From Here To Machinery Novelization
Written by Len Uhley
part 3

Higher for Hire
The Following Afternoon

Rebecca halfheartedly perused the ledger in which all the assets and debits were recorded. The debts far surpassed the assets, but that would change after she sold the Sea Duck.

Her flight crew had taken the news of Higher for Hire's closing extremely well, Rebecca thought. Wildcat had simply nodded solemnly whereas Kit had stared at his feet and blinked furiously. Baloo had snapped out of his depressed stupor long enough to say, "Kit and me was plannin' on takin' off anyways, Becky."

That information had stunned her. She had never thought that Baloo and Kit would leave Cape Suzette. With that in mind, she hadn't had the heart to inform them that she was selling the Sea Duck. There didn't seem to be a nice way to soften the blow, so she hadn't brought it up.

The bearess jumped slightly when the telephone rang. She stared at it, knowing that it was a bill collector or the bank. It rang and rang and rang. Finally, she answered it.

In their bedroom upstairs, Baloo and Kit were stuffing everything that they owned into a duffel bag and a worn brown suitcase. Kit, glancing sadly around the room, still didn't know for certain where they were going. He knew that wherever it was, it wouldn't be half as wonderful as this place.

"Well, I guess that does it." Baloo shoved his nightshirt into his bulging beige duffel bag and slung it across his shoulder.

After one last look around the room, Kit picked up the heavy suitcase and struggled with it down the stairs. Baloo followed.

Rebecca said into the phone, "Yes, I know what I owe you. I just can't pay. Business is slow for everyone...What? Same to you, buddy!" She slammed the receiver down and shot a weak smile at Baloo and Kit, who were descending the stairs. "Um...wrong number."

At that moment, an extremely agitated Molly ran into Higher for Hire as fast as her little legs could carry her. "Mommy, Wildcat's telling fibs! He's says we're gonna close. He says Baloo's going away." The little girl looked up at the big bear for reassurance, imploring him with her eyes to say that the mechanic wasn't telling the truth.

Sorrowfully, Baloo sighed. "Wildcat's not tellin' fibs, doll."

Tears of anguish filled Molly's big brown eyes, causing Baloo's heart to plummet to his knees.

"No!" Molly shouted petulantly, pummeling Baloo's stomach angrily with her small fists. "You can't go! I won't let you!" Overwhelmed with emotion, she began to cry. Too many bad things were happening at once, and it wasn't fair. "I won't let you!"

Setting the duffel bag down, Baloo knelt and embraced the little girl.

"Molly, try to understand. I can't compete with Khan's robots," Rebecca said softly, meeting Baloo's sad eyes over Molly's head.

Her sobs quieting, Molly sniffled and swiped the back of her paw across her eyes. "Are...are we gonna be p...poor?"

"Of course not," Rebecca cooed soothingly, gathering her daughter in her arms. "A broker's coming over to help us. He's...going to buy the Sea Duck."

"What?" Kit exclaimed, dropping his suitcase.

Baloo's face registered shock, then grim resignation. "Let it go, Li'l Britches. Let it go." Collecting his duffel bag and Kit's suitcase, he walked out of Higher for Hire and closed the door behind him.

Kit stormed over to Rebecca. He glowered at her, thinking, How dare she sell that plane? Doesn't she know the Sea Duck is Baloo's whole life, that flying means everything to him? Reproachfully, he cried, "You could have warned him! Given him a chance to say goodbye!"

"I wanted to. It's just..." Rebecca sighed. She put Molly down and sat on the steps, glumly resting her chin on her hands. "I wish I'd never rented the Sea Duck to that lousy inventor."

The crunching of tires on the flagstone pavement outside and a car door slamming announced the arrival of someone.

Rebecca peeked outside. "Oh, great. The broker."

Molly clambered onto a crate underneath the window to see out. She was curious as to what a broker looked like. It had to be a scary man if he 'broke up' families.

Rebecca made a snap decision. "Here! Catch!" Reaching into her cardigan pocket, she pulled out a pair of keys and tossed them to Kit.

The boy stared incredulously at the keys in his palm. "The keys to the Sea Duck? Wh...what are these for?"

"For Baloo. Tell him to take the plane for a spin. Tell him to go fishing. Just tell him to hurry!" Rebecca said before she opened the door.

