Schwenk stirred inside his dank home that was the cave. It was now two days since Myra had
Last visited. The food had run out the day before and water was low. He stretched his stiff muscles and stepped outside the cave. The day was warm and fair, sunbeams shafting through the trees.
Myra hurried through the woods back to the cave. Now there was trouble. Things where fine, they both could forget stuff like this. As she reached the cave she was thinking about Bengali said about Schwenk.
Schwenk heard a crack of twigs and rustle of leaves. He hid behind a tree and saw it was Myra.
He heart jumped with joy. As she walked past his tree he jumped on her back.
"Bring back any memories?"
Myra fell at the force of him jumping on him she laughed, and rolled on her back.
"Depends which memory…of the one either me kicking your ass or pushing you in to the creek" she replied.
"Mmm, good point." he said, getting up.
"Got any food? What's the news from ol' whitey "? He laughed.
Myra sat up. She gave him some food she brought with her.
"Thank God for that!" he eagerly waited for the food.
"So...what's new?"
"Well" she sighed. "The Thundercats are coming to Third Earth today. Plus someone called Shula
Is coming from Bengalia"
The color drained from Schwenk already pale face. "No. I was happy for once…." He thought, the past catching up with him. "What? How many Thundercats... Sh. Sh..Shula?" he stuttered, visibly shaken by the news.
Myra sighed. "Lion-O, Tygra, Panthro, Cheetara are coming to Third Earth. That's every single Thundercat. Bengali gets in touch with this Shula. A Schwenk Expert?"
"Oh, I know who Shula is!" he started shaking nervously.
"Who is he?" Myra asked.
"OK... you know what happened on Selestene, right?"
Myra nodded slowly.
"You will probably remember that an adolescent came to me ready to give me information to allow the 150 innocent people to go. The same adolescent that then, had to watch the ensuing carnage. He was allowed to live to spread the 'Lesson of Schwenk'... the adolescent, that's Shula!"
"Oh geez this is bad...we got to think of something..." she said. Her eyes shot open. She looked at him intently.
"I have a idea. But I can't do it if I don't know where I stand, or even if I could be in danger. From you."
Schwenk's jaw dropped open "You still don't trust me? But..." his head swung away again "Maybe I understand how you feel. You know, with Shula on his way, maybe I should go to the Lair, throw myself at the mercy of Bengali...he might lock me up again, eh?"
"Don't do that me! She exclaimed. "What I am saying is I need to where I stand in your heart Schwenk. This is moving very fast. What I was going to suggest would change everything, if we do it now. Also you are known of hating cats, and killing them...not I am questioning your past but more why me of all people?"
"Oh Myra...I don't honestly know, I wish I did. You are different and special, I could no more harm you now than...cut my own legs off, I don't know, bad analogy at short notice...but I mean it Myra. I could never harm you! If you are worried though, especially with the consequences, how about taking me back to Bengali, hmmm?"
"I never meant that and you know it " she exclaimed.
"But I'm serious Myra, with Shula on the scene everything changes... suddenly a cell in the lair doesn't seem too bad. After all, a noble Thundercat won't kill me or anything... please, it could work!"
"I have another idea. I have my own ship. You knew that from spying on the lair. You kidnap me, and you took me to my ship and then bang, we are away. The only request I have is that you tell the Thundercats that you kidnapped me after we get away show me all roughed up so it looks genuine. Its just easier on my family that's all "
Schwenk thought about this for a moment. "You'd do that for me?" he asked. "Problem is, the Thundercats and Shula will follow us... I don't know if we can outrun them even for a short while?" he put his head in his hands. "I don't know Myra, maybe I should just let you go back to them, you'd be safer there...I'll take my chances"
"Well Shula wont be here for another day. How did you get here do you have anything on your ship to get away from the Thundercats? "
A small tear ran down Schwenk's cheek. He embraced her and squeezed. "Oh Myra! I don't deserve you, truly I don't...I'm so scared!"
Do you have anything handy to deter them from our ion trial or cloaking device we could use?"
