Main Ready-Room, of the Enterprise.

Wilykit sat on the couch while Wesley sat in the seat behind his desk.  "Okay, Q," called Wesley.  Q flashed into the chair across from Wesley.  The omnipotent being wore a Starfleet commander's uniform and a smile.  "What do you want?"

            "You saved the existence of all humanity, simply by virtue of your capabilities," said Q.  He called, "Lánxogríndarfráncadógarólypándarfried {lang-khó-grihn-dahr-frang-kah-daw-gah-ró-lé-pan-dahr-fréd}, come!"

            "Who?" asked Wesley.  Q's smile widened.

            "A member of the Q whom you call the Traveller," said Q.  "As he said, his real name is difficult to pronounce."

            "He's a Q?" Wesley demanded.

            "You are, too, by what you would call 'evolution,' " said Q.  "You're more powerful than the regular Q Continuum.  You, the Wilytwins, and the Wondertwins each are, that is.  I think. . . I'm uncertain, but I think you're the only ones.  I could be wrong, but I know not.  I'll tell you when I know; it's easy for you to hide yourselves from me if you want to."  The Traveller materialised.  "Hello, Q-to-the-half-power."

            "Oh, my," said the Traveller.  "Q, what did you tell Wesley?"

            "Only the truth, my good fellow," said Q.  "That he, the Wilytwins, and the Wondertwins are Q-cubed."

            "But I believe that they are not ready for that kind of knowledge yet!" the Traveller argued.

            "And why not?" Q demanded.  "Traveller, now he knows what you did to get him out of what he should have done in his first plane."

            Wesley was surprised.  "I do!" he said in amazement.  "Made me do poorly in Starfleet Academy.  Made me do what Locarno told me!  Projected that image of my dad that told me not to follow in his footsteps!!"  He was furious now.  "WHY?!?  I WANTED TO ENTER STARFLEET!!!  WHY DID YOU MAKE ME DO POORLY?!?"  This was some painful blow to the Traveller.

            "Okay; I was hasty to show you your uniqueness, Wesley."

            "So, you messed up that plane to do it?"  The cadet-turned-captain was extremely angry.  "You could have waited!!"

            "Yes, I know.  I tend to be rather impatient.  I lived on Tau Alpha C just to wait for you.  My powers are not so dramatic as Q's.  Wesley, you are to space as Mozart and Beethoven were to music.  In fact, one particularly marvellous composer who came about two centuries after Beethoven was like those two, and there may soon be a few others like them.  Anyway, on to the point.  You and your four friends are Q-cubeds, with more power than the Qs."

            "Your decision to 'keep' me was in actuality one to let me enter this plane," explained Q.

            "Okay," Wesley said.  "I know, Traveller.  You are incapable of messing this next plane up!"

            "I'm so sorry, Wesley," the Traveller said sincerely.  "Be careful about evil Ludwig.  He is a Q-to-the-somethingth-power, but I don't know what that power is."

            "You may dislike me, but Ludwig's no better than pond scum," Q said.  "I must bug Jean-Luc on your first plane some more, Wes.  Good-bye!"  Q teleported himself and the Traveller away.  Wilykit began smiling mischievously.

            "And what are you smiling about, 'Kit?" asked Wesley, smiling warningly.

            Wilykit tapped her communicator.  "What is Wilykat's present location, and is anyone with him?" she asked.

            The N-Team Computer responded, "He is in the conference room of the Palace of Power.  Jayna is presently the only person in the area."

            "Thank you."  She tapped her communicator again.  "I'm not going to humiliate him in front of her.  Wes, I'm going to see him."

            "Okay, 'Kit," said Wesley.  He went around his desk and over to her as she got up.  "Going to see Mr. Mason as you planned?"

            "Oh!  Of course.  Thank you for reminding me, Wesley."  They kissed for a few seconds.  "Later!"

            "See you," said Wesley.  "Have fun."

            "You, too."

