FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

***Sexual Content Warning***

This story has sex in it.

Keep track of your local laws on fuckery.

Don't read if underage or Illegal.

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Long Since Passed- Chapter 2

Anna Cilcy awoke with a pounding headache, testament to the rough night before. Three vials of Sad'Nai lay empty on the floor next to the bed, and articles of clothing were scattered about throughout her quarters. Her delicate sense of smell could pick up the strong trace of her own scent on her fingers, intoxicating as much to her as it would be for any male.

The Dragoness rose from her bed, taking the blanket with her and throwing it over her shoulders in an attempt to block out the cold circulation from the air purifiers. Cilcy wasn't quite ready to get dressed, and she didn't really feel the need. The datapad on the wall showed green across the board, meaning no disturbances or anomalies overnight. It was probably a good thing that the pad was there, for any happening of the night before had been forgotten in an alcohol-induced haze. Such things were abnormal for her, but when they happened, they happened big time.....

Cilcy moved to her wall viewport, unfogging it using the control panel to look out over the stars. Light years away from the Interlude, a sun burned brightly with pure white light. The beams shined from her scales, sparkling across the walls in strange, jerking patterns. Unfortunately, the window's radiation shielding blocked out any heat that the sun would provide, a fact that was disappointing to the captain. She'd always enjoyed basking in the orb's rays. Anna looked away as the call pad on her door was activated with a high-pitched chime.

"Speak." She instructed, wanting to know whom was call on her.

"Captain, it's Jamie. Permission to enter." The Gryphon's voice echoed through the intercom.

"Give me one good reason why." She responded, laughing lightly as she walked away from the window.

"I'll break something important if not." Came the response a second later. Jamie was no stranger to these types of games. After all, Cilcy was not the first female he'd known.

"Fine, enter." She shouted, a rare laugh following shortly after. The Dragoness watched as the door slid open, waiting for the pilot to enter. It was only then that she realized that only a blanket covered her naked form. Jamie wandered in just as she dodged behind her desk so that only her head was visible.

"Ensign Maey and I....." He spoke as he walked, but froze almost as soon as he caught a glimpse of the scattered clothing. His mind put two and two together a second later, causing him to quickly duck back in the hallway in a mixture of surprise and laughter, babbling apologies as if his life depended on it. Cilcy collapsed on the floor, clutching her stomach in laughter, unable to control herself as she listened to his continued apologies.

"Sorry Mr. Tama, stand by please." She called after collecting herself, proceeding to get dressed in the quickest manner possible. The Dragoness pressed her door switch a moment later, looking into the still very shocked eyes of the Gryphon.

"Yes Mr. Tama?"

"Just wanted to let you know that Maey and I will be waiting in the briefing room for you. We just got the full feed over from the news net."

"Very well, give me a moment."

"Yes Captain." He responded, scooting out of the room with a quick bow. Cilcy stifled a laugh, burning the image of his face into her memory for later amusement. She stood, finishing her morning rituals with no further interruptions.

Chalk up one more uneventful day...

+++++++++++++++++++++

The Revolutions flew by as the Interlude maintained her garrison operations across the RGP capital planets, looking for something and nothing at the same time. The garrison duties were an excuse for Captain Cilcy to keep a closer sensor sweep in place, guising it for a training operation on the rare occasion the Commerce Party complained about interference to their trade routes. Fleet Command wasn't angry with her yet, so she paid their bickering no mind.

The only blind spots to her tight sensor net were centered in the civilian traffic lanes, where the Military craft's powerful combat sensor feeders would fry the sensor arrays on the smaller personal ships on anything other than the lowest setting. This was a huge hindrance to the dragoness, and both she and Jamie could not find a solution for it. Maey was also out of ideas, spending many late nights attempting to sort out the dilemma with little progress.

Every trace of the anomaly that the Battleship logged had since vanished, and nothing for the past two cycle sets had triggered their threat alarms. Cilcy still kept her ship's computers running at nearly full power, putting together any data on the anomalies and attempting to write a search algorithm at the same time.

Her main focus now was for Jamie and Seree, spending hours in the officer's briefing room long after the ship was settled in to continue theorizing on the ghost ships. This included painstakingly sifting through the news reports, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

In the third cycle of their search, Jamie pulled up an article of interest out of the bottom of the pile. The Gryphon looked it over for a moment before passing it across the table to the white dragoness, who took it eagerly.

"An Ancient Societies and Technology exhibit? When did they start working on that?" She questioned, reading through the lines of text while sipping on a fresh cup of Duc'tor. With her left hand, the captain was shifting through the ship's reports on her datapad, making sure that everything was attended too. There were times when having an executive officer would've paid off, and this would have been one of them.

"Well, our current orders have us repositioning to the Tae subsystem. I wonder if this has anything to do with it. We have deployment authority as well, which usually means protection detail." She mused from the corner of her mind, finishing up the article.

"It says at the bottom that both the ATG and the RGP chancellors will be there for the signing of a new treaty." Jamie informed her, kicking back in the high-backed chair that he was sitting in. The Gryphon was twiddling a coin in his paw, studying Cilcy as the wheels turned in her head.

"We'll wait and see what Fleet Command has to say."

"As you should. If you ask me, sounds like a party for terrorist attacks."

