Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
“He’s not evil!” Penny whispered. “Well, maybe he is, kind of, but he’s more lonely and unhappy than evil. And he’s always been nice to me!”
Oh, right. Psychic. Crystal inclined her head to Penny as she slowly advanced on the Clockwork King. “While we’re on the subject, how on earth did you two meet? I didn’t think you were registered.”
“It wasn’t like that. I can hear people think. The more intense the feeling, or the more powerful the mind, the easier they are to hear.” She paused. With a quiet voice, the kind used when telling secrets, Penny continued, “I first heard him when he was screaming.”
“Well, he does get beat up a lot.”
“No, it wasn’t while someone was beating him up. It was from remembering what he’s lost, and how he lost it.
“He remembers being a man. But now, he’s a brain and a pair of eyes floating in a jar perched on top of a metal body. His body can’t feel pain, or hunger, or cold, but it can’t feel anything else, either. He can’t eat, but he remembers food and drink, and he misses it. He remembers creating with his hands, like a normal man, but his hands can’t feel. Everything he touches gets crushed or slips out of his grasp. He can’t see too well. His hearing comes and goes. He can’t yell or whisper except with his mind. Everything he says out loud comes through a speaker, and it’s all flat and monotone. His Clockwork built that body for him so he could live. They didn’t think about meeting more human needs. The memory of the life he used to live haunts him.”
Crystal’s eyes involuntarily flicked to her glowing hands, and she thought of all the things she’d ruined after undergoing Professor St. John-Smythe’s treatment, as well of all the gloves she’d destroyed trying to avoid doing the same to other objects. “On some level, I can relate. But he brought most of it on himself when he used the Clockwork for crime. I heard he was building an army, and the Clocks killed people when they tried to stop the thefts of supplies.”
“That’s not exactly the way he remembers it. At one time, he believed he was an inventor, like Positron, and the Clockwork were created like any other machine. He didn’t know that it was his will that made them work, and he was a long way from discovering the degree of autonomy some of them possess. Sometimes, they’ll do funny things. It’s only when he concentrates on them that he has total control.
“You know how some of his Clockwork started killing? They didn’t understand right and wrong. When someone interfered with them, or try to destroy them, they did what anyone would do when threatened. Things got out of hand, and CK didn’t know how he controlled them so he couldn’t rein them in. There was a fire in the warehouse he was working in, he was hurt, a lot of people died, and the Clocks pulled him from the burning warehouse and carried him back to his house in Boomtown. Blue Steel found him there.”
“I know what happened next. I guess that’s when he became the Clockwork King as we know him. That’s sad.”
“That’s why he hates heroes. He tried to help Paragon City. But, he couldn’t control his powers, and he paid for it with his life. Most of it, anyways. I really feel sorry for him.”
Crystal returned her attention to the Clockwork King. “Yeah, I guess I would, too. Trapped in your own body, unable to speak or feel, just a spectator of the world around you…”
“Oh, jeez!” Penny exclaimed. “Oh, jeez! Look, I’m really, really sorry, it’s just that, well, I can hear YOU think, too, and you were thinking of-”
“I don’t like to talk about it.” Crystal’s voice was flat. “I don’t even like to think about it.”
“Yeah, OK. I won’t say any more, just…jeez!”
The pair continued in silence for a few more steps before Crystal spoke again. “OK, Penelope, this is how I want this to go down-”
“Please call me Penny. Only Sister Psyche and my dad call me Penelope, and Dad only calls me Penelope when I’m in trouble.”
Crystal smiled slightly. “Penny, then. I want you to stay behind me. Keep me between you and the Clocks. I know you said he would never hurt you, but accidents happen, and I’m the Tank. Let it happen to me.
“Also, if there’s anything you can think of to convince him you’re safe and that he should let us leave peacefully, I’d really appreciate it. You know him better than I do.”
“Hmm…have you ever met him before?”
With an embarrassed voice, Crystal replied, “Just…once.”
“Uh oh.”
“That was a long time ago! I’m sure he’s forgotten all about me by now!” Well, I HOPE he’s forgotten about me!
“…”
“Do you think it would help if I called him “your majesty”?”
