FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Trip sighed as he heard the office door close behind Styrr and him and the office lights hummed on quietly. Trip immediately went to the desk and sat facing the still standing dragon. He entered his information into the desk computer and at back, arms crossed, glaring at the dragon.

"What did you do?" The wolf's voice was quiet

The dragon raised a brow quizzically, "What do you mean what did I do? If you hadn't noticed, I've been escorted every where, every second. I've not had a chance to do anything."

Trip really wasn't sure how to take the dragon. He usually didn't have a problem getting a good reading on another businessman, but this one was an entirely different story, "Don't bullshit me, I know when I'm being fed half truths, so just level. Something isn't quite right about you and your being here."

The dragon crossed his arms in front of him, glowering at Trip, "I don't appreciate being accused of something I've not any knowledge about, especially when I've been in no position to do anything," He frowned and bit at the inside of his cheek, "I'm not sure what you think I may have been able to do, but I assure you that I am of no threat to you and your people."

Trip stared at him blankly, obviously not buying it, "Let's have a chat about that then, shall we?" He leaned back into the large chair and crossed his own arms, "I've read our file on you, and every file that any database has on you. It's a very empty file by the way, if you've not looked at it before, which I'm sure you have. I've also noticed that there is not a single word uttered about your obvious military background."

The dragon shrugged, "And you've come to this conclusion how?"

"I know people mister Kinster, I know them very well. I do our military screenings as well as civilian personnel screenings. You stand like an old war veteran."

"Prove it."

As the words left the dragon's mouth, he instantly regretted it. He felt a hard kick to the back of his knee, putting him down on the other. His reflexes sent his arm up instantly, keeping the incoming fist from his face. He ducked his head and tried to roll forward out of range from his assailant, but only managed to get a hard boot into the center of his back, pushing him into the desk and knocking the air from his lungs. He gasped and turned, both arms covering his face as he saw the small Hybrid behind him, teeth bared and paw on his weapon, ready to draw it.

Styrr pushed back against the desk, his large frame pushing it back slightly as he raised himself to his feet, immediately following up with a lunge at Zynnis, barely missing as the hybrid ducked under him and then blocked the jab that Styrr had directed at his jaw. He watched intently as the hybrid started to circle him slowly, waiting for the next barrage of attacks in this unexpected battle. His waiting paid off as he blocked two low punches but missed the kick to his knee. As he dropped down in pain, he felt the fist connect with his jaw as his large body hit the ground with an alarming thud. He tried to push himself up, but felt a boot pushed into his back and the cocking of a sidearm.

"Zyn, enough," Styrr heard Trip ordering the infuriated hybrid off but not before he felt the jab from the steel toed boot of Zynnis connecting with his ribs, "He's had enough."

Zynnis stepped back, his chest heaving, and his fur drenched in sweat ,"No plead otherwise motherfucker. You're getting old, and your slowed reflexes are going to get you killed one of these days. Next time you tell someone to prove it, be prepared for the backlash."

Styrr pushed himself up to his knees slowly, regaining enough of his composure to push himself up to his feet, holding his side and rubbing his jaw, "You surprised me, odd I didn't hear the door open behind me." He cracked his neck with a grunt, "You're a quick little fucker you know that? Quicker than you look."

"Now tell me what you've gotten me and my people in to," He raised his weapon up and pointed it square at the dragon's chest, "So help me, on everything I know and love, tell me or I'll end you."

"You may have beaten me in a what I would say, unfair engagement. But, that doesn't mean I'll never take an order from you, "He spit blood from his maw onto the steel floor of the ship, "ever."

Trip knew that with that comment things were about to get back out of hand, so quickly interjected and took control of the situation, "That may be the case, but whatever you're running from put our people in the line of fire, and neither of us appreciate that, some of us appreciate it less than others actually, "He motioned his head towards Zynnis.

Zynnis continued that statement for his partner, "Unless you intentionally pointed those stupid bastards our way, and if that's the case, I'll shoot you now, and cut your body into to little pieces myself."

