Escape from Kreludor: Part One

3:47 AM NST

Kreludor Mining Corp.

"Transmitting data. Are you able to receive?"

"Yes, and hurry. I can hear them..."

Trinity looked both ways before pressing her ear once more to the grating. Inside the room were Dr. Frank Sloth...and Commander Gormos. Being a Cybunny had always had its advantages. As she pressed her ear closer to the metal bars, she could hear words seeping through. A faint bar of dull light passed unto her face as she squinted her eyes in concentration.

"Commander...you know that I trust in you to keep my plans safe...don't you?"

"Of course, sir."

"Then I need to discuss with you my latest plan."

"Latest? Using the Mining Corp. as your secret base was amazing enough sir, what else could there be?"

"What else?! What ELSE?!" Trinity looked through the grating just in time to see Sloth burst from his chair and slam a worn copy of the Neopian Times on the table. It was an old copy, yellowed and frayed at the edges.

"It was all over the papers! Being humiliated by a bunch of stupid Neopets! And that Space Faerie! Once was enough, but TWICE! And then they made an Expansion Pack for all those silly little collectors! Oh, and then they go and cancel my plot! And then those stupid, insolent little Neo...thingies ruin my Happiness Faerie disguise! Gormos, I want my revenge. I have a new plan this time. And I believe that it's going to work." He smiled, a cruel smile with his face twisted in madness. The Kougra stood there with an emotionless expression on his face. Dr. Frank Sloth began to speak, when something fell from Trinity's pocket. The data transmitter. A metallic echo seemed to destroy the silence. The scientist's head twisted towards the pipe in which Trinity the red Cybunny was hiding.

"We have company." And that was all that needed to be said. The red lights of security started flashing and footsteps could be heard. Trinity began to run, as fast as she could. They never said being part of the Resistance was going to be easy.

* * *

Rainbow Pool

11:32 AM NST

Neopia Central

Zinc stood by the multi-colored pool, twirling the Paint Brush in his hands, not really paying attention. He watched the Baby Lupes playing with their newly painted Buzzers. Excited Unis finally painted Faerie. And here he was. A pirate Shoyru with a Fire Paint Brush in his hand. He had got it for his birthday. He like being Pirate, but would it be disrespect not to use it? He could always sell it...and say he lost it. But he didn't like lying. He turned around to lean against the edge of the pool. And then he saw him. A small green Eyrie sighing as he brushed his hands through the water, as if hoping for a miracle. He turned to the Paint Brush in his hands, to the Eyrie, to the Paint Brush, to the Eyrie. He strode to the Eyrie and held the Brush behind his back.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," the Eyrie replied sadly, staring at the red water.

"You want to be painted?" Zinc asked the Eyrie.

"Yeah..."

"Well why not go get painted?"

"Well...I don't have a brush," the Eyrie answered, blushing a little.

"It just doesn't seem right...to be at the Rainbow Pool without a Paint Brush," noted the Pirate Shoyru.

"I know..."

"Well then, here." The Pirate Shoyru handed the expensive Fire Fire Pants On Fire Paint Brush to the small green Eyrie. The Eyrie's eyes widened as he stared in wordless thanks up at the Shoyru.

"Go ahead," the Shoyru said. The Eyrie skipped away, running to show a surprised owner his newly found Paint Brush. Zinc smiled a little. It felt good. It really did.

* * *

SS Quadrant 835

3:59 AM NST

Virtupets Space Station

"ALL OFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE RESISTANCE PLEASE REPORT TO QUADRANT 835. ALL OFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE RESISTANCE PLEASE REPORT TO QUADRANT 835." Sadie slammed her fist down on the sleek white table. Another one. This always happened. Sending in Newbies into the Mining Corp. They never came back. Except one. Gorix was an amazing trooper, but he was out of it all now. It was only recently that they were having problems again. Quadrant 835. A death sentence. Literally.

