Dragged to Gamilon
The Argo approaches a phenomena on space, and Venture realizes something is wrong with the compass. IQ 9 and Nova state the obvious, and Sandor insists the problem isn't with the compass. Venture decides it's an external cause. Homer determines that a signal is coming from the Magellanic Cloud where Iskandar is. Homer does something, and they receive a message from Queen Starsha of Iskandar. She tells them that Iskandar is the 8th planet orbiting the sun in the Magellanic Cloud, and she will transmit a signal as a guide. The crew celebrates and shakes hands.
In his quarters, Avatar is bed-ridden. Recovering from the battle? Or worse. Derek and Nova have a "first date" where Derek tries to take a picture of the two of them and she slaps his hand away, then leaves, giggling.
Homer goes to the radio room when they realize the signal from Iskandar is gone. Venture explains to Wildstar that two Iskandar's have appeared. They wonder what's going on. Then one Iskandar disappears from the screen. Homer surmises it's radio jamming. Missiles suddenly close in. Wildstar has the gun crews prepare and range in as the missiles divide into four groups. Wildstar sends Nova to look after the captain, though Avatar insists Nova should be on the bridge. Wildstar orders the weapons to fire a counter barrage, but the missiles end up being cluster weapons of some sort and get through. Venture panics--the missiles have created a metallic cloud that distorts all the sensor readings.
Wildstar has a momentary crisis, wonder if he's cut out to lead, then orders Conroy out in a fighter to collect missile fragments. Conroy is forced to launch without instruments. Sandor analyzes the fragments, and determines that they are of Gamilon origin. After some mental gymnastics, Sandor, Wildstar and Venture realize that the "second Iskandar" is Gamilon--they never thought about where Gamilon actually was.
In the Gamilon capital city--which is underground--Desslok is relaxing in a pool, getting a massage when Starsha calls him on a space phone. She is upset at the radiation scattered around Iskandar. Desslok mocks her, and asserts that the devastation of Earth was for the benefit of both planets. Because Galveston--er, Gamilon needs a new planet, so he's decided to depopulate Earth. Starsha then taunts him with his repeated losses against the Star Force. Desslok cuts her off.
Desslok, now fully clothed, arrives at the Gamilon, um, government chambers. Fine. Let's just call it the Reichkanzlorei. He gives us a geological lesson on the strange double-crust structure of Gamilon, and that the volcanoes of the lower crust have created seas of sulfur, which will figure in his final plans to destroy the Star Force. It involves missiles, coastal gins, and other crazy schemes. The generals sure seem to like it.
The Argo is still enshrouded by the metallic cloud, and Wildstar agonizes over Starsha's true allegiances. Then Nova calls him to the radio room--Starsha is calling. She warns them of Gamilon and their jamming and . . . she gets cut off.
Wildstar apologizes to Venture for having a meltdown. Wildstar then goes to Avatar's cabin, where Avatar advises him to get past the Gamilons. Then the ship is struck and starts shaking. Wildstar emerges on the bridge to discover that the magnetic cloud is dragging the Argo towards Gamilon. The crew rushes to battle stations. On Gamilon, the tractor beam weapons are dragging the Argo to the planet, despite Venture's best efforts.
They brace for a crash, and then plummet straight through an opening in the crust into a sulfurous sea. The Argo splashes down.
Teh crew is scattered across the bridge where they fell. Wildstar struggles back into his seat and rouses the rest of the crew. He orders IQ 9 to analyze the sea--but Nova and Sandor are still trying to reassemble him. Then a storm starts. IQ 9 starts his analysis as the storm rages. IQ 9 informs them that the ship will dissolve in this sea. Venture orders them to lift off. Bits of the ship are already corroding and falling off. Then bombs start dropping on them. The explosions drive them back under the sulfurous waves. . .
There are only 164 days left.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Battle of the Rainbow Galaxy
Battle of the Rainbow Galaxy
And here it goes, the big battle we spend all of last episode building up to!
Lysis proclaims that today will be the day the Gamilon forces finally defeat the Star Force. He launches his fighters to defeat the Black Tigers.
The Argo moves into the Rainbow Galaxy at full alert. Wildstar orders the Black Tigers to launch as he sees the Gamilon fighters closing in. The ships form up around the Argo. Wildstar leads his fighters against the Gamilons.
Lysis orders the precision bombers from Carrier 2 to launch. He then prepares the SMITE machine. The precision bombers assume formation in the SMITE zone and are teleported (while Balgar laughs maniacally) to a location just behind the Argo. Uhhhh, that effect looks an awful lot like the Zentraedi grand fleet folding into Earthspace. The bombers start bombing the Argo and Venture can't figure out where they came from. Avatar desparately recalls the Black Tigers. Wildstar orders them to return.
The bombers are taking their toll on the Argo, which fires back with its weapons. The Black Tigers return and the bombers reform and break off. Watching all of this, Lysis orders carrier 3's torpedo planes to launch and attack the Argo's unprotected flank. They, too, are transported by the SMITE machine.
Wildstar is pursuing the bombers when he sees the torpedo planes materialize and encircle the Argo. They drop torpedoes WHICH HAPPEN TO BE MOST OF THE PLANE'S FUSELAGE!! Wildstar is recalled again while the Argo takes severe damage.
Lysis orders the drill missile launched an deploys the heavy bomber squadron. The drill missile is carried by a crazy looking bomber that is SMITE-transported to the Argo just like the others. THe Black Tigers are chasing off the torpedo planes when Conroy advises Wildstar that the planes are low on fuel. Wildstar orders them back to the ship. Lysis orders the drill missile to be used.
The Argo crew sees the heavy bomber appear and panics. The drill missile is launched and flies right up the wave motion gun. Venture speculates that it's a misfire--the Sandor sees tha the missile is turning. Avatar orders all belowdecks crews to the upper decks as the missile bores its way into the ship.
Sandor and IQ 9 run to the wave motion gun and try to find the missile's power source. They crawl into the missile and attempt to reverse the drill action.
Lysis plans to detonate the missile in five minutes. He orders his carrier fleet to assemble to witness the final destruction.
Venture and Wildstar are coordinating the repairs of the majority of the attack's damage while Sandor and IQ 9 are still working on the missile.
The carriers transform from carrier to battleship modes and begin fire cannonades at the Argo. The Argo takes serious damage. Wildstar returns fire with the conventional weapons while Sandor find the controls of the missile. The fleet closes in on the crippled Argo. Blagar and Lysis gloat. Then IQ 9 reverses the missile and he and Sandor evacuate. The missile pulls itself out of the Argo's bow and flies back to the Gamilon fleet. It strikes the red carrier and explodes. The flaming wreckage catches the blue carrier, destroying it. Lysis' command ship is buffeted by th explosion as all the carriers explode. He pilots his command ship right at the Argo.
Venture evades, but Lysis's flying saucer continues chasing them. Avatar orders them into the black cloud, but Lysis tracks them on sonar and drop DEPTH CHARGES. Er, space bombs. The barrage shakes the Argo, but they get above Lysis. Lysis decides to plant a bomb on the Argo's ventral surface.
Venture and Wildstar wonder at the sudden lull in attacks. The radar is repaired just in time for Nova to see that the Gamilon ship is beneath them. Then Lysis appears on the Argo's screen. He and Avatar confront each other face to face for the first time. Lysis tells him of the bomb. It detonates, and the Argo withstand the blast. Lysis opts to limp home in his damaged control ship.
The Argo is battered and severely damaged, but continues on in space. Crewmembers assemble on the outer deck for a military funeral for the lost hands. Avatar presides in a stirring speech as the main cast salutes fallen comrades whose names we never knew . . .
Hmm. No day countdown in this episode.
And here it goes, the big battle we spend all of last episode building up to!
Lysis proclaims that today will be the day the Gamilon forces finally defeat the Star Force. He launches his fighters to defeat the Black Tigers.
The Argo moves into the Rainbow Galaxy at full alert. Wildstar orders the Black Tigers to launch as he sees the Gamilon fighters closing in. The ships form up around the Argo. Wildstar leads his fighters against the Gamilons.
Lysis orders the precision bombers from Carrier 2 to launch. He then prepares the SMITE machine. The precision bombers assume formation in the SMITE zone and are teleported (while Balgar laughs maniacally) to a location just behind the Argo. Uhhhh, that effect looks an awful lot like the Zentraedi grand fleet folding into Earthspace. The bombers start bombing the Argo and Venture can't figure out where they came from. Avatar desparately recalls the Black Tigers. Wildstar orders them to return.
The bombers are taking their toll on the Argo, which fires back with its weapons. The Black Tigers return and the bombers reform and break off. Watching all of this, Lysis orders carrier 3's torpedo planes to launch and attack the Argo's unprotected flank. They, too, are transported by the SMITE machine.
Wildstar is pursuing the bombers when he sees the torpedo planes materialize and encircle the Argo. They drop torpedoes WHICH HAPPEN TO BE MOST OF THE PLANE'S FUSELAGE!! Wildstar is recalled again while the Argo takes severe damage.
Lysis orders the drill missile launched an deploys the heavy bomber squadron. The drill missile is carried by a crazy looking bomber that is SMITE-transported to the Argo just like the others. THe Black Tigers are chasing off the torpedo planes when Conroy advises Wildstar that the planes are low on fuel. Wildstar orders them back to the ship. Lysis orders the drill missile to be used.
The Argo crew sees the heavy bomber appear and panics. The drill missile is launched and flies right up the wave motion gun. Venture speculates that it's a misfire--the Sandor sees tha the missile is turning. Avatar orders all belowdecks crews to the upper decks as the missile bores its way into the ship.
Sandor and IQ 9 run to the wave motion gun and try to find the missile's power source. They crawl into the missile and attempt to reverse the drill action.
Lysis plans to detonate the missile in five minutes. He orders his carrier fleet to assemble to witness the final destruction.
Venture and Wildstar are coordinating the repairs of the majority of the attack's damage while Sandor and IQ 9 are still working on the missile.
The carriers transform from carrier to battleship modes and begin fire cannonades at the Argo. The Argo takes serious damage. Wildstar returns fire with the conventional weapons while Sandor find the controls of the missile. The fleet closes in on the crippled Argo. Blagar and Lysis gloat. Then IQ 9 reverses the missile and he and Sandor evacuate. The missile pulls itself out of the Argo's bow and flies back to the Gamilon fleet. It strikes the red carrier and explodes. The flaming wreckage catches the blue carrier, destroying it. Lysis' command ship is buffeted by th explosion as all the carriers explode. He pilots his command ship right at the Argo.
Venture evades, but Lysis's flying saucer continues chasing them. Avatar orders them into the black cloud, but Lysis tracks them on sonar and drop DEPTH CHARGES. Er, space bombs. The barrage shakes the Argo, but they get above Lysis. Lysis decides to plant a bomb on the Argo's ventral surface.
Venture and Wildstar wonder at the sudden lull in attacks. The radar is repaired just in time for Nova to see that the Gamilon ship is beneath them. Then Lysis appears on the Argo's screen. He and Avatar confront each other face to face for the first time. Lysis tells him of the bomb. It detonates, and the Argo withstand the blast. Lysis opts to limp home in his damaged control ship.
The Argo is battered and severely damaged, but continues on in space. Crewmembers assemble on the outer deck for a military funeral for the lost hands. Avatar presides in a stirring speech as the main cast salutes fallen comrades whose names we never knew . . .
