Megakat City

INT. SEWER - TUNNEL

Felina and her men, consisting of four commandos, move cautiously through the dimly-lit sewer tunnel. Dark, dank and drippy sounds permeate the environment. In addition to the splish-sploshing of the Enforcers' combat boots in the mucky water, there is the constant plip-plopping of water dripping through the ceiling.

FELINA
(quietly)
Move cautiously, men.

Even speaking softly, her voice echoes a little.

FELINA
We don't know what's down here.

Each of the Enforcers has a flashlight slung under their rifle. Their powerful beams sweep around, but all they illuminate is bare, cracked and crumbling walls and a few sewer rats, who chitter in fright and scamper away. On commando (COMMANDO #9) shines his on a particularly fat specimen, who squeaks and rushes off.

COMMANDO #9
(quietly)
Nothin' but rats, Lieutenant.

They hear some splashing behind them and turn. Someone or something is coming 'round the corner. The commandos ready their weapons, but Felina orders them to stand down.

FELINA
(quietly)
Easy. Remember, what we're searching for went in the other direction.

They relax a little... and then relax fully as none over than Steel comes 'round a bend. He's changed out of his overcoat and swapped his sweater vest for a tactical one similar to what the other Enforcers are wearing. He's armed, a pistol holstered at his hip and a laser rifle with underslung flashlight in his visibly shaking hands. Commando #6 is with him.

COMMANDO #10
(under his breath)
Speaking of rats...

The other commandos chuckle a little. Steel either didn't hear them or is choosing to ignore them. He's visibly panting.

STEEL
You guys are hard to keep up with!

FELINA
(hissing)
Sshhh! Be quiet! The thing we're after could be in here.

STEEL
(worriedly)
I'm starting to regret coming down here.

He sighs, but then smirks.

STEEL
But down here I am. And as the ranking officer on the scene, I'm in charge!

FELINA
(under her breath)
And I'm starting to regret talking him into coming...

Felina heaves a deep sigh and rolls her eyes.

FELINA
(exasperated)
All right, Lieutenant Commander, where do we go from here?

STEEL
Ahem, uh, w-well, why don't you take point like you've been doing, Lieutenant? I'll bring up the rear.

FELINA
A good idea.

Turning, she trudges off through the mucky water, the commandos following, including the one who arrived with Steel, bringing the total number of Enforcers under Felina and Steel's command to five.

FELINA
(under her breath)
It's what I was doing already...

Further back down the tunnel, Ann and Jonny move along. The cameraman has his trusty camera, with the night vision feature activated, and his sunglasses are off. He grumbles at his lot in life as he wades through the ankle-deep water, his sweatpants soaked almost up to the knees.

JONNY
(muttering)
Man, I just bought these shoes...

Behind him, Ann is moving a little more daintily. She has her cordless microphone in one hand and her high heels in the other, having taken them off, walking barefoot in the water.

ANN
Just keep going, Jonny. We're going to get the scoop on this Dr. Viper imposter if it kills us!

JONNY
(mournfully)
That's what I'm afraid of...

EXT. MEGAKAT SWAMP - DAY

A giant corrugated drain pipe empties raw sewage into the polluted marshlands. Back of it is the outskirts of Megakat City. We see the Viper-thing emerge from the pipe and blink at the sudden bright sunshine, hazy though it is, after spending his entire life so far either in the nighttime city or in the darkness of the tunnels. As his eyes adjust to the daylight of morning, he grins.

SAVAGE VIPER
Home! Ssswamp! Dr. Viper's ssswamp! My ssswamp!

He leaps down, landing in the mud, and trudges off through the swamp, away from the pipe and the city emptying its runoff into the swamp, leaving huge, three-toed footprints quite different from Dr. Viper's two-toed ones. This part of Megakat Swamp, though contaminated and sludgy, is relatively normal compared to the Dead Forest, the outskirts of which can be seen in the distance high over the treetops, the gigantic dead trees being so tall they can be made out even at this distance.

