_ . |n the nick of Time! - o o 0 Chapter 4 0 . . o o Whimper! . . . / . $$;$;$; ,.. * $;$ ''''$$$. .,-'' ''., . ;$$ '$$.'-% .. '' , . * $;$ .' % . . % ', . $;$ / % % .. % %\ . . $;$ ;. % % ; . $;$.::: % % % % % % : $$;::. ; . . $$,::: % % % : . . . ;$$,::. .' . . \ $$,:::. .' . . . ', $$$.:: $., . o '. ;$$.::. ,/' :$' . . -., $$.:::...,.- '$; . . . . -.. $$$-'' ;$ . . '$$$;. . . . $; . '$$;$;$;$$' - --< The planet Boogaloo is a very frightened place right now! >-- - . . . . . . '. .' . .. .. .../ \... .. .. . . . . . \ / . . . . . ' .' '. ' . . ' . . ' :: . . . . __---_||_ . . \__ ___/ .* _____._____._______.________._______| ||____ . . /.- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -.\ | .::. .. .:::. /\/\/\ .:.. " ".:: _ _ | . \^_^___________________________________^_^_/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . __/\__ . __/\__ . .() __/\__ \_\/_/ __/\__ \_\/_/ __/\__ . . .\_\/_/ \_\/_/ \_\/_/ . ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - ~ . _ _ _ . _ ~ ~_ -- - _ - _ . ~ - -- --- -------< It has good reason to be! >-------- --- -- - : : Our forces are in position.... : : \ || || . . . . . \ . |<\|<\ . . . * __;___;____ . | >| >| . . . . . /- --- ... -\ | .| .| . . . _________|-- \____#########___ . | :::.... _ _ - - _ _ . .. ... | \\ .. ... // . * . . . \\...--__ _ _ _ _ _--- _/////////////// . . '---\ / .-----------' . . . | \ ...... . . | | . . | | | | N C C - ZX81 | | ___________________/ .. .. .... .. \ \____________________________ """"""""""""""""""" " " " " " " " " " " """""""""""""""""""""""""" "/| / | The forces of the evil Sinclairomorph empire, hang, like a huge dangling thing over the fearful populace of the normally peaceful Boogaloo world. Just poised, waiting for the order to attack! _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._ _______________________________ __________________________________ /The main force to _______ \ / . . \ secure Boogaloo City,( ) || . She is to be taken alive? | my elite commando's (_____ | .|| . _ . _ . . . . | '; to capture the |._| ) | || //\ __ /\\ . . | ;:'; Princess! . < | || \ /-\/-\ / /\_._ * . | ;:;;. ## / . || . | a a | ..::|_____> . | :;:;:, . * . ~ # | || . \ / . . | :::;. . ##__..'. || . /-\../-\ . /\_._ . | :;:. . . /(\\\) | || || -- || ....::|_____> | \____________________ / |---| |_/ \___|| oOOo ||_____________________/ | | | | || || The hanging around period is but the briefest of moments, as the Sinclairomorph seeks to noisily assert his control over the Boogaloo world, and seize the contents of the Princess Oranjeboom's protective royal underthings! __ 'ERE WE GO, 'ERE WE GO, __ / \_ 'ERE WE GO-OHH!! / \_ //_ \_ __ //_ \_- ===> . = \ / \_ - -- ===> . = \ ===> . = _/ //_ \_ - -- ===> . = _/ \\- _/ ===> . = \ . ' \\- _/ \__/ - ===> . = _/ . \__/ \\- _/ /\_._ .. \__/ ..::|_____> ..:__ . ::/ ' . /\_._ :// .| /\ . ..::|_____> \ . | / \ . ---' / WW \ . /\_._ .;:: \ \____/ . ..::|_____> ':;;;; \ < > . '::;;. \ \/ . ':;:' \ . . Eeeek! Cover!! :;: \ . . . \ . ::' \ . . : . . . |\: \ ,;'';. . /\\ /\ | \| . \ { }/ . \// \/ , | | . -{ () }- . . B-O-O-O-M!!! /\/' ,--\_/ !! / \ .. -{ ( ) }- ~ | / ,, | | . . -{ ( ) }- ~. . ____ .__ __ . \\ _/\ .__. 00 .__. _. __. ___. _.' . ' ' . //_ ' \. -_\ / . '. \ ' The Sinclairomorph Empire opens the account with a vicious air assault. The fleeing Boogaloo folk are defenceless! ':::::' '::::::::' ':::' ':::' :/\: :/\: ::' ::' URRRK,\ /oo\ :\.:' They don't like ' MECHANIC! /_||_\ | \| / it up 'em! ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ | | /\ , . ' . ' . / \ \/ , .'. P O W W !.