Well guys, here's another installment for your possible enjoyment. Thanks very much for all the feedback I've received, all very much appreciated. Interesting to see a review from Unconventional who first reviewed the story right back near the beginning which was aeons ago. Surprised they managed to remember about the story given how long it used to take me to update!
Anyway, I left it on a cliffhanger last time if I remember rightly. I just hope this installment doesn't disappoint although you guys will be the judge of that.
Anyway, onwards with the tale...
Fry groaned lazily. Even though it felt as though he'd been asleep forever he still wanted five more minutes. Still, the sooner he got up the sooner he could return to his slumber. He decided he might as well get up.
With his eyes still closed he slowly pulled the duvet away from his face.
Then something twigged, Fry didn't have a duvet normally. In fact, something didn't feel right at all, a strange feeling of detachment was obscuring his thoughts as though something important had happened only for him to forget. He opened his eyes and was greeted by the sight of a light blue ceiling. He stared at the ceiling for a few moments, oblivious to the fact that this place was obviously not one of his usual sleeping places, instead he tried to recount the events that occurred before he went to sleep.
Despite initially struggling eventually one by one the events found their way back into his mind: being captured on Nomian, seeing the Mayor, being taken for excecution before eventually being shot into the sun. The cramped interior of the pod, the steady rise in temperature from warm to unbearable and then...nothing. After recounting all that pain he almost wished he hadn't bothered, after all, not only was it hardly pleasant but it just posed another question; how did he get here?
Fry, being Fry, jumped to a conclusion pretty quickly...
Fry: My God...I'm...I'm...dead!
He sat up in what seemed to be a bed that was actually fit to sleep in which was new for him. He carried on talking to noone in particular
Fry: Wait...if I'm dead where am I now? Heaven?
He looked around expecting to see his ideal image of heaven; green fields, waterfalls and lush rainforests...accompanied by a variety of fast food restaurants, a slurm factory and a river of beer. But instead of seeing this 'heavenly' landscape he discovered that his surroundings consisted of just a dull room furnished only by his bed with a solitary window displaying the blackness of space.
Fry (slightly let down): Man...even heaven sucks.
He decided to get up and look out the window in the vain hope that his version of paradise was just outside the window. However, as he walked he felt unusually tender and sore. He looked down and to his horror he saw that not only was he just dressed in his underpants but his body was also covered with a fair amount of burn marks.
Fry (scared): Jeez, what kind of heaven is this? I'm almost as burnt as that soup Bender made for Xmas dinner!
Suddenly a famiar voice was heard from behind.
Bender: Hey! I slaved for hours over a hot stove to make that soup! Of course when I say "slaved" I mean I just stood there reading porno whilst your food burnt.
Fry turned around to see his friend standing in the doorway. He ran over to him instantly.
Fry (talking quickly): Bender! Jeez I thought I'd never see you again! What with us being shot into the sun and all, anyway heaven's a bit of a let down isn't it? What are you doing in heaven anyway? Do robots even go to heaven? I know there's robot hell and all but...
Fry stopped when he noticed Bender just staring at him as if he was mad. After a few seconds of silence Bender turned round and shouted down the hallway.
Bender (shouting): Hey Sal! Get some more morphine down here!
Sal (shouting from a distance): Whatevers...
Fry (confused): Sal? What's he doing in heaven? He's not dead.
Bender: Heaven? What the hell you talking about Fry?
Fry: But...we died didn't we? We got shot into the sun.
Bender: Oh that thing...nah, unfortunately not.
Fry: But how? We...we were done for!
Bender: Beats me although chances are I probably saved the day again. What with me being great and all...
Fry: Well...where are we then?
Bender: What do you think I am? An encyclo-bot? All I know is that whoever runs this joint has fine taste.
Bender opened his chest cabinet to show a variety of booze stacked up inside.
Fry: Wait, what happened to you anyway?
Bender: Not much, came back online in some room with all these people standing over me. Said they were fixing me up or something. Then I went out the room and saw them putting you in this craphole. I would have come earlier but I noticed that someone had forgot to close the supply room door.
Fry: But didn't you ask anyone where we are?
Bender: No, but any place with unguarded booze can't be bad. Anyway, are you going to put something on? Your appearance is even more offensive than usual.
