THERE BE DRAGONS!
Chapter 11: The Final Assault Brings a Dangerous Surprise
Very soon the Turbokat had returned to Dark Kat's hideout. The mountain entrance was blocked by debris from their previous attack so Dark Kat wouldn't be escaping that way but that didn't mean the wily omega wouldn't be attempting to get away through the many hidden routes he had tunneled throughout the mountain.
As they hovered over the extinct volcano, the other dragons took up their positions high above them, on the alert for anyone attempting escape. Meanwhile, the SWAT Kats prepared to restart their assault on the mountain itself.
"T-Bone, I want you to fly a close, circular pattern while I make dozens of holes in that mountain. My friends will keep an eye for anyone, especially Dark Kat, trying to escape. We'll see how quickly we can reduce this hideout to so much rubble."
The pilot's mouth stretched into a feral grin. "Roger that, buddy. First target acquired," he warned, bringing the jet in close.
Over the next five minutes, Razor shot no less than ten missiles into the first target and before it had even finished collapsing, T-Bone had taken them to the next target.
~o~o~o~o~o~
Inside the rapidly crumbling mountain, Dark Kat had already shored up his defenses and planned on evacuating to a new location hoping to complete his aborted plans. In his mind the SWAT Kats previous attack was only a minor setback.
However, before he could finish his orders, the mountain around him once more began to shake and loud booming reports penetrated the interior, warning of a renewed attack by his enemies. Cursing, he exhorted his creeplings to finish loading his equipment and gave orders to his ninjas to depart immediately.
But only minutes into the evacuation, screams echoed back from the tunnels followed by terrified creeplings returning to him. Since all his external monitoring cameras had been knocked out, he couldn't ascertain exactly what those cursed SWAT Kats were doing to his mountain but he knew the results of the attack as his creeplings were reporting collapsed escape tunnels everywhere.
He cursed in fury! This meant the SWAT Kats hadn't been taken out by his relentless missile had failed, probably helped along by those dragons he'd seen. Momentarily indecisive on what action to take next, Dark Kat brooded while his creeplings flew around him in shrieking terror. When no response from their leader was forthcoming, the creeplings finally tore away to find any bolthole their bodies could fit through to escape.
Of course, that meant they ended up in the fiery crosshairs of the waiting dragons, crisping before they could shriek a warning. As for the ninjas, they had already evacuated as ordered by way of a boat down an underground river. Unfortunately for them, when they appeared outside the moutain about a mile away, a sharp eyed dragon spotted them and airlifted their ship, ninjas and all, to a precarious and inescapable mountain escarpment, leaving them to wait for rescue by a dragon or Enforcer after the battle.
Now only Dark Kat remained in his doomed retreat. As all his escape routes vanished and his minions abandoned him, something that had laid dormant since his youth snapped. With a roar of fury, he shed his Kat form. A huge and ancient black dragon blasted fire at a far wall of the cave that was opposite the attack noises and escaped its prison.
~o~o~o~o~o~
More than half the mountain was destroyed when T-Bone's startled shout of alarm dragged Razor from his single minded assault on Dark Kat's hideout.
"Razor! There's a black dragon attacking your friends!"
"What?" The smaller SWAT Kat jerked his head away from his targeting screen to stare out his window. Not far from their position an unknown dragon was indeed attacking. In horror, he watched as two screamed in pain from flames and rips that had injured their wings. Unable to fly their bodies spiraled toward the ground far below.
Roaring in fury, Razor abandoned his seat and dropped down into the cargo hold without warning his partner. In seconds, he was out of the jet and hurtling, in dragon form, for the attacker.
When he realized his partner had jumped ship, T-Bone pulled the jet away from targeting duty and turned about so he could monitor this new battle. The red and black dragons were locked in a vicious battle for control. It was obvious this was a stranger by the behavior of all the others. Not knowing what else to do and not daring to fire on the black as it was too close to his partner, T-Bone searched for any sign of Dark Kat.
But all he saw was the nearly flattened mountain and no Enforcers about. However, there were four dragons in obvious trouble. He flew the jet down toward them.
Two undamaged dragons were struggling to ease the injured dragons toward the ground. Hovering just below and as close as he dared, with his cargo hold door open and pointed toward the group, T-Bone put the jet on VTOL and hoped the four dragons would understand what he was attempting to do.
