Disclaimer: The SWAT Kats are owned by Hanna Barbera and the Tremblay Brothers. I own the OCs.
This chapter was a bear to write. Gwendlyn is such a loving kitten, it was very difficult to write her upset and crying.
Secondly, this is the beginning of the end of the Society as we know it. The queen will eventually turn it around, returning it to what it oncw was, I hope.
Gwendyln was holding onto her mothers' legs on the verge of crying her eyes out. All six of her aunts were up in their rooms, packing up so they could head back home. The little kitten looked up to Katerina, sniffled, then asked, "Mommy, why do they have to go back home? Can't they stay here and live with us?"
"Oh Gwen," Katerina said as she picked up her daughter. "They have to return home. Their job is done. You are safe, the Black Diamonds are no more, plus, Elizaveta has to take over my job as Commander, under my watch, of course."
"But mom, they are family," Gwendlyn said before she buried her face in Katerina's right shoulder. "Shouldn't family stay together, forever?"
She held her daughter tightly against her, looking over to Tina for some support. However, Tina agreed with Gwendlyn. They were a family. Every single one of Katerina's former squadron were like sisters to her, and much more than that to Gwendlyn. Seeing her daughter on the verge of crying her eyes out, made her wish Katerina's squad never came into their lives. But, if there never did come, Gwendlyn would have never gotten to know six of the most amazing, not to mention, lethal she-cats that ever lived. "Kat, there must be a way to allow them to stay?" Tina asked.
"Tina, I don't want them to go either," Katerina said as she stroked Gwendlyn's hair with her left paw. "They are my comrades-in-arms, some of my closest friends, if not my sisters." She stopped the movements of her left paw, holding her daughter's head, then asking, "Tell me what to do here? I was the commander of a fighting force that once was the scourge of the skies. My decisions and orders were followed without fail or question. Now, I'm questioning my own choices regarding my former squadron!"
Elizaveta came down the stairs, carrying her duffle bag in her right paw. She dropped it by the stairs, went over to Gwendlyn, and said, "Don't be sad little one, we maybe going home, but all of our lives are richer for knowing you. We will see each other again, da."
Gwendlyn didn't even move. Her eyes completely closed, tears starting to fall, wetting Katerina's shoulder. "No we won't! You are flying over seven thousand miles to some country I can't even pronounce properly! Why did you all become my friends, knowing you were going to go back?"
Elizaveta hugged Katerina and Gwendlyn, turning her head to the left so she could rest her right cheek against Gwendlyn's back, then said, "Gwendlyn, its too hard not to become your friend. You are an amazing little girl, I can't wait to see what life has in store for you."
Verusha and Esfir were the next ones down. They took one look at the scene before them and Esfir took Verusha's left arm in her right, leaning against her shoulder.
Upstairs, the two sisters were busy packing up the last of their stuff. Each one grew to love their jobs as teachers and wanted to continue teaching and nurturing young lives.
Nadia was taking leaving very hard. She had grown very close to Gwendlyn, Evelyn, and Sarah. "Galina, please tell me again why we have to go back to the place that has absolutely nothing for us there anymore? Can't we defect and stay here?"
Galina had other reasons not to leave. She had a major fight with her tomfriend Tyrone after she told him she was returning home. Apparently, in the short time he was dating her, he had fallen deeply in love with her. So; when Galina told Tyrone she was going back home, he took a small box out of his pocket, slammed it on the table, and left her alone. She fingered the box in her pocket, knowing exactly what in contained, then said, "Niet, we can't stay Nadia. Our commander had dismissed us, do you want to disgrace yourself by disobeying an order?"
"No way! If it wasn't for Katerina and Elizaveta, we would be living on the streets with the rest of our small village. We owe this squadron our lives! Disobedience is the last thing I ever want to do!" Nadia responded.
Galina spun on her right foot to face her sister, then asked, "Then why did you ask, if you already knew your answer?"
"I love my job and so do you! You can't tell me that you don't enjoy teaching young kittens! You would be lying if you did! I've seen your face light up while you are in front of your class so don't tell me that you would prefer to return back to our country where there is nothing left for us instead of being here, where you can continue doing what you have grown to love. Plus, Tyrone would be ecstatic if you stayed. He told me he's in love with you."
