FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

“We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are.”

~ Anaïs Nin

“Shit...” She said out loud to herself as she dove for cover

The sound of energy sizzled over head as an explosion flash just in front of the barricade as she watched three more of her team also taking cover behind various other objects in the immediate area. The mission was supposed to be simple; enter the old drone facility and shut down the guarding A.I. by one of three ways, an up-link tower, the main computer, and the facility's main power plant. She had laid out a simple plan with her team's coordinator: break into groups of two and hit all three. The first group had splintered off shortly after entering the grounds of the facility. Not even five minutes in there was an explosion and the rest of her team was spotted as they were approaching the facility's inner gate.

A male voice crackled in her ear piece, “Your cover's blown. Go loud.”

Shit...

Before she dove into cover, she had spotted at least ten robot drones, six humanoids on patrol along with four crab sentries, and each one was shooting at them. She was soon joined by two of her squad mates, a smaller human and a dark gray Lycan. She snarled when she saw the two and grabbed the closest one, the human, her feline fangs bared in his face. “What the HELL Martin? I said no explosives! Now we're in serious trouble, not to mention the mission.”

Sweat was coming off of Martin's forehead as he looked down at the alien feline that had him by the collar. “We were setting traps in case we needed help getting back the LZ. Vex thought...”

“Vex is NOT in charge! I AM!”

She saw the Lycan's wolf like features flair at the mentioning of who was in charge. “Like I will follow a Caushae bitca's orders.” He spat at her, his teeth bared as he spoke. “Your plan was weak. I was making sure this mission was going to be a success.”

“By setting booby traps on our OWN escape route? This was a stealth ops, not a gun blazing like some video game! And now because of you being stupid we're in trouble!”

Vex growled as his eyes narrowed at the unflinching cat. “Then go cower behind what ever rock your kind crawled out of and make your plans and strategies while I go and do the action.” Vex rolled out of cover and got to his feet and started to run down the old road that went through the facility.

“VEX, YOU STUPID WALKING CARPET!!!”

Her and Martin both brought their compression rifles up, sending their own energy rounds down range to cover the Lycan as he ran the gantlet. She had manage to hit at least two drones, disabling them when a concussion grenade went off next to Vex, sending him sprawling across the road.

Shit...

She was joined by another member of her team, a larger human than Martin. “What the hell did that idiot fleabag do this time?”

“You mean planting explosive and giving all of us away? He just went and got himself blown up.”

The human growled to himself, if she didn't know any better she would of thought he was a hybrid species of some type. “Idiot... He's lucky that this is only a training mission... Well Lynnette, you're honcho of this ops. What are your orders?”

Lynnette bit her lip as she looked over the barricade, more than a few pulse shots whizzed by as she poked her head out. “Okay...” she said to herself as she ducked back into cover. She keyed the mic on her com, “Justin, James, You guys hear me?” She looked over where the two were taking cover. The closest flashed a thumbs up.

Good.

“You two provide cover while we go to Vex's position. He's still moving so the blast didn't take him out.” She could hear a few curses as some of the others muttered under their breath that Vex's suit didn't have him frozen in place. “Martin will fall back with Vex. Once they're past you continue with mission as plan. Me and Reg will run interference by going after objective 1.” She watched the other two humans look at each other then nodded in agreement, flashing another thumbs up.

The larger human looked at her skeptically, “Are you sure about this, Lynn?”

“Yeah...” Martin Spoke up, “Were am I supposed to take Vex so I can cover you?”

Lynnette pointed towards the hill beyond the inner gate. “See that big rock cropping there? That's the best vantage on these grounds. The foliage should help keep the two of you hidden while you snipe any drones that we miss. We'll pop smoke to cover you two while you fall back.” Martin nodded as the three of them readied themselves. “Everyone ready?” Reg and Martin nodded as she heard two clicks over the mic from Justin and James. “Okay...” She took a deep breath, “Go!”

The three jumped out of cover and ran as fast as their legs could carry them, the sounds of energy pulses flying increased as the sentries aimed at the three that were running down the gauntlet of a road as the Justin and James were sending rounds back. Thankfully, the human's aim was truer than the drones as all three were able to reach cover close to where Vex was laying.

