The falling rain beat a rhythmic staccato on the windshield of the ThunderTank. It was a damp night, the perfect conclusion to a damp, dark day. The headlights of the tank neatly illuminated the muddy path. I was just finishing a routine patrol of the surrounding countryside. Just then the radio crackled. It was my assistant, a sweet dame, a little predictable, but steady.

"Tower to ThunderTank, come in please."

"Go ahead tower," I replied.

"Tygra, I just an urgent call from the Queen Willa. She wants you to come over right away."

"Did they say what for?"

"No, they just want you to hurry."

"Roger that, I'm on my way. Tygra out"

Great, just what I needed. It was cold and damp and I was starting to get a familiar cramp in my knee. This was gonna get worse before it got better. I turned the tank around and headed for the maiden's kingdom. On the way, I couldn't help but think what could they want. I wanted to drive the tank at top speed, but something inside me said that was an excellent way to end up a multicolored smear on the landscape. After what seemed like an eternity, I arrived at the kingdom. Two guards were standing out. Putting my hat on and turning up the collar of my coat against the rain I stepped out.

"Queen Willa asked me to come over." I told the guards.

"Yes, we have been expecting you." one said while the other motioned for the elevator. If there was one thing I learned, never drop in unexpectedly. You could find yourself at the wrong end of several very sharp weapons. I stepped into the elevator and was escorted to the royal chamber, to be greeted by Willa and Nayda.

"Your Highness, why did you send for me?" unlike many I still believed in politeness and respect for fellow Third Earthers.

"Nayda will explain, it was she would found it." the human queen motioned to her sister.

"We were on a hunting trip and found something. I thought it best if we called you." said a visibly disturbed Nayda. I could not help but think that she would have made an excellent ThunderCat, but she had the great misfortune of being born human.
"Follow me, I'll take you there."

"Wait a minute, I've got a car parked outside. You can give me directions. Hop in." I didn't want to spend any more time outside than I absolutely had to.

Back at the Tower of Omens.

I returned to base. My assistant met me at the door.

"Well, what did they want?" she was always the curious type.

"Take a look at these, sweetheart." I handed her a stack of photos. As she looked through them, I could see the color draining out of her face. "Someone knocked off a snarf."

"Great Jaga." she breathed, "Who would do such a thing?"

"I don't know. Snarfs tend to accumulate enemies. There's just something about them that rubs people the wrong way." I said as I took off the coat and hat.

"Oh, and Tygra,"

"What"

"I'm not your sweetheart." she said as she slapped me. Toughest ThunderCat I've ever seen. She could give lessons to Panthro.
 

The next morning.

"Tower to New Cat's lair, come in please."

Static.

"Cat's Lair, come in please."

"Cat's Lair, go ahead." The picture finally snapped on, "Pumyra, long time no see." said Lion-o, trying to sound official with a mouthful of breakfast.

"Same here, can you put Cheetara on?"

"All right, hold on, I'll patch you through."

"Cheetara here, what..Oh, it's you." an icy edge came through the connection.

"I've got a question about Tygra and I was hoping you could answer it."

"Why, is something wrong?"

"No, I don't think so. Does he have a habit of acting weird on occasion?"

"Yes, he does. His imagination tends to run away with him when there is nothing else going on. Most quiet scientific types are like that. They can only sustain the calm, collected outside for so long before it all breaks apart. I recommend you go with it and see what happens." explained Cheetara.

"Thanks. Tower out."

"Well," she thought, "if he wants a Girl Friday, a Girl Friday is what he'll get."

Pumyra pulled out one of the novels they had found and fed its details into the holographic projector. In no time the projector had replaced the computerized interior of the control room with a scene something out of the early 20th century on First Earth. Pumyra had also changed into something more period. The room certainly looked different. The computers and terminals had been replaced with wood desks and moveable chairs, machines replaced with overflowing file cabinets, the steel door had become wooden with a frosted glass panel. The air had taken on a slightly smokey look and off in the corner an antique fan turned slowly. "This could be fun." she thought, "What's the worst that could happen."

