MiSTed: "The Sorceress of Cyba-3" (4/6)
Jen White6
Part 4 of 6
By JenW...@aol.com and MsSc...@hotmail.com
Original story by Don R. Christensen
>
>
>
> CHAPTER 7
>
Brak: [singing] They're climbing the stairway to chapter seven.
> THE TWINS ARE CAPTURED
>
All: What else is new?
> For Jace and Jan, on the mountain trail, the cloak of personal
> invisibility was like an assuring armor,
Brak: Armor of assurance, plus ten. Makes you feel really smug when
you got it on.
> but Space Ghost warned, "Don't
> ever be too confident of anything, kids. Any power field can be
> neutralized in some way."
Moltar: Like dipping it in water, *Jan*.
> His warning came too late.
> It happened just after they divided to follow separate threadlike
> trails. They all moved cautiously so that no accidental turn of a rock
> might give them away.
Metallus: For some reason they couldn't FLY over the ground like they
usually do.
> Above, the face of the mountain scowled outward toward the distant
> cities of Cyba-3. A macabre pattern of eyes and mouth, gaping
> skull-like, was the effect that the several cave openings etched in the
> wrinkled bluff.
Brak: [Captain Hook] Keep a look-out, Mr. Smee!
> Suddenly one of Space Ghost's special secret senses cried, "Our
> invisibility--it's *going*, kids!"
Brak: Special secret senses? Is that what they put on hamburgers?
Moltar: I think Spider-man just showed up.
> In the blink of an eye, their inviso fields flashed away.
> "Down!" Space Ghost ordered. "Behind the rocks! It must be a
> counterfrequency!"
Brak: [The Count] One! One frequency! Ha-ha-ha-ha!
[lightning flashes just outside]
Metallus: Idiot! That was close!
Brak: Sorry. I forgot.
> He lunged into the shadows of a projecting slag. Jan and Jace were
> over thirty feet away. They dove, instead, for a gnarled ball of
> mountain brush.
Moltar: [Jan/Jace] OK, got the brush. Now what do I do with it?
> But in its mottled shade a swift hand was seizing Jan. Another set
> of strong hands was tightening on Jace, shutting off his attempt to cry
> out, "Space Gho--"
> The children were swept back into the hungry mouth of darkness by
> the tightly gripping fingers.
Zorak: A few minutes later, Darkness spit their gnawed bones back out.
Moltar: Lovely image while we're eating, Zorak.
> Outside, Space Ghost had no inkling of the ambush until his
> whispered calls rustled in the tangled briar and fell unanswered. "Jace?
> Jan?"
Moltar: [Space Ghost] Those stupid kids! Can't they keep out of trouble
for one minute?!
> Leaping to the spot, he found the small tunnel opening behind the
> brush. He gasped, for he could hear their cries deep within.
Zorak: So he fired his destructo ray at the roof of the tunnel, caving
it in so he couldn't hear 'em any more.
> Jan's voice sprang suddenly from the tiny radio in his chest emblem.
Brak: Boi-oi-oi-oing!
> "Men, Space Ghost! Hundreds of them! Like gnomes--"
Zorak: [Jan] Don't rescue me! I like gnomes!
> Her voice
> choked away and another replaced it. It was the sinister voice of Queen
> Satanari.
Widow: So, Satanari's a gnome now?
> "Make no move to rescue the children, Space Ghost, and I may let
> them live. Otherwise, your first act in fury or trickery will end their
> lives--like insects, crushed without compassion."
Zorak: That's below the belt.
Widow: I rather like the image.
> Her laugh played with
> the thought.
Moltar: Her LAUGH played with... oh, forget it.
> Space Ghost froze, undecided. He could hear Jan's sobbing mingled
> with Satanari's voice.
Zorak: And he realized it excited him. "Can I watch?" he asked.
Moltar: Ugh!
Widow: Don't be disgusting.
[Zorak snickers evilly.]
> "Your invisibility powers will not aid you here, Space Ghost--as you
> have already noted." Her hissing purr broke into a snarl as she
Brak: Coughed up a hairball.
