Mutations and Aliens Part 3
Shego let the small sigh of relief escape her lips as the vast black void of space finally cleared of the debris dust that had gone on for miles. She'd not let herself grasp the possible carnage they'd escaped until the last of the dust finally faded. She began to wonder if parts of their destruction would find its way back to Earth's gravitational pull. The mental image of small to large craters littering the lands of Earth didn't help the anxiety that she had already been fighting. She narrowed her eyes and focused ahead and on the beeping noise that signified they had gotten closer to their target.
We saved on time... Is it enough—
She cut her own thoughts off and tightened her grip on the steering column, knowing full well she didn't have to hold it as the autopilot was engaged. She just needed something to focus on. Like the sparkles of stars, the distant shapes of planets and galaxies...desperately trying to find something other than her thoughts...or Stoppable's rambling. She'd been able to ignore most of it, but every so often a word slipped in and she was pulled out of focus and back into the fact they were flying an untested spacecraft on a blind rescue mission to an alien ship that was captained by a being that had only been defeated by a trick.
"Shego."
Shego snapped.
"I am trying to concentrate... One more word and I'm testing the hatch," she huffed.
It was silent for a longer period of time than it had been.
"Wouldn't you get sucked into space too?" asked Stoppable. Shego glared at him but it was pointless as the teen was staring out the side portion of the windshield. "Are you thinking about what's happening back home?"
"No," said Shego truthfully. "Word of advice...try focusing on what's happening right now."
"There is nothing going on right now to focus on," grumbled Stoppable under his breath. "So what do we do when we get there?"
Shego clenched her jaw as Stoppable talked. She had no idea what they were doing once they got to the coordinates the signal kept beeping at them. Who knew how many ships there were...or if it was just Warmonga. Would they be even able to get close enough to get on the ship? If there were more ships...which one then? She couldn't just call Drakken to find a location and she couldn't hone in on a tracking device. What if the ship was empty? What if they weren't on the ship at all? What if—
"Shego can I ask you something—"
"Nuh-uh," she held her hand up; she was not letting this continue. "School bus rules apply here. Don't talk to the driver."
She should have said that the moment they'd gotten into orbit but she'd been mentally elsewhere.
"When you went from hero to villain." asked Stoppable, "that must have been like, an epic change—"
"'Kay, why are you still talking?" She couldn't have been clearer.
"I mean you're on a new path..."
Shego wanted to ignore him but the question wasn't one she had expected. She answered as he continued on but she wasn't really concentrating on her words. There was a series of images flashing in her head of her graduation, packing her bags, depleting her funds at cheap motels, her first bank heist— She focused on the stars ahead of her. There was something blocking out light growing closer and the signal had stopped beeping.
"Well I do," she heard Stoppable whine his response.
"Yeah, I've noticed."
Shego's eyes darted back and forth as the light scarcely illuminated the structure they were approaching. Her heart sank at the sight of the enormous red spacecraft in front of them. Their ship was like a fly on a car windshield in comparison. There was a very real fear running through her that the ship was filled with many versions of Warmonga, and dealing with one had been plenty.
"Okay, uh," swallowed Shego, "I take it back. That is scary."
She slowed to a near stop as they approached, her eyes still darting along the windows for something un-seeable.
"All right. We need to figure a way in." Her mind was back to mission mode, though she could hear the nerves in her own voice. Stoppable's had none and it bothered her.
"Uh, easy." She glanced at how casual he looked. "Look for the garbage hatch."
Shego could have done without the smugness of the teen next to her as her statement in reply to his had been cut off...by him being correct. It did little to actually dull the swirl of nerves and excitement swirling through her as she flew into the garbage hatch, Stoppable further annoying her with his clingy antics. Though they had no idea what they actually had to face or what might transpire...they had made it to the ship.
She looked at the readings as their ship came to rest among the remaining trash in the room they had entered. Before she could check the atmosphere levels around them, Stoppable had already opened the door and was halfway out.
"We are on an alien spacecraft," snapped Shego. Stoppable looked at her in confusion.
"Well...that Warmonga lady had no problem breathing on Earth...so I assumed..." Stoppable slowly closed the door.
