BotP Close-up 022

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Bobkat
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Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2020 5:30 pm

BotP Close-up 022

Post: # 396Post Bobkat »

Hi all! I'm back! This week is a tangle with The Sea Dragon.

The Other Jason's write up is here: https://www.battleoftheplanets.info/ep22.html

E22: The Sea Dragon

Act One

7-Zark-7 enjoys the days where there is peace in the universe. However, Susan calls from planet Pluto relaying an emergency call from planet Aquatica where something "strange" is happening. She says it could be an alien invader and Zark goes to pull up the planet on his monitors. Zark isn't 100% sure where Aquatica is and decides to zoom in on a "small speck on the left." This is Aquatica.

Aquatica is "an all water planet" about 50 light-years from Ursa Minor. It is used as the major repair center for the entire Intergalactic Defense Force. As Zark monitors Aquatica's patrol fighters returning from their reconnaissance missions a storm occurs. Storms never happen on Aquatica so Zark contacts Security. Meanwhile, a sea dragon mech is causing the storm and it flies in the middle of the maelstrom. It reveals itself in clear weather as hundreds of fighters try to engage but lose. Nuclear missiles are also ineffective against the monster mech.

It moves underwater and wraps itself around a facility. Zoltar orders the dragon pieces back for refueling but the crab robots are released. Zoltar is pleased that Spectra has been able to put a "major hole" in the Federation's defenses – the Luminous One will be happy with this turn of events.

Zark notifies Chief Anderson who has called President Kane and the entire Intergalactic Federation delegates. When President Kane turns the conversation to Chief Anderson, the chief tells them that Aquatica is "lost." This is contrary to all the reports President Kane has. Chief Anderson goes on to urge the delegates to contact their home planets to help out until G-Force can be deployed to Aquatica.

Nearby Ursa Minor has sent a fighter forces that tries to dislodge the sea dragon but they are systematically destroyed. All of G-Force has assembled aboard the Phoenix except for Mark because Zark can't get a hold of him. 1-Rover-1 suggests that Zark take the commander's place but that's impossible. Just then, Mark shows up in G-Force uniform at Nerve Center. Zark briefs him on what's happened on Aquatica. Mark responds, 'Leave it to Zoltar to spoil a perfectly nice day."

Mark joins his teammates on the Phoenix and tells them that they're heading into "big trouble" on Aquatica. Mark gives them the details: the robot fighters from Ursa Minor and the "tigers of Andromeda" have been decimated. Mark offers an out for anyone who doesn't want to go on the mission. Jason stands fast, "I'd like you to name the last time that any of us backed out of an assignment." The others feel the same and they're all in. Tiny flies the Phoenix into space and onto Aquatica.

The team arrives in time to watch the sunrise and they comment on how beautiful the all water planet is. Jason adds it'll be more beautiful once they get rid of Spectra. Mark orders everyone into their positions for their target run. Once Jason gets the radar screens turned on, the target is found and Tiny aims the Phoenix for the sea dragon.

Aboard the dragon, Zoltar turns when a robot goon reports an enemy aircraft approaching. Zoltar was expecting G-Force and he is ready to be rid of them once and for all. The sea dragon goes airborne to meet the Phoenix head-on. When Keyop yelps at it, Jason cracks, "Let's see if he'll like to drag a little with us." Mark tells Jason to not play and just take it out but the bird missiles have no effect, no matter how many they shoot at it. The sea dragon is far larger than the Phoenix and as a last resort Mark orders them to go to the Fiery Phoenix. But the dragon is ready for them, by "fighting fire with fire" and the Phoenix crashes into the sea.

Act Two

Zark paces at Nerve Center with his Phase Advancer overloaded and Hygrometer heated up because G-Force is lying helpless at the bottom of the ocean on Aquatica. Zark has notified a squadron of two-man submarines to commence searching for them. Zark then flies to his monitors to continue to try to contact the team. He can't contact them at all but won't stop trying.

On Aquatica, water begins flooding the Phoenix. Mark wakes up and tries to move the Phoenix but makes matters worse as they crash into a deeper cavern. Mark calls out to Zark and the rescue team finds the Phoenix. They send G-Force back to Earth via "special capsule." While things have been delayed, they're not stopped.

Zark has been able to solely focus on a single task to come up with something that he hopes will make the team feel better. Chief Anderson shows them a rebuilt Phoenix just like the legendary bird that rose from the ashes. They brought it back from Aquatica, broke it down and built it back up. As the Phoenix emerges from her new paint job, Chief Anderson tells them they are the last hope. If they fail, Earth and the Federation will have no choice but to surrender. Mark assures him they won't fail. The chief has another surprise: it's a gadget that Zark has made, a new weapon. He explains that the weapon sets off a frozen vacuum in a 500-yard radius. It's called the fridget midget. Chief Anderson warns them that they need to be clear of it when it's set off.

Taking the new weapon, the team launches from Center Neptune as Chief Anderson wishes them back safe. Meanwhile, the sea dragon is still wrapped around the facility. When they get close, Tiny puts the Phoenix into a deeper canyon nearby. Mark tells the team to stay put as he goes to infiltrate the dragon. Jason protests in the fact that they should go as a pair. Mark is adamant about going solo and reminds them to "not even breathe" as he runs off the bridge. They haven't been detected so far and Mark wants it to stay that way. When the door shuts, Tiny begins the power down procedures to keep the Phoenix literally a hole in the water.

Aboard the sea dragon, one of the goons thinks he might have seen something on radar but then it vanishes. Another goon points out that he was seeing their spy fish return. The goons bring them aboard – it's an entire school. Mark uses one of them to make his way into the dragon. A goon gets a peek but Mark grabs him and pulls him under. Mark makes the goon chase him but doors begin slamming, thus cutting off his escape routes. At one point, Mark walks on the inside ceiling to evade the goons. Once he's at a clear point, Mark radios the Phoenix to pick him up.

Once the call is made, the Phoenix takes off. Zoltar isn't happy about the goons inability to capture "one man" and threatens to sic the Luminous One onto them. Mark places the fridget midget onto a wall just as thousands of goons are about to pour into the room where he is. Outside, the Phoenix and the sea dragon tangle but the Phoenix turns into a blue firebird that has a cooling effect on the outside. Meanwhile, the midget does its thing – freezing everything in its path. Mark has to literally run for his life to get away from the weapon, lest he freeze to death.

The team watches in horror as the sea dragon breaks up but Mark never emerges. Mark curls up into an unaffected area but the temperature is dropping rapidly. Princess continues to call, even turning to Jason to do something. He tells her Mark will be okay because the ship is breaking up. She continues her calls, finally gaining Mark's attention. A break in the metal opens beside him and Mark leaps to safety. The sea dragon explodes into a billion pieces leaving its golden ball the only item intact. This is Zoltar's escape pod and vows to fight them another day.

The team mourns as they believe Mark has perished but he radios them for a pickup! Princess cries on Jason's shoulder and he pats her shoulder. Tiny swoops in to pluck Mark from the ocean. Zark is sure Zoltar will be back but the priority is to get the team back to Earth safe and sound. Zark also calls Susan to thank her for the prompt warning about Aquatica. Zark tells Susan that she's doing a wonderful job and that the early warnings give them time to respond. She tells him about a "huge flaming comet" that could crash into Earth … in about 10,000 years! Zark recognizes it takes a team and it's all part of being with G-Force.

This plot summary Copyright Bobbi Baker ©2021. No reproduction of any kind without permission.
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