A New Beginning? -- Chapters 13, 14, and 15
Chapter 13 Bol continued to try to raise the other ships over the communication link but he couldn’t get anything but static. Their ship had left the others, just as they had been ordered and everything was fine. What could have happened in that split second that now neither ship answered his calls? Any luck? Cae asked. No. What could have happened? Bol wondered. Until we hear anything from them, I suggest we keep this from the men. No use in causing any more problems. His second in command said. You’re right. Tell only Sen. Then let’s help the ThunderCats. Bol nodded. Quickly, Cae went off as the commander of the group told the helmsman to land near Cat’s Lair. Inside the ThunderCats’ fortress, Panthro could hear engines. Quickly, he raced outside to see the Lockti’s ship landing. Unsure of how to greet them, the panther picked up his battle sticks and radioed Lion-O. “The Lockti are back.” He said. “I’ll be out in a minute.” Lion-O responded. The Lord of the ThunderCats didn’t want to leave Cheetara’s side but the only way to help her was to get the use of the Extractor. “I’ll be back soon. WilyKat go down to the power supply room and help Snarfer.” That said, Lion-O left to go greet the Lockti. Panthro stood at the entrance and waited for the one he recognized as Bol to come up. Hopefully they could explain their disappearing act and they could help get Cat’s Lair up and running. Bol came up, with the rest of the Lockti in tow, and extended his hand for Panthro to shake it. The panther did so and showed them inside. Lion-O met up with them in the hallway. Quickly he indicated for the group to follow him and they went down to the sick bay. As they walked into the room, Cheetara suddenly sat up. Lion-O’s eyes went wide and he quickly went to her side. “Are you all right?” He asked. “Something happened and I felt immense pain and now all of a sudden it’s gone. I don’t understand it.” She said. Suddenly she cocked her head to the side and listened. There was silence for a few minutes and then she whispered to Lion-O, “We need to speak in private with Bol. I know what happened.” “So do I. The Sword showed me. Tell him that we can talk outside while his men use the Extractor on the injured recruits.” He responded quietly. She nodded and did so. Bol made a tight smile and immediately ordered his men to do so. “Panthro, take WilyKit and have her help you in the control room. Lynx-O go ahead and help Snarfer and WilyKat.” The Lord of the ThunderCats ordered. With everyone having their instructions, they could now talk to Bol and not be interrupted. On Third Earth, Ben-Gali carefully maneuvered the ThunderTank through the Forest of Silence. He wished that they were flying in the ThunderStrike so they didn’t have to go through the creepy woods but they didn’t have any choice. A few minutes later, the ThunderTank emerged from the forest. Flames shot forth from the pieces that had fallen to the ground and an unbearable stench met the ThunderCats’ nostrils. Tygra forced the bile in his stomach down as he grabbed the gas masks from the ThunderTank. Tossing one to Ben-Gali, the two began the search of the crash site for any survivors. In the back of their heads, they both knew the chances were that all they would find would be little bone fragments, if they were lucky but they had to try. Chapter 14 Cheetara relayed the sad news to Bol and the Lockti just stood there trying to absorb everything he was just told. “Out of the one hundred and fifty that survived the war, we twenty are all that remain. I have no idea how I’m going to tell the men.” The cheetah translated for Lion-O. “I understand if you want to return to your planet. We can…” The Lord of the ThunderCats didn’t get to finish. “Our ships were damaged and our navigational systems don’t function properly, we couldn’t go home if we wanted to. Qual would have wanted us to finish what we started. We will stay here and help you, then return to Third Earth and help there.” Bol told them. “We appreciate that but you don’t need to help on Third Earth. We can have our other friends help there. I bet Panthro can help you fix your navigational systems once he gets the control room up and running.” Lion-O said. Just as the words came out of his mouth, the three heard a whirring noise and the lights suddenly came on in the hallway. A crackle came over the nearby wall radio. “This is WilyKat calling Lion-O. Come in Lion-O.” The Lord of the ThunderCats walked over and pressed down the COM button. “This is Lion-O. I guess you got the power back up.” He smiled. “Yup we did. Snarfer is heading up to the control room to help Panthro and Kit. Is there anything Lynx-O and I can do?” Kat asked. “Just get up here and help Snarf with the wounded. They’ll need a decent meal before they head back to the settlement.” The lion told him. “Gotcha, WilyKat out.” The crackling stopped and the connection ended. “I will need a few minutes with Cae and Sen.” Bol said. “Of course. I’ll send them out to talk to you.” Lion-O nodded and he and Cheetara went into the sick bay. “Almost all the recruits are healed, Lion-O.” Snarf said. “Excellent. Do you think you could whip up one of your Third Earth famous stews?” The Lord of the ThunderCats wondered. “Well if the meat didn’t thaw too much and I’m sure I have some fresh Thundera potatoes in the cupboard. I’ll