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NB-319

BC. Before Christ. AD. Anno Domini. UE. Universal Expansion.

Yes, that's it. The year is... the year is...

The year is...

The year is 2342 UE. The day and month? He had forgotten by now...

NB-319 didn't have a name. It wasn't important enough to have a name. Sure, it was home to over 200 thousand people, but that's not why anyone cared for the planet. No, despite its abnormally high population for such a relatively small world, NB-319 was recognized for one thing and one thing alone; its ore.

As it was millinea ago on the originating home world, it is true now; minerals and ores are the life blood of existence. Gas, coal, fossil fuels of all kind, are absolutely imperative to live in a world where starships drift through the heavens, and planetary travel is as common as a Sunday drive.

And that's where NB-319 comes in.

Founded, oh, 177 years ago, NB-319 was a mining desert planet first and foremost. You know what that means, right? It wasn't a planet meant to be lived on, it was a planet meant to be worked on. Upon its surface rests not cities and homes, but factories and complexes. When you arrive on this world, you arrive to do a job. Whether it be to work within one of its many, many mines, or endlessly work machines on one of its many, many drill platforms, this world was a world where you worked, and nothing else.

Sure, there were some places where a person could theoretically live in... but these places were incredibly small.

But, whatever, fine. It's not like people were screaming to live on NB-319 anyway! Despite being mined upon for well over a century, it still was not important enough to have a name! There were hundreds of other mining planets out in the galaxy anyway. Why name this one when other worlds with more precious minerals weren't essential enough to be named? Again, you do not come to NB-319 to live, you come to it to work.

And for many decades, that was good enough. Ask any number of surly fellow who lives on this side of the galaxy, and they'll probably tell you they worked at NB-319 at one moment or another. To some of them, the image of its crimson horizons and endless sat fields bring with it a certain since of nostalgia. It may not be the most comfortable of planets, but it is a planet where one can work and provide for themselves and their family.

And then Outpost Epsilon fell from the skies.

For many planets, it's not uncommon to be monitored by an outpost. They are floating space stations, typically named either after the head scientist who runs the station, or – in this case – a Greek letter. Manned by scientists who work for the UPE – Union of Planetary Expeditions – these outposts monitor the planets they are stationed above while the members onboard perform various scientific experiments. And for a century, that's what Outpost Epsilon did; monitor NB-319.

Until – once again – it fell from the skies.

No one knows why it happened. No one knows if it was a terrorist attack, or a science experiment gone wrong, or even if some stupid scientist forgot to give it proper fuel. Regardless of the 'whys', the results were catastrophic. Outpost Epsilon didn't just fall, it collided with Oban Fueling Station, which provided most – if not all – of NB-319 with gas and oil to fuel its various factories. The impact triggered an explosion so devastating, it could easily ruin the environment of a more decent world.

The fueling pipes which spread out from the station were instantly set aflame, triggering more explosions throughout various factories and bases that dot NB-319's surface. In a matter of seconds, a catastrophic explosion became a world-wide cataclysm, rendering everything but survival utterly pointless. There was no longer a reason to work. All you sought was to survive.

Ah... such a... poignant word. Never before in his life did he ponder what it meant to 'survive'. It makes sense on paper; you survive by eating and sleeping, working too. Yes, yes, that all makes sense. But... there's a difference between surviving an ordinary day to day life, and surviving an cataclysm.

Guuuunnngg...! Gung gung gung gung! GGGGUUNNNGGGK!

SLAM!

“Gah!?”

A large slab of metal twisted and turned, snapping off of its rusted hinges and falling over upon the ground. What followed was the deafening howl of metal slamming into metal, which echoed throughout the once silent factory he stood within. He stopped, his arms extended out and his mouth agape while he looked down upon the steel door.

That... wasn't supposed to happen. But on the other hand, what did he expect? Ever since Outpost Epsilon fell, acid rain had become a common occurrence. It rained here several days ago, wearing down once proud steel to virtual rust in a matter of hours. And without aid to clean up this rust, the factory was reduced to nothing but a shell of its former self.

Eyes closed shut, he took a few minutes to think back about the various factories that dotted the surface of the planet. He could still remember their pristine white hues, and silver surfaces. But if one were to look upon them now, all they'd see is warped brown and crumbling reds. Whatever beauty these complexes once had were long, long gone. From his vantage point atop this catwalk, he could see them all. And the one thought that came to mind?

“Tch... you really know how to pick 'em, don't you, Felix...”

He was a man, though it was probably difficult to tell if one were standing a distance away. With his black cloak on, he looked more like a specter than he did a person. Heh... a smaller than average specter, but a specter nonetheless. His black cloak covered him from his neck down, and was adorned with various pouches and straps. And with those red goggles he wore on his face, his identity was further obscured. All one could tell was that he was indeed a young man, one with spiky black hair, and a surprisingly fit figure to him.

Considering what he did for a living, he needed this body.

He emerged from within a hallway, and exited out upon a rusted platform that was suspended many stories into the air. His heavy boots 'Clanked!' and 'Thanked!' against the ground with his every step. Surrounding him was the once proud Galvin factory, a place that – like so many others – mined the planet for the ores deep inside. But after the cataclysm, it was all silent, with its machines having long since been destroyed and degraded by NB-319's ruthless weather, and equally as ruthless scavengers. All the while, he stood there, a somewhat forlorn look on his face.

“Haaah...”

Felix Thatcher and his ilk were a necessity on NB-319. Sure, a majority of the workers on the planet were just that, workers, but it's important to distinct what one works on. Many worked in the mines, many manned the machines, many toiled on drill platforms, but what of the people who make sure everything is running? Who are the people who don't man the machines, but work on the machines? Well, they're the mechanics, they are the engineers.

And Felix Thatcher was an engineer.

He was like many when he first arrived on NB-319 four years ago. He'd just graduated from college in the Durian System, and was looking for work to sink his teeth into. Wanting an impressive resume – one that would help him get work in more lofty positions elsewhere in the galaxy – he started working at a factory on NB-319. With hard work and dedication, he climbed up the ranks to Assistant Engineer on Platform 747. In short, it was his duty to notice any flaws in their machines, correct them, and then improve upon any flawed designs.

And then, ya'know, Outpost Epsilon fell from the skies.

In one horrendous event, his entire world had been turned upside down. The once crimson skies that seemed to be in a state of infinite sunset, now felt more like the heavens itself was burning. The salty fields of white now felt caustic and draining. And worse of all, there was no way to contact any other planet thanks to the fallen space station. Putting it lightly...

NB-319 was on its own.

Felix was on his own.

The planet devolved quickly after that. Without a way to call upon the UPE or any other world for aid, resources quickly became the top priority for those trapped on the planet. Water, food, clothing, energy; those who could get it created clans and groups, those who didn't have access to these things were dead.

There were very few in-betweens. Thankfully, Felix was one of those 'in-betweens'.

As he climbed down to the ground level of the factor he was in, he stared up towards the crimson horizon before him. It was getting hotter now; it always got hotter right before night fell. Sort of a sign saying, 'Get somewhere safe. Now'. Yeah, he got the message.

Reaching under his cloak, Felix palmed around for his PDA and pulled it out from one of his various pouches. It was small and flat with a touch screen... a cracked touch screen. Before the cataclysm, he used this little device to plan out every moment of his life. Nowadays, he used it to remind him of what time and day it was.

Energy was low. He needed to use his PDA sparingly. Once its battery ran dry, he did not know when he would get power again. For now, he checked a list of items he was collecting. With one such item – a lithium chord – having finally been gathered, he marked it off his list and smile.

“Almost there...” he said to himself with a smile.

Grrrrrrrrrvvvvrrrrrnnnmmmm...!

“Huh...?”

Bringing his head up and staring in the direction the noise came from, he put his PDA away and withdrew his pistol. Around him were various objects and structures where he could hide himself within. This was once the factory's docking yard, where various transport vehicles would land and take off from to deliver their loads. After the cataclysm, it was instead a trash pit filled with discarded items and decaying trash.

Ggggrrrrrrrrrrvvvvvvvvvvrrrrrrrrmmmm!!!

Rushing in, Felix hid himself beneath a few overturned objects and behind a pole, where he brandished his pistol in preparation. In the distance, he could hear that sound coming closer and closer, where he recognized it as the engines of a vehicle. What once was subtle grew loud, and what once was loud grew deafening.

GRRRRVVVRRRRRM!!!

“Ghnn...!”

Felix brought his hands up to his ears, covering them to try and cancel out the howling cry of a vicious engine. Going by the sounds he heard, a hovercraft was drifting into the area, and a large one at that. With powerful anti-gravitational motors and thrusters, it hovered above the ground, tossing up trash and debris in its wake. Peeking out from behind his cover, Felix watched as the large, bulky, truck-like vehicle drove into the factory's docking yard, before coming to a halt.

It was a transport vehicle. Before the cataclysm, it was used to – of course – transport large amounts of goods from one station to another. Now however, this vehicle in particular was being used to transport men.

Slowly they exited the vehicle, wearing a scrappy set of jackets and bandages not unlike what Felix was wearing. Unlike him however, they wore strange helmets on their head reminiscent of gas masks, and were armed with more powerful weaponry as they brandished rifles. Like a trained group of soldiers, they uttered orders and commands to one another that their hooded figures helped to muffle, and the distance he was from them helped to obscure. Whatever they were saying, Felix figured it was probably in his best interests to not be caught.

Who were these men however? Considering their weaponry and clothing, not to mention how trained they appeared to be, Felix assumed they were from Alpha Sector. While all platforms and factories had their own sect of armed guards, Alpha Sector was the only group one could call a 'police force' on NB-319. When uprisings grew that were too great for a factory's strike force to contend with, Alpha Sector was deployed to handle it.

Of course, that was back before the cataclysm. Now they were like everyone else; just another group trying to survive on this rapidly deteriorating planet.

Felix gritted his teeth and palmed his pistol as he eyed the group of armed men. While they had not yet given him a reason to think they hostile, previous run-ins with members of Alpha Sector had proven otherwise. They tended to capture those who weren't members of groups, and take them back to their base. What they do with them then? Well, Felix couldn't tell you. Why?

Because no one's come back to say what happens at Alpha Sector.

Gritting his teeth, Felix turned away from the group before him, instead gazing down towards the opposing wall. There were a plethora of waist-high objects for him to move through. If he just kept quiet, he could easily sneak out of here without them being any the wiser. Just keep low to the ground, don't make any sudden movements, and maybe fortune would think kindly of him.

Crannggle...!

Or maybe not.

A can. What he stepped on was a mere can. There was so much trash and debris around, that it would be impossible to not step on something accidentally unless he was paying close attention. He was not paying close attention. He just took one step back, and accidentally crushed a soda can beneath his feet. And to add insult to injury, when he pulled his foot up, he flung the can away, sending it careening to the side and eventually rolling to a crumbled halt.

Felix's eyes swelled as he looked at the can. It was already too late.

THUTTHUTTHUTTHUTHUT!!!

“GAH!?”

No warning, no shouts, no nothing. When the can flew out from behind cover, bullets immediately tore into its locate. It was flung about from the vicious gunfire, and quickly rittled with holes. But the gunfire did not stop; it began shifting towards him.

“Fuck! Gghh!”

Quickly scrambling away, Felix kept his head down as his cloak billowed about. The members of Alpha Sector knew where he was now, and weren't going to let him so easily escape. There were five members he counted before, and now all five of them were giving chase.

Bullet's whizzed past Felix's head and body, coming just inches, if not centimeters shy of taking his life. Teeth gritted, he kept his eyes focused on the variety of trash in front of him, hoping he could find a place to hide out among them. But even then, he knew it was a fool's errand. Even if he found a place to hide, this strike force knew he was here, and they would not so easily give up their chase. He was probably going to be in here for a long time...

THUTTHUTTHUT!!!

“GGGNH!”

More bullets fell around him, right as he leaped over cover and descended into... a pit. Eyes wide, Felix tumbled into a small little divot in the ground, falling farther than he intended. He couldn't tell if this was always here or if it had been formed from erosion, but it was filled with trash. Slamming inside, his fall was thankfully broken by the scrap at the bottom, but that didn't make him feel any better. Up above, he could hear the heavy footsteps of his chasers, who eventually arrived at the lip of the hole. At the same time, Felix pulled himself back, hiding within the hole's shadows.

This pit... it must have been a section of a hallway that had collapsed in following the cataclysm. It was gray in here from the concrete halls, and even slightly wet from recent storms. And the smell? Oh, the smell was downright horrendous.

THWAK! KRACK! SNAP!

His assailants didn't care.

With a big leap, three men fell into the hole, their rifles at the ready. The yellow optics that were their eyes slowly traveled around the interior of the hole, searching for Felix. He had hidden himself behind a slant support beam, having just enough of a gap to observe them while he held his pistol in his hand. Now was only a matter of when he should strike... and if he should strike at all.

“Xo hud ad xoho...” muttered one of the armored men, causing Felix to tense up.

“Boof ucohk if urelo. No'cc sedkadio jouhsxadw kxaj fak,” replied another, “Cok'j woob jouhsxadw.”

Shit. They were speaking suarkin. He knew more than a few dialects, but not what they were speaking. Leave it to Alpha Sector to leave their victims in a state of confusion.

But, fine, whatever; whether or not he could understand them did not change the fact that he was trapped here regardless.

Raising his pistol once again, Felix hunkered closer to the slanted beam he hid beneath. Meanwhile, his group of assailants flipped switches on their rifles, lighting up the flashlights they had attached. Bringing these cones of lights around, they illuminated the hallway directly in front of them, causing Felix to tense up further.

They weren't going to stop. He could pray for them to stop, but he knew they wouldn't. Sooner rather than later, they were going to find him. And sooner...

“KXOHO!”

Was now.

“AH!?”

A flashlight fell upon Felix, illuminating and blinding him at the same time. He flinched and pulled up, his hand blocking his face as best he could... and revealing the fact that he was armed with a pistol.

“Xo'j wek u wid!” shouted one of the men, “Wok xam!”

Felix's eyes acclimated to the flashlights before him, just in time to watch the men raise their rifles and point them at him. Slowly they started approaching, moving closer and forcing him back against the crumbling wall. He pointed his pistol back to defend himself... but he knew it was more a show of force than it was anything to be threatened by. With their armor, his meager gun was as dangerous as a slingshot. Eventually, one of his assailants took lead point, hovering their rifle just a few inches shy from his face.

“Nxuk uho ei teadw xoho?” they said, the yellow optics of their masks beaming into Felix's skull.

“I don't understand you...” he growled back through gritted teeth, “C'mon, we can talk this o--”

THWAK! FHUMP! THUD!

“NXUK!?” THWAK! “GUH!?” FHUMP! THUD!

Everyone turned around. The two sentries who stood guard over the entrance to the hole, were suddenly knocked over. Both were flung forward where they slammed into the bottom of the small pit, rendered completely unconscious by the attack and their fall. Even with their masks on, the armed soldiers of Alpha Sector grew wide-eyed with shock and confusion... before shifting their gazes back towards Felix.

“EI!” shouted the guard as he jabbed his barrel into Felix's chest, winding him, “NXUK AS KXO MOUDADW EV KXAJ!? NXOHO UHO EIH VHAODTJ!?”

“Aaah!? I-- I don't know what you're saying, I swear!” Click! Clack! Click! “Huh?”

Again they turned to face the entrance of the small pit, for something else had fallen into it. But instead of it being more bodies of Alpha Sector soldiers, what fell into the pit were two small, disc-shaped objects. For several short seconds they looked at the objects... before Felix realized what they were. Quickly he closed his eyes and clamped his hands over his ears, just in time to avoid...

FLASH! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

Flash bang grenades.

Detonating, they blinded the men who hunted him, while also emitting this high-pitch screech which deafened them and their equipment. In a desperate attempt to defend themselves, the men raised their hands to their heads, covering their ears as best they could while closing their eyes. It was too late though; the flashes were so bright, they damn near burnt out the retinas! This gave Felix enough time to run away from the guard in front of him. They shouted something, but in their disoriented state, there was nothing they could do.

Felix didn't know what was going on. Someone attacked these Alpha Sector goons, but that didn't make them a friendly force. Maybe it was some rival group looking to exact revenge? Whatever the case may be, he knew he didn't want to be here when it all went down!

Returning to the edge of the pit, he stared up from where he fell down where he noticed enough debris he could easily climb up. But before he made his escape, he looked down towards the two unconscious bodies beneath him; the two guards who were sent to stand guard over the pit. What were they attacked by that had enough force to knock them into the pit like they did?

Oh... long, metal, arrows. They were stricken by arrows! Who the hell attacks people with arrows!?

THUTTHUTTHUTTHUT!!!

He'll figure that out later.

The guards behind them finally regained their visions... well, barely. They were still disoriented, but not so poorly that they could not see. Firing off their rifles, they attempted to strike Felix who quickly climbed out of the hole he was in. Bullets whizzed past him, striking the various trash and debris around him as he climbed out the pit. Returning to ground level, he quickly bolted for the distance while his assailants continued shouting and firing.

Occasionally, he'd look over his shoulder towards the hole, where he could hear them attempt – and fail – to climb out of it. This gave Felix ample time to run away, leaping over debris and trash as he got further and further away. Before he knew it, he had slipped into one of the many buildings within the factory, where he turned one last time to face the trash-laden docking yard.

Now that he was a safe distance away, Felix took a few seconds to reflect on what happened. Specifically... WHO THE HELL SAVED HIM!? Arrows don't just fly out of nowhere to strike down Alpha Sector men! But now that he stood free of the pit, he saw no one else but him! They must have struck from a distance, but... why would they not strike him down too when he slipped out of the pit?

Nope! Nuh-uh! None of his business! If someone had a death wish and wanted to go toe-to-toe with Alpha Sector, then let 'em! He was going to focus on getting out of here! If he could return to his truck in a timely manner, he could zip out of here and no one will notice!

His truck? His truck! If his truck was found out, then everything he's worked to do will be rendered moot! Shit, shit! He parked it in a relatively hidden spot, but he couldn't risk it being found and stolen! Throwing caution to the wind, he rushed through the area he was in, making way for the general direction of his truck. Down this hall, around this corner, through these doors, and--

Grab!

“What!?”

Yank!

“AH!? MMMMMF!?”

