((OK so I was trolling around on Deviantart at some SWAT Kat art. Not remembering now whose. Anyway.
Someone had their original SWAT Kats character, and one comment threw me into near apoplexy:
"I don't know who these people are, but furries are always awesome."
Furries. FURRIES. ARGH. (And please don't accuse me of bad mouthing furry lovers, because I have furry OCs and have text based RPd them doing exactly what I'm about to complain about.)
I adore the SWAT Kats, and I yearn and hope there is a movie or a new cartoon or an official comic or a -something- coming soon. However I dread it as well because FURRIES WAS BARELY A THING IN THE NINETIES. If I'm correct they started doing some things about fur characters at cons in the mid eighties, but it wasn't a widespread popular internet 'thing' yet that I am aware of. Now it's known. It's everywhere and fur characters are always considered furries.
But furries are not the same as my SWAT Kats! With furries it's all *purr purr sexy tail swish swishy throat nip sexy* Let's marry a sexy leopard and a sexy rabbit-fox hybrid! Quick let's have furry babies! ! I can't just be an awesome anthropomorphic cat character with a rocking plot line and lots of explosions and amazingly, a jet AND cool music. I AM FOREVER A HYPERSEXUALIZED FURRY BECAUSE FURRIES ARE A SEXY THING NOW! YIFF YIFF!
And I fear the influence of furrydom on my favorite butt kicking kitty people. Forgive my rant. I do not want to marginalize anybody's furry love. But the SWAT Kats are NOT furries, they're totally more awesomer! … ARGH. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. IT REALLY BOTHERS ME.))
((I do not own SWAT Kats. I am not profiting from this fanfic in any way shape or form, other than my own amusement and the amusement of others. Credit to where it is due to the Dropkick Murphys))
When the insides of the volcano started to fall in, he roared "FELINA! HOLD ON!" at the top of his lungs. It wasn't enough to be heard; and then there was nothing left to hold on to.
The dirt fall seems all the louder as it continues funneling down the shaft through the rock. She clings to the stair railing and gets one glimpse of two helmet lights shining on the rock wall of the cavern shaft, then the dirt hits them and they're tumbling down. They wink out but not before just enough light reflects to illuminate the metal stair she's clinging to being torn from the rock. The surface under her feet bucks as the struts separate, something punches her in the gut and she's tossed away into free air, until the dirt grasps her. Despite the ache in her gut she is windmilling her legs wildly to stay above the surface but the dirt fall sucks her under, and from then on she's unsure which direction is up. Reflexively she tries to pull her limbs in, but the avalanche has her and she's taken where it will.
Something is pushing on her face so she turns her head a tiny bit, and there's a rush of soil around her head. She tries to take a breath, but inhales dirt. Desperately she fights against the pressures pushing her down, somehow turns her head a little and gets a half breath of dust filled, too-warm air.
"Lieutenant!" Scraping noises echo faintly nearby.
She opens her mouth to scream and the soft sand and dirt moves in to steal the precious last half-breath of air. She chokes as her mouth fills. Gagging, she tries to push her hands to her face, but she can't pull them against the pressures pinning them down.
Air, need air, got to get air!
This is not happening. This is not how I'm going to die! ...Is it?
The scraping noises halted a moment and then, "There!" shouts a voice. Dust falls even more heavily into her face. A dull roaring is in her ears and she can feel herself blacking out.
Then bright light breaks through and a hand touches her face. "Here, get her head," says a deep voice as the hand scoops back under her neck and lifts it up while other gentle hands are pushing the dirt away from her head. Face free from the soil, she gags out a mouthful of dirt, takes a welcome breath of clean air and chokes again, with the bitter dirt taste still on her tongue. The familiar shape of an oxygen mask from a g-suit is fitted over her mouth. She alternates between hacking coughs and shuddering breaths. Soil trickles down around her cheeks as hands brush it away to expose her ears and neck.
"Lieutenant, can you hear me?" T-Bone asks, with alarm in his voice. Felina's eyes crack open, and she winces as the lids fill with dirt. She makes a disgusted noise and tries to shake her head to try to get the dirt out. Earth crumbles fall around her and her ears are full of soft soil.
"Hold on, " T-Bone says, and something wet is gently drawn over her eyes to move the worst of the dirt away. She opens her eyes and sees T-Bone hovering over her, wet gauze in one hand and the other scooped behind her neck, with gravity holding the mask from his g-suit over her face. Razor is only a foot or two away clawing through the dirt. "...Hey…. feel like a mountain fell on me," she jokes weakly.
T-Bone chuckles with relief in his voice. "Kind of because one did. Can you move?" he asks.
She nods. "Think so... Yeah. I can wriggle my toes and everything. Woot woot."
Razor snorts back a laugh. "Well that's good news, because we're probably going to have to do some climbing to get out of here," he says, dirt flying. The dust in the air is oppressive and T-Bone stifles a hacking cough with his arm. He tucks the gauze in a pocket before starting to dig at Felina's shoulders and head again cautiously. Dirt shifts at round her face and she squints her eyes closed again.
At least the serial explosions and the thundering had ended but there was still a light trickling noise, like water flowing. She opens one eye and glances around, seeing that she's practically doing a hand stand, on her back in a mountain of very soft dirt. Far overhead she can see the rock shaft above the cavern wall, where they'd been clinging to the metal stairs and railing when the explosion happened. The pile of earth towered upwards to the shafts very mouth, and the high ceilinged cavern they were now occupying had a new floor of dirt through most of it. The cavern was pitch black outside of the range of light from the SWAT Kats helmets.
T-Bone is trying to excavate around her head carefully but little trickles are moving downwards and around all the time. He shakes his head and takes the oxygen mask off, moving away. Brighter light from the headlight of the cyclotron shines her way. He returns with what appears to be a piece of tarp, and is tucking it in around Felina's shoulders and face, and then tents it over her head. "Hopefully this'll keep the whole pile from rolling into your eyes again, Lieutenant," he says. She can feel him clawing at the dirt pinning her shoulders. Razor is a couple feet higher up in the pile, trying to pull the dirt off to the side to keep it from pouring downwards again. "This is pretty shifty stuff, T-Bone," he says, his foot sinking to the ankle.
