She-Ra (Catradora)

Chapter 21

Catra, Thrad and Entrapta sat in silence. After a bit, Catra spoke, "So if we want Adora back we have to kill a She-ra or an equivalent at that. It's gonna be hard but as long as I can get a clean shot with the GAX I think I can take them out." Etrapta already geeking out at all the new information she has just learned spoke with excitement, "And with all my new adjustments this should be a piece of cake." Catra's face dropped she slowly turned her head and gave the deadliest glare she could. "What adjustments?!" Entrapta wasn't able to read Catra very well so she glanced over the obvious threat that Catra was giving. Thrad on the other hand felt he was going to be ripped apart by the tension in the room. "Well yeah. That hunk of junk is useless in the field it has one shot and has to be recharged. I hooked up an energy collector that can use your princess energy to power it. I also added a dial to change its energy output. You're welcome." Entrapta sat there smiling while Catra dug her claws into the table. "Entrapta I will say this once. Never mess with military weaponry or tech unless I say so. Got it?" Entrapta tilted her head in confusion. "So should I have not hacked the library computer systems." Thrad exploded, "What?!" "Yeah, I just bypast the security system and got access to the security cameras so we could check if we were followed." Thrad sank into his seat, "I'm definitely getting fired for this." Catra was impressed but chose not to show it, "Well?" "Well, what?" Entrapta replied. "Did you check the cameras if we were followed?" Etrapta spun round in her chair and looked at the computer, "I don't think so but there's a group of people in the lobby all in uniform." Catra and Thrad both spoke in unison, "What!" Thrad stood up and looked at the computer, "Oh crap that's... they're the enforcers. They're probably here for you, oh why did I let you do this we're in so much trouble." Catra slapped Thrad, "Calm down we need to go. Is there another exit?" Thrad thought for a moment, "No there is one way in and one way out unless you count the service shoot, but that goes down to the lower levels." Catra stood up, "Take us."

After heading back to the elevator, the three went into the emergency stairwell and climbed a few floors before arriving at a small door with a sign reading 'Authorised personal only'. When they entered they were met with electrical breakers on one wall and opposite a metal hatch. "This should take you down to the lower levels from there you can get back up to the hanger." Catra placed a hand on Thrads shoulder, "Thank you, for everything." Thrad gave a weak laugh, "Well you did hold me at knifepoint. Anyway go, now." Thrad closed the door and left Catra and Entrapta. Catra opened the hatch. You couldn't see the end of the shoo it just kept going. "Well, it's now or never." Catra jumped with Entrapta following close behind. "AHHHHHhhhhhh!" "WEEEEEEEeeeeeee!" The hatch shut behind them.

It felt like they kept sliding down for ages. Catra looked down and saw a soft light racing towards them. Getting closer and closer before Catra and Entrapter were shot out of the shoot and into a mettle box filled with rubbish bags and broken furniture and singed cloth and paper. Catra stood up collecting herself patting off the dirt and grime that she picked up on the way down. The box that they were in was quite large only a quarter filled with rubbish. The walls went a few or so meters above the ground. Catra and Entrapta hopped out and evaluated the situation. They were in some sort of warehouse. They stood in a large long room with high ceilings. There were ten metal skips five on either side all with one or more shoot heading up to the higher levels. It was cold in the warehouse and the flickering lights from above began to make Catra feel nervous. 

Catra began muttering, "So we're being looked for. We don't know where we are and we need to get back to the ship. Hopefully, they haven't seized it." Entrapta looked at Catra and spoke, "That's wrong." Catra turned, "What?" "You said we don't know where we are. You don't. But I do." Etrapta grabbed a piece of tech she had in her pocket. "I filled in the gaps in my map with the data I got from the library systems." Entrapta pressed the centre of the disk that she had in her hand and threw it onto the floor between her and Catra. The disk sparked and fizzed into life and a light blue light expanded from the disk presenting a hologram with levels of maze looking plates one on top of the other. Entrapta spoke, "So we were here." Entrap pointed at the top of the hologram at part of the hologram that vaguely resembled the outside of the museum. "And now we are here." Entrapta moved her finger all the way down to the bottom of the hologram at a glowing red dot which indicated where their current location was. "We are in the thirteenth level. The forbidden level it's the underbelly of the city.." Entrapta turned off the hologram and put the disk in her pocket. The two of them began walking to the end of the room where a large metal door stood. "There's not much down here, only a few factories and trash compactors that send stuff back up to the higher levels."