A hand suddenly grabbed his arm. With a powerful yank, he was pulled against the body of another. He couldn't see who it was however as they kept his back to them, and forced him down a hall. Making matters worse, their hand was over his mouth to keep him silent, and their grip was far superior. He was trapped, and forced to a halt near a window.

That didn't stop Felix from struggling however. He kicked and thrashed about, trying with all his might to free himself from his assailant's grasp. But said assailant continued proving their strength, keeping him stuck in place before whispering,

“Sit still!”

A... woman's voice? The person holding him still was a woman? And not just any woman either. She was a taller woman. A stronger woman. A nonhuman woman. How could he tell? Weeeeell... maybe it was because her hand had the smooth pads of a canine-like creature on it.

But that's all Felix could tell about her in the moment as she held him quiet. Regardless of the who or what she was, he still couldn't free himself from her superior grasp, effectively trapping him. But he didn't feel as scared as he should be. Since she hadn't broken his neck yet, that was a plus. This woman even dropped her fingers when he stopped struggling, allowing him to speak.

“Who are you...?” Felix whispered.

“Shhh,” the woman replied, “The window. Be quiet and keep low.”

Nodding, Felix peered through the window of the room they were in. Through its shattered glass and broken frame, he saw... his truck! It was a bulky vehicle, one used to transport smaller goods in the past like computers and appliances. Used by mechanics and engineers such as himself, it could easily deploy to a variety of locations for quick, on the spot fixes and improvements whenever a machine broke down. At least, that's what it did before the cataclysm. Now it was used as Felix's little science lab/home, as well as being a much needed source of transportation in a trying time such as this.

There was just a tiny little problem with his truck.

It was surrounded my Alpha Sector soldiers!

Felix's eyes swelled as he watched those goons pick and pry at his truck. Due to its security programs, it wouldn't open unless he allowed it to open with the usage of his PDA, or by use of its defense codes; neither of which those guards had. They didn't need them however, for the massive vehicle they arrived in also served as a tow vehicle.

Bringing it close, they attached a tow to the back of the truck. Felix jerked forward, but the hands of the woman once again grabbed and pulled him back, restraining him.

“Are you stupid!?” she whisper-yelled into his ear, “If you rush out there, they'll fuckin' kill ya!”

“I...! I can't let them take my truck!” he whisper-yelled back, “You have no idea what's in there! If they get into my truck, they'll ruin everything!”

“Look, there's nothin' we can do! Just stay put and wait until they leave! I really had to stick my neck out to save you back there; I'm not dyin' yet!”

Well that confirmed that she was the person who saved him! Unfortunately, that didn't stop his anxieties from increasing as Alpha Sector began dragging his car off from where he had hidden it. And all Felix could do was stand there and tug at his cloak, his teeth clinched and eyes wide as he shook his head.

“Good...” whispered the woman he was with as she let her hands drop from his body, “It looks like they're gone. But we should still stay quiet. There could be some stragglers still lingerin' about.”

“Hnnnggggh!” replied Felix as he balled his hands into fists, “I...! I need to get my truck back!”

“Well that's gonna be difficult,” said the woman behind him a more relaxed manner, “I don't think I need to tell you how dangerous Alpha Sector is. You seem pretty learned, Mr...?”

“Thatcher... Felix Thatcher...” he replied whilst turning around, “And you are?”

Curvy. Very curvy.

Also... not a canine like he originally believed. At least, not exactly.

She loomed above Felix by at least a foot or two more; a woman with the body of a reptile... a furry reptile. It was... difficult to explain. Blonde fur sat on her shoulders and neck, and she had wild blonde hair which hung from her head. But it laid atop this sleek body of yellow scales, with a long snout reminiscent of a snake, and these floppy, furry ears that stood out from her hat.

Those fangs too... haah... they hung from her jaw like two curving knives.

She wore clothing not too dissimilar to his, though hers were far, far more form-fitting. Her black long coat was opened at the front, revealing the tight, slightly armored bodysuit she wore. It was tan in color and clung to her body like a second layer of skin. With her shapely hips, narrow midsection and an hefty chest, she had this curvaceous, hourglass figure that caused Felix's cheeks to slightly redden.

All along her body she was wrapped in various straps and pouches, containing who knows what. Bullets, various lethal and nonlethal bombs, even medical items could be seen on her person. At her hip was holstered a pistol, on her other hip was holstered a short-range shotgun, and on her back she had a collapsible combat bow.

Well that explained where those arrows came from before!

She gave off this vibe of a western cowboy from one of those old videos his father used to watch. Maybe it was the white ascot around her neck, or the high crown on her wide-brimmed hat. The tan pants didn't hurt either, especially that glistening golden belt buckle. And... were those spurs on her boots?

Raaatttttttllleee...!

“Huh?”

That noise? Where was that noise coming form? Felix brought his eyes up, looking past the woman before him to see her tail. Her rattling tail. It was layered in blonde fur with the bottom of it being yellow scales, and it all led to a rattling tip like a rattle snake!

Wait. Fur? Snake? A furry snake with hands and arms? She wasn't a canine beastkin or a reptilian one either! She was both! She was a--

“Nightstalker...? Y... you're a nightstalker...?”

“Now ya figure it out?” said the woman with a slight accent to her voice, one that was difficult for Felix to put his finger on, “Huff... guessin' I can't be too surprised. Only an idiot like ya'self would get caught out there by some Alpha goons...”

“I-idiot...?” repeated Felix as he pointed at himself with his thumb, “Hey! I take offense to that, Miss... Miss... uhh...?”

“Nereid. The name's Nereid,” said the nightstalker as her viperous yellow eyes peered down upon him, “It's nice to meetcha, Mr. Thatcher...”

There was a teasing tone in her words, one that coaxed a groan from Felix's lips. Truth be told, he wasn't annoyed with her, instead being more frustrated with his situation. Turning around, he gazed through the window once again where his truck once was. Then he pulled his hand back and palmed his head, a defeated groan leaving his lips.

“Maybe I am an idiot...” he whispered, though it was loud enough for Nereid to hear, “I got my things stolen. I can't believe...” shaking his head, he turned to face the nightstalker, a small, forced smile on his lips, “Th-thanks, by the way. For the save, I'm talking about. I've been stalking this factory for a few days now. It's so far and out of the way, I didn't think anyone would care to come investigate it.”

“It's because you've been here for so long that people have come to check on it...” said Nereid, taking Felix aback.

“Wh... what are you talking about?”

“Gosh... I'm guessin' you haven't been around a civilized place in a while, huh?” she said as she reached into her pocket, “Check this out.”

Tilting his head, Felix watched as she pulled out her PDA and brought up a map. On the screen were various bits of data and information, most tellingly being a recent scan from an hour or two ago. Said scan revealed the fact that his truck had been picked up, exposing it to those with such capabilities on their map.

“Several days ago, Alpha Sector erected a radio tower capable of performin' longer range scans than usual,” said Nereid, “They also gained the ability to scan for movin' vehicles. They've been usin' it to find whatever vehicles they can where they snatch 'em up. If you're constantly movin', they can't get ya. But since you've been at this factory for a few days now, they came to get ya truck. Sorry 'bout that.”

As her words played in his head, all Felix could do was sit there with his eyes wide and mouth agape. Yes, he had been away from any 'civilized place' for about a week or so, but how could Alpha Sector create such a thing without anyone noticing? And they've been using it to take other people's vehicles? Why!? What did they gain from it?

Regardless of the 'whys' and the 'whats', it had already happened. His truck had been stolen, and it was only a matter of time before they stripped it down and got inside. He could not let that happen.

“Thanks, Nereid. Thanks a lot, honestly,” he said as he tried to smile, “But... ah... I have to go. I gotta go get my truck back.”

“The hell's wrong with you?” replied the nightstalker, her eyes sliding into a glare, “I called ya an idiot, but I don't think ya that stupid. Didn't you hear me? Alpha Sector got ya truck! There's no reason runnin' out there to get it. That's paramount to suicide!”

“I... ah... I know that,” replied Felix as he sat back on a dusty, broken bench behind him, “But you don't understand, Nereid. There's something in my truck that I have to get. It's... very important.”

A wave of defeat befell Felix, who raised his hands up to the hood he wore. Grabbing it and his goggles, he pulled both down to reveal his face. On his head sat black hair that was both short and spiky, while his face was young yet stern. He was only in his mid to late twenties, yet the time here made him appear far more haggard than he actually was. Hey, a cataclysm will do that to you.

Dragging his arm against his sweaty brow, Felix took a few moments to try and collect his thoughts. He heard Nereid walk closer before sitting down on the bench beside him. Turning and looking up, he watched as the nightstalker reached into one of her pouches, before pulling out a canteen and offering it to him.

“Here, I got some water. Take some,” she said, to which he nodded and thanked her.

Taking the canteen from her, Felix took a sip or two of the cold water within, feeling it rejuvenate him. Yes, this situation was shit and terrible, but he would not let it deter him. He needed to get back to his truck; it was of the utmost importance that he did so! The items within could not fall into Alpha Sector's hands, for if they did...

No... he didn't want to think about that possible outcome.

“Thanks again, Nereid,” said Felix as he stood up, “But I've made up my mind. I have to go and get my truck.”

“Aah... fuckin' hell... I can't stand men like you,” replied the nightstalker as she stood up before him, “Always runnin' into doom all half-cocked, cuz ya thinkin' you're invincible or somethin',” crossing her arms beneath her... rather presumptuous chest, Nereid looked down upon Felix with a glare as her head tilted to the side, “Do ya even know where Alpha Sector took your truck?”

“I... well... um...” he mumbled, before tensing up, “Actually, I do! At least, I can figure it out. I have a tracker on my truck that's tied to my PDA. I'll be able to find it so long as its in a thirty mile radius.”

“Ooooh! Impressive,” said Nereid... so why was her tone so sarcastic? “'Cept, there's a slight little problem with ya plan. Alpha Sector have a jammer they've been usin' to obscure their bases. If ya don't know where it is, ya ain't findin' it.”

Oh... that's why she was being so sarcastic.

Dammit! Why the hell was Alpha Sector being so damn antagonistic? In fact, when the hell did they get all this technology to begin with?

“Haa... shit...” mumbled Felix as he palmed his head and shook it, “You really know your stuff, Nereid. In fact...” he tilted his head up at her, cocking it to one side, “How do you know all of this? And... wait... why are you even here in the first place?”

“Ya really askin'?” the nightstalker retorted “Look, I'm just a ranger travelin' this here wasteland to help people I come across. NB-319 may be Hell now, but my duty's all the same. I ain't restin' on nor have I discarded my morals. If someone needs help – like the little idiot in front of me – I'm gonna help 'em, and that's final.”

Jeeze, a strong sense of justice? That was surprisingly rare in this world. It seemed as if once Outpost Epsilon fell and plunged NB-319 into chaos, almost everyone's sense if morality fell with it. Of course, he was being slightly hyperbolic; not everyone threw away their morals... but a surprisingly large amount of them did.

“Well... ah... thank you, ranger, but I'm not going to stop,” said Felix as he straightened up further, “I need to get back to my truck.”

“Tch! Didn't you just listen to me?” Nereid snapped, “Alpha Sector'll fuckin' kill ya if you go dickin' around one of their bases! Look, I know havin' your truck taken can be a pain in the ass, but it's better to lose than than to lose your life! Thing's are bad now, I know they are, but we won't be on NB-319 forever.”

“Yes, we will,” replied Felix, causing the nightstalker to tilt her head, “Look... aah... me?” he placed his hand on his chest, “I'm an engineer. Or... well... I was an engineer. I worked on Platform 747, where it was my duty to make sure its machines were in working order. The lifts? I worked on them. The cranes? I worked on those too. The massive drill they used to tear into the earth, I worked tirelessly on it for hours to notice any flaws in its design. And that includes working on the various consoles that kept the platform going. I may not look it, but I know machines.”

“Uh... r-really...?” replied Nereid, a soft blush adorning her cheeks... before she shook her head, “So what's that gotta do with anything?”

“A lot,” he answered, “Since the cataclysm occurred, I've been working tirelessly to contact the UPE. There's just a slight problem. Without Outpost Epsilon up, we don't have a signal strong enough to reach Outpost Theta, which is the closet outpost to where we are. So I've been running around NB-319 to all the factories and platforms I can, trying to scrounge up enough parts to create a signal strong to reach Outpost Theta from the planet's surface. That's why I'm here, and that's why I need to get to my truck. All of my machines and notes are in there, and if I don't get it back...” he shook his head, “We're not getting off-world. That is unless you wanna want until the bureaucrats of the UPE finally realize something is up about Outpost Epsilon... which at this rate may take them a few decades...”

Well, he was right about that; the UPE was notoriously bureaucratic, and it's not like she wanted to live the rest of her life here on this burning planet. But there was still a problem with his plan, that being the fact that he didn't have one!

“Look, ain't no one wants to get off this world more than me,” said Nereid, “But didn't you listen to me earlier? Runnin' into an Alpha Sector base is a surefire way of gettin' yourself killed. So tell me, Mr. Engineer, whatcha plannin' on doin' to get to your truck, and get it out, without gettin' yourself killed?”

“I uh... um... uhh...”

Felix's eyes swelled as his expression shifted, appearing like he'd been slapped. Look, he's not stupid; he realized his quest was a shot in the dark, but it's not like he wasn't going to come up with a plan on the way there! Once he got a view of the base, he'll figure out someway of getting his things back safely!

At least, he hopes he comes up with some plan that'll work.

“Haaah... damn...” muttered Felix before looking back up at Nereid, “Alright, fine then, Miss Ranger. What do you propose I do? Just sit here and cut my losses? Maybe try and settle down on this dying planet? Because I gotta say, of all the ways I've imagined my death to go, dying here on NB-319 easily has to rank at the bottom of that list!”

“Tch... kekekeke... yeah, I bet,” replied the nightstalker, “Looky here, I ain't askin' for ya to give up on your quest. Honestly, I'm hopin' you can pull it off so we can get off of NB-319. That being said, runnin' into an Alpha Sector base is just askin' for trouble. So I propose a little truce,” she extended her hand, “I've been huntin' them bastards down for a while now to hopefully stop 'em and their little vehicle takin' game they got goin' on. And since you're an engineer, that makes you the perfect person to destroy their little radar tower. So here's the thing; I take ya to where they're takin' the vehicles, and you take down the radar they're usin' to find said vehicles. We gotta deal?”

Trust. It was a very rare thing to come across on NB-319. With everyone looking to survive on this nigh inhospitable planet, finding someone else to trust was a very rare thing. It's why everyone broke off into groups, clans and gangs of which they stick too closely.

Felix didn't know Nereid. For all intents and purposes, she was a loner. And loners were a very dangerous type of person to come across on the surface of NB-319. Most loners don't last long, since they didn't have friends or allies to protect them if they were attacked. So to be a loner – and to actually survive as a loner – takes an incredible amount of skill and luck.

But...

Hey, Nereid did rescue him; that has to mean something, right? While he never heard of a ranger before in this post-cataclysm world, she did have the skills and knowledge to match with her capabilities. If he were to team up with anyone to get his truck back, she was the perfect individual to do so with. Besides, she hadn't killed him yet despite the ample amount of time she's had to do so! That's a bonus, right?

“Well... I'm in no position to deny your gracious offer of a team-up!” said Felix with a grin, making Nereid chuckle as well.

“Well now... kek... someone certainly seems trusting!” replied the nightstalker.

“What can I say? The end of the world makes for strange bedfellows. Besides, I'm in no position to choose who I do and don't work with. If I'm gonna get my truck back, I'll need all the help I can get. Especially from someone who appears to know what Alpha Sector is up to. But...” he cocked his head, “What do you get out of it?”

“Didn't you listen to me earlier?” she answered, “I'm a ranger. Upholdin' the law is what I do! Alpha Sector's been runnin' around like they own the planet, and I can't stand for that! I'm gonna bust their little operations, no matter what!”

“So... you're just doing it cuz... it's the right thing to do?” he replied, to which Nereid shook her head.

“Yup! Gotta problem with that?”

Felix shook his head, but... he didn't exactly believe Nereid. While he didn't doubt that she wanted to do the right thing, he couldn't help but to feel like she had ulterior motives behind taking on Alpha Sector. But what could that possibly be?

No, it wasn't in his right to pry at her personal affairs. Whatever reason she had for opposing Alpha Sector was her reason; not his. If she wanted to keep it a secret, then so be it. He was just happy to have help on his own quest.

“So... it is a deal, right?” asked Nereid, to which Felix smiled and nodded.

“Yeah,” he answered, extending his hand, “It's a deal.”

“Kekekekeke! Great!”

Their hands ran along one another, shaking on their newly-made duo. Felix's hand was rough due to all of his time working on machines. Nereid's hand on the other hand was surprisingly smooth and gentle. It grooved along his hand then clutched his, giving him a firm squeeze and handshake.

“Sooooo...” said Felix as he pulled his hand back, “Now what?”

“Now what...?” repeated Nereid as she placed her hands on her hips, “Let's retreat to my bike. We can talk more there.”

“B-bike...? Aah...”

Felix nodded, watching as Nereid turned to face the exit, a chuckle leaving her lips. He remained still however, wondering how he could have been so foolish as to make the mistakes he made. Even if Alpha Sector didn't have a radar which they used to scan for vehicles, leaving his truck out in the relative open like that was incredibly stupid. Someone was bound to find and take it, if they didn't strip it of parts right then and there.

But things weren't entirely down. Teaming up with Nereid was a godsend, especially if it got his truck back. So with an affirmative nod, he instilled within himself a sense of confidence, and exited the area along with the nightstalker who saved him.

The walk to her bike was a long one. Unlike him, she was smart enough to park in a distant and better hidden location, as to not draw unwanted attention to herself. And since she only recently arrived, Alpha Sector didn't have time to pick up her bike on their radar. Still, that didn't make the travel any less... quiet.

Side by side, they walked out of the perimeter of the factory they were in, and started heading over towards sandy dunes and rocky cliffs in the distance. The burning red skies of NB-319 was growing hotter now, which was typical during midday. An annoyed groan left Felix and he dragged his brow along his head... before shifting his gaze over towards Nereid.

She walked in a more calm, more composed manner than he did. Even when he was in a relatively safe space, he always moved skittish and unsure of himself. In this post-cataclysm world, an enemy could be hiding anywhere. But Nereid didn't seem to mind.

Her hips and backside moved with this sway to it one that was serpentine... and erotic. He'd never seen hips move like that, whether it be in person, or on the video screen of some sordid movie. And with the bodysuit she wore, her erotic movements were highlighted, drawing more attention to them.

Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Felix felt his cheeks heat up as he took his time watching every finite detail of her voluptuous body. Not to mention that unique tail of hers which she allowed to slither upon the ground. It too moved with this serpentine grace, which went against her more furry aspects.

Actually, are nightstalkers more coyote, or more snake? More canine, or more reptile? Geeze, if only he was a biologist more than a roboticist; he could actually answer the question then.

“Are you goin' to stare all day?” asked Nereid, her cool voice causing Felix to snap upright, “You have a PDA. Just take a snapshot of my ass if you want.”

“Wh-what!?” he said as she called out his perverse leering... accidental though it was, “I... I wasn't looking at your ass! I was... uhh...” his eyes swiveled towards her back as she looked over her shoulder towards him, “I was looking at your... bow! Yeah, your bow. It's... it's not what I would expect of someone like you. I'd peg you as more of a... rifle woman.”

“Rifles are too loud,” she stated whilst shaking her head, “I have one on my bike, but I don't want to use it often. If I shot it off, I would have alerted all of Alpha Sector guys to my position, and I didn't want to do that.”

Reaching towards her back, Nereid pulled her bow off of the harness it was attached to. It was an elegant weapon; this wonderful blend of practicality and beauty. Black in color, it had this arched design that was perfect for a combat bow. Its bowstring was black as well, being made of this material that was both incredibly flexible, and incredibly strong.

Snap!

With a push, Nereid caused her bow to open up, revealing it in all of its glory. Felix wasn't holding it, but he could tell the weapon was heavy. The draw on the string too required a lot of strength, even if one wasn't trying to penetrate flesh. How difficult it must be to wield that weapon, and yet the nightstalker carried it around like it was an extension of her will.

“Impressive,” said Felix, making Nereid cock her head.

“Hm? Watcha talkin' about?” she asked.

“I'm just... commenting on your use of that bow,” he replied, “I've never seen anyone use a bow like that, even on a more... heh... civilized planet. Yet you carry that around with great ease. I don't even think I could hold that thing if you gave it to me. Aah...” he shrugged his shoulders, “But what can I say? I didn't come to NB-319 to fight for survival. I did it to work.”

“We all did,” she replied whilst snapping her bow back into its collapsed state, “But I guess things change when space stations come fallin' from the sky,” her head tipped forward, “'Kay... there's my bike.”

Felix looked forward, his eyes falling on... nothing. It was just a small hill next to a story-high rock formation. You'd pass thousands of locations like this everyday, and you'd never think anything about it. Where was Nereid's bike? Weeeell...

The nightstalker chuckled, having sensed his confusion. Walking forward, she approached the side of the rock formation and grabbed it. To Felix's surprise, he watched as the rock fell inward, less like it was a rock, and more like it was a tarp.

Because it was a tarp. Nereid pulled it up and tossed it aside, revealing it as nothing more than a camouflage tarp she used to cover her bike. Side bike was much like her bow; being black in color, and this blend between style and substance. Its surface was dusty, it's edges smooth and sharp, with thrust engines at its back, and hover technology at the bottom. Various pouches and straps adorned its sides which contained a variety of things such as more weaponry (there was that rifle she spoke of), as well as things such as camping material and other such miscellaneous utensils.

While Nereid took the time to roll her masking tarp up, Felix approached her bike with eyes wide. Rather brazenly, he began dragging his hand along her illustrious vehicle, marveling at its craftsmanship. Clearly, she took great care of her bike... and yet he could see flaws within it. These pipes were too old, the engine core was exposed here, the thrusters looked like they could use some cleaning, and the hover technology at the bottom appeared to be missing a few key components. The bike worked, yes, and it worked well... but it can work so much better.

“Are you okay?” asked Nereid as she leaned over Felix's shoulder.

“Y-yeah, I'm fine,” he answered... before pointing at her hoverbike, “If I may be so bold, Nereid...”

“It depends...” she replied whilst crossing her arms, “What are you about to say, and is it gonna piss me off?”

“Weeeeell...” he replied as he leered at her bike once again, “I don't know? Is it offensive if I ask to fix your bike?”

“Fix... my bike...?”

“Yeah!”

Reaching into his cloak, Felix grabbed a few straps of his cloak, pulling them off. Once undone, his cloaks a whole fell from his body, revealing the various pouches, straps and bandoleers he wore on his body. On the right side of his body specifically, there was a large toolkit that hung on his hip. Removing it, he got down on his knees before Nereid's bike, where he opened up his toolkit to reveal the bevy of tools he had within.

“Have you been noticing issues with your bike as of late?” he asked as he began pulling out various instruments, “Things like acceleration being off? Maybe the balance is a bit iffy? Or how about lift when the hover technology takes off?”

“Um... yeah...” replied Nereid as her head cocked to the side, “It has been havin' a few issues as of late...”

“Ah-ha! The suspensions a bit shot. I noticed that from eyesight,” he answered, “The thrusters too look a bit dented. I could buffer 'em out in a little bit and give them a cleaning. And the hover technology? A few wires are torn and I think the middle fan is busted too. Your bike works, but if you give me an hour, I can have it working wonderfully!”

He stopped for a moment, putting the reins on his enthusiasm as he slowly turned to face Nereid. While he was hopeful for the chance on working on her bike, she appeared more... confused. His words were quick and snappy, and most of them flew over her head. But there was this curiosity behind her eyes, like someone who wanted to learn.

But instead of asking, she turned away, this bashful expression briefly flickering upon her face.

“Go ahead and fix it,” said Nereid as she procured her bow form her back once again, “I'll keep watch... and keep watch over you. If you try anything funny, no matter how far you run, I will catch you.”

“Heh... I'm sure of it,” he replied with this smile on his face, “Promise, Nereid, I won't do anything stupid. Hell, by the time I'm done, your bike'll be running better than it's ever run before!”

His excitement and enthusiasm were both palpable and infectious. Nereid couldn't help but to chuckle as she watched him gather his tools and approach her bike. While a part of her was hesitant to allow him – someone she didn't know – to mess with her vehicle, she already trusted Felix to do the part. She's run across hundreds, no, thousands of people in her life and during her time here on NB-319, and not one of them were as earnest as he was.

Tools in hand, Felix got to work on her bike, with Nereid watching over him. The nightstalker claimed she was going to keep watch over their surroundings, and she did... but she paid close attention to him at the same time. Or, well, technically, she was paying close attention to what he was doing.

Felix moved with speed and precision, tugging at and picking apart her bike. Parts were removed and then replaced, buffered and cleaned, then tested as he applied pressure to various locations. He knew what he was doing... while almost all of it flew right over Nereid's head. This was her motorbike, yes, but she tended to have it fixed by mechanics, and not by her own hands.

“You... really know what you're doin',” Nereid remarked, making Felix chuckle.

“I grew up around machines,” he replied with a smile, “My mother worked at a factory on planet Titania. Have you ever heard of their weather manipulation satellites? She was one of many workers who fixed them whenever something went wrong. I grew up learning around her.”

“I see...”

“What about you?” he asked as he looked over at her, though his hands continued working on her bike, “Was your father or mother a ranger too?”

“Not mine,” Nereid replied as she knelt down beside him, “At least... I don't think they were,” she shook her head, “I don't quite know what my parents were. I ain't never met them to learn, so I can't say.”

“Oh... uh... s-sorry for asking...”

“Naaaaah! Don't be!” replied the nightstalker with this hardy laugh as she patted his shoulder, “There's nothing to be sorry for! It ain't like I feel super depressed cuz I ain't never met my parents or nothin',” she shrugged her shoulders, “It's just a thing.”

“Hmm...”

Felix's hands slowed to a crawl momentarily and he looked back at the bike before him. For a moment he remained still, before taking a deep breath and getting back to work.

As the air around them grew silent once more, Nereid tilted her head as her expression again grew curious. Time blurred by as she watched him, having completely forgotten about keeping watch like she said. Thankfully they were alone in this little part of the desert, and Felix was so quick that--

“Done...”

She didn't even feel time move.

“Huh? What? D-done already?” asked Nereid as Felix stood up.

“Yup, done already,” he replied as this boastful grin appeared on his lips, “Hey, I may be stupid enough to leave my truck out in the open, but if there's one thing I do know, it's machines!” he turned and faced her while putting his hand down on her bike, “Why don't you give her a spin real quick. I bet you'll find she runs a lot better than she's ever run before!”

Nereid looked at him, reading the smile on his face, before sweeping her yellow eyes back over towards her bike. Slowly approaching it, she placed her hands upon its handles before mounting it. Nothing about it felt out of the ordinary at first... and then she turned her bike on.

VRRRRRRRMMMMM!!!

“Ah...?”

It howled to life, its anti-gravity technology zipping on and flashing a blue color. As it floated into the air, it kicked up a plume of dust which billowed around her. Grabbing upon its handle bars, Nereid' squeezed tight as she regained a sense of balance that had been lost for a long time. More easily she could commandeer her bike, and when she squeezed on the throttle to give it some gas...

VRRRRRSSSHH! VRRRRRRSSH!!!

Flames shot out from her thrusters, pushing her forward with controlled bursts. She didn't need to crank it up, or squeeze hard on her gas pedal, no. She squeezed the throttle, and gas was immediately pushed into her engine; nothing more, nothing less.

She hadn't had this level of control over her bike in a long, long time. And Felix gave it back to her in under one hour.

Felix himself had this wide smile on his face as he watched Nereid drive around in circles. The freedom she was given could not be understated; it was almost like she was given a brand new motorcycle to drive! All the things she wanted to do she did so with ease, while her bike still retained its familiar weight, speed, and balance. Nereid easily zipped around, kicking up a small dust storm behind her before coming to a halt a few yards away.

Sitting there on her bike, the nightstalker's hands visibly trembled as she held upon the handles of her bike. It couldn't be repeated enough; her bike felt soooooooo amazing! The precision, the control; she felt unstoppable! But... she was not so excited to think herself impervious.

Taking in a deep breath, Nereid looked over towards Felix, watching as he walked up to her with this proud smile on his face. By now, the red horizon was beginning to dim, shifting into more purples and blacks. Soon night would fall, and like any desert, you do not want to be outside at night. Doubly so on NB-319, where night was so cold, it may as well have become an ice planet.

“C'mon,” said Nereid as she tossed her head back, this wicked grin adorning her lips, “We better get going before the two moons rise.”

“I'll say,” Felix replied as he collected his things into his tool kit and pulled up his hood, “Do you have an idea of where we can go?”

“There's an abandoned military outpost not too far from us,” she explained, “With how you fixed up my bike, we'll be there before the temperatures plummet.”

“Then lead the way.”

Slight problem, however; Nereid's bike was... well... a bike. Yes, it was spacious enough to hold two people, doubly so with his smaller size compared to hers, but... well... they'll be close. Very close. Felix's face turned red when this thought finally struck him, while the nightstalker tilted her head in curiosity.

“Is... somethin' wrong...?” she asked, to which Felix shook his head.

“No, no!” he said in a rather culpable manner. He was acting like he had been convicted of a crime that didn't exist, “It's just that... um... w-well...” he shook his head, “Ah. Forget it. Let me just um...”

Slowly Felix mounted the bike, still feeling uncomfortable with being so close to Nereid. At least the hum of the vehicle beneath their legs helped to dull his senses... at least... until he looked forward. The nightstalker's slender back was pointed towards him. Even with her jacket on her shoulders, he could still see the curves of her shoulders, and the shapeliness of her hips and butt. Not to mention the fact that her tail was to the side, further letting him gaze upon her.

Felix's cheeks burned red at the sight of it all, and he opened his mouth. Coughing in some vain attempt at dispelling the tension he felt, there was nothing he could do to free himself from this situation. Especially when--

Slitherrrr...

“Wh-what?”

Nereid's tail... slid around his waist.

“Unless you want to fly off my bike when we're goin' at over 80 miles an hour, I recommend you hold on,” said the nightstalker.

With a firm hold, she reached down and grabbed Felix by the wrists, and brought them up towards her hips. His eyes swelled and his cheeks turned even redder as he was forced to wrap his arms around her waist. At first he was hesitant... but then he grabbed a hold of her, holding on tight.

“That's better!” said Nereid with this wide grin, “'Kay! Hold on tight, Felix! Let's go for a ride!”

VRRRRRRMM!!!

“WHOA!?”

With an amazing burst of speed, the duo took off from the side of the rock formation, and peeled out upon the desert fields in front of them. Felix jerked back from the sudden launch, before relaxing himself as he held tighter upon Nereid's body.

Tighter indeed. Nereid's bodysuit left so very little to the imagination. It clung to her body, flaunting her voluptuous form like a second layer of skin. And with how he was forced to cling against her less he be blown off her bike, he could indeed feel every detail on her body.

Such a strong body. He could feel taut musculature beneath her bodysuit. Not overwhelmingly so, but certainly the body of a fit and capable woman. Instinctively, he began dragging his fingers along her powerful form, marveling at it. His hands traveled up far enough to...

Ah...

Oh shit...

Was he feeling her up? That was not his attentions! Realizing this, Felix quickly dropped his hands back down to her waist, his face an intense blush as he looked aside towards their blurring surroundings. He could only hope she didn't realize what he was doing.

The thing is... yeah, she did.

Her hands held tight upon the handles of her bike, keeping it fixed in place while her yellow eyes remained locked on the horizon... and a red blush sat on her cheeks. She couldn't believe he was ballsy enough to feel her up while he was holding onto her! What? Was he an idiot, or a pervert? A perverted idiot? And... what's this? Oh heavens! Was that his penis grinding up against her butt? She felt something big and lumpy press against the crevice of her ass!

The awkwardness of the situation made her wish it was his pistol she was feeling.

Despite realizing what he was (accidentally) doing, Nereid didn't say a word. She was just thankful that her back was to him so he couldn't see the embarrassed blush she wore on her face. At the very least, he brought his exploratory hands to a halt on her hips, gripping them firmly.

Their hoverbike howled along the desert plains, kicking up dust and sand behind them in a thick cloud. For miles around one could see nothing but the salty whites of the desert, the red of the skies, and a few derelict factories and platforms here and there. They all blended by, the closer objects being a blur, and the more distant objects moving in a slow crawl.

There was a certain kind of heinous beauty to NB-319. Yes, it was this post-apocalyptic hellhole of a world with crumbling metal structures dotting the surface like monuments to death, people forced to create groups less they die alone, and morals cast aside to survive... but moments like these brought a sense of poignancy to it all. Felix wasn't an artist, but he couldn't help but to find a level of charm when driving along the horizon. The silence, the sights, the locations; all of it was almost like living in a vivid, ruinous portrait.

Maybe he'd gone a little crazy from these years on NB-319. He'd argue if he didn't try to find the beauty in this terrible situation, he would have lost his mind long ago.

Across the horizon, the vibrant and harsh reds and oranges that made up NB-319's skies, steadily began morphing into dark blues, purples, and blacks. Flickering stars began appearing as well, along with NB-319's two moons. Yes, they did have names, and yes, they were just as boring as 'NB-319.

More importantly, this shift in atmosphere brought a change in climate. Temperatures rapidly began dropping, plunging from well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, down to around 60 degrees. It was gradual, yes, but it was far quicker than what would be typical on most other desert planets.

The crashing of Outpost Epsilon did more than just affect the machinery of the planet; it directly impacted its weather as well. These rapid changes in temperature were normal now in this post-cataclysm world, requiring its denizens to find shelter and warmth, less they want to freeze to death. As the air grew colder, the once arid desert gained this chill which was cold enough for one to see their own breath, and for ice to form upon the ground.

They still had an hour or so before the weather truly became unbearable, but if they didn't find shelter soon, they'll be a couple of icicles on the ground. Thankfully, Nereid wasn't lying before when she spoke of a nearby military outpost.

“There!” she shouted above her bike's howling engines.

Leaning over, Felix peered over her shoulder towards the distance, where one could find a small metal station sitting in the middle of relative nowhere.

Across the surface of NB-319 there laid a large, suspended metal road known simply as 'the Highway'. Said road connected to every major factory, station and drill platform all over the world. It was massive, making it easy for vehicles and machines to be delivered when needed. Back before NB-319 fell to pieces, the Highway was always filled with vehicles of all kinds, be they massive trucks or smaller cars. Now however, it was a monolithic road with nothing on it, save for vehicles abandoned in a hasty manner.

This military outpost had a name on the side of it, being Fort Sally. It was a small little area, being one of thousands of similar stations that dot the Highway every 1000 miles or so. They were used as checkpoints before, where trucks would be scanned and investigated, before driving on their way towards their destination. But now – much like all of the Highway – these outposts were largely abandoned. Some of them had been converted into living quarters for people and an even entire communities... but not all of them.

And Fort Sally was one of these abandoned stations.

Driving off the desert sands, Nereid took them upon the roads of the Highway proper and drove up to Fort Sally. By now, the temperatures had dropped down to 30 degrees, and were only getting colder. Felix even began shivering! Normally, he'd be in the safety of his truck where his heater could transform his vehicle into a virtual sauna! Nereid however was more comfortable with this heat. Maybe it was the fur.

Driving up towards Fort Sally, Nereid drifted into its parking garage and brought her bike to a halt. Kicking up its stand and turning it off, she dismounted from hoverbike along with Felix, who stared over towards the base inside.

“I'll close these gates,” said the nightstalker as she walked towards the garage's doors, “You get to work starting a fire.”

“I'll do better than that,” Felix replied as he grabbed his toolkit, “I have a power core on me. I'll be able to get this base's heater on once I find its power room.”

“R-really?” said Nereid as she looked at him.

He snickered back as he slipped into the fort proper, while she pulled down the garage doors. Once they slammed shut, she followed behind Felix, who slowly descended deeper into the station.

From the outside, Fort Sally appeared like a meager two-story structure with a toll gate that was shattered, and a tower that would allow a sentry to gaze over the Highway. In reality, the fort – like all stations along the Highway – was far larger on the inside!

The true depths of the base extended within the Highway, existing beneath the roads by 40 feet of reinforced steel. As expected of a military outpost, its halls were strict and professional, being a place where armed soldiers and guards would live. It had a meager mess hall, a small barracks, showers and bathrooms, even a prison area for criminals.

Of course, this was all necessary in the past. Now however, the base was empty, devoid of life save for trash... and shadows.

Click!

