Mayday, Captain Midnight! (A follow-up to Onward, Captain Midnight!)

Explosions in space, the destruction moons, the murder of gods.

These acts, easily perceived as malicious by the less informed, were taking the Lenin System by storm once more.  

Trapped within the confines of the steel cargo container mounted onto the ventral portion of the Sputnik-class rocket ship, the scoundrel of the skies known as Captain Midnight and his foil, the mighty heroine the Blue Yonder had been sought upon by rouge Soviet forces following their failure to stop the villainous Midnight from activating his superweapon and destroying the moon of Lenin-IV-B. Whether they were acting underneath the moon’s influence was unclear, nor was the path ahead. What was clear though, was that those two weren’t getting away.  

The small smuggling craft known as the Dusk was disabled in the ensuing crossfire, as was Blue Yonder’s Angelwing starfighter, leaving both foes essentially stranded and happily accepting capture as opposed to freezing to death in the cold vacuum of space.  

The Blue Yonder, recently released from her brief hospitalization after her last nearly fatal confrontation with the dastardly captain on TGN’s hit program, Second Chances, had made a valiant attempt to stop him from accomplishing his act of intergalactic terrorism, but her efforts were dashed thanks to the interference of this unsanctioned crew of cosmonauts, leaving her to be captured alongside the villain for her trouble.  

Finding themselves in a unique predicament, the two opposing forces decided to put aside their differences on ethics and morality and work together for a change, so that they might have a better chance to escape the clutches of the cruel commies.  

It wasn’t long before the vigilante and the villain managed to get one another free from their restraints, but that wasn’t an assurance of success by any means.

The section of the shuttle in which they were contained was completely sealed off from the rest of the ship, and was not generally meant for human transportation. The vast structure was stripped bare to little more than steel rivets. Any sort of physical internal control panels that would activate the two sealed bulkheads on either side of the empty interior was covered by a thick metal plate with yellow dotted lines surrounding the borders of the encased panel, only accessible by using a blowtorch.  

Captain Midnight and the Blue Yonder scrambled around, searching high and low for what seemed like hours, but to no avail. Even with their keen eyes and creative minds, they were unable to find a way to break themselves free from the confines of the container without the aid of their standard array of gadgets. With great reluctance, they were forced to accept the futility of their efforts, and with nothing left to do, they watched the large tele-screen that was projected from the furthermost corner of the cargo container onto one of the steel-grey walls in front of them and waited.

On the holographic screen, which was generally used by the crew for cataloging and updating the manifest using a data-pad, the 'default' screen, which showed the plotted course of their craft was displayed, showing them heading for that same sun that Captain Midnight had tried to obliterate only a few years prior. Midnight was fearful that this action was a reprisal by potentially brainwashed followers of the moon deity, perhaps the two of them were being made into a sacrifice to bring the spirit of the evil moon god back into existence.

Blue Yonder feared that it was potentially a way for these rogue commies to sweep this entire incident under the rug somehow, and in typical Soviet fashion, obliterate all of the evidence of their even being in the system. Either way, the general consensus was that this was not going to end well. 

Unbeknownst to the two adversaries, this screen wasn’t showing their position, rather, it was showing a 'magna-probe' that had been sent to explore any potential damage that the massive star may have incurred by the Captain of the Dusk’s previous assault.

What seemed like nefarious intent, was simply these mystery forces being thorough before reporting back to their superiors, but Midnight and Blue Yonder had absolutely no way of knowing that. Frustrated with their failed escape attempts, the two sat back to back on the cold metal surface of the container’s floor, awaiting their seemingly inevitable destruction.    

“You know, I still don’t get the suit.” Blue Yonder asked as she lifted up her swirling Milky Way styled goggles, revealing her intense green eyes.  

“The suit?” Midnight replied, somewhat confused. 

“Yeah, what’s the deal with it anyway? Like, why purple?”  

“Why the hell are you asking now?”  

