FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

** CHAPTER 5**

So many thoughts involving the events of that day invaded Husky's mind. It had all happened so fast and without warning, giving them no time to really comprehend or grasp the bizarre situation they faced. One moment he was living his life normally, secluded in the darkest confines of space and the next thing he knew, he was sharing his family room with this foreign little furred creature. It had been an intense day indeed. Husky didn't notice when he finally managed to fall asleep with the little warm body wrapped between his arms.

The faint glare emitted by the simulated window as it shifted to the morning cycle landscape, slowly brought back Husky from his slumber. That strange feeling in the back of his mind told him that there was an important event that he needed to remember, but his subconscious was still heavily active, having him hanging in the edge of a dream land and reality.

It didn't take long until his consciousness kicked in and he finally managed to wake up. Still dazed and confused as his mind organized the events of the last day, Husky managed to difference what was real and what were no more than residual thoughts from his dreams. Behind him he could feel a warm body pressing against him. A quick sniff at the air to pick up the scent and he confirmed it was Hasky. Turning back and squinting his eyes, he saw Hasky deeply asleep with Fx around her arms; that sight made Husky feel drowsy again and he curled up to sleep some more.

But as he turned around, his nose picked up another scent. It smelled like Evo, but slightly different. Was there someone else with them that night?

Husky's mind was still half asleep so his thoughts weren't clear.

"Did Lya stayed with us last night?" Husky thought. No; it didn't smell like Lya.

The scent soon activated Husky's memory and suddenly the events of the last day were reminded to him. A shiver ran down Husky's spine. Opening his eyes, he saw a little white ball of fur curled up about two feet from him.

"Yukiomaru..." Husky whispered.

It was the little furred alien who had crashed in Canis Major the past day. That bizarre event had really happened and it was no dream.

Yukiomaru had somehow moved away from Husky in the middle of the night. He was sleeping where the bed and the fluffy carpet that covered the floor meet. Husky got a bit worried since the temperature in Canis Major at that time was still at the mid thirty degrees; just shy of freezing point. Yukiomaru's coat looked really dense and it didn't seem that he would be bothered by the low temperatures of the ship, but still, sleeping away from the warm embrace of a brother was a thought that an Evo found quite uncomfortable. He didn't know what Yukiomaru was used to, but he still felt very empathetic for the small furred alien.

Now more alert, Husky slowly crawled close to Yukiomaru and covered him with his thick and fluffy blanket. The blanket was warm because of Husky's body being wrapped in it all night and Yukiomaru seemed to have felt the difference in temperature.

"Yukiomaru?" Husky whispered to the little alien when he saw how he squirmed a bit and moaned. Husky's reaction was to gently pull Yukiomaru back to the sleeping panel. But Husky was startled when he saw those penetrating golden eyes open wide and stare at him all of the sudden.

Yukiomaru sprung to his hind paws at an incredible speed. He looked confused as he stared all around him as if wondering where he was. His neck fur was raised, suggesting he was defensive.

"Yukiomaru, calm down." Husky gently spoke as he got close and kneelt in front of the white furred alien. "You're in Canis Major. Don't you remember what happened yesterday?"

"I..." Yukiomaru's muscles now seemed relaxed as Husky gently caressed his arms. Yukiomaru closed his eyes and rubbed his face, trying to organize his ideas. He did seem to have lowered his defensive behavior, but he could still be felt a bit tense.

"Relax, okay? You're safe here." Husky again spoke as gentle as he could.

"I need to get back to my ship... I need..." Yukiomaru said. He seemed to stumble on words.

"Calm down, fuzzy. Remember what we talked yesterday? We said that we would help you get back to your friends; to... Jun."

Just mentioning that name that Husky had heard twice the last day made Yukiomaru tense up and stare directly at him.

"How do you know his name...?" Yukiomaru said, almost angry.

"Relax, Yukiomaru!" Husky said worried. He did his best to keep the little white alien calm by softly caressing him now in his chest. "You mentioned him twice yesterday, don't you remember? Once in the quarantine room, and then... when you were crying last night."

A soft sigh came from Yukiomaru, letting Husky know that he had finally come back to his senses as he remembered everything that happened the last day.

