FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

Reconcile Effort by Rahne Kallon

***

Stars. Countless upon countless numbers of stars filled the empty, black void that permeated the vicinity as far as the eye could see.

It wasn't an unusual sight for the crew of the Maureen, for they had long become used to the familiar vista, as did most other ships throughout the galaxy. In fact, gazing upon the stars was done so often, it could have been considered a hobby.

Except this time, it wasn't stars they were hoping to see.

It was late. The Maureen's crew were starting to get a little restless, especially the captain, one Aulien Jennings. The Border Collie continued pacing along the bridge, growing more and more impatient as he waited.

It was frustrating. It was bad enough that they were already on such a harrowing mission--one many would have considered suicide--and the late rendezvous didn't make things any easier. It wasn't as if they had much choice in the matter either; the life of a bounty hunter was rarely one where you could pick and choose. The increasing tardiness only served to make the crew more anxious with every pushing minute.

"The rendezvous was fifteen minutes ago," Aulien said, "What hell's taking them so long?"

"Maybe they decided to call the deal off," a leopard suggested.

"No, Jean, they couldn't have. They knew how important this mission was. We _need _that munitions cache if we're going to go after this guy."

Aulien never truly saw himself as a bounty hunter, but he'd take whatever job he could to put food on the table. Again, there wasn't much room for picking and choosing.

"There it is!" Ketran, the Maureen's pilot, announced. The Golden Retriever quickly stood up, swaying his tail as the other ship came into view.

"Incoming transmission, Captain," a striped hyena announced.

"Bring it up, Reeve," Aulien replied, bringing his eyes to the front of the ship. A video feed suddenly appeared with a tiger taking center view.

"Captain Aulien Jennings of the Maureen?"

"Speaking." The Border Collie nodded.

"James Phelton, sir. We have the munitions cache you requested. Permission to dock and deliver materials."

"Absolutely. Bring 'em on over."

"I have to say, you guys are one crazy bunch for going after Mavrin Callus."

"A job's a job. Besides, the Rackline Alliance is paying good money to have him dealt with. Money that we could use. If we can bring him in alive, it'll be even better."

"Of course. Sending one of our people over now." The video feed cut and soon enough the crew heard a sudden bang from the docking mechanism bridging both ships together.

"Still not sure about this, Captain," Elian, the Maureen's medic, said.

"Too late to turn back now," Aulien replied to the grey fox. "Besides, he's also got that energy cell the Alliance wants. If we can bring that _to them as well, there'll be even _more money in it for us. Think about it; we'd be well off for a long time. We can't afford to turn this down."

"It's your call, Aulien," Reeve said from across the bridge, "As always, we'll stand by you as your crew."

"Thank you." The captain said, taking a moment to survey his entire company. The all nodded in agreement. Ketran, Elian, Jean, and Reeve; they'd loyally stuck by him on every mission they'd ventured on thus far. He was infinitely grateful for that. But this time...he didn't blame any of them for any trepidation they might have felt. After all, it wasn't every day that one went after one of the most notorious criminals in galactic space.

"We'll get through this," Aulien declared, "But first things first--we need that munitions cache. The guy should be coming down any second. Let's go greet him."

The Border Collie then adjusted the captain's hat on his head before gesturing everyone toward the entrance of the ship.

"So what exactly is this munitions cache?" Ketran asked.

"Everything you need to go after a space pirate." Aulien leaned toward the other canine with a faint grin.

Within another minute or two, the double doors finally slid open, and a coyote stepped forward with a large, black container, along with a bag strapped to his back.

"Munitions cache," he announced, looking directly toward the Border Collie. "Captain Aulien."

"Fenris?!" the captain barked, "No--Drop the cache and get the hell off my ship."

"Afraid I can't do that, Captain. I'm coming with you," the coyote said, setting the container down and standing his ground.

Aulien growled. "Ketran. Dispose of the delivery boy, please." The Golden Retriever nodded, stepping forward to escort Fenris back to his ship. The coyote suddenly grabbed Ketran by the arm and spun him around, putting a pistol to his head.

Aulien and the remaining crew immediately drew their own weapons, prompting a standoff.

"Aulien..." the Golden Retriever nervously spoke.

"Don't worry, Ket, you'll be okay," the Collie said with as calm a voice as he could, "Let him go, Fenris. Just let him go, and we can all head our separate ways."

"I don't think so," the coyote said, "I'm coming along. If you're going after Mavrin Callus, you know you can't do it alone. Not with your current crew, Aulien."

"You don't know anything about my current crew! If it wasn't for you, I'd still have my last crew," the captain yelled with conviction.

"Look, I didn't come here to argue. I came here to help. And I can help you." Fenris squeezed Ketran's shoulder, making the Retriever whine slightly.

"I don't want your help. I never thought I'd even see you again. I thought you were dead, gone, and this is how you show up after all this time?" Aulien snarled. "Why should I even accept your help?"

"Because Mavrin is far more dangerous than you think, you idiot. If you go up against him the way you are now, you will get yourself and your crew killed. That, I can guarantee."

"And why would you care about me or anybody on this ship? Especially when you've got a gun to my pilot's head."

"I haven't changed. Plus, I know Mavrin. I know how he works. I know what he's like, and what he'll do. You need an expert--someone who knows what you're getting yourselves into. You're not the only one who wants him dead."

The captain snarled again. "And why should I trust you?"

"Because if you don't, you can say goodbye to your pilot." The coyote was terse and firm. Ketran's breathing was shaky and nervous. He clenched his eyes shut, hoping the altercation would end soon, without any fatality.

"You think you can negotiate with me like this?"

"The way I see it, I've got the upper hand here. Let me join you, Aulien. It'll be just like it used to be."

"He's right..." Jean reluctantly remarked.

"What should we do, Captain?" Reeve asked, his finger just inches from the trigger of his own pistol.

The Border Collie's growling finally ceased. His breathing was still heavy, and his eyes practically bore a hole right through the coyote's skull, but he knew there was no way out of this. "Fine," he said, "Just let Ketran go."

"Lower your weapons first." Fenris gestured.

