Return of Jetman Episode 12

RETURN OF JETMAN

"Know Your Enemy"
(Episode 12)
by Christopher Elam
(based on the work of Lewis Smith)
© 2003 Christopher Elam

 

For Etsuko Oishi, the nightmare had started only hours after the team had inducted Green Wyvern into the fold. She was sleeping fitfully in her room when she was awakened abruptly by a hand placed over her mouth. She had tried to scream as her eyes snapped open and she saw a trio of Garo looming over her bed. The Garo's cold, clammy hand muffled her shouts as his two comrades held her down firmly.

A shadowy female figure approached her. The woman placed a black-gloved hand on her forehead. Etsuko could feel - something - enter her brain. It wasn't tangible, but it was very real. The shock of its intrusion caused her to lapse into unconsciousness.

When Etsuko finally revived, she found herself in a clear room that appeared to be made of plexiglass. The punch that had almost broken her hand indicated it was some other material. It was totally barren of any physical objects. Its entire contents seemed to be Etsuko Oishi in her pajamas. As Etsuko looked through the walls, the blue-skinned technician monitoring her cage left her with little doubt that she was aboard the Chaos Coalition's starship Helldevil.

Etsuko had no time to digest that realization before being hit with a much bigger one. Images began to flash through her mind. Images of her with her friends and teammates. But they were all unfamiliar - the things she was seeing hadn't happened. As they continued to fill her mind, the truth slowly crept up on Etsuko. She didn't remember the things she was seeing because they were happening as she saw them.

Someone else was living Etsuko's life.

***

Jet Phoenix studied the diagnostic computer in the Skywatch infirmary as the three remaining Jetmen stood somberly around Yellow Owl Gohan Oishi with their helmets in their hands. He laid so still on the bed that all of them wondered if he was even alive. He hadn't moved at all since being felled by a poison dart fired by White Swan - his own sister.

"This poison is unlike any ever seen on Earth," Jet Phoenix reported grimly. "There's no known antidote."

Kei Mizuno turned to Jetman's commander. "Phoenix - is there any hope?"

"I don't know," Phoenix answered truthfully. "His condition is steadily deteriorating. The computer will try to work out a solution as long as he's alive, but I...I just can't say how long that'll be."

Reiko Hayasaka covered her mouth with her hand. "We're going to lose him!" she choked. "He's going to die just like Gai!"

Ken Tendo clenched his fists. "I should've known. I should have seen this coming."

"Maybe you would have," Kei accused reproachfully, "if you had been paying attention to your job as leader and not baiting me constantly!"

Ken wagged a finger in Kei's face. "Y'know, you can just keep your damn mouth shut! I had every reason to be suspicious of you, what with your background! Plus, there was that business with Gai! How did I know you weren't just stringing him along?"

Kei slapped Ken's finger aside. "How dare you?!? The only one here who ever betrayed his trust was you! He knew you tried to have Etsuko replace him as leader!"

Ken was stunned to hear those words. He looked over at Jet Phoenix. "You said..."

"I told no one of our meeting," Jet Phoenix reiterated as he crossed his arms in frustration.

"He didn't need anyone to tell him," Kei said. "He knew by the way you acted. It hurt him, but he forgave you. He said it was 'just one of those things love does'. I guess we can see his faith in you was misplaced!"

"What gives YOU the right?" Ken practically screamed. "A psycho like you lecturing ME? What did Gai ever see in you?"

"He saw someone who cared about him!" Kei shot back. "Apparently, that's a lot more than we can say about..."

"SHUT UP!"

The diminutive Reiko decked both Ken and Kei. She stood over them shaking with rage and sadness as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Just shut up, both of you!" she cried. "Gohan is dying and all you can do is argue! What about him? What about his parents?"

Ken and Kei both looked away in shame as Reiko continued. "I-I-I have to tell them that their daughter killed him because he saved me! Gohan's going to die and I never even told him I loved him! What's so fair about that, huh?"

Just then, Jet Phoenix received the signal of an incoming transmission to Skywatch. He punched up the monitor screen in the infirmary as Ken and Kei pulled themselves off the floor. The image that greeted them was not unexpected, but not what any of them needed to see.

"Greetings, Jetman chumps!" White Swan taunted as she flashed onto the screen. "How are things there at Deathwatch? Taking care of brother dear?"

Reiko turned away, unable to bear to look at White Swan any longer. Ken was another story. He stepped right up to the screen.

"Well, if it isn't the traitor!" he responded with a sarcasm he prayed hid how hurt he truly felt.

"Now, really!" White Swan replied. "I mean, what's a traitor, after all?"

Ken gritted his teeth. "A traitor is a dirty motherfu..."

"Ken, that's enough!" Jet Phoenix interjected. "Etsuko, is there some reason for you contacting us?"