"My apologies, Evocanis..." Yukiomaru said as he slid on the half wall until he sat on the sleeping panel. Yukiomaru let out a yawn and rubbed his eyes in an obvious attempt of appearing calmer.

"You don't need to apologize, my fuzzy white friend. I know how you might be feeling." Husky said as he sat down and got comfortable, now face to face with Yukiomaru. "I... have been in a similar situation." Husky's words suddenly seem to grab on Yukiomaru's attention as the little alien eye's stared with curiosity at the Evocani's blue eyes.

"Then you know I need to find a way to return; and quick." Yukiomaru responded firmly.

"And I told you we are going to help you with that. You don't need to worry."

There was no response from Yukiomaru. He just stared down at the sleeping panel, lost again in his thoughts.

Husky gently reached from Yukiomaru's hand-paws and held them in his own as a sign of affection. This made the little alien stare at Husky's eyes again.

"Are you feeling okay? Last night you were... very emotional." Husky said as he reminded the little alien about the moment were he broke. Yukiomaru looked away almost hinting that he wasn't too happy about having shown his feelings.

"You made me feel very worried, Yukiomaru. I could feel your pain." Husky told him being as sincere as any Evocanis could ever be.

"I'm sorry you had to see that... My burdens are not of your concern." Yukiomaru responded. It could've been interpreted as being rude against Husky's good intentions, although it was not what Yukiomaru meant. "Sorry..."

"It's okay. I know what you mean." Husky caressed Yukiomaru's face as he smiled, in an attempt of reassuring Yukiomaru that he didn't feel offended at all.

"Thank you for... your attention last night." Yukiomaru almost felt obligated to mentioning it. "May I ask why do you feel compelled to show your sympathy towards a foreign alien race?"

"Compelled? I don't feel compelled, Yukiomaru." Husky responded somewhat confused. "And it's not sympathy... I feel complete empathy towards you, Yukiomaru. All my brothers do."

"May I ask why?" Yukiomaru insisted as he tried to understand the Evocani's intentions.

"It's difficult to explain. We've encountered other civilizations that don't seem to share our thoughts. So trust me; this is a question that we ask ourselves from time to time. I don't want to think too much about it and just think that it's because you are a furred creature, Yukiomaru; furred creatures must care after each other. And you look and smell like one of us." Husky replied as he got close to Yukiomaru and gently hugged him.

Yukiomaru tensed up a little bit in Husky friendly embrace, but immediately relaxed, either because he felt that somehow that Evocanis was being completely sincere or simply not to show himself as being rude.

Suddenly, a sharp chime was heard close to the sleeping panel, next to where Hasky and Fx slept.

"I'll get it." Hasky said after she was waken by the alert from the ComPod. The female Evocanis sat up and responded to whoever tried to communicate with them.

"Kalem?" She said as she smiled at the ComPod. A voice could be heard coming from the ComPod, but it was hard to make something out of it from where Husky and Yukiomaru were.

"Yes. He is awake." Hasky said as she stared at Yukiomaru, letting out a friendly smile. "We will be ready in two hours. See you later, my friend."

Putting the ComPod aside, Hasky stretched out of the heavy blankets, cracked her bones a bit and got close to Yukiomaru smiling and wagging her tail.

"Good morning, Yukiomaru. How are you feeling today, sweetheart?" Hasky now greeted the small alien. She suddenly hugged Husky from behind, leaning all her weight on him until Husky fell on his side. Husky stared at Hasky and wagged his tail at her as she now gently rubbed her son's belly.

Yukiomaru seemed to soften his glare a bit and let out an almost imperceptible smile at the pure affectionate behavior that these creatures displayed.

"I'm doing... okay." Yukiomaru responded. "Hasky is your name, right?"

"Yes, you got it. It's not very difficult to remember; but a bit confusing if you compare it to this boy's name and the fact that we are identical." Hasky chuckled as she tickled Husky.

"You... are identical." Yukiomaru said in an attempt to respond to the Evocani's friendliness.

As soon as Hasky stopped tickling Husky, she leaned close to Yukiomaru and gave him a friendly lick in his cheek, as well as a hug. One could almost see the little alien blushing underneath his fur. It was almost as if Yukiomaru found these signs of affection very pleasing, but the reminder of the circumstances on which he was there made the good feelings dissipate almost immediately.

