u/DamascusSeraph_

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Kav [Skalgan Venlil] [18]
Affiliation: Pact of Polaris
- Infiltrator
PACT Date Standard: March 10th 2136
- 11 Days since last log
Location: Starflight City, Nishtal, Krakotl Homeworld

Kav awoke sharply to the hum of his internal clock. Eyes slowly fluttering open as he takes in the roof of the apartment. A colorful artistic depiction of a mid-day sky on Nishtal lay above him. Rolling onto his side he saw the clock sitting on the cabinet next to his bed. His eyes wandered around the room, scanning. He knew there was little chance of there being cameras in here. But the constant vigilance helped keep him from getting too relaxed to let things slip. 

The Time on the clock read in Venlish numbers, though set to the Nishtal’s time cycle. A 27 hour day here. He woke up at exactly 0800 which means he got about 9-10 hours of sleep. A good amount, he was exhausted after the long flight to Nishtal. Ironically, much like how he and his infiltrators pretended to act, he sometimes couldn't believe this was real. His parents were in the other room, likely still asleep. They were there. They took him in, cared about him even after so long. He has a little sister. *He has a little sister.*

It was a lot to take in and five days of talking, catching up with the lives of his parents who were practically strangers to him now. His father was vaguely how he remembered him, stoic, quiet and when he spoke he had a certain gravitas that made you want to listen. But otherwise kind and caring. His mother on the other hand seemed completely different to how he remembered her. He wasn't sure whether that was due to his faulty memory or because she really had changed. She wore jewelry, krakotl jewelry to be specific. Dressed in Krakotl fashion with flowing scarves and tassels, has some wool paints in colors venlil eyes couldn't see to imitate the Krakotl’s feathers. At least that's what she told him about her fashion sense. She was far more outgoing as well, more than he remembered.

Compared to his father’s rather mundane attire which consisted of his wool and a bow tie, she looked positively garish. Though he kept those thoughts to himself. Getting up from his bed he felt the seconds ticking away. The idleness was starting to get to him. Checking the clock again, he saw he had spent 5 minutes simply rehashing his impressions of his parents in his head. He needed to do something. He double checked his door, it was locked. 

The whole concept of the lock being on the door made this seem even stranger to him. This was his room. His alone, not his squad’s room, or his platoon’s barracks. His sole room, a room for him and nothing else aside from what he desires to furnish it with. Even the Secretary General himself did not have a sleeping quarters all to himself. It was a waste of space, and yet it was the norm here in the federation. His room was very obviously hastily decorated. Used as an impromptu storage closet until his very sudden arrival into their lives. There were still some old boxes of files and other junk his family stored here. The bed being the obvious new addition with some generic posters put up to brighten the room. 

The posters didn't have any cameras, he checked. Neither did the plushie his sister gave him. A small plush venlil in a silver exterminator suit, minus the helmet. Little glass-like eyes that he thought might hide a camera, but checking they were simply stitched on. He carried that thing everywhere though. He pretended that the little doll made him feel safe. He just liked it though, it was his first real possession here in the federation. And it was given to him by his sister. He picked up the plush and brought it to his chest. Giving it a soft squeeze. A smile threatened to form on him but he fought the instinct, flicking his ears happily as a method to bleed off his emotions, and as practice to avoid grinning in the future. 

Kav put the plush back on the table next to the clock. Laying down on the ground, he began to do some pushups. Pushing up and down, he felt how weak his arms had become from the month of minor starvation and lack of movement to prepare their bodies to truly look like half starved cattle. He already started feeling exhausted after only a few pushups, and Nishtal’s gravity was far weaker than Pact Standard Skalgan gravity. It would take a while to rebuild his strength to what he used to have. 

Two hours later the sun began to rise on nishtal. The bright blazing ball of plasma slowly rising up from the horizon, a dull yellow star, a pale imitation of Polaris’ yellow supergiant. Kav ended his crunches, a hundred done and he felt exhausted. His arms burning. He got back up, and let himself cool off, standing by the window watching the city begin to awake with the morning rays of starlight. The cripplers– Krakotl civilians start to emerge onto their balconies and take flight. Slowly at first, one or two at a time. Then as the minutes pass on dozens join the growing flocks of multicolored feathers flying to and fro between the tall buildings. 

He heard a knock on his door at that moment.

“Kav.. It's time for first meal!” He heard his father’s voice, slightly muffled by the thin door. 

“C-Coming.. J-Just give me a moment..” He said, getting into character. Slouching, looking around nervously and taking short nervous breaths.

He unlocked the door and nervously peeked out, his father standing there with a look of warmth on his face, as if to say ‘its safe dont worry’ with nothing but a glance. That drove a dagger through his heart. His father cared, cared to make him feel safe, cared to bring him in and feed him after he was barely more than a stranger. He would get used to lying, Jones herself told him that. He just had to survive the first hundred stabs to his conscience, after that it would go numb. It was not a good thing, Jones said as much. But the needs must. And so must he.

“O-Okay uh..” He opened the door some more and took a step out. 

Stopping for a moment, and quickly grabbing the plush exterminator venlil. Pressing it to his chest, he returned to his fathers side. He felt keeping the plush on him would build his character of being scared, using it as a representative of safety. Also, his sister looked happy seeing him with his gift. So he killed two krakotl with one stone with this plan. 

“Cmon son. We still have some Strayu leftovers.” 

Kav nodded silently and followed his father to the private cafeteria in the apartment. A single small table with space for four individuals on each side. His mother and sister were already seated and looking over at him, his mother with a warm but sad expression and his sister with an oblivious happy ‘nothing is wrong’ gleeful expression that raised his mood. Her expression only brightened seeing him carry his little plush along with him. She knew nothing of what he supposedly went through, only that he was taken but is now returned as a big brother. 

“Kavvy! C'mon the strayou will get cold.” Niva said, shifting in her seat full of energy.

“S-Sorry i just.. I forgot I could-” He started but trailed off. 

He just took a seat and looked down at the break– First meal before him. A slice of warm strayou, reheated of course, with some jam spread over it. The rest was more disappointing. Raw vegetables, and a blob of greenish moss. He waited for his father to take a seat.

“Let us thank Solgalick, the Protector and Inatala for the meal we have been given today.” His mother began the prayer. They extended their arms to grab each other's paws around the table, each one holding the paw of the person to their left and right. 

“May they give us their blessings for the day, and bless us with great bountiful lives.” His father continued the prayer

“And may they destroy the evil predators so big brother kav wont need to be scared anymore!” Niva said looking over at him with an ‘i got you’ look. It took everything in him not to laugh at that. 

They all turned to look at him for a moment as Kav remembered he had to finish the prayer to gods he didn't believe in. 

“Uh- a-and may they… guide us through life and watch over us.” He recited, copying what his father said the day before when it was his turn to finish the prayer. 

They all bowed their heads, Kav mimicked them. Then they all let go of each other's paws and began to grab their utensils to eat. He grabbed his own utensils in his fist, no technique, no finesse. Merely stabbing the food with it like a brute. They were still ‘teaching him’ how to use them properly, and so he fumbled around with them awkwardly as he slowly stabbed a far too large portion of vegetables and tried to bite them off the fork.

Niva giggled watching him, he blushed– bloomed, feeling like a fool but seeing the happy expression on her face soothed the wound to his pride like a balm. He giggled back, the tension at the table going away slightly as Niva started to use her fork like him. It was adorable to watch.

“Niva use your fork properly please.” Mother said in a gentle tone.

“But Kavvy can't, so I need to be a good sister and make him feel at home!” Niva said, puffing out her chest like she's being a hero.

“It's fine Niva.. I'll learn to use it by watching you. Y-you know how to do it properly right?” Kav brought up, while he would like to see her antics a bit longer, it was a little distracting. 

“Yep! Mom and dad taught me how to do it properly when I was five! Watch closely, Kavvy!” She instantly turned her fork around and grabbed it properly.

Kav pretended to mimic her motions, watching closely as he grabbed it as close as he could to her but messing up on purpose. The whole display made the whole table brighten up, his parents watching the ‘cute’ display of him trying to learn from his little sister how to hold utensils properly. Is this what he had missed in his childhood? Small moments like this? 

Dinner went by after that with a far more positive atmosphere, the vegetables were palatable if strange tasting, and the moss was apparently a ‘krakotl’ specialty on their homeworld. It tasted weird but it wasn't bad, he could stomach it, though it certainly could use some salt, pepper, paprika or maybe a hint of olive oil and a hot pan. The best part of b-First meal was the Strayou with jam on it. Unfortunately Strayou was a Venlil specific dish and was unlikely to be found on Nishtal. Maybe he could try making his own version. Something to think of later. 

With First meal finished, everybody gathered their things to go to their duties. Niva gathered a satchel and her tablet to go to school, Father gathered up his larger satchel to go to work and mother was preparing to go grocery shopping, since they had gone for a week to pick him up and had to throw away a lot of their old rations. Lucky for her she had a day or two more off from her job to help him settle down. He on the other hand didn't have anywhere to go, or anything to do aside from his online class to ‘learn’ how to read and write. 

“H-Hey Mom…” The word felt foreign in his mouth even after five days. Half the time he almost said ‘drill sergeant’ or ‘sir’. Memories of Drill Sergeant Kelly’s stern yet warm guidance came to him when he did so. 

“C-can i come with you… to.. Get.. food?” He chose his words carefully. The word ‘ration’ might sound weird to them, or it might not. But he wouldn't risk it.

“Oh um.. A-are you sure Kav? Do you…” She paused for a moment. He knew she was trying to word this in a way that wouldn't insult him or make him feel bad.

“I-i dont want to stay.. Alone right now… B-Besides I-I should see how… normal life.. Works…” Kav looked down at his paws, the plush exterminator pressed to his chest. The statement was completely true, though the context was different than what his parents assumed.

His ‘normal’ life was daily exercise, drills, weapon practice, and intelligence gathering training. Theirs was school or work, getting food at a store, dealing with ‘money’ and the economy. He already had a crash course on how to navigate the complex world of capitalist economies, don't get credit if you can help it, save money etc. But he would need an excuse to ‘learn’ how to do it before he can put his practice into effect without drawing suspicion.

“W-well.. Of course you can come then. Just… If things get too much for you, let me know ok?” She pulled him into a hug, he was taller than she was by now, funnily enough he was almost taller than his father as well. 

“Y-yes ill let you know if… I need a break… O-or.. you know…”

“And stick close to me. Don't wander off or talk to strangers without me there.”

“Yes mom..” He felt like a cadet talking to his drill sergeant again. 

She broke the hug and looked him over. He definitely looked better than when he first stepped off that cattle ship, his wool was actually groomed and washed now. But he still had his short Pact standard cut, even if it grew out a tiny bit. As well as multiple visible cuts, bruises and the biggest noticeable wound is the burn scar around his neck. The wool was certainly not long enough to hide that and it was quite obvious, and would draw a lot of attention. 

“Hold on a moment Kav…” His mother walked into her room leaving him there. His father walked past with his Niva in tow. 

“Well, I'm off to work and to drop off your sister at school. Do call me if you need anything. You remember how to use the phone correct?”

Kav nodded. “Y-yeah just tap the green icon on the screen and select the one that says ‘dad’ on it..”

“Good, if you need anything don't be afraid to call.” He gave Kav a gentle pat on the back and left out the front door with his sister. 

A minute or two later his mother came back out of her room with a bundle of cloth. 

“Here, I had this back when we visited the shadeside on venlil prime all those years ago for your birthday… I cant believe It's still in such good shape after so long. But it should help cover your neck so people don't stare at your.. Neck.” 

She gently wove the blue scarf around his neck, once then twice and laying the long flowing scarf down his left side. The color was eerily close to Pact blue that he froze for a second, thinking this was some hint that she knew. But he quickly dismissed that idea, if she knew she wouldn't be giving a subtle hint that she knew. This was just a massive coincidence. 

He had a hard time remembering that day, he remembered something about a piece of clothing being too big for him and that he would ‘grow into it’ but he wasn't sure. The scarf was faded a little in certain spots, though in mostly good condition aside from some frayed edges. 

“I-I… Thanks.. It would make it easier to.. Not stand out too much…” he nodded, after all his neck burns would draw attention and likely be a strong indicator to everyone that he was one of very few cattle survivors. The news, thankfully, had censored them when they were reported on. So few would know him as a survivor.

“Now let's go. Stay close to me, and if we get separated or you get lost just call me on your phone or look for the nearest exterminator. They wear silver suits like the toy Niva gave you, just ask them to help you ok?”

He nodded. Before flicking his ear signaling yes “Y-yeah I understand.”

They left their apartment and went down the elevator to the ground floor. The streets outside were mostly barren aside from the various personal transports, boxy logistics vehicles, and a few other non-krakotl pedestrians. Most of the city's inhabitants, who were krakotl, traveled by flying above the streets in the ‘air ways’. Leaving the dirty ground for us who lacked aerial mobility. 

The walk to the grocery store was short, during which Kav looked around in the daylight. Saying that the city was colorful would be an understatement. Entire buildings were strewn with paint in a thousand different shades, forming murals that didn't seem to make sense, nor clearly show what was depicted. That was until he was reminded by his mother that krakotl could see far more colors than every other federation species. So the murals couldn't be fully comprehended by them. Balconies lined almost every side of the buildings and were draped with various flowers and plants. Apparently a pale imitation of the Kolshian homeworld which was known as ‘the garden’ to which the Krakotl were so culturally interlinked with. 

The vehicles were richly painted as well. Waste disposal vehicles were colored with flowers and treetops, passenger cars had dozens of colors in stripes that he could see. It was all an overlord of spectacle that made him aghast at the waste of resources it took to do all this. A simple two maybe three color paintjob would have sufficed to make things look presentable. Pact interiors were hardly dull bland grey, there were spots of color here and there, but this made the word garish feel inadequate in describing the sheer vibrancy of colors on display.

“Here we are, just up here.” He heard his mother say taking him out of his sightseeing. 

There was a store built into one of the large tall skyscrapers. It had a massive balcony a few floors up to which all the fliers seemed to land and take off from, above the balcony were the words “Quickwinds Groceries” in krakotl script. Though there didn't seem to be an entrance on the ground.

“How do we.. get.. In..” He asked softly. Looking over the front of the building and failing to spot a doorway.

“Oh the ground entrance is this way.” She said, leading him into an alley where a rather dingy, flickering sign saying “Quickwinds Groceries GROUND ENTRANCE” sat above a rather disheveled looking door. 

“Weird… Place for an entrance..” 

“Well this city was mainly built for krakotl and just added these to accommodate us! Aren't they generous?” His mother said with a cheery tone.

One look at the doors and flickering sign made the word ‘afterthought’ come up in his mind but he kept silent and walked inside. Past the doors was an elevator which was blocked off by hazard stripe tape with ‘out of order’ written on it. The tape looked very old and most of it was peeling off the walls. Next to the elevator was some dull concrete stairwell going up.

Without saying anything his mother led him up the stairs, they passed by Nevok who carried a few bags going down the stairs. The stairway was completely barren besides access doors. Finally they got to the third floor where the ‘main’ floor was. Entering through the door it was like entering a separate world. Color was everywhere once again, bright neon colors, small carts being pushed about by shoppers through isles that were jam packed with products. With feathered shoppers clogging every isle in sight. It was… quite the sight. His mother must have seen the look he was making as she flicked her ear amused.

“Come Kav lets get a cart and we can gather our groceries.” She led him forward towards the balcony entrance where Krakotl came and went in a never ending chaotic tide. No schedule, no timetable for when they would appear to get their rations, just a constant flow of them coming in and out like a never ending open faucet. 

They grabbed a small ‘cart’ which was just a basket on wheels to put their chosen rations into while they explore the store. His mother led him through the first isles of fresh produce. More of that moss which seemed to be extremely popular as there was a long line of krakotl going to get their fill. They waited in said line until it was time to get some. The moss being given out by a worker.

“Oh hello Miss Savala! Come back for some more of Nishtal’s finest holy moss?”

Savala… Was that his mothers name? It sounded familiar enough to be true. 

“Of course Malak! Can't have a shopping trip without picking some up. Give us one pound of the fine moss please.”

“Sounds good, Savala. Oh and who's him? A friend of yours?” Kav felt the krakotl’s eyes look him up and down. “He looks… like he's fallen down a few too many flights of stairs.”

Kav resisted the urge to express his displeasure visually and merely looked down at the ground.

“Oh he’s my son Kav. He has… Been away for a while and just moved in with us.”

“Oh well welcome to Nishtal Kav. Hope you can find your place here. If there's one for you.” 

Kav couldn’t think too much about the strange, veiled insult directed at him before his mother led him out of the line now with a large sealed box of moss in their basket. 

“T-they were… Strange..” He muttered to his mother… Savala… 

“Yes, they're always so friendly and welcoming! I remember when I first met them they wished me luck finding where I belong.” 

Maybe Kav was over thinking this, perhaps there was some cultural nuance he didn’t get yet. Better to wait for more information than to jump to conclusions from one interaction. He focused back on the shopping. They stopped by a few isles, gathering some fresh vegetables, a few fruits. Even stopping by the “Federation wide Stock” isle full of options from around the federation. The Venlil section was… Puny but it did have a single bag of ‘Strayu grains’ which made Strayu. He wondered if he could learn to make his own Strayu. 

While he had served a few times in the cafeteria and learned basic food preparation recipes in the survival courses, making bread, or Strayu shouldn't be too difficult to learn how to do. Plus it would be something to do in the time he has alone in the apartment until he feels comfortable asking his father to get him a job at the shipyard. 

“Can we… Grab this…” He spoke up for the first time in a while he noticed. “I wanna… Try making strayou…” 

“Oh uhm.. A-are you sure? Making strayou is extremely difficult. Plus you need a special Strayou forge to make one.” 

Strayou forge? That was new. Perhaps he had underestimated how difficult making foreign bread was simply because he had thought it was similar to pact bread rations. But they had an oven at home, surely that would work… but if not then it would be a waste. Best leave it for later.

“I.. Maybe later then… I should… Look up how to actually make strayou first…” He put the grains down, though with it being the only bag he hoped nobody would buy it before he figured out if he could..

His mother looked at him then at the grains. “Oh, put it in the bag. It'll be fun to see if we can make Strayou at home. If not, I'm sure we can turn it into something else anyways.” 

He smiled, stopped mid turning of his lips, and flicked his ear appreciatively. Grabbing the sizable bag and putting it into the basket. 

“T-thank you.. Mom.” he said genuinely. The warmth inside him making him want to grin ear to ear. 

“Oh it's nothing dear. If it makes you happy, a few credits for some grains is well worth it.” She hugged his side and he felt.. Happy. 

The feelings pushed him through the rest of the trip through the store. Stacking their basket full of strange foods and snacks. Some that had Pact ration equivalents, Baked goods that resembled cookies, cakes and pastries. Dried fruits like raisins. Dips for vegetables like hummus, and a few sauces that he thought might resemble ranch or ketchup but couldn’t tell if they tasted remotely the same. Most of it though was raw or preserved variants of base foods. He still found it extremely odd that everybody had to make their own food unless they went to a ‘restaurant’ which acted like a bar but for food and sometimes as well as alcohol. He thought it was very inefficient compared to a large well maintained cafeteria. 

As they walked around gathering supplies, he noticed he got many stares and side-eyes from the locals. It was to be expected he did look rather thin, underfed, and rough looking. Even with a week of eating well he was still on the skinny side. But still something about those looks made him pause. Each one didn't look… concerned. Perhaps he's just misreading them again, not like the Pact had much to teach them on the minute differences in expressions of every species. 

But he had a feeling they were looking at him judgmentally. It probably didn't help that he was still carrying his plush Exterminator venlil. Considering it was a gift from his little sister it probably seemed childish. Like cadets wearing their training armor and weapons and pretending to breach enemy bases in the Bio-domes. Finally with the wheeled basket full his mother led him to the cashiers. The line was long but it seemed to go by fairly quickly. He felt the need to talk to pass the time.

“So… Many options…” He whispered, in truth there were more options in one isle than the entire cafeteria aboard an arkship. And that was before they started cutting back on the more extravagant options lately due to rationing concerns. 

“Yes this is quite normal, there's all sorts of things to eat now. Don't you worry about having the same old meal every day.” She pulled him close and nuzzled his side. 

“That.. Would be nice..” He said lying. He wished he could have some standard Pact rations about now. The Unique taste of raw foods can only be interesting so often, and he was already craving some Spaghetti with meat sauce. Or a baked potato with cream and other dairy products that he will never find an equivalent here in a federation world. 

“So how are your lessons going?” 

“Good good. I think. Hard to tell how.. Behind I am..” 

“Dont you worry about that, your doing fine. I'm sure you will learn it all soon. You're a smart boy.. Man now. But if you think you need it, we can hire you a tutor.”

“I think I'll be fine for now… Im starting to remember some stuff…”

They got to the front of the line and paid for their supplies. Being put into thin plastic bags which he split carrying with his mother. Carrying three stuffed bags in one arm and his plush in the other against his chest. The walk down the stairs was easier than up even with the plastic bags. Though he still found something off about how out of the way the staircase was. As well as how undecorated and uncleaned it was. Unlike anywhere else in the store, dust and dirt were caking the floor here. Each step getting his paws dirty. Another thing he missed, his combat boots. Reliable pieces of faux leather and rubber that kept his paws safe from dangerous terrain. He worried at any moment there might be a piece of glass or sharp nail that would skewer his paw. 

“Hey.. Mom.. Do you think I could… get a job with dad?” 

“Oh?” She turned to look at him, interest in her eyes. “I.. Don't know you would need to ask him if there's anything available for your… Skill level. But I'm curious as to why there specifically?” 

“I want to help… Against the Dominion… Even if it's small, even if it's just… sweeping floors of the shipyard offices… It's something that may help end them for good…” He slowly made his voice quieter to add to the illusion. 

He was getting better at lying to them. He wasn't sure whether he liked that or not. 

“Oh dear.. How noble.” She sighed. “I understand, I know the feeling, somewhat. When you were… Taken, I wanted to sign up for the Space corps or the federation fleet. My thoughts were only to try saving you, that maybe if i worked hard enough or trained hard enough i could save you. Luckily the recruiter reminded me of venlil being quite cowardly and weak and told me to rethink this. He was right. I couldn't stand up to an Arxur. We moved here about a year after your father finished his engineering degree and got top scores. The shipyard paid for us to move and that's why we moved here.”

Kav nodded. Though those comments from the recruiter made him internally groan. “Ah.. well.. A federation uniform might look… rather bland compared to your current outfit…” 

“Hah true true. I may have gone native a bit, but the krakotl’s fashion sense is too good in my opinion.” she twirled around letting the jewelry jingle about and reflect the light in an array of colors. 

“Its.. certainly interesting..” He couldn't understand the appeal of it. 

All those necklaces and jewels would get caught in machinery or random things which made it a bit of a workplace hazard. The reflectiveness made them unsuitable for camouflage and would give her away. It's almost like she wants to stand out- oooh. The sudden realization of wanting to be the center of attention made sense now. Her battlefield wasn't in the navy or on some simulated frontier planet with a lasrifle in their paws. It was socially, much like him. However unlike him where he had to blend in, his mother wished to stand out and be noticed. 

Something reflective caught his attention and he turned his head to look, spotting two silver suited Krakotl flying over them and landing in front of them in the relatively barren sidewalk. His mother continued walking towards them having certainly noticed by the flick of her eyes in their direction. Kav tried to keep calm, they weren't here for him, probably just a patrol or their wings got tired flying. He pretended to look happier, after all, exterminators were there to protect them from predators. And he was a rescue, he should be happy to see them. He clutched the little plush exterminator he carried in his free paw to his chest. 

“Hello you two, fine day isn't it?” One of the exterminators said in an overly friendly tone while waving with their wings. 

“Oh yes it's a lovely day! The sun just makes the murals all over really pop!” His mother responded equally cheery and far more honestly. 

“That's good. Say are you ok sir? You're not looking the best? We got reports of a suspicious individual who looks like they got out of a fight recently.” The second exterminator said looking over at Kav. 

“I-Im fine.. Just.. New to.. Nishtal..” He looked at them with false awe. “Y-your exterminators… Right?” He looked up at them and took in their equipment.

Silver suit, over it a harness with equipment on it, radio, gas tanks for a sidearm, plasma pistol by the looks of it. One of them has a large flamethrower on their back held on by a sling. The other has some sort of stun gun. Both have batons at their hips opposite their holsters, from the looks they may be electrified. 

“Yes we are.” 

“Oh thank… Solgalick” He tried hard to remember the name of the religious entity venlil worshipped. “I feel safer with you around already… Just… So overwhelming being here with so many… people.”

They seemed taken aback slightly by his positive attitude. He wondered if they were used to being praised or if it was simply him doing it that made them balk. 

“Oh well, I'm glad we can do that for you. We just wanted to ask you some questions. Like where your scars came from? Are you ok?” 

“Y-yes im fine now… I…” He wondered if he should tell them he's a rescue. It would immediately defuse the situation, but it would also make himself known to them. There wont exactly be many Venlil cattle rescues, especially on nishtal.

“He’s.. one of the cattle rescues sirs…” His mom says taking the choice from him. Ah well, best roll with the punches.

He lowers his scarf slightly to show them the burn marks around his neck. It had the reaction he wanted, immediate taking of a breath, sympathetic looks, disgust, likely at the treatment he had to face, and understanding now.

“Ahh I see that.. Explains everything. Sorry we had to bother you, you've likely been through enough already.”

“N-No it's fine.. It feels good to see you here, keeping us safe from… them..” He clutched his plush exterminator tighter, and looked down. 

“It's our job dont worry, we are the shield of the federation for a reason. And hey is that Tarlis from the Jr. exterminators show?” 

“Y-yeah i think so.. M-my sister gave it to me.. Said it'll watch over me and keep me safe… It feels better to have it around…” 

“Would you like me to sign it? Might make you sleep better at night to have it signed by a real exterminator!”

The amount of arrogance he felt coming from that bird was enough to make him want to punch him in the face for daring to suggest he defile the first and so far only gift he has received from his little sister. He managed to contain himself from doing such a thing. Even if he felt it was well warranted.

“N-No thanks i-itll just ruin t-the color when we wash it… T-Thank you though i-i appreciate it.” He tried his best to make himself seem sincere. 

“Well that sounds reasonable. Shame though I feel it would be better with it. But we’ll let you be on your way. Take care and Enjoy Nishtal. No safer place in the federation than here.”

They parted ways with the exterminators, walking past as they conversed amongst themselves. Kav putting his scarf back hiding his burn scar. His ear angled back to hear if they mentioned anything about him but sadly they seemed to take off into the sky without another word, or at least none he could hear. 

The rest of the walk had two notable events aside from the exterminators. A little ways away two krakotl have an argument mid air about who had the flight of way in a certain direction. Kav really wanted to stay and watch to see if they fought, but his mother kept him moving so as to not get themselves involved. Sadly they turned a corner so he lost sight of a potential fight. 

The second was a small group of people looking around suspiciously before walking into an alley. What made them unique were they were half krakotl and half various other species. Three Krakotl, one Gojid, one Venlil and a Zerulian. They entered the alley but unfortunately kav and his mother walked past before he could see where they were going. He wondered if they were up to something, the way they walked looked stressed like they were trying to act normal and failing. Like how he and his infiltrators looked when they first started training. He was curious but there was nothing he could do about it now. 

They entered their apartment with their supplies in hand, and Kav spent the next few minutes helping his mother put away the supplies. Learning where to put them and why, how certain parts of the ‘Pantry’ are for certain things. 

It felt… Oddly relaxing. He didn't have to lie to her, no more than to keep up his stuttering shy act. He just… existed… Talked with his mother… Listening to her explain things about her job, or the world he was now a part of. There was no judgment from her, no expectations about a job. It was like he was five again. Vague memories of sitting on her lap to watch the Jr. Exterminators or talk to her about school came up. He missed this. He missed this so much.

“Dear are you ok? Are you crying?” His mother said, concern in her voice as she walked up to him with a napkin.

“I-Im fine..” He wiped his tears. “Just… S-So happy.. To be here with  you.. Again…” More tears left his eyes as he leaned forward and brought his mother into an embrace.

His tears streamed out now as he pressed his face into her neck fluff. His mothers arms gently wrapped around his chest and patted him on the back as he sobbed.

“There there… It'll be alright… Let it all out dear… Let it all out…” His mother said in a warm soothing voice, the kind he overheard her say to his sister at night after a nightmare. One he remembered from his long lost childhood. 

He was an adult now. Had he been told he would have bawled like a cadet getting their first sprained leg he would have scoffed at the idea. Right now though, he didn't care about how he looked, Didn't care about lying. He just wanted this moment to last. To forget the mission, to forget the Dominion and its crimes, to forget the inevitable war, to forget the Federations genetic alteration of his kind. To, for one single day. Do nothing. 

“Mom… Can we watch the Exterminators together… Like we used to?” He choked out between lessening sobs. 

“Of course kav.. Of course we can… How about we break open those dried lala fruits and snack on them while we watch ok?”

“Id like that…” He finally let go of her. 

They sat down on the couch in front of the Home TV. A bowl of dried fruit on the table before them. The most recent variation of ‘The Exterminators’ show on so he can start to catch up with the newest ‘timeline’. He ignored the awful writing, the complete moronic tactics they implemented in their attempts to find their quarry. The propaganda oozing out every facet of the show. He ignored it all.

He sat next to his mother leaning against her. They said nothing. They had no need to. For the first time in years. Kav felt like he had as a child. No worries of the future, no responsibilities and the weight of his task upon his shoulders, no training and the feeling of sore muscles after hours of exercise, nothing. Just him, his mother and something to take his mind off everything. 

It was bliss.

Authors Note: Thank you all so much for reading, the prologue is almost done. Just a few more chapters to go before the real meat and potatoes. Please do leave a comment and lemme know what you think. Also i have a section in the creator library of the NoP discord for Pact of Polaris should anyone wish to ask questions or just talk about the setting. Enjoy the chapter!

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Kav [Skalgan Venlil] [18]
Affiliation: Pact of Polaris
- Infiltrator
PACT Date Standard: February 29th 2136
- 8 Days since Last log
Location: Deep Space between Venlil and Gojid territory

Kav sighs as he munches on tasteless cattle food. The simple flavorless grains fill his paws as he stuffs them in his mouth, soaking them in his saliva to get them soft enough to chew. These grains being just a little stale made them far crunchier than normal. Though he doubts real Dominion cattle would be getting food that's any fresher. If you could call this food. 

In that respect he counts himself lucky that he never had to know the life of a Dominion cattle thanks to the Pact. But didn't make knowing and seeing the footage of Dominion cattle farms any less distressing. Though horrifying as it was to watch how real cattle were treated, and hearing the testimonies from the few that arxur defectors took with them was haunting. It made his resolve for assisting the pact all the stronger. 

Finally feeling the oats in his mouth soften enough, he chews carefully on them then swallows. Looking around the small cattle pen where a portion of his fellow comrades sat around. Some are conversing about stuff. Others try to find something to entertain themselves during the wait for any federation ship to ‘rescue’ them. Across the short hallway sized holding pen Kav watched as Varal and Melik played a five hundredth round of rock paper scissors, the loser had to get punched. They said it was to help their bruises look more real and fresh but he was sure they were just THAT bored. 

“So Kav. Ready to be returned to federation society?” Savari muttered next to him. Her collar chained her to the wall to his left making her the closest one to him, as Oris to his right was busy sleeping. 

“By that you mean ready to see if our parents are still alive? And if they'll take us in?” Kav looked over to Savari who looked deep in thought at that. 

“Yeah… You heard what the rumors are about those… PD facilities. I'm just worried that anything might set them off and they’ll throw us into one of them.” 

“They are our parents they wouldnt-”

“Its been thirteen years, Kav… Did we really know how our families acted when we were so young? They could be anyone by now. They could be dead, taken in another Dominion raid or by other means. They might even not want to bother with us if they think we're too broken. They might have had other kids…” That last point Savari made did make Kav think for a moment.

“Well.. Only one way to find out. And either way we still have jobs to do. Just need to take into account some of us might not have support networks or easy in’s as others and compensate.” 

“Heh, easy for you to say. Aren't your parents some big manager in a shipyard?” 

“That's what Intel said.”

“You know where they live?”

“Uhh Nishtal I think. Krakotl homeworld.” 

“Dayumn. Good place to get some juicy intel. Don't they make up the largest part of the Feddies fleet? Plus their shipyard is one of the largest next to the Kolshians right?”

“Mmmhm that's right. Hopefully my parents will take me in. It'll be a lot harder to get information on Federation manufacturing and potential blueprints otherwise. Especially in such an important location as Nishtal. Plus… I do miss my parents… At least the version I half remember from when we were five…” Kav shook his head. “No use dwelling on the ifs though. We’ll find out-”

The clank of the ship lurching as metal latches onto metal. The entire hold of infiltrators pause their distractions or wake up those who are asleep.

“Seems there here. Well, hopefully the federation. Otherwise we might need to activate the emergency response force. Either way, let's get pathetic.”

Everyone nodded and got into positions. Dropping food pellets onto the floor, ruffing themselves or others up just to get that extra bit of unkempt look to them before everyone cowered on the floor. The ‘lucky’ few next to the crate of food cowered behind it peeking over the edge. He himself clung together with Savari and another, his collar tugging on his leash as he was an inch from choking himself on it to stay together with his ‘herd’. 

The waiting was the worst part. They heard the sound of metal screeching as its cut open down the hallway. The sound of softer foot/pawsteps which was a good sign, they weren't nearly as heavy as Arxur steps which heavily implied this was the federation. A noticeable difference kav noticed was they did not seem to have the same thumping sound as Pact standard issue boots. Kav flexed his paws, missing the secure feeling of boots already. The dimly lit corridor was lit up by flashlights. Savari clutched him tighter as the lights soon got closer and shined upon them. Kav looked away both to avoid the bright lights burning his retinas and to sell the ‘terrified cattle’ act. 

“By the Protector-” The translator device in his head told him that this was the Gojid tongue being spoken. “-Hold on there- were here to save you!” The figure turns away. “Captain- We got some cattle here! Venlil! Send in a doctor! And some cutting tools!”

More figures appear in the corridor past the bars of their cells. Talking soothing words attempting to keep them calm and make them feel safe, but kav and his comrades all flinch away from them. Some brought plasma cutters and sliced through the lock on the cell door. Opening it and slowly stepping in. Almost everyone flinched back from them except a few who looked starstruck and began crying. They couldn't all act the same after all. One closest to the front grabbed onto one of the soldiers and began to sob. Incoherently babbling ‘thankyouthankyou’ repeatedly. 

Getting them onto the ship they all came on was a hassle for them all. Kav and the infiltrators had to make it a little difficult to coax them out but after they got their acting done with the last of them relented. Finally ‘believing’ that they were saved. Walking out through the Cattle ship halls, looking around terrified as if at any moment an Arxur would pop out and punish them for ‘escaping’. Honestly he thought they deserved an award for the act they put on there. If he didn't have to become an infiltrator maybe he could've starred in thrones of skalga’s next season. That thought made him annoyed; he'll never see how that show will end. Maybe he could get a data-dump in a few years of the episodes he missed. 

Their rescuers really bought their act hook line and sinker. He felt a little bad manipulating them in this way. Were it not for the fact that the federation crippled him and his family generations ago, he might have felt worse. They were brought onto the federation ships through one of the docking ports. Upon entering the ship, he could immediately tell the difference between Pact ships and Federation ships. The insides were far too big, there was ample room to walk four persons abreast in the hallways with room to spare. 

Whereas in pact ships space was a luxury and at most two people can walk past each other and almost barely scrape each other by. Things were different in the Arkships of course since those were meant to be livable and housed millions. But this was supposedly a warship and there was wasted space everywhere. Murals with medals for awards for ‘crew readiness’ and victories in battles. An entire room with couches, lounge chairs, and tables just taking up a massive section of space! A ‘wall of heroes’ where pictures of presumably former crewmembers were hung. Kav assumed they died in battle. The last one was at least a familiar thing from the pact, though almost all ‘Martyr walls’ on pact ships were empty, all waiting for the day the real war starts. 

