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| Act 4= | | Act 4= |
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| |Princess Ardala|One of the king's [[star fortress]]es on its way to [[Earth]] on a peace mission. | | |Toban Saroyan|I don't understand. Where have all of our guests gone? Colonel [[Wilma Deering|Deering]], Major [[Fields]], Major [[Duke Danton|Danton]], even that boorish Captain {{buck|Rogers}}, where have they gone? |
| |William "Buck" Rogers|On its way ''to'' Earth? You mean you guys aren't... from... You mean, we're not... we're not ''on'' Earth? I'm definitely gonna need that [[aspirin]]. | | |Regis Saroyan|You really don't know what's going on here, do you? |
| |attribution=Princess [[Ardala]] to {{buck}} after the [[Draconians]] revive him, {{BR25|Awakening|prose=Y}} | | |Toban Saroyan|Hmm? |
| }} --> | | |Regis Saroyan|I've tried to tell you for years: about [[Kaleel]], the way he exploits the nomads, how he makes them hate the very sound of your name. |
| * Governor [[Tabor Saroyan]] paces around the empty banquet hall when [[Regis Saroyan|his son]], in dress uniform, approaches. | | |Toban Saroyan|''[holds up a finger]'' Now I have a job to do. And I've always tried to do the best I could. |
| | |Regis Saroyan|We've been through all this before, father. You never listen! Not really. Oh, [[Julio]] you listen to. Julio, whose first loyalty is to Kaleel. But never to me. You never listen to your own son, so finally I gave up trying to make you hear. |
| | |attribution=[[Toban Saroyan]] and his son, [[Regis Saroyan]], rehash an old argument regarding the conditions on [[Vistula]], {{BR25|Planet of the Slave Girls|prose=Y}} |
| | }} |
| | * Governor [[Tabor Saroyan]] paces around the empty banquet hall when [[Regis Saroyan|his son]], in dress uniform, approaches. Saroyan is effusive in his questioning about the departure of his guests, even the "boorish {{buck|Captain Rogers}}." A resigned Regis notes that his father is completely oblivious to what's been happening on [[Vistula]], and how [[Kaleel]] has so warped the nomads to loathe the very sound of his father's name. He beseeches his father to open his eyes to what is transpiring, even though it falls upon deaf ears. |
| | * As black, tattered nomads warily approach the wreck of Maj. [[Duke Danton]]'s crashed [[Thunderfighter]], Rogers extricates himself from the wreck. Danton has already left the wreck, resting nearby. They agree to leave the wreck behind and continue on foot, retrieving their [[survival gear]] before they do so, with Rogers noting that they'd look like [[brown-and-serve rolls]] by sunset. Behind a rocky hill, a trio of the nomads watch the crash-landed arrivals from a distance. |
| | * The bound duo of [[Ryma]] and [[Wilma Deering]] are escorted through the halls of the fortress, en route to meet with Kaleel. Ryma tells Deering about the furnace and says her goodbye to Deering, believing that they are doomed. |
| | * As the prisoners are their two guards round the hallway, Deering puts her judo to good use by flipping one of the guards over her shoulder, while Ryma distracts the two fallen guards. Deering eludes them, after ducking in a small room adjacent to preceding hall. |
| | * Now in their golden [[survival suit]]s, Danton and Rogers continue their trek towards Deering's last known location. Danton notes that his suit makes him itch, with Rogers commenting that he's welcome to divest himself of it should he wish sunburn. Danton retorts that Rogers feels "right at home" with his, as he's seen what people in Rogers' century wore, eliciting a comment about the accuracy of the "[[Historical Directorate|half-baked historians]]" and their inability to discern between a cowboy and a traffic cop. Following behind are a quartet of the tattered, black-robed denizens of the [[Sea of Stone]]. |
| | * On [[Earth]], [[Twiki]] (under the guidance of Dr. [[Theopolis]]) effect repairs on [[Carl]], while a despondent Dr. [[Mallory]] paces behind them. Twiki and Theopolis have a conversation regarding the expressions that Twiki has adopted from Rogers. After Twiki finishes, Theopolis asks Mallory to send a [[light current]] through Carl's [[higher-level associative circuit]]s. Mallory claims it wouldn't do any good, as they've all been destroyed by [[Stella Warden]]'s sabotage, but Theopolis insists. He does so, but it appears to be ineffectual, and Mallory's attention is now on Dr. [[Elias Huer]] and Maj. [[Fields]], who has returned from Vistula with the poison sample Rogers recovered from [[Processing Plant 347]]. |
