FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

** Chapter 2** Our new home

Doubts almost got the best of us for a second. But now that we were finally reunited, we had each other to give us strength to endure this new chapter in our lives... As the seconds passed, I started to get distracted by my surroundings. The D.E battle cruiser model Wolf5000DE. This is what we studied the most in our training. I hadn't been there, but like I said before, I knew this ship by heart. This is a large carrier type cruiser made for fifty crew members including all of their tools, gadgets, weaponry, space fighters, explorer ships, and other equipment. The Wolf5000DE has three main levels, being the first level the biggest one. This first level is the ship's hangar, and it covers most of the ship's size. The mid level, which is the Main Deck, is basically the real first level, holds the command center, planning and strategy room, armory, secondary sterilizing room and the main kitchen. Upstairs in the upper level, we find the Living Quarters. It holds all the bed rooms, a small medic lab, a mini gym, laundry room and a break room. As Fx and I walked through the Main Deck, it surprised me that no one was there, specially because this should be the busier part of the ship. "The day is about to end, Husky. Everyone is upstairs in the Living Quarters." Fx replied to the question that crossed my mind seconds before. "We've been doing some tests in the last days, but nothing important. You'll get briefed on it, don't worry." Walking through this ´T´ type junction, I noticed the main hallway that leads to the Bridge. I asked my brother if we could take a sneak peek at it, and so we did. We walked down the hallway and finally entered the Bridge. This place was stunning. The most important part in the whole D.E Cruiser. I noticed the glass-like control panel that surrounded the Captain's chair, as well as other secondary panels for the navigation crew. No buttons were visible trough the crystalline panel. This was because the bridge wasn't active at that moment. At the end of the large room, a wide and semi concave glass-like wall could be seen. This was where the screen appeared when active. At the sides of the room there were long windows that went across the whole room, through which space could be seen. These were simulated, as I knew because of the bridge's position deep inside the ship. The Retcans made the D.E Cruisers to resemble their own ships; very minimalistic design. The extent use of clear glass-like material in control panels, and big window surfaces was predominant. Still, even with the apparent coldness of the surfaces, the place held a feel of unexplainable comfort and warmth._ "We are in standby at this moment. Contrary of what you might believe, we haven't had too much activity since we first went out." Fx explained the current status of the D.E development team. The project was barely starting so it was obvious that operations were still at minimum. "Everything is coming to me, Fx. Even though I haven't seen this before, I know what it is, and how it works." I sat in the Captain's chair and carefully examined the panel. As I observed the controls, the panel lit up below my hand-paws. "You are still going to have a refresher training. The Captain wants everyone to know this ship and its functions better than anything. Nothing will be left behind. It is important for the success and safety of our mission." He was right, especially because we were the only ones out there at that moment. After a couple of minutes, Fx decided that it was time for me to meet the engineering scientist in charge of the development project; our Captain. Fx and I walked through the hallway, into the junction. At the opposite side of the junction from were the Hangar elevator was, another elevator could be found. This one lead to the Living Quarters. "I need to get you one of these uniforms, Husky." Fx said while stretching his uniform's shirt. "As strange as it might sound, wearing one of these is part of our job too. It has to do with testing the fabric which is made of. You go ahead; I'll meet you in the upper level." "Ok, then." I responded doubtfully. "Don't worry, Husky. I'll be up soon. You'll get to meet our teammates. They have been waiting for you." Fx, smiled. Through the corner of the elevator, I saw Fx disappear through the main hallway. The door of the elevator started closing, and I had no choice but to continue my way into the Living Quarters. Inside, I noticed how this was a two-way elevator. The panel behind me read: **_LIVING QUARTERS.