FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Author's note: Apologies for the late update. Being without Internet access for a month makes for some irritation. It also, however, gives one some time to write! ^-.o^

"This 'chess' is an interesting game. How old is it?"

Ashiya leaned back in the co-pilot seat, following the tutorial on the ship's Battle Chess game as she kept a watchful eye on the active scanner display. Kyle's voice came over the com from the microphone of his EVA suit. "You know, we're really not sure," he replied. "Our earliest historical knowledge of it is from our fifth century A.D., which makes it a good twenty-four hundred Earth years old."

"Impressive." She noted how the piece known as the "knight" was allowed to move; its strategy was indirect, unlike any of the other pieces. Clever, she thought. I can see how this is regarded as practice for warfare. "Do you play it much?"

"Off and on. I'm not terribly good at it, but I hold my own. Grah, hang on, this panel is being stubborn." The com went silent for a moment; Ashiya zoomed the video pickup in on the 'mech wreckage he was currently prying apart. It was hard to pick out his dark-grey atmosphere suit against the scorched metal panels of the 'mech ship's electronic components, but she could see him literally leveraging a prybar against one of the twisted armor plates. Unfortunately the mech's "heart" was giving off corrosive gases that would damage the Shadowdancer's cargo bay, hence Kyle's excursion into the vacuum; the ship was positioned to protect him from impacts with any high-velocity chunks of matter, while his suit's personal shield system would block particles and radiation. It was risky work, which was why Ashiya was maintaining a close watch on every readout before her for signs of possible trouble. "Ah, there we go," Kyle said, as the panel finally broke free and drifted off. "Hmm... looks like we've got some promising leftovers here. Hell if I know what manufacturing standards the 'mechs use, but they've got a handle on superconductors."

"Hard to copy some of what they use, I know. I pity any engineer that's ever tried to think like one of them. Has the Rimworld Alliance even seen a biomech manufacturing plant, let alone captured one?"

"Nope. We think they base themselves somewhere further towards galactic center and just use jumpgates or maybe even a singularity tunnel to get where they want to go. God only knows how they coordinate across such vast distances, though." The screen dimmed for a moment as some sort of cutting tool sparked up in the viewer. "Damn, 'mech construction never makes sense. This one has four power converters on the same link- unidirectional plasma to high-cap electrical, to gravitronic, back to plasma again!"

"I've seen even worse than that. Sometimes half the power leads terminate into nothing. The one constant in biomech construction is randomness." She paused a moment as something blipped on a readout; a distant passing ship, a cargo transport of some sort, heading on a perpendicular vector. Not likely to be a threat, and she disregarded it. "It's as if they just throw together whatever might be effective and see how it works."

"You're not kidding. At least it makes for interesting salvage, if something doesn't spontaneously explode just from you looking at it wrong...." He fell silent for a few moments as he worked, and Ashiya continued the chess tutorial. It was turning out to be a surprisingly deep game, encouraging thinking ahead several moves at once, and she wondered for a brief moment why this game hadn't caught on in homespace. It's not a game we came up with, so of course we wouldn't encourage it, she realized with a mental sigh. Just like that six-squares game, or blitzball, or.... A sudden chime from the computer startled her- but it was only a news alert over SubspaceNet. "Kyle, there's some sort of news message here for you," she reported. "It says only 'Tigers 5, Yankees 3'."

"Hot damn, that's what I was hoping." She heard him chuckle. "Another Earth-origin game- baseball. Hasn't caught on in the Alliance quite the same way chess did, but some other cultures have come to like it. I had a five-hundred-credit bet on that game with one of the station crew. Looks like I get to order dessert after dinner next time I'm onboard."

She laughed quietly. "Congratulations, then," she murmured, leaning back in the chair again. Another blip on the scanners, another distant ship going about its business. Biomechs weren't the only threat out in places like this; there were some who preyed upon the unwary trying to make a living in the harsh void of space. It was as true in homespace as it was anywhere else. Though the heat-scored wreckage Kyle was systematically prying apart was proof enough that the Shadowdancer was far from defenseless.... "Question for you, if I may, Kyle," she said. "This ship... where did you get it?"

"Me and... my former co-pilot more or less built it," the Human responded. Again there was that hesitation; why didn't he want to mention his last partner in any real detail? "The hull itself is an old cargo transport salvaged from a Bahrast asteroid-belt junkyard, refit to hold three ion-jet primary thrusters and a ninety terawatt warp sphere generator. I pack antimatter-warhead missiles, four argon-gas plasma cannons for close-in work and a phased-polaron cannon for use at distance."

"Phased-polaron? Kyle, at best you'd be arrested on sight for having a weapon like that where I'm from. How did you get military-grade weaponry?"

A chuckle came over the com. "I'd rather not say, as it wasn't one hundred percent legal," he answered. "That ship you're on right now has a history of run-ins with the 'mechs, though, and there's no such thing as overkill when it comes to fighting them."

"You won't get any argument from me on that. You must have an incredible powerplant on this ship to fire a weapon like that, though."

"Just some clever use of power capacitors and shunts, that's all." There was a trace of pride in his voice, she could tell, but also it seemed a bit of sadness. Whoever Fysher was, he and Kyle had put no small amount of work into this venture... and some part of Ashiya's mind wanted to find out what had become of him. But you hide your secrets from him, 'Ashiya', she reminded herself. And if he can't bring himself to speak of it to a lover or his closest friends, you're not going to fare any better. Accept that this is something you may never know the answer to.

"Alright," the Human said after another long moment. "I think that's everything of worth I'll get out of this one. The other two are completely slagged, and I have no idea where the last one went, so I suppose we'll call this done. I'll send the sled back with what I've got and then hit the airlock."

"Should I meet you in the cargo bay?"

"Yeah, go ahead down there. You'll probably want a look at what we've got off the 'mechs."

"On my way as soon as you're inside, then." She didn't want to leave him vulnerable for even a fraction of a heartbeat, and she found it a little disconcerting as to just how protective she felt over him. Granted, he was the only one in this alien alliance who she felt she could trust to help her get back on her way, but her feelings seemed to stretch beyond that. He's a good person who's been hurt, yet still helps others, she thought. Far too few of that sort in the universe as it is.

True to her word, the moment the airlock cycled, she set the Shadowdancer's systems on automatic and left the panel to head down to the cargo bay. Kyle was already stepping out of his EVA suit when she got there. "Decent haul, here," he told her, motioning to a large bin full of a wide variety of parts. "I'm going to let the onboard scanners catalogue what we've got; shouldn't take more than ten minutes or so. In the meantime, I'm going to take a quick shower- no matter what I set the thermostat to, I always sweat in that EVA gear. I think my body reacts to the shield frequency or something."

"Or it could be the fact that a half-centimeter of plastisteel plating and two megawatts of shielding is all that's between you and vacuum," she countered. "I'd sweat in those conditions, and I'm a reptile."

He chuckled quietly at that. "Well, I trust my equipment, but that fact is always in the back of my mind, yes." He went to a wall-mounted display and tapped in a few commands; a mechanical arm lowered from the ceiling, bearing what looked to Ashiya like a multispectral scanner array. It positioned itself over the bin and began moving back and forth slowly. "Could you do me a favor and set us on course back to the station while I'm washing up? Should be a few hours at half-maximum translight, plenty of time to sort what you can use from what we can sell."

What we can sell.... It inexplicably hurt to realize that their partnership would soon end; her transport was at over ninety percent operational status, and could probably hold up for the rest of her journey as it was, but an insistence on being cautious was something she and Kyle both shared. Still, it was likely that after this salvage run, and likely one more shopping list of specialized items, she was going to have to be on her way. She covered up her momentary distraction with a fake yawn. "Certainly," she replied. "Enjoy your shower."

He went back towards his quarters, and Ashiya used a wall panel to set the ship on course to Glashow Metallurgy station Epsilon-Seven-Three. As her finger tapped the final icon to form the warp sphere, she let it linger there a moment; she'd only been aboard this ship for six days and it already felt comfortable to her to use its infopanels, and to sit in its chairs, and to hear the deep thrum of the plasma coils as the sphere generator charged up. When was the last time I felt this at-home? she wondered. I can't remember... not since I left the training center, since I first started my career. I forgot how it felt not to have to watch my own tail over my shoulder every waking moment....

She didn't want to leave. She realized it with the force of a plasma bolt to the back, with almost the same physical reaction- her chest tightened, her fists clenched, her tail twitched. She liked it here, as alien as this ship and the station it frequented still were to her; the openness and compassion she'd experienced ran completely counter to anything she'd known in her entire adult life, and she felt as if she'd been given sight after being unknowingly blind. She covered her eyes with her hands and keened softly for a moment, overwhelmed by emotion; it took her an effort of will to pull herself together, and only the knowledge that Kyle wouldn't be in the shower much longer was enough to force her to straighten her back and take in a deep breath. Deal with it, 'Ashiya', she commanded herself. This life is not yours! You were lucky enough that Kyle was in the right place at the right time to save your hide from obliteration or biomech vivisection; staying here would invite more trouble to him and everyone he knows than would ever be worth the few moments of freedom you would gain beforehand. None of them deserve that.

