Conference Hall, near the Throne Room, Palace of Power, VideoLand.

At the Palace of Power, the entire N-Team was in conference, thinking about and discussing what was going on.  The Thunder Kittens had entered by way of a warp from Cat's Lair.  Roll, MegaMan's 'sister,' had just arrived from Dr. Wright's lab in MegaLand, where she had been recharging her energy.  "Swell!" remarked Darkwing.  "Now we have to choose a leader.  I will lose big-time!"

            "With that big, flappy beak of yours," said Neptunia, "I would not blame any of us for not voting for you!"

            "Come on, you two!" said Wilykat.  "We aren't going to get through this by arguing."

            "My brother is right," said Wilykit.  "We must choose, and we must choose quickly."

            "Yes.  I suggest," said Kevin, "that we choose between the leaders of each individual group, every little subdivision.  How about it?"

            Lana said, "I can live with that."

            "As I understand it," said Steelheart, "There are several subdivisions.  I would like a list of everyone in this room."  Kevin left the room and came back with a pen and several sheets of paper.

            "If it were done my way," said Kevin, "I would have everyone sign their names on this sheet once.  We can then subdivide all of the groups."

            "Sounds great to me," said Steelheart.  "We start at one end and end at the same."  Kevin handed the paper and pen to Steelheart, - she was at the head of the table - and Steelheart signed it and passed it to Steelwill, next to her.  Within fifteen minutes, these sheets of paper were all covered with names.  "Fine," said Steelheart, contentedly reading the several sheets of paper.  "Whoever does not mind, type this."  Della Street got up, went over to Steelheart, and made a motion with her hand to hand the sheets to her.  Steelheart did indeed hand the papers to Della.

            "I'll get right on it," said Della.  Della went over to her spot, where Perry Mason handed her his portable notebook-computer from his briefcase.  Della turned it on, selected the word processor in the program manager of the computer, and got underway, her fingers flying on the keyboard, keying in every name.  Her keen eyes were tuned to the slightest detail.  She had finished keying in all seventy names within a matter of two minutes (to the microsecond).  After this, she read the following list [mentioning numbers]:  "These are the names:  (1)Commander Steelheart; (2)Lieutenant Steelwill, (3)Colonel Quicksilver; (4)Captain Bluegrass; (5)Sergeant Copper-Kidd; (6)Stargazer; (7)Hotwing; (8)Captain Flashback; (9)Moonstriker; (10)Condor; (11)Lion-O; (12)Tygra; (13)Cheetara; (14)Panthro; (15)Wilykit; (16)Wilykat; (17)Snarf; (18)Bengali; (19)Pumyra; (20)Lynx-O; (21)Snarfer; (22)Mario; (23)Luigi; (24)Toad; (25)Queen Peach Toadstool; (26)Yoshi; (27)King Spike Koopa; (28)Prince Ludwig von(Spike)Koopa; (29)Prince Lieutenant Larry (Spike)Koopa; (30)Prince Chief Roy (Spike)Koopa; (31)Princess Wendy O. (Spike)Koopa; (32)Prince Morton (Spike)Koopa, Jr.; (33 and 34)Princes Lemmy and Iggy (Spike)Koopa; (35)Captain N, or Kevin Keene; (36)Princess Lana Deschain; (37)MegaMan; (38)Kid Icarus; (39)Simon Belmont; (40)Doctor Xavier Wright; (41)Roll; (42)Link; (43)Princess Zelda Harkinian; (44)Chief Samus Aran; (45)Perry Mason; (46)Della Street, myself; (47)Paul Drake, Sr.; (48)Paul Drake, Jr.; (49)Ken Malanski; (50)Rupert Jackson; (51)Hamilton Burger; (52)Lieutenant Arthur Tragg; (53)Lieutenant Andy Anderson; (54)Lieutenant Steve Drumm; (55)Sergeant George Brice; (56)Darkwing Duck; (57)Launchpad McQuack; (58)Gosalyn Mallard; (59)GizmoDuck; (60)Morganna McCawber; (61)Neptunia; (62)Stegmutt; (63)Scrooge McDuck; (64, 65, & 66)Huey, Dewey, & Louie Duck; (67)Mrs. Beakley; (68)Webbigail van der Quack; (69)Mrs. Crackshell; (70)SHUSH Director J. Gander Hooter; and (71)SHUSH Agent Grizzlykov.  Anyone I missed?"  No one made any note of being missed.  Della therefore hooked the computer to a printer, made the necessary printer specifications, and printed a neat, organised table with everyone who had signed the sheet.  When the document was printed, she took the two sheets, stapled them together, and handed the sheet to Steelheart.  "Here you are, Commander."

