so here's another older story of mnie, it's 5 parts, and I'll post them weekly... ooooor faster if more people review and want it ^^
It's fairly long even though it's onyl 5 chapters, I think it was somethign like 134kb in txt format? ^^ anyway it's a bit more serious than your run of the mill SK stuff prolly, I dunno, it's got a very military theme to me.
oh holly hell that was rough, reformatting it all, see I used wordwrap in notepad when I did this, at a different width o.O
I don't own the char's involved in here etc etc. Well 'cept the ones I made up :)
Siege
"Owww..." Chance pushed himself out form under the truck he was working on and rubbed the growing bump on his forehead. The alarm was still blaring as he pushed himself up off the sled and headed for the hanger. By the time he got there Jake was already suited up and at the com. Razor, as he went by when in SWATKat guise, keyed up the com while Chance popped his locker and suited up.
"What is it Ms. Briggs?"
"It's the Past Master. An enforcer patrol spotted him to the south of the city with a flight of dragons. They attempted to engage but were wiped out! Feral's scrambling an attack squadron to go after them, but I'm worried they won't be able to handle this one."
Chance, or T-Bone by his SWATKat call sign, stepped up beside Razor as he finished putting on his glove o' tricks, "The Past Master? How many times do we have to put that creep down?"
Razor elbowed him lightly in the ribs and turned back to the com, "Don't worry Ms. Briggs, we'll handle it."
With that Razor keyed off the com and activated the Hangar doors. T-bone was the first into the TurboKat, dropping into the pilot's seat he fastened on his helmet, "Razor, why don't we ever get to go up against anything normal?"
"Because T-Bone." Chance grinned as he fastened himself in, "Nothing normal would be any challenge."
T-bone chuckled, "Roger that buddy. Hang on, here we go." Bringing the engines up to speed T-bone opened them wide and the TurboKat blasted out of the hanger and into the sky.
* * *
" Coming up on Radar T-bone. Due South. I picked up the enforcer squadron back at the city limits. We should have 2 minutes before they arrive."
"That should be more than enough time. How many you got?"
"I make five... no make that six bogeys. Should be coming into visual any moment."
T-bone scanned the horizon, keeping his flight path completely level. Squinting against the sun he made out black shaped against the blue,"I've got them. Moving to engage."
T-bone brought the TurboKat in from a 5'o clock line on the Dragons. There atop the lead one sat the diminutive form of the Past Master.
"Hey T-bone, what do you think he's doing way out here?"
"No idea Razor, but it can't be good."
"Roger that, Octopus Missiles on-line."
T-bone cut to the left a bit to get in on the Dragon's six. But the formation broke quickly, "Damn it, they've spotted us." T-bone turned into a pursuit arc behind the rear-most dragon. The thing didn't have speed to match the Turbokat, but it maneuvered on a dime. T-bone had to juke left fast to avoid the fire blast it let out back at the Kat.
"C'mon T-bone, how can I get a shot off if you don't hold it still?" Chance grumbled.
"I'd love to oblige you Razor, but this overgrown gecko wants to cook us." T-bone spun around and came in behind another dragon. The thing twisted and spun in the air like some demented worm, but T-bone managed to keep a bead on it.
"Here goes nothing. Missiles away!" Razor fired off a pair of octopus missiles at the dragon. Despite the beasts best efforts it was struck clean by one of them and grappled by the missile's clawed head, "Bingo!" Razor grinned.
"Don't look now buddy, but I think we're gonna have to try something else." T-bone pointed down at the falling dragon. It wiggled once in the missile's grip, then broke free and spread its wings again.
"Krud! These things must have been eating their Wheaties." Razor said with a touch of awe in his voice, "Well bring us around and I'll... What the?"
Both SWATKats flinched as a purple vortex opened up in the air. The dragons all flew for it without hesitation. T-bone brought the Kat around, "Do we follow?"
"No." Chance replied, "We could end up Great Kat knows where, or when." The vortex snapped shut behind the last dragon just as a deep and rigid voice cut through the airwaves, "This is Commander Feral. What do you SWATKat's think you're doing?"
Razor rolled his eyes and keyed open the channel, "The party's over Feral, you missed it. We figured it wouldn't be right to let him get away without ANY resistance."
"I don't think you're in any position to talk vigilante I don't see any sign of your win. Now land your plane, you're under arrest."
Razor turned off the com and shook his head, "He never gives up does he?"
