May 15.

            Meanwhile, at Hawkhaven, the Feliner arrived in the hangar.  Inside were Lion-O, who was piloting; Snarf, who was assisting; Wilykit, who was sleeping; and Wilykat, who was awake.  Wilykat was also the one in whose lap Wilykit's head was lying!  He gently rubbed her back.  "Uh, Wilykit?"  She awoke.

            Wilykit rubbed her eyes and sat upright in her seat.  "-Yawn!-  I hope you have a good reason for waking me up, Wilykat."

            "We're at Hawkhaven."  Lion-O manoeuvred the Feliner into the hangar of Hawkhaven.  Steelheart and Quicksilver were waiting at the landing point.  The Feliner landed right on the landing point with pinpoint accuracy.  The door at the rear of the small craft opened.  Lion-O, Snarf, Wilykit, and Wilykat (in that order) stepped off the Feliner and onto the floor of the hangar of Hawkhaven.

            "Welcome back," said Steelheart.

            Lion-O said, "Thanks.  Now, what did your message mean?"

            "That was in our Earth's French language, one of the most common languages in our part of the galaxy.  Literally, it means, 'Good return.' "

            "And how are you?" asked Quicksilver.

            "We're all fine," Lion-O replied.  "And you guys?"

            "Pretty good."  A Hawk's-Head signal flashed on a beacon on the ceiling.  "Aw, nuts!  Tally-Hawk had to find something going on!"  They all got into the elevator.  Quicksilver pressed the button for the Command Centre.

            At the Command Centre, they went to a computer in the centre where everyone was gathered.  "Let's find out what's happening," Steelheart said.  She sat in the chair in front of the computer.  She pressed a button, and they saw Mon*Star in the control room of Brim*Star as Mo-Lec-U-Lar entered.  The following barked over the audio lines:

            At this point, the screen flashed to show the Hawk's-Head and the message, 'End of Recording.'  Below this were the equivalents in French, Italian, Spanish, and German, respectively.

            "Okay, guys," said Steelheart.  "Let's dig up everything we can find out about this A-Tom-U-Lar character:  background, record, the works."  All the other Silver Hawks fanned out to their stations.  "Confound it!  Stuff like this always has to happen!  If I had a mind for it, I'd use some other words."

            "Do Mon*Star and his bozo-squad always do things like this?" Wilykat asked.

            "-Sigh.-  Yes.  And quite an accurate description of his Mob, if I do say so myself."

            "Thank you."

            "Steel-lady, I think I got somethin'!" said Bluegrass.  Steelheart and the Thunder Cats went over to his station.  Bluegrass had the background and record of A-Tom-U-Lar being printed to hard-, or paper-, copy.  When the printer had finished, he tore off the sheet and began to read it.  On his screen appeared an image of A-Tom-U-Lar.  "Name:  A-Tom-U-Lar.  Age:  360.  Can transform into any possible substance with his unstable atomic construction.  His one weakness is his forming into a mirrored image of that which he wishes to replicate; that is, all features are reversed."  Everyone turned to the screen image.

            Steelheart said, "This character looks like an exact replica of Mo-Lec-U-Lar.  Hm. . ."

            Wilykit remarked, "A-Tom-U-Lar's globes or atoms or whatever you call them are red.  He is right-handed.  And, instead of a large atom in his centre, he has an atomic nucleus."

            "Very observant, young lady."

            "Thank you, ma'am."

            "What's his police record like, Bluegrass?"

            Bluegrass shook his head and said, "Spotless, Steelheart.  No real crimes.  He's so clean he squeaks."

            "Personality?"

            "Completely different.  He is bad-tempered, and he is conceited enough not to take into account his one weakness."

            Wilykat said, "Typical for a villain."

            Bluegrass agreed, "Yeah, typical villain; only, this guy ain't no villain."

            "Not yet," added Steelheart.

            * * *

            Brim*Star.

            At Brim*Star, Seymour's yellow space-cab neared the Star*Crater and went down toward Brim*Star Fortress.  When it landed on the docking area, A-Tom-U-Lar came out of it.  "Uh, that'll be L$3�," said Seymour.  He was a short, rotund humanoid with only four fingers on each hand rather than five; the ends of the fingers were slightly bulged.  He wore a blue uniform and a blue hat; two antennae protruded from the hat.  [� - L$ is the symbol for Limbo-Dollars as $ is for dollars.  Thus, L$3 is read "three Limbo-Dollars" or, more commonly, "three Limbo-Bucks."]

            A-Tom-U-Lar got a five-Limbo-Buck-piece out of his pocket - a coin made of pure gold - and gave it to Seymour.  "Thanks for the ride, Seymour," A-Tom-U-Lar said.  "Keep the change as tip."  A-Tom-U-Lar was known as a great tipper everywhere:  hotels, cabs, restaurants, and the like.

            "Thank you!"  As A-Tom-U-Lar entered the fortress, Seymour left Brim*Star.  In the control room of Brim*Star, Mon*Star and Mo-Lec-U-Lar were waiting.

            "Welcome to Brim*Star, A-Tom-U-Lar!" greeted Mon*Star.

            A-Tom-U-Lar said, "Thank you, Mon*Star.  Hi, Mo."

            "Hi, A-Tom-U-Lar," replied Mo-Lec-U-Lar.

