FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

Standard legal stuff, if you are not of age to be exposed to adult themed material for your area then please do what you must. Criticism always welcome.

Truth or Dare

Chapter 3: Truth

"How the hell do you own that?" Katlin stammered, not believing what her eyes were seeing. "That is not even supposed to be open to the general public for purchase let alone ownership."

"Are you going to keep gawking or are you going to get in?" Deamos asked seeming to have not heard her, pointing to the opposite door that was open.

Katlin could only swallow, apprehension building in her gut. Walking towards the vehicle or the DSX-MK2 fast strike attack platform with the more common name of Death Scythe, it was a military craft that could achieve suborbital flight and easily clear mach 6; it was normally outfitted with twin 38mm Vulcan cannon firing flechet type rounds, a dizzying array of air to air and air to ground missiles. For the size of the craft its armament capabilities were unmatched.

How he had one brought so many questions to her mind as well as all kinds of alarm bells in her head. She could tell that custom work had been done to it to give it a more civilian look, gone were the bulky engines and sharp angles, it had a more refined and sleek look pass almost for some fancy air car, but it still resembled the original craft. As she approached closer she could smell the slight hint of ozone as the engines pulsed with a low thrum. What really grabbed her attention was when she saw the weapons panels, though hidden by the new design of the body, and she could not tell if they were still functional. Reaching the open door Katlin bent over slightly to look at the inside.

"Stop pussyfooting around," Stated Deamos looking over at Katlin from his seat, "just get the fuck in, you can eye fuck the thing latter."

Katlin looked at Deamos, blinking several times before replying, "No . . . I will do no such thing."

Deamos stared hard at the Vixen across from him; this was not an anticipated reaction. Her body language told him that she was nervous as hell. The smell she was throwing off was broadcasting fear, the perfume she wore did little to cover that fact. "And why is that?" Deamos asked evenly, small tendrils of smoke starting to come from his nostrils.

Katlin fought desperately to maintain her composure. She was not confrontational by nature and suddenly being so she was not sure if she could follow through if he told her to get in again. Taking a deep breath she maintained eye contact with Deamos, "C-c-cause th-there are to m-m-any things wrong with all this. This v-v-v-vehicle, the table, being a-a-a-able to p-park, all to m-m-many red flags."

"But you are here despite all this," Deamos stated in a calm voice, his left eye ridge raising high behind his green glasses, "you want this on some deep level, you want excitement, you want that daring feeling, you want to be bold and self assure much like your very up front room mate. Am I wrong?"

"No you are very w-w-wrong," Katlin replied with more confidence and pointing an accusational finger at him, "you live in a midlevel h-h-habitation complex, you have the resources to have better, you have a military vehicle that I am not even sure was obtained legally. And to top it all off you ask me to go out with you, why probably because I appear submissive or weak! Well let me tell y-y-y-you something scale head I work hard to get where I am and I am not about to let some muscle bound former solider/playboy use me and put another notch on his belt or bed post. It's pigs like you that make me not date or go out a-a-a-and try to enjoy myself, well fuck you sir, fuck you and your little show of 'look at all the expensive things I have,' you can get bent!" With that Katlin spun on her heels her tail flourishing behind her, and she stormed off glaring at the ground on the verge of tears.

Deamos slowly broke in to a large toothy grin as she stormed off, getting out of the vehicle he walked after her until he was right next to her matching her speed. She ignored him all the way to the elevator and realized he was on the side of the call button. Fist clenched she continued to glare at the ground her breathing beginning to hitch slightly.

"You're just a little firecracker aren't you?" Deamos asked casually leaning against the wall still blocking the call button.

"Move aside so that I can go home sir!" Katlin demanded without looking up.

"And if I don't," he asked casually.

"I will scream bloody murder ," Katlin replied angrily, the hair on her tail standing on end.

"And if nothing happens then?"

