The Incorporateds The First Episode By Charles Duncan Prolog "To hear it told to all the world that we were there!" For at least three million years, The SCE was definently into terrorizing any other galactic civilization that just existed or challenged them. Unlike many empires run by megalomaniacs, though, the SCE didn't just bother with merely razing certain planets and plundering them. They were also into kidnapping, making slaves of their captives, drugrunning, mayhem, torture, sexism, bribery, cloning themselves over and over to avoid love relationships and thusly having little monkeys of their own, terrorism, robbery, gundealing, and also just sheer being annoying to those planets not scared plus loads more bad doings. Perhaps those mandrill-men that ran the SCE were just full of it. But then, don't blame them. Blame their emperor who lets them run amok.... And in the middle of what humanity has recorded as summer 1978 A.D., but what the rest of the universe knew better as the sixth METRIC century of the SCE war, Regent Rynogoff was on a streak of sheer kidnapping inside of the Catican Frontier, closest galactic society to the SCE and rivals for only 30 millenia of the three million the immortal leader of the SCE had been around. Dozens of ships destined for the regions near the borders of the Frontier (presumably to get as far away from the Frontier's OWN growing corruption as possible) had been keelhauled and taken by crack SCE Hunter groups. Using nothing but sheer force and the talents of a young SCE mandrill named Obstenatious, they were becoming extremely sucessful.... Due in part to Ob's near-elemental ability to control water, which simply allowed him to flood all the hallways with water from the faucets on the skycrafts. And, only when they surrendered or began to lose consciousness did he make the water return to its source, and with their resistance and dignity gone, the travelers were easier to forcefully obtain. On one particular kidnap mission, Obs did extremely well for his leader Rynogoff by kidnapping the daughter of the catican president sheerly by chance. Obs had just brought the skycraft down on the SCE world of San Green to report his good fortune to Regent Rynogoff, waking the sleeping 3rd-ranker from a otherwise pleasant sleep with the loud landing of Ob's personal craft. Unfortunately, it wasn't Obs who wasn't doing the waking, but two mental-challenged cronies who didn't think well at all... Act 1 Rynogoff left after hastily dressing to the launching pad, followed by his mentally weak henchers named Daftec and Uglixor in tow, after 'rousing' them far more roughly than Rynogoff himself had been. As Obs and several other mandrills came out with prisoners in tow, Rynogoff typically commented... "This is just great. Obs brought more jerks to run our corrupt society away from the ground again, Yuck!" "But leader, uh, isn't he suprosed t'uh? You did sez he was gonna do that to keep, uh, US from doing any work as SCEs gonna grow.", said Daftec. "Yes. I told him to do that two weeks AGO. And I told him to stop ONE week ago, but, love the loveless demon vulture, he hasn't finished yet!" "Well... he, uh, is an overcheefer..." said Uglixor. "An overachiever with water on the brain. SURFING water, to be exact. Luckily, if he didn't have the gene-programmed ability to make water go IN other people's brains, he'd otherwise be worthless. Still, he should learn to stop, when he's ahead, and not this close to losing... his... head...." 'Hello, bodacious third leader dude of the bodacious SCE", said Obs (who's lifelong obsession with surfing flicks from the secret target world of Earth marred not just his manner of speech but also an otherwise promising career in wholesale kidnapping), "I have some suprising way cool news for my most heinous boss man". "A surprise. You don't mean a group of crack Catican frontiersfelines coming down on our base any time now for overexploiting their own people?" "No, I bribed those goody-paws* plenty on the way back. Trebled their credit lines just to make them look away, according to SCE edict. You'd be surprised just how easy they've become totally corruptible since they got a total earth sleaze for a commander. No, I have something better. Dudes!", yelled Obs to his own henchmandrills in the ship's interior, "Bring out that cool-dressed dudette tangled up in the back near my private library of Surfer films. And if you trash any of my tapes, I'll soak you sickos for KEEPS!" And as such, a few grunts with their noses well above where their eyes were located came out." * Cats have paws, even the humanoid