Throne Room, Palace of Power.

Kid Icarus was watching the monitors.  "Uh, excuse me, Princess-icus."

            Princess Lana, Kevin, and Steelheart went over to him.  "Yes?" asked Lana.

            "On MegaLand-icus, 1 000 years have just passed in exactly one second-ius!"

            "Explain."

            "It was sealed off from VideoLand for one second after Samus's ship had left MegaLand.  During that second, that land aged exactly one millennium."

            "MotherBrain!" whispered Kevin.  She had to be behind this.  Dr. Wily or ProtoMan - only the evil Dr. Wily or his assistant ProtoMan - could execute such a disgusting plan for her.

            Steelheart's communicator beeped.  More trouble, she thought as she heard MegaMan's voice.  "MegaMan to Commander Steelheart.  There is a slight problem in MegaLand."  Steelheart braced herself as she tapped her communicator.

            "Steelheart here," responded the commander.  "What just happened there?"

            "Come here, please!  I can explain it better to you if you are here."

            "All right," said Steelheart.  "Captain N can come with me, right?"

            After a moment, MegaMan responded, "Yes."

            "The Enterprise and the Kazara are going to MegaLand," said Steelheart.

            "Very well.  They have clearance to enter," said MegaMan.  "MegaMan out."  Kevin went over to Commander Steelheart, who tapped her communicator.

            "N-Team Transporter, transport two to MegaMan's current vicinity," Steelheart ordered.  They were transported.

            * * *

            Control Room, Metroid.

            The reader should note the omittance of the adverb 'there' at the end of the last sentence in the previous scene.  That was deliberate.  MotherBrain had ordered the Brain-Team's warping system to catch Steelheart, Kevin, or both if either or both attempted to transport to MegaLand and to warp them to Metroid.  MotherBrain was happy when a warp opened in a glass prison in the room and was even happier when she saw Steelheart and Kevin materialise in the prison and in front of the warp.  The warp closed.  "WHAT?!?" Steelheart exclaimed in surprise.

            "Ha, ha, ha!" laughed MotherBrain.  "That was so easy it ought to be criminal!  In fact, it was criminal!  My warp nabbed you when you attempted to transport to MegaLand."  A warp opened in front of the main navigational control station.  Ludwig 'Kooky' von(Bowser)Koopa emerged.  "Ah, my dear, evil stepson.  These N-Team fools got caught in my transporter trap."

            Ludwig smiled.  "Excellent, MotherBrain," he said.  "Your plans are working perfectly.  The Metroid larva, Zebes, MegaLand's acceleration. . . yes.  Now will come your next target."  He turned to Kevin and Steelheart.  "The leaders of the N-Team.  A pleasure to be your hosts, my friends.  We've reserved the worst accommodations on Metroid for you.  They even have an A-rating. . . A for atrocious!  Ha, ha, ha!"

            "Oh, I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am," Steelheart said sarcastically.  "I'm sure we'll enjoy the stay."

            "I'm glad," said Ludwig.  "You'll have a nice, long one."

            MotherBrain added, "You can even have fun talking with Jean-Luc, Worf, Darkwing, and Kranos!  How's that?"  Steelheart was not happy with the situation.  She tapped her communicator, which made no sound.  She attempted to blast the glass to pieces with a laser-beam from her shoulder-laser, but the former absorbed the latter.

            "Damn it," Steelheart muttered.

            "If you exhibit good behaviour, you will die painlessly once we have captured the Thunder Kittens," Ludwig said.  "Try to escape, however, and you'll be executed immediately by a disruptor set at level 3.  Very painful, you know.  I would demonstrate, but I may still require the services of King Hippo and Eggplant Wizard."

            "You'll be taking the express route to your cell!" MotherBrain informed the two.  "Too bad I can't say it's been nice knowin' you, good-guy-creeps!"  She pulled a fat, black lever on a control panel.  The floor under the two disintegrated.  Steelheart caught Kevin and used her heel-jets to make the descent gradual.  "Oh, you cheated!"

            "Look who's talking!" replied Steelheart as she and Kevin descended beneath the floor.

            "The Warbird is near the Borg ship," Ludwig told MotherBrain.  "I have the perfect EM-frequency for making them think I'm the controlling force of their collective."

            "So, you control them?"

            "Yes.  I also learned some surprising stuff.  For example, I've learned that the Borg originate from the Wilykat-Race."  MotherBrain's eyes widened in surprise.

