Solstice was at full-stop. The viewer showing ... shards of metal. Hull fragments. Some still intact.

"Wreckage?"

Aria's paws danced over the tactical console ... eyes squinting. The bridge lights dim. Almost blue. Looking up, the snow rabbit nodded her head.

"Do I wanna ask WHO'S wreckage it is?" was the desert mouse's quiet question. He swallowed. Standing. Tail snaking, and whiskers twitching.

"Human," Advent growled. From the helm. Her teeth were showing. Glinting a bit ... in this dim, alerted light.

"An appropriate guess," Aria responded levelly. "But a wrong one."

Advance blinked.

Advent turned in her swivel chair.

"Wasp," Aria supplied. "The wreckage is ... of wasp origin."

"Wasps," Herkimer whispered from Ops. Blinking. His anxiety level shooting up ten-fold. He took several shaky breaths, and ... focused his attention on his read-outs. Occupy yourself. Don't think, don't think ...

"Who could do THAT," Audrey asked aloud, "to a wasp ship?" Wasps were the most powerful species known to exist. They were vicious, deadly. Twisted, angular creatures. With drone-like minds. They ... aimed to ingest other technology. Other furs. Aimed to conquer. Aimed to spread their hive-based dominion ... over all. But wasps, also, were very enigmatic. They were rarely seen face-to-face. They ...

" ... obviously met their match," Advance whispered, squinting. He padded a few steps forward. Eying the viewer.

"Maybe we're entering their space," Herkimer said, panic in his high-pitched voice. Squeaking a bit ...

"Doubtful," Aria responded. Trying to maintain a calm, collected presence. Though even her heart ... was beating rapidly. She was ... agitated. "Wasps have no SET territory. They view whatever space they enter ... as their own."

"In other words: the universe is theirs. And we're all just ... trespassers."

"They would prefer the term ‘parasites,' but ... I think we can all agree their view is rather skewed."

"You've fought against wasps, too?" Advent asked. Squinting. Eying the snow rabbit carefully. The two femmes on opposite sides of the bridge. And, lately ... both having stayed entirely out of each other's way. But now that Advent was back on duty, and now ... well, the tension was STILL there. It had never gone away. It had, though ... lessened. Thankfully. But ... still, Advent didn't trust that rabbit. She was a trained predator-killer ... was more dangerous than any prey she'd ever met.

"No," Aria replied. "But, as a member of the snow rabbit militia, we were fed up-to-date information on all predatory species ... that could potentially be threats. The wasps, obviously, were one of them."

"So, what do we do?" was Herkimer's question.

Advance looked to Aria. "Sub-Commander?"

She looked down. Icy-blue eyes darting gracefully. Snowy-white paws ... moving with rhythmic pattern. And a slight nod, and a slight breath. "They're the only wasp ship within range." And Solstice's sensor array could detect ships ... up to eight days out. Unless, of course, a ship had stealth technology. Which the wasps had been known to have, but ... " ... I think we are safe," she whispered.

"So," Advance whispered, turning back to the viewer. Squinting his mousey eyes. The eyes used to the desert light. The desert heat. The eyes that, for a mouse, especially ... could give QUITE a stare. "So, they were alone ... they ventured away from the others. They came here, and ... why? And who destroyed them?"

"Valid questions," Aria asked. "But I'm afraid none ... with easy answers."

"We can bring aboard the wreckage," Audrey suggested. "Sift through it. Run scans. See if we can determine any ... weapon signatures. Or ... find any working wasp technology. Maybe their computer core survived the implosion?"

"Explosion, actually," Aria said, reading her screens.

"Well ... whatever," the squirrel said nervously.

Advance swallowed. And sighed. And nodded. "Do it," he whispered.



"Why are we stopped?" Ross asked, whiskers twitching with wide-eyed, mousey innocence. AND anxiety. Nervousness. Oh, twitch, twitch, twitching. "Mm ... what's that stuff floating out there?" He paced ... to the mess hall windows. Paused. And paced back.

"I don't know, but ... obviously, inertia's keeping YOU at warp."

The vole stopped. Twitched. Held his tail in his paws. "Is it?" he asked weakly.

Lipton giggled a bit. "You're ... you've been pacing for the past five minutes. Seriously, calm down!"

"We're at tactical alert."