“I don’t know, it seemed like the time to ask.”  

“Oh, really?”  

“Do you have something better to do?” she asked, crossing her toned arms across her chest. 

“No, not particularly. I mean we’re both about to die here in a minute anyway,” Midnight replied nonchalantly. 

“Well, okay then. So, what’s the deal with the suit?”  

“Just because I have nothing better to do than die doesn’t mean that I’m just going to open up and dish out all of my secrets,” he grumbled. 

“What’s your problem?”  

“Do you really have to ask?”  

“Apparently, it’s not like you’re very forthcoming about anything.”  

“Me, not forthcoming?” he asked with an incredulous gasp.   

“You heard me.”  

“I literally don’t even know your name!” Midnight exclaimed.  

“Pfft, so what? What’s so great about a name?”  

“We’ve been fighting each other for, like, five years or more.”  

“Okay, and?”  

“You’ve almost killed me three different times, and you got me thrown into that nightmare of a prison. I was forced to watch reality television nonstop until my eyes bled, it was inhumane!”  

“So, how does that entitle you to my name?”  

“It seems like the least personal thing we could share between us at this point.”  

“You really think so?” Yonder asked, raising an eyebrow suggestively.  

“Just about,” Captain Midnight replied shakily, quickly looking away at some other corner of the room.  

“And why’s that?”  

“Because you know mine.”  

“The whole galaxy knows your name, Mikhail, especially now that the ‘Second Chances’ telecast aired.” 

“Why does that matter?”  

“Because, you’re not offering me anything of value in exchange.”  

“You’re kidding me.”  

“Call me a stickler, but I’m a big on equivalent exchange,” Yonder replied, shrugging her shoulders. 

“Okay, then what’s the equivalency of five years of my life?” 

“That shot you landed to my dome with your death ray the other day seemed pretty sufficient,” she said, tapping the light scar that ran along the shaved portion of her head, through the center of her cluster of star tattoos.   

“It still didn’t shut you up.” 

“Neither did the spike that I took to the gut when I flew off the platform, but hey, I got a free tummy tuck out of the deal.”  

“Well, at least it all worked out for the best then.”  

“And what did you do with the newfound freedom that you fought me so hard for? You go and blow up that damn moon!” she exclaimed irritably, raising her hands in frustration before letting them fall back to the floor. 

“I can neither confirm or deny that allegation.”  

“...which granted, after your emotional spiel about your son is a

much easier pill to swallow than it otherwise would’ve been,” Yonder continued. 

“I find the galaxy is better without it, allegedly.”  

“And still, here we are.” 

“Together again.”  

“You’re basically my longest relationship at this point,” Blue Yonder quipped.  

“Really?” Midnight asked, slightly taken aback by the statement.  

“Sadly.”  

“I find that both hard and easy to believe at the same time.” 

“And why’s that?” 

“Maybe it’s because I can’t even get your freaking name.”  

“Well, that’s your own fault.”  

“How so?” Midnight asked, cocking his head. 

“Because you've refused to tell me about your stupid suit!”  

“Oh, come on.” he groaned, rolling his eyes. 

“You oh, come on, ‘Captain of the Dusk.’ Tell me the deal with the

duds.”  

“You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”  

“Nope.”  

“And what if I make you?” Captain Midnight said with a light smirk. 

“You really think you can?”  

“Could anyone else, Blue?”  

“It’s doubtful.”  

“Exactly.”  

“Look on that console, the one with the little flashing green timer there.”  

“Why?” 

“Because, I want to know how much time we have left.”  

Captain Midnight slowly stood up, stretching his back as he stepped forward to investigate the timer, his black cape fluttering behind him in tatters from their recent battle.

The numbers were dwindling much faster now.

They didn’t have long.  

“It looks like about an hour, two tops before we hit,” Midnight reported.  

“Really? That’s it?” she asked, somewhat surprised. 

“Yup, that’s it.”  

“Dammit.”  

“I know,” he replied somberly.  

