The Incorporateds By Charles Duncan Episode 6.0 "The Small of It" a short story Prologue Somewhere, in some adjacent universe on a similar plane of reality to ours (but with more alien beings), two beings came forth on different worlds. Both were mistreated for what they were, uncared and unloved in the environment they lived in. Constantly teased and made upset. And both one day left their worlds, to seek revenge against their tormentors, to try to ease their sorrows by seeing justice done in worlds so cruel. In time, they met, and had a personal battle that inevitably consumed one while enriching the other's life. One, however, was different from the other. One never had any kindness come forth in its life, and one was not always setinent. One believed in bringing grief to the universe, while one believed in bringing it peace. Different sides of a circle of fate, yin and yang, evolving always until the circle ended tragically with the fall of the evil and the victory of the good one. This is how that circle began, and how it will continue for the remainder of the evil one's life. Enough drama. Let's go on with the story already.... Chapter 1 After Obstenatious was left in the care of the Dogelian Justiceers to face retribution, justice and major rehabilitation for his criminal acts, Halifax and the rest of the Incorporateds were about to board their starcraft to return to the freedom of the open spaceways. Just not together. "Are you sure this is such a good idea", said Halifax to Speedster as Speedster was packing a backpack full of vacation clothes and items, on the legendary many-stored and many-storied MegaCommisary where the Incorporateds were restocking for long journeys. "Listen, Halifax. There's a good reason I'm taking a vacation. If we stay together all the time, there's a good chance we might be wiped at once from SCE retribution. Besides, we have got to prove we're better than our enemies by taking vacations. Have you ever heard of the SCE taking a vacation?" "Not really." "There you GO, Halifax!" "I just hope you know what you're doing. This universe really is a lot bigger than you are." "You're not saying that because I'm only FOUR EARTH FEET TALL, Halifax?" "No, that was just an expression. Thousands of years old." "Isn't it about time that was dead and buried, HMMM!" "I was just hoping for your safety, Speedster. I know you'd be concerned if I was in the same situation. Where are you going, anyway?" "That's for me to know and ME to find out." "Well, I wish you a safe journey to... whereever." And with that, Halifax left to rejoin the other Incorporateds, currently shopping for groceries first, then challenging themselves to Lunch Wars. Not a video game, mind you! Speedster was waiting to board the shuttle to the Neutered Regional world of Free Shine, reading all the tour brochures one every three seconds as he was deciding where to go. His mind was working so hard comparing ads he didn't notice the small pug-dog walking around looking up at things. WAY UP. Obviously, the pug-dog, all two earth feet and one earth inch of him, was obsessed with measuring THINGS. He kept walking near passersby and tried to look them eye-to-eye, but that was a little hard as even children seemed to be taller than him. Obviously, he seemed concerned to the point of insanity about this. Speedster took a break to notice the pug-dog, and dropped the last pamplet on the table beside his seat to try to understand this bizarre behavior. He tried talking to him... perhaps the biggest mistake of his entire existence, but ultimately beneficial... in the long run. NOT THEN, THOUGH. "Hello. Are you all right, Kid?" "I'm not a kid. I'm the Law Render. Who are YOU, big-eared fool?" "The name's Speedster. You may have heard of me." "I'm sorry, I have'nt!" "Well, I'm sure you will. Why are you looking around?" "I am looking for the one being in this universe smaller than me. All my life, everyone big made fun of me. And every time I tried to fight back, they demanded I fight someone my own size." "Couldn't find any?" "Why, are you?" "Oh, no. I'm at least four feet tall." "And I myself am cursed to be only TWO of those feet tall. Always to be looked down on, squashed like a bug. Ever feel like squashing BACK?" "No. I've learned to take size taunts in stride, more or less." "Well, I CAN'T. Can I let your big ears in on a secret?" "Hmmm...." Law Render then said in a whisper that smacked of insanity more and more with each word.... "Okay. Today, If nobody comes forth shorter than I am and at least setinent, I plan on doing something very horrid. I will try to make others shorter than