Lynnette let out a sigh of relief as she leaned against the small structure. Reg rested a hand on her shoulder. “You OK?”

“Yeah... We should be getting out of here, not rescuing that mutt...”

“Easy...” Reg squeezed her shoulder. “We're almost there. Just hang in there for a little longer. Snafus are apart of life.”

Lynnette sighed “Yeah... Don't I know...” She got off the wall and motion for the two to follow. “Lets get this over with.”

They quickly moved along the wall to the break in the structures where the wolf was crawling away from the road. “Great...” He growled as he seen the three of them round the corner. “I'm being rescued by the yowling rug...”

“Shut it” Lynnette barked “You're lucky that I didn't shoot you myself.” She looked back at her teammates with a scowl on her face. “Martin, get him out of here.”

Martin nodded and went to the wolf. “Can you walk?”

Vex growled some “Maybe, the blast locked my left leg.”

“Joy... Lets get you on your feet.”

“Popping smoke.” Reg said as he through a canister out into the road. In seconds, smoke filled the gap between the buildings and soon her two teammates disappeared into the man made fog. Her and Reg took up positions and started to take pot shots at the sentry drones that came into view while trying to avoid fire coming in their direction.

The com cracked in their ear as a voice she recognized as James spoke. “Dog's been walked. Proceeding with mission.” She keyed her com as the two held their position.

“So...” Reg said as he flatten against the wall to reload his rifle. “What's the game plan with us?”

“Well...” she said as she fired off the last of her energy cell into a crab sentry. “I'm figuring once dumb and dumber is in position, you'll climb up that ladder behind you and take potion to give me better cover as I run for the up link tower to buy time for Justin and James.”

“OK... two things.”

“What?”

“You know you're putting your fluffy tail at risk right?”

“Yeah... Not looking forward to it.” She looked back at him “What's the other thing?”

“Which one is dumb and which one is dumber?”

They both chuckled when their com keyed again. “We're set up and ready.”

She doubled clicked her mic. Looking over at Reg, he gave her a smile and a thumbs up. “Ready?”

She sighed. “No.” She slung the rifle over her shoulder and pulled her sidearm. “But lets get this over with.” Reg nodded and slung his own weapon and started to climb up the ladder as more pulses sizzled overhead.

Lynnette nearly jumped into the open road when she heard Reg yelled a warning “LOOK OUT!” A humanoid sentry fell to the ground where Lynnette was standing a moment ago. She looked up and saw Reg hanging off to the side of the ladder. They both let out a deep breath before Reg continued up to the outside cause way above.

She waited for her signal. The com keyed once... Twice... Three, GO!

She dove out of cover and across the road. It was a crazy thing to do, but she had to be visible to draw as many out as possible. Her target was a little more than 200 yards down the road, with 175 of it surrounded by buildings on either side of the road. She was running in the open with no way out except back and her destination, and even then, there was little cover for her. Energy shots whizzed by, most of them aimed right at her. They might be very low yeild, but her training suit will lock up if she's hit anywhere to simulate the hit. She continued to run, putting everything out of her mind except her goal...

200 yards...

150...

100...

Almost there...

Wham!

Something hit her just off center of her back.

A kill shot.

Shit!

Time felt like it slowed at that moment and things around her happened in slow-motion, She felt the suit shock her body and locking her in place as she started to tumble forward as her momentum continued to carried her. A small cylindrical object impacted just a few feet in front of her. She recognized it almost immediately, a concussion grenade. It bounced off the ground and headed right for her as she fell headlong onto it, hitting her in the abdomen just before it went off...

Oh Shhhh....

Blinding light filled her vision before the world went dark around her...

“LYNNETTE!!!!”

“Objective achieved, RTB...”

The laughter of children echoed through the sky. Kids ran around each other playing games as the adults watched them and talked with each other. It was a happy time. The little 5 year old snow leopard giggled and laughed as she ran around with the other children. A perfect day for a birthday. She giggled as she ran away being chased. Happy and content to be playing with her friends.

