CHAPTER XXVII: REACHING FOR THE SKY
U.S.S. ESSESS MAIN COMMAND DECK
"We've got word that the President has authorized a Code Orange alert," a commanding lieutenant. "Standing by to initiate Gamma 12 protocol."
"What is Gamma 12, exactly?" General Specific asked quizzically as he raised his right eyebrow.
"We're about to find out, I guess," the lieutenant shrugged.
"We're in over our heads this time," Specific muttered. "And now even NASA has gotten involved with this Adver Man deal. Somehow I get the feeling that none of this is going to end well…and WHY am I always the last to know about these things?"
"Sir? We're in the most isolated place on Earth. Fifteen thousand feet below surface level. We're the last in the military to know ANYTHING."
"That said," Specific murmured, "we still have a few days until Adver Man's satellite enters our orbit."
"What will happen once it activates, General?"
"Total system meltdown," Specific grunted. "Every television in the world will broadcast nothing but ads. All posts in forums on the Web will be rendered into advertising spam. All Navis will only say messages related to ad campaigns. Based on the satellite's current path of orbit, we can expect a total takeover by Adver Man…"
Specific glanced at his watch, shuddered with fear, then continued ominously:
"…within the next 48 hours."
A NASA OUTPOST IN CENTRAL AMEROPE…
"Netto Hikari, here to see Commanding General Broad!" Netto stated very matter-of-factly as he, Shuuko, and Yaito rode an autopiloted military jeep up to the security station.
"Netto Hikari, Huuko Kido, and Yaito…er…I missed your last name," the officer replied. "We've been expecting you all. Please drive about three miles over that mountain and make a right turn at that crevice. Don't program the jeep to make a left turn once you get to the valley."
"What's so dangerous about that left turn?" Shuuko asked with a puzzled expression.
"That's the town of Albuquerque. Have you ever heard of Bugs Bunny?"
"Er…okay," Yaito murmured. "Let's go already. We've got a shuttle to catch."
"Understood," the guard replied. "Take these ID placards. You'll be granted Level Three security clearance to access the shuttle bays and pilot the U.S.A. Euwessae."
"Gotcha," Netto replied with a weird grin and a formal military salute.
"If you don't want to be escorted to customs," the guard continued with an annoyed glare, "you won't do that again."
"Roger," Netto replied with the same weird grin.
The guard sighed, opened the security gate, and the gang continued on their way. The jeep rattled along the desolate landscape of Amerope before grinding to a screeching halt in a small crevice just beyond a mountain range.
"What's going on?" Netto wondered aloud.
"We're supposed to wait around for something, I heard," Yaito replied, sitting back and relaxing to do just that.
Suddenly, a loud hiss emitted from the jeep's intercom and a soft, sultry female voice said, "Please state your identities and show your placards."
"Ack!" cried Netto. "The jeep…it TALKED! WTF?"
"What the (blank) does not comply," the voice replied. "Please state your identities and show your placards."
"That must be the NASA security checkpoint," Shuuko said as she leaned forward to show her placard and state her identity, stating, "Shuuko Kido. Civilian Net Battler and newly inducted Net Savior."
"Shuuko Kido confirmed. Guest Two of Three, please show identity and placard."
"Yaito! Daughter of Gabcom's CEO!" Yaito stated as she revealed her identity card.
"Yaito confirmed. Guest Three of Three, er, you do the same."
"Netto Hikari! Net Savior! Er…that's about it, really," Netto shrugged.
"Three registered guests, Security Clearance Level Three confirmed," the checkpoint system replied. "You are now cleared to proceed to U.S.A. Euwessae launch deck."
"What happens now?" Shuuko asked as she looked around impatiently…then looked ahead in awe as a huge section of mountain peeled away, revealing a vast, brightly lit hangar bay and rocket launcher deck, housing the most advanced rocket shuttle that Netto had ever seen in his life.
"That was SO COOL!" Netto screamed at the top of his lungs as he leaned forward in the jeep, shouting, "Again! Again!"
"Again request processed," the system responded as the mountain sealed itself up, then opened again as Netto looked on in awe.
"Ooohhh," Netto whispered in wonderment as Shuuko and Yaito cried, "Again!"
"Request negative. Enter the damned door," the system replied, more than somewhat irritated.
The jeep peeled out, jerking Netto, Yaito, and Shuuko back in their seats, racing toward the rocket launching deck.
CALIFORNIA'S WESTERN COAST, ELSEWHERE IN AMEROPE…
"I see you're wearing actual clothes this time," Enzan murmured as Kristen greeted them in jeans and a hooded sweatshirt.
"Hello to you too!" Kristen huffed. "You think I wear that because I like to? It's a sponsor outfit! I'm forced to wear it when I skate!"
"Who is this girl?" Meiru whispered to Tron.
"From what he has told me, he calls her his fiancée," Tron whispered back.
"Believe me, it shows."
Kristen escorted them inside her father's new business, a skateboard shop he had opened with the funds from sponsors Kristen had attracted. Enzan looked around at the impressively lit display of top-notch equipment and gave a low whistle. In the corner, Kristen's father had set up a small table where the four sat down to discuss the plan of action.
"So what do all of you have so far?" Kristen asked, quite matter-of-factly.
