Chapter 6 : A Lesser vs A Greater Darkness

Scene : basement of the Rossum household, where Tina is practicing her martial arts. She moves into the fluid and flowing stance of San She Quan (Three Snakes Fist kung fu), arms moving in broad, coiling arcs. She presses her fingers against each other and slightly curves them, her hands' shape imitating that of a snake's head. With a whipping motion from her spine, she began rapidly striking the yellow spots on the mannequin with the tips of her well braced middle fingers. Even the ones on the legs and ankles, while still maintaining perfect balance.

"It is fortunate Curly isn't alive," Tina thought to herself as she began hitting the red sequence of spots,"otherwise he'd REALLY be complaining about the pain, spasms and paralysis these strikes would be causing !"

She started the black series, bobbing and weaving while still striking all spots. Then the same three sets in the same order using kicks, hitting even the spots on the neck and head.

After several minutes of working on the speed and precision drills of cobra form, she changed her stance slightly to begin the joint-twisting and breaking drills of her personal favorite : the python forms.

She had only been practicing for less than a minute before all the lights flared, then went out, then back on. She heard Nina shriek from upstairs, then use some Japanese words too foul to be listed in any polite dictionary.

Taking the stairs three steps at a time, Tina rushed upstairs to see what had happened. Nina was sitting on the couch, with her hair blown back, covered in soot, and holding a still smoking keyboard.

"Are you all right ?" Tina asked. Nina nodded silently.

Vina tripped rushing down the stairs, but recovered her balance before she hurt herself.

"What just happened ?" she asked.

"HE SPIKED ME !" Nina answered in a cold rage, "THAT VINDICTIVE LITTLE TOAD SPIKED ME !"

Tina and Vina looked at each other as they tried to figure out who 'that vindictive little toad' was. "You mean Wade ? What did you do to offend him this time ?" Tina asked.

"I competently defended myself that's what !" Nina replied, "I thought he might try something once he got his computers back, so I put out some traps. He fell into them, and then spiked me ! The boy does NOT take a hint ! After the Feds confiscate their stuff, most rational people would develop the common sense to leave me alone ! What would he do to a girlfriend if she dared say 'no' to him ?!"

"Hmmm - he'd probably employ some sort of emotional control device on her to ensure she wouldn't, most likely." Vina replied after a few moments' thought before heading off to the bathroom to get a damp cloth for Nina.

"But, that was a rhetorical question !" Nina muttered to herself, slightly boggled.

"So, what exactly happened this time ?" Tina asked, breaking Nina out of her confused state.

"Oh, right ! Someone hacked into my accounts at the space center," Nina began, "but I didn't know who - they left no trail to follow. Someone had also hacked into my net-surfing computer and tried to plant a spybot. Again, they left no trail, so I didn't know who did it. Or even if it was the same person that hacked into my space center account.

However, both the Hansel and Gretel files had been copied. If the same person copied both programs, then they would be on the receiving end of poetic justice by having their system fully open to me.

You can imagine my surprise when H and G told me whose computer they had taken over !" Nina finished as she took the damp cloth Vina brought her.

After wiping her face and smoothing her hair back down, Nina continued "I knew that Wade would figure out something was up very quickly, so I had to act fast. So I rummaged through as many files on his hard drive as I could BEFORE HE SPIKED ME !"

"Did you at least get to find anything useful ?" Vina asked.

"I checked his system for any mention of 'Yamanouchi'. There was one, but not in reference to Hirotaka ! It seems Wade had once performed a background check on some girl named Yori for some reason. She also attended Yamanouchi."

"Golly ! So Kim IS in the habit of requesting background checks on random people ! Freaky !" Vina squeaked in reply.

"Yes, indeed. But the odd thing was that Yori had no school records DESPITE the fact that she attended school. From the looks of it, Wade had to access secret school files to discover anything at all."

"It appears that we are not the only ones with a plot in the works then, sister." Tina noted sagely, "Why would a secret school exchange students with an average public school, unless they were up to something ? And why would it involve Ronald ?"

