BotP Close-up 021

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Bobkat
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BotP Close-up 021

Post: # 379Post Bobkat »

First, there were whales, now we're dealing with horses!

The Luminous One is up to no good again in choosing another "Mad Ruler."

The Other Jason's synopsis is here: https://www.battleoftheplanets.info/ep21.html

Enjoy!

E21: Mad New Ruler of Spectra

Act One

7-Zark-7 is part of a unique alarm system that instantly detects any threat in the galaxy. It's all part of the "complicated system" to alert G-Force to any "alien planets." Zark is an integral part to "the pile of probes and sensors and reactors" and talks about his importance. He must stay in "tip-top" shape to make sure any alerts are immediately relayed. He is scheduled for a re-fit in the rehabilitation center and to even add new components. Zark says it's an uneventful afternoon and everyone needs time off, including G-Force. He adds that Tiny and Keyop have gone to watch a horse race and while they don't bet, they try to pick a winner.

Zark goes on to say he likes to watch horse races too because he likes all animals, especially dogs. He considers asking for a dog companion in the Nerve Center. Zark zooms into the racetrack for the horse obstacle race. Keyop and Tiny push their way to the front as the announcer begins introducing the horses. Number 8 is introduced as "Electra" and appears to be "older and heavier" than the other horses. Keyop and Tiny laugh at it as the horses go by on a large conveyor belt. None of the horses have jockeys.

Off to the side, an older man tells them that Number 8 will be in the winner's circle. Keyop talks into Tiny's ear that the old guy is "spooky." Meanwhile, Spectran agents watch from the nosebleed section of the stands through binoculars. The race is "the richest of the season" and when the gate goes up, the horses take off – except for Electra. Electra stands in the starting gate until the old "spooky" dude turns his coat button, then Electra takes off like a shot!

Metal barriers lift from the track as some horses clear the hurdles. Others stumble while another set is left behind. Electra is part of the group behind the barrier but makes a vertical leap and clears the hurdle! As Keyop and Tiny continue to make rude comments, the old man keeps turning his button and Electra responds. The horses' final task is to take on the weight of "heavy robot riders" dropped onto them from a height of about ten feet off the ground. One horse goes down but Electra finishes the race strong – by 15 lengths and bucks the robot rider at the end. Electra does enter the winner's circle, after all. The spooky old guy stands with her. Zark says, "The vacation is over." He wonders why the two Spectran agents, who leave, are so interested in the old guy and his horse.

G-Force meets with Chief Anderson and he briefs them about the horse race. There are pictures of "strange things" at the track and tells the team this situation is serious after Tiny cracks that their horse lost. Chief Anderson informs them of Professor Hugo Doriarity, a highly respected research scientist, and his winning horse. What is confusing is why the professor is interested in horses to begin with. Keyop asks, "Why not?" Tiny wonders if he didn't get a Shetland pony when he was a kid while Mark asks why suspect him anyway. Jason points out that scientists like horses too with Princess adding that a man like Doriarity could fall into the hands of someone like Spectra. This is exactly why Chief Anderson is concerned and he informs the team that Zark spotted two Spectran agents in the crowd keeping a close eye on the professor.

Chief Anderson then shows pictures of Electra in action. What is most curious is the hoof impressions left behind and the way the horse moves about. Chief Anderson has concluded that Electra has had a device implanted in the hoof. Tiny and Keyop conclude that Electra is a mechanical horse and become upset. The chief wants to know the who and the why – who implanted the device and "for what reason." Mark muses it's for all the wrong reasons and this would be why Spectra is interested. Chief Anderson surmises that someone who could build mechanical animals is exactly what Spectra is looking for. Mark says the team will "check him out" with the chief wanting it done ASAP.

At a spooky house, Professor Doriarity counts his winnings from the race. He laughs at his unlimited genius with his "cyborg horses" and has dollar signs in his eyes foreseeing a fortune in his future. The Spectran agents walk in and interrupt his dreams of glory to take him to Spectra. Doriarity doesn't want to leave his house but the agents tell him he has no choice. They board a rocket and take off.

G-Force arrives at Doriarity's house to find money scattered everywhere and a chair knocked over. They know immediately that the professor is gone but they don't have any idea who is behind the disappearance. Jason points to a Spectran emblem on the floor. Mark picks it up and hands to Princess who identifies it as "a radio signal badge worn by all Spectra agents." She suggests they go back and show it to Chief Anderson.

On Spectra, the agents take Doriarity to see Zoltar and the Luminous One. The agents immediately leave before Zoltar welcomes Doriarity. The professor has no idea why he's been brought to them but the Luminous One explains they recognize his great genius and offer a caseload of money for his services. Doriarity weighs his options as he asks what will happen if he refuses. Zoltar tells him that he will be soon a "forgotten man." Basically, the professor has no choice even though he's tempted by Spectra's accolades. But the professor has "one major condition": that he be made the ruler of Spectra! The Luminous One agrees immediately to Zoltar's chagrin. Doriarity isn't in it for the money, but for the power! Zoltar is not pleased.