++++++++++++++++++

It was a dreary evening on Commerce, with rain uncharacteristic for the planet's normally clear weather falling in sheets and driving the local residents indoors. However, for some, wandering the back alleys of the slums was never so interesting. Everything and everyone reeked of the newest unrest in the system.....

These matters were none of Reynard's concern, but he still couldn't help but overhear the merchants blabbering on about rising import tax and "over-intrusive" search protocols set in motion by RGP customs.

"They can't be all that bad." The human whispered to himself, running a hand through shaved blonde hair.

"They weren't able to find me."

The only way he'd been able to make it to Commerce was quietly residing in the bottom hold of one of the large trade ships that frequented the planet. It wasn't as if he could just blend into the crowd either. Ever since the battle of Lorton his kind was disliked throughout, and most people would remember a human passing through the port. Still, he'd rather take his chances on the street than stay cooped up in the dingy belly of a starship.

The twenty-four year old human enjoyed the inclement weather as he walked. In Reynard's eyes, it brought a new light to the surface. He turned at the next street, spotting a pub. It was always a good place to seek out easy info from the usual drunkards, which, more often than not just blabbered it out in intoxicated slews. The man pushed on the tinted door a moment later, making his way into the bar.

The lights in the establishment were low, and the air was filled with smoke and the smell of cheap booze that was expected from such a place. The murmurs of the patrons was a nice change from the sounds of the city, but it didn't last long when the various occupying species noticed the human enter. They stared for a few moments before turning back to their business. Not very often one of his kind left Wayfarer's territory these days.....

Reynard moved through the room, eventually choosing a comfortable spot against the far wall.

"Anything I can get you?" A young vixen asked, shuffling over from somewhere out of sight.

"Valenian Ale please ma'am."

She scribbled something down on her data pad in the font that only a waitress could understand and hurried off to behind the taps, glancing back over in his direction before sliding a glass down from the rack. The voluptuous vulpine made her way back over to him a moment later with frosted glass in hand, giving him a quick up and down as she walked. The vixen had the slightest sway in her hips, enough to earn a second corner of the eye glance.

Reynard sat back, letting forth a quick sigh before taking a hearty sip of ale. It was just the way he liked it, cold and crisp with just a hint of aftertaste. The beverage tasted like smooth apple vinegar to most men, and was definitely an acquired taste for those not accustomed to it. Reynard had very little experience with the Valenian Lynxes that brewed it, but he had made it a point to get out and become acquainted.

At least it helped take the edge off of a rough day.

He sighed once more to himself, looking about the bar for anything or anyone that could be of use to him. Being a loner wasn't exactly his style, especially when your species is looked down upon as nothing more than violent troublemakers and war criminals. Speaking of which....

A group of ruffians sitting on the opposite side of the establishment shot him the stink eye, but the human didn't pay any mind. He'd dealt with much worse than their lot.

Hell, it was even a challenge for one such as himself to get a girl in this area, paid or not. One look over at that waitress earned him a wink in return. He wouldn't mind a bit of that vixen for himself.

"Oh well." He muttered, producing his data pad and scanning it over the reader on the end of the table. At least he could leave the girl a good tip. With a body like she possessed, he almost felt as if it was his duty.

Reynard stood up and moved to the door, throwing his cloak hood up. As he stepped out into the rain, he turned to see the expression as the waitress discovered the amount of her tip. She looked up and met his gaze, blowing him a covert kiss as he turned back into the rain.

The lone human trudged down towards the factory district, looking up at the stacks as they belched black smoke and flames into the heavens. He liked walking down here at night, and made it a point to visit every time he made it to Commerce. The orange lights reflected off of everything they touched, adding to the surreal nature of the entire scene. It was as if the entire city was alive beneath one's feet.

As he meandered down the sidewalk, Reynard heard the footfalls of a group following behind. The man turned as he walked, catching a glimpse of the posse of thugs from the bar tailing him at a distance.

"Damnit. Those must be Leader's guys." He muttered in frustration, knowing exactly what he was going to do even before the situation fully played out. He slowed his pace, closing the gap between him and the group before taking an abrupt turn into a piping conduit.

"Reynard! Reynard Grey!" Hollered the leader, a medium-sized raccoon with an uncharacteristically deep voice. Reynard ignored them, continuing to walk even as they began to run. The Raccoon pulled a knife a second before he made contact, driving the blade straight into Reynard's back.

The raccoon found out too late that it was an effort that was all too futile. The sharp point of the blade deflected off of the protective plates sewn into Reynard's cloak. The human pivoted, grabbing the Raccoon's wrist and jabbing a suppressed pistol into his throat. He jacked the trigger three times, spraying a shower of warm blood against the side of the concrete wall.

The Human cursed violently as the raccoon's thug backup joined the fray. Reynard shoved the limp corpse of the raccoon right into the path of his charging equine comrade, bowling him over on the sidewalk. The horse dropped the pipe that he had brandished and fell hard, busting his nose on the concrete.

Last but not least, the pair's rat friend closed the distance into a stiff grapple which Reynard handled even with his deserting strength. Lowering himself, Reynard swept one of his legs and mid-rise put the rest of the pistol's magazine into the rat's chest.

