"More than a week wasted scouring Mars looking for those two and I have nothing to show for it!" Mace said angrily. Depressed by his unfruitful search for Torque and Harley, Mace had returned to Plutopia II for a short vacation before returning to Mars to search for them once more.
Mace was presently at his oceanfront luxury condominium while a small army of prisoners from Plutark were working around the clock to find Torque and Harley on Mars. Mace had bribed prison officials on Plutark to allow him to use Plutarkian prisoners to help him search for Torque and Harley.
Most of Plutark's prisoners were considered to be the dregs of Plutarkian society. They were primarily low-income and uneducated. Unlike wealthier Plutarkians, they lacked the finances and the influence to bribe judges or hire top dollar attorneys to keep them out of prison when they broke the law.
Unbeknownst to Mace, the Plutarkian prisoners revolted against the guards that he hired to keep watch over them. The Plutarkian prisoners beat the guards up and then ran off. They hijacked a spaceship belonging to a mercenary who had been afflicted with the food poisoning that Limburger's goons suffered from. The prisoners fled Mars immediately, retreating to parts unknown.
Mace was enjoying his breakfast and reading the morning newspaper on his balcony when his butler brought his portable vidcom to him. "Sir, it is one of your guards," the butler told Mace in his prim and proper voice. "He says that something dreadful has happened on Mars."
Mace grabbed the vidcom from his butler. His head guard was on the vidcom. The guard shook visibly with fear.
"Sir," the guard began in a shaky voice. "The prisoners revolted against us. They escaped in a spaceship they stole from one of the mercenaries suffering from food poisoning."
"What!" Mace screamed at the top of his lungs. "I paid top dollar for you guards and you let me down like this?! I should have never left Mars. I should have stayed there to ensure that the job was done correctly." An enraged Mace threw the vidcom against his wall, smashing it into pieces.
Mace then rubbed his temples in an attempt to soothe the headache that started immediately after he learned that the Plutarkian prisoners had escaped from his guards.
"Mace's headache was further aggravated by a loud knock at his front door.
"I'll get it sir," Mace's butler said as he hastily made his way to the front door. The butler opened the door to reveal Limburger and Karbunkle dressed in loud, Hawaiian shirts, shorts, and sandals. The two of them wore sunglasses and were sipping tropical drinks from coconuts. They were accompanied by Fred the Mutant, who carried their numerous pieces of luggage. Fred the Mutant could barely stand due to the weight of the luggage, a fact that caused him to be in a state of euphoria.
"That's so nice," the mutant cooed happily. A blissful smile was on his face.
"What do you want Lawrence," Mace hissed at Limburger as he came to the door. "I am not in the mood for jokes."
"As I imagine that you wouldn't be," Limburger said with a smile on his face. "After all, your incompetence led to the escape of the vast majority of Plutark's prisoners."
"It was not my incompetence, it was the incompetence of those imbecilic guards that I hired," Mace corrected Limburger.
"Tell that to the judge at your trial," Limburger told Mace. "You see, the Plutarkian government is not at all pleased about your continued failings. You have failed to apprehend those female fugitives in a timely manner. Now, your incompetence has led to Plutark losing one of its cheapest labor forces. Who else is going to make Plutark's license plates and other products for little or nothing?"
"Mace, the Plutarkian government has stripped you of your position on Plutopia," Limburger continued. Your Swiss cheese bank accounts have been frozen. Your automobiles, jewelry, art, and residences, including this one, have been auctioned off at fire sale prices. In addition, there is presently a warrant out for your arrest for your unlawful bribery of prison officials."
Limburger showed Mace a piece of paper. It was a deed that stated that Limburger was now the owner of Mace's condominium.
"What!" Mace cried. "This can't be happening!"
Limburger smiled. "It can and it is. Officers, you can take him away now," Limburger called out of the doorway. Two portly members of Plutark's highly corrupt police force came into the condominium and placed handcuffs on Mace. The two police officers who had come to take Mace into custody were on the take. They had been paid off by Limburger.
"No!" Mace yelled. "You can't do this to me!" Mace screamed as the officers' drug him out of the condo.