| | * Mallory notes that it is ingenious, and Fields replies that Rogers felt that a concentrated poison sample would assist in an antidote. Mallory replies in the affirmative, but notes that without Carl it does no good at all. |
| | * Carl surprises everyone when he calls Mallory a "self-pitying old goat," and notes that it is nice to see the "ignoramus" again. Mallory's disposition, drastically improved, notes that they'll get to work right away. |
| | * Huer is less positive, noting that their pilots are so few that they could scarcely defend themselves against pirates, much less anything organized, as Kaleel intended. He encourages Mallory to keep him apprised of his progress. |
| | * As Mallory begins manipulating switches on Carl, Theopolis suggests that he and Twiki leave Mallory and Carl to their work. As they exit, Carl thanks Theopolis, to which Twiki indignantly replies with a string of "[[beety]]"s, prompting Theopolis to correct Carl in thanking both him and Twiki. Twiki follows up with another string of "beety"s, with Theopolis giving his observation of the offering as another one of "Buck's colorful phrases." |
| | * As Rogers and Danton continue their trek, Ryma is brought before Kaleel, and is asked why she killed [[Ryma's brother|her brother]]. Kaleel regales her in a tall-tale, citing [[Julio]]'s claim that her brother was found dead after the workers say he went off to meet with her. Realizing she is being gaslighted, she becomes increasingly defiant and realizes that it is setting up how her "disappearance" will also be explained to other nomads. |
| | * Kaleel notes that, as with her brother, there was something wrong with her. They never fit in and, "always different, always complaining, always unhappy." He notes that no one would miss her terribly, and proceeds to unleash the "[[Touch of Truth]]" upon her. Ryma, defiant to the end, unleashes her truth: Kaleel is responsible for everything, including stealing their dreams and taking away all that her people might've been. She notes that he never got to her and is prepared to die. |
| | * Kaleel, his powers visibly flickering in-and-out, angrily notes that the Touch is too good for her, sanctifying her "evil" beliefs even in death, and orders her sent to the furnace. |
| | * Warden, who remains behind after Ryma is taken away, notes that Deering has not yet been found. She notes that there's no need to double the guards at the exits, as she believes that Deering isn't planning to escape, knowing how the Terrans think after working with them for so long a time. |
| | * Deering, now wearing a purple outfit the likes of the workers, clubs a guard who has an unlocking mechanism for her restraints around his neck. She clubs him. |
| | * The guard brings Ryma to the furnace, unshackles her and throws her into the furnace: a natural heating room using a geothermal vent, where she is left to die from thermal exposure. |
| | * Rogers and Danton stop to eat the local cuisine that Rogers has captured and cooked over a small campfire. Danton is less than thrilled, noting that he's never eaten anything that crawled on the ground. Rogers replies that Danton is welcome to eat his [[food pill]]s, assuming that they themselves aren't poisoned. Danton tastes the food, asking Rogers to reminisce about the times he refers to Rogers as a barbarian, noting that he's not taking any of those comments back. He gives Rogers his portion. |
| | * They are subsequently attacked by the nomads, who begin their attack by throwing a grenade via a sling, landing just short of the campfire. Rogers and Danton duck behind the rocks, as the quartet begins raiding their packs. Danton holds Rogers from immediately retaliating, while Rogers attempts to get a zinger in regarding their faces looking like they've been through a meteor shower. |
| | * As the quartet focus their attentions on raiding, Rogers and Danton launch their counteroffensive. After a tussle, the quartet disperses, and the two Terrans bond over their experience. They decide to continue their journey, with Rogers picking up an unused grenade left behind by the party. |
| | * Armed with a pistol and unshackled, Deering makes her way to the vacant command center. She finds it seemingly vacant and proceeds to work on sending out a message, when Warden reveals herself and stops Deering at gunpoint. Warden notes that Earth people are predicable, and goes on to explain that she became a Terran to someday overcome them. |
| | * Kaleel reveals himself as well, noting that the day of overcoming Earth's influence has arrived. |
| | * Rogers and Danton approach Kaleel's mountain, where Rogers assures Danton that Deering is alive, as the [[contamination detector]]s are powered by body heat. |
