Songs used:
Kuki's song: "Aimo - Tori no Hito Version" by Megumi Nakajima
Part 3: Light of O.M.E.G.A.
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-Resuming Transmission-
"The invasion has begun." The Delightful Teenagers from Down the Lane converse with the alien villain Omnius from the confines of their flying base's grand hall as they watch the crimson light cover Earth. "As expected of the GKND. It's a shame the KND and the TND didn't put up much of a fight."
"Indeed. However, what happens next, is crucial."
"Do not worry, Omnius. We have already begun our countermeasures. If the GKND believe their invasion will be easy, they are sorely mistaken. It will only be a matter of time before the adult institutions merge with Evil Adult Industries and once that happens, Earth's population will have no choice but to submit to us. Uniting everyone under us is the only way the Earth will be saved from these alien invaders." The Delightful Teenagers reply and put their hands together confidently.
"And the KND?"
"If the GKND doesn't destroy their remnants, we can always turn the people against them. Nobody can ignore what is really happening anymore."
"Hmph, right. Remember, defeating the GSF is only a steppingstone to our real objective."
"Of course. Time, is what decides the winners, and it will be us, the Delightful Teenagers from Down the Lane. Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh!" as their laughter echoes in the grand hall, five strangers stand lined up side-to-side behind the Delightful Teenager's massive chair, eyes glowing in a menacing red color.
…
The boy is dreaming. He hears hundreds of screams, coming from all directions, but he cannot move at all and helplessly floats in darkness. "Where am I…" he asks but can only the see the pitch-dark void surrounding him.
"Find us…" a voice speaks to him over the screaming, caching his attention.
"Who…who's there…"
"The light will guide you, Numbuh 1."
"The light? What do you mean?! Who are you?!"
"Do not falter now, you do not have much time. You must keep going…" the voice replies and begins to fade as the boy manages to reach out into the void.
"Wait! Don't go!"
"Keep moving forward…"
"WAIT!"
"*gasp* Argh!" Nigel wakes up and finds himself slumped on the MO.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H.-W.A.S.P.'s captain's chair. "Urgh…what happened…guys?" as his vision clears, he sees the faint silhouettes of his teammates, who have also collapsed on their seats while the O.M.E.G.A. Numbers are lying on the floor and one by one, everyone begins to wake up.
"…*groan*…ow my head…wha…where are we?" Hoagie asks as he slowly sits up. "That shockwave must've knocked us out…" he mutters while Abby raises her head.
"Man, that was some whiplash…you guys okay?" she asks and looks around the bridge.
"Could be better…ow crud…" Wally replies and undoes his belts but at very moment, a low rumble echoes throughout the W.A.S.P., before Wally starts floating away from his seat. "Huh? Oi, who turned off the gravity?!"
"The artificial gravity generator must've broken down…and plenty of other stuff too…" Hoagie remarks and starts doing damage control as Wally floats around the bridge uncontrollably.
"Gah, can't ya get it fixed? Get me down!" however, Hoagie ignores Wally's complaints and focuses on his keyboard as Abby undoes her own seatbelts and floats over to Kuki, who is slumped against her console.
"Numbuh 3? Kuki, you alright?" Abby nudges Kuki's shoulder and slowly, she also wakes up.
"Uhh…I don't feel good…" she groans as Abby helps her up but does not see any visible injuries.
"Well, ya don't look injured, must be that whiplash."
"Whe…where are we?" Kuki asks while Bradley slowly raises his head from her lap and hops on top of Kuki's keyboard.
"No idea, but at least the ship is intact. Right Numbuh 2?" however, upon turning her gaze on Hoagie, Abby quickly realizes that everything is not all right. "Hey, Numbuh 2?"
"Sorry, can't talk. I'm trying to keep the Sodarium reactor from shutting down. If we lose it, we're dead in the water." he replies grimly and types frantically on his keyboard as Tommy and the O.M.E.G.A. Numbers regain consciousness.
"The Tommy…IS IN ONE PIECE!"
"System status, optimal. No external damage observed." the monotone Scorpius says while Virgo takes on her half-humanoid form and squints her eyes.
"Oh great, now I'm stuck in space with the humans…" she thinks and rises to the bridge's ceiling while a flailing Wally floats past her.
"Someone get me down from here already!"
"It seems the feedback burst from the Space Leap struck us head on. How is the ship?" Libra asks Nigel, who points towards Hoagie.
"Not good, by the sound of it."
"Very well. Scorpius, let us give him a hand."
"Understood." then, as Scorpius and Libra start helping Hoagie, Cygnus pokes her beak against Leo's back, who is floating face down behind Nigel's chair.
"Wake up, Leo."
"Grr…who's bright idea was it to fly right in-front of that feedback burst…huh?" but as Leo's vision becomes clearer, he notices Wally spinning around near the ceiling. "BA-HAH-HAH-HAH! Hey Mop-Head, not used to zero-gravity, are ya? Hah-hah-hah!" laughing like a hyena, Leo points mockingly at Wally, which only infuriates him further.
"Shut up, Fang-Face! When I get down from here, I'm gonna beat you to a pulp!"
"That's if you get can down! Haaaah-hah-hah *wheeze* hah-hah!"
"Grr…laugh at me, will ya?!" Wally growls and starts fiddling with his E.Y.E.-W.A.T.C.H., managing to turn on it's in-built grappling wire. "Try this." then, Wally fires the wire at Leo and it wraps around right wrist.
"Gah, what the…HUH?!" Leo looks up as Wally reels the wire back and dives on the O.M.E.G.A. Number, fists at the ready.
"NO CRUDDY ALIEN'S GONNA LAUGH AT ME!"
"COME AND GET IT, PUNK!" both aim their fists at each other's faces before colliding head-on with a loud clang.
"Will you two fool's stop messin' around already?!" an irate Abby yells at the pair while Cygnus pulls Leo away from Wally, who is in-turn restrained by Abby.
"Gah, lemme go! That turquoise tin can was begging for it!"
"Outta the way, Cygnus, I'm gonna punch that blondie's face in!"
"This is not the time and place for pointless quarreling!"
"Yeah, we're stuck in the middle of nowhere with a broken-down ship! Now you two better start behavin' or Numbuh 5's gonna…oof!" suddenly, the artificial gravity returns, causing Abby to fall on top of Wally while Leo slams his head against the floor.
"*sigh* Holy chili dogs, that was way too close…thanks guys." a relieved Hoagie thanks Libra and Scorpius.
"The reactor is now stable, but we need to run a full system diagnostic scan and then perform an external damage survey." Scorpius replies and presses his smaller hands against the power box next to the helm. "I will handle the diagnostics."
"Man, we're lucky to have you guys onboard." Hoagie remarks and turns on the W.A.S.P.'s internal lights and the external cameras just as Numbuh Vine enters the bridge.
