FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

It was dark and cold, the room barely lit by a few lamps and the glow from several monitor screens. The cool metal of the table pressing into my back, the rough ropes keeping me pinned and rubbing at my exposed skin. It was an all too familiar feeling , one I had experienced hundreds of times. I didn't struggle at this point, already knowing it's too late, but when they had come for me… well... someone is missing a few teeth now.

A shadowy figure sits nearby behind the monitors, wires trailing from the computer down to the floor, then up along the table where they connected to the back of my head, burrowing into my flesh and connecting to my implant.

There was a clicking of keys, the figure typing away at the keyboard. I braced myself as best I could, waiting expectantly for the pain I knew was to come.

It took me by surprise, just like every other time, burning hot pain shooting through the wires and slamming into my skull, making my vision go white. I screamed, my voice high pitched and hoarse as what felt like a thousand snakes crammed their way into my head and started writhing around, biting at my brain and squeezing it in their coils!

My body thrashed, back arching, eyes bulging, arms pulling at the ropes that kept me bound, skin rubbing raw and breaking. I couldn't stop screaming, not even when my mind retreated in on itself. I could hear my own voice, distant and unfamiliar, my body simply reacting to the pain that coursed through it.

Then it stopped and I fell back down to the table. I was breathing hard, panting, sweat coating my body. The heads up display of my neural implant was going haywire, flickering with static. Errors popped up by the dozens, only to be minimized as warning messages appeared, trying to get my attention.

I glanced at one, the message telling me that I had sustained injuries to my arms. I knew it was right, I could feel the warmth oozing out of me, hear the soft splash as my blood dripped off my arms and pooled on the table.

There was the clack of keys, and I tried to get myself ready, tried to brace for it. It did not help. I left the table again, crying and thrashing, pulling against the bonds that kept me there. The pain was so much worse than before, like someone was taking a hot, iron poker and branding my brain. Again, I screamed. Higher, longer, till my throat was raw, pleading and begging for it to stop.

My HUD flickered wildly, the heart beat monitor in the upper left corner rising and falling rapidly. More errors, more warnings, all of it overloading my senses. My anti-virus popped up, warning me of something, but the pain was too great for me to pay it any attention.

I tried to hide, slinking back into the deepest, darkest recesses of my mind. My body fell limp, no longer able to sustain the energy needed to struggle. My screaming had ceased, yet my mouth remained open in a silent screech.

Finally, it stopped, but I hardly noticed, having retreated so far back into my psyche. I tried to think, to comprehend what was going on, but everything felt fuzzy and distant. I wasn't seeing things correctly, it was as if I was looking through a screen, watching the world through someone else's eyes. I heard things too, voices, people talking. They were far off, muffled and unintelligible.

I closed my eyes, wanting to just rest for a moment, just a single moment, the voices and noises around me slowly fading.

My eyes snap open at the sound of screaming and I find myself standing in a crowd. Snow fell all around us, a giant Christmas tree beautifully decorated right in the center of what looked to be a plaza. Reefs and bows decorated lampposts, twinkling lights hung from every building, along with other festive decorations.

I was still trapped inside my head, watching through the windows that were my own eyes as a young looking man writhed on the ground clutching at his head. There was a woman there, kneeling next to him and screaming, begging for someone to call an ambulance while two kids, barely more than five or six, stood nearby looking horrified.

I felt like I should do something, to rush over and try to help, to call an ambulance just like how dozens of other people were doing right now. But I didn't. I just stood there; watching as the man's thrashing finally slowed and came to a stop.

I was stone faced, emotionless at seeing what just happened, yet for some reason tears ran down my cheeks. There was a voice in my head, it said something, and suddenly I was turning around and leaving. I screamed at myself to turn back, to go help that person even if I already knew they were dead, but my body would not listen.

My world began to spin, the bright lights and the faces of people all around me turning into nothing but a blur. Then I was falling, plummeting into the darkness that surrounds me, everything growing darker, and darker, until… nothing.

***

I awake screaming, cold sweat drenching my body, a shock of phantom pain shooting through my skull and making me flinch.

