Chapter 12
Screams pierced the silence of what remained of the long night on Third Earth. The Berbils went to investigate and found Rober-Tom. He was screaming, some would later say like a little girl, and pointing at the body on the ground. Rober-Bill went over and checked who it was.
"It's Bob." The leader of the Berbils said trembling slightly. Who could have the strength to kill the massive ThunderCat? Quickly regaining his senses, Rober-Bill told the others to load the body onto the cart that had returned from Cat's Lair.
Cheetara sat staring at Rose. She had no way of backing up her story with Lion-O still out of it.
"Well? I'm waiting for an explanation." The medicine woman said tersely. Cheetara opened her mouth but she was interrupted by Snarf, who had come racing into the room.
"The Berbils found Bob. He's… he's…"
"Dead." Cheetara finished for the ex-nursemaid.
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Seven hours later, the sun shone as the Feliner landed at Cat's Lair. Panthro, Tygra, Pumyra, and Ben-Gali were greeted by Snarf and Rose. The first thing they were told was that Bob was dead and the Cheetara was placed under arrest for his death. No one could believe what they had just heard. The next thing they were told was that Lion-O was in a coma and that Rose believed that Cheetara had hurt the Lord of the ThunderCats too.
"Now wait a minute. Cheetara wouldn't do any of those things." Panthro said, his anger rising.
"Explain to me then why her hand is cut up? Explain to me why she wouldn't tell me what happened?" Rose retorted.
"Are there any witnesses?" Tygra asked ignoring her questions.
"Bob, Lion-O, and Cheetara are the only ones that know what happened out in the forest. One is dead, one is in a coma, and the other refuses to talk. You do the math." Rose again snapped in their faces.
"What about innocent until proven guilty?" Pumyra asked.
"You ThunderCats handle this issue. But I swear that if you don't, you'll find that the good people of Third Earth won't stand for it. If ThunderCats kill other ThunderCats, then what is to say you won't turn on us?" Rose stated belligerently. With that the Treetop Warrior Maiden left Cat's Lair.
The ThunderCats stood there in silence. There was a lot of information to process. What were they going to do?
"I think the best thing is to send someone over to the Tower of Omens and check everything out." Pumyra suggested.
"Yes, I think you're right. With Lion-O in his state, I should take charge. Jaga did say I was to become the next Lord of the ThunderCats." Tygra said.
"No. You created Bob and you are too close to the situation. I will take charge until Lion-O comes around." Panthro told his friend. Tygra was going to object but he knew that the panther was right.
"Now you and Snarf go to the Tower of Omens. Take the Hover Cat." Panthro instructed. The two nodded and headed for the Cat's Paw.
"The three of us will try to sort out what really happened out there. Its already late in the day. Tygra and Snarf will have to remain at the Tower of Omens for the night. I hope that this gives us enough time." The panther continued to instruct the other two. The three walked into Cat's Lair. Immediately, Pumyra and Ben-Gali headed down to the sick bay while Panthro went to make contact with New Thundera.
Find me here; And speak to me; I want to feel you; I need to hear you; You are the light; That's leading me; To the place; Where I find peace again…
Cheetara sat next to Lion-O's bed. She held his hand and hoped that he would soon come back to her.
You are the strength; That keeps me walking; You are the hope; That keeps me trusting; You are the life; To my soul; You are my purpose; You're everything…
She didn't hear Pumyra and Ben-Gali walk into the room. The cheetah remained oblivious to her surroundings.
And how can I; Stand here with you; And not be moved by you; Would you tell me; How could it be; Any better than this yeah…
Something in the back of her mind worried that she wouldn't get to say what should have.
You calm the storms; And you give me rest; You hold me in your hands; You won't let me fall; You still my heart; And you take my breath away; Would you take me in; Take me deeper now…
Pumyra and Ben-Gali stood watched the cheetah. They hadn't realized that something had been going on between her and Lion-O.
And how can I; Stand here with you; And not be moved by you; Would you tell me; How could it be; Any better than this…
Cheetara shook those thoughts from her head. Lion-O would come back to her and everything would be all right.
…Cause you're all I want; You're all I need; You're everything; Everything… You're all I want; You're all I need; You're everything; Everything…
Pumyra moved over to her friend and put her hand on her shoulder.
And how can I; Stand here with you; And not be moved by you; Would you tell me; How could it be; Any better than this… Would you tell me; How could it be; Any better than this?
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Tygra and Snarf looked around the Tower of Omens. Both ThunderCats were surprised to see the blueprints for the Thunderstrike lying in Bob's room. They were also surprised by the annotations made in the margins. Tygra immediately recognized some of the notes and quickly raced from the room.
Down in the hanger, the orange tiger climbed into the Thunderstrike. The switches that allowed control to be switched back and forth from the Braille Board had been removed. Tygra cursed as he looked in the pods. The entire vehicle had been switched over to total Braille Board control.
Climbing out of the now useless Thunderstrike, Tygra shouted across the hanger for Snarf to bring Cat's Lair up on the video screen in the control room. The ex-nursemaid ran upstairs.
"We're connected." Snarf told him.
"Cat's Lair here." Panthro popped up on the screen.
"We have got big problems. The Thunderstrike has been switched over to complete Braille Board control." Tygra told him completely forgetting video protocol.
"What!" The panther exclaimed.
"Apparently Bob changed all the controls. Now only Lynx-O can control it." Tygra said.
"Great Jaga! I'll tell the others. In the mean time, do you think you can try to work on converting the Thunderstrike back to manual control?" Panthro asked.
"I'll do my best. But I might need your help." Tygra told him.
"Do the best you can. I'll call back later. Cat's Lair out." The panther ended the conversation.
"You stay here Snarf. I'll get back down the hanger and try to do the best I can." Tygra told him.
"What about Lion-O?" He asked.
"I'm sure that Pumyra is doing the best she can with him." The tiger reassured Snarf. With that Tygra took the blueprints and headed back down to the hanger.
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Panthro rushed down to the sick bay. He found Pumyra checking out Lion-O and Ben-Gali trying to talk to Cheetara.
"You have to tell me what happened. We need to understand why a fellow ThunderCat is dead." Ben-Gali said.
"Tygra found the blueprints for the Thunderstrike. The entire control configurations were switched over to Braille Board control only. Cheetara, we need to know what happened. Why would Bob do that to the Thunderstrike?" Panthro's anger again began to rise.
"What do you want me to say! I killed Bob! He was going to kill Lion-O! What was I supposed to do!" Cheetara exploded.
The cheetah's shouting surprised the others. She had just admitted to killing another ThunderCat.
"He was going to kill Lion-O?" Pumyra found her voice first.
"Yes. Bob lured Lion-O out into the forest during the storm by capturing Rober-Belle. The two fought with their swords. That wound in Lion-O's leg is where he got stabbed. Bob had him pinned against a tree and was about to thrust his sword into him when I stabbed him from behind." Cheetara spilled out. She continued to say tell them all about her dreams and the distrust she and Lion-O had for the Ultimate ThunderCat.
The others listened in astonishment. How could Bob be evil? It didn't seem to make much sense to them.
"Cheetara, until there is a way to prove what you said I'm afraid I have no choice but to confine you to your quarters until further notice." Panthro told her.
"What you don't believe me?" She asked.
"To be honest, I don't know what to believe." The panther replied. He then instructed Ben-Gali to take her to her room and guard her door.
To Be Continued…
The song is Lifehouse's "Everything"