Disclaimer: All charachter belong to Tatsunoko.ltd
Again! They've beat you again! How many more mechas do I have to build? I'm reaching your human point of being fed up!
Count Egobossler listened Sosai's preachings through gritted teeth. Long practice allowed him to endure this daily torture. But this was going on for two hours and his patience, or what was left from it demanded an end. Quickly. Or else…..
So he decided to end it in the only way that won't further whet Sosai's wrath. Taking a deep breath, that did nothing to calm his own, he rised his voice to speak.
Gatchaman will be defeated soon!
It was the usual excuse and he hope he'll work this time too.
You've said this before! And you always came back with your tail between your legs! They've defeated you three times in a week! Can't those maggots you have for brains to make up a worthy plan?
…...
Egobossler clenched his fists at the insult, but said nothing. He had to find something new. The alien no longer buy the old excuse. He raked his mind for something to calm Sosai while mentally swore for the umpteenth time that he will make Gatchaman pay for all the insults he got from Z because of him. Yes, this will be his first priority. When he'll finally conquer the world. Which was much more difficult to accomplish than he had initially thought. Had he known he will go through so many humiliations…..
Sosai unceremoniously disturbed his thoughts.
Don't stay there like an idiot! Say something!
The Count flinched as he bit hard his tongue in attempt to supress the insult his brain uncounsciously would have adressed to the alien.
I said I will destroy them! But I need more…..
Mechas? Time? What? I gave you anything you've asked. And yet you've failed every time! You're an incompetent!
Hadn't been for his painfully and bleeding tongue, his time Z would have known Egobossler's vocabulary of swearings. Which was fortunately, because it spared the Count from much more additional pain. The alien did not like at all to be offended.
It continued to babble something that didn't got to the Count's ears which was to busy to struggle with his anger and made futile attempts to calm his ragging breath otherwise he felt he might blow up!
Get revenge! Destroy! Kill!... Egobossler's brain was furiously screaming at his owner. He stared up at the dog looking face of Sosai, mentally wandering where a pack of C4 should be attached to cause maximum damage. He also made a note to bring one with him at the next meeting.
…….. And I am tired once for all of you and your mistakes. You are useless to me, and a curse for the Gallactor. If Gatchaman won't bring us down your blunders will! I had it enough of you!...
And I of you, Egobossler mentally added. He knew better then say it loudly. He chose instead to ignore Sosai's lecture as he always did before, when the alien bored him. But he discovered he couldn't now. He wasn't just bored or dizzed after his brandy glasses ( Sosai had kept him lectures on that issue lately, saying that this habbit had to do with the failures he so oftenly experienced). He was angry, so with all his best efforts to think of a glass of his red Cabernet Sauvignon, surrounded in the etherical music of his old Victorola, his ears could only register the eardrum scratching roar made be Sosai's speakers. The alien was really a pain. Literary. If he won't be out of here, soon, he'll have a headache! He supressed a groan and the impulse of rubbing his temples, knowing that this would make Sosai to rise his decibels. However, a phrase in all this uproar caught his attention, making him to forget all his anger for a second.
……..I'm having you replaced!
Egobossler's grey eyes bugged out in surprise and his jaw dropped only a choked groan of surprise escaping his lips.
WHAT?
It was all he could say. His mind was failing to manage the emotions that were overwhelming it: anger, surprise, hatred...
Z was mercifully quiet for a second, giving time to his blue ex-leader to understand and assess the situation.
"You can't have me replaced! I am your ally and I lead the Gallactor! The men are loyals to me. You're just a …..
Frightening shrieks resounded in Sosai's gigantic body as Egobossler's body curled in midair. He felt his brain shrinking under the alien's mind warping rays. He could no longer think and acted by the instinct, the screams of pain being only what came out of his gasping for air.
In this state, Sosai's laughter sounded more mockingly than ever, and he had a long history of being laughed by the alien.
You should have studied Katze's file better, you pathetic human being!
Helm winced. He had read the mass of papers that formed Katze's diary, but he mostly dissmised the horrible stories of hir punishents as a crazed mutant's insanities. He figured now, from his own experience how real and painfully they were.
His lungs seemt no longer able to filter the air, despite his attempts to inhale. Asphixia caused his vision to blure and roll. Panic took over his mind.
"When I said I won't tolerate disobedience I meant it!
Helm felt the grip over his body lessen a little, enough to choke out the words he would never had said them otherwise.
Please, ……let…….me………go
Sosai held him another more seconds, delightening himself with the pain that had caused to him then released him. Helm could register another kind of pain that resembled the bone-breaking one after being dropped on something hard from a good few feets above. He stretched his hand and realised the hard thing was actually the floor. Weird. He hadn't noticed it before.
I take you have learn your lesson!
Struggling to get some air into his lungs, Helm was experiencing too much pain now to even be able to hate Sosai.
A low anguished moan was all he could answer.
And now be gone from my face!
