FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"I'm more interested in this vessel," Yukiomaru declared, gesturing his paw at a screen. The sleek vessel in the screen was the clearest visualization of the craft that destroyed the remains of the Albatross. In his office, he stood behind his desk while the other two stood on the other side of it.

The black pantheress remained silent, staring at the screen but the pine marten stared vividly at the image. The marten was no more than a few years older than Yukiomaru. He, and the pantheress were the only two individuals that are not under the Admiral's command. Even Tang Fa, leader of the science project was required to follow his orders.

"There are similar characteristics between this vessel and some of the fragments found at the crash site," stated the marten, Jun Fa. Running his paw along image's bow, he seemed to be measuring it.

"The wights aren't a concern then, Admiral?" asked Natasha, her face never betraying anything else other than an almost sarcastic expression. She wore a normal infantry uniform now so that no one would expect her to be the Ghost.

Yukiomaru forwarded the image to the missile that was fired at the wreckage, completely incinerating it in a matter of seconds. The metallic hull caught fire like dry driftwood, leaving nothing but molten blobs. "A single missile did that to the ship. A weapon like that can collapse the shields of our capital ships with a single projectile. What you would classify this ship as Jun?"

"Single fighter," he replied. "Required only one pilot and lightly armed. Short ranged vessel probably belonging to a carrier class ship nearby."

"If these aliens prove hostile, I don't want to be caught unprepared," said the child Admiral. "If a single fighter can collapse our shields so easily, then I don't want to know what a squadron of them can do. Or one of their capital ships."

"And about the wights? What about their ship?" asked Natasha.

The fox brought up another file, one from the Albatross, that held the recording of the wight ship. The quality made it difficult to see but Tang's scientists enhanced the image earlier.

"Young infestation," suggested Jun, squinting his eyes at the screen. "Infested single fighter of an older unidentified class. I can see several weapon systems on it but the projectiles did not come from those systems."

"These projectiles didn't even penetrate the hull of the civilian ship and yet they were somehow boarded," informed Natasha.

"We're a week away from the Black Line and this exploration mission already has more data than we thought we'd get in a year," muttered Yukiomaru.

"I can only hypothesize but clearly the wights are hostile and the aliens are trying to sterilize them," concluded Jun. "Maybe they feel responsible for some failed experiment or accidentally releasing them to the stars."

"And the aliens?"

"They're obviously more concerned with the wights than us but it's my conclusion to best avoid them," Jun suggested. "If we encounter the wights, I'd suggest to retreat from them if at all possible."

"Alright, thank you Jun," said Yukiomaru. "I'd like you to learn all you can on that single fighter. See if we manage to catch an image of its home ship. Then see what you can learn on these wights. How are they infested is what I want to know."

"I'll give you a progress update by the end of the day Yukiomaru."

The fox paused. He was used to being called by his rank, ever since he was a child. He never had to deal with a civilian before his admittance to the academy. The marten walked out of the room, leaving the Admiral and the Ghost alone in the office.

"The Intelligence is very concerned," said Natasha. "Alien contacts within the Black Line is far closer to home than anyone thought. All facilities have increased production and your project is being pushed forward. Your fleet is expected to be finished within the year."

"A year is too soon," replied the Admiral, sitting behind the desk. "We will not have enough information to send a fleet into possibly enemy territory."

"The risk is too high," Natasha insisted. "Patrols along our territories are being increased. Ships decommissioned are being reactivated."

"It's almost as if we're already at war," Yukiomaru remarked. He turned the screen to face toward him again and closed the current files.

"I hope that the Commander is a quick diplomat. We need to establish alliances before some Captains gets a little jumpy and starts a war with the wrong race."

"Command Yelena may be obnoxious at times but she's a good officer and diplomat," Yukiomaru defended his officer. "She won't be pleased to learn that the Intelligence is asking her to accomplish her missions with the deadline slashed by several years."

"The Intelligence doesn't concern itself with what each individual wants-"

"The Intelligence should concern itself with what they're asking because it is impossible," snapped back the Admiral, his teeth bared. A young and small individual, he still made a rather intimidating stance.

The Ghost pressed her lips together and remained silent.

"Our situation may be desperate but whatever aliens we run into may not be in the same position as we are," Yukiomaru suggested, his composure regained. "If diplomacies are rushed when they don't want them rushed then the entire negotiation will more likely backfire."

"We understand," said Natasha. "It is your Commander's job to find the balance to establish diplomatic relationships with alien contacts as soon as possible."

"At what cost," Yukiomaru asked rhetorically. He took his gaze from the agent for a moment before he ordered her out of the room. "Commander Yelena, please report to my office immediately." Once the Commander arrived, Yukiomaru briefed her on the situation and what was expected of her.

"Increased patrols?" questioned Yelena, slightly flustered. "What are we patrolling? Our politicians can't even agree on where our boundaries end. Are the patrols venturing in the Velamarian space? They better not go beyond the black line."

"Yelena," interrupted Admiral Alexander. "They're not going to do anything wreckless. It is cautious and a bit premature but we must have faith in the UDAS captains that they won't start a shooting match with an unidentified craft."

"Yes sir," she replied, biting her tongue. "Is there anything else?"

"I want you to team up with the Fa expedition team we picked up," Yukiomaru said, standing from his desk. "Learn from Tang Fa and her brother Jun Fa all you can about the aliens that we already encountered. They know the most about them, and Mr. Fa already has a few hypothesese on the physcy of the aliens."