“J-Just a dream… I-It was just a dream," I mutter to myself, drawing my knees to my chest and hugging them. “I-I'm fine, t-totally fine." I sat there for a while hugging my knees and telling myself that I was fine, that everything was okay. Clearly, it was not.

Clutching my pillow to my chest, I sob into it, staining it with my tears as I gradually recover from another nightmare. Once my breathing has calmed down and I feel like I can function properly, I slide off the bed.

“Fuck!" I hiss, breathing in sharply. Pain flares up in my legs, though it was not as bad as yesterday, just a dull ache, like what you would feel after a day of exercise. Seems whatever medicine the doctor had given me is working quite well to repair my muscles.

Shaking it off, I stand up and stretch, shuffling in place to warm my feet before slipping my boots back on, the laces automatically tightening. Heading over to the corner with the sink and toilet, a light above me switches on and casts a dim glow in this little section of my cell, allowing me to see.

After relieving my bladder from the pressure it had been experiencing, I turn to the sink. The wall shifts and shimmers for a second, like a wave rolling across the ocean. Tiny little tiles that had melded with the wall seamlessly now turn on their axis to a more reflective side, forming a mirror.

Looking into the mirror above the sink, I'm met by the gaze of blue and grey eyes imprisoned by strands of white hair. Brushing my hair back behind my ears and out of the way, I free my eyes from their prison. I turn on the tap and splash some water into my face, trying to wake myself up and forget the horrors of last night.

The flow of water, whether recycled or not, makes my head spin, my stomach clenching at the sight of it. Almost as if in a frenzy, I duck my head under the faucet, gulping down water faster than I should.

“Ah!" I gasp as I pull away, my throat no longer dry. It was nice, my body thanking me for rehydrating myself after a year of stasis. Then it betrayed me, my head spinning and stomach groaning in displeasure, I cover my mouth as the feeling of throwing up over comes me, nausea making the world spin. I dive for the toilet, my head over the bowl just in time as I start to dry heave, my stomach not having anything to throw up.

“Too fast," I groan, coming down from the sudden fit. Sighing, I stand up, wiping the corner of my mouth with my sleeve even though there was nothing there. I look around the room, unsure what to do now that I was awake.

Looking out the massive window allowed me to see the vacuum of space, asteroids tumbling by, and on occasion, bouncing off the station's shields when they got too close. The system's star was nearby, relatively speaking, far enough away as to not incinerate the station. The light it emitted was much whiter compared to the sun in the Sol system.

The window darkened even further, protecting me from being burnt to ash as the first, pale rays of the star peaked over the curve of the planet before me.

As soon as the light pours into my room, I hear a ding come from behind me. Turning, I look in the direction of the noise, a blue-colored light above the door having just turned on. I walk over, and as I get within two feet of the door, it opens. Peeking my head out the doorway, I notice the other cells are starting to open, prisoners of all shapes and sizes shuffling out into the hall.

Most of the prisoners greeted one another and then grouped up with their friends or lackeys. The mass of red shifted in one direction, everyone moving down the hall, walking in the opposite direction of the lift that had brought me here… Yesterday? Last night? My sense of time is all out of whack.

I'm not sure what to do, my mind debating whether I should follow the flow of inmates or not. I clutch at the doorframe, leaning against it as I watch all the red clad aliens move down the hall. My legs still ached but it wasn't too bad as to be crippling, however, everyone here was quite a bit bigger than me and the fear of getting crushed under foot was a real one.

Slowly I begin to notice the hushed whispers, the slow of traffic quite evident as people turn to stare at me. My body goes tense, feeling the gaze of hundreds of eyes upon me. Glancing around quickly confirms it, almost everyone in the hall coming to a crawl as they stare at me, confusion written all over their faces, as well as something else that I would rather not think about.

Suddenly, someone steps out of the crowd and approaches me, coming to a stop just a few feet away, hands on hips. I have to crane my neck to look up at the face of the Kilnoid.

