--Chapter 4: A Time for Hellos...--

              The road was long yes we travelled far
          Through long dark nights without guiding star
              Visions of an angel came along the way
    Told us "Don't be fearful for there comes a brighter day."

                         "The Sun Does Rise" -- Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart


     Dead silence prevailed.
     For Tham and Kan, who had known it was Geegaw, they were as interested in
the Rangers' reactions as the Rangers were stunned at the appearance of Geegaw. 
Chip, Dale, and Zipper, who had never met the legendary mouse, recognized him 
instantly from Gadget's photos and her and Monterey's descriptions. True to form, he
stood the same height as Monterey, although lean and in good shape, despite the 
walking stick he was leaning against. His rich, light brown fur complimented his 
yellow-orange hair and moustache. A rather battered and worn leather flight jacket, 
covered with various decorative patches, kept his upper half warm, while a set of 
rugged, wool pants did the same for the legs. His tail was alert, as were his ears, 
slightly larger than Gadget's. His mouth hung open in disbelief as he stared 
directly across the room at his daughter.
     Monterey looked his old friend over with care. It was Geegaw, no doubt about 
it. He could even pick up on the slight trace of airplane grease that wafted across 
his nostrils, something Geegaw had never seemed to either notice or care about. 
Monterey also recognized the jacket as Geegaw's personal favorite, the same one he 
must've put on that fateful day when he left. Through all of these small details, 
Monterey felt a tear well up at seeing his most trusted friend before him, alive 
and well.
     Gadget never noticed any details. She didn't have to. She couldn't move. She
couldn't think. She could barely even breathe. Time had seemed to completely stop 
for her as her brain continued to fumble over the information her eyes presented it.
When she got the letter, that old, buried hope that her father might actually be 
alive burst from the ground with a vengeance, but that's all. Doubt was never 
erased, merely overshadowed. Even so, all the way over here, when they had found 
Tham as the writer of that letter, and even when Tham had confirmed that her father 
was here, that small knot of doubt remained. Now, it was mercilessly, and joyously,
crushed from existence by the stampede of ecstasy and disbelief at having a wish 
granted. There he was. There he was! *Alive!* Gadget wanted to run and hug him, to 
break down and cry, to laugh hysterically, but her mind continued to grapple with 
the very concept of her father, Geegaw Hackwrench, standing in front of her. 
*Alive*.
     ".....daddy?....." Her voice was a barely audible whisper, but it carried 
throughout the room from the driving hope behind it.
     Geegaw, for his part, was as astonished to see Gadget as she was to see him. He
was dimly aware of the other Rangers, knowing them through descriptions he had 
heard. Monterey presence was also noted, as he had not seen his oldest friend for 
nearly a decade now. But Geegaw just could not unlock eyes with his daughter. He 
hadn't been gone for *that* long! At least it hadn't seemed like it, but when he had
left, Gadget was merely a young girl on the cusp of womanhood. Now, she had 
blossomed into the perfect creature that her mother had been. His mind was 
overflowing with thoughts and emotions, surprised at all of the likenesses that 
Gadget and her mother shared: the slender fingers, the baby blue eyes, the sculpted 
cheekbones--the list continued to grow every second. And just the fact that she was 
here. Here, of all places! He had been resigned to the fact that he'd never get to 
talk to her again, let alone see her. But now, just like his child, that was wiped 
clean away by his own old hope exploding forth from the recesses of his mind, where 
he had tucked it away years ago.
     Each still staring at the other, a whirpool of shared memories filling their 
minds, a smile grew on their faces. Then, as if to make up for all of those moments 
of stillness, they both burst into action, running to each other, knocking down 
anyone or anything that stood between them. They reached each other in the center of
the cabin at the same instant, Gadget flinging herself into her father's strong, 
protective arms. He cradled her lovingly, soothing her hair along her back.
     "Daddy," Gadget giggled, giddiness preventing her from forming any other
words. "Daddy." Another giggle. "Daddy daddy daddy daddydaddydaddydaddydaddydaddy
..." She continued to giggle uncontrollably, repeating the word over and over as if 
it was a mantra, saying it in sync with the rapid beating of her heart. Her eyes 
were squeezed shut as she hugged him fiercely to her, determined to never let him 
go. For so many years, she had wondered what it would be like to hold him again, but
never allowed herself that speculation. Now, his arms tightly wrapped around her, 
she indulged in the feeling to the point of ecstasy.
     Geegaw said nothing, his own eyes closed and a steady stream of tears making
their way down and over his cheeks, leaving slim, dark trails of wet fur. He rocked 
her gently, as he did when she was a little girl, savoring the ability to do so 
again. He too, had never given the idea of ever holding his baby girl again much 
contemplation. And, like Gadget, now it was the only thing on his mind.
     Her head tucked securely under his chin, Gadget let out her own streak of
overjoyed tears, still repeating the word "Daddy" with revered awe, allowing the 
strong beating of his heart to lead the rhythm. Geegaw, throughout his long life, 
had been bestowed a number of honorary titles and awards. Being called genius, the 
best, and just about every other form of praise his colleagues and associates could 
think of. None of those titles, however, could ever hope to match the rush that one 
word always gave him...
