FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

From Ashes

by Admiral Q and

inspired by 'More Terrible than Chains' by Bernard Doove.

Prologue

Chris Rasmussen lean back on his chair and watch the starfield fly by at warp while he listened to his favorite music. Being owner and captain of the Freighter Isis was working well for him. Far from rich he was still had good money and with his ship the best thing of all.....FREEDOM. But that freedom did bring loneliness at times. Not the first time he thought of finding somebody to share it with. He was currently heading out to a remote area to deliver some supplies to the handful of colonies in the sector. These were nice bread and butter runs for Chris and....The ship jerks out of warp and the klaxons blare. He's trying to figure out what has happened. His ships shudders and he hears thuds. He was under attack and his console was saying his weapons and shields were gone. He starts muttering a curse as a transporter beams him away.

Chapter 1

The F.S.S. Ambassador cruised through subspace. She was a member of an older class of cruiser in the fleet. Her class was the precursor to the Pegasus class and the first ship to use phaser strip technology. While old she was still useful thus she was out in this remote sector. There had been reports of piracy in the area thus she was to hunt them down. On her bridge her current captain was a Rakshani male in his thirties with tan and green colored fur and his first officer was a voxxan female. Since he took command 3 years ago they have worked well together. He would hate it when she got her own ship but he bets his former CO said the same when he left to take the Ambassador. But while the Archangel was a Pegasus class ship she wasn't the Pegasus and Ambassador wasn't a bad ship. But he does hope he finds this pirate soon. They found what was left of their last victim. The freighter S.S. Isis had no bodies drifting in her but she was stripped heavily of everything, even her warp core. After getting every piece of evidence they could they left the derelict behind. She was only worth scrap now. But they did get the engine trail of her attacker and was in pursuit, but the pirate had a week head start. Isis was the typical victim of these guys. They attack, take the crew (most likely as slaves), and strip the ship of everything valuable."Captain I have a ship on sensors, engine trail matches the pirate's pattern."

"RED ALERT!"Commander Navir yelled and the ship readied for battle. Minutes later they drop out of warp and saw the ship for the first time. It was a HUGE ship, far bigger than the average pirate vessel. Heck she was bigger than the Ambassador.

Target weapons and engines, security teams prepare for boarding.

The ships sped up and from her emitters her phasers fired at the pirate ships nacelles and obvious weapon ports. The shields hold against the attack and the pirate ship returns fire with older ball turret phasers and a few torpedoes. They hits the upper part of Ambassador's saucer and the cruiser moves to show her belly and unleashes all available phasers and a few torpedoes of her own. Some of those got through the shields but the pirate still returned fire. Ambassador's advantage was she was smaller and more maneuverable but she was focusing her fire on the weapons and engines. Flying around close to the pirates hull Ambassador score several good hits and when the left nacelle came in view she launch a salvo of torpedoes. The nacelle was destroyed and the big ship listed and trailed plasma from the strut that used to support the severed nacelle and Ambassador's sensors read the complete failure of the pirate's shields. As planned the security teams beam to the pirate's bridge and engineering to control the ship. The crews in the area tried to fend of the attack but never had a chance against train security. Soon the key areas are secure and the teams move to secure the rest of the ship.

One caitian security officer had just opened a room near the middle of the ship. His and other teams have been rounding up what's left of the crew, He's been hearing over the comms they they were finding morphs that look like slaves and that many of the crew they are capturing have the look of scientists about them and all of the crew were human. He scans the room it was dark, the only illumination was the klaxon lights and some console on in the back but he could see a table and some more consoles. Feeling the walls he found the light panel and turned on the lights. This was definitely a lab of some kind and he walked further into the room to a pillar of some kind. He pasted but console after console that were currently off and a replicator before getting close to the pillar and the only console still on. It wasn't a pillar, it was a vat with a being inside, a morph from the looks of it. Taping his commbadge he says. ?edical team to my position, we have a morph in a vat here.

"Roger, on our way." The caitian then stands guard and watches the poor morph suspended in the vat.

Nurse Summerbreeze enter the room where the request came from and it looked like a high tech medical lab to hir trained eye. She joined the caitian but when she entered the room she felt great distress, fear and a need for freedom. Looking in the vat the being inside was a fox morph of some kind, apparently naked but giving what shi had already seen not a surprise. She bet this ship was either a part of or has close ties to Human First. The morph had no mask so the liquid inside must provide that for the morph but she did see wires attach to the head. The emotions from the morph were getting stronger and harder to resist. The need for freedom becoming to much. She eventually had had it and went to the console. It was ijn the process for downloading something. The user interface was standard and shi found the appropriate commands. Hir wolf morph partner asked."Summer what are you doing?"

"Releasing the morph."

"Wait shouldn't we wait for the captain to order that?"

"I CAN'T Brian the emotions are too strong." Brian sighs and gets the medkit ready as Summer presses the button to eject the morph. The vat drains it's self of the fluid and the wires retract and the morph laid in the base of the vat unconscious. It was a fox morph but with black fur and apparently female. As soon as Summer touch her the emotions from the morph ease considerably. "Summerbreeze to Ambassador, 3 to beam to sick bay."And the three of them disappeared in lights and the caitian officer continued his sweep.

