Chapter :20 Captive again
Jessica and I reach for water bottle's we find in the cell. We drink them down, and wait for our jailers. Our internal clocks say it's been about two hours before someone shows up. "All right you two the "MISTER" wants to meet you, no funny stuff". The bear unlocks the cell, and leads us down the hall. I can see the hall is both a natural cave and a manufactured one. We cling to each other and project we are scared. After what seems like a mile, but isn't that long, we are brought to a fancy lounge. It has a very plush red carpet, wood paneling, and a chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling. "Wait here", he points to a couch, "I'll get the MISTER". He leaves through another door. We still project scared, but curious also.
We don't have to wait long, when the strangest lion come in. I mean he is a lion, but his body proportions are all off kilter. "Welcome you two, I'm so glad to meet you". "Sir, why did you have us kidnapped"? He chuckles, "Straight to the point I see, I had you kidnapped because of what you can do". "What we can do"? "Yes, you appear to be able to throw out your emotions, and if you can do that, I'm sure you are my children". "How can we be your children? you are a lion". He chuckles again, "we are going to save the history lesson for tomorrow, tonight you are going to "preform" for an audience of one, "me". "Sir we need some lubrication, to "preform". "Mavis can you send Al in with some refreshments for our guests"? "Right away sir". It's a good thing we were looking at the floor, the shocked look on our faces was not visible to the "Mister".
We don't say anything tell Al, a lion the one who kidnapped us, comes in with a bottle and three glasses, he puts them on the table between us, and the "Mister says. "Help yourselves". We grab the bottle and pour generous portions for ourselves; I offer some to the Mister, he accepts and takes a sip from his glass. We down our glasses fairly quickly, this is good stuff. We stand up after finishing our glasses, and slowly undress. We "preform" right there, in the lounge, on the fancy bench we had been sitting on. We project everything we are feeling for each other, and everything we are doing for each other. He just sits there watching us, he makes no move towards himself. At the end, we are "locked" together, and I just cuddle Jessica and kiss her tenderly on the top of her head.
"Wow you two, that was the best "Performance" I have ever witnessed, and felt. Could you do it again tomorrow"? "We could, but it won't be as good as this one". "Right how about every third day"? "We might be able to sir". "Mavis put them in the rotation for every third day". "Right away Mister". This computer voice even sounds like our Mavis at home. We separate, and getting dressed, are taken back to our cell. It's not really like a prison cell, well other than the bars on the front, and the electronic locking door. We have a fairly large bed, a fridge with food in it, and the ensuite that is second to none. We have a meal out of the fridge. We then fill the tub and have a nice, long, hot, soak. We dry ourselves with the body blower, and crawling into the bed, fall asleep fairly quickly. We counted twenty-two cells like ours, twenty-one of them were occupied.
Flashback: four weeks earlier…
William rubs his eyes; it's been a long week without any progress. He's ready for a break, when Rick comes in. "Hey Will, what's happening"? "Hey Rick, am I glad to see you. Have you got a few to look over a problem I'm having"? "Sure, what's the problem"? "Well it's better if I just show you". They both walk to a small part of the factory, by small I mean it's only as long as half football field, and half as wide. In the center of this, is a sleek cigar shaped craft.
"Will, what is that"? "I believe I have built some sort of space craft, not sure but I need some electronic controls built for my "Graviton Drive" and the "cold fusion power plant". "Whoa slow down there Will, "Graviton Drive"? "Yes, it's a new drive system I built over the last six-months. "The easiest way to describe it is; think of trying to lift yourself by your shoe laces, you pull up on them, and this lifts you up. Here step on this platform with me". They both step on a small platform and Will throws a switch. They lift off the ground about two-feet. Rick looks over the side, "Wow I didn't think this was possible". Will throws the switch again, and they come back down, none to gently. "You can see why I need some kind of better control over it". "OK, I can see that, can you show me some schematics on the drive"? "Sure, they're in the ship".
"Mavis can you open the lock please"? "Right away captain Will". Rick gives him a funny look. "It's a standard joke between us, I'm actually the engineer". They both enter the craft, Will turns the lights on. There are airline seats down both sides of the fuselage, with bathrooms in the back. In the nose is a cockpit, there is a pilot's seat in the middle with two seats on either side behind it. Wires are hanging out all over the place. They turn around and re-enter the cabin.
