FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Dates had joined Joshua and Tyra's routine as the days plodded along. A routine of chatter, eating, sleeping, and the occasional sexual encounter. It was an enjoyable bliss, when she was able to ignore the reality just on their periphery.

Tyra looked back from her seat at the console, back at what had essentially become their bathing area, the decontamination room. She could distantly hear the shower, and briefly wondered if she should join Joshua. Already, Tyra was imagining him in the nude, enjoying the water rushing over his soft skin. Can't focus on that forever, she told herself. At some point, they would have to make a choice, or the choice would be made for them. She turned back to the console, looking at the planetary charts before her.

It was an easy realization that the two of them were stuck in a temporary heaven. It would have to come to a close eventually, whether their supplies would run out or violence would push them down and out.

Tyra soaked up the planets before her. Unfortunately, the Vesperratus weren't all that keen on storing biological data in their military ships, meaning what details she did get were mostly for logistical purposes. Temperature, gravity, distance from local star, hostile wildlife, and most importantly, human incursion likelihood. It was all an interesting gamble. She had to pick one that was simultaneously pleasing for her and Joshua, but uninteresting enough to ward off Vesperratus interest. Human interest as well, but they definitely had similar desires in planetary acquisition.

Most planets and systems were under consideration in this bubble of space. A keen eye was placed on them for any sort of strategical value. While presence in a system didn't automatically imply they had control over it, or would even notice the strange couple slipping into an uninhabited planet, that did ramp up the danger significantly.

There was a brief moment where Tyra wished she could indulge in all the romantic nothings Joshua told her. Visiting Earth, seeing its sights, enjoying the thing she had studied for so long. But it was likely this conflict would outlive both of them. Higher and higher stakes would be placed on display as both sides pushed the laws of reality for the sake of their biological superiority.

It seemed like there was something even worse at stake. Tyra's mandibles snapped. She would do away with both races to live in the vast emptiness with Joshua, but they would go further. No doubt both sides would subjugate their enemy's worlds with overwhelming destruction. Wars of the past fought among their own would seem like petty squabbles in comparison.

Reality was becoming endlessly frustrating. As much as Tyra wanted to escape it all, there was not much she could do in the grand scheme of things, with the onslaught of both of them sweeping across the stars. Her horns raised.

All the more reason to find the best world that she could. Tyra realized she might have to settle for a cave after all. As long it was comfortable for Joshua, she supposed. She lowered her horns and wrangled her thoughts, hoping to drive off all the negative routes that lay before her. They would survive, just as they had before.

The current position of the ship was at the very edge of the conflict, where the two borders met but began to fray at the edges. It was a haze of a war zone out here, and the map reflected as much. It allowed Tyra and Joshua to tread into either territory.

Water hissing came to a stop, and Tyra immediately snapped back. A few minutes passed, and out came Joshua, wearing only his pants, striding over to her. Negative thoughts filtered out, mind focused on the water trickling down his body.

“You almost look surprised to see me," Joshua said.

Her body had betrayed her again. Tyra didn't realize her horns had popped up yet again.

“Excited would be more apt," she said.

They could linger, she supposed, leaving her horns up.

“What'cha up to?" Joshua sat in the seat next to hers. “Ah, the planet stuff, huh?"

“We have to make our decision eventually. I think it best we do before supplies become dire."

“Do we need to do this right now, though?" he asked.

“Joshua. We've put it off long enough, haven't we?"

He pursed his lips and nodded. “Alright, yeah, guess we have. Just…"

“Yes?"

“I got comfortable up here, with you. All we could ever need. Sort like I got my wish, in a way. Never had to work again." He chuckled.

“You must work if you want to survive," she said.

He dismissively sighed and crossed his arms, leaning back into his chair. “Feels different when you're boiling in a desert, you know? When compared to sitting in the ships A/C."

“That may be so," Tyra said. She leaned over and pulled him forward. “But even in times of comfort, you must stay strong. How else would you keep a catch like me?"