After the gentle hug, Yukiomaru stood up and stretched. He definitely had a hard night, but the sleep did help him reorganize his ideas and now that he was fully awaken, he started showing a much calmer and neutral demeanor.

Waking towards the huge window, he stood firm in front of it with his arms behind his back; his magnificent tail was the only part of his body that moved as it gently and elegantly waved side to side as if it had life of its own. The artificial landscape seemed to have caught his attention, or was it that he was thinking on his next move on how to return home.

"Tell me, Evocanis..." Yukiomaru said seriously as he stared at the mountain side that appeared in front of him. The view was tridimensional so it gave the sensation that that room was in a beautiful paradise surrounded with plants and warmed by the soft sunshine. The plants even moved as if dancing together with a tender breeze. "You were just talking about me, weren't you?" Yukiomaru seemed very serious, not making eye contact and almost appearing emotionless. His seriousness almost reminded Hasky of Captain Silver. It was incredible that the little creature could exude such an air of authority.

"Yes, Yukiomaru." Hasky replied s she joined Yukiomaru. She stood next to him, also staring at the landscape. Husky played with Fx in bed as he has just woken up too.

"I wish that this is taken care of as soon as possible. Know that you're technically keeping me from following my own procedures to send a distress signal. If I am not taking action is because you've shown to be very hospitable creatures; and I find myself very appreciative of that." Yukiomaru remarked seriously.

"And understand that we could've taken different actions too. If we haven't is because we trust you and... we like you. Just letting you inside our ship was the riskiest decision we've taken. Bringing you all the way to a Sector, letting you sleep in one of our rooms and share our privacy is far crossing the line of our security protocol." Hasky replied, almost as if showing that she could be a figure of authority too. "We have explained you our reasons, Yukiomaru. In this situation we do not have many options. Your ship is totaled, denying you the possibility of going your own way. And you have already been told that sending a distress signal from our location is something we are not willing to let happen."

Yukiomaru's eyebrow slightly twitched as if irritated. It could've been for the same reason that he was technically being held in that ship almost against his will, or that he once wore the U.D.A.S Admiral badge; highest rank in the Drach'n Fleet. Yukiomaru wasn't used to be talked back that way.

"Yukiomaru," Hasky continued. She now kneeled in front of the white alien and gently holding him from his shoulders, she turned him to face her. Not being used to being handled that way, Yukiomaru showed resistance once again. But there was something in that Evocanis' blue eyes that made him relax for a second. "We are just trying to find the safest and quickest way to do this for both ends. Again, I ask you to trust us. We will meet with D.E1's Captain in about two hours so we can go ahead with the plan to get you back to your home place. Please, Yukiomaru. We have opened our home to you. I beg for your patience so this can be easy for everyone."

Almost hesitantly, Yukiomaru finally nodded. But a sigh of desperation betrayed his sign of acceptance.

"Fine..." Yukiomaru responded; his tone of voice a bit raspy, making it evident that he was still not comfortable of not having control over his decisions.

"I can give you a guarantee that we will try to expedite the operation to send you back to your home. But we will also make sure that safety goes before hand." With a gently smile, and caressing Yuki's chin with her fingers, Hasky made sure that the little alien's worries were gone.

A few minutes after, the three Evocanis and the Canideran were fully awake and got ready to have a light breakfast.

Yukiomaru sat in one of the breakfast bar's stools. Quiet as he had always shown himself to be, he sat relaxed with his hand-paws between his legs. His white, long and fluffy tail seemed to have wrapped loosely around the stool, making it almost invisible behind all that soft white fur. From the back, it almost seemed as little Yukiomaru floated in mid air as a delicate white cloud.

"You remind me of someone." The voice of Fx made Yukiomaru jump a bit as he came out of his thoughts. Yukiomaru gently raised his stare toward the orange Evocanis.

"Really?" Yukiomaru responded, showing some interest. Maybe a casual conversation could divert his mind from his worries. After all, these aliens had showed him nothing more than affection, and the promise that they would help him.

"He does bare a resemblance to... her. Doesn't he, Hasky?" Fx said. Yukiomaru was a little bit confused, but was interested on what the Evocanis were talking about.

