Darkslayer Part Seven: A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to Find Ardua
      After two and a half days of travel, The Thundercats reached the gray penal planet.  Officers Mandora and Tyldic were outside awaiting them. After hastened greetings Mandora got to the point of the problem they were facing.  "Okay, Thundercats," Mandora said with authority. "we have found an area where Ardua's electra charger is. The bike is somewhere in the light year limit. You will have to venture near the limit in order to pinpoint it's location, because the tracker you will be using doesn't have the range to do so from here, obviously.  I have taken the liberty of loading a map of the known limit to date to help you better pinpoint the electra charger's co ordinates."  Officer Tyldic chimed in. "I would go with you, but Interplanetary Control has no jurisdiction inside the limit, and no Control officer may venture into it under pain of dismissal." Mandora continued.  "I wish there were something more we could do for you, Thundercats, all of our searches have turned up nothing."
Lion-O smiled. "Thank you Officers Mandora, Tyldic, you and Control have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help us, we all appreciate it."  Mandora stood and said, "Alright everyone, I know that the Thundercats are experienced, but the light year limit is an extremely dangerous place.  There is no law whatsoever there, anything goes.  You will all be rubbing elbows with some of the worst scum of the universe. Drug dealers, prostitutes, slavers, murderers, so when you land stick close together, because there will be no one to help you if there is trouble but yourselves."  Lion-O smiled. "Will do, Officer."  Mandora handed Lion-O the tracker, who in turn handed it to Tygra, as they turned to board the Feliner Mandora called after them, "Good luck, Thundercats."
      As the Feliner blasted off for the light year limit Tygra turned on the tracker, and loaded it into the Feliner's navigational system, the tracker chimed with a beep.  During the trip to the limit Panthro acted as if nothing were wrong, that everything was routine, but inside, Panthro's heart sank.  When he thought of the myriad horrible things that could have happened to Ardua he got angrier, and as Panthro seethed so did Tyger as well, and he wasn't doing such a good job of hiding it. Lion-O saw this and began to worry about what Tyger would do when they reached their destination, everyone needed to be on their toes, and in control of their emotions.  As the Feliner neared the limit, Kera who had taken a turn piloting, disengaged the auto pilot and flew manual.  Tygra twisted a knob on the tracker and awaited a chime to alert them they had a signal. Lion-O put his hand on Kera's shoulder. "Take us in."
       Kera turned on the afterburners and the Feliner streaked into the light year limit.  After thirty minutes of flight a signal registered, Tygra and Panthro calculated the position of the bike with the map given by Mandora. Tygra looked at Lion-O and informed him of what they found.  "Lion-O the electra charger is on a moon called Hykksos.  It's about two hours from here."  Lion-O commanded, "Set auto pilot for Hykssos."  Kera complied with "Aye, Captain!"  Two hours elapsed and Kera pointed out of the forward window as a small yellow-red moon loomed before them. The Feliner entered the atmosphere like a glowing comet.  The tracker directed the auto pilot directly to the area the electra charger was in. The beeping of the tracker became faster as they reached a track of dilapidated looking buildings, then made one long continuous chime.  "Kera disengage the auto pilot." Said Lion-O "Everyone look for the bike."
      Kera took the Feliner in low and everyone peered out the windows looking for the electra charger. Tygra was looking outside the port window when he shouted, "There it is!" Panthro and looked and said, "Yes, that's 'Dua's bike alright."  Lion-O put his hand on Kera's shoulder. "Land as near to the bike as you can so we can keep an eye on it."  Kera turned and landed the feliner near the bike, and everyone dismounted the ship.
      Loud music, yelling, sounds of laser shots, a scream, the sound of a man vomiting, and various odors some pleasant, some not assaulted their senses.  Panthro looked around and said, "What a Hell hole!"  The Sword of Omens glowed and growled. "Yes, I know," Said Lion-O, "there is danger everywhere." Wilykit looked around and heard loud yelling, and swearing coming from overhead, she then yelled as she pointed, "LOOK OUT!" Everyone looked up at the second story of one of the buildings, in time to see a shadow quickly looming larger towards a window, then a body crashing through it, and falling towards the ground.  A prostitute standing underneath, nonchalantly moved to the side and laughed. "Hahahahaha! It's raining men!" Wilykit and Pumyra  rushed to aid the man on the ground. Pumyra helped him up and Wilykit dusted him off, the prostitute laughed and said, "Girls, you wastin' your time, you can't hurt a Knidarian, in fact they like to hurt, ain't that right, baby?" The man stood and made a lewd hand gesture to the prostitute and staggered away.
