The SWAT Kats
Part 1: Final Days (Rewrite)
By James L. King
Legal disclaimer: SWAT Kats, and all associated characters and places are owned and copyrighted by Hanna/Barbera.
The song 'Superman' is written and copyrighted by Five for Fighting.
The name Superman is copyright by DC Comics.
I borrowed the section/page breaks from Kris Sharpe. Mine don't work here on FF.N Thanks Kris!
If I've missed any copyrights, lemme know.
Author's Notes: I wrote the orignal as an experiment in writing style, and it took almost a year to complete. I was re-reading this and was groaning at all the unnecessary POV switches and all the Time Traveling (was-is-was-is-was) I did. So... this is a three day rewrite of this trilogy fic with my current writing style. A few scenes have been added and changed to better reflect the story I wanted to tell.
"Hey, Chance! I've got good news and bad news," Jake says as he walks into the living room.
"Yeah?" Chance asks while Scaredy Kat continues in the background.
"Ok, here's the good news. I've done some figuring, and between all the Enforcer cars we've fixed, if we were applying our standard rate, and our Enforcer salaries going toward paying our debt off, we'll be outta here in only a couple more weeks! We've only got twelve-hundred dollars left, apiece!"
"That's great news! So, what's the bad news?" Chance asks. He doesn't notice Jake tossing a rubber tarantula in front of him as he looks up at Jake.
"We'll probably have to close shop, leave the yard, and never fly as SWAT Kats again. According to the agreement we were forced to sign, Burke and Murray regain total control of the yard when our debt is paid off."
"Wha... crud! Can't we do something about it?" Chance demands, his face displaying anger.
"Not as far as I can see, buddy." Jake says in a thick voice, bowing his head, "Not as far as I can see."
"May as well start hiding the Hangar's lower levels and leave the top level as this place's basement, just like when we got here." Chance looks back at the TV and notices the spider. "AHHH! Get it away, get it away!"
He looks up upon hearing Jake laugh, and realizes that he'd fallen for a prank. He gets up and rushes Jake, who dodges and runs out into the yard, still laughing.
A week later,
'Off to work again. Boy am I glad the Mayor comes back tonight, I can't take much more of this without help.' Callie thinks as she gets into her car to head to City Hall. Just as she gets off a side street she slams on the brakes and turns the wheel to avoid the flying craft that was landing there. Her car skids out of control and bends around a streetlight. The last thing she sees is a glimpse of a creepling in her rear-view mirror as darkness takes her.
"It's not like Callie not to pick up her phone, and I've tried all of them, Jake." Chance says as he hangs up the receiver.
"Her office, home, car and cell phones?" Jake asks as he finishes changing the oil in a car.
"Yeah, all four. No answer on any of them. I got her voice-mail on her cell and car phones, her answering machine at home, and the front desk at City Hall said she hadn't arrived yet." Chance sounds worried.
"Well, she does have to fill in for the Mayor while he's away. Maybe the green giant doesn't need its scheduled maintenance yet, or she's just too busy to pay attention to it for now."
"I dunno. I guess I worry when we can't get up with her."
"If you're really that worried, you can track her communicator and check it against the City's Radar map, ok?"
"Alright, alright, I'll stop worryin'."
Callie wakes to find herself surrounded by Creeplings, and looks up at a massive purple face.
"Welcome to my lair, Deputy Mayor. Make yourself at home," the face says and he steps back.
"What do you want, Dark Kat?"
"What else? The SWAT Kats dead, and MegaKat City under my control."
"I'll never sign over MegaKat City to you."
"No, but you can call the SWAT Kats for me." Dark Kat replies.
"Never," she growls, "I won't let you hurt them."
"You don't need to, I've got your communication device, Ms. Briggs." Dark Kat gloats as he holds a small triangular device up. He presses the button on it.
The alarm goes off and Jake hurries a customer out of the door as Chance hits the button in the office.