It was Comack who first realized what the Turbokat was doing hanging just ahead and below them. Sighing in relief, he called over to Byron. "He's providing us a ride for these two. Let's get them aboard before we drop them!" Following his own instructions, Comack struggled toward the hovering jet and managed to swing Sushimi into the waiting cargo hold. Only a few minutes later Byron managed to do the same with his companion.
As the injured pair got as comfortable as they could on the hard deck, Comack told them, "We've got to go back and help Adair. You two will be safe here with Adair's friend." He rose and turned away toward the still open door, launching himself outward.
Frowning, Byron shared a confused look with his downed companions before shrugging and departing after.
Up in the cockpit, T-Bone watched as the two uninjured dragons departed the jet before raising the ramp and closing in his guests. He then restored forward motion to the jet, heading up to a safer altitude above the battle scene before returning to VTOL.
Hovering in place, he stared down at the battle below him. It appeared Adair was holding his own against the black dragon. His friends were just arriving at his side and there still was no sign of Dark Kat. Feeling he had a moments breather, he turned on the autopilot and dropped down into the hold.
The two injured dragons eyed him warily. They had been licking their wounds which helped in the healing process.
"Hi, my name's T-Bone and I'm a friend of Adairs. Are you guys going to be alright?" He stepped a bit closer eyeing them closely. They didn't seem to be too badly injured thankfully. "Any idea who that black dragon is?"
"No idea but I suspect he's one of the many lost ones we've been searching for ..." Marin began before Sushimi interrupted.
"He's a rogue and will have to be destroyed." Marin sighed and nodded that this was true.
"You won't get an argument from me on that," T-Bone agreed grimly. "Anyway, I came down to check on you and to ask if you'll be okay if I rejoin Adair? You don't need any medical care?"
"No. It's only rips and tears. We'll be fine ... just can't fly. And thank you for giving us aid," Sushimi said, then cocking an eye at the pilot inquisitively. "We are a bit surprised, however, to find out Adair is a SWAT Kat." Then he sighed and tried to get comfortable. "Unfortunately, questions must wait for later when the danger is past. Please go and aid Adair. He's extremely important to us and our community."
"He's just as important to me and I always watch his back … no matter what form he's in. You two rest and hang on. It's going to get more than a little bumpy at times," T-Bone warned them before quickly returning to his seat above.
No longer seeing the fight, T-Bone took the jet out of VTOL and headed down. Leveling off, he finally found the still battling pair. They were some 100 feet from the ground and about four miles from the collapsed mountain.
Horror filled him as he saw as he got closer that Adair and the black dragon were locked tightly together, claws having pierced chests. Blood flowed freely as the pair used feet and teeth to do maximum damage. Their wings flapped hard keeping them airborne while they struggled to get a killing blow in.
Meanwhile, Comack and Byron flew around the pair looking for some way to disable the black or at least distract the creature so that the red could get in a kill strike. Unfortunately, the black dragon's killing rage was so focused on Adair that nothing would distract him. Still the pair did what they could. Comack dared get close enough to rip at one black wing while Byron dropped lower and grabbed the tail and yanked...hard. Roaring in fury, the black gave Adair a vicious bite to the face then turned his head enough to spray a gout of flame into Comack's side forcing the other dragon to let go, screaming in pain. To get Byron off, the black kicked out with a foot, using the spur on the back of his heel to stab the gold dragon in the shoulder. Hissing in pain, arm suddenly limp, he also was forced to back away, blood dripping down his chest.
Fury at his friend's injuries, Adair renewed his attack, attempting to latch fangs into the black's throat. Unfortunately, the black knew what he was about and raised his head suddenly upward out of reach making Adair miss. Roaring, the black struck toward Adair's face, fangs bared. But Adair thwarted him once more by dropping his head down and using his crest to smack the black in the snout.
When the black reared back in momentary pain, Adair slashed him on the inner right thigh with his own heel spur. The black roared and attempted another throat bite but Adair was there first, lunging forward to rip the neck, but only ripping the scales at the neck causing the black to scream again, blood covering his chest.
Meanwhile, watching helplessly in his cockpit, T-Bone ground his fangs together as he wished for the millionth time he could fire a missile at the black dragon but the fighting pair were too tightly clenched together for a clear shot. All he could do was wait and hope Adair could end this fight soon.