She sighed, staring at her reflection in the panel for a moment before straightening her neck and relaxing her hood. Kyle might have mistaken her expression for a prelude to attack; it wouldn't have been the first time he'd misread her body language, despite his earnest best efforts. Resolutely, she turned her back to the panel and went to watch the scanner do its work, losing herself in its repetitive motions and quiet hum. Not long after, Kyle returned, with damp hair and loose clothing. She gave him a smile. "That was quick," she commented.

"I'm going to be taking a nice hot bath later," he returned with a grin. "Also, I've scrounged up some lighter clothing for you. I have a bit of a surprise in store for you once we get to the station; you're free to refuse, of course, but I think you'll like it."

"A surprise? What is it?"

That got a laugh out of him. "What kind of surprise would it be if I told you now?" he asked her. "I'll go get the clothing for you." He left for a moment, leaving Ashiya to her thoughts, then returned with a light grey robe made of a much thinner fabric than the one she'd worn on her first entrance onto the station. "This should be a lot more comfortable to wear, but it'll still hide your... erm, chest." He handed her the robe and watched as she draped it over herself. It was indeed quite a bit lighter than the other one she'd worn, and felt much better against her scales; the fabric was in fact much nicer than what her wrappings were made of, and she was going to have to see if she could take it with her. She shook out the sleeves a bit and leaned back. "How do I look?" she asked.

"Lovely," he replied. "The color looks good on you. Wouldn't be bad without the coating on your scales, either." They both chuckled at that. "Let's get to our stations and make ready to dock. And... I think it might be good if your voice 'recovered' some. My friends would love to hear from you."

"I'd like that as well." She followed him back to the ops section, taking the co-pilot's seat. "You don't think that would raise some suspicions, though, do you? I'm not sure I could do as good a job of sounding like an Isshak as looking like one."

"I've heard a few of them speak before. Your particular dialect of GalCom2 isn't all that different from theirs. We'll chalk the rest up to your 'being raised' in an isolated area of their homeworld. I trust you've studied up enough on them to front a good cover story?"

"Of course." She smiled. "Hatched and raised under the shadow of the ethanol refineries of Sector Five on the coastal rim of U'bussnarah, and left to begin training in the Southeast Regional Aerospace Academy at Abysin Ridge."

"Not bad, not bad." He grinned at her. "I think you'll do just fine."

Arrival at the station and the docking process were uneventful. Once they were aboard and through the security checkpoint, though, a gathering caught her attention; a large number of heavily-armed and serious-looking lupenoids stood in ranks, as what seemed to be their commanding officer and his second were speaking in low tones to Spentz and Raorahn. Ashiya could just barely make out some of what was being said.

"...long as you are in this station's space, which was no doubt outlined to you well before you docked, you will follow Rimworld Alliance regulations...."

"...very well understood, Human, but in turn you will not interfere in our operations should they be initiated under those regulations...."

The situation seemed extraordinarily tense, even more than the poor relations between the species would account for. Apparently this was a classic case of a local protectorate standing up to a military power that thought it wrote the rules wherever it went. Eventually, Spentz and the lead soldier nodded curtly at each other, and the lupenoids began to file out. Ashiya leaned in closer to Kyle. "Tirarnik?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah." He spared them a glance. "Seems like they're planning a military exercise in-system. Won't sit well with Spentz if they decide they're running the place."

So those are the Tirarnik. It surprised her how much they resembled Humans; aside from the fur, tails and other lupine characteristics, they weren't much different at all- similar builds for both male and female, plantigrade legs, five digits on each hand. She surmised that the resemblance at least partially explained the animosity... something that looked so similar to you, yet acted so differently, could garner a stronger reaction than something whose appearance was as alien as its mindset. She wondered if the Isshak would have such a view towards the Kryyjh.

Kyle's friends were at the commissary again, having breakfast, according to station time. The food smelled just as enticing, and Ashiya found her mouth watering in anticipation of another good meal. Laou immediately stood and gave Kyle one of her powerful embraces- and then, surprisingly, turned to Ashiya and gave her the same. Ashiya let out a soft surprised grunt, and the ursinoid grinned at her. "Good to see you both again," she said. "How's your little project been going?"

"Very well, actually," Kyle returned. "We've got a nice selection of salvage I think you folks might be interested in purchasing." The others around the table grinned at that. "I've got a full list, of course, but first...." He motioned to Ashiya with his head, and the others turned to look at her.

She kept her voice quiet, and just a little strained, as would befit someone who'd just recovered from its loss. "I'd... like to thank all of you for your welcome," she said. "You are all good people and have made me feel at home here."

That got smiles from all of them. "Any friend of Kyle's is a friend of ours," Laou said, putting one massive hand on Ashiya's shoulder. As Kyle sat at the table, the Duraour sat next to him. "So, precious, have you told Ashiya what we've got planned for today yet?" she asked the Human.

"No, not yet. Let's eat first and then discuss it." More food was ordered, and this time Ashiya was introduced to something called "bacon", apparently an Earth specialty. Khamen assured her that it was highly unlikely to cause her any problems, and so she had a tenative bite; while it didn't absolutely overwhelm her with flavor like Mif'laschkin did, it was definitely good, and she speared several pieces at a time to slide them into her gullet. She was asked a few questions about herself, most of which she answered confidently and the rest she deferred from as wanting to remain "private"; the group took her wishes respectfully and kept the conversation flowing pleasantly. She learned quite a few things about the others as well- that Laou and Khamen had been business partners for almost fifteen years, that Niyre was former military, and that Elmez'ki had no less than nineteen siblings. Wouldn't Command kill for the ability to grant reproduction rates like that, she mused.

The meal was finished quickly, and it didn't take long for the vendors at the table to agree to prices for the salvage Kyle was offering; there was some bartering, but these people were so familiar with and respectful of each other that it almost seemed unnecessary- each wanted to be fair to the other. Once everything was settled, Khamen stood and came to Ashiya's side. "Well, lady serpent," he said, "you were promised a surprise, and it's time we delivered. Come with us to the docking bay."

Obligingly she followed the group- minus Elmez'ki, who gave an excuse of needing to meet family- as they left the commissary and traversed the station to return to the docking bay. But rather than re-board the Shadowdancer, the group instead went aboard a much smaller vessel, one with apparent atmospheric maneuvering ability, if Ashiya was any judge of VTOL gear and ailerons. Her suspicions were confirmed when Niyre turned to regard her with those liquid brown eyes. "Has it been a while since you've been planetside, Ashiya?" she asked.

The Kryyjh nodded. "Some time, yes," she murmured. "It's... something I've missed, to be honest."

"Well, then, you'll get to experience firsthand the vistas of Eligaria Seven." The Peshy'ia opened a small keypad beside the hatch, keyed in a sequence and then pressed her finger against what must have been a biometric device of some sort. With a soft hiss, the hatch slid open. "Welcome aboard the Cloudhopper, captained by yours truly," the prey female announced, with a playful grin on her muzzle. "Our next stop will be the mainland, specifically a very pleasant open area thoughtfully provided by the Eligaria system's provincial government as a public recreation zone. We've had this planned for an entire lunar cycle, and Kyle suggested that since you would be leaving to be on your own soon, we should give you a nice view of one of the most beautiful worlds in Alliance space."

Ashiya was utterly taken aback. "This... is very much a surprise," she said quietly. "A good one. I... don't know how to thank all of you."

Niyre laid a surprisingly strong but gentle hand on her shoulder. "Like the big fuzzy one over there said, a friend of Kyle's is a friend of ours," she said, motioning with her free hand to Laou, who gave a toothy grin in response. "And we decided that we would like to give you a reason to return here, once you've finished what it is you need to do."

It was all too much to take in at once. She lowered her head, doing her utmost best not to break down, and clasped her hands together. "I... thank you all for this," she whispered. "You are good people, and I... hope that I can return here soon, when my circumstances have changed."

Niyre squeezed Ashiya's shoulder lightly. "Something to look forward to, then," she said. "So... all aboard!"

The inside was far more plush than any space-to-surface transport she'd ever been in, even with the five-point harnesses and reinforced seats. Pleasurecraft were a rare thing in homespace, and she'd never acquired the rank or privlege to be invited aboard one there. Apparently civilian life here had its own rewards for those who earned them. She chose a seat appropriate for her build, which placed her near Kyle and Trihsken and across from Khamen and Laou. Trihsken leaned back in the seat as she buckled the harness, her ears twitching in what seemed to be an expression of excitement. "Been far too long since I've been dirtside," she purred. "Non-recycled air, actual ground beneath the paws, wildlife that isn't just the occasional rat or skittercrab... Damnation, but I might end up chasing sand squirrels once we get down there, I'm so keyed up!"