            "So, Mon*Star, you requested a meeting?"

            "Yes.  I like what your brother's said about you.  I would like you to do a job for me."

            "Oh?  What kind of job?"

            "I want you to pull a series of crimes, in the manner Mo has described, that will lure the Silver Hawks to you.  I want those bird-brains mutilated!"

            A-Tom-U-Lar began to smile wickedly.  "Hee, hee!  Those Silver Hawks may be tough birds, but I will deliver them to you on a silver platter, Mon*Star."

            "I'm sure that the Mob is at your disposal for use."

            "Thank you, Mon*Star.  I always wanted to become a criminal!  I've been working on and modifying my powers in my laboratory.  With them, I can outsmart those tin-plated, dive-bombing do-gooders."

            "Also, some Thunder Cats are here.  I should like them dealt with, as well."

            "Certainly.  They'll be caterwauling in sheer pain when I'm through with them!"

            "Excellent.  What have you in store for them?"

            "Here is the first part of my plan."

            * * *

            Cat's Lair, third-Earth.

            At Cat's Lair on third-Earth, Tygra, Panthro, and Cheetara (the Thunder Cats there) were in the control room and were keeping an eye on the monitors.  Cheetara said, "Everything seems quiet today.  However, we have found out how quickly that can change."

            "Yes," agreed Panthro.  Something on his panel beeped.  "We're being contacted."

            "Then, open the channel," said Tygra.  Panthro opened the communication channel.  Lion-O appeared on the main viewscreen; the Command Centre of Hawkhaven was in the background.  "Good day, Lion-O.  You four got there safely, we see?"

            "Yes, Tygra.  Everything's quiet down there for the moment?"

            "Yes.  For the millisecond."  Lion-O almost laughed.  He knew how it was:  one moment, everything was quiet; the next, everything was close to chaos.  Of course, it was not actually funny.  "How about up there?"

            "I have a feeling that it may be about to heat up intensely up here.  According to a recording made by Tally-Hawk, Mon*Star is probably recruiting a new member for his . . ."  He turned to someone on his right.  "How did you term the Mob, Wilykat?"

            In the background, Wilykat's voice said, "I dubbed them, 'Mon*Star's bozo-squad.' "

            "Ah; yes, thanks."  He turned back to the monitor he was using.  ". . .a new member for his 'bozo-squad,' as Wilykat calls them."

            "Hm.  Probably accurate," said Tygra.

            "That's exactly what Steelheart said.  Anyway, this new member is Mo-Lec-U-Lar's older brother, A-Tom-U-Lar, who can transform into virtually anything.  He has one weakness:  he transforms into a mirrored image of the person or thing whose form he takes.  In fact, he is almost a mirror image of his evil brother.  Anyway. . ."

            From Lion-O's left, Wilykit called very urgently, "Lion-O!  Commander Steelheart!  Something's going on!"

            "Wilykit just called me.  It sounds urgent.  I'll talk to you later."

            "Okay, Lion-O.  Talk to you later."  The viewscreen blipped off.  "Some news."

            Cheetara said, "Right, some news."

            "There's one easy way to determine if that guy tried to transform into one of us:  simply look at the insignia!" said Panthro.

            "Ah, you're right!  The faces on the insignias always look to the wearer's right."

            "So," said Cheetara, "if the faces look to the left. . ."

            "Yes, Cheetara.  But we may soon have our own problems from the Luna-tacks, Mutants, and or that blasted mummy and his wicked mutt."

            * * *

            Command Centre, Hawkhaven.

            Steelheart asked, "What is it, 'Kit?"

            Wilykit activated her monitor to a certain frequency.  "I have detected some sort of disturbance in this area," she said.  Steelheart glanced at the co-ordinates of the sector.

            "-Gasp!-  Those are the co-ordinates of our earth, technically second-Earth, or seconda-Terra!"  Wilykit was working as quickly as possible to get the viewer on that area.  In a few seconds, she succeeded.  Three small missiles were heading for Earth.  "Two of those blasted missiles are Mo-Lec-U-Lar and Volt-Ure!  That means that the third must be A-Tom-U-Lar!"  She turned to Condor.  "Condor and Moonstriker, get over to Earth and stop those darned criminals!"

            Quickly getting up, Condor said, "Aye, ma'am!"  He and Moonstriker quickly zipped down in the elevator to the hangar.  They flew out and headed quickly for seconda-Terra.

            "At their present velocity," said Quicksilver, "they'll reach Earth in a quarter of an hour."  Steelheart tapped a button on her console.

            "Condor and Moonstriker, this is Commander Steelheart.  Over."

            "What's wrong, ma'am?" asked Condor.

            "Speed up!"

            "Sorry, ma'am," said Moonstriker.  "We're going at the highest safe speed.  If we go much higher. . ."

            Steelheart said, "Unless you're at your maximum possible speed, go faster!"

            "Okay, Commander."  They sped up.  Steelheart tapped the button again.  Quicksilver recalculated.

            "That knocks it down to nine minutes," said Quicksilver.

            Steelheart exclaimed, "Darn it!  Will, get me Silver Hawk Headquarters.  Direct it to the monitor in my office.  That's where I'll be."

            "Yes, ma'am," Steelwill said.  Steelheart quickly withdrew into her office.

