Chapter Eight - "Working On It"

There was a noise. Adam wasn't quite sure who else heard it, but he most certainly did. It was rough, thumping kind of noise that meant something good for him - if what he hoped was true. A rescue team had most assuredly arrived, and would take him, Kathryn, and the rest of the crew from this hot, humid, damp prison and back home to Eternos. And once at Eternos, figure out the backlash of this whole mess.

However, as the door came creaking open, it was no team or strike force that greeted prince of Eternos. It was the form of the green and orange-striped tiger by the name of Cringer. And in his mouth? A set of keys.

"Cringer!" Adam gasped. Cringer leaned forward and dropped the keys into Adam's hands. Quickly, Adam found the right key and opened his cell. "Good boy!"

Cringer nodded, then jerked his head towards the prison door. Adam knew exactly what that meant - the Sword of Power was waiting for him, recovered by this incredibly loyal and increasingly courageous animal.

Adam leaned forward and whispered into Cringer's ear. Cringer did the same. It was no words, they spoke, merely something to throw off the on-lookers among the crew and dear Kathryn.

"What is it?" asked Kathryn.

"He-Man's here," Adam lied. "He wants me to be safe first, then he'll be back for you. All of you."

Adam walked out of the cell, but not before he and Kathryn shared a deep, passionate kiss. "Be careful," she advised.

"You too. I'll be back soon." He turned to Captain Staad, who was in the next cell. "Captain, look after her."

"Yes, sire."

Prince Adam and Cringer left the prison and went to the room beyond it. Just as Cringer's look had said, the Sword of Power sat next to the closed door. Adam went about locking the door that connected this room (an office, he found, with an unconscious Pelicon on the floor) to a corridor.

"BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL . . ." Adam said as quietly as possible. Light and energy washed over and Cringer, transforming them instantly. For just a moment as the power came upon him, blinding him for a mere second, he could have sworn he saw a figure nearby. He ignored, not having any other choice.

"I HAVE THE POWER!"

He-Man stood in Adam's place, huge and hulking. By his side was Battle-Cat, whose sea smell was thankfully gone.

"Thanks, Battle-Cat. Now, let's - "

He-Man stopped in mid-sentence as he turned around. Kathryn stood at the door, eyes wide open, lower lip hanging from her mouth. Her hand was out-stretched, holding the keys. Her hand was shaking, the keys rattling as they did so.

"Adam . . .? You and . . ." She stopped. "You're He-Man?!"

He-Man's breath left his lungs. "No."

"Yes! Yes you are! I saw you change! You forgot the keys and I thought I should bring them . . . and you're He-Man! You're He-Man!"

"Uh . . . then yes. I am."

"Oh! Oh! But . . . how? Why? I don't understand."

There was a stained look of confusion on her tanned face. He-Man sighed. After nearly five years of being He-Man, Teela had yet to figure it out in any way. Kathryn? It's only taken a little over ten days. He-Man put his hands on her shoulders.

"Go back to the cell and sit this out. Yes, I am Prince Adam. Underneath all this muscle and bulk, I am Prince Adam and I love you."

Hearing this from a different voice was strange for Kathryn, and her expression mimicked that oddity. However, she kept listening to him all the same.

"I would like to talk to you all about this, explain it to you. But now is not the time. Later, Kathryn, I promise. But right now, I need you to go back to your cell and just sit this out."

She handed him the keys and nodded obediently. "I will. Just . . . be careful."

He kissed her on the forehead. "I will. Just stick tight."

Kathryn turned around walked through the door and went back to her cell. He-Man turned to Battle-Cat and shook his head.

"Looks like trouble ahead, huh?" asked Battle-Cat.

"When hasn't there been?" groaned He-Man.

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Pelicor stood upon the balcony of his apartment and gazed out upon the sea at it waved and shimmered below the bulky cliffs. Something was wrong . . . very wrong. He felt it deep down to his core. Lord Tanis was being stupid by throwing threats at Eternos, a kingdom they virtually nothing about. And all because of a ship that just happened to be in the area.

Despite the fact that the ship was in the area just about the time of some of the heaviest of Lobsterite assaults might have been just a coincidence. Tanis was just being paranoid. Perhaps it was time to open up to the other peoples of Eternia . . .

But after all this time? After all the work? Pelicor wanted it more than anything - especially now - but it was stupid. The civilians would hate, the High Command already does, and Lord Tanis would never allow it. Reaction was bad enough to Avion contact and the continued secret communication, but to the rest of the world? It would be riots.

Eternos was bad enough. Already people were screaming and shouting in the city.

"This needs to end. This really needs to end."

"I couldn't agree more!" yelled a familiar voice from above.