            "I'll try."

            Wilykit tapped her communicator once more.  "N-Team Transporter, transport me to Wilykat's present location."  She was transported there.  Wesley sat back down behind his desk in order to call Starfleet Command and inform them of the N-Team's upcoming proposal.

            * * *

            Throne Room, Palace of Power.

            Copper-Kidd had just contacted Kid Icarus to ask him to tell Quicksilver and Steelwill about the 'guests' from 19th-Century Earth.  Kid Icarus had just begun telling the two Silver Hawks about it when Perry Mason arrived on the elevator.  He went over to Tygra.

            "I apologise for missing the meeting, Tygra," Perry said to the Thunderian.  "I was busy working on a case."

            "Quite all right, Perry," Tygra told him.  "Can't blame Mario for not being here, either.  Yoshi told me Mario was quite sleepy and tired and had gotten to bed late.  Lion-O's sleepy as well, I'm afraid."

            "I see," said Perry.  "You sound a little sleepy yourself."  Tygra smiled.

            "It being a quarter 'til three, I am a bit sleepy," the Thunder Cat admitted with a small yawn.  "I'll get at most five hours of sleep.  And I must inform Lion-O of what transpired in conference.  At this hour, I don't know whether to say it's late or it's early.  It's also way past my kits' bedtime."

            "Speaking of your kits, Tygra," said Mason, "where is Wilykit?"

            "Ask Wilykat," Tygra said.  "He and Jayna are still in the conference room.  With the computer network, I don't breathe down the Thunder Kittens' necks.  I try not to, anyway.  I'm their father, and I love them."

            "It really doesn't matter that they're adopted and of another race, does it?"

            "No, and it wouldn't matter even if they were born of Cardassians or Plundarrians, Perry.  I'm sure I love them as much adopted as I do natural.  Racial prejudice died among Thunderians two thousand years ago at the end of the worst three hundred years of Thunderian history."

            "I'm glad that's so, Tygra.  I guess I'll see Wilykat.  Good morning."  Mason stepped into the conference room.  He saw Wilykat and Jayna (still dressed up after the dinner) sitting beside each other at the table and conversing very affectionately.  The two are in love, Mason knew.  The way they were talking. . .  "Excuse me, please," he said politely.  Wilykat and Jayna turned to him.

            "Oh, good morning, Mr. Mason!" Wilykat greeted cheerfully.  "This is Jayna.  Jayna, this is Mr. Perry Mason, fifth in command of the Extended N-Team and leader of the Mason-Team."  He became slightly uneasy.  "And you needed to speak with 'Kit, didn't you, Mr. M.?"

            "Yes," said the attorney.  Wilykit materialised in the room near Wilykat.

            "Oh!  Hello, Mr. Mason," said Wilykit.  "I was going to come to your office after talking to my brother."  She looked at Wilykat.  "You and Jayna need to speak with Wesley.  Zan should go with you, too."

            "Okay," said Wilykat.  He usually hated being dead-serious, but that was what his twin's tone demanded.  Being the younger of the pair, he was expected to follow the elder's example.  He hated it sometimes, but not now, for he completely understood.

            "Kidd's on the line with Kid Icarus right now out there," Mason said.  "I overheard that Zan is at Hawkhaven."  Necessarily in that order, Jayna, Wilykat, Wilykit, and Mason left the conference room.  Jayna quickly walked over to Kid Icarus's terminal.

            "Hello, Jayna," said Kid Icarus.  "Your brother's at Hawkhaven.  Kidd'll let you speak with him."  Kidd, on the screen, nodded.

            "Yes, please," said Jayna.  Kidd motioned for someone to his left to come to him.  Zan was this person, and he was soon in the screen.  "Hello, big bro."

            "Hi, Jayna," said Zan, smiling.  "You're okay?"

            "Yes, I'm fine.  And you?"

            "I'm great, li'l sis."

