WORLD BEYOND DREAMS
Chapter 21: Through the Portal
Arriving at Megakat Park a few short minutes later, they encountered a circle of choppers outfitted with huge spotlights guarding the site. They were quickly identified and allowed to land. T-Bone parked the Turbokat outside the protective rings Feral had set up.
The pair leaped from the cockpit and walked toward the first of the rings which were Enforcers wearing Keflar vests, armed with large flashlights and large bore weapons that would fire iron fillings and standing some thirty feet from the portal area. Passing through this ring, the two reached the second ring some twenty feet further on consisting of Professor Hackle's robots that wore a thin layer of iron over their hard metal bodies.
Though of mixed blood, T-Bone still hissed when he came within ten feet of that much iron. The city did not use true iron in its technology or buildings, choosing a mixture of steel and Agracite instead which was why T-Bone could live there without a problem.
However, the robots wore enough raw iron that he could feel it burning his skin for the first time and it wasn't pleasant. He halted in his tracks and frowned. On the one hand it proved Feral's defenses would work against the Fae but on the other hand, it made it hard for him to function.
Guessing immediately what his partner's problem was, Razor pushed forward at a run, squeezing between the robots who didn't stop him as he made for Feral and Briggs standing not far from the portal's probable location.
While he waited, T-Bone heard a rustling noise overhead. Glancing upward, he gaped at all the Enforcers hanging in the trees above him like some kind of weird looking fruit. Each one had on vests and were armed with the same special flashlights like the ground troops but they also had slingshots and a belt laden with plastic baggies filled with iron fillings and dust. He shook his head in amazement. Feral had really outdone himself which made the tabby feel relieved about his adopted people's chances of surviving anything coming through the portal.
Meanwhile, Razor had reached Feral. "Make them move, Commander. T-Bone can't get close to that much iron."
Feral grimaced a bit in embarrassment. How could he have forgotten that? Quickly he barked an order, "You four..." he pointed at the robots standing before him, "...move to make an opening." Instantly four robots stepped backward and took up a temporary position behind their fellow robots forming the ring, leaving a wide hole in their perimeter.
Through this, T-Bone ran up to them, staying firmly in the center, arriving at his partner's side moment's later. "Seems you've covered all the bases you could, Feral. Great job. It should work well repelling whatever comes through. So are you and Ms. Briggs ready?" he asked, eyeing their new getups.
Feral and Briggs had opted to dress in Enforcer combat suits and were also wearing Keflar vests. It seemed strange to see Callie in anything but her ususal pink power suit though he had to admit she really looked good in it.
"Yes we are," Feral responded, pulling him away from ogling Callie. "You ready for your leap into a war zone?"
"As much as you are, I think. Razor invented some nifty stuff to ensure we're not blown away the second we go through and we're going in at light speed to keep the bad guys from stopping us before we find my mother," T-Bone answered. "However, you'll have to put up a magical protective wall to keep your Enforcers safe until we've past through."
Feral blinked at that then frowned and glanced over at Callie. "Better give us a moment to come up with the right spell and parameters for that..." He began to say before T-Bone interrupted.
"Since it will take us some minutes to get far enough to reach the speed we need that should be enough time for you."
Feral nodded that this was true then something the tom said before made him frown again. "Wait...I thought Razor was staying here?"
"Sorry, Commander but I felt it important I go with T-Bone. After all, I'm the gunner and it will be up to me to insure he survives to do what he has to. You two can handle what happens here. I have confidence in you," the slim tom answered for his friend.
Feral rolled his eyes but sighed rather than lose his temper. The SWAT Kat was right after all. "I can't argue with that though I would have appreciated getting a heads up. Anyway, for all our sakes, I hope you're right about Briggs and I," Feral grunted. "If you're ready to do this, she and I will get a second spell ready and in place." The Commander shifted the same weapon his Enforcers were armed with from one to the other paw, the only outward sign of nerves.
T-Bone couldn't blame him. Here he was leaving the big tom to defend his city against an unknown magical foe with only himself, a she-kat and his tech army behind him. It proved, not that it was necessary, just how brave, intelligent, and resourceful the tom was.
The big SWAT Kat made a solemn vow that if he returned home safely, he wouldn't be such a dickhead to Feral. Stiff-necked and stubborn the tom may be but he had more than earned the tabby's respect for being a great leader and protector to the city they both loved.