"Yeah I think…. Maybe we can tug her out, if we're careful?" he says, glancing at the trickles of dirt with uncertain eyes. Razor glances up at the tons of dirt that had tumbled through the shaft.
"Maybe. I would try digging some deeper though," Razor replies, and starts in with renewed strength.
Felina coughs again under the tarp, and T-Bone quickly shifts it to put the mask over her face again. "T-Bone, I'm fine."
"Just let Ol' T-Bone fuss, alright Lieutenant? It's got to be dusty down in that hole," he says, muffled a little. Felina shivers, staring up at the tarp.
The two SWAT Kats work doggedly for several minutes, and T-Bone pauses. "Hey, found your arm Lieutenant," he says, happy as a kitten at an Easter egg hunt, and grabs her hand. "...Lieutenant?" he calls when she doesn't immediately answer.
"My stomach hurts," she comments, sort of puzzled sounding. T-Bone pulls the tarp back again and eyes her appraisingly. She's pale, and starting to sweat. "Crud. Come on Razor, we don't got time to keep digging," T-Bone says with worry and he burrows his arms under her armpits and tries to tug. He meets resistance and Felina's eyes fly open.
"Ow, ow OW! The hell are you doing?!" she exclaims, glancing at him and markedly more awake. "T-Bone, don't. We don't know how she's hurt yet." Razor slides down the pile a foot and starts digging at her chest. "I think we're almost…"
A low rumble starts up high above them and T-Bone's eyes widen. A cloud of dust is roaring downwards.
"CRUD!" the SWAT Kats shout, and T-Bone throws the tarp over Felina's head just as they're both swept under. Razor has just enough time to sweep his oxygen mask to his face before he's swept away. He claws frantically for purchase in the dirt but winds up curled into a ball, encased with soft soil.
He tries flailing out but his hands are effectively pinned, at least somewhat. That, and he's entirely disoriented. However something from survival training comes to him and he spits. Gravity pulls the saliva back to smack him in the cheek, and he knows to begin digging upwards. A couple handfuls of dirt and a hand breaks through, a minute more and he is looking around. More dirt has filled the chamber, but the shaft is still blocked. The Cyclotron has been knocked over and shoved ten feet along but seemingly unharmed. There's no sign of his partner or Felina Feral.
"T-BONE?!" Razor shouts, as he's fighting his way out of the soil. The radio crackles, static covering the transmission, but Razor also hears a muffled call. He hurries towards it and spots motion in the soil. Digging frantically in the moving area finds the tarp. More digging and he pulls it back, and T-Bone squints at him, hacking up dust balls. He has Felina wrapped tightly in his arms, with his hand holding the oxygen mask over her face. "T-Bone, are you alright?" Razor asks, relief all over his face.
"Yeah, yeah just help me get the Lieutenant out of here, Sureshot," T-Bone growls, starting to hack again.
"Is it over?" Felina mumbles into the mask, inching one eye open. "Yeah….." T-Bone glances up, the light on his helmet disappearing into the darkness above. "...let's get you out of here before that happens again. This cavern's gonna fill up at this rate."
"That may not be a bad thing, buddy, if we can just stay above it," Razor replies, digging carefully. The dirt fall had pushed them farther out towards the side of the chamber, instead of precariously below the fall. There wasn't any more dirt filling in to slow them down, so between T-Bone and Razor they were mostly out within a couple minutes. T-Bone gently reaches to help Felina up, then freezes. "Razor. Where's the blood coming from?" he whispers, eyes wide.
"Am I bleeding?" Felina asks in surprise. "Oh. I thought I felt wet. I honestly thought I pissed myself or something."
Razor stares a moment, says a filthy word and suddenly takes off towards the Cyclotron.
T-Bone gives her an odd look then moves sit in the dirt beside her. "Just relax a bit, alright?" He scoots over and slips an arm below her shoulders to support her. "You can't tell me you're all that surprised you're hurt. You're letting me rescue you," he teases. "So you must feel like crud."
She shrugs minutely. "I'll put up with a rescue today... my gut really does hurt. How much blood are we talking?" she asks, lifting her head. T-Bone takes his fingers under her chin and tilts it back the other way.
"It's not that much," he says calmly, and she eyes him. "You're a liar," she accuses and jerks her chin away. He yanks at the tarp so it blocks her view and scowls at her. "Lieutenant, don't look," he says sharply.
"Dammit, T-Bone! I'm not a kitten!" Angrily she begins to grab at the tarp. Anticipating her move the tom grabs both her wrists with one big hand and the arm beneath her pulls her close against himself, clamping her shoulders against her sides. She finds herself unable to pull away from his strong grip and Felina pales, not from pain but from livid anger. "Don't even-" she snarls, starting to curl her torso to knee him in the side, but a flash of pain at the movement chokes the words out of her.
Kats alive, it feels like something's stirring a stick in my insides.
T-Bone immediately he lets go of her wrists and carefully adjusts her to lay back a bit, still in his arms. A hand brushes the hair back away from her face and she hears T-Bone sigh. "How are you still an Enforcer when you don't listen?" he asks frustratedly.
She takes a gulping breath and it takes a moment for her to stop trembling and her eyes to focus on him, and then she clears her throat. "Crud…. that really hurts. And the answer is I don't listen, but if Uncle kicked me off the force Dad would never speak to him again," she replies with a smirk.
"Why am I not surprised at that?" he asks. "Just choose to let us help you then, so I don't have to tell you to do stuff you won't do. Razor went to get the medkit and we got pain stuff so..."
"Don't. I'm fine now... It's passed. But I still want to see," she adds.
T-Bone tugs the tarp back up and Felina snorts. "Bossy jerk."
"Stubborn she-Kat," he replies.
Before she can retort back they're interrupted as Razor returns with a small bag with a cross on it.