Galina's heart twitched as soon as Nadia mentioned Tyrone's name. "You had to go there Nadia. I don't have the same luck as you, falling for your superior and having her return your affections. I do more than like Tyrone, but an order is an order. We have been trained to follow orders from our superiors without question, and that is what we are going to do. Return back home, continue rebuilding what the commander started, and wait for our next mission."
Nadia zipped up her bag, threw it on her right shoulder, then said as she left the room, "Fine, I'll go, but I'm not going to like it!"
Galina watched her sister leave, then said, "I'm not going to like it either, Nadia." She zipped her bag closed and followed her sister.
Inna was taking leaving the hardest of them all. She was given the toughest jobs, do things no one else desired to do, and be the rock that every one else turned to when they needed raw strength. However, despite being the strongest and toughest of the bunch, she gave her heart to Gwendlyn and in turn, she gave her heart back to Inna. She smiled as she remembered the first day she played with Gwendlyn and Evelyn. She quickly found herself falling head over heels for the commander's daughter. A tear ran down her right cheek as she thought she would never know the joy of being able to play like a little girl again with the Commander's daughter. Inna closed her bag, picked it up and carried it in her left paw, and as she left her room, she stopped, turned her head to the left to look at her bedroom, then closed the door to the life she had grown to love.
Inna arrived downstairs, looked at her fellow comrades, then finally to the girl who if she had a child of her own, would be exactly like her. She dropped her bag to the floor, briskly walked over to Gwendlyn, picked her up in her strong arms, then said while holding back her own emotions, "Little sister, please stop crying, you are making this a lot harder than this really has to be."
Gwendyln wrapped her arms around Inna's neck, rested her chin against Inna's left shoulder, then said through her sobs, "Inna, as much as I have learned from Esfir and Verusha, had enjoyed Elizaveta teaching me how to be a leader, and had so much fun, watching Nadia and Galina poking fun at each other, I'm going to miss you the most."
Inna lifted Gwendlyn from her shoulder, looked into Gwendlyn's golden eyes, then asked, "Why is that?"
"I feel closer to you than anyone else. You played with me and my friends, you actually listened to me when I had a problem, and you taught me not to back down from my challenges. I love you Inna. I love you, my sister," Gwendlyn said as she bawled into Inna's body.
Seeing Gwendlyn cry broke Inna's resolve, she held the kitten to her chest, and cried herself.
Tina gently laid her left paw on Katerina's right shoulder, then said, "Kat, I can't stand to see our daughter like this."
Katerina looked over the scene before her, then did something she thought she would never do in her lifetime, change one of her decisions. "Elizaveta, Esfir, Verusha, Inna, Galina, and Nadia, attention!" She ordered.
Her six subordinates snapped to attention with the exception of Inna who was still holding Gwendlyn in her arms.
Katerina narrowed her gaze at all six of them, then said, "Esfir, Galina, Nadia! I only have one question for you three, and I want the truth!" She left her spot and paced back and forth in front of them, not removing her gaze, not even for a second. "Do you three enjoy your positions, teaching at Gwendlyn's school?"
The three she-cats looked at each other, trying to figure out why the commander was asking her question.
"I want an answer, now ladies!" Katerina ordered
Esfir cautiously took a step forward, stood with her legs slightly apart and her paws behind her lower back. She looked Katerina squarely in the eyes, then answered, "To answer your question, commander, da. I love my position at Gwendlyn's school."
Katerina looked past Esfir, then said, "You two, you didn't answer my question!"
Galina and Nadia took a step forward. Galina stood just like Esfir did. But Nadia went over to her lover, wrapped her right arm around her waist, nodded to her sister, who nodded back, then they both turned to Katerina, and said, "We love our positions at Gwendlyn's school, commander."
Katerina rapidly turned to Verusha, then asked, "If you were able to obtain a position at a top military and security firm, would you stay?!"
Verusha knew the commander long enough to know how she thought, or at least she thought she did. However, this new commander was throwing her for a loop. "Commander, I don't understand your.."
"Answer me Verusha!" Katerina roared.
"Da commander! I would stay here," Verusha answered.
Katerina turned her head to face Elizaveta. She narrowed her gaze, even further as she walked the very short distance between her and her second and command. "Elizaveta, you have been with me since the start. My trust in you is second to none. My comrade, would you be willing to give up your life as a mercenary, the second in command to one of the most elite fighting forces in the skies, for a life as an Officer of the law?"
Completely confused to her commander's question, she asked in return, "Commander, what are you asking?"
