Chapter 10: Like Father, Like Son

Hanne rushed to Emperor Blowhole's office, clutching a file in her hand.

"Emperor," she called as she burst into his quarters. "There's news."

Blowhole turned from his computer to the file Hanne dropped on his desk. He waited for her to tell him what was going on, but instead she just kept eyeing the file. He picked it up and read it.

It was a communications transmission from Madagascar. Colonel Evans had returned with SJ. SJ had taken out the rest of the search party and the Colonel had broken his ECHO – Electronic Command and Homing Oscillator – communicator in the fight which is why he could not answer the Emperor's calls. Evans was preparing to board SJ on a plane to NYC as they spoke.

Blowhole grinned. "Excellent," he said. He reached forward and hit a button on his desk. "Major General, leave the dullard penguin alone for the time being. We'll finish with him shortly. He's crucial to our plan."

He rose from his desk and climbed onto his Segway. "Come, General Hanne, we must prepare for the arrival of our guest."

— § —

It was nearly midnight. SJ limped forward, his flippers bound behind him. Evans had a grip on his shoulder, staring determinedly ahead. Other sols surrounded him, aiming their weapons at him.

SJ snuck a glance from the corner of his eye. He saw the twinkle of moonlight reflect somewhere deep in the trees in the distance for just a moment. The signal.

SJ doubled forward. "Oh, my leg!" he cried. Evans and the other sols yelled at him and prodded at him with their weapons, urging him to get up. SJ held out for as long as he could, and when he saw a flash of black, white, and gray vanish into the plane's landing gear, he pulled himself back up. The sols prodded his back hard, causing him to stumble forward.

He climbed up into the plane and took a seat by a window, a sol next to him with his weapon still trained on him. He watched outside the window as Evans and the other sols remained behind. While the other sols weren't looking Evans discretely reached into his pocket and took the pill Toni had made for him. They would find his body in the morning.

The plane took off slowly and soon they were rising high into the sky in a northwest trajectory. SJ watched as everything he'd ever known shrunk into the distance and clouds started to blanket the air underneath them.

It had begun.

— § —

Sergeant, Bloom, Commander, and Fidèle remained squeezed together right above the landing gear area of the plane. They didn't dare speak above a whisper to ensure no one would hear them over the roar of the engines.

Fidèle held Sergeant's flipper in hers. "Whatever happens, know that our love will never die."

Sergeant squeezed her flipper back and smiled at her. They gently kissed for just a moment, hoping it wouldn't be their last, then Fidèle rested her head on his shoulder. They'd been together for four years now, and it seemed like a dream that everything they'd ever worked for was finally coming to fruition.

Bloom wiggled one of her feet back and forth anxiously. SJ was above them somewhere, being held at gunpoint by one of Emperor Blowhole's sols. The thought made her blood boil, but it also made her nervous. She knew how ruthless they could be, especially reds. You could just look at them funny and they'd kill you. She knew they would followthrough with Blowhole's orders of bringing him alive, but wasn't sure if they'd bring him unhurt.

"Hey," Sergeant's soft whisper said. Bloom looked at him. "Don't worry, he'll be fine. We're going to win this time."

Bloom studied Sergeant distantly, then continued studying the floor.

She hoped he was right.

— § —

"Emperor Blowhole," said a lobster as said Overlord entered the command center, where numerous lobsters worked at various computers.

"Yes, Red One?" Emperor Blowhole responded, meeting his minion halfway across the room as they continued toward the main tower.

"Your plane with the precious cargo will be landing by around 0700, Eastern Standard Time," he said.

"Excellent," Emperor Blowhole purred with a slight dolphin cackle. "Is there anything that stands in our way?"

"No, sir," the lobster responded, "and the team has finally perfected your father's invention."

Blowhole laughed in his signature dolphin cackle. "Excellent work, Red Ones," he said, addressing the room. "And I know just who to use it on first."

