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Darkness shrouded the small room, save for a dull light that reflected out of a fox's eyes. The eyes scanned a hologram monitor, the source of the light, reading through pages and pages of text and glancing over mugshots of several dozen military officers. Every few minutes, the fox's right paw would swipe through the air in front of the screen, and the page would change to a new officer.

Time flowed but the fox remained ignorant to its passing. He sorted dozens of files into possible candidates while the other files were dismissed.

After several hours, the monitor screen grew visibly brighter allowing the light to outline the desk the fox sat behind and the bookshelves behind him. The fox's shoulders and head also became outlined in the new brighter light. One of his ears lazily rested off to the side while the other stood erect. His eyes continued to swivel back and forth, the text reflecting from his eyes while he read.

A small blue dot began to blink in the corner, redirecting the fox's eyes. He lazily gestured at it with his paw, and a new brighter screen was brought up. It was a message from the docks. It read:

For: Admiral Yukiomaru Alexander

From: Shipyard Master Benson Halls

Admiral Alexander,

Your flagship name has been accepted. Final preparations will be finished in three days. Your crew can report to Dock 38E in [Adjust Time to Receipt:] 74.5 hours from the time you receive this message.

Shipyard Master Benson Halls

Message End

Again the fox swiped his paw across the front of the monitor and the message was swept away. After he glanced at the clock and realized how late it was, Yukiomaru yawned. He stood up from his desk and walked out of his office without even bothering to close the personnel files he was reading through. When the fox opened the door, light flooded the room, but was quickly shunned out when the door closed behind Yukiomaru. Only the dim light of the monitor left on shined in the room now.

Yukiomaru strolled down the hallway appearing as if the fatigue had no affect on him. In truth, he was well experienced with fatigue. The officer's wing was deserted at this late hour, making it was easy for the Admiral to venture into his bunk. Once he reached his room, he shed off his clothes and climbed into his bunk under the thin sheets. Paws folded under his head, Admiral Alexander stared at the dark ceiling pondering over the candidate profiles. He only had a few officers and squads left to choose but he was finding it difficult to make the decision.

Captain Calvin Redding was rumored to be the best sniper alive. One of the reports the Admiral read even boasted that Redding has changed the course of a three weeklong stalemate over the Velmarian anarchists. Several other engagement victories were also credited to this sharpshooter. Such a promising soldier would set a great example to the other soldiers; but Redding has very little experience working with other soldiers.

Another candidate was just as superior but seemingly far more difficult to recruit into the Admirals fleet. Lieutenant Rye CoHeart is a superb candidate from what the Admiral has been able read thus far, but most of the information is restricted. From what limited information the Admiral has been granted, he could conclude that this Spec Ops officer has destroyed an entire shipyard and enough pirate ships to create an entire armada.

Both officers have had limited experience, and Yukiomaru would have chosen the Lieutenant if only he was not so difficult to obtain. The fact that he was lower rank also gave the Admiral pause. Captain Redding was by no means easy to obtain either, both officers were more than exceptional and their commanding officers would not give them up easily. Redding's commander was a high-ranking Admiral too, but CoHeart didn't have any recorded commanding officer

After weighing the options for several minutes, his eyes grew heavy. He never felt like he had any time but it was no longer up to him while dreams consumed his mind. The instant his subconscious overwhelmed his conscious, morning arrived with his second officer in command.

"Get up Kit!"

With a twitch of the ear, the Admiral already knew who was in his room. His eyes lazily opened, and he blinked until his vision became clear again. Slowly he sat up in his bed, ignoring the rude awakening. Yelena, his second in command officer, threw open the curtains of his room. Light flooded in the room, shining brightly off of Yukiomaru's radiant white fur. The sheet that fell to only cover his waist was as white as his fur.

"Yelena, will you stop barging into my room," Yukiomaru groggily said. He hated when she called him "kit".

"Don't you even know what today is?" asked Yelena, searching through Yukiomaru's closet. She tossed him one of his outfits.

"Today is no different from the other days," said Yukiomaru, pushing the sheet off of him and standing to dress. "The only day worth mentioning is when our fleets confirm the source of those Contacts."

"It's been a year and we're still searching for those," Yelena remarked. "But it's not every day our little kit turns nine years old. And yet you're still the youngest kit prodigy since our scientists discovered how to breach planetary atmosphere near thirty thousand years ago."

Yukiomaru grumbled. He was a kit, a young one, but he didn't like being reminded of it. "You know I hate my birthdays."

"No one is going to pick on you this year, Admiral," Yelena remarked with a hint of a smirk.

Dressed, Yukiomaru wandered over to his personal computer. "I want your feedback on a few of the officers I chose the fleet," he said, ignoring Yelena's statement. The computer was activated and the young Admiral opened the same files from last night.

The meerkat leaned over the Admiral's desk and read the brief information on the canidates. "Was there something specific you wanted to point out?"

"I thought you'd recognize Officer Mills, commanding officer of Drach'n Fang," said the kit, leaning against the desk to gesture toward the proper profile. Both standing, the admiral felt shorter than he was standing next to his second in-command officer. He took a step back from her while she continued to read.

"So he's made it to Commander," Yelena thought out loud. "When will he be joining the fleet?"

"Your content with my decision?" asked Yukiomaru, raising an eyebrow. "The last time you two met..."

"Yes," interrupted Yelena rather optimistically. She stepped back from the monitor. "He will make a fine commander. I doubt he'll be grateful when he realizes he won't have his own ship for another three months."

"Six months," Yukiomaru corrected. "He'll be commanding the destroyer." Gesturing at his `, it shut itself off. "Did you receive the notice about our ship?"

"This morning," replied Yelena. Out of the bunk, both officers strolled down the open corridor of the complex. The early morning sun was shining from across the courtyard, rising over the far roof.

"I want you to oversee the final finishes," Yukiomaru said. "I will be arriving in four days but I want you to be there to greet the crew and ensure everything goes over smoothly."

Yelena walked silently for a moment before she asked, "When will I be leaving?"

"I've arranged for you to leave by this afternoon. It wasn't easy to get you on the ship, but once your there, you're not leaving."

"It's one of the most restricted projects the UDAS has," muttered Yelena. "I'm surprised that you were able to get me in a day early. I suppose I should pack up." Yelena turned back toward the way they came and left Yukiomaru, her usual playful enthusiasm absent.

The young arctic fox wandered into the open courtyard among the foliage. In the opposite corridor, two other high-ranking officers were chatting. Within a few minutes, the Admiral was hidden behind the trees and bushes, sitting on the edge of a small bridge that extended over a pond.

Leaning back on his paws, the fox stared at the blue sky. His eyes tracked the lazy clouds. Occasionally a ship would fly overhead heading southeast toward the airstrip. Yukiomaru had no doubt that some of those ships would be carrying his crew. They had been arriving for the past month, staying at the Dorsal Peak base before they were transferred to the Admiral's ship itself.

Several minutes went by before the fox sat up straight again. He pulled out his personal hologram computer and searched through his files again. Throughout the long day, the kit prodigy worked on his computer, scheduled flights for his troops, checked updates on his officers, and even met with a few of them to discuss a large variety of issues.

After Admiral Alexander sent out a special request for the special operations officer, he went to his bunk much earlier than the previous night. So much for his birthday.

When the sun began to rise, Yukiomaru was sitting in a vehicle on his way to Barracks 10-L on Dorsal Peak base. When he arrived at the gate, the guard immediately saluted.

"Admiral Alexander," she barked, standing at attention.

"At ease Sergeant," replied the fox. The guard let his paw fall back to his waist but he remained at attention. "I'm here to see my crew."

"All personnel destined for 'Classified 0714-1990' are in Barracks 10-L, sir," reported the doe. "Two buildings behind the fifth on your right. They'll be in the mess hall by now."

"Thank you," Yukiomaru said and motioned for his driver to continue forward. Once they arrived at the mess hall, military personnel was walking in and out of it freely.

No one seemed to notice Yukiomaru even after he walked in to the mess hall and to the head of the tables. Long rectangular tables ran parallel to each other, and nearly every seat was occupied by the Admiral's crew.

"Attention!" barked an officer near Yukiomaru, his voice roaring over the chatter. Every one stood at attention in unison. Confused eyes searched for the officer they were meant to be saluting, many overlooking Yukiomaru.

"Thank you Captain. At ease!" said Yukiomaru with his voice raised. All heads in the hall turned toward the kit. "I am Admiral Yukiomaru Alexander! Captain Dewitt here tells me that my crew has been curious of their Admiral, and so here I am to clarify your theories."

He paused. Some anxious whispers were exchanged but Yukiomaru could not hear what was said.

"Each one of you have been chosen by me or by one of my officers," he continued. "You all have great capacity for keeping classified information and our missions will require that silence more than ever. Later today, the rumors regarding existence of alien races, and their imminent contact, will be confirmed by the UDAS."

A buzz of curious voices filled the hall but it died as quickly as it started.

"We will be exploring planets and several zones beyond the Black Line. Each location is believed to be the hosts of a long-abandoned alien cities and or battlegrounds. race that are believed to have once been inhabited by one or more alien races. Later today most of you will be leaving this base heading for your new ship, 'Classified 0714-1990'. Check with your commanding officer to see when you are scheduled to leave. Eat up quick, first shuttle leaves in one hour and twelve minutes. Dismissed!

The mess hall again became alive with chatter while the crew sat back to their meals. Several shouts requested for more information from their commanding officers. The admiral turned to Captain Dewitt.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"Most of them will stop questioning the secrecy," answered Captain Dewitt. "But it will take them time to adjust taking orders from someone as young as you. My officers can handle any doubts that might be still lingering."

"And the rumors about my incompetence?"

"All exaggerated," Dewitt said. "Those rumors only fabricated because they haven't yet seen you. Now that they have, those rumors will no longer be an issue."

"There are too many unknown variables in our missions to come," Yukiomaru said, turning back to gaze over his troops. This few hundred would be commanding the largest ship ever built by the UDAS. "I need to know that I can trust the troops, and they need to know that they can trust me. Morale is crucial. I don't need to tell you what will happen if things turn for the worst out there."

"Understood Admiral," replied Captain Dewitt.

Yukiomaru was soon back in a vehicle heading back the Admiral's compound. The thunder of an engine roaring to life drew his attention. Looking back at the base, he could see one of his shuttles taking off from the base, filled with his crew. A few more days, Yukiomaru would be on one of the shuttles heading toward his ship as well.