“Is there any getting out of this?” Blue Yonder asked, her eyes wincing, giving away her fear for just a split second.   

“I haven’t the foggiest idea.”  

“Are you going to try?”  

“Depends on you, really,” Midnight replied with a chuckle as he lowered himself down, sitting across from her.  

“What? Why?” she asked, surprise filling her voice. 

“It doesn’t matter.” Captain Midnight replied as he pulled off his cowl, revealing a swath of messy black hair. He tossed the cowl to the floor beside him, where it landed with a heavy thud. He then ran his black gloved hands through his scalp, ruffling his hair loose from it. If he was to die now, it wouldn't be under the mantle of Captain Midnight, but as Mikhail.

“How could anything else possibly matter more?” Blue Yonder

asked.  

“Is it worth a name?” Mikhail asked, a smile crossing his lips. 

“You’re kidding me.” 

“Nope.”  

“Fine, I’ll consider it.” 

“Fine, I’ll tell you.” 

“Well let’s hurry it up a little then, we don’t exactly have a surplus of time.”  

“You’re all I have left.” Mikhail replied, his coal black eyes looking deeply into hers. 

“Wait, me?”  

“Yes, you.”  

“I don’t understand.”  

“I’ve got no other reason to keep going,” he replied with a chuckle.  

“How so?” Yonder asked, a quizzical look crossing her face.  

“My son, Pyotr...his soul is freed now, that bitch of a moon god is dead. That was my end goal, and now my time as a villain is done,” Mikhail said with a sad smile.  

“But what does that have to do with me?” 

“You’re--you’re the only person left in this wide, wild galaxy that makes me feel,” Mikhail looked away from her again his eyes wincing from the uncharacteristic admission of emotion. 

“Makes you feel? Feel what?”  

“Anything...anything at all.” 

Blue Yonder felt a ping in her heart as the statement reverberated through her, touching her very soul with its simple honesty.  

“Well damn, that’s depressing,” she replied. 

“Isn’t it?” Mikhail replied. 

“Can I tell you a secret?” she asked. 

“I mean, that’s not the prompt at the moment, but sure.”  

“I understand how you feel.”  

“No kidding?” Mikhail asked, surprised by his former nemesis. 

“Totally serious.” she replied, he could see in her eyes that there was nothing but truth in those words. 

“Huh,” Mikhail muttered.

He was actually enjoying the open conversation with her. It was the most they had ever spoken in any way other than pompous taunting and bad alliteration before doing battle. 

Mikhail sighed, then spoke up again.  

“It’s because I find it flattering.” 

“Find what flattering?” she asked, confused.  

“Purple spandex.”  

“That’s the reason for your get-up?”  

“Pretty much, I’m sure you noticed that not a whole lot of our kind tend to wear purple anyways, so it was seemed like a good way to stand out a little as well.” 

“I can see that. It is a nice color.”  

“It’s got nothing on your getup, but thanks. How do you get yours to do

that swirly thing?”  

“Magic.” 

“Very funny,” Mikhail replied, as he crossed his arms. 

“I thought so…it’s Naomi, by the way.”  

“Your name?” he asked. 

“Yeah, and you’re now the only person alive who knows it. Congratulations are in order.” 

Mikhail looked surprised by this, he hadn’t expected an answer from her at all on that topic. 

“Naomi, huh? That’s a lovely name. It’s fitting.”  

“You think so?” 

“I do, it’s nice.”  

“Heh, thanks," Naomi replied. 

“I really am sorry, by the way, for all of this,” Mikhail gestured his arm about the empty room as he rested his other arm on his knee. 

“Why’s that?”  

“Because, you were just trying to protect people, I can respect that.”  

“Well, as it turns out, that’s all you were trying to do as well, I just didn’t know at the time.”  

“I know, we both could’ve handled things a lot better.”  

“Ha, we really could’ve. That sentence right there might be the understatement of the damn year.”  

