Hello and this is a dark "what if" story that I had in mind for some time now. Ever since watching the episode "Deal With the Devil", I have come up with various ideas in my head. One included the story "More Draining Than Expected" which is already posted here on my account. Then there is this dark little story. I had this idea in mind ever since I first watched this episode in question, but when I first tried to go through with it, the story fell through itself, but recently when I read "Two Hours in Ming's Cell" by Red Blaze 16, and talked with the writer, it eventually compelled me to return to the idea. So here we go! It goes without saying this does have character death, so brace yourselves!
Disclaimer: Defenders of the Earth and all characters belong to Marvel, King Features Entertainment, Alex Raymond, Lee Falk, Hearst Entertainment and Mill Creek Entertainment. I don't own anything from this.
A Tragic Outcome
A bogus scheme Garax and Octon provided to overthrow Ming the Merciless was put into effect thanks to the illusions by the Sorcerers of Teros. The Flash Gordon, Kit Walker, known as the Phantom, Mandrake the magician nor Lothar didn't fall for the plan but the children of the Defenders did. Rick Gordon, Jedda Walker, her panther Kisa, LJ, Lothar Junior for short and their stowaways Kshin and Zuffy arrived at Ice Station Earth only to learn that they have been tricked. Ming had taken Rick to the Hall of Inquisition for information to Monitor's Defense systems while Jedda, Kisa, LJ, Kshin and Zuffy were taken to a cell. As Flash, the Phantom, Mandrake and Lothar were arriving at Ice Station Earth, they were unaware of the outcome that was awaiting them.
Rick was at the Hall of Inquisition as he was strapped to the chair and some type of probing machine on his head. Ming was preparing to pull out all the stops to get the information he wanted from Rick, even at the cost of his life.
"You will give me the plans to Monitor's defense systems...now." Ming told his prisoner before a jolt of electricity struck through Rick's body. However, the young Defender was not going to give in without a fight, even if he died this time around, "No way, Ming. Never!"
Ming walked over to the machine and pulled the lever which would increase the intensity of electricity that was running through the machine, "We shall see about that."
The tyrant was annoyed when his prisoner continued to resist and refused to give him the information that he needed, "Resistance is useless, you will tell me everything that I want to know."
"Never." Rick groaned as he continued to endure the pain of the interrogation. Suddenly, the sorcerers of Teros appeared to inform the tyrant, "Mighty Ming, intruders."
"Just as I anticipated," Ming replied before making his orders to them, "Go and take care of the intruders!"
"As you command, oh merciless one."
After the three sorcerers vanished, the tyrant continued his interrogation with Rick, "Your mother met her fate when she refused to give me what I wanted from her, and it looks like you are about to meet the similar fate."
Rick took rugged breaths as he stared at his captor, sweating bullets which was damping his curly blonde hair, "You don't scare me, Ming."
"Foolish boy," Ming replied, "You should know by now that I do not intend to frighten. I intend to destroy!"
He increased the power of the machine which caused Rick to convulse in his seat.
"I wonder what will kill you first," Ming said to himself, "Internal bleeding or a seizure."
Flash, the Phantom, Lothar and Mandrake arrived at Ice Station Earth to come face to face with the Sorcerer of Teros, who have been expecting Mandrake and immediately dealt with the illusions that the sorcerers provided for them.
Jedda, LJ and Kshin had managed to escape their cell thanks to Jedda sending Mongor a telepathic illusion of a buzzing fly, causing the lizard like creature to go crazy and the door break open. Kisa was sent by her friend to find Rick, and despite their efforts to evade some ice soldiers, they were seized by Garax and sent to the throne room where Octon was waiting for them.
"Ming the Merciless will be very much pleased to enjoy the annihilation of the Defenders of the Earth, one by one." Octon told the three young Defenders, "Starting with your young friend."
Jedda gasped and clasped her hands to her face in horror. She, LJ and Kshin wondered what had become of Rick, unaware of the progression of his torture.
Rick appeared as he had gone through immense pain as he had started seizing from the massive torture he had already endured. What felt like hours, which was actually three minutes, he stopped seizing and gasped for air. Rick knew he didn't have long with the way this was going. He wouldn't mind going out like this if there wasn't so much he had wanted to do, so much he wanted to say.
"This is your last chance young Defender," Ming told the blonde boy, "Either you give me the information I want, or this next volt of electricity will be in full power and it will take your young life and you shall meet the same fate as your mother."
