DISCLAIMER: Penguins of Madagascar and all original storyline characters are the property of Nickelodeon and the respective creative talents of the show. The creation of this fan fiction is for enjoyment purposes only and no money is being made. All characters of my own creation remain my property and may not be copied or used without permission.

Once More unto the Breech

Chapter 7

By

Wildgoose

(The silhouette of a nearby ringed planet looms over the horizon in the background as Yoshi trains with her new mentor Ch'p. A shaky green construct floats in midair as it shifts in size and form representing Yoshi's inability to focus clearly.)

Ch'p: You must first learn to clear your mind and focus only on the task at hand, once you have mastered that then you may learn to concentrate on multiple things at once.

Yoshi: I'm trying, this is harder than it looks. (She gasps as she allows her construct to disappear.)

Ch'p: (seemingly without effort emits a pulse from his ring which forms into a green mirror image of Yoshi that mimics her every move. A moment later he sends out another pulse that forms into multiple Yoshi's each doing their own thing.) Everything seems hard at first until you learn to master it, then it becomes second nature to you. (Yoshi's ring pulses twice in quick succession as Ch'p allows his constructs to fade away.) You're ring will alert you to any imminent threat.

Yoshi: (Looks at her ring) What? (She is suddenly hit with a green pulse of energy from behind that sends her into a rock face more than ten yards away.)

Ch'p: (Brief chuckle) This threats name is Kilowog, He'll be your combat training instructor. (Yoshi groans as she pulls herself out of the rock face and turns to face Ch'p and this other lantern having just recently shown up that resembles, in Yoshi's opinion, a giant alien pig like thing on steroids. Kilowog approaches Yoshi and looks her over.)

Kilowog: (Deep baritone voice, think Barry White) So this is our new lantern eh? (Looks her over again) The otter, I've never seen one before. (Snorts) You're pretty ugly.

Yoshi: (insulted) Really, ...do you OWN a mirror or have they all broken!?

Ch'p: I will leave you to Kilowog's charge now, learn well! (Ch'p flies off out of sight leaving Yoshi and Kilowog alone. Once out of sight Yoshi is about to speak when Kilowog sends out a blast from his ring that forms into anchors around Yoshi's feet securing her to the ground. After that he begins to throw a variety of constructs at her meant to test her defenses. Most of the objects Yoshi attempts to either dodge like an Irish boxer or block by constructing energy walls or shields, none of which manage to hold up very well against the attacker. After a period of minutes the anchors around her feet disappear and with another blast from Kilowog's ring a miniature green star forms nearby which seizes Yoshi in its gravity well and begins to suck her in. She constructs a lasso and tosses it about a nearby boulder to save herself from incineration and is suspended in midair with the energy rope held taut.)

Kilowog: You've got a long way to go pooser if you think you can survive longer than ten minutes with THOSE parlor tricks. Next lesson, flying through space can be pretty dangerous. (Allows Yoshi to hold on to her tether for dear life for a few moments) I'm going to guess you feel that, that's just the pull of the average star you would encounter out there, if you fly to close you'll be sucked in and burned to a crisp.

Yoshi: (Trying to make light of her proximity to the faux star) If I were a guy I'd be worried about my chestnuts roasting over an open fire right about now. (The star disappears and Yoshi drops to the ground.)

Kilowog: (Smirks) Gravity's a real pain, isn't it?

Yoshi: (Groans after hitting the ground) Yea, ..I think I got that part. (She picks herself up and prods herself for singed fur.) Also, fire and fur are a bad and pungent combination.

Kilowog: (Chuckles) Alright pooser, now it's your turn. Show me what you've got!

Yoshi: (Under her breath) What the heck is a pooser anyway!? (Groans as she dusts off her fur a bit) Shouldn't this part have comes after the one where you were throwing everything but the kitchen sink at me?

Kilowog: Life rarely happens in order, you need to be ready to adapt to every situation.

Yoshi: It SHOULD happen in order during training, how else can you expect me to learn…

Kilowog: I EXPECT you to show me all you've got. (Annoyed) Are you questioning your instructor?

Yoshi: (flusters) Um…no but..?

Kilowog: (growls) But nothing, hit me with your best shot pooser! I haven't got all day, I need to know what I have to work with. Your constructs will only be as strong as your will and thus far your will is about as fragile as an egg. Now HIT me, …and TRY not to let it tickle too much.

Yoshi: (Sighs) My best shot? (Deeper sigh) Alright but you should be careful what you ask for.