"Gu…guys, are you alright?" she asks cautiously.
"Well, we are alive, at least. And you?" Cygnus asks Vine, who nods.
"I'm fine. 9L injured her left paw though…"
"I…I can take a look at it!" Kuki jumps up from her seat and prepares to head down to the cargo bay where 9L is but then, as the W.A.S.P.'s nose turns to face the Earth, the ship falls into stunned silence. Looking out of the window, the occupants of the W.A.S.P. see a massive sphere made of crimson light covering the Earth, with occasional yellow energy bolts flickering on its surface.
"Wha…what the heck happened to the Earth?!" Hoagie throws his arms in the air in shock as Nigel moves closer to the window and presses his hand against it.
"It's…been taken over…"
"Not exactly." Libra says and comes to Nigel's side. "The GSF's Treehouse is generating a massive, planet-wide energy seal."
"And what does that mean?" Abby puts her hands on her hips as Cygnus frowns at the crimson sphere.
"It means the GKND have imprisoned the planet…that's what they do to planets pending Decommissioning. They trap it in the sphere, fill the atmosphere with gas that makes everyone oblivious to what's happening, take the planet's resources first and then destroy it using the P.L.A.N.E.T.B.L.I.T.E.R.A.T.O.R." Cygnus explains and points at the round platform the Treehouse is sitting on.
"Gas? I see...makes sense they would make the population ignorant...but that means they won't destroy the Earth immediately?" Nigel asks Cygnus, who nods back.
"Yes. The weapon is currently in Sealing-mode. It stops anyone from escaping and no communications can go through it."
"However, it is possible to enter the sphere from the outside, but once in, there is no way out. Hence why it's imprisoned. They have done this with many planets before." Libra notes while Cygnus moves near the window and looks on wistfully.
"It's what they did to my home planet…Avialus Proxima…first they took all of the planet's sweets, technology and even some of its population for research purposes…before the P.L.A.N.E.T.B.L.I.T.E.R.A.T.O.R. blew the planet up from the inside while my people did nothing…" she explains as small blue tears form in her eyes. "I saw it all…the GKND forced all of their Orninyxian operatives to watch as our planet shattered before our eyes…"
"That's…horrible…" Kuki covers her mouth in disbelief while Abby lowers her cap over her eyes.
"Those guys are messed up…" she mutters and shakes her head in disgust while Cygnus nods as her blue eyes turn fierce.
"It was despicable…that's why I understand how you all feel about all this. And why I want to help you to save your planet." Cygnus lifts her head and looks at the teenagers from over her shoulder. "We cannot let them destroy your home."
"Well said, Cygnus. If it wasn't clear before, we are fully committed to stopping the GKND." Libra remarks and also eyes the teenagers, prompting Nigel to smile slightly.
"Thank you…but how exactly?"
"And more importantly, with what?" Hoagie adds as the damaged W.A.S.P. drifts aimlessly in space, among the field of debris left by the battle for the Moonbase, it's occupants unable to do anything but watch as the GSF's Treehouse floats above the Earth, which will soon turn into a battlefield.
...
Transmission 40: Picking Up the Pieces
Striking with overwhelming force and efficiency, the Galactic Kids Next Door have managed to deal a devastating blow to Earth's Kids Next Door and the Teens Next Door. Not only have they abducted the Moonbase, but they have also taken the entire planet over in one fell swoop.
But as the GKND prepare to invade the planet and take its resources, the KND and the TND persist. Despite the immense losses they have suffered, they are far from defeated.
Meanwhile, Sector V and their alien allies are trapped in space, and they must find a way back to Earth to fight the GKND. All the while, the Delightful Teenagers from Down the Lane and their own alien ally, Omnius, prepare to put their plan into action.
…
In the Australian outback, it is a calm evening and the few people who live there are completely unaware what has just happened in space. However, as the sky turns into a light hue of crimson, the tranquility is abruptly ended by a massive explosion followed by a huge cloud of dust and debris that rises high into the sky. Animals run for cover as the column of dust collapses into a crater, followed by the sound of jet engines. "The Extension has landed safely. All ships, form a perimeter around it and wait for further orders."
As the dust clears, a large structure, made of skyscrapers bundled together, lies in a crater at an 80-degree angle as a swarm of ships made of junk circle around it. The structure is none other than the TND Extension that detached from the Moonbase and was sent flying towards Earth by the GKND. However, despite this, the Extension was not destroyed and has managed to safely land in Australia, along with the TND Space Fleet.
Inside the Extension, as alarms ring all around them, Kieran stands up and survey's the lab. "…by James McFadden's boots…it worked…" he mutters as an exhausted Chad also gets up and has to hold onto a railing next to a door that reads: "Cyclical Sodarium Sooper Reactor".
"*pant* Yeah…but that was the most hair-brained plan I've been part of…I thought we were just gonna reverse thrust and fly back to the Moonbase, not use the R.I.N.G.M.O.T.O.R.'s as a massive break."
"I told you a hundred times that it was too late for that. Anyway, thanks to you, the reactor didn't overload on re-entry."
"Thank Corvus, he was the one keeping that thing stable, I was just relaying orders." Chad replies and gestures towards Corvus, who is lying on the floor, his beak pointing at the ceiling. "Hey, you okay?"
"Been better, but I guess we made it, somehow." he replies but is unable to get up as error messages fill his eyes. "Can't move. I used too much energy controlling that reactor's power flow. Gimme a few cycles."
"Sure thing, take your time." Chad nods and walks over to a nearby computer terminal and contacts the Central Operations room. "This Numbuh Delta from the Science Tower, CO Room, can ya hear me?"
"*ZZZZTTT*…copy…*ZZZTTTT* This is Numbuh Iota-3…" Herbie's distorted voice responds as Chad fiddles with the console to get a better response.
"Damn, the re-entry must've damaged the intercom…"
"*ZZZTT* Okay, is this better?" then, the sound quality becomes normal but the video feed refuses to work, much to Chad's frustration.
"Ack, the system's in a fritz all right. Numbuh Iota-3, is everything okay in there? Where are we?"
"We're not sure, the CO room's shutters have melted in place and we can't move them, nor is the global positioning working. You're gonna have to go outside to see for yourself."
"Fine. I'll leave the system repairs to you guys. I'm going outside." Chad says and hands the call over to Kieran before grabbing Corvus and leaving with the O.M.E.G.A. Number on his back.
"The reactor is still intact?"
"Aye, barely. Corvus really worked his tail feathers off keeping that thing stable. But we're not any safer now than we were in space."
"Indeed…and all long-range communications are down. The GKND must've destroyed the satellites."
"Things aren't looking good for us…" Kieran laments as he and Herbie start coordinating the Extension's internal repairs.