Floating nearby the other pair of injured dragons watched anxiously for a chance to interfere again but no opportunity presented itself so all they could do was the same as the pilot...watch and hope!
~o~o~o~o~o~
Some thirty minutes earlier, forgotten by everyone and on the ground helpless, was Commander Feral. He had parachuted to safety as did his other four enforcers when Dark Kat had shot them out of the sky. He and his troops got separated due to the many trees below them and his helmet radio had been damaged during the fight previously.
Angry and disgusted, he managed to get free of his chute and the tree he'd landed in. Dropping lightly to his feet, he froze and listened but heard nothing but the normal forest sounds. Not even the Turbokat could be heard. None of his troops were apparently close either and, without his radio, he couldn't call for help much less gather the fallen to him. Sighing, he decided it would be best to trek back to Dark Kat's hideout with the hopes that his backup might be have arrived. Or, worst, he would have to beg the SWAT Kats for a lift … something he much prefer not to do.
It took him some twenty minutes of trekking before he reached the end of the forest and the base of the mountain he'd seen Dark Kat take refuge in before he got shot out of the sky. Halting at the edge of the tree line, he stared around cautiously. The air split with a boom and the resulting explosion sent him flying off his feet. His ears ringing and the ground still shaking he looked and saw the Turbokat firing repeated rounds of large powerful missiles,at the mountain. As he watched, he realized what the gunner intended as the pilot rotated the jet from target to target around the mountain top, he was intent on destroying it utterly. Good plan. And the jet wasn't alone as Feral also spotted dragons above the jet crisping what looked to be creeplings trying to escape from various boltholes.
Faint screams made him jerk his head toward the east, away from the jet's activity, in time to see a dragon toting off an entire ship with screaming occupants toward another mountain peak and depositing it there before rejoining the battle. Another sound, a roar of fury jerked his attention back west in time to witness flames and exploding rock spewing from a newly made hole. Out of it exploded a huge, furious black dragon blowing fire ahead of it.
He watched helplessly as the black dragon hurtled across the sky and attacked the two dragons above the Turbokat, striking them with devastating force ... using its greater size as a battering ram.
Kat's Alive! Who the hell is that? Feral wondered, bewildered. He looked around but saw no Enforcers and then he realized something. Wait! Where is Dark Kat? For a long moment his mind refused to consider the obvious but the longer he watched the battle the more he was forced to recall clues that meant nothing until this moment. Memories of how hard a certain omega was to kill, the person's unusual strength, his odd coloring, and a few other unexplainable things Dark Kat had been able to do. Impossible as it might seem there was only one conclusion he could draw, no matter how unbelievable.
If I could stay hidden why couldn't he? And he's so unlike a Kat is it possible he's one of those poor unlucky ones grandfather told me about. The ones the hunters caught and experimented on? It would explain his vicious behavior. Grandfather said those able to escape were never the same after. Since there's no sign of Dark Kat and I don't think the SWAT Kats managed to take him down or they wouldn't still be trying to destroy the mountain, this has to be the missing omega."
Feral shook his head in frustration. But so what if it is him? I can't get up there. No jet … no backup!
His attention was recaptured upward by a scream and a roar. A red dragon was in a tight clench with the black. Meanwhile, the Turbokat and the other dragons tried to move in and hamstring the black as well. The vicious creature was no push over and quickly proved it by taking out two of the other dragons quickly and bloodily. The remaining two dragons were forced to break off the fight to rescue the injured pair falling rapidly toward the ground, wings too badly damaged to keep them aloft.
Feral's breath stopped as fear squeezed his chest but released it with a whoosh as the Turbokat went to the rescue of the falling pair and the other two attempting to bravely halt their plummet. Within minutes, the injured dragons were aboard the jet and the uninjured pair had returned to the intense fight between the black and red. No longer worried about the injured dragons, Feral watched the battle keenly. The formidable pair were evenly matched, neither gaining on the other. Because they were so tightly clenched together, the SWAT Kats and remaining dragons simply couldn't get close enough to help and were forced to watch.
