{"sf1_id":316545,"sf2_id":"ve3jEqp1","title":"Commemoration","author":"Spudz","words":11080,"posted_at":"2011-12-14T01:51:00.000Z","tags":["Human","No-Yiff","Plot Development","Sci-Fi","Space","Story Series","Tiger","Wolf"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/316545-commemoration","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/ve3jEqp1","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/ec/ee/ecee9485-6c2a-441e-ada7-3732bcee9876","description":"#18 of Silent Guardians\n\nFor Reference:\n\n\nKyree (key ree): anthromorph wolf-like race\n\n\nKense...","content":"For Reference:\n\nKyree (key ree): anthromorph wolf-like race\n\nKenseng (ken sang): anthromorph tiger-like race\n\nDrala (dra la): anthromorph reptilian-like race\n\nArastos (a rest tos): alien starship [www.sofurry.com/page/298134](%5C)\n\nArastos Crew:\n\nKanolos (ka no loss): male kyree, starship helmsman, mated to Riyla\n\nRiyla (ri la): female kyree, starship captain, mated to Kanolos\n\nShyla (shy la): female kenseng, starship tactical officer/cook, mated to Yanashi\n\nYanashi (ya na she): female kyree, starship tactical officer/physician, mated to Shyla\n\nEriras (ear rass): female kenseng, starship engineer, mated to Taylo\n\nTaylo (tay low): male kenseng, starship engineer, mated to Eriras\n\nLumina (loo men na): holographic female kyree construct, starship supporting A.I.\n\nKeith (key th): male human, human ambassador/starship operations officer\n\nTerritory Map Diagram: [www.sofurry.com/page/222716/](%5C)\n\n**Commemoration**\n\n**Written By: Spudz**\n\n\"Damn it all... I just can't get this to work!\"\n\n\"Did you reinitialize the frequency converters?\"\n\n\"Of course I did!\"\n\n\"Try using the backup power grid?\"\n\n\"That was the first solution I tried.\"\n\n\"Well... did you promise her some love?\"\n\nThe last statement provoked a puzzled look from Kanolos, as he continued to stare at the myriad of holographic displays hovering just over the console of the helm station. \"How would making love to the starship fix my problem?!\"\n\n\"No... my silly little _kyree_,_\"_ Riyla replied from the captain's position just above her mate. \"Sometimes, to fix a problem with your ship... you just have to get on her good side.\"\n\nTurning in his seat, Kano looked up toward the captain's two black furry paws resting atop her console dash above him. \"You talk about _Arastos_ like she's a stubborn mate.\"\n\nHis words elicited a chuckle from Riyla while she leaned back further in her seat and looked up toward the ceiling bulkheads. \"Actually, that is precisely how I treat my starship.\"\n\n\"Oh, really?\"\n\n\"Indeed,\" was the captain's simple response. \"If you don't treat your starship properly, she'll fight against you at every turn. This nacelle frequency imbalance is a prime example.\"\n\nThe problem had been the bane of Kano's existence for over two hours now. While his mate had looked on in quiet amusement, the pilot of _Arastos_ had tried unsuccessfully to correct a sudden and abrupt frequency disparity between the four slipstream engine nacelles. The origins of the mysterious problem were a mystery to the fox-furred _kyree_. He had toyed with the idea of asking Lumina for help, but he would be damned if he let her fix this... she would never let him live it down.\n\nBy not having each engine in tune with the others on a specific power frequency, any attempts made to enter slipstream would result in a catastrophic breakup of the hull when the fabric of space was ripped open. The problem itself was very rare, and one that typically only occurred after replacing a nacelle or performing heavy maintenance. However, for reasons beyond Kano's understanding, the serious issue had abruptly materialized moments after _Arastos_ had left the planet's atmosphere, under very routine circumstances. It was confusing to say the least.\n\nCurrently, the starship was in low orbit about Earth, with the stunning beauty of the planet splayed out across the starboard side of the forward bridge window. The ship was actually positioned on the exact same orbital profile of the former International Space Station, which had been destroyed several months ago. Now though, no traces of debris remained to mark the station's destruction.\n\nWith the ISS gone, humanity no longer had an enduring presence in space. However, plans were in the works to change that unacceptable fact rather quickly. Mankind had come to understand the dire need to branch out into space over the past few months, serving to resolve the debate on whether space travel was worth researching and developing beyond just simply placing astronauts in orbit around Earth. Unfortunately, such a major issue was not the only problem consuming the human race at that moment.\n\nThe crew of _Arastos_ had breathed a collective sigh of relief when the ship finally managed to escape back into orbit from the planet's surface several hours prior. The comforting tranquil silence of space was a welcomed relief from the chaos that continued to rage down below... a consequence of a brutal conflict that had swept across the human civilization like an unrelenting wildfire.\u0026nbsp;\n\nThrough a series of unforeseen circumstances, mankind had suddenly found itself thrust headlong into a war against a powerful alien race; a war that humanity had no chance of fighting on its own. The question of whether humans were alone in the universe had suddenly and viciously been answered, throwing the world into utter bedlam while the Domain rained down destruction from the heavens unmercifully.\n\nThe Terran War, so named for Earth's central role in the conflict, had reached out to consume many alien races in its turmoil. From the Federation ally of the Confederate Dominion, to the Sorrlator Territory; the entire region had been swept up in the fighting, each faction warring against another in a violent process that had all started with the _drala_ surprise attack against Sora.\n\nNow however, peace was finally being restored across the region. With the Federation and Drala Domain no longer in a state of war against one another, the remaining powers had quickly followed suit. The Algardion Territory had swiftly sued for peace with the Confederate Dominion for fear of the Federation joining sides with its ally. Not long after, the _sorrlator_ had done the same with the _mirtux_ for the very same reason. As a result, the immediate region of space had stabilized with hardly any changes compared to before the war.\n\nFor the crew of _Arastos_, the cessation of hostilities marked the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. There was arguably no more fitting a location to commemorate the end to the conflict than to peacefully circle planet Earth on the same orbit as the former ISS, the very same scene where everything had first started with a daring rescue mission several months ago.\n\nSuch matters were far from the mind of Kanolos, though. Without the slipstream nacelles properly aligned, the ship wasn't going anywhere, a serious issue that necessitated immediate attention. In the event of an emergency, the vessel had to be ready for a sudden jump into slipstream. Thus, the problem took precedence over everything else, as the _kyree_ had taken on a single-minded determination to resolve the issue.\n\n\"I just wish I knew what had caused this in the first place,\" Kano spoke with exasperation, turning back to once more let his wolfish eyes pour over the cascades of data across his console. After a few moments of careful scrutiny, he entered a series of alignment corrections, only to be greeted with multiple error messages.\n\n\"Is there anything you did that might've pissed off the ship?\" Riyla inquired, amusement quite evident in her tone. The captain was obviously enjoying her mate's misery.\n\nKano uttered a sigh of frustration. \"I don't know... I spilled coffee in the corridor on the way to the bridge this morning. How could the ship hold a grudge for something like that?!\"\n\n\"You'd be surprised. A starship is a fickle bitch.\"\n\nRiyla's mate snorted disdainfully as the captain slowly stood from her chair, thrusting her body into a lengthy stretch to loosen sore muscles.\n\nAgain Kano entered a slightly different batch of alignment commands. And, once more, the console displays flashed warning symbols to his disgust. \"Alright, if the ship is pissed at me... what do I do?