“A catch like you, huh? Thought I already reeled in you in."

Tyra tapped on her mandibles, trying to capture an expression of pondering. “I'm uncertain I have an appropriate fishing metaphor to follow that one."

“Maybe something like 'gotta wrestle me to put me in the ice box,' but that's a bit much."

“An ice box? That would be rude indeed."

Joshua laughed. “Alright, alright, what've you got so far? Anything with a restaurant? Maybe a hotel or two?"

“From what I know of hotels, that would only be a bad omen." She tilted her head. “As for what I have so far… Not much."

“That dire, huh?"

“Somewhat. The boundary, on closer examination, seems as though it exists mostly for logistical reasons. Not only a stretch on either side's resources, but star systems become more sparse along this corridor." She ran a finger down the middle, where the two sides had little control.

“So, they're just fighting over scraps and can't get any good ground."

“Essentially. However, that also means what promising systems exist are already under control or under supervision."

“Just when I thought these guys couldn't get any worse, they turn out to be my new landlords." Joshua shook his head.

“There are a few habitable planets that remain untouched, but as for how comfortable they would be to reside on, I'm uncertain."

“I'd be willing to give anything a shot. As long as I can breathe and eat."

“Those are awfully simple needs compared to your original demands."

Joshua nodded. “Gotta do what you gotta do. I can forego fishing if it means I get to live another day."

“There is also another possibility," Tyra said.

Joshua pursed his lips and glanced to the screen.

“From the way you said that," he replied, “I'm going to bet that it isn't a great possibility."

“Do you want to hear it?" she asked.

“I can tell it's something that's been sitting on your mind. So, let's hear it." He beckoned her with a hand.

“I wanted to ask…"

“Yeah?" Joshua said.

“Do you believe that treading into human territory would be a better choice?"

He turned his head. “I thought that would be pretty suicidal. The exact opposite of what we want."

“While true, there are still a wealth of planets within our fuel range lingering within human control. Planets that might take several decades for humans to settle properly on."

“And why not with the Vespers?"

“I… believe they would kill both of us if found. Humans would err on the side of caution and may try to extract information from me. It's likely we would both be safe." She rubbed her mandibles together.

“No guarantee."

“There are none in our lives now, but it is slightly calculated."

“Even if we were safe, there's a good chance we'd be pulled apart, you know?" He shrugged and looked to the floor. “I'd be tossed in the deepest hole and never see you again." Joshua met her eyes again. “I'd be dead, essentially." He smirked, but there was a noticeable hollowness to it. “Not to sound selfish."

“I suppose I could bargain for that information. Our continued existence together for intel."

“And when they're out of intel? Then what?"

“I suppose that wouldn't last us very long, would it?"

“Not unless you can come up with a whole hell of a lot. Would you even want to do that?"

Tyra folded her hands together. “It is odd, but no. The thought of… betrayal still stings."

“Nothing weird about that. Still your people. If there's one thing the both of our people share, it's that need to belong to a whole group. Only reason we got this far into space, right?"

“I suppose. But we are our own people now. The others are irrelevant."

“Of course we are." Joshua reached forward and placed a hand on hers. “But that still doesn't change where we came from. We'll always think of the other guys, no matter how much we wanna forget them."

“I suppose. Sometimes I wish I were as cold and logical as propaganda makes me out to be."

“Well, if you were, then you wouldn't have that fiery spark I love."

“Such a difficult choice." She tittered.

“It better be!"

“Though I do wish I could overcome that societal tether. Mercenary."

“I think it's better if you keep that sense of care. Prevents you from doing something you'd regret otherwise."

“I have little regrets now," she said. “Anything for survival. It's a war, isn't it?"

“I suppose it is, but you have to remember who's the enemy and who's the bystander."

“Any individual out in this rim is a combatant," she said.

“Alright, uh, how about you show me some of the better planets you found?"

