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Gliding among the stars were half a dozen capital ships, led by the largest ship that roughly resembled a raptor. The carrier was now the strongest ship the survivors had and it was spearheading the assault on Velmaria. Drach'n Breath was severely damaged in the battle of the invasion and took months to repair.

Resting within the ship in the officers' lounge was an ermine. Tiriaq knew they were about a day from Velmaria, and now was the last chance he had to rest before his mission. The room was quiet, giving Tiriaq the opportunity to sleep.

Just as he was drifting off, he was startled by the ship's alarms sounding off.

"All combat teams, suit up," the meerkat's voice announced using the intercom.

The tiny vibrations of the ship's weapons firing were felt even in the officers' lounge, along with stronger and rougher vibration of a battle raging outside. The unexpected interruption worried Tiriaq so he hurried out of the lounge and down to the armory. Just as he was finishing suiting up, Jun walked in to begin dressing in his armor.

"Has Drach'n Fury been spotted?" asked Tiriaq. It was his mission to escort the marten onto the flagship so they could negotiate with Fury to give command back over to Commander Cassander.

"No, it hasn't," Jun shortly answered. Tiriaq caught a glimpse into the marten's eyes. It was clear his mind was thinking something over but Tiriaq also noticed a shimmer of the marten's motivation.

Motivated by his desire for vengeance, or the dim hope of turning this war? Tiriaq didn't know but even the hope he had for victory in this battle was nothing more than a small candle in the darkness of the void.

"Let's get to our ship," suggested the ermine when Jun was finished suiting up. He led the marten out of the armory and toward the hangar. There was one ship waiting for them, it's engines already alive.

"Welcome aboard," came the pilot's voice once they entered the passenger's bay.

"Thank you Pilot Juliet," responded Tiriaq. The vibrations throughout the ship grew rougher, signaling to him the intensity of the battle outside.

There wasn't an infantry soldier who enjoyed being a ship during a large-scale battle, and Tiriaq was no exception. He was nervous about the battle outside, but also because of the rookie pilot who had no combat piloting experience.

"Where are we?" Tiriaq asked the pilot using his armor's communication systems.

Jun had his PawPad out and was doing something on the screen but was otherwise unresponsive to Tiriaq's presence or the evidence of the outside battle.

"Approaching the outer rim of the Velmarian system," answered the pilot. "We encountered resistance before expected so please be patient, Captain Dewitt."

He obliged and was patient but after the first hour, his patience started to run thin. My mission wasn't scheduled to start for another thirty hours. Then again, when does war ever go according to schedule?

It was another hour before Tiriaq received another update on the battle, and he only learned of it by hearing it on an insecure channel.

"It's gone! They're all gone!"

"Serpiente Veneno has been destroyed!"

"They didn't even try to infect it! Those damn..."

Static consumed the channel and Tiriaq couldn't hear anymore through it and the screaming. The news made his teeth clench because he realized how many were just killed, and if this was the rate they were going at, they'd never get close to the planet. From the report, he also grew worried that the behavior of the alien might have changed again. Every time it had changed, it had grown more aggressive.

This mission is too high risk. We cannot lose, or our home will be lost.

The young marten who sat next to him didn't react at all to the passage of time or the news of the loss of the ship. More time passed of the captain doing nothing other than sitting in the drop ship, and waiting through the battle. Pacing in the passenger bay, Tiriaq was about to demand an update from his inexperience pilot when the entire carrier rocked roughly.

"That was close," yelled the pilot, sounding excited. "Strap yourselves in. Drach'n Fury has been spotted, and we have clearance for take off. Fifteen seconds."

Tiriaq obeyed and took his seat next to the marten, who had finally shown some sort of reaction to the news by placing his PawPad away. The ship rocked a bit as it lifted itself off the hangar floor and rocketed out into the void.

Out of the ship and in the darkness, the first thing Tiriaq noticed was the vast amount of debris surrounding directly outside the drop ship.

Jun stood up, despite the gravity wells pulling in different directions. Tiriaq couldn't hear or see anything but he assumed that Jun was talking with the artificial intelligence, Fury, by now. They first had to negotiate to be allowed to land within Drach'n Fury before they could negotiate its surrender.

The further the ship drew away from the fleet, Tiriaq could see more of the battle. His eyes widened as he saw infected ships crash into the Commander's fleet on suicide runs. The carrier managed to hold them off but the other ships were struggling to keep their shields up. Around each ship looked like they had their own personal asteroid field with the amount of debris around them.