Shego narrowed her eyes but the green light on the dashboard overruled any logical argument she might have had. Instead she pushed past him and jumped down on the unmoving metal floor. She unclipped her helmet and tossed it back in the ship after exiting. Immediate regret followed as the smell of the trash made her cough. She almost flared her plasma as her helmet was unceremoniously shoved on her head. She glared at a panicked-looking Stoppable in confusion before she rolled her eyes.
"It stinks in here." She took her helmet back off. "I appreciate the concern, but I don't need any help."
"Yeah, well...what if I do," rambled Stoppable. "Because if you died from some sort of poison environment I'm not exactly sure I could fly the ship back on my own."
Shego snorted and looked at the door in front of them. She took a deep breath regardless of smell before activating the jet-pack on her back. There was no telling how much time they had or where to start. She heard Stoppable do the same and she let her focus take over again. She needed to find Drakken and get out of here. Past that point, she didn't have a plan. She kicked the opening control pad near a large door. She had a brief moment of fear at what she might find behind it, but she shook it off.
I need to find Drakken.
Drakken's patience with dodging lasers and wrong turns was gone. Nearly falling through some garbage chute hadn't helped matters since it only made Possible more bossy. Not to mention his arm being sore from his ramming a door to avoid some sort of robotic guard. Possible doing the same before finding the pin-pad had only briefly made him feel a little better. Neither had any idea where they were but they'd gone down two floors on the massive ship, circling until they found a corner to turn and another door hiding a stairwell.
"Wait. Drakken." Possible's arm halted him and he rolled his eyes.
"What now?" he grumbled and hit the wall in case she spotted something. "Do you always stop and recap so much? Every turn it's a—"
"Shh," Possible glared. Drakken mocked her in silence as she hesitantly creeped around a corner, "What is that?"
Drakken leaned around her shoulder to see what looked like large metal squares rearranging themselves by a doorway. He blinked and looked past them to see what looked like vehicles. He felt his whole body tense with excitement. They'd found their escape. He was so focused that he walked around Possible who was grabbing at his arm to stop him, but he didn't really care. The blocks froze and Drakken did the same.
"I...seem to have made a mistake," he muttered under his breath. The squares closed the entrance and began glowing. "Ahh!"
Possible practically tackled him towards the opposite hall.
"Do you always act without thinking?" snapped Possible. She ran ahead of him and he tried to find a snappy comeback. "We'll have to go around and find a different entrance point. At least we know where it is."
Drakken gave up looking for a comeback or point for argument. She was right, despite how irritating it was. If anything they would have to double back, but at least they knew something. He stopped himself from letting excitement take over; they still needed to commandeer a ship and figure out how to drive it and set coordinates. He furrowed his brow as he thought about Shego. She could fly anything. His mind became unfocused as he ran, thinking about travel time, how fast a ship went, was Earth taken over? He wanted to be mad at Shego as his mind fell on her frozen features as he'd been pulled away.
What was she going to do, fight a beam?
He wondered what might have transpired after he was taken. Had the things attacked the lair? Was she okay? Had she taken the hover car and fled? Had—
"KP!" came a familiar yell.
Drakken looked up to see the side-kick flying towards them from beyond a door. A wash of utter confusion came over him at seeing the teen in space...on a spacecraft...with a jetpack. So many questions ran through Drakken's head but they stopped completely as Shego came into view. A spinning wave of euphoria that she had come to get him and at seeing her again overwhelmed him.
"Shego!" He felt the grin match his relief and excitement, his arms outstretched to reach her quicker.
He saw her doing the same as her feet seemed to reach for the ground. He could feel his heart in his throat as he focused on her smiling lips and felt the urge to pull her into a kiss. As they were mere inches apart the thought smacked him in the gut. Possible and Stoppable were next to them...they were on an alien ship... The overwhelming desire he had to kiss Shego rather than simply hug her...made him retract his hands and take a step back. He ignored her arms and cleared his throat as he tried to gain control over his emotions before he acted on them.
He turned away quickly.
"About time you got here." He mentally cursed at the harsh tone he had put behind the words, glancing back to see her reaction.
She was raking her hair and looking away from him.
