KittyHawk - Part 9

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Cat returns to the island to find trouble has come looking for her, again! This time it's serious, but so is she…
 
KittyHawk
Part 9
by Saless

 
"You were gay?" Mom asked in surprise. I nodded mutely. "Are you still attracted to men?" I nodded again. "That's convenient."

I was a little surprised at her blasé attitude. "Uh, yeah, it is." I replied lamely.

Dad laughed, "You didn't really think we'd have a problem with you being gay, did you? Never mind, of course you worried about how we'd react! Don't worry; we love you no matter what." Mom hugged me to show she felt the same way.

"Thanks." I said. "I guess it was silly of me to worry so much, especially after you'd already found out I became a girl and Melissa was transsexual."

Mom waved that off. "It's only natural. Our society is so close minded! How are you dealing with being female?" she asked worriedly.

I shrugged, "Okay. It was difficult at first, but I've gotten used to it."

"Don't you have any more feminine clothes than that, though?" Mom asked, pointing at my ragged ship uniform. It had been patched several times, and the pants were cut off at the knees when the legs became too torn to be useful.

"We're kind of low on clothing on the island. We were shipwrecked, after all. Thomas brought us some blankets and medical supplies, but otherwise we've had to make do with what we were able to get off the ship. Elaine's been working on making some more feminine clothes for herself, but none of the rest of us were really interested." I replied.

Mom shook her head at me. "Well, I guess it's a good thing we got you some clothes too, then!" she said disapprovingly.

"What?" I exclaimed.

Melissa smiled and pointed at the bags, "Some of those clothes we packed up are yours. Your parents asked me to help them since I have experience with the difficulties wings pose for your wardrobe."

"You realize we'll be living on an island with no amenities to speak of, right? I hope you didn't get me delicate stuff that's going to get shredded the first time I wear it!" I complained.

"Don't worry dear, we took that into account. It's all durable enough." Mom replied.

"I've been thinking about the trip back." Dad said suddenly. "Melissa obviously doesn't have the stamina you do, no offense Melissa." She nodded. "Perhaps you should consider towing her so she can make it the whole way without being in danger of falling into the ocean."

"Towing her? How would I go about doing that?" I asked.

"If we got some rope we could tie it to your backpack and hers. If we make the rope long enough you won't interfere with each other. That way Melissa can glide and you'll be doing the lion's share of the work. You said weight wasn't an issue." Dad replied.

"I guess that could work." I said thoughtfully. "Do you think the stores are still open?"

"I think so, yeah." Dad replied.

"What do you think about this Melissa?" I asked her.

"It sounds like a good idea. We could even skip Hawaii if you want to. I can fly your dad in to pick up the rope right now." Melissa offered.

I shrugged, "Okay, go ahead." I replied. Melissa picked up Dad and they flew off to get the rope.

"I think we shouldn't skip Hawaii." Mom said after they'd left. "I don't want you overdoing it."

"Okay, I don't mind. I don't think there's a big hurry, the most immediate threat was to you two. I don't think anyone's going to go after the island too soon after what happened with that ship." I replied.

"Are you alright about that honey? You've had to do an awful lot of fighting since you mutated." Mom said worriedly.

She said fighting, but I was sure she meant killing. "I'm okay. I've only done what I had to. The hardest part was when I almost ate that commander, that still bothers me a bit." I admitted.

Mom hugged me again, "I can't imagine what it must have been like for you all this time! I'm so glad you're alright!" she murmured. I found myself tearing up and hugged her back.

"So, tell me about your boyfriend!" Mom said once she'd let me go. I groaned, but told her all about Paul. Shortly thereafter Melissa returned with Dad. He had a large coil of heavy duty rope, probably a hundred feet long.

We talked a while longer and then slept under the cover of our wings. We rose bright and early in the morning and made sure everything was packed up and the bags closed tightly. Dad put on the two smaller back packs and tightened them down, and then Melissa and I put on the larger ones and made sure they were secure. Then we tied the rope to both. We didn't use the entire hundred feet, of course, so I cut off the extra and stuffed it in one of the bags.

"Everyone ready?" I asked. They nodded, so I picked up Dad and took off. I made sure not to climb too high too quickly so as to keep some slack in the rope. Melissa picked up Mom and followed.

It was touchy at first, as I'd pull ahead too fast and pull Melissa off balance. Eventually we reached a good altitude and I motioned for Melissa to lock her wings and glide and I pulled ahead at full speed. It was weird towing Melissa behind me, but it worked out really well.

We made good time to Hawaii and I found a secluded area for us to land and rest. Landing was more difficult than taking off, but not too bad. I was glad to unload after the flight, though I wasn't really tired. Melissa's wings were tired despite gliding most of the way, so Dad's idea was a very good one.

"Why don't we stay here tonight and go on in the morning." I suggested once I'd returned from hunting for a snack.

"I'm rested now, we can keep going." Melissa protested.

"Catherine's right, we should rest here for today and go on fresh in the morning. There's no point taking chances." Mom said.

Melissa didn't argue any further. She really was still tired, I think, but didn't want to hold us up.

We got settled and spent most of the rest of the day listening to the rest of Melissa's story. It was a sad story that made me want to tear those bigots apart, but I settled on comforting Melissa, who had started crying once she'd finished telling us. I'd felt sorry for myself a few times since my mutation, but at least I still had my parents, and they were as accepting as Melissa's had been!

