The Darker Side of New Thundera

Crystalandra burst through the double doors and went charging down the hall; the other Sh'iars knew better than to get in her way from her expression she was on the warpath.  The she-cat pushed through another set of doors which led to Argo's office; he looked up from his desk frowning slightly at her.  Without giving him a chance to speak Crys slammed her fist down on his desk, "Why the fuck did you call me back here AGAIN?!  I had the landlord empty out the apartment...just a few more seconds and I would have had them!"

"You do not believe in being subtle? We're dealing with a smart individual or individuals...You would have failed in flushing the building. What of the tigress?"

Crys snorted.  "'What of the tigress'?  She wasn't very useful...even when I was skinning her she wouldn't talk!"

"She gave nothing?" he frowned, "Nothing at all??"

"Not a word!  I didn't appreciate her insulting my pedigree...Anyway you don't have to worry about her--she's dead."

"What happened to the body?"

Crys shrugged.  "I left it in the apartment...it's just a bloody skinless corpse!  I thought it would be fitting to leave it as a warning."

"Excellent work! I'm sorry you've been called back but I think we need to know more about who we're looking for..."

"Why?!"  Crys demanded.  "Why should we be wasting our valuable time figuring out who we're dealing with?  It is a bloody waste of time if you ask me!"  She flung herself unladylike into a chair opposite the Tiglon.  "Remember we wouldn't be in this mess if the Seekers hadn’t done their job in the first place!"

"We are..." he snapped "...obliged to use Seekers in these matters....we answer to them..."

"It should be more like them answering to us."  The she-cat muttered under her breath; she sighed.  "What do you have in mind, may I ask?"

"In mind? For what?"

"How do you plan to go about finding the parties involved who took the gold?"  Crys asked.  "The human that the Seekers hired is dead...the information that he had died with him...his cohorts that were working for him, although I succeeded in rounding them up, are in our dungeon and claim to know nothing.  So tell me Argo, what is the plan?"

"You grow impatient and, if I may say, impertinent, Crystalandra!" he snorted. "You really think this was about gold??"

"Funny Argo but I thought that was what you liked about me?"  She purred demurely.  "I thought this whole episode was about the gold...Am I missing something here?"

"Of course you're missing something, Crys...this is you we're talking about..." he grinned.  "Nobody is stupid enough to rob a priest for our gold...the gold, I think you'll find, is a cover!"

She blinked her large luminescent purple eyes thinking...."So do you think it is a conspiracy?  A cover up for something bigger like an attack on the Sanctuary itself?"

"This is political!" he nodded. "My personal suspicion is that the ThunderCats are behind this...to destabilize our power base!"

"The THUNDERCATS!"  Crys hissed in alarm; even mention of the ThunderCats sent icy waves down her spine...oh how she hated them.  "It would figure...they are jealous of our success, our power--yes Argo, it all makes sense to me.  What do you wish me to do?"

"I need you to listen; you think you can handle that??"

She fidgeted--listening was not one of her strongest points as she was more of an action kitty...well she was a typical Sh'iar female...all of her kind were vicious and volatile unlike the males who were more calmer in temperament.  "I will try Argo."  Crys replied in earnest.

"Good....What do you know of our targets?"

"Well...not much...I know there were two people involved--one is a feline like us."

"The other?"

"I'm not sure...that is the frustrating thing!  You called me back before I could find out!"

"I suspect the other party is a human..." he steepled his fingers.

"Human?  What the hell would a human be doing working with a feline?  I just don't understand...hey, how would you know?"

"Because High Priest Greela was shot...it's mostly monkeys that use primitive weapons like that..."

Crys growled.  "If I get my hands on that human I swear I will rip him apart!  So the ThunderCats have resorted to using humans to murder a helpless priest?!"

"...and therein lies my point...Monkeys are fragile...we need this one to last and last and last...if you get my drift..."

"I get your drift but I don't like it!"  The she-cat huffed crossing her arms over her armoured breastplate.

"You do not wish him to suffer, for an extended period??" his brow furrowed.

"For the way in which he executed Priest Greela I would rather make his death quick in one stroke....However, there is a certain appeal to watching him suffer...and then eat his beating heart!"  Crys grinned.  "Okay, I agree with you."

"I'm glad...because you had no choice...So; I want information at this moment in time...not capture!"

"So you want me to obtain information on the pair?"  Crys frowned.  "Does that include stalking if I should find them?"

"Absolutely....by all means necessary...Remember, the Thunder Guards may offer them protection..."

"Well don't you think I should make certain that doesn't happen?"

"By what means?"

