Skipper jumped to his feet and kicked the shadowy penguin in front of him.
S: "Stay back!"
K: "Skipper, calm down! It's me."
S: "Kowalski? Who's she?"
N: "I'm Nicole, and you are Skipper?"
K: "Afirmitive,"
N: "Kowalski's told me a lot about you Private, and Rico."
S: "Oh, like what?"
N: "Only good things I assure you. Like your impecable leadership."
Skipper blushed and whispered to Kowalski.
S: "I like your new girlfriend."
K: "Girlfriend? No, we're just friends."
S: "Come on, Kowalski, I know you better. You have feelings for her, don't you."
N: "Guys, I'm right here."
K: "Sorry, Nicole. Skipper was being a little rude."
S: "You were, too."
K: "Na-uh,"
S: "Yeah,"
N: "Boys, boys, you were both rude."
K&S: "Sorry,"
K: "Maybe we should stop for the night. We need our rest."
N: "I can't even tell if it's night or day in these rooms, they're so dark."
Skipper started humming and got Kowalski's attention. Kowalski recongized what he was humming: "Kowalski and Nicole sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G." Kowalski lied down and closed his eyes. It only took a minute until Skipper and Nicole heard him snoring.
N: "So, it must be hard for you to be seperated from your team for so long. I mean, you guys have to be kind of close. Since you all lived together, it would be hard being apart."
S: *sigh* "I can't even think about how intimidated Private is now or Rico. This all my fault. If I was a good Skipper, this wouldn't have happened."
Skipper put his head in his flippers.
N: "Hey, this isn't your fault."
S: "How is it not? They're all right I am a disgrace."
N: "Well, I guess you're right. You are a disgrace
S: "I am ... wait, no!"
N: "No what?"
S: "I'm not a disgrace! I'm a born leader! I can fix this! I always have a plan."
N: "Yeah!"
S: "I'm like a penguin version of Chuck Norris!"
N: "Oh well, I wouldn't-"
S: "I can do this!"
N: "You have a plan?!"
S: "Nope, you have one?"
Nicole groaned and put her flipper to her face.
N: "I hope you come up with one soon."
S: "So ..."
N: "Sooo,"
S: "What do you think of Kowalski?"
N: "He's nice and I think he's very smart."
S: "Oh,"
N: "Do you know if he likes me?"
S: "Um, yeah. He's pretty into you. Do you like him?"
Nicole paused.
S: "If you don't can you let him down easy, please? I'm just looking out for him. Last time, he had a crush, she broke his heart, sixteen and a half times."
N: "Half?"
S: "He couldn't hear the rest over his sobbing. He's really a good guy. A little bit of a 'know it all', but a good guy."
N: "He is ..... you're a good friend, Skipper."
S: "Thanks, I know this sounds weird, but I've sort of come to think of the men as my family."
N: "That's not weird."
S: "Really?"
N: "Yeah, Goodnight,"
S: "You too,"

That chilly night, Rico was fast asleep, when he realized the little penguin was gone. He hopped to his feet in shock. Scanning all around him, he simply wasn't in sight. Then, he felt something soft move from under him. He frantically looked down, and was relieved when he saw Max sleeping. It almost was like Max thought he was his father. From then on, Rico vowed to protect him.


The next morning, Private didn't want to get up. The thought of his Skipper being dead returned to his mind. He'd just have to forget it or get over it, but how could he just erase all his memories of Skipper. Maybe, meeting his father was a doorway to a new life. No matter what he couldn't let go of his past. Tears stained his eyes, they wouldn't stop flowing. Killer took him under his wing and tried to calm him down.
Ki: "I'll help you find your friends, I promise."
P: "No,"
Ki: "What?"
P: "I want to stay with you."
Killer was stunned.
P: "I-if that's okay with you."
Ki: "Yeah,"
P: "Thank you,"
Killer sighed.
P: "What's wrong?"
Ki: "Nothing, let's keep searching."
There was a long pause.
P: "Killah, I mean, Dad,"
Ki: "Yes?"
P: "Can you tell me about my family?"
Ki: "How about I tell you and then you tell me about your friends."
P: "That's sounds okay, I guess."
Ki: "Where should I start?"
P: "How many brothers and sisters do I have?"
Ki: "Two brothers,"
P: "Okay,"
Ki: "Their names were John and Phillip."
P: "What about my mother? What did she look like?"
Ki: "I'm sorry, Private. I can't ...."
Private noticed that the whole time his father was talking he never looked him in the eyes. This caused him to start choking up again.
P: "Then, can you look me in the eyes?!"
Ki: "I'm sorry. It's going to take some time to tell you all of the facts, though."
P: "Well, Rico loves explosions. He is really wild and a 'destructo machine' sometimes, but we all know he'd never do anything to hurt us. Kowalski is extremely smart. He always is creating inventions. They usually fail or work out for the worse, but we always find a solution. It got Skipper so furstrated. Skipper was in charge and kept us all in line, but he would have done anything for us. We all looked up to him. He was really brave, too. There was only a few times a saw him scared. I remember once I got stuck in the snack vending machine, and I had been in there for almost an twenty-four hours. He was so relieved when he found out I was alive. *sighs* I miss him so much."