Tygra entered the room. It was obvious that he hadn't slept well. His normally neatly brushed mane was doing its best imitation of Lion-O's unruly mat. There were dark circles under his bleary eyes and to top it all off, he smelled bad.

"Morning Tygra, rough night?" she asked brightly.

"What happened in here?" Tygra's train of thought had just blown past its intended stop and was now plowing directly into the hill at the end of the line.

"I decided to go along with your little fantasy."

"Ah," a crane was now righting his mental facilities. "I'm gonna hit the showers, then I'll examine the body. Could you get Snarfer on the blower and ask him to ID the body. Normally I'd call Osbert, but Snarfer seems to be able to control himself better in these types of situations."

Tygra had the snarf in the infirmary. He was carefully going over every inch of the body. Pumyra entered. "Snarfer said he would be right over."

"Pumyra, Do you notice anything strange about the body?"

"No."

"Look closely."

"I still don't see anything."

"That's the problem, there's nothing to see. But snarfs just don't up and die. I can find no evidence of any catastrophic injury."

"What about chemical or biological agents?"

"I've got a tissue sample in analysis now. The results will take some time to return."

"Well, that rules out two things. No puncture wounds means no projectile weapons, and no scorch marks means no energy weapons."

"You're forgetting one thing there. Snarfs can sink tremendous amounts of energy without visible harm."

"Maybe we should check the crime scene again and talk to the maidens who found him."

"Good idea."
 
 

The two were in the tank trying to figure who want to kill a snarf.

"There's just something about this that doesn't fit." said Tygra, "Who would go to the trouble of killing one snarf?"

"What about Mumm-Ra?"

"He has the ability, but this is just to small for him and there is no payoff."

"Mutants?"

"Possible, but no. First, the plan worked. Second, Mutants don't kill. They usually go for the hostage scenario and bargain for something else."

"That leaves the Luna-Taks and the shadier citizens of Third Earth." said Pumyra idly tracing some controls in the tank.

Tygra dropped Pumyra off at the maidens village and headed for the scene. About 20 minutes later the Pumyra appeared.

"How's it going Chief?" she asked.

"Don't do that!" said a startled Tygra.

"Do what?"

"Sneak up on me."

"I didn't, you just weren't paying attention."

"Anyway, what did you find out?"

"Nothing new. It seems that they were having some sort of festival, two maidens went out on a routine patrol, and found the snarf. They came back, told Willa and she called us."

"Not much help there. I can't find anything new here either."

He looked over at Pumyra expecting a response. There was none, she was rooting around in the tank.

"Found them," she said pulling out the pictures of the scene. "I just realized that there was something familiar about the position of the body. Look," she said handing one of the shots to Tygra.

"What, I don't see anything."

"I've picked WilyKat up from that position many times. That's the position of someone who was running and tripped over a chalk line."

Pumyra then hopped up to the closed hatch doors on the back of the tank, looking for some sunlight to better see the pictures. "Tygra, look over there."

"What."

"Look, another disturbed area."

Just off to the side of the original scene was a smaller one. It was hidden by the tall undergrowth of the forest. It could only have been seen from an elevated position. In an instant Pumyra had jumped over to it.

"A footprint and some vehicle tracks. Looks like whoever did this used some sort of flying machine and stopped to admire their handiwork." she said.

"How can you tell?" asked Tygra, joining her.

"There are no tracks entering or leaving the area, plus look at the way the grass is singed and radiating from a central point."

Looking closer Tygra now saw what she was talking about. Moving back to the tank, he pulled out a small container of white liquid and proceeded to pour it into the tracks.

"What are you doing?" asked Pumyra.

"Just an ancient First Earth invention, it's called a plaster cast. Makes for some damming evidence."

Pumyra had wandered over to the original area and took a close look at the surrounding vegetation. Something had struck her as funny about the way the plants were dead on the side facing the body but alive on the other side. She had a few theories but elected to keep them to herself until more evidence could be found. She didn't have to, Tygra had noticed her and was looking at the same things.

"Killing frost." they both said together.

Tygra pulled out a pocked microscope and examined several leaves and grasses under it.

"Ice damage. Notice the cell walls are all ruptured." he said handing the microscope to Pumyra.

