Sky Tomb.

Back in the control room, the good guys were still winning.  Steelheart had taken Tug-mug's Gravity Carbine and restored the weight to Steelwill.  "I'll hold back these monsters," said Bluegrass.  "You free the Thunder Cats trapped in this stinky place."

            Steelheart said, "Good idea.  Come on, guys."  Over in the prison room, Lion-O and the Silver Hawks, except for Bluegrass, arrived at the cells where Bengali, Pumyra, Lynx-O, and Snarf were being kept.

            The prison room was too large for the group to see the captured Thunder Cats, so Lion-O called, "Thunder Cats, can you hear me?"

            "Lion-O!" exclaimed Bengali.  "Is it you?  We're over here!"

            "What are you doing here?" asked Lynx-O.

            "Saving you.  I brought some new friends."

            "If you will stand aside," said Steelwill, "I'll rip out that door like soft clay."  Steelwill grabbed the bars on the door, pulled them, and yanked out the door like soft clay. . . as he had said.

            "Snarf, snarf!  Am I glad to see you, Lion-O!" said Snarf.

            Steelheart said, "I assume that he is Snarf, Lion-O."

            "Yes," Snarf replied.  "How did you guess that, ma'am?  Snarf, snarf.  Hey!  Wait a minute!  Snarfer!  Where is he?"

            "He is at Cat's Lair on third-Earth," said Lion-O.  "He called us to tell us about your capture."

            Bengali said, "I hope that he's all right."

            "He should be, Bengali," said Pumyra.  "No one evil is back there."

            "He ought to know how to take care of himself," Lion-O said.  "He knows where all the food is, and if he runs out, he can visit the. . ."  He looked around and saw that the Luna-tacks had indeed imprisoned some of the Berbils and Warrior Maidens.  Fortunately, though, the leaders of neither were caught, and not all of the rest had been caught.  ". . .remaining Berbils and Warrior Maidens to ask for some more.  Uh, oh!  What about Mumm-ra?"

            "I heard the Luna-tacks say that Mumm-ra was going to Brim*Star in the Mumm-rot to help the Mob," said Lynx-O.

            It was rarely that Steelheart was shocked to this degree.  "Say WHAT?!?" she demanded.  "Ohhhhh. . ."  Steelheart fainted in the middle of the floor.

            "What happened to Steelheart?" asked Lion-O.

            Quicksilver examined her.  "Oh, she only fainted because of what you said.  She has never fainted before, though.  She's definitely not a typical female."

            "Are you overgeneralising about the female gender, sir?" demanded Pumyra.

            Quicksilver was slightly embarrassed.  "Oh!  Er, pardon me, Pumyra.  I didn't intend any offence."

            "Certainly I pardon you."

            "Let's get to Hawkhaven.  Can you pilot this tub, Steelwill?"

            Steelwill said, "I sure can!  Just get those darned lunatic Luna-tacks in their own cells, and I shall get this thing to Hawkhaven more quickly than you can say, 'Hand over the Treasure, Thunder Cats!' "  He cleared his throat.  "Please pardon my unintentional faux pas, Thunder Cats."

            "Don't mention it," said Lion-O.

            * * *

            Hangar, Hawkhaven.

            Bored, bored.  It sure is boring being bored, thought Wilykat.  Wilykit came out of the vehicle storage room.  "There's nothing for us to do!" complained Wilykat.

            "Sure, there is," said Wilykit.  "I just cleaned a little dust off the Space Racer and the Sprint Hawk."

            "Oh, please.  There's no physical activity for us to do!  No trees.  Nowhere we can run."

            "There are books stored in computer memory," argued Wilykit.  "Musical works as well."

            "Sure!  But what about food?"

            "Distasteful food-packs in the Feliner."

            "Yuck.  What about real food?"

            "Good question.  Let's go see the others about it."

            "Gladly."

            * * *

            Sky Tomb.

