trucks. Peering out from the burlap curtains of the very last truck in the line, a penguins eyes can be seen if for but an instant at a time as they scan the area for the correct aircraft to serve an important purpose. The mood inside the cover of the truck is silent, …the animals occasionally converse but only with specific purpose. Rico is the only one trying to occupy himself by going through the bags in the truck looking for anything interesting.)
Private: What aircraft are we looking for again?
Kowalski: Flight twelve thirty three, …it's an American Airlines® Boeing seven forty seven bound for Austin Texas. It's scheduled to leave within the hour.
Hannibal: I've never been on a plane, …do you think they'll have those in flight movies like you see on TV shows?
Kowalski: We'll be hiding in the cargo hold, …I honestly don't think they show movies back there.
Rico: (picks his head up and grunts) Really? Aww nuts….
Kowalski: There won't be any of those either, …budget cuts. The airlines have been having a bad year so far. They'll even charge you for a pillow. (Rico pretends to cry in agony)
Private: Will we at least get those frequent flier miles? I've always wondered what it would be like to build some of those up, …you see commercials on how to use them all the time.
Kowalski: You all seem to have lost sight of the fact that we're stowing away on this flight, …not purchasing seats. (Pause as Kowalski looks out through the curtains again.) I See our plane, …everybody get ready to jump. (pause) Rico, …there's a baggage handler at the bottom of the conveyor leading into the aircraft. We'll need you to take him out so we can enter without being seen.
Rico: (laughs as he regurgitates a switch blade.) (grunts) All right!
Private: NON lethal force, Rico! (Rico groans in protest as he re-ingests the weapon in favor of a taser gun)
Kowalski: Hannibal, …logic suggests that there would be another handler just inside the aircraft to move things about as they enter. You need to get to that person before he or she can radio what's going on, …how fast can you move?
Hannibal: (holds up his paws) Hey, ..four paw drive. I can be fast when I need to.
Private: How about invisible, …did Kitsune teach you that one yet?
Hannibal: (chuckles nervously) We'd only just touched on the subject, really. I can do okay using distraction. You know, ..smoke pellets and stuff.
Kowalski: No smoke pellets here, ..it will set off the fire alarms and the plane will never leave the terminal. (Pause) You'll just have to rely on being fast and accurate. (pause) So what's your plan of action?
Hannibal: Um, ….well as soon as Mr. Rico takes out the first guy I can run into the plane and gas the other guy.
Private: I didn't know Kitsune trained you to use any gas weapons.
Hannibal: Oh, ..she didn't. I ate some leftover beans from a flight attendants lunch while we were waiting to catch our ride.
Kowalski: So, ….what sort of weapon were you planning,…oh I see.
Private: Hannibal, ..I don't know how to tell you this but passing gas in someone's face to knock them out. Well, …..
Rico: (grunts) It's dirty!
Kowalski: Rico's right, ..humans stick their faces in all sorts of places. The last thing you need on your body is germs. (pause) It's best to keep it simple, …go for the nerve pinch on the shoulder. It works like a charm every time.
Hannibal: Lucky charm, right. (laughs) That would probably be a good name for a cereal.
Rico: (grunts) It's been done!
Kowalski: (Brakes chirping) Get ready, …we're pulling up in front of our plane. (pause) Wait for them to finish unloading the cart into the plane.
Private: (several moments later) That looks like the last bag, Kowalski.
Kowalski: Agreed, …movie out people. (Rico jumps out of the baggage truck with Hannibal just behind him scampering up the conveyor. The handler on the outside goes down with ease but inside the aircraft bumping about can be heard for a good minute before Hannibal finally shows himself and gives the all clear. Once inside the aircraft the group see's a man lying on the floor having been given an atomic wedgie.)
Private: My word, …what took so long?
Hannibal: Mr. Kowalski's charm wasn't so lucky after all so I had to improvise. Did you know human males will roll their eyes completely into the back of their heads and pass out if you yank up hard enough on this white fabric underneath their pants.
Rico: (impressed, grunts) Can you show me that one…?
Kowalski: Later Rico, ..we need to get ourselves hidden before those humans wake up again.
Rico: (groans) Aww….. (The groups climbs over bags in the compartment until they find a large unsecured suitcase and climb inside of it.)