            "What is it?" Lion-O asked eagerly and encouragingly.  Wilykit took a deep breath.

            I have the charge beam, ice beam, wave beam, spazer, and plasma beam attachments for my arm-cannon.  I have the Varia and the gravity suit attachments, which collectively decrease damage I take by 75%.  My special items include the morphing ball and the jumping ball, the bomb, and the screw-attack.  My footgear items are the high-jump boots, space-jump, and speed-booster.  Among my limited items are 250 regular missiles, 70 super-missiles, and 65 super-bombs; I have 14 full energy tanks as well.  The X-ray scope and grappling beam are also in my arsenal.  Also in my possession is a special device that makes me invulnerable to damage from enemy critters and that also keeps me from using up my missile, super-missile, and super-bomb items.  My mission is to rescue the larva from Ridley's clutches at whatever cost.  So, I am about to begin the Third Metroid War.  End of log.

            Samus Aran's Scout Ship, near the Surface of Zebesian Crateria, Zebes.

            A platform lifted Samus out of the hatch.  Her scout ship was very roomy, and she wished she could stay in it.  She could not feel how cold it was, of course.  Underground, she might have to use the infrared scanners.  They would not work in the deepest depths of Norfair because of the intense heat, of course, but almost anywhere else they would work.  The X-ray scope would also be useful.  It was raining on Crateria.  Samus jumped to the ground.  Her scout ship climbed through the clouds and entered a low orbit around Zebes but stayed over the same spot.  "Here goes," she said.  To the east was a mountain that stood between her and a wrecked ship, below which was underwater Maridia.  Samus was glad she had brought the gravity suit; without it, her suit would not be very mobile in water.  Her movements in her suit were so fluid now; at first, she had been more clumsy and awkward but still functional in it.

            Samus's home base was the point of Crateria on which she was standing.  The path to the west led to Old Tourian.  Samus therefore went west.  When she saw a blue door, she blasted it open with her normal beam.  She entered a cavern in which there was no life but her.  As she continued west, she saw the hole leading down to Old Tourian.  She bypassed the three doors on the sides as she descended the shaft and reflected that this Craterian shaft had been bypassed by a lift during her last visit.  At the bottom was a blue hatch.  This she blew open, and she landed in the middle of the lower lift holder.  Realising that this was the highest point of the Old Tourian shaft that she had had to climb in order to escape from Zebes in 1985, she just knew that MotherBrain had removed the lift in order to complicate the bounty hunter's escape.  The cerebrum had not taken into account the N-Team Transporter.

            Samus leapt to the left wall of the shaft and dropped clear to the bottom.  She noticed that the platforms were longer than last time.  Still, Samus planned simply to march into MotherBrain's control chamber, grab the larva just as Ridley was giving it to the brain, and transport back to the ship and fly like a bat out of hell to the Palace.  It was a simple plan.

            At the bottom, she went to the door on the right wall of the chamber.  That door led to MotherBrain's Old Tourian lair.  In her heat of anger, Samus did not consider the possibility that MotherBrain might know better than to have her lair in such an accessible location.  The hunter wanted to give MotherBrain a piece of her mind.  Samus blasted open the door and entered the centre of Old Tourian.

            * * *

            In the centre of New Tourian, MotherBrain smiled amusedly as she saw Samus's dumbfoundedness.  "I just knew she'd look in there first!" said the vicious cerebrum.

            "My clone is in Norfair with the broken container," Ridley said.  "The larva's in the chamber.  I set up the beta-emitter.  Soon, you'll have one giant Metroid."

            "And its food?"

            "Several Brinstar creatures and some Dessgeegae {dehs-jáy-gah-áy}."

            "Excellent."

            "I must caution you, Queen MotherBrain," Ridley said.  "The larva appears to have some attachment to Samus."

