BotP Close-up 055

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Bobkat
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BotP Close-up 055

Post: # 542Post Bobkat »

This week, Zoltar is out to capture Earth by any means possible. This time, he uses pollution of the oceans to gain Earth's surrender. Mammoth Shark Menace has some truths in it too. The ep also shows us how much the teammates mean to one another and makes this ep one of my faves. :)

The Other Jason's write-up is here: https://www.battleoftheplanets.info/ep55.html

E55: Mammoth Shark Menace

Act One

7-Zark-7 is in Center Neptune with everything appearing peaceful but something isn't right. He has had an inkling in his Reactors all morning that Zoltar has been up to no good but Zark doesn't know the details. He even turned on his Inter-dimensional Probes but has come up with nothing. Zark decides to take a ten second oil break to relax and he squirts some on an antenna. He says there's nothing like a cold can after hours in the Control Room. Susan calls and asks if she can help Zark. His answer is, "Oh I hope so." She goes to say there is an emergency report is in from Oceanographic Research labeled "condition critical." Zark remarks that Susan's voice is so warm and appealing that is could drive a robot to full circuit meltdown. Zark finally gets his mind on the job with a "condition critical" situation afoot.

The ocean seems to be peaceful and nothing is wrong on the coast. However, a brown muck works its way through the water killing tons of fish. The muck wreaks havoc in the ocean and throughout the food webs that depend on it. Birds that eat the dead fish die as well. Zark alerts the team and give them the assignment of collecting a sample of the pollutant and report to Chief Anderson.

At Center Neptune, scientists are studying the pollutant to come up with answers under Chief Anderson's watchful eye. The chief reports the pollutant is an alien chemical from off-planet, which points to Spectra. Mark asks if they've been able to analyze it but the chief says all attempts have failed. Princess wonders if there's a simple answer that they're missing. Chief Anderson is open to any "bright ideas" and Princess hypothesizes that a crack opened in the sea floor releasing toxic gas (a real-world theory being studied!). Chief Anderson says that's possible but nothing toxic has been found before. The problem before them is that all life on Earth is dependant on the oceans and everything is in jeopardy. Just then, Zoltar breaks in on communications!

Zoltar laughs evilly because he finds it amusing that G-Force is stymied by his latest threat. Mark is ticked, off balling his fists. Zoltar tells them that they have fought Spectra too long and now they will be poisoned into submission. Mark is defiant saying the plan will never work. Zoltar goes on saying life started in the sea and it will now end there. The team is beyond angry due to the threat and Zoltar's gloating! Zoltar laughs evilly before ending communications. When the monitor is off, Chief Anderson tells the team that Zoltar is right: if they are unable to find the source of the pollutant, "Earth is doomed." Mark says they'll find it and the team yells, "G-Force," salutes and launch in the Phoenix.

The Phoenix leaves Center Neptune and breaks the surface. The team heads out to search for the pollutant. Mark tells them to keep their eyes open and to stay alert because Zoltar's tricky. Jason has a brainstorm about decoying Zoltar on the monitor so Zark can pinpoint his position. Tiny agrees, "Zoltar can't resist teasing us on the tube." Mark tells Princess to "protect the contact base" and Zoltar appears on their monitor. Mark calls Zark for a directional fix but Zoltar seems to be jamming them. Mark and Jason confirm this with Jason who tells his commander to keep trying on other channels, but no success. But they've had enough. Jason says, "Well anyway, we don't have to listen to the purple creep anymore."

Mark orders "rudder full left, Tiny. Open forward thrusters." Mark spots something ahead on the sea surface. A convoy of ships sails on. Jason says it's just a bunch of tankers heading south while Keyop clacks his bolos. Zoltar breaks in again saying they can't stop the biological destruction that's going to occur. Zoltar adds that he will one day rule Earth as well!

Mark has had enough and he wants Tiny to take the Phoenix into the sea so he can look at the bottom. Tiny settles the Phoenix on the bottom where it looks peaceful and reminds Tiny he needs to feed his rare goldfish. Mark asks about any sonar readings with Princess looking and finally hitting on something. A craft moves through the water and Zark goes nuts wearing his helmet. He tries to contact G-Force to let them know that his Sensitive Probes detected a large craft in the shape of a shark "cruising near the Phoenix." His Receptors have discerned it's not a shark, but rather a weapon and tells the team to ready their torpedoes.

The craft continues on and lurks above the Phoenix. Princess shows it's parked behind them and Jason wants to "erase it." Mark okays the use of torpedoes/bird missiles to take it out. However, things turn disastrous as more pollutant is released. Jason is beside himself because they just made matters worse and fell for Zoltar's trick. What's worse, Zoltar gloats about it as more pollutant kills more ocean.