They opened the door. As it flung open they were hit with shouting and loud noises. A sea of people walking around in front of them. A mixture of all different kinds. Some with skin, scales or fur. Some with two legs, five legs and no legs. Some with two eyes, one eye and a thousand eyes. Some slithered, some hobbled and some even floated. Catra gave Entrapta a look. And without speaking said, "Really there's nothing much down here."

After a while of wading through the crowd, they came across what they could only think was a bar. Entrapta spoke, "We can ask someone in there how to get to the higher levels." Catra frowned, although she did well within the crimson wastes she had no idea what the people here were capable of. "Ok, but I will do the talking, don't mention where we're from or why we're here just keep your head low and follow my lead." They headed inside into a dimly lit room with around twenty or so people. Their assumptions were right, it was a bar. The bartender was a large... thing with blackened eyes and sharp teeth. They were cleaning a mug out with a rag while the customers sat at either the bar or at the various tables scattered around the establishment. Some were eating or drinking alone while others gambled with cards and dice. Catra walked up to the bar and sat at one of the stools. Entrapta followed and not so cooly swivelled a couple of times on the barstool before coming to a complete stop.

The bartender spoke in a deep raspy voice, "What can I get for you." Catra simply wanted water but played the part by asking for whatever the barkeep recommended. Turning around they pulled a light amber liquid from the shelf behind them and placed it down on the bar with a couple of glasses. Pouring each of them a glass. Catra took a sip. It was strong but not like liquor as though she had assumed it was cold and hot at the same time. As if fire ants were dancing on her tongue. She tried her hardest to keep it down only wincing slightly at the taste. The barkeep raised a part of their face that would have housed an eyebrow on a normal being though they were completely hairless. "You're not from around here are you?" Catra realized it was better to get straight to the point. "We want information, specifically navigation." The barkeep sighed, "Look, I was born and lived here my whole life I wouldn't be able to tell you what the next system was if I wanted to." Entrapta took a sip from the glass and immediately spat it back. "We actually wanted to get back up to the higher levels." Entrapta had said that slightly louder than intended and the people on the nearby tables fell silent and looked at the two of them. Catra feeling multiple eyes on her grew nervous. "Are either of you two enforcers? We don't take kindly to enforcers." The barkeep somehow seemed to grow larger when they said this. Before Catra could say anything Entrapta spoke up. "No of course not, we're actually on the run from them. I kind of hacked into their system." Catra sunk into the bar wondering why she ever thought it would be a good idea to bring Entrapta. The barkeep's eyes narrowed before breaking out into a chuckle. "You don't look like enforcers, but now that you said it. There's was a bounty floating around for a pair of criminals. They've been classed as terrorists. That wouldn't be you would it." Catra took another sip from her glass forgetting the taste from before. "So what if we were." "I meant nothing by it and don't think I'll turn you in. If I turned everyone in this place alone I would be rich enough to move up a level." Catra was confused at the statement the barkeep had just said. "What do you mean by move up a level?"

The barkeep explained that the levels reflect the wealth of the citizens. The bottom level was specifically given to the poorest and most liable of the people. The elevators that once had been open for people to move between floors had been closed off for the bottom-most level now guarded by the enforcers. "Everyone you see down here is trapped. For the most part." A cloaked woman burst through the door of the bar and screamed, "RAID!" everyone in the bar immediately grabbed what they could and ran out the door. "Please hide us, we need to get to our ship in the hanger bays." The barkeep thought for a moment. "I hate travellers asking for handouts, expecting me to give sanctuary and information it puts me in danger just as much as it helps you... But I hate enforcers more. Come with me." The barkeep darted seeming to glide to a door at the back of the bar. "Through here quickly." Catra and Entrapta rushed through the door to a small room with an even small bed and bookshelf. With a swift movement, the barkeep moved the bookshelf revealing a small metal door. "The enforcers didn't secure every elevator. This will take you up to the hanger. Make sure to send the elevator back down once at the top, It would be a shame to lose this one as well. I don't know what would be waiting for you up there but." Catra stopped them, "Thank you." The two of them climbed inside before the barkeep closed the door and pressed a small button to send the elevator to its final destination.