Meanwhile, Chad carries Corvus through the dimly lit hallways and corridors as the alarms continue to blare through the loudspeakers. "…hey…"
"What's up?" Chad asks a tired Corvus as the O.M.E.G.A. Number lifts his head.
"About how we got separated…I've got an idea on who brought down the bridge…"
"Was it the GKND? They could've placed explosives under the bridge and detonated them after Numbuh Tera's team fled."
"No, it was one of our own…"
"Our own?!" Chad stops and eyes Corvus over his shoulder. "What the heck are you saying?"
"You heard me…it was…Virgo…"
"Vi…Virgo?! Why would she do that?" a doubting Chad lifts an eyebrow but Corvus replies with a sharp glare.
"She had plenty of reasons…Virgo was a teen villain; she had no affiliation with the GKND unlike the rest of us O.M.E.G.A. Numbers…she tried to escape the moment you freed us." Corvus explains, reminding Chad of how Virgo entered the Void Prison's hangar first without saying a word.
"She wanted to take a ship and get out while we fought…."
"Yeah, but she chose to stay instead…probably just so she could flee later."
"What are you getting at, Corvus? She hates the GKND probably more than you do, so she had no reason to…"
"She has a very good reason!" Corvus yells into Chad's ear, startling him.
"Gah, quit yelling you birdbrain!" he snaps at the O.M.E.G.A. Number who ignores him and continues to explain.
"Just listen to me! Virgo found something in the Moonbase! I didn't think much of it at first but then you guys Recommissioned that Sector V bunch."
"And what's that got do with Virgo?"
"One of the items you guys kept in that Memory Vault, was the other half of the Nebula Crystal!" then, Chad immediately stops in his tracks and slowly looks at Corvus, hairs standing in the back of his neck.
"…the…Nebula Crystal? Are you…serious?!"
"Deadly serious."
"THEN WHY THE HECK DIDN'T YOU TELL ME BEFORE?!" Chad roars at Corvus who is not fazed by his partners screaming and frowns.
"Because it's impossible for anyone but those of Cyrenian Royal blood to use it! That's why I brushed it off but then the Recommissioning happened!"
"Wait, you mean that crystal is now with someone from Sector V?"
"Yeah! That black-haired human who wore green! Dammit, if I'd noticed it earlier, I would've told you but the GKND attacked and got in the way." Corvus squints his eyes as Chad begins to connect the dots.
"Then…Virgo's O.L. Ring wasn't taken by the GKND?!"
"She stole it herself and probably put it on that girl. She resonated inside the Vault after all."
"…she's trying to use Numbuh 3 to control the missing half…but how the heck did it end up here?"
"Don't ask me. Numbuh Siren fled with that other half 200 Stellar Cycles ago. And she was the last Cyrenian who held the complete crystal before adult greed shattered it. That's what we were taught in the Galactic Cadets Next Door."
"That means…Sector V and the others are in danger!"
"And now that Numbuh Lyrical is here, she's bound to go after that other half again. We need to find them ASAP, before Virgo Overlays with that human or Lyrical gets her hands on the crystal."
"Easier said than done…dammit…Virgo really screwed us over…"
"She knew I was suspicious of her and that's why she broke the bridge."
"And why you wanted to look for them back in space…" However, the pair are quickly interrupted by the arrival of Keith and Fanny, who are arriving from Extension's vast medical wing.
"Yo, Numbuh Delta! You guys are in one piece, ey?"
"Yeah…and you?"
"I'm tellin' you mon, that was the craziest re-entry I've ever done, even crazier than when we landed in Cleve to take out that Splinter Cell drone."
"Where are ya headed?" Fanny asks silently, still devastated by what happened to her friends.
"We're gonna go outside and check where we are. You guys wanna come too?"
"Ya mon, count me in."
"Yeah…sure." Fanny replies before Chad leads them through the corridors towards the outer layers of the Extension, looking for an emergency airlock so they can go outside. But as they walk further, they notice how the walls and doors have been warped by the extreme heart generated by the re-entry.
"Ah mon, it's a good thing everyone went inside the Science Tower, otherwise we'd been cooked."
"Vaporized more like. You humans come up with the craziest plans sometimes." Corvus remarks, prompting Keith to chuckle.
"Hah, you gotta be a bit crazy when in the TND. Hmm? Hey, that airlock's still intact." he points at a nearby round door sticking out of the wall and Chad immediately goes to spin it's steering wheel-shaped handle.
"Hnng…it's stuck…grrr…"
"Hold on mon, let's open it togetha. You help too, Numbuh Beta!" Keith gestures to Fanny before grabbing the handle.
"*groan* Come on…" however, try as they might, the handle refuses to budge, until Fanny joins them and grips the handle with both hands.
"You boys are doin' it wrong! GRRRRRR!" then, the handle moves slightly, followed by a loud screech and it breaks, causing the entire door to fall off its hinges, which have been weakened by the heat. "*pant* There, that's how you do it!"
"Ye…yeah, thanks Beta." the boys smile back nervously at Fanny, who walks past them and inside the air lock, which has deformed immensely but is still in one piece.
"Why the heck has it melted so badly? We're not even near the outer layers." Chad asks as he and Keith follow Fanny into the airlock, when suddenly she stops in-front of a dark, gaping hole in the wall.
"Hey Beta, why'd you…stop…"
"No way…" Chad mutters as they realize that a massive chunk of the Extension's eastern side has been ripped off completely and what they are seeing though the gap, is the night sky. "Yeah…making everyone go inside the Science Tower was the right call…"
"It's…nighttime. Where are we?" a stunned Fanny asks as she peeks out of the hole. "This doesn't look like North-America."
"Ya mon, this is Australia." Keith remarks and points down at the eucalyptus trees swaying in the wind, far in the horizon.
"Aust…AUSTRALIA?!"
"Oh you gotta be kidding me…" Chad presses his hand against his face while Fanny stares out into the wilderness in disbelief.
"No way…we fell to the other side of the Earth…" then, her knees give way and she collapses onto the floor. "Wha…what are we gonna do now?!"
"Honestly…I don't know…" an equally shocked Chad replies before Corvus notices the night sky's crimson hue.
"Our location isn't the thing you humans should be worrying about. Look at the sky." he points up and the teenagers also notice the odd hue.
"Mon, why'd the sky red?"
"The GKND have deployed their P.L.A.N.E.T.B.L.I.T.E.R.A.T.O.R. And we're trapped inside it."
"Gah, dammit! We need to get back to the hallway, now!" Chad shouts suddenly and pushes Keith and Fanny towards the airlock.
"Oi, what are ya doing?!"
"Mon, what's gotten into you now?"
"They've released a mind-numbing gas into the Earth's atmosphere! It makes anyone over 13 completely placid and unaware of the GKND! We need to…"
"Hold up." Corvus remarks and stops Chad by grabbing his shoulder.
"Hold up for what? We gotta close the airlock and tell everyone to stay inside the Extension!"