"Yes, Ms. Briggs?"
"I'm not Ms. Briggs, SWAT Kat," a dark and familiar voice says.
"Dark Kat! How did..."
"I've kidnapped her, and I want to see you in person, to barter for her life."
They hear Callie yell in the background, "Guys, don't!"
"If you don't come, she will die. If you do come, you'll die. Your choice SWAT Kat. Call the Enforcers, and she'll die anyway. Come to MegaKat National Park Volcano. You know where."
"Don't, please, I'm not..." Callie shouts as Dark Kat smashes the communicator, causing static to blare from the speaker.
The TurboKat blasts out of the launch tunnel, and heads over the City, flying low and fast, toward the National Park. Commander and Felina Feral are patrolling in a Chopper when they see the TurboKat scream past, then a sonic boom hits them.
"What fire are they hurrying to get to?" Felina muses as Commander Feral spills his coffee in his lap.
"OW!" he yelps. "Damn SWAT Kats!" Feral yells into the comm as Felina laughs. "After them, Lieutenant! I'm going to string them up by their tails!"
"Think he got the message, Razor?" T-Bone asks as Feral yells and curses at them through the comm.
"I dunno, but he's following..." Razor says as he looks at the outlines on the Dimensional Radar, "Better slow it down a touch. We need him to track us."
T-Bone sets the TurboKat down near the tunnel they'd made several years before, when it was Feral they had to rescue. They jump out and run into the tunnel, aware that it was still booby-trapped.
Razor activates his mini-Katscanner and takes the lead, "Follow me buddy."
"Hahaha, do you see this, Deputy Mayor? The SWAT Kats are about to find out about my new traps."
"No," Callie gasps, "Guys... I told you not to come."
"T-Bone, the mini-Katscanner indicates crusher traps ahead. Walls, then ceiling." Razor says, panting as he runs alongside T-Bone.
"Roger that, buddy," T-Bone replies.
He hears Razor use his grapple, and activates his. They retract the grapples just as the walls move inward. T-Bone loses a few hairs from his tail as the walls smash right behind them. They run ahead, at full speed as the ceiling starts dropping. They leap out of the way just in time, and land, rolling to a stop in the main cavern.
In a matter of seconds, dozens of Creeplings swarm them.
They hear Dark Kat's ominous laugh as they throw the creeplings off and stand. Dark Kat picks Callie up by her neck, holding her in the air in front of him as the SWAT Kats aim their glovatrixes at him.
As the two SWAT Kats get done throwing the last of the creeplings aside, and aim their glovatrixes at him, he snarls, "Stop right there or I'll break her neck, SWAT Kats. I know she's a special friend of yours."
"Ignore me, just get him guys..." Callie wheezes, "Please."
Razor and T-Bone look at each other, then take off their glovatrixes and set them on the ground.
"You should have listened to her, SWAT Kats," Dark Kat gloats, "You must love her in order to sacrifice yourselves for her like this."
"Hold it right there, Dark Kat, you're under arrest!" Feral shouts as he and Felina aim their guns at him from another passageway.
"Drop your weapons, Commander. I hold all the cards in this game." Dark Kat declares, an evil smile on his face. He produces a remote from under his cloak and holds it up, "Attack, and this whole cavern will crumble."
Callie unsheathes her claws and swipes the remote out of Dark Kat's hands. She swings her other hand behind her at Dark Kat, who drops her. He backhands her, knocking her out, and unsheathes his massive claws. He raises his hand to kill her just as both Ferals fire on him. His corpse lands on the remote, activating it. Explosives attached to each supporting pillar in the cavern go off, and the place starts to cave in.
T-Bone grabs both glovatrixes, while Razor runs over to and picks up Callie. Razor runs out of the chamber, and stops just long enough to set Callie, who had just regained consciousness, on her feet and run down the corridor. Commander and Lieutenant Feral both follow closely, with T-Bone running behind them all. Callie stumbles, and T-Bone scoops her up in his arms as he runs. They all leap out of the cave just as it collapses with a roar and a huge cloud of dust.
