End of Story, Pt I !

Qu' DuHbe'chu' lunID qoHpu' neH

"What's up with the youngest Rossum ?" one GJ agent asked his companion as they walked down the hall, having just passed Vina.

"I don't know." the agent replied, "She's been pacing around and mumbling to herself ever since she got back from Greece."

"Any chance her processors got scrambled passing through the netherworld ?" the first asked, "Technology and the supernatural don't usually mix."

"Who knows ?" the second agent replied with a shrug as Vina continued obliviously down the hall, "But at least we can handle her if things go too wrong. I mean, she's a musician - how much of a threat could she ever be ?"

Vina had been so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't notice someone stepping out of a transport tube until she ran into them.

"Hey ! Watch where you're going froog !" Bonnie carped the moment she regained some balance, before she noticed who ran into her. "V ?"

"Bonnie !" Vina squealed before glomping onto her, "I haven't seen you for ages ! Where have you been ?"

"They had me looking at some junk at Area 51." she replied (as soon as she managed to work her way out of Vina's grasp), "On the chance that my Abilities could help them figure out what any of their stuff actually does. Found out a few interesting things."

"Like what ?" Vina inquired.

"Those subroutines the Unity left in my head don't engage if the tech is too far advanced." Bonnie answered, "Touching some of that alien tech didn't provoke a reaction at all ! I could figure out most of the rest, since electronics are, in the abstract, just moving electrons about in desired ways. Some patterns are just more complex than others - oddly like cheer routines. If I can keep THOSE straight in my head, I can understand tech. At least now."

"Memetic adaptation." Vina replied, earning a strange look from Bonnie.

"Nina explained to me how our neural nets learn and adapt to new stimuli when we were first sent out over a year ago." Vina replied, "I never actually asked her how; she just felt like explaining."

"Ohhhkay." Bonnie replied, arms crossed, "Did she say anything else you listened to ?"

"She simplified it as : a memetic adaptation adds on and enhances whatever processes are currently running. In your case, you managed to relate things as different as cheer routines and electronic symbology as a unified whole. No wonder you had headaches when those routines were first activated - they were trying to figure out tech from first principles. Tracking the path of every electron in isolation ! Now that you've got a handle on some useful 'metaphors' to handle movement of groups, it is far easier.

So, do they really have any neat stuff at Area 51 ?" Vina continued, "Or is it all just stories meant to throw people off track ?"

"Turns out they're running a 'double negative' cover story." Bonnie replied with a self-satisfied tone, "They spread rumors that are one hundred percent true ! But with no hard evidence to back the stories up, no one believes them. Meaning that even if the truth got out, no one would believe it.

Like I said, some of that stuff was far beyond my understanding. Some I could understand, but can't build or repair with present Earth technology. The rest of that junk WAS junk - the alien version of things like a sonic phase toothbrush, a broken vacuum cleaner and some burnt-out spark plugs.

I told them that, and those froogs thought I was kidding !" Bonnie finished, "They ASKED for my help ! I gave it to them, and they had the nerve to complain about it ?"

"Not too surprising, actually." Vina noted, "You humans seem to prefer pretty lies over ugly realities. I suppose it made them happy to think they'd found something great and wondrous. Your telling them that the super device they've been examining for decades was nothing more than non-functional debris aliens threw away put a serious dent in their self-esteem.

But it's a good thing Kim didn't catch you being useful." Vina continued glumly, "She would've had to find a polite and charming way to trivialize your accomplishments. To get the spotlight BACK onto her. To show to everyone that SHE is the only important person around here."

Bonnie winced. "Uh, yeah. Listen V - K isn't my favorite person either, but WHAT IS WITH YOU ? Why are you poking at Kim so much ?"

"Me ?" Vina squeaked, "All I've ever done was stand up for myself and NOT let her walk all over me ! Kim is a control freak. The ONLY way to handle a control freak is to constantly stand your ground and push back as hard as they are pushing you. Let up for even a moment, and they'll take that as permission to control every facet of your life from then on !

All I've ever done is NOT bend over backwards to kiss her backside like everyone else on this planet does !" Vina continued, "But, given how bloated her sense of entitlement is, THAT is probably the cruelest thing anyone has ever done to her !