I am to make them. And I know the way. I have friends who have scientific knoledge who have helped me create a way to make me big for a change. I will have them SHRUNK to at least ONE foot high. Then, when they have to look up to me, they'll be really SORRY." Speedster's eyes bulged with surprise. "Uh... Render... Are you right in your head? Surely your situation can't be so bad you'd wish someone to be SHRUNK.", Speedster said with worry, as he noticed the moving crowd was beginning to take interest himself. "You don't know me, do you, big dog? I am the Law Render, the teased and hated. Called shorty, little, tiny, and what did you call me..." "Kid." "Kid. KID? Did you call me that AGAIN?" "You just asked." And then, Law Render began to growl. "Have I offended you in any way, Render?" "Oh, no.", Law Render came forwards to Speedster, and looked up at him seemingly cheerfully. "You have not offended me. Not at all. I don't take offense...." "Well, good.... I...." And then, too fast for Speedster to avoid or strong to asorb, Law Render pulled out a branch and smacked Speedster hard. "I GIVE IT! HA!" Speedster then crumpled to the ground, utterly dazed and out of it from the impact. "Since you just called me KID twice, I've decided to make an example of YOU. You'll be the LAST to insult my lack of size... and my FIRST VICTIM!" Clearly insane, he perturbed the crowd into looking for police. But police couldn't help them much for Law Render then picked up Speedster's limp body with surprising ease and began running off with it. "Must have been the heat.", yelled Law Render, "See you in a small jar, cruel Worlds! Ha, Ha Ha!" And with that, Law Render escaped the scene with justiceers hot on his tail. Halifax watched from the restauraunt level of the Megacommisary as he waited for Speedster's ship to take off on vacation, not realizing his troubles. Wilson was busy eating a large salad and Casey was eating a large plate of hamburgers, both apparently having an eating contest with the loser paying for the winner's meal and the winner enjoying bragging rights until the next time they ate out. Halifax waited a minute for the two to finish. "Hmm. Looks like this meal is coming out of your pocket, Wilson." "Not exactly a fair contest, Casey. You did'nt eat the same food I did." "Do not complain. You HAD to use a fork." "You didn't even pack NAPKIN. You pay the Tax for a penalty. I used one." "Excuse me. You use a NAPKIN after eating a clean SALAD?" "What say we split the bill payment for now, wait a hour, and best Two out of three MEALS joins all the payments and lets the loser pay then?" "You are on, Wilson. And this time, maybe I will eat a SALAD too." "Hey, quiet, fellow .... leaders. Speedster's taking off on vacation. I can see his ship leaving to gate into the Subether.", said Halifax. "Later, then, Casey?", said Wilson. "Yeah. I'll arrange future payment with the cashier once we see Speedster off." And, so they watched, as the said skycraft prepared to take off towards its destination, but just then someone pulled in front of it and blasted fast out of the port towards whereever. Someone who drove very badly. "You Weekend Driver!", yelled Casey to the outside ship, unaware that beyond the windows and in the vacumm of space, he just COULDN'T be heard for painfully (and potentially fatal) reasons. "Watch where you are going, you cravenly bad craft flyer!" Then he did that sour-look-oh-I've-said-something-STUPID-again look he was almost as famous for as his heroic legend was becoming when the remaining Incorporateds looked on. The other two watched as both ships left. The being serving them, a irritable setinent five-foot tall mecha sarcastically came up to the table to bring the payoff contract (known as 'Bill' to us humans) and the phone, though at first look it resembled an oriental fan without the paper part between. "Excuse me, Wislaun the Rugged, You have a call from the justiceers downstairs." "Yeah, yeah. I'll take it." "I hope you can find someone to pay for your BILL here. You'd make me take your SKULL and have it BAKED if you'd be the SECOND to stiff me today.", said the short Mecha. "Excuse me, is that film star Toso Re Cyba, starlet of the Fyre Doggs, over there?", whispered Wilson. "What?" And the mecha stumbled off onwards leaving phone and bill with Wilson. "I hope Speedster enjoys himself on his trip.", said Halifax. "Perhaps he will go to one of the few places in the universe where peace and relaxation can still be found.", said Casey. Wilson listened and he quickly got a shocked look on his face. "He had better bring back slides. I'm not scheduled