Chapter 9

Fox, Falco, and Katt jetted through space towards the enemy ship.

"There are three airlocks we can enter from. Slippy's uploading the map of the ship and working on getting the code as we speak. Keep your HUD visible." Fox said. Three targets appeared on the 3D map. "Katt, you take the closest one. Falco, go around to the one on the rear. I'll take the other one."

Katt reached the target. "Slippy, you got that code yet?"

"Just need another minute!" The enthusiastic frog replied.

The code finally appeared, and Katt punched it in. The door opened, and she jumped in and closed it quickly behind her. She had come in through an emergency exit. "Guys, this is an emergency exit. Make sure no alarms were triggered." She hurried away from the door, keeping an eye out for cameras. "Do we happen to have any clue where those boxes are?"

"According to radar, they should be somewhere on this ship." Fox said.

"I meant as in specifics. Where on the ship?"

"Well, if you happen to run into one of the crew, you can ask them." Falco retorted.

"Oh, haha, funny." Katt rolled her eyes.

"...please don't actually ask the crew." Fox said quickly.

"Well, there goes my plan for today." The feline's usual sarcasm filled voice drew a snicker from her avian lover. The hallway she'd come out in was long and empty. "Slippy, are there cameras here?"

"I'm hacking into the mainframe, but it's gonna take a few minutes."

She took off the helmet.

Across the ship, Falco landed on the door and punched in the code. The door opened and he climbed in. "I'm in. No emergency exit signs here. I think this is their main entrance." He lowered his voice. "And I'm pretty sure I've found our cargo..." In front of him, beyond the small alcove for the airlock, sat a huge array of stored boxes. Just beyond the boxes were posted guards, facing away from him. "This thing doesn't make any noises, does it?" He asked, eyeing the small reader.

"It beeps when it's finished scanning." Fox replied.

"Well, let's hope these thugs aren't listening for any beeps."

"Katt, where are you?" The vulpine asked.

"I can't go back out this door, Foxie boy. It's the emergency exit. I'm going to have to go find Falco."

"Rendezvous there. I'm going around the outside. If he's really got the cargo, there's no reason for you or I to go in the other doors."

"I really wish you'd said that sooner. Slippy, any updates on the cameras?"

"I'm uploading the feed to your HUD. The cameras are set to turn back and forth. You can use that to take cover in the blind spots. The data is all in your helmet now. It'll give you a real-time layout of where the cameras are pointing. Red areas are covered with cameras. Green areas are blind spots."

"You couldn't have just..you know...turned off the cameras?"

"They'd know we're here if I did anything more than hack information."

"Do you also have some sort of life form detecting radar? I can't hear anyone coming with my helmet on."

"I'll work on that. I should have a chip for that around here somewhere..."

Katt sighed and donned the helmet. The area at her feet was green, but the hallway that crossed in front of her was solid red. A wave of green appeared and crept over the floor. "Well, wish me luck."

Back in the cargo bay, Falco dove forward into a roll, coming to one knee behind some boxes. They were in green casing. He peered over, but the guards were still facing the other way. A little ways across the area sat six large blue boxes with military seals. He grinned. "Target acquired."

Fox entered the airlock and cautiously made his way to Falco. "Those the boxes?" He asked quietly. The bird nodded. "With two of us, it'll go faster..."

"What about Katt?"

The leader hesitated. "She said she can't get back out the way she came in. If she makes it over here, we can all escape together. If not, she can just use the teleport."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Katt's voice chimed in.

"Just get here as soon as possible."

"I'm doing my best." The feline jumped out of the way of an incoming red wave. "This isn't easy, you know."

"You could just use the teleport." Falco suggested.

"And let you boys have all the fun? Never."

"Just don't get caught." Fox warned.

"Just get here soon, just don't get caught, yadda, yadda, yadda. Believe it or not, I don't have super powers." She rolled her eyes. "Slippy, how's that radar thing coming along?"

"I have to convert the file type. It's incompatible with your helmet."

"We're living in a purely-technology dominated world and they still make things that are incompatible?"

"Well... they gotta make money somehow, don't they." Falco retorted.

"Katt, we can't wait around here all day... We're gonna scan the boxes now."

"I'm almost there, foxie boy. Just two more hall-" The feline froze dead in her tracks and gasped involuntarily as the red circled around. She turned back, but red was approaching from both directions.

"Katt, you okay?" Falco asked, trying not to sound concerned.

"I'm fine. Start scanning, I'll be there shortly." She unclipped her helmet and sprinted down the hallway, tucking it under her arm.

Falco and Fox readied their scanners. Keeping well hidden behind the boxes, they scanned two at the same time.

BEEP!

The sound was fairly quiet, and nearly blended in with the ship's own noises. But to the two mercenaries, it was like a siren blaring out their location to the bad guys. They held their breath for a moment, and then Falco dared a peek around the edge. The guards hadn't moved. He breathed a soft sigh of relief and signaled Fox with his fists closed and thumbs up.

They scanned the next two.

BEEP!

Another moment of oxygen deprivation, but the guards still hadn't turned around. They had, however, huddled together to peer at a small hand-held screen. Falco narrowed his eyes. He focused on the faraway object, but the light difference was too great for him to read it. Instead, he focused on their mouths.

"I'm not much of a lip reader...but I'm pretty sure one of them just said something about an intruder." He said quietly to his partner.

"Let's get this done, then." Fox held out his scanner, awaiting Falco. They scanned the last two boxes.

BEEP!

This time, the guards were listening. One of them turned his head slightly, just as Falco peered around.

"Shit!" He whispered, ducking back behind the boxes.

"Hey, did you see that?"

"Good going." Fox muttered. "Slippy, transport the boxes and prepare for takeoff. Katt, use your teleport."

"Hang on guys, I'm almost there."

The guard was advancing, gun drawn. "Hey! Come out from behind the boxes with your hands up!"

"Katt, follow orders." Falco said into his helmet. He turned around, just in time to see her come running out of a hallway and straight at the guards. "Katt!"

"Get the cargo!" She cried, leaping onto the guards. She slammed her helmet backwards on the closer guard, impairing his vision, and then wrapped her arms and legs around the other one.

Falco gasped, standing up. He made eye contact with her for a second.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Emergency teleport!"

"KATT!"