Chapter 3: Out of the Fire, Into the Void

Chapter 3: Out of the Fire, Into the Void

The tiny shuttle groaned under the weight of two full-grown humanoid animals squeezed together in a space meant for one. Kit had his back pressed against the control panel while Bark's broad shoulders hunched awkwardly, his golden fur brushing against the ceiling.

"This ship is way too damn small," Kit grumbled, ears twitching in irritation. "Seriously, I've been in tighter spots, but this is ridiculous."

"You don't say," Bark growled, shifting uncomfortably. "I think I just pulled something trying to stretch my legs."

"Oh, please," Kevin's voice chimed in through Kit's wrist device. "You think you have it bad? Try being compressed into microdata inside a cheap-ass, outdated wrist module. I can barely compute in here!"

Bark exhaled sharply through his nose, his ears lowering slightly as he looked around the cramped interior. "...We should be grateful," he muttered, his frustration fading into something quieter. "We barely made it out alive."

Kit's ears flicked, and his eyes softened. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Yeah... we lost everything."

Bark glanced at him, his expression heavy. "The twins... they didn't make it."

Kit turned to him, his eyes glistening. "No, you idiot. My ship."

Bark blinked. "...Are you serious?"

"Of course I'm serious! The Blazer was my everything! It had an advanced cloaking system, Bark! Do you have any idea how rare and expensive those are? You can't just buy one on some second-rate asteroid market! I spent years saving for that ship! Forty percent of the money came from deliveries using this scrap heap! And now it's just—" Kit clenched his fists. "—gone."

Bark inhaled sharply, his fur bristling. A deep, guttural growl rumbled from his throat. "I can't believe you! We lost our comrades, and all you care about is—"

"You think this is just about the ship?!" Kit interrupted, his voice rising. "That ship was my home! The only thing I ever built for myself! Now we're stuck in this tin can like sardines!" He slammed a fist against the wall, making the console beep angrily.

Kevin, naturally, couldn't resist. "I mean, technically speaking, if you were sardines, you'd be dead and swimming in oil."

Bark's eye twitched. "I swear to every star in the universe, I will rip you out of that wrist module and grind your AI into dust."

"And I'll personally install a virus in your system," Kit added with a hiss.

Kevin let out a synthetic scoff. "You two are so ungrateful. Here I am, offering much-needed levity—"

Before Bark could bare his teeth further, the console beeped. An incoming transmission. Kevin's voice cut in again, this time more serious. "Kit, you've got a call. It's Grizzly."

Kit straightened. "Grizzly?" His demeanor instantly shifted from frustration to careful respect. He pressed a button on the console. "Put him through."

A holographic projection flickered to life, revealing Grizzly—an imposing, broad-shouldered man with cybernetic implants and piercing green eyes. His empire stretched across multiple systems, and unlike most crime lords, he had a reputation for keeping his word.

"Kit," Grizzly rumbled. "Heard about the mess. You alright?"

Kit nodded. "Still breathing."

"Good." Grizzly leaned back. "About your payment. I was gonna hand it to you in a month, but plans changed. Business conference got rescheduled, so you're getting paid in seven days instead."

Kit blinked. "Seven days?"

"Seven days," Grizzly confirmed. "I trust you to be there."

Kit scratched behind his ear. "That wouldn't be a problem... if our ship wasn't reduced to floating scrap."

Grizzly frowned. "No FTL?"

"No FTL," Kit confirmed.

The crime lord was silent for a moment before nodding. "Change of plans, then. Get to Junction Nobody. It's five days from your current location. My men will meet you there with your payment."

Bark's ears perked. "Junction Nobody?"

Kit whistled low. "That's... not the friendliest place."

"Neither am I," Grizzly said flatly. "You'll be fine. Get moving."

The transmission cut out. Kit exhaled and turned to Bark. "Well, there's our next stop."

Bark crossed his arms. "You really want to go to a place like Junction Nobody? That asteroid belt is a crime-infested hellhole. It's like the dark web, but real."

Kit grinned. "And what Grizzly's paying us is enough to buy a private island."

Bark huffed. "And what about the twins?"