The Electric Ixi quickly made her way through the metal hallways, sometimes running into other workers on their way to the same quadrant. When she got there, she typed in the Authorization code and stepped through the sliding doors. A large, oval table was surrounded by chairs. Most of the other Members were already there. Sadie took her place near the head of the table. A large yellow Bori stood pacing before them in front of a large screen.

"We lost another one."

Central Square

9:05 PM NST

Neopia Central

"Thanks for being here tonight! We have something special for you today! We got a little bored of Tyrannia, so...let's rock girls!" The Twisted Roses band members nodded at each other before turning to their large audience and raising their hands in the air. A loud cheer answered their gesture. For a moment, the lights went out. When the spotlight lit up the area on stage, all that was there were a few lonely instruments.

* * *

SS Quadrant 835

4:37 AM NST

Virtupets Space Station

"So, let's go over this again: the last information we received from Agent Trinity was that Sloth was making a new plan. He was angry and he was sure his new plan would work. Commander Gormos is still working for Sloth. We need to get in there. Any ideas?" the Bori asked, pausing. The members of the Resistance were many, but there were only a few here. About 12 members were sitting around the table. These were the experts.

"I'm ready," Sadie said, lifting a hand into the air. The rest of the members turned their heads in her direction. A Shadow Aisha also was raising her hand. Sadie prayed for Rexi to put her hand down, Sadie had been waiting for this moment for a long, long time. The Bori looked to Rexi, then to Sadie. The members were already getting ready to vote. Rexi won, by 7 votes. As the members who had a lot of work to do left, about 4 remained. The Bori, Lucifer, turned to Sadie.

"I'm sorry Sadie, but Shadow Neopets are just suited better for the job. Sadie...never mind. Just go back to work. I'm putting you on recruiting duty, we need new scouts. Let's get moving people," Lucifer said. He grabbed a stack of papers that were on the table and departed, the sliding doors closing behind him. The other Neopet still there was a Cloud Yurble, Lucifer's secretary. She scuttled after him. Sadie looked to the ground as Rexi came towards her.

"Sadie...I know how you feel. But this is my final chance to prove to myself that Sloth hasn't won yet. Please forgive me. I have to got, but send my regards to Jenny when you're on Recruiting Duty!" and with a sad, but joyful smile, the Aisha walked away. Sadie was alone in the conference room. As she started to leave, there was a ring and a few beeps. The computer had a message.

* * *

“New message for Resistance Members. New message for Resistance Members. Transmitting…now. Message now ready to be received. Please press green button to okay transmission of message.” The computer voice waited before repeating itself. Sadie turned and stared at the screen. Blank. It was just a machine, it would always be. But someone real was trying to contact them through that machine. Sadie strode up to a keypad and pressed the green button. “Authorization code please,” the voice said. Sadie punched it in before stepping back to watch the screen. A fuzzy image appeared but it looked like a Lupe…and a…Ruki? Yes, she was sure of it. A pale blue Lupe and a green Ruki, but they were…saying something. A fuzzy voice could be heard as she continued to watch the image. The Neopets seemed to be struggling with bushes. Bushes? Sadie took a closer look. No, Mutant Grundos. The work of Sloth.

“Resistance? Resistance? We need your h-help! Dr. S-oth has got a new p-plan. H-he’s got –ies everywhere. He’s going to –and then-he’s got this-gun-aiming at us – he’s shooti - -veryone. Help –istance! Need your –elp! We’re at –ountain. Something about –ockets to –ining Corp. Help!”

The image vanished and the crackly voice stopped. Obviously the transmission signal was bad, probably the Neopet sending the image was being attacked and probably couldn’t send it very well. Words were missing, getting lost in the transmission. Sadie could understand a few of the words, like “S-oth” was “Sloth”. And she knew that “veryone” was probably “everyone”. Resistance was in there, and she was pretty sure “ining Corp” was “Mining Corp.” But Sloth had eyes everywhere? Hmmm, maybe it meant something like spies, like he could tell everything they were doing. This was code red situation. She was about to press a red button when she remembered her duty. Recruiting. She personally at the moment was authorized to press that button due to her current job…but she had to do something…didn’t she?

To be continued...