> continued. "Now you and your little partners are the intruders--the
> scheming strangers who deserve their fate. You came to interfere in my
> artful revenge upon the fools of Cyba-three, but no one can interfere
> with me and live--for long."
Widow: [Satanari] Sixty, seventy, maybe a hundred years, but no more!
> "But why?" Space Ghost radioed back. "What do you gain?"
Brak: [Satanari] About a pound, every time I even *think* about
chocolate.
> Within the mountain Jan and Jace stared with unbelieving eyes at the
> sorceress. They were overwhelmed with her matter-of-fact answer to Space
> Ghost's question.
Moltar: And they believe everything she says, of course!
> "None of you will ever understand," she explained, "that mine is an
> ancient heritage that places its highest value on all the clever
> wickedness that your warped moralists deplore."
Zorak: Well, can't argue with that. BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!
Widow: You go, girl!
> Her breath rattled into Jan's small radio transmitter.
[Brak makes loud, asthmatic sounding wheezing noises]
> "When I see
> this planet burning, it will be with the same pleasure that you
> disintegrate invading locusts!"
Zorak: YES!! DEATH TO LOCUSTS!! BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!
> Space Ghost's thoughts were racing.
Moltar: For him, that would be first gear.
> The tunnel was too small for
> his big body, he decided,
Zorak: Especially after he'd just eaten his own weight in Ding Dongs.
Again.
> and if he blasted his way through, he would be
> risking the lives of his young friends during the moments it took to
> reach them.
Metallus: And the problem is...?
> He lowered his wrist-band
All: POWER BANDS!
> power unit. "Perhaps I can teleport
> myself in there somewhere and then--" It seemed the best, the only way.
Zorak: Get outta here! Space Ghost can't teleport!
> He concentrated, focusing all his will on the changing of each atom of
> his being to pure thought energy.
Metallus: And dissipating it across the universe, never to reform. The
end.
> Then, on willpower alone, his thought energies were swept through a
> million tons of mountain to be reassembled by another willed command into
> his original form.
All: WHAT?!
Moltar: You're KIDDING me!
Widow: Is there anything he can't do?
Zorak: Yeesh! He can just "gimmick" himself into or out of anything,
can't he! Why should we even *bother*?!
Brak: No fair! No fair!
> He was in a storeroom cave that opened into a larger cavern
Brak: [singing] In a canyon, excavating for a mine.
> where
> squat, troll-like creatures were operating a small fabricating plant
> devoted to production of black, metal units destined for removal to the
> storeroom piles that were shielding Space Ghost from view.
Moltar: The units didn't *do* anything, they were just made to be
stacked up.
> He could hear
> Satanari's voice shrilling somewhere nearby.
Widow: She's let her voice get away from her. That's gonna cost a few
points.
> But suddenly the voice of the sorceress was distantly muffled.
> Space Ghost crept toward another opening. Through it he could see a cave
> room large enough to hold a small city. And filling it was a single
> giant thing with eight spreading metallic legs, ruggedly fashioned, like
> the arms of a construction crane.
Widow: I do wish some people would try to come up with something
original. I've been using spiders for *years*! Who does this Satanari
think she is, anyway?
> The massive unit converged at a high, center unit, forming the
> great, spreading shape of a colossal mechanical spider! High aloft,
> three figures could be seen. The spider carried passengers! Queen
> Satanari, Jan, and Jace!
Zorak: [Space Ghost] Maybe I ought to stop rescuing those stupid kids.
It's survival of the fittest.
> Through the cabin windows Space Ghost's telescopic gaze saw a detail
> that chilled his blood. He groaned inwardly.
Brak: [Space Ghost] My guts are cold and icky.
> "Oh, those poor kids! That's how Satanari will make good her threat
> if I make a wrong move! With shrinking chains!"
Brak: Y'know, you could try washing those things in cold water.
> Jan and Jace were bound together by entwined chains in a pattern
> that spelled a cutting, crushing death if any sudden move were made to
> trigger constriction of the molecules in the chains.
Metallus: Death by macrame? That's... original.