\ /. !/\! | _/\/ ', ... _ _ ' /\/\ !/\! ------- / '\=========\\' /\ /\ . . /_||_\ /^^\ _____|_____\______ \/ \/ _==-< . / : \ . ^^ ^^ /_||_\ ||| Boog-Force \ /\ /\/ \\ ' . ' ^^ ^^ \___________________\ /\ /\ URRRK, MEDIC! //\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\ / // / / !/\! :/\: \\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\// | \| \ /\ __, /\/\ /^^\ '''''''''''''''''' .' '. ' .__\/\-\__. /_||_\ /_||_\ ,, ,, ,, ,, / ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ !! Oo o0 OO Grrr! ' -_\ -_\ -_\ -_\ The follow-up ground attack is stubbornly resisted, the Boogaloo militia puts up a surprisingly spirited defence! . ::' !/\! ' !/\! :/\: :/\: /oo\ . /00\ "/\" /\/\ /oo\ \/\/ : /_||_\ .::. /_||_\ /\/\ /_||_\ /_||_\ /^^\ | ^^ ^^ ::::' ^^ ^^ /_||_\ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ /_||_\ | :::. ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ / \ ':::'. !/\! | _ :::' // !/\! /00\ :/\: ------- / \ '' /\\// ---------------- /^^\ -- /_||_\ -- /\/\ --- _____|__\ /\/ _\/_ /_||_\ ^^ ^^ /_||_\ ||| -\/ \/ ' . ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ \_________/ /_______\ / //\/\/\/\ V/\/\/\/\\ \___\/\ . \\/\/\/\/\ \/\/\/\// / \/ . \/\ __, ''''''''''''''''''''''' ' \/ \/\-\__. . '___ /\_. / / _ _ /\ _/ \\/ ' /\__\/\ \ | , \/ , ' \. ,/./ \/ \| \/\/ But all too soon the brave Boogalooers are crushed by the sheer inexorable weight of numbers... ><><>< ><><>< ><><>< _,_/\ | .| | .| | '| _,_/\ <_____|::.. | .| | .| | '| <_____|::... | .| They're almost at the | | '| | .| palace gates! What am | | '| | .| I to do?? .| | '| You must escape, and find the | .| | .| | '| Rebel Alliance, it's our only | .| / | .| | '| hope! .. . | .| sSSSSSs | .| | '| ::::. .:. | .| SS{@ @}SS | .| | '| \ ] '::::' ::: | .| S;( v );S | .| | '| /\ \ :::. ':::: | .| ss \(_)/ ss | '| | '| (@@)/ ::::: ::' | .| _ .'-'. | '| | '| \// ':::::: .: ><><>< / `:~~~:`\ \/// ><><>< ><><>< >---| ':: ' ::. | |-- / ) ). \/~/ --| |-| | \ :: ::::: ........ / /\ /\ /...................... \/\ ::. ':::::: /~/ |,,,| \/ || / \ \ :: ':::' -\\\ /.....\ || / #/ |\: ':: ( v ) || \ | | |'| : | : || # / \ / \ """"""""""" ; | ; """""""""""""""""""""""""" _/ """""""""""""""""""""" The Princess Oranjeboom, with her trusted, if somewhat pervy high priest councillor, agitate at the unfolding tragedy, and hurriedly debate what to do next. /\/\/\/\/\/\/\ / / ./ ACCCK!! \ SEIZE HER!!/)_() / / ./ \ \/\/\/\/\/\/ \ That tears it! / ./ ] /\ ()_() _) I'm outta here! / ./ \ (!!) [ (*)--- \ O| \ / ./ \ \/ / (_____)_' / ./ \|__/ Z Z A P! |O|O|O| O- sSSSss \ ./ . ' .\ . .:::. '-----' | @) sSss . ././ /\ . , . - X---O O--C < }sSs .:'\/ . /\/ . ' ':::' | C-5 |__\ ) :sSss _ . CRACK!! / \ . ||||||| U \__/ ss | |_ # | /_______\ _\____/""'. | .| \/ | U U =!__(( | |: | .| #_/ \| |: ><><><> / // | | ..... _/~/ \ ........... Suddenly, a crack team of Sinclairomorph /// )) C-5 Henchdroids burst in, brutally gunning / / \ down the high priest! They are only mindful \ \ \ \ of their orders to seize the Princess, and \ \ \ \ her protective armour-plated royal under- \_\ \/\ -things alive! __/|| _/ """"""""""""""""""""""""" <------ T o T h e E s c a p e S h u t t l e ())))))))))))))))))))))))))))) (((((((((((((((((((((((((() I'm Jonnyboy, your inflight repair droid for And who might you be? |_____| this panicky and / /_ _\ unco-ordinated sSSSss |o| |o| escape attempt! @) sSss /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ | v | / < }Sss / GRAB HER PANTS!