FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

James slumped into the captain's chair as the shuttle broke through the atmosphere. " How did we not get killed there?"

" I don't know," replied Astar, " but at least we did."

" Hopefully, those two can find someone who's still alive."

James leaned towards the radio system and flicked a switch. " This is James Scale, me and the crew of the vessel leaving Earth have just left at the time this is being recorded. We need help, pronto."

He switched the radio off and said, " Now, does anyone here know how to put a radio message on repeat?"

Coriel raised a hand and said "I do."

Without another word, he took to the radio and fiddled with the wires and dials. Finally, they heard the same message repeat. " Thanks, Cori."

In response, Coriel nodded without a single word. " Well," said James, " I guess now we just wait. You back there, Snow?"

"She's asleep."

Then, hooves could be heard as Snow came out to join them. "Anyone have something they miss," asked Coriel.

" Like family and friends?"

Snow shrugged and replied, "Can't say I miss much."

" Well," added James, "there's a lot I'm gonna miss."

"I see."

" One thing I'll miss is life before the bomb dropped. You know, without all the political unrest."

"Agreed."

"I miss my family," stated Coriel, "and my girlfriend."

" Girlfriend?"

"Eh," said Snow, " I miss mine slightly."

"Yeah," said Coriel, "my girl. I loved her, we were supposed to have a kid."

" What happened? Was she vaporized in the blast?"

His question was met with a slow nod. " Jesus," said James, " It must be horrible knowing that she took so much time to shape herself, and then," he snapped his fingers and finished, " just like that. I'm sorry."

Snow let out a long sigh and added, "Well, I watched a white man eat my father while we lived in Alaska."

" Really?"

"Damn. Hey uh, Snow?"

"Yes. Humans I guess like weasel meat. Yes?"

"You're single, right?"

"Maybe Maybe not."

"Well, you smell mighty musky for a female."

" Careful when she's a wicker."

She glared and struck Coriel in the face with the back of a clawed hand. "Yes to single, and you call me musky again!"

Coriel put a hand over the impact point and said, It's just that you smell so damned good!"

Upon hearing this, Snow backed away creeped out by the exclamation. James turned and called, " So, how're you doing, Astar?"

" Still hurting."

As Snow planted her face into a wall, Coriel sighed and muttered, "Damn it."

" Maybe some day," James said and went to check on Astar's wounds.

"I just need someone who'll, I don't know, take care of things."

James helped Astar up and led him to the bathroom. Astar sat down on the toilet as James opened the medicine cabinet and scoured for something to help Astar with his wounds. He noticed a medical droid inside the room. He didn't know how one could get in there, but, at that moment, he didn't care. It was all too convenient. " Hey, I'e got someone who's been beaten here."

He yelped when something bashed through the wall, and his fur fluffed like the back of a porcupine. Afterward, he felt a little foolish when he found out that it was another droid. " You heard?"

"Yes."

" Can you do something for him?"

"That I can!"

" Good."

He stepped back, pointed and said, " He's on the toilet."

As the droid rolled toward Astar, he asked it, " What're you gonna do?"

"Sew you up and let ya go."

" What?"

"I should say stich."

" Just don't look," said James.

"Yes, and breath evenly."

As it said that, Astar began taking slow breaths while looking at James. During the operation, Astar gasped, and James said, " It'll be over before you know it."

Finally, as the droid burned the wound, James said, " We're good now."

He helped Astar up and led him out to the main room to catch the radio buzzing. " What's up with the radio," asked James.

"It might be broken," stated Snow.

James floated towards the radio and said, " Please repeat, if anyone's there."

" We've received your transmission and are coming."

" We've got a response guys!"

As soon as he shouted, a bright light flooded into the room. Snow covered her eyes, as did James and Astar. "What is that?"

" I don't know!"

Once his eyes adjusted to the light, he could barely make out a spaceship. " I think I see a spaceship!"

"A spaceship?"

" Yeah, a spaceship."

"Well, what is the use for it? Are we leaving?"

" Looks like it. Should we open the bay doors?"

"Yes!"

James and Astar floated to the bay doors leading to the void and watched as the spaceship connected airlocks. After a moment, fog filled the airlock, and James and Astar opened the left door. Once the doors were fully open, fog filled the room. James peered through the fog to see the ones who picked up the signal.

