A Captain
Scarlet and the Mysterons Story
This is an idea bouncing around since reading some old
comics, featuring Black and one in particular called We Will Destroy Unity City
(reprinted 1993). It features a part where Black and Scarlet are prisoner and
Scarlet says, “Its not too late, we can help you.” To which Black replies:
“Maybe.”
I’m re-watching the series and the idea of
Black returning is a favourite of mine, although this cannot happen. I hope
this receives some good feedback.
It follows on from events kicked off in
Angels of Deception and recently Heat Wave.
SIG.
Cloudbase was quiet, this was not that unusual but
it was usually during the day not night when it was normally so quiet.
Lieutenant Green tapped his console idly and turned to face Colonel White; the colonel was watching the wall screen
behind quietly, his finger stroking his chin.
“I’m sure the mission is going as planned,
colonel.”
White didn’t turn, “I’m sure too, lieutenant,
but we need to be realistic. The Mysterons have evaded us before.”
White turned and glanced at the coloured lights
on his console, waiting for one to flash.
Captain Magenta watched the motorway ahead with
boredom. The hedge he was hiding in was not comfortable and not designed for
such, yet it was his mission. The motorway passed by the hill on which his
hedge rested and was busy, cars streaking by every so often.
His pips flashed red, “Yes Captain Scarlet?”
“Still in position Magenta?”
Magenta sighed, “Sure. Haven’t moved an inch.”
The precise English voice on the other hand was
quiet, “Soon. Has to be soon.”
Magenta hoped so, he was hungry but he forced
his sometimes over-eager mind back to the road and gripped the butt of his gun
harder.
Captain Black drove the unremarkable saloon
down the M24 towards the English city of Portsmouth; his clothes were
nondescript but were black. Beside him was his Spectrum uniform; he would
require it for infiltration. The green hills rolled by indifferently, not that
Black cared much for them. Some small part of him did but it was one that Black
didn’t concentrate fully on. The Mysterons had instructed him to Portsmouth to
kill the World Navy First Sea Lord based there. Just then the ghostly voice
that was his master spoke:
“Captain Black, the Earthmen are ahead. It
might be a trap.”
“I
shall be cautious,” he rumbled quietly, his eyes however peeled and were wary. A
bridge approached; it spanned the wide M24 and carried traffic across to
Southampton. He noticed a Spectrum SPV on top and braked hard, his hand
reaching for the handbrake.
Captain Blue ran for the SPV his cap radio
down, “Paul he’s seen us! Making back up the M24.”
Scarlet further down the road in a Spectrum
Saloon Car was calmer, “Relax Adam, this is part of the plan. All units move in
now. The password is NIGHT.”
After that, even as Black’s car sped back up
the motorway, the Spectrum units left their cover and began moving in. Magenta
reached the roadside where a SSC sped to a halt, he climbed in and Captain
Ochre floored the accelerator. The excitement was building, they almost had
him.
Scarlet’s SPV bounced down the hillside and onto
the M24; his monitor showed the saloon. Beside him, Doctor Fawn wearing his
uniform gripped the control. “Now it gets bumpy,” grunted the Australian.
“Sorry Doctor but there is no other way.”
Beside him, Fawn had an attaché case. In it was
what might capture Black. Scarlet could make out beyond Black’s car three
speeding SSCs. One contained Ochre and Magenta, one Grey and the other
Lieutenant Burgundy from London HQ. Above, soon to appear, would be the Angel
flight. Scarlet’s eyes narrowed as he tapped some controls and brought the
SPV’s gun up. According to his instruments, Black was doing close to ninety and
at this rate if they collided, then they might both be obliterated.
Magenta leant forward in his seat; despite the
road whooshing by the blood-red SSC, his eyes were fixed on the SPV and Black’s
car. “Scarlet can’t be serious.”
“If they hit…this will all have been for
nothing,” stated Ochre. “All for nothing.”
The radio crackled and Blue’s steady voice came over, “All
units break pursuit. Captain Scarlet is going in alone.”
Ochre’s coloured boot gently pressed the brake
and the gap opened, beside him Grey and Burgundy did the same. Magenta then
heard the loud roar of three Angels in flight; they sped low and peeled off
aiming skywards.