"The Captain would've made an announcement," the cinnamon-furred rabbit assured, "if it were TRULY bad. He hasn't, so ... I'm assuming it's something the senior officers can handle." A pause. "Not EVERY deep-space encounter is a dangerous one."

"No," Ross agreed. "Just MOST of them."

"Ross, come on ... don't think like that. Alright? It's gonna be okay ... there's nothing we can do. But panicking won't help."

Ross nodded quietly, eyes going out of focus. Darting. Aria ... was a senior officer. And ...

" ... she'll be okay," Lipton whispered. "She's tough. She's smart. You know that ... "

Ross blinked. Looked up. "I do," he whispered. "But I'm still ... worried. You know? I mean ... you know?"

The rabbit didn't respond. He didn't have a mate. So ... he didn't. But, rather than saying that, he simply replied, "Sit down?"

"I can't," the meadow mouse whispered, and sighed. "Mm ... I ... " Mousey energy. An affliction, sometimes.

Lipton watched him. They were the only two furs in here. Everyone else had left ... when the alert had come on. Ross and Lipton, though ... being a cook and a botanist, basically ... weren't really of any use during such a situation.

So, best thing for them to do ... was to stay out of the way.

And try not to worry.

Try.

The meadow mouse sucked in air, and ... paced again. To the window. "Mm ... there's a pod out there!" he squeaked. "Two pods!"

"Yeah?" The rabbit stretched a bit, to try and see ... from where he was sitting.

"Yeah," Ross whispered, eyes wide. "They're trying to, uh ... tractor debris, I think."

Lipton pushed his fork into his salad. Spinach leaves. Lettuce. Carrot bits. Green onion. Shredded cheese. And croutons.

The meadow mouse turned away from the window again. And padded back ... to the table. Taking a fidgety seat.

"Good salad," Lipton said genuinely.

"I ... didn't make the ingredients. I just threw them together."

"It's still good." A warm smile.

Ross bit his lip ... " ... mm ... I made rolls. Did you have the rolls?"

"Clover honey-wheat?"

A quiet nod.

"Haven't, no."

"I gotta get you one ... they're good. Really." The mouse was up. Again. And padding to the kitchen, still nervously chattering while he went. His voice a bit muffled ... behind all the pots and pans. And the wall ... " ... they're, like, really ... tasty. You don't even taste the honey so much. Mostly the wheat. They're better right out of the oven, I think, but ... " He reentered view. " ... I think you'll like them." He had a plate of, like, six rolls. And he set them down on the table. And then sat down in his chair again, holding his tail. Eyes continually darting to the window ... and then back to the rabbit.

Lipton, swallowing some salad, put his fork down. And took a small sniff. "Mm ... smells good," he assured, and ... reached for a roll. Picked it up.

"They're called clover-leafs," Ross explained, "cause they have three segments. Like a clover. You can pull off each and ... nibble on it."

"I see." A smile. "Neat idea. Where'd you get the recipe?"

"A good cook never tells," was the shy, smiling reply. "But, uh ... I remmebered it from home." Meaning Earth ...

The rabbit chew-chewed, nibbling ... " ... mm ... " A swallow. "Really good."

"Yeah?" Ross smiled hopefully.

"Yeah. Really. Honestly, Ross ... you ARE a good cook. Stop asking so surprised." Another chew. "Mm ... " And he reached for his water glass.

"I just ... sometimes, it's hard for me to keep up my confidence."

"Mm ... I can understand that." Putting down his water glass.

"She keeps it up. She ... helps me. So much. I'm ... "

"Aria, you mean?" Lipton whispered.

A little nod. Eyes distant. "Yeah ... " His voice gave off a dreamy, sighing quality. "Mm ... " His eyes glazed over. Just thinking about her. And remembering the yiff they'd had last night, and ... how special it all was, and ... every time, and ...

"You're blessed," Lipton whispered.

A blink.

"Really. Just ... you are," the rabbit said, whiskers twitching. His ears waggled. And he stabbed at his salad.

Ross blinked again. "I ... I know," he assured. "I don't take it for granted. I ... are ... are you okay?"

"Yeah ... why?"

"You just about murdered your salad there."

"Oh."

Ross eyed him curiously.