The mental image of the felinoid bounding about on all fours, pursuing some unlucky land mammal up a tree, was enough to send Ashiya into a fit of laughter. The others laughed as well, including Trihsken herself, after a moment of trying to fake a hurt expression. It was a welcome release of emotion for Ashiya, and she found herself relaxing in her seat, resting the back of her neck against the headrest as the ship rumbled quietly beneath her. Through the windows- When was the last time I rode in a vessel with proper windows?!- she saw the ship leave the docking bay and slip into the darkness of space. "Attention, valued passengers," Niyre's voice came over the intercom. "I would like to inform you that we will be reaching the edge of Eligaria Seven's atmospheric envelope in five minutes. There will be some turbulence as we plummet through at hypersonic speeds; please remember that, should the varied safety systems fail and we become a raging fireball falling towards the surface, screaming directly into your fellow passengers' ears is considered rude. I politely ask that you instead scream directly into your own hands so that we may at least meet a fiery doom without a headache."

Ashiya leaned her head back and laughed heartily. "Does she always say things like that?" she inquired.

"Oh, this time she at least spared us the detailed and gruesome litany of what would happen as the cabin temperature raised," Laou answered. "By the time she got to the part of our eyeballs boiling and exploding, I was ready to tear the speaker out with my claws. She's got a sadistic streak to her sometimes, I swear- she loves toying with us predatorial types!" The ursinoid laughed. "But she's also a damned fine pilot, so I know it's all just playing around. She didn't get five commendations in her time as a combat pilot by burning aerospacecraft to a crisp in anyone's atmosphere."

"And besides," Khamen added, "Kyle here told us about how his species' fledgling space programs had their first orbital craft do exactly the same thing- and then slow themselves with a parachute. A parachute!" The large reptile chuckled to himself. "You couldn't pay me enough to take a ride like that, using a slab of metal and a sheet of fabric to slow down on re-entry. Give me energy shields and hardened polyalloys any day."

Ashiya chuckled at that. "One thing I've... wanted to ask," she said. "You say that Kyle is your third-favorite Human, and Laou is ranked second... so who comes in first?"

At once, and as if practiced for years, four different mouths voiced the same exact answer.

"Arc-Major Lawrence Spentz, of course!"

That was it. Ashiya doubled over in raucous hissing laughter, clutching at her sides as she almost folded in half. "That...." she gasped, "was... not the answer... I'd expected...." After a long moment, she managed to regain enough control of herself to speak and breathe normally, though she still wasn't quite done laughing. "Ah, we put Spentz down enough," Trihsken said. "But I'll tell you what... I'll take his hard-nosed, spinecat-up-the-hindquarters enforcement over some of the abject corruption I've seen on other stations. Spentz won't give you an millimeter if your life depends on it, but he also won't look the other way when someone is looking to harm others. There's been attempts on his life from some of the organized-crime types."

Kyle nodded, shrugging slightly. "Spentz and I have a history, but I'll be the first to at least admit he's a solid law-enforcement type. He might be a closed-minded arse on plenty of things, but when it comes to making sure the rules come down fair he's the one I'd go to."

"Hmh. I've... had to deal with some of that type before. And... yes, there are far worse." The craft began to shake from atmospheric drag, and the windows flickered red as superheated air raged against the energy shielding, obscuring the bright blues and greens of the planet below. Deep inside herself, Ashiya trembled just a little, excitement building within her. She wanted this... to experience moments of true freedom, as fleeting as they might be. She felt her anticipation grow right along with the shaking of the vessel as it streaked through the air- and then, as if some command had been given, the Cloudhopper stilled. Ashiya looked through the window again and saw white fluffy clouds streak past; the craft had leveled off and was cruising at a gentle angle towards the surface. Golden-winged birds of some sort flew in a wide formation in one of the spots of clear sky that streaked by the window; the simple natural beauty of it made her breath catch in her throat for a moment. It's beautiful, she thought. I want to see more. Hurry up and land, please!

It didn't take long. The Cloudhopper came to a soft landing on the ground in the middle of a clearing; trees swayed in a gentle wind outside the windows, throwing shadows across the lush grasses. After the engines powered down, Niyre's voice came over the speakers again. "Your pilot would like to take this moment to celebrate yet another disintegration-free landing, and welcome you to the surface of Eligaria Seven. Local weather forecasts call for a chance of thunderstorms later today, but that should still leave us plenty of time for rest and relaxation. I'll meet you all outside!" And with that, the hatch unsealed itself automatically, bringing the sweet scent of fresh air to Ashiya's nostrils. She couldn't get the harness off fast enough, and almost ran into Kyle on the way to the hatch. With a knowing grin, he let her go by, and she made her way outside.

She had a moment of vertigo when she emerged from the ship. It had been a very, very long time since she'd been in an environment without a ceiling; the deep blue sky made her head swim for a few seconds. She took in a deep breath and forced her pupils to close so that her mind could cope, then released the breath slowly and allowed herself to see again. Her brain, given the time to adjust, finally decided that the sky was "up", and the sensation of disorientation faded. The sun was warm on the parts of her hide not covered by the robe, especially with the dark-colored gel still bonded to it, and she relished the feeling. She felt a hand on her shoulder and found Kyle standing beside her. "Enjoying it so far?" he asked with a smile.

"Immensely...." she murmured. She leaned back, coiling slightly, letting her weight press her tail against the soft ground. She probably looked ridiculous, but she didn't care; it felt so good to relax this way, to feel natural things like earth and wind and sunlight, and- if only for the moment- forget all of her problems and experience utter freedom. Kyle rubbed her shoulder gently. "You look for all the universe like an overtensed spring finally being released," he told her, grinning.

She couldn't help but chuckle at that, given her body posture. "I feel that way as well," she replied. "I don't think I knew how much I missed this until now." She let her body return to its normal position as the others of the group gathered around. "So what's on our agenda today, Captain?" Laou asked Niyre.

"Agenda? Hrrrnf." The herbivore let out a playful sound of disgust. "What do you think this is, a tour? We're here to enjoy ourselves! I expect you all to get away from this ship and partake of this wonderful place that Nature has deigned to give us. Now, I do have lunch planned out, plenty of things for you meat-eaters as well as us plant-munchers, but I'm very sure that you'll be able to smell it once I have the meal table set up." She gave Kyle a glance and grinned. "Well, except for you, snoutless. I suppose we'll have to have someone come find you so that you and that silly bump you call an olfactory organ don't starve."

Trihsken lightly tweaked Kyle's nose, and he swatted at her hand, laughing. Laou leaned over Niyre's shoulder and whispered something, causing the shorter female to glance quickly at Kyle, Khamen and then Ashiya; a quick whisper back and the ursinoid grinned, reaching to unfasten the front of her overalls. "Well," she said, stepping out of her clothing and revealing a form-hugging watertight suit beneath, "it has been ages since I've had a nice long swim in water that hasn't touched a station's sewage handling system, so if you need me for anything, I'll be in that wonderful lake just southeast of here." With that, she turned and broke into a loping run, her massive form surprisingly nimble. I can see why Kyle would be attracted to her, Ashiya thought with a mental chuckle; the Duraour's form was certainly a case study in flawless female biped anatomy.

The rest of the group broke up, though Ashiya noticed that both Kyle and Niyre were headed towards the same copse of trees to the north. She found herself staring after them in surprise. Isn't this a strange arrangement this group has, she mused, forcing herself to turn away after a moment. I can't believe that either Niyre or Kyle would try to hide a sexual relationship from Laou, and I refuse to believe that Laou wouldn't be able to tell if they did... I can tell they both care for him and he cares for them in return. She found a thick-trunked tree a good distance away to lean against, enjoying the coolness the shade of its broad, bright-orange leaves provided. It's... a peculiar kind of freedom, I suppose, she thought, easing the hood of her robe down over her shoulders and relaxing her neck. No matrimonial oaths, no government breeding requirements, nothing but shared affection and desire. With people like these, I can see how it could work so well... and how it could make the people involved so happy.

She stretched her tail out, watching the interplay of shadow and light against her scales and the fabric of her robe. A part of her ached to strip nude, find the nearest rock and bask until she caught fire, or maybe join Laou in that lake she was swimming in. Haven't been swimming since survival training, she realized. It would've been enjoyable if it weren't for the concussion charges they kept throwing into the pool to disorient the trainees.... The only real thing keeping me from trying is the fact that going topless would make it very obvious that I am not a Isshak. She let out a soft sigh. Damnable disguise. Damnable politics and xenophobia. I swear I'll find a way out of it all, so I can live this kind of life without having to hide what I am.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she only slowly became aware of a presence behind her. She half-sprung upright before she realized that it was only Khamen; he moved almost silently for someone so large, and his ectothermic body makeup made it hard for her to sense him by heat. "I apologize for startling you," he said. "It was enjoyable watching you appear so relaxed."

"I... rather enjoy this spot." She leaned back against the tree. "Join me if you like."