ones. Not feet. Even if those paws have opposable thumbs they're STILL paws to them. Dig it? * "Let me guess, you hijacked a freelance video supply on the way to get more tapes?" "No. Just the daughter of the presidar of Catica..." said Obs as a shaken female feline within was thrown out onto the tarmac, trying to land on four feet like her legendary ancestors, and failing due to evolution. "And Ryno, you know I pirate ethi-space cable. Total loads easier and less bumming risk that way." "Wow. ", said Rynogoff upon seeing all this, stunned for only a moment. Then Rynogoff said 'Never mind my crack about your overachieving. Apparently the potential (fee) we could force the presidar to pay for her return will be great enough to cover your... overachieving. You will be rewarded by a raise in rank for your... surprise efforts. Of course, we don't know if the frontier's Commander will be so happy if the Presidar answers our demands TOO SOON..." "Didn't you... uh.. say that if he actally got anyone worth ... credits... you'd kick him duhnn the rankys of SCE solders so low even the milliounth non-name ranking be'd TWENTY lifetimes out of reach?", Uglixor quietly commented. "Quiet", said Rynogoff with a quiet jab in the stomach of Uglixor, "I said that when I was overdosing on Drilham sweet crackers. Know my Diabenetic condition, fool?" "I done know much, lead.. boss... uh... who are you, again?" commented Daftec. "I wasn't talking to you, Daftec. Obstenatious, report to MY superiors with the good news and claim your reward. And DON'T stop your streaks of kidnappings, maybe next you'll actually get the Commander of the Catican Frontier's armed forces. (heaven forbid, he's actually on our side, how'd he like THAT?)" "Okay, Dudes, take her to slave processing, but keep track of her, mon! Someone may actually pay for her release!", said Obs, and with that, dragged the daughter off to apparent doom, still dazed. "Uh..." said Daftec, "But what if someone comes here to under..foil.. uh.. stop us?" "Nobody can. At least, not those among who's been bribed... not to. And especially since the only one I know who'd even dare, I threw to the Earth years ago...... You may now laugh freely, fools. Like you do when you aren't around me, remember." And so, Uglixor laughed, Daftec laughed, and both kept doing so as Rynogoff went on his customary look of the ship before it would take off again on another asinine mission, leaving Rynogoff to dryly say "Thank the vulture for Henchmen. Always someone stupid to do the truly asinine tasks for YOU." The sun went down and it was Midnight on the slaver world before the moron-scratch-mentally-impaired pair STOPPED. The sun rose to its highest peak of the day without nothing else particularly full of mayhem occuring. So did the 'nobodys' who would stop those slavers... Act 2 It was high noon...literally... on San Green, distant prarie world of the SCE's slave processing stations, that hope suddenly arrived first in the form of a blur moving exceedingly fast towards the slaver base, followed by a sleek groundcraft straining to keep up. The blur was quick and bright as the sun, practically charged with power if not much common sense, cleaving its way through LOTS and LOTS of alien bluegrass faster than anyone could normally. A blur.. known otherwise as a great poodle-humanoid named Speedster. Someone, who thanks to much mayhem caused by a SCE scientist's playing with chemicals and in- lifetime evolution, had nearly the body of a human, and a human running at athletic levels at that. And with speed boosted naturally by an abundance of bio-energy fed by plenty of TV dinners and gallons of bottled water. A power which more than made up for still being relativly young in body and mind and prone to watching soap operas, as well as being short. So great was his power, that the ordinary rubber plunger he used both as a offensive weapon and a focus for his power practically glowed with power runnoff to the point it seemed to smoke at times. Running behind him at only half Speedster's speed was the groundcraft, containing the other two coming sources of hope for the kidnapped daugbter. The driver was called Casey, another 'forced-setinent' from earth who was brought to his current state of affairs simply by the accidental meeting of three idiots who was laying waste to his city of Tacoma to make room for a parking lot for another long-lost SCE minion, leaving him extremely bright talking if not quite so brightly thinking. His back-seat driver was known as Wilson, himself made setinent by chemical means, but 20 times as old and full of attitude. He