THE PROPHESY PART 2
It is interesting to note that most geniuses who try and take over
whatever it is that they want to take over, seem to reach a point wherein they
make what could potentially be their one big mistake. Some of these people,
both good and evil, allow these mistakes to lead to their downfall. Others
overcome their mistake and take over regardless. Such is the case with Mumm-Ra
the ever living. He has devised a plan to destroy the Thundercats. All he needs
to do is gather the three swords of power and it will be done. The Sword of
Omens rests in his hands. The Lunar Blade is his next goal. But, and herein
lies his mistake, he has failed to remember that Aker of the Thundercats entered
his pyramid and furthermore that he has left the Sword of Plundarr behind, in
his sarcophagus. Will he rise triumphantly over this set back, or will he be
brought crashing down because of it? We will have to wait and see.
* * *
Mystan's eyes roved across the empty shuttle. For some reason that he could
not fathom, he had been sent to investigate the disappearance of Alluro
Katalaepsy. Psychro, Psikaris and Cameo had done a number on him and abandoned
him in here. They hadn't really expected him to vanish though. Mystan nearly
smiled when he recalled how furious Luna had been over that incident.
"Who'd have thought that we could lose someone tall and gangly like Alluro?" Psychro said, as he leaned against the door frame. He had been ordered to accompany Mystan down. "I mean, someone like Luna I could understand. She's short. You could easily look over her. Heck, she could get lost in an ashtray. The voice would give it away though. You'd be able to hear that from across the cosmos. Maybe Tycho would have been the better choice. He's short too, y'know."
"Psychro? Do you ever have anything nice to say about anyone?"
Mystan asked.
Psychro thought briefly, then the familiar smirk settled on his face once more. "Yeah. I say nice things about Psikaris. And about the women I'm sleeping with," he replied.
"Sorry I asked," Mystan sighed. "Anyway, I can't do anything more here. Alluro's gone, there's no doubt about it. Might as well let Luna in on the news."
"Ehn. No big loss. You suppose we should take this shuttle back?" Psychro asked.
"Might as well," Mystan replied, settling into the pilot's seat.
* * *
The Excelsior. Tycho's flagship and temporary home of the Lunataks. The
Skycruiser was nearby, though it had been reassigned to a new crew. The power
structure of the Lunataks currently rested in the little hands of Queen Luna,
after she took part in a bloody battle that saw the old king, Aristarchus, die
and Tycho relinquish his claim to the throne. Currently said queen and Tycho were
on the main bridge, awaiting Mystan's report.
"It's difficult to determine exactly what happened, my liege. Alluro was left in the craft on his own, an unknown vehicle landed nearby, and then Alluro disappeared off the sensor grid. It's safe to assume that this unknown vehicle is responsible for Alluro's abduction, but beyond that nothing can be certain," Mystan said.
"What use are you, Mystan? I send you out to answer a question and all
you do is bring me more questions? Get out of my sight," Luna snapped.
"That goes for you too Psychro. You got Alluro into this mess. I want you
to get him out of it."
* * *
Psychro smirked as he and Mystan got back into the halls. "That went rather well, don't you think?" he asked.
"Shut up Psychro," Mystan replied.
"No, really. I think Luna took that rather well, all things considered. I expected her to demand your head on a silver platter for this," Psychro continued.
"Psychro, I don't know why you have become quite so irritating, but I wish it to cease right now. Do I make myself perfectly clear?" Mystan asked.
"Of course, Mr. Android," Psychro replied, finally heading off
toward his quarters.
* * *
Back on the bridge, Tycho and Knave were attempting, with no great success,
to calm down Luna.
"That infernal Mystan can't do anything right. Why did I send him?" Luna snapped.
"Because . . . " began Tycho.
"Because I was out of my mind," Luna finished for him.
"Luna. I'm sure Tycho wasn't going to say that," Knave said.
"You stay out of this. We all know where Alluro stands in your books," Luna sneered. "You're probably just as happy as Psychro to hear that he's gone missing."
"Sure, I never liked the guy, but for the good of the empire,"
Knave suggested.
Tug Mug glanced at the monitors, a jelly donut in one hand and a Snruzz Cola
in the other. Suddenly his eyes widened. He knew that he would be hating
himself in a moment, but if he didn't say something... "Loona!
Eet's Mumm-Ra!" he bellowed.
All eyes turned to Tug Mug, and then to the large viewing screen where,
indeed, the ancient source of evil appeared to be headed their way. He looked
angry and determined. This didn't bode very well.
