A Confusing Conglomeration: Part Five

     During that second’s hesitance, several incredible things happened simultaneously. The wall directly behind DeSoni’s head burst inward, obviously the work of the two large, strong Red Rukis that charged in. A Blue Shoyru led a small group of Desert Neopets dashing down the hall directly towards the cell, shouting loudly. A Green Wocky somehow appeared out of thin air directly next to Kregor Geiger, a couple laser pen-knifes at paw.

     The shock of the situation suddenly sent a jolt of urgency through Galba and he immediately yanked hard on the small lever.

     Unfortunately for him, the bigger of the two Red Rukis had anticipated that and dashed forward, knocking the potion from his paws—but not before a slight spritz had reached DeSoni. It was so slight, especially in comparison to all the excitement going on around him, that the tiny Aisha ignored it. No one else even noticed.

     Meanwhile, Khargana had slashed Kregor Geiger’s chains off and handed the young doctor one of her ever-handy laser knifes. The slim Blue Alien Aisha ducked under the lab table and started burning through the thick straps that held DeSoni down.

     The Desert Neopets had formed a wall outside the cell entrance, with Silas guarding the newly made exit through the wall of the Sakhmetian palace’s dungeon. Rocky had slammed Galba to the ground and half-twisted him around so his face was against the ground and his paws pulled tightly around his back by the Ruki’s strong claws.

     Khargana and Kregor finished cutting through the straps and helped DeSoni—weak and cramped from the long hours trapped in the same position—into a sitting position and then down to the floor.

     Galba was putting up a decent fight, considering he was up against someone with super-strength. He twisted and jerked and squirmed, trying his hardest to get Rocky to lose his grip. The Ruki ground his teeth and twisted the arms harder, pressing down at the same time. The Alien Aisha howled in response.

     “That’s enough, Rocky,” warned Silas, who wasn’t very well acquainted with such traits as wicked vengefulness and certainly wasn’t even sure of what the Red Alien Aisha’s crimes were.

     Rocky turned to answer Silas that no, it absolutely wasn’t enough, but in the shift of grip he’d had to make to turn Galba snapped free. The Alien Aisha Commander leapt to the side and snatched up the Blue Shoyru. Holding her close as a shield, he backed up towards the wall.

     “No one move!” he barked.

     It probably was one of the most ridiculous scenes to ever occur in that particular dungeon. A tiny Yellow Aisha was propped weakly between a slim Blue Alien Aisha doctor and a Green Wocky detective in an absurd suede vest. A stunned Red Ruki stood in the enormous hole in the solid stone wall. Another, much angrier, Red Ruki stood near the center of the room, hand-like claws at sides and ready to fight. The Desert Neopets still blocked the cell off.

     “You so much as step on one paw of my sister’s…” growled Rocky, making fists of his claws but not daring anything further.

     “Oh, best friend of my last prisoner and brother of my latest?” mocked Galba. “Now clear out of my way!”

     “Allow me,” said Khargana, gently letting DeSoni down into the full support of Kregor. Then, to Galba’s astonishment, she unsheathed her claws, and charged the Commander recklessly. Rissa, having guessed her friend’s next move, whipped her wings in the Alien Aisha’s face and ripped herself from his grasp and into the air. Khargana collided with Galba a millisecond afterwards, shoving him backward against the ready young Desert team, who grabbed at him from all sides, effectively pinning him in place.

     “WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?” shouted Galba angrily, struggling in the grips of the Desert Neopets.

     “Wocky Detective Khargana, DeSoni’s older sister,” announced the Green Wocky in a low voice, ending the last few words in a near-growl. “I believe you already know Rickster_Rockster, or at least of him, and the Blue Shoyru you unsuccessfully just tried to use as a shield I declare to be Rocky’s sister and one of my own best friends, young CarissaOfire. As for the others,” she gestured elegantly around at the older Ruki and the native Sakhmetian thieves.

     “We wish to remain anonymous,” declared Kai-ji, the Desert Usul. “In light that we are only here in terms of mutual benefit.”

     “My name is Silas, and I was once dear friends with Rocky’s father,” said the older Ruki in a low, calm tone.

     “And I certainly hope you know the identities of your own prisoners,” laughed Khargana. She turned abruptly and nodded cheerfully Kregor’s way. “I take you to be Kregor, the one who sent DeSoni this note,” she flipped a copy from one of her vest pockets. “But other than that I don’t know.”

     DeSoni stepped away from Kregor’s support and stumbled a little, but he managed to hold himself up. “This is Kregor Geiger, Khar. He’s the Head Medical Doctor of the Alien Aisha homeworld and was in line for a promotion to the Madam Commander’s Council. Commander Galba didn’t like that.”