** I knew that was the one to activate. After pressing the UP arrow in the screen, the elevator started moving, until it stopped with an almost imperceptible vibration. Almost immediately, the doors slid open silently. What I saw was a dark corridor which was noticeably long, but somewhat narrow. Also, the sound insulation on this place was remarkable. You could hear the thick silence pushing your eardrums. This calm, peaceful and cozy ambience was perfect for the Living Quarters. As I walked through the very long but narrow hallway, I felt the thick carpet in my paws. I had Paw Wear as it was mandatory for protection purposes whenever we are in the Hangar areas, so I took them off. The rug felt so nice in my paw pads that I just wanted to lie down in that very place. I got further deep into the corridor, and I saw doors at each side of it. I knew these were the bedrooms. From what I heard, I knew they were small, but they were made thinking in nothing but comfort. At the end of the corridor, I got to a big dome-like area. Remembering the training, I instantly knew it was The Dome. The Dome was the relaxation area, like a living room. I noticed a large screen, what appeared to be a small food and snack storage, and lots of cushions that lied in the thick, comfy carpet. The view was lovely. This huge semi-dome window gave a highly detailed view of space. I hadn't noticed anyone to that moment. Suddenly, I felt a door sliding open from one of the rooms. The light in the place was very dim, so I couldn't figure out were it came from exactly. "Hi. Someone there?" I asked. From one of the rooms, I saw a big shadow figure approaching me. A huge dog as black as the darkness of space, stood in front of me. We were face to face and I noticed how I barely reached his shoulders. " You are Husky, I assume..." He said. His tone of voice was somewhat deep, but not as I would expect from an Evo that big._ _ "Yes... That's me. How did you know?" I responded dazed. To that moment, I've never been face to face with a fellow canine that big. "I see..."_ _ He mumbled seriously_..._ "Are you kidding, buddy?! We've been waiting for you, my friend!"_ _ The huge dog said, changing his serious tone to a friendly and playful one._ _ "Yeah... I... Think so?" I replied, confused by his sudden change of mood. "Husky! You have no idea how much Fx has told us about you. I feel so happy to meet you at last!" He said cheerfully, as he gave me a very friendly hug that depleted my oxygen to almost none. "My name is Anubis, but almost every one knows me as Andy. Welcome to D.E 1, brother Evo." "Andy, the pleasure is mine, my big friend." While I inspected his physique, I wondered what breed he was. "Wow! You are very tall, Andy. Are you a Great Dane or something?" "Fifty percent Great Dane, fifty percent Doberman. But you almost got it!" He proudly replied. We sat down in The Dome room to know each other a little bit better. We talked for a while. "And now, seeing you, I understand what Fx has told us." Andy said. "You and Fx are not blood related brothers. I can see that because you two are very different."_ _ "Yes, my friend. That's true. But trust me, beyond the blood bonds, Fx IS a hundred percent my brother." I proudly assured him._ "I know, Husky. I know... You have no idea how exited Fx gets when he talks about you and that Husky girl named Hasky. He must love you guys a lot." _ He said with a big smile._ _ "Yes... Fx is everything to me... to us..." Changing subject enthusiastically, Andy offered showing me around the ship_._ Although I was somewhat familiar to the ship already, I agreed. We were also interested on knowing more about ourselves. "Like all of us, you might already know the ship because of the training, but seeing things in real life is different." He said as we walked through the corridor._ "I know, Andy. Although this place feels familiar, it doesn't stop on surprising me." _ "And you've just arrived. There is still a lot to see." "By the way, how many of us are there? I haven't seen anyone so far except for you." I started to feel the emptiness of the ship, so I felt curious of how many where there. "Six if we count you. You'll meet our other partners later on." Andy replied. It was hard to believe that only six Evos were literally in charge of putting to the test such a large and complex ship that would ultimately hold the future our race. "Zulu and his twin sister Kala. They both will be helping on the technical aspects of our exploration and research program. You, Fx and I will be helping with the defense program, and of course our Captain, who will be in charge of directing us."_ _ "We are only six in this ship..." I mumbled concerned._ _ "The Captain hopes that more will join our development team in the upcoming months. So this project can be a success in the shortest amount of time possible, we need to be at least like a real D.E crew. If everything goes as planned, a couple more D.E cruisers will join us, and eventually we will be replaced by a definitive crew."_ _ Andy continued on showing me around the Living Quarters as he explained me more about our job. I really liked Andy. Just a few minutes had passed and I felt like he would become one of my best friends. We were getting along just perfectly, like is common in our species. Andy is a big and strong Evocanis. He resembles a Doberman, but with a thicker and softer coat. What makes him so intimidating is that he has the size of a Great Dane. But even with that said, Andy has a weakness, and it's the tendency to be a little bit stubborn. But he's a very lovable Evo and a very noble friend as well. We walked to the opposite end of the hallway, toward the elevator. The elevator is used like a passage to gain access to a small gym in the same floor. This gym is perfect to keep ourselves in shape, since it's a small ship, and prolonged inactivity during extended missions can make you weak. "Very good idea to add a Gym. The ship is big, but it's not big enough to keep physically active."