"Do as he says," Aulien announced, leading along as he holstered his weapon, followed immediately by the others who were still nervous and uneasy. "Alright," he said calmly, "Let him go, please?"

Fenris finally released the golden canine and pushed him right into Aulien, who quickly embraced the frightened pilot.

"Thank you." Fenris holstered his own weapon.

Aulien sighed heavily and ruffled Ketran's hair. "Why don't you get back to the bridge?"

"Right." The Retriever quickly ran off, shaken up.

"Reeve, show our...'company' to the guest quarters, would you? Get him a blanket. And Elian, will you stash the box?"

"Sure, Captain," Elian replied, disposing of the cache.

"Right away, sir." The hyena nodded. "This way, if you would." He gestured for the coyote to follow him.

"Thanks, Aulien. You won't regret this." Fenris mock-saluted.

"I already have," the dog muttered under his breath.

***

Aulien sat behind the desk in his personal quarters. His paws cupped his muzzle as he just sat, thinking. Contemplating. The look on his face was one of despair. Grim. Despondence. A myriad of emotions flooded through him all at once, while old memories came pouring back--memories he'd tried to forget. He tightly grasped the dog-tags hanging from his neck. He then removed his hat with his other paw, letting his fingers run along a small scar that broke the nearly perfect patch of white fur just above his left eye. It was too much.

His deep thoughts, however, were interrupted when a familiar face entered the room.

"Captain?" Jean said with a gentle voice.

"Forgot to knock, I see." He turned to cheekily greet her.

"Sorry. Just came to see if you were alright." She closed the door behind her before walking over to join the canine.

"About as alright as one could expect...I suppose." He ran the nails of his thumbs over each other.

"If one knew exactly what to expect," she said, "Sounds like you two have a history."

"We do," Aulien replied with a certain curtness.

"Would you...care to enlighten me? As you can imagine, the crew's a little on edge. I think it'd be easier if you filled us in."

Aulien lowered his head, taking a deep breath, and his eyes just stared at the white fur of his paws and forearms for a while.

"If you'd rather not talk about it, that's alright, too..."

"Fenris and I..." he forced out, "Yeah...I know him. Knew him. We were in the Rackline Alliance a few years ago. I was captain of the Foxdrift, one amazing Alliance ship. It was good times."

"So you served together."

"We did. We must have done hundreds of missions together. I had a crew. A wonderful crew. Little bigger than this one."

"So what went wrong?"

"My crew and I were sent to capture an Alliance Commander who'd gone rogue. Our mission was to bring him back alive. Alive. They made that clear to us." He took another deep breath. "He had retreated to some space station I can't even remember the name of. When we got there, he obviously refused to come come with us. So a firefight broke out." Aulien paused again, closing his eyes. "We were outnumbered. Outgunned. And pinned down. He had the advantage over us, and it looked like we weren't getting out of there alive. Until Fenris noticed some explosive barrels; I told him not to shoot them or he'd kill all of us, including our target. But he figured we were all gonna die anyway, being the 'realist' he was."

Jean gingerly placed a paw on the Border Collie's shoulder. "Captain..."

"I yelled at him not to shoot the barrels, but he didn't listen. He grabbed me by the arm and tried to pull me away. Me. None of the other crew. But I didn't want to leave them. I couldn't leave them." Aulien clutched his fingers together. "There was a loud crack and a sudden bang that shook the entire place. I woke up, battered, in pain...but still intact. Fenris was nowhere to be found. No trace of him." His fingers continued fidgeting. "My entire crew was dead. So was our target, and most of his men. And that was it. We couldn't bring him back dead. And with my crew gone...I didn't have anything left. Those guys were everything to me. Fenris was..."

"It's alright. You don't have to say anymore..." She gently squeezed his shoulder. The Collie finally opened his eyes again, but his heart was heavy with a burden he hadn't felt for three years. One he hoped he'd never feel again.

"I don't know what to do..." he admitted. "I thought he was dead. I...thought I'd never see him again. Yet, he shows up just out of the blue like nothing happened. My crew died because of him. And I'm _sure _he'd try to justify it, even now. He wouldn't apologize for that."

Jean nodded empathetically. "I know how you feel. I do. But..."

"But...?" He glanced back.

"...We can't deny that we're going against incredible odds by chasing after such a dangerous criminal. There's no telling what he'll do or what will happen. If he's as bad as everyone says he is, then..."

Aulien lowered his head again and sighed.

"...It might be best to take all the help we can get. Especially from someone who's had past encounters with him."

Aulien didn't say anything. He just stared at the empty, bright-lit space on the table, as if trying to focus on any other thing that he could.

"Captain?"

"I know," he finally said, albeit begrudgingly.

"I think the best thing would be to...try and reconcile sooner rather than later." The leopard nodded solemnly. "After all, we want this to go smoothly."

"Jean...I think that's enough, for now," the captain said somewhat firmly.

"Of course, sir. Shall I...leave you be?"

"...Sure," Aulien replied after a moment of silence.

***

"Making yourself comfortable?" Aulien asked, standing in the doorway of the guest quarters.

"It's a lot like my old room," Fenris replied with a faint smile. "It's almost like I never left."

"If only." The captain took a deep breath and entered. "What are you doing here, Fenris?"

"I already told you. I--"

"No, I mean why. Why did you decide to come back after all this time? And why now? I thought you were dead."

The coyote took a deep breath and removed his jacket. "I figured it was better to do it now, when you needed me, rather than later, down the road, where we might randomly run into each other."

The dog scoffed. "Wonderfully convenient."

"I'm not asking for forgiveness. I know you're still mad at me for what I did."

"What you did was unforgivable..."

"I know. I've had three years to think about it."

"Three years. Nice to know you've still got your memory intact," Aulien said somewhat mockingly. "What exactly are you expecting, then? Are supposed to do the same song and dance we did before?"

"I wasn't expecting to." Fenris shook his head. "But I figure by now, you've probably told your crew about me. Right?"

Aulien didn't say anything. But the look on his face told Fenris exactly what he needed to hear and already knew.