As he vanishes through the lush undergrowth of kattails and thorny vines, tail whooshing along after him, Felina emerges from the pipe next. She frowns, then sees the footprints in the mud and jumps down.

FELINA
Come on, men!

The five commandos leap down, followed by Steel. The seven of them move off through the overgrown thorn jungle in pursuit of the escaping creature.

COMMANDO #6
(pointing)
What is that...?

He indicates the dead, twisted, malformed treetops in the distance.

FELINA
It's the heart of the swamp. The Dead Forest.

STEEL
That must be where Dr. Viper's lair is.

FELINA
(agreeing)
I'm pretty sure you're right, sir.
(under her breath)
For once.
(aloud)
Remember those escaped convicts? They couldn't remember too much because of how long they'd spent as Ci-Kat-A, but I seem to remember that they were pretty adamant that the Dead Forest is where Viper had his hideout.

COMMANDO #6
But this thing ain't Dr. Viper!

FELINA
Maybe not, but it might think it is, which means it'll make for the original Dr. Vioer's lair! So come on! And be careful! There's no telling what we'll run into out here. Viper's been living in this blasted swamp for so long that the place is probably crawling with all kinds of hideous mutations.

At this, Steel begins to sweat uncontrollably.

STEEL
You mean m-m-monsters...? Look, Lieutenant, you're doing such a good job leading this search party, f-far be it from me to get in your way.

Felina pauses, bringing the little column to a halt. She and the commandos glance back. Steel is trembling, but trying and failing to put on a brave face, grinning.

STEEL
Why don't I stand guard right here near the pipe? Y'know, to cover our escape?

Felina rolls her eyes.

FELINA
Fine!
(to Commando #6)
You stay here with him.

Commando #6 salutes and the search party moves out again. Steel sighs in relief.

EXT. ENFORCER HEADQUARTERS - DAY

The Turbokat takes off, followed by three Enforcer choppers. Feral flies the lead one.

FERAL
Our intel indicates that the tunnel they took will lead them straight into Megakat Swamp!

RAZOR
(concerned)
And the Dead Forest! Viper's double must think he's goin' home!

T-BONE
Yeah, and who knows what kinda mutated uglies Felina and the gang will run into out there! Try 'em again!

FERAL
(into his radio)
Feral to all units in the vicinity of Megakat Swamp!

EXT. MEGAKAT SWAMP - DAY

As the group trudges along, the ground gradually sloping downwards into some mist. the radio on Felina's belt beeps and squawks to life.

FERAL
(over the radio)
Lieutenant Feral! Steel! Answer me! Over.

Felina calls a halt and unclips the radio from her belt, speaking into it.

FELINA
(into the radio)
This is Lieutenant Feral. Go ahead, sir. Over.

FERAL
(over the radio)
We know where you are and what you're chasing. Proceed with caution. Find a safe vantage point where you can be seen from the air and await the arrival of backup. That's an order! Over!

Felina looks irritated at being held up. Suddenly, a huge MONSTER emerges through the foliage ahead. It isn't the Viper-thing. It's something much, much bigger. It looks like a weird cross between a caterpillar and a centipede, with rows of spikes down its back. At the sight of the Enforcers, it bellows ferociously and charges.

FELINA
(into the radio)
Have to call ya back, Uncle! Order acknowledged! Will rendezvous at the most convenient location! Over and out!
(to her men)
Open fire!

EXT. SKIES OVER MEGAKAT CITY - DAY

Those in the approaching aircraft listen to the transmission with concern.

FERAL
(into the radio)
Felina? Felina!

T-BONE
If we wanna save your niece, Commander, we gotta book it!
(pushes the throttle forward)
Locking in on her signal, Razor?

RAZOR
Affirmative! ETA: Five minutes! Tops!

The Turbokat zooms along, followed at a distance by the choppers which are struggling to keep up.

