Robbie Maple

Chapter I

Rope



Thunk, draaaag… Thunk, draaaag...


 * Robby observed as the boy folded up his rope. The boy in question had been practicing his knots and lashings, because after all, he was a Boy Scout.

Robby had watched the entire routine with a scowl. He knew all of the knots and lashings by heart; indeed, he knew all about rope, and don't try to tell him that he couldn't and didn't because he was a tree, because he did,

and he was.

Robby was a young maple tree that lived in one of the many communities all over the world that he and his kin called home:

Yards.

Robby lived in the front half of this particular yard. The other plants that lived in his yard were Uncle Elm, Mother Maple, Papa Pine, Susie Flower, the four Bush sisters, a garden-full of garden-ish plants, Old Ragged, Clyde, and Johnny Elm.

Johnny Elm was Robby's best friend, as well as his cousin (by tree standards, of course). Johnny had first place as the oddball of the neighborhood. "Why is this?" you ask? Johnny lived up in the gutter on the garage. After a short time of knowing him, Robby figured that all that gutter-goop must be getting to him. To get from Robby to Johnny you had to start at the front door, walk down the path leading to the left (from Robby's point of view), turn right, and look up. Robby lived in a pot, right outside the front door. No, he had not been planted there; Mother Maple lived right across the driveway, so Robby had a clear shot for the spot. Johnny's situation was stranger because Uncle Elm lived on the opposite side of Old Ragged (that's straight out from the door and to the left). So in order for Johnny to have gotten there, he would have had to either clear the house, or navigate around it.

I know this chapter is confusing so far, but trust me; it'll get better when I finish introducing everyone and everything to you.

<''Thunk, draaaag. Thunk, draaaag.>''

Robby looked up. Johnny was swaying a little and parroting the sound of the rope. He was quite good at it, too.

 Mother Maple asked, she was always slightly annoyed at Johnny and his parroting.

 Robby replied.

 Mother Maple asked.

 Said Johnny.



 Johnny jeered. He was enjoying himself.

 Uncle Elm said.

<...> Johnny thought about it, He said. 

Everyone in the yard had to laugh at that. 

Just then two people rushed out of the house and into the big blue truck on the other side of the street. 

There was a short silence until Papa Pine said, </i>

<Must be Wednesday.> </i>

Johnny burst out laughing again. </i>

Whatever it was that was funny or why, you can bet that it was as unfathomable as the unfathomable mind of Johnny Elm. </i> </i> 

Chapter II </i>

Inconceivable </i> </i> 

That night the meeting ran a little late. When they actually did get home it was about 8:30 instead of the usual 8:00. </i>

That said, the crickets certainly didn't mind. The undaunted little fellows went on singing their little tune. </i>

Creeeeeeeee cree cree cree cree creeeeeeeee cree cree cree cree whizizizizizizizzz whizizizizizizizzz creeeeeeeee cree cree cree cree... </i> </i> 

And who was Johnny to miss such an opportunity? He was cree-ing and whizzing right alongside them. You would think Mother Maple wouldn't like such a thing one bit. However, Johnny was a rather talented singer, and he had soon lulled the yard to sleep. </i>

Before he drifted off, Robby noticed a streak of light flash across the sky, </i>

A shooting star! He thought tiredly, Make a wish... With that, he nodded woozily off into Groggyland, where he was met with dreams of crickets and stars... </i> </i> 

Chapter III </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Commotion </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

The next day there was murmur going around. From what Robby could gather, (which was more than what others could, since he could see the TV through the storm door) the leaders of the humans had issued a lookout, telling their subjects to "report anything strange" and "be cautious". Overall there seemed to be an air of uncertainty. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Of course, this was coming from the secretive leaders of the humans, and, more specifically, those who lead the United States of America. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The plants, however, felt not the humans' uncertainty. They had a much more efficient and all revealing messaging system, known as GAGCMS (Grass And Ground Cover Messaging System). The way this worked was via a verbal shockwave. Say a dangerous fungus was introduced in Alaska. The Grass/ Ground Cover/ Seedlings/ Coconuts/ Any other mobile seed or spore (yes, non-poisonous/ non-hazardous fungi are part of the community) would call <DANGER! FUNGUS ATTACK! FUNGUS ATTACK!!!!> And all the other messengers would pass it on until everybody in every possible place knew of the danger. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Today, the message that was delivered was a little bit more startling. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><DEVASTATION! DOOM IS COMING! RAIDERS FROM THE SKY!!!!> </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Robby relayed his connection to the shooting star, </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><West!> He called. <West!> Referring to the direction it had been going. He was tempted to think that he'd definitely seen blinking lights on it, come to think of it, but he shoved it away. No, he hadn't. He was disgusted at himself for considering such a thought. It was from those thoughts that rumors are sprung. Simply imagining them is one thing, sharing it is another. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>He could already hear his info reverberating away. He was proud of himself for actually listening to one of Old Ragged's Anecdotes (which he was pretty sure were made up anyway). </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The boy came out among the commotion (his name was Andy, by the way). He rushed away down the road, a familiar rumble growling away in the distance. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>rrr rrr rrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRR </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

<Think he's gonna make it?> Robby asked. Johnny and Robby had been playing this game for two years now. Each day, they would place bets on whether or not Andy would make it to the bus in time. Robby had the convenience of being able to see the action. Johnny couldn't due to the tree across the street. Still, Johnny's hearing put him on par with Robby. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><I don't think he's going to make it. He'll have to make to the next stop in time.> </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Robby laughed, <I win.> </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><What do you mean 'I win'? You can't possibly have won!> </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><He made it on the bus before the next stop.> </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Johnny listened, the sound of the door closing confirming Robby's report. <Alright, fine. You win.> </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Chapter IV </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Connections </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

