Story Tapestry

Warning. Life support systems failing. Station integrity at 50%. 

That was the warning Lt. Kairi Faas of the 5th Star Patrol heard repeatedly. The blue-skinned girl drew her raygun and fiddled with the settings, effectively turning her weapon into a cutting torch as she started to cut through the jammed metal door. 

“Lt. Faas to Endurance,” she said over her comm on her shoulder. “I’m almost through. Sensing a lot of fear this way. Request permission to proceed?” 

“Endurance here,” a voice replied. “Delta team is enroute to your location advise you wait for backup.” 

The station trembled, nearly causing the Altheaten woman to lose her footing, she blew a strand of red hair from her eyes before tucking it behind her elfin ear. The meteor storm was increasing, it seemed. 

“Sorry, I can’t risk waiting,” Kairi replied. “The researchers on this station need every second we can spare.” She sealed the helmet on her suit and went back to cutting.    

“Roger that,” the ship’s comm officer replied. “We are blasting as much of these rocks as we can, but we can’t get all of them.” 

“This is Delta, permission to proceed ahead of us.” A new voice chimed in.

“Aye, aye!” Kairi grunted as she kicked the hole she had made in the steel door in, and holstered her raygun.

Warning. Life support systems failing. Station integrity at 45%

“Oh shut up!” Kairi huffed as she proceeded down the hall, the lights were flickering as the station struggled to maintain systems after taking so much damage. Kairi had been in space for some time, and she had never seen a meteor storm quite like this. There was something unusual going on, as if the meteors were drawn to the station.

Using her species’ natural gift of sensing emotions, Kairi made her way through the station, drawn to the sour feel of fear. In a lab she found an array of scientists struggling to get spacesuits on. One of them - a male human - let out a startled yelp as he saw her.

“Easy, I’m Star Patrol,” she said as she struggled through the faulty door. 

The man relaxed, “So I see from your emblem.” 

Kairi smiled, “It’s going to be alright. We’re here to help. Finish getting your emergency suits on and—”

The whole station shook as something large slammed into the station. The lights went out, and Kairi felt a sharp rise in fear from the researchers. She felt the gravity of the station fail and she began to fly backwards. 

A breach! 

Thinking fast, Kairi magnetized the boots on her suit and found herself coming to a landing on the metal deckplates. One of the researchers screamed as she flew by her. Acting quickly, Kairi caught the woman’s ankle and held on for dear life as debris from the lab buffeted her.

The Altheaten grit her teeth as she felt her tendons straining. Then it all went still as the emergency forcefields activated and kept the vacuum of space at bay. Kairi sighed as she let the woman go who just floated to the ceiling, dumbfounded by the near death experience. 

Kairi activated her comm. “Kairi, here. We took a big hit here. I may be caught off.” 

“This is Delta. Confirmed Kairi, there’s a gaping hole where you just were.”

Kairi felt her stomach plunge. Somehow she was going to have to get herself and the researchers off the station being bombarded by meteorites. Looking around an idea began to form in her mind. Once again she activated her comm.

“Kairi t—”

“Hey, Ian!” a female voice cut through. 

Startled, the large teen in the letterman jacket dropped the comicbook he had been reading. A brunette girl was smirking at him, her skin pale with a smattering of freckles running from the bridge of her nose to below her eyes. A large raven was perched on her shoulder and she was wearing a blouse, and skirt combo, with a pair of white gogo boots. 

“Yvette! You startled me!” The youth grumbled as he retrieved his comic from the cafeteria floor, it depicted the blue skinned elfin girl on the cover.

‘Kairi of the Patrol,’ the comic read.

“I don’t get those comics. A universe with no magic but more advanced technology, and the protagonist is just an elf with an unusual skin tone.” 

“She’s not an elf,” Ian grumbled, “she's an Altheaten,” he said under his breath. The jock was always embarrassed whenever his science fiction reading was called out. “Besides, do I question you for reading all those detective novels?” 

Yvette smiled. “I suppose you don’t. Anyways I’m going to need that nose of yours tonight.” 

Ian sighed. “Had a feeling you’d need this half-werewolf nose, you little witch.” 

“Good wolfy!” the raven called out from Yvette’s shoulder. 

