Disclaimer: Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!, and all characters and events related to it, are property of Jetix Animation Concepts and Ciro Nieli.
Chapter Six
"Sprx!" Nova screeched hotly through his cockpit's comlink. "If you ask us 'are we there yet?' one more time, I'll crush your optical sensors so badly that you'll never see where it is you're going!"
The Red Monkey sighed, once again bored from the many hours of space travel. They had set course directly for the solar system with the star they had spotted, but it took them this long to get this far, and it would probably take them twice as long to finish the journey, maybe even longer.
"Fine," he groaned. "But that doesn't mean I should be bored to death. I'm going to fly ahead and practice my aerodynamics."
"Not without me to supervise, you won't!" Gibson insisted, flying to catch up with Sprx.
"Sprx, Gibson, this is most unwise," Antauri started to say, but Sprx ignored him since they were already a considerable distance ahead of them. After all, he was finally beginning to enjoy himself for the first time in a long while.
"We should resume standard formation with the others, Sprx," Gibson warned. "Antauri is already accelerating on an intercept course."
"Aw, let Master Killjoy come," Sprx said jokingly. "I can fly my ship and navigate around these stars with my eyes closed."
"Sprx, don't even think—!"But he was too late, Sprx already closed his eyes and began using his tail to push adjustment buttons. At first, he was doing quite well as Gibson could see on his monitor. But then he noticed that as one button was pushed, he received an automatic transmission from his ship's computer: "Warning to all crafts. Fist Rocket Three has initiated Machinder Mode sequence. Automatic docking will begin in five seconds."
"Uh oh…" Sprx whispered.
- - - - - - - - -
"What is this?" Mandarin shrieked in surprise.
"What's a Machinder Mode?" Otto asked.
"It appears we are about to find out," Antauri replied.
Mandarin kept a careful eye on his ship and his teammates as it happened faster than it could be said. Gears clicked and screeched, metal panels shifted, and engines went into overtime as he noticed changes taking place for all six vehicles. For his own ship, the cannons were retracting, and the metal panels moving were making his vehicle more box-like. The only things that remained stationery were the engines that provided his propulsion.
He saw Sprx and Gibson's rockets as their shifting sections made them both take the form of what could be described only as hands. Soon, Nova and Otto's cruisers were doing the same, only theirs took the forms of feet. Antauri's vehicle performed a twist as the wings and feet folded inside.
Mandarin then heard more metallic screeching. Four long pieces of pipe-like metal emerged from his ship: two on the bottom and one on each side. A fifth, shorter pipe appeared on the top. At each side, Gibson and Sprx's ships connected on the ends of the side pipes. Soon afterwards, Nova and Otto's sections came into contact with the two bottom pipes. And finally, Antauri's craft connected at the top.
Then, silence.
"Uh…what just happened?" Nova asked after the eerie quiet lasted a few seconds.
"Gibson, report," Mandarin ordered.
"I'm receiving a new status report now," the Blue Monkey replied. "It appears that this Machinder Mode sequence has combined our six separate vehicles into one robot."
"Kinda big for a robot, isn't it?" Otto asked. "After all, we're robots. … Ooh, I know! It's…a Super Robot!"
"Super Robot…" Sprx chuckled lightly. "I like it. It has some kind of a nice ring to it."
"It seems that this Super Robot is more than just the sum of its parts," Antauri noticed. "Internal scans show an engine room with a neutron generator, a medical section, training and meditation rooms, living quarters, and even a command center."
"Hmm, it appears that a tour is in order," Mandarin announced. "Switch all systems to automatic and gather your belongings; we will meet at the living quarters first to claim and arrange our rooms as we see fit. Then, we shall begin exploring our Super Robot."
- - - - - - - - -
"Hey, everyone, we need a team name," Otto suddenly piped up after each member had decorated their individual quarters.
"Team name?" Gibson repeated, a little annoyed. "Why?"
"Every team has a name."
"Hmm, I believe Otto has a point," Antauri replied. "We could be easily identified as the Monkey Team."
"But that sounds so plain," Nova objected. "After all, we're not just monkeys; we're Robot Monkeys."
"Yeah, but that sounds like a group of sinister simians bent on blowing up the cosmos," Sprx replied. "We need to let everyone know that we're the good guys, the superheroes."
"If my opinion is pleasurable, I prefer the name Hyperforce," Gibson stated.
"Hyperforce?" Nova asked. "Where did that come from?"
For once, Gibson stuttered slightly.
