Chapter 10

At first, Spectra kept up its barrage of attacks. During the following two weeks they sent the Lady Mala and her squad of Galaxy Girls to assassinate Chief Anderson, stole the Conway Tapes, created a weapon that can de-transmute the team, and launched a Sea Anemone mecha to attack the Federation's newest submarine base, in Galaxy 30.

How I have longed to sabotage the team! I could have done things, to hinder their work, to cause them problems. I have lectured myself on my poor timing: if Jason had been incapacitated when Lady Mala made her first assassination attempt, both he and Chief Anderson would be dead now.

However, for the last week, there have been no Spectran attacks whatsoever. The G-Force team is starting to chafe at their inactivity. Especially Keyop, who isn't normally very patient to begin with.

I am chafing at the inactivity as well, because it means that I could not do anything to sabotage the team. But I need to wait, just as they do.

I know that I was in a precarious position after my failed attempt to destroy Jason's mind, through his implant. I needed to draw suspicion away from myself. And so for the past three weeks, I have been a model Federation robot. I have monitored the galaxy for signs of enemy activity, and prepared my usual, obsequious, inanely cheerful logs. I have bent over backwards to ensure that the G-Force team is always ready, and alert, for trouble.

But I have waited long enough. The only question is: what should I do now?

As if in response to my silent plea, I discover a transmission coming from the Crab Nebula. It is on the same, ancient, frequency as the previous signal I received nearly a month ago.

Quickly, I turn my attention to the signal. As before, it is binary in form, and I quickly interpret the information being sent. There are only two words.

…beetles… …boy…

Following this is a set of co-ordinates, on the planet Earth.

The message is not repeated. Quickly, I analyze what this could mean. Spectra likes to design their mechas after animals. I am presuming that this could mean that perhaps a beetle mecha will be attacking?

And what about the word 'boy'? Could it mean… Keyop? It would be an obvious supposition.

And then the set of co-ordinates. My best guess is that they want me to send Keyop to that location.

This is something I can easily accomplish for my Lord Zoltar. I send a return message, consisting of one word.

…tomorrow...

88888

"Why yes, Keyop, I would love to hear about your bug collection!" I exclaim, mentally steeling myself to listen to another hour of excited burbling from the youngest G-Force member. Keyop is sitting in the G-Force Ready Room, regaling me with tales of the many insects he has discovered over the past few months.

"Brrrt… and then… the biggest slug… you ever saw… doot… came crawling out of the ground!" he exclaims. He is very excited, and yet, his stutter is barely noticeable. I can tell that he doesn't often get to speak about this hobby to anyone.

"I… beep… grabbed it… doot… call him… Squeezy!" he continues.

Squeezy. I mentally shudder at this. I hope the name doesn't imply what I think it does.

"What I really need now… broop… to complete my collection… breet… are butterflies!" Keyop finishes.

"Butterflies?" I repeat, thinking quickly. "I know I heard some reports of Mariposa butterflies." I offer. "They were seen in Center City, at these co-ordinates." I quickly transmit the co-ordinates to Keyop.

"Wow! Brrrt… fantastic! Doot… thanks, Zark!" Keyop burbles. "I'll go… beep… first thing… tomorrow!"

It would appear that I have been able to fulfill my orders.

88888

The following day, I am finishing up my daily log with 1-Rover-1. I even mention that I sent Keyop on a 'wild goose chase' to get him out of Center Neptune, since he was going stir crazy.

I spend the rest of the day performing my duties as usual, but always keeping a constant watch on my communication systems for word from Keyop.

It does not come until the next morning, when Chief Anderson contacts me.

"Zark!" he exclaims, "We're getting word of four alien beetle mechas, attacking the Earth! They are going on a destructive rampage in Center City!"

"That's terrible!" I exclaim, antennae popping. "I am sending evacuation orders right now!" Quickly, I transmit the orders to the local authorities.

"Shall I send word to G-Force, to assemble on the Phoenix?" I ask, when I am finished.

"Yes, but Zark…" I can hear the Chief hesitating, "We think that Keyop has been abducted. Princess said that he brought home a beetle he found yesterday as a pet. We think that it was actually one of these mechas. Three other young boys have been reported missing as well."

"Oh no!" I cry in alarm. "I'll let the team know to follow up on this!"

"Please hurry, Zark." the Chief urges me, before the communication ends.

Quickly, I contact Mark, and then he decides to have the team follow the mechas individually. They quickly determine that each of the mechas has a boy onboard, and therefore, the special missiles the Red Rangers were going to fire are useless. We can't risk hurting innocent children.

The beetles took four boys… only one of them is Keyop. I wonder if Spectra knows that they have a member of G-Force under their control? Or do they think they are all random boys that I sent to those co-ordinates? Unfortunately, my limited communications with my foster father do not allow me any answers to this.

I try to pass the time by co-ordinating Center City's evacuation with the local emergency personnel, but it doesn't work. In the back of my mind I am nervously awaiting word from the team.

I am less than overjoyed, a few hours later, to learn that Keyop, and the other three boys, have been rescued, and the Spectran base and mechas destroyed. However, I can at least acknowledge that this was not my failure. I sent Keyop, as I had been ordered, and it was Lord Zoltar's human subordinates who made mistakes.

It is of small comfort.