Old Enemies -- Chapters 19, 20, and 21
Chapter 19 The monitors beeped their steady beeps as they normally would. It was the only noise that filled the infirmary. “BEEP BEEP BEEP.” Tygra sat nearby checking on Lynx-O every five minutes. It was silly really, he could check on him every fifteen minutes but he wished that his checking would somehow make the lynx pull through. Everyone looked to the eldest ThunderCat for counsel and wisdom. Ben-Gali, Pumyra, and the lynx were a very tight knit group because of everything they’d been through and he was like a father figure to them. “BEEP BEEP BEEP.” It had been two days since the battle in the control room. The orange tiger pulled up the message on the computer in front of him. Lion-o had sent out the notice of the tribunal. It was customary to have one in a situation such as this but the fact of the matter was that very often they just skipped it. Only when one of the senior members believed that something had gone far too awry would they call for a hearing. Scuttlebutt among the others was that after Lion-O’s meeting with Pumyra, the puma had found Cheetara and the two talked about what the Lord of the ThunderCats had in mind. Right now however both female ThunderCats had remained tight lipped about the situation. “BEEP BEEP BEEP.” Pumyra would be coming on soon to take over for him, maybe she’d tell him. “BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEEP!” Tygra was pulled from his thoughts as the monitor alerted him to Lynx-O’s heart failure. He sounded the alarm and hoped that the others would respond quickly. The orange tiger charged the defibrillator paddles. “BEEEEEEEEEP!” The noise continued and Pumyra followed by Ben-Gali rushed into the room. “I’ve got the paddles.” Tygra informed them as he started chest compressions. “I’ll start bagging him.” Pumyra grabbed the bag that had a nose-mouth mask attached to it and pulled a stool up near Lynx-O’s head. Ben-Gali took over his brother’s spot. “CLEAR!” The orange tiger shouted. The other two pulled back and the defibrillator paddles sent a charge through the lynx’s body. “BEEEEEEEEEP!” Pumyra began to force air in the unresponsive ThunderCat’s lungs. . “Charge to 300!” Tygra ordered. Ben-Gali moved from his position and cranked the dial up as the others entered the room. “CLEAR!” Again a charge went through Lynx-O’s body and again nothing. Pumyra continued to force the air in hoping his heart and lungs would get the idea. “Charge to 350!” Panthro this time was the one who pushed the dial higher. “CLEAR!” A third charge and still there was no response. Tygra looked at the clock. Lynx-O had been officially dead for seventeen minutes. Even if he did come around, he would be a vegetable. Little or no brain function, just enough to keep the rest of his body alive. “He’s still not responding! Do it again!” Pumyra shouted as Ben-Gali continued the chest compressions. “Give me some adrenaline!” This was their last option. With lightening fast speed, Cheetara grabbed the large needle and handed it to Tygra. The orange tiger had Ben-Gali move and the he raised the needle up and brought it down as hard as he could into Lynx-O’s chest. He pressed the plunger down and waited a few seconds. “BEEEEEEEEEP!” Nothing happened. If there was going to be any reaction it should have been instantaneously. Tygra shook his head and indicated for Panthro to shut the machines off. The constant sound stopped and everyone looked at the clock. “Time of death, 15:23.” Tygra announced. Silence filled the room. No one could trust that Lynx-O was gone. Pumyra shook her head and refused to believe it. She started to try to force air into the lynx’s lungs. Ben-Gali stopped her and pulled her away. Tears streamed down her face. She cried out and the white tiger could do nothing but let silent tears fall down his face as well. Tears streamed down Cheetara’s face and she turned to Lion-O who stood there with a blank stare. The lion didn’t respond when she wrapped her arms around him. Tygra covered the body of Lynx-O up with a sheet and began to slowly pack away the medical equipment. The only words that were spoken came from their leader’s mouth. “What have I done?” Chapter 20 It only took two days to erect Lynx-O’s tomb. Thunderians from every village helped the ThunderCats build the stone monument measuring fifteen feet in length and eight feet tall. Inside the room, a stone coffin would sit in the middle of the floor. The casket would be six and three-quarters feet long, two and a half feet across, and one and a half feet deep; Tygra had memorized the dimensions and they would forever be etched into his memory. On The third day, all the ThunderCats returned to New Thundera, leaving the Thunder Guard to watch over the Mutant prisoners. Tradition required Lynx-O to be buried with honor just as he had served the peoples of Third Earth and New Thundera. He was dressed in his best military uniform and carried his weapon at his side. All the ThunderCats quickly dressed in their military uniforms upon landing on their home planet and then Lion-O, Panthro, Tygra, Ben-Gali, Cheetara, and Pumyra removed the temporary casket from the spaceship as the ThunderKittens draped it in the flag of Thundera. Two members of the Thunder Guard stood in front of the group and began to beat their drums somberly. The procession made its way to a place called the Valley of the ThunderCats just behind Cat’s Lair. It would be not only Lynx-O’s final resting place but also theirs when the time came. There everyone from Thundera gathered. The casket was led into the tomb and the flag was removed. The red and black flag was then hung on twp hooks that jutted from the wall. Next Lynx-O’s body was gingerly removed from the wooden casket and placed in the stone one. The lid was then pushed back over the top and the group stood back. Lion-O lifted the Sword of Omens and cried, “HO!!!” Blue energy shot forth and effectively sealed the stone coffin. Then the Lord of the ThunderCats called again. “HO!!!” The Sword of Omens extended all the way to its full length and the Eye of Thundera roared. The Cat Signal shot forth and