— § —

Major General Julien gripped Rico by the scruff of his neck, pushing him forward down the hallway. Rico struggled to walk. He hadn't left his chair in over a month, so his legs felt like jelly. The lights in the hallway were also blinding compared to the dim light of his prison cell. Julien could not show any remorse or sympathy though, lest his loyalty to the Emperor be questioned.

He entered the command center, where the lobsters had all taken a break from their normal duties and were surrounding the main tower. Emperor Blowhole and General Hanne stood on either side of a large metal sphere that had plates like an armadillo. Julien wasn't informed on what he was doing here or why he needed to bring Rico up after all these years, but he knew it couldn't be good. He also felt there was a familiar quality to the device standing between his commanding officers, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

He stopped in front of the Overlord and his second in command, throwing Rico to his knees and forcing him to keep his head down. The lobsters watched on.

"Hello, pen-gu-in," Blowhole began. Rico started to look up to glare at him but Julien forced his head back down.

"I have been trying to get you to accept my proposal for weeks now," Blowhole continued. Not a marriage proposal, to the relief of Julien. "Your freedom, exchanged for your loyalty to my army. You have been quite stubborn. While I admire your . . . ambition and loyalty to your former leader, I'm afraid I've become quite bored with wasting my Major General's time trying to force your flipper."

Rico remained silent. Julien internally groaned. Blowhole was just going to brainwash Rico as he had with countless other sols, and it was always a boring event to watch. Though, that didn't explain the device that was between them.

"Julien," Blowhole commanded, "force him to look up here."

Julien snatched at Rico's scruff, forcing his head upward. Rico didn't object, but glared hard at Blowhole and Hanne.

"You may find this familiar, my father's flightless foe," Blowhole continued. "My father's attempt at using this may have failed the first time before it was destroyed, but you will be pleased to know that it has been reborn. Welcome back the –!"

DIABOLIGIZER.

Julien felt the subwoofers of the lair theatre system – high definition with surround sound that Blowhole had inherited from his father – vibrate in his toes. The diabioligizer unraveled itself and the ray popped out of its top, pointing directly at Rico. His heart dropped. Dr. Blowhole had lost his blueprints to this after his first attempt at using the diaboligizer, and because his memory was temporarily wiped, he couldn't remember how he'd created it. It's been in production for years, and clearly it has finally been a success.

"Pen-gu-in, you will be honored to be my first test subject," the Emperor continued.

Julien looked from Rico to the diaboligizer, then stepped back away from the helpless penguin. The diaboligizer had only been tested on one live subject before he attempted to use it on the penguins the first time, but ended up using it on a cheap MP3 player instead, which was easy to overcome since all that was needed was removal of the power source. He had no idea how to reverse its effects on live subjects, but he knew it wasn't going to be easy. He'd have to worry about that later.

"Prepare yourself, flightless bird," Emperor Blowhole said as he leaned forward, "for you will be a wonderful asset to my army."

Emperor Blowhole laughed and hit another button on his Segway, which activated the diaboligizer. It zapped Rico with its green rays, causing him to throw his head back and seize up. Everyone watched on as the green glow from the ray illuminated the room. Finally, the ray stopped and Rico slumped forward. Everyone held their breath in anticipation.

"Julien," Blowhole ordered.

Julien pulled Rico's head up by his scruff. He was a bit dazed for a moment, but then his face twisted angrily as he met Blowhole's eye.

Blowhole moved forward and leaned down closer to Rico's face. After studying him in silence, he turned to a lobster. "Bring the test subject."

A lobster left the room and returned with a doll that looked like a blonde woman. Julien hadn't seen Carlotta in years and was surprised they still had her. Of course, now, he had a better understanding of the fact that it was just a doll. Though, he also knew how much that doll meant to Rico.

The doll was set down in front of Rico and the lobsters backed off.

"Unrestrain him," Blowhole ordered.

Julien complied, carefully undoing his flipper and ankle restraints and stepping back. Rico looked from Blowhole to the doll, still silent. Julien couldn't remember the last time he'd heard him speak – well, in his gibberish that few understood anyway.

