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Battle

By November of 40m, the American troops had taken control of the northern half of Western Australia as they came down from Darwin, still insisting they were helping the Australians purge an abomination from their country. The Australian government had rescinded their long standing welcome and managed to make things difficult in Perth's ports and Darwin directly, but the more sparsely populated north fell quickly as the Americans used their familiarity against them.

Realizing that the focus of the fighting was around the NEWAGE complex and surrounding morph populated cities, many morphs began to flee east on trucks, trains and planes, until the rails and roads were destroyed and the US started patrolling a no-fly zone throughout the Northern Territory and South Australia, cutting the country in half.

Anika's family was unable to escape before this and her father and daughter remained in southern Harstlein until they were evacuated south to Kalbarri and eventually Perth. Her mother was with the Guardians trying to hold Pendleton and Anika later learned that she had died there, trying to defend a hospital.

Anika's squad was sent to Perrin with two others to try to hold a line as far north of Harstlein as possible. When they arrived, the town had been decimated and abandoned and hundreds of American soldiers were setting up a base in empty buildings on the eastern side, towards Pendleton.

Throgn and the other captains decided that with the difference in their numbers and their undiscovered arrival they would have more success with guerrilla sabotage than with direct squad assaults. They found some apartment buildings on the west side of town to hide out in and sent Conner and Karvey out to scout their nearest targets.

They discovered that the Americans had taken residences for sleeping quarters to the west and operations to the southeast. With no specific orders, Cpt Throgn sent Morray and Nace to be gremlins, quietly making things uncomfortable and disturbing the morale of the American soldiers. The other squads did the same in other sections, taking shifts to keep the interference constant. Cpt Throgn went out with Johns; Johan with Karvey; Lisra with Ketter; and Anika with Conner.

A couple weeks of successful runs left the Americans unsettled and unhappy. It was getting more dangerous as they became paranoid and more alert. The squads found civilian clothes to fit from around town and the captains instructed them to take the roles of untrained civilians acting alone, but still report everything to them.

Conner seemed to enjoy the raids and Anika had a hard time keeping her from getting too careless. In early December, they had just disconnected the refrigeration again and were heading back when Conner slipped inside the bedrooms. Panicked, Anika tried to hurry the fox along, but she waved the hyena away and dug her claws into the bottom of any pockets she could find. When she was finally satisfied, Anika dragged her out of the house and ran the couple blocks back to the small clothing store they were using to prep.

Conner hurried back to their hiding place with a grin on her face and an American's hat on her head. Anika gave her an annoyed look, tapping her wrist, then looked out to see if it was clear for them to head back. She saw two sand colored ears stick out around a corner, followed by the rest of the rabbit. Nace and Morray hurried across the street and Anika kicked a rock to get their attention in the quiet morning. They noticed and ducked into the storefront with them.

Anika grabbed the rabbit's ears and, finding her hat in a pocket, yanked it out and shoved it in her face. Nace took her hat and started to protest, but the hyena clamped her large paw over the smaller bunny's mouth, shaking her head sternly. Morray tapped his wrist and Anika nodded, releasing Nace.

Anika looked out to leave again and saw two Americans in full gear walking down the street. She ducked back, letting the door close quietly, and signaled to Morray what she saw. The human yanked the rabbit down against the side of a display table and they all ducked and scurried behind the counter.

They waited quietly, hoping the patrol would just walk by, but too scared to risk exposing themselves to look. Then they heard the door open with a welcoming jingle that suddenly didn't seem so friendly.

"Come on, I still need to find something for my sister for Christmas and its almost too late to send it."

Anika gave everyone a stern glance with her finger to her lips.

"How are you going to pay for it?"

"Its all abandoned, so its free game."

"You could leave some cash for when they come back."

"It was probably some dumb animal that's not coming back. You know this town was full of morph freaks. ... Who buys this junk?"

"Enough people to make the designer rich, they're popular."

"Well, good thing I don't have to. My sister loves it, though."

"Seems pretty genius to get rich off such a simple idea."

A laugh, "Sounds like you're a fan. What kind of twink are you?"

Morray rolled his eyes and Nace stiffled a laugh, but too late.

Silence.

"Hey, you know, I used to go rabbit hunting back home. Usually we'd just shoot 'em, but sometimes we'd trap 'em alive. Not much meat, but the fur tanned up real nice. Made a purse for my sister once. She loved it, but I think she needs a new one now."

Anika snatched the hat off of Conner's head and threw it at Nace, who quickly tucked her ears inside as she put it on.

"Ah ah, too late. Come on out. We know you're there."

Morray jabbed her arm and yanked his thumb upwards. The young rabbit looked terrified as she slowly stood up and turned around to face the two soldiers. The others quietly kept their guns pointed at the top of the counter, waiting for them to come closer.

"Hey, its a girl."

A snort, "Don't matter. Its still a freak. Makes it even worse, 'cause it can make more freaks."