_ _ "That's the idea, Husky." Andy assured. "Come on. Let me show you the rooms."_ _ Andy took me to one of the rooms, when suddenly Fx appeared. He finally got my uniform._ _ "I'll take care of him for now, Andy." He said while dragging me into a room. As I walked inside it, I noticed how reduced they really are, but at the same time they are very comfortable, and have all the necessaries. Standing at the entrance of the room, I noticed a very small space of about two square meters. At my right there was a half opened door in which I could see the bathroom. At my left, the bed area could be seen. This area had the exact width of the bed. The bed was almost at floor level, and the headrest area wall was a full window that helped ease the claustrophobic feel. I sat on the comfy bed and started stripping of my favorite clothes, changing to my new uniform. "I never thought I would stop wearing these clothes." I contemplated my old attire. A white and dark blue long sleeved shirt with a pair of pants that matched it. It was the typical Evocanis attire. Very soft and comfy clothes._ _ "You love that outfit so much, huh Husky?" "I do..." I replied as I meticulously folded them and placed them in a clothing compartment in one of the walls of the room. "Well, no time to loose. I want to see you in the D.E uniform."_ _ It only took me a couple of seconds to put my uniform on, as the Evocanis clothes are nothing but a pair of pants and a shirt, in most cases. It was no exception for the D.E uniforms. "Wow, Husky. I'm proud to see you wearing that uniform." Fx admired my new look. I saw it in a small mirror, and noticed it as well. I felt so proud too. It made me feel like I was part of something very important. The uniform was simple, but lets everyone know that you were a D.E. It was the usual long sleeved Evocanis attire, with matching colors all around. It was of a pleasant blue color with dark grey accents. In the collar area it had a very dark but intense Blood-Red detail, which is usually present in the Retcan uniforms and armors. At the left side of the chest, our rank was supposed to be visible, although that didn't applied to us, and so the space was blank. Finally, in the left arm, the letters D.E could be read in that same powerful red color present in the collar area. Now with my uniform on, it was time to meet the Captain. I was so eager to see him. I imagined a Wolf descendant or a similar powerful breed.As we walked through the hallway, I couldn't stop to ask who the Captain was. "K9. That's his name." Fx replied to my question. The name was very uncommon, but it sounded familiar for some reason. "Do you remember before the training started, Husky? When they selected our Zone as the D.E Development Team training Zone? He was the Evo in charge of the whole operation. As a matter of fact, he was the Evo that worked with the Retcans on creating the D.E project." I remembered him. I was surprised. I didn't imagine that such important figure was the Captain of our team. "K9 is a legend, Fx! What is he doing here?" "He wants to make sure everything goes perfectly smooth. If the D.E project is a success, he will withdraw from this ship, will dedicate on finding the best crew for this and new D.E cruisers, and will take a higher position than any other D.E Captain. He will be in control of the future D.E operations from Canis Major. We will probably be discharged and return home by then. Let me remind you that we are only test subjects. We will probably be replaced by older Evos; Evos that fought and survived through the two attacks. That's what I've been told." _ _ That turned my eagerness of meeting with K9, to nervousness. What if he thought I wasn't the right Evo for this job? I was nervous that he would thought I was too young for this, or that wouldn't look prepared enough. "You have nothing to worry. He is very easy going. Also, he is very proud that we are doing this and he will let you know that... I'll go tell the others that you're here. You go ahead."_ _ Once again I was left alone by Fx. I was told that K9 was probably waiting for me in the medic lab, so I quietly proceeded into the room. Inside, I looked around for K9... And there he was. I noticed an Evo dog of noble stance. His appearance was of a very self confident individual and extremely intelligent also; someone who wouldn't doubt a second in an extreme situation. I could easily tell he was definitely our leader. Although it's strange, but like I said before, I imagined a wolf or something of similar appearance. Instead, he was a mix breed dog. He looked like a Labrador- Golden Retriever mix type of dog; light-brown fur, almost golden, not too furry, not too short-furred, small floppy ears, dark-brown eyes and white chest. He had the typical look of many of my mix-breed brother Evos. He was just standing there, checking all sorts of medical equipment that I've never seen in my life. Without waiting any longer, I talked to him. "Captain? I'm Husky. Reporting for duty, Sir." I said in