T-bone chuckled, "Nope, never." And pushed the TurboKat to full throttle. Pulling a tight turn he blew back through the Enforcer formation, and raced away before they could regroup
* * *
Commander Feral tossed his helmet so hard that the startled deck officer nearly went over as he caught it. Without looking back Feral stalked off for the locker room. There he replaced his jumpsuit for his usual button down coat. None of the other pilots got even close to in his way, they new better. Well, most of them did. One lieutenant didn't give way when he came out of the locker room. Instead she marched right up to him, "Geez uncle, you could skin a kat with that look."
Feral paused, staring down at his niece and trying to remind himself it was not her he was angry with. Getting his emotions in check he gritted out, "Not now Felina."
Felina Feral was never one to let well enough alone though, "They were right this time uncle, admit it. They got there in time to try and do something about it, and we didn't."
Something broke within Commander Feral right then and there. Rage and anger, not all of it from the same source poured forth into his veins. There was a sharp crack as his uniform's cane splintered against the wall. He thrust the snubbed off end of it into his niece's face, "That's ENOUGH Lieutenant. One more word out of you and I'll have you thrown in the brig for insubordination." With that he spun on his heel and stalked to his office. Leaving a stunned Felina Feral standing in a dead silent hallway. A few enforcers even plastering themselves to the walls to be out of the way of their commander. Feral was surprised the window to his door didn't shatter when he slammed it. A grateful surprise. Dropping himself into the seat behind his desk Feral took in a deep breath and let it out in a wave of sudden exhaustion. The rush of anger flowed out of him leaving only shallow regret.
"Great Kat Ulysses," Feral muttered to himself, "What have you let happen to yourself?" He looked down at his hands, still shaking from the sudden rage. He took another deep breath and let his thoughts flow as he stared at the blankness of his desk. His anger was getting out of control. Too many things at once. Felina here put even more pressure into the mix. It's one thing to be responsible for an entire city full of strangers. But to be responsible for sending your own niece on potentially deadly missions was something completely different. The events of the past few years and especially the months since Felina's arrival played out in his mind as the shadows cast by his blinds slid across his desk. The shadow of a bird crossing that perfect symmetry broke Feral from his reverie. Shaking himself Feral glanced at the clock. 6:43. He'd been sitting here for over two hours and no one had dared to even knock on his door. Just as well. Tomorrow was another day. Commander Feral dropped the broken end of his cane into the trash as he left for the day. The office was quiet. Night crew in place, and no more crisis at the moment. Feral made it down to the parking deck without any interruptions and to his car. As he fished in his pocket for the key to the Hum-vee. Feral heard a throat clear behind him. Reacting on instinct he spun into a defensive stance.
"Woah there tough guy." A smallish, somewhat nondescript Kat in Enforcer uniform with specialist bars on the shoulder stepped out of the shadows. His voice dropped into a deliberate southern drawl, "Gonna take me on all by yourself son?"
Feral squinted in the dim lighting of the parking deck for a moment, then his eyes widened in shock, "Marcus?"
The other fur nodded and took three quick steps, throwing himself at Feral. Feral caught him mid jump and the two embraced in a quick backslapping hug, then Feral held the other fur out at arm's length.
"Great Kat's ghost Marcus. It's been a long time. How did you come to be in MegaKat city... and... in Enforcer uniform? What is that about?"
The smaller Kat grinned and drawled out, "Calm down son. There's time enough for explaining when you buy me a drink."
The day's events gone for the moment Feral permitted himself something that had vanished a long time ago, a grin. He dropped his voice another octave, which was a feat and clipped off each sentence in a rush as he spoke. "all right soldier. You'll get your drink. You have three choices. Whisky, whisky, or whisky."
The smaller kat responded with practiced ease, "Well then Son, looks like we'll be drinkin' whisky, just save the bottle in case any frat boys walk by."
With that Feral turned to open the Hum-Vee up again. Marcus hopped in the passenger side door and Feral started the car up. Casting a glance over at his friend of old to be sure he wasn't a ghost Feral shook his head once and put the car in reverse.
* * *
One hour Later Feral and Marcus sat in the living room of Feral's comfortable home. Each held a tumbler of whisky in hand and the bottle sat near full on the low table between them. Feral had the couch, his Commander's coat and sidearm left at the door. Marcus still wore the uniform of a Special Forces op, but had undone the collar and discarded the beret. A slow silence hung in the air as Feral looked between his drink and the Kat who sat across from him. It was Marcus who finally broke the silence.
"Son you look like you seen a ghost." The drawl was gone from his voice, but the nickname remained.
"It's been what, 20 yrs soldier. And now here you are, in Enforcer uniform no less. It's a bit much." Feral took a sip from his drink and tipped it a bit to hear the ice clink in the glass.