"Yes sir," she said again. "What about the signal that they traced back to the wreckage?"

"Tang said that it's a standard distress call," Yukiomaru answered. "She says that there's nothing more to learn from it. You'll have full access to the recording and equipment anyway. I believe Jun Fa is in the primary lab right now."

With a brisk salute, the flustered meerkat left the office. The arctic fox knew that she wouldn't like it but the sooner she knew the better. He sighed and left the office as well, heading straight for the bridge. The bridge was currently restricted to everyone but himself; not even the Ghost could enter without his permission.

"I assumed you heard all of that," Yukiomaru said into the empty bridge once the door sealed behind him.

"It is frustrating that the Intelligence is risking war to avoid risking war," replied Yukiomaru's own voice. A holographic imager flickered to life, showing only the golden eyes of the young fox. They reacted appropriately when the voice spoke through the speakers. "The science team that we picked up have been met with suspician by some of the crew members. And with the suspician they're asked three times as many questions."

Yukiomaru stared back into the holographic eyes that were his own. Not only were the eyes and voice his own, but the artificial intelligence stored in the ship was his own mind as well; copied and stored in tiny chip that the Admiral installed the first time he stepped on to the bridge.

"Did you send orders for the science team not to be bothered?" asked the real Yukiomaru.

"Of course I did," said the AI. The hologrpahic image of the AI grew ears and they laid back while the eyes squinted. Yukiomaru was grateful that it kept its image modest now. Originally it took the exact form of Yukiomaru but without clothes because it believed it was Yukiomaru himself and that even clothes disturbed its true nature.

"I should have known, I apologize," said Yukiomaru, sitting in the captains chair gazing at the massive eyes floating in front of him.

"There is no need to apologize Yukiomaru," said the eyes, releasing the squint. They were now friendly. "What progress updates would you like to hear about first?"

"You." There was a reason why no other ship in the entire fleet had such advanced AI's. The only way to have advanced AI's were to copy them from a real person, and when the AI learned that they weren't real they grew dangerous. In all of history, when a person's individaulity was told to be false, that individual refused to accept that fact. An AI was no different.

"I have been giving it some thought," the AI admitted, his eyes adjusting slightly to the different thoughts and emotions. "I know that I am not you, even though I share your memories and thoughts. I am an artificial intelligence designed to help you function this ship with, what some would call, a telepathatic link between us. I think, in a sense, I am the ship once you give me full access to all of its systems."

"That is an appropriate conclusion," remarked Yukiomaru, relaxing in the chair. "You will have more control of the ship than any officer on it does, including me. Now what about your voice and appearance?"

"I don't quite understand why you desire for me to choose a different vocal pattern and appearance," replied the AI. "But I have been searching through the databases for more appropriate holograph images and voice patterns. I estimate another fifty-four hours before I find and switch to my desired choices."

"Two Admirals on the bridge would be confusing to my officers," Yukiomaru responded.

"Your concern is valid," said the AI. It rolled its eyes. "Although my image was more true than yours because I didn't cover it up with those uniforms. With our small build, white fur and brilliant tail, a uniform was never needed to identify rank among our officers."

"I don't want to see myself naked everytime I come on to the bridge," the Admiral said sternly. "Choose another image and wear a uniform. What about a name?"

"I thought that since I am the ship, literally, I should be called Drack'n Fury," replied the AI, his eyes looking prideful.

"Are you sure?" asked Yukiomaru, pondering over the name. It wasn't a bad choice but the Admiral thought that trying to distinguish the two might be difficiult. Maybe neither he or the crew should distinguish the two.

"Certainly," answered Drach'n Fury.

"Will you answer to 'Fury' as well?"

"Yes."

There was a moment of silence before the Admiral agreed to the name. Often he found it unnerving talking to the AI, not because they had the same voice but because it was like talking with his own thoughts. They both already knew everything the other did; but they would soon begin to have different experiences and learn different information. Would the conversation still seem like he was talking to himself then?

"I've decided to introduce you to the crew before we cross the Black Line next week," announced Yukiomaru. "In the meantime, there is a scientist that I'd like you to keep a close eye on, Fury. Learn everything that he does, especially about any alien contacts we come in contact with or will be coming in contact with."

"Jun Fa," Fury said. His eyes briefly betrayed his approval when the Admiral used his name. "I, like you, have already learned to adimire the young scientist. He will be a significant asset in the missions to come. Maybe he and I should become aquanted before the rest of the crew learns of me."

"I was thinking the same thing," grumbled the Admiral, that unnerving feeling returning. "I will meet with Jun Fa again later in the evening in the lab to discuss more on his research. He will be informed of you then."

"What about the Ghost?" Fury asked, his eye making the movements to raise an eyebrow.

"She can wait. She already knows more about this mission than my entire crew combined, she doesn't need to know this before they do too."

"Agreed. Thank you for your visit Admiral. You're scheduled to talk with the two Velmarians."

"Thank you, Fury," said Yukiomaru before he left the bridge.

Being an Admiral was a busy job, but it should not have been this busy. With the alien vessels discovered so quickly, and far closer than anyone initially assumed, Yukiomaru had dozens and dozens of refugees on his ship. His crew was still being trained and running practice flights in the Immunities and classes of dropships. If they made contact with a hostile alien ship, they would not be ready.