Chapter
26: The Council
**Fifteen minutes later, the whole
group stands at the top of the hill, sweating and panting heavily**
FUTURE LIBBY: I had no idea I was this out of shape…I better start exercising or I’ll get fat. Oh no! Sheen, am I fat?
**He goes to answer, but Cindy interrupts**
CINDY: Why are you asking him? Besides, it’s hardly surprising to feel a bit drained after not sleeping for two days and then climbing up a mountain.
**Lee, the only one in the group who seems un-phased by the hike, throws her a puzzled glance**
LEE: I am not sure I understand you. This was certainly not a mountain, merely a small hill.
**Nobody bothers to dignify this remark with a response, and after a moment of silence, Lee gestures for his visitors to follow him inside. They walk forward and pass under a giant portcullis, its metal prongs hanging down from the gaping mouth of the door like cruel fangs. The building itself is made of ancient stone, its surface white with age and mottled with patches of moss and lichen. The bricks have come loose in places, and strange iridescent reptiles crawl between the cracks, nesting in the dark places where stones once had been**
JIMMY: (looking up at the ruins) How old is this place anyway?
**They enter into a large, open room. Sunlight filters down through the cracks in the ceiling and dances over the leaf litter scattered on the floor. Above, the sound of scuttling creatures echoes in the rafters**
LEE: Even we do not know. This building has been here for as long as our people can remember. It was constructed long ago, back before the 700 year civil war. We no longer know where it came from or what purpose it once served, but we figured from its sheer size that it must have been important, so we decided to make it our capitol building.
CINDY: (rolling her eyes) My, how clever.
LEE: Isn’t it though?
**They proceed down a darkened passageway, pushing aside the vines and tendrils that dangle from the low-lying ceiling. The stifling humidity is made worse by the muddy terrain and the cramped space around them. As they push through, a lithe Gorlock sporting two long curved blades slinks past, sending a chill up the kids’ spines. She casts them a furtive glance, her magenta eyes narrowed in suspicion. A moment later she disappears around the corner ahead of them, and Libby shivers**
LIBBY: This place gives me the creeps.
JIMMY: It is a bit on the dark and damp side, I’ll admit, but I’m sure there’s nothing to be afraid of…
**Jimmy trails off when Lee bursts into a rather disconcerting chuckle**
LEE: If you are not expecting danger, my diminutive friend, then you surely do not know the Gorlock way.
CINDY: What’s that supposed to mean?
**Lee’s eyes fill with amusement**
LEE: It means, small one, that you will be meeting some rather interesting people before the evening is out. Contrary to what many outsiders believe, the Gorlock Council is not exactly what you would call a legitimate organization. It is comprised of some of the most notorious criminals alive today…some of whom are almost as dangerous as the Dictator himself.
**The kids gape at him**
LEE: (nonchalantly) It has always been our tradition to fight fire with fire…after all, you must ask yourself: how do you defeat a power-crazed criminal mastermind? Why, with other power-crazed, criminal masterminds, of course!
**He smiles again, as if the whole situation is somehow delightfully amusing. Carl’s eyes grow wide as he looks up at Lee**
CARL: Are YOU a criminal mastermind?
LEE: (laughing) Hardly! I am far from it, I’m afraid. I am merely a cultural relations expert…nothing to be terribly proud of.
**Jimmy shoots him a nervous glance**
JIMMY: Lee, just what kind of people are we talking about here? I don’t like the idea of walking into a room of murderous convicts empty-handed.
LEE: Well, Aurora and April are on the council, and as their guests I am sure they will not let harm befall you - if it suits them. But we shall see, won’t we? Come now, we have arrived at the central chambers.