\" the pilot asked, throwing his hands up in defeat.\n\n\"It's simple,\" Riyla replied, just as she moved to stand alongside her mate. \"You have to apologize.\"\n\nKano turned to look at the captain. \"You can't be serious?\"\n\n\"Just do what you do when I get pissed at you.\" The black _kyree_ grinned mischievously while he shook his head in disbelief.\n\n\"You mean avoid her for a little while. Then apologize for something I never did... and then make up by mating passionately all night long?\"\n\nRiyla reached up and tweaked his wolfish ear with mock annoyance. \"Not quite... you know what I meant.\"\n\n\"Oh, alright,\" Kano finally spoke. \"...if it helps in any way.\" The _kyree_ turned his attention to the console display. \"I'm sorry for spilling coffee in the corridor this morning.\" Again he tried a series of alignments.\n\n\"You have to do better than that,\" the captain spoke, grinning playfully. Her words were accompanied by the console streaming error messages once more in defiance of the pilot's wishes.\n\nKanolos sighed deeply. \"Alright... as reparation, I'll perform a full comprehensive diagnostic of the atmospheric thrusters. I know that is overdue.\" He turned to look at Riyla, who made a motion for him to continue. \"And... I'll recalibrate the slipstream guidance array.\"\n\nThe captain gave a nod of acceptance, allowing Kano to hesitantly enter a new series of commands.\n\nThere was a moment's pause... and then, as if the ship had accepted his apology, the frequencies once more synced up into perfect alignment.\n\nIn surprise, the pilot sat back in his chair with muzzle ajar, staring at the holographic screens, expecting the information to be a trick of some sort. He then turned to regard his mate, who simply stood alongside him with canine teeth gleaming in a wicked grin. It was at that point the pilot suddenly realized he had just lost.\n\n\"I don't know what to say,\" Kano spoke. He again looked at the console displays.\n\n\"I'm going to hold you to that promise,\" Riyla replied, patting him on the head. \"I'm sure the ship will as well. But, we can forget about that for now... we still have a guest to entertain.\"\n\nKano's ears folded flat while he made a move to stand with a groan of effort. \"Why does it feel like both you and the ship are ganging up on me? Was Lumina involved in this somehow?\" The fox-furred _kyree_ made a show of arching his back in a stretch with hands extended up above his head. \"If I didn't know better, this was planned out from the beginning.\"\n\nThe captain placed a hand on her hip in feigned indignation. \"It only seems that way, because I know my ship and its personality. And, no... Lumina had no hand in this.\"\n\n\"I find that hard to believe.\"\n\nRiyla continued to fix him with a crooked smile. \"Would I be a good captain if I didn't know my vessel's quirks and tendencies?\"\n\n\"As always, I bow to your superior wisdom.\"\n\nIn reply, Riyla cuffed her mate lightly against the side of his head to his amusement. \"You're lucky you're so damned cute, flyboy.\" As Kano rolled his eyes to her remark, the black _kyree_ turned her attention aft toward the doorway leading to the corridor behind the bridge. \"Now then... since we are done here, let's go join the others. I'm sure they've grown tired of waiting for us.\"\n\n\"Well, it's not like you helped me get this fixed any quicker.\" The pilot punctuated his words by lightly slapping his mate on the rump to her startled yelp of surprise. Before she could counterattack, Kano swiftly made for the doorway, smirking over his shoulder as he did so.\n\n\"I'll get you back for that when you least expect it,\" Riyla warned ominously, fixing him with an evil glare.\n\nKano merely continued to smile. \"You always do...\"\n\n\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\nThere was something to be said about the majesty of planet Earth. She was a magnificent world bathed in lush green continents and far-reaching deep blue oceans; a planet teeming with vast arrays of life and mystery.\u0026nbsp; Not many had the privilege to gaze down upon her splendor from the cosmic realm of space. It was as close to heaven as one could possibly hope to be.\n\nSighing deeply, Captain Ian Rubin gingerly reached out to splay his hand against the glass of the starship window, while he silently took in the magnificent grandeur of planet Earth. To think, that his childhood dream had finally come to pass. Here he was gazing down on the very world he called home... and it was every bit as breathtaking as he could've hoped to imagine.\n\n\"Wow...\" the skipper breathed in awe. \"Louis Armstrong, my friend, you were right... it truly is a wonderful world.\"\n\nAll of his life, Ian had dreamed of becoming an astronaut. It had been his aspiration ever since the day he had stood witness to the raw power of Space Shuttle _Discovery_, watching with amazement as the spacecraft roared up into the heavens on a pillar of brilliant fire. Yet fate had intervened with plans of her own for him.\n\nNever would Captain Rubin have pictured himself becoming a sub driver as a kid. How he had ended up as skipper of the _Maryland_ had come about through a series of unforeseen circumstances, beginning with a very convincing speech by a Navy recruiter some time ago. The profession wasn't nearly as glamorous as that of the select few who called themselves astronauts. However, commanding a boomer sub was certainly not a job to take lightly. There was no downplaying the fact that he retained control of enough nuclear ordinance to glass nearly half the planet; or, at least he had before the war. It was funny how his occupation as a sub captain had actually culminated with him ending up here of all places...\n\nIan's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone approaching him from behind, drawing his attention back to the din of conversation that continued on behind where he stood in the starship's mess hall. Before the skipper could turn, a human hand appeared at his side grasping a beer.\n\n\"Care for one?\" Keith asked, as he came to stand alongside Captain Rubin.\n\nIan brought his hand up in a gesture of polite refusal. \"Nah... thanks though. I never really had a taste for beer.\"\n\n\"Really? You always looked like a beer kind of guy to me.\" While he spoke, Keith removed the bottle's twist off cap, which uttered a satisfying hiss of carbonation. It was a light beer, not exactly his favorite. But at this point, he really didn't care one way or the other.\n\n\"I believe some in the brewing world would say that there's a beer for everyone, Ambassador Ramirez,\" Ian replied, smiling slightly. \"However, I've yet to find mine.\"\n\nThe mention of ambassador brought a pained look to Keith's expression. \"Please... call me Keith. I've had enough dealings with politicians using that title.\"\n\nIan turned away from the window to regard Keith fully. \"I'm sorry. I thought you would prefer your formal title now that you're the Federation's ambassador to Earth.\"\n\nKeith uttered a pitiful laugh. \"Hardly. I can't stand all of the politics. No one has treated me like a human being since the war ended. I might as well have fur and a tail for how everyone looks at me.\" He remembered that he was still holding his beer and reached up to take a generous pull.\n\n\"I know you hate all the politics,\" Lumina suddenly spoke, her hologram materializing next to Keith. \"...but you're damned good at it. We wouldn't be nearly as far along if one of us had taken up the diplomatic job.\" The white-furred _kyree_ motioned to herself for emphasis. \"You think they treat you like a health hazard? If I had strolled into any government office in all my furry glory, they would avoid me like the plague.\"\n\nIt was easy to forget how each and every one of the politicians Keith now dealt with had also suffered through the Terran War. In the beginning, most had watched powerlessly as their personal bodyguard protection had been ruthlessly slaughtered at the hands of Domain soldiers. Many good men and women had stood fast by their oaths to protect their government, each rising up to meet the alien assault fearlessly in a vain effort to protect their charges... and most had paid for that devotion with their lives. Seeing such death and violence up close, it had scarred many politicians deeply.