Private: So where are the girls, ….Syron said she would send someone from her unit to meet us here.
Kowalski: I don't know private, …perhaps there was some sort of delay in her getting here. A catastrophic accident on a major highway or…..(voice comes from behind them in the same suitcase.)
Voice: Or she's been here waiting for you lollygaggers the whole time. What took you guys so long? (In the darkness of the closed suitcase Rico regurgitates a flashlight and shines it about until the voice is located.)
Private: (gasps) Pepper..!
Pepper: (mocking him) Private…!
Hannibal: Penguin! (Pepper looks over at him and gasps)
Pepper: Is this Marlene's kid? (Private nods) OMG, …you're so CUTE! The last time I'd even heard about you was when you were still in your mom's tummy.
Hannibal: What was I then,….a microwave dinner?
Pepper: What…?
Kowalski: (clears his throat) The young pup here has been taught to read human by your former weapons officer. He likes to read books as often as possible, …and as it happens has familiarized himself with the birds and the bees so to speak. Or at least the process as it's been written out.
Pepper: You read human…? How old are you again? (Hannibal signals the number one.) You're a smart kid, …your mom must be proud. (Whispers to Kowalski) So does he know about…?
Kowalski: The deadbeat? Oh yes, …in fact he and his siblings have made a rendering of him on a wall in their habitat and throw darts at it on a regular basis.
Pepper: Siblings…?
Kowalski: A brother and sister, they're quite the trio together. (Pepper shushes him as voices are heard from the baggage handlers recovering and closing up the compartment.)
Private: I think the compartment is secure, …we can move about now. (The group begins to pile out of the suitcase while occasionally tripping over one another. In the background the planes engines can be heard powering up one at a time. )
Pepper: It's a good thing the compartment is pressurized as well or we'd all either pass out or freeze to death once we got to altitude.
Hannibal: How high does this thing go?
Pepper: Cruising altitude is usually about thirty thousand feet, the temperature at that height while moving at over three hundred miles an hour tends to be in the negative digits. (Pause) The trip should take about three hours if there are no delays.
Hannibal: Delays…?
Pepper: You know, traffic congestion, mechanical or weather problems, fanatical psychos trying to commandeer the aircraft for a dark and sinister purpose. (pause) Delays….
Hannbal: (laughs nervously) We don't need any delays. (The aircraft can be felt moving as it is being guided away from the terminal and then taxiing to the run way. (a few moments later everyone loses their balance and tumbles over each other as the engines power up in a mighty roar and the plane accelerates at a terrific pace before beginning to pitch up. After the plane leaves the ground a whine can be heard from the wheel wells as the landing gear is retracted. In curiosity Hannibal trots on over to an access door above the wheel well where through a thick window the gear can be seen as the outer doors close. In the background behind him the group can already be seen doing what they can to make themselves comfortable. Rico has resumed his previous occupation from the baggage cart by prying open suitcases one by one to see if there is anything interesting or useable inside.)
Rico: (grunts) Wahoo!
Private: Keep it down Rico, …we don't want anyone to find us. Now what is it? (Rico holds up a pillow) Oh, jolly good then. See if you can find some for the rest of us. (Rico resumes searching and a moment later holds something else up.)
Rico: (grunts) Ooh la, la!
Private: What now, Rico? (Rico holds up a nature calendar he found featuring penguins. The first page illustrates an Emperor penguin waddling on the Antarctic ice with flippers outstretched and beak up.)
Rico: (grunts) Adult entertainment!
Private: RICO! (pause) For pete's sake put that away before the pup see's that, ..the poor child would probably go into shock from such imagery. He's not even old enough to mate yet. (Takes a glance at the picture) My word, …she is quite fetching isn't she.
Rico: (grunts) Uh huh…. (flutters his eyebrows) (turns the page which features a chin strap penguin sitting on a nest.)
Private: (flustered) Do you uh, …. think the humans would mind if I kept this?
Rico: (pulls it away) Nuh uh, ….get your own!
Private: Now don't be a greedy gus, ..I was just curious. (Rico brings the calendar forward again to share as the scene fades forward to Pepper and Kowalski.)
Pepper: (after a prolonged period of silence.) So, …..aren't you going to talk to me? We do have a few hours to kill you know.
