Authoress Update: I'm going insane.
Well, not really. But I'm having a bad block here. I know what I want, but I'm having a hard time trying to keep the train from derailing between point A and point B. But I DO appreciate you guys who are still loitering in the lobby, and a "thank you deeply" to the guys who have tucked this epic into your favorite stories folders.
That really made my day. Hope I don't disappoint!!!
The Future Is Wild!
By Nefertanya dragongurl Ahhotep
Chapter 20: Come Fly With Me
As promised, there was an aircraft nestled in the one hundred and eighth floor. And what a craft it was. All five anthros momentarily forgot the potentially lethal mission ahead as they snuggled into the heated seats and admired the sparkling LCD screens. It was obvious this Zadovia character had spared no expense.
"Aero-thermal circulation1 …ABS systems…. Mmm, only standardized GPS? Oooh! Plasma cannons with infrared guidance capabilities? I thought they were still in theory!!"
Ace and Lexi smiled at each other from the front seats at Tech's fanatic mutterings. "Eh, Ya t'ink Christmas came a l'il early for someone?" Lexi chuckled in reply.
A soft buzz, followed by some static came over the multitude of screens, to be replaced by the holographic image of Zadovia. "Greetings, friends. I have pre-recorded this message to assist you. Before anything else is said or done, please don one of the armor suits hanging in the back of the plane."
Slam, being closest, pulled out the suits and handed them out, panting a bit lecherously as Lexi came up to claim hers. She quickly snatched the garment, and gave him a dirty look as she backed away.
"Hey, dese are military knock-offs!" Ace cried in dismay as he examined the material. Only slightly better than what they give the rookies, he thought miserably.
"I regret that these suits are 'gifts' from the military." Zadovia cooed in the background. "Suffice to say, they will work, and I am in the process of commandeering more suitable attire worthy of planetary super beings such as yourself."
"Guess she blew the budget on the ride, huh?" Duck grumbled. The armor suit was a dull gray, with darker gray padding. Hideous. How was he supposed to become a celebrity if he blended in with the faceless plebes?
"Cool it, Duck. At least ya won't become tomorrow's special at the Chow Lien!"
"Once you are dressed," Zadovia smiled on, "Please take a seat, and place your hand on the panel on your left." After a few minor squabbles with Duck ("I'm the bird! I should be the one to fly!"), they sat and did as told. A thin red line scanned from fingertip to palm before sliding open to reveal a watch-sized object.
"These communicators will enable you to stay in contact should you become separated or incapacitated. They are GPS-enabled, and possess shielding capabilities. But be warned-the shields can only deflect so much, and for so long."
"THP!#WHA$!!" Slam snarled worriedly.
"I ain't sure what you just said, buddy, but I hear ya!"
"Be careful, and good luck!" Zadovia's image chirped happily before blinking out. At that exact moment, the engine roared to life. Ace gasped and automatically grabbed the controls. With a low growling sound, the wall ahead of them parted, exposing them to the orangey-red light of afternoon.
"Well, gang? Are we ready?" He asked, trying to keep the edge to his voice minimal.
"I guess."
"#$!!"
"Get on with it already!"
"All set here, Chief."
'Den let's jet! Time ta save da woild!!!" Ace pressed the controls forward (thankfully, the military had already given him some time on the aviation simulator!), and within moments, the quintet was on their way to destiny…
"Man, dis is one smooth ride!" Ace said proudly fifteen minutes later. "I can practically fly dis thing by thinking!"
At his side, Lexi granted him a quick, wan smile. While Ace had settled into his role as pilot with an enviable grace, Lexi was a bundle of nerves. She never really cared for traveling, especially when potentially lethal danger was at the end of it! Her heart was pounding in her ears like a tymphoni2 drum, her palms were sweaty and she was feverish.
