Somewhere in the South China Sea, the Retriever and her escort destroyers sail lazily along. On the deck of the carrier, cremembers lay about enjoying the calm, clear weather. Along the port side an asian junk boat sails by them, watched by Sparkplug and Rusty.

"Good to see you come out into the sun for a change Rusty." says Sparkplug.

"Well, I heard it was such a nice day I just had to see for myself."

Gunfire is heard from the junk. All the crewmembers out on deck stop what their doing and look out. On a catwalk just off the bridge, Bowser and Emerald have heard the gunshots too and Bowser looks on with binoculars. A Pacific Islander in ragedy clothing comes on to the deck of the junk, sidearm in hand. A crewmember comes after him but the man turns to him and fires. He then throws the gun away and jumps over, swimming towards the Retriever.

"Sound action stations Emerald." says Bowser "Pick up that man in the water and have the Ruegger detain that junk."

"Aye sir."

The alarm goes off and everyone races off the deck to their duties. Later in the ship's sick bay. Bowser and Bandage are off to one side, the man who jumped off the boat on a bed.

"He's been severly mistreated captain." says Bandage "Malnurished, dehydrated, whipped, I could go on."

"No need doctor. Looks to me like we have a slave operation going."

"Yes!" replies the man in a Fiji accent "Yes captain there is. Those men on the junk were taking me to a slave camp! There are hundreds already at this camp. And they are armed to the teeth. They must be stopped!"

"Who are they using for slaves?"

"A lot of people captain! Chinese, Vietnamese, Burmese, Indonesians, Fijians, you name it! I not entirely sure but the camp is in the Philipines."

Bowser nods and leaves sickbay. He enters the bridge.

"I want Zev in the air on the double!" says Bowser "Have him scour the Philipines for a slave camp."

"Yes sir." says Emerald.

"Message from Captain Denali sir." says Winston "Those slavers that weren't killed commited suicide. They are treating the exslaves as best that can."

"Good. Mauser, let's get under way." says Bowser.

Several hours later in the planning room. Bowser, Firebird and Zev are here.

"It's despicable captain." says Zev "It's located in an isolated area of Palawan Island. What the slave said was true, they're armed to the teeth. Anti-aircraft guns, machine guns, rockets, grenades, machetes."

"What are they being used for?"

"I'm not sure at the moment. But it has to be shut down."

"I agree. Firebird?"

"We send Lieutenant McCoy's squad in to soften them up. Then we hit them hard."

"Sounds like a plan." says Bowser

****

Jungle, outside the slave camp. LT McCoy's squad is watching the camp, McCoy, with a binoculars.

"These x-ray binoculars work great." says Tex "That building over there houses all their ammunition. Brody, Vince, set your charges inside the building. T-Bone, set yours at the base of the anti-aircraft battery."

"Yes sir!" thay all say. Brody, Vince (A doberman) and T-Bone go in cloak belts on. As Brody and Vince finish their work a slaver's cell phone rings.

"Yes? Ah, General Parvo, good to here from you. Yes sir, your test subjects for the human-canomutator are ready and waiting. No one's going to miss them. Yes sir. Thank you sir, goodbye."

Back in the jungle, Brody and Vince relay what they heard.

"A human-canomutator?" says Tex "Parvo must be desperate."

"I think he want's to see what he can get away with." says Cobalt.

"Well, we won't let him. Brody, blow 'em."

The ammo hut explodes in spectacular fashion, slavers scramble to get away. Then T-Bone detonates the anti-aircraft guns.

"Let's wade into 'em!" shouts Tex

They all give a battlecry as they head inside the camp, guns blazing. Some are killed, the others surrender without a fight. A man in a business suit is seen cowering in the shadow of a hut. He takes out his cell phone a dials.

"General Parvo! It's---"

A gun shot rips away the cell phone in his hand and Tex runs up to him.

"Don't shoot! I surrender!"

Brody, T-Bone, and Vince slam open doors to seperate huts, ready for anything. Instead they find half starved slaves cowering in what little room they have. Tex takes out a communicator.

"McCoy to Retriever, operation a success. Do not need airstrikes. Bring the choppers in."

****

Bowser's office. McCoy and Emerald are here.

"A human-canomutator?" says Emerald

"My reaction exactly ma'am."

"I've already informed the Master about this. The Road Rovers are going to follow up on it. Good work Mr. McCoy. Meanwhile, we need to see to returning all the people here."

"I'll get right on it." says Emerald.

"Dismissed."

the end