"Numbuh Delta, calm down! There's no O.B.L.I.V.A.-gas in the atmosphere."
"How do you know that?!" Chad forces Corvus to let go, but the O.M.E.G.A. Number remains oddly calm.
"Did you forget that the GKND installed pollutant detectors in all of us O.M.E.G.A. Numbers? Mine aren't going off. If you don't believe me, then I'll share the data with you." then, Corvus' Omega symbol starts glowing, before Chad's O.L. Ring does the same and a stream of data surges directly from the O.M.E.G.A. Number into Chad's brain.
"Urgh…I'll never get used to this…" Chad grits his teeth as GKND symbols appears in his eyes. "*pant*…you're right…but I don't want to take any risks. We need to check back with Numbuh Omicron and see if the gas simply hasn't reached Australia yet."
"Then let's not waste time here, mon and get movin' already." Keith remarks and the quartet return to the hallway, before Chad welds the door back in place with this B.R.A.'s heat laser cannon. However, as they walk back to the Science Tower, the realization of what happened during the battle finally starts to sink in: The TND are now, without a leader and a functioning base, their forces have been scattered and Sector V, are unaware of the traitor hiding amongst their ranks.
…
High above the magnetic North Pole, the imposing GSF Treehouse looms over the planet, its crimson prison covering the Earth. However, up on the bridge, the atmosphere is far from relaxed as loud alarms are going off. "Commander Numbuh Exa! We've got a problem!"
"Turn ofF that alarm first!" an annoyed Numbuh Lyrical replies on Exa's behalf and after the red alarm lights are shut off, the GSF's Commander looks down at the operative who addressed him.
"What kind of problem?"
"The…the O.B.L.I.V.A.-gas, it's been neutralized." the operative's words cause the unflappable Exa's mouth to twitch very faintly, while Numbuh Lyrical is outraged.
"What are you talking about?! The humans shouldn't have any way of countering the gas!"
"How exactly is it being neutralized?" Exa asks, having gestured for Lyrical to calm down.
"The scanners are detecting an unknown vapor in the upper atmosphere that is absorbing and destroying the O.B.L.I.V.A.-gas upon contact."
"A counter agent…interesting…" Numbuh Exa folds his arms while Lyrical slams her staff's blunt end against the floor in frustration.
"Grr…who could've done that? You don't think the O.M.E.G.A. Numbers or 274 warned them about it?"
"It's possible, Lyrical, but a more likely reason is the adults. After all, Omnius is supporting them. The Earth's KND do not have the same resources as the evil adults do so it makes sense that Omnius is behind this." Exa replies calmly, but the bridge crew become intimidated by the mere mentioning of the alien villain's name.
"…dammit…then that means the planets adults and teenagers will notice what's happening to their planet…"
"And they'll start to resist…" Numbuh Exa remarks and walks over to the holoprojector behind him. "But we can't abort the Second Phase now. We have to move on, without the gas."
"Commander, that means this operation is gonna be way harder now!" Lyrical exclaims as Exa brings up a holograph of the Earth and puts his palm under it.
"We'll need to take a more…direct approach. Prepare the T.R.E.E.-F.O.R.T.'s for a planetary drop. We'll make them fight to the last if that's what they want." he says ominously before closing his clawed fist around the holographic Earth. "I'm going to do my rounds now. Lyrical, handle things while I'm gone."
"Yes, Commander." Lyrical replies but then, the crystal housed inside her staff flickers, causing the Cyrenian's body to spasm. "Urgh…*pant*…"
"Lyrical?" Exa stops and walks back to his vice-commander, who grasps her staff with both arms. "Is it the other half?"
"Yes…it's…still here. I can't tell were exactly, but it's close to the planet…"
"Hmm…maybe you should go rest instead, Lyrical."
"Nno…I'm alright I…urgh…" however, suddenly, Lyrical loses her balance, prompting Exa to grab her before she falls.
"That's an order, Numbuh Lyrical. You used a wide-scale psychic attack already. You don't have enough strength to go look for the other half right now, do you understand?" Exa's sudden show of sincerity surprises not only Lyrical but also Numbuh Geo-4 and the rest of the bridge, who are not used to seeing him act this way.
"…ye…yes, I understand…sorry, Commander." an embarrassed Lyrical replies and stands up, before leaving the bridge, prompting Exa to point at the Treehouse's ant-like, two-armed and four-legged Planetary Tactical Officer.
"Numbuh Myrmic, you're in-charge until Lyrical recovers, is that clear?"
"Yesh Sir!" the alien operative replies with a strong lisp and salutes Exa, who does the same before heading out as well.
"I was expecting them to counter the gas…but the casualties we suffered during the first phase are unacceptable." he thinks as he boards an elevator that takes him down to the Treehouse's medical wing. There, he is greeted by the scorpion-like chief medical officer.
"Nu…Numbuh Exa, Sir, I wasn't told you were coming!" the startled Erypterian operative stutters as Exa marches past her.
"I came to check on Numbuh Tera and the others, Numbuh Pinch, where are they?"
"Uhm, they're still in the intensive care unit, except Numbuh Dirus. She's in the recovery room."
"Take me there." Exa says sternly, prompting Numbuh Web to lead him through the medical wing but along the way, the GSF Commander notices some operatives shivering in their beds without any visible injuries.
"What happened to those operatives?"
"Hold on…let me check…" Web replies and quickly scrolls through a holographic list of patients. "Ah, they were I.N.V.A.D.O.B.O.T. operators under Numbuh Noxious and Numbuh Chaff. They say they fought a monster that vaporized their automaton's instantly.
"Right…what about Noxious and Chaff? Did Numbuh 74.239 and Infinity call them back?"
"Well, only Noxious returned…"
"What?!" Exa glares at Numbuh Pinch, who timidly covers her face with the patient list.
"Tha…that's what we were told…I don't know the circumstances…" Pinch stutters again and Exa quickly regains his composure, having realized he was scaring the medical officer.
"Sorry, I lost my cool there." Exa coughs slightly and remains silent for the rest of the way to the recovery room, where, laying in a bathtub-shaped bed, in the corner, is Numbuh Dirus, wearing a patchy hospital gown made from reflective fabric.
"Uhm…did you need anything else, Sir?"
"No. You can go back to your duties. Sorry about the trouble." Exa replies to Pinch, who salutes him as the GSF Commander enters the recovery room and comes to Dirus' bedside. "Numbuh Dirus?"
"*snore*…urgh…huh? who…who's the… COMMANDER NUMBUH EXA?!" waken up by the sudden appearance of her superior, Dirus nearly jumps out of her bed, only to be stopped by her injuries. "Ow, ow, ow…"
"You don't have to salute me, Dirus." Numbuh Exa gestures to her, prompting Dirus to lay back on the bed while holding her abdomen.
