Professor
Oxbrain
Episode III
Oxbrain
and his two students awaken a dormant hydro-volcano
to defeat a gang of crooks.
As Oxbrain marvels at the massive jet of water spewing forth, he says
"From now on, it's
"No More Mr. Nice Geyser!"
By
John T Sherman
Illustrated by Susie Allen
____As
our brave trio hid their parachutes in the jungle, Toby declared, "It's
a great day to save the world!"
_____"Ahh, the
headstrong optimism of youth," Oxbrain mumbled.
_____"We know a shortcut
to the cave, Professor. It'll take us to the back entrance."
_____They hiked through dense forest
for several hours, until they reached the base of the mountain. An ancient
lava flow curled around several huge boulders. Between two of the boulders
was the entrance to a tunnel. Nearby on the ground were two rag-tipped
torches, a canister of kerosene and a jar of matches. A faint roar and
cool air emanated from the tunnel.
_____ They
lit the torches and walked into the darkness.
_____ They looked up. From the upper ceiling
of this immense dark cavern, a column of light and thundering water poured
down. Rainbow colors speckled the mist as sunlight descended to the underground
lake below.
_____ "This dormant volcano-- it's hollow!"
Oxbrain exclaimed. "Look, where the light comes down through the
crater!"
_____ After walking through knots of mist,
they reached a mossy stone bridge as the permeating roar of wind and water
assailed their ears.
_____ They
took the bridge, and arrived at a sheer stone wall that bore a staircase
carved out of the rock. It ascended into the darkness above. After hours
of climbing, they arrived at the back entrance to the cave.
_____ They could hear voices in the adjoining
chamber:. El Diablo and his lieutenants were discussing how best
to use the machines in the cave for this or that evil scheme-- and for
eventual world domination.
_____ Suddenly, footsteps. They were about
to be discovered!
____gr"What
do we do now, Professor?" Toby
whispered.
_____ Oxbrain
said, "I think we'll need that flying platform and the rock-melting
machine that you told me about. If I divert them out of the cave for a
few minutes, can you reach the anti-gravity platform and start it up?"
_____ "Yes, I think so."
_____ "Get the rock melter too. Then
get ready to fly us out of here. We need to fly back into the volcano
chamber."
_____ El Diablo himself walked in.
Startled, he stood there a moment, staring at the intruders. Oxbrain bellowed
as loud as he could and began charging down the hall. Diablo turned
to run, screaming for help. Toby and Trini ran to the platform, fiddling
with dials until the flying platform lifted up. They grabbed the rock-melter
as Oxbrain jumped aboard. El Diablo's henchmen came storming back
into the hall, but by this time Oxbrain and crew were floating away on
their contraption, heading back into the volcano's main chamber.
_____ "Where do we go now, Professor?"
_____ "Keep this platform steady above
the lake, as near to the center as possible without us getting too wet.
Now point the rock melter straight down and turn it on."
_____ "Straight down?"
_____ "Yes! And hurry!"
_____ The rock-melter sent out a ray of yellow
light, which beamed into the water. As the ray cut through the rock, the
water level of the lake dropped suddenly. This huge underground lake was
now draining, swirling into the newly created sinkhole, until the lake
was no more. Only the stony bottom and a dark hole below them remained.
_____ Suddenly, a loud rumble as steam begain
blowing out from under them.
_____ "That's our cue to get out of
here!" Oxbrain shouted. Toby maneuvered the craft upwards, flying
upwards through the crater. At a safe distance, they watched as a mighty
column of water spewed up from the volcano, hurtling a gigantic plume
miles high into the atmosphere. As the hot water spun into the cold atmosphere,
swirling currents of air were formed. These spawned waterspouts-- dozens
of them, that swirled about on the surface of the ocean like pirouetting
ballerinas.
_____ The gushing water washed El Diablo
and his henchmen out of the cave. As they tumbled out, the strong currents
dislodged boulders in the cave, wedging them into the entrance of the
cave and sealing it off. Sensing defeat, they scurried back to their yacht,
and sailed away for parts unknown.
_____ Our trio set their course for home,
dodging the swirling waterspouts as frolicking dolphins followed after.
_____ "What do you think of our saving
the world today, Professor?" said Toby brightly.
_____ "We had to do it, Toby. Earth's
the only planet we've got, right?"
_____ "Where do you think these super-devices
came from?"
_____ "Wherever they came from, they're
too advanced to be unleashed on our world."
_____ "How'd you figure that the volcano
would erupt water, toss out the bad guys, and save us all?" Trini
asked.
_____ Oxbrain was about to say that he didn't
know what was going to happen after the lake water drained. (He was thinking
of creating a hiding place below-- truth to tell, he wasn't quite sure
if his plan would even work at all.) But, as a larger purpose can sometimes
overtake ones petty plans, the volcano awakened in a way that helped them
overcome their adversaries.
_____ Would Oxbrain now admit to his students
that he didn't foresee this dramatic result?
_____ He turned to the two young people standing
before him, and declared, professorially, "Well, I worked with the
natural energies of the Earth, which allowed me to save the world. It's
all about working in harmony with the planet..."
_____ "Professor, should we start taking
notes?"
_____ "Yes, and there'll be a test when
we get back!"
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