Chapter Three: Encounters
Shego actually left Matalava during the day. She deemed the Lorwardians more likely to spot the skimmer's rocket flash when achieving escape velocity than its vapor trail. Once in space she took a meandering course, hiding behind one hunk of rock after another. Each such move boosted her gravimetics as well. Any Lorwardian would find her a difficult quarry to bring down.
She sat at the skimmer's controls. The right hand manipulated the buttons and switches as needed. Her left hand had its own particularly vital duty: holding the neck of a bottle of Old Damnation. From time to time she took a swig. Nothing better for handling changes in acceleration.
Within a few hours the gas giant Beck hove into view. Shego scanned the swirling face until she found what she was looking for. "Third Moon: Gold Bug."
Another swig and she plunged into the planet's gravity. The computer beeped when the scanners located her goal. Gold Bug had just enough atmosphere to slow the skimmer down without the use of retro rockets. Expert eyes picked out where the old tracking lights had been painstakingly removed. The place was so old that its bay doors were literally doors. They opened to let her in.
The skimmer looked lost in a bay big enough to hold a full sized star liner. She secured the skimmer and looked around. Not here. Must be hiding in the station: probably in the ether room. For the second time this month she was back in her old green and black. The stun pistol rested in her calf pouch while she cradled the pulse rifle in her hands.
"Let's see: two entrances. Living quarters are down the right one." A short way in and she came upon a massive cave in. The debris reached all the way up to a dangerously weakened ceiling. In front of it was a much smaller, regular pile of rocks. A tile rested on top, decorated with a Unity star burst. Not bad, if a little childish.
"Left it is then." She went back out to the bay area and walked over to the other entrance. Shipwreck stations like this put everything in a semicircular hallway, so if a ship docked and later exploded the force would be vented back out into the bay and from there into space. This being a big station meant that she had a good walk ahead of her.
Shego passed hospital rooms, machine shops and hydroponic gardens, but saw no sign of Spendable. From time to time she whispered his name, but got no response. The top of the horseshoe was just ahead and with it the ether room. It was the most strongly built place in the station. He would have gone here…
Whatever had collapsed the ceiling had also played havoc with the lighting. Shgeo's vision found the erratic illumination taxing and the woman had no interest in being taxed, literally or figuratively. Part of her resolved to give Spendable a real tongue lashing when she found him; the other part wanted to give him a good swift kick to the butt. Nothing too hard, mind you, he might be able to help repair the Eckland.
She crept into the large communications room, cursing the near total darkness. A noise made her crouch. Before she could whisper 'Spendable' her gun was kicked out of her hands. Old instincts took over and she pulled her head back before a second foot could make contact with her jaw. Her opponent jumped back and avoided her kick. Shego launched herself forward in an attempt to seize the initiative. Unfortunately, her enemy had the same idea.
They met in the center of the floor. In all her years Shego had never faced anyone this quick. From the sounds, Shego knew she was facing a female. How soon do they start? She wondered when she realized she was aiming her punches far too high. Luckily, young Lorwardians appeared to spar adults as her opponent was also threw her strikes over Shego's head. Her adjustment came a moment too late, a kick sent the Goworlder tumbling.
She sprang up with hands blazing. Time to fry, small fry. The shadowy opponent gasped in surprise, bringing a fierce grin to the pale woman's face. Green fire lashed out, but figure sprang away at the last moment. Bolt after bolt of plasma left Shego's hands, but all for naught. Sometimes the Lorwardian landed on her hands, other times she touched down ever so lightly with her feet, but she never stayed still long enough for Shego to draw a bead on her.
Determined to end this, Shego advanced, driving her enemy toward a corner of the room. Plasma formed in a ball between her hands. This time she would use a concussive force in an area attack. Forget Spendable, if I can tell Monty I've got a prisoner, he'll send a ship big enough to carry me and my boat. Unfortunately, no one told the Lorwardian about her need to stand still for the big one. She ran up one wall, jumped onto the next and propelled herself at Shego. Both feet landed squarely in the woman's chest and she went sprawling across the floor.
Sometimes in a fight, taking a hit can be a good thing. Shego threw herself into the roll, putting distance between herself and her opponent. Another reward presented itself when her hand wrapped around the stock of her pulse rifle. The rifle could sustain a higher rate of fire than her plasma. Spinning up, gun in hand, she saw her enemy dive behind a desk. Leveling the gun, she stalked over.