* * *
Lura and Cameo were stuck in engineering, as usual, when Mumm-Ra's presence
was first felt. They had all been warned to brace for an attack, though the
ship's weapons had proved useless. The far wall began to buckle as massive
fists began pounding on the hull. Frantically Lura began entering commands for
the computer to erect a containment bubble around the outside of the ship,
encasing Mumm-Ra as well. This way they would not be sucked out into the vacuum
of space instantly. This didn't make either Lunatak overly comfortable though.
Mumm-Ra was a force to reckon with. The Thundercats had barely managed to
defeat him on occasion. About the only thing the Lunataks could boast was that
they had been encased in lava for a decade or two.
"This is Cameo, in engineering, he's inside the ship, repeat, Mumm-Ra
is inside the ship!" Cameo shouted into the intercom even as Mumm-Ra began
tossing Lunataks aside. The hybrid Lunatak jumped and let out a yelp as the
intercom was torn off the wall. Heavy breathing behind him told him that he
didn't really want to turn around. There was only one hope, as he saw it. Frantically
he turned and grabbed the bare arm of the demon priest. Since his power was to
mimic the powers of those whom he touched, Cameo instantly felt strength and
magical might flowing through him, coursing through his veins and generally
making him feel like the bravest most powerful man in the universe. His moment
in the spotlight, however, was cut off by a massive fist colliding with his
face, knocking him out cold in one blow.
* * *
Chilla glanced at her two companions, Shade and Cheetalia. Both of them were
scared of what Mumm-Ra might be doing here. They had good reason to be afraid
too. Chilla couldn't deny that her own knees shook somewhat at Mumm-Ra's
presence. She hadn't enjoyed the process of being encased in lava. None of them
had. Then again, he had made it perfectly clear that he could do worse if he so
desired it. "Shade. You stay here. Cheetalia and I will try and help hold
off that beast," Chilla hissed.
Shade began to protest, but then heard her baby Eclipse let out a gentle cry
and was reminded of the curse of having a child. It meant that her friends had
to work to save her, and that she herself couldn't enter any combat situations.
"Very well, Chilla. I have faith in you," she muttered.
* * *
Mumm-Ra chuckled as he snapped the head off of a Psi Lunatak who had tried
to thrall him. Was this the best the Lunataks had to offer? Why hadn't he ever
bothered wiping them out before? Was he hoping that they would somehow destroy
the Thundercats for him? How could they, when they were so easily defeated?
Ahead of him at the present time we two that he knew, along with a second
Ice Lunatak and a Graviton. "Ah Chilla. It is so good to see you again.
Too bad there aren't any volcanos around, eh?" Mumm-Ra cackled.
Chilla hissed in disgust and breathed a wall of ice around the evil warrior.
To no avail though. It was shattered by one massive fist. Twin fireballs, from
the other Ice Lunatak, were similarly deflected aside. Cheetalia took her turn
next, plowing in with heightened speed and steel batons to crack in the chest
and legs of Mumm-Ra. He bellowed in pain and knocked her several metres down
the hall way with one massive kick. "I tire of this game. Bring me the boy
and his sword and I will spare the rest of you," Mumm-Ra said, melting the
floor beneath the Graviton, causing him to sink clear through to the floor
below, a burned husk.
Cages of fire sprang up around the two Ice Lunataks, preventing them from
moving any closer, lest they themselves melt and die. "Never mind. I'll
find him myself," Mumm-Ra said.
* * *
The main bridge. Psychro and Mystan had hurried back to help as much as they
could. It was clear that this was Mumm-Ra's ultimate destination. There was
nothing to do, but wait. About a dozen Lunataks, whose names Tycho didn't even
know, stood in a circle along with Tug Mug, Knave, Psychro and Mystan around
Luna and Tycho.
The door opened. Blasts of all kind shot forward as soon as they saw the red
glow of Mumm-Ra's eyes. Ice mingled with fire. Telekinesis and deadly missiles.
Energy weapons were discharged. A nasty looking purple band of lightning
streaked from Tycho's Lunar Blade into Mumm-Ra's throat. The demon priest
stumbled back and roared in pain, then he let loose his own offensive display.
Knave struggled to keep his balance as the deck plates beneath him buckled.
A Darkling beside him exploded and an Ice Lunatak screamed as lightning tore
through her body. It sounded scarily like Chilla. Once again, as he had done so
many times before, Knave sought and found the deadly killing ice breath that
many Ice Lunataks could not reach. A breath so cold that metal could shatter.
Surely it could cause lasting damage to one such as Mumm-Ra.
Psychro glanced over and realized what Knave was doing. It was a brilliant
move. He almost chastised himself for not thinking of it first. But there was a
fight to win. His personal preference lay in the opposite direction though.
Fire. A fire so intense and warm that it was akin to standing on the sun.
Everyone's eyes widened as Mumm-Ra's shields held against two devastating
attacks. Worse yet, they were used against them. Knave caught the edge of
Psychro's attack and fell in a crumpled heap. Three guards were covered in the
ice.