The horse, still dazed and confused on the ground, looked upon the human in disbelief. Knowing how much of a strength advantage the equine had over him, Reynard ended the dispute with a boot to the skull. He spared the horse, whom was probably missing a few teeth, but alive nonetheless. Stooping down to the other two bloody corpses, he stripped them of unneeded money and other valuables. After all, he could use them more than they could.

"Shitty is as shitty does, fuckers." He spat, kicking one of the limp corpses as he walked past. Always an asshole looking for trouble...

The human readjusted himself and continued on as if nothing happened, correcting the broach on his cloak and reloading his pistol. He decided to continue down the conduit until he hit Commerce Center, which was just down the street from the pub that he had just patronized. The occasional breeze of ships was the only thing that distracted him from the heavy rain.

He thought back to the thugs and how mindlessly they had attacked him. Oh well, six hundred credits, a few dead lowlifes, and the galaxy is a better place. It was a shame in his own eyes that he couldn't do such work for a living, after all, fighting in the war had made him strong and hard times had made him even stronger. He was good, and people were willing to pay for good.

He moved down towards the fountain and sat down near a pillar, scanning through his data pad for the nearest place to stay. An orange furred vixen walking speedily down the sidewalk caught his attention, carrying a purse and still wearing her apron. It was the waitress from the bar....

"Well hello again." He said as he walked up behind her, glad when she turned around with a smile.

"Thank you so very much for the tip Mr. Grey. It is a great big help."

"Not a problem. I do have a problem, however, as I have no place to stay." Reynard played, noticing a police cruiser rolling down the next street over. Hopefully they didn't yet know....

"Well, I think I can accommodate you." She said with a wink, grabbing him by his hand and leading him off in the direction in which she traveled.

Oh well, at least he wouldn't be spending another night alone......

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"We're going?" Jamie questioned, running behind Cilcy as she maneuvered through a maze of bridge crewmembers trying to make final arrangements for the Ancient Societies Ball. The Captain herself could barely hold more than five seconds of conversation before an orderly interrupted her with an important matter of business.

"Yes Mr. Tama, we're going." She laughed, signing her mark on a datapad that was handed over by yet another orderly.

"Anything else that I'm about to be ordered to do?" He wondered, just checking

Anna ignored him, smiling to herself at his perturbed mood. The Gryphon seemed incredibly easy to annoy today, much to her amusement.

"Of course Jamie. Now, do you object to accompanying me?" She stopped, turning to look him in the face.

"Oh, but I have nothing to wear." The Gryphon answered, making it Cilcy's turn to be annoyed.

"James Tama, you know that the Navy still has your old uniform on file."

"True, but what if I don't want to go? Those politicians don't want to deal with a humble space pilot like myself." He retorted, following Anna down the passageway running through the extensive ship stores. Everything from uniforms to personal equipment could be found somewhere on that particular deck.

"You'll be ordered too, just as you said."

The captain led him to the ship's tailor, forcing him to wait as she turned in her order number. The tailor, a wiry young fox with a black stripe across one eye, pulled the already prepared set of Fighter Pilot dress blacks off of the rack.

"Been planning, eh?" Jamie commented, looking over the uniform with the scrutiny of a trained professional searching for any defects. He ran his hands over the pinned decorations, admiring them as they shined in the bright halogen lights. That ringed the corners of the alterations shop. Compared to Cilcy's dress, the black of a first class fighter pilot definitely stood out. Its silver collar tabs and buttons along with a distinct polished silver belt buckle were standard. He'd also gotten a new pistol holster, which is something he'd been desperately in need of, as his was beginning to wear.

"Well, shall we try it on?" She suggested, pulling the gryphon out into the hallway like an excited schoolgirl. Truthfully Cilcy was excited, having not been to one of these functions in ages. At least she was taking a handsome male with her, she thought. Let the stuffy royalty be jealous.

"I've got to get ready, so you'll have to wait to see it."

"Very well Mr. Tama. I'll meet you at the hangar in two revolutions." She spoke, reverting back to professional officer in less than a second once she was within view of her subordinates. She turned away without saying anything more, walking to her own quarters. She had a lot of preparation to do, after all.

The next two revolutions went by quickly, and before he knew it, he was sitting in the Andrea's cockpit with the engines starting their normal preflight spin up. He saw the proximity warning as Cilcy's ship passed next to him and into the docking pattern.

"Good to go." She called, watching as the Andrea cleared her docking clamps and slid into space behind.

"And we're off."

It didn't take the pair too long to get planetside, going through the restricted military lanes to bypass the never ending stream of commercial traffic. Once they entered the atmosphere, Jamie took the lead as he followed the nap of terrain just as he remembered...

+++++++++++++++++++

"Well don't you look handsome." The Pearlescent Dragoness complimented Jamie as he biolocked the Andrea on top of the designated landing pad. He had known the owners of the docking facility for a number of years, and had no qualms about leaving his ship alone. Cilcy had assumed it to be their backup plan if the stealth ships decided to show, as it was faster than the gear-laden military escorts that were sure to be present.

"You don't have to try when you're me." The Gryphon laughed as he took the dragoness' arm and escorted her to her waiting shuttle. He thought she looked stunning in the black dress she wore, long and sweeping out over her feet.

"You aren't looking so bad yourself."

