FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A mixed crowd of bulky workers stood in a gaggle near Docking Bay 7. The group was dressed in an assortment of overalls and mechanic's units. Above them, flashing yellow lights swept across the smoky gray interior of the spaceport, signaling the approach of yet another ship. Faces perked up in hope of the opportunity for work. A new ship meant new shipments, and those shipments needed hauling. With most of the station's heavy machinery in disarray, it was the norm for enterprising young space captains to hire dockhands off the streets. They could be a rough crowd to deal with, but the promise of pay and food on the table kept them in line.

The airlocks cycled with a hiss. The crowd leaned forward in anticipation, each worker eager to secure a job ahead of the others. Among them was a large painted dog, his coat a patchwork mix of brown, white, and black. The dog was well-muscled and bulky, but among the many dockhands in the shipyard, he might as well have been an average Joe. Still, the canine stood with the front of the crowd, as eager as the rest to enter the docking bay. A metallic whirring noise reverberated through the room, and the large metal doors of the airlock clanked as they began to pull back.

The crowd surged through the opening, though not so hastily as to trip anyone up. Operating in a spaceport was dangerous work; only fools or those with a death wish cut corners when it came to safety.

On the other side of the door, a lone figure waited for them. A striped cat stood with her arms crossed, backdropped by an impressively large trading vessel. The workers slowed to a stop before the cat and waited for her to address them. She stood there for a moment, making them wait as she surveyed them, her arms still crossed. Her piercing blue eyes scanned every individual, causing more than a few to glance away. Finally, her voice broke the silence. "You," she pointed to a canine with white and gray fur. "You're in charge. Pick twelve more and follow me. We've got plenty to unload from around back." And without saying anything further, she turned and moved towards the ship's cargo bay.

The painted dog who had stepped through with the crowd wagged his tail in excitement. He happened to know the appointed leader, so his chances of landing a spot on the team were good. He stepped forward, as did a few others. The canine in charge was already picking out his friends to join the crew, but when he got to the painted dog, the expression on his face hardened. "Sorry Magellan. This is my first time as crew lead, so need to make sure I don't screw it up. No room for losers on this one." The painted dog's tail quickly went from an ecstatic wag to a mournful droop. The other canine didn't even give him a chance to respond, moving on to the next worker before he could raise an objection.

Eventually, the twelve-strong crew moved off to begin unloading cargo. Those unfortunate enough to miss a spot on the crew made way for the next docking bay, hoping for better luck with the next starship. That left Magellan standing alone on the gray metallic floor, shocked at what had just transpired. Sure, he wasn't the best dockhand around. And sure, maybe on the last two jobs, he had broken some valuable cargo, costing the whole crew a cut of their pay (or maybe that happened three times?). But he thought he was on friendly terms with Hudson. He hadn't expected him to turn him down for this job, let alone call him a loser.

Dejected, the painted dog turned back the way he had come, head slightly bowed. He slowly walked back through the airlock doors and into the bustling corridors of the space station, unsure of what to do next. He had needed that job. With no money left on his credit chip, and having been evicted several weeks ago for failure to pay rent, there was nowhere for him to go. This was the seventeenth ship he had tried for today, and he'd already been up for quite a while. There wouldn't be time for another shift at this point.

Hoping to take his mind off the day's losses, Magellan meandered through the hallways of the busy space station until he wound up at the trading hub. A bustling hive of activity, the trading hub was always full of shouting merchants, each vying for the attention of passing denizens. He couldn't afford anything, of course, but it was always a nice place to lose one's self to distractions. And sometimes, those distractions had the potential to turn into a job. Loading and unloading heavy cargo might be his specialty, but Magellan was certainly no stranger to picking up odd jobs here and there from passing spacers.

As he wandered between the various vendors and their eye-catching wares, voices rang out all around him. "Treasures galore at Terry's Treasures!" "Fine jewelry and lovely gifts, for your good lady!" "The most stylish clothes in all of Port De Rosa!" He ignored the cheesy marketing slogans. He was far more interested in the side conversations, and he did his best to tune out the noise. To the right, he saw a floppy eared dog in talks with a salesman. "...3 more shipments in about a half revolution." Now that was potentially interesting.

"Half a revolution! That's far too long! I might as well find another supplier by then."

"Good luck with that. Look, I'm sorry, but there isn't any way..." On second thought, this didn't seem to be going anywhere that might be useful.

He scanned the crowd again and spotted a black wolf and orange fox stood in an unassuming booth in the corner, speaking in hushed tones. Magellan's large ears swiveled forward as he strained to hear their voices.