Chris woke in a bright room, he looked around him. He was in a sickbay of some kind. Then he saw the starfleet uniform on a person checking some readings. Anger came out of him. "Hey starfleet why did you attack my ship. I follow the laws." The person jumped a bit and saw him and walked over.

"Good your awake and we didn't attack you. Some pirates did and we got them. Now could you give me your name shir?"

"Chris Rasmussen, and why did you..." He was about to say shir when he noticed his voice. It was decidedly feminine and he notice something at the bottom of his eyesight. He lifted up his hand to it and felt fur. A muzzle? He takes his hand away and sees it. It had black fur over it and was feminine shaped.

"What hap..." he started to ask then a sudden pain entered his head. He held his head as thoughts rushed in, thoughts not his own. <Obey master. You are a slave. Obey master. You must do anything he says. You do not need or want clothes. You want sex. You want to please master. OBEY MASTER.> These and similar thoughts when through his head and caused great pain as he fought them off. But they kept coming till finally he screamed. "HELP ME!" And darkness engulfs him.

The captain met with the doctor and the skunktaur counselor with his XO beside him. "So what's going on?" He asks the doctor.

"Well physically shi's a fully functioning hermaphrodite fox morph. The black fur is natural. But shi does and interesting brain pattern but I think it could cause problems, possibly even death. I've asked counselor to see what hy can do."

"Alright, but what about the claim that shi's this Chris Rasmussen?"

Commander Navir jumped in." Sir the last freighter we found, the Isis was registered to a Chris Rasmussen and her flight path would lead to this area. Though the records say Rasmussen is a human male the preliminary study of the pirates records show that they have been experimenting and that fox lying there could very well be Mr. Rasmussen. Counselor Lecian will be able to confirm that."

"Proceed Counselor." The skunktaur nodded and headed over. Hy was unusual for a skunktaur. Though technically hermaphrodites they weren't both genders at the same time but could switch between them. All skunktaurs, no matter the mother are born in male phase and when they reach puberty and their first heat go female. After that they generally stay in male mode but Lecian nearly stayed in female mode all the time. Only hys rut did hy ever go to male. Captain Nar'shene knew hy had a male foxtaur mate on Chakona and a very likely reason but Nar'shene believe that wasn't the only reason. Lecian sat on hys haunches, touch hys forehead to the fox morphs and held the fox morphs head.

In the fox's mind all was black and Lecian said. "Hello?"

"Who's there?" Asked a male voice. I like appeared and a human male in his mid thirties stood there looking at hym.

"I'm Lecian of House Redpaw. Assigned to the ship that rescued you." To the outside world Lecian says. "IT is Mr. Rasmussen doing further contact." Back inside hy asks Mr. Rasmussen. "What do you last remember?"

"Waking up in a sickbay....and having fur. That was a dream right?" He looks around fearfully. "Where am I?"

"We're in your mind, I'm a telepath. Sadly that wasn't a dream. You were kidnapped and transformed." Chris held his head and screamed as another figure appeared. It was the fox morph form but the eyes were lifeless, no soul. Lecian started hearing it say phrases like obey master, nude is good, do anything required, need sex. Chris yelled in pain. Lecian close hys eyes and in a minute Chris didn't hear the voices anymore. He looked over to the fox and shi was still there talking but he couldn't hear hir anymore. "I've got bad news Chris. What just happen confirmed something to me. The program to re do your mine was incomplete and is causing a dissonance in your mind. This WILL kill you in the end and I cannot remove the program."

"So I'm gonna die."

"Not quite. While I can't remove the program I can negate it's effects. The downside is that you as Chris Rasmussen will cease to exist and a new persona will appear."

"Is there no other way?" Lecian shook hys head and Chris sighs.

"Well another life is better than no life. What about my ship?"

"Stripped beyond salvage." He frowned at that.

"Well ensure that who ever replaces me has my savings. They're going to need it." Then he looked seriously at Lecian. "Do me a favor Lecain. Remember me, the only thing worse then dying is not being remembered." The skunktaur walked up to him and hugged him.

"I promise Chris. You will not be forgotten."

"Alright let's get his over with." In the outside world Lecian relayed what hy was doing and everyone left to allow hym to work. Hy did come out till two days later and crashed.

Shi woke up hungry. Shi was in the sickbay shi guessed and slowly got up. Shi saw hir plantigrade black furred feet and legs. "Oh you're awake, what do you remember?" Shi looked over to the voice and saw a morph in a medical uniform.

"Everything Chris Rasmussen knew. I'm hungry."

"I bet, it's been a couple days since Lecian did whatever hy did." The medic went over to the replicator and got a balance meal for the morph. It quickly disappeared and The fox morph looked around. "What are you looking for?"

"A mirror, I like to see myself."

