Author's Note: As of this chapter, I am establishing Brad and Tuck's last name as Hunter.

Phoenix Fire
Chapter Three

"Hmm... Very interesting," Vexxus mused. She was watching a transmission from a Cluster drone that had been sent to Earth to spy on Jenny. "She's at her weakest now. It's the perfect opportunity. We'll offer her repairs, a better body--one that her...mother...would never be able to provide. She'll never be able to resist it, not in her pitiful state. Jennifer will be mine!"

Vexxus turned away from the screen and toward a nearby robot. "Send out Vothnar 427," she commanded. "He's the best at this particular kind of persuasion." With an evil laugh, Vexxus returned to watching the screen.

Within minutes, Vothnar 427, a giant, blue,four-armed robot, had jumped through Vexxus's latest discovery: a wormhole leading directly to Tremorton, California, USA. He soon appeared in the air above Jenny and Brad. "Greetings, XJ-9. My name is Vothnar 427."

"Okay...and why are you here?" Jenny asked suspiciously. He stank of Cluster (figuratively speaking, of course). She waved to Brad, who nodded and continued on his way home.

"I am here to offer you a glorious opportunity: The people of my planet have heard of your plight, and they wish to help. They can provide you with repairs, or even build you a completely new body. All you have to do is--join the Cluster!"

"Never in a million years!" Jenny replied hotly. Even though the line about the repairs was probably true, she'd rather be decommissioned than part of the Cluster.

Vothnar scoffed. "You have so much to learn, young robot." With that, he swatted at her, sending her careening into a nearby tree. She got up quickly, but not as quickly as she would have liked. That did more damage than it should have, she thought to herself. Before she could react, Vothnar was upon her, pummeling her with his four arms. She managed to roll out from under his flurry of punches, then shot a missile out of her one good arm. It was a direct hit, removing on of his arms. The only problem was that he still had three left. Jenny waited for him to get close before she shot at him with a laser, slicing off a second arm.

"XJ-9," Vothnar taunted, "I have an unlimited supply of limbs." As soon as he spoke, two new arms appeared where the others had been.

"Cripes, when will Vexxus learn that I'm never going to join?" Jenny asked herself aloud. She struck at him with her own arms and legs until she noticed a warning sign flashing before her eyes. She did a quick diagnostics check: she was leaking fluids and running dangerously low on energy. She would have to finish the fight soon, or else she'd be a sitting duck. With one final blast, Jenny managed to burn a hole right through Vothnar's power core, shutting him down completely.

With Vothnar taken care of, Jenny realized just how bad she actually was: one more minute of that and she would have been toast. Worried about how much longer she'd last, Jenny shut down all unnecessary systems before trudging home.

Jenny arrived at Brad's house, completely exhausted and on the verge of total shutdown. She knocked softly, unable to summon any more strength to her arm. Luckily, Brad was waiting for her. "Jen, what happened?" he asked, worry in his voice as he examined the dings and dents all over her body.

"Vothnar...Cluster...beat him, but I'm...tired now...entering...Sleep Mode..." With that, Jenny's body shut down, causing her to grow rigid.

Brad quickly ran next door to the Wakeman residence and pounded on the door. "Dr. Wakeman, quick! Jen's hurt!"

Clad in a nightgown and slippers, Nora hurried over to the Hunter's front yard. "XJ Ni-yun! What happened?"

"She was attacked by the Cluster," Brad explained. "She told me she won, but I think she was too exhausted to make it to your house, so she came here."

"Oh, my...Bradley, I think you had better come to my house. When XJ Ni-yun wakes up, I have something to show the both of you."

Brad nodded and walked inside the house to get permission. When he returned with his things, Tuck, in cowboy pajamas, was standing alongside him. "What's wrong with Jenny?" he asked, fear in his voice.

"She's just tired, Tuck," Brad explained. "She'll be all right soon."

"Are you sure?"

"I am positive XJ Ni-yun will awaken shortly, as soon as I get her plugged into an external power source," Nora said to reassure the boy.

"Okay, then," Tuck said with a yawn. "Wake me up when she's better." With that, he returned to the house, while Brad helped Nora carry Jenny to the lab.

Once in the lab, Nora found Jenny's power cord and plugged it into a large generator. Within minutes, Jenny was up and running again. "Mmm...Mom? Brad? What happened?"

"You passed out in front of my house," Brad said.

"Oh...wait, Vothnar...I beat him, right?"

Nora replied, "Yes, XJ Ni-yun."

"All right, then." Jenny then noticed that she was plugged into the generator. "Aww, Mom, do I have to be plugged in?"

"Yes, XJ Ni-yun. You need at least eight hours to fully recharge. I would recommend that you enter Sleep Mode to speed up the process."

"Okay, Mom..."

"Hey, I'll stay down here with ya," Brad offered. "I'm beat, anyway."

"Yes, that sounds like a first-rate idea," Nora replied. "I'll see you two in the morning." She headed upstairs, while Brad set up his sleeping bag and sleepover stuff.

Jenny looked at everything with interest. "So, these are the things boys take to sleepovers?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Only difference is that our sleepovers are usually outside. They're more commonly known as 'camping trips' than as sleepovers, though."

"Oh." Jenny laid down on the floor next to the sleeping bag. "Good night, Brad."

"Night, Jen," he responded, crawling into the sleeping bag. Jenny watched him as he fell asleep. She gently reached out and brushed a lock of hair from his face before entering Sleep Mode herself.