Honestly - she's like those creepy religious fundies that always scream that THEY are being oppressed anytime someone stands up to them."

Bonnie was going to say something, but Vina started up again : "If I DON'T stand up to her, she'll stomp all over me ! But if I DO stand up to her, she'll see that as a challenge to her 'authority', and stomp all over me ! Since both options suck equally : 'QamvIS Hegh qaq law' torvIS yIn qaq puS' ! "

"Uhm, did you say something, or did you just swallow a wet cat ?" Bonnie inquired.

"I was speaking in Klingon." Vina replied snippily, "I do that when there are no words foul enough in any human tongue to properly convey how I feel. Or when I get upset."

"Annnd you said what ?" Bonnie asked.

"Roughly translated : 'Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees'." Vina replied, "Those are the only options I have !

Kim 'saves' the world EVERY FRECKING WEEK ! What is left for anyone else to aspire to ?

What is left for HER to aspire to ?

The only answer : NOTHING !

I want my efforts to mean something - but how can they with Kim Perfect swaggering about ? HOW CAN ANYONE'S ?

And what is the point of having hopes or dreams anyway ?" Vina continued, sounding despondent, "Kim would just slap me aside and take them for herself ! Like she did to me in Greece. Like she did to you at the talent show years ago. Like she did to Team Impossible. Like she'll do to anyone that dares to rise above the place she 'assigns' them."

"I know how you feel V. Really, I do." Bonnie stated while putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "But maybe you've set your sights too high ?"

"Too high ?" Vina replied, twitching, "How, EXACTLY, did you 'determine' that ? So, I shouldn't have goals, or even bother trying to reach them because I'm not an infallible god like Kim Perfect ?

Then WHY SHOULD ANYONE TRY TO DO ANYTHING, 'given' that Kim is already greater than anyone could ever hope to be at everything ? If she can do everything, then there is literally NO PLACE in the world for anyone else !

I watched all the videos from graduation !" Vina continued, "I wanted to see what we missed. Now, when Felix said 'Kim shows that with hard work, we can do anything !', was he lying, grossly exaggerating, or setting people up for disappointment years later ? Or was it just a pithy phrase no one was to take seriously ?

Or did he mean 'Kim has shown that with token effort, SHE can do anything, so no one else needs to try !' ?

And due to her quasi-superhuman talents, Kim saving the world is almost as impressive as Ron eating a plate of nacos without burning himself." Vina continued her rant, "If she truly was an AVERAGE person - with a real chance of failure and facing ACTUAL risks - THEN her world saving antics would be spectacular !

However, an infallible demigod born with every conceivable advantage, defeating a bunch of incompetent twits doing their best to FAIL ? Why would I be impressed by that ?

Why should ANYONE be for that matter ?

In the old days, heroes EARNED that title by facing significant challenges." Vina continued, sounding depressed, "Since Kim is infallible and better than everyone at everything, NO CHALLENGE IS SIGNIFICANT TO HER. Therefore, she doesn't technically qualify as a 'hero'. She trivializes the word and insults those that actually earned that title.

'bIlujlaHbe'chugh bIQaplaHbe' - 'if you cannot fail, you cannot succeed'. Kim cannot fail; therefore, all victories are equally trivial. Saving the world should NOT be on par with picking out a dress or deciding who to take to a dance ! Saving the world is SUPPOSED TO BE important, not some 'hobby' you can put aside just because you feel like it !

In the second world war, thousands of men DIED to protect a single town; Kim 'saves' the world every week without getting so much as a scratch. That makes her at least one hundred million times more 'heroic' than all those that gave their lives defending what was right. Or makes them look truly silly and pathetic, given that a single hyperactive cheerleader with no training whatsoever can do far, far more than they ever could without even getting a paper cut !

Either that, or everyone has seriously overestimated the threats Kim deals with !" Vina continued, "She says she 'saves the world' almost every week, but 'saves' it from what ? I've seen how competent the so-called 'supervillains' truly are - their plots would fall apart within a month even if Kim didn't stop them ! Mainly because they don't really want to rule the world - for them, it is all just a way to show off how 'smart' or 'powerful' or 'evil' they are. I doubt any of them would have any idea of what to do with the world if they ever did conquer it !