"There's only one person who can do that, and would do that." she said.

"Yup, the only question now, is how to get to the suspect."
 
 

Tygra sat on the corner of the bed rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I've had an easier time getting Lion-O to think before doing something. Problem is I don't have the Sword or the Eye." he thought.

Tygra turned out the light and went over what he did have. A tank, another ThunderCat, two bases of operations, a whip and whatever brains the two of them could put together. One side of Tygra liked those odds, the other, more practical side, promptly informed him that he's a dead cat for trying. Just call Mandora and let the authorities handle it, he thought.
 

Skytomb

"Red Eye, what did you find out?" said Luna.

"There's just the two of them." replied Red Eye.

"Good, we shall be able to carry out the plan without intrusion then."

"But, what if they find out?" asked TugMug rolling into the control room, "they'll summon the others."

"No, they won't, and even if they did, the others wouldn't come." said Alluro.

"Why not?" asked Luna tighting her grip on her riding crop.

Alluro tossed a copy of the Thunderian Times on the table. "You know what that is then, fearless leader? It's called a newspaper, and inside is, news."

"What does that have to do with anything?" responded an increasingly angry Luna.

"Allow me to give you the executive summary. Thundera is on the verge of civil war. It would appear that an increasing number of returning Thunderians do no want to be ruled by the ThunderCats. They feel that Jaga is responsible for the destruction of the planet in the first place. It's all they can do to keep things under control there, never mind our insignifigant operations here." said Alluro.

"Very good, Amok just might not squash you yet. And drop that sappy tone."

"We have successfully completed the first test." said TugMug.

"Continue with phase 2, then. Alluro, I want you to go and retrieve Vultureman. He may prove to be useful."

"Vultureman, what do you want with him?" asked Alluro.

"Unlike some others I could mention, he does not subtract from the overall intelligence of the room." replied Luna, her temper reaching the breaking point. "Now, do it!"

Alluro turned to leave muttering, "Sawed off little..."

"What was that?!" Luna yelled down the hall.

"Nothing, nothing at all." he yelled back.

Just then Chilla was walking in the opposite direction.

"Ah, Chilla, just the person I wanted to see." said Alluro suddenly in good cheer.

"What do you want?" she hissed.

"We are the lucky Luna-Taks selected to retrieve Vultureman."

"We, nothing, I'm not going with you."

"You'd rather stay here then, with Her?"

"Let's go. But if you value your hands, you'll keep them to yourself." she replied.

With that a Luna-Tak vessel sped off into space.

"What do we have to do first?" Chilla asked.

"We have to find that damn Circus Train."

"Why did you bring me?"

"I need someone to keep that stupid bird quiet. Now, where would a Circus Train go?"

"Maybe if you looked at this."

"What."

"Its called an advertisement." said Chilla, enjoying any opportunity to deflate Alluro.
 

Cat's Lair.

The sun rose to find Tygra pacing in front of the windows in the Council Chamber. His revirie was interrupted by the ThunderStrike arriving at the Lair. "The ThunderStrike? Still here?" suddenly the odds tipped slightly in Tygra's favor. It landed and three figures stepped out. Turning around, Tygra quickly made sure everything was ready. The doors opened and the three walked in.

"Ah, good, I'm glad you all could come."

"It wasn't as if we had a choice in the matter. Here I am just starting the day's activities and this ship arrives telling us we have to get in quickly." said Willa.

"Why didn't anyone tell me that the ThunderStrike was still here?"

"You never asked." said Pumyra. Tygra made a mental note to completely inventory the Tower, if they made it out alive. For all he knew the Sword of Omens was still there, neatly boxed up.

As soon as everyone had taken a seat, Tygra dimmed the lights and switched on the projector.

"Let's begin. For the past several days, I have been going over data from the Lair and the Tower. To be brief, something big is happening." He pressed a button and a chart of random noise appeared on the projector. "If you look at the display, you will see a plot of the normal background noise present everywhere on Third Earth." He pressed the button again and a different plot appeared.

"I still don't see anything." said a still hungry Nayda.

