TUFF Puppy - Mat-E part 6

In the bridge lobby, the Chameleon's transport with me who is still asleep, Kitty Katswell and Matthew on it entered the cavernous hall. A lovely female thin fox with palest reddish orange skin/fur, purple eyes, purple lips, brownish red wavy hair with wavy bangs and a yellow lighting logo on her bushy tail (DanLeMan14's OC) named Miranda Fox is stationed at the far end. A bridge elevator behind him and is blocked by a force field gate. The transport pulls up to Miranda.

The Chameleon cleared his throat, "Ahem." He started to speak, "Excuse me, Miss Miranda Fox."

She smiled, "Yes, Mr. Chameleon?"

"I need to head to the Mayor of Dimmesdale's room please."

"Sure." She push one button at a time at the console one. Finally, the gate lowers and the elevator doors open. She said, "Go right ahead, sir."

"Thank you, Mrs. Fox." The Chameleon said as he saluted.

"You're welcome, Chameleon, sir." She winked as she watches the transport with the Chameleon, me, Kitty and Matthew enter the elevator. She notices Matthew and Kitty hiding at the back. Matthew gives it a friendly wave as the doors close. The elevator shoots up to the bridge. She looks at her hand and mimics Matthew's waving gesture. She said, "Huh. Never done that before." She tries it some more.

Inside the elevator, Matthew is standing by Kitty and looks out on the descending Lido Deck. He marvels at it all. His view suddenly goes dark. The elevator doors open on. In the bridge continously, there was the large circular room is dimly lit with windows to space on one side and a lido deck view on the other. There was a massive console wraps around its entirety, covered in buttons and a sea of thinking lights.

The light blue female toaster, R.I.T.A or Rita who is attached to the battery charger and immediately woke up. The Chameleon drives into the middle of the room. Suddenly, Rita disengaged from the charger and the robotic six spider legs came out from the bottom of her body and walks like a spider up to the Chameleon, who salutes. Rita eyes me and scanned me with a scanning vision ray from her eyes. Matthew and Kitty sneaks back into the shadows.

Matthew whispered to Kitty as he pointed out at Rita, "What was that thing, Kitty?"

Kitty whispered, "That's R.I.T.A, the co-captain of this vessel."

Rita detects my plant light in my jewel on my chest which goes still and begins computing rapidly. The number "A113" flashes on Rita's eyes and she said, "A113."

There was an enchange begins between Rita and the Chameleon. Matthew and Kitty watches the interchange. Matthew is nervous. Without warning, Rita heads in her direction. Matthew Rabbit ducked. A circular section of floor lights directly below him and Kitty Katswell. The irises open like a trapdoor and both Matthew and Kitty dropped as Matthew screamed, "Aaahhh!!!"

The Chameleon heard that scream and asked, "What was that?"

"I'll check." Rita said. She crawls to the section of floor. Her head extends like a snake and lowers through the portal. She looked around. She said, "It must be hearing things down there." She went back to where she was.

In the Mayor of Dimmsdale's quarters that day continuously, Both Matthew and Kitty already hits to the floor hard in the room below. The mayor stirs, then resumes snoring. Kitty was lying on top of Matthew as they were hurt from falling. She stood up slowly and whispered, "Sorry for lying on you when we fell, Matthew."

"That's alright, Kitty." He whispered.

Suddenly, they hid under the hover chair that is flat like a bed. Rita lowers through the portal again. A clock alarm buzzer activates. Rita said, "Captain. You are needed on the bridge." She shoots back up again. The portal closes. Matthew peeks his head out from the under bed-like chair. He looks across the nautical-themed cabin with one wall lined with portraits of former captains with their years of service listed below and has Rita in the background of each picture. Each generation of the Mayor or Captain of Dimmsdale more devolved than the other from human to gelatinous blob. The camera stop on the final portrait with a blobby mayor of Dimmsdale. It looms above the actual mayor, snoring in bed. The mayor reaches out in his sleep to quiet the snooze alarm and smacks Matthew's head by mistake. Suddenly, Matthew's green IPod in his pants' pocket activates the "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" or (or short for POYSC) sample. It plays loud.

The Mayor of Dimmsdale sits straight up, half awake and shouted, "All hands on deck!!"

Matthew is frantic to turn off the music as Tammy the Rabbit as the beautician, Peter the Tiger as the wardrobe dresser and Timothy the Zebra as the massager burst from the door. The mayor's bed automatically raises and forms into a hover chair. The trio of the service animals rapidly massage, brush, primp and dress him.

Tammy smiled, "Morning! Just a trim?"