"Alright I got the med kit," Razor says hurriedly, and T-Bone cranes his neck over the tarp. Razor crouches down and she hears him unzip it, starting to pull items out she supposed by the crackling sound, but the stupid tarp is doing its job. "Lieutenant, I've got to cut into your uniform," says Razor's disembodied voice, and there are ripping noises. "... Hey, you're getting a little personal there!" Felina says suddenly, trying to shift away from the hands she feels at her abdomen. A nausea inducing flow of pain ripples through her torso and she promptly vomits all over T-Bone's chest.
T-Bone flinches but doesn't pull away, he just shifts her a little so her head is not quite pointing straight towards him.
"...she just upchucked didn't she?" Razor says, and peers over at them. "Oh oh... Sorry buddy. Sorry Lieutenant..."
She gags again as another wave of pain spirals through her but nothing comes up this time. By the amount plastering T-Bone, there couldn't be much left. She takes a breath and glances at Razor. "Whatever you're doing, just get it done okay?"
"Okay just... Try to breathe through it," Razor responds and disappears from her view again.
Felina glances up at T-Bone and makes an apologetic grin. "I am sooooo sorry..."
"Hey, don't worry about it," T-Bone says with a shrug that jostles her and she hisses back a yelp. The stabbing pressure at her belly is still there, but Razor must be being more cautious.
"Oh yeah, like you're okay with it. Besides, you throw it up, you clean it up."
"That's in the cockpit," T-Bone replies, grinning at her. "I won't make you scrub it this time. Here, look, it's fine," he adds, and grabs a couple handfuls of dirt and uses them to scrub himself down. It makes his g-suit dirtier if that's possible, but it at least scours the wet vomit away. "Razor we got any more water?" he calls. "Yeah, here, catch…." A half empty plastic bottle flies up and T-Bone plucks it out of mid-air. "Don't swallow this, alright?" he cautions her, awkwardly removing the cap since he's still got one arm under her body. "Just rinse and spit."
She rolls her eyes, yanks the bottle out of his hand, and eyes the red blood smear on the plastic. But she doesn't say anything and takes a sip, spitting the water away from the poor SWAT Kat this time. Her whole body jostles and she grits her teeth, emitting a hiss of pain as Razors hands press down on something that really hurts.
When it lets up she gulps a breath, eyes closed. Reflexively she had crushed the bottle in her hands and water spilled everywhere. The bottle is taken out of her grip and she threads her hands through a strap on T-Bone's shoulder harness instead. It gives her something to cling on and T-Bone doesn't complain.
Something wet touches her ear; he's trying to wipe the dirt out with some wet gauze. It's a tender, too intimate act and she wonders to herself why she doesn't stop him. Then she gags as another wave of nausea ripples up and T-Bone hurriedly moves to support her head as she brings up some green bile.
"...Razor, the hell are you doing?" she asks, irritated. "Almost done, Lieutenant," Razor replies, and she winces at another stabbing pain into her belly. "Whatever…." she reaches up to her head, and frowns. "Lost my helmet?"
"Yeah it's under that pile somewhere. Good thing you got such a hard head," T-Bone quips. He offers her another sip from the abused bottle. She swishes obediently, before spitting again. And takes the cap from him, twisting it closed.
"Oh hah hah…. that means I lost my radio though."
"Well we don't have any better reception down here than we did earlier in the laboratory," Razor replies, peeking over the tarp at her. He glances at T-Bone a moment and then is out of sight again. "Dark Kat's either got this place really well shielded, or we're just that deep. I'm not sure which is which."
She shakes her head. "I can't believe Dark Crud got away again," she says frustratedly.
"Yeah par for the course, isn't it?" Razor replies.
T-Bone growls low in his throat. "How many times is it gonna take us to nail that psycho? I really thought we had him Lieutenant, when you chucked that creepling into his lab setup."
"Yeah... It was great seeing him that enraged. 'Noooooooooo!'" she mocks, with a smile.
"You always have had great timing, Lieutenant. Still, can't be surprised that he had the place wired to blow, or that he had a self destruct button on him," Razor comments.
"Aaaah, we shoulda went after him when he ducked down that tunnel, instead of trying to get out when the place started rumbling," T-Bone grumbles.
"Well... Hindsight is 20/20 isn't it. Besides..." There's silence for a moment then Razor starts to gag, and he gets hurriedly to his feet.
"You alright?" Felina asks, wondering at T-Bone's grim expression.
He walks away a second, his forearm over his muzzle and after a moment he nods. "Oh yeah. You know. Hairball. Dust and hair balls." He takes a couple breaths and returns, giving T-Bone a significant glance before crouching down again.
Felina can feel T-Bone's arms trembling and she spots the glare he's delivering to the dark surrounding them. "When I get ahold of Dark Crud I'm going to rip his head from his filthy neck," he vows.
She pats his forearm with her fingertips. "Down, boy," she commands and Razor snorts back a laugh. T-Bone gives her an annoyed look then kinda chuckles, despite himself.
"So Lieutenant, how'd you manage to get to that lab where we met up anyway?" Razor asks. "
"Well I was observing from my chopper when I saw an object fly through what I thought was a solid wall. Turns out there was a cave entrance there, but it was cloaked. Anyway, I kind of didn't hesitate. And then I headed towards the noise, and found you two in the thick of it. You know, I'm really pretty thirsty…". T-Bone glances uneasily over the tarp, presumably at Razor or whatever he's doing. "I wouldn't let her drink anything, buddy," Razor says, and stands.
He's pulling bloodied gloves off his hands and starting to open up a silvery package. "I think that's all I can do right now. Not sure what else there would be anyway. We got to keep her warm." Razor is opening up a space blanket. The two SWAT Kats get Felina shifted enough that the blanket is tucked under her, she's wrapped tightly, and then T-Bone cradles her in his arms and is carrying her towards the wall of the cavern. "Think we can get up on that ledge?" Razor asks, and T-Bone eyes the distance. "Be a lot safer, if more of that crud comes raining down," he agrees, and Razor clambers up a couple feet above their heads, to a wide ledge in the cavern wall. "One two UP!" T-Bone practically overhead presses Felina, who yelps in surprise, and Razor grabs her, pulling her to a safer position. T-Bone scrambles up next and Razor glances down at the Cyclotron. "I'm goin' to see if I can figure out something that'll boost our radio frequencies. Just stay here with her, alright buddy?" he says, and hops down to the cavern floor again.