\n\nWhile most had expected to die that day, government figureheads all across the globe were instead captured and imprisoned after the initial attack. The Domain's goal, however shortsighted it may have been, was to try and maintain order during the systematic occupation of Earth, using the captured leaders of the human world as a means to establish influence over the common populace.\n\nThe hatred that had developed and ultimately consumed these politicians during their imprisonment continued to fester even now. Even though this spite wasn't directed toward the Federation and its allies, there was still a general sense of subdued resentment that Keith experienced when he assumed his role as ambassador. The politicians were wary of him and the power that he represented. And they had every right to be.\u0026nbsp;\n\nIn the silence that followed, Ian stole a glance over his shoulder. As the skipper had quietly stood near the mess hall window, the _kyree_ and _kenseng_ crew of _Arastos,_ minus Kanolos and Riyla, had been engaged in an intense discussion concerning human politics. Presently, the group occupied a series of comfortable couches arranged about a card table in the middle of the space, everyone listening intently while Taylo attempted to hash out his opinion on the matter at hand.\n\nThe topic of interest for the _Arastos_ crew turned out to be a rather heated issue at that very moment, revolving around one simple question. How should the Federation introduce new technology to the human race?\n\nThe problem was a troubling one. On the one hand, there was an urgent push to acquire technology as quickly as possible, to help bring mankind up to the same level as that of its stellar neighbors. And why shouldn't the Federation provide the means to help humanity advance? With the isolation policy no longer being enforced, Earth was very much exposed with little to no means of defending herself from alien aggressions. The Domain invasion proved this startling fact clearly. Even without Federation help, many nations across the globe were already in a frantic race to revamp their military strength... a move that was rapidly destabilizing what little order there was between countries.\n\nConversely, with the introduction of new technology came a great risk, one that was not fully understood by both sides of the argument. How would new innovations and state of the art concepts affect the human race as a whole? Was mankind ready to take on this sudden dynamic leap in technology? There was no telling what grave ramifications could occur. This was, in a sense, the main problem the Federation isolation policy of Earth had originally sought to avoid.\n\nMuch to Keith's dismay, this key issue had proved to be the main headache for his new occupation. Since he was the Ambassador to Earth, it was his responsibility to deal with headstrong politicians who practically demanded assistance from the Federation in the form of new military technologies. However, such an act was not deemed a wise course of action by the council convened to oversee human integration into the Federation Alliance. Thus, all Keith could do for now was stand fast by this decision handed down to him, and promise that when the time was right, aid would be given. Of course this didn't sit well with any of the human nations.\n\nEven worse, the issue had spilled out into the general populace of Earth. As a result, two sides had formed with one standing by the demand for immediate Federation assistance, and the other arguing against such an action. Hell, there was even a growing minority of humans, termed the isolationists, who demanded the Federation remove itself from Earth completely. Add to that, unstable stock markets, periodic mass riots, weakened government influence, among other issues... and you had one hell of a mess. The situation, overall, was pure chaos.\n\nThe issue wasn't limited to humans alone. The crew of _Arastos_ had also chosen their sides, and not everyone agreed on the best solution. Taylo and Eriras had taken up a stance against immediate Federation assistance, while Shyla, and to a lesser extent Yana, had argued in favor of the exact opposite. The one difference though, was that the _Arastos_ crew went about the argument in a far more civilized manner than the more passionate human advocates on the surface below.\n\n\"... I'd say that at the very least, we should withhold giving the humans weapons,\" Taylo spoke. The russet-furred _kenseng_ currently occupied a plush chair facing the nearby window where Ian stood, casually holding an opened beer in one hand. He had actually taken quite a liking to the human beverage. \"If the council agrees to share technology, I'd say the best place to start is power generation.\"\n\nShyla nodded her head in accord before she replied. \"I agree. We should, at the very least, introduce Earth to cleaner alternatives. Their coal and gas power concepts are completely inefficient. And their nuclear power is rather dangerous.\"\n\nWith Shyla heading up the debate on their end, Yanashi instead elected to remain silent, her head resting comfortably in her mate's lap as the _kenseng_ gently massaged her wolfish ears to Yana's soft contented murr of approval. The grey _kyree_ was perfectly happy to let Shyla do all the talking for her.\n\nTaylo fixed Shyla with a resigned look. \"I might not like it... but, the Federation will have to help Earth. In reality, it sounds like a compromise between the two sides will be the best course of action...\"\n\nAs the crew's conversation continued on, Ian turned his gaze out toward the splendor of planet Earth once more. \"I never would've imagined how much of a mess would result from this war,\" he spoke to both Keith and Lumina.\n\nKeith hoisted his beer in agreement. \"You don't have to tell me that twice. I deal with the problem on a daily basis.\"\n\n\"Ah... I almost forgot,\" Captain Rubin added. \"You paid the UN a visit today. How did that go?\"\n\nKeith sighed deeply. \"You think dealing with politicians on a one-on-one basis is bad enough, pack a giant room full of them... and you get one hell of a clusterfuck.\" He waved his hand dismissively. \"Nothing really came out of the meeting besides a lot of posturing and useless speeches.\"\n\n\"You just have to give them time,\" Lumina chimed in sympathetically from alongside Keith. \"The human political system is a disaster right now. But, steps are being taken in the right direction.\"\n\nKeith gave a slight nod. \"This is true. In time, everything should get worked out.\" At least, he hoped so.\n\nIn the wake of the Terran War, one of the first steps taken by the various nations of Earth had been to establish a unified political system. As luck would have it, this infrastructure already existed in the form of the United Nations. Consequently, the UN had been rapidly transformed into the primary political entity dealing with extraterrestrial affairs. The process was anything but smooth, and was still experiencing difficulties. Yet, slowly but surely, the various nations of Earth were coming together on a unified front.\n\nThe trouble wasn't limited to the humans, as the Federation also had scrambled to assemble a delegation to begin talks with the UN. Even now, fierce debates raged within the council and lesser branches of the Federation government on countless matters pertaining to the war's aftermath.\n\n\"If there is anything that I've learned about politicians,\" Ian remarked with a crooked smirk. \"...it is that political issues typically get resolved quickly when you hold their feet to the fire.\" The skipper made a broad motion with his arm toward the expanse of space outside the ship window. \"Considering how the _drala_ swooped down from the heavens to make a mess of everything, I'm sure matters will get worked out rapidly.\"\n\nKeith raised his beer once more. \"I can only hope. I might go clinically insane at this rate.\"\n\nFrom there, the conversation moved on to other more casual topics. Keith learned that Ian was an avid hockey fan, who routinely attended the local team's games in his hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana. Keith himself was more of a football follower, although he usually tried to avoid going to games in person. Why go and suffer through the awful weather, traffic, and terrible view from the stands, when you could just watch the plays up close in high definition from the comfort of your own home?