Chapter II: A new team

Up in geo sync orbit, unknown to the rest of the world was the most advanced space station ever built. Originally, the station was to be a waypoint for rescue operations. It still has that function, only with a little more "specialized equipment" onboard.

The station was about 500 meters long and had 20 levels. It had proximity defenses and long range blasters used for repelling asteroids. Though it could hold on its own, its primary defense was its passive stealth system that made it invisible to radar.

But the main system that the station boasted, though none on Earth knew of it, was its matter transporter. The only one authorized and used in the world. And the person in charge of operations was Zita Flores.

Operations Officer of the Space Station Sky Vault.

When she first came onboard, she was surprised to find the station understaffed and in minimal power. It took her six months to get the whole station running, still understaffed but fully operational.

She was proud at that accomplishment, however, she couldn't claim all the glory. After all, most of the systems were put online by Felix Renton. At first she was surprised to see him there but was also glad to see a familiar face from home.

Then, six month ago, Keith Chapel joined them and supervised, and participated, in the installation of the various systems that made Sky Vault unique, primarily the matter transporter. He also upgraded the passive stealth and calibrated the blasters. Zita, after seeing Keith work, had the impression that he could fabricate a weapon with common household items and junk.

And then he, showed up. Originally he was sent to replace their cook when their regular cook got sick. She never thought she'd see him again. Sure she had dated him, the truth was she still had feelings for him. It would be awkward seeing him in the station. But somehow, they overcame it.

Zita was now sitting in the operations platform, an elevated seat overlooking a large screen. It had its own console where she could control the necessary equipments chosen for the various mission they had been assigned to undertake. The distinctive sound of the matter transporter echoed through the C&C. Looking Behind her, Zita smiled when she saw the trio exit the transporter platform.

The three of them were wearing specially created Exo-frames that enabled them to travel via transporter. Without it… well, it won't be pretty. She, herself, was wearing a vest that allowed her to use the transporter without any ill effects. It's standard procedure when on Sky Vault.

The similarities end there. The Exo-frames had one more important job vital to their mission.

The Exo-frames were armored body suits with what looked like docking ports around it. There were seven ports on the front torso and the same number at the back that was shaped like the letter H that's lying down. There were also a port in each shoulder, four in each arm, two upper and two lower and five in each leg, two thigh and three lower leg. All of them have are the same except for the colors and intricate design.

With Felix, his Exo-frame was of green and black, while Keith's has yellow and black, his front had the number 7 on where the ports were. And him…He was wearing a blue and grey frame that was more aerodynamic than the others.

"What do you have for us Z?" Felix asked as he came up beside her. He was the only one of the three that was comfortable being with her. Actually, the only awkwardness was with him. Keith respected her and smiled softly whenever Felix came over to Zita. It was like he knew something she did not.

"As of 1400 hours, Sky Vault is now in standby mode," she said earning her mixed reactions from the group. Felix blinked, surprised at the sudden change of status. Keith simply looked at the digital time display to confirm the time. It was 1405.

But the last of the trio merely looked lost and confused. She never knew why she found him cute with his large ears and freckles. At least he had filled up in the years and his hair covered half his ears. But still, he was the same old kid from Middleton.

"So… what does that mean?" he asked making Keith groan.

"It means that we are now in alert," Keith said, smirking at the implication of the situation. If they were now on alert that meant that something went wrong planet side. "What happened?"

"Let's just say that Global Justice was made into a fool in International TV," Zita said as she worked her console. The screen lit up, showing a recording of an earlier news item.

"We are here today in front of a government operated warehouse where a group of what is described as attack androids forced their way and stole an undisclosed list of government property," the reporter said. The four of them listened intently as they saw the destroyed warehouse in the background.

"Another one?" Keith asked as he continued to watch.

"Global Justice's CATs responded but did not even dent even one of the androids,"

"That's not true!" The Fiery head of Kim Possible came to view, making one of the people in C&C gasp in surprise. "We took a couple of them down! But our priority was the safety of the civilians. When we verified their safety, we began blasting the androids. We managed to stop a few of them before they escaped…"

"Shut if off," Keith said as he looked at their third. "Look's like your Ex got pissed," he then turned to Zita forestalling a retort from their flyboy. "Z? Could you… borrow one of those androids?"

"Well… they are inorganic matter. Let's see… Got one," the transporter was activated and an android materialized in the middle of the platform. "Right from the transport."

"KP's gonna be pissed we stole something of hers," the third man said.

