In a distant system, Defender Zik stands by in the Temerity as Ramesh and his crew finish shoring up the heavily damaged Vigilant Gaddi. It was a narrow escape, but the jumps they’ve made thus far have proven to be effective at throwing the Clonoids off their trail. But hyperspace has been hard on the broken hull of the Gaddi, and they’ve stopped within the ring system of an icy world to patch what they can before continuing.
In due course, Ramesh radios over to say that they’re ready to go. Zik asks how the refugees are holding up, to which Ramesh reports that they’re furious enough to have nearly staged a mutiny. Only being reminded that they would be stranded in space without a pilot calmed them down. The two old pals then review the battle; Zik tries to keep positive about it, but Ramesh is more of a realist than an optimist, and points out that a 60 percent survival rate isn’t exactly a victory. Conceding the point, Zik admits that Elcyra seems to have duped the Zozians into attacking, before springing the trap with her insanely powerful capital ship. The Zozians have achieved a pyrrhic victory, and have gotten a rude awakening about how far the rest of humanity have advanced technologically in the past thousand years!
Ramesh declares that he’s not confident the Gaddi can withstand more than one more jump without undergoing catastrophic hull failure, so the two decide to head straight back to Zoz from here. As they leap into hyperspace, however, a drone tucked away on one of the larger ring rocks begins broadcasting a report back to its operators…

Defender Zik, aboard the Temerity, flies over the damaged section of the Kodiak 2 and asks James Anchor how they’re doing. Everyone else has escaped, it’s just down to them, and James reassures Zik that the Kodiak can escape. In fact, he urges Zik to escape while he can, because Queen Elcyra is powering up another enormous laser blast!
The two vessels jump into hyperspace, each to their own scatter destinations, eager to reunite later back home on Zoz…

Queen Elcyra’s withering attack on the Zozian war fleet is claiming one victim after another – even the civilian transports! Defender Zik enters the cockpit of the Temerity to witness a grim scene: with every powerful blast emanating from Elcyra’s mothership, another Zozian vessel is disabled or destroyed, and the space around the prison planet is growing thick with twisted, burning debris. It’s a slaughter!

Aboard the Vigilant Gaddi, calculations for the jump into hyperspace are nearly complete; so far so good! But nothing seems to escape the baleful beams of withering death slicing through the dark. Just as they’re ready to jump, the Varanus strikes! Both of the starboard cargo containers on the Gaddi are immolated, along with all the former prisoners who were in them!

As sirens blare and a red alert is engaged, Captain Ramesh demands a status report. A frightened David gives the update, but he’s shell-shocked trying to wrap his head around the scale of the mass murder Elcyra just committed. Ramesh reminds him that they still have to rescue the other half of the prisoners – this is no time to lose your cool!

Fortunately, the engines weren’t hit! They can still jump! But will the Varanus hit them again?!

Thousands of Clonoids are chasing Defender Zik and the prisoners as they make their escape to the landing zone! The Zozian warriors fight bravely and to the limit of their firepower, but they can barely hold off the Clonoid advance! Some buckle under the pressure, but Zik encourages them to fight on! After all, with this many targets, it’s impossible to miss!

Luckily, the Sharktooth crew has been rescued by Ron’s Revenge, which now arrives to help keep the vile Clonoids at bay long enough for the survivors to board their transports. Defender Zik is the last to leave, as he evaporates the head of a Clonoid Super-soldier with his grenade launchers. He flies up to the landing ramp and Amelia helps him aboard. Let’s get out of here!

It doesn’t take long for some of the slaves of Queen Elcyra’s prison planet to leap at the opportunity to escape with Defender Zik and the Zozians! Conditions are so miserable for them that most are eager to take the chance for freedom being offered, despite the risk.

However, the delay has allowed the Clonoids to regroup and send out another foray from the nearby factory. Trent Quickdraw radios in a warning from the ridge where he and the other snipers are picking off as many of the brainless creatures as they can. Red Wolf, seeing time is short, tells the war party to form a protective escort around the frightened prisoners, who he asks to help each other during the dash to the landing zone.

Defender Zik and Amelia take up position at the rear of the retreat, and begin unleashing the full fury of their battle suits on the vast horde of advancing Clonoids!

