Act 71 - Dates: 1 January 1981, 3-4 January 1993
Section 4: The Extended N-Team
Part 2: Nuclesís's Evil Plot
First and Only Division
First Chapter
Characters: Thunder Cats; Mason-Team; N-Team Secret Division; Brain-Team Base; Brain-Team Secret Division
T The native language was quemistriàns {káy-més-tré-ahnh}, or Chemistrian; however, this language was giving way very rapidly to English. It was a language similar in vocabulary to Italian, with some exceptions. However, the last two letters of a Chemistrian noun definitely indicated its gender, number, and case. The first component was a vowel - either O, A, Y, I, E, or U - that indicated gender and number. (In Chemistrian, Y was always a vowel; it was not pronounced like Y in English.) The first three indicated singular, while the other three indicated plural. The vowels O and I indicated masculine, A and E feminine, and Y and U neuter or collective, depending on whether it referred to an object or a living being. Nouns indicating languages were all masculine singular and did not require the vowel component. The next component, a consonant, indicated case. The two used now were S and R, which the speaker was not to pronounce. The consonant S indicated non-possessive, while R indicated possessive. All nouns that followed a noun and de {dáy}, de meaning of, about, or belonging to, had R, as well as nouns that came before other nouns. All other nouns had S. (The case system had once been far more complex.) Except for final consonants, all letters were pronounced. Final consonants were pronounced only when the next word began with a vowel; only nouns, articles, and adjectives, however, ever ended in a consonant.
Her name was Genas Phîsícos {jáy-nah fih-sih-kó}, or Jane Physicost {fih-zih-kawst} in English. Her 'boyfriend' was Gemos Quémsos {jáy-mó kehnh-só}, or James Chemsos {kehm-zahs} in English. The true nature of their relationship was l'Amorys eternys {lah-mó-rü sáy-táyr-nü}, whereof the literal translation was 'eternal love.' It involved telepathy, an ability that was developed in all pure Chemistrians but not in many humans. 'Pure' referred to Chemistrians who were born on the planet Quemistras {káy-més-trah} (Chemistra {keh-mihs-truh}) and who had only Chemistrian blood, not intermixed with any other species, such as humans or Hyrulians.
James and Jane had not always been 'boyfriend and girlfriend.' In fact, they had not always been friends, either!
The present year in VideoLand was 1993. Something ironic was that James and Jane had been born on the same day 25 years ago on Chemistra on 15 July 1968. They had been born in the same sub-republic. She had been born in Chemico-Physic City, the capital of the planet Chemistra and in the centre of the sub-republic of Quemuropias {káy-mú-ró-pyah}, or Chemurope {keh-myú-ruhp} (like Kem + Europe). He had been born in a suburb of that capital, Phìsicas {fé-sé-kah} (Physica). In February 1878, the Republic of Chemistra had opened relations with the Kingdom of VideoLand, whose western border was at the eastmost point of the orbit of the planet farthest from Chemistra's sun. The Republic of Chemistra consisted of the entire solar system. The relations proved very favourable to both countries, to the Republic of Chemistra and to the huge Kingdom of VideoLand, which spanned almost a third of the galaxy. A few years ago, in 1986, Chemistra submitted an application for entrance into VideoLand, and during the time from then to now, 1993, Princess Lana, ruler of VideoLand, had been reviewing it. She would officially announce her decision on 14 July 1993 at the Bastille Day celebration.
The way Chemistra did things was astoundingly like the way all the technologically advanced worlds of VideoLand did things. Ground traffic drove on the left side. Chemistra's traffic light posting standards equalled VideoLand's, and the traffic sign system was the very same. Amazingly, the universal computer system on Chemistra was completely compatible with the universal computer system of VideoLand.
Back to the main subject. In 1970, James's immediate family moved into Chemico-Physic City and into the house across the street from Jane's family's. Unlike him, she had a sibling. . . an older brother named Arthuros {ahr-thú-ró} (Arthur), who had been born on 3 June 1967. After James's family had moved, his parents and hers came to know one another as friends. James and she did not become friends immediately, though. In 1973, on 1 January, he and she began their first year of school at the Chemico-Physic City School. On their planet, this first year was the thirteenth grade, which was something similar to kindergarten. Everyone began to know how much the two disliked each other! James and Jane were definitely not friends. Au contraire, what they did with each other was nearly diabolical. She was more antagonistic, for she enjoyed sticking a frog in his desk and surprising the heck out of him. (She had learned early on that he despised frogs.) When she thought that she could get away with it, she started food-fights with him. He always retaliated. Now whenever they looked back upon it, they laughed. However, back then, it was evident to all that they did not like each other in the slightest. Jane's brother was in his own second year of school, the twelfth grade (or, to American high schools, first grade), a year higher than James's and hers.
In the twelfth to ninth grades (first to fourth grades to Americans), their silly antipathy of one another continued. Now, they could not believe how much they disliked each other back then. Their apparent hatred dulled during the eighth to sixth grades (fifth to seventh grades). During their antipathetic stages, they got into much trouble. With the dulling of the antipathy came less trouble in eighth grade in 1978. They were getting older, anyway. . . they were to be 10 in '78. At about thirteen years of age, a Chemistrian's puberty began, be that Chemistrian male or female. One could imagine Jane's surprise on 1 January 1981, when they were about twelve and a half years of age and were about to begin seventh grade (American eighth grade) the day before. Everyone in the corridor was going to be surprised, for almost everyone with whom they had started thirteenth grade was still attending school there and knew of James and Jane's 'classic hatred' of one another. However, no one was going to be more surprised than she.
* * *
January 1, 1981.
School of the Southeastern District, Chemico-Physic City, Chemistra.
She was standing at her locker, trying to arrange the books in it. I wish I had brought my bag, she thought to herself; she was not a forgetful person in the slightest. She thought it in English, for the planet's acquaintance with VideoLand had required the language to be taught, and she had learned more than enough English to communicate with native English-speakers. She had also had to learn French, and she knew that as well. Actually, as the author has said before, English was becoming more common than Chemistrian.
Jane was about the same height as an average human female thirteen-year-old. She was healthily thin, not skinny as a wire. She had long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Like most Chemistrians, she spoke English in the educated British accent. She wore a blue T-shirt, blue jeans shorts that came down to just above the knees, tennis shoes, and a digital watch on her left wrist.