"Pen-gu-in," Blowhole started, "you will prove your allegiance to me by showing that you have no attachment to your –" he waved a flipper with a roll of his eyes– "girlfriend."

There was a suspenseful silence that followed while everyone watched Rico to prove whether the diaboligizer worked on him. The lobsters stood at the ready in case it didn't and he tried to escape, with other sols of larger animal species manned the doors. After a few moments, Rico lunged forward, grabbing the doll and tearing it apart.

Julien watched in stunned silence as he watched Rico rip apart the doll he had once held near and dear to his heart. He hadn't seen his berserker rage in over two decades, and had forgotten how disturbing it was. In fact, it seemed even more disturbing now. Of course, he'd had a lot of rage building up inside him in all these years. But now he was using it to the Emperor's benefit. On the bright side, he either changed the setting that mutated subjects into monsters or had forgotten to include it. Seemed to only change the brain.

Regardless, this was about to get very bad.

Emperor Blowhole cackled. "Excellent, it works like a dream. Major General Julien, take him to his new quarters to await his instructions."

"Yes, your majesty," Julien said with a bow. He stepped forward to take Rico by the flipper but stopped when Blowhole spoke again.

"But," Blowhole added, "before you go, I need one more thing from you."

Julien stood up straight and faced his leader again. "Yes, your highness?"

"Major General, you swore your allegiance to my father many years ago. Do you still swear your loyalty?" Blowhole asked.

Julien's brow furrowed. "Why, yes, your majesty. Why do you ask?"

"Because," Blowhole asked as he moved toward him, "my father never fully trusted you. And neither do I." Julien listened, his heart rate quickening, but didn't dare falter. "So, I have a new test for you to assure your allegiance."

Julien's eyes flitted from Blowhole to the diaboligizer, not liking where this was heading. Still, he maintained his composure.

"Do you agree to be zapped by my –"

DIABOLIGIZER.

"– as a test of your loyalty?" Blowhole asked, watching him carefully.

Julien's heart pounded in his chest. "Sir, I've been a loyal servant to you and your father for many years. I've done everything you've asked of me. There is no need to question my loyalty."

Blowhole's eyes narrowed. "Yes, you've been a wonderful choice to carry out my bidding. However, that's not enough. I need to know your heart is where it should be, not just your mind. If you truly agree with my father's mission, the –"

DIABOLIGIZER.

"– should not be too big of an ask to test your loyalty. If you do not agree, I will have to deem that you are a traitor. And you know what I do with traitors."

Julien swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to not give away how nervous and petrified he was. He realized he wouldn't even have time to warn Sergeant that he couldn't be trusted anymore. This could jeopardize the whole mission. Worse than that, he couldn't even trust his own brain after being zapped with the diaboligizer. He had no idea what he would say or do. But what choice did he have? If he didn't accept, he would have a date with a large pot of boiling water.

He'd have to hope that Sergeant would find another way.

"There is no questioning of my loyalty, Emperor," Julien responded, stepping slowly forward toward the diaboligizer, his legs feeling like he was walking through jello.

"Good," Blowhole cooed, "I'd hate to lose a good soldier. Prepare yourself."

Julien stood upright, staring straight into the eye of the laser in front of him, bracing himself. He'd been through a lot these past couple of decades, and the only thing that kept him going was the hope that Sergeant would successfully overthrow him one day. And now, hope would be all he had left before . . . who knows what.

He kept his gaze on the laser unbreaking. Blowhole lowered his flipper onto the button to activate it.

A green flash was the last thing he remembered.

— § —

What's happening now? Phil asked Lulu in sign language.

Lulu sighed. "Julien and Rico have been officially turned evil."

Phil silently gasped. But how? Why would they turn evil?

Lulu shrugged. "I don't know, he created some kind of machine that works better than hypnotizing or brainwashing. It turned him to his side completely."

