Victor and Anita were now heading to the planet Kalidah, which was approximately 250 light-years away from Earth and revolved around the star HIP 102152 in the constellation of Capricornus. Normally, it would take decades (or perhaps even centuries) to reach a planet from that far away. Fortunately, Professor Professor had updated their skybikes so that they could easily speed through a light-decade in just five minutes. At the rate Victor and Anita were going, they would be arriving in almost an hour.
"Man, I can't help but feel really bad for the Mombis, can you?" Victor asked.
"I mean, it's horrible," Anita agreed. "Their entire species is dwindling, and there's little they can do to stop that."
"What can we do for them?"
"I don't know. Try to show our support for them, I guess."
Soon enough, they arrived on Kalidah and met up with Commander Ayja from the Intergalactic Commissary Embassy (or I.C.E. for short). The latter proceeded to give them a military salute.
Just like Jinjur and Tyrmric, Commander Riedelia Ayja was a Mombi. The antennae protruding from her forehead were much longer and curled up a bit at the end, whereas Jinjur and Tyrmric's antennae were short and straight. Riedelia had wavy vivid blurple hair that reached down to her shoulder blades, with only the ends curling up into the air. Her skin was a very light greenish blue that seemed to match up well with her I.C.E. military uniform, which consisted of a long sleeve choker-collar midnight blue outer blouse and a white barracks cover, with all medals and service ribbons on her person. She also wore midnight blue trousers, white gloves, and black dress shoes and socks. Her sclerae were a very pale green with brilliant bluish green irises that stood out.
"You must be Commander Ayja," Anita said while reaching out to shake the Mombi's hand.
"That's right." Ayja received Anita's hand and shook on it. "The name's Riedelia Ayja, and I work with the Intergalactic Commissary Embassy. You can just call it I.C.E. Likewise, you can just call me Commander."
Anita nodded. "Of course, Commander. Did Marijuana Pepsi tell you why we've been sent here?"
"Of course he did. You were sent here because of what happened aboard the Polychrome 3. That poor crew... I hope they get the justice they so long for."
"I hope so, too. It's been hard enough on your species as is."
Ayja nodded. "Indeed. Volt, Knight, why don't you two come with me? I have much to show you."
"Sure," Victor and Anita both replied.
Commander Ayja proceeded to give Victor and Anita a full and thorough tour of the I.C.E. headquarters. Along the way, she introduced them to many of the people who worked for I.C.E., all of whom were different species originating from several different galaxies spread out through the universe. There was, for example, a green octopus-like alien with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth and only one eye who happened to be working a desk job. There was also a humanoid alien with fair skin and blonde hair who oversaw the employees, as well as several other aliens of all sorts of different shapes and sizes.
"I hope you're remembering all this," Ayja began to speak. "You'll be taking an exam later."
Victor was caught off-guard. "What?!"
Ayja started laughing. "I'm just kidding. You don't need to know all their names."
"I knew that!"
Ayja laughed again. "Sure you did."
"Alright," Anita said. "So how exactly are we supposed to help you around here?"
Ayja cleared her throat. "Well, you're already familiar with the Puddleheads, right? That's what Marijuana Pepsi told me."
"Yes, that's true."
"Well, shortly after Jinjur and Ojo transferred Tyrmric to hospital, I asked some of the agents to come aboard the Polychrome 3 and look for any Puddleheads that might have stuck around. Fortunately for us, we managed to find some. We would like for you to examine the specimens along with us and try to determine how they managed to get aboard."
"That sounds reasonable. However, I think we'll have a much better chance at success if Professor Professor is with us to examine them."
"Well, I guess we'll see about that..."
"Explosives are rigged to the bottom of the bus," Doctor Doctor began to explain to Marijuana Pepsi and Professor Professor. "Once the bus reaches eighty kilometers per hour, the bombs will activate. If the bus drops below that speed, the explosives will blow up and kill everyone on board... even the driver."
"You won't get away with this, Doctor Doctor!" Marijuana Pepsi exclaimed. "In fact, our agents are on their way to deactivate the explosives right now."
"Oh, really? Well, I guess we'll-"
Before Doctor Doctor could say anything else, a beeping noise started going off from behind the painting.
Professor Professor gasped. "It sounds like I.C.E. is trying to contact us!"