            Being handed the table, Steelheart said, "Thank you, Miss Street, if you desire such formality."

            "Well, then, here you are, Steelheart," revised Della, smiling.

            "Thank you, Della," revised a smiling Steelheart.  Steelheart looked through the table.  "Ah, much better!"  Della deactivated the laptop computer and handed it back to Mason, who put it back in his briefcase.

            "If no one has any objections, we shall make," said Steelheart, "the following divisions:  Numbers one through ten, Lieutenant Steelwill, Colonel Quicksilver, Captain Bluegrass, Sergeant Copper-Kidd, Stargazer, Hotwing, Captain Flashback, Moonstriker, Condor, and me, are the Silver Hawks division, led by me.  Numbers eleven through twenty-one, Lion-O, Tygra, Cheetara, Panthro, Wilykit, Wilykat, Snarf, Bengali, Pumyra, Lynx-O, and Snarfer, are the Thunder Cats division, led by Lion-O.  Numbers twenty-two through thirty-four, Mario, Luigi, Toad, Queen Peach, Yoshi, King Spike Koopa, Prince Ludwig von(Spike)Koopa, Prince/Lieutenant Larry (Spike)Koopa, Prince/Chief Roy (Spike)Koopa, Princess Wendy O. (Spike)Koopa, Prince Morton (Spike)Koopa, Jr., Prince Lemmy (Spike)Koopa, and Prince Iggy (Spike)Koopa, are the Mario-Team division, led by. . ."

            "Mario," said Spike Koopa, Peach, and Ludwig von(Spike)Koopa simultaneously.

            "Okay, the Mario-Team division is headed by Mario.  Numbers thirty-five through forty-four, Kevin, Princess Lana, MegaMan, Kid Icarus, Simon Belmont, Doctor Wright, Roll, Link, Princess Zelda, and Chief Samus, are the N-Team Base division, led by. . . whom?"

            "The N-Team has always been led by Kevin," answered Lana.

            "Fine, the N-Team Base division is led by Kevin.  Numbers forty-five through fifty-five, Perry Mason; Della Street; Paul Drake, Sr.; Paul Drake, Jr.; Ken Malanski; Rupert Jackson; Hamilton Burger; Lieutenant Arthur Tragg; Lieutenant Andy Anderson; Lieutenant Steve Drumm; and Sergeant George Brice are the Mason-Team division, led by Perry Mason.  Numbers fifty-six through sixty-two, Darkwing, Launchpad, Gosalyn, GizmoDuck, Morganna, Neptunia, and Stegmutt, are Darkwing Duck's Justice Ducks Division, led by Darkwing Duck.  Numbers sixty-three through seventy-one, Scrooge, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Mrs. Beakley, Webbigail, Mrs. Crackshell, Director Hooter, and Agent Grizzlykov, are the - heh, heh! - 'anonymous' division, or 'Secret'-Team division.  This division is to be led by Scrooge McDuck.  Now, we shall debate on the best leader to do the job:  Lion-O, leader of the Thunder Cats division; Mario, leader of the Mario-Team division; Captain N, leader of the N-Team Base division; Perry Mason, leader of the Mason-Team division; Darkwing Duck, leader of the Justice Ducks division; Scrooge McDuck, leader of the Secret-Team division; or me, leader of the Silver Hawks division.  Which of our names should be at the top of that list?  Some suggestions are requested."

            "May I make a few comments?" asked Paul Drake, Sr.

            "Yes, go ahead, Paul Drake," said Steelheart.

            "To be perfectly frank with every one of you guys, Steelheart seems to be the best for this job.  I have made observations of all of you leaders, and I have them here."  Paul extracted his small notebook from his pocket and flipped in it.  "Now, Darkwing, I'm not trying to offend you, but you have something that some people might call an overactive ego, to make it rather an understatement.  Now, from what I have seen, you give all of these remarks when you enter.  They are great for surprise, but the truth is that, a lot of the time, you are egotistical.  Now, that is your main problem.  You are basically okay, though.  Now, on to Scrooge McDuck.  Scrooge, you are something of a tightwad."