"Ah, follow me." The medic lead the morph to an office and pointed to the full length mirror there. Shi went over and looked at hirself for the first time. Shi was a fox morph with Black fur over hir entire body. Hir human style hair was a slightly different shade of black and shi had golden eyes that almost glow in comparison to hir fur. She had a youthful and lean feminine body...with a sheath to hold hir male organ. No balls that shi could see. Hir tail was typical fox in form but also all black. Here shi was standing nude with someone nearby and shi felt no shame or embarrassment, must be from the programing that got held over."IF you were wondering we did a scan of you and you have internal balls."

"Well good, less vulnerable spots at least." Shi looks in the mirror again at herself and smiles. "I have a name for myself."

"Oh?"

"Shadow Phoenix, I can easily blend into the shadows and since I was born from the remains of Chris Rasmussen I'm like a phoenix from the ashes."

"I'll put it in the records then. Let's do your physical." Shadow spent the next couple of hours testing hir bodies reactions. Though the medic offered a outfit Shadow refused it. After the workout shi took a shower then came out and the medic had a simple outfit for hir. "Please put this on. I 'm taking you to your quarters on the ship and you need to wear something." Shadow put it on and shi had to ask.

"Were there others transformed like me and what's happening with them?"

"We did find some others but there transformation was complete. Right now they are bunked in Cargo Bay 2 for they are too dumb to make use of the most basic quarters. They are being well taken care of and will likely set up in brothels were they can be reasonaly happy and cared for."

"I guess I was the lucky one."

"Yes. They think you might have a stronger libido then you did bhefore and Doctor Hopper wants you in here daily for checks for a bit to make your your brain waves are stable and will have a once a week meeting with Lecian while you are on board unless hy says otherwise.

"Very well." The two head out and after a ride on a turbolift The medic shows Shadow hir quarters.

"You know how to work everything?" Shadow gave her the LOOK.

"I have all of Chris' memories. He may not have served on a starfleet ship but he did run his own ship. I think I have the basics down."

"Sorry, how do you think of Mr. Rasmussen?"

"As my father."

"AH. Well I'll let you be." The door shuts behind her and Shadow looks around. The living room was small but comfy with a pair of chairs and a couch and a table. A desk and the nearby replicator had dual use as workplace and dinner table. Shi also had two HUGE windows with a view of space. Smiling at the site Shadow strips and immediately feel better and continued to search hir room. She had a nice restroom with a shower. Then a nice size bedroom with a twin size bed and a dresser and closet. Shi heads back to the the living room and sits at the desk and fires up the terminal there and began searching.

Two days later Shadow was finishing up hir daily checkup when Commander Navir walked in. "How are you doing Shir Phoenix?" The doctor answered.

"Doing well. No strange brain patterns."

"I am bored though. There's only so much reading you can do."

"Well I don't have any openings in areas with you're known skills." Shadow frowned when Summerbreeze walked in.

"I may have a solution." They all look at hir. "My cubs can use someone to watch over them." Navir frowned.

'What's wrong with the daycare on the ship nurse Summerbreeze?"

"Nothing but I prefer keeping my cubs in my quarters when I can. You think you're up for it?"

'You are going to trust me with your kids? I perfect stranger."

"Well I'm done with my shift today so I'll be with you if you want to try today and we'll see how my cubs react to you." Shadow shrugged.

"It's something to do." Navir knowing the discussion was over dismissed them. They started to head to the turbolift.

"Hey Summerbreeze, thanks for this chance."

"No problem." Shadow then noticed Summerbreeze was anxious about something. Chris was pretty good at reading people and the programing forced on Shadow enhanced that.

"Okay I may not be an empath but I can read people and something is bothering you." The chakat sighs before replying.

"It's my fault. My fault that you're like this. IF I had called in and waited.."

"It would have been worse. Summerbreeze I was being reprogrammed in that tube. By the time they would have gotten me out of it I would be no better than those down in the cargo bay." Yesterday Shadow visited the cargo bay. Most of those in there were barely sentient and we're at his happiest when doing sex. And to think they were once like Chris, shi shuddered. Shadow grabbed Summerbreeze's muzzle so the chakat faced hir. "Summerbreeze I don't blame you for what happen. I thank you for acting on impulse so I can make my own choices. I blame what happen to me are those who kidnapped me and transformed me, no one else." The two continued on to the chakat quarters.

Summerbreeze's quarters were much bigger than Shadow's but then again these were the quarters of a taur family so it has to be bigger. They both hear a door open and a pair of voices cry out.

"Mommy/Daddy!" And a pair of pint size chakat cubs ran up and tried to be lifted by their parent.

"Hey kids." Both hir and Shadow smile. There's something about kids that can lift your spirits.

"Hello my children" Summerbreeze said as shi hugged both of them then like the felines they're based off of they start sniffing and looking at Shadow.

"Who's this dad?" One of them asks.

"This is Shadow, shi is going to play with you today." The cubs let out a joyous cheer and dragged Shadow away for some play. Shadow played a bunch of board games, help them color and they taught hir how to braid hair. Didn't take long for the cubs to tire and Shadow laid them on their beds as they joined dream world. Walking back to the living room Summerbreeze had a smirk on hir muzzle. "So you still want the job?"

"They're not that bad, just energetic. Reminded me of a kitten Chris had when he was a kid."

