Author's Note:

Here is my new story that I am starting. I know that most of you are wondering about Family Ties. It is on hold, but it's nothing permanent so don't worry. I'm trying to go for new story ideas like this one… with more angst and possibly action. I'm trying to work out the kinks and get more flexible when it comes to writing, ya know? Give me your encouragement and possibly your bad criticism if you have any at all. I'm accepting anything.

Skipper stared down the letter in his flippers as dread filled his entire body from his toes to the crown of his head. He had absolutely no idea how to tell the others, much less the whole zoo. Without them to protect the other animals… what would happen? He knew chaos was definitely a possibility since they weren't going to be there to break up any future feuds that would no doubt originate from Julien. He knew that this day was going to come eventually, he just had no idea it would be so soon.

He was going to have to go through a lot to prepare the team. His eyes stayed fixed on the oak swirl patterns in his desk as he went over what training they had accomplished so far. He felt the blood drain from his face as he realized how much work they had to do in the little time they had been given. Their call time was pretty close to two months, which seemed like a few weeks to Skipper. They had to get serious, and fast.

In the dim light coming from the lamp on his desk, his keen eyesight could make out the manila envelope he had cast so carelessly to the side. This was going to change everything. But he knew that the captains in Antarctica were counting on him because they knew they could count on him. At least, that's what they thought.

No… I am not going to back out of a simple battle… there's no way. I'm going to fulfill what I was trained for.

He clenched his jaws as his eyes swept to the bunks. Poor little Private… he was too innocent to be exposed to the real world. Much less what he was really trained to do. The team never really lied to him, but now that Skipper thought about it, they kept the whole world one big lie. He was pretty sure Rico was ready to take on anybody. He had everything that they would ever need in that iron stomach of his, even for Kowalski to make a useful invention.

He swallowed as he hid the letter under his pillow and climbed into his bunk. He stared out into the room, not even bothering to try to get back to sleep. He had gotten the envelope earlier in the day, but he wanted to open it in complete solitude. He was well aware what there was to read on the letter, he just wasn't prepared for it.

Skipper sighed as his thoughts ate away at his brain, but nothing helpful came to mind that would put him at ease.