By Moonfire

Thankfully the shuttle reached deep space at that moment and she could feel herself growing weightless again. She sat back and tried to relax, that had taken longer than usual.

About an hour or so passed, the seats around her were empty. She realized that she probably didn't look very approachable, her face read like a book: I hate shuttles, I want to go home, I 'd rather be just about anywhere else right now, grrr. She didn't know whether or not she would have welcomed company at this point. There was an interesting array of species on the shuttle, Lunar dogs and cats like herself, a few reptiles from Jupiter, a fox, probably from Saturn, a bunch of funny-looking things probably from Andromeda and of course a few mice returning home to Mars. 'They probably all wonder what the fuck I'm doing here,' she thought. 'Most of them probably know who I am and that's why they don't want to risk talking to me.' She bit back a self-satisfied smirk.

*****

At the other end of the shuttle two mice sat watching the slim black cat with the silver hair.

"Are you sure it's her?"

"Yep."

"Great, that means there really is a peace negotiation going on with the Moon!"

"Aw man! Well why don't we just go and take the treaty from her?"

"You wanna pick a fight with the Lunar Force Captain? Great idea Vincent. Get your ass kicked and prove to the Lunar officials that we're nothing but uncontrollable renegades at the same time. Yep brilliant plan!"

"Well what should we do?"

"Talk to her, find out whose side she's on, what her intentions are."

"Oh, good plan! You know what?"

"What?"

"She's kinda cute."

"Oh God here we go again!"

*****

"Hey sweetheart, what's a nice girl like you doing sitting all alone like
that?"

Moonfire looked up skeptically, "Guess."

Vinnie decided to just blurt it out in his usual impulsive manner. "Well I dunno of course, but I'd guess that you were thinking 'bout a certain peace treaty which you've gotta deliver tomorrow."

"Good guess." The mouse had a medium height, white fur, nice eyes and a very nice build. Yeow.

"Have a seat," Moonfire slapped the chair beside her. The mouse sat down and threw his arm over the back of her chair. "So doll, ever been to Mars?"

'Hmmm, impulsive, rude, yet with a strange type of charm and one cannot forget that build.' "Nope."

"Oh you'll love it, lots of forests, lakes and about a million rebels ready to jump you for that treaty. I'll give you the tour."

Moonfire snorted. "So are you threatening me or offering to protect me?"

"Offering to protect you of course doll."

"Don't you worry about me Peaches," Moonfire drew the five-knife like claws on her right hand an inch away from his neck. "Anyone who tries to jump me will get a belly-full of these babies."

"Yeeow! Watch it with those things!" He could almost hear Stoker snicker from the other side of the shuttle.

"So," Moonfire said, retracting her claws and tweaking one of his antennas, "you seem to know a lot about me. Who may I ask are you?"

"Moonfire sweetheart, you are talking to *the* Vincent Van Wham, also known as the baddest mamajamma in the universe! But call me Vinnie."

Moonfire smirked. "Alright, as you know I'm Lunar Force Captain Moonfire Sarah Blood, the cat who could kick your ass and is twice as modest." She winked at him, "And if you play your cards right, maybe someday you can call me Sarah."

"Well doll I'll look forward to that day."

"You do that."

Vinnie was extremely intrigued by this black cat from the Moon but it finally dawned on him that he wasn't really doing his job.

"How long you gonna be on Mars for?"

"Two weeks."

"All alone?"

"Hmm, why," she said mock sweetly. "You think that if I'm alone you'll be able to take me down?"

"Naa, just worried about you. That's all."

Moonfire snorted. "I'm impressed. I actually can't figure out what the Hell you're trying to do."

"I am a real piece of work ain't I?"

"Abs and pecs maybe, the brain could use a little work though."

"Ouch."

"Deserved it."

"Maybe, you never answered my question."

"Alone for a week, with a guy for a week. Satisfied?"

"A guy?"

"Mmm hmm."

"Husband?"

"As if."

"Boyfriend?"

Moonfire just laughed.

"Not boyfriend then?"

"Jealous much?"

"Only when it concerns gorgeous girls like yourself."

"Very smooth Peaches," Moonfire said rolling her eyes.

"So boyfriend or not?"

"Well, we do live together."

Vinnie tried to hold back his sudden urge to break something.

"What's his name?"

"Craft."

"What kind of a name is Craft?"

"A good choice."

"Oh right you've got those chosen names! Who would date someone who named himself Craft?"

"You don't really know that much about me do you?"

"I guess not."

"Too bad."

"Why too bad?" Vinnie, asked attempting to be coy.

"Well see, I haven't been laid in ages."

Vinnie choked and Moonfire laughed.

"Thought that one might catch you off guard."

"Yeah, a little maybe!" Vinnie sputtered. "So you're not laying the guy you live with?"

"My God! Ew! Don't say things like that!"

"Huh?"

"I think you need to do a little more research Vinnie."

"I'd like to. Let me take you out to dinner."

"Fuck I walked into that one didn't I?"

"No, I'm serious."

"Right."

"I am."

"You're just doing this to get information out of me."

"No, I'm not doing this *just* to get information out of you." Moonfire laughed. Try as she might, she couldn't stop herself from liking this idiot.

"What are you offering in return?" she asked.

"Well, you did say you wanted to get laid sweetheart."

They both started laughing at that.

"I wasn't kidding either," Moonfire said, giving him the once over, "but I meant information-wise." Vinnie was a bit surprised. "Anything you want to know sweetheart, and I mean that seriously." He eyed her suspiciously. "Are you really here just to get a treaty signed?"

She looked him right in the eye and said softly, "Would you send your Force Captain away for two weeks to get a treaty signed by the government of a planet who couldn't afford to attack you anyway?"

A look of understanding crossed Vinnie's face. "What hotel are you staying at? I'll pick you up at 7."