The rabbit sighed. "I ... something happened the other day. Something that I'm afraid to tell about. Cause ... " A pause. "It was so bizarre." A shake of the head. A blink. "I'm afraid of her now. I mean, I've always been. Most furs on the ship are, to some degree, but ... now? I start shaking every time I see her. I just ... "

Ross leaned forward, ears swiveling.

"Um ... alright, alright," Lipton whispered. "But you CANNOT tell ... ANYONE. Even Aria."

"What if she asks? I can't lie to ... "

"How's she gonna ask if she doesn't know what it is?"

"Mm ... cause mouses can't keep secrets."

"Well, then I can't tell you," Lipton said, leaning back in his seat. Crossing his arms.

Ross looked a bit dejected. "Mm ... mm ... but ... "

Lipton smiled lightly. "You and your ... cuteness. Mm ... alright, alright. I'll tell ... anyway, if you DO tell Aria, she can't tell, either. Alright? I don't want this thing to turn into a wildfire."

"It won't," was the promise.

Lipton took a breath. And picked up his honey-wheat roll. Nibbled with his front teeth. "Mm ... I got caught pawin' ... the other day."

A blink. "Is that all?"

"Well ... "

"Herkimer caught me pawin' in the kitchen bathroom just yesterday ... and, then, a few days before that, I heard Welly and Bell-Bell ... uh ... doin' it in sickbay. When I was walking past." A pause. "They locked the door."

"And how would you know that?" A cheeky look.

"I just KNOW," Ross insisted, flushing. "But ... but, anyway, big deal. We ALL get caught. Cause we're doing it all the time. It's ... you know, back when I was ... before I was a fur," he said quietly, "that would've been mortifying. I wouldn't have been able to live it down. But ... as a fur, it's almost ... you can giggle about it, you know?"

"Look, I KNOW that ... we ALL get caught pawing, or ... yiffin' it up," Lipton sighed. "I mean, I know the saying ... if you don't get caught pawing or having yiff more than ONCE a week ... you must not be a real fur." A little smile. "I know. I've been a fur from birth, remember? So, don't try and tell me how it is ... "

The vole flushed beneath his fur. Ears going rosy-pink. "I didn't ... I didn't mean to ... "

"Ross, just ... " A sigh. "You don't understand. This has happened before, yeah. It's not that I got caught, Ross. It's ... WHO caught me."

"Who?" Ross sat up straight. Perking. Blinking.

A sigh. The rabbit slumped down in his chair. "Advent," he mumbled.

"Advent?" he squeaked.

"You don't have to shout it!"

"There's no one in here," Ross whispered back.

"Oh." Looking around. "I forgot."

"Advent? Really?"

"Yes, really. She ... she'd been taking arms off my aloe plants. I didn't KNOW it was her, but ... I guess it was. I guess she did it after-hours, when no one was in the bay, but ... instead of pawing in my quarters that night, I ... you know, I decided to paw IN the bay. I mean, all those flowers and plants, and little trees. It's the closest thing to REAL nature that we have on this ship. It really relaxes me. Makes me feel safe. You know? I love plants. I love ... flowers. I ... " The rabbit flushed, going quiet. Paw-pads sliding bashfully on the table. "They're my friends. I just ... I wanted to paw in the bay."

"It's okay ... I understand," Ross whispered.

"Yeah?" A weak look.

"Yeah. I ... I used to be real lonely. Back before. I know how it is."

"Well, being a ... " The rabbit trailed. It was bad form to say the word ‘human' in front of Ross. Or even behind his back. He was a fur now. And trying to leave that life behind. And, plus, in furry society, ‘human' had become akin to a curse word. It wasn't something you said in casual conversation. ‘You human ... ' ... calling someone that ... was a horrible insult. " ... well ... well, being a pink-skin," Lipton said, improvising with his words, "isn't the same as being a fur. I mean, furs are ... we're very sensual creatures," Lipton whispered.

"I kind of figured that out," Ross said, flushing.

"Yeah ... um ... but, so, you know how it is. A fur with NO mate ... is not the same as a pink-skin with no mate. A fur with no mate is like ... a LESSER fur. When breeding is so special, and so ... NECESSARY for your health, and ... when it's all you can think about ... and you have no one to breed WITH? It's a whole new form of loneliness. Believe me. It ... it is," Lipton assured.

Ross remained quiet. Swallowing, and ... reaching his paw across the table. So that his fingers meshed with Lipton's paw.

Lipton looked up.

