Author's Note: Here's a plot that came to me as I watched the 25th Anniversary DVD set of Battle of the Planets and came up with an idea of Zoltar sabotaging a new weapon right after the failed Fierce Flowers mission. And I figured I could use Mala and one of the Galaxy Girls to infiltrate G Force while the relationship between Mark and Princess deepens. As usual, I don't own the characters or original storyline they belong to Sandy Frank Syndication and Tatsunoko.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY

PROLOGUE-REDEMPTION

The skies over the dying planet of Spectra were leaden gray and soot filled as the pollution that permeated the planet blanketed the bleak lifeless landscape. There was no sign of any life form whatsoever as many of the population had already jettisoned to the subterranean life pods to try to survive as their natural resources depleted more as each day passed. This was why the rulers of the world on the edge of demise were frantic to find another planet to habitate and had settled on Earth, with its seemingly limitless resources and clean environment. Truth was, that Earth at one time had been at the beginning of heading into the same ecological free fall as Spectra but scientific minds had come up with ways to preserve and replenish the many natural resources so the planet and its populace, thrived. This made Earth the prime target for Spectra, desperate to find a new source for their existence and so the spirit leader and puppet ruler, Zoltar set their cap for it. However, their attempts to conquer Earth were fruitless and each attempt to try to capture that ever elusive jewel was out of reach thanks to the Intergalactic Planetary Federation and specifically the courageous group of young orphans known as G Force.

G Force Zoltar sneered in undisguised hatred the bane of my existence and perennial thorn in my side. How I truly despise those whelps!

He stood and stared stonily out his viewer at his home planet's dank expanse, which even at the height of the Spectran day was dreary. He sighed as he pondered the last attempt to bring Earth under submission, the flower pods that could consume humans and had been successful including almost having driven the upstart brats of G Force to their knees by capturing the female known as Princess. But as was becoming the norm, G Force had managed to both rescue their comrade and thwart Spectra's plans as he, Zoltar once again retreated, his tail between his legs as they sought to annihilate him.

"One of these days," Zoltar promised as he slammed a fist on the communications panel in frustration. "I will make them pay and take the Earth as mine. Then I will be victorious and you, G Force will taste the bitter dregs of defeat."

Is that so, Zoltar? Really I am beginning to wonder the eerie detached voice of the spirit leader, referred to as the Luminous One echoed in the control room where the lanky Spectran stood. The viewer showed the ominous image of the metaphysical spirit ruler of the once thriving planet.

Immediately the haughty demeanor of the arrogant warlord morphed into one of obsequious humility as Zoltar addressed his leader. "Forgive me, oh Luminous One. I am truly sorry for the failure of the last mission, sire."

Save the apologies, Zoltar. They are but meaningless words that I've grown tired of hearing time and again.

Zoltar had the decency to lower his head in shame. "You are right, of course, sire."

The Luminous One continued, and since I have no choice, I will give you yet another chance to redeem yourself. The Federation is developing an anti weapon of great power and quite invincible. It is not a mere shield but is designed to alter both molecular and atomic structure of all types of weapons rendering them useless. I feel it is imperative that Spectra should acquire this for our conquest of Earth and ultimately the universe.

"I agree, sire. And if you'll leave it to me, I shall come up with a foolproof plan to gain this is anti weapon for us and to destroy G Force once and for all."

I would like to believe you Zoltar but you have not proven yourself to be reliable.

"Just trust me, sire. This time we can be certain that we will achieve our objective and G Force will not prevent us this time."

Indeed? the Luminous One said dubiously And how do you intend to stop G Force when you have failed so miserably before?

Zoltar bristled at the stark truth but covered it up with bravado. "The last attempt on Earth netted me some very important data on G Force that can serve to be quite useful."

Spare me the details, Zoltar. Back up your words with action for my patience is growing thin. The viewer went blank as Zoltar heaved a sigh of relief. He then whirled to the communication panel and punched a button to summon a subordinate.

A green clad Spectran soldier hurried in and bowed. "Yes, sir."

"Fetch my sister. Tell her I need to meet with her at once!" he barked.