"Of course you did. But I'm willing to bet you probably left out a few things," he said, slowly taking a few steps toward the Border Collie. "We loved each other once, didn't we?"

Aulien quickly averted his eyes.

"How many times did we share a bed together, Aulie?"

The dog flinched slightly, both at the question, and the affectionate name Fenris used to call him back when they were much closer. "They don't need to know that," he said, sternly.

"I figured as much."

"Look, Fen," he said, accidentally, or instinctively, throwing back the same affection he used to give the coyote so long ago, "If you're going to be back on my ship, I don't want you pulling any of that same shit you did before, alright?" He yelled a little louder than he intended. "I've run with this crew for a good while, now. They've been loyal to me this entire time, and I'm not going to see_them_ killed because of your rash actions."

"I won't do anything like that again." He held up his paws in a conceding gesture. "I promise."

The Collie nodded begrudgingly. "Good."

Fenris nodded back, putting his paws back at his sides. "Nothing to worry about."

"Right..." Aulien said as he finally turned back towards the door. "Get yourself situated."

"Thanks, Aulie." The coyote gave another mock-salute, this time with a faint smile on his muzzle, and Aulien's ears swiveled from again hearing that aged endearment he used to enjoy so much, from the coyote he once loved. He feared he might have to get used to hearing that all over again. It wasn't like he could ask Fen--Fenris to stop.

***

"Guys, I know I'm not big on ceremonial speeches and all, but..." Aulien started, sparking a couple chuckles from the crew. The Border Collie gave the slightest smile of his own, happy to see that his companions could all put on smiles even in the bleakest circumstances. His message, however, was nonetheless serious. "It looks like we really are going up against something we've never faced before. Be careful, watch your backs, watch each other's backs, and remember that..." he paused to look each one of them in the eyes, "...that we're all in this together. We're not leaving anyone behind."

Approving nods flourished amongst the crew. However, the sense of trepidation--even dread--still remained.

"So, what's the plan, Captain?" Reeve asked.

"Well," Aulien replied, pointing to a map he'd posted onto the wall earlier, "this is a map of Horizon, the space station we're headed to." He then pointed toward the shape of a large building, near the top. "And this is Cosmos, a dance club. That's where Mavrin is out."

"A dance club? That's not exactly discreet," Elian said disparagingly.

"He thinks he owns the place," the familiar voice of Fenris proclaimed as its owner stepped in line to join the crew. Ketran immediately trembled, but Aulien gestured reassuringly for him to calm down, and the Retriever did so with a sigh.

"He doesn't care about discretion," Fenris continued. "He spends plenty of time out of in the open, unafraid and unphased by anyone or anything_. _That's part of the reason why so many people are afraid to cross him. He's very direct, open, cold. He'd blow your head off without a second thought, and act like nothing happened a moment later."

"Doesn't he have any bodyguards?" Elian asked with a quizzical look.

"Oh, he has bodyguards." The coyote nodded. "Plenty of them. He's not that stupid."

"Right," Aulien resumed. "For a plan of action, I think the six of us should split up into groups of two, and sneak into the back entrance of the club. That way--"

"No, don't do that." Fenris shook his head and stepped forward, cutting off the captain. "Mavrin usually hangs out on the second level overseeing the dance floor and bars, if he's not in the back taking care of business. It's convenient because the second level acts like its own little mega-platform, with a small den and backroom. That's where we'll likely find him," he said solemnly. "We'll pair into groups of two, yes, but we're not gonna sneak in. Security around Cosmos isn't that easy to get around. Instead, we'll take up positions at different areas of the club to give us all vantage points toward the second level. One of us will be able to take him out, and when that happens, the rest of us can pick off his guards all at once. We're not gonna be able to take him alive, so we might as well abandon that option right now."

"Uh huh..." Aulien trailed off, crossing his arms against his chest and begrudgingly adjusting his hat as he listened intently.

"Shooting him and his guards right out in the open?" Jean raised a brow. "I don't like that."

"It's either that or we have an all out fire-fight," the coyote said, "We can't use stealth here; we need efficiency. Picking them off all at the same time is the quickest way to do this, then we can all ditch the moment they're dead. They won't even know what hit 'em."

"Who's to say none of the, you know, club-goers wouldn't do anything the second this all goes down?" Ketran threw out.

"Are you kidding, Goldie? Most of the people on that station are too poor or too scared to have any kind of gun on them. It's a slum. The only ones who might pose any kind of threat are mercenaries or gangs, but they distance themselves from Mavrin. He leaves them alone, they leave him alone. They're not gonna care what happens to him."

"What about that energy cell?" Reeve put forth. "We can't leave without it."

"Once Mavrin's dead, one of you can run and retrieve it from his body. Ketran, you're a Retriever, why don't you do it?" He grinned.

Ketran just rolled his eyes.

"Sounds like a thorough plan," said Elian, nodding in approval.

"Right. Aulien, you and I can post up on the third level balcony, near the VIP area. Reeve, you and Ketran can take positions near the bar on the first floor, while Jean and Elian hit the dance floor. Try to look like you're dancing, too. This way, we can all watch him, and make our move at the right time. He'll be surrounded. In the meantime, we'll all maintain radio contact. Sound good?"

"I like it," Reeve said in agreement while Jean and Elian nodded receptively

"It's a good plan," the fox chimed in. "Aulien, what do you think?"

"It works...Yeah. Let's run with it," the captain said in agreement. "Everybody understand what they need to do?"

The crew nodded and gave their resounding affirmation once more.

"One last thing." Fenris pulled out a small device from his pocket.

"What's that?" Ketran asked.

"It's a flash bang grenade."

"That's a flash bang?" Reeve raised a brow.

"I know an amazing arms dealer." The coyote grinned. "If things get hairy in there...I'll yell 'flash!' as loud as I can, and you guys immediately cover your ears and close your eyes. This thing is powerful, and lasts a lot longer than the typical flash grenade. That is, if we even need to use it, which we probably won't. I'm saying, just in case."

Everyone nodded again. "We'll be there in a couple hours, so prepare yourselves accordingly," Aulien finally concluded before dismissing them.