He did so, sitting next to her and leaning against the tree at an angle, to allow his tail room to lie. His deep-green eyes looked her over. "Kyle was right. You do look like an overtensed spring given slack."

"I suppose that I have been... under pressure recently," she said. "This group has... done much to help relieve that, and I am thankful."

"You're certainly welcome, lady serpent." He smiled. "After all, I imagine that being a Kryyjh hiding in plain sight in Rimworld Alliance space is not an easy position."

It was said in such an unremarkable, conversational tone that Ashiya almost found herself voicing agreement before she realized exactly what he'd said. "I...." she croaked. "I'm not sure... what you're...."

He raised a hand. "Be at ease. I have no desire to reveal you to anyone. My life has been in Kyle's hands, and his life in mine- if he has reason not to speak of your true nature, then I respect it completely. Your secret is safe with me."

He had her, utterly and completely. But she had seen that he was an honorable and trustworthy person; the knowledge was enough for her heart to stop beating quite so fast and her hood to fold again. "How...?" she managed to ask.

"You chose a good disguise. The Isshak are still new to our Alliance, and not many are very familiar with them. In sight, sound and scent you were a match for them to almost anyone."

"...except for you."

"Well, I do have something of an advantage. You see, I have had relations with several Isshak and know their scent intimately."

She felt her jaw drop. "You've... had sex with them?"

"Nine of them. Six female and three male. They're something of a reclusive and conservative society, but there are some open-minded enough to try mating outside the species. They can be quite good at it given the chance." He grinned. "My culture encourages exploring sensuality and sex. We consider it a gift that the act of procreation can cause such pleasure and passion, and want to share the gift with others whenever possible."

"That's... quite a bit different than what I'm used to." Ashiya rubbed the back of her neck. "And... you and Laou...?"

To her surprise, he shook his head, a negative gesture. "When Laou and I first started our venture, we made an agreement that we wouldn't have sexual relations. The conditions that caused the agreement have since changed, but we still respect that agreement." He smiled. "I love Laou, certainly. She would make for quite the bed-partner. But, to be honest, my curiosity and desire are more angled towards fellow reptiles."

"That... well." She looked away for a moment. "It's... natural, I suppose. A little against the grain from everything else I've seen, though."

"It's the ability to choose that I hold sacred above all else. I'd never restrict another intelligent being from doing what they wished, so long as none were harmed." She felt his hand cover hers. "I would also never force any other intelligent creature to adhere to my desires or views. So, I wish you to know there is no pressure of any sort upon you to accept when I say that I would like to be intimate with you."

This time her jaw hit her chest. She stared at him for a moment, his offer working its way through her brain. She believed his statement of not wanting to pressure her- Kyle chose his friends well, definitely- but there was still distrust lurking in the back of her mind... not of Khamen in particular, but of males in general. Any male that had ever propositioned her had just been after other things, either prestige from laying with a higher-ranked officer, a difficulty-free sexual liason with a junior-ranked female, or simply to satisfy their own desires. And Maknesh... was his own special case. But there was warmth and curiosity in this reptile's gaze, and it made her shiver slightly to be under it. Before all this, before she'd seen the freedoms these people enjoyed, the very prospect of interspecies sex would have nauseated her... but now, knowing that she soon had to leave this all behind and might never see any of these people again for the rest of her life, only one hesitant question could escape her scaled lips.

"Will you... even fit...?"

A rumbling laugh escaped his throat. "Yes. I doubt you are all that different from Isshak females, especially since, as I understand it, your species also lays eggs."

"We do, yes. We... are different from the Isshak in a very noticiable way, though...." She realized that her hands were untying the sash of her robe without her realizing it. Finally giving herself over to the fact that she was in this situation completely, she opened the folds of her robe, revealing her breasts- still bound tightly under wrappings- to him. One of his eye ridges quirked in surprise. "Well," he said. "I must have missed that when I studied your species. They're functional?"

"Yes." She slid her robe down over her shoulders, leaving her upper torso bare except for the wrappings. She was expecting to feel shame, but the honest interest the large male was showing her body was actually... arousing. I want this, she thought. Even though any of the others could stumble over us at any point, and if Laou, Niyre or Trihsken saw me now, they'd know what I am.... Even as she thought, her hands began to remove the wrappings- and Khamen stopped her, his massive hands moving to complete the task for her. She let out a soft sigh and relaxed. And if they knew... I think they'd understand. I don't think their views of me would change much, if at all. I could see myself telling them willingly, if I didn't fear that the knowledge might cause them trouble further on....

Her thoughts were scattered when Khamen's slow, meticulous motions finally unbound her breasts, and they fell free. A smile crossed the male's snout. "Those are far too lovely to be kept hidden," he told her. "It has been quite a while since I've been intimate with a female who had breasts. I'd like it if you told me what you enjoy having done to them."

She couldn't help but smile at that. He was so confident, so understated, and yet so earnest. "Well," she said quietly, removing her robe completely so that she was bare before him. "I'll admit that, though I've mated before, I honestly haven't had enough of this sort of foreplay to truly know what I enjoy. So...." She took one of his hands in hers and moved it to her left breast, using his fingertip to move the patch of scales that covered the nipple. "I will ask that you do whatever it is you wish-" she brought his hand to her genital slit, letting him feel the already-moistened edges with his finger- "and I will gladly let you know how it is you're doing."

Khamen's smile grew. "That is an excellent idea, and I ask that you do the same." He lightly ran his fingertip against the edges of her slit, making her shudder, before he got to his feet. "Now, it's my turn to shed this extra covering and stand as free as nature meant us to be," he chuckled.

She raised a hand, slowly coming upright. "Wait," she said. "Please... let me." She slithered up to him, reaching up to the top fastener of his jumpsuit; he was so much taller than her that she almost had to stretch just to reach it. His hands came down to stroke her sides as she nimbly undid each catch, until the suit had come open enough for him to step out of it; all he wore beneath was a simple pair of padded shorts. He noticed her somewhat amused expression. "You don't work around high-impact equipment and welding torches without at least a little extra protection around the genital region," he told her with a grin. "Internal or external, a male doesn't take the chance."

She chortled. "Understandable," she said, leaning against him. She could smell his arousal now, unmistakably; the scent went right to her hindbrain, triggering mating instincts more strongly than they'd been set off in a long time. Without the stress of expected reproduction or social repercussions, she felt more free to indulge in the sheer joy of intimacy; she rubbed her snout against his crotch, flicking her tongue against it, and relishing the soft moan it got from him. She slowly dragged the last remaining garment down his hips and tail, helping him to step out of it, and then fixed her gaze on the thick-scaled tailbase and slightly-opened genital slit before her. His phermones were almost thick enough to see, and her tongue flicked out repeatedly to catch them. "May I touch it?" she asked, gazing at his slit, unsure on how sensitive his species was in that area.

He smiled. "You may," he replied. "Only be gentle. I'm sure you know how delicate we males are in that area."

"I promise I will be." With that, she gently cupped his groin with her hand and pressed lightly. The tips of his hemipenes slid into view, and the scent of his arousal increased even more; she let her tongue flick across the twin stalks of his maleness, lightly touching his sensitive flesh. He tasted good- very good, in fact, much better than Makresh had. She slid her hand between his legs and squeezed his tailbase ever so gently, pressing her fingertips against the bulges his testicles made. Khamen let out a deep groan of pleasure, and his hemipenes everted even further; their tips glistened with droplets of semen than ran down the pinkish thick-veined flesh. She couldn't help herself- her tongue lightly flicked out and caught one of the drops, finding the taste strange but definitely enjoyable. Finally, he became fully erect; though he was quite a bit larger than any male she'd had inside her, she figured he would indeed fit, though she was going to have to go slowly.

Once she'd gotten him to completely evert- she noticed that, though he wasn't very large in proportion to his body size, he was indeed quite big on her scale- he gently moved her back so that he could sit down before her, stretching his tail out to allow himself to lean back yet keep his hands free. At his gesture, she settled herself against his legs, draping herself over his thighs. His massive hands cupped her breasts and squeezed them lightly, drawing a gasp out from her and making her arch her back. "So far you're doing very well," she half-whispered, reaching down and carefully wrapping her hands around his hemipenes, stroking them in opposite rhythms. "How is this?"

He lowered his head to nip at her neck with his broad, flat teeth. "Incredible," he told her. "The scales on your hands feel quite good there...." One of his hands left her chest and slid down her midsection, stopping at the now dripping rim of her genital slit, once more rubbing at its edges with his fingertip. After he'd collected a good amount of her sexual juices on the broad pad of his finger, he slowly slid it between her scales and into her body; she let out a deep, shuddering groan, immediately squeezing his finger with her inner muscles. "That...." she murmured. "Is... so good...." She slid her hands down to the bases of his hemipenes, squeezed them gently and then began to drag her hands up to their tips, maintaining a gentle but steady pressure on his sensitive flesh. She felt him shiver against her, and thin streams of his milky white semen dribbled from his lengths, coating her hands. "You get... a bit messy during this sort of thing... don't you?" she chuckled, leaning down to flick her tongue against his lengths, one after the other, to taste more of his seed.