            "Really?"

            "Wilykat prisoners who escaped from a prison on Old Thundera's sister planet Thunderius a few centuries ago hijacked a ship and escaped to the Galaxy of Léi.  They were not nearly so powerful or so smart as the Wilytwins' ancestors of that day, but they were enough of each to be able to beat it.  Their philosophy was Unitism, based on the premise that everyone must not only have the mind of the collective but the very same mental and physical abilities as well..  Also, they thought that no one should have emotions because emotional reactions are individual.  Those prisoners' beliefs and actions in attempting to force unwilling participants to join them were what got them life-imprisonment on Thundera.

            "In the Galaxy of Léi, they used the advanced microcircuitry of the time to create implants that would perform their purposes.  Thus, the Borg race was born, their name originating from the word 'cyborg.' "

            "This is all very interesting," MotherBrain said.

            Ludwig continued, "Now, their innermost feelings would have them regret what they did, but their microcircuitry overrides that feeling."  He smiled wickedly.  "And I control the circuitry now.  The Borg are the Brain-Team's for the commanding.  I have a fitting end for those good-guys in our basement.  It isn't physical execution."

            MotherBrain's wicked smile dominated her face.  "You're going to have the Borg assimilate those six pests, aren't you?"

            "You know me well, Mother!  Keep up the evilly good work at this end."

            "You at yours as well, Ludwig," said MotherBrain.  Ludwig took a beaker out of his shell and poured its contents on the floor.  A warp opened in front of him.

            "Good-bye!" said he, entering the warp.

            "See you later!" MotherBrain replied.  By the time the warp had closed, she was ready to commence the next part of her plan.

            * * *

            Dr. Wright's Former Lab, Monsteropolis, Earth, MegaRepublic.

            MegaMan was concerned.  Something had to be wrong.  With only very few exceptions, Steelheart was around within half a minute, whether or not it was of importance.  This was of extreme importance in the minds of many MegaRepublicans.  "Where is she?" asked MegaMan.  "She's never been late like this."

            X suggested, "Maybe MotherBrain captured Steelheart while Steelheart was transporting here."

            "Yes; that seems to be something that MotherBrain would do," MegaMan said.  "I'll call Lion-O.  He's directly below Steelheart and Captain N in the N-Team's chain of command."

            X suggested, "Let's connect our systems so that we may understand all of each other's languages."  He removed his right hand.

            "What a good idea!" said MegaMan, removing his left hand.  "Let's do it!"  They connected their arms, X's right to MegaMan's left.  As their systems spoke exactly the same language, the interaction was easy.  Within seconds, their vocal and visual language files were identical.  "There!  It worked!"

            "Yup!  Are you going to call Lion-O, my brother?"  Brother. . . MegaMan liked the sound of that.  It sounded much better coming from X than from ProtoMan.

            "Yes, X."

            MegaMan tapped his communicator and said, "I'll call the Palace first, though.  MegaMan to the Palace of Power."

            "Palace here," replied Kid Icarus.  "Lana's coming to my terminal, MegaMan."

            "Lana here," said Princess Lana.  "What's wrong, MegaMan?"

            "Have our mega-commandress and Captain N left yet, Your Highness?"

            "Why, yes, MegaMan.  Aren't they there?"

            "No," said MegaMan.  "How about we get the Lord of the Thunder Cats or his number-one in here, Princess?"

            "Right," Lana said.  "I'll soon be there with Lion-O, Tygra, or both.  Lana out."

            * * *

            Control Room, Cat's Lair, third-Earth.

            Tygra and Cheetara were keeping watch that early morning.  Tygra was at the main monitor, Cheetara at a terminal behind and to the left of it.  "So," said Cheetara, "what'd you think of the dinner?"

            "Hm," replied Tygra.  "Amicable, at least.  Too bad that viper, Ludwig, is luring Cardassia into his jaws."

            "Yeah," said Cheetara.  "I wonder how the Kittens're doing out there.  I miss them, you know."

            "Yeah, so do I.  It's good for them, though, to get away from the Lair for a few days.  Do you think Wilykit's got a good Amoro Eternamente, Cheetara?"

            "Yeah."  She smiled at him.  "I certainly have one."

