DeSoni's Potion Predicament: Part Two

     Rocky skidded to a halt. "60 laps, little man!" he laughed.

     "Yahoo!" shouted the little yellow Aisha, flinging the stopwatch in the air and spinning lightheartedly. "Everything's actually going right for once!" He caught the little timer on its way down and quickly worked a few simple equations in his head.

     The red Ruki had a huge smile on his face. "I would never have believed anyone who told me simple running felt so great!"

     "If you call 47 mph simple!" laughed DeSoni.

     Surprisingly, Rocky stopped smiling. He pricked up his antennae and started whipping his head around looking for something.

     "Rocky?" inquired DeSoni, worried at his friend's reaction. "Something up?"

     "I hear something, like a very quiet engine…"

     DeSoni strained his ears. "That's bad. We don't have engines in Neopia Central." No matter how he swiveled his ears and earstalks, he couldn't pick up a single sound. But he knew better then to ignore his friend's judgment-after all, he'd made the potion that made Rocky's hearing so acute.

     The tiny yellow Aisha began to fidget and his earstalks drooped. "We gotta get out of here!" he whispered desperately. "The only ones with engines I can't hear are-"

     An open topped hover vehicle zoomed into the clearing and landed directly in front of the two friends.

     "Alien Aishas!" gasped Rocky, staring at the beautiful work of craftsmanship. He'd never even been to the Space Station, so any form of high tech spaceships or flying vehicles impressed him.

     "Come on!" shouted DeSoni, yanking on his tall friend's arm. The Ruki snapped out of the trance, but not before a second hovercraft landed behind them. They turned to the right and saw a third land. As one, three silver-suited six-eared Alien Aishas stood and pulled out weapons.

     DeSoni immediately gave himself up for lost, but quickly whispered something. He didn't direct his message to Rocky, but he knew his sharp-eared friend heard when the Ruki placed a hefty claw-like hand on his shoulder and squeezed companionably.

     "Surrender, Derek Sonix, and we will not be forced to fire on you and the Neopian."

     DeSoni kept whispering, seemingly to himself. Suddenly, he dashed for the lead hovercraft where the huge red Alien Aisha giving the orders stood. Simultaneously, three lasers set to stun mode blasted out of their respective weapons and shot him dead on target. He leaped several feet in the air from the shock, and then collapsed on the ground.

     While DeSoni distracted the three Alien Aishas, Rocky zoomed out of sight. Out of sight, out of mind for the Alien Aishas. They were there after "Derek Sonix" after all. Rocky hated himself for not fighting, but DeSoni had whispered there was a much better chance of the Ruki rescuing him than the two of them having to break out together. He'd said that not even the Ruki's natural armor would protect him from what he recognized as military-issue stun blasters. The little guy had been so sure of himself, and everything had happened so fast, Rocky hadn't even had time to really think about DeSoni's rather off-the-wall, out-of-the-box logic.

     "The Neopian has escaped, sir," said lieutenant one, a blue Alien Aisha, by chance happening to glance over to where the Ruki had been standing.

     "No matter!" laughed the commander, in an almost deliriously happy mood. "Chain up the traitor and get a signal back to base! Don't forget we're posted at 14G5 this season!"

     Lieutenant two, a green Alien Aisha, turned DeSoni onto his back, then paw-cuffed his two front paws together in front. Then he chained DeSoni's back paws together.

     "Signal through, sir!" barked the first lieutenant, saluting with a blue paw.

     The huge red Alien Aisha adjusted his on-hovercraft mike. "Make preparation for the arrival of Derek Sonix. I repeat, we have apprehended Derek Sonix. Prepare for return. Over." Commander Galba flicked off the mike.

     "Get ex-Agent Sonix into my craft! Pronto!" he ordered the two lieutenants.

     The two lieutenants looked at each other as they lifted DeSoni's small, unconscious body.

     "You sure this is the infamous Derek Sonix sir?" inquired the first.

     "We mean," continued the second, "he looks Neopian. And frankly, I pictured him rather taller."

     The first one added, "And better dressed. And shouldn't he have some trace of where his," he paused and shuddered, "missing earstalks should be?"

     The commander's face turned from red to purple as the two lieutenants suddenly realized their mistakes. "Are you two dunderheads questioning my authority?! Or do you just want to be ensigns again?!!"

     "No! No sir!" said the first.

     "It won't happen again," said the second. They carefully placed DeSoni into the commander's hovercraft.

     "It had better not!" warned Galba.

     DeSoni's earstalks began flicking back and forth and in few seconds his eyes opened slightly, though they were still hazy from the triple blasting.