What was Scarlet doing?
Captain Scarlet, whom fate had made
indestructible, looked to Fawn and said bluntly: “I’m sorry Doctor, but I have
to do this to get Black.”
Before Fawn could complain, Scarlet’s hand
pulled the eject lever for the co-pilot and Fawn sped into the sky. Scarlet
accelerated, the SPV closed the gap and now Black was his; the Mysteron agent’s
vehicle would be too committed to avoid the collision. Indeed it was, for some
seconds later, Scarlet’s SPV rammed Black’s saloon. The car’s engine exploded
under the sudden strain and the ensuing fireball blew the SPV into the air. It
landed on its side some feet away trailing black oil and flames. Black’s car
however sped right, away from the SPV and into the road’s steel barrier.
The SSC of Ochre and Magenta came to a stop a few seconds
later. They got out and began running for the saloon, as they reached it, Black
was staggering out, holding his head. Magenta dived for him and held him down;
Black fought and so Ochre also joined the fray. The scene was getting more
hectic as Black struggled more and it took Grey to hold his feet down before
they managed to get Black under some control. Eventually Fawn, emerging from
his landing place in the woods on the hill verging on the motorway, came down
and pressed a hypospray to Black’s pale neck. Black stopped struggling soon
thereafter.
A SPJ was called for; it would not only carry
Black back to Cloudbase, but also the seemingly dead Scarlet.
“Operation
Night has been a success, we have captured Captain Black.”
The
officers and pilots of Cloudbase sat in various places around the lounge;
Colonel White was standing by the window. Nobody celebrated outwardly, despite
the success of their mission to get Black back, it wasn’t the kind of thing you
danced from foot to foot about. Scarlet was missing, still recovering from the
SPV crash. Fawn was working on Black, the procedure was technical as it was
different to Scarlet’s Mysteronisation. White clasped his hands together before
him, “Doctor Fawn will be working on Black for the time being. Freeing him from
Mysteron control.”
“What will happen once Black is normal sir?”
Ochre asked.
“He’ll be debriefed and then integrated back into normal
duties.”
Magenta dipped his head; he remembered the week that Black
was assigned the Martian mission. Back then, no Mysterons, no problem. They had
Captains Brown and Indigo, now both deceased in separate incidents involving
the Mysterons.
I’ve got the Martian mission, I’ll be going
this weekend.
That’s great Conrad, you are after all the best
man for the job.
Magenta brought himself back to hear White
continue, “…will remain on readiness. Dismissed.”
Magenta got to his feet, Blue paused by him with Ochre in
tow. “Want a game of pool?”
“Sure, I’ll double with Grey.”
Magenta felt another presence after Blue and
Ochre moved off; it was Rhapsody. As ever she looked resplendent, her
coppery-red hair fell past her shoulders. “You okay Patrick?”
“Sure, why you ask?”
“You seemed far off during the briefing.”
Magenta shrugged, “Just thinking back. Before
all this started.”
Rhapsody nodded, “I know. A long time ago. I had better go,
I’m on flight readiness.”
He watched her go and then followed, for now
Magenta was fine.
“Okay lieutenant, let them have it!”
Darkness again. Hazy visuals, something
solidifying and a voice rumbling.
“We are the Mysterons…”
More darkness, and fuzziness. He accepted it
and vanished into the darkness.
Captain
Scarlet had recovered from his injuries and stood by the operating door looking
in. Doctor Fawn wearing surgical whites was operating on Captain Black. The
procedure involved unlocking the Mysteron effect on him. Scarlet felt a figure
at his shoulder and turned. “Colonel
White.”
“Relax captain, the procedure is still
underway?”
“It would appear so sir.”
White was silent. “He was my best man before
going to Mars. Hopefully this is it.”
Scarlet didn’t answer; he watched and a few
minutes later Fawn stood back. He turned, lowered his facial mask and waved for
the two officers to enter. As usual Scarlet sniffed; he hated the smell of the
sickbay, medical smells. He could see Black stretched out, covered from foot to
head with a green sheet.
“He’s done. I’ve done what I can, the effects
of the Mysterons on Black were different to those on Scarlet.”