The last room they were herded into was the medbay, and it was massive. There were individual beds for each patient with curtains that made each patient have a small room worth of space. Pact medbays were half the size and could hold twice the number of beds. All with the option to open up emergency beds in the walls for extreme amounts of casualties. Though from the size of it Kav could assume manpower requirements on Federation ships tripled Pact ships. Already he was filling these estimates and information away for the inevitable first report he’ll make.

Kav sat on the bed fiddling with his thumbs waiting for a few minutes before a doctor approached him. It was a Gojid who wore a white coat that was open and wore nothing underneath. The casual nudity of the federation was a weird thing he knew he was gonna have to get used to. They practiced of course, tried to get them desensitised to it, but it was different in person with strangers and foreign aliens instead of practicing with familiar pact members. 

The doctor attempted to talk to him, asking him some basic questions about himself. Kav refused to respond. He would stay non verbal for the time being. Flinching away at any movement he thought was just a little too fast. Which he lessened over the day till he didn't really flinch too much since everyone else seemed to be going far deeper into their ‘trauma’ cover then him. By the end of the ‘day’ when the doctors let them rest they let the lights stay on as the infiltrators went to sleep. He could hear a few tossing and turning in their beds, faking restlessness. He just went to sleep. The bed was comfy enough and he didn't plan on having a hard time sleeping like others. 

The next day they were left to wake up on their own. Likely being watched on the cameras at all times so he stayed in his ‘room’ of curtains. ‘Too afraid’ to try to leave. He even went up to the curtains and stood there for a few minutes frozen, walking back to the bed, walking to the curtains as if to leave and then walking back curling up on the bed. Finally breakfast- or first meal came. He found out when the medics and doctors gathered them up into a makeshift cafeteria they made in the medbay. 

A simple table with some rolling chairs to use. Handing them each a plate of some food. ‘Food’ in quotation marks since while it was a step up from the cattle feed they had to live off for the last few days.  The food they gave them was raw vegetables and dried fruits. The fruits were the best part, raisins and dried apples were a common snack in combat rations and even more so in cafeteria rations. But these were of unknown fruits and had unique flavors he had never tasted before. They all had tears of ‘joy’ streaming down their cheeks as they slowly ate their food. 

Savari even sobbed each time she took a bite of fruit. He thought she was laying it on a bit thick there but one glance at the doctors and guards in the room made him immediately see that they were convinced. Their faces are a canvas of pity and empathy for them. The vegetables on the other hand were raw, unseasoned and pretty bland. Even a good steaming or boiling them in a broth would make them better but they still pretended to make them look like they tasted of ambrosia.

After their meal they were brought in one by one to have some tests taken. Blood samples. DNA tests to find out who they were and find their families, vaccines, tests for diseases they may have caught. Everything. Nobody tried to ask them where they were held or any details on the cattle farms they were in. Which he found strange. Shouldn't the federation be itching to find out any information about cattle farms. Defences, how many troops they might have seen, where the planet or station might be located. Etc. But no they never asked. But he prepared to continue this routine for until they reached whatever federation planet they got to. Beginning to mentally prepare for whatever meeting with his parents he will have. 

Sovlin [Gojid] [55]
Affiliation: Federation
- Captain of the Gojid Fleet
PACT Date Standard: March 3rd 2136
Location: Approaching the Gojid Cradle

Sovlin paced around the room. His pawsteps made soft tapping sounds as his claws clicked on the floor with each step. The situation he found himself in was unprecedented. It was supposed to be a normal training exercise in deep space. Taking some of the new recruits in the Gojid defence fleet along with half the newly expanded Venlil Defence fleet out into deep space. Practicing controlled Ftl transits with no risk of accidentally jumping into a gravity well, some gunnery practice on dummy targets, and the usual drills. That was it. Just him, a few hundred ships half full of recruits, half full of experienced federation crews to train said recruits and the stars.

Most of the recruits were just too starstruck that he was training them personally. His fame as a captain had made it a little awkward when he tried to be down to earth and converse with them. They acted like the protector itself tried to have some tea with them. But he persisted, and he made sure they got their training done with. At least the first \[week\]. That's when they found the distress signal.

 It wasn't a federation signal that was for sure. It was Arxur, and notably it was specifically said to be a cattle ship. The fresh officers and crews were scrambling to try and jump back towards the cradle fearing this was the beginning of a raid. But he held them firm. Taking command and ordering the fleet to jump towards the distress beacon. It was a long tense few hours as they warped towards the signal, some of his crew were sure this would be a trail by fire with some ambushing Grey’s. 

But instead, they find a lone half destroyed cattle ship. The crew compartments blown to smithereens and debris across multiple hundred [Kilometers] of space. He ordered the ship be boarded in case there were any surviving prey aboard and lo and behold he was right. There were. 

A whole score of terrified cattle were brought on board his flagship, strangely all were venlil. But considering the space he was near it's not that surprising. Though the last raid was a few \[weeks\] ago so he was suspicious as to why this ship was here so far from any of the grey’s territory. But he put those suspicions in the back of his mind when he saw the state of the poor venlil who boarded. They looked awful. 

Two of them were covered in bruises that showed wherever their patchy wool coat was cut, and the rest were barely any better. They flinched at any movement his men made and barely even let the doctors touch them. He watched through the security cameras and there was no hiding how terrified they were of everything. Some of them made it clear they barely believed they were actually being rescued. He felt his heart bleed for the poor creatures. 

Rescued cattle were rare enough to find. Most that were rescued were just recently taken and found on the ships that were disabled before they could make it back to Arxur space. The few others who spent longer time as cattle were the ones who managed to survive on a warship’s shattered hull and were rescued in the aftermath of a battle.

“Captain Sovlin, a word if you would.” Zarn, his Takkan chief doctor, spoke up behind him. 

Sovlin turned towards him. “Of course, let's head to my office.” 

Sovlin leads the larger Takkan into his office, taking a seat while he poured a small glass of Gojid wine. Offering Zarn a cup before he poured. He refused so sovlin only made one for himself.

“Is it about the Rescues?”

Zarn nodded. “Indeed it is. I did a DNA test to see if they have some family we could contact that might be able to help them and well… Turns out there was a remarkable similarity between all of them.”

Sovlin was intrigued. Were these all born in cattle farms? Perhaps they had similar parents. It would explain their mental state.

 “Explain.”

“Well.. They all come from venlil prime. And specifically, were captured at the same time. Do you remember that raid back in \[March 19th 2123\]? These rescues are all from that raid.” 

That was a shock to Sovlin for multiple reasons. That raid was over 13 cycles ago, not only did they survive this long without being eaten, and they were all kept together, though there are far less of them here than there were captured. Though there was one much larger thing that came to him about the date. One he remembered immediately due to his good working relationship with a certain Governor. 

“Are any of them… Named Stynek?” 

Zarn shook his head no. “I was thinking the same thing when I noticed the pattern of when they were reported as captured. But Governor Tarva’s daughter isn't one of them unfortunately.” His ears lowered in empathy.

“They might know if she's still alive at least… Maybe I should talk with one of them…” 

“I wouldn't recommend it. They're in a delicate state right now. They barely seem lucid at times and some of them seem to think this is a dream and that they'll wake back up any second now.” 

“Still.. Do any of them seem.. More put together than the others?” 

“Well.. one does. He isn't cowering or mumbling about dreams or flinching whenever me or the other doctors try to do anything around them. I believe his name is Kav but he keeps referring to himself as ‘5234234’ which was the number stamped on his collar.” 

“Hm… Well I'll see if he can answer anything. Stand by the door.. Uh curtain entrance to his section in case you notice me making things worse just pull me out.”

“Sure thing Captain. Just.. be careful with them.”

“You don't need to tell me…One last thing before we go, have the families been notified?” 

“Yes I sent the information back to the Gojid Cradle. They alerted the families that they could reach. By the time we get there most of them should be waiting for us to land.”

“Hopefully they can help them recover faster.” Sovlin said with Zarn nodding in agreement.

Sovlin downed his drink and got up. Following Doctor Zarn towards the medical section of the ship. It was rather cramped considering the curtains were all drawn to give the rescues some privacy. Though whether that was a good idea or made them feel isolated was something Zarn had to have considered when doing this so Sovlin assumed it was fine. Zarn silently led him through the center as the subtle sounds of quivering, shivering, whimpers and one rescue mumbling ‘don't fall for it again… its not real…’. 

All of that already made him regret coming here to try and interrogate one of them for his own curiosity even if it was to help a friend. Still he was already committed and Zarn was here to make sure he didn't make things worse. The doctor stood next to one of the ‘rooms’ and motioned him in. Pulling up the camera of the room on his tablet to watch without needing to peep through the curtains. Sovlin walked in and saw a brown wooled venlil sitting on the bed staring at their paw flexing them repeatedly. They didn't seem to notice sovlin entering for a moment despite being in their peripheral vision. Sovlin noticed they stared straight at their paws, eyes forward. He cleared his throat. Kav then turned to face him straight with eyes forward, reminding him of an Arxur’s forward facing eyes. 

‘Strange’ Sovlin thought as the venlil known as Kav looked at him dead on. It gave him a predatory vibe that creeped him out. ‘Must be something he picked up from the Arxur’ he thought as he shook the creepiness from his mind. That idea made sense in his head. 

“Ka- uh.. Do you remember your name?”

“5234234 Is my.... my.. Number-my.. name.. You have to remember your name… But...” He looked down again deep in thought. “Kav.. that was.. I remember someone.. Named that…” 

“Im not calling you by your cattle number. Your not cattle anymore. Your name was- Is it is Kav.” Sovlin said trying to push the poor venlil away from identifying themselves as cattle. 

“Kav… No that.. Was someone else… Not me.. I was a good cattle they- they didnt take me cuz i was good… They promised if I stayed good I wouldn't-" He shivered and held himself tightly taking in deep breaths and closing their eyes. “Sorry.. Sorry.. Dont-Dont hurt me i-i didnt mean to-”

“No its fine. Your alright look theres no Arxur here. Your safe. Im captain Sovlin-”

Kav’s ears perked up immediately upon hearing that. “Y-Y-You your you are the, THE sovlin?!” Their eyes went wide as they went back to staring straight at them with a mix of emotions he could only read as wonder, shock and disbelief.

“Uh- Yes I am The captain sovlin-” He was interrupted again. 

“I-I-I heard them t-talking about you- T-they hated you s-so much. S-said you ruined so many plans of theirs b-because you were to good for being s-such a weak prey” 

Sovlin simultaneously felt honored that he caused the Arxur so much trouble that they talked about him openly and simultaneously terrified that he painted such a big target on his back. It hadn't occurred to him that they might even care to know of him specifically. He didn't think the monsters could differentiate any Prey individually at all. Were it not for the fact that they already destroyed his family, he would have been worried about them being targeted. 

“I-I uh.. Interesting i didnt know. Uh.. Would you mind answering a few questions for me?”

“Y-yes i-i-ill try my best Captain Solv- sov-Sovlin” Kav nods and eagerly looks towards him. Avoiding eye contact and looking down at his paws. Strange. He didn't seem to avoid eye contact initially, but now he is. 

“You don't have to answer if you don't want to. If it's uncomfortable just tell me and we can skip it… So uh- first question is…” Sovlin decided to go for a lighter question before asking about Stynek. “Do you know how old you are?”

“Old.. N-no not.. Really.. We stopped counting…” 

“Well uh you should be 18 by now.”

Kav looked at their fingers slowly counting up one by one until they counted eighteen. ‘Right’ he thought ‘he was taken at age 5.. Probably barely remembers math and numbers..’ 

“Well.. Next question uh.. Do you remember anyone named Stynek?” 

For a brief moment he saw a hint of recognition in Kav’s eyes, his breathing stopped for the briefest moment before continuing… That was… odd. Sovlin wasn't an expert on venlil expressions, but he spent enough time around them nowadays to get a good read on them. He had a hunch they knew something.

“No.. I don't remember…” he stopped for a moment. “Was.. she one of.. The ones from.. Home?” Kav looked up slowly, tears in his eyes.

“Y-yes that's.. Why I was asking… we.. Didn't find her with you all…” he was starting to imagine that he wasn't going to like the answer Kav gave.

“I.. There were alot of us.. But they took some early.. Some later… I forgot most of them…. I.. I think I remember one.. Her number was.. Uh.. no.. No i.. I thought.. I thought I remembered… I-I couldn't have forgotten..” He started cry at which point Sovlin heard Doctor Zarn whisper to ‘leave it’ 

“H-hey it's alright.. It's alright..” Sovlin went closer and put a hand on his shoulder. Kav didn't flinch and instead hugged him hard, burying his face into Sovlin’s chest startling sovlin by the sudden movement. 

“I-I-I forgot them.. I-frogotiforogoroifighotipromisedii-” The mumbling got too incoherent and too muffled for sovlin to tell what he was saying. Sovlin felt something wet trickle on one of his spines immediately realising the poor venlil stabbed himself on one of his spines in their rush to hug him. He wrapped his arms around Kav. His analysis of his strange behavior is forgotten for now. 

“Shhhh its- its alright kav.. It's alright.. It's not your fault… It's alright..”

Zarn walked in immediately and pulled out some bandages from a medkit in the room. Gently pulling Kav’s hand off his spine and wrapping it. The venlil didn't even seem to notice as sovlin held him… He felt awful for him. He wished he had an Arxur scout fleet to destroy just so he could bring the smallest amount of justice to these rescues… The things they had to endure… He dared not think about it. 

“You should rest.. I don't think I should ask you any more questions.” Sovlin said slowly and carefully trying to peel the venil from their forceful hug.

“S-Sorry Sorry!” They yanked their paws back from the hug. 

“Its fine Kav. You have been through a lot. Just let one of the nice doctors know if you need anything alright?”

Kav nodded as Zarn disinfected and bandaged their paw. Sovlin turned away and walked out. The strange behaviors still bothering him in the back of his mind. 

Kav [Skalgan Venlil] [18]
Affiliation: Pact of Polaris
- Infiltrator
PACT Date Standard: March 5th 2136
Location: Orbit over Gojid Cradle

After his conversation with Captain Sovlin Kav had never felt more like a terrible person for abusing Sovlin’s emotions like that. He didn't dwell on that too much though as the needs must. The Pact will need insiders to get anything out of the Federation that isn't already on the public networks. Which is most of the useful stuff. Still he didn't mean to accidentally stab himself on his spines, but it did help sell the ‘completely lost in grief’ thing. He did wonder if there were any tells or mistakes he made in his acting. Unfortunately he can't just ask his instructors like he could in training. This was the real deal.

Kav felt the hum of FTL end so that indicated to him and everyone else that they finally reached a federation world. Probably the Gojid cradle since they were picked up by Sovlin of all people. What are the odds? Either way he pretended to not notice any change. Fiddling with his blanket as he sits on his bed. Everyone else quieted down their act already. 

Pretending to finally realise that this is real. Good thing too. He was starting to get annoyed by some of their antics. Couldn't have worked better though at least from what he saw of the medics and doctors who handled them like they were made of fractured glass. Speaking of which, he heard some of them enter the medbay and start getting people on their feet. He perked his ears up as they got closer, and eventually a Gojid soldier moved the curtain ‘door’ to look inside.

“Hey uh we've arrived at the cradle. Come well get you back on federation soil. And you might find your old family waiting for you.” 

Kav's eyes widened, he didn't have to fake that expression. “M-My family?” He did play up the shock though. He was expecting this. “Uh-a-a-are y-y-you sure?” 

“Yeah.. well i cant say if they are there yet some might have had longer to travel. So come on let's get planetside.”

Kav needed no more encouragement finding that enough to get his character to get up and out of the medbay. Joining his comrades in deception as they were herded slowly out towards a dropship. Thankfully they were clean, having been ‘convinced’ to wash up the night before by the doctors. Some had to be ‘helped’ but he wasn't one of them. There were limits to the humiliations he was going to put himself through for the act. Everyone looked remarkably better now that they were clean, though still looked like they were thrown about in a ship with loose tools and no gravity.

“D-Do you th-think w-we… might f-finally see..” Savari shuffled next to him, hugging herself as she shook. 

“I-I-I dont know… D-Do I even have a-a family.. T-They the-s-sovlin said i-i had a name that's not my number… m-maybe they think that person had a family..” 

“I-I hope so…” 

The conversation died there as they walked into a hangar bay. Remarkably spacious and roomy compared to Pact hangars. They boarded a waiting shuttle. Some of them had to be coaxed in, too afraid to enter another ship. He thought for a second they were once again putting too much effort into that. But then he remembered how bad cattle were treated and so this was probably underselling it if anything. Another minute of gentle coaxing later and the last of them were put onto the shuttle, strapping into the seats. 

The shuttle proceeded to take off, the passenger area was deathly quiet as the rescues all got time to think on what they would find on the ground, and prepared their characters accordingly. The flight wasn't long, only a few minutes before he felt the rumble of turbulence from a planet with an atmosphere. It did startle him at first, he had never actually been on a livable planet in thirteen years. He then realised that everyone in the Pact aside from his fellow rescues have probably never had the chance to stand on a habitable world. 

The anticipation was killing him almost as much as the anxiety was. The turbulence died down and the ride henceforth was smooth as butter. Finally, as if announcing they were in the home stretch, there was a small bump of landing. He wished this ship had some windows or fake-screen windows to external cameras but either they turned them off or didn't have them. He and the others waited for a few moments and the transport’s doors didn't open up yet. 

They all individually started to stand up, unbuckling their seatbelts and lining up at the door ‘like cattle’ would. Kav notices immediately the change in gravity compared to what he's used to. It was similar to the gravity aboard Sovlin’s ship, It was definitely less than the 110% Earth gravity or 100% Skalga gravity that all Arkships and Warships in the pact use. Still they got used to it quickly since they already spent a week adjusting to it on the cattle ship and federation ship, the soldiers who accompanied them took front as the shuttles door finally slid down, the soldiers walking in front of us and beckoning us forth. 

The light was blinding, the moment the doors opened it was like a flashbang had gone off and just continued existing, the only sound being the gentle wooshing of natural wind. Kav raised his paw to shield his eyes as he took a step back in genuine shock. His eyes must have really not gotten used to darker ship interiors, it has been more than a month since he last was in a nature dome on an Ark ship. He nervously took a step forward.

The ramp area was outside, in some landing pad out back of a big building with a red paw on it. Medical symbol for the federation apparently. Looking around the first thing he noticed was the size of everything, the sky was endless, there was no glass dome in armored sections high above nor walls containing the section. The horizon stretched on and on and on and it almost made him sick to see. He had felt a lot of vertigo for a moment before remembering the tricks they taught him to help with that. 

Looking down at the ground he took deep breaths and stabilized his footing, clenching his muscles and unclenching them to focus himself on the now, this helped him stay upright though with the sound of one or two thuds behind him. Followed swiftly by vomiting a few of his co-infiltrators failed to solve their vertigo in time. Looking back up at the sky he slowly tried to acclimate himself to the sight of endless space that wasn't outer space.

He spotted  a few flying drones in the distance which appeared to be watching them. The media? He couldnt tell from this distance. But other than that, the only people around were there a large group of venlil on the outside of the landing pad. A small crowd in reality, many venlil of various colors and heights all staring at them as his comrades and himself started to get their bearings. Huddling together like good scared cattle as they kept up the charade, even as they searched for familiar faces in the crowd. 

“BERIK!” A shrill voice shouts, a woman rushing towards them, making them all flinch and back away, except one.

“M-M-Mom?” Berik mumbled as his eyes started to gloss over with tears, stepping forward slowly only to get wrapped in a hug by his mother. The two started to cry loudly as they embraced each other.

That seemingly caused the ice to break as others started to shuffle forth towards the herd of rescues. Slowly peeling one away off to reunite with family members. The herd growing thinner and thinner, Savari even found her father and moved off with him. There were a pawful of them left who had not been approached. They dared not try to approach anyone themselves, Kav’s hopes for seeing his parents was slowly dying until he saw someone staring at him from the back of the crowd, in fact two people, no three. He barely recognized two of them, the fur and eyes gave them away but everything else was different. His mom was fluffier and wearing more jewelry than he ever knew her to try wearing, and his father wore glasses and a fancy krakotl style sash. The smaller one he didn't know. He looked around again, breaking eye contact before looking back at them. They moved closer in the time he broke eye contact.

“K-kav… Is.. Is that you?” His father spoke. A voice older and more gravely than he remembered but it was there. Similar enough to bring back memories of hiding from raid in a bunker pressed against his chest. The strong voice helping him stay calm. 

“K-kav…? N-no no kav is s-someone else.. Im.. im 5234234..” This was the hardest part. Lying to his own parents. Practice definitely helped him keep his composure but the sting in his chest was impossible to prepare or train for. Their ears lowered in sadness as he said that, pretending to not even remember his own name. A genuine tear flowed down his cheek.

“Kav dont say that y-your ok now!” His mother practically shouted, pulling him into a hug with his father. Kav's eyes couldn't hold back the tears that streamed from his traitorous eyes any longer. 

“I-I-Im.. K-Kav..” He said, throwing away his initial plan to be a bit slower, to draw out his trauma. That would just hurt more. Plans change anyways. He told himself at least. 

“Y-yes you are! You're Kav! You’re my son!” His father said, pulling him close. It occurred to him at this point he had forgotten his name… had he ever known his fathers name? Or his mothers… Or.. who was the little girl next to them.

He looked to the side and down at the girl standing there looking up at him with pity and curiosity. She couldn't be more than ten years old. Maybe eleven if they were a bit short. “W-W-whos.. Her?” 

“Oh Kav.. Say hi to Niva y-your little sister.” 

It hadn't occurred to him he might have siblings… of course he knew that his parents would eventually move on, in fact he had hoped they did rather than wallow in misery at his supposed death. But actually seeing it confirmed was… he didn't know how to think. Training could only do so much for the real moment and he was scrambling to find a good reaction for this.

“I… S-S-sister…?” more tears came blurring his vision. He couldn't fake these. 

“Y-Your my big brother?.. A-are you ok?” Oh she didn't know. That somehow made lying to her hardest of all. 

“I-.i… I-I am now..” He mumbled and hugged her. Crying as she hugged him back.

“It's going to be ok big bother… Your home now!” She said so cheerily it made him believe it despite the fact he was never in danger to begin with. He hoped he would live and die with them never knowing of his deceit. The reveal might just kill him. 

“C-come on son.. Let's go. W-we rented out a nice hotel nearby we can stay in till you feel good enough to fly home.” 

“Home.. A-at sk- venlil prime?” He was so overwhelmed with emotions he nearly messed up. But it seemed nobody caught on. 

“N-no we moved… Away for your fathers job. He..”

“I work in the shipyards on Nishtal, the Krakotl homeworld.” 

“T-theres.. Is it safer?..” He mumbled putting in a bit more effort to the character even though his own feelings are bleeding into it from all this.

“Yes, it's very safe. Don't worry, you have nothing to worry about anymore. Let's go. I-i made some Sunberry strayou, l-l-like you used to love.” 

He had almost forgotten his old favorite food, he hadn't even tasted strayou ever since he got captured. Bread was similar to strayou, but the taste was lost to him after so long, he hoped he liked it again. 

“I-i… dont even.. Remember what it tastes like..” 

“Dont worry brother youll love it! We bought fresh fruit from Venlil prime too! It's delicious! Not that i tasted it yet!”

“Niva! We told you to wait!”

“I-I-Its fine.. I-I n-now know it tastes good” He smiled at his parents, who seemed to look uncomfortable at the expression. He immediately stopped and remembered smiling wasn't a thing for those in the federation. His ears lowered again but they pulled him back into a hug. After a few more silent moments, they started to lead him towards the nearby parking lot. 

They walked past a few others who were looking around expectantly, perhaps a few extra family members, one looked like he was someone important, wearing some official’s sash that he couldn't read from this angle. He spoke on his tablet with someone, kav could just overhear the conversation. 

“-ortunately not it seems… I don't see anyone else other than the ones they said they found… Tell the Governor im sorry but no shes-” they walked just out of earshot of the conversation; he knew immediately who they were talking about. Stynek. He felt bad for her mother, likely some fleeting hope was in her only to be crushed again by her not being here. He wished he could tell them something, a message to take to Stynek’s mother. But the mission came first. 

Coming up in front of them were a bunch of cars, with other families already starting to head towards them with their rescued children. He saw a few who looked around and made eye contact with him. He flicked his ear at them and they did so as well. They would all keep in touch. He got into the vehicle in the back seat as the hard part was over. His tears were still coming, the feelings of meeting his parents for the first time in 13 years and finding out he has a little sister were not forgotten. But his training helped him keep it together. He hoped everyone else had it easier. Now came the harder part. 

Keeping up the lie for the rest of his life. 

[ First ] [ Previous ] [Next] 

 She tries to look down the corridor to find an open sleeping bag but sees they're all taken. Some even doubled up having two cadets in one bag snuggling together. Most were with their own species but a few were mixed with a human and Skalgan pressed together in their sleep. At least for the ones she could see. She sighed, not wanting to walk around the corner to find an open sleeping bag which was over fifty metres away.

“Hey Stynek. You can take my bag.” A skalgan cadet whispered to her. A familiar face but his name eluded her as her mind was slowly shutting down in desperate need for sleep. He sat up from his bag and offered it to her.

“You sure? I can.. Walk to another one.” She lied barely able to stand now that the crash is coming down on her hard. It was obvious the cadet didn't believe her immense talent at lying while looking dead on her feet.

“You look like you're about to collapse. Just get in.” 

Stynek didn't have the energy to fight it. And nearly collapsed into the sleeping bag. Grabbing onto the cadet as he caught her falling over, mumbling a thanks before falling asleep. Eyes closing before her head even hit the pillow that felt like it was breathing. 

The morning came too fast. Stynek awoke to the feeling of warmth and coziness. Her head laying on a soft pillow as she hugs something in the sleeping bag with her that's emanating warmth. She wanted to stay there for a bit longer, leaning against the softness, hearing a faint rhythmic beating like a dull drum. Must be the ship or something. Her attempts at falling back asleep were interrupted by a portion of cadets walking into the hallway shaking awake their designated replacements to swap posts. She heard her name spoken in a faint whisper before a faint shaking of her shoulder. Stynek blinks awake, yawning. 

“Psst your up on command in a few Kassavar. Try not to wake Stynek while you're at it, she's got the day off and needs it.” She wondered why they were asking her to not wake herself up and referred to her as Kassavar when she felt her pillow shift and respond.

“Morning.” Said the warm thing her arms are wrapped around. Her mind taking a few moments of waking up before she acknowledges that she's holding somethin- someone.

“Huh- Oh uh-” She lets go and sees the cadet who lent her the sleeping bag. Now with a night of rest she could recall his name. Kassavar. One of her Fleet Commanders. “-Uh morning.”

“Yeah sorry, You held onto me when you fell asleep. Didn't wanna wake you so i-” He yawns for a few seconds. “-I didn't wanna move so I just fell asleep as well.”

“Fair enough… sorry about.. that..” She whispered softly. Feeling her cheeks and ears blush orange. 

“No worries.. It felt nice anyways. Always welcome to share a bedroll with me” He sat up and stretched. “Let's get to work then.” 

The two get up to get a shower. A small group of likeminded Cadets walking to the bathroom just outside the Naval academy. Showers initially meant for those coming from mandatory morning exercises in the forest dome which was a few metres away. She and many of the waking cadets slip into the single room unisex showers and undress. The group takes a quick shower with Cadets, both human and skalgan helping wash each other's backs or rub shampoo into wool. Stynek helped Kassavar with his while he helped with hers. After washing up they all went and got a clean spare uniform while putting her old one to get cleaned by the runners for that day. 

Stynek used her free day off to go relax and take a relaxing stroll in one of the biodomes. Then spending her built up stockpile of lux rations to have a veritable feast for herself full of pastries and fresh fruits. Finally her day ended returning to her cadet barracks bunk which was where she got to see most of her old platoonmates, and managed to play some video games together and talk about their respective training regimes. Glim got to work as a secretary for a high ranking diplomat named Noah in the Diplomatic Corps.

This was the start of her training as a future diplomat to the individual members of the federation. Glim having a Federation translator implant certainly helped her get noticed, since every other Pact member would have to rely on a bulky translator device the size of a Las-rifle. Nowhere near as ‘elegant’ as the Federation Implant stuffed inside Stynek and her Venlil platoonmate’s skulls early in childhood. 

David and Ilek were both training in the Panzer divisions and were making quite a good crew, with Ilek working towards a certification in engineering. That way he can train for an engineering degree after his basic training is complete and he works a civilian job on the side. Finally the day ended with Stynek crawling back into her bed for a full night’s rest. Checking the group chat to ensure there wasn't any emergency while she was out and tried to fall asleep. Finding it cold despite the blanket.  

The days pass by slowly as every day brings new challenges. A new engagement here, an Opfor offensive to counteract. Continued pressure on enemy manufacturing and worlds to spread out their defences. Intel breaching their civilian and military systems. All the while fighting the enemy breaches into their own communications networks. And after each long tiring day, Stynek goes back to the same sleeping bag where Kassavar resides and lays down with him. The feeling of another cuddled up against her was helping her sleep better. She never felt cold in his embrace. 

PACT Date Standard: December 3rd 2135
[One month Later]

“Keep up the pressure, we've got them on the back foot!” Stynek orders out, the cadets all round looking more ragged than they started this simulation. 

Most of them all looked unkempt as almost all of them chose to enjoy their Hours of ‘shore leave’ instead of going to a barber to get their hair or wool trimmed. As a result, the human women had longer hair draping down their shoulders. The men had raggedy stubble growing into beards ill-fitting for their young faces. While the Venlil all had barely groomed wool that puffed out their uniforms making them look slightly ridiculous. But none of them cared about that.

Victory was near they could feel it. Opfor had made a large offensive against a buildup of their fleets. Looking to outnumber their building invasion fleet 15-1 to wipe them out and gain some breathing room. Thinking that our forces had our fleets more spread out than they were due to some recent raids. But INTEL had a breakthrough and revealed just enough enemy information to put the position of their fleets together. 

All raiding fleets were to double the amount of raids they could do to keep up the illusion of operations as usual but immediately warp to the system hosting the growing invasion fleet to ambush them, all timed to arrive at the same hour. The Opfor fleet arrived and commenced battle, however within the day the rest of the scattered fleets arrived. Encircling and comprehensively eliminating the massive Opfor Armada. Turning what would have been a massive setback for their side to a Unanimous victory. Breaking the back of Opfor’s naval power. 

“I want the invasion fleet to set out immediately. Raiding fleets get repaired, bring in the arkships nearby. I want all ships to be repaired within the week. This is our moment everyone! Let us burn bright!”

“Bright as Polaris!” The room cheers as orders are sent. Cadets frantically going about their duties. 

Half the planets in former Opfor territory were under control of Bluefor Forces. The entire simulation took 2 months longer than any other graduation simulation previously done. And the cadets were definitely feeling the effects of eating combat rations, sleeping in a hallway, and having to think of strategies on the fly for months at a time. The mandatory day-long ‘shore leave’ being the only thing keeping the cadets from breaking from the stress entirely. Some were dangerously close to wearing themselves out but luckily the shore leaves were flexible enough they could accommodate for that. Stynek’s tablet pinged indicating it was her mandatory break. In the excitement of the recent victory she had forgotten she needed it. 

“Marris, You're in command of the war room. I'm taking a break.” Stynek said, getting up from her command table. Marris gives an acknowledgement in the form of a thumbs up as she walks out of the room. 

Stynek walked down the hallway, half filled with sleeping cadets, a few who woke up due to the commotion of the recent naval victory, and most going back to bed. Stynek decided to take a shower. Having been a few days without and her wool, like all the other skalgans, was seriously unkempt. Same with all the other Skalgans. Though, it did make hugging Kassavar better since his wool was nice and soft better than the pillows issued to them. Apparently he used some luxury rations slips to get a special shampoo that made his extra soft. Something she was going to look into later for herself. 

Stynek's attention was drawn to a maintenance closet that had some weird padding duct taped onto the outside with some barely audible muffled noises coming from it. A female human cadet leaning against the wall beside it with earbuds in and looking at her tablet. Stynek goes to open the door to inspect the noise but the cadet puts her arm over the door and shakes her head no.

“What's the noise?” She whispers to avoid waking the sleeping cadets. All of whom seem to have avoided putting sleeping bags near this door. Giving the room a wide two meter long berth

“Uh-.. Some cadets use this closet for uh.. Off the clock stress relief.” She says sheepishly. Making one hand to form a ring with her fingers and the other poking a finger through the ring repeatedly. 

“Uh- Stress- Oh.” Stynek took a second to get the implications and let go of the door handle. “I uh, see.”

“If you need time in it we got a chart for who gets to use it. Anonymous of course just have a callsign and well ping your tablet.” 

“I-Ill keep it in.. Mind.. uh..” She walks off flustered. She didn't even know if she would have anyone to ‘use’ the closet.. Aside from…

Admiral Zhao [Human] [46]
Affiliation: Pact of Polaris
- Admiral of Pact Navy, Grand Instructor of the Pact Naval Academies
PACT Date Standard: December 3rd 2135
Location: Pact Arkship PSS Sword of Damocles, Polaris System 

Zhao watched Stynek and one of the male skalgan cadets enter the maintenance closet. Quickly turning the camera back showing the hallway back to the war room. Giving a small message to oversight to delete any video security footage from that closet. Giving a brief explanation as to why. Then he sent a request for contraceptives to the medical wing. Just in case the cadets didn't think to requisition some beforehand. Finishing up with that, he turned away and re-entered the Opfor simulation room. 

Where Part of the ‘Opfor’ commanders operate from. Compared to the Cadet’s war room this was far more organized. Professional Captains and actual admirals organizing everything with fully trained logosticians keeping logistics running like clockwork. All the best of their navy were here in this room hand picked by the admirals in charge. And yet they were losing. 

“Well, It seems you were right.” A voice to his right speaks up. Looking over he sees the form of General-Secretary Elias walk up to him. Zhao gave the Skalgan a curt salute. 

“General Secretary. I didn't know you were paying attention to this simulation.” Zhao said but quickly remembered that quite literally everyone in the navy was watching. It had become the talk of the navy and he couldn't go anywhere from the mess hall to the showers without Captains, fleet commanders and even some admirals trying to personally request some of the cadets to be transferred to their ships when they get promoted.

“Admiral, Everybody in Naval Command in the pact is watching how this simulation goes. From crew to admirals they are all watching. Might I say, we are all impressed by their performance.” He spoke looking over the holomap dominating the center of the room. Another planet flips colors from contested to seized by Blufor. Another Blufor fleet arrives in another system with perfect timing to continue this streak of victories.

“Yes. They had my full confidence in their capabilities to achieve victory. We only needed to give them a challenge worthy of their skill.” He smiled, Pride filling his chest. 

His cadets really did it. The impossible odds only made them try harder to prove the impossible to be possible, and their vigilance and determination has put them on the path to victory after the last naval battle. Even the admirals and data crunchers are predicting an inevitable Bluefor victory after the loss of a large portion of the Opfor fleet that cannot be replaced in time. The Captains who lost that day are still in shock at being bested.

“You work miracles Admiral Zhao. I was unsure why Jones specifically requested you to be reassigned to the naval academy, but it seems she knew something we all didn't. And thank the North Star for that. This might be one of the greatest cadet classes we've had yet.” 

“You flatter me, General Secretary. I only did my duty.” 

“No, doing your duty is training them. You did far more. You taught them. It takes someone who cares to get cadets to this level of excellence. Surprising even our best captains and admirals facing them. Some of them are wanting these cadets assigned to their fleets as soon as they are promoted. Especially Cadet Stynek.” Zhao smiled at that. 