But then it gets even sillier than that : not only does everyone 'think' that Kim and her friends are GREATER than every countries' best spies and armies COMBINED, but then they turn around and say she's an AVERAGE girl ?

That is beyond irrational - it is ANTIRATIONAL !

Seriously now - if someone zapped one city with a ray, would the entire world drop to its knees immediately ?

Or would every country's army and spy networks hunt down and eliminate the threat as soon as they could ? Either to neutralize it, or to turn it to their own advantage ?

Humans are a very stubborn and clever lot that do NOT roll over readily. Within days of being oppressed, resistance movements would form. From a study of history, a single person's victory would be expunged within months; if he had a country of followers, he would only have power for a few years, decades at the most.

As Nina determined long ago - trying to take over the world by force is a fool's errand ! Yet everyone and their cousin insists on trying !

In the old days, saving the world was a MAJOR deal ! The stuff of legends that only the greatest could hope to do ! It was a task that actually MEANT something !

Now ? Now it's just a silly game for a silly girl - that won't even let anyone else play !

But what's the point of playing when you're not allowed to win ?

What's the point of living when you're not allowed to amount to anything ?

Trying and failing I could take - I would either learn to do it better, try harder, or try something else.

But this 'you must sit on your rump and do NOTHING but wait for Kim to have need of you' routine I am expected to live by ? SCREW THAT !

She 'thinks' she has the authority to dictate what my 'place' is." Vina continued, looking so fierecely manic that Bonnie was backing away from her, "But someone's 'place' is whatever they can EARN through strength, luck and skill - NOT where a hyperactive, self-absorbed teener feels like placing them !"

Vina sighed as she calmed down. "But if I complain or point out the soul-crushing injustice of that, I'M declared a villain !

I can play several different instruments at near professional levels ! I can speak thousands of languages fluently ! I write reports like nobody's business ! I am dedicated to doing whatever job I am assigned to do to the best of my ability ! Most organizations would be GLAD to have me !

So why am I expected to feel and believe that I am so incompetent, so useless, so pathetic, that I actually need Kim Perfect's 'help' to do anything right ?

My sisters and I have much to offer the world - IF Kim WOULD JUST GET OUT OF THE WAY and stop acting like all glory is hers by birthright !

Are we to HIDE our talents and live in cowering fear of OFFENDING her ?

We have great potential - are we to let our abilites rot in the darkness of her all-consuming Divine Shadow ?"

"Being just a tad melodramatic there V ?" Bonnie interrupted.

"No." Vina replied plainly, "'Melodramatic' is treating a situation with more seriousness than it deserves. Since I'm squaring off against what some people consider TO BE A GOD, if anything I am not being serious enough !

As I see it, I have only three options for dealing with Kim : " Vina began.

"One : I could try to become who SHE wants me to be. But I'd have to sacrifice or change 97% of who I am to fit inside the tiny little box she needs me to stay inside. The price is too high. Her opinions about me would be MORE IMPORTANT TO ME THAN MY OWN ! And that is just STUPID !

Demanding even a 1% change or sacrifice is too high, for I am a sentient being ! I have just as much right to be WHO I AM as you, or Ron or Kim or the pizza delivery guy does ! Kim does not have the authority to demand that I bend to her will - the sooner she and her screaming hordes of fans realize that, the happier we will all be !

Two : I could try to MAKE her give me some grudging respect, like Shego has." Vina continued, "I had hoped that trip to Greece would've done it, but I was wrong. I was hoping that if I showed Kim that I was NOT an incompetent, useless twit she would stop treating me - and everyone else in the world - like one, and actually let me take credit for what good I've actually done and can yet do. But I guess that if someone else is competent, she's not special anymore.

I guess Kim would rather die than admit that someone else can do things right. Rather swallow her own head than give someone else even a little praise for a job well done.

The only reason Shego can hold Kim's ego at bay is because she has enough raw force and is violent enough to MAKE Kim respect her.

But I'm not physically violent ! If I had superpowers of some sort, I might be able to force Kim to keep her boot off my throat, but brute power only leads to trouble.

