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Chrarada sat smugly on the bridge of her ship, perusing the after-action battle report. "We did well. We destroyed approximately sixteen large vessels and twenty fighter class ships ourselves." Swiping her finger to switch over to the complete fleet statics. She finally allowed herself a chuckle as the approximated enemies defeated were nearing the nine hundred mark. "The Terrans definitely know how to fight. I daresay they are quite vicious and would make for terrible enemies. Quite unexpected from how friendly they are."

"Ma'am, we're receiving a com from force Commander Becude. He wished to inform you that contact with the new alien species has been made. All three are expected to make a full recovery."

"Send him our thanks and try to keep up with any fleet chatter about our guests." Moving her display to the mass of hard light aliens following the fleet to her system. Chrarada's grin slowly shifted to a frown. "Does the Commander have any idea what the hard light aliens are up to? I'm not keen on allowing them into our system." Tapping her finger as she waited for a response. Chrarada keyed some battle footage to study. Specifically on how the Terran ships engaged in combat.

"Yes, Ma'am. Explorer Srettia has made contact with one. They say communication has been troublesome, and they require language specialists. They are listed as friendlies currently."

"Mmm, I see. I should thank Srettia for finding this battlefield for us in person. It was a good chance to see how the refit would stack up to the enemy." Thoughtfully watching the battle footage of an odd-looking Terran ship crashing through an enemy vessel, firing its weapons into the ship while doing so. Chrarada couldn't help but feel excited. "Yes. I think I will pay her a visit."

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Ankiah flattened her ears as the officer, one Michael, fumbled with his device. Seemingly arguing with it for unknown reasons. "You know, for a future man, you sure have trouble with technology." She quipped, Pointing her snout up and throwing a sideways glance over to the scaly one.

"I'm not sure what you said. But I don't like that tone, lady." Michael replied as Jack threw up some suggestions as to what she said onto the datapad.

"I bet it could be summed up to one word starting with an I." Srettia added from across the room, eliciting a chuckle from the doctor. "Though you're right. My female intuition is forcing me not to like her. She seems sassy, and I can't even understand her.

Looking at one of the guards, Michael shrugged and turned back to this fluffy-tailed student. "Uhh, I need you to speak a bit more for me. I think we're close."

Ankiah bit her tongue as the officer and his companions debated amongst themselves, deciding she would continue the task of trying to understand this odd male. "I still don't know what you're saying. I suppose the point of this is getting me to talk so that gizmo can translate? I much rather like this approach as opposed to being shocked with a stick. Uhh, I'm not quite sure how I got here. My home was attacked by... Aliens, a... time ago? And I've been stuck on that ship ever since. I guess if you ask me if I'm okay. I would say I'm not. But complaining to people who can't understand me won't get me anywhere. So I'll yammer about things until you tell me to stop."

Michael watched as Jack worked to discern Ankiah's barks and yips, finding her oddly talkative suddenly. "Well, I guess she figured out what we wanted. How about we try some pictures."

Ankiah clapped her hands together as Michael turned the device towards her, and it began to display various pictures. Things she had never seen before and some things she had seen. "That's an airship, and that's a watercraft. Oh! And that. Hey, slow down! You have too many things I don't know. Ahh, that's a railway car."

As the time wore on, Michael began to feel dread. The words Ankiah knew and the one she didn't respond to started making him a bit uncomfortable. "I have a terrible feeling about this. I don't think her people are very advanced."

Srettia walked over and looked at the datapad, then back to Ankiah. "The most advanced words she responded to were a railway car and television."

Turning the datapad back towards Ankiah, Michael looked up at Srettia. "That's the problem. I bet they abducted her or something. Maybe they conquered her people and took them as labourers. I bet slaves are easier to control when you can execute them from orbit."

Srettia frowned and went to sit back down. "Explains her initial reaction to you. I'll still kill her if she hurts you, though."

Ankiah watched as the angry scaled one gently brushed the officer's shoulder with its tail and moved back to the corner. "Is that your life mate? Is it female? I guess that's why she doesn't like me since I kind of hurt you and all. How many more aliens are on board? Will the galactic space council help me?"