"Fibi..." Hasky replied to Fx. "You are right, Fx. He does remind me of her. His fur, his eyes..."

"Except for the black tips that Fibi had on her ears and her tail." Fx added.

"Who is that you speak of...? If you don't mind me asking." Yukiomaru asked a bit curious.

"Fibi was my... Well, she gave birth to me." Fx replied. The orange Evo's eyes suddenly seem a bit glassy.

"Your mother?" Yukiomaru dared to ask. "I thought Hasky was your mother. Although that might just be my assumption since none of you have confirmed that."

"Hasky IS my mother. It was Fibi's will. And we all respect that." Fx replied. He sounded upset, not towards Yukiomaru, but probably at himself due to some unfortunate events that he had let happen. "I owe Hasky and Husky everything. They have been my family since shortly after I was born."

"I have a feeling that your race has encountered very difficult moments throughout your existence. There is certainly more than meets the eye behind the wonderful life you share with each other here." Yukiomaru said.

"We Evocanis have had a rough past indeed." Hasky now said as she took a few biscuits from an oven. "But as long as we have each other and the memories of our loved ones, nothing will ever be lost." Hasky smiled at Fx, being immediately smiled at by him.

Hasky placed the pan of freshly baked butter biscuits in front of Yukiomaru. Just as last night, she noticed how the little alien's sight was fixed into the yummy treats.

"They are a bit hot, Yukiomaru. Just wait a little bit." Hasky said. She gently petted Yukiomaru's head and headed for the preservation cabinet to take out some fresh milk and other diary derivates.

"I must admit that you excel at preparing food. This smells different, yet as tasty as what you prepared last night." Yukiomaru kindly admitted as he licked his watering muzzle.

Hasky served some milk to Yukiomaru in one of the strange containers. The little furred alien was delighted to have a sip.

"Is that some kind of milk based product?" He asked when Hasky sliced a really soft looking white block of a dairy product.

"Yes. We call it cheese; or at least that's how it was listed as in the ancient archives." Hasky replied to Yukiomaru's doubts. "Want some? It goes great with the butter biscuits. And they are really hot so it's going to melt it."

"There is definitely a lot behind your story, Evocanis." Yukiomaru wondered bout that when Hasky mentioned those ancient archives. He knew that it might be a lot that he could learn from these mysterious creatures, but for now, he just wanted to have breakfast and worry about how he was going to get back home. "And yes; I would like some, please."

Yukiomaru's yellow eyes again shined as he munched through two freshly baked breakfast biscuits. Hasky and Fx joined him, also delighting themselves with the delicious treats.

After a few minutes, a clothed Husky joined them too. He was in the closet room and he returned with outfits for everyone including Yukiomaru. Husky couldn't wait and went straight to the biscuits, eating at least four, accompanied by full cup of warm milk. It sure was an invigorating breakfast that would give them the necessary energy to follow through the busy day that awaited them.

"I humbly thank you again for the food you have provided me, Evocanis." Yukiomaru said in a very formal matter.

"You don't have to thank us, buddy." Husky replied while holding a complete biscuit in his muzzle.

"Oh, but I must. Your entire species live in space and supplies are something to be taken care of. You are feeding one that doesn't belong to you." Yukiomaru remarked.

"You are one of us, Yukiomaru. And we would never deny food to anyone." Fx now replied. It was rare to hear the vulpine-like Evocanis speak, but when he did he usually had something of importance to say.

There was no response from Yukiomaru. Instead he smiled, stood up and took his plate to the kitchen.

"Don't worry about it, Yukiomaru. I will take care of it." Hasky said when he saw Yukiomaru trying to figure out were the dirty dishes went.

"I... just want to help." Yukiomaru responded a bit doubtful. The little Canideran was now showing himself a bit different from earlier that morning. It could've been that he was starting to accept the Evocani's hospitality and good intentions. He knew that there wasn't much that he could do in that situation but wait and trust that the Evocanis would help him get back home.

A few minutes later, the kitchen and breakfast bar were shiny clean and the Evos, plus Yukiomaru were getting ready to depart from H2.

"Do you like that outfit?" Husky asked Yuki, now that the little furred alien had finished putting it on. The outfit was mostly white, but had blue sleeves and a grey patch in its chest. Little red letters read 'H2' in the grey area of the chest.

