SPACE GHOST: COAST 2 COAST

BEFORE THEY SING

WRITTEN BY ZARIUS


"Did you notice?" asked Space Ghost as he carefully examined the footprints spread across the surface of the ghost planet.

"I only notice when The Urge isn't on" said Zorak as he waited at the edge of the door, referring to a public access music show local to the Ghost Planet community and staff.

"So you do notice then?" Space Ghost again asked, trying to match his foot with the footprint and getting rather annoyed that they were a perfect match.

"I notice you spend way too much time trying to create a mystery than invite anyone to investigate perfectly plausible ones" Zorak replied, taking a mug of piping hot sticky toffee flavoured coffee and pouring it down his throat.

"The mystery is in the movements, and the mission is three hours past midnight"

"I thought you said you were aiming for May week" replied Zorak.

"Yes, 3:05 at May" Space Ghost declared, checking his watch and finding it was only 9:30 AM.

"So we're gonna be here for an exact year" said Zorak.

"Not all weekend, all month" corrected Space Ghost, dialling back the hands on his watch so it now read 6:00 AM.

He patched in to the Ghost Planet Studios, where Moltar was at his usual station, trying to work on ripping the contents of a Blu-Ray.

"How goes the day Moltar?" Space Ghost asked as he made contacted.

"I thought you were tossing the day out for the weekend" said Moltar.

"I will...in three days, and it'll be for a month. Then it's May. Then I have to watch the edit, did you rip the disc?" he asked.

"Any Video Converter doesn't take these...and Movie Maker won't start" Moltar replied

"You used Windows 12 Essentials didn't you?" asked Space Ghost.

"They told me it'd remove pixelization" insisted Moltar.

"Maybe you should stop consulting with those Fanediting gurus. Most times out of ten they only approve their own work and make sure nobody muscles in on their turf" Space Ghost advised.

"Now I'm noticing a crime...maybe what caused the footprints was you making a run for it" said Zorak.

"Nonsense, I haven't called the cops yet" insisted Space Ghost.

"Why not?" asked Zorak, "Security is at your beck and call"

"They're paid to protect the interests of the show" Space Ghost insisted, stomping furiously at the footprints until they began to form something more shapeless.

"The show shouldn't be promoting piracy" pointed out Zorak as he motioned to enter the building. Space Ghost was quick to block the entrance with a blast of his wrist bands, sending a section of the Ghost Planet Studio wall crashing down on the entrance way.

"Great, now how are they going to get out of the building?" Moltar asked.

"You don't need a break am I right?" asked Space Ghost as Zorak lunged at him and put him in a wrist lock.

"The Urge was only on an extended break, if I don't see more of it, I'll start to notice other things" said Zorak.

Space Ghost grasped for breath.

"Might that be the matching fingerprints?" he asked.

"No, I'm taking the autopsy role...I take note of things that are dethatched from the body" said a furious Zorak

"Well you'd know that given your species has experience there, what with the female of the species"

"Relax Zorak, I can plug into the feed from here and you can watch the show on the 'Ghost's watch" offered Moltar.

"Hey, the Clash are being replayed" said Zorak as he began viewing the feed, hyper-extending Space Ghost's arm as his eyes became glued to the small video screen attached to the watch on Ghostal's wrist

"Before they sing Space Ghost, I'd like to question the method of the mission" said Zorak, "Why three hours and five minutes past midnight specifically?"

"Close down Zorak...a vintage closedown. The likes of which have not been seen since 1997. It's what should have played those Brits out that fine Independence Day. Follow in my footsteps"

His plea went unheard, Zorak was noticing things again, such as the tight grip of his right arm around Space Ghost's neck as the signal on his watch faded.