etched itself into the top of Lynx-O’s casket. Then Lion-O put the Sword back into the Claw Shield and stood at rapt attention. The others followed suit and then all of them put their hands against the center of their chests in a salute-like manner. Silence enveloped them for what seemed like a very long while before finally Lion-O dropped his arm. The others did the same and they filed out of the stone monument. Later that evening a great bonfire would be held and the wooden casket burned so that no one would ever use it again but for now all returned to their homes. Lion-O went to the cat’s Head and pulled the Sword of Omens once again from its sheath. “Thunder, thunder, thunder, THUNDERCATS HO!” The great Cat Signal shot forth into the sky and the mighty Cat roared for all to hear. It would ring out for five minutes letting everyone know that today a ThunderCat had been buried. Later, as the sun dipped behind the distant mountains, the ThunderCats stood outside cat’s Lair. Lynx-O’s empty wooden casket was on top of a platform made from tree branches, soaked in a flammable liquid. Lion-O turned to his comrades and the people who gathered. “Lynx-O was a loyal ThunderCat, trusted advisor, and good friend. He never had a bad word to say about anyone and never complained about losing his sight. He always offered to help and never shied away from what needed to be done. We will miss you Lynx-O. Your friendship, your kindness, your valor, and your courage will never be forgotten. Farewell, old friend, may you rest well in paradise among those that have passed before you.” The Lord of the ThunderCats lifted his sword and shouted, “HO!!!” An energy blast shot forth from the blade and ignited the large wooden pyre. Then he turned toward the sky and shouted once more. “HO!!!” The other ThunderCats followed suit. The Eye of Thundera roared and another blast of energy shot from the mighty weapon, lighting up the night sky. Soon the townspeople began to disperse and head home once more. Tomorrow would dawn a new day and things would return to some sense of normal. Pumyra stood near the blaze staring into it. Its warmth didn’t comfort her but in fact it felt as though it burned her flesh. She had let Lynx-O down and now she would never talk to the man she often considered her father. The puma felt Ben-Gali’s loving hand on her shoulder and she turned to him. She could see the love in his eyes and knew that from this moment on it would just be the two of them and nothing would ever be normal again. Chapter 21 The following morning all the ThunderCats gathered in the counsel room with the exception of the ThunderKittens who remained on guard in the control room. Everyone took their seats and it was painfully obvious that the seat between Ben-Gali and Panthro sat empty. “I’ve called this tribunal for an obvious reason. We have lost a good comrade and friend and now we must decide our next course of action.” Lion-O was the first to speak. Silence fell amongst the others. No one was really sure what to say. After a few minutes, Tygra cleared his throat. “I don’t know if Pumyra agrees but medically, we did all we could. We tried to revive him for close to twenty minutes. There was nothing else for us to do.” The orange tiger told the group. “I agree.” Pumyra said. The words killed her but she knew Tygra was right. “Then the fault lies with the plan.” Lion-O nodded. He had already made his mind up three days ago. “There is only one thing that can be done.” The lion continued. He rose from his seat and pulled the Claw Shield and Sword of Omens from his hip. “As of this moment, I resign my post as Lord of the ThunderCats.” No one said anything as the lion headed for the door. This whole situation was shocking and confusing. However one cat knew she couldn’t let him leave like that. Cheetara left her seat and followed Lion-O out into the hallway. “What are you doing?” She asked him. “It’s my fault Lynx-O is dead. I was rash to think that my plan had any kind of hope of succeeding without such as horrible outcome.” The lion told her as he continued to walk away. “Are you forgetting something? Lynx-O did not die from a Thunder Guard member’s weapon but Jackalman’s. He is the one to blame. He is the one to blame. He is the one who used that spear to stab Lynx-O. No one else did. He is the one who should pay for this.” Cheetara said as she easily caught up to him. This made Lion-O stop in his tracks. The cheetah put her hand on his big muscular shoulder. He turned to her and said, “I feel responsible. I am –was- the Lord of the ThunderCats. I am honor bound to take responsibility.” “Even if you where not at fault? We all know the risks involved with our job, yet here we all stand. Lynx-O knew them too. Everyday we stand in the face of danger and do not blink because we know that we must protect this planet and its people. We would all lay our lives on the line for them and for you at a moment’s notice. We are feared throughout the galaxy and if we do not stand together now, our enemies will come at us. We will fight but eventually we will fall.” Cheetara said. She was right, now was not the time to be weak, no matter how much Lynx-O’s death hurt. However, he had given up on being the Lord of the ThunderCats. “Someone else must lead you now.” The lion gave a sad smile and left the cheetah standing at the entrance to Cat’s Lair. She stood there unsure of what to do next. Her heart said to follow him but her head said to go and tell the others. It only took a few moments before she realized the others would have to decide his fate and she took off after her mate. Back in the counsel room, Panthro stood up and grabbed the Sword and Claw Shield. He would not stand for the other’s hesitance. “Lion-O is our leader and nothing in my mind is going to change that. He’s not the reason that Lynx-O is dead. Jackalman is and that blasted Mutant will pay.” The panther stormed out of the room and headed after the two that had left before him leaving just Tygra, Ben-Gali, and Pumyra in their seats. Two of them got up and went after the engineer, leaving Tygra alone in the room. To Be Continued...