Alphon found himself being shaken out of a relatively pleasant dream and back into dreary reality by a frantic communications officer. The officer was blathering something in his ear about mutants and betrayal, but Alphon could only understand every third word. Trying to shake sleep from his mind, the wolf blinked his yellow eyes and sat up slowly. A quick glare silenced the young soldier and the alpha male leisurely stretched and stood up. He knew something was going on and that whatever was going on was probably something serious. But he also knew that a leader must be prepared to react to any situation, and he wanted to be completely awake before trying to sort out whatever had gone wrong.

Opening his mouth wide and displaying an impressive set of gleaming fangs, Alphon eventually shook his head vigorously and turned to the young communications officer. "Now, repeat what you were telling me before," he instructed calmly. "But try to do so coherently."

"We just received a message from Jackalman aboard the Rat Star Prime," the officer reported hurriedly. "The Thundercats and Lunatacs launched an offensive against the Kentroans. Rataro promised that the mutants would back them up, but he never told us and the mutants are still in orbit around Plun-Darr. The Thundercats and Lunatacs are walking into a trap, they’ll never make it back alive, and the alliance will be broken."

Alphon blinked. "Say that again, but add some explanations this time."

"Jackalman sent us a covert message from the Rat Star Prime. The Thundercats and Lunatacs are launching an offensive near the Fire Zone. They’re counting on us and on the mutants to help them out. Their entire strategy depends on it. But we were never told and the mutants aren’t planning to show up. It’s an outright act of betrayal! They’re going to let the Kentroans level the alliance!"

During this time, Alphon had been getting dressed. It was good that he was occupied by a physical activity, because it gave him an extra minute in which to compose his face and master his emotions. "Are they indeed?" he growled softly. "Did Jackalman send us any coordinates or times in this message?"

"He sent us the entire plan. Like I already said, the offensive is taking place near the Fire Zone. As for time, it’s probably already begun!"

Alphon closed his eyes, formed a response to the situation, and began to issue orders. "Have navigation plot a course for the Fire Zone. Tell engineering to divert all nonessential power to the engines. Send a message to the fleet and have them rendezvous with us at the Fire Zone. They are to converge there as soon as possible and details will be forthcoming. As soon as we’re ready, merge into hyperspace and set out at maximum speed for the Fire Zone."

The communications officer nodded quickly and raced out the door to relay his superior’s instructions. As soon as he was gone, Alphon dropped his head and growled harshly. "I might have known the mutants would turn on us," he snarled to himself. Hopefully, this was not a large offensive and the Lunatacs and Thundercats would realize the mutants were not going to show up. But Alphon didn’t know that for certain.

Accessing a small computer in his cramped quarters, Alphon pulled up a log of all recent communications and found the note from Jackalman. He skimmed the file once, froze, read it again, and then sat back in amazement. This was more than a skirmish. This was an elaborately planned scheme to take back the Fire Zone. And the way the troops were deployed, neither the Lunatacs nor the Thundercats would discover the mutants’ absence until it was too late. And without the mutants there, they’d never be able to retreat.

"By the First Pack," Alphon swore softly. "They’ll be completely destroyed."

The wolf tried to think of a way to inform the allied forces of their danger, but the Fire Zone was surrounded by static buoys. He’d never be able to get a message in. And once the attack had commenced, they’d never be able to retreat without help. But the wolves were scattered throughout the galaxy in an effort to scout out covert Kentro advances. His command ship happened to be closest to the Fire Zone. He could get there in a matter of hours and so could a handful of other ships, but they would have nowhere near the firepower necessary to extricate the Thundercats and Lunatacs.

"Nevertheless," Alphon vowed, "we will try. We are pack with these Lunatacs and Thunderians. We will come to their aid or we will die trying."

But as he looked over Jackalman’s message again, he saw very little hope for the first option.

"Ready?" Panthro asked as his Thunder Dagger finished its warm-up cycle.

"Ready," Leonari responded.

"Ready over here," Cheetara said wearily.

Panthro sighed. They were leaving five civilians in charge of the Scabbard while he, Leonari, and Cheetara joined Glacion’s strike force. The Lunatacs were anxiously waiting for the Thunderians to finish preparations, and the attack was ready to begin. "Are you sure you’re up to this, Cheetara?"

"Don’t worry about me," the cheetah assured him. "We have to do this. And I have to do this with you."

Panthro nodded. "Whatever you say. Just be careful." He directed his communications toward the control room of the Scabbard. "This is Dagger 1, we are ready and waiting."

"Dagger 1, this is the control room. Doors are open and we are ejecting you."

The Dagger shook around Panthro and he watched as he was suddenly thrust backwards and out the airlock. Quickly engaging his maneuvering thrusters, he steadied his Dagger and turned it away from the Scabbard. He could see Leonari’s Dagger shoot out of the Scabbard behind him and Cheetara’s followed quickly. "We’re away," he announced to the fleet. "Bengali, you’re in command. You know what to do. As soon as the you hear from the wolves or from us, send a signal back to the mutants and tell them to cover our retreat."

"Will do," the white tiger answered. "I’ll be taking the right side of the line and Snoedaro is commanding the left side."

"Hit them hard and try to drive them," Leonari instructed. "With any luck, they’ll collapse backward to cover the Bi-Dimensional gun. And remember: we can’t afford to have the two sides come together. We need to keep them separated."

"Understood," Bengali acknowledged. "We’re moving into position now. Whenever you’re ready."

"And good luck," Snoedaro added as he piloted his Scabbard to the left side of the allied forces. "Don’t hesitate to holler if you need assistance."

"You worry about your enemies, we’ll worry about ours," Panthro told him. "Okay, Glacion, I think we’re ready to go. How about you?"

"Our forces are already split, and RedEye will be holding back with a handful of ships to direct the attack from a distance. Hypnon, TugMug, and I are waiting for the three of you in our Lunar Scouts."

"Something’s not right," Cheetara murmured, apparently oblivious to the fact that her communication channel was open. "Something’s not right. Something’s terribly wrong."