"Immediately, sir." The soldier leapt up to do as he was bade. . .

In a short time the door to the control room slid open and the tall form of Mala strode in to greet her brother. She tossed her long blonde mane as she addressed Zoltar.

"So dear brother, you summoned me for something important?" she inquired as she looked bored taking a seat.

Zoltar faced her, arms akimbo as he replied sarcastically, "So good of you to grace me with your presence, dear sister. How is the project coming?"

She sighed as she answered, "Slowly but quality takes time. I'd rather do a good job slowly and completely then do a job quickly and haphazardly."

"Your logic is admirable but unfortunately we do not have that luxury, Mala. The Luminous One is getting impatient, he wants to see results." Zoltar tossed his cape aside as he sat in the chair opposite his sister.

Mala leaned forward as she stated, "But I'm sure he wants results that are successful and so I am working so this project is successful."

"Very well, do you have something to show me?" Zoltar inquired irritably.

Mala smiled as she pushed a button on her brooch. The panel door slid open and a petite raven-haired girl entered, clad in a pair of pin striped jeans and a pink shirt with a "3" on it. She faced the Spectran siblings.

Zoltar shot to his feet as he pointed out, "The Swan! You've captured the girl Princess, the Swan of G-Force!" His eyes were wide with disbelief.

Mala threw her head back and chuckled as she assured him. "Not quite, my brother." She took Zoltar's arm and guided him to the girl. "Look closely"

Zoltar examined the girl intently, his eyes not missing a single minute detail. But it was evident to him after much study that the girl was not Princess at all. He turned and regarded his sister curiously.

"As the saying goes, not the actual thing but an incredible facsimile." Mala stepped back and folded her arms in smug satisfaction.

Zoltar nodded in bemusement as he asked, "How did you manage this, dear Mala?"

She preened as she replied, "The data we received from the failed Fierce Flowers mission proved quite helpful as we were able to get a DNA blueprint from the Swan to use as a foundation. And then I found a Galaxy Agent who was able to nearly match completely every physical and emotional aspect of the Swan. And this is the result."

"Extraordinary," Zoltar murmured. "Absolutely extraordinary." He chortled, "This time, dear sister I believe we finally have a way to destroy G-Force. The necessary action to ensure our success in conquering Earth. Let's dispatch her immediately!"

Mala shook her golden mane. "Patience my brother, patience. We still are working on copying the capabilities of G-Force so she won't draw any suspicion."

Zoltar huffed, "How soon can we have her completed? I have the spy chosen to infiltrate the Federation PAX project and he's ready to go. As I said before, the Luminous One is quite anxious. We must commence at once."

"Haste makes waste, brother dear. When everything is complete, it will be foolproof."

"Spare me the platitudes." Zoltar got up into his sister's face. "It had better be or you know what will happen."

She stared back unflinchingly. "I do."

There was a standoff between the siblings as the air was heavy with tension. Finally Zoltar stepped away as he remarked, "G-Force must be stopped at all costs for us to accomplish our goals. The time for action is now."

Mala laughed as she replied, "Not yet, my brother, but soon, I promise we will bring G-Force and the Federation to its knees."

Light years away, the shining prize that Spectra, Zoltar, and the Luminous One coveted the planet Earth was blithely proceeding in its existence. The Intergalactic Planetary Federation or the Federation as it was widely known was on the fringe of a golden era as it was completing the plan for what everyone was touting as the ultimate tool to assure peace throughout the universe. The Planetary Attack eXterminator project or PAX as it was code-named was the most innovative anti-weapon that mankind had ever seen. The press was in a frenzy, positively starving for information that was coming out in the tiniest of increments and they would pounce on each snippet like a pack of starving sharks allowing for speculation to run rampant in the public. The nucleus of people in on the knowledge and facts kept quiet by order of Federation President Kane were a chosen few and so the project would not be compromised, the rest of Federation staff was kept in the dark as well. Work on the project was progressing as the Federation kept a watchful eye on Spectra.

