Feathershine was milling around space ship, walking back and forth.

The airlock hissed open, and she looked over, curiosity sparkling in her yellow eyes. Greenface walked in, Cedarflame trailing behind him. Both were holding their helmets by their teeth. "Hey!" Feathershine meowed brightly. "Are you guys done?"

"Nope," Cedarflame responded after setting down his helmet and pushing it into the closet. He pulled on the zipper, wiggling out of the tight suit. "We gotta put the rover out and set up the solar panels."

"Rover?" Feathershine's ears perked up. "I want to go in the rover!"

Greenface sighed, hanging up the unidentified suit in the closet. "I can help you with that," he meowed, "but you have to have a certified driver with you at all times. Otherwise we could get kicked off the mission."

"Kicked off Mars?" She snorted. "Yeah, as if they're gonna spend the money for that. Besides, unless you tattle, there's no way they'll find out." Feathershine darted toward the stairs before anyone could protest. She jumped down them two at a time, her paws flying through the air as she made great stride.

Greenface attempted to follow her, but slowed after peeking over the railing, spotting the huge drop to the bottom. He gulped and, jittering, stepped away from the edge. "I... I can't chase after her. Someone else do it."

Sageleap sighed and got out of his chair. "I'll try," he meowed meekly, ears flat against his skull as he jogged toward the stairs, matching Feathershine's pace. She was a whole flight ahead, but by the time they got to the bottom, Sageleap was just on her heels. She pushed open the airsealed door and leaped into the garage, the brown-furred tom right behind her.

"I'm certified," he meowed. "Take me with you."

Feathershine hopped in the rover. "Nope!" She pushed some buttons, and the door slammed shut. Sageleap pawed at the door and meowed hopelessly. Feathershine laughed as she pressed more buttons. The windshield wipers turned on, and the lights flashed on and off. Finally, the engine roared to life.

"Garage opening in T-minus thirty seconds," an electronic voice said overhead.

"Better run off," Feathershine meowed, laughing hysterically as she tried to figure out the controls. Moving a rod up and down brought the rover closer and further away from the ground, respectively. She rose it until it looked almost like a monster truck, with the cockpit of it above the massive, treaded wheels.

"Fifteen seconds," said the speaker.

"Open up," Sageleap meowed, desperation evident in his voice.

"Ten seconds."

"Please?"

"Nope."

"Five seconds."

Sageleap's eyes widened and he bolted toward the door.

It closed just as the computer said "Zero seconds. Depressurization beginning."

by ezra again