“It wouldn’t hurt. He’s serious about that royalty thing.”
“OK. We’re getting close. Time to get ready.” Crystal recalled the mental shielding techniques she acquired during the second Rikti invasion. Everyone who learned the trick had a different way of going about it; Crystal’s method was to concentrate on a thought or phrase and repeat it over and over. She selected a familiar song, and began to sing softly to herself.
“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I’m found. Was blind, but now I see.”
That was as far as she got. Whether from the quiet singing, the psychic presence of Penny, or a moment of proper operation by the neglected light system, the Clockwork King noticed the pair advancing on him and his retinue. His massive body pivoted to face them. The rest of the Clockwork reformed around him with perfect synchronicity. Dozens of heads followed their every movement as Crystal and Penny slowly walked towards the assembled host. Crystal ceased singing out loud, but kept the rest of Amazing Grace going in her mind, sparing as much mental focus as she could to the song.
The Clockwork King and his minions did not move as Crystal and Penny moved closer, save to track their progress. Eventually, Crystal felt she’d gotten close enough and stopped, reaching back with her right arm to make sure Penny was still behind her. She bowed slightly. “Good afternoon…uh…your majesty.”
There was no sign of acknowledgment from the Clockwork King or his minions.
“Listen, I…uh…”
Leaning around Crystal, Penny broke in with a, “Hi, CK! It’s me!” She waved to the arch villain.
The Clockwork King croaked, “PENNY.” There was no inflection at all to the buzzing utterance. Crystal’s anxiety ratcheted up another notch.
“Yes, it’s Penny. She’s safe now.” Crystal warmed up to her topic. “Vanguard knew the Rikti kidnapped her. They sent my team and I on a rescue mission. It was a hard fight in, but she’s free now, and undamaged. See?
“We were probably going to have to fight our way out through the rest of the Rikti, but then you showed up and took care of them, giving us a clear path to the exit. We’re really grateful for your help. Thank you, your majesty.
“I understand that you may not have known what we were doing with her earlier, so it’s OK that your Clockwork attacked us. I know it was just an innocent misunderstanding. I wanted to meet you and show you that there’s no reason to fight any more. We’re both here to save Penny. Given that we both want the same thing, and she’s already safe, would you please stand aside and let us leave peacefully? I’m sure Penny just wants to get home as soon as she can. Let’s work together and see that she does.”
Throughout Crystal’s speech, the Clockwork King made no movements, save for his brain sloshing around in the fluid reservoir. Even after she finished, he remained silent and still. Crystal could barely concentrate on her song due to the anxiety that tickled and clawed its way up her spine.
Finally, he spoke. “I SEE…”
Yes! I did it! Crystal beamed.
“…YOU”RE TRYING TO KIDNAP MY PENNY!”
Her smile died instantly. Her eyes widened in shock. She waved her hands to ward off those unpleasant words. “What?! No! NO! It’s not like that-”
Heedless to her protest, the Clockwork King gestured imperiously at Crystal. “I HEREBY DECLARE YOU ENEMIES OF THE CLOCKWORK KINGDOM!” In unison, every Clockwork raised its hands to its temples.
“Oh no!” Crystal howled. She turned around and tackled Penny, layering on the ice as fast as she could. Encased in the protective cocoon, the two bounced off the wall, slid along the floor, and clattered through the mob, coming to rest in one of the side hallways. Though it was not a perfect defense, rapid healing plus the mental shielding technique prevented Crystal from suffering a repeat of the fight in the portal room.
No sooner had Crystal and Penny ceased sliding than a huge explosion of fire filled the space occupied by the Clockwork. It was almost immediately followed by a sonic shockwave that dismantled or disoriented the remaining mechanical foes. Plan B literally started with a bang.
So cold. Can’t move. Can’t breathe!
It took Crystal a second to figure out where those thoughts were coming from. Oops. Sorry! Crystal shattered the ice and freed Penny from its frigid embrace. The young girl hugged herself and shivered violently, scattering fragments of ice across the floor. “Sorry, Penny. I’m sorry for freezing you, I’m sorry I couldn’t talk your friend down, and I’m sorry for what’s about to happen to the Clockwork King. Please stay out of the way. We’ll warm you up after we’ve…you know,” Crystal finished sadly.