            About a third of an hour later, in the prison room of Sky Tomb, the Thunder Cats and Silver Hawks had imprisoned the Luna-tacks.  "You will never get away with this, you vile do-gooders!" screamed Luna.  "We shall fix you, but good!"

            "Look, Luna, you must close your yap," said Bluegrass.  "It can get you into big trouble, and it is my duty to keep watch over you; so you'd better keep your mouth SHUT!"

            Quicksilver said, "Kidd, park the Mirage where it will come along for the ride."

            "Do not worry about that, ol' buddy," said Bluegrass.  "I took care of that."  Suddenly, Mumm-ra (transformed) appeared on the scene.

            Mumm-ra said, "But you rustbuckets have not taken care of me!  Hee, hee, hee!"

            "Mumm-ra!" Lion-O said.  "What are you doing here?"

            "I have come to fix you, meddling do-gooders!  Ha, ha, ha!  Lt. Steelwill's remark concerning the Treasure of Thundera inspired me!  O Ancient Spirits of Evil, I request that you return the Treasure of Thundera except the Thunderscope and the Book of Thundera to being scattered all over New Thundera!"  The magic temporarily disabled the Thunderscope and made all the Treasure of Thundera except for the Book of Omens and the Thunderscope disappear from Cat's Lair on third-Earth and scattered the Treasure throughout New Thundera!  "It's done!  Now who's the hotshot, Lion-O?  Ha, ha, ha!"

            "Oh, no!" said Lion-O.  "Blast you, Mumm-ra!"  Lion-O took the Sword of Omens out of the Claw Shield and pointed it up.  With each 'Thunder,' the Sword increased in vertical size.  "Thunder, Thunder,. . ."

            "Oh, no you don't!  Ha, ha, ha!"  Mumm-ra fired a beam at Lion-O and 'mummified' him.

            "Gah!"  Lion-O fell on his belly.

            "And now," rumbled Mumm-ra, "for the rest of you."  Mumm-ra 'mummified' the others.  "Why, you seem to be all wrapped up in your work!  Hee, hee, hee!"

            "If not for doing us this indignity, you darned mummy," said Steelheart, "I'll blast you well for making that rotten pun!"

            Luna screamed, "Get us out of this prison, you miserable mummy, before I ruin your darned eardrums!"

            "You've got it, Luna," said the evil mummy.  Mumm-ra fired a ray that put the five Silver Hawks and four Thunder Cats (excluding Snarf, whom Mumm-ra had not seen and had thus failed to 'wrap up') in the cells and took the Luna-tacks out of the cells.  "Now, let's go to Brim*Star and put these meddling do-gooders in Mon*Star's prison.  Ha, ha, ha!"

            * * *

            Brim*Star.

            Over at Brim*Star, Sky Tomb landed near the door to Brim*Star Fortress.  The prisoners were locked up in Mon*Star's prison. . . not a pretty sight.  In Mon*Star's control room, the evil ones were having a conference.  "Thanks, Mumm-ra," said Luna.  "You really saved our necks this time."

            "Don't mention it," Mumm-ra said.  "We ought to fix their friends' wagons."

            "Why?" asked Yes-Man, intending to make a joke.  "Are their wagons broken?"

            "Why, yes, they are.  Now, shut up, you foolish worm!" snapped Mon*Star.

            "Yes, boss."

            "Well, then," Luna said.  "I suggest that we pay those vile do-gooders a visit.  Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

            Mon*Star said, "I could not have said it better myself.  Yes-Man,. . ."

            "Yes, boss?"

            ". . .prepare for transformation!"

            "Ooh, yes, Mon*Star!"

            "We shall all attack from Sky Tomb," said Luna.  "It has more than enough room for all of us."

            "Very well," Mon*Star said.  "Everyone should get into Sky Tomb while I transform.  Hardware, make sure everyone's devices are in proper running order!"