Phil hung his head. There really is no stopping him is there?

Lulu shook her head. "No, I don't think so."

She reached down and took his hand and gently began tapping on his finger with hers. They had taught themselves morse code in secret so that they could communicate more freely since they were being watched and listened to. She kept their hands between themselves so they wouldn't be seen by the cameras, and casually leaned against him.

I'm going to do some snooping. I'm tired of living like this. In case I don't make it back here next month, I want you to know that I'm sorry, and that I love you.

Phil sideways glanced at her, but was sure not to react as to not raise suspicion. I understand, he tapped back. I love you too. Whatever happens, I forgive you.

Lulu fought to keep herself from crying. She knew if she was caught snooping around, Phil would be sure to die. And it would be her fault. But she couldn't keep living in this hell.

"They also found Skipper's son," Lulu said aloud.

Phil went back to signing. I thought he died. What are they going to do with him?

"I'm not sure," Lulu answered with a shrug. "Whatever it is, it won't be good."

Phil nodded slowly. Then he wrapped his arm around her. They only had five minutes left, and this may be the last time he'll see her alive, so he wanted to savor every second possible.

— § —

The plane started its descent into Blowhole's private airport a few minutes away from his lair, which used to be known as the Empire State Building.

SJ began squirming in his seat uncomfortably. He just had to get close to Julien, who would help him escape.

The stowaways prepared for landing. They hoped Julien would also be able to help them sneak out so they could meet the RAB team at the rendezvous point, but prepared for the possibility of having to sneak out on their own.

After the plane landed, SJ's back was prodded and poked with weapons as he was shoved forward. Walking out onto the tarmac, he was greeted with four individuals within the Emperor's guard: a tall, gray, muscular lemur with a black and white ringed tail; a rough, aged penguin with a scar on his face and an ungroomed mohawk and graying feathers; a puffin with black and white feathers akin to a penguin but with a purple ring around her beak; and a muscular dark-skinned human with the letter X written on his nametag.

The ring-tailed lemur that SJ realized must be Julien stepped forward and grabbed SJ by the scruff, throwing him forward toward the mohawked penguin. The cold crisp in the air shocked SJ initially. It was the hot and rainy season in Madagascar, but here it was freezing. He had to refrain from letting his beak chatter. They started forward as the mohawked penguin held onto his flipper.

"You coming?" the puffin he recognized as Hanne called back.

"No," Julien said. "I'm going to take care of this plane first," Julien asked in a knowing, accusatory tone.

SJ's heart picked up pace. Julien was moving fast with sneaking them out of the plane. The mohawked penguin who started to look familiar to him shoved him forward and the plane soon faded into the background behind him and the four sols escorting him.

Back at the plane, Julien called up into the rear landing gear. "Okay, come out now!"

Slowly, Sergeant, Bloom, Commander, and Fidèle climbed out of the landing gear of the plane, looking around.

"That was quick, Julien," Sergeant told him. "Good show on having us out this soon. Where to?"

Julien grinned. "Disarm them," he commanded as he raised his weapon and trained it on the four.

The two sols that had accompanied SJ on the plane stepped up behind the quadrant and removed their weapons.

"What?" Sergeant asked in surprise. "What's going on –?"

Sergeant stopped short. He realized this must be part of Julien's plan to get them to the RAB camp. If he said too much, the sols behind them would wonder why he was shocked to be caught. He raised his flippers and looked to the other three, gesturing for them to hold up their appendages as well and giving them a reassuring smile.

Julien would never betray him. He trusted him with his life.

— § —

Emperor Blowhole exited the elevator at the top floor of his lair and moved to the left, toward the bedroom. Once he arrived, he used the retinal and flipper scanners, then input the code into the keypad. The door panel slid open. He moved into the room and stopped by the window.

"Father," he started.

The dolphin in the wheelchair by the window didn't turn around or avert his gaze from the sight out the window, his empire looming up all around him.

"Yes, son," Dr. Blowhole said, still unmoving.