At the same time the space commando unit of the Federation known as G-Force was on a welcomed liberty as the continuous battles with Zoltar and Spectra were in a hiatus of sorts since the last defeat of the madman. The destruction of the killer Fierce Flowers that had spread like a plague across the planet and nearly killed Princess had made all battle weary and so Chief Anderson granted indefinite leaves. This particular day, Princess was alone in her loft over the Snack J, her friend Jill's popular diner as it was closed for renovations.

The sounds of the drills and muted conversations of the workmen drifted up the stairs to Princess's ears as she busied herself with washing the windows to burn off her nervous energy. Dressed in her grungiest clothes and with her abundant raven hair tied back, she attacked the grimy windows of her loft with as much energy as she would a Spectran goon. Since the entire circumstance with the Fierce Flowers, she was coping as well as she could but was still somewhat shaken. The plants had been defeated but not without having left their mark on the victims. Mostly female, some would never recover from the ordeal but due in part to her implant Princess had remarkable physical regenerative ability as well as a tremendous ability to recuperate emotionally, although her heart bore aches that were connected to the commander's reaction to her disappearance. Mark was stoic and duty-bound as always when they found and rescued her on Zoltar's ship but upon returning to Center Neptune, he had jettisoned and left them all, not even staying for debriefing with the chief. He had literally vanished. The chief was benevolent as he attributed Mark's attitude to the stress he had experienced during the entire time but Princess was put off and hurt by his withdrawal as during the briefing the chief granted them all a well deserved rest. At the conclusion of the meeting, Jason, Tiny, and Keyop all took off to start their vacations as Anderson detained the Swan.

Flashback:

The team was ready to disperse as Chief Anderson grasped Princess by the arm. He addressed the girl he loved like a daughter in concern.

"Princess, are you sure you're okay? You need to be checked out at the medical center as part of debriefing, you know."

"Chief, I'm fine," she reassured him in her soft alto voice. "I'm just worried about Mark, he left so abruptly and didn't even stay for debriefing."

Anderson pursed his lips and then said crisply, "I'm sure he's fine. He just needs to blow off some steam."

She regarded her superior strangely. "Blow off some steam? Are you sure he's all right?"

Anderson hesitated momentarily as he replied, "Uhhh sure." He then spoke with firm authority as he changed the subject. "Report to the medical center, Princess. That's an order." He turned away to dismiss her.

"Yes, sir," she replied as dismay flooded her along with the feeling that the chief was hiding something.

End flashback

Princess then thought about how she and Mark had finally begun to acknowledge their feelings for each other, in spite of their dedication to their roles in G Force. He had told her how he felt in a rather embarrassing encounter in Zark's control room. He then began to pursue a relationship with her when they were off duty so naturally she thought that her capture by the alien flowers would have made him react with joy when he saw that she was safe. But his attitude was controlled and neutral when she was rescued by Tiny and then when they returned to Center Neptune, he took off without a word making her feel rejected and confused as to where she stood.

Princess reached up and brushed a stray ink curl from her brow as the exertion of her task covered her forehead with a fine sheen of sweat. As she mulled over the events upon the team's return from her rescue, it appeared to her that they all were dealing with residual emotions as well but they were also keeping away from her. Keyop had even packed and left with Tiny as she slept, making sure he was gone before she got up. This gave her a feeling of isolation that had her questioning what she had done to cause them all to act so.

She sighed as she finished washing the windows, and took the bucket to the kitchen sink to dump the dirty water when her communicator went off, beeping for her attention.

"All right, all right," Princess said as she finished pouring the bucket into the sink and glanced at the bracelet. A thrill of ambivalence went through her as she noticed the color of the blinking light.

Each one of them had a different color light that would flash on their bracelets when contacting one another individually. Anderson's summons was bright white, Jason's was blue, Keyop's yellow, Tiny's green, her own pink, and Mark's red. The light was flashing red.

Princess took a deep breath as her heart pounded before she touched the light and drew her wrist to her mouth to speak.

"G3 here," she said coolly.

"Princess," Mark's resonant baritone spoke from the bracelet. He seemed hesitant as he continued, "How are you?"

