Mission 3
aka Contest Entry for Tg Drode
A drip of drool drops from the chanting mouth, "Who are you? What have you done with Uncle Ben? Who are you? What have …" The red head's glazed over eyes don't see the antics of the mostly blond gentleman before her.
"Tracey! Tracey! Snap out of it!" He waves his hands in front of her unblinking eyes.
In the interior of the black van, a gray haired woman in a crisp suit takes a sip from her tea. "Doc," she addresses the graying man lightly slapping Tracey's cheeks, "It's been months. Give it up already."
The third female pushes Doc out of the way. "Men," she says in disgust. The gray haired woman lifts a finger in protest. "Fine, Uncle Ben," she slaps her forehead, "man and former man. You guys just don't get it." She rolls her eyes and frowns at the males. She faces the brain locked member of the team with a forced smile, "Tracey, would you like some chocolate?"
"What have you done … Chocolate?" Her eyes focus on the woman in front of her, "Who are you?"
"Rhea. I work with Jeremy. He sent me over here after your spectacle in the hospital. I'm on the White team." She jerks her thumb over her shoulder. Tracey follows the gesture to a white building.
"What is that? Where's the hospital we were attacking?"
"Honey," the lady wearing the protective goggles slings her weed whacker over her shoulder, "you missed a lot."
Fire lights Doc's eyes as his hands come down in a swoosh that spreads to the sides. "Indeed. A massive explosive befell the crippled structure obliterating it to nothing."
"And ice cream," says Uncle Ben
Doc continues uninterrupted, "followed by a truck whose payload lowered itself and unfolded into what you now see." He also points to the white base.
"And ice cream," says Uncle Ben.
Rhea says, "And …"
Tracey looks around while absorbing the conversation. She notices something new, "What's that? When did we get one of those?" She points to the screen in-between the two front seats.
"That's our video phone." says Uncle Ben.
"I created it before you joined the team. All his, errr, her War vehicles come equipped with it and has the WAir software allowing us to video conference with anyone else equipped with War Air capability."
A lit light pulls her attention, "Why is that flashing?"
"Oh. That's a stored video message," Uncle Ben says, "I wonder how we missed that …"
Rhea says smirking, "It was probably when you were getting 23rds on ice cream and Doc was focused on Tracey and I was training with Shredder."
Uncle Ben hurries over to the machine, "Let's see what it says. It might be a mission!"
She presses a button. The leader of the White Team appears. He is looking to someone off screen, "What do you mean we are almost out of ice cream? I thought we had plenty."
The person replies, "That gray haired lady from Team Pi keeps coming back for more. I think the last time she took a whole container."
"Very well, make some more." Jeremy turns to the screen. His face falls, "Oh. Video message system." His face turns serious, "Uncle Ben. Team Pi. I have need of your services. Please come to my base at once." The image of Jeremy fades.
"Yes! Let's go. Driver, take us there." The engine starts up. They make a left into the setting sun, pull into the parking lot, and park in a spot. The engine turns off. "Ah. We're here." She takes a deep breath and then opens the door.
Three palms hit their respective foreheads.
"We could have walked," Tracey says.
Rhea adds, "You did it enough getting the ice cream."
Uncle Ben ignores them and exits the van. "Let's see what he has for us."
After crossing to the entrance and into the foyer, Rhea swipes her card. The door doesn't open. "You better let me in, you stupid machine, or I'll break down this door with Shredder here."
The automated voice answers, "Voice analysis complete. User: Rhea. Password accepted." The door slides open.
She turns to the group and smiles. "I'll meet you in Jeremy's office. Take the elevator to the third floor." Then she crosses the threshold, and the door closes behind her.
Nearby Tracey looks at the hand scanner to their entrance and puts her right hand on it. A hole opens. She lines up her eye with it and removes her hand. The hole closes. 'You've got to be kidding me."
She returns her hand and looks into the hole. Something bumps her lips. She looks down at it to see a large hinged mechanical swab retracting. "Oh, no way."
She looks back in the hole and opens her mouth. The swab enters and presses to one side. The automated voice from before returns. "Fingerprint, optical , and DNA tests all confirm identity. User: Tracey Torquist. Voice analysis commencing. Please state your password."
"Geh dis ding owwa my mouff."
"Please repeat for confirmation." She does. "Password saved. Please enter."
