Captain Scarlet
Adventures
Disclaimer: All rights reserved. This is a fanfic collection of stories adapted from Captain Scarlet comic strips.
Snow Shock
Deep within the forbidding mountains of the Himalayas, freezing temperatures and desolate, a vast area unknown to man continued its advanced operations in the biting cold. A new communications base was about to become operational. It was built and paid for by the World Government's environment department and was built to link remote areas across the one thousand five hundred mile mountainous region. The base would provide new sources of solar energy for the inhabitants that lived in the foothills more than seven thousand meters below. However, such a sophisticated base wouldn't be safe for danger. It made an ideal target for The Mysterons, who frequently upped the ante in their war of nerves against the forces of the Earth. Despite the Government's plans for a brighter future, they had to contend with the fear that accompanied their ambitions.
Meanwhile, high in the sky above the mountain range, Cloudbase, supreme headquarters for the Spectrum organisation, gleamed in the bright sunlight. News of the communications base made its way into a new report which sat before Colonel White's eyes. The grizzled spectrum chief didn't share the Government's optimism, opting to put his staff on amber alert. The communications base had its benefits for Spectrum as well. He realised that the base would indeed attract the attention of their Martian enemy. He looked up and over towards Lieutenant Green's station, distracting the young man from his daydream.
"Lieutenant, Get me Captain Scarlet and Captain Blue up here will you?" he said with a tense grumble.
"Yes, sir," Green replied as he stabbed a button on the computer bank.
Sitting comfortably in the officer's lounge with his feet propped up on the table, Captain Blue fell into a relaxed demeanour, his eyes closed. He had returned from a long shift in Tokyo when he was dispatched to investigate possible Mysteron activity. Captain Scarlet stared thoughtfully through the window at the clouds below. He had just beat Captain Magenta at a game of three-dimensional chess and found that the time had begun to drag. Suddenly, they were all snapped to attention by the base's intercom chime. The Lieutenant's voice sounded, summoning the two captains.
"Will Captains Scarlet and Blue report to the control room immediately."
Scarlet sighed as Blue awoke from his restful nap. The two men adjusted their tunics, grabbed their hats and left the officers lounge. They stood before the Colonel in the control room moments later. The Colonel looked up at them both with a frowned expression. The blinking lights from his desk cast a shine on his rugged face. The Colonel began their conference.
"As you know this new base will help us considerably in our operations," he said. "I want you there at the base. Commander Jack Sievers has requested we be at the launch ceremony to ensure everything goes smoothly. Prepare to leave early tomorrow morning."
As the two men turned to leave, Captain Scarlet asked the one question that gnawed at him.
"Sir, do you suspect the Mysterons will target the base?"
The Colonel nodded glumly. "I do, Captain. It's a sitting duck as far as I'm concerned and we must protect it at all costs. That will be all, Captain."
"S.I.G," Scarlet replied.
Back at the site of the communications base, operations proceeded without delay. High up on a peak above the facility, sinister eyes scrutinized the base closely through a pair of high powered binoculars. A slim tall figure, dressed in brown arctic gear, scanned the base with dark black eyes. The light from the harsh Himalayan sun illuminated his face, revealing the ghost-like features of Captain Black. As the Mysteron agent watched the personnel work away below him, the voice of his Martian superiors pierced his thoughts.
"Captain Black, this is the voice of The Mysterons. The Earthmen's breakthrough with communications must not succeed. Destroy the heart of the complex before it becomes operational."
Black lifted his head and acknowledged his orders.
"I understand. It will be destroyed."
The next day, The Mysterons announced their next act of aggression. It was picked up over Spectrum's wavelengths and broadcasted over its power transmitters.
"This is the voice of The Mysterons. We know that you can hear us, Earthmen. Our retaliation for the attack on our city continues. Beware of the creatures within the abode of snow."
The transmission ended and the Colonel pondered quizzically over the alien message. Captain Scarlet had joined him in the control room.
"It would appear that the Mysterons are going to strike soon," he said, running his chin.
"But the abode of snow...what does that mean?" asked Scarlet.
Lieutenant Green interrupted them with the answer. He pressed a button and an area map of the base appeared on the large oval screen. The young Lieutenant raised his voice in excitement.
"I've got it! It's the language of the district! Abode of snow means the Himalayas!"
The Colonel studied the map, agreeing with Green's answer. He knew exactly where the target was. It was just as he'd suspected. The new communications base was the target. Turning back towards the Lieutenant, the Colonel issued his orders. As he did this, Captain Scarlet signalled for his friend and comrade, Captain Blue to join them.
"Lieutenant Green, launch all Angels!" White ordered. "Order them to overfly the base and maintain radio contact on the hour!"