Panthro chose to ignore the cheetah. He and Leonari had both agreed that they needed to keep a close watch on her during the battle. He now wondered if they should have just forced her to stay with the rest of the fleet. But it was too late for that now. "Lead the way Glacion," the panther said. "We’re right behind you."

"We’ll inform you the moment the Kentro ships become aware of your presence," RedEye announced as the alliance began to pull away.

For a while, that was the last communication any of them received. They were moving with painful caution toward the Kentro ships through real space, and they maintained radio silence. The Kentro fleet now loomed on all scanners, and those with sharp eyes could pick out the ships that formed the defensive line. Any moment now, one of those enemy ships before them would catch their advancing fleet in a routine scanner sweep. And when that happened, they would have to be prepared to act.

Panthro cracked his knuckles nervously as he watched the ships grow closer and closer. He hadn’t been this jumpy about a battle in a long time. "Must be Cheetara," he murmured. "Her premonitions must be getting to me." But it wasn’t just Cheetara. Something else was bothering him. This wasn’t a normal offensive. There was something out there that just didn’t feel…

The panther couldn’t finish his thought, for RedEye’s gruff voice blasted its way over communications and demanded immediate attention. "Kentro’s right side is closing in. They’re on to us! It’s now or never, Lunatacs! GO!"

Acting instinctively, Panthro fired up the Dagger’s engines and smiled as they roared to life under his touch. "Here we come!" he hollered to no one in particular. The thrill of battle rushed through his veins and the joy of the hunt known only to predators and warriors filled the panther. "Look out, Kentroans!" he jeered. "Panthro’s on the loose!"

He could see two other Daggers keeping pace with him as he rushed toward the Kentro defensive line. Three Lunar Scouts formed a triangle around the Daggers and together, they opened fire.

"Mass of ships in front, but they’re mulling about," Hypnon suddenly radioed. "Break away and regroup behind them. We’ll force them out of position and take them out one by one."

As though controlled by one mind, the Lunatac ships broke formation and spiraled outward as a stream of laser bolts began to fire on them. "Follow their lead," Leonari ordered. "And see if you can hit those orbital gun satellites on the way. They’re targeting us!"

"I’m on it," Cheetara responded. Her ship veered downward away from the other Daggers and towards an array of automatic gun placements.

"Watch yourself," Panthro warned, diving after her. "You’ve got three fighters on your tail."

"And four on yours," TugMug suddenly broke in with a laugh. "Do you require help, oh great Thundercat?"

"Enough of that!" Glacion broke in tersely. "We are here to fight, not to argue."

TugMug mumbled something that might have been an apology if enough imagination was used and promptly began to dispatch the fighters tailing Panthro. Cheetara’s Dagger sliced back and forth through space as she tried to stay out of the line of fire. Above them, Leonari’s Dagger began to engage the main fleet block. Hypnon and Glacion closed behind the lioness and then veered outward as they picked up speed, dropping along side her and blasting their way through a mass of transports.

A bright flash off to Panthro’s right suddenly sent the Thundercat spinning off course. "Panthro, come in!" Leonari ordered.

"Right wing was nicked," the panther growled. "No serious damage. Where’s that help back there?"

"I’m working on it," TugMug sneered. "Patience is a virtue, Thundercat."

"Didn’t think Lunatacs knew anything about patience or virtues," Panthro muttered beneath his breath.

"Panthro, something’s wrong," Cheetara suddenly reported. "The fleet isn’t breaking up like it should."

Panthro frowned and glanced at his scanners. "What do you mean?"

"The side branches of Kentro’s defense line," TugMug filled in. His Lunar Scout drew even with Panthro as they started to rejoin the others. "They’re pushing outward. They should be falling back to protect the Bi-Dimensional gun. It’s almost as though they’re going to fire it. But if the wolves are back there, then why—"

"Glacion, come in!" RedEye’s frantic voice broke over every channel. "There are no mutant ships behind us. Repeat, there are no mutant ships behind us!"

Panthro felt his body freeze up. Leonari had been right. They should have checked to make certain that the mutants were back there. But he’d been so sure that this would work. And if the mutants weren’t back there, that might mean that the wolves were…

"Follow the line of Kentro ships!" the panther ordered, turning his ship downward and to the side as he avoided a stream of laser fire from a gunboat. "If we stay with the Kentroans, they won’t fire that Bi-Dimensional gun."

"Panthro, this is Bengali calling! We’ve got trouble over here. We need to fall back. The Kentro fleet isn’t collapsing like it should."

"Snoedaro here, and we’ve got the same problem. We—argh!" The snow leopard faded out in a blast of static.

"Snoedaro, we didn’t get that! Repeat yourself!" Panthro shouted.

"Sorry, some neutron missiles got through our rear shields. The hanger is destroyed. Our Daggers can’t dock anymore, and we don’t have enough ships to keep fighting. If the Kentro line doesn’t collapse backward soon, we’re going to drive our attack right into the center and find ourselves surrounded."

"Of course Kentro won’t collapse," Leonari said bitterly. "Why should they? There are no mutant wolves to drive away from the Bi-Dimensional gun. They can maintain their line indefinitely."

Panthro shielded his eyes as a large transport exploded in front of his Dagger. "Then we have to maintain our battle indefinitely until we can find a way out of here. Snoedaro and Bengali, slow your attacks and group together. Don’t let them get behind you. Back off a little, but do not retreat. If we turn tail, they’ll be on us."

"What if we start breaking off ship by ship?" Cheetara asked as her ship dove in front of Panthro’s and caught a fighter that was sneaking up on his underside.

"Then the ships that don’t break off first might as well be moon dust," Glacion said bitterly. His Lunar Scout had drawn even with TugMug’s and they were following Panthro as the Thundercat zipped in and out of the Kentro forces.

"RedEye, where is the bulk of the Kentro fighting force?" TugMug asked.

For a moment, there was no answer. Static blasted across the communication channels and they began to fear the worst when the channels abruptly cleared. "I can’t get beyond the static buoys to send a message," the Lunatac reported grimly. "Don’t expect any help from home."