"We've done it, father. We've located the one called Skipper Junior. He's arriving now," Emperor Blowhole informed him.

Dr. Blowhole let out a soft chuckle. "Excellent, my son. I knew you wouldn't fail me. I take it the diaboligizer was also a success?"

Emperor Blowhole nodded. "Yes, father. We found your blueprints right where you said we would. And since they would've been destroyed anyway, it didn't affect anything."

Dr. Blowhole grinned. "Perfect," he cooed softly. "And what of Julien?"

"You were right not to trust him, father," Emperor Blowhole answered. "As soon as the diaboligizer was used on him, he told us everything. The rebels are planning their uprising as we speak. It was an excellent idea to let him work underneath you all these years. Now he knows enough about the rebellion that he'll give us enough information to stop the whole thing before it begins. He is also bringing in a group of other rebels that had planned to stowaway on Skipper Junior's plane. We aren't sure who three of them are, but one of them is your old foe, Sergeant."

Dr. Blowhole started cackling louder. "This is absolutely delicious. They truly thought they could stop me. But with my secret weapon, there's nothing that can stop me. They aren't the first, and they certainly won't be the last."

"Yes, father," Emperor Blowhole agreed. "And we also have Rico on our side as well. He's twenty-three years out of combat shape, but he had many years before that. He will prove quite useful to our army."

Dr. Blowhole finally turned to face his son. His bones were weary from age, but his skin was still surprisingly pleasant to the touch due to his obsessive daily moisturizing.

"My son, you have inherited greatness," Dr. Blowhole started, rolling his wheelchair closer to where his son was standing on his Segway. "And now, you are proving yourself to be a most wonderful heir. You will do nicely as this world's leader as my time comes close to an end."

"Thank you, father," Emperor Blowhole said. "I won't let you down. Would you like to join me in watching your old foe's demise?"

Dr. Blowhole – as impossible as it seemed – grinned wider.

"I wouldn't miss that for the world."

— § —

The mohawked penguin shoved SJ forward and the rooms to the command center opened up in front of him. Beyond, lobsters lined each side of the room, their computers abandoned. At every door, various species of animals guarded any door that led somewhere else in the building. At the front of the room at the main tower, Emperor Blowhole stood upon his Segway. Next to him, Dr. Blowhole sat in a wheelchair. There had been rumors about whether or not the original Overlord was dead yet or not, and SJ realized now they were just rumors.

The mohawked penguin forced SJ to his knees in front of the Emperor and his father, keeping his head forced down.

"So," Emperor Blowhole began, "I understand you tried to escape enslavement in Madagascar. How bold of you."

SJ didn't respond, his heart pounding. He hoped they wouldn't kill him before Julien could bust him out.

"Choosing silence is wise of you," Emperor Blowhole continued. "We'll see how long that lasts in this next bit."

The sound of the doors bursting open again behind him echoed through the room. Several footsteps followed, but SJ wasn't allowed to turn around. His jaw dropped as the four stowaways filtered in beside him.

"Oh, what's wrong, spawn of Skipper?" Emperor Blowhole cooed tauntingly. "Did you really think I wouldn't find out about your little plan? Your double agent was quite informative about it."

Julien walked through the prisoners and took a spot next to the Emperor and his father, turning and crossing his arms in front of himself. SJ looked over at Sergeant, who was staring forward with an indecipherable expression. Whatever was happening, he was starting to think none of this was part of the plan. Had Julien betrayed them?

Dr. Blowhole cackled. "Well, Sergeant, long time no see."

"Not long enough," Sergeant snapped back.

SJ's eyes widened and he looked at the floor. If he kept talking back like that, they were sure to be killed instantly.

"Aw," Dr. Blowhole mocked, "and to think I was so happy to see you again."

"What's going on here?" Sergeant said, ignoring the comment.

"What's going on here," Dr. Blowhole started, "is that you thought you could get one over on me again. You should have learned by now that I know everything. I know about your RAB camps, I know about your transmitters, I know about your plan for rebellion."

