GOOD MORNING SKYTOMB


It was business as usual in the home of the Lunataks, Skytomb. Chilla and Knave were tormenting some brute men slaves, Luna was barking out orders from atop Amok, Red Eye was in the control room scanning the region, and Tug Mug was relaxing in his room.


Alluro, as usual, could be found in his miniature laboratory tinkering with a hand held gizmo. Wires were strewn everywhere and he rifled through stacks of paper. "I know I put those specs somewhere," he grumbled, shifting half a pile on to a free section of floor. "There it is, right next to my coffee," he said, scooping up the plans to a device that could determine someone's intent. "The principle should be basically the same, with some modifications," he thought, "What I really need right now is a test subject."


Tug Mug was wakened by an incessant knocking on his door. "What is it?" he grumbled, rolling off his bed.

"It's me Tug Mug, Alluro," the voice on the other side of the door said.

"I didn't ask 'who is it?' I asked 'what is it?'" Tug Mug said.

"I need your help in procuring a warrior maiden," Alluro said flatly.

"Chilla turn you down again?" Tug Mug chuckled.

"You do realize that there are other ways to ensure your co-operation," Alluro said, tapping his psyche club.

"You wouldn't dare. Luna would have your head!" Tug Mug said.

"Not once I test my newest invention on that warrior maiden," Alluro said. This caught Tug Mug's attention and he readily agreed.


Tygra was sitting in a small hut talking to Willa, queen of the warrior maidens. The two were discussing means of adding a new wing to Cat's Lair. "The idea is that in times of emergency we could move some, if not all, of our allies into our home," Tygra said.

"But isn't that like putting all of your eggs in one basket? Aren't you giving the Lunataks, Mumm-Ra and the mutants one target at which to strike?" Willa asked.

"Surely you must realize that you are all at risk. What if the mutants burn your village. Wouldn't you rather your people stayed in Cat's Lair until it was safe?" Tygra asked.

"It is never safe on Third Earth, so long as Mumm-Ra roams the land and the mutants dwell to the south," Willa explained. Tygra conceded the point and thought about asking if the Thundercats might be able to take some lumber from the surrounding forest. He never got around to forming the question. The tree top village was rocked by a crash. Several huts dropped to the ground. The pair looked at each other and ran outside.


"It doesn't matter which one we get Tug Mug. We only need one," Alluro said.

"No, we must get Willa. She has been a thorn in our side for a long time," Tug Mug said, turning his gravity carbine on another building.

"Well, you've got your wish. There's Willa, and she has Tygra with her," Alluro said.

"Don't worry about them. You just take care of the others with your psyche club," Tug Mug said.


"Warrior maidens, why do you attempt to fight? Tug Mug and I are far too powerful for you, even though you outnumber us. You will co-operate with me. Sit down, relax. Soon we will be gone, taking Willa with us. There's nothing you can do to stop us," Alluro said, waving his club in the air. Around him the warrior women slowly dropped their weapons and sat where they were. Some lay down while others leaned against trees or each other. Alluro could only hope that Tug Mug would soon have two prisoners.


Tug Mug couldn't believe their good fortune. What better subject to test their new device on than a Thundercat. His gravity carbine fired once, catching the pair of heroes in one shot. They crumpled to the ground as the gravity around them tripled. Tug Mug then dropped a net down on top of them and lightened them with another blast from the carbine. The two helpless prisoners floated alongside the Lunataks as they made their way home.


"So what exactly does this do-hickey do?" Tug Mug asked when the prisoners were secure in their cells.

"My attitude analyzer and adjustor will change the personality of its target," Alluro said.

"Assuming it works," Tug Mug retorted.

"That's why we're trying it on these two. Maybe it will have some adverse affect," Alluro chuckled.


Tygra struggled against his bonds. His keen Thunderian ears had caught enough of the conversation for him to know that he didn't want to get hit by the device.


"Let's make Tygra very sad," Alluro said, aiming at the Thundercat.


Tygra looked around and realized that this may be the last time he saw Willa. Huge tears began welling in his eyes. "I'm sorry Willa. I'm sorry for everything I've done," he sobbed.


