Chapter 6
"I can't leave you guys alone for five minutes can I?" Mandora asked as Lion-O finished explaining the situation. She was on her bike halfway to Evil Chaser headquarters when she got the call.
"That's what happens when you're popular," the lion chuckled slightly.
"I guess. Let me run a check and get back to you. You guys need anything else? Coffee? Donuts? Alternative forms of birth control?" The Evil Chaser laughed at her own joke. There was silence on the other end which only made her laugh harder.
"The flight plan will do. Thanks," Lion-O managed to get out.
"You're as red as your hair aren't you?" Mandora wanted to know. More silence.
"Take it easy and I'll talk to you soon," she continued to chuckle before disconnecting the call.
"What's going on?" Cheetara asked as she walked back into his office and noticed he seemed flush.
"Nothing, just Mandora making some off color jokes," he said, clearing his throat.
"Oh is the King embarrassed? You were right. You're a kid trapped inside an adult body. The only difference is, you know how to use that body," this made Lion-O very red.
"My King! The rescue mission is cued up on the Control Room screen. You wanted to be alerted," Punthar spoke up from the little receiver on Lion-O's desk.
"Yes… thank… you," he managed to gain enough composure to put some words together.
"Are you all right sir? Do I need to call the doctor?" Punthar was nervous.
"I'm fine. I'll be right down," the lion responded.
"Very good, sir," the called ended and Lion-O stood up.
"Shall we?" Cheetara asked. He gave her a smirk and came around his desk. They headed out into the hallway and made their way down to the Control Room. Lion-O gave her a swat on the bottom as they rounded into the room and she yelped.
"Everything ok?" Panthro asked.
"Just fine. I stubbed my toe," the cheetah lied.
"Fastest Cat alive and she stubs her toe?" Tygra had an eyebrow raised.
"What have we got going on?" Lion-O asked, effectively changing the subject.
"Captain Mitsu has teams rescuing the two trapped airmen. The feed we are getting is from the video cameras that were rigged up on the rescue ship. The debris field is massive," Punthar explained.
"What kind of ship would have been heading for Third Earth?" Pumyra asked.
"Do we have audio? I want to ask the crew to see if they can zoom in on some of the pieces," Lion-O said.
"I'll relay the command to Third Earth and they'll relay it to the ship," Punthar quickly radioed Third Earth.
"It doesn't look overly familiar," Panthro commented.
"I've got a call in from Mandora. The only ship that was supposed to be in our vicinity was a transport ship. One hundred souls on board with cargo. Her name was Calliope," Punthar told them.
"Tell her that we need an investigation team out here," Lion-O said.
"Yes, sir. Anything you would want me to add?" The puma asked.
"The Calliope is dead," Lion-O shook his head as a piece of wreckage floated by the screen, the partial name of the ship giving away just where it belonged – the hull of the Calliope.
To Be Continued…