"I've never really seen one in person before."

"Its just a really big rabbit ... in a trap. I liked finding the rabbits still alive in the trap. My dad said its better if they died quickly, but I enjoyed listing to the little screams they made as I wrapepd my hands around them and twisted their little necks. Think I can make this one scream?"

"I think she can understand you. They speak English down here."

"Even better. Think a rabbit'll beg?"

"Hey, who's hat do you think that is?"

"So she's a theif, too. We'll kill her and take it back."

"Maybe she knows where the other stuff that's disappeared is and can show us if we let her live."

"I'm not interested in showing these freaks any kind of mercy, don't matter what she's got."

Nace bolted for the door to the back room.

"No you don't."

The first shot hit her shoulder and she landed hard against the door frame. The second shot hit the back of her head and she fell lifeless through the door.

"Hah. Not losing that one. Too bad she didn't scream, though."

Anika held fast as the first walked by her, focused on the dead rabbit.

"You didn't have to do that. We could have caught her and brought her back alive."

"Nah, you can't chase rabbits. You have to shoot fast. BAM!"

The second walked past the counter laughing and the angry hyena sprung, lifting the soldier and all his gear into the air, using him to shove his buddy into the back room, past Nace's body. She flung them both against a wall and screamed, quickly grabbing at their weapons and throwing them across the room. The others hurried in with guns aimed at the two soldiers.

"FUCK! I should've known there was more. Animal freaks work in packs."

"Shut up!" Conner stepped up, aiming her gun at the man's face, but Anika put a paw on her chest.

"I don't take orders from animals."

"Then take a beating," the hyena crashed her fist into his face, bouncing his head off the wall, and he slumped to the floor unconcious. She turned to the other with her fist raised again.

He was wide-eyed and mouth open, "What are you?"

"Your worst nightmare," she stepped toward him with a growl.

He quickly raised his arms to shield his face, "No no no no no no no no no. What animal are you?"

Anika paused and looked him over, slowly lowering her arm, "I'm a spotted hyena morph."

The man against the wall lowered his arms to look at her again, "You're amazing."

The hyena wasn't sure how to respond, "Um, thanks?"

"Could I get a closer look? Without all the roaring and tearing my arms off?"

She paused for a moment, remembering the scared boy from the garage and her daughter waiting to grow up.

Conner stepped up again, "Don't do it. Don't get close to him. Its a trick."

Morray shushed her, but Anika was already thinking and stood up straight, looking down at the soldier crouched against the wall, "Strip."

"What?" he was confused, and so were the others.

She pointed to all his gear and realization struck him. He pulled the strap locks loose and let his pack fall to the floor, then started to quickly take off his vest, but slowed when Conner shook her gun at him. It was a slow process as he removed his gear and uniform and even his boots with no sudden movements, until he stood up slowly wearing nothing but his boxers, undershirt and socks. Anika stepped away from the pile on the floor, then beckoned him forward. He stepped up, pausing when Conner reminded him to be slow with a shake of her gun.

"What do you want to see?"

He leaned in and looked closely at her face, "And you're not a dog?"

Anika frowned, "No, I'm a hyena." She tollerated his examination until he reached up to touch her. She grabbed his wrist and he stared at her large paw.

"You have a thumb."

"Yeah, one on each paw. That's enough for now."

He stepped back and stuttered, "I... I'm sorry. I'm just... I mean, I've never seen... I just thought... I don't know what I thought. I guess I just believed what they told me and did what I was told. But... you're really real and you really look like animals, but you talk."

Morray stood up from stripping and tying up the other soldier, "And think and feel. They're people, just like us."

"And you're human. Why are you fighting for them?"

"Because you shouldn't kill people just because they look different."

"I know. I just... I joined the Army to serve my country, and because my dad was a soldier. I grew up with it. How do I disobey orders and betray my country just for them?"

"You're betraying your country by following the lunatics ordering this genocide. I'm from Colorado. I moved down here four years ago because I fell in love with my wife before I knew she wasn't human."

Conner looked at Morray in surprise.

"You married one? Isn't that like bestiality or something?"

"She's a person, or she was until she died in the bombing of the NEWAGE center."

It was Anika's turn to look at him with surprise. They hadn't bothered to ask Morray about himself and he had never offered. It was starting to look like he wasn't just the human morph fan they thought he was.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." the humble soldier stumbled over his words.

"Don't fuckin' appologize to them. They're the enemy, they're supposed to die," the other one was awake.

"Do you want another beating?" Conner pointed her gun at the one on the floor.

"I'll get up and beat you like the fuckin' dog that you are," he struggled against his bonds.

Conner raised her arm, about to smack him with her gun, but the other soldier grabbed her arm. She froze at his touch, trying not to panic and attack him.

"She's a fox and the other one is a hyena." He lowered her arm, then released it, then put his hand on her good shoulder.