"Do a quick scan for me and tell us where the main body of Kentroans are," TugMug instructed again. His Scout shot upwards as he tried to elude a merciless pursuer. Leonari closed behind him and tried to help.

"One second," RedEye grumbled. "Okay, the fighters are all on the arms of the defensive line. And our forces are having some problems. The transports are moving away from the middle and the Bi-Dimensional gun is moving to the front. No wolf ships in the back that I can see. And…" There was silence for a moment.

"And?" Glacion prompted.

"Oh, Great Moons! Kentro Interceptors got behind us somehow! We’re being pushed inward!"

"We’re surrounded," Cheetara whispered.

"Um, excuse me," Bengali suddenly broke in. "I’ve been eavesdropping and I can’t help but wonder. Retreat doesn’t sound like an option as things currently stand, so why don’t we change the situation? Seems to me that we need a distraction."

"Like what?" Leonari asked, finally getting rid of the ship tailing TugMug.

"Like the Bi-Dimensional gun. Rowr, if the wolves could blow it up, why can’t we? When it explodes, we can use it as cover."

"A good plan, but we don’t have the firepower," Glacion said. "That thing is too heavily shielded. The only way we can destroy it without the help of the wolves is to get inside."

"Well then maybe some of us should—" Bengali was abruptly cut off.

"Bengali?" Panthro tried. "Bengali?"

The only answer was static.

It had been a bitter fight and victory was still uncertain, but the cheetahs were gradually prevailing against the red tigers. With their superior speed, they could react quickly enough against an invisible adversary to stand a fighting chance. And with the illusionists at the back taken out, it was now only a matter of wearing down the unseen warriors. So leaving the battle to the cheetahs, Mantyro, Lynx-O, Snarfer, and Wiley Kat took off for the area where they’d last seen the Eye of Thundera flash across the sky.

No words were spoken among the four Thundercats. They all feared the worst. The Cat signal had been unlike any they’d ever seen before. But they’d been unable to leave the battle. Timing was critical in this game and there hadn’t been a chance to get away. But what price had they paid for waiting?

Pushing his speed to its limits, Kat began to draw away from the other Thundercats. He ran wildly, not thinking about the consequences of his actions. Mantyro called for him to slow down and wait, but Kat didn’t hear him. His mind was filled with foreboding. Something had happened. He knew something had happened. If they arrived too late, what good would that do? And what good would it do if, by the time they go to Lion-O, the lion was… Kat shook his head. He wouldn’t think about that. He wouldn’t—

A sudden blow to the back of his head sent the Thundercat flying forward. Going into a safety roll and leaping to his feet as soon as possible, Kat searched for his attacker. "Sybar," he growled as a shape stepped out of the shadows.

"I heard your coming," the red tiger sneered with his ever-present smugness. "It was easy to take you by surprise. I must confess that I believed a tiger half-breed would have more intelligence, but apparently your lion heritage is too strong."

"Where’s Lion-O?" Kat demanded.

"He’s behind you, Kat!" Mantyro raced up with Lynx-O and Snarfer, one hand on the lynx’s shoulder to guide the old Thundercat through the ruined streets. "He’s right behind you," Mantyro repeated. "See through the illusion. And Snarf is—" Mantyro suddenly stopped and gasped. Wheeling on Sybar, he pulled his scimitar forward and advanced on the leader of the red tigers. "What have you done?!"

Around Wiley Kat, the land seemed to wave and fade. Red tigers and panthers became visible, as well as the struggling figure of Cougrois and the prone figures of Servalla, Lion-O, and Snarf. Cougrois strained against his bonds with a frightening intensity, a pool of blood had formed beneath Servalla’s head, Lion-O’s face was white with fear while his unblinking eyes stared skyward, but it was Snarf who immediately commanded Kat’s attention.

Snarfer screamed.

"What is it?" Lynx-O demanded. "What’s happened?"

Kat couldn’t answer. He could only stare at the snarf who’d served and aided the Thundercats for years. He could only watch the stain on Snarf’s chest spread slowly outward as rigormortis began to stiffen the lifeless body. Beside the Thundertwin, Snarfer was shaking like a leaf, shocked and speechless. With a feral growl, Kat swung toward the leader of the tiger clans. "Sybar, I swear by the Laws of the Ancient Ones that you will pay for this day," Kat snarled as his maddening rage began to rise within him.

"But that would go against your precious Code of Thundera," Panya said sweetly as she stepped out behind Sybar. "Would you really do anything against the Code of Thundera?"

Kat’s answer was not a verbal reply but an enraged leap for Panya’s throat. Both Lynx-O and Mantyro cried out, but there was no stopping Wiley Kat. The world seemed to slow down and the seconds ticked away like hours. His outstretched arms were nearing Panya’s throat. He could almost feel her flesh beneath his hands. He saw surprise flash through her eyes, followed by fear. And then…

For the second time in as many minutes, the flat of Sybar’s blade came crashing down on Kat’s head. He hit the ground just short of Panya who mercilessly rolled him onto his back and brought her knife down against his throat. "And just what were you planning on doing, Thunderbrat?" she hissed.

"No closer!" Sybar ordered. Mantyro and Lynx-O had leaped to help Kat, but were frozen by the command in Sybar’s voice. "No closer," the red tiger repeated softly. "Your next step will mean his death."

Kat’s eyes bulged as he struggled for air beneath Panya’s grip. His hands latched onto her wrists, but he couldn’t seem to move her. "We panthers are stronger than you might expect," she murmured seductively. "Lie still, and this will be easier."

"What do you want, Sybar?" Lynx-O asked. His voice was soft and quiet, but there was a hard edge of desperation to it.

"I want to rule Thundera," Sybar said with a smile. "I want to eliminate the weaker species on this planet. I want to dominate the stars. I want to destroy the mutants. I want to subject the Lunatacs. I want to—"

The red tiger suddenly leaped to the side and swung his long sword out and away from him. Diving in from the shadows, Cougrois was barely able to avoid it. The cougar rolled out of the way and stood up next to a startled Mantyro. "You’re insane," Cougrois growled. In all the activities, Cougrois had been forgotten and the cougar had used this advantage to finally work free of the ropes that bound him. But the guilt for not getting to Snarf in time was swiftly robbing the feline of reason and patience. "By your actions, you’ve condemned yourself forever, you traitorous dog!"

