Hello, I actually got time in some of my classes to write this part…I'm so happy!!!!
I am assuming that you know what ~ and italics mean same disclaimers all is not mine thanks to everyone for reviewing and stuff like that.
As I was reading over part one I noticed a typo that I would like to apologize for. The guardians are the only non-humanoid on record. That is what it's supposed to be instead of the guardians are the only non-humans on record:)
It's almost heaven…it's part seven:)
Saffire flipped her tail; she had eaten a very full-filling lunch and was stretched out on the bed in the guest quarters. She yawned noisily and rubbed her head on the pillows while Galen, Marcus, Dureena and Susan talked in the front part of the room.
"How long are you here Susan?" Dureena asked, afraid that Susan would have to leave the love she had just found.
Susan took another sip of Vodka, (they all had drinks to celebrate by) "As long as it takes to resupply a ship. I didn't exactly get permission to be here." She looked at her glass then to Marcus.
"We can talk about that a little bit later," Marcus said in answer to the look of concern on Susan's face, "Right now, I just want to enjoy living again." Marcus chuckled and was joined by the other three. Their chuckles were cut short a moment later by a loud thump from the adjoining room. They all rushed in and their former chuckles were replaced by laughter. Saffire pulled herself off the floor, shook, and climbed back onto the bed. If felines could blush, she would be.
"Saffire, what are you doing?" Galen asked when finally stopped laughing.
~I was trying to get comfortable. Sometimes that includes rolling around, I just misjudged where the edge of the bed was~
Saffire didn't like being the center of attention, and she liked being laughed at even less. Luckily Marcus knew this. "What do you say we go for a walk?" he asked, "I want to see what's changed around here." Marcus signaled to the door.
"I think I'm going to finish some research…besides, people tend to worry a bit too much when a Technomage is about," Galen commented with a farewell nod, "I'll see you all later." He nodded once more, smiled at Saffire then left.
Dureena nodded, "Whatever. It's not like I have anything better to do. Come on Saffire." Saffire sighed and jumped off the bed then they all headed out to explore the station. When they boarded the turbo-lift, a girl boarded with them. Saffire caught the scent of the longhaired predator wafting lightly from the girl's clothes.
Correl watched Draya get on the turbo-lift; he was glad that the Technomage was not with the group. Correl turned and took the steps down to the Zocalo to await Saffire's arrival; everyone started exploring the station in the Zocalo.
Saffire didn't get a very good feeling from this girl; she was dressed in robes that hid her face. The only indication that she was indeed female was the brown hair that hung freely from the hood. Since this girl had boarded the turbo lift, she had begun reeking of the longhaired predator. Saffire was glad when the lift came to a stop at the Zocalo and the girl ran off to get lost in the crowd.
Babylon 5 was truly unique in the fact that Saffire could walk freely here. Just about all races excepted Saffire (if not for the advanced being that she was then for the strong protector that she looked like) and just about all had a respectful fear of her. It was obvious in the three-foot radius that always surrounded the cat.
Marcus and Susan had adopted a go-from-booth-to-booth attitude. As they made their way to the third booth, Dureena wandered off; apparently growing bored with the idea. Saffire chuckled mentally and looked back to her friends. As they walked along, people moved around the trio, sometimes between the cat and her guardianees, but they always kept that respectful distance from the feline. At one point, a large group came toward them, blocking the entire walkway with their sheer numbers. Saffire made to move to the other side of the booth but the group moved with surprising speed and was upon her before she could do so. There were so many in the group that, like a leaf on a river, Saffire was swept down the hall and into a nearly deserted section far from the Zocalo.
Once the group and the last of it's stragglers were no were in site, Saffire started back down what she thought would take her to the Zocalo. However, she hadn't been able to see around or even over the people to see where she was going.
Correl watch the hired group sweep the cat out of the Zocalo and down the appointed hall. Surely his prey was too trusting when it came to humanoids. He looked to the cat's guardianees, they continued to walk from booth to booth, not even noticing the absence. This was good, very good.
Saffire walked along attempting to smell her way back. Something one of the people had been carrying had dampened her sense of smell though. In essence, she was wandering and deeper, she feared, into the bowels of Babylon 5.
Fifteen minutes after the large group swept by them, Susan noticed her feline friend's absence.
"Where do you think she got off to?" Marcus queered, noticing the absence.
"I don't know, but I don't think she'd leave us like that. She'd at least tell us where she was going," Susan answered.
"Bathroom?" Marcus joked, then noted the look on Susan's face. "What? She could be. I say we give her one hour then get security looking for her," his look was a hopeful one.
"A half hour," Susan said sternly then continued her walk.
"Right then," Marcus said as he started after her. "Something's never change," he remarked quietly to himself.
Saffire stopped, she noticed the tale-tell 'clip clip clip' of shoes telling her that she was being tracked. She sighed and looked around, with her feline eyes she could see perfectly in the dimly lit corridor. Ahead of her, blankets covered the corridor's floor. Suddenly a thought hit her, had all of this been planned? She laid down and rubbed her eyes with her front paws, how could she have fallen into this so easily?