      The prostitute sauntered up to Lion-O and brushed his arm. " My, My, they grow 'em big on Thundera don't they?" Lion-O blustered "Um, miss, would you happen to know who owns this bike? Why, that jerk owe you money too?  Can I watch you kick his ass? It's a man?" Said Panthro with a growl. "Yeah that bum streaked in here on that cop bike and a wad of money and do you think he gave me my fifty credits he owe me?" Tygra dug into his suit got out a hundred credits and handed it to the prostitute, she completely forgot about Lion-O and put her arm around Tygra.
      Tygra looked pleadingly at the others to help him out of the situation. "Ma'am, what i'm buying is information." Kera looked at her father and tried not to giggle. Tygra took the woman's arm gently off of his shoulder. "Could you please tell us where this man is? In that bar, actin' like he owns the whole place." Tygra handed the woman another hundred credits. "Thank you, miss. You welcome, tiger man. Easiest trick I ever turned!"  Tygra looked at an amused Kera, He could only imagine what Cheetara would say. "You took her where, and a hooker put her arm around you?"  Tygra groaned, the couch in the lounging room was uncomfortable.  "Well look who's slumming!"  All of the Thundercats turned to see a friend in hostile territory. "LYNXANA! In the flesh." Lynxana said as everyone ran to embrace her. "Why are the Thundercats here in this fine upstanding corner of the galaxy?" Panthro stood before Lynxana and said, "Ardua's missing, we traced her bike here." Panthro pointed to the electra charger.  "Missing? How? That's," Said Lion-O. "why were here, to find out why, and where she is." Lynxana stood, with her hand on her chin. "I owe that girl a favor, and I like her. I wouldn't normally do this, but would you accept my help? I have a debt to pay."  Lion-O looked at everyone, "What do you think Thundercats?" They nodded yes, Lion-O knew they would need Lynxana's expertise.  "You won't do anything against the Code of Thundera will you?" Asked Lion-O. Lynxana looked at Lion-O . "Nobility has it's place, Lord Lion-O it's not here, do you want my help or not? I promise to not kill anyone."
       Lion-O looked at the others, Lion-O could see in their eyes that they wanted her help. "Very well, Lynxana. Panthro, you and Tyger stay here and watch the Feliner and the electra charger. But Lion-O," said Tyger desperately. "No," Said Panthro as he put his hand on Tyger's shoulder, "we will not be calm and objective, Tyger, the others should go." Lion-O looked at the two and said, "Right.  The rest of you follow me."  Lion-O and the others walked into the bar. The music was even louder, it was smoky, and the unmistakable smells of male and female musk hung heavily in the air.
      All of the Thundercats stood inside the bar looking around, everyone inside stopped talking, and drinking, then stared at them.  Kera stepped forward and placed false drink orders.  All of the bar patrons happily went back to their previous activities.  Tygra looked at his daughter in a mildly displeased manner. "Where did you learn that," He whispered, "the Cat's Tail? Dad, were here to get Ardua let's not argue about that now, please."
     Kera walked to the back of the group, and Lion-O walked up to the bar, the bartender was wiping out a glass, he replaced it on the shelf, still bearing lip marks.  Kera looked at Wilykit and whispered, "I wonder if the health board has made it's monthly round yet?"  Wilykit looked at Kera and stifled a snicker.  Lion-O looked at Tygra, and Tygra stepped forward and slid the bartender two hundred credits. Lion-O leaned forward and spoke in a low tone. "Do you know where we can find the man who owns the cop bike outside?" The bartender slid the money into his pocket, and with an eye and slight head movement directed the Thundercats to a rhino like man sitting in the corner with a small group of women.
      Lion-O and the others strode towards the table, and the man looked up and sent his harem away.  Lion-O put his hands on the table and asked, "Where did you get the electra charger? Who wants to know?" Was the man's response. Lion-O stood tall and said, "I am Lion-O Lord of the Thundercats." The man and soon the whole bar was in an uproar laughing.  The man then saw Lynxana. "Hey, ain't you Lynxana the bounty hunter? The man stood and shouted, "KILL THE BOUNTY HUNTER!"
      The Thundercats turned with their weapons drawn as Wilykit and Kera restrained the man they were questioning.  As soon as the melee started it was over, people, if they were smart and lucky, ran from the bar at the onset of the fight, the rest who challenged the Thundercats were on the floor, Unconscious. The bartender slowly rose from in behind the bar and looked at the Thundercats in surprise.
       Lion-O panting then turned and looked at the man angrily. "Now," Said Lion-O sternly. "where is Ardua Darkslayer? You have her bike." The man looked at Lion-O with contempt. "I don't know, I bought the bike from a guy." Kera looked at the man growled and said, "Show us a receipt then, RAT HOLE!"  Tygra put Kera his hand on Kera's shoulder, ready to grab her, for fear she may do something rash, but to his relief she didn't.