Matthew blends in with the primping and uselessly wiggles the mayor's toes. The mayor giggled as Kitty got out from her hiding place. He noticed her and smiled with a salute, "Oh, good morning, Miss Kitty Katswell."

Kitty saluted back and said, "Good morning, sir."

Matthew crawls under the hover chair to hide from him, trying not to be noticed. Mayor asked, "How's it going?"

Kitty said, "Purr-fectly well, sir."

The mayor smiled, "Good." Then, the lines light on the floor and lead his chair automatically to the elevator as Kitty follows him. Matthew Rabbit sneaks aboard just as the doors close. On the bridge, the elevator doors swish open. The Mayor is still half-asleep and claps his hands twice. On cue, a coffee maker rises from the console and it pours a cup. The classical music plays on overhead speakers. The Mayor's chair links with a lit floor path and leads him over to the coffee. Matthew stays lockstep behind him. Kitty hides Matthew under the console just in time. She whispered, "Shh! Stay hidden. I don't want the mayor to get freaked out when he sees you."

He whispered with a nod, "Okay."

Rita crawls over to the mayor and said, "Sir --"

"Coffee." said the Mayor. He reaches for his coffee and makes a minimal effort, easier to adjust his chairback slowly forward......almost there...and...he grabs the coffee.

Rita said, "Sir, the annual --"

The mayor gives Rita the hand and sips his coffee. He began to say something, "Protocol, Rita. First things first." He said to the room, "Computer, status report." His chair automatically arcs along the console. The specific panels light up as he passes. He sips coffee and said, "Mechanical systems?"

The computerized voice said, "Unchanged."

"Reactor core temperature?"

"Unchanged."

"Passenger count?"

"Unchanged."

"Regenerative food buffet?"

"Unchanged."

"Jacuzzi Ph balance."

"Unchanged."

"Atmospheric conditions."

"Unchanged."

"Laundry service volume."

"Unchanged."

Matthew eyes me on the transport across the room and has to get to her. But Rita is right above him. So Matthew can't move.

Rita said, "Rita..." She calls up a screen on the console which displays the recon-ship and a flashing positive space warrior kitten girl. She waits patiently for the Mayor to notice. Finally, the Mayor turns and said, "Okay, Rita."

She said, "Sir, the annual reconnaissance has --"

Before she say something, the Mayor then notices the time. He surprised, "12:30?!" He let out the disappointed sigh and asked, "Rita, why didn't you wake me for the morning announcements?" He slingshots his chair to the Lido Deck side of the bridge. Matthew nearly collides with him and ducks back under the console. The mayor said, "Honestly, it's the one thing I get to do on this ship." He grabs a large dial with the time of day icons surround it and cranks it from mid-day back to sunrise.

Out on Lido Deck, the fake noon sun reverses at high speed to a sunrise. The passengers' lunch cups switch to the breakfast cups. The poolside passengers' umbrellas close up themselves. An announcement whistle blows over the intercom. A section of sky dome becomes a jumbotron screen and displays a live video feed of the Mayor of Dimmsdale. The image also shows up on every passenger's chair screen.

The mayor spoke on the intercom, feeling unmotivated, "Well, good morning everybody, and welcome to day 255,642 aboard the Axiom. As always, weather's a balmy 72 degrees and sunny, and -- Oh, hey, I see the ship's log is showing that today is our 700th anniversary of our five year cruise. Well, I'm sure our forefathers would be proud to know that 700 years later we'd be..." He deflated and continued, "...doing the exact same thing...they were doing..."

The camera cut to the various aspects of Axiom living. The listening passengers look just as bored as the Mayor.

The mayor announced in the intercom and snaps out of ennui, "SO! Be sure next mealtime to ask for your free..." He has hard time to pronounce, "...septuacentennial cupcake -- in a cup. Also today we have, uh...uh..." He turned to her, "Hey, Rita, what's that flashing button?" He asked with a mic feedback whine.

Back on the bridge, the Mayor stares at a flashing button on the console. It bears the same plant icon as my display.

Rita asked, "Mayor?" He turns to Rita. For the first time, he noticed me finally. Rita walks over to me and pushed the red button on the transport until the energy belts unfastened me who is still asleep. She said, "Agent one has returned positive."

He hovered over to me and stared at me. He asked, "Positive?"

The blue ray gun got out from Rita's back and zapped me. The periwinkle colored aura is surround my body as the ray is blasting at me. Kitty begged with her sad tears, "Come on. Please wake up." Then I woke up and rises. I got off the transport. Kitty was relieved as she was happy to see me awake. Then, I saluted the Mayor and smiled, "Hello, mayor."