"There is," White Swan confirmed. "But first, I don't want to be called 'Etsuko' anymore...or 'White Swan' either. I have a new identity for a new life."

White Swan whipped away her costume to reveal a new one underneath. Gone was the placid swan head helmet and white and pink color scheme. In their places were a grey and black uniform topped with a razor-sharp beaked helmet.

"Introducing...Grey Shrike!" the former White Swan announced with a flourish. "And now - my challenge!"

Jet Phoenix stepped closer to the screen. "A challenge?"

"Indeed!" Grey Shrike said. "I want the remnants of your little glee club to meet me at Mt. Shokanbetsu at the coordinates I'm transmitting in four hours for a duel to the death! If they don't, I use Jet Icarus to lay waste to...hmmm, let's say Sapporo! I haven't quite decided yet."

"You're mad!" Jet Phoenix exclaimed. "How are they supposed to get there in time when you have the mecha?"

"Damn right I'm mad!" Grey Shrike answered. "And that's not my problem!"

"We'll be there. Count on it." Ken whispered.

"Good boy!" Grey Shrike condescended. "And for the record, a traitor is a person who sees the truth and sides with the winners! Ta-ta, loser!"

Ken rushed the screen uselessly as it winked off. "I'm gonna shove that robot..."

"ENOUGH!" Jet Phoenix cut him off. "Your behavior is not helping the situation!"

Kei placed her hands on her hips, ignoring Ken's ranting. "What are we going to do? Dragon Wyvern still hasn't been salvaged, so we can't use that."

"I may have an answer," Jet Phoenix said. "All of you go to your quarters to cool down. Meet in the conference room in thirty minutes."

Ken and Kei departed and Jet Phoenix followed close behind them. He turned around when he noticed Reiko lingering by Gohan's side.

"Reiko, why don't you take a break for a few minutes?" he offered.

"Please. Let me stay here with him."

Jet Phoenix didn't answer. He merely pressed the button that slid the door shut behind him. He stood in the hallway thinking, then paused as he heard sounds from the infirmary. It was Reiko quietly singing to Gohan. Even with her voice wracked with emotion, it was quite beautiful. As he listened, Jet Phoenix realized the song was a traditional prayer for the dying.

Jet Phoenix placed a hand on the wall to brace himself. He shook his head. He was not going to have another Jetman die on his watch.

***

At first, Etsuko thought the images that filled her brain might drive her insane. She had probably gotten a lot closer than she cared to consider. As they continued unabated, she began to crawl to one side of her own mind. She disconnected herself entirely from the physical world and kept alert by carefully observing her imposter's activities.

Etsuko's heart sank as the days wore on. She had assumed her teammates would discover the ruse and rescue her. She hadn't counted on the mental link that had been introduced into her brain being so thorough. It gave her imposter access to every shred of memory, every personality nuance. The woman who was posing as Etsuko Oishi had created the perfect illusion.

Most galling to Etsuko were the two weeks her impersonator had spent alone with Ken. Two weeks and Ken hadn't suspected a thing. Was the act that good? Or had she and Ken...really not known each other at all during their time together? Did the fake Etsuko go undetected because she was the Etsuko he wanted her to be?

After witnessing everything that had gone on with Ken and her double, Etsuko slid further into despair. No one was coming to rescue her, were they? She would spend the rest of her life a prisoner and no one would be the wiser.

That was before "White Swan" had turned on Jetman.

***

Grey Shrike pushed away from the monitor screen in Jet Icarus' control booth. A wicked smile crossed her lips. This was, by far, her most satisfying scheme ever. Jetman was twisted all in knots and completely at her mercy. Soon, they would arrive to battle what they thought was their friend. And they would fall. It was irrelevant to her if they lived or died. If they survived, they would be so demoralized that they would no longer be a threat. The end of Jetman was within her grasp.

Grey Shrike peered out the control booth to check on Chaos Pollux standing guard on the ground. The Chaos Myth Beast was poised and ready to avenge his slain brother killed at the hands of Jetman. He assumed a fighting stance as the air in front of him began to shimmer. Grey Shrike tossed her hair to one side. Ah, she had been expecting them.

Lord Xenotos and Hedes materialized as Grey Shrike beamed down to meet them. "So good to see you again!" the leader of the Chaos Coalition greeted his charge with open arms.

"And you as well," Grey Shrike returned. "Stand down for now, Chaos Pollux. Do you not recognize our own Lord Xenotos?"

"I see the plan has worked to perfection thusfar," Lord Xenotos said as he ran his hand along Grey Shrike's shoulder. "How will you use this machine after you have crushed Jetman?"

Grey Shrike pulled away, so consumed was she in the future. "I will trample their entire homeland underfoot! I will use the very symbol of their might as the engine of Japan's destruction!"

