Chapter Five: Discussion

"Phew! That was a tough battle!" sighed Hige, slinking down into an armchair.

"Attention, all hands on deck! Please report to the conference room," commanded a voice over the intercom.

"Come on!" ordered Tomo, you all have to meet my dad, commander of this ship."

"I'm too tired! I don't wanna," whined Hige, further slouching down into the chair.

"Hige, we have to meet him. It's mandatory," said Kiba, who hadn't spoke in awhile. Hige grumbled.

"Up you go, fat boy!" chuckled Tomo, pulling Hige out of the chair. Hige grumbled again.

"Do you mind if I sleep during the meeting?"

The conference room was circular in layout, and had several chairs situated around an ovular metal table. A man, about in his fifties, was sitting in a large, leather coated chair. He rested his chin on his hands, Gendo-Ikari style.

"So, I meet you all at last. Kiba of the white pelt, Tsume of the cross scar, Blue the half wolf, Toboe the compassionate, and Hige the chubby. I am pleased to know that wolves still exist. Have a seat, will you all?"

"But what about us?" questioned Cher.

"I was getting to you. You are Cher, and you are Hubb, am I not right? I am pleased to meet you two as well. I am Captain Popagan, the commander of this ship. As long as you stay on this ship, you are my property. You will receive living quarters and basic supplies.In return it is mandatory that you do as I say."

"What? We're not yours to keep!" blurted out Kiba.

"Please, please, I have not finished explaining. I know you all are in search of Paradise."

He knows about Paradise? Toboe's eyes widened at the thought.

"I too, am in search of Paradise. I have several possibilities of to where the gates to Paradise may be. However, we cannot open the gates unless we have one of the flower maidens. And I need your cooperation in order to do so."

"Well if that's what we have to do in order to enter Paradise, then that is what we shall do," agreed Kiba, "Everyone! Do you agree!"

Hubb, Cher, and the wolves nodded their heads.

"Alright then," spoke Captain Popagan, "Conference finished. Head back to your living quarters.

"There's nothing good on TV these days," moaned Tsume, flipping the channels of the TV with a remote.

"Hey, turn it back!" growled Hige, "I wanna watch the Wheel of Torture!"

"I think I'll be watching Very-Desperate Housewives," announced Cher, snatching the remote out of Tsume's hand.

"Oh no, not this!" whined Toboe, watching two people kiss on TV, "There's too much mush!"

"You don't have to watch it if you don't want to," Kiba informed. Toboe hid under the seat cushions so he wouldn't have to watch the people on tv make out.

Meanwhile, Hubb looked around the fridge for something decent to eat or drink. "AHA! BEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!" he cheered, pulling out a twelve-pack of Budweiser. He ripped a bottle out from its package, popped off the the cap, and drank heartily.

"Hey, throw me one, will ya?" asked Tsume.

"Me too!" added Hige.

"I'll take one"

Soon enough, all the males on board (except for the Captain, Tomo, and Toboe) were thoroughly drunk.

"Dur's a budalow hanin from Cherd's nosd!" guffawed Kiba, lost in drunkeness.

"Panduhs hab pink spods on brown!"

"Guuhh huuuuuh,

"Halloooo, my Tobooooe, my seeeexy woman," sputtered Tsume, even more drunk than Kiba. It was evident he had the sickness known as "beer goggles."

"I'm not a woman," mumbled Toboe, inching away from the drunken slob.

"Ugh, my head hurts," grumbled Tsume, crawling off his bed, the couch, awaking from a six hour nap.

"Mine does too," groaned Hubb, "Anyone have an aspirin?"

"Good morning," welocomed Hige, "You guys were up till five in the morning, drunk. I don't know if you remember, but Hubb almost took a bite of the remote."

"Damn it! I got drunk!" snarled Hubb, "Now my liver's going to die, and on top of that, I have a miserable hangover!"

"Attention, all crew members! Man your battlestations!"

"Dur kiddies hab a cold!" babbled Kiba, who was still drunk. He stumbled across the room, and then fell flat on his face.

"We better leave him here…he might shoot the ship if we take him along," Blue pointed out.

"Good thinking."

Meanwhile, on Darcia's ship...

"Your Highness! We have approached the ship with the wolves aboard. Shall we begin battle?" a hooded man asked Darcia. Darcia stared down at the minion from his high and mighty throne.

"Yes…however, I want you to deploy Her…"

"Cheza?"

"No. Remember the Marduk Project? Release her…she may be the one vanquish the wolves…"

"Yes sir!" replied the hooded minion, bowing deeply, then skittering away.

"His Highness is so creepy….why does have to wear such freakish outfits?" mumbled the hooded minion , as he pushed in the code for a door to open. And his eyes….they're like the devil'! The door slid open, and mist spewed out of the room. The minion stepped in.

The room was small, about no larger than your average bedroom. On all sides were complex machinery, whizzing, and buzzing at random intervals. At the end were two large tubes, which stood vertically. Inside each tube was a nude, young girl. However, the girls looked exactly alike, for one was the clone of the other.

I forgot…which one is Cheza…which one is the Marduk Project…I think it's the right one who's Cheza, so that means I have to let the left one free. The minion pushed a miniscule green button next to the left tube. The fluids within the tube drained, and the clone's eyes opened. Then, minion stepped back. Next, the glass tube opened, setting the Cheza-clone free.

"Come, I have a mission for you," the minion ordered. The clone obeyed, and walked towards the minion. "But first….I'm going to have to get some clothes on you…" He gave the clone his hooded robe, and she put it on without reluctance.

"My loved one…your are closer within my grasp," muttered Darcia, staring at a computer display, which showed Darcia's faithful minion leading the Marduk Project down the hall. The cruel man smiled. "The wolves will not be alive much longer…"

To be continued…