"Yeah, I'll admit it's been a damn long time. When I had that attack during college though... it scared the hell out of me. I came close son, real close. After that." The smaller fur shook his head and took a sip of his own, "I didn't want to keep in touch; not with anyone. I know what I put people through with that, and didn't know how many times it would happen again. I just wanted to fade out, easier that way."
Feral frowned a bit at his old friend and held his glass in both hands as he measured out his words, frank words no other Kat would hear, "I missed you soldier. We all did. You worried us enough as it was. Not like you to give up on life. We knew something was wrong but no one could reach you."
Marcus nodded, "Yeah, that was my major malfunction in this life. Something I had to get through my skull, it took too damn long. By then, I didn't know if it would be best to get back in touch or not. Finally I decided to." Letting out a breath Marcus looked back up at Feral and grinned, "So. Whatever happened to that hot number you were with all through High school?"
Feral took a moment to reply, and that moment spoke volumes.
"Oh, I'm sorry son, I didn't mean to dig up old pains."
Feral cleared his throat. He was a fur who didn't show emotion. That was one of the reasons his wife had left him, why some of his friends had left. He hadn't expressed emotion fully since the first year of college. Since the last time Marcus had visited. Feral had kept himself in line, kept the proud exterior that he knew people depended on him to have. Any and all emotion has been thrown into a vault and locked away for 'later.' Now was that later.
"It's all right soldier. No. I didn't marry her. I met someone else." Feral took a quick gulp from his glass and went on. Everything, the marriage, the divorce, promotions, Felina, the SWATKats. Over the course of the night he retold the last twenty years. He wasn't the only one. Marcus gave the accounts of his travels too. 16 years of travel, then enrollment in the Enforcer program. Marcus brushed quickly over Feral's questions about his heart defect. Cleared up he said, and the docs had approved him for duty. This was his fourth year in duty and his last. Time to retire back to civilian duty. Feral stuffed down his misgivings and worry about his friend's 'recovery.' If Marcus ever knew one thing in his life, it was what was best for himself. Marcus' tale was much less fraught with emotion than Feral's, but then Marcus usually got emotion out at the point of impact. That was one of his best features, being strait up and open in even the most delicate of situations. Night crawled over into day as they talked.
* * *
"Grow up Chance." Jake said, poking his head in from the other room. After that he pulled it back and continued drying out his fur from his morning shower. Chance grunted a moment while tightening up a bolt on the transmission of the truck he was under. "C'mon Jake, I know you've thought about it. Eyes."
There was a silent pause and Chance reached for a larger wrench, maybe Jake was out of hearing. Then came the call back from the other room,"I think I'd have to go with Callie."
"Ya think?" chance called back.
"Yeah. I could look into those baby blues all day."
"I suppose. How about voice?"
Jake's voice got louder, he was probably in the room now, "Callie again."
"I'm gonna have to disagree with you on that one bud. Too nasal for my tastes."
"Nasal? I think it's perfect, soft, and sultry. Lingers in your ears."
"All right. Gonna give physique to Felina though."
"She's a bit buff for me, I'm gonna have to go with Callie again."
"Huh." Chance took a moment to grab a ratchet, loosening the carburetor that needed replacing, "Chest?"
"Felina wins that one I think."
"Without a doubt. Hmm... Hair?
"Felina again, That two tone is sweet."
"Tail?"
There was a brief pause, then Chance slide the sled out from under the truck, he and Jake booth looked at each other and spoke at the same time, "Callie." That was without question. The Kat who didn't get a thrill from watching that tail swish was dead.
"So what about..." chance's musings were interrupted as the enforcer alert radio they had set up squawked to life, "All units all units. Be advised we have a situation at MegaKat Petrochem. Units 5-13 proceed to the area and provide backup and evacuation control. Flight Squadron Alpha is fueling and Zeta patrol is en route."
Chance groaned, "This must be one SICK individual, no one attacks a city before sunrise."
Jake chuckled, "C'mon Chance, let's hit the skies."
* * *
Back at Feral's home his phone rang at the same moment. Picking it up he glanced at his watch out of habit... 513AM! Kat's alive! They'd talked the whole night! "Hello." Feral closed his eyes a moment fighting back the wave of weariness that comes when your mind realizes just what you've been putting your body through. The She-Kat voice on the other end was calm yet tense.
"Commander, this is Watch Captain Chavez. We have an emergency at MegaKat petrochem. Some kind of mutant plants are attacking the place."
Feral closed one hand into a fist, "Understood. I'll head over there and organize things from the ground."
"Yes sir."
With that Feral hung up the phone and went to the coat tree where he'd hung his uniform coat and sidearm last night.
"What's up son?" Marcus stood, setting down his empty tumbler. The whiskey bottle was still mostly full. One drink between non-drinkers, tradition.