The skies grew dark as she watch her parents get a horrific look on their faces. The sound was muted as her mother screamed, her father yelling something she couldn't hear. She came to a stop and looked behind her. The landscape was being covered in what could only be described as a black liquid like substance. Several parents ran to their children, trying to save them from the black that had snagged them. Those caught gave silent screams as the stuff grip them and pulled them in closer as the liquid crawled up their bodies.

She could only stand and watch. Not understanding the horror she was actually watching. Her body jerked as she was picked up and was carried away at a full run from the frightening scene..

Pain... Why was she feeling pain? Her whole body was hurting bad...

Beeping of a machine was coming into focus as she came around along with the sound of air blowing around her. She could feel the recycled air blowing wisp of her hair and fur around. Her nose caught the scent of chemicals, most meant to sterilize the room, to her it was almost repulsive. She could feel the weight of blankets on her, along with something warm on her hand.

She gave it a light squeeze, it squeezed back.

Her eyes open slowly, letting in the bright natural light that surrounding her in. The room was a blur of white as her eyes adjusted to sterile room. She knew she was in the infirmary just by the heart monitor and strong chemicals that almost burn her nose, her sight was just confirming it.

Her head was facing the wall, away from any visitors or nurses that might be in the room. She let out a groan as she moved her head. She winced and closed her eyes again. Damn... Just moving her head hurt... What happened to her?... She opened her eyes again and saw the owner of the hand that was gripping hers.

She smiled.

“Hey.” The owner whispered, smiling back.

“Hey...” She squeaked.

The two sat in silence looking at each other till someone behind him came up and placed a white paw on his shoulders. “Hey Reg.” The white Lycan said in a low voice. “Since she's up I'm going to head out.”

Reg looked at him and nodded. “Thanks for coming by, Fenrir.”

“Anytime Reg.” Fenrir looked at Lynnette with his deep reddish color eyes. “Glad to see you're feeling better miss.” He said in almost a bow before he walked out of the room.

Lynnette looked at Reg with a questionable look, “Who?...”

“That was Fenrir. One of my old teammates till he was made a squad commander a few months back.”

“Ah.” she said quietly before trying to sit up with a groan. “Oww...” She wrapped her free arm around her abdomen. “What happened?”

“Don't you remember?” Reg asked, rubbing her forehead.

“No...” Lynnette sighed as she nuzzled into his hand. “Its all still just a blur...”

Before Reg could say anything another voice spoke. “You tripped and fell right onto a concussion grenade.” The both looked at the speaker, she was a small fennec hybrid dressed in a medic's uniform with silver hair with two little horns sticking out of her head and a off tan fur. “The resulting blast bruised a lot of your muscles in your abdomen.” She walked over and checked the equipment before continuing. “The resulting discharge actually threw you into the wall. You're lucky you're only bruised, you could of easily fractured your ribs or any of your other bones. Let alone, what could of happen to your organs.”

Lynnette sat in silence as she listen to the fennec hybrid's explanation. Memories slowly came into focus. Vex's rescue, the charge, the gauntlet... “I didn't fall...”

“What?”

Lynnette looked right into Reg's eyes. “I didn't fall, I was shot in the back.”

She watched both of there reaction. She be skeptical too if she had heard different or been anywhere else and seen it happen. But she felt the hit, felt the suit locking up... Didn't the shot register with the computer?

Reg's face turn into a scowl as he stood up. “That flea bitten son of a...” The two watched as the human stormed around the room muttering to himself in anger. Finally he turned towards the door. “I'm going to skin that son of a BITCH ALIVE!”

“Reg don't!” Lynnette squeaked as she tried to get up only to fall back onto the bed in pain.

Before he could leave, the fennec slammed the door shut and stood in front of the door.

“Get out of my way!” Reg barked in the fennec's face.

“No...” She stood defiantly in front of Reg, almost nose to nose even though she stood almost a foot shorter than the human .

“What!”

“No...”

Reg gritted his teeth. “Will you please move out of my way?” He asked trying to keep his voice calm.

“No.”

“Damn it! Get out of the way.” Reg growled as he reach around her for the door knob. In a blink of an eye Reg found himself pressed hard into the door with his arm twisted behind his back.