Fry turned around the room to find that his clothes were nowhere to be seen.
Fry: Zilcho...can't find em.
Just then Sal turned up with a morphine injection. Instead of wearing his normal get up he was wearing a white uniform of sorts complete with an ID badge.
Sal: Which of yous ordered a morphine?
Fry: Sal? What are you doing here?
Sal: That's 'Doctor' Sal to yous pal, read the badge. I'm on the medical team of this particular establishments.
Fry: "Doctor"? Don't you need to learn medical stuff to do that?
Bender: Apparently not.
Fry: Well, he can't be a real doctor then can he?
Sal (sighs): Reads the badge...
Bender: Ah quit your nitpicking porkbag, you think Zoidy became a doctor by passing exams?
Fry: Point taken I guess. Anyway, Sal...?
Sal (insistant): DOCTOR Sal...
Fry: Ok, jeez, "doctor" Sal? Where is this place?
Sal: That's on a needs to know only basis, how do I know that you needs to know?
Fry (thrown): Erm...because you like me?
Sal: Wrong answer pal, don'ts flatter yourself.
Just then a beeping noise was heard which was coming from (doctor) Sal's pocket. He reached in and picked out a pager. After he read the message he turned back to Fry and Bender.
Sal: Ok, looks like you twos needs to know. Comes with me, (addressing Fry) we'll gets your clothes on the way as yous look hideous.
As the trio set off Sal addressed his charges.
Sal: By the ways, which one of yous wants the morphine?
Bender (taking it): I'll take that my good doctor, probably need it later when my pal here has another soberity induced breakdown...
They continued walking down the hallway.
After a few minutes of walking it became apparent that they were on another space station of sorts, only this time one where people didn't want them dead. Whilst passing by a window Fry (now fully clothed) noticed a star burning brightly off in the distance. Presumably this was the star that they came ever so close to being a part of, that very thought made Fry feel uneasy.
Eventually they stopped at a closed door. Sal went up to the keypad by the door and typed in a code...only for it not to work. He tried two more before eventually just punching the keypad with his fist. The door opened much to the pairs bemusement. Sal turned towards them and gestured behind him.
Sal: In there's...
Sal then walked off in the direction from where they had come from. Fry tried to compose himself before stepping into the unknown. Well, he would have done if Bender hadn't shoved him through the door. After he'd done stumbling Fry managed to regain his bearings and peered round the room. It seemed to be rather empty, a couple of windows, the odd door and a big table in the middle of the room. His attention was then drawn to the large chair at the head of the table, moreso the small individual sitting in it...
Fry (disbelieving): Nibbler?
Nibbler: We meet again oh mighty one, please, take a seat.
Fry and Bender quickly took seats at the table adjacent to Nibbler.
Fry: You...? You rescued us?
Nibbler: Effectively my friends.
Fry: But how?
Nibbler: In the extremely likely event of yourself and Bender being captured we thought that the first place you would be taken would be to the Mayor's head of operations in space. Therefore we managed to get two of our men on the inside transferred to this station in time for your probable arrival.
Fry: You mean like undercover guys?
Nibbler: Correct. Anyway when the pair of you were caught and sentenced to excecution our agents managed to take control of proceedings and change the course of your pod so it bypassed the sun and came here.
Fry: Well, thanks I guess...wait a minute, if you were in control of the pod then how come we still went near the sun? My skin's all burnt and tender!
Nibbler then began drooling at the thought of eating some nice tenderised meat. He hadn't eaten human since he was a child and Fry wasn't exactly short of meat...
Nibbler (drooling): ...yes, so I can see...and sense...and smell...
He was cut short when he realised that Fry was staring at him quite uncomfortably. Plus eating Fry would have a detrimental effect on their mission...probably.
Nibbler (snapping out of it): Er...yes, anyway, your initial wounds were much worse. Thankfully our medical team put you right and your scars will fade over time.
Fry: Oh you mean "doctor" Sal? If you're that desperate it's a surprise you didn't give Zoidberg a job.
Bender: Nah, that wouldn't be desperate, more insane.
Nibbler: Times are hard mighty one, you should know that more than anyone.
Bender: Although he's had less "hard times" since Leela went missing...heheh...I've still got it...