"So here are my drawings of the drive, there are drive cell all around the underside of the craft, with two on the back side and two on the front. I have some under the floor in the cabin, so no mater what direction the craft goes, the floor will always be down. Rick studies them and gets a shocked look on his face, but says nothing. "So, what powers all these drive cells"? "That would be the "cold fusion power plant". "Will you can't have done the impossible, no one has been able to figure out how cold fusion works". Will smiles at him and leads him outside to another smaller hatch, opens it to show him the cold fusion plant.
"As a mater of fact, I have. This was actually the easy part, but again I'm needing some sort of better electronic control for it. I either get two much power, and blow the relays and fuses, or to little power, and I can't even run the lights". "what does it run on"? "it runs on organic material, any organic material. Right now, the holding tank is full of mammal waste material. This appears to be a great power source".
"Will, where did all this come from"? "Promise not to laugh", Rick just nods his head yes. "I got all of this from my dreams, I started to build all this about a year ago, right after the first dream. It has cost me a small fortune, but in my dreams, we are going to need it really soon". "How soon Will"? "About five weeks". "Better speak up brother, I could swear you said in five weeks". Will coughs into paw, "I did". "Will I can't possible design what your asking for in five weeks time, but luckily for you I have been getting the same dreams, showing me these systems. Here I believe this is the control chip for the power plant".
With that Rick opens the case he had been carrying, and pulls out a modest sized electronic board. "If you give me an hour, and a soldering gun, I should be able to get this hooked up. Oh, in case your wondering I think I have the rest of the boards for the drive system as well". Will brings Rick into a bear hug.
Flash back: two weeks later…
Elisabeth, Scott, Bonnie, and Justin come into the DOJO with grandma, to start their routine. While on the mats, Mr. Delaront comes over. "Sorry Vivian, I need to borrow Elisabeth for a bit". Vivian motions Elisabeth to go. Elisabeth follows Mr. Delaront to the master's circle. "Elisabeth, we have been informed by a mutual friend, that you need some specialized training". "Who has told you this sir"? "Several of the master's and I have been informed in dreams, by a certain snow leopard, that you will need to learn this ". "what does he want me to learn"? "He wants you to learn how to separate your spiritual self from your body. Daniel and Susan taught us this, and now we need to teach you, so, shall we begin"?
Cindy is approached by Will and Rick at her office later that same week. "Cindy can you get Will and I a patient for these two systems"? "Sure, bro what are they"? Cindy looks them over, "is that a new power system, and what's a "graviton drive"? They both explain it to her. "Wow, I'll get started on this right away, I assume that the computer circuits can only be run by the trinary computer system"? "Yes, it's the only way we can keep our system safe". "Right, you two don't give me easy things to do, do you"? "Ha sis, you would get bored with easy". She just smiles at them as she shoos them out of her office.
Later that same night they are approached by Scott, "So, nephews when do I get to fly it"? "Fly what"? "Why your "Graviton Drive" ship". "What makes you think we have a ship like that"? "Guys, in my dreams I have been flying that craft, I've gotten quite good at flying it, I did crash quite a bit in the first month, but I have gotten quite proficient". William and Rick look at each other, as they learned in dreams, why couldn't Scott. "All right Scott, we believe it will happen in about three weeks". Scott rubs his paws together, "I can't wait".
Skip ahead to present time….
Nick and Judy come home dejected, and lost. They have to explain to the family that Susan and Daniel have been kidnapped. They sit down at the table, as the rest of the family files in. Everyone waits for them to speak. "We lost them", says Nick as both he and Judy start to cry. "Damn it, were not sure how they pulled it off, but they disappeared out of a tunnel, no secret exits, no skid marks, no nothing. Can any of you sense them"? "Sorry we can't" says Elisabeth, "all we are getting is a white noise". "So, are they injured"? "No dad they are not injured, this white noise has a very mechanical feel to it, all most as if it was a shield". "Can you tell which direction they went in"? "Sorry dad, we can tell you they are deep in the mountains, but can be no more specific than that. This white noise fools our sense of direction".
"Wait a minute, I want to try something". Elisabeth separates herself from her body and wills herself to go to Daniel. She watch's the ground and gets a sense of direction, she memorises land marks of where she is traveling. She feels a tug at her waist and knows she is about to be called back. She memorizes as much as she can, and allows herself to be drawn back. "Wow that was intense, just give me a few everyone".