"It worked. But what about other emotions. You said you would cheer Luna up so make Willa happy," Tug Mug said. Alluro shrugged his shoulders, aimed the device and said the word 'happy'.


Willa couldn't help but smile. There were, after all, benefits to being trapped in here. She didn't have any chores to do, people would be supplying her with food and, best of all, she had wonderful company with her. She moved closer and hugged Tygra as best she could.


"What are you two fools doing here? You belong up in the control room, helping Red Eye scan the region," Luna shrieked at Alluro.

"We're just trying to make you happy Luna," Tug Mug said.

"Well, it's not working. I'm very angry that you aren't up with Red Eye!" Luna said.

"But I think you're very happy, Luna," Alluro said, pointing his attitude analyzer and adjustor at Luna. Amok growled and smashed the device out of the stunned Lunatak's hands. Alluro thought for a moment how unpleasant it would be to become a permanent part of the wall.

"Wait a minute Amok. Just look at this place. It's so filthy. Alluro, would you mind cleaning it up?" Luna said. "And Tug Mug, you look tired. Have you been getting enough sleep? I think you should go back to bed. I'll take your turn at watch." Luna and Amok then left the room.

"You got lucky Alluro," Tug Mug said.

"Let's go tell the others the good news," Alluro said.

"I'd love to but Luna ordered me to go to sleep and miss my watch," Tug Mug chuckled, "and she also ordered you to clean this place up." Tug Mug began laughing as he left the room.


Chilla and Knave had spent the better part of the day tormenting the brute men, but had been called by Alluro down to the detention area. "What is it Alluro?" Chilla asked.

"I invented something that will solve all our problems," Alluro said.

"Is that it there?" Knave asked, indicating the smashed device still lying on the surprisingly clean floor.

"It is. But I managed to use it before Amok destroyed it. It was an attitude analyzer and adjustor," Alluro said proudly.

"And that is?" Knave asked.

"It changes someone's personality to suit your needs. For example I could have used it on Chilla to make her feel kinder towards me," Alluro said.

"Ah, I see. And what would you have done after I'd beaten the living daylights out of you?" Knave asked.

"Yes, anyway. The point is I managed to make Luna happy and cheerful," Alluro said, "She thought Tug Mug looked tired and sent him to bed. She said please when asking me to clean up," Alluro said.

"So why did you clean up if she asked you to politely?" Knave asked.

"Luna may have asked, but Amok ordered," Chilla explained.


Red Eye was a little shocked, some time later, to find a mug of cocoa being pressed into his hands by Luna. "I thought you could use it. You've been working very hard after all. I thought I should let you know how much I appreciate it," Luna said. The Lunatak leader and her mount slowly left the room, leaving Red Eye feeling very much confused.


"Pink bunnies! My room has been covered with pink bunnies?" Chilla screamed, looking at her new wallpaper. Fluffy pink bunnies on a baby blue backdrop. Someone had been in her room without permission and tidied up, put up wallpaper, and even put a fire on for her. "Your room was feeling a little chilly. I thought a nice warm fire might help. I've brought some ferns, by the way, to spruce the place up," Luna said as Amok placed a large fern in the corner. Chilla seethed quietly until Luna was out of sight, then she breathed ice on to the fern, killing it instantly.


Tug Mug heard a knock on the door. "Can't I get any sleep," he asked aloud. The door opened and Luna, with Amok, came in bearing a large silver tray laden with food. "I thought you looked a little ill and could use some breakfast in bed," she said, "If you need anything else, just call me. I'm going to go polish your gravity carbine." Luna scooped up the gun from beside the bed and sent Amok lumbering down the hall.


Alluro was busy playing darts in his room, pictures of Luna pinned to the board. When he heard voices approaching he quickly flipped the board around so that a picture of the Thundercats was displayed. Soon four angry Lunataks burst into his room.


"We don't care how good an invention it is, Luna is driving us mad!" Tug Mug said.

"She's talking about color co-ordinating our outfits claiming that 'we clash with each other'," Chilla said.

"And what about redesigning the control room with a teapot theme?" Red Eye added.

"You will build another device and fix this problem at once," Knave growled.