Kilowog: Less talk, more… (Kilowog is suddenly slugged with a giant green baseball bat with enough force to send him sailing over the next hill fifty yards away.)

Yoshi: (As she allows the bat to fade away) Wow, ..maybe I AM starting to get the hang of this sort of thing. (Silent pause) Huh, …I guess I should go find Ch'p and let him know that he needs a new instructor. (Yoshi turns and begins to walk away, after ten or more steps she is suddenly hit over the head by a giant green sledgehammer which drives her into the ground like a nail.)

Kilowog: (floating above Yoshi surrounded by a formfitting field of green energy) Next lesson, …never turn your back on your enemy because He's NOT going to fight fair. (Yoshi whimpers and groans in defeat and pain from within her hole, shortly after which she is extracted by a green energy construct that resembles a pair of needle nose plyers and the lessons continue. Almost a day later Ch'p returns to find Yoshi being put through a sort of gauntlet. Kilowog is throwing everything at her to test what she's learned and from Ch'p's position above the area looks like a combat zone. Yoshi has constructed some sort of mech-warrior armor about herself and is unleashing an onslaught of energy blasts and projectiles simultaneously at Kilowog who manages to successfully defend.)

(The scene is the inside of a now empty apartment in New York City, all of the belongings have since been loaded onto a rental truck and departed for New Jersey with the rest of the apartments former occupants with the exception of one plus a friend. They wander about the apartment as if looking for anything that might have been inadvertently left behind while chatting about memories past.)

Tony: So uh, are you going to be alright moving out of NY and everything?

Steve: I'm glad to leave actually, I hate the city. I always have, …there's too many people in such a small space. It's suffocating,… you know?

Tony: I'm not so sure, too many people in a small space seems to sum up almost the last decade of your life. I got to thinking that you actually enjoyed it.

Steve: (Scoffs) Enjoy it? (Pause) Yea I enjoyed living in a cramped apartment with a wife who might kill me at any moment, two kids sleeping in my bedroom with me so that there's never a chance for intimacy or privacy when the aforementioned wife ISN'T going off the deep end, and a menagerie of animal squatters in my living room taking up my couches and the floor one of which will someday grow to human size and want to interact with the world. Next to all of that my nightmares seem like bad comedy.

Tony: (Concern) I thought that you had a handle on those.

Steve: For the most part I do but they still pop up every once in a while.

Tony: …And you're still hanging on to that incident when you came back from that other place, huh?

Steve: (Heavy sigh) I can brush off a lot of things Tony but tell me honestly, if you're wife tried to bury YOU like that would you be able to forget about it?

Tony: (snickers) I'm not married though. (Pause) …But I guess I can see your point. So why did you stick around then? Don't get me wrong Kitsune is a great person but you had a get out of jail free card, you could have walked away from her, taken the kids with you and the law would have had your back. (Pause) No disrespect or malice intended but heck, …you could have shot her someplace other than the butt (gestures to his head) and still walked away citing the danger she posed to you and the family, …At least in the laws eyes. (Pause) Don't take that to heart though, I know she didn't pose a danger to the kids but you get my point.

Steve: I have concerns regarding what would happen to the kids in the event Kitsune met an end in one form or another, I'm worried that could be an alternate way to break the spell and since the kids are half penguin if something happens to Kitsune then what happens to THEM? (Pause) To answer your question though, she hasn't had any other outbursts of that magnitude since so I guess I just feel obligated in some way. Besides, given the nature of the explanation I gave her after getting back I can't really blame her for not believing me. Under normal circumstances it would sound like a preposterous farce to anybody.

Tony: Did you want to though? (Steve cocks an eyebrow) End it and walk away, during the moment.

Steve: (wipes his face with his palm and groans) REALLY Tony?

Tony: (Shrugs) If my girl had tried to behead ME,… I think I would have.

Steve: That's great to know Tony, I'll be sure to warn Ayami for you. (Pause) So why aren't you?

Tony: What?

Steve: Married, what's going on with Ayami? I mean you guys have been together for years now, don't even tell me that you don't get busy from time to time.

Tony: Nothing, we're great. (Shrugs) It's just that…well we're both workaholics, there never seems to be time for that sort of thing. I'm wrapped up at the theater and she's wrapped up in her world of financial advising, I mean the things she showed me on how to make my money work for me… (Steve clears his throat to signal that Tony is getting off the subject) Anyway, lately she seems to be reaching that point where she's feeling that she never allowed herself to have fun or go places that didn't have something to do with work. So she's preoccupied with that now, call it an early mid-life crisis if you will.