for one of these so-called 'vacations' for at least one more MONTH.", said Halifax. "You like TORTURE, Wilson? Speedster's bringing SLIDES back to show us." "ARRRRGGGGGHHHH"..... Moaned Wilson, over and over for a minute as he heard all the details.... with the remaining two Incorporateds in the dark. "I guess no matter where you go, Slides scare ALL." Chapter 2 It was an upset time in the boarding room as the justiceers and the policemen questioned all those who witnessed the kidnapping of Speedster, and the fact a small platoon of Death Press Orangutans invading the Megacommisary just to get a scoop (and fight they did with Casey, six tough justiceers of differing Dogelian persuasions, and three of the Commisary's own reporters from the commisary Ethi-Musick radio station) present on site didn't make things easier. At a table near the ticket contract counter, Halifax was compiling evidence from the justiceers interviews with the help of the holo-sketch artist, who had his head bandaged from quite a sock from J'hof, recently bailed out just for the interview's sake and steamed that he was actually losing to a female reporter as well as among all the others keeping him from his rights to a free pressing of knuckles into nose. Shows what happens when one relies on cloning and in only ONE gender too much just to keep the species going. Wilson was keeping himself busy, too, talking with someone very important as feelings of guilt for not seeing Speedster off personally throbbed through his soul. "Ann, I'm glad and surprised you'd come on such sort notice.", said Wilson to Larinani Fahisan, who was inspired by her rescuers to have heroic tendencies herself, despite her famous mother's objection. "Our short handedness is easily cured by your prescence here." "It's not luck. I shop here, too. It's a LONG way from home but the food they sell here's A lot better than my mom's cook's cooking." "Worth travelling two hundred and seventeen light LIFETIMES to eat HERE?" "It's really.... BAD cooking." "Halifax contact you about Speedster's disappearance?" "Actually, I heard it on the news. What I could get out of it from all that fighting in this room." "From what else Halifax has let me know, we really have a problem here. The abductor who called himself Law Render is apparently a sick dog. He was exposed to too many closed minds as a child for being, of all things, short." "Just how short could the creep be?" "Two feet tall." "And he was able to take SPEEDSTER? One of the fastest heroes ever born?" "It was a sucker sticking, from what I've heard. Apparently this Law Render has compensated for being short by making himself swift, strong and insane. And once we figure out where this Law Render has gone, we can introduce the pug to the legal system." "Or the Insane Asylum.", said Halifax, "Someone would have to be NUTS to take Speedster from sight while I was NEAR. After all, this Law jerk's not affiliated with the SCE, he's just for now an ordinary citizen of the frontier who snapped." "The Asylum it is, then.", said Wilson. "Anyway, Ann, I'm glad you feel it's right to follow the heroic path. It's a tragic stereotype females on less enlightened worlds choose to let themselves be victims just because they're not the so-called 'dominant gender'." "My mother's the President. Being that when the person who runs your military's insane, you learn bravery EARLY." Casey and J'hof were pulled apart as the Death Press retreated from the Commisary's boarding area, but not before ripping off as much as they could from the baggage racks. Casey then composed himself as best as a cat could with a torn shirt and a bruised body could, with the victorious local reporters free to do their job, and walked off to a nearby clothing-cloning store to get himself a fresh pair of clothes. "I hope J'hof comes back soon. He left some of his TEETH behind where someone could trip over them." "Don't take too long getting cleaned up. You'll be dirty within the hour, when we get Speedster safe from that insane little dog Law Render." "I'll make note of that. Later...", said Casey, as he fainted for a few minutes to taste the floor. Speedster awoke in obviously deep trouble, and tied to a potted and HUGE tree that from first looked was obviously a little Banzai tree BEFORE it was now ten feet TALL. With a menacing looking sound cannon pointed at him dead center. "EEEP.", said Speedster, as his struggling commenced against iron-tethane tight ropes. "Trying to act like a SMALL little chicken will NOT save you now, you BIG bad-hair-day-prone incompassionate DOG. Know where you are?" "Not on the beach as I