That afternoon, Andy came home with a slow, heavy stride. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><He's limping...> Robby observed. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Johnny came back from his little world which apparently had something to do with swaying and whistling, the latter of which trees formerly weren't able to do. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><Is he? How odd...> </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><What could have happened to him?> Susie asked. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><The usual.> Robby answered, startled at her sudden concern in their affairs. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><How is 'the usual' odd?> </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><That's not what's odd.> Johnny said between whistles, he seemed to be rebelling against the laws of nature by getting quite good at whistling without a mouth ("Pffft, this is coming from an author who has trees that talk without mouths!" yeah, yeah, I have an explanation for that. <Notice how they talk like this?> The plants communicate using a weak form of telepathy that is perceived as very faint for us, usually "inaudible" (for lack of a better word). Why? Think about it like this: if you lived in a world were everybody whispered all the time. You would get so used to the quiet that it would seem the standard for loud. When you came back it would sound very loud because you were so used to the quiet. Our minds have evolved to communicate on the verbal level, one of the loudest forms. We have become so used to it that our quiet receptors are barely active anymore. Your reminder: "He seemed to be rebelling against the laws of nature by getting quite good at whistling without a mouth."). </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><Then... What... Is?> Said Susie. She seemed to be straining to understand him. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Well, the usual involves getting "booked" once or twice, called names, pushed, shoved, or occasionally beaten up." Robby reported. Andy had almost reached the house by now. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><Whenever that last one comes in, he usually isn't just limping.> Johnny continued. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><It's usually a lot worse.> Robby picked up. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><Broken arm, broken leg, sprained ankle.> Johnny rattled. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><Either the big guys are letting up or-> Robby began. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><The big guys have been out bigged.> Johnny finished. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy hopped up the stoop and limped inside. After a longer time than usual, he reemerged with the rope. It was just after 7:00 by then, and the crickets were just as noisy as before. He slowly, carefully, sat down. He took the rope, and tied a timber hitch around the post next to him, opposite of the one opposite of Robby. He went around the back of the post, looped it around itself six times, and pulled it through. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Robby nodded in consent. This was correct. This was normal. Something wasn't. Something was off. He was missing a piece to the puzzle. He stared at the empty hole in his mental jigsaw. It was a mess of crickets, Andy's humming, Johnny's whistling, and a squirrel's chattering. He looked around. He looked around again. He turned a circle. He looked up, then down, and then he thought, Maybe the answer is not something that can be seen... </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>So he listened instead. He listened again. He listened in a circle. He listened up, then down, and then he thought, All I hear is the crickets, Johnny's whistling, a squirrel and Andy's... His thought trailed off. He checked. He double checked. He checked in a circle. He checked up, then down, and then he thought, They're all the same song! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>He was right. Andy, the crickets, the squirrel, they were all following the same tune as Johnny's whistling. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Robby searched for a solution. Coincidence? No. Not likely. Crickets usually don't break tune. Could they possibly be connected? Very possibly, yes. But how? </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>He decided to test his theory. He tried to communicate with Andy the way he would to Johnny. Soon he realized it wasn't working. Then he remembered that humans spoke using words, not thoughts as the trees did. He set about devising a way to make a word. The answer that came to him turned out to be very simple: Think the word. How was this different from what happened naturally? The trees' telepathy is easier to relate to the Chinese language. Instead of saying "Hi" they plug in a thought symbol of "Hi". The thought symbols are basically a mess of ideas that represent a sentence or a word. What Robby needed to do, was present the idea of the word itself rather than the idea of what it represents. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>First, he needed a word to think. He chose "Hello", which he had seen the humans use as a greeting. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Hello." He thought awkwardly. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy looked down from his rope. "Since when can you talk?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Johnny stopped whistling in surprise. <Since when can you talk?> </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><Since now.> Robby replied. And then a little unsteadily, "Since... Now." </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Chapter V </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The Pied Piper of the Midwest </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Chatter chatter chatter chatter! </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

<Chatter chatter chatter chatter!> Johnny replied. Johnny was accompanied in his gutter by the same Squirrel from the day before. Lacking the mental capacity to communicate with humans, instead he had taken up communicating with animals. It was simple. Animals responded just fine to the influence of Johnny's thoughts. The catch was learning to simplify for them. Johnny was perfectly happy doing so, and was delighted at the new friends he had made. His squirrel friend was named Ronald. He was very intelligent for a squirrel and ran errands for Johnny sometimes. In fact, it was very much a mutual symbiosis. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Johnny's other friends were the crickets. He liked to whistle along with them, even though it's usually them whistling along with him. He even knew of a badger that lived across the street that nobody had ever new existed before. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>That day, Andy came home with another boy from school. His name was Jeremy. Jeremy was lean, and had a long nose, where Andy wasn't particularly fat or thin, but had glasses upon his slightly round-ish nose. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>As they approached the house, neither of them looked very happy. As they passed Robby, Andy said hello. Robby had become rather good at English. He spoke the loudest whisper he felt comfortable with. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Welcome home." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Talking tree!" Jeremy exclaimed matter-of-factly. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Oh that's just... Um..." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Robby." Robby offered. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>They sat down next to Robby. Andy relayed what they had learned at school. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"The government sent out an emergency notice telling everyone to watch they're back and expect to be attacked." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Take a shot of this, and give some to your parents. You'll need it if you want to survive the attack." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy went in for his rope and the shot. When he returned he sat down and began to tie a square knot. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"You still haven't told me who-" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Hummmmmmmmmmmm... </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

A large, circular shadow loomed all around them. Everyone slowly looked up. There was a big loomy circle dominating the bright blue sky. Four beings appeared on the curb of Andy's lawn. Each of them was tall and had leaf blower looking things on their backs. They had green hair. In fact, it almost looked like grass there on their heads. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy sprang up and went to confront them. Andy followed after, carrying his rope. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>While one would expect more formal speech in this kind of situation, Jeremy simply said, "Go away!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The aliens responded by aiming their leaf blowers at him. One of them laughed and blew his blower at the curb. Immediately the curb began to be eaten away by some unseen force. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy stood firm, Andy wavered slightly. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy laughed back. "You think you can defeat us with such puny technology?" He concluded his statement by pointing a finger gun at them. The aliens didn't look very sure of themselves, but lowered their leaf blowers anyway. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Robby took advantage of the distraction to think of something. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><Johnny! Help them!> </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><Already on it.> </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Robby felt helpless. There was nothing he could do to help. He couldn't even move to stand with them. Then a thought struck him. He looked it over. He looked it over again. Then he agreed. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><''Maybe the reason that trees can't move... Is because no tree... Has ever tried.>'' </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>He closed his eyes and took a soul stirring breath. He summoned up every bit of will power he could find within himself. ''Movement? But, that would mean we wouldn't be here anymore! We have to be here! We can't! We won't! We couldn't possibly... ''</i>