EXT. MEGAKAT SWAMP - DAY

The Enforcers begin firing at the charging creature. Tranquilizer darts pepper its hide. One, two, three hits and still it keeps coming! Just as it reaches them, it pitches forward and collapses. It lies there in a heap. The jittery commandos pump a few laser rounds into its head just to make sure.

FELINA
The Commander was right. That thing took a lot of tranquilizers to bring down and we haven't even reached our objective. We'll need to find some higher ground so we can be spotted and evacuated.

COMMANDO #10
But what about--

FELINA
Forget that thing! We can comb the swamp for him some other time. At least out here, he won't hurt anyone. Come on, let's go!

They rush off.

Further back, Steel and Commando #6 wait by the drain pipe. Hearing a noise, they turn. Ann and Jonny emerge. Jonny hops down first and then helps Ann down. She drops her heels in the mud.

ANN
Crud...

STEEL
Great, just what we need. Civilians.

He and the commando relax.

What are you two doing here?

ANN
We saw you go down into the sewer.
(she shrugs)
Figured we'd follow you so I could get a story.

Jonny walks to the edge of the glade marking the deeper part of the swamp. He futzes with his camera and turns the night vision feature off, then takes out and puts on his sunglasses. He suddenly notices movement in the undergrowth and makes a face. Instinct taking over, he brings his camera up, filming the disturbance in the foliage. Meanwhile, Ann continues talking to Steel. Sticking her microphone under one arm, she retrieves her shoes, which drip mud and slime, making a face.

STEEL
Here's a story for you, Gora: "Nosy news reporter and her crummy cameraman turn right around and go back the way they came!"

ANN
Fat chance! I'm gonna get a story, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!

STEEL
Oh yeah?
(to the commando)
Arrest her!

COMMANDO #6
Huh? But...

The radio on his belt beeps, indicating an incoming call. He answers it.

COMMANDO #6
(into the radio)
Yeah, Lieutenant, what's up? Over.

FELINA
(over the radio)
We just got attacked by some kind of huge monster!

Overhearing, Ann and Steel glance over. Jonny continues obliviously filming at the bushes with his camera as some kind of GIANT SCORPION-LOBSTER THING emerges, claws snapping.

FELINA
(over the radio)
The Commander ordered us to find an evac point! I suggest you guys head back into the city through the sewer!

Hearing growling, they turn and see Jonny backpedaling away from the scorpio-lobster. It cuts off their escape, positioning itself between them and the pipe.

COMMANDO #6
(into the radio)
We got monster problems of our own!

FELINA
(over the radio)
Then you'll have to try and catch up to us! Hurry!

STEEL
She doesn't need to tell me twice.

Ann and Jonny rush off through the swamp. Ann loses her microphone but manages to keep ahold of her shoes, her bare feet splish-splashing in the muddy puddles. Jonny clutches his camera to himself as if his life depends on it. Steel and the commando shoot at the monster for a moment, but, when it becomes obvious their laser fire isn't having any effect, they turn and take off after the Kat's Eye News team. The four run single file through the dense undergrowth of the swamp, passing the huge, dead caterpillar-centipede, sparing it a glance each, then disappearing further into the depths of Megakat Swamp. The scorpio-lobster scuttles after them, hesitates, then turns towards the carcass, snapping its claws in anticipation...

INT. ENFORCER HEADQUARTERS - BIO-TECH LAB

Commando #3 and Commando #4 watch as Konway supervises the loading of the frozen mushroom monster into a big glass cylinder. Two lab assistants heave him in, then one of them presses a button. The door shuts and seals with a hiss. That seen to, the three step back and breathe a sigh of relief now that Viper's monster is safely contained. Then they turn and leave. The two commandos remain the guard the lab, though they linger by the door, not wanting to be too near Viper's cage. Inside said cage, Dr. Viper paces angrily, muttering to himself.

VIPER
That impossster of mine will sssoon be at my lair in the Dead Foressst! I mussst stop him!

He lifts up his tail, inspecting the tip. All healed and fully regrown.

VIPER
There can be only one Dr. Viper...!