\n\nIan, in turn, learned that Keith was a native to Florida, who lived in a modest apartment in Orlando. Or rather, he had before becoming part of the Federation crew. Captain Rubin couldn't begin to understand how tough the decision had been for the man before him to make. There was no telling where his new occupation would take him... how long he would be away from friends and family. Or, if he would even return to Earth once he traveled out beyond the stars. The implications of become part of the _Arastos_ crew were dear. Nevertheless, Ian envied Keith for his chance to explore the far reaching corners of space.\n\nWhile the two humans talked, Lumina stood nearby in rapt silence. She always liked to listen as her friends casually discussed matters of their lives. It gave her a chance to try imagining how it would feel to be in their shoes, either by asking herself hypothetical questions or running scenarios through her cognitive processes in a \"what if\" sort of way.\n\nWhat would it be like to face the significant decision to abandon most of your life and join the crew of an alien starship? Would she have been capable of going through with such a choice herself? More and more Lumina wished she could experience the day to day life of her flesh and blood counterparts, for better or for worse. Sure, retaining a physical form had its drawbacks. But that didn't stop her from wanting to know what it truly felt like, even if only for a mere moment. The grass was always greener...\n\nThe questions and speculation dominated Lumina's awareness, until she suddenly realized her attention had slipped from the conversation altogether. With a start, the construct jolted her cognitive processes back into focus, which allowed her to branch her awareness out across the ship's sensors once more. This in turn brought her attention to the mated _kyree_ pair of Kano and Riyla, who were just exiting the bridge.\n\n\"I'm sorry to interrupt, gentlemen,\" Lumina politely spoke, just as Keith was about to start into a lengthy account on how he had joined NASA. \"Riyla and Kano have finished their work on the bridge.\" The construct's white _kyree_ hologram casually folded her arms across the chest while both Keith and Ian turned to regard her. \"How about you help Shyla get dinner started? I'm sure everyone is quite hungry by now.\"\n\nThe mention of food brought Keith's attention back to the fact that he was rather hungry indeed, a fact that didn't normally go well with drinking a beer. \"Ah... that sounds like a great idea. I forgot I skipped lunch today.\" He rubbed the back of his head subconsciously. \"It's been quite a busy day.\"\n\n\"I'd be happy to get dinner rolling,\" Ian added. \"If there is one thing I've learned as a skipper, it's that you never let your crew go hungry.\" With that, the captain turned and moved toward where Shyla and the rest were still sitting.\n\nAs Keith and Lumina turned to follow suit, the construct leaned over toward her human counterpart. \"I'm very interested to see how Captain Rubin prepares this meal,\" she spoke, making a show of rubbing her stomach. \"I can't partake in the food... but I want you to tell me how good it is.\"\n\n\"Of course I will,\" Keith replied sincerely. \"I'll make sure to sate your holographic hunger.\"\n\nLumina simply smiled in reply.\n\nThe dinner menu for the night was T-bone steak, with large baked Idaho potatoes and complementing fresh corn on the cob. The idea for the meal had actually come from Captain Rubin, once he had been invited up into orbit as a guest aboard _Arastos_. He could think of no better way to repay the crew for all of their help back a few months ago than a tasty steak dinner.\n\nEarlier in the day, _Arastos_ had made quite a grand entrance into Lafayette Regional Airport, in order to pick up her guest for the evening. Securing the landing rights to do so from the airport tower had been no small feat as matters had turned out. Though, after much explaining, Lumina had finally convinced the airport authority to let them land... provided a detachment of military personnel was mobilized from the National Guard base nearby as a precaution. It was obvious that a general sense of unease still existed toward the Federation, or any alien race for that matter.\n\nNot much time had elapsed before a crowd of curious onlookers began congregating around _Arastos_ after she had landed on the tarmac, as was expected. It wasn't often that an alien starship suddenly paid the small airport a visit out of the blue. Consequently, by the time a lone Jeep Grand Cherokee pulled up onto the tarmac alongside the parked spacecraft, a sizeable number of spectators were already looking on in wonder, in addition to a large detail of guardsmen armed with M4A1 carbines.\n\nEven though he was expecting his ride up into space, that still didn't stop Ian from gawking in absolute wonder upon exiting his SUV; he was, after all, seeing the grandeur of _Arastos_ for the first time without being underwater. She was a work of art, with a sleek and smooth metallic blue hull, conformed in a slender design that just looked fast sitting still. This was a vessel built purely for speed.\n\nAfter removing a large cooler from the back of his car, which contained the items needed to prepare the night's dinner, Ian didn't waste any time making his way toward the waiting starship grav lift. As he walked, the skipper could feel the eyes of many on the back of his head. He had not counted on such an audience turning up to watch. But then again, who could miss the giant profile of the alien starship? She made the small commuter aircraft parked at the airport gates look like toys. Not only that, she was also the same starship that had been making news headlines for over a month now.\n\nWithout any further hesitation, Ian swiftly crossed the open tarmac to enter the ship's gravity lift, which quickly lifted the skipper up toward the starship superstructure above, much to the confusion of those looking on from nearby.\n\nIn that moment, as he levitated high above the ground with cooler positioned at his side, Ian couldn't help but reflect on how surreal the moment truly was. He was about to embark on a trip, however short it may be, to fulfill a lifetime goal that he had set as a child. In that very instant, he felt like a kid once more.\n\nSince that fateful moment, Ian had come to relish every single second of his experience aboard _Arastos_. Now though, he had an obligation to uphold, that being to provide the crew with one hell of a meal as a sincere thanks for everything they had done for him. He couldn't afford to mess this opportunity up.\n\nThe meal wasn't overly complicated. Thus, Ian didn't expect the preparation to take too long. He just had to familiarize Shyla with the process of cooking the steak and side dishes, and learn how to operate the unfamiliar galley appliances that _Arastos_ had onboard.\n\nMuch to Ian's earlier surprise, the crew had never tried any sort of steak since arriving on Earth before the war. The skipper had been floored when he learned that very fact. This made his endeavor to cook a meal they would never forget all the more significant. Oh... was he going to introduce them to the wonders of steak. There was arguably no greater culinary delight than a perfectly cooked and seasoned piece of delicious tender beef.\n\n\"I hope you're ready to help me whip up a meal that will knock everyone's socks off,\" Ian spoke to Shyla confidently, as he came to stand beside the _kenseng_, who was still seated comfortably on the couch with Yana in her lap. \"I'm going to need your help to pull this off.\"\n\nShyla's ears twitched at the mention of her name. \"Ah... I guess Riyla and Kano are on their way down?\"\n\n\"Indeed.\"\n\nThe crimson furred _kenseng_ carefully removed Yana from her lap, before standing with an audible groan of effort. \"Alright, I look forward to learning how to properly cook a steak.\" Shyla deftly arched her back with hands extended above her head in a distinctive feline stretch, still keeping her regard on Ian as she got the blood flowing once more. \"I always avoided preparing it for fear that I might ruin the taste for the others.\"\n\nCaptain Rubin made a show of cracking his knuckles. \"Once I'm done teaching you, you'll never have to worry about that again.