"Heh, no fear of that huh? You doing ok, Lieutenant?" he asks. He settles down next to her on the ground, and Felina shrugs. "I'm not real comfortable…. T-Bone, tell me."
"Hm? Tell you what?" he asks. He eyes her a moment and then scoops her up. She's settled into his lap, her head against his shoulder and his arm supporting her back. "Better?"
"Yeah kinda," she replies, and settles her head against his shoulder. "I'm waiting."
He sighs. "Lieutenant…"
"Felina. Come on. Tell me. Neither of you are very convincing liars. Besides, it hurts a lot. If you don't I'm just gonna think the worst."
"... Uh. Puncture wound. Piece out of that stairway that came down. It's not in a good place."
"Smells bad?" she asks, dreading the answer.
He nods slowly. "Yeaaah you could say that."
"Well. Great," she shrugs, then makes a face. "Guess I shouldn't of asked."
"Maybe someday you'll learn to trust me, Lieutenant," he comments as he's digging in a pocket on his suit. He pulls a toothpick out and tucks it into his mouth then notes her expression. "What?"
"Why d'you carry toothpicks?" she asks, looking at him oddly.
He grins, toothpick clenched in his teeth and wriggles it with his tongue. "Mini-lance for killing creeplings?," he suggests.
She chuckles, and licks her dry lips. "No, really."
He shrugs, and grabs the water bottle, handing it to her and twisting the cap off. "I don't know... It's a habit I guess. I tend to chew on them when I think. Don't swallow," he reminds her as she sips.
She turns her head and spits. "Yeah yeah," she mutters. "Stupid gut wound."
He settles so his back is against the wall and just kinda pats her arm. "Well, Lieutenant, alone at last," he says dreamily.
"You have got to be kidding me."
"What? The ol' T-Bone charm too much for you?"
"The ridiculous thing is, I'm not sure you're joking," she replies with a scowl for his benefit.
He pauses, absorbing the implications of that statement. "Can't I do anything right with you," he grumbles, and he sounds so dejected Felina almost feels bad for him. "You can start by calling me Felina, like I asked earlier."
"Hey, you two," Razor calls, as he climbs up onto the ledge. He's got the tarp with him, and a couple small packs. "How you doin,' Lieutenant?"
"T-Bone and I are bonding," she says drily.
"Woah, sounds fun and dangerous all at once. Here, T-Bone, lay her down a minute, I need your help with something."
"Razor," she says sharply, and both SWAT Kats look at her with surprise. "Are you trying to go off and talk without me hearing. Aren't you?"
"Lieutenant, I-," Razor stammers.
"Cut the crud, Razor! I need to be kept in the loop. Alright? Please," she adds, glancing at him.
T-Bone grins. "She's got us figured out, don't she, Razor?" He almost sounds proud.
"Yeah but... Lieutenant I'm just trying not to worry you," he says but Felina shakes her head angrily. "Look, I'm in on this with you two. And I maybe can help. I've had Enforcer training, maybe I can think of something that you can't," she adds.
She notices curiously that T-Bone looks rather bemused but Razor cracks a grin. "Well she sure told us, huh?" he comments, and he crouches on his haunches next to them. "Alright. I took a quick look around at the way we came in," he says, gesturing. Somewhere below the tons of dirt was the tunnel that the SWAT Kats had used to enter the cavern on their cyclotron. They'd thenleft it and climbed the stair up to Dark Kat's lair, and the same route had been their planned exit. "I thought about planting some charges to clear the opening, but I think I'd just bring more dirt down here."
"...what'd you say earlier?" Felina asks suddenly. "What about?" Razor asks, glancing up.
"About the dirt falling in not being so bad," she says insistently, and T-Bone nods. "Yeah, what'd you mean, Sureshot?"
Razor shrugs. "Well, uh, it's an idea I had. This sort of organic matter and gravel isn't going to naturally be inside a volcano," he explains. "I think this is a booby-trap and Dark Kat placed the dirt fall with charges set to take out whoever might be using this backdoor of his. Those explosions he triggered were set to cause that avalanche. If we could cause it all to fall, but stay above it maybe we could use it to get out. 'If' is the operative term."
He points up at the entrance near the ceiling of the chamber, blocked now with the dirt and rock. "Even if clearing that were really an option, I'd hate to walk back into Dark Kats' waiting arms. That at least separates us. I'm going to do some test scans though, just to see."
"So, if we do manage to climb up, and avoid Dark Crud then where do we go from there?" T-Bone asks.
"Well, the Lieutenant got in through some sort of aircraft bay, wasn't it?"
Felina nods. "My chopper is still up there, but I don't know if the chamber I left it in is still standing. I saw a lot of wiring running along its ceiling. Wouldn't surprise me if he placed charges in it."
"It's the kind of thing Dark Kat world do," Razor agrees. "I guess the easy answer to your question, T-Bone, is I don't know." He scratches at the side of his head a moment and looks to Felina. "Another option is to wait for your Uncle to send Enforcers in after us, but I'm not sure they know we're alive, much less where we are," he says calmly. "Then there's the problem of actually getting to us. I wish we'd used the TurboMole for this mission, but we needed the Cyclotron's speed."
T-Bone is chomping on his toothpick. "Yeah and with the security you got on the Turbokat? They can't just borrow it."
"I can't reach it by remote, either," Razor says apologetically.
"What's the matter, Razor? Can't build a amplifier out of a rubber band and two sticks?"
"Oh sure, no problem. I'll get on making the rubber band when you find me two sticks inside this volcano," he says sarcastically.
"Any luck with the radio?"
"Well that I was able to boost easily with the transmitter on the Cyclotron," he replies as he sets the tarp and bags down nearby. Next he's crouching near the two and starting to clear a spot in the thin dirt scattered on the ledge with his hands. "Got a lot of static. Though I'm hopeful they know now that somebody's alive down here." He places a small blue block on the ground and starts piling rocks around it.