"The usual for this town." Feral shrugged into his weapon harness,"Some crazed psychopath trying to wreck it. I'm heading out to the sight. You're welcome to crash here if you like."
"No can do Sir." Marcus tugged his beret into place and drew out a set of papers from his left cargo pocket. Feral paused in buttoning up his coat as Marcus snapped t attention before him, "Special Forces operative, sniper specialty. Marcus P. Kaque reporting for duty Sir."
Feral held out his hand for the papers and gave them a quick once over. The seal was official and brought a smile to Feral's face, "Well then specialist, let's get moving." He finished buttoning his coat as they headed for the door.
* * *
The situation on the ground was orderly, if bad. Things that might at one point have been roses had mutated to 20' masses of writhing leaves and tentacles; each with a bright red blossom nestled within. Enforcers had formed firing lines and were taking shots at the things to little effect. Marcus had one foot out the door as Feral brought the car to a halt. Two enforcers quickly ran up and one gave Feral a quick sitrep. Marcus snagged the other soldier by the arm, "Where can I get a rifle?"
The Enforcer pointed to an armored van a few feet away. Marcus ran and picked up one from the racks. Marcus was headed back to Feral's position when an explosion lit up the morning gloom. Marcus hit the dirt quickly, and a good thing too. Shrapnel blew by overhead as two smaller explosions chained off the original. Getting back to his feet Marcus spotted Feral crouched behind a squad car giving orders into a radio. Down the street the enforcers were retreating in good order. Two other squad cars were burning, along with a gas tank in the petrochem compound. Marcus reached Feral's position and began breaking down the rifle, listening in as he worked.
"Get first squad out of the compound. And have Alpha flight re-equipped with firefoam bombs. We don't want these chemical fires spreading."
Marcus popped the power cells out of his rifle and clamped his teeth down around the red 'regulator' insulation at the node. One good yank and it was off. Slapping the cell back in Marcus went to work on the lens assembly. An Enforcer rifle was mil tech hardware and nothing to shake a stick at, but civil regulations had neutered the version Enforcers got to use down to the point where it was little more than an overgrown flashlight.
Another explosion sounded off down the street, closer this time.
"Damn!" Feral tossed down the radio and stood up, drawing his pistol. Using voice alone he called out, "Enforcers fall back! From a line on me!"
Marcus finished his alterations and pumped the grenade loader a few times, to be met with only a hollow 'k-chick k-chick k-chick.' He looked up at Feral, "No Grenades?"
"Mayor Manx had them banned during his last election year." Feral replied with a good deal of venom in his voice. He snapped off a couple more shots at the creatures as Marcus stood up and braced himself against the hood of the car. The things had split up into 2 groups. Three of them were slowly making their way to the main petrochem building while four more were advancing down the street on the Enforcer position. The enforcer fire was still carefully selected, but having almost no effect. Only tearing small holes in the blossoms. Marcus picked his shot, aimed and fired. With its inhibitors off the rifle let loose a thick solid beam of energy that burrowed a hole clean through the blossom. The creature let loose a horrific shriek and flinched back. Through the rent in it's petals Marcus could see something...brain-like. His shot had winged it and it was bleeding a pale green ichor. Feral was on the radio in less than a second, "All Enforcers. Switch weapons over to full auto, aim for the blossoms. Concentrate on the leftmost creature and work your fire across."
The enforcer rifles were still woefully under powered but sheer volume of fire rent through the thing's leaves and at the soft brain matter inside. Marcus fired as often as he could, but without the proper coolant an enforcer rifle needed at least a 30-second cool down time between shots. The creatures fell one after the other, too singleminded to realize they were doomed before it was too late. As the last one fell in the street the rotor noise of Zeta patrol echoed down the street. Marcus popped the cell from his overheating rifle as Feral instructed the choppers in how to finish off the creatures in the compound.
* * *
"Hey Razor get a load of this." T-bone banked back over the intersection. Down below a trio of Enforcer helicopters were finishing off the last of what looked like some bizarre mutated plants.
"Look like they don't need us after all this time does it T-bone?"
"Bout time Feral did something right for once."
The emergency band took that moment to come alive again; "This is Watch Captain Chavez to Commander Feral. Another one of those things has beensighted at the intersection of Valleywood and Bryne. This one's a hell of a lot bigger than the others."
Feral's voice cut into the airwaves, "Where's Alpha Squadron Captain?"
"Still on the ground sir, one of the anti-fire tanks exploded and tore the wing off a jet. Cleanup crews almost got the runway clear." Razor reached up and tapped the back of T-bone's helmet, "Looks like they need us after all."
