DiB, Part 2

Written by Zelda

 

                The Ducks stood rather uncomfortably, looking through the infirmary window at Jay, lying asleep in a solitary bed.

                "This place is REALLY freakin' me out." Nosedive whispered.

                "Tell me about it... They've got technology from all over the universe... it's incredible." Tanya agreed.

                "The wealth of information that's hidden here..." Zelda added.

                "How the public hasn't found out about this is something I just dunno." Duke rubbed his beak. He turned, startled, to find Kay beside him.

                "Sorry." Kay said.

                "Sokay." Duke grinned. "How's your partner?"

                "He'll be fine by the morning. He's actually quite lucky, gets lots more sleep than most of us do around here. 37 hour day you know."

                "Now Kay, If you've got the time, I was thinking we could discuss a plan for how we're going to deal with this..." Wildwing started.

                "That's what I came to talk to you about. But there's someone I want you to meet first. Follow me please."

The Ducks walked off with Kay through the many hallways of MiB headquarters, marveling at all the people and all the creatures that were contained by them. Finally, they all stepped into a circular office which looked out upon the main MiB control room through several wide panes of glass.

A heavy-set man with dark circles under his eyes and serious brows reached up to shake Wildwing's hand.

                "Ducks, this is Zedd, the boss of the MiBs." Kay introduced.

                "Pleasure to meet all of you, please have a seat." Zedd said, although not too warmly.

The Ducks and Kay sat down.

"Now Ducks, I know you've been briefed on the situation we're in." Zedd started. "I have heard that you may know one of these Alterians."

                "One by the name of Kazor, yes." Wildwing nodded.

                "A rebel?" Zedd asked. They all nodded.

                "We haven't been able to get very close to the area where the Alterians supposedly touched down. It seems like they've got a war going on back there, they're so heavily armed." Zedd sighed. "But from the varied types of weaponry they've been using, we think that they may be rebel forces."

                "But fighting against who?" Mallory asked.

                "That's another question we hoped you might be able to answer." Kay said.

                "Well.... there is an Alterian rebel group who fights against Emperor Charg's forces." Zelda said.

                "That's what we thought." Zedd said. "They've had a long grudge against each other."

                "We were wondering if you could do MiB a favor by helping us out with this one." Kay said. "Even if there's a slight chance you know the Alterians, it would help a lot."

                "Wait a minute..... what do we get out of this?" Duke asked.

                "We'll lighten up on the restraints we're currently forming for you, provided of course that you complete your mission." Zedd said.

Wildwing frowned.

                "I dunno Zedd. How about not leashing us at all?" Zelda picked up.

Zedd frowned. "Look." he started. "I know you guys haven't done anything wrong. Your intentions seem well here..."

                "So what reason is there for a constraint?" Zelda pressed.

Zedd hesitated.

                "It's just precautionary." Kay said solidly.

                "Very well." Wildwing said, standing up. "Maybe after this, you'll find there's no need at all for precautions. We're ready when you need us."

The other Ducks looked at him a little strangely. He was never one to back down that quickly. Still, they followed obediently as Zedd and Kay led them out of the room, and downstairs.

                "The twins can fill you in. They've already called up the information you'll need."

The Ducks watched carefully as a wealth of satellite and infrared information whizzed past their faces, courtesy of a very strange pair of aliens that looked like giant sea anemonies.

Kay shouldered a huge silver laser gun.  "Any questions?" he asked.

                "Tell me why we're doing this again?" Nosedive sighed.

                "Relax kid, you get used to it after a while." a hand patted Nosedive on the shoulder. He spun around to see Jay tucking a tiny gun into his suit.

                "Ready to go?" Kay raised and eyebrow.

                "They literally shoved me out of the infirmary." Jay grinned. "Let's hit the road!"

                "Easy Slick." Kay tisked in a monotone, looking at some papers. "We got a lot riding on our work today."

 

                The team sat uneasily in the Migrator, as Kay spread out a huge topographical map of the area they were going to storm out on the floor. "Now you see, we believe the Alterians are concentrated in this valley here." he said. "Charg's forces are scattered in small groups all around the area."

                "Any suggestions?" Duke asked.

