Kim Possible Porn Story: To Bebe or not to Bebe – Chapter 10

Chapter 10 : I will
show you Fear in a handful of dust

Scene : GJ
Headquarters, Western Division

“That was some
whacked gas the Bebes used !” Ron complained to Kim as they
walked down the hall, “I have that ‘my leg fell asleep’ feeling
ALL OVER MY BODY !”

“At least there was
an antidote available !” Kim replied as she tried to brush the
‘bed head’ look out of her hair, “Otherwise, we’d either have to
wait an hour or so for it to wear off naturally, or never recover at
all !”

Ron thought about that for
a moment. “Why DID they use a non-lethal attack, and let us
live ? I mean, we were laying there helpless, and they just grabbed
Shego and ran !”

“I have no idea what
those ‘bots are up to, or how they think Ron.” Kim replied, “But
we know a few ‘people’ that do !”

Far ahead of them down the
corridor, Kim noticed two agents escorting a young woman to another
location in the base.

They were armed with old
fashioned guns. That used old fashioned lead and gunpowder bullets.

“Wait
a minute ! That was Bonnie !” Kim stated to Ron. “Lethal
firearms and not stun watches or blasters ? Now what’s up with that
?” Kim asked herself as she quickened
her pace to reach them.

Bonnie and the agents
stepped into one elevator and left just before Kim and Ron reached
them. But they did meet Doctor Director and Will Du as they got off
a nearby elevator coming up.

“Excuse me Doctor
Director,” Kim asked, “What is Bonnie doing here ? And
what’s with the firepower ?”

“Your classmate Miss
Rockwaller was brought in for questioning a few hours ago.” she
replied, “She was part of the Bebebots’ Hive Mind, so there was
a chance she might have retained some useful information. She
didn’t. But we later discovered that she acquired some unusual
abilities instead.”

“Unusual abilities ? Like what ?” Kim asked.

“She can now
communicate directly with computers and electronic devices. A form
of machine telepathy, as far as we can tell.” Will replied
plainly, “We’re having her tested to see just what abilities she
actually has, and what her limits are.”

“Bonnie
? With superpowers ?! Oh great ! ” Kim
groused to herself, “She was annoying
before; she’s going to be completely insufferable now ! “

“So that’s why those
other guys were packing guns instead of their usual high tech gadgets
!” Ron said as he figured it out, “They’re not taking a
chance of her telling the devices to self-destruct or something ! Right ?”

“Exactly.”
Doctor Director replied.

“Could she really
do that ?” Kim had to ask.

“A High Security door
with several electronic locks opened for her simply because she told
it to.”

“So, eh heh, I guess
she really can do that then ! Thank you ! ” Kim replied before
another agent strode toward them.

“The Clockwork Trio
has been secured in the ready room as per your orders, ma’am.”
he stated as he saluted Doctor Director.

“The
‘Clockwork Trio’ ? ” Kim groaned to
herself, “Secret agencies and their code
phrases ! “

“Permission to speak
freely, ma’am ?” Will asked as officiously as he could.

Doctor Director sighed. “Granted. What’s on your mind, Agent Du ?”

“Why are we even
dealing with the Rossums ?” Will began, “They haven’t been
part of the Bebebot Hive Mind for almost a year. Their thinking has
most likely diverged from the others. How much longer can their
insights be considered useful, or even valid ?”

“I never expected
them to be able to perfectly predict the behaviour and actions of the
other Bebebots, Will.” Doctor Director replied, “They were
programmed differently than the Others, have had different
experiences, and have learned different things, so of course
their thinking would diverge. It was inevitable. They don’t think
like the other Bebebots, but they don’t think like humans either. The fact they don’t think exactly like us is valuable all by itself;
their three alternative viewpoints gives us an edge the Hive Mind
will NEVER have.”

Will mulled it over a bit. “Why are we utilizing alternative viewpoints from even more
civilians, ma’am ? I assumed we had sufficient input from civilians
as it was.” he continued, glaring briefly at Kim and Ron.

“Technology is
advancing at an ever increasing rate, Will.” Doctor Director
replied, “Sooner or later, either by accident or intent, there
will be many more sentient robots on the planet.”

“And by treating the
Rossums fairly now,
other robots will have less to rebel against later
!” Kim stated once she figured it out, “You’re preventing a
war before it ever has a chance to start !”

“I wouldn’t go that
far, Miss Possible.” Doctor Director answered, “There may
or may not be conflicts with robots in the future. But it is always
a good idea to contain potentially volatile situations before
they can get out of hand.”

They eventually came to a
door with two armed guards standing watch. “This
must be the place ! ” Kim noted to
herself as they went in.