***

"Wonderful job you did out there, Fenris," the Collie said, walking into Fenris' quarters with a scowling look on his face.

"You agreed with my plan, did you not?" Fenris arched a brow.

"Sure. That was fine. What I don't like is you undermining me, and giving orders to my crew. You're overstepping your boundaries." Aulien growled.

The coyote gave an exasperated sigh. "You've really got a problem with that?"

"They're my crew, Fenris. I won't be undermined by the same person who got my last crew killed."

The coyote crossed his arms against his chest and shook his head. "I see you haven't changed, Aulie."

"What the hell does that mean?" The captain was on edge and wanted to stop hearing that old name Fenris kept relaying over and over.

"You're still the same brat you were before. Only this time, you've amped it up."

Aulien snarled and balled his paws into fists.

"You're hiding behind this exterior of a cold, distant person, which just isn't you_. _Every time you don't get your way, you start acting like a fucking puppy, throwing a tantrum. You used to be so much better than this."

"Fuck you!" the dog yelled, lunging forward and swinging his fist towards the other canine's face. Fenris narrowly ducked and countered with a backhand to Aulien's lower jaw, causing him to stumble backwards.

"Come on, you can do better than that, Aulie," he taunted.

The captain snarled again and quickly rammed Fenris right into the wall, but the coyote growled back and struggled, hammering his fists onto Aulien's back until the Border Collie fell to the ground. Fenris quickly moved away from the wall to the opposite side of the room, panting slightly.

Aulien swiftly got back on his feet and the two collided fiercely, wrestling one another to the ground. Both canines tried vehemently to pin the other, and eventually, Fenris used his weight to hold Aulien down. He firmly gripped the Collie's arms, pinning them to the ground near his head.

Aulien struggled to get Fenris off him, but the coyote kept his weight down and managed to keep him almost perfectly restrained. After a few seconds, he finally ceased struggling, and they both just panted, breathing heavily with their hot breaths washing over each other's faces. Their mutual anger and distrust was all but evident as they glared and peered into each other's eyes.

Suddenly, Fenris reached down and locked muzzles with Aulien in a deep kiss. A hard kiss. Their breathing quickly turned heavier as they wrapped their tongues around one another and moaned aggressively into each other's muzzles.

Fenris strengthened his grip on Aulien's arms as they fought again, this time for control of their kiss. They peered into each other's eyes once more, this time with an overwhelming lust that coincided with their anger. Neither one could resist it. Fenris soon found himself grinding hard against Aulien, who quickly returned the favour as their moans grew louder. They could feel each other's erections through their pants, and when the coyote finally released Aulien, they immediately sought their clothes off, stripping down as quickly as they could, breaking their kiss for only a second.

Once they were finally naked and throbbing against one another, they could hardly keep their muzzles separate, and again clashed for control of their escalated kiss. Their paws groped, grabbed, and advanced lustfully upon their bodies, each re-familiarizing themselves with a canine they were once so deeply in love with.

Fenris broke the kiss again, immediately turning Aulien over onto his stomach and pushing his tail out of the way. The Border Collie quickly obliged, trying to keep his panting steady as he squeezed his eyes shut and waited anxiously.

The coyote lubed himself up with precum as fast as he could before eagerly sliding his full length into Aulien's desperately wanting passage. Loud and fervent vocals spilled from the Border Collie's muzzle as he quickly embraced the penetrative invasion from a shaft that felt so unknown, but yet so familiar at the same time.

That increasing familiarity compelled him and guided him as he clenched his muscles, which prompted Fenris to moan right alongside him as the coyote delivered hard, eager thrusts, burying his length as deep as he could within those familiar, warm depths.

Aulien instinctively arched his back and wrapped his tail around the coyote's waist, giving him all the extra leverage to pound even harder. Fenris angled every thrust toward the Collie's prostate, just like he always had before, and he knew Aulien's orgasm was growing closer just from the way the dog moaned.

Aulien whined against the electric jolts of pleasure rocketing through his body. It was just as he remembered it, now. Fenris' length felt so incredible inside him even despite the tiny shots of pain that resulted from the coyote's fervidness. Despite his resentment, Aulien couldn't lie to himself and he couldn't deny the feelings he still felt. And when the coyote tied with him, their muzzles erupted again, at nearly the same time. Aulien had forgotten just how long he yearned to feel that luscious knot inside him, and he squirmed again, pinning his ears against his head, while his vocals ran rampant. At the same time, hearing those familiar moans that Fenris always gave right when he came, the kind that only a coyote could give, made it so much better, and he embraced the faint sensation of the coyote's seed spilling into his depths.

Aulien could hardly hold back his climax, but when he felt Fenris' paw stroking along his own shaft, and locking his thumb and forefinger around his knot, he was quickly overwhelmed. The Border Collie moaned hungrily as his spilled his juices onto the cold floor below him, covering Fenris' paw in the process.

Both canines lay there panting, collapsed onto each other in their post-orgasmic bliss. Aulien's eyes were half-open, and soon, the only sound in the room was that of their combined steady breathing.

"Aulien...I--"

"Shh," the Border Collie stopped him. "Don't say anything. Let's just... stay like this for a while."

***

"Captain, we've reached Horizon," Ketran announced over the loud speaker.

"Excellent, prepare to dock. Everyone get yourselves sorted." Aulien replied through the intercom.

"You ready for this?" Fenris asked, gathering his munitions and equipment.

"I hope so," the Collie said, collecting his own gear.

"We'll be fine, Aulie, don't worry. Just try and stick to the plan." Comfort and reassurance coated the coyote's voice, which helped soothe the captain.

"Look, Fen..." Aulien stopped what he was doing to embrace the coyote. "Whatever happens...I don't want to lose you again."

Fenris held the dog closely, with a solemn nod. "I made a promise, didn't I? I'm not going anywhere."

They kissed again, and Aulien held the coyote so close, it seemed like he was afraid to let him go, and in truth, he was. But those familiar paws around his waist, that lavish, canine tongue dancing with his own, and that remarkable, unforgettable scent all told him that Fenris was here to stay. Aulien savoured that.

