The inspiration is back! I don't know if I'll keep the plot exactly the same as I had envisioned it in the beginning, but...

So, unless anyone has any ideas for Shirley's love interest, I may have to go with the original plans on that as well...

So sorry for all the caffienated spelling errors of earlier chapters.

This one might be crappier than the last chapters. Sorry. ;;

Still only own Shirley, and not entirely either.

THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH

This Ain't a Scene It's An Arms Race

The ride to Mars was eerily silent, both Marvin and Shirley caught up in their own thoughts.

Upon reaching Mars, they both fled the ship, running towards the palace. Shirley's long legs got her there faster, and she prepared to attack any rogue centurions, or anything else that got in her way. Instead, she was so suprised by what greeted them that she stopped long enough to allow Marvin to catch up.

The centurions were bowing. "Greetings, The Queen is expecting you. You are guests of honor."

"Um, What?" Marvin managed.

"Please, proceed to the dressing rooms and ready yourselves for the meal."

Shirley shook her head, bewildered, and allowed the Centurions to show her to her room.
Two of them flanked Marvin.

"What's going on here?"
"Nothing is going on. We are only having a special meal in celebration of your achievement."

Marvin gaped at them.

Before he could say anythingmore, the centurions used the moment to guide him to his room.

Still uncomprehending, he staggered inside, glancing around.

An outfit was laid on the bed, complete with...

"Oh, not that hat. Everyone hates that hat."

--

Some time later Shirley knocked at his door impatiently.

"Come on, we have to get to our celebration."
Marvin opened it a slight bit. "You don't actually believe everything is fine, do you?"
"No, but the sooner we get to see the Queen, the sooner we'll know what happened."

"True."

"Come on out then."

Grudgingly, he left the room.

"What's with the hat?"

"I don't want to talk about the hat."

--

"Welcome! Please sit down and enjoy your meal."

"We responded to a call for help Your Highness."

"Merely a technicality, what we are concerned with now is celebrating your flawless response to duty."

Shirley glanced at Marvin before folding her dress under her and sitting down. The blue shifted and turned darker with her countours.

Marvin had no such trouble with his formal outfit. He stared at the Queen upon sitting.

Shirley seemed to be doing the same thing as he was, however she was also eating, unlike himself and The Queen.

Minutes passed in uncomfortable silence.

Marvin knew that this was not his Queen, not the one whom he had fallen in love with.

But despite his inner knowledge he had no proof.

The ominous silence seemed to be building up when a small ring from under the table caught his attention.

Unfortunately, the Queen's eyes also tuned in the sound's direction.

Shirley stood up, and walked over to the Queen despite the Centurion's protests.

They stared each other down for a moment, then the puple haired martian whispered something.

The Queen merely blinked.

Shirley turned her gaze to Marvin. "Run."

He didn't need to be told twice.

They took off, shouldering past confused centurions. Shirley drew out her communicator, only to have it shot away by a centurion.

Marvin drew his out. The Cadet's face flickered into view.

"No questions, just tell me where you are."

"A-actually, D-Dodgers insisted we sh-sh-sh-come here. It was s-s-s-very quiet, we manage to g-get all the way up to the palace."

Marvin checked the verification tracker, and slammed the communicator shut. "This way!"

Shirley followed him down a side corridor, and hardly stopped when they broke bodily through the window and plummeted down.

Dodger's ship collided with them. Marvin slid down the windshield as Shirley scrambled to keep a hold on the mettalic surface.

The centurions fired out the broken window.

Shirley lost her hold, grabbing Marvin on her way down.

"What are you doing?.!"
She shook her head. They continued falling even as they dissapeared and landed in Dodger's ship.

"Oomph!"
"Ugh!"
"Give me the controls!"
"No, we have to get to the-"

"Get off!"
"Weaponry room-"
"Weapons?"
"Gett OFF, and-"
"It's my ship!"
"C-captain, maybe-"

A lazer shot into the roof.

Everyone froze.

Marvin put away his gun, glaring at the chaos.

Shirley took the opportunity to steer them away.

"What are you two doing?.!"

"I told you, we have to get to the weaponry room, and then to Earth."

"Now wait a minute-"

"Shut up you Chinese Cuisine!"
Dodgers, taken aback, did as he was told.

The ship stopped, and Shirley lowered the bridge. "I'm going to get us supplies. X-2, you stay here and keep him from going anywhere."

She dashed out, turning down the corridor.

"Wow, what a forceful woman."

-

There were no codes on the weaponry room, only a species exclusive lock. Martians alone could get in, and that was exactly what Shirley did.

Looking around, she grabbed anything that seemed like it could be helpful.

Turning, she took a breath to calm down, and lost it when the centurions moved into the doorway.

-

"Why did you guys land on me?" Dodgers asked huffily.

"I don't think she can quite control teleportation that specifically."

"..What?"

"Never mind."

-

Shirley blinked, shifted her grip on the weapons, pointed behind the centurions and screamed.

Of course, they all whirled around.

And she ran past them, weapons in tow.

-

"When is she getting back? I wanna get off of this planet."

"What's wrong with our planet?"
"You guys are crazy!"
"Excuse me?"
"SHUT THE DOOR!"
"..What?"
Shirley raced past, dumped her load on the floor and slammed the button to close the door.

The centurions fired at it, narrowly missing the Cadet.

Dodgers slammed the ship into full power, heading away from Mars as fast as it could.

Shirley slumped down, gasping for air.

"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I hope you know what some of these things do, because I don't."

"How am I going to convince I. Q. to let you two hang out on Earth? You don't even have a plan."

Marvin blinked. that was as close to an agreement to them as Dodgers would get.

Shirley didn't notice, not having spent enough time around Dodgers as he had.

"Our plan? Figure out how to get rid of the fake Queen and get the real one back."

"H-How do you kn-know sh-sh-she's f-fake?"

Before Shirley could respond, Marvin did. "It's a feeling. I know it."
"Feelings, Shmeelings. I think she just doesn't like you anymore and you won't admit it!"
Normally the remark wouldn't have phased him, but in the already stressed situation, he dove at Dodgers.

"X-2! He's just an idiot!"
"Captain, you sh-shouldnt have s-s-said t-that!"

The Cadet raced to take over the ship's controls, leaving the taller martian to pry X-2 and Dodgers off of each other.

"Stop it!"
"I'll kill him! He has no idea-"
"I know, we have to tell him!"

Shirley managed to grab Dodgers, holding him out of X-2's reach.

The duck stuck his tongue out at Marvin.

Shirley smacked him.

"Hey, that hurt!"
"I'm definitely not taking your side. Remember the transmission with the Queen? She had a bandage on her arm. She didn't when we got there."

"So? She could have used some healing thing."
"Maybe, but I also said something the real Queen would have known, and she didn't even notice."
"What did you say?" Marvin asked. He had been curious about that.

Shirley moved her gaze to him.

"Her name."