The projectiles from Drach'n Fury flew pass the drop ship, heading straight for the clusters of Creeper-infected ships. They were quickly blown apart, giving the fleet an edge they desperately needed.

"We have permission to dock," Jun said, informing both the pilot and Tiriaq. "There are no infections on board."

"Roger that," answered Pilot Juliet. "One minute, fifteen seconds, until docking."

Jun remained standing near the exit of the ship, supporting himself with a paw on the railing. The gravity shifted several times but he remained standing firm until the gravity finally settled and they were docked inside the ship.

Tiriaq unfastened himself but Jun had already manually opened the door and stepped off the drop ship. The ermine hurried to keep up but was surprised when the marten stopped only a few steps onto the hangar. He was looking around, familiar with the ship.

Last time any of us were on this ship, Admiral Alexander was commanding it, thought Tiriaq, glancing around the hangar himself. He didn't get long before he noticed Jun removing his helmet.

"Jun, you shouldn't..." Tiriaq tried to warn him but the marten removed his helmet and took in a deep breath before walking toward the entrance of the hangar. Given no other choice, he followed the adolescent into the familiar corridors of Drach'n Fury.

"You're on the ship now Jun," said Fury over the ship's speakers. "So tell me what do you want."

The marten didn't answer, leading Tiriaq straight into the bridge of the ship.

"The fleet should have never come here," Fury continued to say. "You've risked too much and are compromising my mission."

"Show yourself, Fury," demanded Jun, stopping on the bridge. "I do not intend to stare at the speakers while I talk to you."

Lights were illuminated at the head of the bridge and warped around in the air until they formed a copy of Admiral Alexander himself. Fury was glaring at Jun, even though he couldn't see through the holographic eyes.

"Why have you come here?" Fury asked, his holographic form acting appropriately when he spoke.

"Fury, you are a copy of Yukiomaru's mind," replied Jun. "You control the most powerful ship every built by our society, and we're on the verge of defeat. We need the ship back, Fury. We need you back as well because you are a copy of Yukiomaru."

"My efforts toward the war may have gone unnoticed but let me tell you that I've saved our homes from annihilation several times since Yukiomaru was taken by the hatchling," Fury said, his expression remaining cold.

"Yukiomaru's gone," Jun said bluntly. "Are you here to destroy Velmaria by yourself then?"

"The fact that Velmaria is the Creepers forward base means little to me," Fury answered. "I've been tracking the hatchling since he got off Canidera. That creature is the reason why I destroyed the shipyard when he landed on it but he survived. This hatchling is far more dangerous than this fleet guarding him is."

"That thing is here?" asked Jun.

Tiriaq knew what they were talking about but he never seen the hatchling personally. How can one infected creature be more dangerous than a fleet?

"Indeed," Fury answered, his expression lightening up as he turned toward the forward screens on the bridge. "And I believe the Admiral is here as well."

Alexander? Tiriaq eyes went wide. He even noticed Jun's shocked expression.

"Look at the planet," Fury continued. The screen turned on with images of the planet, Velmaria. Green covered just as much ground as the sand did, but there was a large storm system hovering over a portion of the planet. "Velmaria has never had storms caused by precipitation, and temperature readings suggest that beneath that storm system is below freezing and hindering the Creeper's growth. I don't understand why the Creepers would produce a storm but it looks like they're trying to hide something."

The image focused on the edge of the storm, where hundreds of white dots lined the sand. Tiriaq didn't recognize them but by Jun's reaction, he knew the marten did.

"Flower pods, like the one that consumed Yukiomaru," muttered Jun.

"Captain Redding and his spotter, Sergeant Bracken are both on the ground and I've instructed them to investigate but I lost contact with them once they entered the cloud formation," Fury said. "The storm is masking something, that hatchling creature is here and it had been taken the Admiral. We need to know what's going on down there."

Jun remained silent for a moment while he thought it over. "What do you think, Commander?"

Commander Cassander is listening in?

"Fury is right," she replied, speaking through the marten's PawPad. "The alien's behavior is unusually aggressive; they're guarding something. Whatever it is, it is likely to be critical to our survival. I will lead the expedition team myself to rendezvous with Captain Redding on the ground."

"I'm glad we can finally agree, Commander Cassander," Fury said.

He was communicating with her the whole time, realized Tiriaq. He disagreed with the whole notion of committing so much effort into investigating a storm. The Commander had made her choice though and he'd have to go along with it even if he disagreed.

"What about Fury, Commander?" Tiriaq asked, replying to her through the same channel. "We need this ship."