            "Hmm, hmm!" said Hardware.  "You have it, Planet Master!"  Everyone except Mon*Star and Yes-Man left.  Yes-Man activated the controls of the Transformation Chamber.  The planet Brim*Star tilted so that the Star*Crater was directly beneath the Moon*Star's beams.  The light from the Moon*Star shone onto the antennae, which carried it to a fixture above Mon*Star's Transformation Chamber.  The claws pointed toward the top of Mon*Star's head.  The Moon*Star's light shone onto Mon*Star.

            "Moon*Star of Limbo, give me the might, the muscle, the menace of Mon*Star!"  Again, by the last word, Mon*Star had completely transformed.  "Come, Yes-Man.  Let's join the Plundarrians and Mumm-ra in the Sky Tomb."

            "Ooh, yes, boss!  Certainly, boss!  Whatever you say, boss!"  The two left the room and went to Sky Tomb.  Inside, the Plundarrians were making settings.

            Mon*Star announced, "We're here, Luna."  Mon*Star's Star*Eye shone red for a moment, then dimmed.

            "Okay.  Aluro, give us lift-off to Hawkhaven," said Luna.

            "Yes, Luna."  Aluro operated the controls.  Sky Tomb took off and flew out through the exact centre of the Star*Crater, leaving the five Silver Hawks and five Thunder Cats, including Snarf (who had managed to escape from Sky Tomb), behind.  Back in Brim*Star, in the prison area, Snarf was hiding behind a wall.

            "Snarf, snarf!  It sure is hard to hide from those evil-doers forever.  Snarf, snarf.  I sure am glad they left.  Wait a minute!"  Snarf went to the cell in which the nine prisoners were being kept.  "Lion-O, are you okay?"

            Lion-O awakened.  "I. . . I think that I'm okay," he responded.  "I'm still all 'wrapped up' with Mumm-ra's blasted bandages.  What about the rest of you?  Are all of you all right?"

            "I think so," said Lynx-O.  "I am just a bit winded, in addition to being all 'tied up,' if you will pardon the expression."

            "I'm fine," said Pumyra.  "It's not every day I get all 'tied up' in Mumm-ra's ugly, sticky band-aids, you know."

            "I am okay too, Lion-O," Bengali said.

            "What about you Silver Hawks?" Lion-O asked.

            "I'm fine," responded Steelheart.  "Just great.  You know, for a band-aid-body, Mumm-ra can sure dish it out."

            "Watch it.  Mumm-ra hates to be called 'Band-Aid-Body.'  How about you, Steelwill?"

            Steelwill said, "I'm okay.  I'll get my hands on that damn-blasted mummy, even if it is the last thing that I EVER do!  When I get through with him, he'll need more that a thousand kilometres of bandage to hold him together!"

            "Cool it, Will," said Steelheart.  "That's an order."

            "I'm still in one piece, ain't I�?" asked Quicksilver.  [� - The word 'ain't' is actually the proper contraction for 'am not,' believe it or not.]

            "Let me count; yes, you are, Quick.  How are you, Bluegrass?"

            "It depends," said the Texan.  "When we get out of here, I'm a-gonna tune that mummy out 'til all of his band-aids come off."

            "Better not," said Lion-O.  "Or else there would be nothing left!"

            "All the more reason to tune 'im out!"

            "I am a-okay!" said Kidd.

            "At least somebody doesn't want to say more than three words around here," said Steelheart.  She began attempting to burst out of her bandage prison.  "Ung!  If. . . I. . . can. . . just. . . get. . . out. . . of. . . this. . . mess. . ."  She broke out.  In fact, she and Steelwill were so strong they did not need any strengthening properties in their suits.  "There.  Now, Will, you try."

            Steelwill sighed.  "Well, here goes nothing.  Urg!  Ung!  Ack!"  Now, Steelwill burst out.  "Heh, heh!  Piece of cake!"

            "Hey!" said Bluegrass.  "That's my line, Will!"