"Not to worry. I have the blueprints sitting on my desk," Alluro said, leading the others to his lab.


"By all the moons of Plundaar! What has happened?" Alluro shouted. His laboratory was cleaned from top to bottom, the walls painted a bright red. "Where are all my papers? My inventions?" he said, moving around his once cluttered room.

"Where they belong. I had trouble finding room for all your stuff, I had to build some new shelves. The papers were just taking up space, so I threw them all into the incinerator," Luna said from her location in Alluro's closet where she was mending a hole in his lab coat. Alluro glanced back and saw the rest of the Lunatak's casting baleful looks at him. "Perhaps we should use Vultureman's equipment," he suggested.


"Lynx-O to Lion-O. Come in," Lynx-O said from his vantage point in the Tower of Omens.

"I hear you Lynx-O. Do you have any news on Tygra?" Lion-O asked.

"Not yet, but the Lunataks seem to be fleeing towards Castle Plundaar, and Luna isn't with them," Lynx-O replied.

"That's odd. Why do you think they're fleeing?" Lion-O asked.

"They keep looking back at Skytomb, so I assume something is happening there," Lynx-O said.

"Hmm. I need you at the Tower, but send Bengali down in the Thunderstrike. Cheetara, Bengali and I will investigate Skytomb while Panthro and the Thunderkittens take Snarfer to keep an eye on the Lunataks," Lion-O said.


The Thunderstrike howled through the skies toward the Forest of Mists, the only thing separating the Skytomb from the rest of the world. "So all I have to do is let the Shadow Dwellers take over my body?" Bengali asked, referring to the creatures that lived in the forest.

"Yes. They'll do the rest," Lion-O replied. A wisp of what looked like smoke penetrated the cockpit and surrounded Bengali. Soon the young Thundercat was navigating the forest as though the mist wasn't there.


"Wily Kit, Wily Kat, I want you two to try and spy through one of those windows, see if you can learn anything about what's going on," Panthro said as the Thundertank rolled up to Castle Plundaar.


The two kittens sent their boards in a low arc toward the mutant fortress. They were aware that if they weren't careful that they might be spotted by whomever was in the control room. "Hopefully it's Monkian," Wily Kat said, "his aim is the worst." Wily Kit nodded her agreement. The pair soon found a window that allowed them to listen in on the conversation between the Lunataks and Vultureman.


"Caw! I don't believe I've got a spare antenna, but maybe you can take one off of the prototype of my new invention, the bagel machine," Vultureman said.

"A bagel machine?" Alluro asked.

"Yes. You stick your opponent's arm in this end and it fuses the hand to the shoulder, making their arm look like a bagel. It doesn't work very well yet. Don't worry about it, I'll make a new antenna later," Vultureman said.

"Excellent, this will suffice. Now, if I remember correctly there was a long blue wire that connected the power source to the antenna, or was it a yellow one?" Alluro began.


Bengali landed outside Skytomb and let out a low whistle. "What in Jaga's name has happened here?" he asked, taking in the apple trees Luna had planted. The Lunatak leader herself was tenderly cleaning a small scratch on Amok's foot when she saw the Thundercats. "Oh, I'm so glad to see you. I'd offer you lemonade but Amok can't go anywhere until I'm done here," she said. Amok gave the three Thundercats a pleading look.

"That's all right Luna. We'd heard that things had happened here and came to investigate," Lion-O said, suspicious.

"You'll probably want to let Tygra and Willa out. I would have released them except that Alluro took the key with him. They were acting very strangely," Luna said.

"Uh, thanks. Which way to the prison block?" Lion-O asked.

"Through the double doors, past the bowl of plastic fruit and down the flight of stairs. The ceiling is a little low down there, it's on my list of things to fix," Luna said. The three Thundercats walked around Luna and Amok before heading downstairs.


"I don't like this. It feels like a trap," Lion-O said.

"I know what you mean Lion-O, but we have no other choice," Cheetara said.

"Is that a basted turkey in there with Tygra and Willa?" Bengali asked as they got closer.

"Yes it is. This is the best turkey I've ever had," Willa cheerfully said.

