The Cloak of Black Velvet
In the skies above Acmetropolis, a black cloud appears over the Radio Service station and within the cloud, a massive black vessel appears and descends to the bottom of the cloud. Inside, an army of robots with curved blades and maces for arms and wearing purple robes with red hoods and red eyes gather around their leader dressed in a dark black robe and hood that glows purple inside. The figure's face is black and her eyes are covered with red goggles. In front of her, a square shaped drop hole is open. The woman is Black Velvet, a person, like the Loonatics, was affected by the meteor that crashed into the planet a year ago.
"Go have some fun boys. And remember; the hour of darkness has arrived." Velvet orders. With that, the robots turn into velvet colored balls that leave a smoke trail behind and they drop down onto the building of the station. Once they touch the roof, they rematerialize back into robots. As they charge through the station, the space around them suddenly turns into a velvet colored darkness, a darkness that the robots have no trouble with because of their infrared eyes that allow them to see through the darkness. Velvet then floats out of the vessel. "The Acmetropolis Series 5 Radar, boys! And now, it's mine." Velvet orders and the robots break off the dish at the base and they all group together to form a large mass of blob and they move the dish into the vessel as Velvet descends into the main room and confronts two technicians as the space turns velvet black.
"W- who are you?" one technician asks.
Velvet amusingly replies "Ha ha ha! I'm Black Velvet, darling. And I'll be taking over now!" Velvet lowers her hood, removes her goggles, and opens her eyes revealing them to be black with a faint velvet color.
Meanwhile, at Loonatics Tower, the Loonatics are relaxing. Rev and Rip working out in the gym room, Rev is running on the treadmill while Rip is lifting weights with and without his powers. Rev finishes his run at 40 minutes yet still doesn't feel exhausted and Rip finishes his workout without a strain. The brothers each put a towel over their necks.
"Same old workout for me. Not a hint of exhaustion. How about you, Rip?" Rev asks.
"Same here, Rev. I feel much stronger now and I can lift heavy objects longer than usual." Rip replies.
"Sweet! Great to stay in shape." Rev says and the brothers head to the main room.
Inside, Slam is eating watermelons, Tech is practicing meditation, Ace and Lex are watching, and Duck is trying to place an order on his cellphone.
"Hello. Superhero Costume Discount Warehouse? I've been trying to place an order. H- U- Hello?" Duck talks on the phone as Slam's loud eating is making it hard to hear the other end of the line and Slam does a burp. "Please, Slam, I'm trying to hear!" Then a beep is heard. "Oh, there you are. I'd like to order the Perforated Suave Superhero Cape in Robin's Egg Blue." Duck manages to place his order.
"I'll check on your order, sir. Please hold." A female voice answers and the call is placed on hold.
Duck does a handstand airborne flip and lands in front of Slam. "Just trying to jazz things up a bit. Give the costume a little flare, stand out more in front of the boss lady." Slam does a "uh-huh" and eats the rest of the watermelon and gives a smile. "Like you care." Duck replies.
Rev and Rip join Ace and Lexi behind Tech as he meditates. It felt new to see Tech try the meditating out.
"Check him out." Rip says in amusement.
"Yeah, Rip. He's so into the meditating thing." Lexi says in the same context.
"Ever since I showed him how to do it, nothing disturbs him." Ace says.
Tech had been looking for ways to take his mind of his work so he asked Ace how to do meditation. Once Ace taught Tech how to do it, Tech's been doing it several times lately and it seems to give him ease.
Duck is still trying to get through on his phone. "This is ridiculous! It's the 28th Century! We have jetpacks, hovercrafts, computer synchronized locked haymakers, but I still can't get a good cell signal on the 134th floor!" Duck's cellphone alarm ringer then activates with quacks and a ship alarm in one and it wakes Tech up with a shocked expression.
"I guess almost nothing disturbs Tech in his meditation." Rip jokes and the other Loonatics laugh.
"Duck, shut that ringer off." Tech says calmly, obviously upset at getting disturbed.
"At least the ringer works. The rest of it is junk." Duck counters.