**They proceed through a cracked, arched doorway and into the room beyond. Its vast, domed ceiling is etched with strange symbols and speckled with patches of blue moss. Rays of purplish light descend into the room through a small skylight and reflect off the wisps of fog that hang listlessly in the sticky air. Carl coughs a little, and the others squint into the darkened interior as their eyes adjust. At first glance the room appears empty, except for the long stone table in the center. The table, which is carved in the shape of a capital T, is pitted with craters and marked with the scars of old age. A closer inspection of the room, however, reveals a row of stadium seating along all four walls that bears a vague resemblance to the steps of a Roman Amphitheatre. Spectators of all shapes and sizes occupy the seats, half shrouded in the darkness. The T-shaped table is empty**
FUTURE LIBBY: Should we sit down, or…
**At that moment, a rather ugly looking Gorlock wearing an unpolished helmet enters the room. He clears his throat and smashes his staff against the cracked tiles of the floor. Instantly everyone in the room snaps to attention**
GORLOCK: Hear this! All spectators to their seats immediately! Anyone found standing will be thrown out of the council chambers and beaten!
**As expected, nobody makes any arguments with such impeccable logic. Lee and his charges take their seats without hesitation. They face toward the base end of the table, affording them an excellent vantage point of the council members as they enter from a small door on the opposite side of the room. The first to appear are five Gorlocks, led by a tall, willowy female laden with jewelry. Her light purple hair, which falls nearly to her waist, is streaked with ribbons of silver, and a string of luminous beads encircle her neck. Her formal attire is broken only by a small, streamlined blaster weapon hanging from her loose metal belt. Four muscular, heavily-armed males follow her, running their fingers over their imposing weapons and scowling with each step. The group lines up along the edge of the table, all eyes upon them**
FUTURE LIBBY: Lee, who are they?
LEE: This is the Gorlock High Council, the most powerful group of people on our planet. The female there – Lady Jaya – she is the High Council leader. She is one of the wisest and most respected veterans of the civil war. The other four are the top ranking Generals in the Gorlock army. The five of them act as an administrative panel, moderating the conferences with our allies and…sorting out those who need to be sorted out, if you catch my meaning.
**Jimmy shudders, but Libby stares at Lady Jaya in admiration**
LIBBY: I’ve never seen a Gorlock with such beautiful hair…I didn’t even know you guys HAD hair.
LEE: Ah, yes, well…in our culture, long hair is a sign of rank. Only those commanding the highest prestige may grow their hair long.
**Lee lifts off his helmet to expose the thin covering of purple fuzz on his head**
LEE: I do not possess a high military rank, so my hair must be cropped short. April’s, however, is considerably longer…nearly chin length, an impressive accomplishment for one so young.
**Lee’s eyes grow distant and he laughs quietly, as if recalling an old memory**
LEE: Haha, I remember when the General in charge of our division tried to make Aurora cut her hair. Ha! That was a sight! She nearly…
**Jimmy whacks Lee in the ribs**
JIMMY: Shh, she’s saying something…
**Lady Jaya spreads her arms in a gesture of fluid grace, arm muscles flexing visibly. When she speaks, her voice is soft and earthy, but full of power**
JAYA: The 15th tribunal of the Gorlock Council and its allies will now begin.
**As if on cue, the remaining twelve members of the council file into the room. Aurora enters first, and Jimmy catches her eye when she brushes past. Her hair swings to the side as she glances back at him, vivid green eyes focused and clear. He feels a momentary surge of confidence, until he catches his first glimpse of the other council members**
SHEEN: (bursting out) Hey, I know those guys! They’re…
**Cindy, realizing the danger, claps a hand over Sheen’s mouth before he can blurt out the incriminating words. Her eyes flash to catch Lee’s reaction as she finishes Sheen’s sentence for him**
CINDY: …Aurora and April! Yes, yes, we know them. They’re pretty darn amazing!
LEE: (seemingly unperturbed): Yes, they certainly are.
**Jimmy feels his heart freeze inside
his chest. Aside from April and Aurora, a quick glance around reveals
six other familiar faces. There, in the very same room, are some of
Jimmy’s oldest enemies: King Goobot, Eustace Strych, Beautiful
Gorgeous, and the three space bandits, Zix, Tee, and Travoltron.
Jimmy gulps audibly, and the kids inch further into the
shadows**
JAYA: The council may be seated!
**They take their seats simultaneously, as if following some unknown choreography. The five members of the High Council are stationed at the far end of the table, where they can supervise the meeting with ease. Aurora sits directly opposite them at the base of the T. Jimmy swallows apprehensively as he does a quick sweep of the table’s new occupants. He leans over and whispers to Lee, his voice rising and falling with feigned innocence**
JIMMY: Um, Lee, since we haven’t met ANY of these people before today, would you mind filling us in on their identities? Quietly, of course.