Kowalski: Oh, ..yes of coarse. I'm sorry, …I was just going over some mission details in my head. So far it doesn't appear that I've forgotten anything.
Pepper: Oh don't worry, ..there's always something that rears it's head just as you need it. (pause) The foul up fairy can fly just as fast as any plane.
Kowalski: (pauses in thought.) Well I suppose I could have brought along our anti matter reactor core just in case we needed that extra bang, …however it is rather bulky. Not to mention heavy, …it's doubtful we would have gotten it on the plane now that I think about it.
Pepper: Ok, …not exactly what I had in mind but don't worry. I'm sure you'll have forgotten something more portable. (awkward pause) SO, ….were you depressed at all to see me instead of Erin?
Kowalski: In a word, ….yes. However you can hardly blame me, …we are quite the pair.
Pepper: So you don't know then?
Kowalski: (chokes) Know?
Pepper: About the three male Marconi penguins we got in a while ago, …Erin hooked up with one of those guys. They have an egg already, …didn't she at least break things off with you?
Kowalski: She, …she , …..didn't even tell me they had new team members. (Eye begins to twitch) How could she not TELL me!
Pepper: Because it didn't happen, ….calm down. I made the whole thing up to get a rise out of you. (laughs) You're all she ever talks about.
Kowalski: (testing) So you didn't get any new penguins in?
Pepper: Oh we did, …that's why we're being transferred to your post. We didn't get along with them so well, …they're a crack outfit straight from command and without Kitsune as our muscle we were getting pushed about.
Kowalski: Three of them against five of you? You can't possibly be serious….
Pepper: Trust me, …they're good!
Kowalski: Oh it never fails does it, ..with each new generation comes better and brighter people to replace us. (pause) Almost as if they come off of an assembly line.
Pepper: I wouldn't be so sure about that, …rougher and tougher comes with each new generation but intelligent comes with age and experience.
Kowalski: Well said, …however I must admit that there is pleasure to be had at the expense of the inexperienced.
Pepper: Such as….?
Kowalski: Well since you and he got together the last time we've been playing "what if" mind games with Private regarding an egg he may or may not have been told about.
Pepper: (groans) Oh don't do that to the poor guy, …that's just cruel. (pause) Besides, none of you has an egg to worry about. (Awkward pause) Well, ….Skipper does. (Kowalski does a spit take even though there is nothing in his mouth.)
Kowalski: Excuse me…?
Pepper: Surprised the daylights out of all of us when Syron laid it., …but there it was. We all helped to keep it secret from the zookeepers, …took turns looking after the kid. She's an adorable little tike
Kowalski: Um, ….but ….how is it that….? Does Skipper even KNOW? (Pepper shakes her head)
Pepper: Syron didn't want to cause problems between Skipper and Marlene. She knew they liked each other but at the time it was a harmless fling and the two of them weren't even together yet. (Pause) I hear things have developed since then.
Kowalski: You could say that yes. Skipper serves as a father figure to Marlene's pups.
Pepper: (discouraged) That could complicate things when we come to your zoo, ….I suppose.
Kowalski: Gee, you think? (balls his flippers into aggravated fists) It could shred the very fabric of harmony within the social order of the zoo.
Pepper: You're hyping this up just a little bit much don't you think? At the time the kid was born we didn't know we would eventually be transferred up with you guys. As far as Syron knew we weren't going to see you again. She didn't want to complicate Skipper's life and she certainly didn't want to confuse the chick with notions of a father she'd never get to meet. (smiles) Now that it's official that we're coming to your zoo, …Astrid can't wait to meet Skipper. I'm sure Marlene would understand that Astrid came before Skipper and her were together.
Kowalski: I'm not so sure, …I'm getting only bad vibes from this. In case you didn't hear me before about the whole shredding of harmony thing.
Pepper: Um, ….okay. You're being more cryptic than usual about this, ….what aren't you telling me? Is it something that nobody else besides you knows about?
Kowalski: (cringes as he fights the urge to tell her.) You, ….you could say that.
Pepper: (runs her flipper up along Kowalski's chest feathers.) You know me Kowalski,…I can keep a secret. (seductive pause) Give…? (Kowalski looks about at the others to see if they paying any attention to them.)
Kowalski: Marlene is pregnant again, …Skipper didn't want it out in the open but still needed another male to talk to.
