Luna and Tycho sat in Luna’s personal quarters. It was a lavish room filled with furniture and nicknacks. "You summoned me?" Tycho asked.

"Yes. It’s about that royal guard of yours. We simply don’t have the manpower for you to have a bunch of Lunataks trailing around after you," Luna replied.

"Well, you have Amok. Doesn’t he do anything else? Tug Mug could easily invent some kind of wheel chair for you," Tycho said.

"Amok serves as both a method of transportation and as a means to ensure that I get what I want," Luna said.

"In that case my guard doesn’t get disbanded, not wholly anyway. I’m keeping Mystan as my personal body guard," Tycho said.

"Oh right, like he’ll be any use for you. Very well, if it makes you happy, you may keep Mystan Benekasbeel. The others, Psychro, Psikaris, and Shade, must be assigned other work here in Skytomb. I’m sure my Lunataks will be overjoyed to hear this," Luna said.

Alluro sat glumly in his ant farm with Tug Mug sitting beside him. The pair had attempted to capture the Thundercats and wound up being shrunk and placed in the Thunderkittens’ room. At least they were being treated moderately well. Wily Kat had fed them and Wily Kit had thrown two scraps of cloth in to serve as blankets. Somehow Tug Mug had gotten a harmonica and was incessantly playing it. "Will you knock that off? I can only listen to Dixie so many times, and you’re not even hitting the right notes," Alluro said. Tug Mug looked hurt and put the harmonica onto the ground beside him. "Calm down Alluro. Arguing won’t do anything. I’m sure Luna is working on a way to rescue us even as we speak," Tug Mug said.

"Oh yes. I have great faith that Luna will eagerly rush to our aid, lest we come to any harm," Alluro said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Luna! I just picked up a transmission from Cat’s Lair to Mandora!" Red Eye said.

"Who?" Tycho asked, confused.

"Evil chaser first class, Mandora, interplanetary control force. Basically she’s the police force of the universe. What did they say Red Eye?" Luna replied.

"I’ll replay the message," Red Eye said, hitting a few buttons.

"This is Lion-O, lord of the Thundercats, to Evil chaser first class, Mandora, interplanetary control force. We have apprehended the two criminals known as Alluro, master hypnotist, and Tug Mug, possessor of the gravity carbine. They have been reduced to the size of insects and are awaiting your arrival."

"Those fools got themselves captured. I thought they were just going to help Vultureman," Luna shrieked, whacking Red Eye because he was the most convenient person to whack.

"I suppose we’ll have to go rescue them," Tycho said.

"I’m tempted not to, but we need them to fix things around here. We’ll send a small force," Luna said.

"I volunteer to lead the force," Psikaris said, from underneath one of the consoles nearby, repairing it.

"Psychro will want to go too then," Tycho muttered.

"Good those two will go with Knave and Chilla to rescue our wayward friends, and try to get their hands on whatever made Alluro and Tug Mug small," Luna said.

"As you wish. Psikaris, go inform your team. You can take the Lunattacker," Tycho said. Psikaris wiped greasy hands on a hand towel and saluted sharply to her superiors before heading out the door.

Psychro was easy to find. He was sitting in Red Eye’s bedroom playing a game of checkers. He was winning, as usual, and making a large sum of money off the Darkness Dweller too. "Ha! I win again. You just gained an extra shift of work," Psychro said triumphantly.

"Bah! You cheated!" Red Eye grumbled, stomping from the room.

"I won eight out of ten matches. One of the losses was a pity loss," Psychro said.

"We’re leaving. We’re being sent out to rescue Alluro and Tug Mug. Chilla and Knave are going too," Psikaris said.

"What’s this? The battle of the Ice people? Amongst the four of us we’re sixty-two percent ice Lunatak a quarter psi-race and an eighth Cheetah," Psychro said.

"Call it cultural diversity. Meet me at the Lunattacker," Psikaris said, leaving.

Chilla was working in the kitchen, glaring angrily at the set of pots and pans that she was assigned to clean. It never seemed fair that one person did the cooking but another had to clean. "How many pots does Red Eye need for his Roast Berbil Stew?!" she said, scrubbing at a pot with vigor.

"I don’t know, but it made my stomach queasy," Psikaris said, entering.

"Ah, that’s right. You only just joined us. Most of us keep our own stash of real food for when people like Tug Mug or Red Eye cooks," Chilla said.

"Does everyone have to cook?" Psikaris asked.

"Yes. Even you new people. Here, you can have some of my bread. But you owe me," Chilla said.