> His mind racing,
[Brak imitates "Speed Buggy" car sputtering noises]
> Space Ghost searched his past experience for a way
> to win the precarious balance between life and death.
Moltar: Since he's a *ghost,* he doesn't have much of a record in that
department.
> He knew it was
> impossible to cut the interwoven chains swiftly enough to beat the
> lightning-like constriction of the molecules.
Brak: Does lightning constrict?
Zorak: Only when it's leashed.
> This particular form of death had been invented on the planet
> Izhinor in the Fourth Galaxy, where Space Ghost had been able to crush
> the Assassin Alliance but could not turn back a history that had produced
> such insidious devices as the shrinking chains.
Moltar: Uh... okay. That's useful to know, I guess.
> Within the cabin of the giant, eight-legged machine, the twins held
> themselves stiffly, hardly daring to move. They knew the danger even if
> Queen Satanari had not explained it.
Zorak: They got straight As in their "History of Supervillainy"
courses.
> Her eyes flashed at them.
Brak: Eat at Joe's. Eat at Joe's.
> "Oh, I wish your fool Space Ghost would dare to test my word with an
> attempt to save you," she said. Then she reflected, "But, no, my revenge
> on the Cybans comes first, and now he cannot interfere."
Metallus: Famous last words.
> "Is this thing part of your revenge?" Jace asked, speaking with
> measured care, lest the movement of speaking trigger the chains.
Zorak: Somebody tickle them.
> "You will see," Satanari said. She spoke into a microphone, and her
> amplified voice shrilled throughout the cavernous room.
Widow: I'm getting tired of her "shrilling".
> "Slaves of Satanari, the doors will now be opened for my pet--and
> the revenge I have earned."
Widow: [Satanari] I have no idea who will open them, but *somebody*
will.
> Below, in the shadows, Space Ghost could not help but be awed by
> what he saw.
> A battery of lights jabbed thin rays, like needles stitching a
> pattern, into the outermost wall of the cavern.
Moltar: First macrame, now stitchery. This Satanari's a crafty one, all
right.
> The rock disappeared in a
> gray mist of smoke and down-drifting ashes. Ahead, a doorway appeared.
> In the underbelly of the giant spider, heavy motors crept to a high,
> whirring pitch, and the long mechanical legs moved ponderously toward the
> opening.
[Brak begins humming the "Powerhouse" theme]
> Space Ghost hesitated. As long as he did not force Satanari to make
> good her threat, the twins had a slim hold on life.
>
>
[As the pyramid clears, Zorak belches impressively.]
Widow: Zorak!
Zorak: [grinning] Oh, EXCUSE me.
Brak: Wow, can ya show me how to do that?
Zorak: Sure thing. Gulp some air-
Moltar: [interrupting] I wonder where you get those shrinking chains.
They would come in handy.
Widow: Yes! If Space Ghost tries to break out of *those*, squish!
[cackles evilly]
Metallus: They're not made of any alloy I know of.
Zorak: Not even styranotanium?
Brak: I bet they'd loosen up if you poured hot water on 'em. Like
noodles.
Zorak: He probably has some energy beam that'll disintegrate them.
Moltar: [to Zorak] You're a ray of sunshine, aren't you?
Zorak: [sarcastically] Oh, EXCUSE me for knowing the script by heart.
Metallus: His power bands have rays for anything - but to destroy the
chains, he would also have to disintegrate Jan and Jace.
[all pause and look at each other]
Widow: If I root for Space Ghost, I'll lose my Villain's License, won't
I?
Moltar: Yep.
[The story begins again.]
> CHAPTER 8
>
Brak: Isn't that what you get when you go crazy in the army?
Zorak: No, it's what you file when you're bankrupt.
> THE SPIDER MACHINE
>
> Through the debris of ashes, Space Ghost was able to slip
Moltar: On a banana peel.
> out of the
> cavern, unnoticed by the scores of gnomelike workers.
Brak: Gnomes 10, Dwarves 3.