            "Sorry, cowboy.  I'll make it up to you by freeing you."  Steelwill fired his right-shoulder laser at the bandages wrapping up Bluegrass.  The bandages fell off.

            "Thank you, Steelwill.  I done hated to be 'stuck up' like that!  Heh, heh!"

            "Very funny, Bluegrass," said Steelheart.  "Now, to - heh, heh! - unwrap you, Quicksilver."  She fired a laser beam at Quicksilver's bandages and burnt them apart.

            Quicksilver said, "Thank you, Steelheart.  I'll free you, Kidd."  Quicksilver fired a laser at Kidd's bandages, which burnt apart.

            "-Tweet!-  Thank you!" Kidd said.

            "Don't mention it, Kidd."

            "This looks easy enough," Lion-O said.  "Ung!"  Lion-O tried to and successfully did burst out of his bandage prison.  "Okay.  Sword of Omens, come to my hand!"  The Sword was on the wall.  It broke off the wall and flew to Lion-O's open right hand.  "Now, to help you three get free."  Lion-O held the Sword of Omens up in the air.  With each 'Thunder,' the Sword increased in vertical size.  By 'Cats,' the Eye of Thundera (normally closed as a 'slit-eye') opened to form the Thunder Cat symbol, and by 'HO!' a beam that, on the end, had the Thunder Cat Symbol, or the Cat's Eye, shone out of the Eye, accompanied by the Thunder Cat Roar.  This was the Thunder Cats Signal.  "Thunder, Thunder, Thunder, Thunder Cats, HO!"  Upon sensing the Signal, Bengali, Pumyra, and Lynx-O burst out of their bandage prisons.  Since the Eye of Thundera was the source of the Thunder Cats' special powers, it temporarily increased their strength.

            "I saw the Feliner parked outside, but - snarf, snarf! - I didn't see the Mirage out there," said Snarf.

            "Hmm.  They probably thought that they could keep you Hawks grounded down in here," Lion-O remarked.

            "The other four guys can fly the distance to Hawkhaven without any strain to their systems; I can't fly at all.  I need a ride," Bluegrass said.

            Lynx-O said, "We'll have enough room for you, Bluegrass, since your friends can fly that distance."  He facetiously added, "Otherwise, you'd have to ride in the luggage compartment."

            "Ha, ha.  Very amusin'."

            "Okay," said Steelheart.  "Bluegrass, you ride with the Thunder Cats in the Feliner; the rest of us Silver Hawks will fly back to Hawkhaven."

            "Snarf, snarf!  I almost forgot!  The Luna-tacks, Mutants, Mumm-ra, and Mob have gone in Sky Tomb to attack the others!  Snarf, snarf!"

            "Great!"

            "Double-great!" agreed Lion-O.

            Quicksilver said, "Yes.  Like they said."

            Steelwill laughed, "Heh, heh!  Bluegrass. . ."

            "Yes, Steelwill?" asked the cowboy.

            "When we catch up with those Plundarrians and Mobsters, tune Sky Tomb out with some crazy piece."

            "Great idea, Will.  I have a compact disc of all the music programmed into Hot Licks's memory banks.  Do you have a compact disc-player and weapon-hook-up-board in the Feliner, Thunder Cats?"

            "I believe we have those and a music board installed," said Lion-O.  "Panthro insisted."

            "GREAT!!!" said Bluegrass.  "That can greatly amplify the music laser from my guitar."  He found it near the cell and picked it up.  "Here it be."  He played all six strings and found the instrument was still in tune.  He began playing 'Home on the Range.'

            He was about to begin singing when Steelheart said, "Well, Hawks, what are we all waiting for?  Let's go."  Bluegrass held a note too long on his guitar and decided to stop.

            Quicksilver, Steelwill, Bluegrass, and Copper-Kidd said, "Aye, aye, ma'am!"

            * * *

            Sky Tomb.

            Sky Tomb was nearing Hawkhaven with the Feliner EXTREMELY close behind.  Each of the windows around the control room was open.

