A/N – Finally. At long last, the trilogy I started last July comes to and end. Yes, I said I'd never write anything as long as "Escape From Paradise" again – so what did I do? Went and wrote something even longer, like an idiot. At times it was a pretty draining, and there were times I felt like just dumping the whole thing. And it was at those times that the amazing support I got from my readers and reviewers encouraged me to keep on truckin'. Thanks to all of you, and special thanks to Queenbean3, Miseria Y La Muerte, TehRindseyu, BoneSatellite, and mpcp13 for the motivation. You guys really helped out (whether you knew it or not) on those occasions when I felt like quitting. I think more than anything, I'm most proud of the fact that I actually finished the darn thing. But I also learned a lot about storytelling, and character development, and plotting, and story pacing in the process.

I'll be taking a break from writing Teen-Bot fics for a while; the next few months will be very busy for me, and I want to devote my limited leisure time to my artwork. I can't honestly say if I'll write more fics in the future, but I won't rule it out. Thanks to everyone for indulging my imagination, and for putting up with my silly fluff, and for actually caring about what happened to Drew as his character grew over the past ten stories. I hope you got some enjoyment of it.

And so, without further ado … the conclusion of the Cluster Dawn trilogy.


Countdown to Mindshatter

A "My Life as a Teenage Robot" Fanfic

Chapter Eighteen – Magic Under the Stars


Violent shaking. Blaring sirens. Metallic groans popping through the hull. Everything on the bridge seemed to twist into bizarre, surreal shapes; everything moved with the sluggish pace of cold molasses, and it felt like they might be suspended in hyperspace limbo for the rest of eternity. The fabric of space-time heaved, and shuddered, and moaned under the strain of dimensional imbalance, and then a tiny pinprick of light flashed into existence …

And blossomed into a monstrous vortex that spewed the Cluster War Fleet back into normal space.

Queen Vexus struggled for the armrest of her throne, and pulled herself up with as much dignity as she could muster. She had never felt more thoroughly horrible before in her robotic life; it felt as if someone had opened her chassis, and rammed a pair of egg beaters into her gears. But she had things under control. It was the very nature of Vexus to have things under control. Though the bridge was littered with babbling, half-insane roach-drones, Vexus always had things under control. To think otherwise was simply … impossible.

She punched a button to activate her flagship's giant viewscreen, and immediately frowned. Her mighty fleet – thousands of warships that struck terror into the hearts of all – tumbled lazily through the void of space, like dominoes brushed from some table top. Their hulls were twisted and misshapen, as if they were plastic toys that someone had left on a hot stove. Random bursts of light dotted their decks, as leaking fuel tanks exploded every few seconds. And the planet Earth was nowhere to be seen.

"What," she asked, grinding her teeth together, "did XJ-9 do to us?'

A solitary roach-drone staggered over next to her, and plopped his head against her throne's armrest with a dreamy sigh. "Engineering reports that XJ-9 overloaded the ship's engines, which caused a rip in space that sucked up the whole fleet. Sighhhh … isn't that amazing? She's as brave and smart as she is beautiful …" He clasped his claws against his cheek with a smile. "Oh, and by the way, we've been stuck in hyperspace for a little over a day. Sighhhh …."

The queen growled with fury, and ripped the lovesick drone's head off with a swipe of her claws. "Now hear this," she bellowed to the rest of her crew, "I want emergency power! I want all systems back on-line! I want weapons, I want engines … and if it's not too much trouble, I wouldn't mind knowing where in blazes we actually are." The burning glow from her spidery claws added, Now.

With the whining hum of backup generators, the flagship slowly creaked back to life. Vexus wanted her weapons and engines, to be sure, but it was Communications that she was most anxious for. She felt small and weak without her accustomed dominance over the thoughts of her subjects. The ship's antennas finally came back on-line, and the queen's orb glowed to life once again. With a ragged sigh of relief, she reasserted control over the Hive Mind, and sent out a command to reboot all of the drones. Throughout every fleet ship, drone crews dropped their paint brushes, stopped writing love ballads, and snapped back into mindless, efficient machines. The insectoid robots re-devoted themselves to the whims of the almighty Vexus. They poured their energies into emergency repair work …

And a few minutes later, a roach-drone hesitantly approached the robot queen's throne. He gingerly stepped over the first drone's still-smoking body, and dropped down to one knee.