<i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>There it was. The slightest twitch. A pause. There it was again. Again. And again. Then his eyes flew open and he stopped creeping forward. He backed off from the edge. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><Papa! Papa, look at me! Papa, you need to move!> </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><What do you mean move?> </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><I mean move!> </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Meanwhile, Jeremy's plan was failing. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Why don't you show us just how powerful you're weapon really is?" One of the aliens said cautiously. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy glanced surreptitiously at Jeremy. Surprisingly, Jeremy's look hadn't changed. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"BLAM!" He shouted. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The aliens flew into a frenzy; each of them made an attempt to dodge whatever it was that was being fired at them. In a flash, Jeremy hurled a rock at the back of one that had hit the dirt, knocking him out. The aliens opened their eyes and, seeing their "dead" comrade, backed off. All but one, that is. He laughed at the trick and said. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Very wise, small one. Unfortunately, I am not as easy to fool as the fools I choose to work with." He readied his blower, but never got a chance to fire. Johnny let out an angry growl, and the alien's attention was veered away for a crucial second. Then one of them cried out in pain. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"It's got my leg! Get it off! Get it off!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>One of the aliens turned to see the badger snarling and trying to bite off the other's leg. He aimed his blower but again, he never got a chance to fire. Johnny's growl faded into a chatter. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The chatter was echoed from within Papa's pines. Out of the pointy shroud flew Ronald, right onto the alien's face. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Arg! It's on my face! Get it off! Get it off!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The first alien was unsure of what to do. He was looking back and forth from his allies to Jeremy in a frenzied confusion. At last he decided to try and fire again. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>Fwoosh! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>Andy whirled a make-shift lasso onto the nozzle of the blower, and tugged it away. Jeremy wound up for a swing, causing the alien to raise his arms in front of his face, and kicked him. The alien fell to the ground. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The second alien succeeded in knocking the badger loose and had nearly dislodged Ronald, but he only succeeded in transferring the courageous squirrel to his own face. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Yow!" he cried. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The first alien sprang up, slipping the rope off his blower as he did so. With a tremendous whoosh he discharged a powerful blast of devouring force at Jeremy. Jeremy stood, unaffected by the onslaught. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Eh?" The alien said. "Well if that won't work, than this certainly will!" He drew out an overly decorated gun with flashing lights. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>If I'm going to move it's going to have to be now''. Papa thought,If Robby can do it, than so can I...'' He delved deep into his being, mustering every piece of will he had. Slowly and steadily shaking off the ancient stiffness that his people had shared for centuries. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>There was an audible groan as roots that had never seen the light of day forced their way up through the ground; the earth shuddered and split in their path. Then, with a mighty roar, they broke free, entwining the aliens in their grasp. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>          Slowly, all around them, every tree and bush and flower began to shudder and shake. The human race now had another ally, and quite a powerful one at that, to fight alongside them in the defense of the earth. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The aliens disappeared, presumably to their ship, which flew away, without another word of argument, to whence it came. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy turned to Andy. "Coming?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Sure." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Gather your things, then. We should leave soon." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy hurried back into the house, setting his rope down on the stoop. When he came back out he had a small green plastic pot. He knelt down next to Robby and said, "I figured you might want to come with." and transplanted him. Robby was glad it had a hole in the bottom; that was the only thing that had allowed him to move.Andy picked up Robby and his rope, and hurried back over to Jeremy. Johnny chattered and Ronald hopped down onto Jeremy's shoulder. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Let's go." Jeremy said, and off they went, dashing in the direction the Aliens' ship had gone. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><Have fun...> Johnny called after them ominously. </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Chapter VI </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>We're Off to Save the World </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Jeremy and Andy were on the first true flying saucer chase, and all the while they were smiling their heads off. Jeremy could only keep up with Andy because Andy had to not drop Robby. Robby was smiling too. He had never traveled this fast before- he found it exhilarating. Ronald chattered at everything green in sight- he felt it was his job. Until they had cleared the neighborhood he had been leaping from tree to tree alongside them. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Their destination was the local airport. In a few minutes they arrived only to find out that all the planes were grounded. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Now what?" Andy asked. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"What of it?" Jeremy said. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I believe the planes being grounded works better." Robby said. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"If the planes are grounded wouldn't it be breaking the law to-?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Well, yes, but we're saving the world. We have clearance to do whatever we need to do in order to carry out our mission. Especially since we're not enforcers." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Where did you hear that?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Are you telling me you've never seen a super hero show?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"That's just a show." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"How do you know? Maybe there really is a law like that." Robby put in. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Then why have I never heard of it?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Because nobody's ever needed to save the world before." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy hurried up to the staff at the metal detector. Andy hesitantly followed after. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Hi, we're students from South Middle School. We're working on a project about airplanes, and we were wondering if you had any planes with guns." Jeremy said without any hesitation at all. It was like he'd been born to save the world and had thought up a plan for every possible scenario. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The staff looked at each other and shrugged. "I think so." One of them said. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"May we come and see it? We're researching how plane guns work." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Uh, yes I believe that's ok." Jeremy and Andy went through, squirrel and maple tree and all, to the specified plane, and climbed aboard. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy hopped to the cockpit. He rummaged around until he found an instruction booklet. He read how to work the plane and the guns. Then he came back and knelt down next to Ronald. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Ok, your job is to go up to that big switch we saw and open the doors. Understand?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Ronald gave an exaggerated nod. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Good, now go, boy!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Ronald leaped out of the hatch and dashed across the hangar towards the switch. It wasn't long before one of the guards said: </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Hey, what's that squirrel doing here? Somebody catch it and take it outside!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>All of the guards mobilized to capture the intruder. On the other side of the low wall separating the hangar from the airport, one of the boys had spotted Ronald. This started up a big ruckus among the other children in the crowd, who all gathered at the wall to watch. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Hey, look at that squirrel!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Aw, he's so cute!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Look how fast he's running!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"The guards are trying to catch him!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"He's headed for the switch!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Go, squirrel, go!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>This caught on and soon all of the kids were chanting; "Go squirrel go! Go squirrel go!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>One of the guards dove at Ronald. He leapt up in the air, bouncing on the guard's head and continuing towards his goal. Ronald had the determination of an athlete going for the Olympic gold. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Go squirrel go! Go squirrel go!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Another guard got in Ronald's path, swooping his hand down to pick him up. Ronald bit the hand, causing it to fling him up into the air. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Go squirrel go! Go squirrel go!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>He landed on one of the planes' wings and bounded across the metallic surface, producing a tatter tatter tatter sound. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Go squirrel go! Go squirrel go!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>He leapt from plane to plane, the guards scrambling for ways to reach him. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Go squirrel go! Go squirrel go!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>He flew through the air, catching on the switch and bringing it down. A rock thrown by a guard connected with the switch, causing it to snap off. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Go squirrel go! Go squirrel go!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>He recovered quickly from his surprise and sprang up and away just in time to dodge a guard lunging at him. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Go squirrel go! Go squirrel go!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>He saw the plane his partners were in slowly moving forward. He sprang onto the wheel of a plane, scurried up, and bounded back to where he came from. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Go squirrel go! Go squirrel go!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>He leapt to the ground and dashed back towards the plane, right through a guard's legs. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy, who had been watching from the door the entire time, readied his rope and tried to think of what to do with it. First, he tied a timber hitch (used for tying up horses) to the leg of a seat next to him. Second, he strung the rope like a belt through his belt loops and fastened it with a bowline knot (used to tie your harness onto your rope in rock climbing). Third, he cast the remainder of the rope out the door, stretching a good 20 feet or so. Ronald clutched the rope tightly as Andy pulled him in. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Go squirrel go! Go squirrel go!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The plane began to pick up speed. Soon it took off, accompanied by the kids' wild cheers. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy fell out of the plane, surprised by the sudden weight change. Luckily he was a scout, and scouts are prepared. To tell the truth, this was exactly what he had expected. So, as he dangled out of the door like a rock climber preparing to repel down a cliff, he was entirely prepared to keep looking up, despite the fact that his shoelace was untied. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>He reeled Ronald in. Once the squirrel made contact with his arm it flared to life again and scurried up into the plane. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy took a deep breath. This was going to be tough. He gently released the rope, slowly and carefully. Then he caught the other end and made a loop. He tossed it into the plane, aiming for the handle to the other door. He felt it catch and tugged himself in, grabbing the handle and sliding the door shut as he did so. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>He let out his breath, and set about untying himself. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Now everyone's an action hero except me." Robby said. He'd been having so many new experiences today. While it was fun, he wished that the next one would wait for him to get over the last one. </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Chapter VII </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Gordon the Saint Bernard </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Johnny and Jeffrey (the badger) were fairing well against the aliens' attacks. Maybe it was the stray dog they had befriended. His name was Gordon, and he was a Saint Bernard, and a larger than average one at that. While he was a little intimidating, he was very friendly and assessed the situation accurately and acted promptly. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeffrey and Gordon were both injected with one of Jeremy's shots. While Andy's dad wasn't exactly sure how it worked, it did. He also discovered that his house was somehow immune to the blowers. The reason for this can be explained in six words: Johnny is older than he looks. When he completed his germination stage, his resources were limited. To make up for his low quantity of nutrients, Johnny gave growth priority to his roots instead of his stem. It took him five years to grow tall enough before the trees were allowed to socialize with him (trees have a rule where they can only socialize with trees that are tall enough to be considered permanent). By this time, Johnny had literally become one with the house. His roots extended from his stem to the foundation of the house, and mighty roots they were. In f act, the house could probably be bombed and take very little damage. All due to Johnny's reinforcement. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Johnny's oneness with the house was the main reason for its immunity. The aliens' blowers worked like flame-throwers, except instead of flame they blew nanobots. The nanobots were programmed to overlook anything containing chlorophyll. The aliens, too, were unaffected because of their "hair", which was actually a symbiotic grass that lived on their heads. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.><Roof!> Johnny called. He couldn't believe that dogs were the only type of animal that barked like that. In his opinion, every animal should get the opportunity to do so. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Roof!" Gordon responded as he scoured the road, waiting to see if any alien was careless enough to come too close. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Rrrrark!" Jeffrey slowly came prowling down the road, and underneath the pile of sticks Andy's dad had constructed for him specifically for that purpose. He had just returned from a leg biting frenzy and was in the mood to hide under something. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Of course, Johnny, Jeffrey, and Gordon weren't the only fighters in this war. Every tree on the continents of North and South America had awakened. There was no place you could go that you couldn't hear the sound of tree roots tugging, pulling, and heaving the plants wherever the desired to go. </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Chapter VIII </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Out of Place </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

