Eternal Foe
Chapter 15 - Stalling Tactics
"Here they come!" Meckaneck announced.
"Alright men, to your Wind Raiders and don't forget He-Man's warnings about getting in close!" Man-at-Arms ordered. The pilots scrambled for their vehicles, eager to be doing something.
Clouds of dust kicked up angrily as the engines of the Wind Raiders exploded into life. The mechanical whines picked up in intensity as the 'Raiders jettisoned off into the sky.
"How exactly are we going to slow them down?" Meckaneck asked over his Wind Raider's radio.
We keep pelting the path ahead of them with blaster fire, push them north- east past Ilandra and towards the Jendor Pass in the Eternian Range." Man- at-Arms responded.
"Why don't we just wipe 'em out?" asked Jasem, a new recruit.
"He-Man's request." Answered Duncan. "He doesn't want them killed, just diverted from Ilandra. If we drop them into the North Eternian River then they should be swept right past Kaetor into the mountains."
"He must want all the action for himself, eh?"
Duncan muttered "Kids" under his breath. He swore he could hear Meckaneck chuckling through the radio.
The Snake Men quickly came into view. "Okay everyone let's stay focused on the task at hand, these are a foe not to be taken lightly." Ducncan reiterated. "Meckaneck, Jasem you take the west flank. Mikel, Garon you come in from the south. Breit and I will take them from the east.
"What do you want me to do?" Stratos asked through the intercom.
"Stay clear, if something goes wrong I need you to warn Ilandra."
The Wind Raiders broke off into their groups and surrounded the small group of Snake Men. They opened fire, peppering the ground with laser fire, instinctively their quarrel started north to avoid the onslaught.
"Break off, he's raising that sword of his!" Duncan shouted through the radio.
Fireballs the size of the Wind Raiders erupted from the sword's tip. As the Snake King turned his attention to one group another swooped in from behind to litter the ground with more blasts. One of the explosions rocked the sword bearer from his feet, allowing the Wind Raiders to increase the ferocity of their assault.
The Snake King started to wave his sword around furiously, flinging those enormous fireballs around at random. The Wind Raiders spun into circles and swoops, desperately avoiding the Snake King's lethal rain.
"Can't someone shake him off his feet?" Duncan screamed through the radio.
"It's too hard Sir, he's firing off those missiles in every direction."
"I've got a shot Sir!" Another voice announced.
Moments later the fireballs abated. Duncan looked over the side of his Raider to see the Snake Men struggling to their feet.
"Quickly!" he shouted. "Hammer them, set their tails alight!"
The Wind Raiders pushed the Snake Men north. The Snake King waved his sword frantically every so often, but Mekaneck on Duncan's orders, tagged the reptilian monarch every time he tried to fire off a spell.
The Kaetor River came into view as the warriors continued their harassment of the Snake Men.
"Now do we push them East?" Breit asked through the Radio.
Duncan took a moment before answering. "I have a better idea, let's herd them towards Krannok Bridge, when we get them on there take the bridge out from beneath them. That'll save us hours on this duck shoot."
"Aye Sir."
The hapless Snake Men could offer no resistance as they were unwittingly led to a trap. The moment the last Snake Warrior touched upon the Kaetor Bridge a volley of missiles were fired from the Wind Raiders, demolishing the broad timber expanse. Tired, they weakly struggled against the current as it effortlessly swept them east towards the Great Eternian Range.
"Let's return to camp." Duncan instructed; relief evident in his tone.
After touching down outside Ilandra City, Mekaneck hurried over to Duncan.
"So why did we just drop them in the water and leave them?"
"Simple, the Kaetor runs beneath the Eternian Range and into the Eternian Ocean, the Snake Men will simply wash up downriver closer to the Jendor Pass than Ilandra City. It was better than chasing them for hours burning fuel and risking taking a hit from that blighted sword."
"I see, so what do we do now?" Mekaneck asked.
"Well, we've done as He-Man requested, but."
Mekaneck arched an eyebrow clearly visible through his goggles. "But.?"
"Theregin said Teela left with He-Man, I haven't seen her in months and I would like to see her safe and sound as soon as possible. Not to mention finding out why we're chasing queer looking folk into rivers."
"Fine, but we don't know where He-Man and Teela are." Mekaneck said shaking his head.
Duncan smiled a fuzzy smile, "I think we do. Apart from the ocean, what is the one thing that lies beyond the Jendor?"
Mekaneck nodded his head in realisation, it seemed they would be heading for Aohre's Peak.