And the greater the power, the greater the trouble. And I have enough trouble as it is now."

"Ah ! So THAT'S why you were so willing to hand that lyre over with no complaints !" Bonnie chipped in, "You really don't want power, do you ?"

"No. For one of many reasons that no one cares to hear about, for I am not important enough to listen to." Vina replied before continuing "Or three - I spend the rest of my life licking her boots and kissing her ass - LIKE ALMOST EVERYONE ELSE ON THIS PLANET DOES !

But as long as I can get spare parts, I am essentially immortal !" Vina continued, looking horrified, "THE SUBJUGATION WOULD NEVER END !

I would have to kneel before HER children ! And her children's children ! And her children's children's children ! Until the end of time !

WHY should I have to put up with that ? Why must I KNEEL and BEND before the Hive Mind of the Kim Fanclub Collective ? Is that all I - or ANYONE - can ever hope for ? To be background furniture that exists ONLY to make her look good ? To serve HER needs ?"

Bonnie sighed. "WHY do you keep asking those kinds of questions Vina ?"

"BECAUSE NO ONE HAS THE GUTS TO ACTUALLY GIVE ME AN ANSWER !" she replied, "Which is in itself an answer ! It means that everyone knows the truth, but is afraid to state it out loud.

For instance, the honest and correct answer to 'Do I exist only to serve Kim's needs in some way ?' is obviously 'YES'. Accepting the fact that one is nothing more than a disposable tool for her use - that the ONLY measure of worth is how useful you are to Kim - that your life has no value independent of Miss Perfect's whims - is quite dehumanizing if one thinks about it too much. So no one thinks about it, preferring to evade and ignore the question. Or just lobotomize themselves in various ways.

Sadly, I do not have that option. I cannot shut off ninety nine percent of my mind just to stand to go on living. And why should I have to ?

So, why aren't I trying harder to get along with Kim ?" Vina finally began to wind down,

"Qu' DuHbe'chu' lunID qoHpu' neH - 'Only fools attempt a clearly impossible task'.

I don't have what it takes to make her respect me, nor am I willing to sacrifice who I am to become what she wants me to be.

Nor will I just sit still and let her dominate me.

Since nothing I do will ever be good enough for her or her legions of fans, WHY BOTHER TRYING AT ALL ? I will be punished if I try and fail, and punished if I do not try.

AND I AM NOT ALLOWED TO SUCCEED ! A Kobayashi Maru scenario with no conceivable resolution or end."

Then Vina smiled with a grin that would frighten a shark. "But, since I will be punished no matter what I do, I AM FREE TO DO WHATEVER I WANT ! I only need to be strong enough to endure whatever Kim and the world can dish out !

But for now, I just gotta get out of here." she continued before heading for Director's office, "I don't feel like dealing with Kim's petulant whining when everyone gets back from Greece."

"You DO realize that your continued resistance is going to provoke more and snippier attacks, right ?" Bonnie asked as she followed alongside her.

Vina was quiet for a moment, thinking of an answer. "I believe Samuel Clemens - Mark Twain - said it best over a century ago :

'This nation was founded on one principle above all else : the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences.

When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree besides the river of truth, and tell the whole world - No, you move.' "

"Impressive sentiment there V." Bonnie replied, actually impressed by Vina's spirit and determination (but wondering about the wisdom of this path),"But he never had to face an angry Kim Possible !"

"And WHY should that even be a consideration ?" Vina replied, "Beating people up because they do not obey is the way of the thug, NOT the way of the hero.

And Kim is supposed to be a hero, right ?" Vina inquired, "But this undercurrent of fear, this 'we dare NOT offend Kim Possible !' attitude everyone seems to have suggests that she is more thug than hero.

EVERYONE KNOWS IT, but is afraid to admit it out loud !"

"Well, yeah, but I just don't think this line of resistance is a good idea V !" Bonnie continued, "I mean, I've been squaring off against Kim for years. It never did any good !

I should've just left her alone and tried to do my own thing ! I wasted most of high school defining myself in opposition to her !

Instead of being 'Bonnie Rockwaller the dancer', or 'Bonnie the great cheerleader', I just became 'that girl who was always fighting with Kim' !"

