FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Note: The title of the chapter is influenced by the Pink Floyd tune of the same name, and starts a trend that will carry on to future chapters, the use of published music to set a scene. If you're so inclined to listen, the tunes referenced in this chapter are as follows:

Pink Floyd- Poles Apart

Alice in Chains- Nutshell(MTV Unplugged version)

Chapter 13: Poles Apart

The noisy diesel rumble from the Humvee still resounded through the cabin. They had finally arrived at the shuttle; a two-hour trek from the Hollow mainly due to the poorly-maintained trail system the Saurians used to get around. Brian frowned as he looked up at the craft's superstructure... he was no aeronautical engineer but it was plainly apparent that the shuttle had seen better days.

Several massive dents marred its hull, making it look like a toy that had been cast away by giants. The midday sun revealed that it was in fact armed; a solitary gun of some sort jutted out just below what he assumed to be the cockpit. Unless they wanted to stow aboard a Sharpclaw transport, it would have to do.

"Okay... we're here. Time to get to work." Brian spoke the first words from either of them since they started off on the trip. He could tell Krystal was extremely exhausted, and the sullen look she gave him was far different than the demeanor she had shown a mere few hours ago.

"Then what are we going to do?" the vixen huffed, turning to stare out the window. "We have to climb up into that hatch, stumble around blindly, and then somehow get the Melos-damned thing running." She turned back to him and scoffed. "Maybe you actually did have the better idea. Hijack a Sharpclaw transport... I say our chances are about even."

The Marine grit his teeth... he wasn't expecting that kind of response. "Besides... we'd be looking for hours trying to find one of their transports now. I don't know if you could tell, but it's not like I can pull into a truck stop and ask for diesel fuel, now can I?" He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at her as he spotted the open hatch on the side of the craft. He estimated it was eight feet off the ground... with the Humvee standing at six feet, that made his next course of action obvious. Brian guided the vehicle over to the side of the ship, speaking as he did so. "Listen... we agreed that we'd try this. You asked me to, and I'm doing it... and you being tired and snarky isn't enough of an excuse."

Krystal shot a glare at him. "I'm just fine, Brian. I simply cannot understand why you're so determined to get this shuttle running when you suggested taking a Sharpclaw vessel in the first place." The vixen huffed and crossed her arms... yes, she was tired, but she wouldn't let him know just how much it was really affecting her.

"Because taking over a damned spaceship is a pretty big deal for the two of us... especially when you take into account that you've been up for nearly three damn days." Brian cut the Humvee's engine and undid his seatbelt... taking the opportunity to squirm into the vehicle's back seat. "I don't push the men under my command that far. Asking that of someone who was just recently seriously wounded as well as sleep deprived is simply begging for trouble."

Krystal turned around, her ears flattening in a clear display of anger. "The reason why I am what you call 'sleep deprived' is because of you, Brian!" She scoffed, slapping a paw on the back of the driver's seat. "You were hurt far worse than I was, and I was making sure you were okay. I saved your life. You act like you don't care!"

The Marine narrowed his eyebrows, gray eyes meeting her emerald ones in a mute contest of will. He had no idea what caused her demeanor to change over the course of a couple of hours, but there had to be some reason for it. "I do care, Krystal. The fact that I'm not going to take you out into combat until you're good and ready shows that. You're tired, snarky, and probably afraid... that's why I'm going in there. Alone." He reached into the cargo compartment, grabbing his pack and pushing it through the gunner's turret. Afterwards he selected the remaining M4 from the back, making sure it was in working order. "Just stay here and don't come after me unless it's an emergency."

"I'm not going in... there." Her voice was full of annoyance, but there was some hesitation behind it. That caused him to pause for a moment. He wasn't a telepath, but the fact she was actually afraid of what may be in there was plain as day. At least for the moment, he couldn't count on her as backup.