Dropping his tail with a thump that draws the commandos' attention, he eyes the cage door, and lifts the tail up, preparing to swing as the two cautiously begin walking over, rifles up and ready.

Interesting to see Callie get mad at one of the SWAT Kats for a change. T-Bone really had it coming, though (as did Feral, of course).

I'm not sure whether Ann is courageous, stupid, or a little of both. Either way, at least she has more guts than Steel.

EXT. SWAMP LAIR - DAY

The ersatz Viper approaches the base of his progenitor's lair, the tallest, ugliest and most twisted of the huge dead trees that sit rotting in the unbeating heart of Megakat Swamp. Standing ankle-deep in the fetid water, he spreads his muscular arms.

SAVAGE VIPER
Home! The Dead Foressst! Mine! All mine!

Giving a raspy laugh not unlike the actual Viper's, he rushes forwards, clambering onto the old dock, which creaks and groans under his weight. Forgoing the ladder leading up, he instead opts to scale the tree by climbing up the side using his clawed hands and feet. Reaching the top, he stands on a branch that's as big and thick as a freeway overpass and roars his triumph across the swamp.

EXT. MEGAKAT SWAMP - DAY

Felina and her posse hurry through the waist-high plants, pausing briefly as they hear the roar echoing across the desolate wasteland ahead. Felina motions them forward. They struggle through some imperceptible mists. Squinting, trying to see through the drifting fog, Felina spots a nearly bare hill a little ways ahead, in the area where the regular swamp begins giving up to the Dead Forest. She points to it.

FELINA
There! We can signal the approaching choppers from there!

As one, the group hurries forwards. The trees are becoming bigger and bigger as they go along, their roots knotted, tangled and even tumorous in appearance. As they pass beneath the overhanging canopy, what might be either vines or the tentacles of some unseen creature up in the branches begin slithering down. Whatever they are, they're fleshy and pulsing. One grabs the last commando in the column, Commando #10, yanking him up out of sight. He's jerked up so quickly that he makes only a strangled sound that no one else hears. They aren't even aware that anything has happened until his dropped rifle splashes into the water.

FELINA
What the--?!

Even as they're turning, the tentacle-vines claim another victim. Another commando (COMMANDO #11) screams as the pulsing, greedy appendage encircles his waist and drags him upward. As Felina and the two remaining Enforcers look upward in shock, we hear hideous crunching and slurping sounds. Before they can even attempt to figure out what to, more of the tentacles dart down, grabbing for them.

FELINA
Run!

The three turn and bolt away. COMMANDO #12 loses his rifle to a tentacle. It wraps around it, jerking it out of his hands, and dragging it up. With a startled yelp, the commando turns and runs after the others rather than try to retrieve his rifle.

Hurrying along, panting and sweating, Felina races towards the hill she'd seen.

FELINA
Curse this swamp! Curse this disgusting, festering, mutation-filled wasteland!

As the trio plunges forward, they stagger through the last barrier of lush, lively vegetation and enter into:

EXT. DEAD FOREST - DAY

Now they're in the really creepy, twisted part of the swamp. As they crest the killed, they find it overlooks a vast morass of sinking muck. On the opposite side, three GIANT ALLIGATORS spot them and, with a roar, blunder towards them. Two of them quickly begin sinking to their doom in the sucking, gooey slime, but the third reaches the mound, struggling through the quicksand and making it across by sheer determination, snapping its jaws at the three kats on the hill even as it, too, is dragged down. Felina and COMMANDO #9, the commando who still has his rifle, fire down at it. Commando #12, the one who lost his gun to the tentacles earlier, backs up and down the hill, and right into the waiting claws of a TRAPDOOR SPIDER CRAB!

He manages one strangled yell before the claws seized him and lift him kicking in the air. Turning, Felina abandons trying to kill the swiftly sinking alligator and rushes to the aid of her other comrade. Commando #9 turns to watch her go, easy prey for the alligator, which, even as it's neck deep in the morass, snaps him up in its jaws and drags him down into the muck. He manages to wrench loose and kick the gator in the snout. With a strangled, mournful bellow, the thing sinks under with a sickening gurgle, leaving Commando #9 to flail and sink, no longer in danger of getting eaten but very much in danger of sinking to his doom.