Across the room, Matthew watches with sheer joy and smiled whispered, "She's okay!" He is compelled to head straight for her. Then, I noticed Kitty and smiled with a salute, "Oh, hi, Kitty Katswell. I haven't seen you in long time during my mission is to find the plant."

Kitty hugged me and smiled, "I know, Kristina. I've missed you so much."

I nodded with a smile. The mayor said, "But...no agent's ever come back positive..." Then, he looks at flashing button...before. The flashing button is practically calling to him. He can't resist so he presses it. Instantly, the shades close on all the windows. The room goes dark. Matthew is forced to hide under the console again... A large holo-screen appears right above him. The pre-recorded footage of the BNL CEO plays. The Buy N Large CEO, Chet Ubetcha announced with a grin, "Greetings and congratulations, Mayor! If you're seeing this, that means your T.U.F.F junior agent, Kristina, has returned from Earth with a confirmed specimen of ongoing photosynthesis!" The Mayor stares slack-jawed at the screen. Matthew Rabbit sneaks under the console towards me.

Chet Ubetcha announced, "That's right, it means it's time to go back home!"

The mayor asked nervously, "Home? W-w-we're going back?"

Chet Ubetcha continued, "Now that Earth has been restored to a life-sustaining status, by golly, we can begin 'Operation Recolonize'!" A section of the console illuminates an ancient, dusty manual book slides out right into a passing Matthew's brown gloved hands. Matthew immediately ducks under the console and sticks his hand with the manual on it out from under it. The Mayor grabs the manual, didn't noticed Matthew and blows dust off the cover. It reads: "OPERATION RECOLONIZE". Below the title, the same plant icon from my display.

Chet Ubetcha still announcing, "Simply follow this manual's instructions to place the plant in your ship's holo-detector, and the --" He makes bad edit. "-- Axiom -- will immediately navigate your return to Earth! It's that easy!"

On video screen during speech, an animated diagram depicts a stage below the ship's bridge. The symbol of a holo-detector rises up. A stick figure places a plant inside the machine. A starliner icon flies back towards Earth. The Mayor listens closely to the instructions. Matthew is paying attention as well.

Both the Mayor and Matthew wondered, "Huh?" Matthew notices he has a clear shot to me and heads in her direction quietly.

"Now, due to the effects of micro-gravity, you and your passengers may have suffered some slight bone loss. But I'm sure a few laps around your ship's jogging track will get you back in shape in no time." said Chet Ubetcha.

The Mayor looks at his obesed legs. He asked, "We have a jogging track?"

Chet Ubetcha said with a huge grin, "If you have any further questions just consult your operation manual. See you back home real soon."

The transmission ends.

I turned to Kitty, "What do you think, Kitty?"

Kitty said, "I think it's going to be great to finally set foot on Earth again, Kristina. If we can find a way to get everyone on this ship slimmed down considerably though, we'll all be able to pitch in and make our home planet livable again."

I said, "I see." Then, I smiled at her, "Well, it's great to see you as my older sisterly friend. But you already know that I can work alone like I did in Earth just to find the plant that Matthew found it."

Kitty said, "That's true. I forgot though."

I asked her, "Forgot what?"

Kitty said, "Nothing, Kristina. I'm just rattling off at the mouth again."

I said, "Oh."

Then, the Mayor of Dimmsdale examines the manual and holds it out in front of him. He reads to himself, "Operate... Manuel..." He began to say it aloud;cautious, "Manuel, relay instructions. Manuel?" Rita intervenes, clips the corner of the cover with her robotic hand from her back and simply opens the book. The Mayor is both fascinated and intimidated. He lifts the cover with his own fingers. He said, "Wow... Will you look at that?"

I was watching the Mayor and Rita looking at the manual book while standing by Kitty. Matthew tapped my shoulder. I turned to him and said with a glare, "Not now, Matthew." I turned back. Suddenly, I became surprised as I realized that Matthew was here! I exclaimed, "Matthew?!" I rapidly turned back to him who made a tiny wave.

He smiled, "Kristina!"

I was in a state of disbelief. I looked at the Chameleon, the Mayor and Rita, hoping they won't find out that Matthew was here. So I shoved him into the shadows under the console.

I whispered to him worriedly, "Matthew, what are you doing here?! You can't be here! You're going to get me in trouble!"

I made a flurry of clandestine gestures at him. Matthew just stared at her and smitten at my beauty. He didn't hear what I say so I made a garbled speech in his mind. He swooned, "Kristina..."

