Myra sat down to the rest of the group of Thundercats. She looked at them all. She felt sad, as her heart sank. This was more then likely the last meal she would have with any of them. She ate quietly, while everyone chatted. She brought the cylinder Schwenk gave her at the beginning of this. Now it had a use. She installed a transmitter to the ship, giving Schwenk the signal to go for it. It was attached to her belt, looked one of her accessories on her belt. Nerves filled her from the bottom of her stomach, as she looked on to her Thunderians, her friends. Was she doing the right thing? Now was her last chance to back out. She hadn't sent the transmission yet, and she had to make a decision. Myra sighed to herself. She had to do this. She spent year's preparing for this day, and no Thundercat or anyone was going to come in between this. She wanted it too much. It has spent the last few years consuming her to this stage where she couldn't think straight. " Imp so sorry" she thought to herself to the Thundercats, looking at the table, pressing the transmitter under the table.
Schwenk received the signal and ran towards Shula's ship. Schwenk himself was dressed in black and he kept to the darker areas of the undergrowth...just to be sure. As he approached Shula's ship his stomach started twisting and he felt a little overcome. He had never before entertained the idea of willingly walking on his ship. The main door was unlocked and Schwenk slipped in. He glanced around, not knowing exactly where to start. He decided on the power control relays. He severed them and started to leave the ship, he then looked to his right and saw Shula's small quarters, in a moment of malevolence he took down a picture on the wall, presumably some loved ones and smashed the frame on the floor. He then ripped the photo into small shreds. With a smile on his face he left the ship and headed for the lair. The lair was open; Myra had done a good job of not securing the doors. He headed for the main power generation area; it was right where Myra said it was going to be. He his himself in the shadows and pressed the communicators button.
Myra looked down at the transmitter. It was signaling her to do the last part of the plan. That means Shula's ship is disabled as well as Lion-O's, Thanks to her earlier today. Her head blanking out all remaining reason as she stood up. "I'm not feeling well, I think I am going to have a lay down in my room" she smiled. Once she was excused she left the dinning room, not looking back, feeling eyes looking at her. Cheetara took a bit of food following her with her eyes. She signaled a worried look to Lion-O. Something was amiss. Lion-O nodded back. Myra walked in the direction of the sleeping chambers but diverted to the generator room at the last corridor. She ran there until she entered, and weakly smiled to Schwenk.
"OK, last lap Myra! Let's get this cell and let's get the hell off this rock!"
Myra nodded, and helped Schwenk remove the power cells needed on the ship. "Now remember if we get caught, I am your hostage, it will spare my family some upset if you see where I am coming from. That's all I ask of you in that respect. I have messed up my room, so it all falls in to place. Just makes convincing" she said standing up.
"Myra, you would be the best hostage ever!" he smiled warmly." Where's the quick way out?"
"Through the Meeting chambers, we have to be quick and quiet." She said. She then left with Schwenk, making her way to the entrance of the lair, her heart pounding the whole time.
Schwenk followed Myra, who was quick all the way. They paused briefly just outside, the Lair "What's that noise?" Schwenk asked, slightly nervously.
"I don't know, grab my arm in case we are caught," she hissed.
The pair ran as quick as they could, then, a huge roar came from behind.
"I said stop..." Lion-O said firmly, his sword extended ready for any battle. Bengali was standing ready with lion-O, his weapon ready. "What are you doing with Myra?" Bengali hissed.
"Keep back! Don't try anything stupid or she'll be dead before she hits the ground!" Schwenk hissed back.
"He's bluffing!" Shula said, standing nonchalantly next to Lion-O "he's a coward, let me deal with him!" his eyes narrowed as he stared at Schwenk.
"Do something to make it convincing" Myra whispered.
Lion-O stood forward. "Let her go, I don't think you want to harm her"
Schwenk moved his pistol from her side to in her mouth. "Really? You a gambling man Lion-O? Don't listen to Shula, he'll sacrifice anybody's life to get to me...he has no value on life except his own!"
"That's not true Schwenk...I place an enormous value on your life" he smiled
Bengali seethed, as Myra looked terrified. He tried to lounge at him, but was stopped by Cheetara. "We can not let him hurt her again," Lion-O stated. "Think carefully Schwenk you're a bit outnumbered. Just let her go"
"OK, Spots." Schwenk spat sarcastically. Answer me this Lion-O, is capturing me worth her life?"
Lion-O sighed. He wanted to save Myra more then anything. But he couldn't let any more people get hurt by him. Myra understood that. But he was not Shula. He was Lion-O.