Michael turned to Dr. Leferts with a frown. "She doesn't seem to be traumatized from her abduction. Is she in shock?"

Dr. Leferts looked at her vital scans and shook her head. "Not from what I can tell. Maybe she thinks this is a game or a dream."

Ankiah leaned back onto the comfortable bed that seemed to fashion itself around her body and let out a sigh. "This space bed is pretty nifty. It's even made a spot for my tail."

Michael looked at the fluffy red alien as she reclined in the bed, closing her eyes for a moment as she seemed to make herself comfortable. "The hell is with this lady? She must think she's on a cruise ship or something."

"Maybe she just doesn't care?" Srettia ventured, seemingly annoyed at the attitude of this female.

"So you almost finished with your widget there, spaceman? Or am I going to be stuck in this room until a space hunk comes and rescues me?" Ankiah asked, placing her paws behind her head.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Frowning at the odd tone of Ankiah's sounds, Michael looked down at the pad to see if Jack was making decent translation progress. "Hey pal, why not turn this thing on and see whatcha got?"

Ankiah tilted her head at Michael's attempted to speak softly into his square, her sensitive ears quickly picking up his whispers quite easily. "So anyway, you think I can get a drink or something. I'm getting kind of thirsty with all this talking."

Michael raised an eye at the lady as the translation kicked in. "Yeah, sure thing. Ya got anything for her to drink, doctor?"

Ankiah sat up and quickly flared her fur as a disembodied voice spoke at her from all directions. "WHO'S THERE!?"

Michael quickly scooched his chair back. The quills from Ankiah, getting dangerously close to him very suddenly. "Hey, you're alright. It's just the translation program. We don't have a neckpiece or implant that can handle the translation yet, so we're using the room's speakers."

Poking her hear out of her quills, Ankiah eyed Michael as he inched backwards away from her. "I can't understand you well. Your space talker is broken."

Srettia stood and walked up to the pointy ball. "Apologise to Michael." She demanded, pointing a clawed finger at Ankiah.

Ankiah looked at the scaled one and decided it was diffidently the mate of this officer Michael. Looking over to him, who just shrugged at her, she decided it was better to do as the scaled one said. "Uhh, I apologize for hurting you?"

Dr. Leferts returned with a container of liquid and handed it off to Ankiah. "Now that we can somewhat understand each other, I have some questions to ask you." Looking over to Michael and Srettia, she made a shooing motion hoping the two would get the picture and leave the room.

Michael stood from his chair and placed the datapad next to Dr. Leferts. "Alright, Doc. We'll get outta your hair. Just call us if you need anything. I'll leave this datapad here so it can work on the translation while you talk with your patient."

Leaving the room with Srettia, Michael rubbed his hand in annoyance. "Well, that was easier than I thought."

Srettia took Michael's hand in her own and leaned into him as they walked down the hall towards their ship. "I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of her soon. Just call it my female intuition."

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Yirphayen became active after its short inactive period and observed the space it was residing in. Noticing its two befriended carbon forms were missing, it decided to let out a harmonizing tune in an attempt to gather their attention.

Unfortunately for Yirphayen. It seemed to have startled the other carbon forms in the area, especially the one with the heavy minerals in its liquids. Deciding to quickly choose the state it had taken when it was with the other two carbon forms, it decided that motioning its appendage as to how the first carbon form did was appropriate.

Floating towards the closest carbon unit. Yirphayen carefully extended its appendage. Only find the two carbon forms which were encased in compressed minerals quickly move to get in its way.

Moving back slightly, stopping its task. Yirphayen chimed a low tune of apologies and attempted to find its two acquainted carbon forms, quickly becoming distressed as they did not answer its calls. Yirphayen did not like its current state. It was surrounded by carbon forms that seemed hostile. But they were also the carbon forms that freed its brethren. It was all very confusing.