"Please just move aside this whole thing was a mistake," Katlin replied, her voice sounding strained, "I have never dressed like this or gone out on a whim or anything even remotely b-being like this so please j-just let me leave."

"Find anything with that web search of yours?"

Katlin's head snapped up looking over at Deamos with a shocked expression and ice water running through her veins. Her eyes got a little wider when she saw that he had taken his glasses off, tapping an end against his palm; she could clearly see that his left eye was not real.

"You know things like that could get you in trouble," Deamos stated calmly looking at her, she could see the left eye adjusting as it focused on her, "local Enforcers could search your home, take you away for a few days of questioning. You could lose your job clearance, possibly citizenship, or charged with treason because of your job as a Hack Hound. "

"I . . . it . . . I," Katlin stammered, she could feel her eyes starting to water as a cold lump of fear formed in her stomach, 'who is this guy.'

"So it's a good thing that you know a certain individual that has certain privileges and clearances and you were seen with this individual discussing this small breach of security over a friendly meal."

Katlin blinked confusion clearing showing on her face.

"So if you would please go back to the vehicle and get in," Deamos gestured, pointing back the way they had come.

Katlin stood there trembling, fear, confusion, terror and hope flashing across her face. She started when she felt his breath right on her ear as he spoke from her side; she had not noticed that he had moved.

"You can walk or I can carry you," he whispered into her ear, "your choice Kat."

The elevator dinged.

* * *

The inside of the Death Scythe (or DSX-MK2) resembled the insides of any other expensive sport pleasure craft. It had been gutted and refurbished that was evident, black leather and teak wood lined or accented every corner and curve. The two seats were of soft leather and heated, they still held the 7 point harness for buckling in. The front dash area still maintained spaces that had held various components and equipment but had been redone to hold the typical clutter found in any privately owned vehicle. The flight center was the only part that looked to have not been touched; Katlin could see a tactical and targeting computer systems still installed and functioning.

"Calm yet?" Deamos asked offhandedly making Katlin jump, "cause it is a long flight and I hate being board."

"I'm I g-g-going to be dis . . . disappeared?" She asked nervously as the city gradually fell behind them and the number of buildings tapered off at an increasing rate.

"Not unless you want to be," Deamos replied with an unsettling grin, "if you are wondering why I am going so far out it is because it is easier to get orbital clearance."

"We . . . are . . . going . . .," Katlin started saying her mind moving in thirty directions at once.

"Space? Yup," Deamos stated, "have to go to my office first and clear what you did and send off a few instructions. Don't want to get chained up right?" Deamos said with a slight grin looking at Katlin from the side.

"I don't under-," her eyes widened and looked down quickly but not before Deamos saw the insides of her ears turning a dark red.

"You don't get motion sick do you?" Deamos asked wile adjusting one of the sensors, "zero-g can be a bit of a bitch for some and I just had this detailed and I need to get to that station over by the jump gate and I really do not want to clean this thing again so soon."

"But the DSX series do not have a plasma drive for space flight," looking up a Deamos, Katlin stated with alarm, "if you go into real space this thing will implode! I saw the reports on this craft I know!"

"Well fancy that," Deamos replied dryly, "you know more about this craft than I do."

Katlin felt her ears splay out flat against her head as she looked back down at her feet.

"I think you may just want to concentrate on being quiet," the black dragon stated in a very authoritative tone lacking all emotion, "I still have to clean up that mess you made regardless if it was unintentional, you know the laws especially for being a Hack Hound. Now you may want to brace yourself, this thing goes fairly fast."

A deep thrumming sound emanated from behind them, sounding more like an angry growl of a large and dangerous animal, as the plasma drive began to warm up. Katlin could feel herself slowly sinking into the seat forcing her head to look forward. Slowly the vehicle slowly pitched up while still traveling forward in a motion that made her stomach fall to her feet. The sudden acceleration came with no warning of its approach, it just happened, no slow build up speed or increase of power output, it was just like a flick of a switch and she was crushed against the seat. Her vision became tunnel like as the edges blurred leaving only a small area in focus. She fought to breath as it felt like a giant hand has crushing her chest to her spine. The sky went from its familiar red to that of dark blue as she blinked, moments later the crushing force she felt was gone letting her take in a sudden breath of air followed by promptly blacking out.