Tyra nodded and turned her attention to the console, outlining a few of the choices. Not all great ones. They were livable, but some details suggested worse outcomes if they decided to land there and eke out an existence.

“This one is covered in a lush jungle, but is filled with hostile wildlife and rife with precious metals below the surface," she said.

“When you say hostile wildlife, are we talking like… elephant sized tigers? Or something more like those syringe worms?"

“Considering it was enough of an issue for the Vesperratus to take note of it, I would lean toward the 'elephant tiger' level of hostile life." Assuming she was recalling those creatures correctly.

“Alright, wouldn't want to build my dream home there," he said. “Not unless I could make a house of their bones." Joshua rubbed his chin.

“I would rather not contend with them. Let's see what others are on display."

Tyra and Joshua flicked through several more planets. She tended to avoid those that crept into Vesper space. Some were too cold, others too hot. What few that were “just right" teetered on the balance between the two galactic powers. Or perhaps, galactic wasn't the right word for it. Tyra was reminded just how small this slice of space was. If they could just tread further out, secure some fuel and food for a long haul. How would they do that, though?

“Perhaps… Perhaps we could move farther?" she said.

“We'd need a lot of supplies, wouldn't we?" Joshua asked. “I'm a little unsure how we'd do that. As much as I am a military man, I wasn't exactly trained in the high art of espionage and retrieval. I flied the rust buckets, remember?"

Tyra was slightly hoping he'd have some sort of answer to it all. Something she might've overlooked from her position. Though, if she didn't have a course of action, it was rude to think that Joshua would. However, there were always more possibilities.

“We do have an entire repository of military bases for use. Even those that are unmanned," she said.

“Unmanned makes me feel a little better, but robots usually don't ask questions when they're shooting you, you know? You can't lie to a machine."

“You can if you lie quite expertly. Such as with a very special ship."

“And they didn't mark this ship as stolen?" He turned his head.

“They likely did. However, updating all outposts with appropriate codes and protocols for a freshly lost ship can be a timely process."

“Well, it has been a while."

“And despite that," Tyra ran a finger along a few planets, “they might take even longer to get to these planets that intrude on human territory. It's likely they haven't. Meaning with this ship's credentials, we could effectively take whatever we desired."

“Hold on, now, it can't just be that simple. It just scans this ship? That's it? Don't you guys have updated handshakes or something?"

“Ah, but my dear Joshua, these ships are designed to lay in hiding for months at a time if need be. Should they need resources, they wouldn't be able to keep up with any sort of updated pass code."

“So a free shopping trip for us, huh?" He shook his head. “That still seems too easy."

“True. It's possible they may lie in wait for us. Also possible they've already been updated, or registered to respond to us violently, or perhaps these outposts no longer even exist." Her hand balled into a fist. “Indeed, also possible that they are exhausted of any resources whatsoever." She looked at the console. “Why does the end of this ordeal have to be so far? As if we'll end up dead before we can settle nicely. It's a pounding upon my mind every waking—"

Joshua grabbed her fist.

“We should take a break from this, alright?" He gave her a soft, but firm smile. “We can look over this in the morning."

Tyra looked at him, then nodded, easing her horns back down. She moved her hand around his, interlocking their fingers.

“All this stuff right now? Not important. Plenty of food and drink, and uh, more plays to watch," he said. “We're good, OK? Nothing's going to come between us and a good life."

“Yes. Alright. I understand."

“C'mon, I got something fun for us," he said.

Tyra tilted her head, horns coyly raising.

“Not like that." He shook his head. “Over here."

Joshua tugged her along to one of the wall compartments. He pressed on it and popped it open, revealing some medical paste in circular containers, along with reflective tape.

“Something fun, honest," he said.

“I am uncertain what fun can be cobbled together."

“I'll show ya."

Gathering everything within, Joshua tottered off to the side of their sleeping nook. He set down the containers on the floor, then produced his knife and began setting out the tape. Before long, he had taped out two horizontal boxes, then he added long, vertical lines on the sides of that. He sat down near Tyra, then beckoned her down. She joined him, still staring at his strange arrangement.

