Finality and Creeplings: Part 2 By James L. King Freakaz@Comcast.net Dated 3-30-2002 Rated: R Warning: Violence Legal Department: SWAT Kats, MKC, Etc. are owned and/or copyrighted by Hanna/Barbera. Summary: A Temporal loop, an alternate Dimension, Dark Kat's final victory and defeat. Part two of three. Table of contents. Prologue Chapter 1: Past Journeys Chapter 2: Brigg Hackling Chapter 3: The Queen and the Messenger. Chapter 4: Illusions Epilogue Prologue November 13, 1995 In a large cavern, with a river of lava flowing nearby, providing light and heat, two sets of red glowing eyes appear. The orangish light from the lava glints and reflects from their bodies as they sit up. "Molly, where are ya?" "Over here, Mac. Where are we?" As if to answer her question, a large holoprojection appears. "Greetings MetalliKats, welcome to my lair. I rescued you from the old professor who made you, and as I no longer exist in this world, I give you my lair, to use for whatever you wish. I only ask one thing, destroy MegaKat City, and her protectors, the SWAT Kats." The image wavers, and the holo-emitter shuts off. "Destroy MegaKat City?" Mac says, blinking his eyes. "Hey Mac, look!" Molly shouts from a corner of the cavern. "What is it?" "Plans for robot designs. We can use these to destroy MegaKat City!" "It'll take a while to build them." "Let's get started, then rub out those SWAT Kats!" "Hey look at this! One of Dark Kat's ships!" "Let's steal what we need for the robots and get started." * * * December 7, 1966 (Alternate Dimension) A huge swirling cloud appears from nowhere over MegaKat desert, a lone figure drifts down from it. True to the spells that had been cast on him, he loses all memory, and falls unconscious as his feet touch the ground. He regains consciousness, and looks at his garb, a well worn green shirt, pair of jeans and lab coat, then starts walking toward the City in the distance. He blacks out from dehydration and exposure when he has almost made it to a salvage yard. He wakes up in a hospital, an IV in his arm, and a grey tabby dressed as a doctor standing nearby. Seeing the patient's return to consciousness, the doctor declares, "I'm Dr. Drake. You were very lucky. You were found in the desert near the Salvage Yard, severely dehydrated, and would have died had you not been seen by a truck driver." "Where am I, and what's today's date?" the patient asks. "December 7, 1966, and you're in MegaKat General Hospital. Now, tell me, what's your name?" "My." he stops, trying to think, "I--I don't know." he looks at the doctor in confusion, "I have no memory of who I am." "Hmm. I'll run a paw-print check, and see if we can identify you." Several hours later, the doctor comes back, with a lieutenant in the Enforcers, and a lab-coated scientist. Dr. Drake says, "This is Lieutenant Feral, and Doctor Longclaw. Your pawprints are on no known file, but you bear a striking resemblance to a Professor Isaac Hackle, an engineering scientist Pumadyne was expecting to show up last week." Turning to the scientist he asks, "Is he this Professor Hackle?" "I'm not entirely sure, we only received word from our Abyssinia research labs that he was coming here, but he never showed up. I think though that he probably is Professor Hackle. We will have to wait and see, after we send his picture to the Abyssinia labs." Dr. Longclaw declares. "I'm a scientist? What kind of research?" "General weaponry, robotics, and jet propulsion." "Ahh, ok. Weapons researcher, huh? That explains the lab coat, I guess." "Yes." Dr. Longclaw says. The medical doctor continues, "Lieutenant Feral is assigned to be your guard, apparently someone left you for dead in the desert." "Ok, I'm a scientist someone wants dead, and I have no memory of what happened to me. In fact, I have no memory, period." "That isn't good. At least Abyssinia sent copies of your notes on your latest project ahead of you." Turning to Dr. Drake he asks, "If we verify that he is Hackle, when can he start back on his research?" "In a week, give or take a day or two." "I can have verification day after tomorrow." Chapter 1: Past Journeys October 3, 1232 After Chance got his eye looked at, and the healer had informed him that he had lost it, Chance asks, "How far to the Queen's Castle?" "Almost a dozen leagues."