"Makes me think of the turkey Bengalia used to make," Tygra sobbed. Lion-O stood in front of the lock and used the Sword of Omens to crack it. Tygra and Willa stood and began to leave the cell. "What a waste of food, just leaving it here. There are hundreds of starving creatures in this world and we just abandon precious food," Tygra said, crying against Lion-O's shoulder.

"We'd better find out if the others have found out anything," Lion-O said.


The twins had spent a good hour evading patrols and listening in on Alluro and Vultureman when they were called back to the Thundertank to give their report.


"From what we can tell Alluro is trying to re-create an item of his," Wily Kit said.

"The attitude analyzer and adjustor. Amok smashed Alluro's creation, and after all the hard work he put into it!" Tygra said.

"Yes. Apparently they want to fix it to make Luna normal. Something about not liking her proposed new uniforms," Wily Kat added.

"And we want Tygra and Willa back to normal, fast. Let's go offer our help. Maybe Panthro can throw in his two cents," Lion-O said.


The jackal guard at the gate to Castle Plundaar looked up in terror as the Thundercats approached. He lowered a crude spear and pointed it at them. "No one may enter," he said, trying to hit the red alert button with his free hand.

"We've come to help the Lunataks. We think that we might be able to fix things for them," Lion-O said.

"Wait there. I'll summon Chilla," the guard replied, running into his guard room.


Chilla and Knave stalked down the halls of Castle Plundaar both thinking the same thing, they wanted to be out of here as soon as possible. The halls were filled with mutant waste and other less mentionable things. It was something of a relief to be outside, even if it was in the presence of their hated foes. "The simpleton guard says you want to help us," Chilla said. Knave silence a protest from the jackal by covering it's mouth with ice.

"Yes. We know of Alluro's invention. It would seem that it would be in both of our best interests for us to work together. You want Luna back to her old ways and we want Tygra and Willa back," Lion-O said.

"I suppose you're right, but only Panthro may enter. The rest of you must remain outside," Chilla replied.


"Look out Chilla, Panthro's right behind you!" Alluro shouted as Chilla, followed by Panthro, entered Vultureman's lab.

"He's here to help you fix your device, fool," Chilla said.

"I don't need help," Alluro protested.

"Is it working yet?" Knave asked, entering behind Panthro.

"Well, no," Alluro began.

"Then you need help," Knave finished.


Hours past. Day turned into night, and still the Thundercats waited outside, keeping a vigil on the room Wily Kit and Wily Kat had identified as the lab. Finally, after a few more days of waiting they saw the light go out and the Lunataks, with Panthro, exit.


"Regretfully we'll need to test this on Tygra and Willa, to make sure it works," Alluro said.

"If you hurt them," Bengali began.

"Don't worry. I helped design it," Panthro said, calming the youngster.

"Back to normal," Alluro said, aiming his new attitude analyzer and adjustor at Tygra and Willa.


Tygra looked up from behind watery eyes and felt the sadness leaving him. He ran over to Panthro and clasped his shoulder. "Thank you," he whispered, tears of joy running down his cheeks rather than tears of sadness.

"Then it's farewell, for now, Thundercats," Alluro said as he and the other Lunataks headed for Skytomb.


"That can't be Skytomb," Tug Mug muttered.

"It is," Red Eye said.

"Oh my god," Knave murmured.


Skytomb had been transformed. No longer was it the desolate place it had been, now it stood brightly colored, with murals depicting scenes of joy and contentment. Flowers dotted the surrounding countryside. Outside the walls the brute men were relaxing in lawn chairs or on the grass as Luna distributed chocolate chip cookies.


"Ah, you've come back," Luna said, "I've redecorated the place. It looked so dreary."

"That's nice Luna. Now turn back to normal!" Alluro said, pointing his device at Luna. Following it's activation the adjustor began to whine and sizzle before exploding. "Panthro booby-trapped it!" Alluro cursed.

"You fool. You let Panthro escape? And what are these brute men doing out here? What happened to Skytomb! Alluro, Red Eye clean this place up. If it's not done by dinner you'll be sorry. The rest of you clean up inside. If it's anything like out here you'll be working very hard," Luna said.


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