She had a large figure, the jumpsuit she wore looking a bit tight from having to contain the massive swell of her chest and the clearly defined muscles that adorned her body. Her biceps were as big as my head, her thighs nearly as large around as my chest, and I just knew she had abs as hard as rock but they were hidden beneath the suit. I barely came up to her chest, her height easily eight feet tall if not more.

She was coated in shaggy, silver-grey fur, two solid black eyes staring down at me as her short muzzle twisted into a grin, showing off the large, dagger sized tusk protruding from her upper jaw. The large, pointed, bat-like ears on the sides of her head adding to her intimidation factor. Throw a set of horns on her and she would look like a demon straight out of hell.

“A human, and male at that," said the Kilnoid, her voice deep, a slight growling sound mixed into her tone. Her long, pink tongue slipped out and licked her lips suggestively, “I heard there was a newbie, but you are not what I was expecting."

I glance around at the small crowd that had started to form, everyone watching me closely, as if I was some kind of endangered animal at a zoo. I felt uncomfortable, the pressure of attention laying heavily on my shoulders as I try to think of a response.

I have never been in a situation like this! All other prisons had kept me in a cell almost 24/7 and I hardly ever interacted with other inmates. Sure, there was Andromeda's courtyard, which was more or less just a gym, but I had never bothered to check it out. What am I supposed to do!

“I, uh… I-I'm surprised myself," I offer, letting out a nervous chuckle at the end.

“Hmm, whatever the reason, it is rather difficult to believe a pretty little thing like you would end up in prison. You ought to be careful, there are some pretty nasty people here that would like to take advantage of someone so…" She trailed off, looking me up and down before saying, “small."

Weak is what she meant, though I tried to not let the comment get too me, even if I knew she was right.

“Okay, that's enough, move along," came a familiar voice, echoing off the walls and surrounding everyone. Sections of the ceiling opened up and dozens of those disk-shaped turrets descended, humming with power as their cannons became charged, the tips of their cones glowing a bright blue.

Almost instantly, the flow of inmates began again, the large Kilnoid giving me one last smirking glance before heading off with the others. As they left, the turrets retreated into the ceiling, the panels closing with no trace that they were even there.

Whether she meant too or not, Artemis had just saved me from a very awkward and tense situation.

I debated with myself on whether I should go back into my cell and wait for everyone to leave or just go with the flow and see where it went. Deciding to just follow the crowd, I finally step out of the doorway, the doors sliding shut behind me.

At the end of the corridor was a large entranceway leading into a room with two white, circular platforms ringed by soft, teal light. Groups of four to five prisoners huddled up to fit on the platforms, give or take a few depending on the species. Then the platform would descended, hardly making a sound. Grav-lifts I'd wager.

While people waited, they stood around and talked, or walked off to either side of the room and disappeared through one of two identical doorways. The walls and floor curved out of sight around a dividing wall, steam and the sound of running water drifting out through the entrances.

Showers is what I'm guessing, and if the steam was anything to go by, then they had heated water. I felt a tug in the pit of my stomach, my body wanting to take a nice hot shower and get clean after so long of not having bathed. It wasn't as if I stank, or that I was even dirty, but my body and mind were starting to catch up on how long it has been since I was placed in stasis. Even after getting thawed out, I can still feel the chill of being frozen; it was as if it was embedded in my skin, constantly there and never letting me feel warm.

I tear my gaze away from the shower entrance, even if I wanted one I wasn't about to strip naked in front of a bunch of women! Especially not criminals!

Noticing a lull in activity around the grav-lifts, everyone having either gone down or entered the showers, I head over, stepping onto the platform. There is a pause as the computer waits to see if anyone else was getting on, which thankfully no one was, the room blissfully empty now. It then began to descend smoothly, white walls coming up to surround me.

It only took a few seconds for the lift to reach the bottom, a set of doors sliding open as it came to a stop.

Instantly I was hit with a wave of sounds and smells. The bustling chatter of people holding conversations, the clink of metal and glass, and the smell of… food! Oh, by the stars, did that smell make my mouth water with need! It's been so, so long since I ate anything! As if on cue, my stomach lurches and grumbles, cramping up with the desire to digest something and causing me to almost double over in pain.