Katerina grabbed ahold of Elizaveta's shoulders, forced her to look into her determined eyes, then said, "I want to know if you want to continue working along side me and my wife as an Enforcer?"
Without pause, Elizaveta answered, "Commander, I have lived outside of the law for so long, I don't know if I can live within the law."
This was not the answer Katerina wanted to hear. She was about to sanction Elizaveta, but before she could mutter a word, Elizaveta said, "For you, and my new family, I'm willing to try."
Getting the response she wanted from her, she finally turned her attention to Inna, who was still holding Gwendlyn. She purposely walked over to Inna, then said, "Inna, much like Elizaveta, you have been with me since I started my squadron. I relied on you to handle anything and everything which required brute strength, as well as finesse. You have followed every one of my commands without fail for years, for those reasons, I'm indebted to you, my comrade."
"It is my pleasure to serve you, commander," Inna responded.
"As much as I want to offer you the chance to change, I don't know where you will fit in, in my new life," Katerina said.
"Commander, I have an idea," Esfir interjected.
Katerina turned her head to the right to face Esfir, then said, "Go on."
Esfir smiled at her commander, while holding Nadia tight to her body. "Inna would be a great fit in my school. I've been looking for a new Physical Education teacher for sometime. Personally, I can't think of a better cat to take the job."
This is what Inna wanted to hear. Not only would she be able to stay, but she would be close to Gwendlyn. She hugged the now smiling Gwendlyn in her arms as her body betrayed her by showing exactly how happy she was.
Katerina returned to Tina's side, wrapped her right arm around her waist, faced her squadron, then said, "Your new orders are as follows. Esfir, Galina, Nadia, you three are to remain in your positions, as teachers and principal at Gwendlyn's school. Verusha, you are to work along side Jake Clawson at his firm, developing some of the most advanced weaponry and security devices out there. Elizaveta, you are to enroll in the academy first thing in the morning. Inna, you are to become a Physical Education teacher and work alongside your three comrades. Finally, all six of you need to find a place of your own, and get out of my house! As much as I love you all, feeding you is costing me a fortune!"
"Correction commander, five of us needs to find a new home. I have a home already, or at least I will," Galina said as she withdrew the box from her pocket. She opened it, took out the ring, and slipped it on her finger, then said, "I'm getting married."
"My sister is getting married!?" Nadia asked as her tail's fur stood on end in excitement. She left Esfir's side, ran over to her sister, and hugged her tight. "Does that mean I get to be an aunt, sooner than later, da?"
Galina tried to push her sister away. However, Nadia was nimbler, she managed to dodge her sister's attack, slip around her back to her other side, then said, "I see you now Galina, pregnant with a kitten or two. All big and round, just like mom."
Of course Nadia was joking with her sister, but Galina didn't see it that way. She managed to get a pawful of Nadia's braid, gave it a firm tug, then said, "Just like mom? You keep forgetting, dear sister, you take after father more than mother! That means, you my dear sister, are going to be fat and bald by the time you are fifty!"
As the two sisters, bickered, Inna focused on Gwendlyn, then said, "I guess you are stuck with us, da?"
Gwendlyn laughed for a second, then said, "Da; sestra, and there is no one I would later be stuck with." She then kissed Inna on the left cheek.
"Gwendlyn, one day if I have a daughter of my own, I want her to be just like you," Inna said before she kissed Gwendlyn.
Days passed, and now, we find all of SWAT, a small army of Enforcers, and every one of Katerina's squadron, standing in front of a large wall. Each one, looked like they were ready to face death themselves as they waited for the commander to bring his wife to the place, no one who was not part of the magical circle dared to go into.
A few of David's guards tried their best to intimidate the small group of uniformed heroes and heroines of SWAT. However, Adonis flashed the guards a smile, as he easily lifted the front of one of the Enforcer's Heavy Assault vehicles.
Callista and Ulysses were riding in the back of one of the City's limos on the way to the Society to deliver Callista to David so she could consult him, and hopefully convince him to end this madness and return the Society to it once's was.
Ulysses held onto his wife's left paw as he stole constant glances at her beautiful, but worried face. "Callista, you don't have to do this. We can figure out another way to get rid of David," he said, lightly squeezing her paw.
"We had this discusson, way too many times already Ulysses," she said, taking her paw back. She looked out of the car's window at the buildings, parks, and families walking, as she said, "The only way David is going to relax enough to hopefully let me talk some sense into him is for me to stay there."