Hmm. No day countdown in this episode.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Challenge of the Rainbow Galaxy
Challenge of the Rainbow Galaxy
\Lysis is on trial before Desslok for his failures. He blames Balgar. Krypt and other leaders accuse him of arrogance. A vote for the death penalty (among others) begins. Krypt declares that he is placed under house arrest until the day of his execution.
Desslok is being attended to by blondes when Krypt brings him the death penalty verdict. Desslok crumples up the verdict, and says Lysis is the only one he can trust him to actually do things. I know I bring it up a lot, but the Gamilon buildings and vehicles look an awful lot like the Galveston buildings and vehicles. Krypt brings Lysis news of his pardon.
The Argo crew are analyzing material from Balan. Sandor tells Wildstar that he suspects the Gamilons were planning to move to Earth--and that Balan was a midway station that they've now destroyed.
Balgar and Lysis are looking at the rainbow galaxy. Lysis decides that this is where they will meet them for the final battle. He wants Balgar to issue a challenge to the Star Force. He has a crazy transporter-like weapon called SMITE for short. He also has a drill missile, specifically designed to be fired right down the wave motion gun.
On the Argo, all the department heads are rushing to the bridge, wondering what's happening. Wildstar tells them that they've received a communication from Gamilon. Homer translates it. It's a challege from Lysis to meet him in an Earth-week for a challenge. Wildstar is all ready for the fight. Sandor and Venture are more concerned about the schedule. Wildstar is all for wiping them out now to save time later. Orion reminds them that Avatar is on the bridge. Avatar stands and proclaims that they did not seek out the Gamilons--the Gamilons brought the fight to them. They will face them.
The Gamilon forces are amassing. Fighters are being transported to massive multi-deck carriers. The carriers land in a strange, hollow-looking planet (it's sorta like the covered jungle experiment the Invid had). Lysis is informed that all 4 space carriers have landed. He meets with the four captains. He briefs them on the mission.
Maintenance crews are working on the Black Tiger fighters. Venture briefs Wildstar on the rainbow galaxy. Each star has . . it's own . . . metal? Ooo-kay. Wildstar suspects they'll have radar problems in an area with such a composition.
Lysis and his massed forces salute Desslok, who gives them a pep-talk. The color-coded carriers began loading troops as Lysis and Balgar supervise. Balgar is worried about what happens after the drill missile fails. Lysis accuses him of being afraid. They board the flagship to a gun salute. The carriers deploy.
Avatar broods over his selection of Wildstar as deputy captain while the five Gamilon ships enter the rainbow galaxy. Lysis outlines their plan, to destroy the radar first, and then the main gun. Balgar licks his boots (well, figuratively). Lysis warns them not to underestimate Avatar.
Avatar orders Venture to go to automatic pilot, then summons the whole crew to the assembly room. Members of the crew voice their doubts and their resolve. Avatar, supporting himself on a cane, mounts the stage and urges them to fight well, then has them make a toast with water from Earth. Avatar toasts to his friends and their coming victory.
Balgar notifies Lysis of the Argo's arrival, who gloats that they will be flying blind.
Nova warns of the loss of radar while Avatar and Wildstar summon all hands to battle stations. The crew man their fighters. The Gamilon fleet approaches, readying cannon and fighters. The Argo retroes and awaits the Gamilon fleet. Aaand--to be continued!!
Only 215 days left.
\Lysis is on trial before Desslok for his failures. He blames Balgar. Krypt and other leaders accuse him of arrogance. A vote for the death penalty (among others) begins. Krypt declares that he is placed under house arrest until the day of his execution.
Desslok is being attended to by blondes when Krypt brings him the death penalty verdict. Desslok crumples up the verdict, and says Lysis is the only one he can trust him to actually do things. I know I bring it up a lot, but the Gamilon buildings and vehicles look an awful lot like the Galveston buildings and vehicles. Krypt brings Lysis news of his pardon.
The Argo crew are analyzing material from Balan. Sandor tells Wildstar that he suspects the Gamilons were planning to move to Earth--and that Balan was a midway station that they've now destroyed.
Balgar and Lysis are looking at the rainbow galaxy. Lysis decides that this is where they will meet them for the final battle. He wants Balgar to issue a challenge to the Star Force. He has a crazy transporter-like weapon called SMITE for short. He also has a drill missile, specifically designed to be fired right down the wave motion gun.
On the Argo, all the department heads are rushing to the bridge, wondering what's happening. Wildstar tells them that they've received a communication from Gamilon. Homer translates it. It's a challege from Lysis to meet him in an Earth-week for a challenge. Wildstar is all ready for the fight. Sandor and Venture are more concerned about the schedule. Wildstar is all for wiping them out now to save time later. Orion reminds them that Avatar is on the bridge. Avatar stands and proclaims that they did not seek out the Gamilons--the Gamilons brought the fight to them. They will face them.
The Gamilon forces are amassing. Fighters are being transported to massive multi-deck carriers. The carriers land in a strange, hollow-looking planet (it's sorta like the covered jungle experiment the Invid had). Lysis is informed that all 4 space carriers have landed. He meets with the four captains. He briefs them on the mission.
Maintenance crews are working on the Black Tiger fighters. Venture briefs Wildstar on the rainbow galaxy. Each star has . . it's own . . . metal? Ooo-kay. Wildstar suspects they'll have radar problems in an area with such a composition.
Lysis and his massed forces salute Desslok, who gives them a pep-talk. The color-coded carriers began loading troops as Lysis and Balgar supervise. Balgar is worried about what happens after the drill missile fails. Lysis accuses him of being afraid. They board the flagship to a gun salute. The carriers deploy.
Avatar broods over his selection of Wildstar as deputy captain while the five Gamilon ships enter the rainbow galaxy. Lysis outlines their plan, to destroy the radar first, and then the main gun. Balgar licks his boots (well, figuratively). Lysis warns them not to underestimate Avatar.
Avatar orders Venture to go to automatic pilot, then summons the whole crew to the assembly room. Members of the crew voice their doubts and their resolve. Avatar, supporting himself on a cane, mounts the stage and urges them to fight well, then has them make a toast with water from Earth. Avatar toasts to his friends and their coming victory.
Balgar notifies Lysis of the Argo's arrival, who gloats that they will be flying blind.
Nova warns of the loss of radar while Avatar and Wildstar summon all hands to battle stations. The crew man their fighters. The Gamilon fleet approaches, readying cannon and fighters. The Argo retroes and awaits the Gamilon fleet. Aaand--to be continued!!
Only 215 days left.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The Artificial Sun
The Artificial Sun
The Star Force has reached Balan--the half-way point of their trip to Iskandar. But unbeknownst to them, it's the site of a Gamilon Base. Conroy, Wildstar, and IQ 9 are on a reconnaissance flight and see . . . a star orbiting the planet Balan?
The bridge crew discuss the mission. Wildstar and Conroy approach the planet surface and see pod-like plants all over the ground. And in the center of a crater, IQ 9 sees a Gamilon station. Wildstar and Conroy do a closer flyby and call the Argo to advise them of the base's existence.
As they close in on the base, anti-aircraft fire greets them, but they evade and continue surveying the planet. IQ 9 relays the return message from the Argo, but Wildstar decides to shut the base down. A Gamilon squadron launches. Conroy tells Wildstar to go back, since he's just flying a recon plane. Conroy engages. Wildstar gives IQ 9 the controls, only to have IQ 9 take him back to the ship while Conroy continues the fight.
Wildstar lands and goes to the bridge. On the bridge, Homer orders Conroy to return. Wildstar urges Avatar to destroy the base. Venture protests--they're 44 days behind schedule. Wildstar points out that they'll just have to fight them on the way back, putting them even more behind schedule. Avatar agrees to attack just as Conroy in his damaged fighter.
Lysis is mustering his fleet 50 mega-miles from the Balan base. Balgar paces, getting on Lysis' nerves. Lysis plots and schemes. A common enemy commander trait, isn't it? He knows the Argo will close in to the surface base, and he'll use the artificial star to crush them. Balgar is upset that Lysis is willing o sacrifice the base.
The base prepares to counterattack the Argo. The Argo closes on the planet and Avatar orders all hands to battle station. Wildstar prepares the missile and main gun batteries. He notices the sun is doing something weird and orders an eye kept on it.
The Gamilon base launches missiles. The main guns intercept the missile barrage. Balgar and Lysis watch as they approach straight on to the base. Lysis orders the artificial sun activated and starts its descent. The sun closes in on the Argo while it's fighting its way through the missiles.
On the bridge, Eager notices the sun closing in and alerts the rest of the crew. Wildstar wants to fire the wave motion gun at it. Eager and Sandor protest, and the fourth missile wave reaches them. The sun closes, and Avatar orders him to prepare the wave motion gun to fire at the sun. He and Venture coordinate the aiming--300 seconds to align the gun, 290 seconds for the sun to destroy them. Lysis gloats and Balgar is upset that the troops on the base will be sacrificed and leaves the control room.
Missiles strike the ship's unprotected flank as the aft guns struggle to shoot them down. Wildstar orders them to back away from the sun--Venture is afraid the missiles will do even more damage from that close range. They do it anyway, and some panic ensues as the sun promises to destroy the Gamilon base as well as the Argo. Nova sees Avatar clutching his chest . . .
Lysis is gloating--until Balgar tells him that Desslok is calling. Lysis wonders why he chose now to call. Desslok orders him not to sacrifice the base. Lysis, enrage, yells at Balgar.
The Argo crew see the sun receding. Thy come around and prepare to fire the wave motion gun. The BFG does its thing and destroys the sun. Fragments from the sun strike and devastate the Gamilon base, but the Argo escapes. Lysis and Balgar watch in dismay as the Argo emerges relatively unscathed.
A research team lands on Balan the moment the sun is done erupting. The bridge crew is at ease after the battle. Wildstar says the plants were the thing that tipped him off to the sun's artificialness. Avatar orders him to meet with him at a specified time. Nova and IQ 9 land on the hangar deck and bring a space turtle on board. The turtle's vestigal eyes and the plants all indicate that the planet normally has very little light. The ship resumes its crews.
Wildstar meets Avatar in his quarters. The captain says he's fatigued. He asks Wildstar for help, taking on some of the responsibilities as deputy captain.
Any chance the Man-Made sun episode of Dairugger was an homage to this episode? As well as the team leaders becoming co-captains with Ise?
There are only 253 days left.
The Star Force has reached Balan--the half-way point of their trip to Iskandar. But unbeknownst to them, it's the site of a Gamilon Base. Conroy, Wildstar, and IQ 9 are on a reconnaissance flight and see . . . a star orbiting the planet Balan?
The bridge crew discuss the mission. Wildstar and Conroy approach the planet surface and see pod-like plants all over the ground. And in the center of a crater, IQ 9 sees a Gamilon station. Wildstar and Conroy do a closer flyby and call the Argo to advise them of the base's existence.
As they close in on the base, anti-aircraft fire greets them, but they evade and continue surveying the planet. IQ 9 relays the return message from the Argo, but Wildstar decides to shut the base down. A Gamilon squadron launches. Conroy tells Wildstar to go back, since he's just flying a recon plane. Conroy engages. Wildstar gives IQ 9 the controls, only to have IQ 9 take him back to the ship while Conroy continues the fight.
Wildstar lands and goes to the bridge. On the bridge, Homer orders Conroy to return. Wildstar urges Avatar to destroy the base. Venture protests--they're 44 days behind schedule. Wildstar points out that they'll just have to fight them on the way back, putting them even more behind schedule. Avatar agrees to attack just as Conroy in his damaged fighter.