"Come out," she ordered.
The being on the other side popped up, holding the exact same model pulse rifle. She was human. By the rounded face Shego could tell she was just out of her teens, peaches and cream complexion bespoke of good diet and exercise, as surely as the recent fight gave evidence of considerable training and conditioning. That she had fought Shego to a standstill in a powder blue skirt and blouse with a pure white shirt made things that much more impressive. The red hair was drawn up in a very businesslike bun. Her attention returned to the face. There was earnestness about her, a sort of got-to-save-the-day personality. Bet that was her answer to 'what do you want to do?' question in the Miss Whatever World pageant she was in. It was just the sort of mindset that had driven Shego to seek solitude in the void.
"Who are you?" Shego demanded.
The young woman started, coming out of some reverie of her own. "I…I asked you first."
Deeming there was no time to argue, Shego went on to a more important question. "Where's Spendable?"
"Who?" the stranger asked.
"Spendable. Xavier Spendable. The man who was here."
"That was his name? Ferociously appropriate." The young woman shook her head. "I buried him. He died in the cave in. Must've been caused by the Lorwardians, their walkers are all over the planet's surface."
"They're here? How do you know?"
The stranger seemed much less concerned about this than Shego was. "I've seen them. There's an observation post that lets you look over the surface. I can take you to it."
"Why would I want to do that?" Shego frowned. Just what I need: a gung-ho little Priss Miss. "We'd better get out of here then."
The red head nodded and came out from behind the desk. Once they reached the door she, picked up a travel case and then did something unexpected: she looked down the right corridor and called out, quietly but clearly. "We're going."
She turned to the left corridor and began walking to the dock. Shego stood in the door and gawked. A girl walked by with a travel case, her almost pasty white face framed by jet black hair that reached down to her shoulders. Startlingly bright green eyes locked into hers with feline intensity. And like a cat, it was clear that she was not impressed.
Before she could recover from the shock of a child, she was hit again, this time double. Two girls stopped to look at her. One was dark haired, the other red headed. By the way they held hands she knew they were sisters, probably twins. After a heart beat they went on.
Another pale girl walked by, this one with a greenish undertone to her skin. She had black hair with a striking shock of red hair framing her face. This one favored her with a smile.
The next(!) redhead also favored her with a grin. One could not miss the impishness.
Soon another little girl walked by. Unlike the others, she had dark green skin under her black hair. When she looked up shyly, Shego could see that she had one green eye, and one brown one.
An older boy brought up the rear. His wild hair was either the result of styling or indicated another humanoid variant. After looking at the black talons on his hands Shego opted for the latter. He gave her a close look. Satisfied that she was no threat, he went on.
It took a few minutes for the shock to wear off. The column had already gone around the bend by the time Shego started after them. She hurried past the children to talk to the woman leading them. "Listen, Ms…"
"Possible. Kim Possible," the redhead replied. " And the children are, in order, Agni, Kasy and Sheki, Shin, Jane, Alexandra and Drago."
Shego retained enough manners to nod her head. "Pleased to meet you. Name's Shego. If I may be so forward, just what are you doing with children in a war zone?"
"Trying to get out of it," Kim answered. "They were attending Space Camp on Midworld. I was home from college on break, and helping Dad set everything up. When the fighting started, we evacuated the Space Center. We hitched a ride on a Unity Catalina bound for the Core. When we hit this system, the pilot got a message to go help rescue the crew of a crippled Commonwealth frigate. He set us down here and said he'd be back, but that was twelve hours ago."
Even if he made it, it could be days before he could get back. She could not argue with Kim's next statement.
"It's a good thing you showed up."
They reached the dock. Kim went straight for the mooring station when lights indicated one was in use. She peered into the dark. "Where is it? Do you have a cloaking device? That would be spankin'."
"If you trip, you'd fall on top of it." Shego walked over and touched a button. As per her normal practice, she had let the skimmer sink below dock level, out of view of potentially unfriendly eyes. The ship floated up, and Kim's face fell.
"Oh, dear. Well, anything's possible and all that. Come on, kids."
"Hey, waitaminit," Angi objected. "We're going to fit nine people in a skimmer?"
"Why not? Look at the retrofit to the rocket. I'd say she's increased her engine's lift and thrust by a factor of at least five."
Shego joined the conversation. "The kid's right. It's not a matter of power; it's a question of air. Skimmer's don't have the most advanced oxygen reclamation units. And don't forget all the air that nine people will displace. We just might suffocate even if the Lorwardians don't get us."