James approached her that morning. "What do you want?" she asked (in English) as she saw him by the corner of her eye.
His manner was different from what it had been in the past. His appearance was quite similar to hers, except his hair was not so long, and he was wearing most ungeekly glasses and a green backpack, and his T-shirt was pure white without a speck of dirt. He was about her height, though his shoulders were slightly broader than hers. "Well, Jane," he said, seemingly fighting himself to tell her, "you seem to have lots of books, and. . ."
"I do!!" she blurted. "What the heck is your point, James Chemsos, for stating the obvious!?"
Though the exclamation surprised no one, as they were still prone to shouting at one another occasionally, it made James nervous. "Jane, what's wrong?"
"You don't have to tell me what I already know," she said, trying not to be angry. He was nervous; Chemistrians were taught not to capitalise on a fellow Chemistrian's nervousness, so she would try not to. "What's wrong, James?"
He seemed fighting to tell her something. "Jane, well. . ." She looked at him. He appeared as nervous as he sounded. She lightened her expression a little. She deduced that he had had a little trouble brushing his blond hair this morning. His blue eyes looked at her in some begging way. He really had an attractive look that day, though it appeared to her that he had had a little trouble dressing himself. Also, his hands clutched nervously the straps by which his backpack was hanging.
"Having any problems, James?" she asked, this time more gently. He gulped uncomfortably.
"I'm extremely apprehensive about asking you something, Jane," he said. He looked down toward the floor for a moment, then back into her eyes.
"When did you get the glasses?" she asked, noticing the brownish-framed spectacles that he was wearing.
"Twenty-three December," he said. She returned to organising her locker. "I had just begun having trouble reading."
"I see," she replied, trying to be sympathetic. She had never had to deal with near- or far-sightedness, and she felt sorry for those who did. Very few Chemistrians had eye troubles, and those who did generally had farsightedness.
"I don't feel like taking my glasses off and putting them back on all the time, so the top part of my glasses are clear," he said. This was obviously not that about which he was apprehensive about talking. "I wish the eye doctors would see fit to get the surgery technology from VideoLand," James continued. "Wearing glasses is not exactly the most pleasant activity in the galaxy."
She asked, "About what do you really want to talk?"
"It will sound as though I'm crazy."
"I already think you're crazy!" she exclaimed. "I don't think this will make much of a difference!"
"I'm trying to tell you something."
"Then bloody tell me!" Jane said, trying to avoid shouting. "I've been waiting!"
"All right! That's what I'm trying to do." He sighed. "It's hard." She looked at her watch. It was 7.45.
"You've got 20 minutes, bright boy," she said. " 'Cause I'm heading to class at 8.05."
"Doesn't start until 8.25," he told her. "Why're you going that early?"
"Arthur'll be there then," said Jane. "First period: Spanish II."
"Under whom?" he asked.
«El señor Felipe Menéndez {Áyl sáy-nyór fáy-lé-páy máy-náynh-dáyth} [Spanish] (Mr. Philip Menéndez) from MegaLand,» she said. He smiled.
"How come we always get the same classes?" he asked. She was nearly surprised. She then recalled that they had had the very same classes in the past.
"I'd like to know who schedules them," she said. "Too late to switch to German now." James snickered a little. "-Sigh!- Darn it, James. I tell you, I wish I could hang, draw, and quarter our dear class-scheduler for putting us in the same classes all the time."
"Do you regret having the same classes as I?"
"Could be worse, I suppose. There could be two of you."
"Well, I'll soon have a couple of siblings." She looked at him. "My mom's going to have twins sometime around 9 September."
"I see. I hope they don't wind up as irritating as you." He almost laughed. "My brother couldn't know that I had been coming."
"Right. You're just a year apart."
She found some of this interesting, but she was getting sick of waiting for him to tell her what he was meaning to tell her. "What is it, James? Do I need to read you telepathically to find out what it is?"
"No. I'll tell you." He sighed. "Jane, I wish I could tell this to you easily."
"I promise I won't throw you across the room, James!" she said sarcastically.
"I hope not." He decreased the volume in his voice. "Jane, I've not been able to get you off my mind this summer."
"Is that good or bad?"
"I wish I knew. I was wondering if you wanted someone to help you carry your books." That he sighed with relief told Jane that this was the issue he wished to address.
"Well, sure, but why would you do it?"
"I like you." That was what surprised the heck out of everyone. It was stated without hesitation and with as much honesty as he had ever directed towards anyone in his life, and he was a very honest boy.
"A few years ago, you hated me," she said. She was extremely surprised.
"No, I didn't," he said. "We may have severely disliked one another, but we've never hated one another."
"Oh, that is a new one," she said, amused.
"Well, Jane, it's true!" he exclaimed. He was beginning to get apprehensive and impatient. "I made you an offer. Do you accept or do you not?" Jane thought about it. She did not know whether she trusted him, but she did not want to argue. She was not in the mood. Plus, he seemed too distressed already.
"Very well," she told him. "You can take my Spanish and Chemistrian books." At the beginning years of school, not much emphasis was placed on the Chemistrian language but rather on the VideoLand English and French languages. Spanish, Italian, German, and Portuguese were optional. Jane removed her Spanish II book and her Chemistrian grammar book from the locker and handed them to James. She took her notebook and calculus book out of the locker and made sure that her pens and pencil were in the notebook. Before closing the locker, she made sure there was nothing else she needed to take. "Let's go, then, shall we?"
"Certainly," he said, his books being in his bag. The front door to the main building of the school, the northernmost point of the main building, was in front of a corridor that led out to the rear door, the southernmost point of the main building. Several metres in front of the main door was a corridor that led east and west. To the west were the rooms of the mathematics teachers. On the north wall were the rooms, on the south lockers. Jane's was about halfway down the hall. They proceeded west and arrived at a corridor that led south along the hall where the language teachers and library were. At that corridor, they turned south and went to the second door. "Here we are." She checked to see whether the door was locked, and it was. "Locked?" James asked. Jane nodded. She leant against the wall to the left of the door as viewed from the front. James joined her at her right. "About eighteen minutes to kill," said he.
