GALACTIC UNITY

By:  Mark J. Hadley

 

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CHAPTER 11:

“Reunion”

 

 

The girls entered Tralh’s, glancing about warily.  Now that Xianea wasn’t with them, they felt a lot less secure wandering through the station.  They had gradually become more worried that a situation might arise where they would need her guidance.  This was a particular example…they needed to find help in order to rescue her, but knew nothing about most of the species they laid eyes on.

There was no need for their cloaks anymore, they decided.  The Gyahembu had already come and gone from here, and it would be inconvenient for them to use an alias right now.  As they entered the place, they flew up to the bar and sat down.  Blossom waved to get the bartender’s attention.

He stepped over…he was a wide creature with solid black skin and at least a dozen extremely thin tentacles.  He raised the eyebrow over one of his three eyes and said, “Children are too young for this bar.  What do you what?”

“We, uh…have a problem that requires the help of a mercenary,” Blossom said.  “Do you know any that come by here?”

“Occsaionally, yes,” the bartender answered.  “There are several here right now, actually, around the place.  What do you need them for?”

“Just some backup, really,” Buttercup explained.  “We’re gonna be doing most of the hard stuff ourselves.”

“You children?” he chuckled.  “What species are you?  You can’t be that powerful…”

                Bubbles said, “Well, we’re from Earth, but…”

                “Earthlings?” the bartender asked.  When the girls nodded, he shook his head, “You can’t be Earthlings.”

                “Why not?” Blossom demanded.

                “Because…”  The bartender pointed past them at one of the tables in he place,  “He’s an Earthling.  And you don’t look anything like him.”

The girls looked in the direction he was pointing, in surprise.  A figure sat in a large chair with its back facing them…all that was visible of him was the very top of his head, which looked like he was wearing a helmet.  An arm wearing a white glove reached out and picked up the drink that was sitting on the table in front of him, rising it up to take a sip from it.  The girls flew around in front of him to get a better look, and gasped in shock…it was…

“Mojo Jojo!” all three of them exclaimed.

There was no mistaking it…he was wearing the same outfit he normally wore.  It was Mojo, right down to the last detail.  Surprised, Mojo sprayed out the sip he had just taken from his drink, and sputtered, “Powerpuff Girls!”

Normally, the girls wouldn’t have been too happy to see him, but as it was, they flew up to him immediately, hugging him tightly from all sides.  It was a treat for them just to see someone else from the Earth that was still alive, even if it was one of their greatest enemies.  Mojo looked uncomfortable about the embrace, but the girls didn’t seem to notice.  Blossom said, “It’s really you!  You’re alive!”

“Of course I am!” Mojo said, a little more fiercely than he intended.  He pried the girls off of him and said, “I am surprised to see that you have survived the destruction of the Earth as well.  I admit, despite our differences, it is a refreshing sight to see you.”  He waggled a finger in the air, “But no more hugging!  I forbid you to hug me anymore!”

“Sure,” Buttercup said, hovering back and smiling.  “Hey, how did you survive anyway?”

“Well,” he explained, “after my failed attempt to obliterate the asteroid that was going to eventually do the same to the Earth, I knew it was hopeless, that there was nothing to reverse what was going to happen, else I would have found a way to do so.  Faced with this fact, I constructed a vessel capable of space travel, so that I might escape the planet and into space, where I would be safe from the asteroid and it would not be able to cause my own destruction along with the planet’s.”

“Didn’t you take anyone else with you?” Bubbles asked.

“No, don’t be ridiculous,” Mojo frowned.  “I barely had sufficient time to assemble a ship large enough for myself, let alone other passengers.  Time was of the essence.”

“Oh…” Bubbles said, dropping her eyes.  “So we’re the only ones, then?  The four of us?”

“Looks like,” Buttercup answered her.  “At least it’s better than only three.”

Mojo sat back in his seat and grinned slightly, “I cannot say I am surprised that you have survived.  After all of the times I tried to eliminate you myself, I should have known that something as minor as a planetary collision wouldn’t stop you.”  His grin faded, though, as he added, “Of course, now I suspect that you’ll probably watch my every move here in space as well, as you used to do on Earth, now that you are aware of my presence here.”

“Well, have you been up to anything evil lately?” Blossom asked.

Mojo shook his head, “Not exactly.  It has taken all of my effort just to make a living out here for these past few weeks.  At this current moment, I am on a stopover, a resting point, transporting cargo for the Rylissans, but demeaning tasks such as these are only until I can acquire enough funding to engage in a more profitable business.  I have considered setting myself as a mercenary for hire.”

“Yeah, you’d probably be good at that…” Buttercup said.

“Indeed,” Mojo nodded, and took another sip from his drink.  He said, “Strange, I never thought I would be sitting here, having a conversation with my greatest enemies over a drink on a space station.  Life is certainly full of unusual surprises.  But anyhow…I am monopolizing this conversation far too much, for I am curious as to what you have been doing while out here…”

“It’s a long story,” Bubbles said.