Snow coughed the fog away from her airways before gazing upon their visitors. "What the?"

The beings were tall and had large heads and black eyes, quite similar to the aliens portrayed in movies on earth. "Holy shite!"

" They do exist!"

Then, one of the aliens beckoned to them and said, in plain English, " Come with us."

Snow took a step back, and James looked at her and asked, "What is it?"

"They look like drug addicts. I'm not sure I want to go with."

Then, the airlock doors shut behind all of them. " Looks like there's no going back. You there, Cori?"

He turned around and saw that he was still on the other side of the airlock. He stepped towards the doors and tapped on the glass. " We've got a ride out of here."

He could barely hear Coriel say, "I know."

" Are you staying in there?"

"Yes."

One of the aliens approached the doors and said, " We can drive that ship if the door will unlock."

Then, Coriel raised a gun in his right hand into view. " There is no need for violence," stated one of the creatures.

"Ulysses won't spare you."

" What do you mean?"

" Don't tell me you've been in cahoots with that ass!"

"Disengage. Now."

" Everyone, get back!"

James threw an arm in front of Astar and Snow and grabbed the alien. Coriel hit the button, disengaging from the ship right before a silent explosion rocked the station. The station was pushed away from the ship by the blast in the void. Once the flash died down, they saw another ship approach. " Shift into hyperspace," said the alien to the other doors. Then, they looked at James, Snow and Astar and said, " Hang on."

Next thing they knew, the stars became as thin and long as noodles, and the group was pushed into the wall. It felt like everything was pushed against the wall; Organs, bones, brain, etc. Then, Snow fainted, as did James and Astar.

* * * * *

When he woke up, James squinted under a bright light and sat up. He could see that he was on some kind of bed in a white room. He could see Snow sitting on another bed and asked, " Is everyone here?"

He saw Astar sit up and raise his hand. " Over here, dad."

" Where are we?"

"Hell if I know."

James looked through the window and noticed a machine going after a pod. " And , what's going on over there?"

" Sir," said a voice on his other side, " a pod has been located with life inside, and is being brought in."

Within a minute, the pod left the view of the window. " We brought you here to ensure that the hyperspace did not cause too much damage. Now, is your name James Scale?"

" Yeah."

" Your transporters said that you gave your name in your SOS transmission."

As James turned and sat up with his feet on the floor, the door was opened by snow, and a gurney was wheeled inside. "Oh, hey James," said a familiar voice.

" Cori, you made it!"

"Yeah, I did, didn't I."

" Doctor, how's his condition?"

" He's mangled some, but he'll live. I take it you've got quite a story."

Coriel said only one word, a name. The name of the one who had been hunting for them. " What? Oh, was he on board during the fight?"

"He brought a sawn-off. Almost blew a hole through me."

" He'll need some time in the emergency room," said the doctor.

"As long as I'm not gonna die," said Coriel.

The doctor looked at him and said, " Not today."

James got up off the bed and stepped aside as Coriel was wheeled over to it. He then went to the door as Astar got up and noticed some pamphlets. He was curious as to what aliens had to offer, so he slowly examined them. After a moment, his eyes fell on one that said, 'Sign up for MORPH. See life from a new perspective.'

James approached one of the doctors, tapped them on the shoulder and quietly said, " excuse me, do you know what this is all about?"

" Oh," said the female doctor, " that's mostly for military people. Although, non military people can join. It's pretty much letting yourself be transformed depending on what the military you're in needs you for."

Transformation had been something of a fantasy for James for a while, and, until then, he thought it would only happen in video games. " Huh, so where do I sign up?"

"James," grunted Coriel, "come on man."

He spun around, hid the pamphlet in his shirt and said, " Nothing happened."

Coriel raised an eyebrow and stated, "I know you want to sign up for MORPH."

It was no use hiding it, so James pulled the pamphlet out of his shirt and said, " Alright, you got me. It's kind of been an uh, interest of mine for years, transforming."

"A fantasy?"

" Something like that."

"Man, that's interesting."

" You want in?"

"If it'll help end Ulysses sure."

" So, where do we sign up?"

The doctor pointed at the door and said, " Down the hall to the left is registration."