Lysis is mustering his fleet 50 mega-miles from the Balan base. Balgar paces, getting on Lysis' nerves. Lysis plots and schemes. A common enemy commander trait, isn't it? He knows the Argo will close in to the surface base, and he'll use the artificial star to crush them. Balgar is upset that Lysis is willing o sacrifice the base.
The base prepares to counterattack the Argo. The Argo closes on the planet and Avatar orders all hands to battle station. Wildstar prepares the missile and main gun batteries. He notices the sun is doing something weird and orders an eye kept on it.
The Gamilon base launches missiles. The main guns intercept the missile barrage. Balgar and Lysis watch as they approach straight on to the base. Lysis orders the artificial sun activated and starts its descent. The sun closes in on the Argo while it's fighting its way through the missiles.
On the bridge, Eager notices the sun closing in and alerts the rest of the crew. Wildstar wants to fire the wave motion gun at it. Eager and Sandor protest, and the fourth missile wave reaches them. The sun closes, and Avatar orders him to prepare the wave motion gun to fire at the sun. He and Venture coordinate the aiming--300 seconds to align the gun, 290 seconds for the sun to destroy them. Lysis gloats and Balgar is upset that the troops on the base will be sacrificed and leaves the control room.
Missiles strike the ship's unprotected flank as the aft guns struggle to shoot them down. Wildstar orders them to back away from the sun--Venture is afraid the missiles will do even more damage from that close range. They do it anyway, and some panic ensues as the sun promises to destroy the Gamilon base as well as the Argo. Nova sees Avatar clutching his chest . . .
Lysis is gloating--until Balgar tells him that Desslok is calling. Lysis wonders why he chose now to call. Desslok orders him not to sacrifice the base. Lysis, enrage, yells at Balgar.
The Argo crew see the sun receding. Thy come around and prepare to fire the wave motion gun. The BFG does its thing and destroys the sun. Fragments from the sun strike and devastate the Gamilon base, but the Argo escapes. Lysis and Balgar watch in dismay as the Argo emerges relatively unscathed.
A research team lands on Balan the moment the sun is done erupting. The bridge crew is at ease after the battle. Wildstar says the plants were the thing that tipped him off to the sun's artificialness. Avatar orders him to meet with him at a specified time. Nova and IQ 9 land on the hangar deck and bring a space turtle on board. The turtle's vestigal eyes and the plants all indicate that the planet normally has very little light. The ship resumes its crews.
Wildstar meets Avatar in his quarters. The captain says he's fatigued. He asks Wildstar for help, taking on some of the responsibilities as deputy captain.
Any chance the Man-Made sun episode of Dairugger was an homage to this episode? As well as the team leaders becoming co-captains with Ise?
There are only 253 days left.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Communications Satellite
Communications Satellite
The Star Force has been out of visual communications with Earth for 2 months. A crew member is having a physical in sick bay. He has a constant ringing in his ears, but the doctor can't find a physical reason, but guesses he's suffering from homesickness. He is prescribed a visit to the holodeck with Nova. She sets up a simulation of snowfall near a harbor. Crewman Homer seems somewhat cheered up by the simulation until he sees a hologram of his mother carrying firewood and freaks out when it's apparent that she's a hologram.
The Doctor is assisting the Captain to the communications room. Avatar manages to contact the UN. They report that the planet bombs have ceased with the destruction of the Pluto base, though the radiation is still spreading. Suddenly Homer arrives and starts some panic spreading. We don't know anything about Iskandar, we don't know where the Gamilons are, and we don't know what's really going on on Earth. Avatar talks him down, and then Homer passes out.
In the mess hall, all the department heads are discussing Avatar's communication with Earth. Avatar thanks them for their performance while he was in sickbay. The toast to the crew, the families on Earth, and the captain's health. They express concern at Homer's outburst. Venture wonders what the chances of the success of the mission really are. Avatar tells him there are no guarantees, but they must believe in a future for everyone. Without that believe, Earth is lost.
General Lysis is informed of the intercepted communications between the Earth and the Argo. Lysis is planning to destroy morale with a communications relay satellite.
Homer awakens in the middle of the night and goes early to his post in the communications room. He chases off the crewman on duty, and calls his mother. He's been using a "secret" frequency. His mother tells him that his father is very sick.
Earth is bearing the scars of the radiation-laden planet bombs. Homer's father has been responsible for work constructing underground cities, and has apparently caught some new virus (despite have bandages on his head). Homer tries to speak to his father, but interference and his father's loss of consciousness ends the call. Then Homer finds Wildstar looking over his shoulder. Homer has an angst moment and rushes onto the bridge, pleading with Venture to turn back and return to Earth. Venture refuses, then Homer freaks out and leaves just as Wildstar comes running for him.
In the hangar, Homer tries to sneak past Conroy to the spacesuit lockers while Wildstar calls to warn Conroy. Wildstar and Venture rush down to the hangar deck, but Homer is already in space, trying to swim home.
The Argo retroes, and the Black Tigers launch in their fighters to search for Homer. If this were the 2004 Battlestar Galactica, they woulda just said "Frakk 'im!" In space, Homer is hallucination that he sees the Earth, but he's actually approaching the communications relay satellite. The GAMILON communications relay satellite, and the truth slowly begins to dawn on him. He decides he has to get back to the Star Force. But, well, he's been adrift in space. So now he has a freakout about that.
Wildstar approaches the relay satellite. Homer waves him in, and Wildstar calls the rest of the Star Force. Wildstar picks him up and gives Homer the weapons control, allowing him to be the one to destroy the satellite. Homer's spirits are instantly lifted, and they rendezvous with the rest of the search party. They return to the Argo.
There are only 255 days left.
The Star Force has been out of visual communications with Earth for 2 months. A crew member is having a physical in sick bay. He has a constant ringing in his ears, but the doctor can't find a physical reason, but guesses he's suffering from homesickness. He is prescribed a visit to the holodeck with Nova. She sets up a simulation of snowfall near a harbor. Crewman Homer seems somewhat cheered up by the simulation until he sees a hologram of his mother carrying firewood and freaks out when it's apparent that she's a hologram.
The Doctor is assisting the Captain to the communications room. Avatar manages to contact the UN. They report that the planet bombs have ceased with the destruction of the Pluto base, though the radiation is still spreading. Suddenly Homer arrives and starts some panic spreading. We don't know anything about Iskandar, we don't know where the Gamilons are, and we don't know what's really going on on Earth. Avatar talks him down, and then Homer passes out.
In the mess hall, all the department heads are discussing Avatar's communication with Earth. Avatar thanks them for their performance while he was in sickbay. The toast to the crew, the families on Earth, and the captain's health. They express concern at Homer's outburst. Venture wonders what the chances of the success of the mission really are. Avatar tells him there are no guarantees, but they must believe in a future for everyone. Without that believe, Earth is lost.
General Lysis is informed of the intercepted communications between the Earth and the Argo. Lysis is planning to destroy morale with a communications relay satellite.
Homer awakens in the middle of the night and goes early to his post in the communications room. He chases off the crewman on duty, and calls his mother. He's been using a "secret" frequency. His mother tells him that his father is very sick.
Earth is bearing the scars of the radiation-laden planet bombs. Homer's father has been responsible for work constructing underground cities, and has apparently caught some new virus (despite have bandages on his head). Homer tries to speak to his father, but interference and his father's loss of consciousness ends the call. Then Homer finds Wildstar looking over his shoulder. Homer has an angst moment and rushes onto the bridge, pleading with Venture to turn back and return to Earth. Venture refuses, then Homer freaks out and leaves just as Wildstar comes running for him.
In the hangar, Homer tries to sneak past Conroy to the spacesuit lockers while Wildstar calls to warn Conroy. Wildstar and Venture rush down to the hangar deck, but Homer is already in space, trying to swim home.
The Argo retroes, and the Black Tigers launch in their fighters to search for Homer. If this were the 2004 Battlestar Galactica, they woulda just said "Frakk 'im!" In space, Homer is hallucination that he sees the Earth, but he's actually approaching the communications relay satellite. The GAMILON communications relay satellite, and the truth slowly begins to dawn on him. He decides he has to get back to the Star Force. But, well, he's been adrift in space. So now he has a freakout about that.
Wildstar approaches the relay satellite. Homer waves him in, and Wildstar calls the rest of the Star Force. Wildstar picks him up and gives Homer the weapons control, allowing him to be the one to destroy the satellite. Homer's spirits are instantly lifted, and they rendezvous with the rest of the search party. They return to the Argo.
There are only 255 days left.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Magnetron Wave
Magnetron Wave
The Argo is 7,000 mega-meters from a strange, inactive object. Wildstar has sand Sandor out in a ship to examine the object. He's 10 megameters away when he reports--and then his ship breaks up. The crew is suddenly assembled while Sandor narrates what he so narrowly escapes from. The ship seemed to just come apart, rather than explode. Sandor proposes that its a magnetron wave emanating from the object--which is a Gamilon base. Sandor says they should use the new seamless shuttle. After some wrangling, he and Wildstar agree to take the seamless ship out to explore.
They fly through the wreckage of Sandor's first plane, and then close in on the object. The magnetron waves seem to come from holes all over the object's surface. Avatar says they are starting to feel vibrations back on the Argo. Wildstar tries to fire into the ports, but they close are part of some defense mechanism. He and Sandor decide to EVA and raid the object. They anchor their ship and walk down one of the ports, which reminds Wildstar of a cave.
After walking, and climbing, and walking, they see a strange yellow alien lumber by. Sandor tells Wildstar he's had Alex, Wildstar's brother, for a while. They were friends in the academy together. After the academy, Sandor was responsible for ship maintenance--he had done repairs on Alex' ship, the Paladin before they battle at Pluto. That was the last he saw of Alex.
Um. Why are we bringing this up now? Sandor is guilty, feeling he didn't do a sufficient repair job on the Paladin. Wildstar forgives him. And then the weird yellow thing--some kind of robot, attacks them, and Sandor saves Derek's bacon. Then . . . the reminiscing continues.
Sandor had been in grammar school when he insisted on driving a rocket car on the moon and crashed. Wildstar assures him he's not the only one to have made foolish mistakes.
Meanwhile, during this walk down memory lane, the magnetron wave is peeling deckplates off the Argo's hull. Venture frets.
Sandor explains to Wildstar that the object is actually a giant computer, and the tunnels are the computer's circuits. They turn the corner and find the main processor of the computer. And it looks like an Invid hive brain.
Avatar tells Venture to prepare for a warp jump in case Sandor and Wildstar don't make it back.
The two are wiring bombs to the computer. Sandor gets philosophical about science that creates machines that destroy people. And then the computer starts laughing at them. The floor starts heaving. Tendrils come out of portals and knock Wildstar over. He sees Sandor caught by the computer's tendrils. . .
Venture has readied the warp. The crew looks expectantly at the captain . . .
Wildstar struggles back to consciousness. Sandor urges him to help, reminding him that the Argo might have to jump. He tells Wildstar to remove his arms and legs--SANDOR IS BIONIC!
Hmm.
Wildstar disassembles Sandor's limbs and carries him out to the shuttle. Sandor demands to be left behind. Sandor says his bionic arms and legs are bombs, and he'll set them off after Wildstar leaves. He urges Wildstar to leave--he'll be okay to be picked up when the explosion is over. Wildstar leaves Sandor floating in space and returns to his fighter. After exchanging meaningful looks, they separate.
