Zelda’s latest scheme to weaken Earth’s defenses has been well and truly sunk, thanks to the heroic efforts of the Terrahawks team!
The undersea vacation complex Oceanus was the target of the evil Android’s attack. Packed with tourists from all over the world, the vast network of transparent domes and corridors made an ideal lure with which to tempt the Terrahawks into the open.
The attack began with a diversion. The mighty Rhino carrier, with Sram at the controls, and a fleet of Zeafs swarmed Spacehawk before making a swift retreat. In the confusion, the Rhino’s sister-craft known as the Shark slipped past undetected. Settling on the surface of the ocean, the huge spacecraft sank beneath the waves and proceeded to a position near Oceanus.
Zelda, It-Star, Yung-Star and Captain Goat occupied the main bridge and eagerly studied the huge mass on the sonar as they approached the undersea complex. Zelda had bargained on launching a devastating attack with the element of surprise and may well have succeeded if it hadn’t been for Stew Dapples.
Returning from his vacation, Stew’s mini-sub passed close by the submerged attack cruiser just as he was live streaming his popular video blog Stew’s News. Kate Kestrel, watching the video at the Terrahawks’ headquarters, spotted the unmistakable shape of the alien craft outside Stew’s view port and raised the alarm.
In moments, the Terrahawks team swung into action. The huge Battlehawk blasted off, carrying Seahawk and a compliment of Zeroids, while Hawkwing raced along its own launch tunnel and soared out into the atmosphere. As Zelda plotted and schemed, she was unaware that the Terrahawks were nearing with every passing second.
Then, at last, Zelda gave the order to attack. A series of hatches opened along the hull of the Shark and the threatening shadowy shapes of aquatic Zeufs began to emerge. They looked like large deadly manta rays and they began to move in formation towards the Oceanus complex.
As they were just about to enter weapons range, the surface of the sea began to ripple and suddenly Seahawk dropped into the water with a great splash. Mary Falconer was seated at the helm and engaged the powerful motors, sending the craft hurtling through the water with terrific speed.
Zelda gave a shriek of rage and ordered the Zeufs to break formation and attack Seahawk. The enemy craft wheeled around and started to pursue Mary’s speeding vessel, ten of them closing in like barracuda on a small fish. In the small cabin of Seahawk, Mary watched them getting closer and closer. Her hand closed on a control on the console and with the click of a hatch, a spread of proximity charges was released from the aft bay, like a squid spreading an ink screen.
Too late the Zeufs saw the hazard and tried scattering to avoid it, but their front ranks were not fast enough. Six of the Zeufs were destroyed in a series of brilliant explosions that sent mini shock waves rippling through the water.
On the bridge of the Shark, Captain Goat gave a roar and stabbed at the control for the main cannons. The huge weapons raised from their protective coverings and began to track Seahawk’s rapid movements. Unfortunately, the Captain was more used to space combat than sub-aquatic combat and, failing to take the slowing effect of water on projectiles into account, his first salvo blasted the remaining Zeuf’s to ash.
Goat’s blunder earned a swift reprimand from Zelda as she took the controls, intending to use the Shark itself ram Seahawk. The powerful motors roared into life, shaking the hull of the colossal craft as it left the sea bed and made for shallower water, where the Seahawk was still moving in a zigzagging motion.
Breaking the surface like some grotesque leviathan from the depths, Zelda sat in the control chair behind the targeting sights. She was just about to lock onto Seahawk, when her mouth dropped open at the sight in front of her.
With thuds like bullets hitting a barn door, one hundred Zeroids dropped from the hovering Battlehawk and landed on the dripping hull of the Shark. Hawkwing too was circling, waiting for the order to attack and Seahawk had taken up a defensive firing position by the outer perimeter of Oceanus.
Tiger Ninestein’s voice floated over the communication system, informing Zelda that her plan had failed. The almost emotionless quality of the Earthman’s voice frustrated Zelda more than anything else. He didn’t even seem to be pleased that once again he’d beaten her. Perhaps it was that which drove her on, swiveling the cannon from Seahawk to the top of the Oceanus complex, barely visible above the waves.
Her android finger moved towards the trigger. Down… Down… Down…
Down… They were definitely going down! Zelda couldn’t believe it, somehow the Shark was sinking! Once again, Ninestein’s voice crackled through the air, this time tinged with something that might have been smugness. The Terrahawks commander explained that the Zeroids were increasing their mass, dragging the mighty space cruiser into the depths, where it would be crushed under their immense combined mass.
Hearing the hull begin to buckle and creak around her, Zelda gave an exasperated screech before powering down the cannon. As she prepared to retreat back to Mars, an old saying flashed through the circuits of Zelda’s android brain – She who fights and runs away, lives to destroy the Earth Scum another day.
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