\"\n\n\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\nDinner was every bit as delectable as Captain Rubin had claimed.\n\nThough the process of preparing the meal had been fraught with several mishaps, mostly resulting from Ian's lack of experience working the unfamiliar heating range of the galley, the food was still exceptionally delicious to the palate.\n\nOccupying the far end seat of the table within the mess hall, Ian watched with mirth and satisfaction while the _kyree_ and _kenseng_ crew practically devoured their food in an almost feral manner, forgoing tableside manners at times. That was certainly an interesting sight to behold. While he himself typically only consumed the leaner portions of his steak, each and every one of the Federation crew, save for Keith, had literally cleaned their T-bones down to the bone.\n\nIt was rewarding to see that his cooking was appreciated so much, especially since he hardly ever got to exercise his culinary prowess. The cooks on the _Maryland_ would've thrown a fit if he had ever tried to mess about in their galley.\n\n\"Oh... that was good,\" Riyla suddenly proclaimed from the opposite end of the table. The black _kyree_ pushed back slightly from the table surface with a sigh of relief, licking her chops in a canine manner as she did so. \"I must admit, I loved every bit of that meal.\"\n\nIan allowed himself a smile. \"I'm glad you did. I never get to cook for others... so it was my pleasure.\"\n\n\"So, Captain Rubin,\" Kanolos chimed in from alongside his mate. \"What exactly did you do to make this so delicious?\" The fox-furred _kyree's_ dish was completely clean like Riyla's, barring the steak bone of course.\n\nThe skipper held up a finger with a grin. \"Sorry Kano... family secret recipe I'm afraid.\"\n\nBewildered by Ian's answer, Kanolos turned to Shyla for help. But she just shrugged with a smile of her own. \"I have to honor his family's secret,\" the _kenseng_ replied, her mischievous tone indicating that she already knew said secret.\n\n\"What I can tell you,\" Ian continued, leaning back in his seat with arms folded smugly. \"...is that I let the steaks marinate in a special sauce all day long. Once the favor is thoroughly soaked in, you throw 'em on the grill, adding a special blend of dry seasonings and sauces periodically as they cook to perfection.\" The captain turned his gaze briefly toward the galley. \"You don't quite get the same flavor with that heating range as a charcoal grill... but it still works as a good substitute.\"\n\n\"That's a shame,\" Kano spoke, his expression downcast. \"I don't know if I'll ever enjoy any meat dish again after sampling this.\"\n\nShyla's grin grew wider, causing Kanolos to take notice and look at her curiously. \"You don't have to worry about that,\" she chuckled. \"Captain Rubin was kind enough to pass his family's recipe on to me. Now that I've seen a master at work, I think I can nail it next time for sure.\"\n\nThe cook's statement elicited smiles from around the table. This was good news indeed.\n\n\"I'm happy I could pass my knowledge along,\" Ian added. He motioned to the now empty cooler that sat nearby. \"I had quite a difficult time making sure I brought everything I needed up here. I don't think we could've turned the ship around and hit the grocery store in the event I had forgotten something.\"\n\n\"Well... we could've,\" Riyla chimed in, wearing a rather devious smirk. \"Though, I don't think the locals would approve of such a venture... or my superiors for that matter.\"\n\nDuring the brief pause that followed, Captain Rubin decided to find out the one thing that had been nagging at him all night.\n\n\"Now then... I've had this question for some time,\" Ian began, adjusting his glasses as he spoke. \"What exactly happened to the Domain after they vacated Earth? There really hasn't been much news on Earth about the war beyond the fact that it is over.\"\n\nThe Federation crew all exchanged looks.\n\nBefore Riyla could answer, Eriras took up the lead. \"We all forget that Earth is still relatively in the dark concerning stellar matters,\" the white furred _kenseng_ replied. She pushed her plate out of the way and cupped her hands together on top of the table surface before speaking further. \"I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner. To answer your question, quite a lot has happened to our former enemy.\"\n\nThe _kenseng_ engineer paused, trying to find the right place to start. \"You know about Taeskea, and his decision to rebel against the Domain Council?\" The skipper nodded his head. \"...as well as the full scope of the Ebola outbreak?\"\n\n\"I believe so,\" Ian replied tentatively. \"The _drala_ allowed infected hosts to reach their homeworld of Helmos. Beyond that information, I don't know how bad the plague got.\"\n\nEriras's expression turned grim. \"It was bad... very bad. The virus quickly broke out across the planet, inundating countless _drala_... I don't know how many died.\"\n\nThe rest of the crew mirrored the _kenseng's_ dour look. Obviously, Ian's question had brought back into light a horrid consequence of the Terran War, one that the individuals around him had tried to forget.\n\nEriras went silent, allowing her mate to speak up. \"Together, we worked with Taeskea and what remained of the invasion fleet to isolate the virus within his armada,\" Taylo added, taking up the dialogue in her stead. \"Simultaneously, both the Federation and Taeskea tried establishing communications with the Domain leadership in the hope of helping to prevent a pandemic of the grandest scale... but, such efforts ultimately proved to be in vain.\"\n\nIan was completely blown away by this startling new information. \"Jesus, I had no idea it was that bad.\"\n\n\"At least this story has somewhat of a happy ending,\" Taylo remarked evenly. \"The deadly potency of the virus hit the _drala_ territory hard, resulting in a general sense of panic amongst the various worlds. All the while, the Council apparently did little to stave off the epidemic, for reasons I'm not quite sure.\" The russet _kenseng_ motioned with both hands in puzzlement. \"Maybe the leadership was scared into inaction. Perhaps they removed themselves from the public for fear of contracting the deadly virus. We'll never really know.\"\n\nAgain Eriras picked up the conversation's thread. \"The panic quickly grew into anger, which was directed toward the Council. At that point, Taeskea made his move and officially declared his rebellion against the Domain. From there, a civil war was started.\"\n\n\"Nobody wins in such a situation,\" Ian reasoned aloud.\n\nEriras nodded her head in agreement. \"True... however, Taeskea understood what his foremost priority was, and that was to protect the wellbeing of the general populace.\" The white _kenseng_ brought a hand up to stroke the side of her feline muzzle thoughtfully. \"I have to give him credit, he is a very adept leader, whether he admits it or not. Almost the entire contingent of starship captains that had once made up the invasion force sided with him in the war... that certainly says a lot about his leadership.\"\n\nCaptain Rubin was beginning to see the _drala_ admiral's strategy. \"So, he directed his efforts toward winning over the people, as opposed to fighting against his opponent in open military combat?\"\n\nEriras's ears twitched keenly. \"Exactly! His goal was to not fire a single shot. Doing so would've been a waste of precious time and resources, with the Ebola virus wreaking outright havoc in the meantime.\" She raised a finger to emphasize her next point. \"The real enemy here was the virus itself, not the Council.\"\n\n\"We're not sure how he did it exactly,\" Taylo chimed in from beside his mate. \"But, Taeskea somehow garnered favor with most of the commanding admirals and captains throughout the _drala_ fleet. My guess is through numerous backchannels.\" The _kenseng_ shifted in his seat, propping his elbows on the table surface while folding his hands together. \"He also gathered strong support amongst the various colony planets... this all taking place in a matter of days, mind you.\"\n\n\"He was quite the busy individual,\" Ian observed with reverence.\n\n\"And it paid off in the end. With enough support behind him, Taeskea launched a swift assault on Helmos, right into the heart of his adversary's defenses.