As James and crew searched the island for their missing crew mates, Bolster and Amperes made it out of the pathways that lay between the underground chamber and the surface.
"It feels like we were in that tunnel for a really long time," said Bolster, to which Amperes requested that he be told something he was unaware of.
"Well, I mean, how many chapters has it been?"
Amperes looked stunned. He then came to his senses, long enough to lambast Bolster. "Are you insane? You can't just talk about the true nature of the universe!"
"Right, how careless of me. But to be fair, it has been a long time since I observed those rules."
"About three thousand local years. Little more than a month for someone like us. Still, a month with nothing to do feels like three thousand years."
"So, when do we find that bastard Phenos and arrest him?"
"Are you crazy? There is no way we can arrest that guy... he's too much for us!"
"We can't return to our homeworld in disgrace, Amperes. If we don't complete our mission, he will continue his mission."
"And why can't we just let him have one planet?"
Bolster was now shocked. His expression turned to that of disappointment, however, as he said, "You should know exactly why. If he took an uninhabited planet, there would be nothing wrong with it."
"You're right, I'm sorry. The safety of others, et cetera."
Meanwhile, on board one of the two fleet ships, Cameron and Milangelo were being held in containment chambers. Their memories had been copied and were now being copied to the entirety of the alien fighting force. As such, they were not being monitored, as the system was focused completely on copying the data. With no-one watching or keeping them unconscious, they awoke to find themselves being contained.
While Milangelo stood in his chamber, thinking about a way out, Cameron was desperately trying to escape. He had been held captive too many times to let himself be held captive once again. He used his most powerful two-strength techniques, but with no success. Milangelo continued to think, there must be some way to get out of here that requires minimal effort and maximum gain. He looked around his chamber, studying every inch of it as carefully as he could, and found nothing.
Hm, what would James do in this situation? Think outside the box? Outside the containment chamber, as it were? Milangelo noticed a large button on the wall opposite them marked "lower containment perimeter". He had an idea, and using the Three-Strength technique 'Vibrant Colours of the Salt' on the ground, he could cause a vibration that would cause the button to press itself. However, the only effect it seemed to have was to bounce him around in his containment chamber.
On the mothership, Phenos was twiddling his thumbs because Two-Seven had stopped relaying video feeds in order to copy faster. He decided he would go down to the fleet ship where the hostages were being held himself, in order to make sure that nothing untoward was happening.
When he arrived, he found both of them trying to escape, and failing completely. He turned on a microphone that was connected to speakers within the containment chambers. He laughed maniacally at their futile attempts to escape.
"You're not going to escape these pods," he told them. "They were made to withstand everything.
"Anyway, it's good to see that you're so eager to leave, when I'm done with you, you will be returned to your home planet. After all, what do I have to fear when your planet will be mine soon anyway?"
He left without saying another word, not caring to hear their questions or whatever else they were saying.
If we could hear him speak, then there must be a speaker somewhere in this containment chamber, thought Milangelo. Cameron had increased the speed of his attacks, refusing to believe that he could not break through. Milangelo located the speaker, and thought, Now, if only I could remove it, I might have a chance. To do what, I'm not so sure, but it is better than nothing. He attempted to remove it.
Phenos returned to the mothership and decided that he would take a nap. He headed for his chambers, but decided that first, it might be a good idea to wake his commanders from their cryo-sleep. That way, he could be sure of the ship's safety.
Phenos' title was the Supreme Captain of the Fleet, and it meant that he had complete control over all aspects of The Million and the ships that housed them. Below him were his ten most trusted Commanders of the Fleet, individuals with their own reasons for assisting Phenos in his mission, though all of them were sure of the benefits of its success.
The first of these individuals was known as Klokar. This man was physically exceptional, and became the template for most of the soldiers in the fleet.
The second was known as D'Mitri, and his eyesight was second to none throughout the universe.
The third was known as Cindalyn, able to absorb knowledge more efficiently than any other; all she needed to do was see it once and she would never forget it.
The fourth was known as Chonk. His form was that of myth and nightmare in several galaxies, with a face that could bring any being to their knees with fear.
These four, along with six others, all were loyal of their own accord, and distinct from the main fighting force: a fleet of many thousands, named The Million due to its size at one point being that number.
"Captain Phenos, it's good to see you sir. I trust we have been woken to serve you for purposes related to the mission?" said Cindalyn.
"You would be correct, Cindalyn. The ship's system is copying new memories into our forces, and I have nothing to do but sleep. With this in mind, I would appreciate it if you, my trusted commanders, make sure nothing goes amok in my absence."
"Will we get to crush some skulls?" asked Chonk.
"Please don't speak, Chonk, your voice sends chills down everyone's spines."
"With my assistance, you can be sure that if something were to happen, it would not go unnoticed," said D'Mitri.
"My muscles impress! Everyone, look at my muscles!" said Klokar. "I promise, they impress!"
"We're not impressed by your muscles, Klokar," said Cindalyn.
"Denial is the first stage of being impressed."
"And delusion is the first stage of being ejected into space and starved of oxygen as you freeze to death."
"I've seen that happen," said D'Mitri.
"They say you have the best eyesight in the universe, but I am sceptical of your ability to see, given that you have no eyes."
"One needs not hands to feel nor eyes to see, Cindalyn."
As the four sorted out duties among themselves, it was agreed that Chonk would be put on guard duty on the fleet ship where the two captives were held.
Milangelo had found and removed the speaker from his containment chamber and was attempting to scratch the chamber with it, with no success. Cameron had stopped trying to escape due to exhaustion.