The various part close and return as the passage opens. In short order, Doc and Uncle Ben pass through as well. Uncle Ben takes longer as her DNA had changed.
A short elevator ride later, they arrive at the office. Rhea stands to one side of the desk. Jeremy stands and offers his hand. He has his sleeves rolled up. Bits of grease decorate his arms. He seems to have just come from working on something. "Ah! You're here."
"Ah Jeremy! It's good to see you as well." They shake hands. "You say you have a mission for us?"
"Well, no. You see I had a mission for you, but while I was waiting for you –"
The door opens. A small fox like creature person walks in. "You wanted to see me, sir?" The fox boy seems to come to their stomachs or if you count the ears maybe up to their chests. They all turn to the new entrant.
Jeremy continues, "Ah, perfect timing. Yan here finished the mission I had for you."
"I see," Uncle Ben says disappointment tainting her voice, "So you don't have anything for us."
---
A short elevator ride and walk through the foyer leaves them by their vehicle. A paper is under their windshield.
Tracey removes it with an upraised eyebrow, "Why didn't the driver take care of this?"
"Because the Driver only drives," answers Uncle Ben.
Doc takes the flyer. "Interesting. TgDrode is administrating a competition. He desires non-white team members to make his enemies into knickknacks."
"They are getting awfully bold in their advertising," says Tracey.
Uncle Ben thrusts her finger in the air. "I've got it!"
"Oh dear."
Tracey slaps her head. "What idiotic plan do you have this time?"
"We'll teach that Yan fellow not to take our missions. I think a little time as a toy will teach him a lesson." The two employees look at him skeptically. "Let's go! We have preparations to make."
After they all get in, some faster than others, the black van roars off into distance.
---
They step out of the limo one at a time. Doc, wearing a black suit and tie and sunglasses, shoulders his rifle with various buttons and doohickeys on it. He puts a finger in his collar. "Why am I wearing this outfit? I don't work so well like this."
From inside the car, Uncle Ben calls out, "You aren't working, silly. It's for the intimidation factor."
Tracey jumps out. She wears boots, green camo cargo pants, a matching tank top, and green headband tied to her head whose ends reach her back. She leans and whispers to Doc, "More likely confusion factor." She adjusts her dual pistol belt to hang off one hip. She grabs the bandolier of large bullets that crosses her chest and says, "And what are these for? We don't even use these."
A black shape slips out of the car. In the night sky she is very hard to spot. Her piercing blue eyes and swath of facial skin peer at the rest of the group. The black material covers her lithe figure showing but not emphasizing her curves. A pair of katanas cross her back. Black gloves and toed shoes complete the ninja ensemble. "We are declaring war on this little fox fellow. We need everything we have at our disposal to defeat him."
Undeterred she continues, "And what's up with turning your katanas into gun blades? Are they guns or blades? And shurikens? Are you serious considering throwing them?"
The ninja claps her hands into a praying position and bows her head slightly. "War is serious business. And business is what I do."
"What is that? Some sorta mystical ninja –" Doc raises a hand to silence her.
Uncle Ben stealthfully slips into the foyer. Silently searching the scene, she lifts one gloved hand and waves them forward. The alien buster and commando look at each other and shrug. They enter the building.
After getting their fingerprints, optical scan, DNA, and vocal patterns checked again, they are admitted into the base.
They proceed down hall after hall seeking their target. "Well now," says a male voice behind them. The trio freeze in place like burglars caught red handed. The voice continues, "Aren't the three of you a little old and a little late to be trick or treating?"
Tracey's shoulders slump. She turns to Doc, gestures with straight arms to whoever is addressing them, and utters one word to finish a previous conversation, "See?" Doc pats her on the shoulder in silent agreement as the three of them turn to face their interrogator.
A placid faced male in blue jeans and black jacket complete with tan messenger bag stands there with arms crossed. As they face him, his eyes show recognition. "Ah. Doctor Cod. Tracey." He pauses looking at the ninja. "Uncle Ben, I presume? Welcome to the Independent Researchers Union Base. Is there something I can help you with?"
"Indeed." Doc lifts his sunglasses to see eye to eye with him. "Alexander, we are endeavoring to locate Yan."
"Oh. I just saw him in the break room." He begins walking. They follow. "He asked me to get a cup for him from the top shelf." They reach a door which he opens. "Here it is."