Avatar counts down the final seconds and orders the warp. Just before he pulls the lever, Wildstar requests permission to land. Avatar demands an update, and Wildstar explains that Sandor is taking care of the magnetron situation. Wildstar watches the explosion, then tells the Argo crew he's going back for Sandor. He searches through the wreckage and hears his voice. Wildstar finds Sandor, streaked with soot, in a corner of the wreckage.
Lysis mocks Balgar for this latest defeat.
Wildstar is brooding on the observation deck when Sandor arrives with his new arms and legs. Derek says he hopes Alex is alive somewhere. Sandor says it would mean as much to him as it does to Wildstar.
Only 260 days left.
The Argo is 7,000 mega-meters from a strange, inactive object. Wildstar has sand Sandor out in a ship to examine the object. He's 10 megameters away when he reports--and then his ship breaks up. The crew is suddenly assembled while Sandor narrates what he so narrowly escapes from. The ship seemed to just come apart, rather than explode. Sandor proposes that its a magnetron wave emanating from the object--which is a Gamilon base. Sandor says they should use the new seamless shuttle. After some wrangling, he and Wildstar agree to take the seamless ship out to explore.
They fly through the wreckage of Sandor's first plane, and then close in on the object. The magnetron waves seem to come from holes all over the object's surface. Avatar says they are starting to feel vibrations back on the Argo. Wildstar tries to fire into the ports, but they close are part of some defense mechanism. He and Sandor decide to EVA and raid the object. They anchor their ship and walk down one of the ports, which reminds Wildstar of a cave.
After walking, and climbing, and walking, they see a strange yellow alien lumber by. Sandor tells Wildstar he's had Alex, Wildstar's brother, for a while. They were friends in the academy together. After the academy, Sandor was responsible for ship maintenance--he had done repairs on Alex' ship, the Paladin before they battle at Pluto. That was the last he saw of Alex.
Um. Why are we bringing this up now? Sandor is guilty, feeling he didn't do a sufficient repair job on the Paladin. Wildstar forgives him. And then the weird yellow thing--some kind of robot, attacks them, and Sandor saves Derek's bacon. Then . . . the reminiscing continues.
Sandor had been in grammar school when he insisted on driving a rocket car on the moon and crashed. Wildstar assures him he's not the only one to have made foolish mistakes.
Meanwhile, during this walk down memory lane, the magnetron wave is peeling deckplates off the Argo's hull. Venture frets.
Sandor explains to Wildstar that the object is actually a giant computer, and the tunnels are the computer's circuits. They turn the corner and find the main processor of the computer. And it looks like an Invid hive brain.
Avatar tells Venture to prepare for a warp jump in case Sandor and Wildstar don't make it back.
The two are wiring bombs to the computer. Sandor gets philosophical about science that creates machines that destroy people. And then the computer starts laughing at them. The floor starts heaving. Tendrils come out of portals and knock Wildstar over. He sees Sandor caught by the computer's tendrils. . .
Venture has readied the warp. The crew looks expectantly at the captain . . .
Wildstar struggles back to consciousness. Sandor urges him to help, reminding him that the Argo might have to jump. He tells Wildstar to remove his arms and legs--SANDOR IS BIONIC!
Hmm.
Wildstar disassembles Sandor's limbs and carries him out to the shuttle. Sandor demands to be left behind. Sandor says his bionic arms and legs are bombs, and he'll set them off after Wildstar leaves. He urges Wildstar to leave--he'll be okay to be picked up when the explosion is over. Wildstar leaves Sandor floating in space and returns to his fighter. After exchanging meaningful looks, they separate.
Avatar counts down the final seconds and orders the warp. Just before he pulls the lever, Wildstar requests permission to land. Avatar demands an update, and Wildstar explains that Sandor is taking care of the magnetron situation. Wildstar watches the explosion, then tells the Argo crew he's going back for Sandor. He searches through the wreckage and hears his voice. Wildstar finds Sandor, streaked with soot, in a corner of the wreckage.
Lysis mocks Balgar for this latest defeat.
Wildstar is brooding on the observation deck when Sandor arrives with his new arms and legs. Derek says he hopes Alex is alive somewhere. Sandor says it would mean as much to him as it does to Wildstar.
Only 260 days left.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Balanosaurus
Balanosaurus
From bees to Balano. What a journey we have traveled.
The Star Force is approaching the planet Balan. Which is really Balan this time (the narrator pronounced Beeland as Balan). Venture catches us all up on how badly behind schedule they've gotten.
Planet Balan is younger than Earth. It's still cooling, and simple life is just developing. Naturally, at the Gamilon base on Balan is working on a way to turn it into a weapon. Lysis arrives and argues with General Valgar, who wants to use the Balan "energy cells" as a weapon. Lysis denies him permission. Like any good mad scientist,Valgar pretty much ignores such orders--partly because Lysis wants the credit for defeating the Star Force.
Then we see "cells" swimming through lava and becoming a spherical . . . thing. A Gamilon fighter lifts off and follows the sphere. It's Valgar with his "mind control" helmet, forming the cells into a Balanosaurus.
Venture completes the warp. Nova is alarmed that Captain Avatar is slumped unconscious at his station. While he's in sickbay, Venture and Wildstar speculate that they amount of warp jumps have exhausted him. The doctor examines him, and tells the captain that it requires an immediate operation. Avatar tells him to do his best.
Lysis scolds Valgar for training the Balanosaurus, though Valgar denies it. And then he just goes and admits it. Wow. Clearly he's risen to his level of incompetence.
Dr. Zane starts the operation at Avatar's urging, who also tells him about secret instructions in case he doesn't make it. IQ 9 joins the operation and anesthetizes him with a crazy deep-sea diving helmet. Venture, Wildstar, Orion, and Sandor watch tensely through the gallery windows. The ship continues to travel through space, approaching Balan.
The Gamilon shuttle carrying Valgar sights the Argo and he deploys the Balanosaurus. And many anime giant robot Kaiju are born. He forms the cells into a . . . monster that attacks the Argo, Howling like Baragon all the while.
The Balanosaurus rams the Argo and it explodes. Oh. Then Valgar says his Balanosaurus will destroy the real Argo just like this decoy. Lysis is informed of the continued testing and is angered.
Avatar is out of the surgery and waiting to awaken from the anesthesia.
Valgar approaches the real Argo. Wildstar is notified that Gamilons are approaching--he orders battle stations, but Venture protests and says they should evade. Then Orion points out that they can't outrun them at this speed. Valgar deploys the Balanosaurus and the bridge crew is freaked out by its formation. Wildstar readies the main batteries. They fire on the Balanosaurus. The attack blows it apart, but the individual cells batter the Argo, and then it reforms. Wildstar orders the wave motion gun readied. Orion protests--they've just completed a warp jump--but then they all agree that it's the only way.
They prepare to fire. The Balanosaurus closes in. The gun fires, and the Argo passes through the explosion. Valgar watches in shock--the Balansaurus could not withstand the wave motion gun.
A crack has formed in the lower gun deck. orion goes to repair it. IQ 9 sees that Avatar is recovering and rolls through the ship proclaiming the good news.
The anxious crew is gathered in the gallery windows of the sickbay, and Wildstar informs Avatar of the fight and damage to the Argo. Avatar assures him that he made the right decision, and as Avatar heals, so must Wildstar help the Argo and the Star Force heal.
Lysis is displeased that Valgar went ahead with his dumb idea. And he's sure there must be some way to defeat the Star Force.
There are 263 days left.
From bees to Balano. What a journey we have traveled.
The Star Force is approaching the planet Balan. Which is really Balan this time (the narrator pronounced Beeland as Balan). Venture catches us all up on how badly behind schedule they've gotten.
Planet Balan is younger than Earth. It's still cooling, and simple life is just developing. Naturally, at the Gamilon base on Balan is working on a way to turn it into a weapon. Lysis arrives and argues with General Valgar, who wants to use the Balan "energy cells" as a weapon. Lysis denies him permission. Like any good mad scientist,Valgar pretty much ignores such orders--partly because Lysis wants the credit for defeating the Star Force.
Then we see "cells" swimming through lava and becoming a spherical . . . thing. A Gamilon fighter lifts off and follows the sphere. It's Valgar with his "mind control" helmet, forming the cells into a Balanosaurus.
Venture completes the warp. Nova is alarmed that Captain Avatar is slumped unconscious at his station. While he's in sickbay, Venture and Wildstar speculate that they amount of warp jumps have exhausted him. The doctor examines him, and tells the captain that it requires an immediate operation. Avatar tells him to do his best.
Lysis scolds Valgar for training the Balanosaurus, though Valgar denies it. And then he just goes and admits it. Wow. Clearly he's risen to his level of incompetence.
Dr. Zane starts the operation at Avatar's urging, who also tells him about secret instructions in case he doesn't make it. IQ 9 joins the operation and anesthetizes him with a crazy deep-sea diving helmet. Venture, Wildstar, Orion, and Sandor watch tensely through the gallery windows. The ship continues to travel through space, approaching Balan.
The Gamilon shuttle carrying Valgar sights the Argo and he deploys the Balanosaurus. And many anime giant robot Kaiju are born. He forms the cells into a . . . monster that attacks the Argo, Howling like Baragon all the while.
The Balanosaurus rams the Argo and it explodes. Oh. Then Valgar says his Balanosaurus will destroy the real Argo just like this decoy. Lysis is informed of the continued testing and is angered.
Avatar is out of the surgery and waiting to awaken from the anesthesia.
Valgar approaches the real Argo. Wildstar is notified that Gamilons are approaching--he orders battle stations, but Venture protests and says they should evade. Then Orion points out that they can't outrun them at this speed. Valgar deploys the Balanosaurus and the bridge crew is freaked out by its formation. Wildstar readies the main batteries. They fire on the Balanosaurus. The attack blows it apart, but the individual cells batter the Argo, and then it reforms. Wildstar orders the wave motion gun readied. Orion protests--they've just completed a warp jump--but then they all agree that it's the only way.
They prepare to fire. The Balanosaurus closes in. The gun fires, and the Argo passes through the explosion. Valgar watches in shock--the Balansaurus could not withstand the wave motion gun.
A crack has formed in the lower gun deck. orion goes to repair it. IQ 9 sees that Avatar is recovering and rolls through the ship proclaiming the good news.
The anxious crew is gathered in the gallery windows of the sickbay, and Wildstar informs Avatar of the fight and damage to the Argo. Avatar assures him that he made the right decision, and as Avatar heals, so must Wildstar help the Argo and the Star Force heal.
Lysis is displeased that Valgar went ahead with his dumb idea. And he's sure there must be some way to defeat the Star Force.
There are 263 days left.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Stop at Beeland
Stop at Beeland
That's right. Beeland.
On day 98, the Star Force is approaching the strange planet Balan (that's how the narrator pronounces it). The crew is in the mess hall and Derek complains about it. Then Nova shows up in a dress and they all act like horny 14 year olds. Then IQ 9 shows up, calls her cutie and she runs off.
Later, Venture, Wildstar, and IQ 9 are sunbathing and IQ 9 declares his undying love for Nova. Nova happens to be complaining to Avatar about IQ's bizarre behavior, and Avatar suggests that he needs his 10,000-mile checkup. Then they approach the planet Beeland and prepare to land. Avatar observes that it looks green, like Earth. Nova is sent, with IQ 9, to look for edible plants. Derek wonders if sending IQ 9 is a good idea.
It's not. In the shuttle to the planet, IQ 9 proposes to Nova, she has a freakout, and crashlands in a jungle. And--my GODS--IQ 9 crashes on top of Nova and wants to rest on top of her because he likes it there. Hurgh. They leave the ship and search for edible plants. Then the bee-people examine the ship.