planned?" "No! You're here with me within the Curigan Asteroid Belt Asteroid #3045, as far from your destination filled with TALL people as you can imagine. This is my private home, Dog! And you're welcome... to SHRINK as much as I want. HA!" "You're thinking of gloating? Know who you have?" "I don't care, Dog! I'm just going to make an example of you because YOU finished my path to insanity, calling me 'KID'!" "You asked, didn't you?" Immediately Law Render whipped his stick underneath Speedster's throat. "When I wish to hear you speak, I'll make sure you speak like you've got a case of Helium Overdose, Dog! Or I DO THE ASKING! Either way, Big DOG, you'll suffer! Speak, NOW!" "Do you even care I have friends who could come to find me?" "Friends?", said Law Render with a twisted smile. "Friends.", he said then very slowly. Then, Law Render said with yelling sarcasm.... "Good, Dog. They can come. But, if they don't come in half an standard hour, Their SEARCH for you will be a lot harder... when you're only gonna wind up SIX inches TALL! HA, HA, HA!!!" Then, he stormed out of the room (set up much like a standard Catican living room, only with a big shrink gun in its center and Space beyond the picture window,) and sarcastically smiled as he stopped at the sliding door. "Nah, I'll probably take it easy on them. Once this place's security traps your friends I'll keep the search EASY instead... I'll probably shrink them too. Don't go nowhere, DOG." And With that, the Law Render left, laughing. Speedster struggled with his bonds, but without his backpack and the plungers within there that focused his speed, he couldn't hack them because his speed without them was still impressive.. just not his Strength. He would have to work with his in-lifetime evolution on THAT aspect of his powers, and started then on the strenghening biochemical tasks as he felt the time pass instoppably away, and the bonds still ensuring an apparent fate of taking the title of 'Galaxy's smallest setinent being' from the madmutt in the hallway beyond and giving it to Speedster.... Not far from the Asteroid came the Incorporated's ship the Neverrest, still suffering some unrepaired surface scars from the now legendary quest to bring Obstenatious to justice (Another story to be told later..) was dodging expertly the asteroids, following the ion path of a ever-maddening pug's private starcraft as close as possible. Ann was up front with Wilson, showing off her skills at real-life flight while Wilson monitored the ship's diagnostics. "Let me guess. You were once an all-time scorer at the simulation game 'Zymur'?", said Wilson to Ann. "I may be the daughter of the leader of Catica, but that doesn't stop me from having a LIFE." "Just glad piloting is good enough in your life for us to keep Ours." "How good are you still, Wilson", said Ann as the ship came within orbiting range of the Asteroid where Speedster was being held. "Actually, I'm still good at flying, but I've really become rusty at landing." "How bad?" "As bad as your Mom's chef's cooking you claimed it was." "THAT BAD?" "Yeah. Halifax's best at landing these days. Fortunately, Landing won't be plausible at all, and it's unnecessary too." "Looks like that, doesn't it, Wilson?" "Yes, Ann. Sure does. I'll contact Halifax to fax us in there as soon as I get the scan of the place." "Is it fun to travel the way Halifax does, Wilson?" "It'll be... if he doesn't miss and we end up fused with the Universe." "I'm going to enjoy working part-time with your people," smiled Ann as Wilson set the craft into Autoorbit, turned the reflective shields up to maximum, and went to the living room after pulling the 3-d holoplans out for Halifax to study. The number of security alarms worried Wilson some, though. A perfect gate into an darkened 'hallway' below the upstairs rooms brought the Incorporateds (along with Ann who was more than just along with the ride, which OUGHT to set a good example for ladies EVERYWHERE.) onto the hideout of the mad pug Law Render. "Casey, what have the Justiceers decided to do with this Law Render", said Wilson. "It is apparently Asylum all the way. The head justiceer Largo Prime BeakShriek contacted us before we left on the fate of Law Render pending Extradition from his hideout. He is not doing this because he's sane, he has had a history of mental problems even the SCE would be loath to uncover." "That's great!", said Halifax. "I KNEW this RENDER wasn't right in the mind from the start." "Wait a minute...", said Ann. " Do you hear something pouring forth?" "Oh, great", said Wilson. "What is it now? Is this a trap I haven't seen on