As he looked up weakly at Ming, Rick chose not to speak, despite the odds that were against him.
"Very well," Ming replied at the lack of his cooperation, "Any last words?"
"Not to you." Rick rasped. He closed his eyes as the images of his friends and teammates flashed before his eyes. Those he was about to leave behind. His father, who had already dealt with a loss with his mother dying by the same circumstances. Jedda, the woman he loved, too bad she would never know how he felt. LJ, his best friend. Kshin, who looked up to him as an older brother. Rick was unsure how he was going to handle this. Mandrake. Lothar, and finally, the Phantom.
"Love you guys...so much." the blonde haired boy said to himself, "I'm sorry."
Rick took a deep breath, and Ming pulled the lever to full power.
The four older Defenders managed to fight off the illusions the sorcerers set up for them thanks to Mandrake as they went to rescue the kids, unaware they would be too late to save one of them. As Flash and the Phantom managed to create a diversion to eliminate the Sorcerers of Teros, Mandrake and Lothar spotted Kisa heading to the Hall of Inquisition.
"Mandrake look!" Lothar exclaimed, "It's Kisa!"
"It's the Hall of Inquisition." Mandrake told his friend/comrade. The two men were shocked to hear Rick screaming from outside the room.
"It's Rick!" Mandrake told his friend as they hurried into the room to find a horrible sight before them. Rick was shaking terribly, probably another seizure, screaming in tremendous pain and blood was running out of his nose. Mandrake and Lothar looked on in shock and horror as they could clearly remember the sight he saw when they had found Flash's wife Dale laying lifeless after her life force was drained by the Inquisitor back on Mongo, and now Flash's son was close to meeting the same fate.
"Not again." Mandrake said quietly.
"You both have come too late!" Ming told the magician and his assistant/friend. In anger, Lothar fired at the room and one of the blasts turned off the machine that was brutally torturing Rick.
As Lothar and Mandrake hurried to opposite sides of the chair Rick was strapped to. Mandrake gently touched his friend's face and then he grabbed his wrist to learn his skin was cold to the touch, and what was worse was there was no pulse. There was no heartbeat, and the boy didn't respond to anything Mandrake tried anymore.
"Mandrake?" Lothar glanced at his friend as he got the last of the restraints off of Rick. The magician shook his head, confirming the fear that they both had: Rick Gordon was dead.
Suddenly, the entire room was shaking, almost like an earthquake.
"We need to get to the others!" Mandrake exclaimed. Lothar nodded as he carried Rick's lifeless body in his arms, dreading what they would have to tell Flash once they did reunite. He had lost his wife by Ming interrogating her, and now he had just lost his son the same way.
The group hurried and they met up with first the Phantom.
"Flash disabled the system stabilizer." the Phantom told the others, "We need to get out of here fast."
Jedda, LJ, Kshin and Zuffy arrived at the scene and immediately their sights were on Rick. Quickly, LJ covered Kshin's eyes, "Don't look, Kshin. Please, don't look."
"What's the matter?" Kshin asked with concern in his voice, "Is Rick okay?"
"No," Jedda answered with a cracked voice, "He's not."
Mandrake mentally thanked the older boy for shielding him from this, however it was inevitable that the young boy would learn the truth.
"Dad, is he..." LJ started to ask, but stopped himself afraid of what the answer would be. Finally, Flash arrived at the scene. He came to a screeching halt and paled at the sight of his son, his face smeared with blood, curly blonde hair messed up where it had been previously covered with sweat and laying limp in Lothar's arms, "Rick! Rick!"
"Flash..." Mandrake started to say.
"What happened to him?!" Flash frantically asked.
"Ming had him at the Hall of Inquisition," LJ answered, "to interrogate him about something."
"Rick. Rick!" Flash grabbed his son and held him in his arms, "No. No!"
The heroes entered the ship while the Phantom took the Terry that the kids took earlier to get to Ice Station Earth. Lothar piloted the ship home, knowing there would be sadness and grief in the midst.
Flash and Mandrake laid Rick's lifeless body on one of the beds that were nearby. Jedda, LJ and Kshin were with them. Rick had been dead before, but at that time, the Hall of Wisdom was able to revive him, but sadly there was no miracle revival. Realizing what was going on, Kshin desperately shook him, trying to wake him up.
"Kshin!" LJ exclaimed in surprise.
"Rick, wake up!" Kshin shook his friend in hopes to wake him up, "Rick, you got to wake up!"