She stood, iced up, and positioned herself between the Clockwork King and the exit. Most of the royal court was lying in pieces or slowly dripping into puddles of incandescent liquid metal. The Clockwork King himself was missing a few parts, and more fell off as Crystal watched the brilliant yellow energy signature of Supa Fly’s radiation weaken his metal body. Thunder Dragon was fixed on him, flapping in circles around the towering arch-villain, darting in and out of arm’s reach to rip something loose. StarDust cleaned up the remaining Clockwork entourage. Supa Fly and the ninjas supported his efforts. Harm and Jenny savaged the Clockwork King from short range, while Bellona and Tetsu Sensei used their powers to further weaken him.
The sight of the Clockwork King relentlessly attacking her team despite her diplomatic efforts tore at Crystal’s heart. “Clockwork King, why do you do this?” she pleaded. “You gain nothing, and my friends are more than happy to beat you up for it!”
He turned away from the other supers to answer her challenge. “THE CLOCKWORK KING SHALL NOT FAIL!” he boasted.
“Penny’s already safe, your minions are all broken, and you’re next on the list! You didn’t have to fight us! This whole fight is just a waste of time and energy!”
The last of his Clockwork creations defeated, the pounding the Clockwork King took increased dramatically, and it was beginning to tell. He staggered and stumbled as the attacks increased tempo, but mustered enough strength to raise his arms and cry, “COME TO ME, MY MINIONS! WE SHALL PREVAIL!”
Jenny’s ears perked up. “Looks like we have some more party-crashers coming in from behind!”
“No doubt the remnants of those we fled from earlier, caught up to us because we were delayed unnecessarily!” Tetsu Sensei snapped.
“Nice going, Cheerleader” snarked Bellona.
Outwardly, Crystal ignored the barbs, but in her heart she couldn’t deny the reason for the villains’ unhappiness. Their frustration was matched by her own, brought on by the Clockwork King’s stubborn refusal to acknowledge obvious facts. “Take care of the newcomers. I can hold the Clockwork King by myself for a while.”
Her team shifted to greet the incoming Clockwork entourage with a torrent of attacks that turned one mechanical attacker after another into a pile of scrap. The Clockwork King himself took advantage of the distraction to close with Crystal. Hands that could crush steel and concrete pounded impotently on her ice armor. Physical attacks thwarted, he summoned a potent whirlwind of psychic and telekinetic energy and hurled it at Crystal from point-blank range. The deadly vortex engulfed her completely. The swirling telekinetic tornado clawed at the ice, but failed to find purchase; Crystal stood her ground and weathered the storm. However, as before, her ice armor provided no defense against the psychic energies, and her whole body was wracked with agony. Crystal gritted her teeth, not only to keep from crying out in pain, but also to keep from slugging the Clockwork King. Penny’s exposition was still fresh in her mind, and, despite the way things had turned out, Crystal was determined to maintain the moral high ground.
After what seemed an eternity, the psychic tornado faded and dispersed. As soon as Crystal felt that her self-control was where it needed to be, she told the arch villain, “I wanted this to go down peacefully. I’m sure Penny wanted to get out of here and go home as fast as possible, but YOU didn’t think of HER, did you? Look at her!” she commanded, gesturing to Penny. “You’re embarrassing yourself in front of Penny!” The Clockwork King paused and turned partly to look at the young girl. Crystal’s voice rose as she blasted, “She said you cared about her! She vouched for your humanity! And all you did was launch into an unthinking, unwarranted assault! Those aren’t the actions of a man; those are the actions of a monster!”
The brain case sloshed as the Clockwork King turned back to face Crystal. His eyes lazily drifted until they focused on her. He stood stock-still and regarded the Tank. Crystal silently stared back at him. Without a face, it was impossible to tell what the Clockwork King was thinking, but, unlike earlier, it didn’t make Crystal nervous. Her irritation at the arch villain pushed her thoughts beyond fear for her own safety.
