cshenk wrote in rec.pets.cats.community:

cshenk wrote in rec.pets.cats.community:

Community Kitties wrote in rec.pets.cats.community:


[The copter does fly into the shimmering light, and the copter
emerges on the other side in the air over the Antarctic.]

Ok, kitties and offurs, we'z real close! If you will look out da
windows on da left side of the copter youz will see Antarctica.
Da ice dat you see dere is the Ronne Ice Shelf, an da ice
ahead of us is da Antarctic Peninsula. We'z headed towards the
northern tip of da peninsula.

Ok, kitties, we'z just about over da Palmer Station. Da Larsen
Ice Shelf is right below us. Da broken glacier we'z looking for
is somewhere really close. Efurrybody please help me find where
it is.

[After the copter has been flying a few minutes, Sammy meows over
the intercom]

Sammy: Dere, dere! Look, dere's a great big hyuje glacier dat's
real close to the ice shelf! I'll bet dat's it.

Ranger: I'll set up the GPS controller to fly us up the gap and
look for tunnels or heat sources.

[Francesca loops the capacopter back to the southern end of the
gap between the glacier and the Larsen C ice shelf, drops to an
altitude ust below the surface of the glacier, and starts the
chopper cruising slowly along the gap. The FLIR monitor beeps
occasionally, prompting Ranger to record the coordinates at which
the beeps occurred. When the chopper gets about 3/4 of the way
along the gap the FLIR monitor starts sounding a continuous tone
- on both sides of the chopper.

Daisy-chan points out a big tunnel to the chopper's left (the ice
shelf side), while Sundance reports seeing another tunnel on the
chopper's right (on the glacier side). ]

Morgana: Look on the right, up on top of the glacier - is that
cats?

[Sure enouth, a group of perhaps a dozen kitties and a few
penguins is standing on the surface of the glacier. They're
waving and meowing and jumping up and down. Francesca increases
the choppers altitude and swings over near where the kitties are.
]

Ranger: Da sonar shows solid ice below us, os it ought to be ok to
land.

[Francy sets the chopper down carefully, finally shutting off the
engines when it appears that the glacier surface is indeed strong
enough to support the chopper.

Morgana and Aed immediately open the chopper's door and dash over
the kitties.]

Aed: Hi! We were looking for the colony of cats we heard lived
around here. I assume you must be part of that catmunnity. Oh, let
me introduce myself. I'm Aed, this is Morgana, and the other
kitties arriving behind us will introduce themselves.

[A Norwegian Forest Cat cat steps up to Aed and offers a head
butt]

Hihi! I'z Lars, an we iz indeed part of da catmunity you'z looking
for. At least we were, until dis happened! We'z was caught off
guard - we didn't expect dis to happen fur a few more years, so
dere was a dozen of usses on dis side of the break when it
finally broke free. We'z been in trouble! We din't haf much food
stored on dis side, or much fuel fur our heaters, so we'z been
relying on our penguin buddies here to keep us alive. Zoot, could
you come over here, please? Aed, dis is Zoot. He's da head of da
penguins. Dey's been bringing us fishes efurry day to keep usses
from starving. (whispering) and we'z getting purrty tired of
eating fishies.

Zoot: Hewwo, Aed. Pweased to meet you. Are you hewe to hewp deze
kitties?

Aed: Yes, we are! We'z got food and cold weather gear, and we can
help get you back to the main community if you want.

Lars! Yes, pleeze!

[Francesca takes what looks like a really large, clumsy rifle out
of the catacopter cargo bay and walks over to the edge of the
glacier. Lying down on the ice she identifies the opening of the
kitty tunnel on the ice shelf itself, then she takes careful aim
for the left side of the tunnel and squeezes the trigger. A soft
"pop" sounds, and a big dart flies out the barrel of the rifle
and sticks in the ice just left of the tunnel mouth. She sights
and fires again, and another dart sticks on the ice just to the
right of the tunnel mouth.]

Francesca: We wazn't able to teleport directly here, since we
din't know the exact coordinates fur da 'porter. An since da ice
shelf moves, da coordinates change wif time. But wif doze 2
beacons I just installed, we can set da 'porter to go right
between dem, and dat will get us dere. Lars, Zoot, duz you guys
want to 'port back to da main tunnel now?

[Lars and Zoot both shout 'Yes!'

Ranger programs the portable teleporter for the coordinates right
between the 2 beacons, then iondicates that everything is ready.]

Francesca: Ok, guys, we'z set. If you step through dat shimmering
light, you should step out da other side on da main tunnel.

[Lars and Zoot both look kind of uncertain, not being familiar
with teleporters.]

Francesca: Here, watch.

[She steps into the 'porter and disappears. The kitties on the ice
immediately hear a loud whistle from the ice shelf side of the
tunnel. They run to the edge of the iceberg and see Francesca
waving to them from the main tunnel.

As soon as they see it works Lars runs off to gather the rest of
the stranded kitties and Zoot waddles off to gather the rest of
the penguins. They all walk through the 'porter, and a steady
procession of kitties and penguins emerges in the main tunnel
through the ice shelf.]

Cash guides Iowna to the line and along with Daisy-chan, they join
the trip. Lars gives them a startled sniff but can tell they are
friendly. He's not sure what to think of the sloppy kiss he gets
from Iowna but decides to grin. She's just like one of his favorite
aunts but in doggie form.

Clem and Cleo jump out. They havent found a northern home yet so came
along for the ride after escaping the doggie slavers. They see Zoot
and come to a complete awed halt.

"wow" says Clem.

"Awesome" says Cleo!

(whispering to one another, they remember before the slavers stole
them, a show called 'Happy Feet' and wonder if Zoot dances?)

They start tapping feet to a rythem. Iowna's head starts nodding in
time and she joins in... In a few minutes the puppies are air
guitaring a Cat Stevens song "Wild World". Zoot and some penguins
start grining and nodding along as they walk the path to the inner
caves.

Iowna, Daisy-Chan and Cash are having fun. They'd gotten all dressed
up in their boutique purchases before leaving the plane.

They all have booties/mukluks with ice grabber bottoms and tail
warmers. They dash off with the others to see what this new place has
to offer for fun!

They see the cave widen out to a glorious room. The ceiling is
polished ice so the sun lights it below. There are ice slides on the
top and now and again, you see a shadow as a Penguin slides by going
'whee!'

There is a long ladder partnered with a lift, to an upper ramp where
you can see north with little obstruction. It has a rail and long
icicles butress it to the floor so very stable.

One of the local kittahs explain it's a possible spot for the ball. It
has warm cushions with insulation to keep the ice cold under, and the
kittah (or gasp, doggah! she adds glancing about!) warm.

She snickers as Cash wags his tail, hot pink tail warmer and all, with
a big pompom on the end with a little bell. Who can be scared of a
doggie no matter how big if he's in a hot pink tail warmer with a
pompom and a bell on the end?

Meantime, Clem and Cleo sniff FUD! They run off to catch up with Zoot.

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