"We'll come to that later but first let us win this battle, Captain," she replied. "Report back to you drop ship with Jun. I'm sending rendezvous coordinates to your pilot. I'll see you on the ground."

Tiriaq growled silently in his throat. Their original mission was risky enough, but now to add another mission that could compromise everything was reckless. Jun and Commander Cassander may be too young to be making this decision.

"Fury, stay connected," Jun said before turning back to the exit of the bridge. He led Tiriaq back toward the hangar, but the older ermine was more than irritated to be following the adolescent this time.

"If you do see the hatchling down there, do not engage," instructed Fury, using their helmet speakers now that Jun had his helmet back on. "Its infection is much more sophisticated than the others. Its scales somehow became strong enough to break through your armor, while becoming incredibly agile and adapt to combat fighting."

"We saw the recording of what it did to the Velmarians on the space station," remarked Tiriaq, keeping his annoyance under control. He followed Jun back onto the drop ship they arrived on.

"This is one crazy mission, my young lord," the Pilot said after closing the exits on the ship. "I hope the Commander knows what she's doing."

"Commander Cassander will be arriving shortly, then I'll carry you to the planet so we get there faster," Fury informed them. "The Creepers attacking the fleet are retreating now so Drach'n Breath and the other ships will be okay until I return."

The worst part about any mission, especially one that you disagree with, is the waiting. Tiriaq now waited again for his next mission to begin. He listened to the different pilots and leaders exchange updates while they all waited.

Compared to the last time Tiriaq had to wait, this time went by much faster and they were soon out of the hangar of Drach'n Fury and over the planet. Entering the atmosphere was rough, and Tiriaq assumed it was partly due to the storm but also the inexperience of the pilot. The whole trip didn't last more than a couple hours before they were landed on the surface of the infested world of Velmaria.

Immediately when the ship door opened, air rushed in cold enough that Tiriaq could feel it through his armor before it had a chance to adapt to the climate. He never been to Velmaria but he's always expected it to be hotter than the warmest summer days on Canidera, and even the ruined world of Lutracha.

The wind didn't cease while the armored ermine stepped toward the exit. Jun had already stepped off the ship but Tiriaq hesitated in the doorway. In front of him were hundreds of pods more than three meters tall going on to the horizon. Above them were swirling clouds, looking like a hurricane but the clouds moved twice as fast as a hurricane's. The wind on the ground level was much more tolerable but even with the armor on, Tiriaq could feel it resist against him.

"Team, rendezvous to me," Commander Cassander's voice demanded through their speakers. In his vision a small arrow pointed to her location. The original rescue squad was with the Commander, but Tiriaq was surprised to see that even Tang was with them.

"We're moving to the center of the storm where the most activity is," Commander Cassander informed them all. "Tang will gather samples there of these pods and see if they're controlling the weather like this. Stay on guard. They may be dormant now but one of these pods had already claimed the life of Admiral Alexander. This mission should be done within two hours. I'm taking point, follow me."

She lacks the experience commanding small squadrons, Tiriaq thought to himself, while he followed the squad. "I'll cover our tails," he said while they moved. He was nervous giving commands with the Commander right there but if they were to survive, they had to do this mission right. "Report any sign of unusual movement, and stay clear of the flower bulbs."

"Roger that," several answered to both him and the Commander.

They walked toward the heart of the storm, every instinct in the ermine's body telling him to go the other way. Every flower pod was identical and once they were completely covered by the storm, it was difficult to know which way to go or which way they came from.

Thirty minutes had passed before Tang called for the squadron to stop.

"Set up a perimeter," Tiriaq commanded before joining the civilian martens and the Commander. "What is it, Commander?"

"Tang?"

"The flower bulbs are connected by roots," she said, examining one of them and being uncomfortably close to the thing. "I noticed that back where we landed but didn't think much of it. These flower bulbs are dying. It's cold enough that we'd freeze if we weren't in these environment suits so I don't know why the alien would be constructing a storm like this if its killing them."

Tiriaq checked his own suits thermal reading to find out that it was colder here than on dark side of most barren planets.

"There's too many unknowns," Commander Cassander said, stepping back from the flower. "Captain Dewitt, stand at guard. We're going to open this pod."

"Yes sir!" he shouted, raising his rifle for the first time since his original mission started. He watched as the martens stepped back and the Commander move forward with her sword, ready to slice open the pod.

"Contact!"

Tiriaq spun on the tip of his boots and aimed toward the perimeter where dark figures were approaching from behind the wind and pods.

