Mayor Manx was not happy as he burst into the conference room, scowling at Feral, frowning in confusion at the sight of the SWAT Kats and puzzled by the strangers with Kam Bonner but before he could take Feral to task, Ms. Briggs firmly pushed him toward a seat and made him sit.
She was curious and confused as well but knew they would be briefed as soon as everyone was settled and that meant his honor needed to sit down and shut up.
Grumbling under his breath, Manx obeyed and sat down near the front of the room and crossed his arms, eyes narrowed, face set in an angry grimace.
The SWAT Kats took seats next to Ms. Briggs, giving her a brief smile but not offering any explanation to her raised brows.
When everyone had found a seat and the door had been closed. Feral got everyone's attention.
"Alright, listen up. A lot has happened over the past several hours since I was summoned to the Megakat Observatory. The scientists were alarmed when their telescope came upon a battle being fought above our world." He told them.
"What?" Mayor Manx shouted, standing suddenly, fear making him want to run from the room.
"Easy, Mayor. The incident has been taken care of." Feral said placatingly, though annoyed at being interrupted. Briggs pulled his honor back down where he huffed and frowned, trying to calm himself.
"To be brief, Kam was with me and identified one of the fighters as being their mother ship while I identified the second one as Dark Kat's modified Black Widow. I didn't know until that moment that Kam and these others are visitors to our world. Dark Kat had apparently learned of them and went out to try and steal their technology. I, Kam and his crew, and the SWAT Kats ended up in space fighting and defeating Dark Kat. We've spent the last couple of hours aboard the Wotan meeting its captain and crew. The crew are from Arcanus, a world some light years from here. Their mission is to track and destroy the creatures we called the Ci-Kat-A from spreading further throughout the galaxy. They would stop at worlds that had contact with those creatures both to offer aid if needed or to discover how a world managed to survive an attack and incorporate it in their battle plans. The Arcanians mean us no harm, on the contrary, they have been secretly helping us take out our omegas." He explained.
Callie blinked in stunned amazement. As the room's occupants erupted in bursts of shocked exclamations, she stared at the small crew of, what she now realized were really sentient wolves then turned to her side to look at the SWAT Kats in bewilderment.
"It's alright Ms. Briggs. They really are the good guys." T-Bone reassured her, correctly interpreting her expression.
"This is a lot to take in. Before all our visitors have been hostile, it's a bit of a surprise to find there are friendly ones out there." She said, shaking her head.
"Oh, they're not the first, the Aquians were, remember? They were the ones whose ship had been highjacked and was stealing our water?" Razor reminded her.
"Oh, that's right. I had forgotten them." Callie sighed, looking over at their visitors again. She had to admit, they were a handsome group and, though there was something definitely predatory about them, she could sense no animosity emanating from them.
Abby Sinian stared at Tara with a mix of shock and dismay. Tara glanced at her and gave the she-kat a reassuring smile, Abby could only give her a wane one in return.
Professor Hackle was the only one who hadn't reacted with surprise since he had already been privy to this information through Donar. He was relieved that Dark Kat had been stopped and, though he abhorred violence, he knew just how much better off Megakat City was without that particularly vicious and deadly enemy. He was curious to see how Donar's request for his robots came into this picture.
Mayor Manx was overwhelmed. Dark Kat was dead, these were aliens from space sitting there in front of him, and they were offering to solve their omega problem. "It all sounds too good to be true...and I'm very appreciative of your efforts so far to help us...but what's the catch? He asked cautiously.
"There isn't one, Mayor but I think I'll let Kam explain." Feral said, gesturing for Kam to take over.
Kam stood and nodded politely to everyone. "Hello, I'm First Lieutenant Kam of the interstellar starship Wotan. As Commander Feral has told you, the mission of our kind is to stop the spread of those terrible creatures you so bravely managed to sent packing. We were impressed by your ingenuity and bravery. We decided to find our how you managed this feat and during our time among you, we came to know you better. We have much in common with your race and truly enjoyed our time here." Kam said warmly, watching as everyone relaxed more and some preened a little at the compliment of being a brave species.
"We sometimes take time from our long space voyage to stop and rest, feel a planet beneath our feet. Usually we do not allow the inhabitants to learn of our true origins. We drop in disguised or not, whatever is required, and enjoy some shore leave and depart quietly with no one being the wiser. However, your race fascinated us and we felt a kinship with you so we stayed longer. Unfortunately, we could not take shore leave due to the very real danger of your on going war with those criminals. So my Captain made a decision to allow us to remain and see if we could aid you in taking out your omegas and that's what we've been trying to do. We are not, however, allowed to do this for you. It is important you solve this problem on your own without too much interference by us." Kam cautioned and was interrupted by the Mayor.
"But...we've been trying to do that for years without success!" Mayor Manx objected, annoyed that these visitors couldn't just take care of the problem for them.
"Yes sir, so we've discovered. Unfortunately, we are not allowed, by interstellar law, to interfere directly. The rules allow us to guide you but not use our technology, except for very limited circumstances." Kam said firmly.
"But why?" Major Linston asked, confusion and frustration on his face.
Kam sighed, this was a typical reaction from their few direct encounters. "A civilization cannot grow if it is not allowed to learn from its mistakes or solve its own difficulties. Believe me, the interstellar community has learned never to interfere due to some harsh lessons learned on worlds where they did try to solve a problem with their advanced technology. It was a catastrophe that no one wants to repeat...ever. One world in particular used the freedom we gave them from a serious infestation that was decimating their population to wage war on one another, ending up slaughtering their entire species anyway. So a strict law was instituted to prevent that from ever occurring again." He said grimly.