“Yeah,” Blossom agreed.  “Right now, we’re trying to rescue a friend that are being held by these guys called the Gyahembu…”

Mojo’s eyes widened.  “Don’t tell me you’re in trouble with them…”

Startled by Mojo’s reaction, Blossom said, “Yes…why, do you know them?”

Mojo reached up and brushed his cape aside, off his shoulder.  There, around his arm just below the shoulder, was an armband emblazoned with the bladed star symbol of the Gyahembu.  He said, “Who do you think is having me transport the cargo?”

Buttercup looked angry, “I shoulda figured you’d hook up with them…”  She looked like she was ready to sock him.

“Buttercup, wait!” Blossom exclaimed.  Buttercup hesitated, as she continued, “This might be the opportunity we need.  If Mojo knows the Gyahembu, perhaps he can get us close enough to rescue Xianea.”

“No!  Absolutely out of the question!  Forget about it!” Mojo growled, standing up.  “I am just now beginning to earn their trust.  After only one or two more deliveries like this, they will undoubtedly have greater tasks more worthy of my skills.  I will not throw aside this opportunity just to help you three!”

Bubbles pleaded, “C’mon, Mojo!  Please?  Xianea means a lot to us…”

“That’s right, and besides…” Blossom added, “…we Earthlings have to stick together, you know?”

Mojo thought about that.  He settled back down in his chair and steepled his fingers in front of himself thoughtfully.  After a moment, he said, “You understand that I must not be connected to this in any way.  If they find out I helped you…”

“Don’t worry,” Blossom promised.  “We’ll keep your involvement a secret.”

“And…” Mojo continued, “…you still have to make this worth my while.  I am planning to be a mercenary, after all.  What do you have to offer me?”

The girls glanced at each other.  Since Xianea had done all the purchasing around here, on her own, they didn’t even have any idea what they used for money out here, let alone if they had any.  Mojo saw their confused looks and frowed, “I gather by your expressions that you have nothing to offer…”

“No, no, we do,” Blossom quickly said.  “See, Xianea has some information that the Centraxians really want, so I can guarantee some kind of payment from them at the very least.  But we don’t have anything right now…”

Mojo furrowed his brow, and sighed, “I suppose that you are not usually the untrustworthy type.  Very well, I will see what I can do.”

Bubbles smiled, “Thanks, Mojo!  We knew we could count on you!”

Buttercup whispered to her, “We did?”  Bubbles shushed her back.

“All right,” Mojo said, standing up from the table.  “I must now return to my ship to complete the delivery of my cargo.  You will meet me at Checkpoint Station 41, in…hmm…twenty-four hours.  Remember, speak none of this to the Gyahembu!”

“Okay!” the girls all said together, nodding.  With a flourish of his cape, Mojo turned and strode out of Trahl’s.

Blossom watched him leave, and said, “Girls, I think our odds of rescuing Xianea have just gotten better.  But we’d better keep an eye on Mojo, anyway.  He might try to double-cross us.”

“Yeah, he’d probably turn us in if he felt the reward was good,” Buttercup pointed out.

“So, Checkpoint 41, in a day,” Bubbles said.  “What do we do until then?”

“We should just go there right now,” Blossom replied, as the three of them began to head for the exit.  “We can just stay at the station until Mojo shows up.”

Nodding, Buttercup said, “Sounds all right, I guess.  Well, let’s go, then…lead the way, pilot girl!”  As they started back for their ship, Buttercup couldn’t help but think, Trusting Mojo…man, I just don’t know.  I have a bad feeling about all of this…real bad…

 

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                Xianea’s ship gently eased away from the station, turning away from it and lining up for a singularity jump.  Blossom worked the controls as best she could…she was nervous, flying alone, but the other girls were nearby in their chairs, and that made her feel a little better, anyway.  Buttercup remarked, “Doin’ fine!  Looks like she taught you pretty well.”

                “Thanks!” Blossom said, and brought up the navigation screen.  “Let’s see, Checkpoint 41…hmm…”  She located it on the map, and the computer automatically forwarded the coordinates to the singularity generator.  “Okay, we’re all set.  Hang on!”

                The ship lurched forward as it made the singularity jump.  The stars streaked past them from the window, the ship speeding off towards its destination.  Blossom grinned…that time, she didn’t even flinch when they made the jump.  Bubbles and Buttercup looked like they were fine as well.  Xianea was right; they had gotten used to it, finally.

                “Well, it’s pretty much smooth sailing from here,” Blossom announced, and got up from the controls.  “It’ll take us a few hours to get there.  What do we do now?”

                “I don’t know…I really don’t…” Buttercup said.  “I’m all out of ideas.”

                After a silence, Bubbles said, “You know, I just realized…that Omega Particle really exists, doesn’t it?”

                “Yeah, that’s right…” Buttercup said, brightening up.  “I mean, it was just a legend before, but that journal we found was the proof!  We really can bring the Earth back!”