> He hoped the
> strange, damper-wave effect that made invisibility impossible would not
> extend beyond the mountain. He knew that invisibility was his only
> weapon this time.
Metallus: Besides his strength, his power bands, and his flight.
Widow: Don't remind him.
Brak: And his new teleporting thing.
[Zorak growls]
> In the lurching cabin of the giant spider craft, Jan and Jace drew
> each new breath fearfully. Being chained to a center post held them
> firmly against the tightly twined chains, but they realized that any
> sudden jar would trigger the shrinking phenomenon.
Moltar: We already went over that.
> Jan moaned, "Oh, Jace, what's she going to do with this thing?"
Zorak: She's going to destroy the planet! Haven't you been paying
attention?!
> Both she and Jace could picture the incredible sight: the monster
> machine edging down one mountain, up another, now reaching the forest and
> now the plain.
Brak: [singing] Now over the river, now through the woods, to
grandmother's house we go.
> Its nucleotomic engines whining a song of death,
Brak: I don't think I know that song.
Zorak: "Nucleotomic". Oooooh, science-y.
> the spider moved
> ponderously toward distant dwellings. A Cyba-3 community was already
> ringing with cries of bewilderment and terror.
> "It's a machine!"
> "From the mountain of the small people!
Moltar: Oooohhhh, SAVE me from the Small People!
> But they would not--"
> "The sorceress has returned!"
> As if marking
Zorak: Its territory.
> the doom of the innocent, another eclipse shadow moved
> slowly over the land.
> The earth-shaking mechanical legs were smashing closer, closer.
Brak: Until they tripped over each other! [makes crashing noises]
> Swooping low through a trail of crushed trees, Space Ghost tested
> his inviso power again. Slowly it overcame the interfering frequency,
> and his form began to fade from sight.
Moltar: [grumbling] Why bother invisoing at all when you can just
*teleport* in?
> "Now!" Space Ghost told himself grimly. "At least I can move in
> without provoking her vengeance on the twins--too soon."
Metallus: You can *never* have vengeance on the twins too soon.
> But as he soared high, secure from detection behind his shield of
> invisibility, the sight that met his eyes shattered his rescue plans.
> Others needed help first!
Zorak: [Space Ghost] Stupid civilians! Can't they keep outta my hair
for five minutes?!
> "The spider's web!" exclaimed Space Ghost tightly as he soared
> closer. "A different kind of delivery, but it's sure to turn out the
> same way as before. A web of fire!"
Widow: [interested] Hmm!
> From the body of the spider machine, the weblike stands were being
> ejected in a dozen different ways.
Brak: Upwards and downwards and sidewards and backwards and
upside-downwards and inside-outwards-
> Long threads were trailing from the
> last joint of each mechanical leg.
Brak: Tangling the legs up and tripping the spider! [makes crashing
sounds]
Metallus: Shut up, Algernon.
> From the roof, other threads were
> arching out like long, trailing wakes.
Moltar: I like wakes. You get to stand around drinking and eating and
making fun of the dead guy.
Zorak: I like the buffets.
> For Jan and Jace, chained to the machine, it was like a nightmare.
> "She's spreading a web over everything!" Jace whispered.
Widow: Thank you, Kid State-The-Obvious.
> "Just like she did when she burned their cities," said Jan weakly.
Moltar: And thank you, Miss Redundant Exposition.
> The feeling of guilt weighed so heavily on her that she felt the threat
> of the shrinking chains did not matter--if it were not that Jace was
> their prisoner, too.
Moltar: Where are Strunk and White when you need 'em?
> Space Ghost will help us," said Jace. But his voice held little
> conviction.
Zorak: [Jace] We're screwed.
> Arms bound, they could not use their transmitters to brief Space
> Ghost on their own predicament or the destruction occurring below them.
> But, even so, they were sure that he knew.
Brak: The Great and Powerful Space Ghost sees all and knows all!
> I could feel his eyes on us," Jan whispered. "For a while--but now-
> -" Her soft murmur faded.
Metallus: Because her hearing aid STILL wasn't working.
> "He knows," Jace reassured her, "that we're--excuse the
> expression--*safe*, as long as he doesn't ruffle her feathers."