Pepper: Wait, …the zoo instituted the breeding program AGAIN! (Kowalski shakes his head) What then, ..she cheated on him? (pause) I guess I can't blame her, …it's just natural instinct to want to be with your own kind. (pause) I hope he forgave her, …something like that is totally not like her.
Kowalski: It's his. (Peppers face drops)
Pepper: (long awkward silent pause) Um, …..come again?
Kowalski: The offspring Marlene is carrying, …Skipper is the daddy. (Pepper looks as if the breath has been stolen from her lungs.)
Pepper: Please tell me you haven't been doing the mad scientist thing again.
Kowalski: Um, …no. At least not since a few weeks ago when I accidentally changed a nerdy human into a hulking rage fueled monster. (Pepper stares at him for several minutes.)
Pepper: Right, …we'll just have to get back to that. (sighs with annoyance) Well, …we're coming to the zoo like it or not so we'll all just have to deal with it. (The plane shakes slightly with turbulence.) (She gets up) Anyway, …I might as well start up with my checklists on the equipment. (pause) You should probably get busy yourself, ….it will help to take your mind off of things. (Pepper smirks as she turns to get to work and the scene fades out.)
(Cut to Steve's apartment at about the same time. Steve is sitting at the kitchen table managing his bills and the others are busy getting ready for work. )
Steve: (Calls to Marlene down the hall) I honestly don't know what you guys are thinking of, …I mean don't get me wrong if worse comes to worst it's definitely the way you'll need to go but you guys don't have anything even close to what you'd need. It takes a whole lot more than just money to get a house, …there's a mountain of paperwork involved and you guys aren't even in the system. With out the necessary documentation a realtor to say nothing of a mortgage company won't give you the time of day. Then there's the down payment, the APR, credit rating, ….you've got none of that.
Skipper: (sitting across the table) …..But YOU do. (Steve leans back in his chair and lets loose with a belly laugh)
Steve: (wipes tears from his eyes after laughing) So, …you're expecting me to buy you a house now?
Skipper: Not buy US, ….buy it for yourself. Then we'll pay you for the right to live there.
Steve: Oh well when you put it like that. (pretends to open his wallet and dole out money.) Now how many millions did you say you needed? (cups his ear with his palm.) What's that? You still need more, …aw shoot give me a few hours to go sell my internal organs to raise the money for you. (Raises his voice) I mean do you guys even know when to stop? (Pause) Gimme, gimme, gimme, ….we've destroyed your job and made you put your life on hold , but despite that we need you do everything that you can to help us out of an incredible jam. (Leaves the room in a huff and heads through the sliding glass door out onto the balcony. Shortly after that Marlene follows him out there and watches Steve looking over the railing for a minute.)
Marlene: We're not trying to push or pressure you, ….and I have to apologize for Skipper. He has a tendency to be brusque, ….it's just that we don't know what else to do. Apparently we're stuck like this, …..and the baby is going to come sooner or later. (Pause) How many do humans have at one time anyway?
Steve: Most humans don't have litters, ..it's usually a one off. But there are occurrences of two or more, especially if there is medical intervention involved. (Grumbles) Look, …I'm not going to throw you out into the street or anything. It just makes me angry that things keep getting more and more complicated and I have to keep doing more to keep you afloat. (Pause) What am I getting out of this?
Marlene: (looks down) I wish I had an answer for you. (Pause) For what it's worth though, …I'm grateful for what you've been doing for us. (Steve lets out a heavy sigh and the reaches over to squeeze Marlene's hand.)
Steve: We'll need to find a way to have a doctor see you, ..there are protocols that need to be followed or there will be a lot of questions being asked by the wrong people. (Marlene nods and then heads back inside to continue preparations for work. Steve continues to lean over the railing staring down at the street below as cars hurry by, occasionally he will deeply scratch his head in aggravation. After ten or more minutes later Kitsune steps out onto the balcony with him leaning onto the railing and looking over at his eyes to get Steve's attention. A moment later he straightens up and addresses her.) SO, ….what bombs do YOU have to drop on me? (Kitsune shakes her head and places her hand on top of his.) (sighs) Look, …I know that you guys are stuck between a rock and hard place…. (Kitsune taps his hand and shakes her head) That's not what you came out here for? What then..? (Kitsune shrugs and looks out at the street below, a moment later she directs Steve's attention to the fire escape ladder where Marlene's pups can be seen clambering their way up.) Oh good, …..I was afraid there weren't going to be any more surprises today. (Once the pups reach the top.)