Kit's grin faded. "We'll send their cut to their families. If they don't have anyone, we'll—"

"Donate it to charity!" Kevin interrupted brightly.

Kit and Bark simultaneously growled, Kit's tail fluffing up while Bark bared his teeth.

"I will reprogram you with only dad jokes," Kit threatened.

"I will make you self-destruct," Bark added.

Kevin gasped in mock horror. "Monsters."

Kit sighed, rubbing his temples. "If there's no one left to send it to, we split the extra between us."

Bark shifted his weight, still uneasy. "Will this ship even make it?"

Kit smirked. "This old tin can may be tiny, but it was built for deliveries. We've got enough fuel for a week. We'll be fine."

Bark sighed, settling back. "Fine. Let's just get this over with."

As the tiny shuttle continued through the void, a far bigger threat was already on their trail.

Meanwhile, aboard the Aegis

Brendan groaned, arms crossed as he leaned back in his seat. "Of all the missions, I get stuck with you."

Kat remained silent, eyes fixed ahead as he piloted through FTL space.

Brendan scoffed. "I could have done this alone. Instead, I'm sitting with a good-for-nothing peasant who doesn't even know his place. You should be grateful the SLP took you in."

Still, Kat said nothing.

Brendan turned to him fully. "Nothing to say in your defense? Pathetic."

Without so much as a glance, Kat finally spoke. "I don't give garbage my attention."

Brendan's eye twitched. He was about to leap from his seat and rip Kat apart, but he stopped himself. Instead, he smirked. "Did your father ever tell you you were a waste of sperm?"

Kat inhaled deeply, set the ship to autopilot, calmly unbuckled his seatbelt... and then lunged at Brendan.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

The two tumbled across the cabin, fists flying. Brendan yanked out a handful of Kat's fur while Kat grabbed a fistful of Brendan's luxurious hair. They rolled, punching, biting, scratching—

A holographic projection of Captain Lara suddenly appeared.

"I hope you two are getting along."

They immediately straightened, sitting back in their seats. Their faces were scratched and bruised, but they forced neutral expressions.

Brendan cleared his throat. "Of course, Captain. We're getting along just fine."

Kat nodded. Seven times.

Lara raised an eyebrow. "Good. How far are we?"

Kat opened his mouth to answer. "Eight min—"

"Eight minutes," Brendan cut in smugly.

Lara gave them both a sharp look. "Good. This is a rare opportunity, especially when it comes to Kit. Do not mess this up."

"Yes, ma'am," they said in unison.

With a final nod, Lara's hologram disappeared.

Kat buckled his seatbelt. Brendan sat back down, adjusting his hair. "Let's try to pretend to get along for the sake of the mission."

Kat exhaled. "Fine."

Minutes later, they dropped out of FTL into the Ashra district. The scene before them was grim—shattered ship debris, floating bodies but not Kit's just scattered wreckage.

Kat narrowed his eyes. "This was a bloodbath."

Brendan made a 'tsk' sound. "Like I couldn't have figured that out."

Ignoring him, Kat got to work, meticulously analyzing the battlefield, using his tracking skills to determine Kit's direction.

He stood before the expansive control deck, eyes locked on the projected data stream. The wreckage of the Blazer drifted outside, but there were no signs of kits body. That meant Kit had escaped.

"Brendan, run a detailed scan on the surrounding sector," Kat ordered, his voice calm but sharp. "If Kit jettisoned in a smaller craft, they wouldn't have been able to go far."

Brendan exhaled through his nose, irritated but complying. His fingers danced across the control panel. "No residual FTL signatures nearby—if they went anywhere, it was on sub-light engines."

Kat narrowed his eyes at the debris field. "They wouldn't head toward any major system. Too risky. They'd look for the nearest unmonitored trade route. Cross-reference asteroid belts and pirate-infested regions within a three-day range."

Brendan frowned. "That... would lead them straight to Junction Nobody."

Kat smirked, tail flicking. "Then that's where we're going."

Brendan huffed. "Took you long enough."

Without FTL, they would have to proceed cautiously. With their course set, the chase continued.

TO BE CONTINUED...