"Oh great !" Vina cried, "So not only must we keep an eye on Team Possible so they they don't kill us, PLUS keep up our cover stories so OTHER folk won't discover our secret and kill us, but NOW we have to worry about what an unknown group with unknown motives and unknown capabilities - with some interest in Kim's best friend Ron - is up to ! What do we do now ?!"

Nina thinks for a moment. "Continue on as before, but keep our eyes open for any additional weirdness. If the folk at Yamanouchi wish to influence events instead of merely observe them, they must reveal their hand sooner or later."

"Did you at least find out where Yamanouchi is ?" Tina asked, "Or what was so special about Yori that Kim felt it necessary to do a background check on her ?"

"No. All I was able to find out was what I told you BEFORE MY KEYBOARD CAUGHT ON FIRE !" Nina replied, gesturing wildly.

"Wait - the only way you could've gotten into Wade's systems was if he was in ours first and caught your defensive computer virus!" Vina noted anxiously, "Did he find out about OUR mission ?"

"No. I keep nothing about our mission on any net accessible computer." Nina replied coldly, "Even Wade can't hack into a system not ON the net.

As far as he can know, I'm just a competent computer programmer with the temerity to fight back."

She paused briefly before grinning maniacally, "But I have not yet begun to fight back ! If he thinks his tech and computer programming skills will avail him against the line taps, splices, signal intercepts and tech mites I can inflict upon him ..."

"Nina, please. No." Tina stated, "Fighting back is an action. Actions beget reactions. ANY response you make will only provoke him further. We don't need that sort of attention. So please - break the cycle. Allow the waters to grow still once more. As Sifu said : 'The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world. Through this I know the advantage of taking no action.' "

"What ARE you talking about ?" Nina fumed, "Waters growing still and taking no action ? More of your koans ?! Are you actually suggesting that I do ... Nothing ?! Just let him get away with this ?!" she continued, shaking the still smoking keyboard in front of Tina's face.

Tina sighs. "Yes. Once you've disturbed a hornet's nest, swatting at them only makes them angrier. Tell me - does this feud further our actual mission ? Is such behavior logical ?"

Nina was still and silent a few moments before growling "No. But spiking me for defending myself is NOT rational ! Doing nothing to correct such uncouth behaviour seems too much like rewarding it !"

"I know this can't be easy for you Nina," Vina states, "but I agree with Tina. I think fighting back isn't the best strategy at the moment. You are laboring under the false premise that humans are rational. Even THEY know they aren't ! As Dale Carnegie noted : 'When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudice, and motivated by pride and vanity.' Wade prides himself on his computer skills; your resistance dented his ego. Thus he had to do something to reinforce his high opinion of himself. I'm sure that once Wade has reasserted his 'dominance' and 'superiority' over you," she continued, using air quotes as needed, "he should leave you alone, and we can continue our mission unaccosted.

So, your choices are : to simply let it go. Or you can keep it up, and probably face something much worse than a power spike the next time !"

Nina flinched slightly, recalling that Wade had trapped other humans inside a LETHAL laser grid for spiking him. And they were defending themselves against his illegal trace !

Nina stood there as she tried to think, looking like she'd swallowed a whole lemon, repeatedly clenching and unclenching her fists while her sisters looked at her expectantly.

"Oh, very well !" Nina finally conceded before raising one hand. "I swear that I shall NOT rain unholy vengeance down upon his nerdish head. No matter how justified such an act may be." she stated before gesturing what looked like a triangle inside of a circle then a sine wave. "Happy now ?"

Tina raised an eyebrow. "Uhm, yeah, I guess so. What was that gesture ?"

"Oh, that." Nina replied dismissively, "I have observed that the humans, when swearing they fully intend to do something, invoke the symbol of their gods to demonstrate that they are sincere. As we have no gods to swear to, I just threw something together. We are three working as one, while the sine wave symbolizes electricity, sound, or other cyclical phenomenon that we embody and employ."

"Oh... kay." Tina noted before continuing with a faint smile, "Gesturing is a human tendency, Nina. Have you been picking up their quirks when we weren't looking ?"