I edge my way into the room, clearly a cafeteria of some sort, and scanned the area. On the other side was another set of lifts, tables and benches taking up most of the empty space. However, scattered through the cafeteria at what seemed to be strategic intervals, were devices that oddly resembled vending machines.

A Venmar walked up to one of the machines, tapping at touch screen display. The device hummed for a few minutes, then a plate of food, I can't make out what it is from here, was pushed out on a small conveyor belt. She then picked it up and walked back to her table.

Slowly, the soft buzz of chatter starts to die down, and glancing around, I find almost everyone in here staring at me, talking in hushed whispers. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I have half a mind to just turn right back around, get in the lift, and go back to my cell. That, however, was not going to happen, as I hear the doors to the grav-lift behind me open with a hiss.

“Na'Rutha, surely you are joking? There is no way a human, and a boy at that, would ever be imprisoned here!" a soft feminine voice said from behind me, a slight musical lilt to their tone.

“I am not joking! I swear, he was in room 75! I was talking to him before that fucking A.I went and interrupted us!" replied this Na'Rutha person, who's deep growling voice sounded familiar.

“Yes, well, I'm sure your version of 'talking' was more like predatory flirting. Speaking of which don't you--“ the voice suddenly cuts off, the sound of footsteps behind me suddenly coming to a halt. “Well, I suppose you were right my friend, forgive me for not believing you." A huff of indignation was the only response.

Turning around slowly, I find the Kilnoid from earlier standing next to a Skal.

She was tall, only a foot shorter than her furry companion, her body muscular but not overly so like a Kilnoid's, more like a gymnast or a swimmer. She was covered in a mosaic of shiny black scales, the natural armor transitioning to white underneath her long, slender muzzle, and running down her neck and disappearing below the collar of her own jumpsuit. Atop her head was a pair of pearly-white horns wrapped in golden rings, white fur and small, boney spines trailing from the between her horns and down her back. That drew my attention to the pair of large wings folded behind her and the long serpentine tail that swayed idly, the fur and spines continuing their trail down the center of the flexible appendage, right to the tip.

Around her slender neck lay several gold chains, a large, shiny diamond in the shape of a triangle hanging from one and resting atop a chest that was easily as big as my own head if not more so. Her hands, four fingers and thumb, like my own, were tipped with razor sharp claws that appeared to be well manicured. How in the world she managed to do that in a prison of all places was a mystery to me. Adorning her right hand's ring finger was a simple gold band, the left's middle wearing another gold ring with a red gem embedded in the center. Whether it was a ruby, a Mar's quartz, or some other crimson colored jewel, I was unsure.

She stared down at me, two slit pupils floating in a sea of gold locking my gaze with hers. Her eyes narrowed, becoming cold and calculating, like she was looking for a lie that not even I knew I was telling. Then, they softened, becoming warm honey as she spoke.

“I can't say I'm not surprised by this, but I also can't say I'm not interested as well. Come, human, tell me your name." It was not a request, but a demand hidden so well by honeyed words that one could hardly ascertain the difference.

“Jason…" I say hesitantly, taking just half a step back, something that the Skal noticed instantly, “Jason Wilks."

“Jason…" she mused, testing the name on her forked tongue, “A lovely name. I can tell that you are nervous, anxious even. Getting transferred can be a bit stressful, so come, why don't you sit with us for morning meal." A grin spread across her face, showing off her needle-like teeth. The smile was anything but welcoming, her pupils narrowing even further, her eyes glinting like a predator who had just found their prey. It was nearly impossible to tell, but I had experienced this same thing enough times to know that what she spoke, was an order hidden behind a question that was not a question.

“A-Actually, I am still a bit tired, so I was just about to head back to my room," I say, my voice already cracking and shaking with nerves. She just stared at me, the smirk never leaving her muzzle as I back away. I freeze as I bump into something behind me. Tilting my head back, I find myself looking up into the face of a black-furred Venmar, her eyes such a piercing green it seemed like she was staring into my very soul.