“No sir.” she said, her voice remaining calm as before. “You are letting your anger control you and effect your judgment. And with keeping that in mind, ANY medical personal can declare you mentally unfit and have you suspended till a time when a full physical and mental work-up can be done. Now...” she loosen her grip on him. “Going to calm down? Or, should I call the orderlies to have you restrain till a physical can be preformed. Which from what I sometimes hear, can take a while.”

Reg sighed in defeat. “I'll calm down...”

“Good...” She said as she released him.

“Reg...”

He walked over to Lynnette and held her paw as he looked at her. “I am still going to report this. They need to find out what actually happened and punish the person responsible.”

She nodded “Good.”

Reg gave her hand a squeeze as he leaned over and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I'll be seeing you spots...”

“I'll be waiting.”

Reg calmly walked to the door, hesitating a little looking at the fennec. When she didn't stop what she was doing he opened the door and walked out, giving Lynnette a smile before he disappeared.

Lynnette looked over at the fennec who was still there looking over her charts. “Thank you.”

“Hmm?” She looked up from the charts at the feline.

“Thank you for stopping him. Reg can get very... hot under the collar sometimes.”

The fennec shrugged. “I'm just doing my job Ms. Wilkes .”

“Lynnette. Just call me Lynnette.”

The fennec smiled “Faelynne, Faelynne Aleira.”

Lynnette quietly sat in the small conference room. Its been two days since she's awoke after the incident, and in someways, she wish she was still in a coma.

After Reg left her room, he went strait to the director's office and informed him of what Lynnette had said. Within two hours, her room was flooded by a lot of different types of personnel than she knew existed in the training facility. She met with the facility's director, Commandant Hickman, her training coordinator, then came a slew of others that she wasn't sure who they all were despite their introductions. She re-accounted what happened several times, feeling more like a tape recorder than a living person. Her room grew so crowded and the investigators asking and repeating questions that more than once that Faelynne came in and chased everyone out so Lynnette could rest.

The next day she was released with strict orders for more bed rest and no strenuous activities. She was hoping that she was done with the interviews, but she was dragged to other rooms and reviewed the footage and audio logs with the same groups of investigators. She was getting flustered with as many times she gave them her statement she felt like she was going to scream if it wasn't for Faelynne. The medic actually came into the room and dragged the feline out by the arm with everyone staring at the two as they left.

If it wasn't for Faelynne, Lynnette suspected that she would have been in that room well into the night. As it was, they had grabbed her right as she left the infirmary and she had missed lunch and almost dinner if it wasn't for Faelynne getting her out and Reg having something waiting for her. Thankfully they left her alone for the night.

Till later the next day.

It was after she left the mess hall that she was called to a small conference room where she sat now. The room was set up more for an orientation or teaching a class with 8 tables set up creating 3 aisle ways, one in the middle and two on either side of the room so every one could easily find a seat for what ever training was required. A longer ninth table was set up at the far end of the room for any instructors and trainers to set up their stuff that was needed.

When she entered, she found that she was one of 5 people in the room. Commandant Hickman sat in the middle of the table in front of the room, in his usual blue dress uniform that was well maintain in a normal military fashion. To the left of the older gentleman, was her training coordinator. Instead of his normal jump suit, the younger man was also in his formal dress uniform, though the jacket and shirt was pulled loose and open like the man just got home and was interrupted before he could take everything off.

In contrast, the other two men almost looked out of place.

To the right of the director was another younger looking man, he was certainly dressed down compared to the Commandant and her coordinator, wearing a black trench coat, black denim jeans, and a dark blue t-shirt. He looked like someone who she thought she had seen before but couldn't place him or even where she might of seen him. The final person was a tall well built white Lycan with blue hair and light blue markings on his face and tail, standing in front of the window looking out with his arms crossed. He too was wearing a trench coat, though it looked like white leather with off gray shoulders, and he had on what also looked like blue jeans. Though instead of a shirt, she thought he was wearing what could be a combat vest.