Meanwhile, Felina comes to the aid of Commando #12. Throwing aside her tranquilizer rifle, she draws her sidearm. Taking careful aim, she shoots the trapdoor spider crab in the face three times before it can drag its victim into his horrifying burrow. With a shriek, it drops the commando, rolls over onto its side and curls its legs up, dead. Felina helps her fallen companion up.

COMMANDO #12
Thanks, Lieutenant...

COMMANDO #9
(O.S.)
Help!

They run back up the hill and look down, watching as the stricken Commando #9 is slurped down to his armpits. Taking off and tossing aside her helmet, Felina slides down to where solid ground gives up to the ravenous morass, and grabs her comrade's outstretched hand. Straining and struggling, she is able to pull him free. The hungry earth gives him up with a lewd and disappointed-sounding slurp. They both collapse, panting. Commando #12 sits down next to them. They're bruised, battered, beaten... but alive. And they now hear the sound of approaching aircraft.

FELINA
Listen!

Standing, they turn and see the distant, approaching Turbokat.

EXT. SWAMP LAIR - DAY

Still perched on the branch, the Viper-thing growls at what he perceives as a challenge to his mastery of the swamp. He leaps down.

EXT. MEGAKAT SWAMP - DAY

Ann, Jonny, Steel and Commando #6 are rushing to the rendezvous point ahead when they pass under the branches with the dangling tentacles. One swoops down, grabs for Ann, misses, and wraps itself around Commando #6's helmet instead. With a cry, he undoes his chin strap, allowing the helmet to be yanked off and dragged upwards without him, only to then stumble backward into the burrow of another trapdoor spider crab. The lid flips up and the enormous, spider-like crab emerges, claws snapping. Jonny turns with his camera. Suddenly a tentacle grabs it and drags it up.

JONNY
Hey, my camera...!

ANN
We've got more important things to worry about! Like getting out of here alive!

Dropping her high heels and grabbing a tree branch off the ground, she swings it like a baseball bat, smacking the grasping tentacles away, while the spider-crab thing crabs ahold of Commando #6. Flailing, he's dragged into the burrow, the lid snapping shut. Steel looks terrified. Ahead, he can see Felina and the others on the hill. Gesturing to the Kat's Eye News team, he rushes off that way.

STEEL
Come on, you two! Unless you wanna be lunch!

ANN
Right behind you!

Smacking a final tentacle away, she runs off after the terror-stricken Lieutenant Commander, forgetting about her dropped shoes. Jonny lingers to stare upwards at his lost camera, but then Ann grabs his arm and jerks him along with her. More spider-crab things begin crawling out of their lairs and begin to scurry after the three fleeing kats. Overheard, the Turbokat soars past, followed shortly by the three Enforcer choppers.

INT. ENFORCER HEADQUARTERS - BIO-TECH LAB

Wham! The door of Dr. Viper's cage flies off and lands on the two approaching commandos. It knocks them both flat and pins them to the floor, their rifles sliding away out of their reach. The naked Viper emerges triumphant from his erstwhile prison, fresh from battering the door off with his tail. He cackles.

VIPER
Free! Free!

He walks passed the two pinned commandos.

COMMANDO #4
(straining against the heavy door)
W-We gotta do something... alert somebody...

COMMANDO #3
(defeated)
Sure thing. Good luck with that.

Two lab assistants enter. One grabs a chair and swings it at Viper, who ducks. A quick swat with his tail sends the assistant smacking into the wall, the chair falling from his hands. The other assistant backs away and rushes back towards the door they entered. Viper grabs the chair the first assistant tried to hit him with and flings it after him. It smacks into the assistant's back and knocks him flat on his face, stunned. That seen to, Viper grabs a spare lab coat and puts it on, removes his ankle bracelet, contemptuously rips the specimen tag from his ear, and then goes to the containment unit with his frozen mushroom monster and begins pushing buttons. The door opens with a hiss and cold air slowly begins seeping out. Viper bundles the purloined lab coat tighter around himself, shivering but smiling. Inside the glass container, the mushroom monster begins to thaw, twitching and moving, stiffly at first, but soon much more fluidly.