"Excellent!" Lord Xenotos proclaimed. "And you summoned Hedes and I to join you in your moment of triumph!"

"In a way," Grey Shrike stated vaguely. "Chaos Pollux - kill them."

Chaos Pollux looked at Grey Shrike, then at Lord Xenotos. Had she really just said that? Lord Xenotos was his master and Hedes his creator. How could he kill them?

"Master, protect me!" Hedes sniveled as he backed away.

"What treachery is this?" Lord Xenotos exclaimed. "Have you taken leave of your senses?"

"Chaos Pollux - do as I command!" Grey Shrike ordered, paying no heed to Lord Xenotos and Hedes. "Remember who spared your life! You will obey me alone!"

Chaos Pollux was torn. Should he continue his allegiance to his Chaos masters? Or should he fight for Grey Shrike? It was all too much for his modest thinking abilities. Finally, he went with what he understood best - fighting.

"Pollux Puncher!" he shouted as his fist telescoped out at full force. Grey Shrike laughed maniacally as Lord Xenotos leapt nimbly away. Hedes wasn't so skilled. The fist struck him hard, sending him sprawling and knocking his Chaos Stick from his hand.

Lord Xenotos came down delivering a double-handed chop to Chaos Pollux's shoulders. Lord Xenotos and the Chaos Myth Beast traded blows. Though the monster was powerful, it was no match for the being who powered him.

Lord Xenotos drove his fist into Chaos Pollux and smashed through the creature's metallic hide. Chaos Energy seeped out rapidly as Chaos Pollux came apart. Lord Xenotos used his mental abilities to contain the resultant explosion. In no time, Chaos Pollux was gone.

Hedes staggered to his feet behind the livid Lord Xenotos. Both of them breathed a momentary sigh of relief. Then they realized that Grey Shrike was nowhere in sight. That was followed by an intense wave of cold.

"Poor Chaos Pollux was never going to kill you!" Grey Shrike laughed as she trained White Swan's Swan Ice powers on Lord Xenotos and Hedes from behind. "He was just a distraction so I could do this!"

In a matter of instants, Lord Xenotos and Hedes were encased completely in a block of ice. Grey Shrike walked around in front to inspect her handiwork.

"Now is my time!" she gloated. "I have seized control of the Chaos Coalition! You two will stay alive just long enough to witness the defeat of Jetman before you become disposable!"

Grey Shrike ran a hand over the ice block containing the immobile Lord Xenotos and Hedes. "This is the day I have dreamed about for so long! From this point on, Miira reigns supreme!"

***

Etsuko had watched in rage as her double betrayed her teammates. She knew that her brother lay dying as a result and that her friends had been challenged to a suicidal duel. And what made it hurt all the worse was that Etsuko knew that she was, in some ways, partly to blame.

True, Miira was the one committing the acts in her name. But Miira hadn't had to plan every detail. Etsuko had done some of that work herself, in the forbidden fantasies she never shared with anyone - the ones she was too ashamed to even acknowledge to herself.

Above all else, Etsuko wanted control in her life. She had pushed herself to excel in school to prove to those doubters who questioned her background just how wrong they were. She had mastered dance because she wanted to throw it in the faces of those who had labelled her "awkward" and "gawky" because of her height. Even her adventures in nude modeling had a deeper reason beyond just securing extra money. She longed to be the master of her own sexual identity and rejected the notion of being a "traditional" Japanese woman.

But all ambitions have a dark side and, for Etsuko, the flipside of her drive for control was the festering resentment that had built up over time and lay just beneath the surface. She resented her parents for being so old-fashioned and content with simplicity in life. She resented Jet Phoenix for passing her over for team leader twice despite all the hard work she had done preparing for the job. And on and on it went - a list of those who stood in the way of her goals. But above all others, Etsuko most resented...herself.

In her heart, Etsuko knew she could never gain total control of her life because she was too...well, human. She was too tall. She had vision problems. Her temper clouded her judgment. And she didn't really know what she wanted to do with her life. Becoming a Jetman had almost been a relief because it had gotten her a temporary waiver from school. She hadn't told anyone that her grades had started to falter. She had lost her focus because she was questioning her future plans. She only knew she wouldn't be trapped in the role of being a "pretty wife" and nothing more.

Part of Etsuko hated herself for being so fallible. That was the part of her that had created "Grey Shrike" - an evil version of herself that turned on her friends and discarded humanity entirely. Totally ruthless and totally in control. Etsuko had been shaken by encountering the evil Jetman of that parallel Earth because she had recognized the potential to be like them within herself. She had made the vow to never become corrupted the way they had.