the map? Don't tell me my VISION'S starting to GO where my Mind's GONE as WELL!" "This 'hallway' is probably really just some sort of water recycling pipe we have entered. We'll only get a little wet." And with that sarcastic and stupidly obvious statement, Casey did the grimace thing again. "Halifax!...", said Wilson to Halifax. "Well, we certainly did not wind up in rock", said Halifax sheepishly, "or in Space." And there in front of them came a gush of water definently taller than their heads. Chapter 3 Law Render, of course, knew when the intruders boarded, but was surprised at the fact that these 'intruders' managed to get themselves in a direct and nearly trapless route towards the living room where Speedster was held (sans, of course, the pipe underneath his home which really didn't count.) Vowing to make the SCE contractor who worked on the system the victim of his SHRINKING obsession after the Intruders were done, Law Render left his bedroom halfway across the home as fast as little legs could carry a setinent, erect-walking pug can take him. No, FASTER. Finding refuge from the flood was hard given the time they had, but since you're reading Chapter 3 of this now, they obviously suceeded in their own ways. Casey was able to throw his tail into the pipe's rungs on the ceiling above and climbed it to safefy. Ann with all the fleetness her feline body allowed dashed towards the nearest service ladder and climbed up towards the top of the pipe to the rungs there. Halifax gated his head towards the top of the square, huge piping and waited for his body only to be carried off while his head remained safe and out of the oncoming water. And Wilson fired off his legendary sonic cannon to deflect the water enough away from him so he could stand his ground, which wasn't the brightest thing to do considering water could also rush behind him where his cannon WASN'T firing. Soon, all were safe as the water nearly reached the top of the pipe, but thankfully stayed not too high enough to drown them... just make things uncomfortable. For one thing, Ann's mane hung down and the stinking dirty water was making her hair's day go bad, but she cared little. An opportunity to return the favor to one of those who saved her freedom from extinction was far more important to the stench or condition of their hair (write that down!) Soon, Wilson was pulled up to the ceiling before his small area of air collapsed on him by Casey's tail, and all began their search for an exit from the pipe as the flood continued unabated, with Casey holding the gated head of Halifax under his arm, the slight shock from the gate at Halifax's chin not really bothering Casey. Just Halifax's dignity was lost in the flood as Ann was first to spot the exit ahead and all got to safety. Soon, all were safe, save Halifax's body for the moment which was still on its journey to wherever it was as Casey set Halifax's head on the ground, with water sloshing from the sides of the gate making Halifax a little nauseous, because the water really smelled BAD. "You still think you'll enjoy working for us after THAT?", said Wilson to Ann, affter sniffing himself for chemical stains and finding none. "I'm having a great time.", said Ann, who just let the dirty water drip onto the ground as she looked around for any other surprises that Wilson's mapping had NOT detected. "Perhaps the most fun In my life. And you?" "Not. Certainly Not.", said Wilson. Halifax, feeling his body still safe, gated from the neck up as his body escaped the flood at will, revealing Halifax's body to be drenched and coated in dishwater filth... and being mildly repulsive in smell. As the Incorporateds reeled back from Halifax (Even Ann seemed slightly overcome by the smell), Halifax vowed, "Sorry. I've been out of practice A LOT." Understandable! Speedster still was struggling though his strength was now pernamently doubled with his bonds as time was running out, a look of horror at being so small for life dawning on his face. Images of being stepped on were filling his mind when all of a sudden, the Incorporateds burst into the Room. "Oh, good! It's about time you showed up. This Vacation's...hmmm... Miserable!", said Speedster worriedly as Wilson and Ann were the first to see Speedster's predicament. Casey and Halifax were soon to follow, but not before they accidentally triggered a silent alarm from their haste... that Law Render would soon come to check on. "Worry little, Speedster. We will help free you from this small problem.", said Wilson. "I've been trying, but I'm surprised I'm STILL Stuck. AND I'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU DIDN'T MENTION 'SMALL' RIGHT NOW!" "My sorrows forever, Speedster. Casey, come cut him free with your tail, while Ann and I shut this 'gun' down. By the way, what kind is it, Speedster?" "Law Render said it was a SHRINK gun." "Looks like a sh.. well, a CANNON to me.", Wilson said, Mindful of Speedster's fragile mental state. "Halifax then was hit in the leg from behind and fell to the ground, in TEMPORARY agony as Law Render charged forth and threatened them all. All of the Incorporateds Paused briefly as they saw Law Render, holding a simple piece of wood that looked like it was dipped in skin phage and wood rot. And little wonder. "Good! Your friends came to help you out in your time of REAL NEED. Do they LOVE to be six inches tall like YOU?" "You put him in this predicament", said Halifax as he checked his knee for damage and tried to slowly get up to return the anti-favor. "Why?" "He called me a KID! TWICE. And now, he and the rest of the BIG universe will pay. Get in front of the beam and be Small and sound like squeaking MICE or you'll suffer this REALLY BIG CAT'S fate!" "Sorry, We can't take requests!", said Ann, as she pried off one of the panels to look for the power supply, and Wilson looked for a plug to pull at the base of the gun. "The only thing we are taking is YOU, Mister Render", said Casey as his tail burned through the metal entwining Speedster's arms and legs, and he followed that with "And that is OUT of here! To someplace where you can BETTER deal with your anger towards the universe rather than making it...Well!" Casey felt relieved that he didn't finish it, Speedster didn't need that AT THE MOMENT. "And I'll gladly help you ON your way!", said Halifax as he struggled to his feet, still in pain and now because his skin was being munched up by a skin phage that left Law Render's stick upon Impact. Still, Halifax refused to give up, and saw the problem's solution as he prepared a very special gate. Law Render swung his stick towards him as he whiffed a smell of Halifax clothing a la sinkwater and stuck his tounge out in disgust. "That don't Matter. If you're going to save your friend, you've got only 20 seconds and there's little chance you'll cut Speedster out in time. 13... 12.... 11....." "Sounds like a good idea", said Halifax as he gated into the ground and vanished. "Nice parlor trick. 8.... 7... 6...." Then, all of a sudden, Halifax's hands came from a gate below the base of the tree's planter box and pulled it through the ground, getting both Casey and Speedster out of harms way... and putting the gun itself in it. For behind the enlarged Banzai Tree, there was this refractive mirror.... "...5.....4....3...." Ann, seeing that the tree, Casey and Speedster left, mentioned to Wilson and then both of them fell back from the gun and sat down to watch the fireworks. "...2....1....NUTS!" And so, Ann and Wilson were witness to that first ever use of a shrink gun in their UNIVERSE to shrink things. Of course, it'd been used to enlarge things as well. But, only Law Render had seen it work that way. Now, there were two more witnesses as the shrink gun went ahead and shrunk.... itself. To a very, very SMALL gun, no bigger than a water pistol. Halifax soon returned with Speedster freed and Casey glad that was over, save for one more thing. Law Render realized what had happened, and still felt as cocky as ever. "Well! This is a surprise!" "Yes. You'll be going to an asylum, and we'll all stay the same size.", said Ann, standing up to catch the little pug. Speedster, still worried, bent down to take care of the skin-eating phage of Halifax's leg before his knee literally became skinned alive, or, better yet because it WAS A PHAGE, skinned DEAD. "Not THAT. The Gun. I was wondering how to MINIATURIZE it so I can carry it around and make others SMALL a lot Easier. I'll just get it and I'LL STILL MAKE YOU SMALL. This still will be my REVENGE DAY after ALL!" And with that, Law Render dove for the gun. But Ann, as bold already in her efforts that day, kept on showing her heroic tendencies by diving first, and before Law Render could get his hands on the gun, Ann grabbed Law Render in mid flight and yelled, "Catch!" to Halifax, who needed Law Render more than anything to be TAKEN. Halifax, still hobbling from the pain more than anything (because even though injuries could be healed by Speedster, the cure of pain was something Speedster still needed work on), nevertheless made the catch. "Saying something to us, Law Render?" And, as he held Law Render above his head, Halifax smiled as Law Render, seeing he was above someone's head for the