Act Two

Zark paces in his monitor room saying that G-Force is readying for a space shot to planet Spectra to rescue the professor. He hopes to be able to keep them on his monitors because he worries about them. They'll be light-years away. The Phoenix launches and heads toward Spectra. Once they are beyond Earth, the team is traveling "100 times faster than sound." Once out of the Milky Way, they travel at the speed of light then break "the time barrier" where they "will cover millions in a split second." Then they approach the Crab Nebula where planet Spectra is located.

The Phoenix flies over Spectra and hasn't been picked up by the defense satellites, at least not yet. Keyop calls them "big dummies." Tiny flies over a herd of horses and comments that it looks like Texas back on Earth. Tiny also notices that there's something different about these horses, which Mark points out are part of Doriarity's cyborgs. Jason adds they're overgrown "hobby horses." Mark then orders Tiny to buzz the horses to see if anything happens, which it does.

A stampede starts as the horses take off running. Mark tells Tiny to stay on top of them. The horses run toward a facility and lose their coats and tails. They destroy the facility by kicking and knocking over structures and causing a major fire. The team surmises that someone is screwing with their remote control systems or that buzzing them may have fried some circuitry. The horses reactions are off the charts with various comments about them being "bananas" and that "Spectra holds some weird rodeos." The horses also kick open a water main among the destruction they create. This is what Earth can look forward to! Mark wants to find the professor right away when Tiny asks if Jason wants to go horseback riding. Jason tells him to "hit the turf."

The Phoenix lands but all is quiet until Tiny notices the cyborgs returning to the base. Mark, Jason, Princess and Keyop follow the horses in while Tiny stays on the Phoenix. Meantime, Zoltar tells Doriarity the cyborgs are ready to be taken to Earth to destroy the largest energy plant in the West. Doriarity protests because that was not part of his plans. Zoltar continues on: the horses will be loaded tonight and filled with explosives to take out the plant. Zoltar also tells him that Doriarity will be the one to detonate them, but the professor isn't happy because he wasn't consulted. Doriarity claims he's the ruler of Spectra but Zoltar tells him that he will have to do what he's told because Spectra now has what they need.

Doriarity consults with the Luminous One who has better things to do than to mediate a "petty quarrel." Zoltar tells him that Doriarity won't cooperate but the professor says he's done everything that's been asked of him by creating the army of cyborg horses. He didn't plan on them attacking Earth, but the Luminous One says the attacks will continue until Earth is under Spectra's control. Unbeknownst to them, Mark and Princess are eavesdropping on the entire conversation. This may be one of the first times either has seen the Luminous One in action. Doriarity realizes he's been betrayed and will probably not even get paid. When he says he has the power to destroy them, Zoltar hits a button and a large energy field zaps Doriarity from the sphere the Luminous One inhabits. Doriarity collapses to the shock of Mark and Princess. When she gasps, Zoltar notices them. Mark and Princess fly down with Mark telling Zoltar to cancel his flight to Earth. Zoltar backs up to a lever to signal his guards and tells Mark they'll be prisoners of Spectra soon. Princess then hears stampeding horses.

The cyborgs are ridden out of the base with green goons riding them. Zoltar informs them the horses are on their way to the spaceship to take them to Earth. He calls Doriarity "foolish" before leaping to his escape. Mark and Princess tend to Doriarity to get him away from Zoltar's rocket blast. Mark and Princess run out with Doriarity between them while Tiny positions the Phoenix for a pick up. Just before they board, Doriarity explains to the team how to stop the horses. Each cyborg has a button on its back that has to be pressed. Doriarity also says he wanted power before collapsing fully. Princess wonders if Earth will finally realize what a great scientist the professor is. The team boards the Phoenix with Doriarity and chases down the stampede.

Tiny hovers above "the freaked out mustangs" so his teammates can go about pressing the self-destruct buttons. The four teammates leap down and go to work pressing each button knocking off the goons in the process. They jump from horse to horse until they're all done. On board the Phoenix, Tiny helps Doriarity turn his button to cause the horses to explode just in the nick of time. Doriarity finds peace in destroying his cyborg creations.

Mark reports in to Zark that they accomplished their mission. However, Zoltar has escaped again. They are on their way back with Mark requesting "descent and recovery clearance" with Zark answering, "cleared for boost glide re-entry." Zark is happy G-Force has stopped Zoltar 50,000 light-years away. He wishes he could make some of these space shots but his "sensitive" components can't take it. His Electrothermocouplers break out in a cold sweat when he gets excited. Zark wonders if he shouldn't take something to "quiet his filaments." He says his grandfather, 4-Zark-4, used 3-in-1 oil – an old-fashioned remedy and sometimes they're the best.

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