"I'm still getting used to your clothing, Evocanis. It's... different from what we use in Canidera." Yuki sincerely replied.

"I noticed it bothers you a bit." Husky said when he noticed Yukiomaru moving around trying to make his fur fall back to place.

"No... well... yes. Just a little bit. Maybe I'm not used to it." Yukiomaru once again couldn't help to be honest. "The design of this outfit however does seem..." Yukiomaru said as he watched himself in the mirror inside the closet.

"You like the colors? I though white, blue and grey would look really nice on you; that's why I chose it." Husky smiled while he stood next to Yukiomaru.

"They are not bad. It's that for some reason it seems... familiar. As if I have worn this outfit before..." Yukiomaru said as he narrowed his eyes to examine this PX outfit closer.

"Really? How is that..." Husky said when suddenly Hasky came in.

"Husky, Yukiomaru. We are going to the hangar now. The D.E1 team is waiting for us."

All dressed up and groomed the four of them left the room and headed out. Yukiomaru followed closely as they made their way through the Zone corridor until they made it to the main hall. Rika was there and wished for them to have a nice trip.

They walked to H2's tram station as they had done before. This time, Yukiomaru seemed more alert, picking up details that he hadn't notice the day before.

"So I imagine that you rely on plants to keep an atmosphere in this ship?" Yukiomaru asked, trying to make conversation. He started to feel nervous and a bit apprehensive once again after he wasn't told what they were going to do once they reached the hangar. But he was trying his best not to let the feelings overwhelm him. Proof of how disciplined Yukiomaru could be when it came to stay calm and focused.

"Yes. Mostly." Husky replied. "There is a very complex ventilation system in the entire Canis Major that keeps the air circulating through the ship. We do have air regulators too which balance the contents of our air. In case of emergency we do have oxygen generators. But the ship can pretty much keep its atmosphere oxygenated by the vegetation only."

"We have facilities in outer space with similar technology. My race has been capable of space travel for thousands of years, but knowing that you depend basically on an artificial shell to keep your precious oxygen inside is always... disturbing." Yukiomaru confessed. "There is a sense of relief every time I come back to Canidera."

"When you have lived in space for more than five hundred years, you don't really think on those things." Husky said, mildly chuckling.

"We've learned that Canis Major is so big, that it's difficult for it to completely loose its entire atmosphere." Hasky jumped into the conversation. "This ship has been almost destroyed twice and its oxygen levels were always within the limits of habitability."

"And then there is what happened with Canis Minor..." Fx added.

"Yes. That is proof of how long these ships can withstand after terminal damage." Hasky replied.

The conversation made the walk feel a bit shorter than it actually was. Soon they were entering the tram station, and after going through a couple of corridors and ramps within the station itself, they were in the platform waiting for their tram.

It didn't take long until the tram arrived and the Evos plus the little Canideran got in. Once again a long travel awaited them.

Some minutes passed and the Evos plus Yukiomaru were very silent. The little furred alien once again found it interesting to look outside the window of the tram to analyze the gigantic ship as they passed through several other Sectors.

"Understood, Cobalt. We are almost there. My team will be waiting." Hasky spoke in her ComPod. "Hasky out."

Vigilant as always, Yukiomaru's ear twitched a bit trying to follow what the female Evocanis said. Although he couldn't understand too much about the conversation, he didn't feel anything that might've suggest a threat.

A sweet aroma suddenly started caressing Yukiomaru's nose. It was something in that very tram. He tried to act as cautious and discrete as possible, but that scent was calling him. In a different situation he might've been more cautious, but he knew that so far he could trust the Evocanis and could act somewhat freely if necessary.

He looked around discretely to find the source of the sweet smell until he realized it came from the seat behind them. Husky, Hasky and Fx were talking to themselves, so they didn't really pay much attention at what Yukiomaru was doing.

Stealthily, Yukiomaru kneeled in his seat and took a peek at the other side. He soon noticed where this wonderful aroma came from.

In the seat behind them, a brown Evocanis carried a white box. He had opened the box and took something from inside it. It was this strange looking square that looked like a type of cake, or who knows. It was almost black and it had a glossy texture at the top.