(roughly 36 miles) "Thank you, can you tell me where the inn is? I would like to buy some supplies before I continue my journey." "Just look for the sign of a lute and a flagon." "Thank you." He walks out of the healer's house, and down the street. He notices that several guards eye him warily. He ignores their looks, and heads to the inn. After buying rations, he leaves, and heads toward the Queen's Castle. After a day and a half of travel, he comes across the PastMaster's tower. He feels two powers emanate from within, one a residual evil, the second, an active power of good. He enters the tower, and finds an ancient Mage of a race unknown to him there, surveying the Central chamber. "Who are you?" he asks. "Do not ask my name, Chance Eugene Furlong. I am here to give to thee the powers that thou will need to defeat the Pastmaster and another, and set things right here, and in another timeline." "What?" he asks as the mage's eyes flash and a blue bolt of energy flies at him. He tries to dodge, but it's too late, the power envelops him, and he falls unconscious. When he wakes up, he finds an Ironwood staff, pulsing with energy, and the Tome of Time filled with spells he had never seen before in it. Voices echo to him, from nowhere and everywhere, telling him secrets, teaching him Magics, revealing the past, the present, and some of the future. When he stands to leave, he sees the Mage appear again, "I leave thee with a warning, O Futurekeeper. Do not stray from thy virtues, or thou wilt end like PastMaster. Thou art the last of the Tymarcde, even as he was the first. Sadly, thy order will end at the end of the millennium, when all Magic will be gone." "All magic gone?" "Thou didst age because the etheric power was weak, and thou used thy life-force to cast the spell. The staff is a focus, and will prevent further aging near those times." "Who are you?" he asks, but the mage disappears. He hears an echo of the mage's voice saying, "Tymprilem, the Time Lord." Chapter 2: Brigg Hackling December 16, 1981 (Both Dimensions) Abysinnia Leonard Briggs comes home, looking rather defeated. Tanya comes to the door to let her husband in and sees the look on his face. "What's wrong Len?" "I'm to transfer to the MegaKat Labs, they want to have my project finished there. I'm to relocate in two weeks." "The Kits(Can't call teenagers kittens can we?) and I will stay to sell the house. You go ahead, Len." "There's a second thing you should know, Tan. Isaac is still there." "Maybe he's forgotten." "I don't think so. Where's Calico and Brian? They should know about this." "Calico's out on a date with Andy, and Brian is doing his homework" Several hours later, they hear an engine, and see Callie getting out of the car. She kisses the tom inside, then waves as he drives off. She comes in the house, and stops when she sees her father and mother talking softly at the kitchen table. Seeing her, Leonard says, "They're relocating us, Calico. After we sell the house, if you want, you can stay with your Aunt Mary until the school year is done." "I'll have to think about it, daddy." * * * The next day at school, between classes, Callie sees a sophomore kissing her boyfriend, and grows enraged. She doesn't say anything, but just leaves school, running home, tears in her eyes. She arrives, and comes in, slamming the door, then running up to her room. He mother goes up, and knocks on her room door. "Calico? Calico, let me in, what's wrong?" Amid the crying, she hears, "Go away! Just go away!" Tanya gets a screwdriver, and unlocks her daughter's room, then comes in. "Calico, my dear, what's wrong?" Between sobs, Callie responds, "I saw Andy kissing another girl, a sophomore. He's been cheating on me. I don't want to stay here the rest of the school year, I want to leave." "Talk to him, then make a decision, Calico." * * * December 18, 1981 (Both Dimensions) MegaKat City "Hackle! Where are you, Hackle?" The suited supervisor enters a large room, where he hears someone working, but doesn't see them. "Over here, sir." A paw waves out from behind a tank. Leonard Briggs follows the supervisor to Hackle, dreading what might come from his once-nemesis' mouth. "Hackle, this is Doctor Leonard Briggs. After he finishes his project, he will be assigned to your team to help you finish your project." "Pleased to meet you, Dr. Briggs." Hackle steps out and shakes paws with Leonard, a genuine smile on his face, then turns his attention back to the circuitry