\ \|<_>|/ o :Sss \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ | | \__/ ss _[]---[]_ /""'. ()_() |==|\\\|==| ( | |: (*)-- \ || W W || O O O O \| |: O O O O O (_____) || || o o o | |: o o o o o |O|O|O| || ooo || . . |~|\ . . . . '-----' ||"""""|| /||| ) O O ':: ::' | / /| C-5 | \ / | || X ||||||| | | | || / \ The Princess meets with one of the few survivors of the Sinclairomorph onslaught, the loyal and useful escape shuttle repair droid, not to mention the bodger of countless things into tower cases, Jonnyboy.. . _ ::: And with that, /-\ ' we're gone! / \ \ \ / .:::. / | \ .::::' / \ _ ::' \_|||_/ | \ | :. . ::: |_/ /\ /\ |) | ':. _. :( ':') | \ \//--\|\ . .:: . ( `-' : `. :::' . : ( ' ) '::. /_`( ` . ) ' ::' (/ . ' ) ' ) |. . ( ) . / \ || || |. (`' .( _( ( ) !/\! ||_||_||_ ..-. ` ) ` ) ) !/\! !/\! /\/\ _________|-----' ( : ) -------/\/\--/\/!/\!/_||_\-- , /.\| \ ') _ ` ( (. ( /_||_\/_||/\/\^^ ^^ . ' _( ( ) -`. ) \ ^^ ^^ /_||_\ /\ ( ) ( _. _ \( \ ) ) Rat's Cocks! ^ ^^/\/\ )/. . ( . . ( . . ). ) . . . /. They're getting away! The royal escape shuttle blasts off hastily from the grounds of the ruined palace, mere seconds ahead of the robotic minions of the Sinclairomorph Empire! _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._ _______________________________ __________________________________ / . ________ \ / . . \ All available . ( zx ) || . . A shuttle is . | fighters to attack! (___ __).|| . _ . _ attempting to . . | '; They won't get |._|--|._| || //\ __ /\\ leave the . . | ;:'; far! | V | || \ /-\/-\ / planet! * . | ;:;;. __[ #### ]__' . | a a | . | :;:;:, . * . (---\#<__>#/---) . \ / . o . | :::;. . . / #### \. /-\../-\ . . . .. . | :;:. . .| / . \ | || -- || . . . | \________________| | . | |__|| oOOo ||_____________________/ /.----. " " " /| | . | | \\ // /.----. "" " " " / // / .::. / \ \ | | xX Xx // / ....::. / Back on the Battle Bridge of the sinister Black Slab, the Sinclairomorph is acquainted with developments. His response is characteristic! . __ __ __/\__ . __ . . . .--' '--. \_\/_/ /\ ' . ./ . " . " . " . " . " . " . " \. . . /\_ | / . ____________/\____________ . \ __/\__ \___| . . / . / \/ |_____| \ . \ \_\/_/ \ .:'/. / . / sSSSSSs || /_ _\ \ . \ . .. \ . ' / . / SS{@ @}SS || |o| |o| \ . \ . . \ '/ . / S;( V );S || | v | \ . \ . .. \ \ . / ss \(_)/ ss || \|(_)|/ \ . \ "" .' .' . / _ .'-'. _ || | | \ . \ . ,.' /\/ . \________________/ \________________/ . \ . / || . . . / . . . . . . . . . | . . . . . || . || / | || * || How about getting So what do you like me to || || totally away from do first? Repair that gaping || /\ \ \ here, I don't like hole in the side, or plot / / /::\ \ \ this one little an escape trajectory!? / / / /\ \ \ \ bit! / / . \____/ \ \ / / v v \ \ / / * . . | | . The royal escape shuttle comes under immediate and heavy attack! Much damage is substained! . . . * . '. . \ / . .' . They got away! . '. . . .' / ' ( ) . /\_._ o . '. ( ) .' ..::|_____> { . . _ _ } /\_._ . ..__. { \ / /\ |_) |_) | } .__.. ..::|_____> . ( \/\/ /--\ | \ | . ) /\_._ . .' ( ) '. ..::|_____> . . . ' .' ' || '. ' \ ' ' . / || \ . '. The boss isn't going . . . / || \ . to be too happy about . * . / :: \ . that! . / .. \ . + . . . . . . . But the fleeing duo make good their escape! Tea and reprisals are sure to follow back at the Sinclairomorph mother ship, the Black Slab! The rather large question of how far they got away, and whether they've pitched head-first into something far worse, follows in the next chapter! _ _/ Here's a little clue as to / \ / what awaits them! | | /\| |/\ / @\ / \ \ / \ @/ \/ \/ Hello-o-o-o! - \\ // \ / V () () () C h a p t e r E n d () () ()