Nova and IQ 9 emerge from the jungle to find a giant beehive. They go to explore it, and the bridge loses contact with them. Avatar advises them to wait and see.
In the hive, they are captured by the bee people and taken prisoner. We see the bee people, um, making honey? Then IQ and Nova are tossed into a cell. IQ 9 surmises that the bee people are enslaved by the Gamilons, and the bee resistance thinks Nova and IQ 9 are Gamilons.
In the rule part of the hive, Queen Melina is trying to contact Krypt, and has trouble with the communicator. The cargo tanker is being sent to Beeland. Melina wonderrs what she should do about the old man resistance leader. Krypt tells her that he's her problem. If she can't take care of him, Desslok might replace her as ruler.
The bee people start a drum jam and Melina appears to look over her subjects.
The Argo is still waiting for word from Nova when they catch sight of a Gamilon rocket tanker. Avatar scrambles Wildstar and the Black Tigers. Conroy and Wildstar decide to use delayed-action rockets to disable the tanker and destroy it far from the Argo. The battle rages.
On the planet, IQ 9 and Nova worry that the bee people will kill them. The IQ 9 gets all weird and creeps out Nova. Oh, and he professes his undying love for her. Again. Then Nova apologizes and hugs the robot. Just before the bee people lead them out.
Queen Melina is presiding over an awesome bee dance number. The Gamilon tanker approaches. The leader of the resistance appears out of the crowd and denounces the queen. He has Nova and IQ 9 brought before her, and threatens to kill the "Gamilons" if they open fire. Then the tanker lands and the resistance leader continues rousing the rabble. He summons some bee-people who haul a cannon before the queen. He challenges her to show her true allegiance by destroying the tanker. She slowly takes the controls of the cannon . . . and laughs and sends her guards after the resistance fighters. She approaches the tanker on the landing platform.
Then the tanker explodes, thanks to the damage caused by the Black Tigers. IQ 9 detects the source of the explosion to be delayed reaction bombs. Then the bee resistance start beating IQ 9 and Nova with sticks. Members of the Star Force arrive, and IQ 9 gives an injured Nova to Wildstar. The ZBlack Tigers hold off some of the bees, while Nova explains that they could be just as bad as the Gamilons, particularly to bee-eyes. The bees call IQ 9 a monster, and he gets all emo and angst-ridden.
On the Argo, IQ 9 in on the observation deck. Nova brings news that the bee-people have given them food, but he still acts weird. There are only 267 days left.
That's right. Beeland.
On day 98, the Star Force is approaching the strange planet Balan (that's how the narrator pronounces it). The crew is in the mess hall and Derek complains about it. Then Nova shows up in a dress and they all act like horny 14 year olds. Then IQ 9 shows up, calls her cutie and she runs off.
Later, Venture, Wildstar, and IQ 9 are sunbathing and IQ 9 declares his undying love for Nova. Nova happens to be complaining to Avatar about IQ's bizarre behavior, and Avatar suggests that he needs his 10,000-mile checkup. Then they approach the planet Beeland and prepare to land. Avatar observes that it looks green, like Earth. Nova is sent, with IQ 9, to look for edible plants. Derek wonders if sending IQ 9 is a good idea.
It's not. In the shuttle to the planet, IQ 9 proposes to Nova, she has a freakout, and crashlands in a jungle. And--my GODS--IQ 9 crashes on top of Nova and wants to rest on top of her because he likes it there. Hurgh. They leave the ship and search for edible plants. Then the bee-people examine the ship.
Nova and IQ 9 emerge from the jungle to find a giant beehive. They go to explore it, and the bridge loses contact with them. Avatar advises them to wait and see.
In the hive, they are captured by the bee people and taken prisoner. We see the bee people, um, making honey? Then IQ and Nova are tossed into a cell. IQ 9 surmises that the bee people are enslaved by the Gamilons, and the bee resistance thinks Nova and IQ 9 are Gamilons.
In the rule part of the hive, Queen Melina is trying to contact Krypt, and has trouble with the communicator. The cargo tanker is being sent to Beeland. Melina wonderrs what she should do about the old man resistance leader. Krypt tells her that he's her problem. If she can't take care of him, Desslok might replace her as ruler.
The bee people start a drum jam and Melina appears to look over her subjects.
The Argo is still waiting for word from Nova when they catch sight of a Gamilon rocket tanker. Avatar scrambles Wildstar and the Black Tigers. Conroy and Wildstar decide to use delayed-action rockets to disable the tanker and destroy it far from the Argo. The battle rages.
On the planet, IQ 9 and Nova worry that the bee people will kill them. The IQ 9 gets all weird and creeps out Nova. Oh, and he professes his undying love for her. Again. Then Nova apologizes and hugs the robot. Just before the bee people lead them out.
Queen Melina is presiding over an awesome bee dance number. The Gamilon tanker approaches. The leader of the resistance appears out of the crowd and denounces the queen. He has Nova and IQ 9 brought before her, and threatens to kill the "Gamilons" if they open fire. Then the tanker lands and the resistance leader continues rousing the rabble. He summons some bee-people who haul a cannon before the queen. He challenges her to show her true allegiance by destroying the tanker. She slowly takes the controls of the cannon . . . and laughs and sends her guards after the resistance fighters. She approaches the tanker on the landing platform.
Then the tanker explodes, thanks to the damage caused by the Black Tigers. IQ 9 detects the source of the explosion to be delayed reaction bombs. Then the bee resistance start beating IQ 9 and Nova with sticks. Members of the Star Force arrive, and IQ 9 gives an injured Nova to Wildstar. The ZBlack Tigers hold off some of the bees, while Nova explains that they could be just as bad as the Gamilons, particularly to bee-eyes. The bees call IQ 9 a monster, and he gets all emo and angst-ridden.
On the Argo, IQ 9 in on the observation deck. Nova brings news that the bee-people have given them food, but he still acts weird. There are only 267 days left.
Monday, January 16, 2012
The Galactic Whirlpool
The Galactic Whirlpool
The Argo is approaching an unknown planet, and Nova is manning the coffee cart. Venture complains that there's no milk. Ryder establishes the course heading for the planet Balin/ Nova wonders if Starsha of Iskandar knows the Star Force is delayed. Venture replies that she seems to know everything.
Gamilon troops assemble in front of a commander whose name is not subtitled. Then we see a large fleet approach, and one ship lands. The Gamilon general Lysis disembarks, and tells the current commander, Balgar, that he is now in charge on Balin. Then Lysis proceeds to throw a tantrum and trash the (rather tastelessly decorated) office. He then confines everyone to quarters.
Wildstar and his crew are performing maintenance on the fighters, and babble inanely for a while. Ahh, it's almost like watching Voltron. Then something causes the ship to start shaking. Wildstar goes to see what's up.
Avatar calls Orion from the bridge to see why the wave engine has stopped. Orion is working on it. Wildstar arrives on the bridge and asks Venture what's wrong, but nobody knows. The auxiliary engines aren't helping. Then they figure out that they're on the edge of a galactic whirlpool. Umm. A black hole? They turn on the video panel and look at the whirlpool. Then Wildstar needs the explanation of the galactic whirlpool. and we get a garbled (but passable) explanation of black holes--oh, the whirlpool is predecessor to a black hole.
The Argo passes the wreckage of other ships that have been caught in the whirlpool. Then--they find a Gamilon ship that is totally NOT wrecked.
Lysis and Balgar are closing in on the Star Force. Lysis refuses to let the whirlpool cheat him of victory. Wildstar prepares the wave motion gun, but there isn't enough power. Venture protests the plan to fight. Wildstar appeals to Avatar, but Avatar sides with Venture. The Argo tries to pull free, and the Gamilon ship opens fire. Wildstar protests that there's only one enemy ship.
Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet is approaching, and Lysis and Balgar debate closing in or holding off. Then the Argo picks up more than 3,000 more Gamlion ships. Venture can't pilot the ship any faster. Avatar reassures him that they can find their way out if they found one in. Sandor tells him the instruments are useless.
The Gamilon fleet opens fire. Avatar decides to respond. Wildstar fires the main cannons (not the wave motion gun). Balgar laughs. Lysis orders his ships to continue firing. There's a shot of laser-fire streaking past the Argo bridge that looks an awful lot like some shots of Zentradi ships firing on the Macross. Then the Argo loses all power. Avatar slumps in his seat, then looks at the astrocompass, which is the only functioning instrument. Queen Starsha of Iskandar contacts them through it, and tells them to follow the direction indicated by the compass. Power returns, and everything is back to normal. they fire the engines and return fire on the Gamilons while Venture pilots them on Starsha's course. Lysis loses his mind as this all goes on. Orion reports that the wave motion engine is functioning again, and Avatar plans to jump as soon as they're out of the whirlpool.
The battle continues, and Wildstar gives Venture his own brand of encouragement. Avatar orders the main guns to stop firing. Wildstar orders or reports that all seatbelts are fastened. Then the ship makes a space warp and Lysis has a meltdown.
Venture and Wildstar are musing on Starsha when Nova appears and Wildstar gets all weird. At his headquarters, Lysis types in his diary about fighting the Star Force. There are only 273 days left.
The Argo is approaching an unknown planet, and Nova is manning the coffee cart. Venture complains that there's no milk. Ryder establishes the course heading for the planet Balin/ Nova wonders if Starsha of Iskandar knows the Star Force is delayed. Venture replies that she seems to know everything.
Gamilon troops assemble in front of a commander whose name is not subtitled. Then we see a large fleet approach, and one ship lands. The Gamilon general Lysis disembarks, and tells the current commander, Balgar, that he is now in charge on Balin. Then Lysis proceeds to throw a tantrum and trash the (rather tastelessly decorated) office. He then confines everyone to quarters.
Wildstar and his crew are performing maintenance on the fighters, and babble inanely for a while. Ahh, it's almost like watching Voltron. Then something causes the ship to start shaking. Wildstar goes to see what's up.
Avatar calls Orion from the bridge to see why the wave engine has stopped. Orion is working on it. Wildstar arrives on the bridge and asks Venture what's wrong, but nobody knows. The auxiliary engines aren't helping. Then they figure out that they're on the edge of a galactic whirlpool. Umm. A black hole? They turn on the video panel and look at the whirlpool. Then Wildstar needs the explanation of the galactic whirlpool. and we get a garbled (but passable) explanation of black holes--oh, the whirlpool is predecessor to a black hole.
The Argo passes the wreckage of other ships that have been caught in the whirlpool. Then--they find a Gamilon ship that is totally NOT wrecked.
Lysis and Balgar are closing in on the Star Force. Lysis refuses to let the whirlpool cheat him of victory. Wildstar prepares the wave motion gun, but there isn't enough power. Venture protests the plan to fight. Wildstar appeals to Avatar, but Avatar sides with Venture. The Argo tries to pull free, and the Gamilon ship opens fire. Wildstar protests that there's only one enemy ship.
Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet is approaching, and Lysis and Balgar debate closing in or holding off. Then the Argo picks up more than 3,000 more Gamlion ships. Venture can't pilot the ship any faster. Avatar reassures him that they can find their way out if they found one in. Sandor tells him the instruments are useless.
The Gamilon fleet opens fire. Avatar decides to respond. Wildstar fires the main cannons (not the wave motion gun). Balgar laughs. Lysis orders his ships to continue firing. There's a shot of laser-fire streaking past the Argo bridge that looks an awful lot like some shots of Zentradi ships firing on the Macross. Then the Argo loses all power. Avatar slumps in his seat, then looks at the astrocompass, which is the only functioning instrument. Queen Starsha of Iskandar contacts them through it, and tells them to follow the direction indicated by the compass. Power returns, and everything is back to normal. they fire the engines and return fire on the Gamilons while Venture pilots them on Starsha's course. Lysis loses his mind as this all goes on. Orion reports that the wave motion engine is functioning again, and Avatar plans to jump as soon as they're out of the whirlpool.
