Entanglement: An instantaneous link between particles that remains strong, secure, and undiluted, no matter how far apart the particles may be--even if they are on opposite sides of the universe. - Teleportation, The Impossible Leap, by David Darling

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      Willa opened her eyes to spot a hovercraft pull up to the storefront Kade had entered. She watched as two Ministry police officers hopped from the vehicle and proceeded into the store. She rose to her feet and knew the high commander was in bigger-than-serious trouble. She didn’t know what to do, danced around a bit, her nerves ready to fray. Knowing no reaction but to get there, Willa confiscated the laser pistol from the grass, and broke into a panicked dash.

      Around the back of the building, she ran and skidded to a halt at the back door of the general store. Slowly she turned the door handle until she heard a click, then she pulled on it achingly slow, praying she’d not be heard.

      Tiptoeing into the back room, she scooted up to the curtained doorway that led to the shop’s main room. Her stomach in a knot, Willa peeked through the cloth, watching the officers notice Kade’s presence. She felt the laser pistol in her hand, but felt entirely too uncomfortable with the weapon.

      One of the Ministry officers grabbed hold of Kade’s arm, and shoved him against the counter, patting him down for weapons. Willa set the pistol on the floor, and began the Chant of Change.

      Tapping into her companion-spirit of the wolf in another dimension, Willa felt her nose grow, her ears perk and shift, her body mass grow long instead of tall. The fur, cookie-dough colored like her hair, sprouted from her flesh, and as soon as she felt the transformation complete, she stood behind the curtain, the laser pistol at her paw, sensing the ultimate time for her intervention.

      Just then, Kade spun around and punched one of the officers. That second, Willa kicked the pistol across the floor to him. Kade spotted the pistol flying towards him, took a dive, and gained the weapon in a daredevil catch.

      At that exact moment, Willa launched herself at the second officer, slamming into his chest and kicking him hard to the floor. Kade hit the floor, rolled, and shot upward at the first man he’d assaulted, downing him and knocking him unconscious. Willa pounced upon and straddled the second officer, pinned him beneath her great canine body. She put her wet, black nose a thumb’s width from his face, and issued a growl so close to his expression of surprise and fear, he didn’t dare move without drawing her mighty bite.

      Kade quickly gained his feet, and took account of what had happened in mere split seconds. He lackadaisically paced over to Willa and her catch, looked down at him, and asked, "This your dog?"

      The man did not risk even a slight move, and Willa thought him wise. Kade cast his vision to the shopkeeper, and Willa could see from the corner of her eye the man plastered against the wall of the store, spread-eagle, terrified of what he’d seen and what might happen next.

      The high commander, cool as a Pygrian winter night, casually surveyed the scene, stepped over the unconscious cop, then he took up his basket and roamed the rows of products, picking out at his leisure what caught his eye. Willa saw the man pinned beneath her spy upon Kade and the priestess corrected his line of sight with a growl. The man’s vision shot back to her fangs, his expression revealing his unwillingness to move, even if it gained him a galaxy of gold.

      Kade took an unrushed stroll over to the ladies’ side of the shop, and thumbed through dresses for sale, picked out a frock she could not take a moment to notice much of. He nodded appreciatively, then he tossed it in his basket.

      Piling equipment on the shopkeeper’s counter, he allowed the man to take a cautious accounting of his purchases. "Kamzorie," Kade reminded the shopkeeper of the name on his stolen account, who nodded nervously and, when finished with his records, put himself back up against the wall where he felt he belonged.

      Kade cast him a questing look. "Your dog?"

      The shopkeeper shook his head fast enough to give himself stars.

      "Nice dog," Kade tossed in, gathered his purchases, and strode to the door in no great hurry. He propped open the shop door, piled his purchases into the awaiting hovercraft, and sat in the driver’s seat. He looked around the idling machine’s dash to take in its readouts, then he whistled, and shouted, "Here, girl!"

      Willa threatened one last growl, then leapt over her captive, shot out the door, and into the passenger seat of the awaiting vehicle. With little problem figuring out a machine he’d never seen, Kade hit the acceleration, and they sped away from the small town.

      In little more time than the blink of an eye, Willa returned to her human form. She looked over to the high commander, who wore a great smile, and exclaimed, "That, Willa, was the smoothest rescue ever performed in the history of this sector."

      "Not bad for a Mathari crash cadet," she volleyed, reminding him of the insult he’d given the shapeshifting priestesses the day he’d worked so hard to avoid taking this mission with her.

      He mashed a button on the vehicle’s dashboard that must have been the auto-pilot, reached for her, and gave her a giant kiss, then he messed up her hair like one would do a playful puppy. "Willa, that was beautiful!"

      Willa smiled, pleased that she’d impressed the high commander of Rhonta’s police force.

      Once clear of the village, Kade stopped the hovercraft, climbed from the ride, and lifted the hood of the machine, examining the engine. Curious, Willa rose from her seat, and met him at his side. "What are you looking for?"

      Kade scanned the wires and circuits, then reached in, and snatched a connection, tossing the plug to the grassy savannah. "Satellite tracker. No longer operational." He lowered the transport’s metal skin and slammed it down.

      Thankful for sharp thinking, they climbed back into the vehicle. "No sense in taking the Ministry’s eyes wherever we go." Off they sped again, taking another direction.

      Willa turned around in her seat, and rummaged through his purchases to retrieve her new shoes, and spun in her seat again, sliding her feet into the soft fabric and lacing them up. She reached into the stock again, and retrieved a bag marked, "doggy treats". She tossed the package into his lap and she growled at him, giving him a great laugh at her tease.

      "No, look at the package," he insisted. "They’re vegetarian." Kade wiggled his eyebrows to tease her.

      She balled up a fist with one knuckle high, and she punched his hard bicep, causing him to squawk aloud when the strike probably hadn’t barely caused a tingle to his weight-built muscles. "I’ll get you back for that," she promised.

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