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"Finally Working Together"
Previous post: "Fe' (Faith)"
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Setting: USS PARADOX
Stardate: 63073.2300

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The PARADOX was much larger than the Kzinti had at first thought, making it much easier to hear the echos from down the different corridors. Hex listened intensely to each and every sound, noting how her father did the same while moving closely behind her. Though his nearness made the Sec/Tac officer uncomfortable, she felt somewhat relieved to have him there fighting at her side.

A noise from far down the right-hand corridor caught the younger Kzinti's attention momentarily. Motioning quickly with her hand to the elder Kzinti, the furred woman knelt down in an offensive combat pose, waiting to strike. A brief moment passed before the alien enemy was within Hex's striking range. Dealing him a quick blow to the back of his skull with the palm of her hand, then following it up with a quick two-fingered jab to the stomach, the creature was soon rendered motionless on the floor.

Quickly moving over him to check his pulse and get a higher view-point, Hex nodded once to Grex before fluidly changing then holding her new defensive position atop the unconscious form, examining each way thoroughly before motioning to move on. The imposing bounty hunter now in the lead, the younger Kzinti held back to watch the opposite corridor carefully as the group moved swiftly ahead of her.

This was easy, this was something that Hex could excel at with a very limited amount of effort. Their bodies made to tackle the harsher conditions on KZINTI PRIME, both Kzinti's were always battle-ready and eager to fight. Sighing, the huntress noted inwardly that their upbringing alone would make it more than difficult for the hunters to work together. Determination fueling her, the fuzzball moved back to the front of the line.

In passing, the Kzinti looked over the condition of the group.The Betazoid, though seeming more bashful than previously, was unharmed and ready as were the kindly priest and COO. Hex touched Adriana's shoulder briefly, giving her a reassuring grin before hurrying forward to once again take the lead.

"No signs." Grex stated bluntly, crouching to peer around yet another corner, "I'm sure we'll have more resistance further in."

"Nothing we can't handle." Hex replied, turning toward Mortina and signaling her quietly.

Though worried, the Betazoid approached carefully, watching each step as though it may have been her last. When going by the Efrosian, Hex noticed a faint increase in her color and made a mental note to ask the young woman about that afterward.

"Can you try to sense where anyone from our group is located?" Hex questioned, still keeping watch from the corner of her eyes.

Closing her eyes, the woman concentrated, "Near the cargo area, but their emotions are weak."

Nodding her approval, Hex moved ahead slowly. The others followed behind her quietly, not making a single sound that might alert a nearby guard or enemy aware of their intrusion. A protective feeling washed over the Kzinti huntress as she looked back again at the group. The Ensign wanted to protect these people, even if it meant her life.

Surprisingly, they encountered little resistance on the way down to the cargo bays, which led the group to wonder as to why. Hex thought it too, but her mind was elsewhere, on the possibly hurt member of her crew and the rest of the USS ANUBIS officers. Looking back briefly again, the huntress could tell by the looks on their faces, that was all on Elliot and Adriana were thinking about too.

The little group walked quickly through the corridors, taking care to watch their step and listen to each hall they passed. This ship was inhabited, but obviously not used to having unexpected visitors. Most of their crew were either relaxing, eating or playing around from what Hex and the others could here. Leaving them all confused, but thankfully undetected, the group moved on.

Adriana watched as the others moved ahead of her, somewhat fearful for the other away team officers, but keeping her mind on task. Mortina would often grab her arm and point in a direction, obviously listening to something important.

"These people all came here hired as guards, engineers, you name it they have it. Recently there's been a lot of damage to the ship, they all seem to be worrying about when they're going to leave." the Betazoid informed her in a whisper, moving at her side, "Some were thinking about new people coming on board, but the faces were blurry. Do you know a giant of some sort? An engineer maybe? Some of them are thinking envious thoughts about a very tall blue man."

Adriana almost jumped out of her skin, struggling to remain calm, she confided, "Yeah, he's with us. He's our head engineer."