"No it isn't. But I am a sure Shula feels differently. Tell me Schwenk is capture by me seem more favorable then getting caught by him"
Schwenk pondered this for a moment, it was an intriguing question, and unexpected too. "What...so you can hand me over to him?" Schwenk sneered "When I can have total freedom with a beautiful lady? Thing is Lion-O, I know exactly Shula would do if you weren't here, but you are and you wouldn't risk Myra's life. Now, we're going to walk nice and slow over to her ship. DO NOT follow! You try and you can have her back in pieces" Schwenk seethed.
Shula took a few paces forwards, his intent clear in Schwenk's eyes. Schwenk cocked his pistol "Oh Lion-O...you better get a grip...I'm not joking you... idiot!"
Myra let out a muffled cry of fear and pleads to the group in front of her.
Stood in front of Shula. "Stop"
"Yeah...Shula, you heard the mighty lord of the thundercraps...he said 'stop'" Schwenk sneered at Shula, deliberately mocking him. "Keep following those orders and you might get your thunderbadge too," he laughed.
Shula walked a few more paces forwards, pure hatred running through his veins.
"Shula please stop. We value Myra's life" Bengali stated.
"Uh oh!" Schwenk mocked, "Looks like you're being a bad kitty" he cocked his pistol "Last chance!"
Myra tried to struggle a bit, to make it look convincing, and make Schwenk appear he wasn't kidding. She started to weep, but not out of fear, but out of anticipation of what's going to happen, will she grow accustomed to her new life if they get way with this? At least she gets what she wanted for this time. That was enough. But was it enough for losing her life, as she knew it? Revenge? Seeing the tears, Cheetara stood firmly in front of Shula with Lion-O "Stop"
"Out of my way Cheetara" he roared "He's playing games with us all. I will not allow his escape once more!" he tried to pushing past Cheetara and then he tried to get through Lion-O.
Lion-O extended his hand across Shula's chest, his strength preventing to go any further. "This not your own battle Shula. This is everyone's battle."
"Bad luck loser!" Schwenk said. "OK" he whispered to Myra, as Lion-O was obscuring the view. "We'll walk backwards towards the ship...you're doing very well."
Myra nodded, and started backing up with Schwenk to the ship.
"He's getting away!" Shula roared again.
"He wont gets far. We can follow in our ships" Lion-O roared back.
"Aaargh. You're all weak-willed idiots... he's going to win again. Pathetic!" he spat. He struggled once more with Lion-O intent on ripping Schwenk limb from limb.
Lion-O roared at Shula again, echoing across the surrounding area. "Stop!"
Shula continued, almost fighting Lion-O to get past.
Lion-O got in front of Shula and pushed him back sending him flying to the ground. "If you thought of everyone else who is in battle with him and not just yourself, this could have been over years ago," he muttered. Cheetara stood behind him, ready to back him up.
Shula sat on the floor and listened to Lion-O's lecture "How…dare…you!" he hissed, "You have NO idea what you're dealing with! You have NO right to lecture me, I'm not one of your half-witted cronies!"
"NOR DO YOU!" Lion-O shouted back. "I am the lord of Thundercats I command all Thunderians! I have EVERY right to lecture you! I know what he has done. But your so hell bent on destroying him for your own pleasure rather then anything else, If you carry like that you will never catch him! Now get in your ship and get after him now!"
Schwenk stood and watched in amusement at the two large lions fought each other. Schwenk mused for a moment that he did have rather a fine talent for such chaos. "Hey Shula! " he called "If you had a tail you'd have it between your legs now... he OWNS you!" he roared with laughter.
Myra elbowed him in side "Just get in the blasted ship"
"What...this is too good!" he snickered back.
"We have to install the power cells yet!"
"That's fine, we'll go... oh, oh, just one more! Hey Lion-O, thanks for the hospitality your people have shown me...I hope your people earn their rightful place in the galaxy... in..Chains!" he spat. "Bengali...I'm going to have a GREAT time with your female... Cheetoes…. well I haven't got to know you, but hey I will simply imagine how many spots you have rather then counting them for real…cant have it all! And finally, my old friend Shula... I hope that picture in your quarters wasn't...erm, valuable!" he laughed as they backed into the ship and then Schwenk slammed the door. "OK, quick!"
"Myra grabbed the power cells and installed them in lighting speed. The ship engulfed to life all systems coming back online. "Lets just get out of here" She muttered, engaging thrusters.
Shula watched as the ship slowly rose into the night sky, he considered what Schwenk had said to him. "He has planned his escape well...we must go and repair our ships" he said gloomily
"What. You mean he has sabotaged our ships," growled Bengali.
"Lets just get to it" Lion-O said quietly, walking away from the Trio to start repairs on his ship.
Back in the ship Schwenk put his feet up on the control panel "In all my days I never thought we'd pull that off" he beamed "Did you see Shula's face?"
"Yeah I did" Myra replied.
"You sounds cross my dear, anything wrong?"