Steve: Early is right, she's not even forty yet.

Tony: Well I blame you for that, she's probably comparing her life to yours. Look at all the things YOU'VE been doing, you've been to a parallel universe for God's sake.

Steve: (Scowls/sighs) NOT by any choice of mine, and it was by no means a fun experience.

Tony: Hey, you freggin ran a country for seven days and did a GOOD job, there's not many who could top something like that. (Steve grumbles in response)

Steve: …And I had penguins for department heads, it sounds more like a very screwed up dream than an achievement to live up to . (Pause) So how is Ayami reacting to these new…emotions?

Tony: One thing she felt pretty strongly about was that she had never been able to fill out a bathing suit and she's never felt particularly attractive because of it. I mean out of the blue, one day she just up and tells me that she's tired of the way she looks and has wanted to do something about it for a long time. It was a mind blowing experience I'm telling you, she used my own hand to get her point across.

Steve: (cups his ears with his palms) Stop, I'm not sure if I want to hear the rest of this.

Tony: Hey, I'm not getting crude with this. I'm just saying… (Steve gestures with his hand for Tony to get on with it.) Historically speaking the Japanese are not known for being especially curvy and she claimed that if she were to lie down on the beach with no top she could be mistaken for being a boy.

Steve: (scratches his head in disbelief) I think she may be being just a little too hard on herself there's more to life than being able to fill out a bathing suit, she looks just fine to me. (Tony shrugs) So how did the two of you deal with it?

Tony: We did a lot of talking, she explored a few options which she involved me in for input, …and had some cosmetic surgery done a couple weeks ago. (Steve scowls in disbelief. A moment later Tony sighs) It's what she really wanted and she did it for herself not anybody else so I have to respect her decision.

Steve: She seemed to want your input a lot for these personal changes according to you, are you sure she did it just for herself? (Tony shrugs)

Tony: Meaning?

Steve: Don't get me wrong, I'm sure she did it for the reasons stated but maybe also there's a little more to it. If she wants to look better in an outfit then there must be somebody whom she wants to see her, maybe subconsciously she's trying to signal that she's ready for that next step. Trying to signal that she's willing to make time in her life for other things, ….like the two of you. She would have actually had to take time away from her career to get the procedure done. Is that like her?

Tony: (Pauses in thought) No, …not at all actually.

Steve: Watch and see if she further reduces her work load, she might be testing to see if you reciprocate signaling that you're ready for a new direction also.

Tony: (Looks at Steve oddly) So you're suddenly Dr. Ruth now or something?

Steve: (feeling awkward) Um…no. I'm just noticing the pieces to the puzzle lying around. I've learned a lot from having to read Kitsune's body language all the time. (Silent pause) So this would explain why I haven't seen Ayami lately. I'm surprised Kitsune never said anything.

Tony: She wanted to wait until the bandages were off before anybody saw her so Ayami probably asked Kitsune to keep it mum, I think she'll be by your place today though to help out. (Pause) Don't worry, she didn't do anything ridiculous, it's natural looking compared to her frame. (Pause as he scratches his head in thought) …But uh, I've heard that women in that sort of situation will often seek the approval of other people so…you know if she talks to you about it or you know, anything else…you don't need to be uptight about it. It's cool for now. (Pause) You know what I mean, right?

Steve: (unsure how to respond) Um…alrighty then. (Awkward pause follows)

Tony: So how are things with the animals?

Steve: (Groans) Miserable, I can't seem to find out ANYTHING. I've been kicked out of the zoo so often for poking around that I'm actually banned from the place. (Pause) I hope Ming is holding up okay, she gets really nervous when alone. (Pause) I don't understand why the penguins haven't attempted to make contact, I should have seen something from them by now. A text, an email, heck even a voicemail message full of penguin noises would be something. That would just be from Skipper and crew, Jr…I should have received a much quicker and more sophisticated form of contact. Bouncing a satellite transmission to hack into my TV set transmitting a video package sounds about right for him. (Scoffs) I wouldn't be surprised at all if he'd found a way to actually fax himself to me.

Tony: Early form of teleportation I guess, huh? I'd stick around to see something like that, let me know before he comes through so I can see it too.

Steve: I made that part up, you know that right?