            He smiled back.  "Thank you, Cheetara.  I love you."  Something beeped on his console.  "Incoming transport from the Palace."  They had to install that feature.  The Thunder Cats were edgy people, and they disliked anyone arriving unannounced.  Just because there were only the nine of them left.  At least this feature helped to keep them off edge.  As soon as he had finished speaking, Princess Lana materialised in the centre of the control room.  "Welcome, Princess Lana."

            "Thank you, Tygra, but something's wrong in VideoLand," said Lana.  "Tygra, MegaMan requests that either you or Lion-O come to MegaLand.  The country was just caught in a time envelope or something for one second.  During that second, one millennium passed on MegaLand."

            Tygra said, "Hm.  I suspect foul play.  Foul play from a cerebrum a megatrillion times as foul."

            "MotherBrain would set forth such a plan," said Lana.  "I do suspect her."

            Cheetara asked, "And what about Commander Steelheart and Captain N?"

            "MegaMan originally requested their presence in MegaLand, but he just called back and said that the two hadn't gotten there.  They were at the Palace when he first called, and they did leave immediately afterwards."

            "I even more acutely smell Ms. Big-Brain's tentacle in this," Tygra said.

            "That isn't all!"  Lana said, excited.  "MotherBrain's Zebesian base and the rest of Zebes just flew back together, and Ridley ripped off the Metroid larva and is at Zebes."

            "Interesting," said Tygra.  "Cheetara, hold down the fortress, if you please.  I'm going to check this out."

            "Okay, Tygra," Cheetara said.  "Have a blast."

            "Thanks."  He got up and went over to Lana while he tapped his communicator.  "N-Team Transporter, transport two to MegaMan's current vicinity."  They were transported there.

            * * *

            Dr. Wright's Former Lab, Monsteropolis, Earth, MegaRepublic.

            MegaMan was not so concerned that Lana was not there within a small amount of time because she was going to bring someone from another place.  Needless to say, he was relieved to see two figures transport into the room.  Lana and Tygra.  "Boy, I am glad to see you, Lana and Tygra!  This is X,. . ."  He indicated X, who made a small, polite bow.  ". . .and this is Dr. Cain."  He indicated Cain.  "X and Cain, to you I present Princess Lana of VideoLand. . ."  He indicated Lana.  ". . .and Tygra, the First Officer of the Thunder Cats."  He indicated Tygra.  "Tygra, which languages do you speak?"

            "Well, other than English, Ancient Thunderian, Thunderian Portuguese, and Thunderian Greek, I know French and Italian," said Tygra.  "I also know some German and some Castilian Spanish."

            "We ought to use English," Lana said.  "It's one language we can all understand reasonably well."

            "Yes," agreed Cain.  "Let's speak English."

            "The Thunder Kittens should be here, too," said Tygra.

            "That's okay," said Lana.  "Why don't you call them?"

            "Sure."

            * * *

            Observation Lounge, Enterprise.

            Wesley's news had its impact on Wilykat and Jayna.  "The only other person who may know about this is Zan," finished Wesley.  "No one can know of it."

            "Exactly why not?" Jayna asked.

            Wilykit answered, "This kind of thing could be disastrous if anyone we might tell didn't understand."

            "Well, maybe it's not so critical where you guys are concerned," said Wesley.  "Your abilities would generally be more credible than mine.  For example, who would believe me able to withstand the heat of Zebesian Norfair?"

            "While the Wilykat-Race evolved the ability to withstand ten times that much heat 112 generations ago," said Wilykit.

            "Precisely."

            "Meanwhile, let's think about what that gross, disgusting cerebrum is up to," said Wilykat.

            �MaterCerebrum {Mah-táyr-cháy-reh-bruhm} [Latin] (MotherBrain)," Wesley interjected.

            Jayna said, "Yeah, and what's the story about MegaLand?"

            "We'll soon find out, Jayna," said Wesley.  "I think we'll arrive there in a few minutes."

            Tygra's voice came from the Thunder Kittens' communicators.  "Wilykit and 'Kat, this is Tygra.  Respond, please."

            Wilykat tapped his.  "We're here, Tygra," said Wilykat.

            "I'm in MegaLand, which the inhabitants now call the MegaRepublic.  I may need your help over here."

            "Sure!" Wilykit said.  "We'll be there in a moment."  Wilykat wanted to say something entirely to the contrary.

            "Thank you," said Tygra.  Wilykat's communicator beeped.

            "Look, sis!" Wilykat said to his sister.  "He didn't even tell us what he needed."

