Chapter Five: "On the Run"
Two hours later, there was a loud noise.
"HELLO!"
Hydron.
"Crap!"
"Where are my pants?"
"I don't know. Where is my . . . it's so cold!"
"Tell me about it."
"MARA! HE-MAN!"
"Hang on!"
"WHERE ARE YOU GUYS?"
"I said hang on!"
"Where are my pants? Ah, here's your bra. Ancients, it's cold."
"No kidding."
The door suddenly flew open.
"Hey, there you are – AHHH! MY EYES!"
"Oh man."
"Hey Hydron . . . oh, there's my pants . . ."
Five minutes later.
"Okay, my quick work in the hopes of getting He-Man naked out of my head has just been finished," Hydron reported. "Power should be restored right about . . . now."
The lights clicked on, computers powered up, life-support came on full, and He-Man, Mara, and Hydron floated to the ground as gravity was restored.
"Thanks, Hydron," He-Man said, still embarrassed.
"Yeah, yeah, no problem."
He-Man grunted. "It was pretty cold in there."
Hydron nodded. "I know. "
"Just as long as we have that cleared up."
Mara looked at them both funny. "What are you two talking about?"
He-Man shook his head. "Nothing. Let's get down to business. Where's Artilla and Vizar?"
"Flipshot picked them up about half an hour ago in the Colossus. I've got my Astrosub loaded up in the shuttle bay."
"Did they see us? Do they know it was us who get into their ship?"
Hydron shrugged as the Starship Eternia – still under cloak – spun and headed towards the Oasis Hole.
"I'm not sure. From what I've heard, they fired EMP because they were going after a Mutant ship that was containing the Mutants who beat up Werban."
"That's crap," Mara stated.
"And you're right."
About three hours later, He-Man, Mara, and Hydron were reunited with Flipshot, Vizar, and Artilla. Sebrian joined them at his estate, where the Starship Eternia and the Astrosub had landed.
"They're Mutant Troopers?" asked He-Man, shocked.
"From what we can tell, yes. They have been genetically and technologically engineered to have super-powers," Artilla answered. "Being mass produced as army of considerable size and strength."
"What do we do now?" asked Flipshot, still looking strange as a woman.
"How long until the Mutant Trooper army is ready?"
"Not for five more days."
He-Man turned to the others. "I want to know more about the Carrier. All of you stay here. Have Drissi and Caz get over here soon. I'm going to Onnar to talk to the Inner Council. I'm not going to assemble the Galactic Guardians yet, simply because I don't want to tip our hand."
"Be careful, He-Man," Sebrian said.
"Oh, don't worry. I'll be just fine."
He-Man rode off in the transport across the Oasis roads, jetting quickly towards Onnar. The suns were hanging high in the sky, though afternoon would soon be turning over into evening. He-Man thought long about earlier, about being Mara.
So far, despite the trouble being caused by the Patheon, it had been fantastic. But he was still troubled by the idea that she could caught in the crossfire. Being with Kathryn as Prince Adam had nearly been the death of her. What about Mara and her being him as He-Man? How high were the stakes?
This was not a new internal argument. He had run through for at least year regarding Teela until he had met Kathryn. Was it now unfair to Teela to be doing what she had always wanted with Mara? It was at this moment, He-Man began to miss Teela deeply.
He pulled himself away from all this and activated his comm-line to the scientists.
"Alcon, I want you guys to get touch with Meriac of Gorn City, Denebria. Find out what he knows about a ship being constructed or a new breed of Mutant Troopers."
"Will do, He-Man."
The green-skinned cyclops appeared on the screen before the scientists. The image was a little scrambled due to the EMP, but good enough to see the Mutant contact on Denebria.
"There was a lot of mining going on, that's for sure," he told them. "I know there was lot of military activity at a mine north of here. I believe there were some of Flogg's cronies there."
Gepple gulped and looked to his companions.
"For a ship?" asked Meloc.
"I would think so. That much material? Most certainly."
At that moment, the transmission was cut. The screen went dead. The scientists all looked each other with panicked looks. The door slid open and in walked Titan, Fury, and Net.
