Terry returned from his next shift in a rather jolly mood. When he entered the small van, he raised his hands.

“I would like you two to meet some friends of mine.”

“We would be happy to,” Yoland replied.

They followed him out as darkness began to descend. For now, the clearing operations had been completed. Terry led them across the debris field towards a large Red Cross tent, which they entered easily.

Jerrix saw three people staring at them. Everyone dressed in remnants of clothes that had seen better days.

“Allow me to make the introductions,” Terry said as the people came towards them.

“This is Helen, a former nurse.”

Jerrix shook her frail outstretched hand and noted the pale complexion.

“Nice to see you sir,” she said softly.

“This is Jemima,” Terry said.

Jerrix saw a short woman sitting in a wheelchair. It was obvious that her legs had been amputated below the knee.

The cat shook her hand as a third survivor came up to them. The cat thought he recognised the gent. He saw the thin body and dark hair and rubbed his chin.

“You look rather familiar,” Jerrix told him.

“We spoke at the stockade perimeter,” the gent said. “I’m George.”

The cat shook his hand gently.

“Now that we are all introduced,” Terry said. “This of course is the hero who saved us.”

The survivors laughed. All but George.

“I was no hero that day,” the cat said. “The fighters who lost their lives are the real ones.”

“Oh I think you are too modest,” George said. “Where did you hide yourself after the battle?”

It was an awkward question that Jerrix managed to side step.

“Here and there you know.”

Terry grinned and pointed to Helen.

“After the battle she helped with the sick and injured you know.”

“Must have been many to treat,” Yoland said.

“Quite a few I’m afraid. We lost far too many.”

“As for that darkness,” Jemima chipped in. “None of us could figure out how it happened. Parting gift from the machines perhaps.”

“I suspect that you are right my dear,” the cat relied. “I don’t think they will risk another attack.”

“Not while you are here I bet,” Terry commented.

“I lost my sister you know,” George whispered. “Happened as we dashed across camp.”

“You are not the only bereaved person,” Jemima reminded him. “The whole planet’s in sorrow.”

“I still think,” George continued. “We have survived without your help.”

The cat felt his bitterness and understood perfectly. Terry though was none too pleased.

“You can’t blame Jerrix for that mate. None of us would be here now if he had not led the attack.”

“You would also still be under the machines,” Yoland reminded everyone.

A burly worker wearing a blue helmet suddenly dashed in panting.

“We found something in the rubble of the old school.”

“What do you mean something?” Jemima asked.

“No idea. Never saw anything like it.”

“I suppose I had better take a look,” Jerrix muttered. “Come on then.”

Yoland followed him out as the survivors chatted among themselves.
As she left, the voice of George could be heard saying, “I hope he gets blown up.”

Jerrix followed the worker towards a heap of cleared rubble and at the far end stopped. The worker pointed towards the strange silver object.

“A damn prionic ioniser,” he hissed.

“A what?” the workman asked.

“It’s a bomb sir,” the cat replied. “Quite capable of reducing your planet to a ball of molten rock.”

“Surely it’s deactivated,” Yoland suggested as they approached it.

“Probably failed to go off due to malfunction,” Jerrix said. “However, the jolting may have triggered it.”

The cat pulled the fork like device from the deep pocket of his cloak and waived it a little.

“It’s definitely counting down.”

“You had better do something then,” Yoland suggested.

The cat glanced at the workman.

“I need a tool box right now.”

As he ran off, Jerrix examined the torpedo shaped weapon.

“That side plate needs to be removed so that I can disarm the firing pin.”

Yoland saw the dull square plate he was talking about.

“Here we are sir,” the workman said returning.

The cat removed a screwdriver and slowly extracted the four screws.
He laid the screwdriver down and gently removed the plate.

“Looks complicated,” Yoland commented staring at the wires.

The cat pointed to a square box in the midst of it.

“That is the firing mechanism. Now, if I cut the green and yellow wires...”

He reached into the toolbox and pulled out the wire cutters. He cut the aforementioned wires and sighed.

“Now Yoland. Gently raise the box until its base is level with the casing. Whatever you do, don’t drop it.”

The workman was sweating too.

“I don’t suppose clearing the area is any good,” he muttered.

“No it won’t be,” the cat replied. “If this goes up, we all go up.”