Stynek has turned from a curiosity of being a post-federation venlil going into the naval academy to single handedly organizing the entire cadet class across multiple Arkships into a cohesive fighting force against impossible odds. It would surprise Zhao if she earned anything less than a captain rank. 

“Indeed. I seemed to find great enjoyment helping the cadets learn to improve themselves. There's only so much one can do by telling someone how to do something or by having them repeat tactics memorized in a lecture. If you make them think it was their idea. They learn far better. As for Cadet Stynek. She has a good sense of strategy in her.” 

“A good sense, Zhao, if you say any more understatements we might be so far under the ship we break through the keel of the Sword of Damocles. I doubt any of these cadets will be anything less than a Naval Lieutenant. Most probably going to Lieutenant commander. Many skipping straight to captain rank. Luckily we've got a new fleet of ships finishing in the docks that need new captains.” Elias nodded, looking over the battle map as another battle commenced. 

“Indeed Sir. I do believe they earned that much. They will make fine officers.” 

“Do you plan on ending the simulation early? They've practically already won.”

“No. Let them finish it and bask in their victory. It will also help teach the admirals and captains that they perhaps should not have underestimated the cadets when I had them challenge them to begin with.” Zhao smirked, remembering how some of them thought it was beneath them to challenge cadets in a simulation war. Doubly so with the stacked odds. Most thought it would be a fast victory. How wrong turned out to be. 

Elias Nodded. “Ill have them scheduled a week off standard duties to celebrate their victory. Especially with how long their simulation ran, even with their mimicry of shore leave they are almost certainly run ragged by this.” 

“That would be wise. They've more than earned some time to celebrate and recuperate.”

“Indeed. Well, I'll be off. Duties never end even for me. Do try not to cry when giving your daughter her rank pins.” Elias said with a smirk as he gently elbowed Zhao in the side. 

“A joke from the General Secretary himself. My my, I truly have fallen far from grace.” Zhao smirked as well. 

“Indeed. With such ‘terrible’ results like this I might need to keep you here training Cadets as a punishment.” 

“I wouldn't mind that.” Zhao smiled. 

He truly wouldn't mind teaching more young minds. He already had a few promising candidates who might transfer into the naval academy. With many more already in the naval academy that had the right attitude to be as good as Stynek if they applied themselves. Though his thoughts drifted to Stynek. He wished she was his daughter. Though that thought drive a spike into his heart, knowing why shes here and how much she has imprinted on him. It made him feel even worse about his part in stealing her from her real father. 

Stynek [Skalgan-Venlil] [18]
Affiliation: Pact of Polaris
- Promoted Cadet
PACT Date Standard: February 20th 2136
Location: Pact Arkship PSS Sword of Damocles, Polaris System 

The day they won the Simulation was the second best day of Stynek’s life. The silence in the war room that permeated throughout the final invasion of the last world of Opfor held. And then, finally, an impossibility that seemed like it would never happen. Should never have happened, yet did. The words appeared on the holoscreen of every cadet war room in the polaris system.

 “Total Blufor Victory!”

 The cheers were deafening, her own voice drowned in the sea of a hundred others as the victory drinks from the last sim’s celebration party were brought out and popped open. Tablets haphazardly dumped onto one desk to make room for three hundred shot glasses and a massive toast to their victory. On the screen hundreds of other cadets doing the same on every arkship in the system. It felt good. So good. The feeling of a well earned victory. It was better than any food she ever tasted. 

However, that was the second best day in Stynek’s life. The first was today. Happening right now. Stynek and her fellow cadets after a week of rest, relaxation, celebration, and self care. Now arrayed in the naval academy’s auditorium. With hundreds of their colleagues in separate auditoriums across the Arkships. 

All standing in parade formation. Fresh uniforms, Hair and wool cuts to regulation standards, Days of rest to get their sleep schedules in order, and multiple showers. All of them stood in rows and columns. One column of Skalgans, One of Humans. She stood in the very front of her Skalgan column. No doubt in anyone’s mind that she was anything but one of them. She wasn't any different than them. Whatever the federation did to her people couldn't wipe away who she truly was. 

The Secretary General himself walked on stage. A tall skalgan of dark grey wool with white splotches. His kind Blue eyes swept over them all, a smile clear on his muzzle. He took to the podium and cleared his voice.

“Today we celebrate the graduation of another year of cadets. Normally this event goes on without any fanfare, without notice by the greater Pact. However this graduating class has proven their skill without a doubt. Surpassing impossible odds designed to force them to fail, Yet in the face of the impossible they did not break. They did bend. They did not surrender in acceptance of the impossibility of their task. They saw the impossible and proclaimed it possible.

These cadets of their own volition and initiative organized a war room one might see in the High command of the navy. Spent months sleeping in sleeping bags in the hallway of the naval academies across the polaris system, forgoing luxury rations and the soft comforts of a bunk bed due to the need for urgency and necessity. Sleeping in the hallways so they are mere moments away from responding when seconds mattered. These cadets showed they are the cream of the crop. Now we come to promote these cadets to a rank they have more than earned. First Rank. Step forward.” 

The first row of the class took a step forward. As multiple Officers stood by a table with a copious amount of rank pins stacked in boxes next to a table. Zhao stood directly in front of her, looking over the class. His face a beaming smile of well earned pride. This wasn't his first graduation ceremony and he always looked pleased when giving out the rank pins to his pupils. But today he positively beamed with pride. Stynek knew why. 

“Cadet Salazar, You are promoted to Lieutenant”
“Cadet Rinak, You are promoted to Petty officer” 
“Cadet Maria, You are promoted to Lieutenant-Commander”
“Cadet Kassavar, You are promoted to Captain”
“Cadet Barbarossa, You re promoted to Captain”

One by one the cadets marched up to the front. Having their cadet rank pins carefully removed off their uniform and their new officer ranks put on. Receiving a salute from the officer, before marching off to the side. One by one the ones to her left stood forward. Soon the last one to her left stood forward, and it was her turn next.

“Cadet Stynek.” She stepped forward. “You are promoted to Flotilla-Commander” 

Stynek’s Heart skipped a beat. Flotilla commander?! That rank commands whole groups of starships with captains under her! She tried thinking about hearing anything about a cadet being promoted to a full on command position past captain, and found none that she could think of. Her paws moved forward on their own as she looked up at Admiral Zhao. His wide smile brightened as she stepped up and saluted.

“Good job Flotilla-Commander Stynek.”

 He said carefully removing her Cadet Pins. Pulling out the only pair of Flotilla-Commander Rank pins. These clearly set aside from all the others. He went about attaching them on her left breast with all the care of a paternal figure. Finishing up, he gave her a Salute.

 “Burn Bright”

“Bright as Polaris.” 

She then whispered under her breath. “Father.” A part of her hoped she hadn't said it loud enough to hear, but she saw his face shift into a warmer smile, with a small tear coming down his cheek which he swiftly wiped away. All doubts she had about saying that word died at that moment. Zhao nodded. His smile twice as wide now as she smiled back. 

Walking away as the next name was called.she stood next to her fellow officers. She stood tall, proud in her greatest moment of triumph so far. Bearing her rank pins with pride. But as her mind zoned out from the dozens upon dozens of names being read and given their ranks, one thing came up in from the back of her mind. Guilt.

 She loved Zhao, almost.. Perhaps, no. There was no maybe, she loved him exactly like a father. He was tough on her, sure, he told her he would be. But he did it all to push her to be the best he could be, he had faith in her and she did everything to prove that his faith was not misplaced. He helped her become strong, so that whenever she saw that damn Chief hunter Isif again, she could look him in the eyes through a communications screen. As she orders his ship boarded and the monster to be captured and executed for his crimes. 

She so wished to hug him at that moment, to embrace him and loudly call him her father for all to hear. But that brought her mind to her real father, and mother. She hadn't seen them in 13 years. She could barely remember their faces, the feeling of her mother’s wool against her, her father’s warm smile was but a hazy image, and their voices were all but completely forgotten. She knew some things about them. Only about her mother. Her election to senate, and recent election to Governor. It seemed more and more like she had her mother’s drive. One thing she remembered clearly from her ever fading memories. She hoped that both her parents would be proud of her still. If they knew who she became, and why she's with them.

PACT Date Standard: February 21st 2136
- The Next Day

Stynek stood in the hangar bay. A cadre of her former platoonmates gathered around talking and chatting. Most of whom were the rescues from the arxur raid on their homeworld. With a few humans and skalgan platoonmates brought along with some other friends that their classmates made outside their platoon as well. Catching up with those who they haven't seen in a while. 

Almost all of them personally congratulated her on her promotion and stellar performance in the simulation. While the few who hadn't heard of her exploits, mostly those in the ground branch, were shocked to hear she's already a fleet-Commander. But there were more than a few of their originals from the homeworld who were missing. A few who were too busy or on other Ark ships out of the system who could not come to attend on such short notice. But the rest who were notably absent were the very reason as to why they were here.

“Here they come.”

About 23 of them walked in. They looked terrible. Their wool is unkempt, overgrown, and dirty. Their bodies were covered in scars, bruises and arxur claw marks that looked far too real and recent. They walked in with the confidence of a film star. All the while they looked like they just got freed from an arxur cattle barge. Which was the point.

“Wow you look like shit” One of them said to the new arrivals. Causing a few to laugh.

Kav, one of her best friends, spoke up. “Yeah that's the point. We gotta look like we're fresh from a cattle farm when our ship ‘had a malfunction’ and the federation ‘rescues us’. That way we have a plausible alibi.” 

“Whered the Pact get a cattle ship from?” Stynek asked looking at the ugly cattle ship waiting in the hangar. Its design was angular and sharp. It looked like touching it could cut her at some points. 

“We got it from some defectors who showed up with some cattle they liberated. We're taking their collars and retrofitting the ship so it's fully automated. Then we blow up the crew compartment leaving us stranded. They won't be suspicious as to why there's no corpses that way. All the while us cattle luckily stayed alive separated in our pen.” 

The thought of one of those monsters suddenly growing conscious and ‘defecting’ didn't sit well with Stynek. It was surely impossible, though she heard a lot about some Arxur defectors turning tail to the Pact. Especially when one of them was their chief engineer. She hoped the Pact knew it was doing with those monsters and kept them on a tight leash. 

She didn't trust any of them, and was glad she hadn't seen any at all. She doubted they liberated those cattle out of the goodness of their nonexistent moral compasses. Likely just as bait to get the Pact to not shoot them down when they came in. Even then, she didn't have to like the fact that the Pact was working with defectors and ‘defectives’ to get their own spies in the Dominion. The needs must after all. 

“Right… Defectors…” Judging by Kav’s reaction to her comment, Stynek’s distaste for the Arxur was clearly visible on her face.

“Oh yeah but not all of them are bad. Met a few of them so they could give us these scars.” Kav said pointing to the claw marks on their body. 

“Wait, these are REAL?!” 

“Oh yeah, can't look any more convincing than the real thing. Hurt like hell. Funny thing was the Arxur didn’t wanna do it.”

“Doubt that. They were probably giddy at the thought of hurting some ‘delicious prey” Stynek Spat out the words lacing each one with venom. 

“They really did look uncomfortable doing it. And apologized afterwards. Look Stynek-”

“Dont try it, nothing you say will convince me those things are anything less than unforgivable monsters!” Stynek shouted louder than she intended. 

There was a tense pause in the conversation in the area as even those nearby seemed to be listening in and looking away awkwardly. Stynek could see Kav’s disappointment. But it wasn't so easy to forgive them. Those monsters probably ate hundreds of innocents before they decided to defect for whatever reason. 

“Anyways..” Stynek said, trying to change the subject. 

“Good luck out there Kav. I'd ask you to give my parents a message.. But probably for the best they think I'm dead.” Stynek sighed. Wishing she could let her mom and dad know of… everything. 

To make them not think she was dead or that she’s still in an Arxur cattle farm. If she did let them know she was alive that's what they'd have to think in order to keep the Pact a secret. Especially since she learned her mother was the damn Governor of Skalga. Learning that from the latest INTEL public dump of info about the federation was… Interesting to say the least. She was proud of her mom for getting so high up. Though she never saw much about her dad, which she did not find strange. From what little she could remember he was always a stay at home father, and a very private person. So it's not surprising he isn't mentioned in broader Federation news or public networks. 

“Yeah. It's rough. Wonder if ill meet her personally or not. Ill.. Tell them last I saw you went down fighting.. Or.. No they'd think you had predator disease or some bullshit like that.. I'll just say some of us were separated early and I don't remember the faces after so long. Yeah that's a better, more convincing lie.”

“Are you sure you can act that convincingly?” 

“Pfft can I act that convincingly?” He said almost sounding offended.  “Hold on, give me a moment..” 

Within a moment the tall, straight standing platoonmate before her wilted into a shaking shivering mess, slouching, legs bent inwards like they used to be before they stretched every day for years. His eyes were full of tears and he looked like he might jump at his own shadow.

 “P-please dd-d-dont hurt me, I-i i promise i-i didn't mean to look at you th-the wrong way- Ah!” He flinched at Stynek's minor move of her arm.

He sounded absolutely pathetic, and broken. Had she not seen him absolutely fine moments before even she would have definitely bought the act. He broke character a moment later standing back up and stretching.

“Wow.. Yeah even I almost believed that. And I know you're faking it. They taught you well in INTEL.” Stynek said, amazed at his ability to act like a broken cattle. 

Though she shouldn't be surprised, his ability to act so well and win almost every deception scenario made him suspect #1 in their ‘trouble in traitor town’ wargames. So much so they had to get all the would-be infiltrators to practice with people from other Arkships just so they wouldn't be biased against them. 

“Yeah well we wouldn't be sent out if we didn't act convincingly.” He stood up chest out with pride. 

“Hey everyone! You gotta get on to meet our deadline! Agents onboard. Be sure to lock your collars.” A human agent of Intel shouted out as the tech crews and hangar crews finished getting the ship prepared for launch.

“Well Stynek. This is goodbye. I hope if the war goes hot anytime soon. I trust you’ll get my ass out of there if I get caught.” Kav said, giving Stynek a hug. 

She returned the hug. “Stay safe out there. And good luck without cooked rations” 

“Ugh don't remind me. We've been eating raw plants in preparation all month. It sucks. I think our reactions can be hidden by saying we ate nothing but cattle feed, which is worse by the way, but eventually I'll have to get used to it. Anyways, good luck Fleet-Commander” Kav saluted Stynek.

“Good luck Agent Kav.” She saluted back. “May the Guiding star lead you.”

“North Star guide you too” He broke the salute and joined his fellow agents in boarding the ship.

They grabbed some Arxur cattle shock collars and locked them in place around their necks. She noticed they had a few burn scars already there. Whether it was cosmetic and artificial or real she couldn't tell. They looked real enough for her to hope they didn't have to burn themselves to sell the illusion. She took one last look at her friends before she most likely never gets to see them again. Watching the ramp close and the ship’s thrusters spool up and take off. Leaving through the hanger’s shields and flying off into space. Disappearing into the darkness beyond until the flash of FTL announces their departure from Polaris, likely never to see her and anyone from the Pact ever again.

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Stynek [Federation Venlil] [17]
Affiliation: Pact of Polaris
- Naval Cadet
PACT Date Standard: June 14th 2135
1 year since last log
Location: Pact Arkship PSS Sword of Damocles, Polaris System 

The entire ‘war room’ was silent. The last of the Cadets filing in and taking seats. A gloomy demeanor on both the Humans and Skalgans. Filling the room's atmosphere with a sense of defeat. Stynek took her seat where she had been sitting all month, near the center holotable which showed the current status of the Simulation they were fighting in. The center hologram shows an all red sector of space, with the words ‘Total Opfor Victory’ hovering over the center of the map like it was personally mocking them. 

The tables are still full of old charts, maps, plans and the ‘celebratory luxury rations’ that they'd eat when they won. Bottles of alcohol both in venlil and human portions they snuck in now sit untouched in their bags. The Hologram changed to a large communications display showing all their fellow cadets in other Arkships.

 It was impossible to see them all so it was a display of whichever dozen other ‘war rooms’ they could fit on the display. Over 10 thousand cadets for the entire class of their year. All with the same defeated, exhausted look. The silence lasted a few more moments as the weight of all their planning and fighting for the last few months all being for naught as they were systematically crushed under the seemingly unending weight of ships they had to fight. Not to mention they had run each other ragged going on and on without any ‘leave’ or time to rest aside from sleeping and eating. 

Stynek took a breath and stood back up. “So. We lost. Hard. But we can learn from this.” She said trying her best to bring the morale of the entire class of cadets back up. “Yes we got trounced, but how, and why. What can we learn from this? We'll do some after action reports and scan every last inch of the sim and report what we did right, what we did wrong and stuff we missed.”

“We gotta organize better next time. It was chaos for far too long.” A voice from the holoprojector spoke. She put the speaker’s classroom on display. It is from the ‘Light in the Void’ Arkship’s naval academy class. “If there is going to be one massive sim battle for our graduating requirements then we have to create a chain of command. We did as well as we could, all operating independently. But im sure all of us could see we need organization. And we won't do that by arguing over who gets what fleets and priority over resupply.”

“Yeah Agreed” Another one cadet from another class spoke up. “Cadet Stynek was right about that from the beginning. Her fleets did the best out of all of us. Stynek you think you can write down a uh.. Operating procedure for the rest of us to follow how your class is organized?”

“Ill get on that asap.” She said, Noting down to do so after a good nap. “But first things first, we got what.. A month till our graduating assignment is to start. Let's come up with a plan of action before we do anything. The first week. We take stock of our loss, rest for a few days, Stars know we need it. Then after that we focus on figuring out what went wrong and how to avoid it. After that, next week we figure out the organization and make a real high command together, so we don't argue about logistics and resources like before. We'll assign some of us to full logistics roles, who is flexible to do what, and command. After that, last week we will prepare war plans and contingencies. We should get the full scenario details by then so we can plan ahead of time. Unlike the 3 days we got for this one to start.”

A chorus of agreements come from a thousand cadets. All mixing into an incoherent sound. Of acknowledgement and determination. 

 “Ok, Everyone take the next two days off, relax, spend some lux rations or whatever. After that, we're working overtime.”

PACT Date Standard: June 27th 2135
[1 Weeks later]

Stynek sat in the same war room as last week. Only now the aura and feelings of defeat were replaced with grim determination. They had been defeated before. But now they vowed to attain victory at all costs. The entire cadet graduation class had scoured the simulation. Putting together every single action they did and whether or not it helped or hurt in hindsight. And whether it was avoidable or not. Contingencies, and everything. And once again for the last few days they all gathered to present their data.

“-So as you can clearly see we failed to properly degrade the enemies manufacturing capabilities. It didn't matter how many battles we won if they were going to outpace us in ship production twice over and replace any losses we dealt.” Another cadet lectured as the holoscreens showed their prepared datapoints. Showing all the details of the last sim. Ship production counts, Ours slowly going down as Arkships were slowly destroyed while the enemies only went up over time. 

“I recommend our next plans involve a mass amount of scouting to discover enemy shipyards and manufacturing facilities so that our first strikes can be against those targets. By crippling the enemy’s industrial capacity early on, our strategy of whittling away enemy fleet assets will be actually effective. As enemy losses will no longer be replenished faster than they can be destroyed. Allowing us to put more pressure on the enemy and take more aggressive actions. Leaving the Initial Hit and Run strategy into a more Traditional territory capture and hold strategy. Where we can begin to finally attempt to turn the locals into auxiliaries and use their tech and facilities to bolster our own strength.”

The room nodded along seeing the sense in the strategy. Stynek herself checked out the stats for the ship production statistics from before. Seeing the numbers they were up against really showed how overwhelmed they were once the enemy shipyard productions ramped up. Their small-scale strikes on shipyard facilities that they did find were nowhere near enough to stem the tide of fleets that poured from the shipyards they did not discover until too late. 

“Good job. This will definitely have to be our strategy going forward. We'll need excellent scouts to discover and find every last bit of enemy manufacturing so we can neutralize as much as possible. Is that all for your report?” She looked up at the holoprojector where the presenters of their class nodded that they were done and sat back down.

The next person stood up on their end, the holovid focusing on them now. 

“We need to establish a rotation for rest. Everyone felt how exhausted we all got by the end of that simulation, non stop fighting thinking and stress just isnt good for us. So we have to to have a system in place to rotate crews and commanders in and out. Give everyone a day or two of rest every week at least. I found this report by the pact used for the actual navy stating how-”

Stynek interrupted. “I don't think we need to have the actual report read to us, though I commend you using an actual source for this. Still we need to implement that, Logi, if you have the time can you start organizing a rotation schedule for ship crews and commanders?”

“Already on it.” One of the logi heads spoke up head buried in their tablet. 

Stynek nodded at them and spoke to the whole class. 

“Alright, that's all the time we have scheduled for reflection. If anything else you think is important leave it in the group chat for later. Right now we have to organize everything. Set up our sections and get a chain of command going. I hope you all read the plan I got. If not, read it now. We're going to set up each Arkship’s war room as a small section of the battlespace in command of their own Arkship or multiple depending on how many we are assigned. Each section will elect a Commander for their section that will delegate smaller scale strategic decisions. 

Every section will have their own logistics officers who will coordinate together outside of the typical chain of command. You are going to be the bridge between the logistics fleets and the needs of your own section. Of those in the logistics fleets you will elect your own head of logistics who will then assign sectors to assign for each other. You already have the documents on how to set up the chain of command. I won't go into that. 

As for military measures, the first thing we'll do is elect a Grand admiral to oversee our overall strategy as well as appoint Fleet Admirals to command each section's fleet. Well start with that so we can get the lower tier commanders assigned. Ok if you want to sign up for Grand Admiral, put your name in the poll I just set up in the group chat.”

She set up the poll and after a minute of staring at her tablet waiting for names to pop up, and wondering confused as to why none were. She looked up. Only to see everybody in her class staring at her.

“Is the poll broken?” She asked, confused.

“Stynek, We all know there's only one person here fit to be our grand admiral.” Somebody said as they pointed to her.

Stynek took a moment to realise what he said and nodded, the comfortable weight of responsibility settling on her once again. “Well, if that's what you all think is best. Any objections?” None came. “Alright… That is dealt with. Let's go onto who's going to be The Fleet Admirals.”

Stynek went onwards with organizing keeping her tone neutral and expression calm. But inside she was giddy, honored, and proud that they trusted her so much that they unanimously thought she was the only one to lead them. They.. Really believed in her to lead them to victory. Even after their massive defeat. She thought at least someone from the other groups who didn't know her as well would step up. Though it seems her taking charge in organizing everything so far really left more of an impact on them all than she thought. She felt the pressure on her now as she assigned fleet commander roles. 

Taking in everything she remembered from the notable and successful officers who commanded in the last simulation. She had an idea to assign mostly officers from her own Arkship. But she knew nobody in the other ships would like that. So she made do with what she had. She remembered enough of the officers who did well to assign a good twelve of them. Enough for a decent high command to spread out the duties. After that they went down the chain of command, Fleet commanders, Captains and Rest of them being crew who rotate in and out of duties to keep things interesting, and also give some people a chance at command in this simulation. 

It took the better part of the day to organize and even then it took the rest of the week to finalize the details. Chain of command in case one officer is ‘killed’ in battle due to their ship being shot. Logistics priorities. Room for ‘shore leave’. Every contingency they could think of and those that remember in their textbooks. Everything seemed to be going well, the morale of the entire class was back up now with a sense of purpose and a new hope for victory. That was until the Simulation conditions came in the week after. 

“20-1 Odds! This is impossible” Kassavar, one of her Fleet Admirals shouted out on the call. Voicing what everybody was thinking.

“We barely held out against 10-1 and that's standard for graduation tests. 20-1?! They must really want us to fail!” A captain, whose name she couldn't remember, said as well in despair.

“Cmon guys we can put up a fight at least. You know how the last few graduating classes all beat the 10-1 odds that were supposed to be impossible. Maybe this is the new standard? They are testing us against impossible odds since the federation has worse odds against us.” Valar the logistics lead brought up. Sliding up a few statistics of the last few years of graduating classes, with the ones who started training after Zhao was assigned to the naval academy all passing the 10-1 odds simulations.

“Maybe.. So we are meant to fail? Doesn't seem like we'll be showing how good we are if we still lose.” Kassavar responds back. 

“No, I think the point is to see how we do against overwhelming odds. If we survive longer than they expect then that's good, if we do more damage, win more battles, push the frontline further it all goes into whether we pass or not. Of course, that won't matter.” Stynek said oozing confidence she didn't really feel. “Because we're going to win.” 

It was rare to hear 10 thousand cadets all stare in silence at her. That was until Kassavar spoke up again. “How?!” 

“Because we're the best damn class of cadets the Pact has seen so far, mark my words. They wouldn't be giving us such impossible odds if they didn't think we could take it.” Styenk said impassionately and with all the confidence she could muster. 

She had to make them believe in themselves, if they thought it was impossible to win then they wouldn't try their hardest to win. But if they truly believed it, no matter how long the odds seemed they would persevere. 

“All we have to do is put our plan into action. Remember our main objective early on is to eliminate the enemy’s warfighting production. Shipyards mainly. If we can do that, we can whittle away the enemies fleet till their numbers advantage is well within our capabilities to go on the offensive. We will just have to be far more careful and more strategic about our positioning and naval strength.

Part of the plan is to stretch their navy out by doing raids by finding isolated sections and ambush them. Strike where they aren't expecting and move where they don't want us.” Stynek just reiterates their entire plan, she needed them to not lose hope. Morale is crucial for this, and if she looked confident that they'll win, it might convince them that they do have a shot at victory.

“Yeah- but those plans were made to combat a 10-1 force disadvantage. This is twice the numbers-”

“Then we'll re-calculate our plans then. We're not going to give up just because they're throwing more ships at us. They think we'll win the 10-1 easily like the other classes and are throwing us into impossible odds because they think we might be too good for the old standard to challenge us! Let's prove them right. Everyone, we have 1 week to draw up new plans for the simulation. Logistics I want you to re-calculate all your ammunition numbers and stockpile supplies with the arkships were confirmed to have. Intel, start scanning the battlemap for what we do and don't know, and what we need to know. Where to send scouts and everything. Everyone else, organize our ships and start planning pre-emptive positioning.” 

Stynek clapped her paws together. “Everyone got it!?” 

“Yes Sir!” They all shouted in unison. Stynek smiled, she succeeded in preventing them from giving up so soon. 

“Good, Get to your stations. Let's show the Admiralty that we're going to take their jobs from them!” 

PACT Date Standard: July 12th 2135
[Two Weeks Later]

The cadet’s war room was abuzz with activity. Orders were being sent out as the simulation had been going on for a week. Stynek looked at the galactic map in the center of the room, The initial plays were starting to happen. Opfor was technically in ‘low readiness’ mode where they have not yet ramped up their economy for warfare to simulate the federation not knowing about the Pact yet. The scouts and intelligence gathering operations were going well. Filling out the map with more information than a simple planet with no details on what's on or around it. 

Opfor shipyards were being identified, war manufacturing facilities locations determined by breaching into the enemy’s civilian data network. Open source intelligence finding about as much information as breaching into secured networks. All of it being marked on maps with low and high priority target markers, it was all going to plan. Opfor hasn't been idle though. They noticed a few scouts coming and going, they saw the data breaches and started getting their readiness higher. Now was the time to strike. 

“Attention all commanders. Operation ‘Turn one’ is a go, you have your objectives see them through how you see fit. Strike fleets begin diversion assaults.” Stynek ordered into the microphone. Getting a chorus of affirmatives from the commanders as the operation began.

She held her breath as she saw dozens of fleets waiting in the void between Opfor planets begin jumping into FTL. Swiftly beginning their assaults on ‘traditional’ targets. The planets which are supposed to represent Skalga and its venlil colonies. A target practically mandatory to take in the sims. Which is why they are a good distraction. Any enemy opposing them will think their opening move is to capture the planets for an industrial base and manpower pool. Which is what Stynek and the Cadets want them to think. A dozen fleets warp in and begin their assault on the local defensive fleet. Purposefully being extra cautious both to conserve their own ships from unnecessary casualties, and to buy time for the enemy fleets to arrive.

For every hour in the real world, three pass in the simulation. The battle for Not-Skalga was well underway with the defence fleet mostly being eradicated at the same time as a few other large planets were assaulted by the Strike fleets. Jumping in and immediately beginning to fire upon the enemy defences. The planets were mostly within the same sector of space around Skalga. Building the illusion of a mass assault to gain a foothold in enemy territory to turn into a main base of operations. 
By the second hour the first enemy fleets arrived at Skalga and the other planets under assault. With major engagements starting with overwhelming amounts of enemy ships arriving, the first part of the plan was accomplished. Distract a large portion of the enemy fleet composition. 

“Confirmation of Strike fleet's success. Raider fleets commence operations.” The orders went out.

 And like clockwork another few dozen fleets warped out from the void near their targets. Appearing suddenly near major naval shipyards over enemy capitol worlds. A few still had sizable fleets defending them. However, that didn't matter too much. The shipyards couldn't move. Railgun sabots fired all across the battlespace as soon as the raider fleets got a lock on the shipyards.

 Sabots streaking through the void of space before striking the hulls of the shipyards. Far out of the range of the vast array of defences from the planet. Still, some tried to shoot down the sabots but with the sabots capability of dodging and carrying chaff, successful interceptions did not diminish the outgoing fire by anything that would matter. 

Stynek watched with intensity. Going from battle to battle checking on the raider fleets progress, then the Strike fleets as they began retreating, their distraction play accomplished. The enemy fleets began to disengage to retreat as well, likely understanding they were tricked with diversions. Now their entire strategy hinged on destroying as many shipyards as possible.

The fourth hour passed as the war room was in its typical organized chaos. Cadets moving to and fro, talking with each other and on tablets with others on different arkships. Some rushing in and out of the room to get to their simulation computers to crew their ships. About 10 out of 13 of the enemy shipyards were destroyed by now. 

The ships who succeeded made sure to send a few extra sabots to ensure their destruction before retreating before enemy reinforcements arrived. The other 3 shipyards had far too many defences and ships to destroy. And reinforcements arrived far sooner causing the mission to be abandoned to save the fleets rather than risk destruction. Still. This was a success. The enemy naval production capacity was decreased by 76.92%. Lower than the idealistic 100% but far higher than their minimum requirements of 60%. 

By now the fleets began retreating into empty space and dispersing to throw off any pursuers' trail before they returned to their Arkships for resupply and repairs. Morale was high as she looked around seeing smiles as her fellow cadets reveled in their successful operation. But this was the easy part. The hard part was yet to come. 

PACT Date Standard: September 14th 2135
[Two Months Later]

Stynek awoke to the sound of sirens blaring. Not the large sirens of the Arkship, but the homemade sirens made from spare tablets and paper cones taped to their speakers to amply the sounds. Signalling to all the cadets resting, sleeping and relaxing in the hallways that there is an emergency for the simulation. 

Stynek got up immediately, looking down the corridor of the naval academy as the corridor’s walls were lined with sleeping bags and stacked boxes of ration packs. They found it easier to sleep in the hallways and send for couriers to run for rations than walk all the way to and from their barracks. In case an emergency like this happened. At least for those not on ‘shore leave’. 

The Entire hallway scrambled, getting up as some forked rations into their mouths finishing their meals with a speed a ravenous Arxur could be jealous of. Others putting on uniforms while running to their stations, or splashing water onto their faces to shake off the grogginess. Already there were cadets handing out energy shot rations for those who needed it. Stynek grabbed one as she rushed past into the war room. Sirens blaring with flashing lights from the tablets as she burst in with a few other officers and logistics members. Chugging the bitter energy ration and slamming its bottle into the trash can. 

“Sitrep I need to know what's going on!” She shouted out to nobody in particular as she rushed past a few cadets towards her command chair. A seat in front of the holoprojector with a bunch of tablets duct taped and slaved to computers for extra screen space since they couldn't find, requisition, or steal any more extra monitors. 

“Massive Opfor offensive! We have 13 Arkships under threat, the rest are scrambling immediately!” Fleet-Admiral Kassavar said with dire urgency as he sent out emergency orders. 

This was bad. They only had 50 Arkships in this sim, and every Arkship lost was 2% of their industrial capacity and population base. They could not afford to lose too many if they wanted to ever outpace Opfor on ship production with their current plan.

“Who do we have available to scramble for Arkship defence? Any fleets near the arkships under threat?!” She shouted.

“Yes Sir, we have a few fleets who are already preparing ftl jumps. Fleet Admiral Varris has already scrambled those to the arkships.” Stynek took a look at which were reinforcing what. Agreeing mostly with Varris’ assessment. A few she thought should have been swapped but sending a different order now to contradict them would waste time they did not have at this moment.

“Good. Arkships are scrambling into voidspace, correct?”

“Yes Sir. All are scrambling to avoid any other retaliatory fleets from catching them.” 

With that all Stynek could do was watch the orders go through. The Logistics division were busy scrambling their supply lines to avoid being caught up in the chaos and losing valuable supplies and ships in the crossfire, while trying to organize new supply routes on the fly. She saw all the fleets they had at their disposal were on a dozen fronts either raiding enemy worlds, striking lone fleets to whittle down the enemy shipcount, defending the arkships, or on the way to an arkships location.
The hours went by slower than ever. Dozens of ships destroyed by the minute on both sides. By the end of the first hour of the battle the first arkship was destroyed. A grim tone filled the room as the ship's icon was struck from the virtual battlespace. A few minutes later a second, and then a third Arkship were both destroyed. By the second hour of the battles, 7 out of 13 Arkships caught int he ambush were taken off their list of assets. A whole 14 percent of the industrial capacity of Cadet’s forces. It was a big blow, but not one that took them out of the fight.

“The last arkship has departed! All fleets and Arkships are now away from enemy retaliatory strikes. At least the ones that survived.” 

“Understood.” Stynek sighed, already having to think of the consequences of this for their operations. 

She Continued  “Logistics, Run new numbers. Re-calculate our plans with our loss of industrial output and population. Intel, I want you to find out how they found those arkships. Arkship command, I want every single one of those ships on the move constantly. No staying in one place longer than a day tops until we can figure out how they found us and how to counter it.” Stynek was already tapping on her tablets getting orders and information sent to the ones who need it. 

“Yes Sir”
“Yes Sir”
“Understood”
“Affirmative”

The Chorus of acknowledgements went out as cadets went about their duties to account for this setback, Morale was definitely taken a hit but they would persevere. It would delay their next operation a few days as they had to re-route supplies, repair ships that were damaged in the sudden defensive effort, transfer ships from one fleet to another to replace losses until new ones can be produced, and a dozen other things that need to be taken care of. But the war was far from over yet and it would take far more than this to get them to even consider giving up. 

PACT Date Standard: November 14th 2135
[Two Months Later]

Stynek forked a spoonful of rations into her muzzle, munching on the spaghetti cooked in meat sauce. Trying out the human rations for the first time and finding its taste to be quite enjoyable. The small bits of meat tasted quite good. Despite that there was a tiny bit of her in the back of her mind that still brought up her old federation beliefs thinking that eating meat would somehow turn her into a monster like the Arxur. 

She chuckled at the thought and wondered what a predator venlil would look like. Imagining some freakishly tall venlil with gangly long arms, with large fangs dripping venom or something ridiculous like that. Though she had heard that if venlil ate enough meat they'd have trouble in the restroom later with constipation since their stomachs had a harder time digesting meat. 

Luckily the very ‘meat light’ spaghetti rations and other similar rations only contain less than 10% meat per volume. Those were the most popular rations her kin. As they got a unique flavor compared to any other ‘vegetarian’ rations as the humans called them. It was a shock finding one of her kin eating a human ration only to find out that it's not that uncommon. Apparently some of her kin even trained themselves to be more tolerant to meat by eating meat for years just so they could eat a fine luxury steak ration. 

