"You ready guys?" Leo said.

"Yeah, ready as I'll ever be." Panthro responded.

"Ready to go." Tygra answered.
 

Leo, the temporary Lord of the Thundercats and brother to Liono the once proud leader of the Thundercats, Panthro, the Thundercats top technological wizard, and Tygra, the wise architect, were on a mission to liberate Liono and any other Thunderian slaves.
 

"Ok, Tygra, you go knock the primary power generator, that will make it dark and easier to get in. Panthro and I will go in and liberate Liono." Leo said.

"If he's in there you mean." Tygra said.

"Well, if he's not, it won't be a mission wasted we can still liberate slaves."Leo said.

"Are you ready Tygra?" Panthro asked.

"Yes." Tygra responded.
 

Tygra then took his bolo whip and wrapped it around his body, and in a wink of an eye, he was gone. Turned invisible.
 

"Now remember, knock out the main power generator, that way the lights will be off and we'll be able to sneak around more easily. It'll be guarded, but since you're invisible and the Monster Minds can't go vehicle under the Black Dome, you should be ok." Leo said.

"Ok, and then make my way to the East slave hold." Tygra said.

"Right, Leo and I will take the west. We'll move as soon as we see the lights go out. Also contact us by radio as soon as you free the slaves." Panthro said.

"Ok I'll remember. Alright, I'm going." Tygra said.
 

Leo was feeling restless. He was hoping this would be the one where Liono was being held. He wasn't ready for the responsibility of Lord of the Thundercats. 
 

"Don't worry Leo, we'll get your brother back." Panthro said comforting Leo.

"I know. I sure thank you and Tygra for helping, after the Massacre a lot of the guard are afraid of a direct attack on the Monster Minds." Leo responded.
 

Just then, they heard a loud boom. And all the search lights posted high above the Birthing Plant, went out. About 5 guards zoomed towards the east quadrant where the main power generator was located.
 

"I guess that's our cue." Panthro said.

"Let's go." Leo said.
 

Panthro and Leo sped away from the little embankment they had bee perched at. There were no guards insight. Tygra's distraction had worked better then they had planned. They came to the wall of the huge Birthing plant. A Birthing Plant was where Monster Minds were grown. The plants required lots of slave labor in order to keep the new generations of Monster Minds alive. Slaves were needed to fertilize, and apply nutrient solutions to the hideous pods that sprang forth new Monster Minds.
 

"Look there, a ventilation shaft, we can sneak in there." Leo said.
 

Panthro and Leo climbed into the tiny ventilation shaft. It was squeeze though. 
 

"Leo, follow me I think this shaft takes us right into the west slave hold." Panthro said.

"Alright Panthro I'm right behind you." Leo responded.
 

It seemed like no time until they came to the west slave hold. Leo and Panthro climbed down out of the ventilation shaft. They looked around and there were hundreds of slaves. But something wasn't right.
 

"Panthro, what's wrong with these slaves?" Leo asked.

"I don't know, but they're acting like zombies." Panthro responded.
 

A Thunderian slave came walking towards the two Thundercats. He was dressed in rags and looked as though he had been beaten or tortured. The slave walked as if he were drugged, as did all the slaves in the hold. 
 

"Let me take a look at this one." Panthro said.
 

Panthro examined the face of the Thunderian slave. His eyes were glazed over, and he had a blank stare on his face. Panthro happened to notice something twitch on the slaves forehead.
 

"Did you see that?" Panthro asked.

"See what?" Leo asked.

"His forehead twitched as if, something was under his skin." Panthro replied.
 

Panthro examined him further. Panthro checked the slave's throat. Just as he was looking down it, he noticed something pulsating. Then, a small, thorny vine whipped out of the slave's mouth cutting Panthro's hand.
 

"Ah! There's some kind of implant down this slave's throat." Panthro said.

"Are you ok?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, what ever it is I don't think that it's going to want to come out easily. We can't get the slaves out of here in this state. Obviously these slaves are being used for something "special", so the Monster Minds aren't going to be hurting them." Panthro said.

"You're right, but, we can't just leave them here Panthro." Leo said.

"Your right, but if we're caught liberating them, they may decide and kill them. It's your call Leo." Panthro said.
 

Leo hated when he had to make decisions like these. This was exactly why he wasn't ready for the responsibility of Lord.
 

"Well, uh, ok, we came here to find Liono, let's try and find him at least and hope Tygra had better luck than us." Leo said.
 

The two walked around for awhile searching the dank slave hold. Just looking at the surroundings made the two Thundercat's hearts ache. It was a gloomy, dark, and dismal room that was big enough to hold at least 800 or more Thunderians. 
 

Panthro was having no luck finding Liono. He hoped that Leo was having more luck. Just then, Panthro got a call on his radio.
 

"Panthro, this is Tygra, the slaves on the east hold are free. How are you guys doing? We ought to hurry it shouldn't be to much longer until the Monster Minds get the power back on." Tygra said.

"Yes will try, but we're having problems. Did any of the Thunderians in the east hold look as though they had been drugged, eyes glazed over, anything like that?" Panthro asked.

"Why, no, not at all. Why do you ask?" Tygra questioned.

"Well, when Leo and I got to the west slave hold all the slaves here were acting as though they were zombies. I examined one, and I found that there was some kind of implant or something in his throat. Well, anyway the state that they're in we couldn't free them, but I don't think they will be hurt, Monster Minds are planning something special for them. We're right now looking for Liono, we aren't having much luck, you didn't find him did you?" Panthro said.

"No, I didn't, well we'll have to find out what's going on later. We've got to hurry, (hey there he is, get him!) Oh oh, Panthro hurry, Gun Grinners are coming after us, I'll be going on ahead and taking the freed slaves, I'll meet you back at the lair."Tygra said.

"Alright Tygra, we'll meet you there." Panthro said.

"I've got to find Leo." 
 

Leo was searching through the endless crowds of Thunderians. All of them the same, the zombie like state, glazed eyes, everyone of them the same. This was yet another reason why he wasn't ready for role as Lord of the Thundercats. Leo had to find Liono. He couldn't be responsible for all of these lives. But, Leo also knew why he really had to find Liono. Liono was the only living blood relative he had left. 
 

He never knew his father Claudus, for he died when Old Thundera was destroyed. His father had left him with one of his trusted advisors, Pumier, who was know dead. All he had left was Liono.
 

Leo walked along some more, when suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder.
 

"Leo, did you find Liono?" Panthro asked

"Panthro, you surprised me. No I didn't." Leo said.

"We've got to go, the guards no we're here." Panthro said.

"We've got to look just a little longer, I know he's here Panthro." Leo said.

"Leo, I know you want your brother back but we've got to go." Panthro said.
 

Leo knew Panthro was right. But, just then he looked over into the dismalness of the slave hold. He looked again, and noticed a very familiar Thunderian.
 

"Liono!!!!!" Leo said......
 
 
 

FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IN PART 2 OF LIBERATION OF A LEADER....