“I’m glad you survived,” he said quietly. “I was worried. I’d done something to really regret for once.” 

“Are you serious?” 

“I am.”  

“But if I would’ve died, then you wouldn’t be trapped in here with me in this stupid tin can, hurtling towards certain doom.”  

“That’s very true, but at least I’m having an excellent time.”  

The two foes began cackling, their laughter echoed throughout the smooth frame of the empty bulkhead. 

“So, where do we go from here?” Naomi asked. 

“I’ll follow your lead, and help you however I can.” 

“You’ll do what I say?”  

Mikhail nodded. 

“No matter what?”  

“If you’ll keep me out of prison when this is all over, sure," Mikhail said with a slight shrug.  

“Fine, then come over here.” 

“Uh, okay.”  

Mikhail rose back to his feet and walked a few steps over towards her, the remnants of his black cape shifted behind him as he walked. Naomi stood up to meet him, then placed a hand on his chest.

“Now, take off that stupid suit.”  

“My suit?” he asked. “What for? Do you have some sort plan already?” 

“In case this all goes sour and we end up exploding into millions of little pieces over and over again for the rest of forever, I at least want to have a pleasurable experience before it happens.” 

Mikhail’s eyes widened, his face quickly turned beet red. 

“I, uh, I’m finding it difficult to argue with that kind of solid reasoning.”  

“Then don’t try to. Now, come here.”  

And so he did. 

**** 

The captain of the SS Harbinger stood watch by the side of her pilot like Cerberus guarding the gates of the Underworld. Her intelligent eyes carefully went over the various readouts of the system scan her subordinate had just initiated. After drawing the same conclusion from this scan as she had from the last two, she allowed herself the briefest sigh of relief. The evil presence that had once dominated this sector of space was no more.  

The purple-clad Soviet defector and his nimble blue rival had performed a great service for the galaxy by undoing that monstrous moon, and it was for that reason her and her crew had worked so hard to ensure the scene was staged just enough to ensure that their freedom was not compromised by the selfless act.  

Captain Gayle Franco, the New Earth official that had taken Mikhail Grushenko’s story all those years ago when he first fled the doomed NSSR colony, had pushed hard to see that the grieving father’s report reached the proper channels, but even in the outer-reaches of space, bullheadedness and politics overshadowed intent, forcing the scientist to take up the sword of villainy to see his foe slain.

After being reminded of his plight on the recent episode of TGN’s Second Chances, she was determined to right this injustice and set about doing just that.  

With a skeleton crew of like-minded members of the New Earth Solar Corps, she managed to commandeer a Soviet rocket and along with her Solar Corps Galactic Cruiser, the Redeemer, made a break for the Lenin System. She knew that it wouldn’t take him long to acquire the tools necessary to get the job done, and with two misfires, he’d certainly smoothed out any wrinkles that had remained in his plan.  

So, amongst the stars, her vessel laid in wait, scanning various transmissions and radio chatter until Captain Midnight made his move.  

It didn’t take long, and with Blue Yonder on his tail, they had to act fast to disable both fighters in order to keep them from killing one another, along with the moon deity. All that was left to do was to cue the two latex-clad warriors in on the plan, then get them back aboard her own vessel, along with what remained of their ships.

Once she’d detonated the thermal charges hidden within the hull of the Harbinger, effectively pinning the entire affair on the NSSR, they could then head back to the bustling gem of New Earth known as Serenity City, to report the incident to the higher-ups of the New Earth Grand Council. 

And so, with the last of the scans finally confirming that Captain Midnight had indeed been successful in his quest for vengeance, Gayle patted her pilot on the shoulder and decided it was time to go give her guests the good news...and let them know they are in fact not hostages, a withheld tidbit which she thought would serve as punishment enough for their transgressions against intergalactic law.  

Heading for the lift, Gayle couldn’t help but grin as she pictured the look on their faces once they were clued in on the plan. 

Little did she know, they were all three in for a surprise.