I thought a lot about the "clinic" that mutated Melissa as I lay awake that night. I could only assume that there were, or would be, other clinics like that. There was too much interest in figuring out and marketing the mutations for there not to be. I just hoped they didn't all end as violently.

In the morning we got ourselves all strapped in again and took off for home. The trip home was uneventful, except for the group of ships we saw making their way directly towards the island. There were six ships of various sizes, including an aircraft carrier! I powered home as fast as I could after seeing that. A jet was launched after us, but we were well past them by then so I had time to land and drop off Dad and get the bag off before flying back up to intercept the jet. I made sure to meet it out over open water and watched to see what it would do. I didn't want to fight if I could help it, but it seemed inevitable.

The jet never fired a shot. It flew past, and well above me, and flew over the island. I tensed up, afraid it might bomb the island, but it just flew a circle around the island and then flew back. I wonder what that was about… I wondered as I returned to the island.

As I approached I realized there was an amphibious aircraft anchored just off shore. I hurried back to the village, afraid that someone had already gotten soldiers on the island again.

My parents were talking to Paul when I got to the village and Mom gasped when she saw the way I landed on the Cat Pad. "It's okay Mom, I always land like that. It doesn't hurt at all." I assured her. She looked skeptical, but didn't say anything about it. "Paul, did you know there's an amphibious plane anchored out there?" I asked him.

"Yeah, Shawna's mother came on it, along with Thomas and two other people. Everything's okay." Paul replied. I sighed in relief.

"Oh good, I was afraid they'd already gotten some soldiers on the island." I replied.

Paul looked confused at that. "Already? What are you talking about?" he asked.

"There are six ships heading our way, including an aircraft carrier. That's where that jet came from. I think it's safe to say they're here to take the island." I said.

"Yes, that's what I was afraid of." A man I'd never heard before said as he approached with Thomas. "While they still want KittyHawk, they're more afraid of her disrupting their operations than they are interested in figuring out why she's so powerful." He was a middle aged man with light brown hair.

"Who are you?" I asked, glancing at Thomas questioningly.

"This," Thomas said, gesturing at the new man, "is Carl Kleinman. He's here because he wants to help."

"Yes. I used to work for Genarm Industries. They're trying to refine the mutation process. They've already produced some very strong mutants, though not nearly as strong as you. Since you've been collecting mutants from all over the world they've become afraid that you would try to disrupt their operations. They have strong connections to the US military and are using those connections to wipe this island off the map." Carl said.

"So it is safe to assume that they intend to bomb the island?" I growled. Carl seemed taken aback at that, but nodded.

"Calm down, Cat. We need to evacuate the island." Thomas said. Paul rubbed my back, which did a lot more to calm me.

I took a moment to look over our situation. We had an aircraft carrier filled with planes that could drop an awful lot of ordnance on the island coming our way, along with support craft that probably had some guns or missiles of their own. I knew I could destroy them all given time, but they weren't likely to give us that time. Then I noticed the rather dark storm clouds moving in. "No." I said firmly.

"Cat, we don't have a choice. We can't fight off bombers!" Paul protested.

"We can't, but I can." I replied. "I'll make sure those bombers never get to the island."

Paul sighed in frustration. "Cat, you're fast, but you're not as fast as a jet! They'll fly by you so quickly you won't have a chance to do anything!"

"They are fast, but they're not faster than electricity." I replied with a feral grin.

"Catherine, you were wiped out after only destroying two gunships! What makes you think you can handle an aircraft carrier full of jets!" Dad protested.

Paul looked at him oddly at that. "Paul, I discovered a new ability when we rescued my parents. I can absorb electricity, and I can direct it. I used that trick to take out the two gunships Dad's talking about. I was wiped out afterwards, but that was only because I'd run out of power. I'm currently holding a charge several times greater than what I had then. I can do this. Besides, I might be able to talk them out of this before a shot is fired." I said.

"I don't think that's likely." Carl warned.

I shrugged, "I know, but I have to try. And once they've made their intentions clear I can attack with a clear conscience."

"Cat, please, let's just leave!" Paul begged. "I don't want to see you hurt again."

I wrapped us up in my wings so I wouldn't feel self-conscious kissing him in front of my parents and pressed my lips to his as hard as I dared. He responded and time seemed to come to a halt. When we finally came up for air I breathlessly said, "Do what you can to protect the others, but I have to do this. I love you!" With that I took off and sped on towards the approaching ships.

I heard Paul call out, "I love you!" as I flew away. I smiled and winged my way over to the aircraft carrier.

I flew straight to the tower roof. I heard alarms going off below me, but ignored them and climbed down the side of the tower until I spotted a window. I cut my way in with my claws and jumped in. There were several officers inside, gaping at me in shock and fear. "Who's in charge here?" I asked as calmly as I could manage.

The man I should have guessed was in charge due to all the medals and such on his uniform spoke up, "I am. What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I'm here to find out what your intentions are, naturally. I think we all know, but I'm hoping I'm wrong. So, am I?" I replied.