was old and very wise, yet young in heart and mind and at least one NON-CYBORG arm (the other arm removed by being put between the panels of a mechanical sliding door and slammed shut on over and over again). Both were bound together in friendship and a constant battle to see who packed the most attitude. All three obviously did not like the mentality behind the SCE, and wanted nothing more than to bring the SCE to justice while excessively annoying the SCE in the bargain. "I really hope this is the time we CAN go and start putting feet in the rears of our enemies, Wilson", said Casey to Wilson, who kept a close eye on the fast-running Speedster as one more trap laid waste to itself once its victim sailed by. "Of course, Casey, This time we're going. Why do you think we're FLYING there? To order Dogelian Takeout?" Wilson thought about this for thirty seconds, then Casey interrupted any attempt to respond back. "I mean, we could have actually learned more about our enemy and how this whole universe works, but no, you grew tired of watching my friend Speedster and me being entertained by television drama in between our training situations, were'nt you? You felt we were couch chips. .... I mean, potatoes!...." Said Casey, grimacing and slightly growling at making yet another incorrect translation in his newly-taught alien language. "Ready for action." "Couch potatoes!" "Ready for action." "Couch potatoes!" "Ready for action." "Hey, who's really driving this vehicle?" "I am, from the back seat, pal!" "Oh, then we're ready, then... WHAT..?" Said Casey, obviously tripped mentally again. Suddenly, Speedster's thoughts came through as he used a self-bought telepathic communicator to talk to the two within the vehicle, "We're there, friends. I'll start taking out all the heavy-duty weaponry, while you put the grunts out lightly, okay? And Wilson... I know you're the leader temporarily until you can inspire it enough in Casey to let him be leader, but..." 'What is it, Speedster?', said Wilson, who didn't even need a communicator to relay his message to the very rapid poodle running in front as Casey pulled the vehicle to a mid-air stop, even as several mandrill grunts came out to defend the operation that Speedster was already, thanks to his greatly enhanced speed, helping his hero friends shut down... weaponwise. "Couch potatoes", said back Speedster. As Wilson pushed open a panel above his head and leaped out to begin the return of coming fire on the quickly-being shot up craft the Incorporateds came in, Wilson commented, "That's telepathy's trouble.. Something that keeps you in other's thoughts more than anything, makes you glad mostly when it's not used!" "And stop having waking dreams of stuck-out tounges at me, Casey!" "What have I achieved? What have I achieved?," replied Casey as he turned on the vehicle's ground shields in time to keep his car and himself from being lazer toast." Wilson came up to the top of the roof, and began firing blasts of intense... sound from the loudspeaker on his arm. What, you expected Bullets? Wilson was not content with letting even guilty beings die of such PAINFUL things without being sentenced to first by a jury, because 1. His own soul'd be damned and 2. anyway, thanks to the SCE's knowledge of resurrective therapy, his enemies would just come back even more enamored and Wilson, as long lived as he was, didn't feel the need to ever repeat himself. The blasts were so high pitched and focused, the weapons of the SCE aimed at his ancient heart were knocked out of their hands. And, so powerful were his blasts, the very air seemed to be warped. But just powerful enough to not just knock out weapons, but also cause the SCE grunts to fall to their knees, in shock at the sudden loss of their hearing capacity. Casey then extended the vehicle's force shields to the entryway of the main building of the slaver center, then himself opened the door and leapt to the top of the car just as the cannons on the top of the building were trained on the car. Both of them fortuitously left for the main building where the daughter was even now being kept inside, and Rynogoff was finally becomiong aware the junk was about to hit the fan for him... or at least, the shielding failed. "Speedster", said Wilson to the air knowing Speedster's TP transmitter would catch it, "How much more do you have to take out?" "Just a few more of their guns to take out, plus a few dozen defensive systems. Shouldn't take more than 3 minutes to hotwire, derig and sheer outrun." "Go for it, Speedster", said Wilson, as the Two got in through the door and started taking