a low tone, almost stumbling between each word. He immediately turned around to face me. "Husky! So you finally made it!" He greeted me cheerfully. "My name is K9. I'm very pleased to meet you at last. I apologize if I didn't greet you at the hangar, but I had a lot of things to do, and time just flew around me." He was as easy going as Fx told me. Suddenly the intimidating that I was experiencing went away._ _ The pleasure was mine. I felt so honored to be part of his crew. Being under the orders of a legend like him was a dream. After saluting him, we both stretched our hand-paws and greeted each other in a more friendly, Evocanis type of way. _ _ "The one who feels honored is me, Husky. Seeing someone that gives part of his or her life to this noble cause... That makes me feel so great." He said with a very passionate and proud tone._ _ "If you don't mind that I ask, Captain. It was you who I saw months ago in my Zone, right?" "Ah, yes... You live in Zone 112, Sector H2. Your home, was the one assigned as the main training Zone for the D.E Development Team. The ones in charge of that Zone are very good friends of mine and agreed on doing so. That's why you probably heard of my presence a couple of times." "Yes. It was probably the reason why my brother and I decided to enroll ourselves in the D.E Project. I promise you Captain that we will not let you down. Like I said before, it's an honor being here." "Husky, you don't imagine how much you have already done just by being here." He was just like Fx said. He is a great Evocanis, very passionate of his crew, his ship and what he does. This was not only a defense an exploration development project. This was like a family. I could see it in K9's eyes. "You like your uniform? It´s made of P.X. It's a Retcan made fabric. It's very resistant and durable. It also helps keep your temperature stable." He asked getting more casual like trying to bond with me in a more friendly matter. As K9 mentioned the last part, I did notice that the temperature in the D.E cruiser was much lower than in Canis Major. "...46 degrees Fahrenheit, Husky. That's much colder than the 55 to 65 degrees that Canis Major has. We have a lower temperature here because we need to save energy resources for other things like the ship's main systems. That's why the heating runs weaker here. There are some Evos that don't have a thick double layer coat like yours, Fx's or mine, so they need the extra protection. It's good to mention also that the air system keeps the humidity to the minimum possible to prevent condensation, so be prepared with the fact that you might get a Snow Nose from the dry coldness."_ The interesting thing about this P.X fabric is that it lets off some of the heat so the ones with thicker coats don't overheat, but it keeps enough of it so the thinner coated Evos don't feel cold. Very important on the harsh temperatures of space. K9 and I talked about a few things regarding the D.E project, and what our future operations would be like in the upcoming days. It was strange for us to be talking in a small medical lab, but I was soon to find out that it was for a reason. K9 was actually the medic aboard the D.E Cruiser. I immediately found it uncommon that a Captain would serve as the crew medic, but the reason was very simple: The development team aboard the cruiser was short of members by that time, and K9 was originally a very well trained medic. Of course this would be temporary. "I want to set the standards for medical procedures in future D.E's. That's why for now, I will take charge of the Chief Medic position. Plus, I want to make sure that our Health Defense Prototype works perfectly, as I'm the one in charge of communicating all the results to the Retcans directly." K9 explained. _ Immediately, K9 ordered me to sit in the examination table. The typical cold, metallic surface made me remember how terrified of medical checkups I was. Mainly because I don't like how they usually end. "You seem to be in perfect shape, Husky. It's not surprising as you are a very young Evo." He said after a few minutes of checking my physical condition. Although my perfect shape wasn't surprising. We Evos are very healthy creatures, and usually take good care of ourselves "Your teeth are remarkably white." He commented while I was choking on one of those wooden sticks made to check your throat._ _ "And I like your eyes, Husky. They are very expressive." He said in a very friendly tone. I blushed a little bit underneath my fur since I felt flattered by his friendly intentions.He sounded like a regular medic for most of the checkup, instead of a Captain that is in charge of a serious defense testing team. Finally after almost every part of my anatomy was checked, nothing out of the ordinary was found. I was so glad about that. Soon after that, K9 started talking about that so-called Health Defense Prototype. I didn't pay too much attention but I was quite surprised of what I heard. Suddenly, I noticed that K9 started to search a drawer on the lab's counter... It was a weird feeling what invaded me at that moment. I felt like he was going to pull out what I hate the most. I was not mistaken. I noticed how K9 took out a huge