            "Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Mon*Star's gambling boss.  "We're near Hawkhaven.  I think I'll give them the 'club'. . . or maybe the 'spade'!  Ha, ha, ha, ha!"  Pokerface aimed his Poker-cane outside a window at Hawkhaven.  He attempted to blast it with a poker laser, which included the four suits, but a blue music laser knocked the cane out of his hand and into deep space.  "WHAT IN LIMBO. . .?!?"

            He heard Bluegrass's voice.  "If you're wonderin' what happened, Pokie, I happened!"

            "That was my cane!!!  I'll fry you for THIS outrage, Bluegrass!!!"

            "Sure, you will. . . and I'm a monkey's uncle."

            "I see the strong family resemblance, Texan!"

            Hardware shouted, "How the heck did you do-gooding fools escape?"

            "Do not worry, boys," said the Master of Storm�, at another window.  "My space-wind should blow them away!  Ha, ha, ha!"  Windhammer twirled his Tuning Fork around, then struck it on the floor.  A strong wind blew from his fork at the ten do-gooders, but Bluegrass had things well in hand.  [� - Windhammer, if you couldn't guess.]

            Playing his Laser Guitar, Bluegrass said, "Oh, give me a break!  Your space-breeze does not threaten us, 'storm master'!"  The laser beam shot through the window and blasted Windhammer's Tuning Fork into two pieces.

            "My Tuning Fork!  You blasted it!  One day, I shall fix you for this."

            Timestopper pressed the button in the middle of his belly to start his clock.  "I'll make you freeze, vile do-gooders!"

            "That's what you think, Timestopper," Steelheart said.  She fired a right-shoulder laser through yet another window and blasted Timestopper's clock.

            "Yaah!"

            "Looks like your time is up, Timestopper."

            "I swear that, one day, we'll fix your circuits for sure!"

            "Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will never hurt us!  Snarf, snarf!" said Snarf.

            "Ha, ha!  I just love that one, Snarf!" Bluegrass said.  "Now, to tune those bad boys out!"  The Laser Guitar was connected to one of the laser cannons on the Feliner.  Bengali was doing the aiming.  "Just aim for any ol' section of Sky Tomb, Bengali."

            "Yes, Bluegrass," said Bengali.  Bluegrass played some crazy tune on his Laser Guitar.  A music laser shot out and blasted Sky Tomb.

            "So!" said Melodia.  "It's music you want, eh, cowboy?  I'll show you real music!"  She hooked one cable of her Sound Smasher up to the Vari Cannon's controls.  Being a 1940-1960's music fanatic and an admirer of classical, she played an Elvis tune combined with a Beethoven theme on the lethal instrument.  A powerful music laser blasted out of the Vari Cannon.  This red, crazy music beam rammed into Bluegrass's music head-on.

            "Uh, oh!  It looks like we just may lose this musical duel. . . the cannons of the Feliner aren't quite as powerful as the Vari Cannon," said Lion-O.

            "Maybe so, but I have a pal who can sock it to that Vari Cannon," Bluegrass said.  "Call up Stargazer, and we'll do something about this mess."

            "You've got it," said Bengali.  "Feliner to Hawkhaven; Feliner to Hawkhaven.  Do you copy?"

            * * *

            Command Centre, Hawkhaven.

            Stargazer noted the incoming communications light blinking.  He heard Bengali's last nine words, divided by three into three-word phrases.  "Hawkhaven responding; Stargazer speaking.  What's your problem?"

            "I'm turning this over to Captain Bluegrass," Bengali said.

            "Howdy, Stargazer," said Bluegrass.  "Say, could you mosey down to the Weapon Hawks' room and activate Side Man and send him out?"

            "Sure thing, cowboy.  Over and out."  Stargazer got up.  At present, only Condor was there.  "Condor, keep an eye on things, will you?"

            "Sure thing, Gaze," said Condor.