     "Daddy."
     Monterey realized with a start that he was grinning uncontrollably. Casting
about, he saw everyone else was as well, even the normally formal and stoic Tham.
     "Er, I think I forgot somethin' in the Wing," he said quietly, giving a 
meaningful smile to the rest of the group as he stood up.
     "Yeah..." Kan said softly, moving noiselessly around Gadget and Geegaw. "Me
too." She gave a wink to Monterey as they moved outside. The others all shyly 
murmured something to the same effect, quietly moving to the door and out. As Chip 
started to close the door, he paused momentarily to look at father and daughter.
     I think she's pleased, Zipper sighed happily, still perched on Chip's shoulder.
     "Yeah," Chip looked on in a state of wonder at them. He had never seen Gadget
this happy. Her beaming face was so beautiful it was threatening to blind his mortal
eyes. Not that he really cared. He wanted the scene before him to be etched in his 
memory forever. "Enjoy your happiness, Gadget," he whispered. "God knows you deserve
it."
     He then carefully closed the door as silently as he could, leaving them in 
private.
     For the Hackwrenchs, they never noticed anyone leaving. In fact, from the
moment they first saw each other, they were unaware of anybody else in the room, 
that they were in a room, or even on solid ground. They were the only existing 
objects in the world. Even so, they still held on tightly to each other, for fear 
letting go would put them apart again forever. They could have stayed that way for 
all of eternity, and were already attempting to make up for the lost years, 
listening to the wind coo soothingly outside.
     God, how she's grown...it was the only conscious thought he could form in his
mind. Images kept flashing through, like he was flipping through an old, cherished 
family photo album. He instantly recalled when he had taken her for her first 
airplane ride in the Screaming Eagle, and how nervous she had been around any type 
of machinery as a toddler.
     But how was she to know the significance of that moment? How the flight
through the skies, while her father teased her and laughed all the while, was to be 
the first major step in her life's direction? All she knew at the time, all she 
could remember, was that look of honest happiness from her father. The members of 
the Animal Aviator Society had said that after Terica died, Geegaw only seemed to 
truly live in the sky, and whenever he was around his growing daughter.
     Yes, she had grown. He knew it would happen sooner or later, but everything
always seemed to be sooner with Gadget, like she just couldn't wait to get started 
on a project or know something. He had first realized the extent of this when she 
surprised him by asking very careful questions about her mother. This was merely two
years after her first plane ride, and she was just starting school. Whether it was 
time for it, or Gadget had a sudden need to know, he wasn't sure. But there she had 
been, asking what her mother looked like, wanting more than just descriptions and 
details.
     She wanted to know emotions. How her mother acted, all the little things that
keep her alive in her father's memory. She wanted to truly know the person her 
mother was. Her father seemed reluctant at first, but took her upon his knee, and 
answered each of her questions as truthfully and honestly as he could, no matter how
much it hurt. She saw that, even after all these years, it still hurt. But, through 
the sorrow, she had felt the foundations of love and respect her parents held for 
each other. And somehow, perhaps through her father's tears, she had come to
know her mother.
     They had cried together that evening, long ago. He held her protectively in his
arms, and her own little hug granted him a strength to lean on. It was one of the 
most private times of their lives, and neither of them had the need to speak of it 
since. After all, other things were starting to surface, mainly his daughter's 
natural aptitude for mechanical devices and engineering. She started out easily, 
repairing some simple clockwork toys, and eventually beginning to build her own.
     She still had those. Tucked away in her dresser, they were her first real 
creations, no matter how incredibly simple they seemed, compared to her more complex
and ambitious projects of late. Not long there after, she started working with 
electricity, much to the worriment of her father. He made it vividly clear that she
was not to experiment unless he was close by, and it was one of the few rules she 
had grown up with that he strictly enforced, even grounding her at one point for 
breaking it. Even so, he never tried to stop her when she worked, allowing her to 
figure things out on her, unless there was a danger present. Being an accomplished 
airplane mechanic himself, it wasn't long before she had learned almost everything 
her father knew, and more. Her father practically stated the fact with her Christmas
present that year.
     It remained one of his fondest memories of her, watching his daughter's eyes
light up at the new tool set he had given her. She declared it her favorite present 
ever, and as far as he could tell, it remained the truth from then on. She 
immediately set to work, naturally, determined to christen these new tools. She had 
darted off into the scrapyard, the first of hundreds of trips, and returned soon 
with an armful of odds and ends, ranging the gamut from vacuum tubes to copper 
wiring. She immediately went to work in the corner of the downed plane where they 
lived. This area was pretty much then her official workshop, where, by the next day,
she had turned out her first invention.
     She would always call it her first. Those wind-up toys she had made were too
simple, really. What's more, to her, an invention was something new, something 
different. What the exact function of that invention was, she really wasn't sure. 
All she knew was that she wanted to incorporate as much of her knowledge into it as 
possible. So it was powered by batteries, used a tread and track system for 
movement, and had a self-directing motion sensor. When they first turned it on, 
though, nothing happened. Geegaw did a quick check over it, found a loose wire to be
the culprit, and plugged it in, giving himself a shock in the process.
