FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Clearland Starport, Tigra

Ellia had been in a state of quiet concentration since she left Redvale with Dorrin and Sabre - they'd met up with Donna, Tallia and Lia on the way back, who had seemed admittedly relieved to not have to deal with meeting Dorrin's father. I could have gone without that nightmare myself... but damn, she thought to herself as they approached the landing pad that held the Snowlit Dawn, is this world really dying? It must be, Denal may be a tail-ache, but he'd never lie about that. I can't just let a planet die, Rageria has tech to fix stuff like this! Just... if Erlash is a normal Tigrin, how in the galaxy am I going to convince their government to accept help!

"Hey E," Dorrin asked, tapping Ellia on her shoulder and disrupting her thoughts, "are you alright?"

Ellia had worn breathable but long lacy gloves to prevent accidental mind reading on this outing, but nothing could hide from her just how much more troubled Dorrin was than her. Not wanting to speak aloud about this, she slid one of the gloves off and took Dorrin's hand. {I'm more worried about you being alright. This is your homeworld, and your anxiety feels like a blast furnace. I'm just... trying to think of a solution to your world's problems. The Ragerian Union has the technology to help, but... if your father is the norm for what we can expect, I'm afraid they won't accept our help. You're probably right to be concerned, we both need a rebalance.}

{I can't say he's abnormal,} Dorrin mentally groaned in response, Ellia had been surprised how quickly he adjusted to these mental conversations, {but there are plenty who aren't outright specist twits. Unfortunately, they're still going to be very suspicious of any kind of assistance.}

{That's what I'm afraid of,} Ellia visibly shuddered, having her fears partially confirmed, {I'm not the best to explain why though; ask Marla how the war started, she got to experience that planetary collision in real time.} Ellia released Dorrin's hand at that, slipping the glove back on as Donna cycled the airlock in front of them.

"Gerard, what in the void is this tail-hole doing on my ship?!" The Captain growled as she saw Denal standing in the airlock, glaring at her Leonin Doctor. Dammit, Denal hasn't given up, Ellia silently cursed to herself, figures.

"He showed up a few minutes ago asking for Dorrin," Gerard responded with a sigh, "I told him he wasn't here and then he said he'd wait until he got back. He then proceeded to stare at me for a reeeeaaaly long time." Huh, Ellia rubbed her muzzle, what's he want with Dorrin?

"A Leonin Doctor, what a concept..." Denal chuckled as he turned to the Captain, "still, I would like to speak to Dorrin about the state of his homeworld, in private."

"Hah," Marla snickered as her hologram appeared in the airlock, "if you think Captain Briskwind and I are going to let you do that, you need professional help!"

"Agreed," Donna nodded, "if you have something to say, Dorrin is right here - so say it!"

"I guess it doesn't matter either way," Denal rubbed his face and muzzle with a groan, "Dorrin, in case you have doubts about what I told your father... you shouldn't. That data came directly from several joint Lapinian and Tigrin studies, that's why they're making it so easy to leave your planet - they're trying to avoid a massive evacuation once your world is no longer viable... but I digress. You may not believe this, but I want to help save your planet."

"You what???" Ellia yipped in surprise, thinking she must have misheard her adoptive father. After all, he had made every effort she'd made in the past to help other species as difficult as he could.

"Believe it or not, E, I don't enjoy watching other races suffer;" Denal sighed, shaking his head, "especially when that suffering is indirectly Rageria's fault. Were it not for the war, the Otterians would never have discovered Tigra and they'd have been isolated - safe from Leonin and Vulpin exploitation. Then there's our failings to contain those malevolent entities to begin with... Dorrin, I believe most Ragerians would agree with me when I say we owe your people a second chance. The problem is, your people have to want it, and be willing to accept what must be done."

"Oh dear," Marla gasped, "you... you're afraid of a repeat of the Otteria Incident?"

"Yes, Denal nodded as he looked towards Marla, "I can barely believe I'm saying this, but... I believe Ellia has done far better than our ambassadors at that time did, if anyone can get them to agree to our aid, it's my daughter."

Ok, who is this and what has he done with Denal? Ellia thought just before he shook his head and continued. "Yet here I am, going against my own mandate... understand that I am doing this not because I feel the Tigrin are ready to be exposed to this kind of knowledge, but because there isn't an appropriate alternative."