"I just don't want to be apart from you Callista, I lost you for over forty years, I don't want to lose you again for another moment," Ulysses said.
She turned in her seat and face him. "Ulysses, look at me," she demanded.
He slowly turned and faced her.
"I'm not going to be his anything. I am your wife, not his. I'm madly in love with you, not him. I was the queen for over three hundred years and a very powerful sorceress for even longer than that. I know how to handle overly inflated toms and their egos very well. Now, as far as you being apart from me, not going to happen. I've grown quite fond of sleeping next to my husband and I'm not planning on changing my sleeping habits anytime soon," she said.
"Good, I don't want to change my sleeping habits either Callista," he said as he wrapped his right arm around his wife, then said, "I don't want you to go, I love you, my queen."
She snuggled up to her husband, then said, "I love you too, my king."
The limo made a final right turn onto the street leading to the Society.
T-Bone and Razor saw the limo making the turn. T-Bone pressed a button on the stick of the Turbokat, then said, "SWAT, look alive, the package is arriving."
All of SWAT, armed their Glovetrixes, waiting for the limo to stop in front of them.
The Enforcers took a cue from SWAT, they readied their weapons to protect the tom they all respected and his wife from whatever was on the other side of that wall.
The limo stopped in front of a pair of slatted iron gates. The driver got out of the car, went over to the Driver's side passenger door, opened it, and extended his right paw to assist the occupant out of the car.
Callista took his paw, extended her left leg out of the car, and left the vehicle. "Thank you," Callista said.
The driver simply tipped his hat to her and returned to the car.
One of the male Enforcers watched as a very shapely she-cat, wearing a pair of blue jeans that barely hid the shape her legs and a blouse. "That's the commander's wife! What a babe!"
Adonis heard the officer, turned to face the officer, then said, "Please excuse me ladies." And went over to confront the officer.
The officer felt a light tap on his left shoulder. He turned around to see a massive tom, full of muscle in a form-fitting SWAT Kat uniform. "Can I help you with something?" He asked.
"I believe you can. You can apologize to the Commander's wife for your disparaging remark," Adonis answered.
Ulysses heard Adonis, then held his left paw to his head as he said, "This is not going to end well, I feel a headache coming on."
Callista placed a comforting paw on Ulysses' right shoulder, then said, "I'm sure Adonis will handle the situation quite well dear."
The officer then said, "Sure, I'll apologize to her, as long as I can get closer to her. She's a certified fox!"
That remark Callista heard loud and clear. She turned on her heels, went over to the officer, shoved Adonis out of the way, then said as she got into the officer's face, "I'm am not a Certified Fox as you called me! She-cats don't like those little pet names toms of a certain stature use! I suggest you learn to treat she-cats with respect and dignity at all times, officer!" She then turned around and walked back to Ulysses.
"What a she-cat! Brains, beauty, and a tail that begs to be petted," he muttered.
Although Adonis heard him. He grabbed the officer by the lapels of his shirt with his left paw, easily lifted him to his face which was contorted with anger, then spat, "Commander, this so-called officer of yours, said some very offensive remarks about your wife. Can I please teach him a lesson in civility, sir?"
"Adonis! Put him down now and that's an order!" Ulysses barked.
Adonis slowly lowered the officer to the ground and let him go. But he still watched him like a hawk.
The officer straightened his shirt, turned around, and as he started walking back to his post, he said, "You be a good Lapdog now, and maybe one of those hot she-cats you run around with might pet you and take you home to play with, if you get my drift?"
Adonis balled up his right fist and let it fly. It connected with the officer's face, sending him flying about thirty feet, and into the side of a Patrol Car.
The officer, rubbed the side of his face, saw all of the blood coating his paw, then ordered, "I want that tom arrested for Assaulting an Officer!"
Sniper was by Adonis's side, then said, "If you didn't provoke him, he wouldn't have hit you in the first place, jerk!"
"I guess since you are defending him, you are sleeping with him as well? Figures, toms will all the muscles, beds the hottest tail," the officer said.
This enraged Sniper to no end. Not only was she not sleeping with Adonis, he was one of her best friends. She growled and lunged at the officer with her claws fully extended, ready to embed into his skin and rip the fur right off of him.
Adonis grabbed her and held her tight. However, she fought him, tooth and nail to get to that officer. "Let me at him! No one says anything derogatory about my family and gets away with it!"