Pulling out his flashlight, Felix illuminated the abandoned halls of the base before him. While they were sure there was no one else in these halls, he still had his pistol drawn, and Nereid did likewise with her shotgun. Together, the duo slowly pushed into the dark halls of the fort, their flashlights flicking one way to the other as they searched for anything out of the ordinary.

As if anything was ordinary already.

“Can you really get this place to work...?” asked Nereid, to which Felix chuckled.

“I know a thing or two about these bases,” he replied, “Before Epsilon fell, I often had to fix these power rooms. I got really good at navigating around their infrastructure. I'll be honest with you, not every aspect of the station is going to work due to time and erosion, but I should be able to get most of it to work. Lights, heat... that's what is most important right now.”

Nereid nodded, and the two continued on. Coming to the back of the outpost, there was a hatch in the floor, one that had been slightly jimmied open. Using a nearby crowbar, the two worked the hatch open, sending a wicked 'GRRRRRRRNNNN...' noise through the air as they revealed a staircase that led deeper into the base.

The temperatures continued plummeting, getting colder and colder. Even more than before Felix was shivering, but that didn't stop him from pushing deeper into the base. The hatch led into the fort's power system, where large generators laid next to one another in a dormant state. Approaching the central power unit at the back, Felix pulled open its hatch, causing it to fly off its rusted hinges.

“Heh... uh... didn't mean to d-do that,” he said before grabbing his toolkit, “Alright, let me get to work.”

His tools in one hand and his power core in another, Felix pushed himself beneath the power unit, laying on his back as he entered into its massive gnarl of busted machines and hanging cords.

Zrrrt! Crank Crank Crank! Click! Click! Twist! Twwwiiiiissst!

“Aah...?”

Nereid bent over, keeping her flashlight pointed towards Felix as he got to work on the base's power system. She heard the clicking of his tools and the surging of wires, while his face remained focus to the task. At times she wanted to say something, but she feared doing so would ruin his otherwise immaculate display.

Yes, immaculate; that's the perfect word for it. He had a wonderful way with hands, something she was envious of. Nereid was a capable ranger, but when it came to machines, she showed visible confusion... and curiosity.

She liked machines, desired to learn more about them, even. But studying about machines and devices through the pages of a book, wasn't the way she preferred to learn. All the while, Felix continued tending to the base's power systems, where his hand reached out from under the machine he was laying beneath.

“Nereid,” he called, “That link cable in my toolkit... do you see it? It's the yellow and white cord.”

“I... I got it,” she replied, watching as he clutched at the air.

“Hand it to me, will ya?”

“R-right! Here ya go.”

Bending over slightly, Nereid swiped up the link cable he spoke and handed it to him. He silently thanked her before slipping back beneath the machine he was toiling within. She could hear him connect the cord to... something, followed by the 'Zrrrt!' and the 'Zzzzrrrrp!' of him connecting loose wires together via a soldering ray. Next were a few more cranks of his wrench against the machine inside, finished off with a--

“Oh shit...”

“Huh? What do you--” ZZZZZZZRRRRRRRRRRRT! “AAH!?” F-FELIX!?”

A spark of light suddenly emitted form beneath the console he worked on, one that flashed around Felix's body. Shocked and horrified, Nereid reached down, grabbed him by his ankles, and then yanked him out from under the slot in the wall. In doing so, she revealed...

“Koff...! Koff! Ooooh...”

Well... Felix was alive! That must say something! His body was slightly charred however, his already spiky hair was even straighter now, and visible smog wafted over his body. There were even tiny little bolts of electricity which flickered off his body, almost like he was a human battery!

“F-F-Felix...?” said Nereid as she knelt down near his side, “A... are you okay?”

“I'm Zzzzzzt! Fine...” he answered, “Koff! Koff! Zrrrrt! Nnnghh...! Ooww... y-you don't be an... engineer as long as I am... and not expect... Zzrrrrt! To get electrocuted... e-every now and then. As well as set on fire... and breaking a few bones in your hands and feet... oh yeah, and getting stabbed on occasion.”

“Are you sure you're an engineer? That sounds more like you're prone to bad luck,” Nereid remarked, to which Felix chuckled.

“Yeeaaaaaah... Zrrrrrt! You might be on to something there.”

Standing upright, Felix staggered about, nearly falling off his feet as he did so. But as the pain started to subside, he walked over towards his toolkit and opened it up, revealing a secret compartment within it. Inside said compartment, there was cylindrical object that was slightly bigger than a person's hand. It was light blue and white, had a hefty weight to it, and seemingly thumped with this palpable power. Gasping in awe of the device, Nereid watched as Felix turned around to face the machine he was working on.

“I'll just slot this... inside...” he muttered as he slipped the device under the machine, “Pop it in here...” Click! “And then slid the link cable up...” Twist! “Okay... and...”

He pulled back out from under the machine. By now, the air was so cold and frigid, that ice was starting to form on the rusted, metal surface of the chamber they were in. Nereid clutched herself close, thankful that her fur and jacket could fight off the cold... but if they didn't get a source of heat soon, they'd freeze to death. Felix meanwhile, appeared almost impervious to the cold... probably because he was plenty warm from being electrocuted.

But, no, he was just focusing through the pain on the flip switch that sat in the distance. Walking over towards the massive switch, he grabbed it...

THUNK...

And pulled it down.

For several moments, nothing happened. Nereid looked at him, her head tilted. Felix looked back at the switch, pushed it back up...

THUNK...

And pulled it down again. But this time when he did so...

GRRRN... GRRRN... GRRRRRRRRRRRNNN!!!

FLIP! FLIP! FLIP!

The various engines within the base began humming and churning to life. They howled and wheezed at first, for it had been months, maybe even years since they were last active. But as the cobwebs, dust and ice were moved out of their twisting and turning gears, the various generators in the room began thumping with life! Power once more surged through their wires and veins, turning on and revealing the station's basement in all of its dusty, rusted glory.

As well as Felix still standing there with a few lingering bolts of electricity pulsing off his form.

“We should probably get upstairs... and turn on the heater...” he mumbled, while Nereid chuckled.

“Are you okay, Felix? Honestly and truthfully?” she asked, “There ain't no honor to be found in silently suffering through the pain. If ya hurt, just up and tell me, 'kay?”

“Yeah... I know...” he said as he walked up towards her, and...

Plap!

“Oh!?”

His head...

Fell right between her tits.

The pain he felt may be a familiar pain, but being electrocuted is being electrocuted! While he had built up a resilience to it, he could push himself forward for but so long. And as his limbs finally gave out, it caused him to land betwixt the nightstalker's chest.

And such a lovely chest it was. Nereid... was a busty woman. Her breasts cradled and lifted his head, being firm enough to support him, while soft enough to embrace. The longer he laid against her chest, the more comfortable he became. A smile even spread on his lips as he shook his head left and right, nuzzling closer to her in his pain-addled mind.

All the while, Nereid stood there. She didn't yell at him, didn't bark, didn't push him away, did not say a single word. She just... stood there. No, wait, that's not all she did. She raised her hands slowly... and then placed them on his shoulders, where she gently nuzzled him in closer. A smile spread on her lips as she embraced the engineer, and her tail gave a soft shake, followed by an audible...

Raaattttllleee...

“You're not a half bad guy, Felix...” Nereid whispered, “Kekeke...!”

…

He was there when Outpost Epsilon fell.

Viridian Industries own several drill platforms on the surface of NB-319. While they had various locations all around the mining planet, it was this one specific platform – Platform 79 – that was closest to Impact Epsilon: the name given to where Outpost Epsilon fell.

They'd been having issues with one of their radar dishes, and called upon him to fix it. He arrived sometime in the morning, and climbed all the way up to the top of the tower. His headphones were in his ears, he has his tools ready, and he got to work putting those wires together. He'd only been up there for, what, an hour? Maybe an hour in a half when...

It was the heat he felt first. It was always hot on NB-319, but suddenly, the temperatures jumped a few dozen degrees. From 98 degrees Fahrenheit all the way to 130 degrees in a matter of seconds. He remembered gasping in confusion, and looking up towards the skies. That's when he saw it; the flickering image of steel burning in the atmosphere like stars in the day. The orange clouds that make up NB-319's skies then parted open, revealing the large, burning hull belonging to Outpost Epsilon.

It pierced the crimson heavens above him, falling in slow motion as metal and fire burned off its surface. He remembered sitting there, mouth agape and eyes wide in complete disbelief at what he was witnessing. It couldn't have been any longer than, what, two minutes? Maybe three? But those three minutes felt like an eternity. Those three minutes would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Outpost Epsilon crashed into the ground.

THHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

“GAAH!?”

And Felix sprung up.

Warm. He felt incredibly warm. It was a pleasant warmth; far, far different from the intense heat of NB-319 during the day, or the meager warmth he could produce in his truck. This was the kind of warmth you'd feel next to a fireplace as you wrap yourself in a warm blanket.

But instead of being in some wooden lodge on a beautiful mountaintop somewhere, Felix swept his eyes around to see that he was in the lounge room of a dingy, abandoned military fort. And instead of being wrapped up in a warm blanket, he was laying beneath the black long coat belonging to a certain someone.

Ah... so warm... and... it radiated with her scent...

Felix tensed up and laid his hand on his head. Oh, right, he accidentally zapped himself while working on the fort's generators. It hurt him so much that after he turned the power on, he passed out in Nereid's arms... and in her breasts. Just thinking about it made his cheeks warm up from embarrassment!

From the looks of things, despite his unconscious state, she was capable of turning the heater on in the base. She was even kind enough to lay him on this couch, and wrap him up in her jacket. But... where was the nightstalker? Looking around the derelict room he was in, Felix saw nothing but the abandoned pieces of furniture around him.

“Nereid...?” he called as he got up on his feet, “Nereid...? A... are you there?”

His call went unanaswered. Stumbling forward, Felix used a nearby chair to help prop himself up as he felt his body relax. There were a few aches and pains still rumbling through him, but when he looked down, he saw that his injuries had been tended too. Various bandages and band-aids laid on his body; Nereid took care of him.

Nereid...

Felix couldn't help but to let his mind wonder as he began stumbling through the halls of the fort. Maybe it was the many days of loneliness he's endured ever since the cataclysm, but he couldn't help but to think about the nightstalker. She was tall and curvy, this elegant blend between sensual voluptuousness and powerful athleticism. Her body was like her species; this unique merger of a serpent's grace, and a canine's power.

He'd never seen someone like her before. Yes, he's worked aside various hybrids in his day, but none as unique as her. They were typically things like humans with the features of a beastkin, or a cat with horns; something like that. But Nereid's two differing aspects did not clash, but highlighted one another.

Look, he's a machine person, not a person person! Still, he could appreciate the outward beauty of another person. But what about the inner beauty? In a way, that was more difficult to ascertain, and yet also easier at the same time. He didn't know her all too well – they just met only this morning – but he didn't feel any maliciousness from her.

He bemoaned before how morals were so quickly discarded when the world fell. And yet, Nereid continued on being a ranger; the most upstanding position one could have. Unlike Alpha Sector, she didn't use her weaponry and skills to subjugate and dominate others. She instead continued to protect and help those around her.

At least, that's what she told him. Hell, for all he could know, that may have all been a lie! But since he wasn't, ya'know, dead, and she even went through the extra steps to tend to his wounds, he found no reason to doubt her. Who knows; if this goes well, maybe they could keep this partnership going? She clearly needed help with machines and whatnot, and he clearly needed help with protection, so it would be a win-win if they continued putting their heads together! Besides... it would give him more time to learn about her.

But, no, they needed to focus on the task at hand, and that was to get his truck back! But that led to him wondering why Nereid was helping him at all. He needed to get his truck back, but what did she gain from this union of theirs? Why did she want to go up against Alpha Sector? She said wanted to destroy stop their car stealing operation, but he doubted that was the whole truth. Was Nereid hiding something? And... and...

Sssssssssshhhhhh...!

What was that noise? And... was that... steam?

Felix's eyes widened as a light layer of steam began floating around his feel. Looking around, he noticed the steam was flowing from down the hall he was standing in. Speedily he walked forward, where the steam grew thicker and thicker, like an out of place fog in this rusted corridor. And as he came closer to the source of this steam, the sound he heard grew louder.

Sssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhh!

“Ah...”

It was water. What he was hearing was rushing water. And considering all the steam around him, he quickly came to realize that this was produced by a shower.

Felix's cheeks turned red and his eyes wide. Nereid was taking a shower. Straightening up, he began walking backwards as he pulled his hands up in a defensive manner. Even though he hadn't done anything wrong yet, he already felt like some perverted peeping tom. Not made any better by the fact that his mind was racing with thoughts of Nereid's naked body.

That blonde fur... those saffron scales... all of it glistening in hot, steaming water. She'd be a radiating idol of yellow and gold. Imagining it made his cheeks turn redder and redder, and caused a certain area of him to stiffen.

No, no! He needed to be better than this! He wouldn't perversely leer upon a woman if the world was okay, so why would he do so now? No, no! Felix was just gonna turn around and--

Sssssssssssssssssshhh! Fweet! Fweet! Click!

The water turned off. Despite his inner turmoil, Felix remained in place, as if glued to the floor. Eyes wide, he stared forward, listening to the sound of Nereid turning off the shower. This was followed by the sound of her walking out of the base's showers, where she exited from them fully.

Her body... her nude body. It was covered in the steam of her shower like an erotic silhouette of yellow and shadows. Felix could see the defined curves of her illustrious physique; from her shapely hips and butt, to her narrow waist, up to her presumptuous, busty chest. Her wild blonde hair was freed from its hat, laying long on her back as it was matted down with water, and her saffron scales were glowing with this effervescent beauty.

The nightstalker stood there, drying herself off with her meager towel as this pleasurable groan left her lips. From the sound of it, this was her first shower in a long, long time, and she really needed one. Not just to clean the sand and dirt that was on her body, but to help her relax both physically and mentally. So she took her time enjoying this feeling as she dragged her claws through her hair, stroking it back. Her tail meanwhile rose up high, rattling in the chamber as she inadvertently exposed her shapely ass and wonderful back towards Felix.

And Felix? Yeaaaah... he just stood there, completely immobile. His mouth was closed, his eyes were wide, and his cheeks were as red as a tomato. He couldn't speak, no matter how much he wanted to. It was impossible. He didn't even realized he had been standing there for a moment too long, that is, until Nereid...

“Hm?”

Turned around.

Her yellow eyes fell upon him, who stared back with that same goofy expression on his face. All of time seemed to crawl to a halt in this moment, with neither side saying a word. Nereid was completely naked mind you, save only the towel which hung on her shoulders. It did fall far enough to cover her curvy her busty breasts... but that's about it. The fog did the rest, covering her eeeeevveerrr so slightly from the pelvis down.

What did Felix think before? That Nereid was probably some radiating idol of yellow and gold? Well, he had to think about it no longer; the proof of the nightstalker's ethereal beauty now laid before him. In this moment – whether purposeful or not – he came to know just how remarkable she was. The water on her body made her glisten, her blonde hair and fur was matted down, and her scales glowed like an erotic treasure. And that's all he could see in this moment... before he finally turned around.

“I-I'M SORRY!” he apologized as he faced the opposing wall, “I-I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE SHOWERING! I WENT LOOKING FOR YOU, I SWEAR!”

“Ngghh...!”

Pulling up her arms, Nereid covered her chest, and used her tail to cover her pelvis as best she could. Her cheeks too turned red in understandable embarrassment, and she gritted her sharp teeth. She believed his words, believed that he accidentally ran into her after her shower... but that didn't change the fact that – for a moment or two too long – he was ogling her. His eyes traced up and down her body... much like his hands did earlier on the bike.

The first time she could brush off as being accidental, but this time was different. While he didn't mean to come across her just finishing her shower, that didn't stop his body from reacting quite pleasantly. Putting it lightly, Felix was attracted to her...

And Nereid knew it.

It left her blushing as she looked aside. He was attracted to her? No, that can't be right! He must have just been aroused because he saw her naked body; that's all! There was no way a human like him could be attracted to a nightstalker like her! At least, that's how she felt.

“Okay, I get it!” said Nereid as she straightened up. Her voice had this strength to it, and her body radiated an air of confidence as she balled her hands into fists and pointed her back towards him, “Just... get your ass back to the lounge where you were sleepin', okay? I'll be with ya in a second!”

“Y-yeah...!”

That firm command was the best thing she could say, considering how embarrassed and ashamed Felix was. So he quickly rushed off and returned to the lounge room, where he sat on the couch like some bashful schoolboy. Hands in his lap and head down, his cheeks were intensely red and his eyes wide, all while his mind continued dancing with thoughts of Nereid's nude body. All of those glowing curves, and that erotic physique... how could he not think about her?

And thinking about her caused another problem to arise.

“Nnggh...! N-no...”

Felix looked down; his penis looked back.

Stiffening greatly in a matter of moments, his lewd thoughts caused blood to rush straight to his length. His pants were pretty baggy and spacious, yet even then he could see his rigid member begin to press against his thigh. Shame arose with his arousal, but that did little to diminish the size of his member. He just couldn't get Nereid out of his head.

“Aaah... I should've just stayed here...” Felix bemoaned.

“Yeah, you should've...” Nereid answered.

Eyes widening as an audible 'Oh' left his lips, the engineer turned to face the lounge's entrance. Standing there at the doorway, leaning upon its frame in nothing but shorts and a tanktop, was Nereid. The nightstalker leered at him with her arms crossed, presenting a face of annoyance. Felix could only blush and look to the side, before sheepishly scratching the back of his head.

“N-Nereid...” he said, “I swear... it was by accident...”

“Haaah... I know...” she replied as she dropped her arms and walked inside, “I believe ya. I did just leave ya in this room all by yourself. If I woke up in your position, I'd be rightfully worried myself...”

Coming to a chair that was opposite to him, Nereid sat down in it... though she and Felix continued to not gaze at one another. The combined embarrassment they felt was enough to kill several groups of people from second-hand embarrassment alone! Thankfully, the engineer had enough presence to break the ice. And he did so by saying...

“I think you're pretty...”

Nereid was not expecting that response.

She looked up at him, eyes wide and cheeks red, while all he did was stare to the side. Despite how brazen he was to say such words, he was too damn embarrassed to look at her afterwards. And, really, that only made Nereid angry! How dare he say he thought she was pretty, and not follow up on it!? That only made things worse! Didn't he know how embarrassing this was for her as well!?