The sound of muffled voices and slight vibration and hum of a station core slowly brought Katlin back to the surface. Opening her eyes slowly she saw that she was now seated in a metal chair that was not uncomfortable but she did not want to sit in it any longer than she had to. Looking to her wrist, as she felt that they were heavy, she felt a chill run down her spine as she saw the paw-irons. Looking up from her hands slowly she saw a basic metal table. Looking up further she saw your basic Enforcer looking at her with cold blue eyes. The female tiger sat at the table in a relaxed position appearing to not have a care in the world. Her orange and black stripes were vibrant compared to the dull grey and brown of the Enforcer uniform. Her hands were resting casually on the table her claws plainly visible in a silent threat. To the left of her hands sat her side arm, to the right a computer tablet.

"Ka'lin Star Red-Tayl," the Tigress began glancing briefly at the computer tablet, her accent indicated that she was Space Born, "tha is your name correcht?"

Katlin nodded, swallowing a lump and fighting back tears.

"I am Cholonel Ross. Do you know wha' I do and where you are?"

*nod*

"Good, eh will make t'ing easier."

'Oh please let this be a bad dream,' Katlin thought.

"I would like to know how you arrived ah my sta'ion and why you are dressed . . . ah you are. I know where you live and who 'ives whit cho. Cooperate and t'ing goes easy, play dumb and we ki'lt you an space your bohdy. You coppy?"

*nodding vigorously*

"Good cahn be friends now," Ross stated opening her arms.

"I . . . I w-w-was brought he-" Katlin was cut off as Colonel Ross stood suddenly slamming both her hands down on the table making her side arm and the computer tablet jump.

"I not aske you a fuhking ques'ion copy!"

Katlin cringed back as far as she could her eyes wide.

"I ask, you talk, copy?"

"Yes," Katlin said meekly.

"You. Arrive. Here. How?" Ross asked taping the table after each word with a clawed finger.

"Deamos b-b-b-rought me h-h-ere on a DSX series cr-cr-craft."

"DSX? Dis fah out? No likely. Eh no space fligh', everyone know dat. Who dis Deamos?"

Katlin blinked, "how did I get here if not by that? I know what I was in damit!"

Ross shook her head, "Who dis Deamos, asndser dat."

"You find me but miss the nine foot 800 pound black dragon?!" Katlin yelled starting to get out of the chair, "he said he had to go to his office!"

"Sit down!" Ross snarled her voice becoming very dominating, her teeth bared, pointing a finger at Katlin she began, "you was fo'nd in teh cargo hold 4, dat area hold shyp part. You no frelan pylot. You rund from some ting? You dress ah you are. We loket for dis big fellow. We find you go home. Copy?"

*nodding*

"You be holden in here," Ross said casually walking out of the small room her shapely hips moving side to side, her tail swaying just a fluidly, "you chek clear we mit move you. Copy?"

"Yes," Katlin replied weakly, she could feel hot tears starting to creep from her eyes and down her muzzle.

* * *

The loud impact against a wall brought Katlin awake; she had not realized that she had fallen asleep. Loud voices from beyond the door could be heard but were unintelligible but they were clearly arguing heatedly.

". . . .protocol my ass . . . 346!"

". . . . . . . sta'ion regulat . . . . sechion 4 . . .!"

"Ehk Ling dan en head?! . . . . inj'ha ont hien!"

"We are . . . . . . . . . . . . dat not de issue!"

Katlin blinked confused by the particular dialect that had been spoken.

"So you . . . . . . . . . . . fook you . . . . "

"FUCK YOU? . . . . . . . Den head denl-ch . . . . Cordu Nicheah!"

