Lance Falk's "Cold War", Pt. II

From: Chance <chance_at_unix.infoserve.net>
Date: Fri, 21 Jul 1995 07:22:14 -0700 (PDT)

..."he became just another thug doing hard time at Megakat Maximum
Security Prison."

     Speaking of Shard...REX is hard at work on a heavy labor detail at
MEGATECH POWER STATION: An enormous experimental alternate energy
facility on the edge of town. Shard rants to his fellow inmates about
his glory days as a crystal colossus with God-like powers. "Power is the
key! And when I figure out a way to get some," promises Shard, "watch
out MegaKat City!"

     When a guard stumbles over Shard's chain, Rex sees his big chance.
He grabs the guard's weapon and security key card. The thug races to the
heart of the power facility, chased by prison guards and plant security.
Shard manages to blast his way into the experimental reactor room. The
radiation suited guards look on with horror as Shard destroys one of the
two reactor control consoles with gunfire. Quickly, Shard is surrounded
by armed guards. With great defiance, he hisses "I ain't goin' back to
that cell! It's all or nothin'!" He empties his gun into the remaining
console panel and dives into the glowing heart of the reactor. There is
a _BIG_ explosion!!

     Chance and Jake are enjoying a Scaredy Cat cartoon when it is
interrupted by an emergency news bulletin. An area of sub-zero
temperature has consumed the edge of Megakat City in mere moments.
Blizzards and glacial mass are spreading by the minute.

     The SWAT Kats race into action! Reaching the heart of the icy area,
they find a PITCH BLACK GIANT surrounded by a "skin" of fire (he looks
like a humanoid eclipse with a raging corona). The two-hundred foot
giant laughs at the approach of the Turbokat. "Hi, SWAT _Gnats_!
Remember your old pal, Shard?" With that, he tosses flaming black blobs
from his body. T-Bone barely manages to avoid the barrage.

     According to Razor's instruments, Shard has become a HEAT SINK,
absorbing any and all warmth in his vicinity (like a living black hole of
temperature!). The SWAT Kats re-engage Shard but all their weapons
freeze solid and brittle before they can be effective. Shard is
luckier. One of his heat leeching projectiles tags the Turbokat, icing
it up and freezing the engines.

     T-Bone is barely able to manage a belly landing, and the Turbokat
begins sliding in a mad downhill race through the icy streets of Megakat
City (a hilly area like San Francisco). The two Kats use manual control
over the jet's flaps to steer the aircraft around buildings and objects
but they go into a deadly spin, nearing a fatal drop of hundreds of feet.

(**Part III, the last, tonight or tomorrow**)

 _____________________________________________________________________________
        "I didn't study acting for...years to play a cartoon character!"
                -Canadian actress Genevieve Bujold explaining her
                 stormy exit as ST:Voyager's "Capt. Janeway".
 _____________________________________________________________________________
Received on Fri Jul 21 1995 - 11:17:12 PDT