Yvette rolled her brown eyes as she handed a cracker to her familiar. “Quiet, Cole.” 

The raven gobbled down the cracker greedily as the young witch and amateur sleuth thought about her latest case. It had all started a few weeks ago when the traveling carnival had visited her home of Normalton. For a small and boring town like Yvette’s, the traveling carnival was a welcome visitor. 

Cotton candy, kettle corn, ferris wheels, rigged carnival games. Yvette had gone one evening with Ian and her best friend Estrella. There had been sideshows of course, talk of strange and exotic creatures. Yvette hadn’t been interested, she’d seen plenty of strange creatures. 

But shortly after the carnival had left, strange things began to happen. Wildlife and livestock were being preyed upon: drained of their blood. 

Something was on the prowl, something that didn’t belong in their ecosystem and it was only a matter of time before it hurt or killed someone. 

While her father led their small and overworked police force, Yvette had resolved to find this creature first. She was certain it was a creature and not some run-of-the-mill vampire hoodlums. She had even written to a penpal in a more tropical climate for any leads. The young witch had found a clue: some sort of quill or tooth left on one of the farms turned livestock massacre. 

That evening she intended to try and have Ian track the creature, whatever it was she doubted it was a match for her half-werewolf boyfriend, or her magic for that matter. Or was it? For now though she had lunch to finish, and then the rest of school. 

“What are you two looking so serious about? Break up already?” Yvette looked to see a blonde fae girl with butterfly wings and a red dress looking at her and Ian with a smirk. 

“No. We’re going to track that creature after school,” Yvette replied.

The fae rolled her eyes. “Playing detective again I see. Guess you could use better help than Ian.” 

“Watch it Estrella!” Ian growled. 

Yvette buried her head in her hands. “Can you two not fight for once?” 

Thankfully the bell rang and the three parted ways to their respective classes. Yvette had literature studies next. She made her way past other students in the long hallway: humans, fae, satyrs, centaurs, dwarves, all on their own path. 

The literature teacher - an older harpy with cracked, graying skin - beamed at her students, painted talons clicking against the wooden perch behind the desk, she had instead of a chair. 

“Hello, classsss,” she grinned evilly. “Today we’re going to listen to an excerpt on the record player, please open your literature books and follow along. Oh! And... this may be on the test.”

Groans. 

Yvette sighed, her mind was still focused on the case. 

“Ah, ah, none of that groaning or I’ll play it at half speed!” She warned as she clicked her way to the record player. 

“Listen well: this is but a small portion of ‘Tales from Animal Folk.’” 

Farah sat in one of the dark corners of the Temple Of Virtue, a local tavern situated in the outpost city of Vulane. Luckily, there were many dark corners in that lonely tavern. She had the mysterious note in her hand, but she already had an idea of who sent it. She felt a gush of wind from the cloak of her soon-to-be employer: The Dean of Thievery at the local College of Elements... The so-called “White Cat”.

“Farah, thank you for meeting me here.”

The ferret flashed a grin as she leaned forward, furry elbows resting on the table.

"How could I refuse the white cat? I've heard of your exploits. We're sisters in the same trade."

‘The Virtue’ - as it was known - was fairly lively that night, and so the figure sitting across from Farah had to lean in fairly close.

“I agree, Farah. I’m glad you could put aside your differences with me to meet. I admire your work last month: Very tricky job. Not many could do it. I still hope one day to see you in my classes.” The White Cat paused.

“...Now, that said, I’m a rather busy kitty cat and am not above giving my rivals some... entertaining work while I... teach my classes. Priest Jack is still looking for that jackal, Red, that came here a while ago, and I think I may have a lead: a student at the College of Elements who may be easy to talk to if you scare her a little. While you’re looking for Red, though, I have a slightly trickier request if you are interested.”

The ferret chuckled recalling her last job, stealing a priceless statuette from a heavily guarded temple. She took a sip of ale.

"I'm not much for muggings, and I'm more adept at finding items than people. So that being said, what's the side job? I think that will be more my style for some reason."

The white cat looks Farah up and down. “Hunting down that jackal pays fairly well, incidentally. But I understand: You are interested in trinkets, if that statue you stole from the foxes is any indication. Well, all you have to do is steal a stuffed rabbit doll from a certain location: The constable’s office near the Church of Tyr. Are you interested?”