James turned to Coriel and said, " Need me to get a sheet for you?"

"Please."

He gave an OK sign and went out into the hall. He turned to see Snow already at registration. " You heard of this project?"

"Some what."

He took a couple more steps towards her and asked, " You interested? If so, I can get you a sheet."

He turned to face the receptionist and said, " I'd like to apply for the MORPH project."

He saw her nod and added, " I'd also like two more applications, for some friends."

" Ok," said the receptionist, who handed him three sheets and finished, " just sit over there, and the nurse will be right out."

He sat down next to Snow and handed her a sheet. She took the sheet and started to write in Japanese seeing she never truly learned to write English. James grabbed a pen next to the bench and began reading the questions, requests and consents and writing his responses.

He had reached the last page before he knew it. He scribbled his signature, set the sheet on the table next to the bench and scanned the room with his eyes. He saw various creatures from other worlds going back and forth between doors. Occasionally, he looked up at the clock.

After a few minutes, he saw the nurse open the door. This nurse was covered in fur, like him, but with a thinly coated tail with a tuft at the end. She had long ears and a pointed nose, like that of a shark. He leaned back upon looking at her just as he was about to say something and said instead, " What are you?"

"A sergal."

" I see."

He had no idea what a sergal was, but he believed asking would only bring up more questions. " So, are they ready for whatever else is coming?"

"Yes, yes."

" Cool."

He got up, faced Snow and said, " Well, see you on the flip side."

"See you, James. Be careful!"

" Don't worry, I'll scream if they try anything."

"Please do! I will kill them!"

He turned to the nurse and said, " So, where will I be going?"

"Straight out."

" So, at the end of the hall?"

"Yes, you will be getting one last test."

" What kind of test?"

"A stability test."

" Stability?"

"Mental stability."

" Okay."

He opened the door and entered the hall. "Sir, you need to stay."

" In there?"

"Yes. The doctor will be here in 10 minutes."

" Alright."

He went back into the waiting room and sat next to Snow. He crossed his arms and leaned against Snow. She looked at him and asked, "What is it?"

" Ten minutes."

"Oh, yay. Than what?"

" Mental test."

"Oh, fun!"

Ten minutes passed as James kept glancing at the clock at an obsessive level ignoring the various aliens around him. Nine minutes in, one of the doors opened revealing Coriel, now in crutches walking. " Oh, welcome to the land of the living. How'd it go?"

"Better. This limp will stay for about 3 weeks."

" Oh," he brushed his sheet aside, stood up and held out the third one. " I got yours right here."

"Thanks."

As Coriel began reading and writing, the door to the hall opened. James looked past Coriel to see the same sergal.

" They're ready," asked James.

"So they are."

" Alright."

He got up and continued, " Well, see you guys on the flip side. Remember what I said, Snow, about if I get in trouble, and let Cori know, alright?"

With that, he went through the door and walked through the hall to the room on the end. He knocked on the door, grabbed the knob, turned and opened it. " Hello?"

He saw the doctor in the room along with a chair and a machine. " So, am I gonna have to strip for this test?"

He saw the doctor shaking his head and sat down. " So, what'll I be doing?"

" Well, Mr. Scale..."

He backed towards the machine and said, " I just need you to wear this helmet. It's supposed to scan your personality."

James couldn't help but be a little concerned about that, yet he got up, went to the machine and searched for the helmet the doctor spoke of. He found it on top of a metal ball, grabbed it and put it over his head. The machine immediately began scanning his brain, reading his personality. The doctor watched as the screen named traits and cringed. " What's wrong," asked James. The doctor looked at him and said, " Nothing, you can take it off now."

James pulled the helmet off his head and watched as the doctor went to the counter and said, " You've got an interesting personality."

He grabbed a syringe and stuck a needle in one end. He then turned to a row of bottles and stuck the needle in one. The syringe filled with brown liquid, and the doctor pulled it out and stuck it in another bottle. In the last one, he only went halfway, and this time, he went all the way. As he did, the liquid gained a pink tone.

He turned to James and took a step towards him. James felt his heart beat more than usual, and his muscles tensed. His throat caught, and sweat soaked in his fur.The doctor grabbed his arm and said, " Please, relieve tension in your arm, or the muscle will get damaged."