Chonk arrived on the scene, and at the sight of him, Cameron and Milangelo started laughing. Chonk was bewildered, seeing them do something so odd, and not hearing anything.
"Are you terrified?" he asked.
To his surprise, this caused Cameron to laugh even harder. His face and voice are so ridiculous, thought Cameron.
Chonk's bewilderment had started to turn to annoyance, and began to demand an explanation. However, due to the chambers being soundproof, he could not hear Cameron call him ridiculous. Chonk was frustrated that they were not doing something more predictable, and lowered the chamber walls.
"You let us out," said Milangelo.
"I'm going to kill you!" said Chonk.
Milangelo and Cameron then started to laugh again.
"Wait a minute, is that laughter? What is so funny?"
"Your face and voice are ridiculous!" blurted Milangelo.
"Ridiculous? I am not ridiculous, I am terrifying!"
"Terrifyingly ridiculous!" said Cameron.
Chonk let out a blood-curdling scream and began to transform. His face tore open to reveal two vastly different looking ones, and he grew in size considerably. He grew a tail, his fingers grew claws, and his chest grew hair.
"Do I terrify you yet? If my base form is not enough – a form that terrifies eighty percent of all known life in the universe – then perhaps you will appreciate my second form!"
"Well, I'd call it an improvement. You don't look ridiculous any more," said Milangelo.
"My second form does not strike fear into you?"
"Do you have the slightest idea what humans consider scary?"
"Oh, wait, you're humans?"
"Yes," said Cameron.
"Well, that explains a lot. One of the most morally diverse races in the universe, with a high capacity for both great evil and great good. Currently, not a lot of the latter from your species. Yes, and I thought my race was despicable."
"That's a weird thing to lecture us on, weird space guy," said Milangelo. "Say, do you know that tall turquoise guy?"
"The captain's business is none of yours, human."
Milangelo could tell that there was little to no point in talking to this person for any longer, and so he activated three-strength and used the technique 'Fortified Hook', which was a punch that landed with the power of two punches.
Chonk was knocked back and fell unconscious.
"I have a feeling he won't be down for long. Come on, my friend, we have to find out where we are, and then find a way back to Notably Small Island," said Milangelo.
Aboard the mothership, D'Mitri sat at the end of a table, where seven of the commanders were sitting. Klokar was guarding Phenos' chambers, and another commander, named Olden, was in charge of guarding the other fleet ship. D'Mitri was observing the many things that were happening. Olden was doing his job without a hitch; Cindalyn was talking to the other commanders, acting as if she were a complete authority; Klokar was standing and laughing at himself; and Chonk was unconscious. He wondered whether he had seen it right, and so he looked closer. He was not mistaken.
"Chonk is down, the hostages escaped!" exclaimed D'Mitri.
Cindalyn looked at him sternly. "Are you awake, D'Mitri?"
"Hm, what's that Cindalyn?"
"Are you awake?"
"Chonk is unconscious, the hostages are running through the second fleet ship!"
"Yep, he must be dreaming or something. There's no way two hostages could be a match for Chonk."
"How do you know that?" asked one of the commanders, whose name was Nekro.
"Well, I don't much know what to make of him. He has no eyes. We can't trust the word of a blind man claiming to see."
"I'm not blind, you fool!" said D'Mitri.
However, their arguing only served to give Milangelo and Cameron enough time to discover that they were on a fleet ship containing three hundred and seventeen thousand alien soldiers. They also found the manual controls for the ship, and decided to steer it into the ocean.
Once they began to do so was the point that the commanders noticed that D'Mitri had been right.
"If only you'd let go of your ego, Cindalyn, all of this mess could have been avoided. I told you what was happening, and yet you refused to listen."
"I've had more than enough of your 'I told you so's."
"And yet, you never learn."
Halfway through their descent into Earth, they were greeted by Chonk, who had transformed yet again. This time, in his third form, he successfully managed to scare Milangelo and Cameron, if only because of his unexpected arrival.
After a scuffle, the computer identified hostile threats on board and initiated a self-destruct. As such, Milangelo, Cameron, and Chonk scrambled to jump out of the craft, and barely managed to do so in time.
"I thought self-destruct got removed in the latest patch. The captain must have forgot to update the system software," said Chonk, as he fell.
"Three-strength: Impact Guard," said Milangelo, as he held onto Cameron.
The two of them talked as they fell, and soon came to an agreement that they would never again alienate each other, and that they would move past everything that had happened.
When they landed in the ocean, they caused a giant wave that headed toward Notably Small Island.
On the island, James and company encountered the two aliens Bolster and Amperes, and were shocked. Before they could start asking questions however, the wave hit; and as Brandon Black used some strange technique to save the crew, Bolster and Amperes were washed away.
Milangelo used the technique 'Propellor Limb' to take him and Cameron back up to the surface, and the two returned to the island rather quickly.
"Where have you two been?" asked James.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," said Milangelo.
"Try me. I think Brandon Black has some explaining to do. And first things first: we need to see that underground chamber."
Aboard the mothership, Cindalyn was talking to Klokar.
"Er, you don't want to go in there. He's having a nightmare."
"Damn it, Klokar! Quit being a bumbling idiot and let me inform the captain of the emergency! We've just lost half of our forces and action needs to be taken!"
"That planet they fled to is being invaded, isn't it?"
"For a muscle-brain, you make sense sometimes."
"Thanks, Spindler. Um, but I thought brains were muscles?"
"It's Cindalyn, you oaf."
Phenos was indeed having a nightmare as he slept: a nightmare of days long past, where he longed to start a new civilisation with his beloved, a time that was like a fleeting memory as all of his prospects were stripped away from him.