"I don't know what you think you know, but we're here to sterilize a contamination zone and take care of some terrorists while we're at it. Chief among them you!" he said with a glance to the side. I glanced over and saw several men come in armed with machine guns and pistols. I sighed and let a little power out, stunning everyone in the room. It wasn't even as much as I'd used in the truck, but it was enough to keep anyone from shooting me as I climbed out the hole in the window.

Sounds like they're going to just bomb everything! Guess it's time to be destructive. I thought as I jumped down onto the deck. I walked over to the nearest aircraft and sliced into it, spilling jet fuel all over the deck. I moved onto the next one and did the same. By the time someone found me I'd already torn up five planes and fuel was covering the ground beneath them. I hurried on to the next plane, but gunfire rang out from multiple weapons, tearing into me. I still managed to tear open the fuel tanks of two more plains before I was forced to retreat.

I made sure to lead the pursuing soldiers into the area where the damaged planes were when I retreated, then let a few sparks hit the nearest part of the spilled fuel. In seconds all seven planes were engulfed in flames, along with several of the soldiers that were shooting at me. I hurried away from that area, putting lots of intact planes between them and me. Once I was out of sight I started slicing open fuel tanks again. I only got three open before another group of soldiers were shooting me again. This time there was so much gunfire going that I had to retreat immediately, but the only place to go was the ocean!

I tried to dodge to the side, but dozens of bullets tore into me, knocking me back and off of the aircraft carrier entirely. I fell a long time. I tried to fly, but my wings were all but severed from the many hits they'd taken. My arms and legs were in similarly bad shape. I hit the water, hard, sinking deeply under the surface. My limbs still wouldn't obey my orders and I continued to sink. I tried to hold my breath, but it took too long for my limbs to heal and I inhaled a mouthful of water. And then another, and another.

The strange thing was, I was feeling better instead of worse! After a minute or two of panicking I realized I was somehow breathing! By the time I realized this my legs had finally healed to the point that I could begin to swim back to the surface. I was still below the aircraft carrier when my arms started obeying my commands again. Soon even my wings were working, albeit painfully. With all six limbs working properly I fairly flew through the water. When I reached the surface I grabbed onto the side of the carrier and pulled myself up until I was high enough to fly.

Flying up above the deck of the carrier I realized it was poring down rain, and that this was helping them to get control over the fires I'd started on the deck. Roughly half their planes were damaged or destroyed, but that still left more than I wanted to think about. One of them was being lined up to take off as I watched. I looked around frantically, but there were no other planes in the air. Sighing in relief I started thinking about how I'd deal with the remaining planes.

I kept gaining altitude so I could see what was going on better. Someone must have seen me, because guns on the support ships started firing at me. At this distance they weren't too hard to dodge, but I couldn't do any damage while I was dodging!

In my frustration I reached in a way I didn't even know I was capable of. I felt a channel open up not from me, but to me. As soon as I felt the channel open a bolt of lightning struck me and my world was filled with light and pain! I reeled and began to fall, but recovered after a moment. The lightning had hurt like nothing else at first, but now I felt so powerful, as if I could take on the world by myself! I looked down on the ships shooting at me and opened a channel to the nearest one and released some of that energy.

Arcs of electricity shot out from my hands to the ship, striking specific points. Ammunition exploded, fires raged, and lights went out. In a flash, literally, that entire ship was dead in the water! This might be easier than I thought! I mused as I chose a new target. Fingers of electricity shot out from my hand again, leaving another ship without power or weapons. The only light illuminating either ship were the flames raging both within and without.

I was about to blast the next ship when the plane took off. I realized I could only hit a plane flying at that speed if my timing was right. I might be able to hit it when far away, but the distance would rob the blast of most of the power. Flying into the path it was most likely to take to get to the island I waited for it, idly blasting another ship while I waited. The power I'd adsorbed from the lightning was getting low, but I figured I had enough for the other two support ships at least.

As I waited more planes were taking off, one right after another. This is bad, if even one gets past me everyone could die! I thought frantically. Soon a dozen planes were flying at me, along with more gunfire from the remaining smaller ships. In desperation I opened up another channel to the storm clouds above, and left it open.

White hot pain filled my world and I couldn't see anything. But I could feel the planes approaching and easily swatted them out of the sky with fingers of lightning. I was distantly aware that I was channeling much more power than before, but I was too preoccupied to think much about it. Every plane that left the deck of the carrier was soon a burning wreck falling down into the ocean. Moments later, the remaining support ships were blasted into immobility, much more strongly than the first three. Then I turned my attention to the aircraft carrier.

Guns were still firing, so I assumed they were on the carrier itself. They didn't bother me a bit; somehow the impacts didn't even register. I turned the full fury of the storm on the aircraft carrier, reigniting the remaining fuel on the deck and starting several more fires. The entire carrier was soon without power, except for that I was pumping into it. Most of the ship was aflame, and then the fuel tanks caught. Unlike in the movies, they didn't explode. But they did burn, and hotly!

My vision slowly returned as I closed the path to the clouds. I could still feel immense amounts of power within me. I felt strained, or stretched, or something. I knew I had much more power in me than I could have handled before without pain.

Once I could see clearly again I realized that two of the smaller ships had sunk! The other three seemed alright, but they weren't going anywhere anytime soon. The aircraft carrier was burning from within and I suspected there wasn't anybody left alive on it. What have I done?! I thought, horrified. At the same time, I felt exhilarated at channeling such immense amounts of energy.