"Fine." This time he actually rolled his eyes at her, not even taking the time to gauge her reaction. Brian simply pulled himself out of the turret, taking a good look around as he emerged. The forest was in fact empty... the only signs of what had happened a few days ago were his earlier tire tracks and what looked suspiciously like bloodstains baked into the dried mud. The lizardmen had been here, then. After he slung his pack onto his shoulders, he grabbed his carbine a little tighter... hoping beyond hope he didn't have to use it... but fully expecting to.

His eyes glanced to the open hatch of the shuttle and the dim surroundings within. The ledge was just two feet up; easy enough for him. He took a step towards it before Krystal's voice called out to him. "Brian." He glanced down to see her staring up at him... the edge in her voice seemed to disappear. "Be careful." In fact, it was almost pleading... perhaps she was a hell of a lot more tired than she thought.

"Always." After that he stepped up into the shuttle... letting his eyes adjust to the dim light for a moment. The room he had delved into appeared to be an airlock... all cold, gray metal and architecture designed expressly for form. A few display screens stared blankly at him... next to a few metal lockers.

Curiosity took over as he pulled one open... it took a healthy tug to do so. Inside sat what could only be a spacesuit. Instead of being a bulky contraption he had seen on NASA documentaries, it looked about as cumbersome as the NBC gear he had been required to train in during boot camp. The helmet wouldn't fit him... it looked just about perfect for someone of Krystal's stature. "Probably designed for her species in mind." Brian mused, shutting the locker.

He could see a dim hallway beyond the airlock. What surprised him was what he could see from the little light streaming in. The actual interior of the shuttle seemed as well-decorated as a hotel suite... dark wood paneling on the walls and royal blue carpet. Intrigued, he pressed onward into the ship.

*-----------------------------*

While navigating the upper level of her shuttle had proven easy due to the excess of viewports and the light they allowed in, the lower level was going to prove an exercise in frustration. With a sigh Brian pulled his nightvision goggles over his eyes, allowing the pitch-black stairwell below to be cast in its familiar lime-green glow.

Even though the goggles worked, it was immediately apparent that there were no light sources within the bowels of the dead ship. Even the goggles needed a small amount of ambient light to work correctly, and the tiny bit given off by their infrared emitters wasn't really enough to see by. Brian fumbled down the stairs more by touch than by sight. "Christ... like a damn coal mine down here." he muttered.

The irate Marine reached the bottom of the stairwell after a few minutes of letting his eyes adjust to the dim interior... the goggles gave off enough definition to make out a hallway in front of him, and openings to either side. A thick chemical scent crossed his nose... something vaguely familiar yet he couldn't place it. His right hand clenched around the pistol grip of his M4... just in case he had to use the weapon.

The 'doorway' off to his right seemed like the best bet for him to go... perhaps he could find something that would help him get this ship started. As he stumbled his way through the doorway, the odor of the chemicals intensified... it was like someone had decided to burn a bunch of plastic in the room. Without any ambient light, it was impossible to see even with the nightvision goggles. Brian sighed... then he remembered something.

He set down his combat pack and opened it up... the fuel cell he had wrapped up inside casting a very dim glow over the room. That was enough ambient light to make the goggles work, and he could tell that he had wandered into a medical bay of some sort. Two examination tables flanked him, surrounded by equipment he could half-ass identify and some that looked far beyond his limited scope of knowledge. Those were trumped, however, by the piece of equipment he spotted against the back of the room.

It looked like a coffin, complete with an open lid. In fact, it pretty much was. As he moved closer, he could tell it was the source of the strange smell... lumps of congealed goo lay scattered around it, and the interior of the 'coffin' was partially filled with it. Brian reached out to touch the stuff with a glove-covered hand... finding that the stuff had the consistency of mushy Jello. He glanced at the lid to find a bunch of tubing and what looked like some sort of mask dangling from it... then it hit him.

This was the stasis pod Krystal had told him about.. the one she had been shoved in after her planet was attacked. The scent was definitely familiar... she had been coated with the very same goo. Brian drew a heavy sigh... she had definitely had a much rougher ordeal arriving on Sauria than he did. "Good Lord..." he whispered to the darkness.