| | * Danton sees something off in the distance, and they come across a force of [[Scorpion fighter]]s laid out on the open swath of land near the mountain. Rogers and Danton get closer to overlook the assembled force below, with Rogers surmising that this was the second part of Kaleel's "master plan," and the reason why Earth's pilots were deliberately poisoned. |
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| Act 5= | | Act 5= |
| <!--{{quote
| | {{quote |
| |Princess Ardala|One of the king's [[star fortress]]es on its way to [[Earth]] on a peace mission. | | |Kaleel|What will [[Duke Danton|your friend]] do when he returns to [[Earth]], Captain {{buck|Rogers}}? Let's see. You've seen the fleet I've been slowly, patiently building up, and you've no doubt concluded that my plan is to weaken [[Defense Directorate|Earth's defense squadrons]] by poisoning its members, so the planet can be conquered with ease. |
| |William "Buck" Rogers|On its way ''to'' Earth? You mean you guys aren't... from... You mean, we're not... we're not ''on'' Earth? I'm definitely gonna need that [[aspirin]]. | | |William "Buck" Rogers|Murder seems to be second nature to you. Why didn't you wipe us all out so you can walk into power? |
| |attribution=Princess [[Ardala]] to {{buck}} after the [[Draconians]] revive him, {{BR25|Awakening|prose=Y}}
| | |Kaleel|''[chuckles]'' Mass death would've caused much alarm, attracted too much attention. Dr. [[Elias Huer|Huer]] would have suspected foul play immediately. This way, the gravity of the situation crept up on him. By the time he had an inkling of what was truly happening, it was too late. |
| }} -->
| | |William "Buck" Rogers|That's not the reason. The truth is, you get your kicks out of turning people who should logically hate you into mindless zombies who follow you around shouting your name. |
| * | | |attribution=[[Kaleel]] and {{buck}} discuss the dastardly nature of Kaleel's plan, {{BR25|Planet of the Slave Girls|prose=Y}} |
| | }} |
| | * Maj. [[Duke Danton]] and Capt. {{buck}} discuss what can be done to thwart [[Kaleel]]'s plan. Danton believes that only a force can destroy the [[Scorpion fighter]]s, before they launch from [[Vistula]]. Rogers agrees, and Danton lays out his plan of stealing a Scoprion, accelerating to [[translight velocity]] after launching to avoid the [[power leech]], and returning to [[Earth]] to muster up an offense against Kaleel. |
| | * Rogers, in the meantime, stays to rescue [[Wilma Deering]] and they both wish the other luck, having reconciled their differences. |
| | * In the mountain, an alert sounds and [[Galen]] assumes the center console, detecting that someone is stealing one of their ships. Warden leaves some biting questions, noting that no one has survived a forced crash in the desert before. |
| | * Kaleel notes that the escape moves up his timetable for an attack on Earth. Endeavoring to surmise how the Terrans could have come across their fighters, she looks over Deering and sees a glint from her [[contamination detector]] bracelet, hidden by a torn piece of cloth from Deering's jumpsuit. Warden reveals it, surmising that it is a transmitter, even though Kaleel notes that it hardly matters: Deering share [[Ryma]]'s fate and they'll be rulers of the Earth. |
| | * Warden retorts that there were two people in that crash, according to [[Julio]], and the Scorpion fighter can only hold one pilot. The other party, she surmises, is looking for Deering and as such she takes the bracelet in order to set a trap. |
| | * Rogers finds the ground entrance to Kaleel's fortress inside of the mountain, and makes his way into the cave. |
| | * After exiting the [[stargate]], Danton tells Dr. [[Elias Huer]] that, in no uncertain terms, he needs all of the pilots for his plan. Huer resists, noting that the Earth would be totally defenseless, but Danton does not relent: his [[Battle of Vistula|plan for a decisive strike]] is the only thing that could protect the Earth. Huer notes that Dr. [[Mallory]] is a day away from an antidote, but that would be too late, and Huer relents. Dr. [[Theopolis]], who is present, agrees with Danton's strategy. As Huer commits to mustering the last of Earth's fighting forces, [[Twiki]] "[[beety]]"s his inspiration to Theopolis, tells Huer that they'll see him on the [[flight deck]], while also following up with a comment that he must be rubbing off on Twiki. |
| | * Rogers makes his way through the maze of halls, coming across the furnace room (only feeling the heat from the door) before moving onward while Ryma, awash in sweat and heat, suffers. |
