On the bridge of the Retriever.
"Are you sure you got a distress call from NASA?" says Bowser
"Positive sir." says Winston "They reported some trouble, then went off the air."
"Have Tailspin launch his chopper, and tell him to keep an eye out."
"Aye sir."
******
Three hours earlier, Kennedy Space Center, Daytona Florida. Three bus loads of tourists enter through the gate. Their guides, two men and a woman greet them.
"Welcome to NASA ladies and gentlemen. I'm George, this is Jack and she is Rebecca, and we'll be your guides on your tour today."
"Will we be able to see the new shuttle?"
"Ah, your in luck." says Jack "The Phoenix has just been completed and is being readied for it's first flight later this week."
They split up into three groups and begin the tour. With George's group they go to Mission Control, with Jack they go to see the new shuttle, and with Rebecca's group they tour the test range of new technology. As one, all three groups overpower their guides and tie them up and anyone else there at the time. The leader, with George's group takes out a walkie-talkie.
"Let Operation: Chaos begin!"
They begin to take parts out of Mission Control, the test range and out of the shuttle.
******
Tailspin and Buzz are over the ocean headed for Daytona. Captain McCoy, Lieutenant T-Bone and Corporal Brodie are in the back with them.
"Anything?" says Tex
"Nothing." says Buzz.
"Kennedy Space Center, straight ahead." says Tailspin.
"There's a chopper pad over there." says Tex "Land there, and we'll see what's going on."
*****
NASA Mission Control, the "tourists" are nearly done.
"Hey boss, we got trouble."
"What's the problem?"
"We've got a chopper inbound. It's the Road Rovers!"
"Blast it! All right we're done here everyone. Lets get in the buses and go. Kramer, you and your men keep them pinned."
"Will do, boss."
*****
Buzz lands it and the others file out of the chopper.
"Hey look" says Brodie.
Two of the tour buses make mad dash to the exit and smash through the gate. The third stops in front of them, the windows open and the terrorists open fire!
"Take cover!" shouts Tex
They hide behind two buildings as the chopper is hit repeatedly with Buzz still inside.
"Buzz! Get out!" shouts Tailspin
The chopper explodes, taking Buzz with it.
"BUZZ!!"
"Return fire!" shouts Tex "Get ahold of the Retriever, now!"
"Alert! Come in Retriever! Do you copy? Captain Bowser come in!"
******
On board the Retriever, in the bowels of the ship. Dusty, the King Shepherd new recruit, is fiddeling with an open maintenance locker for the communications systems. He takes out a key component and slips it in his pocket before closing the locker. On the bridge, Bowser turns to Winston.
"Have you heard anything from them yet?" says Bowser
"Nothing sir."
"They should have reported in five minutes ago." says Emerald.
"What the...?" says Winston
"What?"
"Sir, I just ran a diagnostic on my instruments! We're unable to recieve incoming calls! We've been sabotaged!"
"Aw, not again!" says Bengal
"Winston, get down to the diagnotic locker and find the problem." says Bowser. Emerald, tell Slide to launch the mini-sub and head for Daytona. I have sinking feeling that I know who it is."
"Ocean Blue." says Bengal.
"Correct." says Bowser "Seamus, battle speed to Daytona!"
"Aye sir."
Several hours later, Tex is reporting to Bowser in his office and Hunter is on the main viewscreen.
"Buzz was killed when those terrorists first fired" says Tex "We fought back and destroyed their bus. Only one of them survived. They took major components out of NASA and even out of the new shuttle Phoenix.
"And that not all." says Hunter "They hit Bordeau, France, the Ruegger in Casablanca, Rio De Jenerio, and the Ocean Institute in Woodshole, Massachusetts.
"In other words, Ocean Blue, a minor cult, has just become another terroists organization." says Bowser "That's just great."
"Yeah, but what are they after?" says Tex
"Power."
"Find out what you can about them Captain, and then stop them." says Hunter "I would not have predicted this."
to be continued....