T-Bone picks Callie up and sets her on her feet, while Razor helps Felina and Commander Feral up off the ground.
Razor brushes the dust from his suit and says, "Lieutenant, I want to say it's been a pleasure knowing and working with you. We'll miss you."
He offers his hand and she takes it, "Thanks, but what do you mean you'll miss me?"
T-Bone walks up and says, "He means, this is probably the last time you or anyone will ever see us. With Dark Kat gone, we can just about retire... so we are going to."
"What?" she asks horrified, "You can't mean that!"
Callie moans as Razor kisses her. After a moment, he lets her go and says, "Goodbye, Callie. Find someone to love who can love you without holding back."
T-Bone pulls Felina into his arms, and kisses her. She returns the embrace and kiss, bringing her hand to the back of his head and pulling him against her as she deepens the kiss. After a quiet moment, he releases her and whispers, "Take care of yourself, gorgeous."
After getting over his intial shock of the vigilante kissing his niece, Feral yells, "What do you think you're doing, SWAT Kat?"
"Commander want a kiss," Razor taunts as he jumps into the TurboKat.
T-Bone caresses her cheek and kisses her again, then turns and leaps into the TurboKat.
"Damn you, T-Bone," Felina mutters as the jet takes off, "Damn you."
Afew minutes later, while on their way back to Enforcer HQ, a message comes over the radio, "Commander, someone named Clawson from MegaKat Salvage wants to speak to you."
"What does he want?"
"He says it's about the SWAT Kats."
"Put him on," Feral replies.
"Commander, this is Jacob Clawson from the Salvage Yard.
"I remember who you are, Clawson. Make it quick."
"The SWAT Kats just...CHANCE GET AWAY FROM THAT JET! WE DON'T WANT FERAL ACCUSING US OF BEING THE SWAT KATS BECAUSE YOU'VE HAD YOUR GRIMY HANDS ON THE FUSELAGE!"
"I just want to sit in it," Chance's pouting reply filters through the link. They hear Jake stifle a laugh and mutter, "Once a pilot, always a pilot."
"You have the TurboKat, Clawson?" Feral growls, still shaking his head from Jake's yelling.
"Yeah, and the SWAT Kats asked us to call you after they had left."
"I'll be right there, and don't touch that jet, or else I will arrest the both of you for tampering with evidence, Clawson."
"I'll try to restrain Chance, Commander."
He turns the Chopper around and flies toward the Salvage yard. Upon arriving, he sees the two ex-Enforcer pilots walking around admiring the jet.
"Get away from that!"
Both toms roll their eyes, walk into the garage, and start working on a car. Felina follows them in.
"So... you two are the ones my Uncle says are the best?"
"Best at getting in his way when it was our tag to start with? Or is it the best excuse he could find to get us booted off?" the tiger says with anger in his voice. "Or..."
"Chance, stop it," the smaller tom snaps, then turns to her, "I'm sorry, Lieutenant, but even after five years he's still bitter about it. I'm Clawson, he's Furlong."
"My name's Felina Feral."
"We know. We've seen you on the news several times."
Callie walks in, and Chance looks up, grinning. "Hi Callie."
"Hi guys," she says, her voice thick from exhaustion and emotion.
"What's wrong, Ms. Briggs?" Chance asks, walking over to her. He raises his hand to put on her shoulder, and realizes that it's grease covered, so he gestures to inside the house, "Come in, sit down, and tell us about it."
"The SWAT Kats are leaving. Running out on MegaKat City... and me."
"Why? What happened," he asks as he gets a can of milk from the fridge and gives it to her. He joins Jake at the sink so they can wash their hands.
"They said because Dark Kat is dead, they're going to leave the City in the Enforcer's care," Jake sits next to her and takes her hands in his.