     After not getting the right answers for ten minutes, Lynxana was fed up, time was quickly slipping away, the more time that went by, she knew from experience, the slimmer the chances were of finding Ardua unharmed, or at all.  Lynxana knew the man was lying and the next "I don't know" sent her over the edge.  Lynxana's patience was at an end.
       Lynxana kicked the table away from the man, took him by the clothes and threw him against the wall, she then took one of Wilykit's throwing knives and looked at the man. "LYNXANA, NO!" Said Lion-O. Lynxana looked at Lion-O, and the other Thundercats, winked, then faced the man again.
      "Now, let's try this again!" Lynxana said angrily, she took the throwing knife and held it against the man's groin. The Thundercats looked at her in shock, especially the men.  "Tell me where Ardua Darkslayer is, or you will never successfully perform an act of sexual congress again! Don't tell me any lies either, you have her bike, and your arms are scratched like you have been in a struggle."  Lynxana pushed the knife higher up and the man stood on his toes. "Please stop! She's on Plundarr, I swear, the emperor hired me to bring her to him. I didn't hurt her I swear! Plundarr," Said Lion-O in disbelief. "for what?" The man squirmed against Lynxana's grip, and the knife. "T-t-they said she is their queen, o-or a princess or something! I took her to Caldos Palace, please that's all I know! I swear!"  Lynxana released the man and threw him down, then threw the knife, it stuck firmly into the floor between his legs, the man yelped.  Lynxana towered above the cowering man, then said, " If I find out that you've lied to me, or if one hair on that girl's head is out of place," Lynxana knelt and took the knife out of the floor, held it, and squinted her eyes menacingly. "there will be nowhere in this universe that you can hide your sorry ass!" Lynxana rose. "Now get out of here, and if you value your hide, you will leave the keys to the electra charger with ME!"
      The man scrambled away as quickly as he could as he tossed the keys to Lynxana, and she gave them to Lion-O.  The Thundercats and others tiptoed over slowly moving bodies to the exit. Tygra tossed the bartender another one hundred credits, the bartender smiled and said, "That was the best fight I have seen all week, it was worth you guys tearing this place apart to watch it!" Tygra laughed as he left.
      Everyone walked back to the Feliner. Lion-O then performed the unpleasant task of telling Panthro and Tyger what had transpired in the bar. "PLUNDARR?" Said Panthro. PRINCESS?"  Tyger said, "I can't believe it!"  Tyger roared. "What in the HELL do they want with HER?" Panthro put his hand on Tyger's shoulder.  "Calm down, Tyger we know more than we did, this is not the time to panic, we have to stay calm for 'Dua's sake." Pumyra looked around and said urgently, "Everyone let's get out of here, NOW!"
      Lion-O and the others looked, the bar patrons had regrouped and were ready to attack.  Tyger fired a few warning shots near the angry people, they scattered like cockroaches. Lion-O tossed Tyger Ardua's keys and he leapt onto the electra charger, started it, and hit the hover unit. Tyger fired more cover blasts with the Hammer of Thundera from the air as the others on the ground boarded the Feliner.  The Feliner's engines roared to life and the Thundercats blasted off for the light year limit as fast as they could fly.
      Once the ships exited the light year limit Tyger patched into the radio of the Feliner. "What now," Asked Tyger, "on to Plundarr? No," Said Lion-O. "Back to New Thundera, to plan." Tyger punched the radio off and growled.  Tyger entertained thoughts of breaking off from the Feliner and going to Plundarr by himself to rescue Ardua.  Tyger soon brought himself down and realized what a stupid idea that was, and if Ardua were there, she would hit him on the head.  Tyger patched in Ardua's secret code to unlock her navigation computer, only she and he knew it.  Tyger laughed and patched in MeowMnky and programmed her navigation computer for the co ordinates of New Thundera. During the trip home Tyger prayed many times that Ardua was safe.
      Guards knocked at the door to Ardua's room and then opened it.  Two women entered, Ardua remembered them, they were with the old woman.  They prostrated themselves on the floor and didn't make a sound or move.  Ardua learned from earlier experience that that people would stay on the floor all day unless she told them to rise.  Ardua sighed.  "Please get up." The two young women stood but didn't look at her. "Look at me DAMN IT, you won't melt!" The women complied, the Monkian looked at the Jackalian, worriedly and the Jackalian woman finally spoke.  "Your Highness, the Queen has bidden us to bathe you, and dress your hair. No thank you," Said Ardua with a growl. "I am quite capable of washing my own backside, thank you."  The guards just outside the door snickered and laughed. "Maybe i'll stink so bad that the Emperor will let me go home!" A guard walked inside the door with manacles. "My princess, the Queen has ordered you to be brought to her."  The large Jackalian snapped cuffs with chains onto her wrists, they had a reddish tinge, Thundranium. Ardua smiled inside, then slumped down to the floor. "Oh, I am so weak, Thundranium weakens Thunderians." Ardua was ashamed of the really bad acting job she was doing, but she seemed to be selling it because the guard carried her to the Queen.