Kit smiled a little. She did know how much the Sea Duck meant to his Papa Bear. Determined, the boy pushed the warehouse door open and ran outside to intercept Baloo before he got into the cab.

While Baloo and Kit made their getaway, Rebecca stalled the broker. "Why, hello," she said the smooth, pleasant voice that she reserved for her most fractious clients. "We meant to call. We had to get the Sea Duck one last..."

Aboard Shere Khan's Private Plane

The sleek silver and maroon airplane, the latest word in aircraft, soared over Tucker Forest in the deepening twilight. The Auto Aviator was piloting as Shere Khan and Martin Torque made their way to Pazuza for a conference showcasing the newest, most popular aviator in the Uslandian skies.

Martin Torque poured a mixed orange fruit drink into two crystal glasses and handed one to Khan. "A toast to the Auto Aviator, the greatest invention in history."

"Indeed," the shrewd businessman agreed. A slight self-satisfied smile crossed his tiger features. The Auto Aviator was making him a fortune.

Torque's smug smile turned to fear when Don Karnage's voice thundered over the radio.

"Hello, robot person. This is Don Karnage. My bloodthirsty horde and I are on an intercept course with you. We will be shooting you and looting you in precisely...ten minutes. Felicitations," the pirate captain said. He adjusted his goggles over his eyes. "Boy," he chuckled, "I am one scary guy."

Coolly, Khan suggested, "Professor, you may instruct your robot to change course and evade the air pirates."

Martin Torque strolled to the cockpit. "Turn right. Set course one-four-zero."

"Deviation from flight plan in unacceptable."

Amazed that his invention would dare to defy him, Torque dropped his drink. The glass shattered on the floor, spilling sticky liquid all over. "This is your inventor speaking. Turn right!"

The robot reiterated in its aggravating, unchanging metal voice, "Deviation from flight plan is unacceptable."

When Torque grabbed the steering yoke, he was shocked by the robot's built-in resistance interference feature. He flew backwards into the cargo hold and landed in a crumpled, moaning ball at Shere Khan's feet.

"Problems, Professor?" Khan sneered with a lift of his eyebrows.

"I...I hadn't expected to deal with pirates," the inventor stuttered, clambering to his feet.

"A perfect pilot can handle any situation. You told me your tin men were perfect."

"What should we do?" Torque stammered. He didn't like the hard gleam in the tiger's eyes.

"I suggest you call for help." Khan flicked out his razor sharp claws and regarded them menacingly.

Meanwhile at Veronica Lake

In hopes of cheering Baloo up, Kit had suggested that they head for the best place for fly-fishing around Cape Suzette - Veronica Lake. It was close to Cape Suzette, yet secluded.

Baloo rummaged around in the cargo hold for his fishing poles and tackle box. Opening the back hatch, he sat down on the edge of the rear cargo hold door with a sigh.

A clap of thunder announced that a summer thunderstorm had arrived. Baloo looked up as a big droplet of warm rain plopped on his head. "Great. What else can go wrong today?"

Wildcat interjected, "Well...they could stop making Choco Thrillers. That would be really bad, or..."

Kit frowned at the mechanic. "That was a hypothetical question, Wildcat."

"A what kind of question?" Wildcat asked, fastening an old boot on the end of his fishing line.

"Never mind." The boy shook his head, sat down beside Baloo, and cast his peanut butter covered bait into the water.

"Why do you guys hang out with a loser like me?" Baloo moaned. Not even fishing, one of his favorite hobbies, could cheer him up.

In a convincing, cheerful tone, Kit answered, "Because we like being with you. Well, you're our buddy. You're the best."

"Besides we got nothing else to do," Wildcat added, reeling in his line. He was a little disappointed, because nothing had jumped into the boot yet.

Kit shot the mechanic a dirty look.

"Oh...sorry," Wildcat mumbled contritely.

Over the radio, Martin Torque screamed hysterically, "This is Shere Khan's plane calling! HELP!"

"Oh, sit down." Khan flung Torque across the cargo hold onto a red plush sofa. He spoke into the radio, "Whoever's listening, this is Shere Khan. In mere moments we will be attacked by pirates near Mount Huzika. Your assistance will be handsomely rewarded."