"Yeah," she replied. "So, James, what's the deal? I throw a few pizzas at you, and you carry my books?"
"Jane, let's just forget about that. I like you."
"Since when?"
"I told you, since some time this summer. I said I couldn't get you off my mind." She looked at him. "I was afraid to admit in front of other people that I feel as though I have some attraction to you as well," she said quietly.
"Well, Jane, maybe we ought to try to have a better relationship."
"Most likely." She was nervous. They went through the day successfully, though they turned more than a few heads. First period was Spanish II, second was Telepathic Development IV, third was calculus, and fourth was Chemistrian grammar. They were working on the verb. As already stated, Chemistrian was similar in vocabulary to Italian. However, the changes that Chemistrian verbs underwent were due to several elements. That there was only one irregular verb - the one that meant 'to be' - helped, but simply mastering all the changes was difficult. Not many people could learn to speak Chemistrian perfectly. James and Jane were either lucky or extremely good. Most people had learned to speak English and French better than Chemistrian. French had many specific rules and many fewer verb forms than Chemistrian, and English, though it had a great deal of irregularity, did not use the subjunctive as often, and it had very few verb forms. Though it was optional, a great deal of people learned Italian. Its grammatical structure was close to French, and very nearly all its vocabulary was almost identical to Chemistrian's. Spanish and Portuguese were other major choices. More people tended to prefer Portuguese because few stem changes occurred in its verbs. German was also major because of its similarity in vocabulary to English, which had become the pre-eminent language on the planet. James and Jane took English and French all the years they were in school. They chose to learn Spanish along with other languages as well. They had not chosen this together, of course, but their individual decisions had led up to that choice. Jane had persuaded Arthur to take Spanish. He had already taken Portuguese. The major language of the planetary system holding 45% of VideoLand's population, Exor and Exorius, was Portuguese, and it was about to take over Spanish's position as the third-most-spoken language in the entire Kingdom of VideoLand. It is probably obvious that Exor and Exorius have more people per square kilometre than any other world in VideoLand; also, many other worlds had very tiny populations. Exor and Exorius, however, had many satellite colonies in the solar system, and also the two planets had an extensive underground system.
Suffice it to say that the two got through the day. They normally had no homework, for they were able to finish it in class. School ended at about 15.00 (3:00 P.M.), when they walked home that day. (Chemistra used the 24-hour system and had been since long before it even knew of VideoLand.) The school was near their houses, and Chemistrians believed in foot-power for such distances. Normally, the buses only ferried the students who lived farthest away, though they would transport others on days where the weather was dreadful. Even then, Jane and James lived so near that they would always have to walk, and the weather was usually nice throughout the year.
* * *
Jane's House, Southeastern District, Chemico-Physic City.
That evening, at about 19.00 (7:00 P.M.), Jane was sitting on a glider on the front porch of her home alone. She was reading a science-fiction mystery book about a diplomat murdered while en route to a planet for peace negotiations, and the VideoLand Police accused a certain man of the crime. He had hired a detective named Paul Drake to help him look for the actual murderer. The detective suggested that the man also check with Perry Mason, the famous defence lawyer. Perry Mason became the man's lawyer, but he put a young associate, Ken Malanski, to work going across the star group to find the murderer. Paul Drake's son, who was Paul Drake, Jr., another detective, aided Malanski. Jane was getting to the good part when she noticed James come out of his house. She put a bookmark in the book closed the book as James was coming across the street on the crosswalk at the traffic light; their houses were on the corner of the intersection of two streets. He stopped to shake his head in agitation as one motorist turned left on the red light. (This was not an action that crossed his path at all, but he still found it annoying.) Even though this would be analogous to turning right on red in the United States, which was thoroughly proper under certain circumstances, it was improper on Chemistra even under those same circumstances. Once Chemistra became a part of VideoLand, it would be illegal, but it would still be widely overlooked by law enforcement. Jane sighed in irritation at this, as well. Even children knew what traffic signals meant on Chemistra! (Of course, they had to. Pedestrians were expected to deduce from the traffic signals whether it was safe to cross, and the traffic signals were posted well for this purpose.)
James came up the sidewalk and went up the steps that led to the porch. "Hi, Jane!" he greeted enthusiastically.
Jane sighed. "Good evening," she greeted. "How are you?"
"I am very well," he replied. "And you?"
"I'm fine, thanks," she replied. He glanced at the book for a moment.
"I like Perry Mason, too," James told her. "We may share several common interests but don't know it."
"Could be. What exactly do you want?" she asked patiently.
"May I have a seat? I really want to talk to you."
"Sure." He sat down next to her on the glider. "James, exactly what is wrong?"
"I can't believe how stupid we've been, Jane. I mean, we're supposed to get along, right?"
"I suppose so. What's your point?" He put his left hand on her right one.
"Jane, I'm in love with you." Her eyes widened involuntarily. She could not believe what she had just heard him say. . . not immediately.
"Really?" She could not help feeling the very same thing. "James. . . I don't know what to say!" she exclaimed, practically in shock. She did not know what to tell him. "I. . . I. . ."
"Do you feel the same way about me? Just tell me, say yes or no," he said. He looked longingly into her eyes. To her, it felt as if magic had taken place. She felt greatly in love with this person who only a few years ago had seemed like her worst enemy; she had just not wanted to feel that way before. She smiled.
"Oh, James, I do!" They hugged each other. "We both know this is going to blow a few minds."
"Yeah," he said. "Especially our parents'." Jane almost laughed.
"Yes! They'll think we've gone out of ours!" They released each other. "James, I was afraid I couldn't admit that I feel a strong attraction to you. I was afraid you'd laugh."
"I was afraid you'd laugh, too," he said. "That's why I was so nervous this morning. Are you doing okay with verbs?" She sighed.
"Yes," she told him. "It'll take more than verb conjugation to keep us down, eh?" He patted her left shoulder with his right hand. She could not begin to think how wonderful that felt to her.
"Right, Jane," he replied. They closed their eyes and kissed for five seconds. . . five eternities, filled with the energy of love. It nearly overwhelmed them both. "You know," he told her when they had finished, "that felt great."
"Yes, it did," she agreed. "I can't think of anyone more appropriate for me to fall in love with than you."