“When can he be ready for duty?” asked White.
Fawn sighed. “Two days.”
“Right.”
Fawn stroked his chin. “A way of making sure
this has worked, would be for Scarlet to walk up to Black’s side. Remember Scarlet
feels the Mysteron presence? Dizziness and the like…”
“Okay doctor.”
Scarlet walked steadily to the bedside and as
he neared, waited for the dizziness but nothing came.
The darkness was getting brighter, the pain in
his head was gone, going, gone.
Blast.
His eyes opened slowly; the brightness was
unfocused but he could make out something with red and black. He tried to
focus, he knew he could, just had to try. The shape was becoming clearer he was
doing it. The shape focused and he found himself smiling.
“Paul.”
“Welcome back Conrad, you’re home.”
Conrad Turner smiled and felt sleep come again,
“Home,” he murmured
Doctor Fawn took Scarlet and White to one side:
“The Mysteron control has gone, like a puppet whose strings have been
severed. Captain Black is not retrometabolic. He’s just like any one of us.”
Fawn smiled a little. “Except for Captain Scarlet.”
White nodded, “Thank you Doctor.”
What mattered though was that Black was home.
Black slipped from the bed. He remembered this room, he
once slept in this room often. He wore black pyjamas. That was funny, he
thought walking into the bathroom. Black paused by the mirror and taking a deep
breath, stared hard into it.
What he saw –at first – shocked him. His face
was no longer the lined pale white face with eyes as dead as a corpse but with
colour, cheeks a little rosy and eyes bright and vivid with life. He was back.
Conrad Turner, Spectrum’s top agent. The smile he felt start, disappeared. For
how long would he last?
The intercom chimed; he walked out and pressed
it:
“Black.”
“Ah.” White’s voice was crisp and alert. “Morning
conference is at 0900.”
0834.
“I’ll be there.”
Magenta was adjusting his cap when the doors to
the lift began closing. “Hey!”
Blue dipped his hand to the door, holding it
back. Magenta ran inside, his boots clattering. “Thanks.”
“No problem, almost missed it,” The Bostonian
said with a gentle smile.
Magenta smiled back; nothing fazed Captain Blue that much.
Blue was much calmer than Magenta. The Irishman could easily get heated as he
had recently after Rhapsody was shot down.
Magenta’s
thoughts were rushing and numerous as he left the lift with Blue. What about
Rhapsody? He and she were an item, but could it last? He seemed to remember something had happened between her and
Black before the Zero-X mission; maybe it would again. Granted, Blue and
Symphony were steady –as steady as duty allowed – but Rhapsody had once been close to Scarlet, although Scarlet
seemed to be with Destiny these days – or near enough.
As he walked into the conference room, the
air-conditioning humming loudly, Magenta shoved the thoughts back. They were
irrelevant now. He slid into his seat by Blue and next to Grey. The other
officers were also present as four of the Angels and – to Magenta’s
surprise – Lieutenant Burgundy who had helped them with capturing Captain
Black. Burgundy’s uniform was a cross between a dark red and purple.
Lieutenant Burgundy was English, hailing from
the Dorset region in the southwest. He was one of the coloured-coded officers
on the ground, being there for the uniforms ‘upstairs’ when needed. Burgundy
had brown hair and green eyes, his voice was steady and almost without accent.
White took his own seat and clasped his hands
before him. “No threat as yet from the Mysterons. However…” He paused, eyes
twinkling with some excitement. “…This is the first day back for Captain Black,
who, as you all know, was recently
recaptured by our captains.”
Magenta crossed his legs at the ankles, aware of a coy
glance from Rhapsody. He directed his gaze at White.
“The transition back into Spectrum life will be hard for
Black, I know you will do your best to help him do this.”
Black steadily walked down the corridor, his boots
making soft landfalls on the red carpet. He paused briefly at a mirror on the
grey wall, next to a painting of three Angel Interceptors in flight.
His cap was on
straight, his zip done to the top backed by white and dash it all, he looked
smart. Black smiled.
“Welcome home.”
Black resumed his walk and did not pause before
entering the conference room. As he did he stopped, the doors sliding quietly
behind him. Black looked around.