Vexus drummed her fingers impatiently. "Well, get it over with."

"Um … we've been flung over forty thousand light-years from Earth," the shaking drone said.

"Two days at maximum speed, tops," sneered Vexus.

"And eighty percent of our ships have been destroyed," gulped the drone.

"The shipyards can replace them in a couple of months," snorted the queen.

"Oh, and … uh … we've re-established our link to the ClusterNet," the drone whimpered.

Vexus' mood brightened. "Splendid! Ah, those miserable teenaged brats have no idea of the power they're dealing with." She barked out new orders to her crew of drones. "Prepare for galaxy-wide transmission! I must make sure my robot children truly understand what they actually saw." Vexus enjoyed a laugh at her private joke; the truth is whatever I say it is. "I'm sure that Jennifer and her friends think they've achieved some kind of victory here today. Bah! They have achieved nothing …"

Then the shivering drone shielded his dome-head with his arms. "Um … Your Majesty? There's … already a galaxy-wide transmission going out over the ClusterNet."

Vexus arched a puzzled eyebrow, as a large video monitor dropped from the ceiling …

And came to life with the smiling image of Allison, the traitorous LSN droid.

"… so you see, every night when you go into sleep mode, the Cluster Backup System has been re-writing your memories, to make you believe whatever Queen Vexus wants you to believe! So you must never, ever use the backup headsets, ever again. She says that she loves her robot children – but she really thinks of us as nothing more than her personal property! Vexus is nothing but an evil, power-hungry tyrant. But don't take my word for it; let her tell you herself!"

The screen cut to a video of Vexus, yelling at Allison in cyberspace, and snarling like a maniac. "My destiny is to reign over every last robot, and enslave every last meat-creature, in the entire universe! My destiny is to become a robotic god! Compared to that, the life of one annoying little robot girl means absolutely nothing. The lives of a million robots mean nothing! If I have to pave the planet Earth with a layer of robot bodies ten feet deep, it means nothing! All that matters is victory! For that is the Cluster's destiny! That is my destiny!"

The queen's jaw dropped open. That little … that little brat saved a copy of that conversation?

Vexus sank down into her dented throne and sulked. "This … could be a problem."


Brad pulled his father's Turbo Wagon into the high school's lot, and found a good parking space. "Oh … hang on a second!" he said. "We might as well do this the right way!"

He hopped out of the car and scurried around to the passenger-side door, pausing to check his reflection in the window. His coppery hair was behaving itself for a change. He didn't have any spinach stuck in his teeth. And there wasn't a single wrinkle to be found on the shiny lapels of his black tuxedo jacket. He'd spent the better part of an hour on his bow tie alone, and his good dress shoes were shining almost as brightly as his killer smile. Brad tugged at his cuffs and adjusted his cummerbund, and had to admit to himself – the Bradster looked darn good in a formal tux. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. Well, how big of a surprise is that, really?

"Allow me to get that for you, mademoiselle?" he chuckled, opening the car door with a melodramatic sweep of his arm.

"You know … you really are a nut," she laughed.

Brad grinned as he gallantly took Jenny's hand, and helped her out of the car. He'd seen her nearly fall apart from depression, and get blasted to within an inch of her life by the Cluster fleet. But now she was a beautiful vision, like a glamorous movie star that had stepped out of an old movie. Her chassis glistened with a dozens layers of sparkling polish and six shades of aquamarine; after all her concern about picking a color, she'd stuck with her original, the one that looked best on her. She wore a full-length gown of white and aqua, made from a special fabric mixed with titanium thread; not only would her metal body not tear the material, but it shimmered with shiny, breathtaking patterns when the light caught it the right way. Her pigtails were reconfigured, allowing her to wear her hair "up" for the evening, which gave her a very sophisticated look. Brad shook his head in amazement; she sure didn't look like the robotic tomboy he'd come to know so well.

"Wow, you clean up real nice," laughed Brad, "my compliments to your mom."