Kim folded her arms across her chest. "All right, then. Which ones do you suggest we leave behind?"
The question caused Shego to look at the children. Their somber faces were affecting (and strangely familiar in some way) did she have a choice? "It's still a crazy idea."
"Would it help if I stayed behind?" Kim asked sharply.
Shego's response was equally tart. "It would."
The younger woman was taken aback for a moment. "I see. All right, then, all aboard." Kim looked in the cabin when the door opened. "Alexandra, you go to the back by the controls…"
"Princess, this is my boat. If anyone's going to fatally overload it, it's me," Shego picked up Alexandra and set her in the ship. "Sit by the steering."
Once the little girl took her seat, Shego took her travel case, brought it out and threw it into darkness. "Why did you do that?" Kim demanded.
"We're running things too close without displacing more air."
"Still think it's a dumb idea." Agni muttered. "I don't want to go."
"Tough," Shego grabbed the girl's bag, threw it over and all but tossed her into the skimmer. With the balker taken care of, Shego turned to the remaining children. Kasy and Sheki just stood there, staring.
"Well, what's the matter?"
"Kasy and Sheki are Carcosan," Kim said. "They don't speak Galactic."
Shego shrugged. "Lots of people don't, they use universal translators. Don't their people have them?"
Kim nodded. "Yes, but only the males use them."
"Why, patriarchal nonsense? Cultural idiocy?"
"Not exactly. But trust me, you wouldn't use one either. Where do you want them to go? I speak Carcosan."
"Over there."
The redhead nodded and knitted her brows in concentration. She took a deep breath, and in a clear, authoritative voice, called out. "Meap."
"Meap," the girls nodded. They threw their travel cases over the side and went into the skimmer to sit at their designated spots.
"Really?" the dark haired woman blinked. "They got all of that from….meap?"
"Carcosan is a very sophisticated language," the ginger replied. "It's all about inflection."
The boy rummaged through his things. He held up a small container. "My hygiene kit: Halberd. It'll make me irresistible to females of an appropriate age."
"Sure. Whatever," At the Goworlder's shrug, the boy pushed his other things over the side and got in.
Shin walked in and sat down, giving Shego a thumbs up. Shego took the last girl, Jane, and put her in her seat. The small child spoke up.
"Don't forget Helen."
"What?" Shego puzzled.
"Don't forget Helen." Jane repeated.
"I'm sorry," Kim apologized. "She's just so quiet that I forget she's here. Shego, could you help Helen?"
Oh, invisible friend. Ready to get under way, Shego reached out as if the take a child under the arms. Jane laughed.
"No, silly. Helen's not a little kid, she's a young lady. Just take her hand."
"Sorry." Shego said. She held out a hand and pretended to help a lady aboard. Once done, she rubbed her strangely prickly hand.
Once the children were seated, Kim went over to the mooring console. "Scanners indicate the area's clear. You better take off now."
"What are you doing?" Shego demanded.
"Staying behind," Kim looked thoughtful. "There are some heavy duty repair suits in the lockers. Almost as good as light armor. Maybe there's something in the supply room that could help this gun take out a walker or two. I'll get their attention: buy you some time."
Aside from extended sobriety, nothing annoyed Shego more than nobility, be it natural, faux, or, worst of all, genuine. "Get aboard."
"But you said…"
"Pumpkin, if by some miracle we make it back to Matalava, I'd be stuck with them. Now come on."
The logic was infallible. Once she set the moorings for a timed release, Kim tossed her bag over the side, along with the pulse rifle. It went just beyond Shego's desperate grasp.
"We would've had a use for that!" Shego glared.
"Sorry, you should have said something."
"Gun. War. Thought it was obvious," the Goworlder sighed. "Come on, we're losing Beck's shadow."
With that Kim climbed over the children and to her seat at the bow. The skimmer's door closed, and the ship left the dock. Before it reached the bay doors, the ship's computer realized the much greater oxygen consumption, and rerouted power to bolster the atmospheric unit. The cabin lights dimmed.
"We're losing power!" Shin gasped.
"Stupid crate…we're gonna die!" Agni snarled.
"It's just the ship's response," Shego harrumphed. "If any of you had spent time on anything other than luxury liners and private yachts you'd know that. Everybody, be quiet. If the Lorwardians hear you; they hunt alien adults, but they eat children."