Shaken and confused, I flew back to the island. I feared I'd find it in ruins, that a plane had gotten past me without me noticing, but the island was untouched. I landed on the Cat Pad and went looking for everyone. No one was in the village. I was confused at first, until I tried to think what Paul would do. Then I remembered the cave and hurried over there. Sure enough, everyone was hiding in the same cave we'd held those sailors in.

"It's safe to come out now." I called into the cave.

Paul came out first, "Are you alright?" he asked with a concerned look. He took a close look at me and seemed even more worried. I looked down and realized I was covered in dried blood. My clothes were shredded and largely absent. What was left was smoldering.

"I'm okay Paul. In fact, I feel great!" I said, just before everything went black.

I awoke slowly. The sky was clear and bright, which told me I'd been out for quite a while. Paul was leaning up against some rocks at the entrance to the cave. I was surprised to find myself in the same place where I'd blacked out. "Paul?" I called out, but he had already seen I was awake.

"Hey Cat, how're you feeling?" he asked, kneeling down beside me.

"Okay. Why am I lying here outside the cave?" I asked, confused.

"You've got a little too much of a charge in you. When I tried to pick you up I got electrocuted. Thomas had to give me CPR to get my heart working again. After that we decided we'd better wait for you to wake up on your own." Paul replied.

"CPR?" I repeated, horrified.

"Don't worry about it Cat, you didn't have any control of it. But you do need to release some of that charge you're carrying." Paul replied.

I sat up and looked around. We were the only ones there and someone had draped a blanket over me. When I pulled it back I realized why, my clothes were less than rags! I climbed to my feet and wrapped the blanket around myself. "I don't suppose you have a target in mind?" I asked hopefully. If I was that charged up I'd do some damage when I let off the extra charge.

"Amazingly enough, the aircraft carrier didn't sink. It's been pretty well gutted, but it's still there. Why don't you unload into it?" Paul suggested. I nodded and took off. The carrier had drifted a ways from where it had been when I blasted it, but it was so big it wasn't hard to find. Especially since it was still smoking from a few places. I tried to feel how much energy I needed to discharge to get control of it, but couldn't be sure. I decided to just let it out until it felt right, so that's what I did.

I opened a channel and felt the energy draining out of me. Since I didn't need to worry about doing maximum damage to the carrier, I just kept the blast in one place. By the time I felt comfortable the hull was glowing white hot and had partially melted where the arc hit. I hadn't even realized how uncomfortable I was until I'd released the excess energy. I was still carrying a good charge, but nothing I couldn't handle.

I surveyed the damage to all the remaining ships while I was there. The aircraft carrier was totally gutted; it was just a floating chunk of metal now. The three smaller ships were mostly intact, but they still hadn't gotten power back. I marveled at the amount of damage I'd done as I flew back to Paul.

"Feeling better?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes, much!" I replied, touching his hand carefully. I easily kept the energy inside and he pulled me to him in a crushing hug. Well, it would have been a crushing hug if he was as strong as me, anyway!

"I'm so glad you're okay, I was really worried when you passed out." He said softly as he held me at arms length to look me over.

"I think I should be the one to be worried, you're the one whose heart stopped!" I replied.

Paul chuckled, "Come on, your parents are worried about you." We walked back to the village and I told him what happened on my trip on the way.

When we got back to the village we found everyone gathered in the square. Besides our original dozen, Shawna, Arachne, and Melissa, there were also Thomas, Carl, my parents, and two others. "Who are they?" I asked, pointing out the two women talking to Shawna, Arachne, and Jill.

Paul smiled, "Shawna's mother and neighbor. They came looking for Shawna and Thomas brought them here."

"What about her father?" I asked.

"All three of them mutated, but he didn't survive it. Shawna's mother is Millie, and the other woman is Kara. Neither seems to have any powers, though Millie has a rat tail." Paul replied.

"Well, at least one of her parents was able to come back. Are they going to stay?" I asked.

"I think so. Millie's been begging Shawna's forgiveness long past the point where she'd given it. Kara's also been apologizing constantly, apparently she feels responsible for the death of her father." Paul said.

My parents saw me then and there was a lot of commotion as everyone asked how I was feeling. It took me a while to reassure everyone, even with Paul's help. Finally we all got settled around the fire pit to exchange stories.

"You were amazing Cat!" Melissa said in awe. "They never got close to us, just like you said!"

"I saw you fall off the carrier. You were so long coming back up I was sure you'd drowned, how did you survive?" Mom asked

"Apparently I can breathe underwater." I replied. "I would have been up sooner, but I had to wait until I was healed enough to swim." I realized my mistake as soon as I said that, but it was too late.

"Healed?! How badly hurt were you?" Mom exclaimed.

I was about to pass it off as inconsequential when she gave me the look I'd seen many times before that told me she wouldn't accept any prevarication. "Um, well, I think my left wing was just about severed. My right wing was almost as bad, and my arms and legs were all useless for a while. I was pretty much Swiss cheese, I guess." I said sheepishly.

Carl shook his head, "I told you talking to them wouldn't work."

I shrugged, "I had to try. Besides, it wasn't talking to them that led to the damage. I got away from that encounter without injury. It was when I started trashing their planes that they perforated me."

