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Salvage crews travel across the cosmos to unearth alien artifacts and vessels. |
| [Introduction]
USS. Dracos Intelligent life was discovered nearly 1000 years ago. And now, in the year 3013, it connects and thrives across the galaxies. A collection of agencies known as the U.C.I. (United Cosmos Institute) collaborates with others across the universe to promote healthy relations among all human and non-human kinds. One program in this interstellar effort involves the recovery of alien artifacts and the disposal of abandoned vessels in space. Salvage crews from each planet work to keep space clean and return important historical pieces to their place of origin. Representing Earth, the crew of the USS Dracos travels to perform their appointed task and protect our shared cosmos. Crew Members: Captain Dana Keyton - half human, half Dracos (alien). Dana is the daughter of the ship’s previous captain, the esteemed Khraleen Keyton (full Dracos). With her knowledge of ship life and salvage experience, she leads her ragtag team as safely and successfully as she can. [Personal: She feels a great weight to live up to her father’s legacy. She also tries to soothe relations among her crewmates]. Author: Kat  Tamika Nichols - human; species: Werewolf. As the weapons and security specialist, Tamika stocks the USS Dracos’ armory for dangerous missions and protects the crew. She also helps ID and utilize various alien technology and weaponry. [Personal: She sometimes butts heads with the captain, is fiercely protective of her brother and tries to avoid the advances of Ixolok]. Author: Professor Q  Yurileaan - alien; species: Nevalim. Yuri provides care for crew members when hurt or sick. She also has a thorough knowledge of alien contaminants and diseases to prevent crew outbreak and the transfer of illnesses from one alien people or planet to the next. [Personal: She and Charles have a sweet friendship based on a love of knowledge; she has feelings for Ixolok]. Author: coffeehouse Jackson Nichols - human; species: Werewolf. Jackson is the head mechanic and engineer for the USS Dracos. He also repairs and tests alien gadgets or technology. He is Tamika’s younger brother. [Personal: He and Ixolok have a healthy and mostly friendly rivarly; he harbors an acceptable and completely platonic man crush on his best friend Charles]. Author: Wiskers Ixolok - alien; species: Ryxorian. Ixolok is the biohazard and cleanup specialist for salvaging damaged or unsafe vessels. He’s in charge of the disposal of any waste or carnage after less-than-friendly encounters with aliens or crews that do not abide by the U.C.I. code of behavior. [Personal: The least humanoid in appearance, Ixolok knows he is hot stuff and knows Tamika thinks so too (or she will). He and Dana are BFFs]. Author: Lonewolf  Charles Doxie - human; no alternate species group. Charles is the U.C.I. multiculturalist and historian, meaning he helps crew members adapt to foreign customs and also IDs alien artifacts so they may be returned. [Personal: He and Yuri enjoy geeking out together, Jackson is his best friend, and he mostly just tries to stay out of danger]. Author: Aiken4LOTR  Yes, this story mashes sci-fi and fantasy characters. I liked the idea of supernatural creatures like werewolves/shapeshifters and vampires just being considered a normal part of the human landscape in the future. Also for those who choose alien characters, you get to decide their features/backstory/etc.  The story allows for us to focus on specific missions, the crew traveling from one alien race or planet to another, dangerous encounters and, of course, the inevitable bickering and romances that stem from living on top of one another. So please, have fun with it!  Addition Guideline: Please add within 5 days. If you need more time, just shoot me a message. If necessary, I will skip/move your turn to allow the next writer to add. Thanks! Addition Status:  Current Turn: Lonewolf  Up Next: Professor Q On Deck: Wiskers |
Full Name: Charles Avery Doxie Age: 27 Planet of Origin: Earth, Milky Way Skill Alignment: Academia - Historical Sciences Qualifications: Graduated with top honors at the U.C.I. Academy of History and Alien Anthropology. Field work completed in the the required minimum of nine planets out of three galaxies. Served in the U.C.I. Historical Department for 2 years before moving to the field. Vessel: USS Dracos Reports To: Dana Keyton, Captain Serving Since: 3010 Stability Status (out of 10): 8 Threat Level (out of 10): 4 ----- "Oh my, it is lovely. I just wish we could be down there, too," the petite medic sighed, resting her elbows on the console and dropping her chin into her hand. Beneath the cool metal surface, gears shifted, emitting a soft whirring as panels over the front glass continued opening, revealing more of the swirling, grey-blue planet below. "My dear Yuri, I'm so very sorry," Charles replied, his lip curling downward in sympathy, as he settled into his station chair. He pressed a finger against the translucent screen, flitting through the files and photos. The satellite images were clear and crisp but paled in comparison to the large, gaseous orb floating in sight. "But you're right, it is amazing. That is the planet Hy'Dnoi. It is 50 percent water, and it's run by elected representatives. But if memory serves, the starport is outdated: poor fuel, no repair facilities..." "Yada, yada, yada..." Ixolok grumbled, joining Yuri on the viewing deck positioned at the front of the spacious console room. "We're not down there, so what's it matter to us?" "Wait, why aren't we down there? I thought you said we could breathe its air," Yuri asked, turning around with pleading eyes. "Yes, the atmosphere is quite dense, so we wouldn't require masks to breathe," Charles explained, his green eyes searching for the correct file. "But it's a jovian planet, meaning it's not primarily solid. And without more gear suitable for the planet makeup and gravity, it was best to just send our Captain--" "Hey, Tamika got to go, too!" Jackson groaned, flopping into the chair next to his best friend. The mechanic roughly scrubbed a hand over his face, just as impatient as the others to hear about their crewmates' trip to the planet below. Also, in hopes of souvenirs. "Yeah, for satefy, dumbo," Ixolok chipped in, ducking quickly to avoid the silver control chucked at his head. "Heh, I bet she's pissed she couldn't bring all her cool toys. P.S. - I think that was one of them," he continued, pointing to the shiny pieces now littering the floor. "Yes well, their technology is actually behind that of earth's, so several laser assault weapons are prohibited," Charles said, ignoring the mess. He would not be the one to face Tamika's fury that day. He'd count that as a victory. He was taller, but she was definitely stronger. Besides, Jackson could handle it. Usually. "Oh hey, look!" Jackson said, tapping on the screen (Charles kept himself from slapping the man's hand for touching his things). "Looks like their pod is heading back. Guess the scroll thing was returned safely." "Well to be fair, we won't know that until they land, and we can see that they're still in one piece," Charles replied, tossing a smirk his friend's way as he rolled up the sleeves on his button-up. "Also, it's not so much a 'scroll thing' as it is the planet's most important treaty that ended its millennium of territorial disputes. Hence why they call it, 'The High Council Millennial Treatise.'" "Yeah, yeah," Jackson muttered fondly, rolling his eyes and reaching out to further scruff up Charles' already messy brown locks. This, much to the historian's dismay, seemed to be a favorite pastime of his. "Hey Moony and Padfoot, enough already!" Ixolok exclaimed over Yuri's quiet giggles--she always got a kick out of references to ancient classic literature. Charles and Jackson exchanged glances, trying to discern who was who. Clearly, Jackson was Moony, right? 'Cause he was a werewolf? But Padfoot was a dog? Unless Ixolok was so very wrongly implying that Charles' hair looked like a-- "TRANSPORT POD NUMBER TWO ARRIVING." The ship's sound system--a very loud but regal sounding woman (Ixolok calls her Betty, short for Bettiroxlopis the film star)--announced. Betty was the vessel's self-sustaining mainframe. She ran the ship with little interference as directed by Captain Keyton and with proper maintenance by Jackson. "Aww really? Pod two? Seriously Jackson, when are you gonna fix the other one?" Ixolok barbed loudly. "Hey, leave him alone," a smooth voice rang out across the circular console room. "He'll fix it when he's good and ready." With a quick wink over to Yuri and a wave to Charles, Tamika opened her arms to welcome her brother's embrace. "All is well, little bro." "Yes, the Hy'Dnoian people are quite civil once you hand over all your concealed weapons," Dana announced with a raised brow, clearly directed at her podmate. Immediately, everyone stood up straight to welcome back their captain. "At ease, team. The treaty was returned to the planet's archives, where it belongs." "Rightly so," Charles agreed. "It's basically the first document all of their founding leaders had signed together. It contained all the original agreements for their planet's entire metropolitan structure. I'm still amazed that it had been taken so far away from its proper home." In the background, an abrupt snoring sound could be heard. Charles was long used to ignoring the alien's teasing. "Well my boy, that's what we do," Dana said, clapping a hand to Charles' shoulder and directing a short, warning look to Ixolok. "Yurileaan, whenever you're ready, let's have a quick exam for both of us before we continue on to our next destination. Shall we?" Yuri nodded and motioned for both ladies to follow her into the lab. As Ixolok walked over to start closing the ship's panels to prepare for hyperspeed (Betty's favorite speed, of course, though it required more power and fuel than warpspeed), Jackson slowly turned to Charles. His face was straight and serious, his voice low and steady as he leaned in, whispering, "Do you think they brought us any gifts?" |
| Full Name: Tamika Marie Nichols Age: 28 Planet of Origin: Earth, Milky Way Subspecies Note: Subject is Canis Lycanthropus, commonly referred to as Werewolf. Alpha Status. Skill Alignment: Military - Weapons and Security Specialist Qualifications: Graduated Summa Cum Laude from U.C.I. Academy of Weapons and Warfare. Special Ops, Alien Weaponry and Warfare Division. Vessel: USS Dracos Reports To: Dana Keyton, Captain Serving Since: 3008 Stability Status (out of 10): 5 (Note: Subject scores significantly higher in Humanoid Form; subject failed stability test in Lupine Form. Continued service is dependent upon further use of Cryogenic Somnolence Chamber.) Threat Level (out of 10): 10 (Note: Elevated score for subject in both Humanoid and Lupine Form, due to military training.) ***** Tamika stood still as the scanner burned any foreign contaminants from her blood, eyes staring straight ahead as she took care to breathe through her mouth; the machine tickled her nose. Next to her, the Captain winced, but then...she was only human. And even Mika's lycanthrope blood couldn't quite hide the tingling warmth, or keep it from nearly stinging. “It's almost done, ladies.” Yuri's voice was soft, as befitted her stature, but not without strength or authority; she ruled this part of the ship, after all, and knew its every whim better than anyone. Her fingers were deft as they danced over the screen of her tablet, eyes sifting through the data almost as quickly as it scrolled. Some benefit of her species, Mika assumed; most Nevalim seemed to have lightning-fast minds, and a propensity for learning easily. Mika did not reply; she didn't even move as the scanner reached her feet and the burning disappeared. Her eyes did not waver, and her arms did not twitch from their place at her side. She would remain thus until Yuri dismissed her; so far as she was concerned, this was just another hitch in her day. Another part of the system to be borne; another command to be followed. She'd been in the military for almost twelve years; she'd been Pack from before her birth. Discipline came as easily to her as breathing or blinking. Without it, Mika wasn't sure what she would have been, or what she would become; she didn't really want to think about it. It wasn't that she had no freedom of thought or expression. She was no Jarhead. Her thoughts were her own, and her feelings even more so. Discipline was not, in her own perception of herself, the defining characteristic of her being. Like all lycanthropes, family was at the heart of her life; loyalty to that family, then, became the means by which one defined one's worth. And family was never just blood; it was Pack, and Crew, and Mate. It was the family of one's heart that earned such loyalty. Tamika's seriousness, of course, was all her own. She'd been born that way twenty-eight years ago, in the mountains of North America. They said all Alphas were serious at birth; it was the weight of their responsibility settled early upon their shoulders. That's why her parents had given her the name Tamika; it meant 'friendly', and they had rather hoped to bestow some of those qualities upon their fierce-eyed first child. It had worked, somewhat. She'd been far more playful as a young pup, growing into a gregarious adolescent. Secure in the love of her parents, and her place in the Pack, Tamika had thrived. Then had come the death of her parents, and the permanent darkening of her world. Since then, much of that smiling woman had disappeared, cloaked in careful wariness and watchful suspicion. Her birth nature became her defense; responsibility and determination her purpose. The care of her younger brother consumed her being; after all, he was the only family she had left. The military had distracted her somewhat. She'd excelled at all things martial—lycanthropes had the advantage of heightened senses, of course, and Tamika being a future Alpha gave her even more from which to choose—and this had alleviated the crushing onus of duty to her family for a time. Her parents had died