"Darn it…" she grumbles as Exa folds his arms and looks down sternly at the Junior Officer.
"Explain what happened. Every detail, as much as you can remember." he asks and Dirus begins to recount everything that occurred during their infiltration, while Exa remains quiet and emotionless for the whole time.
"…and then S-26 got frozen solid by that human…"
"…" Exa listens as Dirus' eyes tear up and she covers them with her bandaged wrist.
"We couldn't…capture them…I'm sorry Commander *sniff*, I tried my best…" Dirus laments and shakes her head in shame.
"It's okay. The mission failure wasn't your fault. We simply didn't account for all the variables."
"Are…*sob* S-26 and the others gonna be okay?"
"Numbuh Pinch is treating them, they'll be fine. Rest up. You've earned it."
"O…once I'm back on my feet, let me go look for those teenagers! They're gonna…"
"That's not your concern anymore, Numbuh Dirus. The only thing you need to worry about is recovering. That is an order."
"Ye…YES SIR! Ow…" the Lycan tries to salute Exa but her injured writ makes it impossible. Then, Numbuh Exa salutes her back and leaves the recovery room before heading to the intensive care room, where, through a large glass window, he sees Numbuh's Tera, A64 and Noxious sleeping in metal pods, illuminated by green energy. He quickly notices that Noxious is missing an arm and it is slowly growing back and like Numbuh Pinch said, Numbuh Chaff is not present.
"This is what happens when I let Galactic Command order my troops around…" without saying a word, he gives his unconscious subordinates a short salute before heading out. However, as he exists the medical wing, he clenches his clawed fists as a faint scowl creeps up his mouth. "This was my fault, for letting those two handle the infiltration." he thinks and boards a teleportation pad, that takes him to an upper level of the Treehouse. Soon, Exa reaches an armored door guarded by two Lycan-species GKND operatives as well as two wall-mounted, three barreled laser turrets.
"Numbuh Exa, Sir!" the operatives greet their commander, who stares back at them coldly.
"Let me pass."
"Sorry Sir, but we were ordered to…"
"I'm not repeating myself again." his intimidating glare is enough to unnerve the guards, who step aside and open the door Exa, who swiftly walks inside, closing the door behind him. The dark room he has entered is lined with screens with a round holoprojection table in the middle and standing behind it, are Numbuh 74.239 and Numbuh Infinity. "Explain yourselves."
"Nu…Numbuh Exa?! What are you…AUGH!" before neither former spy can react, Exa grabs them by their shoulders and lifts Infinity and 74.239 off the ground, much to their shock. "PU…PUT US DOWN RIGHT NOW!"
"Where is Numbuh Chaff? And what happened to Numbuh Shrike? I want answers." Exa says ominously as both operatives struggle in his powerful grasp.
"Urgh…let us down and we'll explain." a grimacing Infinity pleads with Exa, who can feel the Pantherian's claws pressing against his gray fur.
"Good." Exa replies and lowers the Plantiform and Musteloid to the floor and as the duo catch their breath, 74.239 is infuriated by Exa's actions.
"*cough*…you had no right to do that, Numbuh Exa! We're in the same team!" 74.239 shakes his fists at Exa, who is a head-height taller than the Plantiform.
"Yes, that was uncalled for."
"I'm not hearing any explanations." Exa remarks as Infinity adjusts his bowtie and shows Exa footage from Numbuh Shrike's helmet mounted camera.
"The E.Y.E.C.O.R.D.E.R footage we recovered shows that Shrike was attacked by Numbuh Alpha, the TND's leader." Infinity says as a video showing Eliza's Silhouette Suit activation appears on one of the screens. "We were aware that she had a Silhouette Suit based on Numbuh S-26's report but by all accounts, it should've been inactive."
"Yet it wasn't…hmm…rewind a bit…stop." Exa gestures to Infinity and points at the S.I.N. leaking out of Eliza's belt before she fully transforms. "Is that the same liquid the Earth's teenagers use to gain Father's powers?" his observation prompts 74.239 to take a closer look at the footage and he hits his hands together.
"It is! So even the TND had access to it! This is why we need to get a sample and…" but he quickly silences himself when Exa glares at the Plantiform.
"Sample? I hope you mean that in the context of finding a way to counter it, right?"
"O…of course! That's exactly why we sent Chaff and Noxious to the Extension. It's true they couldn't get any samples or data but they did secure a prisoner! The TND's Combat Force Commander to be exact!"
"I see…and Shrike caught Numbuh Vermillion's son, is that right?"
"Correct. He's been moved to a S.A.F.E.P.O.D. within the Treehouse's brig's isolation block. As has the other prisoner who Noxious captured." then, the footage changes to that of Numbuh Noxious' E.Y.E.C.O.R.D.E.R., showing what happened to Numbuh Chaff, and it horrifies even the two former spies. "…"
"You haven't seen this yet?"
"No. We were about to before you entered." Infinity replies over his shoulder to Exa as they witness Eliza slashing off Chaff's arm and then doing the same to Noxious.
"Tha…that's mortifying…" 74.239 mutters while Infinity nods back.
"Indeed. But we can't do anything about Numbuh Chaff until we locate the teenager's base."
"We'll set it as our priority. I am not losing any of my subordinates." Exa remarks sternly and then glances at Numbuh Infinity. "This could've been avoided if we had called them back earlier."
"It doesn't matter anymore, we achieved our main objective, didn't we?" Infinity replies calmly and eyes the GSF Commander with an equally sharp glare.
"But the cost was unacceptable. And now that the O.B.L.I.V.A.-gas no longer works, we'll need to be more cautious. No operatives are allowed step on the planet before The T.R.E.E.-F.O.R.T.'s have landed and we've secured the KND's prison. Also, from now on, you two won't act behind my back anymore."
"…" 74.239 twitches as Exa's emotionless gaze bares down on him and Infinity, who remains calm.
"I thought we had already agreed on that, but you still didn't honor it. Even if the Supreme Leader has given you special status, the GSF is still under my command. These are my operatives. The three of us are equals, isn't that right?"
"…Very well. This was a miscalculation on our part." Numbuh Infinity nods while 74.239 does the same before Exa extends his hands to them.
"As long as you understand. I don't like throwing my authority around like this."
"Yes, we understand." a squinting Numbuh 74.239 replies as Exa shakes both operatives' hands stoically.
"We have the same goal: Earth's Decommissioning. Let's not make it too hard for ourselves." Then, Exa salutes Infinity and 74.239, who do the same. "One more thing, send all E.Y.E.C.O.R.D.E.R data to the Intelligence Division and to my personal terminal. I want to review them myself."
"Of course, Numbuh Exa." Infinity says as Exa turns around to leave but then, Numbuh 74.239 folds his arms and glares at GSF leader.