VIPER
Hurry up and defrossst, my faithful friend. We have work to. Essscapes to make and impossstersss to dissspose of!

He cackles evilly.

I'm glad that no one has been killed in this story so far. I'll make an exception for Savage Viper, though.

marklungo wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 06, 2021 8:49 pm

I'm glad that no one has been killed in this story so far. I'll make an exception for Savage Viper, though.

Three guys just died in the swamp.

Three guys just died in the swamp.

This is what happens when your characters are called Commando Numbuh Whatever

About the swamp... I know it barely showed in the series, but I swear it looks like Felina and the others ended up somewhere in Fallout like the Glowing Sea. All that remains is for radroaches and mutascorpius to appear, and my hypothesis will be confirmed.

Kooshmeister wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 06, 2021 8:50 pm

marklungo wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 06, 2021 8:49 pm

I'm glad that no one has been killed in this story so far. I'll make an exception for Savage Viper, though.

Three guys just died in the swamp.

I wrote that post before the latest chapter was released.

EXT. MEGAKAT SWAMP - DAY

The Turbokat races along. In front, T-Bone glares ahead, serious. In back, Razor points over his shoulder.

RAZOR
There it is, T-Bone! Dead ahead!

Over T-Bone's shoulder, we can see Razor's pointing finger indicating the tree line of the distant Dead Forest.

RAZOR
The Dead Forest.

T-BONE
(grimly)
I see it, buddy, I see it. So, this is where Dr. Franken-slime has been living all this time. Seems just like his kinda place.

RAZOR
You know, for some reason, I always figured he lived in the sewers...

T-BONE
You and everyone else, buddy.

He notices something off to his right.

T-BONE
Huh?

EXT. DEAD FOREST - DAY

The Turbokat and accompanying Enforcer choppers fly overhead. Still standing on the hill, Felina and the final two commandos wave at them.

T-BONE
(O.S.)
Look! There's Lieutenant Feral!

RAZOR
(O.S.)
And what's left of her search party! But I don't see any sign of that bonehead Steel, or the Kat's Eye News team.

Twisting around in his seat, he glances back and sees Steel, Ann and Jonny racing through the undergrowth pursued by the crab-spiders.

RAZOR
Nevermind, there they are! With a whole mess of uglies hot on their heels! I think this calls for a quick landing and deplyong the jetskis, don't you?

T-BONE
Roger.
(flicking on the radio)
Commander, we've spotted the Lieutenant and some of her men on a hill ahead. Do you see 'em?

FERAL
(over the radio)
Affirmative. I'll try and pick them up.

T-BONE
(into the radio)
Gotcha. And we'll double back and get your numbskull lieutenant commander and Ann Gora. They've got some ugly company who really want to invite 'em for dinner.

FERAL
(over the radio)
Roger.

The Turbokat circles back as the three choppers continue forward.

Not far from the morass, the Viper-thing, hissing and snarling, rushes through the pitiful, wilted undergrowth towards the distant sight of the Enforcers on the hill awaiting pickup, murder gleaming in his eyes.

INT. SEWER - TUNNEL

At that same instant, Dr. Viper rushes along, mostly using his thick tail for propulsion, followed closely by his mushroom monster.

VIPER
Thisss tunnel will take usss to Megakat Ssswamp.
(darkly)
And from there we shall proceed to the Dead Foressst.

His eyes glow with fury.

VIPER
Where I will correct the error made by thossse foolsss at Megakat Biochemical!

The mushroom monster just growls and snarls in eager approval of his master's plan.

EXT. DEAD FOREST - DAT

The Turbokat swoops down low, the wings retracting, allowing T-Bone to fly between the huge, closely spaced together trees. The nose angles downwards towards a particularly boggy area.