“Don't be ridiculous, you are as thin as rod, you need to eat! Reyna, would you take Na'Rutha and go get us something to eat while I take care of our guest here?" said the Skal, the smirk she wore never wavering and her eyes never leaving mine.

I had to do a double take as a Silistain came slithering into view. At first I thought she was naked, her scales a perfect mix of red and orange, causing the red jumpsuit to blend into her figure almost perfectly. Her eyes were strangely entrancing, her sclera a deep void of black, and within that void of darkness rested two burning, red irises with slit pupils. A forked tongue flicks out of her small, adorable snout, tasting, or I guess smelling, the air around her.

Her head was that of a snake, like a cobra, a hood folded along the sides of her neck. Her torso and arms that of a human, her body so similar in color to the jumpsuit that the small curve of her chest was nearly invisible. Her arms are not packed with muscles like everyone else, but are thin and slender. Her hands, the same as mine, had trimmed nails painted black.

“Yes, Mistress," hissed Reyna, “Come Na'Rutha." She slithered over and grabbed the thick, furry forearm of the Kilnoid, leading her away towards one of the many vending-like machines. As she moved, her body slinked and slithered, bent and wound in such an exotic way, that with the light bouncing off her scales, it looked like her body was made of sentient fire.

The black and white Skal watched as her subordinates left, before turning her attention back to me.

“Come, let us find a place to sit," she said, turning and walking off. With the Venmar to my back, I had no choice but to follow her.

As we passed already occupied tables, almost everyone would wave or give some form of greeting to the Skal. Many offered to vacate their seats if she needed them too, but she always waved them down, thanking them for the gesture before moving on.

The way they looked at her, with devotion and loyalty, never once a glare or rude word. Her very presence demanded respect and admiration, her head held high, her stride purposeful as she made a beeline for an empty table. It was as if she ruled these people, a beloved general walking among her troops. She was clearly someone important, dangerous, and not to be trifled with.

I would say I should keep my guard up, but I had learned a long time ago that my guard, no matter how hard I try, is easily broken.

We come to an empty table somewhere in the middle of the cafeteria, the dragon-like alien woman taking a seat on one of the metal benches. She gave a nod towards the bench across from her, gesturing for me to take a seat, and so I did.

I can feel the eyes of nearly a hundred people glancing our way, even if everyone was pretending not to be paying attention. Anxiety washes over me, hands clenching so hard beneath the table that I felt my nails digging into my palms. Any harder and I would start to bleed.

“So, Jason, would you mind answering a few questions for me?" she asks sweetly. My jaw clenches, knowing full well that again, this was not just a question but a demand. How did she do it? How was she able to make the simplest question seem like an order but still a question!

I look at her warily, saying, “No, I don't mind. C-Could you tell me who you are though?"

“Ah, how rude of me, I do apologize." She raised her hand to her chest, her toothy smile on full display, and announced, “I am, Nala Van Ester Vertikal."

Vertikal, that name, it sounds familiar but… I can't quite put my finger on it. I feel like I should know it, but still, my mind is drawing a blank.

“Now, my first and most burning question! How are you here?" She looks at me expectantly, her fingers steepled in front of her.

“Um, what do you mean?" I question, confusion written all over my face.

“I mean how are you here? This station's A.I, Artemis, quite loves to have things neat and orderly, the fact she allowed a human, a male human, to remain here is quite surprising."

“Oh, that! She said someone had made a mistake, marking my transfer location as the Artemis station rather than the Apollo station, and that she was denied to funds to transfer me again."

“The Apollo station?" Nala queried, brow raised.

I nod saying, “From what I understand it's the same as here, just… you know, for males. Apparently, it's on the other side of the galaxy."

Nala nods in understanding, her eyes adrift in thought. “I see. Understandable I suppose, I doubt the alliance wants to spend another several million credits on one single prisoner."

