Chapter 12

Two days later, I receive a frantic call from Mark.

"Zark! Come in Zark! We need you!" he cries.

"What is it, Mark?" I respond immediately.

"It's Tiny!" Mark cries, "He's not responding to my hails! We need the Phoenix now!"

Oh, my. Could my plan have worked so well? And so soon?

"I'll do my best to get in contact with him, Commander!" I pledge.

I activate my system to hail Tiny's communicator.

"This is 7-Zark-7. Come in, Tiny!" I call. But not too loudly. After all, I wouldn't want to disturb him. I am crossing my metallic fingers, hoping that he's asleep. After all, I did arrange to have sedatives put into his ice cream snacks.

I can only hope that this is the right moment. Will Tiny's absence spell disaster for the team?

A couple of hours later, I discover that while the team was ineffective, there was no real damage done because Tiny and the Phoenix were not there.

But I am laughing gleefully inside, because as it turns out, Tiny was asleep. With a bunch of ice cream wrappers on the floor of the Phoenix's bridge beside him. Chief Anderson really let him have it and as a result, Tiny has resigned from G-Force.

This is incredible news! While Tiny is not the best fighter on the team, he is by far the best pilot. No one else can fly the Phoenix like he does. And without Tiny at the helm, the team could easily be in trouble.

Always five, acting as one…

This is more true than everyone realizes. Without Tiny, G-Force is only four, and not nearly as effective.

I only wish I could communicate with Lord Zoltar, to let him know the great success I have achieved today.

88888

My great success was short-lived. Unfortunately, Spectra's latest underwater mecha was attacking the fishing village Tiny came from. The former G-Force member was instrumental in destroying the base and throwing a wrench into Lord Zoltar's plans, and so he has been re-instated on the team.

I cannot believe the bad luck that seems to follow me around! Now I understand how my foster father feels. This is very frustrating. I know I am intelligent. Certainly, I am more intelligent than the members of G-Force all put together, and yet I cannot seem to outwit them.

This makes my lubricant boil. But outside, I must remain cheerful and efficient. After all, I am 7-Zark-7, Guardian of Center Neptune.

It's not easy, being me.

88888

A couple of days later, Jason rescues a woman from a Spectran robot attack, and brings her to the hospital. However, the circumstances surrounding her attack and subsequent rescue are somewhat suspicious. Chief Anderson has ordered me to investigate.

Reluctantly, I contact Jason on his communicator.

"This is 7-Zark-7, calling Jason. Come in, Jason!"

"Yeah?" comes the response. Jason sounds irritated.

"I need to talk to you, Jason, about the girl, Tyna." I begin.

There is silence on the other end of the communication channel.

"The girl whom you rescued from those Spectran robots last night." I explain.

"I know who Tyna is!" Jason barks. I steel myself for a sampling of his typical insults. I am not disappointed.

"Why are you sticking your non-existent nose into my business?" he growls.

"Well," I try to explain, "Chief Anderson has asked me to investigate the girl…"

"And since you're his little lap dog, you're just doing whatever he tells you to, is that it?" Jason grunts. "Did it ever occur to you to do your own thinking for a change? Do you really think that girl needs to be investigated after all she's been through?"

Well, actually, I agree with Chief Anderson that the circumstances surrounding her rescue were suspicious. But of course, I would prefer not to be investigating this at all, lest I actually discover something to support that concern. Of course, I can't say this.

"It's my duty to carry out whatever instructions the Chief…"

"I can't believe this!" Jason interrupts me. "I'm actually trying to talk sense into a pathetic excuse for a robot! How could I have been so stupid?"

"Jason, all I need is a description of the events of last night, in your own words." I say.

"That's why I filed a report, you bucket of bolts!" Jason protests. "I certainly don't need to repeat myself to a glorified toaster!"

Okay, that really hurt. On impulse, I say the first thing that comes to my mind.

"Being a toaster would be better than being an ungrateful, insolent human!" I yell.

There is silence.