He was starting to realize just what she had been through. To her, it had only been mere minutes after her mother had been shot dead right in front of her... being placed in that stasis chamber and awakening on this God-forsaken planet with nothing except her staff and the dead ship he currently was checking out. He had the luxury of having an armored Humvee and enough firepower to level a small building. Maybe he really didn't have anything to complain about.

With another sigh he wiped the gel from the stasis pod off of his glove and stood up. If this was the medical bay, that probably meant that the other room was the way into the engine compartment... and that's where he needed to go to refuel the ship.

His assumption was right, as the pale green glow of his nightvision revealed what looked to be the engine room. It was larger than he figured... there were a few benches built into the walls, as well as several tools and what looked to be shop machinery. He was surprised for a moment, yet it would be logical to have a small workshop... maintenance would be a hell of a lot easier when you had the ability to overhaul everything and not even leave the damn room to do it.

The engine itself was mounted at the back of the room... it looked like a lump of parts mashed together in an arrangement that would make an average nuclear bomb look simple in comparison. "Just great..." Brian sighed... how would he figure out how to refuel it?

As he approached, his eyes caught labels on several pieces of equipment. They were handwritten in a strange-looking language... most likely Krystal's native tongue. The thought crossed his mind to go back up there and drag her down... kicking and screaming if he had to... to translate, but perhaps they were translations themselves?

He rubbed at one of the labels, blinking in surprise as it fluttered to the floor. As he looked up he stared at what was beneath. The words kicked him in the face. This was by all means an alien spaceship, but the words stamped into the metal were in perfect English. 'Secondary Power Cell Port'. He got it in one. There looked to be a cover next to it, which he opened... revealing a hollow 'tunnel' of sorts just big enough for the power cell. The answer was obvious enough, so he slid the glowing orb in and closed the cover... only to be greeted by darkness.

"Ah, fuck." Brian spat, noticing that he had lost the only power cell he had brought with him... and he was now reduced to fumbling his way up the stairs in the total darkness. As soon as he turned around the world went white... his goggles lit up snow-white like Reno on a Saturday night. The brightness stabbed into his eyes like daggers, causing him to cry out... hands swiftly removing the offending electronics from his face.

He was now bathed in clean, white light; his ears filled with the sounds of awakening electronics. As he blinked the afterimage away and shut off his goggles, he was greeted with a voice.

"Galand Shipyards Shipboard Operating System Version 3.467 active. The current date is 24 December, 3048 LDC. The current time is 16:07 Cornerian Standard. Warning: Primary power cell compromised. Shutting down for safety measures. Warning: Power reserves extremely low. Please insert up to six fuel cells into secondary power cell for proper operation." The voice was male, and strangely enough sounded like a calm, yet slightly digitalized human voice. After a moment it continued. "Ship Administrators Krystal Haleth or Maloc Haleth not detected onboard. Security measures activated. Please contact Ship Admistrators for proper access rights. Operation of ship's computer or bridge controls by unauthorized personnel prohibited."

** ** Brian breathed a sigh of relief... the ship's computer wasn't about to unleash killer robots or laser turrets to vaporize his ass. "Merry fuckin' Christmas, eh?" that was another strange occurrence... they used the Gregorian calendar? That itself made him pause... how the hell was an alien civilization using standards that were developed on Earth hundreds of years ago? There wasn't really much he could do about it... all he really could do was to get back up and try to drag Krystal back into the ship.

_ _

*---------------------------*

Krystal found herself startled to half-awareness by the clatter of boots on the roof of the Humvee. She blearily looked up through the turret to see Brian climbing back in... a pensive expression on his face. As soon as he settled into the driver's seat she felt her mind reach out to his almost out of its own accord... she was crossing dangerous territory by reading his thoughts uninvited. Before she could withdraw an image hovered in her mind, one which sent a bolt of panic that snapped her fully awake... he had seen the stasis chamber.

