FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Days Go By: Hurting As One

By: Jenny Harlow

"Been reaching for a reason for the pain that's come (oh, oh, oh)

Been waiting for the season when the healing's done (Oh, oh, oh)

Well, line up in black and white

This blood runs red on both sides

Broken in two,

Hurting as one"

Offpsring- Days Go By: Hurting As One

Alana felt a shiver go down her spine as she looked at the floating wrecks. There was a small explosion where an arc of electricity struck one of the missile bays on the felinid ship. The doe walked into the medical bay, and stood next to the cat. "What is your assessment of this situation?" The doe asked, quietly. Alana filled her in on the conclusion that she'd reached. "You're more than likely correct, but it doesn't matter. We're reading a few survivors on both ships." The doe sat on the edge of the bed, looking her in the eye. "Can you walk?"

"I don't know. If the wound were anesthetized, maybe."

Vayla signaled an infirmary technician as she turned her attention back out the window. "Anesthetize this patient's leg, and do what you can to get her walking. We'll need her aboard that feline dreadnought."

The small mouse gave a hesitant, "Yes Lieutenant-Commander." Before walking off and returning with a small tray of medical equipment. "This is going to hurt a bit, I'm sorry." He said, as he filled a small syringe. He injected the contents all around the large gash, the cat out of habit showing little reaction to the pain. "This sealant will prevent the wound from reopening, temporarily. Afterwards it will need to be cleaned, and possibly re-stitched." The cat nodded as her leg was shaved. The mouse applied a long, thick line of the sealant down her exposed skin. "She'll be ready to travel within ten minutes." The technician reported, saluting smartly.

Vayla signaled for the bed to be moved. "She can wait on the shuttle over. The longer we wait, the less lives we'll save."

Alana was strapped into the bed as she was brought aboard the small transport. The pilot and crew shuffling around the stretcher. "Where's the best place to dock?" The pilot asked the cat. The ferret lowered the visor on her helmet as she turned back to look behind her.

"The port side is mostly intact, so there's ample docking opportunities. Midships, about thirty meters down from where the bridge used to be. It's marked with a red cross, so it's easy to see in an emergency."

The ferret nodded, "Transport to control, this is Sierra-Two-Twenty requesting clearance to undock for search and rescue." The ferret ran through a frequently repeated set-up routine, quickly readying the small vessel. "Hold on tight everyone," She called behind her. "Control, Sierra-Two-Twenty undocking, rendezvous with Sierra Squadron at the felinid dreadnaught." The ferret relayed docking information to her squadron. The ship made a loud mechanical chunk, as it released from the frigate. The engine flared and the ship sped forward, the minor g-force experienced in the unshielded ship caused the cat's stomach to flip.

The journey was fairly quick. The ports along the port side were clearly marked, as Alana had reported, with red crosses. The ferret rotated the ship so that the back was facing towards the dreadnought, the entire thing seeming like an insect next to the capital ship. "Pilot, the dreadnought has life support within several sections, but there are still large swaths without." The ship's AI reported. "Plotting suggested route for navigation to survivors."

"Thank you AIrin," The pilot said as the ship locked soundly. "Relay information to the other pilots of Sierra squadron. See if you can ask the dreadnoughts AI crew to let you in, show them your physician's credits."

"I will attempt to, pilot." The AI said, essentially "knocking" on the docking port. Apparently the other AI recognized that any help was better than none, as the door opened immediately.

"Pettit, can you stand?" The pilot asked, unharnessing herself.

Alana stood, placing her weight on the uninjured leg first, then sliding the other down to join it. The pain was muted, as if the sharp sensation was being felt through a layer of Styrofoam, and the sealant held the wound shut. The cat gave the pilot a brief nod, she looked at a small tablet she was handed. "The remaining crew have gone to the cargo hold, it's not far away." Alana pointed at the corridors on the map. "These corridors aren't pressurized, but that's because the bulkheads aren't closed. Likely there was a fire aboard. There's a couple survivors coming down from the bridge, yet they're extremely faint." The cat walked into the port and opened a small wall terminal. "Delta, this is Pettit, Alana requesting override for emergency bulkheads."