"You sure, have you've seen your hair?" Shadow sighs.

"Yes." Shi started working on the parts shi could see. Then the door opened and Summerbreeze's mate Starwind showed up. Shi worked in the engineering department and shi and Shadow were introduced. Summerbreeze when to make dinner which Shadow was forced to joined shi and Starwind just chatted and they quickly when to starship engineering in they're talks. Minutes later dinner was announced and they went and talked while enjoying a well cooked meal. After the meal Shadow thanked them for it and was about to head out when Starwind offered hir to stay the night. Shadow politely refused and said maybe another time. As the door closed behind hir Starwind said to hir mate.

"Love that is one interesting morph."

"I agree but why do you say so?"

"During our talk we got into serious tech talk. I know shi was a frieghter captain before hir change and some stuff shi didn't get, AT FIRST. They can easily understand a concept as it's explained to hir. We all assume and for good reason that shi was redesign to be a sex slave but what if shi was also designed for something more or a side effect of what the Lecian did to hir." Both look back to the door in heavy thought.

A couple days later shi woke up in a pile of fur, THOSE CHAKATS ARE TENACIOUS! Shi got up and started cooking breakfast for everyone, then they all headed off to they're work spots and Shi entertained the cubs for most of the morning till they went and took a nap. Shadow was sitting on the couch having a drink when shi noticed a padd on the table. Shi grabbed it and studied it. It displayed a program of some kind. Shi looked at it for a few minutes then began to understand what the program was meant for and started fiddling with it, hir drink barely noticed. "Whatcya working on Shadow?" Shi jerks in surprise and sees Starwind looking at hir with curiosity.

"I saw this padd lying here and just fiddled with it." Starwind frowned.

"You shouldn't do that. You could screw up a delicate program."

"But I believe I've fix it though, have a look." Shi hands Starwind the padd and shi looks it over. The chakat frowned again and sounded astonished when shi spoke again.

"I've been dealing with this program for weeks trying to make it work and you got it nearly working in a few hours?"

"It's been that long, I felt like I just put the cubs to bed?" Starwind chuckles and comments.

"I know that feeling, Summer usually has to pull me out of it. You know, I think I might have another job for you in a computer department."

"But what about your cubs?"

"Well since we didn't find anymore pirates out there we're resuming our more standard patrol. We're rotating out some people on a potential colony. Me and Summer were picked to relieve some people there and command doesn't want you there."

"And where do they want me?" Shadow said angryly.

"Well most of the sex slaves we took are being drop off at Starbase 9 and they will likely go to brothels where they can get what they want and be cared for. You they want to stay onboard for the rest of the tour admittedly for study then a research groups wants to look you over on Earth." Starwind sense the growing anger from Shadow. "Look they hope that studying you might help restore the sentience of your fellow prisoners and maybe even other slaves rescued from the NLAW." Starwind senses the anger dissipate. "personally I wish you could come with us. Me and Summer enjoy your company and the cubs adore you. But if this idea works out you'll have something to do and likely get some more income for yourself." Shadow had to nod, with Isis gone hir main source of income is gone and what Chris had in his savings won't last forever. Shi and Starwind then entertained the awakened cubs.

They next day Starwind took hir to the main computer lab where they met Lt. Eva Winters. After handing the Lt. The padd Shadow worked on yesterday they watch the human female look over the padd. "This is good work, but protocol says I'll have to start you in the basics and you'll have to wear a uniform but I can pay you 10 credits an hour and the average shift is 6 hours. Is that okay?"

"Sure, if I advance it should be because I earned it." Shadow replies.

"Okay I'll get get the contract made up. Report here tomorrow and 1000 hours." Shadow nods and signed the contract and returned for hir last full day watching the kids. Starwind insisted that Shadow have dinner with them till they left. Shi9 agreed, they were the only friends shi has now. The next day shi reported in and given a station and today shi was to look over programs others have written up for some of the non critical systems. Shi did find some errors and found ways to streamline others till 1400 hours (3 pm) After saying goodbye to a few fellow programers shi met at lunch shi headed to Summer's quarters. Getting their shi strips, Summer and Star long ago discovered shi was uncomfortable with clothes and did encourage nudity, heck they did the same when they got home. Shi greets and plays with the cubs till Summer gets home. Shi decides to make dinner tonight to which everyone enjoyed. Two days later they were in orbit of a nearly terran class planet. The whole planet had a climate similar to Canada. Shadow got to tour the base camp before saying goodbye to Summer and the family, shi has some tears in hir eyes as shi was beamed back. After a couple of days the Ambassador leaves orbit and heads to Starbase 9 to drop off the other transformed sex slaves and some R&R. Shadow used the money shi gets from working to get a couple of outfits and explored the starbase. A few days later the Ambassador was surveying a nebula. Since Summer was gone shi had just stayed in hir quarters after work but shi was bored with that and found a lounge facing the nebula. Sipping on a drink as shi observes the nebula. Shi felt lonely. "May I sit next to you?" A feminine voice asked. Shadow jerked a bit and look to the source of the voice. It came from a foxtaur with gray and red fur in patches and redish brown hair pulled into a tail that went halfway down her upper torso. Shi wore the gray colored uniform that security uses. "Of course have a seat, my name is Shadow Phoenix." The foxtaur shakes an offered hand.