LEE: Why, of course. Where should I begin?
**Cindy pinches Jimmy on the forearm**
CINDY: (whispering) You’re just lucky Lee is completely clueless, or you could have just blown our cover. Try not to be such an obvious liar next time.
JIMMY: (muttering) I guess I just don’t have as much practice as some people around here…
CINDY: What?
JIMMY: Sorry, Lee. Where were we? Oh yeah...the council members. Please, go on.
**Lee nods, then gestures at Beautiful Gorgeous, who is seated beside Aurora on the right. She sports a skin-tight jade jumpsuit, and the single streak of white in her jet black hair is the only indication of the ten years that have passed since the destruction of Earth**
LEE: The first one there on the right is a human female like Aurora. I am afraid I do not know much about her, as her criminal activities rarely intersect with my circles. From what I understand, however, she was an enemy of the Dictator in his youth. She apparently left Earth in her father’s unfinished escape device —
CINDY: (muttering) Sounds familiar…
LEE: — only to run out of fuel in space, where she was picked up by a group of interstellar environmentalists.
JIMMY: Huh. Interesting.
**Beautiful Gorgeous taps her long fingernails on the stone table, ignoring the constant jabbering of the figure beside her: Eustace Strych. He is prematurely bald, and his prominent front teeth do little to improve his pale, rather pathetic appearance. His custom-made designer business suit is perhaps his only attractive feature – that, and the wads of cash that he openly counts in front of everyone**
CINDY: Good God, look at Strych!
JIMMY: (smirking) Ha! Still think you two have a lot in common?
**Cindy glares at him**
LEE: I’m sorry, perhaps I misunderstood. Do you two know the pallid male seated beside her?
CINDY AND JIMMY: No!
**Lee looks almost suspicious for a moment, then relaxes and proceeds with his speech**
LEE: Well, he is also a human. His name is Master Strych, and he is an intergalactic business mogul whose vast funds help to finance the war effort. He is always asking Aurora out on these things called “dates”, but I do not think she appreciates the gesture. The last time he asked, she punched him in the face. Then again, he did attempt some unwanted physical contact that clearly…
CINDY: Eeew, OK, enough. Next please.
LEE: Certainly. Next we have three petty space bandits who routinely pass themselves off as asteroid inspectors.
**He indicates Zix, Tee, and Travoltron where they sit, squabbling amongst themselves to Eustace’s right. Further down, the kids can see King Goobot hovering above the chair nearest to the High Council. He seems to be negotiating with one of the Generals in a heated whisper**
LEE: The one with the earring there – Tee – he is very amusing at parties. Travoltron, the one with the goofy voice, is always being bossed about by his wife Bofunka. It’s a wonder she lets him come here at all. Lastly, we have their leader, whose name is Zix. He…
**Cindy motions for him to speed it up**
LEE: Oh, sorry. The last one there is King Goobot the 5th, once a formidable villain in his own right. His planet suffered heavily under the Dictator’s attacks, however, and the once mighty King of Yolkus has been reduced to bickering with the High Council over trivial power issues.
**Lee shakes his head sadly**
LEE: Moving on…
**The kids turn their attention to the other side of the table. April sits next to Aurora on the left, and beside her looms a cloaked, hooded figure of indeterminate size. The fabric enshrouding the lumped form is brown, ragged, and pockmarked with holes. A mustard yellow haze seems to cling to him, emitting a foul smell. His only visible feature is the hooked, brown nose that protrudes from the opening in his hood. Cindy squints at it, then recoils in disgust. She bends over and whispers to Jimmy**
CINDY: That weird guy in the shroud…his nose is covered in boils and open sores. It’s disgusting.
JIMMY: I noticed. Lee, what’s up with that guy?
LEE: Ahh, yes. That is Hawk, named for the famous beaklike nose that sticks out from under his hood. Hawk is well known for his utter insanity and his expertise in the field of biological weaponry. He is one of the Seven Samarkandi…
CARL: Seven Samarkandi? What are those?