first time in his life, fainted and relaxed into sleep without a BLOW to Law Render's little, excuse me, head from Halifax. (YOU WRITE THAT DOWN, TOO. YOU MIGHT LEARN FROM IT.) Epilogue Law Render, now restrained by the latest in the equivalent of Terran 'straight jackets', was writhing in the windowed holding area of the Dogelian mental health board skycraft, and Halifax looked on satisfied that justice could be served. But Law Render was not pleased at all, especially seeing Speedster looking towards him, still upset over his failed plans. "Speedster, this isn't over for you and me. As long as I have friends with the SCE, I'll see to it I'll shrink you SMALLER than me soon as I get OUT! That's something I'll do LONG before I'm OLD!" "Tell that to the shrink", said Speedster calmly as possible, still wanting a piece of Law Render himself but just too upset otherwise to do so. Speedster then turned around and sobbed slightly as he tried to contain his sadness. "Time to pay for that soon, YOU DOG! SOON, SOON, soon, soon....", Law Render Kept saying as the skycraft left towards a distant and unknown Asylum where mental therapy was waiting for him patiently. Just like Justice awaited the SCE that had allowed him to nearly make Law Render's 'revenge' realized. Halifax led Speedster off for a while, but both parted a bit in distance as Speedster got a whiff of Halifax's still smell-filled clothes and went towards a local swim-pool to clean off Halifax and get him some clean clothing to replace the smelly, phage-stained garb with something more in line with CURRENT CATICAN CLOTHING STYLE. As Wilson and Ann talked with Ann herself readying to return home to her mom's place of work with enough bagged food and recipies to teach her mom's Cook how to, well, COOK, Wilson was happy this crisis was over, even though a new threat was now in their lives and perhaps could always be so. "You've handled yourself well with Law Render tantrums, with good judgement, willing to sacrifice, ability to fly craft and selflessness to your credit. I know you've got work helping us with the SCE problem should any of us have to 'vacation' again. Even the Unintentional ones." Even though her hair was all tangled from the sink waste that flowed through it, nothing damaged her happiness in being able to help those who helped her. "It'll please me if not my mom. Besides, I hardly get any adventure just hanging around my mom's house and being in so-called 'social functions' all the time anyway!" "Don't go back home just YET. You'll get more adventure sooner than you think." "I don't know what my mom will say, though. Someone else taking a vacation?" "No, the same person. And I'll talk to your mom, don't worry. Just have fun helping us stop the SCE and her happiness will be great for you." "You sure?" "Do I have only ONE arm made of Metal?" Later that day, Speedster sat alone as Halifax walked about in his updated outfit, a little puzzled by the fact his new garb had much wider-ended sleeves and shorts legs, but was adjusting. Wilson, seeing Speedster perturbed by all this, sat besides him. "I'm sorry your vacation was made lousy by that psychotic Law Render." "I just hope Law Render will be sorrier." "I'm sure he'll be soon. Listen, let me make this up to you. I will personally have Ann fly you to your vacation spot and back to ensure your self-imposed vacation is without incident. And I'll make sure you don't get threatened by maniacs by staying close until your safety is ensured." "Thanks. I could use a vacation a LOT better than the last one I had. Even if I'm STRONGER for it in the body only." ""That's big of you, Speedster." "A relief to hear that from you, old friend!" With that, Halifax joined them, and they went with Speedster to keep their promise as a new day artificially dawned in the Megacommisary. Of course, Casey lagged behind a bit as J'hof tried to get a follow-up interview and had a battle once again with the semi-bright feline, but for now, peace was in the lives of the Incorporateds. FOR NOW. As Lahan Rihaneean, aka Law Render, watched space go by from his holding pen, he screamingly and laughingly vowed. "Go ahead and GO, you fool. One day SOON, our paths will cross. And I'll take you and your FRIENDS and shrink them to six inches EVEN if there's a DOZEN of you one DAY.. HA ! .... Whoever you are.... HA HA HA HA HA HA......" And with that, Law Render laughed Alone as the skycraft flew on, to seal forever the fate of Law Render and Speedster, a fate that neither of them expected to travel... nor could forsee what good could possibly, ACTUALLY come from that INSANE rivalry....