            "I know.  Clone me, Ridley.  A clone can destroy Samus as well as I can and will pseudomutate {sú-dó-myú-tehyt} like I now can.  The clone's drain-ray-attack will suck Samus's energy and missile supplies dry as well as mine will.  Moreover, I anticipate trouble from the larva.  If I play it safe by leaving a clone here in my place, the larva won't touch me.  One dose of drain-ray won't stop Samus if she has too much energy.  It takes three seconds to charge the drain-ray, and the larva might show up in time to keep the clone or me from destroying Samus.  Eventually, Samus may win.  That's why you and I are cloning ourselves, Ridley. . . to keep from being destroyed by that interstellar interloper."

            "I comprehend perfectly," Ridley said.  "I shall do so."  He went to prepare the cloning procedure.

            "Eggplant, make the door to the shaft blue.  Make the door from the escape shaft to the escape passage metal."

            "Yes, Your Cerebral Magnificence," said the Eggplant Wizard.  He did as told.  "Your request has been carried out."

            "Good," said MotherBrain.  "Now, project my hologram in front of Samus so I can communicate with her."

            "Whatever you say," the bowing vegetable told her.  He carried out her demand.  "Gab away."

            "Howdy, Samus!"

            * * *

            Samus looked to her left and saw MotherBrain's hologram appear next to her.  "MotherBrain.  Hello to you, too, bottled-brain!" Samus said impatiently.

            "That hideout would be too accessible, now that you know how to get there," said MotherBrain.  "New Tourian is much more secure.  It is close to your present location.  The departing shaft, in fact, is the exit of New Tourian as well as of Old Tourian.  New Tourian is in the west, and the exit tunnel is blocked by an impenetrable door.  The entrance into New Tourian is barred by a statue to the west of where you are.  In counterclockwise order from the leftmost, the statue shows a likeness of Kraid, Phantoon, Draygon, and Ridley.  The eyes of each part will fly out once you defeat the boss.  Ridley, as you may suspect, is the master of operations here again.  You probably should beat it while you can.  Norfair's particularly dangerous, and I imported some Metroids from SR388.  During the Second Metroid war, I managed - barely - to foil your equipment by closing off Metroidian Tourian and Metroidian Norfair from the part you were exploring, Metroidian Crateria and Metroidian Brinstar.  I cut off a quarter of the planet from you, and you only destroyed half of the Metroids.  However, you kidnapped one!"

            "No," said Samus.  "The larva thinks I'm its mother because I'm the first creature it sensed after it had hatched."

            "I know, but it was born on Metroid.  It's a part of me."

            "That may be so, but you weren't there when it was born."

            "Come, then!" challenged MotherBrain.  "I'll kill you in front of the larva.  If you don't save it from Ridley first, that is.  I ordered him to take the larva to his domain until later.  See you. . . if you make it!"  Her hologram disappeared.

            To Samus's surprise, she couldn't open the door, which had become grey.  She decided on another approach.  Jumping through the Zebetite holders, she went east to the door that had been the entrance to the centre of Old Tourian.  She found herself in a lift room.  She went down the lift and arrived in a familiar part of Brinstar, where she had started on Zebes in the First Metroid War.  She found another morphing ball to the west and ten more missiles and another energy tank to the east.  After returning to Old Tourian, she encountered insect-like space pirates infesting the area.  As she returned toward the shaft, she destroyed all the pirates.  The grey door was flashing, and she blew it open.  In the shaft, she encountered more of the aliens.  Using the spin-jump, screw-attack, and space-jump, she knocked all the pirates out of commission and flew up to the hatch.  She blew it open and leapt back up into Crateria.  When she had reached the top of the shaft, she rested for a moment.  It was then that Wilykit materialised in front of her.  "Wilykit?"

            "That's I," said Wilykit, now back in her regular clothing.  The Sword of Omens was dormant in her makeshift sheath.  "Samus, we have a greater problem than we thought."

            "What's wrong?"  Wilykit related to Samus the events of the evening, especially those linked to the bounty hunter's most horrible enemy.