"The dress was a reward for saving the Earth," said Jenny, giving her gown a playful twirl. "Of course, Mom had to go and make it bulletproof and laser resistant. And I think there's some ninja throwing stars stitched into the hemline. But it still looks really nice!"

"Nice doesn't begin to describe it," he smiled, looking her over from head to toe. "You're going to be the most beautiful girl at the Prom. There's just one thing missing." Brad reached into his pocket and pulled out the metallic headband, and set it on top of Jenny's head like a crown.

"Thanks," she giggled, as a flash of aqua blue came across her cheeks. Then her face dropped, with a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Actually … there's still a few things missing."

It was horrible to see her upset on a night like tonight. But he shared her pain and concerns, too. Brad took her metallic hands in his, and gave them a warm, reassuring squeeze. "They're okay, Jen," he said, lifting her face to meet his eternally optimistic smile. "They just … have to be. They're okay. And you know they'd want you to be here."

He offered his arm, and she gently slid her hand through his elbow with a renewed smile, and they made their way towards the festively decorated gymnasium. A huge banner had been spread over the main doors, which read "Welcome to the Tremorton High School Junior Prom – Magic Under the Stars!" The parking lot was filled with sparkling cars and stretch limos, and hundreds of teenagers dressed in dapper tuxedos and dazzling gowns, anxiously looking forward to the night of their lives. Heads turned and couples waved as Jenny and Brad walked by, and there were gasps of surprise at Jenny's stunning transformation. She waved back, giggling as she acknowledged the compliments of her classmates. "I almost can't believe this is really happening," she blushed.

"Yeah, after getting our butts fried by an Omni-droid, and being slaves on Cluster Prime, and then getting attacked by a giant alien fleet … it almost does seem kind of weird," added Brad – then he arched an eyebrow, as if he was wondering whether or not to ask her something. Finally, he did. "Does it seem weird to you, Jenny?"

She paused for a moment in front of the gym doors; she knew what Brad was really asking her. So many times they'd walked through these doors, laughing and joking as pals, or buddies. But now they were here at the Prom together, with her in a head-turning formal dress, and Brad looking very handsome in his tuxedo. As happy as she was to be here with him tonight, part of her couldn't help but wonder if he felt a bit awkward. "You know, really weird thing is, that it doesn't feel weird to me at all. Maybe it should, but … it's just that I just feel so comfortable around you, Brad."

"Comfortable? Yeah, that's what every guy wants to hear," he said, rolling his eyes sarcastically.

"Stop it!" she giggled, poking him in the ribs. "What I mean is … we're best friends … and you always treat me like a true friend, Brad. No matter what the other kids say, no matter what the rest of the world says … I always know that you're going to be there for me. I have to put up with so much junk in my life … I … I don't tell you enough how great it is to have a true friend like you."

Brad just smiled warmly at her, as she shot him a glance out of the corner of her eye. "And because I'm here with you tonight, instead of some stupid jock, I know I'm going to have fun, and I'm going to enjoy myself. And I won't worry that my date thinks I'm just a lumbering metal freak. Tonight, I … I almost feel like I'm a real, human girl."

And Brad knew how much that meant to her. He took her by the hands, and gave them a gentle squeeze. "Jen … this school is filled with 'real' girls, who are about as human as a kitchen toaster. They don't care about anyone or anything but themselves, and the most important thing they do with their lives is shop for lipstick. And you're not like that at all. It doesn't matter whether you've covered in skin or steel. You're more real than any of them."

A raging blush flowed across her cheeks, and she held onto Brad's arm a bit more tightly. Happy flashes of electric impulses danced through her microchips, and she could feel her turbopumps pounding madly within her chest. She smiled into his dark eyes, lowered her cheek onto his shoulder …

When a distraught young geek in a powder-blue tuxedo suddenly materialized in front of them.

"H-h-hi there, Jenny, Brad," he whimpered, with a heartbroken, nasally moan. "Gee, don't you two look … sob … lovely together?"

