FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Gentle creaking of a rocking metal encasing chimed through darkened air. Quiet hums of energy from various electronics, giving off dim glows, provided so little light that they may very well be undetectable with an unaided eye. Closed off from the outside environment it was anything but stale, but instead ripe with the scents of fresh oceanic air. It felt warmed to the point that one would wish to take a quick sleep if not for the underlying mixture of smells meant purely to stimulate and keep awake those residing within a ship. In a flurry, like a wave rushing over buttons which gave off their own coded lights, a command had been given. Metallic buttons, seemingly in a constant flux between solid and liquid states, worked as the catalyst in relaying what the controller wished and how the systems should react. The dashboard, with the lights flickering beneath it, made it seem as though rain was falling upon it while the fingers daintily tapped away as though operating from muscle memory.

"Are we ready? Orbital reconnaissance is completed. Storage of language and dialects has been completed. Immediate understanding of technology comprehended."

"Then no other useful information can be extracted without personal interaction. Pull in and attempt contact. They seem capable of rational thought amongst their species, of that you and I agree. We can communicate at their level."

Smells shifted, and reverted back moments later. The air in the cabin vibrated with a chime to it as the two voices spoke, indirectly, breaking the tedium of the ambient engine noises. Every light on a button, or information regarding systems upon the ship, had associated with it a different teasing sensation to the olfactory senses as the stronger method of relaying information from the ship. No stimulus could permeate the ship in its current state, as all windows remained closed. Despite this the silver-hued metal soon emblazoned itself as a dot across a blue atmosphere as a red and yellow streak.

"The island we had first mapped shall be suitable. Its inhabitants are far enough away from the open sands where foliage will be unharmed, and where we shall have access to appropriately saline waters."

"This is acceptable. Both for us, and our coming young one."

Another swiping movement across a board of buttons confirmed a trajectory. The ship rattled and shook violently upon entering through the atmosphere, yet the two fliers required no visual confirmation as to their whereabouts. The ship, seeming to have ingrained the path to take within its artificial memory, knew exactly the path with which to guide itself. On the outside it slowly changed shape, transitioning from a great winged and pointed set of triangles made to pierce into the thickest atmospheres, to a more flat and congealed state as the wings tucked inside compartments to make for a softer landing and without requiring as much space. Several sets of small propulsion engines on the bottom of the craft, jettisoning a soft blue glow, counteracted the natural gravity just seconds away from what otherwise would have been a terrible crash. It remained there, hovering just a couple steps worth above the ground without an excess use of power, the canopy of the ship arching above that of the palm trees not far off. Crystalline shapes revealed themselves to the sunlight in the center of the engines, the tips of which being sturdy enough to find balance even upon loose sand.

"The inhabitants have made note of our arrival. Likely they may first think of us as a piece of debris passing through their atmosphere."

"We shall wait here for them to find us before stepping out. Allow them to assume they are the reason we emerge and give them a sense of security with it."

As predicted the original species of the planet arrived barely a few moments later on, giving the two within the ship little in the way of rest before having to continue with their duty of examination. Windows remained closed as the metal on the outside stayed melded over itself to prevent outside light from filtering in. The ship gave precautionary warnings of oncoming life signatures in the form of a distinct odor that filtered through whenever a water-like substance surfaced from the control panel, popping out a droplet before reforming back into the metal which spawned it. Several of these droplets pushed themselves outwards, trailing down the slick surface, as though performing a dance to indicate exactly where the life forms moved. Without any aiding light it would appear that only those with a carefully attuned nose could discern exactly what the scents might mean, and how to decode them opposed to all others the ship provided.

On a cue predetermined by the pilots, in conjunction with the proximity to those outside, a hatch from the front center of the ship slowly unsealed itself with a loud hiss of rushing air. Pressure inside the metal cage proved itself much higher than that of the outside. Slow whirring of machinery from the back of the ship stirred from slumber as the control board in the front raised forward and the entire ship bowed both to allow those within to exit, and almost as a sign of courtesy to the small crowd having gathered outside.

"The air is so thin here, don't you agree? No matter how many planets we visit, simply understanding information from surveillance is never the same as experience."

"Ah, but it does have familiar scents. That water, it is enticing. Let us hope this is quick so that we may then experience if it holds up to our standards, hmm?" Low rumbling, created deep within the throat, emanated outwards to express amusement at the partner's words.

Chattering from those gathered quickly hushed as they witnessed the opening of the ships door, and soon following, a slow and controlled clattering of what sounded like two tough materials clashing; metal against metal, as the pilots took a slow and careful approach to the new world. One from the crowd gasped barely moments after simply the legs of the ship-goers came into view, followed by quick exclamations which carried with it extreme concern and disbelief. Scaled paws, glistening a vibrant blue to mimic the waters not far away, stepped into the light along with the black claws which created the tapping sound heard originally. Silent as they had become, clamoring rising as two sets of paws revealed their owners in greater detail.