"And by your actions, you have doomed this Thundercat," Sybar responded viciously. "Panya, destroy him!"

Panya grinned, looked down at Wiley Kat, and prepared to let out his life with one quick downward thrust of her knife while his friends tried to leap hopelessly to the rescue.

Wiley Kit gasped and surged upwards. Lepora looked at her friend curiously. "Kit?"

"I saw—I didn’t—I felt that—"

"Are you okay?" Lepora asked, concern beginning to creep into her voice.

"I—I’m sorry," Kit stammered, trying to get a handle on her shaking body. "I just—I thought I saw—I don’t—"

"Kit, calm down," the leopard soothed. She glanced around the Scabbard’s cabin and stood up. "Chettro, I’ll be back shortly. Take over, okay?"

A cheetah over on the scanners nodded and moved to the pilot’s seat. Wrapping an arm around a stunned Wiley Kit, Lepora led the way out of the forward cabin and toward the sleeping quarters.

"Okay, Kit, what just happened?"

Kit shook her head mutely. Her hands clenched and unclenched while her eyes stared blankly at a bulkhead.

"Kit? Come on, you’ve got to talk. You’re beginning to scare me."

"I saw—I thought I saw—I think I saw—"

"What?" the leopard pressed. "What did you see?"

"Kat. Panya. Mantyro, maybe. Lynx-O, Sybar, Cougrois—I don’t know! I don’t know what I saw!"

Lepora frowned. "You saw the other Thundercats?"

"I don’t know!" Kit exploded. "I don’t know what I saw! I think I saw some things and I feel I saw others and I wonder if I saw—"

"What are you must certain of seeing?" Lepora interrupted.

Wiley Kit paused for just a moment. "Kat," she said firmly. "I know I saw Kat."

"And what was happening?"

"He—he was in pain. Terrible pain. It was like—I don’t know what it was like. And then I felt him just—just slip away. He was gone and—"

"Slow down," the leopard warned. "Are you sure that’s what you saw?"

Kit nodded. "I’m sure about that much."

"You’ve never had anything like this happen before, have you?" Lepora asked. "I mean—this sounds a lot like something that would happen with Cheetara’s sixth sense."

"I know, but sometimes with Kat, we’re just so close that I feel like—I feel like we’re connected somehow."

"What do you feel now?"

Kit went silent and thought about that. "Nothing," she said eventually. "I don’t feel anything."

Lepora pursed her lips. "I don’t know what to tell you, Kit," she said. "We can’t turn back, we can’t communicate with Thundera, and we’ve still got at least a week’s worth of travel."

"I don’t expect you to do anything about this," Kit said quietly. "I think I just need to lie down for a bit. Maybe I’m space sick."

Lepora nodded, hoping to comfort her friend. "That’s it, I’ll bet. Just a touch of space sickness. I’ll cover your shift, and you go get some rest."

"Right." Kit didn’t sound convinced, but she wasn’t willing to press the issue. Bracing herself against the walls of the Scabbard, the Thundercat left Lepora standing in the corridor and made her way toward the small room that was her quarters.

For a second longer, Lepora watched Wiley Kit and then turned around to resume her shift in the forward cabin.

"I have an idea," Leonari announced.

"If you want the fleet to sneak out using scrap metal as a disguise, forget it," Panthro murmured, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It would never work."

His Dagger held position next to Glacion’s Lunar Scout as he, Leonari, Glacion, TugMug, Hypnon, and Cheetara took cover in the drifting remnants of the destroyed Command Scabbard. The Thundercats tried not to think about what would have happened had they stayed on the Command Scabbard. But it was impossible to ignore the deaths of those who had remained on board.

"No, that’s not it," the lioness said. "I think I know what Bengali was trying to tell us."

"Any luck regaining contact with Bengali’s Scabbard?" Cheetara asked.

"No," Panthro said flatly.

"It doesn’t matter," Hypnon said quietly, speaking for the first time since they’d discovered the absence of the mutants. "We’ll follow him soon enough."

"Do you want to hear my plan or not?" Leonari growled.

"Break cover!" Glacion suddenly shouted. His Scout shot out from the Scabbard’s remains as a Kentro gunboat bore down on their position. The others scattered as the pieces behind them vaporized in the following blasts.

"Okay, what’s your plan?" TugMug demanded.

"Our ships are small enough that we should be able to dock with the Bi-Dimensional Gun. Once inside, we can disable the gun, rig a delayed fuse, get away, and use the explosion as cover for our retreat. It should distract the Kentro ships enough for us to escape."

"Foolish and desperate," Hypnon decided. "A last ditch effort."

"Which is what we’ve come to," Cheetara pointed out. "Snoedaro, have you been monitoring? Did you get that plan?"

Snoedaro’s Scabbard was one of two remaining Scabbards still able to communicate with the three lead Daggers. "I did," the snow leopard answered. "I can gather everyone together. It shouldn’t be too hard now that we’re completely surrounded. And then we can make a break as a team."

"Wait a minute!" Panthro protested. "Are we going through with this crazy scheme? We can’t just take off on a whim after this hair-brained idea. No offense, Leonari, but it’s complete desperation! We can’t just run off and try to carry it out."

"Why not?" Glacion asked. "What have we got to lose? As it is, we’re dead."

"This is insane," Hypnon moaned.

"So is war," Leonari remarked. "What a coincidence."

"RedEye, gather the Lunatacs and rendezvous with the Thundercats," Glacion instructed. "We’re going to try and blow the Bi-Dimensional Gun. With the combined force of our remaining squadrons and the last of the Thundercat squadrons, you should be able to blast through the Kentro fleet when we blow the gun."

"Good luck," RedEye offered.

"We’ll need it," TugMug grumbled.