Tony: (Slugs Steve's shoulder) I know that you freggin goombah, I'm just saying that I'd want to see it if he ever found a way to pull it off. All of the penguins other shenanigans have always been worth seeing. (Pause as he shakes his head) All of the aggravation that they've caused you over the years and you actually agonize over the possibility of letting them go back to being animals somewhere? Go figure.

Steve: I know, tell me about it. (Sigh with a long silent pause following) Maybe I'm suffering abuse withdrawal. There's a syndrome like that out there isn't there?

Tony: You would. Listen, mind if I ask you a question?

Steve: Aside from the other ones already asked? (Tony cocks an eyebrow suggesting "you know what I mean") Shoot…

Tony: What are we still doing here? The place was cleaned out hours ago, you should have left with the family for NJ.

Steve: I'm waiting for a package.

Tony: (smirks) Mail can be forwarded, you've heard of that right?

Steve: Not this kind, the sender won't have the new address until I send something back from the new location so I have to wait here to receive it.

Tony: Are we talking a special kind of FedEx delivery option here or something? What kind of address are we talking about?

Steve: It's seventy characters long and if you're off by one the package could end up God knows where or when. That's why a memory recall was installed on the device by the Kowalski's, it remembers the last ten addresses that the device has been to.

Tony: Device, …you're talking about that thing that sent you to that alternate universe?

Steve: Yea, it looks like a cell phone on a small collapsible tripod.

Tony: You get mail from that place?

Steve: A couple of times a year for a progress update, but more so lately as I've taken on a new project.

Tony: (confused) Progress, …on what? (A pulse of light comes from behind them and when they turn a computer tablet accompanied by a device fitting Steve's description are seen sitting on the kitchen counter.)

Steve: There it is. (He walks over, powers down the device and then stows it inside of a hard case lined on the inside with heavy foam insulation. He then picks up the tablet and begins to peruse the contents.)

Tony: So…? (Steve turns the tablet to show Tony a picture.) This is one of those otter people from the other place? It looks like a toddler to boot.

Steve: (Heavy sigh) His name is Lieutenant, …and he's three about to turn four. (Pause as Tony stares at him waiting for more information) The other Margot didn't know my actual name at the time, I'd only introduced myself as Lieutenant Rothermal so she thought that my name was Lieutenant.

Tony; (Jaw drops in disbelief) You lying mother ******, I thought you said you guys did an abortion or something!

Steve: (calmly) I NEVER lied, everything I said was true, I just didn't disclose everything to everybody. It's an awkward subject and I've had some difficulties dealing with it so I'd prefer as few people knew about it as possible. I've let people come to their own conclusion that the procedure occurred, not everybody has been convinced though. She had planned to end the pregnancy in the beginning but as time went on she began to have second thoughts citing the innocence of the child itself amongst other things and decided to leave the choice to me due to the fact that I was the one initially wronged when I was stunned and studied. (Pause) Deciding whether a kid should live or die is not a capacity that I have, …or want. So Margot decided to try to make the most of things in hopes that something beautiful could come from a series of unfortunate events. (Pause) It seems like she's doing quite well with that so far.

Tony: (Disbelief) To give birth to a hybrid kid though, what if had been something like out of those alien movies had happened where her abdomen explodes and some creature comes crawling out?

Steve: (Stares for a moment) Inconceivable!? (Pause as Tony picks up on the play on words and injects some movie humor)

Tony: (Faux Spanish accent) "You keep using that word, …I do not think it means what you think it means."(1) (Steve stares at Tony in confusion for a moment then smirks) Like I said, it seems to have worked out because Margot seems quite happy with her family and tries to keep me in the loop as much as possible. Whether I like it or not I'm part of the kid and vice versa so it's not like I can just turn my back and wash my hands of it.

Tony: (looks thoughtful) Hybrid or not he's still your son eh? (Pause) I guess I can respect that, how does Kitsune take it though? (Steve make a so-so gesture with his hand) She feels like she has to walk on egg shells or something because if she flips out again then you have another family to run to?

Steve: Um…ew, no! The other Margot's a nice person but I don't bend that way. Kitsune just isn't thrilled about me having a son out there somewhere from somebody else. (Pause) Under normal circumstances I wouldn't blame her at all so to minimize the stress on my family I keep all of this stuff to myself, Kitsune has never seen any of the material that I'm sent.

Tony: Well you've made clear how SHE feels, but what about you?