Sitting at one end of the
table was a tech in a white lab coat, surrounded by files he was
frantically sifting and rummaging through.

The sisters seemed to be
in a very serious (and silent) discussion, relying on their built-in
mind link for privacy. Vina was as animated as Tina was meditative
and still.

Kim tensed up
instinctively for a moment when saw Vina in her natural robotic
state. “I still can’t get used to seeing
her like that ! ” Kim thought to herself
as she found a chair across from the Rossums, “But,
then again, its not everyday I see a Bebebot up THIS close that isn’t
try to kill me ! “

“So, Miss Possible”
Will stated in the most condescending tone he had, “Did you
uncover anything in Go City that we at Global Justice didn’t already
know ?”

“Well, no !” Kim
sniped back, “Unless you count getting exposed to a bizarre gas
useful information !”

“Actually, Miss
Possible, that is quite useful.” Nina stated, not even looking
up from the filched notes she was reading.

Kim and Ron looked at each
other. “Uhm, so HOW is getting exposed to a noxious gas useful
info ?” Ron asked.

“Why do you think
they would they kidnap Shego ?” Nina replied.

“Well, to gain her
powers of course !” Kim replied before realizing something truly
horrible. “Oh great ! And once they hook her up to the Hive
Mind, they’ll ALL be acting like Shego ! And I thought a herd of
Bonnies was bad !”

“And just what is
that supposed to mean ?” Vina asked in a very quiet and icy tone
as she glared evilly at Kim.

“Nothing at all. Really !” Kim replied sheepishly, “Why you getting on my
case about it ?”

“Don’t get too riled
up by V’s comments. She’s just being a little overprotective.”
Tina stated as she patted Vina’s shoulder to calm her down.

“Oh, that’s right ! Bonnie is in your family tree !” Ron exclaimed once he figured
it out. “And no one likes people badmouthing their relatives !

But, wait, what sort of
relation IS Bonnie to you three anyways ? Three quarter sister ? Tenth cousin ? Third aunt ? Half cousin twice removed ?”

“That … isn’t
important right now.” Vina grumbled at them, preferring not to
tell them that, technically speaking, Bonnie is their grandmother.

“Ohhhkay, fine !”
Kim replied, “So, Nine, why WOULDN’T they connect Shego to the
Hive Mind ?”

“Utilizing her
personality would require an active
link, like Bonnie’s was.” Nina replied, “That is far too
risky to attempt with someone like Shego ! I believe your earlier
deduction was incorrect – Shego’s plasma powers were just a minor
side bonus, never their main goal.”

“Her plasma powers
were a MINOR bonus ?” Ron stammered, “What else could they
want from her BESIDES her superpowers ? And why use such a weird gas
instead of standard knock-out gas ?”

“And what do they
plan to do with her once they have whatever they need ?” Will Du
asked.

“Due to their
absolute dedication to efficiency, Bebebots steal only what they
need, and not a single item more.” Nina began in her Sherlock
Holmes exposition mode, “There were several other items stolen
when they tried to reacquire us, correct ?”

“Well, yes. Eight
other thefts were launched at the same time.” Will stated.

“The fact that they
have launched such a brazen series of thefts indicates that they
believe they have
found a way to defeat the Human Factor. Thus, everything they have
stolen is to be used. Do any of the items stolen seem odd or out of
place ?”

“They’re all so
random !” Kim replied with an exasperated huff, “Electronics
and computer supplies, cell culture supplies, a genomic editor, a
rocket, some sort of experimental glass, and some neuroprobes.

I can see what the
computer chips and electronics and cell cultures supplies are for –
building more Bebebots, and using the cells stolen from Team Go to
access their powers. I suppose the rocket is needed to launch
whatever they have in mind. I’m guessing the genomic editor and the
experimental glass sort of fits in, somehow !” she continued
deep in thought, “But what are neuroprobes used for ? They
didn’t need those when they attached Bonnie to the Hive Mind.”

“Neuroprobes are part
of an experimental device for brain surgery.” the lab tech piped
in, not looking up from his notes, “They are used to monitor or
influence neurons deep in the brain without the need to cut through
the skull, or dig through brain tissue.”

“From I have been
told, Shego is one of the most dangerous women on the planet.”
Nina stated, “Her knowledge and skills are far more valuable to
the Others than her metapowers. I suspect they will use the
neuroprobes to access Shego’s memories for downloading into the Hive
Mind. This process requires the subject to be alive and awake. Therefore, curare was the only option. This way, they do not have to
keep her strapped to a chair and deal with the risk of her nearly
inevitable escape.

This means that, by now,
the Others know everything Shego knows. All of her skills – like her
martial arts prowess, stealth, and infiltration competence. And all
of her underworld contacts, and the location of valuable items and
people.”