Two little white ears slowly peaked from the other side, to take a closer look. Soon the two golden eyes made themselves visible, staring right at that square shaped black treat. He saw how this Evocanis munched on it happily. It looked so chewy and full of flavor. And it was still warm apparently.

It didn't take long until the brown Evocanis noticed he was being watched by the curious creature. Yukiomaru knew that his presence was no longer concealed, but instead of quickly going back to his seat he rested his chin on the seat's headrest and spoke to the Evocanis.

"What is that, may I ask?" Yukiomaru asked politely.

"Hi, little fellow!" The Evocanis replied cheerfully. "It's a brownie."

"It looks delicious... May I have some please?" Yukiomaru requested politely as he had been of lately.

"Of course, little furred buddy." The Evocanis replied with a huge grin. Instead of sharing a piece of his, he reached for the box and got one. "Here you go, my friend. I hope you enjoy your stay in Canis Major." The friendly Evocanis had given Yukiomaru one huge brownie. It was moist and still warm. Fresh out of the oven which is how they tasted the best.

"You're so kind. Thank you Evocanis." Yukiomaru thanked the gesture bowing slightly while holding the sweet treat with both of his handpaws.

Yukiomaru sat on his seat again and didn't wait a second before he munched into the gooey warm brownie.

"Oh, my! This has got to be the best taste so far!" Yukiomaru said. Despite always keeping his serene tone, his excitement and surprise was noticeable. It didn't take long until he had already gone through half of such spirit raising treat; the glorious taste of canine-safe chocolate in the form of a sweet, soft, moist and still warm brownie. With Yukiomaru, it would be three alien races now that had fallen to the sweetness of such delicacy.

"What do you got there, Yukiomaru?" Husky asked.

"I don't know..." Yukiomaru tried to speak why he still munched through that heavenly chocolate treat. "Your Evocanis friend gave it to me."

"And there are brownies for everyone!" The same brown Evocanis peeked from his seat, giving Hasky, Husky and Fx a brownie too.

It seemed like it would've been a long trip, but the hospitality and friendliness of the Evocanis had once again made the odyssey a little bit easier on Yukiomaru. Before they knew it, they had finally reached their destination. With bellies full, it was time to wipe the crumbs from their muzzles and get back to being serious again.

It was strange, but Yukiomaru was starting to feel more like at home, but then he remembered his loved ones and how worried they must have been for him and he instantly knew how delicate his situation really was.

"Understood, K9. We're here. Meeting you at the hangar in five minutes. Hasky out." Hasky once again spoke through her ComPod.

"Are you taking me to that place again?" Yukiomaru asked. His expression was again very serious.

"We are going somewhere else, Yukiomaru." Hasky responded.

They soon reached the hangar access and walked through the immense open space. At the far end, Yukiomaru could notice that large ship that he remembered seeing docked the last day. But this time it was no longer in the same place and it was apparently active, as he could hear an almost deaf but very powerful roar.

"It's good to see the D.E Cruiser active again." Husky said. "That feeling is something I can't forget." He added, referring to the rumble that the D.E1 Cruiser's engines produce. They couldn't be heard, but could be felt in the pit of their stomach.

"I don't mean to sound abusive, but I would like to know where you are taking me." Yukiomaru now insisted as they got close to a group of Evocanis. Close to them there were two almond shaped fighter ships.

Hasky and her family never stopped walking, until they met with their partners. But there was one of them who was very different. Not only that being was different in appearance, but he wore a black armor, very similar to the blue armor that Yukiomaru had seen the Evos with the last day.

"Everything is going to be okay, Yukiomaru. You need to trust us." Husky reassured Yukiomaru, but the little alien seemed to have regained his defensive position.

Before Yukiomaru could speak, he saw how this strange figure with the black armor approached him. Yukiomaru clenched his fists, and gave his side to the creature as it got closer to him; a posture that he had adopted once before outside Canis Major when the Evos first found him.

"Relax and lower your guard, Yukiomaru Alexander." A menacing deep voice came out of this being as it got closer. This creature's posture and the black armor almost made him look like a threat. What were striking were the penetrating yellow eyes, outlined with black fur that looked directly at Yukiomaru's. "I am General Zonda. Proud Retcan warrior of Lusceonis. Our Captain wishes to speak with you, Canideran."