"Sometimes," he answered, sliding his finger deeper into her. It came back out absolutely soaked with the juices of her arousal, glistening in the sunlight. "And I see I'm not the only one," the larger reptile grinned.

"I... haven't been this aroused in a very long time," she breathed into his chest. She lowered her head and took one of his hemipenes into her mouth, flicking her tongue against it as she slid her scaled lips along its entire length; more of his semen flowed into her mouth, and she gulped it down, feeling its stickiness line her throat. Khamen churred deeply into her aural canal. "I have a request of you," he whispered. "Let me see your tail for a moment."

She did so, not pausing in her slow and methodical oral pleasuring. To her surprise, he took her tail into his mouth, almost an entire meter of it, straight down his throat; she could feel him "swallow" it, large amounts of his saliva coating the scales. After a few moments of this, he withdrew her tail from his mouth. "Now," he said, lowering his head again to nibble on the edges of her hood- something she'd never had done to her before, and it felt absolutely incredible- "I would very much like it, sweet Ashiya, if you would place your tail beneath my own, and enter me just as I wish to enter you."

She paused for just a moment in shock. No male had ever asked her to do that, and she'd never even thought to make the offer. She was intoxicated with sexual need and newfound freedom, and any possible objection she might have had normally was buried beneath her need to know new pleasures, so with only a slight nod she wrapped her lower torso around his waist and slid her tail beneath his, which he lifted to aid her. The tip found his anal vent and slowly entered it, drawing a soft groan from the male. "Deeper," he grunted. "Please."

She complied, filling his vent with her tail as much as she could from her position. It felt strange to be inside another being, to feel his muscles squeezing her tail the very same way that hers were gripping his finger- but she found it empowering, not to mention arousing, so much so that she began to slide her tail in and out of him at the same pace that his finger moved inside her. She could actually feel his testicles pressing against her tail through the inner flesh of his vent, and she rubbed it between them, twitching it just a bit as she did so; his body stiffened, and his eyes rolled back in their sockets for a moment. "Hrrrhhhh," he groaned. "That...." It seemed to take him a moment to recover. "No one... has ever done that to me before," he gasped. "I don't think I've felt anything quite like that with any of my lovers."

She gazed up at him with a mischevious smirk. "So... I should continue?"

She could feel his laugh rumble through his body. "Please. Though slowly." He took hold of her lower torso and lifted her up, positioning her over one of his hemipenes. "If I may...?" he asked quietly, his eyes on hers. "It only seems fair that I return the favor...."

Only another moment's hesistation caught at her thoughts. Then there was the realization that the other three probably knew about this, at least in part, and if given the chance to do so, Kyle would more than likely encourage her to carry on. Plus there's no doubt that at this moment he's in a very similar position with Niyre, she thought with a mental smirk. So, "Ashiya"... do you truly want this to happen?

She answered herself and him at the same time. "Yes."

That thick pole of flesh didn't take long to find itself pressed against her genital slit, its gaping and sopping-wet edges easily parting betore the tip. He was slow and deliberate about it, lowering her down on himself at a gentle pace, letting her get accustomed to his greater size. It wasn't easy, but the sexual fluids that her body was practically gushing from her channel eased his way in. She felt her pupils close almost completely as her mind swam in the pleasure of being so filled by a male's flesh. Maknesh, you'd die of shame if you knew how much better it feels to have this male inside me than you, she managed to think, only dimly aware that her tongue was hanging over the lip of her gaping jaw. Her inner muscles stretched, almost painfully, trying their utmost best to adjust to and accept Khamen's hemipenis.

Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, her torso met his and he was hilted inside her. She could feel every contraction of his flesh as he pumped a slow, steady stream of his semen into her; a glance down at their point of union showed her how the thick white liquid leaked from the edges of her slit, and how her entire lower torso bulged from the mass of his length inside her. It was the most erotic thing she had ever seen.

She felt Khamen's hand stroke her hood. "Not hurting you, is it?" he murmured into her aural canal.

By way of answer, she lowered her head and once more took his other hemipenis into her mouth, sliding her tongue along the length of its groove and flicking the forked tip against the base of his maleness. Very carefully, she drew herself up, her lips and her slit both sliding along his flesh, until only his very tips were within her- and then just as slowly she let herself descend to be filled again. His shaft pressed against her clitoral folds firmly, actually stretching them a bit, coming ever so close to being painful but also overwhelming her with pleasure. Her tail flexed and unwound inside his anal vent, making him groan and writhe against her; one of his hands slid under her upper body to support it, his head lowering to her chest and his lips closing around her entire breast. She hissed softly from the pleasure as his flat teeth nibbled at the sensitive mound, and his broad wet tongue slathered across it. His other hand stroked the back of her neck as she took his maleflesh into her gullet, gulping down as much of his semen as she could.

She could only managed a strained gurgle as a climax hit her, causing her muscles to clench against the thick hemipenis buried within her, squeezing even more of his thick seed from it. She was only dimly aware that by now she was an utter mess, almost every scale of her body coated in some combination of their sexual juices and his saliva. All she could focus on was the steady rhythm of those twin stalks sliding into her, the constant flow of thick, cool semen, and the thunderstrikes of pleasure and orgasm that made her body twitch against his.

It could have been forever, for all she was aware, before she heard Khamen's groans become deeper and more urgent. His hemipenes swelled even more, making her stop with them fully within her, and then with a loud moan of pleasure, the massive reptile reached his climax. A torrent of semen flooded along the grooves of his twin stalks, and her body was overwhelmed; she could feel her womb expand, taking what little more of the thick gift it could, and the excess spurted messily out through the tight seal her genital slit held around his shaft. She couldn't hope to swallow the equal load his other hemipenis sprayed into her throat, trying her best to keep it in her mouth at least, but there was simply too much, and she was forced to let it dribble back out into glistening white pools in his lap.

Khamen let his head rest on her shoulder as his climax passed, rumbling deep in his throat as he enjoyed his pleasure. Ashiya was so overwhelmed by the sensations that it was all she could do to just lie there as his hemipenes deflated and reverted, sliding out of her to return to their home within his tailbase. She panted harshly for breath as he sat her up against him, letting her look over herself; every last part of her was covered in some bodily fluid, dripping onto the grass in places, and her genital slit gaped open as the occasional contraction of her inner muscles squeezed a glob of Khamen's seed from her vaginal tract. Dazedly, she brushed her fingertips against herself, watching as some strange combination of her and Khamen's excretions dripped from them. Her mind reeled in shock as she realized she enjoyed it- being so natural, so carnal, so unlike anything her life had given her before. "How do you feel?" she heard the male's voice murmur into her aural canal.

"I...." Words were not an easy thing for her to focus on at the moment. "It's... it feels wonderful...."

A smile crossed his lips. "That is good to hear," he told her. "Here... while the others certainly would have no qualms about us having enjoyed each other's company, decorum requires that we at least wash up before we rejoin them. There's a small watering hole nearby we can use." With some difficulty, the reptile stood, holding her in his arms. She was grateful enough for that- soreness aside, she was simply so overwhelmed from their coupling that she doubted she could move under her own power at the moment. "A question, if I may, dear Ashiya?" he asked.

She nodded numbly. "Go ahead."

"I take it that you and Kyle have not been intimate?"

She shook her head, a negative. "No... no, we haven't."

"I might have figured. I could tell you haven't been properly pleasured in quite some time... and from what I have heard from Laou, Kyle would never have left you feeling that way." A low chuckle rumbled through his broad chest. "A pity he's heterosexual. I'd be tempted to deviate from my reptile-only custom otherwise. I'm curious... did he make the sort of offer I did to you?"

"He didn't...." It seemed that these people shared a lot between each other. "He... seems reserved. I can tell something is wrong, but... he doesn't seem willing to share."

Khamen let out a soft sigh and nodded, falling silent for a moment as they approached the watering hole. The large male simply waded right in with her still in his arms; the water was cool, but not cold, and did an excellent job of cleaning the already-congealing fluids from their scales. He set Ashiya down on a shallow bank to let her relax and wash herself. "I know what it is that troubles Kyle at the moment," Khamen said. "But I am reluctant to divulge it. It's a sensitive matter to him, and I worry that there is more than I see going on beneath it. I can tell you, however, that the Kyle Aragones you know now is different than he was before this. The people closest to him worry for him, but we know that this is something we can't force- he has to work through it himself."

"That, I can understand." Ashiya sighed, letting her body stretch out under the water. The aching was leaving her now, at least for the most part, and a welcome afterglow was settling over her body. "I won't pry. But he is a good person, and I honestly wish I could do something to help."

"That is a good sentiment." He smiled. "And if I may ask... were the situation different, and he had propositioned you... would you have accepted?"