Kitty came over and whispered, "What's going on here?"

I turned to Kitty and whispered, "I told him he can't be here. He's gonna get me in trouble."

Matthew is busy mooning over me as the hearts floating around his head.

Kitty gulped, "Oh boy... this isn't gonna be easy."

Back to the Mayor of Dimmsdale, he managed to turn to the first page of instructions and read aloud, "Well, let's open her up. Step One. Voice command, 'Confirm Acquisition.'"

The ship's computerized voice said, "Confirm Acquisition." The bridge suddenly jumps to life and the green lights flash. Matthew, Kitty and I saw it in surprise. Suddenly, a large device appears from the ceiling and scans the entire room when blue until it identifies me when turned green. It rides along the ceiling rails, stations itself directly above me and the robotic arms unfold to position me. A voice arm swings into the Mayor's face. The computerized voice said, "Voice authorization required."

They mayor only said, looking dumbfounded, "Uh..."

"Accepted." said the computerized voice. Then, the voice arm returned inside the large device where it belongs. Then, two robotic gloved hands took off my backpack from my back. The first one hold it while the other gloved mechanical hand opened my pack. I look inside of my backpack. There's nothing inside! I was stunned and gasped. So I look around in it.

The mayor asked, "Where's the thingie?"

Rita said, "Plant."

The mayor said, "Plant. Right. Right. Where is it?" With that, he checks manual. "Maybe we missed a step. Show me how you change the text again..." He said as he and Rita turn away and re-read the manual.

Kitty asked as she looks at me, "What happened, Kristina?"

I kept searching in my light blue backpack for the plant until I remembered something. I cried, "Plant!" Then, my face became scowled and said, "Matthew..." I quickly put on my backpack on my back. Then I turned on him and shouted, "Matthew!" Matthew Rabbit flinched and surprised by my anger. I opened his reddish orange backpack, it was empty. I pick him up and scanned the floor. Nothing.

Matthew asked, "Kristina?"

I demanded him with an angry face, "Find it!"

Matthew is scared of me and start searching. I turned to Kitty and yelled aggressively, looking so coldhearted, "And you, Kitty! Help Matthew find the plant right now!"

Kitty gulped and nervously said, "R-R-Right away, Kristina."

The mayor asked Rita, "Why don't you scan her to be sure." I ran back to attention. Rita ran up to me, scan me and then my backpack. She turned to the mayor and said,"Her backpack contains no specimen. Kristina's memory is faulty.

He asked, "So, then...we're not going to Earth?"

She shook herself and said, "Negative."

"So, uh, I guess things go back to normal, huh?"

"Correct, Captain."

Then, the mayor was privately relieved and closed the manual book. He smiled, "Well, false alarm!"

The ship's computerized voice said, "False alarm." Instantly, the plant retrieval device retracts, exits back into the ceiling, the shades rise and the lights go back on. The mayor said, "Agent Kristina must be defective."

I made a icy scowl. Kitty turned pale at this. The plant was gone and Matthew was a suspect. She didn't know what to do. It was all so confusing.

The mayor called out, "Chameleon!"

The Chameleon hops to attention and asked, "Excuse me?"

The mayor commanded, "Send her to the veterinary ward."

The Chameleon saluted and wrapped his tongue around me and took me back onto the transport as the mayor of Dimmsdale, "And have them run diagnostics on her. Make sure she's not--" When the Chameleon walks off and put me on the hover transport, the mayor suddenly saw Matthew Rabbit and screamed, "EEYAH!!"

Now both the mayor and Rita staresd at this yellow young 14 year old-like rabbit boy with a long awkward pause. Matthew Rabbit turned to them and innocently walks over to the Matthew.

The mayor asked, looking freaked out, " W-who are you?"

Matthew shaked his bare human hand gently and smiled, "Matthew." When Matthew releases, it leaves a clump of dirt in the mayor's palm. This human obesed mayor of Dimmsdale stared at it, feeling disgusted and turned to Rita.

He commanded, "Have this little boy, Matthew cleaned."

Matthew knew that the mayor mistakened him for a 14 year old child because he's short about 4 and a half feet and in same height as me. Then, the mayor turned to Kitty, "And Kitty, stay."

Kitty gulped and said, "Y-Yes sir."

Matthew asked her, "What's the matter, Kitty?"

Kitty said, "Nothing Matthew, nothing at all." It was a lie; Kitty needed to get to the bottom of what happened to the plant, plus help Matthew with repopulating the Earth.

Matthew said, "Okay."