Callie's attention was drawn back from its furious planning to the present when the view out the window changed to the wilderness. She blinked in surprise when she realized they were some distance north of the city and traveling through a thick forest.
Kam turned off onto a dirt road barely noticed through the trees. They traveled for another ten minutes before he pulled the vehicle into a thick stand of brush which effectively hid it from view. He shut the engine off and silence fell instantly.
"We're quite a distance from the city," Abi commented as she undid her seat belt.
"Yes, less likely for anyone to spot our shuttle," Kam said, smiling. He climbed out as did the Captain, opening the doors for the two she-kats.
"From here it's just a short hike to where the shuttle is hidden," he told them as he led the way off deeper into the forest.
Wishing she had on hiking boots instead of her heels, Callie sighed inwardly and followed, carefully after the tall wolf. Captain Ing took the rear position behind them. No one spoke as they walked through the rough terrain and climbed a bit, past rocks and massive tree trunks.
Suddenly, they stepped through into a large clearing. Hidden under a large rock overhang, making it invisible from above, was a sleek looking ship. As they approached, Callie was very impressed by it. Rather than white as most of their rockets were, the Arcanian's shuttle was a deep, dark, blue.
When they reached it, a door began to open automatically, lowering a ramp. Kam immediately entered. After only a moments hesitation, Callie and Abi followed. The interior was surprisingly comfortable, just like the interior of a plane...almost.
The Captain directed them to two seats opposite each other and behind the pilot and copilot seats. They sat and he politely directed them on how to secure themselves then went to take his seat in the copilot's chair. Kam was in the pilot's position and was already running through pre-flight preparations.
His Captain began reeling off information as he too did some pre-flight work. Some ten minutes later, Callie and Abi felt a powerful thrum beneath them then the shuttle began to move sideways to get out from under the rocky shelf hiding it.
As soon as it was clear, Kam piloted it upward toward the sky. Through a view screen, not a window, Callie noted, they cleared the trees and shot upward rather fast. She sucked in her breath as they sped through the sky and into space in less than five minutes. Kam cut their speed and headed to a huge brightly lit space ship moving majestically through the star dotted field of space. It took them some ten to fifteen minutes more to reach a yawning door that Kam glided their tiny ship into. They cleared the door and he continued to fly into a cavernous space with other ships parked within it. He soon landed them in a spot apparently marked out for it on the floor of the hangar.
Callie barely felt the thump of the shuttle meeting the floor. It took another five minutes for the shuttle to be shut down and secured before the outer door slid open silently and the ramp extended.
Outside the door an impressive looking wolf stood, paws clasped behind his back as he waited. Another wolf stood beside him, eyeing the newcomers with interest.
When they had all disembarked, Captain Ing introduced the waiting pair of wolves.
Ms. Briggs, Dr. Sinian, may I present my First Officer Shegar...," Ing pointed to the black with silver-pelted wolf who inclined his head toward them then the Captain gestured toward the slightly shorter male who was gray furred with white showing around his face, "...and this is my Chief Medical Officer Tennar."
After she and Abi nodded politely to the officers, Callie turned her attention back to Ing, nervously waiting to see what would happen next.
"Let us be off to the medical bay, shall we?" Ing suggested warmly, leading the way, his officer waiting to follow from the rear.
Callie and Abi were very impressed with the ship. If one didn't know better, one would think they were on a cruise ship except for the couple of windows they went by that clearly showed they were in space. When they had come by that first window, Abi and Callie froze in mid-step and gaped.
There below them was their world. It was the most amazing view they'd ever seen before.
"Satellite images just haven't done justice to how incredible our world looks from out here!" Abi breathed in awe.
"You are soo right, Abi," Callie whispered.
"We've seen many a beautiful world from up here," Captain Ing said quietly.
"I bet you have, thank you for the chance to see ours," Callie said, smiling up at him then turning to follow as the Captain continued to walk down a hall then turned to where a door swept across to reveal an elevator car.
They stepped in and gasped at the sensation of moving sideways, the car halting a moment then moving upward. The ride was swift then the car slowed and stopped, the doors swishing open once more to a fairly busy floor. Abi and Callie stared at the different creatures going by. The majority of them were wolves but among them were some strange creatures that resembled, in some ways, their more primitive animals on their own world.
There was one that looked like a ferret, another with the massive shape of a bull, something that looked like a lion and another like a raccoon and still many others that had no resemblance to anything they recognized.
Finally they arrived at another set of doors that swept open revealing a well-equipped medical unit.
"Here is where I'll be leaving you in Tennar's capable paws. When you are through, Kam will bring you to me for a short question and answer session then he'll take you home. Do you have any questions for me at this time?" He asked politely.
Callie thought a moment then shook her head, "Not at the moment, Captain. Thank you."
"You're welcome, Ms. Briggs. See you both later," he said, nodding, then left with his first officer.
"If you'll follow me, Ms. Briggs, we'll get started," Tennar said warmly. "I promise nothing we do over the next hour will cause you any pain or harm."