he had been working on. Leonard is struck by how different Hackle acted and looked. He looks confused, and asks, "You don't remember me, then, Isaac?" Hackle looks up, "I've had amnesia since 1966, I couldn't even tell you my mother's name when I woke up in the hospital. I still have amnesia." "So you don't remember Tanya, or our intellectual fights over her?" "Not a one. If we're supposed to be enemies, then I want to drop it and be friends, because I don't remember what or why I'm enemies with you." * * * "There you are, Cal, I've been looking for you." a buff-looking grey tom drives up in a black Camaro as Callie is getting out of her Chevette. "Yeah, you've been looking allright, Andrew, at another girl!" "She's just a friend." "Yeah, friends really kiss like you and she did. It's over, Andrew. You can take your stupid class ring!" With that, she pulls off the ring and throws it at him, then starts walking toward school. "You're making a big mistake Cal, no one would treat you like I have. No one would ever go out with you! Not after I'm done with you!" "Buzz off, jerk!" * * * Leonard calls his wife, who is still in Abysinnia, "You'll never believe it, Tan, but he has forgotten. Something caused him to become amnesiac in '66, and he still has no memories! He shook my paw like we were old acquaintances." "What? Are you sure, Len?" "He directly said, 'Since I don't remember what or why we are enemies, let's just drop it and be friends'. I think he really means it Tan. He seems changed, like he's a different Kat." "As soon as the house is sold, I'll pack up Calico, if she still wants to go, and come there." "What about Brian?" "He wants to stay." "It figures. Allright, as soon as I can tonight, I'll start looking for a house." Chapter 3: The Queen and the Messenger. October 7, 1232 Mid-afternoon, a lone robed figure enters the village that is nearby Queen Callista's castle. Leaning heavily on his staff, he heads toward her Castle. At the gate of her Castle, a guard stops him. "Hold, who art thou, and what dost thou want?" "My name is Eugene Long, and I have travelled far to see the Queen." he responds, his voice cracking. "See the Queen, eh? On what business?" "I am an Arch-mage, and I have come to offer my services to her." "I'm sorry, I must refuse thee, arch-mage." "I will at least let the Queen refuse me, not one of her minions." he replies as he telekinetically picks the guard up and passes through the castle gate, leaving the guard hovering in place. Callista rushes out to the courtyard, her arms bared, her amulet glowing. "Who art thou?" she demands. Upon sighting her, Eugene gently sets the guard where he had been standing and sets his staff on the ground. Kneeling, he says, "I am Eugene Long, a mage. I have come to offer my services to thee, and if refused, will leave thee." "What is thy fee?" she sounds suspicious of him. "A place to live, until the time comes I must leave." he replies. "A travelling mage. How powerful art thou?" "Powerful enough, my queen." he stands. A sense of familiarity washes over her, as though she had seen this Kat before, yet did not know who exactly he was. "How powerful is powerful enough?" she asks, still suspicious of him. "Magically assail me, my queen, and it will not harm me. I can dissipate the effects of even thy most powerful magics easily." "Only sorcerers are that powerful." shock is evident on her face. "I am the last of my order. One which thou will not easily find any mention of, except in legends and myths." "Legends and myths? Which order?" she asks, her interest piqued. "Tymarcde is my Order's name." "I have never heard of it." "I should think not. I am the last of us still alive. There is another, but he is undead. Although he has been banished, he can return, and return he will, in four years time." "Who is he?" she asks, fearing the answer. "His truename is Praetimart, which means Past Master. I will not say my truename, but it means Future Keeper. Dost thou accept my services, or do I leave, my queen?" "What services art thou offering?" "Ambassador, messenger, battlemage, assassination protection, just to name a few, my queen." "Messenger, eh?" "Yes." "Then meet me in the throne room in an hour. I have a message for thee to bear to the King of Gaul." * * * An hour later, Eugene, minus his robe, although wearing a white tunic, grey pants, and grey cloak, staff in