“Could you please get that gun out of my face?” I don’t know about you, but I really didn’t like having someone’s strap so close to my face that I could taste the metal on my breath. My eye glanced down the large barrel, and I could tell it was a modified shotgun, semi-automatic and ready to turn my body into human pulp if they so pleased.

The Anthro-Cat that was holding the gun to my head cocked her own to one side and smirked, “Could you please shut de hell up and turn off de powa gauntlets?” The Anthro-Cat had a thick accent from somewhere I couldn’t quite recall, at least not when I was sweating bullets with a gun in my face. Not something I’m too keen on.

I glanced down to my white gauntlets.

“Yeah, mi know what de are.” She jammed the gun in my face again, “Mi ain’t askin twice.”

“Hey Noodle, any help here?” The hostile Anthro-Cat’s face scrunched up as I spoke Noodle’s name. The yellow-hooded cat sat up in her seat and cranked out a nervous smile.

“Noods!” The Cat lowered her shotgun, “Wah gwaan, me little drug dealer.”

“Just trying to get to the Captain, you know, with the Gellical ships coming down and all.” Noodle chuckled nervously as she climbed out of the truck, avoiding the broken glass.

The Anthro-Cat looked me up and down. It was the first time I got a chance to look at her properly. Part of her ear was missing, the rest of it came to a jagged line of scarred flesh. Her fur was a mix of white, orange, and black in different patches across her visible body. An eye patch stretched over her left eye.

“A wha yuh a do wit deez Human girl, ya?” The shotgun-wielding cat held out her hand for Noodle to take. Her right arm was different from the rest of her body, and in a way that was rare to see out in colony space. From her shoulder down, the cat had a robotic arm, a cybernetic enhancement, or replacement, I couldn’t really tell. The two cats gripped hands and pressed their shoulders together twice.

Noodle pointed up into the truck, “That’s Vixie, and in the back is Mama. They’re here with the shipment for Captain Yeti,” Noodle leaned in close, “The one’s I was supposed to tail. They got me here safe from the Gellys.”

I gave a casual wave, “Hey there, I’m Vixie.” I gave a half-hearted smile. I wasn’t too friendly with having a gun shoved in my face, but I can look past it if it means I get to keep my head.

The truck shook about as Mama squeezed herself out from the cargo bed. The truck bounced up as she finally set foot and walked around the truck. “Mama, nice to meet you, deary.” Mama smiled at the new cat.

“Woo! Das a big bitch, no?” The Cat chuckled.

“Excuse me?” Mama put her hand on her hip while resting her large slug rifle over her shoulder in a mild display of downright danger.

“Oh, we good, no problem here,” The Cat finally introduced herself, “Mi name’s Azura. I run tings aroun’ heer when de Captain gone.” She gestured us towards the big warehouse behind her, “Ima guessin t’was you who dropped dat Gelly ship, no?” Her eye shot up to the sky, Bettah get inside, dey be lookin for who shot down de ship. Come wit mi.” She waved us on.

Azura knocked on the warehouse door in a rhythmic pattern. Their secret code. I wasn’t sure what to expect on the inside. I wasn’t even sure what the cargo was that we were delivering. Only Walter and Captain Uwu were supposed to know, in case one of us was caught or arrested, we had probable deniability.

A small slit opened on the door before quickly sliding shut again. Azura turned to us, “Isa bit chaka chaka right now. The Gellys showin up threw a wrench into our plans, we scramblin, but now dat you here, we might jus stand a chance.”

The doors opened to the dim light of the warehouse beyond. Azura held up her arms, shotgun waving in the wind, “Welcome to da Meowtlaw Stars!”

Before us were several dozen Anthro-Cats of different species, along with some other anthros, sheep, otters, rabbits, and a handful of foxes, wolves, and dogs. I was surprised to see even a few Humans about. All of them were inspecting weaponry, loading ammo, filling up trucks and cars with various things. Working on shoddy wooden benches to drilling out gun parts in metal, robotic workstations. Some were working on loading up food and prepping armor, some others were fidgeting around with various medical supplies and loading them into small packs.

Everywhere we looked around the dimly-lit, chilly warehouse, anthros were preparing for war. It made sense. Their city, and moon, was just attacked by the Gellical Collective, and just like them, I wouldn’t stand around to find out what was going on. I’d take the fight to them early, and just maybe we could take most of them with us.

“We maybe jus ta few ha’dworkin’ civilians but we ah ready te fight, but we only hav’ so few weapons and supplies.” Azura stopped at a work station and started instructing some of the anthros on what to do next. Noodle took off toward the medical table, assisting those working there.

Mama interjected, “To fight what? The Gellys? You’re going to need a lot more firepower than this, my dear.” Her ears kept fluttering around as her eyes darted around the warehouse and it’s inhabitants.

My eyes darted around too. There was a lot to see here. We walked past an Anthro-Lion who was crying. She sat on an uneven bench, a small lion child in her arms as another Anthro-Cat was consoling her. My mind instantly shot back to the drug fueled lion from earlier.

Azura smirked, “Exactly what you heer for, big lady. You shipment is gonna help us take de fight not just to de Gellys, but ta take back our moon. To take back our freedoms. Dis colony used ta be ours. An oasis for anthros ta be free and able ta look afta each otha. A world all to ourselves to be free from the trials of reality. Our home was great, and we will fight to da death ta reclaim it. To da Stars!”

The whole warehouse joined in the shout, “To the stars!” The chant rang throughout the warehouse and the people within were invigorated with a new sense of urgency and passion. They all whooped and shouted as they began working double time. It was a sight to see for sure.

Azura strode through the well-worn floors and leaned up against a large APC, the same type that the local police used. “So, you got de shipment?

Mama and I looked at each other and asked each other the same question with our eyes. “Um, as far as I know, it’s still on the ship.”  I gave a shrug unreassuringly, “Captain Uwu was supposed to meet up with his client, which is Captain Yeti if I’m to assume correctly? Then we were supposed to deliver the goods and get paid, but I don’t see the Captains anywhere…”

“Oh, dat ain’t no good.” Azura rubbed her temples and let out a long sigh. “De Captains went out te getta drink te talk ova de deal. De probably drunk as ‘ell.” She laughed in a strange dark humor sort of way. The same way you laugh off something terrible that’s soon to come, but you can’t do anything to stop it.

This didn’t sound good. I just wanted to finish the deal and leave this damn place, but with the Gellys finally coming planet side, I doubt they’d just let us up and leave. We were stuck in this for the long haul. Now, you know why I hated coming planet-side. Something always got cluster-fucked to hell and back.

“So, we can’t get out of here until you get your shipment, and you can’t take back your moon until your strapped like a corpo PMC. Let’s get the captains and finish this deal. Then we can all go our own ways.” After all the running around, the danger, the Gellys, I needed some good one on one time with Uwu.

“Tis not dat easy, love.” Azura grabbed some keys off a nearby wall, “We don’ know where dey went ta. Could be any bar in de city.”

“I’m going to have a talk with Uwu when we get back.” Mama’s tone was heavy and chastising, but I didn’t blame her. This whole trade deal was getting worse by the second.

“I might be able to help.” The raspy voice came from a dark corner. The same voice I was worried about for the whole day. I’m just glad he was okay, but I was terrified of what would come next.

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