"Hold your fire," yelled a vaguely familiar voice. "Sergeant Bracken and Captain Redding approaching. We saw your ships enter the atmosphere. Who's in charge?"

"Captain Redding?" Commander Cassander questioned. She must have received the silent acknowledgement. "Rally to me. Fury told me you were investigating so tell me what you've found so far."

"Nothing much," the Captain's spotter answered while the two armored soldiers approached. "These pods are dying the closer toward the center of the storm they go. It seems like they're connected with the forests in which we landed in a couple weeks ago. They're all connected by vines."

"I've seen it before," Jun said rather suddenly. "They must be connected because they're giving energy to the pods to feed whatever is at the center. This storm must be impeding their progress. You should cut it open, Commander."

"On guard," Tiriaq commanded everyone. "Keep an eye on that perimeter."

He watched, through the scope of his weapon along with the two survivors they just found, as Commander Cassander sliced open the pod. The flower petals fell apart and revealed the gory contents. Out of the pod fell a half-decomposed body of a Velmarian; vines ripping from it like a puppet too heavy for its strings. Instantly the rest of the flower started to shrivel up and turn black as it died and wilted away.

"What just happened?" demanded Sergeant Bracken.

"Damn," muttered Jun, barely audible over through the speakers. "These flowers must capture their victims to consume their energy to feed something else. Without the host, this flower died immediately in this weather. Every one of these pods has a captured victim within them."

"Commander, it's my opinion that we immediately abort mission," Tiriaq said urgently. "Whatever these pods are feeding are a lot stronger than they are."

"We have a mission to complete, Captain," she responded turning toward him.

"This is reckless, Commander! We have no idea what we're walking towards and it has the strength of the entire planet!"

"So you all found me?" A shrill and cold voice said, interrupting them.

"Conta-" the word was cut off by a dying screaming.

The whole squadron turned toward the scream, where a soldier was falling to the ground, his blood spilling over his armor and almost freezing instantly. Next to the soldier stood a short Velmarian, the one that was seen on the video at the space station. Just like in the video, there was no sign of an infection.

"I have more pressing concerns than to deal with all of you," it said, somehow through their speakers. "Leave now." Some one took a shot at the hatchling but it dodged the projectiles with ease.

Tiriaq's eyes went wide. No one can move that fast! That's impossible!

Before he could even react, he saw the Velmarian strike another one of his soldier's armored chest. The armor fractures and shattered beneath the force and another death scream deafened the ermine.

"What did you do to Yukiomaru?" shouted Jun, stepping closer to the creature who so easily killed two trained soldiers.

"Who?" responded the creature. "I'm giving you all a chance to live so leave now."

Before Jun could answer, a strong gust of wind struck the hatchling from the center of the storm. It was so strong that the creature had to block against it. Without warning, Jun started running toward the center of the storm.

"Jun!"

"Stop!"

Tang chased after her brother, followed by the Commander and most of the squadron. Those that stayed fired at the creature, including Tiriaq but it dodged and took cover behind a pod. The bullets shredded the pod, penetrating its defenses and causing it to die to the weather almost instantly.

"With me," Tiriaq commanded, leading the rest of the squad toward Jun. The closer they got to the center of the storm, the more dead pods there were until they came across some that were frozen solid. At the center of the storm, where the sun broke through was the team standing near one of the solidly frozen flower bulbs. There were visible roots connecting to it.

"This is what they're feeding?" questioned Tiriaq, fearing what may be inside. It was conflicting because he seen the pods die to the weather and yet they're feeding one that's frozen. Is it resisting?

Gunshots rang out and Tiriaq turned to see the hatchling slaughtering the soldiers. He turned to fire but the hatchling's eyes widened and he screamed.

"Don't touch that!"

A massive gust of wind hit Tiriaq in the back, nearly knocking him to the ground. Turning around, he saw the frozen flower pod slowly open. Mist formed around it, leaking from within and pooling at the ground. Half of it opened up to reveal its contents that were completely unharmed compared to the last pod that was opened.

Mist swirled around the occupant, and appeared to be holding the occupant in a buoyant state. The more the mist fell from the body, the more white fur was revealed until Tiriaq was able to recognize the figure, without a doubt.

The arctic fox were no clothes or armor, his fur was not harmed in the slightest bit and he was completely unaffected by the freezing temperatures. Slowly the fox raised his head, as if waking from a deep slumber, and opened his eyelids to reveal his golden eyes.

"Yu-Yukiomaru?"