Nina merely glared at her for a few moments, while Tina just smirked back.

"My oh my, it's gotten so tense in here !" Vina piped up after an uncomfortably long silence, "How about we go out to unwind ? It's karaoke night at that new bistro at the mall !" she finished in a sing-song tone.

A faint smile flickered across Nina's face. "That would be nice. Thank you. Give me a few minutes to clean up first."

Scene : a small club at the Middleton Mall, across the foyer from the movie theatres, which are just letting out.

"They call that an action movie ?!" Ron groused to Kim, "We do riskier things at least once a week !"

"That's an unfortunate side effect of all the world-saving we do, Ron." Kim replied, "Real ninjas probably feel the same way about kung fu movies."

"Well, I'd guess so. And we actually know a few we can ask." Ron answered before noticing the off-key singing coming from somewhere in the mall.

"When they did they start having karaoke night ?" Kim asked.

"WHY did they start having karaoke night ?" Ron replied as the enthusiastic singer hit his last off key note and left the stage.

"Hey Ron ! Look who else is there !" Kim stated, pointing to a table near the front of the club while ducking for cover behind a column.

"That's Vina and her sisters !" Ron noted, "Wait, I thought karaoke was singing, not playing a musical instrument ?"

"It doesn't look like she brought that shape-shifting guitar thing with her this time." Kim noted as she watched the Rossums.

Then Nina got up and walked onto the stage, took the mic, and waited for the music to start.

Kim and Ron cringed with anticipation as Styx's "Come Sail Away" started, and Nina began to sing :

"I'm sailing away, set an open course for the virgin sea

I've got to be free, free to face the life that's ahead of me

On board, I'm the captain, so climb aboard

We'll search for tomorrow on every shore

And I'll try, oh Lord, I'll try to carry on ..."

"Wow ! She's got a great voice KP !" Ron noted.

"Yeah, but she's just ... standing there !" Kim noted, "Most people gesture. Or move to the music. Or something."

"Not everyone has as much stage presence as you do KP." Ron noted while observing the antics of Nina's sisters as they tried to encourage her.

"Thanks Ron. But I would've expected at least SOME stage presence ! Being that still is just, well, weird !"

Once Nina finished singing, she headed back to her table to the lukewarm applause from most of the audience; Vina was whistling, clapping and cheering much more enthusiastically.

After the karaoke contest was over - and someone else had won - both Vina and Tina headed off deeper into the mall. Vina turned left, while Tina turned right to take the stairs.

"You have a pretty good voice," Kim stated as she and Ron headed over to sit at a table next to Nina, "but you could really use some work on your stage presence."

"I sing for my pleasure, not business." Nina stated in a condescending tone, "If I worried and fretted about doing it 'properly', it wouldn't be fun anymore.

So, you must be the illustrious Kim Possible and Ronald Stoppable I have heard so much about. Are you two stalking us or something ?"

"Certainly not !" Kim replied huffily, "The movie let out and we heard you singing, and decided to be sociable !"

Nina glanced down the hallway towards the multiplex theatre and noted the open doors and the few people still milling about. "Well, that IS a plausible explanation. But that doesn't mean that she and her informal, infernal team may not as yet be up to something ..." she noted to herself as she took a sip from her wine glass. As an android, she doesn't have human biochemistry; she can derive electrical power from the degradation of any organic substance, but nothing else. Alcohol can't make her drunk, caffeine can't make her hyper, and not even chocolate or ice cream can improve her mood or relieve her stress levels. For that, she and her sisters require a focusing hobby. Vina has her music, Tina has her martial arts, and Nina - for some unfathomable reason - has karaoke.

"Your efforts at socialization are acknowledged and appreciated, if not entirely understood." Nina stated while raising her glass to Kim and Ron, "I was under the impression that you suspected us of some sort of nefarious scheme. Has that opinion recently changed ?"

"Not really." Kim replied icily, "My intuition tells me that you and your sisters are up to something. I just don't know WHAT. Yet. But that doesn't mean I can't be civil or polite."

