In the same manner that I turned Gatchaman episode 102 into a "Battle of the Planets" episode, Dreams of Deception, and Gatchaman episodes 103 and 104 into follow-up "Battle of the Planets" episodes, Truth and Treachery, and A Planet in Peril, here is Gatchaman episode 105, also converted to a "Battle of the Planets" episode. It's a follow-up to the previous three and starts immediately where A Planet in Peril left off, making it "episode 88."
I've also used here a portion of another Gatchaman episode not used in Battle of the Planets –episode 78 "Mortal Combat! 10,000 Meters Under the Sea." Again, there's probably too much fighting and suffering in this for Battle of the Planets (though I did "edit out" a lot from the Gatch version), as well as too much plot weirdness (oh yes!) and episode continuity, but I'm not claiming this could really pass muster as a BOTP episode. As ever, I have a much greater appreciation for what the Battle of the Planets writers accomplished!
See my profile page for a link to a version with screencap "illustrations."
The End of an Era
All was tranquil, deep beneath the sea on Earth, though across a vast gulf of space, the fate –indeed the very existence- of Spectra was fraught with uncertainty.
But for one small robot, in his control room atop the undersea facility that was Earth's Center Neptune, it was on the five members of G-Force –all currently on the imperiled planet of Spectra- that his anxiety was focused.
"I'm so grateful to you, Susan," said 7-Zark-7, directing his words towards the small speaker dangling from the ceiling. "And to you, 1-Rover-1," he added for the benefit of his pet robot dog, "For keeping me company during a terrible time like this. Mark and the others haven't located Jason yet and Spectra's mantle is still so unstable, the whole planet could self-destruct at almost any moment!"
Even as 1-Rover-1 yapped and Susan cooed soothingly "You're welcome, Zark," on distant Spectra, still more massive volcanic eruptions were taking place, on land and beneath the seas, spewing forth lava from the planet's unstable mantle layer that both charred the land and unleashed devastating tsunamis within the seas.
"I've never been so worried…" added the robot plaintively.
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The tall coils of the deep seismic energy detectors still loomed high over the chamber that housed the controls for the mantle procedure, deep within the secret base in the Damruk Mountains.
But time had nearly run out –the mantlemeter was almost to the ultimate "F," which would signify failure to restore stability to the mantle and that the planet's doom was both certain and imminent.
Even as a new pod was conveyed along the elevated track to the deep shaft that led to the mantle, the voice of one of the soldiers assisting Zoltar with the procedure could be heard, speaking nervously.
"Sire, we've tried all your pod sequences except this one. We've been releasing cadmixium and plutantrium, all over the mantle, but none of your sequences have resulted in stabilization."
"We're just making it worse -can you recheck your calculations against the newest data… please? This will be our last chance to get it right…"
And the pod was released, plummeting down the shaft towards Spectra's turbulent mantle layer.
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As one, Mark, Princess, Keyop and Tiny dropped through the mist-banded air and landed in low, concealing crouches on the ground outside the secret base, amid the eerie and monstrous statues that filled this valley in the Damruk Mountains and marked the site of what had once been an ancient, underground temple.
"I wish we'd gotten a better explanation from my father," said Mark, looking grim but determined, "But as it is, I'll accept his directive that we find Jason first and then worry about the mantle.'
Princess, Tiny and Keyop all listened, their concurrence unspoken.
"And I'm sure we all agree that Jason's no defector," he added with soft vehemence.
"Right!" whispered Princess. "You bet," burbled Keyop. "Oh yeah," agreed Tiny.
They all drew closer to hear their leader's quiet and rapid parting words. They were all conscious of the need for silence and stealth to avoid the Spectran soldiers they knew would be searching for them while they sought a way to get back inside the secret base.
"But the look in his eyes the last time I saw him… He's in some kind of trouble –maybe even something to do with Mala's rebel movement. Let's get going!"
They all scattered in different directions, dashing off amidst the fog-shrouded statues, one of which surely had to conceal an entrance to the subterranean secret base.
If only they could find it.
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Zoltar stood alone in a large and somewhat dimly lit room that was nearly empty but for the large globe that showed the oceans and continents of the planet Earth.
"Earth," he muttered, sweeping one arm angrily, "You would have long been a slave planet of Spectra, all your riches and resources my disposal, were it not for that cursed G-Force Team –and that Colonel Cronus too! There'd have been no need for a mantle reactor here on Spectra…"
He bowed his head slightly and folded his arms, as his voice took on a more anxious tone. "All my pod sequences have failed. I don't know what I am doing wrong…"
He flung his arm out again in frustration. "How can I ensure this final one succeeds?"