"He was with a group of others and, from what I'm getting, they're being help prisoner somewhere in the ship." Mortina continued, her face becoming grave.

The sound of a blast, made both women freeze. Looking ahead, the realized they were under fire from a turning corridor. Grex and Hex had both pulled out weapons, but the smaller Kzinti seemed to be less energetic than before. Holding her wound from before, the huntress hissed in pain.

"Do you always get hurt?" Grex chided, returning fire quickly before ducking behind the wall again as phaser shots zoomed by where his head had just been.

"Only... around you it seems" Hex joked breathlessly, a shot having grazed her wound just before the fire-fight began.

Struggling to stand, the Kzinti jumped out into the open area, firing several shots rapidly into the joining corridor before rolling to her side to regain cover further along the corridor.

"Grex, cover fire for them. Everyone will have to run across, the cargo hold is this way and we can take care of this little annoyance." Hex said quickly, her voice coming out more harsh than she wanted.

Taking aim, the elder Kzinti began to fire as the Efrosian priest ran by, covered by Elliot's constant phaser fires. They made it to the other side safely, though somewhat shell-shocked from the sudden attack and breathing hard. Mortina went next, running fast with her weapon aimed, but tripping just as she got close. Cursing, Hex began to fire her phaser rifle as the Betazoid was pulled out of the range of fire by the others.

"Come on Adriana! You're next!" Hex called, hissing as a phaser shot grazed her fur.

"I'm coming right after you" Grex stated, taking cover to speak, "So keep going no matter what, understand?"

Nodding, Adriana got ready to run. The Kzinti's looked at each other for a long moment, then both their ears twitched. The second the twitch occurred, they both leaned in a began firing their weapons spontaneously into the corridor. Adriana ran, helping with her added fire-power as well as noting the sounds of pain from further down the corridor as she made it to the other side.

"Anyone hurt?" Hex called back, taking a break from firing again.

"No warrior, we all seem to be fine, if a little shaken." the priest offered with a sincere smile as he helped the blushing Betazoid to her feet slowly.

Blushing slightly, Hex turned back to the fight, "Move along then, we'll be there soon" the Kzinti stated lamely, swaying on her feet slightly before shaking off the dizzy feeling.

"Be careful... " Adriana cautioned, placing her hand lightly on the furred-humanoid's shoulder.

The Kzinti smiled at her crew mate and nodded, "You bet."

Adriana stayed close behind the men as the sounds of firing phasers faded further and further into the distance. Elliot suddenly stopped and knelt down. "Darn it... there's guards."

"How many?" Adriana asked, peeking around the corner slightly.

"Five, all well armed." the COO replied, looking over his tricorder frustrated.

"And focused, they're professionals... " Motina added, muttering to herself.

Adriana saw a black blur in the corner of her eye. Moving back under cover, the aCMO ducked just as a phaser shot whirled by. Only one shot was fired, singeing into the far wall uselessly. Mortina held her breath, hoisting up her weapon cautiously. Elliot checked Adriana's condition before looked around the corner and sighing.

"Well, that's one way to execute a surprise attack." the COO mumbled, standing up and walking out and around the corner.

"Elliot! Where are you going?!" Adriana called, reaching for the man before seeing what he had.

A small, somewhat worse for wear, Kzinti stood in the middle of a group of knocked out aliens, a imposing elder Kzinti by her side. Grex was holding his hand over a red spot on his shoulder, looking more triumphant than hurt. Hex was out of breath and trembling, but other than that, Adriana could tell that it was only her shoulder that was still hurt.

"Amazing... " Mortina sighed, "It's too bad they hate each other... "

Adriana sighed, wondering to herself if that was really the case between the two Kzinti's as she watched them pull open a door marked Cargo Bay 6.

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Ashley Shane
Ensign Hex Fanggot
Assistant Sec/Tac officer
USS ANUBIS

"The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on." - Robert Bloch