Tian Cai Level 2 Prolog
By mkusenagi2
The story concept © 5-19-2006
All Marvel characters are © Marvel Comics.
Kim Possible and other Disney characters
are © Disney Co.
6-10-2004
(3 days after the end of Level One)
Condor 1/SHIELD Helicarrier flagship
In hover mode over
Middleton, Colorado
1030 hrs
"MAN! Some guys get all the luck. Can you imagine having The Director as your personal trainer?!" a SHIELD tech said to his partner as they walked past a door marked 'Practice Room'.
"I heard that he's related to him somehow… never thought I'd see The Col. engage in nepotism… he even let the guy bring his 'best friend'!" said the other.
"Yeah! And what's with the disguise… you'd think he's afraid of someone finding out who he is… or something…"
"Seein' as how you gentlemen are raggin' on Nick and have enough time to poke your nose into what DOESN'T concern you, I think a diagnostic of the ships total systems under 'DEFCON 5' conditions for 3 weeks are appropriate… Don't YOU?" said Col. Thaddeus A. C. "Dum Dum" Dugan to the nosy techs. "You KNOW how Nick feels about folks doin' that."
"COL. DUGAN SIR, SORRY SIR, RIGHT AWAY SIR!"
'I hope you make it kid… if Nick's right about your potential…'
---
Inside the 'Practice Room's Control Center a nervous Kim Possible (in a SHIELD issue kit sans Kimmunicator) and Rufus (perched on her shoulder in kit too) looked on as her best friend Ron Stoppable was put through his paces by the Specialist.
"Ok Kid, Lissen Up!" roared the Specialist through the PA, "this is a simple exercise… just cross the room on my mark!"
"Ok." said Ron as he took his hanbo out of its backsheath.
"Very few people get to see this part of the training program Ms. Possible… The President ISN'T allowed in here… we're making a SERIOUS exception by having you here today!"
'WOW, and Ron thinks I'M a control freak… c'mon Ron 'you can do anything' too!'
"Uh… Thank you, Sir."
"'Sides, Ron refused to take the test unless you were here… told off The Director himself… HEH. Excuse Me."
"Ok Kid… Go!"
And with that Ron extended the hanbo 4' and slowly crossed the room…
'Gotta do this for KP' he thought, 'she's counting on me!'
Ron went 5' into the room when… a holographic post-apocalyptic world materialized around him…
'Uh Oh' he thought, 'I'm in it now!'
4 cannibals leapt out of the shadows and surrounded him.
'I'll take out the biggest one in front 1st, then the others. Gotta relax like Unc' said. Let's see if this trick works!'
Ron extended the hanbo out to an 8' length, darkened 2' on the bo's ends and twirled it.
"I got 'im," the huge cannibal grunted, "That little twig ain't enough roun' here… soup for my pot!"
"You don't want to eat me, I'm TOO stringy." And with that Ron's bo kissed the cannibal on both sides of his head HARD.
"THUD" went the 1st attacker as he went to sleep.
Ron walked the circle and calmly let the bo do its thing as it 'caressed' the other attackers joints and skulls.
"Y'know crow's great when you season it right." Ron said as he shrank the Bo and walked around them. 'Coolio… so far…'
"Not bad kid," growled a voice from above, "let's see how ya do against me!"
Ron stepped back and kept himself at 'bo' range as Wolverine leapt off the wall and attacked claws extended.
"Come on Sunshine, I ain't got all day," Wolverine said as Ron floated and rolled out of harms way.
'Shit this is serious… gotta relax… let the Monkey Power flow… see the hole…'
'There!' "BAM!" went the bo's tip as it slapped Wolverine's airway. Ron tucked in, rolled forward, ax kicked Wolverine's groin and ran off.
"!!!"
'So far so good. What's next?'
Ron walked on for 100 yards… and ran into Nimrod!
'Damn Sentinels. The Ronman just CAN'T have an easy-peasy sim… just gotta throw one of the nastiest 'bots around in the mix… might have to take a hit on this one.' He thought as he reached into a pouch behind him with his left hand and palmed a small item.
"Classification: Mutate. Surrender and come peacefully or be killed!"
"It's Ok dude… I bow to your authority… surrendering…" Ron said as he placed the bo back in its sheath and slowly walked towards Nimrod.
"Halt! Go no further!" said Nimrod as Ron got in leg range.
"Ok dude… no problemo…" 'Get ready…'
"What's in your hand? Open it!" the bot said as it stepped into striking range.
"Heh… nothin'" 'A little closer…'
'Please be careful Ron,' Kim thought as she watched, 'This isn't one of Drakken's Bebe robots!'
"Very Bad!" Rufus chirped from Kim's shoulder.
