FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Hospitable would not describe this planet; the atmosphere was thing, terrain rough and the water difficult to find. During the brightest hour of the day, the sky remained a dark blue with the sun shining brightly and the other two planets in the system shining as stars. Although a few wildlife organisms and botanical species habited this planet, everyone who was not a native was required to wear environmental attire.

A female pine marten stared out the window over the blackened terrain, where only two of her scientists could be seen attempting to unearth another alien artifact. A ship of some kind, or multiple ships, crashed on this planet and scattered its remains over two kilometers. The damage was not complete because a small beacon survived that played an alien message, leading to the discovery and confirmation of alien life.

Tang Fa, the project, looked up at the sky through her window pondering over what the aliens were doing near this planet before they crashed. She was not much older than twenty and she already made a significant discovery, worthy of the history books like many of her ancestors. The aristocratic Fa family had played key roles in many groundbreaking political and military policies, tracing their lineage all the way back to Shen Fa who was credited for ignoring her advisors and agreed to make contact with the underdeveloped world of Canidera. She was credited for the creation of the United Species of the Galaxy, the still surviving government; but sometimes blamed by historians for causing the Banished Wars that led to the destruction of Lutracha, the core world of the government.

The marten took a sip of water from mug and redirected her attention to one of the many crude shelters that had grown all over the crash site. She assumed that her young brother, Jun Fa, was still examining the remains of the assumed pilots and crewmembers of the ship or ships. She smiled when she thought of her brother, he always was working more than he should wanting to add more to her discovery. Ever since they were children, Jun never wanted the attention he deserves for being a genius so he passed all his credit to Tang. They've always looked out for each other in all manners of ways.

Tang was really impressed by how well and how quickly Jun learned of the alien wreckage. The skeletal structure had her entire crew and even the government scientists confused when they arrived last month. Jun managed to figure out their structure in the first two short days on this planet of examining the collection of bones.

A small breeze stirred up some black dust before settling back down. The door popped open behind the marten. She turned to see one of her guards entering.

"We have a visitor in the main lab," he said closing the door behind him.

"Who is it?" asked Tang, her smile faded and eyes narrowed. Her brother was in the main hangar, and this remote planet did not get visitors.

"A Ghost from the look of her," replied the guard. "I have no idea how she got here."

"Damn it," muttered the marten. She knew this particular Ghost and that she was not supposed to be anywhere near this planet.

Without bothering to wear an environment suit, Tang exited the building and marched straight for the main lab. Once outside, the temperature quickly rose in the sun and even though she was breathing fine it nearly felt like she was holding her breath. The suffocating sensation quickly passed when she entered through the metallic doors of the lab.

With a quick glance around the couple dozen of lab tables, the younger male marten was glancing into the shadows. Following his gaze, Tang noticed the yellow eyes reflecting from the darkness.

"What're you doing here Natasha?" asked Tang focusing her attention on the panther.

"The mission begun a couple weeks ago, Tang," replied the panther, stepping only slight into the light. The younger marten only stared without expressing any emotion. "We've already made contact. Did you happen to lose an artifact?"

"Contact?" Confused, Tang thought back on her reports. "We did have something underground disappear from our scanners. It was fuzzy to begin with so it could have just as easily been some burrowed creature or a glitch just as much as it could have been part of the wreckage."

"Something got off this rock," replied the panther. "A hostile alien ship attacked an illegal civilian vessel, destroying it and killing most of its crew. My informer was on board the ship and ran into some of the crewmembers. They were dead but still moving. Is it possible that these aliens were of a parasitic-possession nature?"

"From our remains, no," answered Jun, still standing behind one of the many tables. Both the Ghost and Tang glanced at him. Tang admired that they shared the same thick brown and black coat including the white markings across their muzzles. His only expression was innocent curiosity when he wasn't smiling like now, but Tang held anger instead. "You said most of the crew. What happened to the others?"

"They're onboard Drach'n Fury now. What about a parasite not from the alien ruins?"

"You mean something native?" questioned the young marten. "No, something we presumed native. There is only a botanical substance on some of the fragments but everything is sterilized before coming in direct contact with us."

Grinding her teeth together, Tang said, "There are intact compartments underground that may have kept some type of dangerous alien alive. One of them are due to open in three days."