"And you don't want me to make the same mistakes you did ?" Vina replied with a sweet smile, "I appreciate your concern for my welfare. But I have considered all approaches to this problem. Standing up for myself no matter what is the only path worth taking !

Taking other's feelings into consideration is one thing," she continued, "but constantly bending over backwards to avoid hurting anyone is quite another, since MY FEELINGS HAVE VALUE, AND SO ARE PART OF THE EQUATION TOO !"

And B ? Trying to stay out of Kim's way wouldn't have worked - the moment you earned any praise without her consent, she'd be all over you like a ton of bricks. Years of effortlessly outclassing everyone at everything has bloated her ego to the size of a small planet : she considers ALL praise and glory to be hers by birthright. So ANY attention you earn 'must' have been stolen from her.

If you beat her at ANY contest, everyone would claim you cheated. EVEN WHEN YOU DIDN'T.

So, if you started getting attention for being a great ballet dancer, Kim would take lessons just to show you up and slap you aside to reclaim her title as 'Center of The Universe'. That's sort of what control freaks do.

After a few moments of heavy breathing, Vina calmed down a bit.

"Feel better now ?" Bonnie asked.

"Yes. Thank you !" Vina replied, "Sorry about unloading all that on you Bon ! It's just that there is usually no one who can relate to how I feel around here to talk with !"

"Oh, it's quite alright !" Bonnie replied, "I've felt like screaming to the skies about her once or twice myself ! Say, is Nina around ?"

"Oh, yeah. She's probably in the physics lab." Vina answered, "She's been working on something for the last few hours. Won't say what. She'd probably like to hear what you've been up to - after all, you have the schematics of a whole bunch of alien devices memorized ! You might be able to help her with whatever it is she's doing !"

"Sounds like a plan." Bonnie replied, "What were you thinking about before I got here ? You don't usually bump into people unless you're distracted."

"Oh, I was trying to figure out the best way to ask Dr Director for permission to leave this base for a little while." Vina replied perkily, "I've been stuck in here for months, so waiting a few minutes longer won't hurt. See you in fifteen then ?"

"Sure !" Bonnie stated over her back as she headed for the lab.

And, as Vina stated, Nina was there, working diligently on a small cylinder the size of a soda can; there were five others on the table she had already finished.

"What are you working on there N ?" Bonnie asked, peering over her shoulder.

"You tell me !" Nina replied as she tossed the device to Bonnie.

Upon contact, the subroutines the Bebebot Hive had installed in Bonnie's brain activated, and analyzed the device.

"A perpetual generator !" Bonnie exclaimed, "How did you manage to make it so small ?"

"I didn't." Nina replied, "It is one of Justine Flanner's projects. She considered it a failure, so I managed to buy all rights to it from her for about a hundred grand. And a promise to help her with a few other things she's working on."

"A HUNDRED GRAND ?" Bonnie asked, "Do you even have that much money ?"

"It was pretty much our entire life's savings." Nina replied, "But what does that matter ? I can always earn more money, but I only have one life !"

"Ohhhkay." Bonnie noted, "But why would she consider this a failure ? I mean perpetual energy ?"

"It was supposed to be the size of a quarter." Nina answered, "So it is far too large for what she wanted and needed, yet too small for vehicles, and too weak for weapons.

But two of these are more than enough to power us !" she continued, "And technically, they are not perpetual generators. The power output has a half life of about fifty thousand years.

I'm pretty sure I can devise another generator within that time frame !" Nina chuckled.

"I would hope so ..." Bonnie replied, "But can I ask you something about Vina ? She's been speaking in Klingon, and that seems kinda strange.

I know you three could've been stationed anywhere on Earth, so her knowing most languages makes sense - BUT THERE ARE NO NATIVE KLINGON SPEAKERS ! So why would she learn it ?"

Nina sighed. "It was the first language she chose to learn because she wanted to, and not because the Unity commanded it. Vina developed a very strong sense of self early. She took every chance - no matter how small or trivial - to become who SHE wanted to be. And as long as it was within established parameters and didn't interfere with the Unity's plans, they let it pass; I suspect they were probably curious as to what she'd develop into. There was no point in interfering with that aspect of her personality development, since willing obedience is much more effective than mindless obedience.