She brought her attention back to the Commandant. “Cadet Lynnette Wilkes reporting as ordered sir.” She tried her best to keep her voice calm, despite her nervousness that was starting to well up in her.

Commandant Hickman looked at the Caushae Snow Leopard in front of him and nodded. “Ms Wilkes, good...” He said. “Have a seat.” He gestured to a table behind her and she went to it obediently. There was something in his voice that she picked up that made her fur stand on end. Something wasn't sitting well with the group and it was effecting the atmosphere of the room. “Now.” The Commandant started again. “Cadet Wilkes, do you know why you are here?”

Lynnette swallowed instinctively as she felt a lump form in her throat. “I assume you have came to a conclusion to your investigation?” She asked. The Commandant nodded again as her training coordinator gave an audible huff as he crossed his arms.

“Correct.” The Commandant confirmed. “As you know we have preformed an 'informal inquiry' into the matter of your claim as to what happen during your last training exercise...”

“Claim?” Lynnette interrupted in a bit of shock. “It's not a claim sir, it did happen.” All 3 men looked up at her. “I was shot in the back, my suit was locking up when that grenade hit me and went off...”

“Cadet Wilkes...”

She continued despite her trainer, who shook his head and worded to her 'Don't.'“It did happen! The only clear line of fire is where I had Cadet Martin Kibutz and Cadet Rawr'Vex take position and provide cover fire...”

Before she could continue the younger man interrupted her “How do you know it was one of them? Hm? Who's to say that there wasn't a ricochet that deflected off a surface and hit you? Or even a stone that was kicked up? Ever considered that?”

“But sir....” Her voice was starting to waver. Her mind wandered back to the indecent. Could it of been some kind of accident? Could it all of been some kind of mistake? No... Her mind flashed back over the details of the videos and even the holograms that she was shown.“But sir,” Her voice grew steadfast quickly. “I know it was deliberate as there was nothing in the recording to show otherwise. There was no training drones behind me and all their fire was from the front. I was shot in the back, and there was no possible way any energy pulse would have been able to ricochet off of anything and hit me there. And while yes a stone at the right velocity would of done the same thing, there was no way for such a thing to of happened.”

Her training coordinator looked at the other two gentleman at the table with a raised eyebrow and an expression on his face that said, what are you going to do now?

Commandant Hickman took a deep breath before he spoke. “Miss Wilkes, the point of this is to inform you of our findings,” He turned his head towards the man next to him. “Not to start arguments over the details of this incident.” He turn back and looked at Lynnette, a stern look crept over his face when he spoke. “It is the finding of this 'Informal Inquiry' that, despite all evidence to the contrary, what happen to you was an unfortunate accident...”

“An accident? Sir! I almost got killed!”

“Cadet Wilkes...”

“It was another act of defiance against me by Cadet Rawr'Vex. He has don nothing but been a thorn on my team. If anything, that Lycan should be standing before a tribunal, if not kicked out of this force.”

Before the Commandant could speak, the man next to him spoke up, “And would you put yourself in front of that same tribunal? What about the other members of your team?”

Lynnette blinked. “What?”

He stood up and walked around the table,giving the feline a better look at him. He was tall by human standards, easily over 6 ft. and dwarfing the other two humans in the room. “You heard me. Will you put your entire team's future on the line over this incident?”

“But...” her voice was starting to waver again. “How would they all be involved? Only ones who would be involved are myself, Cadet Rawr'Vex, and Cadet Martin Kibutz.”

The man stared down at her. “As of right now, anything disclosed in this room will not be discussed outside these walls. Any violation will immediately end your contract with us and will get you expelled from this academy. Am I understood?”

“Whah?” Lynnette stared blankly at the man. Was he being serious? She tried to look past him to her to her two immediate superior officers, however the man's trench coat blocked her view of them.

“Well Cadet?”

She she swallowed hard and nodded. “Understood.”

The man tuned and walked away from her as he started. “During the course of this investigation we discovered that at least one, possibly two, rifle scopes have been tampered with.” He turn back to her and crossed his arms. “According to the armory's records, the locker where your team's rifles has been accessed a total of 5 times since the start of your mission. Three of which was authorized. Someone tampered with the rifles just before investigators got to them. Twice.”