"Why thank you kind Sir." She jested, wrapping herself around him to allow the Gryphon to escort her. The female knew that they were at the function for business, but she intended to have as much fun as she could. Hopefully, Jamie would enjoy himself as well.

The pair boarded the sleek navy craft after only a short walk, drifting lazily into the star filled night sky. The occasional stray raindrop made itself known on the main viewport, but they went unnoticed by both Cilcy and Jamie, too busy scooting closer to each other to notice much of anything.

As the craft jetted away, a pair of emerald green eyes fixed into a content stare. A voice echoed through the radio a second later.

"Let's get started."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"As you can see Nina, it is definitely a packed evening here at the Ancient Technologies Society ballroom as they kick off the grand opening of their latest super exhibit. The guest list weights heavy with both military and civilian dignitaries, with even more showing up every minute. Even the ATG's Chancellor Royal, successor to the Royen hierarchy, is making an appearance for this historic event. From what we can gather, both the RGP and the ATG are very excited and very supportive of these measures of peace." Captain Cilcy overheard one of the RGP's most influential media personalities as she made the live primetime report. The grey wolf spoke into the camera just as she did every day, excited even more this evening due to the momentous occasion. Another of the slick limousines pulled up to the red-carpet entrance, and the wolf moved in to get a better look at the party contained within. She looked quickly at the guest list, confirming it with the time. She gave the sign to her cameraman as a pure white dragon stepped forth, contrasted in a sweeping black dress. A handsome gryphon escorted her, stunning in appearance and demeanor alike.

"Arriving now is the Commanding Officer of the Battleship RGP Interlude, Captain Anna Cilcy. She is escorted by Fighter Pilot First Class James Tama, First Officer of the Interlude's fighter wing."

"First Officer? Was that your work?" He whispered covertly as they approached the entrance.

"Maybe a little. I have to justify you here somehow, you know."

Jamie stifled a laugh as they continued onwards, already forgotten by the media's cameras.

++++++++++++++++++++

"Keep the sensors at passive-scan and set for minimum resonance. We are currently in blackout while operating under the current set of orders. All hands see your section chiefs for a complete list of tasks." The executive officer, a green dragon with bright yellow eyes, called over the ship's main intercom. He slid passively back into the command chair, changing the displays with a rapid series of claw clicks. Everything looked to be in order, save for a bad power cable brace adjacent to the reactor chamber that was being changed out. Even that would only take a revolution at most.

The XO settled in tight, ready for another uneventful night cruising the stars. The ship drifted lazily in its orbit around one of the Commerce moons, staying to the shadow as per their orders. The ship's captain was planetside for the ball, answering an invitation from the chancellor himself. He joined the captains of the two larger warships, whom had also been invited down for the party.

The ship, a Frigate named the 'Huskee', was there under orders to perform quick reaction security for the ball down on the planet. If something were to happen, the Huskee could be on station within minutes, along with a full complement of fast attack troops. The frigate would then secure the scene for the two battleships that would also respond. Whereas the Interlude and her sister the Musta were fast, they couldn't match the Huskee in an all out sprint.

"Maneuvering, make a slight correction to two-one-six. Keep it steady until you hit the kick point, then feel free to maneuver when we head along the edge of the shadow."

"Roger XO, Two-one-six, keeping her steady."

The executive officer nodded, looking at the individual maneuvering station as the corrections were made. Save for maneuvering, the only other stations manned were weapons, shields, sensors, and navigation. Once the ball approached, the ship would spin up to full alert, but for now, all non-essential stations were unmanned for at least another few revolutions.

It was quiet for about a revolution before the voice of one of the crewmen came over the intercom.

"XO, sensors. Intermittent ghost contacts shown on both port and starboard arrays. Belly and top confirm same picture. Visuals show clear across the board, suspect sensor malfunction on primary feed."

"Roger Sensors, recycle the system." The dragon answered, bringing the sensor display up on the main screen.

"XO, sensors show clear after reset. Ghosting occurred on course one-five-zero, time now 2230 standard." The professional voice of the lower enlisted crewman manning the set responded not a moment after the recycle order was given.

"Thank you." The interim Captain responded, getting up from the chair and meandering to the chart display. He dragged a claw across it on the offending course, watching where the line took him. It intersected directly over Commerce, and passed directly over the Musta and the Interlude. The Executive Officer keyed up fleet command on the large communications console adjacent, entering his personal codes without thought.

<MESSAGE TO FLEETCOM KING NAS> RGP Huskee 7270>>Sensor Malfunction suspect, ghost contacts on all arrays>False read course one-five-zero>>Commerce<<

"Sir! I've got something on the port side cameras, right where the shadow meets the flare from the sun. I can't identify it."

"Hang on." He responded, clicking the main screen over with the remote while approaching the station itself. The camera was reflecting off of a large metallic object that was hidden at the base of the shade.

"Maneuvering, bring us in range of the sunlamps and give me 100% illumination."

"Roger XO. All engines stopped, swinging the bow around now."

"Weapons, warm up those railguns."

"Roger XO, railguns ready."

As the first beam of high intensity light swept over the object, the entire bridge crew took a collective gasp. The burned out frame of a navy frigate showing fresh battle damage leapt out at them. It was moored to a hovering hard point, something that definitely didn't belong this far from a spaceport or orbital docking station. The blue beam of energy that held the hulk to the hardpoint together glowed in the high intensity light as they moved it forward, inspecting every detail of the wreck.