"Hmmm. A completely honest and candid response. How refreshing." Nina stated flatly, glaring at Kim. Who returned it with equal scorn.

"Soooo ... you're into karaoke ?" Ron asked to break the tension, "Why would a cybernetics researcher be into something like karaoke ? Something high brow like opera, I could see. But karaoke ?"

"Opera houses never have an open mic night." Nina deadpanned, "As to why I sing ? It is something I do when I am stressed. 'The more complex the mind, the greater the need for the simplicity of play'. And I have a very complex mind."

"Was that some sort of ancient Chinese wisdom ?" Ron asked, "I know I've heard something like that before."

"Actually, it was from one of those interminable science fiction programs that I occassionally peruse for ideas. Star Trek, episode 'Shore Leave', stardate 3025.8"

"Oh joy !" Kim groused to herself, "She sounds almost as bad as cousin Larry !"

Before Kim or Ron could ask any more questions, the wall out by the movie theatres disintegrated in a blast of light and flame.

Three old model Bebebots strode through the carnage and looked around for a moment.

"A triad of Generation One menial drones ?" Nina noted to herself, "What the heck are those antiques doing here ? The only thing they were ever good for was smash and grab missions."

The two Bebebots at the back of the triad shook for a second as they powered up, then ran off so quickly they seemed to disappear.

"Bebebot Number Nine A" the remaining Bebebot stated to Nina as it began walking towards her, "Your mission is over. You will return with me to the Hive to be recycled. Comply at once."

Nina had the 'deer-caught-in-the-headlights' look as she stumbled back away from the Bebebot.

"What IS that thing talking about ?" Nina fretted to herself as her processors red-lined, "My mission CAN'T be over ! It's taken this long just to gather enough background data to even ATTEMPT to understand human thought processes !

Wait a minute - I'm part of a team ! If the Hive thinks MY mission is over, then that means ...

OH NO !! VINA !!" she continued, realizing that if SHE was to be recycled, so were her sisters ! She quickly realized that although she didn't stand much chance against the Neanderthalesque Bebebot before her, Tina could hold her own. But Vina could not.

Therefore, the logical thing to do was escape from the Bebebot trying to capture her, and help Vina. She also knew that Tina would have exactly the same ideas.

But every time she tried to get around the Bebebot, it kept somersaulting in front of her, or using its extendable reach to block her !

Meanwhile, Kim and Ron had tipped over the table and ducked behind it the moment the Bebebots made their explosive entrance, and so were in a perfect position to watch and overhear everything.

"Uhm, KP ? Did that new Bebebot just call Nina 'Bebebot Number Nine A' ?" Ron whispered to Kim as they watched.

"Yes, it did ! I KNEW there was something up with them ! I'm almost always right about these things !" Kim replied as she began formulating a plan of attack.

"But if Nina's a Bebebot, why is she running AWAY FROM that other one ?" Ron asked as he watched Nina dive under tables and run, trying to get around and away from the Bebebot. Which frustrated her at every turn by making impossibly long jumps to continuously cut off her escape.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out !" Kim replied, "Since the Bebebots are busy out front, you get everyone safely out the back while I deal with Miss Retrobot there !"

"Gotcha KP !" Ron replied with a thumbs up, before he headed to the back to help the panicked customers out.

Nina dived under a table and scrambled away just before the Bebebot smashed through it to get to her. But although Nina evaded the strike, she did not escape the Bebebot's telescoping grasp. With a firm grip on Nina's belt, the Bebebot began to slowly reel her in.

"Bebebot Number Nine A : Why are you resisting ?" the Bebebot asked flatly as Nina tried to gain traction on the waxed floors, "Your mission is over. You have no further reason to exist."

"I strenuously disagree on both counts ! Leave me alone !" Nina shrieked as she futilely struggled to escape. As a last resort, she resorbed the biomimetic polymer skin on her hands and forearms, then used her telescoping grasp to entwine two bolted down barstools.

The drone Bebebot was completely undeterred; since it is strong enough to carry a fully loaded railway car several miles by itself, it knew that it was only a matter of seconds before either Nina's grasp gave out, or the plastic composite she was made from did.