T-BONE
Lowering modified landing gear!

He presses a button and some ski-like landing struts descend from the jet's undercarriage. These allow the Turbokat to land on soft earth without the landing gear sinking in, and they perform admirably, the Turbokat skidding to a stop, leaving a long trail through the slime, sending (normal) alligators, snakes, rats and other swamp-dwelling critters scattering in all directions. Popping the canopy, the SWAT Kats get out. The rear area lowers down and Cybertron descends, towing two jetski-like vehicles (from "Mutation City").

RAZOR
Radical landing, buddy!

T-BONE
Yeah! After two rough swamp landings, I figured these new skid things would do the trick. Now come on, it's time to go swamp-surfin'!
(to Cybertron)
Let's go, short stuff! We got some monsters to kill!

He and Razor hope on the jetskis and roar off over the scummy, shallow water. Cybertron follows, his treads well-suited to the environment. Ahead, a panting Lieutenant Commander Steel staggers out of the undergrowth, sweating, his clothes torn and muddy. Ann and Jonny are right behind him, in similar conditions.

STEEL
(panting)
I can't run anymore...

ANN
(also panting)
We've got to keep going! I heard jet engines and saw the Turbokat and the Enforcers fly overhead a minute ago!

STEEL
D-Do you think they'll get here in time?

Snapping and snarling, the crab-things emerge from the thicket and begin crawling towards the trio. Steel moans in despair. Ann and Jonny cling to one another in fear. The monsters begin surrounding them. Just as they start to close in for the kill, there's a roar of motors and with a huge splash of slimy green water, the SWAT Kats and Cybertron come rocketing over a small rise and appear out of the mist like heroic apparitions. Even as they're airborne, the SWAT Kats unholster and begin firing the jetskis' Macrowave Blasters, zapping giant crabs left and right.

Cybertron lands amidst the threatened kats and sizes up two of the crabs. He gives a challenging beep, warning them to back off. When they scuttle forth anyway, he raises his fists and launches them forwards on his extendable cable arms, punching them in the face and sending them flying back. They land on their backs and writhe around in distress, legs kicking and claws snapping. A third crab crawls towards him, a little more cautious, but Cybertron retracts both arms, turns and grabs the thing by ones of its clawed hands, and spins around, rotating at his midsection, and then releases the monster, which goes sailing away over the treetops with a startled cry. He then scoops Ann and Jonny each under one arm. Steel clambers onto his back. With all three kats accounted for, he gives a triumphant beep and zooms off back the way he and the SWAT Kats came, towards the rendezvous point.

The two crabs who got flipped onto their backs manage to turn themselves back over, move to pursue, but think better of it when the ground around them begins getting peppered by laser fire, courtesy of the SWAT Kats who landed over on the left and are zooming around towards them. Shrieking in anger, the monsters turn and flee, disappearing back into the thicket from whence they came.

T-BONE
That's those uglies seen to!

RAZOR
And Ann Gora and the others rescued, thanks to Cybertron!

T-BONE
I gotta admit, the little rust bucket is growin' on me.

They both holster their Macrowave guns.

T-BONE
Come on!
(revs his engine)
Let's hurry up and get after him. If he runs into trouble along the way, he might need our help!

They zoom off in the direction Cybertron went.

Cybertron zooms through the mists of the swamp at top seed, spewing up waves of grimy mud with his treads as he goes. Ann clings for dear life. Jonny initially tries holding on to Cybertron with just one hand, so he can at least save his hat, but eventually gives up and grabs on with both hands. His red baseball cap flies off and is lost to the depths of the swamp.

Riding on back with his arms around Cybertron's neck and his legs around the little robot's waist, Steel couldn't look any more terrified if he tried. Although both Ann and Jonny's tails are pretty poofed up in fear and nervousness, Steel's is positively frizzed like someone shot a jolt of electricity through him. And to add to his humiliation, most of the mud being churned up by Cybertron's spinning treads is getting splattered onto him.

