week twenty-six: the space adventures of captain mark stargazer!

There he is! Screaming towards the ghostly planet of Genopia V in his majestic spaceship, the Quantum Albatross, Captain Mark Stargazer readies himself for a daring mission. But before he reaches the planet, he'll have to navigate the deadly maze of the asteroid belt! Will he make it?

Expertly working his controls, brave Captain Stargazer whooshes and blasts past even the largest of the asteroids! Not a single danger that the void of space can throw at him will keep him from his goal. Watch as he does barrel-rolls, loops, and dangerous turns to avoid the death. At last, Captain Stargazer gets through the rough and emerges victorious.

But! Just then, his instruments bleep and beep! The alarm klaxons roar to life! Captain Stargazer checks his instruments and sees why. It's evil Lord Xenobula and his fleet of Globulons, the deadliest aliens in the universe! Luckily, they are on the far side of the solar system and haven't seen Captain Stargazer, but there is no doubt that they intend to stop him from achieving his mission success.

Just what is Captain Stargazer's mission? To find and recover the Ancient Scroll of the Lost, a centuries sought-after priceless treasure! Lord Xenobula must want it for himself. Not to worry, Captain Stargazer is the best of them all. If anyone can beat evil Lord Xenobula and the Globulons, it's him! Besides being the very best, his ship, the Quantum Albatross, is the fastest and most maneuverable of all. Stargazer shall not be bested!

Flames engulf the Albatross as she breaches the polluted atmosphere of the once-illustrious city planet, Genopia V. But Stargazer, the very best pilot in the galaxy, takes his ship down and lands her just outside of the great temple. The scrolls must be inside. Stargazer puts on his space suit, snaps on his helmet, and charges his XJ-2000 ray gun, the finest ray gun ever constructed. He puts it on his belt and steps outside.

It's dark and frightening. Who knows what dangers lurk inside? It's no matter to Captain Stargazer. He is strong and he is brave. There is no peril that can stand in his way. He sees the entrance to the temple and he sees his challenge. So he faces it. Captain Mark Stargazer is a hero; a hero with unwavering courage.

Inside, he hears hollow screams and terrors unknown watch him from all around. Captain Stargazer keeps hand close to his gun. There is no telling what may lie between him and the scroll, but there is no stopping him from reaching it. Once Captain Stargazer has a mission, he cannot be stopped. The goal will be reached.

Finally, he arrives at the central chamber and the at the very middle is his prize: The Ancient Scroll of the Lost! Captain Stargazer smiles as he see it and approaches ever alert! With both of his cautious, expert hands he picks up the scrolls and experiences the thrill of finding something so old and so valuable.

But just as he turns to leave, he hears an all-too familiar laugh. It can only be evil Lord Xenobula! Captain Stargazer quickly draws his ray gun as lights illuminate the balcony above him. There must have been a dozen of Xenobula's Globulon soldiers, all pointing their laser rifles right at Captain Stargazer. At the center of the semicircle and just above the entrance is Lord Xenobula himself, who still laughs his wicked laugh.

“Lord Xenobula,” Captain Stargazer says with a heroic grin. “It's about time you showed up!”

“Captain Mark Stargazer,” Xenobula scoffs. “You have walked right into my trap!”

“Your trap?”

“Yes, my trap!” He laughs again. “Did you really think you could get the scroll on my watch? Ha! You are sorely mistaken!”

“I've got the scroll right here,” in his left hand, Stargazer subtly pulls a space grenade off his belt. “You've lost today, Xenobula.”

Xenobula's laugh is unstoppable, “You do? Look again! That is nothing but a replica I had made prior to your arrival. What you are looking for is this!” Xenobula holds up the real scroll.

Stargazer is embarrassed by his mistake, but not stopped. “You'll give me that scroll, Xenobula. You'll give it to me now or face death!”

“Face death? From you? Ha!” Xenobula beamed with laughter yet again.

“Yeah, from me,” Stargazer smugly said as he primed and threw his space grenade.

“You fool!” But before Xenobula could order his men to fire, Stargazer ran out of sight. The grenade exploded, bringing over half the balcony and most of the Globulons down with it.

Stargazer ran. He would have to get the scroll, but first he needed to plan his attack. His pistol would not be enough for an entire army of Globulons; he would need firepower! So he ran back through the darkness and to his majestic companion, the Quantum Albatross. Even seeing it docked was quite a sight, especially for our brave hero, Captain Mark Star-

All at once, the splendid ship exploded.

Stargazer cried, “No!!!”

“You fool!” Lord Xenobulon laughed from behind him. Stargazer turned around with his pistol drawn. There must have been fifteen Globulon soldiers flanking him, all armed to the teeth. “Do you actually think I would let you escape?”

“I didn't think you'd make it easy,” Stargazer put his smug grin on again. “Do your worst, Xenobulon.”

“So brave even when you cannot win. This time, you won't.”

“I wouldn't be so certain. You'll never kill me!”

“Kill you? No, I won't kill you,” Xenobulon laughed. “I am going to break you!”

Stargazer shot his eyebrow up.

“Bring her out!” Xenobulon shouted as a pair of Globulon warriors carried a woman out before them.

“No!” Stargazer's eyes widened as he realized who it was. It was his wife, Misty Stargazer, the most beautiful princess in the universe. Her dress was torn and bloody. Stargazer cried, “You've tortured her!”
“Yes! I have!” Xenobulon laughed. “And she cried your name as we tore her flesh. But where were you? Off on some adventure? Ha! You are a fool, Stargazer!” Xenobulon rapidly drew his pistol and blasted Misty through the heart.

“NOOO!!!” Stargazer cried and turned his sorrow to anger. He pulled the trigger of his ray gun and blindly fired as his nemeses. Only Xenobulon returned fire, knocking the pistol out of Stargazer's hand. The hero fell to his knees. “What- what have you done?!”

“It's what you have done, Captain Stargazer!” Xenobulon angrily shouted as he pulled the scrolls out of his belt. “You want your scroll? Here!” He threw the scroll to the ground and blasted it to oblivion. “Now you have nothing!”

“Why? Why have you done this?”

“Because you're naïve, Stargazer. You claim you're a great hero, but there are no heroes. Not in this universe. In this universe, evil shall always triumph,” Xenobulon growled. He then blew holes in both of Stargazer's legs.

Captain Stargazer hollered in pain.

“And now, I leave you here to die,” Xenobulan told him. “Decide what you do next, Stargazer. I don't imagine your suit has more than few hours of air.”

Stargazer watched in tears as his nemeses walked away, leaving him there to die. He crawled over to his wife's body. She was dead. No returning. And the Quantum Albatross burned behind him. Very suddenly, Captain Stargazer had nothing; nothing at all.

He looked over to his side. There was his pistol. He should use it.

Gallant Captain Mark Stargazer picked up his XJ-2000 ray gun, the most powerful pistol in the galaxy, and brought it his temple. He breathed erratically, but bravely faced what would be his one last adventure....

Lord Xenobulon could not keep his smile hidden as he boarded his ship, but as he did, he heard the sound of Captain Stargazer's ray gun. His vengeance is complete.