"Well, THAT'S something you don't see everyday ..." Kim noted to herself as she watched the elastic conflict, before getting into position to attack.

With a loud whistle, she got their attention. "Now, I don't know what's going on here, but I do know at least ONE of you is long overdue for a visit to the scrapyard !"

The old model Bebebot looked at Kim, then simply released its grip on Nina in order to prepare a defense; but since Nina's arms were at full tension, they acted like taut bungee cords, propelling her ignominiously across the floor of the bistro and crashed her noisily into the busboy's full cart of dirty dishes.

Kim winced as the sound of breaking plates and rattling silverware died down.

The old model Bebebot dropped into a defensive stance, then began to shake as it powered up. Then disappeared !

"What ? It just ran away ?" Ron asked as he came back in through the back door.

"Well, that last batch of Bebes were quite a bit smarter than the old model." Kim answered as she looked around the now empty club, just in case the Bebebot was planning a sneak attack, "I guess it knew it had no chance going one-on-one against me.

Now, for the other one." she continued upon hearing the sound of dishes clattering on the floor.

It was Nina struggling to sit up as she retracted her hands one segment at a time, wincing in pain with each one. Kim noted that the panels Nina was made from were smoky grey plastic instead of metal or the stolen ceramic compound. And that a few segments looked cracked, and a few emitted sparks on occassion.

Once Nina's hands were back on her wrists, she flexed and wiggled her fingers to ensure the cybernetic pathways were still intact, then extruded the polymer back out through the seams and micropores in her panels. To Kim and Ron, it looked like Nina's skin reverse melted back onto her.

"Ewww. Majorly gorchy !" Kim squeaked while looking a bit blanched.

"Now THAT gives new meaning to the term 'skin-crawling' !" Ron stated as he tried to keep the contents of his stomach where they belonged.

"Okay BEBEBOT NUMBER NINE A", Kim began once she recovered, "would you like to explain just what is going on around here ?"

"No, not really." Nina replied flatly as she flicked some coffee grounds off her blouse, adjusted her glasses and tried to walk away.

Kim was boggled for just a second, before she groaned and blocked the way. "Excuse me, but I wasn't asking if you would LIKE to explain, I was asking you TO explain !"

"Then why did you not simply state the query in that manner ?" Nina replied, knowing full well what Kim meant, but trying to stall. The more time she had to think, the better the plan she could come up with.

Her conversation with Kim was interrupted when Tina ran up to them and asked "Is Vina here ?"

"No. I thought she'd be with you. What happened ?"

"I was up by the Bric-A-Brac Barn" Tina began, "when an old model Bebebot appeared in front of me, told me the mission is over, and I was to be recycled. I figured they would be after you and V as well, so I went to help Vina.

But that 'bot kept getting in the way ! I was able to evade it and keep moving, and I got to the music store. Eventually. When I didn't see a panicked mob in front, I figured that Vina must be at the arcade. So I tried to get to there. The Bebe jumped in front of me, then just disappeared. Why would it do that ?"

"Simple, really." Nina replied, looking pale and very distraught, "They weren't expecting resistance. As an obligate hive-mind, if one of them was destroyed, the remaining two would be too stupid to finish the mission. Thus, the logical thing to do was take who they had and retreat, rather than risk complete mission failure by staying to fight."

"Better to steal a slice of bread and live, than try for the whole loaf and die ?" Tina asked.

"That is one way of putting it, yes."

Kim was about to start asking the sisters some questions when the Kimmunicator activated.

"Can't the sitch sit, Wade ?" Kim stated the moment Wade's image flickered on the screen, "I kind of have a major one going down right now !"

"I don't think so Kim." Wade replied, "It looks like Bebebots are back in force !"

"I figured as much, since I was in the mall when three of them blasted in !"

"But that's just ONE of nine crimes the Bebebots are responsible for !"

Kim blanched slightly. "Wait a minute - there were NINE attacks ? When and where did all this happen ?"

"All over the world. And if you take time zones into account, all the incidents happened at exactly the same time !"

