Summary: It's new! It's exciting! I'm writing it because my attention span doesn't last for more than one part of a story! It's also one of the few SWAT Kat stories out there where the SWAT Kats get their asses handed to them The Syndicate Saga: Episode 1 Written by the Brilliant and Talented Neil Conkle Aka Puma_Lord, aka IssuesMan "The Syndicate", and "Syndicate Wars", from which the main concept of this story was brought to life, are owned by BullFrog. Another big contributor in both characters and concepts for this story is the SWAT Kats, owned by Hanna Barbera. Enjoy! scene: Early in the day, in Mystery Kat's office. MK is covered from head to toe, not a single part of his body visible. He sits in his chair and a mysterious Trench coat clad Kat is standing before him. MK: One. You are past your prime. Oh, you're still a good agent, you're operational record is almost perfection itself and the only reason that there are any faults at all are because of mistakes made by others in your team. But you yourself made the ruling that after a certain age is reached even the training and the... enhancements given to agents of high status are not enough to- One::Interrupting:: Yes sir I know that. I also know of the clause. The leaving agent may request a final assignment of his or her choosing, though if the agent requests a mission to sensitive or one believed to be beyond His or Her skills than said request may be denied, and another mission to be offered in it's stead. If the mission is not to the agents liking, he or she may choose to deny and leave then. End. MK: Well? One: I request that I included on operation Hammer, sir. MK: Request denied. ::Holds up a gloved hand:: Halt thy plea. I request that you take upon operation Nail. One::Eyes widen:: Sir, that mission is- MK: I know that it's more important which is why I'm entrusting it to you. You have lived a good 40 or so years longer than the other agents under me, and your operational excellence is much higher than theirs'. I wouldn't trust them to do a job of this magnitude properly. After this mission has been completed, I'm offering you the position of Mission Coordinator. If- One: If I fail, I better be dead. I've been in the Syndicate much longer than you sir. I know the drill by now. Now, on to business. Do I have free range on equipment? MK: Some. No weapons with the exception of a standard issue Enforcer Laser pistol. You have absolute free range on Explosives and Detonators. Also... ::Opens desk drawer and pulls out a metal card, about 5 inches high, 3 inches wide, 5 cm thick:: This. ::Slips it into his pocket:: Enforcer, Academy graduate. ::His image blurs, than MK's form solidifies once more. He's wearing a robe, with a little hat, square on top, and he stands there, grinning:: Fun little device isn't it? ::Taps the card on a previously hidden panel in his pocket five times in quick succession. The illusion bleeds off slowly:: This is how you are going to get in, and get out. ::Hands the card to 1:: 1::Nods, takes card:: Take out the independent generators, armory, vehicles, and take out as many grunts as possible. Try to avoid getting rid of high ranking officers, with two exceptions. ::Smiles:: No problem. Will I be jacked into the main control center for this? MK: No. While jacked in you are stronger, faster, and, hypothetically, faster reaction times. But we both know that your reaction times will always be compromised by the much slower reaction times of an unmodified operator. Me. I don't believe in jacking my soldiers of espionage and sabotage. Unless a certain situation demands it, you and your fellow agents will never be jacked in. ::Stands:: End. 1::Leaves:: MK:: So it begins, not with a whimper but a bang. *5 hours later.* Commander Feral::Cold and impassive:: We will find out who planted the explosives in Enforcer Headquarters. We have no leads at this time, but information from the survivors are still coming in and being put together . Ann Gora: Commander, word on the streets is that there is a new criminal element, calling themselves the Syndicate. Is it possible that they were involved in this horrible tragedy? Commander Feral::Looks down at the microphone with slight distaste before returning attention to the camera:: No comment. Ann Gora: Where will the Enforcers be stationed during the repairs of the multi-million dollar Enforcer Complex? Commander Feral: All further Enforcer operations will be based at our back up barracks on Fifth and Main. We plan to move back into our former Headquarters as soon as possible. Ann Gora: Commander, I was informed by eyewitness reports that the SWAT Kats jet was also caught in the blast radius of the initial detonation. Do you know how badly they were damaged and if they were involved in this attack? Commander Feral: If you will excuse me, but I have a job to do. ::Walks over to an awaiting car and leaves:: *Meanwhile, in an underground lair deep within the sewer systems...