                Blossom leaned over the back of the pilot’s seat and said, “I’m getting used to it out here…there’s so much to see and do…but I’d gladly give it all up to be back on Earth again.”  The other girls nodded.  “Just imagine it…soaring over wide open meadows of flowers once again…”

                “All the beautiful colors…” Bubbles sighed, happily, “…the sun setting over the ocean…”

                “Birds chirping during the day, crickets during the night…” Buttercup said.  “Watching the full moon…looking up at…the stars…”  To the other girls’ surprise, tears formed in Buttercup’s eyes.  She quickly turned away and wiped them.

                “I know how you feel, Buttercup,” Blossom said.  “I know the Earth means a lot to you.  It means a lot to us, too.”

                Buttercup sniffed, turning back to them, toughening up a little, “I’m fine…really…”

                Bubbles put a hand on her shoulder and said, “It’s okay to cry sometimes.  Don’t feel bad about it.”

                Buttercup said, “Well, yeah…just don’t think I’m gonna go soft on ya.”  She smirked.

“Of course not…you’re still the toughest person we know,” Blossom said with a grin.  “You’ll see…when we get the Earth back, you’re going to be…”

Blossom never got to finish that statement, as the ship suddenly rocked violently.  The girls were literally thrown out of their seats, onto the ground.  Bubbles stuck her head up first and said, “What was that?!”

Getting, up also, Buttercup said, “I dunno, but whatever it was…”  She suddenly pointed at the window and said, “Look!  We’re not moving anymore!”  Sure enough, although the stars had been streaking by the window just moments before, they were now stationary outside.

Without wasting any time, Blossom flew over to the controls, to find out what happened.  She said, “Something’s pulled us out of faster-than-light travel.”  The computer immediately brought up an analysis of the situation, and Blossom breathed a sigh of relief, since she wouldn’t have known what to do, otherwise.

Bubbles looked over her shoulder, “So, what is it?”

Blossom read over the information on the screen and said, “It looks like we’re caught in some beam fired from a nearby planet.”  The ship rolled around by itself, and they saw a large, cloudy planet looming below.  A multicolored beam was latched onto their ship, originating from the planet surface below

“Why are we heading for the planet?  Turn us around!” Buttercup said urgently.

“I can’t,” Blossom said, trying to work the controls.  “The beam’s pulling us in!”  The ship passed through a cloud cover in the atmosphere, and they could see a jungle-like setting below.  They dropped towards the planet surface with greater speed.  Afraid they were going to crash, the girls all screamed together, grabbing hold of their seats to brace themselves for the impact…

The ship suddenly jarred to a stop, a mere fifty feet above the ground.  The beam slowly and gently lowered the ship the rest of the way to the ground.  The girls were shocked, but still all right.  With a few small bumps, the ship set down in the jungle below.

“Everyone all right?” Blossom asked, releasing her grip on the chair.

Buttercup nodded, “All good here.”

“Now what?” Bubbles asked.

“I guess we go outside and see what brought us down here…” Blossom said.  They all flew out of their seats and over to the hatch leading outside.  After checking a status display to be sure the air outside was breathable, they opened the hatch.  A wave of hot air from outside rolled in, and they carefully peeked outside.  It was indeed a thick jungle out there, although the plants were all alien-looking, giving the landscape a very surreal look.

“The beam came from that way,” Blossom said, pointing.  “We’d better go see what made it, so we can shut it off.”

“Right,” Buttercup agreed.  “Whoever did this will be sorry…”

They carefully made their way through the ‘trees’ in the jungle.  After only about a minute’s worth of travel, they came into a large clearing.  There, in the middle, was a small metal bunker, only about twenty feet long on each side, with a radar dish that pointed into the sky.  It looked like it had recently been installed, since it had no overgrowth of vines or other plants, and still even looked clean.

“Careful,” Blossom warned, as they slowly approached it.

As they did, the door to the bunker slid open.  They watched as a towering form emerged.  They immediately recognized what it was…a Galactic Monitor.  The number 14 was displayed on his shoulders.  However, unlike previous Monitors they’ve seen, this one wasn’t a solid green.  He had a few black markings panted across its frame.

Buttercup spoke up, “All right, what’s the big idea?”

Monitor 14 spoke, “You will accompany this unit to the ship.  You are now prisoners.”

“What did we do?” Bubbles asked.  She broke off, though, as she spotted something on his chest armor, a very small emblem…and a very familiar one, at that… “Girls!  He’s one of those guys!  The Geeya…him…”

Blossom spotted the emblem now, too, and said, “Gyahembu!  But…he’s a Galactic Monitor, though…what’s going on?”

“This unit is no longer a member of the Galactic Monitors,” Monitor 14 answered, continuing his slow advance towards them.  “Belfiust, the Gyahembu commander, has promised this unit a substantial reward for the capture of the three Earthlings.”

Buttercup narrowed her eyes…Another bounty hunter, she thought.  “We’re not goin’ without a fight!”

“Your proposal is acceptable.”  With that, Monitor 14 raised his arms, and a hatch slid open on top of each of them.  Two weapon barrels emerged from them, and he aimed them towards the Powerpuff Girls.

This isn’t good, Blossom thought.  These guys are supposed to be really strong…we’ll have to put everything we have into this fight.  Otherwise, we won’t be going anywhere anytime soon…

 

TO BE CONTINUED…