Tue, Jun 29, 1954
Agar forces Rocky to fly the Orbit Jet to the Forbidden Moon. On board are Winky, Vena, Bobby, Professor Newton, Yarra and three of Agar's henchmen. Rocky is able to alert the Secretary of their destination before the radio signal fades. Agar is in interested in a supply of the plants that grow there that can impart immunity to the fatal radiation that can be spread from one exposed person to another. Professor Newton finds the plants and sets up a serum production facility inside a cavern. Agar waits until enough serum has been amassed that he can start taking over other planets. But the Professor is tricky, he lets Agar take unrefined serum that is still toxic. Agar flees in the Orbit Jet with his henchmen, stranding the others on the Forbidden Planet with limit food and oxygen. The Professor realizes that they can let Earth authorities know of their presence by rigging a nuclear blast that will send out a distress signal of sorts. They rig three radiation packs on an outcrop rich with radioisotopes to trigger the detonation. The pulse of the explosion plume is seen and the Secretary races in a ship to rescue everyone. It is easy for them to catch the Orbit Jet as everyone aboard has been sickened by using the unrefined serum. Agar and company are arrested on the spot. Yarra is grateful for the Space Ranger's assistance in squelching this fiendish plot.
Sun, Oct 17, 1954
The Silver Moon XV-3 spacecraft returns to an Earth that is suffering from a cold spell. Professor Mayberry's hopes to fish and Vena's daydreams about beach time are dashed. Once they have landed, Secretary Drake introduces the crew to Rudy DiMarco, a new Olympic champion as well as star in both classroom and lab activities. He is accompanied by his mentor Dr. Reno. Drake indicates that Juliandra, suzerain (i.e., queen) of Herculon is anxious to promote understanding and goodwill between her planet and Earth now that they have joined the United Planets. She proposes an exchange of outstanding young citizens to help with this endeavor, hoping Rocky will be Earth's exchange personage. She offers Biffin Cardoza. Rudy challenges Rocky to a boxing match to demonstrate his superiority as the exchange person. He beats Rocky in the match, so Drake agrees he will be the one. Soon, the Silver Moon is bound for Herculon. Unknown to Rocky and Secretary Drake, Rudy intends to overthrow the United Planets with the help of the old guard on the former enemy world. He contacts Trimbi of the underground rebel movement. Dr. Reno and Trimbi sneak up on a sleeping Vena. Using a special ray, they force her to write a note to Rocky that she has been kidnapped and the spot where she hopes he can rescue her. When Rocky arrives at the designated spot, he is jumped by rebels. Luckily, Biff helps Rocky drive them off. Bobby manages to find the room where Vena had been placed. Professor Mayberry has determined that current sunspots are interfering with radio transmissions between planets. For the time being, Rocky is unable to talk with anyone on Earth.
Tue, Aug 31, 1954
While Rocky is on Herculon, Professor Mayberry is studying the sun to determine why Earth is suffering a protracted cold spell. Secretary Drake is reluctant to let the public know there is something wrong with the sun. Most of the world is taking the snowy weather as an excuse to enjoy some vacation time. Dr. Reno, who has ulterior political motives, tries to sneak away despite Secretary Drake's directive to stay in place. On Herculon, Bobby, Griff and Vena are sunbathing. Because static is interfering with radio transmissions, Rocky decides that the Silver Moon should return to Earth. As he is leaving, Rudy hands him a letter for Secretary Drake. He seems unusually pleased with its contents. Back on Earth, Professor Mayberry explains his theory of the cold sun. Somehow, some of its contents have formed a solid shell that is blocking outgoing solar radiation. He suggests that the Space Rangers take two totanic missiles to a newly discovered moon of Mercury named Torita. Because the sun is cool, they should be able to land there. If they shoot the missiles into the sun, that will "stoke the fires" such that their heat will melt the interfering shell. Rocky is having difficulty in finding his way through space because the static caused by the sun has taken out their visiograph and radio. He heads for Space Station OW9. Under cover of the static, the pirate Pinto Vortando and two ruffians have attacked OW9, taken some valuable equipment and destroyed its stabilization generator. Rocky is barely able to dock there. He manages to rescue Clark from the wobbling station. They give chase to Pinto and manage to capture him after shooting several missiles at his ship. Pinto and his two aids are taken aboard in custody. When they land on Earth, Secretary Drake tells Rocky that the Silver Moon is to be one of the two ships that will deploy the totanic missiles at the sun. The other is the XV9 under the direction of Dr. Reno (with questionable loyalties). Rocky hands Drake the letter from Rudy. It is an unsettling message because it indicates that Juliandra plans to marry Rudy. Rudy will then rule Herculon. This is part of Rudy's plan to take over Herculon for his own purposes.
Tue, Mar 9, 1954
The Orbit Jet has escaped from the planet Ophecius with Rocky, Winkie, Vena Ray, Professor Newton and Bobby aboard. Cleolanta is furious, even more so when she learns that Darganto was forced into revealing that Griff is the mole in the Office of Space Affairs. Griff is quickly warned that his cover is blown and instructed to set up some explosives that will destroy the Orbit Jet when it is on the launch pad. Griff overpowers Secretary of Space Drake and forces him at gunpoint to comply with his instructions. Rocky is suspicious when only Griff is available on the radio. When they finally arrive on Earth, he hops off to survey what is afoot. Griff temporarily gains the upper hand and forces Secretary Drake board the ship so he will be inside when it blows up. But Rocky uses a crane to gain access to the gantry and starts after Griff. While chasing Griff down, he discovers the timer for the explosives. He disconnects the wires and tells Winkie to take the Orbit Jet up in case there are other charges hidden. As Griff flees in an Office of Space Affairs car, Rocky is able to track him on security equipment and press a destruct button.