In the Angels' luxurious amber room, the Lieutenant's voice summoned them together, Rhapsody Angel, already on stand by, launched her jet fighter down the carrier and into the sky. Melody and Harmony slipped into their white and gold-trimmed flight suits, placed on their helmets, and ascended through the tube lift in their flight seats. As soon as they entered their Angel jet craft, they took off from the carrier, following their lead Angel. Lieutenant Green reported the Angels status when Captain Blue stepped out of the elevator. The Colonel issued them their orders.
"Captain Scarlet. I want you and Captain Blue to leave for the mountain base immediately. Requisition an SPV once you arrive in the foothills."
A short while later, the Spectrum Passenger Jet appeared on the flight deck. Captain Scarlet took the controls while his Spectrum comrade fastened his safety belt. After his launch clearance was approved, the Spectrum Jet rolled down the carrier runway and gently glided off into the clouds. The Colonel watched the jet disappear over the horizon from the control room observation tube. He thought deeper into the Mysteron plan. His muscles tightened.
"Well, at least we know where they will strike, but not how?" he said aloud. "Beware of the creatures. What creatures?"
The Spectrum Passenger Jet, accompanied by her Angel escort, flew effortlessly over the Himalayan mountain range. They were few miles away from the landing strip. Captain Blue looked down from the passenger window and spotted the metallic structure of the base below. As they banked and prepared for touch down, Scarlet's cap microphone swung down in front of his lips.
"Captain Scarlet to Commander Seivers, base control. We'll be with you in an hour,"
A friendly voice greeted them in response. "Okay, Captain Scarlet. We're ready and waiting for you. So far everything is quiet."
Finally, the jet made its final approach towards Kathmandu airport. Captain Blue signalled them for their landing clearance.
Meanwhile, a solitary guard made his rounds through the grounds of the base. He trained his ears to detect unauthorised sounds, but all he could hear was the harsh winds that swept amongst the power generators, As he approached the entrance to the control tower, the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow caught his attention. Before he could react, he felt a strong, steely hand grab him from behind. A powerful chokehold incapacitated him and his body slumped to the ground before the feet of Captain Black. The former Spectrum agent entered the main building complex and slipped silently towards the control room. Remaining out of sight, he eves dropped on the controller and waited. It was time to begin the work of the Mysterons. Less than a mile away, on the freezing, uninviting terrain, the snow and ice concealed a series of prehistoric tombs, concealing them from the modern world. Suddenly, the area was lit up by a menacing sign as two glowing green rings scanned across the area of snow. The mysterious rings blinked out of existence as quickly as they came. The undisturbed ice began to shift violently as cracks ruptured through the ground. Flecks of snow fell into darkened cracks. The sound of movement stirred below.
Then suddenly, a large, muscular hand, covered in thick matted brown fur, clawed its way out of the crack. It dragged its claws along the ice, burying them. A large bipedal creature, which resembled the appearance of the legendary Bigfoot, rose on its hind legs and stumbled out onto the plain. It sniffed the air, adjusting its senses to the cold and harsh wastelands. It let out a deep grumble which carried in the wind. Six identical creatures emerged from their icy tombs as they grouped around their supposed leader. Centuries ago, the ancient ape-like creatures roamed the region. Thought to have been wiped out, they were frozen in stasis from the ice age, only to be restored by the Mysterons. One by one, The Mysteronised Abominable Snowmen moved through the blizzard toward their target.
At the same time, Captain Scarlet and Captain Blue arrived at an old wooden shack in the foothills outside the airport. The building owner, dressed in his thick winter gear, looked up from his work and stared at the two brightly coloured gentlemen. The tail of Scarlet's arctic coat flayed in the wind. He greeted the thick moustached gentleman with a slight smile.
"Captain Scarlet, Spectrum. Request SPV Four Nine One immediately."
The man asked him for his identification. Scarlet extended his arm and flashed his Spectrum pass. Satisfied with his credentials, the man led the two Captains into the building. He tugged at a lever on the inner wall and the building collapsed outwards around them. The shiny blue-grey hull of the SPV shimmered in the sun. Obliging the man, Captain Scarlet climbed into the Spectrum tank, taking up position in the driver's seat. The engines roared to life. The rear-facing video monitors flicked on, displaying a clear and crisp image of the village behind them. Scarlet looked over at Blue with a stern look on his face.
"Right, Captain. Let's get to the base, and quickly!"
The SPV thundered out of the village and took the singular narrow road that led them into the mountains. Its powerful wheels sliced through the surface ice like a hot knife through butter. Blue's epaulettes flashed White. He made his report to Cloudbase. High above on the mountain top, the Mysteronised creatures trudged closet to their target, and in the dark confines of the control centre, Captain Black surveyed the SPV on a portable TV monitor. He knew he had to take them out separately. He glanced across the room at the clock on the wall. The snowmen would be there soon. Sure enough, the seven bipedal creatures approached the entrance to the base, Base controller Sievers continued his work, unaware of the danger that lurked both inside and out. Captain Black remained a few feet behind him, like a spectre in the dark.
