Chapter Ten: "The Bluff Plan"
The legion of 800 Spiders marched through the twilight, heading west across the Desert towards the borderlands. Webstor, full of more confidence that he had ever had in his entire life, led them forward under the triple moonlight. Despite this new found confidence, however, Webstor found a few strong doubts dangling in his mind.
An army twice this size had a hard time breaking into Eternos - what hope did these few? It would be difficult, very much so. Did these Spiders he now lead believe they would succeed? Did they really? Webstor found himself developing a new amendment to the plan. They needed a headquarters - a base of operations. A power base.
Looking at his map, he saw a series of mines in the mountains just southwest of their location. It would be perfect. There, they would develop their strength and their power, and then move out again in a few days. Webstor had barely even come with a real plan besides the ol' "run up to the walls and try and knock them down." This would allow Webstor and his army to come up with a stronger strategy - one that would put to use some of their greater skills.
"This way! To the mines in those mountains!" Webstor told his unquestioning followers, as he noted for only a brief moment the town that sat right below those mines . . .
"Ooooooooooohhhhhh!
Who lives in a mountain on the Dark Hemisphere? Skeletor bonehead!
Ugly and blue and skull-faced is he! Skeletor bonehead!
If joining losers is something you wish! Skeletor bonehead!
Then join the gang with Tri-Klops and the man-fish! Skeletor bonehead!
Ooooooohhh!
Skeletor bonehead!
Skeletor bonehead!
Skeletor bonehead!
Skeletor bonehead!"
The whole bar exploded into laughter as Ram-Man, Mekaneck, and Man-E-Faces belted out the last portions of the ol' bar song. Pelicor only snapped his beak and swallowed another peanut from the bowl on the bar.
"What's bugging you?" asked Sy-Klone.
Pelicor examined Sy-Klone's blue face and then sighed. "I am . . . uncomfortable with all this."
"With what? The bar? The battle? Us?"
"Everything. This isn't . . . this isn't at all what I thought it would be, really. Not at all. I was raised in a different society. I . . ."
"You want to be back home, don't you? It's alright."
Pelicor clicked. "To admit that would be sign of weakness."
"Well, I wouldn't worry about that, Pelicor. We're all human on the inside."
"That's what bothers me."
Suddenly, the doors of the bar flew open and a farmer came rushing in. "SPIDERS! A WHOLE ARMY OF SPIDERS - HEADING TO THE MINES!"
The farmer looked to Ram-Man. "You have to help us!"
Ram-Man smiled. "They don't call us the Heroic Warriors for nothing!"
Evil Lynn wrapped the bandage tight around Tri-Klops' arm, then kissed it. "Leave that bandage on for a few days, then you'll be fine."
Tri-Klops nodded. "Thanks."
"So . . . he just started to beat the crap out of you. All of you? Why?"
"I don't know. I mean, Webstor's always been a little out there, but this is certainly an extreme for him. We should have gotten rid of him a long time ago."
Evil Lynn perked an eyebrow. "You know, I said the same to Skeletor about you."
"What? When? Why?"
"Why? Because of what you just said."
"Lynn, please. Loyalty is overrated. Commitment is useless. I look out for me and me alone."
Evil Lynn stood. "Then I suppose we're through then."
"What? No, that's different."
Evil Lynn shook her head. "No. It's not." With that, the mistress of darkness left the room.
"Aw, dammit," Tri-Klops muttered. "We really do need more ladies here. Maybe I should give Catra a call."
"Well, what is this? A migration or something?"
Mekaneck retracted his neck and turned to the others to answer Pelicor's question. It could be told by the look on his face just what this situation was.
"No, I'd say not. It's an army being led by none other than Webstor himself."
"You know, you would think that things at Snake Mountain would settle down with Skeletor not there to rile everyone up," Man-E-Faces commented.
"I do not believe this is the work of Snake Mountain. Logic would dictate a much larger number of Evil Warriors present if that were the case," Roboto replied.
Man-E-Faces spun his head until he reached his Robot mood. "Now that I view this at a more logical stand-point, I find myself in alignment with your frame of thinking, Roboto."
"Whatever the case maybe, we need a plan," Sy-Klone told them.
"I say we block the entrance to mines - keep them in," Ram-Man put in.
"A possibility, for sure," Mekaneck replied. "They stay stuck until back-up gets here."
"If I may interject, I have a different plan," Pelicor suggested.
"Go for it, wings," Ram-Man encouraged.
"Don't call me that. Roboto, what kind of information do you have on the Spiders?"
Roboto paused, circuits closing and opening, files correlating. "The Spiders are isolationists. They have remained in Spider Forest for many years, content with not having any contact with outside species. There have been isolated instances of aggression, but not many. It has been indicated that the Spider population tends to go through 'baby booms' and each time, there are instances of heavy aggression."
"Do you believe that that is what is happening now?" asked Sy-Klone.
"Logic indicates it. It is approximately the timeframe for such a 'baby boom,'" Roboto returned.
"So, I am thinking that none of these warriors have a lot of combat experience."
"That would also be logical."
"Okay." Pelicor clicked his beak. "What about this Webstor? What can you tell me about him?"
"Not much, only that he was kicked out of Spider Forest for reasons unknown," Mekaneck answered. "What's your plan?"