Lynnette looked up at him and blinked. “Sir, wouldn't it stand to reason that the person or persons who accessed the weapon's locker was trying to cover their tracks?”

“The unauthorized access was by Cadet Reginald Rossetti and Cadet Justin O'Connor.”

“Whah...” Lynnette looked at him with a dumbfounded expression on her face. There was no way Reg or Justin would do something like that... Wouldn't they?

“So,” The man spoke in a stern voice after a moment of silence. “What is it going to be? Accept the ruling of this inquiry? Or watch everyone on your team stand in-front of a tribunal and get dishonorably discharged from the Leviathan Corporation's Military and Security Forces and deported from Levi Corp's space with this incident forever on your permanent records?”

The room went silent as Lynnette looked down and thought. There had to be more going on than what any of them were saying. But, with no way to prove it...

She took a deep breath before she spoke. “I'll accept the ruling of the inquiry.” She said in a small, meek voice.

The man nodded and returned to his seat, he looked over at the Commandant and nodded for him to continue. Commandant Hickman cleared his throat before he spoke. “Cadet Wilkes, it is the finding of this inquiry that the events of your last mission was a result of a series of unfortunate accidents. As a result, you are placed on medical leave until the time you are declared fit by a trained medic to resume you duties.” There was a slight pause as he looked over at his tablet. “And, as a consequence of the insubordination shown by your fellow teammates, you will each be reassigned to a different team to finish you individual training. Do you understand, Cadet Wilkes? ”

Her ears drooped as she nodded, feeling utterly defeated. “Understood sir...” she said softly. “Permission to leave?”

“Granted.”

Lynnette got out of her seat, she was almost in a daze as she went to the door and left the room.

“Damn it!” The training coordinator cursed as he slammed a fist against the table once Lynnette was gone, making the man and the commandant jump in their chairs. “That was not right! There was no reason to throw her to the wolves like that!”

“Major Burch...” The commandant started in a warning tone.

The trainer ignored the warning. “She is one of the best students we have, she deserves better than to be thrown under the bus because of an asshole in her team and some half-wit's intuition...”

The man shot the Major a look “Is that all...?”

“No it is NOT!”

“It IS! Unless YOU want to be cleaning toilets till you retire! Dismissed!”

The Major got up, scowling at the man next to the commandant as he did and left the room in a huff.

“You know Director Solus,” The commandant started as he stood up “He does have a point.” he said, gathering his things and started for the door. “Cadet Wilkes is one of the best students that has come through this training facility.” When the commandant was out of the room, the man sighed and slouched in his chair, rubbing his forehead.

“Hmm...” The Lycan said, braking his silence. “I didn't think you would do it, Ash.”

Ash looked over at the Lycan “Really Frost?” He said irritated. “This entire time you were quiet, and now you put in your two cents?”

“Yes.” Frost said, not moving. “You know that covering up for him is only going to turn things into a disaster.”

“Don't you think I know that?...” Ash sighed as he stood up. “Don't think for a minute that I don't want to expose that S.O.B. Even with out my 'special' perception I could tell that he was lying.”

“And yet, here you are covering his tracks for him.”

Ash stood next to the white Lycan. The human looked small being almost a full head shorter than the wolf despite the human's 6'4” height. “Think I want to? When I interviewed him during the inquiry, it was all I could do from pulling my sidearm out and blowing his head off.”

“Why didn't you?”

Ash crossed his arms. “There's a saying among us humans, 'The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few.' If we did anything now, flames would consume this world and everyone on it. Not many would survive. This way, maybe we can limit the casualties...” He sighed, “Maybe...” Taking a deep breath. “There's a 'storm' approaching and he's responsible for bring it here. But...” His voice trailed off.

“But?”

“There's a lynch pin...”

“Isn't there always one?”

“Yeah... The lynch pin is her. I do not know why, or how. But, her and those who will gather with her are going to be key players in future events.”

Frost nodded, still looking out the window. “This still going to be a disaster.”

“No matter what we do this is going to be a disaster. I'm just hoping that this decision will limit the amount of damage that's going to be coming...”