Ah nope,_Ellia groaned, rolling her eyes, _he's definitely Denal. "This wouldn't happen to be a last ditch attempt to keep me here, would it?" Ellia asked, with a raised eyebrow and a flick of her right ear. "If so, nice try, this just gives me another reason to come back here after I'm done."

"I'd expect nothing less from you," Denal replied with a genuine smile, turning back to a now slack-jawed and confused Dorrin as he handed him what looked like a small box, "this is a Quantum Pair Comms Unit that connects to one of the best Biosphere Reconstruction Specialists in Division 1. He will help your people, just be sure that you want the help."

Blueden, Planet Huska, Zern System

"Really?" Vanara practically barked aloud, causing Lana to wince and practically cover her ears, "Your worthless fucking prince picks now to visit?"

"Geez, shoot the messenger whydoncha?" Lana mewled in response, shaking her head as she rubbed her ears. "You're lucky that wasn't recorded, command would love to make someone disappear for a remark like that."

Vanara growled for a moment, then sighed deeply, shaking her head before she replied in a lowered voice. "I'm sorry Lana, you didn't deserve that; it's just the timing couldn't be worse with my daughter on the way. Thanks for telling me I suppose."

"Theeere's more to it..." Lana held up a large, padded finger as Van started to stang, eliciting a groan from her friend as she took a seat in the uncomfortable interview chair once more. "There are probably a hundred or so princes, and only one of them is what is consider a decent person - he's the one who was put at the last of the succession order of course. But aaanyway, they didn't include the details on which one is visiting, and sadly the one non-prick prince is on the other end of Leonin Space right now, so we're getting stuck with someone you must not piss off in any way."

"How is that any different than the nobles who screw with my staff daily?" Vanara asked, feeling more than slightly bewildered at the remark.The last time one o __f my housekeeping people did something that annoyed one, she got beaten half to death and relocated to a reeducation camp. What in the void could a p_ rince do that's worse?_

"At least a regular noble has to go through an official process to ruin your life. For one, a Prince can have you executed by speaking two words," Lana replied, a look of deadly sincerity in her not unsympathetic gaze, "though more often they take great pleasure in doing that themselves, usually on the spot. Oh, and that would be preferable to what he'd do to me if he ever found out about what I've been doing."

"I can't imagine they like those who sympathize with Non-Leonin subjects very much," Van replied with a nod, looking around somewhat nervously, "I assure you they won't hear anything about you from me or my staff." _Did I scan for bugs when I came in?_She quickly checked the logs on her implant and stifled a sigh of relief as she confirmed that she had already.

"Oh, that would just get me sent to a labor camp a few years, its not like I did anything violent." Lana shook her head, her short mane puffing out slightly from the motion, "I meant the other stuff you've helped me with. You know, being myself?" Lana held up her painted claws, pointing at one to emphasize what she meant.

"Oh..." Van gasped slightly at the realization, "I... I know you said it was frowned upon, but I... I thought you just meant bullying or refusing to acknowledge you as anything but a male." Shit, if I'd realized that, I might not have made a habit of sneaking cosmetics to her! "What... what would they do?" Vanara finally asked, not really wanting to know the answer, but feeling obligated to find out.

"If I'm lucky, have me executed as an 'irredeemable degenerate'," Lana meweled, "but more likely they'd shove me on the next transport back to the homeworld, where I'd be sent to a monastery for 'purification.' I expect you can guess what that really means."

Vanara shook her head, she could guess well enough the implications and neither wanted or needed to know what kind of torture some sanctimonious Leonin priest considered purification.

"Good," Lana sighed in relief, "I really don't want to think about that... eeeveeer. Van, you're about the only real friend I've ever had and I..." Lana sniffed, rubbing her eyes, "I really want you to get out here safely. Please, just keep your head down until your daughter has you out of Leonin space, alright?"

This was one of the times Vanara really wished they could meet without a barrier between them, all she wanted to do was give her friend a hug and cry with her. Instead, she bit her lip and stood, forcing a smile. "I will Lana, thank you."