"The sword, Tycho. Give it to me now," Mumm-Ra snarled, breaking a Darkling in half to prove his point.
"Never! You'll have to pry it from my dead hands!" Tycho snarled, sending a second bolt of lightning into Mumm-Ra's chest.
"Uh, Tycho. Are you sure that ees a good idea?" Tug Mug asked.
"Of course I'm sure. I know exactly what I'm doing here. I'm showing
Mumm-Ra who's boss around here," Tycho snapped, firing a third bolt.
Mumm-Ra gasped in pain as what was left of his flesh began sizzling and
crackling under the constant assault. He reached for the Sword of Plundarr. It
might be able to... "It's gone! No! This cannot be!" Mumm-Ra scowled,
upon learning of his mistake. "No matter, boy. I can deal with you without
my Sword." He raised one arm and pointed it at the wall. The rivets popped
out and the wall panel flew through the air taking out most of Tycho's
remaining supporters. Leaving only himself, Mystan, a young Psi, Luna and Amok.
The Psi was one of the most promising telepaths. It was speculated that one
day he would be able read the darkest thought of a person across the galaxy. Of
course, that presupposed him living long enough to train that hard. While
Mystan attempted to distract Mumm-Ra with a telekinetic blast, this Psi began
trying to tear apart Mumm-Ra's brain.
A grin slowly spread across Mumm-Ra's face. He too was skilled in mental
powers. The Psi's eyes widened as he realized exactly what was about to happen.
Frantically he began trying to withdraw his probes, cancel his power. But it
was too late. Both he and Mystan felt their respective powers turned on them at
double force.
"The sword, boy," Mumm-Ra repeated, this time causing shackles to rise from the ground and hold Amok's feet in place.
"Never!" came a maddened shout from behind.
"Cameo?" Tycho asked, startled as red lightning began pouring into Mumm-Ra.
"That's right. I've got Mumm-Ra's powers. Come on. We can beat him together!" Cameo shouted.
"Fool! I am the source of evil. I gain my powers from the Ancient
Spirits of Evil. The power you use is theirs too. You merely feed me
energy," Mumm-Ra cackled, indicating his body as the worst of the wounds
began stitching themselves back together. His victory was short-lived, however,
as Tycho began pouring lightning bolts of his own into Mumm-Ra's hide.
Mumm-Ra raised the Sword of Omens in between himself and the Lunar Blade. He
was mildly surprised to find that it worked. He probably couldn't use most of
its other powers though.
Cameo jumped onto Mumm-Ra's back, digging his wrist daggers deep into the
mummified corpse. "Insolent vermin. Will you never learn that nothing can
harm Mumm-Ra?" the evil one asked, grabbing Cameo by his hair and flinging
him into Tycho.
"Now then, victory is mine," Mumm-Ra said, scooping up the Lunar
Blade from where it had fallen. "I shall return to wipe your puny empire
out of existence once I return to my pyramid for the Sword of Plundarr. Start
saying your prayers to your gods, for whatever good that will do you."
* * *
Luna surveyed the damage along with the surviving members of her crew. "I can't believe he was able to do all this," she murmured.
"All decks reporting in. Estimated casualty list is just barely under a hundred," Psikaris said from a nearby workstation that had miraculously endured the attack.
"Did you hear what he said? He has to get the Sword of Plundarr before he wipes us out," Tycho said.
"Thanks for reminding me," Luna grumbled.
"You don't understand. We have to beat him back to Third Earth. From there we can take him out with the help of the Thundercats. They've done it before. Greater good and all that," Tycho said.
"You make it sound so easy, but it would take us three months just to get there," Luna snapped.
"I think I know what Tycho is getting at. Cameo and I have been testing out some theories. We think that if we put a second engine on a small ship and apply Valchion's theory of Vacuums instead of the concept of using the stars we could reach Third Earth in next to no time," Psikaris said.
"What are you talking about?" Luna asked.
"Valchion hypothesized that by modifying the engines to look for the absence of light to power ships that we would have a more infinite fuel supply. The second engine would just allow us to collect and use more energy," Psikaris rattled on.
"How long would it take to set up?" Luna asked skeptically.
Psikaris blushed somewhat. "It's already done. Cameo and I had some free time so we kind of built a prototype. It will hold a dozen people if we squeeze," she said.
"Excellent. We'll leave at once!" Luna said.
* * *
We are not yet certain whether Mumm-Ra overcame his small mistake.
Surely the universe would be his right now if he had not made it in the first
place. But that is a moot point. The question still remains. Can he triumph
over adversity, or will he fall flat on his face? One never knows, and that is
why we must wait for another day to hear more of this tale.
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