Defender Zik’s Temerity crew charges into a one-on-six confrontation with a squadron of Clonoid snub fighters! Dodging as many plasma blasts as it can, the Temerity plays a game of chicken with its foes, reducing two to scrap metal in its first pass. But the Clonoids get some shots in and Sten is dispatched to fix the resulting problem with one of the Temerity’s engines.
As the dogfight continues, Sten gets the engine back into phase, and another two Clonoids bite the dust! One final pass, and the enemy is vanquished! The Temerity crew heads back to the landing zone as the Zozian rescue party disembarks, keeping a sharp eye on their scanners.
The Temerity descends into the atmosphere of the Zernabian prison planet, along with the transports and other escorts. As they approach, they’re ambushed by a squadron of Clonoid fighters! The evil Clonoids score a direct hit on the Sharktooth, which erupts in flames.
Tanaka delegates the other escort, Ron’s Revenge to help Sharktooth out while he pounces on the Clonoid fighters, shredding them. By the time the Zozian transports are making their approach to the landing zone, the Temerity has make short work of its foes.
All is quiet at the LZ, and the Zozian troops start to disembark while the Temerity cruises overhead. But again, seemingly out of nowhere, another wing of Zernabian fighters shows up on a confounded Francisco’s scanners! How do they keep appearing out of nowhere?
The riddle doesn’t concern Tanaka, and the legendary Chadee bloodlust is in overdrive in him right now! All he sees is fresh meat! Time to feast!
The battle against the Clonoid garrison rages all around the prison planet! Even though the Zernabian fleet is light, the fighting is ferocious. James Anchor’s Kodiak takes on the largest Zernabian capital ship directly, and after a direct hit from the dorsal railgun, the Zernabian ship explodes! Firing superheated shells at relativistic speeds is marvelously effective!
A few sectors are having a harder time clearing the orbital opposition, but after some judicious redeployment, the Zozian position is secured. Landing transports begin their decent to the surface while the larger cargo ships like Ramesh’s Vigilant Gaddi remain in orbit to collect the refugees. What awaits the landing parties on the surface? Stay tuned, Defenders!
After several jumps through hyperspace to conceal their approach vectors, the Zozian fleets arrive in the Zernabian prison system! Dead ahead of the Temerity is the infamous prison planet where Zik encountered the Clonoids for the first time. Tanaka gets a tactical report from Francisco; their fleet, Blue Squad, has all arrived safely. The other Zozian fleets are also reporting in as they arrive, and the massive Kodiak 2 dominates the scene. The Zozian fleets outnumber the token Clonoid sentry, and their capital ship, while large, is dwarfed by the Kodiak 2.
Upon receiving a similar keep-away message as Defender Zik received when he stumbled on the system, his father Mitch takes to the radio. He announces to the Clonoids that the Zozians have arrived to offer transportation and safe harbor to anyone who wishes to leave the planet. The Zernabians respond with a terse warning, claiming that the slaves are owned by Queen Elcyra and any intruders will be fired upon. Taking the high road, Mitch retorts that there can be no legitimate claims of ownership by one sentient creature on another. The Zozians will not be dissuaded and leave the ball in the Clonoid’s court. Tanaka, of course, hopes they choose battle.
The answer is soon given in the form of a stream of massive plasma bolts from the Clonoid capital ship, which detonate on the hull of one of the Makwa corvettes escorting the Kodiak 2. Mitch gives the order to all Zozian fleets: Engage the enemy!
A gleeful Tanaka guns the engines, eager to catch up to the Sharktooth, who jumped ahead. The Battle of Prison Planet has begun!
The Temerity and the warship Ron’s Revenge lift off from the monastery and join the small fleet waiting for them in a high orbit above Zoz. Ramesh’s cargo ship the Vigilant Gaddi and some ZEMM transports are escorted by the Sharktooth and its impatient captain.