Blessed silence fell. (Even the older children failed to challenge Shego's bad science.) Kim did feel the need to correct one inaccuracy. "Lorwardians aren't cannibals, especially where children are concerned. They will hunt adults, but children tend to become pets."
"At least until they're old enough to become prey." Shego could not resist. "All of you keep quiet anyway. I've got to navigate."
They threaded their way past Beck's satellites, picking up speed with each bootstrap. Dry work, but Shego had a solution behind her chair. The bottle tilted back, pouring sweet liquid forgetfulness down her throat.
"Drink in front of kids much?" Kim asked sharply.
The navigator answered before taking another pull. "What are you, some kind of religious fanatic?"
"So not. You can do whatever you want to yourself when you're by yourself. And don't you need to be sober to navigate?"
"Don't you know? When you use a medicine properly, the side effects aren't there. Keeps me level, actually. Don't have any fancy smancy meds for gravimetric stress. How're the kids where that's concerned?"
"Usually they're on bigger ships." Kim glanced around nervously, looking for signs of space sickness.
"They'll be fine. We've finished the hard part: picking up speed without attracting attention. It's a straight shot for now, and then we'll make a gentle turn into Matalava's gravity well. Anyone seeing us then will think we're a meteor."
"Clever," The newcomer conceded.
"You better believe, Princess." Shego settled back. She was about to take another swig when Drago called from the bow.
"Something's coming toward us."
The skimmer had fairly large view slits, but Shego had the protective screens down most of the way. While it made the ship less visible, it also great reduced her vision. She took a long look and cursed under her breath.
"Ships!" she hissed.
"Two of them," Drago added. "I can't believe I just saw one."
"It's not that easy when the sensors are down," Shego said.
"Why are you running blind?" Agni asked.
"Not blind, silent," Shego answered. "Sensors make all kinds of electronic noise, especially on the sensory arrays of warships."
Jane nodded. "Helen says that it's the same as when ships put out their lamps at night during war when she was alive. That was a long time ago."
"Yeah, right," the black haired pilot said tensely. "Everybody, be quiet."
"Why, you can't hear anything in space," Shin wondered.
"Look, they aren't using sensors on full or they'd know we're a ship. But if they have them on and you kids make a lot of chatter the vibrations will show up. An asteroid this small wouldn't have seismic activity," The captain said.
"They could be ours," Kim said hopefully.
"Want to risk the kids in finding out?" Shego asked. "Everyone just be quiet."
She looked at Alexandra. "At least she knows when to be quiet."
"She hasn't said a word since the attack," Kim said.
"Meap," Kasy added.
"And I appreciate how you and Sheki have tried to engage her," the Midworlder answered. "Oops, I mean, meap."
"Everyone shut up!" Shego's near shout brought silence to the skimmer.
They all held their breath and peered out of the view slits on either side of the skimmer. The ships moved along smoothly. At the distance, Shego could not make out their type, and dared not hail them. Lorwardians are landing on Beck, no reason to believe those are ours.
Just as the ships began to pass by the skimmer their engines shimmered. Shego took in a sharp breath. "Oh,…"
"Don't you say it!" Kim warned. "And what's wrong anyway?"
"They just fired up their gravimetrics! And we're right in the…"
The skimmer bucked and rolled in the stellar equivalent of a backwash. Children screamed. "Just hold on!" Shego shouted. She reached for the controls, deciding that a gentle counter would be missed by ships that were rapidly accelerating. Something had hold of her arm. Alexandra was looking up at her.
"Let go, I need my hand," Shego snarled.
The pleading face changed. Alexandra bent over and bit Shego's gloved hand. Hard.
"Argh!" the Goworlder pulled her hand back and punched the button. The skimmer stabilized. Calm returned to the cabin.
"Are you all right, Alexandra?" Kim asked.
"Alexandra? She wasn't the one who was bitten," Shego snapped.
"Of course not," Kim sniffed, "she wasn't the one who deserved it.
Kim Possible and related characters are the property of Walt Disney
The children are on loan from the following authors. I fully apologize for any failures in my portrayals.
Alexandra and Shin are from Blackbird.
Kasy and Sheki come from King in Yellow, and are the original creation of NoDrogs. Jane and Helen (don't forget Helen!) are the Carcosan's alone.
Drago is the creation of Deaku.
Agni comes from Trackula.
And thanks are due, as always, to by faithful beta, Brother Bludgeon.