paw, walks into the throne room. On his belt, a pouch, on his back, a travel-worn pack. "I am here, my queen. What is the message thou wouldst me take?" he says as he bows before her. She replies as she sits on her throne, "Tell that swine, the King of Gaul, that I reject his proposal of an alliance and that the very idea of looking at him, much less marrying him, is repugnant to me." A tawny colored Kat is ushered into the room, and Queen Callista says, "Take his messenger with thee, as I have no ships to send him back." "I shall return shortly." He pulls a book out of his pack, walks out into the Courtyard, and casts a travel Vortex, one that could carry him and the messenger to another point in that world. Chapter 4: Illusions October 4, 1991, 1:12 AM (Alternate Dimension) Above MegaKat Nature Preserve, in a flash of light, a damaged, smoking Fear Ship appears. Dark Kat turns it toward MegaKat City, but he sets down to repair his damaged engines. After a few hours, he takes off again. * * * "Allright, jet patrol! Ready buddy?" the larger of two Kats says to his diminutive partner as they look at the posted assignments board. "Beats chopper patrol any day. Let's go." "Can't wait either, huh?" "Been a while since I was in a jet. I'm tired of those lumbering whales they use for Choppers." They turn away from the board and head to the roof. "They ain't let us in a jet since that day we took out Slice." Chance comments. "Tell me about it. At least we brought him in that day, although that skyscraper had to be brought down. Damn shame too. It was his missile, not mine that damaged it." "Yer preachin' t' the choir buddy. I know that just as well as you, but no one else believes it." They get in the jet assigned to them, the 'Unlucky 'Teen', and wait for takeoff clearance. Several hours later, they get a blip on their Radar and get a fix on it. "Command, I got a blip, moving at 500 knots, bearing 040, anything scheduled?" Chance asks. "Negative, move to intercept, get ID, if hostile, then engage." "Roger that. This is Enforcer Patrol Jet 13 to unidentified craft. please signal your destination and intent." An image appears on their VDU, "I am Dark Kat. My destination is Enforcer Headquarters, and my intent is to destroy it, hahahahaha!" The VDU goes blank. "This is EPJ 13 to command, did ya read that?" "Roger, are scrambling all craft, and evac orders issued for HQ building. EPJ 2 and 7, join in pursuit and intercept this Dark Kat." The unidentified ship starts moving off faster, so Chance pushes his jet to the redline, and past, as he moves to intercept. Jake locks on his missiles, but the other craft is moving too fast. After a few seconds, two other Enforcer Jets join pursuit. "We're way past redline, guys. We're not gonna be able to keep up long." They start firing short bursts of laser fire at the ship, when warning lights appear in the cockpits of all three pursuers. The other pilots look worriedly at the lights, while Chance ignores his. After almost a minute, the pilot of one says, "Chance, Jake, let him go, it's too dangerous!" "Negative, we're bringing Dark Kat in. Go get yourselves some donuts." "You two are nuts! We're breaking off pursuit." "Roger that. Leave it to us. We'll bring this psycho in even if it kills us." "Chance, he's locking missiles on the new Enforcer building!" "Gotta nail 'im now, Jake." "No problemo. Missile away!" The missile hits, causing equipment to malfunction. "I knocked out his weapons systems!" "Back off you two! I'm taking over." "Negative Commander, we already have lock." "I'm ordering you two back, I'll bring him in." "Commander, it's our tag!" Dark Kat activates the radar cloak and pushes his engines to redline. Feral throttles to maximum, several thousand RPM beyond redline, and his jet surges forward. Chance tries to peel off, but Feral's jet nicks their wing as they do. "We're out of the game Chance, we gotta eject!" Jake cries as the Jet goes into a tailspin. They do so, and the 'Unlucky 'Teen' hits the runway on the Enforcer building, skidded across, and impacting the now vacant control tower, exploding as it hits. The flash distracts Feral, who, in glancing away, loses track of Dark Kat. Dark Kat, as soon as he sees the flash of the explosion, goes into a steep dive, leveling off barely ten meters off the ground. He navigates his way between buildings, then away from the City. * * * Several