After an uneventful flight back to RRMC the Rovers unloaded their cargo. Ray, Barry, and Allen were taken to the brig while Professor Hubert set about using the transdogmafier to change the cano-mutants back into normal dogs. "What'll happen to them?" DJ asked. These dogs hadn't become cano-mutants by choice and he thought they disserved a second chance. Colleen quickly put his worries to rest. "They'll be taken to a specail animal shelter." she said, "Not like the one Huntie came from, but one where they will be kept until good homes can be found, no matter how long it takes." DJ was glad to hear that. "I'll see ya in a bit Colleen, I need a shower. I look like the back end of hard times." Colleen giggled at the metaphor. "Hey DJ." she called after him. He stopped and looked back. "You did really wonderfully today, I for one am proud to have you as a team mate." DJ cracked a smile, "Thanks Colleen."

As DJ approached his quarters he noticed two large packages on the floor by his door. Good, those must be the clothes he'd requested. Just in time, this uniform he was wearing had just about had it. He set the packages on his bed and made a bee line for the bathroom. While he was in the shower he couldn't get over how good it felt. Getting bathed had never been one of his favorite activities, but he was begining to understand why Keith did this every night. After he had showered and dried he wrapped a towell around his waist and went back in his room. "Ok, let's see what we've got." He opened one package and found seven pairs of blue jeans, fourteen grey T-shirts, seven pairs of sweat pants, seven sweat shirts, and plenty of underclothes. Opening the other box revealed two flannel jackets, a pair of cow boy boots, a pair of work boots, a black leather belt with a brass buckle depicting a double R, and a brown felt cowboy hat. Under the hat he found something he hadn't ordered. It was a beutiful brown leather knife case with the Rovers insignia stamped in it. Inside it was a lockback folding knife which had a three inch blade when opened. Wedged into the case with the knife was a note. It read "DJ, welcome aboard, from all of us."

DJ showed up for dinner in jeans, his work boots, and a grey T-shirt. His knife in its' leather case hung from his belt on his right side. Exile grinned when he saw him, "I see you found your gift." DJ nodded and smiled, "That I did, thank you." Blitz shook DJ's hand, it was the first real sign of friendship he'd gotton from the Doberman since he'd been with the Rovers. "Not bad for a first day's work." said Blitz, "Later I'll tell you about the time I saved Hunter from..." "Ahem." Hunter tapped Blitz on the shoulder. Blitz grinned innocently. DJ laughed, he was going to enjoy this job.

After dinner DJ stayed up in the rec room for a while. Hunter tuned the tv in to the evening news just in time to see some aireal shots of a huge mound of rubble where Parvo's weapons factory once stood. "Our late braking story tonight, the Road Rovers do it again. Although it is unconfirmed at this time it is believed that the destroyed warehouse was being used as an assembly plant for illegal electronic weapons..." "Yee-haa." said DJ, "It'll take a while to clean that up."

DJ wanted to sit up with his friends, but he was dog tired. "Goodnight all." he said with a wave and headed for his quarters. This day had been one he'd never forget. Tomorrow with any luck he'd be able to take Hunter up on his offer to fly him out to see Keith. Even after turning out the light he lay awake thinking of a way to make his homecomming a suprise, he almost hated the idea of just walking up to the door and saying "Here I am." DJ fell asleep with the beginnings of an idea in his mind, this would have the desired effect.

Kieth pulled his pickup into the Daniels Transportation Services yard. Mr. Daniels had generously offered him two weeks paid leave to relax and try to get over what had happened, but he couldn't accept. He had to get out of the house, back to work. If he was working then he had something to focus his mind on. Something he couldn't belive, he was getting his old truck back, the Highway Patrol had found it, along with all the other stolen rigs in a clearing off an abandoned dirt road near the state line. Appearently whoever'd been hijacking loads had taken time to switch trucks in order to disguise themselves. It didn't work, the Road Rovers had put them out of commission. The Road Rovers, ugh, if he ever got a hold of whoever had called him claiming to be DJ in a cano-whatever form he'd have to do something unpleasant.

He parked in the employee lot and strode into the office. His co-workers greeted him with plesant hellos and handshakes, but none mentioned his dog, they all knew better. Steve Renfrow, the forman handed him a clip board with his work orders on it, "Welcome back Kieth." Kieth mannaged a small smile, "It's good to be back buddy, so I hear they found my rig." "Yep." Steve answered, "It's still over in the shop, the guys are just checking her over, they'll be done in time for you to go out." Well, at least he got to come back to something familliar. He poured himself a cup of coffee, picked up his clip board and walked out into the yard.

Keith stood out in the cool morning air, he could hear the rumbling of diesel engines and the hiss of air brakes, sounds he'd come to love over the years. The shop door was open. Kieth decided to walk over and look in on his truck. As he entered the building he was met with the same friendly greetings as he had been in the office. "Morning Chip, just came to see if the old Kenworth was ready." Chip Edwards the chief mechanic nodded and gestured for Keith to follow, "Just about done with her, checking the brake lines is about the last of it." As they approached the truck Keith observed a mechanic laying on a creeper under the engine compartment, just behind the left front wheel. Did that guy have a tail? Naw. Chip kicked the tire, "Come on, hurry it up, the driver's here for his truck." "Just finishing up." came the answer from under the vehicle. Keith thought he recognised the voice. "Ok, done." The mechanic rolled out from under the truck and stood up, Kieth couldn't believe his eyes. It was a cano-sapien, but how? The only cano-sapiens Kieth knew of were Road Rovers and why would a Road Rover be truning wrenches on a..... Wait a dang minute! This individual had a black stripe running down the middle of his face, his right hand was black, his tail was black tipped and his left ear flopped forward. Could it be..?

"I figured you'd show up here." DJ said in a friendly voice. "DJ? Is that really you?" Keith still couldn't believe what he was seeing. The dog spread his arms, "I sure hope it's me, otherwise I'm in trouble." Keith stepped forward and embraced DJ, "Oh geeze it's good to see you boy." DJ returned the embrace, a tear crept into his eye, "The feeling is mutual. When they knocked you cold I thought I'd lost you." The tears were rolling down Keith's face, "And I you." The two quickly regained their composure. Kieth turned to Chip, "You were in on this." The mechanic nodded. Keith laughed and shook his head, "I'm glad I decided to come to work."

The engine in the Kenworth W-900 roared to life and settled down into a smooth even idle. Keith sat in the driver's seat and watched the needle on the air pressure gauge climb. DJ pulled a small two-way radio out a pocket in the dark blue mechanic's jumpsuit he was wearing. He spoke into it, "Mission accomplished Rovers, see you in a few days." "10-4 DJ." Came Hunter's voice, "Have fun." Keith heard the sound of jet engines as the Rovers broke the circle pattern they'd been holding above. There was something DJ had to say, "Keith now that I'm a Road Rover I'll probably spend better than half my time at Mission Control, we won't be together near as much as we used to. It was a hard decision to make, but when offered the chance to fight against scum like that bunch that we tangled with lastweek, well I just couldn't say no. "I understand." said Keith, "You do what you have to, just call me every night huh?" DJ nodded. "You can count on it." he said.

Keith pulled the truck out of the shop and coupled it to a box trailer in the yard. Climbing back into the cab he said "We're on company time, let's hit the road." He flipped the switch on the shifter to "low-range", eased it into first and set the truck in motion. Twin clouds of black smoke swirled from the stacks, then disappeared as the engine sped up and began burning clean. DJ was in heaven, he was reunited with his old friend and had made several new ones as well. He sat back in the passenger seat and enjoyed the sound of the powerful turbo diesel as the big rig picked up speed.

THE END