TRANSFORMERS ALIENS IN DISGUISE - BOOK II CHAPTER 3 It was days-weeks after the events of Wolf O'Donnell falling into the space bridge and accidentally teleported himself to Corneria along with Energon cubes leaving control of the Decepticons in Fiona Fox's evil hands for the moment. Fox McCloud on the other hand believed it was over for now with his rival adversary out of the big picture so to speak. Now he and his StarFox Autobots could enjoy some well deserved R&R or shore leave in a matter of speaking inside their HQ base which is what they were doing at the moment... FOX: What a pleasant change. No fighting for once. KEN: Yeah, it's wonderful when Team StarWolf are laying low. KRYSTAL: Gives me a chance to make myself look beautiful. ARIES: And I can stay in shape. Strength is the way to keep those dark-side mutants in line. JENNY: Sometimes a little magic helps too. NINJARA: I wish those terrorist mutants would give up or quit in harming Earth or its population of humanity. Especially Fiona believing she can lead the Decepticons to victory over us. MIMI: Well, don't worry about that sis. I doubt if Mrs Vixen in Black will try to fulfill her destiny of becoming leader of Team StarWolf. KEN: You know what? I think I'll take a spin through the countryside. FALCO: That's one thing the Decepticons never do, have fun themselves. FOX: I think you deserve time off Monkey Kahn. Within a few minutes, the martial artist of kung fu-wushu left headquarters, and once outside transformed into vehicle form of C7 Chevy Corvette and drives through the Redwoods National Forest. After awhile he exits the main road, turns onto a dirt lane and jounces along so to speak. At last he pulls to a stop in a large clearing and listens to the sounds of Mother Nature at work when all of a sudden... KEN: What in blazes?!! Suddenly the ground shook slightly as if from an earthquake of sorts. KEN: Was that a quake I just felt? Or was it something else all-together. Monkey Kahn gets moving, trying to find out what's making the ground shake. Pulling up behind some foliage, he looks around and spots... KEN: Sergeant Simon Simian! Sure enough the primate bouncer-bodyguard could be seen pounding his massive fists into the ground then beating on his chest to show off then bang again into the ground. It looks as if he's practicing for something big. Afterwards Simian saunters proudly away and climbs up a cliff. Monkey Kahn follows at a safe distance. KEN: I wonder where he's going? He watches as Simian stands before a cliff face and suddenly as though by magic, a huge double door slides open to admit him entrance - he steps inside and it closes behind him. KEN: Jumping giggiwats! Team StarWolf's hidden fortress! Knowing this is no job for one Autobot, he races back top speed to HQ, bursting into the base catching everyone by surprise. FOX: Back already? What happened to your time off? KEN: Houston, we have a problem. LUPE: What kind of problem? Ken told everything about discovering the Decepticon's stronghold and what he witnessed of Simon Simian showing off too. KEN: And that is why I think we should investigate. FOX: Excellent...why don't you take anyone of your choice to help you scout around the enemy's stronghold but be careful at all times. Moments later...Ken together with Tigress of course and Ninjara were making their way back to where Monkey Kahn made his discovery. Ken pointed to the cliff wall. KEN: Okay, this is it. The secret door is right there. TIGRESS: Where? KEN: It's there although you can't see it physically. TIGRESS: I know that. NINJARA: So how do we get inside? TIGRESS: Simple, the same way Simian did. KEN: But will the door open for an Autobot? Maybe we should investigate outside. NINJARA: Oh, sure...but that will take longer and who knows what my former teammates are cooking up inside HQ. We might not have much time on our hands. KEN: And yet walking into the front doors could be big trouble. TIGRESS: Excuse me, but can we debate this issue later, duh? The friends turn away from the fortress door. As they scout around the cliffs and rocks, Monkey Kahn's atom bat study the terrain, looking for any opening in the solid wall. Just then however Ninjara detects something. NINJARA: Yo! I think I got something! Check this out. She uses her power ring to reveal a narrow passageway into the cliff, hidden by bushes and foliage. NINJARA: I bet my former gang did not know this was here when we took over this mountain range for our base. Even I never knew it existed either. TIGRESS: Good for you. KEN: Okay, now to see what the enemy is cooking up inside. Ninjara nodded then led the way into her former HQ and the others follow