LUNATAKS ON TRIAL

 

                Knave Iespyk, half Cheetah half Ice Lunatak and brother to Chilla, walked grimly up to the imposing structure known as the black pyramid.  The pyramid was home to the master of evil on Third Earth, Mumm-Ra.  The last time the intrepid young man had set foot in the pyramid had nearly been his last.  He had been trained by Mumm-Ra in the mystic arts in order to slay a vampire named Vampi-Ra.  In the end Knave had succeeded but had nearly lost his life when Mumm-Ra tore the training from his mind.  Knave shuddered at the painful memories.

 

                Of course, his most recent troubles had nearly killed him too.  His father had aligned himself with a powerful entity and had tortured all the Lunataks and many Thundercats to the point where death seemed to be a favorable option.  Knave had once again vanquished the enemy, this time with the help of the Sword of Omens.

 

                Mumm-Ra’s sarcophagus slid open and the demon priest stepped forward.  “Why have you disturbed the rest of Mumm-Ra?” he demanded, his voice echoing through the room.

“I have come, not to speak with you, but to speak with your masters.  The Ancient Spirits of Evil!” Knave said.

“What?  You presumptuous little half-breed.  You dare insult Mumm-Ra, the ever living?” Mumm-Ra bellowed.

“I would have come to you seeking a favor but figured that you wouldn’t be interested.  Especially after the way you treated me last time,” Knave said.

“I am pleased to see that you have not forgotten what I am capable of doing to you.  But, humor me.  Ask the Ancients what you will,” Mumm-Ra scoffed.

 

                Knave stepped to the edge of the cauldron, keeping Mumm-Ra in his sight, and raised his arms to the four statues.  “Oh Ancient ones.  Listen to the call of your one time servant, Knave Iespyk.  You know all that transpires in this world and on others.  I ask for a brief glimpse at your infinite wisdom to know the truth behind my father’s power.  You need only name a price for this knowledge and, if it not be too steep, it shall be done,” Knave said.

 

                Silence reined in the pyramid for long seconds as both Knave and Mumm-Ra stood waiting for a response.  Finally the cauldron’s waters bubbled and shifted before showing the planet Plundarr.  The planet spiraled closer until it focused in on a woman of Cheetah descent.  “Knave Iespyk.  We will indeed heed your call.  This woman is your half sister.  Seek her out and bring her to us alive.  When you have done this, we will reveal to you the truth about your father,” four voices echoed.

“But how can I journey to Plundarr.  I do not have any vehicles that can . . . ” began Knave.

“Outside you will find a ship capable of space travel.  So long as you are intent on the mission we have given you, the ship will exist.  Should you waver, however, think about using the ship for other purposes, it will begin to disappear and you will have ten seconds to reconsider.  Now go!” the Ancients replied.

 

                The ship in question was a strange one.  It was long and shaped vaguely triangular.  Its exterior hull was of cold silver steel.  Emblazoned in red letters, seemingly the blood of a thousand bodies, was “A.S.O.E. Enterprise.”  At a spoken command a hatch in the wall opened and a narrow plank lowered itself, allowing Knave to enter.  Once inside he spoke aloud.  “Take me to the Skycruiser!” and the ship rose into the air and soared away.  On the way to dark side it passed over the Thundrainium fields.  Knave was startled to find that he was unaffected.  “The ship is coated in a special material that protects you,” the Ancient Spirits said.

 

                On Skycruiser Mystan Benekasbeel was quite irritated.  “That stupid idiot keeps leaving us abruptly.  Where has he gone this time?” he said, his quiet voice commanded the attention of the young woman before him.

“I have no idea.  He doesn’t tell me very much.  Most of the time he’s busy doing other things when we’re together,” Shade replied.

“You can keep your innuendo to yourself.  What the two of you do on your time is your own business.  Right now, however, he’s operating on my time.  Find out where he is, at once!” Mystan said.  Although he spoke quietly, it was evident that he was on the verge of screaming in rage and frustration.  It was that knowledge that kept Shade’s own temper in check.  “As you wish,” she said crisply.

“Sorry to interrupt things, sir, but there’s an unidentified ship heading this way.  It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen,” Red Eye said, entering the small briefing room.

“Have you tried hailing them?” Mystan asked.

“Not yet, I thought . . . ” began Red Eye.

“You thought nothing, you imbecile.  You’re useless!  Contact them at once!” Mystan snapped.  Shade placed a hand on his shoulder, her darker side, known as Nightshade, taking control of her brain.  “Don’t you ever talk like that to my father again.  Just because you’re our leader doesn’t mean we’ll take this from you,” she said, then her lighter personality took over once more.  “Please,” she added.