"I don’t believe this," Panthro murmured.

"Do you have another suggestion?" Cheetara asked. Panthro didn’t answer. "I guess it’s settled then," the cheetah announced. "Leonari, this is your idea. You lead."

"Shields on full and don’t shoot unless you need to," the lioness ordered as she pulled away from the rest of the group. "We won’t be as noticeable that way."

The other five ships in the group were quick to follow the lion as she began darting in and out of the remains of ships. Much to his dismay, Panthro saw more than a few that he recognized. "How many?" he murmured. "How many of our countrymen have died in this battle?"

"Far too many," Cheetara responded in a whisper. "Don’t look, Panthro. Just keep going."

But as he continued to follow the winding trail Leonari was making, Panthro couldn’t help but look. And with every twisted wreck and every lifeless body they passed, his anger grew hotter and hotter. "You will pay," he vowed as his ship carried him closer and closer to the dangerous Bi-Dimensional Gun. "Jaga help me, you will pay!"

"WILEY KAT!!!"

Cougrois, Mantyro, Lynx-O, and even Snarfer all leaped toward Panya and Kat. They knew it was hopeless. They knew they’d never reach him in time. They knew Panya’s blade would slash through Kat’s trachea and jugular before they could even get near him. They knew there was no way they could prevent the inevitable. They knew Sybar would probably stop half of them anyway. They knew Kat had only seconds left in his life. They knew there was nothing they could do about it. But despite all this, because they were Thundercats and because they’d been trained to attempt the impossible, they made that leap forward.

For Kat, the world again began to click by in slow motion. He saw his frantic friends. He saw Panya’s malicious smile. He saw the muscles in her powerful biceps bulge. He saw Sybar off to the side laughing triumphantly. He felt cold metal bite into his neck. He felt blood trickling down. So much blood. Blood everywhere. He felt the progress of the knife stop as it encountered the fibrous tissue of his windpipe. He felt pain, but it came as though from a distance. He watched in morbid fascination as Panya concentrated on sending her knife through his trachea and back to his spine. And then—

A flash of silver replaced Panya’s leering face, Kat was flung to the side, a flurry of wind played havoc with his mane, and time abruptly resumed its normal pace. He found himself coughing and clutching at his neck. Warm, sticky blood filled his hands and he was assailed by a fit of nausea. He sensed more than saw Mantyro at his side, kneeling next to him and shaking the Thundercat furiously, shouting incomprehensible words. Kat shook his head and tried to speak, but he was growing weak. Sleepy. Drained. It was as though his life was fading away.

"KIT!"

Kat’s eyes snapped open. Funny, he didn’t remember closing them. What was Mantyro screaming about? Kit? Yes, Kit. KIT!

With a strangled cough, Wiley Kat lurched upward and was immediately pushed back down. "Kit!" he gurgled. "Where’s Kit?"

"She’s away," Mantyro said hurriedly. "But you have to hold on for her. Hold on for your sister, Kat. You have to survive for Wiley Kit!"

"Kit." The name was barely a whisper as Kat’s eyes slid shut again. Mantyro hurriedly wrapped a torn piece of his uniform sleeve around Kat’s throat, trying desperately to stop the bleeding. He had to get Wiley Kat some medical attention fast, or he was a goner!

"Surrender, Sybar."

Mantyro looked up and the magnitude of the situation slammed down. Around him, flames licked at demolished buildings. Beside him, Kat was dying. Behind him, Lion-O, Snarf, and Servalla lay motionless. Before him, Lynx-O, Snarfer, Cougrois, Tahee, and an entire battalion of cheetahs were slowly moving in on Sybar, Panya, and the mixed force of panthers and red tigers.

"Surrender," Tahee repeated.

"I thought you had more sense than this, cheetah," Sybar growled.

Behind the red tiger, Panya massaged her injured wrist indignantly. Tahee and his cheetahs had appeared out of nowhere and attacked so quickly that there was no stopping them. Her knife had been knocked from her hands even as she cut the Thundercat’s throat, and the Thundercat himself had been dragged to safety. "We should have killed you all when we had the chance," the panther snarled.

"You never had the chance, Panya," Tahee growled softly, flexing his fingers and getting a better grip on his spear. "You’ve been in over your head since this whole thing began. Don’t make it worse. Surrender."

"And if we refuse?" Sybar asked.

"Don’t refuse," Cougrois snarled.

"I’m sorry," Sybar said with a grin. "I don’t believe in a situation with only one option. And I’m taking door number two."

As one, the tigers and panthers leaped together. Invisibility fields shot up and before even the cheetahs could react, the attackers had fled.

Three Thunder Daggers and three Lunar Scouts screamed toward the hulking cylinder that was the Bi-Dimensional Gun. An amazing stroke of luck seemed to have favored the team as they’d only run into two squadrons of fighters, and neither was interested in pursuing what appeared to be six leaderless ships.

"It’s too easy," Glacion murmured. "It’s just too easy. Someone should have challenged us."

"Lighten up," TugMug growled. "I’m enjoying it."

"Yeah, you sure sound like it," Leonari muttered.

"There it is," Cheetara warned.

The six ships were closing fast on the large gun. Several transports drifted off to its side and behind the gun flew a line of fighters, ready to thwart any escape attempt on the part of Thunderians and Lunatacs.

"So how do we get on that thing?" Cheetara asked.

"Give me a minute, I’m thinking," the lioness answered.

"Think faster," Panthro urged. "We’re too prominent. Someone’s going to attack if we stay out here in the open much longer."

"Actually, someone is attacking," Hypnon announced. "Fighters are breaking off the back line, and they’re coming straight for us."

"Time to intercept?" Glacion asked.

"Less than a minute," Hypnon answered. "If we’re going to act, we have to act now!"

"Surely the Kentroans can dock with that gun," Cheetara mused. "And if they can, so can we. There must be an opening other than the…WAIT! That’s it! Everyone, follow me!"