"Sire!" cried two soldiers, suddenly rushing into the room, "Please come at once!"
"Has my sequence failed already?" gasped Zoltar, "Surely not yet!"
He paused but then quickly turned to glare at them. They weren't soldiers from the mantle procedure control room. "What is your news? Report!" he snapped.
"It's a mutiny, Sire!" stammered one of the soldiers, "They're taking over the base!"
"What?" snarled Zoltar, "Tell me everything!"
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Jason reached out to grasp the next stair before him; his arms were trembling, but he'd regained sufficient use of them to be able to drag himself forward. But would he be able to drag himself all the way up this long and winding staircase of metal beams?
I can't believe all the soldiers took off and just left me alone, thought Jason as he continued to drag himself, lifting his head to stare ahead and hoping desperately to see the end of the stairs and a door leading outside the base.
Something big is going down. I have to find Mark.
Frowning from the exertion, he reached out to drag himself up yet another step.
But then the shadowy outlines of soldiers appeared on the curved wall further up the stairs, accompanied by the sounds of rapid footsteps.
Oh no…
The clatter of the soldiers' feet matched the urgency in their voices.
"The rebels have seized the entire north sector of the base –including the aerodrome!"
In the nick of time, Jason had managed to conceal himself beneath some of the stair beams and the soldiers, in their haste, running right over him didn't notice him at all.
But their words riveted his attention and he stared in their wake.
"We must find Zoltar!"
The instant they were gone from sight, Jason pulled himself back out from beneath the stair beams.
Crouching, he wondered if his legs were working again yet. He needed to get up the stairs faster!
He attempted to stand, but almost immediately his legs gave way and he fell over backwards.
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Zoltar had turned his back on the globe of his long-desired target, planet Earth, to face yet another internal crisis on Spectra.
"How many squadrons have joined this rebellion?" he demanded of the two soldiers who had brought him the startling news, "Who are its leaders? They will regret this!"
"Sire, the leader is… your sister."
"Mala?" Zoltar recoiled somewhat in disbelief before snapping "I should have known! She must be in league with Cronus –and G-Force!"
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Meanwhile, even as Zoltar's attention turned to his sister's treachery, the mantle procedure continued.
Another pod, part of the final sequence, was dropped down the shaft that led all the way to the planet's mantle, whereupon it exploded to disperse its contents throughout the glowing, molten magma.
But far away, tremors rippled the surface of one of Spectra's oceans and the seafloor below was ripped apart as a violent blast of magma burst forth and created a massive surge of water on the surface above.
The Spectran mantle continued to roil with out-of-control and unbalanced reactions, no closer to achieving stability…
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Chief Anderson was standing –waiting, really- in a room within the Federation Headquarters on Earth, and a door slid open to reveal a new arrival –President Kane.
"Ah, here you are," said the President.
Chief Anderson turned to him quickly. "What news from the Council?" he asked, walking towards him.
Soon, they had left the room and were walking down a corridor together.
"We've responded to the rebel movement's request," explained President Kane, "But in very non-committal terms. We need to know more before we can truly act."
"We have to trust G-Force," replied Chief Anderson, "I'm sure they'll have some new information for us soon."
They had reached the door to President Kane's office, but they paused before entering.
"I tried to reach Cronus," said President Kane, "With his ties to Rigan Intelligence, he might know the latest rumors from Spectran command circles."
He slid open his office door and Chief Anderson followed him inside.
"The rebels' leader must be someone highly placed," added Kane, walking over to his desk.
"I haven't heard from Cronus since that business with the Fierce Flowers, weeks ago," admitted Chief Anderson as he strode toward the office's large window.
Staring out the window, Chief Anderson frowned, thinking.
Could it be Mala? She's deceived Zoltar before…
"You should know," continued Chief Anderson, glad that Kane couldn't see his face, "Thirteen years ago, Mala Latroz tried to defect from Spectra. At the time… no one realized who she was. It's not inconceivable that she might have turned against Zoltar yet again."
He added to himself, in a whisper, "And contacted Jason…"
But turning away from the window and raising his voice, he said "Whether or not this is the case, the question is: Would the rebels be any improvement over Zoltar's regime, where the Federation is concerned, and can they be trusted to any extent? I hope G-Force can get us an answer."
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A squad of Spectran soldiers dashed through the thick fog that swirled around the myriad of statues.
But not far away, a lone soldier stood, waiting.
He was not alone for long as a second soldier, managing to spot him in the fog, came running up to him.
"Now's our chance!"
"I don't know," the first soldier said, briefly raising a hand to his lip nervously, "I've got a family in the capital –if I join a rebellion that doesn't succeed, they're done for!"