"I... don't know." She looked away. "Not because of what he is, mind you... I could find him attractive. It's more because of myself. This is all new to me, Khamen... this freedom you all enjoy, the closeness... my society has nothing like it. It's been making my head swim the entire time. I don't feel taken advantage of, though, don't think that- what you and I just did was of my own free will." She leaned her head back, opening her hood to catch more of the sun's rays. "I... well, I owe Kyle nothing less than my life, never mind the risks he's taken for my sake since. I worry that...." She paused, thinking. Go on, 'Ashiya'. Admit it to yourself as well as Khamen. "I worry there might be an attachment if he and I were to... explore something physical."

He nodded. "I see. My own mindset is more towards casual engagements, though that doesn't in any way mean that I don't value those I am intimate with. But your circumstances are unique, I would say." He reached over and gently stroked the edge of her hood, a soothing gesture she appreciated. "I feel that you wish you could stay, and would if it were at all possible. I will tell you, dear Ashiya, that if you are ever able to return to this lonely corner of the universe, you are always welcome with this group."

She reached out and held his hand. "Thank you," she said. "I've felt more welcome here than anywhere else I can remember."

With that, the two reptiles leaned against the bank of the shallow pool, content to bask in the sunlight until lunch was ready.

--

As commanding and confident as Niyre was in every other aspect of her life, when it came to sex she was as submissive as the Earth deer she strongly resembled. She loved to be taken, to be pinned against the ground and ravished, and Kyle certainly enjoyed giving her what she wanted. Her hooves rested against his lower back, rubbing lightly against his skin as he slowly thrust himself into her; her soft murrs of pleasure tickled his ears, and provided a gentle counterpoint to the wet sucking noises her passage made as it clutched at his length. She leaned up and licked his neck. "By Nature, I love how you taste when you're sweating," she groaned into his ear.

"And I love how you taste when you're orgasming," he teased, leaning down to kiss her neck.

"Speaking of, you're getting close, aren't you?" She grinned. "You always start giving off a certain scent when you are. Slide inside me and let me finish you off."

He loved when she did this. He pressed himself against her body, her small fur-covered breasts rubbing against his chest, and his crotch firmly against hers. She slid her legs up to his shoulders, gripped his arms tightly with her hands and began to work her inner muscles against his shaft. Kyle groaned deep in his throat; her body was amazing, and she was certainly talented at using it. She gripped him tightly inside her- so tightly as to almost be painful- and began rippling the walls of her passage along his length. It never failed to drive him wild, and there was no way he could hope to last long; within a few minutes, he felt his climax approaching. He ground himself against her, moaning loudly as orgasm struck, and his length pumped his semen deep into her wet channel. She murred loudly and lapped at his neck. "Laou was right," she said. "You spend too much time in space, my furless friend. Especially lately." She stroked his cheek with her palm. "We're all concerned for you. Trihsken swears she's going to strip naked and sit on you until you feel better... and you know how she is about nudity." The herbivore chuckled. "A shame you're not laying with Ashiya, either... I'll admit, I always wanted to get a lizard in me. You think she's into other females?"

Kyle chortled at that, tweaking her ear with his fingers. "I didn't think it polite to ask. Though if Khamen's managed to get her interest, I imagine she's full of lizard right now." He took hold of her waist, rolling her over onto her stomach, and straddled her; the head of his semi-erect penis rubbed up against her tailhole, and she let out a soft groan. "Not done yet?" she murmured, looking over her shoulder at him. "I did promise the others lunch...."

"This is for you, not me." He pressed his thighs against her hips, leaned over her and thrust himself under her tail. She groaned deeply as his shaft, once more fully erect and slickened from the juices of her body, easily slid into her nether region; her hands grasped at the thick grass beneath her. "Oh yes," she whimpered. "Uhhhn...." She squirmed beneath him as his length slid in and out of her tailhole; she clenched at him every time he withdrew, and relaxed as he entered her again, until his groin pressed firmly against her backside.

He knew she loved anal sex almost as much as vaginal. The added sensation of being outdoors- lying on cool, moist soil, the grass rubbing against her soaked thighs and crotch- was probably doing wonderful things to her; it wasn't long before his steady thrusting brought her to climax. As he slid out of her, he looked down to see her sexual juices literally dripping down her legs and onto the ground. "Always making a mess," he teased.

"Half of that is yours." She grinned, sitting up next to him. Several broad leaves from a nearby fern served to clean them up enough to be presentable, and they redressed, walking back with their arms around each other. She gently nuzzled his ear. "Remember what I said, Kyle," she whispered. "We're here for you. Just tell us when you want to talk."

"I will. I promise." He kissed her ear lightly, giving her a gentle smile. It's not that I don't want to talk, he wanted to continue. It's that I can't find the words to say what's going on in my head.

Not for the first time, he put his innermost feelings aside, and walked with Niyre back to the landing site to help get lunch underway.

--

"Initializing primary systems."

Kyle looked over the readouts on his datapad. He could see the pod's systems start up, one after the other, as the computer core of the craft ran through its checklists. So far, everything looked to be doing well. "Primary systems initialized," Ashiya's voice came over the intercom. "All nominal. Powering up primary and secondary reactors."

This was going to be the tricky part. The pod's powergrid was now a mishmash of different converters and transfer links, with half of the vessel's damaged grid now replaced with equipment that had never been designed to interface with Kryyjh technology. The provision of constant power to the pod's vital systems depended on the entire rig-up not overloading on itself. He closely watched the readouts as the reactors went online, and began transferring energy to the pod's capacitors and conduits. System after system flashed on the display, indicators glowing red... then yellow... then green. Soon the powergrid was completely active. "Testing at 135% of typical output," Ashiya announced. "And... integrity confirmed."

"Great. I was worried for a minute." Kyle leaned back in his chair. "Time for a quick runup of the shield and propulsion systems."

"Understood. Initializing shield projection array." The shield system popped up on his display, as two readouts; apparently the Kryyjh used a clamshell projection pattern on their transport pods, rather than quadrants. He watched the status bars fill. "Shield projection efficiency at 86%," she announced.

"Bit low, that... I wonder if the converters are impeding power flow?"

"I doubt it. That's actually three percent higher than the norm." He heard her chuckle. "I wouldn't be terribly surprised if the Kryyjh government offered to contract with you, Kyle. Alright, running engine diagnostics."

Yet another popup on the display. This one stayed red for a while; the propulsion systems had taken some severe damage, and their repair efforts had been as much a glue-and-chewing-gum effort as anything. Finally, after almost a minute, it went into the yellow, then barely into the green. "Well, I won't be winning any races, but at least it's not likely to explode when I go for translight speeds."

"It'll have to do, I suppose." He sighed and leaned back. "Well, Ashiya, I think we've got your ship about as patched up as we can manage aboard the Shadowdancer. I can say with some confidence that it'll get you where you're going in one piece."

"Far better than the condition the 'mechs left it in, Kyle. I'll definitely take it."

"True enough. I'm coming back down to the bay now." He cut off the com and left the panel, walking quickly back to the cargo bay. Ashiya was just leaving her pod when he got there; her scales, back to their natural green thanks to a quick solvent wipedown, glistened in the light. "Alright," he told her. "We're back in the same sector where the 'mechs attacked you. You should be able to reacquire your original waypoint and get to where you're going. I apologize that it took us this long to get you up and running again."

The Kryyjh gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "Apologize? You want to apologize? Kyle, you rescued me from certain death and put yourself at risk with your own government to help me, knowing I could never hope to repay you. You've got nothing to apologize for." To his surprise, she leaned in to embrace him; he put his arms around her, gently patting her back. "And that doesn't cover what it is you've shown me, the way you live and the freedoms you have. I finally understand what it is my life has been missing up until now." She broke the embrace, moving back, gazing into his eyes with her own lidless ones. "I'll be honest... I don't want to leave. If it were solely up to me, I'd dump this pod out the cargo doors like the piece of refuse it is and go right back to the station with you. But I can't." She let out a slow sigh, her shoulders slouching for a moment. "I think I've already used up all the luck one intelligent being can have in one lifetime. But I hope that I can find enough to return some day. You and your friends are good people by any definition of the term, Kyle Aragones, and I hope you never forget that."

"You're a good person as well, Ashiya, and I'm honored to have been able to help you. Whatever it is you're going to do, I wish you the best." He took her hand for a moment and gently squeezed it. "When you do come back-" he placed a deliberate emphasis on the word 'when'- "look us up. I know the others have told you something similar, but we are very protective of our friends, and whatever happens, we'll be there for you."

"I do not doubt any of that." She gave him a serpentine smile and patted his hand with hers. "Until then, my friend, as we Kryyjh say, 'fortune favor your hunt'."

"And as we Humans say, 'may the road rise up to meet you'." Finally, reluctantly, he released her hand. She stood on the pod's entry ramp for a moment, as if taking in the last thing she would ever see, then turned and slithered into the pod. The hatch closed automatically behind her.

Kyle returned to the pilot's chair, brought up the interface for the cargo bay doors and released their locks. "Bay doors open," he said. "Fly safe, Ashiya."