It made sense, who in their right mind would spend millions of credits to simply transfer a prisoner who has already been transferred. Regardless of mistaken location. They would have to pay for fuel for the ship, even if it had a renewable energy reactor they still had to pay to keep it running, as well as paying the crew and their expenses, and providing them the equipment needed. Moreover, the Alliance is still fighting a war, reclaiming planets and eliminating the Wraith scourge was way more important than a single rambunctious criminal.

“My second question," said Nala, interrupting my thoughts, “What got you landed here, my dear?"

Before I could say anything, the Kilnoid, Na'Rutha, and the Silistain, Reyna, returned with plates full of food. Reyna even had a platter containing glasses of a strange blue liquid balanced on the tip of her tail. Quite the show of grace.

They set the food down, spreading it across the table like a banquet, Reyna handing out the glasses of drinks to everyone. There was so much, mountains of fresh, hot meats, juicy fruits, crunchy vegetables. It was just too much; though I am sure it was rather modest for the two largest people here. I knew Kilnoids ate around ten-thousand calories compared to a human's normal two-thousand. As for Skals though, their diets are quite random, their calorie consumption always changing, and though they might not look it, the dragon-like aliens ate more fruit then they did meat.

Na'Rutha took a seat next to Nala, and to my surprise, and to the amusement of the others, Reyna coiled herself up as best she could before sitting down next to me. Something that made me feel tense, though I can't really blame her seeing as there was nowhere else to sit.

“My question can wait for later, for now, eat! You must be famished, a cute little boy like yourself needs to keep up his strength," crooned Nala, her elbow propped up on the table with her head resting in her palm. Her gaze never left me, even as she speared what appeared to be a melon slice with one of her sharp claws.

There was no cutlery, but that didn't seem to deter the others, they simply plucked up what they wished and ate it with their hands. However, since nature seemed to have gifted all other species asides from humans some type of claw, talon, or other deadly appendage, the small group of mixed species just used their built-in weapons as forks and knives.

I pluck up the first thing in front of me, a strange-looking fruit, oval in shape and covered in a blue outer skin, the texture that of a plum. I brought it closer and took a sniff, unable to smell anything apart from a faint fruity fragrance. I held it in my hands and gently pressed my two thumbs into it, thick, colorful, sticky juices poured from the puncture wounds, and slowly, I peel it apart until I had half the fruit resting in each palm.

I stare at the fruit in amazement, the inner flesh a multitude of colors making it look like a rainbow. In the center was a white pit vaguely shaped like a heart, slightly stained varying hues of color from the juices.

“It is called an oro-oro fruit. It is a native specimen from my home planet, Vorax," explained Nala. She popped the entire slice of fruit she had speared into her mouth, her fangs flashing for a moment before they disappeared.

I look back to the fruit, and then hesitantly I raise it to my mouth, the sweet smell of citrus flooding my nose, and I take a bite. As soon as the flesh of the fruit hits my tongue, I groan out my approval, closing my eyes as I savor this strange alien delicacy. The skin of the oro-oro was like that of a plum, the flesh juicy and not overly sweet. The flavor was strangely familiar, something like strawberries, and… dragon fruit? Yes, dragon fruit!

Perhaps it was because I hadn't eaten in over a year, but this singular piece of fruit tasted like heaven, and I just couldn't get enough of it! Before I knew it, the fruit was gone and the only thing that remained was the heart-shaped pit. I look up to find Nala grinning at me, and I start to feel heat rising to my cheeks. I must have looked completely ridiculous devouring the oro-oro like that.

“Good?" she asks, spearing one of the oval shaped fruits for herself, popping the whole thing into her maw, pit and all.

“I, uh," I felt the stickiness of residual fruit juice clinging to the corner of my mouth and I quickly wipe it away with the back of my hand, “Y-Yes, it was... good."

“Then, by all means, help yourself! You must be starving after such a long journey from the Sol System."

I look down at the table, eyeing the substantial mountains of food. My stomach rumbles and a twinge of pain shoots through my core, my stomach demanding I eat just a little more. I rest a hand on my stomach, trying in some way to placate the pain, biting my lip uncertainly.

I look back up at Nala and ask, “A-Are you sure it's ok?"