"Air's kinda bad in here for a fire, Razor," T-Bone says and Razor nods, intent on his work. "Yeah, but we may want to anyway. The Lieutenant's shivering."
She bares her teeth at him. "Am not."
"Uh huh."
"... What's under the chamber floor?" Felina interrupts the poking fun with her question and Razor blinks. "Huh, I don't know actually," he admits. "Why?"
"Could you place charges and let all that," she nods towards the dirt, "just fall through the floor?"
Razor grins. "Interesting... Maybe," he admits, "if there's enough space under us. But I'd rather not experiment with make-shift charges. Besides, we could fall through too if I mess up. I'll scan again."
He was flicking a lighter and the blue material in the new fire ring starts to burn brightly.
"So it's a case of 'hurry up and wait'," T-Bone says grimly.
"Well, at least for now, Hotshot," Razor agrees. "But at least there's a better chance of radio contact now." He gets back to his feet and unslings a pack from his back, and sets it down within easy reach. "I tucked all the water and MREs in the med kit here. I'll be back, I'm going to do some more poking around."
"Right, we're good here aren't we Lieutenant?" T-Bone says, glancing at Felina who gives him a warbly smile. "Yeah… peachy."
Razor hops down from the ledge, and there's a noise of dirt shifting and clattering as he heads back towards the base of the pile. Felina watches him go and tries sitting up a little, her eyes widening. She sucks breath and T-Bone tries to adjust her, enough so she's leaning a little differently against his chest. She sighs with relief and he pats her shoulder awkwardly. "...Sooo… uh."
"Yeah?"
"How you doing?" he asks. "And I'm really asking."
"I dunno… I feel pretty okay if I don't move. I wouldn't want to get up and run a marathon," she admits. "I'm tired and I hurt and I'm cold."
"Heh well I guess that's to be expected… you ever run a marathon, Lieu- er, Felina?" T-Bone asks.
"Yeah actually. Last summer I did a half and a full," she replies, perking up a bit. "The full was pretty hard, it was that Megakat Days with the 100 degree heat."
"Oh yeah I remember that. Miserable," he agrees.
"You run?" she asks.
"Nah. Well, me'n Razor run for training but I don't go do marathons. Razor tried an Iron Kat triathlon once."
She blinks. "Really? How'd he do?"
"Well he did great through the first portion, but there was a big bike crash…. He got caught up in that," he replies. "That was…. well let's see… That'd be what…. almost 12 years ago, something like that?"
She winces. "I think I saw that on TV," she replies, and smirks. "Hm. Wonder where I can find a recording?"
He eyes her. "You're going to drive yourself nuts guessing which Kat is which," he warns her. "Besides. He was barely out of high school."
"Oh I'm sure he looked totally different. Let me guess, he was a short, fat grey persian?"
He laughs, and reaches for the med kit, but immediately finds cause to put it down. There's a crackling in his radio and he taps it, hearing only static. "T-Bone here. Repeat?" He listens to the clicks and repeats himself again. "Somebody just ran through all the bandwidths." He listens a moment longer before shaking his head. "All I got is static but it's definitely switching bandwidths."
"I'd say Razor has contacted somebody," Felina says hopefully, though T-Bone looks unconvinced.
"T-Bone!" Razor is calling from across the cavern, and waving. "Gonna place a charge!"
"Affirmative! Give me a sec!" He calls back, and reaches to grab the tarp. Felina chokes back a little whine and he looks at her apologetically as he's arranging it over the two of them and trying to tuck it under. "Here, cover your mouth," he says, pulling a bandana out of his pocket. He puts it in her hand and pours on a little of the water.
"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" Razor shouts, and the radio crackles as well.
There's a pretty quiet 'pop' and a rushing noise as more dirt falls, and little clumps patter against the tarp. Four more 'pops' sound and T-Bone and Felina huddle there, waiting, while the trickling falling dirt sounds get quiet.
"Razor?" he shouts, and there's a crackle on his radio. "He must be okay. Give me a second, alright, Lieutenant?" he says apologetically, and he moves enough to lay her down. It doesn't get as dusty with the tarp, but as soon as T-Bone pushes the tarp away it's like stepping into the Dust Bowl. She smiles at him behind her bandana mask, and he tucks the tarp back in after exiting.
Eyes closed, she can hear his footprints moving away. The pain in her side isn't so bad when she's not moving, but she can feel it with every breath. And she wonders if she should look. "Damn I'm cold," she grumbles, shivering.
She must of slipped off to sleep, because when she woke up it was to the quiet voices of the two vigilantes. The tarp was no longer covering her head and the air was clearer. She looks up and finds the two next to the fire which is burning with chemical cheer. "What'd you blow up?" she asks, glancing at Razor.
The two vigilantes glance up from where they were crouching by the fire ring, helmets almost touching.
"Uh… well not what I wanted," he admits. "I'm waiting for the dirt to stop moving, see it trickling over there?" he points at the far wall. "I may blow another charge."
"No easy fix huh?"
He shakes his head but grins. "Got to have some challenges in life, Lieutenant." He gets to his feet, stretches his arms above his head, and wanders off, seemingly in thought.
T-Bone crouches next to her. "Hey there, pretty lady," he says so utterly deadpan that she snorts. "Hey yourself. That's quite a greeting."
"Gotta keep you on your toes, Lieutenant," he quips and settles into the dirt next to her. T-Bone grabs the med kit one-handed and sets it on his leg, unzipping it and starting to rummage.
"What are you looking for in there?" she questions. "Not really anything specifically," he answers, "Just seein' what we got. You allergic to morphine?"
"No and you're not giving me any, either," she says stubbornly, with a tail swish that kicks up dirt.
"Kat's alive, Felina, I'm not gonna give you any, I mean, I'm not gonna force it on you," he says reassuringly. Then he sets the pack nearby, zipping it closed again.