     Commander Galba smirked and sat down facing the Yellow Alien Aisha born missing two earstalks.

     Woozily, Derek tried to lift his paws to rub his eyes, then seemed to focus slightly when he realized the weight on them. Still feeling light-headed, he turned his head toward the commander.

     "Hello, Sonix."

     DeSoni raised his eyebrows sardonically. "Hello, Galba. I see you finally made commander. Never thought I'd see it happen, congratulations."

     The huge red Alien Aisha straightened his shoulders proudly. "Yes, and you're my first successful retrieval mission. Congratulations to you."

     Both lieutenants watched the interchange with open mouths. Obviously, they were relatively new to their positions.

     Galba explained. "Sonix and I were espionage agents together, back in the day, before he betrayed us to that Faerie Queen!"

     The little yellow Alien Aisha in question, now much more clear-headed, tilted his head to the side and eyed the commander appraisingly. "As if you weren't already head and earstalks over me. Now you're chest, shoulders, head, and earstalks over me. Should've figured you'd be promoted and come after me. I'm presuming you volunteered?"

     "But of course! Anything to take the celebrated freak down a peg or two."

     "You're obviously joking. Celebrated? Everyone in the Academy hated my guts except Kregor Geiger and the Madam."

     "Oh, they all hated you, no doubt about that, but they respected you. And that, THAT gets me! Here I am, perfect Alien Aisha, perfect spy, relatively a genius at this espionage stuff, and I get ignored just because I was forced to work with a freak! You're all they ever talked about! Derek this, and Sonix that!"

     "And I'm to assume you're taking me back to get even more 'celebrated'? Once you hand me over I'll be virtually the most infamous traitor in Alien Aisha history."

     Galba had to think this over. Then he shook his head and smiled vengefully. "Oh, you'll be legendary. But no longer valued. I'll be the hero, and all will be as it should. You'll be locked up in some lab somewhere, either being experimented on or being forced to continue the work you abandoned." He smirked wickedly. "Personally, I'm hoping for the former. Another doctor took over old Torix's work and seems to be absolutely fascinated with your old files."

     The commander leaned over a lit up paw-pad and pressed it with a touch of flair.

     DeSoni, or rather Derek Sonix, blushed. "So I was a living lab experiment, whatever. I warn you, you don't know what you're in for."

     The giant red Alien Aisha shook his head patronizingly. "No, Sonix. It's you who don't know what you're in for."

     ******

     Rocky listened from the tree he had dashed up. Slightly amazed that he could climb just as fast as he could run, he took advantage of his circumstances and listened to DeSoni and Galba's conversation. Yeesh, he'd really underestimated his pal's cool. The Ruki would never have dreamed his pal could talk so smoothly under pressure. But what was he to do now? Follow? Bust him free now? Dash around so fast no one would see? Listen?

     Let's see, what had DeSoni whispered again? Something about super-speed, yes. Follow the hover-car with super-speed, keeping a careful ear and eye out the whole time. Follow all the way up to their base and slip inside when the doors open for the hover-car, don't wait because the chances of them opening again are slim. Wait until they lock him up in a secure cell, then bust him loose… Yes, that had to be the gist of it.

     "I just really hope DeSoni didn't underestimate anything…" whispered Rocky.

     ******

     "There she is! My beautiful mission post, 14G5! She's new since your day."

     "Amazing, you almost sound chatty."

     Galba frowned. "I'll choose to take that as a compliment, seeing as I'm in a good mood. You watch it, Sonix."

     "But of course, old comrade."

     Galba chose to ignore the saucy little yellow Aisha for the time being. The little weakling was going to get what he deserved shortly anyhow.

     DeSoni, on the other hand, was wondering about Rocky. The Ruki really knew zilch about anything remotely technical. He hadn't even known what Alien Aishas were until DeSoni showed him a picture. Spaceships were an awesome wonder to him, and Illusen knew how he'd react to a full-blown real Alien Aisha secret base. And he was major worrying about the security, no matter how sure he'd sounded when he whispered his on the spot plan to Rocky. If anything happened to Rocky… the only real close Neopian friend he'd ever had…

     And of course there was those few little experiments he'd done for Fyora, and a handful of secret jobs the FPP (Faerie Protection Program) had allowed him to help them with. Yikes, he couldn't let himself slip if he was questioned… But how in the world could he possibly hide anything if they used a truth-tonic?

     Suddenly the huge mission post buzzed into view, obviously it had had an invisible shield of some sort over it. Two huge sliding doors whooshed inward and slid to the sides, out of sight. No one noticed the slight blur in the air directly before they entered, except DeSoni. Not a single alarm went off. Rocky was in.