need some help though.” Snarf told him. “That’s what WilyKat is for. Speak of the devil.” Lion-O smirked as Kat walked into the room. Snarf and the second half of the ThunderKittens took off for the kitchen as the lion went over to Cheetara. “I told Cae and Sen to go out into the hall. I’m afraid the others suspect something but I didn’t say anything.” She said. “Well Bol will have to handle that in the meantime I have to thank you for everything.” Lion-O smiled. “I’m just doing my job.” The cheetah gave him a questioning look. “Using your sixth sense like that has to be draining and I just want you to know how much I appreciate your self sacrifice.” He said. Cheetara’s face lit up as she smiled. “Anything for you.” She replied. Before Lion-O could say anything she walked away. Pondering what she meant, he caught himself staring at her round tush. Quickly he shook his head and began going around the room meeting all the wounded recruits and thanking them for their help. Twenty minutes later, Panthro walked into the sick bay. He was smiling and obviously very proud of himself. “The control room is up and running and I just received a message from Snarf that dinner is almost ready.” The panther said. Lion-O walked up to him and shook his hand. “Excellent news. After dinner do you think you could help the Lockti fix their navigational system?” The lion asked. “It’s broken? How did they find Third Earth then?” Panthro wondered. “Apparently, the coordinates they had for the home planet were locked onto our coordinates. Something went screwy and every time the enter the right numbers, the ship goes to the wrong place.” Lion-O explained. “How are they taking the news?” The mechanic asked. “So far it’s been pretty silent. I’m going to try to contact Third Earth and see if they have any good news.” The Lord of the ThunderCats told him. Both knew in the back of their minds that there wouldn’t be any good news but they had to hope. Chapter 15 Tygra and Ben-Gali were still shifting through the wreckage when they heard a loud beeping noise from the ThunderTank. Quickly both tigers ran to the Tank, pulled off their gas masks, and picked up the call. “Who is this?” Ben-Gali asked. “It’s me, listen Lion-O is calling from New Thundera and I’m patching him through.” Pumyra told them and then connected the call. The white tiger looked at his orange brother in confusion. However, the Lord of the ThunderCats’ voice quickly brought them around. “Tygra, Ben-Gali, do you guys have anything to report?” “Lion-O there isn’t much left of the two ships. We haven’t found anything that would indicate remains. Whatever didn’t immediately incinerate upon entering the atmosphere was smashed into millions of pieces when it landed.” Tygra said. “Not even bone fragments?” Lion-O asked. “No, just twisted, melted metal and lots of dirt.” Ben-Gali told him. “All right. Run one more sweep of the entire area and then get back to the Tower. We’re coming over there as soon as Panthro fixes their navigational system. Radio us when you have returned to the Tower, I want to know how Pumyra is doing.” The lion said. “Will do, ThunderTank over and out.” The tigers signed off. Ben-Gali looked at Tygra and asked, “How did Pumyra get up to the control room?” “The sooner we get the final sweep done, the sooner we get back to the Tower of Omens to find out. Come on, if we don’t hurry it’ll get dark and then we’ll be in trouble.” Tygra said as he pulled on his mask. Ben-Gali nodded and pulled his back on. He hoped that the little bit of treatment that she had gotten had finally worked. At the Tower of Omens, Pumyra rubbed her sore arms. She would pay for that in the morning but luckily she had been there to get Lion-O’s call. Ben-Gali and Tygra had raced out of there so quickly that they didn’t have anyone manning the radio. Closing her eyes, she focused on breathing slowly in and out and tried to summon the will to make her legs to move. Back on New Thundera, Mumm-Ra watched the pictures in his bubbling cauldron. He scowled at the thought of the ThunderCats being so kind as to remove the remaining Lockti out of his reach. “Mumm-Ra we are getting impatient. Your window of opportunity is shrinking.” The Ancient Spirits of Evil’s voices bounced off the pyramid’s walls. “They will not escape me, oh Ancient Ones.” He tried to assure them. “If they leave this planet and you haven’t destroyed them, there will be no second opportunity. We will end you and bring forth our new champion.” The large animal god statues told him. Mumm-Ra was about to say something when they zapped him. “GO!!!!” The Ancient Spirits of Evil boomed. Quickly the mummy had them transform him and then he flew out of the pyramid. It would be his undoing if the ThunderCats and Lockti weren’t destroyed. His only hope now was that he could catch them off guard and get to Lion-O. With the Lord of the ThunderCats out of the way, it would be easy to get rid of the rest of the ThunderCats. The Lockti didn’t pose much of a threat either. He would win the day and save his skin. Lion-O sat in Cat’s Lair’s control room, waiting for Third Earth to radio in. With the outer defenses still melted and not enough daylight left to fix them, he hoped that the ThunderCats could manage. They had always gotten by in tough scrapes before and now would be no different. That’s when he heard the alarm go off. To Be Continued...