Slave Pits of Targa, Part 2

This is the second part of the 5-part event on He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2010's TV series).

Plot
Teela distracts the Reptons with her freeze ray and tells Adam and Dakkon to fly to safety. Adam escapes, but Dakkon refuses to leave Teela. Concealed by the jungle, Adam and Cringer transform into He-Man and Battlecat and ride to the rescue. Malevolently Kahn hisses with recognition when he sees He-Man and orders the Reptons to attack in force. He-Man spars with the Repton warriors, dodging their energy weapons and narrowly escaping the jaws of the Reptal beasts. He insists that he does not wish to harm them, to which Kahn only laughs. “You’ll be the one hurting, Pig Flesh! Your crimes against Repton kind are legendary!” He-Man continues to avoid their weapons, but still does not return their force with his own. Lizard Man begs the Reptons to stop, and Kahn makes a move to strike him when another Repton grabs the Snake Man’s arm. “We do not harm our own,” says the big Repton. A smaller Repton wearing spectacles steps forward beside him and nods. “My comrade Scales is correct, Kahn. The Repton code forbids harm to other Reptons. And although these outsiders have intruded on our land, they have not done us harm—and you have given them ample opportunity and reason.” The Repton introduces himself as Sala-Man-Dor, and asks that the intruders explain themselves. “Our friend Lizard Man here suffers from amnesia. He says he was a slave, and he was chased by creatures called Gargons. We hoped you would be able to help him.” Sala-Man-Dor considers He-Man’s answer, then asks them to follow him inside Cold Stone Mountain. Teela and Dakkon voice their fears, and concern for Adam, but He-Man assures them of Adam’s escape and their own safety. Once inside the underground complex, they follow Sala-Man-Dor through a series of massive cavern chambers. There they come into a great hall where many Reptons have gathered. Some Reptons are armed, but many look like refugees, sick and weakened. At the front of the great hall is a throne where King Pythos sits. Kobra Kahn, clearly the main accuser of the outsiders, addresses the King first. “These outsiders have come to enslave more of our people, sire! We must make an example of them, to show the other Mammal Borns that we will not be captured like animal prey!” “So it’s true,” Teela asks. “Some one is hunting your people? Why didn’t you tell King Randor or Torgul?” Sala-Man-Dor answers, “Unfortunately yes, that much is true. The Hunters have plagued us for the past year, ever since news came that the Snake Men had been defeated at last. When Kahn returned to us, he said that Eternos and Targa were our enemies.” “Oberon would have helped you,” Dakkon insists, but Sala-Man-Dor tells him that emissaries were sent to Oberon and never returned. “You see! They are the ones who have persecuted us all!” Kahn yells, and others among the Reptons agree. “Yes," barks another Repton, "they hunt us thinking we are Snake Men criminals!” “But Kahn IS a Snake Man,” Teela protests, to which the other Reptons howl with anger. She tries to explain that he had served King Hsss, but no one would listen above the cries of “reptile hater.” “I don’t understand,” Dakkon interjects. “If you’re hiding from hunters, why live in a mountain with a lizards’ head on it?” “What you see here is all that remains of our once rich native culture,” says Pythos slowly, rising from his throne and approaching them. “This mountain is sacred stone to us. Blood was shed to keep it free for centuries. Cold Blood. Cold Stone. Tell me, Mammal Born. . . why have you come?” He-Man explains how Lizard Man came to them and how He-Man saved him from the Gargons. Lizard Man tries to recount his escape from the Slave Pits, but his memory is still very vague.

“You cannot trust this traitor,” Kahn screams, “He brought these humans upon us! They imprisoned me for my Repton heritage!” Sala-Man-Dor interjects, “Kahn was once a criminal even among us, Your Majesty. His extremist ideology has always been at odds with our own ways. The Eternians have never come to our valley before.” “Exactly!” Kahn bellows, “they’ve never cared about our well being before, yet now we should trust them?” “Pythos,” says He-Man, “I can’t change what wrongs you have already suffered. But I am here now. If you would have my help, I offer it. And I think I can speak for Eternos and Oberon on that matter as well.” He looks to Teela and Dakkon, who both nod in agreement. Pythos dwells on He-Man’s words before speaking. “We would be most grateful for any help to find our abducted countrymen. As for the one you call Lizard Man, we shall search for his family while our healers try to repair his memory.” “No!” yells Kahn. “You must not join with Eternos! You must not—“ “You have said enough, Kobra Kahn," says Pythos harshly. "Your family was once well-regarded, but your ways are not our ways. If you cannot live with my decree, you may return to the Snake Men in the prisons of Eternos.” Kahn’s hiss is low and menacing. “Sssso be it, old fool! Let the Reptonssss sssuffer and die for all I care!” He throws down a gas grenade and vanishes in the explosion. Suddenly the entire cavern quakes and a tremendous rumbling fills its space. A wall explodes and in pours hundreds of Gargons wielding their blades and nets. He-Man fights the Gargons, holding them back while the Reptons flee. Lizard Man and Dakkon try to help him, but the Gargons overpower them both. Teela and Battlecat keep Pythos safe, but the Gargons fill the cavern like flood water. “Protect your king,” Sala-Man-Dor yells to the Repton warriors trying to flee. “Or does a stranger hold Pythos in higher esteem than his own people?” The Reptons, encouraged by these words, attack the Gargons and for a moment the tide of battle shifts. The Gargons streaming into the cavern part for their leader, a magician with glowing eyes. He speaks strange alien words that cause the air around him to crackle and spark.

“Battlecat,” He-Man yells over the magical storm, “get Teela and the others to safety! Get them—" but his words are drowned out as the magician casts a shockwave of energy around him.

The Reptons and He-Man are all knocked down. Teela and Battlecat take cover with Sal and Pythos, but Dakkon is struck by the blast. Then the magical light fades and Teela looks up to see nothing but thousands of glowing Gargon eyes in the shadow and smoke. He-Man is gone, and dares not to call out for him and risk alerting the Gargons to her location. She sees Dakkon unconscious and with Sala-Man-Dor drags him out of the Gargons’ view. When she is unable to wake him, Pythos advises that she take him back to Oberon and seek help. He sends Sala-Man-Dor to help her, saying, “I know these caves well, my friends, and can elude any outsiders. I must stay with my people, or their hope will be lost.” Reluctantly, Teela agrees. Battlecat takes her up with Sala-Man-Dor and the unconscious Dakkon and bounds through the caverns. Sal directs them through the many passages until they reach the surface. “I hope we’re right to leave He-Man behind,” Teela says to herself. Back inside the cavern, the Gargons find He-Man unconscious and summon their leader to inspect him. The Magician frowns at the human. “Another sympathizer? Very well. Geldor will have use for him in the Arena. Take him to the Dungeons of Targa.”

To be continued.