"One moment. Roboto, these warriors - how loyal are they to their leaders? Are there any records showing that?"
"Records show that they are very loyal to their command officer."
Pelicor nodded. "I have a plan, then. We need to get to Webstor and have him order the Spiders to retreat."
"And just how are we going to do that?" questioned Ram-Man.
"I have many ways of convincing people of doing just that. Let me handle Webstor, the rest of you just clear the path."
The others gave each other a curious look, then nodded.
"We'll go your way, Pelicor."
"I don't know about this," said one of the sentries to another. "I would much rather be back up in my web, eating some ripe beetles."
"Tell me about it."
"Don't worry, boys, you'll be there sooner than you realize!" shouted Mekaneck as he led the others right into the entrance. Four stun beams of Roboto and Man-E-Faces later and both sentries were down for the count.
"Okay, now where to?" asked Ram-Man.
"Shhhh! I'm trying to catch sounds on the wind!" Sy-Klone snapped, tilting his head. He pointed down a nearby tunnel. "They're done there. The whole lot of them."
"How do you want to do this, then?"
Mekaneck checked out one of the trains that led into the tunnel. "How about this? Roboto?"
Roboto proceeded to scan the train. "It is in working condition."
"Then let's do it."
Within seconds, the six of them loaded into the train car and shot down the track. They fired along it at a high speed, dipping down, then flying up. Turning hard, sliding right, sliding left. And then, after nearly four minutes, the end of the tunnel became apparent. It had a soft, orange-red glow coming from its entrance and the sounds of moving about could be heard throughout it.
The train came to a grinding inside the huge Spider-filled chamber. Below, all of the Spiders looked up with shock and surprise. Just as suddenly as the train had appeared did the Heroic Warriors leap down from it.
Their fall cushioned by Sy-Klone, the group went to battle.
Roboto unleashed a barrage of laser bolts into the army. Ram-Man slammed himself into anyone that came near him. From Sy-Klone, a mini-tornado threw scores of the Spider army into the air and had them fall upon many of their brethren. Man-E-Faces spiraled from Monster to Robot to Man to take down as many as he could. Mekaneck rammed his club against a few, then pointed to Pelicor.
"There he is!" Mekaneck shouted and pointed to Webstor.
Pelicor's wings unfolded and he launched himself to the lead Spider. Webstor saw this newcomer and unleashed a few web globs at him - all of which missed. Pelicor came down upon Webstor and tossed him into wall.
He then lifted Webstor into the air, his chest pressing against Webstor's back. Pelicor then pulled out a long knife and put it to Webstor's neck.
At that sight, Sy-Klone grabbed hold of Mekaneck's shoulder and whispered: "I don't like this. Not at all."
"Let's see where this is going," Mekaneck held off.
"LISTEN UP!" shouted Pelicor, his voice echoing throughout the mining chamber. "CEASE YOUR ATTACK OR YOUR LEADER DIES NOW!"
All of the Spiders paused, trying to get a handle on the situation, then lowered their weapons in compliance.
"WEBSTOR, ORDER YOUR TROOPS TO RETREAT. NOW."
"Never . . ." hissed Webstor.
Pelicor pressed the knife a little harder against Webstor's neck. "Do it or die."
Sy-Klone looked to Roboto and nodded. Roboto began to lock his stun laser when Mekaneck waved his hand.
"No. I want to wait."
Sy-Klone sighed, then nodded slowly.
"I will never surrender," Webstor grunted.
"Yes you will."
"You're bluffing."
"No, I'm not."
Pelicor pushed the knife against Webstor's neck. A drop of blood leaked.
All of Webstor's eight eyes opened wide. "ALL RIGHT! ALL RIGHT! I SURRENDER! ALL SPIDERS - RETURN TO THE FOREST! IMMEDIATELY!"
The Spiders wavered, as if unsure if this was the right things to do. Although they weren't such an internally aggressive race and most of them had no desire to leave the Forest, this had still been a fairly big endeavor for all them.
"You better listen to him," Mekaneck remarked. "There's more of us on the way. He-Man himself, to boot!"
The Spiders wavered a little more, then began to turn around and leave. They moved quite fast, much faster than expected. They climbed along the chamber walls, along the craggy rocks and then into the tunnels.
"Close one," Mekaneck breathed.
Pelicor came down to the ground and dropped Webstor. Before the Spider could do anything, Pelicor whacked him in the back of the head, knocking him unconscious.
"You thought I would actually do it, didn't you?" questioned Pelicor.
Mekaneck smiled. "No, actually. Not a doubt in my mind." He then turned to Roboto. "Roboto, send for some back-up. Contact Man-At-Arms and tell him we're going to need a Sky-Spy to keep an eye on this army. After that, let them we know we've got one of Snake Mountain's rejects."
"Affirmative," Roboto replied. A small antenna sprung up from his shoulder and a transmission began to go through.
"You did good, kid," Ram-Man told Pelicor. "A little hardcore, but very good."
Much to his surprise, that made Pelicor feel very comforted. For the first time since his exile began, Pelicor began to feel a little less . . . alone.
"I suppose we can offically welcome you then," said Sy-Klone.
"Oh?"
"Yes," Mekaneck continued. "To the Heroic Warriors. We're proud to have you."