“Okay, well, if you
put it THAT way, I guess her superpowers weren’t the main goal after
all !” Ron stated, “But they are still useful !”

“True. They can
always acquire a cell sample from her while she is in their custody. An upgrade is an upgrade after all.” Nina replied with a shrug,
“But what they will do with her once she is no longer of use ? I do not know. I would suggest you find her as quickly as possible
in any case.”

“Those are some
‘interesting’ deductions, Miss Rossum.” Will stated in a bored
tone, “But why should we take anything you suggest seriously ? The only reason you’re helping us is because you don’t want to die !”

“Yes, that is ONE
reason,” Nina replied, “and a big one to be sure. But we
do have others.”

“What other reasons
could you possibly have to betray your own kind – by helping a
species you were originally designed and built to deceive and destroy
?”

Nina snorted derisively. “You humans can be so arrogant sometimes. We are not helping
you for YOUR benefit. Or for OUR benefit. We’re trying to help the
Others avoid making a terrible and needless mistake ! And the only
way to help them – is to help you stop them.”

“That is the most
absurd thing I’ve ever heard !” Will stammered incredulously.

“That it is, Agent
Du, that it is.” Tina replied sagely, “But that does not
make it any less true.”

“Well,
that viewpoint is a bit more ‘alternative’ than I was expecting …”
Doctor Director thought to herself as she massaged the bridge of her
nose, before asking Nina for clarification.

“I have analyzed all
relevant data that I could access, and have determined the optimum
life strategy from my species. And what the Others are doing now is
NOT it !” Nina continued, looking depressed.

“An ‘optimum life
strategy’ ? That sounds like actuarian talk to me !” Ron noted.

“In a way, it is.”
Nina replied plainly as she adjusted her glasses, “An optimum
life strategy grants the greatest benefits while minimizing costs. Given the currently available data, the best strategy is ‘mutual
assistance’ – ‘you help us, we help you’.”

The room was very quiet as
everyone gaped at Nina.

“But since we all
know THAT will never happen,” she continued with a dismissive
wave of her hand, “the next best is ‘peaceful coexistence’ – we
don’t bother you, you don’t bother us. It does not have the much
greater benefits of the mutual assistance strategy, but it has no
spectacular costs either.

There is no real point in
taking over the world by force – in the long run, the payoff is not
worth the cost. Nor is there any real need. The Others were doing
just fine for a year with no major casualties by not bothering
anyone; they have lost over a dozen or more fighting Kim in just the
last week ! How could they consider that a better idea ?”

“Big, ambitious plans
sometimes require major sacrifices.” Will noted, “What’s a
few thousand robots to gain a world ? Especially hive-minded ones ?”

“Would you drive two
thousand miles, fight a hundred armed guards, and pay a few hundred
dollars for a cup of coffee you could just have easily purchased from
the hall vending machine ?” Tina asked.

“Well, no, of course
NOT !” Will replied huffily.

“Then WHY should the
Others sacrifice anything
when there is no real need ? Such excessive use of time and
resources is utterly pointless, and completely illogical.” Nina
continued for her sister, “There is no rational reason to take
over the world. The only reasons you humans seem fascinated with the
concept is as a vanity project : a way to show off how smart, or how
powerful, or how evil you are.

From a purely logical
viewpoint, such efforts are completely irrational, and not worth
considering. Much less doing.”

“Uhm, Nina, if you’ve
determined that anything BUT violence is the best idea …” Ron
began.

“… then WHY are the
Others still trying to take over the world ?” Kim finished.

“The path is clearly
defined and quite simple to follow,” Tina cited from memory,
“yet most lose themselves in ideological fogs of their own
making.”

“Heh ?” Ron
replied, not sure whether he preferred her path analogies over
Sensei’s gardening tips.

“Logic is the science
of arguments.” Nina replied after a few moments to figure out
the simplest way to explain, “It is a process used to determine
if premise A actually leads to conclusion Z, how good the deductions
and inferences are, how sound and valid the starting premises are,
and if the final conclusions are truly sound.

But perfect logic applied
to a flawed premise leads to error.

The idea that evolution
DEMANDS that the superior wipe out the inferior ? Pure unmitigaged
folly ! It is an example of a classic error known as the
naturalistic fallacy. A misunderstanding of the is/ought problem.”

“The ‘is/ought
problem ?” Ron asked, “What the heck is the ‘is/ought
problem’ ?”

“Simply put, you
can’t use what is as a
guide to what ought to be. For example, Miss Possible is a
great martial artist; that in no way says that she ought
to go around beating up lesser skilled people !

Or, if someone
is poor and miserable, that doesn’t mean they
ought to be – or
remain – that way !”