“It's a little rough, but, this is a classic game from where I come from," he said. Joshua held up one of the containers. “You take your puck, then"—he set it on the ground and slid it a ways—“try and get it in the third box!" It stopped short in the first and longest box. “Well, you still get points for the other boxes. But the first long box you see, only the farthest puck counts. So you can still steal a point! Simple stuff, you get points based on which box you land in. One through three."

“This is an odd sport." But she did enjoy his enthusiasm.

“It's pretty fun once you get into it. Plus, it's a classic old person's game. Have to get used to it now because we'll be playing a whole hell of a lot of it when we get old ourselves." He raised his brow and gestured to her. “Unless you've got some old folks games yourself."

“Games are generally considered a youthful activity. Elders tend to concern themselves with crafts to leave behind for the newest generation."

“Not far from us, but I didn't have any knitting gear, so that was out." He presented another puck to her. “Want to have a go?"

“Certainly, though I do suggest you try to keep these 'pucks' in one piece."

“Why's that? They're not explosive, are they?"

“No, they're filled with a medical cream." She popped off the top and presented the gelatinous interior. “It fills in the cracks from a broken shell." Tyra closed it back up, then slid it across the ground. It squarely landed in the second box. “And soon, will be used to mend your shattered ego."

“If I knew you were good at this game, I would've picked something else," he said.

“What is a game without a good challenge?"

“I'll show you a good challenge."

Joshua slid his puck forward, bumping into and nudging aside Tyra's own puck.

“How does one tell who slid what?" she asked.

“Oh." He opened his mouth, then pursed his lips. “That's a good point."

After Joshua marked his pucks with a tape cross and Tyra's with a line, they returned to their game. Tyra appreciated the makeshift amusement, finding it an excellent change of pace from the passive lifestyle they were sinking into. She also figured that she had a bit of an advantage at the game with a more refined depth of vision, but Joshua held his own quite well. Thoughts of her inevitable choice on their future came crawling back, but she did her best to beat them into line.

“This seems awfully active for an older human sport," she said.

“Well, this is a simplified version. The real old person's sport has sticks and huge boards to play on. So you can do everything while standing up and complaining about young people."

“Unfortunate that there won't be any young people for you to complain about."

Tyra flung another puck, narrowly missing the last box. Damn.

“That's fine, I can always complain about the weather. So, that means we have to pick out a home that rains a little, alright?" he said.

“Rain is a must, of course. Especially if we plan to grow food."

“Farming, huh? I can't say I'm much of a farmer. Hunter gatherer, that's my role."

“Very much so. I will tend to the crops. Assuming there is anything to grow."

Joshua nodded and tossed another puck. “I'm surprised this ship doesn't come with seeds. Seems like they have everything else to live out their lives in hiding."

“I suppose the upper echelons of command wouldn't want them to have the opportunity to be wholly independent." Living on an alien world, without a care for whatever happened out in the galaxy. Her grip on a puck tightened.

“Yeah, I can see that. You get a whole kick ass ship to yourself and can go wherever you want."

“Much like us. And yet, I feel trapped all the same."

“Give it time. We'll get where we need to go in due time."

“For now, I have to win." She flung out her last puck, barely sliding into the third box. “Like so."

“Alright, maybe we need a new game…"

“Care to try again?" she asked.

“You mean to win this time?"

“As you say."

---

Their day continued on with more chatter and the new game that Joshua called “shuffleboard". He did suggest more games, but couldn't find pleasing ways to make them with whatever materials he had available. Eventually, they settled down for the night.

Tyra, however, could not find sleep. She sat at the console, imagining her way out of this.

Their position was a pleasing cage, and it had begun to aggravate her. Not that she cared much where she was, but the fact that two forces beyond her grasp were engaged in a battle that kept her rooted. For once, she had a taste of freedom in her existence, the ability to go anywhere and do anything, only now with the looming threat of death around every bend.