In the cockpit of the Temerity, Zik’s father expresses concern over Zik’s decision to join the ground battle on the Prison Planet. Zik says that since he’s got some experience with the Clonoids, he should be there, and assures Mitch that he’ll be careful. While Tanaka thinks of the battle ahead with rising Chadee bloodlust, Zik wishes everyone in the cockpit luck, then departs aft to suit up in something. BUT WHAT?
Once the two new ships have taken their place, Blue Squad forms up and jumps into hyperspace! Destination: battle, bloodshed and belligerence!
It’s the morning of the Great Raid on the Zernabian Prison Planet! Before heading into battle, the Temerity and the destroyer Ron’s Revenge land at the mountaintop monastery of St. Nicholas of Myra in order to let members of their respective crews prepare spiritually. Outside, Amelia is getting her first taste of winter; coming from a desert planet, she’s never made a snowman! As she and Zik finish their portly snowperson, Amelia asks about what’s going on in the temple. As it turns out, she never learned about God and religion; it didn’t exist in the prison camps.
Curious, Amelia asks about whether Zik believes in God. He replies that he doesn’t know anymore; his faith has been shaken following the death of his mother. Just then, the priest conducting the services steps outside, signaling its conclusion. Zik offers to introduce Amelia to him, to show her that it’s not so strange. Indeed, Father Nikko turns out to be warm-hearted and happy to meet the famous Zernabian Firebird. He inquires why Zik didn’t come in and join his father, Mizhakwan, and the captain of Ron’s Revenge for a blessing. Explaining his reticence, Zik mentions that he won’t turn down a blessing, but church is still too difficult for him.
A jolly Father Nikko teases his cousin Mizhakwan about her different views, something the two of them do to each other every time they meet. Turning serious, he gives a final formal blessing to the warriors and their ships before they leave. A curious and respectful Amelia watches as everyone bows their heads, and then it’s time to leave for battle!
DEFENDER ZIK LORE BREAK!
Religion on Zoz isn’t a very big part of life for the most part. The major religions that came to Zoz are Christianity, Buddhism, various forms of North American pagan animism, and Hindu. Most of the original Zozian settlers were atheistic, however, and that’s the dominant belief for the majority of the population. Some major Old Earth religions like Islam did not have a significant population among the original settlers and simply died out.
Christianity specifically is structured a little differently than back on Old Earth. For Roman Catholics, they’re unable to communicate with Rome, so they have no idea who the Pope is. To adapt, they took on some of the traditions and structure of the Eastern Orthodox, and some overlap began to occur. The original Christian community was small enough that it was a matter of survival to work closely together, even though a few theological differences kept them from fully uniting. Protestants, Evangelicals, and most other denominations are simply not present anymore, having been underrepresented among the first settlers.
Zoot projects a life-sized hologram of the Clonoid Super-Soldier that nearly crushed Defender Zik during their battle on the Zernabian prison planet. The audience gasps in shock, staring at the image in disbelief. Red Wolf voices that disbelief, but James Anchor steps in to back the word of his old friend. He offers the telemetry data from the Kodiak 1, and commends Tanaka for being the one who finally took down the beast.
With that settled, Heavy Club returns to the matter of whether this mission is an acceptable proof of bravery for Onawa’s hand. Given the size of this beast, is Red Wolf still up to the challenge? Red Wolf re-asserts his intention, saying he’ll face anything to convince her that he’s worthy. A skeptical Heavy Club questions Red Wolf’s judgement, but says that it’s a problem that solves itself either way it goes down, because if this mission is too much for Red Wolf to handle, he’ll be dead. Ultimately, it’s Onawa’s decision, and she accepts. Maybe her judgement is also misplaced, but that’s love for you!