"If you know so much, then why not have captured me before now?" Sergeant asked back, his voice growing.

"Where's the fun in that?" Dr. Blowhole said with an amused grin. "Now that I have you, I can send a message to your pathetic little rebels."

A lobster came forward with a camera and set it up to record.

"Now," Dr. Blowhole started, "don't be rude. Say hello to your old chum."

Sergeant's brow furrowed. "What do you –" He turned his head to his right and then to his left, and his eyes fell upon Rico as he moved in front of the group, who he hadn't even noticed when he entered the room since he was so focused on the Overlords.

"Oh my lord," Sergeant said in a breathless whisper. "Rico . . . I thought . . . I thought you were –"

"Oh, Sergeant," Dr. Blowhole cooed. "It's a shame you abandoned him. It wasn't hard to convert him to our side in the end."

Sergeant looked from Dr. Blowhole to Rico. His brow furrowed. "No. You're lying. Something's not right here."

"Well, regardless, you won't be around long enough to find out. Red One," Emperor Blowhole ordered.

The lobster on the side hit the record button on the camera, pointing it at Emperor and Dr. Blowhole.

"People and animals of the world," Emperor Blowhole said to the camera, "it appears we have a small group of individuals who think it wise to try to overthrow my reign. Let this be a lesson to anyone who gets any similar ideas."

The camera panned back to the center of the room where the four prisoners were held by his guards. SJ had been brought out of camera shot and had tape wrapped around his beak.

Rico stood in front of the four prisoners with a gun, first aiming at the first prisoner in the row, which was Fidèle. Sergeant's beak dropped open and he tried to lunge forward, but General Hanne held him back.

"Wait, Rico, no!"

His last word was cut off as Rico pulled the trigger, and Fidèle's head snapped backward. Her body slumped against the ground, dead.

SJ's eyes widened and found himself frozen in place. This isn't how the plan was supposed to work out. Everything was failing all at once. This wasn't supposed to happen.

Rico took aim at the next target, Commander, who stared wide-eyed back at the penguin.

"Rico, please, I'm sorry I abandoned you! I thought you were dead! This isn't you!" Sergeant screamed.

Once again, his words melted into the sound of another gunshot, and Commander's head also snapped backwards, his body motionless.

Sergeant completely broke down as his friends were slaughtered executioner style next to him. When Rico took aim at Bloom, the feeling in SJ's legs returned and he tried to surge forward, but the sharp claws of lobsters grabbed his flippers and pulled him back, his protests muffled through his taped beak.

"Rico, please," Sergeant was pleading now, tears streaming down his face. "You can't do this!"

Rico pulled the trigger again. Bloom's head snapped back and she was dead before she hit the ground, the shot masking the sound of a small metallic thud behind the group of onlookers.

"No!" Sergeant screamed.

SJ watched in horror as the events unfolded in front of him. He was losing everyone he'd ever cared about before his eyes.

Finally, Rico stopped in front of Sergeant, his face spattered with the blood of his previous three victims. He studied him with a look of disgust on his face.

"Rico, it's me, remember? It's me, young Private! We were teammates, brothers! I know it's Dr. Blowhole making you do this. I know he must've hypnotized you or something. You have to be in there –!"

His last word was cut off as Rico lifted his weapon and fired again. Sergeant's head snapped back, and he slumped alongside his fallen comrades, motionless.

SJ's face was stained with tears by now. He wasn't sure when he'd started crying, but he was sobbing forcefully, his stomach turning over and over. He hoped the tape would be removed soon, because he was about to puke. This was his plan. And it failed right in front of him. It was his fault they were all dead.

The camera turned back to Emperor and Dr. Blowhole.

"You heard that right. What you just heard was the death of one of the final remaining members of the most elite penguin unit that have ever lived. And it was carried out by another. Even he couldn't stop me. I need each and every one of you slaves to understand me well. There is nothing that can be done to stop me. I will always be one step ahead of you. Accept that now before you end up like them."