Equally as scaly were the bodies of the two explorers, and they towered over twice the size compared to the tallest of those who gathered. The two great scaly beasts looked down upon the inhabitants they spied upon for but a few days from the safety of space. Their emerald eyes slowly scanned the beach, gazing at the bipedal creatures, who covered their bodies with cloth. They stared up struck in awe, yet remained completely silent while unmoving. Their own eyes darted at the features of the tall creatures that walked before them. Sparkling metallic accents to the blue scales of the body, and even the tropical green of the chest, made it impossible to stare at one region too long. Certain claws, normally dyed a deep obsidian, were replaced with metal tips with small tubes arching upwards and back down upon the paw, connected and hidden beneath scales atop the paws. Silver and gray colored arms attached to the wings, every few inches studded with a barely glowing crystal that oscillated between a snow-white and deep-blue hue. Intricate sets of jewelry lined the fins that were seen along the jawline, and atop the head which stretched down to the tail; studs, what looked to be different sets of wiring to hold it all in place, and more crystals. The one on the left had a particularly noticeable arrangement upon the left side of the face on the jaws, as jewels dangled brilliantly in the light for show, and the metal chains connecting them swayed and jingled joyously with every movement. The creature on the right wore magnificent metal lace around the neck, and adorned to the center of the chest appeared a silver star with five bent arms, as though pointing to a deep obsidian jewel in the center. In a way the two seemed almost artificial due to all the metal upon their bodies, yet an aura of sentience allowed their presence to be properly appreciated. It was this reason that the foremost individual of the crowd, uniquely dressed in a sky-blue skirt and garb topped a white cloth coif to obscure most the head.

"Dragons! These, the, how? Why here? Dragons, here on this island, in this time of uncertainty in the world, how could... humanity is not yet prepared for salvation!" The two creatures, in unison, tilted their heads in confusion before looking at each other, seeming both confused and concerned at the sputtering.

"She appears to believe us to be a species they have already met. Our species has never made contact with this planet before. Well, you are certain, yes?"

"You are certain this, ah, human is female? Regardless, there is no possibility of us having come to this region of space before. It would have been recorded. There must be something else amiss here. I'm sorry I have to do this so suddenly, but she seems ready to panic. We can't allow that to spread."

Immediately after the quick exchange of speech, the likes of which seemed to transcend through a medium not detectable by humans, the dragon to the left raised a left forepaw only to swiftly lurch forward and wrap the paw over the foremost human. The woman's entire lower body became obscured by the spreading digits, nearly perfectly cocooned in the webbing between the toes, to ensure there be no escape. The rest of the crowd backed away in horror, thinking there to be aggression, yet uncertain with what to do. This event was certainly nothing they had ever experienced. The right dragon simply took a step forward, placing one of its own paws between the rest of the crowd and the pinned human to keep the others easily at bay.

"I apologize for the sudden movement. Hmm, but don't worry, you'll understand my reasoning soon enough. Besides, this will help test your levels of pain recognition and resistance. At least to a degree..."

Balancing upon the back legs, the dragon with the human within its clutches reached forth with the opposing forepaw to keep it raised just above the woman's forehead. She was made to gain closer detail to the underside of the foot to the point of extreme mental discomfort, but she felt a force of energy well up around her body that made it difficult to form sound. Eyes darting, they quickly made note of where the dragon's body exerted pressure on itself, for the blue scales transitioned to what looked like green pads, the scales again having a visually softer texture than elsewhere. In the dead center there appeared a circular device, wires arching up and around the sides of the paw. A piece of a claw snapped off as the toe flicked downwards as if mimicking a snake striking forth. Silent screams of fright and soft pain came from an open mouth of the human which felt a tiny bit of the white portion from the nail deposit itself within her forehead, sinking itself at an angle to bore itself within the skull. Soft lights ascended with a low hum coming forth as the device on the bottom of the paw stirred to life. For a brief moment the human's head was smothered similarly to the rest of the body. Fins flicked slightly as the dragon heard the sounds of what appeared to be cracks, to which it quickly pulled back both paws. The human was once again revealed to the sunlight, partially buried into the sand due to the weight of the dragon pressing down on her form. A slight trail of blood could be seen to indicate where the crystalline object entered the head, along with a faint burn mark to where the skin was forced to burn and heal over.

"Again, now that you can understand me, I apologize for that inconvenience and what may be seen as unnecessary stress to your body... Sister Anne, is the name you call you and others call yourself, correct?" The voice came through to the human as deeper, with specific purpose, to sound recognizable as male.

Eyes from the woman grew wide as she took a deep breath in, as though the words breathed new life within her veins. Scrambling back and sitting up to rejoin the crowd, as the other dragon backed off she seemed alright, the human merely pointed with a wavering finger at the dragon to the left.

"You! What did you do to me? I hear your voice now inside my head. It echoes and chimes as if in song, yet brings a stinging pressure as though from poison!" She exclaimed, slowly being brought to her feet by the other more simply clothed humans behind her, they checking on her condition with curiosity.

