Pinky, Voltron & the Brain
A Crossover Literary Work of Shameless Fandom
By KittyLynne and The Bandit
Authors Say: `Innuendo' is Italian for Preparation H.
Chapter 10
"Look team! It's that weird ship we fixed!" Lance exclaimed, as he stared out his cockpit window at the Big Suit that now had drawn alongside Red Lion. "Who's flying it?"
The Brain's purple helmeted visage, which exuded determination and grit, blinked to life on Lance's viewer. "Captain John Brain and the Braintron Force, at your service, Lieutenant!"
Loud squeaks and chatters from Cheddar, Cheesy and their two children Sukey and Inky were heard in the background, which when translated, amounted to yelling, `LET'S GO, BRAINTRON FORCE!'
"What the devil are you- this wasn't in the-" The Red Lion pilot sputtered.
The Brain smiled down at his tiny view screen. "Sorry, Lance, no time for clever banter. I know this wasn't in `The Plan', but since three of you can't form Voltron, the Space Mice and I are going to save Antonio."
"No way. That's a negatory, Brain!"
The Brain regarded Lance coolly. "I should think you'd welcome the assistance."
"Not for a suicide mission!" The Red Lion pilot barked. "If you think you can defeat a rampaging RoBeast with a tricked out Armani suit, you're loony tunes!"
"Of course! My entire family descends from Looney Tunes." The Brain informed him with dignity. "We may be unorthodox to you, but it's a beloved and distinguished lineage where I come from."
"Happy to hear it," Lance replied grimly, "but you're out of your league here. The reality is, there are no miraculous recoveries or resurrections here- when people here get smashed or blown up, they stay smashed or blown up!"
The Brain wanted to point out that Lance's friend Sven had come back from the dead, but given he was unsure if Sven was actually his doppelganger brother or himself again due to a plot twist, he decided it wasn't wise to get lost in the translation. Instead, he gave the pilot a ferocious `don't make me hurt you' glare.
Lance glared right back. "You could be maimed, mutilated and killed! That thing that was your friend has no friggin' idea who you are!"
As he saw genuine concern flickering in Lance's ice blue gaze, The Brain relented. "Okay, Lieutenant- I'll grant you the obvious. Yes, right now Antonio is a green-horned, dog-collared flunky for evil. I concede he's also a vile, bloodthirsty, rampaging atrocity who at present is oblivious to the sacredness of life, and an absolute insult to fashion and good taste- no, no- please, hear me out."
Lance closed his mouth, sat back, and folded his arms across his chest, waiting for the inevitable `but'.
"Trust me on this Lance, no one, but no one, knows better than I how high the odds are that I will fail in any mission I undertake." The mouse genius said, raw emotion underlining his words as he passionately shook one tiny paw, and his eyes burned red. "But it doesn't change the fact that it's my best -and frankly my only- friend in two galaxies that is trapped underneath that horror and that I will free him or die in the attempt!"
The Brain waited a brief but stirring moment to let this sink in.
"But what if you fail?" Lance asked. "I repeat, there are no second chances here."
"Then I will succeed!" The Brain replied. "Failure? I scorn thee! Failure? I mock thee! Failure, I expectorate in thy wretched visage!"
And with that, drawing up all his salvia, the newly commissioned Captain of Braintron forcefully spat.
High-pitched cheers from the Space Mice filled the airwaves. The Brain used the break to compose himself, and to discreetly wipe off his viewer with his uniform sleeve.
Hunk seized the opportunity to ask a question. "Sorry, had some static feedback. Would someone fill me in on why Noggie's hawking a loogie on the console?"
Lance slapped his helmet with one hand.
"Well, Hunk, what John did was to show that he's determined to save his friend, even though poor Antonio is a naughty, ugly monster now. John will stop at nothing to try to save him because they're best friends." Allura explained, a tear running down her cheek.
"So he's going to try to save his friend? What a guy, er, mouse!" The Big Man then glanced at the PinkyBeast image on his scanner, and shook his head. "Antonio was cute. But that...that is one bad, buuhtt-ugly Ro-Mouse!"
They all watched the PinkyBeast, who looked most fearsome...until it tripped over a small cliff and landed on his face in the middle of a river, sending water washing over the banks, which flooded the surrounding landscape. The Monster got its bearings and rose to its feet, grinning sheepishly and tipping its head sideways to let the water run out of its enormous ears; as soon as the creature stepped out of its makeshift tub, the water receded to normal levels.