"…that Pantherian is even worse than his brother…" he mutters, only for Exa to hear it and stop in his tracks. "Ack!" the scientist freezes from fear while Numbuh Infinity steps aside, expecting the worst.
"…my brother was a coward who brought shame to the GKND. I'm not. Don't forget that." Exa says silently and leaves the room, causing 74.239's branch-like legs to give away.
"*gasp*…Uh…"
"Did you do that on purpose?" a disapproving Numbuh Infinity glares the Plantiform and puts his hands behind his back.
"…"
"There is a reason Numbuh Exa is one the Supreme Leader's most trusted operatives. And why he is the only Pantherian GKND operative ever to hold the rank of Commander. It's best to be on his good side, don't you think?" he remarks and turns his attention back to the screens while a pale Numbuh 74.239 stares wide-eyed at the door. "Now, we have a reunion to attend." Infinity says and points at a screen showing Patton sitting in a cell lined with laser bars.
…
Back on Earth, Chad, Corvus, Keith and Fanny have gone back to the Science Tower to meet up with Kieran and tell him what they saw. "What?! We're in Australia?"
"Ya mon, no place in North America has wild eucalyptus trees, except California but it's not night in California, is it?" Keith replies as Herbie, talking through a TV screen, shakes his head.
"Just what we needed…what about the gas you mentioned?"
"Corvus says his sensors aren't detecting any O.B.L.I.V.A.-gas in the atmosphere. But I think we should use the Extension's systems to check again, just in case." Chad explains, prompting Kieran to order one of his subordinates to do so.
"It'll take a while before the atmospheric scan is complete, so for now, we'll stay inside."
"Then I'm going to see Rachel." Fanny says and quickly marches out of the lab while Chad folds his arms.
"How's Numbuh Alpha?" his question turns Kieran's expression grim, and he lowers his head.
"Sleeping and her S.I.N. levels are off the roof." he replies and shows Chad CCTV footage from one of the lab's special rooms, where Eliza is kept inside a sealed pod. "But I don't understand, how did her Silhouette Suit activate in the first place? She'd need to be in touch with S.I.N. to…" then, Kieran's attention is drawn to the empty vial Chad had taken out of his pocket. "…what…is…that…?"
"She had it in her utility belt. The S.I.N. was already gone when I found it." Chad says but when he lifts it to eye-level, Kieran recognizes the vial's design.
"Tha…THAT'S ONE OF THE RESEARCH SAMPLES WE'VE KEPT AT THE LAB!" Kieran screams in shock and swipes the vial from Chad. "She…she took it from our reserves…" but then, Chad grabs the scientist by his shoulders and squeezes them hard.
"You had S.I.N. stored in the Extension?!" he roars and shakes Kieran like a ragdoll. "Are you people out of your minds?!"
"We…we've been…urgh…trying to find a way to cure to its addicting effects!"
"And you didn't bother telling anyone?! Especially now that we know Numbuh Alpha's Suit needs it to work!" Chad shakes the Science Chief even more fiercely, prompting Keith, Kieran's deputy Numbuh Pi-34 and other scientist to intervene while Corvus looks on with his arms crossed.
"Hey mon, stop bein' a laggahead and let go of him!"
"Numbuh Delta! Calm down!" the scientists pry the overwhelmed Kieran away from Chad, who is pushed back Keith.
"Why the heck did ya have to attack him, mon? Let the guy explain himself!" Keith says angrily to Chad, who in-turn glares at Kieran.
"I'm sorry, Numbuh Delta…we should've told you and everyone else…only Numbuh Alpha knew about it…and she wanted to test S.I.N. on herself…"
"She what?!"
"Alpha wanted to learn to control her Suit, like Numbuh 1! So we used small drops of S.I.N. to let her activate it…" Kieran explains while clenching his fists, regret clearly visible in his eyes.
"No way mon…then she musta gotten addicted to it."
"She emptied an entire vial of that stuff back there, Numbuh Omicron! She nearly killed two GKND operatives and left Numbuh Epsilon with bad burns! Numbuh Alpha could've blown this entire base into pieces if we hadn't stopped her! Do you realize just how…grr, let go, Corvus!" Chad's rant is then ended by the O.M.E.G.A. Number, who pulls Chad away from the frozen Kieran, who is staring at the floor intensely.
"That's enough, Delta. Aren't you forgetting that your leader had already transformed when she showed up at the sub-bridge? She also mentioned that the GKND took that sunglasses-wearing guy, so they're the reason she went crazy, not your Science Chief. So, stop pointing fingers at the wrong guy." Corvus reprimands Chad, who sighs and eyes at Kieran, who has become stiff as a board. "There's no point yelling at him now."
"…no, Numbuh Delta is right, we shouldn't have kept the experiments a secret…"
"…damn right you should've…"
"Delta!" Corvus knocks Chad on the shoulder and goes between the teenagers. "Worry about that later. We're pretty screwed right now, so I suggest you stop arguing with each other and focus on dealing with the GKND. They'll 100% send an attack force here…or worse, a T.R.E.E.-F.O.R.T."
"…Numbuh Omicron…we'll talk more later. Let's get the Extension working again first." Chad says coldly to Kieran, still angry about the secret tests Eliza did behind everyone's back and gestures towards Herbie, who saw everything through his computer screen. "I'm coming over there. Since Epsilon is out of action too, I'm taking temporary command, got it?"
"…Very well. You can explain what Corvus meant by T.R.E.E.F.O.R.T. too." a stoic Herbie replies and hangs up, prompting Chad to march out of the lab with Keith and Corvus in tow.
"Chief?" Numbuh Pi-34 asks a silent Kieran, who shakes his head and presses hands against the computer terminal next to him.
"Let's focus on the present everyone. The GKND might be coming here at any moment."
"Yes, Chief! We'll try to speed up the atmospheric scan and get the external weapons back online!" Pi-34 replies and the Science Section quickly get to work, but Kieran remains standing in-front of the terminal as faint tears roll down his cheeks.
"Ghh…dammit…I shouldn't have listened to her back then…it's my fault she got addicted…" but a after a few minutes of mentally beating and kicking himself, Kieran regains his stern composure and joins the other scientists and technicians in their efforts to prepare for the GKND's more than likely attack.
Down in the medical bay, Mary-Lou Sarah Jane-Jones, the TND Global Medical Commander, codename Numbuh Mu and her teams are having a hard time treating all the agents injured during the battle, some of whom are KND operatives who had to flee into the Extension when the bridges were severed. Fanny has also come here to check on Rachel, but when the blond, curly-haired Mary-Lou makes eye-contact with her, she immediately drags her aside. "Numbuh Beta! Great timing! Help us out will ya? We don't have enough people to treat all these patients!"
"Ugh…oi, let go! Fine, fine, I'll help ya. Just tell me what to do!" Fanny replies as her KND nurse's training kicks in, prompting Mary-Lou to send her to the first aid hall, where they are treating light injuries.