"Did you hit'em?" Jeremy called from the cockpit. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"No, but I don't think I missed either." Andy replied from the left turret. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"By that philosophy, you never truly miss anyway." Jeremy said. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy fired off another stream of shots while at the same time, Jeremy did a barrel roll. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"You need to work on your aim." He added. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"They aren't shooting back at us you know! Stop it with the barrel rolling and maybe our aim will improve!" Robby shot back from the right turret. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Squirrel, how many firearms do we have?" Said Jeremy, ignoring the remark. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"His name is Ronald." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Ok, Ronald, how many firearms do we have?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Ronald scurried about the vessel. No speck was left unturned. Finally he emerged from the small compartment in the back of the plane. He was tugging a strap alongside him. On the other end of the strap was an old machine gun. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Any more?" Jeremy asked, trying to find a moment to look back at Ronald. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Ronald gave one of his exaggerated head shakes, and went rummaging for some ammo. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"They're landing, I think." Andy said. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Uh-oh. Quick, shoot a hole through their hull! I have a plan that won't work if there isn't one." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Roger." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Who's Roger?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Not sure." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Then why say his name?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Because it sounds important." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I see..." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>“''Blam! Bang!! Splutter splutter! Put put put put! Kapwing! Zammo!''” sang Andy's turret as he negotiated a hole into the hull. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Got'em!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Good, now we've got a better chance of actually winning." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"''Are you saying that we aren't going to win?" ''Asked Robby. There was a twinge of worry in his voice, but most of it was sarcasm. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"No, I'm saying that we're better off than we were." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"That sounds good." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Flight attendants prepare for landing." The </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>sign flickered to life. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy wrapped his arms around the nearest wall-mounted pole labeled: </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>SEATBELT </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Robby did the same (except with roots), while Ronald curled up in a ball in a corner. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy closed his eyes. The plane's noise made his stomach churn. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>''Whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssssssssstlllllllllle... rattle rattle rattle rattle Creeeeeeeek... Groan... Rattle Rattle Rattle Rattle... ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRR!!!'' </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>THUD! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRR!!! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>THUD! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Thud! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>thud... </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>screeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!!! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>SNAP! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>CRASH! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>griiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiind......... </i>