The battle continues, and Wildstar gives Venture his own brand of encouragement. Avatar orders the main guns to stop firing. Wildstar orders or reports that all seatbelts are fastened. Then the ship makes a space warp and Lysis has a meltdown.
Venture and Wildstar are musing on Starsha when Nova appears and Wildstar gets all weird. At his headquarters, Lysis types in his diary about fighting the Star Force. There are only 273 days left.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
The Octopus Star Storm
The Octopus Star Storm
Octopus-like giant stars are causing space storms that have brought the Argo to a halt. Outer-space doldrums, apparently. The crew is going stir-crazy. Wildstar and Venture start a fight over . . . chess. Avatar calls the department heads to the planning office. They decide to review the situation. Venture gives them an overview of the Octopus Star Cluster, and its dangers. They've lost 21 days in trapped in the storm. And Wildstar starts in on him.
It's gonna be one of those episodes.
More time passes.
Wildstar goes to the hangar and boards his fighter without authorization. Conroy tries to talk him out of it, but he takes off anyway. The instruments go nuts, and then his fighter is blown back against the Argo and gets trashed. He is escorted to Avatar's quarters, who then sentences both Wildstar and Conroy to scrubbing the hangar deck.
At the hangar deck, they find that most of the crew is scrubbing the deck for various infractions.
Nova, meanwhile is trying to convince Avatar to let them throw a party. Avatar refuses; he's concerned about the food supply. He decides having them mad at each other is better than letting them worry about food. Huh.
That night, Orion is up late scrubbing the engines. Sparks wonders how they'll get back in time to save Earth. He thinks maybe they should go back to Earth and try to evacuate. Orion doesn't think the captain would listen to such an idea.
Venture is alone watching the storm when Nova finds him. He keeps wondering if there's really a way to escape. Nova points out that they could have simply gone around the black cloud, but Venture insists they should be able to find a channel.
Wildstar is having nightmares. And then is awakened by the alarm. Avatar scolds him for being late as he arrives on the bridge. He sees that the storm has cleared--but there's a Gamilon ship that had been hiding behind the cloud. Wildstar wants to pursue, but Avatar says they should stay on course. And then the Gamilon ship disappears into the Octopus Star Cluster. Avatar sends him out in his fighter to track it. Wildstar finds a channel which he begins exploring. He names it after himself, then decides to return when he's lost contant with the Argo. The bridge crew sees him returning as he calls them about the channel. He lands his ship to the congratulations of his crewmates.
Then he realizes that he didn't follow the channel all the way through. Avatar tells Venture to just try the channel and hope for the best. They start the engines and go for it. Avatar asks Nova about the party--they can celebrate when they've made it out of the Octopus cluster.
Wildstar tells Venture they have something to settle. They go the engine room, and Wildstar confronts him. It turns into a fight, and Nova finds them finding and breaks it up. Bruised and battered, Venture and Wildstar are back on the bridge and the ship starts following the channel.
Oh yeah, this full episode the Argo has had some weird transparent shield/bubble protecting the upper deck.
The storm starts up again while they're in the channel. Wildstar and Venture struggle with the controls together (d'awww), the engines strain, and the ship swirls down a whirlpool. They hang on . . . an the ship emerges from the other side of the storm. Ventura and Wildstar have a male-bonding moment and Nova says they probably don't remember what they were even fighting about.
Life on Earth is getting more difficult by the day. There are only 280 days left.
Octopus-like giant stars are causing space storms that have brought the Argo to a halt. Outer-space doldrums, apparently. The crew is going stir-crazy. Wildstar and Venture start a fight over . . . chess. Avatar calls the department heads to the planning office. They decide to review the situation. Venture gives them an overview of the Octopus Star Cluster, and its dangers. They've lost 21 days in trapped in the storm. And Wildstar starts in on him.
It's gonna be one of those episodes.
More time passes.
Wildstar goes to the hangar and boards his fighter without authorization. Conroy tries to talk him out of it, but he takes off anyway. The instruments go nuts, and then his fighter is blown back against the Argo and gets trashed. He is escorted to Avatar's quarters, who then sentences both Wildstar and Conroy to scrubbing the hangar deck.
At the hangar deck, they find that most of the crew is scrubbing the deck for various infractions.
Nova, meanwhile is trying to convince Avatar to let them throw a party. Avatar refuses; he's concerned about the food supply. He decides having them mad at each other is better than letting them worry about food. Huh.
That night, Orion is up late scrubbing the engines. Sparks wonders how they'll get back in time to save Earth. He thinks maybe they should go back to Earth and try to evacuate. Orion doesn't think the captain would listen to such an idea.
Venture is alone watching the storm when Nova finds him. He keeps wondering if there's really a way to escape. Nova points out that they could have simply gone around the black cloud, but Venture insists they should be able to find a channel.
Wildstar is having nightmares. And then is awakened by the alarm. Avatar scolds him for being late as he arrives on the bridge. He sees that the storm has cleared--but there's a Gamilon ship that had been hiding behind the cloud. Wildstar wants to pursue, but Avatar says they should stay on course. And then the Gamilon ship disappears into the Octopus Star Cluster. Avatar sends him out in his fighter to track it. Wildstar finds a channel which he begins exploring. He names it after himself, then decides to return when he's lost contant with the Argo. The bridge crew sees him returning as he calls them about the channel. He lands his ship to the congratulations of his crewmates.
Then he realizes that he didn't follow the channel all the way through. Avatar tells Venture to just try the channel and hope for the best. They start the engines and go for it. Avatar asks Nova about the party--they can celebrate when they've made it out of the Octopus cluster.
Wildstar tells Venture they have something to settle. They go the engine room, and Wildstar confronts him. It turns into a fight, and Nova finds them finding and breaks it up. Bruised and battered, Venture and Wildstar are back on the bridge and the ship starts following the channel.
Oh yeah, this full episode the Argo has had some weird transparent shield/bubble protecting the upper deck.
The storm starts up again while they're in the channel. Wildstar and Venture struggle with the controls together (d'awww), the engines strain, and the ship swirls down a whirlpool. They hang on . . . an the ship emerges from the other side of the storm. Ventura and Wildstar have a male-bonding moment and Nova says they probably don't remember what they were even fighting about.
Life on Earth is getting more difficult by the day. There are only 280 days left.
Friday, January 13, 2012
The Gamilon Pilot
The Gamilon Pilot
At Gamilon Headquarters, Desslok is, um, taking a bath. According to the narrator, is doing out of sheer spite. Because you can't do that on Earth. Then Gamilon General Lysis arrives and Desslok gets dressed to meet him. They reenact "The Triumph of the Will" and salute each other, then Desslok awards him some medal while Lysis mentions the Star Force, and asks to be the one to crush the Star Force. Desslok decides he deserves some sport.
Wildstar and his fighter squadron are scouting ahead of the Argo. Wildstar picks up a UFO, and he hassles Conroy about procedure--then they see a Gamilon fleet. They open fire on the Gamilon ships and destroy a few. Wildstar reigns Conroy in from pursuing the fleeing fighters, and then Wildstar sends the Black Tigers back to the Argo while he and Conroy go to capture a damaged Gamilon fighter. They attach towlines and drag it back to the Argo--and the Gamilon pilot stirs in the cockpit. It will be the first Gamilon ever captured.
In the hangar, crewmembers are clustered around the captured ship. Sandor congratulates Conroy, and the doctor ships the captive off to sickbay. Sandor goes to take a look at the Gamilon fighter.
Wildstar and Conroy rush through the mess line to get food and wonder about the Gamilon pilot. Does he have a family. IQ 9 is decontaminating the prisoner, and Wildstar and Conroy come across most of the bridge crew coming to watch the . . . autopsy? Interrogation? Examination?
The Gamilon is wheeled into the room and the doctor works on reviving him. The crowd gets a little rowdy. The doctor takes off the helmet to reveal a blue humanoid. The crew is shocked at the resemblance to humans. IQ 9 analyzes him. So the Gamilons are basically human. And Wildstar starts to lose it. He rushes down to the sickbay and ***AAAUUUGH HULU COMMERCIALS!!!***
OK. Derek is in the examination room, rushing toward the table, and the doctor freaks out. The Gamilon pilot comes to, fear in his eyes . . .
And we flash back to a young Derek Wildstar and his mother, waiting for his older brother Alex. They're in Japan. On the surface of the Earth. Before the planet bombs have driven everyone underground. Over dinner, the family discusses the planet bombs and Derek sneaks off. He is mad that they didn't go to the movies instead of picking up Alex at the bus station. Then he cries.
We see a panorama of Tokyo, and Derek can't sleep while Alex is snoring--and planet bombs hit Japan (well, they're calling it "Great Island," but it's pretty obviously Japan). Planet bombs rain down on Mount Fuji and a reporter reports that the volcano is erupting. Derek's family watches the news, and Alex gets mobilized.
Planet bombs rain down on earth and we see footage that is imitated in Golion, Dairugger, and Macross (that whole "cities crumbling in flames" thing). The since we're not even a year past Japan's tsunami/start of their nuclear crisis, the scenes of the struggling survivors are particularly chilling right now.
Derek goes to visit Alex at his base. He calls sushi rolls chocolate cake, and discuss Alex's two space battles, and the worsening of the bombing. The family is moving to an underground city. And it turns out, Derek was something of a pacifist.
Derek is taking the 4:00 bus, and his father tells his mother he has all the necessary permits to move. The Wildstar parents reminisce about the trees and the bus stop and Derek doesn't get off the next bus--and a bomb hits the bus stop. Derek was on a later bus, damaged in the explosion. He wanders throguh the devastation to find the charred remains of the bus stop.
Now we're in the present and I know some stuff got cut, and then Derek starts punching the Gamilon--then he sees that they're both weeping.
Avatar interrogates the pilot, but Gamilons have their memories erased before going into battle. Avatar has the Gamilon plane repaired, and tells him to send the Gamilon back.
As the Gamilon is boarding his fighter, Derek gives him a bag of food. Um, was there a lot of stuff cut here? The Gamilon launches. I think I'm going to call him Sandu. In memory of the Drule pilot. There are only 305 days left.
At Gamilon Headquarters, Desslok is, um, taking a bath. According to the narrator, is doing out of sheer spite. Because you can't do that on Earth. Then Gamilon General Lysis arrives and Desslok gets dressed to meet him. They reenact "The Triumph of the Will" and salute each other, then Desslok awards him some medal while Lysis mentions the Star Force, and asks to be the one to crush the Star Force. Desslok decides he deserves some sport.
Wildstar and his fighter squadron are scouting ahead of the Argo. Wildstar picks up a UFO, and he hassles Conroy about procedure--then they see a Gamilon fleet. They open fire on the Gamilon ships and destroy a few. Wildstar reigns Conroy in from pursuing the fleeing fighters, and then Wildstar sends the Black Tigers back to the Argo while he and Conroy go to capture a damaged Gamilon fighter. They attach towlines and drag it back to the Argo--and the Gamilon pilot stirs in the cockpit. It will be the first Gamilon ever captured.
In the hangar, crewmembers are clustered around the captured ship. Sandor congratulates Conroy, and the doctor ships the captive off to sickbay. Sandor goes to take a look at the Gamilon fighter.