            * * *

            "It's hot here!" said Darkwing Duck.  "Who told us to go to blazes?"  Steelheart was about ready to strangle the duck.  Worf was about ready to massively mutilate him.

            "You are beginning to irritate me, Darkwing," said Steelheart.  "It's about 27�C.  About 80�F."  Kranos nodded that he understood.  "I wonder if we are in Norfair."

            "Yeah; it was Ridley who ripped off the Metroid larva," said Kevin.  "We're probably near the molten mantle of Zebes.  If so, then we've been transported to a heat-proof room."

            Kranos said, "I would like to find whoever furnished us with tickets for this place and kill him.  This place, in my opinion, is awful."

            "I agree," said Worf.  Picard noticed something.

            "What's this?" asked the Enterprise captain.  He went over to a capsule whose glass had been broken.

            "Oh, no!" gasped Kevin.  "That capsule was what the Metroid larva was in at Ceres Space Station."  Everyone took a moment to consider the sheer gravity of this situation.

            "We must escape," concluded Worf.  Steelheart sighed.

            Steelheart said, "True, Worf.  However, only I can withstand the heat of Norfair without the Varia.  I barely."

            Kevin said, "My Zapper has a new setting that can create a Varia-like barrier around someone.  It will even withstand the Norfairian heat."

            "That's good," aid Steelheart.  "I'll see if I can raise anyone."  She tapped her communicator, which made the usual beep.  "Steelheart to. . . Wilykit?"

            "You're calling her?" exploded Darkwing.

            "I heard that, duck!" snapped Wilykit.  "Commander, are you all right?"

            "Yes, 'Kit," said Steelheart.  "Our accommodations are not very luxurious.  Do you know where we are?"

            "Near Zebes's core," replied the Kitten.  "Just west of Ridley's lair."

            "Now that you know where we are, can we safely leave?"

            "Depends on how, ma'am," said Wilykit.  "You could warp out if you had a warp formula.  Molecular transport won't get you out of that room.  It will, however, get you through Ridley's lair to Samus's ship.  Samus'll be there as quickly as possible."

            "Thank you, Wilykit," said Steelheart.  "Steelheart out."  She tapped her communicator.  "Your 'Varia,' Kevin?"

            Kevin drew his Zapper and twirled it.  "Right here!  Who first?"

            "I, to make it sure," said the Romulan.  Kevin shot a blast at him.  An outline of turquoise energy surrounded Kranos.  "It seems to be a more comfortable temperature."

            "That's good," said Kevin.  "Who's next?"

            "I am," Worf said.  Kevin shot at Worf, and the same result occurred.  "The centurion is correct."

            "You won't convince me that it's going to work!" Darkwing blurted.  Kevin promptly blasted him, and the same turquoise energy outlined the quack.  "Hey!"

            "Who's next?" asked Kevin, smiling at the flustered Darkwing.

            "I am," Picard said.  Kevin blasted him, and the same thing occurred.  He then blasted himself, then Steelheart.

            "It'll help you, Commander," said Kevin.  "Let's go."  He blasted the blue door with his normal Zapper beam, and the door opened.  "By the way, a disruptor may be useful if Ridley is out there."

            "Ah!" said Kranos.  He removed a Romulan disruptor gun from his holster.  "I have one."

            "Great," said Kevin.  They left.  The six emerged in Ridley's hideout.  Thanks to the 'Varia,' they knew not how hot it was.

            Worf muttered, "It stinks here.  Ridley is a tohzah."

            "We're in luck," said Darkwing, tilting his hat.  "Fire-breath's out to lunch."

            "Sometimes, these guys come after you've arrived," said Steelheart.  "I've played the Metroid series.  Norfair's hell in Super Metroid. . . almost literally."

            "All right!" said Kevin.  "You're another Nintendo fan."

            "Yeah.  Loved it when I was a kid.  MotherBrain almost killed Samus with a drain-ray-attack."

            "I'll have to play this game later," said Kevin.