Jenny and Brad exchanged a pair of raised eyebrows, and had to shake their heads at poor Sheldon. As annoying as he could be, Jenny knew that he still harbored romantic feelings for her. And tonight the poor boy was a pathetic mix of fashion nightmare and lip-quivering grief. His wide lapels and ruffled shirt looked like something his great-grandfather might have worn to his prom; and he'd probably used more oil in his thick black hair than she had in her own oil pan. But even though she was a bit upset that her little moment with Brad had been shattered, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. And besides, she had hoped to bump into him at some point tonight, because there was something she wanted to do for him. Brad fought back a chuckle, and nodded his head as if to say go ahead.

"Aww, Sheldon, that's such a sweet thing to say," she smiled. "I haven't seen you around school for the past few days. Where were you?"

Sheldon tugged nervously at his shirt collar, and broke out in a sweat. "Um … last few days? I was, uh … out of town. Visiting my sick aunt. No, visiting two sick aunts …"

"Because, there's something I wanted to ask you," she said, trying to calm him down. She tapped the steel-and-aqua headband on her forehead. "Sheldon … you made this for me, didn't you?"

A crooked smile broke out on his pimply face. "Well, yeah … it was nothing, really …"

Then she stepped closer, and rested her smooth, polished hands against his shivering shoulders. "Sheldon, this is the best present that anyone's ever given me, ever. I'm so lucky to have a friend like you. I don't know how I could ever thank you … so I hope this will do."

And she flung her robotic arms around the gangly teenager, wrapping him up in an intimate embrace. Sheldon's eyes nearly launched out of their sockets, and his face blushed fire-engine red from the neck up. Incomprehensible murmurs of shock and joy squeaked from his mouth, and his body went as rigid as a granite statue. And just when it seemed like the very doors of nirvana had opened upon Sheldon, and things couldn't possibly get any better … Jenny gently pressed her divine metallic lips against his trembling mouth, with a quick kiss. Fireworks filled the sky, grand orchestras struck up a romantic waltz, and little cupids flew in circles above his head …

Then his eyes rolled back, and he fainted dead away into Jenny's arms, grinning from ear to ear.

Jenny tried to prop Sheldon up with one hand, while Brad looped an arm around his back to keep him from collapsing to the sidewalk. "Geez, Jenny," he laughed, "I think you killed him. I guess your lips are even more dangerous than your lasers."

She gave Brad a dirty look, and deployed a fan from her wrist to revive Sheldon …

"We-ell, isn't this a sweet little scene," cooed a snobbish, accented voice. "See, Jenny? You were so very concerned about finding a prom date, and now look at you … one loser on each arm!"

"All the dorks grouped together in one convenient package for the whole evenin'! Ha! Oh, dat's hot!"

Jenny flinched at the sound of those voices, and scowled back at the last two people in the world that she wanted to see right now. The Krust cousins had arrived in show-stopping fashion, poking their heads through the moon roof of a fifty-foot pearl-white, gold-trimmed limousine, like a pair of parade queens. The ostentatious limo drew a crowd of gawking students; lavishing Brit and Tiff with the attention that they craved so much, and of course, so richly deserved. Brit smirked at Jenny with her superior little smile, and snapped her fingers for her chauffeur to spring into action.

The driver opened the limo's door like a royal porter, and out stepped the Krusts, dressed in the most sensational, over-the-top prom gowns ever seen by modern man. Everyone oohed and aahed in unison at the flowing silk and bold styling of the Jean-Phillipe originals. Brit looked positively sensational in a champagne-colored gown with matching cocktail gloves, and her hair piled up in elaborate curls that must have taken a day to style. True to her edgy nature, Tiff's gown had a modern design, with a shorter skirt, matching corset and knee-high boots. And just in case their supreme dominance over the social scene had not yet been made clear, out of the limousine came the school's most desirable hunks, Don Prima and Justin Spitzer. The tuxedo-clad studs looped their arms around the Krusts' waists, and casually picked at flecks of lint on their jackets.

"Careful Don, don't wrinkle the dress," said Brit, brushing his hand away. Then she turned her attention back to Jenny, and propped her gloved hands against her slim hips. "Oh, Jenny, your little outfit is simply adorable! I would never have thought you could make a prom gown out of aluminum foil."

"It figures," sneered Tiff, "at my house, we always wrap up leftovers in aluminum foil. So, did your mommy make it for you? Or did you get it fitted down at the auto shop?" The social divas burst into cruel laughter, as they looked down their noses at the robot girl.