Millie looked around at everyone in confusion, "How can you talk about being shot so many times as if it's not a big deal? How could you even survive it?!"

"She heals really fast Mom! She's the toughest, most powerful mutant in the world!" Shawna gushed.

"Yep, that's my Cat!" Paul agreed, putting his arm around my shoulders and giving me a squeeze. I responded by wrapping a wing around him and snuggling into his side. It was great to be back!


 
To Be Continued…

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Comments

Oh S***

Cat might have wiped out a carrier group, but she has just proven herself to be a menace worthy of nuking.

Will she be able to deal with an ICBM? If she sees it in time, she can zap it (Nukes won't spontaneously go off. They have to be properly ignited.)

They either need to find themselves another island, or do some serious PR work. They need to get a whole bunch of people totally outraged that the big bullies in the Pentagon are sending serious firepower against a handful of people who want nothing more than to be left alone.

Or, everyone but Cat could easily disappear in some coastal region where mutants aren't unusual. South America would be good.

Since most of the world doesn't know what the others look like, they could all pretty much choose any coastal region they like. Cat might be able to blend in on the western coast of South or Central America; or maybe even some parts of Mexico.

If they were to have a vote, I wonder who would want to settle as a community, and who would rather go off on his/her own.

Things will go better if they let the world think that they were successfully nuked. That way, nobody will be looking for them.

So, did Cat's dad pick up anything useful, like a GPS unit?

Quite changes things,

Quite changes things, doesn't it? I've known since I decided to continue this story that something like this would have to happen, but until recently I didn't know what form it would take. Once I got going on the electrical powers, though, I couldn't get the image of Cat hovering in midair and blasting jets out of the sky out of my mind! I mean, is that cool or what?! (Yes, I'm geeking out over my own character, so sue me! ;p )

Cat would have a hard time blending in, it's too obvious she has multiple animal mutations. The others could, though. I've thought about what Cat would do with an ICBM. Like you said, she could disarm it if she got to it quickly enough. I wonder how much the people after her would freak if she had her own nuclear missile? ;)

Thanks for commenting Ray!

Saless
 


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America

The Ultimate Showdown Of Ultimate Destiny

The Wayward Goddess ThunderCat smote those pesky heretics into oblivion! They were very shocked, I'm sure of it!

::very evil and gleeful grin::

Genarm Industries. So the Big Bad finally obtains a name. Luckily, Catherine remains an unobtainium for them. However, there are questions to be asked.

Were Genarm fellas the ones who sent the waste on David's ship in the first place? After all, it seems very plausible to me that they would have been the first ones to be notified of the pirate attack? and thus would have seen the potential for R&D in the first place. Then, their first test subjects would have likely been some SCUBA divers they employed during the cargo vessel rising.

Then, it seems that they are trying to develop a certain black PR public face for KittyHawk, as a terrorist, and of her residence - island - as a place for those TDTL as an area contaminated waaay above the comfort line. I wonder how much that high-ranking fleet commander actually believed this propaganda?

I am happy for Cat - her parents are really kind and accepting, but she is beginning to become a little too "over 9000" (in a good way), don't you think so? Billie, you have a challenger!

Faraway

Faraway


On rights of free advertisement:
Big Closet Top Shelf

Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!

Woah, lets not get carried

Woah, lets not get carried away! Cat wouldn't stand a chance against Billie! But then, who would? As for Genarm Industries, you'll have to wait to learn more about them! ;)

I and the Wayward Goddess ThunderCat thank you! ;)

Saless
 


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America

God moding

Actually, I was thinking Cat vs Ranma, but that's just me.

Now that would be an

Now that would be an interesting fight! Ranma obviously has the advantage in skill, big time, but Cat has superior natural strength and reflexes, as well as healing and electrical abilities. Oh, and she can fly! ;) Ranma can counter most of that with skill, though, so I think he might win. They'd probably both get beat up pretty good, though, and Cat would recover from it a whole lot better than Ranma!

Thanks for an interesting thought, and commenting!

Saless
 


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America

Super Powerful?

Cat is powerful, but not as over the top as one might expect. She's not the only character that can sink a carrier group.

Sanura could blow them up with a singularity. Quartz could probably blast them with her zap powers (We still don't know where her limits lay.) Synergy managed to blow the top off of a mountain, so a few ships wouldn't be too much trouble. A radiation elemental could shut down the reactor and, if necessary, zap all personnel. My own characters, the Doctors Martin and their band of merry strays, would have a lot more difficulty, but might be able to pull it off through subtlety (bio elemental attacks, TK to move controls and break things, etc.)

In the Whateleyverse, a number of Kimbazoids could do it. Tennyo, of course, is way overpowered. Fey could do it with magic and her connection to the fire elementals. Jade would have to be subtle and use a spy speck type device to scout, then push the appropriate controls. Carmilla (Sara Waite) could do any number of things -- including using her lust aura to disorient everyone and control the captain into self-destructing the ship. Or, maybe she could cause the nuclear engineers to pull out the control rods and let the reactor go 'China Syndrome.'

Interesting comparisons there

That's prolly one of the reasons why I basically stopped going to Brit's MORFS site. Too many implausibly god moded charas.

