"M.O.P.S. in Space" - Chapter Twelve

M.O.P.S. in Space

Chapter Twelve

By Douglas E. Gogerty

Kelly had his two arms in a handcuff type apparatus with room for four. He and his MOPS friends still had their swords and other accoutrements including Victor's bucket. However, they had no idea what they had done wrong. Or for that matter, what Kelly had done wrong. After all, they had only shackled him.

With the remaining members following behind, the very navy blue individual dragged Kelly to a very square building. It was cube-ish actually. A square is only a two dimensional structure, but a cube is three-dimensional. So, this building was a very cube-ish building.

With the MOPS members watching, the official looking individual said a few words to another individual behind a desk-like structure. With the sound of a buzzer, the shackled Kelly was taken into a secure area.

The remaining MOPS members were not able to join their friend, so they took a look around the area. They came across a bulletin board, and there was a picture of Kelly upon it. They assumed that this was the area where they posted their most wanted notices. After all, Kelly O'Kern has been nothing but trouble his entire life.

With nothing better to do, they looked at a few other images. In particular, a very bulky and green individual looked particularly frightening. Victor commented that he would hate to meet up with this one in a dark alley.

When they had enough looking at the photos, they looked for a place to sit. However, they found themselves face to chest with a very bulky and green individual. Victor could not stifle his yell, but Angus and Tommy managed to squelch their surprise meeting this mountain of an individual.

In shackles, they led the wanted individual into the secure area much to the relief of the MOPS members. It looked as if the individual's incredible bulk would prevent the secure attachment of the shackles; however, he did go along peacefully.

After facing the mountain, the group turned around, found a place to sit down, and sat. They sat there in a daze for several minute, when Hello Kitty™ girl entered. She spied the MOPS members, and gave a little wave. She walked up to the man behind the desk and he buzzed her in.

As surprised as the other MOPS members, Kelly's eyes nearly leapt out of his skull as she walked into the interrogation room where he was currently incarcerated. To even more to his surprise, she said, "Hello, I'll be your interpreter today."

It took Kelly a moment to pick his jaw off the floor. Eventually, he gathered his senses together and said, "What is going on?"

"I am your interpreter, not your lawyer," she replied. "I am here just to facilitate communication."

"Um, how do you know English?" Kelly asked.

"Is it not obvious?" she replied.

"Perhaps to someone whose mind is clearer," admitted Kelly.

"I've been majoring in Human Studies at the University," she replied as if Kelly were a 6 year old.

"Oh, that is why..."

"I dress like a human?"

"Exactly!"

"I have a friend in Fashion and Design who custom made these items. Do you like them?"

"They are very reminiscent of Earth -- er -- a place I once visited back on my planet."

"Tokyo?"

"Uh -- yes actually."

"Good, that is for what I was striving. It has been a hit around town."

"I noticed."

"If you make it out of here, I would like to learn more about your little group."

"IF?" Kelly gasped. "Do you know why I'm here?"

"No, but we will find out soon enough," she returned as a very navy blue individual walked into the cell.

He said something, and the Hello Kitty™ girl said, "Please state your name."

"Kelly Patrick O'Kern," he replied -- except with his real name, which has been changed to protect the innocent.

She translated for the official and asked Kelly, "Do you know why you are here?"

"I haven't got a clue," he replied.

After a bit of back and forth with the official, she turned back to Kelly and asked, "What?"

"No. I do not know why I am here."

The official looked at a clipboard, and read off the charges. Hello Kitty™ girl translated them as, "Breaking and entering, breach of promise, dangerous disposal of deadly chemicals, impersonating a deity, kidnapping, square dancing in a round house..."

"What?" exclaimed Kelly.

"Breaking and entering, breach of promise, dangerous disposal of deadly chemicals, impersonating a deity, kidnapping, and square dancing in a round house." Hello Kitty™ girl replied.

"I understand the charges," Kelly stated with a bit of exasperation.

"You admit them then?"

"Wha -- no! Emphatically no!"

"Do you deny that you were in the convention center before it was open to the public?"

"Huh?"

"Do you deny that you were at the Bistro De Burden²⁶ where a nuthin form 'e' was poured into a fizzing bucket?"

"But..."

"Do you deny taking Carmalita Vahtoss²⁷ dancing at the train station's roundhouse?"

"Well that one is a mystery to me..."

"Enough of your lies!" translated Hello Kitty™ girl. "Guards take him away!"

Four very navy blue individuals strode in with great confidence. They grabbed and dragged the still shackled Kelly into a secure barred room. One of the guards turned Kelly around and removed the alien handcuffs. One of them closed the barred cell-door and turned, looked over what could be described as sunglasses and said, "What we have here is a failure to communicate..."²⁸

The cell was small 8x8 room with a barred door on one side. In the corner was a set of bunks. In the other was a hole with a small tree coming out. Next to that, was what appeared to be a sink. Kelly climbed to the upper bunk and rested.

Kelly closed his eyes for a moment, and he heard his cell door open. In walked an enormous bulky and green individual. He, she, or it took up most of the entire cell. As the individual turned, what could be described as shoulder jostled Kelly from his upper bunk.

Kelly decided to let this infraction stand unchallenged. However, the large green individual turned and bellowed, "Hulk smash!"²⁹

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NOTES:

26: A cultural reference to a restaurant in the cartoon series The Tick. by Ben Edlund. I made it more correct French language-wise.

27: Ibid "The Tick"

28: A cultural reference to a line in the movie Cool Hand Luke.

29: A cultural reference to something Marvel Comics' character The Incredible Hulk often says.