            "It's great," Steelheart agreed.

            "So!" said a voice that nearly shook the room.  "You'll not defeat me in real life, Steelheart!  Ha, ha, ha!"  Two green eyes appeared in the centre of the room.  The six jumped onto a long platform as lava rose into the room.  The lava stopped when it had reached the underside of the platform on which the six were standing.  Soon, the eyes' body was seen.  Ridley, twice as tall as people, more powerful than a locomotive, and just plain evil.  "The duck-patakh will die first for calling me 'fire-breath'!"

            "Says who, Puff?" demanded Darkwing.

            "I wish to speak Queen MotherBrain," Picard demanded.

            "She doesn't see guests," said Ridley flatly.

            "She will see us!" said Worf.

            Ridley taunted, "She especially does not hold audiences with Klingon patakh."  Worf growled.  "Come on, Worf.  I challenge you, Klingon."

            "I do not have to accept this challenge," said Worf.  "You are evil and have no honour.  Mine shall not be tarnished."

            "You all shall die!" promised Ridley.  "Evil Prince Ludwig, you must admit, is diabolically brilliant.  He has discovered how to control the Borg as though they were puppets!  Ha, ha, ha!  Now that he's got the Cardassians and Borg at his command, the galaxy shall soon be his.  Better yet, you six shall soon become assimilated!"

            "Were you authorised by MotherBrain to tell us this?" Picard asked coyly.

            "Of course I was, Jean-Luc Picard!" exploded Ridley, his tail twisting.  "I'm not like that stupid Eggplant Wizard and his nincompoop pal King Hippo!  I don't yak unless Her Highness lets me.  Prince Morton would yak his stupid mouth off in a second.  Before 1992, Wily and I were Queen MotherBrain's most valued associates, and we're still two of her most loyal.  You shall be assimilated, along with Chief Samus Aran of the VideoLand Vice Department."  The lady mentioned beamed into the room.  She was between Ridley and the others.  "Howdy, Samus!"

            "Can it, flaming terror!  I'm here to clean your evil clock."

            "Then clean it and beat it!" Ridley burst snidely.  "Kraid's little red wagon's lost a wheel.  Fix it on the way out."

            "Funny," said Samus sarcastically.  "Wilykit has the wheels, so she shall fix Kraid's wagon while I clean your clock."

            "Samus," warned Steelheart, "look out for Ridley's tail!"  The warning came too late.  Ridley roared as he smacked Samus's suit in the chest with his tail's pointed tip.  Samus was knocked on her back while Ridley winged himself three metres above the ground and blasted her with singeing fire.  "Samus!"  Samus got up and blasted super-missiles at Ridley as the creature roared and swung at her with his tail.  She jumped and evaded the tail, but he did not avoid. . .

            * * *

            . . .the blast of the Sword entering its enormous mouth.  Kraid roared in agony.  The creature was green and huge.  Wilykit knew Kraid had to be eight metres tall.  Two platforms were at a point about halfway up from the floor.  Mean and ugly yet incredibly stupid, Kraid was a nightmare that one might have on Friday the thirteenth.  (It was the thirteenth, as one may note. . .)  It was three-eyed, with its eyes being green vertices of an equilateral triangle above its one weak point:  its mouth.  It roared and shot spikes from two points on its enormous belly, and one was high enough to give Wilykit a small problem.  She stood on the platform farther from the beast than the other.  It spat rocks at her, so she spin-jumped and blew the rocks away.  The Sword had given her Samus's super abilities.  She used the Sword to blast super-missile-strength charges into Kraid's mouth, and the monstrosity howled once more in agony.  She leapt over another spike.

