Everflame (Finished)

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Korius shook his head as Howl turned to leave. "No, you don't have to. We're still a day and a half away from Serras Draconis via jump. However, after you check on him, I'd like you to get back in here and watch the Nav computer and the scanners. I'm going to try to analyze the photage from earlier and find out what the hell killed all those unarmed ships."

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

"Yeah that sounds like a good idea," said Howl as he walked over to Korius, looming over his chair. The images came up, showing the destruction. "It's incredible. Something big must have made this."

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

Tina shot a glare at Annie, staring fiercely.
"The same boat? No... no we bloody are not!" She pushed Annie away, screaming at her. "You and all your friends are gonna be fine, but mine aren't! They're all gonna die, how the hell is that the same boat? Now get away from me, or help me save them." She turned back to the wall, running her hands over the steel panels trying to find weaknesses over its smooth surface.

[KittKat chunky~]

Annie stumbled back, and if Kitt hadnt been behind her, would have fallen over altogether.... Standing straight again she watched as Tina searched the steel panelling, Kitt turned away, muttering about a lost cause... Annie however stayed where she stood, she looked over the group of marines, what Tina had said was right... they where her only friends really, she tried to imagine just how it would feel to know all of them where going to die... Kate, Jake, Kitt....

Annie walked up beside Tina, and put one long fox ear to the wall, she nocked against the steel and listened to the sound it made... bushy tail flicking she moved along to the next section of paneling, closer to the doorway... she whispered under her breath, just loud enough for Tina to hear alone...."I'l do whatever i can to find them Tina, they saved me, and i owe them...."

The other marines paid no attention to Annie, only Kitt, and Kate watched her, unbelieving and intrigued....

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

Tina looked to Annie, smiling, tearing up. She paused for a second, looking at her feet, and shaking her head. Once her head was cleared, she ran her paw across the wall, finding a little crack between wall panels. Her manner picked up, examining the gap, putting her face near.
"There's a..." a smile burst across her as she started pulling at the crack, yanking at the wall panel. "There's a draft here."

[KittKat chunky~]

Annie moved over beside Tina, and started to pull at the edge of the wall panel... whoever had built the ship obviously knew what they where doing, for the panel budged slightly, and then wouldn't move not matter how hard the two pulled... Just as Annie was about to give up and let go, Kate stepped up beside the two....
"To hell with this, if you're trying to save your friends, i reckon i'm gonna help..."
She gripped the edge of the panel as well, and pulled with the other two... a few seconds later they where joined by Kitt after Annie shot him a glare over her shoulder....
"One.... two... three.... pull!"
With all three fully trained marines pulling at the panel as well, it was only a matter of time until something budged..... The whole panel shuddered, and then prised away from the wall with a dull groan.... The other marines couldnt help but notice somthing was going on, most had stood up to get a look, while other had taken several steps towards them, wondering whether there was any way they could pitch in....

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Korius ran through all the footage for half a day, going through references with as many databases as he could connect to. He ended up falling asleep after about 8 hours, on top of the console. Vee continued on course, the panels all shut off before he collapsed onto them.

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

The wall panel revealed the only vent shaft in the room. Tina immediately crawled half way in.
"Darn... this is tight." She pushed herself back out and sat outside, biting her nails in thought. She looked up at the others. "Thanks for that. It'll be hard for most of you to fit, so you can just... you know... stay here. They'll let you free eventually, you've done nothing wrong. No point risking your life for criminals, eh?" She sighed, and turned back to vent, looking down its shadowed passage. "The rest of this is on me. I can do it," she smiled.





On Vee, Howl blinked hard, rubbing his face and yawning as he trudged back to his room. After a long, slow sigh, he felt the cold emptiness of the everflame's withdrawal. It was harder when he was alone, like a shovel digging at his guts. He pulled off his clothes, climbed into bed and pulled the quilt tight around him, closing his eyes to focus on the physical warmth, over the emotional icicles in the pit of his stomach.

[KittKat chunky~]

Annie shoved her upper body into the shaft, it was a tight squeeze even for her... it seemed sometimes having a good upper body muscle structure was not always preferable.... She pulled back out and looked Tina up and down.... Even for her it was gonna be tight....
"Hey, I would risk my life for you.... its just I reckon your the only person who would be able to get in that vent without getting stuck..."
behind her Kitt frowned at the mention of Annie risking her life for Tina, he stopped frowning very quickly when Kate elbowed him in the ribs...
"Owch!.. I mean, yeah... we'd help if we could.... but, erm... good luck, n' all..."
Kate saluted proudly, ignoring Kitt's reluctance....
"You'd make even a marine proud with that bravery Tina... When we all get out of this you could join up as luitenant any day..." She winked, smiling for the first time in a while....

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

Tina coughed out a little laugh.
"Thanks, but I'm not the military type. Too many rules," she said with a smile before looking back through the vent. "You'd best cover the vent once I'm in, just in case some one checks on you." She stood, collecting herself. "Thanks for this, and wish me luck." She still had her smile but her body didn't agree, dragged down in her endless thoughts. She climbed into the vent and pulled herself down its passage. Her body rubbed against the sides, echoing down the vent, but once the panel was pushed back on, the room was fully soundproof.

A few hours later, someone started banging on the door, before pulling it open with a screech as it dragged on the floor. It was the two guards again.
"Right, lights out, get to sleep you bunch of trash," said the bird.
"Wait a minute," said the larger guard with no tail. "Where's that girl gone? The cat."

[KittKat chunky~]

The couple of marines who even bothered to look up feigned extreme uninterest... Kate looked over at the guards from where she sat, near the door beside Kitt and Annie, and shrugged lazily...
"Dunno who you mean... Me n' Kitt are the only Felines... and Annie is the only other girl too..."
She yawned, reaching lazily behind her back as if stretching...
"I mean, I think we'd know if you'd dropped someone off... its not like we got anything else to do in here..."

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

When he woke, Howl was gripping the sheets for dear life. He soon came to his senses and got ready for another jumpday. Putting on his clothes, he walked through the ship to the cockpit, finding Korius passed out.
"Hey, Korius," he nudged him slightly. "Wake up."

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

Just as he finished speaking, the ship began to chime signifying the imminent end of the jump. Howl stumbled as the ship lurched into normal space, three thousand kilometres from the largest GA fleet in the galaxy.
"Oh my God, there's so many!"

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Korius stirred and pointed the M500 at Howl out of reflex and groaned as he realized who it was. "Oh, it's you. Try to just use the mic next time. I'm usually on high alert all the time because of my profession, you feelin' me?" He holstered the giant gun and rubbed his face a little. "So what did you want? We have at least another hour before we reach our destination."

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

"An hour? I dont think so, I mean, what are we gonna do about all those ships? I should go wake people up." Howl jogged off down through the ship, undoing the straps on the other two passengers. Tabby lay there for a while, rolling and smelling your bed. Asia accessed the comms.
"Korius, we there yet? Howl says there's an armada outside. I should come over there, I'll point you where to go." He turned off the comms and jogged to the cockpit. "So what's the situation?" Seeing the fleet outside, he started stroking his ears. "Geez, that's a lot... and I think the science facility is right below them.






Over on the GA Demolition, the large guard turned to the female bird.
"Watch them," he said. She quickly grabbed her rifle, holding it up at them. The large one walked over to the vent and kicked it's wall covering. it came loose, showing the open vent behind. "She's escaped!"