"Thank you, Jane. I do feel the same way." He thought about something for a moment, then said, "We're just beginning puberty. We shouldn't do a lot."
"You're right, James," she told him. "Why, we're still practically children!"
"I know. We should spare much further activity until we get older."
"Right." She then whispered, "I absolutely refuse to make love until we marry, and I absolutely refuse to marry until we're 21."
"You read my mind," he assured her. "Do you absolutely refuse to go out for lunch at the mall this Saturday?"
"No," she told him. "Of course, I can't go if my parents refuse to let me."
"Will they let you?"
"I don't know. What about yours?"
"Maybe," said James. "I promise that I will ask them."
"Good," Jane said. "So, you're going to be a brother, eh?"
"Yes. To twins. . . a boy and a girl."
"If your parents make you stay home to care for them, I can come over and help you."
"Thanks." He sighed. "I have a funny feeling that's the only way I'll be able to see you when my parents decide to go out." He glanced at the book. "I haven't finished the last one yet. What's happening in this one?"
"Have you read the one where Perry Mason moves out to VideoLand, the first written by this author?" He nodded. "Well, apparently, a diplomat was murdered while en route to a planet for peace negotiations, and the VLPD accused a person of the crime. He had hired Paul Drake the Elder to help look for the actual murderer. The detective suggested that the person also check with Perry Mason. Mason became the man's lawyer, but he put his young associate, Ken Malanski, to work going across VideoLand to find the murderer. Paul Drake, Jr., aided Malanski. I think I'm at a really good part, but your arrival interrupted me."
"Sorry," he said.
"That's all right," she told him. "Worth it." She smiled, and he smiled back. "The hostilities were all my fault, I suppose."
"That's nonsense," he said logically. "They were our fault. Let's just learn from the past and then put it behind us, okay? Let's not repeat it."
"Okay," she agreed. "Maybe we should take Italian next semester. I know that its vocabulary is similar to Chemistrian but that its grammatical structure is closer to French."
"Not a bad idea," he told her. "You know, they say that great minds think alike." They smiled again. «Amorys eternys {ah-mó-rü sáy-táyr-nü},» he said.
"Yes," she responded. They kissed again.
A Chemistrian knew distinctly that he or she was in love. Also, it was permanent for life. The two talked a few minutes more, then James returned home. They began to work with one another very much as well as talk with each other very much. The fourth to first grades (eleventh to fourteenth grades) gave what Americans might consider a five-year college education. At 19, in the year 1987, the two were graduated from the Chemico-Physic School. The only differences in their curricula arose where the differences between chemistry and physics were concerned. As Jane's name might suggest, she took more physics, while James took more chemistry. His master's degree of science was in chemistry of all types and in general physics, while her master's of science was in physics of all types and in chemistry. They each obtained a master's degree of the arts in Chemistrian, English, French, Spanish, and Italian. On top of that, they each got a bachelor's degree of the arts in Portuguese and German. They were the only ones to take all the major languages offered at the school and obtain at least a bachelor's, so they earned a special award by the republic. By the end of school, James and Jane were voted the most likely to marry by their senior class. . . the very ones who remembered the despicable relationship they had had all the way back in thirteenth grade! Everyone recognised the irony in their relationship.
As has been noted, in 1986, Chemistra had applied for entrance into VideoLand as one of its republics. Also, Princess Lana's decision was to be formally made on 14 July 1993, which was Bastille Day 1993.
In 1986, the Brain Wars, thought to have ended long ago, recommenced. These wars were those wherein the vicious MotherBrain attempted to conquer VideoLand forcefully with the assistance of Ridley and Dr. Wily. She had already been laying some degree of siege for four years, but this was when she really started laying siege. MotherBrain banished King Charles, the benevolent absolute monarch of VideoLand, to a faraway place just before the application was turned in. The one who submitted the application noted that Princess Lana appeared extremely terrified yet courageous. In the same year, the planet system of Exor and Exorius was nearly ordered to secede from the kingdom; it did so willingly. They were farthest from the Palace, and Lana wanted to protect them from the MotherBrain. However, Exor and all the lands that it looked out for would soon have their own troubles. . .
In 1987, right after they had graduated from school, James and Jane became engaged. The age 21 was the age when a Chemistrian was considered mature, but one could start working at 19. (They could start driving at 16!) Jane's brother had gotten a well-paying job with only the bare minimum stress that was necessary the year before at a reputable power plant after he had graduated. That power plant had recyclers that could use the products of nuclear fission and make them useful instead of harmful, and Jane's brother played an important role in running the plant.
In 1981, on 10 September, James's brother and sister, Claras {klah-rah} (Clara) and Jovános {jó-va-nó} (John) had come into the world. James and Jane had been unable to go out at all during that summer and the year afterwards because his parents wanted him to help take care of the babies. Jane did help him when his parents went out. The children entered school on 1 January 1987. The experiences that James and Jane had had with them had brought the two of them even closer. In 1988, they began a business in which they imported rare chemicals from VideoLand. The venture soon turned out to be extremely profitable. Young James and Jane became famous and respected throughout the republic. Then, something happened to obliterate their happy little universe.
A mysterious, evil individual whose name was Sçarlos Nuclesís {shahr-ló nú-kláy-sih} (Charles Nuclesís {nú-klé-zihs}) and who claimed to come from another planet in the solar system came to town. He built his castle (though he called it his house) on the tallest peak of the forbidding Móntagner délor Atomor {mawnh-tah-nyáy deh-ló rah-tó-mó} (Atom Mountains), which was ironically known as Atom Mountain. The place looked thoroughly evil and probably was since the date of its construction, the only ominous sight near the capital city. Nuclesís dug into the lengthy caves and used them to construct an indestructible labyrinth rooting his castle into the mountain like a humongous weed. He tricked Jane's brother into visiting him. Poor Arthur was not wary enough, and Nuclesís destroyed his mind and took over his body as a means to perform his wicked deeds. This set James and Jane against Nuclesís. James took upon himself the duty of stopping Nuclesís's evil plots; he became a hero.
* * *
January 3, 1993.
Arthur Physicost's Lab, Chemico-Physic City, Chemistra.