Steve: Like I told you, I'm working on it. That's about the best way for me to sum it up right now.

Tony: (Jabs at Steve's shoulder a few times with his finger) You still love her, that's why you're still with her and that's why you care so much about how this effects your family. THAT'S the best way you could sum it up. (Steve holds out his hands in a "cuff me" gesture to indicate that he's been caught.) Okay then, keep on working on it. (Looks down at the picture again and purses his lips in thought) He's missing a tail.

Steve: Yea weird huh, I was told that any of my traits were supposed to be recessive but I guess some showed through anyway.

Tony: (Smirks) The kids got your eyes, man.

Steve: (Annoyed) Are you done yet?

Tony: I'm just saying, if you look close enough I can see you in him. (Steve rolls his eyes)

Steve: Let's get out of here, you said you'd help me unload my stuff when we got to NJ.

Tony: (smirks) I don't remember that.

Steve: You will once I've beaten your senses back into you. (Tony chuckles as they leave the apartment and head down the hall.)

Tony: (As they exit the elevator on the ground floor and head for the building exit) So did Kitsune ever find out who the nark was?

Steve: She said that she did but that was the last I'd heard of it, I don't think that she did anything about it.

Tony: Huh, I hope she's not losing her edge or anything. You could almost hear the Jaws theme whenever she was out to get somebody. (Steve chuckles as they exit through the lobby doors out onto the sidewalk where they are greeted by the sight of emergency workers and vehicles gathered nearby with attention focused on a public mail receptacle.) What the freak is this? (Steve shrugs as the two move closer to investigate. They encounter someone else from Steve's floor of the building)

Steve: Hey Walter, what's going on here?

Walter: (sips a cup of coffee like the event is nothing unusual) Sophia Edelson is stuck inside the mailbox, they're trying to get her out. (Cries and pleas for help can be heard from the mail receptacle)

Steve: You've got to be kidding! Wasn't that woman seriously obese or something?

Walter: (Laughs) I think she weighs more three hundred pounds.

Steve: How the heck can somebody like that fit in there? I don't think a normal sized person could fit in there. (Pauses in thought) How would you even GET in?

Walter: You're guess is as good as mine but I think they're waiting for the world records people to show up before they try to cut her out.

Tony: Un-freaking believable, the people in this city I'm telling you!

Walter: Yea, I hear you. (Takes another sip of his coffee) You should watch the news later, I bet something about this will be on it.

Tony: I don't doubt it. (Gestures to Steve that they should get going) You have fun watching pal. (Walter gestures with his coffee cup in response and goes back to being a spectator as Steve and Tony walk down the street to Steve's vehicle.) So do you think that lady was the nark?

Steve: You mean to tell me that the whole thing back there didn't have Kitsune written all over it? (Tony smirks) Let's get out of here before that lady has a chance to tell her story to anybody. (Tony laughs)

Tony: So what's this new project you said that you've taken on?

Steve: You probably wouldn't believe me. (Tony snaps an odd look at Steve considering everything that they've been through)

(The scene inside the NJ home as Kitsune and family are unpacking boxes and working to put things into their new places. Keiko has already started roaming the house between putting things away for her mother and has called dibs on the room she wants to be hers. Tatsu toddles about with Wight and Ceasar as Margot and Heidi keep watchful eye. After a few moments a creak is heard from the hinges on the front door prompting Kitsune to turn and notice Ayami's arrival. The two bow to each other and without a word spoken Ayami begins to help Kitsune unpack.)

Ayami: (After a long period of silent work)(conversation is in Japanese) SO…how are you adjusting?

Kitsune: (Uses a text to speech device strapped to her arm) I'm doing well, this is a much larger home so it should make for more comfortable living.

Ayami: …And with you and Steve?

Kitsune: The same, we've put the past behind us mostly but it still seems like he keeps an eye on where I am a lot. (Pause) In case I try to sneak up on him. (Pause) You know what I mean, …and then then there's these packages that go back and forth from time to time. He's secretive about it.

Ayami: Back and forth?

Kitsune: To…the other place. (Ayami thinks for a moment and gestures that she understands) I'm certain I know what the packages are, he used to only send them twice a year so they would have to be Christmas and birthday items but now…

Ayami: They have Christmas over there? (Kitsune shrugs) What other items are there?

Kitsune: Some sort of computer tablet, when it shows up Steve looks at it briefly and then hides it away somewhere. I think he's looking at pictures.

Ayami: Of..what?