                "Perhaps we could send in one or two... like a spy mission almost. If we could reach the Alterians, we might be able to stop the fighting." Mallory offered.

                "You know what you're doing kid." Kay said. "I agree."

                "Well I see nothing wrong with that." Wildwing nodded. "Who's going?"

The room was silent for a moment.

                "Fine!" Mallory snorted. "I'll go!"

Zelda reared up next to her. "I'll go too, this area's not unfamiliar to me. But it's gonna be hard getting through those Charg forces untouched and unseen."

                "You're right..." Wildwing sighed.

                "Perhaps if we could but draw the enemy eyes away...." Grin started.

                "You mean like a distraction, right?" Jay piped up.

                "Yeah... that might work." Kay said. "We need only send two or three of you out though. Just to make some noise."

                "I'll go." Jay said.

                "Dive can too." Wildwing patted his brother on the back.

                "What!?" Nosedive asked.

                "You're good at making noise." Wildwing grinned at him.

                "Thanks." Dive muttered.

                "I'll go too, just in case." Grin said.

                "Yeah, Grinster's great for getting out of a jam." Nosedive said as he got up.

                "Well I suggest you start out now." Kay said, pointing on the map. "That's a pretty high elevation point just over on the rise there. You'll get a good audience."

                "And we can let Mal and Zelda go a few minutes later." Tanya said.

                "Hey what about me?" Duke spoke up.

Wildwing thought a moment. "You're good at sneaking around Duke, you go with Mallory." Wildwing told him.

                "A pleasure to assist the lady." he bowed and stood up.

Zelda grinned and gave a huff from the back hatch of the Migrator.

                "And I'll go with Zelda." Tanya got up and jumped out of the back.

                "Well then, we're outta here." Nosedive waved, exiting the Migrator with Jay and Grin following.

                "Keep in touch." Wing reminded them, as they all ran off into the forest. The leader frowned behind his Mask as he watched them go.

                "Worried about your brother?" Kay asked him.

                "As worried as you probably are about your partner." Wildwing said.

Kay nodded and turned back to the map.

 

                Zelda perched high in the treetops, scanning the forest floor below carefully before she moved. She knew this area very faintly, it wasn't but about five or six miles from The Territory. If this fighting spread much farther the clan would have her head for this. She knew this place was loaded with boobytraps and ambushes, but the treetops seemed to be clean. Suddenly, she saw something on the ground. It looked like a long, flat gray spacecraft to her. She opened the com she was carrying in her jaws and spoke in a whisper. "Yo." she reported.

                "Got anything for us Zel?" Wildwing replied on the other end.

                "Yup, looks like one of the bases here or something." Zelda said.

                "Describe it." Kay ordered to her, taking over the com.

                "It's long, flat, and gray. Looks like it's got all these weird wires and cables running all over it."

                "Yup it's Alterian alright." Kay said.

                "We've got your coordinates, we'll come to back you up as soon as we hear from Mallory." Wildwing spoke again. "You wanna scout this one out?"

                "I think so, doesn't seem to be anyone around." Zelda replied, looking down to see Tanya nodding up at her.

                "Keep an open channel." Wildwing told her. "We'll be right here."

                "Got it." Zelda secured the com around her wrist and, leaving it open, started to climb down gingerly from her tree.

 

                Wildwing leaned back as the scraping of claws against bark gave way to a barely audible crunching of leaves. He sat back and tried to picture Zelda stalking up to this structure.

                "Looks like nobody's home." she said over the crackling.

Kay spoke into the com. "Keep an eye out, they might have a ----" Suddenly, he was cut off by a loud blast, and the snarl of lasers slitting through the air like knives of light. Pucks exploded nearby.             Wildwing sat up quickly as Zelda cried out in alarm. Visual on the com was quickly lost. There was a loud crunching of leaves and snapping of twigs, gnarled and dulled by yelling and movement.

                "Zelda?" Wildwing called. "Zelda what's happening?"

She snarled and huffed loudly, trying to talk. "I'm pinned!"

Wildwing immediately wished he was there, as if he could suddenly be teleported in. He wanted to help.