All her exhausted, confused thoughts could grasp was the sense of panic, the cold, and the fear of suffocating in a dark pit. It took all her remaining mental reserves not to kick open the armor-plated door next to her and run as far away as she could... away from the ship of death which had nearly become her tomb.

"I think I got everything working." Her fear halted in its tracks, brought to a temporary standstill by the sound of his voice. It was as if her friend had become the only way to stop the tide of memories which threatened to consume her. Gone was the confident, self-assured Guardian working to save an entire planet from its ruthless leaders... a scared, confused kit took her place. Yet... there was something about her stolid human comrade which seemed to keep her emotions from erupting... at least for the immediate moment.

Her eyes were fixed to him as he reached out towards the button to start the Humvee. Did they need to find more fuel cells? Would she be spared the ordeal of having to even be inside her ship? The diesel engine caught with a rattle, and Brian put the armored truck into gear. As they started backing up, Krystal realized he had other intentions."I managed to get that cargo ramp down. It'd be a good plan to take this sucker... we may need the extra firepower when we get to those mines."

The sense of relief she had felt was washed away, replaced by sheer panic. She couldn't let him she was about to burst."Wait." She glanced at him, the edge in her voice becoming razor-sharp. "I don't see how we're going to fly it, Brian. Why can't we hide away on a Sharpclaw transport? It would be safer... Melos knows what might be up there!" The words sounded hollow even to her... but she was not about to go back into her shuttle.

Brian's combat boot-clad foot slammed on the brake pedal, slamming them back into their seats. Krystal didn't need to read him to tell he was irate. The edge in his voice matched hers... verbal blades sparring in the awkward silence. "I just started that damn thing up!" Brian snarled at her, causing her to recoil at his outburst by shrinking back into her seat. "I don't know what the hell your problem is, but your exhausted, snarky behavior is starting to piss me off." He removed his hand from the steering wheel, punctuating his argument by aiming a finger at her muzzle as if he were scolding a pet. "You're the one who said you wanted to try getting this ship running. You're the one who said you might be able to fly it. Why the hell are you getting cold feet, Krystal? You're starting to sound just like Erica... jumping in with both feet and complaining that the water's fucking cold!"

She wasn't sure what happened. The anger in his voice cut through the last shred of self control she had... the anger, fear, and panic rose through her like a tempest. The conscious thought to lash out had only just crossed her mind before she felt her arm drawing back to strike.

She had reacted with lightning speed, her paw slamming into Brian's cheek. His head snapped to the side, a burning sensation exploding across the left side of his face. Dazed as he was, he caught a glimpse of her laid-back ears and bared teeth before she ripped into him like a tiger would wounded prey. "Don't you ever compare me to your failed lifemate, Brian! I have nothing in common with a mulak like her!"

Krystal dimly felt her paw clench itself into a fist; her arm drawing back for another strike at the Marine... her vision practically red with anger and her actions fueled with fear. As Brian clumsily steeled himself to block her next blow, his eyes fell on hers. They were full of surprise... 'Why?' they seemed to ask.

The realization of what she was doing hit her like a bolt of lightning. The strike she had prepared to deliver would have broken bones. She had been ready and willing to harm her friend... she had succumbed to a Guardian's worst enemy. Fear. Her paw felt like a lead weight, and she eagerly gave up the struggle to keep it aloft. It fell into her lap as her eyes clouded up with tears. "What have I done?" She asked herself.

Fear. The fear of what had happened in the past, the fear of damage already done... events that would not be erased from her mind no matter how much she ran from them; no matter how much she covered them up. Her exhaustion and her fear had nearly pushed her over the brink. They had driven a wedge between her and Brian. He was her only friend here... quite possibly the only friend she had left... and she had done a wonderful job trying to destroy that. "I... I'm sorry." Her gaze fell... she didn't want him to see the tears coursing down her cheeks.