Chapter 15 - Stalling Tactics
"Here they come!" Meckaneck announced.
"Alright men, to your Wind Raiders and don't forget He-Man's warnings about getting in close!" Man-at-Arms ordered. The pilots scrambled for their vehicles, eager to be doing something.
Clouds of dust kicked up angrily as the engines of the Wind Raiders exploded into life. The mechanical whines picked up in intensity as the 'Raiders jettisoned off into the sky.
"How exactly are we going to slow them down?" Meckaneck asked over his Wind Raider's radio.
We keep pelting the path ahead of them with blaster fire, push them north- east past Ilandra and towards the Jendor Pass in the Eternian Range." Man- at-Arms responded.
"Why don't we just wipe 'em out?" asked Jasem, a new recruit.
"He-Man's request." Answered Duncan. "He doesn't want them killed, just diverted from Ilandra. If we drop them into the North Eternian River then they should be swept right past Kaetor into the mountains."
"He must want all the action for himself, eh?"
Duncan muttered "Kids" under his breath. He swore he could hear Meckaneck chuckling through the radio.
The Snake Men quickly came into view. "Okay everyone let's stay focused on the task at hand, these are a foe not to be taken lightly." Ducncan reiterated. "Meckaneck, Jasem you take the west flank. Mikel, Garon you come in from the south. Breit and I will take them from the east.
"What do you want me to do?" Stratos asked through the intercom.
"Stay clear, if something goes wrong I need you to warn Ilandra."
The Wind Raiders broke off into their groups and surrounded the small group of Snake Men. They opened fire, peppering the ground with laser fire, instinctively their quarrel started north to avoid the onslaught.
"Break off, he's raising that sword of his!" Duncan shouted through the radio.
Fireballs the size of the Wind Raiders erupted from the sword's tip. As the Snake King turned his attention to one group another swooped in from behind to litter the ground with more blasts. One of the explosions rocked the sword bearer from his feet, allowing the Wind Raiders to increase the ferocity of their assault.
The Snake King started to wave his sword around furiously, flinging those enormous fireballs around at random. The Wind Raiders spun into circles and swoops, desperately avoiding the Snake King's lethal rain.
"Can't someone shake him off his feet?" Duncan screamed through the radio.
"It's too hard Sir, he's firing off those missiles in every direction."
"I've got a shot Sir!" Another voice announced.
Moments later the fireballs abated. Duncan looked over the side of his Raider to see the Snake Men struggling to their feet.
"Quickly!" he shouted. "Hammer them, set their tails alight!"
The Wind Raiders pushed the Snake Men north. The Snake King waved his sword frantically every so often, but Mekaneck on Duncan's orders, tagged the reptilian monarch every time he tried to fire off a spell.
The Kaetor River came into view as the warriors continued their harassment of the Snake Men.
"Now do we push them East?" Breit asked through the Radio.
Duncan took a moment before answering. "I have a better idea, let's herd them towards Krannok Bridge, when we get them on there take the bridge out from beneath them. That'll save us hours on this duck shoot."
"Aye Sir."
The hapless Snake Men could offer no resistance as they were unwittingly led to a trap. The moment the last Snake Warrior touched upon the Kaetor Bridge a volley of missiles were fired from the Wind Raiders, demolishing the broad timber expanse. Tired, they weakly struggled against the current as it effortlessly swept them east towards the Great Eternian Range.
"Let's return to camp." Duncan instructed; relief evident in his tone.
After touching down outside Ilandra City, Mekaneck hurried over to Duncan.
"So why did we just drop them in the water and leave them?"
"Simple, the Kaetor runs beneath the Eternian Range and into the Eternian Ocean, the Snake Men will simply wash up downriver closer to the Jendor Pass than Ilandra City. It was better than chasing them for hours burning fuel and risking taking a hit from that blighted sword."
"I see, so what do we do now?" Mekaneck asked.
"Well, we've done as He-Man requested, but."
Mekaneck arched an eyebrow clearly visible through his goggles. "But.?"
"Theregin said Teela left with He-Man, I haven't seen her in months and I would like to see her safe and sound as soon as possible. Not to mention finding out why we're chasing queer looking folk into rivers."
"Fine, but we don't know where He-Man and Teela are." Mekaneck said shaking his head.
Duncan smiled a fuzzy smile, "I think we do. Apart from the ocean, what is the one thing that lies beyond the Jendor?"
Mekaneck nodded his head in realisation, it seemed they would be heading for Aohre's Peak.