"Doesn't matter what they say they are, they're all freaks. Get me out of this, so we can kill 'em."

"You're not killing anybody here. They're not freaks, they're people, with more civility than you."

"You're a fuckin' soldier, what do you need civility for? You follow orders and your orders are to kill all these freakin' monsters."

"The only monster here is you. You killed one of them and they spared your life, but you still want to kill them. Why? Because they look different?"

""Because they're freakish animal creatures made in a lab and taught to act human, BUT THEY'RE NOT! And because your superior officers told you to, dipshit!"

"No, they're not human, but if you're what being human is, they're better than human."

"You fuckin' traitor! You're a traitor to your country! You're a traitor to your species! You're a traitor to GOD! Traitor! TRAITOR!"

The soldier started to lunge at his screaming partner, but Conner grabbed him and pushed him to the far wall.

|

Morray jumped in and punched the one on the floor to shut him up.

"Who the fuck are you?

"The rest of humanity telling you you're an asshole."

"What the fuck? I'm surrounded by fuckin' traitors and freaks!"

"Morphs aren't freaks. They're beautiful creatures with hearts and minds and souls and more humanity than you."

|

The fox stared at the human, still holding him against the wall, her mind swirlning with her old hatred and new friends, "You're a good human. I didn't think there were any."

"You work with one."

She looked over her shoulder at Morray arguing with the bigot, "Yeah. I'm realizing that I've misjudged him."

"He seems like a good guy and you seem like a good person, too."

"Yeah," she realized she was still leaning against him and pushed away, brushing herself off and turning to watch Morray.

|

"Beautiful? Ha! Just look at that hideous beast behind you. How can you call that beautiful?"

Anika knew she wasn't the most delicate creature, but the words still stung.

Morray turned around and saw Conner, instead. He stepped back and held his arms up like he was presenting her, "This? Is the definition of beauty: shining red hair, a fantastic body, graceful, strong, smart, kind, witty, caring, loyal, brave, forgiving, creative, loving," his voice softened as he looked at her, "Everything you could want in a wife."

"Shit, you're a damn dog fucker. Besides, I was talking about the other dog or how 'bout the fuckin' dead rodent on the floor?"

Anika smirked, "I'm not looking to win any beauty contests."

"She's only dead because you killed her. She was a beautiful creature, too. You like her fur well enough. What about the person inside?"

The bigot snorted a laugh, but Morray ignored it and continued, "And Greenhill? I trust her with my life everyday. Sure she's stronger than any of us, but she's also smarter than all of us. She could kill you without lifting a paw, but she also has a heart and won't if she doesn't have to. She is powerful in more ways than you can count and weilds it with compassion and honor. Wrap all that in her tan and spotted fur and she is more beautiful than any human I've ever met. The hideous beast is the monster ordering her death."

"Shit. You couldn't PAY me to fuck that thing. There's no paper bag big enough."

"Alright, enough taunting the animal," the other soldier stepped back up and looked at Anika, ignoring his partner, "What are we going to do now?"

"You're all gonna fuckin' die and I'm gonna make sure of it."

They ignored his taunts and Anika led them to the front of the store to talk, "As annoying as he is, if we kill him, then we're the animals he says we are."

"Just leave him here. I'll tell them he went AWOL to hunt morphs on his own. I'm sure they'll believe it. You can even have his gear."

Morray spoke up, "I could use it to get in closer."

"Just don't bother my squad."

Conner looked at him, "How can you just go back to killing morphs?"

"I don't plan to kill any and I'm hoping I can convince some others not to, as well."

Anika nodded, "That sounds like a good plan. You can do more on the inside to change minds and hopefully save lives."

"Here," Conner took a blue scarf from a display and tied it to his arm, "Now I won't shoot you by accident."

He smiled at her, "Wish I could stick around and get to know you better. Maybe you can find me after this is all done."

She hesitated, "Maybe."

"All right, kids," Anika smirked, "Let's get things moving. Who knows when the next patrol will be by."

"Two hours."

"Huh?"

"We patrol for two hours, then the next pair goes out. Supposed to be random paths, but we always walked the same."

"Good to know."

Morray and the soldier headed back to get the gear. Amid a slew of taunts, they both got dressed and came back out. The soldier had the scarf retied around his arm and Conner found another to tie around Morray's arm, "Its a fasion trend."

The soldier headed for the door, but paused as he stopped to pick up the two helmets sitting on a table. He handed one to Morray and headed for the back room, "I forgot something, I'll be right back."

They heard some shouting and a single gunshot, then the soldier came back out, "Okay, let's go."

Everyone stared at him.

"Am I the animal or did I just put one down that had gone mad?"

Anika smirked, "Okay, Morray, check the street."

The two humans stepped out and made sure the coast was clear, then they all headed back to their respective camps.

Anika reported the incident to the Captain and he had Johan and Karvey dispose of the body before it could be found.