Of course, her vow, no matter how sincere, couldn't expunge those dark thoughts entirely from her brain. When Miira linked to Etsuko's mind, she was able to tap into the deepest part of Etsuko's id. There she found a wealth of ideas. Etsuko herself had dreamed of betraying Jetman the way Miira had. Etsuko herself had mouthed the selfish words Miira spoke. And now, "Grey Shrike" - the creation of Etsuko's mind - was going to kill her friends and lay waste to Japan in her name.

Etsuko bowed her head and wanted to cry. Slowly though, a new resolve took hold of her. There were no tears when she raised her head. Just an iron-willed determination to escape.

***

Ken, Kei, and Reiko gathered impatiently in the conference room as Jet Phoenix stood before the monitor screen. All three of them had resigned themselves to the fact that they were walking into a deathtrap by answering Grey Shrike's challenge and wanted to get it over with. They weren't prepared for the information Jet Phoenix had for them.

"This is Jet Cruiser," he explained as the schematic for a massive airship scrolled onto the monitor. "It's a carrier ship constructed at and launched from Skyforce's Poseidon Base beneath the Pacific. You'll use it to get to Hokkaido."

The trio of remaining Jetmen stared wide-eyed at the near-unbelievable scale of the new vehicle. "Wow," Reiko marvelled. "What's it supposed to carry anyway?"

"This," Jet Phoenix said simply as he punched up another display. On the screen was a vehicle resembling their own Jet Fighters - though apparently much bigger. "This is Victory Fighter, patterned after my own Phoenix Fighter. It has a wide range of weapons and capabilities - far more than my old Fighter did. I've even incorporated some Chaos technology from Green Wyvern's uniform into its design."

"How long have you been working on this?" Kei asked as she inspected the screen closely.

"Since the team returned from that parallel universe," Jet Phoenix answered. "It was a long-term project."

"So that line about there not being any money to rebuild your ship was just baloney?" Ken questioned.

"Not entirely," was Jet Phoenix's reply. "We had to make a choice : commit to this project or rebuild Phoenix Fighter. We couldn't do both."

Ken wondered why Phoenix had allowed himself to be taken out of the field if it wasn't for mecha reasons, but chose not to pursue it - for the time being. "So why so secretive about it?"

"We were applying a lot of new technology in its design," Jet Phoenix said. "We had no real way of knowing if it was even going to be usable. Quite fortunate, as it turned out, because Etsuko - or whoever she is - doesn't know a thing about it."

"Hold it!" Kei interrupted. "Are you saying you think that might not be White Swan who turned on us?"

Reiko thought for a moment. "That...that would explain a lot of things, actually."

Ken leaned against a wall with a distant look in his eyes. "You guys are just dreaming. Etsuko sold us out, plain and simple."

Jet Phoenix sighed in disappointment at Ken's attitude. "Be that as it may, your primary objective when you face her is not to defeat her. It's to take her alive."

Ken pulled away from the wall and walked up to Phoenix. "Why? That's better than she's going to give us!"

"Gohan," Jet Phoenix replied. "She might have a cure for the poison that's infected him. For his sake, we have to capture her to try to get that information out of her. I want you three to use any and all means necessary to bring her back here."

"Even if that means destroying Jet Icarus in the process?" Kei inquired.

"Yes," Jet Phoenix answered without hesitation.

Jet Phoenix clicked off the monitor screen. "Jet Cruiser is on its way here now. Now remember - this mecha just finished production and is completely untested. We only have time to give you a quick walk-through training session on it. This is an awful gamble, but we have no choice."

The three remaining members of Jetman nodded to signify they understood. They were ready to take the risk, even if it cost them their lives.

***

The technician stared with numbing boredom at the computerized readout charting the lifesigns of the prisoner he was more or less guarding. No one on Helldevil considered the human a genuine threat to escape. She was alone and unarmed, imprisoned in a chamber that not only made her brainwaves more accessible via telepathy, but was also virtually impregnable.

The technician glanced up at his screens and noticed an upsurge in activity. Odd. The human had mostly sat in a corner during her confinement. What had suddenly caused her vital signs to shoot up so rapidly?

The answer became clear when the technician swiveled his chair around to check. The human was undulating against the clear walls of her cage. She had unbuttoned her garment halfway and caressed her body seductively. Her eyes met his and she smiled as she crooked a finger, inviting him to join her.

The technician stood up, knowing that he would be executed immediately if his transgression was discovered. He didn't care. He had been stationed out in space for so long, and ship regulations forbade physical relations between crewmembers, lest it "interfere with duties". Everyone on board was filled with unimaginable tension. Well, he was going to relieve his - even if it was with an inferior species.

Etsuko did her best to disguise how nauseous she felt as she danced for the pleasure of her captor. She tried not to consider if it was anxiety or just plain disgust. She had a plan and she had to be convincing for it to work. In her mind, she pretended she was back in that photographer's studio as he encouraged her and told her how sultry she was.