Cat irritates me, but at least she's the only one, and on the scale of things, one against many's a great equalizer. Note she keeps getting her ass kicked on a short term basis, I'm expecting her to top out at some point—hopefully.

Isn't it time...

Frank's picture

For some country (Russia, China) to offer to put the island under THEIR protection. Seems like something countries who aren't allied with the USA would/should do. They have to be aware of out fleet movements and such...

Great Chapter...but hey, even Superman has Kryptonite..

HUGS

Frank

Hugs

Frank

Yes, this little episode is

Yes, this little episode is going to draw a lot of attention to our little island.

Thanks Frank!

Saless
 


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America

What If

The Killyhawk Island Community was to apply for membership in the U.N.? It'd be fun to see them relocate to the city of Kittyhawk in the U.S.

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine
    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

hehehe!

Yeah, that would be good! ;)

Saless
 


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America

Declaration of War

Declaration of War by the United States of American on the sovereign island nation of Castaway. In the dastardly sneak attack, Queen Kittyhawk defend her people only after being fired upon by the warmongering American carrier group. In the insuring battle the Americans lost several vessels with heavy causalities. The aircraft carrier was badly damaged and total losses are estimated to be in the billions of dollars.

The official press release from Queen Kittyhawk via the internet, states that she grieves over the heavy loss of life among her ex-fellow countrymen, but it was not she after all who began this conflict. The toxin that has literally cause a sea-change among so many of the world's population has opened Pandora's box. Much of the world depends on the sea for their livelihood and no manner of quarantines or embargos will stop the spread of the mutations when the choices are eat and mutate or die of starvation. It is up to the world to accept all mutants as people.

This Island welcomes all who come in peace. We are a haven for mutants who have face horrible trials every day just to survive. I have no agenda other than peace and tolerance for all, mutant or not. With this undeclared war I must sadly reciprocate. I urge the Congress of the United States to investigate what I believe to be by their own laws an illegal act for I can not believe the people of the United States would fall so low to allow such an act. I further ask that country's political leaders to come to the peace table at the first opportunity. I will be waiting.

Kittyhawk, Queen, Castaway Island

This is Jacqui Ernest reporting from Pago Pago American Samoa.

PS: Excuse me Saless but I couldn't help myself! :)

No excuses necessary grover,

No excuses necessary grover, I like it! :) Thanks!

Saless
 


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America

Fight PR with PR

Grover has it,

what they need it good,, aggressive PR to smoke out Gencrap or whatever they are called.

Odd, I suddenly picture Lord Richard Attenborough laughing diabolically dressed as an elderly Doctor Evil at his secret genetic lab under the amusement park, Jourass is Grass Park. Sorry I used to subscribe to MAD Magazine.

The press LOVES a good scandal, a sob story and scantily clad sexy babes; combine the three of them ... If Kittyhawk and a couple of the more human looking mutant women of the island would use the Internet or tap into a satellite feed or an undersea cable they could get the word out that thousands of sailors and others had died and billions in tax dollars worth of equipment lost so a private company could carry out secret, illegal and nefarious genetic mutation experiments on unwilling humans and was in effect engaged in slavery, abductions and genocide -- the attempt to wipe out the mutant's on the island -- aided by the US Government or at least powerful factions in it.

Governments have fallen for lesser reasons.

Hum, if they must relocate maybe relocate just upwind of Washington DC. If the government tries something stupid they will kill themselves from the fallout be it radioactive, chemical or political. LA might not be bad for a major branch as several are most attractive and Hollywood loves a good looker, male or female

What of Kittyhawk's parents, I assume they know they are at risk for exposure to the mutagen and high doses of it as the island seems a place where much of the toxin drifted before doing elsewhere on ocean currents. They can't possibly avoid some exposure via sand, contamination seeping into the ground water, food etc? What will become of them? If it is not what animals or plants you were near when contaminated that influences your transformation I would guess it's ones genetics. Will mom and dad become part animal like her, maybe mom more catlike and dad more bird like or something like it? Also, all that time on a small island, fighting along side each other for survival, comforting each other though the mutaions and battles must be bringing some of them very close *together*. Cat has been definitely *doing it* with her lover as have others with theirs. How soon before, "Mom, I've been sick the last couple mornings and I never get sick since I mutated."

"How long since your last period, dear?"

I foresee kittens on the way and soon along with other children.

John in Wauwatosa

P.S. You were damned right in this chapter, carriers though terribly powerful are very vulnerable during preparing to launch an attack or rearming planes. All that fuel and munitions. It happened multiple times in WWII to the US and Japanese Navies. Fires on ships are horrendous and on a warship full of aviation fuel and munitions. They may have been misled by their officers but that was a horrible way to die. No or few survivors? The island could use converts and military men and women who were lied too and used as cannon fodder for some faceless corporation contrary to thr laws of their country will want revenge and after THEY mutate ... Wooh boy!

John in Wauwatosa

Thanks John! My memory

Thanks John! My memory served me well on this one, I drew heavily on what my father has told me about the burning of the USS Forrestal in 1967. He was on a nearby ship at the time, so he saw a little of it. He's into military history so he's read up on it as well, and told me a fair amount about it. The situation is a little different, especially since all Navy personnel are trained in firefighting now, where there was only a small group trained for that on the Forrestal. Their deaths early on is one of the reasons the fire was so bad. But I think Cat's continued lightning attacks would counter that and then some! ;)

Saless
 


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America

Frankly, John,

You are a mediocre seer at best. ;)
It was the 2nd part, IIRC, when Cat noted being able to choose whether she wanted to concieve or not. She chooses not to for the time being. So no kids from her yet! However, Bernard (the bat-boy IIRC) has a GF so he may become a father.