When their muzzles parted, both canines took a moment to just gaze and admire each other. It was that memorable look of longing they used to share when they would simply lose themselves in those gorgeous shades of blue that adorned both canines' eyes.

"By the way..." The coyote smiled, gently stroking Aulien's platinum dog tags. "I'm glad you still have these. You even wear them, still."

"You gave them to me four years ago. I always held onto them...even after you were gone."

"Keep holding onto them..." And there came that familiar, warm smile that Aulien made sure he'd never forget. It was the smile he hoped he'd see every day. Just seeing it now made him cherish the moment.

Fenris tried to move, but Aulien placed a paw on the back of his neck. "One more..." he said quietly, almost pleading.

The coyote's smile widened. "You always used to do that. One more kiss, one more snuggle..."

"Yeah..."

Fenris' paws slowly made their way up Aulien's chest, running over the sweater and vest that otherwise covered the beautiful black and white fur he found his paws caressing only hours ago. With his paws situated around the Collie's neck, Fenris gave him a second kiss, one with more passion, more intimacy. A kiss that brought back even more memories. And for the first time in who knows how long, Aulien's tail started wagging.

The Collie sighed as their kiss concluded. But he wasn't sad anymore. He wasn't as afraid. Now, he was sure he had an old friend by his side. An old shipmate. An old lover. And he wasn't going anywhere.

"Captain, we're about to dock. We need you on the bridge."

"Your crew needs you..." Fenris said quietly.

"Right..." Aulien nodded.

After what seemed like an eternity, they finally broke their embrace and headed out of the room, toward the bridge.

***

"Does everyone remember what they need to do?" Aulien addressed. Everyone nodded and responded to the captain's approval, which made him smile.

"Now that cache comes in handy," Reeve remarked.

"You can thank me later." Fenris smirked.

"Just try not to be trigger-happy out there," the Border Collie added, "the last thing we need is unnecessary casualties."

"Yes, Captain," the hyena replied.

"Alright, everyone..." Aulien said as the Maureen's doors slid open, allowing them to set foot onto the long-awaited space station.

Brown. Dull, lifeless shades of brown coated everything as far as the eye could see. It wasn't so much the colour itself that was bad, but rather the grimy aesthetic plagued the vicinity. Not to mention the people who inhabited it.

"I've heard people say this place is a slum," Elian proclaimed as they walked, taking in the less-than-savoury sights around them.

"It is," Fenris affirmed, "criminals, gangs, black market, illegal trading--it's all here. That's probably why Mavrin set up shop here. No law. No one to get in his way."

"Sounds like anarchy," Ketran threw in.

The coyote nodded. "You could say that."

"And it looks like we've found our target," Aulien pointed towards the large, blue building that stood out vibrantly from the rest of the landscape.

***

The scenery inside the club was a stark contrast to the otherwise dismal setting outside that served as the backdrop for the space station. Bright lights of various vibrant colours littered the locale, complete with lavish decorations and beautiful dancers who acclimated themselves joyously among several platforms and poles.

"Niiiice..." Ketran said, almost mesmerized.

"Hey." Jean tapped the Retriever's arm. "Look at the pretty girls and guys later."

Reeve shook his head. "Right, I don't see Mavrin anywhere..."

"He must be in the back or something. But he's here; I know that scent," the coyote replied.

"Right, then. Why don't we all get into our positions. We can each keep an eye out for him. Good luck, everyone." The captain nodded solemnly, after which they all split into their aforementioned groups; Ketran and Reeve in the bar, Elian and Jean on the dance floor, while Fenris and Aulien took the third floor balcony.

"And now we play the waiting game," Fenris said, biting his lip and firmly gripping the handlebars of the balcony.

"You're sure that he's here?"

"He's here. You don't forget a scent like that."

Aulien nodded before setting his eyes back onto the lower floors, watching for anyone that he could, paying special attention to the second floor. It looked like nothing more than a small den, but its position allowed for what must have been an impressive viewpoint toward the rest of the club, especially the dancers.

"Doesn't this kind of feel like--"

"Yeah. It does," Fenris replied, distantly.

Aulien's eyes shifted and settled back onto the coyote beside him, who didn't seem the least bit phased.

"What happened to you, Fen?" Aulien asked, finally demanding an answer to the question he'd been aching to ask since the other canine had set foot on his ship. "Why the fuck did you disappear? I spent three years mourning you, hating you, missing you..."

The coyote's demeanor finally changed and he shifted his posture a bit, swiveling his ears and pinning them against his head. Anxiety spread through Aulien like a wild fire. He noticeably trembled, deeply hoping for any kind of closure Fenris could offer him in mending their broken relationship.

"I left because...I thought you'd never want to see me again," the coyote finally spewed out. "The truth is, I almost died that day; I don't know how I survived. I saw that the rest of our crew was gone... thanks to me. And there's not a person in galactic space who didn't know how loyal Aulien Jennnings was to his crew. They were your life. The Alliance was your life. I knew you wouldn't settle for just me. I mean...how could you? I took all that away from you." He squeezed his eyes shut and lowered his head. "You had no reason to love me after that. You had every right to hate me. To shoot me yourself if I hadn't already left."

"Fen..." Aulien started, but found himself unable to finish as noticed the coyote's paws trembling slightly against the handlebars.

"I've had three years to think about what I did. And there aren't enough words in the galaxy that I can say to make it up to you. To say how sorry I am..." He struggled to keep his composure, but finally turned to look Aulien in the eyes. "And nothing I do is going to take away the scar still embedded in the most beautiful white fur I've ever seen." He delicately ran a paw through Aulien's hair, while the Border Collie lowered his own head, plagued by the tears that distilled his vision. "That's why I left. Because you could never forgive me for what I did. And because you shouldn't."

"Fen..." Aulien tried, but his wavering voice betrayed him, leaving him at a loss for words. Fenris solved that by pulling him into another kiss, and the Border Collie quickly embraced him, once again reliving that age-old gesture of affection that once dominated their relationship. Even after their muzzles parted, they still held each other in a mutual embrace that neither seemed ready to break.