He gulped and let his arm go limp as the doctor stuck the needle in. He felt the thin metal rod pierce his skin and began to hyperventilate. Then, before he knew it, the doctor retracted the needle and said, " You may go."

He jumped to his feet, fisted the door open and rushed through the hall back to the waiting room. " God, I hate needles!"

He shuddered, looked at Coriel and Snow and said, " Uh, I think you guys are getting taller."

Then, he felt a cramp downstairs and looked down only to find that he was being swallowed by his clothes. " So, I'm shrinking. Great."

While he was shrinking, he weaseled out of his shirt and tripped in his pants. Both of them could see his front teeth fusing together and extending into one single spike. He crawled out of his pants and spat out most of his teeth. " What was in khhh..."

James Scale tapped the spike and gasped, " What's happening??"

"You're shrinking."

He raised his tail and gasped as he felt part of the area under his tail split open. Meanwhile, he squinted as his ears extended. " Help!"

"I can't!"

" Snow??"

As the changes proceeded, his voice went up to a squeak. Finally, his spine gave a sickening pop. Now, he was a little under Snow's knees when she was a wickerbeast. His arms and legs were as thin as twigs, and he had a tail like an otter, with a red tuft of fur at the end.

He looked up and asked, " What just happened?"

As he said it, a nurse approached and said, " This is part of what goes on in the project. You've been changed into a yinglet."

" A what?"

" You'll just have to wait until you can see yourself. Oh, and we chose a specific yinglet form for you."

" What kind of form?"

" Well, let's just say you'll have some much different experiences."

" Cori, what do you see?"

"Huh?"

" What do I look like?"

"You're small."

" I can tell, you're taller d-sh-"

"What?"

" Damn bis poof!"

"What?"

He grabbed his front tooth and yanked on it. " Mr. Scale," said the nurse, " please don't do that. You'll need it to eat and defend yourself. So, Coriel is it? Are you ready for a test?"

"one favor about my form," stated Coriel.

" Yes?"

"Keep my current one, just alter it to have wings, a tail, and draconic strength."

" That can be arranged. Just wait out here while the doctor restarts the machine."

While they spoke, James sat down and explored himself. After a moment, his eye twitched, and he said, " Well, vat's just great, looks like I'm a rat bifss now."

"At least if you annoy me I can eat you."

" Mr. Scale, try making z sounds in place of t-h."

" Well, zhanks for zhe information."

James crossed his/her arms, and a lock of red hair fell over one of his blue eyes. He heard Snow gasp, looked at her and asked, " What?"

"What are you?"

" A yinglet," said the nurse.

"Ewww!"

The nurse shut the door, and James climbed on the bench. The doctor emerged from behind the door and whispered in the nurse's ear, " Have we got any orders for yinglets?"

"That we do."

" Who would that be?"

Without a word, she pointed to the side. He went to where she pointed and noticed a screen containing some names. One of them highlighted and took up most of the screen revealing itself as DRACOSITH. "Yes, we can take him there."

" What's Dracosizh?"

" It's a planet occupied by Draconic creatures."

" So, when do we set out?"

"Hmmm, we will see. I need to do something with the wicker."

" What kind of somezhing?"

"Make here a useful species."

" Why not keep her a wicker?"

"Well, we don't need one."

" Does Dracosizh need anyzhing else? God, saying zhis is going to take some getting used to."

"Yes it will. They need more draconic beings as well."

" Cori, I heard you talking about somezhing like zhat!"

The doctor stuck his head through the doorway and said, " Speaking of which, Mr. Coriel?"

"Yes?"

" Your test is ready."

The doctor opened the door all the way to make it easier for Coriel to go through. While Snow and Coriel were both busy, James continued investigating him, now herself. Subconsciously, he began pleasuring himself. He managed to stop himself before the door was opened.

James' paws lingered in place as Snow entered the waiting room. Coriel emerged from the room and gave a dirty look at James. " I got caught up in zhe moment."

"Sure, you did."

" Nurse," called the doctor, "do you know if there's anything in the wardrobe that would fit a yinglet?"

"I don't think so."

" Very well. How long until the next transport to Dracosith?"

"A week."

" And," asked James, "how much of zhat week do I have to deal wizh female rat hormones?"

"All of it."