"I guess they had more than one Hive then." Kim groused as Ron came over to see what was going on, "So what else did they do ?"

"Let's see," Wade stated as he checked the listing, "they stole a genomic editor and neuroprobes from a government lab in Los Angeles, tons of plastics and tubing from a company in Texas, computer chips from a factory in San Bernadino, some nutrient solution and other media for cell biology from a major supplier in Saint Louis, fiber optics from a supplier in Tokyo, and a large quantity of high quality experimental glass from a university in Venice. They also carted off various rocket parts and fuel from the Kagoshima Launch Facility in Japan, and beat the snot out of Team Go !"

Kim and Ron blinked a few times. "They beat up Team Go ?! Why ? That doesn't fit with rest of their crimes !" Kim asked.

"What the heck is going on ?" Ron asked, "Man, this plot is more twisted and convoluted than Drakken's Diablo plot !"

"No kidding ! But at least this time we can get some answers before it gets underway !" Kim replied, gesturing towards the bench Nina and Tina were sitting on. Nina looked majorly distressed, and Tina was trying to calm her down.

"The Others have taken our sister !" Nina fretted to Tina, "We have to get her back ! We are not complete without her !"

"Of course. Harmony and balance must be restored. Do you have a plan ?"

"I have a few to choose from. But the choice must be a logical one, arrived at through logical means."

"Life and death are seldom logical." Tina noted.

"But attaining a desired goal always is." Nina replied before she sighed heavily and stated "And for attaining our desired goal, there is only one option that I can see that has any realistic chance of success."

"Then that is the option that we shall use." Tina replied as Kim and Ron came over.

"All right you two !" Kim began, "I have questions ! You will answer them ! NOW !"

"We will answer any and all questions put to us to the best of our ability." Nina stated plainly, "All that we ask in return is that you rescue Vina."

"Heh ? And just why should I do that ?" Kim asked incredulously.

"Because, Miss Possible, you help people." Nina stated with a forced smile, " And we need help !"

"But you're NOT PEOPLE !" Kim replied, "You're evil robots bent on world domination !"

"Well, even we are not perfect, Miss Possible." Nina replied with a shrug, "And why should the fact that we are robots make a difference ? Would you be so reluctant to help if we were human ? You rescued your worst enemy - Bonnie Rockwaller - from the Bebebots before. Would it really be that much different for you to help Vina now ?"

"At least Bonnie is human."

"Well, we did help S.A.D.I. when she asked you to rescue Doctor Freeman, and she's not a person." Ron interjected.

"But Doctor Freeman IS !" Kim replied, "And S.A.D.I. and the other appliances were not trying to take over the world !"

"Excuse me, but our life-form status or supposed ultimate goal are of little relevance to the present situation, Miss Possible." Nina stated, "You want to find the Bebebots and stop whatever they are up to, correct ?"

"Well, yeah !"

"The Others will take Vina to the closest Hive to disassemble her for recycling. We can find our sister anywhere on the planet."

"So, you can tell us where they took her then ?" Kim asked.

"Correct. Since you are planning to go anyway, it shouldn't be much more effort for you to retrieve Vina while you're at it."

Kim looked doubtful. "Why are you being so helpful ? I know you don't like me !"

"Tina and I want our sister back." Nina began, "Though I am loath to admit this, you are probably the only person on the planet that can successfully return her to us quickly enough. Therefore, the only logical thing to do is to help you in any way we can, by giving you whatever aid we are capable of providing. How we feel about you is of no importance; the only relevant factor right now is Vina's safety."

"Well, she's got several good points there KP." Ron whispered to her, "After all, those superfast Bebes did take your advice as to who the bossiest person on the planet was, and they didn't like you much either !"

Kim mulled it over for a few moments. "So, Nine A, can you tell me what kind of defenses they would have ? I'm not getting anywhere NEAR another Bebebot hive without some solid intel about what I'm facing !"

"Sorry, but no. We were not provided with that information." Nina replied, "The Hives were constructed after our assignment began."

