FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 1

The only thing Keeping him conscious was the soft hum of synthetic hair fibers.

"Wake up, love."

The soft voice of her voice was more than enough, jerking him from the darkness. The sight was something he'd thought he'd never see. Never thought of seeing something like so either.

"You're...Where...What..."

He thought for a few moments, gathering the right words to ask the fewest questions in his own modesty.

"Who am I?"

"I don't know."

"Who are you?"

"I don't know that either. All I know is...very few things. Only what my database allows. And something is also wrong with the database. I'm not supposed to be made of a solid matter, nor am I supposed to be 'alive'."

"So you're saying you don't know who either of us are. Then what about what happened?"

"Video footage card was removed before I awoke. Probably by my creator. I was left a note though. Which was puzzling. Like someone knew this was to happen."

"But you are a mouse. No. A human. Wait. You're neither. You look human but you are also a mouse."

"Now that I think of it...Search scan results verify that I am to be known by several different species. All are a variation of the original term, Homo Rodenta. I am what is known as an anthropomorphic mouse."

"I don't know the term but it's always good to learn. And...if memory serves, I have something important to do."

"Indeed. Seems here in the latest news that you were appointed a very important position. But it's still censored over most of the words. Whatever isn't covered is a collection of only two words. Like someone is relaying a message. It has several parts. Instructions. All coded in mixed words and all from parts of sentences. We were put here to save us. To keep us alive. There is a last entry here where it was all knocked out, no black lining over the rest. The last two words which I mentioned earlier were the first displayed on this screen. 'Find me.'"

"I...I know who said that."

"Who?"

"I...can't tell...My memory is forcing me out. My own mind seems to not allow me to access my own memory. But. I know that I have to protect a female. What species? I do not know."

"It's a start. After all, you might have to protect me."

She turned away from the screen finally turned against him, searching through the cabinets above for something. He finally took in the features of her body and brought his hand to his eyes fast enough to make an audible smack.

"Mind putting on some clothes?"

"What do you mean? It's not like my structure is built like those hologram whores."

"Apparently you don't know your own body. Have you looked in a mirror or anything at all since you were activated or whatever it is that made you active?"

"I woke up. Similar to how you did. Except, there was an envelope. It was put up on the wall. The first sight I saw too. I think you should open it."

"Go figure. Where is it?"

"In the other room. Found it."

"The note?"

"No, the serum."

"Serum?"

"Yes. It is supposed to be for healing gashes within seconds. But I need you to get it."

"Of course. You can pick it up can you?"

"There are no robotic appendages in this lab."

"How did you open the cabinet then?"

"I didn't. It was opened already. Something was taken from it. It's the green bottle."

He got up and nearly fell over as his leg cringed under his weight.

"Seems I got in a fight or something. My leg hurts. But it isn't that bad."

He used the wall to push himself up, and then limped into the next room. Sure enough, the envelope was on the wall where she said. And directly across from it was a pod. The sequence on it was set to protect from a strong radiation and still open, unactivated. He grabbed the envelope and opened it, taking the letter out. There was a list, explaining what to do. And it was headed with a name...

Seilla:

1. Find Raudeh.
2. Find cover.
3. Hide and wait for help.
4. Stay safe.

He let his hand hang lazily at his side and tipped the envelope, sliding a small chip out. He noticed it as it hit the floor and picked it up. He looked around and found a small device not far from the pod. He slid it in and it displayed a hologram. The sound was from a small speaker on top and it looked into the deepest of space, no real object in focus. At first it was just a mess of static, then it became audible and the fuzzy picture became clear to show a scientist.

"Listen. And you listen good, Seilla. The time of war is upon us all. You are currently in a lab of the highest protection there is. But the radiation will seep through. You need to get to cover. The AI, Aleipha Beiora Quadora, named after her programming version, is going to assist you in escape, and help you survive the best she can. The blasts from the enemies above are bombarding the grounds above as we speak. I've raised you a fine child. Now you must survive. You are the last of the blood line. Your fiancé Raudeh is going to stay by your side, bless his stubbornness. But he will not survive. He would be a great soldier to help fight. But project plasma streak must continue on. You are to first make sure of any injuries and get the best medical help from the programs in the database. Remember, find Raudeh if he is still alive. He should be in the next room. Last I saw, he was sitting down, checking his last gear."

The scientist was interrupted by another scientist who held a gun up to him. He ended the program and finished the recording.

Once it closed out, He looked over his shoulder at the Mouse which stood at the doorway, wondering what next.

"Who was that? Who is Raudeh, and who is Seilla?"

He turned back thought for a few seconds, then sighed deeply. In the time the scientist spoke, memories had rushed back to Him. He remembered a familiar sight. But it blurred, and his heart sank. Then he remembered how it started. A war among two races entirely. Humans. Against something else. Humanoid, and human featured, but different genetic make up.