out coming grunts hand-to-hand, revealing two new talents learned through tragic osmosis. Casey used a lot of grappling techniques, while Wilson merely brawled his way through, tossing aside many with sheer strength and others with swipes at the bellies (being two foot shorter, both of them, they would have a little trouble actually hitting the head... until, of course, they thusly brought the SCE's to their KNEES...) Meanwhile, Rynogoff was just being informed of intruders coming to the operation by his extremely inept henchers, Daftec and Uglixor. They took too much time to inform Rynogoff by politely trying to get around to the issue, and annoyed him to no end. By the time a red alert had been called by some unnamed SCE'r who was two seconds from facing the lightining fury of Wilson and Casey, Rynogoff was busy trying to throw his lackeys across the room, already angered. As the two gathered themselves, Rynogoff went over to his private security terminal in his rather stingy bedroom, and began looking around the station through its multiple viewing monitors`. Mostly views of a stranger feline who upon slightly ticked him off, a blurred image of a humanoid poodle who was in nearly every external shot.. at least once a second, causing some slight annoyance and neck pain, and a picture of a feline-canine who REALLY made him upset. "This is sickening! I thought I already sent someone to break Wilson's bones and toss him to the Earth. Not only apparently has that rumor of him being able to recover quick due to his immortality come true, but he also brought some more heroic... GARBAGE.... with him! Well, thanks to me, Wilson, I'll stop you even harder this time! And maybe even Obs will get some grief... cause he got you in the mood to come HERE! He won't even see above the BILLIONTH ranking when I'm through with him and his reputation!" And with that, Rynogoff left his room to hunt down Wilson, but just as he left, he turned to those dismayed by suddenly having their flights toward a wall suddenly halted by said wall, "Sorry about not believing you two morons. Don't take it personal just because I DO." And THEN he left. "Do you...uh...think if we had brains, we could be so mean and ...uh... angereded?", moaned a dazed Uglixor. "Then we could have him do stuff, er, for us." "It's worth a..uh.. shot.. no.. gun... no... I think it was, shot. Or something that sounds awful simil...uh... simian..... uh...." Casey, of course, made busy himself with the vengeful beings coming forth. "Wilson? What's headed upwards, my friend? Are you feeling presents again?" And with yet another vocal snafu, Casey grimaced, as he rallied an elbow towards and oncoming grunt. "No, just the feeling of Rynogoff, here AND coming close. A real nasty purchaser of just grief from my person. Not very grateful at all for the hearing loss I gave him in trade for him wrecking that megaway car a decade ago, I imagine!" "Just hope you are not worried that your presence may ruin our endeavor... to ruin theirs?" "For him, so him currently doing THIS makes him deaf all over Again?" NO, Nada, Ejisa, Taw, And No WAY EVER! I'll confront, contuse, deafen and pack him in a bit. Can't do much more morally since he's not admitting to his current foul ways, But then I've still got things to settle from his sad attempt to ground me on YOUR world." "And you'd like me to go after the hostages for you, while you perform a little senseless violence thanks to your slightly dark nature?" "Sure. Besides, After landing on your planet, seeing what its rampant commercials and environmental unlove was doing to itself , I need to let off a little steam. I'll just be five minutes, so get Speedster to come carry me back then and we can signal our orbiting cloaked starcraft to mega- teleport those being taken by the SCE all up and out of this hayhole." "Good thing we'll be quick about this. I get cranky when I miss lunch too long." "And dinner, and breakfast, and midnight snacks, and..FATTER.", said Wilson, staring at a moment at Casey's ample feline gut." "Bye, then," and with that, Casey jumped straight up, tore off the vent in the ceiling above with a single blast of his own from HIS TAIL, and leaping acrobatically, vanished up into the ventilation system to seek out the hostages. "And to think I thought that lard wasn't really muscle all along," murmured Wilson cheerfully, as a whole new wave of SCE grunts came forth to end Wilson before Rynogoff had his own crack at the immortal feline-canine. "Just don't fail and die, Casey. I've already seen burials of too many friends from old age alone to have one new one die