"I'm pretty sure I'm okay without it…. how'd you get a narcotic anyway?" she gives him a weird look.
"Oh we got connections… Don't look at me like that!"
"...Uh huh. 'Connections.' With the katnip crowd."
"You're not funny."
She grins and shifts a little, forehead furrowing. "...Any idea what time it is?"
"Yeah, it's… eighteen fifty-two. You okay? You're frowning."
"Ground's getting hard," she mutters.
"Hold on," he says, crouching closer. A couple moments and a rush of pain later she's settled down on T-Bone's lap again with his chest supporting her torso, something that's actually kinda comfortable.
She nods, with her head resting against his arm. "If it's that late it's past my break time. And quitting time. I had a coupon for half off pizza tonight too. D'you think Pappadelli's Pizza is going to have that three for two deal for Decoration Day next week?"
He laughs. "Yeah, probably. They do every year… you're a fan of Pappadelli's too, huh?"
"Oh who isn't? Salmon, anchovies, and habaneros with mozzarella," she says rather dreamily.
"How about bonito and Mongo peppers?"
She makes a face. "You're nuts. I like hot peppers as well as the next girl. But I'm not gonna be a martyr to them."
"Well hey, how bout we plan on... Razor, what's up?" he greets the smaller SWAT Kat, who's just clambered up over the ledge. He has a somber expression. "I think I found a way out…." he says slowly.
"Hey, that's great, buddy! Uh, isn't it?" T-Bone says, and blinks as Razor shakes his head. "I found a lava tube. It's not very big."
"What d'you mean?" His partner asks.
"I mean you're never going to fit, T-Bone, and you're not going to be able to crawl it, Lieutenant…"
"Hey, are you calling me fat?" T-Bone asks with a faint smile. Razor chuckles and shakes his head. "Nah, buddy. You're svelte as ever."
"So what you're saying is, you're going without us," Felina says bluntly.
Razor nods slightly. "I think that's the only chance, right now. And I think I can get through. There's going to be some tight squeezes but it does go through to a lower cavern that seems to be open from my scans. The plan is to get out from there. Even if I can't get all the way through, I can at least get close enough make radio contact with the Enforcers."
T-Bone is eyeing him with some suspicion, noticing there's a lot of 'if' in his comments. "What are you not telling me."
Both SWAT Kats look at Felina with surprise as she murmurs, "He could get stuck in the tube."
"...Heh," Razor takes off his helmet and rubs at the back of his head, expression sheepish. "Well. Yeah. That could happen, I'll admit. I still think I can get through. And it's the best shot we've got," he adds.
"Hey, no way! I'm not letting you crawl off on a suicide mission," T-Bone snaps.
"It's not a suicide mission," Razor argues. "I'll make it. Even if I don't get through, after they get to you guys they can dig me out."
"Are you nuts? You're okay with getting trapped in a hole? No way, Razor! We wait for the Enforcers," T-Bone says stubbornly.
Razor shrugs. "Well, uh, yeah we could do that. If they're looking for us. And if the Lieutenant has that long."
T-Bone growls as he seems to mull that idea over.
Seeing weakness, Razor presses forward. "Aw come on T-Bone, it's either try this or sit here on our tails. The Lieutenant needs medical attention."
"Leave me outta this, I don't want you crawling down a lava tube either," Felina interrupts.
"Whether you like it or not, you're involved. Besides. With all the air vents I've crawled through this ought a be a piece of cake."
T-Bone had been quiet through their banter as he mulled the situation over. "You're not gonna do anything stupid, are you, Sureshot?"
Razor grins at him. "Who, me? Nah. Well no stupider than the normal, anyway. I'll be back with the TurboMole in two shakes of a kitten's tail," He replaces his helmet, then reaches down and grabs one of the water bottles, tucking it into his shirt before he starts taking off the shoulder harness and anything else attached to his G-suit. "It's probably going to take me four, five hours to get out, alright?" he says, piling the equipment neatly.
"...and if you're gone longer?"
He shakes his head. "It might take longer. I'll get you out. But for now... Well, you two are on your own," he says, soft.
T-Bone shrugs. "I got faith in you, Razor. Alright? Come back when you got the cavalry behind you."
The two partners clasp hands a moment, and Razor reaches over to squeeze Felina's shoulder. "Take care of yourself, alright Lieutenant?" He glances at T-Bone and heads off.
Felina can feel how tense T-Bone is as Razor walks away, and then the big Kat sighs. "Well crud."
"He'll be ok." Felina murmurs. "You two are probably the most capable Kats I know."
"Yeah... Crud, Felina-"
"Go ahead, T-Bone, I'm fine," she says encouragingly. He gives her a grateful look and will cautiously shift her to the ground, before getting to his feet and racing after his partner.
Felina glances after him then starts to poke very cautiously at the bandages. She can feel something hard under her fingers, and notes it's been well packed in with gauze and wrapped, but when she glances down at her fingers the tips are soiled with blood and a nasty smelling brown-green. Shivering, she pulls her arm out and scrubs the fingertips off in the dirt then holds her hand out to the fire. The rocks Razor had piled up were good and hot and were radiating a nice toasty heat. Her ears prick at voices, but she couldn't see them from where she was laying. The possible argument between the two vigilantes was brief, at least.
She was poking boredly at a wrinkle in the space blanket when heavy footsteps return and T-Bone sits, defeated next to Felina. "He wasn't kidding about me not fitting. I should lay off the Krispee Krunchie cereal."
Felina smirks and reaches to pat his hand. "Ah, you're just big boned," she teases. "He'll be alright. I doubt he'd crawl down there if he knew it was impossible. You're both kinda nuts but I don't think you're suicidal."
"Nah, maybe not that. But…." he leaves the thought unfinished, gets up, and starts rummaging through the packs. But Felina thinks she can complete his statement in her mind.
'There's no greater love than he who lays down his life for his friend.'
There's a 'crack' and T-Bone is shaking a glow stick alight, and he clicks off his helmet lamp. Between the fire and the glow stick, it's fairly well lit in a little circle around them.
