In High Places

It was now, officially, "the morning after" at the Utonium residence. After last night, the girls had spent a few moments in silence before bidding each other good night and returning to their rooms. This morning was equally quiet, and the weight of it was pressing.

Professor was actually up in time to join them for breakfast. This was no less unusual than Bubbles and Buttercup being awake early enough to do more than grab something to eat on the flight to school.

Though no one spoke as they force fed themselves cold cereal, the phone rang shortly before the girls were finished. Professor picked up. He'd taken it upon himself to act as a buffer between his girls and the inquisitive public and recent influx of prank calls.

"Utonium residence. Yes, they are. Really? This morning? Is everyone...? That's a relief. It's at Huntsville? No, no, I'm sure they won't mind. This sounds more serious than being late for school. Oh, really? Several hours? Well, all the same, I'm sure they'll be happy to help. Yes, they'll be there as soon as possible. No, thank you, Mr. Rose. Goodbye."

Professor hung up the phone and turned to his girls. By this point he had their full attention. "A tank on the space station ruptured earlier this morning. Everyone on board is safe, but the main module is more-or-less crippled. They're prepared to launch some supplies and equipment to make the necessary repairs, but if they were to push forward with that the delays would disrupt some very delicate, expensive research. I didn't think you girls would mind pitching in and getting it repaired today."

"I think we can swing it," Blossom agreed. "Personally, I'm not ashamed to admit I'd rather stay away from school today anyway."

"Well, the suits should be ready, along with fresh recyclers. When you're ready, just head to the Marshall Center and see what they need you to do."

The girls nodded as one and rose from the table likewise.

The suits were, in all truth, optional. The rigors of space, of the heat, cold, and radiation, were minor concerns. They could hold their breath several times longer than any normal human. They'd never felt curious enough to test that limit, though, so the suits with their air recyclers were welcome.

"Oh, and girls," Professor began, "remember, those radio channels are pretty heavily encrypted. And shortwave should be plenty of range for what you're doing. I'm not saying you have to, but if you feel the need to talk to each other about the last few days, now would be the ideal chance."

In a limo at the school parking lot, Princess listened to the live feed from her laptop. She fumed. First, the remote microphones and videos had taken almost all night to get set up, then all they'd heard was crunching cereal, and now this. She'd have to see if she could get anyone to track the transmissions in space. First bell rang, and she shut off the feed. From this point on she'd let her people keep her informed as to anything of interest that might be said. Best to keep as few direct links between the surveillance and herself.

Princess struggled to remain patient. Not that she had any idea what she'd do if he did, but she hoped Him wasn't about to let her down. "Surveillance squads," as they were called, were a recent addition to the world society, and an expensive one. Like licensed private investigators, but, most felt, far dirtier.

Professor waved at the three streaks of light speeding from the house. He was glad to give them this opportunity. He didn't dare tell them that he'd made a rather long distance phone call an hour before the girls were out of bed. Kevin Bead was a classmate from his college days, but now was one of the astronauts working the space station. Professor would never be able to tell the girls he'd asked a man to risk his career and maybe even innocent lives to create an opportunity for them to lay low and have another day of privacy.

Kevin had faith, though. The rumor mill erected yesterday probably hadn't reached there yet, but Professor Utonium no more than said, "I need an excuse for my girls to keep busy for a few hours," and Kevin had agreed.

Professor knew well that there were people out there, like smoldering embers, just waiting for some kindling to erupt into a bonfire. Whenever the opportunity arose, those people became quite vocal about their ill feelings towards his daughters. But there were other people, like Kevin, who would gladly pay his girls back for their years of service.

He just hoped that calling in those favors like this was the right thing to do.

"Ready," Blossom chirped over the radio. While she held the plate in place her sisters did some spot welding with their heat vision. The face shields of the helmets were up to the task.

"Bubbles," Buttercup radioed. "About last night--"

"It's all right, Buttercup. I know you were just trying to protect me. I'll let it slide this time."

"Um, yeah, about that..." Buttercup paused and floated to the next section. Blossom, though she heard the conversation, decided to stay out of it.

When she had the second plate over the breach, she again signaled, "Ready."

"Last night, part of the reason I said those things is because if any of us takes the fall for this, it should be me."

"Buttercup--" Bubbles started.

"No, just listen for a minute. Maybe we are in this together, now, but even if we are it doesn't make sense for us both to take a fall."

Blossom did step in, now. "We don't know if it's going to come to that, yet." Whatever her feelings on their dilemma, she understood that she had to root for them. Who else would? Even their staunchest supporters would be hesitant to stand up for them if the full truth came out.

"Yeah, but what are we going to do? Lie? Look at it this way, if all we talk about is my...are my feelings, then no one can argue that. If Bubbles doesn't tell anyone she feels the same way, they'll have no trouble believing it. I mean, if we just get this over with now--"

"Ready," Blossom interrupted.

Buttercup continued. "If we just let me take the fall now, maybe that would be for the best. They have their scapegoat--hell, maybe they'd support the rest of you in taking care of your poor, deluded sister. It's only fair that if I started this mess that I should be the only one to suffer for it."

The girls left one last large hole through which they could bring in the remaining parts and equipment. Technicians would be guiding them through the more complicated work, then they'd leave them to finish the job and get things running smoothly again.

Blossom spoke her mind first. "Buttercup, that's very noble of you, and it may make a lot of sense as far as minimizing our losses, but I still think it's premature."

"But it's not--" Bubbles began.

"And don't tell me it's not fair, Bubbles," Blossom interrupted. "If we want to talk about what's fair and what's right, then you'd both be awaiting trial. Maybe instead of waiting for Princess to make the next move, we should just pay her a visit. Feel this out. We don't even know where the picture came from. For that matter, maybe we're still being watched. I hate to be paranoid, but I don't see any other choice."

Not long after, the girls had to switch their radios over as one of the space station staff joined them in a full space suit. He looked about as old as their father.

Over the radio he called, "Hello, girls! Haven't needed your help up here for a while. I'm Kevin Bead, and this is pretty much my area here. We're all lucky I spotted the warping before the rupture, but that's behind us, now. If one of you will grab that module over there, we can get started."