close behind watching her 6:00 position of course. The three StarFox warriors (make that two StarFox warriors and one ex-StarWolf warrior that is) step into a dark, clammy cave. Monkey Kahn takes the lead along a rocky passageway that seems to go on forever. Finally, the Autobots emerge into a shadowy space that looks like a storage room. On one side there's a door, and on the other there's a second passageway like the one they've been in moments ago. Ken motioned for Ninjara and Tigress to keep silent. He crosses the storage area and pauses by the door. There's a complicated lock on it. KEN: No sweat, let's see if I can pick the lock. With a thought command to his power ring he easily broke the mechanism and pushes the door open. The friends tiptoe through and find themselves at the end of a long, brightly illuminated corridor. The presence of dark-magic is unmistakable. NINJARA: Okay, I'm gonna investigate the corridor. TIGRESS: Not on your life! I can feel the dark-side all around us. I'm going back into the storage room to see what's down that other passageway. NINJARA: Suit yourself, lady. Make sure you are not tempted by the dark-magic to obey its will as I have done myself. TIGRESS: 10-4 good buddy. She and Ken watch Ninjara dash off, then they re-enter the storage room. Tigress points to the other passageway. TIGRESS: It might lead us around the outside of the fortress. Then we could gather information without been detected. KEN: I got your 6:00 covered. They proceed down the passageway. They have not gone far when it ends abruptly in a heavy stone doorway. Yellow light shines from the cracks beneath it. From somewhere comes the sound of evil voices. But they sound faint. Is the opposition on the other side of the door or are they farther away? TIGRESS: Let's go in. KEN: No way! We could walk into an ambush and never survive. TIGRESS: Oh no? Don't forget that you and I are skilled martial artists in kung fu & wush fighting and the light-side of magic is strong within us. KEN: I know that, do I look stupid? But still he doesn't want to take the risk just the same. So he leaves Tigress contemplating as to whether or not to open the door. In the meantime he returns to the storage room but there is no one in sight - either StarFox or StarWolf aliens that is. KEN: Now what? I don't want to explore this fortress alone...maybe I can catch up with Ninjara and see what she's found. He was about to continue onward when he sensed another presence from his blindspot and whirled around his blue light-saber activated and glowing ominously at the same time a purple light-saber hummed into life and there, facing him off was Ninjara. NINJARA: Hey! Oh, it's you. I thought it was a StarWolf Decepticon about to challenge me to a duel. I almost cut you down. KEN: Whoa, I nearly ended up fighting you myself. NINJARA: Where's Tigress? KEN: She's about to walk through a door believing she can take on whatever evil force awaits her on the other side. NINJARA: Uh-huh...right! Now the two head quietly down the corridor. Along the way they pause at each doorway and listen with their power rings. Nothing...the fortress is silent. Can it really be full of Decepticons? It sure doesn't feel like it. Are the Autobots walking into an ambush or is the element of surprise on their side? All of a sudden Ninjara stops suddenly that Monkey Kahn collides into her back making her turn and glower at him briefly then signals for him to listen. And suddenly Monkey Kahn hears StarWolf voices clear as day! NINJARA: It's Fiona, I recognize her evil presence. Sounds like she's planning something nasty too. And this is what Fiona Fox was saying to Kate O'Donnell the daughter of Wolf O'Donnell at the moment. FIONA: My plan, cannot fail, and when it is completed all of humanity will obey my will and do my bidding from then on. KATE: But of course, lord Fiona. FIONA: So is the Destruction Beam on its way to its assigned target? KATE: Yes, and Simon Simian is in place to send tremors that will crack Hill Valley. KEN: Great Scott! They're going to destroy Hill Valley where Dr Brown lives?!! NINJARA: Oops, not good. FIONA: Ah, a simple test of my invention of evil. If it succeds, other towns and cities will suffer the same fate unless the people of Earth surrender to me. Monkey Kahn and Ninjara look at each other in horror! Not wanting to waste anymore time hanging around until it's too late they race back to the main entrance of the StarWolf HQ where they link up with Tigress already waiting for them. In half a second, the trio are outside and racing back to headquarters as C7 Corvette, Bugatti Veyron, MIG-29 Fulcrum forms. END OF PART 1 OF CHAPTER 3