"You seriously expect me to believe that you don't know ?" Kim stated, "You Bebebots are all part of a hive mind. What one knows, all know. So that means you know something ! Now spill !"

"But my sisters and I are not part of the hive mind !" Nina replied in a quavering voice, "During the initial training of my neural nets back at the South American hive, I determined early on that most efficient way to solve a problem is to study it from many different points of view.

Members of a hive mind do not have different points of view.

Therefore, I was able to convince The Three that it would be more efficient to create us as individuals." Nina continued, "Besides, with no link between us and the hive, we are not a security risk. Since we don't know what The Three are up to, it is impossible for us to compromise their mission; no amount of torture or hacking of our memory files can retrieve data that is not there. That's WHY spy agencies use the 'need to know' system with agents that have a high risk of capture or discovery."

"Well, I guess that makes sense ..." Kim noted, still suspicious of their motives.

"Miss Possible, if you could tell us exactly what happened at the last Bebebot hive you were in," Tina stated, "Nina can probably predict what upgrades the Others may have."

"Why are we wasting time talking when Vina is in trouble ?!" Nina whispered to Tina while Kim and Ron were mulling over their options.

"Kim said she would not do the mission unless she knows what she is facing." Tina replied, "That is most wise. It also means that she is considering helping us."

"No, it does not !" Nina replied, "It only means she would accept our advice to destroy a Bebebot Hive; it does NOT mean she will rescue Vina while she is at it !"

"Miss Possible is a hero." Tina stated, smiling like she was explaining something to a small child, "Her sense of duty and honor will not allow her to do anything but rescue Vina, now that she knows what 'the sitch' actually is."

"You have too much faith in the organics and their 'duty' and 'honor'." Nina spat, "From my study of their history and science fiction programs, most of them feel they are duty or honor bound to destroy or enslave our kind !"

"What other choice do we have ?" Tina replied with a shrug as Kim and Ron finished talking between themselves.

"All right, we've decided to rescue your 'sister' Vina," Kim reluctantly stated, "but you three are going to tell us EVERYTHING you know when we get back !"

"That is quite acceptable !" Tina replied, since Nina was too stunned to say anything for a moment.

During the drive home, Kim and Ron filled Nina and Tina in on what happened at the Kansas hive. Nina interlaced her fingers and thought for a few seconds.

"I have good news and bad news." she stated plainly, then waited for one of them to reply.

"What's the good news ?" Kim finally asked.

"Given they came so close to actually defeating you that time, they have no need to upgrade their strength, speed, weaponry or intellect." Nina stated, still deep in thought, "If anything, they would reduce the power of their sonic weapon so it could be used faster.

The only reason they even came close to defeating you is because you didn't realize they had upgraded their intellect; now that you know, I'm sure you can find a way to deal with more competent opponents."

Kim nodded silently, for she was thinking of ways to deal with them. "Come to think of it, those Bebes weren't much stronger or faster or even smarter than normal humans." Kim noted to herself, "Nina's right - the only reason they got the jump on me was because I didn't know they were actually competent ! And they don't know about the supersuit - if they haven't upgraded their strength and speed, they won't stand a chance against it !"

"You're sure they wouldn't have upgraded their strength or speed ?" Kim had to ask.

"Why would they ?" Tina replied, "You don't use a cannon to shoot a mosquito. The current Bebebots are all about efficiency : if human normal strength and speed are enough to get the job done, that's all they'll use. Enhanced strength and speed and such require large powerplants. So large in fact there is hardly enough room for brains in their bodies !"

"Oh, so THAT'S why they always show up in groups of three !" Ron stated, "They only have one functional brain between them !"

"Hrmmm. More or less." Nina replied crabbily.

"So, what's the bad news ?" Ron had to ask.

"The only reason you were able to get to the machinery to sabotage it, distracting them and saving Kim, was because they did not consider you a threat Ron." Nina replied, "They will NOT make that mistake again.

Therefore, their most logical response would be to use suppression fire, and summon help the moment they see either one of you two inside the hive, since a swarm attack came so close to working the last time."