            "Let's just go!  We can quibble later, younger brother!" said Wilykit.  If Wilykat were the older sibling, he could tell Wilykit what to do.  That was the only thing he hated about their relationship, that Wilykit could tell him what to do just because she was first out of the womb.

            "Oh, all right!" Wilykat snapped.  Jayna put her hand on his compassionately.

            "Don't worry, 'Kat," said Jayna.  "I sympathise because I know what it's like.  Zan tells me what to do.  I wish at times that our roles were reversed; then, he'd genuinely know what it felt like."  Wilykat nodded.

            "Thank you, Jayna," said Wilykat.  He got up, as did Wilykit.

            Wilykit said, "See you later."  She tapped her communicator.  "N-Team Transporter, transport two to Tygra's current area."  She and her brother were transported there.

            Wesley said, "There go two of the greatest people in the universe.  Don't you agree?"

            "Yes," said Jayna.  "I definitely do."

            * * *

            Dr. Wright's Former Lab, Monsteropolis, Earth, MegaRepublic.

            Wilykit and Wilykat arrived.  "Thank you for your promptness, my young friends," said Tygra.  "I trust you know of the time situation?"

            "If you mean that someone just made a millennium pass here in just a second, we do know," said Wilykit.  "Who did it?  Dr. Fruit-Cake Wily?"

            " 'Twas ProtoMan who did it for Wily," MegaMan said.  "Anyway, the inhabitants of MegaRepublic speak English; they speak an altered form of our French; they speak the Metroidian dialect of Portuguese; and they speak MegaLandian Spanish, a recent language similar to Castilian Spanish.

            "Wright and Cossack were working on X when ProtoMan and Wily did their stinky trick," continued MegaMan.  "X is the most recent VideoLandian android with the natural ability to make his own decisions.  He was built with it programmed in.  It came to ProtoMan, Roll, and me later, as each of us was transformed into a living machine by some encounter with Wily's force field technology."

            "Kittens, will you take this seriously?" asked Tygra.  "I decided to let you be here to help me.  If you're not going to be serious, though, I won't let you take my place."

            "Certainly we will, Tygra," said Wilykit.

            "Good.  I'm glad I can count on you.  Behave responsibly, now."

            "You don't need to lecture us, Father!  I'll keep myself in line, and my brother will keep himself in line."  Tygra was convinced that Wilykit was able to take responsibility.

            "Thank you, 'Kit," said Tygra.  "I'd like you to take over for me, please."

            "Yes, sir," said Wilykit.  She turned to X and Cain.  "My name is Wilykit."  She indicated Wilykat for X and Cain.  "He is my twin brother, Wilykat."

            X said, "My name is X."  He indicated Cain.  "This is my friend, Dr. Cain."

            "Good evening," said Cain.

            "What happened to Steelheart and Kevin, Princess Lana?" asked Wilykit.

            "I don't know, Wilykit," said Lana.  "MegaMan first called our commander, who was at the Palace of Power with Kevin.  They left for here."

            "Something must have happened to them while they were transporting here," Wilykat said suspiciously.

            "That's what I was thinking," said MegaMan.

            "Tygra and I think that MotherBrain is responsible," Lana said.  Tygra nodded.

            "I hate Mrs. 'Brain-in-a-Bottle'!" Wilykat said.

            MegaMan said, "Me, too.  After I talked with Steelheart and Kevin, and after they didn't arrive here, I called Lana and asked her to bring Lion-O or Tygra here."

            "And I'm here," said Tygra.  "Lana came to Cat's Lair and brought me here after telling me what was going on."

            "Very well," Wilykit said.  "What's been going on here, X?"

            "Wright and Cossack made me.  A few minutes and a few kilonanoseconds ago, Cain awoke me," X told her.  "Cain was looking for fossils.  Anyway, he found me and activated me.  In his lab, he studied me.  He made reploids, androids with my free-will programming.  Zero was an android like me whom Dr. Wily had invented and left behind on this world.  Zero, though, fought with me.  Many reploids became Mavericks.  Their leader was named Sigma.  He decided that the human race was restricting the development of the reploids.  Zero and I, two of the last Maverick-Hunters, tried to stop Sigma.  I didn't want to fight, but it was necessary.  It was I who stopped Sigma. . . after Sigma had killed Zero."  He closed his eyes.  "And Zero died to save me!  However, he came alive later and has helped me battle even more mavericks.  I wish the reploids had not become mavericks.  I wish I had not had to fight.  I wish that Dr. Wright had given me tears so that I might shed them!"  He was clearly crying.  However, Wright had not given him tear-ducts, so he could not shed tears.