"Roger that buddy. En Route." T-bone pulled the TurboKat up and set out over the City line.
It's fairly long even though it's onyl 5 chapters, I think it was somethign like 134kb in txt format? ^^ anyway it's a bit more serious than your run of the mill SK stuff prolly, I dunno, it's got a very military theme to me.
oh holly hell that was rough, reformatting it all, see I used wordwrap in notepad when I did this, at a different width o.O
I don't own the char's involved in here etc etc. Well 'cept the ones I made up :)
Siege
"Owww..." Chance pushed himself out form under the truck he was working on and rubbed the growing bump on his forehead. The alarm was still blaring as he pushed himself up off the sled and headed for the hanger. By the time he got there Jake was already suited up and at the com. Razor, as he went by when in SWATKat guise, keyed up the com while Chance popped his locker and suited up.
"What is it Ms. Briggs?"
"It's the Past Master. An enforcer patrol spotted him to the south of the city with a flight of dragons. They attempted to engage but were wiped out! Feral's scrambling an attack squadron to go after them, but I'm worried they won't be able to handle this one."
Chance, or T-Bone by his SWATKat call sign, stepped up beside Razor as he finished putting on his glove o' tricks, "The Past Master? How many times do we have to put that creep down?"
Razor elbowed him lightly in the ribs and turned back to the com, "Don't worry Ms. Briggs, we'll handle it."
With that Razor keyed off the com and activated the Hangar doors. T-bone was the first into the TurboKat, dropping into the pilot's seat he fastened on his helmet, "Razor, why don't we ever get to go up against anything normal?"
"Because T-Bone." Chance grinned as he fastened himself in, "Nothing normal would be any challenge."
T-bone chuckled, "Roger that buddy. Hang on, here we go." Bringing the engines up to speed T-bone opened them wide and the TurboKat blasted out of the hanger and into the sky.
* * *
" Coming up on Radar T-bone. Due South. I picked up the enforcer squadron back at the city limits. We should have 2 minutes before they arrive."
"That should be more than enough time. How many you got?"
"I make five... no make that six bogeys. Should be coming into visual any moment."
T-bone scanned the horizon, keeping his flight path completely level. Squinting against the sun he made out black shaped against the blue,"I've got them. Moving to engage."
T-bone brought the TurboKat in from a 5'o clock line on the Dragons. There atop the lead one sat the diminutive form of the Past Master.
"Hey T-bone, what do you think he's doing way out here?"
"No idea Razor, but it can't be good."
"Roger that, Octopus Missiles on-line."
T-bone cut to the left a bit to get in on the Dragon's six. But the formation broke quickly, "Damn it, they've spotted us." T-bone turned into a pursuit arc behind the rear-most dragon. The thing didn't have speed to match the Turbokat, but it maneuvered on a dime. T-bone had to juke left fast to avoid the fire blast it let out back at the Kat.
"C'mon T-bone, how can I get a shot off if you don't hold it still?" Chance grumbled.
"I'd love to oblige you Razor, but this overgrown gecko wants to cook us." T-bone spun around and came in behind another dragon. The thing twisted and spun in the air like some demented worm, but T-bone managed to keep a bead on it.
"Here goes nothing. Missiles away!" Razor fired off a pair of octopus missiles at the dragon. Despite the beasts best efforts it was struck clean by one of them and grappled by the missile's clawed head, "Bingo!" Razor grinned.
"Don't look now buddy, but I think we're gonna have to try something else." T-bone pointed down at the falling dragon. It wiggled once in the missile's grip, then broke free and spread its wings again.
"Krud! These things must have been eating their Wheaties." Razor said with a touch of awe in his voice, "Well bring us around and I'll... What the?"
Both SWATKats flinched as a purple vortex opened up in the air. The dragons all flew for it without hesitation. T-bone brought the Kat around, "Do we follow?"
"No." Chance replied, "We could end up Great Kat knows where, or when." The vortex snapped shut behind the last dragon just as a deep and rigid voice cut through the airwaves, "This is Commander Feral. What do you SWATKat's think you're doing?"
Razor rolled his eyes and keyed open the channel, "The party's over Feral, you missed it. We figured it wouldn't be right to let him get away without ANY resistance."
"I don't think you're in any position to talk vigilante I don't see any sign of your win. Now land your plane, you're under arrest."
Razor turned off the com and shook his head, "He never gives up does he?"
T-bone chuckled, "Nope, never." And pushed the TurboKat to full throttle. Pulling a tight turn he blew back through the Enforcer formation, and raced away before they could regroup
* * *
Commander Feral tossed his helmet so hard that the startled deck officer nearly went over as he caught it. Without looking back Feral stalked off for the locker room. There he replaced his jumpsuit for his usual button down coat. None of the other pilots got even close to in his way, they new better. Well, most of them did. One lieutenant didn't give way when he came out of the locker room. Instead she marched right up to him, "Geez uncle, you could skin a kat with that look."