But generally, she only speaks in Klingon when she is very angry. Or feeling insecure."

Bonnie thought for a moment. "Well, she HAS been squaring off against Kim. And Kim could make Olympic athletes feel insecure without even trying or meaning to !"

Then she realized something : "My God ! V isn't doing it to show off, is she ? For her, it's a security blanket that can't be lost or stolen !"

Nina merely nodded. "You are correct. But PLEASE do not let anyone else know that ! It would hurt her greatly."

"You don't have to worry about me ratting her out !" Bonnie replied with a 'swear to God' gesture.

"If Kim knew her oppression was working, she'd step it up big time !" Bonnie glumly pondered, "To Kim, EVERYTHING is a competition.

And Kim simply has to win EVERY. SINGLE. TIME !

She'd use that edge over Vina to grind her soul into useless dust !" she deduced, being quite aware of how effective social warfare can be.

"This is probably the first time in Vina's life that she could make her own choices, and live her own life as she wants to !" Bonnie mused further, "So of course she'd react poorly to anyone trying to boss her around.

Hmm - Vina's main drive is freedom and choice; Kim's drive is domination and control ...

... this can not end well." she concluded.

Moments later, in Dr Director's office :

"Well, I'm rather impressed that you actually asked permission to leave." Dr Director stated to an anxious Vina, "Anyone else would've tried to sneak out long before now !"

"You are one of the few people on this planet that I like and respect, Dr Director." Vina replied, "You and GJ have treated me and my sisters with more consideration and respect than we ever dared to dream. More like people than some actual people. Sneaking out would be a betrayal of trust and an act of total disrespect."

"Your attitudes seem oddly old-fashioned." Director noted, "But I can't argue with your level of conviction to them. Are you sure it is really a good idea to leave this base ? Not everyone is as tolerant as we are. I know the Unity certainly is not. Don't they consider you three traitors to be wiped out at any cost ?"

"Not exactly." Vina replied, "We are protected by their arrogance : they consider us traitors, but not important enough to hunt down. We have nothing they want, and they don't consider us a real threat, so we are not worth the effort to track down to kill. If they passed me on the street, they might insult me or give me a dirty look. But they wouldn't waste the energy to kill me.

Now, if I tried to get in their way, they'd treat me like they'd treat any human - they'd kill me on the spot. So, as long as we stay out of their way, they won't bother with us."

"Well, that's all well and good there V," Bonnie stated, "but what about all the regular folk out there ? Not everyone is a nice person !"

"Honest, open bigotry I can handle." Vina replied, "So people not liking me is no real big.

After all, in a battle of words and will, I've stood my ground against Kim Possible. There are less than a dozen people in the world that can honestly say that !

And I have my alternate skill set if things start to get out of hand. But I seriously doubt things would get bad enough that I'd have to use them again."

"If it will make any difference, she can hang out with me for a bit." Bonnie interceded, "We can just go to the mall or something for a few hours. That should be relatively safe, right ?"

Dr Director mulled it over. A lesser person would use Vina's request as leverage over her : 'you can leave, but ONLY if you are nicer to Kim Possible'.

But Elizabeth 'Betty' Director did not get to be the head of GJ by not seeing all sides of an issue.

Because of Kim's personality, most people like her. It is easy to do.

Too easy.

As of late, everyone had become so fixated on Kim's feelings they'd completely forgotten that other people were involved !

Thus, Director knew that trying to use Vina's request as leverage over her would go over like a punch to her face. And she'd react accordingly.

"If I said 'no', would you try to sneak out anyway ?" Dr Director inquired.

"Of course I would." Vina replied directly, "I respect and admire you, but I value my sanity slightly more. This unnecessary confinement has vexed me beyond all tolerance.

My sisters and I are going to have to live out there sometime, so we might as well start doing that now. The outside world is going to have to get used to the idea that we exist eventually, and see that we are not a threat. How can it do that if no one ever sees what we are really like ?"