On the console was a dozen bottles of champagne
–presumably non alcoholic – and standing by the console were the officers and
Angels. White stepped from the front row of officers and extended his hand:
“Welcome back to duty, Captain Black.”
Black returned the handshake warmly, “Thanks
Colonel White.”
Black stepped past White before Scarlet, he grinned
jokingly. “Sorry for the hard times I’ve given you.”
“Forgiven,” grinned back Scarlet.
Black went down the line, feeling like someone
else, not a Spectrum agent. He reached Magenta who was more sombre than the
others; of course Black had recently tried to kill Magenta and Rhapsody.
“Patrick.”
“Conrad.”
Black moved onto the Angels. “Bonjour Destiny.”
Destiny dabbed at sudden tear. “Bonjour Conrad.”
As Black reached Rhapsody, Magenta watched. There seemed to
be something that passed between them, something more concrete than colleagues.
Magenta shrugged it off as they returned to the console and given duty rosters.
The
planet Mars rotated as it had done for millions if not billions of years, the
glowing red ball where man had set out to find life. That life, so found in
2068, was in the form of the Mysterons. The city that had been so ruthlessly
destroyed by ignorance, had resurrected mysteriously and now raged war against
Earth.
A war of nerves.
“Captain Black is no longer under our control.
This much has been proved. We must take steps.”
Once
more the Mysterons began plotting –but this time, they will not issue a threat
to the Earthmen.
Lieutenant Burgundy glanced at Captain Magenta as
their Spectrum Saloon Car sped along the Weymouth-London motorway in a Spectrum
Saloon Car.
“It had been a real honour to have helped you
and the other captains in getting Captain Black back.”
Magenta’s lips curled in a faint smile, “Your
help was very helpful.”
“I hope I can get more time on Cloudbase.”
“You did a good job, you still might have a
chance to get more time on the base.” Magenta replied.
Magenta noticed a fuel tanker coming the other
way; it was the same type of tanker that Spectrum used for undercover work. He
didn’t pay it much attention, instead noticing the road curving away from
Dorchester.
If he had been watching the tanker more
closely, he would have seen one of the tyres explode. The tanker slewed to the
right, across the path of the SSC.
“God’s teeth!” swore Magenta slamming on the
brakes. He turned left but the tanker’s
rear clipped the front of the SSC. The car somersaulted into the air, away from
the exploding tanker that spewed blazing oil across the motorway. Magenta saw
the countryside hit him and then blacked out.
Burgundy was dead and it was not long before
the ghostly green circles floated over his twisted body beneath the SSC. As
fire licked at the dead body, the resurrected Burgundy walked around to pull
Magenta out. The Irish captain was unconscious, blood streaked on his face.
Burgundy stood silently.
“This is the Mysterons, you know what you must
do.”
“I
know.” Burgundy paused. “Captain Black will return to the Mysterons.”
“The SPJ with Captain Magenta and Lieutenant
Burgundy is approaching,” Green reported.
White nodded, acknowledging the report by
Green; he left his console and walked onto the observation tube. He could
barely hear the muffled whine of the SPJ’s engines as it was making its
approach toward Cloudbase.
White had been informed of the crash an hour
ago. It had been Burgundy who had reported the crash and requested a SPJ for
Magenta. The SPJ was quicker than getting Magenta to the nearest hospital –
Southampton – and Cloudbase had better facilities.
Colonel White didn’t like officers getting
injured or worse, killed, but when it happened he tried to act normally. In
recent months, it had been Scarlet injured numerous times, Blue a few times and
even Symphony after being downed in mysterious circumstances.
“This is SPJ Zero-Zero-Seven, we’re inbound on
final approach.”
“Acknowledged,” Green replied in his
Trinidadian accent.
White watched the SPJ run onto the runway and
come to a quick stop. The SPJ was then swallowed into the depths of Cloudbase
by the aircraft lift. Once inside the hangar, the injured captain was offloaded
with Burgundy in tow.
“Order Lieutenant Burgundy to the control
room.”
“Yes colonel.”
Burgundy snapped to attention before Colonel White,
hands stretched behind his back. White was back at his console, his eyes coolly
appraising Burgundy.