"Ms. Briggs, they may have other reasons for..."
"Furlong, Clawson! Report," Feral bellows from outside.
Looking annoyed, Jake releases Callie's hands, "Haven't heard that in ages, eh, Chance?"
"Nope. Don't want to again, that's for sure."
Feral storms into the garage, then into the house, and sees both toms trying to console Callie.
"Report, you two."
"Report about what? We don't report to you," Chance says.
After seeing Feral start to grow angry, Jake adds, "They landed, unloaded their bike, told us to call you, and left."
"You're risking court-martial with your dis..." Feral snarls, towering over both toms.
"You kicked us off so we ain't Enforcers anymore, Commander, so leave off the military protocols, ok?"
Jake sits back down next to Callie.
Felina stands between both of them, holding them apart, "Look, Uncle, he does have a point. He isn't an Enforcer anymore."
She turns and stares down Chance, "You better show him more respect, Furlong, or I'll kick your tail... understand?"
"Yeah," Chance growls, "I understand."
"I'm taking the TurboKat for study," Feral says as he walks out of the door, "You had better not hassle my Enforcers when they come to get it."
"We won't. It's bad enough here, so we don't want to end up in prison." Chance retorts.
"Coming, Ms. Briggs?" Felina asks.
"No. Chance can you tow my car here? It's banged up a bit from Dark Kat."
"Sure thing, Callie." Chance says as he digs the tow-truck keys out of his pocket.
"Jake, what did you mean by 'other reasons'?" Callie asks.
"Well, they may be moving soon, or they might be getting too old to play superhero. Who knows? Maybe they realize that it's time to end things, so they're ending them quietly." The sound of the Chopper taking off drowns Jake out, and he repeats it when the sound had diminished.
"They can't leave! They're heroes," she says, on the verge of tears.
"They're my heroes," she whispers, looking downward, "They always come, they always care... they... love me. No one else really loves me -- not like they do."
Jake's heart breaks, but he manages to hide his feelings as he says, "You know that one song? The one that talks about SuperKat?"
"Uh, no, I don't." she says, looking up at him. Her eyes are filled with tears. "What does that have to do with this?"
"Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. But there's a line in it that says, 'Even heroes have the right to bleed, even heroes have the right to dream'. Maybe they dream of living a normal life. Maybe they're tired of bleeding, and are quitting while they are still young enough to live normal lives." he says.
"Maybe you're right, Jake." she says. "I still can't help but think they're running out on me."
"Do you love them?"
"Yes."
"No, I mean, truly love them. Not for what they've done, not for the personas they set forward, for they themselves. Do you love the kats behind their masks?"
"I... don't know. I wish I knew who they were."
"They're probably just a couple of guys that are burned out from being heroes, and just want to settle down, work nine to five, marry a coupla girls and raise kittens," he says, with a sad look on his face. Callie looks at him strange.
"Suddenly you're an expert on them?" she spits.
"I'm no expert on the SWAT Kats. I'm an expert at fixing cars and running a junkyard."
"So how do you know?"
"Basic armchair psychology. Something I learned back in the Enforcers. I can identify with being burned out and wanting a normal life. Feral sending us here did that."
"I still wish they wouldn't leave."
She bows her head, and he runs a finger down her cheek and it stops under her chin. With gentle force, he lifts her head so she's looking at him, "Only they really know why they left. You've got to be the one to move on."
Chance starts the tow-truck and drives out, glancing at the TurboKat, then at the departing Chopper. He finds Callie's car and hooks it up, then drives back. On his way back he sees four Enforcer Patrol Choppers carrying the Turbokat on a net stretched between them.
He backs Callie's car into the garage, then walks inside.
"Well, I guess it's finally happened," Chance declares.
"What?" Callie asks.
"No more SWAT Kats. The Enforcers got the jet now."
"I guess they meant it when they said they're retiring," she mutters.
