Fragments (Entrapdak)

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The vast canvas of stars moved slowly around them as Adora and her friends made their way toward home. Adora fought against the urge to sleep. She shifted in the pilot seat, dislodging Catra from her comfortable position against her shoulder. "You're supposed to keep me alert," she said wryly, "not doze off in the middle of our watch. Get up or you'll fall asleep."

Catra's tail flicked, but otherwise she didn't move. "Is that an order, princess?"

"It's about to be," Adora warned.

"Oh, I'm so scared."

Adora rolled her eyes, but couldn't help a small smile. It was so easy to fall back into old patterns when she was with Catra. During the times they were on pilot duty together, they would sit and talk for hours, as they hadn't talked in years. Other times they would say nothing and simply watch the stars. Quiet moments like this were comforting, like home, yet things were not quite the way they were before. There was a sour note in the air between them, a lingering uneasiness. It reminded Adora of the pocket of still time between thunder and lightning.

She sighed, wanting so desperately to go back to simpler times, even though in her heart she knew they never could. There was a chasm of pain between them. War was waiting back home, and after that... Adora didn't know what would happen. It might all end in a few days, she thought, closing her eyes and trying to feel the peace of this moment. She could face the pain another day. I wish...

No, I don't want to think about that.

Shaking her head to dispel the vision behind her eyes, Adora sat up a little straighter. "You should be afraid," she murmured to Catra. "Because I know... your weaknesses!"

She went straight for Catra's side, right where she knew the felinetta was most ticklish. "Hey!" Catra leapt out of the chair with a startled laugh. "That is not fair!"

Adora laughed. "It woke you up, didn't it?"

Mew! At the foot of the chair, Melog rose up from where they had been sleeping. "Oops, sorry Melog..."

The strange feline alien they met on Krytis had decided to accompany them to Etheria. They had taken a liking to Catra, reminded of the people that once populated their planet, in the days before the arrival of Horde Prime. Melog and a few others of their kind had driven him off, but it was too late to save Krytis. All they could do was linger on as their planet slowly decayed.

Melog let out a soft growl. Catra laughed and reached out a hand to scratch their ear. "Yeah, I know, Adora's rude sometimes."

Adora stuck her tongue out at the pair of them. "I guess I'm the only one doing my job around here."

Before Catra could retort, all of them were startled by the beep of the monitor. Darla was receiving a transmission.

Adora got up from her chair and went to the console. "It's from Sophie," she said, pressing the button to bring up the holo screen. Catra's ears pinned back, and she looked away. Melog nuzzled against her, and Catra absently brushed her hand over their mane, still not looking at the screen.

"Hiiii!"

"It's good to see you, Entrapta," Adora smiled. "And Hordak," she added awkwardly.

Behind Entrapta, Hordak inclined his head in acknowledgment. The glare he gave Catra was sharp as a dagger. "What's going on back at home?" Adora asked quickly.

"I've got so much to tell you!" Entrapta replied. "The camp was attacked, and we..."

Adora listened in silence as Entrapta told her about how the Alliance was scattered, with even more of them now under the control of Prime's chips. Her hands tightened into fists on the console. King Micah's chipped... oh Glimmer, I'm so sorry... She released a heavy sigh and turned to Catra. Her friend was still looking down at Melog, rubbing the back of her neck where the chip once was.