A Chance at A New Beginning: Prelude
"Ma'am? As much as I agree something needs to be one this seems like a bad idea." A large female black panthertaur spoke out while she finished prepping the mission pamphlet. "I mean our recon shows them to be an underdeveloped species, their planet is fairly polluted and plugged with war and famine. They're not even fit to have open relations with other species yet." Her tail flicked back and forth nervously as she spoke. "Not to mention the young vixen you have chosen to undertake this task is ill trained, should anything go wrong she'll likely..."
Letting out a long sigh before the panthertaur could finish the slender vixentaur she was speaking to spoke up. "I understand your concern but what's the alternative?" She asked in a soft tone. The vixentaur slowly making her way towards the panthertaur she extended her hand and placed it on the panther's shoulder. "We are out of options and out time is limited if we don't do this. The gods have smiled upon us with this discovery, we must not squander it."
Letting go of the panthertaur's shoulder the vixentaur turned and walked over to the windows of the main deck, looking down at the blue planet she continued to speak. "Annai, do you know why I wanted you as my first mate for this voyage?" She asked.
"Not really captain." Annai replied pinning her ears back a little. "I have not caused you to regret that decision though have I?"
"No Annai you have not." The captain replied flicking her bushy tail a little at the notion. "I wanted you because you are sensible and not afraid to voice your concerns with me. I felt I would need someone like you by my side and time and time again I have been proven right in that aspect." Turning back to face Annai the vixentaur shook her head a little. "But if you brush your worry aside and think logically about this for a moment you'll come to the conclusion we have no choice. Seven planets with life on them and he is the first genetic match we have been able to find." She continued. "Keyo knows the risks of the task set before her and we have taken every precaution we can to insure that she returns to us successful. We have put a great deal of time into following this creature with our reconnaissance drones, learning his patterns, and gathering information about this planet's culture."
The vixentaur tapped her front left paw lightly on the metal floor. "We are low on supplies now and cannot wait any longer, I got the greenlight from the queen to make contact. She seemed even hasty in her approval, that should tell you how desperate our situation is." Her paw ceased it's movement. "Our race as well as the Azzur race is facing extinction if we do not act, we may be able to prolong it but without any males to stay the decline in population we will inevitably vanish into time."
"No males? I thought there were a little over one-hundred left!" Annai said in utter disbelief. "We have not been gone that long what happened!?"
"The virus claimed their lives, I kept this from you and the crew to keep spirits up, a little over sixty days ago our last male passed away." She explained shaking her head. "It seems leaving them behind to try and keep our numbers up was a mistake... We should have at least taken a few on board with us." The vixentaur let out a little chuckle. "Kinda funny huh? We have perfected space travel, we have mastered putting a stopper in time allowing us to live for hundreds of years yet all of our knowledge could not save our males from a virus."
Annai Remained silent, speechless over the news. "Ma'am... what if... what if we are meant to... you know... go extinct." She asked fearfully.
"If that is the gods will then so shall it be but that don't mean we should not fight and try to survive." The vixentaur replied. "Besides if that was the case i'm not sure they would have blessed us with this latest discovery." Turning back to the window the captain looked back at the small blue planet. "Take the mission pamphlet to Keyo, I will be down to the docking bay shortly to see her off myself." Placing her right hand on the glass the vixentaur traced the outline of the blue planet before her. "It's important that she knows how important this missions is." The captain watched Annai turn to leave and let her take a few steps before speaking once more. "Oh and Annai, I trust you will keep that little bit about our males passing between us." The captain looked back at Annai. "The girls have it hard enough here, no need to a to their stress, there will be a time and a place to let them know but that time is not anytime soon... am I clear?"
Looking back at her captain Annai did not say a word, she only gave a gentle nod respecting her captains wishes. Leaving the captain's champers the panthertaur made her way to the living quarters to fetch Keyo, the brave vixen who was about to make the trip to this underdeveloped hostile planet to make contact with one of it's residents in hope of convincing him to help and aid her in saving her species.