"Be well, Kyle." The pod's engines lifted the craft from the cargo bay floor, swung it around and thrusted it clear of the Shadowdancer, then oriented the ship on its original destination and began a full burn. It wasn't long at all before the small spacecraft was out of visual range, and then sensor range.

Kyle leaned back in his seat for a moment, watching the screens, before keying in a course for another possible salvage site. After a few seconds more, he cut off the video feed of the last camera that had seen Ashiya's pod. I miss her already.

--

Ashiya watched the last readout on the sensor display fade. She'd well and truly left the Shadowdancer behind, and so much else. Seeing that the autopilot had already initiated a translight maneuver and there was nothing else for her to do, she left the console, set herself down in the farthest corner from it, and began keening softly to herself.

--

"Transport pod, identify yourself or you will be fired upon."

She'd expected this sort of "welcome", and keyed into the communications system. "This is transport Sixteen-Seven-Alacar-Four-One," she announced, repeating the very same information she knew her transponder was relaying to them. "Clearance level six. Relaying authorization and orders now." She pushed another button, transmitting the pre-crafted data packet.

There was a pause, and then: "Running a little late, aren't you?"

"I was ambushed along the way by a biomech patrol. I had to stop at an outlying station for emergency repairs." Truth, it was, though she didn't exactly say whose outlying station was involved. She knew what would happen next- a detailed scan of the pod to verify her story. Plenty of evidence to back me up, unless you think all the carbon scarring and other hull damage is from me being a bad pilot, she chuckled to herself.

"Your orders show that the pod was set on autopilot. How did you 'stop' anywhere?"

"Necessity is the mother of invention." Another Human saying she'd liked.

There was another pause, and then: "Very well. Your ship will be towed into dock. Report immediately to the station Sub-commander for orientation."

"Will comply." She cut off the commlink and watched as a tractor beam speared out from the nearest docking platform, catching the pod in its gravimetric influence. The pod's navigational systems immediately surrendered control to the station's remote link. So here I am, Ashiya thought. Right where I never wanted to be.

It didn't take long for the station to have her locked into a docking bay. A personnel tube attached to the hull, sealing the hatchway from the vacuum of space, and the hatch opened automatically. Ashiya stood impassively as three other Kryjjh approached the pod, two of them armed with heavy plasma rifles. As though they wouldn't know if I wasn't the only one on board, or if I were armed, she thought. The third Kryjjh was apparently a rather high-ranking officer, and Ashiya brought her fist to her opposite shoulder in a salute, which was returned smartly. "Line-captain Vyarhi Syhassi?" the group-captain questioned.

Ashiya flexed her hood, an affirmative motion. "I assume you know why I'm here."

"I do. Walk with me for a moment." The male turned. "You two may return to your posts," he told the soldiers, who wordlessly slung their weapons and slithered off. "I am Sub-commander Tyshrin Askh'khyrin," he continued, setting a slow pace with Ashiya down the tube and onto the docking platform. "I would welcome you to Hunter's Respite, but I'm sure that like all our other 'visitors', you'd rather be elsewhere." She could only give him a wordless grunt in reply. He chuckled. "Confirmed, then. The details of your 'assignment' here are already known, and not only through official channels. I have unfortunately had the experience of working with Line-leader Maknesh Hevisi for several lunar cycles. We all knew he was going to choose a mate at some point... and I personally know more than a few females who were glad not to be the one chosen."

"Can't say that I blame them," she murmured.

The sub-commander's expression was sympathetic. "Despite the official policy, I personally feel for those who end up here. My own sister proved to be infertile after she matured and was sent here for the treatment procedure. Fortunately it proved to be successful for her... she's laid her fifth clutch in four years just last cycle." A gentle hand was laid on her shoulder. "You do know that you only need to undergo the procedure. Your career can continue even if it turns out to be unsuccessful."

"Right. Continue. Not actually go anywhere, though." She knew all too well how infertiles were thought of in society. As if it were merely an effort of will to be able to have offspring! she thought bitterly. The Sub-commander let out a soft sigh. "Unfortunately I can't argue that," he said quietly. "But the effective success rate has been climbing over the last ten years... your odds aren't as bad as you may think."

Finally, they reached the induction center. "This is where I leave you, Line-captain," the male said. "I know I don't have to remind you to hew to all rules and regulations while you're here. It's not as bad a place as some have made it out to be... but it can be your own personal damnation if you're not careful." He bowed his head. "Good luck."

With that, he was gone, leaving Ashiya to her thoughts and fears.

--

"I swear to your very own ancestors that if you stick that probe in me one more time, I'll send you to meet them." Ashiya reluctantly put down her robe and laid herself on the examination gurney. "At the very least you could warm the damned thing up."

"That would skew the test parameters, Line-captain. I've been explaining this to you for five lunar cycles now." The physician's voice betrayed a weary sarcasm, as though this were a script she'd repeated far too many times. "You do want to be able to lay eggs, don't you?"

"That would prove to be difficult if you freeze my reproductive tract closed." Ashiya sighed. "Just get the damned thing over with. I'm starting to wonder if you dip that thing in liquid nitrogen before you- GAH!" The physician unceremoniously thrust the probe into her, making her shudder. "You know... even the most inept males would at least try to induce a little lubrication first," she muttered.

The physician paid her complaints little heed, her concentration instead on a datapad in her hand. She let out a hiss as readings appeared upon it. "Hmh," she said quietly. "Your PH is still too high to allow fertilization. Can't bear offspring if your body drowns the male's sperm in an acid bath before they even reach the uterus. Even a fertilized egg wouldn't stand much of a chance."

"It still hasn't come down?" Ashiya groaned. "I've been on those suppliments for two lunar cycles now! Half the meals I eat come right back up thanks to those damnable pills."

"We'll have to up the concentration. Not what I'd like to do, but as of right now I see no other recourse."

"Well, that's lovely. I'll just have to convince my body that I don't actually need food to survive. Maybe I can just take up photosynthesis instead." Ashiya leaned back against the gurney, gripping the sides tightly. Damn you, Maknesh! she thought bitterly. I wish I'd never been assigned to your command. Maybe I could have ended up choosing my own mate instead of you forcing me into it. Some quiet young male, without overreaching plans and delusions of grandeur, who wouldn't care so much if we didn't have hatchlings.... She inwardly sighed. Who am I kidding? The government would know, after a year or two of my not having reported becoming gravid. I'd have ended up here one way or the other, whether by Makresh's arrangement or by official orders. The only real difference would be where my career could go afterwards. A Sub-commander or even a Line-leader would have enough influence to push ahead, with a lot of extra work... but a Line-captain who was infertile? I'd probably find myself behind a desk filing reports for the rest of my enlistment period.

Not for the first time, she thought back to the time she'd spent in Rimworld Alliance space. They didn't have mandatory reproduction laws or military induction of the young. They didn't ostracize those who couldn't or wouldn't have offspring. And they didn't send every barely-mature member of their species off to fight against the biomechs. Even Humankind, when its very existence had been threatened by the 'mechs, had stopped short of where Kryyjh law had stood for centuries... and with far more to show for it. It's never been a matter of military might, she realized. We have an unfathomable amount of force to throw at the 'mechs. No, it's been about our society being locked in backwards tradition and foolish pride. We won't ask for help from anyone, we won't make any real attempts to learn from the 'mechs, and we never seem to learn from our mistakes. How much progress could we have made with help from the Rimworld Alliance, the Central Clusters, or any of the unallied species out there? Damnable xenophobia! Foolish decisions made by fools who were too afraid to go against the decisions made by the fools they replaced!

Her thoughts were harshly interrupted by the physician pulling the probe out of her. The sensation was singularly uncomfortable, and she hissed softly. "You complain almost as much as the males do about this procedure," the physician chided her. "And they're not designed to have things enter them." She placed the probe on a tray and turned to an infopanel, typing in several commands. "I'm changing your prescription from fifteen milliunits to thirty. Maintain your dietary and exercise regimen and abstain from sexual contact. I'll see you back here in another two lunar cycles."

The physician left her to redress and find her own way back to the commons. As she slid her robe back on- the very one Kyle had given her- she scowled to herself. Right. Abstain from sexual contact. As if anyone here is even interested. Damnable propaganda has got the majority of both sexes here believing they're useless unless they're fertile... I can hardly think of a better way to crush a libido. It's even getting to me. When was the last time I tailfucked myself? Or even simply fingered myself? I don't even sneak glances at males' tailbases in the changing rooms anymore. How long until I forget what this slit in my scales is even for, besides freezing-cold probes?

It was getting harder to remember her time with Khamen. That had been her only comfort for the first two lunar cycles here... but lately it was getting more and more difficult to recall. Hard to think of sex when you're bent over the commode spewing your last meal more often than not, she thought. I don't want to forget what it felt like to be so free with a male, to not know anything but him....