I can't believe what I just said. No matter how much Jason was ruffling my cape, I should have stayed civil. Immediately, I apologize.

"I'm sorry, Jason." I say contritely, "I shouldn't have lost my temper like that."

"Yeah… no problem." Jason mutters. I don't know what he's thinking, but he seems to be taking my lapse of judgment in stride. "Just... read my report, will you?"

And then he signs off.

What have I done?

88888

As it turns out, there are no immediate ramifications to my heated exchange with Jason. After our conversation, Jason, Princess and Tiny were subsequently captured by Tyna and Lady Mala. Unfortunately, Mark and Keyop were able to effect their release, and the status quo has been maintained.

For once, I am grateful. My slip of the tongue (so to speak) has gone unnoticed. I must be more careful.

Over the next week, I work carefully to avoid suspicion. I continue to monitor the galaxy for signs of enemy activity, and converse with Susan and 1-Rover-1. No one seems to respond to me any differently from how they always have, and slowly, I come to believe that I have gotten away with my mistake. It doesn't hurt that Spectra launches their most threatening attack ever, by nearly causing the destruction of the Earth itself, through their manipulation of the Van Allen Belt.

One morning, a familiar beep notifies me of an incoming transmission, while I am on my ten-second oil break. There's only one entity who would bother me, while I'm on an oil break… Susan. Lately her conversations have become more and more suffocating, and I am having a hard time keeping up 'appearances' with her. Still, I have to answer this, lest she become suspicious.

"Zark, are you there?" she says in her usual sex-phone-operator voice.

"I'm here, Susan!" I reply. It says a lot that my antennae don't pop up. Lately, Susan has been annoying me that much.

"I wanted to know what you were doing, right now." she breathes. "Are you on an… oil break?" The way she says the words 'oil break' sounds like the way Princess says 'Commander', when she and Mark meet in my Ready Room. Back when they used to meet in my Ready Room.

"Why, yes, Susan!" I answer, trying to keep my tone light and cheerful. "How did you know?"

"Just a lucky guess…" she says huskily. "But actually, I have an important reason for contacting you."

"Oh?" I reply, "What reason?" Could it be that she wants to know if she should put her antennae up in curlers while on the job? I'm not sure Susan would have anything more momentous to say.

"I have a message for you." she says simply. Suddenly, her tone isn't as sexually charged as usual. What's going on, here?

"I have had command 7-X2-1321 activated in my system." she responds, in that same tone. It sounds almost… emotionless. Automated.

Wait a minute… did she say 7-X2-1321? That's my code!

As I ponder this, a memory comes to the surface of my databanks. When I created that code, I also programmed it into Susan's circuitry. She was in the process of being created, and I recall having a sudden impulse to put it there.

And now I remember why.

It was to be used to activate her in a memory-block capacity.

Memory-block mode is essentially a 'black-out' mode for robots. It is often used for robots that deal with sensitive information. Once they have performed their duties, their memory is completely wiped, and they are reset to the point at which the mode began. I do not have a memory-block function, and neither does Susan.

At least… she wasn't supposed to. It would appear that I programmed one into her.

But I didn't activate this mode. I'm only just now remembering that it existed for Susan. So who…?

"This is a message from your father." Susan states.

Lord Zoltar! He must have activated Susan's memory-block! This must be very important, indeed!

"I'm listening." I reply.

"You have done well." she says. I glow with pleasure at her words. "But there are more tasks for you to perform."

"I understand, and am willing to do whatever is asked." I answer.

"There will be an incursion of… flowers…" Susan continues. "When this occurs, you must send the woman to find them."

"Princess?" I ask, confused, "Are you referring to Princess?"

"The message states that you must send the woman." Susan repeats. "That is all."

"I will do so." I say.

"Memory block, de-activating…" Susan intones.

"Well, I should get back to my station, now…" Susan's husky tone is back. It is a shock, after what I just heard her say.

"Yes, Susan." I reply. "I'll be looking forward to our next conversation."

"I will too, Zark." she sighs, as the communication ends.

An incursion of flowers? What is Spectra up to now?