"All right, all right," Mandarin sighed, almost as if he knew a fight was going to break out if no one was going to agree on something as silly as a team name. "From this point on, we shall be known as the Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce."
"Go!" Otto shouted, throwing a fist up.
"Go where?" Antauri asked.
Otto blushed. "Nowhere in particular. I just thought the 'Go' packs a punch to the team name."
Everyone else groaned at the same time but consented.
- - - - - - - - -
"We have arrived at the solar system in question," Mandarin stated after several hours touring the ship and spending the rest of the flight sitting in each one's own chair in the command center. "Gibson, report."
"It appears that that we have arrived in the Shuggazoom System," the Blue Monkey replied. "There is only one planet in this system that is inhabited, and only a small portion of that planet is hospitable enough for residence. The northernmost section of this planet consists of glaciers and subzero oceans. The eastern section is a dry desert, and beyond it is a burning wasteland. To the south is an island with no features save a formation of gigantic standing stones. The hospitable section of the planet has but one city. That must be the capital city."
"We're coming into range now," Nova reported as the city came into view.
"I suggest we land in the outskirts," Antauri told Mandarin. "We have no desire to attract any unwanted attention."
Mandarin nodded his agreement, and Sprx piloted the Robot to land in a clearing about twenty miles outside the city.
After waiting a while to be certain no one saw them land, they came out of their command chairs and made their way to their respective elevators. They slowly descended towards one of the exits.
When they left the Robot, Otto immediately screeched at a sight and ran ahead for a few feet. "Oh, oh, apple tree saplings!"
Nova smiled at the sight of him and took a deep breath. "Ah, the air smells sweet, and the atmosphere is warm."
"Indeed," Gibson answered, but suddenly flinched at a sound he hadn't heard for a long time, nor did he care to hear. He whimpered lightly and covered his head with his hands, looking both pathetic and ridiculous.
After a few moments, when the scientist looked up, he discovered that Mandarin had one arm up and that a dragonfly was sitting in the palm of his mechanical paw. "What's the matter, Gibson?" he chuckled lightheartedly. "Never seen a dragonfly before?"
Gibson frowned and erected himself to an upright stance. "I abhor insectoids."
Sprx giggled. "I guess you don't like them, eh?"
Gibson glared at Sprx. "Is that not what I just said?"
The only reply was another chuckle from Mandarin before he gently puffed on the dragonfly, coaxing it to fly on its way.
"Mandarin?" Antauri asked, attracting the Orange Monkey's attention. "The rest of us are curious about this planet that is our home. Care to join us for a tour of the city?"
The leader looked at them and sighed. "Thank you for the offer, Antauri, but someone has to stay here and guard the Robot at all times. If all five of you are going, that has to be me. Perhaps some other time."
The rest of them look at him for a few seconds before turning to leave. Antauri waited the longest, silently contemplating as Mandarin turned around and went back into the Robot. Then, he followed them.
- - - - - - - - -
Ignoring the slightly freaked-out stares that many of the civilians were giving them, the Monkeys continued down the main street until they found a semi-large crowd gathered in front of what seemed to be a snack stand. There was a large banner hanging over the counter that said, "Gakslapper's 10th Anniversary."
"Gakslapper?" Sprx asked, puzzled. "What's a Gakslapper?"
"It appears that the appropriate question is not what but whom," Gibson replied, pointing.
Everyone turned to see a short, slightly chubby man in his mid-30s standing behind the crowded counter. He was distributing tray after tray after tray of a prepared food unlike anything any of the monkeys had ever seen: two layers of bread, one on top and the other at the bottom; with layers of meats and cheeses and thin vegetable leaves in between. What was the most odd about them was that each individual piece was hovering in the air.
"Gather 'round, everyone!" the man said, nothing but gentle and merry hospitality in his slightly heavy voice. "No one's got better Hover burgers than I do. Ten years in the business today, and so that you can celebrate with me, all of your meals today are on the house!"
"Oh, it's making me hungry!" Otto exclaimed, drool slowly dripping from his mouth.
"We might as well sample the local cuisine that is offered here," Gibson stated.
Sprx chuckled. "Especially since it's free!"
Nova sighed and slowly shook her head.
"Very well," Antauri said calmly.
When the majority of the crowd had dispersed from the counter to the tables, the Monkey Team approached. The man, Mr. Gakslapper, looked down at them and smiled. "Hey," he chuckled. "I've seen lots of things in my life, but nothing quite like seeing you. Come and try my Hover burgers."