Ross gave his paw a squeeze. "It'll be okay ... you'll find a femme."

"That's what Welly said."

"Well, you should listen to Welly ... "

"Welly, if he wanted, could have femmes LINED up outside his door ... begging to be his mate. If he didn't have Bell-Bell. And ... "

" ... if I can find a mate, so can you," Ross said.

"You're an outcast, Ross. Or, at least ... you were when you first arrived here," Lipton corrected, trying to be gentle. "You come from a different place. And so does Aria. You two are ... you both live on a ship with furs who all come from the SAME world. You two ... come from someplace else. And have a lot more in common than I can even say, so ... you know, it's ... each mate-ship works for a reason. Happens for a reason. And ... "

" ... so, then, one will happen for you. For a reason. When the time is right," Ross assured gently, squeezing the rabbit's paw again. Before letting it go.

Lipton smiled weakly. "I hope so. I ... pray it will. But ... " A sigh. "That's not even the point." A pause. "The plants are, like, my friends, and ... pawing feels better in there. In the bay. The flowers and grass in my nose, and ... my toes in that soil. Anyway, so I like to paw in there. And NO fur ever comes in there after-hours, right? I mean, unless they wanna yiff in there, and ... they normally ask my permission before they do that ... "

"You can yiff in there?"

"Well, I ... have a sign-up sheet in the bay. It's ... sometimes, there's a list. I only grant one mate-ship per night ... to have access."

"Huh ... " Ross's eyes trailed.

"You want on the list? You and Aria?" A giggle. A stare. "Mm?"

"I didn't say that!"

"No, but you're thinking about it ... "

"Just ... just tell me your story," Ross stammered.

"Well ... mm ... okay," the rabbit said. Sighing again. "So, I was pawing in there. As I like to do. And I didn't lock the door. For one, as I said ... no-fur normally comes in without my permission. And THAT particular night, no furs had signed up to yiff in there ... so, instead of going to my quarters, I stayed in the bay. AFTER getting some new paw-off lube ... from Welly. He gave me this jelly stuff. It felt SO good. It was ... mm ... so, I got lost in the, uh, act, and ... in walks the jaguar. Aiming to take my aloe without telling me, and ... finding me instead."

Ross, eyes wide, swallowed. Waiting for more.

"So, I ... unfortunately, I was SO close to, uh, climax, and ... you know, I guess, in a way, her walking in on me, deep down, was a bit of a thrill. I was so close, anyway, and I felt the twitches start, and I ... willed it to stop, but I came. I got bowled over by the pleasure, and ... her eyes just BORE into me as I shuddered on all fours, and ... when I recovered, when it was over, she was just ... in this TRANCE."

Ross nodded, blinking ... " ... yeah?"

"Yeah," Lipton whispered. "She's been in heat all week, you know? I mean, I think she still has a few days left. Or ... but, anyway, this was on, like, the second day of it, and ... so, she almost ... she was like schizophrenic, Ross. I mean, she tried to rape me, like, twice ... " The rabbit closed his eyes. Shook. "I ... she just ... pounced, and I whimpered." A pause. "She's stronger. She could've done it. And my body would've betrayed me, you know ... even as my mind would've been horrified. I don't imprint outside a mate-ship, you know ... "

"I know," Ross said.

"But she DOES, and ... I thought she was gonna force it. The smell of yiff just PIERCED the air, and ... it was like a haze, and ... but she didn't do it. She held herself back. And she seemed really MAD, too, that ... she didn't do it. Like she was disappointed in herself, and ... then she started snapping at me. Like it was MY fault. And then she says that ... well, before she pounced me, she pawed in front of me. With her clothes on, but still ... and, like, she says we're ‘even' now. She saw me pawing. I saw her pawing. We're even. Like ... I don't know." A deep sigh. And the rabbit rubbed his paws on his head. Swallowing. "Mm ... I can't stop thinking about it." A pause. Another sigh. "Or ... about her," he whispered.

Ross bit his lip.

"I know. I know. She's ... what she did to Herkimer? She'd probably do that to me, too. I mean, is she more humble, more stable ... than she was a few weeks ago? I think so. I think she's different. But different enough? No," the rabbit whispered. "No, so ... I mean, unless she changes, it's just STUPID to think about. Me and her. It's ... besides, she's a loose cannon!" A pause. "She WANTED to rape me." His eyes watered. "She WANTED to hurt me. I could smell it. Could ... " The rabbit drooped. "I was terrified." A sigh. A sniffle. "But ... she didn't. She held herself back, and ... why? Why, Ross?"