"It's okay." His response was devoid of anger... his voice was as smooth as glass, yet laced with concern. He forced himself to calm down... something was wrong, and much more wrong than he previously thought. Krystal remained unresponsive, her head hung low... her entire frame hitching with silent sobs. Brian realized he had to do something.... right or wrong, he had to.

Hesitantly, his hand reached out across the gulf between their seats. Their friendship was hanging by a fragile thread, and what he was about to do ran the risk of snapping it... something which would ultimately hurt them both. His hand fell upon her paw, wrapping around it. For the briefest of moments, the soft sensation of her fur brushing against his palm caused his mind to stop. As she shifted he prepared to back off... only to feel her paw move to wind around his digits.

"What's wrong? This isn't like you, Krystal." Yet, there was no response. Her paw wrapped around his hand even tighter; as if she were afraid of the consequences of letting go. Her only utterance was an occasional sob, barely emerging from the Humvee's rumbling idle.

Brian sat in silence, his concern rising through his mind like a wave... yet helpless to do anything. His stinging cheek sat as a counterpoint to his grieving friend... but after a moment he realized something. Both of them were in the same boat, yet they stood poles apart. Like her, he had lost pretty much everything... yet he knew that all his family and friends were alive. He couldn't even begin to understand the anguish she was going through, but there was not a damn thing he could do about it.

After a moment he felt her paw's grip loosen, then go limp entirely. A bolt of alarm shot through his heart as he leaned forward to make sure she was really okay. His hand traveled to her shoulder, and it was then he had noticed that she had passed out. The Marine sighed, turning his attention towards the Humvee. Whatever consequences came from the past few minutes would have to be dealt with later... lives were depending on them, personal issues or no.

The Humvee rolled up the cargo ramp effortlessly, although its prodigious height made it barely fit. He had no idea what Cerinians or other Lylat residents used for personal transportation, but he sincerely doubted they drove around armored recon vehicles with mounted machine guns. His eyes cast themselves to his comatose friend... he would take care of her first. He owed her that much.

The cargo bay was a tight fit for the Humvee in more ways than one. He barely had enough clearance for its width, and getting the doors open were a pain. He found himself climbing over Krystal's sleeping form just to get her door open... and he sustained a good whack from the heavy armored portal simply squeezing both of them out of it. He still managed to do so without waking her up... although he had his doubts if anything really could wake her up until she was good and rested.

The primary obstacle out of the way; carrying her into the now-operational shuttle was fairly easy. There had to be a bedroom of some sort... the shuttle was for all intents and purposes a flying hotel suite.

The cargo bay opened directly into what looked to be the main living area. To his left was the short hallway to the airlock, which flanked the mostly walled-off kitchen. That had been ransacked... something he wasn't too sure the Sharpclaw had a hand in doing. The living area had a few couches and tables, but he wasn't about to dump her on a couch.

A door off to one side held the best promise... taking great care with the slumbering vixen he tapped it with his boot, causing it to swing open. Another hallway was revealed, flanked with a few more doors and a set of stairs at the end. Brian's luck continued to hold out as he took an immediate left.

The bedroom was decked out in the same paneling and carpet as the rest of the ship... easily the rival of the Vegas hotel suite he had spent his honeymoon in. The place looked barely lived-in, but there were several personal touches scattered throughout... looking more like a hasty attempt to decorate a room which was barely used in the first place.

With a sigh he gently set Krystal on the bed... taking the time to throw the covers over her. "Rest easy, my friend.... you deserve it." There wasn't really anything else he could do. As he turned to go, however.... something caught his eye.

Wedged between what looked to be a chest of drawers and a table was a guitar. The Marine's eyes widened when he saw it. Not only did they speak English and use human dating conventions... they had guitars. Thankful for his first lucky break all day, he extracted the instrument from its resting place. It appeared to be an electric guitar... very lightweight yet solid at the same time. The design was nowhere near that of the Les Pauls or the Stratocasters he had played around with when he was younger, but it would do nicely.