            Stargazer went into the elevator and entered the Weapon Hawks' room.  He picked up Side Man, who was in bass-guitar form; pressed the button that changed him to hawk form; and gave him his orders.  "Side Man, go out and help Bluegrass."  Side Man left through the door that went directly to outer space.  He soared to the Feliner.

            * * *

            Feliner.

            "Side Man, I'm glad to see you, ol' buddy!  Blast that thar Vari Cannon on the end of Sky Tomb; tune it out."  Side Man responded by shooting a musical laser in bass clef out of his eyes.  With this, he fried the Vari Cannon, which exploded in a billion (grossly exaggerated) kilograms of smoke!  "Yee-haw, Side Man!  You sure tuned that loco {ló-kó} [Spanish] (crazy) contraption out!"

            Melodia became instantly infuriated.  She really hated that Bluegrass!  "Oh, it's that blasted flying bass guitar, Side Man!" she shouted in Spanish.  "I hate that stupid cowboy!"  She tossed her Sound Smasher on the floor and jumped on it ten times!  In Spanish, she screamed, "I HATE HIM!!!  I HATE HIM!!!  I HATE HIM!!!"

            Mon*Star, in turn, lost his temper with her and while screaming, "SHUT UP, MELODIA!!!" paralysed her with a Light*Star.

            "Hzzz, hzzz, hzzz!" said Zero.  "He may have tuned out the Vari Cannon, but - hzzz, hzzz, hzzz! - I'll z-z-zero in on him!  Hzzz, hzzz, hzzz!"  Zero's F's sounded like V's, his Th's sounded like Z's, his S's sounded like Z's, and his W's sounded like V's.  He fired a ray from his Memory Stealing Staff at Side Man.  Side Man dodged the blast.

            Firing a left-shoulder laser at Zero's Staff, Steelwill said, "Oh, no, you won't, Zero."  The laser destroyed Zero's Memory Stealer Staff.

            "Zzzah!  That was-z-z my Z-z-zero Gun!  I shall get you for this-z-z, Silver Hawk. . . one day, anyway."

            "Ch-ch-ch-ch!" said Mo-Lec-U-Lar.  "Enough, Silver Dodos.  I'll fix you."  He clapped his right (bolt) hand and his left (regular) hand together, his Molecular Transformer in the left.  He transformed into a huge cannon and shot a huge laser blast at Steelheart.

            Steelwill shouted, "Look out, Steelheart!!!"

            Steelheart made a quick move to her left and looked behind her right shoulder.  "What?"  She saw the laser go by her right side.  "Wow!  That laser blast just went right by me!  Thank you, li'l bro."

            "You're welcome, Steelheart."

            Mo-Lec-U-Lar transformed back to normal.  "WHAT?!?  How in heck did that happen?  I hate those Steeltwins!"  He tossed his Molecular Transformer and jumped on it about nine times!  "I HATE 'EM!!!  I HATE 'EM!!!  I HATE 'EM!!!"

            His Star*Eye glowing, Mon*Star ordered, "Shut up, Mo-Lec-U-Lar, before I do unto thee that which I did unto Melodia!"

            "Enough fun-and-games, Silver Hawks," said Buzz-Saw.  "I'm going to slice you up!"  Buzz-Saw fired five saw blades.  One was aimed for Quicksilver, one for Steelheart, one for Steelwill, and one for the Feliner.

            "Right, Buzzie," said Quicksilver.  "Enough fun-and-games."  Quicksilver blasted the saw headed for him with his heel-jets.

            "Where do you buy all of your cheap toys, Mob?" asked Steelheart.  "The toy store?"  Steelheart blasted the saw headed for her with a shoulder-laser.

            Steelwill said, "I quite agree.  Your toys are just worthless pieces of junk."  He, too, blasted the saw headed for him with his shoulder-laser.  Copper-Kidd took one of his flying discs, flung it at the blade headed for him, and split the blade in two.  His disc returned to him like a boomerang.

