(A novel adaptation of the audio adventure)
Some events and characters Copyright © of all trademarks materials
(Captain Scarlet & the Mysterons and all other series titles, all their
characters, vehicles, crafts, etc.), owned by ITC/Polygram.
Based on characters created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson for the TV
series "Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons”.
08:35 am.
It had been a quiet month for
Spectrum and with the Probe Omega launch coming up, Colonel White was thinking. The Spectrum Transporter, an upgraded
Spectrum Helicopter, would near the Siberia Rocket Base within a few minutes.
Lieutenant Green was handling the controls with dedication.
At the very moment, a launching
procedure was on its way at the base.
"Navigational satellite minus ten,
final countdown begins. This is Siberia base control, handing over control to
Substation Two for launch procedure. All personnel clear the area," said a voice
over the speaker system of the base.
"There's the rocket base, dead ahead,
Lieutenant Green,” said Colonel White. “Contact Substation Two for permission to
land. Though I think they will ask us to circle. By my calculations, they should
be firing the navigational rocket at any minute."
"Yes, Sir," answered Green as he
touched a control.
"Calling Substation Two, this is
Spectrum Transporter 14A. Requesting permission to land. Colonel White aboard, reporting for
Probe Omega security conference,» he said into the radio.
"Substation Two, to Spectrum
transporter. Navigational rocket blast off delayed twenty minutes. You are clear
to land, repeat clear to land." a voice replied over the COM system.
"Say, there's the Navigational rocket
now, just over to starboard. Look's impressive," said Lieutenant Green.
"It certainly is,” answered Colonel
White looking that way too.
“But not as half as impressive as the probe Omega vehicle. See it way
over there. About a mile from the main control buildings."
"It's gigantic!” Lieutenant Green
said staring in awe at the enormous probe. “The biggest spacecraft mankind has
ever built. Is it right that ninety percent of its bulk is fuel tanks?"
"Correct, and it will need every drop
to reach the exploration area way out in the Mexican Hat Galaxy. It's unmanned,
of course, entirely remote controlled once it gets off the ground."
"Hence the navigation rocket. That’s
the box of tricks that will guide Big Brother on its journey…” Lieutenant Green
stopped suddenly, his eyes having caught something strange. “Look at the base of
the navigational rocket ignition vapour!" he exclaimed.
"You're right, but control said the
shot was delayed," Colonel White remarked.
Just then, the rocket blasted off,
sending shockwaves through the air. The helicopter was far to close and was
caught in the after blast.
"Peal off, Lieutenant!" Colonel White
ordered.
"The blast wave… we're out of
control! I cannot hold her, Colonel!" exclaimed Lieutenant Green.
The helicopter screamed towards the
ground and Lieutenant Green grabbed for the ejection systems and pulled hard.
The two seats ejected far into the air, but it looked like the two men where
going to have a hard landing.
**********
Siberia Rocket Base,
10:21 am.
"Your Colonel is a lucky man,
Lieutenant Green, and so are you. To eject at such a low altitude is normally
suicidal!"
Lieutenant Green had wakened up in a
hospital bed. A man in a white
shirt had been tending to him and had explained that he was in the sickbay of
Siberia Rocket Base. Shortly after
their landing, Green and Colonel White had been found by a rescue team that had
been sent after the base received report of the helicopter’s crash. Green was feeling fine, just a little shaken.
"I... I... guess the snow cushioned
our impact, Dr. Loval,» he answered.
“Is Colonel White…?"
"Oh no, no, no,” The doctor answered,
reassuring. A couple of clean fractures, mild concussion. A couple of weeks
sedation and he'll be as good as new."
The door to the sickroom opened, and
a man stepped inside closing the door behind him.
"Excuse me, I have some most
important news that must be passed to Spectrum immediately."
"Have you discovered why we where
given permission to land, Professor Volocheck?" asked
Lieutenant Green.
"We've discovered the controller of
Substation Two,” replied Volocheck. “One of my best men. The poor fellow is
dead, murdered. Someone else gave you that clearance. Someone who deliberately
tried to kill the Colonel and yourself."
"Then... then this could only be the
work of the Mysterons," grimly commented Lieutenant Green.
*********
10:42 am.
"THIS IS THE VOICE OF THE MYSTERONS... WE KNOW THAT YOU
CAN HEAR US EARTHMEN...WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOUR UNPROVOKED ATTACK ON OUR
COMPLEX ON MARS...OUR ACTS OF RETALIATION AGAINST YOU WILL CONTINUE... AND THIS
TIME THE WHOLE OF EARTH WILL TASTE OUR VENGANCE... WE WILL DESTROY YOUR MOON."
