LAP 48
The Dark Reactor

Miss Killer awakens in her containment pod, her sleep plagued by nightmares of Black Shadow. She's curious to know more about the "glorious dream" he's been talking about and makes her way into the computer room.

The computer demands a password, however, and she doesn't know it. Upon leaving she's accosted by Zoda who wishes to know what's in it there and who let her in; even he hasn't permission to enter that room! She bluffs that Black Shadow gave her command of the entire area...

... only for the master himself to appear, listening intently. Zoda repeats what she said to him, only for Black Shadow to laugh in his face, scolding him for trying to cause trouble. After Zoda storms off, Black Shadow genuinely gives Miss Killer control of the area, and she ponders to himself what reason he would have for that. Has he laid a trap for her? She returns to the computer and makes another attempt at sussing out the password...

... and she eventually gets it. "REACTORMIGHT". The computer reveals schematics for the Reactor Might, including who holds each of the 6 Reactors and what power they hold when brought together. She copies the information to a data chip, believing it to be valuable to Ryu's cause.

As she makes her way to the hangar she meets Octoman and Bio Rex, who express sympathy over Zoda treating her like she's an enemy. She boards the Moon Shadow and readies the warp gate only for Zoda to bang on her windshield, eager to know where she's skiving off to. Miss Killer claims to be on an errand for Black Shadow and departs to Mute City...

... unaware that Black Shadow saw the whole thing.

Ryu, Jack and Lucy are drinking their troubles away at Falcon House, and Miss Killer is on Ryu's mind again - Jack tells him to forget about her, there's no way that broad could be Haruka. He leaves to resume his training, and thinks of all the responsibilities that fall upon him as savior of the galaxy. There's no time to be thinking of dead girlfriends when so much more is at stake.

That night, Miss Killer sits outside of Ryu's apartment trying to decide if she should give him the information or not. An order to return to base forces her to leave, as Black Shadow wants to know what she's up to. She claims to have been investigating, but all Black Shadow wishes of her is to defeat Ryu in the upcoming race. Zoda doesn't believe she's up to it, but Black Shadow is only interested in the Reactor Mights.

Miss Killer spies on Ryu at the stadium, eager to deliver the intel but she's still conflicted over her alliances. Lucy spies her snooping on Ryu, and as the Dragon Bird enters the track the Moon Shadow isn't far behind. Miss Killer tries to speak to him, but he pays no attention to her, only focused on his practise. Given her repeated assassination attempts under Black Shadow's control, she's only got herself to blame.

The race begins proper, and the Dragon Bird and Moon Shadow are fiercely clashing against each other, though Ryu has no time for petty rivalries - he's got a race to win. She only wishes to deliver the data chip to him, but Octoman and Bio Rex are quick to rally behind her supposed cause and begin teaming up to give Ryu a hard time. Of all the times to get an unwanted favour...!

With a bit of brute force, Ryu slams the two machines right off the course and carries on his way, agitated over Miss Killer's persistence. Just as she's catching up, Captain Falcon arrives to pound her machine, eager to prevent Dark Million from winning.

And after he's done his bit, Lucy arrives to give her machine a few bruises! Miss Killer is in no mood for this ongoing assault, but the two machines are locked into bitter combat, eventually throwing them off the side of the track.

Lucy clambers out of her machine to shout at Miss Killer to never bother Ryu again, calling her out on all the heartache she's caused. She forces the data chip into Lucy's hands, ordering her to deliver it to Ryu - this is a matter of life and death! - before driving off with The Skull. This gotta be a trap, Lucy muses.

She takes it back to Platoon HQ that night, eager to tell Jody of the events that occurred off the race track, but she's too busy too listen to her. She needs to get this off her chest, so she chooses to wait outside Ryu's apartment in the pouring rain until he arrives home.

The chip is finally in Ryu's hands as Lucy tells him of what happened, how serious Miss Killer looked as she told of the data's utmost importance. Ryu reflects on all the trouble that woman has given her, but this is no time to get bitter; they have to decode the chip!
In Black Shadow's throne room, Zoda presents his master with video footage of Miss Killer's betrayal - her copying the data in the computer room, and The Skull witnessing her delivering the data to Lucy Liberty. Her mind control must have failed, reverting her back to Haruka!

Black Shadow reacts to the news with his trademark laughter; this is nothing to worry about. Miss Killer is still of use to him, and her final task may be approaching soon...
The data chip is returned to Platoon HQ where Jody and Dr. Stewart help decode it. Information on the Reactor Might appears...

... before a video message from Black Shadow takes over the screen, with one simple message: Miss Killer is Haruka Misaki.
Ryu takes the news badly and retires to the observation room. Lucy is sorry for having ever brought him the chip - partly because he's no longer single - but Ryu's resolve only strengthens. Knowing his girlfriend is under Black Shadow's control only gives him more reason to defeat him...!

The Moon Shadow returns to its hangar, and Miss Killer barely has the willpower to get up - she has nowhere left to go. Ryu and the Platoon treat her like an enemy, and even Dark Million are distrusting of her. She meanders through the hallways until Zoda finds her, cackling that their master knows about her secret. He begs her to reveal what she saw in the computer room...

... but Black Shadow intrudes, thanking Miss Killer for going to such lengths to deliver his message to Ryu. That doesn't mean she's off the hook, though.

"You've betrayed me, Haruka."

Burt's F-Zero Classroom: Yamada wants to know is there any meaning behind the number of each racer? Not really, though Burt has his theories:
Blue Falcon is lucky 07.
Dragon Bird is 00, or ∞ for Ryu's infinite potential.
Astro Robin is 14, and Jack's debut album "Cheery Blue Machine" ranked 14 in the charts upon release.
Black Bull is 30 and could mean any number of things: is it the size of Black Shadow's feet? Was he afraid of the dark until age 30? Has he had 30 failed romances? Does he pull out 30 gray hairs every morning? Who's to say!