Cruising high above the base, Rhapsody Angel spotted something peculiar out of the corner of her eye. She banked and passed over the base a second time when she made visual contact. She bit her lip as she reported the mysterious encounter to Cloudbase.
"Angel One to base, I've spotted something down below," she said in disbelief. "I don't believe it!
The Colonel's rough voice sounded in the cockpit. "What is it, Rhapsody. What do you see?"
"There's a whole herd of...Abominable Snowmen!" she replied. "And they're about to enter the base!"
As incredible as it sounded, the pieces fell into place. The Mysterons had played their hand. Several miles away, The SPV turned off the road and proceeded to take a short cut through the mountains. When they arrived at the base of a snow mound, Scarlet flipped a switch. The SPV's rear caterpillar tracks swung down and spun wildly, churning the snow beneath them. The powerful tracks slowly propelled the Spectrum tank up the side of the mound. As he concentrated on the treacherous terrain, Scarlet's epilates flashed white. Colonel White informed them of the developments at the base. The two officers looked at each other incredulously.
"Scarlet, I want you to take a closer look at those creatures," the Colonel concluded. "Captain Blue, you'll infiltrate the base through another entrance and join Seivers. He may need some help."
The two men replied with synchronous S.I.G.
Back in the control room, Captain Black seized his moment. He crept up behind Seivers and stuck him in the back of the head with a thunderous punch. Sievers collapsed from his station. As the Mysteron agent prepared to open the doors for the creatures, a shimmer caught his eye. He glanced out of the window as the SPV rolled to a halt outside the rear entrance. Time was against him. As he shuffled towards the main lever which opened the main doors, he was caught off guard. The door flew open behind him and Captain Blue rushed in with his gun drawn. A gunshot rang out as the Mysteron agent fired at the Spectrum agent. The bullet pierced Blue's shoulder, sending his pain receptors into overdrive. Blue dropped to the floor as he watched Black make his getaway. Writhing in pain, he clutched his arm and slumped his body up against the wall. He called out to his friend who remained outside.
"Captain Scarlet! I've been injured. Captain Black was here. He escaped via the emergency exit."
Advancing on the creatures, Captain Scarlet acknowledged the cries of his injured comrade. All he could do was advise him to hang on. As he stepped closer towards the herd, the snapping of a loose twig caught their attention. The creatures turned and looked down on Scarlet with a deadly snarl. Scarlet drew his gun and fired, dropping one of the creatures. The creature shrilled in pain while its fellow snowmen charged the indestructible agent. Scarlet leapt back and fired again. He heard the sonic engines of the Angels whiz above his head. He knew that he wasn't alone. Observing the skirmish below, Rhapsody radioed into Cloudbase for instructions.
"Colonel White, the creatures are going to tear Captain Scarlet apart! Suggest an offensive posture!"
The Colonel acknowledged her plight and formulated a plan.
"Angels One, Two and Three. Fire at the snow line above them. It's your only hope of saving Scarlet and the base!"
One by one, the Angels banked towards the snow-laden slopes above the base. Rhapsody made the first dive, lining the snow line in her targeting scope. She thumbed the red firing button and struck the snow cap with a powerful rocket. The explosion jarred the snow loose, but it remained in place. Harmony made the second attack run. She angled the sharp nose of her craft towards the snow line and fired. A second explosion sent the entire snow line tumbling down the mountain. A huge avalanche rumbled down the mountainside, sweeping the creatures off their feet and Scarlet along with them. The roaring ceased and the snow settled. The creatures were entombed once more. Scarlet blacked out under the intense cold and heavy snow that pinned his body down.
When he awoke, Scarlet found himself in the comfortable warmth of the Cloudbase sickbay. He had been out for three days as his extraordinary healing powers struggled from the frostbite he suffered. He sat upright on the bed when Captain Blue entered the room. His audacious smile masked the pain from his aching shoulder. He took a seat next to Scarlet, taking a moment to bring him up to speed.
"Well, the base opened without a hitch, Paul," he said. "The Mysterons will leave it alone now. The creatures have returned to their state of preservation in the ice."
Scarlet looked at him thoughtfully. "And we've won this round with The Mysterons. Right now, Adam, all I want is a nice cup of tea."
Blue got up and smiled. "Well, I think you're in luck. Nobody's touched the Himalayan Darjeeling."
The two men laughed collectively as they celebrated another victory against the Mysterons. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be long before they were thrust into another adventure.
END