After a few minutes and a glass of water, Elisabeth leads them all to the living room. "Mavis can you do a topical map of the mountains, on the TV"? "Yes, what area"? "From Zootopia go in a north westerly direction. Good, now bring the aspect ratio to a low flying airplane. Good, now raise it up a bit, and go forward slowly, all right stop there. This was as far as I got before I ran out of power, but if we continue along this line we should run into where they are". "Mavis are their any structures along this line of travel"? "No, Nick there is no structures along this line". "I wonder…." Nick calls Jack.
"Walker here". "Jack, I'm putting you on speaker phone, and I'm sending you a line of travel; can you tell if there are any secret installations along this line? Mavis send Jack that line please". "Done Nick". After a few… "Well Jack anything"? "Sorry Nick, the only thing Skye and I could come up with, was an old archeology dig, but no one has worked there for years. Also, there is no roads in that area, you would have to hike in. Why the sudden interest in this area"? "Jack, we have a reliable source that says Daniel and Susan are some where along that line". Well I would like to believe you, but that has to be the most rugged, inhospitable terrain around, I don't see anyone setting up shop in that area". "It was worth a shot, thanks Jack". Just then a wail come from the phone. "Sorry guys, have to go, fatherhood is calling". Every one chuckles as Jack hangs up his phone.
It's Monday and everyone is home, not by design, but by choice. all of us kits sneak away after supper, and go to talk in the DOJO. Everyone links in, and we start to talk. We throw out some ideas and reject some other ones, and after a half-hour. We have a game plan. But right at that moment Grandma come in. "So, what were you all talking about". "Nothing grandma we were just talking". "Right, not a word being said, what are you all planning"? "Nothing mom, we were just talking". "Scott Howler don't you lie to your mother, I'll ask you again, what are you planning"? We all look at each other, and decide we could let her in early. "Ah mom, we are planning a rescue mission for Susan and Daniel".
"All right so it's a rescue mission when were you going to tell the adults in your lives"? "Just before we were going to take off. You were all going to be included, we need the extra weapons". "Extra weapons"? Guys how dangerous is this rescue mission"? "It won't be a walk in the park, but hopefully it won't be a cluster F***". "Watch your language young mammal, I can still paddle all of your butts". "So, what do you mean take off"? "Well show you tomorrow grandma". "You better William". "Do you have a better idea as to were they are at? verses Sunday that is". "Yes, grandma we do, Izzy pierced the shield yesterday night. And we are going to have to rescue a whole lot of people". "Can we not get Jack involved"? Sorry Grandma, but Jack has no way of getting there, we have the only transport". "Can we not bring him"? "Sorry we can't for safety reasons, we do have a lot of people to free". "Ok, so what's the plan…"
The next day we show her our craft, she is floored and marvels at it. But when Scott, our pilot took his seat, and fired it up, she got scared. Scott backs it out of the hanger, and turning it around, backs it back in. Scott shuts down the graviton drive, but leaves everything else running. "How can you drive this craft son"? "Mom, I have been flying this craft in my dreams for a year now. I crashed a lot in the first month, but I've gotten better. I'm the closest thing to and expert on flying this craft". "All right everyone when is this supposed to happen"? "Saturday night Grandma. We were going to show this craft to mom and dad, after they woke up Saturday afternoon". "Do you have any ideas on how we can get them to bring their guns". Vivian thinks for a minute, "I believe that if we tell them it's a top-secret venture, we have to protect, I believe they will bring their guns".
"You know this craft is amazing, but did you have to make the inside look like an airplane"? William answers, "It wasn't by design that it looks like an airplane, the fact is the interior was an airplane. I needed seats and cockpit controls, so I bought a decommissioned aircraft and had it all transferred into here. I convinced all the workers on the project it was a new carnival ride, and at the front would be a big screen projecting the travel of the craft. I actually built a one mammal ride. The seat was on a gimbal, and the screen followed the seat. The workers all liked it and wanted to be the first ones to ride the "Pegasus-one". "It has a name grandson"? "I might have had that painted on the side of the hull; it's covered by some tape at the moment". "Vivian laughs, "Don't tell your father I said this, but as a kit of five he wanted to ride a Pegasus". We all laugh, but dad was going to get his wish.