" . . . . anod'er one do it! . . . . I be lohking you . . . . fook!"

Another loud bang made Katlin jump being that it had been closer.

"Stoop wit dis!" Colonel Ross roared her voice seemed to be right at the door, "if she say she is dat den you tahken de cusdoty. I cah not be putting have ma ohf'cers in medehcl."

Katlin listened intently as she heard the electronic lock disengage with an electronic chirp. Colonel Ross marched in, her stripped tail lashing from side to side in irritation. Following behind her, Deamos had to duck to get through the door.

"See?" Ross stated coolly, "she be dresen to da 9s ah a clast ach Companin."

Katlin felt her ears splay flat against her head. Things had gone very, very wrong and quickly from bad to worse. The most confusing aspect of everything was that she was beginning to feel that she had been abducted and left to blow in the wind.

"Are you blind and stupid?!" Deamos roared causing the tigress fur to blow back slightly, he had bent over slightly so that his face was inches from hers, but she did not flinch, "Section 3 paragraph 6 subsection AB2 line 9 of Enforcer Doctrine with the frigin addendum for the Delion incident, 'all living entities in the custody of the local Enforcer Commander are to be seen as property of the Enforcer until due process has been completed in accordance to Royal Doctrine and Operating Procedures,' you are holding MY property and hindering an open investigation Colonel!"

"Ah know de rules," Ross replied waving her hand in an annoyed manner, "but dis one was not wit chu when we fond her in de bay. An you no comahnder we boh know dat . So take de Enforcer crap and shove eh up your ass. Dis is mah sta'ion and I dah one who say what es what. Copy?!"

"Nich de fiem," Deamos growled while looking up at the ceiling and scratching his throat in annoyance, before looking down at the Colonel with a lecherous look and raised eye ridge, "de fiem Cordu Nicheah companin neh de falli?"

"I em what now?" Ross asked in an extremely agitated tone, "I wohd ask for a rehpt but I know dat chu did not say dat."

"You heard correctly," Deamos replied, letting his black snake like tongue brush the front of his teeth, "that why you have such a hard on for keeping her here?"

"You push de line," Ross growled a hand dropping to her sidearm, "I asken you to be lehven now, andt mybe not blast dat fancy toy of yours. Copy?"

Smoke tendrils rose up from both nostrils of Deamos as his eyes narrowed Colonel Ross took a step back with her hand on the holster. "You have seen nothing yet," Deamos stated in a cold detached tone that made Katlin shiver involuntarily, her tail fur poofing out.

"P-please," Katlin began, her voice just above the sound a cotton ball makes when dropped onto a shag carpet.

"Eh?" Stated Deamos, turning to look at Katlin, smoke clearly visible, "you say something?"

"I-I . . . just want to go home," tears starting to fall silently from her eyes and down the side of her muzzle.

"Indeed," Deamos replied in a cold tone, looking back at the Colonel, "your forcing my hand on this one Colonel, I take no pleasure in doing this," reaching into a pocket of his coat he withdrew a small gray cube and held it up between in thumb and ring finger, "you know what this is right?"

"Ah do," Ross stated tensely, backing up another step, hand on her pistol her thumb reflexively flipping the safety off.

To Katlin the item that Deamos pulled out looked like a plain cube of unknown material. It did not register as being something dangerous even when Colonel Ross had reacted as she did. Blinking in confusion she could only stare, curiosity and fear both sharing equal space in her head.

"You know what happens if I let this off correct?"

"Ah seen de reports."

"Your thoughts?"

"Ah rahder not geet on de Imperium sheet list."

"There's a smart Kitty, now why don't you be smart and unsecure my property."

* * *

Docking sequence completed . . . Welcome to Liberty Station . . . Civilian access is restricted to the Habitation Ring and Deck 3, 5 and 10 . . . Maritime Law is in effect for additional information please proceeded to the nearest Information Terminal . . . Enjoy your stay at Liberty Station.