Of course, working on the wrong side of the law was still thumbing his nose at the Enforcer Commander and what he stood for but he couldn't stop being a SWAT Kat. He snorted at himself. Here I am, Prince of my people, and I'm still an outlaw here. Conflicted much? Shaking his head mentally, he refocused on the mission at paw saving the introspection for when they were all safe again. Now it was time to make history.
"Roger! We're off then. Good luck to you all!" T-Bone shouted for all to hear receiving a ragged cheer in response.
"Same to you SWAT Kat or should I say Prince Lorcan?" Feral said archly, trying for a little wry humor between them.
T-Bone paused to give Feral one of his patented smirking grins, "It's T-Bone to you Commander." Feral snorted at that and hid a smile.
Before the tabby could head out, Callie stopped him. "T-Bone!" She hugged him hard, released him then gave Razor a hug as well but whispered something in his ear. "I'm glad you're not staying behind but I'll be worried about you both." She stepped back before he could respond and said to both, "Make sure you come back alive and in one piece."
"Don't you worry Ms. Briggs. We'll be back!" T-Bone assured her, smiling warmly, before heading off at a run for their jet, Razor a swift moving shadow beside him.
They jumped aboard the Turbokat and in minutes, T-Bone had VTOL'd skyward then flew off to gain altitude and reach the speed they needed.
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Feral and Callie quickly discussed the spell needed then ran off, splitting from each other as they headed to opposite sides of the war zone and outside the ring of Enforcers then turning about and facing each other. Once there they raised their paws and invoked the protection wall T-Bone had wanted. Moments later a wall of what looked like shimmery gauze settled in place before the ring of robots. Feral called his leaders on the radio to tell them what was happening so they wouldn't be disturbed by the wall and wonder what was going on. Once they understood, the troops stood their ground and waited alertly for the next phase to begin, praying the magical wall was strong enough to keep the Turbokat from blowing them all over in its passing.
A scream that assaulted the ears and a sudden blast of magic hitting the ground were the only warnings they got the SWAT Kats were making their run. The portal appeared suddenly looking like a huge jet hangar. This allowed the Turbokat to pass through but, of course, it also meant the enemy now had a huge opening to pass through but that couldn't be helped. They had to hope the surprise of something so huge and metallic passing through would prevent much of the enemy from daring to leap through the opening in the first place.
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Aboard the jet, Razor turned on the huge spotlight he'd affixed to the jet's nosecone and set in his mind the order of weapons he intended to use once they passed through.
"Passing through now!" T-Bone warned just as the jet hurtled into darkness so black only the spotlight helped him see anything at all. Not even a moon helped dispel the gloom.
"Crud! The ground is moving with things I can't see! Firing sleep gas now!" Razor shouted, firing a brace of missiles immediately.
Multiple explosions lit the pitch black sky. Because of their speed, Razor couldn't tell if his efforts were working or not but the good news was they hadn't been stopped. The surprise of such a strange and unknown thing charging into their sky had worked to the SWAT Kats advantage as they'd hoped, allowing them to move past the portal entrance and toward the mountains unimpeded, the portal closing swiftly behind them.
Using the coordinates T-Bone had given him before they left, Razor directed his partner to fly north by northwest.
"We'll have to fly by instruments buddy as the spotlight really can't keep up with our speed to show me much," T-Bone called back to his partner.
"Yeah, I expected that but at least we made it through without interference..." Razor started to say when the jet suddenly shuddered from an unseen blow that rocked them hard. "What the hell?"
"I can't see it but it could be a dragon or gryphon or both. The fact they're only doing hit and runs rather than grab latching on tells me your iron covering is working somewhat," T-Bone said, grimly keeping control of the yoke against the occasional battering from their unseen enemies in the air.
"That's good to know but we can't take too much of this battering so let's see if they like a shower of iron dust..." Razor said grimly, firing a spray of deadly metal out of some side ports he'd installed on the jet's upper left and right sides and tail section.
Roars of pain were heard very close to the cockpit before fading away as the enemy fled in fear.
"Bingo!" Razor crowed.
"Way to go buddy. I think I'll dare to engage all engines to get us out of here faster before those things get enough courage to come back," T-Bone said, hitting the button for the upper two engines, then feeling the g's pressing him against his seat. A fiery comet's tail marked their passage through the pitch black sky.
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Back on the Megakat City side of the portal, everyone's ears were still ringing from the jet's passing but to their relief, the magical wall had held, keeping them safe. Now their only concern was the brief moment between the jet's departure and the closing of the portal where the enemy could leap through. It would be only minutes but that was enough time they discovered. Because in those moments a veritable army came pouring out at them.