"Warm enough?" he asks, settling down next to her head. She shrugs. "No. But I think I'm getting a fever so I probably won't be," she replies. He reaches over and smooths her hair back from her forehead, then touches her ear. "Yeah, you're right about that," he agrees, and pulls his hand back. He sighs. "I got some tylenol. Don't want to give you anything by mouth though. Unless…." he eyes her and Felina gives him a look.
"Don't you even think about that!" she snaps and he holds his hands up defensively. "Okay, okay! Yeesh, Felina," he laughs, and ruffles her hair gently again. She sighs. "Sorry. I hate being sick. Starting to feel like throwing up again."
"Yeah I'll bet you do. You tell me if I can do anything for you."
"Talk to me?"
"Huh?" he raises an eyebrow. "I am, aren't I?"
"Yeah but… I meant, talk to me, about… whatever."
"Oh! Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh….. I got nothing," he replies, helplessly.
She rolls her eyes. "Okay well, tell me about… Oh. Tell me how you guys became SWAT Kats," she grins.
He laughs. "No, that's too personal. It's probably enough to say that there was a need, with Dark Kat frustrating the Enforcers right and left."
"Yeah…. Dark Kat's why I entered the Enforcers," Felina murmurs.
"Oh yeah?" he asks, looking at her. "Wasn't cause of your uncle, huh? I figured you woulda always have wanted to be an Enforcer."
She shakes her head. "Well, when I was really little, I wanted to be a fairy godmother," she jokes. "Seriously, I was planning on entering the military. I didn't want to have people saying I was, you know…. favored by Uncle. Whatever." T-Bone nods, understanding on his face. "But then Dark Kat crept out of the woodwork, again. Uncle almost had him when another pilot got in his way," she continues, not noticing the expression darkening on T-Bone's face. "Anyway. Dark Kat got away. I decided right then and there that I needed to be an Enforcer. I mean, that psycho is trying to take out my hometown. So I tore up my military recruitment papers and went into Enforcer Basic the next month."
"How'd your Uncle like that?" he asks with a smile. He was idly sort of brushing her hair back from her forehead and she reaches up to take his hand, but she doesn't push him away. T-Bone raises an eyebrow as she cups her hand in his.
"Oh he pretended like it didn't mean anything, but I got the impression he was pretty proud," she says with a faint grin. "My parents weren't real happy. But they didn't want me going into the military either." She pauses. "You go to college or anything?"
He hesitates a moment. "Well….. Not exactly," he replies. "I did alright in school but I'm not like, the studious type, you know? My grades were good enough for me to get into MKCC, but I didn't apply."
"So what did you plan for your life?"
He chuckles. "Actually? I thought about joining the Enforcers," he replies.
"What, really? I can't see you in Enforcer grey."
He nods. "I kinda grew up on a rough side of town. So we saw Enforcers a lot, and there was this one guy…. This beat cop who could always be counted on to have some Fruit Zippies on him. Us kits followed him everywhere."
She nods. "Uh huh. Clawridge. Appleton beat. Retired last year. I don't know him, but he was a flyer years ago, until he got a clot in his eye and went to a street unit. Appleton huh? You're giving yourself away, SWAT Kat," she says slyly.
He snorts in derision.
"Well anyway, people were all 'oh that's the guy with the Fruit Zippies!' Then there were the obligatory 'stranger with candy' jokes," she says.
T-Bone chuckles. "Yeah well…. Officer Clawridge is a pretty good fella. When I was about…. oh. Eleven? I walked into a little bodega just as some punk in a mask was robbing the joint. Clawridge had snuck in and he was behind a shelf, and then he spotted me. So he dragged me down and he's like, got one size 11 boot in the middle of my back, practically standing on me," he says, grinning, "and Clawridge is like this, got his duty weapon in hand and staring around the shelf at this guy, who has NO clue he's back there. The clerk, she was just handing money over like he told her to."
"How come he didn't stop the robbery?" she asks.
"Well, there was a method to his madness. Perp had a knife and the clerk was within grabbing distance. So when the guy backs off and starts out of the store, Clawridge jumps out. And he's going 'Stop or I'll shoot!' I SWEAR I saw eight of that guy's lives fly off, wings fluttering," he says dryly. Felina giggles. "The crook yelped and he dropped the knife, and it falls point down RIGHT THROUGH HIS SHOE."
Felina can't hold it in any longer, she starts to laugh. Then she's crying and the next thing she knows, she's back in T-Bone's lap and he's rubbing her back. "Ugh…." she moans, when she's kind of collected herself. . "I didn't think you were -that- funny. So, the clerk?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, the bodega. Well anyway, after the guy had a knife in his foot he didn't want to play no more and Clawridge arrested him pretty quick. Then he grabbed me by the collar and literally kicked me in the tail." He shakes his head, remembering. "I mean he was MAD. I didn't exactly do anything wrong, right? But I don't think it did anything for his anxiety level when I walked in." He chuckles, thinking a moment. "Anyway I really respected that guy, so I thought about the whole Enforcer route."
She smiles. "What about Razor?"
"Ah you'll have to ask him his story when he gets back with the TurboMole," he says quietly. "That's all for him to tell, not me."
They're silent for a few long minutes. Other than the chemical crackling of the fire, and the occasional crinkling of the space blanket, it was silent. Though maybe not totally, she realizes. With her head settled against his chest, she can hear the steady lub-dub of T-Bone's heart. With his strong right arm behind she felt safe. Despite the pain and the nausea and the fear, somehow she knew she was safe.
Then she hears a new noise. At first she thinks he's purring and her first impulse is to leap from his lap, despite the gut wound.
But he was humming. Sounded like something you'd listen to while working out. "Bored?"
"Honestly? Yes," he replies wrly.
A small sigh escapes her and a moment later she mumbles "Know any Weird Al?"
He snorts with laughter so hard he jerks, and it jolts her and she grits her teeth.
Hours later, he's not laughing anymore. Felina is trembling so hard her teeth are chattering. T-Bone is softly murmuring to her and trying to rub her low back. Her temp had increased steadily, and the pain in her gut had only spread. In an attempt to control her temp he'd draped wet gauze over her forehead and neck.