She found that idea though a bit too much for her tastes. Though they swore up and down that there was nothing quite like a medium grilled rib-eye steak finely seasoned with no sauce needed. But that was far far too much for her to even consider trying. At least she could pretend the small chunks of brown in her spaghetti were mushrooms or something. She still gags when seeing a full steak being cut and oozing juices when somebody uses a luxury ration in the cafeteria and has one brought out to them. Usually everybody looks at them jealously but she usually sits far from them. Finishing her ration she turns her attention back to work. Putting the plastic utensils in the bag and throwing it into the recycling bin to empty later. 

She looked up towards the ongoing simulation map hovering over the center of the Impromptu war room. Set to overview the whole simulated sector. A few captured planets, Skalga, its colonies, and a few others that were currently ongoing ground invasions. Despite losing two more Arkships, the enemy had not been able to rebuild any of their shipyards due to renewed assaults by some tricksy commanders, with one of the remaining ones sustained some damage on a subsequent raid. 

Unfortunately unable to seriously damage it, it did delay enemy reinforcements for a month. Which definitely helped their pivot from guerilla hit and run tactics, to their invasion stage since they now had the material production advantage with far closer numerical odds with their constant harassing of supply lines and fleets. 

“-Copy that, Reinforcements are being sent to System 33-b, Army group 77 and 39 as well as the 11th fleet-”
“Negative logistics cannot be sent through that direction. Risk of enemy interception is over 40%, we will be taking an alternate route adding one day-”
“-Sending in the 33rd fleet to reinforce the 52nd. ETA 3 Sim-Hours-”
“Fleet Juliet-Alpha you are cleared for docking with the ‘Serenity of Stars’ for some R&R-”
“-Enemy fleet detected in system 23-C potential reinforcements for ongoing battles. Will alert when FTL signature is detec-”

The chatter of the war room was everpresent. The sounds of voices and orders and information being sent back and forth through the entire fleet of Arkships in Polaris. Hundreds of cadets in various ship-simulation rooms piloting their crafts with their crews for the current battles. She took a few minutes to analyse the map once more. Checking for reported fleet movements and potential blunders they may be making. But found none thankfully. She yawned and suddenly felt how heavy her eyelids felt, she raised her tablet to check the time. It was near 11pm. She's been up for 14 hours today. She gets up and looks over at one of the officer-cadets next to her position.

“Clyde, I'm going to rest. You're in command of the war room.” 

“Stynek, you should take your leave for a day or two. We can handle it from here. Youve been overdue for some R&R for over a month”

She was about to argue the point of her needing to stay here in case something happened, but conceded without a word. Slotting herself in for leave for the day so she can get a full night’s rest. Then maybe go out of the naval academy to use some lux rations. Walking out of the room, eyes slowly drooping as she started to feel the lack of sleep and the crash coming in from the energy drink rations. She wasn't gonna be able to make it to a bunkroom so she settled for sleeping once again in the hallway, walking down the corridor full of sleeping cadets.

[Continued in next post]

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Stynek [Federation Venlil] [16]
Affiliation: N/A
- Pact Trainee
PACT Date Standard: September 14th 2134
- 3 years since last log
Location: Pact Arkship PSS Sword of Damocles, Polaris System

Something was different today. Something changed. The Platoon’s daily routine had been altered. It had been the same for 6 years since she was administered early into the naval academy. Aside from the random surprise drills and scheduled emergency tests. She would wake up in their assigned bunks in the barracks along with her Platoon of Federation venlil, Skalgan Venlil and Polarins at 7am.. Go have breakfast from 7:20 to 7:50, Go into the nature domes of the Arkship for morning exercise By 8am. 

Finish morning exercise by 10am. Go into the classroom for education of math, language, science and other topics till 12:30am. Go to lunch from 12:30 to 1:30am. Go back to class till  3:00. Spend time at the Firing range and Combat simulations till 4:00 At which point her platoon splits up for various specialised training, whether that be Infantry tactics, Medical training, or straight to Spy training like Kav does. She goes directly to the Naval academy. 4:10 to 9:00 of nothing but cramming everything from tactics, grand strategy, logistics, budgeting, ambushing, evasive maneuvers, everything. All the while she's doing exams and simulations twice as hard as any other student. At which point she has until 11:00 to do anything she desires before going to bed to start the next day.

But today was different. Everyone in the barracks woke up to get dressed for the day, but they never met the Polarin section of their Platoon in the main barracks hall. Morning exercise was the same. No Polarins in sight, not even walking by them in the hallways. Even their Polarin drill sergeant who had been their drill sergeant for the last 7 months was replaced by a Skalgan. Most suspiciously of all, they had breakfast with a free allotment of luxury rations! 

This never happened! 

Lux ration slips were allotted to everyone on a set schedule or by achievements earned. There were not any extras given out randomly. So everybody knew something was up. Even the skalgan venlil seemed to know what was up, but wouldn't share that information. They seemed nervous, like something was going to happen and they were waiting for it. She wishes she had a weapon of some kind, a laser pistol or combat knife, even if they were with training packs. Just the feeling of it on her would make her feel safer. All the tension made her feel like there was some secret ambush about to happen. That this was going to be some surprise training exercise that only the Federation Venlil didn't know about. 

“Something is up..” She murmured lowly.

“Yeah I know right?” Glam responded conspiratorially. Whispering back to her. “Where did the Polarins go? David, Chelsey, Barbarossa, All of em aren't here. And our kin look like they're hiding a secret from us.”

“You see it too? Glad to know it's not just me thinking they're hiding something.” She was glad to know it wasn't just her being paranoid. She was starting to worry that the constant naval sims with unfair odds and ambush scenarios were getting to her. 

“Yeah.. I overheard one when I walked past and mentioned something about a reveal happening. Not just any reveal but ‘THE’ reveal.” Glam whispered looking around to make sure nobody overheard.

“Huh.. what could be the big reveal then…” Stynek pondered the thought as she slowly nibbled away at her rations. A nice potato soup with some other vegetables mixed in. Despite the nervousness of what ‘the’ reveal is, she ate every last bite. Not wasting any food. Plus a cupcake she ordered with her free luxury ration. A strawberry shortcake. But even its sweet flavor could not mellow the tension in her blood.

“I think it has something to do with the Polarins..” Glam spoke after finishing her own bowl of soup. Sipping at a juice box of.. Grape juice. She stayed firm in her dislike of anything purple. Even if she has long since gotten over it.

“Yeah they’ve been gone all day… It has to be something to do with them. Maybe we'll get to see their faces? But.. why would that be a big reveal?” 

“I don't know.. Maybe it's a trust thing? They didn't trust us before, but since we lived like them for so long maybe they trust us now? I mean some of us volunteered to be in the spy program to get sent home for them. So one day we can free Skalga. Maybe because of that they think we deserve to finally see them?” Glam murmured a bit louder as she pondered. Face deep in thought as if trying to connect dots on a board of facts.

“Maybe that's it—” Stynek’s words were interrupted by the bell chime coming from the speakers signalling the hour change and the end of their breakfast period. Or first meal as she used to call it. She's glad she's not a spy since she would definitely keep slipping up by using the Polarin’s terminology for stuff. She even half says hand instead of paw despite not having hands herself. 

The Platoon’s Skalgan Drill Sergeant walks back in. His body language immediately made Stynek on edge. His ears showed anxiousness even as he actively tried to hide it. His tail is low and close to his body. And he was looking around at the Federation Venlil in the platoon

“Alright everyone. Put everything away. We got something important to tell you all in a moment.”  

A few Polarins walked in at that moment, Some of their Platoonmates like David, a few of their teachers, and a much older Polarin Stynek knew very well. Zhao. Admiral Zhao. She could tell it was him solely by the shape of his body, the way he held himself, and his style of hair. Black hair cropped short and slick backwards naturally. This made her happy to see him but then immediately concerned. 

Why was he here with a random youth platoon? Sure she was here but he made it clear he would not try to be close to her or other people might think he's giving her tips on the next sims. As well as avoiding her in general to disprove any potential idea that he might be favoring her, that's why all her exams are twice as difficult. To the point that every Naval Cadet has noticed and mentions how whenever she's on their team they get the worst odds to fight against. Every action she makes is questioned and every answer she gives doubly so. 

She loves the challenge though, she thought it might make her hate Zhao over time. But in the end she found the difficulty thrilling. Especially when she beat the odds and proved she deserved to be there. The harder the challenges became, the more she lost,  the more motivated she got to beat them the next time. So, that only makes it more concerning as to why he is here. 

The Platoon went about disposing of any trash, sending organics to the compost bin, and plastics for recycling. Metal trays back where they belong to be cleaned. Utensils as well. Then they were all told to sit. They all sat close to the front where the Drill sergeant is and where the line of Polarins waits against the wall. 

Silence rings throughout as the skalgans side eye their Federation Venlil platoonmates. Stynek thinks that they definitely know what's about to happen. She starts analyzing the room. All the skalgan’s sit AROUND them. Encircling them. A few sit in the middle, to make it less obvious. But most sit around the groups of Federation Venlil. Encircling them? Why? Were they afraid of their reactions? A few of her other Platoonmates and Glam especially seemed to notice the odd seating arrangement as well. Once everyone was well seated and the atmosphere got increasingly tense. Admiral Zhao Spoke.

“As you all know. Ever since we rescued you from the Dominion we have trained you and treated you as one of our own. As if you were born here. We helped you adapt and surpass the limitations forced upon you by the Federations genetic crippling and its indoctrination making you think you are weak. We made sure you are educated, trained to protect yourself, given purpose and the truth of everything the federation lied to you about… But we have lied to you in return.”

A ripple of murmurs go through the Platoon. Stynek glances at Glam who looks at her with an expression of ‘I knew it’. Stynek was even more concerned now. Zhao never lied to her… But what was this about then… 

Admiral Zhao raised a hand to silence the murmur and continued

“We were not fully honest with you about us in particular. And we decided that you are old enough to fully understand the situation at hand. That there is no need to lie to you anymore. Doing so would be a disservice to you. And we cannot send you out to your duties with this lie still being kept. If you are to devote yourselves to the Pact. To live, to fight, to learn and train, and perhaps even die for the Pact. Then there should be no lies and no deceit from us. As such we have been given permission to finally show you the truth.”

Zhao took a deep breath, one she recognized when he was stressed.

“Polarin is not our species name. In fact, some of you already know our species name. Though from the way you spoke of it. You did not know much at all, only what legends and rumors we were twisted to be. It was because of this that we lied about ourselves, because we were afraid you would fear us. Reject us. Think we were monsters before you got to know us. The federation knew about us, and tried to wipe us out. You might know our species name… As Humans” Zhao nodded towards the other Pola-.. Humans standing beside him as they all reached up for their faces. 

Stynek's breath hitched in her throat as she watched intently. She has heard of humans as a kid. Old scary stories of a second predator species that got destroyed before they could become a threat like the Arxur. Tall lanky creatures with vicious teeth, piercing red eyes and long nails. And now, apparently, these ‘monsters’ were the same creatures that made up half of everyone she knew in the Pact. Including Zhao

She stared at Zhao, her focus was on him alone. He removed the cloth bandana that covered every pact human’s lower face. Her mind went into overdrive as the scene before her slowed, her mind conjured up what she might see, massive fangs, a snout that ran with razor sharp teeth, or something otherworldly that would turn her instincts she worked hard to suppress against her. Driving her to stampede or cower in fear. Instead, what she saw was a small chin with a tuft of fur— no, hair around a small mouth with soft pink lips. A nose protruding from the middle of their face with two holes in it that expand and contract with each shallow nervous breath.

 It all looked…

Boringly normal. Until he removed the tinted glasses that clung to their faces. Revealing two brown binocular eyes that pointed forward. Predator eyes. She heard some of her platoonmates breath hitch as they saw this. Zhao looked directly at her, and.. 

She.. 

felt… 

Underwhelmed.

“That's it!?” She shouts! Catching everyone by surprise. Even Zhao looked shocked by her outburst. “With all that buildup I was expecting you to be like.. Like.. An Arxur in disguise or something! Massive meat eating fangs with a jaw big enough to eat a Sivkit in one bite. But.. Like.. You look.. So non threatening!” Stynek shouts, sounding exasperated. All of this for that?! Did they go through years of secrecy, who knows how many people on this ship had to wear those masks and glasses, all to hide.. That?!

“Uh- That. Yes. We expected the federation's usual reaction to anything predator like. That you might react in fear and never trust us. No matter how we acted. Especially once you found out who we were.” Zhao stated as if this was all completely normal and not the biggest letdown ever in her life.

“I mean.. Your eyes being forward are a little creepy but that's it!” She stared into his eyes. Eyes she could see held a mix of emotions as he stared back. She recognized the shock from her outburst, but.. She couldn't tell the rest. She couldn't really recognize that it was Zhao for a moment until the hairstyle and voice somehow fixed it in her brain. 

“S-Stynek! Don't you know what humans are?!” Glam said, a little startled. Stynek looked at her, realising everyone's eyes were on her now. “They eat meat!”

“Yeah. but.. They don't eat us. I mean isn't the pact half venlil! And they hate the Arxur for eating people. Plus we've all seen them eat fruits and grains and vegetables. So they are not even obligate carnivores like the Arxur. Their omnivores.. So.. actually what meat do you eat then?” Stynek was now curious. They did eat meat but she never saw any cattle farms and she's been all over the Arkship. 

“We eat printed meat, meaning they are cells that are grown in a lab. Like how we can grow new organs to replace malfunctioning ones, or create fake legs for you all to practice healing with in first aid training. Like that. Except we grow them from samples of animals from earth. Unthinking animals too.” Her teacher who she's known for years spoke up, using her typical lecture voice that Stynek has heard for years.

The cafeteria was silent as everyone watched her and her platoonmates reaction to this revelation. Stynek thought about this. They learned a lot about Skalga back before the federation arrived. And animals that ate meat were common there and even had some as pets and companions. Same with the now revealed to be human homeworld. 

They had dogs and cats as companion pets. So nature wise eating meat wasn't supposed to be uncommon. In hindsight perhaps they were building up to this moment the whole time. Showing how relatively normal eating meat was in nature and how even creatures that did aren't bloodthirsty monsters. They even met a few dogs that, while everyone was kinda scared at first, showed how adorable and lovable they were. 

“You know… It's not that big of a deal if you think about it..” Another one of her platoonmates spoke up. “I mean… We all know the federation lied to us. About everything. Nature has so many meat eaters we would have never thought was normal. The dogs we saw are not bloodthirsty animals, just cute and obedient so they lied to us about every meat eating creature being a monster that couldn't control their own bloodlust. Not only that our own bodies are proof of their lies. Just look at our kin. Their legs don't have the inward bow. They have noses. We all saw the video proof of their escape from Skalga…”

“Yeah.. its.. It is bit of a shock but you're right.” Ilek, her friend said in response, getting up from his seat and walking up to one of our human platoonmates standing against the wall. David. Who looked nervous and tried not to stare directly at him. “David. Look at me… you don't need to be scared that we’d not like you. We're battle brothers! Nothing can change that, Just because you eat meat, doesn't make you a monster like the Arxur.” He went up and hugged him. Wrapping his arms around him as David’s eyes watered. And cried in joy at his friend accepting him.

“Thanks! Y-you have no idea how much that means to me!” David said his voice was full of happiness as he cried while hugging his battle brother. It was as if a spell had broken over the platoon. Those who looked on the fence about this, who held reservations, who looked more shocked than others in the platoon suddenly relaxed. Seeing a human, a predator, a meat eating creature.. Cry when their friend, their companion and battle brother accepted them for who they were. 

“Zhao..” Stynek said, walking up to her mentor.

“Y-yes Cadet Stynek?” He said. The faintest quiver in his voice that broke through his usual stoicism. A tension building in his body as he held his arms straighter than he normally would. Looking down at her taking in another stressful breath through his nose. 

“Are we still having an ambush scenario today?” 

The tension that he had built up in his body relaxed immediately as the faintest hint of a smile formed on his cheeks. Ok she sees where the skalgan Venlil got the ‘grining’ and smiling from.

“You aren't supposed to know when you'll be ambushed in a scenario. How did you know?” 

Stynek smiled back. “I didn't know until you said so, but if we were, are we still doing it?” 

“Of course. I'll see you in the simulation room today. Do not be late Cadet.” Zhao said with a smile.

PACT Date Standard: September 27th 2134
One Week Later

Stynek walked through the corridors of the Sword of Damocles. Now able to search up the origin to its name since her tablet was allowed to see all records uncensored. The breath of stuff they hid from them was.. Vast. Art, history, everything about humanity they had to hide. She and her Platoon mates even visited a museum on another Arkship, “Rememberance” which held a lot of relics they found that survived Earth’s bombing and the far fewer that survived the 700 years from the escape from skalga. She saw half broken statues, paintings in good and bad condition. 

The most beautiful of them all was a massive reconstruction of an old building. Parts of it were taken piecemeal as the original building crumbled from the shockwave of antimatter bombs. but was put back together to put the paintings on the wall in order. A building known as the ‘sistine chapel’ A religious building to a now long abandoned god of mankind. 

Much of the building was in good enough condition to put back together in the arkship. And the walls and the ceiling were covered in paintings… It was beautiful. Seeing it all cracked in many places with sections missing truly made her realise what the humans lost because of the federation. All their art and history that the federation claimed they never could have all because they clung to a false dichotomy of predators and prey. 

Much like the Skalgans whose history and art before their.. Our flight from Skalga was all gone by now, only what little oral history recorded by the survivors left. The last recordings of the original escapees from Skalga, along with a single image of Skalga before the invasion was all that was left of the culture from before. 

But at least Skalga can be reclaimed, Earth is a frozen wasteland that will take generations of terraforming to make it habitable. But not only that, the humans even lost their languages. They have recordings, dictionaries and translations saved. But none speak it natively anymore. Few even bother to learn, too busy training for the inevitable war with the Dominion and Federation. Training and preparations she was now gladly a part of. Now that she was voluntarily and officially a Citizen-Soldier of the pact. 

Now she walked along through the throngs of fellow citizen-soldiers once again as she did before. However unlike throughout the years until now, all the humans were unmasked now. Most who recognized her gave her a nod, a smile or an approving gesture. A fist bump, high five, or rustling up her head wool. After the revelation of the humans identity. 

And her platoonmates accepted it with metaphorical and physical open arms, it seemed everyone in the pact knew by the end of the day. By accepting the humans ‘predator’ visage and the nature of the humans had made them all hopeful. Hopeful that not everyone in the federation would hate them. And that there's hope for a peaceful future. Even if they prepared for the inevitable war. 

Stynek needed to re-recognize some of her usual acquaintances she passed by in the naval academy as well. With how expressive the faces humans have it made it hard to ignore to try and remember them by the old way of telling them apart. Through hair, voice and body language. Still she managed. Slowly learning the many nuances to the human face and expression much like how skalgans have their tail and ear flicks. 

“Captain Jamie How goes your new ship?”
“Fantastic Cadet Styenk. Glad to hear you proclaim your allegiance! Haha. Youll make a good captain one day!”

“Lieutenant-Commander Davos, how are you! I haven't seen you in 3 years”
“Doing good little one. Finally glad to be able to walk about without those damn glasses. Hope you do well in the academy, if you want I can save a spot on my ship for you.”

“Hey Sergeant Mallery, Still a Sergeant? How's your aim!”
“Oh shush furball. I like being a sergeant. Not too much responsibility, And my aim is fine! I'm getting a precision certification soon!”

Stynek smiles wide walking into the Naval academy section of the Arkship. No longer needing to check in at the front desk since she's a cadet there. Walking straight past into the hallways. She passes by a few younger cadets going into their first lecture for basic naval tactics and logistics. She remembers taking that class and being absolutely entranced when she took it. Being 2 years younger than the youngest cadets there. 

She felt simultaneously out of her league and exactly in her element. Due to her age she spent her first two years only lightly going through the naval academy before fully enrolling at the proper age. And by then she was already way ahead of her peers, so much so she started to help them all get better so they could get onto the harder tactics and strategies sooner.

She walks past the lecture halls and occupied simulation rooms. Heading directly to the one she's taking her next exam in. They've been getting progressively harder lately and she's spent most of her time in minor roles in the simulations. A few times as a captain, but mostly as gunnery officer, damage control, Sensors and comms. 

That's not to mention the Campaign simulations where they are training to manage a whole galactic sector of combat. She's rarely assigned any commanding roles. Her highest assigned position was in the logistics of the fleet. And she did a damn fine job if she said so herself. That one missing shipment didn't count. 

It was the most boring position but she was sure to get the fleet's ammunition exactly when they needed it. They lasted way longer than they should have in that one. Facing 7x odds against them. Her team took 3 weeks to finish that sim. And the last week was just a last ditch Gurella war to bleed the enemy for their victory while their Arkships got as far away as possible. Technically it was a loss but the remaining Arkships escaped so theoretically it was a Draw. 

Stynek stopped thinking about her previous simulations. And stepped into the room where a bunch of her fellow cadets walked in. This was a large class, Over 300 people gathered in the large simulation room. All of them are around her age with a few being a year older. Most of the humans give her a nod of respect. They likely enjoy not having to wear bandanas and glasses anymore. 

“Alright everyone. The scenario for this exam is going to be different. You will be facing 5x outnumbering odds. Defensive mission, Standard Arkship evacuation scenario.”

That was strange. An exam is usually a special scenario crafted to put all the stuff they learned about to the test. Often with small hints to what they'll learn about next. So far the only thing they were learning about was coordination and the roles and importance of a stable flexible chain of command. 

“You have 5 minutes to prepare.” Zhao stares at them all, as the holomap in the center of the simulation room activates. With a 5 minute countdown starting.

“Wait sir, Who's in command!” One of the cadets asks.

Admiral Zhao does not respond, merely staring at them. Immediately everyone begins trying to organize. Some people are trying to give orders. Others group up to form impromptu ship crews. Others arguing with each other over said orders. It was chaos. A few people tried to claim ‘dibs’ or argue about who would make better crew vs command. 

Stynek tried to join the largest group of cadets organizing but that quickly devolved into another argument when one captain tried to claim to be the flotilla commander while the others disagreed. This was getting nowhere fast! Styenk checked the clock, 2 minutes left. Shit. They had spent 3 minutes arguing! She had to do something, without thinking Stynek climbed onto a chair and cupped her paws to amplify her voice like a megaphone.

“EVERYONE SHUT UP!” She shouted at the top of her lungs. Causing everyone to cease talking and stare at her.

“We're getting nowhere arguing! First things first! Form ship crews! We can argue about the chain of command AFTER we get every ship manned and crewed! We have-” Stynek looked back at the holomap. “70 Ships! So Ship Captains line up here! The crew line up in front of them and debate amongst yourselves about who does what!”

“What about you!” One of the cadets shouted back.

“I'll take whatever is available at the end! CHOP CHOP we got 1 minute 30! The sim wont wait for us!” 

The chaos changed into more organized chaos. Stynek shouted and directed people. Settling arguments and putting her paw down when there were enough captains. Forcing everyone else into Crews. Of course there were extra positions, Flotilla commanders and the admiral didn't captain their own ships after all. Some of the more savvy cadets tried to stay out thinking they'll get a surefire spot at being in a command position after that. No way she wasn't going to reward their laziness. Pact members had to work together.

“Alright. You, You- You Yes you, you, you and you!” She pointed to random captains who lined up. “You are flotilla commanders! Everyone else in the crew elects a new captain. Everyone standing out, you fill in the crew for them!” 

“What!” 
“Hey no fair”

“Shut up you weren't willing to fill in the crew on your own. You don't get rewarded with command! Fill in a spot already! Do your duty. Now flotilla commanders pick an admiral! I'll fill in as crew for whoever gets promoted.” 

Stynek Hopped down from the chair. Looking back at the time going down from 30 seconds. She looked back at the flotilla commanders who all ended a conversation quickly and looked at her.

“Whod you pick!" She said but they all pointed at her.

“Cmon Cadet-admiral Stynek. You organized us this far. Lead us to victory.” One of the cadets, a human, smirked. Followed by a murmur of agreement from the others

Stynek was stunned for a moment. She didn't actually think they'd pick her. She was more than willing to fill in as a crew just to make sure they made it in time. She looked back at the clock. 20 Seconds. No time to second guess herself. No time to show doubt. 

“Alright, To your battlestations!! Well work on callsigns on the way! Go go go!” 

Everyone immediately scrambled to their respective terminals. All labeled for each ship crew position. She rushed over with the crowd towards the frontmost position where the team admiral sat. She sat down and entered her login credentials. Putting on her headset and watching as the countdown hit 0. Her terminal booted up and the scenario started immediately. Ships were in disarray, She brought up the flotilla commanders and started assigning random ships into Flotillas with whoever was closest to them. All the while enemy ships started entering the battlefield from FTL. 

“Alright everyone, immediate defensive postures. Assigning Whoever is nearest to battlegroups!”

This was going to be a hard fight she saw immediately. She smiled, her heart beating from the stress and physical exertions she had from the impromptu organizing of a fleet, the running to her station and the rush to assign battlegroups.

This was what she wanted. She was already feeling the rush and love of this. She looked at the enemy fleet's formation and immediately began strategizing a way to beat them. Seeing their flaws, immediate positioning and posture, ideas sparked in her head. All the while as her subcommanders barked orders, organized formations and started sending their arkships away from combat to charge their FTL drives. She was in her element. And she was going to win. 

PACT Date Standard: October 11th 2134
[2 Weeks Later]

“Cmon you already were captaining for four simulations. Bran hasn't had a try in two weeks. He's been on gunnery duty since he got put in our class.” Stynek argued with one of her fellow cadets. The whole class gathered in their limited free time to discuss the latest simulation loss, talk strategy, discuss chain of command to ensure they couldn't be surprised like the last time. 

“He wants to be a gunner right, Bran?”

“Yeah I'm good at it.” Bran responded a bit sheepishly.

“But we don't know if you'll make a good captain or not if you don't try it. Everyone gets 3 sims to see if they make captain material at least. That's the rule!” Styenk argued back. Crossing her arms.

“What rule!” Another cadet barks. 

“The rules I just made up. Look don't you all see! We haven't been assigned any positions in two weeks. They are testing us to see if we have what it takes to test ourselves. If we keep having the same people lead the instructors will figure out our strengths and weaknesses and counter us. We need to spread out command duties. See who's good, who's not, who does better where. 

Who makes decent backups in case the best die in the sim’s. Just last sim remember when Charlie Flotilla had C1 Wiped out in the first barrage. The whole flotilla flopped around uselessly and B1 had to take charge and couldn't focus on his own flotilla. We need to have an agreement between us all to rotate duties so we can all get practice. So that if our commanders die even the person in charge of damage control can hold the line well enough.”

“Yeah you make a good point.” Kassavar, a white wooled and grey undercoat skalgan with yellow eyes, agreed. “We always rotated training before with Zhao. Now he want us to do it ourselves to prove we can be flexible. I say we come up with a schedule for duties and rotate them every sim. We're doing a big campaign sim soon so we can rotate commanders in that. With how many battles we'll fight it'll give us the best chance to get everyone some experience.” 

The crowd of cadets all start murmuring in agreement. Some of them got to pulling out tablets to create a shared document list and filling out the information. Smart, those ones were already managing the organization. Stynek thought that they might make good logistics personnel. Something to file away for the later campaign scenarios.

Another Cadet raised their voice “If only we could win for once! These sims are impossible to fight. The last one was 8 to 1 odds against us. How are we supposed to fight that!” 

“You think the Federation or the Dominion will care about fair fights? If the war starts tomorrow we have to fight with what we have. Well be outnumbered way worse so we gotta learn to fight with everything we got. 10-1 Odds is the standard from what I hear. If we can't beat that, we won't be graduating as officers. And we'll be set for crew duties unless we can prove ourselves in further training and get promoted.” Kassavar responded. His words defused the well meaning disgruntled cadet.

“Kassavar is right, In fact I think we should do some more training.” Stynek looked over at the crowd. “We all finished our standard education by now. So we have 4 hours of free time every day. We should use those four hours for more training.” 

“More training? We already got two extra hours of naval academy training because of finishing our basic training!” 

“Yeah and if we're gonna prove we're the best of the pact then we'll spend another 4 hours training! You all know Admiral Zhao is pushing our group harder than anyone else. He hand picked us all from different cadet training groups. I'm thinking we are his A team. We are the ones he thinks have the most potential! That's why the ratios are so much worse for us! He wants us to win! If we can win against these odds! Then the Dominion and the Federation will have no chance against us!’

Stynek had no clue whether or not Zhao had set this group to be hand picked to be made from the best of the cadets. But if it made them feel pressured to do their best and prove it then who cares if it was true or not. She saw potential in most of them. Some were a bit mediocre. But she could work with them, they were at worst, competent and competence can be honed into excellence if she pushed them. If she helped mold them into what they're good at, hone their edges and dull their deficiencies. 

If they can all train each other in their off time, then they can surely beat these unbeatable odds, and by the looks of the cadets they seem to believe her. Her reputation as being close with Zhao might make it seem like she knows more about his plans than she should. Which she doesn't but in this case that reputation that has followed her since she was put in the academy finally works in her favor.

“Let's show them how good we can be. Every day we use one of the un-used Sim training centers and run a few of the pre-made scenarios. Well swap commanders, crew everything. Everyone has to bring their best. Afterwards we'll review everything and find out what we did wrong, what we did right, how to improve and how to avoid making the same mistakes again. Then we face each other. Face the AI. and maybe invite a few other cadet groups to fight and train against.”

“We're going to show Zhao he can't scare us with these odds!” Kassavar cheered out. The cadets around feeling as enthused as him

“We'll become the best cadet branch in history!” Another cadet shouted.

“Let's show them what we can do!”

“Alright, let's get to work!” Stynek shouted above the shouts in agreement. They had a lot of work to do

Admiral Zhao [Human] [45]
Affiliation: Pact of Polaris
- Admiral-Headmaster of the Pact Naval Academies
PACT Date Standard: December 3rd 2134
- 2 Months Since last Log
Location: Pact Arkship PSS Sword of Damocles, Polaris System

In his thirteen years training new recruits and cadets at the naval academies of the Pact, Zhao was rarely surprised by the cadets he trained. Sometimes they impressed him with maneuvers they shouldn't know about, or with a surprising amount of tactical or strategic skill they never seemed to show before. Or perhaps their adeptness at a new position like logistics that hinted at a further career in the logistics corps.

But surprised? No. Cadets were there to learn how to wage war. They didn't know what to do to surprise someone as experienced as himself or any admiral worthy of their rank. Becoming an admiral after all, was not an easy thing to do. His own promotion came only after a stellar performance in simulations testing, as well as his increase in the worthiness of cadets promoted via the naval academy he worked in. His methods of training worked tremendously better and were starting to be replicated in other naval academies in the years he had become headmaster. All of that earned him his promotion. Yet still after all that, here he and a group of his colleges were. Surprised by a group of cadets.

Zhao looked at the screen in front of him. A few admirals to his left and right looking intrigued by the sight. Director Jones watched with a smirk, being the only one to sit in a chair. The things presented on screen were not something someone would ever think cadets would do. On screen, was security camera footage of one of the Free-to-use rooms for naval cadets to practice or discuss after action reports. 

However, unlike most cadets who booked a room for a few days at most to prepare for an upcoming exam. This room has been booked by the same group for the last two months. The walls are scattered with charts, graphs, and statistics. A whole section of one wall is an electronic board with over 300 cadet’s names with a schedule on who will do what in the next simulations. The tables are also strewn with tablets and cadets pouring over maps, data and analysis of their current campaign Simulation. 

“If I didn't know any better. I would think this was a room full of fully qualified captains, admirals and logisticians discussing war-plans for the true war. Not a room full of cadets..” Admiral Starak to his left said in deep interest. 

“Agreed… You said they have been doing this for 2 months?” Another Admiral, Markoth, asked as he zoomed the camera in on the various posts. The cadets moving about, discussing and planning their next moves like a very badly oiled machine. Full of inefficiencies, and learning as they go. But a working machine nonetheless. 

“Indeed. Two months. Cadet Stynek managed to convince the other cadets to forgo their 4 hours of free time and devote it to after action reports, training, and planning. That chart there you see. “ Zhao panned the camera over to the chart that took up an entire wall with names. “Is a schedule rotating which cadets are on which duties. Along with what they're good at and show aptitude for, who needs extra training on what, and who is helping who. As you can see, they are very well organized.”

“And they set this all up themselves, with no help from you?” Zhao nodded. “Impressive.” Admiral Starak said, stunned into admiration. 

“Indeed. Though they seem to be getting too comfortable in their new routine. They are almost done with this campaign scenario. A victory for once. A well earned one for them against 7-1 odds in a small sector. Because of this, a new variable will be introduced to test these new organizational skills to their limits.” Zhao said as he looked over at his fellow admirals

“And what will this new variable be, Admiral Zhao?” Director Jones questioned from the couch. “I believe you've already taught them all the surprises and tricks you know. What more can there be?”

“Simple. The entire graduating class of 2136 will be merged into one large class across Arkships. No help from us. No warning. They are dropped into a full Federation Campaign scenario. Full logistics simulations and ground forces. Opfor will be the entire graduating class of 2135 with a 10-1 odds in favor of opfor. Opfor gets 2 weeks preparation and their instructors will assist in their organization for this. Blufor will get told 3 days before and the organization will be on them.”

“The Entire graduating classes? That's over 10,000 cadets each. You're not implying a full Federation scale Campaign scenario are you? That's putting them in a full graduation scenario a year early, are you planning on graduating them after this?” Admiral Markoth said in confusion, looking surprised at Zhao.

“No. This will be training for their graduation Scenario. That scenario will be 20-1 starting odds. Full Federation wartime ramp up simulated, and Opfor will be staffed by fully qualified captains, crew, and led by multiple admirals.” Zhao said, looking at the admirals who bore shocked expressions while he remained neutral. Even Director Jones’ normally implaccable poker face cracked at those odds.

“What?! Zhao have you gone mad?! Those are impossible odds. Even more so than the standard graduation scenario!” Markoth blurted out. “Those are odds for elite crew training and even with the best crews the pact has to offer they are expected to fail!”

[Continued In Comments]

Authors note: Thank you for sticking with my story if youve come this far! Hope you enjoy this chapter it was a bit more difficult to write than others.

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HEAVILY Edited By Zoé Selardi from AO3. [They were a great help!]

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Tarva [Federation Venlil] [33]
Allegiance: The Federation
- Candidate for Governorship of the Venlil Republic
PACT Date Standard: February 10th 2131
- 1 Year Since Last Log
Location: Governorship Debate, Venlil Prime

Tarva takes a deep breath. She shuffles her notecards in her paws as she flips through them one by one, checking the notes on her speech, tapping her tail on the couch in the waiting room. This is her big shot. She knows. The Governorship debate was where candidates made or broke their election campaigns. And she has an uphill battle. 

She went full third party. Ever since she broke with her political party since they wouldn't support her ideas, most told her it was foolish.. That it is a guarantee that she'll lose. But she won the first independent senate seat in 500 years. The supposedly politics-savvy said it couldn't be done, that she was crazy and threw away her promising career. She even got a visit by the Exterminators wondering if she was PD-diseased because everybody said… 

That.

 It.

 Was.

 Impossible.

Yet she did it. What's an Independent winning the Governor’s palace compared to beating the so-called impossible once already? 

“Are you doing ok, Tarva?” Kam says walking up to her. She looks up at him with an appreciative flick of her tail. He's been a constant supporter in times like this— even as she barely got to see him as he pushed for more reforms in the Venlil Space and Ground Corps for his part of the plan.

She probably wouldn't have made it this far without Kam. He takes a seat next to her on the couch. He got promoted again and again since they started. Kam's friendship and tour of duty with Captain Sovlin after the Gojid's amazing victories made him a premier candidate for leading the defence force of the homeworld. However, he has not been assigned as the Defence Secretary due to his ties with her. 

“As good as I can be. Which is to say, very nervous.”

As if the position of her ears wasn’t already making her nervousness as blatant as possible.