"How much have you learned about them?" asked Natasha, the black panther.

"The wreck is difficult to learn much from but we know that they have more advanced technology that focuses on more heat based weapons than projectile," replied Tang, repeating the words she read from a recent report.

"Is there much more to learn?"

"Could be," replied Jun. "Our scans have difficulties penetrating the hulls so we don't know what these intact compartments may hold. If there's a risk of a parasite, we should sterilize them however."

"I agree and so does the Intelligence and the Admiral," stated the Ghost glancing around the room for the first time. "There was sufficient data recovered from the civilian vessel. Your operation here is now cancelled."

Tang ground her teeth again but remained silent. This operation was the biggest discovery since life on Canidera was discovered. For it to be cancelled only after a few months did not set well with her.

"This entire site will be sterilized and two warships placed in orbit at all times," continued the panther. "This planet is classified and forbidden. No knowledge of a crash site existing will leave it. Your team is to relocate to Drach'n Fury immediately where they will be reassigned. Tang Fa, Jun Fa, you both will be given all the resources you need to evaluate the data recovered from the civilian vessel."

An awkward silence went by for several seconds. All the work here was about to be destroyed, all the artifacts and most of Tang's personal equipment. The only positive thing Tang could see in this plan was the chance to evaluate the actions of live alien specimens.

"Who will be sterilizing the site?" asked Jun after a long gaze into the skull of the alien.

"The cruiser Pearl Diver is inbound to sterilize the site," replied Natasha. "Your ship Fa Pioneer will dock and be sterilized on the Fury. It will remain intact for your upcoming missions once they're ordered."

"How much time do we have to evacuate?" asked Tang.

"Ten hours," Natasha answered. "Jun, the admiral has requested to speak with you on your research thus far."

"He's not leaving without me," replied Tang with a small growl. She did not trust the Ghost at all with her younger brother.

"The Admiral would have requested for you both to brief him on your research but he understands that you have a team to evacuate," Natasha remarked almost sarcastically.

"And I'm supposed to let my little brother go on a top secret Ghost vessel who is piloted by you?" questioned Tang rather harshly. "I've seen what you did to those pirates whose only crime was hail your ship."

"I do not need to defend my actions against our enemies," replied Natasha, her voice also growing course. "Those particular pirates were confirmed outlaws. You both know who I am. If Jun learns of my ship, he will be in no more danger than he is in now."

"Tang," Jun said. She glanced at him but he still expressed no emotion. "If the Admiral's ship has already engaged hostile aliens that can possible be related to this crash site, it is important that he knows everything we do as soon as possible. Besides, I'll be able to get a head start on analyzing the mentioned data."

"I don't trust her," Tang stubbornly stated.

"You'll be on board with me in less than a day on this small planet," replied Jun, a smile tugged at the corner of his maw. "Besides, I'm of the Fa family. Nothing will happen to me that won't go unnoticed."

Her brother wanted to go and Tang couldn't convince him otherwise. She knew the Ghost was dangerous but she also knew that if her brother were in danger of one of these agents, it would not matter if she were with him or not.

"Very well," said Tang, redirecting her attention to the Black Panther. "You may take your orders directly from the Intelligence but who do you think is advising them on this issue? If anything happens to my brother, then I will hold you personally responsible."

"Yes ma'am," Natasha responded. "I'll be at your bunk in thirty minutes, Jun. Be ready to leave at that time." She left the tent.

Tang and Jun exchanged a glance before she said; "Jun, don't ever let her out of your sight." The younger marten briskly nodded.

"I know that the reputation of our Ghosts has been cold throughout history," replied Jun. "Besides, you'll be able to hear everything she says when I'm with her."

"What do you mean?" asked Tang. She's known Natasha for a while, but never has had much of a chance to learn what she was really like when not in her presence.

"I've been studying the alien communication systems and they use a technology very similar to our ships' engines."

"By folding the fabrics of space."

"Yes. Our technology is not far behind theirs but we've only just begun to need a quicker signal so this subspace messaging hasn't yet been explored," said Jun, the same smirk tugging at his paw. "I've learned how to send a signal using this method and your Ghost won't be able to trace it."

Tang smiled. "I do feel more reassured then if you are still outsmarting her. Come on. You have to get packed."