"I don't know," he whispered.

"Is it cause she's changing? Or ... does she like me? And didn't wanna hurt me? I don't know. It was just so bizarre. Now, every time I see her, I shake, and I ... stutter, and she ... she won't look me in the eye. She just says, ‘hello, ensign' ... and pauses, and sniffs the air, and then walks on by."

Ross's whiskers twitched. Ears swiveling.

"I don't know what to do. She told me not to tell anyone ... about the whole deal. But ... it feels better to talk about it," Lipton said honestly, looking up at the meadow mouse, "and ... I don't know what to do," he said again.

Ross considered. Offering, quietly, "She has a history of abusing prey. Of USING prey ... and throwing them away when she's done with them. And until that history of hers ... until she proves it IS history ... then I wouldn't trust her. With your heart OR your body. Honestly, if ... if that's what you're asking ... "

Lipton nodded quietly. Sighing through his sniffing nose. "I know. I ... you're right, Ross." A pause. And a weak shrug. "I just wish I could get her out of my nose, my ... eyes ... my head," he whispered. "Maybe I'm so lonely that I'll ... take ANY single femme that's available. Even if it's a proven predator. Maybe I'm that pitiful." He drooped.

"No ... no," Ross whispered, assuring him. "You can't help it ... if ... if you're attracted to her. She's a beautiful femme. It's just her personality that's scruffy."

"Mm ... yeah." The rabbit sighed. And nibbled on his honey-wheat roll some more. Chew-chew. "Mm." A breath. "Well ... you're right. So what if she, of all furs, caught me pawing? She tried to rape me, and ... she didn't do it, and ... now, I'm scared of her ... but attracted to her at the same time! I mean, maybe that's what she WANTS. Maybe she's toying with me. Just like she toyed with Herkimer," Lipton whispered sadly. "I just can't know. So ... if she wants to make any further moves? Well, fine, but ... I'm not. I don't need her, and ... and ... " A sigh. "Dammit," the rabbit muttered dejectedly.

"You gonna be okay?" Ross whispered worriedly.

Lipton nodded, staring at his nearly-eaten salad. "Yeah," he whispered back. His cinnamon ears waggled. "Yeah." A swallow, and a nod, and he put on a smile. "Thanks, though, for ... listening. For giving your advice. And ... for being a friend. I ... appreciate it," he said, poking his fork back into his salad.

"You're welcome." Ross paused. And then smiled. "Hey! I, uh, made this new cake ... it's for supper tonight. For dessert. No one's had it yet. You, uh ... wanna share a piece with me?"

"Sure." A small smile. "What kind of cake?"

"It's called ‘lemon velvet,' and it's ... a frozen lemon cake. It's a snow rabbit delicacy. It's ... Aria taught me how to make it," he said proudly.

Lipton nodded. "Well ... " And smiled and shrugged. "Well, why not?"

"I'll go get a slice," Ross said, and scurried away, thin tail trailing ... squeaking to himself.

"Heh ... mice," went Lipton, shaking his head in friendly amusement. Finishing his salad.



Aria padded delicately around the debris. Holding out a paw-held scanner. Which hummed and whirred ... taking readings. Analyzing. Herkimer, also with a scanner, was a few feet away, squinting.

"I still can't find any sign of weapons fire."

"Perhaps it was a malfunction," Aria said. "A warp containment failure. Structural integrity collapse."

"On a wasp ship?" The mouse blinked.

Aria looked at him. Plainly stating, "The wasps are not infallible. They simply wish you to BELIEVE that they are." And she looked back at her scanner. "They often build their ships with an amalgam of furry technologies. Which they steal, adapt, assimilate ... it is no wonder that, now and then, some of the pieces prove incompatible."

"I guess you're right," Herkimer squeaked.

Aria stepped around a shard of metal, and approached a big chunk of stuff. Which seemed to house some computer material.

"You're gonna clean this up, right?" asked Tess, from above them. On the catwalk. "I mean, you're not gonna leave my floor like that, are you?" The squirrel's tail was flagging behind her. She seemed ... frustrated. After all, she WAS in charge of the shuttle-bay. She spent a lot of time making sure it looked perfect! And ... and here they were, bringing debris and wreckage and ... scattering across the floor. As if looking for buried treasure.