 

                “There’s nothing to worry about.  It’s just me, Alluro,” Knave was saying through the open com-link as Red Eye, Mystan and Shade came on the bridge.

“Ah, captain Mystan.  Knave says he has an important mission for us.  One that will answer all our questions and may even take us home,” Alluro said.

“I do indeed.  I’ll be over in a minute . . . ” began Knave.

 

                It was very disconcerting.  The Enterprise had understood his desires and teleported him in front of his companions.  Knave looked at himself to make sure everything had made it over and then looked up at Mystan.  “I think everyone should be present when I give my report,” he said.

 

                When Chilla finally arrived, Knave recounted what the Ancient Spirits had said.  “It’s my belief that we should gather supplies and all go to Plundarr.  This is a matter of grave importance,” Knave said.

“I concur.  Anything we can do to destroy Nitro Iespyk is for the best,” Shade said.

“As do I.  The Sword of Omens may have mended our wounds once, but we can’t depend on it to do so again,” Red Eye said.

“Very well.  For the time being I’ll forget that you disobeyed my orders and left Skycruiser.  I’ll chalk it up to a necessary risk that you took.  If we can prevent Nitro Iespyk from disturbing us again, I will be most grateful.  He singlehandedly decimated both the Lunataks and the Thundercats, an experience I do not wish to repeat,” Mystan said.  The group split up to prepare for their journey.

 

                The trip to Plundarr was uneventful and swift.  In the span of less than two hours the vast expanse of space was covered and the tiny planet with five moons loomed before them.  It landed in a clearing and waited until its passengers were out before turning itself invisible.

 

                Elsewhere on the little planet of Plundarr a young woman clutched her head in agony.  “What is it, my dear?” a man asked nearby.

“There’s more of them.  More people bearing the Iespyk genes,” she replied.

“Come then.  We must bring them here,” the man said.

 

                “This is going far too easy.  I’d have thought we’d be mauled by some of the creatures of this planet by now,” Red Eye said.

“Like bears or reptiles?” Chilla asked.

“Just what we want to do.  Run into one of Slythe’s relatives!” snickered Knave.

“Hold it right there, Lunataks!” a woman’s voice said, “we have you surrounded.  In the name of the Feline council we order you to surrender!”

 

                Mystan looked around.  There were several dozen Felines of varying types.  Strong Panthers, agile Tigers and powerful Lions.  “What choice do we have?  Fighting would be pointless,” he growled.  His hands rose into the air, submissively and around him his companions did likewise.

 

                The six Lunataks were bound and blindfolded.  These accouterments weren’t tight but were comfortably arranged, allowing minimal movement while doing their job.  They were carried a long distance, for a short time physically and then later placed on vehicles, until they were deposited in the basement of a small building.  Their blindfolds were removed and chairs were provided.  All around them, on a second floor looking over the basement, were Felines.  But dominating one side were five elegantly fashioned thrones.  A Tiger male, a Panther female, an Ocelot male, a Lynx male and a Cheetah female took these seats.  It was this last that caught Knave’s attention.

 

                “You!  You’re the one from my vision,” he gasped aloud.

“Silence!” the Lynx said, “the prisoners will only speak when they are so commanded.”

“We have brought these people before you, my countrymen, because two of them are of Nitro Iespyk’s descent,” the Ocelot said.  The crowd murmured before he went on.  “As such we must decide on a fate for them.  As you all know, Feline law allows us to exact punishment on the offspring in extreme circumstances.  The deaths of thirty Felines count as such.  The others with them are companions and may be dealt with in the same way.”

“This is outrageous.  Why should we pay for our father’s mistakes?” Chilla hissed.  A Lion struck her in the back of the head with the butt of his rifle.  Knave moved to help her but was blocked by a weapon to the gut.

“We will have order or else you will be condemned immediately without trial and put to death,” the Lynx warned.

 

                “For the records please state your name and your relation to the two accused,” the Tiger said.

“My name is Alluro Katalaepsy, and I am the lover of Chilla and rival of Knave,” Alluro said evenly, despite the looks of anger from both siblings.

“In your opinion would you classify either of them to be cruel and heartless?  Remember that if you lie it will be detected.”