            "She seems rather perturbed!" Lion-O remarked.

            "Well, you might be too if the Mob were attacking your home planet!" said Steelwill.

            "I would indeed."

            "Where are they heading?"

            Wilykit pressed several buttons.  "I'm magnifying this image.  They are heading. . ."  She targeted a point on the surface of the earth.  The area to which Mo-Lec-U-Lar, A-Tom-U-Lar, and Volt-Ure were heading was highlighted; it was in Switzerland!  ". . .to a country above one shaped like a boot.  I do not know how to pronounce the name."

            "I think I know it.  Spell its name, though."

            "D - I - E - space - S - C - H - W - E - I - Z," she said.

            "That's die Schweiz {dé shvahyts} [German], or Switzerland in English," Steelwill said.  "The name is German."

            Wilykit repeated, "Die Schweiz.  What's significant about it?"

            "Why, that is where all the monetary reserves on second-Earth are right now."

            "How much money is in those reserves?"

            "A heck of a lot!"  Before he wasted time calculating, he checked and saw that one Thunder-Dollar equalled one Dollar and one Limbo-Dollar.  The correspondence was amazing.  "It equals exactly $19E21�.  Dollars are equal in value to Thunder-Dollars."  [� - Read "nineteen times ten to the twenty-first dollars" or "nineteen E twenty-one dollars."  E3 (times ten to the third) is thousand; E6 (times ten to the sixth) is million; E21 is a sextillion, a million trillion, or a milliard billion in British terms.  (In American terms:  a septillion, a million quadrillion, or a billion trillion.)  For the record, Steelwill says, "nineteen times ten to the twenty-first dollars."]

            "WOW!!!" exclaimed Wilykat.

            "That is certainly a lot of money!" Lion-O exclaimed.  "What do the people use?"

            "People use accounts, which hold their money.  Hardly any money ever leaves the reserves on die Schweiz.  If anyone were to steal all the money in die Schweiz, the economy would drop as though it were a slab of cement."

            "Well, then, it doesn't seem like such a good idea to keep all the money in one place like that!"

            "Well, that's not what more than two-thirds of second-Earth's population said.  More than two-thirds approve of the idea.  The lazy people just don't want to have to look after their own money.  Not that I blame them, mind you."

            "Has anything that might change that occurred in the past?" asked Wilykit.

            "Certainly.  However, it never does.  Here in Limbo, however, an individual is completely in charge of the gold and latinum constituting his or her own money.  They can put it in the banking world of Dolare, but they can also keep it in their own hands.  Dolare has only about a quarter times the amount of money held in die Schweiz."  Something on his console beeped.  "Ah!  Second-Earth has replied.  Now to channel it to Steelheart's office."  He pressed a button.  "There.  Now, that is done."

            Bluegrass said, "Me, I'm getting kinda bored."  He reached under his console.

            Quicksilver said, "Uh-oh!"

            "Uh-oh what?"  He got out Side Man, his Weapon Hawk, who was in guitar form, and put him across his lap as any other right-handed guitar player would.  "I'm just a-gonna play a few tunes, skip!"

            Quicksilver covered his ears.  "Quickly!  Cover your ears!"  Steelwill was amused.

            "Ha, ha, ha!  What's wrong, Quicksilver?" asked Steelwill.

            "When he gets bored, he plays terribly!"

            "Aw, shucks, Quicksilver, ol' buddy!" Bluegrass said.  "I'm just gonna play a few measures of 'Home on the Range' and then �La Cucaracha�!"  Quicksilver groaned.

            "Someone save me!"

            "Ha, ha, ha!  What's wrong, Colonel?" Wilykat asked.

            Wilykit said, "I note that you think something's wrong with Bluegrass's playing!"  The Thunder Kittens laughed together.

            "Ew!  Puns, too!" said Quicksilver, taking his hands from his ears.  The door from the corridor to Steelheart's office opened.  She emerged.  "Short conference."

            "They decided not to 'detain' me by keeping me in there," said Steelheart.  "They decided that I should do my job.  That is to stop those criminals before they take anything."

            "Sis, they are heading for die Schweiz," Steelwill said.

            "Well, of course!  It's nice there in spring!"  Everyone giggled a little bit.  She noticed Bluegrass was holding Side Man.  She felt the same way about his playing that Quicksilver did.  "Bluegrass, away with the bass.  I prefer a tenor guitar if you want to play solo."

            "Oh, all right, Steel-lady."  He put Side Man back under the console.

            Steelheart tapped a button on Steelwill's communication console.  "Condor, come in."

            "What is it, Steelheart?" asked Condor.

            "Stop those molecular maniacs before they rob die Schweiz clean!"

            "Right, ma'am.  We're on our way."  Steelheart released the button.

            "All right.  Quicksilver, go out in the Sprint Hawk and help Condor and Moonstriker."  Quicksilver stood and saluted.

            "Aye, ma'am," he said.  He ran to the elevator and went to the hangar.  Steelheart went over to where Wilykit was working.

            Steelheart asked Steelwill, "And how, my dear brother, is this young lady doing?"  Wilykit looked up at her.

            Without hesitating, Steelwill earnestly responded, "Very well, my dear sister."  Having crossed his arms, Wilykat mumbled something to himself.  "And what is eating you, Wilykat?"