       Ardua was taken to a large room, it had a pool of steaming water in the middle of the floor.  The two hand maidens bowed to the old woman who walked towards them. "Guard, take those off of the Princess!" The guard complied immediately.  The Queen nodded at the two hand maidens and they began to strip off Ardua's clothes, Ardua pretended to shake off the effects of the Thundranium. "Hey, HEY, nobody said anything about this! A man is in here!"  The Queen raised her hand and waved towards a screen. Ardua walked over to the screen, got behind it, and stripped off.  She then wrapped a towel around her body. Ardua tiptoed out from behind the screen and sheepishly looked at the Queen.  The Queen motioned to Ardua to get into the water, and in light of her situation, she did.  Ardua quickly found her bravado again. "So, Queenie, tell me your story." The hand maidens looked at Ardua in shock as they poured more water into the pool.  The old woman rose and and sat in a chair beside the pool. "I am Queen Tarmurda. I am the mother of the Crown Prince Daro Darkslayer, your grandmother." Ardua looked at the old woman but said nothing.  "I really would caution you to not anger the Emperor, you have already done so fiercely, I have seen him kill men for much less.  I'm sorry your Highness," The young women looked at each other, then the light brown spots, and stripes on Ardua's back, and lower regions.  They had never seen anything like it before.
      The Queen cleared her throat, and the women continued to pour warm water on Ardua. Ardua continued, "but expect to see him a lot angrier when I get out of here.  You are Princess, you could rule all these people someday.  You are Daro's direct blood heir. Thanks but no thanks. Ardua, you will never leave here, it will be easier for you to go along, you will grow to love Plundarr." Ardua looked at the old woman and said, "I've seen pictures of the burning deserts, and the slime swamps, and your famous Blowing Canyon. This planet sucks!" The Queen sighed.  "The coarseness of the language of today's youth.  You are as stubborn as your father."
      Ardua rose, as she did she tried to hide her body as best she could and not get her towel wet, a losing battle.  "You seem to be a nice lady, I don't hold anything against you, but I don't belong here, i'd sooner die than stay here."  The Queen still sat in her chair. "If you continue to be rebellious, you will.  I do not wish anything bad to happen to you.  I had always hoped to have a... "  As Ardua dressed behind the screen, she interrupted.  "I want to go back to my cell now, please." The Queen sighed, stood and called to the guard outside. "Guard, take the Princess back to her cell." The Queen turned her back as the guard cuffed Ardua.  "I was hoping that you would acquiesce, and accept your role here, but it is evident that you are not going to do so as readily as I hoped. It pains me to see you treated in this way, Ardua. It is in your best interests, though."  Ardua again feigned weakness. As she was carried away, Ardua muttered under her breath, "No one treats you like family!"
      The guard released Ardua back into her cell, she had considered taking a hostage and escaping, but had decided against it.  To do such a thing would be turning her back on the Code of Thundera, besides the "Emperor" was a nut, he would probably have his guards kill her hostage so she would have no bargaining chip.  Ardua sat on the bed still wet from her bath.  "How do I get into these messes?"
      Two and a half days later the Feliner and the electra charger landed in the hangar of Cat's Lair New Thundera.  Lion-O had waited until they reached home to notify the others both on Thundera and Third Earth as to what had happened for fear of radio monitoring.  Lion-O dismounted the Feliner, along with everyone else. "Panthro, Tygra, I want you both to set up complete communications scramblers, and contact Cat's Lair Third Earth and the new Tower of Omens. Tell them to do the same."  Panthro and Tygra walked out of the hangar and to the control room to carry out Lion-O's orders.  "Everyone else," continued Lion-O, "you all did very well, I want you to go and take a small break, in an hour everyone is to meet in council chambers, for a full council meeting, to hear your ideas and opinions to help plan an effective strategy and rescue plan."  Everyone dispersed to relax, and get something to eat, or to do whatever they wished.  Lion-O sighed. Plundarr. How could they extract Ardua without maybe starting a war?  Lion-O walked over to the wall and pressed a keypad.  "Yes?" Cheetara responded.  "Cheetara, I want you to get some spy star pictures of a place called Caldos Palace do we have spy records on such a place?  We probably do. Good, i'm coming up to the control room." Lion-O pressed the keypad the doors opened and he left.

Continued...


Oh boy, a covert mission. Bring on the Bond! More fanfics!

I'm not so certain about this Queen person. Main page.