“For as long as I’ve known him, Knave has always been a thorn in my side.  He is slavishly loyal to Chilla to the extent that he would probably kill anyone that she commands.  All that aside he is also cold and calculating.  I’ve never seen him smile except for when he’s drawn my blood.  As for Chilla she is more tolerant than Knave, preferring to cover her adversary in ice than trying to rip out their throats.”

“Excellent.  Let’s move on.  What is your name and relation to the accused?  Please state your opinion on their emotional stability.”

“My name is Mystan Benekasbeel.  Both Knave and Chilla are under my command.  The emotional stability of my crew members is in peak condition.  They both work extremely well in high pressure circumstances.  Sometimes, I’ll admit, Knave can get carried away, but those occasions are rare.”

“Your honors, if I may?” the Cheetah interjected.

“What is it Cheetalia?” the Panther asked.

“I feel that this questioning will get us nowhere.  The instability and violent nature of the Lunataks is well known.  Allow me to try my hand,” Cheetalia said.

“Very well,” the Tiger bowed.

 

                Cheetalia hopped down to the floor and walked in front of Knave and Chilla.  “Let me tell you a story about your father.  He was brought here because he was a Lunatak with a track record for killing.  Furthermore he kidnaped my mother and raped her.  You yourself are evidence of this fact.  When we confronted him, he put up a fight and was eventually sentenced to burn at the stake.  Even though he was burned to death he somehow rose from the dead and killed the thirty people in the nearby village.  I was lucky enough to be elsewhere at the time, reporting the news of his death.  Each one of those lives hangs on your shoulders now.  It may not seem fair but the law is the law.  There must be punishment for such a heinous act,” Cheetalia said.

 

                “Since you seem so keen on telling stories, how about I tell you one,” Knave said.  A guard came to strike him but Cheetalia stopped him.  “My father was not a kind man.  He was probably only a little nicer to us than he was to you.  I should correct that.  He wasn’t.  Those thirty people he killed were lucky.  They died.  Nitro Iespyk came seeking myself and Chilla for abandoning him and for my attempt at killing him.  He’s grown in power.  Able to melt metal, shrink things, build a damned fortress in two days.  He tortured each and every one of us.  He slit my belly, melted Red Eye’s face, broke Shade’s limbs, caused extensive internal bleeding in Mystan, clawed out Alluro’s eyes and made Chilla watch the whole process.  If it weren’t for the Eye of Thundera we wouldn’t be standing here.  We’d all be in a mass grave, if we were lucky,” Knave spat.

 

                Cheetalia looked to the Panther, who nodded, and turned back to the Lunatak.  “That doesn’t explain why you’re here,” she said.

 

                “Allow me to continue then.  On the planet where we’re living are beings, called the Ancient Spirits of Evil.  They hold the secret to defeating Nitro once and for all, or so we hope.  But their information is not without a price.  They demanded a living sacrifice, one they believe I will be unable to get, and it looks like they’re right.  They want me to bring them my half sister.  You,” Knave said.

 

                Cheetalia backed up, distressed at the news.  “I would like to speak to the council elders before this trial continues,” she said, leaping up to the balcony.  “We will adjourn and return in a moment.”

 

                Chilla turned on Alluro, “Your lover?  What on Third Earth were you thinking?” she demanded.

“If I weren’t shackled . . . ” began Knave.

“No you wouldn’t, there wouldn’t be anything left of him after I was through,” Nightshade hissed.

“Easy there.  They asked my opinion of Chilla and I was honest.  I didn’t feel I could just call her a friend,” Alluro said.

“But my lover?” Chilla asked.

“It was true, once,” Alluro said.

“That was a long time ago.  Those feelings are long gone,” Chilla spat.

“If you insist,” Alluro said coyly.

“Children.  Please cease this bickering.  The Felines are still watching us,” Mystan said.

 

                The council seemed to be gone for hours, though it was only twenty minutes.  When they did, Cheetalia was the only one not looking sad.  “We have made our decision.  In the interest of eliminating a great and terrible threat we have decided to allow you to go free.  You will return from whence you came at once.  But you will not be alone.  If it is me that these Ancient Spirits of Evil desire, me they shall get.  I will be making the journey with you,” she said.  The crowd erupted in chatter, as people expressed their shock for this news.  “The issue is non-debatable.  I assume you have means of getting off this planet?” she asked.

“We do indeed.  Now, let us return to our ship,” Mystan said.  Cheetalia moved closer to them and removed their chains.  As she did so they vanished from the room and appeared on the Enterprise.  Already it was beginning to lift off the ground.

“Soon, we’ll be on Third Earth and my father will truly be dead,” Knave said.

 

 

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