"See if you can't get a name off of the bow, I'm going to pull up the database and see if this is logged." The dragon ordered, moving quickly over to the ship's main military data terminal, putting in rapid keystrokes. Runes poured across the screen, but none of it hinted of a known frigate wreck in the area, or even one missing off of the military band.

"Sir! Look!" The camera operator motioned frantically clicking his claws on the screen while enhancing the image in the bright beams of light. The name stood out plain as day.

HUSKEE 7270.

"All stations to full alert!" The XO yelled, running up to the communications council and pressing the emergency button to fleet command. It didn't finish connecting before the electronic warfare alarm rang across the bridge. They were being jammed....

"Weapons full across the board, give the computer control of point defense."

"Sensors, battle run active!"

He watched as the sensor readout swarmed with activity, showing multiple contacts on either side. The dragon braced against the computer terminal as laser fire lit space with strobing pulses, drained the ship's shields at an alarming rate. They blinked an alarm as power level fell below twenty percent.

"Maneuvering, engines to max power. Get us out of the planet's shadow and engage any contact that follows us!"

The XO felt the ship lurch, causing him to nearly lose his footing from the massive jump in acceleration. Laser fire cut across the Huskee's bow, melting holes in the heavy armor plate that was the first layer in many to stop such an attack, drawing alarm out of the ship's defensive computer as it swiveled to meet the new threat.

The Dragon watched as more of the scythe-shaped fighters materialized and strafed his bow, hitting a sensor array and throwing the ship's forward scanners offline. He jumped in surprise as one of the powerful point defense cannons slammed into the powerpack of one of the scythe craft right in front of the primary viewport. A hit that would've destroyed even a heavy fighter barely even scratched the attacking ship, instead, it renewed its attack against the frigate with greater ferocity.

"Weapons, the point defense cannons are useless against these craft. Power them down and revert all their power to the shields."

"XO, without point defense, they'll come in even thicker, we'll be worn down in moments!" The weapons officer informed, twisting the knobs to adjust power output to the guns.

The interim captain needed something, and he needed it now.

"Link the medium cannons with the point-defense system, they're fast enough to hit those ships!" He shouted, watching as the ship-to-ship cannons spun up with the new targeting assignment.

The scythe fighters were coming in from the bow, raking the length of the ship with laser fire before peeling off and coming back around. The missiles that the Huskee shot back flew around in confused arcs before exploding in space, not even able to get so much as a thermal signature to follow from the attackers. The slower medium cannons tracked, guided by the point defense systems in a last-ditch effort. They drew a bead on the incoming attackers and fired, lancing points of yellow light through space. The first two beams went wide, but once the computer got the range, it destroyed the first fighter about two hundred meters off of the bow of the Huskee. The destroyed remains of the scythe continued on the downward trajectory before being obliterated by the sharp prow of the frigate at full speed.

"Maneuvering, prepare to jump out of the system on my mark." The Dragon ordered, looking to the lower enlisted wolf that manned the console. He broke eye contact, moving to the communications array once more. He looked frantically for an option, looking at the system communications paths that were displayed. They were all jammed, all except for one. The Interlude had her communications array at full power, and apparently, the line was still open. He clicked a claw on the icon, typing a furious message on the keyboard.

<<RGP INTERLUDE>>RGP HUSKEE 7270>> Attacked by stealth craft at transmission origin, ship damaged>> Jumping out of system>> believe significant threat to Interlude and Musta>> false sensor scans>>Medium cannons at minimum>>Good luck<<

"Okay maneuvering, take us out!"

With that single command, the Frigate disappeared in a burst of light.

++++++++++++++++++++++

"This place is amazing!" Jamie explained, holding Cilcy around her waist as they moved into the grand ballroom. The ceiling was extremely high, topped by a large dome that gave all of the participants a great view of the stars outside. A genuine oil-lamp chandelier hung overhead as well, casting pleasant orange light over the dancing forms of several different species as they enjoyed the festivities.

"It sure is." Anna mused, hailing a waitress with a tray full of beverages. She scooped up two of them, handing one to Jamie. She shot the drink, handing off the empty glass to a different waiter as the Gryphon that accompanied her did the same. They moved into the crowd, intermingling with several dignitaries that were quick to introduce themselves.

The two Naval officers were overwhelmed with handshakes, purchased drinks, and thank yous for their service, not to mention interested eyes from all different species and sexes. After a nearly a revolution of the same drill, things settled down enough for Anna and Jamie to sit down and have a quiet drink.

"So, having fun yet?" Cilcy asked, swishing her drink around and looking over the candle centerpiece at Jamie. The Gryphon's tan fur gleaned in the archaic light, natural oils blending in with the candlelight and giving him a polished look. Anna was lost in his eyes, watching the reflection from the candle that separated them as it waved to and fro.

"I am, thanks to your company." He replied, finishing his own beverage and setting the now empty crystal glass on the table. The Dragoness held her head on the knuckles of her right hand, smiling at his comment and lining the rim of her cup with a claw.

"Well, it's the least I could do. This is the first one of these that I've gone too since Lorton, when I got my commission."

"Lorton. I wouldn't mind erasing that place from my memory all together." Jamie spoke quietly as a waiter brought him a fresh drink.

