Very Very Early Monday, Newtech City, California
"This is all your fault," Z grumbled, staring at the clear plastic bars of their holding cell. According to the guy who'd arrested them, Commander Cruger--whoever he was--would be along any minute to speak to them, and then they would be confined to capture cards until they served out their sentence. Z didn't want to be shrunk, but, well, they were in a technical sense guilty.
"How is this my fault?"
"Am I the one that said, 'Hey, let's steal a bunch of clothes?' No. That was you."
"We were giving them to people that needed them."
"And now we're going to jail."
This started a slap fight that only stopped when the bars slid open and a tall, blue, scaly dog-man thing stepped into their cell. "Good morning. Barely. I am Commander Anubis Cruger, and I have a proposal for you."
"We're listening," Z told him.
Commander Cruger explained how the SPD needed people with special powers, like Z and Jack, and that they could get out of jail time in a tiny little card by agreeing to become SPD cadets. However, since SPD headquarters was undergoing repairs and renovations, they would have to be sent to alternate educational facilities on some island in Virginia. When he was finished with his speech, Jack asked, "Can we think about this for a minute?"
"Of course." He blinked. "Time's up."
"I'm in," Z said decisively.
"Well, I'm not."
"Jack!"
"C'mon, Z, how do we know this guy is on the level?"
"Because he's trying to not stick us in little little cards?" Jack rolled his eyes, and Z sighed. "Whatever. Be that way. I'll write you from Virginia. If you can get mail in a prison card, that is."
***
Z took her backpack and jacket from the desk officer with a little smile and a, "Thanks."
"We'll send an officer with you to get the rest of your things," Cruger said.
"That won't be necessary."
"Excuse me?"
She hefted her bag onto her shoulder. "This is it."
Z wasn't too good at reading the dog-man, granted, but he looked kind of upset about that, though he recovered quickly. "Oh. I'll arrange for you to be issued clothing and whatever else you need, then. And you'll have a modest stipend as well...if you need anything else, please let me know."
"Aren't I serving out a sentence here?"
"Yes, but you're also representing Space Patrol Delta." Z admitted to herself that that was a good point. Cruger noticed her yawning and said, "Come with me." He led her through the winding halls of the SPD Base--she had to dodge workmen several times, and there was one corridor they passed that seemed to currently be made entirely out of tarps and sparking wires--to a room with two beds. One had a pink mattress, the other, yellow. "You can stay here and get some rest before you leave for Fandom. An officer will be by with your things later."
"So are there going to be other SPD types at this place, or is it just me?"
"Most of our cadets are at other facilities--specifically, the Nebula Academy. But yes, there is one other SPD cadet at Fandom High. Sleep well, Cadet Delgado."
The door slid shut and Z glanced around the room, then tossed her bag on the yellow bed. Well, it was a lot better than a lot of places she'd slept. She could get a shower before she went to sleep--she thought she still had one of those mini-shampoos she'd swiped from a motel in her bag--and start out in the morning fresh.
Fandom High, here she came.
"How is this my fault?"
"Am I the one that said, 'Hey, let's steal a bunch of clothes?' No. That was you."
"We were giving them to people that needed them."
"And now we're going to jail."
This started a slap fight that only stopped when the bars slid open and a tall, blue, scaly dog-man thing stepped into their cell. "Good morning. Barely. I am Commander Anubis Cruger, and I have a proposal for you."
"We're listening," Z told him.
Commander Cruger explained how the SPD needed people with special powers, like Z and Jack, and that they could get out of jail time in a tiny little card by agreeing to become SPD cadets. However, since SPD headquarters was undergoing repairs and renovations, they would have to be sent to alternate educational facilities on some island in Virginia. When he was finished with his speech, Jack asked, "Can we think about this for a minute?"
"Of course." He blinked. "Time's up."
"I'm in," Z said decisively.
"Well, I'm not."
"Jack!"
"C'mon, Z, how do we know this guy is on the level?"
"Because he's trying to not stick us in little little cards?" Jack rolled his eyes, and Z sighed. "Whatever. Be that way. I'll write you from Virginia. If you can get mail in a prison card, that is."
***
Z took her backpack and jacket from the desk officer with a little smile and a, "Thanks."
"We'll send an officer with you to get the rest of your things," Cruger said.
"That won't be necessary."
"Excuse me?"
She hefted her bag onto her shoulder. "This is it."
Z wasn't too good at reading the dog-man, granted, but he looked kind of upset about that, though he recovered quickly. "Oh. I'll arrange for you to be issued clothing and whatever else you need, then. And you'll have a modest stipend as well...if you need anything else, please let me know."
"Aren't I serving out a sentence here?"
"Yes, but you're also representing Space Patrol Delta." Z admitted to herself that that was a good point. Cruger noticed her yawning and said, "Come with me." He led her through the winding halls of the SPD Base--she had to dodge workmen several times, and there was one corridor they passed that seemed to currently be made entirely out of tarps and sparking wires--to a room with two beds. One had a pink mattress, the other, yellow. "You can stay here and get some rest before you leave for Fandom. An officer will be by with your things later."
"So are there going to be other SPD types at this place, or is it just me?"
"Most of our cadets are at other facilities--specifically, the Nebula Academy. But yes, there is one other SPD cadet at Fandom High. Sleep well, Cadet Delgado."
The door slid shut and Z glanced around the room, then tossed her bag on the yellow bed. Well, it was a lot better than a lot of places she'd slept. She could get a shower before she went to sleep--she thought she still had one of those mini-shampoos she'd swiped from a motel in her bag--and start out in the morning fresh.
Fandom High, here she came.