     ******

     "Standard prison cell arrangement?" asked the tiny yellow Alien Aisha in pawcuffs, whom every agent in Alien Aisha Mission Post 14G5 turned to stare at. He obviously wasn't Neopian (It was illegal to bring a Neopian into their secret base, and why would anyone arrest a Neopian in the first place?), but how come he was missing two earstalks? Reactions ranged from shock to disgust, with a few familiar, gleefully vengeful faces thrown in.

     "Oh, no. You get special treatment, Sonix."

     "May I ask why? As I really don't see any point in anything exceptional. In case you haven't realized, I'm exactly the same size I left as-namely, tiny. I'm certainly not a security or escapee hazard."

     "You'll see," smirked Galba, straightening his uniform before rapping on a silver sliding door.

     The doors whooshed open (Alien Aishas are partial to whooshing doors), and revealed the last being DeSoni would ever have wanted to see. Madam Commander Jierdana, the most powerful force in the Alien Aisha hierarchy.

     ******

     "Sit down, Sonix," spoke the magnificent purple Alien Aisha, bedecked in a long, golden robe shimmering with what I can only describe as stardrops. She rather remarkably resembled a Neopian female royal Aisha, except for her colors and two extra earstalks.

     Despite himself, DeSoni trembled as he was shoved into a chair in front of the Madam.

     "You may leave, Commander Galba. I wish to speak with ex-Agent Sonix privately." She spoke in a very cool, calm voice, laced with power.

     "But-but Madam! Your own rules clearly state that no felon is to be left unguarded while-" spoke the shocked huge red Alien Aisha.

     "I know my rules, and I don't consider Sonix a felon. Leave."

     Galba darted a hateful glance towards DeSoni, then exited the room.

     "It's just you and me, Derek."

     DeSoni stared at the metal cuffs linking his paws. He didn't respond.

     "Derek, please look at me."

     The tiny deformed Alien Aisha still ignored her.

     Madam Commander Jierdana stretched an elegantly long purple arm out and lifted DeSoni's head up so his eyes met hers.

     "I'm disappointed, Derek Sonix. Why did you betray us? Not only have you served as traitor to your own people, but you were disloyal to my personal trust. I don't give out my trust easily, and I am greatly saddened with you."

     DeSoni blinked and yanked his head away. "I am not worthy of your trust, and I do not see myself as an Alien Aisha."

     "Why not?" Instead of sounding angry, the graceful commander seemed actually modestly curious.

     With a gulp, DeSoni continued nervously. "You were wrong. This whole spying arrangement is wrong. Neopians are not evil-in fact the only ones who've ever showed me evil-" he didn't finish, being haunted by memories.

     "-were your Alien Aisha brethren." The Madam sighed, then pulled up a hover-chair facing DeSoni. "DeSoni, I know you were harshly treated. I know our espionage agencies deal with sleazy Neopians, as I also know our prejudice against Neopians is without solid foundation. I am the Madam Commander, what do you expect?"

     Shaking a little, DeSoni braved glancing up to his old heroine. He'd thought she was magnificent and all-powerful in his youth, before he met his first good Neopian. "Madam, forgive my asking, but what do you want of me?"

     "I'd like you to come back."

     "I am a traitor, and you've already stated I am unworthy of trust. And you know I'd betray you again, as do I. I will never see Neopians as my enemy, never again."

     ******

     Wow, thought Rocky, hidden in a corner of the room. He'd used his super-speed to dash into the room and find a hiding place, in front of everybody but completely invisible. And now he was listening to every word. His new super-hearing caught every nervous rustle of DeSoni's shirt, and to his new super-vision the Madam's robe was dazzling. He had to concentrate not to let his superpowers run away with him, with all the fascinating sights and sounds in the base. At least that wasn't so hard in this bleak room. There was nothing but six blank metal walls, the two chairs the Aishas now sat in, and the stacks of boxes Rocky had hid behind.

     What was DeSoni doing, anyhow? He was being completely bluntly honest, and he'd not been silent to Rocky about his lies to the Alien Aishas and his schemes behind their backs. But even he had to admit, there was something about that Madam Commander Jierdana that made a chill creep up his spine. It wasn't evil; it wasn't necessarily good. It was like an aura of power-knowledgeable power. She knew what she was doing, and she had absolute confidence she would succeed in her goal.

     But… if her goal was to win DeSoni over, could she possibly win? Could she somehow brainwash or manipulate his small friend into doing her bidding?

     No, decided Rocky. No. DeSoni would never abandon all he'd achieved.