"How about getting you out of working. Luna wants us to go rescue Tug Mug and Alluro," Psikaris said.

"Sounds like you’ve earned your food. Meet me down at the Lunattacker. Psychro should be there. Any idea where Knave is?" Psikaris asked.

"He was down in his room last time I saw him," Chilla said, tossing her scrub brush onto the counter.

Psikaris was mystified. Where could he be? She had checked his bedroom and the nearby Brute Men room, just in case. She was in the process of heading to Chilla’s room when she saw Knave emerging from the room she knew was Alluro’s. "What are you doing?" she demanded, grabbing his shoulder.

Knave paused for a second, about to reply. Then he realized that it wasn’t Chilla, and it wasn’t someone who could make him reveal his motives. "None of your business," he replied.

"I think it is my business. No one goes through another’s belongings without their permission," Psikaris said, her hand resting on the butt of her rifle.

"Look. I am held accountable to two people. Chilla and myself. There’s nothing you can do to make me tell you anything I don’t want to tell you," Knave spat.

"You wouldn’t tell Luna?" Psikaris asked.

"No, I’d evade the issue. Say, what kind of rifle is that?" Knave asked.

"It’s a 39-caliber Silver Fox Plundarr Special. Tycho gave them to each of his royal guard," Psikaris replied.

"You don’t say. How far does it shoot?" Knave asked.

"Assuming there was nothing in its path, it could cover just over a mile," Psikaris said. There was a pause before her eyes narrowed. "That wasn’t fair. You just changed the subject."

"Did I? Luna wouldn’t have noticed that for some time. Anyway, I must be leaving," Knave said.

"That’s right, for Cat’s Lair. Luna volunteered you for a rescue mission, led by me I might add, for Alluro and Tug Mug," Psikaris said.

Knave growled. Anyone who knew of the inner workings of the Lunataks knew that Knave and Alluro could hardly stand to breathe the same air. The issue itself hadn’t come up, yet. Both men had tried to kill each other as the hypnotist sought Chilla’s hand in marriage and Knave sought to protect his big sister.

"Why should I save Alluro’s miserable hide? If he’s managed to get himself caught, it’s his fault. We should just leave him there. As for Tug Mug, well, it’s too bad that he hung around the wrong company," Knave said.

"How dare you say that about Alluro! I’ll have you know that he’s a kind and generous man. If he were half the man he is you’d be dead!" Psikaris said.

"Do I sense love for Alluro? Tall, gray and balding?" Knave asked, the barest hint of a smile playing on his lips.

"If I have to shoot you to make you come, I will," Psikaris hissed, poking Knave’s gut with the barrel of her rifle.

With the four Lunataks now assembled Chilla started up the Lunattacker. The trip to Cat’s Lair would prove difficult but they felt prepared to take on anything. As they drove, they drew up a game plan. "The easiest thing to do is to lure the Thundercats out of the Lair while one of us sneaks in, finds Alluro and Tug Mug, and we all get out of there. Nothing fancy," Psikaris said.

"Why don’t we just defeat the Thundercats and bring their carcasses back with us?" Psychro asked.

"Hells, we could even leave Alluro behind. Oh wait, that would offend Psikaris here, right?" Knave said. Psikaris bit her lower lip and turned away. Knave altered his voice to sound like the woman "Oh Alluro. I’m so glad you’re all right. Maybe you can take me to Alluro Land," he said, before finding Psychro leaping on top of him, ramming his fist into the half Cheetah hybrid. Twin sheets of ice coated the combatants. Chilla and Psikaris gave each other looks as if to say "Men!" before continuing on.

The males were released shortly before the Lunattacker arrived at Cat’s Lair. Psikaris exited and slowly made her way around the field so that she could slip in behind when the battle started. She informed her brother, via her personal communicator, that she was in position. At that point the Lunattacker rumbled forward.

"Mandora should be here soon," Lion-O said to the two captives as the ant colony sat in the briefing room. "And soon you’ll be doing hard time somewhere for all your crimes."

"Oh spare me your useless prattling. If we are to be arrested then please take advantage of your right to remain silent," Alluro said.

"How dare you speak to me like that? Don’t you know who I am?" Lion-O demanded.

"I do. You’re the Lord of the Blundercats," Tug Mug said.

"Lion-O. The Lunataks are here. Three of them!" Cheetara said.