\" Taylo made a motion of slamming a balled fist into his other opened hand with an audible _thwap_. \"However, what support the Council had was already gone by then. Taeskea smashed what meager resistance remained... basically winning the conflict with hardly a shot fired... relatively speaking.\"\n\n\"What happened to the Council?\" Captain Rubin inquired. \"I take it they're no longer in power?\"\n\nThis time, Eriras spoke in response. \"Swift justice... but not by Taeskea's hands. From what we have learned so far, a horde of furious civilians descended upon the Council Assembly, overwhelmed the security and basically wrecked the place.\"\n\nEriras took a quick sip of her drink before continuing. \"When word of Taeskea's assault reached the ears of the local populace they rose up and took matters into their own hands before he even arrived. The Council members who were not fortunate enough to escape were killed outright. Those that remain in hiding, as we understand, are being relentlessly pursued by agents of Taeskea and the Federation...quite the twist of fate, eh?\"\n\nIan simply shook his head in disbelief. \"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.\" The skipper's words provoked reflective looks from the _kyree_ and _kenseng_ crew around him.\n\n\"That is a rather insightful thought,\" Keith mused, speaking up for the first time. \"I know I've heard that somewhere before.\"\n\n\"I'm just quoting a certain masked vigilante,\" Ian replied, grinning slightly.\n\nThat was enough to jog Keith's memory. \"Ah... yes. The context of that particular movie relates to this situation closely.\" He turned his attention toward the others. \"Sometime later, I'll have to show this film to you all.\"\n\n\"In any case,\" Taylo spoke, bringing the conversation back to the initial topic. \"Before Taeskea routed the Council from power, efforts were already underway by various local governments to quarantine the Ebola virus, to try preventing any further spread. Once Taeskea assumed power, he quickly moved to integrate the efforts into one cohesive strategy. From there, it was only a matter of attrition.\"\n\nIan shook his head dismally. \"I don't even want to know how many lost their lives.\"\n\n\"Honestly, we don't even know how bad it truly was. Although, it was made apparent that the pathogen had spread to several colony worlds before they finally isolated it. Even now, sporadic outbreaks keep popping up from what we're told.\"\n\nIt was at that moment that Riyla elected to join the conversation, after having kept silent through most of the discourse.\n\n\"There is some good that came from this war,\" the captain stated.\u0026nbsp; \"...the silver lining, if you will. The Federation now holds strong ties to the Domain under Taeskea's leadership. There is even talk of an alliance between us and them... although; Taeskea has made it perfectly clear that won't happen until a new Domain government is elected.\" The black _kyree_ uttered a heavy sigh, as if to clear the horridness of the war from her mind. \"That is the whole story... and the rest, as you humans like to say, is history.\"\n\n\"It is noble of Taeskea to allow a new government to be elected,\" Ian finally remarked, after a moment's consideration.\n\n\"He is really not one for politics,\" Riyla replied, with just the slightest hint of a smile gracing her muzzle. \"After meeting the admiral in person, it was clear he really had no desire to pursue any political goals. Hell, those that had served under his command had practically thrust the title of chancellor into his lap once the war was over... and he had indignantly refused to accept such a thing.\" The captain couldn't help but let her smile deepen as she considered the absurdity of it all.\n\nOn the whole, Taeskea really was the right individual for the job when it came to leading the Domain into a new era. The _drala_ race really needed a strong figurehead to rally behind, and there was no better individual than him. Perhaps, eventually, he would be convinced to take up the position.\n\n\"Let's forget about what was and has been,\" Keith proclaimed after the captain had gone silent. \"That's not the reason we're here together tonight.\"\n\n\"Indeed,\" Riyla agreed. There was no sense dwelling on the past. \"Now then... how about we finish up this meal with some dessert?\"\n\nShyla nodded her head. \"Sounds like a good idea,\" the crimson furred _kenseng_ replied, making a move to stand from her chair. \"I have fresh baked apple pie and marble chocolate cheesecake, in keeping with the theme of human foods for this evening.\"\n\nOf course, no one around the table had room for dessert. Ian wouldn't have called his meal a success if anyone had still been hungry afterward. That fact notwithstanding, a full stomach wasn't going to stop the crew from eating their dessert anyway.\n\n\"I've heard that Shyla is very good at baking sweets,\" Ian spoke. He made a show of pushing his plate aside to make room. \"We shall see how your apple pie stacks up against my family's famous dessert.\"\n\n\"I accept your challenge, Captain Rubin.\" With those words and an evil look, Shyla padded toward the galley, her feline tail flicking about rhythmically behind the _kenseng's_ figure as she walked.\n\nRiyla watched Shyla disappear into the galley with interest, anticipating the delicious food to come. \"I think she'll give your family's recipe a run for its money,\" the captain proclaimed confidently. \"If there is anything Shyla is known for, it is her talent for baking sweets.\"\n\nIan was about to retort, when abruptly, Lumina's hologram materialized next to where the captain still sat at the table.\n\nUp until now, the A.I. had been absent from the meal, since she figured it would have been awkward watching the others enjoy their meal. However, a peculiar matter had come to her attention only moments ago, which justified notifying the captain right away.\n\nThe look of puzzlement from the white _kyree_ hologram gave Riyla pause. Not often did Lumina wear such an expression, indicating something was amiss. \"What's wrong?!\" the captain asked with concern, turning in her chair to fully regard the A.I.\n\nLumina wavered for a moment, trying to find the right words to say. \"I... erm... I'm not quite sure to be honest.\" Her pointy ears splayed back slightly. \"There's a cargo ship approaching us, the _Haloyer_. Her captain is requesting permission to dock...\"\n\nRiyla raised an eyebrow as she finished the construct's words for her. \"...but?\"\n\n\"It's a standard cargo delivery, except for one item that I can't find any information on.\"\n\nThat statement triggered a few looks of bafflement from the crew still sitting around the table. This was Lumina, the most technologically savvy A.I. construct the Federation had ever created. There was no information that she could not get her hands on; electronic espionage was her defining quality. To hear the construct admit she could not find delivery information on a package destined for their ship was a rather unsettling thing.\n\nYet realization dawned on the crew of _Arastos_ quickly thereafter, Riyla included. So... _that_ package had finally arrived. The night was going to get very interesting for sure... but first, a little subterfuge was in order at Lumina's expense.\n\nIf anyone had shown any outward signs that they knew of the mysterious delivery, Lumina didn't notice. \"Should I still allow the _Haloyer_ to dock with us?\" the construct asked, her expression a study of bewilderment. \"The resupply vessel is holding position in orbit nearby.\"\n\nIn response, Riyla tilted her head slightly as she feigned thinking the matter over. \"Hmm... I don't really see any danger in it,\" the captain replied dismissively. \"I'm sure there is nothing hazardous about any of the cargo aboard. The _Haloyer_ is, after all, part of the Axis fleet. Go ahead and allow them to dock when able.\"\n\nThe black _kyree's_ indifference only deepened Lumina's puzzlement. \"Are you sure? I've scoured the Federation net trying to find any trace of information relating to this delivery... I can't find a shred of data anywhere. Doesn't that seem... a little odd?\"\n\n\"Well... yes. But sometimes data gets lost or corrupted. I'm sure it's nothing.