Feral paused, staring down at his niece and trying to remind himself it was not her he was angry with. Getting his emotions in check he gritted out, "Not now Felina."
Felina Feral was never one to let well enough alone though, "They were right this time uncle, admit it. They got there in time to try and do something about it, and we didn't."
Something broke within Commander Feral right then and there. Rage and anger, not all of it from the same source poured forth into his veins. There was a sharp crack as his uniform's cane splintered against the wall. He thrust the snubbed off end of it into his niece's face, "That's ENOUGH Lieutenant. One more word out of you and I'll have you thrown in the brig for insubordination." With that he spun on his heel and stalked to his office. Leaving a stunned Felina Feral standing in a dead silent hallway. A few enforcers even plastering themselves to the walls to be out of the way of their commander. Feral was surprised the window to his door didn't shatter when he slammed it. A grateful surprise. Dropping himself into the seat behind his desk Feral took in a deep breath and let it out in a wave of sudden exhaustion. The rush of anger flowed out of him leaving only shallow regret.
"Great Kat Ulysses," Feral muttered to himself, "What have you let happen to yourself?" He looked down at his hands, still shaking from the sudden rage. He took another deep breath and let his thoughts flow as he stared at the blankness of his desk. His anger was getting out of control. Too many things at once. Felina here put even more pressure into the mix. It's one thing to be responsible for an entire city full of strangers. But to be responsible for sending your own niece on potentially deadly missions was something completely different. The events of the past few years and especially the months since Felina's arrival played out in his mind as the shadows cast by his blinds slid across his desk. The shadow of a bird crossing that perfect symmetry broke Feral from his reverie. Shaking himself Feral glanced at the clock. 6:43. He'd been sitting here for over two hours and no one had dared to even knock on his door. Just as well. Tomorrow was another day. Commander Feral dropped the broken end of his cane into the trash as he left for the day. The office was quiet. Night crew in place, and no more crisis at the moment. Feral made it down to the parking deck without any interruptions and to his car. As he fished in his pocket for the key to the Hum-vee. Feral heard a throat clear behind him. Reacting on instinct he spun into a defensive stance.
"Woah there tough guy." A smallish, somewhat nondescript Kat in Enforcer uniform with specialist bars on the shoulder stepped out of the shadows. His voice dropped into a deliberate southern drawl, "Gonna take me on all by yourself son?"
Feral squinted in the dim lighting of the parking deck for a moment, then his eyes widened in shock, "Marcus?"
The other fur nodded and took three quick steps, throwing himself at Feral. Feral caught him mid jump and the two embraced in a quick backslapping hug, then Feral held the other fur out at arm's length.
"Great Kat's ghost Marcus. It's been a long time. How did you come to be in MegaKat city... and... in Enforcer uniform? What is that about?"
The smaller Kat grinned and drawled out, "Calm down son. There's time enough for explaining when you buy me a drink."
The day's events gone for the moment Feral permitted himself something that had vanished a long time ago, a grin. He dropped his voice another octave, which was a feat and clipped off each sentence in a rush as he spoke. "all right soldier. You'll get your drink. You have three choices. Whisky, whisky, or whisky."
The smaller kat responded with practiced ease, "Well then Son, looks like we'll be drinkin' whisky, just save the bottle in case any frat boys walk by."
With that Feral turned to open the Hum-Vee up again. Marcus hopped in the passenger side door and Feral started the car up. Casting a glance over at his friend of old to be sure he wasn't a ghost Feral shook his head once and put the car in reverse.
* * *
One hour Later Feral and Marcus sat in the living room of Feral's comfortable home. Each held a tumbler of whisky in hand and the bottle sat near full on the low table between them. Feral had the couch, his Commander's coat and sidearm left at the door. Marcus still wore the uniform of a Special Forces op, but had undone the collar and discarded the beret. A slow silence hung in the air as Feral looked between his drink and the Kat who sat across from him. It was Marcus who finally broke the silence.
"Son you look like you seen a ghost." The drawl was gone from his voice, but the nickname remained.
"It's been what, 20 yrs soldier. And now here you are, in Enforcer uniform no less. It's a bit much." Feral took a sip from his drink and tipped it a bit to hear the ice clink in the glass.
"Yeah, I'll admit it's been a damn long time. When I had that attack during college though... it scared the hell out of me. I came close son, real close. After that." The smaller fur shook his head and took a sip of his own, "I didn't want to keep in touch; not with anyone. I know what I put people through with that, and didn't know how many times it would happen again. I just wanted to fade out, easier that way."