"Well, it looks like Mandora will have three more prisoners to take away," Lion-O said. "I’ll summon the Thundercats. Thunder, thunder, thunder, Thundercats, ho!" With each use of the word ‘thunder’ the Sword of Omens began to extend, until it reached its full length. When it did, it emitted the Thundercat signal. The one that would alert the Thundercats, no matter where they were, that there was danger.

Tygra sat on the roof, trying to fit another panel into the head of the Lair when he saw the signal. He slid down the giant paw and landed beside the emerging Panthro and Thunderkittens. "The Lunataks. Don’t they ever learn?" he mumbled. Soon Lion-O, Cheetara, and Black Claw were beside them, all running across the field toward the Lunataks.

"The Lion and Tiger are the most dangerous to us Ice Lunataks, be wary," Chilla said.

"What, no Bears? I’ve dealt with harder things, I’m not worried," Psychro responded.

He was worried though, not for himself, but for his sister. He could hear her voice over the radio telling him that she was getting ready to go in. The Cats had left the door open. The only likely resistance would be the Snarf that was cowering within. But all it would take was one Thundercat to turn around and look for the plan to be realized.

Three sheets of ice were projected at the Thundercats. The first, Knave’s was aimed in a wide path at the feet of Cheetara. This caused the speedster to slip and slide viciously across its glassy surface. The second sheet, Chilla’s encased the Lord of the Thundercats in ice. The third and final sheet, Psychro’s, created a large box around the Thunderkittens, trapping them. Tygra, Black Claw and Panthro each took Knave, Chilla and Psychro respectively.

Tygra grabbed Knave’s hand, determined to take the icepick out of the equation. He knew what the weapon was capable of, had heard reports from Lunatak raids on various villages. One touch from the tip could freeze one from within. Almost without thinking about it he shifted so that he was invisible.

Black Claw swung his razor sharp claws at the ice maiden, determined to try and frighten her into submission. Long ago he’d promised never to harm a woman with his bare hands, and he didn’t intend to break that vow now.

Panthro and Psychro locked hands and attempted to muscle the other to his knees. Legs quivered and sweat began to pour in buckets down the necks and backs of both men, with neither gaining a significant advantage.

Psikaris looked around. Now where would the Thundercats be keeping their prisoners? Surely it would be somewhere near the entrance, especially with this Mandora coming shortly. This added another factor to the larger puzzle. Soon the Thundercats would gain another ally. This was simply unacceptable. A feral grin spread across her face as she heard a tiny voice ask "Lion-O? Is that you?" she concentrated hard and allowed herself to become Lion-O.

"Yes? Where are you? With the prisoners?" she asked, her voice mimicking the Lord of the Thundercats’.

"Of course I am, snarf, snarf. Where else would I be? You didn’t think old Snarf would abandon his post, did you?" Snarf asked.

Psikaris followed the sound of the voice to a door and opened it. "No, of course not. Mandora’s here and I’m going to take the Lunataks out to her. She wants them full sized, where’s the shrinking machine again?" she asked picking up the ant colony and taking in what had happened.

"It’s still over there. Are you okay Lion-O? You seem to be a little forgetful," Snarf said. Psikaris placed Alluro and Tug Mug on the floor and activated the device. She let her disguise slip enough for the pair to recognize her. "Come along you two. Out you go," she said.

Psychro heard the triumphant whoop in his sister’s voice and knew that the time for stalling was at an end. Even as Panthro began to gain a second wind he breathed harshly in his face, causing him to crumple to the ground. "Retreat to the Lunattacker!" he shouted, despising the need for retreat.

Knave pulled away from the invisible Tygra and breathed a fine mist of ice. He heard a cry of pain and saw Tygra backing out of the mist. This allowed Knave to sprint for the Lunattacker.

Chilla saw Black Claw move away, clearly knowing which side had won and then she too joined the others in the Lunattacker. She started the engine and waited for Alluro, Tug Mug and Psikaris to return before pulling away.

Less than an hour later Mandora’s ship landed outside Cat’s Lair. She found the Thundercats trying to free the Thunderkittens and Lion-O from their prisons of ice. When she had helped free the three, they all went inside, built up a fire and put on cocoa. "Since I’m here, I might as well confiscate that illegal 2-27," Mandora said.

"2-27?" the Thundercats asked.

"Illegal shrinking machine. They were outlawed under the Milky Way charter. Section 231 sub section 41," Mandora said, indicating Vultureman’s Shrink-O-Matic. She tagged the machine and, with Panthro’s help, loaded onto the back of her space cycle. "Let me know if you ever catch those Lunataks," she said before soaring off into the wild blue yonder.

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