of foolishness.", Said Wilson as two more grunts were blasted back to the tune of the stampeding Rynogoff, charging like his namesake with even a molelike horn on his forehead to boot. Act 3 Meanwhile, Casey had managed to find his way towards the place where the daughter was being held. Quietly and quickly did he crawl through the vents, looking for the mental thoughts of the kidnapped daughter. And they were not pleasant ones, mostly those of being shut within a chamber and pounding on the solid glass wall keeping her inside, and a whole lot of cussing and disgust in the mental undercurrent in her soul from her being victimized this way. Casey was actually the least powerful among the other two Incorporateds, at least in the body and most definently in the mind. But his skills.. and possessing a tail that could become solid and alternatively, made of pure force, made the difference. He still possessed a modicum of stealth from his origional feline heritage and he could sneak around most of the troublesome spots in his life. Plus, being slightly emphatic did bring him a few friends he certainly could need. Casey climbed out of the ventilation system just outside the room where the daughter was being held, with at least four grunts guarding the door. Well, at least two who were NOT SLEEPING on the job, and trying to rouse the two who were. Leaping behind a corner, he called out to the busy and sleeping mandrills. "Hello! Could I try to communicate with you people? I think someone in there is suffering needlessly and I'd like to stop the suffering!" "What the... No, you can't! Rynogoff told us nobody goes in there unless it's somebody he or WE know! So get lost!", said one of the alert grunts "Yeah, go help fend off those hairbrained invaders that are trying to take this operation down, will you?", said the other alert grunt (neither of them noticing the fact it wasn't a fellow mandrill of evil who made the request for stoppage.) Casey then said, "I'd do that, but then I'd have problems...", and, then saying as he turned the corner.." Trying to fend off myself!". Then, waiting for the two alert grunts to charge, he himself started running toward them, with his arms outstretched to clothesline them. The two grunts then fell to the ground from the impact, which roused the two others sleeping on the job. The two in the chairs noted this, and then tried quietly to sneak up on Casey who was searching for a good sleeper- hold grab to put on each dazed grunt in sucession. But, unfortunately, they had not quite counted on Casey's powerful tail guarded in back, and it exploded in their face just as they reached down to grab him, sending them right straight into dreamland upon impact. All four went to dreamland right there and then. Casey then went at the door. He looked for the entry system to open it, and realized that it was a handprint system matched for mandrills only. "Darn, I wish somebody would open this door!", muttered Casey, as suddenly it did. A very bright looking mandrill, dressed in medical getup, came out in an attempt to surprise the intruder himself. Unfortunately, he was more surprised as he looked down at the feline and his work, and barely had time to offer some offense before Casey smiled slightly, said, "Well, I guess wishes do come true!" and butted his own head into the SCE medic's stomach, sending him falling back to be sent to dreamland just like the four outside. Then, he turned towards the chamber where the daughter was being held. Casey then held his tail in front of him and cut a hole in the chamber, much to the surprise of its contained potential victim. She fell forward from surprise. "Well, this is unexpected. Someone actually FELT my needs for freedom", said the daughter to Casey, who nobly helped her up. "Have you come to save me?" "Yes! And anyone else who'd been kidnapped with you. And to spread just a little grief in preparation for the full blown sadness we will feel ready to grant once we get more proof this is a slavery station and this 'rhino' mandrill is up to his arms in making others do work for him.", quickly responded Casey. "Oh, I think I have enough proof of that. JUST LOOK AROUND!" Casey then muttered, "Okay, then. We apparently have proof." Casey began to release the rest of those being detained, and continued to ease the frustration of the now-freed presidar's daughter. "I felt the way you have been treated. Awful that once race of beings could be so closed-minded it not only lets just one gender exist within its species but also causes grief to the opposite one, no matter what species she belongs to." "Know