Thundercats:  The Lunatak from the Sky

 

The pod blazed a trail of fire in its wake.  The Tower of Omens sensors detected it first.  It looked like it was going to crash near Hook mountain.  After a brief analysis, Lynx‑O determined that whatever it was, it wasn't natural.  He only hoped the Lunataks or the Mutants hadn't detected it as well... With that thought in mind, he sent a transmission to Cat's Lair.  Hopefully, the Cats would get there first...

 

"What the blazes?"  Slythe growled.  There was a blip moving very fast on the radar. "Vultureman, get a lock on that, yesss?"

"Caw!  It's only a meteor, Slythe.  Nothing out of the ordinary."

"You stupid bird, get a visual on it!"  He pushed the startled bird out of the way with a big, scaly shove.

"There! You see it, yesss?"  He pointed at the image.  It was a pod. Unknown design, moving very fast.

"Caw! I'm getting a trajectory on it... it's heading for Hook Mountain."

Vultureman's fingers flew over the console, plotting its origin point, trying to figure out what this was exactly.

"Jackalman, Monkian, get up here now, yesss?" Slythe cursed.  The pod had already flown past Cat's Lair.. that meant they would be on this in now time.

They had to work fast if they wanted to get it.

"Hoo hoo, what is it, Slythe?"  Monkian chortled as he entered the dirty command room.  Jackalman ran in a moment later.

"Yes, Slythe, what was so important that you had to summon us?"

The irate lizard man pointed again to the view screen.

"There you idiots!  That pod is going to crash near Hook Mountain.  I want you to get to it first, yesss."

"Slythe, give us a break.  If the Thunder Cats have detected it, they'll be there already.  They'll just defeat us again."  Jackalman said.  He had a point, Slythe had to admit.  The Thunder Cats did have an uncanny ability to defeat the Mutants.

"You don't have to beat them, Jackalman!  Just get there, NOW! Yesss!"  Slythe threw a chair at the duo. They scuttled from the room to the hanger.  "Vultureman, keep scanning the pod.  I want to know what in that thing..."

 

"Loona, come quick!"  Tug‑Mug shouted over the intercom.  "There's something up here you should see!"

Luna and Amok lumbered in.  Well, Luna rode in, Amok lumbered. "This had better be important, Tug‑Mug.  I'm losing my beauty sleep."  She waved her riding crop at Tuggy menacingly.

You're obviously not getting enough of it, thought Alluro, who was scanning this strange object.

It was metallic, that much was obvious.  There were markings on it, but they couldn't make them out for all the smoke billowing off of it.  Though, it did look familiar.

"Loona, something ees falling from space!  Eet could be valuable!"  The rotund goon's eyes sparkled.  "Discarded space treasure, maybee sometheeng to beat the Thunder Cats!"

"Tug‑Mug!"  Luna shrieked, "Don't get too excited.  We don't have the resources to do a recon mission.  We don't have the power!"

"Umm, wait Luna," Alluro said, "I have here a new invention."

Tug‑Mug rolled his eyes.  Red‑Eye, previously silent grumbled.  Even Chilla didn't look impressed.

"What is it NOW, Alluro?"  Luna said, "I don't like having my time wasted."

Amok grunted.

"This is condensed Thundrillium. I've been working on it in my lab for weeks now.  All the tests have proven positive.  This could be the key to retrieving this new toy."  He smiled o so seductively and waved the crystal around a bit.

"Hmmm... this could work.  Good work, Alluro."  She turned to the rest of the crew.  "No wise cracks, or you'll be stoking the furnaces!  Tug‑Mug, status on the object!"

He re‑checked the scans.  He blinked.  Skytomb's scanners were the most advanced on the planet.

"Red‑Eye, come loook at thees."

The dark Lunatak looked.  "What?" 

The designs.. He searched his memory.  The rest of the crew did as well.

"Hissss, I know that symbol.  We had it in a memorial building on the Frozen Moon.  What it means I cannot say."

"We had it on my world, too.  Again, it was from the past.  Our past, it seems."  Alluro noted, seeing the expressions on his comrades faces.  Except Amok's.  He remained blissfully ignorant.

"Tar'unt'Tar."  Amok grumbled.

They all turned and looked at him.

Alluro nodded. "Shall I light the furnace?"