Trip glared at Zynnis, "You're not helping."

"I don't care, at least I'm not shooting," Zynnis pushed his weapon at the dragon emphasizing his point, "Unless that would help, because I'm in the mood to shed some blood."

Styrr's gaze moved back and fourth between the two as he moved to a chair and sat down, panting heavily, "You two ought to just get on with it and marry, you fight like an old couple."

Trip turned his glare to Styrr, "I ought to just let him shoot you, but unfortunately, I'm a bit more civilized and much more cool headed than he is. So shut up and answer the question."

Styrr leaned back and slumped into the chair, deciding that he was in too much pain to care about posture, "I was being dead serious when I said I haven't the slightest idea about what you're talking about. I scheduled this vacation months ago. The only thing I have to run and hide from is work, which I tried to do. This arrangement wasn't even a thought in my mind, but that changed when you're hospitality was less than welcoming." He growled low and glared at Zynnis, obviously angry, "I can handle myself, but I've no weapons, and I was caught well off guard."

Zynnis returned the look, his lip twitching and fangs showing, "I've no use off my right arm, so piss off and stop complaining. React, adapt, and overcome. I fight to win, nothing less, nothing more." He thumbed the safety off his weapon, "I could have just shot you, I still can actually."

Styrr waved off the threat, "I'm not worried about that, I know you have more common sense than you let on."

Trip rolled his eyes and chuckled slightly, "Then you obviously don't know him as well as you think, but back to the point on hand. Why are you here?"

"My trip is purely pleasure based, I told you that. Kyna group isn't without its own resources, I've no reason to run from anything, nor to hide, especially behind the ARMC, you're costs are ridiculous."

"Then why do we have a ruthless pirate looking around and poking their noses where it shouldn't be. Who is Terain Ridak, and why is he willing to slaughter hundreds of innocents to find you?" Zynnis had been chewing on the inside of his cheek, processing the information that he had gotten his hands on, "He and his people locked an entire ships crew into escape pods, vented their atmosphere, and let them die, not to mention leaving a nasty surprise for whomever found the ship. He did this looking for you. He knew your whereabouts, otherwise his parting gift wouldn't have been waiting for us."

Styrr looked genuinely surprised, "I didn't know he was looking for me, him and his little band of pirates don't concern me, and really shouldn't concern anyone."

Zynnis growled, "They concern me, we could be drifting in space because of you! What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything, they came to me with a proposal, and I turned them down." Styrr chuckled to himself quietly, "I don't claim to always associate with the best types, but I sure as hell wont put myself in business with petty criminals and homicidal maniacs. I'm too old to deal with high risk, low payout contracts. Too much stress comes of it."

Trip shook his head, "If all you did was refuse him your services, then why does he feel the need to slaughter people just to get to you?"

Styrr shrugged, "Because he does what he wants, when he wants, and how he wants. He feels that he is entitled to whatever he wants when he wants it. Not really sure why he feels that way, I'm not a shrink, but he does." The dragon stretched slowly, feeling his bruised ribs and back pop loudly, "Take a man who thinks he has the right to have whatever he wants, mix that with a little bit of crazy, and you have the classic case of everything around him going up in flames. With him, even the craziest of ideas that wont ever work will be tried, and the losses too great for the money at the end. Anything, and I mean, anything is liable to happen with this man, but his forces don't even rival my own security force, so again, you needn't worry."

Trip looked over to Zynnis, "I know the feeling."

Zynnis pointed his weapon at Trip, "You motherfucker, I don't feel entitled, if I want something, I take it."

Styrr could only chuckle again, "My statement still stands. You ought to get married."

Zynnis' weapon went back to pointing at Styrr, "I still want to shoot you, how about that? Still funny?"

Styrr shrugged, "You don't really scare me, so yes."

Zynnis just sighed and holstered his pistol, "I'm not trying to scare you, I'm making a point." The hybrid walked to the fridge in the lounge of the office and pulled out a beer, downing half of it immediately, "I don't think you understand the gravity of this situation. Because of your friend, we have to spend the next week jumping system to system to try to again find an empty plot of space to cruise for two days before dropping off part of our passengers, I'm not sure if you realize how expensive that is."