Loki: (otter English) …..Hi!
Yoshi: (otter English) We….have…..news. (Steve walks inside without warning and a moment later there others follow.)
Skipper: (as he see's the pups come running in.) Kids…! (The pups jump up on him for hugs)
Steve: You guys came running here in broad daylight, ..are you crazy? You're lucky not to have been picked up by animal control. (Pause) So what news then?
Loki: (otter English) Retrieval ….Op…..under…way.
Steve: A what? (Loki turns to Skipper)
Loki: Kowalski and the others launched a retrieval operation to go after Darla. They left this morning.
Skipper: What, …they don't have the resources to pull off an Op like that. What was Kowalski thinking?
Loki: It was the last option he had, …he said they were getting additional help from Philadelphia.
Skipper: The girls? Well, at least they won't be under strength. (pause) Where is Hannibal?
Yoshi: With them, …we sent him to help get you and mom back.
Skipper: (yells) Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? He has no idea what he's getting into.
Yoshi: He'll learn on the job I guess.
Steve: Does anybody want to clue me in here, …I don't speak animal.
Skipper: (scoffs) And you call yourself a zookeeper. (pause) Kowalski and the others went to try and retrieve Darla. Try to make her take the spell off.
Steve: (pause) Okay, ….mega long shot there. (Marlene comes into the room)
Marlene: Kids! (they jump up on her for hugs) Where's Hannibal?
Steve: On his way to Texas apparently, ….the other penguins left to go after the baboons.
Marlene: (hyperventilates) What….? They, …they can't, ….what were they THINKING taking him along? (sits down and clutches her head in her hands) She's going to do something to him, …I can just feel it. He'll come back as a frog or something.
Steve: Hopefully we won't have to kiss him.
Marlene: You're NOT helping! (Kitsune walks over and hands a note to Marlene)
Kitsune: While he is still my student, …he has learned a great deal. He will be an asset to the operation, …he'll make you proud. (Marlene wipes a tear from her eye)
Marlene: You put that much faith in him? (Kitsune nods)
Kitsune: (writes) He will conduct himself with honor, …even if the mission fails.
Steve: Well,….either way it's a waiting game now. Hopefully they'll find a way to contact us and report on their progress. (Loki shakes his head no)
Loki: (otter English) Kowalski….took …..phone …apart. (pause as he rubs his throat) Tried…..to….build….some…thing….else.
Steve: (rolls his eyes and walks out of the room back out onto the balcony, Kitsune follows shortly after.) (sighs) At least they're going all out to try to fix this, ..it makes me feel a little less burdened anyway. (Kitsune taps his shoulder and looks up at him when he faces her)
Kitsune: (gestures) Can I speak privately to you? (Steve nods and closes the balcony doors)
Steve: So what's on your mind?
Kitsune: (smirks and then gestures) Something the size of an Acme anvil. (Steve looks about)
Steve: Well I don't see the coyote anywhere so you're probably safe.
Kitsune: (gestures) Whether the others succeed or not, ….I wanted to express that I've enjoyed this time with you.
Steve: (confused) Enjoyed…..(Sighs) Well hey, …I don't let just anybody beat the crap out of me. (Kitsune shakes her head)
Kitsune: (gestures) The emotional support. (She leans forward and hugs him.)
Steve: Oh hey no problem, …I was afraid you were going to allude to the other thing that happened.
Kitsune: (smiles)(gestures) That was fun too. (pause as she looks away for a moment) You've come to mean a great deal to me.
Steve: You've grown on me as well, …you're a wonderful person and as a person you've taken great strides. I'm proud of you.
Kitsune: (looks away for a moment) (gestures) Only proud….?
Steve: Meaning…?
Kitsune: (gestures) I'm not sure if I want to go back. (Pause) I like having a job, living a life, waking up with a purpose,…and doing more than just sitting in a zoo and be disliked by those around me. (Pause) I want a family, ….to be part of something more again. (pause) I just can't do that there, ….and Kowalski can't come up with an option to fix that.