This time Helm couldn't have swore the creature even if he wanted! It hurted only to breath. He felt Sosai's leviation rays wrapping around him and felt his body lifted up and lowered back to his Castle. He always hated this form of transport. Sosai had no stability in that ray and it would always shake him up and down till he felt his last meal in his throat. Which wasn't a very comfortable feeling, especially when you were a few hundreds feet above ground.
He closed his eyes, trying to supress the pain and the nausea, and felt incredibly grateful when his hands touched the cold, but stable marble floor of his Castle. He would have kissed it if hadn't noticed a pair of black boots in front of him.
He groaned mentally in embarrasment, not bothering to look up, as he knew exactly who they belonged to!
I see Sosai had break you the news of your replacement!
Helm cursed his luck again. Here he was, kneeling in the front of the braggart that just stole his position within Gallactor! He never liked this guy, but now he wished he had his head on the trophy wall in his chamber. On the one where he'll put the heads of those damn birds. He might make an exception for the Swan. He had something else in mind for her…… He rised on his feet, stumbling as he did so, trying to ignore Marstora's smug sneer.
The martian went on, irking on the Count's already grated nerves.
I'm not surprised at all! It's a wonder how a fool like you could last so much !
Helm gritted his teeth. Well, he could say he was getting used with the insults for today! He had definitely learnt his lesson with Sosai. And knew Marstora's game too well. He was just trying to anger him more. An emotional outburst would only give satisfaction to his rival. Time to change the tactic, he thought!
He regained a dignifyied posture as his legs would allow and turned his back to the braggart, heading for his chamber, where he could vent his anger alone.
"You'll be the first to know of my victories, Egobossler! He even had the nerve to shout after him.
That will take centuries! He thought sarcastically.
Helm's nails bit in his palm, but he just ignored him further. Oh, how he wanted to stick his sword in this guy! But leave that to Gatchaman! He knew Marstora won't do a better job than he did against those pesky ninjas. And he will make sure of this. This thought brought a little evil smile on the Count's blue lips as he took a snide glance behing him, at the wavering orange cape of the martian.
Once he reached his private quarters, Egobossler slammed the door behind him, causing a vase on the nearby shelf to fell down and clatter in pieces on the floor.
He slumped himself in his armchair in front of the fire place and uncounsciously reached for his bottle of wine as the events from the previous months started to unwind in his mind. Analysing the battles between his forces and the ISO, he realised he had been more successful when using his own troops instead of the gigantic freaking-looking mechas of Sosai. That untill they created those blasted phaser tanks, which caused him grave defeats and forced him to rely on Z's creations. Which were very unhandly and to had to work with, to say at least. Ah, he hated machines. His good old guns and cannons could do the job!
He poured himself a glass with a movement that has became an automatism during the years and brought it in front of his eyes to stare through it's crimson color at his distorted features reflected in the glass. Right now he'd rather have a glass of Gatchaman's blood instead of his usualy Cabernet . His brow creased remembering Z's preachings as it told him that the wine made him eyesore and incompetent…. He drowned the glass with a single gulp, just in spite of the alien's whines, wincing as the liquid burned it's way down on his throat! As he stared at the now empty glass, he didn't even bothered to notice the red droplets dribbling on his tunic.
He placed it back on the table and rubbed his throbing temples. This time he got from Sosai more than a headache!
He returned his stare at the empty fireplace. He missed the sight of flames smouldering inside and idly wondered if he should call a servant and ask him to lit up the fire….. even if it was afternoon. He eventually dismissed it and went back to meditate upon his situation.
Helm was haugthy man. But he admited he had a weak point when it came to technology. He liked the classical style, the elegance, and not this mess of flickering bulbs and circuits. It gave him a headache just like Sosai did. Fine, he didn't know at all how to use a damn machine! And Sosai did not take those gladly, since it was a machine itself. Ah, he just hated machines! With Z on top of the list! And that funny looking Gatchaman's ship a close second!
And apparently machines didn't like him either. They always failed on him when were desperately needed. That's why he got defeated every time.
Z had so oftenly pointed out this….. incapacity of his to work with them!
Even a monkey knows to use a computer! Why can't you?
He snorted at the flashback. Well, maybe that's why it hired that monkey Marstora in his place. Or was he supposed to be a tiger?
Why those damned birds couldn't have the same problem?
He would get his position back soon, he was sure of this. It was only a matter of time till Gatchaman will beat the conceit out of Marstora's thick skull. They had all his approval in this matter. But he wanted to give Sosai a lesson. Yes, something to teach the alien who Count Egobossler was. And he knew exactly just what was it. The very thought brought his customay evil grin back on his face.
He rised from his armchair and with an evil grin on his face and a lot of evil ideas spinning in his head, he headed to the one who will help him to fullfill his purpose. Nothing would stop him from…
SCREEEEAAAAK!
He winced as he lifted his foot and looked down at the glass shards stuck in his bootsole. A golden dragon painted on one of the shards scattered on the floor let him recognise the ancient vase from the grave of Emperor Chin he had filch……. received as a gift from the prime minister of China.
The Count groaned inwardly. This was not his day!