            "Okay, Kraid!" said Wilykit.  "Maybe the power of the Sword of Omens itself will stop you."  She held the hilt of the Sword to her eyes, her right hand on the handle.  The hilt-apertures grew.  "Or, I should say, the power of the Eye of Thundera!"  Her eyes and the Eye of Thundera glowed.  Holding the Sword high with both hands on the handle, she called, "Thunder, Thunder, Thunder, Thunder Cats, HO!"  She clearly enunciated each word and separated each 'Thunder.'  With each of the first three times she called the word, the Sword's blade heightened.  With the shout 'Thunder Cats,' the Eye opened and displayed the Thunder Cat Symbol, the Cat's Eye.  With the cry 'HO!' the Eye shot out a red beam and a mighty roar.  On the end of the beam was the Cat's Eye.  The powerful Thunder Cat Roar echoed through Zebes.  One side of the Eye shot the beam out through the stone and metal walls of Zebes and to the Palace.  The other side did something more dramatic and shot the beam right into Kraid's open mouth!  "Chew on this, Kraid!"

            * * *

            In Tourian, MotherBrain and her underlings heard the powerful roar.  "What is that?" demanded the brain.

            * * *

            In Ridley's hideout as well, the mighty Thunder Cat Roar was heard.  "That was not I!" exclaimed an astounded Worf.

            "The Thunder Cat Roar!" Steelheart said.  Ridley roared as he smacked Samus with his powerful tail.  She retaliated with a missile as he blasted her with scathing fire.

            * * *

            Main Ready-Room, Enterprise.

            Wilykat, Zan, and Jayna, all now clothed as they normally were, believed what Wesley had told them.  In addition, Zan informed them about the Diego-and-Felipe situation.  "Now, let's speak with no one of this except with Wilykit or among ourselves, please," said Wesley.

            "I agree," said Zan.

            Jayna said, "Count on me."

            "You got it, Wes," Wilykat said.  " 'Kit's stretching her mortal abilities.  She's on Zebes and is helping Samus Aran to smack it to Ridley and MotherBrain."

            "The first time, those two evil clowns cloned themselves and beat it from Zebes before Samus got to their hideouts," said Jayna.  "Why wouldn't they do that again?  It worked."

            "Hm," said Wilykat, considering that piece of information.  "Modus Operandi, or mode of operation.  Samus might defeat the clones more easily than the real thing."

            "If she does," Zan pointed out.  "I do have confidence in her abilities, mind you, but Jayna and I remember what a strain the Metroid Wars put on that person.  According to what she had said, Samus had one heck of a fight with MotherBrain and the Metroid Queen."  Jayna smiled in an alluring way at Wilykat.

            " 'Kat, what would you have done in Samus's place?" she asked sweetly.  Wilykat felt so attracted to her.

            "Ah. . . well, I don't know, Jayna.  I might have torn the brain and Queen Metroid apart."  The two were sitting together on the couch.  Zan was across from Wesley; both were seated.  "Why?"

            "Just asking."  Jayna put her right arm across the Thunder Kitten's back.  "I've never felt so attracted to a young man before."

            "Jayna," said Zan.  "Sister, why not spend the rest of the evening with him?"

            "What if you needed to transform, Zan?" Jayna snapped.  "I have to call out the order that our powers activate so that they may do so."

            "I know how to keep out of trouble, Jayna!" Zan said.  "And I will!  You sure worry a lot."

            "You two and the Thunder Kittens just love arguing, don't you?" asked Wesley.

            "Why, we resemble that fact!" said Zan.

            Wilykat said, "Wes, you can't understand why it happens.  You don't even have a simple sibling, let alone a twin."

            "I don't pretend to understand it," said Wesley.  "You know, sometimes I wish I did have a brother or sister."  He sighed.

            "Wilykit!" Wilykat cried suddenly.  Out the window, he saw the Thunder Cat Signal and heard the Thunder Cat Roar.  His eyes and insignia shone for about two seconds.  He pointed at the window and got up.  Everyone looked out the window and saw the signal.  "That's Wilykit, calling via the Sword.  I have to go!"  He tapped his communicator.  "N-Team Transporter, transport one to Wilykit's present location!"  Wilykat was instantly transported there.