"And my name Yoshiru Leannera. Shadow Phoenix, interesting name. I haven't seen you here before, you new?"

"You could say that, I was contracted to work on ship for the rest of the tour." The captain told not to reveal hir true origins while on the ship. "I got tired of just being in my room and since were in a nebula I decided to check out a lounge." Shi turned to the window and with hir unused hand wave toward the nebula. This is a great view."

"It's the reason I left my home. I work as a scout when planetside and a survival trainer while on ship, you?"

"I check programs for errors or find ways to streamline them." The two talked about various issues and topics and Shadow was sad to see it end but both had work tomorrow and they promised to meet again in the lounge.

For three weeks as the ship continued it's tour Yoshiru and Shadow met in the lounge and chatted. During which Shadow found out that Yoshiru was a festival kit. A child that comes from parents that met at a festival that foxtaur clans regularly have which explained her unusual coloring and name since her father was from japan. Now the bartender even had Shadow's drink ready for hir when shi walked in. Shi sat at hir spot and twenty minutes later Yoshiru appeared, they had an enjoyable chat that sadly went by to fast. They left the lounge and walked to their quarters. They discovered that they were on the same deck but Yoshiru's place was closer. While walking Shadow glanced at hir friend for she seemed tense or anxious. What shi didn't know. Everything seemed fine in the lounge and nothing in the hallway seemed odd enough for Yoshiru to have this posture. They get to Yoshiru's door. At this point Shadow had had it, shi had to know what was bothering hir friend. "Yoshiru, what's wrong? Something is bothering you I can tell." The foxtaur took a deep breath and released it before replying. "You're right something is bothering me. Would you come inside please?"

"Of course." Shi follows the foxtaur inside and glances around the room. It was bigger than hir's but just right for a single taur morph. Shadow looks back Yoshiru and the foxtaur seems likes she wants to pace but instead she looks at Shadow and asks.

"What we say doesn't go beyond this room but stays between us got it?" Shadow nods and Yoshiru continues. "Have you ever heard of the term vulpamour before?" Shadow frowns and looks through hir and Chris' memories.

"Sorry can't say that I have. Neither me or my father had much contact with foxtaurs before now."

"Well for the most part it just means fox lover but with us foxtaurs it also stands for lesbians."

"Ah I get it. Since you have so many more females then males it's not surprise some would find that kind of love with another female."

"Exactly and Shadow, I'm a vulpamour and I've been attracted to you since I first saw you. I've been trying to get a read on you to see if you felt the same but I kept getting mixed signals. So now in honestly I ask if you wouldn't having a foxtaur girlfriend?" Shadow was shocked. True shi was attracted to the foxtaur but shi never thought beyond friendship with her. And shi didn't know how to handle this, Chris wasn't a ladies man and shi hirself was too new to have any experience. But Yoshiru deserved a response and Shadow decided she needed to learn a little truth.

"Yoshiru, before this goes any further you should know something about me. Something only a few people know and I like that to remain so." Unfastening both hir tail fastener and the one in front shi says."Yoshiru, I'm a hermaphrodite."And shi revels the truth to hir friend. Shi only wears the uniform. It seems hir design took the diea the Turners did for chakat breasts and applied it to hir. Shi never needs a bra, it's built in like a chakats and as for panties, well shi wanted only to wear what is necessary for work nothing more. Yoshiru looked at the evidence in shock. Out of all the possibilities shi came up with, this wasn't one of them.

"So...you're like a chakat."

"Except for being a fox and an anthro yes."

"I never heard of an hermaphrodite fox except for the stellars. In fact you're almost a an anthro starwalker by looks."

"As far as I know that's purely coincidence." The two looked at eachother in silence as Shadow refastens hir pants then asks. "Yoshiru, you now know that truth of me. I need to know where we stand. You still wan me more than just a friend? Do you still want to be friends or am I a freak to be repulsed by you?"

"Oh no Shadow, you're not a freak to me but I have to reexamine things. I just didn't think of this possibility."

"Still friends?"

"Still friends."

"Okay then take all the time you need. This is an important decision and I'll leave you to make it." It's a trouble foxtaur Shadow leaves behind nothing shi can do nothing about it shi heads for hir quarters.