     Or would he? There were lingering doubts that Rocky struggled against that refused to die. The large Red Ruki loved DeSoni as a brother, but how close can a bond between two different species from different planets be? After all, he'd abandoned his own people-what was to stop him from abandoning Neopia? How can a foreign world possibly compare to belonging to your own homeland?

     No. Rocky forced the thought into his mind. No, No, NO. No matter how it may seem, no matter what happens, he knew DeSoni would never leave him, his new family, his whole new way of life. He was happy being a Fix-It guy, and he was well liked by all. He had no reason to turn over to the Alien Aishas… but still, deep inside, Rocky doubted.

     ******

     "I'll make a deal with you, Derek Sonix."

     "My name is DeSoni, please call me that." He was trembling, but amazingly his voice was firm. Living proof that you can be terrified and brave at the same time.

     "I will not. You were born Derek Sonix. That is your name. Do not argue with me." Her voice was still confident and powerful, but a tinge of anger was placed in that last statement. She did not like being spoken back to.

     "You come back to work for us, and we'll cease our political quarrels with Neopians. I cannot vouch for the personal feelings and prejudices of all Alien Aishas, however."

     The small Aisha's mouth dropped open. "N-no. You wouldn't… I couldn't…"

     "You would, you will. I know how much you love these Neopians for some obscure reason, as you must admit most are rather primitive. But there truly is no reason for our arguments. Alien Aishas will, if anything, profit from better relations with Neopia, especially with the Space Faerie and the Virtupets Space Station."

     DeSoni didn't answer.

     "One more thing, Derek. Where is potion XG12C?"

     DeSoni blinked, then coolly responded. "I have absolutely no idea."

     Madam Commander Jierdana's already slanted eyes narrowed to barely more than slits. "You are lying, Derek Sonix. We traced its signature just recently, and scanned you as you came in. You process negative. Where is it?"

     "I. Don't. Know." DeSoni stated, extremely clearly.

     "Very well, I'll tell you what I know. That friend of yours-what's his name? Rickster_Rocker, I believe you call him Rocky?"

     DeSoni was silent. Unseen to the two of them, Rocky felt as if his heart had stopped or something. For a second he couldn't breathe.

     "You don't know what you're talking about."

     "What?" she asked, coldly. "I am the Madam Commander. You demonstrate extreme impudence in your choice of words."

     "I will not help you. You complain I betrayed your trust," he sat straighter and met her eyes. "Let me tell you something, Madam. You were my hero. Then I found out you were behind all the horrible things Aliens Aishas have done to Neopians…! You betrayed MY trust, Madam Commander. I thought you were right, and I had to discover otherwise the long, hard way."

     The Madam's cheeks flushed in anger as she fought to control her temper. She took several deep breaths with her eyes shut, then opened them and glared at the disrespectful ex-Agent of hers. She spoke just three words: "How dare you."

     DeSoni didn't answer. He met her eyes and kept quiet.

     "You leave me hardly any choice. I wanted you back on my side. You were an excellent scientist, field agent, researcher, anything I wanted. I offered you the one thing I know you've been wishing about for years, the thing you used to chat about with young Kregor Geiger in our Engineering University. Peace between Neopians and Alien Aishas."

     The small Yellow Alien Aisha closed his eyes, but exhibited no fear though she knew inside he must be quailing.

     "There will be no peace between Neopia and us until you adjust your thinking. I refuse to use mind-drugs or any other potions my field agents are so fond of-I view them as a last resort before losing. I do not lose. If you do not change your mind, I will never release you. I will go after your friends and family. I will force you to work for me even if you don't agree willingly. And I will give my scientists permission to do as they will with you. All unless you agree."

     DeSoni remained silent.

     The Madam stood straight up and pushed a button on a bracelet she had on. Instantly, a shimmering blue force field flickered up around DeSoni, who remained stoically still in his chair, refusing to react.

     "You have one hour to think about it. After that I will be forced to have you locked up in a high-security cell until you choose to cooperate. Not even someone with those superpowers you created would be able to break you out of one of those."

     She turned and marched out of the room, starry robe flowing behind her. Just before she left, she paused, turned, and looked at DeSoni. "I cannot vouch for our people, but I want you back on my team." She left the room.

To be continued...

     ******

Author's Note: You may have noticed things are moving much faster than they did in DeSoni's original Mr. Fix-It series, and that the parts are longer. I had several people Neomail me in exasperation as to when my series would end, so I decided to shorten my 5-6 part series to a 3 part. If you like them better short, let me know! Neomail me on what you think of the story, please?