            "Oh, nothing much," said Wilykat.  "Certainly not what I had for lunch."  Bluegrass noticed something beeping on his console.

            "Ah!" said the cowboy.  "Quicksilver has left, Steelheart."

            "Very good.  Wilykat, would you mind taking over Quicksilver's position?"  The Thunder Kitten was a tad nervous, but why not do it?

            "Uh, no, of course not," said Wilykat.  He took over Quicksilver's position.

            "When will the Sprint Hawk reach Earth, Wilykat?" Steelheart asked.

            Wilykat performed some calculations.  "Ah. . . three minutes, at its current speed, Steelheart."

            Steelheart made a slight glance at what he had done.  "Okay; very good."  She made a small nod to Steelwill to say that Wilykat had performed the correct calculations.

            Wilykit sighed, "You know that, with this happening, those blasted enemies of ours will have to act up, don't you?"

"-Sigh.-  Yeah, you're probably right," said Steelheart.  �Pero, como se dice, así es la vida {Páy-ró, kó-mó sáy dé-tháy, ah-sé áys lah bé-thah} [Spanish, Castilian dialect] (But, as they say, that's life).�

            In a manner of mock-impatience, Steelwill said, "How many times have I asked you to quit using Castilian Spanish?  American pronunciation is easier to learn."

            "True," said Steelheart, "but since when have I ever tried the easy way?  And in Castilian Spanish, at least you know the difference between a soft C, a Z, and an S!"

            "Heh, heh!  You know I'm only joking, Steelheart."

            "Hmph!"

            Wilykit asked, "Steelheart, does Steelwill annoy you as much as Wilykat annoys me?"

            "Wilykit!" snapped Wilykat.

            "I wouldn't know," said Steelheart, practically ignoring Wilykat.  "I don't know how much Wilykat annoys you."

            Almost whining in the first sentence, Wilykat said, "Wilykit, I don't annoy you that much!  Ah, do I?"  Wilykit smiled at him once, then turned to her monitor.  "Oh, sure!  Don't tell me!  Leave it to me to guess!"  He turned back to his monitor.  He said to himself, "Some twin-sister you have, Wilykat.  Won't even tell you if you annoy her too much."

            "Calm down, Wilykat," Lion-O said.

            "Bluegrass, get down to the hangar," ordered Steelheart.  "I want that Mirage ready for take-off if it becomes necessary."

            "Aye, Steelheart."  He got Side Man and went into the elevator (or turboelevator), which he took down to the hangar.

            "Now, Wilykit, tell me what's going on over in die Schweiz."  As Mo-Lec-U-Lar, A-Tom-U-Lar, and Volt-Ure were landing, Wilykit switched to a close-up of where they landed.

            Wilykit sighed, "That's the closest I can get, Steelheart.  Not much help."

            "In some cases, it helps to demagnify.  So, demagnify 240 times."  Wilykit did so.  "Ah!  No, blast!  That is right outside Geneva, now the monetary capital of second-Earth!  That's where all the money is!  Will, get Quicksilver, Condor, and Moonstriker on the horn!"  Steelwill activated a communication channel to Quicksilver, Condor, and Moonstriker.  "Quicksilver, Condor, and Moonstriker, come in!"

            Quicksilver said, "I hear you, Steelheart."

            "As do we, Commander," said Condor.

            "Mo-Lec-U-Lar, A-Tom-U-Lar, and Volt-Ure have landed about ten kilometres outside Geneva, die Schweiz.  Stop them before it's too late!"

            "You've got it, Steelheart!"  Steelheart turned to Steelwill and jerked her thumb perpendicularly across her neck about three or four centimetres away from her neck.  Steelwill cut the transmission.

            "What was that signal you made?" asked Wilykat.

            "It means, 'Cut transmission.' "

            "I see."

            * * *

            Sky Tomb, third-Earth.

            On third-Earth, the evil Sky Tomb, the Luna-tacks' flying fortress, was 'parked' near Fire-rock Mountain in Dark Side.  The Luna-tacks were surveying the situation at Cat's Lair.  Luna laughed, "Ha, ha, ha!  With Lion-O, those two Thunder Squirts, and the Snarf away, we'll never have a better chance to do away with Cat's Lair for good!"

            "As well as Tygra, Panthro, and Cheetara!" said Aluro.  "Those three are sitting ducks!"

            "Well, we ought to quack them up, then!  Ha, ha!  Chilla, get us to the Thunder Cats' fortress!"

            "Whatever you s-s-say, Luna!" Chilla said.  Chilla piloting, the Sky Tomb took off for Cat's Lair.

            "But they'll be expecting us, Luna!" said Red-eye.  "Those cats are clever."

            "They'll find that they aren't clever enough to deal with us!  We'll make them sorry that they ever crossed swords with the Luna-tacks!"

            * * *

            Cat's Lair.

            At Cat's Lair, something had just registered on Cheetara's sensors.  "I'm getting some readings from Fire-rock Mountain, Tygra," she said.  Tygra looked at her readings.

            "This is not natural," concluded Tygra.  "Logically, the only artificial thing that would cause such a disturbance would be Sky Tomb!"

            "And Sky Tomb means those blasted Luna-tacks!" Panthro snarled.  If it were permitted, Panthro would as soon destroy the Luna-tacks.  Of course, except in extreme situations, Thunder Cats could not kill anyone.