     “Oh,” said Rissa, a little disappointedly, landing in front of the Blue Alien Aisha doctor and peering closely at his face.

     DeSoni laughed at that odd reaction, and especially at the taken aback look on Kreg’s face.

     The Wocky Detective smiled indulgently. “Rissa thought she was about to meet a genuine flint-hearted traitor to his own friend. I must say,” she gestured vaguely towards Galba. “Your other friend left rather too many clues pointing in that direction. Don’t worry, I removed them.”

     With that last comment she handed DeSoni back the micro-stunner she’d given him and gave young Kregor Geiger the large military-issue blaster. (How such a bulky thing had fit in her pockets I’d rather not even hazard a guess.)

     Galba’s countenance was getting more alarmed by the second, but it was rather much too late to try for an escape. Kregor grinned with true boyish delight as he leveled the large blaster straight at his ex-captor.

     “Let’s see who’s in the Madam Commander’s hot water now!” laughed the doctor, the years that captivity and dejection had added in the past couple days just melting away.

     “Excuse me,” interrupted Kai-ji politely. “But my friend is still imprisoned, and we’d rather not be around when the Sakhmetian Guard show.”

     Khargana smiled a little and glanced Rissa’s way. The little Blue Shoyru giggled and winked.

     “If your ‘friend’ happens to be that Desert Poogle locked in the secret dungeon…”

     Kai-ji and his fellow desert thieves gasped.

     “Then you haven’t a thing to worry about. And you don’t really need our help.” With a reluctant sigh, the Wocky pulled out the five little pyramid-shaped objects.

     “The combination keys! They were supposed to have been stolen… !” Kai-ji spoke in awe, staring at the tiny triangular objects.

     “Um, yeah. About that… never mind. Leave it that they came into my hands only by circumstance, but I’m positive the code to rescue your friend is eye, crown, staff, wings, then eye again. In that order, facing you.”

     “But… how… ?”

     Khargana pressed the little pyramids into Kai-ji’s paw. “Go along now. And I swear I only didn’t tell you earlier because I really did need your help.” She grinned, obviously positive that if they’d known she’d possessed the keys they would’ve robbed her sooner than help her.

     The desert gang handed a bewildered Galba into Rocky’s able claws and took their leave. Kregor kept the blaster steadily trained on the large Red Alien Aisha, and Khargana asked DeSoni for the wisest and surest way to contact the Madam Commander.

     It was actually easier than you’d think, since the ruling Princess of Sakhmet had a communications-link to Queen Fyora (which only made sense) who certainly had a direct link to the Alien Aisha leader. Rulers have to keep in touch, don'cha know.

     Galba only made one more attempt to escape, in that desperate second the eyes of the highest in the Alien Aisha hierarchy, the Madam Commander herself, fell on him. He was immediately shot down by those who used to be his subordinates and placed in chains. Undoubtedly his hatred of DeSoni has increased at least tenfold.

     The Resolution

     The Princess, rather humored by the whole situation, pardoned Silas and Rocky for breaking down one of her prison’s innermost walls. Apparently she'd thought Galba was simply an Alien Aisha on vacation. Of course, they didn’t tell her anything of Kai-ji or the escape of the Desert Poogle, the leader of that small team of rogues, from her secret, high-security dungeon.

     Queen Rose ordered Prince _Rickster_Rocker_ back to the colony. Needless to say, the order was not obeyed, as the Rocky we know and love insists he’s no prince. She had guessed Silas’ part in Rocky’s escape, but chose to let it slide seeing as there was no evidence.

     DeSoni racked up more good points with the Madam Commander, and Kregor Geiger was immediately promoted to the Madam Commander’s Counsel on his return to their home planet.

     Galba was stripped of his rank and sent to prison, but who knows how long he’ll stay there? Rumor has it a certain Celia Synoptics, an even worse enemy of DeSoni’s, has turned her attention his way.

     Khargana moped for a bit about the loss of her latest puzzle, but got over it as soon as the next mystery came up.

     Rissa got to go on her trip to Tyrannia with Rocky.

     Unfortunately, Rocky never did finish his bike. In the end, DeSoni realized the pieces weren’t going anywhere and modified them into an ultra-cool ‘super-bike,’ similar to those raced on the Space Station by young engineers and Space Station Technological Institute students. So far it hasn’t been confiscated.

The End

Thanks a ton for all the support and especially for all the fan mail calling for a story with Khargana, DeSoni, AND Rocky! PLEASE let me know how this one worked out and thanks a ton for reading the whole story through! And, if for any reason you feel like I missed something or some part of the story didn't make sense, please neomail me and I'll try to clear things up.

Oh, yes. You think that that little spritz of potion might do something to DeSoni in a later story? I do, but we'll have to see if I can work a plot out of it! As always, neomail ideas my way!