The four enter to find the fox boy sipping something from a mug. His dangling feet swing back and forth. He looks up and smiles at the intruders. "Nice costumes but Halloween was a month or so ago."
Not having success last time, Tracey looks to Uncle Ben this time. "See?" Uncle Ben's eyes narrow as she spies her prey, totally ignoring Tracey. Her black glove strikes out to a point aimed at the resting fox. The finger transforms into a thumbs up. With a flick of the wrist, the thumb faces down.
"What? Now you can't speak?" Tracey asks Uncle Ben. The ninja points to the cloth covering her nose and mouth. "But … outside …" She sighs at this latest batch of nonsense.
Seeing the impasse of his teammates, Doc takes the initiative. "Yan, because of taking our mission we have decided to eliminate you and turn you in for the contest."
The fox boy looks frightened. Team Pi takes a step toward him, and he throws his cup at them. He rushes them and gestures up. The liquid starts splattering in various directions, covering the three in hot tea. Doc, who is the least affected, reaches for the escapee, but finds the little guy ducks under his legs and races out the open door.
Doc then notices a potential problem in the plan. Uncle Ben and Tracey recover from the burning sensation to see Alexander and three female clones cracking their knuckles.
Continuing to be silent, Uncle Ben uses two fingers to point at his employees and then gestures with one to Alexander. Tracey looks at him incredulous. "You want the two of us to attack one while you take three? That's, so, what I would do when faced with four on three."
Three quick wrist flicks and a black blur leaves Doc and Tracey facing Alexander and a baby; a female dog; and a pile of crumpled paper, used Styrofoam, and old packing peanuts.
Doc looks to Tracey, "What did you apply on those?"
"I was pretty irritated that she made me do that job. I was hoping that she would get hit with her own …" The doctor pushes her out of the way as the karate chop smashes where she was. Doc rubs the spot where the blow hit him.
Tracey scrambles up from her position on the floor. Determination in her eyes, she unholsters the guns and takes aim. Lasers blazing, she fires repeatedly at Alexander charging her.
|Whap!| Her left hand stings as the gun flies from it. |Smack!| The other gun hits the wall. Tracey feels a pinch on her shoulder a moment before she loses consciousness.
Doc fires at the temporarily still target as his partner collapses to the floor. The beam surrounds Tracey's assailant and instantly covers the body with a sheet of ice. The alien buster pauses to make sure it worked. Then he turns on the room heater.
---
The ninja, sword drawn, enters the room she saw Yan go into. |Whoosh! Clang!| Katana meets pole. The fox boy with more experience with his weapon knocks the blade to the side. Uncle Ben uses the momentum to roll away and return to her feet with other weapon drawn as well.
The two charge at each other. The pole spins and lands on the crossed swords. The attack becomes a battle of strength as each tries to overpower the other. Yan smiles. |Crackle!| Electricity races up the pole and down the swords.
---
Nearby, the baby wails unattended. Doc bending over his partner asks, "Tracey, are you ok?" The red headed commando rubs her head where it struck the floor. She sits up.
"Is it over? Did we get him?"
"Indeed. Now we must proceed to assist Uncle Ben." They find Tracey's weapons are cracked and unusable. Tracey's eyes turn to the frozen Alexander. "With the heater on high, he will extricate himself in minutes. We must make haste to gather as much distance as possible." She nods.
As they rush out the door, Doc says looking at the broken guns, "If I could find some tools, I could repair these."
"Doc!" Tracey skids to a stop as her partner continues on. She glances just for a moment to make sure he is returning and then bursts into the room to surprise Yan. The startled anthro fox jerks back his pole from the prone ninja's throat.
I've got to get him away from Uncle Ben. She rushes the victor. He adjusts his pole to a defensive stance. Just as she reaches him, he ducks to use her momentum to toss her over him.
At the same time, the alien hunter's blast goes over Yan's head and into the wall behind, as does Tracey. Uncle Ben sits up and shakes his hands. As he stands, he grabs his weapons. Tracey moans and rolls over.
Yan sees he is out numbered. With a quick swipe of the pole the nearby vent is cleared. Within moments he is inside and clamoring away. Doc pushes a button on his rifle and gets one shot on the fleeing figure.