Nothing would stand in the way of that. Not humans, not Vesperratus, not the damned tunnels of fate that kept her confined on a path. The shred of delight in her existence was threatened from every angle. But she would make certain that whatever she took, Joshua would be safe and in her grasp.

Tyra began marking out the most remote Vesperratus outposts, those that would reasonably have supplies to take from. Even if their supply lines had been cut, it was possible they had stockpiled resources necessary. Meaning then that the major possible adversaries would be patrols, or the chance that a group of Vespers were stationed there rather than an automatic machine.

Then perhaps a threat would do. Should an outpost be commandeered organically, Tyra could threaten to unleash all of the stored data aboard her ship in return for supplies. Humans would greedily devour any possible intel, the reveal of Vesper control most of all. And it's likely they would be close enough to hear it with these All the fuel necessary for her to go anywhere she desired with just a simple list of coordinates. She tapped the screen, bringing up every bit of military control across the cosmos.

That was betrayal, wasn't it? Tyra's vision ran across the list. Even if she was essentially cast out by her species, such a list could lead to an explosive amount of death. Perhaps enough to weaken the entirety of the Vesperratus. At least for a time. It's not as though she truly had to release such a piece of information, but her kind — or what was once her kind — did best when presented with a tangible threat. Tyra would have to make certain her claim was concrete, lest they kill her instantaneously.

Still. Death would follow in her wake, even if she sent out only one single coordinate. A star system, a point in space, anything. Humans would be sure to investigate anything that seemed alien in origin, whether by force or caution.

And yet her mind kept thinking.

If she were to release all of it, that could be a proper decisive strike. Humans may be too occupied in their campaign of destruction to worry about chasing the couple of fugitives that spat in their face, and the same would be true of the Vesperratus.

To return the pain they caused her, to both sides.

It was a sickening excitement, gaining that level of control over forces she so intensely loathed. They would be thrown into a fight, delighting in the carnage they crave. And whatever aftermath came from it, they deserved. Joshua and her would be far away, forgetting about the rest of existence, easing into a new home. All it would take is compiling these coordinates into something legible for humans and unleashing them upon the spattering of stars that existed in their small space.

Tyra's mandibles were audibly grinding now. She took a moment to pause, relaxing herself. All of that death wasn't necessary. And Joshua? What would he think? Despite his talks of war, he wouldn't be compliant in what was essentially a genocide by proxy. Neither would he want that of her, she was certain. She turned back.

Upon that cot lay Joshua, quietly sleeping, seeming so very vulnerable in that moment. His breathing was slow and barely audible. Her horns flared again. She would do anything for him. And he would for her. Should it come down to that fatal line, she would have to prepare herself for it. Tyra would treat her combatants as the mindless, violent animals they so desperately wanted to be.

One outpost in the list seemed perfect. It sat stationed on a breathable planet, but aside from its position in space, it had little value in the way of resources. Machine or manned, there would only be a few eyes there. Tyra could prepare for a small incursion and draw out all the resources she and Joshua would need to flee from this hell.

The decision upon an outpost to attack would have to be left up to Joshua, in any case. Tyra wouldn't embark on any dangerous endeavor without his blessing. Had he willed it, she would gladly waste away in this box of a ship. All because he was the one glimmer of light in her existence now.

It felt pathetic, and yet, it gave Tyra life.

---

“So, you think this is our best shot?" Joshua asked, tapping on the console. He sat in the other seat, leaning toward her.

It was hard for Tyra to focus on his eyes.

“Yes. I've given it some thought. If it is unmanned, then our ship should be more than enough to gain entry. However, if it is manned, I have another bargaining piece." She switched the screen back to the list of outposts. “The threat of revealing all of their installations."

“That's kind of a killing blow, don't you think? Something that could get a lot of people hurt?"

“Precisely why it is a good threat."