I was starving, true, but what if this was some kind of trick, a ploy to butter me up and get something out of me? I didn't exactly have anything to offer either, and I'm sure she knew that already. Maybe the food was poisoned? No, that can't be it, all the others are eating everything just fine.

“Of course it's okay, you are my guest after all, and it would be rude of me to deny you," she said, picking up her glass of blue liquid and bringing it to her lips, she smirked over the edge of the glass at me and continued, “By the way, you're cute when you're nervous."

My breathing hitched and I can feel my face flushing red once more, heat rising to my cheeks, not knowing how to respond to something like that. I decide to ignore it, hesitantly reaching across the table to nab something that looked suspiciously like bacon. Suddenly, a furry hand grips my wrist, a shamefully high-pitched squeak leaving me as I am raised bodily out of my seat.

I look up to find the Venmar staring at me with her cold, deadpan glare, one of her hands wrapped around my wrist, holding me aloft like I weighed nothing. I knew it! I was right, this was all just a trick to lure me into a false sense of security, and now this six-foot-tall mass of furry muscle is going to gut me like a fish and probably serve up my entrails as a garnish for their breakfast!

I close my eyes tightly, bracing myself for the pain that was to come, my body starting to shiver in fear as I await the searing bite from her claws, or the powerful force her jaw would use to rip out my throat. I was jostled around as the Venmar leaned across the table, I can feel her warm breath on my face, I had expected it to smell of carrion, or at least have the scent of meat, but it was minty and crisp like she had just finished brushing her teeth. Something cold and wet presses against my throat, moving the suppressant collar aside to better access my jugular.

This was it then, huh? This was how I was going to die, in a prison full of beautiful yet terrifying alien women, my throat, torn out and devoured, and the rest of my body diced up to be served as finger food.

But nothing happened. The cold wet object pressing against my throat remained, and a second later the sound of sniffing reached my ears. Slowly I open my eyes and glance down, the Venmar had her faced buried beneath my chin, her nose pressing against my throat and sniffing all over. Slowly she pulled back, the look on her face one of… Annoyance? Disappointment?

“He's spoiled… but not by one of our own?" she says, her tone disappointed yet confused, voice barely more than a whisper.

“W-What?" I ask, my mind racing, confused yet relieved I was still alive. I could feel my arm starting to ache as it tried to support my weight on its own, the incision made for the identification chip feeling like it was about to be ripped open!

“Hmm… What a shame," sighed Nala, her face falling, “I was so looking forward to having a new pet to spoil too. However, if not by one of ours, then by whom?"

“I am very sorry milady, I do not recognize the scent."

“It's not your fault Korza, perhaps little Jason here can elaborate for us," Nala reassures the Venmar, patting her on the shoulder before looking at me expectantly. Finally, Korza lowers me back down till my feet touch the ground, and once she lets go of my arm, I collapse onto the bench beneath me, hand shooting to my shoulder and clutching at it.

My entire body aches, my head is killing me with how much it's pounding, my arm feels like it's about to fall off, and my heart is racing in my chest. At this point, I just want to go back to my cell and rest, both my mind and my body are already exhausted, and I don't think I can handle any more excitement for today.

“I must apologize, Jason, I was unaware that you had already been claimed by another. If you don't mind telling me, I would very much like to know who managed to get their hands on such a cute little treasure such as yourself," said Nala, her once saddened expression shifting to one of curiosity. “Was it one of the guards perhaps? I doubt anyone from another tower had a chance to even see you yet."

“W-What… I… I don't understand… Wh-- What the hell is going on?" I plead, my mind addled and my body aching.

“I was hoping you would be able to tell us that." Her brow was raised, face a washed with curiosity.

“T-Tell you what? I honestly don't know what you are talking about!"

“Tell us why you smell like a Venmar," said Reyna, speaking to me directly for the first time. She had sat relatively quiet during all of this, the only thing keeping me from forgetting she was there being the slight movements she made when adjusting herself on her coils, or when she made to grab something off the table.