     It didn't hurt, really. More of an annoyance. But any ill feelings it might 
have caused in him were vaporized by his daughter's laughter, pointing to his hair 
and moustache pointing out in all directions, like a bad afro. On top of that was 
the beaming look of accomplishment he saw in her eyes as they watched her 
contraption wander about aimlessly. True it didn't actually do anything useful, 
but that hardly mattered. It worked. That had been her true goal.
     Her next projects got increasing more and more complex, and she also started
experimenting with modifying existing machines, either to better perform a function,
or to do a new function altogether, even though some of these new "duties" weren't 
exactly counted on. Still, her father never doubted her abilities, despite some 
rather spectacular failures she made. Those always sapped her of her will at first,
but her father was always backing her. "If it's broken, fix it. If it's fallen 
apart, rebuild it. If it's explosive, send it to someone you don't like." His
advice always made her feel better, and she normally started working again within 
the hour. Even though she made a number of impressive devices and modifications 
throughout the years, the most important one to her wasn't because of what it did, 
but because her father he let her do it.
     She wanted to modify the Screaming Eagle. It was only a year before they would
last see each other, but they weren't aware of that. It was a bit unexpected, and 
he wasn't sure if he really wanted her to try. The Screaming Eagle was a very 
important part of his life, second only to Gadget. And he had seen some of her 
modifications result in unexpected results. But, the doubt only lasted a moment. 
He gave his best mock-worried look, and let out an exasperated sigh, pretending to 
fear for the safety of his beloved plane. She set to work on it immediately, adding
in an ejection seat, reconfiguring the plunger guns, and increasing the fuel 
efficiency. He was very grateful to her, for doing such an excellent job.
     She was very grateful to him, for trusting her with his most prized possession.
     Both of them knew it was a moment that had cemented them together forever,
formed by the bonds of love and trust. They treasured the memory as the best moment 
of their lives.
     Until now.

     The rest of the group waited outside patiently, still on a contact buzz from 
the intense emotions they had been privileged to witness. Nobody really said 
anything; they just wandered about, looking at plants, trees, the Wing, the view...
anywhere except each other. They all knew that they were still grinning like idiots,
and didn't want to risk breaking the mood they were in.
     As the minutes continued to pass, they eventually settled back down from the
euphoria, just enjoying the pleasant afterglow. Conversation started between 
Monterey and Kan, when Monterey asked a bit more about various martial art styles. 
Dale and Zipper started off into the surrounding area, to do some scouting about and
exploring. Tham was seated at the edge of the climb looking out at the momentarily 
clear sky, when Chip stepped up alongside him.
     "Now, can you tell us what you couldn't before?" Chip's amused tone made it
clear that he wasn't upset in the least with Tham. "Or at least *why* you couldn't 
tell us?"
     Tham's mouth slipped upwards a bit, forming a satisfied smile. "The latter 
part, yes. Have a seat."
     Chip carefully sat himself down next to Tham as the young mouse spoke.
     "Quite simply, I gave my word of honor to Geegaw never to accidently draw
anyone into the mess we're in. If I had told Miss Gadget back at the tavern about 
her father being alive, it would have blocked any hope of dissuading her from trying
to help."
     "I got news for you, Tham." Chip looked back at the quiet cabin. "Don't expect
her to leave here without her father."
     "True, but at least it will be Geegaw who can explain to you and your friends
why we've kept this private. Maybe he'll have a better chance of convincing Gadget 
than I."
     "Yeah, well, if you know so much about the Rescue Rangers, then you're aware
of the tiny detail that we never turn our backs on those in need of our help. Even 
if they don't want it."
     A sad expression crossed his face. "I know. But we do what we must, no matter
how much it hurts." A ring of truth echoed off of that statement, and Tham sat 
straighter, drawing strength from his conviction.
     They were silent for the rest of the time, just staring out into space, 
watching as the sunlight slowly started to wan, and storm clouds began to blow in. 
"Here comes that stormfront." Tham gestured to the large, dark grey clouds. "We'll 
get hit hard tonight."
     "Hey everyone!" Gadget's melodious voice rang out. She was standing in the
open doorway motioning everyone inside. "Come on! We've got some food ready, and Dad
says that a storm's coming in!"
     She disappeared back inside, everyone quickly following. Minutes later, they
were gathered around the stove as Geegaw dished out generous helpings of a thick 
stew. Seating himself at the table with Chip, Monterey, and Zipper, Dale started in 
on his eagerly, and was both surprised and delighted at the delicious taste.
     "Hey," he mentioned between mouthfuls, "this is pretty good."
     "Thanks, Dale," Geegaw inclined his head to him. "It's a simple recipe from my
old flight school, easy to make in the field."
     "Thought it tasted familiar," Monterey joked. "Still missin' the final 
ingredient, of course."
     "Yeah, I know, Monty, but cheese isn't as plentiful around here as you might
think," Geegaw quipped. He dished out two bowls, handing one to both Gadget and Kan,
who were seated on his bunk. "Good to see you again, Kan."