The "L" word had been mentioned, this immediately brought her straight back into focus in Fry's mind. He'd been trying to focus on her less as when he knew she was counting on him it put the pressure right on his shoulders. That pressure never went away of course and always resided in Fry's mind in some substantial capacity but when it was the focal point it made it harder for him to think of a solution and logical thought was a struggle in itself for Fry. Despite his attempts however, he couldn't help focussing on her for the vast majority of the time. He didn't understand all the happenings and going of this mission. The only thing he did understand was that she was in danger and Fry still couldn't do anything about it. Fry sighed and slumped in his chair.
Nibbler: Going back to your earlier query we had no choice but to fire you close to the sun to make it seem as real as possible. Don't forget that the mayor will have been watching.
Fry: So the mayor thinks that we're dead huh?
Nibbler: Precisely, the plan went off without a hitch.
Bender (realising something): Wait a second...YOU were the jerk who sent us into that death trap on that crapheap of a planet in the first place!
Fry: Hey yeah! You told me that was where Leela and the others were! And when we got there these guys beat us up!
Nibbler: Please...I can explain!
Bender: Evidently not, Fry probably hasn't understood any of what you've been saying these last few minutes...
Fry: Damn right!
Nibbler: We...we were double crossed.
Fry: Wha...?
Bender: Told you. Now try and explain it so my simpleton pal can understand.
Nibbler: Look...the mayor must have somehow discovered our plans, moved the prisoners and set a fiendish trap.And since the rebellion is a tight knit and secretive organisation, we must have a mole somewhere...
Fry: Oh those little jerks! They used to dig up the field in the local park back in the 20th century! Stupid hills always got in the way although once I used one to erm..."accidently" fall onto Sara from next door whilst she was sunbathing...
Everyone just looked at Fry blankly.
Nibbler: Moving on...the traitor has still not been identified so we must remain ever vigilant. They could even be on this very station.
Fry: So what do we do now then? If it helps the mayor mentioned something to do with an energy productor or something to me.
Nibbler (curious): What about it?
Fry (shrugs): Dunno...just asked me where it was.
Nibbler: Did you tell him?
Fry: Well no, I don't know what one is!
Nibbler (thoughtful): I see...well, we won't know anything more until Calculon reports back from trying to tap into the mayor's communications.
Fry: Calculon can do that?
Bender: Yeah, mainly to do with those stupid pointy ears he's got.
Nibbler: Anyway, we'll have to wait until then before we plan our next move. Until then however...
Just then a door behind them opened and a familiar face popped his head through.
Elzar: Hey chief, dinner's served.
Nibbler: Acknowledged, come and dine my friends. You've had a rough few days.
Fry: Actually yeah, now you mention it I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!
Elzar: Good because that's what I cooked.
About ten minutes later the meal was over, Fry and Bender were sat at a large table along with Nibbler and a few other human members of the rebellion, the latter being entralled in Bender's blatant exagerration of various incidents he and Fry had experienced in the last few days.
Bender: ...I'm telling you guys, the cops were everywhere. On the streets, in the houses, flying after us in the sky...and of course Fry was all like "We're finished Bender! Save me Bender!".
Rebel 1 (enthralled): They were flying after you in the sky?
Bender: You better believe it. Needless to say I had to fight my way out with my bare hands, since Fry was too busy literally begging for mercy I had to deal with all fifty of them. For a nano second or two I thought that even I would struggle a bit, of course these doubts were soon quashed...take it from me, if you're in a fight against anything, make sure you're a robot and by that I mean a bending robot like me, Bender.
Rebel 2 (also enthralled): And you grabbed the flying ones straight out of the sky right?
Bender (suddenly less enthusiastic): ...what? Oh...yeah, probably...
And with that he took another beer out of his chest and downed it in one. Fry on the other hand was too lost in his own thoughts to correct Bender on the numerous inaccuracies of his story, unsurprisingly these thoughts focussed on Leela. Things seemed worse than ever now, even Nibbler didn't know where they were now. He took another swig of his beer in an attempt to get some form of relief, it didn't provide any. He was so engrossed in his mind he didn't notice Nibbler being summoned into another room.