The lobster carried the camera over to the corpses and recorded their lifeless bodies. Then he hit the stop button to indicate recording was over. Emperor Blowhole told him to go broadcast the tape immediately, but SJ was no longer listening.

SJ was on his knees now, sobbing uncontrollably. Tears dripped off of his beak onto the floor beneath him, creating a small puddle. This was all wrong. It wasn't supposed to be like this. They were the good guys, they were supposed to win! He had just led all of his friends, including an old friend of his father's, to their deaths. He didn't understand. Most of all, he didn't understand why he wasn't among the row of corpses. Why would they leave him alive? This had to be a way to torture him since he was the son of Skipper. They'd probably kill him after he'd had time to grieve over the loss of his friends, his freedom, and his hopes of winning the war against tyranny.

He knew he wasn't ready for this.

Finally, a lobster removed the tape from his beak and he finally let himself puke, aiming directly for the lobster in front of him as a way to defy the Overlords in any way he could. He didn't care if they killed him now. The lobster stumbled backward as a few others laughed at the soiled one, which only enraged SJ further. This wasn't some kind of joke.

The lobsters forced him back to the center of the floor and Rico grabbed him by the scruff again, forcing him back to his knees. SJ tried to ignore the smell of blood in his feathers.

"Aw," Emperor Blowhole cooed as he Segwayed down from the main tower. He leaned down to his face. "What's the matter? Didn't get enough bonding time with daddy's friend?"

A sob escaped SJ's throat and he looked up at him with a grimace. "You're sick!" he screamed before spitting in his face with vomit-laced saliva.

Emperor Blowhole jerked back upright and a lobster handed him a towel. Rico slapped the back of SJ's head while the Emperor wiped his face.

"Charming," the Emperor said sarcastically.

"What do you want with me!" SJ screamed. "We get it! You're the Overlord! What else can you take from me?"

Emperor Blowhole cackled. "I'm so glad you asked. Your father would've been familiar with this invention. Please say hello to the –"

DIABOLIGIZER.

Behind Emperor and Dr. Blowhole, a laser unfolded from a plated sphere.

"Just imagine, the son of the greatest penguin commando that ever lived, my personal slave. Now that this weapon is perfected, anyone that defies me can immediately be subjugated under my rule. And after you are one of my loyal servants, we will have another recording made to show the world that no one is safe from my rule. Then we'll use the transmitter beacon my soldiers found on Sergeant to find every RAB village that exists in the world and use the –"

DIABOLIGIZER.

"– on all of them too. With all the training I'm sure they've done, they'll make excellent soldiers for my army."

SJ couldn't believe any of this. Everything had crumbled before it even began. And now the RAB camps would be attacked too. And he would be leading it.

He turned and looked at the giant ray gun pointed at him. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. Tears stained the feathers on his cheeks, but he was too scared to cry further. His heart pounded in his chest.

"Prepare yourself, pen-gu-in, and submit to my rule," Emperor Blowhole said with a cackle. He lowered his flipper to the button and –

The room was silent. Emperor Blowhole frowned and hit the button again. Nothing happened. He grunted in frustration.

"Impossible! We just got this thing working! Red One! Assess the –"

DIABOLIGIZER.

"– and tell me what's wrong with it! Immediately!"

A lobster surveyed the laser for a few minutes. "I'm not sure, Emperor. None of us have touched it since the last time you used it."

Dr. Blowhole sat nearby, studying the unfolding events carefully. His son finally slapped his flipper to his face and turned back to SJ.

"Well, spawn of Skipper," he began, "you will have to be locked in my dungeon until I can figure this out. Don't get any bright ideas. You know what happened last time you did."

Rico yanked SJ up by his scruff once again and shoved him forward, leading him to the elevator on his shaky legs, the Emperor's curses fading behind him.

— § —

Quote: "But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated." ~Ernest Hemingway