\"\n\nLumina went silent, her brow furrowing in thought. There was something more to this than the captain was letting on. While Riyla had a good poker face, the construct still knew the subtle tells to look for. It always helped having a visual acuity unparalleled by the rest of the crew.\n\nSo then, why was the captain trying to play this off as nothing out of the norm? Obviously, whatever this mysterious delivery was, it had something to do with Lumina. There was no other explanation for the lack of information and Riyla's deception.\n\nThe black _kyree_ could see the realization play across Lumina's expression. You couldn't fool an A.I. construct of her caliber for long. It was a small miracle that the plan had made it this far without her learning of its inception. Now that she had caught on, it was time to tweak the construct's tail as long as Riyla could.\n\n\"I can see there is no fooling you,\" the captain finally admitted, wearing a wicked smirk that made Lumina frown in bewilderment. \"Yes, I know what this delivery is.\" Riyla paused while her smirk grew big enough to flash canine fangs wickedly.\n\nAfter a moment of silence, Lumina realized the captain wasn't going to say anything else. \"Well, what is it then?\" the construct asked, concern quite evident in her tone.\n\n\"Don't worry your holographic butt,\" Riyla chided teasingly. \"We're not taking you offline or any nonsense like that.\"\n\nThe captain's reply did little to quell Lumina's growing anxiety. \"That doesn't make me feel any better! Why can't I find any information on this?!\"\n\n\"That's an easy one,\" Taylo replied from the other side of the table. The _kenseng_ engineer wore the same smug grin as the captain when Lumina whirled around to face him. \"If you want to hide something from an A.I. who can practically break into any protected system... how do you do it?\"\n\nLumina remained quiet as she folded her arms across the chest contemptuously. It was now apparent the crew was getting quite a kick out of this, judging by all of the mischievous looks around the table. The A.I. was rapidly losing her patience.\n\n\"The best way to hide something from an A.I. such as yourself,\" Taylo continued after a moment's pause. \"...is to not leave any information for you to find in the first place.\"\n\n\"So why can't I know what this delivery is then?\" Lumina asked tersely. \"I see now that you've gone to great lengths to hide this from me.\"\n\nTaylo's grin only grew wider. \"Where is the fun in that? I just like rubbing your fur the wrong way.\"\n\nLumina exhaled through the sides of her muzzle, frustration clearly getting the better of her. No matter how much she searched, the construct just couldn't find any information at all. They really had pulled one over on her. She just had to find something. There was no way the construct was going to let them win at this little game.\n\nOnce more, Lumina swiftly dove back into the Federation net. First, she accessed the computer core of the _Haloyer_ cargo vessel. Pouring through the copious amount of files in the vessel's systems, she found records for fuel rods, spare plasma coils, a small shipment of firearms, emergency food rations, replacement power relays, and an assortment of medical supplies... but again, she found no data pertaining to the large container housed conspicuously away from the rest of the cargo in the ship's main hold.\n\nEven more curious was the fact that the _Haloyer_ was running under Class 5 operating conditions, a tactic typically reserved for times of war. For ships that didn't retain the same sophisticated stealth countermeasures like _Arastos_, the next best option for remaining undetected by the enemy was to effectively power down the vessel. By doing so, the hope was to reduce thermal, magnetic, and any other form of radiation given off by the starship, to the point of blending in with the background noise of space. In reality, the strategy was no different than the tactics Captain Rubin used aboard the _Maryland_.\n\nUnfortunately for Lumina, since the ship was running under such a reduced power setting, all internal sensors aboard were inactive... so much for trying to scan the container. When she had asked, the captain of the cargo ship simply stated her vessel was undergoing routine maintenance. The lie was painfully obvious, but the construct couldn't dispute her words.\n\nThat wasn't to say she couldn't have easily overridden the command protocols of the captain and forcibly rebooted the _Haloyer's_ internal systems. But that was definitely overstepping the A.I.'s authority in a major way. She just couldn't do that. The _Arastos_ crew really had thought of every conceivable way Lumina could possibly learn of the container's contents.\n\nFrom the _Haloyer_ mainframe, Lumina backtracked the ship's itinerary to a cargo hub in orbit around Sora. Yet, the strange container was already aboard at that point. Further back she went, discovering that before docking in orbit, the _Haloyer_ had been on the planet surface below... and then... the records ceased. The data was just... gone.\n\nHow the hell was that possible? The amount of data manipulation required to completely erase a ship's history was extraordinary. There were orbital sensors, other starships, and the Federation network, among other sources, that tracked a vessel's progress through space at any given time.\n\nWithdrawing her influence from the Federation network, Lumina turned toward Riyla, who was still grinning at the construct. For a moment, the A.I. was at a loss for words as her muzzle hung open.\n\n\"Not a shred of data, eh?\" the captain inquired teasingly.\n\n\"What the hell is this?!\" Lumina blurted out. In a rush she spun to face Keith. \"Please tell me what's going on!\"\n\nKeith's expression was one of sympathy for her. \"I'm sorry Lumina. I'm under orders to hold my tongue on this one.\"\n\nLumina said nothing more. Instead, her hologram vanished from sight, leaving Keith to wonder if perhaps they had taken this too far.\n\n\"Don't worry,\" Riyla spoke up from the other side of the table. \"Before you joined the crew, she used to razz us like this all the time. It's good to get in a little payback.\"\n\nKeith once more turned his attention to the spot where Lumina's hologram had vanished. \"If you say so...\"\n\n\"I don't know about you all,\" Kanolos chimed in. \"But, I'm very curious to see this delivery for myself.\" The pilot turned to Captain Rubin. \"I don't suppose you would mind foregoing dessert?\"\n\nIan simply shrugged. \"I'm quite content as it is... and very interested to see what all this hype is about to be honest.\"\n\n\"Well, that settles that then,\" Riyla proclaimed, making a move to stand from her chair. \"I'll get in contact with the _Haloyer's_ captain and clear her in to dock.\" The black _kyree_ regarded Ian knowingly while everyone else stood to follow in her wake. \"I think you're going to get a kick out of this, Captain Rubin.\"\n\n\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\u0026nbsp;\n\nRoughly 30 minutes later, the contingent of _kyree_, _kenseng_, and humans found themselves gathered within the spacious accommodations of the ship's cargo hold. The normally dim lighting of the space had been raised to a much brighter setting, bathing the surrounding bulkheads in bright light to reveal the large stacks of containers arranged about. Along the one side bulkhead where the crew and their guest stood, a large cargo hatch remained open, with a transfer passageway beyond that currently linked the _Haloyer_ to their vessel.\n\nThe cargo starship was nothing special to look at, as she orbited alongside _Arastos_ to allow for the cargo shipment to be offloaded. Retaining almost a box-like configuration, the vessel's design was optimized for cargo transportation, and not much else. She only had two stubby slipstream nacelles and couldn't even make a quarter of _Arastos's_ max speed.\n\nHowever, that didn't matter to the _Haloyer's_ captain, who still took pride in commanding her ship. Standing only as tall as Riyla's hip, the _delvan_ wasn't much of an imposing figure physically speaking. However, her demeanor radiated with the same authoritative presence as her _kyree_ counterpart. There was little doubt she ran a tight ship.