And despite her rough demeanor, Fanny is quickly in her former element, her help proving vital to Mary-Lou and the exhausted medics. This goes on for a good hour or so until finally, Fanny is released, and she heads down to the IC hall, where all the severely injured people are. "Rachel?" Fanny asks cautiously as she arrives to Rachel's bedside. Her arms, cheeks, torso and thighs are wrapped in bandages and the sight horrifies Fanny. "No…"
"She's lucky they're just 2nd and 1st degree burns. But it's gonna take a while for her to heal." a nurse says to Fanny before leaving the two friends alone. Then, Fanny sits down on a stool next to Rachel's bed and watches over her friend, who is slowly regaining her consciousness.
"Urgh…"
"Rachel?"
"Whe…where am I?" Rachel asks with a raspy voice, prompting Fanny take to her friends right hand gently.
"You're in the Intensive Care hall."
"What about…Eliza…is she okay?"
"She's okay…I think…I don't know where they took her though…" Fanny replies as Rachel looks up at the curving ceiling before her brown eyes begin to tear up.
"…where's Sector V? Did they…come back?"
"No. We don't know where they are…Numbuh Omicron and the others barely managed to land this thing in Australia…"
"I…never should've…said those horrible things…" Rachel laments as her lips quiver and she lifts her left arm over her face to hide the tears.
"Said what? Hey, what are ya talkin' about?"
"I hurt Nigel…and Vine…because I was jealous…I was only…thinking of myself…that's why he didn't want…my help…Eliza was right all along…I couldn't let go of my grudge…"
"Pull yourself together, Rachel! You can still make things right, but first, you've gotta get better." Fanny says sternly and moves Rachel's hand aside before giving her friend a gentle hug. "You're not alone…Patton's gone too…and so's The Kid…but we…*sniff* can't just…dammit…" but try as she might, Fanny too unable to hold back her tears anymore and she breaks down, prompting Rachel to return the hug. "I couldn't do anything! And just when…*sniff* when I was startin' to like that guy, he had to go and get caught by the GKND! Dammit, dammit, dammit! WAAAAAAHH!" the Irish girl screams in agony as Rachel hugs her tighter, silently weeping over their shared losses.
…
Midway between the Earth and the Moon, the damaged M.O.S.Q.U.I.T.T.O.H.-W.A.S.P. continues to drift helplessly inside a field of debris. It's occupants however are far from helpless and have begun to take measures to get the ship moving again. Hoagie and Tommy have gone to the reactor room, to repair the W.A.S.P.'s overworked but now stable Sodarium reactor, while Libra, Scorpius and Cygnus are outside the ship, fixing external damages. "My, this ship sure is built strong."
"Indeed, despite missing a wing and half of its engines. Truly a stellar work of engineering." Libra nods to Cygnus as they hover around the W.A.S.P. and inspect the hull for any serious damage."
"While the reactor does keep the ships systems working, entering the atmosphere is nigh impossible and illogical with only three working engines. We will need to find replacement parts if we are to proceed back to Earth." Scorpius gestures from beneath the W.A.S.P.'s intact left wing, his yellow eye illuminating the lower hull.
"Yes. We'll scan the debris too see if we can find anything useful." Libra replies and moves above the W.A.S.P., before their crescent-shaped red crest on their head lights up as the O.M.E.G.A. Number begins surveying the area.
Meanwhile, inside the W.A.S.P., Abby is going through the ship's cargo hold's supply boxes to see how much they have food and water left, as Wally and Leo are forced to do all the heavy lifting for her. As the others work, Nigel has stayed behind on the bridge, arms folded and in deep thought. "How are we going to get out of this jam…we've barely got a working ship…" he frowns and looks out of the bridge window. "And what about the Teens Next Door…did they make it? Argh, so much happened so quickly I can't keep my thoughts straight…" shaking his head, Nigel walks closer to the window and eyes the crimson hued Earth. "Or is this it?"
"…Ni…Numbuh 1?" suddenly, a meek voice snaps Nigel out of his thoughts, and he looks over his shoulder to see Numbuh Vine peeking from behind the passenger hold's door.
"…What do you want?" he asks indifferently and turns his gaze away from the Plantiform, who presses her tentacles against the steel doorframe.
"Oh…I just…wondered if everything was okay?"
"Does it look like it? We're stranded in space, the GKND took the Moonbase and everyone in it to who-knows-where and now they've entrapped the Earth as well." Nigel says coldly while Vine creeps slightly closer.
"So I can't be even a bit worried about you, is that it?"
"Numbuh Vine, I am not in the mood to talk with you. Just hearing your voice is bringing back memories I'd rather forget. And before you ask, there is no way I'll ever get back together with you. That ship sailed the moment you dumped me." but despite his harsh attitude, Vine does not back down and comes to his side. "Are you deaf?"
"I don't have to listen to you, Nigel Uno." Vine replies in the same rash tone she used on Earth, causing Nigel to twitch. "Yeah, you hate me for what I did, I get that."
"No, I don't hate you. But forgiving you for playing with a 10-year-old boy's feelings, deceiving him, making him believe somebody liked him for who he was and then crushing him all for the sake of a mission is a whole other thing, Numbuh Vine." Nigel snaps at Vine as his Silhouette Suit flickers briefly. "Do you remember how many times you berated me for putting the KND before you, while you were doing the exact same thing."
"Of course I do. I had to keep a detailed log on everything you did and what I did with you." a squinting Vine snaps back at Nigel, who glares at the Plantiform through his sunglasses. "But, back then, I thought I was doing the right thing. You joining the GKND after everything I did to distract you would've been a crowning achievement of my GKND career! I actually believed all those lies they spread about the 'Adulthood Virus'! It wasn't just me, Numbuh 74.239 and Infinity also knew how great you were! You would've made an excellent GKND operative...if the GKND weren't so messed up!" Vine throws her tentacles up and lifts herself to Nigel's eye-level. "I can't take back what I did to you, Nigel Uno, but can't I at least make it up to you?" she asks, prompting Nigel to take a step back, clenching his fists intensely.
"'Make it up to me'? In what…possible way could you make up for everything you…" but then, Nigel is reminded of his time as the heartless Teen Villain, Nephew. How he hurt others, in a much worse way then Vine ever hurt him. How he burned down the KND's Treehouse and how he tortured Wally without any hesitation. "…" taking a deep breath, Nigel's shoulders slump down and he looks away from Vine. "…When Numbuh Gam…S-26 told the truth about you a year ago, I nearly gave up on everything. All my life, I had been lied to by both the KND and my own girlfriend. It was like everything fell from under my feet. I was honestly ready to give up back then."
"But you didn't. You're still here, fighting. And that's what I want to do too. I want to right my wrongs and fight. I was used by the GKND too." Vine replies and forcibly turns Nigel around. "Look at me!"