Kitsune: (Sighs) I'm hoping of just the boy.

Ayami: (scoffs) The boy!? You don't know his name? (Kitsune shakes her head)

Kitsune: Steve's never told it to me, he never says anything about him just looks at the tablet and puts it away. It used to come twice a year but now, …it's more like once a month. (Pause) I worry that he may be straying from us. (Looks down) I know I've given him reason too.

Ayami: (Pauses as she attempts to absorb the statement and tries desperately not to laugh) I don't think anybody over there is his type. (Pause) I haven't seen anything recent because I've been a little occupied lately but…

Kitsune: (quickly looks Ayami over) I know, you've recovered well I see, it's a significant difference.

Ayami: (smirks) I'll assume that to be a compliment. As I was saying…No matter how secretive a man is he's got to talk to somebody, its human nature and that somebody has always been me since he's met you. (Kitsune scowls) What, I'm the next best thing to talking to you when he feels he can't.

Kitsune: (hoarse grumble/whisper, forgoes the device for a spoken word) Why? (Ayami appears impressed at the attempt)

Ayami: I think you know the answer to that. (Sighs) You're correct, the pictures are mostly of the boy but sometimes the other members of his family are included. His name is Lieutenant, I'm not sure why though. (Pause) As far as hybrid kids go he's cute I guess, looks just like them except for some small nuances. As far as tablets going back and forth more often, he's working on some sort of project for them. Something to do with archeology, that's all he's told me.

Kitsune: (Scowls slightly returning to the text to speech) Steve knows nothing about archeology.

Ayami: No, but he frequently uses the net to research what he doesn't know. (Taps her head) It can make him seem a lot more knowledgeable than he really is.

Kitsune: (Pause) You like that about him don't you?

Ayami: It helps him to be creative why…? (Looks at Kitsune for moment) Oh lord, …are you suddenly suspicious of me?

Kitsune: (looks away ashamed) No… (Ayami shakes her head in disbelief and then clutches Kitsune's shoulders to give them a little jostle along with a grumbling sigh)

Ayami: You are a VERY green penguin. If he was going to go to anybody else he would have done it years ago right after he divorced your icy behind. (Kitsune looks down and away) That didn't happen though so I think you're safe. Just let it go, your relationship is healing and healing takes time. When he's ready to talk to you about the kid then he will. I just think that he's afraid his interaction with that other universe will put undue strain on your relationship.

Kitsune: Suggestions?

Ayami: I'll let you know if I come up with anything, in the meantime just let it be. (Kitsune pauses in thought and the two continue unpacking)

(The scene is after hours at Sea world in Florida, the room is dark within the park security office when grate from a vent in the ceiling suddenly jars loose and falls to the floor with a loud clang. A moment later four penguins somersault down and assume ready positions as is expecting hostile contact at any moment)

Skipper: Nice moves on the grate Rico, maybe you should make some more noise just in case the humans didn't hear you the first time!

Rico: (annoyed/grunts) Hey what do you want from me, I don't have any tools to work with just my feet!

Kowalski: Unfortunately I have to back Rico up on this one, Skipper. Without our equipment we're just not as stealthy and prepared for anything as we used to be. (Gestures to Rico) Look at him, without his explosives and gut loaded up for the next mission he's only half the penguin he used to be. Not even half really, more like a miniscule fraction of a fraction of a…you know what? Let's just say he's nothing, that's all that's left of him.

Rico: (grunts/offended) HEY!

Skipper: Unacceptable, even the smallest wussy fraction of any of us should be able to handle the direst situation with the utmost effort and skill even without equipment! Command may be trying to put us out to pasture but that does NOT mean that we will go quietly.

Private: …But weren't you just upset because we WEREN'T being quiet?

Skipper: It's not the same kind of quiet, Private.

Private: There's more than one?

Skipper: Of course, one involves stealth, precision, and cunning, the other involves kicking and screaming like a little nerdy school girl being bullied on the playground.

Kowalski: Then there's the part of your body that you're not supposed to show people in public. (Silent pause as Private looks back and forth between the other penguins)

Skipper: Way to confuse the boy Kowalski. (Slaps Kowalski) Now start looking around, there's got to be something here that can help us call home or find our way out of here. (The penguins fan out exploring the various computer consoles. Private points out the monitors for the park security cameras and after a few moments of learning how to manipulate the cameras discovers something within the park.)

Private: Hey Skipper, come look at this! (Skipper as well as the others approach to observe.)

