“Keep focused. Don’t screw up. As you would say, ‘keep your eye on the prize’.”

“Yeah, yeah.” A white bat rolled her eyes, wishing the voice on the other end of the communicator could see her. “Keep your eye on the prize,” She mocked. “There better be a good prize considering what I’m about to do.”

“Just shut up and focus,” The woman snapped on the other line, “We only have one shot at this, and you’re the only one for the job. I won’t have you messing it up. If you do, we’re both screwed.”

“Fire down, Sparky. You chose the job.”

“And I didn’t expect having to work with you in it.”

“You’re so nice to me, Topaz. You know that, right?”

“Shut up, Rouge.”

Rouge sighed, and she could here a slight rustle of sigh-induced static on the other line as well. There was a moment of silence before she tried speaking again. “…You know I’m going to ditch this thing the first chance I get, right?”

“What?”

“The communicator.”

“Of course.” Topaz sighed, “Everyone down at HQ is figuring that. But as long as you focus and do your job, no one will get mad at you.”

“How will you know I’m doing my job?”

“Rouge…”

“Calm down, hun. I won’t let you down.”

Topaz mumbled something faintly, and Rouge pressed the communicator against her ear. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“I thought so.”

"Your mission is to gather course, do anything possible to keep your identity secret. Although I highly doubt you'd disagree with that order."

"I work for the people, Topaz. Why else would I be working for you guys, of all people?"

"Careful, Rouge. I know more about you than you think I do."

"Ooh, scary."

"Just get the show on the road, would ya?"

"Of course. For you."

"Just shut up. Where are you?"

Rouge glanced around, only being able to see through the pitch darkness thanks to her species. "Outskirts of Razel, I think."

"Town?"

"Yep. Doesn't really look like a tourist hotspot."

"Oh, I wonder why," Topaz answered sarcastically. "Just get this over with and you can come back home and go back to your old thieving ways."

"Where did you ever get the idea that stealing is what I do in my spare time?"

"Rouge."

"Yes?"

"Ugh, you're giving me a headache."

"Your welcome."

"You're on your own now. Just do your job, Rouge. Please."

"..." Rouge grinned, but didn't respond.

"Topaz, over and out."

"Bye-bye."

Rouge unclipped the tiny device attatched to her ear and dropped it to the ground, smashed into tiny metallic pieces by her boot a moment later. "Don't worry, Topaz, this won't be too hard."