Fuck... stupid idiot! Her cheeks were furious and red! Well...! If there's one thing Nereid was good at doing, it's putting on an act.

“Nggh... ahem! Dontcha think I know that already?” she said whilst shooting him a glare, “I've gained the eye of plenty a men durin' my time here. If there's anyone who's pretty, it's me! That bein' said...” she placed her hand on her presumptuous chest, and stuck her nose up at him before saying... “Umm... th-thanks...”

The atmosphere continued being thick with this awkward air as both Felix and Nereid refused to look at one another. But the seconds ticked on, and the engineer eventually started working his head back over. She did likewise, and for a moment, their eyes met; yellow on brown. And Felix... smiled. It was a sheepish smile, yes, but it was a smile nonetheless! Seeing it took Nereid aback, who dropped her arms... and then shook her head.

“So. Um. I brought some rations,” the nightstalker murmured, “It's just military rations, so don't assume they're anything great, but... um... I think it's wise if we eat something. It'll get us ready for tomorrow. Speaking of...” she leaned in, “We need to make a plan for what we're about to do. Running in half-cocked will just result in us dying.”

“I'll say...” he replied, before cocking his head at her, “You said you were going to take me to where they store their stolen vehicles, right? Mind giving me a heads up on what this place looks like.”

“I'll do better than that,” said Nereid as she reached to the side, “I'll show ya pictures I snapped of the place!”

Her long coat was nearby, and in one of its pouches was her PDA. Pulling out the flat device, she moved in to sit beside him on the couch. And then she moved in closer. And then she moved in closer. And then she moved in just a little bit closer until...

Pttt...

Their hips were touching. But before Felix could comment on this, Nereid lowered her PDA, allowing him to gaze upon its screen. On it there were various photos taken of a larger than average fort on a road that split off from the Highway. They were taken of such high quality and were so close, that one could read the name of the station, with it being 'Fort Lance'. There was a central building and tower, with two smaller yet still spacious buildings on both sides of it. And considering where on the Highway it was, the base could still have more space below.

It appeared to be a fort that – as expected – specialized in the containment of military vehicles back when NB-319 wasn't a wasteland. No doubt Alpha Sector were stealing vehicles and using the increased space of Fort Lance to contain them all. And with it being located in such a distant area of the Highway, there weren't many people who'd ever come across this place. But this distance could also be their undoing. If someone were to attack the fort – especially if they did so suddenly – it would take hours, no, at least a day entirely for any help to arrive.

Bringing over his hand, Felix gently stroked his fingers down the screen, before looking up towards Nereid.

“How did you take these?” he asked, causing the nightstalker to grin and push out her chest.

“Remember what I said before?” she remarked in a slightly uppity manner, “I've been makin' plans to deal with these Alpha goons and their operation for a while now! I just never had the capabilities of launching an assault on them! Not unless I wanted to die, anyway. But now that I got this smart engineer with me who can help out, I think we can take 'em! I took these photos while scopin' out the place once. They usually have three guards at the tower up top, and one guard for each buildin' at the bottom, who circle it on time at the same time. Exchange usually happens around 21 o'clock. That'll be the perfect time we get in! Just a slight problem though...” she crossed her arms and pouted, “If we knock out guards all willy-nilly like, they'll realize somethin's up, and'll send the guards inside to investigate. Alpha Sector are jackasses, but they're trained jackasses. The moment somethin' goes wrong, they do not pull their punches.”

“And they speak suarkin...” Felix bemoaned, “I can't understand them if they say that. I don't speak suarkin.”

“Ei ted'k jfoub jiuhbad?” Nereid suddenly said, making his eyes bulge.

He looked over at her, where he saw a toothy grin lay on her lips.

“Wait... you speak suarkin!?” he said, to which the nightstalker nodded.

“Sure do!” she replied, “It's a bit of a rough language, but hey... A'mmu heiwx wuc! Bobobobobobobobo!”

Nereid couldn't just speak saurkin, she could laugh in saurkin as well! Hearing this made Felix look forward in a flabbergasted state as his mind struggled to keep up. The more time he spent with the nightstalker, the more remarkable she became! And all he could do was get this base working. While important – neither of them wanted to freeze to death – Felix couldn't help but to feel like he wasn't pulling his weight. Well... no more of that!

Puffing up his chest and nodding in an affirmative manner, he mentally promised not just to himself but to Nereid as well that he will help her! For the sake of those who just wanted to survive, they couldn't allow Alpha Sector to keep going on their twisted plans! So taking in a deep breath... haaaah... he turned to face Nereid once more.

“Okay,” he said, “Your ability to speak saurkin can help us. Since you've already surveyed this place, do you know of any blind spots?”

“Actually, I do,” she replied whilst tapping a photo, specifically the corner of the left-most building, “This place right here. You can't see this corner from the tower, and it overlooks the edge of the Highway. If we're quick – and I'm talkin', like, under a three-minute window – we can take out the guard who's patrollin' the place. But even if we do, we'll just run into the same problem of information being sent too quickly.”

“Unless something jams that information,” Felix stated, making her tilt her head.

“Come again?”

“There's plenty of abandoned tools in this station. If I work throughout the night, I'll be able to jimmy together a radar jammer. It won't have a long range, but so long as it gets the fort in its net, it won't matter. I can jam their attempts to radio for back-up.”

“We'll just run into the same problem,” said Nereid, “If one guard gets knocked out, they'll just rush inside and tell the others.”

“Not unless we're quick,” Felix said as he looked at her, “We'll have to work in tandem. As soon as one of us takes out the guard on the left building, the other has to take out the guard on the right! When exchange happens at 21 o'clock, the guards inside won't know something is amiss until they come to the exit. That's when we strike and get in! The thing is...” his hopeful face shifted, becoming more reserved, “Nereid... do you trust me to take out one guard while you take care of the other?”

She looked at him, gazing into his eyes as he stared up towards her. The face he wore was one of genuine hope, while also showing a bit of apprehension. He wanted to prove to her and himself that he could do it. Sure, combat wasn't directly his forte, but he learned plenty of skills since the falling of Outpost Epsilon.

But... damn... that face...

Why did he look up at he with such dedication in his eyes? His spiky hair and dusty appearance, clashed with just how wide his brown eyes were. When gazing into them, Nereid felt her heart melt, and caused her cheeks to heat up. Even if a part of her doubted his abilities in combat, she didn't have the heart to say it. So...

“It's gonna be difficult... but...” she nodded, “Yeah, I trust ya. You've done so much for me already. You fixed my bike, and you fixed this base. I think I can trust ya with taken out some goon without my help. You survived this long by yourself, didn't ya?”

“Yeah... heh... yeah, I did,” standing up, Felix pumped his arms through the air and nodded, “Then that's what we'll do! We'll jam their radio frequency, take out the two guards in secrecy, then slip inside as soon as we can. But...” he paused for a moment, “What do we do when we get inside?” then he turned, facing Nereid with an eyebrow raised, “I'm a decent shot... but I've never been in a full on shootout before.”

“It's not the guards inside that are most dangerous, it's the turrets,” the nightstalker said, making Felix flinch.

“Turrets...?” he repeated, making her nod.

“The base has mobile turrets called UGVs. Unmanned Ground Vehicles. They can mobilize quickly and move at around 30 miles an hour. Not the most dangerous unless you're on foot. If they sense a dangerous enough of an attack, they'll turn on these UGVs, and it doesn't matter how far we run, we will be gunned down.”

“Damn... that is dangerous...” Felix muttered... only to straighten up, “Wait... people are one thing, but machines are something else. These unmanned drones... if I can get my hands on one of them, I can hack it and turn it to our side.”

“Really...? You can?” Nereid asked, to which he nodded.

“Assuming they're the same autonomous drones that they had before the cataclysm, then yeah, I can hack into one of them!” he answered, even pumping his fist through the air in a confident manner, “I used to work on these UGVs all the time! They should only be operated on smooth surfaces like the Highway or indoors, because out on the desert fields, the sand can get into their systems and mess them up. I was often called to fix them whenever that happened.”

“Huh... is that true...?” Nereid murmured... before a soft smile spread on her lips, “That's... pretty swell, I think. Kekeke... Fixin' up robots and whatnot. Haah... I wish I could do somethin' like that.”

Shaking her head, the nightstalker crossed her arms beneath her bosom... while Felix leaned in.

“If you'd like...” he whispered, “I can teach you a little bit about robots sometime...”

Hearing that, Nereid's ears perked up, and she looked over at Felix. On his lips there was this smile; it was soft, kind, warm, and inviting. It made her cheeks turn red, and her chest swell. She wanted to say something, but instead looked away.

“H-hey! We can... t-talk about somethin' like that some other time!” she stated, her voice shifting between embarrassment and abrasiveness, “L-let's focus on gettin' into that base, 'kay!?”

“Yeah! Heh heh! 'Kay!” he replied as he scratched the back of his head.

Felix looked up, watching as Nereid attempted to put on a strong face. The more time he spent with her, the more he realized how cute she was. Of course, he wasn't planning on saying that out loud! The nightstalker was skilled enough to snipe enemies from afar with a bow, and easily had a foot or two of height on him! The last person he'd want to piss off was her!

But he couldn't deny her sculpted body and harsh tongue, belied a cute and gentle soul. Huh...

“So... once we get inside... then what?” asked Felix, causing Nereid to look back at him.

“Right. This'll be the fun part!”

…

Skttcch!

“Boris, hofehk.”

“Boris xoho. Kxoho uho de fhercomj.”

Fort Lance, though, calling it a 'fort' seems like a bit of a misnomer. Yes, it was used for military purposes, specifically the imprisonment of vehicles. Buuuuut, considering its location and how it guards entry to the main road of the Highway, Fort Lance was more like a glorified toll booth than it was an actual fort.

But – of course – that was in the past. Now? Now...

Now, Fort Lance was where Alpha Sector brought its 'confiscated' vehicles, where they are typically stripped of all the goods inside before being sent to Alpha Sector's central base. Fort Lance was one of many other bases on the Highway that performed this duty, though this one was easily the most remote. Lucky for Felix and Nereid, eh?

As the nightstalker claimed, at this time of day, the base was being guarded by five men. Two patrolled the east and west buildings, and three manned the tower at the top. Before the cataclysm, this base had twice, no, three-times as many men at once. Again, another lucky change for the duo who were seeking to assail the complex.

Speaking of which...

“Okay, Felix, is that jammer thingy ready?”

“Give me a sec...”

Just as Nereid said, there was a blind spot on the western building, one that overlooked the deserts beyond the Highway. On this one specific area, the guards in the tower could not see it due to the shape and size of the building beneath them. It was the only meaningful blind spot the duo can use, so guess where they were.

Yup, right beneath the blind spot.

Nereid had her bow in hand and an arrow nocked, prepared to fire. Felix meanwhile was holding this odd machine with a small radar dish in his hands. This was the jammer he had been working all night on to prepare.

“Hurry up with that thing, Felix!” Nereid whisper-yelled as she pulled back on her bowstring, “That goon's comin' up soon!”

“I got it, I got it,” he replied as he fiddled with the machine, “Okay. I'm gonna turn it on soon, just like we planned. It should give us three... no... four minutes to strike before those guards realize something is up. Are you ready?”

“Yeah, I'm ready.”

“Okay! Three... two... one...” Click! “Timer's started! I'm gonna rush over and deal with that other guard now. As soon as this guy appears, knock 'em out! I'll handle the other.”

“O... aah... okay!”

The two nodded in unison, before Felix rushed off, where she watched him slip around the corner of the catwalks they were on. Remaining behind, Nereid gritted her teeth and looked up, waiting for her target to arrive. She didn't have to wait long.

Clank! Clink! Clank!

Above her, a guard appeared. He was wearing the same scrappy jacket and helmet that all Alpha Sector soldiers wore, as well as being armed with the same rifle. Unaware that his radio had been jammed, he came up to the edge of the platform and gazed over towards the horizon. Unbeknownst to him, Nereid was on another platform directly beneath him at a slightly off angle. If he looked to the right, he'd see her.

So he looked to the right...

Thwip! WHACK! THUD!

And was promptly stricken in the face by an arrow.

The guard fell back, his head striking the wall behind him with so much force, he was knocked unconscious in a second. Even his helmet had cracked from the sudden strike! He'd be okay and would wake up a couple of hours later... with one hell of a headache!

Quickly, Nereid climbed up to the same platform using a nearby pole to do so. Once getting on the same floor, she prepared her bow and checked her surroundings, only relaxing when she was sure she was in the clear. Then she reached down, where she grabbed the mask off the unconscious body beneath her feet.

Hopefully Felix had no issue dealing with his guard. Their plan all hinged on taking these two out in near unison! No... she had to trust him! He had proven himself invaluable thus far; there was no reason to start distrusting him now! So she took in a deep breath... haaah... then continued on with their plan.

Nereid pushed around the corner, her bow at the ready as she stared across the wide roads that led two and from the base. It was quiet; there was no one on the other side of the base. Was that good or bad? Around this time, the other guard should be appearing, but she saw nothing; not even Felix! Had something happened? No, that can't be it either; she didn't hear anything, not even the sound of his footsteps!

Nevertheless, Nereid pushed on. The entrance to the base proper was right in front of her. By sticking close to the walls, they could remain out of sight of the guard tower above. She came closer and closer, her eyes constantly darting around the area in case some other guard appeared. Instead...

“Nereid!”

“Oh! Shit!?”

“AH!?”

Felix! It was Felix!

The nightstalker swung forward with her bow, aiming an arrow down the center of Felix's head. He grew tense from the sight, sweat percolating on his form as his heart plunged. Then his eyes swept up towards Nereid, who looked back at him in an equally as alert manner.

“Felix!” she growled through her sharp teeth, “Gah! D-don't scare me like that! Aah...!”

“Ssshhhh! Keep it down!” he whispered back as he came in closer, “Aaah! Gosh! Seeing you so wired makes me feel antsy too!” he looked past her shoulder, “You dealt with your guard, right?”

“Duh! Of course I did!” she looked past his shoulder, “Did you deal with yours?”

“I did...” he replied... before swinging his wrench around, “I maaaaay have knocked him over the bridge's edge though. I didn't mean to.”

“That doesn't matter...” she pointed at the door, “Exchange'll be happenin' in a few seconds. Let's keep goin', just as we planned.”

“Right.”

Together, the two ran up to the front doors of Fort Lance. They were large and metal, with a panel beside it that buzzed with a touch screen and numerical pad. Despite the derelict nature of most buildings on NB-319, this base had been well-maintained by Alpha Sector, meaning that even this key pad still worked. And at this time of day...

“Wiuhtj, hofehk.”

A voice came through the screen. It was slightly distorted, but still audible. Felix tensed up, wishing he understood what it said. Nereid however, was quick to grab the mask she knocked off the first guard she took out. Placing it before her mouth, she used it to distort her voice before saying into the machine,

“Seto Sol. Fhofuhot ke hokihd.”

“Idtohjkeet,” replied the voice on the other end.

KA-THUNK!

The front doors of Fort Lance began shifting and sliding. Gears within turned and ground against one another, making tumblers disengage, and causing a thick steam to rush from the gaps within. The men inside were completely unaware of what was awaiting them outside, expecting a simple exchange of guards. But when the doors opened up...

“Nxuk?”

They saw nothing.

It was just two men; the two guards sent to replace the earlier too. They exited the gates together, brandishing their rifles as they searched for their allies. But once they moved a foot or two too far away.

Thwip! WHACK!

“Urgk!?”

THWAK! THWAK!

“Ah!?”

There was no warning, no shout, no nothing. One was stricken in the side of his head by an arrow which knocked his helmet clean off, while the other suffered two serious blows to the back of his head by a wrench. In an instant, both were rendered unconscious, their bodies resting on the ground as their assailants stood above them.

“Okay,” whispered Felix as he swiped a rifle from one of them, “Let's keep moving...”

“Wait. Just a sec,” replied the nightstalker.

Reaching down, she grabbed the two guards and positioned them next to the wall, keeping them out of view of the two guards in the tower above. Then she reached down for their waists, where she grabbed off of them a pair of handcuffs. Alpha Sector soldiers typically have binds of some sort to keep prisoners in check, and knowing where these binds were, she forcefully attached them to their wrists so that they could not escape one another.

“'Kay, now we move,” said Nereid as she readied her bow and arrow once again.

Together, the two faced the entrance to Fort Lance and entered inside. Compared to Fort Sally, this base was in a far superior state. It was clean and pristine, with gray floors and ceilings, and the Alpha Sector 'SA' placed on the walls in clear – yet somewhat faded – emblems.

But, hey, they were inside. So far, part 1 of their plan – actually getting into the base – went off without a hitch! Unfortunately, that was the easy part. Now they needed to destroy their radar dish and find his truck.

Shit... in no way did that sound easy.

Together, the duo came to the fort's main lobby. It was wide, spacious, and had three hallways that led into different directions. So far however, the other armed men were nowhere to be seen. That didn't make them feel any better.

“Now's the point where we split up,” said Nereid as she faced Felix at her side, “Like we planned, I'm headin' to the garage to get your truck and open the doors. You need to get up to the top and deal with their car scannin' radar.”

“Yeah, I know,” he said as he looked back down at her, “I'll be as quick and quiet as I can. So...” he smiled, “Heh... just take care of yourself, Nereid. And if anything happens, don't be afraid to run. Protect yourself, got it?”

“Hey now, don't say that,” she scolded as she raised a finger, “That just brings up bad luck. Tch! Now I gotta...”

Grab!

“Huh? Wh-what?”

Grabbing a hold of Felix's collar, Nereid pulled him in close. His eyes grew wide as he watched those viperous yellow eyes of the nightstalker come closer and closer. Why was she gazing at him so intensely? And why was she holding him so close? What was she going to do?

“Nmmph!”

“Mmmmf!?”

Oh...

That's what she was going to do.

She was going to kiss him.

Such a unique kiss. Her reptilian lips felt as smooth as velvet, and twice as lovely. They caressed his lips, even though this kiss was chaste and gentle. Regardless, he felt his body warm up and melt amid her kiss, as his eyes slowly closed shut.

To them, it was an eternity. In reality, it was only a few seconds before Nereid pulled away with an audible--

Chu~

There eyes again looked at one another, their cheeks holding this same red blush of embarrassment. But then Nereid looked away, averting her eyes as her expression shifted into something more bashful, more... cute.