"Yeah-yeah, y'know, I-I-I've got a lot on my plate now," Drakken swore she stuttered, "so you know, just..."
Drakken watched her shifting. Was she embarrassed? He glanced at where Stoppable and Possible were talking about the Lorwardian invasion on Earth, and then back to Shego. His choice to stop himself was confirmed by Shego's shifting. She was embarrassed by nearly hugging him in front of them. He wouldn't have been the only one mortified if he'd let his emotions get the better of him.
He gave her more distance, angry at himself for his near lapse in judgement. Unfortunately his mind was overthinking what he'd almost done amid a swirl of what they needed to do to get out of there. His mind pulled in different directions as the teens chatted and Shego stood idly in thoughts of her own he was sure.
Wouldn't have been the worst thing...could have just blamed it on the moment—
He felt an itch around his neck and the flash of yellow did nothing to aid in his inner turmoil. Save for focusing on agitation.
"S-Still?" came Shego's voice behind him as the petals rested around his head.
"Yes. Still," stated Drakken.
Their awkward moment was interrupted as the sounds of alarms rang out ahead.
"I think they found the Kepler." Shego looked towards Stoppable who looked defeated.
Drakken was about to ask what that was, but Stoppable responded.
"That's our ride back to Earth," he whined. Shego rolled her eyes and began moving down the halls.
"Yeah, not anymore. Looks like we're going to have to bring this whole bucket down. Come on!"
Drakken was torn between relief at Shego's hasty thoughts and being bitter that yet again...someone else was in charge.
He whined out loud but mentally his mind had begun spinning as what Stoppable had said clicked in. The Earth was being overrun by giant robots of destruction. He pouted further.
Sure...apparently it works for aliens...
Shego wasn't sure where she was going, but she could feel the others behind her. She needed to focus on finding a way in to where those smaller ships were being blocked by the angry blocks they'd ran past. She kept glancing behind her to make sure Drakken hadn't wandered off or something... It would be very him to get lost after she flew with Stoppable on a space mission to get him and Possible. The alarms only got louder as they came across a smaller doorway. Blasts shot towards them.
"Looks like we're turning!" yelled Shego as she ran through the doorway and covered her ears.
The lights were brighter, the sounds were louder...but the advanced equipment made it very likely this room was important...if only to turn off the alarm. Her eyes looked at the cables, wires, colors...this was the power of the ship. It had to be. She scanned the walls and then to where it looked like everything centered around. The large mass near them seemed to be the focus. Her Team Go training seeped in yet again. Memories and flashes of old villain lairs, different experimental ships they'd had over the years...the very thing that powered most of Go Tower from beneath the island. This was the source.
"Congratulations! You found the loudest room in the ship!" huffed Possible.
Shego narrowed her eyes but gestured with her elbows around them.
"Try the central power core." She tilted her head up to where the largest things were. "Do some damage here. You'll get results."
Shego's eyes darted to areas that her plasma blasts might do just as she indicated. She could hear Drakken and Stoppable talking slightly, the noise drowning out their voices too much at their distance. Until there was no noise at all. Shego looked to see Stoppable standing by a large 'off' switch, the mole rat gleefully patting it with its paws. If they weren't still in danger...she would take a moment to reflect on the fact that twice...twice in the span of an hour, Stoppable had solved a problem.
"I'm starting to wonder about that kid," muttered Shego. She looked at Drakken who was scratching his head in confusion as he looked at it.
"Who puts an 'off' switch on their ship," scoffed Drakken.
"I mean...you always have off switches on your stuff...or a plug to pull... That one time—" Stoppable's rant was cut off as the ship lurched forward. "What's happening?"
"We turned off the engines," said Possible. "We should probably get out of here before Warmonga and Warhok find us."
"Who?" asked Shego. "Wait, does Warmonga have friends?"
Her slight fears that there were more than one flared back.
"Well considering they planned on Drakken and I being the centerpieces for their dining room...pretty sure they're more than friends," said Possible as she sprinted towards the door.
"Centerpieces?" asked Stoppable. Shego saw Drakken cringe and nod.