"Hand it over!"
"Ok." Ron said as he tossed the item at Nimrod's chest.
"What? Get it offf… NOOOO… BOOOM!" went Nimrod as a small crab like bot burrowed into the Bot's chest cavity and released a cloud of nanites into Nimrod's systems.
"BOOYAH!" Ron said with glee as he ran off, "The Crab, Stark's finest anti-Sentinel weapon: guaranteed to chew 'em up or your money back! The taxpayer's dollars at work!"
"He did it, GOOD job Ron!" Kim glowed.
The scenery faded away into a magma desert dotted with chains of oases. The air temp was 150º F and climbing. Ron was standing on a rock outcropping that wandered down to the desert below.
"Ok Kid," the voice of the 'Specialist' rang out, "All you gotta do is find the path out… No tricks or enemies here… 'cept the environment itself. There IS a way out, ya just gotta find it. Course I don't have to tell ya that the magma will kill ya for real an' if ya stay there too long the air'll bake your lungs. Grab the canteen to your right and begin."
'Oh No! Ron could die in here!' Kim thought, 'I'll never get to kiss him again… HUH… WHERE'D THAT COME FROM?' Emerald worry GLOWED in the control room.
Ron retrieved the canteen and walked down the slope and looked around…
'Ok, there's a path, I just gotta find it… Unc's NEVER lied to me before…'
"C'mon… use that screwball gift ya got for seein' new angles on things an' get done already! I'm getting hungry fer chrissakes!"
'C'mon Stoppable… the way out… where is it?'
"Ok, I've got it!" And with that Ron crossed the room and pressed the shutoff.
"YES!" Kim shouted.
"'Bout damn time," the 'Specialist growled over the PA. "Get yer ass over here!" he said as the control room access slid open.
---
Col. Thaddeus A. C. "Dum Dum" Dugan entered the room and stood next to Kim and the 'Specialist' while Ron stood at attention with a weird glint in his eye.
"Not bad soldier… not bad… how'd you figure out the path?"
"I just looked and saw it… Sir!"
"!" thought Kim.
"Congratulations!" Dum Dum said as he pulled 2 cases out of his thigh pocket.
"Sir?!"
"I said Congratulations… Lieutenant Stoppable." Dum Dum said while passing a case to Kim. "Effective immediately and with the full authorization of The Director and the Intelligence Committee you are hereby promoted to the rank of Lieutenant with ALL of the pain and privilege that comes with it."
'?'
"Go ahead an' pin it on his collar!" The 'Specialist' quietly said to a blushing Kim. Kim did so and hugged and kissed a blushing Ron on the cheek.
"Ms. Possible, would you stand at attention next to the Lieutenant please," Dum Dum said as he passed the other case to the 'Specialist' who passed it on to Ron.
"?" Kim and Ron thought. Kim did so.
"Kimberly Anne Possible, for showing exceptional foresight in combat and the management of a potential diplomatic crisis as per UN Executive Order #A1259-A01 you are hereby given the rank of Captain per The Director of SHIELD, the Intelligence Committee, and the UN Secretary General."
'Coolio!' Ron thought.
'Huh?' she thought.
"Yay!" chirped Rufus.
"Lt. Stoppable, you may pin the rank on Capt. Possible's collar." A smiling Ron Stoppable did so while a teary eyed Kim looked on.
"Congrats KP," he whispered to her. "Coolio!" Ron said out loud.
"Permission to speak Sir."
"Granted." said Dum Dum.
"I thought this was a regular training exercise… why'd I get the promotion?"
"Simple: 1) you're a Maverick; 2) We're in a state of war on the Intelligence front 24/7; 3) It'll keep you immune from litigation most of the time; 4) We can't have loose cannons no matter how friendly running about 'unleashed'."
"Wow!" Kim Ron and Rufus chorused.
"And 5) You earned it. I don't need to tell you that your rank is SECRET and only to be used on missions and need to know basis for other personnel!" Dum Dum said with a pointed look at Ron.
"Capt. Possible you're being promoted and enlisted into SHIELD's ranks because Ron spoke highly of you to The Director on several occasions and proved yourself on your 1st joint mission with us. Congratulations!"
"Uhhh… Thank You Sir!"
"So kid, how's it feel to be impressed inta the world's best spy organization?" the 'Specialist' asked Kim.
"It's Great Sir… I mean it's a great honor… reservist status?"
"Yeah. Your pay's bein' shelved in a trust 'til yer 21. Here's a chit for the Officer's Mess."
"Dismissed!" Col. Dugan said. And with that Kim, Ron, and Rufus saluted Col. Dugan and the 'Specialist' and headed towards the mess hall.