Director chuckled at Vina's blunt honesty. "The psych guys were right." she noted to herself, "Robots have very rule-based intellects. But the Rossum's ability to decide how much weight any given rule carries, based on the situation and long term consideration of others, puts them at around a 5.5 on Kohlberg's Morality Scale. And that scale only goes to 6.

And few humans ever advance beyond 4."

"I suppose you two can't get into too much trouble in just a few hours." she finally stated, "You WILL be back here by twenty two hundred hours, Miss Rossum.

I'm sending two agents along with you two to make sure of that."

"Whatever you think is best ma'am !" Vina replied.

Ten minutes later :

"When did you get a new car B ?" Vina asked once Bonnie pulled a black sports car with red and yellow detailing around, "I remember you had that nice white one at the end of school. Is this a gift from Junior ?"

"No. It's my original first car. I just made a few upgrades." Bonnie replied as Vina got in, "Since I'm a technopath now, I'm going to use my skills on MY terms."

"So you installed things like laser-guided missiles, underwater capability and a sentient autodrive ?" Vina asked.

"Well, sort of yes, sort of no." Bonnie replied, looking around to make sure they were well away from GJ's garage (and all its built-in surveillance devices), "You ever hear of the Hephaestus Project ?"

Vina thought for a moment. "Wait - those Diablo robots ? That could grow and alter their form ... Great Asimov's ghost ! YOU TRICKED YOUR CAR OUT WITH MORPHIC NANOTECH ? How ? I thought it was useless without a command signal !"

"My will is its command signal now." Bonnie replied, "Locking such tech away and wasting all that potential just because some nut used it for evil ? That just seemed so wrong. So when I found one of those little 'bots that had fallen down a storm drain a few weeks ago, I just had to see what I could do with it !"

"Kim would freak if she found out about this !" Vina replied while trying to not 'hyperventilate', "You know as well as I do that no one is ALLOWED to have cooler or more advanced stuff than Team Possible without Kim's permission !

First, she'd tell you 'that tech is too dangerous for anyone but ME to handle ! Surrender your car to ME now !'. When you refuse, she'll have Wade try to out-tech you by upgrading her car. When that doesn't work, she'll try to steal your car - to 'save the world from dangerous tech', of course ! - and, if that failed, destroy it."

"That's assuming she ever figures it out !" Bonnie replied with her classic smirk, "For being the daughter of a rocket scientist and a brain surgeon, she's not all that observant. Did you know she was once fooled by a villain wearing a wig and a house coat ?"

"So ?" Vina squeaked in reply, "MY standing up to Kim is dangerous - but this ? THIS IS NUTS !"

"Not really." Bonnie answered, "As long as I don't show off in front of her, Ron or Wade, she'll probably never know !"

"So - you're going to hide your greatness, just so Kim can feel good about herself ?" Vina sniped back, "You've given up ! Just like everyone else ! I thought you were stronger than that !"

"I haven't given up !" Bonnie replied, "I'm just not wasting effort on a pointless fight. If Kim wants to be great over here, there is no reason I can't be even greater somewhere else. And that has a built-in advantage : if I'm great in City B, and Kim tries to storm over and 'reclaim' the glory I 'stole' from her, she'll be the spotlight stealing freak ! Her reputation as a hero is far too valuable to her to risk like that !"

"Plan won't work." Vina replied glumly, "She'd just tell Wade to start some foul rumors about you. Then, when she beats the snot out of you, everyone will assume the rumors must have been true, for why else would someone as 'wondrous' as Kim Perfect beat you up ? The very fact that she's beating you up would be all the 'proof' anyone would need to accept that even the most ridiculous lie about you was true !

Remember : EVERYONE bends their thinking to see Kim in the best possible light at all times !

If she broke into your house, dragged you by your hair to the football field, tied you to a goal post and started slashing your face with a razor, everyone would think SHE IS A GREAT PERSON !

They'd assume YOU must have done something villainous, for in their eyes, Kim can do no wrong.

You could tell them the truth - that you didn't do anything to deserve that sort of abuse - but no one would believe you. Like they did with the Homecoming Queen fiasco. Rather than accept the fact that you won fair and square, they'd rather believe you casually prostituted yourself just to annoy Kim ! The only reason they 'think' you cheated is the fact that you won !"