Back at the Sea Duck, Kit retrieved the map from the cockpit and spread it out on the cargo hold's deck. "That's just north of here. Baloo, shouldn't we do something?"

"No, thank you. Let Torque's wonder widget save their hides." The big bear remained stolidly sitting on the end of the cargo hold door. No way would he rescue that namby-pamby inventor and his lousy invention. Not after what they did to him.

Kit thought a little reverse psychology was in order. "Pity. Those pirates will tear 'em to ribbons. Slice 'em to smithereens." Glaring at Wildcat, he elbowed the mechanic in the stomach.

Wildcat chimed in, "Yeah. Cut them into itty-bitty, teeny-weeney, little tiny-winy..."

"Of course a real pilot could save them." Kit stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Now, where could we find a...?"

"All right. I get the message," Baloo said, getting to his feet and heading for the cockpit. "C'mon, we're flyin'."

The Sea Duck

"There they are, Baloo," Kit said a few moments later. He pointed to a plane that was cruising below them.

Baloo matched the Sea Duck's speed to that of Khan's plane, and then he and Wildcat switched places, allowing the mechanic to take over the controls.

"Once I get aboard, get her outta here, got it?" Baloo said.

Wildcat saluted. "Got it."

On board Khan's plane, Torque was trying everything he could think of to get the Auto Aviator to change direction. "This is your inventor speaking. Take evasive...aaaaah!" Once again, he was shocked and flew backwards into the cargo hold, only to land at Khan's feet.

"I am losing patience, Professor," Khan reminded him icily.

Torque moaned and held a hand to his aching head. "Oooohhh..."

Meanwhile, Baloo hooked a rope ladder to the Sea Duck's starboard cargo hold door. "Time ta show Khanny an' Karny who's the real ace of the skies."

Kit gave him a thumbs up with a "Roger that." He was glad to see that the spark had returned to Baloo's eyes.

Baloo disappeared down the swaying ladder. Clinging to the rope rungs for dear life, he flinched against the strong wind blowing in his face. When he reached Khan's plane, he pounded on the cargo hold door.

"Pirates! We're doomed!" the professor shrieked, throwing himself against the cargo hold door.

The door banged open, wedging Torque between it and the wall. Baloo stepped inside with a jaunty, "Hiya, boys. How's it goin'?"

Shere Khan was to see Baloo relieved even though his face didn't show it. "Ah, Baloo. We've hit a bit of a snag with the Professor's contraption."

Meanwhile, the pirates got into a V-shaped formation behind Shere Khan's plane.

In his tri-wing CT-37, Karnage gloated, "This is like taking candy from a sitting baby duck off a log."

Warning shots from the air pirates' machine guns ricocheted through the cabin and the cargo hold, shattering the glass Khan held in his hand. Unfazed, the businessman calmly brushed the broken glass off of himself.

"Got a bottle of soda pop?" Baloo inquired.

"In the refrigerator under the bar."

Baloo opened the refrigerator door. It was fully stocked. "Hey, nice setup ya got here, Khan. I been beggin' Becky ta get me a fridge." He popped the cap off of an Orange Fizzie, took a swig, and placed his thumb over the opening. He headed for the cockpit while shaking the bottle vigorously. "Oh, Auto, you've been working too hard. It's time you cooled off." Removing his thumb from the bottle's lip, he sprayed soda all over the robot.

The Auto Aviator sparked and shorted out. With a loud BANG, its arms blew off. The remainder of the body collapsed in the seat - an useless hunk of metal.

"Barbarian!" Martin Torque growled, seizing Baloo's nose and ear in his frustrated fury.

"Quiet, Professor, let a real pilot handle this." Khan forcefully shoved Torque into the cargo hold.

Baloo saluted Khan and hopped into the co-pilot's seat.

Outside, a swarm of CT-37s surrounded Shere Khan's plane.

"Hmm...that ugly pilot machine looks like Baloo," Don Karnage mused over the radio.

Baloo dove the plane sharply and maneuvered sideways between two closely set mountains. Guns blazing, a few foolish air pirates tried to follow, but ended up crashing into the mountains. The ones that crashed had to bail out of their smashed-up planes.

Mad Dog, Karnage's right wing-man, whined over the radio, "Funny, he also flies like Baloo."