" God, I hope I don't end up going into heat during zhe week."

"Just don't grind on my leg," said Coriel.

" Long as I can control myself."

"Just don't!" barked Snow.

" Of course, I can't control heat.''

"Then, I'll kick you in the snatch if you try and hump me!"

" Nurse," interjected the doctor, "how about you lead them to their quarters?"

"Can do."

James ran towards nurse and subconsciously took the nurse's hand. The nurse looked at James and asked, "Are you alright?"

James noticed he had the nurse's hand and let go. " Zhat wasn't me!"

"Yes it was."

" Oh, never mind! Where's my room?"

"This way."

The sergal gestured toward the hall and led James across it before stopping at a door. She turned, opened it and said, "Here it is."

James scampered inside, grabbed the edge of the bed and jumped. His legs dangled from the bed as he tried to get up. Eventually, he did get up. By then, he was worn out and quickly fell asleep.

In the middle of the night, James sat up emboldened with new energy. He sighed, jumped down from the bed and began scampering in a circle in an attempt to get rid of the energy. Suddenly, he heard the angry shouting of Coriel. "James!"

He stopped, turned to the door and walked towards it. He opened the door, went across the hall to Coriel's room and opened the door. " Yes?"

"Should we do something Snow?"

"I-I'm not sure!"

" Oh uh," said James, "is zhis a bad time?"

"Yeah, come back later."

He shut the door, turned and jumped when he heard a yelp from inside. He sighed and went back to his room seeing as they could probably handle it. Then, he ran into a nurse, and, out of nowhere, flopped on his back and yanked on his ears. The nurse picked James up as he kicked and screeched, " Too much energy! GAH!!"

"To much?"

" Yes! Someone help me!"

The nurse rubbed James' head, immediately met with resistance. He was gritting his teeth and kicking his legs. The nurse took James to his room, and he looked at her and asked, " Anyzhing I can do about zhis energy?"

"Uh, that I don't know."

" Well, anyzhing I should know about being like zhis? Besides saying zhings."

"You might want to breed a lot."

James raised an eyebrow and asked, " Are you serious?"

"Yes."

" Why?"

"Because your species is primitive."

James yanked his/her ears again and kicked. He looked like a child throwing a tantrum, only instead of not getting something he wanted, he was full of energy that had to get out somehow. He let go of his ears as he was let down and banged two fists on the wall. The nurse put a finger to her lip and whispered, "Please, stop!"

" What do I do?!"

"I don't know!"

* * * * *

The week went by quite slowly. Throughout, James kept trying to relieve himself with various objects, which would need to be washed thoroughly later on. James was in the middle of relief, and tossed what he was using when a pup of some sort entered. " Uh, hi."

He let go of his tail, folded his hands together and said, " Nozhing just happened. I was just standing here."

Then, the door opened, and a nurse entered the room. She went to the wall and started thumping her head against it. " What?"

"You are back."

" Yeah. Is it already time to head out?"

"Yes, the Dracosith military is here to escort you."

With that, James scampered past the nurse between the legs of some officers. As the officers moved on, having not noticed him, he noticed the door to Coriel's room open and Coriel himself on the bed. He went inside and knocked on the door with his tiny paw. Coriel did not look up as he said, "I have a death sentence."

" What?"

"Those officers, they signed me up for a suicide mission!"

" What're zhey having you do?"

"going after a captured Dracosith flagship."

" And, who has it?"

"You already know who."

" Ugh, zhose uh...sadists!"

"Ulysses. Yes."

" Why-oh wait, I already answered my own question. Well, I guess we're leaving."

"No. You and Snow aren't leaving."

" Why not?"

"My mission, I'm going alone."

" So, we're not going to Dracosizh? Or, are we?"

"I'm to try and recapture their flag ship, or scuttle it. But there's I high chance I'm not gonna come back."

" But, will me and Snow be going to zhe planet, or whatever zhey all live on?"

"No. You're both staying on this station."

James twisted his head upside down and said, " I'm getting all sorts of mixed messages here. Some are saying we are going, and some are saying we're not."

"Just listen, rat! You aren't going anywhere because you aren't signed up! Now go away and go crawl back to the wickerbeast!"