Shadow tried to get some work done in hir quarters but shi couldn't get hir mind off recent events. Even a shower didn't help. Shi finally gave up on the evening and started heading for bed when the door chimed. Considering the lateness shi had a good guess who that was but mindful of who else might be out there shi put some shorts on and answered the door, shi didn't care who saw hir breasts but someone seeing hir sheath on the ship was another story. As expected it was Yoshiru who did blink went she was face to face with a bare breasted Shadow. The herm fox did notice a gleam in the foxtaur's eyes as she looked at them. "May I come in?" Shadow moved aside and gestured for her to enter. When the door closed Yoshiru sat on her rump and looked a tad embarrassed and looked down before starting. "I admittedly fantasized about you, about the life we could have together. I dream that you'd be delighted when I told how I felt and that you felt the same but I couldn't get a read on your feelings and now I know why. You project both male and female signals that comes natural to a herm but I in my dreams ignore the male signals and that confused my read." Shadow nodded in understanding. Though hir body was currently a herm and thus both male and female at the same time shi as a personality leaned female. Shi guessed this was due to the fact Lecian is female biased and some of that biased got imprinted on hir during the merge. But despite that the unavoidable fact is that shi used to be a human male and as such may do male things without thinking for they came naturally for Chris. "Now that I know the truth I figured out I was idealizing you and truthfully I need you more as a friend than a lover but I'm not against trying a herm lover once. What I really need is someone to share a den with at night. Foxtaurs are not solitary creatures by natures and that loneliness has been hitting me hard lately. Would you mind share a bed with a friend? Just a friend needing someone to sleep next to even if it's nothing more than that?" Shadow thought for a minute, as shi figured before shi was attracted to Yoshiru physically but shi also just liked the foxtaur and shi actually enjoyed it when shi slepted with Summer and hir family and missed that. AND adding into the fact Chris spent so much time alone shi didn't want to repeat his mistakes.

"I wouldn't mind the company tonight." Yoshiru yipped for joy before she could stop herself and looked embarrassed, Shadow could have almost swear shi saw a blush under that fur but shi giggled at hir friends reaction and stripped off hir shorts and looked behind hir. "Well aren't you gonna strip and join me in bed?" Yoshiru grinned and stripped off her uniform fast and joined the already lying fox herm. The bed wasn't made for two and certainly not one who was a taur to boot but she made do. "Comfy?"Shi asked.

"Yes thank you my friend." The foxtaur lick kissed Shadow who returned it.

"Good, Hopefully we'll both have a good night's rest. LIGHTS OFF!" The computer responded and only the starlight through the windows illuminated the room where two friends quickly fell asleep.

Shadow awoke the next morning feeling odd, like something was different then shi felt and heard the breathing behind hir. Yoshiru, hir foxtaur friend with her arm and a foreleg draped over hir. As much as shi would have liked to stay there cuddled with hir friend a soft chiming said shi had to get up now though lucky Yoshiru could sleep longer with her much later shift. Slowly disentangling hirself from the foxtaur and looked at her. She was like a three layered cake, her underbelly was typical fox white but after that it wasn't typical. The second layer was a gray color with a dark red making the third with her reddish brown hair topping it all off. Not a bad site to look at in the morning. shi had breakfast and cleaned up Shi was about to put on hir uniform when shi felt shi was being watched. Shi looks behind hir and smiles and Yoshiru with her head supported by her hand looked on in a appreciative look and smile on her lips. "Good morning."

"A very good morning, it's been a while since a woke to a lovely sight." Shadow was sure shi blushed but doubt either could see it.

"How did you sleep?" The foxtaur stretch a bit.

"Well I do feel stiff in certain spots. Tonight my place."

"Likely for now on your place." Shadow gave her a lick kiss and headed for work.

A week of this had worked well for both of them for they were better rested for it. One morning Yoshiru woke up early having a call of nature but it didn't stop her from looking at her bed mate. Shadow was smiling a bit in hir sleep with hir arms resting above hir head and hir black hair underneath it all and hir midnight black fur. All of that attracted Yoshiru to the vixen. Her gaze went lower to the ample bosum the creator's gifted hir with and those nice wide hips and strong and slender legs. Yoshiru never care if her lovers had two or four legs as some might have. All together Shadow was the dream vixen she had always wanted but Shadow had that added feature that surprised her. In fact it displayed itself before her even now as Shadow had to deal with what ever male or herm had to deal with. The morning erection, it was standard pink and a good size to Yoshiru's eyes. In honesty it's presence didn't bother her anymore. She has come to realize now that she came see the male signals her friend gives off that it completed Shadow. Shadow was not a female, Yoshiru accepted that. However shi was feminine enough for her and shi was her friend, THAT counted above all. She also wondered some facts about her friend.<Where did you come from my little fox? I looked all over the federation databases on your species to get you a gift from your home, but I found nothing. The closest was Starwalker stellar foxtaurs but there's no mention of an biped version of them. Even data on you is hard to come buy. Other than your contract with the computer team here and a sealed medical report there is nothing on you. Will you ever tell me the truth about this. Will knowing that knowledge drive you away from me? I don't I want to know that badly.> Shadow's eyes fluttered then opened and as shi looked shi saw Yoshiru looking at hir. "My what a nice sight to wake to."

"I can say the same."

"I am surprised that you're up."

"I have to pee."

"Well don't do it on me!" Shadow smile and slaps Yoshiru's flank. Went Yoshiru returns from her business and Shadow rushes in and the vixen smiles at her friend and got another glance at hir naked body before returning to bed. When Shadow emerged from hir shower Ypshiru was asleep again. Shi kissed her forehead and shi murmured a bit causing Shadow to smile. Shi made breakfast then headed for Lecian's for hir needed visit.

The skunktaur smiled as shi came in. "I don't need to be a telepath to see that you're happy."