where the rest of the others who were kidnapped with you are being held?" "Who do you think you're freeing?", was virtually all she could say. "Oh....CAT!!!",yelped Casey in both surprise and neck pain as he realized then and there the enormity of his task in freeing HUNDREDS of people. And that was just until he looked forwards and above a little FARTHER, at several MORE. "This is just great. Okay, I will go ahead and get someone to go ahead help me free you all. Then, a couple of minutes from now, most of all these people here will leave with us. We'll have to hire someone to get those we can't get in one trip, but all will be free instead of slaves this day!" "Or at least this weekend...." "You... and whoever else... can deactivate all those units in TWO Minutes? That's probably going to take a lot of people..." "No, a lot of my friend. SPEEDSTER!" Casey cried to the air briefly. "Come here and free these people from their chambers so we can get a fix on them to effect their ticket out of this place!". Casey noticed a rush of wind and jumped as the poodle 'appeared' behind him. "Well, you (phew) called", said Speedster as he stood behind Casey, his nose barely showing a sweat. "Do not frighten me like that save on Halloween, friend! Now, go and break out all those people. And don't take too much time, Everyone you free is leaving in two minutes." "All...", and with a rush of wind, Speedster once again blurred from high speed, dashing quickly up and down the stairwells and narrow rampways the cylinders were located on, and simply forced his plunger through the plexiglass containing the imprisioned captives, thusly causing its shattering and the quick freedom for the captives within. "..... right. What next, Casey?".... said Speedster just one minute later as the captives climbed quickly out of their chambers and started down the stairways. "Go get Wilson and tell him his time is up. I hate to disappoint him in ending his "fun", but he did insist on a tight schedule in our rescue of these people. And besides, you know what he said.." "If he takes too much time to fight an enemy, he starts getting brutal and he starts thinking of taking his enemy in for money. I know what he said, pal, and I'm not letting him go back and be a bounty hunter again. You just make sure you get us a fix-on with the megaporter so we can leave this place. Fifteen minutes on this world and I already hate it! The smell of the blighted bluegrass alone makes me WHEEZE!" "You did set the megaporter to fix not just on me, but also to scan and take these good beings out with me as well left, didn't you?" "Yes...", and as Speedster dashed out of the room, all the captives and Casey faded away to the waiting skyship well above the planet's surface. "... I have, you'd think I'd forget something like... that? Gee, it's so annoying when people leave you, even on purpose. Well, now for Wilson." And again, he dashed off, himself following the thoughts of Wilson as Rynogoff engaged him. Leaving Casey, of course, to materialize on the starcraft as promised along with the rest of the former hostages and no-longer potential slaves, and to prepare Wilson's means of departure before Wilson did something he'd actually REGRET later. Also, he called for help in transport, as the megaporter, even with the compression routines that allowed many to survive within the depths of the ship's personal self-stored dimension (VR chamber was a better word) could only hold hundreds, not the THOUSANDS being held and readied for a life of sadness and woe.... As four minutes passed since the battle began between Wilson and Rynogoff, It was apparent who was to be the victor. Even though both were nearly the same height, Rynogoff had little actual fighting skills to keep him defended from retributors, gaining his rank through sheer manipulation and sucessive handling of those below him to evil. And while his only move was to charge forth with his horn-like upper mole in front of him, Wilson had plenty more fighting skills and defensive moves, as well as cyborg strength and a few offensive moves that he'd simply been around longer to master. Sensing Rynogoff was beginning to weaken after several exchanges of blows both organic and inorganic, Wilson waited for an opportunity to flat-out daze the evil Rynogoff. "I have been waiting a year or three for this, you total jerk", yelled Wilson as Rynogoff charged one more time after him, Rynogoff bending lower than usual in an attempt to send Wilson to his ancestors for this sudden intrusion. Wilson dodged as Rynogoff yelled, 'How could you BE? I ordered you broken and your