                "Zelda, let the Alterian hear me!" Kay ordered sternly. He heard the alien yelling over the com distantly.

                "What is that you've got there? Who's on that communicator?" he snapped.

                "MIB. You've got a violation list as long as my arm, Slick." Kay snapped back.

"Come over here and I'll blast that arm off human, or should I rid this spy of her's first?"

Wildwing grabbed the com. "Listen to me Alterian. I am a friend of your leader Kazor." he demanded. "Let the duck and dragon up, they won't hurt you."

                "Who knows what of the great Kazor? Who is this?" the alien snapped back.

                "I'm Wildwing, the leader of the Mighty Ducks." the Duck said proudly. "Where is Kazor? Let me speak to him, he'll sort this whole mess out."

                "Who are you to make demands?" the guard snapped back.

Suddenly the conversation stopped. The two in the Migrator heard the alien talking, but it was distant and muffled.

                "Zelda?" Wildwing broke the silence.

There was no response for a second.

                "I think we're okay now Wing." Zelda said back. The com's visual slowly came back, broken up and crackling. Zelda stood up, shaking herself.

Wildwing could see the alien, a furry lion-like biped, looking very much like a guard from the Hockeydome. He was talking on his own com. The Alterian closed his com and looked back at the two. "I'm terribly sorry, there's been a mistake." he said.

                "It's alright." she smiled. "Hey Wing, I think we're in the clear."

 

                Mallory crouched on the ground, peering between the thick leaves of a bush. She peered out at a deep blue and purple disk-shaped craft that looked very similar to the 'hockey stadium' that had once taken the Ducks up the the Hockeydome. She knew this was one of Charg's ships. It wasn't big, maybe about 25 feet across and ten feet tall. It looked like just a scout ship. Mallory leaned back and opened her com. "Mallory here." she whispered.

                "What's up Mal?" Wildwing asked.

                "I've found one of the Emperor's ships, looks like a small one though." Mallory reported.

                "It's just a scout ship. There are probably five or six of them scattered around." Kay broke in. "Is there anyone around?"

                "No I can't see anyone. What's happening with Zelda and Tanya?" she asked.

                "They're fine. They found the Alterians and there's no problem now. They reported in about five minutes ago." Wildwing told her.

                "Good. Now what do we do? Scout this one out?"

                "I don't recommend it. Zelda did the same thing and almost got in over her head." Kay said.

                "We'll send your coordinates to the others, they'll back you up." Wildwing said.

Mallory checked her AutoTracker. "Yeah they're not too far away, we'll wait." Mallory agreed. Mallory looked up into the trees and saw Duke perched on a thick branch like a waiting jungle cat. Weird. She sat down Indian-style on the forest floor, and waited.

 

                Nosedive sighed as his com went off.

Grin cocked his head at the noise. "Better turn that thing off my friend." he whispered.

Nosedive silently did so. He wished he could report in. He didn't want to be here. The bark of the tree at his back was crawling with ants. It was majorly uncomfortable. Grin squatted on his haunches as silently as a cat beside him. Nosedive wondered if it were possible for a duck of his size to be as silent as a cat. To his left, Jay was trying to stay low and peek through the bush he was hiding behind. Dive didn't even understand what the big fuss was about! They had been walking through the woods when suddenly Jay had thrown them all behind this tree. Nosedive edged closer to Grin, trying to peek around the tree, but the large duck shoved him back into his former position. Nosedive humphed softly. There was some reason they were hiding, and he didn't want to find out what it was.

 

                Wildwing looked up at Kay quickly as he found his communication abruptly severed.

Kay shook his head.

                "Think they're in trouble?" Wildwing asked.

                "It's possible." Kay said, with no emotion in his voice.

                "Maybe I should go out there..." Wildwing started up.

                "Our station is here Wildwing." Kay halted him with his hand. "The team listens to you. You've got to stay here and do your job."

                "My job also includes the protection of my team, Mr. Kay." Wildwing noted with a light curtness in his voice. "I don't know how you run things at MIB, but we look out for each other in this field." Wildwing paused. "I'll try and reach them again." He reluctantly opened his com.