The fight stirred things within him. A sense of urgency and a need to protect urged him to take action but he stubbornly shoved it aside. But the longer he watched the more he felt an intense need to get involved and pure frustration on his inability to do so. It was in his nature to be at the heart of the action not standing on the sidelines, which was why he hated the SWAT Kats constant interference. But more than standing by when he should be taking action something that lay dormant for a very long time began to push at him. It goaded him to do what he was born to do but fear from his past held him back.
Suddenly, the two dragons hovering near attempted to distract the black by darting close. The black didn't let their interference go unnoticed and quickly got rid of them despite being tied up with the red. The sheer savagery of the black's attack and the screams of pain from the other dragons broke Feral's inner turmoil and fear. Throwing off the stricture his grandfather had beat into him and taking the form he had been forbidden to use, he took flight for the first time since his grandfather had been killed. Bugling a challenge, he launched himself from the ground and flew straight at the entangled pair. Time to do his duty.
~o~o~o~o~
Still hovering in frustration near the grim battle, T-Bone blinked in surprise when yet another golden dragon appeared on the scene and joined the battle. Where the heck did he come from, he wondered. At first, he was concerned it might attack Adair but in the next moment, he realized that wasn't the case. Watching in fascination, T-Bone observed as the golden dragon came in behind the black and viciously grabbed the male's wings, digging long sharp claws into the membranes and pulling them back mercilessly.
Byron and Comack, still hovering near despite their injuries, eyed the newcomer with confusion and shock.
"Another lost one? Where did he come from?" Comack asked of Byron.
His friend shrugged and watched the new battle with a discerning eye. "Whoever he is, he's a skilled fighter."
"But how is that possible when it's obvious he's a hatchling?" Comack thought the golden should have been a rogue if he knew how to fight like this but it was obvious he wasn't. And where is his family? Why isn't he a rogue?" So many questions. He hoped there would be answers if he survived.
Byron just shook his head knowing his friend wasn't asking him for answers but they were good questions. He moved upward a little to see the battle better while still keeping out of the way. Whatever the story was behind this other dragon it would have to wait until this battle was ended.
The black dragon roared in maddened fury at this new adversary. Seeking to get the golden off him, the black swiftly lunged at Adair's face making the red turn away. Using that moment, the black turned his head enough to fire a burst of flame at the interfering golden. Unfortunately for him, the younger dragon was more agile and managed to jerk to the right still holding the black's wings while evading the jet of flame which shot past his right shoulder.
Adair was momentarily confused and surprised when this unknown golden dragon had joined the fight. But quickly utilized the others distraction with the black to renew his attack. Snapping his neck forward, jaws wide, Adair tore the black's throat out ending the fight at last.
The black's eyes widened in shock. Unable to scream, he tried to strike back but blood loss and the inability to breath took the light from his eyes, death making him dead weight.
"Release him!" Adair commanded, removing his own claws and flapping backwards.
Obeying instantly, the golden released its hold on the black's wings allowing the body to plummet swiftly toward the unforgiving ground, its body crashing through trees and brush before impacting the forest floor with a thud.
In the Turbokat, T-Bone sighed with relief and waited to see what Adair planned to do next. No surprise, he watched as both Adair and the golden dragon made for the body on the ground. Taking that as his cue, the pilot took the jet off VTOL and flew toward a clearing at the base of the mountain not far from the downed black dragon.
Not far behind, Byron and Comack followed them all, alighting just behind Adair, and the golden. Dust filled the air from the landing of the Turbokat nearby but a light wind pushed it away as moments later the canopy shot back and T-Bone leapt down, running full out until he reached the clearing but stopping short of the ones standing there, not wanting to interfere in what was dragon business.
As silence fell, everyone turned their attention to the body lying at their feet. The unknown golden dragon boldly moved forward and leaned his long neck down to check the black's vitals. It only took a moment before he raised his head and shook it. "He's dead," he intoned solemnly. Nodding to the three other dragons, he respectfully stepped back so they could check as well.
Making his own exam, Adair confirmed, "Yeah, that's a definite." Frowning he raised his head and mused, "Wonder who he was?" Moving back a step he hissed and winced in pain, his wounds making their presence known rather forcefully as they bled down his body and doted the ground beneath his clawed feet and outspread, painful wings.
"It's Dark Kat!" The golden interjected with absolute certainty in his voice.