The cheetah’s Dagger abruptly dropped below the others and began racing toward the large opening barrel of the Bi-Dimensional Gun. Panthro’s jaw went slack. "Cheetara! Where are you—"

"Shut up and follow her," Glacion interrupted. "We’re out of time." Laser bolts began to fly around the Scouts and Daggers. "If she doesn’t have the answer, it’s just too bad. We’ve run our luck thin enough already."

"I hope you know where you’re going," TugMug warned as his Scout tried to catch the cheetah’s Dagger. "Because that happens to be the end that shoots."

"Trust me."

TugMug mumbled something about a warm day on the second moon of Plun-Darr, but Cheetara ignored him. She was completely focused on the job at hand, and that was piloting her Dagger into the large cylinder. Her ship rattled as it passed through a magnetic shield barrier and the gun loomed large before her.

"Cheetara, where are we going?" Leonari demanded.

"Into the gun," the cheetah said. "Literally."

"As if that much wasn’t obvious," TugMug growled. But the only way out was forward and forward led straight down the throat of one of the most powerful weapons in the universe. To backtrack would be to fly straight into a squadron of fighters already intent on picking apart the rear shields of the six ships.

"In we go," Cheetara announced as her ship sailed down the throat of the gun.

"Pursue them," Tahee ordered. His order was unnecessary as half the cheetah group had already broken away and was attempting to track Sybar’s retreating attack force by sound.

"We need a little help over here!" Mantyro shouted.

Cougrois turned and gasped. "Is he still alive?!"

"Barely," the tiger answered, gathering Kat up in his arms. "But he won’t be for much longer if we don’t do something. He needs a transfusion fast." The tiger was trying to control the bleeding, and his hands were turning as red as his fur.

"What about the others?" Lynx-O demanded.

"Servalla’s breathing," Snarfer reported with a whimper. "And so is Lion-O."

"What about—"

"No," Tahee whispered to the old lynx. "I’m afraid Snarf is gone." Not waiting any longer, Tahee moved to Mantyro and held out his arms. "Give Kat to me. This is a time for speed, Thundercats. The cheetahs and I will tend to the wounded."

Mantyro nodded, accepting the logic of the situation. "Then rest of us will see to the dead," he said quietly with a quick glance at Snarf.

Tahee placed a firm hand on the tiger’s shoulder and offered him a small smile. "Now is not the time for grief, my young friend. Wait a little longer." And without another word to the Thundercats, Tahee broke his remaining force into several sections and took off with one squadron for Cat’s Lair. They took the wounded, Lion-O and Servalla included, with them.

"I hope they’ll be okay," Cougrois muttered. He had moved to Snarf’s body and was now easing the snarf off the ground, cradling the lifeless form in his arms as delicately as he would a young cub. "What should we do with…" The cougar trailed off and looked away, unable to finish.

"The Lair’s first sublevel," Lynx-O said. "We can transform it into a morgue capable of handling all in New Thundera who need it."

"I think I’ll start looking for others," Snarfer whispered. He refused to look in Cougrois’s direction and started wandering away from the Thundercats.

"Be careful," Mantyro warned. "We won’t know if the city is clear of tigers and panthers until we can get the sensors back online. And if you find any wounded, flag down a cheetah. We’ll turn the Lair’s reception hall into triage center."

"What if I find those beyond our help?" Snarfer asked, his back still turned on the Thundercats.

"Bring them in if you can," Lynx-O said gently. "If not, continue to search. Cougrois, you and I should report back to the Lair. We’ll make the necessary arrangements for the dead and the wounded. Mantyro, use your abilities to locate any stray tigers left in the city and aid in the search of wounded. Also, anyone with medical training should be sent immediately to Cat’s Lair."

"Right," Mantyro said. He looked toward Snarfer, but the little snarf was already gone, vanished in the smoldering ruins of battle. "Should I keep an eye on him?"

"I would," Cougrois said, shifting the weight in his arms and, like Snarfer, also refusing to look at it. "There’s no telling what his mental state is right now. Someone needs to watch him."

"In my opinion, we should all be watched," Lynx-O murmured. "Jaga be with you, Mantyro. Let’s go, Cougrois."

The Scabbard was limping along, barely able to move under its own power much less defend itself. Enraged and frustrated, Snoedaro could only hope that Panthro, Leonari, and Cheetara provided a distraction soon. The fleet couldn’t hold together much longer.

"RedEye, are you sure that’s all of them?"

"That’s as many as I could find, Thundercat. And may I remind you that your force isn’t looking so big either."

The snow leopard rubbed his hands through his thick fur and consciously lowered his body temperature a few notches. No good would come from hot tempers, he knew that much. But there were so few of them! It was possible that many ships were simply unable to respond to the rendezvous signal or that communications was out for much of the area, but still… "We’ve just got to hold on a little longer," Snoedaro promised himself. "Just a little longer. They’ll come through, I know they will."

"Kentro’s on their way," RedEye warned. "And the Bi-Dimensional Gun seems to be turning our direction, too."

"Okay, let’s try and keep as many Kentro ships as we can between ourselves and that gun. They won’t fire on themselves," Snoedaro said. He paused and frowned. "Will they?"

"Hasn’t happened yet," RedEye answered. "But I suppose it’s possible. A more likely outcome, though, will be to take us all prisoner or destroy us."

"Do they take prisoners in battle?" a Thunderian asked from a nearby Dagger.

"No idea," the Lunatac replied. "Sometimes we’ve been able to recover bodies after an armed resistance. At other times, there was nothing left to find. We don’t know if they were destroyed or captured. I know they’ll take us prisoner if we surrender, but as to what they do with prisoners…that’s anybody’s guess."

"Comforting," Snoedaro muttered. "Come on, Thundercats, hurry up!"

"THERE!"

"Where?" Panthro asked.

"Straight below us," Cheetara answered. "Prepare to land."

"I don’t see any—"

"Don’t use your sensors!" Cheetara commanded. "They’re being jammed. Use your eyes."

Panthro obediently rolled his ship on its side and gasped. Below them, hidden within the barrel of the Bi-Dimensional Gun, was a shielded landing port. "Good job, girl," he whispered.