"No nothing you haven't done anything wrong" Myra sighed. "I didn't count for hard it would feel, leaving my life behind in a drop of a hat. She glanced over to Schwenk and weakly smiled. "I have no regrets though"
Schwenk smiled at her sympathetically "Your sacrifice hasn't gone unnoticed Myra...I will gladly down my life for you"
Myra smiled back. "So where to?"
"We won't get far with the low juice we have... what's the nearest outpost?"
"About 1 hour away" Myra sated, doing a scan. "We should hold until then, that will give us a chance to build up on supplies."
"OK...human or thunderian outpost?"
"Its Thunderian I'm afraid. I will have to go and get the supplies"
Schwenk considered this for a moment "Hardly ideal, but what the heck, we aren't got choices. I think it's time for a change of identity. How about this?" Schwenk fiddled with his shirt collar, then produced a white piece of material, producing a clerics shirt "Not bad, huh? Thought of it earlier today"
"Well done. What about your face though?"
"It's OK, my beard is coming on nicely" he smiled, rubbing the growth on his chin.
"Better be" Myra said quietly. "I have some full length cloaks in the docking bay. Father and me used them to hide from the mutants when we had to risk going to unfavorable outposts. We can use them if you like. Don't worry they are in black"
"Oooh, my favorite color!" Schwenk exclaimed "It's OK...everybody trusts a priest" he winked
"Fine" Myra replied. "What do we do to pass this hour?"
Shula stood there and continued to watch Myra's ship disappear into the night. "Come, let's follow. It'll be quicker to use my ship, I can use a hand to repair it too I'm guessing. Is everybody OK with that?"
Lion-O stopped heading to his own ship and turned to look to Shula. "Sounds like a plan. Lets get to it Bengali…Cheetara" Bengali and Cheetara nodded and followed with Shula to his ship.
Shula left the others running behind him as he sprinted to his ship. Instead of checking for damage he went straight to his quarters. He saw the destroyed photograph strewn across the floor. He knelt down and picked up the pieces, one by one. Tears started falling down his cheek.
Lion-O sent Bengali and Cheetara to the bridge to assess the damage, and he followed Shula to his quarters. He saw him knelt over a torn photo, and it seemed Shula was weeping. He stood in the doorway, sensing his upset. This guy was ruthless, he thought, remembering what Schwenk said about "hoping that photo was not valuable". "Shula?" he said after a few moments.
Shula sniffed and attempted to hide the tears. "I'm sorry, I'll clear up later...I'll help you in the bridge now" he spluttered.
"Shula what did he do" he asked softly. "Its ok, you may think I am bit of blundering idiot, but I am also a pair of ears that will listen"
Shula slumped on his bed and handed Lion-O the torn shreds of photos. "It's the last photo of my family I had...Schwenk killed them...now he's destroyed the memory too. He knows how to hurt me!" tears welling up again.
Lion-O sat on the bed sighing looking at the torn photos. He looked at Shula. "He can't destroy what's in here Shula," he said pointing to his head. "I lost the whole of my family on Thundera, the Thundercat nobles had become my family. Then I lost Jaga, he was a second father to me. I was a cub then, but it still hurts now. But I wont let it get inside, where my memories of my family are strong and rife. Try it for yourself." He suggested.
"I know" Shula sniffed "but it's just the act...it's like desecration"
"I agree. That's the thing about evil. It holds no bounds. I wonder how got that way, and what it his fascination with Myra" he pondered.
"Is she really his captive?" Shula asked Lion-O.
Lion-O looked at Shula, a little taken aback by what he suggesting. "Somehow I think Myra of all people had more sense then hang around with Schwenk for fun" Lion-O replied. "We can look into it though by looking into her past by speaking to her father. It may give us some insight on what she is up to...if that is the case"
"Why would Schwenk risk his life by going into the heart of the Cats Lair just to get Myra... he didn't need a hostage...he could have run and taken off without detection. Then there's the sudden illness that befell Myra, meaning she was there to take the hostage...it just doesn't add up. Everything with him is connected to her!"
"Hmmm..I don't believe Myra is the type to defect to evil. it has put her through too much just like me and you" Lion-O stood up and carefully put what was left of the photos on the side. "Lets go and contact Tigris, her father. and ask some questions. are you coming or do you want to stay here for a moment?"
"No, I can come back later"
Lion-O nodded and went to the bridge. Bengali was busy on repairs on the ship, Cheetara was busy doing system diagnostics looking for other repairs needing attention. So Lion-O pulled up a couple of chairs, one for him and one for Shula. He sat at a control screen and patched a communication through to new Thundera to Tigris.
Tigris was at home along when his communication desk demanded his attention. Sighing he sat in front of desk, thinking Tigriane had forgotten her purse again. He turned the view screen on. "Tigris here, hello?"