After they left Fury and Dum Dum talked.
"What's goin' on Nick… you don't recruit like this unless there's trouble."
"I looked over Fu Manchu's intel and found that he's right… someone's buying a LOT of specialized fabrication tech ranging from biologicals to nanofabricator hardware… when you check the paper trail it dead ends."
"Ok, that just means that AIM, or one of the others are up to something."
"That's what I thought too until I checked my sources… seems there's a new player in town… whoever it is has been burning AIM, HYDRA, and THEM's most ruthless agents… guys that will do ANYTHING to complete a mission off the map."
"OK…"
"It means that someone that's VERY old school is clearing the way for somethin'… somethin' big!"
"…"
"I hope we'll be ready for 'em…"
---
Meanwhile in the Officer's Mess…
"Thanks Ron… y'know for getting me in here so I could see you graduate."
"Sure KP."
"Sooo, you twisted the director's arm to get me up here huh?"
"Uhh kinda, I wanted to share this with you… so we don't have trust issues again."
"I gotta say I didn't expect to see us get promoted!"
"Heh… me neither… kinda cool huh…" a bemused Ron said.
'There's that look again… what's going on in that head?' Kim mused.
"Ron, what's going on, something's different about you… nice but different."
"Unc' was right about this rite of passage stuff… it's like I know that I can handle things better… on a gut level…"
"Oh!"
"…"
"So how is it you 'know' the Director of SHIELD well enough to 'talk' to him about me?" Kim asked while sharing her fries with Rufus.
"He's a friend of my folks from their days in the military…" Ron leaned over the table and waved Kim to come closer.
"?" she looked at Ron.
"When my Mom and Dad were in the Mossad… in their 'Samson Unit'… that's all I know…"
"So do you know any of the Avengers?" Kim asked.
"Yeah."
"Like who?"
"I've met Iron Man, Wasp, Thor, Wonder Man, Black Panther, Mockingbird, and Cap to name a few."
"Wow… Wait! YOU KNOW CAPTAIN AMERICA?!"
"Uhhh yeah, why?"
"He's the coolest ever! My Nana told me some stories about him!"
"Cap's pretty cool… for a Boy Scout."
Ron dug into his food when he noticed Kim was looking at someone behind him.
"Hi Tiger! Haven't seen you in a while, the uniform looks good on you! 'Grats on the promotion!" this was said by a voice that purred in Ron's right ear as a gloved hand toyed with his left thus causing Ron to puddle in his seat.
'Look' escalated to glare.
"Ron who's your friend?" Kim asked. 'HE'S MINE BACK OFF! WAIT… WHY'D I SAY THAT? WHAT'S GOING ON! RON'S MY BEST FRIEND!'
"Huh…" Ron said dreamily as he turned round to see a masked, athletic, buxom, blonde GODDESS in a 2 toned blue jumpsuit with flared sleeves.
"Aunt Bobbi!" Ron shouted as he bounced out of his seat and gave her a hug.
"Yay!" cried Rufus as he jumped onto Mockingbird's shoulder and hugged her.
"Rufus! How's my favorite molerat!" she said as she petted him.
"I'm good!" he chirped.
'Aunt Bobbi?'
"'Grats on your promotion kids," Barbara 'Bobbi' Morse-Barton aka Mockingbird said as she stuck out her hand to Kim.
"Mockingbird… THE Mockingbird is your Aunt?" Stunned Kim said as she took Bobbi's hand and shook it.
"Yeah, Ron's folks and I go WAY back… Ron, The Director's got an assignment for you…"
"Coolio!"
"Kim's partnered with me for a while…"
"AAAWWW, Coolio denied!" which caused Kim to 'Smile'.
"AWWW," said Rufus.
"I have to train her in my fighting style while you're in the field."
"Coolio reinstated!"
"Now hurry up, you boys know he doesn't like to be kept waiting!"
"Yes Ma'am! See ya Kim!" Ron hugged Kim and left.
"So you're Kim…"
"Guilty as charged."
"I can see why Ron likes to hang out with you. To tell the truth I was kinda worried."
"Why?" 'Bitch!'
"Oh, because Ron's NEVER tried to date other girls." 'She's VERY protective of him… that's good!'
"…"
"So how do you know Ron's folks."
"We used to go on missions together when they were liased to SHIELD… Kim it's ok if you're uncomfortable… I understand… don't worry he'll be Ok."
'Now I feel Gorchy for dissing her!' Kim turned beetroot.
"C'mon… I don't know about you but I'm tired of all the 'rone in the air here… let's go shopping… just us girls, my treat."
"Ok!"
----
Maverick's a military term for enlisted or volunteers showing commissioned officer potential on the battlefield and being trained accordingly.