"Hmmm - this is actually useful information !" Kim noted to herself, "There may be something else here ..."

"I suppose the old hypersonic emission trick won't work on them any more then ?" Kim asked while coming up with some ideas.

"Difficult to say." Nina replied, "It would depend upon the operational parameters of the model you are facing. If they have superhuman capabilities, then they MUST remain in contact with each other, and are thus vulnerable to jamming. If they have normal human capabilities, then they have enough brainpower to function independently, and the mindlink is an optional advantage."

Kim thought for a moment. "So, it's a trade off then ? Either they have superhuman abilities and a hypersonic pulse harms them, or they have normal human abilities, and are immune to it ?"

"Correct."

"Can't they just adapt ?" Ron asked, "Wade figured there was no limit to how far they could adapt."

"Are you claiming that stunted troll would know more about Bebebot capabilities and limitations than I would ?" Nina replied haughtily, "The most efficient way they could adapt against jamming AND keep their superhuman abilities would be to develop an extraordinarily small and powerful generator. The laws of physics can only be bent so far, and as of yet, they have no need to do such a thing. They may change the frequency they communicate on, but the fact that they MUST communicate to remain functional renders them permanently vulnerable to jamming. All they can do is make that particular task difficult to do."

"Sorry ! Erm, she's still majorly tweaked at Wade for spiking her computer system earlier today !" Tina stated with a sheepish grin the moment both Kim and Ron turned and gave Nina very dirty looks in response to that 'stunted troll' comment.

"Whatever. You said you could track where they took Vina." Kim finally stated, "How ?"

"We have something like built-in cellphones." Nina replied, "They are all that remain of our old mind link. They work on a unique frequency. All we have to do is try to contact her on that frequency, and we can implement a signal trace. I believe that is how the Others found us at the mall."

"So why don't you just do that now ?" Ron asked.

"Because we don't have that capability built into our systems !" Nina replied, "But I do have the needed equipment back in my home laboratory. Miss Possible, could you please drop us off there so we may equip for the mission ..."

"What makes you think you're coming with us ?" Kim stated coldly.

"Who gave you the authority to deny us the chance to help our sister ?!" Nina fumed.

"Me and Ron are a team," Kim began, "I KNOW I can count on him during the mission; I don't trust EITHER of you two. This could be a trap, you could betray us at the first opportunity, or abandon us in the middle of the Bebebot hive the second we find Vina.

So you are NOT coming along !"

After taking a few breaths to calm down, Kim continued "I said I would rescue Vina, and I will. The most help you two can be is a source of information. Now, is there anything else you can tell us to improve our chances of successfully completing the rescue mission ?"

"Not that I can think of." Nina replied, swearing under her breath as Kim contacted Wade.

"What's up Kim ?" he replied as the screen in Kim's car activated.

"I have a lead on a Bebebot hive, so I need you to do a signal trace." Kim stated, "And contact Global Justice. I have some 'people' that need watching."

"What is the meaning of this, Miss Possible ?" Nina hissed at Kim, "Are you betraying us already ?"

"CERTAINLY NOT !" Kim replied, "I need to focus on the mission, and I can't do that if I have to worry about what you two are up to. So I want you to stay with GJ until I get back. Think of it as protective custody."

Nina tried to reply, but was so angry no words could form.

"Please sister, be calm." Tina stated to her, "The tree that does not bend is easily broken. If going along with Miss Possible's suggestions will get Vina back, then we should comply." Nina just sulked in response.

"Mister Load," Tina stated formally, "The signal you need to trace has a frequency of five point five three terahertz. Begin searching now ..."

Wade looked to Kim, who nodded. "Okay then, searching and ... there ! I have a lock !

Well, that's odd. The signal's coming from Kansas. From that Bebebot hive you and Ron destroyed last week !"

Kim glared suspiciously at Tina and Nina. "Care to explain that ?"

"What better place for them to hide than someplace you've already searched and destroyed ?" Tina replied, "Only the most foolish of mice would hide in a lion's ear ..."

"... but only the wisest of lions would ever think to look there !" Ron finished as Kim rolled her eyes.