He shook his head "There's nothing left, it was all destroyed in the crash that brought me here...besides, Shula has followed me this far even with what I had"
"Right, how about we find the nearest trading post, ditch this ship buy a new one and off we go. Father left some gems and minerals which are very high in value as the where native to the old Thundera"
Schwenk looked at her in something approaching amazement. He smiled weakly "You don't give up do you? Here's a plan. They're going to have a search party right, and you'll be part of that...well, volunteer to do this sector, then say nothing here...that will buy us a lot of time!"
"True. But the Thundercats leave Thundera tomorrow. Shula will arrive the next day. We should leave now while we have the time."
"If that happens we'll all be in space at the same time...that would be fatal. No, we need something better... Myra, you could... kill me!"
"I could slap you know when you say crap like that! We have one day to get away and change our ship and then that's it. We wont get away any either way. Lion-O could use the eye of Thundera to locate wherever you are on third earth. So it's no good staying here"
"No, no, no! I might like you Myra, but not that much. I mean that they won't bother looking for me if I'm dead...or at least look dead. You have my clothes, DNA and to them, a motive. It's foolproof! We just need to work out the details. If we leave by your ship, Bengali will work it out smartish and we'll be found so very fast. But it was a smart plan missy! Shall we agree a plan to 'Save the Schwenk'?"
Myra got in front of him, holding on his jacket. She looked at him intently.
"Erm...the plan to save me is...having sex? If you're thinking about saving me through having my child, it might be of no consolation to me"
"What? Are you kidding? Do humans have a one track mind or something?"
"What? I'm a guy! Ask any man! …. Oh, I have just had an idea...OK; bear with me on this one! If my death is faked right, You could, in theory shred my clothes and get them bloody...sure it'll hurt, but it will be realistic...then, you could say that most of my remains fell in a river and disappeared... pretty smart, huh?"
"Ok, like I just didn't think of that idea…"
"Do you think you'll be up to it? After all, you are going to have to inflict some nasty damage on me...and you're going to have to help me get stitched up and I'll need medical care... have you got that nasty streak in you?"
Myra pointed her index finger, flexing her claw out. And it glided over his jacket, snapping his buttons off. "I think so."
Schwenk laughed nervously. "Even though this is my idea, I don't know where to begin...you'd better just make the moves...and Myra, you've got to be brutal, no matter how much I scream etc"
"Ok" she said looking at him nervously. She hoped she wouldn't go too far.
Myra suddenly though had a thought. "You have to hurt me as well you know. I have to look like you put a fight a bit"
"Hmm, OK. I'll punch you a couple of times and generally rough you up a bit... are you OK with that?"
"... I guess"
"Well" Schwenk said nervously "You'd better start before I change my mind" he squinted his eyes, awaiting the onslaught.
"Ok." Replied Myra just as nervous. She flexed claws out. She approached him. She slowly raised her left hand, and swiped his chest, ripping his Jacket and vest apart, reveling his chest, although it started to bleed from the scratch marks.
Schwenk winced slightly, more at the sound of ripping clothes than from pain. "You're going to have to do better than that...pussy!" Schwenk deliberately trying to provoke Myra, he thought she was being a little too cautious.
"I can't"
"You can…you have to Myra!"
Myra sighed deeply. She closed her eyes and thought of the one time she consumed by total hatred and anger. She had to keep going. She now raised both hands, claws fully flexed. She took random and furious swipes at him, ripping at what was left of his clothes. Myra's claws were taking more of a toll on Schwenk, but he still felt there was something missing, so he took an opportunity and hit her round the side of face with the back of his hand.
As he hit her, she head spun round at the force of hit, and she spat out the resulting blood. He kicked in some feral instincts in her, and they took over a little. She punched back, and then elbowed him in the stomach.
Schwenk grabbed her arms and held them behind her; her face was now an inch from his "What now?" she wrestled with him a bit, but he held his grip tightly, not letting go. She looked at him.
"What do you think?"
"Let your imagination run wild" he smiled and grimaced at the same time.
She wrestled even more with his grip, and then proceeded to scratch deeply at his hands to get free.
"Ahh, you bitch!" he winced. He brought his to hers in a head butt...he deliberately avoided her nose, and hit her cheek instead. "I'm surprised you haven't used your teeth yet...you are an animal after all!"
