Mark pushed past Princess and looked at Jason. "Very funny, Jason. You want to get out of her, or just crack jokes?"
"Out. Definitely out. Zoltar makes a rotten host." He stood and then carefully felt along the edge of the thin mattress. "Give me a minute to grab my gear, though." He found what he was looking for, a slit hidden next to the edge binding. He slipped his hand through, rummaged about and extracted not only his bracelet, but also his gun.
"I'd wondered how you'd hidden those," said Mark. "All packed."
"Bag and baggage." Jason raised his arm and transmuted and Mark realised that he was bookended by two Condors.
He groaned. This was probably up there as one of his worst nightmares. He turned to the smaller figure. "Get that robot in here, Princess."
She stepped aside and the robot Jason entered the small cell, which was rapidly becoming overcrowded. Princess slipped past and pulled the shirt of the robot up, revealing the opening to its chest cavity. She made some adjustments and closed it up again, turned and grinned at the other two.
"Zoltar's going to get a big surprise when he trots "Jason" out next time," she said, her grin more of a smirk. "Once we see the transmission, I can make a nice boom!"
"You wound me, Princess," said Jason. "If I was more paranoid I'd think you wanted to get rid of me."
"But, Jason," she said, eyes wide. "Killing you has been one of my life's missions."
"Will you two stop it and let's get out of here," said Mark in exasperation.
"Wait, Mark," said Jason. "We really wanna blow up this place. It seems to be their main base, and main training station. We definitely do not want to leave it intact."
"Not to mention the extreme bad taste of using Star Wars as the model for their prison block," remarked Princess. "I hope we don't have to use a garbage chute to escape."
Mark was getting more annoyed with both of them by the second. "If we do, I blame you for standing chatting rather than us getting out of here." He started to move towards the central area. "We can talk and walk. Jason, you're right. I want this place destroyed. Let's get back to that Map so we can find the control area."
"Don't need that map, Mark. I know exactly how to get to the control area. Remember – I've been there several times."
"I know, but I want us to separate and cause some havoc. It'll be easier if we know where to go."
They were almost at the map area when they heard the noise of people. "Well, there's that idea gone to pot," said Princess. "Shift change?"
"Maybe. Let's separate and try to meet in the control room. And for god's sake, the pair of you keep apart. We're done for if they see two Condors together."
Jason smirked and took in the shape of the other Condor. "Not as much as if Mark looses control and sees an Eagle cuddling a Condor!" He vanished leaving Princess to seethe and plot revenge, before going in a third direction.
**
From the various noises they could hear in the distance, all three knew what sort of trouble the others were making.
When Princess and Jason met up at an intersection, and with only one way they could both go they couldn't resist grinning at each other.
"Lot of doors down there, Condor," said one Condor.
"Yup," said the other. "Lots of ways to make trouble."
"Yup."
"After you."
One of the Condors grinned and slipped inside the first door. The second opened the door next to it and tossed in a small explosive. He then darted into the door opposite.
The bang was the cue for the second Condor to appear and make a similar move, yet a little further down the corridor.
This went on several times, until the pair came to the end of the corridor which then seemed to open to a mezzanine. "More fun," said one Condor going right.
"Definitely," said the other going left.
Mark, who had just entered from below, had a ringside view of the havoc being caused. He considered intervening, but decided to just make himself invisible in his corner and enjoy the show.
The first cry of "Condor" as one appeared, caused guns to be aimed, but a smoke bomb stopped any actual firing. Confusion started when another goon pointed to the other side. "Condor!"
"How did he get there?"
"Condor!" screamed another at a form a little further down on the right.
"There can't be two fucking Condors!"
"Then how do you explain that?" Mark grinned at the edge of panic in the voice. The lack of "bang" had surprised him, until he realised that his pair of Condor's were using the Condor reputation as their weapon of choice.
It almost fell apart when Zoltar entered. "Get that G-Forcer!" he ordered.
"We're trying, Sire, but he keeps moving to fast. We think he's on one side, but then turns up on the other."
"Then there is obviously two people. I KNEW we had the right person. The other must have been an impostor."
"You can't impersonate the Condor, Sire," screamed one goon in panic. "Nobody can do that!"
Mark decided to take measures. "Princess," he whispered into his communicator," get out of there now. Get back to the Phoenix and either hide or see if you can change into your own uniform. Now."
"Big Ten," came the response, equally low voiced.
"Jason, be ready."
"Big Ten."
Zoltar had turned on his petrified goons and started to threaten to shoot those who didn't get a grip. Mark stood and jumped to the balcony above.
"You appear to have a small personnel problem, Zoltar," he drawled.
"I am not as gullible as my men," snapped Zoltar. "I have worked out your little ruse."
"What ruse?" The remarks made in the Condor's laconic way caused everybody to turn sharply to the other side.
"So, they rescued you," said Zoltar. "Where is your companion?"
"Just us here," said Mark. "Check your cells if you don't believe me."
Zoltar smirked and switched the video screens to the cellblock, which showed a sullen Jason sitting on the edge of the bed.
"We're just on our way to free your prisoner," said Jason. "I just wanted to have some fun first."
Mark tossed a small object towards the control panels where it stuck firmly.
"I'd start evacuation if I was you," he said. "That mini bomb may be small, but it makes a big bang – and you don't have long."
"Neither do you," said Zoltar, ordering his men to block entry to the jail.
"Time enough to do what we need to," said Mark as he and Jason dashed out and down the corridor.
"Phoenix, pick us up!"
Mark and Jason managed to clear the corridors in front of them by screaming "bomb" as they ran.
Jason smirked at the fleeing goons. "Zoltar just can't get good help, can he?"
"No – one little bomb and they all want to run away."
"What a shame."
Princess was at the rim when they arrived, urging them forward. "Hurry, I've rigged the reactor to explode," she explained.
"You were supposed to get back to the Phoenix!"
"I took a detour. I found a use for our robot Jason."
They were descending the bubble and felt the ship take off.
"Tiny get us out of here fast," said Mark.
"Already doing, Commander. Princess let me in on her plan."
"I wish she had decided to let me in on it," said Mark, more than a little annoyed.
"It was a spur of the moment thing," she explained, taking her seat. "I went via the cell area, and looped some more footage. Then I went and got the robot and ordered him to the reactor and to self destruct five minutes after my command. As soon as you ordered Tiny to pick you up, I sent the command."
"Glad to see you had so much faith in us getting out in time, Princess."
She snorted. "If it took you longer than five minutes to get from that control room out, then you don't deserve to be on the team," she said.
They watched the screen as the plume of fire showed her plan's success.
Mark looked at her and smiled. "Well done," he said. "And as soon as we get back to Neptune, your receptor is going to be fixed so I get my Swan back."
"You just can't cope with two Condors," grinned Jason.
"Not true," Mark replied amiably. "I just like looking at my Swan better." He looked intensely at Princess who smiled shyly back, her cheeks going pink. "She's much better to look at than a Condor," he reiterated.
"Prettier," piped up Keyop.
"You got it, Keyop," said Mark, not taking his eyes off Princess. "Though, Princess, you're good to look at no matter what."
"Room," was Jason's only remark.