            "I'm sorry," Wilykit said softly.  "My real parents died because of an evil rat."

            "Yes," said Wilykat.  "He wanted revenge on Thundera because of a war which caused his downfall.  And, in practice, the war had terminated years before!"

            "Yes, I know," X said.  "Wright gave me MegaMan's memory.  He also gave me emotions like humans'."

            "He was able to give them to Roll and me a few months after he deactivated us," said MegaMan.  "Proto has them, too."

            Lana asked, "X, can you give me a program of the languages that are spoken here?"

            "Yes, and MegaMan as well," X said.  "We interfaced with one another."

            MegaMan said, "Yes.  I'll give it to you, Your Highness."

            Wilykit said, "Wilykat and I shall go to Metroid."

            "Don't press your luck," Tygra said.  "I'm going with you."

            "Okay.  We'll go with Tygra."

            "Be careful," X said.

            "Yes," said Lana.  "I'll go to the Palace.  Who will come with me?"

            "I will," MegaMan said.

            "I'll come," said X.

            "I'll come as well," said Cain.

            Wilykit tapped her communicator.  "Wilykit to Wesley Crusher."

            "This is Wesley," said Wesley.  "What's up?"

            "Ridley has taken the Metroid larva to Zebes."

            "Okay.  Should the ships go to the Palace?"

            "I believe that's best, Wes.  When you get there, you should contact Princess Lana.  See you later."

            "Okay.  See you later, 'Kit."

            * * *

            The de la Vega Hacienda, 19th-Century Earth.

            Don Diego de la Vega and Felipe were in the living room of the house, where the secret passageway through the fireplace to Zorro's lair was located.  Diego was reading.  Felipe was dusting off the mantle.  Alejandro, Diego's father, had gone to downtown Los Angeles to obtain some horseshoes for his horse.  All in all, it seemed to be a peaceful afternoon.  Diego knew English, and it would help if the de la Vegas entertained Englishmen or other speakers of English at their home.  He also knew French.  They were a kind, good, and wealthy family, and Diego's night job was Zorro.

            Diego was about as tall as Kevin.  He had a black moustache and black hair.  He wore a very nice blue suit with a white shirt.  Felipe was a little shorter than Diego.  He had medium-blonde hair.  He wore the white outfit that he wore while working around the house.  He could not speak, but he could hear, and he was quite intelligent.

            They heard a knocking at the door.  Felipe went to answer as Diego used a bookmark to mark the page in his book, closed the book, set it on a desk, and got up.  He followed Felipe to the door.  When Felipe opened it, Victoria Escalante was there.  "Good evening, Victoria," Diego greeted in Spanish.  He led her to the living room.

            Until further notice, what was said was said in Spanish, though it has been recorded here in English.

            Diego asked, "Would you like a seat?"

            "Yes, thank you," said Victoria, sitting down.  "Have they come yet?"

            "No.  I was considering whether to ride around and look for them."

            "I hope they weren't caught by bandits or anything.  It seemed like they were trying to hide something, though they were very nice.  When I wasn't around, though, they spoke in a strange way.  It didn't sound like Spanish."

            "Did it sound anything like this?"  He said the next sentence in English in a slightly British accent.  "I suggest you get a nonalcoholic drink of apple cider, my friend."

            "Well, yes; as a matter of fact, it does," said Victoria in Spanish.  "However, the accent was a little different."

            "They were speaking English."

            "He spoke excellent Spanish, however.  This Kevin either is a native Spanish speaker or learned our language superbly."

            "Who were his companions, again?"

            "Wilykit and Wilykat."  With the way she pronounced it, the I in the last syllable of Wilykit's name was lengthened to something between a short I and a long E, while the A in Wilykat's name became between the sound of A in cat and that of O in hot.  "That's not perfect, but. . ."

            "Wilykit and Wilykat," Diego said.  The sounds were almost precisely what they were supposed to be, even in his Spanish.

            "Yes.  That's about it."

            "Most English short vowels don't exist in Spanish," said Diego.  "I thank you, Victoria.  The knowledge that they speak English in addition to Spanish may prove useful.  I shall search for them."  Victoria arose.