Despite the shock of something large and fast roaring over their heads and disappearing into their world, the army waiting near the portal shook off the fear and scrambled through the quickly closing opening. No one but those unable to withstand sunlight, hesitated to go as the punishment their King would have meted out, was far more terrifying than launching themselves into an unknown world with enemies waiting for them.
So it was that fremlins, trolls, gryphons, and dragons were the only ones to be able to come through the portal. A few daring pukas and Hoblins tried to come through but howled in pain as their skin burned only seconds later, forcing them to retreat. Their unaffected companions continued to pour out until the portal snapped shut, grotesquely cutting in half those not quite through the opening then all of that vanished.
To Feral and Briggs, it was a relief that the hoard was manageable. They didn't want to think what would have happened if the portal had remained open any longer. But what had gotten through were going to be a challenge. Feral watched with shuddering apprehension at what had vomited out of the portal. He could do nothing but continue holding the magical web he and Briggs were sustaining behind the last line of defense as a horde of nasties charged them.
Huge trolls, ugly hairless things that stood more than ten feet tall and looking like orange walking rocks, stalked toward the robots until they towered over them but there they were halted by metal dust fired on them by the robots and the sling shot wielding Enforcers in the trees. The creatures roared in pain but seemed to ignore it enough to try and grab the robots, screaming again at the searing pain of touching so much iron. Infuriated, the trolls picked up the robots and hurled them toward the Enforcer line forcing them to break rank. But it didn't stop the brave Kats from firing back with their own brand of bazooka driven missiles filled with iron. Many of the hulking things were knocked off their feet while others took direct hits that turned them into dust.
Above the battle, the choppers found themselves engaging dragons and gryphons. The creatures were very agile. The Enforcer pilots had a hard time keeping themselves from being knocked from the sky and failing but the ones that succeeded caused showers of golden dust to fall whenever they managed to tag one of the flying beasts with their iron-filled missiles.
A mass of fremlins raced at that swift, eye-blurring speed, that made them nearly invisible, toward the robot line of defenders. They had managed to duck under and around the robots engaging the trolls but more than half of them fell to the onslaught of dust from the rest of the robots who closed in to engage the enemy and prevent them from passing through to the Enforcers and the city beyond that.
Those fremlins that did manage to get past were caught in the magical sticky web Feral and Briggs had created behind the robot line the instant the jet had vanished. It had been exhausting work to maintain such a thing for long and both were already feeling the strain just minutes after casting the spell. Prince Conall had suggested this as their last line of defense, believing it should be all that was necessary during those first moments of the portal's opening.
So far it seemed his gamble was right. The Fremlins screamed at the feel of strange magic holding them like flies in a spider's web. Not strong enough to withstand this foreign spell, they burst into golden dust.
Meanwhile the Enforcer line backed up the robots with rocket launchers filled with iron fillings and were succeeding somewhat at keeping the enemy at bay. However, several of the bigger enemy (trolls and dragons particularly) managed to avoid or ignore the pain caused by the iron weapons and charged down the Enforcers making them scatter.
Feral and Briggs had one more trick up their sleeves to stop these bigger and more powerful enemies from getting out of the park. He shouted into his paws-free radio, "Choppers, plan delta!" Immediately, his chopper flight broke off their fight and backed away for their superior's last ditch plan. As soon as his forces were safe he used his tongue to change the frequency and told Briggs, "Briggs, plan delta now!"
"Roger!" she shouted back in her own headset then tipped as far backward as she dared without falling over as she and Feral raised the magical web to go from ground level to as high as they both were able to send it skyward.
Speaking into his radio again, Feral roared another command. "Now!"
Choppers and ground forces turned their weapons toward the spot they knew the invisible magical web was hanging and fired their weapons covering the net with iron dust and filings then retreated out of reach of the enemy.
The bloodlust of battle blinded the enemy to the danger so they remainder of the Dark Fae ran headlong into the deadly net. Contact immediately turned them all into dust much to Feral and Briggs' relief as holding that any longer was becoming impossible.
Still on alert, his arms and mind straining, Feral searched the battle field for more enemy. Finding none, only then did he bark new orders. "Briggs drop the spell!" She did so with a groan of relief. He felt the same, his arms like lead as he changed frequencies and shouted, "Stand down! Battle is over! Begin cleanup. Choppers return to headquarters."
From outside the park, big magnets attached to special boom arms on Enforcer hummers moved forward obeying the order to collect the iron filings and dust while vacuum trucks followed them to store it in big canisters. Though they weren't bothered by the iron themselves, they did need to reuse the iron for any future battles with the Fae and it wasn't good for the environment.