Jenny handed Sheldon over to Brad, and stomped up to the Krusts with fire boiling in her cheeks. "Come on, can't you two give it a rest for one night? Everyone just wants to have fun!"

"Oh, I am having fun, I can assure you," huffed Brit, as she flashed a perfect smile to a group of spellbound admirers. Then her eyes narrowed into a pair of dangerous slits. "Here's a little free advice, you tin-plated pretender. The rest of the school might be all ga-ga over the great XJ-9 since you saved the planet, but to us, you'll always be a pathetic little freak that ought to be sent to the junkyard. The Prom is the high point of the social calendar, and tonight belongs to us."

"So jes' step off, and stay out of our way, fool," said Tiff, with an attitude-filled snap of her fingers. "Man, at least we only gots to put up with one of you annoying robo-dweebs tonight."

Bolts of electricity crackled in Jenny's eyes like a storm at sea.

It was all she could do to keep herself from punching Tiff in the mouth. "You little witch! How could you say something like that …"

"Yes, yes, boo hoo, we're such terrible people," laughed Brit, mocking Jenny's anger. "At least Android and his little friend had the good sense to stay on that horrid robot planet, with their own kind. If we're lucky, maybe you'll wise up and go join your slimy little friend someday."

A cool breeze blew at the aqua folds of Jenny's gown, and her shoulders sunk with a stab of sadness. The Krusts were just being their usual, snooty selves; that wasn't what really bothered her right now. In their own tasteless way, they had brought up the subject of her missing friends, and reminded her that she was the lone robot in school once again. Nobody on Earth had heard a peep from Cluster Prime since the invasion had been stopped; nobody knew for sure if Drew and Allison were free, or captured, or even if they were still alive. And she never got a chance to thank them for everything they did. She never got a chance to say goodbye to them. She didn't want to say goodbye to them. Brad rested a comforting hand on her shoulder as she tilted her head skyward, and looked at the twinkling of ten thousand distant stars. "I wonder what they're doing right now," she said sadly.

"Probably changing each other's oil filters," chortled Tiff, as she pushed down the folds of her dress. The evening breeze was starting to kick up a bit. "Whoa! Getting a little nippy out here, Cuz. Maybe we should make our grand entrance?"

"Capital idea, cousin," smiled Brit, as she held out her hand for Don to tend to. "Well, it's been absolutely lovely chatting with you again, Jenny, but we have a pair of spotlights waiting for us inside. So if you'll excuse us, we'll be on our …"

The blast of wind came out of nowhere.

It whipped up loose pieces of scrap and litter into roiling clouds of dust. Girls shrieked with surprise and braced against their dates, as their dresses flapped like signal flags in a gale. The Krusts screeched like alley cats, and made a futile attempt to shield their elaborate hairdos. Brad gave Jenny a confused look – what the heck's going on? She grit her teeth and huffed to herself – aw, c'mon, not tonight, can't a girl catch a break? Jenny deployed a Doppler radar dish from her head, and made a quick scan. Strangely, the wind seemed to be coming from … directly overhead.

Then there was a hint of creaking metal. From the direction of Brit and Tiff's limousine.

And to the shock of the crowd, the limo's hood … caved in on itself.

With a wailing metallic shriek, the entire front end of the limo was mashed as flat as a pancake. Its tires buckled, its windshield shattered, and its engine block ground into the pavement with a sickening crunch. Its hoses burst and its radiator snapped; and in its final death throes, it coughed up a filthy shower of motor oil and anti-freeze. With lightning-fast reflexes, Jenny deployed a parasol from her wrist to protect Brad and herself from the messy splatter. But the Krusts and their dates never had a chance. Brit and Tiff wailed in agony, as thick globs of motor oil and radiator fluid rained down upon their designer gowns. Jenny deployed a pair of crowd-control barriers to herd the kids away from the mashed limousine; she didn't have a clue as to what was going on. Nobody did.

The air above the limo shimmered with waves of distortion, like ripples on the surface of a pond. The ripples spread out into a very large shape, over fifty feet long … tracing the outline of some kind of vehicle, with stubby wings, and barbed fins … that was shaped like a giant insect.

