FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Superiority

Chapter 7

It had been a long morning for the wolves of tent C-Eighteen. They had received the responsibility of unloading the newly received LDSRD-V2 Light Armored Assault Vehicles. The base had recently been shipped fifty of them, and they were brought in on flatbed trailers, one at a time.

"That makes nine for me," said Jefferson, with a smirk. Jefferson was a former human, and made it a point to try and prove himself better than David.

"It's not a competition," said David, annoyed at being constantly condescended by Jefferson. "Get over yourself."

David spent the rest of the time avoiding Jefferson, completely devoting himself to the unloading. After they had unloaded them all, and Jefferson boasted about his higher numbers, all five wolves headed back to their tent to relax a bit before lunch.

"What's his problem?" David asked Richards.

"He's just mad about the draft," he replied. "That's the only reason he's here. Unlike most non rebellion wolves, he's still mad about the change. He singled you out because of your past."

"I thought you were a former human?" asked David. "You don't resent this?"

"Not anymore" replied Richards. "I mean, yeah, when it first happened, but I actually like what I am better now."

"That's surprising," said David. "But, then again, I was born like this, so I wouldn't know how much better we are."

"There's a lot more tension than most realize," said Bill, pulling up a stool, and joining the conversation. "The place I worked for before the draft, only hired willingly changed, or natural born wolves. I can understand why there would be some lingering hatred for collection officers."

David was shocked at the news. He spent most of his time alone, cut off from what was happening, and didn't know the humans weren't integrating well.

"Well, it can't be all that bad," he said. "A lot of my fellow collection officers were former humans."

"That's because the government is trying to make it look better," replied Bill. "My wife is a collection officer, and former human. The only reason she works that job, is because she can't get one elsewhere."

Their conversation was cut short, when Jefferson began stirring in bed.

"Well, I'm gonna go get lunch," said Richards, who was followed by Jefferson, and Clinton.

Bill, and David stayed behind for a few minutes, to avoid Jefferson, but eventually succumbed to hunger, and followed.

The Mess Hall was unusually busy for this time of day. There weren't really too many duties to fulfill without a war, so everybody spent their time off there.

"So, when do you think they're going to attack?" asked Jefferson.

"I don't know," said Bill. "But they probably would have already attacked if they were ready. My guess is, they're still preparing."

"What else do they have to do?" asked Jefferson. "They're pretty well dug in, if you ask me. This waiting is killing me. Every night, I sit there, and wonder if they're going to attack while I'm asleep."

"It'll be soon," said David. "But hell, If they keep their reasons for being here held in much longer, we might get to attack first."

"I doubt that'll happen," said Richards. "I don't think the Emperor really wants this war anyway. We've only had six years to prepare."

"That's true," replied David. "But even so, I think we're ready."

"That may be," said Bill. "But obviously the Emperor doesn't, or we would have attacked already."

The wolves suddenly looked up, as Sanford walked into the room. "I need tent C-Eighteen to follow me immediately please," he said.

Back in Sanford's tent, the five wolves lined up around his desk.

"I have assignments for all of you," said Sanford. "Morris, Clinton, Richards, you are to once again scout the canadian installation. There have been reports of possible mobilization."

"Yes, Sir, replied the three wolves, as they left the tent.

"Nosov, Jefferson, I have a special assignment for you," said Sanford. "Four days ago, we sent a wolf north of here, to set up a surveillance camp. He was scheduled to establish contact with us yesterday, and we haven't heard from him. I need you both to locate him, and report his status to me. We believe he may have been compromised."

"Yes, Sir," replied the wolves.

"One more thing," said Sanford, as they were leaving. "Be careful out there. The canadians may have had something to do with his disappearance."

"We'll do our best, Sir," replied David.

"The surveillance location is pretty far from here," said David, after he looked at the map. "It's at least a two day walk, there, and back."

"At least we've got something to do," replied Jefferson. "I was getting bored, sitting here on this base all the time."

"You won't be saying that, when you realize how cold it is," said David, with a laugh, as they walked off the base.

"So, what do you think happened?" asked Jefferson, after they had been walking for two hours.

"The way I see it, there are two possibilities here," said David. "Either he broke a leg, and is dead, or dying, or the canadians got him. Personally, I think we're gonna find him at the bottom of a hill, without his radio, and we're gonna have to carry him back."

"Carry him through this?" said Jefferson. "The trees are only getting denser!"

"What else did you expect to do?" asked David, annoyed by Jefferson's laziness.

"I don't know," replied Jefferson "I was half hoping his radio was broken, and we would pass him on his way back for another one."

"Doubtful," replied David. "He would have been back by now. Like I said, he's probably got a broken foot, or something."

.....

Bill, and the others had been walking for about an hour, and they were only about a half hour away from their lookout destination.

"So, what's your story Morris?" asked Richards.