Faraway

Faraway


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Just the facts Ma'am

Okay I know this is just a story and that our dear author Saless is the ultimate authority for what happens in her Universe. With that said here is some facts and figures drawn from Wiki. Likely Carrier to be deployed would probably be the USS George Washington CVN-73 which of July was in Australia. Her crew complement is about 5700 counting the air wing. The USS Cowpens is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser with about 360 crewmen and was seen with the carrier in Australia. At least some of the other 4 ships were Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. They each carry about another 383 crew. Since they came in so close to the island one has to assume that one of the vessels was a troop carrier. If they just wanted to bomb the island right out of the ocean the destroyers and the cruiser along carry enough ship launched Tomahawk missiles to do the job from 2500KM away. The Washington's airwing could attack from about 537km away with their F/A-18s each carrying 6000KG of really bad stuff.

If there was a troopship than possibly it was a San Antonio class amphibious transport dock. A dock because it carries from two to four large troop transport helicopters and two air cushioned landing craft. (very large hovercraft) It also carries about 700 marines and a crew of 360. They have a reputation for being very hard to sink. If it wasn't sunk then it is the best bet for the ship trying to recover survivors.

Okay here some stuff about lightning I researched. I don't claim to be an expert but here it is. A metal hulled ship stuck by lightning will normally conduct the charge though the ship harmlessly into water. Most aircraft particularly those refueling and arming on a carrier deck is very careful about keeping those babies grounded because John is very right about carriers being vulnerable to fire. They are big boxes full of gas, guns and bombs. Fire is bad! From what I've read what Kat shoots out doesn't act like lightning. It is very directional and lightning is anything but since it seeks the path of least resistance. She might charge by electricity but what she emits might be something different.

The news getting out: The US just had a Carrier Strike Group get its booty handed to it. Causalities could be over 7000 dead. The attack on Pearl Harbor left 2,402 killed and 1,282 wounded. The worst defeat previous to this was the "Battle of Savo Island", in which the US Navy lost three heavy cruisers in a surface action, with no losses to the enemy. Kat beat this, hands down.

There is no way this will stay secret. At the very least one of the new visitors will have something to take pictures with. Most cell phones can do the job now days. In my 'press release' I suggested Kat and the gang working together on their version of what happened. Calling themselves an Island nation defending themselves from the US will garner support from every 'not' friend the US has, and will short cut that 'Hey we were just attacking some terrorists.' Of course getting support from North Korea, Iran, and others is not exactly a good thing but like it was said, the next step is a nuke. It should be simple for Kat to take a hop to a nearby island with internet access and upload their story. With pictures all the wire services will go crazy trying to beat each other to put it on the air. Not to mention how fast something like this will hit the information superhighway. Most Emailed photos on Yahoo anyone?

Here is the problem if they can't get this attack by Genarm Industries stopped. From hundreds of kilometers away, submarine launched sea skimming cruise missiles will hit them with no warning. Remember all those missiles fired at Iraq during the invasion? Goodbye island.

Okay I'm finished! I really love this story and I hope my fact thing here hasn't mucked up anything Saless had planned.

I really couldn't help myself being an old order of battle analyst during my military days. :)

Hugs!

grover

PS: With a carrier gone, the Navy will bring out the last one they put into reserve.... The USS Kitty Hawk! :)

Wow, you'd think I planned

Wow, you'd think I planned that! I didn't know that about the Kitty Hawk! :)

Thanks for all the information, I know my little tail isn't going to be 100% accurate on some things, I just try to keep it under the suspension-of-disbelief radar! ;) As for the lightning, though, there's one thing you may have missed. Lightning heats the air around it to three times the surface temperature of the sun (according to Wikipedia). So a sustained blast like Cat was using, while it might be conducted away harmlessly at first, the heat would build up and start melting/igniting things. The hotter things get, the more resistance there is, the more heat is let off as more electricity flows through it. That's how you fry your CPU if the cooling fan dies! ;)

Heat was always the means I had in mind for destroying the carrier, more than anything else, because extreme heat would allow the munitions to 'burn off', which would damage other things, cause more fuel leak, and so on, just like on the Forrestal. Although a few electrical fires where exposed wires got hit or something don't hurt any, either!

Thanks grover!

Saless
 


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America

you could

if you wanted too sit here and think of a number of reasons why Cat for all her ingenuity would struggle against all the massed forces being sent to force the island into submission....But that would spoil what for me is a classic tale of a David against a Goliath... So with that in mind i'm just going to sit here and read what for me is a very enjoyable story... And just hope that for once that the good little guy wins a famous victory against all the odds....

Kirri

Considering...

Catherine's name pre-mutation was David...

Do I really need to continue?

Faraway

Faraway


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Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!

Forgot Cat can control her fertility

Still the urge to have a child/children must be growing and with grandpa and grandma, okay maybe soon her half brother/sister and half sister if they get enough of the mutagen, Catherine/Cat/Kittyhawk has readymade babysitters.