She laid her head on her forelegs and decided she wasn't going to move an inch; besides, help would find her sooner or later, right? She sighed yet again, for the first time since she could remember she was lost, confused, and just a tad-bit nervous.
Just as the feline was getting used to the idea that help would find her, Saffire heard someone approaching from behind. She jumped up and turned to face the noise. After a moment, the longhaired stranger from the Zocalo appeared around a corner.
"Ok, it's been a half hour," Susan said as she found the nearest security guard. "I need to file a missing feline report."
"Ma'am?" the guard asked, confused. Susan huffed at him and demanded that he Zak immediately.
Saffire really didn't like this longhaired stranger; she lowered her head and growled to let him know this.
"Hi little kitty, a nice coat you have there," Correl chuckled. Saffire bared her teeth then growled louder.
~One I intend to keep, thank-you~ She started backing away, forgetting all about the blankets covering the floor. Her only indication that trouble lie under them was a creak, quickly followed by a snap as the tampered-with floor gave way under her.
As Saffire fell to the floor below (a good 15 feet) her head slammed against the hard metal plating. She let out a soft whimper then turned her head up to the hole, blackness starting to creep over her vision.
"I feel I must tell you that I love to play with metal, it's one of my favorites, " Correl laughed as the silver feline passed out from the fall. He ended his laugh with a smile then grabbed a thick wire that ran from the middle of the wall to the floor below. After admiring his handy work, he slid to the floor below, where his unconscious prey laid.
The man removed his jacket then and tied it around his waist. After rubbing his upper arms, he bent down and picked up the cat. After heaving her onto his shoulders, Correl stood, turned and started toward his makeshift base.
Zak gathered all his available men (more than 30!) and took them to the Zocalo
"So this is where she was last seen?" Zak asked turning to Marcus and Susan, they nodded in unison. "Ok, you guys," Zak said turning to his men. "You have your groups. I want every corridor searched. I want Saffire found! Report back to me if via link if you find anything, all right? Get to it." The different groups fanned out, each taking a different corridor, then each man taking a different side passage.
"We have to help," Marcus pulled Zak's attention back. "We can't just sit on our hands and count the ceiling tiles."
"I understand, " Zak put a hand on Marcus' shoulder, "Walk with me. On the same day that Susan came in, another guy came in that caught my attention," Zak stated after they had begun walking. "He gave me the creeps. After I showed Susan to Med-lab, I decided to look this guy up. Turns out his name is Correl Ragnarok, he's been arrested for poaching extremely endangered animals." Susan and Marcus stopped immediately and looked at him, eyes wide. "Yea I know. That's another reason I got so many men looking. We can look in a few of the corridors that my men haven't started down, this way."
They started down a corridor that would connect to the one Saffire had been swept down nearly an hour before.
Saffire awoke in a small room that was actually the end of a hall, sectioned off by blankets hanging from the walls. She made to stand but found that her legs were secured to the deck plating by thick, leather straps.
She looked at her surroundings. It was mostly bare, except for the shackles that held her and a chair that was currently occupied. The girl from the turbo lift slept soundly in the chair. Her arm twitched, and, if she could have, Saffire would have smiled; she loved to watch sleeping humans. The girl's body twitched around every now and again and nearly out of the chair once but Saffire let out a low growl that she knew would wake the girl. Draya looked at Saffire through sleepy eyes.
"Good morning, Saffire," she said then turned and walked out the 'door.' She returned a short time later and Correl poked his head in then quickly disappeared.
~What is he planning? Why does he want me? ~ Saffire noticed Draya's unease at the question.
"He is-" she started, but was cut off as Correl came back.
"I am a hunter, Saffire," Correl carried a small bag back in with him. "I hunt animals and…" he paused as if picking his words, "…retrieve their hides. It was rumored that there was a very elusive, silver cat somewhere in the universe." He smiled at kneeled next to Saffire; "I couldn't resist adding a myth to my collection." Saffire raised one eyebrow and looked beyond Correl to Draya, the girl was basically squirming in her shoes.
"Correl, can I have the second half now?" Draya asked, her face read impatient but her eyes read worry. Correl pulled his eyes from Saffire's pelt and looked to Draya. He stared at the girl for a moment then reached into his bag and puled out a small brown pouch that he promptly tossed at Draya.
"Be gone, you are no longer needed. I thank you for your help," Correl looked back to Saffire. Draya gave Saffire a look that the cat couldn't quite figure out then turned and left. Saffire knew she'd be back.
Ok…sorry about the cliff hanger but if I hadn't done that the story would have ended this chapter…without warning, besides I wanted to do a cool little bribe to get you guys to review…that and the fact that this is all I got a chance to write. Hope you can stand the cliffhanger. Thanks again to those who have stuck with my little story and I. So the next installment will probably be the last : '( TEAR sniff sniff Anyway, $100 dollar shopping spree to ANYWHERE for those who review thank you come again. *looks around mischievously then sets a box of puppies-all with collars that say Fido-on the ground then runs out*