**Lee looks surprised**
LEE: You must be very sheltered indeed if you have not heard of the Samarkandi. The Samarkandi are the seven most wanted criminals alive in the universe today. Guilty of crimes ranging from mass murder to Grand Theft: Spacecraft, they are incredibly dangerous. They are ranked in order from one to seven, with one being the most lethal, and seven the least. I believe that you are all familiar with the 1st Samarkandi...Jimmy Neutron, the Galactic Dictator.
**The kids lean forward, eyes wide**
LIBBY: You mean this…Hawk person is right up there with Evil Jimmy? And you’re ALLIED with him?
LEE: Yes…though he’s not quite as dangerous as the Dictator. Hawk is the 6th Samarkandi. And you wouldn’t believe it, but the man sitting next to him is actually the 7th Samarkandi, Nav Aksha’at…
**He speaks the name almost scornfully, barely bothering to raise a hand to point him out. Nav is seated next to the hulking monstrosity. He appears perfectly human in every way, with the exception of the countless metal plates, bolts, and screws welded to nearly every part of his body. His left arm is mechanical, and a crisscrossing maze of belts gleams from between the folds of his gray coat. His blonde hair sticks up almost straight, except for a few loose strands that dangle over his forehead, partially hiding two smiling gray eyes. The strip of silver metal welded above his right eyebrow catches the light from time to time, sending reflections dancing off in all directions**
LIBBY: That guy…he’s…
CINDY: A cyborg?
JIMMY: Hmm. I don’t think so. I think the mechanical parts are secondary. He must have been quite normal at one time; the metal parts were probably welded on little by little, perhaps as a crude way to treat injuries.
FUTURE LIBBY: Poor guy. He’s so cute too…
LEE: (muttering) That’s what they all think…
CINDY: Huh?
LEE: Oh, um…nothing important. I was merely making an observation. Ahem. Nav Aksha’at is a member of a race known as Numerians, who share a similar evolutionary past with Earth. They’re usually not big on crime, but Nav broke the mold, in more ways than one. Keep your eye on him for awhile and you’ll see what I mean.
FUTURE LIBBY: Will do. So, are any of the other Samarkandi your allies?
LEE: We work with the 5th from time to time, but he is very unreliable. He is a pathological liar and is always skipping town at the most inopportune times.
CINDY: What about the others? The top four, besides Dictator Jimmy, I mean.
**Lee throws her a look**
LEE: Let’s just say that you would not to be in the same room with one of the top four Samarkandi. You would not last long.
CINDY: Oh…
LEE: But please, enough talking about the Samarkandi. They are not my favorite subject. Let us move on to more interesting things…like the creature sitting next to Nav.
**The creature in question is as tiny as a sprite, and has two gleaming yellow eyes set in a cherubic face. Its pink skin glistens with some sort of liquid coating, and two needle-like barbs protrude from its head, waggling as they track the sounds in the room**
LIBBY: (clapping her hands on delight) Ooh! It’s so cute!
LEE: Again, you would like to think so. That thing is called Pinxit. Do not let its adorable appearance fool you…it is extremely poisonous. Its skin secretes a neurotoxin, and the barbs on its skull contain enough venom to kill an adult Gorlock in less than 5 seconds.
CINDY: Yikes…
SHEEN: Cool! I’d like to get my hands on some o’ that! Haha! Then rub it all over Carl!
**He turns to face Carl, wiggling his fingers evilly**
CARL: Sheen! Stop! You’re scaring me!
SHEEN: Bleh heh heh!
JIMMY: Guys, quiet! Let Lee finish!
LEE: I’m sorry, what? Ah yes…finishing. Lastly, we have Tartune.
**Lee gestures at the final member of the council where she is seated on the far left. A closer inspection reveals her to be the same strange Gorlock that they encountered on the way in. Her hair is so dark purple that it appears black, and her pointed eyes seem to contain both crimson and purple hues. Two massive golden scimitars rest on her back, rising and falling with each breath she takes**
LEE: Tartune is something of an enigma. She watched her parents die in the Gorlock Civil War and has never spoken since. We are not even sure if she ever learned to speak at all. She is a prodigy in combat, however…Tartune once defeated an entire squadron of highly trained Gorlock soldiers with her bare hands. She is a loner, and frankly, she terrifies everyone. That is why she is on the council, of course. Terror is power.