Snowlit Dawn, Departing Tigra

Dorrin subconsciously kept scrubbing the clean pot, even though what debris had stuck to it had disintegrated long ago. He had barely managed to make a very disappointing meal... well, if he was being honest, Ellia had really done most of the work and he had fiddled around looking vaguely busy. Mom just left, didn't tell me anything, my planet is literally dying, and somehow _ I'm _ the one to fix it? What a sick joke! At first Ellia had tried to console him, in various ways ranging from stroking behind his ears to mentally telling him everything would be ok when she got close but... this was all just too much, and he had no idea what he was supposed to do.

"Dorrin?" Marla's voice interrupted his wrecked train of thought; which, had it been a literal train, would now be flying over the horizon in a burning, tumbling mass. "We just received a message from your mother, I... am trying very hard not to read it, at least before you do."

Finally! His ears perked up as the fact his mom had contacted him brought him back to reality, and he turned towards Marla's hologram. "Thanks Marla, can you put it on my tablet?"

"Already done," she replied with a slight smile, which quickly turned to a more serious and focused look, "but when you're done, now that you're in a state for it, we need to talk about something very important."

"Sure, right..." he muttered halfheartedly as he read the message quickly, anxious to find out what happened, "wait, this was sent as we approached the planet and waited for a landing pad, why did it take so long?"

"Your off-world network is horrifically under-provisioned," she groaned, rolling her eyes, "it was stuck in a very large message buffer all day. I uh... would you mind, telling me what that says, just so I don't wind up reading it later out of unbearable curiosity?"

"Right, you would do that;" Dorrin chuckled, the message having put him considerably at ease, "as we know she left my father, but she went to stay with Saril on the New Dawn, instead of one of those void forsaken Lapinian stations." He couldn't help but remain sour over just how poor the Lapinian aid had been, especially now that he knew the full truth of his planet's situation. At least from what he'd heard, the Yotan had been pretty good to Saril and treated him like family as soon as he enlisted with them. Hard to believe Tallia wound up being such a bitch. "Also, apparently someone told her about my girlfriend already..." he chuckled, having been pleasantly surprised that his mom had even expressed interest in meeting Ellia and talking to her.

"Wonderful, positively splendid!" Marla replied, this time without a hint of annoyance or sarcasm to her voice - she seemed to actually be pleased for once. "However, I wasn't kidding about needing to talk, before you even touch that little gift Denal gave you. You... may want to sit down for this."

Dorrin winced, exiting from behind the counter and taking a seat at the dining table. "Honestly Marla, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do with it. No, I don't mean usage-wise, I mean what I'm supposed to say to this person Denal claims can help Tigra. Last I checked I'm just a freighter cook, Ellia is the diplomat!"

"That may be a good thing," she sighed, her own holograms appearing to take an empty seat across from him, in the interest of appearing natural; "remember how I mentioned the Otterian Incident?"

"Yes, but what does something that happened to a bunch of stupid rudder-butts have to do with helping Tigra?"

"Because what led to the war was my people's decision to help those 'stupid rudderbutts', Dorrin," she sighed, shaking her head, "and I personally experienced that event. The circumstances were somewhat different - Otteria's orbit had been disrupted by a rogue planet that passed through their system, and their government formally requested our aid, but... I'm afraid Tigra's people may react to our involvement in a similar way to how the Otterians inevitably did: resisting our efforts to fix the problem and trying to steal the equipment and technology we used for it."

"Marla," Dorrin sighed, shaking his head, "why would we stop someone from trying to help save our planet? Heck, why did the Otterians? It sounds like the most moronic thing anyone could do!"

"To rational beings like you and I? Absolutely." She sighed, rolling her eyes as she continued. "But to an irrational, suspicious and frightened people used to latent corruption and less than trustworthy allies? For them, it was seen as their only chance to retain their autonomy. Something we learned too little, too late after ordering a recovery team to use force to retake the orbital correction station. We believed this was a rogue group of civilians with a key sympathizer or two in their government, the idea that the very government that asked for our help, and whos very existence depended on our success could have authorized the takeover was something that seemed utterly absurd at the time... at least to this newly minted general of what was a brand new division tasked with ensuring Division 1 could operate without interference from disruptive parties."

"Marla..." Dorrin groaned, "none of this is my wheelhouse, and I have no idea who most of those groups you're talking about are. It might just be best if you told me the whole story."

"Alright then Dorrin, get yourself some snacks, you'll be sitting here a while."