OPERATION ECLIPSE
By Marc Scott Zicree
The Orbots are on convoy duty, escorting a fleet of United Planets Starships to Centrus – the location of the UP Headquarters for a meeting of the Galactic Council. A small ship suddenly starts buzzing the fleet, causing the Orbots to unite and take chase. But the smaller vessel is too maneuverable and quick for the large robot to handle. Then, a telekinetic beam is fired from the cockpit of the mosquito ship and strikes Mighty Orbots squarely in the back. The beam forces the Orbots to separate! As the confused robots gather together, the mysterious flyer surrenders to them.
The Orbots takes their ‘prisoner’ to Rondu on Centrus. As the man removes his helmet, he reveals that he is Drennan, an old school chum of the Patrol Leader’s. He is as great a master of telekinesis as Rondu, but is also known as a practical joker. He does not tell the Patrol Leader how he flew circles around the Orbots, gaining their respect as well… nearly…The reason for his visit is to give a gift to the United Planets, which he would like to do at the meeting the next day, with his friend’s permission. He boasts it as the ‘Ultimate defense system’ which he’s named the Drennan Device – a shield generator that uses a planet’s own gravity to form an impenetrable zone that nothing can get through without being vaporized. Rondu is ecstatic and gives his blessings. Rob though has his doubts, but is overruled.
The next day, the device is presented and demonstrated (via video) to the entire Galactic Council. It does indeed seem the perfect defense system, and Drennan is hailed. But he ends his speech saying “Thanks to the Drennan Device, the United Planets need not fear a Shadow attack after today… because today is the day that Shadow takes over!”
A massive explosion rips through the outside walls of the stadium the meeting is in. Above, Shadow fighters are strafing the starships where they lay in dock. Rondu is shocked by the betrayal by his old friend, but Dia manages to get him away safely in Drennan’s own mosquito fighter.
Rob gathers the Orbots and forms the mighty robot, but Drennan zaps them once again with his mental lock – this time though, his makes the breakup permanent! The Orbots can’t stay united! They are taken prisoner and tossed into an underground silo with a magnetic force field. Tor takes this as a challenge and attempts (without much success) to escape by smashing many time into the ceiling of
the room, finally being smashed against the floor in a heap. But in crashing, the floor buckles! It’s not magnetized! Bort creates a mechanical mole machine out of himself and they begin tunneling out. Once
free, they find Rondu and Dia’s signal. They head for the Galactic Patrol’s secret bunker.
After many attempts to unit the Orbots, Rondu comes to the conclusion that there is only one way to break this lock on the team – face to face mental combat with his old friend. But can he win over an adversary who has been trained by Umbra?
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