Welcome to "Aboard the Midnight Express". This story is special in three different ways, at least in my book. First of all, this is my first solo story featuring the Defenders of the EarthSecond of all, it is somewhat inspired by my favorite story of the NuWho Doctor Who era as well as my favorite David Tennant era story which is called "Midnight". And finally, it is set before my upcoming story "Blasts From the Past" (where faces from Flash Gordon's past will appear, hope you will look forward to it!) as well as set before the ongoing story "The Blue Moon Plague". With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: Defenders of the Earth and all related characters and properties belong to Marvel, King Features Entertainment (or King Features Syndicate), Hearst Entertainment and Mill Creek Entertainment. Any character that has never appeared on the franchises prior are my characters and if you want to use the characters, ask first!
Aboard the Midnight Express
Chapter One. Start of an Unusual Adventure
The Defenders of the Earth, consisting of Flash Gordon, his son Richard "Rick" Gordon, Kit Walker, known as the Phantom, his daughter Jedda Walker, her panther Kisa, Mandrake the Magician, his young protege Kshin, his extraterrestrial pet/friend Zuffy, Mandrake's bodyguard and friend Lothar and his son LJ arrived at a hotel, but this was no ordinary hotel. The Defenders were amazed at what they saw. The hotel was made of puprle and light blue crystallize like stones and the windows that were there were fifteen feet thick.
"This is not your usual type of hotel resort!" Kshin exclaimed. Zuffy exclaimed in agreement.
"You said it." Rick replied, "It is like something out of a fantasy."
"That is an understatement." LJ replied.
"This hotel is quite beautiful!" Jedda exclaimed.
"Indeed, but mysterious at the same time." Mandrake observed, "There is something about this place that just does not seem right."
"I just hope this hotel with beauty is not what it seems to be." Rick chided.
"Fifteen minutes until we are all aboard the Midnight Express!" a voice on the intercom announced.
"The Midnight Express?" Rick quipped, "What is that?"
"Only one way to find out." Flash replied.
The group walked over to a nearby panel where Flash pressed a button, "What is the Midnight Express? Where does it take you?"
"The Midnight Express is a shuttle train," the voice on the computer explain, "For your destination, it will take you to a sapphire waterfall."
"A waterfall made out of sapphires!" Kshin exclaimed.
"An enormous jewel the size of a glacier," the voice on the computer continued to explain, "reaches the Cliffs of and then shatters into the sapphires at the edge, then fall a hundred thousand feet into a crystal ravine."
"That sounds interesting." LJ noted.
"Breathtaking!" Jedda exclaimed.
"The trip will take four hours." the voice on the computer added, "and it will be worth your time."
"It sounds like a school trip." Rick first scoffed before stating, "But if it says it will be worth your time to watch this waterfall, then I guess I am up for it."
"That makes three of us." LJ said, "As Jedda is very much interested in going."
"What about you, Kshin?" Rick asked.
"Sure," Kshin answered, "Why not? Zuffy?"
The Zuffoid exclaimed happily in excitement.
"I will take that as a yes." Kshin chuckled.
"First," Mandrake told the kids, "we will have to get you guys signed up before you four go aboard this shuttle."
"How come you guys aren't going?" LJ asked.
"We are going to look around other places at this hotel." Lothar answered, "but you four should go in the shuttle and enjoy yourselves."
"Ten minutes until we are all aboard the Midnight Express!" the intercom voice announced.
"We better hurry." Flash told the group.
The group arrived at the entrance way of the shuttle to the Midnight Express and they learned to their dismay that creatures such as Kisa and Zuffy were not allowed on board the shuttle.
"Well that is disappointing." LJ scoffed.
"It is for safety purposes." Mandrake replied, "and I can understand."
"That is no problem for Zuffy on whether or not he goes." Kshin told the others, "he can just pretend to be a stuffed animal, right Zuffy?"
The Zuffoid nodded in agreement.
"Okay then," Mandrake replied, "Just be careful."
"We will." Kshin replied.
"What about Kisa?" Rick asked.
"Five minutes until we are all aboard the Midnight Express!" the intercom announced.
"I got it." Jedda answered before kneeling to her panther, "Kisa, I need you to stay with my father and the others while we go on the Midnight Express in case something happens. Can you do that?"
Kisa nodded, acknowledging her in the process.
"Good girl." Jedda replied, "We will be back in a few hours."
"We have you guys registered to be on board the shuttle." Flash announced.
"Not a moment too soon!" LJ replied.
"We will be back for dinner." Rick told his father, "We can try that one place that is a jungle themed restaurant."
"Sounds like a plan." Flash replied.
"See you later!" Jedda told her father and the rest of the elder Defenders.
"One more thing." the Phantom told the group, "You kids be careful."
"Alright?" Flash added.
"We shall do just that." Rick replied, "We are heading on a shuttle for an interesting trip visiting a diamond like waterfalls. What could possibly go wrong?"
As Rick, Jedda, LJ, Kshin and Zuffy entered on board the Midnight Express, little did they know that Rick had actually jinxed the trip for the kids.