Entire Prize Enterprises

Note: The following is an excerpt from the original Blast Rocketon serials produced on Earth in the 1930’s. Unlike the current, up dated incarnation, this serial presents some of the ideals and stereotypes typical of the period. These characteristics are included for historical accuracy and in no way represent the current views or opinions of management.

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Blast scanned the surrounding Jupitorians that were quickly surrounding them.

“There’s no way out.” Captain Trent confirmed.

“There’s always a way out,” Blast said, “it’s just not always a good way.” Before the Captain could decipher what he meant, Blast grabbed the gun from the nearest Lieutenant and pointed it at a small control box that sat underneath the computer console.

“Those are the gravity controls!” Trent yelled.

“Everyone jump!” Blast yelled. Just before everyone else in the room began to float slowly off the ground, Blast and the remaining Saturians used the last of their gravity to crouch down and push off with their legs. The group quickly shot past the floundering Jupitorians to the domed ceiling. Some stray shots followed them, but the unpredictability of weightlessness kept their aim extremely erratic.

“Our rocket ship should be just above us!” the lieutenant said.

“There’s a hatch over there” Blast pointed to the nearest exit. Twisting in the air, Blast led the Saturnians in landing upside down on the ceiling.

“Thank goodness for zero gravity,” the lieutenant said as he joined the group jogging toward the hatch, “it’s not every day you get to run across the ceiling.”

“I’ll say this is a new one for me, too” Blast agreed as he looked down over his head at the floor.

“Dr. Xar! Activate the forward airlock!” Captain Trent ordered into his comlink. Within minutes everyone was safely back aboard the Saturnian ship and rocketing away from the Jupitorian saucer.

“My name is Blast Rocketron and I’m from Earth.” Blast introduced himself as the group settled into chairs in the control room of the rocket.

“Hello Blast,” an elderly man in a lab coat and glasses shook his hand, “I’m Dr. Xar and you’ve already met Captain Trent. We’re from the planet Saturn.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Blast said as he shook hands all around.

“Don’t forget me!” said a man in the back wearing a large tortoise shell shaped armored space suit.

“Oh yes, that’s Turtle Man. He’s an… alien!” Dr. Xar said with a special emphasis. “So Blast, I didn’t realize that Earth had any life forms on it?”

“Oh yeah, Doc, nothing as advanced as all of this though; we’re just learning how to make moving pictures talk.”

“Hey there, does anyone want some coffee?” a perky blond with delicate metal antenna sticking out of her head entered with a tray of hot cups.

“And this is Commander Suzie Starstress” Dr. Xar said. Suzie lifted a group of coffee mugs off of the tray and let them float in the zero gravity atmosphere as she raised the pot of coffee and carefully poured a generous portion into each one without touching the floating mugs. Once they were full, she plucked each one out of the air and served it with a smile.

“Commander?” Blast asked as he took his cup.

“Yes, being an advanced civilization, we freely allow women to serve in our military as well as men.” Trent explained. “Suzie is one of our top soldiers in a skirt.”

“Well someone has to do all of the cooking and cleaning around here.” Suzie said with a smile as she tapped Captain Trent’s feet off of the coffee table and handed him his mug.

“Well I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you guys coming along and rescuing me.” Blast said. “I was almost married to that horrible woman.”

“I can’t think of any worse fate.” Trent said.

“I hope there’s some way to make it up to you guys.” Blast said.

“As a matter of fact, you can help us, Blast.” Dr. Xar said. We were supposed to stop off at Neptune to gather some Staranium gems, but the fight with the Jupitorians put us way behind schedule.”

“Well gee, Doc. I could go to Neptune for you, get your gems and catch up with you.”

“That would be a huge help to us, Blast. It just so happens that we have an extra rocket ship that we can loan you.”

“A rocket ship huh?” Blast rubbed his chin, “Is that anything like driving a Nash Coupe?”

“That’s right,” Xar snapped his fingers. “I forgot that Blast has never flown a rocket ship before.”

“Why don’t you send Suzie with him?” Captain Trent said, “She can tell him all he needs to know about living out here in outer space.”

“That’s a great idea, Captain.” Xar turned to Suzie. “What do you say, Suzie. Do you want to go to Neptune with Blast?”

“Sure, Doctor Xar. That would be swell.” Suzie smiled at Blast.

“Don’t forget me!” Turtle Man said with his slow drawl.

“Yes, Turtle Man, you can go to.” Xar said as everyone else laughed heartily.

Within minutes Blast, Suzie and Turtle Man were aboard a smaller rocket ship which was detaching from the main rocket.

“Good luck, Blast. We’re all counting on you.” Dr. Xar said from the radio phone.

“Don’t worry Doc, I’ll get your gems and be back in no time.” Blast turned off the phone. “So Suzie, do you know how to fly a rocket ship?”

“Oh Blast, don’t joke around.” Suzie put her hands on her hips and faced him sternly. “You know perfectly well that I’m just a girl.”

“And I’m an alien!” Turtle Man said from behind her.

“Well, I guess I’ll just have to do it.” Blast said as he sat down in front of a control panel containing a steering column and a single red button. “This must be what makes us go. And this wheel must be what steers us.”

“Wow, you figured all of that out, just like that?” Suzie said stepping up behind him and putting her hands on his shoulders. “What about all of these lights?”

“I don’t know what they mean, but this steering wheel and button are the only controls I need.” Blast said as he pushed the button. With a whoosh, the rocket took off.

“So Suzie, which way to Neptune?” Blast asked.

“Blast,” Suzie stretched the name into several syllables. “How am I supposed to know how to get to Neptune? I’m a girl.”

“And I’m an alien.” Turtle Man said.

To be continued…