            Bluegrass said, "Time for a touch of 'heavy metal,' guys!"  Bluegrass played a few notes on his Laser Guitar, and the laser music coming out of the Feliner's cannons destroyed the blade.  Bluegrass then played another crazy tune, and the laser music fired from the Feliner's cannons blasted Buzz-Saw and Mumbo-Jumbo into a corner.

            Buzz-Saw said, "You know, Mumbo, maybe we really should think of another line of work."

            Mumbo-Jumbo made a noise like, "Uh-huh!"

            "So," said Hardware, "it is I who am going to have the extreme pleasure of capturing the Silver Hawks!"

            "Oh, yeah, Hardware?" said Steelwill.  "See what you think of this!"  Steelwill fired an arm-laser at Hardware, who tripped when he moved to avoid it.

            "Whoaaa!"  Hardware fell on his back.  "I hate Silver Hawks!"  Mon*Star picked Hardware up by the backpack and placed him most gently onto the floor on his feet.  "Thanks, boss.  Vultureman and Aluro, are you two finished with that weapon we designed?"

            "Yes, we are," said Aluro.  "Hmm, hmm, hmm!  The whole universe will get a big bang out of this!  Hmm, hmm, hmm!"

            "I've repaired my clock," said Timestopper.  "What's your big secret anyway?"

            "Aluro, Vultureman, and I have planted a large nuclear time-bomb.  It is in the middle of Automata, the planet nearest the calculated centre of the whole Milky Way Galactic Local Group!  Ha, ha, ha!"

            Vultureman said, "Caw, yes.  We'll get out of here during the minute you can stop, Timestopper.  I am holding the detonator.  The bomb will blow up all but the very edges of the universe.  The time-delay of the bomb is about one hour. . . and it will take those Steel-Bozos and Tygra a minute longer than that to de-fuse it!"

            "How long will it take for us to escape the bomb's range?" demanded Luna, still in her normally awful mood.  One would know that something was wrong with her if she were jovial toward any of her underlings unless things were going excellently.

            "With the new prototype dilithium warp engines Hardware, Vultureman, and I invented and installed in place of the old engines, which we left back on Brim*Star," Aluro said, "it should take us about ninety-nine point nine per cent (99.9%) of an hour.  We shall move at top-speed the whole journey.  I just hope that those bumbling do-gooders do not blow our engines."

            "Hee, hee, hee!" said Mon*Star.  "I'll fix them with my Light*Star!  Hee, hee, hee!"  At a window, Mon*Star fired a Light*Star from his Star*Eye.  It split into five pieces. . . one piece went after Quicksilver, one after Steelheart, one after Steelwill, one after Copper-Kidd, and one after the Feliner.

            "Uh, oh!" said Steelheart.  "I'll fix those Light*Stars!"  She fired five shoulder-lasers at each of the Light*Stars and blew them all up!

            "Caw!  What happened?"  Vultureman was so surprised that he accidentally pressed the detonator button!  "Caw!  Oh, no!  Let's get out of here!  I accidentally pressed the darned detonator button!  Caw!"

            S-s-slithe grabbed Vultureman's arm.  "You are a bumbling fool, Vultureman!  Yes-s-s?"

            Aluro activated the dilithium warp engines.  "Forget about the idiotic bird-brain!  Let's get the heck out of here!"

            Bluegrass played his Laser Guitar.  "Not so fast, moon-brains."  His music laser, emitted from the Feliner's cannons again, blew up the Sky Tomb's prototype dilithium warp engines.

            Vultureman screamed, "NO!  THEY STOPPED US, CAW!  WE ARE GOING TO BE DESTROYED!"

            S-s-slithe said, "Shut up, scavenger!  They are the only ones who can save us now."

            "How true," said Mon*Star.

            "Now, let's board," said Steelheart.  The Silver Hawks and Thunder Cats boarded Sky Tomb and went into the main control room.