Feral trudged across the battle field toward Briggs who was doing the same. They met in the middle and looked around with relief and triumph.
"Yes, we kicked ass," Callie cheered.
Feral smiled. "We certainly did and you were fantastic."
She blushed, giving him a tired smile then turned her eyes toward where the portal had stood. "I'm glad the portal closed so swiftly. I doubt we could have held back anything bigger than what came through."
"I agree. We were warned an army might crawl through that doorway but it didn't come close to describing just how many we ended up facing," he said ruefully.
Callie grimaced. "I wonder how the guys are faring if this was only the tip of the iceberg."
Feral rubbed his face and felt exhaustion drag at every part of him. Doing magic was harder than fighting omegas. "Those two have always lived a charmed life. We have to pray that luck keeps them safe, alive, and winning that war. Anything else will only depress us."
She turned her head back, eyeing him thoughtfully. "That's a pretty optimistic thing to say, Ulysses, coming from you."
He shrugged his shoulders. "What would being negative get me? I may not be able to stand them but..." he paused to stare at the place where the two vigilantes had vanished. "...they do have good hearts and the bravery to match. They'll come back. Let's just keep our city safe until then shall we?"
She smiled at him and nodded. "Yes...let's."
He turned to walk toward their vehicles parked at the north entrance of the park. "Oh, by the way, have you set aside enough funds to manage the long term guarding of the park until we're certain the danger is over?" He asked her. "You know it could be anywhere from weeks, to maybe a year due to the time difference between here and there before we know if the war is over or not."
"Goddess, I sincerely hope it won't be that long, Commander, but in answer to your question ... yes I have. Despite the Mayor's groans and complaints, I made sure to allocate enough to main the size of force we need to keep out city safe. However, let's hope the only thing that will happen is we'll grow bored from waiting."
"No chance of that happening as we still have the Pastmaster to contend with but as for the war ... that I wouldn't mind having stay firmly there and not here," he said feelingly.
"Did you have to mention him," Callie snorted, mock angry. Feral just grinned and shrugged.
Reaching his hummer, he opened the door and was about to climb in when she halted him. "I think I'll see if I can return home instead of going to work. I don't know about you but I'm beyond tired."
"So am I but I can't leave until I'm certain things are truly safe then I'm going home too. My whole body feels like lead. I also need to get fresh troops out here to replace this lot. Are you sure you have enough energy to try that?" He asked, leaning against his open door and eyeing her.
"I think so. Just make sure you don't wait too long and you crash before you're able to get home. And don't worry about briefing his honor unless you stay too long in your office that tags you," she warned. "I'll take care of briefing him before I sleep. Pleasant dreams," she smirked then stepped away, closed her eyes and concentrated. Seconds later she vanished.
Feral shook his head as he watched Ms. Briggs flash out of sight. Hope she got home safely, he muttered to himself.
Looking around, he was pleased with what he saw. The ring of robots gleamed in the sun at station keeping. Despite some of them being tossed about like dolls, none had been so severely damaged they couldn't continue their job. Hackle made them tough alright. Which reminded him he should give the professor a call to thank him and to give him a lowdown on what happened.
Giving the area one last look, Feral felt satisfied that his defenses were secure and in place before climbing into his vehicle. Now he needed to get back to his office, write up the report on this incident, hand out new orders, then go home. With not so many omegas around, he could finally relax enough to leave work on his desk until tomorrow and truly rest. Now if only the Pastmaster will stay gone for a while longer, he thought. Sighing, he turned on his hummers engine, pulled out into traffic and drove back to headquarters.
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The second the spell left her lips, Callie instantly felt a swooping sensation which ended just as quickly as it had begun. Opening her eyes cautiously, she smiled in delight when she saw she was in her living room.
"Yes! I think I like this form of travel." Smiling to herself, she went to the kitchen for something to drink, she was parched.
After downing one glass of juice, she refilled it with water and walked to her bedroom, her limbs getting heavier and heavier. Frowning, she set her glass down on her night stand, debated taking a shower but giving up the idea as too difficult to manage right now.
With just a thought, her clothes whisked off and dropped into her hamper and were replaced by her warm nightwear. She sat on the bed but before laying down, she reached for her phone and called the mayor. Catching him just leaving for the golf course, that made her eyes roll in annoyance, she quickly briefed him. He was ecstatic that the city was safe but not happy she wouldn't be in. She said something rude back then hung up on him.
Sighing, she took a sip of her water then crawled under the covers and was asleep in seconds.