Quicker than it could be said, he had five of the Hover burgers prepared and placed on trays. Otto had snatched his and gobbled it down even faster than that. Sprx and Nova each took theirs at the same time and happily ate them.
"Delicious!" Sprx said.
"At least we agree on one thing," Nova added.
Gibson sniffled his Hover burger first before sampling it, which he later enjoyed. "Quite scrumptious."
By the time the others had finished only half of their burgers, Otto noticed that Antauri had turned his nose against the one offered to him. "Hey, Antauri, you gonna eat that?"
Although not wanting to be impolite, Antauri quickly gave Otto his.
And although all Mr. Gakslapper could hear from them were monkey chatters, he figured the body language enough to understand what had just happened. "Oh, are you a vegetarian?" he asked Antauri. "Then I've got just the Hover burger for you. I'll be right back."
A few moments after he disappeared behind the counter, he came back with a tray with but one burger. It looks just like all of the others, but Antauri could tell by the smell that this one was different.
"This is my vegetarian special," Mr. Gakslapper explained. "I got something for everyone. Go ahead, try it."
Antauri slowly picked up the burger with both hands. He could have just as easily levitated it and brought it directly to him, but he felt that he would have frightened the friendly man if he did. Like Gibson, he sniffed his burger before tasting a small sample.
Mr. Gakslapper watched intently.
With a smile of thanks, Antauri began to eat the rest of it.
- - - - - - - - -
Mandarin sighed and he typed in the commands into the computer system. The star that they had followed to this planet was fairly young; he knew that much. Perhaps even only several years old. He wondered what could have happened in this solar system that would warrant the birth of a new star.
Whatever it was, he wasn't sure if he liked it or not. He had thought about the reactions each of the other monkeys had when they saw the star.
Antauri had been filled with awe and wonder, something very rare for the wise philosopher.
Sprx had reconsidered his actions since he saw the star, and his change in thinking had led him to abandon a life of evil deeds.
Gibson had felt compelled to leave the underwater school, something that was rarely done on Aquarius, just to see that star.
Otto had known that something wonderful was going to happen, something that gave him the hope of facing each new day.
Nova had her doubts – that much was abundantly clear – but he knew that she had put her doubts aside and was willing to trust both her instincts and her blind faith at the same time.
But Mandarin felt something different. He knew from Varonite folklore that the birth of a star great enough to compel others to change their lives meant the birth of a hero who would also change lives. But upon each encounter with his siblings, he silently admitted more and more to himself that the hero in question was not he.
But if it wasn't he, then whom?
- - - - - - - - -
The Monkeys' stroll through the city had another interruption when they heard a voice shout, "Get him!"
"Huh?" Sprx asked as they looked as one into the open gate of a private school's playground.
Just as they did, they found a little boy no older than four running around the corner. The boy had taken no notice of the Monkeys, for he was looking back in the direction he was coming from.
He suddenly tripped over the edge of the sandbox and fell flat on his stomach, his face half buried in the sand. Grains of sand got everywhere in his face; he coughed up what little was in his mouth, he sneezed what got into his nose, and he was very grateful that the sand only got as far as his eyelashes. He shook off what was sticking to his face, although there were a lot of stubborn pieces clinging to his nice clothes.
When he turned around and looked up, he found that his pursuers had caught up with him and were glaring down at him.
One was taller than him, although not by much. He was a little bit on the chubby side in all aspects: chubby legs, chubby arms, even a chubby nose. The afro he had on his head was what probably gave him the extra height above the frightened boy.
The other was taller than both of them. Lanky and skinny, the frown on his face was the only thing that was intimidating, and very intimidating it was, too. Red freckles that were scattered across his cheeks matched his hair.
The taller of the two bullies grabbed the fallen boy. "Come on, Carrington, fork it over already, you spoiled rich brat."
"Yeah," the chubby one added. "Not like you're gonna miss it since you carry that much in those pajamas of yours every day."
"Your lunch money is gonna feed us for a whole week!"
"So hand it over!"
At this point, Nova could feel her blood boiling. Without even thinking, she screeched and activated her fists, taking into the sky just above them. The two bullies took one look at her and released their prey, who fell back into the sandbox. The Yellow Monkey snarled as she landed between them.
"Back off, creeps!" she shouted.
"Nova, don't!" Antauri exclaimed, beginning toward her with the other boys following.