She smiled at him, wincing from the head butt. "I hadn't forgotten." she said, and went for his neck, biting, working her way across his chest, the taste of blood prominent in her mouth. She cocked her leg over his waist, hitting the base of his back hard with the heel of her boot.
The pain was unendurable. Schwenk's world was filled with a fiery, blood red pain. Schwenk collapsed to the floor, he attempted to grab her, as he had done in the woods, but she was ready this time and moved. He managed a couple of punches to her stomach. "You fight
Like...like...such...a...girl!" he spat out some blood.
Myra was unsure on what to say. This was weird for her; She never embarked on this side of her before. She pinned him down easily on the floor and elbowed him full in the stomach, and stood overhead, her feet either side. She kicked a sideswipe across his face, and staggered back, holding her stomach from the pain, slumping to the floor.
The last kick across the face was enough for Schwenk. The pain was too much and he burst into tears, the salty tears burning in his facial wounds. He couldn't even manage to speak; he hoped the bloody clothes were bloody enough.
Myra hobbled to him, and held him close, his blood smearing across her clothes. "Can we stop now?" she pleaded.
Schwenk nodded slowly, unable to utter a word.
Schwenk leaned closer to her, and whispered, "I'm proud of you! I hope you can do first aid" he smiled weakly.
"A little" she replied. She helped him out and sat him down inside the cave.
She went over to her bag and took out a small med pack. She walked back. She opened it she looked at him.
"Where have I hurt you the most?" she asked.
Schwenk wandered his hand over his body and pointed to an area near his right hip "That's the bit you didn't hurt" he winked. "Stitch the bleeders first"
Myra nodded and smiled. She then stitched up and bandaged wherever was needed. Once that was done, she started to dab antiseptic on his face. She looked at him. "Do you think I have been roughed up enough, or do I need more?"
"I...can't" he offered weakly "I'm a beaten man...fell free to feast on my flesh now, I am defeated!"
Myra put the antiseptic away, shaking her head, laughing. She wished a little she didn't go as far as she did.
"She sat down in front of him. "What now?"
"We need to get the story straight. OK, I'm assuming there is a vague notion of trust; they have no reason to disbelieve you, right? Think of somewhere near a large, deep river, preferably a bridge or something. I jumped you, we fought, you clawed off most of my top, and I then stumbled back and tumbled into the raging river and sank, never to resurface. Anything else you could add?"
"Nope…. oh…How about you tried to rape me? That's why I killed you in desperation"
"Hell why not? It can't get any worse for me, right?"
Myra laughed. "Well I have look a bit more beaten then this, so it looks like your overcome me"
"Can't help you there Myra, I'm not hitting you again" he grinned
"I can't do it myself!" she said helpless. "This will have to do then"
"I'd love to help Myra, but...I cannot hurt you again, you're so beautiful"
"God I should beat you up more often!"
Schwenk took the chance and slapped hard in the face. "I'm so sorry, Myra, I had to catch you off guard, it will bruise more naturally now" he looked horrified at what he had just done.
"Its ok" she said rubbing her face, coughing, getting her breath back.
" He stood up. "Want to take a walk with me...somewhere nice maybe...ask me any questions you have on your mind?"
Myra nodded. "Ok" she said helping him up.
"Any suggestions as to where to go?"
"How about in the woods…. The creek?" keeps us out of sound and sight" she said.
"OK, there's a fair bit of woods around here I've noticed" Schwenk walked into the woods with Myra. "Oh, you'd better take my bloodied clothes, wouldn't want to do that for no reason"
Myra nodded and gathered his shredded clothes, putting them in her satchel, and followed Schwenk deeper in the woods until they reached the creek. Schwenk slumped down on the
Ground, and Myra stood close by, watching the water race by.
"Oh, by the way...what do I taste like?"
"What?" she said. She then touched the dried blood on her lips and around her mouth. "Salty" she replied with a sarcastic smirk.
"It adds the effect anyway" she shrugged.
"Slightly disturbing though, isn't it? At this moment in time there is a small piece of Gaston Schwenk inside your stomach,
Slowly being digested...and from there, we all know where that leads" he raised an eyebrow.
"Don't say it like that. I did because you wanted me to. I really didn't enjoy it. I much rather would of been doing something else."
