//------------------------------// // All My Bags are Packed // Story: Mother X: Father // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// The group stayed where they were as they caught their breath, keeping an eye on what was left of the Formerly Clumsy Cleaning Robot, none of them certain it wasn't going to get back up again. Eventually, Ness spoke up. "...is it dead?" "I...I'm not sure," Jeff observed calmly. "It's...not moving, but...that's really no guarantee. There...might be a third phase?" As his strength returned, Buzz Buzz floated over to the robot and - greatly daring - landed on one of the limbs. "...there isn't any motive force anymore," he observed, relief palpable in his voice as he buzzed back over to Moondancer. "Short of it being reactivated by an outside force, I think we're good." "Well, now we need to find Pokey," Ness stated as firmly as he could despite the quaver in his voice, though whether from relief, weakness, or fear was impossible to tell, even for him. "Which means...getting past it..." He managed to push himself to his feet. "He's not down there," Groovy spoke up as the Runaway Five entered the room again. "While you were dealing with this thing, a couple of us went down a floor to check his office. Luckily, his maid is a fan, so she was able to get us past security without trouble." "He hasn't taken the elevator down," Lucky pointed out as Okay - the Drummer - silently and almost automatically went to examine the fallen robot. "You should probably check up. We'll handle cleanup here while you do." Ness and Paula glanced towards Moondancer, who nodded firmly in response. "Okay," Ness agreed with a nod. "We'll see if Monotoli knows where he is." With that, he moved to help everyone to their feet and hooves before leading the way back to Monotoli's office. Monotoli was pacing back and forth frenetically as they arrived. "Oh goodness!" he spoke up as they arrived. "I'm terribly sorry...but Porky came bursting through here just a minute ago racing for the helipad. I'm not sure what he was up to, but he was screaming 'Cheater!' over and over again as he raced past." Ness sighed ruefully as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I...don't suppose you have any idea where he was going?" he asked hopefully. "Well, he had a pamphlet for the Summers Museum sticking out of one of his pockets," Monotoli pointed out. "I understand they recently opened a Scaraba exhibit." "That...doesn't really tell us anything," Paula admitted sadly. "If all we do is chase after him, we'll probably walk into another trap. I don't suppose we have any other clues?" "Scaraba...that is the desert far to the South, yes?" Poo asked curiously. "According to the stories of my homeland, it is where the secrets of our PSI and the power to protect the world was developed. Perhaps the pyramids there still hold helpful secrets-" "Pyramids?" Moondancer and Buzz Buzz gasped out simultaneously. "You know something?" Ness asked curiously. Moondancer and Buzz Buzz both fell silent, but an image flashed through both their minds. Dr. Destructo's lecture on why the Geeg feared humanity, their previous attempts at invasion...and of the people of Earth hiding in pyramids as 'Gods' fought back against the invasion. "There's going to be something important in Scaraba," Moondancer stated firmly. "I don't know any more details than that...so we should look into that museum exhibit. There might be clues." "So...we are going to follow him and risk walking right into a trap," Ness concluded ruefully. "Well, if we move fast, he shouldn't have time to prepare anything as exotic as that robot. How can we get there really fast?" "If I had been in Summers before, I could have taken us there with PSI Teleport," Poo offered helpfully. "Do you know of anyone who has been there? Perhaps I could learn to get there from them?" "Just my Mom," Ness allowed ruefully. "And I have no idea where she is at this point." "If we could get the Skyrunner to my Dad, he might be able to fix it up and reprogram it to go to Summers," Jeff offered helpfully. "You did want to go fix up Mondo Mole back by Lilliput Steps," Moondancer pointed out. "We're about due for backtracking anyway, and I could get you to Saturn Valley and the cave while Jeff sees how salvageable the Skyrunner is in Threed." "Sounds like a plan!" Paula declared happily as she smiled warmly at Ness. "Alright, that's what we'll do," Ness decided. "We'll just get back to Threed." Turning, he led the group back out of the office. On the way down, they came across the Runaway Five where they'd fought the robot. There was no sign of the robot, however. "So you're heading back to Threed?" Groovy offered helpfully. "We can give you a lift. Be a lot more restful than trying to walk, Teleport, or ride the bus." "How did..." Ness began, only to shake his head. "Never mind. We'd be glad to take you up on...what happened to the robot?" "Here," Lucky offered as Okay handed a bundle of Bio-Metal Robot Parts to Jeff. "We broke it down so it can't get used against *hic* you, but you might find some use for it." He quickly patted his chest. "Sorry, hiccups. Got a bit startled when that thing unfolded like that." Moondancer stifled a giggle. She'd heard the *click* that Lucky had disguised as a hiccup...and she'd seen what Okay actually was now. She was certain Jeff would make good use of that salvage. Shaking his head ruefully as Jeff put the parts away, Ness spoke up again. "Thank you for the offer of the lift. We'd be happy to accept." "Great!" Gorgeous offered happily. "We'll meet you outside!" With that, the Runaway Five raced down the stairs to the elevators. Ness stared after them for a time, a thoughtful look on his face. Eventually, it was Poo who spoke up. "Something bothering you, Ness?" he asked curiously. "Just...remembering how intense it was to run up the side of the building like that," Ness allowed with a soft smile. "It was...fun." "Wait, you did what?" Paula gasped in shock. "Indeed it was," Poo observed happily. He then glanced from Ness to Paula, to the door the band had taken, and then back to Ness with a smile. "Think we could outrun the band back down that way?" he suggested, the barest hint of impish mischief in his voice. Moondancer couldn't help but grin. Her time in Poo's mind had showed her that as disciplined as his mind was and as dedicated to duty as he'd trained himself to be, the intense combat training he'd undergone for body and mind had left him with an - albeit well controlled - adrenaline addiction. He wouldn't go out of his way for thrills, but when they presented themselves... A wide grin split Ness' face. "I've got extra Skip Sandwiches!" he offered with a grin. "I wonder if I can modify the Robo-Pack mid flight to have the arms work like a propeller..." Jeff mused as he called up the schematics on the manipulator arms. Paula blinked at Ness for a time, then sighed. "I suppose he needs a few flaws," she murmured to herself with a smile as she stepped up behind him. "It'd be a bit boring or frustrating if he were too perfect."