            "Thank you for going to look for them," Victoria said.  "I must return to the pueblo.  See you later!"  She left.

            As soon as she had ridden away on her horse, Diego said, "Let's go, Felipe."  He went to the desk and wrote a note to his father.  "In case Father returns before we, Felipe, I want him to know what we're doing so he won't be worried."  He finished.  They left for the stable and mounted their horses.  Felipe followed Diego away from the house.  They went in a straight line that took them about three fourths of a mile southeast of the house.

            "Felipe, you go that way," said Diego, pointing eastward.  "I'll go west.  We'll each go for a few minutes.  If you find anything, stay there.  I'll turn around after going a few hundred metres to the west and come to you.  Okay?"  Felipe nodded.  "Good.  See you later!"  Felipe waved 'see you later' as they parted.  He headed eastward while Diego headed westward.  His steed was able to carry him quickly, for he was not extremely heavy.  He stopped when he came to a strange blue circle.  Curious, he dismounted to investigate the circle.  It had a radius of about his height.  He went around it.  It was thinner than this sheet of paper.  Its front and back were identical.  It looked like a vortex, dominantly dark-blue with a light-blue spiral spinning to the centre.  What is this? he asked himself for what seemed the millionth time.  He decided to try to touch it.  His hand felt nothing, but it went through.  He checked the back of the circle.  His hand was not sticking out!  He pulled his arm out. . . still in one piece, thank God.  He wondered what had happened to his arm. . . or where it had gone.  Had it actually gone somewhere else?  He was very curious.  He put his arm across the top of his horse's saddle.  He had learned to think before acting, something that Diego had taught him.  Felipe also had learned that curiosity could kill cats, as well as people.

            In Spanish, he thought, gato sounded a bit like cat. . . as in Wilykat!  He wished he could only talk!  He could talk to Diego.  He could learn how beautiful French was, as well as Spanish, the tongue of the Spanish Empire.  And did Victoria not say Wilykat and Wilykit appeared different from anyone she'd seen. . . orange-eyed?  So many questions!  He knew Diego would be there in a moment.  Surely enough, he heard the sound of horsehooves from a single horse beating from the west.  Felipe saw that Diego was coming.  Diego stopped his horse to the left of Felipe's.

            "Hi!  You found something," said Diego, dismounting, in Spanish.  "Some whirlpool or something, yet I feel no suction."  Diego examined it.  He went around the side.  "Two-dimensional, it appears.  Invisible to the north and south."  He looked at the end facing east.  "Identical on both sides."  He returned to the west side.  "I wonder how it feels."  He put his right hand through.  He looked at the east side, and his arm was not sticking out!  "Quite mysterious," said Diego.  "Did you do what I did, Felipe?"  He turned to Felipe and saw him nod.  "I see.  It could have something to do with Kevin, Wilykat, and Wilykit."  He noticed something.  "Come to think of it, Wilykit and Wilykit sound like cats, from their names.  And Victoria did describe their appearance in such a way."  Felipe nodded enthusiastically.  "You were thinking that?"  Felipe nodded once more.  "Well, they do say great minds think alike."  Felipe smiled.  He pointed at himself, then at the circle.  "You want to go in?  I'll check."  Felipe shook his head and pointed at himself again.  "You'll check?  Okay, Felipe.  Come out after you've gone in if you can."  Felipe nodded.  He entered.

            He emerged in a different place.  He saw a window which showed him it was night.  Where he was, he saw no activity.  The circle was behind him.  It looked just like it had when he entered it.  He entered it again, and the next second, he was back where he was.  Diego was still there.

            "Is it safe?" asked Diego.  Felipe nodded.  "Let's go."  They both entered.

            The 'Spanish-lock' established when Victoria entered the de la Vega Hacienda is cancelled; without mention, what people say is in English again.

            * * *

            Darkwing Tower, Darkwing's Earth.