"I am."

"Would a certain foxtaur have to do with it?"

"Yup, our arrangement has been good for both of us."

"That's good. I was a little worried after Summer's family left." Lecian canted hys head. "I think you don't need to regularly visit me anymore. I sense your mind is stable, just discovering who you are now. So go on get to your job."

"See ya around then."

The rest of the day went well and shi and Yoshiru had a good time but that night was another story. Shi cuddled next to Yoshiru's larger form but shi couldn't relax, and shi was developing an erection. Shi didn't think shi was in rut but then shi wasn't sure. Then as shi breathed in shi noticed Yoshiru's scent was more potent then usual and shi felt hir erection get harder. <Crap Yoshiru's in heat. I can't sleep like this.> Shi started to slowly untangle hirself so shi wouldn't wake Yoshiru, but the foxtaur wasn't asleep. "Where are you going?" Shadow stop for a minute before shi made hir decision. Then shi turned around and showed hir erection and Yoshiru eyes widened.

"My friend, you're in heat and it is effecting me. Since you're not interested in male sex so I was going to my room to take care of it." Shi started to move to hir clothes but shi left a hand on hir arm and shi looks back.

"Wait a minute Shadow, left me tell you something more about vulpamour. In essence there are to kinds of vulpamour, one kind is a hardcore lesbian who is not only interested in males she is actually repulsed by a cock and balls. It is very rare that they ever have kits. Then there is the second kind you just prefers females or males but if they want a kit they will gladly accept a tod like during obligation. Shadow I'm of the second kind. I just wasn't interested in males then you showed up. I look at you and I see everything I want in a biped vixen and the fact your a herm doesn't bother me at all. It means one of us never needs a dildo to pleasure the other. After this time together and with full knowledge of what you are and for as long as we're on this ship together will you be my girlfriend and lover?"

Shadow was speechless, ever since Ypshiru was told shi was a herm shi didn't think they would comeback to this. Shi was still figuring hirself out and the nature of being a herm. However shi has enjoyed looking at Yoshiru and admittedly lusted after her and they're sleeping arrangement has worked well. The pheromones didn't matter shi WANTED Yoshiru. Hir decision made shi voiced it.

"I will be honored to be your hermfriend if there is such a word, but we do this it will be the whole me."

"Deal." And both hug eachother before breaking it off a bit. "Now mutual need prevents me from a making love in aproper vulpamour way." Both kiss passionately and play with eachother's breasts and nipples. But all to soon Shadow positioned hirself and slowly entered hir lover's pussy to the moan and groan of pleasure in both of them. When shi was fully hilted shadow stay there a bit before slowly pumped in and out. Shadow held on to her large body while Yoshiru played with hir breasts. The pleasure was building and building till they came yelling eachother's name. Shadow then collapsed onto Yoshiru's belly hir cock still pumping seed in. Yoshiru petted Shadow's hair and said. "Thank you my lover."

"Glad to please, I can assure you that you had pleased me."

"Hhmmmm, maybe I should have tried a chakat lover before this but I have something better now."

"Nice to be appreciated. I haven't felt this good since Summer left." Yoshiru recognized the name, she chatted with the chakat a couple times. She now had to know.

"Shadow may I ask you a very personal question?"

"We're pretty personal as is but asked away I can't guarantee I'll answer but you can always ask."

"We're you a slave?"

"What makes you even remotely think that?" Shadow said fearfully.

"Little things. First is a lack of personal pictures of your family. The only thing I saw in your room was a picture of Summerbreeze and hir family. Then Your appearance, I can't find you species anywhere and species having herm members are rare and noticeable. Then the ship records don't have you showing up till after that pirate ship we dealt with and your medical records are sealed and only your contract is viewable. The only conclusion is that you are a N.L.A.W. created slave. It doesn't matter to me if you are I just want to know." Shadow just sat on hir lover's belly looking down and not seeing the beautiful white fur. While shi could try to come up with excuses about those things Yoshiru noticed, shi didn't want to. This was a friend and lover and while both Captain Ra'Shenen and Commander Navir requested that shi didn't tell anyone of hir origin. That was a request and not and order and shi isn't technically part of the fleet. Shi looked back up to Yoshiru's face and smiled.

"It's nice to know I have an intelligent lover. Yes I was rescued from that ship and was ment to be a sex slave but..." Shadow went on to tell Yoshiru hir origins. When done Yoshiru hugged hir tightly.

"You poor thing, to go through all of that. It amazes me the evils humans can do."

"Hey I was human you know."

"I don't blame all humans heck I know those human first guys have hurt humans before. Just look at Goldendale and and Will Cochran.'

Shadow nods in understanding. They two finally fall into a most restful sleep, more for Shadow for a weight was off hir shouldlers.

The next day Shadow went into Commander Navir's office. "Yoshiru knows about my origins." The voxxan looked silently at hir before responding.

"Did you tell her or did she figure it out?"

"She figured it out for the most part and I just confirmed it."

"Don't worry Shadow, they're are exceptions to nearly every rule and I'm sure Lt. Leannera will be keeping that part secret. I'm actually pleased she figured it out. Reasoning and deduction are good qualities in a team leader."

