Disclaimer: Knight Rider belongs to Glen A. Larson as best as i can tell. Character Maxie Reynolds is mine.
Knight's Dragon 2
Ghost of a Chance
Chapter 2: A New Beginning.
Maxi Reynolds saw the black car crash into the tree and saw the explosion. She recognized the car from her work with the foundation years before. Pulling the silver 4x4 to a stop next to the car, she ran around to the car, wincing as she looked under its hood. She had thought the car had been deactivated ages ago, so she was quite stunned to see it.
Peering in closer she could just barely make out the twisted casing of the CPU. Pulling it out gently, she turned it over. The black casing was ripped open and charred. Circuits showed through, though they seemed to be mostly in one piece. Running back to her truck with the small box, she sped off not noticing the dark blue car cresting a hill behind her.
Michael and Karr pulled up next to the Trans-Ams remains and a few seconds later the black semi pulled in behind them. Karr had been running scans over Kitts body, unable to detect any signs of life.
"Michael from my scans most of the interior of the car is in small pieces. I can't scan anything large enough to be the CPU unit." Karr had moved even closer to the car, watching as Michael pulled the warped hood down gently.
"The scientists said the car would be gutted." Bonnie slid under the hood before Michael could close it, then pulled away again."There is nothing here to even try to salvage Michael."
"Your saying he's dead?" Michael closed the hood as best as possible after Bonnie moved back.
"I'm afraid so, theres nothing i can do to bring him back this time." Bonnie began to cry softly, causing Michael to pull her against him, hugging her tightly.
Michael helped her and the team of technicians that arrived to move the remains of the car into the semi. Sliding in behind Karrs steering wheel he watched as the semi pulled away, heading slowly back towards the foundation.
"Have you scanned the area Karr?"
"Repeatedly Michael, but theres to many tire track to be able to pick out one specifically."
"Whats that your looking at?" The picture that was on Karrs monitor was one of Kitts hood.
"I was noticing that the dragon emblem was gone from the cars hood, I do not understand that. I thought it was permanent" From Karrs voice, if he could be frowning right then he would have.
"The emblem appeared after you guys got your car bodies back, when Kitt died, the dragons spirit also died. It was a part of him as it is a part of you." Michael sighed and pulled away from the area slowly, but he didn't head back to the foundation yet.
They drove for miles in silence before Karr broke it again. "What will you do now?"
The question startle Michael. "I think that we will find the ones responsible then find you a driver. then ill probably resign from FLAG."
"Why? You could remain my driver." Karrs voice had dropped back into its cold tone.
"Maybe, we will see. Though i would not expect you to want me as a driver."
"I think i would prefer you to most others that would be tried"
Michael smiled sadly. "Thanks Karr."
They pulled to a stop on top of a hill, watching the sky change as the sun set. After the sky had darkened completely, they headed back to the garage slowly.
Barely a hundred miles away, Maxie worked tiredly on the CPU. She had created a new one, but needed to fix the old one enough to transfer all the files to the new CPU. She wasn't even sure it would work, but something told her she had to try.
Three days later she smiled and sat back as the new CPU came online slowly. She had hooked up several percepters so that the AI inside could hear and speak. If it had worked. Several lights flashed, marking the end of the start up.
"I am the Knight Industries Two Thousand" The voice was slightly tinny and sounded very much like a computer, instead of an AI. "You may call me Kitt if you prefer"
Maxie frowned. "Kitt? I thought your name was Karr, Knight Automated Roving Robot."
Kitt was silent for a minute accessing data. "Karr is my brother, I was activated after him. I think"
"You think?"
"Some of my memory circuits seem to be missing. But most are intact. Where am I?"
"Your in my garage. Can you remember what happened?"
"Yes. I was hit by some kind of missile, from a white limo." As Kitt talked more and more his voice slowly fell back into its Boston accent.
"Well we will keep you out of sight for now, ill work on getting you a new car as well. Any preferences?"
"I would like to stick with my Trans-Am body"
"Well ill have to see about getting a new one, the old one was totaled."
"Very well. Is there any chance i could speak with someone from Flag?" Now Kitts voice was slightly apprehensive.
"I have been trying to get ahold of them ever since i brought you here. Devon isn't accepting any calls, and they wont let me on the grounds." Maxie pushed her Brown hair back, and sighed. "But i will keep at them"
"Thank you"
Maxie left the garage and went in search of the new cars body. When she returned six hours later she pushed the garage doors open and grinned. "Look what i found!"
She disappeared then, pulled in with a gray T-Top Pontiac. The car was primer gray. but the body looked like it was in prime condition. After going and fixing something to eat, she was back in the garage, working hard on the new car. One week later she smiled as she sat back, watching the scanner hum to life and begin tracking slowly.
"So how do you like it?"
"It doesn't have all of the capabilities my old car did but its really nice." Kitts voice modulator lit up softly as he spoke."
"Well you have the basic capabilities, like Turbo Boosting and the Ski options, as well as a few other basic systems. I don't have the resources to completely restore you. But i did add a few extras, as you wont have the MBS you'll need other defenses. There is a cover that will slide down over your scanner to hide it. And also another cover inside to cover the dash."
Maxie paused watching as Kitt activated the new defences, making the car look like a totally normal Trans-am."However those alone wont save you. The ones that destroyed your other body are still out there, and they are still destroying black cars like you. So you need to figure out a new color"
"But i like black." As Kitt spoke the dragon emblem flared to life on his hood. Black scale-like armor spread from the emblem and coated the cars body. Once the armor had completely covered the car, the scales smoothed out, leaving the car a glossy black.
Maxie stared at the car, her mouth hanging open slightly. "I looks good on you Kitt, but you take a risk of being destroyed again. See if you can change that color"
"Very well" Kitt sighed and concentrated on the armor, and a few seconds later it lightened to a spectacular silver hue.
"Thats great, I wonder how tough it is" Maxie brought a heavy hammer down hard on the hood, and had to duck as it bounced right back at her head. "It didn't leave a mark" She whistled softly as she run her hand over the cars hood.
"From what i can scan, it appears to be tougher then the MBS."
"How did you get it Kitt?"She was still stunned at the whole thing.
"Its a long story, lets just say it would appear to be a side effect of being a dragon"
"I don't think i want to know" Maxie laughed and slid behind the wheel of the silver car. "How about a drive?"
"I would enjoy that, I also want to see if i can talk with Devon or Michael."
"Just what i had in mind."
The silver Trans-Am left the garage and slid on to the highway, soon accelerating well over a hundred miles per hour.
the raving loony,I admit it was evil... but i needed to follow up on the dragon emblem, as it wasn't just for looks. And i had to figure out a way to introduce Maxie, so i hope it works out ok this way.