“I can tell. Don't worry, I believe in you. You promise change and people want that. Even if they don't realise it yet. So far, you've been an afterthought to most people. They never thought an Independent could get this far. Now that you're here, the whole republic has its eyes on you and they will have to pay attention.” Kam gently held her paw. 

She calms down a bit. He was right. Kam and Tarva saw it whenever they held a new rally in a new city: People showed up out of curiosity… Then they left believing in her. She is only the underdog because nobody pays attention to her. But with a Galactic stage to all of Venlil Prime and its colonies. They'll all see her and with a bit of hope. They'll believe in her. 

“I just have the fate of our species on my back. Nothing to worry about.” She says jokingly, making Kam chuckle.

“Theres the Tarva I know.” The red light over the door flicks on, showing that it's about time to get to her podium. “It's time. Win them with your words. Solgalick bless you.” 

Tarva nodded.

She stands up. Looks in the mirror. Adjusts the purple coat that had become almost synonymous with her campaign. She brushes off some loose wool hairs from it and closes her eyes. Tarva the Politician opens her eyes and stands tall, not a slouch on her like most venlil,  oozing confidence before anyone who hasn't known her long enough to intuit the act she puts on.

There was the governor to be; Tarva. She nods to Kam as greets in kind.

“Always unsettling watching you do that. Like you turn into somebody else completely.” 

Kam started walking towards the door. 

“It's what I need to be to win this election. For those who we lost…” She feels her heart ache at the thought but pushes it deep down. She needs her wits about her. 

“I have faith in you.” Kam opens the door and Tarva steps through into the hallway connected to the stage. Tarva can hear the crowd talking and murmuring even from the backstage. She walks towards the end of the hallway and spots her two other competitors. 

Valek, the leader of the ‘Venlil United’ Party, wore nothing except a bow tie around his neck wool. Apparently, on the colony world he comes from, a simple bow tie is worn for formal events. Polls indicate it makes him look ‘rustic’ and more down to earth as a leader. 

The other candidate is Kassiva, her former party's leader. The head of ‘Trimmed Wool’ wore nothing, like most venlil, but for a few earrings and bracelets made of gold and platinum. The silver spoon to Valek’s ‘rags to riches’, she came from a family of senators and politicians.

Both candidates pretend to not see her, or each other . Not even speaking to each other. Better to leave the veiled jabs for the cameras. A few moments of awkward silence precede the crowd's silence.. The show is starting.

“Hello everyone and welcome to the 178th Governmental Debate of the Venlill Republic. This has been an exciting election cycle. And this year's debate will be longer than standard due to the additional candidate. Let us introduce our candidates. Starting off, here we have Valek of the ‘Venlil United’ Party.”

Valek steps out forward and takes the podium to the far left that displays his Party colors of green and  orange. He waved to the crowd  to hefty applause along the way. He undoubtedly was the frontrunner in this race, bolstered by how her breaking from the Trimmed Wool split the voting block on the homeworld. 

“Pleasure to be here, and thank you all for coming and paying attention to these important matters. Every vote matters.” Valek spoke in a unique accent from one of the colony worlds, with a slow drawl that made his speeches quite interesting to listen to and brought him closer to the everyman in venlil imagination, which he exploited relentlessly on the campaign trail.

“And next, we have Kassiva of the Trimmed Wool Party” 

Kassiva walks out, jewelry jingling sadly to quieter applause. She gives a polite nod to the crowd and takes her podium to the right side of the stage, decked in Red and Gold, the traditional colors of the ‘trimmed wool’ party. 

“Thank you, moderator. I hope this is a productive session.” She says in a posh Kolshian-style accent. It's clear her family has deep ties to Federation elites just from the way she talks. Some thought it refined, others thought it elitist. Tarva was definitely in the latter category.

“And lastly, Tarva running as an Independent.”

Tarva steps out. She waves politely to the crowd as she got her own applause on the way to her purple podium. No party. Independent.  Her jacket's color. Her presence worked up the crowd better than Kassiva, but not nearly as enthusiastically as with Valek. 

She had her base from her former party’s votes, now she needed to trim off some of Valek's, most of whom were colonial voters who'd like ‘one of their own’ to win the governor's seat for once in the last 200 years. Tarva hoped her policies regarding the buildup of defences and infrastructure in the colonies would take some of the wind out of his mill.

“As we all know this is the first debate in 500 years to have three separate candidates up for election. Without further ado we will begin with a preliminary speech about each candidate's promises and policies. After that, candidates can talk about their policies and debate each other to test their policies and their opponents. Finally, each candidate will say a closing statement.” The moderator states calmly, flipping their script card.

 “As is tradition, we will flip a coin—er, flip a digital three-sided coin to see who will go first and second then third. That will be the order in which the debate will proceed.” The screen showed a three-sided object in a crude 3d program. 

Clearly this had been rushed last minute when someone finally noticed that the traditional ‘coin flip’ wouldn't work with three candidates. Each side held a party’s Icon plus Tarva’s purple coat. The coin flipped and spun in the digital air for a moment before bouncing and stumbling to heighten the drama for the audience. It lands on the shears and wool of the TW Party. 

 Kassiva goes first.

The coin flips again and bounces around for longer than last time. It lands on the two paws grabbing and raising each other up of the VU Party. Tarva is last.

Not spectacular, but she at least could get the last word in at the closing of everything.

“Very well. Kassiva, you open the floor. Clearly state your stance and policies for your potential governorship."

“Thank you. Fellow citizens, I have not much that needs saying. The Trimmed Wool party has been the party of stability and growth for the last 20 years! Our economy has never been more prosperous. Thanks to that, for our people never has a luxury from the Federation been out of our reach despite us being on the ‘frontier’. Vote for me to keep the party that has toiled for  nothing less but than  growing the purse of the  Venlil Republic citizenry.” Kassiva ended her speech as applause came from the audience again. Slightly more than before. 

The spotlight turns towards Valek as he adjusts his bow tie. 

“Now that's a mighty fine rap sheet for your party, I do say. But growth for who? All I see is growth for the big wools, the homeworld. We ain't seen nothing of that growth out there in the colonies. Not a lick of help when major power stations break down for weeks before replacement parts come in. 
“The homeworld forgets about its daughters, happy to enjoy the safety and security of a world already prosperous. But we have real problems out there that ain't just a few downticks of some traders profit margins. A vote for me is a vote for the herd. You have it good here already in the homeworld; let's spread it out to our brothers and sisters in the colonies  as well.” The applause was near deafening and took twice as long as before to settle. 

The spotlight turned towards Tarva.

Tarva takes a deep breath and looks past the crowd as she speaks. 

“Economy and money, that's what we argue about. We all know what the real threat we should be focusing on is. Yet, in these decades, have we dared make an effort to improve the defences of our homeworld or its colonies? Effort to expand the defense fleet? Effort to slow down the raids so that  Federation Fleets can come to help?“

“I say no!, And the proof's in the  hundreds, thousands of screaming, begging venlil taken to the slaughter by the Arxur.” The whisperers stop their musings. Everyone pays attention. Everyone knows someone taken, and Tarva's pain resonates. “When exactly do we decide the venlil herd has had enough? Is it when they take your daughter, as they took mine? When the Arxur call you personally to gloat, to show your child's face one last time? When you know you can do nothing but watch as your child begs you to save them, as they're yanked around by the claws in their neck! Is waiting for that what it takes for you to realize the true threat to our happiness? If so, it will be far too late for your herd. And no amount of credits will replace it.” 

The silence blankets the room. It was expected, few people brought up the arxur to campaign. It was an uncomfortable topic, one she had brought to the forefront and will force everybody to think about.
Tarva looks towards the mediator and nods she's done. Now she waits for her turn to speak. 

[Timeskip 2 Hours]

“—And that's why my bill would re-vitalize the economy of the colonies. Kassiva can prod it all she wants, it'll remain effective regardless” Valek says, using the last of his allotted time down to the second. 

It has been a long two hours. Despite the shock of Tarva's initial introduction, the normality of a Governorship debate prevails. Kassiva and Valek are going at each other like polite yet vicious predators. They tear into each other's ideas with such gusto, Tarva barely has had time to get a word in to go at them. Nevertheless, Tarva has scored a few points and prodded the other two candidates' plans and promises. 

Then,  the moment of truth. Tarva waited for both of them to cast her, and her ideas, down in this final debate stretch. A lesser public speaker would hope her initial speech would have shocked them into silence like her initial statement did. But these were career politicians and she had no place in her heat for hope.

“Very well put, Valek. Your allotted time finished. Now for our final candidate. Tarva, the stage is yours.” 

Tarva clears her throat as she collects her thoughts.

“My opponents talk about economy, wealth, and the rivalry between the homeworld and the colonies. Important topics that would be the gravest things we would worry about were it not for the greatest threat there is. I notice none mentioned the Arxur yet again. “

“None mentioned any plans on how might the raids be lessened. Plans for defense of the colonies, of the homeworld, to improve the defence fleet or the station defenses. No. All you bickering children care for is which planet the credits are flowing to. All the while our citizens, our sons, our daughters, our siblings, fathers, mothers, husbands and wives are taken from us to be butchered.” 

The extra emphasis gets the reaction she wants: The crowd's murmurs rise; Kassiva morphs from  arrogant dismissive interest to wiping the smug grin from her face; Valek buried the shock in his eyes from her statements, but she could tell despite his well kept stoicism.

“I have seen the data. We can all see the data. The raids are getting faster, better. All because of one Chief Hunter: Isif. It went from an unknown Chief Hunter to the most cruel and despicable being in the galaxy. And it has been sweeping this sector for 40 years. 

“Yet here we are, arguing about credits. Doing nothing while the cattle collars dangle above. I know what you might say already.” She pointed to Kassiva who looked about ready to press her button to interject. ‘Oh, the Gojid fleet is right across the border only a few hours away to help.’ That served us well the last 8 years hasn't it? 

“They showed up exactly on time to see the FTL trails from the Arxur cattle ships fly off into space never to be seen again. And you,” Tarva points to Valek “might say we need to deploy our small defense fleet of a thousand ships around more,  spread them out to the colonies. I do remember you promised that in your campaigning on New Woolsburg.” 

“Brilliant idea! Let's send what little defense we have to be slaughtered one by one as a few hundred ships try to hold off thousands.” By the looks of Valek she had called him out exactly. It was clear he had stated that to win some extra votes in his constituent colonies to make them feel safer. 

“Now, the question everybody should be asking their Governor,  is ‘How do we stop the Greys?’ Yet nobody asks it! It's all about the economy, the money, whatever scandal has rocked the Federation today.

“The questions are never how do our children won't have to hear a friend of theirs isn't coming to school because they're now sitting on a dinner plate. Or how you have to explain to your dear child how mom wont come back from work because she now breeding stock!” The faces in the crowd turn uncomfortable immediately. 

That's her hope. Bring the horror, the terror, the fear to the forefront. Make it impossible to ignore, and then present her solutions. Is it horrible? Yes, she was likely stirring many citizens' terrible memories of lost loved ones. But it suits her strategy to get them to vote for her after being forced to think about the only candidate promising that it might not happen again. Iss this predatory? Tarva doesn't care. 

 “I say no more!” She bangs her fist onto the podium. “Why do we only have a thousand ships! Why? Tell me! Why must we rely on the Gojid for anything stronger than a scouting raid! I already know your responses: We Venlil are weak, the most skittish race in the federation, only beaten by the Sivkits.”

 “I call that SPEH! Just look at Admiral Kam! He leads our defense fleet. He served directly under Captain Sovlin in battle after battle during his tour of duty in the Federation fleet. And Sovlin has nothing but good things to say about the Venlil crew he works with! We can fight just as well as the Gojid if we trained like them. All we need are ships!”

She languorously sips a ship from her water bottle. It was a mistake. She gave her opponents an opening. Kassiva’s podium buzzes.

“And where will these ships come from? Surely I do not doubt the valor of our brave and noble volunteers who serve and sacrifice themselves in the Federation fleet. But if you're saying what you're implying, then where will these new ships come from? I sure do hope you don't plan on raising taxes!” 

It’s at moments like this that Tarva remembers how many times she has held her tongue about this damn brahking woman’s policies when she was in the party, how condescending she sounded and how she only focused on wealth. 

Tarva gasps theatrically to cut her off and continues, “Solgalick forbid we all pay a few extra cents to protect ourselves. Kassiva, perhaps next time you travel to a city hit hard by an Arxur raid you can tell them not to worry, their family members might be being torn apart right now but they saved ten credits in taxes!”

Kassiva leans back, eyes wide open, not used to being spoken to in such a way. Tarva felt satisfied seeing that. 

“Yes, I plan on raising taxes. Are a few credits worth the lives of thousands? If so, I would call the exterminators right now to put you in for PD since you clearly don't care about the safety of the herd. We need ships. We need weapons. We need ground defenses! And I know how we can get them. The Gojid produce their own ships and have a shipyard in orbit. I have good ties with Captain Sovlin.

“I know he will help us no matter what! He is a true hero of the Federation and when I talked to him last and asked him if the Gojid could help us build a shipyard in Venlil Prime to bolster our defence fleet he was all for it! ‘The herd should help strengthen its herd,’ he told me. So we could purchase ships from the Gojids while we build our own shipyard. Not only that, but Nevok and Fissan shipyards are currently bidding lower and lower for ship contracts! We can take advantage of this to produce brand-new ships instead of hand-me-downs like 90% of our navy!
“But that is not all. We need to expand our ground defenses. Not only on Venlil Prime. But in the colonies.”

She sees the crowd staring intently at her. Many nod in agreement or speak hushedly with those around them. She has many plans, details on where and when to build the defenses, and how to fund it. Everything. She could feel it, she has the public in her paws, in the studio and beyond. And she still had 40 minutes to talk. 

She slams her paws on the podium. “Now, how about we save ourselves for once!!”

PACT Date Standard: February 17th 2131
[1 Week Later]

Tarva paces about the large room in the office space rented out to be her campaign headquarters. Dozens of individuals, mostly venlil, are scattered about doing last minute work. The large holoprojector shows a republic-wide poll as votes are being counted live. 

Maps of the colony planets and of Venlil Prime itself are divided into voting districts. Only a few of the most sparsely populated areas already show results, with most being on colony worlds and most showing the orange and green of the Venlil United party. But a healthy smattering of purple causes a few early cheers from Tarva's staff here. 

“If you walk in circles any faster you might start digging a trench,” Kam jokes. He walks up to Tarva wearing his Venlil Space Corps officer cap and sash, proudly. 

“Its time to see whether our work was worth it or not,” Tarva states far calmer than she felt. 

She has learned to hide her true feelings well these past few years. It has helped tremendously today, the slightly nervous figure she cut as expected, especially when seeing the votes come in after months of campaigning. But, internally, a thousand thoughts on things she could have done better such as extra trips to the colonies to further divide Valek's voter base. 

Could she have talked more on economic matters to fully win over her old party’s constituents? Another speech or two? Maybe an extra post on Bleater calling for voters to show up to the polls? Although, with how Kassiva's attempts at appealing to young voters by trying to spout memes humiliated her, it's probably best that her campaigning on Bleater was pretty mediocre in comparison. 

“Look!” One of the workers points at one side screen, “The final tally is coming in!” Another scrambles to.switch the feed to the holoprojector. This clattering turns every head in the room to turn to watch—Tarva's jerks in a most un-prey-like manner, staring directly forward at the projector. They all watch intently.

The newscaster blabs about this, that, and the other things Tarva doesn't care about. Then the voting map begins to change colors. Another orange and green section signals Valek's electoral stake in the colonies. But two more purple ones joined in on the same colony. Signalling they believe Tarva's promises of change.

Two more Orange and Green. Two more purple. The colonies follow this pattern like clockwork. Tarva’s purple and Venlil United’s green and orange splatter seemingly random yet equal sections of the colonies. All the while swathes of Venlil Prime’s voting districts confirm their votes and turn purple. Minutes pass. as More purple dominates the belt. Orange and purple battle it tooth and claw in the colonies. But Venlil Prime was overwhelmingly purple. A few tiny orange spots showed up in the more rural villages and towns. And…

There were still a few sections of the ted and gold of the Trimmed Wool party. But now, it was clear.

“No brahking way..” A stunned Kam walks up next to her. They both watch the sections purpling by the minute. Even the news announcers were too stunned to read whatever the promoter told them to read.

“It seems… Despite the full votes not being counted yet, Tarva has clearly won the office of Governor of the Venlil Republic! Reaching over 60% of the voting threshold—”

The entire office erupts into cheers, Coworkers, allies and Kam himself pat her on the back, congratulate her. They say they always believed in her, and how everyone now sees it. 

It was surreal. Some part of her deep down thought that this would never work. All this work would be for naught and she could finally crumble and wallow and mourn. But no.

“I won...” She mumbles in the celebrations. 

Kam whistles in hysteric laughter.

“I told you you would win, Tarva!” He cheers out, popping a bottle of 50% bubbling spirit. The cork flies over the crowd. Kam pours two glasses to drink. “TO VICTORY!” He bellows, shoving the glass into her paw and lifting it up.

“TO VICTORY” The crowd cheered hoisting booze soda cans and plastic cups in an office-wide toast.

“TO VICTORY” Tarva shouts, lifting her own glass. 

She never takes a single sip of alcohol. 

Nikonus [Kolshian] [67]
Allegiance: The Federation / Ideology of True Prey
- Chief of the Kolshian Commonwealth
PACT Date Standard: February 17th 2131
Location: Federation Council building, Nikonus’ Office, Kolshian Homeworld of Aafa

“—And in a shocking landslide victory, Governor Tarva has been elected as governor of the Venlil Republic. Her promises of self-defense, breaking the unofficial maximum of one thousand ships for non-military Federation species and her fiery passion-filled speech during the last debate is cited by most voters as the reason for her victory. It seems the Arxur will soon find out the little venlil might have sharper claws than—” 

Nikonus turns off the news broadcast. He knew the results long before the reporters did but wanted to check the public news’ response to it. 

 Some are rightly concerned about her rhetoric being a bit on the edge of predatory, But most seemed happy that the Venlil might feel safer with more defences. 

“Seems that this… Tarva thinks more like her predatory ancestors than the peaceful prey they should be,” Jerulim, the Krakotl Ambassador speaks. He clacks his beak, disgruntled, at the now turned-off holoscreen.

“Yes. Seems there's still some ‘Skalga’ left in her ” Nikonus sneers. “That old breed should have died out with the humans in the orbit of some worthless star.  But it seems its tendencies cling to the cured venlil. Still, this won't be too much of an issue.”

Nikonus puts down the holoscreen's remote control. Unfortunately, his attention wasn't brought to Tarva’s campaign sooner. He might have had some subtle way to ruin her before she ever got a chance to even think of running for Governor. Shame nobody saw her sudden rise in popularity till it was too late. Jerulim puffs out his feathers and starts gesticulating.

“How will this not be an issue? We need the venlil weak and raided so they fully accept the ideology of True Prey. Yet, somehow they still have colonies and a growing population. With how many raids that detestable Chief Hunter Isif has conducted in their space and how many were sanctioned by us by diverting the Federation fleets to be too far to assist, they should be down to their homeworld. But somehow, they haven't," the Krakotl huffed. He preens the misaligned  feathers his jerking about knocked loose.

“Yes, I understand that. But we can dull their claws. Red tape, need for permits. Safety precautions to ensure our technology does not get into the hands of the Dominion. All valid excuses to delay shipments of rare materials and components needed for ship building. We can't stop the Gojids from selling them ships, unfortunately, nor their attempts at purchasing shipyard space from the Fissans and Nevok. That would result in too many questions and show our paws too much.

“But there are more things we can do. We can suddenly shift a few Federation contracts onto the Fissans and Nevok to minimize the amount of ships Tarva can commission at all. Everything else can be slowed down so by the time Governor Tarva’s term ends she'll have not fully finished her promises. Then we can help push a new candidate far better to our liking by amplifying her failures to keep her promises. 
“Perhaps a large raid to smash all those ships they spent so long building and buying with a ‘sudden unexpected save’ by a Krakotl fleet will be the end of her career.” Nikonus relaxed back into his comfy chair. He was getting too old for this. Perhaps he should start thinking about training a successor already. 

“Hmm, that would work. That is, assuming we can fully stop them from building that shipyard. If we do, they will at most get a few hundred more ships from the Gojids. Maybe up to another thousand ships from the Nevok and Fissions and others. 

“But we can't delay their construction forever. And the more red tape we put up the more blatant our hand is. Should the Venlil see through our hindrance, it may push them away from us and distrust us like their ancestors did. And I don't think that saving plan will work. Her whole argument was building up their defences to buy time for a federation fleet to arrive. 

“Since then, Isif Creature has gotten remarkably efficient at raiding. So delaying his fleets enough for ours to arrive would fit exactly into her plans. We’d be giving her a PR boost. What then?”

He brings up a good point. Nikonus brings his tentacle to his chin thinking for a moment.

Of course Tarva wasn't idiotic enough to promise full self-defense. If she did that, it would have made things easier. Tarva's competence made this all the harder for him, and, in the long run, all the more painful for the venlil. 

“Then what? Then we can tell the Dominion that the venlil are free to conquer. Perhaps a few decades as cattle would wipe away any last vestiges of their Skalgan heritage. Then we will fully embrace them into the ideology of True Prey. Should all our efforts to hinder their armament program be... not enough, that may be our last resort.”

“A harsh response. But harsh measures may be needed. If a few million fed to the detestable Arxur is what it takes to convert them into true prey forever, then it will be a cost worth paying. We can only keep the foolish Dominion on our leash for so long. We string each of their Prophet-Descendants along letting them raid until one gets far more foolish than usual and thinks they can actually win the war.”

“Yes... It may be inevitable that our secret dealings with the Prophets bloodline will come to an end. But for now, they serve our purpose to unite the federation and turn all citizens into believing rue Prey ideologues. A few more centuries and perhaps some worlds lost and reconquered like Venlil Prime and it should be all we need to solidify the thinking of True Prey in the entire Federation.” Nikonus stands up from his chair. Pacing out of his seat to keep his old limbs limber.

He continues. “Then after we liberate the Venlil homeworld, perhaps another round of modifications is in order. To fully ensure any trace of their resistance is gone forever. Perhaps something involving the brains. I hear the Farsul may have some ideas on how to imprint True Prey behavior by altering the brains. This may be a priority in future uplifts to avoid the many mistakes we have already made, such as burning Tinsas and the invasion and escapees of Skalga.”

“They have boasted about that idea for two hundred years with no success. Ever since the debacle with the human homeworld being exterminated they have tried that idea of brain modifications on the genetic level. That would be a worthwhile field of study: If we can implant the behaviors of True Prey genetically, it would be far easier than decades and centuries of manipulation even after the ‘cure’ is administered to the few worthy species who had even considered consuming meat in some form.”  Jerulim gags at the thought of his own species having once been detestable predators. Luckily, they were cured both of mind and body. 

“Unfortunately, all their work seems to imply that the brains are far too complicated to touch without a dozen side effects. By some of their estimates it might take a millenia to fully map out every single consequence to a single change on one species alone. For now, we must rely on traditional methods.”

Nikonus nods along. Unfortunately such a panacea as a way to permanently implant the ideology of True Prey into species was but a dream for now. The current ‘cure’ will have to suffice. Nikonus paces over to his large collection of beverages from across the Federation. Most are gifts by one diplomat or another to attempt to win his favor. The one he grabs is a large bottle of fruit wine.

A Venlil drink, made for export so its alcohol content is nowhere near as deadly.

He pours himself and Jerulim a small glass. The aromatic scent of fermented fruit is quite lovely. Ironic since the venlil no longer have a strong enough sense of smell to appreciate it. One of the many punishments to their ungratefulness. Even then it seems insufficient. Were they able to change the Venlil more, it would be subtly so they don't risk the species that still carry predatory tendencies getting wise.. 

“Ah, well. Things will work out eventually. None can stop the inevitability of our plans. But let us celebrateGovernor Tarva's victory. To her winning a spot on the galactic stage.. And her damnation of her own species” Nikonus said blithely. He lifted  his glass by wrapping it tightly in his tendril arm.

“To the inevitable victory of the True Prey,” Jerulim responds, lifting his glass with his wing claws.

They clink their glasses together, and take a swig of the swill.

Authors note: Thank all of you who have read my story so far! I always love reading your comments on what you think and what might happen. Hope you enjoy this chapter as well. Were about halfway through the 'Prologue' chapters before we even get to the original start date of NoP. Please comment what you think and if you like the story, its always appreciated.

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Stynek [Federation Venlil] [12]
Affiliation: N/A
Pact Trainee
PACT Date Standard: June 24th 2130
2 years since last log
Location: Pact Arkship PPS Sword of Damocles, Polaris System

Stynek awoke to the sound of the barrack’s alarm buzzing, as the lights flicked on for their ‘daytime’ cycle to start. She blinked awake and yawned, slowly pushing the blanket off her body and stretching her legs. Feeling the tiredness of sleep slowly seeping away all the while the voices and grumbles of her platoonmates fill the room. Glam hopping down from the top bunk in front of her with a soft plop of her pawpads on the floor, turning towards the locker next to their bunk beds embedded into the wall and retrieving her own uniform cap and boots to begin putting them on.

“Morning Glam.” Stynek yawned the sentence out, swishing her legs over the edge of the bed and standing up, stretching her arms to get rid of the last vestiges of sleep. 

“Morning Stynek. Here's your uniform.” She handed Stynek her uniform, a Light grey uniform, lighter than the uniforms adults wear, with a blue stripe along the middle. 

“Thanks Glam, Hand me my cap.” Glam hands over the cap, similar grey cap with a light blue top, theirs have special holes for their ears to poke through unlike the one the Polarins wear since their ears are on the sides and pretty small. 

The door to the barracks opens as Stynek was busy buttoning up her shirt, the whole platoon of dressing cadets all straighten up immediately and stand at attention, smacking their fist over their heart in a salute as one of her classmates at the front shouts “ATTENTION!”. The room went silent as they all stood at attention for a moment as their Polarin drill instructor walked in. A tall woman with red hair that reached to her neck and abruptly cut there, pale skin and wearing the glasses and blue bandana all Polarins wore to hide their face. 

“Gooood morning cadets.” 

“Good morning Drill Sergeant Kelly!” The Platoon says in unison. 

“At ease!” The room immediately begins to relax and everyone returns to dressing themselves. “We will be doing morning exercises in the Jungle dome at J-32 station. I trust you will all find yourselves there on time.”

A chorus of groans came from everyone, Stynek included. Everyone hates going to the jungle dome. It's one of the worst places to train in, hot as the desert yet humid as can be and wet everywhere with random ‘rain showers’ from the sprinkler systems soaking into their wool. Mud pits that get your boots caked in mud if your lucky and trip you up if you aren't. It is the worst.

“Head to breakfast and be sure to get to the dome by 8am. Ill see you all there Cadets.” 

“Yes, Drill Sergeant Kelly!” They all say in chorus and she nods before turning away and walking out. 

“So what are you gonna get for breakfast? I'm thinking of getting a baked potato ration with grape soda" Another of her classmates, Ilek said from her right. 

“Oh well I forgot what they have on the menu for today so ill decide then.” Glam says finished butting up her pants. “And shoosh yes I know I looked it up yesterday but I forgot!”

“Pfft Well im gonna get a Greek Salad ration, heard they are adding extra olives to the rations now!” Stynek smiled as they all grouped up and started to head out of their bunkrooms. Walking down the hall towards the maglev train to get to the cafeteria. 

“Ugh I don't get how you like olives. Those things are too bitter.” Ilek shudders, likely remembering the time Stynek forced him to eat one to try it. “I'll stick with my Potato. Plus since we got our lux rations for the week issued, I can add cream and cheese to it this time.”

“Still find it weird how they eat stuff made from like… milk.” Glam continued. “Like- i know its actually not bad for us and we can still eat it but.. I still think its weird… Probably not gonna eat any though.”

“But you like butter don't you?” Stynek brought up looking curiously at Glam. 

“Butters not made from milk dummy.” Glam said confidently only for her smile to falter when seeing the faces of Ilek and Stynek looking at her as if she was an idiot. “R-Right?”

“Uhh butter is definitely made from milk. I read on the database that it's churned into butter.” Glam retches for a moment as they hold onto the wall.  “Oh come on, it's not that bad! You've already eaten it and love it. Just join the rest of us and the skalgans in eating milk products like normal people” 

“Ignore her Stynek” Ilek puts a paw on her shoulder. “She'll see the light eventually when my beautiful potato with cream and cheese shows up and her taste buds will be so jealous.” 

The two chuckle as Glam gets up, the trio joining their Platoon into walking to the Maglev station. Joining up with their Skalgan and Polarin Platoonmates in the Barracks hall before walking onto the train, Stynek’s eyes looking over to one of the screens displaying a message. A warning stating ‘Luxury rations are not to be traded! Use yours as YOU see fit. Gifts are Acceptable, Debt and Trade are not!’. She nodded remembering how a few platoon mates tried to have her give them her daily allotment of a lux ration. Looking over she sees another message, ‘See something? Say something! Report any abuse of authority to oversight! None are above the law!’ Along with an icon of a person seeing an officer in a blatantly titled ‘luxury ration storage’ eating all they can. 

The image swaps to the officer hitting another person, and the examples keep swapping. Stynek also thought about that, remembering her first interaction with the people in the ‘oversight’ division. They gave them pamphlets not long after they were rescued with information on what is and is not appropriate for people to say and do with them. As well as telling them to call them if they felt scared or intimidated or threatened by anyone. They would answer no matter what. She luckily has never had to call them or see anyone get in trouble with them, everyone in the Pact was so nice and kind to them all. But the way the Officers and Enlisted talk about them makes them sound like some secret superhero monitoring for crime like the old cartoons she used to watch back on venlil prime. They did visit her class once a year to ask to talk with them to see if anything was wrong, one even asked if her skalgan platoonmates said anything about being weaker cuz the federation did stuff to their biology. She said no cuz nobody did, well one did but his friends hit him on the head and told him to apologize for insulting her so she felt she didn't need to get him in trouble for that. 

 Finally the maglev arrived at the station near their assigned cafeterias, everyone began hopping off at the stop, walking in just as the previous group of Cadets, enlisted and officers were walking out on schedule. The last group finished cleaning the area for their group. Stynek spotted a distinct group of Naval officers walking in at that moment, though luckily the Common areas are exempt from the expectations of rank discipline in the Pact. So she didn't need to stand at attention. Stynek and her friends all join the ever growing line of people at the far end of the cafeteria waiting to get their breakfast rations. Halfway down the line the three pick up trays and utensils from the dispenser and hold them before finally arriving at the front of the line. 

Stynek looks at the menu for the day with a sign saying ‘Skalgan Menu’ and ‘Polarin Menu’, with each species getting separate rations since their bodies need different things. She looks at the options for the day: baked potato, pasta and veggies with a red tomato sauce, biscuits, rice and beans with lentils. There were a few other options but she didn't like those ones, the menu was short but rotated every few days so Stynek always had different things to try. Unfortunately the greek salad seemed to have been taken out of the menu with it crossed out on the board. So instead she decided to order the Beans, rice and Lentils and a box of strawberry juice. Having the food put onto her plate she thanked the cafeteria staff with a smile and walked over to claim a spot for her friends. Finding a vacant spot in the middle of the cafeteria between one group of officers and another group of older cadets.

Stynek sat and began to dig into her meal. The warm beans mixed with rice and lentils in a sauce tasted so good and filled her belly with warm goodness. Giving her the energy to take on the challenges to come. Glam and Ilek sat beside her and started eating away. Saving conversation till after they finished so they didn't have to scramble to finish their meals before needing to leave again. Ilek’s potato was piled with add ons, a dollop of white cream and two different kinds of shredded cheese judging by the shades of yellow along with the usual helping of vegetable sides all steamed or grilled in a pan. Stynek would be lying if she wasn't jealous of his usage of a lux ration but she was saving hers for later so she could buy some strawberry ice cream that she’s heard about. She did take a look at his soda. The dark purple color brings back uncomfortable memories. Ones that she’s had a long time to think about, she took a deep breath and relaxed just like her therapist told her. She was stronger now than she was back then, flexing her arm muscles and relaxing again. Still, she hated that color, hated it more since it was the blood of the two species who screwed her out of better legs. She's still jealous she can't run as fast or as far as her skalgan kin. No use in moaning about it though, as her therapist said. Better to work to minimize her limitations than complain about them, a mindset she wholeheartedly agrees with. 

Breakfast went by fast and before long the people started to get up from their seats, slowly at first, then when the clock started getting closer and closer to the end of breakfast more got up from their seats to put away their trays and utensils to be cleaned. Wiping down their tables to let the next group of people to have breakfast have a clean place to eat like they did. Stynek and her friends went back to the train and rode it towards their morning exercise location at the Jungle dome. Walking into the airlock she could already feel the humidity clinging to her wool and the rest of her class already looked demotivated feeling it.

“Hey don't look so glum, guys! We can do this! A little wet air isn't gonna stop us from beating our last record!” She smiled. “We might get an extra Lux ration if we do beat our record again too!”

That seemed to do the trick, with the class mumbling in agreement, a few smiling back at her with renewed motivation to bear the trials before them. She led the group into the dome and immediately felt the sweltering heat and humidity hit her in the face, yet her stride did not let up no matter how uncomfortable it was. Walking forth to the beginning of the ‘hike trail’ where Drill Sergeant Kelly already had the ones who arrived early lined up and stretching along with a series of backpacks filled with weights. Already Stynek could feel her legs hurting from carrying all that. 

“Good right on time everybody, start stretching today were doing ruckmarching! You have 5 minutes to stretch and drink some water and fill your canteens on the side of your bags, then we start.”

“Ugh rucking…” She heard Ilek groan

“Hey Ilek it wont be that bad, you can get through this in no time.” one of the Polarin members of their Platoon said walking up to Ilek. 

“No offense David but your legs arent-” 

Ilek was cut off when David bapped his non-existent nose. “Hey shoosh! No talking about your legs like that! Not on my watch! Your legs are fine! You can do this no matter what the feddies did to you.”

“Alright alright I wont mention my legs” Ilek flushed orange as he rubbed his noseless snout. “But still we’ll be slower than you all.”

“Rucking isnt about speed its about endurance, Plus a good platoon never leaves a member behind! I'll carry you over that finish line if I have to Ilek.” 

“Oh great! That means I can just relax on your back while you carry me the whole way! You're such a good friend David!"

“Oh ha ha.”

Stynek ignored the rest of their banter as she started to stretch her body in preparation for this. Heavy backpacks, two full canteens of water and a canopy of trees dripping with water as the sunlight of Polaris steams the leftover water into a sauna causing the air to feel thick like soup all worked together to make this one of the more difficult training exercises to do. Stynek took deep breaths as she was taught, needing as much air to cycle through her body to help cool herself down along with small sips of water as she waited the 5 minutes to start, only then did she finally put on her heavy rucksack, strapping it in on reflex after so many ruckmarches. The weight pressing down on her deceptively felt not too heavy, though she knew she would begin to feel its weight deep into the march. 

“Everybody ready? Good, your destination is that Beacon tower!” The Drill sergeant pointed across the artificial valley towards the opposite side, where the large blinking tower stands in the middle of a massive valley multiple kilometers long and wide, the tower being roughly two or three kilometers away. “Begin your ruck, If any of you get lost or into trouble use a flare. While we recommend you attempt to get yourself out of a sticky situation for practice, if you think you are in danger do not hesitate to use a flare. Your safety is first and foremost, Now Good luck.”

The platoon begins forming up into a rough line, Stynek and her friends including David being somewhere in the front-middle of the line. Slowly marching off the grassy flat area near the entrance onto the official ‘trails’ snaking through the dense jungle. The canopy quickly covers the ground in dark shade mixed with rays of light coming through gaps in the treetops. The ground covered in dense foliage barely kept at bay from the trail by recent cuts to the plantlife. Stynek didn't feel the shade improved the temperature at any bit since they lost the wind instead. Small talk started to pick up through the column of marching cadets. 