            "Get all defence systems ready!"  Cheetara, Panthro, and Tygra readied the defence systems.  Tygra then pressed a communications button.  "Cat's Lair to Hawkhaven.  Come in, please.  I repeat, Cat's Lair to Hawkhaven.  Come in, please."  Static appeared on the screen, then a clear image of Steelwill.

            "This is Hawkhaven, Cat's Lair.  What's wrong?"

            "We got some readings that indicate that the Luna-tacks may be coming to attack."  Steelwill thought for a moment.

            "We're a tad up to our necks in trouble ourselves.  You see. . ."  Steelheart entered the picture.

            "What's wrong?" she asked.

            "We think that the Luna-tacks may be coming to attack," Tygra said.

            "Hmm. . . I'll take care of it, then.  Hawkhaven out."

            * * *

            Hawkhaven.

            Steelheart then ordered, "Kidd, come over here."  Copper-Kidd got up and came over to her.

            Copper-Kidd asked, "Yes, ma'am?"

            "Tygra tells me that the Luna-tacks may be going to attack Cat's Lair.  Go over to third-Earth on your Space Racer, and fix those lunar creeps before they moon anyone."  Copper-Kidd saluted her.

            "Aye, ma'am!"  He wasted no words but went down to the hangar.  Bluegrass was checking the Mirage's engines.

            "Hey, Kidd!" he greeted.  "What's up?"  Copper-Kidd went to the Weapon Hawks' room and called May-Day, his orange fighting hawk.

            "Some trouble on third-Earth," Kidd responded.

            "What kind?"  May-Day, the Sonic Hawk, came to Kidd's shoulder and landed there.

            "Luna-tacks."  Copper-Kidd went over to and got upon his Space Racer and readied it.

            "Luna-tacks?"  He despised the evil creatures even worse than Melodia hated him, especially Luna.  "Well, you be careful around those creeps, Kidd.  And give that old Luna one for me!"

            "I will."  When the Space Racer was ready, Kidd flashed on his visor.  "See you later, Bluegrass!"  He tweeted some orders to May-Day, then started accelerating.  May-Day followed.  When the Space Racer had cleared the perimeter of Hawkhaven, Kidd directed it to third-Earth.

            In the Command Centre, Wilykat saw Kidd leave.  "He's gone," exclaimed Wilykat, "and how!  That Space Racer of his can really fly!  He's already crossed the former Light-Year Limit!"

            "Good," Steelheart said.  "Still, I hope sending him was not a mistake."

            "Why would you think that?" inquired Steelwill.

            "I should prefer not to discuss such reasons, Will, not even with you.  Just send a message to Tygra in order to tell him that we sent Kidd and that he should watch out for an early moonrise."

            Steelwill giggled slightly, but he cleared his throat and said, "Aye, ma'am."

            Steelheart turned to Lion-O.  "The Command Centre is becoming sparsely populated."

            Lion-O said, "Yeah.  Where are Hotwing and Flashback?"

            "Deep-space assignment.  They're examining a solar system on the edge of the galaxy for human colonisation."  Lion-O nodded in silent comprehension.  Some stuff the Thunderians had done centuries ago.  Now, who knew what had happened to those colonies?  They were usually worlds that had no value except for housing Thunderians, who were too considerate to violate worlds inhabited by sentient beings unless those worlds' sentient beings desired a more integrated society.

            "Snarf, snarf!  I told you there'd be trouble!  I just knew it!  Wherever we go, whatever we do, trouble tags along!  Oh, snarf!"

            Wilykat thought, So do you, Snarf!

            The female Thunder Kitten shook her head and said, "Sometimes, you worry too much, Snarf."

            "She's right," said Wilykat.  He very quietly added, "For once."

            "Ooh, you can really insult me, Wilykat!" Wilykit said, only pretending to be insulted.

            "What?"

            "You said, 'For once,' very quietly, my brother."

            "How can you tell?" asked Steelheart.

            "She has this, ah, gift," said Lion-O.

            "No, it's a curse. . . a curse on me!" exclaimed Wilykat.  This amused many.  "The only Thunder Cat who can hear better than she is Lynx-O, and that is because Lynx-O's blind, and. . . you get the picture."

            "Why do you call it a curse on yourself, Wilykat?" Steelheart asked.

            Wilykit smiled.  "Because that mischievous brother of mine can't insult me under his breath and get away with it!"

            Intending to get on Wilykit's nerves subtly, Wilykat said, "Well, you aren't exactly the best-behaved little lady in the galaxy!  You are every bit as mischievous as I!"

            As always, he struck the right nerve.  "Says who?"

            "Uh, Wilykit, calm down," Lion-O said.  That did not work most of the time, but it worked often enough for him to say it at least.  To his relief, Wilykit slowly drew in a deep breath and let it out just as slowly.

            Wilykit was getting back her temper but was still 'on edge.'  "Sorry, Lion-O.  It's just that a certain brother of mine makes me angry at times."

            "Taunting you is too easy, 'Kit," Wilykat said seriously.  "You lose your temper too easily.  You need to learn just to accept what I say without letting it aggravate you."

            "That's what you intend to do!"

