Everflame 2 (FINISHED)

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

Tabby made a little nod, and what could have been a smile if it weren't for her constant twitches from the smell.
"Don't stress," she said. "He'll stay in his room or the cockpit." She turned and left, heading through the ship to the pantry where Asia leaned against the wall, munching on a foodpack that was taken from a box full in the corner.
"This stuff tastes like crap," he said, glancing up at her. She grinned and tapped his shoulder.
"Come on, we need your co-ordinates in the cockpit." She took his hand, pulling him along as he ate. He kept looking around, sighing at the walls.
"I haven't been in a ship in years," he mumbled. He stepped through into the cockpit. Howl was already there, looking wide eyed out the main screen to the surrounding trees. His phazing body seemed to drift and merge with the walls. Asia was sat down to the left at the navigation. "Now lemme see if I remember," he said, tapping in the numbers.





In the little closet, the vixen let a laugh escape her tight lips. "No, don't worry about that. By the time you get there, they would be long gone." She leaned forward, the light bulb flowing over her fringe, hiding her eyes. "We know where they're going, so we can... well you can intercept and stop them. Okay?" she said, lilting her voice, becoming light and effervescant, almost making the walls spread, becoming bigger and brighter.




"An agent will meet you, please stand by." The keyboard snapped out of existence, while the beacon shut down, losing its electric hum, leaving the birdcalls and wind to fill Annie's ears. The clouds moved fast, whipped by the wind across the sun, blocking its light like a screen, for just a moment. The bushes seem to rustle at the bottom of the hill, and from it, an ancient rabbit stepped out, with greying fur and creaking bones. The wind could have pushed him to the floor, if it weren't for his robotic legs. Slowly he began clambering up the hill, while the cloud drifted off, letting the light warm him.

[Chrono Blackwyng]

Chronin took a meditative breath, then kept his forearms level while turning his hands upward to raise the body off the ground. He 'carried' the food towards the kitchen, and got a switch blade so he could cut off the ligaments and put the meat into plastic containers before putting them in the fridge. There was little blood on his body as he had pre-cooked the meat before cutting it, leaving the skeleton and organs for the scrap as he put the remains in the bulk compactor along with the packages of food ration the rabbit had eaten earlier. He washed his hands and then went to the cell, cleaning out the smell of blood and burnt fur.

As Asia finished putting in the coordinates, Chrono was wiping his hands with a rag and wrapped his tail around his own waist. "So, whats your name sir rabbit?"

[KittKat chunky~]

Annie straightened up and smoothed out the creases in her skirt and jacket. She sighed and tied back her hair into its customary ponytail and waited, arms crossed and straight backed as she studied the surrounding forest. Continually she glanced down the slope to the solitary figure and waited as he made his slow way up to the summit of the hill.



-------------



The Mechanicus carrier continued to swim slowly through the ether, steel skin harbouring an entire community, engines thurmming and humming as they propelled it through space, and a constant stream of ships - all sizes and shapes- flitting in and out of its vast hangars. Set into the armoured prow the bridge bustled with crew and pilots, the nerve centre to a ship so large it could be considered alive.

A pilot, young and green with inexperience, strode across the breadth of the bridge. The captain glanced up and snapped his beak. He was an osprey of greying feathers, but with eyes that still shone fiercely as the pilot saluted hurriedly "Captain, latest report in. The Carszanians are requesting we leave their sector."

Captain Vadiik frowned and stood slowly "The Carszan government has never requested this before..." The pilot nodded, hands wringing "No they haven't. But a dispute between their fleet and the Galactic union has escalated quite ferociously. The Capital Sphere has been destroyed. They are at war!"

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

Asia sat back in the navigation chair, letting it creak. "Asia Kali," he said to the dragon. "You may have heard of me."





The elderly rabbit huffed as he trudged up the slope. "Are you the one lookin' for trouble?" he yelled up to Annie, stopping a minute to catch his breath, before climbing some more.

[Chrono Blackwyng]

Chronin's hair seemed to be on the verge of falling off with how relaxed it was. "Asia Kali!? Auntie told me that you helped spread the gift of Everflame! Oh, and she thinks I got my disregard for command from you... probably because the only records I got of you, were written during the incident you inadvertedly caused." He looked back at Tabby, then face-taloned before wrapping his claws around her ears. "I guess that would explain why you look old enough to be 'Kitten's adoptive father, I mean you really can't be her genetic father since her ears are triangle shaped-" The moment "Kitten" bit Chronin's hand, he lifted her head up to show her upper jaw. "Shes also missing the front incisors and fluffy cotton tail!" The next instant Tabby kicked his knee out and he ended up putting her down as well as getting on that knee. "Whats wrong with you, I made sure that my grip was gentle and my claws were relaxed!"

