FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Prologue

Red lights flashed in a panic while the blaring sound of an alarm defined all that could hear it. Engineers rushed in the direction of the escape pods as quickly as they could, running past Theo who was going in the exact opposite direction. He ran past every sign reading the words "Evacuate Immediately" and instead pushed deeper into the massive ship.

"Allen how much time do we have?"

"Deflector plates are at 15% and dropping. Damage on multiple decks. Estimated time is less than five minutes"

"Prep the pod and start the injections."

"It is ill advised to take the injections while running, you may feel discomfort"

"Screw the discomfort we don't have the time!"

Theo slid into a turn and pushed himself off the opposing wall in the direction he needed to go. Leaving the crowd of crew members behind. The ships computer rang out.

"General Evacuation Order has been given, all crew report to assigned escape pods immediately. This is not a drill." The announcement was repeated three times before cutting off getting replaced by the sound of the evacuation alarm. The ship suddenly shook from a distant explosion and Allen quickly spoke soon after.

"Deflector plates at 5%. Damage reported on Decks E, F, and G."

"God dammit please make it please make it!" Theo said to himself behind labored breathing. Finally coming up to a large double door that had a sign at the top reading "Science Lab" The doors were already open making it easy for Theo to run inside.

"Shut them now!" Theo yelled as he quickly dashed to one of the stations and tapped in his identification code. The doors slid shut and locked as Allen predicted what Theo was going to request next.

"Lock doors under priority one request and don't you dare open them for anyone else."

Theo kept typing into the console and the hatch to a hyper-sleep pod opened. That's when it finally hit him, the medication in preparation for deep sleep was finally taking its effect and causing him to get dizzy. He used his hand to keep himself upright as best as he could. Legs starting to buckle under him and feel weaker than normal.

"Allen, activate long distance communications array."

"Long distance communications array is inoperable."

"Well get me something and fast! I don't have much time left before I am out cold!"

Allen was silent for a few seconds while Theo fought the urge to close his eyes and fall to the floor from a drug induced coma.

"I have manipulated the short-range communication network and prepared it to send a long-distance message. It will take longer for it to arrive, but the message will be delivered."

"How much longer?"

Allen brought up the time calculations in Theo's heads up display and his heart dropped. The time added was just shy of what he needed. He would need to hope for a miracle at this point. Without any other options before him he had to make the call.

"Send it, send it now and start a personal recording."

"Data uploading, recording started."

"Theo, I know you are watching this, and I know you don't remember anything. I know that is very frustrating for you to experience. Hell, I am not looking forward to the experience. I did this on purpose. Knowing the information that is deep in your head has put many people at risk. At this very moment I am fighting to keep them alive and the only way I can do that is by removing myself from the equation. I am the reason so many people are dying today. Hell, we are the reason... We have it all wrong, but you can fix it. You must fix it. You need to make this right... Allen scrub the last five seconds and record again... Knowing the information that is deep in your head has put everyone I know and love at risk, let alone millions upon millions of people. If I am caught, or someone I love is used against me to gain this intel... Millions will die. Trust the AI, I programmed him myself. He knows what to do and I have given him instructions that you will need to follow when you awake. I don't know how long I will be gone but trust him. He is your lifeline and the key to all of this. And to my love... I am sorry... Know that I will always be among the stars. Looking over you, and even though you think ill of me now. Know that I did this to protect all of you."

"Theo, Data has been uploaded and encrypted. Message has been sent. You must get to the pod before you are unable."

"Before I do, I need you to remove everything... All my memories, everything to the very start of it all. I can't remember anything where I am going, and you can't tell me about any of it. You need to wipe it and never give it back until that message arrives and our mission is complete."

"And your personal memories sir?"

Theo's heart fell and the memory of every day he had held dear to his heart flashed through his mind. Tears started to form in the corners of his eyes and slowly fall as he spoke the next words carefully. "Remove them, and delete those permanently... It will be to painful to remember"

"Under what authorization?"

"Under mine, priority one."

"Memory wipe will begin once you are asleep."

Theo carefully walked to the pod with the open door and crawled inside, giving one last command before the door closed on top of him. "Use any and all power to keep a shield around this pod, don't let anyone in until it is time... Goodbye my friend... I will see you on the other side."

"Goodbye Theo."