"I have simply allowed you to be able to listen in to my projected thoughts. Your species, we have studied, believes this to be something called telepathy? Regardless, the crystal I have inserted within you works as a beacon for others of your race. They shall hear me, and my mate, through you."

"You should be proud! Your species exhibits powerful brain wave patterns. It's most impressive for ones that seem to not actively develop such abilities." The dragon of the right chimed in with a most joyful tone, as though exhibiting pride at first discovering that which it spoke of. This one's voice came through as being more feminine, again with purpose, to give the humans a way to associate gender and feel more at ease in the most simple of ways.

The dragon on the left simply nodded. "However, you should know our species are not known as dragons. We are Dimaeth. We are are not comparable to some animal of burden found on this planet, Earth, you..."

Words quickly trailed off as the dragon-like creature lost his train of thought, stammering to the side slightly as though stricken with a blunt force. The beast to the right immediately turned with surprise and concern of its own. She laid her long neck across the top of his own, displaying a great level of flexibility, as it created a hook and point of balance for the other. He, taking deep breaths, shook his head and squinted downwards towards Anne.

"We are... more accustomed to intimate interaction of speech than your species is used to, that much I can tell. It has come to my better judgment, though, that we shall wait inside our ship until your leaders come. They know we are here. Our entrance through your atmosphere is easily detectable both by your sight and recognized as interesting through technology." For the first time his mouth opened, taking in a deep breath, and clenching his eyes. Without further explanation he turned and quickly scuttled back within the ship.

"Sister Anne, I understand and feel your concerns. My mate and I are connected, and while that crystal was of his body, I too can feel in fainter degree your thoughts and feelings. Questions shall be answered in time. Rest. Your body is much more frail than ours."

With that she, as well, turned towards the ship to follow behind that of her mate. Silently the door closed behind them, and the metal sealed itself perfectly. One would never know where the door used to be had they not seen it with their own eyes. A singular large section of glowing light now permeated the interior of the ship, it coming from a collection of slowly spinning crystals. Each one arched a blue shock of electricity towards a crystal large enough that it stretched from top to bottom of the interior. It created a radial point where wires and metal prongs moved with constant purpose to upkeep its integrity, cradling it as though it were the most prized possession on board.

"She, that human. Henah, I was going to kill her. My inhibitory systems nearly forced me to lose consciousness due to how strong the urge had become."

Clenching his eyes, he smashed a clenched forepaw near the center crystal, knocking from it several of the smaller ones that created a shroud, creating a cacophony of disturbed electrical connections. Reaching for one of the fallen, he quickly began to dig beneath his own scales of the left forearm before a square segment of them lifted. There it could be seen that flesh had been conjoined with metal, and the scales which he removed were simply aesthetic to hide such a section. There could be seen a darkened crystal, severely opposing to the bright white which he now held. Quick movements of the paw ensured that they would be replaced, only briefly showing circuitry which the crystal attached itself within.

"... and even then I almost fought through it to strike her down. Ah, the feeling of wanting to squeeze that head again, but with more focused purpose."

"Do not worry Shranaer. I too felt what was happening. Perhaps I underestimated just how strong their minds truly are. They are heavily influenced by emotion, as you can plainly feel right now. I must urge you to not fall to such a lowly level. We are not to harm a single life unless given orders. You know this, I know this, and all our species who conducts these surveys knows this." She simply let out a quiet sigh, returning the remaining falling crystals to their programmed dance around the larger centerpiece. "Besides, we have seen their actions and how they act. This species has a predisposition to war almost as great as ours, but for reasons less honorable. Your time for fighting will likely not be far off."

A gentle, yet low and growl-like chuckle was given by both the creatures at nearly the same time. "This is true. I am hopeful that, if we shall purge them, it shall happen before Grahckhöï hatches. I wouldn't want the little one coming into as poisoned of a planet as this currently is."

He slowly slinked along and around the crystal center and towards the back of the ship. It was there that a small mound of sand, cradled in what appeared to be an air tight and rounded container to ensure the atmosphere it was sealed with stayed inside. A tiny amount of moisture collected towards the bottom and side to further cushion and nurture an egg hidden within. Heat at the location of the ship felt much more controlled, and there appeared to be three specifically shaped crystals to work as a stand. Every so often they glowed a gentle purple before discharging energy with a thump; every piece aboard the ship quite clearly fashioned and programmed for a distinct purpose. Slowly laying down, resting a paw around the container to completely enshroud it, his mate joined in laying. A perfect amount of space had been allotted for the two to do so.

"At least it shall be simple and peaceful to start out. The two main factions of this planet are greatly interested in technology and weaponry. They seem easy to impress, and that should keep them quiet long enough to listen to our words."

"We best rest regardless, Shranaer. We have seen how they have recently harnessed how to split matter to release powerful bursts of energy. To the glory of our Dominion."

"Fine then. To the glory of the Dominion."