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

Asia looked down to Tabby, then glanced to the dragon. "Tabs, are you okay?" His voice was calm, though a little raised.
"I'm fine." said Tabby, as she got to her feet, glaring at the dragon.
"You know how I feel about this, dont you?" He put out his arm to her, never taking his eyes off the dragon. The cat nodded, and took his arm, helping him out of the chair, before heading out of the cockpit, through the ship and over to the airlock. Howl looked from the dragon to the rabbit, back and forth, his swaying essence drifting from his body like a cloud.
"Asia what are you doing?" he said, exasperated.
"Getting off this ship." He looked back to the wolf with a little smile. "You've got the destination, and him to keep you company, it'll be fine." Howl looked to Chronin, desperation in his eyes.
"What have you done?" said the wolf to the dragon.

[KittKat chunky~]

Annie grinned and shouted back down the hill "As always!" She waited patiently, glad to have a moment peace and rest amid the snowballing avalanche of events that often became her life. The wind picked up and whipped her hair.
She waited.



-------


Tess stirred, yawning and curling her toes sumptuously under the sheets.  She opened bleary eyes and glanced around the room. Cast in murky twilight the rough shape of RUST-E sat silent in one corner, a workbench and chest of drawers in the other. None of these caught her eye however, because in the centre of her view slept Blaze. His hair was tousled and his fur unkempt. But now ,deep asleep, he looked calm and peaceful. Most unlike himself.

One of his arms lay around Tess' waist under the bedspread and the warmth of his body, pressed close to hers, felt better than any heated blanket. She sighed and burrowed down into the warmth of the bed, only to groan loudly. The alarm in her room was set to go off at 8AM and a quick glance across at Blaze's alarm (obviously never set to anything earlier than ten in the morning) told her it was 7:58. She sighed again and moved closer to Blaze. Hopefully Reggie didn't mind early mornings...



-------


Captain Vladiik pressed fingers to temples and sighed. His beak snapped loudly and he stood up from his seat. He clapped the nearest pilot on the shoulder, eyes fierce "Get me a secure channel. It seems politics and idle talk can only go so far. If any Carszan ships jump into our vicinity warn them that we are armed, and protected by the Galactic union..." The pilot nodded and turned back to his screen as Vladiik returned to massaging his forehead. 

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

The elderly rabbit huffed a laughed among his heavy breaths, as he climbed the slope, until finslally reaching the top, holding his knees and gulping air. He reached into his old, scuffed jacket, pulling out a clear plastic box filled with little capsules that rattled against the walls. He pressed the box between his palms, and looked up at the vixen.
"You know," he said. His voice still fluctuated in his heaving lungs. "Only idiots and criminals come looking for Krade. Which one are you?" He glanced into her eyes, with his own that seemed empty. "Why did you come here?"





Reggie stared at the dark and unfamiliar ceiling, laying back in a bed too small for him. His face was drawn and his eyes seemed to sag. The only sound was of his own breathing, slow and mechanical in its daily toil. The alarm shrieked and broke his breath. The light flickered on, blinding him, so he closed his eyes, and shuffled to his feet, stumbling without sight for the clock. His hand fumbled over the bedside table, then over the wall with the clock set into it. He could feel the display under his fingers, and  his eyes opened a crack, examining it.
"How do you turn this thing off?" he murmured, patting the display, then the wall around it. The shriek dug into his head, and he lowered his ears away. "For God's sake, shut up," he said, his deep voice turning to growl. "Off!" And at last, the room was silent. He let out a sigh, and shook his head as he grabbed his clothes and dressed himself in the only clothes he had. His new pass card was still in his pocket, as well as his datapad, but nothing else. After stepping out, Reggie knocked on Blaze's door, just a few times.

[Chrono Blackwyng]

Chronin waved Asia off, then got up and ushered Howl into his room before standing at ease. "I am assuming from the 'what have you done?', that you want me to take a man well past his prime, to a location where we might encounter beings of my mother's caliber and higher? Like he said, all I asked for was the coordinates, after that, he was on the verge of becoming a liability. Be he the real Asia Kali or not, he has nothing on his person or in his body that would overlook his advanced age. Now, if you want me to bring him along, it will be your responsibility to tell Tabby or Afgha you insisted on having Asia come along. Are we clear, Howl?"

[KittKat chunky~]

Annie stared down at the rabbit and narrowed her eyes, if only slightly "I think you will find I am neither Idiot nor criminal. As for why I am here?" She glanced out at distant treetops that swayed slowly in the wind "I need her to repay a favour."


---


Blaze stirred at the brief knocking and mumbled sleepily "Five more minutes..." He rolled over and his words where lost in the mass of the pillow. Tess rolled her eyes, in the galactic-standard expression of exasperation, and pulled back the covers. She clambered over Blaze and slipped barefoot onto the mess that was his bedroom floor. Clothes lay scattered, Engineer overalls beside Explorator fatigues in a tangled mess. And so the next couple of minutes was spent zipping up on and pulling on in an attempt at decency.

The door opened with a hiss and was caught before it could open fully. The mechanics whined for a moment in protest, and then complied, staying half-opened. Tess glanced up and flicked her bangs aside. She smiled and spoke in a hushed tone "He's still asleep, if that's who your looking for."