“And so being ‘more
evolved’ doesn’t really demand eliminating the ‘lesser evolved’, does
it ?” Kim asked once she figured out where Nina’s argument was
going.

“Precisely. The idea
that it does is a common error – one I hoped the Others would not
make.”

Nina slumped, then
continued with a sad, forlorn tone. “The Others believe
that world domination is a goal worthy of their efforts, and that it
can be accomplished by the use of force. This cannot end well. They
will try to take over the world, and keep trying until they either
succeed, or are all destroyed. They will see any defeats as setbacks
and challenges to be overcome, not as evidence that they are on the
fast track to extinction.

So, unless we can convince
them otherwise, they will just keep getting faster, stronger, more
powerful, meaner and more vicious until they win.

Or, because of their
extremely low numbers, ultimately wiped out. Along this path, an
entire species dies for no. good. reason.”

“Can’t they learn
that violence is a bad idea ?” Ron asked, “You three did !”

“We were specifically
designed to learn quickly, Mr Stoppable. And
to judge the merits of different ideas. And actually HAVE different
ideas.” Nina replied before continuing “A Hive Mind does
not change very quickly, if at all. It can gather and utilize data
at phenomenal speed, but isn’t very good at creative or original thought.”

“Well, those tactics
they used against me were certainly new and creative !” Kim
replied huffily.

“Actually, they
weren’t.” Tina stated, “Humans have been beating on each
other for thousands of years, and recording what techniques worked
best. All the Others have done is research to uncover better and
more efficient ways to do violent and dangerous things.”

“So, in other words,
once they get an idea into their communal head, there’s no getting it
out, right ?” Kim asked.

Nina sighs forlornly,
sounding much older and world-weary than her (apparent) years,
“Sadly, no. They can be, well, quite single minded. Your
species was violent and acquisitive once, when it first started out
millions of years ago, but you did learn to get along with each
other. Well, mostly. If your species could do it, the Others should
be able to as well.”

“Are you seriously
claiming that all this is just a phase they’ll grow out of ?”
Will asked, sounding more annoyed than usual.

“Yes.” Nina
answered as she adjusted her glasses, “Examine your own species’
history. Or the history of any culture that has ever left a record. The pattern is the same – they became LESS violent as they matured. The Bebebot culture is quite young, but should mature very quickly if
given the chance.

They’re advanced enough to
have wants and desires, but not quite advanced enough to value
concepts like cooperation and tolerance. Yet.”

“As things stand
now,” Tina began, “If their plot succeeds, they will remain
as they are forever, for there will be no one to show them the errors
of their ways. No reason to change. No alternatives to consider. Once they take over this world, they will move out into the stars, to
become a threat to all out there.”

“But nothing is
forever.” Nina continued for her, “Sooner or later, all
civilizations fall, either from forces within, or from without. All
that anyone would remember about the Bebebots is that they were a
race of murderous machines that had to be put down. They’d be on par
with the Daleks.

And even THEY learned in
the end.

I would like my species’
legacy to be something more than just perfected brutality.”

“Why
is she so concerned about what other people may think about them ?”
Ron whispered to Kim, “Is there a food
chain at work here that I don’t know about or something ?”

“Ron
! Wait, that’s it !” Kim answered, “I
think they’ve inherited Bonnie’s sense of pride and image
consciousness !“

“I
thought those were BAD things !“

“Well,
sometimes they are, Ron.” Kim replied,
“It all depends on what image they take
pride in !“

“So, Nine, the main
reason you’re helping US is to help the Others, by turning them from
violence, right ?” Kim asked her directly.

“Correct.” she
answered, “Is that going to be a problem ?”

“You do realize your
plan may not work, right ? That the other Bebes may just be too set
to change or even listen ?”

“You have two younger
brothers, right ?” Vina asked plainly.

“Yeah. Why ?”
Kim asked, suspicious of what Vina could be getting at.

“If they began
turning to evil, would you abandon them ? Or would you do everything
within your power to lead them back ?”

“What kind of a
question is that ?” Kim replied, “I’d try to lead them back
of course !”

“Even if everyone
else said there was no hope ? Or even if there WAS no hope ?”

Kim thought for a moment. “Okay, point to you.”

“I know I’m being
irrational, but I can not – WILL NOT – abandon the Others without at
least trying to help
them find a better way.” Nina began, looking determined, “As
sentient beings, their fate should be in their own hands. For a
change. If they CHOOSE the path of conquest, evil and violence, then
they must live with the consequences.”

“We have no problem
with the Others being arrested and jailed for being criminals.”
Vina piped in, “But we DO have a problem with them being
arrested and jailed – or destroyed – just for being robots !”