On 3 January 1993, James and Jane, 251/2 years of age, decided to visit Arthur in the lattermost's lab. "Maybe, Jane, you should have stayed home," James said as they were walking down the hall of the building where her brother's lab was. They were now dressed in office suits, which suited (ha, ha) their particular job. James's glasses made him look quite distinguished. At the time, they stayed together in the same house, but they had not yet married. (They slept in separate rooms.) The engagement ring's diamond still shone brightly on Jane's finger.
"No, I shouldn't," she argued. "What if my brother tries to hurt you?"
"You worry too much. I'm stronger than he."
"I know, James, but I just don't like the idea of it. You know Nuclesís literally controls Arthur."
"Nuclesís," James announced, "is probably under MotherBrain's employ. I intend to capture that villain for his crimes." Nuclesís was now the requisite super-villain of Chemistra. The planet's history had begun peacefully, but now Nuclesís was tearing the world apart. Only James was able to stand up against the despicable person. James's face distinctly showed a frown of anger.
"I, for one, would like to help you."
"Jane, you love trouble too much. I should just lock you in a box somewhere where you won't get into danger." She chuckled.
"You've got the strangest sense of humour."
"I'm not trying to be funny, Jane. I just don't like it when you get in trouble."
"James, I can look out for myself, thank you very much."
He sighed. "All right, Jane, but don't blame me if you get hurt."
"Don't worry; I won't, James." Surprisingly, James and Jane looked very much alike. . . so much that they could be easily mistaken for twins. Their only physical differences existed where gender was concerned. He had the male reproductive organs, of course, and she the female. The only secondary difference that existed between them was that her breasts were slightly larger than his. Her frame was slightly smaller than his, but that said nothing about their strength. They even knew a bit of several fighting arts that were intended for defence.
When they arrived at the door to the lab, James pressed the signal. The door quietly slid open, and they entered. "Ah! Jane, James!" greeted Jane's brother. They had made an appointment. "Come in." He was at a sink. "Be careful. I'm performing a dangerous experiment."
"Arthur," Jane said, "we need to talk. Nuclesís. . ."
"You shut up about that, little sister!" barked Arthur. "Just because he's mysterious doesn't mean he's evil!"
"Of course the simple fact that he's mysterious doesn't mean he's evil, Arthur," said James. "Chemistrians are taught to know better. However, he is evil. I've stopped his crimes several times."
"Yeah? Look, James, what Nuclesís does is none of your business."
"Oh, really?" James asked. He showed Arthur a card that showed his status. James and Jane belonged to the Secret division of the N-Team; they had joined soon after the race against the Brain-Team. Only the members of the N-Team knew of it. "What do you think this means?" Arthur smiled evilly.
"Well, now that you put it that way! Your dear Arthur is no longer on the mortal plane, my dear N-Teamsters! Nuclesís killed him and is controlling this body with the help of the evil MotherBrain!"
"So, Nuclesís is affiliated with that stinking cerebrum," James said. "I knew it all along!"
"Of course, you twit! She and her evil stepson, Prince Ludwig von(Bowser)Koopa, plan to rule VideoLand and the entire galaxy! And I'm going to make sure you don't tell another soul. . . either of you!" Arthur drew a phaser-pistol and fired at Jane and James. They dodged his blast. James kicked the pistol out of Arthur's hand. He tried to get it, but Arthur knocked him out of the way with a punch to the chest. Arthur regained possession of the gun. "Say your prayers, Chemsos!" Jane swung her leg low to the floor and cut across Arthur's knees. The gun fell out of his hand and into James's. Arthur fell onto his right side on the floor. He got up and lunged angrily at James and would have grabbed his throat, but in self-defence James shot him before he got twenty centimetres. Arthur fell forward onto his chest. James then checked the setting. He was horrified.
"Oh, my God!" cried James. "The pistol was set to kill!" It was then that Jane noticed the security cameras were operating.
"The cameras are on our side," she noted. "Call the police."
"I don't need you to tell me twice," James told her. "Don't even need you to tell me once!" He went over to the telephone.
"You have to call the VLPD at the Palace of Power," she told him. "The homicide squad here on Chemistra is undergoing structural change, so VideoLand's homicide squad is filling in. I suggest asking for Lieutenant Tragg." He nodded. He went to the telephone and dialled the appropriate number.
"Hello, police?" said James. "Please connect me with Lieutenant Arthur Tragg."
* * *
January 4.
Perry Mason's Suite, Hotel of Lake Electros, just outside Physica, Chemurope, Chemistra.
The next day, they were speaking with Perry Mason. He was taking a vacation on Chemistra, so James and Jane decided to visit him in the hotel where he was staying. He had turned one of the rooms of his suite into a temporary office, and his confidential secretary Della Street, taking notes, was sitting beside his desk. "Well," said Mason, "you do seem to be in quite a fix."
"I admit I did it, Mr. Mason," said James. "However, I honestly did it in self-defence. I would never kill anyone in any other way."
"Very well," Mason said. "I am permitted to serve as counsel here under the VideoLand clause that a lawyer and police may serve in a member nation, in a territorial nation, in an applicant nation, or in an allied nation if that nation agrees to allow it. I wonder if Hamilton Burger will be prosecuting."
"Burger," Jane said. "Your adversary."
"Yes," Mason replied. "Most of the time. Ma'am, are you Miss or Mrs.?"
"Technically, it's neither," she told him. "It's signorinas {sé-nyó-ré-nah} [Chemistrian], but it means Miss."
Mason said, "I see. Signorinas Physicost, your testimony will be of great importance. Mr. Burger will try to make it out to seem that Mr. Chemsos committed this murder with preconception. In fact, he's trying to make such a charge right now."
"That would put me in a spot," said James. "Lately, it seemed that Arthur Physicost was being a little hostile vocally with Jane, and I love her."
"I guess I'm supposed to dislike James for killing my brother, but I just can't," Jane added. "Ever since Arthur first met Charles Nuclesís, he's been more than a little vocally hostile with me."
"I am a fellow N-Team member," said Mason. "I'll have Ken Malanski investigate this Nuclesís's past. He may be a secret Brain-Team member. Anyway, the Extended N-Team and the Royal VideoLand Advisory Committee know of your world's applied entrance into VideoLand."