Brian softly stepped over to the door, his new prize in tow. As he exited, he cast one last glance to her... and fervently hoped everything would be alright when she awakened.

*---------------------------*

Consciousness came to Krystal in stages... her body awakening bit by bit; step by step. Her sleep had been devoid of dreams... for the first time since she arrived on Sauria. Her eyes fluttered open... for the first time in what felt like cycles, she felt truly rested.

The soft bed she was laying on was a reminder that she had not actually slept on one since a week before her Trials... and her time on Sauria had been far more grueling than the tests could have ever dreamed of being. The room was completely dark as well... she could tell her eyes were open, yet it didn't change anything.

Were they in her shuttle? Krystal shuddered a little bit at the memory, but tried to figure out what had happened. Her last clear memory was of climbing into Brian's military vehicle to go.... to the shuttle. The vixen sat up, allowing her mind to start delving into itself... the mystery of where they were was less important than the question of what had happened to her along the way.

The question of where was answered first... the lights slowly appeared; a dim, diffuse glow. She was in the shuttle, then... in fact, she was in what would have normally been the stateroom assigned to her brother. One of four equally-equipped suites on the main level, the dark blue carpet and wood paneling was as comforting as it was saddening. Several pieces of Lylat technology Maloc had bartered for were displayed prominently throughout... just as he had always left it before they put the ship up for the season.

Krystal slid off the bed, sighing as she did so... were her father and brother still alive? Were there any Cerinians left alive, or had the barbaric Venom forces killed everyone but her? The thought was sobering... if that was so, she was all alone. All alone except for Brian. Her mind dwelled on that as she padded over to the closet; maybe she could find something to wear that was more comfortable than the human battle dress she was swathed in.... although she doubted anything of her brother's would fit her.

Among the plethora of her brother's mostly Lylat-manufactured outfits, a flash of dark blue stuck out amongst the mostly garish reds, yellows, and oranges that her brother usually liked to wear. Maloc was one of a handful of Cerinians who owned a hoverbike. She rode with him occasionally, to the point where he had bought her a used flightsuit to use as protective gear. He usually kept it with him as she never really used it other than when riding... and he knew how to care for Lylat goods far better than she did. Her paw reached into the closet and extracted the one-piece garment... looking over its padded material with a critical eye. It was tight, yet allowed her a full range of motion... unlike the oversized, poorly-altered human clothing. The flightsuit would be somewhat more durable, judging by the fact the Marine fatigues were spotted with small rips and tears. It only took her a split second to decide... opting for the form-fitting outfit.

A few moments later she stood at the foot of the bed, looking down at the remnants of the alien clothing. Krystal closed her eyes, shifting into several of the defensive postures ingrained by years of training with the staff weapons most higher-caste Cerinians used.... her 'new' flightsuit stretching and accommodating her frame as if it wasn't even there. She was rested, attired in something other than ceremonial armor or human battle dress, and ready to continue with her mission to help save the denizens of Sauria... yet something was tugging at the back of her mind... something she was somehow forgetting.

A sigh echoed through her lips... it would come to her later. For now, she needed to take stock of her shuttle... to allay her fears and push through bad memories. Her teeth clenched at the thought of having to face any of it down, but she had to... that and she needed to figure out where Brian had gone off to.

*----------------------------------*

One of the benefits to being in a luxury shuttle was the fact the main rooms were completely soundproofed. As Krystal opened the door, a wall of sound hit her... music was being played at very loud volume just down the hallway, in the living area. The vixen recognized the sound as the 'guitar' instrument Brian had talked to her about; apparently he found a way to play his music through the Lylatian craft's internal speaker system.

No... that wasn't right. The melody was haunting and simple... a melancholy refrain which somehow seemed to reach down and tug at her very soul. She had no idea what human music was normally like, as the only songs Brian had played were the unnatural, screaming compositions he called 'grunge.' This was much slower; much more natural.