“Don't get it twisted,” she whispered, “It's just for good luck, 'kay? It ain't like I like ya or anythin' like that. N-now get goin', before those goons find us!”

“Y-yeah...”

Felix turned around, his eyes still wide and cheeks red. Despite Nereid's words, he couldn't help but think of their kiss as being something more than just for good luck. But as he began walking off, he felt his body perk back up, and bravado fuel his veins. Whether or not the kiss was genuine didn't matter; Nereid believed in him to uphold his end of the mission, and he would not betray that trust. Besides...

If a cute girl gave you a kiss on the lips, wouldn't you feel strong enough to take on the world?

Nereid lingered behind, her yellow eyes locked on Felix as he moved further and further away. For a brief moment, she thought about calling out to him, even thought about joining him to make sure his mission went well. While she trusted him, she felt as if her superior combat ability would be invaluable. But, no, she couldn't mess up their plan.

Again, she had to trust him. Completely trust him.

Turning to the right, the nightstalker faced in the direction of the garage, then raised up her bow. Down this hall she rushed, running with an almost practiced ease. Her yellow eyes even looked left and right, scanning the various doors as if expecting to see something familiar to her. She then stopped and jerked around a corner, and just in the nick of time too, because--

“Mud, A sud houcc ijo u thadb.”

“Ei wok thidb ucc kxo kamo. Kh thadbadw nukoh jemokamo!”

“Kxuk'j nxuk A'm kucbadw ureik, ei tasb!”

The two guards turned away from Nereid, completely unaware of her as they walked down the hall in the opposite direction. Pausing for a moment, the nightstalker took in a deep breath and nodded, before glancing over the corner once again. The area was clear; she continued pushing down it.

In the past, this fort was stacked with a plethora of guards. But the years since the cataclysm had reduced it to a near skeleton crew. Nereid was both thankful for this... yet mournful. When she came to work at NB-319, she did so to make something of her life. Now what did she have to look forward to? Fighting for the sake of survival?

It felt so... disheartening.

But Nereid had to steel herself up. These were not the first time such thoughts have plagued her, and it wouldn't be the last time either, but that didn't mean she was going to fumble while in a dangerous location like this. Besides, she wasn't just fighting for herself, but for Felix as well. She needed to do her job for him.

For him...

“Hnn...”

Nereid came to a halt. To her right was a metal door with the faded words of 'GA—GE' above it. To her left was a stairwell that led to a second floor. If memory serves she just needed to rush up these stairs, and she'd be on the second floor of the garage. So running up the stairs, she came to another empty hall, with another metal door before her. Entering inside of it...

ZZZZZZZZZRRRRRRRRRTTT!

“S'MED, S'MED! WOK KXAJ TEEH EFOD!”

The sound of a laser-cutter audibly echoed throughout the hot interior of the garage. The walls were steel and gunmetal black, the air was thick with heat and sweat, and there were a lot of stripped pieces of metal littering the ground. As she walked inside, Nereid stood on a catwalk that hovered above the garage floor, allowing her to see the plethora of vehicles these men had stolen and torn to shreds. But one vehicle stood out from the rest; a familiar bulky truck with a dusty black surface.

It was Felix's truck, and going by the various signs of ware and tare on its surface, it was clear that Alpha Sector had spent all night long trying to break into it. Unfortunately for them, the engineer's handiwork made it difficult to unlock his truck. Difficult... but not impossible. Given more time, they'd eventually open up his vehicle and unlock the secrets therein.

Nereid wouldn't allow that to happen.

As she came to the edge of the catwalk she walked upon, she looked over towards Felix's truck. In front of it were three men; two were attempting to break into the vehicle, while one overlooked them. All of them were unaware of the nightstalker and the bow above them. Not until she pulled said bow back and--

Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!

THWAK! WHACK! KRACK!

THUD! WHUMP! THAP!

Three arrows! Each one was precise, each one was fast, and each one was deadly. Each arrow she fired struck her target dead center, penetrating their skulls. The three men didn't even have enough time to know what was going on! One moment they were up, the next they were nothing more than bodies on the floor.

Her job done, Nereid looked over. On the second floor of the garage was where its controls were, with said control room being empty. Rushing up to the door, she came to the keypad on the side where she tapped a few buttons. Each one blinked, and after a few seconds...

Sssssssttttttsss! CLINK! EERRRN!

The door slid open, with Nereid walking inside. Coming to the control consoles of the garage, she again began pressing buttons, as if already knowing what to press. Each button pressed and each switch flipped, caused the large metal doors of the garage to steadily slide open. It took three, maybe four minutes, but she eventually came face to face with the roads outside, and the hot horizons of NB-319.

But all of this? All of it? From getting to the base, to getting inside the base? That was the easy part. Now that she had opened up the garage door, the loud sounds would alert the other guards of the base. They will know something is up! There was no way they'd just drive out of this base without being shot at? And... where even was Felix anyway? She couldn't worry about that now!

Leaping over the edge of the catwalk, Nereid landed softly and rushed up towards Felix's truck. He had already told her the codes needed to slip into the vehicle... though that would be a bit difficult to do now. Why? Because Alpha Sector had damn-near dismantled its keypad! Fortunately, the engineer was smart enough to install multiple ways of getting into his truck in case of something like this happening. Instead of trying to get in through the driver's seat, she rushed around to the back of the truck, where there was another keypad. This one – thankfully – had yet to be tampered with by Alpha Sector, allowing her to quickly--

EEERRRNN!

“HUH!?”

“KXOHO!”

The doors to the garage opened, both on the bottom floor and the top floor. At them were Alpha Sector soldiers, all of which were already fully dressed, and fully armed with rifles. Upon seeing the nightstalker attempting to meddle with their vehicles, they did not hesitate in opening fire upon her.

THUTTHUTTHUTTHUTTHUTHTUTHTHUT!!!

“NGH!?”

Nereid pulled back, using Felix's truck for cover as a hail of gunfire rained upon her position. Even at her most craziest, she wasn't dumb enough to think she could take on these groups of men by herself! Instead, she focused on punching in the code to Felix's truck. Once entered, the vehicle sputtered, and the large shutter doors at the back of it began sliding open. The moment they were large enough for her to slip through...

“Haah!”

Nereid dove inside... where she was instantly surrounded by Felix's odor. Yes, that's what it was, an odor; no other word was strong enough to explain it! This was the smell of a man who spent hours, no, days toiling around within this truck, with very little in the way for cleaning himself. It's not like this truck was large enough to contain a shower or anything like that! It left his scent intense, and the moment it flowed into her nostrils, she was choking on him. Doubly so with her sensitive nose, being this combination of a snake and a coyote.

Nereid groaned on the floor while the hull of the truck continued being pelted by gunfire. Thankfully, it was strong enough to rebuff the bullets, but it wouldn't stop the Alpha Sector soldiers from breaking in soon. Getting up, the nightstalker quickly closed the back of the truck, and then turned around to face it fully.

In this moment, she could see a variety of things. A desk for which Felix could work on, a doorway that separated the back from the driver's seat, and the many, many, many random objects that littered the floor. Dismantled machines, wrenches and screwdrivers, bolts and screws themselves; everything a mad scientist could ever need was locked away in here. It left Nereid confused, curious... and even a tad bit enthralled.

He... he was really smart...

POW!

“AH!?”

She can marvel at all of this later; she really needed to focus on GETTING OUT OF HERE!

Rushing forward, Nereid came to the truck's front seat. Being a methodical and paranoid man (two things you'd need to be in order to survive on NB-319), he was smart enough to install bullet-proof glass on his truck! How'd he even come across such a thing during his time on the planet!?

No, no! Now was not the time for that! She needed to get out of here, and quick!

Flipping the switches of Felix's truck, Nereid turned it on, causing the vehicle to hum and sputter to life. Quick to boot up, the truck's hover engines ignited, pushing it up against the ground and sending up a plume of dust. The nightstalker was genuinely taken aback by how responsive his truck was! She then had to remember that, yeah, this was the same guy who fixed her bike up to be better than ever before. Damn... he really had a way with his hands.

She wondered...

No no! Keep going!

Grabbing a hold of the truck's controls, Nereid began commandeering the vessel to the best of her abilities... which only served to remind her that she was not a car person. The truck howled beneath her hands, drifting from side to side like a drunk serpent. She accidentally slammed into the walls and other cars in the garage, causing the soldiers to pull back. Meanwhile, the men up above rushed into the garage's control room, where they flipped its switches to forcibly close the large shudder doors.

“SHIT!?”

Spinning wildly around, Nereid watched as the doors began sealing her inside. The sight made her tense up, before grabbing hard upon the driver's wheel as she forced the truck to face the exit. Slamming her foot down, she shot forward with a wicked burst of speed that knocked back the guards and sent her flying through the gates of the garage.

For the briefest of moments, a feeling of hope washed over Nereid. She was running off towards freedom; their mission was complete! There was just one slight problem... FELIX! Their plan was for her to get his truck and make a big enough raucous for him to escape. But as she came outside, she couldn't see him; was he still indoors?

Skttcch!

“Felix! Felix!” she shouted into her radio, “Felix, are ya there!?”

All she got back...

Sssskrrrrrrrttcch!

Was static.

Nereid's eyes grew wide and she slammed her foot down on the brakes. Turning the truck around, she faced Fort Lance behind her, watching as guards began exiting from within. They all faced her down, rifles aimed and primed, while shouting out a variety of commands. The nightstalker glared at them from behind the dashboard of the truck, her teeth gritted and eyes locked in.

Instead of driving off, Nereid drove towards them, facing down their roaring rifles as she threatened to run them over. They were quick to leap out of the way of her barreling vehicle, avoiding death as she began to wildly spin around like a hellion. The nightstalker had no plan outside of wasting time for Felix to escape, but how much time should she waste? His truck can take but so much damage, and it was only a matter of time before Alpha Sector pulled out even stronger guns.

That moment came sooner than she expected.

From within, Alpha Sector pulled out a rifle that was different from the rest. Instead of firing off bullets or even rocket propelled grenades, this rifle fired out energy. A specific kind of energy. An energy that was blue. An energy that did not hurt flesh. An energy that was absolutely toxic towards machines.

They pointed this rifle at the truck, pulled the trigger...

Zrrrrrrtt... POW!

And fired.

SWIP! SPLACK!

“GAH!?”

This blue ball of energy struck Felix's truck, sending bolts of electricity throughout it. Almost immediately, the truck locked up as its engines stalled and its hover technology began sputtering. Even the dashboard began glitching out as a variety of text began howling on screen. It all caused the truck to crash into the ground and skid to a halt, with Nereid sitting inside confused.

“Shit... SHIT!” she shouted as she slammed her hands on the steering wheel, “Fuckin' ion shots! Nnghh!”

With the truck stalled, Nereid was trapped. Before her, Alpha Sector slowly began approaching the nightstalker, their guns trained on her and the windshield. She gritted her teeth then withdrew her shotgun from her hip. Yeah, it wouldn't do much against an entire squad of armed men, but she wasn't going to go down without a fight!

They came closer and closer, and she grew tenser and tenser. Her mind raced with thoughts, jumping between fear of her impending death, wondering if there was a possible escape from this, and lastly on Felix. Where was he? Was he caught? Was he already dead? Had he possibly betrayed her? And... wait...

Were the doors opening?

Behind the squad of Alpha Sector soldiers that surrounded her and the truck, the doors to Fort Lance began opening once again. She expected to see more guards, but instead was greeted by the base's UGVs. They were automated turrets that looked like miniature tanks, with treads and high-powered miniguns for weaponry. The rifles of the Alpha Sector soldiers may be too weak to pierce Felix's truck, but these three UGVs would easily penetrate its hull and windows.

With each passing second, Nereid watched her doom come closer and closer. The turrets backed up the guards, who began parting to give them lines of sight with the truck. Leaning back, the nightstalker braced for the oncoming maelstrom of bullets that was about to befall her. And...

RATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA!!!

Nereid pulled in, curling in a ball beneath the dashboard of the truck to defend herself against the powerful bullets of the UGVs. Their howling roars were deafening, but not as deafening as the sound of perforated steel or shattering glass.

At least, it would be louder than the sound of perforated steel and shattering glass... if steel was being perforated, and glass was being shattered! Instead, nothing happened to Nereid. She remained beneath the dashboard for several moments as the howling bullets rang through the skies, seemingly missing her. But that's not possible. UGVs didn't miss; they were completely computerized. So... what was going on? Nereid pulled herself up and...

Oh! Oooooooh...

That's what was going on.

Nereid gazed over the edge of the dashboard. What laid before her now were bodies. Nothing but bodies. They had been ruthlessly rattled by vicious bullets which tore through their clothes and flesh like needles through threads. The nightstalker's mouth hung open in awe and horror at what laid before her, while the spinning barrels of the UGVs slowly came to a halt.

And emerging behind them all, his eyes darting left and right was--

“Felix!?”

The engineer walked out of the fort, alerted, apprehensive and hesitant towards his surroundings. But when he looked forward towards his truck, he saw Nereid looking at him, her eyes wide from shock. He ran up to her and she opened the door, the two coming to one another where they--

“Mmmf!”

“Hnmnggh!”

Hugged one another. His arms wrapped around her waist, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, and his head went right between her breasts. It was a sudden and tight embrace, one they held for a moment or two too long, before pulling back to gaze at each others' eyes.

“Y-you did it,” said Nereid in disbelief, “I-I can't believe...”

“Heh heh...! Sorry I was late,” he apologized, “Getting my hands on those UGVs was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be... still...” he looked over his shoulder towards the carnage he created, “All's well that ends well, I suppose,” he then looked back, where his face turned pale, “Let's get the hell outta here...”

“Fuck yeah...”

…

“So... this is the thing that'll – hopefully – get us off of NB-319?”

“Yup. This is the thing... hopefully...”

It was so... unassuming. If you were to see it on the shelf of a thrift store somewhere, or in the back of some appliance store collecting dust, you'd never think anything of it. It was somewhat square in shape, black, and had a plethora of buttons and cords extending from it. Oddest of all however was its weight... or lack thereof. It was lighter than one would think from eyesight alone.

This was Felix's device; the very same one he was so hellbent on getting back. An amplifier, it had the ability to boost a signal far beyond its base levels. While it may look unassuming, the engineer had created an amplifying device that was far, far, far stronger than typical. In the right location, it would be strong enough to send a message to Outpost Theta.

Or so he claims.

Holding it in her hands, Nereid looked at the odd device, twisting it left and right. One twist too far alarmed Felix, who walked up and grabbed the device from his hand. Shooting her a sheepish smile, he gently pulled the machine from her, before placing it upon the desk between them.

“D-don't mess with it too much... it's a bit gentle,” he lightly scolded, “I don't want it accidentally breaking something inside. Getting functioning parts to make this device in general was incredibly difficult considering how old a lot of tech on NB-319 is. And that was true even before Outpost Epsilon fell.”

They had returned to Fort Sally, and returned to it lounge room. Fort Lance had been left behind, leaving nothing but confusion for Alpha Sector when they eventually come to check up on the station. Not that Felix or Nereid cared at the moment. With his truck returned, this device in hand and unbothered, not to mention their car detection radar having been destroyed, their mission was a complete success. That left only one question left.

What now?

Felix paused for a moment and looked over. Nereid did likewise. She was this tall, voluptuous, powerful and talented nightstalker. Her capabilities in battle were only matched by her wit to carry out a plan. Clearly, she had been in a plethora of fights; both after and before the cataclysm. But above all of that...

Nereid was simply wonderful. He enjoyed the way she spoke, not to mention her southern accent. Maybe it's the days of loneliness finally catching up with him, but he genuinely found spending time with her – brief though it may be – to be wonderful.

It doesn't hurt that she was incredibly beautiful.

From her viperous yellow eyes, to her blonde hair, blonde fur and saffron scales, not to mention her curvaceous figure, Nereid was unlike any woman he had ever met. Her exoticism as a nightstalker – this odd cross between serpent and canine – only magnified her allure. If he got to see more of her throughout his time on NB-319 – and even beyond that – he'd count his lucky stars all the time. It didn't hurt that despite her vivaciousness and strength, she had this surprising cuteness beneath it all.

But what did Nereid feel? Well...

He was smart. He was very smart. But he was also really dedicated, courageous, and – dare she say – ambitious. Almost everyone here had accepted their fate of being stuck on NB-319, hoping and praying that the UPE would eventually realize something had happened and save them. But Felix didn't hope, didn't pray; he made plans to get in contact with Outpost Theta, and was probably one of the only few people smart enough to pull off such an impossible task. It was admirable that a guy like him – as unassuming as he was – had this powerful spirit, one that refused to accept his fate. One that refused to die. And, hey...

He wasn't half bad on the eyes either.

Sure, he wasn't some tall, powerful, strapping beastkin, but that didn't make him any less remarkable. If anything, she found his stature quite attractive. His spiked hair, his kind yet still sharp features, even his voice was all so charming.

But if she had to say what impressed her most about Felix, it was easily his mind. The way he toyed with machines was unlike anyone she had ever met. She wished she had his skill when it came to machines. To repair them, to create them. She was both jealous of him and his abilities, and enthralled by them.

They both wanted to say what was on their lips, but both found it difficult to do so. Instead, they looked down at Felix's amplifying device, where they settled their minds as best they could. Around them, they could feel the air rise and grow thick. They both felt it, but again, both found it difficult to deal with it. Even as the air grew so strong it was choking, they remained still and quiet.

Felix... just couldn't take it anymore.

“That kiss from before,” he said, making Nereid's ears twitch and causing her to look over at him, “Was it really just for luck?”

Rrratttttlleeee...

He looked over his shoulder towards the nightstalker's tail, watching it wag like a dog, which caused her rattle to, well, rattle. The sound of it danced in Felix's ears, drawing his gaze back up towards her face. For a moment, she looked away, in a vain attempt to hide her rosy cheeks. But after a few seconds she took in a deep breath and turned to face Felix... where this bashful smile spread upon her lips.

“It was... but... it can... I-I dunno... it can be a bit... um...”

“More...?” he asked as he came in closer to her, “It can be... more?”

