Chapter 24

It did turn out to be the beginnings of a good plan. While they couldn't send it to a black hole and leaving it to travel space indefinitely wasn't an option due to classified information that only Dr. Director was aware of in the group, it turned out they did have some more local options. Jupiter or Saturn were options to crush the device in their immense gravity. Jupiter had the slight advantage as the right trajectory might have it's magnetic field corrupting the data on the device. No analysts was optimistic enough to say all the data would be erased. Venus had been another possibility with it's dense corrosive atmosphere, although if lava wouldn't do it it was doubtful that Venus's acid rain would. It was however decided that data from the casing would be given to the Space Center as payment, perhaps they could make better space probes.

Ultimately it was decided to just dump the skill tester device into the Sun. Kim was quite surprised that Global Justice had a form for doing such a thing. She and Shego ended up cosigning as the civilian oversight needed for such matters. They had then been handed a second form authourising the destruction a sentient non human. While Shego had signed straight away, Kim hesitated.

"I wish there was a better way," Kim said.

"There isn't," Shego told her. "One day you or some one like you will find it I'm sure, but this is the best we can do right now."

"I know you're right," Kim said. "It's just..."

"I'll stay while you fill out the comments section," Shego said. "It helps to write it down and know there is a record of it."

"Iris stayed when you had to do this back in your hero days."

"Yeah, like I said writing it down helps."

So the forms were filled and filed and the Faraday cages imprisoning the clawbot were shipped to the Middleton space centre. They were loaded onto a rocket that once boosted free of the atmosphere on conventional liquid fuel engines, would activate it's experimental Flanner engines. Using the new propulsion device it would rocket towards the sun in a mere hour instead of the weeks or months it had previously been. Then instead of doing anything to insert into orbit it would let the suns own gravity take hold. All going well it would plunge into the nuclear fire of earth's star and be destroyed so only the component atoms remained.

Shego had counted down with the others, she could almost feel Iris beside her doing the same, just like when they watched Captain Constellation as kids. She had watch fascinated as Justine Flanner, one of Kim's classmates, had lead the elder scientists through the activation of her experimental engine. She smirked as some of the scientists looked back at her in fear. She waited impatiently as the drive seemed to shimmer around the rocket a sent it hurtling through space at a speed that a man made object had not achieved before. Soon everyone observing in the space center's mission control was dealing with the agonising communication delay. Then confirmation came that the capsule containing the skill tester and other components were falling into the sun. Shego started tapping her foot anxiously. Kim who was sitting next to her took her hand and offered a supportive smile, Shego couldn't help but return it.

"We have confirmation from Helios 1," some one called. "The vehicle is breaking up."

"Helios 2 has it as well."

In the end it was so anti-climatic. There wasn't even any cheers until Ron revealed that he had made celebratory cupcakes. Shego quietly slipped away thinking said cupcakes would be enough of a distraction. Little did she notice her leaving was noticed by two, Penny Gadget who had actually taught Shego how to slip away like that and Kim Possible, the girl Shego often called cupcake.

Neither followed but instead turned their attention back to the celebration.

"Hey Kim, Professor I saved the fancy ones for us," he said. "I even decorated some for Shego."

He removed the lid covering the fancy tray that apparently reserved these cupcakes for them and revealed that one portion was missing and replaced with a note.

"Thanks for the help cupcake," Kim said reading the notes allowed. "And thanks for the actual cupcakes buffoon, I ate them yesterday."

"What?" Ron shouted.

"It goes on," Kim said. "Make sure you keep being there for each other so you don't end up like me, oh and instead of the favour you usually ask I won't spring Doctor D. out until after your next exams, so that's what two and a half months. Hugs and kisses, Shego.."

"Hugs and Kisses?" Ron asked.

"Wowsers I haven't seen her sign off like that for quite some time," Penny said. "It means she's in a good mood."

"P.S." Kim continued. "Tell Aunt Penny I will attend her birthday dinner this year as long as Aunt Atsuko and Sophie keep her out of the kitchen."

"Sophie is my and Atsuko's younger daughter," she explained. "She either wants to be a chef or an animator, going to school in France as she does I was thinking she'll choose chef."

"I don't know doesn't France have a decent animation industry right now?" Ron asked.

"Anyway Shego is gone," Kim said. "I was hoping, I don't know, maybe we could talk more or something. And I haven't thanked her for her help yet."

"At least we get a break from Doctor D. for awhile," Ron said. "And Shego solo is more self serving and less world ending."

"Still I feel like I could do..."

"More for her," Penny said. "Both Shego and Iris said that to me about each other at various points. I know I do believe I owe you a favour. Come over here."

"But you helped us out."

"No it was my mess to begin with so I owe you now get over here."

Kim did as she was asked and Penny whispered something important in her ear. Kim's face lit up with a brilliant smile.

"Thanks," Kim said.

"Of course you run into any old tech Wade can e-mail me any time," Penny said. "Anyway it's time for me to go its Friday and I have to call Atsuko for date night. It's been a pleasure working with you Kim."

"I feel the same," Kim said. "Thank you once again for your help."

"Yeah Professor," Ron said. "Can you tell Yori it was nice to see her again and I hope we catch up soon?"

"Of course Ron," Penny said as she headed to the door. "Oh but remember lasers, hacking and I so monitor my daughter's online activity so behave yourself."

Ron gulped in a fear that was only broken when Justine Flanner came over and thanked him for the cupcake. She and Kim got to talking about the Flanner drive and its capabilities, still hindered by relativity but a good first step and it would open up the solar system some what. Betty Director soon joined them and Kim started to explain the Professor's absence but was interrupted.

"Friday date night," The director said. "How do you really think I lost this eye?"