PKNA 15: Set, Action

Set, Action is the 15th regular issue of PKNA. It was written by Tito Faraci and penciled by Silvia Ziche.

Plot Summary
Donald is working as a scene assistant in the soap opera 'Anxieties' to study the semi-Coolflamings of Sam Plot and Sean LeDuck. The latest episode is being filmed at the Republic of Providence, so the elite guard of the army of Providencia is at the place to protect the cast and crew from the gang of a man named Paco Ramiros.

During the filming of a scene, the Evronians attack. The elite guard is useless against the Evronian, so Donald hides and returns as the Duck Avenger. Paco Ramiros' gang also arrives, and the elite guard puts some more enthusiasm against them. However, the Evronians manage to abduct the cast and crew of 'Anxieties'. The Duck Avenger tries to reach the Evronian ship, but he's shot down. The ship leaders, Zondag and Zoster, see the Duck Avenger and remember their defeats at his hands.

The Duck Avenger wakes up just in time to escape a lion, and argues with Captain Gutierrez, leader of the elite guard, about how priorities should have been to protect the cast of 'Anxieties' instead of Ramiros' gang of rebels. Gutierrez receives a priority one call and then becomes much more civil towards the Duck Avenger, offering cooperation.

At the military camp, the Duck Avenger privately communicates with Uno and tells him what Gutierrez has told him: it is not the first appearance of the Evronians in Providence, which would explain the elite guard presence in the set, and according to the authorities, Paco Ramiros is involved in the matter, as they have noticed movements of "strange vehicles" in the heart of the forest, where they think the bandits are hiding.

In the Evronian ship, 'Anxieties' lead actres Paperilla Starry complains about the decoration while lead actor Sean LeDuck realizes just then that they have been made prisoners. Zoster greets the prisoners and is surprised to see how unfazed they are. Zoster reunites them with the long-lost former lead actor Brad Van Beck and explains that 'Anxieties' is a huge generator for emotions and feelings (the main energy source for Evronians), so the Evronians have brought them to discover the mechanism to unleash them. Paperilla calls Zoster crazy because "At this point, they usually say so". Zoster also reveals Sam Plot's partial coolflaming, and the crew notice that since that happened, Sam has improved as a writer and has become a better poker player.

The Duck Avenger and the elite guard reach the forest and are attacked by Zondag driving a four-legged mech. Zondag makes an intentional failed shot to play a little before destroying the Duck Avenger, but the hero takes the chance to get into the mech's blind spot and use a gravitational beam to make it fall. However, Zoster manages to shot the Avenger down, and when the hero asks Gutierrez for help, the captain orders his men to hold the Duck Avenger at gunpoint. It turns out that Gutierrez Has been dealing with the Evronians in exchange for alien weaponry. When the Duck Avenger asks how can Zondag be alive after his ship exploded, the Evronian general explains that he and Zoster regressed to spore state to survive in space until they were rescued by the Evronian empire and artificially accelerated back into adulthood. Ramiros and his men arrive to help the Duck Avenger against Gutierrez and the Evronians, but an Evronian throws a weapon for Zondag to catch.

While LeDuck and Van Beck argue which of them was better as lead character Perceval, a soldier informs Zoster that Zondag is returning to the base with the Duck Avenger as a prisoner. Zoster communicates with Zondag's mech, and Zondag explains they were ambushed by Ramiros' gang, but he managed to turn the tide when he got a high-powered weapon, so he captured the Duck Avenger. However, it turns out that the Duck Avenger and Ramiros' men actually defeated Zondag, and the one talking to Zoster is actually Uno using a hologram. "Zondag" orders the Evronians to free the prisoners, but the real Zondag frees himself and warns about the trick, so the Duck Avenger tackles him and both fall from the mech, exposing the ruse. The Duck Avenger and his allies are attacked by the security systems until Ramiros shoots a door open.

Zoster is about to subject the 'Anxieties' cast to a series of test, after which they will be coolflamed, but the Duck Avenger arrives to free them, so Zoster activates the self-destruction of the Evronian base. The Duck Avenger, Ramiros' men and the cast and crew of 'Anxieties' manage to run away before the explosion.

Due to the return of Brad Van Beck, Sam Plot resumes filming of 'Anxieties' with Van Beck and LeDuck playing long-lost twins, both named Perceval. He also adds aliens to the soap opera. TV executives call it genius.