     "Indeed." She took the bowl gratefully, still hungry from missing breakfast. 
"But I must confess, Geegaw, I never knew you had a daughter. I thought she looked 
familiar when we first met, but I never made the connection."
     Geegaw smirked. "There's a lot of things people don't know about me." He
dished up two more bowls and walked over next to Tham on the young mouse's bunk, 
handing him one of the bowls. "Which, I guess, is as a good of time as any to get 
some explanations out."
     Chip pulled his notepad out, and withdrew a pencil, deftly spinning it around 
in his fingers. He glanced again at Geegaw, and the walking staff near him. Although
he hadn't watched the famed pilot much in the cabin, he saw enough to indicate the 
traces of a limp.
     "Might as well start at the time of the crash," he remarked with a thoughtful
expression. Gadget leaned forward intently, completely forgetting about the soup. 
"The plane went down, of course, due to some engine failures. I had forgotten why 
they were called 'experimental' planes, and why they needed `test' pilots." He 
chuckled. "I think the problem stemmed from an electrical short, as my instruments 
were the first to completely go off-line, followed by the ejection system, and then 
the engines. Fortunately, I managed to bring the plane in low enough to glide it out
for a little while longer. Even though it wasn't meant to be amphibious," he gave a
wry laugh, "I convinced it otherwise. Still, crashing into water isn't that much 
more different than crashing on land, with the exception that you get wetter.
     "The plane was a wreck, and started to sink before I realized what was
happening. Having been bashed about during impact, it took me a minute regain my 
bearings through the haze of agony my body was in. I cut myself free from the seat 
and forced the canopy open. As I was climbing out, I realized just how bad a shape I
was in. My right leg was killing me whenever I tried to move, and the pain in my 
side was telling me I'd either cracked a few ribs or broke them. Fear of death beats
out fear of pain, though. I mean, as long as you're in pain, you know you're still 
alive, in a macabre sort of way.
     "A good part of the plane had broken off upon impact, so I latched onto a piece
of floating debris, trying to catch my bearings. I knew I was near Japan when I had 
crashed, but wasn't sure how far. Checking out where the sun was, I figured out 
which way was east, and started pulling myself in that direction. It felt like it 
would go on forever, but I would rather keep moving then wait for some passing shark
to find me idling. I eventually came into sight of land, but by then I had been 
going for almost a full day. Finally, I passed out.
     "But, I guess I must've gotten in somebody's good graces, because when I
awoke, I was on board a simple fishing boat." He nodded respectfully to Tham. 
"Tham's parents had been coming back when they spotted me, floating on that leftover
hunk of plane. They rescued me, and slowly began to nurse me back to health."
     He shook his head in wonder. "I'm still amazed that I managed to live through 
it. In the end, I had broken my right leg in five places, cracked three ribs, had a 
concussion I didn't even know about, and a hefty case of yellow fever. That last was
a gift from the bacteria that had festered in my open wounds for almost a day--"
     "Uh, Geegaw?" Kan respectfully reminded him. "We're eating."
     "Oh yeah." He laughed lightly. Gadget swore it was the most beautiful sound
she'd ever heard. 
     "So then what, mate?" Monterey prompted, never liking to have to wait to hear
the end of a good tale.
     Shrugging, Geegaw shifted in his seat. "Well, I spent the better half of the 
next four months bedridden with that fever, let alone my other injuries. I was at 
Tham's parents home, which was located on the beach. It got to the point where 
Tham's folks had to feed me, because my strength had been sapped." Noticing Gadget's
frightened eyes, he added, "Not for long, though. Finally, about six months after 
the crash I went into the Wong Thong Clinic for a complete check-up." He sighed 
deeply, the sadness practically tangible. "I guess that's what I'd call the turning 
point. See, I had come to know Tham and his parents very well. This included their 
recent troubles." He shook his head regretfully.
     "Troubles?" Chip queried, looking up from his notepad.
     "A family restructuring," Tham said bitterly.
     "That's an understatement, Tham," Kan scoffed, turning to address the Rangers.
"His clan, the Shandi, had a few members who were looking to join the Yakuza. 
Problem is, Tham's grandfather was at the head of the family, and had no intention 
of going over. Well, this had been a family debate for something close to a 
generation, until his grandfather died."
     Tham wore a grave expression as Kan continued. His evident anger wasn't
directed at her, but at the events she was describing.
     "It was well known that the grandfather had shown favor to passing on the
leadership to Tham's parents, but his uncle was older, and demanded it out of 
seniority."
     "And he just happened to be part of the faction looking to join ranks with the
Yakuza," Geegaw added ruefully.
     Kan nodded. "Uncle Naki made it very evident that was what he intended to do
when he established control. It came down to a fight between brothers for head of 
the family."
     "Too bad it wasn't a fair one," Tham remarked quietly. Chip, pausing as he
flipped to a fresh page, noticed that same look of pity on Kan's features. He knew 
what was coming.