Doc speaks up. "Shall we pursue him in the vent? I can shrink one of us and –"
Uncle Ben shakes her head. With gestures pointing two fingers at her eyes and then using the same to point at the ground, she makes her will clear.
"Fine. Fine. We search on the ground. But for the record, I say this is a bad idea." Tracey voices her opinion.
Near the vent is a door leading to a hall. Tracey and Uncle Ben exit carefully. Doc spots a box of tools nearby and starts repairing his charges.
The ninja and commando enter a large warehouse of massive machines of ferocious firepower. A giant helicopter with rocket and gun turrets coming from everywhere sits in a corner. A similar humongous spider transport sits in another.
As they spread apart to check the entire room, the overhead sprinklers go off. The remnants of a fire ball by the sensor disperse. Water rains down on the searchers.
Tracey catches a glimpse of movement. She looks to see Yan on a metal cabinet above the rising water. He reaches down with his hand and ice races to convert the liquid to a solid. Tracey's boots are locked to the floor. She looks to Uncle Ben. The female ninja lands on the ice.
The two opposing combatants stare at each other as if they are in a showdown daring the other to move first. A laser blast from behind them hits the fox knocking him to the floor. Uncle Ben gives chase. Yan and the ninja disappear through a door and down another hall.
"Tracey!" The red headed commando turns as best she can to see Doc sliding up with two rifles. "Here." He gives her a new gun that looks like a miniature jack hammer. "I had to combine them because each had parts the other had broken. Unfortunately it isn't as useful as they were before."
She presses both triggers and the beam quickly warms up the area.|Crack!| Tracey looks up to see Doc sprawled on the floor. She sees a pair of legs and follows them up. Alexander stands there smirking at her.
Rage builds in her like the boiler on a steam engine. "Why. Did. You. Do. That." She cocks back her fist. "You Will PAY FOR THAT!" She unleashes her blow.
Alexander casually moves his hand to intercept hers. As his hand wraps around hers, her fury continues full force crushing his hand and her fist into his face. He crashes to the ground and slides a little on the ice.
With her wrath quenched, her eyes take in the scene. "I knew growing up with all brothers had benefits." With the last of her adrenaline, she drags Doc and their weapons after the two.
Panting in the hall, Tracey checks their path to be sure that they aren't being followed. Doc stirs. "Uuuuh. Ouch. That smarts."
Tracey offers her hand and pulls him to his feet. "I think they went this way. Let's go."
"Indeed." The two continue on their way.
"Is it just me or is our target getting taller?" Doc smiles but says nothing. "First, he was smaller than me and this last time I swear he was bigger than any of us."
---
|Clang! Clang! Clang!| Metal strikes metal as the two combatants match blow for blow. The ninja girl swings her blades in random motions. The fox blocks each with practiced ease. As Uncle Ben tires the pole becomes more aggressive. The ninja backs away.
"Ha! You aren't so good without your friends. And soon you will go down like before," says the fox boy. The pole thrusts at the bouncy chest. The katana parries it, but it still catches her side causing her to spin.
She continues to turn and crosses her swords. She violently slashes at the pole pushing it to the side. Both mirror each other as they bring the weapons around and together between them. Once again it becomes a battle of strength.
"Ha! Now I have you where I want you." A hum begins. The cloth mask shifts as the ninja's eyes crinkle. "What? What's that sound?" The whine grows louder. |PEW!|
Dual lasers blast from the katanas. Yan jumps back narrowly avoiding getting hit by them. Unfortunately for him, he lands in front of a different beam.
In the doorway stands the Alien Stopper and the Commando both weapons aimed, but only Doc's rifle firing. "Can't I even get rid of one of three of you?"
The fox boy chooses a tactical retreat.
This time as he exits, he doesn't factor in his new height and runs headlong into the top of the door frame. He collapses to the floor. Tracey muses that all that missing is the birdies circling his head.
"Quick! We must detain this fellow before the whole assemblage descends on our location." They spring into action, working as a team for once. They drag him out the egress searching for a empty room.
Once there, Doc configures his rifle and fires at the unconscious figure. The first changes are the digits on the paws become fingers and toes. The rest of the members stretch and widen losing the fur that defined them. The body hair continues to fall out at an increasing rate. Animalistic legs and arms become a more shapely human.