Of course, the two bullies couldn't understand a word of what they said; all they did know was that a weird animal that wasn't looking too happy was screeching directly in front of them with more on their way. The two quickly turned tail and took off, shouting, "Wild monkeys! Wild monkeys!"
Nova was ready at that moment to chase them, ready to let them know what it feels like to be helplessly pursued by someone stronger than themselves, but Antauri had arrived at her side by this time and grabbed her wrist. She snarled as he physically restrained her by that one grasp. Only when she stopped struggling and calmed down did he release her.
Then, they turned their attention to the young boy, who had remained frozen in awe and fear at the sight of the Monkeys.
All five of them looked at the little boy with different forms of tenderness and sympathy in their eyes.
Nova again made the first move: she slowly approached the boy and gently grabbed his waist. He stiffened in her hands, which were back to normal at this point. He was afraid that she was going to squeeze the life out of him.
But instead, she picked him up and set him on his feet. She then gently began to brush off the sand that scraped onto the skin between his socks and shorts. After that, she slowly took off his hat, revealing a head of neatly combed black hair, and dusted the sand off it, too.
Only when she placed the hat back on his head did the little boy realize that these robotic simians mean him no harm. His blue eyes brightened with joy, and much to Nova's surprise, he suddenly hugged her.
"Thank you," he said in an adorable voice. "I always wanted a big sister."
Although startled by the hug, she smiled and gently wrapped her arms around his head to hug him back.
Just then, a limousine drove up to the gate. A butler emerged from the driver's seat, walked around the car, and opened a passenger door to reveal a woman in her late twenties. The Monkeys could tell right away that this was the boy's mother; the color of her eyes and hair matched his perfectly. "Madam Carrington…" the butler said respectfully.
"Mom!" the little boy cried excitedly, running out of Nova's arms and approaching the gate. "Mom! Look! New friends!"
Instead of giving them a confused stare or a frightened scream, the woman simply smiled back at them. "Isn't that nice?" she said in a sweet voice.
"Please, can we keep them?"
The mother chuckled. "They probably already belong to someone else."
"Aw, please, Mom! Can't we keep at least one? I want that yellow one. N-no, no, the-the green one. Hmm…no, may-maybe the red one!"
With another laugh, the mother gently took the boy by his hand. "You can play with the monkeys another day. Come on, Chiro, it's time to go home."
"Okay…" he sighed in defeat. He then looked at the Monkeys and waved. "See you again someday!"
The Monkeys watched as the butler escorted mother and son into the limousine and drove off.
"Aw, he's so cute!" Otto cooed very sweetly. "I wonder if we'll see him again."
"Unlikely," Gibson pointed out.
Just then, each of their cyber-ears extended. "Mandarin to Monkey Team. Come in, team. Over."
"Antauri here," the Black Monkey immediately replied. "What is it, Mandarin?"
"Return to the Super Robot immediately. It seems that we have arrived at the right place at the right time."
The five Monkeys glanced at each other before nodding. Then, activating their rocketpacks, they took off towards the outskirts.
- - - - - - - -
"What is that?" Nova asked, knowing that she was going to regret her answer as they stared at the image on the monitor.
Mandarin looked from the ship-like object on the screen and turned to his siblings. "Scanners detected it when it assumed a high orbit over Shuggazoom."
"Strange…" Gibson said as he looked at the data on the side of the monitor. "This ship doesn't appear to be constructed out of metal like all other spacecrafts. Analysis suggests that it consists instead entirely of… Impossible."
"You gonna share, Gibson?" Sprx asked, giving a clueless shrug.
"Analysis suggests that this ship consists entirely of bone."
"What?" Otto asked. "That doesn't make any sense. … Or does it?"
"Could it be some kind of life-form?" Antauri inquired.
"Somehow, I don't think so," Mandarin replied. "Although the scanners can't penetrate the inside, I can tell already that negative energy readings associated with it are off the charts. Whatever it is, it is evil. We must protect this planet from that evil. Our training will begin at once."
Nova stood in surprise. "Training?"
Replies to the Reviews!
To AnimeQueen17:
Yes, Nova defeated him in two moves. We felt it would have been too short if we had her do it in just one.
To pepperdadog:
Well, it kinda was intended that way. But anyway…
To beautybelle300256:
Yes! Someone noticed that! There were lots of other foreshadowing moments in previous chapters, but this one was sort of the most obvious.
To Dark Fox Tailz:
Can't make any promises, so don't expect anything.
To AquaAngel13:
Glad to have a new fan. Yes, that was funny.