“You acted well lieutenant, this is the kind of
duty we expect in Spectrum. You will go far.”
“Thank you sir.”
“Dismissed.”
Black lowered the magazine as Rhapsody walked in. “Hey.”
“Hey.” She walked to the coffee machine and
made some coffee. Black watched her from above the magazine; she looked as
attractive as ever. She walked to a nearby chair and settled into it, sighing.
“That’s my standby over.”
“Tough being a pilot.”
She chuckled. “Too right.”
Scarlet then walked in, looking a little
stressed. “Something bothering you?” asked Black.
“Magenta’s been wounded.”
“My God,” Rhapsody said straightening. “How?”
“Burgundy and Magenta were driving back to
Spectrum HQ in Dorset when a tanker exploded.”
Black stood. “How bad is he?”
“Some head wounds, nothing too bad apparently.”
Scarlet turned on his heel and paused by the
door having noticed Black’s curious look, “I want to check on him.”
Black moved to the Angel’s side. His left hand
gripped her right arm gently. “He’ll be fine.”
“Hope so.”
“You care for him?”
“Of course.”
Black remembered when trying to kill Rhapsody some months
ago, Magenta had been the protecting captain as Grey had been with Harmony. Had
in that time Magenta and Rhapsody grown closer together?
Possibly.
“He’ll be fine,” Black repeated softly.
Magenta sat on the edge of the bed. Fawn
wrapped some bandage around his left hand. A couple of plasters covered cuts on
his cheeks. “You’re quite fine, captain. You might be dead were it not for
Burgundy.”
Magenta winced as the bandage was pressed down
on his damaged hand. “I guess so, doc.”
“Humph,” Fawn guffawed. He stood back. “Voila.”
“You missed your calling as a parcel wrapper,”
Magenta said standing up and reaching for his cap. He walked out thanking Fawn
once more and making his way to the lounge.
Lieutenant
Burgundy walked down the darkened corridors of the personal quarters. The new
Spectrum Mysteron agent had not made his move immediately upon returning to
Cloudbase. He wanted to get Black preferably by himself. His gun was holstered,
to be used upon confronted by the enemy.
He paused before a grey door, the dividing line bracketed
by thick black lines. A small white square was filled with the copperplate
legend of CAPTAIN BLACK.
Burgundy dipped his fingers into the door and pulled it
apart. The former Burgundy would’ve had trouble to do this, but this Mysteron
had no problem at all.
Burgundy, once the doors open, was blanketed by
darkness and heavy breathing. He walked in and silently moved towards the bed,
where Black was asleep. He stood by the bed and then looked down.
Black’s eyes opened.
Colonel White couldn’t sleep and was sitting at
his desk writing a detective story; it helped the commander in chief of
Spectrum unwind. He stopped writing and stood; he paced the room briefly before
sitting back at the desk.
The Mysterons, as usual, were bugging the colonel.
Why hadn’t they made a threat yet? The threats had been routine, regular, and consistent. Maybe they
were mourning the loss of their human agent.
A loud thump sounded next door. Black’s quarters.
White drew his gun, the pistol decked by a
white stripe. He listened for anything else and heard the sound of scuffling,
objects being knocked aside. White made for the door and stopped by Black’s
doors. From beyond he saw Scarlet and Blue running, guns held high. They
stopped in the corridor, White motioned for the door to be forced.
Scarlet raised his right boot and brought it
crashing down into the door; it parted and he dived in, his hands pulling it
apart easily. Scarlet would have simply pressed the automatic open button but
due to the systems failure he had to pry the door open with his hands.
Black was struggling with Burgundy, the latter
still wearing his uniform. The three spectators trained their guns on Burgundy.
“Lieutenant cease your actions.”
Burgundy’s eyes burned as he glanced at White.
“You cannot stop the Mysterons, Earthman.”
White felt disappointment enter his being:
another agent lost to the Mysterons. “We will.”
Black and Burgundy crashed into the bedside knocking and
breaking the lamp. They rolled away. Scarlet dashed past White and grabbed the
broken lamp. He switched it on and the broken tip flashed blue angrily.
“Paul,” warned Blue.