A few minutes later Nibbler returned looking stony faced. He reassumed his position at the head of the table and spoke.
Nibbler: My fellow reactionaries...I have grave news, after receiving a transmission from Calculon back in New New York. It seems that our fears have been confirmed.
Fry: What's the beef?
Nibbler (dramatically): The mayor's satanic plan has been uncovered, he wants to destroy the Earth!
Everyone gasped in shock...aside from Bender who just continued to sit there with his arms folded.
Bender: Oh come on! Surely I wasn't the only one who saw that comin'?
Fry: But...but why? Isn't he from Earth?
Nibbler: We can only dare to imagine what goes on inside his twisted mind but there is no doubt about his intentions. Fry, do you remember the 'energy processor' of which the mayor spoke?
Fry: Dunno...probably, why?
Nibbler: It seems that they have managed to get their hands on an invention of the Professors, some type of giant laser capable of destroying entire planet !
Fry (surprised): The Professor had one of those?
Bender: Sure he did meatbag, you know that one he started making a day or two after that opera of yours?
Fry: But I thought he just made that as a model to scare away Jehovah's Witnesses?
Bender: Well yeah, he did at first...but considering that the old wrinklemeister is a total crackpot he changed his mind a put a big laser in it instead.
Nibbler: The energy processor is the one part that the mayor doesn't have in his possession and without it the laser is useless.
Fry: Well where is the processor then?
Nibbler: It would seem that the Professor hid it somewhere to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. Our information tells us that is why your friends are being held captive, so they can interrogate the Professor until he gives in.
Fry: Has he told them?
Nibbler: Fortunately no...though our sources indicate that he's simply forgot where it is.
Bender: Figures.
Nibbler: Our sources do also indicate that he did let slip that he'd written down it's location in a safe place...only trouble is that he's forgotten where this note is too. The mayor sent his men to ransack Planet Express only to not find anything. However we have reason to believe that the note is still at the Planet Express building as his men weren't aware of all the more hidden locations inside.
Fry: So wait, those dreams I had...they were true?
Nibbler: They are what will come to pass if the mayor is not stopped. That is why you were taken to jail as he must have somehow found out about them and he needed to silence you. And know he knows you're working for us...he wants you dead even more.
Bender: Speaking of "working" for you when are we going to get onto the matter of payment?
Nibbler ignored this and continued.
Nibbler: This is why we need you too to go back to Planet Express and find the note yourselves.
Bender: Oh man! You send us on more suicide tours than the Professor did!
Fry: But...why us? I want to find Leela, not do some stupid treasure hunt!
Nibbler: I'm afraid we don't know of her whereabouts or any of your friends. Therefore, you too must go and find the note, you two have worked in that building for four years, you must know it better than the mayor's men.
Bender: You'd think so but our job was more confined to the TV area...sorry, no payment no deal.
Nibbler (sighs): How does all the alcohol you'll ever need sound?
Bender (suddenly eager): Right I'm in.
Nibbler: Elzar will be coming with you to ensure you don't land yourself in trouble again. Are you ready Fry?
Fry: Well, I guess...you will tell me when you find her yeah?
Nibbler: You have my word. Right, prepare the pod...
Fry (shocked): What? That thing again? All three of us?
Nibbler: It's the only transport we have available mighty one, are you ready?
Fry: Hold on a second...you want us all to fit in there? It was bad enough last time with me and Bender, let alone that cook guy with all the arms, I mean...(relaxed)...awww...
Fry slumped back in his chair as Bender removed the morphine injection from Fry's arm.
Bender: Yeah he's ready...
To be continued once more...what's that? No cliffhanger? Well...you can't have a big cliffhanger at the end of every part...it'd get a bit predictable. Plus I thought I'd put microwaved noodles' mind at ease for the time being because I'm not that mean. Also this part was probably the most difficult that I've ever had to write. There were so many ways I could have resolved the end of the last part, choosing the right way and pulling it off was difficult. To tell the truth I'm not overly happy with this part as I felt that some of the dialogue wasn't so good at adding to the initial mystery. Still, you guys will be the judge of whether it was any good or not.
So anyway, please leave more feedback and the next part shouldn't be too long in coming. Thanks for reading thus far and stay tuned for more I guess.