Her thoughts were getting more and more depressing, and things were bad enough for her as they were, so she forced herself to clear her mind. She returned to her quarters, intent on getting changed to go to the exercise complex to take her agitation out on some practice dummies, but stopped when she noticed something amiss. Her lamp had been turned around to face the wall, rather than her bed; since it was rare that one "visitor" would disturb another's sleeping area, Ashiya had the troubling thought that there might have been done for a more covert reason; after making sure that no one else was nearby, she turned the lamp back around.

A small piece of adhesive tape was placed on its base. She carefully removed it and examined it. A thin strip of paper had been placed on the inside, with one cryptic but ominous line written upon it.

"A SITUATION HAS COME UP. MEET ME AT 1730 HOURS TODAY AT THE REAR OF THE RECREATION BUILDING. TELL NO ONE AND BRING NO ONE. -ASHK'KHYRIN"

Her blood ran cold. She'd only heard from Sub-commander Ashk'khyrin twice since the beginning of her "stay" here, and neither time had involved anything unusual. Why the sudden secrecy? she wondered. With another quick glance around to make sure no one was around- she knew the living quarters weren't monitored by video pickups, though most of the rest of the place was- she balled up the piece of tape and popped it into her mouth, swallowing it. It's only paranoia if they're not out to get you.

--

"You know how to worry a female, Sub-commander."

The male looked nervous about something, glancing over his shoulder more than once as she approached. "Apologies for the shadow-and-skulk routine," he said quietly. "But there's something that I felt you should know."

He had her full attention now. "What is it?" she asked, her voice similarly hushed.

"You won't have heard this through the news feeds. They're monitored and censored. But I've gotten word through trustworthy sources that the Council has appointed a large number of Purity Concord members to various positions in the government."

She frowned as her mind went back over intelligence reports she'd read long ago. The Purity Concord had been considered an extremist group by the military, demanding even greater controls on breeding and genetics by the government, borderlining on outright eugenics. They had also called for radical measures to be used on infertiles- genetic tampering, forced surgery, even lobotomization and involuntary cybernetic implantation. "Please tell me you're joking," she half-begged. "Them? In the government? They'd turn us into inbred genetic freaks in five generations if half of their goals ever came to fruition."

"Word is that the Council is upset by the growing infertility statistics. Fewer clutches laid, fewer eggs in the average clutch, a higher rate of birth defects, lower fitness and intelligence rates... the Purity Concord is apparently throwing junk science at them to make them believe their programs can reverse it."

"Well that's absolutely wonderful. But why are you telling me this?"

"I'm telling you in part because, Line-captain, it's known to some circles here that your 'stopover' in reaching this place didn't occur in Kryyjh space."

Ashiya felt her hood spread. "How?"

"Your pod was given a thorough examination. Quite a few of the parts that were used in the repairs aren't even close to Kryyjh standard-manufacture. Your cover story that the station you stopped at was so distant that it traded with other species as a matter of necessity was bought by the upper officers... but someone ran a deep scan and found fresh Human skin cells on some of the components."

Her pupils narrowed, and her hood slowly folded in on itself. "I'd hoped that no one would bother," she murmured.

"It was kept quiet. There's been a growing sense of discontent here, Line-captain. One would almost call it 'subversion'." The Sub-commander fell quiet for a moment as a small group of people passed nearby. "Which is why I chose this place to speak to you. There are no cameras nearby, and no good vantage points for directional sonic receivers. What I'm about to tell you could have us both court-martialed."

She shuddered, but quashed her fear. "What is it?"

"Line-captain, the Purity Concord is planning on conducting a raid on this installation. They intend to start their program immediately, on the largest concentration of infertiles they know of." Sub-commander Ashk'khyrin lowered his head. "They intend to blockade this entire world and have every last infertile here declared unfit for citizenship. You'll all be reduced to the legal status of cattle... and the Purity Concord will use you all as disposable test subjects for their procedures."

Ashiya's heart seemed to stop for a moment. "It...." she stammered. "That... how can they...."

"Listen, Line-captain. I've arranged for a transport ship that's been 'lost' to the system to be docked in a section that doesn't see much traffic. I have details on security shift changes that will give you a window to escort a small number of Kryyjh- eighty-two, to be exact- aboard it. With some luck, you'll be able to simply blend in with typical outgoing traffic and leave this solar system without any attempts to stop you... but there is a chance you'll have to run with security nipping at your tail." The male put his hand on her shoulder. "Those eighty-two souls I'm sending with you are some of the best minds our species has ever seen, with only the 'crime' of infertility condemning them in the Purity Concord's eyes. I just wish I could save more, but I'm taking a tremendous risk as it stands now."

Ashiya was bewildered. "But... why are you including me, then?"

"Because you've been in Rimworld Alliance space, aboard one of their installations. I'm hoping that you will have a way to speak to them and gain these people asylum. It's their only hope."

Immediately two Human faces flashed into her mind. Ashk'khyrin had the right idea- she did have a contact in the Alliance government. Not a friendly one, but one she could trust to do the right thing. "Alright," she finally said. "Consider me in this hunt."

--

"Computer, move e3 to e6."

On the screen, a stone giant lumbered along the chessboard and simply backhanded a young man dressed as a page off of his square. The giant turned and pointed one massive hand at the enemy king, who knelt and removed his crown. "Player completes checkmate," the computer declared. "Level 3 Battle Chess victory. Do you wish to reset the board?"

Kyle chuckled. "No thanks. End program and give me a readout on the passive scanners." The budget's getting a little thin lately, he mused. Need to find some decent salvage, or I might end up having to get a real job. He chuckled to himself. This profession is just so much more difficult solo... but I can't stomach the thought of putting someone else in that other chair anymore. Not with the risks it brings.

It only took a moment for the chessboard to be replaced with a fully three-dimensional representation of local space, as far as the passive scanners were able to determine. It was a long way from the typical Alliance peacekeeper patrol routes, and keeping a low profile was the best bet in avoiding trouble.

As he watched the screen, a blip appeared on the outer edges- the energy signature of a translight warp sphere collapsing. This particular signature wasn't like any other he'd seen, before. "Computer, isolate sector M7-D3-A5," he ordered. "Detailed analysis of ship in that sector."

"Complying. One moment please." More and more information showed on the screen as the computer compiled and parsed what information it could gather. Some of the readings looked familiar, somehow.... "Please note," the computer said. "Diametric wavefront refraction readings, propulsion signature readings, and ambient shield wavelength readings are a linear match within five percent to ship class designated 'Kryyjh transport pod'."

"Kryyjh? A Kryyjh vessel out here?" Kyle stared at the screen. "It can't be. No way."

"Readings confirm within a twelve-percent probability of error that specified ship is of Kryyjh origin, utilizing known parameters." The computer sounded smug. Kyle's mind raced as he watched the ship's movements, at about a three-minute lagtime due to distance, play out. Almost as though it's searching for something, he realized.

Quickly his hands hit the control panel, crafting a data packet to be sent with his ship ID tags. If it wasn't who he thought- hoped- it might be, then it would simply be seen as a stray transmission. With one more press, he sent the packet.

Thirty seconds later, a short reply came. The other ship's ID tags- Kryyjh, just as the computer had said- and a single text line in GalCom2: "One order of Mif'laschkin to go, please."

"Holy shit." His fingers flew, initiating contact with the transport. "Rimworld Alliance ship Shadowdancer to Kryyjh transport," he said. "Is that you... Ashiya?"

An image popped up on his display. If ever a reptilian face could look relieved, the familiar one shown before him did. "Kyle," she said quietly. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you again."

"Likewise, definitely." He paused. "Erm... I see you brought a bigger ship this time."

"There's a reason for that. I need your help again, Kyle. We need escort back to your station."

" 'We'?" Kyle repeated. "What's going on?"

"I'll tell you along the way. Time is a factor right now." Her expression was pensive.

"Alright, Ashiya. I'll transmit flight plan and coordinates to you now." A few presses of the panel and the information was sent. "Thank you again, Kyle," she said. "I'm far from the only one in your debt this time."

"I'm glad I can help." He leaned into his chair. "So... what's going on?"

--

"Shadowdancer to station. Requesting linkup with Arc-Major Spentz. Urgent. Please respond."

Kyle waited for the station to respond as he went over the crash-course in Kryyjh society that Asihya- correction, Line-captain Syhassi- had given him in his mind. After a few moments, an irritated-looking face appeared on the screen. "Aragones? What the hell do you want?" Spentz demanded. His eyes flicked off the screen for a moment. "And what is that ship doing here?"

"There's a mutual acquaintance aboard that ship. I'll let her explain." Kyle cut in the transport's video feed to let Spentz see the Line-captain's face. "Arc-Major Lawrence Spentz, my name is Line-captain Vyarhi Syhassi, of the Kryyjh, though you would better remember me by the name 'Ashiya'. The transport I am aboard holds eighty-two others of my species. I have come to request asylum for them, and myself, with the Rimworld Alliance."

Kyle had never seen Spentz in shock before. "You've got to be kidding me."