"Way to go, Cheetara," Leonari echoed.

"Let’s get it over with," Hypnon sighed. "I’ve got a bad feeling about this already."

"Cover me," Glacion ordered as he took his Lunar Scout down.

"We’d better make this fast," TugMug warned. "The ships that were following us will wonder where we’ve gone."

"They weren’t too close," Leonari reasoned. "They probably think we’ve gone behind the gun. Why would they think we’ve gone inside?"

"All the same, TugMug’s right," Hypnon said as he watched Glacion’s ship ripple through the airlock below him and land. "They won’t be fooled for long. They aren’t stupid."

"No, they’re not," Panthro agreed. "We’d better get down there fast. I’ll go next."

"I’ll be right behind you," Cheetara said.

Panthro nodded, though he knew there was no conceivable way for Cheetara to see him nod, and turned his ship toward the airlock. His sensors told him that Cheetara, Leonari, TugMug, and Hypnon were all following him down. The Dagger shuddered as it forced itself through an unseen air shield. Bringing his ship to a relatively quiet stop next to Glacion’s, the Thundercat hopped out quickly and looked around for the Lunatac.

A flurry of motion off to the side caught his attention and he leaped into action, ready to pummel any of these human oppressors. A frozen security guard was the first thing he saw. A smug Glacion was his next sight. "What took you so long?" the Lunatac asked.

Panthro shook his head. "That’s really not good for him," he warned.

"He’s really not good for us," Glacion answered. "Hurry up you guys!"

Panthro looked back over his shoulder and watched as Leonari, Cheetara, Hypnon, and TugMug jumped out of their respective ships and raced toward Panthro and Glacion. "So what’s the plan?" Hypnon asked with a smile upon seeing the iced security guard.

"Well, no one seems to know we’re here," Glacion mused. "That guard was pretty surprised to see me. So I don’t think they’re watching the airlocks."

"There’s probably never been a reason to," Hypnon muttered. "Who besides us would be stupid enough to fly down the mouth of the Bi-Dimensional Gun?"

"Which means that for now, we have the advantage," Cheetara observed.

"Then let’s go," TugMug said impatiently. His gravity carbine was slung over his shoulder and he was aching for some action. The past hour of sneaking around wrecked ships and trying to avoid a fight had been agonizing for the gravity Lunatac.

"Slowly," Hypnon warned, allowing a hypnotic thrall to enter his voice. "We must still use patience."

"Let’s go that way," Panthro said, indicating a pair of double doors off to his right. "It looks like an important corridor. Maybe we can find a map to the generator room or something."

"Sounds good," Glacion agreed. "You and TugMug will force the doors; the rest of us will act as cover."

After a nod of assent, the six of them moved toward the indicated doors and waited. Panthro gave one door an experimental push. "They slide outwards," he whispered.

"I know that, Thundercat," TugMug hissed. "I can see it for myself."

"Well, then, do you see anything that might open these doors?" Panthro growled.

"My bare hands, idiot," TugMug shot back.

"Will you two knock it off?" Leonari demanded. "Just open the doors and let’s get on with it."

Panthro eyed the gravity Lunatac warily and then placed his hands where the two doors joined. "Together?"

TugMug nodded reluctantly. "On three," he grumbled. "One…two…three!"

The Thundercat and Lunatac were instantly straining and groaning at the sliding doors. Slowly, inch by painful inch, they began to slide apart.

"Keep it up," Hypnon whispered. "You’re almost there. You’re stronger than the door."

Glacion sent the hypnotist a warning glare, but before he could say anything, Panthro and TugMug gave a final heave and stepped back. "We can all get through it now," the Thundercat panted. "Including the rotund one with the archaic gravity weapon."

TugMug was about to issue a seething comeback, but a frosty breath of air from Glacion stopped him. "Now is not the time," he hissed with a warning glance for both TugMug and Panthro. The ice Lunatac slipped his head through the doorway and looked around. "Two guards about fifty yards away, and only one side corridor. Suggestions?"

"Allow me," Cheetara grinned. She tossed her hair back over her shoulders, removed her staff from her wrist guard, and stepped past Glacion into the hallway. Before anyone could say anything, she was down the hall. A few seconds later, she was back. "All clear," she reported with a smug grin.

"Save some for the rest of us," Leonari said with a gleam in her eye. "This is far more satisfying than shooting at ships in the distance."

"Don’t let it go to your heads," Hypnon warned. He slipped through the doorway and started down the corridor. The others were quick to follow.

"So now where?" Cheetara whispered.

"We’ve got to find some kind of map," Panthro muttered. "Without one, we could be lost in here for days. And our forces don’t have days."

"Maybe we should stop and ask for directions," TugMug growled cynically.

"Another comment like that and…" Hypnon abruptly trailed off. "Actually, that’s not a bad idea. Glacion, do you think that you could—"

"I’m way ahead of you," Glacion laughed. "By all means, let’s find some guards."

The Thundercats stared at the two Lunatacs, wondering if they’d gone mad. TugMug slapped a hand over his face and groaned, realizing what they intended and knowing where this could end up. "This has gotten us into more trouble…" he grumbled.

"What’s going on?" Leonari demanded.

"Watch," Glacion instructed. Hypnon and Glacion began jogging down the hall, checking the side corridors for guards as they went. TugMug trailed reluctantly, and after exchanging helpless glances, the Thundercats followed the Lunatacs.

"And we wonder how they got the nickname ‘loony’," Panthro grumbled.

"Look out," Leonari hissed. "We’ve got trouble."

Up ahead, three guards had cornered Glacion and Hypnon, both of whom were indicating their comrades running toward them in the hall. "Those idiots!" Panthro growled. "They’re giving us away!"

"Hold it right there!" a guard commanded, sweeping a heavy laser rifle towards the Thundercats and TugMug.

"Freeze," Panthro whispered. "They’ve got us for now." He shot a wicked glare at Hypnon and Glacion.

"Keep your hands where we can see them," another guard ordered, walking slowly towards them. "Move towards those other two. Nice and slow, that’s right."