"Is the princess still going to make her decision on Bastille Day this year?" Jane asked.
"As far as I know, she is," Mason said. "Your planet has had a peaceful history, yet Chemistrians are among the physically strongest races known in the galaxy. You're also one of the mentally strongest."
"Thank you," said James. "Of course, we don't exactly have the easiest native language in the galaxy. We thank VideoLand for giving us the Romance Languages and the Germanic Languages. We most quickly adopted English, French, and Italian. Jane and I learned Spanish, German, and Portuguese in addition to those. We're also two of the few to master Chemistrian itself."
"I see," Mason said. "What's your language like?"
"Almost entirely identical in vocabulary to Italian. However, the grammar for verbs is much, much more complex. No auxiliaries are used at all. There are, of course, the two voices, active and passive. There are several moods: the indicative, the subjunctive, the imperative, the permittive, the necessitative, to name the most common. There are many tenses. The tense divisions are perfect, present, and future. Each division has the following tenses: present perfective, present imperfective, past perfective, past imperfective, future perfective, future imperfective, conditional perfective, and conditional imperfective. The perfective tenses indicate that the action is completed within a specific time frame. The imperfective tenses don't indicate a stop in the action. The imperfective is similar to the English progressive, but other factors are involved. Someone can say something improperly so easily in Chemistrian with the wrong verb form.
"Most people who do speak Chemistrian use Improper Chemistrian, which came up two centuries ago. It has been designated as 'improper' by the sick grammarians. You see, centuries ago, some wackos in our government decided to create a Grammar Society that governs the vocabulary and usage of the Chemistrian language; all it does, basically, is attempt to keep the language stagnant. Improper Chemistrian is easier than Proper Chemistrian because it simplifies the verb forms to something like the way Italian uses them. Those crazy grammarians on the Grammar Society refuse to allow Improper Chemistrian to replace Proper Chemistrian, but it would greatly simplify the language. They'd rather let our language disappear underneath English and French. Not that I have any problem with either language, mind you, but I am still patriotic."
"What do you think?" asked Mason.
"I think," said James, "that those grammarians should shut up and just concede. Proper Chemistrian is extremely difficult. There is only one irregular verb, the one that means 'to be.' It can be difficult mastering the conjugation."
Mason said, "I see. Well, signorinos {sé-nyó-ré-nó} [Chemistrian] (Mr. [with an unmarried man]) Chemsos, I'll get started as your attorney."
James removed a card from his left breast-pocket. "I'll give you a retainer," James said. Mason got a small device from inside his desk and put it on top. James inserted the top of the card, on the back of which was a magnetic strip, into the front side of the device and stared into a retina eye scanner on top. When the words 'identification verified' appeared in a window below the scanner, he said, "Transfer VL£19 000." He then removed the card. When the words 'transfer complete' appeared in the window, Mason removed the device from the desktop and replaced it to where it had been. "Thank you for representing me, Mr. Mason."
"It's a pleasure," Mason said.
Jane asked, "Mr. Mason, which languages do you speak?"
"Well, naturally, I speak English," Mason answered. "I also speak French and Spanish. I understand Portuguese and Italian."
"In a Chemistrian courtroom, either English, Proper Chemistrian, French, or Italian must be spoken," said Jane. "However, if one does not speak either, one may wear a translator that translates from one's own language to English, Proper Chemistrian, French, or Italian when one speaks and from Proper Chemistrian, French, or Italian to one's own language when one is spoken to. You may understand the most basic Proper Chemistrian, as you understand Italian, but you may not understand complicated verb forms, like parlatohavego {pahr-lah-tó-hah-váy-gó} [Chemistrian] (I have spoken). That is the first person present perfective perfect of the indicative mood of the active voice of the verb parlare {pahr-lah-ráy} [Chemistrian], which means 'to speak.' "
Mason asked, "So, it means 'I have spoken'?"
"Exactly," Jane told him. The door opened. Lieutenant Tragg entered.
"Good day, Mason," said Tragg.
"Hello, Lieutenant," said Mason. "Guys, meet Lieutenant Arthur Tragg."
"Good day, Lieutenant," said James, getting up. "I am signorinos James Chemsos, the person who called you yesterday."
"Hello, signorinos Chemsos," Tragg said. "I'm afraid I'll have to take you to Headquarters for questioning."
"I know my rights," said Chemsos. "I do not have to answer any questions without my attorney present. And I'm happy to say that, no, Mr. Mason did not have to tell me that."
"Well, then, we'll try this the hard way," said Tragg. "Ma'am, what is your name?"
"I am signorinas Jane Physicost," Jane answered. "According to a law of this nation, one that VideoLand supports and will continue to support if this world becomes a member, one does not have to answer questions whose answers may incriminate one's Amorys eternys {ah-mó-rü sáy-táyr-nü} [Chemistrian] (eternal love). Mine is James."
"Are you sure?" asked Tragg.
"Of course I'm sure, Lieutenant," Jane said. "I've known it since I was thirteen."
"Very well," said Tragg. "Aren't you mad that signorinos Chemsos killed your brother?"
"No, since killing someone in self-defence is no felony," Jane said. "I would be extremely angry at Arthur if he had succeeded in murdering James, though. Arthur would have committed two second-degree murders, or possibly first-degree."
"Well, I'll let the court decide whether signorinos Chemsos killed in self-defence," Tragg informed her.
"Wait a minute," Mason said. "Do you have a warrant for arrest?" Tragg smiled.
"I knew you were going to ask, Perry," said Tragg, smiling. Proud of himself, he removed a document from his inner left coat pocket and showed it to Mason. "All signed and legal."
Mason briefly examined it. It bore Lana's signature (which was obviously correct, because she slanted her words to the left more than any other left-handed person he knew) and the Royal Seal of VideoLand. "I'm afraid you'll have to go with the lieutenant, signorinos Chemsos."
"I figured," James said.
"May I have a word with James before you take him in?" asked Jane. Tragg nodded.
Mason said, "Use the room over there." He pointed to a door. "I assure you, Tragg, there's no method of escape from there."
"I should hope not," Tragg said. James and Jane went into the room and shut the door.
