BotP Close-up 014

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Bobkat
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BotP Close-up 014

Post: # 307Post Bobkat »

Here's our first deviation! The episode numbers match those in Gatchaman (and those on The Other Jason's page). This is technically Battle's 13th episode but it was far easier to do these write-up like this. Also, if you guys see anything that needs fixing, let me know! That goes for any of the write-ups. :)

This week we also have another undisputed death: Professor Wilde when he sacrifices himself for his granddaughter, Angie. (who looks suspiciously like a young Princess) :)

The Other Jason's write-up is here: https://www.battleoftheplanets.info/ep14.html

Enjoy!

E14: Perilous Pleasure Cruise

Act One

7-Zark-7 enters the command room via the vacuum tube while his monitors "keep a round the clock watch" for incoming invaders. Zark mentions there's been a breakthrough in space travel with the discovery of the "T-principle in jet propulsion". This has led to an increase in traffic in space and why Zark has the job of monitoring it all as he flies to his monitors. He keeps going because someone has pressed his "information button" with 1-Rover-1 nodding in agreement and pushing the "stop button". Thank you, Rover! Meantime, Zark checks on the Crab Nebula: home of Spectra and its "diabolical" ruler Zoltar. Zark picks up a ship or missile launched from Spectra heading straight for Earth! He calculates it will land in the North Pacific very close to the cruise ship 'Starfire'.

The 'Starfire' sails along with its passengers oblivious to the threat including Professor Wilde, a wheelchair-bound scientist Spectra would like to get their hands on. Professor Wilde is traveling with his granddaughter, Angie whose mother has recently passed away. The pair play ball on deck as the skies above them darken. Lightning and a lot wind buffet the ship causing the passengers to seek shelter inside. The ship sails through rough seas and is soon surrounded by massive icebergs concealing Spectra's latest mech that looks like a giant funky walrus with antennae. The walrus mech puts the cruise ship into a deep freeze!

Zark issues a Red Alert to G-Force telling Mark that Security Chief Anderson will brief him on board the Phoenix. Mark takes off as Zark informs him of the rendezvous point in "Sector G, Grid 90". Zark also says they'll be heading pretty far North so hopefully they have their winter gear! Mark transmutes as the other team members are picked up in short order with Princess and Keyop in the wing pods and Jason up front in the nose. Mark then docks in the back, completing the ship.

Once the team is on board, Chief Anderson briefs them that the 'Starfire' has disappeared somewhere in the North Pacific. All contact has been lost but what has Chief Anderson really concerned, is Professor Wilde. He's been conducting research on cell renewal. Chief Anderson goes on to say the prevailing theory is that the ship hit an iceberg but Mark finds that far-fetched due to modern computer scanning equipment. "You don't just run into icebergs" and Mark suspects foul play. "And I'm betting the happiness boys from Spectra are behind it" since they haven't heard from Spectra for a while. Tiny cracks that they know how to pick the "tourist spots". Mark says the icebergs look "phony" because they're too far south for the time of year. Chief Anderson tells them that finding Professor Wilde is a Galactic Security matter and that's their goal. Mark orders Tiny to fly them to "iceberg country" and the team heads north to find out what's going on.

In the North Pacific, the 'Starfire' is being held at a secret Spectran base surrounded by icebergs. For now, everyone seems safe: Professor Wilde and about 1000 other passengers. Somehow, Spectra has been able to slip past security nets to set up a base! The passengers are taken to some lower levels of the base. While on the massive elevator, Professor Wilde believes it's the government's way of getting their hands on his research and experiments. When Angie asks about his experiment, he explains to Angie that her mother, his daughter, was his laboratory assistant and something went wrong killing her in the process.

The Spectran guards force everyone out as the Phoenix arrives outside. They engage a long-range scanner to see if they can pick up anything. Tiny parks the Phoenix in the water next to one of the phony icebergs. Mark and Princess go to the bubble to move in for a closer look around. Tiny then submerges the Phoenix.

Act Two

Zark paces the command room saying Professor Wilde is extremely important, as he was about to make a breakthrough in genetic engineering. The concept he was working on was organ regeneration, or more specifically cell regeneration. If someone lost a limb, they would be able to regrow one or if they lost a heart. It's similar in how lizards regrow their tails if they lose them. It's of upmost importance to retrieve Professor Wilde safely.

Mark and Princess keep flying to find an opening into the base. On an artificial bridge, they knock a pair of Spectran guards into the water. As they make their way into the base, Mark tells Princess to stick close and she has no plans to do otherwise. Princess flies up to try to find transportation and does so immediately as Mark covers. They ride in an automated vehicle to go even deeper into the base after finding the 'Starfire'.

As Mark and Princess travel, they look around and take note of an ambulance going by. Mark doesn't like it but Princess assures him Professor Wilde will be fine. However, something is afoot in an operating room as Angie is put on a table with Zoltar about to operate! Professor Wilde tells him he can't use the secret formula on Angie as Mark and Princess decide to follow the emergency vehicle on the automatic track. Mark and Princess break into the operating room in the "nick of time" saving Angie! Zoltar strips out of the surgical scrubs telling Mark he's too late as he has Professor Wilde's secret formula! Zoltar makes his escape after switching on a bomb! Zoltar and his men run, locking in Mark, Princess, Professor Wilde and Angie. Professor Wilde takes the bomb and rolls to the door blowing a hole in it but killing himself in the process.

Mark and Princess high tail it out with Angie in tow. They find the 'Starfire' crew and passengers with Mark telling them the ship is ready to sail and to get moving out. As they ready to take off, Princess sets her yo-yo to explode setting off a chain-reaction destroying the base. However, the 'Starfire' escapes through various openings. Zoltar watches on a monitor pulling out his last trick against G-Force: the funky walrus mech!

An iceberg breaks in two revealing the funky walrus mech. The mech launches missiles at the Phoenix but misses. When it launches its drilling claws, they hit the retro engines giving the team some major jolts. A chase ensues after Tiny get the Phoenix under control with the mech wrapping it antennae around the Phoenix. Mark orders impulse power but Tiny has issues reaching the button because they're being jostled around so badly. They're able to break loose with the impulse power but the mech doesn't give up continuing the chase. The mech then shoots a rainbow laser but misses except for the rear engines momentarily. Mark wants them out of there right away with the mech using its freezer weapon: the same one used to subdue the 'Starfire'. When the Phoenix begins icing up, Jason says there's only one way out: to burn themselves out. Mark agrees, ordering the Fiery Phoenix! When the mech tries to take down the ship, it's instantly destroyed by the Fiery Phoenix: too hot to handle! The mech crashes in flames into an iceberg and explodes. The Phoenix transmutes out of Fiery Phoenix mode and starts cruising as the mech falls into pieces in the Northern Pacific. Zoltar emerges in a submarine knowing he has the secret formula.

At the dock, Mark and Princess bid the 'Starfire', her captain and Angie a fond farewell. As the 'Starfire' sails, Angie stands on deck holding her grandfather's pipe remembering him. According to Zark, she will be going to live with her aunt. He also talks about Professor Wilde and how Chief Anderson suspected he was trying to betray Galactic Security and did give up his formula for molecular regeneration to Zoltar. However, Rover points out that the formula was flawed, as this is what caused his daughter's death and his disability. Rather than providing longevity, it could prove to be destructive. In other words, a hollow victory.

This plot summary Copyright Bobbi Baker ©2020. No reproduction of any kind without permission.
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