The stare down didn’t last long; Thunder Dragon slammed into the Clockwork King’s back and knocked him face down onto the floor. The rest of the team surrounded him and unloaded with everything they had. Molten gobs of brass and slivers of steel cascaded off him as his hulking metal body ablated under the assault. Pinned to the floor, he could do little but thrash as the combined might of the supers tore him apart. His speakers croaked what seemed at first to be defiant shouting, but soon resolved into more articulate speech: “PENNY!”
Penny howled, “Please stop! He’s had enough!”
“OK, you heard her. He’s beaten. Lay off,” Crystal commanded. The heroes ceased fire, as did Bellona and Tetsu Sensei. Thunder Dragon continued to rip into his back. “I said back off!” she snapped at him. She boosted her freezing aura to full and hovered over the body of the Clockwork King. Thunder Dragon flew a short distance away to escape the cold, landed, then turned and glared in annoyance at Crystal. The bitter chill also caused the superheated metal body of the Clockwork King to hiss and crack. Crystal winced as the sounds of splintering metal intensified, and quickly powered off and resumed her place in front of the downed arch villain.
The shattered remains of one of the Clockwork King’s arms scraped along the floor, the massive hand at the end questing for Penny. He pried enough of his body off the floor to uncover his speakers. “ARE YOU SAFE, PENNY?” he inquired.
“Yes, CK. I’m all right now.” She reached for his hand with one of hers, but did not touch the scorchingly hot metal.
“THAT’S GOOD…THAT’S GOOD…” With that, his body sagged and collapsed back onto the floor. The Clockwork King was down for the count.
The heroes silently regarded him for a second. “Was I imaging things,” asked Harm, “or did it look like he was actually concerned for her?”
“Who cares?” Bellona replied as she circled around the fallen arch villain. “He’s down. Let’s make sure he stays that way.” She shot a bolt of flame at the brain case.
“What are you doing?!” Crystal shrieked. She countered the fire blast by encasing the brain case in ice. The ice sizzled on contact, and quickly melted away, but removed enough heat from the case to prevent damage to it, or to the brain inside. “I will not let you assassinate him!”
Bellona gazed evenly at Crystal. “I’ll bet I have more fire power than you have ice power,” she said with a smirk.
Crystal didn’t respond to Bellona, but instead faced the heroes, her urgency evident in her voice. “I didn’t bring my Zig Stick!”
“Zig Stick?” echoed Bellona.
“I got it,” said Harm as he reached to his belt and withdrew a stubby cylinder.
“Dibs!” Jenny shouted. With a fluid motion, she swiped her hand at the top of one of her thigh-high boots, knelt down, jabbed a stubby cylinder of her own into one leg of the Clockwork King, and then dragged it along the surface. The cylinder deposited a small piece of tape that broke off at a predetermined length with a snap. Seconds later, the Clockwork King vanished, leaving only slivers of metal to show he had been there. Jenny dramatically blew on the tip of her cylinder like an old west gunfighter and tucked it back into her boot. Harm just shook his head and returned his own to its resting place on his belt.
“The official name is Prisoner Retrieval Beacon,” he explained to Bellona. “Once a subject has been subdued, we plant the beacon on him, or her-”
“Or whatever,” interrupted Supa Fly.
“-and the city’s teleport network sends the target to Ziggursky Prison for processing. The dispenser looks like a stick, and the targets go to the Zig. Hence, Zig Stick.”
“Well, la dee da.”
“Shut up, you,” said Jenny.
“You shut up!” blasted Bellona.
In a weary voice, Crystal cut them both off. “Stop it. Let’s just get out of here.”
“That may be the first thing you’ve said since this whole wretched affair began that makes good sense,” Tetsu Sensei griped.
Crystal armored up in preparation for re-entering the war zone. As Jenny passed her on the way to collect Penny, she whispered, “That could have gone better.”
“I had to try.”
Jenny rolled her eyes knowingly. “The next time you try to talk some sense into a villain and it works will be the first! What is it about you that makes the bad guys want to kill you?” Crystal could only shrug helplessly.
The deadly struggle of the war zone was audible but not visible outside the building’s exit. No Rikti lurked in hiding to ambush the team and reclaim their captive psychic. Still, the incautious did not last long against the alien aggressors. All the team formed into a protective circle around the young girl and strained their senses to detect any incoming hostiles. After a minute of tense silence, the rescuers began to relax.