"I should lull them into a  false sense of security...let them think that we Sh'iars have lost interest so in that way they don't seek the protection of the ThunderGuards.  It makes sense to me, what do you think?"

“It is a good idea...yes..."he nodded.

"But I will be lurking close by observing all...."  Crys shifted in her seat.  "I suppose I will have to call off the surprise raid I had planned for the Cat's Lair...Oh sorry Argo, I was going to tell you but it slipped my mind."

"What? What raid? To what purpose??" he growled angrily.

Crys reminded herself that she should be careful when she planned things behind the Tiglon’s back.  Even though she knew he was interested in her, she had to be careful not to take advantage of this too much.  "Oh Argo it was a silly thing that I was thinking about...I guess the raid would not have served any purpose at all except to piss off the ThunderCats.  Hey...don't worry about it."

"Tell me!!" he snapped.

 "Er...um..."  Crys stammered quickly rising.  "Forget about it."  She raced out of the Tiglon’s office not wanting to face his temper.

"GET BACK HERE!!!" he roared, but did not pursue. He knew Crys' ways of old and this was not something new. He also knew she was the best at her job.

There was a light rap at Argo's office door...

"Enter..." he growled.

His door opened and in glided Seeker Nedale; Argo rose but she gestured to the Tiglon to sit.  "Captain, I just saw Sh'iar Crystalandra leave your office...I trust you have given her a new assignment?"

"New? In what way new?" he replied calmly. "Crys remains on the same pathway..."

"Ah then that is good to know...And she will stay the course?  Crystalandra will remain steadfast and contain her temper, Captain?"

"What  business is it of yours, Nedale? And while we're speaking about our work, why in the Goddess' name are you employing human filth to do your work? Stooped that low, have we?"

"I suppose I was being nosey Captain...just curious about what the Sh'iar warriors are up to." The Seeker settled herself in the chair Crystalandra had just vacated and fanned her blue silken gown about her.  "On the contrary Argo, we haven't stooped low at all...humans are cheap labour and have a better underground network that we wanted to exploit.  That is all."

"...and you are aware that he ended up as tiger food?"

Nedale's hand fluttered to her long spotted neck; the snow leopardess blanched.  "This is true?  Our informant is dead?  How and when did this happen?!"

"I think that maybe you, the great Nedale, underestimated the target..." he grinned coldly.

Her black eyes flashed with anger.  "It is not possible!  We Seekers are infallible in our wisdom...That is the reason why we are the guides of the Sh'iar warriors.  I, sir, am never wrong!"

"Tell that to the partly digested employee of yours!!" he snorted in response. "Still, as you said...cheap labour....make that...cheap and tasty!"

Nedale snarled and jumped to her feet.  "Watch your mouth with me Argo...you may be Captain of the Sh'iar warriors but a word from me and I can have you stripped of your command!"

He also stood challenging her. "Truth hurts!"

The snow leopardess reached out and struck the Tiglon hard across the side of his face; realizing what she had done, she cringed back from him.

"Is that a message you really want to give to me? The problem with you Seekers is that you think you're infallible, but you're not...this is a plot bigger than us...we should be united, not at each other..."

Nedale lowered her head in shame.  "C-captain...I am sorry...forgive me...You are absolutely correct; we should be united against our common enemy." 

Crystalandra walked into the office and glanced curiously at Argo and the snow leopardess.  "I thought I heard the sounds of a fight...Is everything all right?"

"Everything is fine, Crys....Seeker Nedale was complimenting you on your work, in fact..."

The Leoponess raised an eyebrow.  "Is that so...now that would be a first!"  The snow leopardess coloured and quickly excused herself; Crys watched her leave.  "What is her problem?"

"It's a long story..." he smiled.  "Why have you returned? To apologize for running away? Like a coward!"

The she-cat snarled.  "You know that I am NOT A COWARD...Although you have quite the temper...I left allowing you the chance to cool down!"

"Hmmm...I think your targets....they think you're a coward too..." he goaded.

Quick as a flash Crystalandra slammed her fist against the Tiglon’s chest.  "That is a lie!  I'll show you how much of a coward I am!  Come on let's fight!"  She challenged.

"No..." was the simple response. "You need to go and attain your targets..."he folded his arms.

The she-cat stamped her foot angrily; the Tiglon knew how to push all of her buttons!  "I hate when you do that to me!  One of these days Argo....just one of these days!"

"One of these days.....what?"

"You WILL BE SORRY for pushing me too far!"  Crys growled glaring up into his face.  "Think about THAT why don't you!"

"I shall certainly give it some thought!" he nodded calmly. "Now, don't let me keep you..."

The she-cat hissed angrily and stormed out of the office.