As Defender Zik and the Zozians mop up the last of the Clonoids, Big Iron gives props to Red Wolf for his fancy footwork while dispatching his Clonoid Super-soldier. The squad hurries over to the prison camp to introduce themselves to the prisoners, but they’re met with hostile suspicion. The prisoners, terrified of Queen Elcyra, try to get the Zozians to leave.
Amelia pops the hatch on her battle suit to give the prisoners a heartfelt plea. She describes how she was once a prisoner herself until Defender Zik came along, and how wonderful Zoz is. Zik backs her up, informing them that no one is forced to come with them, and they’re free to choose their destiny for the first time. Will the prisoners decide to escape?

Defender Zik remains close by as Amelia’s power suit comes back online. To ease her rattled nerves he jokes that they’re even, referring to the time they first met. Perhaps Sensei Adam can help the fierce Firebird learn some close combat skills, if he can be coaxed out of retirement!
But back to the task at hand, Amelia noticed that Red Wolf is in trouble! One of the giant Super-Soldier Clonoids has smashed him aside like he was nothing! Zik charges in, blasting a Clonoid Soldier that’s getting too close to the recovering Zozian. But Red Wolf doesn’t want any help conquering the big one — he’s got to do it himself to win Onawa’s hand! So Zik stands back and let’s him have his moment.
Red Wolf charges the Super-Soldier, proximity mine in hand. He calls his shot: the Heavy Club Slide. It’s a move his prospective father-in-law has made famous on the Coup field in countless playoff games, but this time it’s being done in a real battle instead of a sport based on ancient battles! He dashes between the legs of the enormous Clonoid, leaps up with his rocket boots, and slams the proximity mine to the Clonoid’s upper back! He finishes with a perfect Hollywood landing as the mine makes short work of the Super-Soldier!

As Defender Zik and the Zozian rescue squad continue to unload ammunition into the Clonoid battalion, they’re quickly set upon face-to-face! The Zozians with taser catching staves discharge their stored energy back at the enemy, and everyone using firearms lets loose at the charging Clonoids, but it’s not enough! The Clonoids run straight up to engage the Zozians head on!

Zik tries his battle suit’s mighty cannon on a Clonoid Super Soldier as it charges, but he barely slows it down. Now in hand-to-hand range, Zik fires up his buzz-saw and thrusts it into the gut of the mighty beast.

But as Zik finishes off his oversized opponent, he sees a nearby Amelia struggling to overcome a hulking Clonoid herself, as she receives a taser cannon blast straight to the face! The suit reports a massive overload as she’s forced to her knees!

A well-timed rock to the back of the Clonoid’s huge head saves the day, courtesy of your friendly neighborhood Defender Zik!

Defender Zik and the brave Zozian warriors are charging into battle on the Zernabian prison world! The vile Clonoids are coming thick and fast, but curiously only armed with their taser guns. There are several of the huge Clonoid Super-soldiers in the fray as well, and their arm cannons deliver a much bigger jolt!
As the Zozian snipers get set up on the rocky outcropping, the main Zozian battle force starts filling the sky with bullets, tearing through the Clonoid onslaught. But there are so many Clonoids that they overwhelm the Zozians, and the two armies are soon fighting face to face! A few Zozians think it would be wiser to retreat, but Zik urges them on, saying they’ll never have another opportunity to rescue Elcyra’s slaves. Zik should know, he’s watch the vile Zernabian Queen blow up an entire factory full of innocents who were no longer useful to her!
An enraged Amelia sees only revenge as she slices through the Clonoid front ranks in her battle armor. These subhuman creatures obliterated almost everyone she knew growing up, so this is personal!

With the first wave of Clonoids dispatched, the Zozian attack force regroups at the landing zone. As they return, the Temerity lands to let Defender Zik, Amelia and Trent Quickdraw out to help the ground troops. A trio of Kodiak shuttle craft also descend to help evacuate the prisoners.

To the amazement of the rest of the Zozian troops, Zik and Amelia exit the Temerity in enormous powered battle armor! Zik explains that they’re of a new design for Kodiak Planetary Security, and Zik got James Anchor to make a couple extra ones for him and Amelia. Trent was also offered a suit, but opted to fight in his new suit of space armor. It’s lighter and stronger, and more suited to his style of fighting than the hulking battle armor.

As the Zozians organize themselves, Defender Zik and Red Wolf discuss the unexpected strength of their enemy. The Clonoids haven’t done much damage yet, but they’re far more numerous than the scans from Todd’s spy drones suggested. But they’re committed now, so it’s time to rescue the prisoners. With a loud battle cry, the Zozians charge fearlessly into the fray!