Fenris sighed heavily. "Come on...this isn't the time for this."

"Alright..." Aulien gave a similar sigh.

"We can mend and reconcile later." And with one more kiss, the two finally released each other.

"Fenris," Reeve said over the radio, "It's been fifteen minutes. Where is this guy?"

The coyote took a deep breath to immerse himself back in the situation at hand, as did Aulien. "He'll be here. Just be patient."

"So...how do you know Mavrin, anyway?" Aulien asked. "Sounds like you want him dead more than the rest of us."

"A little over two years ago, I tried to do a deal with him. Black-market stimulants for 300 Credits. But when one of his men told him the stims were worth a lot more than they really were, he demanded more credits. I wasn't gonna pay him anything more than what they were worth." Fenris gripped the bars again. "So I called the deal off. And he shot me."

"What?" Aulien said, horrified.

"Yup. Fortunately, I had a good medic to go back to, and he extracted the bullet pretty quickly."

"Fuck..."

"Exactly. That's why I want him dead."

"Just remember... I want all of us to make it out this time. You, included."

"We will, Aulie." Fenris nodded with a faint smile. "And speak of the devil..." He remarked, as a cougar walked out of the backroom, into the den of the second floor, speaking with the men who occupied the area.

"That's him."

"Everyone, he's here," Aulien announced, "the cougar talking to several mustelids. Get ready."

"Hold on," Fenris halted. "Give me a moment." He started heading toward the stairs.

"Wait, what are you doing? Fen?"

"Just give me a minute."

"What the hell? Stick to the damn plan. Your plan. What are you doing?" the Border Collie protested firmly.

"Look..." Fenris came back, placing a paw on Aulien's cheek. "Everything'll be fine, okay? Just let me go talk to him. Trust me."

"Fen..." the dog sighed.

"Trust me." He gave Aulien a quick kiss before heading back toward the stairs.

"Fine..." the captain said quietly. "Please be careful."

Fenris made his way down the stairs to the second floor.

"Everyone hold your positions. Don't do anything, yet," Aulien commanded.

They all watched as Fenris approached Mavrin and his men, and started talking.

No one could hear what they said because everything was simply too loud. The loud thump and pulse of the music, the hundreds of people conversing and otherwise enjoying themselves; there was no way to tell what was being exchanged between the coyote and the cougar. At the very least, it didn't look hostile, and Aulien managed to calm down somewhat, although still fearful for how badly that exchange might turn out. But three minutes in and it still seemed to be going well, whatever they were talking about.

Ketran sighed. "What are we waiting for?"

"Looks like Fenris is trying to make some kind of deal with him," Jean remarked.

"Just be patient, everyone." Ironically, the Collie found it hard take his own advice.

"Everyone, come to the second floor," Fenris finally announced.

"Finally," Ketran said as all five of them converged to the second floor den.

***

"That's close enough," Fenris halted Aulien and his crew the moment they reached the den, pointing his pistol right at them. "Discard your weapons. All of you."

Aulien was quickly taken aback, as was the rest of the crew. "Fenris, what the hell are you doing?!" He yelled, followed by similar protests from the other four until the coyote silenced them by cocking his gun. "Do it. Now." They reluctantly complied, unholstering their rifles and pistols and setting them on the ground. "This is it, Mavrin."

"So I see..." the cougar gestured of approval. "So, you're the courageous bunch who've taken up the task of claiming that bounty on my head, huh? Led by one Aulien Jennings." He eyed the Border Collie up and down.

"Fuck you," the captain said tersely.

"There'll be none of that, I assure you."

"Fenris, what are you doing? You hate this guy."

"Shut up, Aulien." The coyote's face was stern and unwavering, and his tone firm and blunt. He was actually serious.

"You must be referring to that sour deal Fenris and I had some ages ago. He understands that it was just business. Nothing personal, of course. And neither is this, here; it's just business."

"Exactly." The coyote nodded in agreement.

"The business of screwing people over." Reeve growled.

"Fen..." Aulien's voice--and heart--was suddenly broken; he could hardly speak, and he couldn't count how many tears rolled down his face from the unrelenting flood in his eyes, in conjunction with the heartbreak and anger that overwhelmed his emotions. "I knew I couldn't trust you...everything we shared...everything you said... it was all a fucking lie." He nearly broke down, and it took everything he had to keep whatever rapidly-deteriorating composure he had left.

"I have to wonder, how can you be captain of an entire crew when you clearly have such a hard time holding yourself together?" Mavrin taunted, gesturing with a finger.

"Fuck off!" the Collie yelled, but the first step he took resulted in Mavrin punching him in the face and dropping him to his knees, much to the rest of the crew's shock. His guards then drew their own weapons, in addition to Fenris, halting anyone else from making any sudden moves.

Mavrin glared at Aulien. "You're not fit to be a captain. And you're _certainly _not fit to kill _me." _The canine would have snarled, but he was far too grief-stricken and simply held the side of his face, instinctively trying to numb the pain from the punch. Mavrin packed a lot of power for a cougar who was no bigger than Fenris himself, but the Collie felt the brunt of it, but it paled in comparison to the pain he felt in his heart. "Fenris, make sure your fuckin' dog stays in his place."

"Just stay there and shut up, Aulien. I'm not gonna tell you again," Fenris reiterated.

"I can't...believe you're doing this," the dog said quietly as he balled his paws into fists so tight, his claws dug into his pads. He opened his muzzle to say more, but the only thing that came out were breaths of pure fatigue as a result of the emotional beating he took. He was still in shock that this was even happening, to have Fenris come back into his life, after so long, and rekindle the old flame they had together, having put all his trust, love, and affection back into him, only for the coyote to turn around and betray him. Again. He tried to wipe away his tears and console himself, but no amount of deep breaths could fix how broken he was. Still, he managed to stand back on his feet.

Ketran and Elian just stood nervously, while Reeve and Jean itched for the entire exchange to be over.

"Right. Back to business." Mavrin gestured to Fenris. "Now...you want that energy cell, right?"

"Right."

"And you said one of these guys had something of value to trade for it?"