\n\nIan had been completely blown away by the small alien's appearance. She was like some sort of hybrid cross between the _kyree_ and _kenseng_, with a bushy canine tail and feline facial features. Yet, the most striking feature of the _delvan_ was her prominent pattern of blue fur, with just a shade of purple woven in. She certainly stood out compared to the more muted fur colors of the _Arastos_ crew. Ian couldn't help but wonder what sort of environment the _delvan_ race evolved from... surely their world was no less stunning a sight than the race itself.\n\n\"I believe that is everything on the cargo manifest,\" Riyla spoke in Federation Basic, as she eyed a datapad containing the list of supplies. \"I wasn't expecting you so soon, Captain Le'ayra.\"\n\n\"I never like to be late with my deliveries,\" the _delvan_ responded with pride. \"Now then... I believe there is one more item to offload.\" As if summoned by her words, a _kenseng_ medical officer padded into view, pushing a rather large container down the cargo passageway toward the crew. \"Ah... and there it is.\"\n\nTo the outside observer, the container was about the size and shape of a large refrigerator laid down lengthwise. More interesting to the humans though, was how the metallic case levitated roughly two feet off the ground, as it rested atop a hovering dolly pushed by the _kenseng_ effortlessly.\n\n\"Glad to see it arrived in one piece,\" Riyla spoke. The black _kyree_ gave the datapad another quick glance, before pressing her thumb against the screen to formally accept the shipment. \"Everything should be good to go.\" With that, she passed the handheld device back to her _delvan_ colleague. \"Have a safe flight back home.\"\n\nThe _delvan_ gave a slight nod while she accepted the pad back. \"Thanks. Good luck with your... endeavor. I wish I could stay and see this for myself.\"\n\nAs the _Haloyer's_ captain turned and began to pad down the passageway back to her ship, the _kenseng_ medical officer brought the large container to a stop next to Yanashi. \"Take good care of it for me,\" he spoke to the grey _kyree._ \"I've been in charge of its safekeeping for several days. Would hate to see something go wrong now.\"\n\nYanashi carefully surveyed the container with a scrupulous eye. \"I will... I've been briefed on all technical aspects of this project.\" The _kyree_ rested a hand against the smooth metallic surface of the case. \"I'll make sure this goes over without a hitch.\"\n\nThat seemed to be all the convincing the _kenseng_ medical officer needed. \"Alright... I look forward to hearing about the results.\" He relinquished custody of the container and stepped back. \"Good luck to you all... I wish Lumina well.\"\n\nSoon after the _kenseng's_ departure, the large hatch was sealed shut, leaving the _Arastos_ crew with their newly acquired cargo. The _Haloyer_ subsequently wasted no time detaching from their ship to depart back toward Sora, to receive its next cargo shipment destined for another distant corner of Federation territory.\n\n\"I need to get this to sickbay right away,\" Yana spoke, patting the case with a hand.\n\n\"Do you think it survived the trip ok?\" Riyla inquired, her voice laced with concern.\n\n\"Oh yes, definitely. This container was custom made for this. I just want to get everything stabilized as quickly as I can.\"\n\nNot wasting another moment, the group set off for the nearby cargo elevator, which was needed to bring the case and hover dolly up to the next deck above. As Yana lead, pushing the bulky container in front of her, Keith let his gaze stray around the various bulkheads of the cargo hold. He wondered what Lumina was thinking at that very moment. Surely she was watching their every move. She had to be, given that her awareness was spread out across the entirety of the ship.\n\nHad Taylo not yanked the control circuit cards to the internal and external sensor grids, the A.I. undoubtedly would have already scanned the container by now and ruined the surprise... and was this ever a surprise. From what the crew had told him, away from Lumina's prying ears, she truly had no idea what they had in store for her.\n\nIt only took several moments for Yana to reach the cargo lift. The following ride up to the deck above didn't take long, and before Keith realized it, the group was standing in front of sickbay with their mysterious package.\n\nStill, Lumina elected to remain aloof, while Yana pushed the hovering dolly into the medical facility, causing the lights to snap on and illuminate the immaculately clean space. The whole facility was brimming with medical equipment positioned about the surrounding bulkheads and patient beds, arranged so for rapid accessibility during a medical emergency. The brightness of the compartment was rather overwhelming to the eye at first glance.\n\nWithout pause, Yanashi swiftly pushed the container over toward the center patient bed, which dominated the space. Once the dolly and container were secured in place alongside the bed, the grey _kyree_ then moved to begin gathering various medical instruments from a nearby storage locker.\n\n\"Keith, can I use your assistance for a moment?\" Yana spoke, causing the human to visibly start where he stood nearby. It was noteworthy to everyone present how the _kyree's_ tone had taken on that certain confidence and authority of a doctor instructing a patient.\n\n\"Sure... what exactly do I need to do?\" Tentatively, Keith moved to stand alongside the container, while Yana continued to rummage through numerous drawers, her bushy tail slowly swaying about behind her figure.\n\nAfter a brief moment, the physician turned and padded back toward the container with an armful of instruments. \"I just need your help removing the case lid,\" the _kyree_ replied, allowing herself a rare smile. \"I figured since you are so close to Lumina, it would be fitting to have you help.\"\n\nKeith had no fur to mask the blush that appeared across his face at the grey _kyree's_ remark. \"Uh... erm...\" His words trailed off.\n\nYana's tail wagged at seeing Keith so flustered, causing the other crew members to exchange looks. It was not often that the normally subdued _kyree_ allowed herself to get so excited. But then again, everyone was eager. That is, everyone was excited except for Captain Rubin, who was still very much in the dark as to what was going on. Not wanting to interfere though, Ian elected to remain silent and watch from the corner of the room.\n\nAfter arranging her medical instruments neatly on a table next to the container, Yana's tail continued to wag excitedly as she bent down to thumb open a small latch along the side of the metal case, which subsequently fell open to reveal a keypad inside. Without a moment's hesitation, the _kyree_ then reached down and punched in a series of commands.\n\nKeith nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden dramatic hiss of pressure that released as the case lid popped slightly ajar. However, he quickly composed himself once more, realizing that Yana was now looking at him eagerly.\n\n\"Go ahead,\" the grey _kyree_ spoke, still smiling. \"The honor is all you.\" She motioned with a hand for him to proceed.\n\nKeith hesitated, visibly steeling himself while he gazed down at the case. He already knew what was inside. But still, he couldn't help but feel anxious.\n\nAs the others looked on keenly, the human carefully hooked his fingers under both edges of the lid surface... and lifted upward.\n\nSuddenly, Lumina's hologram materialized at Keith's side, right as he pulled the lid completely off the container, fully revealing the mystery that was inside.\n\nIn that very instant, only one word escaped the human's mouth, while Lumina's muzzle fell open in utter shock.\n\n\"Wow...\"\n\nThere, carefully cradled within an isolating layer of biostatic gel, was a female _kyree_. A female _kyree_, which retained a strikingly white fur coat... the very same distinct fur of Lumina's holographic projection.\n\nFor an infinite moment, both Keith and Lumina stood there looking down into the opened container with astonishment, until the construct finally managed to voice the only staggering question she could muster.\n\n\"What is this?!\"\n\nIn response, Riyla stepped forward, wearing quite the grin.\n\n\"Isn't it obvious? It's you...\"\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Silent Guardians","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/303552-calmando.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/328252-walking-a-new-path.json"}}