The technician opened the cage's door and walked into Etsuko's waiting arms. He embraced her as he anticipated the imminent release this liaison would provide. Etsuko ran her hand up and down his back. She had never tried anything like this before and she had no idea if she could really do it.

Etsuko concentrated with every ounce of will in her body. With her left hand, she ran her finger's through the technician's wavy black hair. With her right, she formed a sharp icicle. Without warning, she stabbed the technician in the neck with the icicle. His eyes rolled back into his head as he died instantly. His body slumped in Etsuko's arms and she calmed herself enough to keep from vomiting all over it. She was going to need it.

Moments later, Etsuko had donned the technician's uniform over her pajamas. Only one more ingredient was needed to complete the disguise. She hadn't been sure she could exercise her Swan Ice powers at all without her Jetman uniform to focus them. Now, she was going to try to use those powers in a very unorthodox way.

Etsuko directed her powers inward. A chill came over her as her body temperature lowered and her skin turned blue. What was more, she seemed to be able to function normally. She touched her cheek, but pulled away. She was as cold as death. She had to move fast before anyone noticed anything was amiss or she really would be.

Etsuko walked briskly down the hallways, trying to reach the special hangar before it was too late. Miira had created the psychic link to access Etsuko's memories, but it worked two ways. Etsuko had access to Miira's memories and could use them to her advantage. Even better, Miira had placed a "block" to prevent herself from perceiving Etsuko's current sensory input. She hadn't wanted the kind of overload that had almost driven Etsuko mad.

Etsuko found the hangar unattended. What a fundamental error. She hopped onto the Skysatan rocket chariot and activated the controls Miira knew so well. She checked the control panel as her skin hue reverted to normal. Transmission of the coded signal opened the hangar doors and she took off.

Etsuko laughed hysterically as she rocketed through space, leaving Helldevil and her ordeal there behind. She had done it! Now she had to make it back to Earth and Skywatch while there was still time.

***

"Almost to the rendezvous point," Green Wyvern reported after consulting Jet Cruiser's navigation coordinates.

"Roger," Black Condor acknowledged from his seat at the center of the cockpit's console. He looked over at his erstwhile teammate, who had very deliberately chosen to put an empty seat between them. He had really screwed things up.

Ken had never made a secret of his dislike of Kei. She had always rubbed him the wrong way, and she felt the same about him. Miira's taunts had only reinforced his image of Kei. And he had let his personal feelings about her color the way he had dealt with her on the team. He was supposed to unite the team and instead he had driven a wedge through it. What was worse, he had been so caught up with Kei that he had been totally blind to any signs Etsuko had given him of her intention to betray them. He had known he wasn't cut out to be leader and everything had proven him right. He had completely failed. He couldn't help but wonder why Jet Phoenix had refused his resignation and offer to let the commander lead the mission.

What had he said? "Being a leader isn't about giving orders. It's about making people want to follow you." Too little, too late, in Ken's estimation. Kei and Reiko were the only team left and he doubted they would follow him again no matter what.

"We're there," Blue Swallow said, and, sure enough, there was Jet Icarus standing there waiting for them. If Grey Shrike was surprised by their new mecha, she didn't let it delay her attack. Jet Icarus fired its Bird Maser at the Jet Cruiser.

"Evasive action!" Black Condor cried as they struggled to avoid the beam. They were only partially successful.

"It got us!" Green Wyvern shouted as the airship was rocked by the impact.

"Only a glancing shot," Black Condor said. "Can't give her time to recharge. Fire Turbo Lasers!"

Blue Swallow grabbed hold of the levers that popped out of the console in front of her. She closed her eyes as she pressed the buttons that fired Jet Cruiser's side laser cannons at Jet Icarus.

Inside Jet Icarus, Grey Shrike could sense her stolen robot would not withstand a heavy barrage of such firepower. She pressed the button that generated the Birdonic Saber and used it to deflect the beams.

"Set Jet Cruiser autopilot," Black Condor ordered, "and let's take the Victory Fighter for a spin!"

Green Wyvern flipped the switch that activated the transport system installed in Jet Cruiser's cockpit seats. The three Jetmen twinkled out of Jet Cruiser's cockpit and reappeared in Victory Fighter's cockpit.

Black Condor activated the electric eye that slid open the doors of Jet Cruiser's landing bay. "Victory Fighter - TAKE OFF!"

The massive Victory Fighter zoomed out of Jet Cruiser and buzzed Jet Icarus. Jet Icarus fired its Jet Beams, but the Victory Fighter matched it with blasts from its twin-mounted laser cannons. Grey Shrike tried to swat the massive fighter away, but Jetman deftly outmaneuvered her.

"No more flitting around," Black Condor said through clenched teeth. "Victory Transform!"

