Fire at Rig 15
Written by Bryan Cooper
Directed by Ken Turner (no relation I'm sure)
Review by Sue Stanhope
Spectrum, in urgent need of the specialised fuel used in all of their
equipment are relying on their ultrasonic drilling rigs to strike oil for
their refinery at Bensheba. Rig 15 has just struck oil, but the Mysterons,
using their unknown powers, open the rig's master valve causing an explosion
with flames upwards of 1000 feet high.
The Mysteron threat is then announced:
THIS IS THE VOICE OF THE MYSTERONS. WE KNOW THAT YOU
CAN HEAR US, EARTHMEN. WE HAVE OBSERVED THE PATHETIC ATTEMPTS OF SPECTRUM TO
COMBAT US AND WE HAVE DECIDED TO RENDER THEM POWERLESS. WE INTEND TO
IMMOBILISE THE WHOLE OF SPECTRUM.
Realising that the explosion at Rig 15 was caused by sabotage, Scarlet and
Blue fly out to the Rig to investigate. There, they meet Rig Controller
Kinley and an expert in extinguishing rig fires, Jason Smith. Using a
special tractor Smith intends to place an explosive charge at the base of
the fire which will blow out the fire like a candle being snuffed. With the
charge in place and wearing a protective suit, Smith inspects the area.
Watching from a distance, Captain Black uses the Mysterons' special powers
to cause Smith to pass out and he is caught in the explosion which kills
him. The fire is extinguished by the explosion and Smith is reconstructed as
a Mysteron.
Later, Captain Black contacts Smith to relay his instructions from the
Mysterons. He is to drive his truck to the Spectrum Oil Refinery at Bensheba
and use his explosives to destroy it.
The next morning, Scarlet and Blue are disappointed to find that Smith has
already left at dawn and they are unable to thank him. They are about to
return to Cloudbase when Kinley discovers Smith's body in the wreckage of
the rig. Realising that this must mean that Smith is a Mysteron, Scarlet
requisitions an SPV and heads off after him.
Melody Angel spots Smith's truck heading towards the refinery but is unable
to attack due to the road's close proximity to the fuel pipeline.
Realising he is too far behind to reach him by road, Scarlet cuts across the
desert and manages to catch up with Smith near the perimeter of the
refinery. Trying to destroy the SPV, Smith throws explosives into its path,
but Scarlet manages to force the truck from the road, away from the
pipeline.
The truck hits a sand dune and explodes and Scarlet loses control of the SPV,
which crashes into an oil storage tank and bursts into flame.
Scarlet is killed in the crash, but Spectrum's fuel supply is safe.
Thanks to Sue for writing this review for me!