"What time is it now?" She mumbles.
"Twenty three thirty two..." he replies, after checking his watch.
She nods real slightly. "So soon. He'll be out soon. And coming."
"Yeah, I know he is." T-Bone agrees. "Betcha Razor is halfway here." He reaches for the gauze and gently mops at her face.
She drags in a ragged breath, and nods slightly. "And Uncle."
"Course, the Commander will come with him." T-Bone agrees. He places the gauze back onto her forehead and sighs. "Yeah. Even I'm looking forward to seeing your Uncle," he says wryly. "Not much longer now. You hold on, alright?" He murmurs.
She slightly nods her head, eyes closed as she nuzzles into his chest. "Don't let go of me. You're warm," she says softly.
"Don't worry... I won't. I got you, Felina."
Nine hours had passed. T-Bone sighs and looks down at Felina, who is on her good side in the dirt, her head and shoulder cradled on his leg. He dabs gauze at her mouth, wiping away black, grainy appearing saliva. She still shivered despite the blanket. The last of the fire start cubes were gone long ago.
But Felina hadn't spoken now for two hours, not to complain about the cold or anything else. He'd forced some tylenol on her (maybe forced was a bad word, considering how it had to be administered which was hella awkward, but he couldn't wake her enough to get her to do it herself) and given her a shot of morphine.
He'd left her once, and tried to find some way out that Razor had missed. He'd covered her with the tarp and tried using the few explosive items in his Glovatrix to shift dirt, but didn't find anything but more dirt. He'd used his Glovatrix and grappling hooks to climb to the opening in the ceiling, and prodded around with a piece of iron. While he knocked some down it seemed like there was plenty more where that came from. He tried a futile hour of digging as close to the chamber entrance as he could and managed to advance almost four feet before it all collapsed on him. And spent a 15 minute expanse shouting down the lava tube, craning his ears for a response.
And gained nothing.
Then he'd heard something, and had rushed back to her. Felina, crying? She had been, so he tried to comfort her and against his better judgement, gave her another shot of morphine.
She'd been quiet since then. Until she starts to retch. He's been over at the Cyclotron, trying the radio again. But when he heard her he rushed back, trying to hold her into her side while she gagged up thick black. After that she'd lapsed into silence again.
"Sorry, lieutenant," he murmurs, and strokes a bit of hair away from her face. "I was hoping to have you to myself like this, sometime, but these aren't exactly the circumstances I woulda chosen." He sighs. "Razor shoulda been back. And there was a little air current through that tunnel... before. Before but... I don't think he got through." He pauses as she coughs faintly and spots out more black matter, then gently he wipes her lips again. "Wish we could have a chance to I dunno, do something together. Take a walk, get an ice cream," he whispers. "Normal stuff. Normal stuff that maybe a ... A couple would do. Not that that's an option...
"Damn it, lieutenant, this isn't fair..." He sighed and continues to stroke her hair and she stirs very slightly. "You're an amazing pilot. I woulda liked to take you up in the Turbokat. Maybe let you fly her a little, huh? You know you woulda liked that. Not just anybody gets to fly my baby right? I'm really sorry..."
"T-Bone," Felina mutters with eyes closed. "After I... Fly your jet you... want to... go to Pappadelli's with me?"
"Sure, 'Lina, anytime, alright?" he replies softly.
"Uncle'll be thrilled. Date with a SWAT Kat... Mmmm. How 'bout sardines, bonito, and habaneros."
"Is it a date?" T-Bone asks in a bit more hopeful voice than he liked.
"Any.., meeting is a... Date. Why're you still here?" She asks.
He blinks. "Huh?" He gives her an off look, confused by the change in tack.
"You...promise me. You will get out. Alive. You're promising. Promise?" Felina murmurs, eyes open now. She looks up at him and he grits his teeth.
"Ssshhh hey now. I'd be getting the both of us out if I knew of a way." T-Bone says, frowning.
She shakes her head slightly. "You're just... Staying for me. Thanks. Don't want to... die all alone. Wait til... I'm gone," she murmurs, and shuffles her head against him a bit more.
He is silent for a few heartbeats and just rubs her shoulder gently. "Sure Felina. It's a deal," he replies, deciding not to argue.
"B'sides... there's nobody else I'd... rather die in a dead volcano with... than you," she says entirely deadpan.
He blinks at her then laughs. "Thanks,I think?" he finally finishes.
She nods then closed her eyes again. She's quiet so long he figures she musta lost consciousness again. Then the feisty Enforcer Lieutenant chuckled and cleared her throat. And starts to rasp out a song.
"Nothing they could do but... sit down there ... With the... Black coal alllllll... around them..."
T-Bone stares at her for a moment before he is capable of speech. "You got to be kidding me. You're not gonna sing that... Are you?" T-Bone asks, eyes wide.
" And the... water rose so... Swift and cold..."
"Felina, why the... You can't sing that!"
"An un... likely place to... Drown."
"Felina," he says urgently, his hand on her shoulder. "Stop it."
Her eyes flare with a bit of the old fire. "You gonna stop me? Nine in the mine trapped... down below..."
"... You know if you gotta sing Dropkicks, you could sing Tessie or something that's not... That." He says with distaste.
"S'not in my range," she replies cheekily. "Lighten... up. What's it hurting?"
"...Ahhhhhhhhh, what the hay. Can't believe I'm doing this…" He takes a breath and clears his throat. "Down! Down! Down in the ground!" He sings, basso profundo.
Her face cracks into a wide grin. "An' this'll be... Th ' day I didn't kiss... My wife goodbye..."
"Take care of the family I'm buried alive!"
"Down in... The mine trapped... Down below…Hey, T-Bone, this song... Is cheering me up."
T-Bone flinches and looks at her. "Why do you say that? What could -possibly- possess you to say that?"
"Because… The miners that… it's about? The miners got out."
"They did?"
She nods. "All... Nine. In the mine... Trapped down... Below. Down, down... Down in the... Ground," she sings softly into a whisper.