"You're good," Felix said rewarding her a smile. Zita cleared her throat and blushed. Keith went towards the android but he took a pistol from a nearby weapons cabinet and cocked it.

"Is it still functional?" Felix asked. Zita immediately worked her fingers on the console, running the scanners on her catch.

"Power supply's fried," Zita said but was cautious. She knew to never relax until everything was completely safe.

"Unfortunately, we don't have the techboys to figure out who made it," Keith said, still pointing the gun at the hunk of metal. "That means I have to disassemble this bit by bit."

"We don't have to figure out who made it," the third man said as he nodded towards the screen. The rest of them turned towards the screen which turned on by itself.

"Greetings, citizens of the world," the man in the screen said, his bluish face was half covered with a red metal mask.

"It can't be," the third man said in disbelief.

"Know him?" Zita asked as she tried to pinpoint the location of the source.

"I know the man behind him," Felix said as he saw a man with a blond mullet behind the blue skinned man. "That's Motor Ed."

"And that, my friends, is Dr. Drakken," said their flyboy. "Or my name is not Ron Stoppable.

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Kim Possible was shocked to see her arch nemesis not only alive but also cybernetic. The last time she saw Drakken was three years ago. He had teamed up with Motor Ed since Shego was still in bars. She never did see them escape the doomed lair. Was it possible that they survived by fusing themselves with cybernetics?

"I am Doc Drakken," Kim shivered at his tone. He was much colder than before, much more menacing. It would be a mistake to underestimate him.

"You wave witnessed what I can do. Surrender the world to my rule or be destroyed!" the screen went blank. Kim blinked in surprise. There was something different about it that gave her the chills. Drakken was direct and to the point. This was a different person than who she had fought before.

And with an army of nearly indestructible androids, he was the most dangerous man in the world.

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"That was straightforward," Ron frowned as the screen went blank. "Usually he'll rant your ear off."

"That thing in his left body is not just prosthesis," Keith said as he removed the weapon systems in the android. "I have a hunch that's it's a supercomputer." Ron, Keith and Felix were in the station's laboratory, disassembling the android as far way from C&C.

"Would a computer make him a deranged man?" Felix asked.

"It would make you crazy," Zita said from the room's console. Her image was projected in one of the screens near them. She was still in C&C, trying to make sense of the data she had collected from the android. "And only a crazy person would program an android to kill mercilessly."

"Plus the constant computation of algorithms would give you a migraine," Keith said as he opened a panel. "There's talk of a development of a cybernetic brain, however, the personality of the person programmed into it degrades in time."

"What happened to him?" Felix asked as he looked at his friend. Ron sighed, leaning on a console, crossing his arms and looked at the android.

"I don't really know," he confessed. "It was Kim's first mission when she joined GJ. She said she could handle it. We argued about it and here we are."

"That's the worst long story short," Zita said from her post. Felix was inclined to agree while Keith didn't say anything and continued to work on the android.

"I've got something," he said as he peeled off the layers of circuitry. "This is not an android but a drone."

"Drone?" Felix asked as he came closer.

"Difference?" Ron asked making Keith sigh.

"Drones do not have the complex programming that composes an android's AI." Keith said as he turned back to his work. "No. this is simple. My TV has a more complex programming than this drone."

"It looks like an overgrown toy," Ron commented making the other two look at him in comprehension.

"You're right," Felix said as he neared the drone. Keith immediately pried a circuit board loose and went to a microscope in a nearby table. He skimmed the circuit and smiled when he found what he was looking for.

"Gotcha," he said, rising from the microscope.

"What you got?" Ron asked and peered into the eyepieces. He was surprised at what he saw. "Z boy?"

"Nakasumi's icon," Keith replied. "The image is drawn into certain circuits. It's called circuit art. Over the years, designers draw random scribbles or personal logos in the circuits they designed. It does not affect the performance and sometimes the designers get a kick at it."

"Would we find your icon in the circuits you designed?" Zita asked in a teasing tone. Keith only grumbled and continued.

"The circuits that control the movement of this thing came from Nakasumi Inc. After I photograph the components, you and Felix will go to Nakasumi himself and ask him about it. We won't learn much. Drakken probably stole it and enhanced it for destruction."

"Probably Motor Ed did that," Felix smirked. "He had a thing with machines."

"Either way it's just formality," Zita said. "We might come up with a clue."

"What about you?" Ron asked as he looked at Keith.