Scarlet lunged at Burgundy and stabbed the tip
against the Mysteron’s back. Burgundy straightened
as if a steel rod had been placed up his back and screamed. He fell dead. Black
shrugged the body loose and stood.
“Thanks Paul.”
“No problem,” replied Scarlet, dropping the
lamp.
White stepped close to Burgundy. “It would
appear that the Mysterons want you back, Conrad.”
Black rubbed his unshaven chin. “Well I’ll be.”
“Members
of Spectrum, as of now, Cloudbase is on red alert. The Mysterons have stated
without doing so verbally, that they want Captain Black back and will do anything
to get him. All leave is cancelled. That is all.”
Rhapsody looked dryly at the speaker and leant
back in the pilot’s seat in the Amber Room.
“Just what we need.”
“Oui,” Destiny murmured reading her magazine.
Symphony was up in Angel One. It would be Rhapsody and Harmony to take the next
two Angel One shifts. Rhapsody left the seat and walked to the bookshelf
plucking a copy of Moby Dick. She flicked through it idly, remembering
school holidays in London when she would read.
“How is Patrick?” asked Destiny staring at a
picture of her beloved Paris.
“Fine,” murmured Rhapsody.
Destiny turned in her chair, the magazine
forgotten. “Is that all, mon amie? Fine?”
Rhapsody looked back at Destiny with unflinching eyes,
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Destiny shrugged and her heavy accent replied,
“You and Patrick have been so close, an item, now he has been wounded and you
seem unabashed.”
“He’ll live Destiny, nothing bad happened.”
“Humph.” Destiny returned to her magazine.
Rhapsody sighed and returned to the book.
White drummed his fingers on the console.
“They’re going to try again. But how?”
Lieutenant Green sat quietly; it was best to
let the colonel speculate silently without interruption. Green turned to his
right as the walkway began moving; he nodded at Captain Black. The captain had
his fingers dipped in his belt. He stepped off the walkway and sat on one of
the stools before White’s console. “Colonel.”
“Good to see you Captain Black, I’ve been pondering how the
Mysterons will strike.”
“Any way they can. I should bet they’ll use
another Spectrum agent.”
White’s eyes fixed on Black’s, “You think so?”
Black shrugged, “It is more than likely unless
they use their powers to manipulate something. On Cloudbase, an agent would
seem the most logical choice.”
The Mysterons had done such a thing to start
the fire at Rig 15. They used their powers to open the valve at distance, in
order to create the ensuing inferno. They don’t seem to always need an agent.”
“Lets hope they won’t do that.”
“Once
more the Earthmen have thwarted our plans, the agent known as Burgundy has been
killed. Captain Black must return. But we must strike now. Strike we will.”
Black slept roughly that night, tossing and turning.
Sweat marrying to his body as he pitched, his eyes screwed shut and the sweat
gathering there. Black’s dreams were tortured, images changing and morphing.
The Mysteron complex exploding under the MEV’s
shells…
…the Mysterons’ voice…
…God no, why him?
Black shot upwards in bed and immediately drew
the cover back, his hands went to his face wiping the sweat sloppily. He looked
around the room, after removing his hands and settled his breathing. Things
were fine now, they would be fine, no more Mysteron control.
“I need some water,” he murmured heading for
the bathroom. He switched on the light and heard the Air Conditioning kick in;
it cooled the sweat on his neck and made Black shiver lightly. Black turned the
taps on the basin, choosing to ignore the reflection in the mirror. The past
couple of days had indeed been stressful as the Mysterons made clear their
intentions. He splashed water into his face and felt a little fresher.
He then stared into the mirror and as he did,
green circles hovered over the water and vanished.
Black dipped his fingers back in.
The movie, Day of the Martian, detailing
an early Zero-X mission, had ended. Magenta and Rhapsody left Cloudbase’s
auditorium with the small audience. The Irish captain paused in the corridor running
past the cinema. To face Rhapsody, a question on his lips.
“Are you on standby now?”
Rhapsody shook her head. “Bed. I’m not on
readiness until 0400.”
Magenta consulted his watch, the digital piece centre with the
second hand sliding round the outer rim.
2257.
“I’ll walk you back to your quarters.”
They fell into step, the Angel dressed in her uniform in
the event of instant scramble and the captain in his uniform after a long day.