     "To prove who could properly lead the family, a trial was decreed." Kan's voice
was informative again, looking away from Tham. "The Shandi Clan had a great deal of
lore about their ancestors. One of them was a legendary hero, and his famed katana, 
the Time Blade, was the object of this trial. The katana, for countless generations,
has signified who the leader of the family was. The head of the family would take 
the katana to a secret location, and place some sort of 'sacred' guardian on it." 
The way she spoke indicated she didn't believe a word of it. "Personally, I believe 
it to be some type of mechanical trap, but that's not important."
     "What's important," Geegaw said, picking up the story, "Is that Tham's parents
get that katana. The sacred guardian, or trap, or whatever, could only be bypassed 
by a single key. Everyone knew Tham's father had possession of it, but the uncle 
caused so much political unrest that it was clear Tham's father could only silence 
him by presenting the katana as his right for the head of the family. By then, I was
pretty much fully healed, and also knew I owed Tham's parents for saving my life. So
I resolved to stick around and help out as much as I could."
     He turned to Gadget. "By this time, I had found a way to get a letter back home
to you. Before, I was too weak, and then this cropped up. I was pretty much stuck in
the house for most of the time as my injuries subsided, so I couldn't find any way 
to communicate back to you. I could have asked Tham and his parents, but they were 
under such stress from the recent events that I didn't want to bother them. So, once
I was healed well enough to help them, I also had written a letter for you, and 
planned to drop it off somewhere to be mailed on our way to pick up the katana."
     "But you never got that far," Chip said thoughtfully, his analytical mind 
taking over.
     Geegaw took a deep breath and nodded. "We were just leaving the house when we 
were attacked." A lump formed in his throat. "It all happened so quickly...they 
weren't interested in me, not at first, so they just sliced my leg open to keep me 
out of the way as they went after Tham's parents."
     Tham's hands gripped the hilt of his sheathed wakizashi until his knuckles were
white.
     Shaking his head to clear away the bad memories, Geegaw took a healthy
spoonful of his stew. "I probably would've been dead, too, if Kan hadn't happened 
along. She stormed in, and well..." He allowed himself a small smile. "It wasn't 
long before the attackers beat a hasty retreat, never getting a chance to search for
the key on any of us."
     Gadget reached over and placed a hand on Kan's shoulder. "Thank you."
     Kan, actually surprised, merely placed her hand over Gadget's. "You're
welcome."
     "So, with the attack conveniently labeled as `bandits', the uncle assumed
leadership of the family and immediately aligned themselves with the Yakuza, calling
the new Yakuza side of the family the Furfoot clan." He looked back down at the 
stew, sorrow filling his next line. "I never even had a chance to save them," he 
whispered. "They saved my life, took me into their home, and nursed me back to 
health despite the family war they were involved in, and I couldn't even help them."
     Tham placed a comforting hand on Geegaw's back.
     Nodding at the touch, Geegaw continued. "I knew then that I couldn't leave 
until I repaid the debt I owed them. So, I vowed to stay until I could prove that 
Tham is the next rightful heir to the family lead. It's what his parents would have 
wanted. I also knew, after that attack," his gaze shifted to fix on Gadget, "that 
I'd never see you, ever again. If you knew I was alive, you would have done exactly 
what you've done now: fly over here, track me down. And that meant the Furfoot could
get their hands on you, and use you as leverage to get me to give up on this quest."
     Gadget nodded slowly, fully understanding how much it hurt him to sever the 
ties like that.
     Giving an involuntary shudder, Geegaw went on. "I didn't heal as well 
physically from that attack," he patted the walking stick nearby, "but I did recover
mentally. Tham and I left quickly, telling no one of where we were going. I have no 
doubts the Furfoot clan will try again, until they get that key."
     "Why?" Dale asked.
     "Because as long as his uncle doesn't have that katana, his rulership can be
challenged by Tham. But only if he gets that katana."
     Chip thought for a moment. "That pendant," He stated factually, putting the 
event from last night together with the story.
     Tham nodded solemnly. "They had the nerve to ask for it first, as if I'd ever 
give it up."
     "I still say it's a waste of time." Kan's brow furrowed. "I've known Tham and 
his family for a long time, and had a great deal of respect for them. Which is why,"
she cast an angry glance at Tham, "I will not allow you two to go on this mythical 
quest. No one even knows if the katana exists anymore. It hasn't been seen for 
generations."
     "It hasn't been needed for generations," Geegaw pointed out.
     "Be that as it may," Kan didn't miss a beat, "Tham's parents would have wanted
their son to be free of the twisted rule of his uncle, which he is, not kill himself
on some foolhardy quest." The Rangers got the distinct impression this conversation 
was a reoccurring one.
     "It exists," Tham replied evenly. "I'm sure of it. Besides, we know where it's
supposed to reside. We just have to find a way to get there."
     "What do you mean?" Gadget asked, not sure why they hadn't at least been to the
location in question.
     "Uncle Naki isn't an idiot, hon," Geegaw sighed. "We got close to it once, just
enough to see the number of guards it has. It is, after all, on his grounds at the 
palace." Geegaw allowed himself a dry laugh. "Still, I get a kick out of the thought
of Naki sitting on top of the only thing that stands between him and total control, 
and being unable to grab it."