Penny was the first to break the silence. “Well, I’d better get home. I’m sure my dad is worried sick!”
“Your safe return is no concern of mine, girl,” said Tetsu Sensei. “This mission was to free you from the Rikti, and free you I have. Feel free to make your own way back to Paragon City. I have more important matters to attend to elsewhere.”
Crystal responded, “Actually, Tetsu Sensei, would you mind staying with us? There’s a possibility that this was only the beginning of a more comprehensive plan to re-open the portal to the Rikti homeworld. It would be best if we all stayed together and saw this through to the end rather than swapping you out for someone who didn’t know what you’ve already learned.”
“The only thing I’ve learned for certain is that you are the sorriest excuse for a leader it has ever been my displeasure to encounter!” he raged. “You had one of your city’s most notorious foes barring your exit yet, instead of laying into him, you stepped forth to negotiate! Furthermore, after he lay helpless at your feet, you acted to preserve his life instead of doing what was necessary to accomplish the mission!”
“We’d already beaten him and cleared the way out. There was nothing necessary about murdering the Clockwork King!”
“He’s got a point, Cheerleader,” Bellona volunteered. “You’re stuck in a never-ending cycle of defeat-arrest-escape. If you’d killed him, he’d never hurt anyone again.” She paused. “Come to think of it, you never even laid a hand on him.” After a snort of derision, she continued, “You’re too weak. Someone gets between you and what you want, you put ‘em down and don’t think twice!”
“I believe that my objectives, as well as the methods used to accomplish them, must be pure.”
Jenny chimed in. “Yeah, and before you get all bloodthirsty, keep in mind that it may someday be YOU lying helpless at a hero’s feet. Should they “do what’s necessary”, or would you rather go to jail?”
Bellona turned to face Jenny. “If you think you have what it takes to put me down, then bring it!”
“Oh, stop!” Crystal cut in. “We still haven’t gotten Penny to safety, and we’re a mile away from the base. This is a poor place to have an argument.”
“Getting back on topic, was this the bit of intel you mentioned earlier?” Harm asked. “I just reviewed my chat logs.”
“Yeah, that’s it,” Crystal replied, grateful to get off the previous topic of conversation. “I have reason to believe that Vanguard has something else going on that’s related to our rescue, and we may be called to follow up.”
“How’d you come across it?”
“A little bird told me.”
“This little bird,” Jenny asked slyly, “did he have blue and white wings?”
Crystal did her best to keep her face and voice even. “Why do you ask?”
Tetsu Sensei coldly inquired, “And you didn’t think to share this information until now?”
Crystal spread her arms dramatically. When she spoke, her annoyance at the constant badgering by the ninja lord was evident. “I got shot on the way here! Then things were a little busy once we got inside! You’ll just have to forgive me for my lapse.”
“So we hang at the crib until Vanguard quits jivin’ with us?” asked Supa Fly petulantly.
“Well, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I missed lunch, and since we can’t leave the zone and stay connected, how about lunch at Chez Vanguard? My treat!”
The comment elicited a chorus of groans. By the standards of the heroes, the Vanguard canteen served the most inedible food in all of Paragon City. It was unfathomable why the cuisine was so horrible despite having a whole city filled with top-notch eating establishments right on the other side of the War Wall. Speculating on reasons for this was a popular pastime for those who had endured the experience.
Thunder Dragon had apparently not eaten there. Either that, or he had not eaten any other food and therefore had no basis for comparison. “A communal meal inside the Vanguard base? I accept your offering, young human.”
“Good thing we had that ice cream earlier,” Jenny observed. “At least we have the memory of real food!”
“Yeah,” Crystal agreed, ruefully.
“Did you enjoy the ice cream?”
Tetsu Sensei’s question caught Crystal off guard. So much so, in fact, that she missed the silky undertones of menace. “Um…yes. Why do you ask?”
“Because if you do not surrender the Vanguard communication codes to me this instant, it will be your last meal!” He snapped his fingers and smiled broadly.
