*** Episode Four: Secret of the Oracle
Billy blaze toils in his backyard workshop, busily constructing his latest invention: the Photachyon Transceiver. Put in simple words, it is instantaneous radio -- point to anywhere in the galaxy and you can pick up a signal as if you were right there. After picking up a lot of very bad alien sitcoms, Billy hears a strange message, spoken in the language of Omnispeak that the Vorticons taught him....
| Brrzzz...Giggg...oment of great triumph...Frzzt...Ast the Milky Way will be...Huzzzz...terly destroyed..Pyuneeeeeeg...can stop us now. We will remake the galaxy in the name of Gannalech. Power to our race! Power to the Shikadi! |
Then the radio is silent.
"So the Shikadi are planning to destroy the galaxy, huh?" thinks Billy. "Sounds like a job for... COMMANDER KEEN!"
Billy once again dons his brother's football helmet, contemplating three questions:
Who the heck ARE the Shakadi?
Where are they?
How are they planning to destroy the galaxy?
| Climbing into the Bean-With-Bacon Megarocket's cockpit, Billy sets up the launch sequence for Gnosticus IV, the home of the Gnosticenes, guardians of the Oracle. They owe him a favour, and he needs to get some questions answered. The launch sequence begins.... | 
|
"Suppertime, Billy!" announces his Mum as she walks out to the workshop.
 | "Aw, nuts!" spouts Billy. He realises there isn't enough time to stop the sequence and cover the ship! Thinking quickly, he pulls out his Neural Stunner, points it at the door and waits. |
One Zzzzzap! 
later and his Mum is frozen in the doorway.
| "Whew," says Keen. |
"Honey? What's the matter?" says Billy's Dad, coming out the back door.
|
| "Double nuts!" mutters Billy. He peaks past his Mum, takes aim and... |
Once at Gnosticus IV, a Council Page runs up to him.
| "Oh, Captain Keen!" he begins. |
|
| "That's Commander Keen," Billy corrects. |
|
| "The Shikadi were here, and they kidnapped the members of the High Council and took them to the Shadowlands far to the west." |
|
| "They didn't kill them?" Keen asks. |
|
| "Impossible. They are immortal," says the Page. "So they just made sure they weren't available to activate the Oracle." |
|
| "Well, I'll just go get them," Keen says, turning with heroic determination. |
|
| "Um, but Captain Keen, they also left a bunch of horrible creatures and traps to guard them," says the Council Page. |
|
| "Well, I'll just go get them CAREFULLY, then," Keen says over his shoulder. |
| Keen turns to walk out the door, stops, turns and addresses the Page. | |
| "And if you call me Captain Keen again, I'm taking you with me." |
|
| Keen boldy heads out the door, as the Page mutters, "Sorry." |
Commander Keen hops in his Bean-With-Bacon Megarocket and heads for the Shadowlands....