"Cloudbase radio control to deputy
commander Captain Blue. Did you hear that sir?"
Captain Ochre was seated at the station that was Lieutenant Green’s, taking over for him during his absence. Upon hearing the new Mysterons’ threat, he had switched on the Cloudbase communication system to call Captain Blue back to the command center. At about that moment, the door slid open, and Blue stepped in.
"I sure did,» he answered, walking
toward the circular control desk and taking the seat. “Put out a call for
Captain Scarlet and have him come to the command center immediately. Alert all
standby personnel for immediate action."
"S.I.G.," replied Captain Ochre.
"Now let's see, that message from
Lieutenant Green in Siberia. It seems to tie in somehow," said Blue.
The door to the command center opened
again, and in came Captain Scarlet.
"Ah, Captain Scarlet!" Blue welcomed
him.
"Yes, Captain?"
"I think I have a lead on how the
Mysterons may make good on their recent threat of destroying the moon,”
commented Blue. “I need not tell
you what will happen if they succeed, Captain. Violent earthquakes, tidal waves,
perhaps even deviation of the world into a new and dangerous solar orbit. Now
just what would it take to destroy the moon? A bomb more powerful than anything
mankind has ever devised… Or perhaps a rocket."
"You mean Probe Omega?" asked
Scarlet.
"Exactly,” answered Blue. It is my opinion that the attempt on the
lives of Colonel White and Lieutenant Green, was made in the objective of
retro-metabolising them into Mysteron agents. They would have been the
Mysterons’ means of aiming the probe right at the moon. Who would ever question
them?"
"Indeed, the Mysterons should not be
underestimated," replied Scarlet with all seriousness.
**********
Captain Blue was now alone in the
command center, Scarlet having left for the transporter on the flight deck.
"It's all up to you now, Scarlet,”
whispered Captain Blue to himself “If you cannot unearth the next point of
Mysteron attack, then the whole of Earth is doomed."
Blue wondered if he sent his good
friend Scarlet to his death, all the while asking himself what was death to an
indestructible man.
*********
Siberia Rocket Base,
12:34.
Captain Scarlet was feeling the
bitter cold of Siberia wind pass his face. He had been met by an older man.
"Welcome to the Siberian Rocket Base,
Captain Scarlet. I am Professor Volocheck. I am in charge of Project Omega.
Maybe we should go inside, Siberia is not a warm place"
"Glad to know you, professor,"
answered Scarlet.
The two stepped inside into the warm.
Removing their coats, they stepped into a moving walkway.
“We’ll go directly to Colonel White’s
sick room,” said Volocheck. “He's recovering, thank goodness, Lieutenant Green
is with him."
The walkway took them directly to the
sickbay, and then they went to Colonel White’s room. The door opened and the two
entered. The room had two beds, a television and a small potted plant, and not
much else. White was lying in his bed.
He was pale, with his head bandaged; upon seeing Captain Scarlet he
welcomed him with a faint but warm enough smile.
"Come in, Captain Scarlet. It’s good
to see you."
"And you Sir. Lieutenant Green.”
Scarlet nodded to Green, standing next to the Colonel’s bed. “I'm ready for duty immediately."
"It's good to be anywhere," muttered
Lieutenant Green.
"Pardon Lieutenant?" asked Colonel
White.
"I was saying Sir, that it's good to
see Captain Scarlet," replied Lieutenant Green.
The two superior officers went quiet
for a few seconds. It was obvious
Green had been giving quite a scare and that he was grateful to be alive.
"Eh...how do you feel, Captain?" He
added, wanting to change subject.
"I, eh... I feel fine. Both you and
the Colonel are clear," answered Scarlet after a few seconds.
"Gentlemen, I don't quite
understand," mentioned Volocheck.
"It was a sort of demonstration for
you, Professor,” answered Lieutenant Green. “You see, though the Colonel and I
were apparently unharmed by our crash, it could be we had been killed and
brought back to life under Mysteron control. We know that we where not, but
Captain Scarlet has proved it conclusively."
"You see Professor, Captain Scarlet
reacts to the presence of Mysteron agents. Headache, roaring in the ears for
example. This is why he is here," stated Colonel White.
"If the Mysterons take over anyone on
this base, then I'll know instantly," added Scarlet.
