"Where we all hope they'll stay." The first Z'porrah ship went into the net thing and did a fast fade. Not much better than a slow fade, really, at least per my stomach.

"You're right," Chuckie said. "They visit here a lot. We're going to put a stop to that. Somehow."

Alexander coughed discreetly. "Handled."

"How?"

He shrugged. "In addition to the fact that we're explaining to the Z'porran leadership that Earth solar is considered as off limits as Alpha Centauri solar, we gave your . . . special friend . . . some much needed new instructions."

"By 'special friend' I hope you mean ACE."

"I do."

"What instructions?"

"Permissions might be a better choice of words. We removed several overriding initiatives within the PPB Net programming."

"As in, you removed the guilt?"

"Hopefully. I'm sure ACE will need some adjustment time." Alexander looked me in the eyes. "He may choose to leave."

"And if he does, I'll birth him, just like I said I would when we fought your late brother for your throne."

Alexander nodded. "Good. I feel more than a little . . . responsibility toward him."

"Good." Alpha Four finally had a leader who cared about more than himself. While that wasn't the only requirement for good, effective leadership, it was a requirement I personally found vital.

"If ACE does leave you, we will provide some kind of assistance to ensure the Z'porrah aren't able to casually use Earth as their playground."

"Thanks. And wise. Because they were planning to head over to you guys the moment they had us subjugated."

"We were impressed with your world's restraint," Alexander said. "Once the first wave of nuclear missiles didn't work, the fact that you sent no more toward the Z'porrah was quite intelligent."

We all smiled and nodded. If Alexander wanted to think humans had been smarter than we normally were, why disabuse him of that notion? ACE wouldn't mind us taking the credit on this one, I was sure.

"How's the Dome?"

"Safe," Chuckie said. "Our allies arrived before it was damaged. Our people are back inside, everyone's accounted for."

Heard a soft mewling behind us. Turned to see some Poofs. "Harlie, Poofikins! Where have all my Poofies been? Kitty's been so worried."

The Poof that was Jamie's bounded to her. "Mous-Mous!" Jamie squealed.

We all stared. "Did she just say her first word?" Jeff asked.

"I think so."

"And instead of Daddy or Mommy, she said Mous-Mous?"

"Yes. I think . . . I think that's her Poof's name. Mous-Mous?" The Poof in Jamie's arms looked at me and purred. "Mous-Mous it is."

Jamie seemed to be saying moose-moose, but I knew she wasn't spelling it that way in her mind. Which was a bizarre thing to be thinking. The Poof looked at me, and I realized that it knew how its name was spelled, which was why I knew how its name was spelled. I sensed another new career option-pet psychic.

Mous-Mous hopped out of Jamie's arms and over to my feet. It went large and toothy. It was a younger Poof, so it didn't go Jeff-sized, but it was easily as big as one of the Z'porrah. Mous-Mous opened its mouth and hacked.

"You're kidding me," Christopher said. "It's throwing up on us?"

It was indeed throwing up, but what Mous-Mous tossed up wasn't regurgitated food. It was a glowing Power Cube.

"Hey, that's the one we had growing up," Jeff said.

"Mous-Mous, did you find the cube at home?"

Mous-Mous mewled and looked pleased with itself.

"Oh, really? That was Part Two of your mission after you came by to remind me to get the supersoldiers active? Well done." I looked at the other Poofs. They all looked exceedingly pleased with themselves. "Did you each take a Power Cube?" Many purrs. "And you could because as long as one Poof had a Power Cube, all Poofies have access to use the Power Cube and so can go in and out of the dead-zone rooms?" More purrs. "And are the Power Cubes safe inside my Poofies, and vice versa?" Many purrs again.

Thought about my one-on-one fight with the Z'porrah. "Did my Poofies take the Power Cubes so the nasty Carnivorous Flying Dinos wouldn't be able to sing their funny song and blow us up?" More purrs, some jumping up and down. Got the impression the Poofs were pleased with how I was once again impressively insightful and rightfully proud of themselves.

Mous-Mous swallowed the Power Cube and went back to small and fluffy.

"Damn," Chuckie said under his breath.

"Will the Poofies give the Power Cubes to Kitty, or Jeff, or Chuckie, or some of the others, if we need them?"

There was some mewling about this. The Peregrines got involved.

"What are they saying?" Christopher asked finally.

"Oh, the Poofs and Peregrines both want to be sure the Power Cubes don't get used against us or abused by anyone. They're working out who should have access when, their own Avenger Initiative sort of thing. I think our Power Cube access is going to be on a need-to-have basis, not a want-to have, but they're still working it out."

"I'm so pleased you have found a way to have the Poofs and Peregrines work together," Alexander said. "It's a rare talent, but we had faith in you."

"Per Stryker, without the Power Cubes in place, we're now able to 'see' and map all the dead zones and tunnel system," Chuckie said. "So, good initiative from the Poofs."