Special globes slid up from under the control panels in front of the pilot seats. Each Jetman placed their hands on one and they glowed with their respective colors. The components of the Victory Fighter began to shift around and relock into place as the mecha changed modes. A magnificent new robot landed on the ground across from Jet Icarus.

"Victory Icarus!" Jetman proclaimed.

Jet Icarus rushed to engage its new opponent, but Victory Icarus caught it with two swipes from its deadly metal hands. Jet Icarus staggered backward as Victory Icarus assumed a martial arts pose that defied its tremendous bulk.

"Yeah!" Black Condor exclaimed as he held his hand firmly over the Birdonic Beacon globe. "We can control the robot through our powers with these things!"

"We still have to take her alive," Green Wyvern reminded.

"Maybe so," Black Condor conceded, "but I'm going to enjoy this!"

Victory Icarus leapt into the air and delivered a flying dropkick to Jet Icarus. The Victory robot then turned a flip in midair and landed on its feet, only to deliver a spinning roundhouse as well.

At that moment, unnoticed by all the participants in the mecha battle, a block of ice on the ground below flew apart. Lord Xenotos and Hedes emerged groggily from their imprisonment, having pooled their considerable Chaos Energy to free themselves. Their gaze quickly turned heavenward and they saw the two robots in battle.

"Jetman has a new machine!" Hedes exclaimed. "What should we do, my lord?"

Lord Xenotos considered his options carefully before speaking. "For now, we do nothing. Miira has sealed her fate."

With those words, Lord Xenotos teleported himself and his vizier back to Helldevil.

Jet Icarus stood its ground, but teetered precariously on the verge of crashing. Jetman was preparing themselves to knock it over entirely when a new craft flashed into view.

"Look at that!" Blue Swallow shouted as she pointed at the UFO. "It looks like a Chaos ship!"

"Magnifying scope," Green Wyvern said. "It's...oh my."

"What?" Black Condor asked nervously.

"It's Chaos' rocket chariot," Wyvern reported, "with Estuko and Gohan."

The others jumped from their seats to get a closer look through the cockpit window as the Skysatan hovered over the head of Jet Icarus. Etsuko, clad in her Skyforce uniform, stood at the controls as Gohan in his Yellow Owl costume prepared to jump.

"Are you sure about this plan?" Etsuko questioned her brother.

"You bet!" Yellow Owl responded excitedly. "Meet me down below! BANZAI!"

Yellow Owl jumped from Skysatan and activated his Owl Thunder power. His feet became energized and he crashed through Jet Icarus' head.

Grey Shrike, working feverishly to get Jet Icarus ready for combat, was startled by the sudden intrusion. "Hi honey, I'm home!" Yellow Owl joked as he wrenched her from her seat and beamed down to the ground.

"Something's going on down there!" Black Condor yelled, "and I want in on it!"

Black Condor, Blue Swallow, and Green Wyvern beamed down just in time to see Grey Shrike struggle away from Yellow Owl. She tried to flee, but discovered she was surrounded.

"GOHAN!" Blue Swallow rejoiced, barely able to contain herself.

Black Condor looked at Grey Shrike, then at Etsuko. "How...?"

"No time for the whole story," Etsuko replied. "Let's just get one thing straight - that's not me."

"It's impossible!" Grey Shrike fumed. "My plan was foolproof!"

"Afraid your plan backfired," Etsuko shrugged. "You gave me everything I needed in your mind - even a cure for your poison. All I had to do was suck it up and escape."

"I still have this," Grey Shrike sneered as she lifted her wrist to show the Cross Changer she wore.

"Not for long," Blue Swallow stated as she materialized her bow and arrow. A simple push of a button on the vane and a homing device was activated. Blue Swallow shot the arrow straight and true, snagging the Cross Changer from Grey Shrike's wrist and pulling it off. The arrow looped around and returned to its owner.

"Here you go," Blue Swallow said with a smile as she pulled the bracelet off the arrowhead and tossed it to her friend.

Grey Shrike's uniform faded away without the Cross Changer to maintain it. She stood before her Jetman foes in her true form at last.

"Miira!" Etsuko shouted as she donned her henshin bracelet. "You're going to pay for what you've done to us!"

Etsuko activated her Cross Changer. "White Swan!"

"Am I?" Miira inquired in an unnervingly calm tone. She pulled a knife from out of nowhere. "Am I really?"

Jetman assumed a defensive stance, ready for any possible knife attack. Well, almost any. They hadn't anticipated Miira running the blade along the flesh of her own right arm, drawing blood.

"ARRRRRRRRGH!" White Swan howled in pain as she gripped her right arm. Her costume was stained with blood.

"That link didn't just connect our minds, my dear," Miira revealed. "It connected our bodies as well. One of the unfortunate side-effects of the process. Why else did you think we kept you alive?"

"What are you saying?" Yellow Owl asked as he and Black Condor came to his sister's aid.