Trip picked up where Zynnis left off, "We don't just have the corporate entity to handle, but the last of what remains of our home world, Zynnis and I may have only had our younger years to spend on the planet itself, but now, this is our home and we take everything involving our home very seriously, and we will do anything we must to keep our people safe.

Styrr nodded, "I understand, and I hope that you understand that I had nothing to do with what happened. No one could foresee an idiotic attack towards a vessel of this size and power."

"Oh, I understand that, but it doesn't make me overlook the fact that you almost got one team killed and put countless passengers and crew members of this fine star ship at risk. You're lucky we acted as fast as we did, because the blast from that ship could have crippled us, and if you haven't noticed, we are in the middle of no, and where." Zynnis wasn't easy to forgive, and almost never forgot. The fact that he didn't care for their guest wasn't helping the situation either.

Trip snorted, "Oh drop it. This conversation is over now ,the next thing we have to worry about is whether or not we will have to deal with further contact with this pirates."

Zynnis took another long drink from his beer, finishing it, then looked to Styrr, "So will we?" His voice was low, not threatening, but it was enough to let Styrr know he was still quite serious about the situation.

"I don't know, maybe this attempt will be his only one, maybe not. It all depends on how butt hurt he is about me turning down his business proposition," Styrr's body was already starting it's natural healing process, causing him to become quite tired, and even more than that, hungry. "I can only hope that slaughtering a ship full of innocent passerby's was enough to curb his blood lust and get his rocks off. It's sad to see, and doesn't make me feel good about myself, but one can hope."

Trip had to force himself not to growl, he understood casualties of war, it was the life that he and Zynnis lived. The fact that Zynnis and Styrr were both seemingly unaffected by it scared him, especially for Zynnis. He had lived a life much different from Zynnis, not forced to deal with fighting, death, and the loss of loved ones at every turn in his life. He was a businessman, and he was happy to keep it that way. He had had to make some calls in the past that he still regretted, but fortunately for him, he wasn't the one to have to execute those orders. He knew he would never get used to making those calls, and was more than glad to have Zynnis there to make the majority of those for him.

Zynnis noticed the wolf's wheels turning in his head, and knew what was going through it. He walked over and gently touched Trip's shoulder, "It'll be alright sweetheart. You'll be OK, just have to remember that the blood is never on your hands unless you gave the order, push the button, or pull the trigger, and even then, sometimes things just can't be avoided. Ain't a thing any of us can do about a dumb piece of shit that thinks he can do whatever he wants."

Trip smiled, appreciating the words, but knowing they wouldn't help, "I know, I'm just still not used to it to be honest, and probably never will be."

Styrr was still sitting in his chair watching the two, "You know, I'm still here right? So don't start any freaky shit unless you're OK with me joining in." He chuckled, he actually would not have minded that one bit.

"Shut up and go find someone better to bother. The lock down has been lifted by now surely, and you can get the hell out of here," Trip waved the dragon off, who slowly and painfully got out of his chair and walked out silently without another word, but with a weird smirk on his face. Trip turned back to Zynnis shaking his head slightly, "I don't really like him, but he has a lot of influence with a lot of powerful people.

Zynnis shrugged as he pulled another beer out of the fridge, opened it, and sipped from it, "I don't know, I'd fuck him. Sure, I hate his attitude and every time he opens his mouth, but damn."

The wolf rolled his eyes and moved back to the desk, "Of course you would." Trip gave Zynnis an evil glare, "Perhaps instead of shooting at him you just could have fucked him. All of these annoyances we are having with him now could probably have been avoided."

"Fuck you, I'm going drinking," Zynnis quickly downed his beer and set it on the counter with the other empty bottle, "I have celebrating to do with my team."

The hybrid turned and walked out of the office, both paws giving Trip the middle finger before he turned and hustled away, leaving Trip sighing and rolling his eyes.