The elder most against the war party makes one last appeal, reminding them that Elcyra will retaliate. Zik stands up and points out that Elcyra will eventually find Zoz no matter what they do, and has already announced her intention to subjugate them. Hiding is pointless. He also points out that their ancestors accomplished one of the bravest feats in history by being the first to launch themselves on an interstellar journey to find a new home. Their great grandparents risked everything to escape tyranny during a dark time in human history, and the least they can do as beneficiaries of that bravery is to offer the opportunity for others to share in the liberty they bought.
A question of the practicality of fighting Elcyra’s advanced ships brings James Anchor to his feet. He offers the assistance of his new fleet, including the newly constructed Kodiak 2 capital ship. To ease the concerns of the most skeptical elder, he proposes that the invading ships jump into and out of the prison planet’s system from random directions to help conceal the exact location of Zoz.
Mizhakwan has heard enough. She can see that there’s nothing that will change the minds of the youth who are hell-bent on carrying out this raid. She offers to go along with the raiders to keep them in line. Mitch, Zik’s father, also offers to accompany the raid, and between them represent the interests of the elders. The meeting concludes, and everyone who can fight is left to decide if they will volunteer to sign up for this historic mission!
As the debate in the Zozian longhouse’s aquatic auditorium continues, Defender Zik’s father Mitch brings up a sobering point. The proposed raid to rescue the slaves from the Zernabian prison planet will face stiff opposition, because Todd’s spy drones have witnessed a sharp increase in Clonoid activity.
Red Wolf vows to help the slaves or die trying, which confuses one of the dolphins in attendance. She asks why one should risk so much to help humans not in the same pod. Mizhakwan helpfully explains that the desire to help others is a strong human instinct, because we know that others of good will would help us if we were in the same situation. It’s just what good humans do.
Other elders bring up a strong point in opposition to the raid, however. This attack will cause Elcyra to retaliate, regardless of whether any slaves are rescued. As it stands, the evil queen has openly declared her intent to conquer Zoz, but that might have just been bluster. This attack would push her to retaliate directly.
With that point in mind, a Chadee elder asks Vera and Amelia to describe the Clonoids, so that everyone can better understand what their opposition is like. Vera describes how Clonoids are networked together, and that the most common type is the relatively weak Drone. Amelia covers the Soldier type, comparing them to a brave Sten.
Then Zik chimes in, describing the enormous Super Soldier type he fought. Red Wolf is skeptical, and voices the shared skepticism of many Zozians about the relative size of the largest Clonoid type. While James Anchor seethes at someone doubting the honesty of his oldest friend, Zik calmly asks Zoot to project a life-sized image of the Super Soldier to illustrate his point…
On Zoz, in the city of Edward’s Landing, a special gathering has been called at the Long House. In the newly renovated undersea auditorium, where the whales and dolphins can participate, a debate is being undertaken. At stake is the fate of the Zernabian slaves and the secret location of Zoz!
Red Wolf, a young Zozian brave, wants to show Onawa, the daughter of Heavy Club, that he’s worthy of marriage. To do this he’s hatched an audacious plan to conduct a rescue mission on the Zernabian prison planet. The idea is to go in, rescue as many Zernabian slaves as possible, and leave in a lightning raid.
But since the ramifications of this act would affect all of Zoz, especially if Queen Elcyra learns where the planet is, the Zozian elders have called Red Wolf to the Long House to see if this raid is a wise idea.
Welcome to Episode 7 of Zik The Gallant Defender Of Zoz! This one’s been a doozy to prepare for, but you’re in for a wild ride! Fasten your safety harness, we’re launching back into adventure!
DEFENDER ZIK LORE BREAK!
Red Wolf isn’t obligated to do this test of bravery, and Onawa’s father isn’t requiring it. By Zoz custom, who Onawa marries is totally up to her. However, in many cases, and especially in cases where there is competition for a lady, Zozian men will often undertake displays of courage to prove that they’re not afraid to offer her protection. In our case, Onawa has already decided who she’ll marry, but Red Wolf is eager nonetheless to impress the daughter of the famous coup player.