The Yellow Lion pilot chortled. "HA! Did you guys get a load of that? It's a klutz! Ya know, I think a souped up mecha-suit can take him out! What a goofball-"
A soft, choked gasp ended his critique. View screens and communicators now carried the image and sounds of the heartrending sobs of an extremely distraught Princess.
"Nice going, moron!" Lance fumed at Hunk, who grinned back at him sheepishly. "Hell's Bells, why do I always have to be the sensitive guy in this group? That `goofball' was her friend too, so say sorry before Princess floods her cockpit!"
"Sensitive? " Hunk scoffed. "That's way out of character for you! Keith's the serious, sensitive and noble leader, you're the sarcastic, volatile and overly flirtacious second banana, Pidge is the mascot child prodigy and I'm the brawny, thickheaded but mechanically brilliant, soft-hearted lummox. Princess is the spunky, beautiful, valiant and sometimes rebellious um...well, Princess, Coran is the angst-ridden shrewd elder statesman, Nanny is-"
The Red Lion pilot ruthlessly cut him off as Allura's sobs increased in volume. " Apologize, you yutz! If there's one thing I can't handle, it's crying women."
"Oh, there's some sensitivity for you." Hunk snapped. "I'm sorry the Princess had to hear that!"
The Brain slapped his forehead in despair. ~I'm dealing with the equivalent of two otaku teenagers at a fanservice convention. They have three seconds to straighten this out or-~
Time was up. The Brain cleared his throat, loudly and with great length. Hunk and Lance both fell silent while Allura continued to weep.
"Your Majesty, please dry your tears." The Braintron Captain said gently. "I swear on my Mother's burrow that I will bring Antonio back, safe and sound."
On the view screens they could see the Princess' blond head lift off her console, and her blue, shimmering gaze seeking out the scowling visage of her newest champion.
"I believe you, John." she answered softly, then hiccupped. "Oh dear. Excuse me."
"Hold your breath and count to ten." The Brain advised her automatically. "Now, your Highness, I have another Plan, but it will be much more perilous than the first. No matter what the cost I will carry it out, but the rest of you need not. All that I ask is that the Lion ships distract the Beast long enough for me to get close to him."
Allura released her breath before responding, and smiled when she realized the hiccups were gone. It was a good omen. "We're with you, John. We're in this together, to the end."
A chorus of determined squeaks mixed with Lance's and Hunk's fervent affirmatives settled the matter.
"Thank you," The Brain said humbly, then lurched violently from side to side as a giant sized Narf induced turbulence shook the Big Suit in midair. He gripped his command chair and spoke urgently, sensing the imminent danger.
"I'll make this fast. If what I suspect it accurate, Pi- I mean, Antonio, will be encapsulated in one of the Beast's buttocks."
"Why not in the head?" Lance asked.
"If the Witch spent even five minutes with Antonio, she'd know not to let him anywhere near the command center. He's the empowering life force and the personality, but someone else is acting as the brain. I need to cut through the crap and get him out."
The Red Lion pilot nodded curtly. "And we provide a diversion so you can go in through the back door." As Hunk snickered, Lance rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Don't go there."
"Where?" The Princess asked curiously.
Hunk glanced at the Princess. "Oh yeah. Okay."
Weary and impatient, The Brain simply shouted, "Going bye-bye! COVER ME!"
The three Voltron force members quickly snapped to attention, and as one, the three Lion ships dived at the rampaging menace. Veering off at the last possible moment, they then took turns making passes at the monster's torso and legs.
The PinkyBeast grinned with malevolent delight at the toy size arrivals. "ZZZOOOORRRRTTTT!" It rumbled, reaching for the three `kitties'.
"Uh-oh." Hunk observed, barely avoiding the monster's swiping paws. "He wants to play!"
"So play already!" Lance retorted, anxiously watching as the Big Suit ship rocketed upwards. As he saw it shoot between the Beast's horns and disappear behind the gigantic head, completely unnoticed by the distracted creature, he broke out in a grin. The mouse had done it! So far, so good.
"Okay team, Brain's completed the first stage...now let's do our part and look after Tiny Toes." He said, steering Red Lion into another steep dive.
"Right!"
"You got it, Red Lion!"
As the horned rodent lunged and grabbed at the dodging Lion ships, Lotor had left the Totally Demolished Glen and was on his way to the battle in a hovercraft purloined from an elderly Arusian who had been wise enough to make a present of his transport to his future ruler without hesitation.