She froze in place as his voice echoed down the hall... he was singing along with the music. It was as if his voice had changed overnight; she had never heard it filled with such emotion.... even while they were arguing in the Queen's chamber. "We chase misprinted lies..."

She crept closer to the end of the hall as he continued, her ears perking up. Krystal was intrigued... he had a softer side? Singing along to music, and something other than the screaming, jumbled messes he had introduced her to?

"And yet I fight... and yet I fight this battle all alone..." The vixen peeked out of the doorway to happen upon an astounding sight. Brian stood alone in the middle of the room with one of the Lylat-made artifacts her brother had collected. All she knew was that it was a sort of music device, and hadn't even noticed its absence from his room when she had awakened. That was the 'guitar' he had mentioned, then. Krystal knew better than to interrupt, so she simply stood there and watched...

*---------------------------*

"And yet I find repeating in my head.... if I can't be my own, I'd feel better dead..." The old lyrics rolled off his tongue like water as the guitar's strings vibrated harshly against his fingers. The song wound down to a close... as well as his practice session. Brian had spent the past ten hours poring over what he could find out about the ship. The manuals he had been able to access from the computer had proven invaluable... and the computer's operating system was about as easy to navigate as it got. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and even Linus Torvalds could have learned a few things from the unnamed Lylatian software engineer who coded it.

Yet, all that had been set aside as he hit the last few chords of the song he had been playing. With a nod of approval towards the guitar he had plucked out of the room he had left Krystal in, he set the instrument down... dusting his hands off before turning towards the terminal at the corner of the room.

A voice from behind stopped him before he had even taken a step forward. Krystal's British-esque accent was softer now, completely devoid of her earlier edge. It was as if their argument in the Humvee hadn't even crossed her mind. "I wouldn't have believed you could sing like that if you told me, Brian... that was beautiful." Her tone was that of mild awe... enough of a change that he had to turn around and glance at her.

Much more than her voice had changed. She had found something much different to wear, as well. He had been so used to her wearing the slightly too large set of standard-issue fatigues that her current outfit was... shocking.

A nearly skin-tight bodysuit hugged her frame... in a shade of blue somewhat darker than her fur and accentuated in bright white. He was sure she had found it in her room; definitely more practical with her reliance with her staff. He caught his eyes lingering a fraction of a second too long... while she was essentially an alien... he had to admit to himself she was attractive, especially in a getup like that.

Brian brought his concentration back by lightly biting the inside of his cheek... there was still the matter of what the hell had happened several hours ago. Better attitude and makeover aside, Krystal had some explaining to do. "Thanks." He started with acknowledging her compliment. "One of my favorites when I was a kid. Least you're in a more cheerful mood right now... I was getting concerned."

The cerulean vixen's expression was replaced with confusion. "What do you mean?" Her inquiry was stated as she stepped towards the couch he had been standing next to... her emerald eyes fixed upon his steel-gray ones.

The Marine scratched the growing stubble on his cheek... something told him she didn't remember a thing about their earlier fight. That was somewhat disconcerting; the fact of the matter was that her mental state had been torn to shreds by the time she passed out earlier... he wanted to know everything was in fact okay. "You don't remember anything about what happened? The blowout fight we had?" He motioned to his other cheek, which still felt a little tender. "You even smacked me pretty good."

She peered closer, only now noticing the small bruise which hung upon his face. She hated to do so, yet she was having trouble figuring out what had gone wrong... she had struck him? She moved her paw upwards, gingerly reaching out for his face. He flinched for a split second, which caused her to frown. "I won't hurt you.... I just want to find out what I did." She edged just a step closer, her eyes locked onto his. As her paw brushed against his skin, it was like a bolt of lightning had hit her. Memories, emotions, and pain stabbed back at her as she clenched her teeth... shutting her eyes and bowing her head.

"I'm... sorry." Her heart felt like a lead weight in her chest... what she had done to him was outright betrayal. Peering into his mind, letting her fear overcome rational judgment... striking him. A lesser being would have simply said they had been incapable of controlling their own actions... but in this case she was. She had let herself down as well... neglecting her own needs. Both of them had suffered for it. "I may feel uncomfortable being here, but I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. I will keep my emotions more in check next time... I promise."