Steve: So, …what? You have somebody in mind who can provide you with this something more? (Thinks for a moment) Are you sweet on somebody at the theater?
Kitsune: (gestures) Please stop playing dumb for one moment…?
Steve: (looks speechless) Oh, …crap! (Kitsune cocks an eyebrow) Um, …..look…..(pause with heavy sigh) What I said a while back about how you grow quickly on people who actually manage to get past your personal defenses, ….I meant it. You really have grown on me, …and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel something similar to you. (very long pause) I just don't know where to go with those feelings, …you have to understand. You used to be a penguin, ….you're human now but the possibility still exists that you could go back to being a penguin. If I allow myself to get involved with you, …and then you go back, …it would be like asking me to rip my own heart out. (Pause) Anytime I saw you I'd be faced with reality, …I couldn't hold you, talk to you like we are now, do…that other thing, ….the list goes on. (pause) What would I tell people passing by your habitat who inquire why I look so depressed? "My girl left me, ….in fact that's her now. The penguin on the right." (Kitsune scowls and stomps her foot) I'm not trying to be cruel, Kitsune. I just want you to see things from my perspective, …and as it happens illustration paints a pretty good picture.
Kitsune: (tear rolls from her eye) (whispered raspy type voice) Is it not said that it's better to have loved and lost…? (Rubs her throat in pain)
Steve: (stunned) The L word, …"angels and ministers of grace defend us!" (Kitsune looks confused) It's a quote, …Hamlet act one scene four. (Pause) Shakespeare…. (Pause) I guess I'll have to check it out from the library for you. (Kitsune stares at him for a moment) Alright, back to the topic. (pause) So you'd rather have days or weeks of happiness only to give it up?
Kitsune: (Gestures) I'm not entirely sure that I'll have to..
Steve: You didn't sabotage Kowalski's operation, did you? (Kitsune shakes her head)
Kitsune: (gestures) Something about what Darla said when she first did this to us.
Steve: I wasn't there to remember it, …pity. I just remember running up to the penguin habitat to find you smiling at me.
Kitsune: (confused) (Gestures) I thought you said I was naked and face down in the water.
Steve: Exactly. (pause) It was a vertical smile. (Kitsune still looks confused for a moment and then slowly smiles)
Kitsune: (gestures) Humans are weird.
Steve: Yet you want to be one of us. (Pause with heavy sigh) Um, …listen. Give me a little time to think things through okay? (Kitsune nods and walks off of the balcony back into the apartment.)
Steve: (looks up at the sky) Why do you do stuff like this to me, God? (The scene fades out)
(The scene opens inside of an airplane cargo hold. Light turbulence occasionally jostles things about. Near the access door to one of the planes landing gear a penguins has laid out a variety of equipment and is busy checking each and every piece. An otter comes walking over to inspect the penguins progress.)
Hannibal: So what is all of this stuff, Pepper?
Pepper: (looks at an electronic device in her hand.) Well this is a GPS, …I'm using it to track our position because we can't see through the bay doors. (Points about) This other stuff is parachutes, ..O2 tanks, I've only got one altimeter so I'll use that….
Hannibal: O2...?
Pepper: Oxygen, ..the air is very thin up here so we need O2 to keep from passing out.
Hannibal: (nervous) Parachutes…?
Pepper: (looks concerned) Kowalski, …did you neglect to tell this little guy a few things?
Kowalski: I didn't neglect, …I just wasn't sure how to tell him in a way that wouldn't scare the daylights out of him. Sue me, okay?
Hannibal: Why don't we just wait until the plane lands in Austin?
Kowalski: Because the zoo the baboons were transferred to isn't in Austin, ….it's in Dallas. However the plane's flight path will take us directly over the target zoo making for ideal conditions for an airdrop. (Awkward pause) You were so psyched about coming along on this mission I didn't want to ruin it for you.
Hannibal: (looks scared) I can't jump out of a plane!
Private: You're mother did it.
Hannibal: Say what…?
Private: Oh yes, ..when we went to Philadelphia before you were born. Of coarse she jumped out of a helicopter, not an airplane so it was moving much slower and it was flying at less than a thousand feet. (pause) …..And she didn't so much jump as we kind of pushed her out. (Pause) Come to think of it that doesn't sound very voluntary at all….