“I mean... y-yeah... m-maybe,” she muttered, her eyes briefly darting around the lounge room they were in, “I think... it can be... a bit more... or... wh-whatever...” Grab, “Haah~”

A deep heat began rising within Nereid's chest, causing her to pant. Looking down, her hand had been grabbed by his hand, which caused her to look up towards his eyes. Felix gazed deep into her yellow eyes, causing those cheeks of hers to grow redder and redder. At the same time, his hand grew more courageous. Slowly, he traveled away from her palm, stroked his hand along her wrist, guided it upon her arm, and brought it to her shoulder. For the next moment as they got lost in each other's eyes, he kept his hand on her shoulder... before finally making the last leap up to her cheek.

Gently, he cupped her. Almost instinctively, she nuzzled back against his palm. Maybe it was the situation they were in. Two souls who travel different paths upon this hellhole of a planet. But despite their differing occupations and differing goals, they somehow came together so... perfectly.

Or maybe it was more primal than that. Maybe it was the thrilling sense of adventure that had overtaken them. They just survived a harrowing ordeal, taking out a base full of enemies, and came out alive and on top. All of that blood rushing following such an affair, would be enough to intoxicate anyone.

Regardless of the 'why', the result was all the same. Felix clutched upon Nereid's cheek... and started drawing her in. She didn't hesitate, and moved in to match him.

“Nmmph...”

“Mmmff...”

Their lips met in a kiss, one not too dissimilar to the kiss they shared at Fort Lance. At least, at first. It was chaste... but they both wanted, no, they both needed something more. And they got that something 'more' by parting their lips and--

“Haaahhaa~!”

“Nnnlllph!”

Their mouths opened up so that their hard, lustful tongues could brush alongside one another in the air between them. It was a hard and lewd lick, one caused as they dragged these slimy muscles against one another, swapping spit and trading hot breaths. Their tongues didn't stop there however. Pushing in, they started swirling around one another, continuing on this erotic dance as moans began traveling between them.

Then and only then did it start to slow down as the two pulled away from one another. A bridge of spit hung between their lips, while this heated panting started rising between them. A rush of emotions and thoughts traveled through their heads at the same time, but it all was deafened by the overwhelming lust and desire they had for one another.

Through the windows of the lounge, they could see the sun of NB-319 steadily begin to set, meaning that the temperatures would soon drop. And though they did have the heater on, it would soon prove unnecessary.

They were going to be plenty hot without it...

“Mmmf!”

“Hmmph~!”

Their first kiss was the appetizer, this kiss was the feast! Embracing one another, Felix and Nereid entered into a heated and intense kiss. Their arms wrapped around one another, their hands clutching at their bodies. And around them started playing this lewd song made up of their moaning voices.

They couldn't just stop kissing, they couldn't stop gripping and groping at one another as well. Their hands – so strong and so needy – grabbed at their bodies with equal lust. Nereid's paws and claws grasped upon Felix's shoulder, and even reached around to cup upon her pert butt. And Felix mirrored her in turn. His hand clinched upon her shoulder, curling and groping. His other hand drifted somewhere lower. Hey, if Nereid was kneading his butt, why couldn't he do likewise? Besides, her butt was far, far better.

So shapely and wide... and so damn firm! His hand squeezed hard upon her ass, gripping so much of it even through her long coat. A lurid groan was forced from her lips as her backside was kneaded so greedily, causing her to pull away from their kiss and moan.

Slowly, Nereid raised her tail, then pushed her ass out more into Felix's greedy hand. He looked down, then back up... before pulling his hand back, and--

Smack!

“Nnggh~! Fuck...!”

The sound was a bit muted due to her clothes, but the strength of his swat was powerful nonetheless. Nereid even arched her back and groaned with this lurid desire, while her eyes closed shut... before opening back up. That viperous gaze of hers held this erotic glow within them, and she looked him up and down.

More... she wanted more! But this stupid long coat was in the way... ah... whatever...

Nereid pulled away from Felix, but not for long. Reaching up, she began undoing the various straps of her long coat, followed by zipping it down. All of those bandoleers and pouches were undone from her body, falling on the ground with 'Thunk!' following 'Thunk!' Felix remained still, watching as she undid the various garments on her body, As they pulled at her feet, her long coat grew slack on her shoulders, causing her to reach up and grab it by the middle... before pulling it apart.

Nereid wore a bodysuit beneath her jacket, one that offered free movement, which was important for a reptilian creature such as herself. But what Felix didn't realize was that her bodysuit wasn't exactly a bodysuit. Yes, it clung close to her body, highlighting her curves and definition, but it didn't cover the entirety of her body. Instead, it only covered her upper body from the pelvis up. It was skintight leotard.

And this leotard absolutely flaunted her hips.

The sides of the garment were pulled up, exposing her hips in all of their mesmerizing glory. Their shape was erotic, with thighs that widened out her wonderfully curved hips. Oh, this was the beauty of a reptile.

As Felix's mouth hung open in awe, a soft blush adorned Nereid's cheeks. It had been a long while since she was gazed at in such a blatantly lustful manner. Was it, what, before Outpost Epsilon fell? So over two years ago now? Just thinking about it sent shudders down her spine.

And those shudders were visible. It sent a divine ripple through Nereid's body, which in turn caused Felix to gasp. There wasn't an aspect of the nightstalker's body that wasn't worth marveling at. Her years of combat and athleticism had blessed her with a form unlike any he had ever seen before. Looking her up and down, he drank in the image of her glorious yellow legs, marveled at her shapely hips, gazed upon her narrow waist, basked in her bountiful bosom, and finally brought his gaze to a stop upon her face. Those red cheeks of hers and her averted eyes, acting like a window into her inner self.

For all of Nereid's bluff and bluster, her strength and skill... she was a shy woman. It made Felix chuckle, though he wasn't laughing at her. No, he was more laughing at their situation than he was at her. To think that this proud and vivacious woman, had this hidden bashfulness inside of her. Again, it was chuckle worthy.

But enough of that.

Stepping in closer, Felix again looked Nereid up and down, who stiffened before his voracious eyesight. She watched as he raised his hands, causing her to do likewise. Despite her own embarrassment with the situation, she exposed more of her body for him, allowing him to touch her to his own leisure. And when his hands grabbed her hips...

“Aahha~”

An airy moan left Nereid's lips as Felix's hands sank into her taunt skin. He brushed his fingers along her furry sides, where he could feel her smooth scales beneath them. Up and down he idly groped her, his chest rising as passionate moans left his lips. Around and around and around in taunting little circles, he began groping the nightstalker's sides while hugging her close. His touches drew her in, causing her to clutch his shoulders gently in this soft embrace.

“Haah~ aah~ hah~”

Such erotic moans drove Felix in closer, and caused him to double the strength of his groping. Reaching around her hips, he cupped a hold of her ass; one cheek in each greedy palm. Nereid's eyes widened and her jaw dropped, while his surprisingly strong hands squeezed upon her firm, shapely ass. They sank in – ore and more – while his nails began plucking gently at her smooth scales and sensitive flesh beneath.

He pushed her cheeks together as he began rolling her butt around and around. His fingers then came down to the bottom, giving it another squeeze as he began lifting her ass up, and then allowing it to drop.

Fuck, his touches felt so good. He wasn't just good with machines, he was good with her body as well. The more he touched her, the more she felt herself melt. Nereid could feel his fingers dip into the crevice between her ass, where his nails squeezed in and began dragging back. His hand pulled away fully, and this time?

SMACK!

“AH! FUCK~”

Ooooh yes, this was much better.

Without that pesky coat in the way, when Felix struck Nereid's ass, it sent a quake throughout her backside. The sound of it too was far more succulent than ever before, with it bouncing off the derelict walls of the lounge around them. Both of them groaned from the sound, with the nightstalker biting into her bottom lip as she instinctively started grinding against him.

And when she did... she felt that.

It was familiar to the other day on her bike when they were riding together. Accidentally, Felix's manhood got hard. An instinctive reaction when riding with such a sexy woman, no doubt. But now as the rush of lust began to overtake them, he made no attempts to hide his ever growing hard-on. The sizable lump in his pants began to press against her inner thigh, nearing her own pelvis. Fuck, it was so hot; she was so hot.

As he continued to travel his hands along her body, she started to do likewise. Her hands swiveled around to the front of his body, where – in a feisty manner – she quickly began pulling the straps off his body. Much like her, she removed all of his straps and pouches, causing the various objects to fall to his feet. He gasped as its weight was pulled off of him, and then stiffened as her hands seized upon his crotch.

The 'Dink...' of his belt, the 'Zzziiiiiip...!' of his pants, it all echoed between them. Before Felix knew it, he felt the weight of his baggy pants fall from his hips. It brought him to a stop and he looked down. Staring back at him – staring back at both of them – was his long, hard, thick cock.

Nereid's eyes grew wide, her sultry expression shifting into something more... stunned. She expected him to be hung at a respectable size, but this? This went beyond that. Felix was far from the tallest person she's ever met, but it seemed because all of that extra height was packed right between his legs.

The nightstalker reached down, her hand hovering above her cock. It's not like she was waiting for permission to touch him, but more that she was trying to work up enough courage to touch him. Fuck, his dick was daunting, and it had been a while; could she still, ya'know, perform as well as she used to?

Tch!

Grab!

“Nngghh!?”

Felix clinched his teeth and tensed up as Nereid wrapped her hand around his cock. She held it like a road, with her fingers curling, and her palm squeezing it. This dick of his was as hot as the desert sands of NB-319, though this felt sooooo much better to touch. His skin was taunt due to how hard he was, and the head of his cock was as red as her cheeks. Gently, she began stroking him back and forth, getting further used to the feeling of his dick in her hand.

And he got used to the feeling of her hand around his dick.

Nereid's smooth paws and gentle scales, stroked every inch of his dick; from the base, along the shaft, and to the tip. Her squeezes – from the strong to the weak – coaxed precum from his dick, which oozed upon her palm like syrup. From afar, you'd think of the nightstalker as a roguish – though voluptuous – woman. But the way she handle his cock was so surprisingly tender and bashful. Like she was afraid she may be hurting him if she squeezed too hard.

And his balls too! Reaching down between his legs, Nereid held his balls in her palm. So hefty, so big, so weighty! They pushed down upon her palm, all whilst pulsating with life. Again, he may not be the tallest, but his virility was unmatched! When he came... ooh...

“Nnnngh~”

Nereid bit into her bottom lip as her desires continued to mount. Felix himself felt his body rush as his sensitive cock and balls were treated so tenderly by the nightstalker before him. Reaching up, he trailed his hands along the curvy sides of her voluptuous body, bringing them to her chest. His hands cupped her breasts, coaxing a groan from her lips and making her arch her back.

Even through her skintight leotard, he could feel the weight of her firm bosom. Their shape too were glorious, being surprisingly perky thanks to her athletic build. And her nipples? Even with her bodysuit on, he could see they were hard and rigid, as they poked through her skintight garment.

Maybe it was too tight. No, what was he thinking? This was perfect.

Felix's fingers traced along the tops of Nereid's breasts before coming down to poke at her nipples. Even through her leotard, the nightstalker groaned as her sensitive nubs were pushed in. It caused her to jerk his dick harder, with this audible 'Fwap!' noise starting to echo out. Groaning, Felix started to thrust his hips softly against Nereid, fucking her hand as the lusts overtook him.

Wait... her zipper. It was visible just barely beneath the ascot around her neck. Reaching up, he quickly undid the knot that cravat, undoing it and pulling it away. There he could see her zipper as it extended up the turtleneck of her leotard. It beckoned to him... called out to him... so he reached up, grabbed it--

Zzzzzzziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip!

And pulled it doowwwwnnn.

The zipper traveled along Nereid's voluptuous body. From her neck, down to her cleavage. From her cleavage, down to the bottom of her breasts. From the bottom of her breasts, all the way down to her navel. Then and only then did he stop.

Pulling back, Felix took a second to marvel at Nereid's tall and voluptuous body. Her skintight leotard now opened to reveal the breasts he just got a peak at before. Their shape was erotic, their size busty, and they raised up and down along with her baited breaths. But they were blanked on both sides by her leotard. All he needed to do was grab the sides of her bodysuit... and pull them aside...

Fwump!

“Ah...!”

“Haaah~”

An airy sigh left Nereid's lips as her breasts bounced to freedom. And, yes, they certainly 'bounced'. As her tits were freed, they bounced up and down as the draw of gravity began pulling on them. Her arms and shoulders were layered and fur which traveled along her sides. But the closer it came to her midsection and chest, her saffron scales appeared. So smooth and vibrant, they layered her skin all the way up to her tits, where her pink nipples and areola stood out like rose towers.

Felix's eyes doubled in size at the sight, and his cock gave a randy throb within her hand. Reaching up, he gently clutched the sides of Nereid's bosom, where he squeezed her tits together. A lurid groan was drawn from her lips as he explored the plump shape of her tits, and their firm feeling. Oh, and the texture of her tits too felt so remarkable as he dragged his hands along their scaly surface. The more he marveled at Nereid's body, the more remarkable it became.

For several moments, they stood there groping one another. Felix took his time exploring Nereid's tits, and she continued pleasing his cock with her needy hands. They were entranced by the other's body, both in their size and their stature. The nightstalker was tall and voluptuous; a sunning beauty on this dying planet. The engineer was this short yet brawny man, one with an appropriate strength to match his wit. And as the heat between them reached its absolute zenth...

“Mmff!”

Plap!

“Aah~!”

Felix dove his face between Nereid's tits, surrounding him on both sides by her erotic body. These lovely, firm tits easily cradled him, lifted him, and felt so amazing to rest again. If he may be allowed to think with a lewd brain for a moment, he would not resting his head against these babies for the foreseeable future. A smile even spread out on his lips as he relaxed against Nereid's erotic and luscious body.

But he didn't stop there. Moving in closer, he wrapped his arms around her thin waist, embracing her outright. The nightstalker's eyes grew wide as she felt herself being moved against the table behind her. Again, Felix may be shorter than her, but that didn't make him any less strong and fit. And now he was flaunting that strength as he pushed his legs forward and--

Thwip!

“Nnggh~!”

Pushed his cock right between her thighs.

Nereid's smooth scales cradled his dick as he pushed them through the valley that is her legs. He even moaned from the pleasure, while she instinctively squeezed her thighs together. But that did little to deter him. It did the opposite in fact; the pleasure felt even greater!

With his head still wedged between her tits, Felix reached down and grabbed Nereid's hips, while she draped her arms around his head and shoulders. Biting into her bottom lip, she clutched him close in this erotic embrace... and then braced for impact.

Thwip! Thwip! Thwip! Thwip! Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!

“Nngghghgh~~!”

His hips like a pistoning machine, Felix thrusted his cock between Nereid's thighs with a relentless aggression. Again and again and again, his cock pounded along her legs, sending waves through her body, and pleasure throughout the both of them. Every thrust, every fuck, caused his rigid cock to slid against her pussy, letting her feel just how hot and big it was... and teasing her with what was to come.

“Haah~ Aah~! Hhnn~! Fuck...! Mmph~!”

Why? Why was this making her body so hot? He wasn't even fucking her, and yet this wild humping between her thighs had ignited this flame within her body. She even leaned back and tipped her head to the ceiling, where she gave a long, lewd, erotic cry of lust from her serpentine lips.

But Felix did not stop his assault there. Opening his mouth, he extended his tongue, and gave a long, lewd lick at Nereid's chest. The taste of her scales and fur danced on his tongue, reminiscent of... lemons. Yes, there was a sourness to her, but it was also mixed with something undeniably sweet. When he licked her, he found himself wanting to lick, kiss, and nibble on her more!

So he did it. He dragged his tongue along her tits again and again and again, being sure to lap at her nipples as he did so. Then he opened his mouth to capture one of those pink nubs between his lips, where he began to suckle on her at a frenetic pace. Erotic moans left his lips as he did so, as her taste here was even more powerful. Then he bit, clinching upon her sensitive nipple between his teeth, followed by grinding which caused Nereid to lean her head back.

“Fuckin'... hell~!” she cried as she leaned back on the table, “Aaah~! Feeeeliixx~”

Her erotic cries further spurned him, further drove him to taste upon her body more and more and more. With these long, lewd, and lascivious licks, he dragged his tongue along her tits and up to her neck. Mouth opening, he gave he a hard, no, possessive kiss and bite to her neck, sending a shudder down her spine, and a whimpering moan of submission. All the while, he continued thrusting his his cock between her thighs, making her wet pussy throb all the hotter. Even with her leotard in the way, her cunt was oozing like a fucking faucet!

But, again, Felix did not stop there. Having worked his way from her tits to her neck, he reached one hand away from her hip and brought up to the back of her head. With a solid grab, he caused Nereid's eyes to widen, and tipped her head down so that they could look at one another. She got lost in his eyes and he did likewise... until they both moved in to--

“Mmffph~!”

“Mmmf!”

With the same ferociousness as before, the two lovers met in a kiss as wild and as lewd as could possibly be. Lascivious moans slipped from the gaps of their lips, and Felix finally stopped thrusting against her thighs. For several long moments they swapped spit and traded moans, before he stumbled and fell back...

Whump!

Into the couch behind him.

Felix sat on it, still keeping his hands on Nereid's body, and she did likewise. Resting on his lap, the nightstalker kept up their lewd liplock, moaning and groaning, while her serpentine body started to softly gyrate on his hips. She pushed in with her chest, pressing it against him, while her rocking hips pleasured the cock between her legs.

Lewd tongues ground against one another, trading spit and moans, before Nereid finally pulled back. Her whip-like tongue snapped against the air then curled into her jaw, while she tipped her head down to face him. For several moments they gazed at one another, appearing slightly dazed. Reaching up, she grabbed the shirt Felix wore, and with a firm grasp...

“Fuah!”

Slide!

She tossed it off his body, revealing his naked chest to her. Hey, she was bearing her chest before him, wasn't she? It was only fair to make him do the same! But... no... it was more than that. With his chest exposed, she could easily lean forward, purse her lips, and kiss his neck much like he did her. That included the licking, and the biting.

“Ngggh~”

Her soft fangs grazed at his flesh as she slowly started moving down. Placing his hand on her head, Felix held Nereid close as she savored his hot and sweaty body. The licking, the kissing, the biting; it all traveled down his body as she worked herself off of his lap. Getting down on her knees before him, the nightstalker continued traveling down until she finally came to a halt right...

Here...

“Snnnifffff! Oh... fuck...! Aah~”

Nereid's nostrils flared. This odor she was smelling... it was Felix's odor. It was hot, randy and musky; befitting a man who spent days toiling within the hot atmosphere of NB-319 without a shower to call his own. It was the same odor she smelled when she was in his truck, but twice as powerful because she was taking it off his body directly.