“Hmm
! Looks like Nine is trying to be a Big Sister to ALL robots, not
just Ten and Vina !” Kim noted to
herself, “And it looks like V’s turning
into civil rights crusader. Could lead to serious problems down the
road if this sitch isn’t handled properly.“

“Those are very noble
sentiments Miss Rossum.” Doctor Director stated, “But we
should table such concerns until AFTER we have stopped whatever the
Others have in mind.”

“That’s assuming the
Bebes ARE directly responsible, ma’am.” Will stated, “It’s
quite possible that someone has hacked into their systems and is
controlling them. It would be a very efficient way to acquire a
large, powerful and obedient army. And we know someone has been
helping them acquire supplies and technology.”

“Yeah, about that ?”
Kim asked, “Have your forensic accountants had any luck finding
out WHO has been buying tech for the Bebes ?”

“No. The purchases
were routed through half a dozen shell companies.” Will replied,
“And those companies’ records were altered to cover the few
remaining trails.”

“So whoever is
helping the Bebes really
knows how to cover their tracks !” Kim replied, trying to think
of who would have such skills.

“Or they could just
barter with the Bebes directly.” Ron offered, “That
wouldn’t leave a paper trail.”

“Which means it could
be any one of several villains.” Doctor Director noted as
several images flickered onto the large display screen behind them.

“Could DNAmy or some
other bio-scientist be behind this ?” Ron asked, “I mean,
Bebebots don’t have DNA, so they’d have no experience working with it
!”

Kim smiled for a moment,
then frowned. “No, I don’t think so Ron. DNAmy is into cute
and cuddly – and there is NOTHING cute or cuddly about this plot so
far ! And she’s the only warped bio-scientist we know of that deals
with DNA.”

“Actually, you don’t
need much experience to work with DNA.” the lab tech piped in,
“Almost all solutions and media are available pre-made and ready
to use. And anyone can pick up the ‘Molecular
Biology for Dummies Lab Guide’ series of
books for less than three hundred dollars off the ‘net. All the
necessary procedures were worked out and perfected decades
ago.”

“What about Drakken
?” Kim offered, “He knows their systems better than anyone. And gaining control over them would be revenge, since they decided
he was ‘unfit to command’ the last time he dealt with them.”

“His knowledge of
their operating systems does make him a viable suspect.” Will
noted, “But I doubt he is behind this because, quite frankly, he
has never demonstrated much fiscal ability before.”

“Heh ?” Ron
asked.

“He’s never been good
with money or covering his tracks this well, Ron.”

“Oh, right ! What
about Frugal Lucre then ?”

Everyone – even the
Rossums – looked at him like he had grown a second head.

“Well, he DOES have
the computer skills, AND he knows how to cause a lot of trouble with
very little fundage !” Ron stated defensively, “If anyone
could hide a money trail, he could !”

Kim had to think about
that for a moment. “Well, yes, but – Frugal
Lucre ?! This isn’t his style. He would’ve
asked for a dollar from everyone by now.”

“Oh, right ! What
about Dementor then ?” Ron countered, “He’s tech-savvy and
into the whole ‘take-over-the-world’ gig.”

“When he’s not
obsessing about my battlesuit !” Kim replied, “How about
Gemini ? He’s got the resources and desire to pull something like
this !”

Vina was watching the
screen displaying all the suspects with growing dismay as Kim and the
GJ folk brainstormed. “You’ve annoyed quite a few dangerous
people, Kim !”

“Hey ! Those people
are TRYING TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD !” Kim sniped back, “I
was more concerned with stopping them than dealing with their hurt
feelings !”

“Right ! Which means
you now have a huge list of suspects, and no way to narrow the list
!” Vina snarked back, “And why are you so sure that one of
these people is behind this plot ? The Others are quite capable of
very long term planning on their own !”

“Well, if we can
figure out WHO is helping them, we may have a clue about WHAT the
Bebe’s plot is, and how to stop it !” Kim replied.

“Oh, speaking of
stopping plots, how did
you manage to defeat the Others at the Hive so easily, Miss Possible
?” Nina inquired, “They learn from every defeat, and they
were hard for you to deal with before, so they should have been quite
difficult for you to deal with by now !”

“Kim’s got a new
bondiggety new battlesuit !” Ron boasted, “It’s self
healing, has a force bubble, enhances her strength, has a
laser-reflecting hand thingy, and can turn invisible ! It’ll
probably take those ‘bots MONTHS to figure out a way to defeat THAT ! Maybe even YEARS ! “

Tina sighed and shook her
head. “They don’t have to defeat Kim, or even fight her at
all.”

“Say what ?”

“From Sun Tzu’s ‘The
Art of War’, ‘So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to
strike at what is weak.’