Adonis was trying his best to hold Sniper in his arms. But her flailing and squirming with all her might was making it very difficult to keep a grip on her. "Sniper! Calm down! He's not worth it!"
"Enough!" Ulysses bellowed. He went over to the tom in question, crouched down, and as he extended his right paw, he said, "Officer, I want your badge and weapon."
"Sir, I was the one who was assaulted by that vigilante," he said.
"Yes you were, and frankly, he should be commended for not killing you. Now, are you going to embarrass yourself further, or give me your badge and weapon now?" Ulysses asked.
The officer slowly removed his badge from his left jacket breast, handed it to Ulysses, then slowly removed his sidearm from the holster on his right. He looked at the weapon briefly before turning it over as well.
Ulysses tucked the officer's weapon and his badge into his jacket. He stood back up, then said, "Go and get checked out by the medics, then return to headquarters and clean out your locker, you're fired."
The officer got up from the ground, saluted Ulysses one last time, then left as ordered.
Ulysses watched him go and returned to his wife's side.
"Was firing him really necessary Ulysses?" Callista asked.
"Yes it was. I need to send a message to the ranks, rudeness by my officers to the public will not be tolerated, period," he said. Ulysses looked at the rest of the Enforcers present, then said, "What your former fellow officer did is not acceptable at any time! Anyone acting in similar manner will be dismissed immediately! Tell your fellow officers that this is one of my final orders! I have filed my retirement papers. This time next year, you all will be answering to a new Commander. She will need every one of you to support her in her new role. She is just as tough as I am, if not tougher, but she will listen to you and take criticism well."
"Commander, if I may? Who is your replacement? You seem to know this she-cat very well?" An officer asked.
"My replacement is no other than, my niece. Lieutenant Felina Clawson will be promoted to the rank of Commander, when I retire."
Every one of the Enforcers were deadly quite as they processed what Ulysses had told them, not knowing what to think.
Adonis, Havoc, and Sniper came over to Ulysses. They scanned the faces of the officers standing like statues in front of them. Then Havoc said, "I stand by the Commander's decision in having Felina take his place."
Adonis caught on to what Havoc was trying to do. He smiled at her and Ulysses, then said, "I support the Commander's decision in promoting his niece to the rank of Commander."
"I've seen her in action on more than one occasion," Sniper said. "She will not only lead you, but she will be right by your side at all times. The Lieutenant leads by example and is not afraid to get her paws dirty. She will earn your respect as you will earn hers. As the Commander stated, anyone can go to her, at anytime, and she will listen. Commander Felina Clawson, as she will be known as, once she gets married, will be a Commander you all will be proud to serve under!"
Ulysses was now beaming with pride. He looked at three of his most trusted officers and even though they were in their SWAT personas, they are what every officer on the force should strive to become.
A pair of large gates started to open, creaking on their hinges.
All of the cats who were there to protect not only the citizens, but Ulysses and Callista stood at the ready, waiting for the most minor thing to go wrong.
The gates fully opened, revealing two lines of well dressed toms wearing sunglasses covering their eyes. And at the end, stood David as well as Michael and Helen, waiting to receive Callista.
Callista looked passed the gates to the tom she despised. Her eyes never left him as she walked over to her husband, grabbed him by the shoulders, and kissed him, with every ounce of passion and love she could pour into the kiss.
Ulysses kissed her back with the same amount of passion as his mind raced, 'This is it! I might not ever get to hold her, kiss her, or tell her I love her, once she gets behind those gates!'
'You are worrying over nothing Ulysses, I will be back in our bed tonight. You can tell me and show me exactly how much you love me then,' Callista filled his mind with her thought.
He withdrew from the kiss, then said, "I look forward to tonight then. I love you, my queen."
"I love you too, my king," she said before she separated herself from him and started her journey through the gates.
Havoc and Sniper flanked Ulysses, then Sniper said, "She'll be fine. Actually, David has no idea what he's stepped into. Sort of feel sorry for him."
Callista crossed over the threshold separating the streets of MegaKat and the Society, then the gates started closing. The farther she entered, the more the gates closed separating the two worlds, once again. Finally, the gates were completely closed. Then everyone heard a thud as the gates locked from the inside, sealing tight.
Adonis turned to his friends, which included the Commander, then said, "We're done here, let's go home."
End of Chapter