on a hunt, caught unprepared by prey that had turned on them; Tamika would never be so caught. Jackson would never be so caught. She would not leave him the way her parents had left her. Her time at the WW had actually been a happy time for her. Orders gave her direction, and the chain of command was so like home that it actually became a comfort. Cadets were trained so thoroughly, and to such high standards, that she need never worry about trusting one of them. Every eventuality had a response, and so no one could be caught unawares. This new Pack—the Cadets of WW—became a safety net of preparedness and deadly efficiency. No worries about one of them abandoning her. She'd fallen in love around this time. But he'd kept secrets from her, and Tamika could not abide secrets, so she'd left him. She wished she could say the feelings had left, as well, but that was not precisely true. Of course, it didn't help that he never left her alone. “Hey, Mika!” Jackson greeted, slipping into the room with Charles and Ixolok. “We were just wondering if you'd brought us any presents!” “Boys!” Dana barked. All three saluted smartly, their heels clicking together. Mika hid a smirk of pride that her brother did it best of all; he was a good soldier. Perhaps almost naïvely willing to trust others, but then again...she'd borne the burden of wariness that he might be so trusting. Jackson was not Alpha; he did not deserve those worries dampening his bight smile. Mika wondered how her Pack was doing. Ever since Uncle's murder, they were barely holding it together. She was the only Alpha left, and she was thousands of miles away. A council of Betas kept things going until her return, but who knew when that would be? She'd signed up for the full ride—thirty years at least—not thinking the last of her family would be torn from her. She had never believed the Pack would need her so young. Uncle had been so strong, so powerful... “It's fine, Captain,” Yuri replied, smiling at the unruly mess of men that had come staggering into her infirmary. It deepened somewhat as her eyes hit Lo, but the biohazard specialist barely noticed. As usual, his handsome, inhuman face was directed to where Mika stood, face impassive. Yuri blinked. “Your tests are done. Both of you are clean, so there's no reason they can't be in here.” “There is never an excuse for lack of discipline. How can we trust one another if we cannot rely on discipline?” Dana asked. “How indeed?” Mika intoned, her voice smooth, but dangerous. There was the slightest hint of the beast in its clear tones and carefully articulated words. “Trust is an absolute necessity aboard ship.” Dana looked over at her weapons' expert, lips thinning. “Yes,” she breathed out, eventually, not wanting to encourage a public disagreement. Mika, for her part, simply looked at her Captain, eyes their usual calm blue, cold and icy. She was very aware that her comment had not gone unnoticed. The matter of the Ar-Can was still a huge bone of contention between the two women; though the issue itself had been resolved to everyone's satisfaction, Mika could not bring herself to trust the Captain as she once had. She had forgiven the young woman long ago—Dana's guilty conscience over the matter would have melted the heart of a far more fearsome beast than Tamika Nichols—but still... She was not quite Family, anymore. And that made it very difficult to work with her sometimes. Especially when matters of trust came up. Mika's military training would never allow her to disobey an order or question the chain of command, but this was a matter of blood, and Tamika was a wolf. Dana understood. But that didn't help the tension any. “So...did you?” Charles interjected. “Did I what?” Dana asked. “Do you guys bring presents?” Mika allowed herself to smile. It was rare, but her brother's friend was so like Jackson on occasion that Mika couldn't help but allow him into her heart. “I may have purchased each of you something, yes. They're in my pack.” The boys whooped and charged out of the infirmary, leaving only Ixolok and Yuri standing together as Mika and the Captain stepped out of the scanner. “Did you bring me anything, gorgeous?” Lo asked, with what Mika was pretty sure was a waggling of whatever passed for eyebrows among his people. It was an expression she was intimately familiar with. There was a lot of the Ryxorian with which she was intimately familiar. It did not please her. “I purchased you something, yes. It is also in my bag, if the boys haven't pilfered it, yet.” Lo sighed. “You're no fun, doll. I remember back at the WW, you'd have gotten me something a little more...personal.” Mika jerked her eyes toward him. “Alas, they didn't have mugs with 'Universe's Best Janitor' on them, so you'll just have to make do with what you got.” Pulling her jacket over her arms, Mika tossed her golden blonde hair into a ponytail and saluted the Captain before leaving the room. A moment later, she felt Lo's presence again. “Tamika...c'mon...” “What do you want, Loki?” The man smiled. “You haven't called me that in years.” “It is your nickname. Would you prefer I call you something else?” Holding her hand up, Mika stopped. “Hold that. You'll just give me some inane, inappropriately sexual response. I will refrain from calling you Loki in the future, and simply call you Lo, as per usual.” “I'd prefer Loki, actually,” he replied, eyes sparkling. They were of a height, the two of them. Mika was tall for a woman, though somehow still shorter than Charles, and had never had to stretch to see into the man's gaze. “If you don't mind.” “Fitting,” Mika replied, turning away. “He was a liar, too.” She headed down the corridor toward her chambers. After a scan, she always liked to luxuriate in the showers for a time. It helped return her to a sense of equilibrium, and calm the beast. According to the watch on her right wrist, and the clock hanging in the infirmary, it was another two weeks until the change, but the tingling annoyed the wolf. It set her on edge, the hair on her golden skin standing on edge. “For goodness' sake, Tamika, I didn't lie to you!” Ixolok still stood where she had left him. “I couldn't tell you. That's part of the confidentiality agreement of the contract.” Turning to face him, Mika stood, hands on her hips, and glared at the man she still loved. “You knew that when you took it. I begged you not to take it, and yet you still did. So you knew you would have to keep secrets and yet you thought the money was so important. You're even more like Loki than you can even know!” In that moment, Lo looked at the floor, though Mika knew he'd taken the opportunity to run his eyes over her more-than-generous curves. Lycanthropes were always attractive; it was part of the reward, Mika supposed, for turning into a monster once a month. For being an Alpha, Mika had gotten an extra dose of the appeal; men had likened her to a swimsuit model for her entire adult life. Well, crude men had likened her to an adult entertainer, but they had more often than not ended up with a broken nose and missing teeth for the effort of saying so. Lo had once told her he'd named the ship Betty because Bettiroxlopis reminded him of Tamika. That one she had kept to herself, though she could have told anyone why. Usually, Lo's ridiculous attempts to win her back were well broadcast, but this one she kept between them. She wondered if that counted as a secret... “Thanks, Tamika!” The boys had come out of the viewing deck, waving their presents above their head. Jackson had received the Hy’Dnoian equivalent of a multi-tool. Her brother liked learning about the mechanics of other cultures. Charles had received a historical text in the local tongue, as well as a translation guide; another language for the man to add to his repertoire. “These are awesome!” Turning, Tamika accepted a hug from both boys. “No problem. The Captain and I both pitched in on those, so make sure to thank her, as well.” “Of course!” Both of them took off toward the bridge. Sometimes, Tamika had trouble believing they were only a few years younger than she was; had she ever been that effervescent? She couldn't remember a time she had been. Except maybe with Ixolok... “I'm going to take a shower, Loki,” she said, shooting him another glance. “And, no, you cannot help. Why don't you go check out your present? I think you might like it. You used to, at any rate, and I seriously doubt you've changed that much over the years. At least, I'd be surprised if you had.” And disappointed, if truth be told. But there was no way in hell Mika was going to tell him that. |
| Full Name: Jackson Asher Nichols Age: 22 Planet of Origin: Earth, Milky Way Subspecies Note: Subject is Canis Lycanthropus, commonly referred to as Werewolf. Skill Alignment: Military - Engineering Qualifications: While many of his Packmates enjoyed destroying things, Jackson always excelled at building them - putting tiny pieces together to make and repair machines. He has what some would call a sort of mechanical empathy - machines almost speak to him. Vessel: USS Dracos Reports To: Dana Keyton, Captain; Tamika Nichols, Sister, Alpha Serving Since: 3008 Stability Status (out of 10): 6 (though he obviously has personality shifts related to his monthly change, Jackson can be somewhat emotional regardless) Threat Level (out of 10): 9 in Lupine Form, 7 in human form - even though he has enhanced strength as a human, he isn't really of the disposition to use it. ----- Down in engineering, Jackson had decided he would work on repairing transport pod one, just so Ixolok would get off of his back. They had a habit of riffing on one another but it never got particularly nasty. Mostly like, Jackson surmised, because Ixo still had feelings for his sister. Even being the younger brother, Jackson was protective of his sister. But he knew all too well that she could handle herself. Most of the time it was even entertaining, watching her rebuff the romantic affections of "suiters" like Ixo, if you could call it romantic... that guy sure had some things to learn about real romance, and stuff like, oh, emotional depth. Not that Jackson had much experience. It was embarrassing to note that he had yet to be in a relationship. But he was young... it would happen. And whenever they stopped at a space port several women usually showed him interest - if they could get over Ixolok that is - so that convinced him that, at best, he wasn't hideous. But Tamika always scared them away. While he was a werewolf, and therefore already somewhat more attractive than the average bear, his appearance likely wasn't what one would expect it to be. He he somewhat flyaway brown hair that stuck up in different directions, and green eyes hidden under glasses. Jackson had been born prematurely, and if he didn't have the Lupine blood coursing through his veins he likely wouldn't have made it. As it was, his genes compensated. But his eyesight was somewhat affected, prompting him to wear glasses. After getting beaten up a few times by fellow Packmates, he'd engineered a pair of glasses that were nearly indestructible. They were black rimmed and, he thought, did not look bad at all. Charles often noted that it made him look "studious". This, of course, was laughable. When Jackson was not intensely devoting all of his attention to a project, it was hard to keep his attention at all. He was always bounding around the ship, checking in on his friends, disrupting public peace, etc. Luckily they, for the most part, put up with him. Even the captain was somewhat lax with him, though in the past months things had changed. Something had happened between his sister and Dana. Something that had slid a wedge in between the pair of once inseparable friends. Jackson had asked his sister about it once but she had responded so viscously that he decided to stay out of it. Hopefully it would be resolved soon... he didn't like conflict, especially in the family. His sister and Alpha and himself a veritable runt, he hadn't always felt like he fit in with the Pack. The crew on the U.S.S. Dracos had become his new family, though sometimes, in the dark of the night as he lay in bed, unable to sleep, he wondered when this would all come to an end. Tamika was the Alpha. Surely one day she would have to stop this adventuring and return home to lead the Pack. What she had done already was practically unheard of... And in those moments he wondered what he would do. Would he follow his sister like he always had? Or would he remain on this chunk of metal floating about in outer space with his other family? He couldn't imagine leaving his best friend behind, but he knew it was unlikely that Charles would fit in with a bunch of Werewolves. He'd be even more out of place than Jackson was. Jackson held a flashlight in his mouth as he craned his neck to look under the transport pod. It had been caught in a meteor shower the last mission it was deployed on, and its hull had sustained moderate damage. If he was ever studious, it was now - when he was working with the machines. In a weird way, they were like his family too. "Let's see here," Jackson used his fingers to pry a plate off of the bottom of the pod to look at the circuitry. He pulled himself out from underneath the pod and rolled back into a sitting position. Some of the circuits had been fried. "Huh." Jackson bit his lip as he stared at the piece of metal in his hands, his brain whirring to find a solution. He got up and started rummaging around through piles of junk on his desk, looking for a replacement. In the end, he decided they would have to buy a new one. The captain likely wasn't going to be happy with that, but it was better than the pod exploding the next time they turned it on. Jackson decided to begin his daily patrol and was at the door when Tamika walked in. She looked like she was thinking hard about something. "Jack," She said, "Have you seen my --" Uh oh... "No!" He said, smiling as he slid past her through the tight space of the door, "I'll tell you if I do, though. Thanks for the present!" He let out a sigh of relief as the door shut behind him, likely leaving Tamika confused. He'd have to fix that thing he'd chucked at stupid Ixolok's stupid alien head, now too. Jackson pulled out the multi-tool that Tamika had bought for him on the planet below them. She always brought him presents... a bad habit that had started when they were kids. He clicked a button a small screwdriver popped out of the side of the tool. When he pressed the button again a whirring sound was heard as the screwdriver started spinning. Automatic! Nice! He was so engrossed in his little gift that he didn't notice Yurileaan walking his way, and he bumped into her. "Sorry!" They both said at the same time. Yuri was always one to apologize, even if it wasn't her fault. It was one of the things that made her sweet. "Enjoying your present?" She asked. "Wha? Oh -" Jackson hit the button a third time the the twirling screwdriver retracted. "Probably shouldn't walk around with that open, though," She smiled, "Wouldn't want to have to patch up any stab wounds when we're not even deployed." Yuri had an indescribable, though somehow muted, alien presence. She was very beautiful, and kind to boot. Excellent qualities for a doctor, and not bad stuff for a friend either. "Yeah, sorry...," Jackson said sheepishly, "Hey have you seen the captain?" "I believe Dana is on the bridge." "Thanks!" With that Jackson was off again, bounding towards the bridge. He wondered what their next mission would be... hopefully he could get off the ship for a change. And maybe add something to his collection of planetary souvenirs, which, at this point, threatened to overtake his cabin. Jackson let out a satisfied sigh when the door to the bridge slid open. Besides the engineering deck, the bridge was his favorite part of the ship. Especially when the windows were open like they were now, and they had something pretty to look at. Charles was still at his station, that workaholic... Dana was looking something over on a data-pad. "Hey Dana," Jackson waved as he walked over. It may have been proper to salute, and indeed when he was in a military mindset he did all that quite well, but he had only joined the military because Mika did, and because they had an excellent engineering program. "What's the status on Transport Pod One?" "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about..." Dana sighed and rubbed the back of her neck with a hand. "How much is it going to cost?" "Um," Jackson hesitated, both calculating prices and being nervous about the answer. "Never mind, I don't want to know," Dana said, "Just put in an order with requisitions." "Yessir." Now Jackson made his way to Charles's station. His friend seemed to be reading and cross-referencing the book Tamika had brought home for him. Jackson leaned over his shoulder to get a better look. "Anything interesting?" "Fascinating would be the better word. This is a record of their peoples history from the first time they discovered language." "Fascinating," Jackson sank into the seat next to him and pulled out the multi-tool. "It's really quite nice of your sister to bring gifts like these," Charles set the book aside. "Yeah, she's a real softie," Jackson pulled a piece of the multi-tool out and looked it over carefully. "I wouldn't say that to her face," Charles said, and they both exchanged smiles. |
Full Name: Dana Renee Keyton Age: 27 Planet of Origin: Earth, Milky way Species Note: Though Dana's appearance would hint little to her father's race as a Dracos, some of her traits are certainly in keeping with the races advantages. Her eye sight, hearing and reaction times are greatly increased, along with a heightened ability to analyze and problem solve. Skill Alignment: Military- Specializing in Command, tactics and combat Qualifications: Dana Graduated top of her class from the U.C.I Academy specializing in leadership and tactics. Vessel: USS Dracos Reports To: Commander David Harlow stationed on Earth. Serving Since: 3005 Stability Status (out of 10): 8. Captain Keyton is not given to emotional outburst or moodiness, though she is often unorthodox (or creative, as she puts it) in her decision making. Threat Level (out of 10): 8 Dana is skilled in both weaponry and hand to hand combat. When paired with her increased reaction times and problem solving skills, she can be a formidable foe. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Captain Dana Keyton settled into the pilot's chair, her large green eyes focused on the blackness of space beyond the window. It was brilliant as always, full of so much and yet still so empty. She understood why it drove so many people mad and why so many craved it. She glanced back down to the orders in her hand, having let her mind wander as she contemplated the best course of action. They were commanded to regroup and proceed to a planet close by, within the same solar system. Why they were required to do so was unclear, but that was by no means unusual. Commander Harlow was rarely one to give more information than he saw necessary; a fact that, in all honesty, irritated Dana more than she cared to let on. Though she was very adaptable by nature, she much preferred to plan and the commander made that difficult. The captain replaced the tablet into it's dock on the console and reviewed the ships check list. There were a long list of repairs as always, more needed doing that could ever really be accomplished. She pushed against the foot of the console with one boot, rotating the chair slowly until those same green eyes found Charlie and Jackson. "Well boys." She interrupted, a bit of playfulness in her tone as she stood and approached the two, "There is work that needs doing before we can move on." She said, parting her full lips into a sweet smile that both showed her affection for them and encouraged their compliance. Dana always had that way about her. A warm, respectful demeanor that conveyed her leadership without overpowering. It was one of the few ways she was different than her father, and though she knew well he would have seen it as a weakness, it was a trait she was unwilling to give up. "Of course captain." Jackson said with a grin and a quick salute, acknowledging his friend and retreating toward the back of the ship. Charlie placed his new book on the desk before him. "Is there anything I can make a priority Captain? Do we have our next orders?" He asked. "Yes, though the usual details are lacking as always. We are heading toward Laedra three. Will you search our records and gather whatever you feel is important and let us know what to expect?" "Of course." He smiled the same charming smile that always escaped Charlie when promised new history to dig into. "Excellent." She gripped his forearm slightly before disappearing back into the mass of the ship. |
Planet: Laedra Three Classification: Rock Planet; 3 large moons Terrain: Rock; littered with craters and cavernous tunnels. Planet is 50% water. Atmosphere: Level 3; requires mask compressors to insure sufficient oxygen to breathe. Population: Low; only hundreds of habitants. Government/Law Level: No structure. Small factions formed by families and tribes. No weapon prohibitions in place. Technology Level: Varies by faction. Facilities: Refined fuel and maintenance starport available. Mission Notes: Lack of law and structure makes areas of planet highly unsafe. Both civilized and uncivilized species present. Crew must travel in packs. Salvage site only; seek and strip recovered vessels. ----- His fingers tightened around the compact mouthpiece as he inhaled deep lungfuls of compressed oxygen. Eyes fluttering shut, Charles slid down slowly as he crouched closer to the ground. The thick, rubbery material of his coat scraped against the rough edges of the stone wall, leaving chalky trails of deep red residue across the smooth expanse of grey. A warm hand settled gently on his shoulder as an even warmer body nestled next to his. “Is he gonna be okay?” Jackson asked, brow furrowed in concern as he sat by his friend. “He’s not looking so good.” Beside him, Tamika stood quietly, eyes scanning the nearby tunnels and gun at the ready. They were in deep. In a land with no law and several kinds of primitive species still in existence, no one knew what could be lurking nearby. They had docked successfully on Laedra Three, a subterranean rock planet that housed a labyrinth of caverns and tunnels beneath its surface. And according to Commander Harlow, it was also a goldmine for recovering wrecked vessels and materials. “We’ve descended quite far,” Dana replied, a small cloud of breathe escaping from her lips. They had been digging and walking for hours. Lifting the lantern to better see the historian, she continued, “He has no other alien or superhuman senses to aid him, and the air is much thinner and colder down here. Keep an eye on him.” “His vitals are steady, but his body needs a moment to adjust,” Yuri said, tablet in gloved hand. “We should be able to continue soon.” “Man, we better find a ship made of precious metal or filled with chests of Camdorian gems,” Ixolok muttered from where he stood behind Yuri, his shoulder twitching briefly from the cold as he repositioned his large duffel of testing equipment. “Ooh, or some cool spores or new form of mold. That or some highly expensive and kickass weapons,” he added with a nod to Tamika. “Yes, because that’s so important right now,” Tamika spit back. She turned sharply, keen senses reaching out to check for any sign of possible threat in the dark. It was moments like this that Charles remembered his place: in a clean lab with rules and procedure or a messy classroom filled with students and learning. Heck, in any kind of room with walls and heat. It was moments like this when Charles doubted his decision-making skills. Why did he leave the academy again? “Hey, I know what you’re thinking,” Dana said, glancing up from Yuri’s readings. “Don’t.” Well that just figured. The woman did vouch for him when Charles decided to enter the field years ago, and she was pretty stubborn, so she was unlikely to change her high opinion of him. Back on Earth, Charles knew the type of life that had been predestined for him. He would have been ordered to test and study the assigned subjects, to teach students the approved coursework, and to schmooze accordingly with his superiors--all while proudly wearing the pristine U.C.I. lab coat. It would have been a decent, respectful living, much like the one his father had endured. It also would have been a bland one. And lonely, too. But that was the life his father chose. Eldon Charles Doxie was a highly esteemed professor of anthropology and sociology. Much like the path his own son would later begin, Eldon began as a U.C.I. student and followed a career track to teach at the academy. Unlike his son, Eldon was successful in transitioning from student to scientist to professor. Despite his average looks and quiet demeanor, he also caught the attention of someone whose career took a different turn. Ava Leigh Koerner was a scientist who also served at the institute. Ava and Eldon shared an appreciation of learning that later blossomed into an appreciation for each other and then, eventually, grew into love. Unfortunately for Eldon, Ava turned out to be far more adventurous than he’d realized. Ava deployed when Charles was 5 years old. And though he had little memory of her, Charles often liked to imagine that his mother was much like his present captain and friend, Dana Keyton: strong and successful, respected and hardworking--someone who looked out for her crew. Charles was sure his mother had cared for her crew. He had to believe that was why she chose to stay with them. Neither Eldon nor Charles ever blamed Ava for taking the opportunity to serve in the field and travel the skies. They blamed her for never returning. Throughout his young life, he only saw his mother a handful of times--usually through the lifelike but still-so-very-far-from-real digital screen calls. When Charles was 22, he received his final screen call. This time it was not from his mother. It was about her. She had died during a dangerous mission. Weeks later, Eldon sat alone at his son’s academy graduation. After his father passed the following year, Charles hastily turned down tenure and enrolled in the field. He would have never survived the ensuing training sessions without Dana. And he was positive no other captain would take a chance on accepting him into their crew. Charles was the studious type, meant to serve within the confines of the academy walls. Plus, he was only human. His breed wasn’t meant to explore and venture across alien landscapes. Dana told him not to believe the lies. He believed her, except during moments like this. “Hey sleeping beauty, we don’t have all day,” Jackson teased fondly, gently slapping his friend’s pale face. Charles pried his light green eyes open, his heart dropping as he saw his crew mates waiting patiently for their human scholar to recuperate. Taking one last breath, he patted Jackson’s hand in thanks and pushed up off his knees. “Good,” Dana said, waving in her crew around her. “Now the bad news is that there’s a fork in the tunnel ahead. Keep your communicators on because we’re splitting up. Tamika and Ixolok with me. Yuri, I want you to watch Charles’ readings.” She then paused, glancing over to Tamika. The weapons specialist nodding, pulling a gun from her pack and tossing it to her younger brother. “Jackson,” Dana continued firmly, “keep them safe. If you find a vessel, report it. Don’t enter or touch it until you have my go ahead.” Yep. He should’ve stayed on Earth. Maybe Charles was more like his mother than he thought. |
Full Name: Ixolokatus Scrivner Scurlock Age: 29 Planet of Origin: Ryxorian Species Note: Subject has an unusual resistance to poisons due to his species, however that has also added to his unique ability to use that resistance as a way to transfer poisons he is immune to in weapons. Skill Alignment: Mercenary - Biohazard - Specializing in toxic clean up, tactics and combat Qualifications: Ixolok has spent many of his younger years being trained by top assassins for hire, along with specialized training in toxic clean up on Ryxorian Prime. Vessel: USS Dracos Reports To: Captain Dana Keyton Serving Since: 3009 Stability Status (out of 10): 8. Ixolok puts on a flirtatious facade while trying to gauge the proper response to a situation. He isn’t known for any emotional outburst unless dealing with Tamika. He is known to be protective of Jackson, Tamika, and Dana when they are in danger which at times makes him unpredictable. Threat Level (out of 10): 9 Ixolok is skilled in hand to hand combat, along with increased senses due to his intense training regiment. He is a well versed in the way of energy weapons along with a special set of throwing knives he always keeps on his person. ~ ~ ~ The area around them was dark except for the occasional lights that were streaming throughout the tunnel. Light rained down on them in sporadic intervals, while screams echoed throughout the cavern they now found themselves in. Ixolok, Dana, and Tamika were smack dab in the middle of enemy territory. He was all too familiar with Laedra Three and its people. Charles had been injured already and they still had a job to do. Dana had left Charles, their resident historian, and Yurileaan, who was a Nevalim and basically their doctor on hand, in the tender care of Jackson, his lovable geeky brotha from anotha motha and the blood brother to Tamika, the woman he was in love with. The memory of their time together pained him greatly, but he knew it was ultimately his fault why they weren’t together. The sound of rustling up ahead and the way Tamika slightly titled her head as if she was sensing something caused him to take in his surroundings even more. An icy wind blew from behind them, passing over them and causing his skin to slightly prickle. Ixolok adjusted the bag he was carrying with all of the equipment he needed to finish the mission. He could see something moving around in the dark. It was shortly after this his earpiece erupted and, because they were all on the same frequency, he could hear the same happening to both Tamika and Dana. “Captain!” Jackson breathed shouted roughly. A note of alarm ran through Ixolok and he nearly dropped all the gear to haul ass back to the opening of the tunnel they entered. “Jackson! What’s wrong?” Tamika broke in, turning back toward lxolok. “A few of the locals have taken interest in the three of us,” Jackson said, almost frantic. Ixolok could hear the strain in his voice, which meant Jackson was close to using some of his lupine abilities to handle the situation. He knew how much Jackson didn’t care for violence, but knew the big guy could handle himself. “Back up, do not come any closer,” Ixolok could hear Jackson warning an unknown assailant. Ixolok could hear Charles and Yurileaan in the background warning others to back off. “Damn it, okay you two let’s head back to deal with this situation.,” Dana announced, already in mid-step of turning around to head the opposite direction. “Stop,” Tamika said suddenly. Ixolok was going to ask why when he both heard and saw what she was warning them about. People were practically appearing out of thin air all around them. The look on Tamika’s face told him that she was angry with herself for allowing them to get this close. Ixolok was definitely angry he hadn’t remembered this particular tactic. The look on Tamika’s face twisted his insides, all he wanted to do was make the situation better, but if he knew this place like he thought he did, things were only going to get worse. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?” A familiar voice to Ixolok said, from somewhere in the darkness. Ixolok let out a tired breath and let the bag he was carrying drop. “Tamika, Dana, put your guns down,” he sighed. |
Full Name: Yurileaan Age: 26 Planet of Origin: Nevali Skill Alignment: Apothecarian Science Research and Development, Hand to hand combat, Field research. Qualifications: Graduated with top honors in at the U.C.I. Academy of Health and Science. Completed four years of field work at the United Galaxies Hospital. Accomplished hand-to-hand student in close quarters combat. Vessel: USS Dracos Reports To: Captain Dana Keyton Serving Since: 3012 Stability Status (out of 10): 9 Threat Level (out of 10): 7 - - - Yurileaan sat with a tablet in her hands, going over Charles’ vitals making sure they didn’t fall below the a level she could bring him back from. Sitting here like this, her thoughts took her back to the war that raged on Nevali, her home planet. The Nevalim; Genetically, they are nearly identical to Earth-born humans with the following exceptions. Their irises are larger than a human's, and their skin has a purple taint to it. They have highly exotic features that are kept hidden by a customary scarf that must be wore at all time unless in battle. It is here that the scarf can become a weapon with it’s thin flexible metal-like substance that reacts to their owners will. This particular piece of technology only works with the Nevalim and Silurian races where it originated. It is still a mystery how this actually works. The Nevalim are a race known for their special healing abilities and advanced technology research. Kizulians were a large reptilian race that settled in tribes, but sought comfort in nature. Another race much like her own and the Kizulians were the Silurians. Each race fought for dominance over the planet, but in the end all three came together to fight against the Chronavi, a militant force that decided their planet could be better use to them. The war between the races raged until the three original races banned together to expel the militant forces. Ever since this time it has been peace with little skirmishes that break out from time to time. Yurileaan lost both of her parents during the war, so violence isn't something she takes in stride. She watched over Charles whose body still needed to adjust to the atmosphere of the planet. She was lucky she never had that problem. The tablet in her gloved hand read that his vitals were improving, and when she finally did look up she gave Jackson a warm smile to let him know that Charles was going to be fine. Yurileaan thought it was wonderful that Charles had a friend that cared for his well being in such a manner. Her thoughts flitted over to Ixolok, but she tried to keep her thoughts on the situation at hand. Yurileaan was in love. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but she felt she would be treading on Tamika’s territory as they were always going back and forth with things. Yurileaan kept a careful eye on Charles while Jackson surveyed their surroundings. It had not been five minutes since he said he thought he could smell something that the first bandit attacked. Yurileaan had no real time to react, but Jackson was all over the savage that came at him. The first was followed by another. Jackson dispatched them both without much problem. After the last, Jackson hit the earpiece and spoke to the Captain while Yurileaan tried to keep Charles under control. "Don't move!" Yurileaan shouted immediately. “We have to get out of here,” Charles pleaded. “We will leave once our mission is over. Until then you must remain still so your body acclimates to this atmosphere, or you will die.” she explained. Yurileaan could hear Jackson informing the captain about their current situation, and she could hear the strain in his voice. She could hear something going on, on the other end of the communicator as well. She hoped that Ixolok was going to be okay. A rustling to the right of her startled her and caused Charles to make another attempt to move. Out from behind some trees emerged a small group. Jackson tossed the glasses he had on away and Yurileaan watched as the large man stood in front of them and his body seemed even larger than she could remember. Jackson was a nice looking guy, but they only thing they had in common was their attraction to technology. She smiled at the memory of his reaction to the scarf she wore to cover her face. A growl brought her back to their current predicament. Yurileaan struggled to keep Charles under control, while Jackson charged the group. Charles really started to struggle when he saw his friend engage the bandits. However, it wasn't until more arrived that Yurileaan decided to let Charles do whatever he thought he could to help, and she reached slowly behind her to undo the scarf. It was time to help Jackson. She would show them what it meant to attack a Nevalim. |
The beast was furious, and for the first time in years, Tamika was worried she would not be able to control it. Of course, it was still several days until the next change—eight, according to the watch—but the closer she got to the Full Moon phase, the harder it became to keep the wolf in check. She worried about Jackson; he would find it even harder to keep it under control, and if he gave way to the beast within, not even Yuri and her metal scarf would be able to stop him. Only an Alpha could tame a beast unleashed outside of its Change. An Alpha not dangerously close to losing it herself, of course. “Put down your weapon,” Ixolok insisted, turning and, for once serious, pressing his gaze into her. His eyes were soft, imploring; they soothed the beast within her, and calmed it. He'd always been good at taming her when the wolf scratched at the surface. He'd been a preternaturally good caretaker at the full moon, as well; Tamika had forgotten that. She had forced herself to forget it, lest she come to rely upon his steadfast calm once more. “Why?” Mika asked, voice a soft growl. “Because I will kill you if you move even a step, woman,” came the voice again, this time accompanied by a body as a man stepped out of the shadows. He was short, but powerful, as if he had given up his height that it might be transformed into barrel-chested mass. Tamika could sense he moved slowly, but with force; it wouldn't hurt Mika much, but one of his blows would be enough to severely injure both her Captain and Ixolok. Dana might not be Pack, but she was her Captain and Ixolok... Loki would always be Pack, no matter how much she wished it otherwise. He was her Mate, and that was one bond that never broke; wolves mated for life. She wondered if Ixolok knew that, or if he'd never bothered to find out for himself. A wolf's mate was expected to know such things. Tamika sniffed at the air and smelled at least thirty individual bodies. None were wolves, thankfully, or any of the other warrior species. Most of them were starving, and feral with it. Only the man who'd spoken seemed to have any control here; the rest of them were just following, desperately waiting for a scrap of meat (even if it came in the form of a salvage crew). Their ragged state was not much of a pro; it would only make them even more vicious. If she could move quickly enough, she would be able to take them. But would she be able to stop herself from hurting Dana in the process? Would she be able to stop the beast, who still felt fresh the sting of the Captain's betrayal? Mika could control her human self, but she would have to control the Beast... “Tykarian,” Loki hissed, and Mika's hair stood on end. She could hear the well-disguised fear in his voice, as the concern for her safety. He did not want her to resort to her lupine form. “What brings you to this shit hole? Last I heard, you were running one of the biggest mercenary rings this side of Jupiter.” The man, grizzled and graying, grinned, revealing two rows of yellowing teeth. He picked at one with his pinky and spat whatever it was he'd managed to dislodge. One sniff indicated it was some sort of meat, now gone rancid. “Well, you know how it is. One of your mercs botches an assassination job and your reputation goes down the tanks. Thanks for that, by the way. You realize I'm going to have to kill you.” Ixolok spared her the barest glance, but in that moment, his eyes were wide with alarm. He turned back to Tykarian, and Tamika could smell the fear coming off of him in waves. “What are you talking about?” “The target you were sent to eliminate still lives. And then you went and tried to kill the person who hired us, and you managed to fail at that, too. I mean, to give you credit, he was dead for a little while, but you know them wo--” Dana coughed. “This reunion is going spectacularly and I'm sorry to interrupt, but what is it you want?” Tamika growled. Dana had interrupted something very important. The details of Loki's job; the one that had destroyed their relationship. And this was the man that had given it to him! Her hands curled, and Mika could feel the beginnings of claws forming. She clenched her teeth, trying to keep control. The mercenary laughed, a great booming laugh that rolled over the three of them like thunder. “You're on our territory. We're here to make sure you don't go any farther. Poaching is very much frowned upon, you know.” “Oh shit,” Tamika could hear Ixolok whisper, as Tykarian pulled a K'tarten Ion Blaster and leveled it at his former mercenary. “Dana...down.” The beast roared within her, and before Mika knew it, there were three, much smaller Tykarians lying about the clearing, blood staining the metal and refuse. Perfect rage infected her limbs, twisting them until there was nothing human left where once Tamika had stood. Creatures screamed, but they were only prey; only gristle between her teeth, and jagged bones to crunch. She smelled their fear and rejoiced in it, letting free a howl of perfect glory. Another howl answered, this one Pack, and the Beast felt joy course through her. Her kin survived, and he too gloried in the hunt, in the kill. She was not sated. There was not enough meat here, only rotted, half-living corpses that tasted sour, as if they had eaten their own kind. They left an awful taste in her mouth. Her mate was nearby. She turned to him and growled softly, enjoying the smell of him even as some small part of her shied away from renewed intimacy between them. What remained of Tamika—for this was not the Moon Shift, not the night of sleep—pushed away from the smell of her mate. The beast roared and surged, brushing the weak human into the depths, before facing the one remaining creature, the half-Dracos. She smelled the lizard in her, and the smell was betrayal. The woman still bore the stench of the wolf fire, what the human called Ar-Can. A betrayal of Pack. An attempt at usurpation, cried the Alpha within her. Teeth bare, the wolf launched itself at the half-lizard, determined to repay the betrayal with justice. Her mate was there. And he was talking. Whispering, his eyes calm, washing away the anger. His hands were upon her now, rubbing her muzzle, stroking her cheek as he continued to whisper. The wolf could not understand the words, only the soothing tone. Her mate could not be wrong. He was Pack; he was her chosen. The wolf listened. “Tamika...Tamika, please...” The words became clear, and Tamika felt herself awaken. She had not intended to lose herself to the Beast; she had wanted to do everything but lose herself to that ravaging creature. Had she hurt Ixolok? Dana? Was everyone all right? “She's shifting back,” came Dana's rasping cry. She was terrified, but alive and, from what Tamika could sense, completely unhurt. “Oh, thank the stars.” “Loki...are you...did he hurt you?” Mika asked, before she could help it. Feelings from the wolf took a moment to work free. “Did Tykarian get a shot off?” Ixolok smiled and shook his head. “No. You got there first, doll. Are you hurt?” “I'm fine. Dana? Did the Beast go after the Captain?” Lo's smile faded. “It did. But I managed to calm it down. For whatever reason, the techniques that I used to use still work. Thank the gods the wolf doesn't know you hate me.” No. The beast would not hate you. You are its mate. You are my mate. We could never hate you. Even if we desperately wanted to; which I do. “Good. My brother. He shifted. I can smell it...I can feel it. And he doesn't have someone to bring him back down.” Forcing herself to stand, Mika leaned against Ixolok for a moment, hating herself for replying on him and letting the mask slip in front of the captain. “We need to get over there. He might have come back down on his own, and he regards Yuri and Charles as Pack, but we can't be sure. Loki...give me my weapons and follow me.” "Babe, you're naked." Loki's voice was not particularly shocked. Rather, he seemed to be struggling to hide his pleasure having had her pressed against him, even for a moment. He knew well enough that a change was more than just physical. Some of their best sex had happened after a change, and he reeked of hopeful memory. "It's not like you haven't seen it before," Mika snapped, human self struggling to gain control of herself before the animal did something stupid. Satiation of bestial lusts was always a foremost concern so soon after a shift. "And Dana has all the same damn parts, so it's nothing particularly shocking." The Captain coughed. "Be that as it may, we should see you clothed before we attempt to go further." Mika growled, "Jackson is out there. And he has changed. Regardless of if he somehow made a miraculous recovery to humanity all on his own, he too will be naked, and he is not Alpha. I must get to my brother. Then I will change. If anyone attacks, I am already prepared to take them down." "What about Charles? He's already unstable on this planet." Mika stopped and turned, her grin feral. "Then a good look at what I've got should shock him right, shouldn't it? Saving the crew first; getting dressed second." |
| Everything was hazy. It was always hazy when he shifted. Everything took on a red tint, like the world was sprinkled with blood. Everything in him burned, every bone and sinew feeling like it was on fire. Jackson had fought the change, tried to get the strangers to back off. But their weapons had put him on edge. Now he tore into them like he was sifting wheat. He had a habit of ramming into people so as to knock them aside, throwing them back against rocks and rendering them unconscious. He usually didn’t kill the motionless, but it wasn’t always a guarantee – at least they wouldn’t be awake to feel anything. He could see Yuri using her very specialized weapon to incapacitate some of their foes. He’d always been somewhat jealous of the technology. Despite her calm demeanor, Yuri was an excellent fighter. Charles, not so much. His friend was still trying to catch his breath and the excitement seemed to have further winded him. It was stupid for them to have brought him onto such a dangerous planet if they didn’t have the medical equipment to protect him. Jackson cried it out in pain when a bandit sliced at him with a rusty two-edged blade. Well, it would have been a cry if he had been human, as it was, it was more of a terrifying roar. The bandit stumbled back, eyes filled with horror. He was soon covered in Jackson’s shadow. Jackson was neither the biggest man nor the biggest werewolf - but he was much larger as a wolf than as a man. Jackson lunged at him and pinned him to the ground, hot saliva dripping down onto the bandit’s face. “Jack!” He heard Charlie call out. Jackson looked up just in time to see another bandit about to plunge a spear into his throat when suddenly the man fell dead. Charles had grabbed the pistol Tamika had given Jackson and had, for once, been an excellent marksman. The bandit he had underneath him kneed him in the jaw and Jackson yelped. The bandit scurried to his feet and was just beginning to run when the scarf-whip Yuri wielding latched around his throat and pulled him down. “Who sent you?” She asked, a leg on the bandit’s neck. He always had two conflicting desires when he was changed – kill, and resist. Most werewolves possessed only the first, and some considered him weak because of it. He thought himself weak as well, because as much as he wanted to, he wasn’t always able to follow through with his oh so heroic plans… A low growl emanated from Jackson’s throat as he approached the pair. Yuri looked up, and there was masked fear in her eyes. Also, cunning he only ever really recognized as a wolf. “Easy now, Jackson,” She said in a soothing voice. Even so, he saw her adjust her grip on the scarf that currently held the bandit to the ground, just in case she needed to use it. “Hey, Jack,” Charles approached him slowly, his breath coming out strained. The hair on Jackson’s neck and shoulders bristled and then fell flat in a sort of wave. “Time to come back down now,” Charlie said. He reached out a hand, terrifyingly close to Jackson’s powerful jaws, and patted the fur on his back. “Jackson.” Jackson turned at the voice of his Alpha. Tamika, Dana, and Ixo had found them. Jackson could feel Tamika’s will even though she wasn’t saying a word. He began to shift back, until once more he was just a man on some desolate planet. Jackson looked around at the bodies scattered across the landscape. Some of them were still alive. He had to work to catch his breath – the change always left him winded. “Are you okay?” He asked. “We’re fine,” Dana said. “Looks like you had a bit of fun yourself,” Ixolok nudged a fallen bandit with his foot. Everyone was safe. His family was safe. “So much for a quiet mission, huh?” Jackson asked. “It’s not over yet,” Dana said, “We still have a job to do.” Jackson could sense Tamika’s current annoyance at the captain was higher than normal. What was going on between those two? “You dropped these,” Charlie said from behind him. When he turned, Charles handed him his glasses. Jackson put them on and the world became clearer. “Thanks,” He grinned. It was then that Jackson realized he was quite… undressed. “Oh geez,” Jackson made his way over to an unconscious bandit and rather unceremoniously stripped him down, pulling on the bandit’s ratty, smelly, pants and boots. Tamika never seemed embarrassed at her appearance after a change. But, again, Jackson was weird. He was a weird werewolf mhm. For sure. Jackson was sitting on the ground lacing up a boot when Charlie’s shadow covered him. “And you’d probably best take this too,” Charles gave him the gun. “I don’t know, that was some good shooting,” Jackson said. “That was luck,” Charles said. “How are you feeling?” Yuri looked Charles over worriedly. “I’m feeling a bit better actually,” Charles said, “Guess a bit of excitement now and then is good for you.” “Are you all ready?” Dana asked. Always business, tsk tsk. No one said anything to the contrary, so Dana took it as a collective yes. “Then let’s do this.” |
5 years Earlier "It is unwise, Dana, to take them on. You will regret it," her father growled, his eyes never leaving the files that scrolled across the screen. "With all respect, Sir. The Dracos is mine. The crew will be made up of those I choose and no others," Dana replied, her slender but strong arms folded over her chest. "So be it, but when the rest are torn to shreds because one of them lost control you will see the wisdom in my warning." The former captain rose, his nearly seven foot frame towering over his daughter. He had never taken on Lycans in the twenty years he had commanded the three different manifestations of the Dracos. Dana called it racism, he called prudent planning. "If my crew is torn to shreds, as you have suggested, then I will be in pieces among them, Sir." "I do not doubt it, Dana." He replied. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dana straightened herself, tugging at her shirt to smooth the wrinkles that had formed under the heavy leather of her shoulder holster. She attempted to ignore the hesitance in her crew to move on, continuing one determined step after the other toward their end goal. Her affection for the crew always inspired a keen desire to keep them safe and happy, but that was not what she was required to do. She was required to keep them strong, to keep to the work at hand and to keep them alive. Unfortunately times like these, with direct orders and no immediate need to retreat, she was forced to be cold like her father. A trait she was less than thrilled to take on. Dana chewed her bottom lip a moment, fighting to keep her focus and get the job done. She glanced to Ixolok, concerned their run in with his old friend may have repercussions with Tamika. Dana had purposefully interrupted the little history lesson his friend had began to share. It was not hers, nor Tamika's place to know what Ixolok had left unsaid, and in all honesty, she never had a tolerance for long-winded villain types. Though she felt a strange tension from Tamika, in fact heard a growl, when she had cut in. The relationship between Ixolok and Tamika was no concern to her outside her interest in her friend's happiness, but if Tamika saw it otherwise that could complicate their already tense relationship further. The two women shared a rocky past to say the least, and the earlier intentions of the wolf having reinforced Dana's own concerns. Tamika was becoming more of an issue the closer the grew to the change, even now Dana was watching her calm wear away. For being so calculating, Tamika was moody and quick to challenge; a problem the captain would handle in her own way despite the desires her father had once shared and the feelings of the crew. In fact, it was something Dana was already preparing for. The residue of wolf fire lingered on her skin. Due to her father's insistence, the UCI had mandated bullets filled with Ar-Can as a precautionary measure. In the event of an uncontrollable shift or malfunction with the Cryogenic Somnolence Chambers, Dana needed a way to protect her crew. It was the only way the UCI would allow the Nichols aboard. The presence of werewolves on UCI vessels, or even among non-sanctioned salvage crews, was uncommon. It was too dangerous. Tamika and Jackson posed a threat not only to Dana, captain and daughter of the esteemed Khraleen Keyton, but also to Charles, the scientist son of the legendary explorer Ava Leigh Koerner; Yuri, a highly trained medic of precious Nevalim origin; and Ixolok, a biohazard specialist whose Ryxorian blood made him immune to substances lethal to most. It was already frowned upon letting a mere human join the team, and then Dana had been accused of adding fuel to the fire by accepting werewolves onto her crew as well. Dana trusted her teammates, but she could not out right disobey orders from her commander. She respected the mission and work of the UCI, but the irony of their distrust and discrimination was not lost on her. Two small, silver cases of ballistic tip, 150 grain .308 caliber projectiles were hidden on the Dracos. With steel cores and filled of Ar-Can, they were sure to be lethal. The captain had grappled with the decision, but ultimately, her unorthodox problem-solving won out. Dana had agreed to the presence of Ar-Can bullets on her ship, but she did not agree to the dose. Secretly, she partially emptied the bullets to reduce the dosage to a more manageable, less toxic level. It was the only way to make peace with her duty to the UCI and her compassion for her crew. She had not told anyone, but in wolf form, Tamika had still smelled the remnants of the violet powder on her person. Logically, Dana knew Tamika in human form understood the UCI's rationale. But it still stung. In wolf form, the decision did not sit well with Tamika at all, and it bore a great weight upon their once stronger friendship. Both Tamika and the Dana knew that if the wolf in her lost control, Dana would be the first to feel her bite. The actions of the wolf not two hours before had confirmed that belief, producing the only terror Dana had felt at Tamika's change. Despite what her precautions would suggest, Tamika and Jackson's lives meant as much to Dana as any of the others, and she would fight for them just as hard. "Captain," Jackson pointed his light down a small side tunnel, the subtle glow of reflecting metal dancing under it's beam. A good sized shuttle in less than stellar condition set half buried, having crashed through from above. Dana smiled, "Good work Jackson. Ixolok, you and me will clear out the shuttle. Charles, keep out of sight with Yuri and find our fastest route out of the tunnels. Tamika and Jackson will be our security." The others agreed. The captain and Ixolok shoved their way into the broken ship, clearing it quickly and finding it untouched. "Well hello, ladies," Ixo said with a smile, holstering his gun and glancing over his shoulder at the captain. Before them lay three large trunks, secured well and marked with the bold block letters, 'Weapons and Tech'. Dana grinned, "Well Merry Christmas to us. Let's load em up and get the hell out of dodge." "Yes, ma'am." |
Deft fingers tapped across the glass, swiping screens and keying in updates for their mission log as Charles listened to his friend peruse their bounty. “Whoa, this is amazing,” Jackson enthused over the tools and machinery found in one of the cases retrieved from Laedra Three. His eyes roamed over the items, hands perched eagerly on the trunk edges. “It’s so strange. Some of these weapons are almost archaic, but they’re in excellent, usable condition.” “Hey now, you heard the boss: no touching!” Charles teased, lip quirking up from where he stood. Jackson, who was crouched on the floor a few feet away, was under strict orders: do NOT touch the weapons. Yuri and Ixolok were in the lab inspecting the first case to check for harmful substances. Unfortunately, the other two trunks had been left unattended in the main console room. “Wow, you really do always look out for him,” Tamika spoke, entering the room from the hallway leading to their personal chambers. Charles ducked his head. He knew what was coming next. On their return trip through Laedra’s tunnels, Jackson and Yuri gave detailed accounts of Charles’ so-called “heroics.” Honestly, he was stupid. Lucky, but stupid. He had barely handled a gun in training, let alone in real life on a mission; and he had certainly never killed someone. He could have hurt someone; hell, he could have hurt Jackson. Or worse, he could have missed. Then that damn Tykarian would have gotten him. Charles’ shoulders tensed. The mere thought made him ache. Luckily for them all, Charles didn’t miss. Frankly, he was still stunned. If anyone was heroic, though, it was Yuri, who steady and strong, and Jackson, who was quick to come to their defense. And from what’d heard about the others’ run-in, his other crew mates were as equally brave. “Thank you,” Tamika said, suddenly much closer to the historian. “I’m glad he has you.” Her voice was as gentle and kind as he’d ever heard. She pressed a quick, friendly kiss to his cheek before walking toward Jackson and tackling him in a clumsy hug. Laughter erupted from Charles’ lips at the inelegant noises Jackson released as he struggled to untangle himself. Jackson escaped, leaving Tamika to explore the second case of findings. Though, she didn’t completely adhere to Dana’s “no touching” rule. He ambled over, placing a hand on Charles’ shoulder and roughly turning the taller man to face him. Then, to no one’s surprise, Charles was wrapped in a solid, warm embrace. No words were needed. Of course, Jackson was grateful that Charles saved him. What he maybe didn’t realize was that Charles was the most thankful of all. “You were both strong out there,” Dana spoke, entering from the lab with Yuri & Ixolok in tow. “As was our talented medic, who also proved herself to be a worthy fighter.” Yuri smiled shyly as Ixolok stepped over to haul another trunk to the lab. At their captain’s presence, Tamika wordlessly began to follow Ixolok, briefly patting Yuri on the shoulder on her way. “Thank you captain,” Charles replied, standing to attention. Jackson matched his stance. “At ease,” Dana replied, stepping forward. “Although, I do need to clarify one piece of information. Did you or did you not touch Jackson while he was in wolf form?” Charles froze. He wasn’t going to lie, but he had a feeling Dana wasn’t going to like the answer. Jackson’s eyes darted between his friend and his captain, his mouth opening and closing a few times. Behind the captain’s shoulder, Tamika stopped in her steps. Apparently, she wanted to know, too. “I-I, yes, I reached out to calm Jackson,” Charles answered. “I realize it may have been a ris--” “It may have been a risk?” Dana cut in, voice raising. “No, it was risky and it was foolish. You could have gotten hurt; you could have made things worse, you-.” “But he didn’t,” Jackson interrupted. “I can’t explain exactly what it is, or how it feels when I turn. Only those who have experienced it can ever truly understand it. Normally, only an alpha or someone close to you can pull you back. I’ve never had that with anyone but Mika, but Charles...when he came closer, I knew I had to get a grip. It helped. He helped.” “Don’t mistake my feelings,” Dana replied, her features softening. “I am very glad that Charles proved enough to bring you back. But Charles did not know that, and he put all three of you in danger doing what he did.” “Well now we know,” Tamika stated. “I think we all understand what could have happened, but it didn’t. We’re all glad. Everyone is okay.” Charles shoulders’ relaxed as he released a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He appreciated Jackson and Tamika standing up for him. Though, he completely understood Dana’s concern. He had been foolish, but he didn’t regret stepping up for his friend. “Yes, well then, let’s move forward,” Dana agreed, pressing on to the next topic. “And fortunately, our next location should be less life-threatening. We’re making a brief pit stop for fuel and medical supplies. We’ll also stock up on foods.” Charles paused. They had just left Laedra Three. Their next stop needed to be a nearby civilized planet with a quality fuel base and available medical supplies. Also, food could be found on most planets (not always the best food), but why mention it specifically? Unless... “The Markets of Honhir,” he said quickly, mind calculating. “That’s the only possible destination. No one else is close enough or has the provisions we need. You’re taking us to Honhir.” Dana nodded, a gleam in her eye. “What’s that?” Jackson asked curiously, bumping shoulders with him. “Technically, it’s a large-scale, multi-cultural bazaar on the rather small planet of Paquen, but it’s so infamous that people refer to the entire planet as ‘The Markets of Honhir,’ which--if it’s not obvious, Honhir is the capital,” Charles explained. For them, it would feel similar to a outside marketplace on Earth, with vendors, goods and all sorts of entertainment. Except, this market spread across almost the entire planet and instead of having goods from different countries--the wares were from different planets and alien cultures across the universe. If you could only visit one planet and you wanted to see as much as you could, get a glimpse or taste of other cultures--Honhir was the premiere destination. “Don’t worry about it,” Charles assured him, “You’re gonna like it.” |
Ixolok began to wonder whether it was some kind of cosmic fate, something which he had never believed in, or his own personal hell that kept him from the woman he loved. He decided it was his own version of karma come to bite him in the ass. Tamika was the woman he loved more than life itself and still, to this day, it haunted him just how close he had come to taking her life. Shaking his head, he managed to push the memory away as he carefully placed the last item into his bag. He then tossed the duffel over his shoulder, causing the contents inside to make a muffled clinking sound. He intended to slink away from the crew to be lost in the populous of Honhir, where he would seek out some answers as to what Tykarian was talking about before Tamika relieved him of his life. Ixolok heard the door to his room open and froze when he smelled an all too familiar scent in the air. Turning, he was greeted with the woman he loved. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Tamika nearly snarled. Ixolok didn’t skip a beat and rolled with what he was given. “We’re docked, so I thought I’d take a stroll and check a few things out, darlin’,” he explained, allowing his eyes time to survey her curvaceous figure. After all of this time he still appreciated the succulent shape of her body, and even more so since he had to chance to see her naked again which reminded him of their times together. The very thought of the things they did after her transformations still made his body react involuntarily. Seeing her now had no different reaction, he become very stiff in his nether region. In an effort to change his train of thought, he tried another tactic. “You know, you’re more than welcome to accompany me,” he said to her smooth as silk. He slid the bag off his shoulder, so that it hit softly on the floor. He then moved toward her, coming to stand in front of her with little to no space separating them. He expected her to push him away, then storm off upset with him as usual. Instead, she stood her ground expecting a real answer from him while staring at him defiantly. “I’m just going to see if I can get something from a few Glasarian diamonds I found awhile ago,” he admitted a half truth. “Yeah. I bet,” she said, her sarcasm cut through him like a knife. “Did you need something?” Ixolok asked, tired of her not believing him. Sure, it was true he wasn’t telling her the whole truth right now, but even if he did tell her what he was about to do, she still wouldn’t believe him. He looked down into her icy blue eyes waiting for the answer only to feel the full force of the desire he felt for her to make its appearance. He brushed himself up against her, so that she could feel his desire. The desire he felt for her was not a lie. He missed her scent on him after a late night activity. He wanted her to be there in his bed when he awoke in the morning. For a mere second, he thought he saw longing in her eyes too. However, the longing he thought he saw was quickly masked with anger. “No, I told you before we’re through unless you can tell me the truth.” Ixolok reached a tentative hand up to cup her face, expecting to be pushed aside, still she hadn’t fought him. He realized she wanted this just as much as he did. Just as he was going in for a kiss, something she didn’t deny, they were interrupted. “Io, do you think I can borrow...” Jackson began, as he came around the corner. “Oh, I’m, uh, sorry. I saw your door open and thought...” Tamika pulled away instantly as she heard Jackson. “No need to be sorry Jackson, there was nothing going on here,” Tamika announced with a hard look at Ixolok. “Yeah, bro, nothing going on,” Ixolok said, feeling deflated. Tamika left and Ixolok watched her go. |
| Jackson was going with Charles to visit the Jyndarian level. The creatures were expert tinkers, and their creations more often than not improved upon the scraps from which they were made. Her brother worshiped their makeshift wonders, and no visit to Honhir would be complete without a rampage through their stalls, a desperate Charles at his heel to explain where it all came from. And their boyhood adventures were not without merit; on occasion, they'd found something useful or even dangerous to the Dracos' mission, for which the Captain was always grateful. "Don't forget the mask! And stick together!" Mika called as the young men scampered off into the crowds. Not every section of the markets was accessible to every creature; how could it be, when it was a veritable polyglot of interspecies barter? In order to cater to different environmental needs, species whose genetic and climatic necessities were the same were grouped together in, for lack of a better word, terraformed warehouses. To facilitate travel between these vast, helter skelter junklands, the market supplied masks and suits for anyone who needed them. A visitor would also be specially cleansed before entering a new section; no telling what sorts of diseases an innocent traveler might bring with them. No telling what dangers a not-so-innocent traveler would conceal. There was a nominal truce upon the market itself, but it was almost impossible to patrol the whole thing. After all, the markets covered most of the planet, and there were only so many U.C.I. soldiers to go around. So anything the market itself could do to prevent violence, it did. They were still dangerous. And for all their excitement, there was always the tingling sense that someone was watching from the shadows, or that fingers danced over your purse. For that reason, Mika ensured that everyone from the Dracos had a weapon of some sort hidden about their person. Even Yuri, with her scarf, carried a knife hidden within her sleeve. Mika herself even needed them, because here in the market, she could not change. "Please submit to a species scan." An emotionless voice pulled Mika's attention from Jackson and back toward the security check. Everyone who came to the market was subjected to the screening. The U.C.I. might not be able to patrol the entire market, but it could cover the entrances. And it did so, in force. Those weapons borne by her crew had to be well hidden and especially crafted to get past such measures, but between her brother's expertise and her own, no one on board the Dracos was without protection. Mika hoped it wouldn't be needed. After all, the markets were exciting as much as treacherous, and even werewolves could be cautious. "Of course," Mika replied, stepping forward and allowing the soldier to run the scanner over her. She smiled as it beeped and turned an ominous red, like blood spilling forth from teeth-ravaged flesh. "I will be requiring bracelets." The soldier turned green eyes to her, and they were wide with fright. "Y-yes...yes, you will. Category ZZX219..." The soldier licked his lips as his shaking hands grabbed a pair of metal bracelets and placed them around her wrists. "A-alpha wolf, deemed exceptionally dangerous. Three days until the change. As per the bylaws of the Markets of Honhir, enacted under the auspices of the United Cosmos Institute, you are required to wear these bracelets until such a time as you leave the market or the day before your change, whichever comes first. Upon the day of your change, you are to remove yourself from this planet entirely. Any attempt to remove these bracelets, or to remain upon Honhir during your change, will result in immediate execution." Mika chuckled, enjoying the way she made the boy shiver. So close to her monthly change, and not long after an off-moon change, she was feeling cruel; the beast surged within her, a mindless lust for blood and animal passion. An idle thought pressed into her mind; what would this boy taste like? Was his meat sweat or salty? He was too young to be bitter...too untried to be stringy... A voice in her ear brought Mika out of her murderous reverie. "Mmm...always did like the