 

The Skychaser flew towards Hook Mountain.  The Tower of Omens had detected activity from Castle Plundarr, nothing from Dark side, or the Black Pyramid.  Lynx‑O, Pumyra and Bengali flew the Thunderstrike with all the speed they dared.  There was a weather disturbance approaching Hook Mountain and they didn't want to get caught in it.  Speed was necessary.  They hoped the message reached Cat's Lair in time.  They had launched Panthro and Tygra in the Thundertank.  They would arrive a few minutes later.. they just hoped it was soon enough.  They could see the crater it had left in the snow.  It was beginning to re‑freeze.  The pod was in the middle of it all, steaming away. 

A blast of laser fire distracted them.

"Mutants!" Lynx‑O warned.  "Monkian and Jackalman are here!  Split up.  You two keep them busy while I go after the pod.  I'll need all the cover fire I can get.  This is going to be tricky."

"Right."  The 'Cats confirmed.  They split as another blast rocked the ship.

Lynx‑O took evasive actions.  A much stronger blast perked his ears. 

With the winds howling so, he couldn't hear it's engines.

 

"Yee‑ahahaha!"  Luna laughed.  "Give them another shot of the moon cannons!"

"Yes, Luna."  Tug‑Mug said.

Blue laser fire lanced out at the Thunderstrike's main pod, and missed.

"Drat!  Meesed the stupid cats.  Red‑Eye, take over, I've got to check on the engines."

Tug‑Mug hopped down from his station, transferring weapon control over to the dark Lunie.

"Alluro, your invention finally worked!  A job well done."  Praise from Luna was unexpected, but welcome on the odd occasions it happened.  "Chilla, get on the Ice‑Runner and pick the pod up.  Red‑Eye will cover you, assuming the power holds out."  She glared at Alluro. 

Ah, how quickly praise is gone.  It was nice while it lasted.

Alluro continued scanning. At this range he could pick up power signatures from the pod. 

Something was in it.  Life signs, too.  One, to be exact.

Amok watched the picture of the pod on the main screen.

"Tar'unt'Tar."  He murmured.

 

Chilla sped from Skytomb.  This was a mission of dire urgency.  Only the Lunataks knew what could be on board, though they all feared it.  The pod was 4 metres long.  No matter, I'll simply grab it with my cable and... WHAT?!

A missile barley missed her ship.

"Thundercats!"

One of the Mutants had been shot down.  Now Bengali was after her.  To make things worse, the Thundertank was just below her.

She dodged more laser fire.

"Chill out, Thundercats!"  She hissed.  Bengali's engines became encased in ice. They sputtered and died.  He crashed into the snow.

The Thunderstrike was nearing the crashed pod.  She opened fire, causing it to back off, and make another pass.  Another blast from Skytomb exploded snow directly in the path of the 'Tank.

Chilla laughed.  The Lunataks had won!

From out of nowhere, laser fire strafed her ship.

"Noooo!"

Pumyra had dealt with the Mutant. Monkian's charred ship landed in the snow.  He hopped out and began waving his fist at the 'Cat.

Chilla felt weightless for a moment as her ship lost momentum.  She closed her eyes (it wasn't as scary that way) when strong hands grabbed her under her arms.

"Sorry, Chilla, but we need to work together on this.  I can't let you crash on the dawn of our greatest victory!"

It was Alluro in his jet‑pack thing.  She noticed, to her annoyance, that they were losing altitude.

"I'm sorry, Chilla, but it wasn't designed for two."

She gave him an (!) icy glare.

"That's not to say your fat.. it's just..." Whud.

The snow shut him up.  Chilla struggled out of the mess.  She was so close to the pod!  If only Alluro'd get up they could make a stand....

Panthro and Tygra came running.  The Thundertank was temporarily immobile.  So much for Thunderian technical skill, Chilla though.  They're so... primitive....

The Thunderstrike had reformed.  Skytomb was landing.  Even the Mutants came running.

Alluro was on his feet now, psyche club in hand.

"Stand back... you don't want to look at this.  There's nothing to see. Go home, you don't stand a chance against me.. Whoa!!"

Chilla shouted and pointed.

The pod made a whining sound as age‑old clamps released themselves.  Smoke billowed from inside.

There was an audible intake of breath..