* Dr. Viper::Stares at the T.V. screen where Ann Gora is still talking:: Interesting... The Syndicate. They will get in the way of my plans... ::Sadistic Cackle:: But enough of this. We must plan my pretties. ::Pets a super sized combination of Cricket/Ant creature:: We must decide if we are to go around or through this new development. *At the same moment in another Underground lair near where the Megakat City Nuclear Power facility is located...* Dark Kat sits and watches the T.V. screen until it goes to a commercial. DK: Phone. A Kreepling scurries off into the blackness and returns with a cell. DK::Ignores the Kreepling's chittering and dials:: Yes. Megakat Medical Center? I was watching the news reports and... Yes. I know. Did you admit Robert T. Felinity? Yes, I'll hold. ::Waits for three minutes:: Oh, hello? Yes, I'm still here. No one by that name? Living or deceased? Yes, probably still amongst the rubble I'd suppose. One more question... Did you admit a Lieutenant Steele? Oh. One of the first of the dead to be extracted? Yes. Thank you, and sorry for having taken so much of your time. Have a nice day. ::Turns off the cell:: Blast! My two best spies in their chain of command eliminated by The Syndicate. ::Stands:: Come my Kreeplings. We have a war to start. ::Stomps off to his laboratory:: *In an upscale apartment in the middle of MegaKat City...* Hard Drive: The Syndicate! They destroyed all of those computers, all that data, before I could get to it! ::Clenches his fist:: They'll pay for that. *In a secure, camouflaged building in the middle of the desert that surrounds MegaKat City * *Mk sits alone in an office. He rises from his desk, and looks out the window to the rolling sands of the desert.* MysteryKat: Excellent. Years of planning are coming together as predicted. This is only the beginning. ::Stares of into the distance at the barely visible MegaKat City:: Only the beginning. ::Exits the room and walks down a long corridor. after five minutes of twists and turns he comes down into a cell and enters. Another Kat lies there, barely alive at all:: Hello. ::Hint of a grin:: How are you doing Robert Felinity? Feel like telling me what I wish to know now? Robert: F**k you. There's nothing you can do to make me talk. MysteryKat: I know. ::Takes out a strange device and grabs Robert by the ears, pulling him so his neck is exposed:: Don't move. If you do, you won't die, but you will become the intellectual equal of a vegetable. Prepare yourself. ::Presses the device against the back of Robert's neck, up against the spinal column:: Prepare for U.T.O.P.I.A. Scene: Back at the SWAT Kat Hanger Jake: I can't believe this damage! This goes way beyond some dings buddy. ::Turns to look at Chance:: The Turbo Kat is going to be down for at least a week or two. Chance: Yeah, if we ignore the garage. We get some Enforcer Patrol vehicles, Feral's spare car, Ms. Callie Briggs ::Unconsciously slicks back head fur:: car, and some of our other regular customers. Jake::Still inspecting the damage:: Yeah, I know. But we can't just leave it to the Enforcers after they were crippled like that. Do we have anything for that fuel line? ::Takes spare Chance hands him:: We should have some spare parts for the engine in the back storage area. ::Looks at the undercarriage:: Oh crud! The missile bay door is fused solid! ::Sighs and shakes head:: Three weeks. Maybe four with that damage. Chance: Alright, I'll take about four hours with the cars and then I'll come back to help you. ::Muttering as he starts climbing up the ladder:: Hope nothing comes up. *Bree! Bree! Bree! Chance: Crud! ::Hops down the ladder and runs to the phone, puts on his "Official" voice:: Yes Ms. Briggs? Callie::In state of Panic:: T-Bone! Megakat Central Bank is under attack! They were in the middle of the gold transfer and the Enforcers don't have anything to spare except for a couple patrol cars! Scene: Megakat Central Bank, the front detonated, dead rent-a-cops litter the ground, and two blasted shells of Enforcer Patrol cars sit there and burn. Two agents stand sentry, one armed with a rocket launcher, another with a mini-gun as the other two agents load up the gold into two heavily armored hover cars. 2::Female Feline, Holding Rocket Launcher, thinking:: ^y'hear that?