Yoland reached inside and carefully raised the box as instructed. A single red wire hung from the base.

“Cutting this should solve our problem.”

The cat slowly severed the wire and breathed a sigh of relief.

“You can put that down now,” he told Yoland.

“Thankfully you were around to do that,” the workman said.

As everyone stood, someone yelled from behind them. They saw George running recklessly in their direction.

“What does he want?” Yoland asked.

George reached them, swinging his fist violently at the cat. There was a thud and Jerrix went down hard.
---
“Grab him!” Yoland said as George prepared to stick the boot in. The workman quickly wrapped his arms around the assailant to prevent his escape as Terry ran from the tent.

“Sorry, he just went mad,” he explained sprinting towards them.

“No real harm caused,” Jerrix commented climbing to his feet.

As George struggled, Terry placed an arm around his shoulder.

“Come on mate. You can’t hold a grudge.”

George appeared to calm down and when everyone was satisfied, Terry
led him back towards the tent.

“Perhaps it’s time to go,” Yoland suggested. “The locals are becoming restive.”

“What about this?” the workman asked pointing to the device.

“With the firing mechanism out, there is nothing to worry about,” the cat replied.

“Come on lets go,” Yoland said leading him away.

“Hey you two,” a voice called.

Turning, they saw Terry approaching.

“How is George?” Jerrix asked.

“He is pretty calm now. That’s why I’m here. He wants to make up for his behaviour.”

“Oh yes how?” Yoland asked suspiciously.

“Over in that direction is a lightly damaged hotel. George wants to hold a small party in the morning.”

As he said this, the vision of the shooting flashed through the cat’s mind for the second time. He flushed.

“You alright mate?” Terry asked.

Absentmindedly, Jerrix nodded.

“I can tell George that it’s okay?”

Jerrix glanced towards the darkening sky and whispered, “Tell him we will be there.”

Terry smiled and ran off.

Yoland shrugged her shoulders, “Back to the van then?”

“Yes my dear. Back to the van.”

The cat slept fitfully that night. He was fairly tired when the sun rose again. After breakfast, Terry led them off for the impromptu party.

“You look rather worried,” Yoland whispered.

Rather strangely, the cat remained silent.

After a relatively short walk, Yoland saw sitting among the surrounding rubble a large squat building that looked pretty intact.
As far as she could see, only the windows were broken.

“It still surprises me that it managed to survive,” Terry said, as they got nearer.

“I just hope we do,” the cat muttered.

Terry glanced at him for a second when an armed figure suddenly dashed from inside the building.

“Hold it right there,” George warned.

Yoland decided not to reach for her laser pistol. She could see his finger hovering over the trigger of the shotgun.

“Just put that down mate,” Terry told him.

The weapon swung in his direction.

“I mean it Terry. No one move.”

“Don’t risk yourself on my account,” Jerrix said. “He wants me. Don’t you George.”

George smiled.

“How right you are.”

Jerrix pointed to a spot just a few steps to his left.

“Why not over there.”

“Looks good enough to me,” George replied. “Move then.”

Yoland understood what was going on of course. As the cat padded towards the indicated spot, the barrel followed him.

Without warning, she pulled the laser pistol free and fired. George yelled reeling back and the shotgun discharged. As he hit the ground, Jerrix scrambled up.

“I hope he is not dead,” the cat commented as Yoland ran to the fallen figure.

“I aimed for his arm,” she assured him.

George was moaning loudly, trying to stop the bleeding from his gun arm. The cat picked his weapon up and handed it to Terry.

“I don’t want him harmed,” he told him. “He has lost too much already.”

With that curt statement, he padded off with Yoland in pursuit. As they neared the soft green glow of the ship, the cat suddenly stopped. A dim ghost of a figure stood between them and the hidden craft.

It looked terribly familiar to Jerrix. He recognised the dark hood and the raised scythe. As suddenly as it appeared, the apparition vanished.

“Whatever is wrong?” Yoland asked.

“Never you mind,” the cat snapped. “Now come on.”

Without further comment, a worried Jerrix entered the green light and promptly vanished.

Sadly..That was last post..Have to leave internet due to escalating health probs..Spent today deactivating accounts...Thanks for reading...Happy Writer...

Darnit..i just finally caught up with all my reading from the trip, :) will pm you, Tara