"I don't know. But I found a name I like. Call me Roy. From The name Raudeh. I don't know who it is but it doesn't matter. You need a name other than Aleipha Beiora Quadora."

"How about Alei? I'm an AI, and that is what the man said was my name. I don't want to abandon it."

"Fine. Now. There should be marks of evidence of someone being here. Like that Raudeh person should be a black outline in the other room, and there should be animals here. But nothing."

"Well. There seems to be a duffle bag right here next to the wall."

"I think something happened when the radiation seeped through."

He walked up to the Mouse and stood over her, not acknowledging anything other than the fact that she was there.

"First."

He reached out and grabbed her arm, holding it up. The hum of the hair fibers radiated louder than before.

"You're solid. So you are in an artificial body, or something else happened."

"Well then. That means I can do so much more!"

"But that might not be all."

He tightened his grip on her arm and she cringed from it. Once she cried out, he let go.

"You can feel pain. You can feel. You're not a new program of some sort. You are more than likely in an artificial body."

"But, there are no displays or links to the archives."

"Then there is something wrong."

He pushed her aside gently and walked into the other room, opening the duffle bag. The material degraded quickly and fell apart, leaving it's contents sprawled out over the floor. There were a few books that could be seen degrading but the rest was weaponry and clothing which quickly degraded. Roy shifted through the few weaponry left and found a large and very much sharpened knife. The sleeve it had been in was only dust after degradation and it was just left to be a polished knife blade and a synthetic rubber and metal handle.

"Looks like a good enough knife. But it won't get us very far. The ammo in these guns was cooked off by the radiation. Nothing but a ruined mess."

"Do you know anything else about what happened?"

"Yeah. Something wants the human race dead."

He looked around, only finding lab stuff laying around. Roy couldn't even repair the guns anyway if he tried. He found a single pistol which hadn't been clip readied, and put it aside. The rest of the guns, an SMG, a mountable machine gun, and a rifle, were all messed up. The metal having been warped, bent and torn from all the ammo going off in the clips and chamber as well.

"Someone was armed well. Must have been Raudeh. Alei. We have to leave. Find someone to help us or help someone else. Even with a synthetic body you have, you can't run forever."

"My synthetic body seems to be malfunctioning. A warning system seems to be coming from the abdominal region."

"What?"

"This is all something that shouldn't be happening. The body seems to be weakening as time passes as well."

"How long have you been 'awake'?"

"A total of three days four hours, and seven minutes. Why?"

"I'm having second thoughts on it being a synthetic body."

"Why?"

"Synthetic bodies don't need to eat."

"Eat...I don't recall needing such a process."

"As an AI, no. As a synthetic drone, no. That requires recharging. But as a living, breathing body, as a human or partially human being, you must eat."

"How do you know this?"

"The signs point to it being valid. And I can guarantee you will not be able to make it safely out of here without collapsing if we don't find something."

"Something, what?"

"Food. As well as water and you need to try to sleep. You've never recognized the feeling before as an AI. I'll make you a bed, then go scavenge. You must rest."

"I will do no such thing nor do I feel any other warnings from any where other than the abdominal region."

"Alei. We both know that is a lie."

She looked away then retreated to the other room. Roy sighed and looked around for anything to turn into a bed but only found degrading organic material strewn across the floor. He Looked around in the drawers and found a few tools he could use. He scooped up the material and put it all in a pile to clean the area up. Then he found a card, labeled with bold letters: DOOR KEY. He opened the door, peaked out, then proceeded down the hall, finding nothing but more piles of degraded material. A few synthetic bodies dotted the floors as well, but none were alive as power must have been cut to the area. But the lights blinked on freely by a single switch click.

Upon further search, he came across a bunker which had been opened just recently. He knows because he passed by it earlier. The door could have only been opened from the inside or by a card key. He peered inside and found a woman holding her child, scared out of her mind. Then she brought a knife out from behind her, brandishing it at Roy.

"I've done you no wrong. Don't threaten me."

"Doesn't matter. You always kill everything you see. You and your entire race."

She retreated into the corner and Roy closed the door, searching further on. What she said puzzled him much but he wasn't about to worry. He continued on and found several open bunkers. Each had a bed in it, as well as a crate of rations for several months. He counted a total of seventeen bunkers like this. He remembered what the standing duffle bag had done and then he tested each bed and crate. None dissolved like the rest of organic material.

"Finally."

Roy turned back and rushed to the room he had originated from and his smile dropped into nothing when he found she had left. There was no trail to follow on the cement glazed floors. So he began his search and found her a few doors down the hall to the right, collapsed on the floor. Roy smiled once more and picked her up in his arms, bringing her to one of the bunkers. As she slept the soft hum of her synthetic hair was pleasant. But it still puzzled Roy. So much puzzled him right now. It was like walking through an apocalypse...