Wildstar and Conroy rush through the mess line to get food and wonder about the Gamilon pilot. Does he have a family. IQ 9 is decontaminating the prisoner, and Wildstar and Conroy come across most of the bridge crew coming to watch the . . . autopsy? Interrogation? Examination?
The Gamilon is wheeled into the room and the doctor works on reviving him. The crowd gets a little rowdy. The doctor takes off the helmet to reveal a blue humanoid. The crew is shocked at the resemblance to humans. IQ 9 analyzes him. So the Gamilons are basically human. And Wildstar starts to lose it. He rushes down to the sickbay and ***AAAUUUGH HULU COMMERCIALS!!!***
OK. Derek is in the examination room, rushing toward the table, and the doctor freaks out. The Gamilon pilot comes to, fear in his eyes . . .
And we flash back to a young Derek Wildstar and his mother, waiting for his older brother Alex. They're in Japan. On the surface of the Earth. Before the planet bombs have driven everyone underground. Over dinner, the family discusses the planet bombs and Derek sneaks off. He is mad that they didn't go to the movies instead of picking up Alex at the bus station. Then he cries.
We see a panorama of Tokyo, and Derek can't sleep while Alex is snoring--and planet bombs hit Japan (well, they're calling it "Great Island," but it's pretty obviously Japan). Planet bombs rain down on Mount Fuji and a reporter reports that the volcano is erupting. Derek's family watches the news, and Alex gets mobilized.
Planet bombs rain down on earth and we see footage that is imitated in Golion, Dairugger, and Macross (that whole "cities crumbling in flames" thing). The since we're not even a year past Japan's tsunami/start of their nuclear crisis, the scenes of the struggling survivors are particularly chilling right now.
Derek goes to visit Alex at his base. He calls sushi rolls chocolate cake, and discuss Alex's two space battles, and the worsening of the bombing. The family is moving to an underground city. And it turns out, Derek was something of a pacifist.
Derek is taking the 4:00 bus, and his father tells his mother he has all the necessary permits to move. The Wildstar parents reminisce about the trees and the bus stop and Derek doesn't get off the next bus--and a bomb hits the bus stop. Derek was on a later bus, damaged in the explosion. He wanders throguh the devastation to find the charred remains of the bus stop.
Now we're in the present and I know some stuff got cut, and then Derek starts punching the Gamilon--then he sees that they're both weeping.
Avatar interrogates the pilot, but Gamilons have their memories erased before going into battle. Avatar has the Gamilon plane repaired, and tells him to send the Gamilon back.
As the Gamilon is boarding his fighter, Derek gives him a bag of food. Um, was there a lot of stuff cut here? The Gamilon launches. I think I'm going to call him Sandu. In memory of the Drule pilot. There are only 305 days left.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
The Sea of Fire
The Sea of Fire
The Argo is cruising through the great Magellanic cloud. Nova is looking out a window and Wildstar arrives to make fun of her. She's making wishes on stars. Wildstar gets all thermodynamic on her, then wants to know what she wishes. She just laughes. Then the ship begins shaking.
Venture rushes onto the bridge and demands Orion tell him what's going on--but it's not the engine. Sandor, Nova, and Wildstar arrive on the bridge. Nova sees a space net stretched between the stars--and they'll come to a complete stop in three minutes. Captain Avatar is collapsed in his quarters. He climbs into a chair.
Wildstar wonders where the captain is, and UFO's are approaching the ship. The captain lowers his chair into the bridge as the UFOs are identified as missiles. Venture commences full power astern, but the Argo doesn't move. Venture and Orion argue over the lack of movement, then Venture manages to turn the ship and the first wave of missiles misses. Venture and Orion argue some more. Wildstar asks the captain if he should fire the counter-missiles. Avatar does not respond, so Wildstar fires them anyway.
Later, Avatar tells Orion and Venture to be more professional. They apologize and go have a cup of coffee. Then Avatar yells at Wildstar for not waiting for the order. Avatar slaps Wildstar, then doubles over in pain and demands to be left alone.
Desslok and his officers are watching the Argo caught in the space net. Desslok orders some wine, which he pours on the floor. It becomes a black cloud and gets bigger when he shoots it. He introduces it as the ecto-gas. It feeds on energy and destroys matter. And if the Argo escapes that, there's a star the have to trap it in. It helps to have backups.
Avatar is being tended by the doctor. Nova redresses the wound, and Nova and Wildstar begin helping him out of sickbay--then the doctor tells him that there's more than the current wound to worry about--radiation poisoning may require him to be hospitalized. Avatar refuses.
The Argo is still caught in the space web when the ecto-gas encircles it. Sandor freaks out. Avatar orders emergency take-off. The crew takes their battle stations. Venture leaps into his pilot seat and orders full power. The ship breaks free. Nova finds an opening in the space net--which happens to be right where the Sea of Fire lies. They ask the captain what they should do. Avatar orders them to approach the Sea of Fire at full speed. Sandor protests.
Desslok watches them fly directly at the Sea of Fire and gloats. Then he goes to work on, um, other projects.
The Argo approaches the Sea of Fire. Avatar orders the shields engaged over the hull. The crew watches the approach, and Avatar orders full speed maintained. Sandor suggests they put on space suits. Avatar passes out. Nova calls the doctor. An assistant gets him into a spacesuit as he rushes to the bridge. The doctor orders them to stop, but Avatar countermands the order. The doctor checks his pulse, and tells him to be careful so he doesn't end up in the . . . *ominously whispered* "hospital."
Red Star flares 10-times the size of the Argo threaten the ship as Venture maneuvers the ships around them. The internal temperature is, um, 400 degrees. Venture demands more power from Orion, but is engineers are suffering from the heat. Outside, however, the flames of the Red Star consume the ecto-gas. Then the ship plunges headlong into an abnormal flare, too fast to avoid it. Then Avatar orders Wildstar to fire the wave motion gun. They hit full power, and Derek fires, dispelling the Red Star flare. The Argo flies triumphantly through the Sea of Fire.
Desslok is . . . in bed, no doubt seeing to his other projects. Krypt starts to tell him about the Star Force, and Desslok says he didn't want to hear about the death of Star Force. The Krypt tells them that they're very much alive, and Desslok broods instead of gloating.
Aboard the Argo, Nova is wishing on star. She tells Wildstar that she trusts in the power of her wishes more than the power of the star. She finally tells him that she's wishing for a certain person to fall in love with her, but refuses to tell him who that is.
There are only 308 days left.
The Argo is cruising through the great Magellanic cloud. Nova is looking out a window and Wildstar arrives to make fun of her. She's making wishes on stars. Wildstar gets all thermodynamic on her, then wants to know what she wishes. She just laughes. Then the ship begins shaking.
Venture rushes onto the bridge and demands Orion tell him what's going on--but it's not the engine. Sandor, Nova, and Wildstar arrive on the bridge. Nova sees a space net stretched between the stars--and they'll come to a complete stop in three minutes. Captain Avatar is collapsed in his quarters. He climbs into a chair.
Wildstar wonders where the captain is, and UFO's are approaching the ship. The captain lowers his chair into the bridge as the UFOs are identified as missiles. Venture commences full power astern, but the Argo doesn't move. Venture and Orion argue over the lack of movement, then Venture manages to turn the ship and the first wave of missiles misses. Venture and Orion argue some more. Wildstar asks the captain if he should fire the counter-missiles. Avatar does not respond, so Wildstar fires them anyway.
Later, Avatar tells Orion and Venture to be more professional. They apologize and go have a cup of coffee. Then Avatar yells at Wildstar for not waiting for the order. Avatar slaps Wildstar, then doubles over in pain and demands to be left alone.
Desslok and his officers are watching the Argo caught in the space net. Desslok orders some wine, which he pours on the floor. It becomes a black cloud and gets bigger when he shoots it. He introduces it as the ecto-gas. It feeds on energy and destroys matter. And if the Argo escapes that, there's a star the have to trap it in. It helps to have backups.
Avatar is being tended by the doctor. Nova redresses the wound, and Nova and Wildstar begin helping him out of sickbay--then the doctor tells him that there's more than the current wound to worry about--radiation poisoning may require him to be hospitalized. Avatar refuses.
The Argo is still caught in the space web when the ecto-gas encircles it. Sandor freaks out. Avatar orders emergency take-off. The crew takes their battle stations. Venture leaps into his pilot seat and orders full power. The ship breaks free. Nova finds an opening in the space net--which happens to be right where the Sea of Fire lies. They ask the captain what they should do. Avatar orders them to approach the Sea of Fire at full speed. Sandor protests.
Desslok watches them fly directly at the Sea of Fire and gloats. Then he goes to work on, um, other projects.
The Argo approaches the Sea of Fire. Avatar orders the shields engaged over the hull. The crew watches the approach, and Avatar orders full speed maintained. Sandor suggests they put on space suits. Avatar passes out. Nova calls the doctor. An assistant gets him into a spacesuit as he rushes to the bridge. The doctor orders them to stop, but Avatar countermands the order. The doctor checks his pulse, and tells him to be careful so he doesn't end up in the . . . *ominously whispered* "hospital."
Red Star flares 10-times the size of the Argo threaten the ship as Venture maneuvers the ships around them. The internal temperature is, um, 400 degrees. Venture demands more power from Orion, but is engineers are suffering from the heat. Outside, however, the flames of the Red Star consume the ecto-gas. Then the ship plunges headlong into an abnormal flare, too fast to avoid it. Then Avatar orders Wildstar to fire the wave motion gun. They hit full power, and Derek fires, dispelling the Red Star flare. The Argo flies triumphantly through the Sea of Fire.
Desslok is . . . in bed, no doubt seeing to his other projects. Krypt starts to tell him about the Star Force, and Desslok says he didn't want to hear about the death of Star Force. The Krypt tells them that they're very much alive, and Desslok broods instead of gloating.
Aboard the Argo, Nova is wishing on star. She tells Wildstar that she trusts in the power of her wishes more than the power of the star. She finally tells him that she's wishing for a certain person to fall in love with her, but refuses to tell him who that is.
There are only 308 days left.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Desslok Mines
Desslok Mines
Desslok is saluted by his commanders as he walks down a red carpet amid chanting. Huh. All of the Gamilons are uniformly blue now. Krypt, Desslok's adjutant, briefs Desslok on the progress of the Star Force. The commander Talan plans to use Desslok space mines to stop the Argo. Desslok calls it entertainment and toasts to the defeat of the Star Force. One of his commanders starts laughing, prompting Desslok to dispose of him through a trap door.
The Argo is moving through space. On the bridge, Nova notifies Avatar of unidentified objects ahead. The look at it on the viewer. Avatar orders the balloon decoy ship to be deployed/ Sandor explains it to Wildstar and the audience. The Baby Argo Balloon flies amongst the mines--the crew recognizes them for what they are just as the balloon detonates them. Venture maneuvers around them.
The Gamilons--save for Desslok--are amazed that the Argo has changed course/
Nova sees that the mines are following them. Wildstar suggests warping out of the minefield. Sandor calls him a cowboy. Avatar order Venture to full stop--the mines stop as well. Venture asks Wildstar about the wave motion gun, but there's no time to charge the gun and they start arguing. Nova computes a course, and Venture weaves the ship among the mines.
The Gamilons are watching. Desslok gloats. Venture threads their way through the mines and Wildstar taunts him. One of the mines shifts position--Venture sees it, and other bridge crewmembers realize the mines are under remote control.