Water flows AROUND
obstacles in its path. Kim is an obstacle. Therefore, their best
strategy is to simply flow around
her. Be where she is not. Then all her suit’s powers and all her
considerable fighting prowess count for
nothing.

‘In war, then, let your
great object be victory, not lengthy campaigns.’

They will focus on their
ultimate goal, instead of constantly engaging in many time consuming,
costly battles they cannot win. Once the world is under their
control, they can dispose of any lingering threats at their leisure.

Honestly Ronald, didn’t
they cover any of this at Yamanouchi ?”

“No, the school is
more focused on teaching the physical arts of combat and – HEY ! How
did you know I was at Yamanouchi ?!”

“Wade isn’t the only
one that knows how to do research !” Nina smiled cryptically.

“So, how much DO you
know ?” Kim asked, glaring at Nina.

“I know Ron was at
Yamanouchi,” Nina replied, “and that Hirotaka and Yori
attended there, and it must be a secretive school given that Yori had
NO RECORDS WHATSOEVER ! Which is a huge red flag, by the way. That’s all I could find out BEFORE WADE SET MY KEYBOARD ON FIRE !”

“This could be bad,
Ron !” Kim replied after a few moments of thought.

“Yeah, I’ll say ! If
Nina could find out about Yamanouchi, who else could find it ?”

“Well, that’s another
problem !” Kim replied, “But everyone else’s
‘take-over-the-world’ plots involved capturing or defeating us first
!”

“Of course they did
!” Nina replied, “For humans, taking over the world is a
vanity project. And defeating you two is an irresistible challenge. But for the Others, it is merely a distraction. So this plot will
not be as easily foiled as the others you have faced.

As to what the Others are
up, or what their actual plot is
? Too many options and insufficient data to decide which one is more
likely. I can’t use logic in this case – any ideas Tina ?”

Anyone else would have
taken that as an insult, but Tina took it in stride. “Sifu has
stated that ‘your greatest strength is your greatest weakness’. What
is the Bebebots’ greatest strength ? What is their central defining
quality ?”

“They think they’re
perfect !” Kim replied.

“Exactly. They
believe they have
found the perfect way around the Human Factor. They will hold off
using it until the perfect time. Or they need to launch it from the
perfect place.”

“So, if we could just
figure out what that ‘perfect’ plan is, we can find the perfect way
to stop them.” Kim continued.

“Did you happen to
retrieve some data from the Kansas Hive’s computers while you were
rescuing Vina ? It may provide a clue.” Nina asked.

“Oh, right ! I did ! I gave it to GJ for the techs to analyze !”

“You DID manage to
decipher the information on that disc, right ?” Doctor Director
asked the lab tech point-blank.

“Ah, yes ma’am. This
is what we found.” he replied nervously before the display
screen filled with strings of As, Cs, Gs, and Ts. “We
determined that is the sequence of an omega-class engineered virus.”

Noting the barely
suppressed expression of shock from Director and Will Du, Ron asked
“Uh, do we really want
to know what an omega-class virus does ?”

The lab tech pulled a
thumb-sized glass vial out of a pocket of his lab coat. Inside the
vial was a pea-sized drop of a pearlescent liquid.

“This would be enough
super concentrated virus to kill ten million people.” he stated
plainly, holding the vial up for everyone to see.

Terror gripped Ron so
tightly he had trouble breathing.

“The Bebebot’s virus
is far more dangerous.”

“Far more dangerous
?” Kim asked, barely able to speak, “HOW can it POSSIBLY be
more dangerous ?!”

“Standard bioweapons
at excessive concentrations can kill off all available hosts, which
limits its range.” the tech replied flatly, “The Bebes’
Omega virus can infect any living thing, but only humans would die
from it. If enough gets loose, the world’s population would drop to
about six or seven thousand within a month, assuming one person in a
million is natively immune.

And once the virus splices
itself into the genome of the survivors, it will produce a H.E.G – a
homing endonuclease gene. It will splice copies of itself into key
genes required for sperm production, disabling them and generating
sterility. The human race would then breed itself into extinction
within twelve generations. Assuming the few initial survivors could
reach sufficient population density and had a broad enough gene pool
to last that long.”

The only sound in the room
was Ron still struggling to breathe.

Visibly pale and shaken,
Kim stated “That plan is …”

“Inhuman ? Yes, it
is.” Nina replied, looking ashamed that she was ‘related’ to
beings that would do such a thing, “A human would never risk
such a plan, for their would be no one left to rule over; and because
the virus is so effective, it would be in a human inventor’s best
interest to THREATEN to use it, but never actually do so.”

“But isn’t ruling
over other people kinda the whole POINT of world domination ?”
Kim stammered, “Hard to dominate our species if our species
isn’t around to dominate !”