"I did," Fenris remarked, "Aulien, hand over your dog tags."

Whatever tears the Border Collie managed to wipe away were immediately replaced by a cascade of new ones. "...You...gave those to me. Four years ago."

"Hand them over_._" The coyote gestured.

Aulien lowered his head for a moment, wishing deeply that he'd wake up from some horrible dream or nightmare, soon, but he knew that wasn't likely. He snapped the chain from his neck, grasping them firmly and endearingly in his paw.

"We don't have all fucking day, Captain," Mavrin said.

Aulien shook his head with a heavy sigh, and tossed the tags toward the cougar. Mavrin caught them and examined them closely.

"See? Gold and silver don't have any real use anymore. They're worn out, and no body cares about them. But platinum," Fenris gestured enthusiastically, "Platinum is still worth something. People would kill for that, these days, as I'm sure you would, yourself."

"I've killed for far less," the cougar remarked as he continued looking and feeling over the tags. Meanwhile, Aulien could only watch in horror and disbelief as his precious dog tags were traded by the very same person who gave them to him.

"What do you think?"

"A fair trade. I didn't have any use for this cell, anyway." He handed it to the coyote, who smiled and stuffed it into his pocket.

"Perfect."

Mavrin grasped the dog tags with a confident grin. "Indeed. I'd say this has been quite a lovely transaction, hasn't it? What do you think, Aulien?" The Collie sighed heavily and rolled his eyes which were far too dry by now.

"I'd say it has," Fenris remarked as he fished a small device out of his pocket, instantly recognizable to Aulien and his crew, who quickly stood on edge. "By the way, Mavrin...do you like bright lights?"

"What?"

"Flash!" Fenris yelled as a disorientating, bright flash lit up the area.

The crew had covered their ears and closed their eyes, making themselves immune to the grenade, unlike Mavrin and his guards, along with half the patrons on the first floor, who all screamed and stumbled. The cougar and his guards started blind-firing their weapons, angrily shooting at anything--and anyone--they could, some of them even hitting each other, which prompted the Maureen's crew to quickly pick up their weapons and take cover in any spot they could find. Several club-goers got shot, and the rest of them started falling over each other as they stampeded to exit the building.

"Where the fuck are you, coyote?!" Mavrin yelled angrily. As his vision started to clear, he hastily stumbled up the stairs, making his way to the third floor balcony in an attempt to escape the commotion. Aulien growled, quickly popping out of cover as he went after the feline, narrowly dodging several bullets as he ran up the stairs.

"What are you doing?!" Jean yelled.

Mavrin stumbled toward the door to the VIP room before Aulien tackled him, causing him to drop his gun as the two of them fell and rolled over, nearly falling off the balcony. The two wrestled and fought while the rest of the crew kept the cougar's bodyguards too occupied to fire any shots toward the balcony.

"Keep the guards busy! Don't let them shoot toward the balcony!" Fenris hastily commanded, trying to keep the guards' attention while letting the captain deal with the criminal they came for.

The cougar swiftly choked Aulien, keeping a firm grip around the dog's neck whose head teetered near the edge of the balcony. "I'm not even going to shoot you, I'm just gonna fucking choke you to death," he said, coldly, while the canine struggled against him.

Thinking quickly, Aulien swiped his blunt claws across the cougar's left eye, causing Mavrin to yell and let him go. He then kicked the feline off, who hastily grabbed his gun before being wrestled back down to the ground as they fought over the dog-tags. Aulien finally managed to snatch the tags back while also fighting for control of Mavrin's pistol before another loud gunshot went off.

"I guess I lied about shooting..." the cougar panted.

Aulien gasped, weakly grasping a bleeding wound in his hip before Mavrin pushed him off.

"Aulien!" Fenris cried out from the first floor.

"Oh, my god..." Jean said in horror.

"No..." the crew's hyena remarked.

"We've gotta get up there!" Elian declared.

"How, we're pinned down!" Ketran replied, trying to peak out of cover.

The Retriever's sentiment seemed to fly over Fenris' head as he quickly tossed another flash-bang grenade onto the second floor. "Eyes, everyone!" he yelled, closing his eyes and jumping back up the stairs to the second floor as another bang and a flash of white swept the club. He quickly decimated the rest of Mavrin's guards before they could all get their own eyes back open.

Unfortunately, Mavrin was blinded a second time by the grenade, and staggered to where he thought the door to the VIP room was. Just then, he was stopped by the loud click of a familiar pistol near his head.

"N-now, just hold on--"

"Fuck you." The coyote's words were cold and short as he brutally dropped the feline with a bullet to the head.

Fenris then collapsed to his knees, dropping his pistol as he looked over the lifeless, bleeding Border Collie next to him. "Aulien..." he said quietly with a wavering voice, lowering his head as he felt a surge of tears overtaking his eyes.

The rest of the crew caught up to him on the balcony, all of them in permanent shock or disbelief at the sight of their deceased captain.

"He's... really gone?" Ketran slowly shook his head.

"It can't be..." Reeve said.

Jean and Elian remained quiet, unable to even say anything. They could hardly bear to look.

Fenris reached over to grasp the dog-tags, tenderly placing them in the inert Border Collie's paw and closing it tightly.

"What are we gonna do...?" Elian finally asked.

Fenris took a deep, heavy breath before scooping Aulien's body into his arms and lifting him up. "Let's get out of here."

***

The room was blurry. The lights were far too bright, and a pain ran through him unlike anything he'd felt in years.

"Hey...you're up," said the familiar voice of a grey fox as the owner walked over to the bed. "How're you feeling?"

"Awful..." the Border Collie coughed a couple times and cleared his throat before wiping his eyes.

"It's good to have you back..." Elian smiled before gently coaxing the dog's paw down from his face.

"Let me to see..." he said, shining a small flash-light into those blue eyes. "Little dilated, but you'll be fine." He gently rubbed the canine's shoulder.

"What happened?"

"...You...died." The fox had to take a deep breath.

"I can't remember anything."

"And I can't stop forgetting..."

"If I died, then why am I here, right now? How am I... back?"