Tech's hover pad then lands on the floor. "Have some respect. I'm clearing my mind here." Tech counters.
"Hmph. Please, you need a hazmat team to clear the junk out of your head, Tech." Duck jokes. Then his phone rings and he immediately answers, but gets static. "I've had it! No more technology for me! From now on, I do everything the old fashioned way." Duck declares.
Lexi shrugs it off. "Yeah, right. No phone, no EMP-3 Music Blaster 5000?"
Ace adds "And no high-tech weapons?"
Duck just shrugs them off. "Who needs them?" Then he makes two fireballs. "My bare hands are good enough weapons!" Duck smothers his balls as Tech gets him again.
"You couldn't go one low-tech week without high-tech stuff." Tech taunts.
It seems to catch Duck's fire. "Oh, really? Well I'm not you, Mr. Techno Geek!"
That seems to get Tech as he stands up. "Make you a bet. If you go one week without high-tech, I'll buy you that cape myself and if not, you buy it for me." Tech offers.
"You're on. As long as you get the boots too." Duck eagerly accepts
"No problem." Tech agrees.
Duck and Tech do a handshake to confirm the bet.
"Oh, by the way, I'm a 13 wide." Tech jokes, much to Duck's annoyance.
Then Zadavia's ring sounds off.
"Well, there's Zadavia. Let's go." Tech says and he and Duck head to the table.
"Any bets on who will win the bet?" Ace jokingly asks. The others do a shrug and snicker as they head to the table.
The team gather at the table and Zadavia appears.
"Gather around, Loonatics. We have a major crisis. Besides just costume requests, begin the holographic imaging feed." Tech activates the feed of Velvet's attack. "Moments ago, someone calling herself Black Velvet stole Acme Doppler Series 5 Radar System."
Rip catches on. "That system directs all air and space traffic in and out of Acmetropolis."
Lexi gets upset and annoyed. "So much for my weekend getaway at Acme Parco."
But Zadavia has more bad news. "I'm afraid it gets worse. They've also taken the Acme Super Computer."
Tech gives the description. "That's the most advanced system on the planet. I should know, I built it."
Duck gives his opinion on technology. "See? This is what happens when you rely on technology. Utter chaos! I am so gonna win this bet."
Zadavia gives a good reminder to Duck. "Duck! Please focus!"
Duck responds "Yessim."
"I'm uploading security footage now." Zadavia shows the team security footage of Black Velvet's attack.
"Can you get us a closer shot of those raiders, Tech?" Ace asks with curiosity.
Tech pushes a few buttons. "Done."
The footage gives a closer look of the raiders and then Black Velvet appears in the footage. At the sight of her, the team appears smitten.
"Hubba hubba!" Slam says with excitement.
Ace and Rip are also interested.
"Stop me, guys. I think I'm in love." Rip says in excitement.
"Oh, come on. She's not that pretty!" Lexi says with a hint of annoyance and jealousy.
Ace begs to differ. "Nah. They're right. She's hot!"
He then snaps back with a little fear as Lexi reminds him. "Keep your eyeballs in your head."
Zadavia gives them the mission. "Attractive or not, she's bad to the bone. And you have to figure out what she's up to. Good luck, Loonatics. Zadavia out." And her hologram disappears.
"Alright, gang! Let's jet!" Ace orders.
The Loonatics flew off in the Loonaporter to find Velvet. Lexi notices Ace is going a different direction.
"Um, Ace, aren't we going the wrong way? The space port is east."
Ace points to a black cloud in the sky. "Yeah, but we're going where the action is. Check out the skyline. Just like it was before the attack."
Tech is interested at the cloud's position. "That's right over the AcmeTech University."
Duck then gives his description of the University. "Which is the ancestral homeland of geeks, dweebs, and brainiac nerds."
Tech gives Duck a reminder. "I went to school there."
Duck seems unfazed. "There's a shocker."
"Does this baby have a hyperdrive." Ace asks and pushes the throttle forward giving the Loonaporter a boost. "I'll take that as a yes."
Lighting erupts over the Universty as the Loonaporter lands and the team disembark. As they do, Black Velvet's ship appears and her raiders attack in swarm and as they approach, the space around the team goes pitch black.
"Hey, who turned off the lights?" Duck asks.
Ace, Rip, Tech, and Rev group together.
"I guess these guys like to play dark hide and seek." Rip says in a joking matter.
"Tech, any thought or suggestions?" Ace asks.
"Well, right now we can hear them, but right now Rev has to be our eyes." Tech says.
Rev activates his GPS. "No problem, Tech. With my built in GPS I got a lock on them!" The raiders charge. "Watch out, Lexi, your surrounded!" Lexi unleashes her quick fighting moves.
"Back off, boys!" Lexi says as she knocks several raiders back.
Rev gives her directions. "Contacts bearing 45 degrees, 46, 47, 48." Lexi knocks them all down. The raiders close in on Rip. "Rip, they're behind you!" Rip turns around and beats them down. "Slam, they're right in front of you. Spin straight ahead." Slam spins and knocks down over a dozen raiders, but heads straight for Tech. "No no no, Slam, watch out!" Rev calls out but Slam and Tech knock into each other.
During this time, Black Velvet descends to retrieve her prize. She blasts the wall, and in front of her is the Light wave Eliminator. "The Light Wave Eliminator. My plan is nearly complete. Take it away boys!"
Her raiders move in and remove the Eliminator and push it out of the roof. Meanwhile, the Loonatics are in trouble.
"How many more are there?" Lexi asks.
"According to my GPS, they're all over us!" Rev answers.
"I can't see them, but I can smell them! Hyah!" Duck takes a swipe behind him, narrowly missing Ace.
"Hang out somewhere else, Duck." Ace says in annoyance.
"Sorry." Duck sheepishly responds.
Then Black Velvet appears over them. "We have what we came for. Crush them. I see dark days ahead, Loonatics! Hahahahaha ha!" Velvet and her raiders retreat into their ship with the Eliminator while more raiders hack at the supports for a building. The raiders fighting the Loonatics disperse, lighting up the space around them and as they leave, the building behind them collapses towards them.
"Scatter!" Ace screams and the Loonatics scatter, except for Duck, who like a showoff, lets the building fall close before he teleports away. The building crashes, but the team thinks Duck didn't get out. "Oh, no! Duck! Dig him out!" The team jumps onto the rubble and starts digging to find Duck before he teleports right next to them.
"Woohoo! Missed me!" Duck brags. The team look at him with utter annoyance before looking up at Velvet's ship.
"Catch me if you can, Loonatics! Hahahahaha!" Her ship then activates it's cloaking shield.
"Come on! We can't lose her now" Ace orders and the Loonatics take off after her in the Loonaporter. "Time to pop this balloon!" Ace flies into the cloud, but see no sign of Velvet's ship. "Pick up anything, Tech?"
Tech checks the scanner. "They must have activated some kind of cloaking device."
"How 'bout you, Rev?" Ace asks.
"No trace, no sign, no mark, no trail, no heat, no scrap, no spec, no particle, no nothing." Rev responds after checking his scanner.
As they continue searching, they don't see Velvet's ship is right above them and several blobs descend towards the Loonaporter.
"I hate being left in the dark." Rip says.
"You and me both, Rip." Ace agrees. Then the space around them goes dark.
"Oh, man! Not again!" Duck says as punching and shouts are heard and the space lights up again.
Ace looks back and notices they're missing someone. "Huh? Where did Tech go?"
The others look at Tech's empty chair until Rip looks up.
"Up there!" Rip points and the Loonatics look up and see an unconscious Tech inside a blob being taken into Velvet's ship.
Velvet gives an evil laugh as Tech is brought into her ship and flies away. Ace does not like it.
"Alright, Loonatics. She's got something to learn. You take one, you take us all!"
Rev checks his scanner and see's something. "Ace, I'm picking up something straight ahead!" They exit the cloud and spot Velvet's ship ahead in the clear. "I see 'em!"
Velvet's ship enters another dark cloud and behind it, some black fighter emerge and attack.
"Bogeys at 12 o' clock!" The Loonaporter and the fighters engage in a dogfight.
Meanwhile, onboard Velvet's ship, Tech wakes up on a table underneath some kind of generator pulsing with energy with his hands and feet secured to the table. He turns towards a door opening and in steps Black Velvet.
"Welcome to my city in the clouds. Isn't it gorgeous? I built it for myself and all of my Shadow Borgs, so we can live high in the sky." Velvet looms over Tech as he struggle to get free, but the restraints are too tight.
"Beats the rock you crawled out of." Tech retorts.
"In case you haven't noticed, I'm no common thief." She shows Tech her mechanical claw arm and he looks on with shock in his eyes.
"Let me guess, you're another person who was affected by the meteor? Tech deduces.
Velvet takes off her hood "Correct. But I'm not like anyone else. While some had good effects, I had bad effects. When the meteor hit Earth, my eyes were permanently scarred." Velvet takes off her goggles revealing her blank eyes.
"Aside from your brain also being scarred, you became absolutely sensitive to light." Tech realizes what the meteor did to Velvet.
"Yes. I can no longer tolerate any light. Like a vampire, I have been forced to hide in the darkness for far too long. Which is why I need a scientist of your genius to help me."
Tech catches onto what Velvet has in mind. "Never gonna happen. I know what you're up to."
Velvet seems interested. "Oh really? Enlighten me."
Tech uses his knowledge of the items stolen to theorize what Velvet is planning. "You'll use the Doppler Radar to project a curtain of darkness powered by pulses from the Light Wave Eliminator" Velvet smiles as Tech really knows what she's planning. "which will block out our Sun and plunge Acmetropolis into permanent darkness." Tech concludes his theory.
"Most impressive, Tech. I call it the Shroud Caster. And soon, everyone will suffer as I have! But you forgot the part where the industriast coyote builds it for me." Velvet says as to why she abducted Tech.
"Sorry, I'll pass, hotstuff." Tech rebuffs her. Velvet then grabs Tech's snout.
"Not many dogs can resist my charms, Tech. Especially an overworked inventor who doesn't get out much!" Velvet releases Tech's snout and fires velvet color rays from her mechanical hand. The rays strike Tech's head and face and he feels pain.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa not the face!" Tech can feel his mind falling under some kind of control and tries to fight it, but it's too strong.
Velvet places her hands on Tech's head. "Don't resist my shadow forces, baby. As it reaches into your mind giving me complete control." Velvet releases her hands and Tech. Tech opens his eyes with a groan, revealing nothingness, a sign he is fully under Velvet's control. The table lifts Tech upright and releases him. Tech fallows Velvet out. "Now, how about you get to work? Alright, baby?"
Tech responds with a monotone voice. "As you wish."
Back in the air, the Loonatics can't outmaneuver the fighters.
"We can't shake these things!" Lexi says in frustration.
"Alright, Slam! They leave us no other choice! Prepare for Maneuver 180!" Ace orders. Ace maneuvers the Loonaporter behind the fighters. "Now, Slam! Fire!"
Slam locks on and fires three large missiles. The fighters head back to the ship.
"The fighters are going back to the Zeppelin!" Rip notices.
"Now the Zeppelin's the target." Ace says.
"But Tech's up there!" Lexi reminds Ace.
Slam gives a worried look. Ace reassures them. "Then we've got to stop those missiles now!" Ace flies behind the missiles. "Can you brain blast them, Lexi?"
"Not from here. We need to get closer." Lexi responds.
"First one's yours, Rev!" Ace says.
Rev somersaults out and activates his flying powers. "I am on it, Ace!" Rev flies towards the first.
"Next one's mine. I can activate it's self-destruct system." Rip volunteers.
"You got it, Rip!" Ace agrees and brings the Loonaporter close enough for Rip to jump out and onto the missile. He rips off one of the layers and starts working. Rev approaches his missile.
"He's unflappable, unstoppable, unbelievable! He shoots-" Rev kicks the missile out of the path and harmlessly explodes in the air. "-he scores! Back to you, Charlie."
"Nice one, Rev. Go lend your brother a hand. We got this one." Ace says
Rip is working on the second missile. "Almost- there!" Rip finishes and the countdown starts.
Rev flies right next to Rip. "Hey, Rip. Need a lift?"
"Sure thing!" Rip responds and he jumps onto Rev who flies them away to a safe distance as the missile explodes.
The brothers do a fist bump.
"Nice one, Rip!" Rev congratulates his brother.
"Same to you, Rev! Nice kick!" Rip congratulates Rev back.
Ace flies close to the third missile "Looks like we're running out of sky, Lex!"
Lexi readies her brain blast. "On the count of three. 1, 2, 2 and a half, 3!" Lexi fires her brain blast and strikes the missile causing it to explode.
"Bulls-eye! Nice one, Lex!" Ace congratulates.
The shockwave from the explosion causes the Loonaporter to swerve in loops and the shockwave also knocks out the Zeppelin's cloaking. Ace steadies the Loonaporter. "Nice one Lex! You knocked out their cloaking!"
Rev and Rip rejoin the team.
"Looks like we're gonna have to go in to save Tech and stop Velvet." Rev concludes.
"You can bet a whole box of Sesame Seeds that it'll be pitch black in there." Rip adds.
"Check the compartments. I'm sure that Tech packed us something just in case." Ace says.
Lexi takes something out and hands it to Ace. "In case of what?" Lexi asks.
Ace presses the button on it. "The usual. Mutant Vikings, Giant Fuzz-Balls-" The object turns into a high-tech blaster. "the Ninjizer 500. And night vision goggles too."
The Loonaporter flies right underneath the Zeppelin.
"Alright, Slam. Time to do your thing." Ace orders.
Slam rips off the layer and the team does a front flip jump into the Zeppelin. They land and look around in wonder. The interior is very scientific.
"Whoa. We're not in Kansas anymore." Lexi jokes.
"Activate Night Vision Opticals!" Ace orders and the team activate their opticals and their eyes turn glowing red, allowing them to see.
"Activated!" The team calls out.
"All right. Let's go crush some velvet!" Ace orders and the team head out.
Tech is working on the Shroud Caster with Velvet watching on with excitement. The Doppler Radar protrudes out of the nose of the Zeppelin's nose. The Light Wave Eliminator is guarded by Velvet's Borgs.
Lexi watches with excitement. "Piece of cake."
Slam and Rev approach the end of the Doppler's base just as more Borgs appear and surround them.
Ace melts a square shaped opening into the Control Room and he, Duck, and Rip jump in. They spot Tech working.
"Yo, Tech old pal, let's make like an atom and split." Tech ignores him. "Uh, Tech?" Ace calls again but no answer.
"He's not answering." Duck reminds Ace.
Rip checks Tech and notices his empty eyes. "Whoa, his eyes are blank!"
Ace is mystified. "Blank? How?"
Then Black Velvet appears. "Tech only answers to me now. You boys are just in time to watch us usher in the Dark Ages!"
"Huh. That is so dark." Rip jokes and Ace and Duck laugh.
"Oh, do I love a good joker." Velvet launches her attack with dark light waves from her cloak. Ace counters with his laser eyes. "Uh uh uh. Not tonight, Loonatics!" Velvet fires blue green balls of energy from her mechanical claw. Ace dodges and fires a dynamite spinning ray that Velvet deflects with her cape. Velvet then hits Duck with her energy ball, encasing him in a purple blob. Velvet then knocks Ace back.
He turns to Rip and Duck. "Maybe you two can deal with her friends." They turn and see more Borgs approaching.
"Sure thing, Ace." Duck says as he plows through the Borgs with one take. "Strike!" Duck cries.
Rip is surrounded by more Borgs and fights them with his fists and powers, knocking them down. "10 vs 1 and you still lose!" Rip taunts.
"Guys, tell me you're ready." Ace calls on the comm-link. Rev and Slam fight the Borgs on the top of the Doppler, while Lexi is still fighting to get to the Eliminator.
"I need another minute!" Lexi responds.
Duck then frees himself with his fireballs.
"Ms. Velvet. Your Shroud Caster is ready." Tech says in his monotone voice.
"Why, thank you, baby." Velvet responds and traps Ace in a binding green energy from her claw. Rip tries to stop Tech, but Velvet traps him too. "Activate the Shroud Caster NOW!" Velvet orders. Tech prepares to push the button, but Rip stops his hand with his powers.
"I can't hold him for long with this energy interfering!" Rip cries.
Duck knocks the rest of the Borgs back and lands next to the others. Then he gets and idea. "Wait! I can wake him!" He takes out his phone and activates it's alarm, it's sound strong enough to get to Tech and help him break free.
"Aargh! That annoying phone!" Tech angrily responds. Rip lets go with exhaustion.
"We need a little help here, Tech!" Ace calls out.
"Activating Night Vission." Tech says and retrieves the Ninjiezer 500 and fires a shuriken ray that frees Ace and Rip.
Velvet is unfazed. "Ha! Too little, too late!" She jumps to the controls. "Darkness was my curse. Now it will be yours, Loonatics!" Velvet presses the button, activating the Shroud Caster.
The machine gives out a large flash and moves to the Doppler Radar with Rev and Slam on top of the dish. They look in horror as the Caster fires a shrouding ray that upon contact with the city, starts to spread darkness all over.
"What happened to the light?" an old man asks.
"I don't know. There have been blackouts all over the city lately." a woman responds.
Ace calls Lexi. "Lexi, can you reverse the polarity?"
Lexi is still fighting. "Not yet, Ace!" The team keeps fighting Velvet until Lexi finally pulls the lever. "Got it!" Lexi declares.
The polarity reverses, and the darkness returns to the dish and Slam moves the dish to the inside of the Zeppelin's nose, causing the ray to slowly destroy the ship.
"My city of darkness! NO!" Velvet screams in defeat as she is force to cover her eyes from the light.
"I think it's time to get out of Dodge!" Ace says as the Loonatics escape back to the Loonaporter and escape the Zeppelin as the chain reaction sucks the Zeppelin and all the Borgs and Velvet in a wormhole vortex.
Back at Loonatics Tower, the team is relaxing.
Ace and Lexi are playing pool, Rev is playing the float hockey table alone with his speed and Slam and Rip watch.
"Rev Runner fights for the saucer, but Rev beats him to it! He lays it into the corner, but dinged out by Rev Runner! Another trick shot, but not quite tricky enough! Rev shoots, saved by Rev Runner. Looks like Rev's moving in for a play. He shoots, he scores! And the fans go wild!"
Rev plays with a commentator style. Slam and Rip give a cheer while Duck comes in with an annoyed look.
"Has anyone seen Tech? I believe he has something he wants to say to me."
Rip points out. "Yeah, he's right behind you."
Duck looks back and sees Tech wearing what he wanted; the Superhero clothing he ordered!
"Thanks. I went ahead and ordered them. Nice huh? They're sending you the bill." Tech says with an amused attitude.
Duck is shocked. "But, but- those are mine! You were supposed to buy those for me!"
"Well, that was the bet if you didn't use any technology." Rip reminds Duck.
"Yeah, and, you used your phone, Duck. We all saw it." Ace confirms Duck losing the bet.
"But I only used the phone to save him! If it weren't for me, he'd still be walking around like whatever you say o' Velvety one." Duck argues.
"A bet's a bet." Lexi reminds.
Then Zadavia appears. "Good work, Loonatics. Despite Black Velvet's disappearing act, the Shroud Caster has been disassembled and the parts have been returned." Then she looks at Tech. "Oh my, Tech. Don't you look heroic?"
"Why thank you, Zadavia" Tech responds with amusement.
"Very impressive indeed. Take the next few days off, Loonatics, you deserve it. Zadavia out." And her hologram ends.
"Oh, man. I'm supposed to be the handsome one! It should be me!" Duck whines.
"Maybe you can call her on your cellphone." Lexi jokingly suggests."
Ace adds "If you can get a signal."
Duck turns around annoyed. "You know, you're all despicable."
The team lets out a laugh as they celebrate their latest victory.