They were silent as they walked towards the Angel quarters.
“Here we are.” Rhapsody pointed out as they
reached the quarters area, they eventually paused before a door marked RHAPSODY
ANGEL. She turned to him, “Thanks.”
“No problem.” A silent pause. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yes.” She looked at his bandaged hand. “I hope
your hand gets better.”
“Yeah.”
He then kissed her on the lips and turned on
his heel, leaving Rhapsody behind.
Captain Black dried his face and moved to put
on his uniform, sleep thus eluded for tonight, aiming to go to the lounge.
Black felt his face twitch, as if something was bubbling under the skin. He
felt it after zipping his jacket up and adjusting his cap. He walked back into
the bathroom, once more switching the light on and staring into the mirror. His
eyes widened and his heart missed a beat.
His skin was turning white, a deathly white,
that of a corpse. As it had been when he was a Mysteron agent. His bright eyes
were changing, becoming a dull black. Black drew his gun and aimed at his head;
he sweated as he had done just a few minutes ago and then holstered it.
He had to leave.
Black turned and ran out the quarters; the dark clad officer ran down the corridor
and straight into Magenta rounding a corner ahead.
Magenta hit the floor hard, the moment
reminding him of the time Mysteron agent Doctor Magnus, while attempting to
kill General Tiempo, had floored him. Magenta saw it was now
Black and drew his gun. “Halt!”
Black disappeared into the lift, Magenta’s cap radio fell
into place.
Lieutenant Green had been working the nightshift, most of
the control room darkened. He listened to the radio from Switzerland as they
passed over and gently bobbed his head. Suddenly, the pink coloured light on
his console flashed.
“Yes Captain Magenta?”
“Code Red! Black is a Mysteron again! I can’t
be sure but he seemed different.”
Green nodded and stabbed the Cloudbase tannoy
button. “All Spectrum members this is a priority alert. Captain Black must be
apprehended at once. Spectrum Is Red.”
Doctor Fawn heard the whooping of alarms as he
drew a sheet over one of his beds in sickbay and heard clattering of boots.
Captain Scarlet with two security men thundered past without stopping. As Fawn
stood by the door frowning, he felt an arm across his throat.
“Do not move Doctor Fawn, do as I say.” The
voice was Black’s, his normal voice but tinged with the Mysteronised voice.
“Black, wait.”
“Relay this message to Colonel White.”
Fawn listened. Ten minutes later he collapsed
at Black’s feet having suffered a blow to the neck. Black touched his forehead
and drew his gun. “I am sorry doctor.”
Colonel White’s jacket flapped open as he
walked into the brightening control room. “What in blue blazes?”
“Captain Black appears to have returned to
Mysteron control. Captain Magenta reported him running out of the officers’
quarters area. His face was pale. Doctor Fawn has just reported him leaving
sickbay, and confirms that Black does appear to be Mysteron once more.”
“Blast. Blast.” White sat down. “Seal
Cloudbase. No one is to leave.”
Captain Black paused at the entrance to the
hangar; the SPJ sat glistening under the lights next to two Angel Interceptors
and four Spectrum Helicopters. Black began trotting towards one of the
Interceptors, his mind was a raging torrent of thoughts. The Earthman in him
was fighting the Mysterons’ control.
He felt his face changing as he jogged closer,
but that was immaterial. It had to be for he had to get off Cloudbase. Black
put away his gun and leapt onto the port wing of the Interceptor; the cockpit
was open and Black leant in. He flicked some switches and the cockpit came
alive. He started the jet and a steady whine began. As the jet got ready, Black
jumped off and ran to the far side in the shadows behind the SPJ. He came to
the control station and started the lift that carried aircraft to the
flight deck. As it began to move, Black now grabbed a helmet. Coincidentally it
was black. The captain returned to the Interceptor and briefly moved it to the
lift. The Interceptor rose steadily towards the flight deck.
White
was talking to Captains Scarlet, Blue and Grey, as the search for Black was
co-ordinated. The captain was still on Cloudbase and according to both Fawn and
Magenta, slowly returning to Mysteron control. Lieutenant Green listened with
one ear, whilst monitoring the console before him.