            Zan was in the second floor of the quack's lair.  He could not sleep, and Robin was not sleepy.  Zan was too worried about Jayna. . . his twin.  He never knew he could miss that girl so much.  He loved her, but she could annoy him tremendously.  He figured that the reverse must be true.  He had taken French rather than Spanish just to bug her.  He knew some Spanish from her, and she some French from him.  He felt that Spanish was overrated, anyway.  He thought that French sounded better, even though not every letter was pronounced.  At least Jayna had made no such comments about French compared to Spanish.  She even liked French.  Both of them were fluent in Portuguese.  They had to be, for it was the most-spoken Romance Language in the Exor/Exorius system.  It was also the most-spoken language, to which English was second and French was third.  Why people had liked English more than the extremely regular Exorian English, Zan had no idea.  Sure, he could have seen them switching to the more practical Roman alphabet, but the grammar and pronunciation of Exorian English was far more regular than that of English.  The Exor/Exorius system had held 45% of all the population of the Kingdom of VideoLand throughout the system's membership in the kingdom, anyway, and in the year the Exor/Exorius system entered, more people in the kingdom spoke Exorian English than English!  At the time, however, French was the number-one language in the kingdom.  A lot better than English! Zan thought.

            At the time the Exor/Exorius system left the kingdom, English was the most-spoken language in the kingdom, but Portuguese was rivalling it and French well in the Exor/Exorius system.  Portuguese on Exor and Exorius was about to overtake Spanish as the third-most-spoken language in the Kingdom of VideoLand.  Zan knew that it would have, had the system not seceded.  At least English was third to Portuguese and second to French on the Exors.  Exorian English was regaining popularity and rising against English, another fortunate circumstance.  Despite those stinking Cardassians, Exor's population had soared since secession.  The kingdom, plagued by MotherBrain, had only a slight population increase since then.  The Chemistrians, unaffected by the ongoing undecreed Metroid-VideoLand War, were the only humanoids in the VideoLand sixth of the galaxy who could outdo the Exorians.  Chemistrians were as strong as they were intelligent, and they were as intelligent as Exorians.  Chemistrians also had natural telepathic powers.  According to Lana, to whom Zan had spoken at the dinner, Chemistra was still being considered for entrance into VideoLand.  The existence of Nuclesís {nú-kláy-zihs}, an archvillain, was making Lana very careful in her decision.  By Bastille Day this year, or 14 July, Lana's decision would come to light.

            Robin was seeing what Darkwing's computers could do.  "I really miss her, Robin," Zan said.  "I actually miss that sister of mine."

            "I knew you would!" said Robin.  "So did I when you two left.  I missed both of you.  You know, I think you're a really cool guy, Zan.  I've been wanting to ask you why you never really went out with anyone on my Earth."

            Zan waited a moment before answering.  "I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, Robin.  I knew I might return to Exor someday.  I really did want to go out with some people, but I didn't want to mend any broken hearts."

            "Hm.  I thought it was 'better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.' "

            "Possibly, Robin.  Maybe I was afraid to do it.  Still, most Exorians don't get enlusted like humans."

            "Well, there is a perfect person for everyone, right?"

            "Probably, Robin.  Thunderians believe so, as do most Exorians and Chemistrians.  By the way, I'm curious.  Why are people with Spanish origin called 'Hispanics'?"

            "It comes from Latin, which I studied along with French in college.  Learning declensions and conjugations may be a horrible experience, but the language's usefulness makes that experience well worth the effort.  The Latin word for Spain is Hispania {hihs-pah-nyah} [Latin]."

            "Ah!  The word 'Gaul' for Ancient France came from Latin?"

            "Yeah, and many state mottoes come from Latin.  As does �E pluribus unum {eh plú-rih-buhs ú-nuhm} [Latin]�, or 'one out of many.' "

            "The U.S. motto," Zan noted.  "I'm going to go downstairs and call my sister, my friend."

            "Okay, Zan," said Robin.  "Have a ball."

            "Thanks," said Zan.  He went downstairs.  There, he looked curiously at the warp to 19th-Century Earth.  He heard someone come out the other side!  After a moment, the person re-entered.  Way to go, Zan! he thought.  Oh well.  He turned around and went toward the communications terminal.  DW must be the son of a millionaire, with all his junk, said Zan.  Batman was both a millionaire and the son of one, and Darkwing seemed to have more gadgets than Batman.  As soon as he had activated the device, he heard two people come out of the warp.  He walked toward the warp.  His usual manner was quiet, and he did not deviate from that manner.  He thought it was two someones from 19th-Century California who had lost their way, and he did not want to frighten them or. . . whatever.