            "I'll say!" admitted Scrooge.  "I want my fortune back from that blasted Liquidator.  I also want to see those villains put where they belong and for the officers of their prison to throw the key away."

            "Anyway, Scrooge, I am not saying that that is a big problem, it's just something that may hinder your leading capabilities.  Now, on to Mario.  Mario, you have a slight problem of getting in a little over your head.  That is nothing, as long as it does not develop too far, and I mean no insult, but your leadership abilities may leave a very little bit to be desired.  On to Perry Mason.  Perry, this is going to hurt.  You are just a little too willing to skate on thin legal ice."

            "What's wrong with that, Paul?" asked Mason, smiling at his friend.

            "Well, nothing too big, but your cases always seem to be in shambles from the start until a little before the end.  That does not encourage me too much, and, for our present situation, it probably would not help.  To you, Lion-O.  I am told that your leadership qualities are very good, and you have sometimes gotten the Thunder Cats out from under.  That is very well in order.  You have not had too much experience around doing what the Silver Hawks do, in the diplomatic area, though.  I shall not deny that you're a good leader, though.  Anyway, Kevin, you and Steelheart are the only ones left.  Kevin, from what I have seen of your leadership abilities, they are very well developed, probably from working with the N-Team from a standstill.  Anyway, you do seem to want to rush into things a little too much, and . . . well, you're a little bit like Perry.  You're willing to skate on ice that is a little too thin, and, well, sometimes, you do fall in.  Though you always manage to pull out, I, for one, would rather not be falling in.  Now, you, Steelheart, are a most sensible, level-headed leader.  You seem to want to play it riskily enough to get through, but that's the extent.  Very rarely have I seen you willing to go on thin ice.  You also probably have some diplomatic experience.  You seem that way, diplomatically minded.  You seem to try not to venture into dangerous situations without a good idea.  When you jump to conclusions, you jump to sensible conclusions.  That is the way we should probably be led."

            "Did you rehearse this presentation of yours, Paul?" asked Mason.

            "Hell, no, Perry," answered Drake.  "It just spun off my head."

            "It seemed awfully damn good to be just spun off your head," remarked Lieutenant Tragg suspiciously.

            "Well, it did just spin off my head!" snapped Drake.

            Steelheart said, "Well, has anyone anything to say before we vote on who will be the leader?"  No one said anything.  "Okay, then, let's do it.  Will, you explain how we're going to do this."

            "All right," said Steelwill.  "We're each going to take a sheet of paper and write the name of the division leader whom we individually think is the best leader.  We each turn our sheet upside-down so that the writing is face-down, then we pass them to Kidd, who's going to count.  The one to get the highest percentage of votes is the winner.  The winner is to lead our entire group, but there will be a second-in-command, third-in-command, fourth-in-command, fifth-in-command, sixth-in-command, and seventh-in-command, also depending on vote percentage.  Needless to say, they are on a matter of rankage, and only the vote percentage can tell.  Anyway, let's quit gabbing.  We have some voting to do."  While Steelwill was talking, Steelheart got up and passed sheets of paper and pens to everyone.  Now, she had finished, as she got out a sheet of paper for herself and laid it at her place.  She then returned the paper to where she got it and sat down at her place at the table.

            "Everyone," said Steelheart, "let me make one thing clear.  It is none of your business what your neighbour puts down, even you, Thunder Kittens."  Wilykit and Wilykat frowned a bit at this.  "I mean it, guys.  It can be hard for Will and me, too.  Everyone keep your eyes on your own papers.  I know that, with this table, even as long as it is, it will be hard to do, but just focus your eyes on that white sheet in front of you.  The second you are through writing your choice down, turn the paper over so it can be passed to Kidd.  He will count the number of votes for each individual candidate.  It is most possible that there will be a tie between two or more people because of the seventy-one people in here.  No one can control that.  We'll just have to accept it.  Okay, flush out of your mind the opinions Paul gave you.  You just want the bones, the simple facts, of what he told you.  We will wait until the last person had decided.  It doesn't matter who it is.  Just wait until the last person finishes.  Okay, now, let's begin."  They did, indeed, begin.  Everyone was thinking or writing.  Within several minutes, everyone had finished, and all the papers were passed to Kidd.  "Kidd," said Steelheart, "I want you to go to that table over there and do the counting.  Do not miscount."  Kidd saluted her, then obeyed her orders.  In a few minutes, he had tallied the following results, which he showed to Steelheart: