FSE

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Into the Stars

Chapter Five

By Roofles

Within the depths of the planet Xi'toss, down in the winding tunnels of the mines deeply tucked into the canyon side and underneath its rocky surface; Isaac was having a waking nightmare.

Typhon lay bleeding out to their side in the dark chamber they all found themselves in. Juke, the marshal that had brought them here, was trying to adjust to the ever changing light while suffering from a head wound as Isaac stood before a madman with smoking holes coming out of their chest. The mole should've been dead to rights and yet somehow was still standing in their way.

Foreman Dole was still staring blankly towards the ceiling. At the writings on the walls. The large mole was bleeding from his mouth, from the holes in his chest and a rather nasty gash to his shoulder where Typhon had hit him earlier. His chest didn't move. He wasn't breathing. Just standing there, bleeding with a raspy breath of air escaping his collapsing lungs.

Bleeding as the lights around them began to flick off one by one, leaving them once more. In darkness.

Isaac could feel the tight fingers of fears gripping his chest as he grabbed at the spot building inside; trying to fight it off as he wanted to hurl there on the spot. The human was shaking uncontrollably. Sweat was trickling down his face and he wasn't able to move, gasping for breaths. Unable to say anything. To do anything.

He wanted to help Typhon. To help the saberwolf's wounded at their side, to stop the bleeding at least. To treat him the best Isaac knew from his training and then call for back up. To do something. To save Typhon's life…

And all Isaac could do was stand there as the gripping fear tightened on his heart and he shook as he heard the scraping steps of the mole draw closer. The clawing whispers raking at his sanity continued around them as if speaking from the very walls themselves.

“Mistake…"

Gasping out, clutching his chest as Isaac tried to breathe. He could feel his throat constricting. His lungs burning. Unable to even move…

“Defective…"

Juke fired out to his side. Isaac couldn't see what happened as the coyote tried to fight blindly in the dark, only to be knocked out of the way again. Even if he had hit the target, Foreman Dole seemed to still be going.

The coyote shouted out, saying something or other. Telling Isaac to snap out of it. The human couldn't. Just standing there as the foreman lifted up one claw above his head.

“The stars are falling, Isaac…"

The shield core in the band activated as the drilling claw came down like a hammer against Isaac skull. The translucent blue sphere absorbed the blow. The sphere forming between the two of them like a wall and his last line of defense. Then the next blow came down just as hard as the first. And another. As the foreman hammered away at it as Isaac just closed his eyes, covering his head as he waited for this nightmare to end.

“Isaac, come here…"

All he wanted was to wake back up in his cot back on the SS Thunderbird. Kaira coming in to check on him to tell him Fairbanks was in another one of his moods, mad about something or other. For Jeffrey to use up all the coffee again and have Mathews greet him at the cockpit; such warm friendly faces to wake up too.

“Let me look at you…"

Instead he was here. Back in this hell.

“Mistake."

A dull blue light began to fill the room.

“Failure."

At first Isaac thought it was from the cracking shield in front of him, the only thing between him and those deadly drills. The foreman had his full attention on the Terran as the air around them grew heavy. The light only growing in intensity as the air itself crackled with energy.

“You shouldn't even have been born…"

Claws ripped out, nails flashed and the mole was thrown aside as the blue fur saberwolf stood before Isaac once more. Huffing, panting as his entire body emitted a strange blue glow. It was cool, yet warm to the touch as it washed over Isaac's body.

And with it, the voices all but stopped.

“Hey." Typhon offered a hand silencing the whispers coming from the very walls around them. Words the saberwolf couldn't hear. Words that had been meant only for Isaac.

Typhon's deep blue fur crackled with energy, every strand seeming to glow and spark with electricity. Individuals strands connecting with the strange lighting that danced through it. Typhon's back continued to bleed as he turned on the mole he had thrown across the room like a ragdoll.

“Typhon, you're glowing…" Isaac managed to say, that tightness in his throat easing with the saberwolf's presence before him. His presence alone comforting in this dank, dark room underneath the planet's surface.

“Can he do that?" Juke finally spoke up, the coyote slack jaw as he looked at the saberwolf. The coyote cursed finding his flask empty at this point; the only thing staving off the maddening whispers around them.

“Coward. Failure. Should've died with the others." They whispered out. Words neither Isaac or Typhon could hear. Words meant for only Juke's ears. Words he had heard just as Isaac had heard his own. That was until that warm blue glow surrounded the two like a protective bubble keeping them at bay.

“I just met him the other day…" Isaac said truthfully. “Alien spacewolves, huh?" His voice was lost on him as he just stared at Typhon's back.

The wolf seemed larger than he had been before.

Typhon's fur was standing on end, sparking with electricity as he looked at the foreman pushing himself up. The mole digging at his own flesh as his jaws opened and a horrible sound came out. Like static from a disconnected TV.

It shook the walls around them. Clawing at them as if with finger nails. Scratching, clawing with maddening whispers. Whispers that couldn't reach the three before the foreman that had lost his sanity long ago to them. Just like all the others down in this place.

The saberwolf snorted out, breathing heavily as he held his injured side. Thick blood seeped between his fingers as he placed himself between the foreman and Isaac. The glow wavered, faltering for a second before burning brightly once more like a candle wick at the end of its life…

“I'll cover you." Juke spun his revolver around, popping out the clip to check his ammo. The coyote had always been able to remember every shot he fired. Until he had gotten down here.

Every shot that hit.

Every kill he made, weighing on his conscious.

“Typhon, you're side." Isaac started but felt his face being wiped once more with a finger, this time covered in the saberwolf's blood.

“I got it. Watch the dog." Typhon winced as he tried to give a reassuring smile. His face pulled up in a smile as his eyes wept in pain. “I got this. I'll protect you. Everything will be fine." The blood continued to seep from his side. Thick and red between his fingers.

“You're wound." Isaac gripped his arm. “The bleeding needs to be stopped." The human felt his composure returning. Without those words clawing at his mind, he could think. Focus on the issues at hand.

“I'm fine." Typhon winced. “We got to deal with him first…"

“Just give me a clear shot…" Juke stepped up beside Typhon. “He moves too fast…"

“Just get the ID, keycard thing you need." Isaac was the one to say looking around the room. “I got an idea… But we need that before we get out of here." Isaac gripped Typhon's arm hard enough to pull out several strands of fur. Each glowed softly in fingers.

“Right." Juke sighed heavily, spinning his gun around several times to try and calm his nerves. The two could feel them. The clawing fingers reaching out for them just outside the protective barrier of light the saberwolf seemed to emit.

Typhon was the only one seemingly immune to them.

Maddening whispers that struck too close to home. Picking out their insecurities, focusing on the wounds of the past. Digging them up. Pulling them out. Deeper still, ripping them out of their own mind, searching through their subconscious for them. Laying them bare for everyone else to see; even if they were the only ones who could hear them.

“Plan?" Typhon winced.

“Just keep doing what you're doing big guy." Isaac exhaled slowly already piecing together everything he'd need. “Just distract the bastard. Get the card and let's get the fuck out of here." He pulled out his tablet.

Sure enough, near the saberwolf. It worked.

Isaac took a moment to just stare at Typhon. The strange blue fur alien saberwolf that had in a way both ruined his life and saved it at the same time.

“I don't know how long I can keep going…" Typhon panted heavily running on pure adrenaline at this point.

“Just don't stop what you're doing and you'll be fine…" Juke voice trailed off as they heard it. The three of them daring to look back at the entrance. “You have got to be freaking kidding me!" The coyote snarled.

Several bodies scrapping, clawing their way closer from the tunnel they had come from. Clawing towards them. Digging through the walls. Drawing ever closer. Like the very maddening whispers driving them.

“We'll have company soon." The coyote could only curse, wishing he had brought his back up flask.

“Good." Isaac tucked his gun away. “We need them all gathered here anyways." The human motioned for the two to cover him as he took a steady breath and then ran towards the side away from the entrance and the madman turning to face them.

“Damnit," Juke cursed firing several times as someone made their way through the tunnel's entrance. The field mouse never saw what hit him. It's body crumbling to the ground in a pile. It twitched, still moving even after taking the shot to the face.

Only for the others to come crawling over them, reaching out for the three in hungering whispering voices that rattled like death itself.

“Stay close together you two!" Isaac could already feel it. The clawing whispers digging at his sanity as he slipped away from the two. Holding the fur in his hand seemed to help. The blue glow of it the only thing keeping him from falling into that pit of despair once more.

“Isaac!" Typhon took a single step, only to stop. The foreman had risen, bloody faced with scraps of fur falling away from his skull as the mole turned on him.

“Just cover me!" Isaac tried to be brave for the others. He was shaking once more. He could feel the cold sweat running down his back as the room seemed to close in around the human. He'd never been claustrophobic but in that moment, he was.

“Your brother had accomplished so much more by your age."

Isaac shook it away as he jumped over a rocky mound, grabbing the dynamite he'd spotted behind it. Mining facilities like this always had some sort of explosive to get through the hard rock's surface. The bundle had an electric panel on the front; Isaac was already jacking into it as the other two held there would be attackers off.

Isaac slid a single strand of the fur into the panel's side, letting its blue glow keep it working even as he set it up on one of the four metal support columns in the room.

Typhon didn't so much as move as let the mole come at him. The wild flailing foreman was easy to read. He swung madly, not even trying to defend himself as he attacked the blue fur spacewolf with metal claws designed for drilling through the rocky surface of the planet's core.

Typhon twisted to one side, slashing out along the mole's back. His nails bit through the foreman's jacket, clawing up his back and leaving several lacerations behind. The foreman fell forward from the force of the blow but was already pushing himself back up to face the attacking wolf once more.

“What are these things!" Juke shouted keeping close to Typhon's blue light as he quickly reloaded the revolver to empty it just as quickly at the swarm coming through the door. Each shot connected. They didn't even try to take cover as the coyote unloaded another clip into the mass of bodies coming there way.

With slow, uneven movements the former miners came at them crawling over each other to try and dig them apart. Whispering, muttering madly to themselves as they lurched forward with outreaching hands. No matter how many Juke took out, there was three more to take there place. Their numbers seemingly endless.

“Space zombies?" Isaac said loudly, his voice echoing around the room as he placed another bundle on one of the four pillars keeping the room from collapsing in on itself. The force of one explosive alone would bring the cavern down around them; he didn't want to risk even the slightest chance it wouldn't. Attaching each bundle to the four pillars.

Planning to take them all out in one blast, crushed under the weight of the canyon itself. If that didn't stop them? Nothing would…

“Just get the damned badge so we can high tail it out of here!" Juke shouted as he reloaded once more, having to move back as a pickaxe came down near his head.

The badger who had swung the pick was filled with burning hot led from the revolver the next second. Juke fanning the clip quickly as he snarled viciously at the assailant. The miner slumped forward onto his belly. Nails digging at the ground, still trying to pull himself closer to the coyote marshal even after being filled with led.

Typhon snagged the foreman's arm, twisting it backwards in on itself and snapping the mole's forearm with the motion. With his blood covered hand he grabbed at the foreman's ripped vest. The mole was thrown back, swung around on his broken arm and hurled against the mass of bodies; his vest peeling off his chest like wet tissue paper as Typhon didn't let go of it.

“This thing?" Typhon held up the vest with the golden line ID card dangling from the front. It was covered in blood. The saberwolf yipped as the mole clawed at his feet still.

“Guardian…" The foreman voice was distant as if coming from a deep, dark, dank hole in the ground itself.

Jumping back, Typhon slipped and fell on his rear.

A howl of whining pain filled the room as the saberwolf grabbed his side. His blue fur beginning to dim. And with it, their time here.

“All done." Isaac called over to the two as he ran over to assist Typhon.

“Good. Good. Now how do we get out of here!" Juke rejoined the two as he was forced back from the only entrance and exit within the room.

“I have an idea; we just need to get that out of the sludge." Isaac pointed over towards the mine cart. The blue light continued to dim as he assisted Typhon to his feet. The saberwolf was panting heavily, his movements growing sluggish. “He's lost too much blood. We need to get out of here, now!"

Juke went under Typhon's other arm to assist as the two half-carried the space wolf towards the black pool bubbling in the middle of the room. It continued to seep from the crack in the floor; as they drew closer it seemed to react to their presence. The thick sludge began moving, lashing out towards them. Reaching out with amorphous tendrils.

Maddening whispers shook the air around them as it clawed out for them.

That was until they touched the blue glow Typhon was admitting. The sludge lashed out violently, recoiling sharply as if burned; withdrawing from his presence, retreating back into the dark dank depths it had crawled out of. Leaving the mine cart mostly freed; if slightly tipped onto its back.

Typhon shrugged Juke away, reaching out to pull the mine cart down onto its wheels and the track lining the floor. With the last of his strength he managed to pull his weight up onto and into the metal cart with the two quickly joining him.

Loud, inhumane groans began to fill the room as the miners continued to pour through the small opening. The only light came from the wolf tucked within the grease lined metal cart.

“What about the switches?" Juke asked glancing around. “Won't they stop working like everything else?"

“It's just a theory…" Isaac admitted fiddling with the controls and trying not to think about the squishy organic biomass underneath their feet. “I tied strands of Typhon's fur around each of the bundles of dynamite." The terran added the inputs into the controls, bypassing the safety features of the mine cart much as he had done with their spaceship.

The metal wheels began to creak and roll forward with a jerk, turning slowly as they drove over the rocky uneven surface. Barely able to keep on the mine cart track leading into and out of the room. And through the mass of bodies pouring towards them like a wave of fur and flesh.

“Just keep your head down and don't get grabbed!" Isaac ducked down as he focused on the tablet in his hand. It worked, much to his surprise. Much as the mine cart and lights seemed to flicker to life in the blue glow the saberwolf continued to emit as they passed by.

It was dying down. Typhon's ragged breath was coming in harsh gasps at this point as he held his side, resting his forehead against the metal cart. Isaac touched his arm.

“Just a little longer, please. Don't stop whatever you're doing." The Terran pleaded.

Typhon could only growl in reply with closed eyes as the mine cart began to speed up suddenly. Going from one mile an hour to over forty in ten seconds flat. The heavy duty, metal cart sped faster and faster still as it barreled forward through the miners blocking their path.

They hit the wall of bodies as if they were made of brick. The whole thing shook and it was a miracle in itself the thing didn't flip over with them in it. Hands reached out for them as Juke batted them away with the butt of his revolver; the coyote barely managed to keep his hat as they sped through.

“Guardian…" The voice trailed after them as they sped up. “We'll meet again…"

Isaac, unsure exactly how the controls worked, just cranked the speed to its max settings… after disabling the safety feature. Something he was becoming uncomfortably familiar with at this point.

The three were jostled to one side, the mine cart threatening to teeter off the tracks as they turned the corner leading back up towards the elevator they had come down on. Lights flicking on and off as they passed them by. The mine cart threatened to teeter off the track and the two had to help Typhon to the other side to off balance the weight as half of it lifted off the tracks.

The wheels came down hard on the tracks making them all bounce as it sped forward.

Isaac kept an eye on the map, adjusting the speed accordingly as they drew closer to the exit; ending up just shutting the speed off and letting the natural momentum carry them the rest of the way to the end. Juke was keeping an eye on their tail while Typhon just focused on staying conscious.

“Hold on!" Isaac could only call out, ducking underneath Typhon's arm as the brake release stopped working.

The mine cart popped off the tracks, skidding on the rocky floor and crashing against the wall to a stop. Each taking a good long moment to catch their breaths and let their minds calm down from the rush. With Juke's help, Isaac managed to get Typhon out of the cart and to the elevator. Already button smashing the up button as they got onto it.

Isaac activated the timers on the dynamite, hoping Typhon's fur would keep each running long enough for at least one of the bundles to go off. To bury it all beneath the planet's surface. The hell down there, buried away from the world above.

The maddening whispers began to die down as there was a rush of air around them and then the world itself seemed to shake as each explosive went off. One after another collapsing the chamber, the tunnel and the very floor they were rocketing past.

The elevator shaft shook and ascended away from this place as the blue glow finally died down and the three were left in darkness. Isaac had one of the saberwolf's arms over his shoulder still; gripping it tighter, he rested against Typhon's side. He could still feel the canine's lumbering breaths and knew at least Typhon was still alive.

Without a word the three quickly made their way out of the mine without stopping, without looking back and without answering any questions that were asked. Finding a hover dolly they placed Typhon on it before activating the thing. The metal bed rose from the ground on hover jets and with a light push began moving forward, making transporting the heavy saberwolf far easier.

Seeing as how Typhon passed out by this point.

The miners didn't stop them or question as they walked right past out the front, out into the bright light of the planet's surface and stood there for a good couple of minutes soaking it in.

“They're back." Someone whispered nearby.

“I was sure they were goners." They said in disbelief.

“How long were they down there?"

“Where are the others?"

“It's been over a week now."

Isaac heard the last part and looked over at the others about to ask; he couldn't find his voice as the saberwolf groaned loudly on the tray. He needed to get Typhon help first. Everything else was second. Even with the circumstances the way they were between the two of them, Isaac couldn't abandon the canine. Not after he was saved by him.

“What's the game plan once big boy recovers?" Juke asked absentmindedly as they took the lift back up towards the mining facility above, out of the red rock canyon.

“After he recovers; I'll call in to get out of here." Isaac nodded at that. Deciding it was best not to even think what had happened back in those tunnels.

He had read about Tunnel Madness before. It was in his field guide when having to do exploratory missions to mining planets; however, he had read nothing about what had happened down there. There were so many questions and no one to answer them.

He kept looking over at Typhon, unsure if the saberwolf would even be able too.

It would go down as collective obsessional Tunnel Madness; the hysteria had taken hold of all the miners on the deepest floor and had driven them mad. Other reports would say one of the sensors had malfunctioned and there had been a terrible gas leak that had caused the explosion Isaac had triggered. Numerous reports and filings that would then be buried away for the trading colonies to forget all about.

Just another accident that had triggered a workers strike. Just another day for them in the end of things. So long as things went back to running by the end of it all.

Juke was a great assistance to the two. Helping take Typhon to the med bay they had in the mining facility and get him treated first and foremost. Things seemed to be progressing far faster than Isaac was aware of as, looking out the window, he could tell the sun had already set on the massive mining planet.

“We don't have his blood type…" The coyote told Isaac outside the room, coming back out after speaking with the doctor inside. “His biology is foreign. He's barely in the computer as it is!" The coyote shook his head at that. “Thankfully we got him in when we did…"

Things were progressing so quickly, Isaac wasn't even sure what day it was supposed to be. His tablet read one thing and the news reports on the holovids read another. A week had passed by since they had entered the mines and yet, to them, it only felt like a couple of hours. Isaac wasn't even hungry or thirsty. A week? That couldn't be possible.

The two knew something was wrong. The coyote stayed close to Isaac during the whole ordeal while they waited for Typhon to get treated. Juke not wanting to deal with any of these by himself either.

“What's the prognosis?" Isaac rubbed his brow. He felt exhausted. His whole body ached and all he wanted to do was go back to their room and sleep another week away.

“He's stable. In recovery…" Juke glanced over at Isaac, then down at the band he was still wearing. “That thing you're wearing, is what they say true?" The marshal dipped his hat down so Isaac couldn't see his eyes. “That you and the wolf boy…?"

“I belong to him? Basically… I think." Isaac just frowned at the thing. It had both saved and ruined his life all at the same time. Much like Typhon himself had. It was hard to feel one thing or another for it at that moment. “I didn't get it from him. Or a saberwolf, if that's what you're wondering. I think… it was a mistake that I got it. Is all…" Isaac voice trailed off. “I've never met one before until, well, him."

“That sucks, kiddo." Juke rested back against the wall. The two looking through the glass window into the medbay where Typhon was being treated.

Typhon was connected to several tubes and machines, resting on his side as a pair of robotic arms worked at the wound. Cutting away the fabric of his suit, shaving his fur and peeling back the tatter fabric of hide that was caked in dry blood and dirt. Isaac knew Typhon had an oxygen mask on. The heart monitor said he was stable; after the wound Isaac had seen though, it was hard to believe the saberwolf would make it.

Even more conflicting thoughts ran through his head. Isaac wanted to be glad Typhon was injured, then he could escape and look into how to get rid of this band so no other saberwolves came sniffing around. He didn't though. He just felt guilty for the saberwolf who had trusted him enough to walk into the mine in the first place.

Typhon had wanted to just leave. A naïve, simple idea in itself. Still, if they had… would Typhon had gotten hurt as badly as he had?

“What are your boys plans from here, then?" Juke just asked again, the coyote keeping him company it seemed despite the mound of paperwork waiting for him. That might've been why Juke wasn't just heading back to his office. Juke planned to leave the two out of the report and just write down it was all due to Tunnel Madness led by the previous foreman.

A new one had already been selected after all.

Handpicked by the corporate heads that ran the trading company. All they needed was the ID the previous foreman had to make it official; more so to try and please the masses of miners that refused to work without a new one. A stooge they had handpicked and groomed to run things in their stead.

“We're leaving this planet." Isaac felt robotically as he spoke. Numb to this all as he stared through the window at the heart monitor.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“I heard your ships fixed after…" Juke didn't bring up the time distortion the three of them had experienced down in those mines. Juke couldn't explain it. The coyote didn't even try. He just refilled his flask and went back to drinking from it periodically.

“I'm just glad Samson stuck around. The bear was far more reasonable than I would've expected him to be…" Isaac nodded at that, sighing heavily. The Ursa Major had continued to work on their ship even with their absence. Something most wouldn't have done. Isaac really just wanted to curl up in that blue fur once more and fall asleep. It would be strange not sleeping with Typhon in the future…

“I would've kicked his ass otherwise!" Juke barked a laugh. It was a forced sound, the two of them still feeling the after effects of being down there. “Samson's a good guy… he'd make a great engineer. He's a bit nutty but, eh, aren't we all…" The coyote chewed on the toothpick he'd been using to pick between his grimy fangs before spitting it out.

“Whatever gets us off this damn planet… sooner the better." Isaac shuddered, closing his eyes with a shake of his head. He was gripping his left artificial arm painfully tight, if he could fully feel with the thing he might've stopped. “We have to leave…"

“You and me both, brother." Juke could only agree. “I mean, sure, we buried that madness back there. Or, well, you did." The coyote grumbled not having done much.

“It won't stop." Isaac said biting his finger as he recalled the same words that haunted his dreams.

“What do you mean by that?" Juke frowned now looking at the Terran. “Do you know something about that?" Isaac just shook his head. The two going quiet.

Isaac didn't say anything to that as the clock continued to tick by. He just stood there outside the glass window watching as the robodoc continued to work on his friend. He hoped Typhon could recover soon so they could leave.

Juke left to deal with things a good hour later and said he'd check back in with him after he clocked out. “I'll check on that ship of yours as well, for you…" The coyote patted his shoulder before heading out. Lingering just a little longer than one would normally do. Isaac had returned the gesture with the biggest smile he could muster; it wasn't that big.

Isaac wasn't sure when he fell asleep, sitting on the bench just to rest his legs. The clock nearby continued to tick by as he rubbed one eye, sitting up to look around.

There was a smell in the air. Like wet grass and ozone after a thunder storm.

It smelled like home.

He was walking, he knew that much. Down a dirt road through a field of golden wheat on both sides. Towards a farm house that he recognized immediately as home. Isaac pace quickened with his heart as he ran up the wooden steps, flung the screen door open and burst inside the room.

A room that looked exactly like the medbay in front of him.

A single bed with a heart monitor beeping in the corner. The robodoc had been pushed to the side. Various tubes connected to the person in the bed as Isaac ran over as a small child. No, he didn't run over Isaac realized as he watched the child run over to the bed.

“This has already happened…" Isaac said aloud watching the scene before him play out. As it always had.

Of an older woman in a hospital bed reaching over to tousle the boys curly locks. She smiled and laughed. Isaac couldn't hear that sound as he stood there. Only the sound of the heart monitor beeping in the corner.

“Isaac."

She smiled down at the boy her long raven black hair running down the side of her face. Isaac had to be roughly the same age as she was back then now. She looked so much older than he did…

“Isaac, sweetheart. You know your father doesn't like you coming here alone." She smiled at him.

“I know, mother." Isaac mouthed the words having seen this scene a thousand times already.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“We don't want to risk you catching it." She smiled. It was so soft, just as her eyes was. Isaac touched his left eye; he had his mother's eyes.

“I won't catch it! I'm strong!" The kid would say as Isaac mouthed the words under his breath.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“Are you still doing your homework?"

“I am!"

“Are you still having trouble with it?" She'd ask still with that loving smile.

“I… I am… can you help me?" He'd ask pulling the papers out of his backpack. “I'm not good as Tristan. I'm not strong like Joey… But I will be! One day."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“I'll help you as long as I'm here…"

Beep… Beep… Beep…

“You'll be here always! I won't struggle when your here!"

Beep……… Beep….. Beeeeep……

“Mother? Mother! Doctor! We need to call the doctor! Mother hold on! Just… just hold on…"

The boy turned to run for the door. To go get his father. To go get an adult. He stopped though as if freezing in place. Everything froze around them, even the clock stopped in mid tick. Hearing her final words. Words that sounded as if she were just a radio speaker for someone else.

“Isaac. The stars are falling…"

And then there was static as Isaac snapped awake on the bench, drenched in sweat as he covered his eye with his left hand.

“Mr. Mayhews?" A Terran female was standing before him, giving him a look. She was dressed in the red and gold of the Armada fleet; the military might of the Terran nations. Or used to be.

“Uh, yes? I am." Isaac rubbed his eye before standing up. He dusted off the blue silver trimmed flight suit he had on. The conflicting colors between the two stood out sharply.

“I am Captain Hendricks, of the Pelican." She introduced herself and Isaac quickly stood at attention, saluting in front of her. “I heard reports of your kidnapping…" She gave him a once over as Isaac looked at her two companions.

Both wore similar red and gold suits as she did. Both of them were armed and neither looked as friendly as she sounded. Dressed in the red, gold lined military grade armor soldiers wore.

“They seemed to be greatly exaggerated." Hendricks chuckled lightly, covering her mouth with a closed fist as if to be polite.

“I am! Uh, I mean I was…" Isaac stammered a bit, unsure why he was trying to defend Typhon at this point. He glanced towards the glass mirror. The saberwolf wasn't in the room any longer. Most likely moved to a bed for recovery.

How long had he been out?

“You are? Or were?" Hendricks asked frowned a bit now, her dark eyebrows scrunching over her eyes. She looked an awful lot like Fairbanks, his old captain, did. A look that told Isaac how annoyed she was about his half ass answer.

“Were you sent out here for that?" Isaac inquired.

“The Pelican is on a diplomatic mission to the Nine colonies here," Hendricks quickly explained talking about the Nine trade nations banding together over Xi'Toss. “It is by chance that we happened on you. Only."

Hendricks gave him the once over. Isaac knew that look. Those of the Armada wasn't like his own. They were zealots as far as Isaac was concerned on the matter. A radical group of military minded individuals that saw the only way to bring the Terran to the forefront of nations was through military might alone. They hadn't fully joined the Galactic Front as Isaac had.

Isaac was wearing the blue and silver of the Fleet. The group that had willingly joined with the other nations on the Galactic Front. While both Terrans, they weren't necessarily on the same side. The look she was giving Isaac told the pilot that much.

“The report said you were taken by a… blue wolf?" She took a moment on that, waiting for Isaac to tell her it was some kind of sick joke. Isaac had never heard of or seen a saberwolf until he met Typhon. They weren't even common knowledge where they were from. It wasn't surprising she didn't believe him.

Even with the other countless alien species out there, most to all had been documented. There were always rumors about others but they were quickly written off. If they weren't in the databanks they didn't exist as far as the Armed Armada was concerned.

“They left." Isaac said before he could stop himself. He didn't want Typhon to be found wounded as he was by someone from the Armada.

Hendricks might be smiling now but Isaac knew she'd put a knife in the canine's back the second she was given permission too. You didn't have a problem when you took that problem out; that was the Armada's way. They would do anything to make sure humanity survived.

“They just… left? How many were there?" Hendricks frown only deepened at that as she shifted her weight to one side placing her hands on her hips. Looking just as skeptical as she had before.

“Where did they go?" Another officer stepped forward to ask.

“Can we get a description?" The other one asked now joining in. He had pulled up his own tablet, similar to Isaac's, and was writing a report on the matter.

“They tried to sell me here at the facility. Slave labor." Isaac lied, still unsure why he was defending the saberwolf at this point. Maybe it was more so because he didn't like or agree with the Armada. To him, it was more like he was lying to them instead of protecting Typhon. “He didn't realize there would be a Terran presence here. Quickly abandoned me and left the system… I think… So, uh, thanks for that…"

“He?" Hendricks however focused on that one small key detail. “Do you know where he is? What he wanted?"

“He wanted to head home. Just up and left." Isaac shrugged as the side doors open. For a split second he was worried it was Typhon; the wolf exposing himself before the three of them. Armed as they were, Typhon wouldn't stand a chance.

It was the marshal checking back in however. The coyote stopped, looking at the three before tipping his hat down. “Ma'am," he greeted Hendricks walking over to join the four of them. “Is there anything I can assist you with?"

Hendricks face twisted at seeing the alien and turned on the spot. Walking away instead of even greeting Juke, the alien coyote marshal. The other two officers gave a final bow to Isaac, glancing over at the coyote and then heading out themselves.

Neither of the three had offered to assist Isaac any further. He doubted they would even report his safety. He'd have to take care of all that when he got the chance.

“What a pleasant bunch." Juke frowned at the lot of them as they disappeared around a corner.

“We need to get off this planet…" Isaac rubbed his brow again. He was getting hungry and just wanted to get out of here. Juke took a second on that.

“Kid," Isaac looked over at the coyote. “What did you hear down there… in those tunnels…?" Juke took a drink of his flask.

“The same thing I hear every time I look in the mirror…" Isaac gripped his arm. “We need to get off this planet. Today, if possible."

“With the wolf boy?" Juke quirked an eyebrow. “An' here I thought you'd up an abandon him." The coyote chuckled, though seemed to be proud Isaac hadn't.

“If they find him here, injured… Typhon won't stand a chance…" Isaac shook his head. “The Armada…"

“Oh, I know. Those bastards came in demanding a place here at the trade port." Juke rolled his eyes. “Wanted reserved spaces just for their ships in the future as they passed through. And for none of us to go around them! Can you believe that?" The coyote growled a laugh. “Demanding such shit."

“Passed through? Where were they going?" Isaac frowned at that, thinking it over. He wasn't sure why the Armada would be moving through this part of space. They preferred to stay away from alien nations, lining the outer border of Terran space.

“Who knows?" Juke shrugged. “They said it was for our own good and they were only here to help…" Isaac joined in at that, the two laughing at the idea. “Of course, we both know better 'n that. The big boys up above," Juke pointed towards the heavens. “They don't give a shit about that. Just if they're willing to pay or not."

“And the Armada is to proud to even go for a discount on their ships passing through…" Isaac just nodded at that. “Less of them around, the better."

“For your friend in there." Juke nodded his head towards the medboy, though he kept his eyes on Terran. “They seem to be asking a lot of questions about him… Even willing to talk to someone like me."

Isaac glanced at him without a word.

“Relax. I didn't tell them squat. Like they'd talk to me honestly what they wanted." Juke snorted a laugh. “The boys won't mention anything either. The miners don't like outsiders as it is. They aren't family. No one is on friendly terms with Terrans… present company excluded."

Isaac nodded at that. “You came looking to rope Typhon into helping you with the miners. And I just happened to tag along." Isaac had figured as such. Why else would Juke have gone out of his way to get them to help him out.

“You ended up being useful." Juke gave him a wink. “Didn't know you were an explosive expert."

“UH… I'm not." Isaac coughed, clearly his throat. “I just sort of…"

“You are, at least, familiar with the type of dynamite we use here, right?" Juke was frowning now, the coyote ear batted as he looked at the human.

“Sure…" Isaac cleared his throat again, whistling innocently as he scooted away from the coyote.

“Kid!" Juke barked a shout. “You could've blown us all to smitherings! Brought down all the tunnels and the facility!"

“But, I didn't." Isaac just smiled back at that.

“You…" Juke lifted a finger pausing that thought; pulling out his flask he took a quick drink. “You really got lucky." Juke just finished with a shake of his head and a sigh.

“I get that a lot." Isaac chuckled weakly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I probably should've been dead, like, a thousand times over by now. Yet, I'm still here!" He shrugged. “I must have a guardian angel or something, huh?"

“Sure, kid. Something like that." Juke took another drink of his flask before putting it away. “Come on, I'll show you where wolf boy is."

“Right." Isaac stopped though. The coyote glanced back at him.

“You do want to check on him, right?" Juke lifted his hat to look the human over. Maybe he had misjudged this Terran. Most didn't associate with aliens like them. The Armada was proof enough of that.

“It's… complicated." Isaac sighed with a shake of his head. “No, yes. I want to see him. I want to make sure he's ok… and if he's awake, I'm sure he'll want to see me."

Juke nodded at that and Isaac followed him in through the medbay to the other side where the beds were kept. Each were blocked off from view by a pale green curtain hanging from the ceiling on hooks. Juke moved to the very last bed on the right and nodded for Isaac to head in first.

“Isaac?" Typhon sat up quickly, wincing sharply as he held his side. It was bandaged heavily. Tubes were stuck in both his nostrils and he was hooked up to at least three separate machines to monitor his vitals.

“Don't sit up, you idiot." Isaac quickly moved over to push the wolf back down. His fur ran through his fingers and Isaac felt the strong heartbeat underneath. “You're hurt." He frowned looking the wolf over. Typhon was butt naked in the bed and with a look, Juke gave a single nod.

“I'll get him something to wear…" Juke just bowed his hat down and left the two to talk alone.

“What?" Typhon asked looking between the two as Isaac jacked into the system and began reading over Typhon's results. It was easy to bypass the system with the card Juke had given him.