The terminal made a small peep. A map of all the bulkheads. The cat began shifting the airflow throughout the vessel, connecting the docking ports to the surviving crew. The ferret leaned over her shoulder. "Sierra, change of plans, the cat's rearranging the bulkheads, the shortest route has become even shorter." The ferret pointed at the screen, "What's that flashing red?"

"A staircase, it's saying to use caution when climbing. This ship's so structurally damaged around the bridge that it could crumple under a single soldier."

"Use caution on the stairs, our AI couldn't detect it but they're damaged."

The ferret walked to the open door into the dreadnought, a light hung from the ceiling sparking in the darkness of the room. She made an after you, motion with her hand allowing Alana to take point. They encountered one survivor on the way to the hold, it was a cat, laying on her back. She looked panicked as the crew approached the corner. "P-please help me..." The cat said, her voice a strained whisper. She reached towards Alana. As Alana rounded the corner she saw the full scope of her former crew mate's situation. The lower half of her body, up to her hips, was almost entirely inside the large serpentine body of a To'Shii. It was massive, at least eight feet in length, with blue scales on the top and bottom sandwiching a layer of white. On it's hood was a double curl pattern that looked similar to a stylized spade design. It had two slender arms tucked neatly at its sides, fitting nearly flat against its body. It's yellow eyes were closed, yet it's methane respirator was still operating, it's white stripes glowed softly in the darkness. Alana signaled to of the shuttle crew to attempt to free the cat. They put hand on her arms, and gently tried to pull her backwards. The To'Shii stirred, hissing slightly. Both cats breathed a sigh of relief that it's fangs didn't close, impaling or poisoning the trapped feline. One of the ferrets walked up behind the massive head. She put her rifle barrel down between its eyes. The rifle let off a muted pop as it discharged into the To'Shii. Its body spasmed, and it's mouth opened long enough to free the trapped soldier.

"Listen, get her back to the shuttle and start treatment, Co-Pilot, you're in charge, get her back to the frigate. The rest of you come with us." The To'Shii body began to make several mechanical beeps, and the motor on the respirator started humming quietly. "BACK AWAY!" The ferret yelled. They retreated, closing a bulkhead just before the methane filled body exploded violently. "To'Shii are goddamn bombs!" The ferret yelled, as she kicked the bulkhead with the bottom of her foot.

The rescued cat nodded weakly. "An effective tactic that," She said, tiredly. "Weaponizing your fallen soldiers. It allows your enemy to feel safe before being ultimately annihilated."

The ferret shuddered slightly at the cat's grizzly fondness for such things. "What is wrong with you carnies." She said under her breath.

"It is not that we don't respect our slain, or the sacrifice they've made. I merely remarked on the tactical mindset." The cat said, sounding offended. "You prey animals just don't get warfare, why do you think you were losing so badly to us the first time."

"Okay, that's it lady." The ferret said, rounding on the cat. "First of all, I'm not a prey animal. I'm omnivorous, which means if I truly wanted to I could eat YOU!" The ferret bared her fangs, snarling slightly. "Also, incase you haven't noticed, we saved your flea-ridden ass from a goddamn snake's gut! If I were you, I'd show a little gratitude."

The cat looked at her former crewmate. "Are you going to let her talk to us like that Petty Officer?"

"As a matter of fact, I agree with her. You owe her your life right now, so with all do respect seaman, shut up." The cat started to open her mouth, but years of beatings and shouting made her think better of opening her mouth to a superior, enlisted or not. Alana stood next to the ferret, taking the tablet from her pocket. "Looks like the area past this door is still air-tight. There's some light damage, but nothing structural. It should be safe to proceed through here." The cat laughed, nudging the ferret gently, "Should be a hell of a mess though.'

The ferret chuckled slightly as she motioned for her crew to return. "You stick with me Pettit, we'll get this lot out of here safe and sound."

The cat paused, "You've never once mentioned my rank?" The cat said, as she opened the door.

"Listen, I'm trying my damndest to treat you as one of my squadron members, which means, I don't address by rank unless you're a superior. In this case, I'm a Lieutenant, and therefore outrank you." The pilot said smiling. "My name's not pilot by the way, it's Riley, Riley Finnegan." She said, extending her hand to the cat as they walked through the spattered and charred To'Shii.