<i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>Andy struggled to open his eyes again. About the time of the "CRASH!" his innards went "Slosh!” He had no idea if everything was in the right place anymore. At first he was worried he might have internal bleeding, but he wasn't in any pain at all. He just felt a little... Disorganized. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Then he remembered Ronald's safety procedure. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>He sprang up and found Robby almost exactly as he'd been before the crash. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Are you OK?" He said. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I really don't think so, but I'll live." Andy responded. "Where's Ronald?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I'm not sure." Said Robby. "He slid past me, though." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Roger." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy walked over to the entrance of the cockpit. All the walls inside the plane were raised slightly off the ground, like a bathroom stall. He crouched down to peer into the darkness underneath the co-pilot's seat, seen under the wall. Sitting there were two dilated eyes. Andy reached under the seat and pulled Ronald out, gently stroking him until he settled down. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"That's a nice view of the ground, don't you think?" Jeremy said, stepping through the door, the reason for his delayed appearance was not apparent. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Definitely. What happened?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"The landing gear snapped." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Ah. You're not hurt are you?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Absolutely not, how 'bout you?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Absolutely." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Can you keep going?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Sure." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Alright then." Jeremy said, picking up the gun, "Let's go." </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Chapter IX </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The Art of Being Super </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

"What are we guarding the ship from anyway?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Danger." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Well, yes but, what kind of danger?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Dangerous danger." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"You don't even know, do you?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Nope." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The two aliens were standing guard on the open ramp of the saucer. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"So, what exactly do we do when some danger tries to get in?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"We protect it to death." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Oh... How do we do that, exactly?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Protectively." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Do you know anything?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I know how to make you stop breathing." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Try me!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Suddenly the ramp lifted up off the ground. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Holy whike! I didn't know you could do that!" said the first. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Neither did I." said the second. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The words had barely left his mouth when the ramp fwooshed to the ground with a tremendous clang. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Up upon the ramp leapt Andy, and to each he delivered a solid blow to the face. The already dazed aliens lay stunned on the ground. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"And you thought it was more complicated." Said Jeremy, walking out from under the ramp. Robby was scurrying along behind him. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"It's not like I'd had any firsthand experience in the matter." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"You do now." Robby pointed out. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Indeed I do." Replied Andy, "Is Ronald in?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Yep." Answered Jeremy. "Are you two ready to run?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I know I am." Andy said. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I'm not sure if you could call it 'running', but yes." Robby said. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Follow me." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy took off down the metallic hall that provided access into deeper areas of the ship. Andy and Robby trailed him a substantial distance until a bulkhead dared to bar their path. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"What do we do now?"' Robby asked. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Wait until Ronald deactivates the ship?" Andy suggested. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"No, that wouldn't release the bulkhead, it would only lock it." Jeremy said, "Stand back." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy and Robby leapt away as Jeremy opened fire on the bulkhead. The bullets bounced harmlessly off of it, leaving hardly visible dents in its surface. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"It's not working." He said after a few endless moments. He sat down, lifting the burden of the gun from his shoulder so that he could think. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy stared at the wall. He stared for a long, long time. At least, it felt like a long time. He figured that if he just kept staring that something would happen. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Eventually, something did happen, but not in the way that he had expected. The bulkhead shuddered under his gaze; it seemed as if it wanted to run in terror. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy looked up, as if sensing what was going on. He added his own gaze to Andy's. The bulkhead was shaking by now. Rather violently at that. Cracks began to appear in its surface, growing larger by the second. Pieces began to fall off, and then it shattered. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy hopped to his feet. "You're the first person besides me who's ever figured that out by himself. I had to teach everybody else." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"'Staring isn't polite.' Eh?" Andy said hollowly. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>They trotted down the same metallic corridor until they heard heavy footsteps resonating through the ground. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>Tromp tromp tromp tromp tromp tromp- </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

"Halt!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Stop!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Who goes there?!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Yeah, who goes there?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Four guards had appeared from around the corner, blowers at the ready. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Don't know, but I go here." Jeremy replied. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Drop your weapons! We have you out numbered!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"First all, we only have one official weapon. Second, we have you outgunned." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Our weapons are better than yours!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Are not." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>In a pathetic display of rage the four aliens unleashed wave after wave of gas. Then, when they realized that they were having no effect at all, they stopped and appeared to be blushing. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"My turn." Jeremy said. He peppered a formerly alive alien with firepower. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Without a word, the remaining three aliens whipped out their green and yellow pistols. This would have been more intimidating if they didn't look so much like water pistols. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Oh. Well, then. If you're going to be that way..." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>They were Stingray Ray Guns, although must people knew them as StingRay Guns. These pistols and their kin, the MantaRay Rifles, Orca Laser Cannons, and TurtleShell Laser Shields, were all state-of-the-art laser weapons, all of which were produced by Cephalopod Industries. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Beeeeeeoooooo...... </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The lights faded until they were only very dim. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>''Rumble rumble rumble... Crash!'' </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Sparks flew and a shadowy ball of fur hurtled across the hall, rolled, picked up the dropped gun of the dead alien, and came up aiming at the other three. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Now we have you surrounded." Andy said. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"That isn't a good thing to say in this situation, especially against those guns." Jeremy whispered, making certain the aliens weren't going to attack. He overlooked, however, that Andy's hands were, quite vigorously, handling the rope. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Crack! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy was suddenly holding a pistol, and one of the aliens was clutching his formerly occupied hand in pain. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"How did you manage that?" Robby asked. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Slip knot." Andy shrugged. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Beeoo! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Another formerly alive alien fell to the ground. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy's eyebrows raised in surprise. "They might as well be water guns." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The two remaining aliens were now standing back to back. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Whatever you do, don't bug the demon with the StingRay until I take care of these three." One of them whispered. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I say we rotate." The other whispered back. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Ok. One, two, three, rotate!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The two each shot over each other's shoulders. Jeremy easily avoided the attack, and Ronald shot first. Another formerly alive alien crumpled to the floor. Jeremy could see the last was trembling. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"You're running out of sunlight, aren't you?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The alien gave a shaky nod. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Then I have one word for you:" Jeremy leaned in close, "Run." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The alien took off at a run towards the entrance of the ship. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy knelt down and took the pistol from Ronald. He then handed it to Robby. Ronald didn't need a weapon, considering his reputation among the aliens. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Do we keep going?" He asked. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"As opposed to what?" Robby replied. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy shrugged. "Not." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The four of them set off down the corridor once more, this time at a cautious walk. According to Jeremy, all the aliens would be on edge from lack of sunlight. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>But you never know. </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Chapter X </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>EEL:I, the Extremely Efficient Laborer: Indestructable version </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