"What in Jaga’s name do you think you’re doing?!" Panthro hissed at Glacion. If he hadn’t been holding his hands up to appease the guards, he’d have probably throttled the Lunatac.

"Like I said, just watch." The ice Lunatac rubbed his hands together as though bracing for something and then stepped towards the guards. "Out of our way. What right do you have to detain us like this?"

The Thundercats stared in amazement, as did the human guards. "Keep your mouth shut if you know what’s good for you," one soldier warned.

"And why should I take orders from the likes of you?" Glacion sneered. "You’re nothing but a lowly human. A member of a pitiful race that runs from anything it can’t understand and proclaims itself master of things it can’t even begin to control."

"I’m warning you," a soldier growled, shoving the butt of his gun into Glacion’s stomach. "No more."

"Tell him how he’s failed," Hypnon suddenly whispered.

"I don’t know what you were trying here, but you’ve failed miserably," the guard continued with a savage grin.

"He was probably trying to find the generator for this gun," the hypnotist added in a voice so low that Panthro wondered if he’d imagined it.

"I bet you were looking for our gun’s generator," another guard laughed. "Nice try."

"Tell him how far away he was from achieving his goal."

The guards seemed to start for a minute and look toward Hypnon, but Glacion stepped forward again and the air was suddenly much cooler. "So what if we were looking for the generator. You have no power to prevent us."

"Oh don’t we?" a guard asked. He reached forward and seized Cheetara by the wrist, twisting her arm and forcing her to kneel. "I’d say I have power over this pretty thing. If you don’t want to see anything nasty happen, I suggest you cooperate. And keep that breath to yourself, too."

"Tell him how far he was from his goal. Taunt him with it," Hypnon insisted quietly.

"You aren’t anywhere near the generator," the guard guffawed. Cheetara’s eyes were blazing in defiance, but she held still, not wanting to do anything that might endanger Hypnon’s hold over the guards.

"Tell him whether or not he was going the wrong way," Hypnon urged.

"You were even going the right way, but you wouldn’t have made it far beyond this point," another guard laughed. "The generator is at the back of the gun, and so is everyone not on duty."

"How would he have gotten there? Give him information he can’t use and watch him whither," Hypnon suggested.

"You’d have kept going down this hallway and run straight into the kitchen. Beyond that you’d have found the generator. You’d have been in sight of all that you needed, and you’d have been caught. Sorry," the guard sneered.

Glacion looked at Hypnon. The hypnotist nodded, and Glacion turned back to the guards. "No, I’m sorry," he answered. The words had barely left his mouth when a blast of icy air made popsicles out of two guards. The third guard had been out of range, but TugMug’s gravity carbine slammed him to the ground before he could even think about reacting.

"Missed one," TugMug noted.

"No one’s perfect," the ice Lunatac shrugged.

"You’ve done this before, haven’t you?" Leonari observed.

"Give the Thundercat a sticker," TugMug sneered.

The lioness bristled. "Are you looking for a fight?"

"If I was, who here could give me one?"

"I’ll tell you who could give you one, you overgrown hunk of—"

"Enough," Cheetara growled, catching Leonari’s arm and glaring at TugMug. "We now know where we’re going, but we still don’t know how. I suggest we figure that out before we take up personal disputes."

"Fine," Leonari grumbled, jerking out of Cheetara’s hold and glaring at the gravity Lunatac. "I suggest diversionary tactics. Panthro, TugMug, and I will provide a distraction while Hypnon, Cheetara, and Glacion blow the generator."

"I don’t like the idea of splitting up," Hypnon objected. "This thing is huge. It would be easy to get lost."

"How else will we get past the off-duty personnel down the hall?" Glacion asked.

"Do we even have something to blow this thing with?" Panthro asked, his practical nature making a sudden and abrupt appearance after a long absence.

"There’s a fuse and a small charge in my Dagger," Cheetara answered. "I’ll go get them." She turned away from the others and took off down the hall.

"Sounds like we’ve got a plan," Panthro sighed. "Objections?"

"I object to the teams," TugMug announced.

"And I object to there even being teams," Hypnon added.

"Like we said before, it’s our best bet for getting past the off-duty guards," Glacion explained. "And as for the teams themselves, we’ll need Cheetara’s speed in the generator room, Hypnon and I have perfected the art of getting beyond small guard groups, and TugMug, Leonari, and Panthro are the best physical fighters here. I don’t see a better way to divide us."

"But why do I get stuck with two felines?" TugMug demanded.

"Cheetara’s stuck with two Lunatacs," Leonari pointed out.

"Okay, enough," Panthro interrupted. "We don’t have time for this. Our friends and countrymen are dying while we fight like spoiled cubs. If there are no serious objections, my team will leave now and take a different hallway. The rest of you should wait for Cheetara—"

"Already back." Cheetara came racing up to the group and skidded to a triumphant halt. "Did I miss anything?"

"I was just going over what your group should do," Panthro answered. "My group is taking off now. The rest of you should wait a few minutes and then keep going down this hall. With any luck, Leonari, TugMug, and I will draw most of the humans away from the generators before you even get there. Should be quick and easy. We’ll rendezvous back at the ships when it’s all over. If you can, rig a delayed fuse for ten minutes."

"Let’s do it then," Glacion said. "May the Moons watch over you, Thundercats."

"We’re going to need more than the moons," TugMug growled. "We’re going to need the whole blasted solar system."

"Good luck," Leonari offered the other three. "The Ancients willing, we’ll get out of this yet."

"Come on, let’s find someone to fight," TugMug growled, anxious to get started.

Panthro nodded, turned away, and started off at a swift jog. Leonari and TugMug were right beside him. Before long, they’d all turned down a side corridor and vanished from sight.

"I guess we wait," Hypnon muttered, leaning up against a wall. "Anybody have any good jokes?"

Cheetara stood motionless, staring after her friends with an intensity that was unnerving. Glacion cleared his throat hesitantly and moved next to her. "What is it? What do you see?"

The cheetah shook her head slowly. "I don’t know. But something…something is terribly wrong."