"If you can hack into the City security systems, we should be able to get in. Do you know whether the defense systems have some sort of stun capability? If they do, maybe we can turn it against them!" Kim said.
"As far as I know, the defense systems are pretty much all used to kill intruders," Charri said.
"I'll see if I can find out," Victor said. "That's a promising idea, if we can implement it. Now, you said 'we should be able to get in'. Who, exactly, does 'we' entail?"
"Well, me, for one," Kim started. She paused to think. "Charri too, if she wants."
"I do," Charri assured Kim.
"You'll probably have to stay behind, Victor, since you'll be using your computer to mess up the City computers. And... well..." Kim trailed off. "I don't know who else we would bring. Mikka's kind of young... we'll probably need to find a few more recruits."
"Where?" Charri asked. "It's not like we can go around asking people."
"Well, we'd need people who would be willing to fight the Emperor, hopefully with some sort of skill," Kim said. "Do you know any other psis?"
"I told you before, all the really powerful psis get shipped off to the Imperial City," Charri said.
"Okay, how about the weaker ones?" Kim asked.
"I think I know someone who'll be willing to help," Victor said.
---
460 years ago
Shego was getting older.
"Heh," she said to herself. "I can't believe I'm over 60!" She shook her head.
The kids were out of the house and raising families of their own, and her husband had died about five years ago in a car accident.
"May as well get it done now..." she murmured to herself.
Her comet powers had kept her somewhat more youthful then most people, but the years were beginning to catch up with her. It was time to put her plan into action.
She picked up the phone and dialed Drakken's phone number.
"Hello," came the mad scientist's voice from the other end.
"Hey Dr. D. It's Shego." She paused. "I think it's time."
"Are you sure?" Dr. Drakken asked. "It's not something I can reverse, you know."
"I'm sure. The kids are out of the nest, the hubby's gone, and I've got nothing to do but sit at home and knit. And I hate knitting. So, may as well do it now."
"All right. I'll have everything prepared by tomorrow. You know where to find me."
Click.
Shego hung up the phone and went to grab her coat. She was going to get a good look outside before tomorrow's appointment.
---
Present day
Victor knocked on an apartment door. An African-American boy who looked about 16 opened it.
"Hello, Victor," he said. "Come on in."
Victor, Kim and Charri all filed in.
"Hi Jonathan," Victor said. "This is Charri," he said, motioning, "and this is Kim."
"Hi," Jonathan said. "So, any particular reason you've chosen to visit?" Jonathan asked.
"Kim here's planning a revolution against the Empire, but we're short on members. You interested?"
"Yes," Jonathan said simply. "I haven't seen Laina in ten years. I want to bring her back home."
"Why haven't you seen her for so long? Did the Empire take her?" Kim asked.
Jonathan nodded. "Yeah. Laina is my twin sister, and we're both psis. She's telekinetic, and I mean really telekinetic. She could probably throw a car. I'm mildly telepathic and empathic; I can pick up a thought here and there, and if I work at it, I'm pretty decent at finding out emotions. What I'm best at is telling whether another person is telling the truth. I can feel a lie in their words."
Jonathan sighed. "The Imperials came for us when we were six. They took us to a testing facility. She tested powerful enough to be drafted into Imperial service. I didn't. I haven't seen her since."
"How did they find out about you being psis?" Kim asked him.
"Someone must have reported us, probably a neighbor or something. Laina was really proud of her gift, and she wasn't careful about hiding it."
"Oh."
"So I've got a good reason to hate the Empire."
"Jonathan can help us find out who can be trusted," said Victor.
"Yeah," agreed Kim. "So... how many other people do you know who might be interested in joining a revolution?"
"I know a few people here in Shegoton..." Jonathan started.
"Wait a second... Shegoton?" Kim broke in.
"Yeees..." Jonathan said. "It's what this town is called. Named in honor of the Emperor's ancestor... are you new here or something?"