The torso adjusts from fox to human female. His muzzle shrinks until it is just a nose above a pleasant pair of lips. The fur on top of the head lengthens and pools on the floor.
Doc stops the gun and they do a quick review of their new creation. She is now completely human except for the tail and ears on top of her head.
"That's one foxy woman."
Tracey looks back at the ninja. "So, now you decide to speak?" She changes her mind. "Nevermind. Let's just prepare for stage two."
---
Doc adjusts his rifle again. He pulls the trigger. The fox girl shrinks smaller and smaller until she could fit into the palm of a hand. Finally she crumples into a fetal position. Her tail curls between her legs and freezes.
"She's not right. We can't turn her in," Uncle Ben pulls down her mask to talk.
The employees look again. "Right. She's the correct size –"
Doc finishes for Tracey, "But she doesn't look like a key chain. I hadn't even considered the possibility."
After a narrow escape and a quick detour to attach a chain to the new knickknack, Team Pi once again find themselves at the entrance to the Mad Atomer's base. "Intriguing. The security system seems to have changed," Doc says.
Uncle Ben speaks up, "It probably because everyone is coming in and attacking ComX."
"Let's just go in already." Tracey heads toward the front door.
Just then the speaker on the wall starts addressing them in a bad British accent, "Whut's yer name?"
"Tracey Torquist."
"Whut's yer quest?"
She silently turns to the others and shrugs. They signal back to continue. "Ummm, I'm here for a contest."
"Whut's yer favorite color?"
"Yellow?"
A panel under the speaker slides open. On the top of the revealed black surface are the words, "Blast here."
Tracey looks to her comrades again. They shrug. She hauls back and slugs it. The words "Not a threat" replace the previous set. The section closes.
Two mechanical arms reach out from the door as if to grab her. Tracey takes a step back. One hand forms a fist that slams down on its open palm.
---
The trio tread down the hall closer to their final destination. They see Leila and pretty female Vorhais in a salon.
Tracey turns to her partner, "Doc, how in the world did you know to play paper all three times to beat its rock?"
Doc smiles. "Elementary. I analyzed its sequential sequences and determined no deviation."
"If it weren't for you, I don't think we would have gotten in. Thanks, Doc, you're the best." Uncle Ben says.
Tracey spots something in a side room. "Hey guys, I'll catch up to you. Okay?"
She enters the room and probably doesn't hear them answer. "Sure."
"See you later, Tracey."
The rest of the walk is uneventful. They, however, pass a busty young girl wearing lipstick.
"Not my style," says Uncle Ben.
"Likewise," Doc agrees.
"Wouldn't that be funny if someone did that to TgDrode?"
"Indeed."
They wander the halls looking for where to go. They look down a side hall. Uncle Ben asks, "You think it is down that way?"
A wind behind them ruffles their clothes. "Uncertain. All of these corridors look similar."
"You know what they need in this base? Giant maps with red dots that say, 'You are here.'"
"Indeed."
Uncle Ben smiles and rubs his hands together. "Great! Doc, invent one for me. We could make a killing selling those to bases in the War." He pauses for just a moment. "Or maybe we could market a map selling machine."
A door farther down the hall in the direction they had been going closes. They turn to their right. "Perhaps the individual that crossed the threshold down there would aide us in our search."
They head that direction. Uncle Ben waves her have dismissing the idea. "No need. We'll find where we are going eventually."
After several wrong turns and a run in with Crazy Cow, Uncle Ben and Doc arrive at door with the words "Contest. Enter Here." There they find the robot their research has identified as TgDrode.
"Here is our entry for your contest." Uncle Ben hands the female Yan key chain to him. "Here you go."
He smiles as evilly as his digitized face can. "Thank you very much. I will announce the winners shortly."
Doc heads for the door while Uncle Ben lingers. She picks up each key chain in turn. At last she holds onto the purple bird one. "This one has caught my fancy. How much? Money is no object."
The droid eyes the Rugburn trinket. "That one. That one has a special price. If you want that one you must attack the one who attacked me. Rex is his name."
Uncle Ben returns it to the rest. "That is a steep price to pay. As you can see my crew is down one member. I'll consider your offer."
The two of them exit the base and head home to their lab. "After that long stay in the van, I could use a shower. You have one of those, right?"
"Solvent? Or meteoric?" Doc chuckles at his own joke as they head into the back.