"Huh?"

"She did tell you her duties right?" Shadow nods and Navir continues. "Well she is very good at it so at the next planet she will be leading a survey team till we come and get her back during our next tour unless an emergency."

"So she won't be onboard when we reach Earth?" Navir nodded and Shadow was devastated and angry. Shi found someone shi could be close and even intimate with and now she was going away.

"We arrive at the planet in eight days." EIGHT DAYS, shi had only eight days left. Shi made some polite excuses and left the office. Sadly shi had to go to work but shi was going to have a word with Yoshiru.

"I was gonna tell you tonight!" Yoshiru defended, "And before you asked I just found out yesterday that I got the assignment. I was in the running with two others. With everything that happened last night I didn't want to spoil it. This is a big opportunity for me. I'm young to be a team leader. Something must have convinced them I could do it."

<Something or someONE.> Shadow thought. Yoshiru did some makeup sex in apology, she even gave Shadow a blow job to show her sincerity.

However the next day shi approached the commander again. "May I speak to you in private commander?" The voxxan looked at the fox morph and saw the seriousness in hir eyes.

'of course, my quarters are closers follow me." A couple minutes later they are in the commander's posh quarters and the commander sits behind a work desk. "So what do you want to talk about?"

"May I be blunt Commander?" The voxxan nodded again and Shadow began. "Are you responsible for assigning Yoshiru to the survey mission?"

"The captain has the final say but I can recommend people and Lt. Leannera was on the top list of canidates."

"Was it do to me? Did I do something wrong? Or did the fact she made a freed slave happy you decided to reward her? Even she said she was young to get the job so why did she get it?" Navir decided to be lenient. Shadow was young and didn't join Starfleet so she had to be understanding but stern.

"Shir Phoenix, in the end this is a Starfleet and a military vessel and Yoshiru is a starfleet officer. While her relationship has been good for you both and not against the rules she still has duties to preform. She has proven in the previous mission and the tasks she preforms on ship that she can lead a team and while her relationship with you was a factor it wasn't the only one. This is her carrer and it would be selkfish of us to hold her back just so she can be your girlfriend. I hope you can understand that."

"I understand enough." Shadow said coldly as shi gets up. "I'm glad you have such confidence in her. Now if you excuse me commander I'm going to treasure what time I have left with her." The door closes behind the fox morph and Navir sighs.

At lunch Navir decided to eat in the mess hall. She got her food and found a table but she just played with her food. The conversation with Phoenix still in her mind. "May I sit with you Commander?" Navir looks up to see Lecian standing their with hys own plate.

"Go ahead."

"Thank you." The skunktaur sits on hys haunches across from the commander and as hy takes a bit hy asks. "So what has you down?" The commander knew it would be useless to dissuade the skunktaur from her issue so she told hym about her conversation with Shadow Phoenix. When she was done the skunktaur shook hys head and commented.

"It's amazing that bridge officers can be so smart and so STUPID at the same time. If you were my kid I'd hit you in the back of the head." Navir was shocked at that remark.

"Why do you say that?"

"Look at it from hir perspective. Shi has lost everything including who shi was before and is trying to rebuild. Shi makes a relationship with Summerbreeze and hir family but soon afterwards the family is sent away. Then shi gets into arelationship with Lt. Leannera, one that gets very intimate recently and now she is being sent away. What else can shi conclude that shi is doing something wrong. How can shi rebuild hirself when the foundations shi makes are torn away. I'd be ticked too."

"But on the Pegasus Commander Rosepetal had a similar thing with Leanna Fennec and that turned out well."

"Shadow Phoenix and Leanna Fennec do have similarities but are still vastly different. Leanna knew the core of who shi is, maybe not all of it at the time but the core and shi had already years of experience being Leanna. And trust me I chat with Lightouch and hy said Leanna wasn't all that happy with the situation either. But she coped and shi had the Admiral's family watching over hir. Last I heard shi is happily mated to a chakat and two fox morphs right now."

"So I should not assign Lt. Leannera?"

"It's too late for that. You remove her from that and you prove everything Shadow suspected. Just remember that point of view the next time."

Shadow and Yoshiru spent their time in passionate love together making the most use of their time. Sadly the time came to an end and Shadow saw Yoshiru step on the platform, The captain forbade Shadow from leaving the ship even for this. Shadow waved to hir lover and as the transporter beam activated the foxtaur blew hir a kiss then she was gone. After that parting Shadow just spent hir time at work or in hir quarters and when ever shi saw Navir shi gave the voxxan a cold look. Lecian visited Shadow regularly but didn't help much and Lecian gave a strongly worded criticism of the commander's choice in hys report. Finally though the get into Earth orbit and dock with the starbase. Shadow approaches the airlock in civilian dress and without a top and hands over hir discharge papers after a minute to confirm Shi was now formally discharge from hir service on the Ambassador. Shi walks through the airlock to the station and looks around. This is it. This the start of hir life. Thanks to Chris' sacrifice shi gets a chance to live. And from his ashes shi will rise. Shi promises the human to make it a good one.