"Well, if it isn't the Amazing Disappearing Commander," she replied acidly her anger simmering.

"I guess I deserve that."

"That and more. Would you mind telling me what the hell is going on and why you split from us as soon as we got back from the mission? As commander you owe me at least that."

She heard him take a deep breath. "I know I do and I will tell you. What are you doing now, are you at your pad?"

Princess sighed as she said, "Yeah, I'm here. Jill's started the renovating of the Snack J so it'll be closed for a while. And Keyop took off with Tiny, they left before I got up."

"Okay. I'll be right over. See you soon," the bracelet went silent.

Princess untied her hair and headed to her bedroom to change. She had a few things to say to her commander when he showed up and to be in control, she wanted to make sure she was clean and presentable. But try as she would, Princess could not shake the feeling that she would not like what Mark had to say. . . .

Meanwhile, Mark had jumped in his red convertible and began the drive from his airstrip to the Snack J, his own feelings warring within. He drove sedately to give himself time as he went over in his mind as what to say to Princess.

Man, she sounds really pissed at me and with good reason. I didn't act very glad to see her safe and alive after those damned flowers had her and then after everything I split and say nothing. She probably wants my hide for that.

He stopped at a traffic light and his brooding continued I'm really a jerk, I'm crazy about this girl and I can't face her and tell her what it meant for me to have to be in a position to have to sacrifice her life for the lives of everybody on earth. Then when I thought I killed her and those damned flowers kept growing that I wanted into crawl in a hole and die. That I felt I betrayed her and my heart had shattered into so many pieces, I thought it could never be whole again.

A horn tooted behind him as the light turned green so Mark waved at the person and accelerated ahead. He proceeded the drive to the Snack J, concentrating on the road as he brought his thoughts under submission. Soon he saw the strip mall with the unlit "J" in front, the parking lot empty. He turned into the lot and pulled up to the door.

Upstairs, Princess had just finished brushing her hair when she heard a car door slam and footsteps climbing up the back outside steps, then a knock on the back door. She quickly checked her appearance and then went to the door to open it.

Mark smiled, his guileless blue eyes pleading with her as he brushed a nervous hand through his long, unruly mahogany hair. "Hi Princess."

Princess's heart pounded as she was drawn into his cerulean orbs. She had to shake herself to resume her cool demeanor. "Hi Mark. Won't you come in?"

"Thanks" he stepped in as she backed up to let him by, closing the door. She then turned and followed him as he went into the loft.

"Would you like a drink or something?" she offered out of courtesy. He was, after all her commanding officer even if now they were off duty.

"No thanks." He took a seat on the sofa and patted the seat beside him. "Please come here, I want to talk to you."

Princess said nothing but sat primly on the chair across from the sofa and prepared herself for the worst. "Go ahead, I'm listening."

Mark sighed as he ran his hand through his hair again. "Look, I know you're pretty steamed at me and with good reason but please listen to my side, okay?"

She replied, "Like I said, Mark I'm listening."

He took a deep breath and then proceeded, "First, I want you to know how happy I am that you're all right. What did the medical report say?"

Princess said flatly, "Everything's fine. In case you didn't hear, the chief gave us all leaves until further notice so you can distance yourself from me like everybody else did and do your own thing." She got up to leave but he jumped up and got in front of her, grasping her by the arms.

"Prin wait, please," Mark beseeched, his eyes wide and working their spell on her. "You said you would hear me out so would you please?"

Princess was inexorably drawn into the vast blue expanse of his orbs, so much like the sky and she acquiesced, "All right, go on."

He smiled at her and led her to the sofa then took the seat right beside her. He continued, "When you were taken by those creepy flowers, we were frantic, searching for you everywhere. Keyop was almost hysterical because he watched as one of those things swallowed you."

"Then why did he pull a disappearing act now like you did?" she asked, tears stinging her forest green eyes. "All of you guys taking off has made me feel like it was my fault I was captured. If you'll remember, Anderson put me into the position to volunteer to be taken to see if we could find out about them. It was my duty."