Nearly thirty Avions came dropping from the starry sky. Pelicor recognized the leader. "Stratos."

Stratos landed, the others dropped to the feet behind him. Pelicor noted two limp humanoid forms being carried by a few of the others.

"Pelicor."

"What are you doing here?"

"I have evidence that Eternos is not involved in this war."

Pelicor clicked his beak. "Where?"

The two limp forms were dropped to the ground. One was a huge Lobsterite, the other a strange fish-man.

"Who are these people?" asked Pelicor.

"Mer-Man, a chief warrior for the Mer-Men; and Clawful, a Lobsterite fighter. They negotiated a secret alliance," Stratos explained. "The Mer-Men supplied the Lobsterites with technology - weapons, ships, and transportation - to defeat you and your people. This was to expand the Mer-Men's empire."

Pelicor considered all this. It did make sense. In fact, it made a lot of sense.

"Okay. What should we - " Pelicor was cut off, suddenly, by a comm-line.

"Warrior-Command Pelicor, this your Secondary!"

"Go ahead, Secondary, this is Pelicor."

"There is a Eternos warrior down here! He's tearing through our security forces! He has some sort of tiger with him!"

"He-Man!" Stratos interrupted. "He's probably here to rescue the prince and the crew of the DiTillo."

"Damn it," Pelicor spat. "Secondary, hold your position. Have a security team come up here immediately tell them we have two very important prisoners waiting. There will be a group of Avions up here as well, but they are in the Great Nest for peaceful business."

"Yes sir."

Pelicor closed the comm-line, then turned to Stratos. "This Man-He? An ally?"

"Yes. And it's He-Man."

"Whatever. The name is awful. Let's go."

Both winged warriors took off, heading towards the location of the disturbance. It didn't take long to find. At the base of the Prison Tower, where several bridges ran together, He-Man and Battle-Cat were fighting off legions of Pelicons.

"Stand down!" roared Pelicons to the battling Pelicons. "STAND DOWN!"

This was it - he realized - this was the day that would finally expose the Pelicons to the rest of the world. Great Ones save them, this was the day.

"He-Man, you must stop!" shouted Stratos from behind Pelicor.

He-Man halted in mid-swing and looked up at his Avion friend. "Stratos? What is going on?"

Pelicor landed in front of He-Man, Stratos by his side. Behind them, the legion of Pelicons stopped in their attacks and stood at attention.

"These are the Pelicons. An isolationist people," Stratos explained. "They are at war with the Lobsterites due to what happened with the Spirit of Evil."

At that name, Pelicor snapped his beak, but said nothing.

Stratos continued. "Someone is aiding the Lobsterites. They thought it was Eternos, but they are wrong."

"Who is it?" asked He-Man.

"The Mer-Men."

He-Man grunted. "Okay. That makes sense. What can I do?"

Suddenly, thunderous explosions echoed through the cliffs across the cape. Loud alarms sounded throughout the city. Pelicor's pure black eyes grew wide and he made a low, guttural sound.

"The Lobsterites," he told He-Man and Stratos. "We need to see the High Command. Immediately."

The four rushed across one of the bridges. As they did, Pelicor began to shout orders through the communicator on his wrist as well as receive reports. Battle-Cat hurried behind all three of them, moving with them as one.

At long last, they arrived at the High Command Tower and entered it. They ran up the stairs as fast as their legs could take them - people parting as they moved. Finally - they reached the Main Chamber. Pelicor threw the doors open and the High Command cawed in shocked - not just at the action, but at the sight of a Man, an Avion, and a tiger coming behind him.

Pelicor spoke. "High Command! Excuse this interruption, but there is a emergency unfolding as we speak."

Lord Tanis was on his feet immediately, wings unfolding from his back in a display of aggressiveness. "Pelicor! Who are these people?"

"This is He-Man, a warrior of Eternos; and this is Lord Stratos of Avion."

Tanis snarled. "What are they doing here?"

"Eternos is not to blame for the attacks. It was not them who supplied the Lobsterites with the technology to fight us. It came from the Mer-Men."

"Where is your evidence?" asked one of the other members of the High Command, Lord Nur.

"It comes in the form of Mer-Man and Clawful, two allies from Snake Mountain who negotiated the treaty."

"And have you heard the evidence?" asked Reed, a tall, beautiful female member of the High Command.

Pelicor paused, struggling a little. "I have not. However, I trust Stratos and he trusts the evidence from the Mer-Men."

"Impossible. Nothing can be trusted. Especially from . . . outsiders," Tanis brushed away. There were a few murmurs and clicks from the High Command at that comment.

"Listen to me! Your city is under attack! We can help you!" He-Man pleaded.