Skipper lied awake in silence he seemed to be the only one in the entire room to be so.
S: "I'll think of something tomorrow."
He closed his eyes and began to drift to sleep. Little did he know his dream would be dreadful.

He stood in the arena. All around him was the jeering audience. Standing a foot in front of him was a short, round penguin. His bloody flippers balled up into fists. Eyes glowing with hate, he looked like a monster with his ruffled, damaged feathers.

The shot rang out and Skipper tackled his foe, whose cry echoed out.
?: "What are you doing? Stop!"
The enemy managed to knock Skipper off him, and pinned Skipper down to the ground. The brute stared into his eyes, but didn't attack. Skipper took his chance and kicked his rival off. He lied on the ground in pain as Skipper waddled up. With no restraint Skipper punched him fiercely. Blood began to run down the wounded penguin's face. Then, it all happened in a flash. Skipper looked down at the little penguin's face and immediately haulted. It was Private! His frightened eyes were tearfilled as he screamed out in torture. With his left eye was black he moaned. The killing-machine had vannished and in it's place was Private.
P: "S-skipper, why are you doing this?"
S: "Private! No! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"
P: "G-goodbye, Skippah ...."
S: "No! No! No!"
Skipper laid his weeping head on Private's breathless chest. A man came up and began to try to take him back into the room, but he didn't budge. From then, it all seemed to go on in slow motion. A beer bottle shattered right in five inches in front of his face. The reflection he saw startled him. He was the "monster". Skipper screamed.
K: "Skipper?! Are you okay?!"

Skipper opened his eyes to find Kowalski beside him.
S: "I had a nightmare. It was ..... awful more then awful!"
N: "You want to talk about it?"
S: "No, never,"
K: "This isn't like you, Skipper. Are you okay?"
S: "Yeah."
K: "It's okay,"
S: "I'm not sure it is."
Kowalski was puzzled.
N: "Don't worry, whatever it was it was just a dream."
Skipper thought about Victor and how bad he felt when the dog killed him. The pain would only get worse, but he couldn't be afraid. He couldn't take another attack. He decided from that moment on to do anything to avoid them from bringing Ripper out. His life basically depended on it.
K: "Well, at least you slept through the night, or at least what we think was the night."
N: "Good morning, 'Sleepy Heads'."
S: "Good morning,"
N: "You sound a little sleepy."
K: "He's needs his coffee. Right, Skipper?"
S: "Right, but what a really need is a plan for a jail break. Any options?"
K: "Sorry, Skipper,"
S: *sigh* "It's fine, I'm going for a walk to clear my head."


Rico woke up to Max kicking him to get up.
M: "Good morning, Rico."
R: "jdzfv sfs, (You, too,)"
M: "I'm hungry,"
R: "Same here,"
Max raced off and Rico dashed after him. Max ran into a bigger penguin. He turned to look at him with his gang.
?: "Lookie here, some one left there hatchling all alone."
He lifted him up.
M: "Put me down!"
His goons laughed.
?: "What are you going to do about it?"
Rico waddled up furiously growling.
M: "He's going to beat you meanies, up."
?: "Here, have him back!"
He dropped Max and ran off along with his pals. Rico ran up to him and hugged him.
R: "skjfh sjghsdjk ghkdhjke urgdshk bbhb (Don't ever do that again.)"
M: "I promise,"
R: "Good."
M: "You're my hero!"

Killer lead Private to the door.
P: "Why did we come here, again, dad?"
Ki: "Uh ....... Why I do you ask?"
P: "I was just curious! I mean, wouldn't it be more likely to be put into a fight if we were closer to the door?"
As if on que the door flung open. Private screamed in terror. Killer pushed Private into the crowd of horrified penguins and stepped forward. The man picked him up, but bizzarely he didn't rebel, not even a little.
P: "Dad!"
Ki: "Goodbye, Private."