months later, Dark Kat stole an Amulet from the MegaKat Museum of History. He then captured Mayor Manx, drugged him, and demanded a huge ransom, just like he had done once before. He had demanded that the Deputy Mayor bring the ransom, and Feral had no choice but to comply. "Welcome, Deputy Mayor! Please, make yourself comfortable." A dozen Creeplings fly out to her car, and come back, each with a money sack. They deposit all of them in a pile, then hide themselves all around the building. "Now we wait, Deputy Mayor." "What for?" "You'll see soon enough." They don't have to wait long. The noise of jet engines comes from outside, and a moment later, two Kats in red and blue, wearing masks, rush in. "Welcome, I've been expecting you two." Dark Kat says regally. As he concentrates on the amulet he's wearing under his clothing, he points to an unconscious Mayor Manx, and a scared looking Calico Briggs. The heap of money sacks lay nearby. "No doubt you're here to rescue him and the Deputy Mayor from me, as well as recover the money, no?" "Yeah, Dark Crud." T-Bone says, leveling his Rocketpistol at the creeplings, while Razor levels his glovatrix prototype at Dark Kat. "I have a better idea, I'll let all of you leave, and the City keeps the money, if you work for me. I know about your grudge against Feral, and her desire to rule this City, so this is the deal I propose." Razor and T-Bone lower their weapons, as they are obviously listening, Callie perks her ears up at Dark Kat as he outlines his plans. They all agree, and Dark Kat leaves. The SWAT Kats head back to their Hangar for a further meeting with Dark Kat, and the Enforcers arrive, to find the Mayor and Deputy Mayor safe and sound with all the money. Epilogue September 17, 1999 Walking out of the house, Jake's jaw drops when he sees a black Barracuda. "I can't believe you managed to hold on to it! How did you?" "She saved Callie's and my lives, Jake, of course I kept her. I'd never give up the graduation present Uncle Ulysses gave me!" As the two SWAT Kats, with their wives and kittens get in the car, and prepare to leave Professor Hackle's house, they see a Time Vortex close. "What in the world?" Chance asks. Almost in response, they hear a keening noise, which turns into a low thrum. Picking up the kittens, they all rush, to find 'the Crazy old Mage' leading two SWAT Kats into a hangar of sorts. They stop at the hangar doors and find two TurboKats. The Mage climbs and looks inside. He sees the DragonSword in the Gunner's seat, and says, "The other TurboKat is the one made for you." He gets down and, noticing the small crowd, says aloud, "Jake, Chance, come here, all four of you." Both sets eye each other warily as the Mage says, "Meet your other-dimension doubles. Last you met, you were enemies, now, put aside your prejudices, and be friends." "What is all this?" Chance asks, while looking at his alternate dimension double and around the hangar. "Isaac Hackle built a replica of the TurboKat II. It's the replica I'm giving them. Your original TurboKat was taken and hidden here by Hackle just after your supposed deaths. Now, these two," Eugene gestures at the alternate-dimension SWAT Kats, "Are going to rescue that MegaKat City from the MetalliKats, just like you did in your pasts." "Best of luck to ya, T-Bone." Chance says. "Thanks. Y'know, I'm sorry for tryin' t' kill ya like I did, T-Bone." He offers his paw to his double. "Don't mention it, just save your City. That'll be enough repayment." He takes the paw, and they shake. Jake says, "Whatever happens, be the heroes that MegaKat City needs. Above all, your Felina needs someone to love her. It don't matter which of you, but make her feel like she's someone who's truly special." He looks at his partner's wife, who has her paws to her mouth. "Your Felina holds a hurt and hate in her heart, and she needs a couple heroes to take it from her. I can't say anything about your Callie, but look after her, too." "We will. We will, right, buddy?" the alternate Jake replies. "We will." Eugene takes his backpack off, and gives it to the two doubles. "Here's your G-suits and Glovatrixes. Get changed, then I'll work my magics." Turning to the native SWAT Kats, he says, "You can return for the TurboKat later, there's things you need to do first. Return to the City and start helping out in the rebuilding." To Be Continued...