"Yes," Stratos followed up. "There is a squad of warriors from Heroic Warriors. They were coming to rescue the crew and the passengers, but they can easily be talked into helping you."

"NEVER!" cried Tanis, and now he was standing, feathers bristling.

"Lord Tanis, the time of isolation is over," Pelicor told him, not really knowing where he words were coming from. "We must make allies while we can. The world will know about us. You can not keep us in hiding forever."

"Stand down, Pelicor," Tanis advised grimly.

"No. And since I command the troops and since they are bound by honor to me, they will fight alongside those of Eternos. If you have a problem with that, then we shall we settle it after the fighting is over."

With that, Pelicor turned away and left. He-Man, Stratos and Battle-Cat followed in succession.

-----------

Between the cliffs and the Great Nest, sitting the middle of the water, was a great line of rocks and shoals. It was here that the battle would be fought. Already, Lobsterites were crawling all over them, their huge clawed hangs sweeping into the sky and Pelicons attacked them from above.

"The key to this will be a group victory," Pelicor told He-Man.

"I agree. According the transmission Stratos got from Man-At-Arms, the squad is less than half-an-hour away. We'll need to keep them occupied until then." Both fell silent as the barrage of explosions from the water continued. "You still don't trust us, do you?"

"No. I don't. But I'm a warrior, He-Man. I know right from wrong. And I know that Stratos is right and that Tanis is wrong. Great Ones help me, I know it."

"What's going to happen to you, Pelicor, for going against the High Command?"

"Will I be put to death? No. Exiled? Most likely."

"Where will you go?"

"I don't know."

Silence again. Stratos then appeared. With him were the Avions, the crew of DiTillo, and Roboto. The DiTillo itself, which had just been brought to the Great Nest's harbor an hour before the attack began, was prepped for battle.

"Do we have a plan?"

"Yes," Pelicor answered. "We're going in and we're taking down the leader - General Cora. Once he goes, the rest of the army will fall apart. Lobsterites aren't very smart. Those that are are the leaders."

"Captain Staad? Is your crew up to this?" asked He-Man.

"You're damn sure they are, He-Man."

He-Man smiled. But inwardly, he going nuts. Battle-Cat was with Kathryn in Pelicor's apartment, but he couldn't even imagine what she was going through. He regretted ever bringing her with him. Especially considering everything that has happened. At least this meant there were no skeletons in the closest. (That made him internally laugh - a pun was rare for He-Man.)

"Let's go."

The Avions, the crew, and the three Heroic Warriors boarded the DiTillo and set up for the line rocks and shoals. In the air, the late night sky was filled with white figures - an army of Pelicons, all heading towards the battleground.

The DiTillo opened fire on the Lobsterites, blasting smoke into the air from the explosions. Groups of Lobsterites were thrown from the rocks - but only to return not a few minutes later, no worse for wear. Roboto aimed very carefully with his energy beams and rockets, blasting each and every target he aimed on.

The DiTillo came into position and laid down the cover fire the Avions needed. Stratos and the Avions lifted He-Man and Roboto and carried them to the line of rocks and shoals.

As soon as they landed, the group opened fire. The Avions unleashed a barrage of missiles at the Lobsterites, and some released their daggers and spears. The huge, red and pink armored creatures surged froward, only to meet with either explosions or a sharp end.

Roboto fired wildly as he locked targets and blasted. A series of small energy particles illuminated the area around him.

He-Man surged forward, slamming into Lobsterites left and right. All around him, at this point, Pelicons were landing and engaging the enemy with such stark ferocity. Caws, clicks, and roars were heard from all across the rocks and shoals - and there was also the subtle sound of water.

"HE-MAN!" cried Stratos, pointing at the water beyond the rocks.

Ships suddenly blasted from the ocean, all in the design of fish. There were at least fifty of them, and each one looked armed to the teeth.

He-Man looked over at Pelicor as he knocked another Lobsterite to the ground with a wild punch. Pelicor was screaming orders at his soldiers, and pointing frantically at the ships. The Pelicons were scattered and looked completely unsure as what to do about this.

And then something happened.

Three of the ships exploded.

Eight Wind-Raiders, twelve Talon Fighters and twenty Air Chariots flew overhead, firing at will at the ships in the employ of the Lobsterites. The ships were shattered in bursting infernos of smoke and flame.

Like a great wave, the Pelicons released themselves fully and with incredible force upon the Lobsterites. He-Man was at their side, fighting onward, pushing the Lobsterites back into the water, and into the beginnings of a retreat.

Just then, He-Man felt a claw snap around his neck and lift him up. Instinctively, he knew. It was General Cora.

"LOOK AT WHAT I CAUGHT!" shouted General Cora, squeezing He-Man's neck.