Some of those listening shuddered at the thought of a whole race obliterating themselves, while others were frowning in anger.
"That doesn't mean we will be that stupid." Major Linston said indignantly.
"I'm sorry but that is not a rule my captain will ever consider breaking." Kam said flatly.
Before anyone else or the Major could object more strenuously, Callie interjected a voice of calm reasoning.
"Alright, since you can't aid us directly, what do you intend to do to help us?"
Kam mentally sighed in relief. Things could have gone sour, but her smooth interjection had calmed the room and had them moving forward. He'd already learned she was the true brains behind the running of the city and it would be her he would work with to solve their problem. Manx was next to useless but he had a part to play so he couldn't alienate the pompous Kat. He made sure to direct his next comments toward them both equally.
"By showing you how to utilize what you already have, more efficiently. We've discussed our thoughts on the matter with our captain and came up with two plans. The first is to help beef up your enforcers so they can keep the weird, the minor criminals, and accidents from your science community from getting out of paw and, the second, ridding the city of the Pastmaster which is where you come in Ms. Briggs." Kam said.
"Me?" Callie asked in surprise.
"Yes and we'll get to that in a little while. Right now I have something else to bring to the table that could change your world forever." Kam said, giving everyone an intense and searching look. "You are the perfect race we look for to add to the growing interstellar community. It helps that you are on the verge of space travel, have experience with aliens, and are a very resilient and resourceful species. Not many qualify and are offered such an opportunity."
"Stop dancing and smoozing us with so much flattery. Just what are you getting at?" Mayor Manx fumed, getting annoyed.
Kam gave the Mayor a small smile and nod. "Forgive me, sir. I meant no offense. Your species is being offered the chance to join the interstellar community. They will help you set up a space station manned by your people and you will become a stopping point for many of the races that roam space. The advantages are a boost in your economy, technology, medical research, and a chance to spread out to other worlds outside your solar system. You will also be provided with a protection fleet that will keep the more deadly of the interstellar races from trying to take over your world as well as keep the peace among all the visitors."
Everyone gaped at him in amazement, except, of course, Feral and the SWAT Kats. What Kam was offering was too extraordinary to believe. It would take some time to sink in.
"We would like to present this offer to your entire world and would like you, Mayor Manx, to be our representative to introduce us to your United Nations conclave. We understand it will be years before an agreement is actually formulated and instituted but we would be honored to be the first to start the steps toward that goal, if your world wishes to be a part of this plan." Kam said.
"And if we don't want anything to do with having aliens passing through here?" Major Linston said sourly, the idea not a cause for excitement on his part.
"Then we leave. No reprisals and no return. You will be put on the paws off list and no one will be allowed to stop at your world. However, we won't leave you defenseless...because of our visit other, less amendable species, might take our departure as a reason to come in and harass you so you will be on the regular patrol route of the Interstellar Alliance Protection Force but you will not see them since they will remain outside your solar system." Kam reassured him.
Linston continued to frown unhappily but said nothing more. The rest of the group seemed to be more accepting.
"I must admit, I'm highly intrigued about this plan of yours. Perhaps we should sit down with your captain and discuss this further." Manx said thoughtfully.
"Of course, sir. I'd be happy to set up a meet with you both." Kam said politely. "Any further questions on that subject?" He asked, no one said anything. "Alright then I wish to return to the plan to get rid of the Pastmaster. Here is where the rule of noninterference doesn't apply. His ability to cross time zones and dimensions indiscriminately, is a direct threat to the very fabric of space and time. This is a serious cause for concern among the interstellar community. By the authority granted Captain Ing, the creature known as the Pastmaster will be summarily destroyed...no trial or jail time or return to his own time will be allowed. The threat he poses is far too great." Kam said grimly, knowing his mate would be upset by this flat injunction which was a direct slap to his own authority but it couldn't be helped.
Glancing at his mate, he was right...Ulysses looked stunned and very angry.
"Well, I for one have no problem with that!" T-Bone said loudly. "That ugly gnome has no redeeming qualities and causes this city far too much trouble and damage. Razor nodded his agreement with that statement.
"I quite agree with you SWAT Kat, I'm surprised to say." Mayor Manx growled.
"I'm certainly tired of him constantly making me his target." Callie grumbled.
Feral looked at everyone and noted all the nodding heads except for Professor Hackle, as a pacifist that was no surprise. He sighed, if he objected due to it violating their laws, he would be loudly shouted down. No one wanted that creature around so he wisely kept his mouth shut but it didn't stop him from simmering with anger.
"So how do you intend to get rid of him?" Callie asked.
"Actually, I'll let Lt. Tara explain, its her plan." Kam said as he gestured to Tara to take over.
She stood up and nodded at the Deputy Mayor and gave a rueful smile to Dr. Sinian who wasn't too happy with her.
"Sorry for the subterfuge, Dr. Sinian, but it was my job to find out what I could about the Pastmaster and the use of magic on your world. My research has shown me that Ms. Briggs is a direct descendent of Queen Callista, a powerful sorceress in your past. Because of this connection, we think we can help Ms. Briggs learn magic and cast a spell that will end the Pastmaster's threat once and for all." Tara explained.
"What?" Callie jerked up and stared at Tara open mouthed.
Voices rose up in consternation, anger, and disbelief.
T-Bone's face held a scowl and Feral still didn't like this idea at all.