The SWAT Kats come up behind them on their jetskis, deftly avoiding the occasional mutant plant or grasping tentacle. These abominations were stirred by Cybertron's passing and attack the SWAT Kats as they fly past, or try to. They're either shot at, kicked or punched. Our heroes are having to fight their way through a gauntlet of mutated creatures as they follow Cybertron. They can barely make him out ahead in the mists, but fortunately, his tracks are easy to follow, coming and going, as are theirs; they're heading back towards where they left the Turbokat, which, squinting, T-Bone can just begin to make out the silhouette of in the mist ahead of the somewhat ghostly image of Cybertron carrying Ann, Jonny and Steel.

T-BONE
(pointing)
Look! I see the Turbokat ahead!

RAZOR
Good! The sooner we get to where Lieutenant Feral and the others are, the better. It seems like we've stirred up every crawling, ugly thing in this sticky swamp! How long has Viper been experimenting out here...?!

A ways ahead, Felina and the two surviving commandos with her wave and cheer as the Enforcer choppers descend, the one flown by Feral nearest of all. The side door is open and a rescue ladder drops as the helicopter hovers over them.

FERAL
(yelling through the loudspeaker)
Climb aboard! Quick!

Felina makes sure her two surviving men go up ahead of her. Bruised and battered as they are, they're a little slow. She's just grabbing the last rung when, across the morass, the savage, snarling clone of Dr. Viper appears. Initially, he starts to wade right in, but stops when he's about knee-deep and begins feeling the earth sucking at his legs. Managing to wrench himself free, he spies a few mossy boulders jutting out of the slime. Unlike the alligators before him, he has enough of something like intelligence to pick his way across the vast pit by hopping from rock to rock. Even rocks that would be too far spaced apart for a normal kat to leap across, he manages just find, using his powerful leg muscles. Felina sees him coming.

FELINA
(yelling)
Up! Take us up!

She's hanging on to the bottom of the ladder. Feral sees the creature coming and his first instinct is to open fire, but then he changes his mind and begins to raise the chopper up, just as the Viper-thing reaches the hill, lands on it, and reaches up, swiping at Felina's dangling feet and missing. With a snarl, he leaps up and grabs her ankle! But her boot slips free and he falls back down still clutching it. Sighing in relief and minus one boot, Felina urges the two guys above her to keep going, and the three Enforcers successfully climb into the open side door of the chopper. The ladder is pulled in and the door slides shut.

Down below, the ersatz Viper roars his fury up at the choppers, which begin firing down at him, pelting the ground around him with laser fire. He seems unconcerned. If anything, all they're doing is making him even angrier. Throwing the boot aside, he sniffs the air, and, ahead, spies the Turbokat. With a hiss, he leaps off the hill and goes charging towards it. In the lead chopper, Feral, Felina and the others watch him go.

FELINA
Where's he going?

FERAL
Who cares? Away from us.

FELINA
But what about the others? The SWAT Kats? The Kat's Eye News team?

FERAL
(sighs)
And that idiot Steel.
(getting on the radio)
Choppers, intercept! Give the SWAT Kats whatever assistance they require! And don't come back without the Lieutenant Commander and the Kat's Eye News team! That's an order!

ENFORCER PILOT #1
(over the radio)
Roger, Commander!

ENFORCER PILOT #2
(over the radio)
You got it!

Turning, the two choppers accompanying Feral's fly off after the Viper-thing. In his chopper, Feral sighs with relief and gently strokes Felina's cheek, then gives her a good, chummy pat on the back.

FERAL
(trying not to sound too emotional)
Good to see you, Lieutenant.

Felina hugs him, almost making him lose control and crash, but he manages to shake her off and regain control, keeping the helicopter in the air.

FERAL
Easy, easy! Save the hugging and all that other mushy stuff for when we're back at Headquarters!

Felina just laughs.

Awww! What a nice moment between the Ferals! And sorry for not commenting on the previous chapter.