Joshua nodded and gave a cautious smile. “S'pose that's true, but you have to be willing to do that first. You know, be able to follow through on a threat. Guess I don't know how it is with the other guys, but humans can figure out someone is bluffing."

“Our pheromones can convey such a thing. Fortunately, this would be through a video communication and not in-person."

“I guess that's covered then, but…" Joshua swallowed. “You sure you want to try something like this?"

“Are you scared?" she asked. Tyra shook her head. “Are you worried something may go wrong? It might be far more dangerous if we do not go through with this."

Joshua shrugged, then glanced out the viewport before turning back to Tyra.

“It might be. It might not be. Not to paint a nasty picture of you or anything, but there was that situation with your original crew, then we stole another ship and left its pilots behind, and now we'd be raiding an entire outpost. Someone in the Vesper command is going to take note of you and want you put down, don't you think? What was it about having your own personal stuff aboard a ship? Distractions that were practically considered betrayal? I can't imagine what they would think if you were thought of as an actual traitor."

“Yes. That is quite the scrutiny I put myself under…"

“I'll go through the whole shebang if you want, I just want you to know what you're getting into. You got all the control in the world right now, remember. This is all up to you."

“And you."

Joshua chuckled. “Well, you know all this space stuff better than me. I was just giving my two cents on the whole thing. I'm guessing as far as the humans go, they think I'm dead, so this is your game entirely. At least, if I were some cigar smokin' big wig up the chain of command, I would think some greenhorn recruit was dead as hell if he disappeared into the void." He tapped his chin. “Well, that is, until the rank posturing was done and they figured out I stole this ship and got away."

Tyra wasn't exactly sure what a “greenhorn" was, but she got the idea. Joshua or not, this was largely her issue. She might make things magnitudes worse. What she might consider to be a simple bluff would still lead to a wave of consequences. Should the Vesperratus try to pursue her afterward, she would have to be constantly vigilant and ready to follow through on the threat she so brazenly dangled in front of them. Something she wouldn't always be prepared to execute. As Joshua said, they might have something horrible in-mind for a traitor. And being forced up against an entire squad of headhunters? Not viable. Tricks and schemes only got her so far against a reclamation pair, and it was a stroke of luck that she was alive at all.

“I… suppose I should ask, instead, how you would feel about joining me in my near suicidal run," she said.

“After all the other suicidal runs?" Joshua said. “Please, this would be a walk in the park by comparison." His face hardened. “But why do we have to go through all this? Kick up the hornet's nest?"

“I realized something from what you said. Humans are finally 'playing catch-up' with their technology. The uneasy boundary that keeps either side locked in place will give way soon enough. All of these potential homes are sitting on a fault line of sorts that will eventually break free." She looked to the console. “Humans are fielding technology to halt space travel. Vesperratus are pushing the boundaries of explosives. What next? What insane technological monstrosity will roll out? I don't want to doom ourselves to a world that is ripe for testing the extent of their violence."

“But how long do you think that'll take? Twenty? Forty years? We could prepare for that, eventually."

Tyra turned back to him. “Not with the limited supplies that a purely natural world would offer. We may see it coming, but would be powerless to flee. Fuel does not last forever, and this ship is our only lifeline." Her head bowed. “Ultimately, it is your decision."

“It's yours, Tyra." He gently raised her head back up. “The way I see it, if the Vespers get me, they put a bullet in my head. If the humans nab me, I get a nice trip to a jail cell and some long interrogations. I'm guessing it'd be a lot worse if one of them got you. As much as I don't want to see that happen to you, as much as I'd rather just go back to bed right now and forget about all this…" Joshua leaned forward and planted a kiss on her mandibles. “I'm happy to do whatever you think is best."

What's best. Tyra didn't know what was best. She didn't want any of those fates for Joshua, even if she knew he was accepting of them. It was all so unfair, but she supposed her winding tunnel was at risk of collapse if she didn't keep moving forward. Only, now she had someone to push through it all. This was her path to glory.