"Most likely, when we're finished with it, we will jettison what we don't salvage ... back into space."

"Well ... it might leave some dirt and grime, you know. I'M not cleaning it up."

Aria looked upward, raising her brow.

Tess looked down, trying to match the snow rabbit's eye-stare. But ... but ... " ... alright, maybe I, uh, will clean it up. Uh ... if I have to," the squirrel said weakly.

Aria eye-smiled, tilting her head. "Very kind of you, ensign."

The squirrel gave a begrudging smile back. "Mm ... don't mention it." And a slight giggle. "You ever think of entering a staring contest, Sub-Commander?"

"No."

"Aw ... how come?"

"Because I would win. There would be no competition."

The squirrel giggle-squeaked, still leaning on the railing, watching them run their scans. "Mm ... I see Ross is rubbing off on you. You never used to tease like that."

Still eye-smiling, the rabbit gave no response. Simply continuing her scans.

Tess, taking a breath, looked over to Herkimer. "How's it going, mouse?"

"Um ... it's going," he replied shyly.

"Yeah?" A bright smile from the squirrel.

"You know, it ... it must be a cushy job, lounging on the catwalk like that."

"Hey, I was simply asked to pilot a shuttle, and ... maintain the security of the bay."

"Mm ... well ... "

"You're okay, though?" Tess asked. The squirrel, like most furs on Solstice, constantly worried about the grey-furred mouse's welfare. He'd been through a lot ... and, though he'd gotten over it (for the most part), they still worried. He was a likeable mouse. He was everyone's friend.

"I'm fine," he insisted.

"You treating my mate alright?" Handel, the porcupine ... Tess's mate ... was assigned to Herkimer's Ops team.

"Yeah. I am."

"You and Opal, uh ... getting along?" A smile.

"Yes."

"How often?"

"What?" The mouse looked up.

"How often are you ‘getting along' ... "

"Ensign," Aria gently chided. "We are performing important scans. Veiled questions about Herkimer's yiff life ... are hardly constructive to finishing our task." A pause. "However, I believe the answer is three ... "

"What?" Herkimer squeaked, flushing hard. "How do you know that?" he demanded, ears turning rosy-pink. His whiskers twitched.

"Our quarters," Aria said quietly, diplomatically, of her and Ross's quarters, "are on C-deck. A few rooms down from yours."

"So?" Herkimer demanded, still twitching with bashfulness.

"There is NO fur on C-deck, Section 2 ... who does NOT know when you and Ensign Opal are ‘getting along' ... "

"Ooh," went Tess, from the catwalk. Perking. "Ooh ... " She grinned, looking from the snow rabbit to the mouse. This was good ...

"What are you saying?" Herkimer asked quietly, flushing.

"I am saying ... your mate is a cow. She ... moos," Aria stated simply. "Moos are loud. They carry through walls."

"Oh." The mouse flushed with heat. "Uh ... oh," he whispered.

"Nothing to be ashamed of, Herkimer," Tess said gently, giving him a smile. "I think ALL the walls on this ship ... are a bit too thin." A wink. "If you know what I mean." It wasn't uncommon to hear sounds of pleasure coming through the wall of the quarters next to your own. And it wasn't uncommon, either, for your own sounds to be heard. "Right, Aria?" The squirrel looked to the snow rabbit.

"Indeed," Aria replied. "I have been told that Ross is a ‘regular squeaking machine' ... at times," she offered, eye-smiling.

Herkimer bit his lip, but ... smiled, too. "Mm ... well ... " A giggle. "Yeah ... "

"I'm glad you're okay, Herkimer," Tess said honestly. "I'm happy for you."

The mouse's eyes watered. "Thanks," he mouthed, beaming.

Aria drew a deep, calming breath. "Now, if we can return to the matter ... " Beep-be-beep. " ... at paw." She squinted. "Mm. I believe ... " She padded over some debris clusters. " ... I have found something."



Five minutes later.

Advance, on the bridge, talking to Aria over the comm. The snow rabbit was still in the shuttle-bay.

"I believe it is a portable transporter device," the snow rabbit said cooly.