"You aren't the only one. I don't know how I survived after it." She responded after a moment, noticeably softer than before.

"You're looking at how I survived." The Gryphon indicated to his alcohol, a half-hearted laugh coming forth from him. There was a noticeable pause before either of them spoke again...

"I lost my mate in Lorton on the first night. We were investigating a strange sensor anomaly, and discovered the wreck of a Maxim Freighter. The bandits attacked from it and he took a missile broadside." She hung her head a moment before downing her entire drink, not wanting to lose her composure based on the image burned into her memory of his ship exploding in front of her. His scream piercing her ears....

"My wing wasn't there yet. We didn't come until the morning of the third day. We had the pleasure of dealing with their full attack force for the next twenty seven revolutions once they showed up."

"I was disabled about three quarters of the way through, when Executive Officer Dennison ordered the shot. We got caught out in the pulse wave from his ship, and I think you can fill it in from there."

"They slaughtered our fighters that had been rendered out of commission. The pulse missed them completely, but we swept in while they were wrapped up in the wrecks and drove them off."

"I was the fourteenth survivor, the last one that your wing found before they called off recovery."

Jamie's head felt as if he had been punched as he remembered stalking quietly through the floating junkyard in space, engines on low power and spotlight glaring over corpses of friends and enemies alike. Humans, Dragons, Foxes, Wolves, Gryphons, all different species dead all the same....

The two were silent, remembering their shared experiences with no small degree of sadness and apprehension. The mood would've remained for some time if the music hadn't decided to change to a slow tune, earning the Dragoness a look from Jamie. He thought a moment, a smile making its way onto his face.

"Would you honor this Gryphon with a dance?" He worked up the courage to ask, standing and offering his hand to the Dragoness. Cilcy hesitated for a moment, heart fluttering the way it always did when one as cute as Jamie asked her for the privilege. No matter how much sex she'd had over her lifetime or how many men she'd been with, Anna still reacted like a teenager when it came to the little things...

"Of course Jamie, I'd love to." She stood, taking his hand in her own and following his lead. The dragoness ran her hands over his, shivering at the softness of his fur the whole way to the dance floor. She threw her arms around his neck and pulled herself in closer, putting her head over his shoulder and hugging him close. She rested her head against his, feeling his taut back muscles through his uniform and soaking up the feeling of being close to a male again. It hadn't been since Mathew that she'd held another so close.

They moved slowly, enjoying each other's embrace as their bodies gyrated with the tune of the music. Jamie was an expert compared to Cilcy, moving her body along with his as he navigated the dance floor. His hands moved clandestinely abound her body, feeling the shape of her hips to the strength of her arms and the tautness of her outer thighs. The pearl white of her skin shone through his eyes, which watched her warmly throughout the entire act.

As the dance came to an end, Anna pulled the gryphon in close and pressed her mouth to his beak. It surprised her as much as it surprised him, acting on a thought that pretty much forced itself into her mind. She forced her tongue into his mouth, feeling his own shy away before quickly jumping back and answering with a caress of its own. Jamie's right hand worked its way downwards without thought, resting on her backside. The world around them had been long forgotten. A quiet moan rumbled in Anna's stomach as she broke away, smiling ear to ear.

"That was....unexpected." Jamie laughed, running his hand over her eye ridges before going back to her sides. To him, at that moment, she was the most important person in his life. Anna stared straight back, holding him as he walked her off the dance floor.

"Quit complaining Jamie." She scolded, giving him a playful shove the rest of the way into the chair in which he was sitting down. He stood to retaliate, but was swept off of his feet by a blinding flash of light.

All of a sudden, the world was black...

"Anna!" Jamie yelled, eyes filled with grime. His ears rang, and he could feel blood seeping from a wound in his head. The dust that permeated the air was thick, and Jamie could only see the fleeting shapes of people as they ran in different directions. He yelled again, feeling around in the floor for her. He felt a body, motionless and wet with blood, but he ruled it out as being her when he felt fur.

His hands passed over a scaled body, and a closer pat revealed a set of horns. Jamie felt her up and down, not detecting any major wounds besides a bleeding cut on her right arm. He gave her a sternum rub, which earned him a response almost immediately.

"Jamie?" She gasped, bracing herself against him and getting to her feet.

"What the fuck was that?" He exclaimed, leading the dragoness over motionless bodies. The floor was slick with blood, and as Jamie bent down to check for a pulse on a rather regal looking wolf, automatic gunfire rang out from across the floor. The clacking of combat booted feet echoed in their ears as they moved for the cover of a heavy table, combat training taking over. Jamie's hand went to his pistol, and Cilcy's went under her dress, producing her own piece from a concealed holster.

"Put me down Damnit!" An angry voice shouted from across the room, and through the clearing dust they saw a male Ocelot being dragged across the floor by two armored forms.

"That's Chancellor Royal!" Cilcy whispered into his ear, checking to make sure her pistol was charged. Jamie looked to his own, giving her a nod. They shifted from behind the overturned table, bringing their pistols up and jacking two rounds into the soldiers that stood there. Anna jumped and hit the first soldier like a ton of bricks, ripping his helmet and facemask with her claws and putting a pistol round into the head of a surprised Fox underneath. Jamie fired two more times into the second aggressor's facemask, dropping him with not nearly as much finesse as his white dragon partner.