     You mean you guys have to break into a palace? Zipper's raised eyebrows asked
incredulously.
     "Yes," Kan sneered. "These two have been trying to find a way to break in, find
the katana, and get back out without getting caught, or worse, ever since this 
started." Her frown was a clear indication of her opinion of the idea.
     Monterey's smile, on the other hand, was a clear indication of his. "Sounds 
like an adventure is comin' up, to me."
     "Oh no," Geegaw shook his head sternly. "This isn't your battle, Monty. Trust
me, I wouldn't be going through this myself unless I owed so much to Tham's 
parents."
     "Just one question, Dad," Gadget said inquisitively. "This is the only thing 
that's keeping you here?" Her father nodded. "So once this is settled, you can come 
back home?"
     "Yeah, pretty much," Geegaw remarked casually. Chip looked up from his notes
at that statement. It was clear in Geegaw's voice that he didn't consider that a 
very likely possibly, even though he was determined to get Tham into his rightful 
place as the head of the family. This stuck in Chip's mind.
     "Then that's it, Dad," Gadget stated decisively. "We're staying and helping you
out."
     "But hon--"
     "No buts, Dad. I didn't come all this way just to desert you." Her face 
softened. "I'm not leaving without you, Dad, so please... let me help."
     "That goes for us, too," Dale added. "We're not about to just turn and leave
Gadget here, let alone anyone who needs our help."
     It's what being a Rescue Ranger is all about, Zipper nodded.
     "Looks like you're outvoted, mate." Monterey winked at his long-time friend.
     Geegaw held up his hands in a surrendering gesture. "Okay, you guys win. I
guess I should be ecstatic, what with getting your help, but still, it's going to be
dangerous."
     "Danger?" Dale gave his best tough-guy laugh. "We laugh at danger."
     "Or it laughs at you," Kan remarked with a wry grin, throwing Dale a wink.
     Dale made a motion of catching it. "Can I trade this in later for the real 
thing?" He grinned back.
     "Anytime," Kan replied softly, her deep green eyes boring into him.
     Dale blinked, not expecting his bluff to have been called. "Ahem, yeah, 
well... uh what about this castle then?" He quickly looked back to Geegaw.
     Shaking his head and chuckling over Dale's reaction, Geegaw set his bowl down.
"It's located out on the seashore, on top of a cliff over the water. It's in a 
remote enough area that none of the humans ever notice it."
     "Or if they do," Kan clarified, "they think it's an art project of some kind by
Cristo and leave it alone anyway."
     "Naki's living there now, of course. From what Tham's told me, the katana is
kept in the vault underneath the castle. We need to find a way to get to the bottom 
layer and back unnoticed." Geegaw shifted on the bunk, leaning his back against the 
wall. "It's my guess there might be some secret passages we can use, but we need to 
get a detailed layout of the palace to know for sure."
     "I know of some less-than-legal ways to get them," Tham remarked to the
Rangers, "but I haven't been able to get down from the mountain for a while, now. 
The Furfoot constantly has patrols out looking for myself and Geegaw at all of the 
taverns. I wouldn't be surprised if they've had spies in several taverns--" He cut 
off suddenly, realizing something and looking at Monterey. "Is your father all 
right?" he asked intensely.
     "Me Pop can handle himself, mate, but he was fine when he left," Monterey
responded a bit uneasily.
     "So he wasn't attacked at all?"
     "Not him, no." Monterey winced, remembering the pounding he took in that
alley.
     Tham nodded to himself, seeming a bit relieved. "Okay, good. I was afraid he
might have been ambushed by some of the Furfoot. I discovered later that one of 
their informants overheard our discussion in the tavern when I gave him the letter.
The Furfoot might have tried to intercept him before he got there, or worse. I 
wasn't sure though, as none of the attackers would have seen him before, only had a
general description."
     Monterey grimaced. So that's why they jumped me, he thought. They must've
mistaken me for Pop, and probably thought I was on my way to deliver the letter.
     "They would've gone to the trouble of sending someone all the way overseas to
stop a letter?" Dale sounded skeptical.
     "Not entirely," Geegaw answered, "but they were planning on starting to expand
their operations to the U.S. west coast. They probably decided to just kill two 
birds with one stone, so to speak."
     Tham finished off his stew, bringing his and Geegaw's bowls over to the washtub
in the corner. "As I was saying, I can't get down the mountain, because there's no 
tavern for me to stay at that isn't a risk, and the weather makes camping out 
overnight an even worse proposition."
     "Correction:" Chip continue jotting down notes to himself. "You *couldn't* get
down the mountain. Now you can just ride down with us in the Ranger Wing."
     Tham blinked, that opportunity just dawning on him. "Excellent!" he cried. "We
may be able to attempt this retrieval much sooner than expected!"
     Kan looked as crestfallen as Geegaw and Tham looked exuberant.
     "What is it?" Gadget whispered, leaning over.
     Sighing, Kan whispered back, "They're both going to get themselves killed. I've
been trying to tell them that this is a pointless quest, serving only to put them in
their graves."
