No Title

by James Curbo

Deep within the Verthandic Rangers' Blanca Mountain complex, Phoenix walked into the motor pool, looking for his friends and fellow Communications officers, Councillor Katze Brenner and Calculus. They were about to depart for Chicago, to meet Cyohtee for a vacation. Phoe looked across the immense motor pool. In one corner was parked Calc's heavily modified Mercury Villager. "Sheesh, a Villager...you'd think he could pick out something a little more...stylish," Phoe thought as he glanced over at his own heavily modified Ford Mustang sitting in another corner. Phoe smiled and thought, "Like my vehicle."

Phoe then saw Kat and Calc, around the back of the van loading their luggage up. Kat was digging in a bag, and Calc was punching something in on a handheld datapad. Phoe strolled up to them.

"Phoe!" Kat said with a smile as she looked up from her luggage. "Come to send us off?"

"Yeah, I suppose," Phoe said with a grin.

"He's probably here to push us out the door," Calc said. "Before we go, however, here's a list of stuff to do," he said, and handed Phoe the datapad.

Phoe glanced down at the pad. "Woo, looks like I'm gonna have fun being in charge."

"Welcome to the world of running a department," Kat said. "But you can handle it. Otherwise we wouldn't be leaving it in your hands."

Phoe smiled at Kat. "Thanks," he said. "Besides, it was about time you took a vacation anyway."

"Yeah, I suppose..." Kat said, trailing off.

"Well, you guys better head out," Phoe said. "Have fun in Chicago!"

"We will," Calc said, and the two went and got in. Phoe started to walk away, then Calc rolled down his window. "And don't forget to work on the #2 router!" he yelled.

"Sure, Calc!" Phoe yelled back, and he began walking to the exit.

Phoe walked down the corridor from the hangar bay to the nearest elevator. "I'm glad Kat is getting some time off," he thought as the elevator doors opened. "Comm Central," Phoe said to the elevator, instructing it to bring him to the floor which held the nerve center of VR's complex computer network.

"She really needed a vacation...she has seemed so stressed lately..." Phoe thought. The elevator doors opened and Phoe strolled down the corridor towards CC. "Well, she'll take this break, come back, and be ready to kick some spongin behind," Phoe thought with a chuckle as he approached a large set of automatic doors.

The huge doors opened as Phoe approached them; he never even had to break his stride as he entered the immense surroundings of Communications Central. Phoe glanced around as he walked to his office; terminals and keypads galore decorated the walls. Comm techs moved back and forth between them, punching in data and performing system maintenance. "Technician Morgan," Phoe called out to the chief tech on duty that shift, "make sure these things are taken care of," he said as he handed the tech the datapad that Calc had given him. The tech quickly scanned the pad. "Will do, sir," he said cheerfully, and walked off. "This could be a good couple of days...or however long they're gone...very good," Phoe thought as he walked into his office.

*The following afternoon...*

Phoe leaned back in his chair and took a big gulp of his Jolt. Sitting with his feet up on the desk of his office, he picked up the latest report datapad that he had been given a few moments before. He was scanning over it when a light started flashing on his computer monitor. Phoe looked up. "What the...urgent communique?" he thought. Phoe leaned forward and punched several buttons on his keyboard. An image of Calculus popped up, with Cyo behind him.

"Hey Calc," Phoe said with a smile. "How's the vacation?"

Calc's expression was grim. "We've got trouble, Phoe. We've lost Kat," Calc said.

"Lost Kat?! How?" Phoe said.

"Go get Mal and Nex, and I'll explain," Calc said, and closed the channel.

Phoe got up and dashed out of Comm Central, pushing several techs out of the way. He ran down the corridor towards nex's office. As he approached it, Nex came out. They both yelled at each other, "Katze!!" They looked at each other. "Huh?" they both said.

"Something's wrong with Katze!" Nex said.

"Yeah, I know...Calc just called from Chicago, and he said Kat is missing. I'm supposed to round you and Mal up and we're supposed to call him back," Phoe said, puffing from the run.

"OK, I'll get Mal, you go to the conference room and call Calc," Nex said.

"Will do," Phoe said, and walked swiftly off to the conference room. A few minutes later, Phoe arrived in the immense area. Nexx suddenly popped into the room as Phoe was working with the controls.

Mal walked into the conference room. Nexx looked up and said, "You took your sweet time getting here."

"Well, unlike some people, I don't teleport wildly all over the place. Now would somebody please explain, *slowly,* what the hell is going on?" Mal said, exasperated.

Phoe punched some buttons, and Calc popped up on a big screen at the front of the chamber.

"I'm on way back to HQ with Cyo," Calc said.

"What happened to Kat?" Mal said, puzzled.

"Well, listen to this first, and tell me what you think," Calc said as he leaned forward and hit a few buttons. A recording of a song started playing.

"Isn't that something Kat listens to all the time?" Nex wondered aloud.

"Enh, I wouldn't know," Phoe said. "Never heard it."

"'Marrakesh Express', by Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Great song," Mal stated.

There was a moment of silence as everybody looked at him kinda funny. "What?"

"Listen closely to the chorus," Calc said.

Phoe tapped a key and the volume increased. "o/~ Don't you know we're riding on the *Marraketh* Express... o/~"

"Marraketh?" Nex said.

"Yes," Calc said.

"What's that?" Phoe asked.

"That," Mal said in his usual dry manner, "is where Katze is originally from. It's another dimension."

"Oh..." Phoe said, puzzled. "So what does the song mean?"

"I think that's where she has been taken," Calc said.

"We need to organize an expedition, and quickly," Nex said. "Mal, get the Gateway ready. Phoe, you go prepare the communications equipment for the trip. I'm going to start calling people in. Calc, when are you going to be getting in?"

"In about 30 minutes," Calc said.

"Good, I'll need your help organizing this," Nex said. "Come to my office as soon as you get in."

"OK," Calc said, and cut off the transmission. The VR logo replaced his face on the screen.

Nex turned and faced Mal and Phoe. "Well, let's get moving...we've got to save Katze!" Phoe and Mal nodded, and all three went off hurriedly to do their jobs.