He spread the fingers of his hand in a plea for understanding.
Before his companion could respond, the ground beneath their feet began to tremor and quake. They both tensed in sudden alarm, staring all around anxiously.
"Another earthquake?" cried the first soldier.
"What's going on?" groaned the second soldier, his shoulders sagging as he rubbed his head wearily.
"All these earthquakes," replied his friend, "It must be the Great Spirit! He will punish us all for disobeying Zoltar!"
"No," replied the second soldier firmly, "If the Luminous One truly cares about the people of Spectra, he must surely want us to oust Zoltar!"
"Down with Zoltar!" shouted a mass of voices from somewhere in the fog that covered the vast valley floor, and in that instant, the first soldier made his decision. They both began running in the direction of the rebels' voices.
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Mark leaped from the top of one of the tallest statues, his cape's wings spreading as he soared through the fog towards the ground.
Two Spectran soldiers had been tracking him but he caught them completely off guard now, and knocked them both down with kicks to the backs of their heads.
He watched them fall, tensed in a defensive stance lest he have to hit them a second time to keep them down.
It seemed that he wouldn't have to. Remaining still, he listened and glanced side to side, waiting to see if any more soldiers had been on his tail.
There's got to be an entrance to the base around here somewhere, but where?
He wasn't going to have much time to search here. Dozens more soldiers were running in his direction now.
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Jason had managed to drag himself up the stairs and out of the subterranean base but then, his arms exhausted and his legs still too limp to support him, he'd only been able to lie there in grass near the statue that, once again, concealed the entrance to the secret base that he had emerged from.
I need to find Mark.
But Jason heard sounds then though he could see nothing in the thick fog -numerous booted feet running in his direction and cries of "Get that G-Forcer!"
Indeed Mark was being pursued now by four soldiers, all determined not to lose sight of him in spite of the poor visibility.
"I have to show them this entrance," whispered Jason to himself, "Tell them what's really going on… Mala, Cronus…"
He turned from his back to his stomach, pushing his torso up from the grassy ground as far as he could with his weary arms.
"Mark!" he yelled, as his arms gave way and his face dropped back to the grass, "Mark!"
But it wasn't Mark who heard him –it was Princess.
She gasped hearing his familiar voice.
Jason?
She stopped running, listening and peering into the fog all around her before running again in what she hoped was the right direction to lead her to him.
Unfortunately, within moments she had Spectran soldiers flanking her and matching her speed –four on her left and three on her right.
One raised a gun, even as he ran, to fire at her but without a second's hesitation she lashed out with her yoyo, striking him in the face and knocking him down.
Another soldier attempted to shoot at her and she instantly struck him down too.
Without pause, she swung her yoyo out again to wrap around the ankles of two more soldiers.
Tripped up, they both crashed to the ground.
Then she caused another soldier to stumble and fall by catching him briefly around the neck with her yoyo's cord.
Then she disappeared into the fog, hunkering down quietly near a large statue to determine if she'd eluded the rest of her pursuers.
She had not.
For a brief moment, the fog thinned and suddenly Princess looked up to see a Spectran soldier staring at her, his gun trained on her. If she tried to strike him with her yoyo, he would see what she was going to do and have time to shoot her first…
"I'm taking you to Zoltar!" he snarled, brandishing his gun menacingly.
But then he spasmed and cried out in shock, startling Princess, and he collapsed forward onto the grass, a white feather stunner protruding from the back of his neck.
Several feet beyond the fallen soldier, with his back against a statue for support, stood her savior: Jason.
Princess could only stare in silence; such was her surprise and relief –and happiness- to have found their missing teammate at last and to know for sure that he was still their teammate.
"Jason," she cried softly, running towards him, and even as she did, Jason's legs gave way and he fell back down onto grass. "Jason!"
Jason was still, his eyes closed, when she reached his side.
"Jason, are you okay?"
He turned his head then and looked at her.
"They shot me with a paralytic tranq," he said, his words tinged with some embarrassment, "Hasn't worn off yet."
Princess wasted no time letting the others know her good news. "I've found Jason," she called into her wrist communicator, her face lit with fervor, "And he's no defector!"
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As Princess spoke, elsewhere in the foggy and statue-strewn valley, a piece of detecting equipment suddenly picked up a signal.
"Tell Zoltar," said an excited Spectran soldier, crouched on the grass over the equipment and studying the readout, "We'll get him those G-Force hostages he needs –I think I know where they are."
His companion picked up a handheld radio. "If G-Force is fomenting this rebellion," he agreed, "Capturing them ought to squelch it fast."
As he spoke, the fog continued to swirl though the now-quiet valley, interspersed with the sinister and ancient statues.
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