“Just making sure your stable to be transported…" Isaac pulled out his tablet downloading the info onto it. “We need to get out of here before anyone else starts poking their noses around." The human stopped, looking up at the blue fur wolf.

Typhon was just looking at him with those black and blue eyes that looked like miniature galaxies.

“You came back…" Typhon moved and Isaac tried to stop him. The saberwolf just looped an arm around the smaller male and pulled the human against him, nuzzling his face against Isaac's. “I thought you would have…" The saberwolf bit back the tears as he took a shaking breath of Isaac before letting him go. “Why didn't you leave?"

“Leave?"

“You… you had plenty of time to leave… while I…" Typhon looked down over himself. “I couldn't protect you. I don't deserve a companion… I deserve to be alone..."

Isaac just flicked his nose startling the saberwolf who sat up quickly, growling at him with a glare.

“Enough of that. You didn't give me the band or make some sort of agreement with me, right?" Isaac asked. Typhon nodded sadly. “Then you have no obligation to me for anything. You can just do as you please."

Typhon took a moment on that. Gripping the blankets as Isaac went over everything on his tablet.

“You seem to be recovering remarkably well," Isaac noted.

“What if we made a contract then?" Typhon blurted out stopping the human. “You said you got the band as a gift… then… then you didn't get it from a Saber, right?" Isaac just nodded slightly at that, wondering where this was going. “Then I will claim ownership!" Typhon sat up at that.

“Ownership…?" Isaac frowned at the word. Typhon waved it off as he pulled out the IV in his arm and the tubes from his nose before getting up on shaky legs. The butt naked blue wolf had to hold the guard rails on the bed for support.

Isaac averted his gaze to above waist level.

“If there are no other Sabers to claim a banded, then one can make the challenge for them." Typhon spoke almost sagely as if reading it off from some sort of sacred scroll. “As there is no other challenger, I will claim ownership!"

“What about Juke?" Isaac had to ask with a laugh, just glad to see the saberwolf able to stand. Typhon just gave him a look and Isaac quickly waved it away. “Kidding, kidding. Please don't kill the marshal…"

Typhon snorted angrily. “All we have to do then is remake the contract and you'll be…" Typhon's ears folded back as his tail wagged slowly. “You will belong to…" The saberwolf muttered. Isaac was sure he was blushing again.

“I'll belong to the pack, right." Isaac rolled his eyes.

“Well, yes. And… me." Typhon looked up at him with large puppy dog eyes as if pleading for him to say yes.

“You?" Isaac took a second on that. “I thought I belonged to Saber. The planet or people or whatever."

“Yes but you would be directly my companion." Typhon licked over one of his sabers with his dark, almost black tongue. “If I were to go somewhere or do something… you would come along with me. You'd stay at my place, with me… And I would be the one to get to sleep with you…"

“In the same bed, right. Don't we already do that?" Isaac chuckled. He paused though seeing Typhon unable to meet his eyes. “You mean in the same bed, right?" Isaac asked again, a bit louder this time.

“Well, you see…" Typhon tried to reason out.

“No, no. You don't just get a free pass on this!" Isaac turned around to show off his ass just as Juke came back in with clothes for Typhon. The coyote stopped, the two looking over at him. Juke just turned around, shutting the curtain and left them.

“It's not what it looks like!" Typhon and Isaac said in unison.

Isaac was able to sign Typhon out, deleting the info after as Typhon got up and ready to head out. Juke had brought one of his spare outfits he had. Typhon didn't bother putting the shirt on, preferring to leave his chest open. The brown overcoat didn't fit as well as it did on the coyote and the pants hugged a bit tight in the front. Typhon left them open as he and Isaac snuck out of the med bay as Juke took care of some “last minute details" for the two.

“The ships fixed?" Typhon asked lurking behind Isaac as he peaked around a corner. Isaac making sure they didn't run into any member of the Armada as they made their way back towards the ship; going first to keep an eye out.

“You've been out for a week…" Isaac lied, not wanting to get into the details right now as the two found themselves sneaking around like a couple of criminals. He'd deal with the whole theoretical time skip later. “Ships all fixed. Apparently Samson had been working on it overnight for us."

“Who the fuck is Samson?" Typhon asked loudly only for his muzzle to be clamped shut by Isaac, who shushed him.

“The bear." Isaac whispered letting go of his muzzle.

Typhon ears folded back. “You know you're the only one I'd let do that." Isaac gave an uneasy smile at that. “The crazy drone guy?" Typhon just asked instead.

“Apparently those drones don't stop working until the job is done. Saved our hides thankfully." Isaac just smiled at him, motioning for Typhon to follow as he led them through the facility. Using the map on his tablet, he hacked into the security cameras to find the best route around the other Terran's and to their ship.

Oddly, Isaac found himself running from the Terrans rather than trying to find them. If they did find Isaac that would be fine. However, if they found Typhon with or without him, things could get ugly fast. Isaac could also be implicated into hiding the saberwolf, which he sort of was doing.

“You there?" Juke voice popped in over the ear piece he'd given Isaac. Isaac touched it with a hand.

“I can hear you loud and clear."

“Good. I'll meet you at the loading bay in ten." Juke said over the line.

“Meeting us?" Isaac stopped at that. He was beginning to worry that Juke would turn them in; he wasn't sure if Typhon had a bounty on his head but with how everyone seemed to react to the saberwolf he wouldn't be surprised.

There was too many things about Typhon Isaac didn't know about. He was an enigma.

“Got to get a couple things. Be there in ten." Juke cut off and Isaac was left wondering what the coyote had in mind.

Thoughts that were quickly pushed from his head as a voice spoke behind him. “Isaac?"