"Chancellor, come with us!" Cilcy instructed, helping the older Ocelot to his feet. Jamie covered them, scoffing angrily at the fact that the automatic rifles were pad-print ID and locked out anyone but the user.

"Thank you. Those soldiers are killing everyone, and I have a feeling they're after me. That bomb wasn't meant for just anyone." He coughed, wiping blood from his lip. The elderly Chancellor produced a small data drive from his pocket, handing it to Cilcy with a forceful push of his hand. She looked him in the eyes.

"Captain, you must leave. The information on that drive is what they're after, and we're powerless to stop them without it."

"Who are they?"

"Zealot!" He stuttered, coughing up blood onto the marble floor. Anna cursed, looking down the front of his dress suit. On his right side, a long tear showed through the fabric. She touched it lightly, bringing back a blood soaked hand. The old Ocelot's eyes rolled back in his head, and his breath escaped him. She thumbed his eyes closed and set him down, tucking the data drive into her concealed holster's pocket.

"Company!" Jamie shouted as more of the armored troopers poured in from the opposite side of the room. Cilcy raised her pistol and drilled one of the advance troops, giving Jamie a tap on the shoulder before stepping back to the edge of the room. Automatic fire thumped through the dust, taking chunks out of the wall near Jamie's head.

"Through here!" The dragoness shouted over the gunfire, pulling Jamie through a doorway off the edge of the room. The hallway itself was clear of smoke, and the two broke into a run as soon as they saw the clearing.

"Get to the port, we need to get back to my ship!" Jamie instructed, running towards the end of the hall. Two blue and black clad forms emerged at the end, reflective tape shining in the bright emergency lighting.

"Police!"

They ducked down a side hallway as the police drew their weapons, leaving them in the dust. The armored soldiers drew a bead on the two unfortunate officers, cutting them down without much thought. Cilcy and Jamie kept running, not looking back as they shut the heavy door to the port, shooting the lock to keep it closed.

"Spot Twenty two!" She yelled, glancing over her shoulder at the door just in case any of the soldiers made it through the lock.

They ran past the police cruiser that sat idling against the curb, lights flashing off of reinforced walls. The only thing that could challenge them were the Sparks that shot from the door behind them, flickering in the low light.

The soldiers were cutting through.

Cilcy and Jamie, however, weren't going to be around when they succeeded. Jamie found her ship, sliding into it and setting the emergency power up as Cilcy released the docking clamp. The black craft slid effortlessly up and into the night sky, slipping into the cover of darkness a moment later.

++++++++++++++++++++++

"Hard lock in five. Remember, we are to go after the battleship in the center of the garrison. Bear Claws five and seven will take the recon pickets, so we won't have to worry about any intercepts. Make sure you get a good kickoff, and don't use your thrusters unless you are going to miss the target. Passive directional air only! Aim for the ship with the arrowhead bow. We're late gentleman, move with a fucking purpose!" Captain Anton Ferea instructed calmly, tightening a fastener down on one of his soldier's packs. He walked back and indicated to the large battleship that was surrounded by numerous smaller ships. The other battleship, the Interlude, was going to be taken care of by their sister team. Hopefully, all would go well.

"Prepare to drop!"

"Okay, drop now!" He ordered, feeling his stomach lurch as the air jets pushed him out of the bay.

The specially designed raiding ships were really working out, the Captain thought, as no visible response from the fleet below could be gleaned. The Musta, a 'Shark' class RGP Battleship was his target today. He drifted through space with a smile present under his mask. The Shepherd took heart in knowing that his chosen would sweep over this unknowing ship and leave it only a dead husk ripe for the organizations taking.

He adjusted his air thrust unit, pressing the button on the side of his visor to make a minute course correction. He could see his comrades doing the same. It was only a matter of a three minute or so flight before they landed with a soft clunk on the battleship's outer armor. The shields weren't up as per standard power conservation procedure, so their passage was eased.

The canine looked over the burn away panels carefully, confirming that they were the same as in his detailed reconnaissance. The spanner nuts that held it on were exposed, and four well aimed breech charges tore them off of their mounting. The panel drifted off from the concussion, exposing the decommissioned entryway on the topside. The Musta was built prior to the shift in shipyard design to a larger, more functional escape compartment of pod style, so the dangerous old hatches were sealed over when the ship was retrofitted. The Interlude was manufactured around the same time, so the second assault team would enter through that as well.

"Chief, get over here with that plasma cutter! Make sure you torch that defect detector first!" He transmitted, watching as they moved about in their bulky thruster harnesses. An ominous trooper made his way up to the captain, lugging a torch pack along as well. The green edge of the cutter turned a pale purple when the chief activated it, applying it soon after to the top panel of the sealed hatchway. Two more layers of sealed plate had to be cut through as well before the squad jumped into the cramped compartment.

They moved through the standby airlock and into an antechamber, dumping their outside suits onto the floor. Rifles were readied and heavy combat armor helmets were donned, and in just under four minutes, the team was ready to roll.

"Do it!" The commander of the unit watched his men roll out in organized fashion.