            "Yes, and, if you keep letting what I say aggravate you, I'll just want to go on and on and on with trying to annoy you.  If you want me to stop, don't let it aggravate you."

            "Forget it."  She turned to her monitor.  "You can be. . ."

            Wilykat saw a button on his panel begin to flash.  Just in time, he thought.  "Something's wrong here."  He pressed the flashing button.  His screen reverted to a view of the wall of a reserve.  Someone was torching his/her way in.  "Where is this?"

            "Darn it!" Steelheart expelled.  "That's the main reserve!  And that wall's being torched through!"  When the hole had been finished, Mo-Lec-U-Lar, A-Tom-U-Lar, and Volt-Ure used it as a point of entry.  "Oh, damn it!!"  Everyone turned and looked at her.

            "Cursing?" said the amazed Steelwill.  "You're the last person I'd expect to do that, Steelheart."

            "Well, I've done it!  Mo-Lec-U-Lar, A-Tom-U-Lar, and Volt-Ure have torched their way into the main monetary reserve in Geneva!  So sue me for being awfully darned P.O.ed right now!"

            Steelwill was smiling.  "I'll call the lawyer Perry Mason immediately."

            Steelheart was instantly infuriated.  "That is not what I meant, and you know it!!!"

            "So, you are as annoying as Wilykat," Wilykit said.

            "WILYKIT!!!" snapped Wilykat.

            "At times, I can be," Steelwill said.  "I used to do it an H of lot worse when we were younger."

            "Yes, but not nearly as badly as our older brothers," Steelheart said.  She stormed over to Steelwill's communication panel and contacted Quicksilver, Condor, and Moonstriker.  "Quick, Condor, and Moonstriker, where are you?"

            "We're passing within la luna's orbit right now, Steelheart," Quicksilver said.  "Why?"

            "Mo-Lec-U-Lar, A-Tom-U-Lar, and Volt-Ure have broken into the main monetary reserve in Geneva.  Get down there and arrest those blasted crooks!  AND I MEAN DO IT YESTERDAY, QUICKSILVER!!!"

            "I get the point, Steelheart.  Quicksilver out."  Steelheart cut off the communication and another curse.

            "If this doesn't teach the citizens of Earth not to vote for keeping everything of monetary value - latinum, gold, and silver - in one place, I don't know what in the H will!"

            * * *

            Terran Monetary Reserve, Geneva, die Schweiz, seconda-Terra.

            "Heh, heh!" laughed Mo-Lec-U-Lar.  "Great plan, A-Tom-U-Lar!  This will lure those Silver Bozos here in nothing flat!"

            A-Tom-U-Lar went to a position behind a wall.  "I'll transform into a guard," he said.  "You make like you're fighting me, and let me 'fight' you out.  As a guard, I'll say, 'I managed to fight off Mo-Lec-U-Lar, that guy that looked like him, and Mo-Lec-U-Lar's buzzard, Silver Hawks.'  Then, when they believe that everything's on the up-and-up, I'll get them!"

            "Heh, heh!  Good idea!  Let's do it!"  A-Tom-U-Lar transformed into a guard.  They heard the Sprint Hawk land outside.  "They're here!  Let's make this look good, bro!"  They got in a position that would make it appear as though a guard had been fighting off Mo-Lec-U-Lar.  Then, Volt-Ure zipped out as though he had been punched out.  A-Tom-U-Lar pretended to punch Mo-Lec-U-Lar out of the building.  The Silver Hawks saw this and thought that a guard had managed to fight off Mo-Lec-U-Lar and Volt-Ure.  Mo and Volt-Ure transformed into missiles and headed off.

            Inside, Quicksilver said, "Did you manage fight them off by yourself, guard?"

            A-Tom-U-Lar disguised his voice.  "Yes, sir, Col. Quicksilver.  I managed to fight off Mo-Lec-U-Lar and that tin buzzard of his.  I got that other guy that was with them before he knew what hit him.  I got him behind this wall.  I think he's dangerous.  You go first."  The three Silver Hawks went in front of him.  When the Silver Hawks turned the corner, they saw they were in. . .

            "A dead end!"

            No longer disguising his Mo-Lec-U-Lar-like voice, A-Tom-U-Lar exclaimed, "And the trap is sprung!"  He transformed to normal.  "Allow me to introduce myself!  I am called A-Tom-U-Lar!  You should have suspected something when you noticed that the badge was on the wrong side for a guard!  Ha, ha!"  He aimed his bolt-hand (the left 'hand') at the Silver Hawks.  "A-Tomic-Tar will immobilise even the strongest of Silver Hawks!"  He sprayed the icky, sticky substance on the three unfortunate Silver Hawks.

            "Yuck!" exclaimed Moonstriker.  "Don't worry.  My turbine will fix this junk!"  He tried to spin his turbine, but it was stuck.  "Oh, great.  Now, you can worry!"

            "As a souvenir of my visit, my bro and I intend to make off with all the latinum and gold in the joint and crash the planet's economy!  Ha, ha, ha!  See you around, tar-tweets!  Ha, ha, ha!"  He went toward the huge vault.

            "Ooh, my first encounter with him, and I already hate him!" said Moonstriker.

            Condor said, "Good thing I remembered to do something before coming!"  Something on his leg - his Talon-Gun - began to glow and melt the A-Tomic-Tar.  When the tar had completely melted off him, he grabbed his Talon-Gun.