Isaac stopped at that, Typhon nearly running into his back. The wolf looked down at him then back at the woman that had called his name. The saberwolf's ears fell back as his eyes widened as he instantly recognized the woman that had been on the same ship Isaac had been on.

Kaira was standing there dumbfounded staring at Isaac. “Is that you…" Then glaring daggers at the saberwolf. “You!" She lifted her left arm up and spoke into the receiver there. “I found the criminal!" She called over the radio on her wristband, already unholstering her side arm with her other hand. “Freeze!"

She pointed the gun at Typhon who quickly hid behind Isaac.

“Kaira!" Isaac began. Everything happened so quickly. Isaac only had the chance to say the single word before he found himself being lifted up from behind and carried as Typhon took off running with him. “Ah, shit! Not again!" Isaac could only say as he was carried off by a frantically running space wolf.

Typhon had no sense of direction and it showed as they ran right back into the canteen. Right between the two different groups. Miners on one side and the Terran Armada on the other. The red suited, gold lined soldier's jaws dropping as the blue fur space wolf came barreling through the room. To stop dead in his track as every eye turned to look at him holding the struggling Terran in his arms.

“Uh oh…" Typhon yipped, jumping and running towards the exit he knew would take him to the docks as everyone scrambled to their feet. “Isaac, Isaac! Do something!" Typhon whined loudly still carrying him in both arms in front.

“You idiot!" Isaac was already on his tablet. Juke really shouldn't have given him the access card into the system as Isaac began shutting down and locking the doors behind the two as they made a run for it.

People were shouting, gun shots were fired. Others were arguing as opposing groups ran into each other, beginning to fight amongst one another as chaos broke out in the facility as they made their escape.

Juke was waiting for them with a bag slung over one shoulder. The coyote barely had time to give them a “howdy" before being lifted up by Typhon and carried right up into the loading bay of The Stellar Drift. Typhon dropped Juke off on the floor, quickly placing Isaac in the pilot seat as he danced in place as if he really had to use the restroom.

“Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry!" Typhon kept glancing back at the door they had come through, shaking Isaac's seat as he danced in place.

“Everything appears operational…" Isaac looked over the console quickly before finding the port. He pulled out the connector from behind his right ear and plugged in, starting the spaceship up as if it were a key.

Information poured in through the port going over his right eye as the Terran pilot quickly began setting things up for the takeoff. Everything was beginning to boot up slowly one system at a time.

The ship shook as it was hit from the side.

“The fuck!" Juke shouted jumping up to run over to look out the front window. “They're freaking shooting at us! The hell did you both do!"

“Don't look at me!" Isaac quickly inputted the commands to initiate the shields. They hummed to life smoothly forming an oval around the diamond shaped ship as it began to rise off the still broken platform.

Isaac could see down along the runway towards them. Several of the Armada had come pouring out. Some with cannons, training in to fire at them. Others already running towards their own ships to give chase. Another bazooka was fired; it hit the shields that lit up in a faint blue glow. Isaac wasn't focused on that. He was solely focused on his friend running down the runway behind the others.

Kaira was the only one in the blue and silver like Isaac. She looked up at the ship and all Isaac could do was give her a sad wave before the ship took off, heading straight into orbit. Isaac didn't even need to put in the commands. Everything had switched over to auto pilot at this point.

“Well, that was something." Juke slumped to his chair. “I wanted a lift to the outer trading posts… but this, well." The coyote chewed on a toothpick as he took out his flask.

“I left her behind again…" Isaac just said rested back and wiping his face off. The coyote's ears twitched at that. “Kaira was there. She had come to get me… and yet… I just…"

“At least we're safe." Typhon took a seat to his left, resting back with a wince. The wolf reached back to hold his side trying to stifle the soft whine coming out. Isaac just frowned at the injured wolf.

If he had stayed… they would have killed Typhon. It was that simple.

“We can't risk going to the trading post. We'll need too," Juke was already speaking up as the toilet flushed.

The three of them sat up at that, looking over as the side door slid open and the Ursa Major Samson stepped out shaking his hands off.

“Uh…" They all said in unison.

“I had to go?" Samson shrugged looking around them. “Where are my cubs!" He said loudly running into the room. Pulling several cushions off the sofa he found the drones tucked in where he'd left them. The bear scooped them up in a hug, growling softly.

Not even seeming to mind or notice that the ship had taken off.

“Well, that wasn't expected." Juke said looking over at Isaac.

Isaac had taken the wheel trying to steer the spaceship. It didn't budge. Even jacked into the computer Isaac was having issues. He fiddled with some of the controls manually then tried to wheel again.

“Problem…" Isaac said letting go and resting back. He covered his face with both hands wanting to scream.

“What?" Typhon frowned now. “Do you need me to strong arm it, again?" The space wolf offered.

“No, that won't do any good." Isaac grumbled bitterly. Isaac had thought he was born under a lucky star, with a guardian angel but sure enough the universe was here to remind him he had been born under an unlucky star instead. “When Samson repaired the ship he returned everything back to its factory settings…"

“Why is that an issue?" Juke was still frowning at the two now. “What did you two do!" The coyote growled getting up. “What did I get mixed up in?"

“The ship isn't exactly… ours." Isaac gave him a weak smile.

“The hell does that mean?" Juke eyed the two.

“Basically… We don't have the clearance to operate the ship anymore…" Isaac shrugged in defeat over the matter. He was too tired to work on it right now.

“Can't you bypass it, like like you did before?" Typhon was fidgeting now, whining louder than before. He knew exactly whose ship this belonged too. Or at least what nation it did. It didn't trouble him as much as it would Typhon.

“No. The security systems are up… I'll try to do what I can but well… I hope you boys are in for a long flight." Isaac unplugged getting up with a stretch. “I need a nap anyways…"

“Where is the ship heading for?" Juke asked looking at the controls then back at the Terran walking away.

Isaac stopped, looking back at the two.

“Tigeron."