"Take these crates to Storage Area 3, robot." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The robot in question consisted of a long rod about six inches in diameter. The rod stood upright on a pair of caterpillar treads, about six inches high. Situated just above the treads was a fork lift. The treads were capable of shifting apart to allow the forklift to touch the ground. A foot above the forklift was a rectangular box one foot wide, six inches high, and six inches long. On each end was an arm that extended in a 90° angle towards the front and ended in two large, three fingered hands that functioned more like crab claws. Another six inches up were two 6x6x6 boxes. Together they resembled a pair of binoculars, and appropriately functioned as his eyes. Overall he was three feet high and two and a half feet wide. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Yes, sir. Right away, sir." The robot rolled over on its treads and used its large, three fingered hands to lift the crates onto his built in forklift. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>His name was EEL:I. EEL:I was short for Efficient Elevation Laborer: Indestructible version, but everybody he knew insisted on calling him "robot". </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>As he wheeled himself down the corridor he silently wished for escape. He hated the way his masters took his kindness for granted; he'd not got a single thank you since he was assigned. And on top of that, Storage Area 3 was downright dull, as storage areas of its kind go. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>As if on cue, the intruder sirens went off, sending the ship into lockdown. Emergency bulkhead's slammed down on either side of the hall. EEL:I laughed to himself and relieved himself of his payload. He whirred over to the panel that sat astride the bulkhead. He laughed all the merrier when he remembered the access code with ease. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Beep beep beep! Whoosh... </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>EEL:I took off down the hallway, headed toward the intruder's signal. As he sped past the entrance to Storage Area 3, he turned, and waved a silent good-bye. He was getting out of here. </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Chapter XI </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Say Goodbye </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Jeremy and Andy stood with their backs to the wall. A bulkhead had slammed shut behind them and their crew and now they were at a loss of what to do. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy peeked out into the large circular chamber ahead of them. It was filled with aliens soldiers standing juxtaposed in their ranks, their commanders marching to and fro, briefing them on whatever raid they were about to go on. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"They haven't left yet..." He said. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Darn. I was really hoping they'd have left sometime in the last five minutes." Andy replied sarcastically. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Well you never know which five minutes they'll leave during." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"He has a point." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"They'll see you if you keep peeking out like that." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Aw dang..." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Who goes there?!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Gee thanks, Andy." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Come out with your hands up!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy didn't dare move. He didn't make a sound. Outside of their alcove he could hear sinister mumbling. He wondered if that was good or bad. Suddenly a head popped into the opening and pointed a StingRay right at Jeremy's head. Before a thought crossed Andy's mind he felt his fist connect with the alien's face. The alien redirected his aim, startled. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"No!" Jeremy re-redirected the alien's aim just before he fired. Jeremy collapsed to the ground, obviously wounded. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>In a rage, Andy pointed his own gun at the alien's stomach, and fired. The alien flew into the air and landed flat on his back. Andy knelt down, just barely refraining from crawling over to Jeremy's side. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Just... Ow... just give me time... Ow..." Jeremy croaked from the ground. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Outside, the alien general snorted. "Say goodbye, earthlings." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy could hear heavy footsteps slowly marching towards they're hiding place. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"So long, Gen'ral. I personally wish you a wonderful day." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Wha?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>BEEEEEEOOOOOOM!!!!!! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"ARG!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>thud. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Seconds later there were the sounds of a fierce fire-fight ringing in Andy's ears. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Peeoo peeoo! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>BEEEEEEOOOOOOM!!!!!! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>''Peeoo?! Peeoo...'' </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>BEEEEEEOOOOOOM!!!!!! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Pee...oo... </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy took the opportunity to see if Jeremy was still alive or not. When he turned and looked, however, Jeremy was changing before his eyes. His already long nose stretched into a trunk about three and a half feet long. His ears grew to twice their size. He became more muscular and his legs elongated and rearranged themselves. They were now in place so that one was in front of the other, in a linear fashion, and his lower body became slightly more like a horse's to accommodate them. His feet were no longer feet, but hooves instead. In some unexplainable manner, Jeremy rose to his hooves, raised his trunk, and trumpeted his fury. </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Chapter XII </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Centauren? </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Jeremy, Andy, Robby, Ronald, and EEL:I stood over the formerly alive legion of aliens. After a few moments Jeremy said something that came out muffled by his trunk. He raised it so it was clear of his mouth and repeated: </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Since when does your model have lasers like that?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>EEL:I swiveled around to face him. "Since they had me drilling for copper on Europa." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"There's copper on Europa?" Said Jeremy, raising an eyebrow. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"No." EEL:I said matter-of-factly, trundling towards them. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"You wouldn't happen to know how to disable the ship and everything in it, would you?" Andy put in. "Aside from blowing it up, that is." He added. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"If by 'everything' you meant 'everyone as well, then we're already 50% of the way towards completing the job; they are lying at your feet. As for 'everything..." EEL:I swiveled about and trekked across the room. Once there he pried a panel off the wall with his large hands and peered into the compartment, activating his eye-lights. "Mmmmmm... That one." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The other four looked at each other in confusion, and made their way over to see what he was talking about. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"This one." EEL:I repeated. He was holding a mauve wire in between his large fingers. His eyes began to glow brightly and a small, concentrated beam emerged. "Stand back..." he droned, but before anyone could react… </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>POP! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The small electrical discharge from the wire sent EEL:I flying backwards. He landed on his head Bong! And then, via a sort of summersault, landed right side up. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Wahoo!" He cried out, his head spinning wildly. It clanged to a stop. "I love doing that!" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The ship suddenly dimmed to pitch dark and absolute silence, save the light from EEL:I's eyes and the hum of his treads. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"How did you know which wire it was?" Jeremy asked. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>EEL:I came as close to a shrug as possible. "'It's always the mauve wire.'" He quoted. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"No way!" Jeremy cried. "How in the world did you get a hold of one of those?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Storage Area 3, Master Jeremiah." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"You already know what I'm gonna say next." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Very well then, Master Jeremy." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"So, if I'm right, you fished one of those comic books out of the garbage and-" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Storage." EEL:I corrected. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"-memorized the entire thing?" Jeremy finished. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Yes, as well as all the others." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Then, by goose, am I glad you're on our side." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I am pleasantly thankful to be able to say the same thing." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"There are comic books about you?" Andy and Robby said at almost the exact same time. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Is that unusual in some way?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I don't know. It just seems odd that there are books about anybody who exists or existed and isn't dead." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"He has a point." Andy added. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Maybe he has reached a level of fame that nobody you have previously known and meets the specified requirements has." EEL:I theorized. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"You're really good at using the Secret Power." Jeremy said to EEL:I. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Thank you." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Which one was that?" Andy asked. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"'If you want to sound smart and/or kill a conversation for any number of reasons, say something undeniably smart sounding- preferably with a complicated sentence structure- that nobody can really understand and therefore can't argue with. This will give you a few moments of silence to change the subject.'" EEL:I quoted. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Wha?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"'Exactly.'" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"What do we do next?" Robby asked. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy thought about it for a fleeting moment. Then he smiled a sly smile, "EEL:I, our ship is broken and unfit for space travel. Do you think you could help us-?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Yes. In fact, I know I could. What do you have in mind?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"It's a very old airplane. I think we might be able to combine this craft with ours to make our aircraft into spacecraft." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>EEL:I evaluated the best possible course of action. "It would work better with a submarine. An airplane won't be able to maintain a life support bubble on its own. You will have to rely solely on Force Field Technology to keep you alive." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I have an idea to compensate for that. Let's go outside so you can have a look." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"What are we going to do about this bulkhead?" Andy asked. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Allow me." Said EEL:I, whirring over to the control panel. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>''Beep beep beep! Fwoosh!'' </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The barrier dispatched, the group of heroes made their daring (it was dark), dangerous (There were walls to avoid running into), and dashing (at least they were walking through a space ship) escape from the formerly flying (now sitting) saucer that held them prisoner (if rather unsuccessfully). </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Chapter XIII </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Let's Talk Tech </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