As he sped along, the Prince muttered curses in five Denubian dialects as the rust covered craft alternately backfired and lurched forward, and then began to cough and choke on the cloud of foul smelling exhaust that belched out from vehicle's front engines, completely encompassing him. In desperation, he reached beneath the skirt of his tunic, and pulled out a huge rolled up hanky from inside the front of his leggings, shook it out and held it over his mouth and nose.
~Last time I go for an `easy' steal!~ He seethed. ~This bucket of bolts makes the coffin ship seem like a pleasure cruise.~
Despite his aggravation, Lotor smiled behind the hanky when he reached the site of the skirmish. He was pleasantly surprised to see only three of the mighty Lion ships faced his latest challenge, and happy didn't even begin to describe his mood when he spotted the mighty Blue Lion among them.
A pity the arrogant Captain Keith was unable to attend our little party." Lotor chortled to himself. "Allura WILL be mine..." But his gloating was halted by another sight, which had him dropping his hanky and savagely gunning the transport's engines. "That is, if that big oaf doesn't crush her first! HALT BEAST!"
The craft shot forward, continued to lurch violently and belch black, rancid-smelling smoke as it picked up momentum, but allowed him to reach his destination with surprising speed, the Prince quickly located and fired the craft's elevation thrusters; the transport jerked upwards, listing from side to side, but somehow managing to lift him to eye level with his newest robotic menace.
It seemed that the PinkyBeast had managed to grab hold of both Blue and Yellow Lion. He now held the battered ships above his head as he `flew' them around, making loud `Vrrrrrrooommm' noises, before lowering and gleefully bashing the two Lions together, head-on.
"ZORTTTTT, PPPOOOIIITTT!" It giggled, as inside the Lions, a dazed Princess and a stunned Hunk groaned miserably. Appalled at the sight of his precious Princess package not being handled with care, Lotor unclenched his teeth and bellowed at the grinning creature.
"No, no, NO, you IDIOT! Not the blue one! Allura's in there! You'll squash her, you imbecile!"
The Pinky Beast froze, all motion stilled in an instant, then let out a planitive roar, looking at his master, then at the damaged blue ship.
"NO! MINE!" Lotor screamed. "NOT YOURS!"
An immense lower lip began to quiver and tears welled up in giant red eyes. Huge white paws clenched around the lions as the PinkyBeast pouted, then began to whimper, obviously well on his way to working up a mega-sized tantrum. If the silly creature decided to pound his fists...
The Doomian Prince stomped his foot in exasperation, then took a deep, calming breath. Fortunately for the imperiled Princess and himself, he had seen fit to demand a crash course from Hagar on how best to handle this creature's strange moods before leaving the Totally Demolished Glen.
~Or should that be-unfortunately?~ He thought dolefully. The Witch's instructions had succeeded in shocking him- him, the merciless, cynical Royal Scourge of the Doomian Empire! His handsome face had turned a paler shade of blue as he listened to Hagar's directions, which was presumably why the Witch had to stop for so many `cackle breaks' during the lecture. Good thing the crazy old hag had volunteered to stay behind to attend to the ships, the thought of her actually witnessing what he thought he would never have to do instead of imagining it was far worse than any punishment he could mete out.
Lotor determinedly squared his shoulders, and cleared his throat. Pasting a bright smile on his features, he addressed the PinkyBeast, trying to make his harsh voice as warm and friendly sounding as possible.
"Now, now, it's okay, wittle Tonyums, I know how much you wike the piddy boo one," He soothingly called to the gigantic mouse. "Don't cry, I know you meant well."
The Beast blinked at him, and its lip stopped quivering.
"But guess what? That lion is special, and we have to be careful. The piddy Pincess is in it, and we want the piddy Pincess all in one piece, don't we?"
The Beast sniffled, and nodded.
Lotor grinned, pleased at his success, which almost made up for the humilation of this dialogue. "That's a good boy! Say, I know, why don't you put her down, then go catch and play smash the icky Red one instead, there's a good Beastie! Pwincey Wotor wuvs you!"
"ZORT!" The PinkyBeast burped out happily, while setting the Blue Lion down. Lotor breathed a sigh of relief as the monster turned its attention to the skies in search of the Red ship; the Prince's yellow gaze then feasted on the sight of Blue Lion lying on its back, its four legs flailing aimlessly.
Red Lion, still free and hovering near the RoBeast, had picked up the conversation between evil Prince and Giant Mouse. At first he'd giggled, but when it had ended, Lance was feeling queasy. Thoughts of the Doomian Prince successfully baby talking anything was the stuff of nightmares.