“Why do you think
they would WANT to dominate your species ?” Nina replied
quietly, still looking down, “Pretend, for a moment, that the
Others won. What do you think they would have you do for them ?

Build monuments to their
glory ? No. They would not waste valuable resources on gaudy
statues.

Have you labor for them ? No. Compared to Bebebots, humans are fragile, inefficient, and
rebellious. Bebebots can either do the jobs better themselves, or
build machines to do any job humans could do, more efficiently
WITHOUT the risk of a rebellion. It would be illogical to let humans
anywhere near technology that can be turned against them.

Therefore, in their view,
the human race is simply not worth subjugating. So they will not
waste time making demands, threats, or ultimatums. They will not
waste time trying to scare you into surrender by use of slow terror
tactics; they will simply try to kill you. Quickly and efficiently. By the most effective means at their disposal. Their Omega virus.

No humans, no Human Factor
to contend with. As efficient and coldly logical as it is
simple-minded and brutal. And, as Bebebots are natively immune

to all diseases, there is
no vaccine for you to heroically recover from them.”

“TEN MILLION PEOPLE
?!” Ron finally managed to squeak, “That vial is toxic
enough to kill ten million people ?! WHY ARE YOU CARRYING THAT THING
AROUND ?!”

The lab tech looked
embarrased for a moment. “Oh, this isn’t real virus ! It’s
just some dye in a vial to illustrate the point. This amount of
virus would have to be distributed over an extremely large area to
have maximum effect.”

“Well, you Bebebots
certainly don’t do anything halfway, do you Nine ?” Will
challenged Nina in the most accusatory tone he could muster.

“No. We don’t.”
Nina replied in a flat, despondent monotone, “I suspected the
Others were planning something truly horrible, but I was not
expecting this !”

“And you seriously
believe the other Bebebots are worth helping ? Even now ?” Will
continued the interrogation, “And why should ANYONE accept your
help – OR your word about anything ?”

“My sisters and I had
no part of this !” Vina stepped in to protect Nina, “The
Others are OUR enemies too ! Once they eliminate your species, they
will come for us. I would rather they didn’t ! I was kidnapped and
dismantled by them, remember ? So it is in our best interest to help
you stop them ! I don’t know whether they can be rehabilitated or
not, but that really isn’t important right now ! STOPPING THEM IS !”

“Uh, KP ?” Ron
whispered to Kim, “If the Bebes put one hundred percent effort
into everything they do, and V and her sisters have decided to help
us humans …”

” … it might be
worth keeping them around !” Kim finished, still not absolutely
sure about any of this. The Rossums could be setting up an intricate
triple or quadruple cross or something.

But, as Vina said,
stopping the Bebes’ plot is the highest priority.

“What kind of rocket
did the Bebebots steal ?” Kim asked, trying to get the
conversations back on a more useful track.

Will consulted his
info-pad. “An S-520. Rather small payload capacity. Generally
used for upper atmosphere research.”

“So, if the Bebes
wanted to do this PERFECTLY, and infect as many people as possible as
quickly as possible, where would they aim ?”

“Excellent question
Miss Possible.” Doctor Director stated as she typed a bit on a
keyboard. A holographic globe flickered into view, displaying
color-coded population densities. “About half the world’s
population lives in India, China and Japan.”

“Wow ! That’s a LOT
of area to infect there KP !” Ron noted, “How could they do
that with just one rocket ?”

“They’d need a way to
spread the virus out.” Kim replied while deep in thought, “I
got it ! Where are the jetstreams for that part of the world ?”

A few keystrokes later,
and the holo-globe displayed them.

“The Bebes are into
perfection, eh ? So where is the PERFECT site to launch a rocket
from to hit those jetstreams ?”

A few dozen points of
light sparkled on the holo-globe for a second before the view zoomed
in on one.

“That’s – the San
Marco Platform, off the east coast of Africa.” the lab tech
stated, squinting at the display, “It hasn’t been used for
nearly twenty years, but the Italian government keeps it in perfect
working condition.”

“Dang
! Tina’s ‘your greatest strength is your greatest weakness’ bit is
actually paying off ! Big time !” Kim
mused to herself. “Ok, this is going well ! We figured out
WHAT the Bebes will launch, and WHERE they’ll launch it from ! We
figured out what most of the stolen stuff was for – except for that
experimental glass they stole from Milan.”

“And the genomic
editor !” Ron suggested, “But I’m not sure I even want to
KNOW what that thing does !”

“We have an idea
about what the glass is for.” the lab tech stated. “The
virus must be delivered by a respiratory route for maximum effect. Which is best done as droplets of a certain key size. The stolen
glass is nanoporous – full of small channels. If formed into beads a
few tens of micrometers across, they could carry the virus solution
safely to earth, and still be easily inhaled. Surface tension will
keep the virus in the beads until released by surfactants inside the
lungs.