"We just intercepted a transmission coming from this room," Titan said, war hammer out. "It seems you scientists are collaborators with Denebrian Mutants. As peacekeepers, we are authorized to not only arrest you . . . but execute you as well."
"But you won't."
The trio spun around and found He-Man standing at the doorway. He drew his Sword of Power and his shield.
"Come on, boys, what are you waiting for? The Kissing Moon?" He-Man asked, smiling.
"What?"
He-Man slammed his shield into the head of Net. Net went flying back. He-Man then spun around and did a roundhouse kick to Fury's gut. He then blocked both Fury's claws and Titan's war hammer. He-Man leapt back, spun, and slashed at Fury's arm deep enough to see the robotics.
"Just making sure," he said with a smile.
Fury jumped at him. He-Man jumped back, leaned in and swiped his Sword of Power at Fury's neck. The robotic head plopped right off, leaving a pile of genetic goo on the ground.
He-Man then turned to Titan. The massive Mutant Trooper rushed forward, war hammer at the ready. He sent it sailing down at He-Man. He-Man slammed his fist into right as it crashed down. The war hammer shattered.
Titan swung in with his axe. He-Man smiled and slashed off the robotic arm. It went right to the ground. He-Man then grabbed Titan and sent him sailing right into the wall.
"You guys all right?"
"F-f-fine," answered Krex.
"Come on. They . . . shit."
Net was gone, apparently having survived the blow. He-Man lifted up his communicator and spoke into it.
"Attention all Galactic Guardians: this is He-Man. We are on the move. Prepare to meet at prearranged place. I'll join you soon." He then turned to the scientists. "Get ready to run."
And so they did, rushing down the corridors. He-Man's Sword of Power was drawn, as was his shield. They reached his transport outside the compound and entered quickly.
Before He-Man hopped in, however, he let out a sonic signal. At that moment, a robotic red came sailing down from the sky.
"Clobber," he greeted. "Take this data rod to the Inner Council and hurry."
Clobber nodded, screeched, took the small glass rod into its beak, and then flew back the other way. He-Man then jumped into the transport and fired the engines to maximum. They blasted he and scientists right out of the Onnar, heading towards the Oasis.
In about an hour, the transport landed next to Sebrian's house. The suns were sinking low into the horizon as He-Man and the scientists ran towards the Starship Eternia.
"HURRY!" screamed Mara, pointed south.
A wall of water appeared, apparently the work of Patheon member H2O. To just the southwest was the sound of thousands of bugs, all at the command of Swarm. He-Man could make out the tall figure of Scale coming in form the southeast.
"Is this everyone?" he asked, following the scientists.
"Yes," Mara replied, the door shutting behind them. He-Man looked around the bridge as Hydron and Flipshot manned the controls. He did a mental head-count: Hydron, Flipshot, Kayo, Vizar, Nocturna, Tuskador, Artilla, Spinwit, Sagitar, Alcon, Gepple, Meloc, Krex, Master Sebrian, Gleep, U-R, Drissi, Caz, and Mara.
"Powering up engines," Flipshot reported in that high-pitched female voice.
"Confirmed," Hydron responded. "Get us out of here, babe."
"Shut up," Flipshot snapped, blasting the engines.
"Heheh."
"Let's act professional, people," He-Man commanded, doing his best King Randor and Man-At-Arms impression. "Should we cloak?"
"Yes," Hydron replied. "Tuskador, can you do the honors?"
"On it."
The Starship Eternia seemed to vanish into thin air as it blasted its way through a small hole in the shield near the Oasis Hole. As predicted, the Carrier was sitting above the actual Oasis Hole.
"Where to, then?" asked Flipshot as they fled Primus orbit.
"Enos," Sebrian answered. "There is a rainforest on the southeastern continent. Should be thick enough to keep us hidden."
The Starship Eternia – still under cloak – shifted towards one of the minor worlds of the Tri-Solar System.
"Four hours," Flipshot reported, contending with a stray hair in her face.
"What do we from here on out?" asked Spinwit.
"We head to Enos, plan out exactly what our next move will be. We get some rest. Then we head back to Primus," He-Man explained, adding then: ". . . and we kick some ass."