That would be funny if the mutagen, given its powerful effects on Cat though she did get a concentrated dose, turns her parents young again, even teenaged or younger. Both dose and genetics seem important.

John in Wauwatosa

John in Wauwatosa

Thanks

Thanks Kirri!

Saless
 


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America

Intentions

Not my intentions to spoil anything simply add some detail for Saless to use if she chooses. Also to give a more human face to what is happening. Most people don't have a clue to how many people there are on an aircraft carrier. I answered that question. Kittyhawk was in the merchant marine not the navy. She has no clue about the details I've mention. This is just for the readers. Knowing just how many sailors lost their lives due to behind the scenes political backroom deals gives more scope to what is happening here. This is a tremendous disaster that will cause Congress to go looking for heads. The loss of life and materials will be giving those in charge heart attacks. To make it worse all of these causalities are far from US support facilities. Overconfidence made them think they could roll over our castaways.

This is a break our Heroes can take advantage of. The public is going to want to know what happened to their sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, sisters ect. Why are we bothering with a little island of mutants?

Actually I may have the answer to that. Kat has not finished mutating. She is in a constant state of mutation. Whatever she gets hits with her body adapts. Electricity, water, huge amounts of damage, it doesn't matter. The question maybe just how long this effect may last and if it is permanent then Gene-whatever-they-are is correct about how important she is. However on the other hand the more you attack her the stronger she becomes. Be afraid, be very afraid, because if they do finally hurt someone she cares about I want to be very far away.

hugs!

grover

Be afraid, be very afraid

The way you paint her, grover, is very much like the Doomsday and the Sayan.
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<_<
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>_>
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Guys I meant it in a good way!
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Guys?..

Faraway

Faraway


On rights of free advertisement:
Big Closet Top Shelf

Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!

I mean it in a good way too!

I see Kat's instincts coming out. Big cats can be very territorial. Just look at how much see doesn't want to leave the island she calls home. Look how protective she is of her friends and family.

Doomsday was a weapon and ironically that is just what Kat is afraid those like Gene-something or another will try to do to her. Kat may not have started off as female but I think Kipling had it right when he said the more dangerous of the species.

If I'm right, unless you kill her in one huge blow, she just gets stronger. Anyone who does hurts this group she has adopted as her own had better be careful. The energy she is throwing around is not small change as Saless corrected me. (Oops, I did a boo-boo!) The power in a single lightning bolt is quote Scholastic teaching resources is: Peak current intensity is of the order 10 to 100 million volts of electricity; the average being about 30,000 amps, and a temperature of 6 times hotter than the surface temp of our Sun.

We clever humans have learned to divert this energy around us into the ground where it is more or less harmless. Kat on the other hand eats the damn things.

You know it has come to me that the output of a nuclear reactor is close to that. Just off shore is the remains of a nuclear aircraft carrier...

Hugs!

grover

KittyHawk Power

tmf's picture

First of, good story, Keep it coming.
I like the tow line ;) It can be improved by each taking flight than link with the line. Same in reverse for the landing. It help too if there is trouble in flight.
About the mutagen, how fast will it spread to all oceans, counting on the normal current. When the water evaporate to forms the clouds, how mush of the stuff go up there with it? Then who eat who (or the great food chain)

By tmf

I can't take credit for the

I can't take credit for the tow line, I got the idea from a reader's comment! Unfortunately they didn't have a good way to grab and release the line mid-flight, since they were both carrying someone, but that would be an improvement. Thanks TMF!

Saless
 


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America

Over time the risk will likely diminish but not go away easily

I have to imagine the weird mix of mutagenic chemicals will slowly degrade due to UV exposure, biodegradation and so on though like the old pesticide DDT some breakdown products will be as or even stronger than the original. Part of the original mix that gave Kittyhawk her unmatched and growing powers was radioactive and that has a half-life. Eventually unless a new source of the chemicals is found they will become less and less of a problem except for a while in places that got huge does of them, such as Kittyhawk Island.

Ocean currents and the winds move chemicals around but do not necessarily dilute or disperse/spread around the contagion. Think of things like the Gulf Stream and other major ocean currents, or major dead spots/eddies like the Sargasso Sea. What will happen over time is the chemicals will break down , certain key chemicals/radioactive elements crucial to developing super powers will disappear. Only through bioaccumulation -- IE like mercury or PCBs in some fish, will there be any major sources of the chemicals needed. Not all islands will be dangerous to swim or lie on the beach but fish will be a game of Russian Roulette as they migrate.

Though it is possible a very few animals or plants might by some fluke develop the ability to produce the very same chemicals as a weapon or for internal use IE the ability to adapt rapidly to changes in their environment. I wonder about Kittyhawk, is her own body producing more of the chemicals as if they are now a part of the natural hormones in her blood and cells. That might explain her ability to evolve new powers.

Fun to speculate.

Great chapter again.

John in Wauwatosa

John in Wauwatosa

That's pretty much what I

That's pretty much what I had in mind. The mutagen will move hither and yon for a while, slowly breaking down as it goes. Meanwhile, animal and plant life will soak up a lot of it. Ocean plants will absorb it, and then be eaten by fish, which will in turn be eaten by other fish, and so on.

Thanks John!

Saless
 


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America


"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America