            "Stop A-Tom-U-Lar, Condor," ordered the skipper.  "Then come back for us."

            "Aye, sir."  He ran after A-Tom-U-Lar.  "Hold it right there, A-Tom-U-Lar!"

            "What?  How did you burst out of my A-Tomic-Tar?"

            "I had already set my talon-gun to melt it in case you tried to tar us, quark-brain!"  He fired his Talon-Gun and wrapped up A-Tom-U-Lar.  "You shouldn't mess with a pro.  I stopped your teeny heist, A-Tom-U-Lar!"  He put a straight-jacket on A-Tom-U-Lar and took his Atomic-Transformation Ring.  A laser shot flew over his head.  "What?"  He turned around to see Steelheart standing there!  "Steelheart?  What did you do that for?"

            'Steelheart' replied, "What are you doing to him?"

            "You told me. . ."

            "He's an honest, hard-working, law-abiding citizen.  He was asked to transfer needed funds to the Bedlama Treasury."

            "Is that so, Mo-Lec-U-Lar?"

            "I assure you that I am Steelheart."

            "Then, why is your shadow that of Mo-Lec-U-Lar?"  'Steelheart' turned back into Mo-Lec-U-Lar.

            "Blast you, Silver Hawk!"  He did that, knocking back Condor with a laser from his bolt-hand (in this case, the right hand).  He grabbed A-Tom-U-Lar and A-Tom-U-Lar's Atomic-Transformation Ring, which Condor had dropped; transformed himself, A-Tom-U-Lar, and Volt-Ure into missiles; and took off with his two companions to Brim*Star.

            "Dag blast it, they got away!" exclaimed Condor.  He went to the other two Silver Hawks and freed them each with a couple of blasts from his Talon-Gun.

            "It sure feels good to be out of there!" Quicksilver said.

            "They decided to vamoose!  They didn't get away with anything, though."

            "We ought to get back to Hawkhaven," said Moonstriker.  Quicksilver nodded in agreement.

            "Let's go."  They left.  Quicksilver got in the Sprint Hawk and took it to Hawkhaven.  Moonstriker and Condor used their flying devices to leave.

            * * *

            Command Centre, Hawkhaven.

            "This A-Tom-U-Lar seems like one tough customer," Steelheart said.  "I think you're lucky to be back alive. . . instead of three nicely-carven pine boxes."

            "We're lucky I decided to set my talon-gun for tar-melting," Condor added.

            "We even overlooked his small weakness when he was playing 'guard'!" said Quicksilver, blaming himself.

            "Oh, c'mon, Quicksilver," Wilykit said.  "No one's perfect."

            Wilykat whispered, "Could've fooled me!"  Wilykit did not let the remark go without a little growl.

            "Snarf, snarf!  I knew there'd be trouble!  I just knew it!  Quick, Lion-O!  Let's get back to third-Earth and fight off the Luna-tacks!  It's safer than this A-Tom-U-Lar character!"

            "No, Snarf.  Thunder Cats have a moral obligation to think about their friends' safety.  The others ought to be safe.  We're staying put!"

            "Yes!" whispered Wilykat.  This time, Wilykit smiled nicely at him.

            "All right, everyone," Steelheart said.  "Keep a sharp eye on those monitors!  I want to know A-Tom-U-Lar's next action the second it occurs."

            * * *

            Brim*Star.

            "I wish I'd had some feathers so those three bird-brains would have been completely humiliated!" said A-Tom-U-Lar.

            "Ooh, tar and feather them!  Yes!"

            Mon*Star asked, "You say you have another phase?"

            "I certainly do!" A-Tom-U-Lar replied.  "You know the planet Automata controls most of the computer systems in the galactic sector?"

            "Of course I do."

            "Well, in this next phase, I shall - "

            * * *

            Cat's Lair, third-Earth.

            "I'm reading something shaped like a castle flying toward the Lair," said Cheetara.

            "Put it on the main viewer," Tygra ordered.  On the main viewer was shown. . .  "Sky Tomb!  Where are they?"

            "Dag blast it!" said Panthro.  "They're a kilometre away!"  Through the woods came the dreaded Sky Tomb, which landed across the chasm from Cat's Lair.

            * * *

            Sky Tomb.

            "We're there, Luna!" Tug-mug said.

            "Excellent!" screeched Luna.  "Blast their fortress, and destroy their bridge!"  A cannon protruded from Sky Tomb's side.  It blew out the bridge with a huge cannonball.

            * * *

            Cat's Lair.

            "Uh, oh," Panthro said.  He would have used another word if he had a mind for it.  "Not good news.  The Luna-tacks have destroyed the bridge."

            "They have all weapons locked on us!" cried Cheetara.  A jarring motion occurred.  "We've been hit!"

            "Any damage?" Tygra asked.

            "Our weapons systems are down to 76%, and the power-line to the hyperspace communicator has been completely severed."  Tygra felt like using an element of profane language.  It would have wasted time, though.

            "Open fire!"  Cheetara pressed several buttons.  The head of the lair looked at Sky Tomb.  Lasers shot out of its eyes and blasted Sky Tomb.

            * * *

            Sky Tomb.