"Attack!" Karnage commanded the remaining pirates.

Two pirates tried to follow as Baloo rolled the plane and skimmed the side of a mountain. However, they smashed their planes into the mountain.

"No, no, no! Shoot the bear, not your own disgusting selves!" Airplane parts from the pirates' smashed planes rained down around him. Karnage was bonked in the head by a tailpipe. That was the last straw. It was painfully obvious that they had lost the dogfight. "My wonderfully brilliant mind tells me it may be time for a strategic withdrawal."

"Say what?" Mad Dog whined. He was the only pirate besides Karnage whose airplane was still intact.

"Run away!" Karnage answered.

While the pirates made their hasty retreat, Baloo leveled the plane out.

"That was more than adequate," Khan said.

"Thanks, Khanny, ya oughtta see me when I'm really adequate." Baloo grinned.

Khan raised an eyebrow at the pilot's inappropriate statement. "Yes, I can imagine. Excuse me a moment." He stalked back into the cargo hold to where Torque was cowering in a corner with his arms shielding his head. "You have disappointed me, Professor. Worse, you have deceived me. But I have a solution."

"You...you have?" Torque stuttered, peeking between his fingers.

"You give me all my money back, and I'll return all of your cretinous contraptions." He picked the professor up by the lapels of his suit and dangled him out of the cargo hold door, giving Torque a discomfiting view of the landscape far, far below. "Tell me, how does that sound?"

"Sounds fair! Sounds fair!" Martin Torque agreed quickly.

Louie's Place
The Next Afternoon

The usual group of pilots were crowded around Louie's bar, listening intently to Baloo's story about his previous day's encounter with the air pirates.

"Yeah, I showed them pirates a thing or two or three. There I was...six, no seven pirates zoomin' in. Machine guns blazin'! Bullets rippin' through the cockpit. It was up to me to save Khan. So, I take down that robot an' take over the controls. Visibility is less than zero. Can barely make out the mountains by the lightnin' flashes. I zig right. I zag left. I do a reverse Immelman/pretzel twist combo around the treacherous terrain. The pirates crash one by one into the mountains. Ha! Ha! Ol' Karny took off like a dog with his tail between his legs."

Louie sighed dramatically. "Does this mean that we'll hafta hear this story forty-seven more times, cuz? Don't know if I can handle it."

"Hey!"

The pilots laughed at the big bear's crestfallen expression. A couple of freelancers clapped Baloo on the back. Even Khan's pilots gave Baloo friendly smiles.

Over the radio, Dog Rather began discussing the Auto Aviator and the recent turn of events. Finally, the reporter said the words they were longing to hear: "Dateline Cape Suzette. Khan Industries has reported that it has junked all its robots. Pilots are to return back to work."

A collective cheer went up from the pilots.

Louie handed the big bear a photograph. "Baloo, would you do the honors?"

"Don't mind if I do." Baloo ripped the Auto Aviator's picture from the Wall of Fame and tacked his own picture up.

Beaming with pride, Kit hugged Baloo. His Papa Bear was the best pilot in the world again as it should be. "I just remembered. You never said where Professor Torque ended up."

Baloo shrugged. "Gone back to the drawin' board, I guess."

Thembria

A howling, sub-zero wind whipped a blizzard into Martin Torque's face as he stood, shivering, on a railway station platform, miles from anywhere. He had lost all feeling in his extremities hours ago. Behind him were the Auto Aviators, now dressed in pink frilly caps and aprons. They had been reprogrammed to perform household chores.

A woolly musk oxen, its grey fur encrusted with snow, pulled a hay wagon. It stopped before the station. Several warthogs slid off of the hay to the ground. With a loud snort, the ox took off for the next station.

With chattering teeth, Martin Torque began his sales pitch. He had to make this one count. The 'train' only passed by once every five hours. "Yes, ladies, it's the amazing new Mechano Maid. They'll sweep, clean..." an Auto Aviator bonked him on the head with a broom; "thaw your oven."

One woman stopped for a few seconds, then moved on quickly. It was too cold to stand there for very long, and she didn't have any money to spend on worthless robots anyway.

"Step right up. Please?" Martin Torque begged as the woman walked away. He was left alone on the cold station platform with his unfeeling robots for company.

The End