Nala stared at me with expectant eyes, those slit pupils digging into me so fiercely that it felt like she was trying to read my mind. The others at the table had long since stopped eating, paying attention to our conversation, all except Na'Rutha who continued to eat and seemed wholly content to ignore us.

Korza held her drink in her hand and gnawed on something that looked akin to a lamb shank, her eyes emotionless and unreadable. The fact that her ears had perked up and swiveled in our direction the only thing signifying she was even listening.

“No one has, uh, claimed me as you say," I explain, looking down at the glass of opaque, blue liquid that Reyna had placed in front of me. My throat suddenly felt parched, mouth dry and at a loss for words. I pick up the glass and take a hesitant sip. The consistence was like milk, the flavor sweet and fruity. It was nice.

I know what it is they are smelling, my heritage, the half of me that is Venmar. Perhaps the strange transformation during my time in stasis had done more to my body than I had initially thought.

How would they react to a Hybrid? Interspecies relationships were not illegal, but many people, mainly old-school families, frowned upon it quite heavily. Hell, it was not uncommon for most soldiers who entered the military to come out with an alien partner!

Even though humans and aliens are not compatible for reproduction 99% of the time, there are the extremely rare few, like myself, that were born to an interracial couple. However, that 1% of unique people born through a miracle are generally looked down upon, being seen as freaks of nature. People find the mix of a human appearance with alien features quite strange, they can't wrap their heads around it, and because of that, they decide to just hate it.

Earth's racial problem from hundreds of years ago had mellowed out quite a bit, while still present; it was not as strong as it used to be. However, when aliens showed up 50 years ago, the jackasses who thought race was everything, started crawling out of the woodwork.

“Well, Jason?" the sound of Nala's voice broke me from my internal debate and I looked up to meet her gaze. “Why do you smell like a Venmar if one has not claimed you?"

“O-Oh! W-Well," I stutter, trying to think up a lie on the spot, “Yesterday a Venmar doctor was checking me out once I came out of stasis, so you know, i-it's probably that!" Sweat breaks out on my forehead, hands clenching my glass so tight I fear it might break.

“No, the smell of being around someone is completely different, less intimate, yours, however, is very, very intimate," mused Reyna, she leaned closer to me, her tongue flicking out and nearly tickling my nose as she took in my scent.

“No, now that I smell it more clearly, you do not have the scent of being outwardly marked, more like the smell is coming from… Inside you," she leaned even closer, her flaming red eyes boring into my mismatched irises, her tongue flicking out to taste, or rather smell, the air. “Is there something you're hiding, Jason?"

I tore my eyes away from hers, glancing over to Nala for help with getting her subordinate off of me. To my horror, Nala too was staring at me intently; her eyes narrowed, and suspicion roiling around inside those golden pools.

Do I tell them? Do I not tell them? What were the chances of them finding out later on? If so many people can smell my Venmar heritage, then sooner or later someone is going to put two and two together. I shift my gaze to my feet, the liquid in my cup rippling with how much my hands are shaking.

“I… I'm, a… a h-Hybrid," I whisper so quietly that not even Korza could hear me. To my horror, however, as soon as I say that, Na'Rutha stops eating, her large, pointed ears twitching as she shoots me a glance, surprise glittering in her dark eyes. She remains silent, but now she's listening just as intently as the others.

“Come now, my dear, speak up, I do hate when people don't speak clearly," said Nala, her voice cold and icy. “Now, say that again, but this time, do try to make it intelligible, or I'll have Reyna squeeze it out of you if I have to."

This was not the nice hostess I had started growing somewhat used to, no, this conversation has changed from social to business, and so has Nala. This was the side I was terrified of, her claws clicking on the table impatiently, her gaze shooting daggers into me, her needle-like teeth showing has her muzzle turned up into a sneer as I kept her waiting.

“I do not like to be kept waiting, Jason. For your sake, I would hurry up and answer before I do something drastic, and I don't want to have mar such a cute face," she growled, her annoyance growing steadily.

“I…I am," I start slowly, taking a deep breath before finally saying, “I am a Hybrid. Half human, half Venmar."