The captain strolled lazily down the hallway, holding his assault rifle in one hand and dragging his claws down the wall with the other. He listened as the sounds of gunfire rang throughout the ship as his troopers sanitized it of remaining crewmembers. The German Shepherd watched through the hacked security feeds as his men spread across the ship, weapons flashing. Compartment alarms wailed and lit up on the Christmas tree as Captain Ferea's soldiers popped airlocks. Their plasma torches sheared off locks that could withstand blasts from heavy explosives with relative ease. The crew of the ship was nearly unarmed save for the roving guards, whom were taken with relative ease. Anton almost felt sorry for the fact that none of them would leave the ship alive.

Almost.

"Captain, the Nexus is ours. We've got crewmembers still alive in the forecastle, but they're isolated for now. We'll deal with them once we begin the retrofit." His communications set buzzed, confirming with his watch.

Right on schedule.

"Okay Mr. Sentry, lock down the ship. Make sure you Jam the Interlude's outbound communications as well. The Mirov can't handle both ships. When you're ready, take us to the rally point. Also, try not to get blood all over everything."

"Exactly so Captain."

Now, the only thing he could do was wait for the Interlude team. If all went well, they'd see each other within the hour.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Ah!" The vixen exclaimed as Reynard slid his hand down the front of her pants, ignoring her underwear and going right for her sweet spot. The human knew just what he was aiming for, and he went for it without the protest of his lover as she writhed in his lap. He slid his hand over her sex, which was soaking from anticipation, before sliding a finger to play with her clitoris.

She whined pitifully, struggling to unbutton her shirt with one hand and guide his fingers with the other. She wasn't very successful with the former before she finally gave up, instead unzipping her pants so that she could fit the rest of her hand down onto his. He was definitely experienced, she thought, as he knew just the right spot to earn a gasp or tickle a nerve. The fox wasn't complaining in the least to that fact.

Allie hadn't expected to have company for the evening, especially not the human that was now pulling her shirt over her head. He tossed it on the living room floor, unclasping her bra a second later and sending it on the path of the shirt. His left hand cupped her breast, kneading it gently in his grip as he slid his fingers over her nether lips. The Human enjoyed torturing her, feeling every little movement of her hips as he varied his technique, doing just about everything imaginable short of sliding right inside. He drifted down even more, rubbing until he slid inside in one smooth motion. The fox arched her back, pushing her hips down on his hand in an effort to take as much of his finger as possible. Reynard rubbed her in all the right ways, exploring for a minute or so before finding her G-spot.

"Right there!" She gasped, rocking her hips on his hand and pressing her breasts into his face. Reynard took the opportunity and caressed her nipples with his tongue, occasionally giving them a light suckle. She threw her arms around his neck, pressing her head against his whilst thrusting against him.

Reynard felt her start to shake, and quickly pulled his sopping fingers out from between her legs. He couldn't let her finish early, after all. The Vixen nearly cried with need, pressing her muzzle to his in a nice deep kiss that put tongues into a locked embrace. She pulled away, nipping him on his bare shoulder before sinking down lower.

Allie moved her hands down to his crotch, unbuckling his belt eagerly. After a few seconds of fuss, it slid out from its clasp, freeing his cock. She took it into her mouth with little delay, wrapping her lips around him and using her tongue to rub at the same time. The vixen took her head off, running her tongue up the length of his shaft and cupping his balls with her right hand.

Reynard sighed, holding her head in his hands and moving it up and down with her own rhythm. He was impressed with her 'abilities', despite her evident inexperience with anyone other than herself, as he was already feeling the fire building in his loins.

"Wait!" He suggested, glad she decided to stop lest he waste himself in her mouth. He got around behind her, watching as she slipped out of her pants. Her purple panties stayed behind, standing out against her sunset-orange hide in such a way that drove Reynard's excitement through the roof.

He took a step behind her, putting his arms around her waist and gently kissing her neck. Allie shivered at the touch, taking in a deep breath as the human slid her panties down her leg, exposing her treasures for him to see. She turned to face him, running a hand over his face. Her pads were smooth, he noticed, guiding her down onto her back on the couch. He reached down and guided himself, rubbing the tip of his cock on her lips before gliding in.

The vixen shouted in pleasure as the tip penetrated her, not hesitating to slam her hips into his. She crossed her legs behind his back, shifting a bit to accommodate his size as he started pumping inside her.

Reynard rode her with slow pumps, planting firm, solid thrusts into the female below. Allie melted at the feeling of his cock filling her empty spaces. Pleasure shot up with each pump, driving her to the point of soaking Reynard's loins with her excitement. He began to pump her faster and faster, her moaning and gasping driving his ecstasy. He lifted her body off of the couch, pushing her up against the wall. He never pulled out, instead he slammed her even harder, quickly reaching his peak. Reynard hilted in her, filling her with his cum just before her own orgasm milked him of anything he may have had left.

It definitely had been a long time.....

Reynard, still inside the vixen, carried her from the living room into her bedroom. He set her down on the bed before withdrawing, giving her series of kisses on the neck before climbing in with her. Allie turned to him after he settled under the covers, exhausted from all of the day's cumulative events.

"Don't think I'm done with you yet Mr. Reynard. The night is still young."

He didn't bother to answer his datapad as it buzzed from across the room, after all, his hands were full.

Reynard Grey would soon regret that decision....

To be continued.