Then with a deep, electric hum, the ghostly outline filled in with shades of black and yellow, revealing itself to be … a Cluster Stealth Wasp! It had touched down with its cloaking device on, and its front landing strut rested squarely in the middle of the limousine's flattened hood.

The students stared with wide-eyed awe, as the bulbous canopy of the alien ship cracked open with a hiss of pressurized air, and slowly tilted upwards … and a smile started to spread across Jenny's face …

As a nervous, silver-green android waved to her, and shouted out from the cockpit. "Uh … sorry about that! It's only the second time I've ever landed this thing!"

"Drew!" she shouted, in an outburst of happiness and relief. "I can't believe it! Of all the crazy, stupid stunts you've pulled …" Jenny and Brad bolted out of the astonished crowd, laughing with disbelief at the ridiculous sight of growling, hissing alien spaceship parked in front of a high school gym. They rushed to the side of the Stealth Wasp as their wayward friend unbuckled his harness; Jenny wasn't sure if she wanted to hug the guy, or pound him into a thin paste. Drew flowed himself out of the cockpit and down to the pavement in one fluid motion, then broke into a huge smile at the sight of his friends, and laughed along at the fantastic absurdity of their reunion. The three of them crushed each other in a monster hug, and they laughed and laughed for the better part of a minute, simply amazed that they were actually seeing each other again, and overjoyed that everyone was alive and healthy.

Then Jenny pulled back, and walloped him in the shoulder with a blow that would have broken his arm if he'd been human. "You lousy jerk! I was so worried about you! What was the big idea staying behind on Cluster Prime like that …"

Drew held up his hands defensively. "Hey, hey, I didn't plan it like that! But when Ally wouldn't leave, there was no way I was gonna take off without her …"

"Omigosh!" she shouted, "Allison! What happened to Allison? Is she okay?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself," he smiled, nodding towards the Wasp's cockpit.

Jenny looked up … and let out a giddy, high-pitched shriek of joy.

"So I hear there's some kind of strange human dance ritual tonight," shouted Allison, waving excitedly from the back seat. Drew stretched his arms up to grab her by the waist, and gently lowered her down. It might have been the lighting, but Allison's paint color looked … different somehow. The instant her toes touched the pavement, she and Jenny flung their arms around each other and squealed excitedly, in the way that only teenage girls can. Another round of happy greetings began, and it took another minute for things to cool down enough for a conversation to resume.

"I don't believe this," Jenny gushed, wiping tears from her cheeks. "I was so worried about you guys! What happened after we beat Vexus? When the Silver Shell came back by himself, I was afraid you'd get captured all over again …"

"It turns out to be very handy to know a shape shifter," giggled Allison, as she flashed a smile at Drew. "A new batch of drones showed up just after the Shell left – but Drew morphed himself into one of those giant Cluster warriors, and 'placed me under arrest'. It was tricky, but we managed to sneak out of the queen's palace. It helped that all the drones were behaving … strangely."

"The Cluster was seriously screwed up, and Vexus was missing, and Ally realized that she had a golden opportunity to do something major," explained Drew. "She broadcast a video across the whole Cluster, and spilled the beans about the mind control, and the human slaves, and what Vexus is really like. Things are … a little nutty in Cluster-land right now."

"Wow," gasped Jenny, clasping her hands to her mouth. "Is the Cluster actually … breaking apart?"

Allison shook her head, and her voice took on a more sober tone. "That's a little too much to expect from just one video. An empire doesn't fall overnight. Vexus is alive, and she's flying back to Cluster Prime with what's left of her fleet. She still has control over almost all of the Cluster." Then a proud smile formed on Allison's face. "But not total control. Robots are asking questions. They're starting to wonder about Vexus. They're starting to think for themselves."

"That's more dangerous to a tyrant than any battle robot could be," smiled Jenny. "That's awesome!"

"It could be the dawn of a new Cluster," Allison smiled back, nodding in agreement.

"So, what's the deal with this thing?" asked Brad, as he patted the side of the Stealth Wasp, the way a guy might admire a new truck. "Are you guys coming back to Earth for good?"