     "Maybe, but they've got to try. We all do."
     "Trying won't be good enough in this case. It's either total success or 
complete failure. No gray area... I can't believe I'm going along...."
     "You *are*?"
     "As I said before, Tham's a moron. But his parents were close friends of mine,
despite them being twenty years older. I, like Geegaw, at least owe them enough to 
watch after their only child. Even on an impossible crusade."
     "Watch your mouth, Kan."
     Kan stared in shock at Gadget, only to see Gadget smirking knowingly.
     "*Nothing's* impossible." The female inventor stated it as fact, not hope.
     Meanwhile, the rest of the crew had started to formulate a basic plan for the 
rest of the week. Kan announced she was coming along, much to everyone's delight. 
Particularly Monterey's, who had started to look at Kan as more of a brawling 
partner than a female. He even mentioned it to her, which she considered to be 
quite an honor.
     They talked about various plans, filled in each other on details of what was
known of the Furfoot's activities, and discussed what would be needed for the 
mission. Chip cracked open a fresh notepad, quickly writing down what people 
suggested, crossing out other ideas, and listing down materials they should start 
gathering.
     They managed to nail down that the next day, Chip would fly Tham down to the
city, where they would pick up the map. Monterey suggested that Zipper accompany 
them, as his speed and size could come in very handy, and they agreed. Since they 
knew where the cabin was now, they could fly down to the city and track down someone
with copies of the palace's walls, then fly back directly to the cabin, seeing as 
how there was no need to follow the trail. Tham mentioned that the blueprints 
wouldn't be too difficult to find, as thieves regarded the palace as mountaineers 
regard Mt. Everest: high risks, high rewards.
     Gadget would start working on some inventions with what they could piece
together from the nearby area, with Geegaw's help. She had a few plunger harpoons 
and similar gear always stored in the back of the Ranger Wing, but she figured the 
more the merrier. Monterey, Dale, and Kan would work on getting some defenses ready,
like staves and some type of protective clothing. Kan explained that it took time to
properly ready a staff so it was balanced and comfortable to use as a blocking 
device. She planned to give a crash course on the rudimentary fundamentals of blocks
and parries, as they more than likely would have to defend against katanas. As 
skilled as the Rangers may have been in unarmed combat, their knowledge of swordplay
was far from adequate. Chip merely had to touch one of the many bandages on him to 
remind himself of that fact.
     By the time they got their initial plans completed, it was well past sunset. It
had been snowing heavily all the while, but it started to let up as they got ready 
to sleep for the evening. Geegaw and Tham gave their beds over to Gadget and Kan, 
respectively. Kan gave a polite nod to Tham in thanks.
     Probably the nicest way she's treated him, Zipper mused quietly to himself. He
glanced over at Gadget, smiling as Geegaw carefully tucked his little girl in for 
the night. Behind him, in Tham's bunk, Kan also smiled warmly at the act of 
tenderness. Then she snuggled up into Tham's pillow, oddly at ease.
     Zipper stood on the table, looking around for a good place to sack out. The men
were lying down on the floor near the stove, which Geegaw had stuffed full of wood, 
insuring that the fire would burn through the night. He finally decided to just stay
on the table. It was warm enough not to bother him, and he didn't want to get pinned
underneath one of the guys, should they roll over in their sleep.
     He had volunteered to turn off the lights, as he didn't have to worry about
tripping over anyone on the way back to his spot. He flitted over to the gas lamps 
that were lit, blowing out one, and just turning the wick down enough on the other 
to provide a soft, ambient, orange glow to the room. Landing back on the table, he 
found a warm spot and curled up. He didn't sleep right away, though. Too many 
thoughts were tumbling around in his head, creating flares of questions when they 
collided.
     Considering he had to communicate mainly through gestures, expressions, and
empathic buzzing, although he could "say" a simple sentence or two if he worked at 
it, Zipper was the most adept of the Rangers at picking up on signs from body 
language. A shift from one foot to another, a flicker of a gaze to the side, a 
slight twitch of the mouth... all of these movements said something about what the 
person was thinking or feeling. The other Rangers, even Chip, had to watch carefully
for these signs that, to Zipper, couldn't be more obvious if they were blinking in 
neon.
     The first thing he had noticed was Geegaw's clash of emotions. He was elated to
find his daughter here, but Zipper could also sense that he was also afraid for her.
The funny thing was, it wasn't a fear of her being in danger. Gadget accepted the 
risks, and Geegaw actually admired her for that. No, this fear was for something 
else....
     Also bugging him--he chuckled as he thought the phrase--was Chip's attitude 
towards Geegaw. Again, it wasn't anything bad, just a sort of underlying... tension?
Like Chip either thought Geegaw was lying about something or wasn't being wholly 
honest. Still, at least Chip had the decency to keep it to himself. For now.
     Tham and Kan were another odd pair. They shared respect for Tham's parents
and Geegaw, but couldn't stand each other. So why did he keep seeing a sense of 
shared loss in them? Kan's looks of pity were for Tham losing his parents, 
obviously, but both of them were harboring a grief for something else that was lost.