FUTURE LIBBY: Not in Nav’s case, I’m guessing.
LEE: Huh?
**She points a slender, carefully painted nail at him**
FUTURE LIBBY: Look. I think he’s breakin’ the mold as we speak…
**The kids turn their attention to Nav**
CINDY: I don’t see…
FUTURE LIBBY: Shhh. Watch for a sec.
**Nav throws a quick glance at Hawk, then, whistling indolently, casually hunches forward. He purses his face into the most serious expression imaginable, then proceeds to glance listlessly around the room, a stream of drool running from one corner of his mouth. The charade is such a perfect imitation of the intended subject that it nearly sends the kids into a giggling fit…until they remember the current situation and think better of it. To add the final touch of mockery, he crooks his finger at the tip of his nose in a shockingly accurate portrayal of the hooked original. He leans all the way back until he is looking upside down at Pinxit. Nav wiggles his finger-nose at it, grinning irreverently**
CINDY: I don’t believe it. He’s a total idiot.
LEE: He likes to appear that way. He counts on his charisma to get him out of the worst situations...ones that he usually causes. Still, his carefree, lighthearted demeanor earns him far more friends than enemies – except for the members of the Galactic Police, of course. He is ranked among the Seven Samarkandi for one simple reason: he has stolen more in ten short years than any other man who has ever lived. It is estimated that the cost of the stolen items equals more than 175 times the Galactic Annual Budget. Nav will literally steal ANYTHING that isn’t nailed down…and if it is, he will steal the nail and call it even. He has stolen so many things, many...
**Lee pauses for a long moment, then clears his throat**
LEE: Did I mention that Nav is April’s fiancée?
LIBBY: (gaping) WHAT?
JIMMY: Her FIANCÉE? Are you kidding me?
CINDY: Jeez, you think you could have told us this earlier!! It kind of seems like an important detail, don’t ya think?
**Lee looks away, eyebrow twitching slightly. It takes him a moment to get his face under control before resuming his familiar tour guide manner. Future Libby surprises all of them by leaning forward and touching Lee gently on the shoulder**
FUTURE LIBBY: You like her, don’t you? April I mean. You don’t want her to marry this Nav guy.
LEE: (surprised) Well, I…I didn’t…How did you?…
FUTURE LIBBY: (shrugging) I’m a girl. We know these things.
**Lee leans back and sighs**
LEE: Your perceptiveness does you credit, human. I don’t normally discuss personal matter with visitors, but since you have already guessed, I might as well continue. Yes, I love her. I have loved April since I was a small child, back when the other Gorlock boys used to throw sticks at me and call me names for liking a girl. But it does not matter – I have never even told her how I feel. The fact is, I could never measure up to Nav. I am just a Gorlock history geek who could not beat her in a fight, even if my life depended on it. What Gorlock woman would ever want a man weaker than herself? No, I am not like Nav. He has a talent for getting into all sorts of exciting adventures…and he is very handsome, at least by human standards. April has a thing for human men.
FUTURE LIBBY: Maybe if you told her how you felt, it’d change things?
LEE: No, no. It is too late for that now.
**He looks down glumly, just in time for something to smack him on the head. Every head beside him swivels to see what it is. Rubbing his newly acquired bump, he leans forward and picks up the offending object, which appears to be a scrap of paper folded into a triangular shape. He uncrumples it carefully and squints as his eyes trail over the words written on the paper:
Shut your yaps, will ya? You’re going to draw attention to yourselves with that little sideline conversation of yours. While I appreciate you giving our guests a history lesson, I’d rather not have to explain to the High Council why I brought a bunch of tourists in here. Try not to be so obvious!
-Aurora
Color rushes into Lee’s cheeks, and he instantly clamps his mouth shut. The kids follow his example a moment later when a loud noise snaps them back to attention**
JAYA: ENOUGH!!!