Schwenk laughed, "You ate me, hah! That's a weird thing to say! When I asked you about going to Bengali to plead for mercy, you never answered...why?"
Myra looked uncomfortable. "He has his heart on giving you something else rather then Mercy. I had tried my best to reason with him and not to arouse suspicion at the same time, but the hothead wont simply listen"
"You spoke with him about me...what did he say? About me?"
"He doesn't like you. He sees you as prey. Prey he must claim before Shula."
"That's disturbing...two alpha males fighting over me...if I was a girlie I'd be flattered I guess"
Myra chuckled. "That's why we have to get away as soon as"
"Hmmm. Do you think this fake death will work with the Thundercats?"
"I honestly don't know. I would rather take my chances with the ship, they do a search to look for you "body" anyway, knowing Shula or Bengali."
"Shula for sure...but no, we cannot run. To do that now would mean all this was in vain" he said pointing to the bloodied bandages.
"We'll sit tight and hope they fall for it...there is Shula of course..."
"I know, we need to think of something. Would he fall for this?"
Schwenk avoided eye contact with Myra, his shoulders slumped "I doubt it... if nothing else he is persistent. It's just...just that all my other colleagues and friends have been caught by Shula and..."
Myra's shoulders sank. "What do we do? Fight?"
"Fight? How, he's practically indestructible! Now he's going to have help from your buddies too."
"Well what can we do?"
"Not sure... just hope he never finds me I guess"
Myra stood still. "What do you do now?"
She said wanting to forget really about Shula for a little while.
"I need to find a new home...somewhere closer to the lair, I need to be able to see and hear what's happening. Any thoughts?"
"Hey! How about the ship? They wouldn't know you where there, and wouldn't think to look there either?"
"Cool! Can I monitor the transmissions from there?"
"Yes, I can give you the frequency to monitor. They wont find you in the woods, when Shula and the Thundercats leave, I ask to leave to visit my family, then off we go the planet of cocktails and Ahem."
Schwenk hugged Myra as hard as he could. "You're a genius!" he beamed "Why they've never made you a Thundercat I will never know...it's their loss and my gain!"
Myra hugged reluctantly back. "I have found my path"
"Take me there."
Myra started through the forest leading Schwenk to her ship.
"I bet there are. Beds are comfy there" he winked.
"They are to die for on my ship," she said. "I have lived there for a few years mind"
Hope you've cleaned up all the fur balls" he sniggered
Myra laughed back. She found herself liking his cheekiness about him. It made her laugh.
"Oh, and a hot bath!" he rolled his eyes.
"Hang on I will install a spa," she laughed.
"A spa...I'm assuming that doesn't mean you'll be farting in the tub"
"No, ladies don't fart in the bath!
"Nah, they do it everywhere else!"
She slapped him across his arm.
"How close is it to the lair?"
I set it down just around the back. Its in a blank spot for their scanners I found, as they never knew I landed it there,"
She chuckled. I think it's because of the natural field of the lair or something."
"And they never visit there, right?"
Myra shrugged, "No"
"OH, I may need some new threads. Mine got damaged by a mad woman!"
"I think father may of left some clothes on the ship. Help yourself."
"Something in black would be nice"
"No time to be fussy"
"Ah hem. If I do meet my nemesis, I want to look good, not all tweed an leather patches!"
"Thunderain fashion is not that bad, I assure you."
"I did have a really nice jacket and that..." he looked glum.
"There will be everything you need on there. "
"Everything?"
"Well food, water, clothes. The lairs frequency, anything else?"
"A sexy kitten that wants some Gaston fun!"
"Failing that, you would do"
She slapped him "cheeky sod."
"Well, better wiggle your cute butt to your ship then" he said slapping her backside, narrowly missing her claws and growl in response to his slap.
"Have you got any food and drink on board?"
"I should think so," she said, walking ahead. "I hadn't emptied the docking bay yet, so I should do"
"How long has it been sitting there then?"
"The ship? About nine months. The food on there is tinned or frozen, so don't worry"
"Oh...yum, yum" he pulled a face. "A nice hot bubble bath, glass of champagne and a cigar...hell yeah!"
"Gee you don't want much huh?"