**********
13:36
The fueling machines filling the
tanks of Probe Omega were making a few noises - not many, but enough to make it
needed for people to raise their voices to be raised so they would hear one
another.
"Probe Omega's fueling point, Captain
Scarlet.” Volocheck shouted. “It is some sight, no?".
"It certainly is, now professor,”
answered Scarlet. “We must assume that the Mysterons will try to influence the
course of the rocket after blast-off. Who exactly on your staff could interfere
with the course settings without arousing suspicion?"
"Luckily, only two people, the senior
technicians Vanda and Corrigon. And speak of the devil: here is Corrigon now.”
A tall man, dressed in a grey overall, was directing the filling operation, not far from there. Volocheck gestured to him and called him
up:
“Corrigon, can you spare us a few moments?"
"What's up, Prof?” the man asked, approaching them. “I'm right in the middle of the flaming fueling."
"I won't keep you long. I'd like you
to meet Captain Scarlet from Spectrum. He's ...eh, on special security duties,"
replied Volocheck.
"Glad to know you, sport,” said
Corrigon, shaking hands with Scarlet.
“You don't mind if we save the chit-chat till later. I have a tight
schedule if we are to make tomorrow’ s blast off."
As Corrigon seemed in such a hurry,
Scarlet nodded, and watched as the man left, almost as quickly as he had come.
Volocheck turned to Scarlet.
"Come Captain, we’ll take the
elevator to Vanda's department.” He guided Scarlet onto a nearby elevator and
waited until the door slide close behind them.
“Tell me did you...did you detect anything?"
"No. Nothing. Corrigon's clear... at
the moment.” answered Scarlet.
“But if anything happens to him or this woman Vanda, let me know at once.
A accident, anything."
The
elevator stopped and Volocheck and Scarlet stepped out and opened a nearby door.
The two entered into a room, with its walls covered with stellar charts, with
one huge picture of the Omega Probe hanging in the middle of them. A woman was there, drawing lines on a
chart put on a working table, and making complicated calculations. She raised her heads upon Volocheck
and Scarlet coming in.
"Oh Professor, what can I do for
you?"
"Sorry to interrupt your work,
Vanda," said Volocheck.
"Hello, I'm just taking a look
around, sort of general security snooper for Spectrum.” He gave a smile. “How is
the final stages for the Probe launching going?" he asked.
"Oh, absolutely fine,” answered
Vanda, smiling. ”Just look at her.”
She gestured toward the large picture on the wall.
“That's a thing of beauty, Captain. She'll go right on schedule and
smooth and sweet. "She looked at Scarlet, with worry in her eyes. “Is… everything all right?”
Scarlet could not help but like her.
He smiled again, reassuringly. “Everything is fine, for now. Just checking out on a few things.”
"When are the final course settings
going to be made?" asked Volocheck.
"About half an hour, if I can get
Corrigon from his fueling.” She hesitated a second, then put down her pen. “I’d
better go get him myself. Seems
I’ve been waiting for hours. If you'll excuse me, gentlemen…
"We'll be on our way, anyway,"
replied Volocheck.
"I'll see you later," added Scarlet.
The three went out, and Vanda went
directly to the fueling point. Going the other direction in the hallway, Volocheck looked to Scarlet.
"Vanda, Captain?".
"No Professor, incredibly no,”
replied Scarlet. “The Mysterons have not got at Corrigon or Vanda. That means
the attempt on them must take place in the next half hour. We have to keep them
under constant watch from this moment on."
**********
Siberia Rocket Base, Central Command Room
14:06
"Well that's it, all ready to go,"
said Corrigon.
"Now we can all relax and wait for
blast-off," replied Vanda.
"Well Captain,” said Volocheck. “We
have been privileged to what these people complete their work. Shall we return
to your quarters?"
"Yes, but I think we best call on
Colonel White first," mentioned Scarlet.
*********
Colonel White's Sick Room
14:27
"I cannot understand it Colonel,
Corrigon and Vanda are fine. The rocket is fine, nothing can alter Probe Omega's
blast off course," reported Scarlet.
"Then there is no telling how the
Mysterons are going to strike,” replied Colonel White. He was looking paler that
last he had met with Scarlet. The
latter thought that he was probably straining himself a little too much, and
worrying about the present situation. White gave a tired sigh. “Captain, you
must get onto the World Government under my authority. Convince them to cancel
the launch of Probe Omega. Do you hear me?”
As Colonel White apparently wasn’t
feeling well at all, Scarlet left him to the care of Doctor Loval and departed
to take a plane to Futura City, in order to carry out his orders.