Feral frowned a bit at his old friend and held his glass in both hands as he measured out his words, frank words no other Kat would hear, "I missed you soldier. We all did. You worried us enough as it was. Not like you to give up on life. We knew something was wrong but no one could reach you."
Marcus nodded, "Yeah, that was my major malfunction in this life. Something I had to get through my skull, it took too damn long. By then, I didn't know if it would be best to get back in touch or not. Finally I decided to." Letting out a breath Marcus looked back up at Feral and grinned, "So. Whatever happened to that hot number you were with all through High school?"
Feral took a moment to reply, and that moment spoke volumes.
"Oh, I'm sorry son, I didn't mean to dig up old pains."
Feral cleared his throat. He was a fur who didn't show emotion. That was one of the reasons his wife had left him, why some of his friends had left. He hadn't expressed emotion fully since the first year of college. Since the last time Marcus had visited. Feral had kept himself in line, kept the proud exterior that he knew people depended on him to have. Any and all emotion has been thrown into a vault and locked away for 'later.' Now was that later.
"It's all right soldier. No. I didn't marry her. I met someone else." Feral took a quick gulp from his glass and went on. Everything, the marriage, the divorce, promotions, Felina, the SWATKats. Over the course of the night he retold the last twenty years. He wasn't the only one. Marcus gave the accounts of his travels too. 16 years of travel, then enrollment in the Enforcer program. Marcus brushed quickly over Feral's questions about his heart defect. Cleared up he said, and the docs had approved him for duty. This was his fourth year in duty and his last. Time to retire back to civilian duty. Feral stuffed down his misgivings and worry about his friend's 'recovery.' If Marcus ever knew one thing in his life, it was what was best for himself. Marcus' tale was much less fraught with emotion than Feral's, but then Marcus usually got emotion out at the point of impact. That was one of his best features, being strait up and open in even the most delicate of situations. Night crawled over into day as they talked.
* * *
"Grow up Chance." Jake said, poking his head in from the other room. After that he pulled it back and continued drying out his fur from his morning shower. Chance grunted a moment while tightening up a bolt on the transmission of the truck he was under. "C'mon Jake, I know you've thought about it. Eyes."
There was a silent pause and Chance reached for a larger wrench, maybe Jake was out of hearing. Then came the call back from the other room,"I think I'd have to go with Callie."
"Ya think?" chance called back.
"Yeah. I could look into those baby blues all day."
"I suppose. How about voice?"
Jake's voice got louder, he was probably in the room now, "Callie again."
"I'm gonna have to disagree with you on that one bud. Too nasal for my tastes."
"Nasal? I think it's perfect, soft, and sultry. Lingers in your ears."
"All right. Gonna give physique to Felina though."
"She's a bit buff for me, I'm gonna have to go with Callie again."
"Huh." Chance took a moment to grab a ratchet, loosening the carburetor that needed replacing, "Chest?"
"Felina wins that one I think."
"Without a doubt. Hmm... Hair?
"Felina again, That two tone is sweet."
"Tail?"
There was a brief pause, then Chance slide the sled out from under the truck, he and Jake booth looked at each other and spoke at the same time, "Callie." That was without question. The Kat who didn't get a thrill from watching that tail swish was dead.
"So what about..." chance's musings were interrupted as the enforcer alert radio they had set up squawked to life, "All units all units. Be advised we have a situation at MegaKat Petrochem. Units 5-13 proceed to the area and provide backup and evacuation control. Flight Squadron Alpha is fueling and Zeta patrol is en route."
Chance groaned, "This must be one SICK individual, no one attacks a city before sunrise."
Jake chuckled, "C'mon Chance, let's hit the skies."
* * *
Back at Feral's home his phone rang at the same moment. Picking it up he glanced at his watch out of habit... 513AM! Kat's alive! They'd talked the whole night! "Hello." Feral closed his eyes a moment fighting back the wave of weariness that comes when your mind realizes just what you've been putting your body through. The She-Kat voice on the other end was calm yet tense.
"Commander, this is Watch Captain Chavez. We have an emergency at MegaKat petrochem. Some kind of mutant plants are attacking the place."
Feral closed one hand into a fist, "Understood. I'll head over there and organize things from the ground."
"Yes sir."
With that Feral hung up the phone and went to the coat tree where he'd hung his uniform coat and sidearm last night.
"What's up son?" Marcus stood, setting down his empty tumbler. The whiskey bottle was still mostly full. One drink between non-drinkers, tradition.