| | * Rogers continues onward, falling into Warden's trap and, despite a temporary flight away from the guards, hits an invisible [[force field]] barrier that forces him to the ground, rendering him unconscious. |
| | * Danton makes his way to the flight deck, and asks Huer where the pilots are. Huer notes that they pilots are already assembled: there are six in total, including Maj. [[Fields]] and, lastly, Brigadier [[Gordon]], who has come out of retirement for the mission. Gordon recognizes Danton, as Danton notes that he was instructed by Gordon on [[pulsar cannon]] at the academy [[2476|fifteen years ago]]. Huer notes that none of the other pilots have recovered. Twiki and Theopolis arrive, with Theopolis noting that, as a designer of the [[Thunderfighter]], he is capable of also using it with Twiki's assistance. As such, Theopolis has reprogrammed his inputs to take orders from Danton. |
| | * Danton agrees to take the [[ambuquad]]s along, with Twiki replying, "[[Hot dog]]!" |
| | * Danton dismisses his fellow pilots, noting that they launch in five minutes. |
| | * Warden and a group of guards present Rogers to Kaleel, while Deering is still present off to the side of the room. She apologizes for her accidental role in setting the trap for Rogers, but Rogers is pleased to see her, asking if she is OK. She replies in the affirmative. |
| | * After introductions between Kaleel and Rogers are exchanged, Rogers asks after Ryma. Kaleel jubilantly notes that she's been put to death, and Rogers is restrained by two guards before he can retaliate. |
| | * Kaleel and Rogers discuss the merits of Kaleel's methodical, dastardly plan. Warden interjects saying that the Terrans should be put to death, and after Kaleel assures her that they'll meet the same fate as Ryma, he surmises that Danton will send a force from Earth back to Vistula to destroy the fighters on the ground. However, Kaleel has decided to launch his squadrons early, and while he concedes that his pilots are merely followers, they will be lead by the greatest military mind from Earth itself, [[Galen]]. |
| | * With bristling chagrin, Deering notes that they had heard Galen has sold his talents to those who could pay as of [[2484|7 years ago]], but that he disappeared soon thereafter, and the Defense Directorate selfishly believed Galen had died. Galen smugly notes that he instead lives, and will spearhead a surprise against the Earth's remaining forces. |
| | * In [[New Chicago]], Danton orders his squadron to punch in a course for 7X490, which will lead them towards the stargate and onto Vistula. With the other pilots already launched, Twiki celebrates his turn at launching by exclaiming "[[Geronimo]]!" |
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| Act 6= | | Act 6= |
| <!--{{quote
| | {{quote |
| |Princess Ardala|One of the king's [[star fortress]]es on its way to [[Earth]] on a peace mission. | | |Kaleel|The time is now! The time has come for you to [[Battle of Vistula|sail into battle]] and ''be victorious''! [[Earth]] is about to fall victim to its own greed. Soon, you shall meet those who have exploited you for so long, ''and you shall defeat them''! No longer shall you live in caverns and canyons. All Earth's wealth is ''yours for the taking''! Having suffered so long at [[Tabor Saroyan|Saroyan]]'s hand, you ''deserve'' the Earth! |
| |William "Buck" Rogers|On its way ''to'' Earth? You mean you guys aren't... from... You mean, we're not... we're not ''on'' Earth? I'm definitely gonna need that [[aspirin]]. | | ||Kaleel joins the body of the congregation, with [[Galen]] and [[Stella Warden]] behind him. |
| |attribution=Princess [[Ardala]] to {{buck}} after the [[Draconians]] revive him, {{BR25|Awakening|prose=Y}} | | |Kaleel|''[gestures to Galen]'' Listen to Galen! Do what he says and don't be ''afraid''. Only the ''weak'' are afraid. And as long as I am with you, as long as the [[Kiss of God]] is on your heads, ''you shall '''prevail'''!'' |
| }} --> | | |attribution=[[Kaleel]] riles up his congregation before [[Battle of Vistula|launching his attack]] on [[Earth]], {{BR25|Planet of the Slave Girls|prose=Y}} |
| | }} |
| | * As a loud choir of followers' chant "[[Kaleel]]!" repeatedly, three guards escort [[Wilma Deering]] and {{buck}} to the furnace. Rogers wryly quips that "[[Howdy Doody]] must be taking the stage again." The guards unshackle the two prisoners, and push them into the furnace room. Off to the side [[Ryma]] lies slumped over, and Deering rushes to check on her, relieved that she is still alive. |
| | * "Howdy Doody" takes the stage, rushing to engage his followers while [[Galen]] and [[Stella Warden]] follow him just short of the stage. Kaleel proclaims that "the time is now," and riles them up into a religious fervor before sending them off into battle against their "enemy," the people of [[Earth]]. |