            Jayna's eyes demanded an answer to a question of curiosity.  "Thunderian laws put loyalty to twin siblings before all else," Wesley explained.  "I understand and accept that Wilykit absolutely must put her brother before me at all times.  Jayna, you must understand and accept that Wilykat must put Wilykit before you at all times.  You see, Thunderian twins are psychically joined from conception.  The Wilytwins have an extremely strong bond."

            "Yes, I understand that," said Jayna.  "Exorians are similar, except we don't develop telepathy until we're 25."

            * * *

            Kraid's Lair, Zebesian Brinstar, Zebes.

            The creature's scream from the signal was the worst, though it was incomparable in strength and volume to the Thunder Cat Roar, a brave and powerful sound that would strike terror in the hearts of evil and hope in the hearts of good.  Wilykit's power was channelled through the Sword to destroy Kraid.  She knew not the extent of her power.  The creature began sinking into the ground.

            Wilykat arrived by molecular transportation.  "Bro.  Hello," said Wilykit.  Kraid finished sinking.  "This lizard is history."

            "I see."  Wilykat was impressed.  "Then why'd you signal?"

            "It was the most efficient way of which I could think to channel my energy and destroy Kraid.  Samus is in Norfair.  Our pals were in the room west of Ridley's lair.  Kevin's Zapper, I have known for some time, can create a Varia-substitute."

            "Okay.  Let's go see Samus and Ridley."

            "Yes.  Care to bet that MotherBrain heard the roar?"

            "If your energy was channelled, 'Kit, I'm sure she did!"  Wilykit tapped her communicator.

            "Two to Ridley's lair."  They were transported there.

            * * *

            Kraid's destruction hit MotherBrain like a lightning bolt.  Her shriek lasted for five seconds and shot through Zebes with as much force as the powerful Thunder Cat Roar.

            * * *

            The Kittens arrived in Ridley's lair as MotherBrain's scream did.  "My queen is in distress!" yelled Ridley.

            "Because my mighty sister vanquished Kraid!" Wilykat shouted.

            "Kittens!" exclaimed Steelheart.  "Norfair's heat. . ."

            "It doesn't harm us!" interrupted Wilykit.  Samus blasted Ridley with a charged wave-plasma beam.  The creature roared mightily and smacked the space-hunter with his tail while bombarding her with his white-hot fire.  Samus quickly recovered and retaliated with super-missiles as Ridley flew around the room.  He swooped down and grabbed Samus in his talons.  He assailed her with his vicious tail and blazing fire.  Steelheart blasted her shoulder-laser at Ridley, who replied by firing at her.  She managed to evade the fire.  Kranos blasted Ridley with his disruptor.  With a swing of the tail, the evil beast smacked the gun out of the Romulan's hand and into the lava.

            "So much for my disruptor pistol!" Kranos said.  Kevin drew his Zapper.

            "We're not fried yet!" said Kevin.  He set the Zapper to super-freeze.  " 'Kit, work whatever magic you did on Kraid when I have freed Samus."

            "Yes, Kevin," Wilykit said.  Kevin pressed the A-button of his Power Pad and super-jumped up to Samus and Ridley.  He immediately shot Ridley with a freezing blast from his Zapper.  Screaming, the creature dropped Samus.  When Samus and Kevin had hit the platform, Kevin pressed the Select Button on his Power Pad to pause Ridley.  At the ready, Wilykit activated the Thunder Cat Signal in the same manner in which she had recently done so in Kraid's lair.  This time, only one side of the Eye shot out the red beam.  An even fiercer roar was sounded as the signal blasted Ridley.  When Kevin's pause deactivated, Ridley fell onto the platform.  Laughing wickedly, he came apart and disintegrated.

            "For some reason," Wilykat said, "I don't think that was the real Ridley."  His fear was punctuated by MotherBrain's villainous laugh cutting through the corridors of Zebes.