"Is this your craft?" EEL:I inquired. They were standing just outside the shadow of the Hero. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"That would be him." Jeremy replied. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Him?" EEL:I responded casually. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Does it look like a girl to you?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"No." The android replied flatly, almost absent mindedly. Fortunately for him, Jeremy knew an otherwise occupied processor when he saw one. He and Andy patiently waited for EEL:I to return from his trance. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>A few moments later his eyes brightened and he looked around with dazed alertness. "Where have Robby and Ronald gone?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Back on the ship," Andy replied, "I think they're homesick." He added. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>A moment of awkward silence followed, until EEL:I broke it. "What is your plan, Master Jeremy?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"How many force field generators could we fit onboard the ship?" Jeremy replied, assuming his technical attitude (consisting of, mainly, a frown). </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>EEL:I directed his gaze at the Hero, taking measurements. "Mmmmmm... Eighteen." He reported. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Wow." Jeremy said in surprise, "We only need two." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>EEL:I stared off into space for a few seconds, then turned and said: "Explain." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Theoretically, that is." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The bewildered android suddenly grasped the concept that Jeremy was using in his plan. "Six will do nicely," He stated, and then added slyly, "Have you been spying on Cephalopod Industries?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"No, not at all." Jeremy laughed, "More likely they've been spying on me." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>EEL:I attempted to laugh, which he did with far more success than any other android who has ever tried. He recorded Jeremy's laugh, edited it to his liking, and playing it back. Of course, this took no time at all. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Did you just-?" Jeremy began. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Yes, I believe I did." EEL:I replied, "Does it work?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"It looks sort of odd. Usually people smile when they laugh, but you can't smile (EEL:I had no mouth), so you just look like, well, unauthentic." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I do have these lousy emoticons." EEL:I offered, his eyes flipping through all different shapes and patterns. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"That one." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"This one?" EEL:I said, doubling back to a rainbow shape. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Yes, that one." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Well, I guess I can check laughing off my to-do list." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"And common expressions." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Quite right." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Can we move on?" Andy put in. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Yes, please." EEL:I agreed, switching back to his usual circle icons. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Alright, EEL:I, go get us six force field generators." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I could have the entire ship ready for you in an hour or two." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Really?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I wasn't the only android on the saucer." EEL:I replied slyly. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I was kindof making it up as I went..." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"All the same." EEL:I responded. "Shall I get to work?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Go right ahead." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Yes, sir. Right away, sir." EEL:I crowed, pivoting around to re-enter the dark maw of the ship. </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Chapter XIV </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Clarity </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Jeremy and Andy were sitting somewhere in the vicinity of the former resting place of the Hero. The saucer had taken it into its hull and was now hovering a short distance above their heads. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"So, what exactly are you? A Time Lord or something?" Jeremy had been helping Andy with his confusion. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Time Lord? Nah. I'm a Centauren." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"But you weren't before?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"It's a camouflage device. It allows me to change my genes to match the native population." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Oh..." Andy said, "We can't do that here. Where are you from?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Centaurus." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"...Where's that?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Third planet from Alpha Centauri." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"So you're from around here?" Andy asked with a smile. Alpha Centauri was the closest star to Sol (Sol is the politically correct name for the sun). </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy laughed so hard he accidentally trumpeted. "Well, that sounds about right, doesn't it? That's how it would be, if the rest of this system wasn't teaming with life." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Really? You mean there are Martians and everything?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"In order from the sun (which is the term for the local star): Mercurians, Venusians, Earthlings, Lunars, Martians, The Zeen, Plutonians, Chirings, and Nirgonions." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Zeen? Nirgonions?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"The Zeen are immigrants- almost nomadic. They inhabit nearly all asteroid-belt-like environments in the galaxy, maybe even Andromeda as well." Jeremy turned to look at Andy, "This of course includes the Solar Belt (politically correct term for the Asteroid Belt), the rings of Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, the Kuiper Belt, and the Oort Cloud." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"And the Nirgonions?" Andy asked, eager to learn. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"The Nirgonions are a secluded race who lives on the planet of Nirgon in the Oort Cloud." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Oh." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Mind you, neither of them is classified as humanoid." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Isn't anything that looks vaguely like a human humanoid?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"I think that's how it used to be, but then they felt the need to make it more complicated." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Ah." Andy nodded in agreement. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"The Zeen are classified as reptilian. The Nirgonions are classified as wraiths." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Wraiths?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"They look a lot like Nazgul." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy opened his mouth to say something but then stopped. "Do you hear trumpets?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy lifted his trunk to speak but was cut short by the sudden appearance of EEL:I in their midst. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>CLONG! </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The startled android's tires whirred wildly in his futile attempts to right itself. "Help?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy and Andy leapt to their feet and helped him up. EEL:I lifted his eyes to the sky and lurched a few feet forward, insisting the other two follow. They did so without argument, for out of the open hull of the saucer descended the Hero, fanfare and all. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>''Hummmmmmmmmmmm...... crunch, hissssss... Kachunk.'' </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy and Jeremy stood, just short of gaping, staring at the now majestic ship that previously was a rattley old plane. The Hero's propellers were gone, replaced by two massive turbo-engines. Two gleaming red laser turrets were mounted on each wing, one each side of the engine native to the wing in question. On the top and bottom of the hull was a larger torpedo turret, equally red and gleaming. On either side of each one were two more laser turrets. The tail fins had been repositioned so that they stood upright near the rear, looking like twin dorsal fins. A new coat of fresh, green paint had been applied to the entirety of the ship, save the nose and belly of the ship and the undersides of the wings, which were a dark shade of grey. The ship stood on three tri-pod legs that unfolded from the underside of the ship and operated like the legs of a bird. In place of the original sliding doors were new doors that unfolded from the side of the ship. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>''Hiss... hummmmmm... fwoosh!'' </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The door unfolded and a ramp extended from the door to the ground. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy roused from his trance. "Wow." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Andy jumped, startled at the sudden dialog. "Wow indeed." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Come, there is someone I would like you to meet." Said EEL:I, trundling towards the ramp. </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Chapter XV </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Area 3 </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Jeremy and Andy obediently followed EEL:I up the ramp (which was a substantial distance) and through the door into the Hero. Once inside, EEL:I pressed a button on the wall. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>''Hummmmmm... Kachunk. Hummm... Hiss...'' </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The ramp retracted and the door swung shut. Jeremy looked around and realized something fairly useful to realize: they were in an airlock. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>An orange light lit up above the other door, which Jeremy recognized as the original sliding door to the ship. Andy walked over and, having discovered that in the rest of the universe orange was green's equivalent meaning-wise, slid the door open. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>rollllllllllllllllllllllll...... </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The room before them was almost exactly as they remembered it, but the walls were lined with maintenance terminals. At each of them labored a happy but solemn worker robot, each of whom turned to welcome them by lining up like you would at a parade to watch the procession go by. There was wild cheering (once they figured out that the situation required it) and clapping. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>EEL:I brightened up and motioned for somebody to open the next door. Andy obliged. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>EEL:I proudly whizzed deep into the gaping hull of the Hero while Jeremy and Andy could only stand there gaping once again awestruck. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"This is... This is amazing!" Jeremy crowed, gazing at his magnificent surroundings. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Quite astounding." Andy said, equally awed by the sheer aura of importance and knowledge the room possessed. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Astounding indeed." Said Robby, who had been following behind with Ronald. The two had been so quiet that Jeremy and Andy had not noticed them following. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The entire hull was filled with the shield generators, the life support console, the communications array, the defense mainframe, and hundreds of computer hubs juxtaposed in neat rows up and down the cavernous room. Littering the floor were thousands of large black cords with varying diameters. Each of these cords could eventually be traced back to easily the most awe-inspiring highlight of the room. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>It was a computer. No- not just a computer- a supercomputer. The console itself was 4 feet high and 6 feet wide, but the panel that housed the buttons and such was slanted, providing easy access. The screen was almost as big as the console (but much flatter) and was hinged to the wall to allow up and down movement. All along the bottom were small lights of every color imaginable. Dangling from the screen were three colored cords- red white and yellow- that joined it to the console, which was even more eye-catching than the screen was. On the left region of the panel was an array of 36 colored buttons; one for each letter of the alphabet, four specialized keys, and the bottom row consisted of the numbers 1-6. The center region was dominated by a scanner not unlike those found embedded in check-out counters, but obviously more sophisticated. At the bottom (closest to the user) were three compartments whose contents were unknown and were hidden by panels that flipped up from the console. In the right region of the panel was a 6 by 2 button array in the top right corner, all of them command keys. They were accompanied farther down by an enter key and set of arrow keys. Next to the arrow keys was a panel with some kind of half sphere sticking out of the center of it; this functioned as the mouse. The binary behemoth's color scheme was identical to that of the Hero. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Master Jeremy, would you like to do the honors?" </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy looked about at the others, noting that the crowd of androids was still silently observing the proceedings, and that there was a power cable misplaced from its outlet. Smiling, he stooped and plugged replaced the cord. The computer blasted to life and color. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>''da dada Da! Da Dada DA! DA DADA DA! Da dada dum.'' </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Hello, Master Jeremy." </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