"A transporter?" Advance asked. Wasps were the only known species to really have ... any sort of true transporter technology. If any furry species DID have it ... they most likely acquired it through the wasps. "Like ... how?"

"I believe it can run independently of a ship's systems."

"So, we can USE it?"

"Unlikely," was her response. "If you'll recall ... a group of Arctic foxes acquired a wasp transporter before my species' war against them. It was discovered by Luminous that ... a non-wasp USING the transporter ... would begin, after so many uses, to experience cellular damage. The effects were irreversible."

"But, like, we could use it once or twice, right? To no ill effect?"

"I believe once or twice is all the device will allow ... its power source is internal. But weak. We have no way of replenishing it. Wasp technology is designed, when taken apart, to shut down permanently."

"To prevent duplication," Advance realized.

"Yes. The wasps have no problem stealing and duplicating the technology of others ... but they're rather secretive when it comes to the reverse."

"I see."

"I can give you two uses of the transporter ... before it is rendered useless."

"Hmm. Well ... " Advance looked to Audrey.

"It'd be a great tactical advantage," the squirrel said, nodding quietly. "When we next run into the humans ... to have two uses of a transporter? I mean ... to have that in our arsenal?"

"I agree," was Advent's injection.

Advance turned to look at the jaguar.

"It will give us an edge. More ... teeth," she said, showing her own (teeth).

"Yeah," the desert mouse whispered. And ... he took a breath. Nodding, and looking away from the jaguar. Back to Audrey. And, telling Aria, over the comm, "Brush it up as best you can. Put it in a force-field somewhere. In the bay. In the brig. Somewhere where it's out of the way. Work on tapping our computer systems into it so ... so we can use it when we need to."

"Understood."

"Anything else interesting in the wreckage?"

"Not really," said Herkimer, stepping into the conversation. "Just some burnt-out plasma relays, and ... data chips. The data chips are rather fried, too, so ... I tried to access them. They're too garbled. We still don't know why the wasp ship was destroyed. But ... at least we got a transporter out of it."

"Shall we space the rest of the wreckage?" Aria asked.

"Yeah ... yeah, space it, and ... when you're all cleaned up down there, you three take your lunch break."

"Thank you, Captain." The channel was cut.

The desert mouse sat delicately in his chair, and ... chittered a bit. Swallowing. Saying, "Advent, resume our previous course. And, Aud ... keep an open comm line. I wanna know if any other ships are out there ... LONG before we run into them."

"Alright ... "

"Course resumed," the jaguar said. Purring to herself ... thinking of what it would be like to slay wasps and humans. In battle. Oh, their scent was close. Closer by the day. They thought they were gonna destroy the furry race? Well ...

Advance twitched a bit, as if ... his whiskers could detect the vibrations of the feline's violent thoughts. And he just leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Trying not to think about the wasps. The humans were the more pressing concern, but ...

... always, there was a concern.

Always.

He opened his eyes. "Aud ... "

"Mm?"

"Um ... can you put the comm on automatic?"

"Sure. Why?" The squirrel blinked.

"I, uh ... need you in my office."

A slow, cheeky smile melted onto the squirrel's muzzle, "Oh, you DO? Well ... "

Advent purred, gritting her teeth in frustration ... at the rodents' verbal foreplay. Reminding her only of the fact that she wasn't yet through with her heat. But, then ... neither was Audrey. If the jaguar's nose was any indication ...

"You got ‘em?" Audrey whispered, following her Captain to his ready room.

Advance sighed and patted his pocket, where ... he had several condoms. To last him the day.

They left the bridge.

Advent turned. She was, at the moment, the only one here. And she sighed. Left alone. Mm ... well ... and, for whatever ludicrous reason, the jaguar found her thoughts sliding to that ... cinnamon-hued rabbit. That Lipton. That ...

... shake it out, shake it out. He's prey. Prey are IMPOSSIBLE. He'll only betray you, and ...

... her ears perked. Mm. Anyway ... she'd try and listen for love-sounds coming from the ready room. That should be amusing. And ... might as well slip her paw in her pants, and ... rub at her clit for a bit, and ... mm ... mmm ...

On the viewer, the stars were deep. And went for light years. Holding so much mystery. So much ... to be found.

Ah, but all was right, though, wasn't it?

After all, the stars were stars, and space was space, and ...

... furs were furs.

Couldn't get more solid than that.