Katlin opened her eyes slowly as sleep released its hold on her brain. She blinked in confusion when she heard the announcement in a computerized if not cheery female voice. Moving to get up she found that she was being restrained, looking down at herself she saw that she was buckled into a chair. With her eyes snapping open everything came back in a rush. Looking to her left she saw Deamos tapping at one of the many sensors in front of him, his expression was unreadable.

Swallowing hard Katlin tried to piece together what had happened. She did not remember leaving the small room or how she came to be in the DSX. Glancing down at her hands she was shocked to see that there were no marks or any pain from where the restraints had been placed. She also saw that she was still dressed the same. Confusion clearly taking over her mind as she tried to figure out if what had happened had indeed happened or it was the most vivid dream she had ever had. Reaching up to unbuckle herself, she frowned in confusion as it was not a standard release. Looking down at it, her frown only grew bigger, as she did not recognize the type it was.

"Custom design," Deamos stated, causing Katlin to jump, "helps keep suspects from running off."

"Um . . . h-how do I . . ." Katlin began to ask when Deamos leaned over slightly and undid the hasp of the buckle. This simple task caused heat to flush to Katlin's cheeks and a small tingle up her back, the buckle for the harness when on fits so it fits low and depending on the individual it rest just above or below the pubic bone. In Katlin's case, it rested low. When Deamos had reached over to unfasten the thing two of his fingers had grazed the softer fur that was just above the hem of the skirt she wore. Weather it was intentional or not she could not tell as Deamos did not react at the contact, regardless though that had been the most contact from a male she had received in a very long time.

"We will stop by my office," Deamos began leaning back in his seat, "clean up the mess you made and then eat. After that you will be returned to your home and you can carry on with your life."

"So n-nothing is g-going to happen?" Katlin asked nervously.

"Did you want something to happen? If you did, sorry I don't mix work and fun together."

"Then why did y-you say to wear something . . ."

"That could be removed easily? You been on a Station before?"

"Never had the ch-chance."

"Okay the short and skinny of it is that you need to go to medical first. Being in my custody procedure dictates full physical."

"You're going to p-perform a medical check!" Katlin nearly shouted.

"No , no I am not," Deamos replied having raised both hands up in a calming gesture, "the medical staff here is. If you feel the need I can be present in the room."

Katlin felt her face become even more heated at the idea, "that, that is not n-n-n-needed."

"I am required to ask, nothing was implied there Kat."

Katlin could only nod in reply.

"So I do have to warn you," Deamos began with a small grin, "artificial gravity is a little disorientating."

Some hours later Katlin sat comfortably in a simple padded chair. Gone were the clothes she had come with being replaced with the scrubs from the medical exam. Everything she had been wearing was now in a sealed container that had a large red seal on it. Looking across a typical office desk she watched as Deamos read over a tablet occasionally glancing up at her and tapping some interface button on his desk.

Looking about the room Katlin saw numerous commendations and awards for one thing or another. None of them really giving any more information other then that Deamos did his job well and he had been doing it for a long time. She also notice like his home the lake of pictures depicting any kind of family life. Fidgeting a little Katlin cleared her throat quietly; she had been working up the nerve to ask him a question that was gnawing on her brain. "I have a question," Katlin began causing Deamos to stop what he was doing and look at her, "we did stop at a different station before arriving here right?"

"I don't think so," he replied raising an eye ridge, "it is a fairly direct flight path to here. Why do you ask?"

"I . . . am not sure . . . I . . . it had to be a dream, sorry I asked," Katlin replied dismissively."

"You did sleep, not well though. Kept moving around."

"Sleep?"

"Passed out, you did not handle the break from gravity well."

"Oh . . ."

Seeing that she was not going to say anything else Deamos went back to what he was doing. It was a few moments longer before he put the tablet down. "Okay that is out of the way. You hungry? I am, you want anything in particular?"

