Chapter 32
Out on the battlefield things were looking bleak. The Thunderians managed to down one of the Lunatac ships but there seemed to be a never ending supply of them. Heavy casualties resulted from the lack of sleep and the overwhelming odds. Both Third Earth and Plundarr promised reinforcements if they could hold out. Third Earth's troops would be there in two hours but no one had any idea what they would run into or if they could even safely land on the planet. The Mutants were at least half a day away. No one, including Lion-O, wanted to think what they would find when they arrived.
Another blast to the Lair knocked out communication. One more nasty hit and the electricity would go too leaving the injured without necessary machines and vehicles trapped inside the hanger bay. As Panthro and Lea ordered everyone to get any useful vehicles outside before things got any worse, a direct hit on the paw that opened the hanger caused everyone to freeze. Chunks of the building came tumbling down and Panthro screamed for everyone to get out of the hanger. A good portion of vehicles escaped unharmed but when the paw was hit again, it slammed shut, effectively leaving whatever vehicles still inside, inside permanently.
"Lea!" The panther shouted over the din, having lost track of his mate in the last explosion.
"Pan!" Her voice sounded scared and he knew that wasn't a good sign. She never got scared.
"I'm coming!" He promised as the smoke was cleared out of the space by the large exhaust fans.
"Pan!" The scream was more desperate and Panthro charged in the direction of her voice, quickly finding her trapped underneath a large chunk of metal that had collapsed from the ceiling. Her legs were crushed and Rohon was there trying to free her but the young man was not strong enough.
"Hang on baby, I'm here," he grabbed her hand and she gave it a squeeze. He turned to his son and said,
"Get any available medical personnel over here fast. Then I want you to find Maya and have her and Snarf evacuate the kids. Stay with them and get them to safety."
"But Dad," Rohon did not want to leave his parents.
"Go my son. Protect the young ones. They need you to be the warrior I know you are," he said. Rohon quickly nodded, turned to his mother, who had a reassuring smile on his face and then he was gone, running toward the center of the Lair.
"Do you think it was wise to not tell him the truth?" Lea asked.
"What do you mean? I'm going to get this off you and you'll be fine," the panther said.
"I can't feel my legs," she told him.
"You'll be able to feel them soon, hold on," Panthro promised. He lifted the chunk of twisted metal as if it was nothing and then holding it with one hand pulled her out with the other. She was bleeding badly and the panther set the scrap down before checking her over.
"You're going to be fine baby. I got you," he smiled to her.
"Stop lying to me. Tell me how bad it is," the lioness said.
"It'll get worse if the two of you don't get moving," Sahara said, surprisingly them both.
"What are you…?" Panthro asked.
"I need a ride to find my father. I can end this but I need your help," she said.
"I can't leave her," the panther said stubbornly.
"We've got her," Doctor Zunga promised as he and the medical crew quickly took the lioness.
"Get out there and save the day," Lea ordered as they carried her away. The panther turned to Sahara and said,
"Our way out is blocked. The ThunderTank is already out of the hanger."
"Then what that one over there?" Sahara asked, pointing to a vehicle that looked like the ThunderTank.
"That was the original. I kept her in running condition but I don't think she'll chew through the rubble," he told her.
"I bet the old girl still has some tricks up her sleeve," the litah winked.
"I bet she does," Panthro smirked and the two quickly climbed aboard. He turned the key and the engine roared to life. She was louder than her new counterparts but she still purred like a kitten.
"If we're going to do it…" he trailed off.
"Let's do it!" The litah finished.
To Be Continued…