*********
Siberia Rocket Base,
Colonel White's Sick Room,
07:01 am.
The next day
Captain Scarlet had just returned
back from his trip to Futura City. Colonel White seemed in better shape this
morning. Lieutenant Green was with
him, along with Professor Volocheck.
"I'm sorry sir, I tried trying to
convince them,” Scarlet reported, looking frustrated. “Even the President
himself refuses to stop the launch of Probe Omega. They say...they say our
evidence means nothing."
"Wait. Professor Volocheck,
Substation Two, what’s going on there now? Is it still operational?" asked
Colonel White.
"What... what no,” spluttered
Volocheck. “After the navigational
rocket went into orbit, it was closed down. But why?"
"If anyone was there – the man who
tried to kill us... Could he tamper with the settings of the navigational
rocket?" asked Lieutenant Green.
"By Heaven, yes!“ exclaimed
Volocheck. In a different position, it would send Probe Omega right into the
Moon!"
"The explosion would be huge,"
muttered Colonel White.
*********
07:25 am.
Captain Scarlet and Lieutenant Green
left Colonel White’s sick room in a hurry and take a care to go directly to
Substation Two, not far from the launch site.
Leaving Green in the car, Scarlet walked into the elevator that would
bring him to the Station, situation several feet under the surface.
The klaxon on the base sounded it's warning that Probe Omega was just about ready to blast off. Scarlet flipped down his cap microphone.
"Get out of here!” he called to
Green. “Probe Omega is on its final countdown! You‘d be caught in the blast!"
"Professor Volocheck is on the line.
We can delay blast off," replied Lieutenant Green. .
"No!” exclaimed Scarlet. His head was
reeling, and he had beginning to sweat.
He knew what it meant. “A
Mysteron agent is here on Substation Two. I... I can feel it. I'll deal with
him. Leave now!"
Green gave his acknowledgement and
Scarlet, knowing that he would be safely out of the way, concentrated on his
job.
The elevator came to an end and
Scarlet got out. There was a nearby
door, leading to the control room of Substation Two. Scarlet crashed through it.
He could see a tall, dark man, all dressed in Black, standing in front of the
controls and recognized him instantly.
The man also recognized him:
"What the... Scarlet!"
Captain Black, long presumed dead on
the MEV on Mars, had been a pawn of the Mysterons ever since then. For months, Spectrum had been trying to
catch him, but had never succeeded.
Now, he was there in front of Scarlet.
"Captain Black!” he hissed.
“I should have known you were behind this!"
"You’re too late, Earthman," replied
Black.
"They have
a saying here on Earth: it's never too late!" replied Scarlet.
Scarlet drew his gun, and Black did
the same. The resulting gun battle was short, and Scarlet was hit in the chest.
Black took advantage of this and escaped through the door, while Scarlet fell to
his knees. He watched as Black ran
away from him, and then turned his attention to the controls. He fell face first
on the floor. Keeping himself from
loosing consciousness, he crawled his way towards the controls, and finally
reached them.
Scarlet, before once again dying,
managed to pull one of the controls.
**********
Central Command Room,
07:30 am.
"Twenty seconds to zero…” announced
the base speaker system.
“10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... 0... Blast off!"
"Probe Omega launched, Sir, exit
altitude a ok, all systems are go," said a nearby tech.
"We can only hope Captain Scarlet has
managed to cancel the influence o the navigational satellite,” said Volocheck. “
I'm afraid that, whatever happens, Probe Omega will not go anywhere near the
Mexican Hat Galaxy. The exploration of the Mexican Hat Galaxy will have to start
again from scratch. I just wonder what the World Government is going to say…"
**********
09:12am
The group of men and women in the
large meeting hall had taken their seats.
"Gentlemen,” said the World
President, “in concluding this emergency meeting of the world security council,
I can express my regrets that the Mysteron agent Captain Black was able to make
his escape. However, on the behalf of the people's of the world, I can
congratulate Captain Scarlet on his magnificent effort." The President turned to acknowledge
Captain Scarlet, seated not far from him, next to Colonel White. There was a round of applause in the
hall.
"I can also exclusively reveal, that
by a strange twist of fate, the eventual trajectory of Probe Omega terminated
on... Mars.” The World President paused a short instant, and the people and the
hall waited expectantly for him to continue. “The blast of the
collision was noted by every observatory on Earth. It is expert opinion that
thanks to Spectrum the voice of the Mysterons will be silent for some
considerable time to come."
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