Surprised by the question Katlin was only able to stare at Deamos.

"Food," Deamos repeated, pantomiming the acting of eating, "you know that stuff we eat? What do you want?"

"I . . . I could eat," Katlin replied hesitantly.

Thirty minutes later both Deamos and Katlin were sitting at a table in the common area. All around them furs of every type and age were moving about, conducting their various businesses. For their part they had ordered their meals and waiting for it. As they waited Katlin noticed that as various furs passed they kept giving Deamos worried looks and tried their best to avoid getting to close to their table. Katlin was about to ask Deamos about what she was seeing but was interrupted by a food server which happened to look roughly like a canine species minus fur and legs. The lower half of the body hovered above the ground a convenient level to serve the tables making it bob up and down slightly.

"They use real food?!" Katlin exclaimed as her plate was placed in front of her. Her eyes had gotten bigger as she saw the large burger before her was real and no synthesized. The smell alone had caused her to start salivating to the point if she opened her mouth she would be drooling, "how can they get organic materials to a space station that is not standard food stuffs or rations?"

"This is Liberty Station," Deamos replied offhandedly before biting into a large burger, "largest station in the Empire, it has working farms, did you not know this?"

"N-n-no," Katlin replied looking down at her plate, "I have never been off world."

"You are an analyst c correct?"

"Yes."

"You can look up and learn just about anything correct?"

"Yes."

"You have been one for 18 years right?"His voice taking on an edge.

"Yes," Katlin could feel her eyes beginning to get misty as she stared at her plate

"Then how the bloody hell could you not know something as simple as what is on the largest station in the Empire?"

"Because I only worked on the acquisitions software! I do not have the clearance to check on Military Stations shipping and receiving," Katlin stated loudly, choking back a sob, while looking up at Deamos, staring into his green glasses, "I never dealt with agriculture or hydroponics. How would I know if I never touched it?"

"Well now," Deamos began putting his burger down, "that there is great testimony and will work for closing out this case."

"What?" Katlin asked, anger and confusion edging its way into her voice.

"Testimony," Deamos stated flatly, "I needed it so that when I forward my report up they will be able to approve or deny it."

"Oh . . . so that means what for me?" Katlin asked in a nervous tone.

"Well it means as of now you are in the clear until a decision is made which can take anywhere up to 5 weeks. But since I am the one submitting it, I would say I will have my answer in the next 48 hours. And in most of my cases what I recommend is what they agree with."

". . . then what?"

"I take you back to you home," Deamos replied taking a drink from a bottle that smelled strongly of alcohol, "if it goes the other way well . . . well we will cross that bridge if it presents itself."

'Great,' Katlin thought poking at the burger in front of her, watching the Dragon in front of her continue eating and drinking a small idea popped into her head. "I have a question, while I was being screened I over heard someone say something and I have no idea what it meant."

"Eh?" Deamos replied after taking another drink, "folks up here speak a multitude of languages. It is no surprise if you heard something and did not know what it meant."

"I know that," Katlin replied cryptically, "it just looked like they were saying something about me or one of the other female doctors and she shot them a real nasty look."

"Ok, I will bite, what did you hear?" Deamos asked as he began taking another drink.

"It went something like fiem Cordu Nicheah?" Katlin said, sounding slightly unsure if she had said it right, "I'm not sure if I said that right."

Deamos for his part spit out what he had been drinking in surprise, luckily most of it going to the side, before looking at Katlin. He did not look surprised or shocked; instead his expression sent a cold chill down Katlin's spine.

"You heard that exact phrase here?" Deamos asked in a dangerous tone, "be very careful on how you answer that question."

Involuntarily swallowing Katlin steeled herself, "well no, it was not here that I heard that," She watched Deamos sit back with a grim expression on his face, "but I would like the flipping truth to come out of that mouth of yours."

"Truth?" Deamos asked, his voice coming out in a way Katlin did not like at all, it made her skin crawl.