"Nhn. Let's just get out of here." Drakken looked around nervously and Shego wondered what had happened before she and Stoppable had arrived.
She shook it off and sprinted after Possible. They needed another plan... The sound of vibrations headed towards them was not a good sign. While she'd thought of taking the ship down, an escape craft might have been nicer. Unfortunately the ship was careening towards Earth, which was now in view outside the window. She didn't have time to think about when they had gotten so close to home, or if the planet had been conquered in their time in space and the aliens had decided to collect their new prize. This all halted as Warmonga came into view and an even bigger figure next to her. Shego's eyes shot open in shock.
How tall do their people get!?
Shego glanced out the window. They would need to keep the aliens distracted long enough for the ship to get in the atmospheric range of the planet.
"You! And—" Warmonga's companion spoke. Shego cut in.
"And you must be Mr. Warmonga," smiled Shego. She ignored the confused look from Possible.
The man stood back in confusion and Shego saw the perturbed look on Warmonga's face. Neither alien seemed to be in a hurry to attack or stop the ship. Shego waited for Warmonga to say something snippy, though she had the urge to rub the alien's previous defeat in her face at the drop of a single word.
"She is the blue impostor's battle-mate," spoke Warmonga. The man's features shifted as if this was a prior topic.
Shego's eyes narrowed as she felt her heart pick up pace, her mind flashing back to Drakken's horrified expression at her outstretched arms. She scoffed... She was really hating this whole alien adventure.
"Whoa! Time out," Shego looked out the window and at Possible who said nothing. "Yeah the two teens are uh..."
Shego waved her hand in Possible's direction.
"Are a thing," she took a deep breath, "but there is nothing going on with me and Dr. D."
"Nothing?" Shego looked at the smug smirk on Possible's lips.
Fury and embarrassment boiled inside her. Luckily, the anger won at this.
We are in front of our enemies—
"Nothing!" She lunged at Possible. There was no telling where the teen might take this conversation.
Something in Possible's expression made it clear she wasn't simply trying to distract the aliens like she had been. Shego saw movement and looked to see Warmonga...a similar smug look on her face as on Possible's.
"Then why were you so threatened by my arrival?" Shego fought the eye twitch as she took a step back.
"I dunno," Shego sighed and then snapped, "maybe because you're nine feet tall!"
She saw Possible smirk out of the corner of her eyes.
When this is all over I am going to—
"Denial," spoke the man calmly as Warmonga nodded. Shego's fists clenched. "It is more than just a river on the planet which we now own—"
Shego's rage was cut off as Drakken came flying directly into the two aliens. Shego jumped back in shock as she and Possible watched while Drakken and Stoppable flew around with reckless abandon. She would be lying if she wasn't relieved that the conversation had ended. Even if she hadn't been able to plasma blast the veritable Amazonian and her companion into space...yet.
Everything had transpired so quickly that Drakken was certain the only thing keeping him from collapsing in exhaustion was the adrenaline...and the fear coursing through him as he jumped from Shego's grip. He'd managed to focus on his plan versus flailing from the long and awkward flight to their old lair. He could have done without the freezing wind as they'd neared it. He was aware Shego was talking, but whether it was to him or to herself he didn't know.
Drakken was calculating mileage and square footage for dispersal of his chemicals. How little or how much based on... He looked at the giant tree-like structures that filled the icy lair.
"I don't need that much," he muttered under his breath.
It meant he had made it far too potent. He had overstepped yet another small thing out of fear of failure. He knew he'd been worried it wouldn't be potent enough even with his math being checked over and over again. So he'd amped it up with more of another chemical to make it stronger. He kept glancing at the floral structure around him.
Less is more in this case—
"Drakken?" Shego interrupted his calculations as he hefted up the pack of chemicals.
"Yes?" he asked in haste, examining the nozzle where the pink weasel had previously twisted it.
"Do you really think it will work?"
Drakken paused for a second at her question, his mind pulling away from all the numbers and scenarios in his head. He started looking at all the negative outcomes more closely. He didn't know if he could actually control those plants not attached to him, and he didn't have time to really test the theory with the ones in the lair. One wrong spray could just result in decoration and not destruction.