"The usual for this town." Feral shrugged into his weapon harness,"Some crazed psychopath trying to wreck it. I'm heading out to the sight. You're welcome to crash here if you like."
"No can do Sir." Marcus tugged his beret into place and drew out a set of papers from his left cargo pocket. Feral paused in buttoning up his coat as Marcus snapped t attention before him, "Special Forces operative, sniper specialty. Marcus P. Kaque reporting for duty Sir."
Feral held out his hand for the papers and gave them a quick once over. The seal was official and brought a smile to Feral's face, "Well then specialist, let's get moving." He finished buttoning his coat as they headed for the door.
* * *
The situation on the ground was orderly, if bad. Things that might at one point have been roses had mutated to 20' masses of writhing leaves and tentacles; each with a bright red blossom nestled within. Enforcers had formed firing lines and were taking shots at the things to little effect. Marcus had one foot out the door as Feral brought the car to a halt. Two enforcers quickly ran up and one gave Feral a quick sitrep. Marcus snagged the other soldier by the arm, "Where can I get a rifle?"
The Enforcer pointed to an armored van a few feet away. Marcus ran and picked up one from the racks. Marcus was headed back to Feral's position when an explosion lit up the morning gloom. Marcus hit the dirt quickly, and a good thing too. Shrapnel blew by overhead as two smaller explosions chained off the original. Getting back to his feet Marcus spotted Feral crouched behind a squad car giving orders into a radio. Down the street the enforcers were retreating in good order. Two other squad cars were burning, along with a gas tank in the petrochem compound. Marcus reached Feral's position and began breaking down the rifle, listening in as he worked.
"Get first squad out of the compound. And have Alpha flight re-equipped with firefoam bombs. We don't want these chemical fires spreading."
Marcus popped the power cells out of his rifle and clamped his teeth down around the red 'regulator' insulation at the node. One good yank and it was off. Slapping the cell back in Marcus went to work on the lens assembly. An Enforcer rifle was mil tech hardware and nothing to shake a stick at, but civil regulations had neutered the version Enforcers got to use down to the point where it was little more than an overgrown flashlight.
Another explosion sounded off down the street, closer this time.
"Damn!" Feral tossed down the radio and stood up, drawing his pistol. Using voice alone he called out, "Enforcers fall back! From a line on me!"
Marcus finished his alterations and pumped the grenade loader a few times, to be met with only a hollow 'k-chick k-chick k-chick.' He looked up at Feral, "No Grenades?"
"Mayor Manx had them banned during his last election year." Feral replied with a good deal of venom in his voice. He snapped off a couple more shots at the creatures as Marcus stood up and braced himself against the hood of the car. The things had split up into 2 groups. Three of them were slowly making their way to the main petrochem building while four more were advancing down the street on the Enforcer position. The enforcer fire was still carefully selected, but having almost no effect. Only tearing small holes in the blossoms. Marcus picked his shot, aimed and fired. With its inhibitors off the rifle let loose a thick solid beam of energy that burrowed a hole clean through the blossom. The creature let loose a horrific shriek and flinched back. Through the rent in it's petals Marcus could see something...brain-like. His shot had winged it and it was bleeding a pale green ichor. Feral was on the radio in less than a second, "All Enforcers. Switch weapons over to full auto, aim for the blossoms. Concentrate on the leftmost creature and work your fire across."
The enforcer rifles were still woefully under powered but sheer volume of fire rent through the thing's leaves and at the soft brain matter inside. Marcus fired as often as he could, but without the proper coolant an enforcer rifle needed at least a 30-second cool down time between shots. The creatures fell one after the other, too singleminded to realize they were doomed before it was too late. As the last one fell in the street the rotor noise of Zeta patrol echoed down the street. Marcus popped the cell from his overheating rifle as Feral instructed the choppers in how to finish off the creatures in the compound.
* * *
"Hey Razor get a load of this." T-bone banked back over the intersection. Down below a trio of Enforcer helicopters were finishing off the last of what looked like some bizarre mutated plants.
"Look like they don't need us after all this time does it T-bone?"
"Bout time Feral did something right for once."
The emergency band took that moment to come alive again; "This is Watch Captain Chavez to Commander Feral. Another one of those things has beensighted at the intersection of Valleywood and Bryne. This one's a hell of a lot bigger than the others."
Feral's voice cut into the airwaves, "Where's Alpha Squadron Captain?"
"Still on the ground sir, one of the anti-fire tanks exploded and tore the wing off a jet. Cleanup crews almost got the runway clear." Razor reached up and tapped the back of T-bone's helmet, "Looks like they need us after all."
"Roger that buddy. En Route." T-bone pulled the TurboKat up and set out over the City line.