 

What?  The Sword of Omens is sensing something!  Lion‑O looked at the symbol of Thundera.

There must be trouble at Hook Mountain!

"Sword of Omens!  Give me sight, beyond sight!"

Hook mountain appeared.  Skytomb was landing.  Alluro had his psyche club out and was saying something.  Did he have them in his sway?

Chilla pointed at the pod and shouted.

Alluro lost his concentration.

The pod opened.

 

"AAaaagghh!"  There was a groan from the pod.  The cryo‑mist dissipated.  The storm was picking up.

Nobody moved.

Well, nobody outside the pod.

A tall figure stumbled out.  He had a large shoulder pad on, some sort of metallic armour on his torso and baggy‑ish pants, tied below the knee in a style they hadn't seen.

Oh yeah.  And he had a sword.

Grey/purple hair whipped around his face, obscuring features.

He stumbled around a bit, leaning against the opened pod.

"Ouch ouch ouch."  He clutched his sword arm.

Skytomb had unloaded passengers.  The Thunderstrike was hovering 40 metres off the ground, fighting strong winds.

Amok bounded at the pod, Luna screaming for him to slow down.  He skidded to a halt near Alluro.

Luna almost fell off.

"Bad Amok!  No candy!"

Amok looked... confused?

"Not Tar'unt'Tar."

The Lunataks looked slightly more relieved.

Panthro made the first move towards the creature, who towered over the 'Cat.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Panthro the ThunderC..!"

"Don't touch me!"

He pushed in Panthro's direction.  Chilla and Tygra saw he didn't actually touch him...

"Please, we don't want to harm you..?"  Tygra shut up fast.

The wind blew his hair from his face.  Menacing brown eyes glared at him.

Two small horns protruded from his forehead, which was adorned with... a crescent.

"A Lunatak!"

"Ooh, ooh!  I Lunatak?"  Monkian shouted, hopping up and down.

"So that's why the Lunies had such a strong presence here!"  Jackalman said. "Slythe, come in!  The pod was holding a Lunie!"  A look of surprise washed over his face, his communicator was wrenched from his hand.

It flew to the new Lunataks hand.  He grabbed it.  And crushed it.

"AAAaaaggghhh! Monkian, let's get out of here!"

"I'm with you, Jackalman!"

The Mutants took off towards their downed ships.  They'd get them to work.  They HAD to work.

Panthro and Tygra took note of what had just happened.  Panthro, taking no chances blasted at him with a series of fireballs.  The Lunatak jumped... really really high.

Snow and wind blinding him, Panthro couldn't see him coming down on him.

Tygra wrapped his whip around him, and vanished.

The ‑telekinetic?‑ Lunatak slashed at Panthro several times in blinding succession.

His nun‑chucks fell into several pieces.  The spike on his suspenders lost their tips.

He fell back, and scrambled away.

The Luna and the others just watched, open mouthed.

With Panthro in retreat back to the Tank, and the Thunderstrike having trouble staying air‑borne, all that remained was Tygra.

Wind swirled around the Lunatak, then snow with it.  It began building up on a very Tygra shaped spot.  He then did the same pushing motion he did to Panthro earlier and Tygra flew back and turned visible.  He then ran to the 'Tank too.

The Thundercats were in full retreat.

The Lunatak collapsed.

Luna trotted Amok over to the downed Lunie.  "Take him with us, Amok.  Chilla, Alluro, retrieve the Ice‑Runner and the pod.  We're getting out of here."

 

The 'Cats converged on the Lair.  Not too badly damaged, the ships only needed minor repairs.

The loss of the battle still hurt, though.

"It's not like you could have taken on Skytomb by yourselves," Cheetara said.  "Even if we were all there, we still could have lost it."

"Besides," Piped in Wily Kat, "You couldn't have known there'd be a Lunatak in it."

"Snarf, snarf.  I've reviewed the recording taken from the Thunderstrike.  That guy is mean."

Lion‑O considered this.  "I should have been there, I am lord of the Thundercats.  I'm sorry I let you down."  He stalked about the room.

"No, Lion‑O, it was we who failed.  The Thunderstrike was unable to help.  We should have landed and helped our brothers."  Lynx‑O said, gesturing to Bengali and Pumyra.