Mark reached and with his fingers, gently brushed the rivulet away. "I know. But you don't know what happened after you were nabbed and you need to in order to understand why we're acting so strangely."

"I'm all ears," Princess said as she blinked back the unshed tears.

Mark went on, "After you had been taken, Anderson let us know that the flowers were threatening the world water supply and since the things thrived and spread after a heavy rain, we had no choice but to set them on fire and burn them."

"Burn them?"

"Uh-huh. Anderson had told us that I was to drop fuel on the flowers and we were to drop a bird missile on them, incinerating them and hopefully destroying them. We were all horrified because we hadn't found you yet but Anderson was firm, something had to be done. So after some thought I decided I had a duty to perform and I took off in my plane to do what he said."

Princess watched as the raw emotion flickered in Mark's pensive visage and the pain in his eyes as he remembered his state of mind at the time. "As I took off, all I could think of was you and your pretty face lit up with a smile as you laughed and called my name. My eyes filled with tears as I released the fuel on the flowers and then I planned to crash my plane and join you, the thought of living without you unacceptable."

"Oh Mark," she said softly as the tears returned to her viridian orbs. She reached for his hands, which had balled into fists as they rested on his knees. He went on, seemingly oblivious as he relived the nightmare.

"Just as I was about to crash my plane, Jason contacted me that he was ready to launch the bird missile and Tiny pulled the Phoenix up to catch me. Then Jason shot the missile and the entire field exploded into flame. We landed about a half a mile away and as I watched, my heart felt like it was ripped right from me and the only thing I kept repeating was it was to save the earth. But then something happened that really did me in."

"What?"

Mark gave a short bitter laugh. "The damned flowers were sending spores up into the air on the breeze the fire created, sending them straight up into the air to be carried worldwide. So my attempt to be a hero for earth backfired, and I ended up killing the girl I…," he hesitated as he gazed at her. "Love."

Princess was stunned silent by his revelation, her heart pounding so hard she felt he could hear it. She waited breathlessly as she sensed he had more and her instinct was correct as he continued.

"After that I didn't care about anything. My whole purpose for living was gone and I resented like hell the fact that I had to sacrifice you for the whole stinking earth. I began to think that I wanted out of G Force and all the pain and aggravation so I just cut myself off from everybody. I didn't even answer when Anderson called me."

Princess bit her lip as she stared at Mark who was ragged with emotion as he bared his soul before her. She was amazed by his even admitting all this and just kept listening.

He looked into her eyes and she saw his own tears as he resumed his tale. "I was alone wallowing in my misery when I heard your bird scramble and then I realized you were still alive. I felt like I was given a million dollars and I went to Anderson and told him I heard from you and we went out to find you had been captured by Zoltar so we monitored your bird scramble till we found you."

Princess said softly, "I knew if I kept sending bird scrambles you'd find me. I never lost faith." She smiled at him slightly then it faded as she asked, "But why did you avoid me after we came back. Especially after what you said to me in front of Zark, that really hurt, Mark." She lowered her head, her raven tresses veiling her face.

Mark sighed and he said, "I-I'm sorry, Prin. I just needed to be alone to pull myself together. I didn't want you to see how messed up I was." He reached and gently grasped her chin to raise her eyes to meet his. "By the time we got back to Center Neptune, I was hanging on by a thread. I know I should've been there for you babe, and I'm sorry, please forgive me?"

His eyes were earnest pools of azure as she saw the mighty Eagle humbly asking her to forgive him. Whatever hardness in her heart that had remained, melted away like ice in the summer sun. She threw her arms around him as he wrapped his around her in a tight embrace.

Princess murmured against Mark's broad shoulder, "Did you mean it? When you said you loved me?"

Mark pulled back as he brushed her hair back from her eyes. "Yeah, I meant it."

That was all she needed to hear as she buried her face in his chest. "I love you too, Mark, with all my heart. And I'm sorry for being so angry at you."

"I'm sorry," they said in unison as they pulled back to gaze at each other, both teary eyed as fences were mended. Mark then cradled Princess's face in his hands and drew her to him for a sweet kiss to seal it.

NEXT-DUTY CALLS