Sheen Rescue Squad...or...Welcome to Planet Sheen

Chapter 9-Everybody Dance Now

As far as they could see, no suspicious activity had occurred during the entire ball's proceedings. In fact, for the majority of their observation duty, when he wasn't gorging himself on food, Carl spent his time listening to Doppy as he pointed out different aliens for the benefit of his new friend. So far, Carl had seen a Marbelonian, a colossal humanoid who looked like his skin was made of solid rock; a Chameleon, another lizard-like alien like the Reptilons, who were large and could not change their colors like a Chameleon could; a Dogonean, a dog-faced being that could walk upright and run on all fours; a Kasigian, which had six eyes and an inflated head due to its astonishingly large brain (Carl was only able to remember that alien because he thought its head looked like a watermelon; and a Glimrod, a horned figure with rough red skin.

Carl turned now to Nesmith and Doppy, a grin plastered on his face that had not faltered throughout this entire evening. "You know, these parties are fun. I think I'll try to introduce them to people back home at Retroville."

  "Cool beans, buddy," said Doppy appreciatively.

Nesmith snorted derisively, though neither Carl nor Doppy noticed. "Believe me," hiding his contempt as best he could, "it's not something Earth should make a habit out of. But in all fairness, this one isn't so bad. But that's mostly because of the whole "guest of honor" thing." Nesmith now looked around the ballroom to keep track of Libby and Sheen, whom he had lost sight of. Come to think of it...

"I can't see them," said Nesmith urgently. Carl and Doppy became alert at once. They began to scan to crowd to find their friends. If Dorkus had taken them right under their noses.... Doppy tapped Nesmith on the shoulder. There was Libby, but there was no sign of Sheen. "Oh dear," sighed Nesmith despairingly, "I don't think everything has gone according to plan."

Carl turned his head in the direction Doppy and Nesmith were looking. When he saw Libby, his face darkened. "Shouldn't she be dancing with Sheen?"

"Yes, she was."

Carl heard the fear behind Nesmith's words. This, he could understand without giving himself a headache. If something had gone wrong with the plan, if something had happened to Libby while she was dancing with Sheen. "I'll go talk to her," Carl said to Doppy and Nesmith. Without waiting for them to answer, Carl made his way towards Libby.

She looked even worse up close. Her hair was coming undone, some of it cascading over one of her eyes, something Libby had done before she had gone to Egypt with Carl, Jimmy, and the others. At first Carl couldn't see her face. When she finally turned to him, Carl was shocked to see her eyes red from crying. "Hey, what happened Libby?"

"Oh, hey Carl." When she spoke, Libby's voice sounded choked up, like she had swallowed a large piece of food, or possibly a turkey bone. If that was the case, Carl could relate. He had once choked on a turkey bone himself. Yet something told him that turkey bones had nothing to do with whatever was wrong with Libby.

"What's wrong?" Carl dreaded the answer. Whatever could shake Libby's confidence was not something Carl would want to experience himself. If he had to face something like that, he didn't think he would have the courage to face it at all. More likely, he would end up in some asylum, which would be a scary line of thought, despite the promise of a sterile room.

"I was such an idiot! I tried to talk to Sheen about what's happening back home in Retroville, then I turn things into an argument about Aseefa." When Libby spoke again, she said everything so rapidly, Carl as barely able to interpret what she said. Even when he finally understood what she said, it made no sense. Argument about Aseefa?

"Why did you do that?"

Libby wouldn't turn to meet Carl's eyes. Carl didn't have the courage to turn her around to speak to him. Instead, she simply replied, "It doesn't matter. The point is, he got mad at me, and now the mission is ruined because of me."