"As soon as Fenris--"

"Fenris!" Aulien perked. "Where is he?!"

"Calm down, calm down. He's on the bridge."

"He's actually still on the ship with us?"

"He didn't want to leave before you came back."

Aulien wrapped a paw around his stomach, slightly pained. "I see."

"He carried you back to the ship. I extracted the bullet and... did everything I could to bring you back. I managed to get the bullet out quickly, and it allowed me to jump start your heart and restore the blood circulation."

"Just like that?"

"Get the bullet out fast enough, and you can bring someone back, provided you have the right tools, thanks to the wonders of modern medical science. And I just happened to be one of the best students in med school."

Aulien nodded with a weak smile. "Thank you. What about the mission?"

"Mavrin's dead, and we got the energy cell."

"That's good to hear."

"And..." Elian fished Aulien's dog-tags out of his pocket. "I believe these belong to you." Aulien's tail gleefully thumped the bed and he smiled the best he could as Elian placed the tags around his neck. "Fenris got these back for you." He gently ruffled his captain's hair.

"God, I... don't know what to say..." Aulien stroked the tags again.

"Say 'thank you'. Next time you see him."

"I will." Aulien then tried to jump off the bed.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," the fox halted him by placing a paw on his chest. "You're not ready to get up just yet."

"The ship needs its captain, Elian..."

"The captain needs to rest," the medic countered.

Aulien sighed. And only then did the Border Collie realize... he was actually naked. "Elian, where are my clothes?!"

"Soaked. And washing."

"Aghhh..." he protested.

"I have to say, though..." the fox glanced down at his sheath. "I've always wondered what you looked like without them..." He smirked.

Aulien glared cheekily. "Save it for another time."

Elian gave quiet chuckle. "Of course, Captain."

***

"Has depression permanently ravaged my crew, all of a sudden?"

The rest of the crew all turned their heads to see their captain alive and well. And still, naked, of course, with a bandage wrapped around his stomach.

"Aulien!" Ketran jumped from his seat, tail wagging dutifully as he ran to the Border Collie.

"No hugs, no hugs, please..." the dog pleaded with a soft smile.

"How are you feeling, Captain?" Jean asked, placing a paw on his shoulder.

"Better." The dog nodded.

"Good to have you back, sir." Reeve smiled brightly.

"Elian told me Fenris was still on the ship."

"He's in your quarters," Jean remarked.

Aulien gave a quizzical look. "What's he doing there?"

"Just... sitting. He wanted to be alone," Reeve said.

***

"Aren't you gonna welcome me back among the living?"

Fenris gasped and quickly rose from the chair at Aulien's desk. "Hey..." He hugged the Border Collie tightly.

Aulien groaned a bit, since his body wasn't in the best shape, but nonetheless hugged the coyote back. "They say you carried me to the ship after Mavrin shot me." He then tapped his dog-tags. "And got these back for me..."

Fenris nodded slowly. "I did."

"Thank you." Aulien wagged. "You also put on a damn convincing act back there, making me think you--"

"I know." Fenris briefly turned his head. "I'm sorry for doing that...I wanted to see if, by any chance, he'd go quietly. Which was stupid of me."

"Never hurts to try."

"It got you killed. _And it was _my fault it happened...just like last time..." He lowered his head.

Aulien tipped the coyote's head up. "But I'm back, aren't I? And I'm fine."

"Barely..."

"I'm not upset, Fen. Three years ago, I would have been upset. But not now."

"Why the hell shouldn't you be?"

"Because... all I could think about since I've been up is whether or not you'd still be here. Whether you'd just leave, again. But I'm back because of you."

"...You're back because of Elian."

"You're the one who carried me to the ship. You could have just left me lying there, dead. But...you didn't."

"...I wanted to see you one last time."

"And here I am." Aulien nodded solemnly.

Fenris finally managed a smile. "That's all I want. To see you alive and well. And...happy."

Aulien smiled back. "Getting there..."

The coyote pulled the energy cell out of his pocket and placed it on Aulien's desk. "Here's the cell. Get back to the Alliance and give it to them. Tell them Mavrin's dead, and collect that reward."

"What about you?" Aulien asked, walking over to the desk and placing a paw on the other canine's shoulder.

"You can drop me off when we get to there."

"Where will you go?"

"Probably find another crew to join. Do some more bounty hunter work. Make my way in galactic space."

"I've got a better idea," Aulien said, "the Maureen could always use another crew member. Six is always better than five. And we've got plenty of spare room."

Fenris shook his head. "You don't need me, Aulie. After everything I've put you through..."

"We've had our skirmishes," he said, stroking the coyote's cheek. "But...I never stopped loving you, wanting so badly to be with you again. More than anything, I hated you for taking away the person I still loved. For three years, I was lonelier than I ever thought possible. I had no one to love or hate." He sighed deeply. "At least you still would have been here."

A tear rolled down the coyote's cheek. "Aulie..."

"And the best thing you could have ever done for me was to say you're sorry. It's stupid, but that's all I ever wanted. And you gave me that, already."

"I don't believe that..."

"I forgive you, Fen. I do." They hugged each other tightly. "I just want to move on; finally put the past behind me. And I never want you to leave again." Aulien could feel his vision getting blurry again from another watery onslaught. "Please..."

"You're...absolutely sure this is what you want?"

"I don't remember being surer of anything in my life."

Fenris had to take a deep breath and wipe his eyes, but Aulien kissed him deeply, and they quickly cherished the familiar embrace and sensation until their muzzles separated. "If you really are sure..."

"I am." Aulien ran a paw through Fenris' hair.

"Alright. I'll...stay."

The Border Collie finally wagged and smiled again, which in turn fueled the ever growing smile creeping back on Fenris' muzzle. "Come on," Aulien said, leading Fenris to the bed.

"You...want to have sex now?"

"No, I just...want to snuggle for a while. Until we get to Rackline."

Fenris sighed softly, shaking his head with another smile before getting out his clothes and joining Aulien on the bed, naked. "It's a long way back to the Alliance," the coyote said as they held each other.

"All the more time I get to spend with you." Aulien smiled as they kissed once more.