He tried hailing his teammate in Blue Lion, who, to his relief, responded right away.
"I'm okay Lance, but I think my rear stabilizers have been compromised," The Princess told him urgently. "I'm on my back and I can't get up."
"Allura, you've got to move, that's right where Lotor wants you!" Lance yelled.
"I know, I KNOW! I'm working on it!" Allura exclaimed anxiously, turning dials and flipping switches frantically. ~Nothing is responding...Father, where on Arus are you? You always show up to help me at a time like this!~ But the Princess' screen remained spiritless, despite her mental plea. ~Oh sure, now he decides to let me grow up!~
"I need help, Red Lion, I'm gettin' pulverized!" Hunk shouted, his raspy voice shaking as the Pinky Beast whirled his ship around by the tail, then repeatedly smashed it into the ground with an earsplitting but delighted, "Duh- huh- huh!"
"Right!" Lance responded, and launched his ship at Hunk's playful captor. "I'll be right back Princess; hang tight and don't talk to strangers!"
As Lance rocketed to Yellow Lion's aid, Lotor slowly descended to the level of the helpless Blue Lion, the hovercraft's turbines pinging, knocking, and occasionally backfiring as he did so. The craft eventually settled a few yards away from his target, with a jarring thud.
"I have you now, stubborn Princess!" He whispered aloud, his ochre eyes glinting with sinful purpose. ~And I'll have her later, too!~ He added silently, with a waggle of both eyebrows and blue fingers holding an imaginary cigar.
Chuckling to himself, Lotor shut off the ancient craft's engine, jumped to the ground and quickly strode toward Blue Lion's cockpit.
Away from the front, the improved Big Suit had reached the targeted area, lowering itself to hover in a spot near the seat of the monster.
"Cheddar, my Ultra-Sensors indicate a warm blooded life form centered in the left buttock." The Brain informed his second in command. "We shall focus our attack there."
An affirmative squeak came over the comm.
"All right, let's see what this body can do!" The Brain muttered, studying the weapons panel, which was covered with several multicolored switches. "Curses, I forgot to tell them to label the stuff! Oh well, let's see what this one is." He flipped a red switch.
Immediately a door in the lower abdomen of the Big Suit slid open and a huge, white gloved hand holding a mallet sprang forth on an extending mechanism.
"A hand holding a mallet? That's high tech? Well, it's just not what we need. Maybe this one," the misshapen mouse mumbled, retracting the hand with the mallet with a flick of a paw, and then flipping another bright yellow switch. With a loud `Sproing!' another extended hand holding a black ball with a fuse on top popped out of the Big Suit's intestinal cavity, bearing a familiar logo that caught the eye of the Captain.
"What is THIS? ACME? Odds Bodkins! If I had wanted Acme weapons, I could've stayed-" The Brain broke off his tirade as he spied the computer keypad next to the colored switches, labeled `Anime Weaponry'. "Oh, here they are. Heh. My mistake. This looks promising." He pushed the key labeled `Mega-Cranial Ram'.
There was a loud crack, followed by he sounds of shrill, panicked squeaking. The Big Suit reeled backwards as its mouse heads at the ends of its arms and legs launched themselves toward the RoBeast's backside.
"Oops." The Brain said, as he watched the heads violently bounce off the mouse's steely gluts and head back to the Suit ship, leaving little Brain face shaped dents behind them. "Guess I should have given them time to fasten their stabilizer bars."
He fidgeted as the heads reattached to the Big Suit, waiting for the outburst he knew was coming. Sure enough, as the heads reattached to their limbs, an irate looking Cheddar appeared on the viewer, straightening his helmet and uniform. Upon seeing his Skipper's contrite features, he squeaked loudly and gutturally, most likely uttering language not fit for the ears of man or mouse.
"I'm so very, very sorry." he told Cheddar in remorseful tones, when the tiny pilot finally took a breath. "I should have warned you. Entirely my bad."
The Space Mouse folded his paws across his chest and glared. Three other equally irate looking mice blipped up in split screens all around him and glared too.
"Here, why don't you four decide the next attack?" The Brain offered nervously. Mutiny was not a pleasant thing for a Captain to go through."`Ricocheting Rodent Missiles'?"
The glares intensified.
"Okay, no. The Winds of Limburger Blaster then?"
The glares turned to looks of absolute horror. Cheddar pantomimed keeling over with x's for eyes as the others vehemently shook their heads.