"Who?" Doctor Doctor asked, confused.
"Hold on," Marijuana Pepsi interjected. "Let's let the call get through."
Soon enough, there was a picture-in-picture depicting Commander Ayja with Victor and Anita behind her.
"Hello, Professor Professor," Ayja greeted stoically. "I would like to have a word with you."
"About what exactly?" Doctor Doctor asked.
Ayja just glared at her. "I wasn't talking to you." Ayja focused back on Professor Professor. "Anyway, Professor Professor, Anita suggested to me that you should examine some Puddlehead specimens with us and tell us where they may have come from."
"Oh, okay."
"Really?" Ayja scratched her head. "Huh, you came around much quicker than I was expecting..."
"Well, I was hoping to have something to do anyway."
Ayja smirked at him. "I'd imagine so..."
"Hey, wait a minute!" Doctor Doctor interjected. "If he's going to help you examine those Puddlehead specimens, then maybe I can help you, too!"
Ayja furrowed her eyebrows at the T.H.E.M. founder. "Haven't you done enough to 'help' U.Z.Z.?" She used air-quotes around the word "help."
"Now, now, hold on a minute," Marijuana Pepsi interjected. "Maybe she's onto something..."
"Are you crazy?!" Professor Professor almost yelled. "How can you consider-?!"
"Are you sure Doctor Doctor can also help with the investigation?" Ayja asked Marijuana Pepsi with a raised eyebrow. "You realize that you're taking a huge gamble by doing this."
"Yes, I'm sure," Marijuana Pepsi replied confidently.
Ayja sighed and pursed her lips. "Alright, I'm convinced."
Professor Professor just stood there in stunned silence, just fuming the whole time after Ayja had interrupted him.
"You have my word that we'll stop the Puddleheads from wreaking havoc on other worlds," Marijuana Pepsi assured Ayja.
"Alright," Ayja said. "I'll send some of my agents to come pick them up. Until then, godspeed." She gave a salute.
Marijuana Pepsi saluted her in return. "Godspeed, Commander Ayja."
With that, Ayja's picture-in-picture disappeared, leaving Doctor Doctor by herself with Marijuana Pepsi and Professor Professor.
"Well, I guess I better get going," Doctor Doctor said. "I have to be ready to leave for Kalidah. So do you, Professor Professor. I think we'd both be stupid to pass this up."
And just like that, Doctor Doctor ended the video call, leaving Professor Professor alone with Marijuana Pepsi.
"What were you thinking, Marijuana Pepsi?!" Professor Professor started yelling again. "Why would you recommend that Doctor Doctor work alongside me?"
"Well," Marijuana Pepsi started to reply. "For one, this would leave T.H.E.M. without their leader for a while. If Doctor Doctor is gone, then it should be easier for Ray and the other agents to stop her plan of extorting the Secret Thing from us. Plus, we could be saving millions of lives, not just on the bus but on Kalidah and other planets where the Puddleheads might strike next."
Professor Professor had to think about it for a little bit. On the surface, Marijuana Pepsi's plan didn't seem to make any sense. At the same time, though, having Doctor Doctor leave the planet for a little bit would leave T.H.E.M. open to an easy takedown. Sure, the Expendables would have to appoint someone else to take over as leader in the meantime, but it wouldn't be the same without Doctor Doctor there to run things. If what Marijuana Pepsi was saying was even remotely true, then maybe Doctor Doctor would give them a better chance at stopping the Puddleheads.
"Alright, I'll take your word for it," Professor Professor finally said. "But we're riding a lot just by having her come with me. For all we know, she could betray us again."
Marijuana Pepsi gave a thumbs-up. "That's the spirit! I don't doubt it'll be hard to work with her, especially after last time, but we're doing this for the Mombis."
"We're doing this for the Mombis and all other extraterrestrial species."
"You probably should start packing up."
"Well, I guess-"
"You should probably start now."
With that, Professor Professor ran off to his lab to get started. Meanwhile, Marijuana Pepsi decided to mull over his decision again. He still couldn't believe he'd come up with the idea while drunk. That was the thing about being drunk, though: the part of you that said "no" didn't get a chance to speak. Depending on whoever asked, that could either be a good thing or a bad thing.