ship as well. You couldn't possibly have healed or come back EVER.' And with that, Rynogoff bounced off the wall, frustrated and extremely tired. "I'm good at comebacks. How's the SCE doing without me?" "Well", said Rynogoff in the middle of another charge forth. "Well, no LONGER!", Wilson responded as a sound blast from his cyborg arm repelled Rynogoff's charge forth. As other SCE grunts came in to finally help their master when Speedster's sheer speed kept them and the base in enough dismay to cause them both a fair share of personal ruin, they simply stopped as they finally realized who had come back to give some pain. They had enough from Speedster to not even try Wilson NOW. "By the way, Rynogoff, you think it's easy having me back to keep the SCE in check?", said Wilson, as he held his cybernetic fist in front of the charging Rynogoff, waiting for the sudden impact, and then fell on him as Rynogoff quickly fell down and became dazed. "No." "Well, guess what. It'll never be easy again for your emperor. I'm not doing it alone anymore, for I have friends now." And just as he began trying to hit Rynogoff's head at extremely high speeds with his mechanical cyborg arm punch at Ryno, Speedster quickly appeared behind him, and grabbed his shoulder to say, "Wilson, time's up. We've gotta book away from him now." And, just as quickly as Wilson started, he quickly stopped as equally sudden, and looked at Speedster a little guiltily like a little schoolboy about to get punished lightly for his first offense. "Friends like him. You don't want to be in more more sorrow, Rynogoff, Do me a favor. REFORM or you'll eat... This!" And then, Wilson went back to work with his high- speed cyborg hand to hit near the sides of Ryno's head for a half-minute or so. "I must leave now," said Wilson. "I'll come back later when I've gathered enough proof to REALLY Deal with YOU." Speedster then helped Wilson up, and both left the hallway very quickly as the SCE grunts surrounded their dazed and fallen leader. All of them suddenly filled with worry. Then, Rynogoff looked around and saw, on both sides of his head, two deep little craters. And screamed at the fate he was spared by Speedster's timely arrival and quick departure with Wilson in tow. "Arrrgh! Don't just stand here, help me plan my inevitable revenge." "Against Wilson, sir?", said Uglixor and Daftec, who just came into the hallway where the battle was waged a few seconds before, late as usual. It finally sunk into their minds that they, and the whole operation, had just been wiped by the powers of Wilson and his friends. "No, not just Wilson. I want Obstenatious to be given grief to as well. I just knew he'd give us trouble... just because he went over his limit!!!!!!" His echoes went across the world as his operational base now laid in ruins. If only I could have stayed in bed today... thought Rynogoff. Epilog On board the docked starcraft the Incorporateds called home, simply called Neverrest by Wilson because he, like the ship itself, never rested... Wilson watched as the former captives finally got off at their intended destination, a peace conference between the still truly just in the Catican Frontier and several other local galactic societies, also disgusted at the SCE's interference in their existences and asking for protection. The others trapped on the slave world were coming, too, assisted by the Dogelian Intergal* in leaving for all their true intended destinations. * Like earth's interpol, but with lots more attitude and lots less opposition to independent help in solving galactic injustice. Got that? Do we need a quiz, people? From the shocking and sudden activity of Wilson and his new group of Incorporateds, word among the delegates already pointed towards obtaining the freelance services of the Incorporateds in defense of these new expanses of space. Much to the chagrin of the Catican frontier Commander, who feigned being upset at the lack of help his own armies had offered in the brief crisis, but he kept his silence as the people left the Neverrest for freedom. He certainly didn't want these 'Incorporateds' as the media assembled nearby started coining them as (for that hero group name wasn't taken... YET...) to abrade him for his actions and guilt in leaking the C.F. skycraft's place to Obstenatious in exchange for a partial percentage of the reward money, at least not now with all these WITNESSES. So, he fumed... and fumed.... The last to leave was the daughter, and as she left to join the crowds, she turned back to talk to Casey, who was standing in the door looking out at all the stars surrounding