Chapter XVI </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>A New Beginning </i> <i'm still at eye level.></i> <i'm still at eye level.>

"You're sure you want to go home?" Jeremy pressed Robby. He and Andy were sitting in the cockpit readying for take off. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Yes. There is no place for me up there, out in space. I belong here, on Earth, in my yard with my family and friends." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Hard to argue with that speech." Andy said- even though there was no need. Ronald and Robby had both been getting a little gloomy lately. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Agreed." Jeremy turned to the controls in assent. He addressed the supercomputer in the hull, which was also acting as the mainframe and shipboard computer. "Area 3, engage take off sequence." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Yes, Master Jeremy. Do you wish for manual or automated flight control?" Area 3 had a much more gentle and natural sounding voice than one would expect from a computer. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Manual." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Done. Flight sequence; engaged." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>"Engage take off procedure." </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>The Hero hopped off the ground using its massive legs, which immediately folded under the ship. Moments later, the engines engaged. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>''SPROING! KAPOOO'OOO'OOOoooooow'!'' </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Moments later they were landing near Andy's house. Robby and Ronald departed from the flight for good, while Andy left to check on his dad. </i>

<i'm still at eye level.>Jeremy smiled triumphantly to himself and put up his hooves up on the co-pilot's seat. That day had gone exceptionally well, but he knew quite certainly that this was only the beginning. Oh yes, he chuckled, only the beginning...</i>