Tue, Apr 20, 1954
Rocky and Winkie take Fornax leader Zorovac to visit Earth. Once there and visiting with Secretary Drake, he sees that Cardos was misleading him about Earth's actions. While they are away, Cardos conspires to send more warhead-equipped missiles to Earth. Griff, whose ship had earlier been disabled by Rocky, manages to radio Cados and have him help his ship land on Ophecius. Cleolantha learns about his mission and talks Darganto into flying to Fornax and exploiting their high-energy crystals for her own use. Bobby catches wind of all these plans, but is nabbed before he can warn Rocky. He is locked up in a cell. But Bobby's playmate, Zorovac's daughter Volaca, climbs to window where she can talk to him. He has her get a radio and let Rocky know the score. Word arrives to the Secretary that another missile is on the way. He has the Orbit Jet intercept it. Then the Orbit Jet heads back to Fornaz where it manages to hit the Ophecian ship with missiles and blow it up before it can take off with Darganto, Cardos and Griff. All three would-be vandals are apprehended and sent for judgments. A firm link of friendship has been established between Fornax and Earth.
Tue, Mar 30, 1954
The Orbit Jet takes Torvac from Negato to meet with Bavaro on Posita. The two leaders are ready to make peace with each other. As Rocky and crew head back toward Earth, they hear Cleolanta launch her scheme using prerecorded transmissions of his voice. She makes it appears that Rocky has requested Secretary Drake to head to Ankapor for a meeting of various leaders. Cleolanta is masquerading as Vena Ray while Atlasande is impersonating Rocky. Secretary Drake arrives as expected. Rocky and crew quickly decide that they will need to wear disguises, too, so that they won't be suspected as impersonators themselves. This parallels Ulysses needing to do the same thing when returning home after rumors of his death. Rocky manages to break into the conference location and disable Atlasande. When Cleolanta calls on Atlasande to make it seem that Rocky is endorsing a plan to realign some United World planets under the rule of Ophecius, Rocky himself broadcasts the message that such is not the case. Cleolanta rushes into the room where Atlasande was hiding from Secretary Drake, and is immediately overpowered. With the political situation now restored to rights, Rocky and Crew can happily head toward R&R on Earth.
Tue, Jun 22, 1954
Rocky, Winky, Professor Newton and Vena repair Agar's spacecraft at space station RV5 and chase after him. Agar has stolen the Orbit Jet with Bobby aboard, hoping to reach the planet Medina where he can carry out his scheme for dominating the universe. He has been exposed to heavy radiation on the Forbidden Planet but has discovered a plant that can neutralize its otherwise fatal effects. Agar attempts to convince his sister Yarra of the plan, but she is skeptical. Bobby is brought before her. In his honest and open responses to her questions, he wins his release. As he is shown around the compound, he notices Rodky and company arriving in Agar's ship. Yarra sends guards out to capture and imprison Rocky, Winky, the Professor and Vena. When Yarra starts to feel bad, Bobby correctly diagnoses that she is suffering from radiation poisoning acquired by spending time close to Agar. Bobby takes her to Professor Newton who quickly administers a healing serum. She is grateful and wants to curtail Agar's mad program. Rocky and his team plan to escape. Vena has talked an admiring guard out of his extra uniform so that she can snag Bobby. They are apprehended at the foot of the Orbit Jet. At gunpoint, they are forced to enter their ship and take it wherever Agar demands.
Tue, Mar 2, 1954
On the way to Ophecius to check out the defection of Professor Newton, The Orbit Jet has had to stop at the RB-5 refueling station for repairs. An unsuspected ship shot a hole in the hull. Now that it has been fixed, Rocky, Winkie and Vena Ray head for Ophecius. They approach the planet faking an emergency with a broken retro-rocket. Queen Cleolanta agrees to let them land hoping to persuade them that Ophecius is a wonderful place to live. Unknown to Rocky and friends, she has used a device in her headquarters to put Bobby in a trance to sing of Ophecian virtues. She hopes to do the same to Rocky, but he is able to escape without it taking hold when Vena distracts him. Bobby recovers from his trance and tells Rocky that they are being held against their wills. He runs to the lab where Professor Newton is supposed to be helping the Ophecian develop advanced technologies. He manages to spring the professor free from his captors. Rocky also forces an Ophecian to reveal that Griff is the mole in the Office of Space Affairs that is leaking security information. The Orbit Jet blasts off with Winkie and Vena Ray at the controls as Rocky, the professor and Bobby scramble aboard.
Tue, Apr 13, 1954
Landing on Fornax with its heavy gravitational field has left the Orbit Jet's fuel tanks empty. Rocky and the crew are depending on their being life on Fornax to replenish their tanks for the return trip. After checking that the atmosphere is safe to breathe, they approach a large building. The door opens and Zorovac, ruler of Fornax, greets them. With him is Pofessor Cardos, a scientist who disappeared under suspicious circumstances a few years in the past. Professor Newton and Rocky are distrustful of Cardos. Using their electronic equipment to eavesdrop, they learn that Cardos is planning to appropriate the Orbit Jet to return to Earth for his own selfish purposes. Zorovac agrees to let the Earth crew refuel their ship using Fornax minerals while Bobby enjoys playing with Zorovac's daughter Volaca. Rocky takes the ship for a test flight and finds that the instruments have been jimmied. Luckily, he is able to return. Zorovac is suspicious that Cardos's portrayal of Earthlings as greedy exploiters is wrong. He is hoping to visit Earth to see for himself what Earth culture is like. Bobby, Vena and the Professor will be left on Fornax as collateral.