Wildstar promises never to call Venture a space jockey if he stops the ship. Avatar then orders him to stop. Orion complains. Avatar orders Nova to figure out what's controlling the mine. IQ 9 rolls around, and then Nova figures out there's a sonic wave signaling the mines. IQ 9 and Sandor take a shuttle out to investigate. And IQ 9 has hiccups. Desslok and Krypt watch the shuttle. The mines close in again. Sandor is still zeroing in on the control signal. Avatar orders Venture to tilt the ship 5 degrees to the left. After some wrangling, Venture tilts the ship.
IQ 9 is having trouble zeroing in on it. The mines are 2 meters away from the hull. Avatar orders more tilt. Sandor and IQ 9 find the control mine. They EVA from the shuttle, and IQ 9 cludges around on the mine (hiccuping the whole time). More closing, more tilting, and they're trapped. IQ 9 hiccups and then finds the controls and disables it. I mean, it takes a while. And there's a lot of tension building. But IQ 9 unscrews a spike from the mine, then he flies into the mine and disconnects a . . . thing with the help of his extenso-arms. Sandor takes the thing, and all the mines stop closing in on the Argo.
The Gamilon commanders are shocked, and Desslok muses on the kind of men who make up the Star Force.
Avatar orders Wildstar to take the Black Tigers out to defuse the mines with bare hands. They go EVA and push the mines out of range.
Desslok asks Krypt what the mines were originally called. Krypt apologizes for presumptuously naming the mines after him. Desslok starts laughing--sometimes simple solutions are the best, an the barbarians of the Star Force did it with their bare hands.
The minefield is cleared and the Argo takes off. Desslok dismisses his officers. He orders Krypt to send Avatar a message congratulating him in Desslok's name.
Avatar receives the message, but they are unable to trace the origin. The message is read out loud to the crew. Avatar orders the wave engine started. There are 311 days left.
Desslok is saluted by his commanders as he walks down a red carpet amid chanting. Huh. All of the Gamilons are uniformly blue now. Krypt, Desslok's adjutant, briefs Desslok on the progress of the Star Force. The commander Talan plans to use Desslok space mines to stop the Argo. Desslok calls it entertainment and toasts to the defeat of the Star Force. One of his commanders starts laughing, prompting Desslok to dispose of him through a trap door.
The Argo is moving through space. On the bridge, Nova notifies Avatar of unidentified objects ahead. The look at it on the viewer. Avatar orders the balloon decoy ship to be deployed/ Sandor explains it to Wildstar and the audience. The Baby Argo Balloon flies amongst the mines--the crew recognizes them for what they are just as the balloon detonates them. Venture maneuvers around them.
The Gamilons--save for Desslok--are amazed that the Argo has changed course/
Nova sees that the mines are following them. Wildstar suggests warping out of the minefield. Sandor calls him a cowboy. Avatar order Venture to full stop--the mines stop as well. Venture asks Wildstar about the wave motion gun, but there's no time to charge the gun and they start arguing. Nova computes a course, and Venture weaves the ship among the mines.
The Gamilons are watching. Desslok gloats. Venture threads their way through the mines and Wildstar taunts him. One of the mines shifts position--Venture sees it, and other bridge crewmembers realize the mines are under remote control.
Wildstar promises never to call Venture a space jockey if he stops the ship. Avatar then orders him to stop. Orion complains. Avatar orders Nova to figure out what's controlling the mine. IQ 9 rolls around, and then Nova figures out there's a sonic wave signaling the mines. IQ 9 and Sandor take a shuttle out to investigate. And IQ 9 has hiccups. Desslok and Krypt watch the shuttle. The mines close in again. Sandor is still zeroing in on the control signal. Avatar orders Venture to tilt the ship 5 degrees to the left. After some wrangling, Venture tilts the ship.
IQ 9 is having trouble zeroing in on it. The mines are 2 meters away from the hull. Avatar orders more tilt. Sandor and IQ 9 find the control mine. They EVA from the shuttle, and IQ 9 cludges around on the mine (hiccuping the whole time). More closing, more tilting, and they're trapped. IQ 9 hiccups and then finds the controls and disables it. I mean, it takes a while. And there's a lot of tension building. But IQ 9 unscrews a spike from the mine, then he flies into the mine and disconnects a . . . thing with the help of his extenso-arms. Sandor takes the thing, and all the mines stop closing in on the Argo.
The Gamilon commanders are shocked, and Desslok muses on the kind of men who make up the Star Force.
Avatar orders Wildstar to take the Black Tigers out to defuse the mines with bare hands. They go EVA and push the mines out of range.
Desslok asks Krypt what the mines were originally called. Krypt apologizes for presumptuously naming the mines after him. Desslok starts laughing--sometimes simple solutions are the best, an the barbarians of the Star Force did it with their bare hands.
The minefield is cleared and the Argo takes off. Desslok dismisses his officers. He orders Krypt to send Avatar a message congratulating him in Desslok's name.
Avatar receives the message, but they are unable to trace the origin. The message is read out loud to the crew. Avatar orders the wave engine started. There are 311 days left.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
We Will Return!
Fitting title for my first episode back after almost two months, no? Totally unplanned, BTW.
We Will Return!
The Star Force has destroyed the Pluto base and is preparing to leave the solar system. The Argo receives an emergency call from Earth. Avatar returns to the bridge to take the (strangely casual for being an emergency) call. Though they've stopped the bombing, the radiation has done its damage, and the Star Force aboard the Argo is their only hope. Then they lose the transmission.
Nova is sure they will succeed. Avatar says it's easier when you can act than when you're simply waiting. He briefs the crew. They must make up for lost time, by making a space warp, traveling faster than the speed of light. He gives the crew each 5 minutes to call their loved ones.
With no loved ones to call, Derek Wildstar broods. IQ 9 tries to harass him out of it, but he leaves. Avatar goes to follow him. Meanwhile, Nova is presiding over the communications line. A crewman leaves the room crying, and Venture is next. He calls his brother, who has a minor freak-out. Jordie (the brother) is making a model of the Argo, and two of his friends are sick from the radiation. Venture runs out of time and gets all teary-eyed.
Wildstar is whistling to himself, alone on the bridge. IQ 9 reminds him that his turn on the communicator is coming up. Wildstar gets mad and runs off. He yells at two members of the ready-crew who have left their posts. They're pretty shocked. He's mad that everyone else has a family. Oo-kay.
The captain is inspecting the engine while Orion is in his commo section, but runs off. Nova is looking for Wildstar, and Conroy goes to look for him in the hangar. He finds him slouched in the cockpit of a fighter. As Orion is leaving, Conroy tells Nova that Derek's pouting. Avatar finally finds him in the galley. Then he walks past him. Hmm.
Orion is talking to his children and wants to see his granddaughter, Kathleen and gets all . . . Irish.
Avatar is in his quarters and pulls a picture of his deceased son out of a drawer, reflecting that he, like Wildstar, has no one on Earth to call. Wildstar is doing situps in the gym while Orion reassures his family that they'll make it to Iskandar, then the transmission runs out and he, too, starts crying.
Hell of an episode to come back to!!!
Nova goes into the commo room when Orion doesn't come out right away--then she asks him to stay while she calls her family. And her parents are, um, arranging a marriage with their new neighbor. She'd rather get things in order with her family, but they're wedding-crazy. Orion starts laughing. Then Nova's mother breaks down and the transmission ends.
The crew is in the rec room, celebrating. Some have new children who've been born while they were away. Wildstar is still brooding, looking out a window. Nova finds him and tries to get him to call Earth. He finally relents and slumps into the commo room. He stairs at the screen. Then Nova realizes she didn't show him how to use it, and wonders why he's just sitting there. He finally explains that there's no one for him to talk to on Earth. Avatar is also brooding while looking out the window of his quarters.
Wildstar finally enters the bridge, and then decides to speak to Captain Avatar. Avatar shares "spring water" (looks more like saki to me) with him, and then tells Wildstar that, while they must leave Earth, a tiny point of light now, they will be back. He and Wildstar yell at the the Earth that they will return. Hopefully the captain's quarters are soundproofed.
The crew watches as Earth recedes, and Nova approached Wildstar while the captain stays up in his quarters and we get a musical number. They leave the solar system and Venture explains that visual communication with Earth will be impossible.
Desslok watches them leaving the solar system and gloats that he will hunt them down and destroy them. There are only 315 days left.
We Will Return!
The Star Force has destroyed the Pluto base and is preparing to leave the solar system. The Argo receives an emergency call from Earth. Avatar returns to the bridge to take the (strangely casual for being an emergency) call. Though they've stopped the bombing, the radiation has done its damage, and the Star Force aboard the Argo is their only hope. Then they lose the transmission.
Nova is sure they will succeed. Avatar says it's easier when you can act than when you're simply waiting. He briefs the crew. They must make up for lost time, by making a space warp, traveling faster than the speed of light. He gives the crew each 5 minutes to call their loved ones.
With no loved ones to call, Derek Wildstar broods. IQ 9 tries to harass him out of it, but he leaves. Avatar goes to follow him. Meanwhile, Nova is presiding over the communications line. A crewman leaves the room crying, and Venture is next. He calls his brother, who has a minor freak-out. Jordie (the brother) is making a model of the Argo, and two of his friends are sick from the radiation. Venture runs out of time and gets all teary-eyed.
Wildstar is whistling to himself, alone on the bridge. IQ 9 reminds him that his turn on the communicator is coming up. Wildstar gets mad and runs off. He yells at two members of the ready-crew who have left their posts. They're pretty shocked. He's mad that everyone else has a family. Oo-kay.
The captain is inspecting the engine while Orion is in his commo section, but runs off. Nova is looking for Wildstar, and Conroy goes to look for him in the hangar. He finds him slouched in the cockpit of a fighter. As Orion is leaving, Conroy tells Nova that Derek's pouting. Avatar finally finds him in the galley. Then he walks past him. Hmm.
Orion is talking to his children and wants to see his granddaughter, Kathleen and gets all . . . Irish.
Avatar is in his quarters and pulls a picture of his deceased son out of a drawer, reflecting that he, like Wildstar, has no one on Earth to call. Wildstar is doing situps in the gym while Orion reassures his family that they'll make it to Iskandar, then the transmission runs out and he, too, starts crying.
Hell of an episode to come back to!!!
Nova goes into the commo room when Orion doesn't come out right away--then she asks him to stay while she calls her family. And her parents are, um, arranging a marriage with their new neighbor. She'd rather get things in order with her family, but they're wedding-crazy. Orion starts laughing. Then Nova's mother breaks down and the transmission ends.
The crew is in the rec room, celebrating. Some have new children who've been born while they were away. Wildstar is still brooding, looking out a window. Nova finds him and tries to get him to call Earth. He finally relents and slumps into the commo room. He stairs at the screen. Then Nova realizes she didn't show him how to use it, and wonders why he's just sitting there. He finally explains that there's no one for him to talk to on Earth. Avatar is also brooding while looking out the window of his quarters.
Wildstar finally enters the bridge, and then decides to speak to Captain Avatar. Avatar shares "spring water" (looks more like saki to me) with him, and then tells Wildstar that, while they must leave Earth, a tiny point of light now, they will be back. He and Wildstar yell at the the Earth that they will return. Hopefully the captain's quarters are soundproofed.
The crew watches as Earth recedes, and Nova approached Wildstar while the captain stays up in his quarters and we get a musical number. They leave the solar system and Venture explains that visual communication with Earth will be impossible.
Desslok watches them leaving the solar system and gloats that he will hunt them down and destroy them. There are only 315 days left.
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