 

                "You see that's the whole story. We're caught up in this as much as you are. We are friends and allies, but it is dangerous to the humans of this planet, and possibly my kind, that you're fighting here. Not to mention, you've got MIB on your tails." Zelda said gently, head bowed to a group of guards she was sitting with inside the Alterian ship. "Isn't there some way you can contact your leader and call this whole thing off?"

                "You're a good diplomat, dragon." One of the lions, a dark brown in color, noted. "But we don't contact Kazor, he contacts us. He's currently on a great raid against the Chargs, and he demands that he not be disturbed."

                "Wait a minute... he's battling the Chargs right now?" Tanya asked.

                "Our leader never rests." A guard said proudly.

Tanya opened her com. This could be trouble.

 

                Nosedive sucked in his breath as the explosion sent splinters of wood flying everywhere. He looked up to see a huge dent in the great oak tree about a foot above his head. That thing could have blasted right through! Dumbfounded, the three in the bushes weren't ready for the next blast either. Something yellow and firey sailed inches above Grin's head, the large duck flatting himself against the ground as the blast crumbled a rock behind him.

                "Awww man!" Jay smacked his forehead. "I don't believe it!"

                "What's going on?!" Nosedive yelled as Grin slowly got up behind the tree.

                "We've been spotted! I'm not sure if these are just security lasers or real troops man!" Jay panicked. He reached into his soiled black suit, and pulled out a small silver gun. "Here! Get behind me and brace me!" he yelled.

Grin and Nosedive obeyed, putting their hands to his back to brace him.

Jay peeked out from behind the tree, cocked the gun, and fired. Suddenly all three of them were thrown backwards from the recoil of the tiny weapon. They tumbled over themselves before coming to a stop in a tangled heap.

Nosedive coughed violently, spitting leaves out of his mouth and tearing them from his hair. "You coulda WARNED us about that!" he yelled angrily at Jay.

Grin snapped the young duck's bill shut with his hands. "It's okay." he snarled. "I don't think they heard you.... on Jupiter!"

Jay was already crawling back to their former position behind the tree, daring to peek out into the forest beyond. A smoking heap of metal revealed itself about fifty feet away, concealed among a now demolished clump of brambles. It must have been a drone gun, put there for perimeter security. They must be close to something. Jay grinned and tucked the gun back into the breast pocket of his suit. "Noisy cricket." he patted the weapon. "Man I'm getting better and better with that thing!" He turned as Dive and Grin came up behind them.

                "What was that?" Grin asked, still whispering.

                "A drone gun probably." Jay held his head high. "No need to whisper now, I think things are all taken care of."

And suddenly, Grin shouted and was thrown violently to the earth as a huge explosion roared up just behind them.

 

                Mallory heard it. From the echoes, she guessed the blasts weren't more than half a mile from where she was. The girl peered from her brush and strained to see while keeping her cover.

Duke sensed it too. He climbed down from the tree and landed softly in the bushes beside her. "Looks like we've got trouble." he whispered.

What on earth was going on out there? Wildwing would know. Mallory opened her com to find Tanya finishing a sentence.

                "--could be a problem Wing."

                "I know, I haven't been able to reach the others. There is trouble out there."

                "You don't have to guess." Mallory broke in. "I just heard about three blasts half a mile from here. They were like explosions! It must have been some kind of fighting."

                "Tanya tells me that Kazor's out fighting the Chargs now." Wildwing said. "I hope that's just them and not any of ours."

                "Can you at least get a fix on their com signals?" Zelda asked.

                "Yes." Wildwing said. "Yeah they're about three miles northwest of the Migrator."

                "That's half a mile from me... where I heard those blasts." Mallory's voice sank as she too checked her AutoTracker. "Do you think we should go check it out?"

                "Stay put you two." Kay suddenly broke in. "I think it would be a better idea for you to stay and monitor the Chargs' activity. Tanya, Zelda, can you leave, maybe take some of those guards with you?"

                "We can try and convince them. What do you think Wing?" the dragon asked.

                "I say go for it. Contact me as soon as anything comes up."

                "Got that." Zelda and Tanya closed the connections.

Mallory remained on the line, pensive for orders. "So we get to just sit here eh?" she said.