"Tigris hello there." Lion-O smiled.
"By Thundera! Lion-O lord of the Thundercats! by Thundera haven't you grown since father gave the noble title to Tygra!"
Lion-O laughed. "I wish it was on more favorable terms Tigris.."
"Ok, what has she done now?" Tigris sighed.
"Cut to the point" Shula whispered.
"Erm this is Shula. Shula this is Myra's father, Tigris." Tigris nodded in response to Shula.
"What's happened to my daughter Lion-O?"
"She was kidnapped, Tigris" Lion-O replied.
"What! who by? I demand to know!" Tigris replied.
"He's gonna tell you old man, that's why he contacted you!" Shula griped
"Forgive my abruptness, but you would be the same in my position" Tigris replied. "What are you to do with this?" he asked.
"I am known as Shula...your daughter is with Gaston Schwenk, I'm assuming you've heard of him?"
"Oh no...not Gaston...by Thundera..." he said lowering his head. He knew that name well.
"Trust me sir, as soon as I see him, he'll hurt no more...it is my crusade!"
"No you don't understand, Myra and Gaston has crossed paths before..."
"What! When...how?"
"About two years ago" Tigris sighed, visibly shaken. "She is not a traitor Lion-O, she just stubborn!" he exclaimed, slamming his fist on the table.
"Its ok, take your time..." Lion-O assured, shooting a concerned look to Shula.
"This could be vital information Lion-O"
Lion-O nodded. "Please continue Tigris"
Tigris paused before continuing. "Myra wouldn't be easy to kidnap, she grew up on a trade ship meeting all walks of life, while we where trying to get to new Thundera. She knows how to look after herself. She would even give a male a run for their thundrillium"
"So why him?" Shula pressed
"This all started two years ago. We had come across a male Jaguar thunderain called Jaxx, and he lived with us. It was only a matter of time before he and Myra fell in love and they wanted to be joined, or common term - married. We docked on an outpost that was less then safe, but we had to because we needed supplies. We left Myra and Jaxx on the ship while we went for Supplies."
"We came back to a blood bath some time later. I still couldn't believe it was from one person. You see, a group of Thunderian haters came by the ship and found Jaxx outside the ship, I persume doing some repairs while Myra was inside. They attacked and killed Jaxx for fun, pleasure purely because he was Thunderian. Myra watched the whole thing from inside the ship. I came back to my daughter screaming over Jaxx's body, covered in his blood..saying one thing over and over"
"What did she say?" Shula said in a hushed voice.
"Gaston Schwenk I will kill you! I will get you for what you took away from me!" He said in a wobbled tone. "She has never been the same since. She hasnt even told me fully whats happened. She has been obbsessed with one thing. Gaston Schwenk was in that group of Thunderian haters. He killed Jaxx on his own to entertain his friends…in front of Myra. Her anger and pain has consumed her, and she wont stop until this pain is released"
"She has her own agenda, and no one will come in the middle of it, Schwenk killed the man in front of the eyes and laughed at her knowing she was watching. She was 19 years old. now I don't even know her very well any more because of that monster!" he said lowering his head.
"Obviously Schwenk doesn't know who he's with! This is very complex" Shula said, rubbing his chin.
"So its revenge then" Lion-O sighed.
Tigris nodded. "He more then likely recognize her from his past as he killed so much that year, as I am sure you would remember"
"This is bizarre...she went to him willingly, she lied to you to be with him, but not for the reasons he thinks! I wonder why she waited for so long?"
"That's the thing. I don't know, what he did so bad to her that day that turned her like this...She will not speak of it, only of what I just told you, and that took 1 and a half years itself"
"Well that gives us some ideas on whats going on" Lion-O said looking at Shula.
"Maybe...more questions than answers though...why did she not kill him here, why deceive her friends? She must have some big plan for Schwenk...she could have handed him over to me...surely she can't plan a worse fate than that?
"Nothing more mysterious then a female." Tigris pondered. "I thought this would go away. she hadn't spoke about it in so long, even went back to her normal self. I can only assume this was a chance and she took it"
"Looks like this is not your only battle after all" Lion-O said to Shula.
"Hmmm. We need to find them!"
"Agreed, this is more difficult then expected, but I will get your daughter back before anything happen Tigris"
"Thank you Lion-O, Bring back my little girl"
Lion-O nodded and disconnected the communication link.
"How much longer with repairs Bengali?" Shula asked
"Just about done" Bengali replied, looking out from a control panel. "I will done in 10"
"Diagnostics complete, nothing else in need of repair. They just tried to hit critical systems" Cheetara reported.
"They cannot have gone too far, they had to use emergency power...that limits their range!"
"Yes, once we get in space I will scan for their Ion trial" Bengali replied.
"OK, let the chase commence then!"