"You're the lady that can I reckon...I bet they eat like kings in that lair of theirs"
"Its not as lavish as you make it out to be, honestly"
"Oh, really. Take Bengali, he's a big bloke, what does he eat to stay in his prime?"
"Well the normal things a Human eats really. Meat - a lot of meat. And veg all well all sorts of things."
"Can't you steal some of that fresh food then?"
"I don't know, I don't really want to risk it, plus Snarf has this annoying habit of stocktaking everything. I will see what I can do"
"Don't worry about Snarf's...just put a dab of poison on one of their special meals and whammo, no more stocktaking" he laughed.
"Hmmm, Snarf's...covered in red fur, irritating high voice and clumsy...are you a Snarf my dear?" he looked innocently.
"No. Are you a stupid monkain relative?"
"Touché! Well thought out...you probably need a nap now after all that brain work" he giggled
Myra hissed at him but smirked, and carried on walk until they approached the ship. It was right at the back of the lair, so they had to be quick and quiet.
"Not a bad looking vessel really...never broken any records I bet" Schwenk whispered.
Haven't tried to in all honestly. She can pack a punch. She was originally a trade ship years ago, but traveling through space, she changed and upgraded to defend herself. And this is the end result!" she said entering the array of the ships bridge, after managing to get on the ship.
"Well, if you want some upgrades doing...I'm your man...maybe I'll have a look for you" Schwenk said looking around.
"Great, it will keep you busy while Shula and the Thundercats are here"
"Yes, maybe we can upgrade the weapons to blow the cat's lair into small pieces...how about it?"
"There is no need, and its a waste of resources." she replied, folding her arms.
"It'd solve our problems...or do I detect a moral dilemma in your eyes?"
"No it wouldn't, plus it will be illogical. If we destroy that lair, we will be caught within a day, every known thunderian hunting us down. I would prefer just to slip away. I want to do this for us, and that's the only reason. Not revenge."
Schwenk rolled his eyes a little "Not quite over to the dark side yet." he said softly. "OK, if I can't get what I want here, how about you show me the bed arrangements so I can get what I want there" he licked his lips.
Myra rolled her eyes a little. "You have to start to think of more then one thing in that little head of yours, then that Schwenk"
"I need a drink, are you offering?"
"Looks like I am" she said, and walked off to the docking bay. She gathered some water for her, and something Alcoholic for him. " I bring an offering of alcohol," she declared, walking back in the bridge.
"Thatta girl. Something lovely I hope" he smiled.
"Humans call it vodka. We call it tulla" she smiled.
"Be careful, it's strong," she warned giving him a glass.
"Here's to tulla!" he took a swing and felt it burn all the way down. "Lovely!"
"Cheers" she said taking a sip of water.
"Only drinking water?"
"Don't want Bengali to smell Tulla on me, he won't believe our little story then" she pointed out.
"Ahh, good point. Let's have another one" he took another swig and now his eyes started to swirl.
"I think you should lie down. One cup of that stuff, is near enough a bottle of Human Vodka"
"Whassamater, Moora. Think I can't hold my drink" Schwenk stumbled sideways into the wall.
"Sit down on the chair please Schwenk," she pleaded, hoping it will knock him out soon.
"Hee Hee hee! This is lubbly. You know what..hmm, you know what right...erm...oh yeah. Shula could bite my head clean orf and I probably wouldn't feel a thing! Hee hee hee hee" he slumped in the chair and started giggling.
Myra tried her best to stifle laughs. Two swigs and Gaston Schwenk is drunk. She put a cover over him. " Try and get some rest. I am going to put the first part of the plan in to action," she said.
"Nitey nite moo-moo"
"Nity nite" she replied.
"Their loss may be your gain, although you are mistaken. It is my gain therefore it is YOUR loss Gaston" she smiled to herself.
Myra made sure he was comfortable. She left him some anti acids and a note how to keep him undiscovered and that she would be back as soon as it has passed, she didn't want to raise suspicions sneaking in there. She caught herself in a nearby mirror.
Her clothes were torn and matted with his blood. His blood was dried around her mouth. Burses covered her face. "Time to finish this off" she thought. She left the left the ship, and secured it.