Lexi focused her attention on her new comrades-or rather, their bodies. There was a general sense of tension all around (save for Ace, naturally), but some seemed more affected. Duck, for example, seemed to waver from perfect calm to abject terror minute to minute. On the other hand, Tech regulated his breathing whenever his heart rate began to speed up. Since Slam's method of relaxation consisted of chewing on his chair's headrest, she opted to use the genius' technique. Closing her eyes, she tried to match his biorhythms and immediately, she felt her temperature lower.
BeepbeepBeepbeep!!!! Lexi was jolted out of her trance by the high sound, almost hitting a switch labeled 'eject' by her pinky. "Yea, that's all I need-to be blasted all the way home in a military knock-off"
"My friends," Zadovia purred urgently, "I have more information for you. You're target is a former scientist known as Professor Vinn Price."
"Vinn Price?!" Tech exclaimed. "I know him! A screwball if there ever was one!"
"Why's dat?"
"He had these delusions that he was the actual descendant of the fictitious Dr. Frankenstein! He embezzled large sums of money in an attempt to reanimate the dead!"
"Ew, gross!" Lexi squealed, scrunching her face in distaste.
"I fear he has not given up on that desire, Tech. He has been recently found guilty of trying to blackmail doctors at Acmetropolis' First Ward Hospital to gain access to the morgue."
"Wait a second there, sister! If he was found guilty, that means they already caught the guy! So whaddya trying to pull here?" Duck's chest puffed with the air of superiority one achieves when one catches the accused in an outright lie.
Zadovia gave the fowl an irritated look. "Yes, he was captured, and stood trial. But as the police were taking him to a maximum-security center, he managed to summon a large robot and use it to escape. That is why I have called you into action-to put this dangerous man out of harm's way!"
Duck managed to look sheepish and indignant at the same time. His very essence seemed to deflate like a poorly deflated balloon-one could practically hear the wheezy sound. "Hmph!" He sniffed as he turned back to the blinking control panel.
"Eh, don't worry-we'll get him before dinnahtime, Zadovia! Just leave it to us!"
Zadovia smiled warmly. "I shall keep it warm for all of you. Be safe, my friends. Zadovia out."
Quickly the jet slipped through the airspace southwards. As the ships trackers listed the current position and aligned them with Zadovia's coordinates, a look of consternation grew in Tech's golden eyes.
"Hey guys…. I think I know where we're heading. No, check that- I know where we're heading - to the city of Borasilica."
"Borasilica? Isn't that Nerd Central or somethin'?"
The coyote glared at the impertinent waterfowl. "Borasilica is Acmetropolis's premier educational facility. Only the greatest minds are allowed to teach, and the entry requirements are some of the steepest around!"
"Spoken like a true alumnus, Tech!" Ace teased. "But I thought da city was abandoned and evacuated. What would he be doing dere?"
"The University was funded by many of the leading pharmaceutical, chemical, and info-tech companies of the world in an effort to have dibs on the most cutting edge students-and their inventions."
"I get it. Yesterday's homework assignment becomes tomarrah's million dollar moneymaker!"
"Exactly. And one other thing – it was rumored that the military had it's fingers in the pot as well. And yes, they evacuated the city and declared it 'unlivable', but a lot of my colleagues have speculated that was a cover-up so they could secure any remaining information and technology of sensitive natures without raising suspicion."
"So you're thinking our buddy, the nutty professor, is after da technology?"
"Stands to reason. He was mocked by his peers, has a major God complex, and a very high IQ. What would you do?"
Ace cast the coyote a worried look before a display demanded his attention. "Looks like dis it it, gang! Get ready, cuz we're about to land!!"
Aero-thermal Circulation: A propulsion system where small tanks of propane are initially used for thrust. Afterwards, it generates a small amount of energy for a pair of high-powered vacuums to suck in air at tremendous force. The air pressure causes turbines to spin and thus create power to all other systems. This system creates minimal biohazards, but is most efficient on large sized crafts. The average hover-car uses a biofuel created by chemical reactions not unlike composting.
Timphoni drum: I'm referring to the type of drum known for it's deep bass sound. If you've seen Spaceballs: the Movie, you've heard/seen it... "Give Me…dun dundun dun….LUDICRIOUS SPEED!"