"My Poofies and Peregrines know how to get the job done."

"Only my girl." Jeff put his arm around me. "You know there's no way Imageering was able to hide all of this."

"Or that the Field teams can alter memories enough," Christopher added.

"We're outed." Jeff sighed. "Alexander, any chance we can all move back to Alpha Four?"

"Absolutely, if you wish it. We are prepared to evacuate our people, if it's requested or necessary. And any humans who are in danger as well."

"You're the best, Alex. But I don't know . . . maybe we won't have to."

"Love your optimism, baby. Why do you think we won't be run off the Earth?"

I looked around. "Because the A-Cs being here is the only reason our allies came to help. Without the A-Cs, Earth would already be conquered."

"Think that's going to be a viewpoint the average person will buy?" Jeff asked.

"Depends on how it's spun," Chuckie replied. "I honestly have no guess. Could be the best thing to happen to the A-Cs, could be talked up as one huge Hollywood marketing ploy, could mean we're all running for our lives."

"Guess we're going to find out."

"Can't wait," Christopher said, sounding as though he actually could wait.

"We have friends in high places. And low ones. And far, far away ones. We'll be okay."

As I said this, the last Z'porrah ship was shoved through the Reptilians warp net. Three Feliniad ships swooped down and carefully and accurately hovered over each superbeing. There wasn't as much air blowback as a bunch of helicopters, but I could still feel the air moving.

However, being blown around a little bit was well worth the outcome, because when they finished, the superbeings were no more, sucked up into the Feliniad ships. And as soon as the superbeings were gone, the supersoldiers and androids all went still.

"Who flipped their switches?"

"Ravi," Chuckie said. "King Alexander, I'd like to formally request that you demand that the supersoldiers and androids be given into the custody of Alpha Four and removed from Earth."

"Why?" I asked before Alexander could reply. "They held off the Z'porrah until the cavalry arrived."

"Because if we can control them, so can someone else," Jeff replied. "They aren't benign. They were all programmed to destroy. We were lucky this time. I don't want to bet that we'll be lucky again."

"We will make that demand," Alexander said. "And then we will have them all destroyed. Charles, I assume you would like to bear witness to their destruction?"

"Yes, thank you. We need to catalog who the androids were impersonating before they're disposed of, but otherwise, the sooner we can remove these creatures the better."

"If one megalomaniac can think these things up, another one can as well."

"Which is why I don't want to leave any parts around for the next wave of evil geniuses to find," Chuckie said. "Reader and Crawford know where the bases in Paris and Paraguay are. We'll be razing those in the next few days."

"No argument, I'm with you. Why risk a Terminator scenario? Especially since we just had War of the Worlds. And then some."

Chuckie sighed. "True enough. Ravi doesn't think we found all of the androids, by the way, just the ones in the U.S."

Before anyone could reply, ask questions, or fret about our android situation, the hatch of the Z'porrah ship opened, and a beam of light came from it.

CHAPTER 103.

WE ALL BRACED FOR ANOTHER ATTACK, but there was none. Apparently the beam of light thing was how the Z'porrah got in and out of their ships every time, even if they were only traveling about three feet.

The six of us zipped down the stairs and over to the flying saucer. We were joined by a lot of Field agents. Reader and Tim were there as well. "Military's on the way," Reader said as we joined him.

"Why aren't they here already?"

"Same reason we're not looking forward to a nuclear winter-nothing would work."

I leaned against Jeff. ACE, are you there?

Yes, Kitty, ACE is here. And Alexander is wrong. ACE does not wish to leave.

I'm glad. Thank you for keeping us from destroying ourselves while trying to destroy the Z'porrah.

ACE does not like the Z'porrah.

Because they're evil, or because what they do is evil?

The Z'porrah are not evil. But the Z'porrah are wrong.

About what? Silence. Do I need to know?

Kitty does not need to know right now. The machines will work again now. ACE cannot always interfere.

We understand. Thank you again for saving us.

ACE only did some. Others helped ACE.

Who? ACE was quiet, but he didn't feel distressed. Time to guess. The Poofs?

To some extent. Control of the Power Cubes is important. The Poofs did well.

There had to be more. Thought about it. Jamie and the rest of the hybrid babies?

Yes. ACE will not leave. ACE has many new penguins to care for, and these need ACE. ACE is happy to be needed.

And loved, ACE. Never forget that.

ACE does not.

ACE? How did Jamie get to us in time?

Jamie knew Kitty and Jeff and Christopher needed Jamie. There was a bit of evasiveness in his tone.

Why did she come when she did? No reply. Thought about it. Did she come because I specifically mentioned her?

In a way.

Thought about it some more. Were you keeping her in the Dome and safe?

ACE . . . did not want Jamie to go into danger until Jamie had to.

So, did you let her go or did she get away from you?