"Put him down!" Pelicor declared and rammed himself against General Cora. The claw opened and He-Man tumbled to the ground, hand on his neck and wheezing.

He watched as the huge, Clawful-like General Cora snapped wildly at Pelicor. Pelicor hovered above him, legs bents, hands up above his head, beak open - screeching the whole time.

Pelicor swiped his fists at General Cora, then ducked beneath a snip of Cora's claws. However, Pelicor was not fast enough - Cora got hold of Pelicor's wing. Pelicor struggled wildly against the painful grip, cawing loudly.

He-Man spun and found a fallen dagger sitting on the ground. He picked it up, aimed, and then threw it. It landed in General Cora's upper arm, spraying blood and releasing his hold on Pelicor. Pelicor went tumbling down, but jumped back up and began to beat General Cora senseless at a remarkable speed. His wings flapped up, smacking General Cora's claw away and Pelicor's fists slammed into Cora's face.

And then . . . General Cora fell.

As soon as he did, He-Man and Pelicor looked around and saw that the lines were breaking. The air support from Eternos had dealt with the ships quite thoroughly.

Pelicor lifted his fist and began to caw in victory.

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Shortly before noon the next day, Pelicor walked into the Main Chamber. The casualties yesterday were fairly light and it was obvious that the Lobsterites were done with this war - for a while, at least. The party from Eternos was loading up, preparing to leave this afternoon. They all refused to go until after this was over.

They considered Pelicor an ally - and the Warrior-Commander was far more touched by this than he let on. However, despite that honor, he would give it all back not be standing here today. Lord Tanis began to speak.

"Warrior-Commander Pelicon of the Great Nest, the High Command has prepared judgement on you. We have reviewed all of the evidence from interrogations from this morning with Clawful and Mer-Man to the record of last night's events with the forces of Eternos aiding us. We find that your judgement last night was - " Tanis grunted, as if he didn't believe but was forced to. " - was completely correct. However, we can not ignore that you went about this business against the will of the High Commander. Therefore, we are forced to punish you."

"I accept, Lord Tanis."

"By the laws of honor set forth by the Great Ones, you are to be exiled from the Great Nest. You shall have no contact with any Pelicons after midnight tonight under risk of further, more brutal punishment. Your title will remain, though it will have no weight or impact here or to any Pelicon."

Pelicon nodded. "I accept, and shall place myself into exile."

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A few hours later, as all of Pelicor's things were packed onto a transport ship that had sat north of the Great Nest, He-Man approached him with Stratos.

"Pelicor, I'm sorry," He-Man apologized.

"Don't be, He-Man. What I did, I did for my people," Pelicor answered both honestly and emotionlessly.

"I understand that. And that's why I'm here to offer you a place in the Heroic Warriors," He-Man replied.

Pelicor considered it. He was a warrior and there would be no peace for him unless it meant a return home. And as a Heroic Warrior, he may be able to dispel the lies that he was taught for years . . .

"Yes. I will join you."

"Good! We'll be happy to have you!"

Nearly an hour later, the transport ship took off, headed back to Eternos. The DiTillo would also be heading back, without it's royal guests, and would be returning within the next week. Before leaving, He-Man transformed himself back into Adam, then entered the transport.

The transport itself was a fairly large, four level ship with small compartments for resting and relaxing as well as huge storage bays. It didn't take long to find the had Kathryn in it. It was time to talk things out.

"Kathryn?" he asked, entering the small compartment. She was sitting on the single bench-seat, looking out the window when he came in.

"Adam, I was . . . I had to lie. Man-At-Arms helped," she told him, not really sure what else to say.

"I guess I owe you an explanation," he returned and shut the door.

"Yeah, I think you do." She paused. "Are you He-Man?"

"Yes."

"How?"

Adam told her the story. About how, right before his sixteenth birthday, he received the Sword of Power and was transformed into He-Man. And that when he was needed, it would not be hard. She took all in with no questions and completely interest. When he was done, she turned her attention back to the window and didn't say anything for a minute or two. Adam thought it was over right then and there, and then she talked.

Facing him, eyes locked on his, Kathryn told Adam the words they had waited a while to say.

"I love you, Adam," she said.

Adam felt dizzy and warm inside at that. "I love you too."

"And I'm okay this He-Man thing, even if I still don't completely understand how it's possible. Well, maybe not completely okay . . . but I'd like to be. I love you, Adam, and I want this to work."

"Yeah. Me too."

She put her hand on his. "Then let's make it easy. Tell me everything about it and I'll do my best to swallow it and figure out how I feel about it." Kathryn kissed him. "I love you and I want to be with you."

"Are you sure?" asked Adam.

"Yes," Kathryn said with a grin. "Who wouldn't want to be going out with the most powerful man in the universe?"