Convinced that Coriel was cemented in him and Snow going nowhere, James crawled out on four paws and went to the waiting room. " How come he gets to go, and we have to stay here," he asked himself.

Then, tired of the mixed signals, James climbed up on the bench and hopped after the air duct. "damn rat," he heard Coriel say upon passing.

" Come on!"

He bent down, wiggled his tail and made another leap. This time, he grabbed onto the grate of the air duct. He began swinging his tail back and forth in an attempt to loosen the grate. While he was swinging, he felt a slap on his back, and his paws slipped off. He landed on the bench and looked up to see Coriel. " What zhe hell?"

He was met with a cold shoulder as Coriel went to the dock. " You know, I don't see why a murderous psychopath like him would go after some clumsy rat!" shouted James arousing the attention of some staff members. He looked at them, breathing heavily, still fuming, and screeched, " What are you all looking at?!"

Most of the staff members went back to their duties, but one nurse came up behind James, grabbed him by the tail and lifted him. " Ah! Not zhe tail! Not zhe tail!"

"Who cares!" barked the nurse.

" I do! I'm zhe one wizh zhe damn tail!"

"You aren't supposed to be here!"

" In zhis room or zhe station? Because, I'm getting two different messages! I can't tell if me and Snow are going to Dracosizh or we have to stay put!"

"You two will eventually be sent, and you are not authorized to this said room!"

" Well, zhat's good to know! Also, can you stop holding me by zhe tail?!"

"No, your bones are to brittle."

" What does zhat-Oh, I see. Well, go ahead, do whatever you were going to do! Also, is zhere any shellfish in zhe pantry?"

"Most likely."

" Good, I might be craving some."

"Let's find you some."

" Yes, let's do zhat."

Within the pantry was a wide range of alien foods. "Ugh," groaned the nurse.

" Zhat makes two of us," added James.

"What is any of this?"

" I wish I knew."

When the nurse found a fish of some sort in a jar, James said, " Well, zhere's somezhing."

"Yeah. Wanna split it?"

" Sure."

The nurse opened the jar and was immediately hit with a horrific odor, the odor of death and pickles. " What," asked James.

"This fish!"

James turned his head upside down and asked, " Are yinglets nose blind??"

"Most likely. You things love stench."

" We do?"

"Yes. My kind on the other hand fear it."

" Believe me, I know. I was a half Awek before getting zhe needle."

James shuddered at the memory of the injection. "Couldn't have been that bad."

" Most it zhe time, it wasn't."

"Until you see the huge turkey injector."

" Turkey injector?"

"The needle... You ever see one?"

" Zhe one zhat made me like zhis? Or, are you talking about turkey basters?"

"The one that made you like this."

" Oh. I've seen injectors before, but not like zhat."

"Well it's close anyhow."

" So, what did Dracosizh need me for?"

"I wouldn't know. I only know what they tell me."

" And, I take it it's not much."

"Pretty much."

James slurped the fish's spine and darted his eyes left and right. " How long did you work here?"

"5 years."

" How did zhey go so far?"

"Pretty good."

" No attacks or raids?"

"Not yet. At least that I know of again."

" Would anyone have any reasons to raid zhis place?"

"Not that I can think of. Pirates maybe."

James looked down to find that the fish had been eaten and went to open the door. She gave him a small can, and he used it as a stool to get to the knob. With both hands, he turned the knob and lightly pushed on the door. Once it opened, he jumped off the can and scampered through the hall.

He stopped when he felt a cramp under the tail. " Oh god, not again! I gotta get back to zhe bedroom!"

With that, he turned a corner and scampered through the hall. He stopped at the door to his room, opened the door and climbed up on the bed. Once he was up, he laid on his back, grabbed the end of his tail and yanked it up to his chin. For some reason, he could smell the fish in his tail. Maybe there was a puddle and it touched some of the liquid, but that was the least of James' worries.

As the heater turned on, James began gasping taking advantage of the noise so no one would hear him. He felt more pressure on the bed and raised his paws. " Who's zhere?"

Silence, but there was red fur. He got up and went for a closer look keeping his tail between his legs. " Who are you? What are you?"

"Ly, Lycan."

" What? I'm confused."

"Lyyyy."

James sighed and laid on his back again. He then lowered his tail releasing a scent. However, he passed out as he was about to scratch himself.