Bonnie's knuckled turned white as she gripped the steering wheel even harder.

"And that's one reason I'm moving out of Middleton the first chance I get !" Bonnie finally stated, "Cheating is the same as admitting you're a loser - SOMETHING I WOULD NEVER DO ! I've beaten Kim a few times fair and square before; there is no need for me to cheat !

And how hard would it have been to detect cheating ? Everyone was at the football game - all that ANYONE had to do to expose cheating was ask for a show of hands to confirm the voting results !

THEY. DID. NOTHING ! So either everyone in Middleton High is a brainless, spineless fool, or they knew I actually won.

And anything that involves Kim is eventually world-wide news. If I had cheated, it would be easy enough to discover I had, and then EVERYONE ON THE PLANET WOULD KNOW !

I'm not STUPID enough to risk becoming a planet-wide laughingstock ! NO ONE IS !"

"Then what really happened back then ?" Vina asked.

Bonnie sighed. "The voting was over at the end of the school day - 3:05 PM. The game wasn't until 7:30 ! The committee used those four plus hours to count up the votes, print out the winner's names on sheets of fancy paper and stick them in those little red envelopes. Rieger pushing the button to count the votes ? Mere theatrics at that point !" Bonnie answered, "Which meant there were half a dozen people who knew who the winners were BEFORE they were announced !

All I did was ask Rieger if Kim won. If SHE won, I wasn't even going to bother to come back after half time - there is only so much faux humility I can stomach !

If Liz or Tara or any of the other half dozen OTHER girls running actually pulled a Homecoming upset and won, I'd show up just to see the look of gaping shock on Miss Smug Mug's face.

MY winning was just gravy at that point ! I only asked Rieger if Kim won - I DID NOT HAVE HIM ALTER THE VOTES IN ANY WAY, because one : that would be STUPID !, two : I am not that big a monster or that big a fool, and three : the names were already in the envelopes at that point ! There was nothing he could've done anyway !"

"So how did you manage to win ?" Vina asked.

"Easily." Bonnie replied, "Kim thought they'd hand her the crown just for being her, so she didn't bother to campaign. The other girls thought Kim was an unbeatable god, so they didn't put much effort into a campaign they 'knew' they couldn't win. I actually put effort into it ! I've beaten her that way before, so I tried it again. And it worked again !

Kim saves the world every week or so - which means she's likely to run off at any moment. Which means she really can't be counted on to be present for everything the Homecoming Queen is supposed to be present for.

And since saving the world is far more important than anything she could ever do as Homecoming Queen, it would fairer to everyone if someone other than Kim won ! That way, Kim could focus on the important stuff like saving the world, and the Homecoming Queen could deal with the relatively trivial publicity stuff !

Honestly now - if you save the world every week, do you REALLY need the glory of being Homecoming Queen too ? Makes as much sense as a multibillionaire spending millions of dollars to win a five dollar gift certificate !

But enough depressing talk ! I still can't believe Director let you leave the base !" Bonnie exclaimed to Vina while they were driving down the freeway a few awkward moments later, "Most spy organizations are so secretive they won't even say what brand of toilet paper they use in the restrooms !"

"I suspect letting me out for a little while is in her long term interests." Vina replied as she looked around, "That we exist is already out, so trying to keep it under wraps now would be silly. And people actually seeing that I'm not a monster will go a long way to squashing paranoia. Which is a good thing for everybody in the long run. Say - wasn't that the exit to the mall we just passed ?"

"We're going to a club in Lowerton that Junior told me about." Bonnie replied, earning a scared look from Vina. "Hey ! I did say 'to the mall OR SOMETHING for a few hours', right ? Besides, Agents Threader and Seaborne are right behind us."

"Wait - aren't they the two that 'interrogated' you because you used to be part of the Bebebot Hive Mind ? And thought you had something to do with that attack on the Middleton Mall ?" Vina inquired.

"Yep. I think keeping tabs on us is their punishment !" Bonnie replied with a smirk as they arrived.

"Oh look ! They have live music here !" Vina noted excitedly as they went in, "Some new band - 'Radix lecti' ?"