"Now now,” Farah said with a finger wag. “I never said I stole the statue." Farah’s grin turned into a frown as she twitched her ears. "Those jobs seem insultingly easy. So what's the catch? I like easy gold as much as the next girl and all, but I hate going in blind."

She took another sip of her drink.

The White Cat chuckled. “Now, now, don’t be so modest: It doesn’t become you at all, my dear!” The black cat said as she sat back in her seat and sipped her Veilwinter wine. “The ‘catch’ is that this doll is evidence: It was found on a body near the church... The lynx in question must have been carrying it before they were killed, and the other cats and I wish to examine it. You’ll be paid well... not as well as if you were capable of finding that jackal, but paid well nonetheless.”

The ferret leaned forward with interest. "So, grab the doll from the guardhouse. Alright I'll do it. I'll also see about finding this jackal and her raccoon friend. I'm not one to pass up a good score."

She tilted her head, "One last question for you cat. How come you're outsourcing? I'm flattered of course."

“Heh - Farah, you may be a good thief but you are a terrible listener: As I said before, I am a busy kitty cat. I have classes to teach and... other projects to attend to. I can offer a few gold pieces up front and more on delivery if that would work for you?”

Farah giggled. "No I heard you, maybe I was just seeing if you'd let something specific slip. Regardless I'll take the jobs. I do appreciate payments up front. It makes unexpected expenses easier to bear."

She smiled as she waited for that payment. "Where shall I contact you?"

The White Cat gave Farah a knowing look. “Heh, I see.” 

The slender black feline reached into a pouch at her side and pulled out a few gold coins: each worth about a hundred coppers. But before she put the coins on the table, The Cat hesitated. She clinked them on the table, and looked slightly forlorn. Quickly, though, she recovered. 

“Thank you for taking on this task: I know it isn’t too challenging, but it’s a start to a long and fruitful relationship between us, I imagine.” She stood to leave, wrapping her brown robe around her. “If you have any questions, I shall be in my office at the College of Elements.”

Outside, a large ship docked and all sorts of animal workers - large and small - could be seen out the window unloading large crates in the rain.

Captain Sphinx sat up in surprise, his book falling to the floor. The young man looked around, confused at where he was. He had had the most peculiar dream: Animals with human features. If he wasn’t so busy he’d try to write that down. 

It was then that he remembered why he woke up as the air raid siren broke through his fog of sleep. 

“Aw, hell!” Sphinx grumbled as he sprinted from the room and ran onto the tarmac, his P40 already idling. A quick thanks to the ground crew and he was taxing out. 

Any day could be his last. But if it was to be his last flight, he was taking down as many as he could. Maybe he’d return to his bunk and have more wonderful dreams, a welcome break from the war he was living.    

The squadron of aircraft had already gained altitude into the red of the dawn sky, the prop of Sphinx’s P40 was but a blur as he scanned the horizon for threats with his keen eyes. 

Below was the churning waters of the Pacific. His radio buzzed, “12:00 high, what in God’s name is that?”

Sphinx blinked as he beheld a large aircraft he had never seen before, it was completely V shaped with push motor props propelling it forward. Would that be classified as a bomber or an airship? 

The giant craft wasn’t marked with a strange spider symbol, not the familiar suns of the Japanese they had been fighting. The giant aircraft wasn’t alone as strange twin engined fighters they had never seen before descended to meet them. 

“Tracers arced from the fighters as they dove and Sphinx and the rest of his squadron returned fire before performing evasive maneuvers. 

“Priority is on that massive bomber!” Sphinx ordered as the flying V - also bristling with machine guns which were already spraying fire. Sphinx rolled as tracers and an eager bandit zipped past his cockpit, and was quick to get behind the enemy craft and open fire. 

Flame and smoke erupted from the strange fighter and it fell away towards the seas below. The radios were abuzz with excitement and fear. The pilot took a breath, deal with the here and now, sort out the “why” later. 

They were under attack from an unknown enemy with a strange new weapon. What would happen? Was this the last flight of Captain Sphinx? Tune in next time with another exciting installment. 

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Kairi furrowed her brow and turned off the radio, blinking once or twice and trying to sort out everything she’d seen in the past week.