^ 4::Canine agent, loading, thinking:: ^Yups. sounds like a motorcycle... maybe two. No, definitely two. Didn't know the Enforcers had a motorcycle division^ 5::Loading, thinking:: That's the problem. They don't. I've lived here longer than ya'll. That's the sound of a muffled cyclotron. SWAT Kat conveyance. They've kicked more ass than One on a good week. Prepare for some serious resistance:: 3::Chaingun pointed down the road, thinking::About half a mile, prepare for traffic:: 2::Female Feline, loads a rocket:: Here they come. ::Grins and fires:: T-Bone::Eyes widen:: WHOA! ::Jumps off the Cyclotron, which heads straight into the rocket and gets totaled, while he combat rolls back into a crouch. 3::Lets loose on Razor:: Razor::Dodges around the fire, but a ricochet blasts through his front tire, the sudden blowout causing the cyclotron to flip, throwing Razor straight into the arms of 2:: *High above* This is Ann Gora from Kats Eye news, live at the scene of a bank robbery in progress. The SWAT Kats are also on the scene, and are fighting the robbers hand to hand. *Below* 4: Hold still! ::Swings fist, air hums from the pure speed:: T-Bone::Ducks, delivers a powerful uppercut knocking 4 head over heals:: 5::As 4 lands, he pulls out an Uzi, and sprays T-Bone on the left side of his back. T-Bone screams in pain and falls to ground. 5 and 4 disarm him and stick him with a needle. T-Bone: Falls unconscious:: Razor: T-BONE! 2::Slams Razor in the face. As she starts a karate chop to the back of his head, Razor ducks and flips her as she over swings:: Razor:: Aims at 4 and 5 with his glovatrix:: Net launcher, Deploy! ::Covers both agents with a weighted net. Razor then turns to 3 and delivers a gut punch, snap kick, roundhouse to the head, and a flying uppercut, while 3 just stands there and absorbs the punishment:: 3::As Razor lands from the flying uppercut, 3 delivers a quick rabbit punch to Razor's gut, knocking the air out of him. He lashes out two roundhouses to Razor's head, nearly knocking him senseless. 3 unleashes one last punch which literally sends Razor flying nearly a full city block. Razor lands on the harsh unforgiving pavement, rolls, and comes to a hard stop against a car, setting off its alarm. *In the Chopper* Ann: Oh my God. Oh my God. The... The SWAT Kats... ::Tears comes to her eyes, in a whisper:: No... Good God no... 2::Picks up Razor and loads him into the security cell within the second armored hover car, his buddy T-bone strapped in along side him:: 4,5::Resume loading up gold, 4 occasionally rubbing his jaw:: 3::Picks up his Chain Gun and stands watch, thinking:: ^How are the prisoners?^ 2::Thinking:: ^Surprisingly stable. Both are in good shape except for Jake. Chance is doing fairly well. Do you think we should tell them that we know their real names when they wake up?^ 3::Thinking:: ^Yeah, but not immediately. Let's hold onto that little bargaining chip until we can make some real use of it.^ Five minutes later they had finished and were flying out of the city, discouraging pursuit from KatsEye News with a healthy barrage of rocket fire. Scene: HQ of the Syndicate, MK's office. MK::Standing at the window, looking out, his back to agent 2:: Mission status update. 2::standing straight and proud:: one hundred fifty percent, sir. MK::Turns:: Oh, so the SWAT Kats did show up. Without their jet, I was wondering if they would. Good thing they did, or your mission would only be rated as a 50% success, secondary goal only. 2::Nods:: MK::Turns back to the window:: Interrogation begins three hours from now. I want you and all other agents involved with Operation Hammer to be there. 2::Salutes:: Understood. ::Turns and walks out:: MK::Stays at the window:: Looks like a storm. ::Nods:: Guess Operation Breakthrough was a success. ::Chuckles:: Welcome back, Turmoil. To Be Continued.