The next morning, he awoke to a knock on the door. He sat up and called, " Come in!"

The nurse from before opened the door and said, "Oh, the Lycanroc got loose."

" Is zhat what zhis is?"

"Yeah. We got it from an alternate universe."

" Alternate universe?"

"Indeed."

" You serious?"

"That I am. Smells like horny rat."

" Who, me?"

"Yes you..."

" Well, I did start having a moment last night."

"Ewww!"

" How do you zhink it felt?"

"Bad!"

" It's a wonder zhat I slept at all!"

"I see. I wonder how I ever sleep."

" I just felt like sticking something in."

The nurse raised her hands and said, "Okay, too much information."

" Sorry."

James jumped off the bed and went out into the hall. " What time is it?"

"I am not sure."

" James Scale and Snow Dove, please report to the office," said a voice over the intercom. James met Snow in the hall on the way to the waiting room and stopped in front of the receptionist's desk. "Yes?"

" Someone called?"

James didn't sound like Snow, yet was too short to be seen at first glance. "Yes."

" So, what's up?"

"Uh, not you!"

" Oh, ha ha, very funny. What are we needed for?"

"I uh, am not sure."

Snow could see a file as James was hopping up and down to get a peek. She picked James up, and he looked at her and said, " Zhanks, Snow."

"You are welcome!"

James looked, saw a report, pointed and asked, " What's zhat?"

"A report."

" What kind of report?"

"Something about broken spear."

" Glad I caught you," said someone behind them.

Snow turned around to come face to face with one of the doctors. " The ship's almost ready." Snow nodded and said with a seemingly sarcastic tone, "Yay."

" First, you'll need to get ready, both of you."

"How do we do that?"

" Shower, groom, trim, and all that."

Snow nodded and walked back to the room, with James still in her arms. "Now, where to go..."

" Our rooms?"

Snow shrugged and said, "I guess."

" Do you know where mine is?"

"Not to far from mine."

" Okay."

Snow wandered the hall before James pointed and said, " Zhis is it."

The door opened to reveal a draconian in some kind of military uniform. He looked at them and asked, "Are you Snow Dove and James Scale?"

" Yeah. Why?"

The soldier took off his hat and said, "We regret to inform you, your friend, Coriel is MIA, presumed Dead."

"Well damn."

" What?"

"I don't know if he was just friends, or he was in love, nothing."

"Just a friend."

Snow put James down, as the soldier left, and he turned and headed towards the shower. James left the shower door open as he stood under the water thinking of what could have happened to Coriel. All sorts of possibilities ran through his head, more chaotic than usual. Finally, James snapped out of his trance, saw that Snow was in the room and screamed.

"I thought you died," Snow calmly stated over the sound of running water.

James took the end of his tail and said, " I just spaced out."

"Oh, I see."

On the way out, James was stopped by a guard with a bag. " The boss said you should wear this."

"Do I get one,"asked Snow.

" You already have a uniform."

The guard dropped the bag, and James bent down and opened it. "Oh yeah!" exclaimed Snow.

James emptied the bag out as the guard turned and left. As Snow sat down, he unfolded a black and red jumpsuit the size of an average yinglet. He stuck on leg in, then another. After that, he stuck both arms through and pulled the zipper up.

Snow stood up and walked outside, followed close by James."Now, where to..."

" The hanger?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Faster than Snow, James scampered to the hangar as Snow flew there. The door opened to reveal a single spaceship. "So beautiful!"

" Yeah."

"I'm lying."

" Oh. Woops."

"Don't worry, little Jimmy Jam."

" What?"

"I decided to give you a stupid nickname."

" Oh, ha ha," James gave a sarcastic laugh while rolling his eyes. "Well," said Snow, "you are pretty dumb looking."

" It's because I'm a yinglet, isn't it."

"Yep."

" Of course."

"There are so many good jokes."

" Save zhem, please."

"Why?"

" Zhey're not necessary!"

"Yes, they are!"

Before she began more jokes, James dashed into the ship, followed by Snow. He sat in a chair and strapped himself in." Everyone ready?"

" Yeah," said Astar, from the back.

"Yep!" added Snow. They could hear and feel the engine start, and James watched from the window as they flew from the hangar.