Drew and Allison exchanged a look, and he heaved his shoulders with a heavy sigh. It was obvious that Brad had touched on the big question. "After the video broadcast, Ally and I finally had a chance to have a long talk, without anyone shooting at us for a change." Drew sighed again, and slid his silvery hand into Allison's, and gave it a squeeze. "And as much as I wish we could stay together … Ally has to stay on Cluster Prime. She's too important; she's the only other robot in the universe that can't be assimilated. She wants to help bring freedom to her home world, by starting a Cluster underground movement."

"And Drew had to come back here – to his home world," continued Allison, with a twinge of sadness in her voice. "I couldn't expect him to leave his family, any more than I would leave mine."

"At least not yet. I haven't even graduated from high school," he added. Then he brightened the somber mood with a smile. "Of course, five thousand light-years doesn't seem nearly as far away as it did two weeks ago."

And with a mischievous smile of her own, Allison swung open a panel on her chest – and pulled out a portable Cluster wormhole generator. "A little something we picked up from a helpful warrior drone," she laughed.

"A teleporter gizmo! Cooool!" grinned Brad, ogling the exotic piece of alien technology. "Wait a minute, if you guys got your own teleporter … why'd you bother flying back here in this spaceship?"

Drew gulped nervously, and absent-mindedly rubbed the back of his head. "Oh, uh … see, I was kinda hoping that if I brought back the Stealth Wasp I stole, then, uh … maybe the general wouldn't throw me in jail for the rest of my life. You think maybe, you could talk to him for me, Jenny? Huh?"

She folded her arms and tapped her chin, as if in deep thought. "Well, you did help defeat Vexus and save the world, so I should be able to … get you off with twenty years or so." She enjoyed the ever-so-brief flash of terror on his face. "Psych," she added, with a wicked laugh.

"I'm only staying for a day or two," sighed Allison. "I wanted to observe this amazing planet of humans that you guys told me about. It'll help to destroy another of Vexus' lies, and show that human slavery is wrong. And I want to finally spend some time with you, Jenny – I don't know the first thing about being a leader, and Drew told me you were a pretty good teacher." A twinkle of happiness flashed between the girls' eyes, and then Allison looped her hand around Drew's arm. "Oh, and besides … I couldn't let Drew go back without a prom date," she giggled impishly. "He's come to my rescue a couple of times. It's only fair for me to return the favor."

"So that explains the makeover," said Brad, as a low whistle passed through his lips. Now that Allison was standing under the streetlights, Brad and Jenny realized that there was indeed something unusual about her paint job. It seemed to be moving. She'd repainted her chassis in a mix of deep purples and midnight blues, with hints of swirling nebulas and galaxies flowing across her skin. The coating of paint was made with advanced technology that made it behave like a video screen. Stars and galaxies actually drifted across Allison's body, giving her an almost mesmerizing effect. At least, that was the effect that she had on Drew.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot," said Drew, snapping his fingers. He took half a step back, concentrated for a moment … and a wave of distortion washed across his nanobot body. Plain old silver and green wasn't going to cut it for tonight. He repainted his body in rich, deep black, with thin green pinstripes running along his chest and sides. The overall look came close to approximating the formal appearance of a high-tech prom tuxedo. "So, what do you think?"

"Hmmm," smiled Ally, tracing a finger along one of the pinstripes. Then she flashed a sly grin to Jenny. "He's just loaded with handy little features, isn't he?"

With a green blush and a laugh, the four friends walked towards the gym, paying no mind to the awestruck stares of the student body – or the evil stares of the oil-soaked Krust cousins. Brad stepped over a happily babbling Sheldon, and opened the doors to escort Jenny inside. Drew and Allison followed suit, arm in arm, recalling their romantic first dance back at Festival Square. It was the perfect ending to the most amazing ten days of their young lives. The pain and hardships they had collectively endured would form a bond of friendship that they would forever share.

The lights were already low in the gym, and a mirrored ball filled the room with a dazzling array of twinkling lights. With perfect timing, a soft, slow ballad started to waft from the speakers. Brad slid his hand around Jenny's waist, and Allison slid her arms around Drew's neck. There would be plenty of time to talk about battles tomorrow. Tonight, all they would remember was magic under the stars.


THE END