Pepper: (claps very slowly) Way to give the motivational speech there Private.
Private: The point is she did it, …and so can you. (pause) Don't worry, …we'll walk you through it.
Pepper: We'll start now so we can make sure you know what we're doing. (pulls out a chart of the planes flight plan.) Okay, …everybody huddle up so I don't have to repeat myself. (The group comes together) The plane will have already entered Austin's holding pattern by the time we cross Dallas which means it will have descended to about ten thousand feet or less. We'll be geared up and ready to go long before then so all we'll have to do is open the bay doors.
Kowalski: I've been working with motor wires to the door for a while now and I think I've been able rig up a remote that will allow us to open the doors from inside the bay. We'll have to access the hatch to the bay quickly as it will likely have sensors to alert the crew to a problem. Not to mention that if the hatch is open for too long the compartment could start to decompress.. The bay doors are sealed tight but not air tight.
Pepper: Not air tight means masks on before we enter the compartment, …got that Hannibal? (he nods) These are emergency O2 tanks helicopter pilots use in case of a water landing so they're small enough for us to strap on. For a human it would last about ten minutes tops, …for us we may be able to stretch it to twenty.
Kowalski: Now because we're dropping in daylight means we're going in HALO. (Hannibal looks puzzled) It's a human acronym meaning High Altitude Low Opening.
Private: Basically once we leave the aircraft we free fall in formation to avoid visual detection until we reach an altitude of five hundred feet or less and then open our chutes at the last second to slow us to a safe speed for touchdown.
Pepper: It's too risky to touch down inside the zoo during daylight hours so the sweet spot will be inside the park just outside the zoo. We'll hold together in a cylinder formation until I give the signal to separate and open. Once I give the signal,.. break formation and separate at least fifty feet to avoid a hang up with somebody else. Use your paws or flippers to steer, …Hannibal I'll show you how. Once on the ground use the quick disconnect pins at the base of the chute cords to free yourself and we'll stash the chutes. (grabs one of the chutes.) Hannibal, …each pack has a primary and a secondary chute, the blue handle is your primary. To open give it a good yank, …the red handle is your secondary chute commonly referred to as the lollipop. If the blue fails then you yank the red, …if you get fouled up in your primary,.. disconnect the cords first before you go to the secondary. (looks about) Any questions…? (no response) Once on the ground the rally point will be the pond just to the north, …once there we'll proceed with the next phase of the operation.
Kowalski: (looks at Peppers GPS unit.) I estimate we'll reach the drop zone in forty minutes, …let's get ready people. (pause) Rico, …I'll need an exact inventory of your ordinance load.
Rico: (grunts) No problem! (begins to regurgitate weapons)
Kowalski: Hannibal, ..make sure you secure Kitsune's weapons. If you lose them she'll likely kill you..
Hannibal: I know, …the sword was hand made by her sensei from some metal obtained from a sacred mountain in Japan. They only use it to make swords for the samurai. (He bows to Kowalski) I will honor my sensei with their use.
Pepper: (smirks at Private) He really takes this teacher student thing seriously.
Private: Oh you have NO idea. (chuckles)
(The scene fades to thirty minutes later, ..Hannibal having followed Rico's example and gone fishing through the luggage has found an IPOD ® and a dock station to play it on. As such he has been playing music and shuffling through the play list for the last half hour.)
Private: Hannibal, …didn't that thing come with headphones? (Hannibal shakes his head)
Kowalski: Well shut it off, …we're ten minutes outside of Dallas. Let's suit up! (The penguins begin to get into their gear, Pepper helps Hannibal with his and checks him over a few times. Several minutes later Pepper speaks up.)
Pepper: (looking at the GPS) We're three minutes out,…Rico man the hatch and everybody else line up. As soon as it's open haul butt inside. (looks about) Masks on people! (she helps Hannibal with his. At her signal Rico regurgitates a power ratchet and undoes the bolts on the hatch and as soon as it opens they all dive through with Rico resealing the hatch behind them. Kowalski whips out his makeshift remote and prepares to open the doors.)
Kowalski: We're ready, ..everyone assume formation and hold on. As soon as the doors open we all go at once. (Hannibal's newly acquired I pod with speakers can still be heard playing in the compartment. After a moment Kowalski looks over at Hannibal to discover the source.) You've brought that thing WITH you?
