Federation Aside - Initiation
"He's not talking. The drugs are having no effect." A swish of ringtail. "I don't know what else to do." The lieutenant commander nodded, crossing her arms. "Everything has a weakness." He was a shape-shifter. Caught last night in a restricted...
Best Frenemies
"E-sports," Baxter said with a heavy sigh. "That's what it's come to." "Mm?" went Fib, only vaguely paying attention. How long had Baxter been sitting there? Five minutes? Ten? Didn't he have anything better to do? "'It's the wave of the future,...
Mouse Your House
At eight-o'clock sharp, the network 'primetime' feed starts. "Tomorrow night," the announcer declares, voice dripping with anticipation, "it's an _all-new_ episode of the award-winning hit show **The Capybaras**. They are the chilliest rodents in town...
Three Words Away
He was three minutes (and three words) away. And his heart was pounding. And it was clear that, maybe ... perhaps ... he was taking a risk. That he was gonna break his heart. Or have it broken by ... well, regardless, it ... Azure breathed. Out...
5.2 - Either-Ore
The stars snapped from silvery streaks to jeweled dots as the HCS (High Command Starship) Solstice exited warp, switching to impulse power and easing into high orbit of a rocky, reddish world. “Alright, gang,” Captain Advance said, leaning back and...
5.5 - Crackers Don't Matter
**Zip!** **ZIP!** **Choom-choom-choom!** Beams of neon-green light lanced through the inky void of space and slammed into the freighter Reverie. Once, twice. Again and again. Relentless! Its shields shimmered, thrusters at full glow. Reverie,...
Troubadours
ADMIRATION BY THE BRIDEGROOM " ... how beautiful and how delightful you are, My love, with all your charms! Your stature is like a palm tree, And your breasts like its clusters. I said, 'I will climb the palm tree, I will take hold...
Every Time We Eat Out
"Every time I go out to eat, I get put in the corner. Even when I'm seated at round tables!" quipped the chipmunk, cantankerously. His remark drew a chorus of laughs. He must've been at least seventy-five and belonged to a group of 'elderly...
Peachy Keen
"Saw your bosom buddy on the news this morning." Meadow blinked. "My _who_?" "Your big-titted capy friend," Petra said, flicking on the office lights. The plain brown rat then went to the central air controls, turning the cooling unit back on. It was...
5.3 - Eternal Sunshine
Nighttime, shipside. The HCS Yellowknife, at medium-warp, was in deep space (five weeks out from Redwing Station). Halfway through a three-year mission, the research vessel was tasked with exploring and mapping the far reaches of the Uncharted...
Photogenic
"Left?" was the snow rabbit's light, feminine breath. Half-question and half-echo. One foot-paw off the ground, toes curled. As she waited for an answer. " ... just a little bit," Ross finally nodded, distractedly. "My left ... or yours?" ...
Melt Away
"You're staring at me, again." "Am I?" "Mm-hmm," Adelaide said. The bat lazily leaned back in her chair, letting her delicate wing-arms drape down to the floor. The other rooms in their old, drafty farmhouse were carpeted. Not this one. Her...