"I forbid you to stick your neck out for me," said James. He knew it was useless for him to say that; it never worked. Jane loved him like Thunderian twins loved each other. Of course, he returned it in full measure.
"It's a sure thing that Burger will try to have the trial held in the Palace," Jane said. "I know some things that no one else does, like the fact that the security camera was running when my brother attacked. My telepathic sensations had been telling me that he hasn't been himself since he first met with Nuclesís. That tape can show that you were only acting in self-defence, and my testimony can back up the fact that Arthur was literally not himself."
"Okay," said James. "When are you going to bring up the fact that the security tape exists?"
"I'm going to tell Mason here after Tragg has gone; then, I'll do it on the witness stand if Burger calls me. I'm sure Mason's going to try to get a preliminary hearing. It's his usual M.O."
"Certainly. Now, don't go out on any limbs, Jane."
"I can take care of myself, James!" They kissed for a few moments. "Let's go." They went back into Mason's office. "Okay, Lt. Tragg."
"I understand your status as an outstanding member of the Chemistrian community, signorinos Chemsos," said Tragg. "I will not handcuff you unless need be."
James said, "Thank you. I can promise that you won't need to. See you later, Jane."
"See you later, James. Lt. Tragg." Tragg nodded. He and James left.
"Undoubtedly," Mason said, "Burger will try to have the case tried in the Palace. Nothing wrong with that, of course. The court will have a judge from around here supervising what's going on and how the judge representing the court is conducting the case."
"I've read about you, Mr. Mason," Jane said. "You're a good lawyer."
"Thank you, signorinas Physicost."
"Now, when the stuff in my brother's lab was going on, a security camera was recording the events. The camera was hidden, and only I knew of its presence, but the police were not likely to, and even a thorough search might not bring it up."
"That might prove useful," said Della.
"Yes. I agree. Get Paul for me," Mason said. Della nodded. She took the phone and dialled the Drake Detective Agency.
"Hello, ma'am," said Della. "Is Mr. Paul Drake, Sr., in? . . . Can you connect me with him? . . . Thank you." She waited for a moment. "Hello, Paul, this is Della. . . . Yes, Perry needs you for something. Here he is." She handed the receiver to Mason, who took it.
"Hello, Paul," said Mason. "Come out here. . . . What's that? . . . No, Paul, just drop it for now. . . . Paul, please just get out here to where I am. . . . Okay. See you in a moment." He hung up. A warp opened in the room, and Paul Drake, Sr., came out.
"Damn, Perry," said Drake. "Every time I get a case exclusively of my own. . ."
"Complaint registered," said Mason. "I'll make it up to you later, but now, I need some help."
"Well, I'm here," Paul said. "What is it?"
"Know about Miss Jane Physicost and Mr. James Chemsos?"
"Sure. Most outstanding members of the Chemistrian community; importers of extremely valuable substances that are not found on Chemistra."
"Exactly. This is Miss Physicost." Drake turned and saw Jane.
"Good day, ma'am," he said to her.
"Good day, Mr. Drake," Jane replied. She and Drake shook hands. "It is good to meet you."
"A pleasure." He turned back to Mason. "Now, Perry, what's the matter?"
"Mr. Chemsos is the Chemistrian equivalent of Miss Physicost's fiancé," explained Mason. "In self-defence, he recently killed her brother. Tragg thinks Chemsos had other motives. Mr. Physicost had been acting strangely, according to Miss Physicost."
"Yes," Jane said. "I deduced that he was literally not himself in mind. He told us himself that Nuclesís had killed his mind but not his body and had taken over his body. He said that Nuclesís was working with MotherBrain and that it was she who had helped Nuclesís to gain control of Arthur's body. I am assuming, of course, that what 'Arthur' has told me is true."
"Hamilton's going to have a field day with this case," Mason said. "Paul, get your son on this case. We may need his legwork."
"Yes, Perry," Drake said.
Jane said, "Don't dare try to tell me not to help, Mr. Mason. It won't work." Mason smiled.
"I wouldn't dream of it, Miss Physicost," Mason said. "You may help, if you wish."
"Thank you, sir."
A communications console on the desk beeped. Mason pressed the red button. "Yes?" he said. "This is Perry Mason on Chemistra."
"This is Wilykit, Mr. Mason," replied Wilykit. "Do you mind if we warp over to your hotel room, or are you busy?"
"Sure, come on over," Mason said. "And who's 'we'?"
"Wilykat and I!"
"All right. But I've heard some negative comments about him from Darkwing."
"Not a nanogram of which is true, you understand."
Mason smiled. "Yeah. Come on. I just might have something for you two to do."
"All right! We're on our way! Wilykit. . ."
"Wait a minute. Have Tygra and Lion-O approved of this little trip?"
"Yes, they have, Mr. Mason. In fact, I even called and got Steelheart's approval! How's that?"
Mason smiled again. She knew how to cover her bases. "Very good, Wilykit. Come on over."
"Thanks, Mr. Mason. Wilykit out."
The communications console turned itself off. Jane said, "Her name and voice seem familiar, but. . ."
"Heard of the Thunder Cats?" Mason asked when she trailed off.
"Yes."
"Well, she and her twin brother are the youngest members of that, ah, association. They're also two of the most cunning members of the N-Team. Tygra said they were very intelligent on their homeworld of Thundera, but the gases used in their suspension capsules covered up their highly advanced learned skills and their natural super-strength. The effects of the gases are rapidly wearing off, more quickly in Wilykit than in her brother. However, Tygra estimates that the effects in both will have worn off by July."
A warp opened. Wilykit and Wilykat came out of it; Jane saw that they were about her height, and to her they seemed to be in their adolescent stage, though they had none of the acne that plagued human teenagers. Jane felt that if she had not been engaged to James, she might even have been attracted to Wilykat. No, would have been attracted to him. "Hello, Wilytwins," said Mason.
"Hi, Mr. Mason," said Wilykat in his resonant high tenor tone. He loved this range; Thunderians were capable of a range wider than the piano, but Wilykat preferred the heldentenor range. "How's your trip here so far?"
"Fine, except everywhere I go, murder turns up," said Mason. "I feel like Jessica Fletcher." Wilykit giggled slightly; she had been reading some books concerning Jessica Fletcher. "But pardon me. Wilytwins, meet Jane Physicost, the fiancée of my most recent client. Miss Physicost, these are the Wilytwins. She is Wilykit, and he is her younger twin brother, Wilykat."