"Lynx‑O's right, we should have helped."  Pumyra said.  "Next time, we'll be ready."

Tygra looked puzzled.  "How?  We don't even know what he's capable of.  We've never encountered anything like him before.  He almost looked like Alluro, only a bit shorter and with shorter hair, and a sword."

Panthro thought for a minute.  "Did anyone else see that sword?  It looked awfully old.  Sort of like the Sword of Omens or of Plundarr."

They all paused.  "Grrawl, you mean it could be..?"

"The legendary Lunar Sword."

 

The Mutants barely made it back in one piece.  The storm did really bad things to the Skycutters.  Vultureman wouldn't be too impressed, but the frightened Mutants didn't care.

"Slythe!" The cried as they ran up the stairs of Plundarr.

"What is it now, you miserable Mutants?"

"It was a Lunatak!  He didn't even touch the Thundercats.."

"He had them running with their tails between their legs..."

"Then he attacked us..."

"And all the Lunies attacked us..."

"Then Skytomb..."

"SHUT UP!  YESSS??"  Slythe yelled.  Stupid Mutants.. wait..!

"Caw!  We lost visual after the storm picked up.  What happened?"

"He beat up Panthro and Tygra!"

"Who?"  Slythe and Vultureman both shouted.

"The new Lunatak!"

The two smart Mutants stared at each other for a moment.

This is not good, thought Slythe.  New 'Cats, new Lunies.  What next?  New mummies?

 

"Wake u‑up!"  Luna sang.  It sounded okay, through six bulkheads, next to the engine where the engines roared with new life, Alluro thought.  That new Lunie looked... almost familiar.

Like he'd seen a picture of him, long, long ago.  And what Amok said about Tar'unt'Tar?  What was that again, and why was it important?  He was pondering all this when Tug‑Mug rolled up.

"Are you theenking what I'm theenking?" The diminutive Graviton Lunatak asked.

"Starting a new betting pool already?"  He rolled his eyes.

"Well, yes."  He pulled out a pad of paper. "What'll it be thees week, Alluro?"

"Tar'unt'Tar..." He thought.  "Tar'unt'Tar is... a place."

Tug‑Mug raised an eye brow.  "You and Amok think alike.  Cheela is down for a person, Red‑Eye thinks it's a race of people.  Loona says it's a battle.  Me...  I theenk I'll be making a lot

of money on thees one."

He rolled away laughing.

Tar'unt'Tar..

 

"Amok, wake him!"

Water splashed over the sleeping figure.

He sat up with a start.

"Where's my sword?"  He said frantically.  He extended a hand, "Lunar Sword, come to my hand!"

Luna ducked as the sword flew over her head into the hand of its owner.

Lunar Sword?

The Lunatak backed into a corner, sword extended. 

His eyes bugged a bit and he squinted at Luna and Amok.

"You‑you're Lunataks! This is excellent!" He stood up and looked around his room, er, cell.

"Just one question..." He looked back at Luna. "Just where are we?"

Luna regarded him carefully.  He was armed, presumably, with the legendary sword of the Five Moons of Plundarr.  That alone was interesting.  What made it more so, was that the sword had been missing for aeons, and NOT Thunderian aeons.  Luna knew her next words would have to be careful in the extreme.  This was not an ally to let slip through her fingers.

"Greetings, Lunatak.  Welcome to Skytomb, home and stronghold of the Lunataks on Third Earth."

She eyed him for a moment.  He seemed to consider this.

"Is this a military stronghold?"

"Er... yes?"

"Then why haven't I heard of it?" He stalked about the room.  He sheathed his sword and crossed his arms.  "Damn, the Queen's been keeping things from me again.."

Luna's eyebrows shot up.  "Queen??"

"Queen Lunaria.  When she made me commander of the Lunatak Forces in the outer ring, she told me I would have access to ALL databases concerning military functions.  Damn!"

He absently dented the wall.. without touching it.

He walked over to Luna and Amok.  Amok tensed visibly, Luna was frozen, staring eye‑to‑eye with what appeared to be a psi Lunatak.

He extended a hand.  "Hi, I'm Boron."

"Boron good.  Boron strong."  Amok grumbled.

Luna was puzzled.  Why the hells does Amok know so much recently?

"Er.. I'm princess Luna." 