But what? From the way they were acting, Zipper guessed that they probably weren't 
even consciously aware of this loss, either.
     He took a relaxing breath, allowing his mind to clear. As with so many things,
he realized, he'd just have to wait it out for now. More important things were 
happening, and they all needed to be at top level, both mentally and physically, to 
win at this game. He just hoped that they didn't have to be at top form 
emotionally....
     Allowing that thought to sink in, he drifted off to sleep.

     Blinking against the sun rays streaming in through the window, Zipper groggily
lifted himself up from the table. He spotted his friends through the window, going 
over the Ranger Wing for its upcoming trip. Tham was over by his dresser, tying a 
black belt around his waist, one with the symbol of Clan Shandi on it, now the 
Furfoot symbol. Shaking his head, Zipper walked over to the edge of the table.
     He refuses to give up on any part of this quest, he thought with a frown. 
Either his family name is restored to its honor, separated from the Yakuza, and 
under his leadership, or he'll die trying. Zipper was uncertain as to which one he 
thought more likely.
     "Morning Zipper." Geegaw was at the stove, cooking up some breakfast. "Have
a good sleep?"
     Pretty good, Zipper acknowledged with a shrug, for sleeping on a table and all.
How about you?
     "Can't complain." He flipped a pancake over in the skillet before continuing.
"You ready for today?"
     Yeah, Zipper nodded. I figure I'll just be their roving scout for the most 
part. You know, zip around while they're going over the transaction, making sure no
surprises are lying in wait.
     "A good idea. But, wrong."
     Huh? Zipper blinked.
     Geegaw waited until Tham finished tying his belt and left through the front
door, allowing a momentarily gust of frigid air in.
     "What I mean," Geegaw said, "is that Chip and Tham aren't going to be in any
danger. What you need to do, then, is to check out the surrounding area. Look for 
clues. You've been working towards being a detective, haven't you?"
     Zipper nodded slowly, wondering what brought this on. True, he had been acting
as an assistant to Chip for a while now, slowing learning the ropes of deduction.
He was doing well, but still, in his opinion, miles behind Chip.
     Oh, Zipper nodded, You mean for signs of the Furfoot clan's activities, right?
     Geegaw chuckled. "Strike two, Zipper. One left and you're out. No, I'm talking
about the katana. There's still a few things you need to know concerning it."
     Zipper, now even more confused, scratched his head in wonder.
     Well, he looked at Geegaw quizzically, I suspect that there are rumors and
legends about it. Kan said it belonged to a legendary hero, after all, and hero's 
weapons have a habit of becoming as famous as their holders. Sometimes even more so.
     Geegaw smiled as he flipped another pancake up and over. "Very good, Zipper.
Yes, especially when they are given names."
     That question then asks another, Zipper folded his arms across his chest, as to
which person has the right to name it: the creator or the wielder?
     In his mind, Zipper had no clue as to what urged him to ask that question, as 
he didn't see what difference it made. Nonetheless, the urge had risen up from the 
well of his brain, and he felt a tangible need to say it.
     Geegaw's smile broke into a grin. "Excellent, Zipper. You're rather sharp 
today, aren't you? I must admit, I wasn't sure if you would make the connection, 
but am more than happy to have my doubts proven unfounded. Now then, in your 
opinion, what determines the method of naming the weapon?"
     If it's the maker, Zipper stroked his chin, it'd be named for its intended 
purpose, whether literally or symbolically. The wielder generally names the weapon 
for something it's done. Whether a single major event, or a series of similar 
happenings.
     "Zipper, your teammates don't give you nearly enough credit." Geegaw set the
skillet down and poured some more batter into it. "So, with that established, can 
you see a relation now?"
     To the naming process? Zipper quirked his mouth down.
     The housefly thought for a moment. There was some sort of relationship. He
knew there was, but he was having trouble grasping it.
     Come on, Zipper buzzed to himself, You should know. You just said it a
moment... Oh!
     The weapon's name is determined by its past or future, Zipper's triumphant
stance indicated.
     Geegaw nodded proudly. "Never from the present, not even if it's doing
something of extreme importance. Remember that, Zipper, and remember to check for 
clues tomorrow."
     Tomorrow? Zipper looked at him questioningly. We're leaving *today*,
remember?
     "Ah, I figured I'd get a third strike out of you with that." Geegaw gave him a
wink, and Zipper noticed for the first time that Geegaw's eyes were a swirling mass 
of color.

     Snorting awake, Zipper glanced about in confusion. He was still on the table, 
but it was still night. Around him, everyone was in a deep sleep, gathering strength
for the many things needing attention tomorrow.
     Whoa, Zipper glanced about, what a weird dream....
     He thought about telling Geegaw about it, but something in his gut said he 
should keep this secret.
     Settling back down on the table, Zipper wondered about the dream a bit more.
Look for clues? He thought to himself. Well, I'll keep my eye out, but I'm not 
abandoning Chip and Tham, and I'm not leaving their side until I know it's 
*absolutely* safe for them, in any case.
     Reassured, he tucked the dream away in his memory and settled back down to
sleep.