"I look that nervous, do I," Callie said, smiling wanly as she followed the medical officer into another room.
Tennar gave her a small grin, "only a little, Ms. Briggs. Pardon me for asking, but do you have a more personal name? It would make this easier on you if our interactions were less formal."
"Oh certainly...my name is Callie short for Calico."
"A very lovely name, Callie. If you would go with my nurse, Kayleen, she will get you ready," Tennar said gesturing to a wolf with a beautiful red pelt.
Over the next two hours, Callie was scanned multiple times with various devices. Blood was taken, a myriad of questions about her family history was asked, then she was taken to a special room where an odd machine was. It looked liked an upright box filled with some kind of bluish light that swirled within it. Tennar went to a control panel nearby and flicked a switch, a door on the box opened.
"If you please, Callie, step into the box and face this way," he instructed gently.
Nervous, she moved to the box and stood there staring.
"Please don't be afraid. This device is just another type of scanning device. It has the ability to scan to the cellular level so that we can do a thorough DNA profile of you and see how much magical potential you possess," he assured her.
"Really? Wow!" Callie said in awe, thus reassured, she stepped into the box and turned around. It was not uncomfortable even when the door closed silently sealing her in.
Abi watched nervously as her friend stood in the box and looked around curiously. A technician went to another console and began pressing buttons. The box's glow intensified but nothing more seemed to happen.
Tennar was standing by the tech and peering into a screen of some kind. The test lasted only about ten minutes before the light decreased, then the door opened once more. Surprised, Callie stepped hesitantly out.
"You're all done, Callie. Kayleen will take you back to the changing room and I'll notify Kam to collect you. Thank you for your cooperation," Tennar said.
"Thank you. How long will it be before I hear the results of all this?" She asked.
"Give me at least twenty-four to forty-eight hours to process the data then I'll have the mages on board go over it. When it's ready, I'm certain the Captain will be coming back down for a special briefing on the results and what will happen next which, of course, will be based on your decision," he explained.
"Okay, that's faster than I expected. Again, thank you."
"You're most welcome," Tennar said with a polite nod.
Callie and Abi followed Kayleen back to the main area where she quickly changed back into her clothes. By the time she was ready, Kam had arrived to take her to the Captain.
"How did things go, Ms. Briggs?" Kam asked politely.
"Very well, I'm pleased to say. I really like your ship's form of medical exam compared to ours...less intrusive," Callie said, smiling, relieved it was over.
"Yeah, I agree with that though I still hate going to sick bay," he chuckled.
"Well, that goes without saying," she laughed.
"I hope you weren't too bored, Dr. Sinian," Kam asked the doctor who had said hardly anything since she'd come on board.
"Oh, no, definitely not. I found all the tests and equipment fascinating and got a lot of questions answered. Everyone was very nice and helpful," Abi said grinning.
"Glad to hear it...and here we are," he said suddenly stepping out onto what apparently was the bridge.
Spread out before them was a huge view screen that showed space and their world below them. There were at least ten people at various work stations around the room and there was a center chair where First Officer Stengar was just getting up from to greet them.
"Hello, Ms. Briggs. I trust everything went well?"
"Yes, thank you. I was well treated."
"Good! This way please," he said, leading them to a door at the back of the bridge. It slid open like all of them did on this ship and there was the Captain studying a computer screen. He sat behind a gleaming desk that was shaped in an odd ellipsoidal style and colored a warm honey. Behind him was another window. In one corner he had a strange type of aquarium that held an odd green fish with bulging eyes and iridescent stripes of blue along its sides and top. Before his desk were two brown, swivel padded chairs.
"Welcome to my office...please take a seat...thank you, Stengar," the Captain said. His first officer gave a quick bow of his head, then turned smartly on his heel to go back through the door, leaving them alone.
"Before you ask, as I'm sure you will, I was well treated and pleasantly surprised at the ease with which the exam was done," Callie spoke, heading off the Captain from asking the same questions she'd already been asked three times.
Ing smiled broadly revealing his sharp fangs. "I'm pleased to hear it, Ms. Briggs. Are there any other questions you wished addressed before you return to your world?"
"Dr. Tennar said you would come down to see me when the results are in and discuss my options at that time. I must admit, that I am very impressed with your ship and the serious advancements in medical care that are decades past our own. I feel more confident than when I arrived that what you suggest I do if the tests are positive for magical abilities that training me is the right thing to do," she said positively, no longer reluctant. "I've only just learned that Commander Feral and Kam are mated. Am I correct in assuming that he may be planning to leave with his mate?" She asked seriously.
"You are correct, Ms. Briggs. Your commander only made the decision when he and the SWAT Kats were here. It was then that Kam and he had bonded," Ing said, nodding.
"Bonded? Now that I hadn't heard. That's extremely rare among us," Callie exclaimed.
"Yes, it is the same with us. Kam is a very fortunate young wolf to find such an excellent mate."
"So, with him gone and only the SWAT Kats to..." she halted at the sudden shaking of the Captain's head. Her eyes widened in concern.