“Ugh so hot.. I wish I could sweat like the polaris…” Glam groaned out as she pressed her canteen to her face hoping some of the chill left in the water would sap out the heat. 

“Trust me, it doesn't help when the air is already this humid…” David responded, wiping his brow of sweat as the bandana around his mouth started to look like it was getting soaked already.

“At least its-” It was at that moment everything and everyone stopped, the chatter, the walking, perhaps even the insects froze as the entire column either had their ears perk up, or turned their heads towards the voice speaking. “Not-” Heads turned sharply as everybody stared at the idiot speaking. “Raining!” The skalgan spoke with a grin as everybody glared at them with a look that could kill.

“What?” The temptor of fate said indignant. “You guys don't actually believe they turn the rain on whenever someone says that-”

And as if fate itself decided that this one individual would be proven wrong just to make his peers despise him in that very moment. A single drop of water landed in front of them, then another, then another. And soon the canopy was discouraging water down in heavy raindrops. Drenching the ground and all who stood upon it for daring to question the all mighty will of Murphy’s law.

“Uh… Heh.. uh..” The smile dropped from their face as their wool drenched in warm water stuck to them. 

“All in favor of having him last to shower when we get out?” 

“AYE” A chorus of disgruntled children shout over the rain

“Cmon Move it platoon! Remember an extra Lux ration is on the line! Move those Boots!” Stynek shouted out, causing them all to slowly begin to march forward now in far worse moods as the rain drenched through their uniforms and turned the ground even muddier. 

2 HOURS LATER 9:50 PM

The soggy panting and exhausted troupe of cadets slowly claw their way up back up the hill. The Drill sergeant standing there with an umbrella sipping from a see through glass with ice in it which Stynek thought was on purpose to taunt them. The column slowly made it back onto the flat grassy area where some of the cadets promptly collapsed onto the ground, followed by others the moment they crossed the invisible boundary onto the flat area. Stynek herself barely kept herself standing up despite her legs feeling like jelly, yet not willing to bend to weakness and collapse on the ground. Instead merely unslinging her rucksack and dropping it making her weight to bear all the lighter yet exhaustion still loomed. 

“Congradulations Cadets you have officially finished your Jungle Ruckmarch. At…” The Drill sergeant checks the time on their pad. “2 Minutes faster than before! You all have earned an extra Lux ration for your performance today!” 

“Yaaaay.” A few isolated voices say in exhausted tones. 

“Go shower everyone, you have about 30 minutes to rest up till your classes start. Don't be late.”

Stynek and the others after a few moments of rest got back up and went into the showers adjacent to the dome. All of them made sure the tempter of fate did not enter the showers to change out of their soaked uniforms and shower in ice cold water till everybody was finished. Stynek always found it weird how the showers were separated by a small metal wall that looked like it was put there after the showers were built. With one section for Skalgans and the other for Polarins, probably so they wouldn't have to show their faces to people for culture reasons. She never did understand that. But she wasn't Polarin.

What really made her remember just how different the Pact was from back home for but a moment was the fact the showers were communal, aside from the species separation, everyone showered together and with no separation for boys and girls. From what little she could remember from back home that was very different or perhaps it wasn't and she's misremembering. It saddened her to think she might have already forgotten so much from home. She dwelled on those thoughts for a moment as she washed her wool of mud, twigs, branches and cleaned her boots of whatever she stepped in that stuck like mud but worse before finally getting out drying herself and her boots in the air dryers, then changing into a new fresh uniform. The cool water and cold recycled air helped tremendously with cooling them down. 

“Ughh my legs.. I can barely feel them..” Glam mumbled as they walked out of the changing room, fresh uniforms and cadet caps on them. 

“Tell me about it.. I swear the rain was waiting for someone to say the magic words…” Styenk flicked her ear in annoyance. “Did he really have to tempt Murphy like that?

“Never speak the demon’s name Stynek!” Glam responded by clamping her paw around Styneks muzzle who batted it away.

“Cmon, it's not a real thing.” David chuckled as he watched the two bat their paws against each other as glam tried to re-close Stynek's mouth and Stynek fought her off.

“Idk the rain started right after they said it. You know how the phrase goes. ‘What can go wrong will go wrong, and never speak of it lest you tempt him”. Ilek brought up the back as the group slowly walked towards their classrooms which thankfully weren't too far from the jungle dome.

“The last part isn't in the original phrase that was added by you Skalgans.” 

“Were Venlil not skalgans.” Stynek responded as she finally ended Glam’s assault on her muzzle by stepping away and putting David between them. 

“Same thing.” The polarin waved his hand dismissively. It took a while to understand human hand and body gestures. Their version of venlil ear and tail gestures. “Venlil, Skalgan, pretty much the same, just cuz the feddies did bad things to you doesn't make you a different thing.” 

“Still-”

Her rebuttal was cut off by them arriving at their classroom. The large room is able to fit a hundred of her Platoonmates of all 3… 2 species in it. Forming a semi-circle with each row inwards getting lower. With the teacher in the middle with a large holoboard behind her. 

“Everyone take your seats, we'll be having a slightly easier lesson today since you had your Jungle ruck and i imagine your very much exhausted.”

The teacher spoke out as he sat at the teacher’s table preparing today's lesson. The four of them sat together near the back as the class slowly filled up.

5 Hours Later 

Class had come and gone and so had lunch. Stynek felt far more full of energy now that she had plenty of rest sitting in class and with lunch filling her with some pasta and mixed fruits n nuts. But time for one of her favorite lessons. And one completely appropriate for a girl her age, Combat lessons at the shooting range! 

“PLATOON! WHAT'S THE FIRST RULE OF WEAPONS SAFETY!” Drill sergeant Kelly shouted out at the top of her lungs, as she does at the start of every lesson in the range. 

“TREAT A WEAPON AS IF IT IS ALWAYS LOADED SIR!” The platoon shouted back in unison. 

“WHATS THE SECOND RULE OF WEAPONS SAFETY” 

“NEVER POINT A WEAPON AT ANYTHING YOU DON'T WANT TO DESTROY

“WHAT IS THE THIRD RULE OF WEAPONS SAFETY!”

“KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER TILL YOU HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO SHOOT!”

“WHAT IS THE FOURTH RULE OF WEAPON SAFETY!” 

“BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND WHAT IS BEHIND IT!”

“GOOD WORK PLATOON!” Drill sergeant Kelly shouted out, voice echoing in the room as the platoon stood in a long line in front of the firing range. “Now get to your stations, and prepare your weapon on your own, EXACTLY how we taught you!”

The class broke ranks and went to her assigned firing station. Seeing the laser carbine laying on the table made Stynek look it over giddily, it was smaller than the full Rifle variants the infantry use, mostly used by vehicle crews, they get to use them likely to accommodate for their small young sizes. First things first she put on her helmet, the helmet was a little large for her but she tightened the straps to keep it secure, it came with built in nook for her ears so that the loud cracks of the air from lasers won't hurt her ear drums, plus a radio so her drill sergeant can talk to them all without needing them to take off the helmets. Secondly she ensured the safety was locked on safe, to be sure no matter what it could not fire. Next she checked the laser carbine magazine, pulled back its locking mechanism and double checked there weren't stray batteries stuck inside or static shock. She didn't get that part since it would be obvious to see if there were batteries stuffed in it and it wouldn't work anyways, but they made them check anyways just in case. Lastly she laid the laser rifle on the table pointing towards the firing range and stepped aside. 
The drill sergeant and a few range officers walked down the lines checking to make sure they did everything right. Putting a hand on the Cadet’s helmets and shaking them gently to make sure the helmets were on correctly, before checking to make sure they didn't plug in the rifle early. She did that once and got sternly told to never do it again since it could be dangerous. 

“Test test, Does everybody read?” Stynek heard Drill sergeant Kelly in her ears, she pressed a button on her helmet acknowledging it as did everyone else. “Good good. Everybody plug in your rifles and fire ten shots at the target downrange, single shots, take your time to aim. No full auto” 

Stynek grinned as she stepped up and picked up the bulky carbine, and pulled the cable from the wall and plugged it in. The screen on the top underneath the scope lit up showing her the estimated shots she had. Which was 10 shots. She took a shooting pose like they taught her to and aimed at the arxur shaped target, then pulled the trigger. A bright red beam of light made a loud hissing crack as it instantly shot towards the target, and missed the target by a foot despite Stynek putting the sights on the target. She frowned and grumbled, pulling the cable out and setting the safety back on before adjusting the scope. Judging by the sudden ceasing of laser fire by everybody else, everybody had the same problem and this was part of the training. She fiddled with the scope’s sights for a minute before plugging her carbine back in and taking aim. 

A few lasers fired from nearby showing she wasn't the fastest to adjust her scope but she ignored them and took aim. Firing at the target and hitting a bullseye on the head. She grinned happily and took another second to aim, shooting the target in the head again and again with each pull of the trigger imagining the face of the monster that kidnapped her on that target until she pulled the trigger again and nothing happened. Checking the display she saw she was out of shots and huffed, having the fun ended already. Unplugging the rifle and laying it back down she stood back waiting for everybody else to finish firing. 

“Good shots everyone. Seems everyone realised their sights were off and fixed it accordingly. Well done. Now everyone grab your carbines and attach a strap to them, then sling them over your shoulder. We're doing an exercise today.”

Stynek loved most of the exercises in the firing range. Either they did some battles or ‘breaching’ teams to rush into buildings without getting hurt or to rescue a hostage, or even a few battles against each other with training laspacks so nobody got anything other than a little sunburn or singed wool. She grabbed the strap hanging on the wall and slipped it onto the rifle and slung it over her shoulder. It might look comical seeing all of them with weapons half the size they are but she never felt safer feeling the bulk of a weapon against her. 

“Everyone line up!” The drill sergeant shouted out and they did so. As the range officers each gave them a slip of paper. Her smile went down immediately as she realised what exercise they were about to do. “Current Exercise is trouble in traitor town! Everyone check your note to see what your role is and your objectives. Remember this is only an exercise so no hard feelings if your platoonmate shoots you in the back.”

Stynek hated playing this, she didn't like not knowing who was the enemy and who was her friend, it made her paranoid. Worse if she was the traitor which for some stroke of bad luck she was usually traitor. She checked her card and felt her heart drop seeing the red note saying ‘traitor, sabotage the station’ on it. She quickly folded the paper and handed it back to the range officers as they walked by to get them back. Soon after they were given ‘armor’ to make them really feel like soldiers on guard duty and training laspacks with a very weak charge to them so when they shot each other it didn't hurt. These were small batteries that fit entirely in the magazine well of the carbine. Unlike the full size batteries that are required to be carried on the back, attached with a long flexible cable. The groups dispersed towards their objectives as some started to group up. She stood there frozen not knowing what to do for a moment before a venlil walked up to her. Kav his name was. He was one of her original classmates. 

“Hey Stynek follow me.” He said leaning in close. “You a traitor I see.” She felt her heart freeze up as she stumbled after taking a step to follow.

“H-How-” 

“Shhh. I saw you freeze up, you've done that four times so far and each time you were a traitor. Not sure if anyone else noticed but I did. Don't worry, I'm a traitor too.” He nudged her tail with his. “Follow my lead, I have an idea on how to win.” 

She nodded though she felt a little better having confirmation on who her traitor ally was. Sometimes they told them who their allies were and sometimes they were left in the dark on whether they were alone or had allies at all like today. She saw a small group of cadets patrol past them looking over at them suspiciously before moving on. 

“Heres the plan, We find someone isolated and take them out then try to get someone else to find them while we escape. During the commotion we start sabotaging.” 

“Sounds…” Like a better plan than she could come up with, she was immediately going to think of how to win a shootout not blame someone else. “Like a better plan than-” She shut up as she heard someone walking closer. 

A group of three cadets walked into the room, looking at them suspiciously before heading to one of the terminals to begin a task. 

“Hey why are you just standing there? Dont ya got a task to do?” One of the Polarins said as he held his lascarbine in his hands, not aiming it at them yet but tense and ready to in case they tried to fire first. 

“Just making sure you're actually doing your tasks.” Kav lied, taking a step closer to glance at the terminal to make sure it was activated. “Hmm you sure he's legit?” 

“Bout as sure as I am of you.” The Polarin turned its head towards Stynek as she froze up, shaking a little under its gaze. “Looking nervous, Stynek.” 

“Uh-i-i dont like this scenario.. I-im bad at it.” She tried to act convincingly but that only made the two on guard duty look at her with increased suspicion. She gulped.

“Uhuh Kav i think she's a traitor again.” The two immediately brought up their lascarbines and the one at the terminal brought up his. Kav stepped away from her bringing up his own lascarbine, Stynek froze raising her paws in surrender.

“W-wait-wait-” She was trying to think of something anything to say to not get shot so early in the scenario, when she heard three shots ring out, though not at her, the three aiming at her all jumped in surprise and clicked their triggers but their guns registered them as ‘dead’. Kav shot the three of them. 

“Damn it, was-”

“Shush you're dead.” Kav said and the three ‘fell’ onto the ground and pretended to be dead. “Alright Stynek uh.. Run, take as many as you can with you. I'll use you as my cover so we can still win.” He tossed her the carbine she dropped on the ground before aiming at her, he fired and missed but she took off running. She could hear him on the radio,  “IT'S STYNEK! She's Running through Hallway 7 by the courtyard!”

Stynek ran around a corner barely avoiding the lasers behind her that she was pretty sure Kav missed on purpose, All the while boots stormed in her direction from all around, her brain going a mile a minute trying to think of a way out of this. This wasn't like the navy sims where she could devote all her thought processes to strategy, she had to run and dodge while doing that! She saw a group of four burst into the hallway in front of her, half of them facing her and the other clearing the other direction. She didn't hesitate and held down the trigger on her carbine at them, laying down a hail of lasers striking one in the chest and missing the rest as they dove back for cover. She jumped out the ‘window’ of the building into the courtyard and ducked behind a low wall for cover. Heart beating as she started processing everything. 

Kav betrayed her, no wait. She started thinking. He was using her to win. She was a terrible liar and he knew that, so while she caused a distraction he made himself look more innocent by ‘catching’ her. It was smart enough to almost make her forgive him for betraying her like this and making her hunted by everybody else immediately, but there was no changing that now and she had to play her cards right to help them both win. She patched into her radio.

“I saw her dive out the hallway into the courtyard, she took Basilis out as she ran.”
“Told you she was a traitor, took out my squad when I went to check a hallway thinking I wasn't walking back.” She heard kav’s voice 
“Swap signals, she can hear us remember? Kav come up with a new wavelength for us to use spread it by word of mouth.”

She heard some boots crunch onto the fake grass on the other side of the wall, though muffled by the sound muffling helmet she boosted the ‘local’ audio louder hearing them walk past her wall.

“No sign of her, checking-”

Stynek popped up with her carbine raised, the group of now three members faced away from her. She squeezed her trigger and shot two of them in the back, before feeling a hot sensation on her side as her finger pulled the trigger again and nothing came out. She was ‘dead’. The last remaining person turned around as Styenk laid down on the ground, hands raised, looking back to see Kav aiming at her with a wink. 

“I got her!”
“by Polaris’ light you saved my butt!” 
“Dont mention it. We got at least one of the traitors. Let's see if we can find the others.”

Kav walked out with the cadet giving Stynek a thumbs up as she jokingly flipped him off. Laying there for the next half an hour, hearing las fire in the distance and random call outs on her radio, though none seem to be about Kav. Finally the radio crackled to life again with a “Simulation end, Traitors Win”. Stynek stood back up and walked to the entrance of the training area where the rest of the Platoon are gathering. Kav and two others standing next to the drill sergeant looked quite pleased with themselves before Kav looked over at her and ushered her forward. Weirdly… Stynek noticed all the traitors were venlil again. None were skalgans or polarins. 

“Good job Traitors Stynek, Kav, Brakis, Glam, well done. Stynek for playing your part as the obvious bait for kav to ingratiate himself into the ranks of the innocent, Kav for leading the innocent around wild goose chases and getting innocents shot, and lastly Brakis and glam for sabotaging the objective and completing the mission. Well done.” The class gives a begrudging clap as stynek walks up with the winners. 

“ Drill Sergeant Kelly.” 

“Yes Cadet Stynek?” The drill sergeant looks over at her. 

“Why have only the Federation venlil been traitors?” 

The drill sergeant stared at her for a few moments with an imperceptible expression for a few moments. Before straightening up and the voice from the drill sergeant's radio can be faintly heard. 

“Yes ma’m” The drill sergeant puts a finger to the radio on her headset. “Alright everyone who's not a federation venlil please enter the firing range. This is a private meeting with them.” 

The class nods and starts walking out of the room, leaving the forty seven of the federation born venlil in the scenario room. 

“Well good on you Stynek for finding the pattern. Yes that is on purpose and the reason is supposed to be classified but seems we're moving up the schedule a bit. As you know this platoon has been receiving special training further than most other youth platoons. And that is because of you rescues. You have one ability we need in the pact that no other member has, the ability to go into the federation unnoticed. Unlike the skalgans and us polarins, you look ‘normal’ to them and therefore weve been trying to slowly train the skills of an infiltrator to see if any of you would be able to. However we see a few of you already do seem prepared for such a task, and some of you don’t. We will not force you to become an infiltrator, it will be a difficult decision as we will require you to lie to anyone you meet including your parents if you ever return to the federation.”

That made Stynek stop and think. She’s already chosen to go into the navy with Zhao, she remembered that Admiral mentioned something about fighting ‘INTEL’ to get her into the academy… But… an infiltrator might get to go back home… and see her parents… no.. she would make a terrible infiltrator… she couldn't lie to save her life and especially to her parents. Stynek looked at Kav who seemed in awe at the idea of it, with how easily he lied to their platoonmates and made a plan on the fly to blame her. She had no doubt he would make a good spy. 

“Now that you know. Those of you who wish to continue this program may choose to do so, I warn you it will not be an easy thing but you will be potentially one of the most important contributors to the pact by infiltrating the federation and learning its secrets over years. However if any of you wish to drop out at any moment you are free to do so and choose another branch of service, Much like Stynek has done by choosing the Navy. If any of you wish to do so, speak with me tomorrow. For the rest of the day you all, except you Stynek, have the day off to visit your assigned therapists to consider your future and choices. Stynek since you are already dropped out your schedule is to remain the same.”

Stynek nodded as she looked over her friends and fellow platoonmates. Their expressions varied, Kav looked excited to be in on this, Glam looked hesitant and unsure, and the rest were a mix of the two. Some were deep in thought, while others seem to have made up their mind already. 

The Drill sergeant checked her tablet. “Its about time we finished practice at the range anyways. Stynek your free to go to the naval academy for your lessons, everyone else please visit your therapist they have been briefed about this already to help you decide. Do take your time and you can always drop out at any time in the future if you want to at least give it a shot.”

“Well, Good luck future infiltrators, I'll see you tomorrow. Burn bright.” Stynek saluted her platoonmates who saluted back.

Stynek walked out, putting her lascarbine and helmet back where it was supposed to be before leaving the range all together. Her thoughts on the reveal that they were being trained to be spies was… she didn't know what to think about it… It made sense but it felt… not evil but… dishonorable? She shook her head at that thought. There is no honor in war, Zhao had imprinted that on them all in the academy. While dirty tricks and mutually assured actions can be difficult to balance to ensure you do not worsen your situation by, say, using chemical weapons because chemical weapons might be used on you in return. Still, war was a struggle for life and death, and in that. There was no ‘honor’ only victory. And with the federation being lying cripplers and the arxur being complete and utter monsters. The pact was the only chance the galaxy has of a good future. Stynek stepped onto the maglev train and waited for the doors to close as she thought about how to win the next naval simulation. Spy work wasn't for her, but the navy, the navy she could make Zhao proud in. The door closed, and the train sped off.

[ First ] [ Previous ] [Next] 

Stynek [Federation Venlil] [10]
Affiliation: N/A
Pact Trainee
PACT Date Standard: June 24th 2128
Location: Pact Arkship PPS Sword of Damocles, Polaris System

Five years since last log

“UP! Down! UP! Down! UP! Down!” The skalgan Drill Sergeant shouted while they themselves did the workout alongside them, pushing themselves up and down effortlessly while she and her classmates struggled, gasping for breath, Her entire class or in their words, Platoon. One third Venlil, The other Third… Also venlil. But a different venlil. The Skalgans as they call themselves. And the last third are called Polarins. The ‘tall ones’ as she and her original classmates liked to call them.

“UP.. Down” Stynek pushed up on command, arms screaming at her to stop but she kept onwards. Lowering to the ground on command, then raising back up as the drill Sergeant ordered them. She didn't count how many push ups she had done by then. It helped her not think about her aching muscles. 

“UP! DOWN. UP……” The Drill instructor heild them up longer and longer. One of the Skalgan venlil to her right collapsed. Another one somewhere else fell as well. Her arms verged on the edge of collapse, but willpower drove her to stay. She wouldn't be weak, She COULDN'T be weak. Not again.

“DOWN!. ALRIGHT Good job everyone!” The Drill sergeant shouted before hopping back up onto his paws. Breathing heavy but clearly not tired. 

In contrast Stynek and the remaining platoonmates still holding themselves up collapsed onto the ground. Gasping for air she looked over at the one next to her. A skalgan venlil she met when their classes merged a few cycl- years ago. He was gasping for breath as well. But he had a nose on his muzzle. While she didn't. He should have had an advantage. Better able to breathe. Plus he and all the others trained since they could walk. Every day… But he tapped out before she did. She smiled, rolling onto her back to rest as she felt satisfied in her small victory. A shadow moved over her as she looked up. Seeing the instructor blocking out the sun from the Guiding Star, Polaris. 

“Alright, since we're done today and it's Sunday. You all get the rest of the day free for recreation or additional training. If you have somewhere to be, get to it! Otherwise enjoy your day.” The Sergeant looked down at her, and gave her a curt nod of approval. “Good work holding on Cadet Stynek. Keep up that spirit of endurance of yours.” 

“Y-Yes sir. T-thank you sir” She saluted. Sluggish putting her right fist over the left side of her chest. 

“Flotilla Commander Zhao has a simulation training session planned in ten minutes in case you're wondering.” She was wondering, she thought, as the Sergeant said walking off to the next venlil “Get up You've been training 3 years longer than her and she's got you beat!”

She ignored what he was saying to the other cadet and sluggishly got up, wandering over to the end of the exercise field. A herd- crowd of her old classmates and new classmates walking into the shade of the trees out of Polaris' warm light. The rustle of artificial wind blowing through the leaves. It almost reminded her of a more green venlil prime… Or Skalga.. She didn't know what to call home anymore. There was so much she had learned now.

The people here, the other venlil, the Skalgans. They had noses and different knees, they were the original venlil before the federation. And the federation, she found out they did terrible things to them. Or Us? The Skalgan Venlil called them Kin, and said the differences don't matter. Kin is kin and they're all venlil, no matter what the federation did they were not a separate species. They were very adamant about that, and every time it came up her classmates and any adults would get angry at any notion that there was any real difference between them that mattered. 

Still.. That made her remember of why these venlil are different. The Federation attacked the planet back when it used to be named Skalga, then changed them into the venlil she is. All because they didn't want to be a part of the federation and fought back. The back of her mind made her think that fighting back was predatory, but she also countered that attacking them was predatory too. It was hard to think of what to think. The exercise, school and training of the Pact people helped keep their minds off stuff. But she knew a few of her classmates still didn't know what to think about it either. 

Some accepted it far better than others. Some even spat the name of the federation in anger and cursed it. A few others tried to reason that the federation probably did the right thing in changing them. Though they got a few angry responses from the Skalgan venlil and her Classmates who now hated the federation. That usually went into an argument over if the federation is evil or not. Those arguments were usually encouraged by their teachers, turning them into ‘debates’ for entire sessions of class. Letting them talk about whether they think it was right or not. Every few months fewer of them argue that the federation is still good. She herself doesn't know. She knew in her head that doing that to them was bad. But… she hoped that the federation was good. That maybe it wasn't what it seemed. Because otherwise everyone back home is…

“Hey Stynek You want some water?” 

She flicked her ears in acceptance as her classmate tossed over her water bottle from the rucksacks they carry all their stuff in. As she drank the cool water. She went over thinking about her situation. It was.. Strange. She hoped that she would get home eventually or at least send a message back to mom and dad saying she's alright. But every time she asked she got a different version of the same response. ‘No we can't, we don't want the federation to know we exist or they'll come after us again.’ She understood, even if she didn't like it. The safety of the herd came first even if this herd wasn't her original herd. They treated her well. And as they say, ‘Kin is Kin’. She wouldn't want to endanger them. Plus, even though the every day exercise was exhausting and annoying at first. She could feel the difference now. Flexing her arm feeling the muscles underneath. She felt stronger than ever before. 

She started to enjoy their daily exercises, tiring yes, but it felt good to do something.. Something.. Useful. Most of her original classmates felt the same. Especially after they were told why the skalgan Venlil were out in space away from the federation, from the safety of the herd. Most of them saw how stronger and less scared the Polarins and skalgan Venlil were, and wanted to be like them. They were like the adventuring would-be exterminators in the Jr. Exterminators Show. Sneaking around being slightly braver than most and revealing secret predator plots. Except they were real and every time they went out to the track or daily training her entire original classgroup got left behind in the dust. 

That reminded her of how she felt when she got taken. Weak. Useless. Grabbed by that evil monster Arxur and no matter how hard she scratched she couldn't even hurt it. All while her mother watched. The memory used to bring her sadness. But the nice doctors and therapists helped her think through it. She didn't need to be scared. One day, if she ever meets that Arxur again. Shell kick his butt. 

“Hey Stynek. You wanna join us in playing soccer?” One of her classmates asked. Holding the ball and heading with a herd- Squad of both skalgan Venlil, Federation Venlil, And a few of the Polarin tall ones. 

Though these Polarins were her height as they were the same age, with only a few being taller than her. Though they all still wore the glasses and cloth that covered their muzzles. Apparently it was a culture thing. Like how they all wear clothes, even the skalgans. Something they got from the polarins they said. Like how the Polarins use Venlish to speak instead of their own language since all the systems in the ships are made for Venlish so they all learned it and forgot their own languages. It was weird how all the clothes and pelts were made from venlil wool. Finding that out felt.. strange, but she got used to it. It made sense when they told her the reasoning behind it. They didn't have stuff to make into clothes and the Polarins don't have fur to cover things and keep them warm. So the Skalgan Venlil shaved their wool to help their herd. It made sense to her when they put it that way, even honorable. Most of her class even donated their wool when they got it cut. Though some still refused to donate theirs. 

“No thanks, I'm going to the Naval Academy!” She said excitedly, breaking out from her internal thoughts as she instead thought about how she was looking forward to this all week. 

“Alright! Let us know if you become a captain soon! Maybe I can be your cooler second in command!” He joked and headed off to the field to kick a ball into goals.

Stynek got up off the bench and started to jog towards the exit of the large forest-dome. Her knees no longer hitting each other as she sped up faster than a walk to Jog like they taught her. She could likely run faster and farther than most people back home on venlil prime. The stretches they have had her do since she got here have made it so much easier. Though she still couldn't run as fast or as far as her skalgan kin. It was weird. Being called ‘kin’ by a person who's not her family. Though the way she understands it, none of them have families. Their brothers and sisters are their Squadmates and friends. They don't know their dads or moms. It made her feel sad. Imagining if she never knew mom or dad. But they say they don't seem to mind. It was weird. They did ask her questions about what it was like having a mom and dad. And what it was like being the daughter of a mayor. But that was so long ago she barely remembers much of the details. 

Stynek Jogs through the path as the trees end and the metal walls of the dome come in. The great hallway leading towards another hab-section and the train that interconnects through the massive city sized ship they call ‘Arkships’. She gets a few greetings from passerbys. Those who work nearby or are heading to or from the academy. She recognizes a few.

“Hi Lieutenant Davos, how's Sims going? Did you finally win?!”
“Nah those odds are impossible! Were stuck on it”
“Hey Warrant officer Stalek! You got a promotion! AWESOME!”
“Yep! Worked my As- Butt off for it Kin. You pay attention to Zhao and you'll be ranking up fast”
“Oh Sergeant Mallery! Hows Target practice!” 
“Going good. Finally getting rid of the habit of aiming too high. Lasers go straight.”
“Jaime, are you still on janitor duty for spilling your drink on the simulation computer?” 
“No, not anymore. I still lost my Lux rations for this month.” 

Saying hi and hellos to the people she knows. So many of them from all over the big fleet of ark ships and navy ships that follow them around. Moving from place to place, though the ‘polaris’ system seems to be where they stay half the time. Despite wearing almost the exact same clothes except for some rank pins and medals on their chests. She knew them all by heart! Even the Polarin tall ones who wear their glasses and cloth masks.

Their hair and skin color usually gives her enough to tell who is who. Some were darker like Mallery, Others had gold hair like Jaime, Most had brown or black hair but usually the way they styled it made things easier. Though their hair was usually cut short just like the Skalgans and her own wool was. Kept above the neck for humans while Skalgan and her own wool were at most a centimeter long. Finally she entered the naval academy. Her favorite place to be. Because her favorite person was there! She got in line in front of the reception desk, a few other people in front of her waited their turns. She got a few looks from others but they all waved at her, then she got to the front, the receptionist, a Federation venlil surprisingly enough, smiled the moment they saw her.

“Simulation room 7 Stynek. Though I think they're going to have an exercise soon so try not to interrupt anything.”

“I won't miss Shelly!” She said excitedly. She liked shelly, apparently she was a rescue like her and has a friend in engineering, though she never said who that friend was. She walked forward going past the guard standing there. Giving him a wave as she walked past. 

She walked rapidly towards Sim room 7. It was a bit further back and so she had to pass a bunch of other rooms. Teaching rooms, Lecture rooms. All stuff where the people of the Pact train to be good at navy stuff and order around the big ships in space fighting the arxur or cripplers of the feddies. She always liked ships, Loved seeing them on the news when Big ‘capital’ ships from the Gojids arrived or watching ‘Federation Friends’ and their adventures all throughout the federation on their cool ship solving peoples problems with friendship. Finally getting to sim room 7 she prepares to walk in and watch the cool training battles. She loved that, and she thinks she's learning. Learning all the ‘jargon’ and short words they use to communicate fast was hard. But after that it all started making sense. Why do this? Cuz it helps make the enemy go kaboom without your stuff going kaboom. She was thinking about what this simulation was going to be like until the door opened and one of the Tall Polarans walked out. He looked about three or four years older than her, he almost ran into her while he was looking at his tablet.

“Shit.. Hey uhhh are you busy?” He says without looking up. Tapping on his tablet.

“Uhh No.” Stynek says not really busy but really wanting to get inside right now to sit with Zhao and watch the training.

“Great uh- Can you take over my position in this training sim? They need someone to cover my post and I just got called for an emergency. Can you do it?” He turned away from her towards the entrance. 

Stynek's smile grows as she hears that. She always wanted to join one of the training simulations but they always told her ‘when you're older’. But she's older now than when she asked about it last week! And this one's asking her to do it sooooo she's not breaking any rules probably! “YES! I-i mean uh yeah ill take over.”

“Great uh Just sign in with your id. You're a life saver! I'm on the left side, in the back row of the first seat, its closest to the door!” He says walking rapidly away from her. Without even getting a look at her. Which was good because he would likely have not let her take his place if he saw she was just a cadet still. 

She jumped from leg to leg giddy at the chance to actually be a part of one of the sims, but after a moment of pure glee she calmed herself. This was important! She needed to help her side win! And maybe if she did well, Zhao could let her join more sims. She opened the door and walked into the room. It was a large room with a few ‘levels’ in it like an inverted pyramid. With rows upon rows of simulation computers circling the center, with the exception of the far end where there was a platform for the Academy teacher and spectators to watch. In the middle of the room and at the bottom of the inverted step pyramid, was a large display with a hologram map of the battlespace hovering mid air from floor to roof. It looked so cool to watch the ships move around and fight. She saw him, her favorite person. Commander Zhao standing on the other side of the room on the spectator platform. He was busy talking to some, another group of officers. A few had a special hat she hadn't seen before and different icons on their uniform so they must be important. 

She tiled her cadet cap down to hide her face and used this opportunity to find her seat. She saw the one empty seat on the back of bluefor’s section, quickly power walking over because running would be suspicious. She takes a seat on the chair, luckily there's a small divider between her and the person next to her so they can't see her without leaning back. She puts on the headset and starts logging into the simulation computer. Typing in her Pact ID number which she has memorized by now. Watching as her name appears in ‘blufor’s’ side of the list. Luckily she was the last one so nobody might notice.

“Ok everyone, it seems the replacement arrived. Get ready for assignments to be handed out.” A firm lady voice says in the headset. Likely the captain of the team. She checks the roster log and yep, it's the captain. Or she guesses, Cadet-Admiral in this situation since this was a big fleet battle.

The Cadet-Admiral started assigning duties, Captaining a few ships to these people, Gunnery for those, sensors for them. She eagerly awaited what role she'd be. She had thoughts of what would be more fun. Gunnery sounded cool, being able to decide what to shoot and all. Sensors was a little boring but she knew it was very important. Damage control was also important but they didn't do much unless you got hit. Captain was what she hoped for. Controlling a whole ship sounded fun!

“Ok Varliq, Pessik and Tyrion your flotilla commanders- wait..  Were missing- Ah right replacement you're also a flotilla commander. Varliq, your commanding Flotilla Alpha, Pessik Bravo, Tyrion Charlie, uhh-Stynek Delta. Understood?”

“Yes Sir!” The others said out loud
“Yes Sir” She said just a second out of sync. She was so excited! She was in charge of all these people! As all the names on her team list changed to their ‘callsigns’ With her being ‘D1’ For being ‘Delta 1’ the commander of her lil flotilla of ships, with the captains under her being D2 and onwards.

Suddenly all the pressure started to hit. She was in charge now! She had to take things seriously. She tried to remember everything about navy stuff she saw from watching the sims and reading what she could during free time when she couldn't watch Zhao train people. She started to check what she had available. 12 Cruisers. No Big ships. Capitals or Carriers! That's what they called them. No capitals but each cruiser carried 2 drone frigates. So she had…. 36 ships! She checked what they had. Ok sensor ship, those are the ones that can see good. Two Missile ships. Long range missiles are fun and spit out a lot of missiles. Those are good. The rest were normal ones. She heard everyone else already starting to get things in order. Readying their starting positions in the fleet for when they jump in.

“Ok uh-” She tapped the button to talk only to her flotilla. “Everyone we are going in a.. Wedge formation. D-12 You're the sensor ship so you'll  hang in the middle. D-4 and D-7 You have missile ships so you'll be on the.. Flanks ready to fire. And everyone else gets in the wedge. Have your drones deployed in front of us too!” She said as confidently as she could. She was nervous now. 

“Understood D-1.” D-12 said putting their ship in position
“Copy that! Getting in position.”
“Just let me and D-4 know what we need to obliterate Commander,” D-7 said, putting a smile on her face. She really was their commander at this moment. 

“Listen up everyone. Here's the plan.” the Cadet-admiral of their side cut in abruptly, interrupting her thoughts. “We're on the offensive for this one. Opfor has a 6-1 odds in their favor. Which means even with our drones were outnumbered 3-1. They also got orbital defences here. Here. and here.”

The map on her screen shows the pings where orbital defences are supposed to be. Their firing ranges with ‘low estimates’ and ‘high estimates’ being shown. She remembers all of this from watching. She thought that never really knowing how far things can shoot until they actually do was hard to plan around. And now trying to think of how to fight them. She realizes it's twice as hard. She hopes they got the ‘low’ estimates instead of maximum range. Or over maximum like some cadets had to find out the hard way, She saw that a few times.

“Our plan is to pepper the orbital defences with railguns from beyond their range. Force the enemy fleets to try and intercept us out in the black. Failing that, we focus fire on and try to bust them one by one till they are all dead or the enemy fleet comes over to stop us.”