""Exactly, you won't until I do this." Tygra again pressed the button, the display cleared and was replaced with a single line with gradually increasing spikes. "This is what you get when you run the second plot through a Fast Fourier Transform to filter out the noise."

"What's that sudden jump there?" asked Pumyra pointing to a sudden jump in the line.

"That was the day you found the snarf." he nodded to the Warrior Madiens.

"Since then the levels have fallen off, but something else is disturbing. One, the sudden decrease in the Thunderillium supply. Two, where these emissions are coming from." Again he pressed the projector's advance button. An overhead wireframe model of Third Earth appeared, rotating slowly in front of everyone. Tygra advanced the show and small red dots appeared. "We know where our dectors are, the Lair, the Tower, the Warrior Madiens village, the Berbils, and Hook Mountain." Again he pressed the advance button and rings of various sizes appeared around the red dots. "If we calculate the strength of the signals from each of the detectors we can predict where the emissions came from." Another advance and the map changed to another image. "Darkside."

The room suddenly became quiet enough to hear a whisker hit the carpeted floor.

"Oh, snr'y't." breathed Pumyra.

The Madiens looked at each other, wondering what the problem was. "Do you remember those two that stole the mask?" said Willa.

"Yes, then they let loose the Child." said Nayda.

"That is where those two live along with others."

"Oh," the gravity of the situation suddenly dawning on Nayda.

"Agreed." said Tygra, flipping on the lights. "That's why we need help."

"I'll call the others." said Pumyra moving to leave.

"Wait, the others are trying to avoid all-out war on Thundera. This is our mess." putting up a hand to stop her. Pumyra began to put two and two together. Getting the only other 3rd Earthers that could fight here, explaining what was happening, having her pick them up, Tygra had a plan and she didn't like what it was adding up to.

"Excuse us for just a sec," she said, grabbing Tygra by his arm and dragging him to the hallway.

As soon as the doors were safely closed she started in, "Just what in the name of Jaga do you think you're doing? They're not even Thunderians, they're just humans." she hissed.

"We don't have any other choice. There is no one else. Besides, the Lair and the Tower needs at least 2 people each to operate them for battle. Second, there are places around here that you can't go in unless you've got clearance. The weapons are inoperative, the computers will not work, and the vehicles won't run. It's all designed to prevent a visitor from using our stuff against us. If you have a better plan, I'd sure like to hear it." said Tygra.

"But, what will Lion-O think? He is our fearless leader after all. You just can't go around declaring things just becuase you want to. Besides I thought you had to be nobility or do something to earn it."

"Ordinarily yes, but I think that our present situation calls for another approach. Since they are not Thunderian, they can't be full members, but I think we can bring them in on their honor. Sort the same deal that Snarfs get. There will still be official ceremonies and events they can't participate in, but this will give us a little more firepower against the Luna-Taks. If we don't do it, we may as well ask them to fight with a wad of chewing gum.

"I would still like to offically disagree with this, but seeing as we don't really have much other choice." said Pumyra.

"So noted. Let's do this."

With that, they walked back into the Council Chamber. Willa and Nayda were talking among themselves. Tygra and Pumyra sat down opposite the others, Tygra folding his hands on the table. All traces of humor and joviality fell away, leaving Tygra seriousness.

"We have a proposal and I don't even know if this will work, as I said it has never been done before. The reason I ask is, as you saw in the presentation, we are desperate need of help. The Lair and the Tower need at least two occupants to operate at anywhere near battle ready condition. With Pumyra at the Tower and me here, we are still down by two. There is no other way to put this, so I'll be blunt. Based upon your past assistance to us, under ordinary circumstances, we would have no qualms about offering a membership in our little group here, but the sticking point is, you are not Thunderian. However, being the second in command, I am prepared to overlook that and offer membership on the same deal that Snarfs get. You don't get to participate in most of the more official ceremonies, but then you are not duty bound to obey the Sword of Omens."

"Could we have a minute to discuss this?" asked Willa.

"Certainly, take all the time you need. Your acceptance has to be completely voluntary."

This time it was Willa and Nayda who left.

"Do you think they'll go for it?"

"I really don't know."