The week goes well with the last-minute preparations, On Saturday after mom and dad get up, we have supper, and go and relax in the living room. William gets a phone call. "William here, what's up? Really, it's here? Right be there as soon as I can". "What's up son"? "Well dad, a new top-secret venture has just arrived at the factory, and I was wondering if you would like to come and see it"? "How top secret"? "Dad it's a level three and above secret". "It might need some protection, so could you suit up"? "Are you expecting trouble son". "No dad but it never hurts to be prepared". "All right, I'd like to see what you are working on". Nick stands up, "If your going so am I Nick". Said Judy. "Who else would like to see it"? Vivian raises her paw along with Rick, Scott, and Elisabeth. "All right everyone, I'll call a cab, lets go".
We get to the factory and head out to the craft. "Wow William what is it"? Dad says looking at the craft. "Not exactly sure dad, but it sure is a beautiful craft, just look at those lines". "I'm looking, I'm looking". Everyone else heads inside, "Dad could you pull the tape off this side? I'll do the other side". Nick pulls the tape off that is covering the name PEGASUS-ONE. He then joins the others inside. William comes in and dogs the hatch down. Scott heads for the cockpit and fires up the power plant, the lights go brighter. "Mavis open the hanger doors please". "Right away, and good luck on your mission". "AH William son, what does she mean "mission"? At this point dad looks out the cockpit window and notices we are moving. There is no feeling of movement, but dad clutches the seat he is beside. Mom's not any better, she sits in the seat to the left and behind the pilot and puts her belt on, dad moves to the seat on the right and does the same, I take the engineers seat and Rick takes the communication seat. Scott takes us up to about five thousand-feet and turns towards the mountains.
"All right William, I think your mother and I deserve an explanation". "Your Right dad, but before I answer, you do realize you are riding a Pegasus"? "God, are all you kits adopting Daniel's sense of humor"? "No dad we're not, but that's why we are all here, we are going to rescue Daniel and Susan".
"Alright Scott, you can open her up a bit, you have green lights across the board". "Roger engineering opening her up a bit". The air speed indicator crosses the sound barrier, and steadies out at Seven-hundred-knots. "How's she looking engineering"? "Green light across the board looking good". I turn my chair and look at mom and dad. "In case you haven't figured it out Scott, is flying the craft, Rick and I built it". "William, I thought there was to be no secrets from me"? "Sorry dad, as I was building this, I never thought it would fly, so I never told you, I didn't want you to be disappointed in me". "OH son, I could never be disappointed in you, you have surpassed everything I could wish for". I jump into dad's open arms and hug him. A tear might have escaped my left eye. "But we do need to talk about this". "Yes dad". We get up and go to the cabin to brain storm with everyone, Scott slips the auto pilot on and joins us in the cabin.
We talk and brainstorm for about forty-minutes when an alarm goes off in the cockpit. Scott gets up and goes back into the cockpit, Elisabeth joins him. We are close to our destination. Elisabeth points out the window, "There Scott, put us down over there in that little clearing". "Roger that". Scott sets us down, with out so much as a disturbed tree, we barely fit into that clearing. "All right everyone I will lead you to the door to the underground complex, but then I'm high tailing it back to the ship". "William you have the codes for the door, if you're not back in half an hour, Scott and I will take the craft to the ZCIA and seek their help to rescue you all". Right sis, and thanks". I say this putting on a back pack and strapping a small box to my hip, I then pick up what looks like a gun, Rick does the same.
"Ah guys, what are you holding"? Asks dad. "Dad we have a new offensive rife, if you remember the game "mech warriors", they had a PPC or Particle projectile cannon on the mechs, Rick and I are holding PPR's or "particle projectile rifles". "they take about ten-seconds to reload after being fired, but are very devastating at close range. The further away the target, the less effective they are. They can also throw metal slugs, but we didn't have time to make a way to chamber a round" "But that's science fiction". "It was dad, but the cold fusion reactor at our hips, makes this rifle possible. They are very power intensive, and would require half the power output of the Zootopia's grid just to fire them once". "But cold fusion is science fiction too". "Dad, what do you think powers the Pegasus-one? You saw no external motors". "We definitely need to talk when we get home son". "I look forward to it, but for now we have a mission to complete". Elisabeth then leads us all up the mountain to the hidden door.