| | * The sycophants scream Kaleel's name in repetitious ecstasy, including [[Leila]], and Kaleel's hands glow vibrantly as they are raised in concert with his followers' hands. |
| | * 12 minutes from the [[stargate]], the force heads to Vistula, with starfighter seven (piloted by [[Twiki]] and Dr. [[Theopolis]]) lagging behind and out of formation. Maj. [[Duke Danton]] chastises them for lagging behind, and Theopolis acquiesces noting that they'll adjust their course accordingly. Theopolis tells Twiki they've drifted two degrees starboard, and Twiki acknowledges with a "[[roger]]," prompting Twiki -- unawares of the term "roger" -- to ask Twiki "what about Rogers?" |
| | * In the furnace, Rogers surveys his situation and notes the water pipes suspended above them, as well as vents that are out of reach. Deering replies to Rogers inquiry, agreeing with him that they're likely water pipes pumped from underground springs, and that the open air vents lead to other rooms in order to provide heat. He surmises that the pipes are good and strong, and tells Deering of his plan to use the [[25th century cherry bomb]]--pulled from one of the desert nomads after the fight at the campsite--to create enough lift for him to fly up into the air, and grab a pipe to reach the vent. After precariously walking across a lower, crusted-over pipe to the other side of the thermal mud pool, Rogers uses the helmet from the remains of a prisoner, using it to shield himself from the potential explosion as he sets the timer and plants the cherry bomb underneath. |
| | * The timer goes off and he is lifted into the air, grabbing a hold of the pipes nearest to a vent, and makes his way into said vent. He tells Deering to not go anywhere as he'll be right back, and crawls backwards into the depths of the vent. Deering attempts to keep Ryma conscious in the interim. |
| | * Kaleel's pilots, in full regalia, make their way to the large open swath of land where the [[Scorpion fighter]]s are staged. |
| | * [[Julio]] arrives at Kaleel's command center, noting that [[Tabor Saroyan]] is ignorant and terribly upset at the sudden, inexplicable departure of the [[Defense Directorate]] honor guard from Earth. |
| | * Kaleel opens up a communication channel to Galen, where Galen ensures both Kaleel and his lieutenants that he'll keep them both informed and entertained during the [[Battle of Vistula|battle to come]]. Galen notes that the screen at the center command post will allow them to monitor the battle up until they enter the stargate, beyond which it will be audio transmissions only. |
| | * Galen orders the launch of the Scorpions, and soon they flood the sky. Julio heads out while Kaleel and Warden await their good fortune. |
| * | | * |
| </tabber> | | </tabber> |
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| ** The [[Zantia]]n [[Prime Minister]] and her hired gun, [[Cassius Thorne]], deal with slave trading of men in order to deal with a depletion of the male population since the [[Ruathan-Zantian Conflict]] of [[2489]] CE. | | ** The [[Zantia]]n [[Prime Minister]] and her hired gun, [[Cassius Thorne]], deal with slave trading of men in order to deal with a depletion of the male population since the [[Ruathan-Zantian Conflict]] of [[2489]] CE. |
| ** The illegal arms dealer [[Roxanne Trent]] uses Terran slave labor in the form of the deaf-mute [[Alicia]], and goes to note that the only reason Alicia is still "employed" by Trent is because the Terran labor market is depressed {{BR25|Return of the Fighting 69th}}. | | ** The illegal arms dealer [[Roxanne Trent]] uses Terran slave labor in the form of the deaf-mute [[Alicia]], and goes to note that the only reason Alicia is still "employed" by Trent is because the Terran labor market is depressed {{BR25|Return of the Fighting 69th}}. |
| | * The fact that Earth has a [[planetary defense shield]] is clearly ignored, as a force of starfighters -- even numbering 100 -- could be easily repelled by the shield, which is why [[Kane]] and Princess [[Ardala]]'s [[Trojan horse]] gambit with ''[[Draconia]]'' had been so vital in "[[Awakening]]." With the shield in play, it would be more sensible to strike at Earth's weakest point: the supply fighters. Kaleel's pilots, lead by Galen, would use the fighter force to harass Earth's supply lines, which would be virtually unprotected due to the poisoning of Defense Directorate's pilot corps. |
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| == Questions == | | == Questions == |