"Kshin," Mandrake pulled his adopted son away from the area, "I'm sorry you had to see this, but I'm afraid Rick is no longer with us."
"No, it can't be true." Kshin cried in denial as tears streamed down his face, "Rick can't be dead. He just can't be!"
Mandrake extended his arms, allowing his young protege to cry as he comforted him. Jedda started crying herself as LJ was comforting her with tears down his face. The others were at a close distance watching as Flash was tearfully looking over at his lifeless son. He looked pale and calm, not what he would ever thought to describe his son. He broke into sobs as he held his son's lifeless body close to him. Flash wished that it was him instead, he wished that he would somehow find a way to take his son's place as the one that was dead, that way his only child would still be alive, however he knew that would never happen.
The next thing the Defenders knew, Rick's funeral had taken place. Flash felt uncomfortable as he was in all black contrast to his signature red color. Tears were down his face as he looked down at the hole which had lowered Rick Gordon's coffin. This was wrong in all levels. A parent was not supposed to bury their child. This was unfair to say the least. What was worse about this whole thing was it wasn't that long ago that they had buried his wife Dale in the same cemetery as her grave was not too far from where Rick's was. While Dale's essence was still within Dynak X, there was no way to get Rick's soul in a computer of some sort.
All of his remaining teammates were by his side. They all shared the same mourning that he did, yet in different ways.
They weren't the only ones at the funeral. In regards of the guests that were there, it was quite more than Dale's funeral. Many people had shown up to pay their respects. Teachers from the school were present, as well as some of their classmates. Some of the classmates present were crying over this loss while others consoled the ones that were crying. There was no other family present sadly, Flash's sister Amy was unable to make it to the funeral because of her work, and his parents were across the country and at their age, they couldn't be expected to travel so far. Dale's father passed from cancer five years ago and her mother had taken ill and was currently in the hospital. There were other people present as well as the Defenders of the Earth were well known to all, even the children. They were there paying respects to Rick and to comfort Flash as the world was in mourning.
The Phantom could recall what a fine teammate and comrade that Rick would turn out to be. He was also thankful for him loving his daughter the way he did.
Lothar remembered what a fine young man that Rick would turn out to be and a helpful teammate as well.
Mandrake remembered was an exceptional young man Rick was and admired his brilliance as he was able to invent anything that would help the team.
Kshin could remember what a great big brother that Rick was to him and how helpful he was and caring as well, like a brother would be.
LJ remembered Rick being his best friend, his closest friend. He remembered the time they were first captured by Ming's frost men and they escaped to rescue their fathers from certain death.
Jedda remembered Rick as someone that was truly there for her. He died for her once back at the Hall of Wisdom. He had been revived at that time but this time there was no miracle revival. Regret and sadness filled her heart as those times they spent together, she never got to tell Rick how she felt about him. Worst of all, she never even got to say goodbye.
Flash, who was affected by this the most, could remember that he was an excellent teammate, bright young man, a son that he could be proud of. Now he was gone. Flash was never going to see him again.
One by one, the guests left after they said their goodbyes until only Rick's teammates were left. It was time for them to say goodbye. One by one, each of the Defenders said their goodbyes to Rick. Mandrake was by Kshin's side as it was hard for the youngest member of the team to go through this. Lothar and LJ said their goodbyes next. Followed by the Phantom and Jedda.
"Thank you for loving my daughter the way you did." the Phantom told Rick. He gestured towards his daughter, "Take your time, Jedda. I will be right here."
He knew she could handle herself, but he wanted to give his daughter as much comfort as possible.
"Rick," Jedda concentrated looking down at the body in the beautiful brown casket, "I love you so much. I'll miss you. Goodbye."
Finally, it was Flash's turn to say goodbye. He had many regrets as a father, one including allowing him to watch his mother die by the hands of Ming and another big one being not telling him three words that he should have told him enough, "I love you."
He said them to his son at times, but it was never enough, but now it was too late. He now had to say the one word that he had hoped to have never say again ever since he had buried his wife, not in this way.
"I love you, son." Flash said through his tears, "Goodbye."
He took a deep breath and looked down as he walked away from the grave site. Then moments later, Flash looked up with anger yet determination on his face, he vowed that he would destroy Ming and avenge his family if that was the last thing he ever did!
Author's Note: This happens to be the longest, yet the most hardest piece of work that I have ever written in my life. The most challenging story I have ever written too. A story arc during "When Worlds Collide" is going to have a situation that will come close to this situation but not quite. Well, there you have it.