Skipper: Where is in the park?

Kowalski: (works to pull up the camera's location) It appears to be behind one of the concession stands, Skipper.

Skipper: These humans will put surveillance anywhere won't they? (Pause) I like it, Kowalski take some notes. I would have never thought to look for an enemy incursion behind a taco stand. (Pause) Kowalski zoom in, what is that?

Kowalski: (zooms the camera) It appears to be two humans, probably park workers. Body characteristics seem to indicate one of each gender, by the looks of things they seem to be locked in lip to lip combat.

Skipper: Close quarters combat, now that's how you get things done around here. Keep the camera on them, I want to see who wins.

Kowalski: Will do Skipper!

Skipper: Rico, Private, we'll forget about trying to call out from this place it could be too risky. Attempting communication from here might alert the humans to our presence outside of the habitat, for now try to find out where this place is and how we can get out of here. (The two salute Skipper and trod off across the computer consoles to carry out their assignments) Kowalski, any progress with our human combatants?

Kowalski: Well the female seems to be losing, they're involved in some sort of undergarment martial arts at the moment. (Skipper approaches to take a look)

Skipper: Give these humans credit, Kowalski. It takes a strong soldier to take it to the next level and get dirty like that.

Kowalski: Indeed Skipper, my hat would go off to them if I had one. (Rico is heard calling over from the far side of the room and the others move to his location)

Skipper: What have you got Rico? (Rico waves a number of brochures that include what look like bus schedules)

Rico: (Grunts) I think I may have found us a way out of here!

Skipper: Outstanding, Kowalski what can you make of these?

Kowalski: They seem to be bus schedules, Skipper. Possibly leading to other parks in the area assuming that they're connected somehow. The buses come in and out of the parking area throughout the day. All we'll need to do to get out of here is jump on the right one and let it take us as far as it's going before we have to dismount and find another one.

Skipper: Try to find us one that will take us as close as possible to the blues base of operations, if we can make it there we should be able to make a secure call home without too much difficulty.

Kowalski: I'm on it Skipper! (Kowalski tosses all of the brochures on the floor and begins to sort through them.)

Skipper: Private, you and Rico go keep an eye on that monitor over there and let me know how that fight with the humans plays out. We'll need to know when they're through in case they come this way.

Private: Aye, Skipper. (He and Rico head over to the surveillance monitor. After a few moments of watch Rico and Private turn to look at each other) You know, I don't think those two are fighting at all.

Rico: (Shakes his head) (Grunts) Nope.

Skipper: (Calls over) Report Private, who's winning?

Private: It's difficult to say really, this is sort of like watching the nature channel in reverse. (Pause) Didn't Skipper and Marlene used to do this sort of thing when they were human?

Rico: (grunts) I dunno. (Continues to watch)

(The scene cuts to the next morning as the penguins have made their way out into the parking lot shortly before the park opens for the day. Buses have already started coming in from neighboring hotels or resorts to drop patrons off so that they may wait for the park to open. From bushes that line the curb of the bus loading zone the penguins peer out watching the buses.)

Skipper: Kowalski, which one of these things do we need to take anyway?

Kowalski: Well these buses are all coming from resorts, they aren't the variety that take you across country. I don't think any of these will take us anywhere near the blues base.

Skipper: Well how close can you get us?

Kowalski: There's a bus facility named after a breed of dog near the resort immediately to our south, about fifty four miles away or so.

Private: That's a bit of a hike isn't it?

Skipper: Suck it up men, we've been across the world before. This should be a walk in the park.

Private: I should think that a walk in the park should be a whole lot easier than this, don't you?

Skipper: Rico, slap some optimism into the young Private would you please? (Rico shrugs and slap Private) How about now Private?

Private: (rubs his check) Much better sir, sorry about that.

Skipper: Think nothing of it Private you were overdue anyway, I was beginning to miss doing that.

Kowalski: (points to a bus now unloading passengers, as it does so the LED sign changes to the bus's next destination.) I think this bus may our best option Skipper, it doesn't seem to be going any resort that I've heard of.

Skipper: It will have to do I guess. (As soon as the bus has finished unloading Skipper gestures the go ahead and the group belly slides their way over to the bus without being noticed and stow themselves away in the baggage compartments on the side of the bus. Moments later the bus pulls away making the destination signage visible to the POV reading "Kennedy Space Center".

Chapter 8 coming soon….

Reference to the "Princess Bride"