Miira ran the blade across her arm again, drawing blood from herself and White Swan. "Whatever you do to me will happen to her as well. If you kill me, she dies too!"

"Forget about me!" White Swan gasped as she held her injured arm. "She's too dangerous. I'll sacrifice myself if that's what it takes!"

"Like HELL!" Green Wyvern exclaimed as she jetted towards Miira and tackled the red-skinned alien woman. "Wyvern Power Drain!"

The green field enveloped both Green Wyvern and Miira. White Swan grabbed the sides of her head as her mind felt as if it were being stretched apart. Suddenly, her insight into Miira's memories was gone - replaced by those of Kei Mizuno.

"I have her powers now!" Green Wyvern cried as she held Miira in a firm full-nelson from behind. "Fire Bazooka!"

"But what about you?" Black Condor questioned, and he was a bit surprised his concern wasn't just perfunctory.

"Do it!" Wyvern responded.

Reluctantly, Black Condor called forth the Fire Bazooka. The weakened White Swan took her position with her three teammates.

"Target - lock on!" Blue Swallow said.

"FIRE!" Jetman proclaimed in unison.

"No!" Miira screamed defiantly. "It was all perfect!"

"Wrong - and good riddance to you!" Green Wyvern said coldly as she threw Miira into the oncoming beam. The consort of the Chaos Coalition - and would-be usurper of the throne - was utterly destroyed in the resultant blast.

As the smoke cleared, Jetman realized that Green Wyvern was nowhere to be seen. They frantically searched around for her until she swooped back down into their midst.

"I flew clear," she explained. "Just a matter of timing."

Blue Swallow threw her helmet aside and jumped into Yellow Owl's arms. "I'm not letting you go ever again!" she laughed as she tried to work his helmet off too.

"Reiko, what do you mean?" Gohan tried to ask, but Reiko cut him off by kissing him. His eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly caught on and returned her kiss. Finally, at long last, they were admitting how they truly felt for one another.

The other Jetmen stood watching for a few seconds, with a mixture of delight and exhaustion. Then Black Condor looked up at Jet Icarus and the brand-new Victory Icarus. They had won the battle, but the war was far from over.

"Let's go home guys," he said simply.

***

Etsuko stretched out as she walked the halls of Skywatch in the early evening. Jet Phoenix had insisted she spend time in the infirmary, but there was no way she was staying the night.

She passed by Reiko's room and noticed the door was open. She couldn't resist the urge to glance inside. Gohan and Reiko were watching TV, sitting just a bit closer than they had dared before. Gohan rested his head on Reiko's shoulder and Reiko massaged his neck lightly.

Etsuko smiled as she hurried along, careful not to trip over the trashcan with the half-full cigarette carton in it in the hallway. She didn't want to pry too much. Gohan and Reiko were such a cute couple. Maybe they would make their relationship work.

Etsuko grabbed her stomach as it growled. Hmmm, it had been awhile since she had eaten real food. She made the trek to the cafeteria and discovered Kei sitting all alone, reading a book.

"Umm, hi," Etsuko awkwardly greeted. "I just came to, uh, get some food."

"Fine by me."

Etsuko poked around for a bit, feeling more than a bit uncomfortable. "So, what are you reading?"

"A book Reiko let me borrow. It's about dealing with your inner demons."

Etsuko scratched the back of her neck and sat down next to Kei. "The link - is it gone now? I don't feel it anymore."

Kei looked up. "I think so. My body gradually burns off the power if absorbs. That part seemed to go pretty quickly."

Etsuko looked down at the bandage that covered her already healing arm. "What...what did you learn about me?"

Kei closed the book as she considered the question. "Really, it was kind of vague. Just emotions more than anything else. I tried not to think about it."

"I saw into your mind," Etsuko admitted. "Just briefly, when it first happened. I-I couldn't believe some of what you've been through."

"Not a pretty sight then?" Kei asked.

"You must be very strong to have survived," Etsuko said with a catch in her voice. "And you were right about me, too. I've been against you right from the beginning. I want to change that."

"How so?"

"We could start by trying to be friends," Etsuko ventured as she offered her hand.

Kei debated Etsuko's offer. She slowly took her teammate's hand in hers and shook it.

"One thing though - why did you risk your life for me?" Etsuko wondered. "You couldn't have known for certain that was going to work."

Kei gave her a sly grin. "You're a Jetman. What more reason do I need?"

"There you are!"

Kei and Etsuko looked up at the sound of Ken's voice. "Etsuko, can I talk to you alone for a few minutes?" he asked.

"Sure. Kei and I were just chatting."

"Er...cool," Ken responded as he eyed Kei a bit apprehensively. "Ah...Kei, look. I said some stuff before that was out-of-line. Both of us did. Can we just chalk it up to my being stupid and go from there?"