A self destruct weapon of last resort, the Brain thought, getting the message. "All right, how about `Blazing Grater'? I'm certain that one doesn't involve certain doom or us disassembling."
Cheddar conferred with his crewmates, then flashed a peace sign.
"Excellent! 'Blazing Grater' it is!" The Braintron Captain confirmed heartily, relieved that his team was still with him. Once they strapped in, he reached over and pressed the pad.
It was time to cut the cheese.
Prince Lotor finally reached the door to Blue Lion's cockpit and leaned against the ship's steely hull for a moment, catching his breath. He couldn't believe it- only a puny wall separated them now. Soon that too would be gone, and Allura would be where she belonged in life, in his powerful arms and eternal service to Doom!
Grinning at that delicious thought, he turned and pressed a pointed ear to the panel and listened intently, the grin fading to a worried frown. There were no sounds coming from inside. Was she knocked out? Injured?
He knocked twice on the hatch.
"Who's there?" A sweet feminine voice answered promptly.
Lotor smiled. "Your love!"
"Your love who?"
The Prince's smile turned downward and he drew himself up to his full height. "It is I, Prince Lotor, future King, Merciless Warrior, Conqueror of Worlds, Holder of-"
The disembodied voice cut in, coldly. "I know who you are. Get lost."
Lotor gritted his teeth, but forced a calm tone. "Now Allura, we really don't have time for lover's games. Please open the hatch."
"No."
"Open it."
"No!"
"Resistance is futile! Open it!"
"Go away!"
Lotor breathed heavily, his temper barely in check. He drew his laser sword and held it aloft, its pulsing and crackling energy filling the air. "If you don't open this hatch RIGHT NOW, I'll hack and I'll chop, and I'll cut my way in!"
"I won't ever give in, I swear by my late Father's kin!"
"How you vex me, Woman!" The Prince wheezed, his face a darker shade of purple. "Remember this ten minutes from now when I am dragging you out of there by that golden mop of yours... remember that I asked first." His voice dropped to a threatening growl. "I will always ask first. Things will be much more pleasant for you if I do not have to force any issue between us."
Inside the Blue Lion cockpit, Allura paled at the ominous words. It would take the Prince a while to cut through the door, but would that be enough time for help to arrive? Where was Keith anyway?
She flipped her SOS switch on the console as she stared at the hatch, her only route of escape, yet the only barrier between her and Lotor. It was already sparking from the forceful blows of a viciously wielded laser sword.
"FORM... BLAZING... GRATER!" The Captain of Braintron shouted. The Big Suit ship's two mouse head hands slammed together with a mighty clank, and when they parted, Cheddar's mouse ship held the end handles of a three dimensional rectangular object that was covered with long, sharp-edged holes on all sides.
"This will get us in!" The Brain exclaimed. "But we have to get closer. Is that okay with everyone?"
A series of affirmative squeaks sounded in his ears, and the mouse genius guided the suit until his likenesses were virtually pressed up against the left side of the PinkyBeast's bottom.
"I suppose this would be the time to make a humorous quip about gluteus kissing or some such nonsense," The Brain told his crew. "But puns are like flatulance; some are real stinkers. You may proceed, Lieutenant Cheddar, whenever you and Cheesy are ready."
The arms of the Big Suit moved inward and both mouse heads grasped the ends of the blazing grater in their mouths, sawing it vigorously back and forth against the RoBeast's tush in an attempt to breach away the top layers of sheet metal.
"Hopefully we'll have broken through before the security breach is detected." The Brain muttered to himself, while avidly measuring their progress.
In another location, another pair of eyes were measuring progress too, severe anxiety glimmering in their lovely depths. Allura knew it wouldn't be long and Lotor would have her in his clutches. There was no escape- unless, of course, she threatened to blow her brains out with the blaster. That threat had worked with the creep before, and if it didn't, she was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice.
She checked the blaster...it had power enough for one shot. All she needed. She cocked the trigger, raised it to her temple.
"Princess, I know you're in trouble, but this thing's got me pinned down," Lance's strained voice filled the cockpit. "You'll have to -aaaaah!"
There was a burst of static and the connection was severed.
"Lance! Come in! Lance!" Allura cried. She jumped to her feet in agitation, and the blaster fell to the cockpit floor and discharged right where the Prince was attempting to gain entrance.
For a moment the wild hope that her unwanted suitor had somehow been incapacitated rose within her, but then Lotor's booming voice filled the cockpit through the hole she'd just shot in the hatch.
"Nice try my dear, but you missed!"