"We're still trying to figure out Adver Man's location," Enzan murmured as he shook his head in disappointment. "How to deal with him once we do find him, we seem to have a few leads, but we don't have a set strategy yet."
"Concerning Adver Man and Kenishiro, the operator's intelligence is only average, at most," Tron said while scratching her chin. "So then the Navi itself may be the biggest threat to our success."
"That we got from when Netto battled Kenishiro equally at Densan City Middle School's abandoned gym," Meiru continued as she pointed upwards. "As for Adver Man, we still need to figure out exactly what his weak points are."
"Leave that one to me!" Kristen replied. "It turns out that Adver Man's satellite is his base of operations for transmitting ads. We've gotten several leads on how to destroy it, but it turns out the satellite is directly linked to Adver Man himself."
"So you're essentially saying his mind is fused with his command satellite," Enzan replied, "and that destroying the satellite will also mean the end of Adver Man himself."
"Precisely," Kristen replied. "Man, I'm smart."
Tron continued, "So Adver Man may be helpless to stop us in space, but he's still powerful in the Internet realm. Destroying him completely is out of the question, not while his satellite is still in orbit. So all we have to do is distract him long enough in order for us to destroy his satellite. We're just going to have to wait for the right opportunity."
"And that means…" Meiru said unsurely, "that we have to distract Kenishiro and Adver Man long enough for Netto, Shuuko, and Yaito to dismantle the command satellite orbiting outer space."
"I wonder…why is our team composed primarily of attacker types, whereas Netto's team is based on strategic tactics?" Kristen pondered aloud.
"That is because…" Laika said as he entered the room, "…we're the ones who have to stop Adver Man in case he catches onto our plan and starts to move against us before the satellite is destroyed. And by the way, nice shop Kristen."
"Thanks!" Kristen replied with a cute grin and peace sign. "I'm sure you all know Laika and Searchman.exe by now. He came here because…er…he said something about Japan's Net Saviors not being able to handle conflicts on their own."
"Still the same old guy," Enzan sighed under his breath. "So, then. What has your division discussed, Laika?"
"Everything you just said," he replied. "To repeat it now would be incredibly and hopelessly redundant."
"So I see," Kristen replied. "All we have to do now is find out about Adver Man's whereabouts."
"Already taken care of," Laika replied, looking off to one side as he continued, "Apparently he has been attempting to infect networks in the western Ameropean area in San Constantinople."
"The hottest tourist destination in Amerope?" Kristen popped up enthusiastically. "How convenient…after we beat him, let's go back for a long vacation!"
"Much agreed," Laika nodded, making what would actually be made out to be a pleasurable grin.
"So…what was the purpose of this meeting to find out what we're doing," Enzan asked as he raised his hand, "when we all know what we're doing already, apparently?"
"I don't know about the rest of you," Laika replied, "but I came for a cold soda."
"Hear, hear!" the others cried as Kristen prepared root beer floats for everyone present.
NASA OUTPOST LAUNCHING DECK, INSIDE THE U.S.A. EUWESSAE…
"We've got a lock on destination!" Yaito called. "Setting autopilot coordinates!"
"Configuring all launch settings to immediate go!" Shuuko shouted.
"Activating all Whatchamacallits and pushing all Whateverwhatnots!" Netto called as Yaito and Shuuko rolled their eyes.
"We are go for launch," a NASA official stated. "We are now initiating final liftoff protocol checks."
"Roger that command, reading you loud and clear," Netto responded while nodding his consent.
"ARP!" the official shouted, beginning the final device checks for liftoff.
"Check!" Yaito called.
"XTC!"
"Check!" Shuuko called.
"KFC?" Netto asked with a puzzled expression as he took out a bucket of fried chicken he kept in case they had no in-flight meals.
"LAR!" the official continued.
"Check!" called Yaito.
"AT&T!" Netto screamed.
"VRA!"
"Check!" Shuuko replied.
"BMW!" Netto shouted. "DMV! N2O! VGR!"
"Are those even official systems?" the official asked with a raised eyebrow. "Please make sure you have them if they are…I don't know what else to say."
"Er…check, I guess," Yaito murmured as she shrugged and rolled her eyes disappointedly.
"We are go for final launch sequence!" the official shouted. "Activate boosters and prepare for final countdown!"
"Oh please oh please Mom, don't let me wet my pants this time…" Netto muttered as he cringed in fear. Yaito and Shuuko looked at Netto, then at each other, and backed as far away from Netto as they could.
"Initiating final countdown! Ten, nine, eight, seven…"
The booster rockets ignited with a brilliant orange blaze, hurdling a vast expanse of smoke across the desolate desert valley landscape.
"Six…five…four…three…"
Netto tightly gripped the armrests of the Euwessae's bucket seat as Yaito and Shuuko waited patiently yet anxiously to be blasted into the heavens beyond.
"Two…one…ZERO!"
The rocket shuttle began its frightfully rapid ascent from its landing bay into the endless blackness of space as the thrust of its boosters emanated a daylight glow over the now picturesque horizon, illuminated by its light, all the while Netto screaming his final words in Earth's atmosphere at the top of his lungs:
"HAAAAPPPPYYY NNEEEEWWWW YYYEEEAAARRR!"
END PART 27