Since Wilykit put her hand out first, Jane shook her hand. "Hello, Miss Physicost," Wilykit said. Wilykit preferred the high soprano range.
"Hello, Wilykit," Jane replied. She then shook hands with Wilykat. "Hello, Wilykat."
"Hello, Miss Physicost. So," asked Wilykat, "what's the problem?"
"First," said Mason, "swear to me, Thunder Kittens, that by your Code of Thundera, you will treat what she tells you in confidence."
"I solemnly swear by the Code of Thundera, set forth to the Thunderians by Jaga, that I shall treat this matter in confidence," said Wilykit, holding her right hand horizontally across her chest in the Thunderian salute.
Wilykat made the salute that she had just made. "I swear the same oath," he stated solemnly.
"Good," said Mason. "Now, since you are as my secretary, we shall tell you what's going on. Obviously, nowhere I go is free of murder." The Wilytwins smiled at him. "Now, then, Miss Physicost's fiancé, James Chemsos, has been murdered for the arrest of her brother."
"What!" Jane screamed, amused.
"Excuse me!" Mason exclaimed. "I mean he's been arrested for the murder of her brother! How'd I slip like that?" Wilykat giggled, but Wilykit discreetly shut him up.
Wilykit said, "I see. You still love your fiancé, Miss Physicost?"
"Of course I do," said Jane. "However, I intend to do serious harm to Charles Nuclesís. He destroyed my brother's mind, turned my brother into his puppet. Furthermore, Nuclesís is allied with the evil MotherBrain."
"Oh, God! It seems that no world is free of the Brain-Team, either, Mr. Mason," said Wilykit.
"Let me go to Metroid, Wilykit," begged Wilykat. "I want to trash the brain's lair!"
"Wilykat, you can't even trash our own bedroom. Keep quiet unless you have something important to say, okay?"
"That's cruel, Wilykit, you know that?" "What part?"
"That I can't trash our room!"
Smiling, Mason said, "If you two continue this, I may be forced to voice a slight complaint to Tygra and revoke my invitation."
"Okay," said Wilykit.
"Now, Paul, his son, and Ken are going to investigate this case. James killed Jane's brother in self-defence; that's what I must prove. Hamilton's going to try to prove that James killed cold-bloodedly."
"Jane told us about a security tape in her brother's office," said Drake. "We should get it."
"Okay," said Wilykit. "What do you need us for?"
Mason said, "First of all, I want you to get me a search warrant from the princess."
"Very well. What do we tell her?"
"Just tell her that Paul Drake needs a warrant to search Arthur Physicost's office for his security tape."
"I'll come along," Jane said. "I know the exact location of the security camera. In my brother's office."
"All right. Wilykit, promise me you'll try to keep her away from the Justice Ducks."
"Why?" asked Wilykit.
"So they won't drive her crazy."
Jane said, "Oh, you don't have to worry about that. James's brother and sister have already done so. He and I used to take care of them when his parents went out."
"Well," said Drake, "I'd better get going if I'm going to stay ahead of Tragg."
"See you, Paul," Mason said. Drake left through the warp that had brought him.
"We don't have any warp formula, Mr. Mason," said Wilykit.
Mason said, "Okay. Della?"
Della got up and went over to a cabinet. She opened it, revealing it was full of warp formulas. She took one and handed it to Wilykit. "Here, Wilykit," said Della. "It'll last if you use a little at the time."
"All right," said Wilykit. "Thank you, Miss Street." She carefully poured out just enough to open a warp. "We'll be back with that warrant soon, I warrant."
"Glad to hear that," said Mason.
Wilykit, Wilykat, and Jane entered the warp, which took them to the warp room of the Palace of Power.
* * *
Control Room, Tourian, Metroid, just outside Chemistra's Solar System.
"Curses!" cried MotherBrain. "Perry Mason and that Jane Physicost will ruin my plan, not even to speak of those accursèd Thunder Kittens!"
"Want us to get 'em?" asked Eggplant Wizard, referring to himself and King Hippo.
"No, fool! You'd bungle it big-time, the both of you. We need to call Nuclesís." She pressed a button on a console. "MotherBrain calling Nuclesís. Come in."
Charles Nuclesís popped on the screen. His black W-shaped moustache and dark glasses alone would tell who he was. He was a little under Kevin's height. He was quite big-boned; one could tell he ate very well but neglected his exercise. Like Chemistrians, he had pale skin. His face was quite pleasant to look at, as were his pearly teeth. He wore a black suit with a cape flowing behind. "Nuclesís here, MotherBrain," he replied in his German-accented baritone voice. "What's happening?"
"The N-Team is meddling with your affairs on Chemistra," said MotherBrain. "Perry Mason is going to defend James Chemsos."
"That did not go as I had intended in the first place, blast it all! Arthur Physicost's body was to kill Jane Physicost and James. Apparently, James was too powerful. I hate him. He is to me what Captain N is to you."
"Hm. Does he know you're from MegaLand and have only half-Chemistrian blood and that of the remaining half, half is MegaLandian and half is Hyrulian?"
"No, but everyone knows I'm not telling the truth about my origin, either."
"The two Paul Drakes and Ken Malanski are investigating the case for Mason, while Jane Physicost and the Thunder Kittens are going to Princess Lana for a search warrant."
"A search warrant? What do the fools expect to find?"
"A tape from a security camera in Arthur Physicost's lab. It seems that the three's actions there have been recorded for posterity."
Nuclesís's eyes widened in horror, and MotherBrain could see this because his black eyebrows went up above the rim of his sunglasses. "Oh, damn it! There was a camera! I can't be seen trying to get it, nor my lackeys; my ties with this case would be revealed."
"Worry not, Nuclesís. I'll send Mumm-ra to snatch it. His magical powers will let him get there unnoticed."
"Yes. Yes! Ha, ha! And if he is seen, his presence can be attributed to the Wilytwins. Ha, ha!"
"He can deal with the twits easily. In fact, Lion-O may not get there in time to stop their destruction!" The two villains enjoyed a fit of despicable laughter.