"..." Nigel gives her another cold glare but Vine refuses to back down as she lifts herself to Nigel's eye level.
"I had plenty of time to think about what I did while the GKND kept me locked up after my Sector was disbanded and when Numbuh Delta said he was willing to let you beat him up when you were reunited, I realized I had to change. So, I am not looking back at the past ever again, Nigel Uno." Numbuh Vine declares and points a tentacle at Nigel, causing him to briefly see Lizzie instead of Vine, which unnerves him. "I know you'll never forgive me, and you don't have to, but I will make you admit that I've changed." But despite her confident posturing, Nigel's shocked expression quickly turns sour, and he squints at the the Plantiform.
"Very well, I'll keep that in mind."
"Good, just what I wanted to hear." Vine hisses back at Nigel, evoking the same aura as her human disguise Lizzie did and the memory frustrates him. "I said what I wanted to say, I'll go see if the others need any help." she says coldly and leaves the bridge as Nigel remains behind, feeling conflicted.
"We're both hypocrites. Back then…and now too. But…the only thing we can do now is to keep moving forward." Nigel thinks, an odd feeling of relief filling his body. Then. he sits back down on the captain's chair before opening the Book of KND he has kept in his person the whole time. "The GKND…is there any mention of them in here…did my dad ever meet them either?" illuminated only by the bridge's windows, he pushes away everything else and focuses on the book, seeking answers to his growling list of questions.
…
"There you go, now your paw will get better no time!" a smiling Kuki says to Numbuh 9L in the W.A.S.P.'s passenger hold, having just finished putting a splint on the cat-alien's left paw after she injured it when the W.A.S.P. was hit by the shockwave.
"Mmau!" 9L licks the teenager's face in gratitude before nuzzling Kuki on the cheek.
"*giggle* tha…that tickles!" she laughs before 9L stops and lies down on her side. "Does it hurt anywhere else?" Kuki asks 9L, who shakes her head and then purrs calmly while Kuki nods and walks over to the window, which overlooks the ship's missing wing. "*sigh*…what is gonna happen to us now…" she laments and looks out of the window wistfully. While she has not shown it, Kuki has been shaken to her core by day's events and by Numbuh Lyrical's psychic attack, which showed her a vision very similar to what she saw when she stayed over at Wally's house in October. "It...was just a vision...nothing else...just...a vision..." she thinks and stares into the void.
"Mrau."
"I know Numbuh 1 and the others are trying to come up with a plan…but…after that fight, I feel…so useless." Kuki replies and eyes the medallion hanging around her neck. "I couldn't do anything back there. I was just...getting saved..." closing the medallion inside her fist, she thinks back to what Virgo said about the Overlay and how Nigel was able to fight on par with aliens when he merged with Libra. "Maybe…I should've…" then, she feels something poking at her back and it turns out to be 9L nudging her with her left tail.
"Mau?"
"Ah, sorry, I was just…thinking out loud." Kuki hides the medallion under her shirt and walks back to 9L before sitting down next to her. "I wonder if my parents are okay…"
"Prrr…" 9L's expression turns sad and she wraps her fluffy tail around Kuki.
"Do you…miss your family too?" but 9L does not answer and simply closes her eyes are faint tears start forming in them. "Oh you poor thing…" without hesitation, Kuki hugs 9L's tail as the large cat alien purrs. "That's horrible! The GKND destroyed your planet?"
"Mau…"
"I'm so sorry, I didn't know about…" but 9L stops Kuki from apologizing further and points at Kuki. "You…you're saying you have a new family now?"
"Mrau."
"The TND? And us too? Aww, thank you! Don't worry, once we get back to Earth, I'll introduce you to my family! And everyone else's too! We're gonna be the bestest best friends ever!" Kuki declares and gives 9L another hug. Then, she stands up and snaps her fingers. "Hey, do you like music? I can sing pretty well, so would you like to hear a song? It'll make you feel better." Kuki asks excitedly, prompting 9L to nod. "Yay! Okay, my grandma actually taught me this one. She sang it to me whenever I was feeling down. Oh and it's been passed down from her grandparents and their grandparents and…oh, sorry I started rambling. I've…never sung this to anyone before because it's a bit difficult but…here goes."
At the same time, the cargo hold's doors open and Abby, followed by a tired Wally, leave the hold with a snickering Leo behind them. "Geh-heh-heh, you're tired already? We just moved a few boxes, that's all."
"Shut up. Unlike you, I was fighting those aliens before all this crud. You were paralyzed back there." Wally hisses at Leo while Abby glares at the pair from over her shoulder.
"One more word outta you two and Numbuh 5's lockin' you both in the cargo hold until we get back to Earth. Honestly, can't ya do somethin' else than argue all time?" she hisses at Wally and the O.M.E.G.A. Number and while Wally is too worn out to talk back, Leo remains defiant.
"Bah, try and lock me in there and I'll bust out."
"Then Numbuh 5's gonna shove ya into the airlock and blast ya into space! Now will ya shut that metal trap of yours already? I ain't in the mood for back talk!" not having any of Leo's lip, Abby roars at the alien, who is genuinely scared and falls silent. "That's better."
However, as they climb the stairs and reach the passenger hold, they hear singing coming from ahead. "Huh? What the crud is that?"
"Come on, don't ya recognize who it is?" Abby nudges Wally and she pulls him to passenger hold's door, where they can see Kuki singing a song in Japanese. "Man, Numbuh 3's singing was just what Numbuh 5 ordered." Abby smiles and leans against the wall to enjoy the song while Wally does the same. Then, as Kuki continues to sing, her medallion begins to glow faintly and her song reverberates throughout the ship, embracing everyone with warmth, even Nigel, Hoagie, Tommy, Vine and the remaining O.M.E.G.A. Numbers, who cannot hear her.
But the song has a different effect on Virgo, who had hidden herself in the passenger hold to spy on Kuki. "…I…Impossible…this…song is from…my home planet…how does she know it?!"
End of Transmission 40
After word: Part 3 has now begun and things are getting wild.
The biggest elephant in the room here is no doubt Kuki. Now, I've seen plenty of headcanons about Kuki being some sort of demon or Oni because of her rage and how she looked in OP Hotstuff but in this fanfic, I went with a different approach, an alien origin, similar to The Kid, but they are not the same. Also, the song she sang at the end there is going to be a very important plot device from here on and so is Kuki's singing in general, if it wasn't already obvious. The song itself, "Aimo - Tori no Hito version" has always been a huge favorite of mine, partially because I love Macross Frontier but also because it's so beautiful.
We also saw Numbuh Vine finally confront Nigel over their past and this won't be the last time it happens. Their road to recovery has only begun. BUT, let me be clear, this is still a 1x362 fic.
Chapter 41 might arrive before the end of the month but I won't promise anything.