"Don't come any closer! I'm armed!"
"With what? That was your last blast, or there would have been more!"
What could she say? He'd called her bluff.
"My new pet has your Lions by the necks. If you surrender now, Allura, quite possibly they will be allowed to live!"
Allura clasped her trembling hands. A feeling of doom swept over her.
"Forget that pesky Captain- he's shown you his true color. He should be flying yellow!"
Allura grit her teeth and her hands clenched into fists. Hearing the insult to both Keith and Hunk, who was proud to wear yellow, and whose actions completely disproved the color's negative stereotype, was like getting a shot of adrenaline. "How dare you!" She shouted. "Take it back!"
"Sorry, I have a strict no return policy." Lotor smirked. "And you know I dare anything when it comes to you, Princess!"
"As do I!"
A familiar, amplified voice echoed into the Blue Lion cabin, sounding as hard as steel.
"Black Lion!" The Princess cried happily. "Thank Arus!"
"Lotor, you creep!" The Captain yelled, as Black Lion roared. "Surrender at once!"
"I think NOT!" The Prince hissed, continuing to whack at the hatch with his sword. "You have a right to fight, but shoot me now, Beastie Boy, and you blast the Princess too!"
Black Lion hovered, its pilot realizing his quandry.
"You know that I want Allura to live," Lotor continued conversationally, "So if I were you...I'd be more worried about the lives of your two friends!"
"Keith, the RoBeast has captured Lance and Hunk! They'll be killed if you try to rescue me!" Allura exclaimed.
Keith groaned. "I should have gone and freed them first."
"Oh Keith, why didn't you?"
On the Blue Lion's monitor, Allura watched as The Captain closed his eyes, then opened them to regard her with dark intensity."I'm sorry, Princess, but when you're in danger, you're all I can think about. And when you're not in danger, that still holds true."
Her own eyes glowing, the Princess breathed into her communicator, "It does? But...why?"
~Really? He's really going to do this now?~ Lotor, hacking away at the stubborn panel, gave an extra loud grunt as he listened to the tender exchange. ~ I can't believe she's fallen for that guy. By all that is evil, if he follows up with something like 'because you're pretty swell' or 'I choose you, Pikachu'...~ The Prince's blows abruptly increased in intensity.
"Well, you know I think you're a top flight gal, and..." Keith began, stopped at the look on the Princess' face, then took a different tack. "Allura, look, I've been doing a lot of thinking, and there's something I need to tell you, something I should have said a long time ago."
Inside the Blue Lion, the Princess' heart leapt with excitement. "What? What is it?"
But at that moment, the hatch gave way, and Lotor stumbled into the cockpit.
"PRINCESS!" Keith yelled.
"I'll be all right. Go save Lance and Hunk-" Allura managed to gasp before a hard forearm was placed in front of her mouth.
"Yes, do fly away, Keithie!" Lotor said with a sneer. "Loserville needs a pilot!"
The Brain studied the tiny hole they had made, only big enough for a gnat to climb through. "It's working, but not fast enough! Every minute we take to scrape, we risk detection!" The tiny Captain pounded a fist on the arm of his chair. "If only we had a laser or something, we'd get through in no time! Why don't we have one? After all, I'm on the good guys' side now, right? And the good guys always win, right? So why the Sam Hill isn't anything going-"
Keith's frantic tones issuing from the comm cut off the rant. "John, do you read? Lotor has Allura and Lance and Hunk are in trouble! I'm going to help them, and someone has to help the Princess escape! John! Do you copy?"
The Brain lowered his head. This was it, then. No more goofy laughs. No more pratfalls. No more late night `are you pondering what I'm ponderings' or `what are we doing tomorrow nights'.
No more joy.
No more Pinky.
The least he could do was save his best friend's beloved Princess.
"We copy that, Black Lion!" The Brain straightened his slumped shoulders, and addressed his crew. "You heard the man- we go to the Princess." But what could they do to help her? Would they get there in time? "Let's do our best. And if any of you have connections to a higher power, use 'em. We sure could use a miracle-"
The Brain broke off as a raucous `yeeeee-haw!' blasted out of the comm. What the-?
In disbelief, he and the rest of the Braintron Force watched on their scanners as a thin laser beam came out of the sky, harmlessly shooting past the Big Suit and cutting a neat square-shaped doorway in the RoBeast's buttock.
"It's a miracle!" The Brain shouted.
A buoyant voice hailed them. "You are correct, Mr. Brain. As it happens, it's my middle name!"
To be continued!