                "I guess so. Kay's right on this one. Just watch. If it is our guys out there in that fight, its likely you'll get your share of action in just a while."

                "That's a roger Wildwing, over and out." Mallory closed her connection, and was left again in the forest.

 

                "We do not stand a chance if we go out there alone! We are asking you please to help us." Zelda said with calm desperation. "This is a chance to battle your enemy, why would you turn away?"

                "I thought you said you wanted to end the fighting." A guard snorted. "We take orders from no one but Kazor. He wishes us to stay here."

                "Look, we must go to help my friends. If you come with us, it is possible that the MIB will take your gesture of friendship into account." the guards looked at each other carefully. They turned their backs for a moment to discuss things amongst themselves.

Zelda and Tanya waited with deep tension. They had no idea what was happening only a mile from here. But they had to find out. Something was telling Zelda that something terribly wrong was about to happen. Something was twisting her stomach in knots. The dragon perked her ears as the three guards turned around again.

                "We can help you."

 

                Things had transpired too slowly for Mallory. She wanted orders, she was itching to get out of this stupid bush. She wanted to get into the action now! The others were quite possibly in danger. More blasts rang through the forests periodically, nothing more. She wanted out of here. She glanced at Duke, who just stared into the forest with a blank face. How could he be so patient!? Suddenly, there was a loud pneumonic hiss near her, which nearly made Mallory jump three feet into the air. She recovered herself and dug into the bush in front of her, peering through the tough leaves to see the door to the spaceship in front of her opening. FINALLY! There was a rush of misty air, smelling stale and moldy. Mallory remembered the stench well from the holding bay inside of that HockeyDome. She cursed the infernal building under her breath as a whole troop of animals, bipedal, furry cats, ran out of the door and jogged into the forest. They were like the HockeyDome guards, each carrying long, silver staffs with laser points. Mallory remembered them well as the cats were lost amongst the foliage. "Wildwing! Come in!" she hissed into her com.

                "Wing here, what's up Mal? Any news on the others?" His voice sounded hopeful.

                "Negative. Enemy Chargs appear to have evacuated the ship under our watch."

                "How many?"

                "I'd say at least a dozen." Duke broke in, calculating quickly.

                "Awaiting orders Wing."

Wildwing paused.

Mallory heard him distantly talking, probably to Kay.

                "Should she go help?" he asked the man.

                "Does she have any explosives on her?" Kay asked.

"Affirmative sir." Mallory caught his drift. "I can go in and destroy the ship if you like Wing."   Another pause.

                "Alright." Wildwing said. "Just be careful. There could be more in there and we have little to spare for backup. Duke, I want you to stay put. There could be more trouble outside."

                "I got that." Duke nodded, drawing his sabre.

                "Zelda and Tanya should be passing your location in about five minutes, got a few rebels with them. I'll have them check in on you."

                "Hopefully I'll be done by then. Over and out." Mallory got up, leaves sticking to her clothes, and ran into the ship, launcher drawn, Duke behind her.

 

                The dragon tore over the familiar terrain, crashing through bushes and dodging only rocks and trees. Behind her, Tanya and the two Alterians were huffing to keep up. She didn't wait for them. She could hear the blasts now, she felt the ground jolt with each one. And she knew that Duke and Mallory were somewhere nearby. She nearly ran right past the Charg ship before it caught her eye and she jerked to a stop. The two guards behind her slagged to a halt before realizing the structure's presence as well, and started loudly.

                "Easy, the ship's deserted." Zelda snorted.

Suddenly, Mallory came running around and nearly slammed into the three.

The guards took their lasers and immediately had Mallory pinned to the wall before Tanya could slip in-between.

                "Easy will ya? I'm a duck!" Mallory yelled quickly. "And everyone better duck and cover unless you want to get one gnarly tongue piercing job a-la-shrapnel!" The duck dove behind a tree twenty feet from the ship.

Tanya and the guards hurried and joined her, Zelda taking shelter in the leaves above them. She caught a glimpse of Duke on the opposite side of the ship, scrambling into the foliage. Suddenly, a huge explosion rocked the ground very close to them.

 

To be continued......