The shock of what Tetsu Sensei’s threat temporarily paralyzed the group. Crystal gave a strangled cough before squawking, “WHAT?!”
“You will surrender the codes or your life. There are no other alternatives.”
“Oh, son of a [censored],” said Supa Fly, “you did NOT just-”
“Are you [censored] stupid? You know what I’ll-” blasted Harm.
“About time,” Bellona mumbled.
Jenny’s reaction took everyone by surprise. She smiled, then threw her head back and laughed. As everyone ceased speaking and stared, her laughter grew and grew. Tetsu Sensei looked around briefly, a trace of confusion on his visible features, before glaring at the Blaster.
“This isn’t funny!” Crystal howled.
“It is if you know what I know!” Jenny replied, a huge grin on her face. “That was an empty threat!”
“Do you wish to wager your life on that, doomed one?” Tetsu Sensei growled.
“You think it’s for real, but it’s not!” Jenny laughed again. “Your minions are smarter than you. They bugged out as soon as you got outside. You’re all alone!”
“WHAT?!” Tetsu Sensei raised a hand to summon his ever-present minions. Nothing happened.
“They’re not coming. Oh, they’re still nearby, just in case something else happens to you, but they’re not going to jump into this fight.” As the ninja lord’s eyes widened, Jenny continued, “Unlike you, they recognized me for what I am, and what I represent. They don’t have massive egos driving them to suicidal confrontations with kitsune. You can wave your hand all you want, but they’re not going to do anything to anyone under my protection.” She stepped closer to Tetsu Sensei and used her size to try and intimidate him. “You’re not so tough without your ninjas, are you? Unless you think that piddly bow can stop me?” Jenny flicked one finger against the weapon as she named it.
“I’ve exhausted my patience with you, you arrogant little man, so let me tell you what you’re going to do next: you’re going to run. Run fast!” Jenny made a shooing gesture at him. “Run back to the Rogue Isles! Run and hide, if it makes you feel safer, but there is no place you can go that I cannot see you. Every shadow is my spy. Every whisper of wind will carry news of your evil deeds to my ears. Every stranger you meet will be my kin in disguise, following you around, watching your every move and reporting to me. You won’t know friend from foe. Nothing you do will be hidden from my sight. I’ll be watching you, forming my own plans, and when I move on you, you’ll never see it coming.”
Wide eyed, Tetsu Sensei stood stock-still and stared.
“RUN!”
One hand flicked towards the ground. An instant later, a cloud of smoke erupted around Tetsu Sensei’s feet, completely obscuring him from sight.
“Form on Penny!” Crystal cried. “Don’t let anything get to her!” All the heroes minus Jenny moved into a protective circle around the girl, who had been paralyzed with fear the whole time. Bellona and Thunder Dragon looked about and tried to spot the ninjas who were doubtless about to launch an assault.
The smoke cleared quickly. The ninja lord was nowhere to be seen. Jenny stood her ground, a huge smile still plastered to her face, and took no action to prepare for attack.
The rest of the heroes frantically scanned their surroundings to find the most likely hiding spot for Tetsu Sensei and his entourage. “Where is he?” Crystal shouted.
Jenny pointed to the east and casually replied, “That way, and fading fast. I thought he’d never leave!” She laughed again.
The heroes stared quizzically at her. “What the [censored] just happened?” Supa Fly howled. “What the [censored] is goin’ on?”
“We’re done with that jerk,” Jenny replied. “I scared him off.” As confirmation, each phone beeped simultaneously as the icon representing Tetsu Sensei disappeared from the team roster.
“I know that ain’t the lowdown. How’d you do it?”
“Oh, that. Well, he’s Japanese, and I know something about Japanese folklore. There is a belief that foxes are mystical creatures. Some make trouble for people, and others are powerful guardians who defend the poor, humble the arrogant, and avenge the just. The good foxes have such power that even a statue of one is supposed to provide fool-proof protection from evil. Among other things they’re said to be able to do, they can change shape into people, and have powers of fire. I used some of the legends of kitsune as inspiration for myself. I figured he was aware of the legends, too, so I played on his superstitions to “persuade” him to take off. Guess it worked!”
“So you’re not really a kitsune?” Harm asked.