"You?  You are a little goblin.  I should slay you where you stand!"  He jumped back and drew the Lunar Blade, pointed it at them and...

couldn't point it at them. 

It would always move a little out of the way.  A series of telekinetic blasts shook the wall behind her.

"Aaagghhh!! What are you doing?  Amok!  Smash him!"  Luna screeched.  This guy was nuts.  Amok ought just beat him, and Luna will take the Lunar Blade for herself..

Boron backed down. Amok had only raised a fist.  He sheathed his sword again.

"I owe you an apology.. when I left for the war, the Royals were, ah, taller..."  He looked away afraid to peeve off the Royals.  Luna could start to like this...

"Understood, it is a long story about my families.. accident.  No harm was done.  Now, let's hear all about how you got the sword..."

 

Alluro heard Luna scream for a meeting all the way down in his lab.  He shuddered.  The condensed Thundrillium was top priority, why couldn't this wait.

Tug‑Mug rolled in.

"Allooro, Loona wants to have a meeting.  We're going to talk to the new guy.  Come quick, if

you want share the couch!"  He rolled off laughing.

Alluro waved him off.  Idiot.  This new Lunatak was.. interesting.  There hadn't been a telekinetic Lunatak since before the dissension 2500 years ago.  That was after the War...

Tar'unt'Tar...

Why couldn't he stop thinking of that?

The air became noticeably colder.

"Hissss, Alluro, what's taking you so blasted long?  The meeting started 5 minutes ago.  Luna is actually waiting for you.  She wants you on hand in case our new guest becomes too rowdy."

Alluro put the Thundrillium into the "Thundrillium Condenser" and went up to the command deck with Chilla.

 

Panthro paced his work shop.  How could we defend ourselves against something we can't see coming?

Something we can't even detect?

His ponderings were interrupted by Tygra's appearance in the room.

"Panthro, good news.  We've completed reviewing the battle.  Cheetara thinks she can counteract the telekinetic powers of this new Lunatak with a mind block."  He explained.

"What's a mind block?"  Panthro asked.  If I can't build it, it can't possibly work, he thought.

He was still sore from losing to that new Lunie.  He cut my nun‑chucks in two and broke my spikes!  He wasn't even trying!

"A mind block, as nearly as I understand it, is when Cheetara locks onto his psionic frequency with her mind, and then matches it to the Tower of Omens.  According to our theory, Lynx‑O can then project some psionic 'static' disrupting the signals, so he can't blast us the way he did earlier.  Don't worry, Panthro, we'll get him next time."

Panthro growled as Tygra left.  He didn't want his friend to see him this mad.  Just wasn't right!  And that sword.  Hmmm.

He had a bad feeling the mind block wouldn't work.  He had to do this alone.

 

"So, what did everyone want to talk about?" Boron said, seating himself, rather, perching himself at the table.

Alluro and Chilla walked in.

"Good, we can start." Luna said.  She directed Amok around to the head of the table. "As you all know, this is Boron, a Lunatak.  I hope he is the key to defeating the Thundercats so we can get off this miserable planet."  She smiled, putting on her painfully sweet voice, "Sooo Boron, tell us a little about yourself."

Boron shrugged.  "Hi, I'm Boron, leader of the Lunatak Forces.  That's about it." He sat down.

And stood up again, "Oh yeah, why are we fighting Thundercats?  They are still in a civil war.

They can't possibly oppose the empire."

The other Lunies looked at each other.

"Brrrb... The Thundercats are not so.. primitive.. anymore." Red‑Eye said.  Though they hated to admit it, the Thundercats' tech rivalled their own.

"What civil war are we talking about?  The 'Cats' have been peaceful for as long as I have been alive?"  Chilla asked, mist trailing from her lips.

"What eempire?  The Lunataks divided aeons ago.  There hasn't been an eempire in..."

"2500 years, give or take." Alluro finished Tug‑Mug's sentence for him.

Boron looked confused.  "Buh?"

They all looked at each other.  Luna figured it out.

"Boron," She asked, "What year is it?"

They all looked at Boron.  He thought for a moment.

"The 3444th cycle of the sun."

Ah, Alluro thought, it's all making sense now.  Well, almost all of it...

Luna spoke again, "When we left the Moons, it was the 5976th cycle of the sun."

The psi Lunatak was silent.

