Chapter 8
"Direct hit ThunderTank. Smoke is puffing out of the ship but no sign of the Lunataks," the Evil Chaser transport said.
"Did the heat signatures move?" Slythe suddenly asked.
"Hard to tell now. I'm getting flame readings," Ben-Gali told him.
"Tell the transport to back up! Get them out of there!" The lizard shouted. Panthro quickly did as the Mutant said and the transport turned and headed back toward the ThunderTank. Just in time too, as a sudden explosion rocked Sky Tomb. It would have caught the transport completely unaware and could have severely damaged it and injured those on board. The explosion caused the vehicle to sway and fall towards the Tank and the transport, narrowly missing them both.
"Bastards set a booby trap!" Lion-O was upset at the thought that more people would have been harmed.
"Just as I feared. They aren't here. They lured you in and then tried to take you out with their beloved Sky Tomb. My guess is that Red-Eye is behind this," Slythe frowned.
"I would agree since I don't think Alluro is smart enough to wire up something like this," Panthro said.
"So where did they go? They're the most hated beings on this planet at the moment," Ben-Gali wondered.
"My guess is the evidence of where they went disappeared the minute the secondary explosion was activated. I would suggest we pull back to the Lair and regroup," Mandora suggested.
"Sound advice First Class," Commander Tiberius said.
"Panthro, Ben-Gali, radio the transport. Maybe Wizz-Ra can locate them with his magic," Lion-O suggested.
"You think they would head to Castle Plundarr?" Mandora asked Slythe, wondering about the wizard and just what he could accomplish.
"I highly doubt it. While we were both under Mumm-Ra's thumb, we don't like it each other as I said before. The plan has gone completely haywire so my thought would be that they'd want off this rock. Hard to do though with an Evil Chaser battle cruiser in orbit," the Mutant admitted.
"Well if they think they can hide out until we leave, they'll be sorely mistaken. We're not leaving until the ThunderCats are back inside a completed Lair," Tiberius said.
"Then the only other place to go would be to find Mumm-Ra which will be kind of hard since we sent him packing," Slythe told them. The radio crackled to life and the Evil Chasers aboard the transport said that they needed to exit Dark Side before Wizz-Ra could try anything.
"Then let's head out. The sooner we get the Lunataks off this planet, the better," Lion-O said. Panthro and Ben-Gali got the ThunderTank moving and they would be out of Dark Side in only a few minutes.
"Oh, no complaints here. Though I imagine that means I'll be next on your list," Slythe said.
"Well how about we start with Monkian and Jackalman first? I mean you have been helping us," the lion seemed like he hated to give up someone he was starting to look at as a friend.
"I would agree with that assessment," Panthro threw his own two cents in.
"Suppose it is not up to you or to me. There's probably a warrant out for my arrest," the Mutant looked at the Evil Chasers.
"Technically, the warrant was issued by the Thunderian Council and King Claudus. Since Lion-O is the last of the line of royals, what happens to you is up to him. The same goes for Monkian and Jackalman. The Lunataks are the only ones where I can supersede the King's authority on the planet. That being said, I am obligated to take over for him, should something happen to him or to his next in command. A warrant is a warrant," Commander Tiberius explained. He wouldn't lie and perhaps reinforcing the idea would prove to them just how much the Mutant had really turned the proverbial corner.
"Then I will do whatever is required of me by whoever decides it. Let's call this my last hurrah," Slythe said. Lion-O was about to ask a question when the radio interrupted them.
"Wizz-Ra says he has something. Seems like the Black Pyramid should be our destination," the young Evil Chaser from the transport relayed.
"Well if we're going to do it…" Panthro started.
"Let's do it. Full steam ahead boys!" Lion-O smirked. Quickly Ben-Gali radioed the transport and Panthro kicked the ThunderTank into overdrive.
To Be Continued…