"I'll have to get information about Drakken and there's only one person who knows him best." Ron and Felix looked at him as if he was crazy. He must be if he thinks he could enter a high security holding cell and even talk to her.

"The question is; will she listen?" Zita asked. Keith only gave them an enigmatic smile.

"Trust me."

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Shego grumbled as she was led towards one of the interrogation rooms. It had been more than three years since she was led into interrogation. Something was up, she was sure of it. She did not have any possibility of parole so they needed her for something. But what? Drakken was dead. So what else was there?

She was escorted by five heavily armed men. If she wasn't shackled with inhibitors, she could take them. Her legs were constricted as well as her arms, she could only walk half steps with all those shackles.

When the men opened the door to the interrogation room, Shego blinked in surprise. She saw a handsome man in a tan suit. He would have looked like a tycoon if he didn't have those thick glasses over his eyes.

"You're my lawyer?" Shego sneered as the men left them alone in the room. The man only smiled and held a seat for her. Shego was taken back. No one acted like a gentleman for her before. It was a warm feeling that she tried to squash. Instead, it showed in her cheek that she was pleased and embarrassed by the gesture. Taking a deep breath, she sat down at the offered seat. Her lawyer sat opposite of her and looked into her file.

"Have you any idea why you were summoned?" he asked without preamble. Shego was surprised at this straightforwardness. Usually they beat around the bush, when they're not beating something else as they leered at her body. She didn't know if she had that effect on his since she was wearing baggy prison overalls.

"Must be important," she said in nonchalance, hiding her curiosity very well. But not well enough since the man smiled in amusement. Sighing in frustration, she leaned on the table towards him, giving him the nastiest glare she had. "Listen. If you're my lawyer, the mere fact that I have a lawyer intrigues me. It means either two things; this is an interview for my parole or I'm going to be questioned."

"By someone you don't like even," the man said, tossing her file aside. "They'll want to know everything you know about Drakken." Shego stilled at the name. Why? Didn't they know that he's dead? Apparently, she had voiced the last thought out since her lawyer pulled out a portable video set and faced the monitor towards her.

Shego paled as she watched the broadcast Drakken did earlier. She couldn't believe it! Drakken was alive! Her anger was her strength. She didn't notice that her shackles were on the verge or breaking. The lawyer noticed it and shut the video off and took it away from her.

"Just give me a chance to rip his head off and I'll do anything you say," Shego said, the fire that was once lost in her soul ignited once again. The lawyer was pleased but only shook his head in agreement.

"Fortunately you just gave me something to work with," he said. "I dread to know what would happen if I was not here when you utter those words in front of Global Justice." Shego immediately sobered when she heard that name.

"So…" she smirked. "Princess will be here?"

"Yep," he said as he opened his briefcase. Shego smiled as she contemplated her position. She was in a position to bargain for her freedom. But with her record, she'll only annoy Kim and won't get anything in return.

"Do you know what's on the table?" she asked.

"Reduced sentence with the possibility of parole in 25," he said with a shrug. Shego laughed mirthlessly and shook her head.

"They're crazy. Could you get a better deal?" suddenly, Shego's shackles unlocked and she felt herself free. Shego blinked in confusion and looked at him with a questioning look.

"I have," he said as he took out a piece of document from his briefcase and slit in on the table towards her. While rubbing her wrists, she glanced at the document and her eyes widened in shock.

"Is this real?" she asked.

"We don't have time," the lawyer said. "Skim it. If you're considering it, we're out of here. I don't want GJ raining in on our parade."

"Why? I thought this is legit."

"Paperwork," he said. "It's better to let them think you've escape. Interested?" he removed a sophisticated looking vest from his briefcase and tossed it to her. "Wear it."

Without thinking, Shego removed her top and wore the vest. She looked at the lawyer, who, to her surprise, had his back towards her. "Quite gallant."

"I've read the report on the last person who leered at you," the man said gently, as if stating a fact. Shego chuckled as he told him that she's ready.

"You need to see about this design," she said, fingering the garment distastefully. "Smarty Mart's got better duds that this." The man only smiled at her comment.

"Shall we?" he said as he stood beside her.

"How exactly…" Shego didn't have a chance to finish when they were enveloped in a blue light and both of them disappeared from the room.

At the same moment the door of the interrogation room opened, revealing a rather confused Kim Possible. They said that Shego was in this room but the only thing she saw was a set of shackles laying on the floor and the top of a prisoner's uniform on the table.

Upon close inspection, Kim growled and ran out of the room when she saw Shego's name sewn on its chest.

(end of 2)