"Then, it's been..."

Alluro smiled, "2500 years, give or take."

 

Panthro fixed his spikes.  Rotten Lunie, next time, he'll be on the receiving end of some punishment.  With these new nun‑chucks, I'll beat that strange sword down and then I'll beat the rest of those miserable Lunies.

He looked over his recent work.  The Thundertank was beefed up, too.  The new armour plating was all buffed up.  The ThunderStrike was just getting its laser targeting system up graded so they could track and fire on multiple targets.  All in all, a good day's work.

He needed a plan.  He wanted to fight this boy man to man.  Barring that, he wanted to hit him with the 'Tank.  The problem was that they were in Dark side.  He didn't particularly want to go in there to settle a fight.

He'd need to lure them out some how...

They needed power.  Thundrillium.

Now, he needed to set the trap.

 

Boron sank.  He paled.  He seemed to age.

This was not good.

Tar'unt'Tar...

Alluro couldn't take it anymore. He stood up.

"Tell me, Boron, what is 'Tar'unt'Tar'?"

Tug‑Mug grinned.  And the winnah is....

Boron met the hypnotist's eyes.

"Tar'unt'Tar!  That's where I was when I lost consciousness! That's where I should have died!"

Alluro brandished the psyche club, "Tell me, what is Tar'unt'Tar?  You cannot resist me.."

The Lunar Blade was in his hands.. but he couldn't lift it.  Couldn't attack the hypnotist..

Resigned to his fate, he sat down and told the story he'd rather forget.

 

"The Lunatak empire had grown beyond all reasonable boundaries.  It was huge.  We controlled hundreds of systems throughout this third of the galaxy.  We were allied with countless races, and were united as one race, thanks to the Lunar Blade!

One day, though, it all changed.  One of our outpost colonies stopped transmitting signals.  It just stopped.  So, we sent a battle cruiser to check it out.

It got off a shot and a signal before it was destroyed.  The fleets began to mobilize.  We barely knew what we were up against.  All we saw was a massive ship of unknown design fire once.

That was it.

Before we had even gotten organized, more colonies fell.  There were a dozen ships attacking our space.  We couldn't stop them.  The first of the fleets fell defending the home world of the Ohm'whit'ow'whie.  They were beautiful creatures.  They had no enemies and made the most soothing music.

Dead.  All of them.  Now, anyway.

We were prepared to make a last stand around the moons.  Over half the empire was crushed.  The lord‑commander, nephew to the Queen, gave me the Lunar Blade.  He told me to lead the armies to victory.  He was going on a suicide mission.  They were going to ram the ships, sacrifice themselves instead of dying in vain.

They succeeded.  One of the behemoth ships was obliterated.  That paused the rape of the empire.

They drew back, not knowing how we did it.

I ordered the fleets, what were left of them, to press the attack.

The Lunar Blade guided my actions.  We were winning.  They had no other planets.  Just one.  We surrounded it.  They landed on their home world.  Why, we never knew.  We gathered our forces and began bombing the planet.  They had an underground network, we couldn't hurt them.

So, I did the only reasonable thing.

We went in on foot.

Believe me, you never, NEVER, want to see the Tat'unt'Tar.  It means 'the damned of the damned'.

This was the worst hell imaginable.

The battles were too many to recount.  The Lunar Blade slew hundreds of the giants.  We had beaten them back to their palace under the earth.

It was there that I was betrayed.

We set charges.  Not typical charges.  We had devised a new type.  It would bore into the earth's core and use the planets own power to destroy itself.

Most of the troops were evacuated.  I stayed to do the final honours, as was my right.  The palace was too heavily defended to clean it out, so we did the quick and dirty way.

We had it all set.  The last of us were about to leave.

We were ambushed.  An enormous army poured from the palace.  We didn't stand a chance.  We took defensive positions. They hit us.  One knocked me back into a small chamber.  The Tar'unt'Tar clicked it's mandibles together.  I slashed it.  It fell on the control panel to the pod.  The door closed.  The bomb... it wasn't set!  I looked out the small window.  It was getting cold.

My friends were falling.  I stretched out with my mind and activated it, not knowing if it would go off or if they would be able to disarm it.

I lost consciousness.  I awoke when the pod crashed the other day."

 

 

 

Continued

 

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