**The Gorlock leader’s voice rings out across the chamber like a thunderclap, and everyone falls silent. King Goobot melts back into his chair beneath her furious stare**
JAYA: I do not care who you are back on your planet! Here in this room, you will follow MY rules. If I hear even one more insubordinate word leave your mouth, I will empty out your insides! Now be silent!
**Nobody dares to make eye contact with her, except Nav, who leans back comfortably and smiles**
NAV: That’s the spirit sweetheart. You tell ‘im.
**He puts his feet up on the table, then begins idly tugging on the chain around his neck**
NAV: Hey, while I’ve got your attention, you mind telling me why I always manage to get sandwiched between the two most outrageously boring hunks of meat to ever set foot on Gorlock soil? Surely there must be more entertaining company than the anorexic pink dwarf and the potato sack propped up against the table to my right!
**The hulking mass next to him emits a low rumbling sound, somewhere between a gurgle and a growl**
NAV: (clasping his hands in mock delight) Oh! He said his first words…I’m so proud!
**He beckons excitedly at Aurora**
NAV: Quick honey, write this down! Our precious bundle of delight spoke! His first word: “Glurg”. You see? I knew he’d take after you!
**April suppresses a smile, and Aurora throws him a look of amused tolerance**
JAYA: That’s enough of your witty banter, Nav. We have business to attend to.
NAV: (slamming his hand down on the table) Ya people! This is a criminal organization for Pete’s sake! Look sharp!
**He leans over and whispers to Aurora**
NAV: Mind telling me who this Pete character of yours is anyway? ‘Cause he definitely isn’t good enough for you, so stop seeing him.
**Lady Jaya sinks into her chair, rubbing her temples**
JAYA: This is going to be a long meeting…
**Hawk’s voice reverberates out of nowhere, a sort of rattling, hissing sound**
HAWK: We need to discuss the issue of my payment. I refuse to cooperate further until I receive my money.
**Nav nonchalantly tosses a pile of bills his way, and Hawk’s clawed, wart-covered hand shoots out to snatch them as they tumble through the air like wayward leaves**
NAV: That enough for ya?
**Eustace Strych begins patting down his suit pockets, then looks up in astonishment**
EUSTACE: Hey! That’s my money! How did you…?
**His mouth refuses to form the rest of the sentence and instead hangs open, aghast. Nav shrugs casually**
NAV: What? It’s not like you’re going to run out any time soon…
EUSTACE: But…
TEE: Shut yo mouth, foo! We got more important stuff to talk ‘bout!
ZIX: Ya, Strych. You’re not the only one losing money here. I’d like to remind the council that we still haven’t divvied up the profits from our last operation.
BEAUTIFUL GORGEOUS: And what about the proposal I submitted at our last meeting? How much longer will you continue to ignore that? When I joined this organization, I expected an equal voice!
**Lady Jaya raises her palms in a gesture of pacification**
JAYA: All in good time. Please, try to focus. Today’s meeting is an important one. We’re here today to confirm the details of the final attack on the Dictator. All other requests and questions will have to wait.
EUSTACE: Oh, it’s always something Lady Jaya! Can’t we ever discuss the issues WE want to talk about? I say we should postpone the attack a little longer. I have a big deal going down on one of the crime planets, and I’d like to finish up before starting something new.
BEAUTIFUL GORGEOUS: Quiet, moneybags. And don’t act like this is something “new”…the date of the final attack has already been postponed twice. There’s no way we’re postponing it again.
**Zix nods his pointy head, examining his fingernails absently**
ZIX: She’s right. We need to get this over with. All these delays are interfering with our schedule.
TRAVOLTRON: Ya, Bofunka wants me home…
GOOBOT: And the sooner we kill him, the sooner I can restore my empire.
**Pinxit joins in the conversation. It speaks in a cold hiss, drawing out each word into a breathless whisper**
PINXIT: Yess, ssooner iss betterrr. Thisss planettt doess not ssuit me. We mustt killll himmmm…
JAYA: Majority rules. We will take a vote to confirm the date and details of the attack.
**Aurora raises her hand tentatively, and Lady Jaya shoots her a sharp glance**
JAYA: You wish to speak, Aurora?
AURORA With your permission, Lady Jaya, I’d like to take a few minutes to go over the details again…personally.
JAYA: Make it quick, human.