"...need to be able to dock discreetly. So it just plugs straight into the console?" The wolf asked, glancing around nervously. Magellan looked away before he was caught staring, but he kept his ears pointed in their direction.

"And it'll take care of the rest. Got it from a friend of mine, best hacker I've ever met. He programmed it himself, so I can personally guarantee it'll suit your needs perfectly. With this, your ship could dock at the Emperor's citadel itself!" The fox sounded pretty proud of his product, but Magellan heard similar sales pitches everyday. More than likely, the merchant didn't even know what it was he was selling. But a starship? If this wolf was the captain, there was always promise of work there, however suspicious they might seem.

"Then here." There was a clinking of metal and an electronic chirp as items and credits changed hands.

"Pleasure doing business with ya!" He could almost see the grin on the foxes face. He risked another look in their direction, and sure enough, the fox was smiling and waving as the shady wolf walked away. As it happened, in his direction.

Magellan stood up straighter and slicked back the fur atop his head. As the wolf approached, he cleared his throat to get his attention. The darker furred canine looked towards the painted dog and narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Up close, he was much shorter than expected. Magellan stood a full head taller, but the wolf's aura was intimidating nonetheless. "Ahem." Magellan fidgeted, shifting his weight back and forth. "Pardon me. You wouldn't happen to be the captain of one of the ships in the dockyard, would you?"

The wolf stared in silence for a moment longer, unnerving the painted dog. "What's it to you if I am?"

It wasn't a denial, and the dubious man hadn't pulled a knife on him for daring to ask. Magellan chose to interpret that as a yes. "I'm looking for work. I'm sure a busy captain such as yourself could use a hand on board, right?" he said with a hopeful glint in his eye.

The captain crossed his arms with a snort. Magellan couldn't tell if it was a laugh or a grunt of disgust. "Probably not. What are you offering?"

"Well normally I move cargo between ships, so I'm quite familiar with dockyard procedures." Realizing that wasn't all that special, he did his best to sell himself up. "But I can do all sorts of things! Fly the ship, man the guns, fight off pirates, plot star routes. Whatever you need, I'm your man!" He'd never actually done any of those things, of course, but it couldn't be too hard, right? And it sounded like a much more exciting life than being a boring old dockhand. He really needed the job.

"Sorry kid," the black wolf said as he turned to leave. "No need for a cargo loader on our ship at the moment. And we keep a wide berth from any pirates. Maybe try your luck with the next gunslingin' captain to come through."

Magellan stepped forward as his potential boss departed. "Wait! I can..."

"Beat it. I won't repeat myself," the wolf growled and waved dismissively. He continued walking away, and Magellan was once again left staring dejectedly at a lost opportunity.

With a heavy sigh, the crestfallen canine bowed his head and made for the station corridors. It was shaping up to be yet another night on the streets. As he drifted through the hallways, looking for a warm corner to settle down in, his paws subconsciously guided him to a familiar setting. He looked up to see a food vendor just about to close up shop, and his stomach growled at the sight. He winced as he recalled himself shamefully groveling for food here on more than a couple nights. The vendor, a portly coyote man, gave him a polite nod as he approached.

"Was wondering if you'd stop by again. Saved something for ya this time." The blood rushed to his ears in embarrassment, the coyote clearly recognizing him from before. Taking a pause from cleaning, the vendor reached for something below the counter and pulled out a carton of food, still warm from being cooked. "But it's gonna cost ya this time," the older man said with a raspy voice. "How 'bout you stay a while, and tell me your story. I could use the company."

Magellan swallowed the lump in his throat, already flustered over the situation he found himself in. He was tired, hungry, and depressed. The last thing he wanted was to talk with this stranger. But he couldn't turn down the act of kindness, especially if it meant food.

So the two of them sat down at a nearby table, and Magellan dug in. The coyote was kind enough to give him some time to eat first, chatting about his day working the small little restaurant. Magellan focused on his food as the man chatted, paying his kind host little attention as he satisfied his more basic need. Each morsel was an invaluable packet of energy and nutrition that slid down the hungry canine's throat with barely a moment to be savored. The painted dog was a quick eater, and it wasn't long before he finished up the last scraps.

The coyote didn't seem to mind his ravenous guest. He was happy to just have someone to chat with. But once the meal was consumed, the older gentleman started asking questions about Magellan's situation. It made the dog a bit uncomfortable at first, but he soon found himself opening up to the jovial man. He recounted the day he had been kicked out of his bunk, his first night sleeping out in the streets, his poor luck at the dock, and his strange encounter at the trading hub. At the end of it all, he sat back with a sigh, feeling as though a weight was lifted off his chest. Even if nothing about his situation had changed, it was nice to let it all out to someone.

"Well Maggie," the coyote used a shorthand that Magellan hated, but he didn't bring it up. "If there's one piece of advice I can give you, it's to never give up!" He spoke with an upbeat tone that was almost infectious. "Sometimes ya just gotta grab life by the horns. Force it down a path that works for you." Magellan smiled in amusement. "I say you oughtta go back to this wolf, and show him what you've got to offer. Don't just ask what he needs, show him what he needs. Figure out what you can do for him, and make him realize he didn't even know he needed it, but that you can provide it."

"Thanks for the advice, Darius," he said to his new friend. "I don't want to keep you any longer though. I'm sure you've got places to be." Magellan stood up and stepped away from the table. "Thank you. For everything."

Rather than insisting on him staying, the coyote simply nodded his head. "You got a place to stay tonight?" he inquired.

"Yes," he said a little too quickly. "Renting a small bunk for a couple nights right now." It was a lie, but Magellan didn't want to impose any further.

"Right then," Darius said. "Guess I'd better finish closing up." The portly man stood up and waddled back to his booth. "Take care, Maggie!" He gave a friendly wave as the painted dog began to wander off down the corridor again.

"You too!" Magellan returned the wave. With a final goodbye, he turned back to the hallway, ready to face the world with a little more resolve. The conversation with the friendly vendor had filled him with some much needed confidence, and he would certainly try to take the advice to heart. For now though, his priority was finding a place to sleep.

He meandered through the station walkways until he found an isolated portion of the spaceport. It wasn't a simple task. It might be approaching the end of the day for him, but the station was always bustling. With no natural day/night cycle, people kept their own schedules, and there was always a steady stream of incoming ships and trade activity. But eventually, he found a secluded, albeit rundown, hallway where he could settle down. The panels on the walls were worn down or removed, exposing the piping and skeletal framework of the station beneath. The lights flickered from disrepair and small rodent-like creatures scuttled away as he made himself at home. It would do for the night.

Magellan spotted a heat vane tucked into an alcove, forming a cozy little corner on the floor. Claiming his territory, he settled down and tucked his knees up to his chest. He pulled his jacket up over his shoulders to help stay warm, and drifted off into a fretful slumber.

...

The painted dog woke with a cramp in his back and his body aching from the hard floor. He stretched out his limbs, his elbows and knees popping and cracking. He stood and readjusted his jacket, making sure he looked presentable for the day. Then, with a look of grim determination, and the coyote man's advice still fresh in his head, he set off towards the dockyards, yet again in search of a job.

But as he trod through the station corridors, his route took him through the trading hub once more. Unexpectedly, he caught sight of a familiar figure. The wolf from the previous day's encounter was also here, speaking to the same fox as before. Only this time, he wasn't speaking in such hushed tones. "...this piece of junk. The damn thing's a brick."

"I'm sorry, but you bought it as is. That's the deal for items of that... nature. Now I suggest you leave before you start drawing unwanted attention." The fox crossed his arms, glancing towards the nearest security guard, who was already looking in their direction.

The wolf slammed the electronic device onto the merchants table and growled. For a moment, Magellan wondered if things would escalate. But the wolf seemed to understand the fox's meaning. "Fine. You can have your piece of junk back though. Just don't expect any business from us in the future."

Show him what you've got to offer. Darius' words echoed through his head again. He stepped up to the arguing pair of canids. "Perhaps I can offer a solution here," he said, attempting to sound confident. He glanced at the electronic device on the table, with it's beeping and flashing lights. Thinking on his feet, he tried to sell himself once again. "If you're in need of parts, I might be able to find you something that can work."

"You again." The wolf narrowed his eyes as he looked him over. "I thought you were a dockhand, not a technician."

Magellan had intended to offer his services in finding a replacement part, but it sounded like the wolf was more interested in hiring a tech. He'd come this far, and he wasn't about to lose the job this time. "I've built up a number of skills with odd jobs here and there. I'm pretty familiar with the computer systems here on the station. Like I said before, whatever type of expert you need, I'm your man!"

The wolf looked towards the fox to see if he had anything to add. Eager to get the angry customer out of his hands, he spoke up in Magellan's favor. "He's true to his word! I don't now him personally, but I've seen him around the station before. One of the folks people hire for computer problems." Magellan had never worked with computers before, but he certainly wasn't going to contradict the man while he was doing him a favor.

"Computer problems, eh?" The black wolf looked back towards the painted dog and lowered his voice. "You able to reset our ships transponders? We need someone who can get us in and out of port discreetly."

"Absolutely!" He had no idea how to do any of that. "On one condition..." Unlike yesterday, the wolf seemed pretty eager now that Magellan was offering something he needed. He decided to risk it and see how far he could take this. "I need a place to stay while I'm working for you."

The wolf considered his words for a moment. "Shouldn't be a problem." Magellan's heart beat faster at his answer. "I'd rather have you on board while you're working. I just hope this means the job won't take too long."

"Well," Magellan tried to weasel his way through an explanation. "It'll depend on your ship's systems. Could be a little while depending on the setup and how difficult that makes it. I won't know for sure until I can get in and see it." He tried to be vague about it.

Despite his suspicious tendencies, the wolf seemed to bite the bait. "Alright. I can offer you the same I just paid him, 200 credits. If that sounds good, and if you can actually do what you're claiming," he emphasized that last part. "Consider yourself hired." Magellan had to hold back a whine of excitement lest he betray himself. Though he had no control over his wagging tail. If the wolf noticed, he didn't say anything. But he finally had a job! And a place to stay, for at least a little while.

"Excellent!" the shopkeeper exclaimed. "Now the two of you can work together, somewhere else. I've got a business to run, and you're taking up my stall space. So if you don't mind, scram!" The wolf glared at the fox one last time before turning to leave, waving over at Magellan.

"Follow me." He quickly fell into step beside the black canine as they made their way towards the shipyard. He expected the wolf to at least introduce himself as they walked, but the stern spacer kept resolutely quiet the entire journey. Magellan tried speaking up instead.

"I'm Magellan, by the way. You got a name? Captain..." He trailed off, giving his new employer the opportunity to fill the gap. Instead, the wolf remained silent. It seemed as though they would finish the journey without a word, but then the wolf finally decided to speak.

"You're here to do a job, and do it discreetly. There's a reason we need this done, and I think it's best if we don't exchange names." His tone was serious, and Magellan didn't dare say a word for the rest of the walk. He was beginning to wonder what he'd just gotten himself into.

Rounding the next corner, they arrived at an airlock, to which the wolf keyed in an entry code, granting them access. The lock cycled quickly, and once inside, Magellan caught sight of a majestic starship. It's hull was pockmarked and scorched with age, but the design was elegant nonetheless. If he hadn't known better, he would have mistaken it for an ancient golden-age ship, a rarity and highly-prized possession in today's day and age. But those were so valuable, they were owned and operated almost exclusively by elite arms of the military and well-funded mega-corporations. Even the Emperor himself would have trouble acquiring one.

As the pair of canids approached the hulking vessel, a boarding ramp lowered to allow them entry. A figure stepped down to meet them, black form silhouetted by the light flowing out from within the ship. As they closed the distance, Magellan's darker furred companion came to a stop and saluted. "Captain," he said curtly by way of greeting.

"I've told you before, no need for that," a feminine voice cut back, though she returned the salute nonetheless. Then she turned her attention to Magellan. "And who's this?"

"Computer tech I picked up on the station. Claims he can help us with our transponder problem, though it may take some time. He'll be staying aboard until it's fixed," he paused for a moment. "Uhh, if that's alright with you, Ma'am."

Instead of answering, she stepped down from the ramp and approached the newcomer, as if to inspect him. She gave him a quick once-over as she spoke up. "Well, it's not a permanent solution, but it'll get us to the next stop over. Maybe we can find something there. So, what's your name?"

Magellan almost didn't hear the question. Once his eyes had adjusted to the glaring light, he had been stunned by the sight of the woman before him. Like himself, she was also a painted dog, her fur a pleasant patchwork of brown, tan, and white, and a slightly lighter shade than Magellan's own, were it not for the bits of grime and grease which marked it. She had clearly been working on the ship when they arrived.

It wasn't often that Magellan met another member of his own species, but that wasn't the only reason for his shock. Without a doubt, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes upon. Her trim, athletic figure was easy on the eyes, and her curves, exposed by the flight suit unzipped and tied down around her waist, formed the perfect hourglass figure. Those same curves encapsulated a toned, muscular core, right beneath a petite bust hidden behind a black sports bra. He was stricken.

"M-Magellan," he answered with puppy dog eyes. He wasn't sure if his admiration was too obvious, but if it was, she took it in grace. There was snort from somewhere beside him, but he was too enraptured to notice. The beauty before him reached out a hand to shake. He tentatively grasped it with his own, nervous of the touch. His tail began to wag furiously, and he almost thought he saw her own tail wagging behind her.

"Well, Magellan." She gripped his hand firmly. "I'm Captain Rawley. Welcome aboard the IIS Pungwe, finest ship across the seven stars and beyond!"