Kei thought for a moment. "I can't argue with that."

Ken joined Etsuko in the hallway quickly. "What's up?" Etsuko inquired in her best attempt at sounding casual.

"How much of what went on do you know about?" Ken asked tremulously. "I mean, while you were gone?"

"She kidnapped me the night we voted Kei onto the team," Etsuko answered. "So, I saw everything after that."

"Damn," Ken mumbled. "Damn, damn, damn."

"I'm guessing you'll want this," Etsuko said sadly as she produced a beautiful if somewhat smallish diamond ring. "I found it in my room."

Ken stared at the ring in his hand in a daze. A single tear formed in his eye. "The two weeks together had gone so well. I didn't want to lose you again. I went out and...crap, I'm such an idiot."

"She used you, Ken," Etsuko consoled, "just like she used me."

"I fell for it!" Ken continued, angry at himself. "First, she fills my head full of lies about Kei and I just accept it. Then she takes your place and I don't even notice! I kissed her, told her I loved her, asked her to marry me - and she was laughing at me! I was her sucker all along!"

"It was her mind games," Etsuko explained. "She was trying to use Kei to turn you against Gai. When we lost him, she took my place to turn you against Kei and then me. She wanted to tear the team apart."

"And it worked!" Ken shouted. "I've alienated everyone by now! Plus, I couldn't believe in you! When they said about an imposter, I was sure they were wrong. I had no doubt you had stabbed us in the back."

"Because of how I had dumped you before?"

Ken closed his hand around the ring and averted his eyes. "Yeah, I guess. I figured you were just playing me the whole time to get what you wanted."

Etsuko placed her hands on Ken's shoulders. "You were manipulated and made some mistakes. The others will forgive you. I do. I know better than anyone what she did to you."

"I-I...do still love you, Etsuko," Ken said quietly.

Etsuko embraced Ken tenderly. "I love you, too. But we're so different, we'll never be happy together. Can't you see it's better for both of us if we don't date each other anymore?"

As Etsuko pulled away slightly, Ken nodded his agreement. Etsuko ran her fingers through his long hair and managed a half-hearted smile. Ken returned it as they held each other just a bit longer. Both of them knew this was going to hurt for a long, long time.

***

Lord Xenotos sat silently on his throne. When he had launched his plan to capture Earth, he had not foreseen the high cost of the mission. The betrayal and demise of his consort stung most of all.

"My lord, I have excellent news!" Hedes reported as he entered the chambers. "We have achieved success!"

"Is that so?"

"Oh yes," Hedes said. "The only difficulty was our inability to properly reproduce one of the weapons. This Chaos Cutter should prove an adequate substitute!"

Hedes handed his master the long grey sword. Lord Xenotos studied it carefully. "Yes, this will suffice. Bring our newest agent before me!"

Hedes scurried away, eager to please his master. Lord Xenotos looked over in the corner where Toranza stood motionless, wearing the conical Agony Cap that prevented him from even thinking.

"Toranza!" Lord Xenotos called. "Remove your Agony Cap and come over here. I want you to meet your latest replacement!"

Toranza placed the Agony Cap aside and walked mechanically to his master. He wasn't sure if being able to think was a reward or punishment. He couldn't act on his thoughts or even vocalize them. He merely had to stand dumbly as Lord Xenotos manipulated him.

At least the duplicitous Miira was dead. She had cast him to the wolves when their plan to overthrow Lord Xenotos together had gone awry. He took some pleasure in the fact that she had failed even more spectacularly on her own.

"This may be too complex for your faculties," Lord Xenotos patronized, "but we recorded and analyzed the human female's memory patterns while she was our prisoner. In them, we found the perfect opponent for Jetman. Since the Chaos Myth Beast Actualizer can create beings from human concepts, it was exceedingly simple to re-create her!"

"We are here, my lord!" Hedes announced as a caped figure accompanied the vizier.

"Toranza, meet the Chaos Coalition's newest member...and my new consort!" Lord Xenotos declared as the figure stepped into the light. "I present to you - RED KESTREL!"

 

TO BE CONTINUED

 

NEXT TIME ON RETURN OF JETMAN

Trouble at Mt. Mihara! Jetman investigates while Jet Phoenix's long struggle draws to a close. Can our heroes overcome long odds to pull out victory? Will Jetman's next battle be Jet Phoenix's last? Learn the shocking answers in RETURN OF JETMAN Episode 13 - "Ashes To Ashes"!

 

 

Story © Christopher Elam, based on the TV series CHOJIN SENTAI JETMAN and the original "Return of Jetman" stories by Lewis Smith. JETMAN and all characters from the CHOJIN SENTAI JETMAN series © TV Asahi/Toei/Toei Agency. Original characters © Christopher Elam & Lewis Smith.