syringe with an enormous needle, sharp as a sword's blade. I could notice how thick that needle was from meters away. It was then when I figured that it was no ordinary syringe. But what was K9 going to do with it? You always have an immediate and false feeling that maybe it isn't for you. But I knew it was meant for me. I didn't want to look like a coward, so I sucked it up. Then I saw something really fascinating. From a special looking compartment in the lab's wall, K9 took out a vial. That vial was not ordinary, I could tell. That definitely didn't look like ours. "This is the Prototype I was talking about, Husky." He showed me the vial, and I noticed a blue liquid was inside of it. This liquid was partially glowing. I didn't understand why. "May I ask what is it?" I nervously, but curiously asked. The response was nothing short of fascinating. "Nanobots, Husky. This is used by the Retcans to prevent any infection, or foreign microorganisms that might affect their bodies. You know that being exposed to unknown environments could be hazardous to our body. Even the most harmless of microorganisms could render our immune system useless, and that could put our health or even our lives at risk. Our immune system creates antibodies that protect us from OUR home world's microorganisms. If we make contact into a foreign environment, our immune system won't work against it. That's were these Nanobots come in. They are like freelance antibodies that work apart from our natural immune system. They are made to adapt instantly to any threat that our own body couldn't handle by itself, by ultimately destroying it. These Prototype Nanobots are a modified version of the ones used by the Retcans. These are fit to be compatible with our DNA."_ _ That was unbelievable, but according to what I knew about microorganisms and the immune system, it made a lot of sense. K9 took the syringe and filled it with the blue liquid from the vial. He filled it completely. "Husky. You will be the sixth Evo to have Retcan Nanotechnology on its blood stream. Sorry for what I have to tell you, but this will be painful; more than usual. I promise I'll be as gentle as possible. I don't want you to get hurt, so I ask you to please stay calm. Are you ready?" "Yes, K9." _ _ I was very nervous. I didn't like pain, and especially medical procedures that involved needles. But this was part of being a D.E Development Team member. It was part of my job._ _ "I'll do it as quickly and gentle as I can. Lift up your shirt, and turn around."_ _ First, I felt the cotton impregnated in alcohol being rubbed into my skin, until my fur was all wet in alcohol. Next, K9 took a chunk of skin from my lower back, and pulled it... I knew what was coming. I felt this sharp sting in my skin telling me that the huge needle was making its way through me. I felt the tip pushing harder and harder until I felt a pop. It was the needle that ripped through my skin. It wasn't that bad since these needles are so sharp that you can't really feel when they go through your skin. But I did feel that unpleasant sensation that something is inside you that shouldn't be in there. That got my nerves altered as never before. Then I start hearing a strange noise. It was the noise of a fluid being pushed out of the syringe, through the needle. That sound went together with a feeling of pressure inside my skin. Suddenly, that pressure became an intense burning pain like I never felt before. I felt like yelping. Never have I felt that pain when getting a shot. I was clenching my jaw and I pressed into the metal table with my hand-paws that I almost pierced right through it with my claws. When the burning sensation stabilized, I started feeling how the cold metal of the needle was being withdrawn from my body. The horrible sensation of something being inside me was gone. But the pain stayed for a while. So much that I felt nauseous. But I didn't want to look weak in front of K9, so I resisted as much as I could. It was horrible... "Sorry, Husky. I know it hurts a lot. You'll be fine in a couple of minutes. I'm sorry again, buddy. It needed to be done." He said as he gently rubbed my back while I still gripped the metal table tightly._ _ "I know it's necessary. I'll do what ever is needed for D.E Project's progress." I said in pain. My whole back and part of my leg felt like it was burning. I don't know if K9 noticed it, but I tried to hide my eyes that were watery because of the sharp pain. K9 offered to stay a little while in the lab with me while my pain went away. In the mean time we talked about some of the advantages of these Nanobots instead of the traditional vaccines. Me and Fx were always fascinated with science, so the chat was very entertaining and made the pain ease quicker. "But don't think you won't get sick. Is not how they work. If the nanobots detect something that your immune system is able to handle, they won't interfere. This is very important so your body doesn't forget how to fight on its own. See these nanobots just as assistants to your immune system, not a replacement. Now, there is a chance that you'll get sick by the end of this day. Your immune system might not like the idea of having foreign