            "Snarf, snarf, snarf!  It looks as if we stopped your little getaway," Snarf said.

            "Well, thanks to that fool, Vultureman," said Luna, "we'll all get blown up."

            "How so, Luna?" Steelwill asked.

            Mon*Star said, "He accidentally pressed a detonator button, and a nuclear time-bomb will blow the whole Milky Way Local Group in one hour."

            "You s-s-spoiled our getaway, so now we shall get destroyed, also!" S-s-slithe said.

            "It seems like it is time for some help," said Lion-O.  He moved his right hand to the Sword of Omens and flashed the villains an inquiring look.

            "Be my guest, Lion-O," Mumm-ra said.  "I'll let you do it, just this once."

            He removed the Sword of Omens from the Claw Shield and held it up in the air.  With each 'Thunder,' the Sword increased in vertical size.  By 'Cats,' the Eye of Thundera opened to form the Thunder Cat Symbol, and by 'HO!' a beam with the Thunder Cat Symbol on the end shone out of the Eye, and the Thunder Cat Roar sounded.  "Thunder, Thunder, Thunder, Thunder Cats, HO!"

            * * *

            Hangar, Hawkhaven.

            The rest of the Thunder Cats and Silver Hawks were in the hangar.  The Thunder Cats were finishing their lunch. . . not bad, especially compared to their space rations.  Not even Thunderians could make dehydrated food taste good.  "My gosh, am I bored," said Cheetara after her last bite.

            Wilykat said, "So am I!  But I guess we're here for the duration."  He was polite enough not to talk with his mouth full.

            Tygra turned toward the entrance.  At the sight of the Signal, his eyes and insignia flashed once.  "Not so, Wilykat.  Look!"  All the Thunder Cats turned and saw the Signal.  Their eyes and insignias flashed once as the Thunder Cat Roar sounded.

            "The Thunder Cat Signal!" said Cheetara.

            Panthro said, "There is one problem:  how do we get out there?"

            "Well, 'Kat and I can fly out on our Space Boards," said Wilykit.

            "How?" asked Tygra.  "I didn't pack them."

            "You didn't; I did!"

            "Good thinking, Wilykit, but what about the rest of us?" asked Panthro.

            "You can come on my back, Tygra," said Flashback.

            Hotwing said, "I don't mind a 'friendly' hitchhiker, Panthro."

            "I can carry you, Cheetara," Condor said.

            "Then, - heh, heh! - for what are you waiting?" said Stargazer.  "An invitation?"

            "No, nothing," said Moonstriker.  "Let's go, guys!"  Cheetara grabbed onto Condor's back, Panthro onto Hotwing's, and Tygra onto Flashback's.  The Thunder Kittens hopped onto their Space Boards.  Everyone, except Stargazer, left for Sky Tomb.  They followed the Signal to the control room of Sky Tomb.

            * * *

            Sky Tomb.

            "So, did we miss any action?" asked Cheetara.

            Steelheart was furious, though she kept her voice calm and logical.  "Not much.  There will probably be fireworks in about fifty minutes, though."

            "Why?" asked Panthro.

            "This idiotic imbecile - get over here! - . . ."  She yanked the squawking, bird-brained Vultureman into the view of the others.  ". . .accidentally pressed a detonator button that started a time-bomb that, in about fifty minutes, will blow up this whole group of galaxies unless we de-fuse the bomb."

            "Great Jaga!" cried Cheetara.

            "Just like that bird-brain!" said Wilykat.

            "Yes," Panthro agreed.  "That blithering idiot always does stuff like this."

            "We have to stop the bomb before we literally go out with a bang!" exclaimed Wilykit.  It was obvious, but that snapped everyone to attention.

            "True," Luna said.  "Aluro, get us to Automata."  Aluro piloted Sky Tomb to Automata, where they landed after Kidd had given a clearance code to MonoTone.

            * * *

            Automata.