The Phoenix resurfaces unable to stop more carriers from spreading the chemicals. Princess nearly breaks thinking of all the living creatures in the sea now at risk. The cycle keeps going and none of it is good.

Act Two

Zark is still by his monitors in his helmet and nearly shorts all the monitors out. He wonders if Zoltar isn't using some sort of new jamming device. Zark cleans his monitor because he thought he had a fix on one of the shark/carrier mechs but it was a flyspeck on the glass. Zark says it's embarrassing to make a goof like that but he'll find a way to contact the team and advise them.

On the Phoenix, Jason pulls himself together saying they have to stop the pollution regardless of whether they've heard from Zark or not. Mark says that's a great idea, just point out the base. Tiny says he thinks he knows where it is and notes the three tankers they saw before. None of them are flying any flags and they're out of the normal shipping lanes. Mark decides he'll take his rocket sub and investigate. Tiny takes the Phoenix to just above the water so the sub can launch.

Mark drives his sub and follows the carriers. He notes the carriers are remote-controlled from "somewhere close." Mark keeps going to see where the carriers call home – the bellies of the tankers. Mark says, "Tiny was right." He plans to notify the Phoenix but before he can, the sub springs a leak of toxic gas. Mark drives his sub to where the carriers are docking and barely makes it in time. The carriers are decontaminated along with the sub. The goons notice the sub but it's too late as Mark enters the control room.

Aboard the main tanker, Zoltar is still gloating and happy to have the ability to capture all of G-Force. He has the Phoenix in his sights as he orders the tanker to transform and to ready the Gravity Ray Gun. The tankers form up building a larger mech. Keyop calls it a "bad scene." The mega-tanker awaits as the Phoenix closes in aiming the Ray Gun. Keyop says, "Hands up" while Jason wonders where Mark is. Zoltar orders the gun to be fired when the Phoenix is in range. The gun stops the Phoenix cold and pulls it into the tanker.

On board the Phoenix, the team is getting jostled around. Jason tells Tiny to kick in the Anti-gravity Thrust but the controls won't budge. Jason suggests transmuting but that won't work either. A tug of war ensues as Jason orders Ram Jets but the fight continues with the Phoenix cracking in several places. Zoltar tells his men that they'll let the Phoenix "hang there" until the craft is out of power. Zoltar is pleased to see the Phoenix in this dire straits and wants G-Force to pay for all the defeats they've caused Zoltar in the past. The Phoenix really begins to crack and lose its power. Zoltar tells Gorko to "pull them in" and to have a reception party standing by for them when they land. The goon ups the power to cripple the Phoenix even more.

A voice from behind tells Zoltar there's a party planned for him. It's Mark! Zoltar is unhappy to see the commander. Mark says he's programmed the Gravity Ray Gun to self-destruct and demands Zoltar surrenders. Zoltar finds the request amusing as the Ray Gun stops and the Phoenix is suddenly free. Zoltar opens an escape hatch and Mark follows while on the Phoenix Jason tells Tiny to level off, which happens.

On board the tanker, the Gravity Ray Gun aims for the tanker, destroying the vessel. Prior to his escape, Zoltar gives the order to abandon ship and takes off. However, the goons wind up in the poisoned water and die immediately. Several capsules fall overboard from the mega-tanker. From their vantage point in the Phoenix, the team doesn't see Mark. Tiny says he hopes Mark has made with Jason replying, "He always makes it." Just then, Mark signals that he's okay but he's "in the middle of all this brown yuck." Tiny swoops down to get a closer look.

Mark swims just ahead of Spectra's pollution as Princess yells to Tiny to "Pick him up!" Jason orders the deployment of the "rescue platform." Tiny moves with the platform down able to grab Mark in the nick of time. The capsules that went overboard held the anti-toxin to neutralize the chemicals that Spectra put into the seawater. The oceans become safe for life once again.

On board the Phoenix, Mark sees Zoltar's escape ship and says they still have a crack at him but Jason tells him "Can't do it, Mark." The Phoenix took a beating and is unable to give chase. The boys have a moment knowing what they mean to one another. Mark points out they stop him from ruining Earth's oceans. Princess points to Zoltar, "One day, we'll catch Ol' Kinky." They begin their return to Center Neptune.

In Nerve Center, Zark still has his helmet on and breaks the bad news to 1-Rover-1 that G-Force isn't bringing back Zoltar. Rover yips that he really wants to bite Zoltar. Zark says Rover can bite through a steel bar. Zark sends him along to go greet the team and muses about perhaps meeting them some day. Until then, he'll be in Nerve Center helping G-Force and completes the salute.

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