            He heard one say quietly, �Felipe, �estaba aquí alguien cuando viniste aquí antes?  {Fáy-lé-páy, ehs-tah-bah ah-ké ahl-gyáyn kwahn-dó bé-nés-táy ah-ké ahn-táys?}  [Spanish]  (Felipe, was anyone here when you came here before?)�  Zan recognised the language as Spanish, though he did not understand all.  The other's response must not have been vocal.  He hoped they would understand English or French.  He punished himself mentally for not learning Spanish just to bug Jayna.  �Está la noche {Ehs-tah lah nó-cháy} [Spanish] (It's night),� the same visitor continued quietly.  Zan understood that.  ��Qué es esto?  {Káy áys áys-tó?}  [Spanish]  (What is this?)�  Zan also understood that, and the question was directed curiously toward the warp.  �Es plano y azul.  Uno no puede tocarlo.  Estamos en otro lugar.  Y �dónde estamos?  {Áys plah-nó y'ah-thúl.  Ú-nó nó pwáy-tháy tó-kahr-ló.  Áys-tah-mó sáy nó-tró lú-gahr.  É dón-d'áys-tah-mós?}  [Spanish]  (It's flat and blue.  One cannot touch it.  We're in another place.  And where are we?)�  Zan understood. . . flat, blue, and untouchable, describing the warp; location difference; no knowledge of where they were.  ��Buenas noches?  {Bwáy-nahs nó-cháys?}  [Spanish]  (Hello?)�  �Bonsoir? {Bawⁿh-swahr?}  [French]  (Hello?)�  Hello; that was French!  �Y a-t-il quelqu'un ici?  {Y'ah-tél kehl-kuhⁿh né-sé?}  [French]  (Is there anyone here?)�

            �Oui {Wé} [French] (Yes),� Zan said.  He stepped over them.  His own attire was still dress-up, which had been for the dinner.  He saw the two people.  In French, he said, "Good evening.  I'm sorry, but I don't speak much Spanish.  My name is Zan."

            "Ah!  My name is Don Diego de la Vega," Diego replied in French.  The two shook hands.

            "Delighted."

            "Me, too.  This is my young friend, Felipe."

            Felipe did not appear to understand completely.  "I speak a very little bit of Spanish," Zan said in Spanish.  "My name is Zan, sir."

            "He is mute, sir," said Diego in Spanish.  "However, he can hear.  Which languages do you speak?"  Zan really wished he could pour out the Spanish like Diego. . . or like Jayna!  If only their telepathy had activated already.  At least he understood most of it.

            "I speak Portuguese, French, and English, all fluently," Zan replied in Spanish.

            Diego smiled.  "Well, luckily, we all know English," he said in English in a perfect educated English accent.  "Now that we can communicate, what's this?  And what's its name in Spanish?"  Diego pointed at the warp.

            "We call it a warp," said Zan.  " �Un uarpo {Ún wahr-pó} [Spanish] (A warp)�, U - A - R - P - O, in Spanish.  It has brought you to a place called Darkwing Tower.  It is past midnight.  Wish I could give you the tour, but I'm not from around here.  Please come with me."  He led them to a terminal.  "I know that where you live, electronics have not yet been invented.  I can't remember, though, whether there's been speculation about extraterrestrial life."

            "There has been a little," said Diego.  "Very little.  I personally believe it, however, because it makes sense."

            "That's good, you know," Zan told him.  "That warp's a two-way door between two planets.  Yours is 19th-Century Earth; this one, billions of kilometres across the galaxy from it, is named Darkwing's Earth."  Diego believed him, but he still had to be cautious about believing this person.  Felipe also believed Zan, and he too was cautious.  However, Felipe was also quite excited.  If only he could talk!

            "I see," said Diego, his voice indicating his belief, though it also indicated that he was being cautious.  "This is quite interesting."

            Zan activated the terminal.  An overview of the galaxy was shown on the screen.  Nineteenth-Century Earth and Darkwing's Earth were shown as blips, 19th-Century Earth in the unexplored region of VideoLand.  "The northern dot is where we are now.  The one down southwest is your home-planet, which we call 19th-Century Earth.  This planet is one of the five N-Team bases.  There is one in each of the five northernmost sixths of the galaxy.  I really wish I could tell you more, but I'm not an official N-Team member yet.  More importantly, I really don't know much more, and I'd rather let a real N-Team member talk to you about this.  Luckily, I can contact other bases from here, as the actual N-Team members living on this planet are asleep."

            "Well, we would be very grateful," said Diego.