"We can have your car fixed late tonight. It is in bad shape, but not unfixable," Chance says, "We kept a spare chassis around for just such an occasion."
"Yeah. I can wait."
"Ok, you have free reign of the house. If ya wanna take a nap, jus' use Jake's room, it's cleaner'n mine. It's the one halfway down the hall. If ya wanna watch TV, there's the remote. If ya want something to eat, feel free to use the kitchen."
"Thanks for offering my room," Jake mutters.
"Thanks guys," Callie says before climbing the stairs, and going in a room.
Chance leans over to Jake, "Hey look at it this way, you'll be the one smelling her on your bed-sheets."
"Like I really need that?" Jake retorts.
"Yes. Now let's get t' work."
"Commander, we just got done dusting the TurboKat for prints."
"Tell me there were some?" Feral asks.
"Sorry, Commander, whoever the SWAT Kats are, they're nothing if not thorough. There was no trace of any prints anywhere on the jet."
"Those two hotshots must have left a print somewhere! Keep searching that jet!" Feral replies, then sits down at his desk to sign paperwork.
"All right, we're done here," Chance says as he closes the hood. "Jake, how ya comin' on that last body panel?"
"Done," Jake says as he finishes washing his hands.
"Can ya get Callie and tell her we're done? I'm gonna go wash up now."
"Sure, Chance."
Jake climbs the stairs and walks into his room. He sees Callie lying in his bed, the covers pulled up to her neck.
"Callie, wake up." he says, placing his hand her shoulder.
"Yeah?" she murmurs. She rolls over and looks at him, blinking her eyes a few times.
"Your car's fixed," Jake says as he backs toward the door. "We also gave it a tune-up, as it was due for it. We've decided to waive the fee for the tune-up, as it wouldn't be fair to charge you for that."
"Ok. Thanks," she says as she sits up, letting the covers fall. Jake takes a step backward as she swings her bare legs out from under the covers and stands. The sight of Callie in her underwear and bra causes him to blush, and he walks out of his room.
"Jake?"
He walks to the door, but looks at the floor instead of her. "Yeah?"
"Thank you," she says as she shrugs her blouse on and buttons it.
"Uh, thanks for what?" he asks. She walks up to him and plants a kiss on his cheek as she hugs him.
"For everything," she whispers in his ear, "I did a lot of thinking... and, you are right."
He steps back and Callie smiles at him.
She sits back down on his bed and pulls her miniskirt on and tightens the belt.
Jake walks downstairs.
"What took so long?" Chance asks as Jake walks past.
"She wanted a hug and a kiss. Something I normally wouldn't mind quite so much, but she was in her, umm... under-things."
"Ooh, Kats. Why didn't I go up there?" Chance rumbles.
"How much guys?" they hear from the stairway.
The two toms glance at each other, then Chance says, "Five-hundred and thirty-eight dollars. We had the parts on hand, otherwise it'd be over two-thousand. Car's still in the heat booth. New paint's gotta dry, y'know."
"Oh, ok."
"Want somethin' to eat? It's eight and you haven't had anything since this morning I'd bet."
"Yeah. What were you guys planning on having?"
"Pizza," both of them say.
Your kiss was better than I'd ever dreamed T-Bone. You're gone now. Why did you leave? I love you. I've got to find you. I have to know... do you love me?
She gets up, pulling some clothing on, goes to the records archives and starts searching through the sparse records about the SWAT Kats.
They appeared only five years ago, when Dark Kat tried kidnapping the Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
"Five years," she muses aloud, "For three and a half of them I've been in love with him."
After several hours of exhaustive searching, and pulling records, she gives up.
I'll never find them at this rate.
She returns to her quarters, tired from the search, and falls asleep. She dreams of being in T-Bone's arms, making love to him.
"Hey, Chance, I found an apartment we can afford!" Jake says, holding the morning paper.
"Where is it, and how much?"
"One thousand a month, and it's in your old neighborhood."
"What's the address?"