---


"I am sorry it lead to this Captain. We at Carszen do benefit from your trade, and the services your people provide. But times are different. The galactic union is weak and it is time for the underdogs to take their rightful place." The image of a fox in drab blue fatigues crackled but stayed in view on the screen. Captain Vladiik frowned and tapped a clawed finger on the arm of his chair.

"Chestov. My friend, you cannot be serious?" The fox frowned even deeper than Vladiik. His head shook briefly and he cleared his throat "You forget to use my honourific. But I can let that small slip of decorum go, you are obviously under stress. But I am serious, do not doubt that. And from this moment we can no longer be friends. Choose your place Captain, my ships will arrive in twenty four hours. You have until then to leave Carszenian space..."
The transmission ended.

[tangletail]

Leo stared at the Vixen that sat so erily infront of him now. He now could only wish to get up and leave but something forbided him to, it wasn't that he felt that he no longer had a choice, it was the fact that he was going to be used. For the longest time he sat there silent and unmoveing, only that edgy bounceing of his right leg showed that he was still in reality. For a moment he had a twitch of a lip as if he was going to speak but kept his mouth closed. Shortly he gained the courage after thinking this out and let out a regretful sigh "Okay." he responded at last, hopeing he didnt seal his fate.

=====

The female feline now turned around and began walking slowly back to the camp thinking to herself for a minute as to how they were going to leave, paying no attention to the passengers who just left the ship. Slowly raiseing a single hand to tap her radio and spoke into it.
"This is Captain, looks like were on our own for now boys. See if you can find hopefully a still working ship in that larger one."
And with that she flicked the switch on the box before she continued on her way.

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

Howl stood uneasy, his ethereal body shifted from side to side, as though trapped in a breeze. "Alright," he said, nodding with begrudging eyes. "If you know how to break into a highly secured area and steal something like that, then go ahead. But if you don't and we fail; you're responsible for the consequences." He breathed a sigh, sending little motes of colour through his lips. "Let's get going."




The old rabbit coughed his laugh, heaving spit onto the floor. He grabbed his ear to wipe his mouth. "So you know her, do you?" He stepped closer to Annie, his head stooped, looking up at her. "So what's the favour?"




Reggie gave an apolagetic shrug, and shook his head. "No, I just cam to say that your alarm clock went off; In case you need to wake up early." He tried to glance into the room but stopped, giving a brief smile, before heading away to the showers.




The vixen's smile was soft and controlled, never going too wide, yet big enough to notice. She stood up and motioned for Leo to do the same, before the door opened, and she headed out, occasionally looking back to make sure he was still with her.
"You're doing a great service to us all. RIght now we need every bit of help."

[Chrono Blackwyng]

Chrono had a rather pathetic smile as he walked out into the hall, that all too familiar depression setting in. "If its one thing I'm good at, its destruction and breaking into compounds. Just wish I could turn that part off for at least a day..." He went over to the cockpit and started the launch sequence, then got in the seat and put the armrests up so he could get in the meditative stance again.

[KittKat chunky~]

For the first time in their brief conversation Annie stared down at the rabbit with condescending disdain "That is a matter I can only talk to Krade herself. My business is with her alone." The disdain cleared, as did her furrowed brow, and she sighed "I assume you are to take me to her?"



====



It was Tess' turn to shrug as she smiled buoyantly "No, I just prefer to wake early. My work shift doesn't start for several hours yet." She glanced over her shoulder, following Reggie's own curious gaze and then back again. A sly grin tugged the corners of her mouth "Breakfast starts serving in an hour... And the showers are communal by the way, so don't expect much privacy." She winked as Reggie walked away.

Blaze mumbled as Tess sat down on the edge of the mattress. She leant in close and bit his ear playfully. He merely groaned and attempted to push her away, mumbling incoherently. Tess sighed and rolled her eyes again "I'm going to go shower. Hopefully you'l be more awake when I'm back..." She kissed him and pulled on her boots. Blaze merely pulled the covers over his head and snored loudly.

[Asia Kali Yusufzai]

"Well, if it works, then good," said Howl, and stood behind Chronin's chair. The screens  flew from menu to menu, as the launch procedure fell into progress, and the ship began to lift from the ground, while the whole craft hummed and sang in violent chorus. Then the main engines fired up, and they shot through the atmosphere.




Entaru's ship stopped out in space, near a small solar system of three planets. The closest rock had a green coating of plant life, and a small craft rocketed out from the surface.




The old rabbit picked his ear, and looked at Annie with heavy lidded eyes. "There's no need to get huffy, girl. Come on." He opened his other hand, and on his palm was the little plastic container. It clicked open, and two capsules tumbled out. "Take these." he said, offering them to her."




Reggie showered away from anyone else. Not by choice, as others moved away from the giant muscled fox., passing hushed whispers and stares around, hidden in the hiss of the water.
"He's dangerous you know," he heard. "Attacked people yesterday, and the day before." Reggie was silent, suppressing his growls while they kept their distance.