"Nice to meet you Lieutenant Finnegan."

"Gee kid, that's a mouthful, why don't you try just Finnegan, or maybe even Riley."

"Oh... Okay, Finnegan." The cat said, stopping nervously.

The cat lead her through the corridors, for the most part the two moved quietly. Finally, as they neared the cargo hold, the cat turned to the ferret again. "So why are you treating me so well anyway?"

"You've got a gun, and we're aboard your ship. I figure by treating you as a friend, you'd be less likely to turn me over to your people and steal my shuttle." The ferret said, laughing quietly. She attempted to use the console on the door, "It's locked out, and this door's too thick to knock on properly." She stepped aside, allowing the cat a chance to try the keypad.

"It's no use, the captain put an override in place and I don't have clearance to take it off."

Riley reached into one of the pouches hung around her waist. And pulled out a small brick shaped object. "Do you know what I call this?" She said, grinning widely.

"A high-explosive, from the smell I'd say it was a derivative of Composition C-4. Though I can't quite make out its exact composure."

The ferret was momentarily struck dumb, her jaw almost touching the floor. She shook her head, her smile slowly returning. "No dummy, I call it," She said, tossing it up and catching it, "Clearance." In an action movie, this would be the point where it jump cut to the door blowing out of its frame. This however was not the case, as the ferret knew the door was too thick for such a tactic to work. Instead she placed a small blob on the keypad and wired in a detonator. The cat and the ferret both ducked around the corner. With a two button push, the explosive went off with a loud concussive blast. The ferret peeked around the corner, her grin getting even wider. The cat was becoming seriously worried that it would connect at the back of her head. "Bitchin'" She said as she approached the hole. It went clean through, to the point where light and alarmed voices were coming through it. The ferret reached into the hole, using her gloved hand she twisted two wires together. The door made a faint hum as it opened, the ferret and the cat suddenly confronted with a multitude of rifles. "Ah, nothing like a warm welcome." Riley said, her grin never fading.

"Pettit?" The officer said, lowering his gun. "We thought you were To'Shii."

"To'Shii don't have clearance." The cat said, her and the ferret exchanging a look. "We've cleared a path to a dock on the side of the ship, there are more coming to lend aid, and they'll guide you back to the ships. In the meantime, send the most injured out first and we'll have them taken aboard as quickly as possible."

"I guess we're even, if we hadn't stopped to save the prey vessel, we ourselves wouldn't be in this situation." The cat said rudely as he returned to his crew.

The ferret let him push past as she turned around, wrapping her arm around Alana. "Are all of your people this pushy and rude."

"Believe me, from the time we're very young we're ordered to be pushy and rude. It's part of the felinid code." Riley laughed, shaking her head slightly and Alana joined her. "Never met a cat before either."

"Seriously though, we are ordered not to laugh, joke, smile, or express any real emotion. That's beaten into us from the get go." Alana said, hanging her head down.

"Oh... I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"Yeah, that's a complete lie... We don't have orders not to laugh, that would be stupid."

The ferret just continued walking with her large grin. "So we're shuffling ferries around right now, least injured aboard a couple shuttles, stretcher bound usually need a shuttle of their own, but it'll all work out, there's plenty to go around." The ferret said shrugging. "It is hot in here, the atmospheric controls must have gone haywire as the ship was damaged." The ferret said, taking off her heavy flight jacket. Alana couldn't help but notice as Riley shifted her arms, a large tattoo that took up nearly the entire length of her forearm. It was a series of numbers, with APC written above it. Astrid Prison Colony: 824736.

The cat suddenly understood Riley's care-free attitude, it's the type of attitude that would either help one survive, or break them on Astrid. Without commenting, she hung her head for the ferret. What this poor woman must have been through before her release. Still, she survived and not many can make that claim. As they boarded the shuttle and undocked, she saw the shuttles flying urgently from the herbivore ship. She felt something that she hadn't since this war had begun. A feeling of not winning or losing, but merely hurting as one cohesive unit of life.