artificial bodies inside of you, so it might strike back. If that was to happen, please let me know." "I will, K9." I replied, feeling somewhat worried._ _ After a while, I followed K9 outside the medic lab. It was time that my Captain showed me around every corner of the ship. We talked about the technology around the ship and our equipment, and realized that we shared the same passion for this type of things. K9 offered me to pilot the D.E cruiser so I could get used to the ship's systems. Like it was mentioned before, this would be mandatory for all of us. I remember doing some basic maneuvering exercises of big ships like the Wolf 5000DE in the simulators, but doing it in real life would be an incredible experience. In the simulations you can't get that sensation of movement that you get in real life. My blue eyes shinned like two stars from the excitement. "I totally understand you, Husky. Being in control of a ship this size is something that should be experienced by everyone." K9 replied to my excitement. "I believe that you know all of the basic functions of the Wolf5000, am I correct?"_ _ "Yes, Captain. Defense mechanisms, emergency procedures, manual override; the essentials basically." I made count of my training._ _ "Due to the limited time that we are working on, and how extensive the knowledge on these ships can be, practice was left for when you arrived at the D.E cruiser. Trust me, there is more than just a few commands and maneuvers that you need to know about the ship. Husky, the possibilities of this ship are virtually endless. The Retcans basically copied the technology of their battle cruisers into this ship. There is a lot you'll see in a Wolf5000DE that you can find in the R series Retcan battle cruiser, although in a different, more Evocanis accommodated way. Now, the Wolf500 fighters are basically Retcan fighters with a different control layout. So basically, as a test fighter pilot, you are going to be in command of a Retcan Fighter. Let's go downstairs; let me explain it better to you."_ _ As we were heading to the elevator, from one of the rooms two of my new partners appeared. There I saw a couple of orange and white dogs, short fur, pointy ears. One had light brown eyes and the other had yellow eyes. They must've been the twins that Anubis mentioned a while back. I was surprised that they were from a different genre of Canis Lupus. They were Canis Lupus Dingo, or in our case, Evocanis Dingo._ _ "So you are that Husky that Fx has been talking about?" One of them said. I noticed he was a male because of the voice. He was the brown eyed one. "Captain." He said, turning at K9. The Captain just smiled and bowed his head. "It's me." I replied. "Wow! So you're the famous Husky. I'm pleased to meet you. My name is Zulu." He cheerfully presented himself while stretching his hand-paws. "And this is Kala, my sister."_ "Hi, cutie. I'm happy to meet you at last." The other Evo said. She was a female with no doubt, as her voice sounded very soft and high pitched. She showed me a very friendly grin and licked my cheek. "The pleasure is mine, my friends. Boy, Fx hasn't stop talking about me. Every time I get to know one of you guys, I get the same thing." "It's natural. You both are brothers, and he seems to love you a lot. I have a twin sister, so I know how it feels. It's like if it belongs to you. Like if it's part of you. Something that you can't live without. You know what I mean." Zulu said. "But tell us about yourself..." _ We talked a lot on our way down. It was nice meeting Zulu and Kala. They understood my feelings for Fx. Although I made it clear that we were not true brothers. He just smiled and told me that it didn't matter. We were raised together, and been together since. The bonding is the more important than blood itself... Downstairs, at the main level, Andy and Fx were still talking about my arrival. Fx was also looking for that thing to put names on uniforms. Fx was so exited that he was making a big mess in the storage rooms. It was not long until K9, Zulu, Kala and I, arrived downstairs, that finally, all of us where together. While we talked for a while, I noticed the differences between Kala and Zulu. Zulu is a very quiet and reserved Evocanis boy. Although that doesn't take away the friendliness that characterizes us Evos. Kala, in the other hand, is a very hyperactive girl. She'll stalk you in corners, and pounce friendly into you at the slightest chance. Plus she's always nipping and licking you in a friendly matter. So there I was... my new temporary home. We all spent the rest of the day talking about us, and about the project itself. K9 showed me the rest of the ship, and a lot of things I didn't learn through training. Even though I felt sad for leaving home, I got to admit I had a great first day as a D.E Development Team member. All of my new partners were really friendly and sweet with me. Eventually they eased the sadness of leaving the ones I loved back in Canis Major. Even though I was having a good day, I didn't forget why we were there. I didn't forget our mission. Yes, we were having so much fun at the beginning, but in the future, things could turn difficult. We had that very clear...