PKNA 14: Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem is the 14th regular issue of PKNA. It was written by Francesco Artibani and penciled by Alessandro Barbucci.

It features the first appearances of Vostok and Newton.

Plot Summary
In the year 2448, the experiment of a scientist named Dr Yamato creates an endless vacuum that begins erasing everything and everyone.

Two centuries before, scientist Vostok notices that the future has began to disappear and twenty-fifth century doesn't exist anymore. The android Newton brings Vostok to the presence of their superiors, the leading triumvirate of the Organization. Vostok tells them that, when monitoring time, found that an accidentally-created chronal anomaly is annihilating the course of time, and in a short time it will delete even twenty-third century and eventually all time. The anomaly originates from a point in twenty-fifth century, when Dr Yamato creates it an attempt to create an inexhaustible energy source using matter, antimatter and a chronal unit. The Organization leaders decide to send their best agent to the point before Yamato completes his experiment, but the Raider is unavailable since he got trapped in a multidimensional oscillation phase, so they decide to seek the Duck Avenger's help as his time is in danger too.

Newton and Vostok are sent to the present day, and when Vostok cannot find a good way to get the Duck Avenger to come, Newton takes a more direct approach and begins shooting the Duckmall Center. Donald, who is serving coffee at Channel 00 offices in Duacklair Tower, hears about the devastation when Angus Fangus is sent to report it, so Donald turns into the Duck Avenger and goes there. When he arrives, Vostok explains him the situation and all three time-travel, which convinces Angus that they were his accomplices.

The Organization send the Duck Avenger and Newton to free the Raider first, so they disguise as Time Police agents to infiltrate, but the Avenger shows a subway pass instead of his fake ID card and Newton leaves him behind. The Duck Avenger faces the Time Police until Newton returns and brings him back to the Organization's headquarters, where the Raider is awaiting him as he was freed by another recovery team.

The Duck Avenger and the Raider are sent to the moment of Dr Yamato's experiment to stop him and deactivate the chronal unit. They use shielding devices to not be detected by the guarding Powerdroids, but the Duck Avenger loses his and they have to fight the Powerdroids, besides the guards turning the alarm on. The Raider remembers Newton gave him a present for the Duck Avenger to wish him luck; it's Newton's hideous tie. The Raider also tells the Avenger that the Organization intend to get rid of the hero, but the Raider can save him if the Duck Avenger gives him the cronal unit so the Raider can become the master of time itself. They keep fighting guards until they interrogate one and find out that the only access to Yamato's lab are the plasma ducts.

Inside the ducts, the Raider tries to break a shortcut and accidentally causes a flood that takes him and the Duck Avenger to the lab, but the experiment has already began and the vacuum is forming. They cannot reach the cronal unit without being engulfed by the vacuum, but the Duck Avenger manages to use Newton's tie as a lasso to grab the cronal unit and save the whole space-time continuum.

Back at present day Duckburg, the Raider reminds the Duck Avenger about their deal. The Duck Avenger gives it to me, but it's useless as it's completely out of power. The Raider lets the Duck Avenger to keep the useless cronal unit and leaves, with each one reminding the other (albeit in an affable way) that they still are enemies.