He didn't have time to respond or think of a valid answer. The sound of alien machines approaching brought reality back as the roof vanished with a metal beam of a leg crashing through.
"Looks like the answer is going to have to wait, we gotta hurry," snapped Shego. Drakken glared as she'd been the one to interrupt him.
He yelped as he nearly dropped the pack as another leg slammed through. He would save that argument till later.
Drakken jumped off the hover car and onto the hard ground. He blinked in slight shock as the flowers shoved themselves aside for him. This was short lived as the aches rang through him as the adrenaline began to dwindle. He looked over at Shego, who stood in shock looking at where Possible and Stoppable finished their embrace. He still wasn't sure of what 'monkey style' meant, but he was suddenly becoming too tired to care. He put his hand on Shego's shoulder as he walked behind her, somewhat to remind him the nightmare was over as well as to stabilize his footing. Her hand automatically reached for his. He was going to remove it, but instead she just rested her hand on his tightly. He figured she must have realized he needed some stability.
"So...that's done," sighed Shego. "Now what?"
She had turned to look at him as if he had an answer to give her. Before he could shrug or say a word, Possible's voice interrupted.
"Drakken, Shego!" The two teens had begun to walk over.
Drakken raised a brow at Shego, wondering if she was in agreement they should leave. Shego was staring over her shoulder where her hand rested on his. He assumed she was looking at the flowers still weaving around structures behind them.
"Great idea Drakken," smiled Possible. She was using Stoppable to stabilize her own footing. "Way to save the world."
"Uh, yeah." It was an odd feeling—one of accomplishment, and one of disappointment. "Seemed like a better alternative to execution and destruction."
"Even if it was self-preservation, it was still pretty cool," said Ron, looking at one of the plants. It swatted at him. "Hey!"
"Just don't...what's happening?" asked Drakken. Lights began returning around them.
"Looks like the power grids are becoming active again," said Shego. Drakken raised a brow as noises began.
"And with it..." muttered Possible as helicopter sounds could be heard, "looks like visitors."
"The media's about to swarm," whispered Shego. "Those are news and police helicopters. Probably Global Justice too... Drakken?"
Drakken nodded and the two hopped on the hover car quickly.
"Wait," Possible held up her hands as she stood in front of them. Her expression was soft. "Hospitals are going to be booked up. You two should have my mother take a look at your injuries."
Drakken appreciated the gesture, but the idea of being around the Possibles after such a very weird and exhausting ordeal...caused him more mental strain than the physical pain he was in. He hit the flight button as Shego spoke for them.
"We've had worse," she smirked. He felt her eyes on him as they got airborne.
"See you around Kim Possible." He was about to hit the acceleration when Shego nudged him and nodded her head at Stoppable. "What?" he asked.
"Just...say it," she muttered under her breath. Drakken raised a brow for a second before rolling his eyes.
"Fine," he muttered before continuing, "and Ron Stoppable."
"Okay, now drive," said Shego quickly. They could hear the excited yell from the teen below. "Drive before he finds a way to fly with his monkey power thing. Go!"
"You made me say it," he hissed back as he did as she requested.
"Yeah, well...throw the kid a bone." She gave a tired shrug before her eyes fixated on him. "Should we have taken the offer?"
Drakken shook his head despite the pain he felt creeping through him. He shot a look at Shego, wondering if she was hurt more than she appeared.
"Do you—"
"No," she shook her head. "Nothing some pain killers and a hot shower won't fix."
"Good..."
There was a silent moment as they flew, the events still not fully developed in his head as he focused on a nice bed, a hot shower, and sleeping for days...until he remembered that they were hours from their lair... He looked at Shego.
"How's the lair?" he asked. He watched Shego's eyes go wide before she gave him a lazy smirk.
"What are the odds we can get a hotel room after global alien destruction?" she asked. Drakken shrugged.
"Guess we'll find out," replied Drakken.
As the sun began to rise, Drakken altered the craft's course toward what remained of the city. A small detour to a gas station for provisions would be the first stop before scouring for shelter... As he watched the power on the hover car falter, he hoped it was sooner rather than later.
*screams* FINALLY! Onwards to the aftermath!
