Hawkworld #3 (1989)

Byth Rok has inherited Thal's position as Administrator of Protection. A lizard like creature named Hommy does another transaction with Jarl, Byth's liaison for the Downside. Jarl inquires about Hommy's boss who has been stocking up on weapons and moving goods. Hommy uses his tongue to wrap around Jarl's throat and threatens Jarl to stay out of his employer's business. Jarl takes his payment and walks off. A wingwoman observed the transaction. She allowed Jarl to walk but she follows Hommy back to his base of operations. Hommy reports to Katar who has taken on the alias Mr. Shadow Man. Katar tells his man Klynt to check the case that Hommy brought for trackers before bringing it downstairs. The wingwoman that followed Hommy tells Katar to surrender the case. Katar tells his men to leave him alone with the wingwoman. Katar tells the wingwoman that he is aware of her reputation of being the only non-corrupt wingman in the Downside. He gives her the case and asks her to follow him downstairs. Katar shows the wingwoman that the downstairs is a grand scale medical operation. His chief physician D'Shar required medications to treat a woman named Treska who had just given birth to a baby called Nightshade. Treska's breast milk was ineffective in nursing Nightshade due to malnutrition which turned into a parasitic infection but the medications in the case will help Treska. The wingwoman surrenders the case of medications to D'Shar and Katar escorts the wingwoman out. The wingwoman tells Katar to keep his business strictly medicinal because she intends to stop the gun running in the Downside once and for all. Jarl informs Byth that he couldn't get a name out of Hommy about who his employer is. Jarl fears that Katar's alias is gaining a lot of respect and prestige because he is giving the people of Downside hope just like Paran Hol. Byth pays no mind to Jarl's concerns because he has become mentally unhinged by the Krotan drug which alters the host's cellular physiology after prolonged use. Byth's body has reached its full potential by being in absolute control. His ability to mold and reshape his body into anything is only limited by his imagination. Hommy does another run to buy goods but he comes under attack by a gang called Raider-Boys who are led by a snake like creature Bladebat. Katar defends Hommy from Bladebat and his gang but they flee when the wingwoman appears. The wingwoman tells Katar that she did some digging around and has deduced that Byth is the real culprit behind the gun running in the Downside for the last decade. The wingwoman also tells Katar that they have met before. She removes her helmet and her face bares an almost striking resemblance to Shayera Thal. The wingwoman was the young squeaker who was being held hostage by Shindat Crespa. After the incident and the death of the original Shayera Thal, Administrator Thal adopted the squeaker as his own. Administrator Thal names the squeaker after his daughter. The squeaker inherited Thal's prestige and holdings when he died. The squeaker gives Katar a pair of anti-gravity wings like hers so he can exact his revenge on Byth. Katar surprises a wingman and takes his armor. Katar then attacks Byth while he was lounging in his chambers. Byth engages Katar by using his metamorphic abilities. At first, Byth's unusual reflexes gave him the edge over Katar's keen fighting skills until Katar firebombed Byth. The intense heat caused Byth to writhe in agony. His metamorphic abilities slowed to a crawl but Byth didn't died. Katar was about to deliver a fatal blow when the squeaker interrupts. She tells Katar to spare Byth so he can suffer for his crimes against Thanagar. The evidence she has gathered and her interrogation on Jarl is more than enough to condemn Byth. Byth uses this moment to metamorph into a bat like creature and flies off. Katar's titles, holdings and rank are restored by the High Mor. The High Mor offers Katar the chance to become a commander but he chooses to be a captain and the squeaker is promoted to the rank of commander. Katar uses his political pull to start a Commission of Alien Affairs which will address the living conditions of the Downsiders and push for immediate improvements. The Office of Communication has stated that Byth was last seen heading toward Earth but 240 of Byth's co-conspirators have been arrested. Katar has accepted the squeaker as his partner and calls her Shayera. Shayera and Katar intend to travel to Earth in order to apprehend Byth.