Her nostrils continued traveling up and down his dick, pressing hard to it like she was snorting some sort of drug. Nereid's typically aloof features shifted into something incredibly lurid as she dragged her nose up and down his length. The base, the shaft, the tip; not one part of his cock was left unexplored by her nose. And when she came up to his slit--

“Aah~?”

Some of his precum oozed upon her snout, dipping into her nose. That smell most of all was like a hit of a powerful drug she did not know existed until now. It sent quivers throughout her body, making her ears stand up on end, caused her tail to rattle, and made her pussy twitch. Mouth hanging open, Nereid began to pant as her mouth oozed with drool.

She needed more. She needed all of him.

Pat...

And as Felix's hand gripped her head against, she knew how to get all of him.

With his guidance, she lifted her head up, and opened her mouth wide. Her yellow eyes looked up towards his face, watching as he panted momentarily... before letting his lips spread out into a grin. With a firm push, Felix guided Nereid's open mouth down around his dick. She didn't fight back, allowing him to sink his burly length down between her lips.

“Mmfff~~”

“Aaahhh...”

This? This was far superior to his hand at night.

Nereid's reptilian jaw wrapped around his dick, holding him hostage between its shape. The roof of her mouth pressed in, the floor lifted him, and her serpentine tongue cradled him. That is until she extended her tongue to wrap it around his length as best she could.

Nereid placed her hands on Felix's hips, bracing herself against him as an amazing burst of flavor filled her mouth. He wasn't just hot, nor was he just big, but he was so damn tasty as well. His cock had this salty flavor to it, one honed by months of hard work with little in the way of showers. And with the added taste of his precum, this bitter flavor mixed in to create a truly amazing concoction.

The nightstalker moaned around him, her eyes twitching and body shuddering. The taste and odor of his cock both dominated the pleasure centers of her brain, making her melt down around him. Moaning around him, Nereid took a few moments to get used not only to the size of his member and its heat, but to savor his flavor as well.

So... fucking... good...

Felix's hold on the back of her head was soothing too. While firm and controlling, there was a gentleness behind him. Doubly so when his nails began scratching at her scalp in this pleasurable touch that further made Nereid moan and melt. Looking up with lidded eyes, she again met his gaze, and the lustful smile he wore on his lips.

Nereid's tongue dragged along his dick, pulling until her lips slipped off his member with a loud and lewd--

Pop!

Taking a few moments, the nightstalker panted for breath, before moving in to place a passionate kiss to his dick's head. Felix said nothing but did not, while she opened her mouth once again. Wrapping her hand around his shaft, she held his dick in place before pushing his member into her once again.

But this time? She was far more voracious.

“Mmf~ Nmph~ Mph~ Hnph~ Mmph~”

“Aah... hoooh... mmnn...! Nereid...” Felix moaned.

Her head bobbed up and down on his dick, sucking him off at a steady pace. The tight pressure of her pursed lips meant he could feel every inch of lips as they dragged against him. Her teeth too plucked at the individual ridges of his dick, while her saliva wrapped around his member like the tangling web of a spider.

And those fangs of hers? Those powerful fangs?

They acted like a gateway towards her mouth as they flanked his member on both sides. Feeling them stroke along his dick, Felix let out a deep and long groan that filled the air as he leaned his head back. Allowing his lusts to overtake him, he pushed up with his hips, delving his cock deeper into her awaiting maw.

But Nereid did not whimper, did not wheeze. Taking his dick deeper, the nightstalker sank her head further on his cock. As the pressure grew tighter, Felix's cock throbbed more in her mouth, and he let loose another deep groan. But, again, she did not stop. Again, she started pushing herself down further on his dick, taking him all the way down to the hilt.

But, again, Nereid did not stop! Even as his burly cock teased the back of her throat, the nightstalker kept pushing. And why shouldn't she? She could take more than this. She is both canine... and reptile, meaning that her body was incredibly flexible. How flexible? Well... what are boa constrictors best known for?

Yup... swallowing their prey whole.

Nereid's jaw grew loose, and her throat expanded. With the elasticity that only a snake could show, she took down the entirety of his dick. Her throat wrapped around his member, being tight enough that his cock visibly bulged against the bottom of her throat like the tightest, most snug fitting glove ever.

Felix groaned as his hands fell upon the back of Nereid's head. The tightness of her throat, the warmth of her body, and the spit of her mouth, all mixed together to send nothing but pleasure rushing down his spine. The malleable nature of her throat inspired him to clinch her head even tighter.

She could take it, right?

With both hands resting on the back of her head, Nereid looked up towards Felix face. His teeth was gritted, and he began hunkering down with his hips. All she could do was whimper softly in his presence. She knew what was coming next.

PLAPPLAPPLAPPLAPPLAPPLAPPLAPPLAPPLAPPLAP!!!

“GLUKGLUKGLUKGLUKGLUKGLUKGLUK!!!”

That noise! That noise was Nereid's throat as she took every inch of his cock again and again and again! His vicious hips made sure to pound his dick into her awaiting mouth, making spit splatter about on his hips and from her lips. His aggression was relentless, his cock was strong, and he had no qualms treating her mouth and throat like his own personal sex doll.

But Nereid never fought him off. She didn't push back, or stop herself, or anything like that. She only whimpered, accepting her position as Felix had his way with her mouth and throat. Each and every pound she suffered was like taking an erotic blow to the brain; it made the nightstalker's mind ebb and flow as she focused on nothing but the explosive pleasure she was suffering.

He was fucking her mouth and throat raw, scraping his cock along her malleable throat... and yet all it did was make her feel so fucking good! More and more heat traveled throughout her form, circulating on her pussy. And as her eyes started rolling towards the back of her skull, she felt her cunt start to quake.

Fuck! She couldn't believe it! He was gonna make her... gonna make her... gonna make her--!!!

“HMMMRRRMMMGGHHH~~~!”

SQUUUUUURRRRRRRRTTTTT!!!

With her mouth full of cock, Nereid's eyes grew wide as a muffled cry of ecstasy left her lips. Her pussy erupted, letting loose an explosive orgasm of feminine jizz which splattered against her thighs and on the floor. Syrupy ropes of clear juices sprinkled upon the floor, where the air was quickly filled with her sweaty and erotic scent.

She couldn't believe it. He brought her to orgasm by fucking her throat? She brought him to a throatgasm?

Nereid remained in a dazed state as her climax shuddered through her body. Her fur stood on end, her ears straightened up, and even her tail shook to give a loud 'Rrraattttltltltltltlttltltleee!' all as she steadily grew limp in his hold. For several more seconds his cock remained in her mouth and throat, before Felix slooowwwwlly pulled back with his hips, pulling his length from her with a loud,

Slpop!

Nereid sat on her knees before Felix's dick, watching it tower above her head as it glistened with her spit and his precum. The sight of his mighty spire, standing tall and radiating like some erotic idol, brought this goofy smile to her lips. Up until her body began wavering from side to side, and she fell back on the ground.

Thud!

Nereid's mind was awash; completely blank in a haze of sex and post-coitus bliss. Chest heaving up and down, she took heavy breaths while this smile on her lips continued to spread. Up until--

Step... Step...

Her ears twitched, picking up the sound of Felix's footsteps. Looking up, she watched as he stood tall above her, his cock still as hard as a diamond. The sight of him caused her pussy to twitch with randy excitement, for it and she both knew what was about to befall her. There was nothing Nereid could do but lay there and accept her fate as she spread open her legs.

Her skintight leotard did such a poor job of hiding her pussy. He could see the bright pinkness of her pussy shining through her tights. It called out to him, beckoned him, drew him in nearer. Getting down on his knees, Felix grabbed Nereid by her thighs, and steadily forced her legs up. Up and up and up; eventually, the nightstalker's feet were dangling in the air. She gasped at the sight as Felix so effortlessly abused her limberness, then drew her gaze down towards his pelvis.

Thump...

His diamond-hard cock rested against her mound, separated only by the then fabric of her leotard. Fuck, her pussy was so needy, so greedy to be taken by his cock. Likewise for Felix, who could barely keep his desires in check. Neither of them could take it anymore, so... why bother stopping it?

With panting smile on her lips, Nereid reached down between her legs. Palming her crotch, she could feel the heat between her legs, and the nectar that tracked on her fingers. She paused for a moment, and then slipped her finger beneath her leotard. Pulling it aside...

“Haaah~”

Nereid exposed her cunt.

Her pussy was slick and wet as nectar oozing down her matted thighs. With her recent orgasm being so fresh, the scent of her arousal grew that much thicker upon the revealing of her pussy. Felix's chest swelled at the sight, followed by a shudder which traveled down towards his throbbing dick. No more fucking around.

Reaching down, he grabbed the base of his cock, and began pressing it against Nereid's folds. The nightstalker leaned back form the slightest touch, moaning as the burning head of his dick sent wave so heat throughout her body. Such a burly dick; there was nothing she could do to defend herself against it. All Nereid could do was prepare for the eventual...

Puuuuuusssssshhhh!!!

“GAAAH~! AAAHHAAHAH ~~~! AAAHHHAAANNN~~! FUCCCKK~~!”

Nereid threw her head back as thick inch after thick inch of Felix's cock pushed into her awaiting snatch. Her folds parted around his gifted length, offering little resistance as he pushed it in deeper and deeper and deeepeeeer. Gritting his teeth, the engineer stifled lurid groans of his own as he watched his cock sink into her awaiting cunt.

The nightstalker's pussy was much like her mouth: tight, malleable, warm, wet, and ready to receive the dicking of a lifetime.

So why make her wait?

Grabbing her thighs once again, Felix pushed her legs up until they were pressed together and completely vertical. It gave him unbridled access to her tight, moist mound, something he was quick to abuse...

THWAPTHWAPTHWAPTHWAPTHWAP!!!

“AAAHH ~~~! HAAAH~~~! FUUCKCKC!!!”

How could such a short man be so damn strong!?

His body a well-oiled machine, Felix pounded into Nereid's awaiting cunt with such force that she was sent roaring to the base around them. One of her hands grabbed upon the floor to brace herself against it, while her other hand wrapped around her knees, holding them close. Every thrust into her awaiting pussy – and there were many – sent wave after wave throughout her body. Her ass clapped, her tits bounced, and her hair fluttered again and again and again around her head. All as she cried out with orgasmic bliss!

Every thrust – every thrust! – triggered little orgasms throughout her body, no matter how minute. Nereid's rampant cries continued to fill the air, even as tears started welling within her eyes. His dick spared no space, allowed no retaliation. He was fucking her cunt, and that was that. And with how tight her cunt was, she could feel every wonderful ridge, every spiraling vein, every inch that slid in and out of her pussy. Fuck, it was so hard. Fuck, it was so hot! And fuck was it so fucking good!

Felix too could feel that pleasure rise higher and higher. His hefty balls smacked against Nereid's butt as he drove his dick in and out of her like a powerful piston, while his body leaned in further and further. Gritting his teeth and screwing his eyes shut, he focused only on pounding at her pussy, on pleasing the nightstalker beneath him, and bringing them both to the absolute heights of explosive pleasure!

The lewd 'THWAPS!' and erotic 'PATS!' all sounded off throughout the silent halls of Fort Sally. With how loud Nereid was, if you were to hear her from the distance, you'd probably think she was being murdered. No, these cries were of ecstasy, and they were getting louder and louder and louder.

“NNGGH ~~! HGGGNN~~~! AAAHHH ~~~! F-FEEELIIXXX~~~!” she cried out, her velvety cunt twitching around his dick, “A BIG ONE ~~~! NNGGHH~~~! FUCKIN'... HEELL! I-IT'S GONNA... B-B-B-BEEEE... BIIIGGG ~~~! HAAAHAHA~~!?”

Yes! Yes yes yes! Yes! That's what he wanted to hear! He wanted to give her a climax unlike ever before! He wanted to give her the greatest climax of her life! He himself was rising to that zentih as his cock seemed to tighten further in her pussy.

One thrust! Two thrusts! Three thrusts! One final thrust and--

PLAP!

“NNGGHH!!!”

SPLORT! SPLOORRT! SPLURRRT!

“GAAH-HAAAHAH~~~!”

SQQQUUUUUUURRRRRRRIIIIITTTTTTTT!!!

Within her cunt, she heard the audible explosion of Felix's orgasm. All of that seed rushed from his balls, through his dick, was planted firmly within her awaiting womb. Everything – everything – was painted white with hot, thick cum. He made sure to spare no inch, spare no space, as semen even exploded around his dick to stain both of their thighs.

And Nereid?

Eyes closed and teeth shit, she came at the exact moment he did. Feminine jizz with the fury of a shattered damn, came flooding from her folds like a squirting geyser. It mixed with his orgasm and her orgasm from before, filling the air with the lewd and erotic scent of their melded bodies. And just when they thought it was finally over...

“Gghh...! Haah!”

Splurt! Spurt!

“Mmfph~!”

Nereid shuddered as the final bits of Felix's orgasm slipped out of his cock.

For a few moment they laid there on the floor, their bodies layered in sweat as his cock remained buried in her snatch. Panting, moaning and groaning, it took them some time to return to reality, like their minds were short circuiting. Felix even looked up and over towards Nereid, who stare back with those yellow eyes of hers.

Placing his hand on her thigh, he finally gained enough strength to pull back. The feeling of his cock dragging against her cunt, drew a few more whimpers from the nightstalker's lips. But then...

Shlop!

“Aah~!”

His cock finally left her folds, allowing cum to ooze out of her spent pussy like a sinful crawl.

Resting up on his knees, Felix looked down upon Nereid, who allowed her legs to drop. She stared back at him, their eyes meeting as they continued panting for breath. Seeing here there, so wanton, so needy, pulled him in like a magnet. He mounted the nightstalker's body, his face hovering just a scant few inches away from hers. And as they breathed in the same hot air as one another...

“Mmff~!”

“Nmmph!”

They entered into a kiss.

…

Sssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhh!

“Ya'know... it wasn't really a choice of mine to not bathe. There's just so few working showers on NB-319, and water's kind of a commodity.”

“Uh-huh! Suuuurrreeee!”

Water rushed down upon the both of them, spraying from the surprisingly still functional pipes and spout of Fort Sally's shower room. It layered their bodies, cleaning them of all the sweat and cum of their recent tryst, while a thick mist of steam covered their bodies. Soap streaked down their figures as well, while they scrubbed clean their hair. Especially for Nereid, who had so much cum to get out of her fur!

Looking up, Felix met the illustrious and erotic body of the nightstalker before her. In the waters of the shower, she glistened like a saffron idol, a sight that he'd remember for the rest of his days. Likewise for Nereid, who saw his short yet brawny form look back at him. Not to mention that member of his which was thick even while flaccid.

She's not a Size Queen! Honest!

“Ya'know... I don't think, I've had the chance to say this since we left that Alpha Sector base but... thanks, Nereid. Thanks for all your help,” said Felix, making her smile.

“Hey... ain't no need to get all sappy now,” replied the nightstalker... before a bashful smile spread on her lips, “But... it ain't nothin'. Really, I should be thankin' you. If you hadn't shown up with those UGVs, I would've been a pin cushion. And with their radar dish broken, they can't keep running their vehicle stealin' racket no more.”

“So in a way... I guess this is... where we... part ways...?”

Felix's question was something they'd both thought about already, even though they hadn't said it. Leave it to the engineer to go ahead and rip the bandaid off. But when Nereid looked forward, she didn't see a disappointed frown, no, he was smiling. It was this cocky, almost arrogant smile, a smile that said...

I already know the answer to this question.

It caused Nereid to tilt her head in annoyance, before she raised her hand and swatted it out him, throwing water on his face.

“H-hey! Watch it!” he playfully laughed.

“Fuck off, you little dick!” she snapped before pulling back and looking aside. Appearing bashful and demure, Nereid placed her hands behind her back, and tapped her foot against the ground in an unsure manner, “L-listen... I ain't... I ain't traveled around with someone in a long time. I'm... just a bit used to... ya'know... bein' by myself.”

“So... should I take that as a 'yes'?” asked Felix, to which she shook her head and looked back.

“No! And stop puttin' words in my mouth!” Nereid snapped as she slammed her foot down, before relaxing and scratching the back of her head, “I'm just sayin'... haah... listen here, Felix, I gotta a secret to tell you. I'm--”

“A former member of Alpha Sector?” he stated, causing her eyes to widen and jaw to drop.

“Wh... what...? Y-yeah... b-but... how didya know?”

“Heh heh... I kinda figured,” he replied with this cheeky grin on his lips, “Your skills in combat were unlike anyone I've met thus far, you knew suarkin like they did, your claim that you were a ranger which goes with what Alpha Sector used to do, and I found your knowledge on these forts to be too specific to be gained from mere spying. I figured you'd have to have first-hand knowledge on Alpha Sector to know all the things you knew.”

“Huh... well...”

Blushing, Nereid began poking her fingers against one another as her eyes glanced to the side. She felt a little stupid for underestimating his intelligence. A guy like him? If he was smart enough to manipulate machines, he was probably smart enough to surmise her former occupation.

But that's the key word 'former' occupation.

“I'm no Alpha Sector guard no more,” said Nereid, making Felix nod.

“Nor did I imply that you were,” he replied, “You're a ranger now, right? Heh... and a wonderful one at that. Nereid...” walking in close, he reached up and grabbed her hand where he clutched it gently, “I could really use your help. If you hadn't shown up to save me at that factory, I would've died trying to get my truck back. And... hey...” he looked down, “I may be an idiot, I admit that. Maybe my quest to contact Outpost Theta is a fool's quest, and we will be stuck here on NB-319 for who knows how long. But...” he looked back up, a smile on his face, “When I'm with you, maybe I can do it. And, hey... heh heh...! You'd certainly make time fly by faster if we're together!”

His candid attitude and charming smile, caused Nereid to blush. For as strong as she was – and don't get it twisted, she is very strong – she had a surprising bashfulness to her. When he looked up at her like that, all bright and beaming, she couldn't help but to melt.

The nightstalker drew in closer to him, where she wrapped her arms around his shoulder to bring him into a hug. His head resting atop her firm chest, he looked up where their eyes met. He smiled and she smiled... before both moved in together.

“Let's do it then,” she said, “Let's get off of this world... together.”

And their union was sealed...

“Mmfff...”

“Nmmm~”

With a kiss.