Brak: Huh? I thought Satanari's a human, not a bird.
> He inclined his head in the direction of their captor.
> Queen Satanari's hands were busy at a multitude of complex controls.
> Yet under her breath she was muttering incantations from her ancient
> heritage of evil.
Brak: [singing] Salagadoola mechicka boola bibbidi-bobbidi-boo.
> "Falanir! Falanar!
Zorak: Falafel!
Moltar: Fahrfegnugen!
Brak: [Jerry Lewis] Freunlaven!
> Hear me, all wizards of the universe! You will
> bow in awe and admiration of the completeness of my vengeance."
Zorak: [all wizards of the universe] Yeah, yeah, we're watching, get
on with it.
> One long finger pressed two switches in quick succession, and
> suddenly it was as if the world was being swept by a network of flame.
Moltar: The flame network. All flame, all the time.
> From the body and legs of the great spider, wherever it was still in
> contact with the web it had spewed over the community of homes, fire
> trails raced outward. Like hungry serpents, they lashed out along the
> web strands, growing on the things they consumed along the way.
Brak: Like tribbles.
> Though his form was invisible, Space Ghost could feel the heat
> searing his body as he swept up toward the spider cabin.
Moltar: And under the rug.
> "If only I could smash in there and stop her," he growled.
Zorak: [Space Ghost] Grrrr... Woof woof!
> Frustration was tearing at him. He resisted an impulse to blast the
> sorcerer with a shaft from one of his power bands.
Metallus: He packs ARROWS in those now?
> He could not bring
> himself to sacrifice Jan and Jace, even if a thousand lives were at stake
> in the inferno below.
Moltar: I bet I know someone who flunked math.
> "I've got to--got to put out those fires," he thought desperately.
> But he knew, too, that he could do nothing that would give Satanari the
> slightest hint that he was trying to thwart her plan.
Zorak: [Space Ghost] Welp, the situation's hopeless. Might as well
give up and get a burger.
> From below, screams of terrified Cybans were mixed with shouts of
> fire fighters waging a useless battle.
Moltar: Resistance is futile. You will be incinerated.
> The sorceress' spider machine walked right over the doomed town,
> high above the flames. Far ahead, another suburban community was being
> evacuated.
> His eyes darting upward, Space Ghost exclaimed, "There's my only
> chance! She might not recognize the hand of Space Ghost--in a storm!"
Brak: Space Ghost: The Hands of Rain.
> But could he command the clouds to rain?
Brak: Well, maybe not, but I bet he could ask nicely.
>
>
[The pyramid goes blank.]
Metallus: I *like* Satanari's style.
Moltar: She's hardly doing anything about Space Ghost.
Zorak: So what? She's trashing the planet! Ain't that good enough?
Brak: And she's using Jan and Jace as a guarantee of noninterference.
Zorak: Five bucks on Satanari!
Moltar: [musing] Blip's still in the Phantom Cruiser, hiding under a
seat. He's not gonna save the day this time.
Widow: That furball better not be able to fly a spaceship.
Brak: It has an autopilot.
Metallus: Even an autopilot needs someone to operate it.
Zorak: Right. And Space Ghost can't teleport, either.
Widow: Nobody's taken Space Ghost's power bands, so Blip can't get them
back anyway. And even if he did, Jan and Jace are still in the shrinking
chains.
Brak: Maybe Blip can untie 'em.
Zorak: Nope. If he tried, he'd kill 'em. Hey, who wants to see him
try?
Moltar: I *don't* think Blip is going to save the day this time.
Besides, we're supposed to be watching Satanari, not the monkey.
Widow: [grudgingly] She certainly is succeeding in her vengeance
against Cyba-3.
Metallus: Why does she have to use a spell just to press a button?
Zorak: I'll bet it's just patter. Everyone's gotta have a shtick.
Moltar: All right, all right. The next part is ready.
[The story resumes in the pyramid]
*****
[CONTINUED NEXT SEGMENT]
so sez Jen "Call me MiSTer!" White.