"Though they have yet to make that decision, the SWAT Kats have been approached to join our crew. It has come to my attention that Razor is already rather tight with Genus while T-Bone likes Tara but they haven't made a commitment of any kind that I'm aware of. If your United Nations agree to allow a station here, then my crew and I will be remaining in orbit for the preliminary work and allowing my crew some shore leave. But, even if your ruling body denies the request, we will still be here until we aid you in ridding your world of your omega problem. By the time we finally depart, the SWAT Kats, I hope, will have made up their minds," he explained.
Callie sank back into her chair and rubbed her face with one paw. This was a complication she wasn't prepared for at all.
"Are you alright, Ms. Briggs?" Ing asked, eyeing her with concern.
She removed the paw from her face and eyed him back with a mixed look of annoyance and resignation.
"Yes, I'm alright for someone whose been told the main body of her protection force for her city has or could be taken right out from under her feet," she said, mildly sarcastic. "Now, I guess my decision to go ahead with this magical training will be more important than I thought, originally. But I can't protect the city by myself," she huffed.
"Of course not, Ms. Briggs and we certainly hadn't planned on you doing so. You are to be the city's magical protector, the enforcers will handle the regular crime, while Professor Hackle's new robot force will handle any new super criminals that might show up," he told her soothingly. "And, if things work out like we hope, you will also have a peacekeeping force stationed above your world."
She stared at him for a long thoughtful moment.
Dr. Sinian, however, was upset. "That's a lot of responsibility to lay on her shoulders. She has enough to do as deputy mayor," she objected.
"Please, Dr. Sinian...it's alright," he soothed her gently, "It isn't like Ms. Briggs will be under attack every moment. From your own historical records, you've suffered the depredations of only two magical enemies. Her training will take care of the Pastmaster and dealing with that special magical box should take care of the other. I truly don't see where she will be asked to do what the SWAT Kats have been doing for the past ten years or am I missing something?"
Abi sighed and shook her head, "no, you're not wrong. But, of course, everything is based on the elimination of the major criminal players we presently have."
"Of course," he conceded politely.
"It seems all bases have been covered. Now if I clean house on all the little details concerning past incidents of omega attacks and insure they are closed properly, Megakat City should finally see some kind of peace at last," Callie said thoughtfully.
"I'm certain you are correct, Ms. Briggs. You have much to do, I'm afraid," he said, commiserating with her from his vast experiences with such things.
"That's an understatement," she sighed, smiling wanly at him.
He chuckled softly, "if anyone is capable of getting it done, it would be you, Ms. Briggs. Just as I know you will be a great magical protector."
She grimaced at that, "only if I'm what everyone thinks I am."
"True. Have we covered everything you wished to discuss?"
"I think so...for now anyway...thank you," Callie said, rising from her seat. Abi followed suit.
"Good, then I'll have Kam return you home. Have a safe trip," he said warmly, rising from his seat and leading them back through the door.
Outside, Kam was waiting for them. "See them home, Kam and remain planet side," his captain ordered mildly before shaking the she-kat's paws then returning to his office.
"Shall we?" He asked politely, gesturing toward the elevator.
Callie moved ahead to the door followed by Abi with Kam bringing up the rear. It was a silent trip through the ship as Callie and Abi had much on their minds. Kam felt it wise not to intrude unless they asked him something.
In very little time, they were soon back in the shuttle and heading toward the planet. The trip was made in silence, though Callie and Abi were pulled from their thoughts by the view. When they were finally back on the ground, Kam led them back to the hummer then drove them back to city hall.
Callie stared out the hummer's window, her mind awhirl with all that she'd heard and experienced. She would need some quiet time to sort through all of it. Frowning, she glanced at Abi who was absently staring out her own window. Perhaps she should ask her friend to come over and talk about all this. She let the thought percolate in her mind all the way to city hall where Kam let them off. She told him not to escort them in and thanked him for the safe trip.
He nodded and was soon driving off for Enforcer Headquarters.
"Let me just get my report from your desk, Callie and then I'll be on my way too," Abi said as the two of them walked up the stairs.
"Abi?"
"Hmm?"
"Could you come over to my place tonight? I really need someone to talk to about everything that's going on."
Abi studied her friend as they entered the lobby and made for the elevator. They managed to catch one with no one on it and rode it to the top.
"I think I can make the time. When would you like me to come by?" She asked slowly, stepping out of the elevator behind the deputy mayor.
"I have to catch up from being gone for hours so it probably won't be until after eight, is that too late for you?" Callie asked as they walked down the hall to her office.
"No, that's probably how late I'll be too," Abi said ruefully.
"The price of being the boss," Callie smiled. "Anyway, how about I order us a late dinner too, my treat?"
Abi grinned, "sure sounds good to me."
"Good!" Callie said in relief then reached into her desk and got Abi her file and handed it to her. "Then I'll see you later."
"Right, good-bye till later," Abi said, taking the file and leaving her friend to dig out from under her work laden desk.
Callie sighed in disgust at the sight of more work added to what she'd left. She immediately set to sorting through what needed to get done and what could wait until tomorrow.