A light flashed and he muttered, “What the…?”
“What is it lieutenant?” White asked,
disrupting his conference.
“Colonel.” Green swivelled to face the colonel.
“Sir, the aircraft lift is raising in the hangar.”
“Interior cameras now.”
The screen behind White shifted from that of
the Spectrum logo to that of the hangar. White faced it and Scarlet stood, arm
outstretched.
“Sir. One of the Angel Interceptors.”
“Black,” White commented his voice as heavy as
hailstones. He spoke to Green without looking. “Lieutenant, halt that lift.
Captain Scarlet.”
“On my way, sir,” Scarlet said moving for the
exit.
The lift slotted into place too late for Green
to stop it. Black looked at the dark
sky and twinkling stars. He made sure his helmet was on tight. Black took the
yoke with pale hands and pulled back. The Angel Interceptor rose in a graceful
motion, Black quickly retracting the landing gear. Black cast one unemotional,
disinterested look at Cloudbase before hitting the accelerator and moving off.
Rhapsody was at the helm of Angel One, as Black
stole the Interceptor. She had cut short her sleep to replace Symphony, doing
the American a favour by allowing her some rest.
The Englishwoman noticed the familiar, graceful
lines of another Interceptor rising into the air to the left of the launch
ramp. Its starboard side lit by Cloudbase’s lights, she immediately recognised
the Black helmet. Rhapsody began starting procedures even as Green’s cool voice
came over her radio.
“Angel One, immediate launch. Apprehend Captain Black.”
Rhapsody launched her Interceptor. “SIG.”
Behind her, Harmony and Melody assumed their
aircraft upon Green’s further orders but Rhapsody had the edge. Using flaps and
wind, Rhapsody glided the Interceptor after Black. The stolen jet was angling
upwards; Rhapsody checked her altimeter.
47,000 feet.
“This is Angel One, pursuing Captain Black now
passing Angels Four-Eight.”
She toggled another line of communication. “Captain Black this is
Rhapsody. Don’t do it, we can still help you.”
No response.
“Conrad.”
Rhapsody tried several more times as they passed through Angels
Fifty – 50,000 feet. Sooner or later her
jet would not climb more. More in hope than anything, Rhapsody fired. Her shots
sped wide but were a warning shot even so.
“Black!”
Then a deep voice, a low rumble, all too familiar:
“Rhapsody Angel, there is no point you pursuing me longer. I must
do this, to save you all. Goodbye.”
The Angel ahead of her began to shimmer and vanished. Shock
overrode Rhapsody, enough to make her not hear the warning sirens crashing in
her ears.
Then she grabbed the yoke with both hands and dived the
Interceptor earthwards.
“Captain Black has vanished.”
“Understood, return home Rhapsody. Spectrum is now Green.”
“Members of Spectrum. Captain
Black has escaped, the Mysterons having succeeded in returning him to their
control but let us not forget the fact that he was a great officer.” White took in the Spectrum officers and
pilots, “For now Captain Black is once again a Mysteron but there will be a day
when he will return to us, perhaps when this war of nerves is over. Now he left
a message with Doctor Fawn, please doctor.”
Fawn cleared his throat, the mark on his neck a delicate
purple.
“He asked me to relay the following. ‘I am sorry that events took
this course, I could not control the Mysterons’ control once it took hold. I chose
to leave to save any further attacks on Cloudbase to get me back. I will
return, be sure of that’.”
There was silence, heavy impenetrable silence. Some had tears in
their eyes.
They had lost a battle but not the war. There would be many more
battles but for now they had to contend themselves with what they had.
Somewhere on Earth, Captain Black raised his binoculars to eye a
new target for the Mysterons. Despite being an agent once more, Black had not totally
forgotten his past or the brief time he had spent back on Cloudbase.
Deep down inside the
Mysteron agent, a small voice said in that same tone he had when joining
Spectrum at its creation.
I will return, I have to and it won’t be long in coming.
BACK TO “FAN FICTION ARCHIVES” PAGE
OTHER CAPTAIN
SCARLET STORIES BY MATT CROWTHER
Any comments? Send an E-MAIL to the SPECTRUM
HEADQUARTERS site.