Ok so far things were starting off as Stynek expected. This was usually the standard plan for attacking planets with orbitals. At least from what she remembered hearing Zhao talk about. Stay out of range and attack where they can shoot back. PTo force the enemy to come to you or risk their big defences being shot early. The stations cant shoot too far because plasma weapons which the Federation and Dominion use dissi- dissipa- go away after they get too far. So they have a maximum range. Unlike railguns which can shoot as far as time will let them. But it can't be that simple. Stynek looked at the screen and moved the map around trying to think of anything her ‘admiral’ was missing.

“What about the ring system?” B-1 asked. Ah yes! The planet had a ring system. That could maybe hide some stuff in it.

“We’ll be attacking from the Z axis. ‘Above’ them so to speak. So we'll have full sensor coverage and will notice anything hiding in them.”

“A-and any reinforcements?” She said, barely managing to keep her voice steady for this.

“None that we know of. But they usually don't tell us if they're coming. So keep sensors on the lookout for FTL signatures. We will need every second of warning if they do show up.”

The talk went on a bit longer about the strategy. But Stynek started to think about what to do. She was on the ‘flank’ of the formation. On the ‘left’ side relative to the pole of the planet with ‘top’ being in the direction of the star. And ‘down’ being away. Always relative in the void of space. It was one of the hardest things she had to get used to when learning. Every time she thought of something and suggested it Zhao or another student here would remind her that space has 3 dimensions. And thinking of it like you would on a planet limits you. It was harder for her than the others it seemed. Even some of her skalgan Venlil Platoonmates seemed to think of it easier than her. Though maybe because they live in space all the time they think of it more. Either way she beat that hurdle a year or two ago. 

“Alright D-12 I'll need you to keep watch for any FTL transmissions in case Opfor comes with reinforcements or tries any funny tricks” She started. As the countdown to their sides ‘entrance’ ticked down “Lets burn bright!” 

“Bright as Polaris!” Her flotilla responded.

The map filled up with information in an instant as their fleet jumped into the system ‘above’ the pole of the planet. The defence stations were almost exactly where they were pinged to be. The pings adjust to the new sensor information and highlight them with red warnings. The radius of ‘estimate ranges’ adjusting to it as well. All around the stations were dozens of ships. Designed to look and work like Federation ships the Pact have spotted. The largest ones, the capitals and cruisers, being ‘mushroom’ shaped. A large domed circular cap of armor and weapons with a thin ‘stalk’ where the crew quarters and important things are. Safely protected behind the ‘cap’. Though vulnerable to being flanked. They work best when facing enemies head on as their shields are strongest in front and their armored caps can soak up damage. 

Which were so unlike the Pacts own ships. Theirs are blocky. A massive railgun with engines on the back, and separate portions attached for crew compartments, shield generators, FTL drive and powerplants. Her younger self might have thought them ugly compared to the nice fancy curves and shapes of Federation Ships. But now that she's all grown up at 10 years old she can appreciate the pact ships better. It also helped when she talked with someone who worked in the shipyard about how they barely waste any metal making the ships and make them super fast if they needed to.

“Alright everyone start targeting the defence stations! Focus fire one at a time so we can shatter their shields” The Admiral ordered. As a ping of which station to destroy pops up. 

“All ships, fire at that station, fire in sync! And don't forget to deploy the frigates.” She ordered as well. The shapes resembling the silhouette of their ships on the map tripling as the drone frigates are detached from the cruisers. 

A countdown appears as all the ships point in the direction of the station. And on 0 all ships in the fleet fire simultaneously. A wave of virtual railgun sabots traveling towards the station. Another wave of sabots are fired just a few seconds before the first wave strikes the shields of the station. The dots of the sabots blink out almost all at the same time. The second wave hits as a third wave fires. The enemy fleet is already burning hard towards bluefor’s fleet as the stations fire their weapons back. Missiles screaming through the void and massive plasma shots hurtling towards them. 

Though with this long range those plasma shots wont hit anything as the Blufor ships dodge. And unlike their railgun sabots, Plasma cant have thrusters to guide them into targets that try to dodge. And the plasma degrades in power the further it goes until it dissipates. Only the stations can fire this far. The Captains of her ships give calm orders to their crews. She taps into one of their internal comms channels and hears them giving crisp clean commands.  

“Engines we good for maneuvers?"
“All clear Sir!” 
“Weapons how’s the Railgun”
“Working in perfect condition. No abnormalities or delays in firing.”
“Sir we got Spikers incoming.”
“Send our escort frigates forward and have their point defence cover us.”
“Sensors already auto-tagging targets”

Stynek saw the Stations missiles move closer and closer and got on her microphone. “All units prepare for incoming mis- Spikers!” Spikers being the callsign for missiles since on the holomaps the velocity vectors they form make them look like sharp spikes. Though usually only said when the missiles are coming at them, probably to help differentiate when talking about friendly missiles from enemy ones in the heat of the moment. 

The ship's PD lasers start blasting virtual energy at the missiles. The closer they get the more powerful the lasers beam got. She learned that in science class about how light gets dispersed over distance exponentially, and limits the effective range of their lasers. As the missiles got closer and closer they started popping one missile after another faster and faster as they get closer. 30 Km away the anti-missile missiles fire and begin interceptions. Killing the last few who were about to get into range of their last resort ballistic PDCs. By now the Shields of the station Pop open and the next volley of railgun sabots penetrate through its armor. She saw a bunch of them go straight through the station as it broke into hundreds of pieces. Launching one last wave of missiles right before it dies as a final strike. Followed closely by the other stations releasing missiles. The missiles fly through space towards them, crossing paths with a large portion of the Opfor fleet, which launches their own missiles to join as one massive barrage. Shortly afterwards firing their largest plasma weapons. 

“Attention Fleet” The admiral calmly said. “Enemy fleet is within engagement range. Grab your own targets and start engaging them. Ignore the stations but keep an eye out on your anti-missile reserves. Begin pulling backwards, lure them out of the safety of their stations”

Stynek Nodded and tapped her comms to her flotilla. “Alright you heard the admiral. I want targeting..” What were the words they used… “Targeting solutions on priority enemies. Focus fire on their escorts first!”

“Escort first Sir?” D-3 questioned. It was odd. Usually they focused on the big ships first because they were the big threats. But Stynek had an idea. One she thought of when another sim happened.

“Yes. We have 2 missile ships with missile focused drones. But with all their escorts our missiles will get shot down a lot. So target them so they have less point defence and our missiles can strike behind their armored caps!” She saw how slinging missiles at each other usually ended up with a lot of missiles shot before they reach the targets.

But she noticed a lot of the cadets and the real navy officers who did wargames usually fired missiles away from the enemy at a wide angle and had them swoop around as another set of missiles fired forward. Doubling the missiles to get through the pd coverage, but also having wide angles of attacks so they couldn't just fire forward, and usually the ones that fired away and came swooping around did the most damage. But if she took out the escorts she might not need to.. Time on the targets like they did. Though she definitely could still do that.. Probably should add that to her plan.

“Then we can fire a sling of missiles wide and have them swoop around their backsides as we fire another sling of missiles directly at them. They won't have enough point defence to beat both by then and flanking them is their weakness.”

“Aye, I'm starting to see the picture. Clever call Commander.” D-4 Said as him and D-7 Started to plot missile trajectories together. Showing as thin see through plans she can toggle on and off. 

“Everyone else start firing on those escorts.” Stynek said but they already started to target them. Focus firing on a section of them beside their capital ships. While the capitals could survive a focus fire of projectiles from the entire flotilla, at least once. The escorts could not. And one by one they were popped open, shields and hull breaching open into a spray of virtual violence in each volley. 

“Admiral, I got a plan.” Stynek said, contacting the Cadet-admiral. If they could do this to their entire fleet then this would be a lot easier since the escorts of the neighboring ships could not reinforce their kin. She rapidly explained the plan and shared D-4 and D-7’s role on swinging missiles around their flanks mixed with a volley directly at them to hit simultaneously. 

“Aight that sounds like a good idea. I'll let the other commanders know.” The Cadet-admiral said approvingly. It made Stynek smile grow from cheek to cheek, her ears and tail wiggling in excitement from the feeling of finding something out that sounds like a smart plan. She hoped Zhao would be proud of her for figuring this out! She felt so smart right now. 

But plans never last when in uh face of the.. Enemy or something she forgot how that phrase went. So she tempered her hope, maybe- no wait. Think. If you were on the opfor team and this happened to you. What would you do.. Ah of course. Protect the escorts behind the capitals. There's room behind the shields for them to hide behind and still pop out to blast missiles on short notice! In fact, as the entire fleet started to fire at escorts they immediately started to do exactly that!. Think.. How to- Dont think of this as if it was on the ground. Space has its own rules. She looked at her ships and looked at the angle of attacks they could do.. Of course.

“Admiral their hiding their escorts behind the capitals. But if we fire at angles we can possibly strike them still. If Charlie Flotilla fired at the ones in front of my- Delta flotilla the angle the ships will be at can still hit a few of the escorts. And same with Alpha and Bravo firing from ‘above’ and ‘below’ them.” 

“Hold on D-1.” The admiral said. Stynek gulped for a few moments wondering if this was actually a dumb idea until the Admiral came back “Gunnery is giving a green light on that plan. You heard her kin. Delta fires on charlies and visa versa. Alpha and bravo on eachothers.”

“Copy that!”
“Good thinking D-1” 
“I don't think we need full salvos on each escort, 3-4 Ships should do per escort. Lets us get a higher alpha strike each time.” B-1 Said.

“Copy that.” Stynek said, taking the advice. Swapping comms channels to her crew. “All gunnery crews disperse fire on escorts between ships. 4 Shots per Escort.”

“Understood. Relaying orders to gunnery.” D-3 responded as the enemy fleet got close enough to start firing in earnest.

 Plasma starting to rain down on their ships requiring more dodging. Unlike Pact Sabots, Shields do way worse against plasma. One or two shots from a Fed-Opfor capital would crack our shields and the next shot would smash our ships to molten bits. The first round of Crossfire shots soared past each other. Sabots from Charlie flotilla soared into the ships in front of her flotilla. Cracking shields and busting escorts hiding behind their capitals. The enemy immediately tried to reposition their escorts to prevent any more from being struck but with alpha and bravo above and below it made any angle almost impossible to hide from. 

“Fleet it's time to launch our missiles, prepare time on target attacks on the countdown.” The admiral stated as a countdown appeared on her screen. 

“You heard the Admiral. D-4 D-7 you got firing details ready?” Stynek checked the plan, turning its visibility back on. It showed exactly what she planned with the missile's trajectories counted down to the second. Constantly updating based on the moving ships dodging plasma shots and firing sabots back. A few of their drone escorts started to get hit and explode as they had too little time to dodge being further ahead to screen the cruisers. 

“Ready to fire!” D-4 said excitedly
“Three. Two.. one.. Lets unload!” D-7 Said equally as enthusiastically as hundreds of missiles emerged and fired off to the side. With 4 groups of missiles from each flotilla flying in separate directions. The enemy tried to position their escorts in the direction of them. But more railgun sabots picked off a few who sent them out from protection too early. 

“Time on Target firing now. Blast the capitals shields!” The Admiral ordered as gunnery targets swap from the escorts on the opposite side of the field of their flotilla to the capitals directly ahead of them. Blasting cluster railgun sabots to disable their shields as plasma shots whipped past. Spikers screaming towards their fleet but getting shot down by laser PD and a few anti-missile missiles intercepting the ones that got too close. The Second volley of missiles blasting off from their launch tubes and burning towards the capital ships. Some had their shields downed by then as the missile burned towards them all. Splitting up into groups to target specific ships as plasma, anti missiles and flak point defence started taking out missiles rapidly. 

However the combination of two volleys of missiles coming from two separate directions, one being from nearly perpendicular to them. And the utter decimation of their escort Point defence ships. Caused barely any missiles to be intercepted, leaving hundreds of missiles to slam into their targets' hulls or shields. The ones without shields burst into thousands of virtual pieces as warheads detonated inside their hulls. The ones with shields lasted a few moments longer before those popped and the remaining missiles slammed home. 

The shipcount went from 3-1 odds to 1-2 immediately. 2/3rds of the enemy capital ships were destroyed and the remaining escort ships were picked off one by one without cover from their larger craft. The enemy ships began to retreat backwards towards the cover fire of their remaining stations. But Stynek saw that the battle was won, now would be the ‘mopping up’ as she heard it called. The rest of the simulation went by fast as the remaining ships were pelted with shots and slings of missiles till they were destroyed while the stations were safely destroyed from beyond their firing range now that there were no ships to oppose them. After the last station died. The simulation ended with a massive BLUFOR victory.

“Haha Victory!” Someone on her team shouted
“Take that!” Another shouted.
“Good job kin!” The venlil to her right said as she stood up

The room was full of congratulations and celebration from her side. Until a loud “QUIET ON DECK” sent them all silent.

“Good job Blufor. I must admit you weren't meant to win this simulation. We were supposed to teach you time on target tactics next lesson with this simulation going to be an example as to where it could be used… But it seems the replacement from Cadet Brandon was already familiar with it. D-1 Could you please come over here?” Zhao said with his stern voice that always held a hint of warmth to it.

. This was the moment! Stynek got up feeling amazing, like she was the smartest strongest person in the room. She stood straighter than she ever had before as she got up from her seat and marched past the back row of sim-computer seats. The ones she passed looked at her with shocked eyes and began whispering to their neighbors. They all looked around 3 or 4 years older than her. Though it was harder to tell with the Polarins. Masked and with glasses. She walked past with a ‘swagger’ in her step as she stepped past the computers and now visible to Zhao and the group of other people in fancy hats and different rank pins beside him. His body language showed he was shocked to see her. She saluted. Paw slamming against her chest over her heart full of pride. 

“Cadet Stynek reporting! Did I do well Fleet-Commander Zhao?”

“Stynek? Were you D-1?” He asked seemingly confused. That wasn't what she expected but that didn't dampen her excitement.

“Yep! I was coming over to watch the simulations but then a Polarin who walked out asked me to replace him soooo I did!” She had to try very hard to keep her tail from wagging back and forth with how excited she was, and even then she failed to fully control it.

“Well.. I'll say you did fantasticly for one so young.” The fancy skalgan standing next to him said. Walking up to her. Looking over her as she beamed with pride from the compliment. 

“Yes I must ask how did you come up with the time on target strategy?” A Polarin also wearing a fancy hat and uniform said. She recognized the rank pins on his shoulders now that she was closer. He was an admiral! They both were!

“Oh, I saw in another simulation the other day where one of the cadets launched some missiles to hit the rear of the capitals. Since their front is better protected. But the missiles got intercepted alot so I thought well what if we shoot the things that intercept the missiles instead of focusing on the big ships that take a lot to destroy. Since then the missiles would do that job!” She forced herself to slow down as she explained her thought process lest she babble incoherently and make herself look stupid.

“I see. I remember that simulation last week..” Zhao rubbed his muzzle-chin.

“I knew our kin from the federation were just as good as us if given the chance. I say we put her in naval training immediately. I sense a good commander in the making.” The Skalgan Admiral said, patting her on the back. Now she was the one to be shocked. 

“Admiral, You'll need to talk with Director Jones about-” Commander Zhao started before he was interrupted.

“Jones can take it up with the Admiralty, she is clearly command material in the making. 10 years old and already implementing time on target tactics on her first sim?” The skalgan who she now knows is an admiral, shakes his head. “I'll storm Intel’s offices myself to grab her from their clutches. Hey, Kin, would you like to be transferred to the naval academy?” The Admiral said, looking at her with a grin.

[Continued in Comments]

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Tarva [Federation Venlil] [25]
Allegiance: The Federation
- Mayor of the City of Federations Landing 
PACT Date Standard: March 30th 2123
Location: City of Federations Landing, Venlil Prime

Grief was not an uncommon thing in times like this. Tarva knew. She held it when her grandparents died of old age. The feeling of them no longer being there to talk with, to comfort her, to tell old stories hurt in a way no injury had or could. It was the first time she dealt with it. Death. After that she thought she could deal with it if and when it ever came up again. She couldn't. Her father died a few years later. Fighting the arxur in the federation navy. She was almost an adult by then and bawled as if she was a young child. 

Hugging her mother to anchor her into the real world as she was consumed by grief. Then a few years later another blow to her. Her mother died, An arxur raid on a colony world she had moved to to get away from the loss of Tarva's father. Tarva had no family left, An only child and with distant barely related cousins she never met. After all that, she thought, perhaps finally the universe was done giving her grief. Then the news that the Arxur were raiding schools came out while she was in a bunker. And news that the one she had left that morning was hit. It nearly broke her. She went throughout that day as if she was a ghost. Stynek… Her one last joy in her and her husband's life had been taken. Barely five cycles old she could still remember feeling her in her arms for the first time. Yet still, the vile arxur couldn't let even a smidge of happiness in her life last. 

The arxur, the leader who called her directly, she knew of him. Heard of him. Seen his broadcasts on federation news channels depicting his horrid cruelty and reputation. Chief Hunter Isif. The strongest and most terrible of all the arxur to ever exist perhaps save for whatever vile creature leads the dominion. And that.. Monster.. It held Stynek by the throat as it called her to gloat. Her poor baby. Shouting for her mother. To save her from the arxur. When she could do nothing but watch as her daughter was grabbed. And now he- no. IT. it knew Stynek was important. She hoped he simply killed her. Made it quick. In vain hope that a monster as cruel as Isif would ever show an ounce of mercy by ending her quickly. She dared not think of the other possibilities. Every time she did.. One thing filled her mind. 

Despair

Such a simple word, Yet such a word cannot begin to describe the feelings within her as she woke up. Laying on the ground. Her wool, an overgrown tangled mess. Bottles clanked against each other as she moved, recognizing she was still in her mayor's office. A door opened but she didn't turn to look. She reached over to a bottle that seemed to have some fluid left in it. Her mind was too clear; she needed it to make the thoughts stop.

“By Solgalic, Tarva!” A voice she recognized. Kam. The local garrison commander and a good friend of hers. She felt him grab the bottle and pull it out of reach.

“BLhlf give-” She slurred out, only to get cut off

“Did you drink all these?!” She knew what he meant. The sea of bottles that littered her desk and the floor. All empty. Her entire cabinet of drinks gifted by friends, family and political friends laid on the ground. If any other species with a sense of smell came in the place would probably reek of alcohol. Still she didn't answer. 

“Tarva. By the- Tarva get up!” She felt him grab her arms and drag her onto her knees, She didn't resist and felt some shame by him seeing her like this. And stood up, Stumbling to get on her feet and grabbed at her mayor's chair. And slumped into it. Feeling as awful as she probably looked. 

“There.. I'm up.. Happy?”

“No! Tarva- Geez. Get yourself together!” She felt him shake her shoulders. Which only made her lay her head down on the table. Covering her face in her arms as the dam finally broke, and she started to sob.

“K-Kam.. I-.. I can't..” Everything in her life was gone. What was left for her.

“Tarva i know.. I know.. But you gotta stay strong. People look at you as our strong mayor and as a symbol to keep going. Plus what about your husban-” That caused her to start crying harder. 

“H-He.. He-” She couldn't say it. She didn't want to believe it. Even after her daughter was taken she managed to keep it together. To put on the mask she wore to the after raid mourning events. It barely held her together. Then.. She tapped her paw on a stack of papers on her desk, knocking multiple bottles over the side of the desk that shattered upon hitting the ground.

She continued to cry as she knew he started to read it. 

“Rellin.. He.. He divorced you?!” Kam said outraged as much as shocked. 

“He's gone! H-He took the first ship off!” She shouted into the table as tears blinded her. “H-HE DIDN'T EVEN STAY FOR THE FUNERAL!” 

Tarva tried to cry some more. But she was all out of tears by then. The night before when she received the papers after wondering why he hadn't shown up the night before at home. That's when she cracked open the bottles. Everything felt numb, raw. 

“What a-.. Spething.. Who does that… That bastard! If I get my paws on him-” Kam grumbled angrily. She wished she shared his anger. But she couldn't blame Rellin. She wanted to run, run far away from everything. To curl up into a ball and sink into the ground forever. 

“I.. I have nothing.. Anymore..” She tried to reach over to another bottle that had some dregs left in it. But that one too was snatched away by Kam. Why is he trying to keep her sober? She wants to forget. 

“You still have you. Tarva. Stynek wouldn't want you to-”

“WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT HER!” She snapped up, what little tears she could still squeeze out streamed down her cheeks. “SHES GONE! SHES GONE AND SHES NEVER- I-Im never going to see her grow up! To celebrate any more-” She weeped, The flash of anger gone in an instant. “B-Brithdays. H-Hers was so close.. I-Ill never.. I spent so much time away.. So much time i didnt have with her… A-All because of my stupid mayor campaign.. A-And now she's gone.. A-And a worse fate b-because im.. Important now..” She laid her head back down in her arms. She had no more tears to shed anymore. No matter how much she wept her eyes would only get dryer. 

She felt Kam’s arms wrap around her and hug her. It felt good. She needed it as much as she wanted him to go away and leave her to wallow. 

“You know what Stynek told me when you won the election?” Kam said. A voice as soft as her daughter's wool.

“W-what..” 

“She was so happy. She said that she understood that you weren't around because you were gonna help people. She told me that it was ok. And that as long as she knew you were helping people it was for the better. For the herd.”

Tarva stayed silent. A few somber weeps as she imagined that in her daughter's voice. A voice she will never hear again. 

“And.. You and I both know.. She wouldn't want you to stop.. To wallow in grief. She would want you to help people. To make sure what happened to her won't happen again.” 

“H-how could I do that? I-Im just a mayor.. My term barely started and- and this.. What can I do to help people now..” Tarva clung to the life preserver that Kam threw her. Her last bit of sanity holding onto it for dear life as to not drown in the sea of sorrow that threatened to drag her back into its gloomy depths. 

“You remember those ideas you told me about.. To run some numbers?” Kam said but the words didn't bring familiarity to her. 

“W-Which ones?”

“The Self Defence plan. You know. We thought up the idea that if we ever got big. I got a posting as military advisor or you got governership.. We could push to build a shipyard.. And build our own self defence fleet. Something to help stop the raids.”

Tarva remembered now. It felt like a lifetime ago yet it was barely a few days before the raid. It all seemed so far. Like somehow she was a completely different venlil back then. Bright eyed and full of hope.

“A-and.. What about-”

“Tarva.. Nobody is doing this. Nobody is doing anything to stop this. The current administration is making talks about how this is a tragedy but doing nothing to prevent it from happening again. The opposition isn't exactly planning on changing anything either. We don't need more bunkers. We need a fleet. The Gojid union is strong but they are far away enough that the raid went through without any resistance aside from our meagre defence batteries. And the federation fleet only arrived hours later. If things continue like this we might end up like one of the many other species raided to death. Slowly bled till the only ones of us left are scattered in the federation or in cattle farms…”

Tarva nodded. The plans. The idea. Idealistic sure. But.. It was something that needed to be done.. She never really put too much thought into it. It was mostly Kam’s idea she thought sounded nice. But.. But now.. Tarva’s fist clenched. No.. He was right.. Stynek, solgalick bless her, Stynek wouldn't want her to wallow. To drink herself to death after working so hard to earn her position as mayor. No, she would want her to protect others. To make what happened to her never happen again... 

“You're right..” She said, She sat up. Wiping the crust of long dried tears from her eyes as she took a look around her. 

The Office was in shambles. Books, files and papers strewn everywhere. Alcohol bottles cluttered around and most were empty. The place looked terrible. She doubted she looked better. She stood up. Holding onto the table for support. Kam finally let go of the hug and stood to the side. A determined look on his face.

“I am right. And we gotta do what we can to make sure this never happens again.”

“Yes.. For Stynek.. For everyone the arxur have taken and eaten. Kam.. I.. I need to clean myself up… Do.. Do you mind driving me home? I need a shower.. And a change of clothes.”

“Ill get my car ready. Meet me out back.” He said. Starting to head to the door before stopping in the doorframe. “And Tarva… Let's do good together. For Stynek.”

“For Stynek..” She said, a burning drive growing in her chasing away the darkness of depression. She had a purpose now. She clung to that purpose lest the darkness return. 

By the time Kam met her out back with his vehicle she was lugging a large trash bag full of bottles. And dumped it into the trash container, then hopped into his car. She had a lot of work to do. It will take years. Many years and hard work. But she had to do it. For Stynek…
The car drove up to her house. It was a fairly modest house all things considered, luckily it escaped any of the fighting from the raid. She unlocked the front door and stepped in, silence met her. There were still pictures hanging on the walls, the TV powered off, and dusty furniture filled the place. It hadn't changed physically at all. But it was emptier than ever. Her pawsteps reverberated breaking the ever present silence. She went upstairs and to her bathroom. The bed was made. Nothing was amiss. Except the closet was half empty. Rellin packed up everything, he wasn't the kind of man who owned much. But what he did own was gone and now left the place feeling emptier than ever. She turned away from the hollow zone in the closet and took off her stained blue coat. And stepped into the shower. 

Cold water assailed her but it was what she needed to wipe the hangover from her head. She stayed there waiting as the water slowly warmed up. Soaking into her wool. She grabbed her brush, a pink brush. Stynek loved the color pink. Stynek bought her this brush with her own allowance a few months ago after her brush broke. Tarva let the water run down her face as she closed her eyes. She had to keep things together. She had to plan and work to make sure this never happened again. For her. 

She started to brush her wool, putting in a few drops of shampoo to help clean it at the same time as she went slowly, thinking of her plans. She was mayor now. She would have to start planning her campaign for senate after her term. Four years as mayor. Five in the senate. Assuming she got elected immediately afterwards which was unlikely. Then afterwards run for a 5 year term as governor. She could try pushing her proposals into law before then, perhaps in the senate… but.. She knew they wouldn't be implemented how they planned. 

Or would plan since all they had were drafts. No, she would need to make this a campaign promise. Already her mind was starting to go back into what it was before. Thinking of metrics, Public persona she'd have to build over the years, and the mask she'd have to put on. She'd have to exploit her own sorrow and grief for political gain. But it would be for the greater good. A chance that maybe a raid like this wouldn't succeed in the future. That they could put up enough of a fight that the Gojid fleet or any other federation fleet could come in and save the day. Maybe she could get a Gojid captain or veteran Krakotl to train them. She knew a few who might have decent careers by the time she got into office. Maybe she should ask Severin or Kallik or Sovlin in the future. Assuming they survive.
She finished brushing her wool and finished off with some conditioner. Letting all the soapy residue run down the drain before putting the brush back where she left it. Her paw hesitating to let it go. Wanting to hold onto it a moment longer. But let it go she did. And turned off the water. Stepping out and onto the air dryer. Hearing the fans spin up and blow away the water and dry her fur. Fluffing it up. She'd have to visit a barber soon. She put her old coat in the hamper. It was half soaked in alcohol. And she was half tempted to throw it away. Blue didn't fit her anyways, and it brought back bad memories. She checked the closet and found another coat. Purple. A dark purple. She remembered this coat. Rellin bought it for her on their anniversary months ago. When they first noticed their.. Relationship waning. She put on the coat. It was a nice coat at least. 

Stepping back downstairs now fresh and with new ideas. She stopped by the wall of photos. Looking at the many of her, Rellin and Stynek all in happier times. Times that will never come again. Her gaze drifted from one to the other. Remembering each moment like it happened just now in front of her. Stynek's birth where she got to hold her for the first time. Her first birthday where she got strayu all over her wool and looked ridiculous. On vacation when she was 4 cycles old and saw the night sky for the first time, looking out towards the sunside where the sun can't be seen anymore and spotting the guiding star. Polaris. She always said that one was her favorite. It was the brightest. Just like her. And legend says it guides all who are lost on the night side back towards the light. 

She clutched one of the photos, the photo of her birth to her chest. And finally shed a single tear. She wanted to cry more. To hold onto this photo and collapse in grief and properly grieve her daughter. But she feared that if she fell down that hole once more, she may never find her way out again. She slowly, agonizingly slowly pulled the photograph away and placed it back on the table. Turning it away from her. She felt terrible. Like she was abandoning her daughter, giving up on her so soon. Wishing her dead instead of hoping that she would live in some vain hope that she can be saved. Her mind turns to the thoughts that she's a terrible mother. Perhaps she is, she thought as she started to turn all the photos around. Some more tears threatened to burst through the dam. But she held strong. Perhaps she was a terrible mother. But now, she may have to be. To save other people's daughters and sons from the same fate. 

“I'm sorry Stynek.. forgive me..” Turning the last of the photos against the wall and out of sight. She takes a step back. Staring at the wall of the back of digital photo frames. A series of blank nondescript squares staring back at her. Finally she turns away, out the front door. 

Director Jones [Human] [29]
Affiliation: Pact of Polaris
- Director of Intelligence [INTEL] 
PACT Date Standard: March 30th 2123
Location: PACT Arkship PPS Sword of Damocles, Polaris System. 

“A good selection of candidates,” Jones said, watching from one of the cameras as the ‘rescued’ venlil children begin to settle into their barracks. 

“Indeed they are Director. I do hope it will be worth it.” Flotilla-Commander Zhao stated. Jones knew which specific camera he was looking at.

“Whether it will be worth it will be decided after the truth is revealed, and how many still want to help us.” She started writing notes, small things. Which of the children seemed to be having an easier time. Which ones were still nervous. Which ones talked to the others and comforted them. 

“When they find out that half of the pact are so called ‘predators’? I hope their indoctrination wasn't too set in this young.” 

“Its precisely why we had them taken this young. Any older and it may have already seeped in too deep to reliably turn them into assets. We don't know how pervasive or deep rooted federation propaganda can be. At this young stage we can mold them into hopefully reliable agents. I'm sure that once they get older and they start to think more critically, the things the federation did to them will compel them to be more cooperative.” She started to add the separate notes to each childs’ file. Already a page and a half from each doctor and psychiatrist that worked on them during the flight over was there. They had to make sure these children were fine and reforged into fine needles to be the first pact citizen-soldiers to pierce deep into the federation. Reforged like fine steel. Not bent or broken. 

“Needs must. After all, But what of the ones who don't make the cut? Who aren't.. Spy material.” Seems Zhao was already concerned with one of them. 

“Theyll probably be reassigned to normal duties. Standard basic training, perhaps trained to be intermediaries between any future Federation venlil and the Pact venlil. Plus. They'll be first in line to get any potential ‘fixing’ surgery.” That got an eyebrow raise from the commander. “Voluntary only of course. And don't worry, we won't pressure them into it. Oversight is already breathing down our necks every step of the way for this. And besides, the psychologists and psychiatrists would kill me themselves if I suggested that. They'll ensure they don't feel any shame about their bodies or dysphoria. Especially when integrating with skalgan children their age.”

“Good. If we have to do this. Well, do this right.” 

“That we will. I'll ensure it. And Oversight makes sure that I'm sure of it…”

The children all started to get into their beds now. The caretakers dimmed the lights and even installed a few small night lights for a few of the children who asked. Afterwards turning off the lights entirely and letting the children have time to sleep. Jones looked away from the cameras then. If anything happens in the night she'll be alerted. 

“Am I free to return to my duties now?” The commander asked, looking towards her.

“No. Your.. Influence on one of the children, Stynek her name is. It is quite great and a potential asset to integration and her own mental wellbeing, well have you re-assigned to this Ark temporarily.”

“I see. Well not like there's much fighting we'll be doing anyways. Will I be doing anything specific or just commanding this ark’s Defence fleet until further notice.”

“A waste of your talents to put you on that. No you'll be assigned to train new officers in the Naval academies. This Ark has a Naval academy.”

“Training the future of the pact navy. A better job than endless patrols and drills. As necessary as those are. I'll take it. I'll try not to get too attached to.. Stynek. Especially in case she reacts badly to the inevitable reveal.” Zhao said almost in resignation. He didn't seem the type to bond quickly. His file always did say he was more reserved of an individual. Perhaps he has a ‘fatherly’ personality he has never been able to express due to the lack of a family unit anymore in the Pact. Perhaps training recruits would be better for him to express this in a healthy way. She’ll have to add that to his file. Usually the parental types make good educators. 

“I do hope she reacts well. Who knows. Perhaps being so highly regarded by her will make her acceptance far easier. But we can only speculate. For now. We have rest to get to. And daily exercise in the morning.”

“Even the director of INTEL can't get out of morning fitness I see.”

“Secretary-general Elias himself can't get out of morning fitness. Were all Citizen-Soldiers. No matter how high our rank we all must be fit and ready for service should the inevitable happen.”

“As it should be. Goodnight for now, Director.” Zhao said walking out of the room.

“Goodnight Commander.” She said back. Checking one last time at the cameras and seeing a few of the children having.. Poor times falling asleep. 

She had her work cut out for her. She had to be careful here. Otherwise they would have stolen these children from their homes for nothing. Well, perhaps not nothing. They wouldn't be eaten by the arxur. Though Isif did a good job minimizing the damage to venlil territory with his raids. Choosing a variety of targets though picking venlil due to our reliance on sending him primarily venlil meat and the venlil being the expected food source for his sector. The Gojidd were too well defended on their homeworld though she heard he had success on their colonies, and further planets closer to the core of the federation were better prepared for raids. Thinking of chief hunter Isif, Jones was looking forward to his report on the raid. Seeing how his network of dissidents, ‘defectives’ and defectors grew slowly yet surely. Perhaps in a decade or two he'd have a sizable portion of his sector completely free of betterment ideology. He would be a strong ally in the future. Assuming the politics of the dominion don't get him killed. Even then she's sure his network would survive. 

She made sure to help him set up fallback plans. Still, he himself was one of the pact’s greatest assets. It did make it funnier though when she watched him devour a perfectly cooked pork loin or steak. She knew he turned his coat for more practical reasons. Even if it made it look like he was solely there for the finely cooked steaks. Admiral Slavik and Vice admiral Adams earned a hefty amount of Luxury rations. Adams secured a promotion after their successful turning over of Isif. That single action turned a centuries technology gap into a decades technology gap. INTEL practically showered them with praise for that. Even if the agreement to print venlil meat went about as comfortably with everyone as it should have. Still. Needs must. And a few hundred thousand packed rations of printed venlil meat was well worth centuries of technological progress.

Jones entered the barracks she was assigned to. A few other bunks were already filled with a variety of officers, soldiers and engineers. She took her designated bunk and prepared to go to bed. Looking forward to a very  busy day tomorrow and staying busy for the foreseeable future. Locking her pad and putting it in the safe to ensure OPSEC is maintained. Even if she doubted anyone would attempt to steal what is on it. But trust is never a guarantee in her department. And random opsec checks made sure she paid attention to lock everything carefully. Lest her luxury ration stipend be threatened. She took off her venlil wool uniform and stuffed it into her hamper. Leaving her only in undergarments. Pulling out tomorrow's uniform and hanging it beside the bunk ready for the morning. Finally she slipped into the bed and rested her head on a pillow. Pulling the curtains to give her some privacy as she laid on the bottom bunk. She’d have to use a few luxury rations on a softer pillow. The standard issue ones never feel good for her neck. 

PACT Date Standard: April 13th 2123
14 Days Later

Jones watched the children as they ran around the track in one of the large ‘habitat’ domes attached to the exterior of the Ark ship, entire square miles of planted trees and plants mimicking a European forest with the limited surviving samples of plant species from earth. A large tinted glass dome letting in warm sunlight from polaris..  Huffing and puffing in their thin uniforms. So far, their performance was terrible. Worse than any skalgan at their age which is to be expected. Their knees are limiting their speed and thus how fast they can move per movement of their leg, the lack of nostrils limits their air intake and they haven't been doing exercise daily since they can walk like every other Pact member. Even if their technically not pact citizen-soldiers yet. They even still had their long wool coats which didn't help them cool off. It's why all Skalgan venlil in the pact get it shaved short. That and the wool is used to make new uniforms since cotton went extinct. 

