|
Wandering the world and sleeping
in their jet, the Challs find clues left by Scientist X, whom they learn is an alien.
Scientist X, very long-lived,
travels to different planets and nudges the technology
along. Although they never meet, X entrusts the neo-tech to
the Challengers. (COTU 53) |
Scientist X left clues to confound villains. Piecing a map together reveals a tiny island circled in the Pacific. (COTU 53)  Luckily, the Gizmo can dive and
pilot underwater. |
What do they find? "An
underwater pad!" Prof hooks up a light beam on the Gizmo
to open the airlock from the outside. (COTU 53)  |
There's a backup entry. When the Challs ditch in the Pacific (COTU 58), Prof dives and toots a whistle. An "emergency bathysphere" moored under the surface pops to the surface, then the Challs ride it down. |
 |
The alien-built base is fabulous.
It has an unknown number of levels descending into the earth. (COTU 55)  |
The way to negotiate all those levels is novel: a light-beam supported elevator (COTU 57).
|
Every level is chock-full of wild alien tools and weapons. There's a laser that can bake a cake in seconds (COTU 56). A teleporter can zap the Challs to any spot on the globe (COTU 55), and return them on a time delay (COTU 57). |
 |
More mysterious gadgets are so far untested. For the human interface, there's a gym (COTU 56 and COTU 63), a radio room, a lounge, and a film viewing room. And a meeting table right out of King Arthur (COTU 58).  Note the exotic columns and window showing fish. |
After Red's (temporary) death, the lounge has a huge picture of him to inspire the team (COTU 56).
|
Unfortunately, the Challengers
never get to explore the place or test most of the gadgets. At
the start they're too busy. Later they never get back, but set up in Challenger Mountain II. Why abandon the SeaMount base? Maybe
after the Gizmo II was shot down, it couldn't make underwater dives. Or some other reason, unknown. |