Hannibal: Hey, …I found it fair and square!
Pepper: Just secure it somewhere, …we don't have time for a discussion right now. (Hannibal wedges it between himself and his parachute harness with the thing still playing.)
Kowalski: You know you COULD turn the thing OFF! (Pause) Have some respect for the science of this mission at least.
Hannibal: I'm still working on how to do that, …you'll just have to grin and bear it for now old penguin. (Pepper snickers from inside of her mask. A moment later the I pod emit's a number of varied tones indicating a shuffle of the play list. "Shoot to Thrill" by AC/DC begins to echo through the landing gear bay.)
Pepper: (looks at the GPS) Now Kowalski! (He hit's the button but nothing happens)
Kowalski: Something's wrong! (pause) Think man THINK, …what could I have missed. (begins to bang the device around.)
Private: Hurry Kowalski before we're off target!
Kowalski: (frantically looks the device over and after shaking it makes a realization.) Eureka! (pause) Rico Batteries, …D size! (Rico regurgitates several D batteries and Kowalski installs them into the remote just before jamming his flipper on the button. (The lights in the bay go out and the doors begin to open letting in the light of day along with a stiff wind and a lot of noise. The contours of the earth can be seen far below along with clouds at various levels passing beneath them.)
Pepper: (looks over at Hannibal who's mask is fogging slightly from his heavy breathing.) Are you okay, Hannibal?
Hannibal: (nervously) Why do you ask? (Pepper glances down at a yellow puddle about his feet.) I'm scared, ….Okay?
Rico: (glances over) Ewe….! (Pepper gives the signal and in the blink of an eye the group is out of the plane and in a free fall through the atmosphere while still clinging to each other. After about fifteen seconds of solid screaming Hannibal finally stops to catch his breath. In that moment he is able to hear the wind whistling past his mask and feel the skin under his fur rippling with the wind. He looks to either side of him to notice the he is still in physical contact with the others and for the moment all is okay despite that they are hurtling towards the earth at 10ms/s. Without warning Rico curls himself and uses his feet to grasp the others freeing up his flippers. He then regurgitates a camera phone and begins snapping pictures of Hannibal. )
Kowalski: (yells over the wind) Rico what are you doing!
Rico: (grunts) Sending pictures to the zookeeper.
Private: What for..?
Rico: (grunts) Plausibility, …proof to his siblings that he did this!
Pepper: Put that freggin thing away and hold on, Rico! (Rico grumbles and re-ingests the camera phone before resuming his previous position in formation. Pepper looks at her altimeter) Passing five thousand feet, …break away in sixty seconds.
Private: Do you think anyone can see us at this height!
Kowalski: If they can we'd look like nothing more than a mysterious object falling through space. (pause) Parts fall off of airliners all of the time.
Private: How comforting…. (Fifty plus seconds later)
Pepper: On my mark, …three, …two, ….one, …break away! (The group lets go of each other and drifts apart. Hannibal curves his paws in a bow out in front of him, tucks his legs and tail behind his back and manages to steer himself stably away from the others. Seconds later he see's pepper pull her chute and in response he does the same. The chute opens with a mighty ruffling noise and the harness digs into his fur as he abruptly slows. Below the ground is still rapidly rushing up to meet him and as instructed he allows himself tuck and roll upon contact with the ground. Moments later he is buried within his chute while looking for the exit. Moments after that he finds his way out and with the others out of sight he begins to stash his chute. While doing this he makes eye contact with a human man playing catch Frisbee with his German shepherd who have both stopped in their tracks at seeing an otter parachute out of the sky. Hannibal improvises by quickly trotting over to them, standing upright he draws his sword and points it at them.)
Hannibal: (IPOD still playing in the background from under the scabbard strap.) (otter English) You …didn't ….see…..any…thing! (The man nods very slowly prompting Hannibal to re-sheath the sword on his back and jog off in the direction of the pond. After Hannibal disappears from view the man takes off his sunglasses and looks them over several times before tossing them away into the weeds.)
(Some time later Hannibal meets up with the others and begins to discuss the details on their next coarse of action.)
Chapter ten coming soon….
Ms/s = meters per second per second
HALO = High Altitude Low Opening
GPS = global positioning system
O2 = Common symbol for an oxygen molecule.
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