            However, Sky Tomb remained relatively unscathed.  Luna screeched, "Blast those darned cats with another set of positron-rays!"  Aluro pulled a lever.  Sky Tomb blasted the Lair again.

            * * *

            Cat's Lair.

            In the Lair, power was going out.  "Oh, no!" said Cheetara.  "Weapons systems down to 23% power, and power-lines to everything have been damaged.  We can't withstand another hit of that kind without losing all power."

            * * *

            Sky Tomb.

            Back in Sky Tomb, the villains were scanning the Lair.  "Ha, ha!" laughed Luna.  This was one time where her good mood should not be deemed strange.  "Excellent!  Their power is down!  Intensify the strength of the positron rays by 500%, and blast those confounded kitties again!"  Aluro recalibrated the rays.  A blip appeared on the tracking device.

            Red-eye said, "Someone's coming!"

            "Who?"

            "It's that Copper-Kidd, Luna."  Instantly, Luna's normal atrocious mood returned.

            "Another darned pest!  Freeze him, Chilla!"  Chilla poked her head out a window.  Something whacked her in the head and knocked her out on the floor.  "Yaah!  What in Satan's home was that?"  Kidd burst through the wall directly into the control room by piloting his Space Racer to enter through the window.  "It's that Silver Brat!"

            Aluro blasted Kidd with the ray from his Mesmerisation Club.  "You must not resist, Copper-Kidd.  You must give in."  Not to be mesmerised again, Kidd immediately sent one of his discs flying and whacked Aluro in the head to knock him out.

            "Look pretty for the Carbine, Kidd!" Tug-mug said.  He blasted at Kidd with a ball of energy from his Gravity Carbine, but Kidd dodged this blast and knocked out Tug-mug with a shoulder laser.  "Oof!"

            "Don't try invisibility if you have it!" Red-eye warned.  "And don't try to hide!  I can see your heat!"  He blasted at Kidd with one of his weapons, but Kidd dodged this.  He grabbed one of his discs and whacked Red-eye in the head with it.  Luna looked around and took careful stock of the situation.

            "You disgraceful idiots!" screamed Luna.  "Get him, Amok!"  Her 'steed,' Amok, charged for Kidd, who dodged him.  He crashed Luna-first into the wall!  With all six Luna-tacks knocked out, Kidd programmed Sky Tomb to return to Fire-rock Mountain.  (Luckily, there was a list of places to go already programmed into the computer.)  He got onto his Space Racer when he had finished and left.  Sky Tomb took off and left.  Kidd went across the chasm to Cat's Lair's door, May-Day closely following.  He leapt off his Space Racer, flashed off his visor, went up the steps to the door, and pressed the door signal sounder.

            * * *

            Cat's Lair.

            "Can you tell who's paying us a visit?" asked Tygra.

            Working with his controls, Panthro said, "Almost."  His screen showed him Copper-Kidd at the door.  "It's Copper-Kidd!  And it seems as though he's fought off the Luna-tacks!"

            Cheetara said, "This place isn't in much shape for visitors."

            "That's for sure," Tygra agreed.  "It'll take some work to get Cat's Lair fully functional again.  But let's greet our guest."  They went down to the door and opened it.  "Good afternoon, Kidd."

            "Hello," said Kidd.  "It doesn't seem like a very good one!"

            "Those Luna-tacks would have destroyed this place if you hadn't come along," Cheetara said.  Tygra shook hands with Kidd.

            Tygra said, "Thanks for saving us from them."

            "You're welcome," Kidd said.  "It's my job."

            "And I'm darned glad it is!" said Panthro.

            "The Luna-tacks blew out our communication systems, so we can't contact Lion-O," Cheetara said.

            Copper-Kidd suggested, "Use the one on my Space Racer!"  They went to his small vehicle.  He activated the communication device.

            "Cat's Lair to Hawkhaven," said Tygra.  "Please come in."  Steelwill appeared on the monitor on Kidd's Space Racer.

            "This is Hawkhaven, Cat's Lair," said Steelwill.

            "We're communicating to you via the communicator on Copper-Kidd's Space Racer," Tygra said.  "The Luna-tacks attacked and blew out Cat's Lair's communications systems and knocked our power-supply system out of line.  It'll take a lot of work to get it operational again.  We're calling to inform you that the Luna-tacks are no longer an immediate threat, thanks to Kidd."

            "Very well.  I'll inform Steelheart and Lion-O of your status immediately after transmission is cut.  What are you going to do?"

            "Well, we three Thunder Cats will try get the Lair functional again.  Kidd should return to Hawkhaven and help you with your problem.  Speaking of that, how is it?"

            "That A-Tom-U-Lar is still a threat.  We managed to stop what he was originally up to, but he got away.  He may be. . ."  A red-alert alarm sounded.  "Correction. . . he is going to do something!"

            Cheetara said, "Well, we won't detain you any longer.  Tygra, Panthro, and I will work on the Lair; Kidd will join you up there at Hawkhaven."

            "Okay."  The image on the Space Racer's viewscreen reverted to a Hawk's-Head and the message, 'End of Transmission.'  After that, Kidd got onto the Space Racer and started it up.

            "Good luck, guys!" he said.

            "Same to you, Kidd," said Tygra.  "And thanks again."

            "Don't mention it."  Kidd took off for Hawkhaven at top speed.