TRTSS5: Spatial Loss! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: None of the principled characters and situations belongs to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Part 10
"What trouble are you talking about?" Penny asked, as she wiped the sweat from her brow.
Maureen looks at her daughter, and then at Ranma.
"Ranma, what is wrong?" Maureen asked.
Ranma looks at Maureen, and then at everyone else.
"Everyone, gather around," Ranma says.
"What is it?" Will asked, as he comes over.
"I, sir, can remain safely tucked under the shade," Smith says, as he sipped his tea.
"Riiiiight," Ranma says. "Anyway…Usagi?"
"Er, yes," Usagi says, as she cleared her throat. "We are in trouble."
"I could have said that," Smith says.
"Anyway, I just received a key communiqué from B-9."
"What did he say?" Will says.
"Due to the orbit of this planet, everything around here will be COOKED."
There was a moment of silence, which end when Doctor Smith screamed.
"We're doom!" Smith yells, as he gets up. "We're going to die!"
"Calm down, Smith," Ranma says.
"We could have stayed behind, but noooooo! You had to insist that we come with you ion this damned journey-"
"Doctor Smith, that is ENOUGH!" Maureen says. "I'm sure that our present situation is NOT Ranma's fault."
"But what can we do NOW?" Judy asked.
Usagi looks at her husband.
"There IS a way to remedy the situation, but it requires revealing certain aspects of ourselves."
"Like you become that ogre?" Penny asked.
"As 'Hulkusagi', I am NOT an ogre…trust me on that," Usagi says. "But, yes, I can become something that might help our situation…"
An hour later…
"Wow," Will says, as he and the others stood comfortably underneath the shade, as Usagi glowed hot. Her aura and eyes were glowing with the power of many Suns…
"What is madam doing?" Smith asked with suspicion.
"Usagi is absorbing the excess heat into her cells," Ranma says. "But don't get close to her…you touch her, and it will be like touch the Sun."
"How did this…happen?" Maureen asked.
Ranma wasn't sure if it was safe to mention the name "The Sentry", a famous superhero of the 1960s whose exploits were erased from existence…in an effort to prevent the rise of "The Void". Still…
Usagi, in an effort to recreate the famous "super-soldier" serum, tested a serum on herself. Usagi had teamed up with a scientist to recreate the formula, due to the threat posed by Lord En Sabah Nur…otherwise known as the mutant supervillain "Apocalypse". The formula worked to great effect. Unfortunately, there were side effects too dangerous for the dissemination of the modified serum to be allowed. So, the project was scrapped. Unfortunately, the scientist that she had partnered—Professor Hugo Cornelius—with had photographic memory, and thus the formula was soon recreated. It was subsequently consumed by a teenaged boy named Robert "Robbie" Reynolds, who would soon become the so-called "Golden Avenger" named "The Sentry". Later, Usagi would correct this oversight by having Cornelius' memories of the formula erased, since the professor turned out to be an amoral "boob" who would conduct experiments without ethical considerations…
Nevertheless, Usagi used "the power of a million exploding suns" to absorb the light and heat of the sun that the alien planet Pliplanus was orbiting, thus keeping the immediate area cool. Once the threat has been ceased, Usagi ceases to glow before she collapses from exhaustion.
"Ohhhhh…"
"Usagi!" Ranma says, as he and Judy attempt to go over to Usagi's side.
"N-no!" Usagi manages to say. "Still…too hot-"
CHOOM!
Usagi expels a concentrated dosage of solar energy from her eyes and mouth as a steady stream.
"Whoa," Will says.
With the energy dispelled, Usagi collapses in a state of consciousness…
When Usagi opened her eyes again, she realizes that it was noticeably cooler. She looks up to see Ranma smiling down on him.
"Hey, babe," Ranma says.
"The threat…has passed?"
"Yep. In fact, while you were out, we were packing."
Usagi sees that Judy and Maureen were packing up their gear, while Will was working an instrument within the Chariot, and while Penny was writing in a notebook of some kind.
"We're heading south, still?"
"Naw," Ranma says. "We come to the conclusion that we'd be better off back at the Jupiter-2-"
"Which means that I was RIGHT all along!" Smith says as he was loading cargo back on the Chariot.
