=====On-board the Etere Videum=====

Cayden walked onto the bridge of the Etere Videum and sat down in the Captain's chair.  "What's our ETA, Major?" he asked, looking to the Major, Skaara Calfan, sitting at the helm.

"ETA: 10 minutes, sir" Skaara said, looking at the nav-computer.

"Alrighty, all personnel, prepare to drop out of hyperspace," he said into the intercom.

Cayden looked to his left and saw a small squirrel sitting on the arm of his chair.  "You know, Colonel... you could have used the Star Drive," she said, smiling.

"I am aware, Squirrel-Ashley, but I am not going to put the rest of my crew in danger by using an experimental drive," he said to the squirrel.

Skaara turned towards Cayden and asked "Is that squirrel back, sir?"

Cayden smiled and said "Yes, Major... now get ready to pull us out of hyperspace."

Skaara smiled and said "Yes sir."

Ashley walked onto the bridge and stopped in front of Cayden.  "So... I hear the squirrel is here..." she said, sadly.

"Ashley, the squirrel is just a manifestation of my subconscious mind... it in no way, exists... it does, however, help me in the development of new technologies, like the matter transporter ring platform in the cargo hold," Cayden explained.

"I see... so a matter transporter ring platform... how do we use it on other planets?" Ashley asked, intrigued.

Cayden smiled and said "Once activated, the rings on the ship dematerialize the target object.  Another set of rings come out of the ventral side of the ship and form a connecting bridge between them and the ship's rings, transporting the dematerialized target via matter stream to the planet surface."

"Okay... and how do we get back onto the ship?" she asked, crouching by Cayden's chair.

"With this," he said, handing her a remote-device.  "One press of the button signals the ship that we are ready for transport, a second one activates the rings on the ship.  The rings come down, encircle us, and transport us back onto the ship."

"I see... and the squirrel helped you develop this?" she asked.

"Partially... she... er... supplied the idea, and some of the formulas... also gave me the idea of giving it an independent power source in the event of a malfunction with the reactor.  Other than that, I designed and built it," he explained, getting out of the chair.  Squirrel-Ashley quickly jumped onto the back of the chair and jumped onto his left shoulder.  "I'm going down to the planet surface for a while, Ashley.  You have the helm until I get back."

Ashley stood up, hugged Cayden close, and kissed him passionately.  "Can the squirrel do that?" she asked, smiling.

He smiled back and said "Not in a million years... that's why you'll always be my favorite."

"Er-hmm... Colonel?  We've arrived," Skaara said, standing behind Ashley.

Cayden motioned towards her to respond.

"Right... Get us into position over the Tuk'ata Squadron barracks, Major.  Cayden would like to test out the transport rings," she said, sitting down in the Captain's chair.

"Yes ma'am," he said, returning to the helm.

Cayden walked down the corridor and entered the cargo hold.  He stepped onto the transport platform and waited for the signal.

"You know, Cayden... one of these days, you will have to do it," Squirrel-Ashley said.

"I know... I'll do it when we get back to Bimmiel... you have my word on that, Squirrel-Ashley," Cayden said.

"Also, I think I need a better name than 'Squirrel-Ashley'," the squirrel said, jumping over Cayden head onto his right shoulder.

"Really?  Why do you say that?" he asked, surprised.

"Well... I may look like Ashley, but I'm almost nothing like her personality-wise.  Heck, I'm barely like you in that respect.  I'm, essentially, a separate entity with a unique personality.  So... I just feel that I would like a different name.  Something that sets me apart from you... and yet, together with you..." Squirrel-Ashley started.

"How about Cayla?" Cayden suggested.

"'Cayla'... I like it.  I am now going to be known as 'Cayla', Cayla said.

"Alrighty... well, here goes nothing..." he said, pressing the button on the remote.

The rings rose out of the floor and surrounded them.  A bright light engulfed them, dematerializing them.

=====Outside the Tuk'ata Barracks=====

The Etere Videum hovered over the barracks, almost as if to drop a bomb.  A small ring-shaped bay opened up on the ventral side of the ship, and several rings dropped down.  They stopped inches from the ground, and stacked up on each other.  A blinding light appeared in the middle, and Cayden appeared in the middle.  The rings moved back up into the ship, and the ship flew back into orbit.

"Alrighty... I have a few hours before the Etere Videum decides to come and pick me up," he said, walking to the barracks doors.

"You know, you could have had more time if you would have said so," Cayla said, jumping down onto the ground to the right of him.

"I am aware, Cayla.  However... I like the feeling of being rushed," Cayden said, smiling as he swiped his card into the door.

"Yes... I know..." she said, walking over to the door as Cayden opened it.

The two of the walked into the barracks and looked around.

"Nobody's home, Cayden," Cayla said, jumping up onto the table.

"Thank you for that astute observation, Cayla," Cayden said, shooting Cayla a quick look and smiling.  He walked over to the table that Cayla was sitting on and sat down in a chair next to her.  "Say... why don't you turn in to your human form?"

"It might have something to do with you preferring me in this form, Cayden..." she said, looking up at him.  "Of course, it's just a theory."

"Right... because you are a part of my subconscious... and if anyone knew that I manifested it as a squirrel... a cute one too... well, I would lose all sorts of credibility in the Navy," he said, leaning onto the table.  "Of course... I could really careless what anyone thinks."

Cayden was about to start playing a game of holochess with Cayla when he heard someone slide a card into the reader.

OOC:

WC: 1036

Alrighty Stewart... here is the beginning of our quest to salvage the Longshot!
  LOOK, IT'S CAYLA!  XD