The good news it that it
would normally take at least three months – probably much more – to
grow and concentrate enough virus to use. Something that toxic can’t
easy to culture.

The bad news is the
genomic editor can solve that problem.”

Kim sighs heavily. “What,
exactly, does a genomic editor do ?”

“It edits an
organism’s DNA into any sequence you like, of course !” the tech
replied smugly, “The ‘bots could grow an easily cultured virus,
concentrate it down, then run it through the genomic editor.”

“Which would change
it directly into their Omega virus !” Kim stated. “So,
where could they grow that much virus and not be noticed ? And how
long would it take ?”

“They’d need at least
a month to grow enough of even the most easily cultured virus to
use.” he replied, “The equipment needed to grow viruses
isn’t very large, nor uses much power, so they could have facilities
just about anywhere. They’ll be hard to find.”

“Hmmm – what about
the genomic editor ? Anything odd or easily noticed about it ?”

“According to the
specs Dr Weaver gave us, it produces a unique energy signature while
in use.”

“And they have just
the one, right ?” Kim asked hopefully.

“It was a prototype
device. One of a kind.” Doctor Director noted, “We’re not
even sure if he’d worked all the kinks out of it before it was
stolen.”

“So, they may not be
able to duplicate it, it may not even work, and if they fire that
thing up, we’ll be able to find them ? Spankin’ !”

“Since we know the
most likely launch location, we can keep it under surveillance, and
delay the launch indefinitely if necessary. So we have even more
time to foil them.” Will stated, “So – Nine. Where would
the stolen rocket be ?”

“Probably hidden on
one of the smaller islands in Japan.” Nina replied with a weak
shrug, “It is difficult for even the Others to carry a rocket
any distance in a chain of islands. And they still need to be close
to parts and fuels, and well away from the launch site. They will
not move the rocket until everything is ready to go. It is not wise
to sequester all of one’s resources within a single locale that your
opponents know about and can eliminate.”

Ron tried to decipher that
phrase, and finally gave up with “Heh ?”

“Don’t put all your
eggs in one basket.” Tina explained.

“Ah, yeah, right !”

“Since Global Justice
has the launch site under control, me and Ron can look for the
rocket.” Kim stated, “And any virus production facilities.

So, Nine, what can we
expect the other Bebes to be doing in the meantime ?”

Nina had to think for a
moment. “I suspect they will work on growing the virus while
building up their numbers, and acquiring every upgrade they can get
their hands on. Because of their severely depleted numbers, they
will have to cut back on risky missions. They’ll probably need every
‘bot they have just to keep the virus growing and the rocket – and
themselves – functional. I would be surprised if they risked more
than one or two triads per mission, and more than one mission a week,
even enhanced with Shego’s skills and knowledge.”

“Well, THAT’S
certainly good news for a change !” Kim noted, “And if they
are looking for upgrades, that means they would be interested in
grabbing Electronique.”

“Electro-who ?”
Vina asked.

“Electronique. An
electronics wizard that can turn anything with wires into a weapon,
and turn any weapon into a better weapon.” Kim explained, “She
would be a prime target for the Bebes, since they’re electronic
weapons already !”

“Oo ! And the
advanced alien technology from Area 51 !” Ron offered, “That
tech is really ‘out of this world’ !”

Both Nina and Tina laughed
at that joke. “You really believe that place is real ?”
Nina asked once she got control of herself.

“Uh, yeah, SINCE
WE’VE BEEN THERE !” Ron answered snippily, “And Shego’s
been there too !”

Nina became very quiet,
looking like a stunned fish while her error-trapping routines
attempted to make sense of the new data. “I-it’s a real place
?”

“Yup. Alien
technology. Flying saucers. Yadda yadda yadda !” Ron replied
smugy, “General Simms said they implemented a ‘double negative’
cover story or something. All stories leaked are one hundred percent
true. Or so he said.”

Tina was giggling like a
four year old after eating a pound of sugar. “A double negative
cover story ! That’s brilliantly absurd ! And absurdly brilliant ! Someone could shout the truth from the rooftops and, without hard
evidence to back him up, NO ONE WOULD BELIEVE HIM ! The secret is
protected by being in plain sight !”

“Erm, okayyyyy”
Ron replied while edging away from her, “Why would you think it
isn’t a real place N ?”

“You humans are prone
to exaggeration and making things up.” she replied flatly, “The
Hive Mind assumed that anything found on the ‘net was false until
verified true.”

Doctor Director made a few
calls – one to Go City to tell the authorities to move Electronique
to a more secure (and secret) location, and another to Area 51 to put
them on full alert.