"Jonathan?" Victor said. "I think we should probably fill you in on where Kim came from..."
Victor explained, with Charri and Kim filling in details.
"Well, I know you're not lying," Jonathan said when they were finished, "But that has to be the weirdest story I've ever heard. Anyways, I do know a few people who might be able to help us."
---
Beven stood just outside the dueling ring for the Shegoton Special Forces Facility. He certainly didn't want to miss this practice duel. One of the contestants was Beven's younger sister, Gwen. She'd just joined the Forces recently, and this would be her first one-on-one duel.
Gwen looked much like her brother-- jet black hair, a slim frame, and a bluish tint to her skin. She looked very nervous, pacing back and forth, her long braid swaying behind her.
Kary, the other duelist, looked confident. She was likely expecting an easy win against a new recruit. She wore her long brown hair loose, and it flowed down her back. Her skin had a reddish tint to it.
"All right." Gordon, one of the commanders of the Forces, who was officiating the duel, ordered, "To your places."
The two duelists took their marks on opposite sides of the duelling ring, which had a diameter of five yards and a force field surrounding it to prevent any spectators from being hurt inadvertently.
"Now... fight!"
Gwen immediately put her glow power into play: a pair of wings, composed solely of glow energy, flickered into existence on her back. She took off, flying above Kary.
Kary formed a red ball of energy, about the size of a basketball, and threw it towards Gwen. Gwen dove to the side, and Kary guided the glow ball to pursue Gwen.
Come on, Gwen... Beven thought.
Gwen dove at Kary, who tried to get out of the way, but wasn't fast enough to dodge the other girl. Gwen kicked at Kary, catching her in the shoulder, causing her to stumble and breaking her concentration enough to halt the energy ball's pursuit. Gwen rose again into the air.
No! Finish her now, while she's off balance!
Kary, who had righted herself, once more took control over the energy ball and decided to try a different tactic. The ball split into many smaller balls, each the size of a golf ball. Gesturing with her hands (not really necessary, but it aided focus), Kary ordered the missiles towards Gwen.
Gwen, suddenly faced by a barrage of red glow balls, maneuvered frantically, but to no avail. The little 'golf balls' continued to pelt her with increasing ferocity, and soon her maneuvers became frantic. She tried to dive at Kary again, but, being distracted, missed, and only just managed to catch herself with her wings before splatting down onto the ground.
Even so, she landed with great force, and was momentarily dazed. Kary used this opportunity to send everything she had flying at Gwen, the force pushing Gwen across the ring and into the force field.
A shrill whistle sounded. "Duel to Kary!" Gordon stated, and he turned off the force field. Kary smirked, then sauntered off.
Gwen, groaning with pain and disappointment at her own failure, pushed herself up. Beven was almost instantly at her side. "Are you okay, sis?"
"Nothing's broken," she replied. "I shouldn't have accepted the challenge..."
"Kary's known for doing that," her brother said comfortingly. "She likes to single out new recruits, find some reason to take them to the ring, and then wallop them. It makes her feel bigger. She's no more than a bully."
"Why couldn't I have been born with a useful power?" she asked. "Like Mom's, or even yours!"
Beven sighed. He'd actually always been jealous of Gwen's ability to fly, and everyone wanted his mother's power-- she had the gift of the Great Shego, to create and shoot bursts of green energy. "Your power isn't useless," Beven said. "You just have to figure out how to utilize it in battle."
"For example," a voice came from behind them, "perhaps your wings could be used as a weapon. You could use them as an extra pair of limbs in martial arts."
Beven and Gwen turned to look at the newcomer. She wore a black hooded cloak which concealed her face and form. A single gloved hand, held in front of her, was illuminated by green glow power.
There was only one person Beven knew that had that power... "Mother?" he asked.
"In a... matter of speaking," the person replied, drawing back the hood with her other hand.
Beven gasped, and froze in shock. Gwen, equally dumbfounded, dropped to her knees.
"Shego?" she said, her voice trembling.