the base in space. "I'm still amazed at all what happened today, but I am grateful for your group's rescue of not just me but those who rode with me this day. How were you able to find us so quickly?", said the daughter. "Believe me, it was just SHEER BAD LUCK. We Incorporateds were at a intergalactic commisary to stock up on supplies when Obstenatious tried to ram us just as we pulled out of the spacedock to leave for parts unknown. If it is something Wilson hates, It is bad, careless drivers, and he just followed Obs to complain. At some distance, sadly enough, since he didn't want the galaxy to know we were out to declare war on the SCE.. just yet. But when Obs also took your ship hostage, and we did a few inquiries of the distress signals coming forth from your ship, Wilson then decided that to the lowest regions of Ethispace, We were no longer to hide in the shadows, and with all possible speed, end the crisis as fast as our skycraft could make up for lost time without imploding from excessive velocity increments. And, thusly, here you all have arrived, safe and sound." "I, and those people out there looking for peace in this war, crime and mayhem-torn universe, are grateful for your timely arrival. We owe you our freedom and lives." "Think nothing of it. We just do this as our living (paid from a trust fund Wilson set up long ago).... to simply help innocents in need in order to atone for Wilson's former bad habit of charging them and their GRANDFATHERS for each save and rescue." "It's good you do things for free. That truly makes you noble beings, and your brave leader... well, he's getting back to being that way." "And working noble beings, too. Farewell... well, what is your name, anyway? I did not quite get an inquiry, but considering the time constraints, then just would not have been appropriate." "The name's Larinani Fahisan. Thanks, and good sailing to you and your group!" And with that, they shook hands and the daughter left to join her fellow passengers, to make some history of her own for her mother. (Who've I've mentioned previously, Was the president of Catica. A nation who at least has the sense to consider both genders for all jobs. Hopefully, one day, this nation will in time.) Casey went back inside, closed the door, and the skycraft left the dock and the spaceport proper towards the depths of space, where they could travel in anonymity for a while... but very, very briefly. For no longer could Wilson delay his and his friend's war to end SCE transgression once and for all. "Well, Wilson, looks like we were ready for this 'hero' stuff after all", said Casey, as Wilson prepared to make the ship leave reality and reappear far, far elsewhere. "Yes, I'm surprised this surprise adventure of ours went so well. But now that the SCE's got wind of our rep, I'll guess that future conflict's will get a lot harder to complete even sucessfully. It might even actually take a day or two to get a job like the slave planet's crash done. But one day, we can become unemployed after we finally tackle the SCE's leader and bring him to justice. And bring about peace for this crazy galaxy at last." "And we all look backward to that, Wilson, with a lot of... Guhhh! I am still not getting my thoughts straight!" And with that, Casey grimaced, then completed with... "hope. A lot of hope." ... and a smile. Speedster then piped in from his bedroom, finally healing and recovering from some 50 miles worth of sheer high-speed running. "Wilson, I still believe you wanted us to achieve that mission because we were becoming couch potatoes." And Wilson joined Casey in a mutual grimace of disdain. Suddenly, the ship was rocked yet again by yet another ship coming close by in the subreality where ships go beyond light's limits. And Wilson, of course, quickly identified the disturbance by the ship's constant computer scans as Obs' own personal craft, getting him angered once again. "This is awful! I don't believe Obstenatious tried to run me down YET again! This time I'm not going to wait behind him, I'm going to go stay close this time, board his vulture craft and make him see how it feels to be taken! To Justice, yet!" "For the kidnappings?", smiled Casey lightly as Wilson tapped several commands into the keyboard near his pilot's seat. "No! Not just for that, that reckless Skycraft flying is criminal enough in ITSELF!" "Good plan, friend. To achive this, then!", Casey quietly said with a smile as the ship and its brave (and very-quick working crew) headed off towards the stars.. And more adventures than they, or much to their dismay, the SCE could ever imagine.