"Yeah, yeah," Ranma smirked. "Still, if we can survive this far, we can survive the planet."
"With you as our fearless leader, that remains to be seen. Ha!"
"Smith, just finish loading our gear!" Ranma yells.
"Humph!"
Usagi merely giggles.
"That jerk," Ranma says under his breath. He then turns his attention back to Usagi.
"You think you can handle the move back to the Jupiter-2?" Ranma asked.
"Sure…as long as you don't do any sudden turns while driving the Chariot."
"Hey, I'm not the one with the most speeding tickets, Usagi."
"Details, details."
Meanwhile, William goes over to Penny.
"What are you doing?" Will asked.
"I decided to keep a catalog of all the special abilities that Usagi has," Penny says.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"But how do you know she has more?"
"I don't…but it'll be fun to guess…"
Soon, the Chariot makes it back to the sea. However, it was far from unfrozen.
"It's a good thing that the Chariot can float," Will says.
"You…you're not thinking of going in there, are you?" Smith says nervously.
"We DID travel along this path, Smith."
"But that was when we were traveling on solid ice!"
"Now, Smith, you have nothing to worry about," Maureen says. "I'm sure either Ranma or Usagi have the right talents to keep us safe."
"I bet if we WERE in trouble, Usagi has a 'special ability' to save us," Penny says. "Is that right?"
"Penny, it's not about 'power'," Usagi says, as she glances back. "It's about the ability to use it."
"Really?"
"Really. In fact, I can teach you a few techniques to help you in your zoological studies."
"That would be neat!"
"Well, only if it doesn't mean Penny is…changed from the result of your 'techniques'," Maureen says.
"We can have this discussion later," Ranma says. "Right now, we have to sail across this sea."
And with that, Ranma takes the Chariot into the water.
As time goes on, Usagi notices something on the tracking radar…
"I think I'm getting some unusual readings," Usagi says.
"On this planet, EVERYTHING is unusual," Smith says.
"What is it?" Judy asked.
Ranma takes a look at the radar.
"It looks like we're heading into a storm."
Ranma then turns his head towards his companions.
"Everything secured?" Ranma asked.
"Yes," Will says. "I even double-checked the hatches myself with Judy."
"It's true," Judy says.
"Okay, then, let's do this…"
And with the gunning of the Chariot's engines, Ranma pushes forward. Soon enough, the incoming storm lashes outward, as the tossing of the waves rocked the Chariot.
"Ranma, how long before we reach land?" Maureen asks.
"Within the hour," Ranma replied.
"By the time that hour has passed, we will all be dead!" Smith says. "You doomed us all!"
"Ranma, the motor went out," Usagi says. "We're stuck."
"Guys, look!" Will says, as he points towards the side of the Chariot.
Everyone turns to see a giant whirlpool, as it began to pull the Chariot into it grip.
"We got to do something!" Maureen says.
"Maybe Usagi can do something?" Penny suggested.
"What can SHE do?" Will says.
"I can do something," Usagi says. "I just don't like having to get wet to do so…"
A few minutes later, Usagi, now an octo-maiden (called a "Cecaelia"), pulls the Chariot away from the whirlpool. In spite the changed appearance, Usagi still had her might strength. Eventually, the Chariot made it on shore.
"We did it!" Smith says, as a tentacle snakes around his waste. He looks at it.
"Ah!" Smith screams.
"Now, that wasn't nice," says Maureen with an admonishing tone.
"Well, he shouldn't call me a 'sea witch', Maureen," Usagi says, as she continues to wade close to shore, while releasing Smith. "Um, do you have an extra towel or bathrobe?"
"Why would you need that?" Judy asked.
"Because when I get my land legs back…"
"Ohhhhhh," Judy says with realization.
"Here you go," Maureen says, as she threw Usagi a towel.
"Thanks…"
Ranma merely chuckled, as he fixed the engines of the Chariot. It's going to be one of those days…but at least they are alive.
Tbc.
Next time: A rocket heads straight for the Jupiter-2, but is it friend or foe? See you next time!