"Hey." Brian responded by placing a hand upon her shoulder... the material of her suit felt almost like leather, yet he could feel gel-like padding underneath. It felt strange under the palm of his hand, yet not in a bad way. 'Dammit, collect your thoughts and say your piece already!' He admonished himself. 'You're starting to act like a bumbling idiot!'

_ _ "You've been through a hell of a lot more than I have, Krystal. It took me looking through this ship to understand that. You've had family and friends torn away from you forever... just like me. However... you don't have the comfort of knowing that they're okay." He sighed, gripping her shoulder maybe just a little too long for even his liking... but dammit, she needed some support. "I don't know what the outcome of this planet-saving business is going to be. I don't even know if we're going to make it through this. If we do... I'm going to help you find anyone who survived." She looked up at him after that, tears brimming in her eyes. They shone like brilliant gems, even through the pain they conveyed.

"Thank you..." The vixen whispered, leaning against him. She had embraced him before, but not without his armor... and he hadn't really returned any that she had given him. That had changed; his arms winding around her and pulling her even closer. Even in the same ship which nearly claimed her life she felt safe... protected. Without the rock-solid piece of body armor he usually wore he felt alive... real. She barely noticed the tears that spotted into the olive drab T-shirt he was wearing, but just focused on making sure she let the moment last... before it was torn away.

She remained there, simply tucked against him.... a single solitary thought running through her mind. With that came nervousness... nervousness and hesitation. Only now, she pushed that down... there would be no other way to do it. She looked up, although she didn't have to go too far. She was tall for a Cerinian, and was actually only a few inches shorter than Brian. Her muzzle almost collided with his nose, yet she didn't care. She locked her eyes with his, whispering the words which had been running through her thoughts. "She didn't deserve you."

Brian had only a split second to be confused, and not enough time to formulate a reply. Krystal slowly closed her eyes and straightened up just a little bit... enough movement for her to press her lips firmly to his. Instinctively his heart jumped and his arms guided her closer... pressing into the unexpected kiss. The sensation was electrifying... his mind stopped in bewilderment as they remained there, locked in each other's embrace.

It took a moment for his mind to become aware of what was happening. Almost instantly his inner voice screamed at him. 'What the fuck are you doing, Lancing!?' The mental berating continued, his thoughts not exactly all in tune with each other. 'You just barely escaped Erica's clutches, and now you're locking lips with someone else? She's not even human_, for Christ's sake!'_

That was all it took. As suddenly as it began he pulled away, noticing the mix of disappointment and embarrassment growing upon Krystal's features. He gently placed his hands upon her shoulders, separating their embrace with a sigh. "I'm sorry... I just can't do it, hon." Taking a deep breath and a step back, he continued to keep his gaze locked with hers. "Maybe if circumstances were different... but they aren't." He felt like a complete ass even saying that, but it was true.

Krystal's heart sank a bit... yet she full well knew that it was probably going to end like this. Even though her ears flared up in a deep blush, she nodded. "I understand." There was no reason to be angry at him... she had simply tried and failed.

"It's just that... we're about to be put to the test, and I can't be distracted about worrying about you that way. We need to have our heads clear in order to get through this." He flopped on the couch with another sigh. This pretty well sucked. "I've been reading the manuals... while you were sleeping, I got this ship pretty much ready to go."

She nodded, taking to sit down upon the couch as well. Unlike earlier, she opted to keep her distance... distracted with her thoughts. He was right, in a way... if they were too worried with looking out for each other, they might not see a dangerous situation for what it was until it was too late. As disappointed as she was... she would have to trust his judgment. "Then we leave at dawn. If we're going to do this, we might as well do it soon."

At the last moment an idea popped into her head. She reached out, placing a paw on his shoulder. "When we get back... we are going to talk about this, Brian."