look of those bracelets. Reminds me of those handcuffs we used to have..." Loki pressed against her, his breath hot on her neck. Leave it to him to know where her thoughts had turned. "Hmmm...smarmy as always, Loki," she growled, pulling away and charging into the markets as the guard waved her through. Though the bracelets would prevent a change, they did not dampen the creature within her. And the way the wolf was baying in her chest, Tamika knew she needed to stay away from Ixolok. The beast within her had no rational thought, and no human heart to resist the smell and feel of her bonded mate; she would destroy the carefully wrought disdain and reserve Tamika had woven between herself and the Ryxorian. The wolf within did not understand lies and deceit. She knew only bestial instincts and wild compulsion. She would not know what spurious half-truths had done to corrupt the ties that bind. There was more than lust, more than need...more than even love among humans. And, of those things that mattered, Loki had betrayed them all. Mika would not allow herself to forgive him, no matter how hard the beast within her begged for it. Thoughts of Loki carried Mika through the feast of senses that was the market. Her steps did not require thought; she moved unerringly through the crowds, her steps graceful and lithe even amidst the throng. Like Jackson, she had a place to go; a ritual of visitation she never missed when the Dracos made its way to the Markets. If he could pull away from the Jynarii long enough to come find her, Jackson often visited the Romaru clan, as well. They were some of the only werewolves to live entirely in the reaches of space. And, as such, the closest thing to Pack Mika would find while on this mission. "Ah, child! You have come to visit us!" An old woman sat at the entrance to the Romaru camp, slouched into a rocking chair only marginally younger than she. Upon seeing Mika, she dropped the knitting in her liver-spotted hands and raised her trembling arms for an embrace. She was even grayer now than the last time Mika had seen her, but her hair was no less wild as it spilled in untamed curls over and about her shoulders. And her eyes were not dimmed, or lidded over; they raked over Mika with all the alert attention of a discerning mother searching for any sign of malady or hurt. Her dress was wrapped with a few more blankets and shawls these days, but the woman looked very much the same as ever. And as usual, as Mika pulled away from the hug, the old woman bared the side of her neck in the ancient symbol of submission. Even the elderly must show respect to an Alpha, after all. "Gran!" Mika admonished. "I would never force you to such..." "Oh, tut!" The old woman interrupted. "You are an Alpha. It's nothing to show a bit of neck and keep the old traditions alive. Come...is Jackson with you? Or has he become entranced by the mechanical wonders of those deep space scavengers?" Mika smiled. "Got it in one, Gran. If he can tear himself away from toys and tools, he'll make his way over." Motioning for Mika to sit, Gran waved her hands in dismissal. "Let him have some fun. It's not often the runt gets to have some fun...especially when his sister's an Alpha. He is lucky to have gotten away from all that nonsense. Certain pack behaviors are far too like the animal and not nearly enough human. Jackson's a smart boy; it would have been a shame to see him relegated to last and least because of his size and sight." "How are the others? Out scavenging, or minding the tables?" Mika did not like to discuss Jackson's status within the Pack, even with someone so much like a grandmother to her. Getting him away from the family had probably saved his life. "A little bit of both. Some of the boys are preparing some songs for this evening. Nothing like a little entertainment for the fire." Mika smiled and sat back. The Romaru were gypsies as well as werewolves, and where the majority of their people had been fine with wandering the Earth, Gran and her pack had ventured into the vast reaches of blackness, looking for newer and ever more exciting paths to walk. That they had ended up at Honhir was no surprise. Like the Jindarii, they were junkers, though they were not the kind to sell their wares as anything but what they were. They supplemented this income with fortune telling, songs, and bit of pick-pocketing, though this was always done away from the markets themselves. Gran was the best Seer of them all, and charged a hefty sum for the truth of her visions. Like Jackson, Mika had also created a working relationship with her friends. If they found anything the Dracos might want, they set it aside for when Mika came to visit. In return, she repaired their weapons and kept them in working order, as well as telling them of promising salvage sites. Mostly, though, she came for the feeling of home that always accompanied returning to the bosom of wolves. "I would have your palm, Mika." The words came as something of a shock. In all the years she'd known Gran, the old woman had never told Mika's fortune. The Seer didn't like reading for family, and she considered Mika an extension of Pack as much as Mika did the Romaru. If the ancient gypsy wanted Mika's palm, there was a reason for it. Haltingly, Mika extended her hand; as soon as it was close enough, Gran reached out and snatched it, running her finger along the inside. "You...you are in danger, Pack-by-love. You and your Mate." Gran looked up and her eyes were fathomless black where once pupils had been. "One who has conquered death now points the Reaper's scythe at you. False vengeance motivates his beastly soldiers, whose hearts 'gainst you he turns. This darkness is borne of hate and lies, and forges distance where there should be ties." Mika leaned forward, terror pounding in her chest. "And Jackson? Is Jackson in danger?" "Death's eye turns not to your brother. He gazes only upon you and your Mate." Despite herself, Mika felt a pang of fear for Loki. She could no more bear his death than Jackson's, no matter what her rational mind might have wished. The wolf would become uncontrollable in its mourning, at the very least. Loki was part of her Pack; he was Pack by choice, her Mate for life. His death would be a blow from which Mika was not sure she could recover. "Why would Loki be part of this? We're not even together any more." "You have separated from your Mate? Oh, child! What could have possessed you to sever your soul in such a manner?" Gran held Mika's hand clutched between hers. "And for an Alpha to be so weakened..." "It's fine, Gran. No tethers are broken. He followed me aboard ship and won't let go. I couldn't get rid of him even if I tried." Mika sighed, realizing that his closeness pleased her despite her avowal that she wanted nothing to do with him. No matter how hard she tried, the wolf would not let go. She supposed it couldn't; not without destroying itself. "We are simply...no longer intimate." Gran shook her head. "Whatever he has done...surely it isn't that bad?" "He keeps secrets from me. I cannot abide by secrets." "Oh, pish! Everyone has secrets. And everyone is entitled to their secrets. Are your Mate's withholdings out of fear of your knowing, or perhaps secrets of necessity?" Gran's eyes returned to their normal ink and ivory. "You keep secrets, or are you going to tell me everything you learned as an Officer? Life is made up of secrets...even between Mates. Mika...you will need your Mate in this. He is a part of this narrative, and at the very least he deserves to know what I have told you. His life is at stake." Staring at her lap for a moment, Mika made a rude noise before standing. "Very well. I will inform him of our impending doom. But I'm not yet sure I am ready to...to resume our relationship. He hurt me...badly. And if the wolf is ready to forgive him, the human is not. But enough of this...show me what your boys have found for me." ***** From the shadows, they watched and they waited. The traitor could not be killed here, not with the truce in place, but they were everywhere. They would find her and the Outsider she called Mate. And for Pack, they would kill her. For Pack, they would destroy them both. |
| "This is incredible," Jackson murmured as he held up a mechanical doodad to his eye. "What does it do?" Charles asked, though he wasn't looking at it. Honhir was a melting pot of different species and cultures and Charles was doing his very best to suck it all in. "No idea," Jackson said as he set it down and moved on to the next stall. "I have to say this is much more my speed," Charles said. "I think the last mission went pretty well, actually." There was a silence until their eyes met and then they both laughed. "Well, at least everyone is in one piece," Jackson picked up some sort of mechanical device that promptly fell apart. They ducked away from that stall quickly. "How are you feeling?" Charles asked him, "Being so close to the change?" "Oh, yeah," Jackson checked his specialized lunar watch absentmindedly, "I feel pretty good. I think transforming on Laedra Three helped release some of the steam. I still feel bad about it though…" Jackson didn't like losing control, and he didn't like hurting people. From what he gathered about the event afterward, however, it seems like he managed to keep most of his attackers alive. Mika… not so much. There were so many glaring differences between them that it was hard for most people to believe that they were related. Mika was the Alpha, and Jackson was the runt. Living with the Pack back on Earth had been hard. In fact the only reason he wasn't treated worse was because his sister was the Alpha. And now they were adrift among the stars… He thought he really should pay a visit to the Romaru clan. After all, they were family too - and this far removed from Pack politics, he was rarely subjected to any poor treatment. Except from his cousins, but that was just play. Suddenly there was a popping noise from his mask and steam starting to pour out of the sides. And everything started to smell like cherries. "Are you okay?" Charles asked, worried. "Yeah," Jackson struggled to take the mask off, "Just another broken thing I need to fix." "Can you breathe?" "Obviously," Jackson laughed. His lungs were stronger than his friend's. All of a sudden, Jackson's keen nose picked up on another scent. A delicious one. "I'm starving," He said. "You're always hungry," Charlie's eyes were smiling. "Like a wolf," Jackson punched his friend's arm, "I'm gonna go get something to eat." "Meet you there," Charles said, but he was already engrossed in a book stall. Soon Jackson found himself in a massive crowd, with stalls that sampled food from all over the galaxy on either side. His nose led him this way and that, and he could hardly decide on what to get first. The only thing he loved more than machines… was food. He had finally settled on some Andrian-style noodles when he stopped dead where he was. There was something different about his surroundings, now - it was noisy but everything seemed muted. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and a chill ran down his spine. He could hear a whispering over the crowd, a desperate whispering. Jackson pushed through people as he made his way over to where he thought the sound was originating. It brought him to the very end of the stall run and towards a more rundown residential sort of area. Just when he thought he lost it, it picked up again, and led him to a dark, dingy alleyway. Suddenly his ears picked up a real noise now, the sound of a struggle. There was a young woman in the alleyway, and a man in dark clothing was attacking her. "Hey!" Jackson ran towards them. The man lunged towards him but Jackson dodged, and when his fist made contact with the man's chest it sent the man flying backward into the wall. But oh did he make a swift recovery… the man jumped up the entire height of the building and fled. "Holy…" The young woman slumped against the wall and slid down it so that she sat on the ground. "Are you alright?" Jackson crouched down next to her and turned her face so that it faced his. She had wavy brown hair and icy blue eyes, and she looked terribly pale and weak. He had never seen anything like her before. "Are you hurt? Let me go get some help --" Jackson had just begun to stand when she grabbed him by his jacket collar… and kissed him. It felt like electricity was coursing through his veins, speeding up his heart. But all of a sudden, it felt as if his energy was being drained, he felt tired, sluggish, weak -- She pushed him back, a look of horror in her eyes. "You're a Lycan," She whispered. "Hmm?" Jackson asked, dazed. She looked far less pale now. In fact, her cheeks now had a rosy tint to them. The young woman stood suddenly and started to leave. "Hey, wait --" she pulled away when Jackson touched her arm. "They are still looking for me," She said, "You don't want them to find you." "Who?" Jackson started to follow her when she ran but he had to stop for a moment, his head spinning. What had she done to him? He didn't know who she was, or who had attacked her, but he wasn't about to let it go. He felt like he needed to help her. Even if he didn't know why. Jackson raced after her as she ran through the alleyways, and picked up her scent when he momentarily lost her. It almost felt like his nose was stuffy, though… like all of his senses were dulled. Every once in a while the world would spin. When he finally caught up to her, she had been cornered in a dead end by the man who had attacked her - and several others were with them. "And who's this, Myrina?" The man asked the young woman when Jackson entered the circle. When Jackson looked behind himself he saw that two more people had stepped forward, blocking the exit. Maybe this hadn't been the best idea after all… "Brought us a little snack?" Another asked. "Yep, not my best idea ever…" Jackson felt fear rising up in him, fear that would normally begin to trigger a transformation. But nothing was happening. That's when he understood. They were Vampires. He'd heard about them on Earth. They weren't like the vampires portrayed in the media - they didn't even drink blood. Instead they fed on the energy - the very life force - of their prey. Sometimes with fatal results. Jackson had always felt some sympathy for them, since he thought perhaps they felt like he did - almost human, but something… more. The reason he felt so weak was that he had been drained. Now he really was almost like a mortal man - and he'd stay that way until he had some time to recover. Just the sort of thing Charles would love to study... "Leave him alone," the young woman addressed as Myrina said fiercely. "This is what got you into trouble before," the man said as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Jackson bristled for some reason. "You know clan rules," The man said, suddenly grabbing her face, "No consorting with humans. But if you promise not to do it again… and because you've brought us such a nice gift…" The others started to move in towards Jackson and Jackson took a step back. "Don't hurt him," Myrina pushed the man aside. "Is he your friend, Myrina?" The man asked, mockingly. One of the other Vampires had moved in close and sniffed Jackson, making him jump. The Vampire pulled back quickly. "He's a Lycan," The Vampire said. The man seemed afraid for a moment, and then filled with anger, though he kept it well hidden. "And what is a dog doing down here?" "I'm -- I'm part of a salvage crew," Then he added, "Government sanctioned." "My my, impressive… I'm afraid you've broken the pact, however," The man said. "What pact?" "The Romaru Pack stay to their side and we stay to ours." "Well then," Jackson said, "I better get back to my side." When Jackson turned to go, the man was suddenly in front of him with inhuman speed. "I'm afraid that is not how it works." Jackson was in deep and weakened, and laughably outnumbered. His friends were right, he was too reckless. He felt out for Mika but she was on a different side of the station, and he feared that in his current state their connection may have been weakened as well. Suddenly he remembered the earpiece in his ear, the one he had stupidly turned off so that he wouldn't have to hear Mika and Ixo arguing or, worse, flirting. Jackson pretended to scratch his ear and turned it on. "You can't just kidnap people," He said extra loudly so that it could be heard by whoever was listening on the other side of the earpiece, "In the back alleys of the Jyndarian sector. Even if you're Vampires." Everyone was looking at him like he was an oddball. Charles was the closest, but Jackson wasn't sure what his book worm friend could do about the current situation. But hopefully they were listening. |
Dana wrapped her fingers around the small blue glass, examining the swirling copper colored liquid inside. The smell alone burned in her nostrils as she lifted it to her lips, hoping she could encourage the foul liquor past her tongue before it lingered long enough to sting. “To mutual profit,” her companion began with a wide smile. She lifted the glass. “To old friendships,” she replied, taking the shot and replacing the glass. The rank little man with whom she toasted leaned back in his chair, his stubby fingers woven together and resting against his enormous belly. He was a human by all appearances, though his manner seemed a collaboration of the worst traits of a thousand species. He was, however, the best resource for supplies on this half of the planet, and one who's negotiating had been well studied by the young captain over the period of several years. “Now that we have toasted let us talk business, Jorra.” Dana began, weaving her mess of dark curls into a loose bun. “Always business with you, Captain. The Jyndarian sector is famous for it's liquors, it would be a shame if you left without sampling at least a few,” he replied, ordering a second round with a wave of his hand. “I will drink when my supplies reach the Dracos, my old friend, and not a moment sooner,” she replied with a smile. He feigned disappointment, rocking forward to rest his elbows on the table. “Very well, what is it you need?” She took her tablet from the bag at her side and presented the list to him. He scanned it a moment, nodding his head and rubbing his chin. “It won't be easy to get all this. Medical supplies are harder and harder to come by, you know,” he replied. “You have never failed to meet the demand before. If necessary I can take my business to Culla; I hear he is not without supplies,” Dana replied, taking a second shot of the foul copper booze. “Now now, Captain, you wouldn't abandon your old friend. I can get them for you, but it will take me a day I think.” “And the cost?” “For you I could do five thousand,” he replied. Dana shook her head. “I would not pay half that. It is worth no more than two at best.” Jorra coughed on his booze. “Captain, you insult me! Two? Even a face as pretty as yours could not take all that for less than four.” Her negotiations were interrupted as she heard someone's mic click on in her earpiece. “You can't just kidnap people in the back alleys of the Jyndarian sector, even if you're Vampires.” Jackson's voice came through clear. She tapped her mic on, lifting a finger to Jorra and answering. “No worries Jackson, I will be there in a moment,” she replied, more calmly than her mood called for, for both Jackson and Jorra's sakes. Dana knew a good deal about the vampires in this sector, having spent a less than respectable amount of time with one in particular in her younger years. “Let me borrow your boys for a half hour, and I will pay three,” she said standing, removing her glove and presenting a hand to Jorra. He took it. “You suck the life out of me, Captain, but you win again.” It was an ironic turn of phrase for the moment, but she smiled nonetheless. “Come on, boys.” She motioned to the two that stood guard at the door, one of which was a vampire himself. She stepped into the street and began toward the tech vendors at a sturdy sprint. “Charlie, are you still with him?” She asked. “No. We split up and he headed for the food,” Charlie replied. “Find Yuri and stay close. Jackson and I will join you shortly, outside of Jorra's, alright?” “Yes, Captain.” “I am on my way,” Tamika cut in, her breath suggesting she was already running. “Not a chance. Stay on your pack's side or get all of us killed,” Dana replied, praying she would put her foolish arrogance aside and let Dana do what needed doing. “That's not going to happen,” Tamika replied coolly. “For god's sake Mika, take the damn order!” Dana barked back, her tone as serious as it had ever been. “You cross that line, and Jackson will die. He's my family too, and his only shot is if you stay the hell away, understood?” Mika hesitated. “If anything goes wrong...” “Nothing will go wrong. Wait at the border, and if necessary we will bring them there,” Dana replied. “Fine.” The captain rounded an alley way toward the food vendors. “Jackson keep them talking if you can, we are close.” She could hear his voice now, and the voice of his captor. Both pistols were in hand as she stepped into the alley way, Jorra's guards at her back. “Afternoon Jackson,” she said with a smile, turning toward the vampire closest to him. “Hello Dorian.” He smiled an unholy smile, turning his attention from the Lycan and meeting the eyes of the Captain. “As I live and breathe, Dana. You are as stunning as you ever were,” he cooed, approaching her with slow and slinking steps. “Do you know the mutt?” He asked, standing close enough to smell her hair despite the pistol she kept pressed against his chin. Her father's blood kept her immune to the life draining effects of the vampires, but that didn't make him any less capable of snapping her neck if given the opportunity. “He is family. I am sure your brother would not forgive you killing my family,” Dana replied. “My brother would not have suspected you to associate with a Lycan, my lovely friend. He would forgive me for killing him.” Dana moved her face closer to his, till she could feel the coolness of his skin against hers. “I would not recommend testing it, Dorian,” she whispered. He smiled, kissing her neck and triggering the same otherworldly spark that had drawn her so quickly to his brother. But now she was older and very much wiser. “Return him to me or I will put a bullet in you,” she said with a charming confidence that was all her own. He stepped back, a smile on his ungodly features. “Very well.” He waved off the others, who moved toward the young lady that seemed to have caught Jackson's eye. “My brother will be sorry he missed you.” Dorian said, watching Jackson step toward Dana on slightly less stable footing than was normal. “I am sure.” Dana replied, handing Jackson a pistol and wrapping an arm around his waist. Without another word they stepped back onto the main street, Jorra's men walking behind them, weapons still in hand until they were far out of sight. Jackson turned to her. “I have so many questions,” he said, a playful smile on his lips. She elbowed him in the ribs. "Next time don't wander off, dummy,” she replied, approaching Jorra's bar, in front of which stood Yuri and Charlie. She again clicked on the mic, “We're safe. We will get our supplies and meet you at the shuttle for transport in two hours.” |
After stumbling back inside the Dracos, the crew scattered to various corners of the ship. Dana marched to the bridge to report the incident with the Honhir "vampires." Ixolok dragged a reluctant Tamika with him to continue hauling in the supplies procured at the markets. Yuri returned to the med bay to prepare the proper machinery for scans. Huffing out a breath, Charles secured Jackson's arm around his shoulder as he escorted the werewolf to the exam room. He was leaning down slightly for the younger man, eyes carefully watching to make sure his friend was okay. "I'm fine, I promise," Jackson insisted as they shuffled down the corridor. "It's good it was me and not some other fool who couldn't take it." "You're not a fool," Charles replied softly as the doors slid open, recessing into the walls, to reveal the sterile, white brightness of medical room. "You were trying to help someone. Besides, it's not easy to spot Mydariins." "Is that what they were?" Yuri asked, tablet in hand, as she led them over to the scanner. Tapping on the smooth plastic surface, she motioned for Jackson to lay down on the machine bed. "Of course, vampires aren't real," Charles said. Yuri raised a brow questioningly, her eyes flicking over to the werewolf sliding into the scanner. "Right. Well, technically the term 'werewolves' is a colloquialism for shifters, which are--in terms of species--still human." "But those people at the market, that Dorian fellow that Dana knew...he is actually a Mydariin?" Yuri inquired over the machine buzzing behind them. "Yes, they're the original inspiration for the various myths surrounding vampires," Charles explained. "But instead of monsters that suck blood, they're an alien race that feeds off the life force or energy of others to survive." "I understand, but like Mika said, they shouldn't be able to roam free without the protective bracelets the U.C.I. forced Jackson and her to wear," Yuri said. "That's the thing about Mydariins, they're like chameleons. They're difficult to find or scan," the historian continued. "They can't feed off each other, which means they need to live in small groups among other races or aliens. And, depending on which type of energy they've recently consumed, that's what they'll read as. Though, they still look like themselves. Obviously, this limits which aliens they choose to prey on since they can't pick anything too conspicuous." "Let's just hope Dana can give the security enough information to find and arrest Dorian's group," Yuri said as the whirring died down and the scanner opened, releasing Jackson. "The good news is all your vitals are stable. Your increased healing is, no doubt, the main factor for your speedy recovery." "Good, this is good," Jackson said, hopping off the table. "If this hadn't happened, those leeches would have hurt someone else and they would continue to go unnoticed." "Leeches? Really, Jackson?" Charles asked, the corner of his lips quirking up. "Shut up," Jackson groaned with a playful shove. "Let's get out of here. I still need some food." "We restocked much of our supplies from the markets, including sustenance," Yuri chirped. "You boys go, I need to organize my medical inventory." "Awesome, but first I want to find Mika," Jackson said as they made their way back to the bridge. "She'll want to know I'm doing all right." "Of course," Charles replied as he followed his friend into the open room. In the center, Dana sat upright in the captain's chair watching the screens as the ship hurtled away from Paquen. Mika entered the room from the other side, having left Ixolok to play with his new biohazard gear and tech. Her features softened as she set eyes on her brother. They had had a brief scare, but everyone was okay. Jackson's stomach growled, filling the large space. Charles stifled his laughter, clapping a hand on the hungry man's shoulder to lead him to the kitchen. On their way past Mika, she ruffled her brother's hair (much to his dismay). It was almost peaceful until-- "WARNING: VESSEL CAUGHT IN GRAVITATIONAL FORCE." Betty, the ship's sound system, announced. "Damn, where did that come from?" Dana spat out, standing to read the scans. Ixolok ran out from his chambers as Charles and Mika rushed to their stations. "Wait, are we in the pull of a planet?!" Ixolok squawked. "Not possible!" Dana yelled above Betty's repeating message. "We're no where near a planet with a strong enough pull." "What do we think it is?" Yuri inquired, coming out from the med bay to watch Dana's screens. "There!" Mika shouted, pointing to the radar. "It's above us, and it's not a planet. It's a ship." "You mean, someone is pulling us in on purpose?" Jackson said in disbelief as they watched the Dracos move closer to the threat. "And we can't get away?" "Not anymore," Dana explained. "We're too close. We couldn't get away fast enough, even if we tried." "I wonder what they want," Ixolok said, voice unsteady. "Well, I think we're about to find out," Charles replied. "WARNING: INTRUDER ABOARD." |
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