"Not much to say, really," replied Bill. "I worked for an air conditioner manufacturer before the draft. It was ironically hot in the factory, but it payed pretty good. I met my wife four years ago, and we got married two years later. She's expecting, so she wasn't too happy about me getting drafted. She just doesn't understand what's required to win a war. What about you?"

"Pretty average, I'd say," said Richards. "I got captured about eight years ago, and got a job selling cars from my uncle. He was pretty harsh the first couple of years, he was mad at my parents for resisting the test. I pretty much just sold cars, until the draft. What about you, Clinton?"

"I'm a natural born, like Bill," said Clinton. "Wasn't really employed until a year ago. I got a pretty cozy job fixing cars, at my brother's shop. Didn't really have a direction in life, until the draft."

"Hmm, so what do you think we'll see when we get there?" asked Richards.

"Probably the same thing we saw last time," said Bill. "A few training exercises, and some vehicle movement."

They reached the bottom of the lookout hill, and began climbing.

"How far away is this lookout?" asked Richards?"

"Just at the top of this hill," replied Bill.

Almost slipping a few times, all three wolves reached the top of the hill. Bill pulled out his binoculars, and gasped.

"What's wrong?" asked Clinton.

"They've nearly tripled their amount of vehicles, and now they're running training exercises with jets." replied Bill. "They're getting closer to attacking."

.....

David, and Jefferson were huddled around their campfire.

"How much farther do we have?" asked Jefferson.

"Not much farther," replied David. "According to the map, we probably only have to walk eight hours when we get up in the morning. But that's to the surveillance location. He's probably closer than that. We might get back to base tomorrow."

"At least we're getting closer," replied Jefferson. "I hope he's in a condition to walk back."

"I doubt it," said David. "If he was, we'd have seen him by now."

"Yeah, probably," replied Jefferson.

They both stared at the fire for a few minutes longer, before getting into their sleeping bags, and going to sleep.

They woke up early the next morning, packed up, extinguished the fire, and moved on.

After about two hours, Jefferson stuck his hand out in front of David, to stop him.

"You see that?" he asked.

David looked forward. There was a patch of bloody snow in front of them.

"Dammit, I was hoping we were going to find him alive," said David.

They both walked forward, and confirmed that it was blood.

"I hate this cold." said David. "It makes it hard to smell things. I should have been able to smell this a ways back."

"Yeah, whatever," said Jefferson, obviously still uncomfortable with the idea of scent as a tool.

"Let's look around," said David.

After a bit of searching they found the lone wolf's corpse.

"It's got bullet holes in it!" said Jefferson, surprised.

David looked around for evidence of canadian involvement, and spotted a small plume of smoke rising from about six hundred meters away.

"Shh, let's check that out," said David. "The briefing file said nobody else was supposed to be here."

The wolves quickly, but quietly snuck up to the source of smoke.

"It's a camp," said David. "A canadian camp."

"I'll radio in, to see what Sanford wants us to do," said Jefferson, as he got up to go somewhere where the canadians couldn't hear him.

David took a closer look at the camp. Two humans, both with their backs turned towards them. David wished he could hear their conversation, but they were whispering to avoid his superior hearing.

"Take em' out," said Jefferson. "Sanford said they're not legally allowed to be here."

David nodded, and raised his model five, as they slowly proceeded to the camp. With a few quick, loud bangs, the humans were on the ground.

They didn't have much information on them, but David was sure they were the ones that killed the wolf that came before them.

"Sanford said a chopper was going to be here any minute, to pick us up," said Jefferson. Let's get this camp packed up so we can get out of here when it does."

David agreed, and they packed up the humans equipment, and placed it in neat piles close to the bodies.

"Who's retrieving the body?" asked David, referring to the wolf they came for.

"Sanford said they were sending another team," said Jefferson.

A few minutes later, they heard a helicopter, which quickly landed near their position. They quickly packed everything, and were on their way back to the base.

.....

"Sir?" said Bill, talking to Sanford. "What does this mean?"

"It means," replied Sanford. That we may be going to war quicker than we thought. This isn't good news boys, but you did an excellent job, and you're excused for the day.

"Thank you, Sir," replied the wolves before leaving for their tent.

Sanford sighed heavily. He was originally hoping they weren't going to be forced into war. It seems his fears were finally being realized.

.....

"So, what lead you here Jefferson?" asked David.

"I got captured about two years ago," replied Jefferson. " I wasn't rebellion, but I was staying at a shelter of theirs, that got raided. "I spent most of my time after that, trying to get a job. It's real difficult when you're not a natural born, or willingly changed. I eventually got a job mopping up vomit at a bar, and people wonder why I'm never happy with the country. It was like a slap in the face to get drafted, and have to fight for a country I hate."

The pilot leaned back, and told them to put their seat belts on, before descending down to land at the base, where Sanford met them.

"I've already sent the report in boys," said Sanford. "You're excused for the day, you might want to go see the other guys back at your tent. They'll probably want to tell you about their assignment."

"Thank you, Sir," replied David.

With what they experienced, David could only guess what Bill had seen.