“Nope, but he thought I was, and that was what mattered.”
“Nice.” Both Harm and StarDust nodded their approval. Even Bellona appeared to be glad the ninja lord had fled.
Supa Fly was more enthusiastic. With a huge smile on his face, he pronounced, “Smooth move from the foxy lady!” He sauntered over to Jenny and held out his right hand, palm up. “Gimme some skin!”
Jenny looked uncomfortably at the proffered hand. “You want what?”
“Slap his hand,” Harm clarified.
As Jenny and Supa Fly performed the celebratory ritual, Crystal walked close to her friend. She asked, “You were messing with his head to get him to quit?”
“Yep! That guy had to go. Don’t worry, there’s no need to thank me!” Jenny beamed.
In a very quiet voice, Crystal replied, “No, I suppose not.” She turned on her heel and strode away, stopping after a short distance to face the remains of her team. “OK, we’re a mile away from the Vanguard depot, and there’s a lot of trouble between us and the base. Take a pyramid formation around Penny. I’m on point, Firefox and StarDust are in the rear. Harm, can you give us a view from above without making yourself a target?”
“Yeah.” The paint scheme on his armor changed to closely match the rubble-filled courtyard. “Adaptive camouflage. It’s not perfect, but it’ll help keep me hidden while I’m up there.”
“Good. Supa Fly, Bellona, and Thunder Dragon, please stay close to Penny, and try to keep in the center. Let’s go.”
Crystal turned and led the group out into the street. Following in back, Jenny replayed Crystal’s comment over in her mind, and grew more troubled each time she reviewed it. She thumbed her phone over to a private channel and beeped Crystal. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
“I should have suspected something,” came the cold reply. “The way you kept whispering at him, how his ninjas grew more and more timid around you. And then there was how you kept volunteering to locate the Rikti for us. I know you can hear someone yawn through two walls, but I don’t even ask you to do recon because I know you’re sensitive about calling attention to yourself. When did you start messing with him?”
“Right after he smacked you, while you were still in the ice. I told you, remember?”
Crystal sighed through the link. “Yes, you did, and I should have put a stop to it there. That wasn’t right of me to let your antagonism slide. And you know better than to needle the people we work with.”
The ears folded back. “What are you talking about? We don’t work with the villains! We fight them! And letting him run his mouth off was toxic for the team.”
“That wasn’t your call to make!”
“What is this, the “Crystal and Friends” show? I’m not your sidekick! You’re not the boss of me!”
“This isn’t about being boss, this is about doing the right thing with the right methods for the right reasons! We’re supposed to be the good guys! Not just when it suits us, not when it’s convenient, but ALL the time! And you picked on him, preyed on his fears until he couldn’t take it anymore and left! How is that being a hero?”
Jenny jerked her head to the side, away from StarDust, so he wouldn’t see the anger on her face, or hear her fury as she hissed back, “That’s [censored] and you know it! The guy backhands you, picks fights all through the mission, and threatens to kill you once it’s over! He had to go, and you know it! Just be glad he left on his own and I didn’t have to send him to the hospital!”
Crystal’s hair shook under the ice as she, too, attempted to conceal her own fury from the others. She spat back, “You can’t make things right by doing wrong!”
“I was trying to protect you, protect the team, and get the job done! I would have thought a friend of mine and a fellow hero would understand what I did and be grateful!”
“And I would have thought that you, of all people, would know what it’s like to have others attack you, and pick on you, and judge you to be unfit to associate with them and drive you away! You know how much that hurts! You know that’s WRONG!” Jenny’s retort was cut off as Crystal continued, “I don’t want to hear it! I don’t want to talk about it anymore. You know you’re wrong! I’m really mad at you, and I don’t want to be, so don’t talk to me for a while! You think about what you did while I try to calm down.”
Crystal broke the private link. Jenny stared at her ice-encrusted back, eyes blazing, features contorted into an ugly mask of rage. She could not see it, but a similar expression also distorted Crystal’s face. The two women marched stiffly through the war zone, and the greatest stress each encountered on the return trip was caused not by the Rikti, nor by the devastation that marked their journey, but by their own anger and frustration.