Within a few years they might be ready to be pact citizen-soldiers. But that will only happen if they choose to once they reveal to them the secret of humanity and why they need their help. But right now. They're too young. So a simple ‘the arxur are in the way we can' t fly you back home’ will suffice for them. Still, will they remember all the humans wearing bandanas and helmets rescuing them? Zhao made quite an impression on one of them. So much so she always asks to see him and he is more than willing to fit her into his schedule teaching at the naval academy to make a few visits to their barracks. Jones is starting to think maybe having them take a tour of the academy might be a good idea.

Get them to see their skalgan kin and what they'll eventually come to know as humans working together all the time. So when the reveal happens. They've already been exposed to humanity for so long. It'll be hard to pull off. Basically enforcing a ‘bandanas and sunglasses’ mandate in an entire Ark ship just to be sure nobody gets a glimpse of an uncovered human face. But the reward might be worth it. Shell have to run that idea by the psychologists to be sure. It will make a lot of Citizen-soldiers grumpy about needing to wear it all the time. Though perhaps this would be good practice in case of an early reveal to the federation. 

“Cmon Glam move those legs!” One of the skalgan Caretakers says to one of the kids slowing down. “Keep those knees apart! Don't have them knock against each other" 

The Caretaker encourages her and she returns back to the main group jogging around the last bend. Clearly tired white the group slowly bleeds members as the slower ones lose speed right before the finish line. Only for them all to collapse onto the track once passing the finish. Forming a large heap of them panting and barely getting up to go towards the water fountains. 

Lucky for them, they developed a theoretical training regime to help assist the federation venlil with their knock knees syndrome. They can't help them with their lack of noses yet. That's up to the biologists and doctors who say that without federation genetic medical technology it's likely impossible. And besides, none of that would happen until after they get into adulthood even if they deem it safe. But they can help them get into good habits now., while making them in control of their own bodies.

“Waterrrr!” One of them cried out crawling over their fellows to the water fountain. 

“Alright kids. Take a five minute break. Get some water. Then we'll be going for lunch.” That earned a happy few bleats from the young venlil. Food always cheered up children after a day exercising and stretching their legs to counter knock knees.

She always did like how cute and fluffy venlil and skalgan children were. Not that she had anything against human children. She already had her mandatory genetic donation as her duty to keep the population growth up. Thankfully they got some Arxur Artificial Womb technology from Isif so they can grow as many new Pact recruits as they can afford to give rations and living quarters. Just needing genetic samples instead of actually needing to do it the natural way anymore. Some still prefer to do it. But most, like her, choose not to. 
But something about how fluffy the venlil ones were made something in her head tickle. A part of her deep down that somehow still held onto its morals felt bad for kidnapping them from home. But that part was easily ignored. The needs must and they need spies that will blend in while having a cover story for why they are suddenly returned and missing years of knowledge they should have. Not to mention, no Skalgan would want to surgically remove their nostrils and knock their knees even if they could. 

She looked to the side watching the psychologists and other INTEL members assigned to keep track of the children take notes and talk with each other about theories, potential ramifications of this or that. Whether one not wanting to get up is just due to exhaustion or some underlying issue of giving up already. A ping popped up on Jones’ tablet. A message directly from Secretary-General Elias. Her scheduled meeting later in the day was bumped up due to a change in schedule.

“Seems my meeting with secretary general Elias is here. Keep me informed if anything happens.” She said to nobody in particular but got a chorus of acknowledgements from the closest ones around her. 

She got up from her seat and started heading out. Heading past various Citizen-Soldiers both human and skalgan making their way to their duties. A few carried pallets of equipment on a pallet jack in the same direction heading to the internal maglev trains that snake throughout the entire Arkship. Walking from one end to the other would take almost a full day. She waits for one to arrive and hops on, watching as the ones with the pallet jack lock it in place on the cargo section on the exterior. Then get in themselves. The trip was short. The train zooms through the airless spine of the Arkship before stopping at each station, her stop being near the Ark Command Center near the center of the ship. Jones steps off as others move past her to get on. 

She walks down the large corridor of the area. Large internal sections with wide corridors. Side lanes for electric cargo or transport vehicles. A few electric motor vehicles carrying cargo or people down the routes as most walked on the foot/paw traffic walkways. A troop of armored and armed soldiers jogging past on their daily exercise routine, the crowd of unarmed citizen-soldiers breaking to let them pass. Finally Jones stepped into the local Arcship Senate. Modestly sized and reasonably decorated. Containing a public area which she promptly skipped and headed straight past the armed guards, showing her ID to quickly scan and get through the checkpoint towards the High ranking only section beyond. A few Senators talking in the hallways about the newest developments in something or other as her journey finally came to an end at the office in front of her. A small plaque on the side of the door reading “General Secretary’s office” 

She knocked and after a moment heard the doors locks swap. So she opened the door and walked in. Inside she saw the modest if well made office of the Person elected to lead the pact. The large faux leather chair faced away towards the large window overviewing the large square where hundreds of humans and Skalgans walked past.

“Sir. You called?” She said though she probably didn't need to. 

“Yes, I wanted to review the latest reports with you personally.” Elias’ strong deep voice said. He had the voice meant for a public speaker. He turned around in his chair, revealing a venlil with dark grey wool with white splotches. Deep blue eyes that spoke of a softness underneath that Jones completely lacked. The Standard issue Pact non-combat uniform worn by everybody out of armor. 100% venlil wool made, a blue officers cap perched on his head between his ears, though his was special for having the sigil of the Secretary-General Emblazoned on the front instead of the standard 8 Pointed Star of Polaris.

“Very well. May I take a seat?” she asked redundantly. Grabbing one of the seats in front of his desk.

“Of course Director Jones.” He flicked his left ear so she sat on the right seat. Placing her tablet down on the table. 

“Well, for the start Project Infiltrator is seemingly going well. The ‘rescued’ children have been getting better over the last few weeks. Most seem to be fully embracing the new normalcy if complaining about all the exercise as children are expected to do. Psychologically they've been given an hour each with a skalgan psychologist. Though a few asked specifically for the ‘tall ones’. Apparently those ones feel safer around masked humans. Though one seems to take this to the extreme.”

“The one attached to Flotilla-Commander Zhao?” he said with his ears showing his amusement at that fact. It has been practically on every recreational Ark message board with the video of Commander Zhao leading a train of venlil children by a strap through hallways. That video was all over the pact comms network, along with congratulations for ‘saving’ them. Of course none knew they were the reason they were taken.

“Yes, her. She seems particularly enamored with the commander. And even snuck away to find him when he was teaching at the naval academy.” She pulled up the incident on her pad. 

Security camera footage of the group being led back to their barracks and walking past the connecting hallway to the naval academy. Stynek being the last in the chain of tail-holding venlil quietly let go and snuck into the hallway in the direction of the naval academy when one of the caretaker skalgans were looking away. She managed to get into the academy and entered the first door she found which just so happened to be the Lecture hall Zhao was in at the time. Lucky for them the mask and glasses mandate was already in effect. 

Elias chuckled warmly. “Adorable. You sure this won't have any adverse effects when the reveal happens?” His amused look at Stynek’s antics turned serious.

“We can't say for sure. She might feel betrayed, but we're working with the theory that her and the others' closeness to the ‘tall ones’ might boost their acceptance of humanity and work to make the whole group accepting. It's why we plan on soon adding a mix of skalgan and human platoonmates as they grow up. To make friendships with humans long before they know what they are.” 

“Heres hoping. Otherwise if Federation indoctrination is that deeply held even in someone as young as them. Then future war plans will have to take that into account.” He moved his ears back in deep thought, likely already coming up with a vague contingency plan to be added to the pile of war plans against the federation. 

“Indeed. Although on better news. Isif’s gift is proving more valuable than anything else.” Jones said with a small grin. 

“The shield ‘prodigy’ he put on that ship along with his… cattle friend. Do enlighten me.” 

“So far, he's managed to help our shield engineers diagnose why ours despite using the same processes and formulas, are 70% weaker than arxur ones. A simple fix on the.. I don't know what exactly the fix was, the technical details were way above my engineering expertise. But safe to say were only 20% weaker on shields to the arxur. And potentially with his help negating that weakness in the long run.”

Secretary General Elias’s ears moved up, he certainly enjoyed that news. A grin growing on his face. “Fantastic news. With that we can credibly stand against federation ships. Especially with the drone ship advancements made.”

“Ah, I've heard of those. Has manufacturing started on them yet?” Jones wondered about how those would go. Drones were always a useful technology, the big issues mostly worrying about the drones being hacked and used against us.

“Not yet. Further testing is being done. Hacking attempts, jamming and everything to ensure that nothing can stop them from working as intended. While the quantum-entanglement control device works well enough, backups are always important.” Elias flips over a schematic of one of the ships

A frigate by the size of it. Railgun, sabot storage. Absolutely no crew compartment, what would've been the crew compartment is housing the primitive AI datacore and comms devices. Fusion reactor, lower power but extremely reliable to ensure it doesn't need constant adjustments by crew. And best of all built on a modular frame. Should any part need to be replaced they can swap out the guns, reactor or datacore completely and slot in new parts. Or remove the salvageable parts from a wrecked hull and scrap it while slotting in the free sections into a new hull. Saving weeks worth of time in theory at least. It has everything a ship needs… Except.. Wait..

“They are also thinking of replacing our manned fighters with drone variants but so far we are only going with the standardized frigate.”  Elias continued showing another smaller variant.

“But- what about the FTL drive? I'm not seeing it on the ship schematics.” Jones asked, confused. She was no engineer or naval yard expert. But an ftl core is practically a mandatory feature if you wish to get anywhere in someone's lifespan. 

“They don't have them. FTL core would double their production costs and triple the manufacturing times. Those things are fragile and need special care constantly. Which can't be done on an unmanned drone. So, we got a solution: We clamp the drones to the exterior of manned cruisers and Carriers to provide escorts, additional firepower, point defence, and if needed sacrificial mass to block incoming fire. 

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Stynek [Federation Venlil] [5]
Affiliation: N/A
- Captured Cattle
PACT Date Standard: March 26th 2123
Location: Arxur Cattle Ship

It's been Seven [days] since the nightmare started. And it hasn't ended. Stynek trembled in terror afterwards alone in the small corner of the cage. The cage was transferred from the small ship that took them off of their homeworld onto a big ship. The monsters were everywhere on the big ship and they felt like they were going to pounce on them and eat them one by one. The way they looked at them was terrifying and she dared not open her eyes, luckily they didn't drag them out to eat them. And Instead put them in a small room on the ship. A few of the monsters guard them and salivate while they look towards them. Everyone was scared, terrified but after long enough, one by one everybody passed out or fell asleep from exhaustion of the day, Stynek as well. Reminiscing on seeing her mother for what she knew would be the last time ever. But when she awoke she wasn't in her bed, being shaken by her parents to calm her from the nightmare. Nor was she awoken by her alarm clock blaring at her to prepare for school. No, she woke up to the feeling of the monsters rattling on the bars of the cage. Throwing leaves and tiny bags of grains at them calling it ‘feeding time’. She was hungry by then. School lunch was so far away she barely remembered it.

The grains tasted bland and she wished she had some flavored water to make cereal out of it. Or mush them up into a porridge with sugar and fruit juices. But her stomach grumbled so much she ate anyway. Filling her belly and yet she still wanted to cry. Most of her classmates returned to doing just that as the cage got stinky and dirty with no place to go to the bathroom. It was horrible. Unfortunately they stayed in that cage all day that day and she had to fall asleep eventually. Still covered in purple that dried and stuck to her wool..  

Stynek thought it was the 7th [day] by now. They fed them twice each day with a bag of grains. So she's confident that it's been a [week] since they got here. There was no clock to keep time and everything felt longer than it should. The whole cage rattled gently with the hum of the spaceship as they went away from home forever.. She ran out of tears and sat there on the ground trying to wake herself up. Nothing worked. Nothing would ever work. Everyone was silent, too afraid to talk or else one of the monsters might snatch them up to eat as a snack for being too annoying. Stynek had horrible thoughts on that. Would they pin her down on a table and chop her leg off to eat in front of her before finishing her off. Maybe if they did somebody would save her and she could... Like... Get a cool robot leg to kick the monsters in the face. But no, those were silly dreams. She would never get out. And if she was taken to get her leg chopped off that would be the end forever. She tried to weep but no tears fell out anymore. 

The Cage stopped rumbling. The faint hum of the spaceship died in an instant as everything shook hard for a brief moment. Everyone in the cage fell on top of one another as alarms blared loudly throughout the ship, the monsters went from idling around to scrambling onto their feet growling. Claws bared before grabbing for weapons, as if preparing to pounce on the first thing they see. Everyone in the cage huddled together for herd protection. What little that meant here. Even with her, all seemingly forgetting the leader's monster's picking her out for a moment.

“Whats going on!” One of the monsters growled loudly. The Translator didn't help how terrifying the monster’s sounded

“We couldn't have arrived already! Hey pilot whats the-” A Thud sounded as the entire ship and cage rattled yet again. 

“WERE BEING BOARDED!” Another arxur in the hallway shouted as the sound of metal screeching and bending caused everyone to cover their ears. 

Loud cracks of the monster weapons, but also the sound of a different Crack followed by a steamy hiss. The arxur in the room rushed out as more cracks and hisses sounded. Explosions blasted and some of her classmates bleated in fear, not her definitely not her. She didn't. The sounds boomed from the doorway as a few loud bangs and bright flashes of lights flashed from the hallway. She heard the pained hisses and screams of the monsters. A few bright red beams appeared from the doorway in the direction of some of the cracks and screams. Then, the sounds stopped. The cracks and hisses faded out as everything was silent. So eerily silent. Only broken by the sound of heavy steps approaching. 

“Clear” a voice, in venlish said. She perked her ear up. Venlish?! Were they being saved?! No it- it couldn't be. This was the nightmare she couldn't wake up from, Maybe- Maybe her mom is saving her! Everyone else in the cage perked up as well. A few saying weak prayers to Solgalik praying that these are angels saving them.

“Clear” The Heavy steps got closer.

“Two Surrenders here! Cuff em!” Another deeper voice in venlish shouted. They were so close, please come closer! just one more door and they'll see us and then we will be safe. 

Finally a figure moved in front of the doorway, A weapon pointed into the room scanning it, the weapons barrel aiming at them for a brief moment before lowering. It was a venlil! She could tell by the shape and the wool peeking from the pelts under its bulky armor! Though its legs looked weird. They didn't bend inwards like anyone she ever saw. Though she couldn't see its face. A piece of cloth covered its muzzle and its helmet visor covered its eyes. Weirdly the helmet visor only let them see forward and not to the sides, she wondered why they would wear helmets that blinded their peripheral vision. 

“Found them! On my position. Delta squad clear the rest of the ship. Bravo squad, get them out of here!” He said before moving on, and three figures moved in. Putting their boxy weapons to their sides. Though one of them wasn't a venlil. It was taller and its legs were straighter. She never saw an alien like this before. Though it too was covered head to paws in armor and cloth. With a piece of cloth over its shorter flat faced muzzle as well. 

“Alright kids, let's get you out of here! We're here to rescue you!” The tall one said gently, as it tried to open the door only to see it was locked. “Fff- it's locked.”

“Do we have a bolt cutter?” One of the venlil asked, a girl it sounded like.

“No, [Fuck] it kids stand back.” One of the words she didn't understand and didn't translate. But she and her classmates all took a step back from the cage door. As the tall one pressed the barrel to it, and made sure it pointed into the wall. Bright red beams burst from its weapon and the lock started to glow red before melting off after a dozen or more seconds. Finally the tall one yanked the door open.

“Alright kids, careful don't step on the molten lock. Lets go lets go, Single file line.” 

“T-Thank you!”
“Were saved!”
“HEROES! YOU'RE MY HERO!” 
“Solgaliks Angels came!” 

Her and her classmates filled the room with tearful thanks as she was the first to jump out of the cage, careful to hop past the red glowing lock. To which the tall one kicked the glowing red lock underneath the rolling cage after one of her classmates almost hopped onto it. The tall one then turned and led us forward out the door as the two venlil followed behind. We grabbed onto each other's tails as they led us forth to keep ourselves steady and not stampede in joy. A few tarps covered some lumps on the ground where red splotches and puddles were pooling. The tall one led us around those but she wondered what was there. She didn't care too much though, They were getting off the monster’s ship! They were led out to the hole cut open in the ship, leading into another different ship. This one cleaner and with a bunch of doctors in white lab coats over a weird dark grey uniform, all the doctors being mostly venlil and with a few other tall ones having the white doctor coats. Though the tall ones all wore big sunglasses that wrapped around their heads. Maybe they didn't like light? They immediately started to motion for us to head over. 

“Everyone, head over to one of the nice doctors, they'll get you all checked up and patch up any scratches, cuts and bruises. Then we'll take you to get cleaned up and have a nice big meal!” Another tall one out shouted as her classmates started to break the line and rush over to the doctors. Tears started forming at the edge of her eyes blurring her vision. She looked up at the tall one, the light above it making it look like it had wings and a halo. Maybe Solgalik was really real and really did send his angels to save them. 

“You're safe now. We're here to save you all.” It said in a soft tone that reminded her of her dad. She ran forward and hugged the tall ones legs. She barely reached its waist but she didn't care. It seemed surprised and stood there frozen as she cried into its legs.

“T-Thank you thankyouthankyouthankyou” She bleated out rapidly. Tears of joy came from her as she felt the tall one pull her back a bit, breaking the hug. And kneel down to be eye level. 

“It's alright little one. What's your name?” He said ruffling her clumped up dirty still purple stained head fur. It felt nice.

“S-Stynek.. Wha-Whats your name?” She asked holding onto his furless paw as if he would vanish and she would be back in the cage like this was a dream. 

“Call me Commander Zhao. Now please go with the nice doctors.” The nice tall Mr Zhao said. He pointed towards an open doctor as most of them were already busy with her classmates.

“Thank you….” She clung to his arm, shaking. She didn't want to let go. He might vanish and reveal this was all just a dream she had in the cage. “P-please don't go.” She felt his hand tremble, no wait, she was the one trembling. Shaking like when she remembered her first time going into a raid bunker and clung to her dad for hours. 

She heard him sigh and she felt him step forward, leading her through the array of doctors and tables with all her classmates being put onto them and looked at. He was still holding her paw as he motioned for the Venlil doctor to come over and put her hand to his.

“There you go. I'll stay here while you get checked up but don't worry. You're safe.” She couldn't tell what his body language meant but she flicked a thank you with her tail.

She grabbed onto the doctor's paw as they started to look over her. Asking her questions to which she tried to respond as best she could. She wasn't hurt badly, No cuts lucky for her just bruises she felt around her neck. She got a pill to take away some of the dull pain from it all and some anti bye otics or something for disease in case the filth they were forced to stay in made her sick. After her little checkup they started leading all of her and her classmates away. She looked back at Mr Zhao whom she immediately held the paw of before he could leave her so he joined them as they walked towards the showers. She looked around the big area and noticed a bunch of light blue banners. All of them had a white 8 pointed star with a circle around it. She also noticed that same star on the helmets, hats and armbands of all the people here. Maybe they're like the red paw of the Zorulians? But like.. With saving people. Maybe that's why she never heard of them. Since they might need to stay secret. 

They led them into a big bathroom, there were no stalls or rooms to shower; it was all one big room with two walls lined with shower heads with a tail length of space in between and a small alcove to put stuff on like soap. Stynek looked around nervously but was handed some wool soap and told to wash up well. She did want to be clean and not covered in muck and purple. She could taste how bad she smelled even though she didn't have a nose like other species. So despite not wanting to let go of mr. Zhao, she went over to one of the showers and fiddled with the handle. 

A bunch of her classmates started doing the same as the adults waited by the dry area. She turned the water warm and started to scrub the shampoo into her wool. She wanted to be clean, rid of the filth and rid of the memories of the monster ship. She scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed till the purple- the blood, it was everywhere. She closed her eyes tightly, a small sob escaping her lips, her tears hidden among the water flowing down. She kept her eyes closed as she scrubbed. Not wanting to see the Color wash away down the drain. She Scrubbed and scrubbed till she thought the brown muck was gone and her wool felt like it was shining and clean. Even then she poured more soap and scrubbed again making sure that it was all gone and all washed away. The water felt so good but she finally opened her eyes and saw all her classmates starting to leave the shower towards the drying room. So to not be left behind the herd, she finished rinsing off. Feeling twice as heavy with how much water was stuck in her unkempt wool coat. 

She waddled over towards the drying room hearing the loud air dryers like what they had back home. She waited in line until one was open. Walking inside and feeling the hot air blow down onto her as she spun around shaking the water out of her coat till she felt puffy and dry. Then left out of the room following her classmates into an area with lockers and benches. They had us sit down to wait till everyone was done. A few brushes were handed out so we could spend our time brushing our wool if we wanted to. She didn't. Stynek liked how puffy she felt. It made her feel safe.

Finally after the last of her friends and classmates were done drying they gathered them up into a herd and led them towards a big room full of long tables with long seats. It was like the cafeteria at school but bigger. Everyone rushed forward to line up for food. Even Stynek tried to shove her way up until the adults gently scolded them to wait in a line. To be patient as the food wouldn't go anywhere. Still Stynek was so hungry. The small grains they were fed weren't much to eat and she wanted real food. Even thinking about anything related back to that ship made her want to cry so she focused on the now. The food. She was one tail length closer, two tails closer. She was practically hopping from paw to paw thinking about eating real food, Three tail lengths closer. She was next!

She grabbed a tray and looked at the cafeteria peoples. They were both venlil and also had cloth covering their muzzles. Why did they do that? Also they all wore grey pelts with the same light blue color as the banner with the white star on it. Was it a uniform? Maybe they were super secret agents or something. And now getting a close look at their wool, it was super short! Way shorter than any venlil she saw except maybe exterminators. But they usually left their head and neck wool at least two [inches] tall. These ones had it all so short it barely puffed out from under their grey pelts and under their hats. Did they cut them short here? She heard about them cutting it short in the federation fleet and the exterminators to fit in the silver suits. Maybe that's why.

She got prodded forward to get her food by her classmate behind her, after standing there staring. She bloomed orange, embarrassed and moved up. Having a big brown colored oval with a slice running down it. It steamed and smelled tasty. Next a big pile of greeny vegetables she didn't recognize, another pile of tiny green vegetable spheres with orange cubes. A box of juice with a weird purple fruit on it, And lastly a small cup of steaming warm soup! It had a lid so she didn't worry about spilling it. She carried her tray out towards the seats. The place was way bigger than they needed so all of them barely took up a few tables. She sat down by her friends. None of them were talking, they were too busy eating. Stynek couldn't bring herself to talk either. She was starving. The monsters barely fed them and now staring at real food for the first time in a [week] she was salivating. She grabbed a fork and poked at the brown thing and it practically melted, it was very soft. And inside it was white and flaky. She scooped up a bit of it and put it into her mouth.

The taste was fantastic. Salty, starchy and earthy. It was like the greatest meal she had ever had compared to what they ate before. Tears rolled down her face as she forked another forkful of whatever this thing was into her mouth. Real food after thinking that all she would ever eat was going to be tasteless cattle feed until-.. She distracted herself from those thoughts by sticking the fork into the other vegetables, Her paw slightly shaking but steadied as she tried the vegetables and pulled out a small spoon to taste the soup. It all was delicious. Filing her empty belly as she devoured every last bite of the food. The orange cubes and round spheres were sweet and savory, the soup being red and full of bean-like stuff. And the box of juice that came with it all was super sweet, and when she accidentally spilled some by squeezing it too hard it shot out from the straw onto her wool. It was a very deep bright purple- 

The Shelter door was right in front of her, the snarling sound of the monsters behind her. The two exterminators holding open the shelter door as their weapons were drawn firing at the monsters trying to save them. She felt her friend’s weight on her shoulder as she tried to run forward. Only for the Exterminator's head to explode into purple mush, Everything went purple. Blood, purple blood went everywhere.

*Purple blood… “*Stynek”  It covered her. It stained her wool. “Stynek!” It stayed on her wet and dripping and tasting of-

“STYNEK!” She was shaken out of her thoughts, her entire body was quivering as she realized she was curled up into a ball on the ground. A puddle of purple blood no, no no. She started to back away from the puddle, Somebody was screaming, it sounded like it came from her as she looked and saw her paws were soaked in it. She tried to wipe it off but it only got rubbed in. Tears started to cloud her vision. Before she felt somebody pick her up and wrap her in an embrace.

“Its ok! Its ok! Your safe Stynek.. Your in a safe place. They can't hurt you here.” It was Mr Zhao. Thinking of his weird name and His deep caring voice with its weird sounding venlish calmed her. She pressed her face into the soft grey of his pelts.  

“T-The blood. T-the purple-” She started, her trembling continuing. 

“It's just fruit juice. Just [grape] juice. Just.. Juice ok? It's not blood. There's nothing bad here. Lets.. Lets get you washed up again ok?” He said in a calm voice. It reminded her of her father when she got scared from a storm or after a raid siren finished blaring and they got to walk out of the bunkers. 

“J-Just Juice.. J-just juice..” She repeated. Sniffling as she clung to the tall one as he started to walk. Her trembling lessened but she still shook and shivered like she was in the snow on the shadeside when she visited to look at the guiding star that pointed north. 

He walked back towards the shower, still wet from when they all used it moments ago as he gently put her down. But she clung to his arm.

“C-Can you.. Help me.” She whimpered, eyes firmly shut so she couldn't see.. See the Color of the *blo-*juice that clung to her wool. 

“I..” He sounded reluctant. Which made Stynek whimper slightly. That seemed to make him reconsider. “Sure. Ill- ill wash it off. Just keep your eyes closed and be brave for me ok?” 

She nodded and heard the water turn on again. Waiting until she could feel the warm steam before Mr. Zhao led her into it. He put some of the wool shampoo in her fur and scrubbed in himself. She stood there, eyes firmly shut as warm water rinsed over her and soaking into her wool. It felt nice… And he was gentle in washing her fur. Her shaking slowed down till it was nearly gone… The juice was gone by now right? 

“I-Is the.. B… J-j-juice.. Gone?”

“It is.. You can open your eyes now.” 

She did so and like he promised her wool was clean again. She nodded and he turned the water off. The weird pelts Mr Zhao wore were soaking wet and his pants looked wet as well since he was kneeling to be at her height. She felt bad making him get wet now.

“S-Sorry for-”

“It's alright little one. There's nothing to be sorry for. I understand. You went through something terrible and scary. But you're a strong girl.”

She didn't feel strong. She felt weak, like a little pathetic thing who couldn't even help her friend get into the shelter. As they walked towards the drying room she looked back up at him. 

“C-can i be as strong as you one day..” He looked down at her. And knelt down again. Letting her get close to eye level with him.

“Of course you can. Maybe one day, you'll even be stronger. You just have to work hard for it.”

For the first time ever since she was captured. Stynek felt hopeful again. 

Flotilla-Commander Zhao [Human] [34]
- Flotilla-Commander in the 77th Fleet
PACT Date Standard: March 25th 2123
Location: PPS “Savior of Destiny”, Rapidly approaching the Polaris System

\*Step Step Step Step\*
\*Pat Pat Pat Pat Pat Pat\*

Zhao walks down the hallway carrying his tablet. Pretending to not notice the small pitter patter of his ever present tiny shadow following behind him. He wasn't sure whether letting her follow him everywhere was the right thing to do. Both psychologically and tactically since having her roam around with him increased the risk of someone not wearing their bandana’s on their mouths or not wearing glasses or helmet to cover their eyes. The last thing they want for these poor kids is to make them think they escaped one monster and into the jaws of another. But the psychologist said it's probably best he let her follow him around. Makes her feel safe which if she knew what he really was she probably wouldn't. 

He went into another room. Holding the automatic door open for the small pitter patter of pawpads to enter behind him. Then continuing on his way into the makeshift daycare center. The left side hanger area with its blast doors closed and locked. With various walls set up to section off areas and the psychologists, teachers and doctors helping the kids learn to play some games. Both to keep them occupied and to keep their mind from thinking of their trauma. Most of the people helping the kids are Skalgans. Wearing either facemasks or bandanas to conceal their nostrils to avoid unwanted questions.
Though a few are still human, with masks, overly wide sunglasses and special training to ensure they don't do anything to set off the kids alarm bells like turning to look at them rapidly or the like. Of course apart from those there are a few guards around. Armed but sitting in chairs and mostly just looking at their tablets. It seemed having them around made the children feel safer. 

“Stynek” Zhao said to the little shadow behind him. “You can go play with your friends, you know?” 

“Will you wait here..” She asked so softly. It was hard to resist picking her up and cradling her. He had a soft spot for children. It made knowing how they got here and the pact’s own involvement all the harder to bear. But the needs must. 

“Yes, I will wait here.” He said resigned. Last time he said that and walked off to attend a meeting she fell into a panic trying to find him. The Lieutenant-Psychologist gave him an extremely stern conversation in private. These kids were in a precarious situation. And they needed to be careful and build trust. And lying to them for convenience did not help. 

“Ok.. Promise?” She looked up at him with her eyes full of innocence and broken trust. 

“Yes, I will stay right here and watch over you. Don't worry little one.” He sat down on a chair. 

She nodded and started walking towards the play area. Taking a look back at him. Then continuing. Stopping looking back at him and continuing until she eventually joined up with a group playing simple video games. Her eyes drifting to check if he's still there every minute or so.

Zhao pulled out his tablet and began to check his messages. Situation reports, stockpile of supplies on the flotilla. Estimated time of arrival. Most of this would have been a call or seen earlier but with Stynek shadowing him. He couldn't risk operational security by talking about anything sensitive aloud. Even if she is a child. Children are deceptively perceptive. 
He looked up and saw the various groups playing around or harassing the staff with questions and the like. Glancing over towards Stynek, she peeked at him from the corner of her eyes before looking back at the game she was losing. Poor things. He looked back down at his tablet and started working on things he put off. Finishing off his report to his superiors about the success of his mission. As well as reading the preliminary interrogation report from the shield expert that ‘miraculously’ made it onto that ship and surrendered. A lot of technical details he couldn't parse. Engineering and particle physics weren't his expertise so he left that to the experts. What it implied though was a vast upgrade to their shield technology. He could not wait for that. Another decade or two shaved off of the centuries of the tech gap between the Pact and federation. 

He checked the Time of arrival and it was close. He got up and sent an alert to the flotilla to prepare for entrance into the Polaris System. Within minutes the hum of FTL travel ceased and they were back in home territory. Ships were already orienting towards their destination, burning towards their docks to re-arm, refuel and get shore leave. While he got up to prepare the children for the transfer. Stynek obviously noticed him standing up and turned her head to look at him.

“Attention Everyone!” He cupped his hands together to act as a megaphone. He could have used the speakers but he felt it wasn't necessary. “We're in safe space now. We will need you all to gather everything up and be ready to transfer to another ship where we can keep you safe. Please get up and put your toys away.”

The children all started to get up and start putting their toys away. Some tried playing a little longer, an extra round of the video game but within ten minutes everything was put onto rolling carts and ready to move onto the transport shuttles. Stynek helped but always stayed within eyesight of Zhao. and when all was set up she wandered over and clung to him by wrapping her arms around his leg. 

“You're going to have to let go if we're going to walk to the exit.” He gently shook his leg but that only made her seem to cling harder.

“Y-you can still walk. I'll just hold on.” While the thought had occurred to him. He was not going to try dragging his leg around with a small child clinging on for dear life. Even if the visual did seem humorous and cute in his mind. 

“No. Sorry little one. But you can..” He thought for a moment thinking of a compromise. Remembering them all entering his ship holding their tails he quickly got an idea. Pulling on one of the straps to his utility belt, lengthening its cords. It tightened a bit but it was fine. It lengthened enough to make it two feet long. “Hold onto this. Like how you all hold onto your tails. But I don't have a tail so this will have to do.” 

“O-Okay.” She said, seemingly satisfied with the answer. Grabbing onto the cord and wrapping it around her wrist. He was gonna have to walk slower just in case. 

The children were all gathered around and formed a line. All started to line up behind Stynek and hold onto her tail, then the next one held their tail and so on. Making an adorable chain of venlil children. It occurred to him now he was going to have to lead them like this through half the ship to the other hangar. He was definitely going to be hearing about this later in the mess hall. But needs must.

“Everyone ready?” He saw them all nod their heads slowly. “Good. Stay in line lets go.” he turned and started to walk slowly.

Looking backwards to change his pace so he doesn't go too slow or too fast. Adjusting his stride to slow down a small amount he found the best pace to walk at for them. He could see a few of his troops trying to not look like thier looking at this or instead blatantly pulling out tablets to take a video as he led the procession through the hallway into the other hanger bay, This one with the transports ready to take them to the Ark Ship. 

He led the train of young venlil to the ship and motioned them to take their seats. Taking his own seat near the entrance of the ship and with zero hesitation Stynek took the seat directly next to him. Still clutching onto the cord. He hoped she wouldn't be sad when he inevitably went back to his duties. He was a flotilla commander and would not have time to be one of her caretakers. Even if the most they did was patrols, training and combat simulations.

The children took their seats and the carts of entertainment toys were strapped into the back cargo area. The staff also took their seats. Filling up the last of the open chairs in the dropship. The ramp closed and with a gentle tug of force the ship left into open space. Flying down towards the first pact planet to be temporarily settled as a mining colony, Idealistically named, Federations End. The screen-windows showed a barren rock devoid of life, yet hundreds of starships orbited and the huge city sized ships dotted around in orbit churned with activity. Massive starships built to house and train millions as the mining colonies on the planet dig for resources to fuel the construction of more industry for the inevitable war. The Planet able to be abandoned at a moment's notice should anything threaten them. And move on with their mobile stationships. The so-called ‘Ark ships’. Named after one of humanity's oldest legends. 

 Flying through the swarm of warships guarding their assigned Ark ships. They headed towards the largest ones. Zhao could see the children staring at the screens in wonder. Seeing all the ships flying about, tugboats aiding ships into docks, dropships transporting people to and fro, Cargo vessels flowing between the planet and Arkships with material, munitions and goods. Before one Arkship started to take center stage in the viewscreens. 

Zhao tapped his earpiece swapping comms channels to the pilots of their transport. “Pilots, Give us the cinematic route around.”

“Let me clear it with Aerospace Traffic Control.” A few moments pass. As the young ones clamber in their seats to stare into the screens.  “Clear to go sir.” 

The dropship did a turn and looped around the ship. Circling over the massive engines, keeping clear of the large flaming plumes of exhaust plasma spewing forth as the ship manuevers into position in orbit. Flying around towards the side lit up by the north star, the Guiding Star, Polaris itself.. The name in massive Venscript appears on the back of the ship. White on Grey with blue outlines. “PPS SWORD OF DAMOCLES” the name was emblazoned. Of course the Name translated as best it could be into Venlish though he doubted the children could understand ‘damocles’ as it probably looked like a random jumble of letters to them. The large habitat sections bulbing out on their modular exteriors. Large domes with visible greenery formed vast swathes of the exterior sections as the drop ship flew along the length of the ship. Its size was enormous and hard to visualize in the black of space, only when the dropship flew close to dock did it finally seem to click for the children just how big this ship was.

“Woaw.. This ship is huge!”
“What's a Damn-o-Clease?”
“It's massive! It's like twenty stations big!”
“No way it's bigger than twenty stations!”
“You could fit a city in there!”
“I thought I saw trees! Are there trees on this?”

The Young ones asked nobody in particular as they spoke aloud in amazement and wonder. The dropship finally landed in one of the hundreds of personnel transfer bays. Shield airlocks and physical airlocks locking behind them as the engines power down. And a moment after the ramp unlocks and lowers. 

“Welcome to Polaris everybody. Let's get you settled.” Zhao got up and began to step off. Only to feel tugged backwards gently, as Stynek still held the strap attached to his utility belt.