"161A, Thirtieth street. The Korat Building." Jake replies, dropping the paper in front of the tiger.
"That's only a block from Pop's stand, and two from Dad's apartment."
"Well, if you wanna call, go ahead. I gotta finish taking the tow arm off the truck and start welding the new box bed in."
Several days later,
'Commander, Chance Furlong from MegaKat Salvage yard holding on line 2.'
"Commander Feral. What is it, Furlong?"
'Commander, according to our record-keeping, we just finished paying off our debt to the City. We figured we'd call and let you know that have finished, and that we're ready to leave the Salvage yard, as per our agreement with the City.'
"First the SWAT Kats, now this. It's turning into a good week. All right Furlong, as soon as we verify that you have indeed paid off the debt, you will be given a week to pack and leave the Salvage yard."
'We've packed already, although we haven't moved yet. We do have some things to finish up, but we've basically ready to move out.'
"Very well. Someone will be over to check your records over and compare them to ours."
He hangs up the phone, ignoring Chance's muttered thanks. He pages Records. "Longclaw, get someone to the Salvage yard with a copy of our records on Furlong and Clawson's debt. They say they've paid it off."
'Yes Sir.'
Four hours later,
Feral picks up the phone, 'Commander, this is Longclaw from records, they have indeed paid off the debt, and in fact, we owe them approximately two-hundred twenty dollars.'
"What!"
'They did say that they are going to forget about it if you don't give them any hassle about moving out.'
"Very well. I won't hassle them unless they aren't out of there by the end of the week."
A huge truck with a custom box bed pulls up and two toms jump out. The neighborhood kittens watch as they unload the truck, and head up to an apartment, then leave. An hour later they are back, moving furniture. After moving boxes and furniture all day, then lock their truck, and the small one heads up to their new apartment.
The kittens follow the large tom as he walks down to Pop's stand and buys a 'Kat Kommandos' comic.
"Hey Pop, how ya been?" Chance asks.
"Chance Furlong! Here to pick up a Kat Commandos Comic?"
"You bet."
"Looks like ya got a crowd with ya."
"Huh?" he asks and turns, "Oh. Still sell gum?"
"Sure thing."
"One piece for each of 'em."
"Here ya go," Pop says as Chance pays him.
"One for each of ya," Chance says to the kittens.
As soon as he finishes handing out the gum, he walks another block, to his parent's building, taking the stairs to their floor.
He knocks on the door, and his father, baseball bat in hand, opens it, "We said we ain't... oh, Chance! Come on in. I thought you were those punks again."
"Well, I'm livin' only two blocks away now, Dad. No need t' worry about the punks anymore. I can scare 'em off."
One week later,
Callie puts the phone down, a puzzled look on her face. She re-dials the number manually and gets the same message. She picks up her car keys and drives out to the Salvage yard.
She sees gargantuan piles of junk in front of the garage, and the sign that proclaimed 'Jake and Chance's Auto Repair' had been painted over. She sees a massive dump truck dumping salvage on top of the pile. The two toms in it get out and approach her.
"What's a pretty lady doin' out here, Murray?" the large one asks.
"Where's Jake and Chance?" she demands.
"They got done payin' Feral's debt and got booted outta here a week ago." the small tom responds.
"Just great," she gets in her car and starts it. She drives off, thinking, 'They're gone! Where could they be?'
She drives to Enforcer HQ, to speak to Commander Feral.
Callie walks out of Commander Feral's office on the verge of tears. Commander Feral had no clue as to where the two ex-Enforcers had gone. He was even happy that they had apparently dropped on the face of the planet. She looks up at the sky as she leaves the HQ building.
"First I lose the SWAT Kats, and now my friends are gone. Guys, where are you?"
Inspirational Music:
Original;
Superman
Five for Fighting -- Bandits
Rewrite;
SpybreakClubbed to Death (Kurayamino Mix)
Matrix Soundtrack