Shrinking itself to seem less hostile. Yirphayen was relieved when the two friendly carbon forms burst through the door. Seemingly in a heightened state of some sort. Moving its appendage towards its favourable carbon forms, Yirphayen let out a hymn of happiness as they quickly crossed the room and stood beside it.

With the confusion now seemingly passed. Yirphayen stuck close to its friendly carbon forms and moved out into the long space, Happily harmonizing as it did.

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Inhaling a long breath, Admiral Miles paced silently in his office. Currently, he was doing his best to shrug off the stress of waiting for the fleet to report back, something he truly wasn't expecting when arriving in the Aasteran system. "The first engagement against a hostile alien species. And I'm caught up in the middle of it."

He was turning to walk back towards his desk when his computer finally rang with an update, quickly moving to his chair and taking a seat. He opened the report and let himself exhale a long breath. "Well. having six more Aasteran battle-ready ships can only be a good thing, I suppose."

Getting up from his chair and walking towards the other side of his room, he jumped as he received another notification. Quickly moving back once again, back to his chair. He was saddened as it was just another update from Dr. Leviye on the new fold drive's progress. "Well, at least they are making good time. At this rate, we'll be able to start sending missions to and from the Earth within the month."

Deciding a walk would do him some good. Admiral Miles got up from his chair and wandered towards the door. Only to be once again interrupted by an update. This time, however, it went straight to his implant. Opening it up, Admiral Miles couldn't help but grin. "Finally!"

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Andriet Stood in the med bay with a scowl on her face. The report that they were coming in with a medical emergency was not something she expected from someone as seasoned as Finley.

Watching as the team of medics dragged the patient in. Her scowl vanished into Horror as she realized it was Ethuci on the bed. Rereading the report, she realized she had accidentally skimmed past the part where it mentioned who the patient was.

Watching as Finley walked into the room, She stalked up to him in anger. However, she didn't expect hezexhel to intercept her so quickly. "Out of my way. Hezexhel."

Crossing his arms, Hezexhel stood firm in his stance. "No. It would be best if you calmed yourself, Captain. Ethuci brought this upon himself, and Finley had no part in his stupidity. You should wait until the report is filed before pointing fingers."

Andriet took a step back at the odd situation and looked over to Finley, who had a weary look on his face. "I'll talk with you later. For now, we need to make sure Ethuci is safe. I'd rather not anger Chrarada."

Hezexhel walked past Andriet and into the viewing area where he could see Ethuci. "Finley believes he will most likely lose his arm. He was stupid, but he also gained us access to the facility. It was an even trade."

Andriet walked up beside Hezexhel and looked at the physicians scrambling around Ethuci. "What the hell did he do?"

Finley walked up beside the two and ejected himself from his armour. "He took his gauntlet off so he could press his hand against a bio scanner."

Andriet looked at Finley, then at Ethuci. "He's a fucking idiot. Chrarada is going to kill all three of us now."

Finley rubbed his wrist while looking down at Ethuci from the viewing platform. "I bet you're wrong. She seems like the type of lady who would be more concerned than angry. Honestly, I bet she'll be feeding him soup and helping him recover when she gets here."

Hezexhel chuckled and ejected himself from his armour as well. "It would be a sight to see such a commanding presence in that state. Though If we were to talk about it... I doubt we would see the next day." He added, relaxing into a nearby chair.

Finley joined him, crashing down into a chair as he let the fatigue seep into his body. "Not bad for a three-day mission."

Andriet sat next to Finley and stared down at Ethuci. "What did you really find down there?"

Finley looked over to Hezexhel, who seemed to pretend not to notice and sighed. "There'll be a video when I file the final report. Needless to say, they didn't fully evacuate the city. Or couldn't. I would suggest watching it with an empty stomach."

Andriet carefully grasped Finley's hand, noticing he had a thousand-yard stare on his face. "Drinks on me tonight? I still owe you some stories remember."

Finley winced as the laser scalpels began to slice into Ethuci's arm. "Well, I'll take you up on that then. I think I'm going to need it."

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